#a part of me wants to guess if it's one of you from the ant server

[cheriecelestial]

Angel Pt.1

pairing*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Red Hood!Jason Todd X fem!reader

disclaimer*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ fluff. slight suggestive content (?). swearing. canon typical violence. kinda long. not proofread !

a/n*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ based on that one prompt “Wow ! You’ve grown so much since I last babysat you” “I want to rail you so bad”. Reader is like 26 and Jason is 19-20. Set in the WFA verse + joyfire are a team. Kinda non canon complacent. Smut in part II

Part II

Under the nocturnal skyline of Gotham perched on a towering building was the vigilante anti- hero Red Hood watching, observing the city like a hunter stalking its next prey. His jacket whipped against the wind of the boisterous and animated city. He closed his eyes and listened to song of wailing sirens and the distant cries of people, ready to respond to the city's calls for help.

Gotham was a city that, much like its vigilantes, thrived in the night. The city was hued in the rapturous and vivacious of the nightlife. Neon signs flickered casting flashes of colours across the pavements of the night clubs. People scattered across the pavements like ants, some making their way home from a tiring day of work, others more aimless and leisure - their destinations less defined and indulgent. He pulled out his grapple hook gun and shot to a building a few blocks away from where his bike was parked.

In the shadowed alleyways, Red Hood felt a sinister presence stir. He kept walking without letting them know that he noticed their presence. By the footsteps, he could tell six no.. seven. Four of medium build and three a bit more burly. Judging by their lack of ability to mask their footsteps, he could guess they're amateurs. Well in all honesty, almost everyone was an amateur compared to him. Slowing his pace, Red Hood's hands instinctively moved to his holster, anticipating a potential confrontation. Nothing beat the thrill of beating up bad guys. However, amid the approaching group, he discerned another set of footsteps — urgent, lighter, tinged with fear, and most importantly heading directly toward him.

He felt someone clutch the lapel of his jacket desperately. "You're a vigilante, aren't you ? Please help me sir. I think there are bad people following me." Red Hood looked to his side and saw a woman much shorter than him and shaking like a leaf in wind. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at her. It had been almost a decade since he had gazed into those warm large eyes—a fragment of his childhood that he had long relegated to oblivion. Jason Todd had what most would call a troubled childhood. Abandoned by his birth mother and the only other one he had dead from drug abuse and an even worse father who died the hands of Two Face. Tossed through the foster system, he eventually found himself on the unforgiving streets of Gotham. Amid the darkest moments of his youth, one saving grace remained —his angel,Y/N L/N. One he completely forgot about when he assumed the mantle of Robin.

"Help me please." She implored, her voice trembling and on the verge of breaking - the same one who would calm his raging storm on bad nights and tell him that he was going to be okay, and in the moment he swore he was. Her gaze shifted between the men and the vigilante, moving closer to him without realizing to shield herself from the villains in the shadows. Almost as if in a trance, he raised his gloved hand to caress her cheek as if to check if she was real or not. "Just follow my lead." He spoke in a low tone and the woman nodded frantically. His hand encircled her wrist and he started running, dragging her behind him the second he heard the thugs charge. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't think twice before starting a fight and having it his way. But he couldn't bear endangering her in the slightest so getting her to safety was the only viable option.

Her breath came in rapid gasps, and beads of sweat glistened on side of her forehead as they navigated the maze of alleyways in their path. The flickering glow of distant streetlights created fleeting glimpses of their pursuers. Her heart pounded in her chest like the strumming of a frantic drum as adrenaline pumped poisoned her veins. Jason noticed that she couldn't run fast enough to outrun the thugs with her stamina. "Sorry about what I'm about to do”,he warned in a hushed whisper and without hesitation, he lifted her over his shoulder and began running. Y/N gasped, clutching onto the vigilante for dear life. Wind ruffled her hair as she watched the vigilante leave behind their pursuers effortlessly. "You know if this vigilante thing doesn't work out you could try out for the Olympics." She muttered not realizing she said it out loud. Red Hood let out a gruff laugh, "I could but I like beating up bad guys and saving people such as yourself just a tad bit more angel." Y/N blushed at the nickname but waved it off as commonplace banter.

He set her down next to his bike. And took off his chocolate coloured jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "How could I ever thank you?" The h/c haired woman smiled at him with a smile so infectious that the corners of Jason's lips curled up without his realising under his mask. "Don't thank me just yet princess. They aren't near done." Y/N blinked in confusion and followed Red Hood's line of sight where she saw three black cars racing towards them. Her features morphed from relief to horror and alarm in the blink of an eye.The vigilante revved his bike and looked at her,"What are you waiting for?" The woman looks at the approaching cars and back at the vigilante, contemplating her options and got on the back of his bike. His hand envelops her and plants it onto his waist as if silently asking her to hold onto him. Y/N flinches at the contact as it she touched something really hot and retracted her hand.

The masked vigilante plucks a helmet out of the saddlebag and strapped it on her head."You might want to hold on angel." Y/N hums in acknowledgment and holds the grab handle behind the seat. Jason rolled his eyes at her refusal to hold onto him and revves the engine making her lurch forward and crash into his back. Realising that doing this any other way apart from his was futile, Y/N timidly encircled her arms around his waist.

The vibrations of the engine shook her whole being as he raced down the streets. The streets, trees, people blurred in her peripheral vision and she started feeling light-headed. Gathering all the morsels of courage she could find, she looked behind her to see the thugs chasing them. They hadn't lost the three cars and things just got worse when she saw a man peek his head out of the window with a fun in his hand. I'm so dying today. She clasped her hands tighter around him and pressed her face against his rigid muscular back in fear.

Sensing her unease, he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her infront of him. Y/N let out a yelp from the suddenness of the contact.

"What are you -"

"You don’t want your back facing them when they start shooting soon." Y/N looked over his shoulder to the thugs and then sunk back into and then sank back against his chest.

"You know if it makes you feel better just know this is an average Tuesday for me." Y/N blinked at him incredulously and in a small voice muttered,"It's Thursday today." A nonchalant shrug was all the answer he decided to give her. How the hell does he manage to remain calm through it? I'm on the verge of a panic attack and he's swerving as if this is a joyride in his kingdom. And in that moment if someone said that he was the king of Gotham, Y/N would find it hard to refute it.

The bike picked up speed causing the h/c haired woman to crash against his chest harshly. It was as if the pressure of the wind glued her against him. To calm herself, she decided to try concentrating elsewhere. Absentmindedly trailing the ridges of his armour and the red bat symbol on his chest. She heard whispers and rumours about Red Hood, the prince of crime, the scourge of the underworld—an outlaw employing more lethal methods against crime than Batman. Despite initial conflicts with Batman, he was acknowledged as a Bat vigilante some time ago. This man was dangerous and unpredictable then why did he feel so familiar to her ?

“I know I have god-tier pectoral muscles but I’d appreciate if you stopped distracting me like that.” Red Hood quipped, sounding almost smug at her fascination. Heat rushed into her cheeks and she quickly withdrew her hand, realising how inappropriate that must’ve felt and hastily clarified,“ I’m so sorry, I’m not a pervert I swear.” Y/N felt his chest rumble with a chuckle.

“Hold on.” Red Hood skidded the bike across the road with a loud screech, making Y/N wince at the sound of the metal scratching against the gravel. He loaded his gun with one hand still wrapped around Y/N protectively and aimed at the tires of the approaching car. “I’d suggest for you to not look at it.”Y/N averted her gaze and moments later, she heard a series of crashes and explosions.

“Jesus Christ I thought I was going to die !” She exhaled in relief. Red Hood turned his face towards her slowly and looked at her as if deadpanning through the mask,“ I’m here you know. What makes you think I’d let you die ?” He retorted taking full offence of her words. “I- I didn’t mean it like that -” she stammered, partly scared to offend the vigilante.

"Whatever I'll drop you off." Jason rolled his eyes and patted the seat behind him. Y/N hesitated, remembering her mother's warning about getting on bikes with strange men, but given her current situation, she realized it was too late to dwell on that now. With no one pursuing them, the ride felt much more pleasant. The speed and the wind against her hair seemed to turn her blood to gasoline as the air dissipated from her lungs. Adrenaline fueled activities weren't for her, at least that's what her sense of self preservation told her. Y/ N pressed her cheek against Red Hood's back. Vigilantes had a symbiotic relationship with the city and as was a common saying in Gotham "The less bats you run into the happier your life is." She knew that this encounter might be a fleeting one, so she decided to relish the moment for now.

Feelings and thoughts were long forgotten, where everything faded into the background and only her physical self exists and the dancing lights at the hazy edges of her vision offered an intoxicating taste of freedom that was indescribable — stripped of obligations, responsibilities and consequences.

Y/N almost doesn’t notice when he stopped the bike. “Do you plan on holding onto me for long ? Not that I mind but we’re here.” Red Hood hopped off the bike and Y/N took off her helmet and hung it onto the handlebar. She scanned her surroundings, they were in front of a five star hotel with sports cars parked on either side of of the road. “Why are we here ?” The woman asked following behind the masked vigilante. “Well for one I don’t know your address so I can’t drop you home and second it’s too late so you should stay the night at a hotel and go home in the morning. It’s safer that way.” Y/N stared at him in disbelief,“ But I don’t have the kind of money to rent a room in a place like this.” Red Hood retrieved a key card from his pocket and placed it on her palm,“Who said anything about paying ?” The h/c haired took it reluctantly and slowly walked to the entrance of the hotel, looking back at him again and again. It wasn’t until she was inside the hotel that she saw him drive off. Y/N walked to the concierge desk and showed her the card. The receptionist eyed her with suspicion considering how she looked so out of place compared to her opulent setting. “Please fill this form. It’s for security purposes.”

The form asked things like her address and her phone number. As reluctant as she was, the receptionist looked like she wasn’t letting her through unless she filled it. Wary of the dangers of misuse of information, Y/N tried to keep her responses as brief as possible. Paranoia was the best friend of a Gothamite considering everything that went down in this hellhole. It was good to always assume the worse and subsequently prepare for it.

The receptionist offered her a tight smile and walked her to the suite. Calling it a suite was an understatement since it was the penthouse on top of the hotel. Just how rich is this guy ? Y/N assumed that the house was a property he didn’t live in because the place lacked personal touch. Either that or he was a real minimalist which was unlikely considering bat vigilantes’ love for theatrics. Y/N wondered if all the bat vigilantes were like a huge family with Batman as papa bat. Where would Red Hood fall in the hierarchy ? If she were to guess, she’d say he was probably the black sheep of the family. Y/N looked around the house, it was one straight out of architectural digests with its high ceilings and cool grey and white interior. She looked at the time and decided it was best if she hit the shower and go to bed and finally put an end to this crazy day.

Jason Todd checked into the hotel the next morning and was greeted by the overly friendly receptionist, personally he didn’t mind fangirls but anyone with even half a braincell knew the risks of being a vigilante groupie. She passed him the form that Y/N filled. He couldn’t help but smile at the form. Filling her work address and a phone number both which were most likely false give the conspicuous number of 7’s in the number ? She’s smarter than most civilians, he’d give her that. The penthouse looked almost unhampered with. His jacket was neatly folded on the dining table with a note reading “Thank you so much for saving me. Regards.” The tone of the note was clear ‘I appreciate you saving me but I hope we never meet again.’ Jason pocketed the note and left the penthouse. Fates had been kind enough to reunite him with his angel and he’d be damned if he let her get away .

“Yoohoo Y/N to earth. Anybody home ?”Y/N’s coworker snapped her fingers in front her face, snapping her out of her reverie. “Sorry about that Steph.” Y/N apologised with an awkward laugh. Stephanie Brown, albeit several years younger, was one of Y/N’s closest friends. She was a bubbly and cheerful soul anyone could tell that by the first impression she projected.

Since the night almost a week ago with the mysterious vigilante, Y/N often found her thoughts plagued by him. Curiosity of where he would be or what he would be doing right now. Her eyes often looked for any news of him while watching the news. I really have to stop thinking about him, even though they lived in the same city, the odds of them running into each other were minute.

The door opened and the bell on top of it clanged, announcing the arrival of a customer. “Mornin’ ladies.” The customer greeted. Y/N turned her attention at the newcomer at the counter. “Good morning detective !” she greeted the customer with a bright smile.

Dick Grayson served as a police officer under the GCPD and was one of the cafe’s frequents. From experiences of her own childhood, Y/N consider the police nothing but corrupt individuals on payroll of powerful people who bullied those weaker than them. But detective Grayson was one of the good and honest ones. He played a massive role in restoring Y/N’s faith that there were those in the police force who could be relied upon and ones that fought for a better Gotham.

"I'll go with the..." he glanced at the menu, a ritual he often performed. "the regular?" Y/N finished his sentence. He responded with a smile, revealing his dimples. "I never understand why you bother with the menu when you always order the same thing," she remarked. He shrugged nonchalantly, as if saying 'who knows.' A smile crept onto her face as she made his order.

“So how’s everything with the family ?” Y/N asked, making small talk. Beyond his consistent ordering and punctual 9:00 AM café visits, he frequently shared his sibling issues. "Oh, where do I begin? My brother is acting up, yet again. He pulled some crap about a week ago. He broke one of Dad’s rules, even though he said he did it to help someone but Dad was just not having it."

“ Which one ? The cool rebellious one or the little gremlin one ?” Y/N laughed sympathetically. She didn’t feel the need to probe and ask much but she always lent an ear to a friend so naturally she knew them by characteristics and not by name. From what she knew, Dick Grayson had three younger brothers - the broody rebellious one, the caffein addict smartass and the 4 foot gremlin edgelord from hell.

“The rebellious one.” he sighed wearily. Y/N placed his order on the counter, including a small pack of cookies. “On the house. You could use some sugar anyway. They’re free testers before we put them on the menu.” Dick accepted the coffee and cookie packet, flashing a bright smile. “Thank you so much. You’re an angel.” An odd feeling resonated within her when Dick called her that. That’s what Red Hood called her. Somehow the way the word rolled off his tongue seemed so different compared to when anyone else said it.

“Hey Dick do you mind if I ask you something ?” Dick nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. “What do you know about the Red Hood ?”

Dick choked on his drink and burst into a fit of coughs. It took him a while to compose himself. “He’s alright. I mean he does help the GCPD I guess but he’s too unpredictable and we don’t exactly approve of his methods. He doesn’t hurt innocents but he’s bad news. Why do you ask ?”

“No reason.”Y/N brushed off the inquiry, and although Dick seemed skeptical, he left after leaving a tip. There. Is your curiosity satiated ? Even Dick said he’s bad news now can we stop thinking about him ? Her inner conscience reprimanded her.

Y/N's weary steps echoed in the quiet street as she walked home from work at night. The flickering light from the street lights streetlights casted long almost sentient looking shadows. Her thoughts — a mix of the day's challenges, the longing for the comfort of home blurred into oblivion when a strange chill crept up her spine with a sense of foreboding. Cautious of her surroundings, Y/N constantly kept watch around herself. Just a few yards before her apartment building, she heard their neighbourhood strays agitatedly hiss to something near the dumpster. Not wanting to get involved in whatever trouble Gotham had brought to her feet, she fastened her pace. Suddenly, a flash of vibrant red —the same shade she had been secretly craving to see in the past week, caught her eye.

“Red Hood ?” Y/N stepped into the shadows cautiously as if ready to flee at the first signs of trouble.

“Angel ?” He asked gruffly. Y/N walked closer and found him against the wall, clutching his side. His wound wasn’t a death sentence but needed to be tended to quickly. Her eyes widened in horror when she noticed the crimson coating his fingers,“You’re hurt !”

“ ‘Tis but a scratch m’lady.” He let out a pained laugh seeming to ease her nerves. “We need to get that treated.” Y/N urged. She knew that vigilantes couldn’t just walked into hospitals to get patched up because of the whole secret identity thing. And she also knew that taking it upon herself to treat him would go against every plan of self preservation she had. But she owed him his life. I’ll pay off my debt and we’ll never meet again. Y/N mentally decided and looked at him with newfound determination in her eyes. “My apartment is just upstairs. I have a first aid kit. Come with me.”

Red Hood gazed at her, momentarily lost in thought, then lifted his other hand to gently stroke her cheek. Y/N flinched at his touch, making him withdraw his hand. “Sorry I thought I was hallucinating you because from the blood loss. ” He admitted meekly. Y/N sighed and placed his hand over her shoulder. “Can you stand?” The masked vigilante nodded, rising slowly with a grunt.

Swallowing her rising concern, she brought him to her house and beckoned him towards her couch. Red Hood’s every step betrayed a hint of discomfort, his grimace almost visible even behind that signature mask. The second he dropped on her couch, she disappeared. He caught flashes of her running around the house like a busy bee at work. In seconds, she produced a first-aid kit and knelt next to him. “Lift your shirt.” She maintained her clinical tone, but the concern was evident with her eyes trained on the wound.

“Angel you know if you wanted to –” Jason started with a cheeky tone but was cut off by a stern glare, “Ahem yes ma’am”

Y/N breath hitched every so slightly when she saw the injury. It didn’t look like a bullet wound, the malformed spindle shape resembled a stab wound. “I’m sorry I don’t have any anaesthetic.” She didn’t look up from the wound as her cotton swab glided over the grevions injury. Shifting her elbow to his other hand on his thigh, Red Hood tilted his head seemingly questioning her,“ You can hold my arm and squeeze it if it hurts. I’ve heard that helps.”

“Appreciate the gesture angel but I’m pretty sure I’d snap your arm in half if I did.” His tone was both dismissive and endearing. Y/N didn’t insist, given his strength what he said was probably true. Vigilantes were exceptionally trained, surpassing conventional human limits. Unlike the caped metahuman from Metropolis, the bat vigilantes were more cryptid in nature. None would be where they came from and where they went. Invulnerable and insurmountable. Despite him being in a position that would render others vulnerable, he appeared unfazed, akin to a wounded yet formidable beast. There was a natural aura of dominance and power about him. They don’t call him the Prince of Gotham for no reason that’s for sure.

“You’re good at this. Like one of the best I’ve seen.” He spoke up, seemingly trying to come off as capable of being civil. “Well three years of med school. Some stitching is the least I can do.” She explained. Red Hood visible froze for a good second and inquired,“ You’re a doctor ?”

Y/N scoffed,“ Look around. Do I look like one ?” Red Hood looked around her apartment. Although well maintained, an ode to her efforts, the apartment was old and almost pitiful . Most of the furniture looked second hand and cheap. The curtain rods were rusted and the paint was peeling off from the walls with damp spots on the ceilings.

“You dropped out ?” He guessed. “Yeah. Couldn’t afford it.” She chuckled bitterly.

“Didn’t they offer scholarships or something ?” Jason was aware of Wayne Enterprises’ scholarship programs for talented students. When Bruce took him in, he assured Jason that if Y/N met the criteria, she would be enrolled in the program. Y/N’s intellect had always impressed Jason since childhood, he remembered that she would often sneak into libraries and memorise books worth of stories to recite them to Jason to help him sleep. There was just no way she wouldn’t be accepted into the program.

“They did but that didn’t pay bills. I needed to find a job to pay for my mom’s hospital bills.” She kept her response short, clearly not wanting to delve deep into the topic. “Work for me.” The statement was like a whiplash for Y/N. Work for him ? There weren’t many things Y/N had to take a double take for but this proposition was entirely unexpected. It caught her off guard, she stared at him incredulously with widened eyes. Red Hood was know for operating in the gray areas between legality and criminality and wasn’t exactly your quintessential example of a righteous lawful hero.

“Not in the way you’re imagining.” He hooked his free hand under her chin, gently closing her agape mouth. His tone was soft and reassuring,“ I’ve been meaning to find a backstreet surgeon to stitch me up. Comes in handy for a guy like me. I’m sure you understand angel.”

“B-but why me ?”Y/N stuttered, avoiding eye contact as her nerves threatened to overwhelm her. She could feel a chill of nervousness and panic creep up her spine. What if he got angry if she refused ? Jason noticed the change in the air around her and the stiffening of her muscles in panic that she was clearly trying to hide from him.

“Because you’re convenient. Your place is easy to get in and out of undetected, you’re talented and most of all —“ He gently lifted her chin to meet his gaze. Y/N let out a shuddered breath as Red Hood stroked her cheek with the back of his gloved hand. “— you fear me enough to not go around squeaking to the wrong people about me. No ?” Jason couldn’t help but relish in the reaction he elicited to the feeling of the leather gliding against her cheek in a silken featherlight touch. How adorable.

Y/N swallowed nervously before nodding slowly. A beat of silence passed and she let out a small sigh, recollecting herself and weighing her options. “How much are we talking ?” She asked him in a low voice. Jason could hardly contain his excitement, grinning wildly under his mask. A sense of pride washed over him as her first question after his offer focused on the financial aspect.

“Let’s see how about 2 grand a month ? Too less ? 3 grand ? 3.5 ? That enough ?”he suggested eagerly. Y/N’s eyes widened in disbelief, almost bulging from their sockets. Without waiting for her response, he added, “Plus, there’ll be extra incentives when I’m feeling generous.”

“All that for some stitching ? There has to be a catch.” She reasoned. It seemed implausible that he would offer such a substantial sum for such a minor task. Jason chuckled," You’re smart. I like that in a woman. And to answer your question, it’s not just stitching. It’s about your discretion and loyalty. It’s a complete package. Plus that sort of money is pretty much pocket change to me.”

“And if I were to betray your trust ?” Y/N asked in a hypothetical sense, of course she had more sense than to betray someone of his stature and power. “Do you really want me to answer that ?” He countered sounding equal parts smug and menacing. Y/N shook her head in negation and continued stitching his wound. The process of stitching became a meditative rhythm - the needle piercing the skin, the pull of the thread, the knotting, and the slight twitch of Red Hood’s muscles with each stitch.

“I’ll take it.” She muttered. Jason was grateful for his mask and injury otherwise, he might have been unable to hide his urge to jump up and punch air in celebration. Agreeing to his proposition marked just the beginning of his grand plan for making Y/N his and for now, everything unfolded according to his wishes and he couldn’t be happier.

Y/N wrapped gauze around the wound and secured it with a metal clip. “Normally I’d suggest a few days’ rest but I have a feeling there’s no point in saying.” Red Hood commented with a shrug as he inspected the injury. Y/N rose and fetched him a glass of water from the kitchen, setting it on the table. “If you’re trying to get me to remove my helmet, it won’t work.” he remarked. As much as his distrust stung, Y/N rationalised that it was typical for someone like him.

She retrieved a scarf from the coat rack, folded it and tied it around her eyes before taking a seat on the edge of the couch, keeping a respectable distance from the masked vigilante. "What's with the blindfold angel ?" Red Hood asked, his tone tinged with amusement.

"Isn't trust earned through actions?" she responded. Y/N heard the thud of his helmet being placed on the table. Jason seemed genuinely impressed by her gesture. His gaze lingered on her figure as she remained motionless, noting how much she had changed since his childhood memory. Yet her kindness to those in need while still keeping herself guarded from those who would abuse it still remained unchanged. Jason’s hand twitched with the impulse to touch her. To hold her. He wondered how her face would look in his palms with her bare body melded against his own.

“ ‘Suppose it is.” Jason chuckled as he downed the glass of water and put his helmet back on. “I’m finished. You can remove that blindfold now, although it does look adorable on you.” He noticed her chest rise with a sudden hitch, and her cheeks flush red. Y/N couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, knowing the other implications blindfolds carried. As she removed the scarf and looked around, Red Hood had vanished without a trace. Her window was open and it was as if disappeared into the wind just as he came. She got why the bat vigilantes were often likened to cryptid beings and phantoms. Y/N was left to ponder over the events that had unfolded. Under the glass of water she offered him three hundred dollar bills were tucked. “I suppose I’m now working for the Prince of Gotham now.” Y/N mused to herself, realizing her attempt to avoid getting involved had failed miserably.

Jason's parents engaged in another round of screaming matches, this time he decided he’d had enough and thought of running away. Despite previous fleeting thoughts of escape, each time night fell — he faced the harsh reality of lacking sustenance and shelter. Convinced that the streets offered a marginally preferable refuge to the shithole he was force to call home, he wandered aimlessly till he found himself at the dumpster of a bakery. He knew shops like those threw away left overs even though they could’ve given them out — Jason saw it as a glaring manifestation of selfishness of adults.

He hid behind the dumpster and waited for someone to come and throw away the leftovers. After waiting for almost half an hour, the sound of the door opening caught his attention. Glancing cautiously from his hiding spot, Jason spotted a young waitress walking out. She was likely just a few years older than himself, a middle school or a high school student maybe, he thought to himself. As she approached to dispose of the food, she paused midway. No way did she see him ? Jason shrank back against a cardboard box, hoping she wouldn’t notice him.

“Hey kid you can come out. I already saw you.” the waitress said softly. Jason slowly crawled out and approached her. He eyed the tray of leftovers in her hand, wondering if he could snatch them and escape quickly enough ? The waitress seemed to notice this and raised the tray above his reach. “Against bakery policies kid. Where are your parents ?” She asked. Of course she wouldn't be generous enough to offer him any. In his mind, all adults were rotten to the core and selfish —why would she be any different ?

Jason scoffed,“ Does it matter ?” His statement was met with a sigh from the waitress, her expression conveying annoyance, a scene all too familiar to him. Bracing himself he said,“ Just do it already. I’ve had it from guys thrice your size.” Jason was well acquainted with the drill with diner employees — catch a few shoves and slaps, pretend to go away and wait for them to leave and then come back pick up the food.

He shut his eyes and waited for her to slap and swear at him to drive him away like everyone else. Yet moments passed but the expected blow never came. Instead, Jason felt a gentle pat on his head and looked up to see her smiling empathetically, though her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. Wondering why she seemed so melancholic, he accepted the loaf of bread she offered and wolfed it down. “Won’t you get in trouble for this ?” He asked. With a forced laugh she admitted,“ I probably will but I can’t let a kid hungry now can I ?”

“I won’t tell anyone.” The young boy promised earnestly and she returned his smile. His gaze fell upon her nametag—Y/N L/N. Maybe not all adults are bad.

It had been barely four days since she last saw him that she heard from him again. In the dead of night, her doorbell rang. She approached the door cautiously and grabbed a baseball bat from the umbrella rack as a just in case. She didn’t hear any movement on the other side of the door so she cautiously opened the door, peering out. To her surprise, she found only a small, shoddily wrapped parcel resting on the floor with her name written in red.

There was no one except a small poorly wrapped parcel on floor with her name on it. Retrieving it, she carried it inside. Within the parcel lay a modest yet exquisite golden necklace accompanied by a handwritten instruction manual. Observing it she realised it was one of those necklaces that acted as an SOS signal. The parcel also contained a big folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, she discovered a map of Gotham City with specific locations ominously marked in red and the stark warning “DO NOT GO” emblazoned in bold letters. Y/N couldn’t help but smile at his thoughtful gesture, maybe this is not all that bad.

Over the following days, Red Hood would appear unannounced giving Y/N enough jumpscares for lifetime, when she would walk into her living room and find him bleeding out on her couch. He wasn’t much of a talker which wasn’t a surprise.

His injuries presented a variety of shapes and sizes each time he visited, but recently, his injuries bore uncanny resemblance the markings of knife wounds. Some were superficial, while others cut deeper. However, considering the depth, placement, and angles, Y/N questioned whether they were the result of his typical fights. "Are you testing my loyalty? Seeing if I'll betray you?" Y/N clenched her teeth with silvers of anger and frustration glinting in her eyes. Red Hood appeared slightly taken aback but remained silent in response to her outburst. "Do you really think I wouldn't notice ? Either that certain type of knife has become Gotham’s thugs number one choice or you're doing this to yourself. Why ?" She pressed further.

“ I knew I shouldn’t have made it so obvious.”Jason wasn’t accustomed to others fussing over his safety. Typically he received, at most a pat on the back from those who worked alongside him, knowing he had endured much worse and could handle it. Her anger and frustration hinted at concern, echoing the tone when he would go and pick fights with boys twice his size.

“What’s that supposed to mean ?”

Red Hood let out a sigh and awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “Listen, I enjoy spending time with you and I wouldn’t bother coming unless I needed medical attention. So you know —"

“— So you cut yourself ? To hang out with me ? What’s wrong with you ? What if you actually got into a fight with those injuries ? What if you got hurt for real ? You could really get hurt. How could you do that to yourself ? ”

Jason lowered his head in remorse, realizing he hadn't fully considered his actions. Despite understanding her perspective and acknowledging the wrong in purposefully hurting himself for her attention, he couldn't deny a secret sense of satisfaction. "I’m so sorry," he muttered his apology, genuinely meaning every word. Y/N released an exasperated sigh and took a moment to compose herself before speaking again. "Next time, just ask. It's not that complicated."

Jason's head lifted with hopeful curiosity, resembling a puppy eager for a treat. " I can do that ?" he asked tentatively, unsure if her words were genuine. Jason blinks, and then smiles. Her words cause something to stir within him, a sensation of warmth and affection he hasn't felt in a while. Y/N nodded and got up to dispose of the bloody cotton swabs in the kitchen. Jason’s eyes followed her eyes, watching closely and to see if she was still mad at him. Y/N was a pretty forgiving person but in all honesty, he did mess up pretty bad. She returned and settled back down with a sigh, causing a slight nervous flutter in Jason. “So what do vigilantes when they’re not fighting bad guys ?” Y/N initiated as an icebreaker, much to Jason’s relief. It’s not like he could say ‘hey I’m in love with you please hang out with me with marriage in mind’. Wait marriage ? Where did that come from ? Images of Y/N in a white gown walking down an isle flashed through his mind. Y/N Todd. That had a nice ring to it, Jason mused silently. He had heard that Bali was a popular honeymoon destination but Y/N once told him that she always wanted to see the stargazing so the Atacama desert isn’t a bad destination either.

“Um earth to Red. You still here ?” Y/N waved her hand in front of Jason who seemed to have spaced out.

“Red ?”Jason asked sounding positively amused by the unexpected nickname. She shrugged and replied,“ Calling you Red Hood seemed too long, so Red it is. Not very creative, I know.”

Jason chuckled,“ I’ll allow it. And to answer your question, vigilantes don't have much time for leisure. When we're not fighting, we’re either training or passed the fuck out from exhaustion.” Y/N felt tired just hearing that, understanding the reasoning behind it, but the question remained: he wasn’t wasting time by being here, was he ?

“Seems like there’s no room for hobbies?” Y/N quipped, eliciting another soft laugh from Jason as he visibly relaxed. "I suppose so but pros can squeeze in time for special things here and there." he replied, his voice still quiet but now tinged with a smile. His body language seemed brighter and happier, and for the first time since she saw him actually looking relaxed.

Y/N reached for the TV remote, flipping through channels before tossing it onto his lap and standing up. “I’m going to fix myself something. Do you want anything?” she asked politely. Jason shook his head, declining, “I’m good.” Y/N walked to the kitchen and started making herself popcorn. What sort of movies and tv shows would vigilantes enjoy ? She guessed they might lean towards crime-related or action-packed content, but then remembered her friends’ complaints about the inaccuracy of such portrayals.

“Seriously Janet ?! There’s no way you’re picking that dress. Just cuz it would look good on Jessica doesn’t mean it would suit you ! I can hear the wails of the colour theory all the way from here.” Jason shook his head, sounding genuinely disappointed. He probably didn’t even notice Y/N shuffling closer to the television, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. So I guess that answers my question.

“That’s an interesting choice.”

Jason rolled his eyes and diverted his attention back to the television again. “What ? Can’t a man enjoy some good entertainment ?” He retorted. Y/N laughed lightly dismissing his remark,” No no it’s not that. Personally I’m more of a k-drama and anime girlie but I hold nothing against reality tv.” He nodded in acknowledgment of her preferences and resumed watching. Sitting beside him, Y/N observed as he commented on almost everything the people on TV said, finding herself amused by how much more entertaining his live commentary was compared to the actual show.

Minutes rolled by and after almost a couple hours, Y/N got up to go use the washroom and when she returned he had vanished once again, as was his habit. A small note lay where he had sat on her couch earlier. She picked it up and read, “Had a great time. Thanks for today - R” Y/N chuckled and shook her head, Damn these bats and their theatrics.

Jason would show up every three four days, most of the time unharmed thankfully. The two would do a variety of things like watching movies and tv shows together, playing board games and video games and just talking in general. At first it was just discussing their common interests but eventually he would sporadically divulged minor, unimportant details about himself. Some things she was able to piece together were that one, the bat vigilantes was a dysfunctional family with Batman as their patriarch. Second, the Red Hood worked alongside Starfire and Arsenal as his teammates. And third, that he had to be the biggest classic literature nerd she had come across.

“What do you mean your best friend tried to set you on fire while you were taking a shower ?! Didn’t you like lock the door or something ?”

“Locked doors don’t really do much to people like us angel.”

“So who’s your favourite bat sibling ?” Jason fell silent at her question, contemplating the answer. “Well that’s a tough question. I have my set of challenges and grudges with all of them. We’ve tried to kill each other atleast once. More so with my brothers than the girls. I’d say I get along pretty well with spoiler and batgirl. And if you ask about my brothers, I’d say Nightwing. He’s the funny nice one, Red Robin’s the smart, loyal one and Robin is the little obnoxious one.”

Y/N chuckled,“ Guess the article checks out.”

“What article ?” Jason asked curiously. Most of his intel came from law enforcement agencies databases, informants, surveillance technology, his fellow vigilantes and his own investigative work so he didn’t really feel the need to keep up with the cheesy articles in Gazette.

“The cinnamon roll tier list !” Y/N’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

“The what now ?”

“So there’s this popular meme going online,”she started to explain,“ so there are four categories - first, looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll. In that category are the signal, the spoiler and nightwing. Second, looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you. That one is for Red Robin and the Robin. Third, looks like could kill you but is a cinnamon roll, that one is for Batgirl and the last is -” she paused because she knew the next tier on the list might potentially sting him.

“Looks like could kill you and would kill you ? Let me guess that’s one for me ?” Jason chuckled humorlessly, fully aware of the kind of reputation that preceded him. He wondered if she held the same perception of him. Y/N remained silent, neither confirming nor denying his statement.

"You know, you don't need to constantly worry about offending me. Believe me, I've heard far worse than anything your pretty mouth could say to me." Y/N couldn't help but feel upset, while his words were true, there was more to it than that. She wanted to express that she wasn't entirely afraid of him, but that wasn't entirely true either.

“Anyways – ”She interjected, clapping her hands once to shift the flow of the conversation,“ I got a new video game from a friend. Let me go get it. DO NOT DISAPPEAR. I’m serious it’s creepy.” Jason responded with her a cheeky salute,“ Yes ma’am.” Y/N disappeared into the bedroom briefly and returned with the DVD. When she came back she noticed Jason had reclined on the couch, appearing to have dozed off.

“Red ?” she asked softly, approaching him. She tried to get his attention again, but he remained unresponsive. He must’ve fallen asleep, she figured remembering what he said about his schedule. Retrieving a blanket from the side of the couch, she gently covered him. She sat there for a while, observing him as he slept. Watching him like this felt natural and familiar. Leaning back on the couch herself, she tried to unwind in the peaceful silence. Y/N couldn't help but admire him and all that he had achieved. Finding a friend in such an extraordinary circumstance was something she had never anticipated.

After a while, a somewhat wicked notion crept into her mind. She tried to shush the voice. Hanging out with Stephanie was sure working its magic, she thought to herself. It was a harmless little prank really, surely he wouldn’t mind. Against all logic and rationale, she decided entertained the idea. Tiptoeing to her closet, she retrieved the item from her closet and cautiously returned, double-checking if he was asleep. Here goes nothing.

[roosterforme]

The Younger Kind Part 5 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley continues to struggle through his dates when he knows you're at his house. When you meet Natasha, you get the wrong impression of her from the start. But after a night out at the bar with his best friend, Bradley makes a move.

Warnings: Angst, swearing, fluff, and age gap (eventually 18+)

Length: 5400 words

Pairing: Single dad!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x babysitter!female reader

Check out my masterlist for more!

When you arrived on Friday, Bradley was in the kitchen eating a bowl of the cereal and milk that you got for him, and Noah was playing with blocks in the hallway. 

"Hi, Noah! You'll never guess what kind of coloring book I found this time."

"More dinosaurs?" he asked, handing you an orange block. 

"Even better. Outer space," you told him, setting the block on the top of his tower. 

Bradley was already smiling at you when you made your way into the kitchen. "That's for you. Your bonus," he said nodding toward a coffee cup with Bradley scrawled across it. 

You gasped in mock surprise. "Do I wanna know what you had to do to get it?"

He shook his head solemnly between cereal bites. "I'm taking it to the grave."

Your laughter seemed to make his smile grow bigger. "Got it. I'll never bring it up again. Thank you." You took a sip and moaned softly; it was just that good. You might have to switch coffee shops.

Bradley grunted and set his bowl in the sink before slipping past you as he muttered something about needing to get changed. You watched him squat down and kiss Noah before stepping over the mess of blocks with his long legs and heading toward his bedroom.

You wondered if your paper crown was still in there.

"Are you hungry?" you asked Noah. "You want me to make you macaroni and cheese with a side of ants?"

"Yeah," Noah agreed, handing you some more blocks to play with first. You built three towers in a row with him before you set up the coloring books at the kitchen table so he could sit there while you made his dinner. 

When you started playing some music on your phone, you selected that band that you knew Bradley liked, and sure enough when he emerged from his room, he was shaking his head at you. 

"I still can't believe you know their songs," he said, finishing the buttons on his colorful shirt. 

"I already told you, you're not that old." You were happy to see that he seemed to be more comfortable in his clothing now compared to the date where he wore the dress shirt. "Where are you going tonight?"

"Just dinner. Maybe a movie after that if things seem promising," he said, meeting your eyes. 

"Any excuse for popcorn. Are you taking your pajamas with you?" you asked, but then you realized that implied there might be a sleepover. Your heart clenched in your chest. Oh God. One of these nights, there might be a sleepover involved. What would you do then? 

Of course you wanted him to find someone he was compatible with so he could be happy, but when you really started to consider the implications, you felt a little queasy. 

"I can't go to the movie theater without a shirt on, so I'll be leaving my pajama pants here."

"Good," you whispered, stirring the pasta in the boiling water, thinking about him in just a pair of low slung gray sweatpants.  

"See you in a few hours." He kissed Noah, and then he was gone. 

When you brought a bowl of mac and cheese over to Noah, he looked up and told you, "I like you. And Daddy said you're his favorite."

Your heart skipped a beat. "Well, I like you too, Noah. And don't tell anyone, but your Daddy is kinda my favorite, too." 

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

Bradley finally figured it out; meeting new women over and over again was tedious. Almost none of them got his humor right off the bat, resulting in awkward laughter and a few strange looks. 

"So what do you do for the Navy?" Carolyn asked him as she sipped her drink.

Bradley smiled and said, "Waste millions of dollars in taxpayer money annually. What do you do?"

She just looked at him blankly. When he told you essentially the same thing last week, you had immediately told him that Uncle Sam could suck it. 

"Uh," Carolyn said with a forced laugh. "I do online data entry."

God, had there ever been a single profession that Bradley wanted to discuss less than that? Twenty more minutes of talking about essentially nothing, and then luckily dinner had arrived. There was no way a movie was getting tacked on to this date. 

What the hell was wrong with him? All of these women had been attractive, seemingly normal, and smart. It must be Bradley. He must be the problem. He thought he knew now what it was, of course. Nat had even called him out on it: he kept thinking about you. How you looked like you fit in at his house. How you and Noah had already bonded. How you kept doing little things to take care of both of them, acting like it was no big deal.

It was a big deal. Bradley was eating hot food again at home. Spaghetti, fajitas, and eggs. Noah was eating healthy snacks, and you kept cleaning things up. He left two hundred dollars behind the TV this time and told you to spend it on anything you wanted. 

And that was the other thing. For some reason, he trusted you. With Noah, with his money, and in his house. 

Bradley took out his wallet to pay for dinner and checked the time on his phone. You had sent him a text a while ago. 

Babysitter: Your son is going to be an architect.

Attached was a picture of Noah building an elaborate castle with his blocks, and your bare legs were stretched out alongside him. He couldn't look away. You had bright purple toenail polish, the same color as the fucking crown that was back on his bedpost. Your hand was in the picture too, and all he could imagine was how you used it to pop one colorful Skittle at a time between your glossy lips.

Bradley looked up at Carolyn before he signed the check. "Hey, this was fun, but I'm going to head home for the night." He watched her face fall, surprised that she might have actually been enjoying herself. 

"Oh, okay."

Well, if this had been a good date for her, maybe Bradley really was a lost cause who was way too picky for his own good. Because it had been painful enough for him that he just wanted to be at home on his couch. And if you were there too, then all the better.

He tried not to think about you on the drive home, but as soon as he caught sight of your car, he couldn't stop himself. Your legs and your face and the way you talked to him. Fuck, he needed to get inside. 

When Bradley noisily let himself in, you weren't on the couch. The disappointed feeling of not seeing you right away filled him up as his eyes settled on the paper crowns on the side table. "Hey, I'm home," he called out softly, and then you were poking your head into the living room.

"Hi," you whispered, heading toward him, and he had the urge to open up his arms for you. "Noah had a bad dream. I was just making sure he's okay."

Bradley ran his hand through his hair. "I'll go check on him," he mumbled, inhaling your wildflower scent as he passed you. 

As he bent down to kiss his son, Bradley noticed his pinched face and restless movements. "It's okay, bub," he whispered, smoothing his fingers along the tiny cheeks and forehead. Noah took a deep breath in his sleep and rolled onto this side, and hopefully that was a good sign that he was going to fall into a deeper sleep. 

Bradley walked down the hallway and glanced into his pristine kitchen before making his way back to the living room where you were stacking up your textbooks on the table. If you kept cleaning his house and cooking for him, he was going to have to pay you more. And not just in French vanilla coffee. 

"You're home pretty early," you remarked, looking up at him over your shoulder. "No movie?"

"Nah," he said, wishing you'd stop packing up your tote bag. 

You smirked. "And what exactly was wrong with this one?"

He chuckled and grinned at you. "Well, where do I begin? Her hair was like an inch longer than I can possibly tolerate. And her car was burgundy. I hate burgundy cars. And she doesn't like popcorn."

"Okay," you said with a laugh. "You're just making this shit up."

"I'm not!" he insisted while trying to fight his grin. "She ordered a salad with no dressing! That's not normal! And her nails were painted pink. So boring!"

You were laughing in earnest now. "I'll bet her entire house is beige!"

"Terrifying!" he gasped, gripping his heart. "You're heading out, Princess?"

He watched you carefully look at his empty hands and inspect him all over. "I don't see any wine or beer tonight. No more coffee cups either. Nothing to keep me here," you said with a shrug, but you were smiling. 

"I could make some coffee. Or I have some of that beer left." He didn't know why it felt so important to keep you here longer, but he really wanted to take your bag out of your hand. 

"No, that's okay. You still want me tomorrow night?" you asked, shrugging your tote bag onto your shoulder. 

"Every night," he mumbled, and he watched your lips part slowly as his eyes went wide. "I mean, yeah, tomorrow night, yes. I do still need you tomorrow night."

"Right." 

Your gaze dropped down to his lips, and Bradley was slowly moving before he could stop himself. At first you were frozen in place, and he knew he should be slamming on the brakes, but your tongue darted out to glide across your glossy lips. 

Then you closed the distance between his body and yours with one decisive step, and Bradley was reaching for your pretty face. The skim of his thumb along your cheek as he grazed your neck with his fingertips had your eyes fluttering closed. 

You were perfect. He wanted you. He considered the fact that if he let himself, he could grow to need you. As the tip of his nose brushed your face and his lips barely met yours, he heard Noah call out from his room. "Daddy!"

And with that one word, you were jerking out of his soft grasp like you had been burned. 

"Noah needs you," you said quickly, hoisting your bag higher onto your shoulder as you looked at the couch.

"Yeah," Bradley whispered, wishing you would still meet his eyes. 

But you turned toward the door and waved over your shoulder. "See you tomorrow at 6."

And you were gone. And Bradley was making his way into Noah's room. But Noah was already asleep again.

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

Your heart was pounding as you drove home. You and Bradley had kissed. Just barely, but still. You moaned at the memory of his mustache brushing your upper lip. "Oh my God," you whispered, running your fingers along your lips. Your crush on him was hopeless. Ridiculous. But was it unrequited?

If his date hadn't gone well tonight, why did he need you there again tomorrow? He hadn't even taken that woman to the movie theater after dinner. Was he really going to take her out again? 

What if... what if he wanted to hang out with you? He had mentioned making you some coffee or getting the beers out. You were an idiot. You could be sitting on his couch with him right now, sipping a microbrew IPA and sharing a bag of Skittles. He could be kissing you senseless into the couch cushions. You wouldn't have been stopping him.

"Shit," you gasped, almost turning your car around. But you were already turning onto your block, your little rental house coming into view.

What if. There were too many what ifs. You really liked Bradley. Noah was so sweet, you loved being around him. Their house already felt cozier than your rental. You whined helplessly as you parked and hauled your books inside. 

You spent most of Saturday morning and afternoon blasting music and making snacks while you tried to study. Every time you thought about Bradley, you made yourself run up your stairs to your bedroom and back down, getting a really nice workout in. 

When you checked the time on your phone, you nearly dropped it on the floor.

Bradley Bradshaw: I wish we hadn't been interrupted last night, Princess.

"Oh, fuck." The text was from nearly an hour ago. You scrambled with clumsy fingers to write back as quickly as you could.

Same. But I hope Noah was okay?

But he didn't write back. So you got yourself ready to go, taking extra care with your hair and makeup.  And an hour later, you were on your way to his house with homemade snacks and so much hope in your heart. Maybe he wanted to spend the evening watching a movie with you and Noah.  

But when you pulled up, there was an SUV in his driveway next to his Bronco, and you had to park on the street. You grabbed your bag that contained just one of your textbooks and a bunch of snacks and eyed the SUV warily as you opened the front door. 

And there stood such a stunningly beautiful woman, you froze halfway through the door. She had dark hair and perfect skin, and her brown eyes were searching you like you were a science experiment or something to examine under a microscope. Just as a smile curled along her lips, you heard Bradley call from the kitchen. "Hey Nat, get in here and help me! You know I need you."

Your heart sank at the sound of his voice beckoning to her. And now she was smiling at you fully as you shut the door behind you and set your bag down. 

"Nat!" Bradley called with laughter in his voice. "Don't make me come get you!"

But this woman was paying him no attention. Rather, she was making her way closer to you and holding out her hand. "Hi, I'm Natasha. You must be the babysitter," she said, a teasing, singsong tone to her voice. You instantly felt like this beautiful woman was making fun of you. Putting you in your place.

"Yeah. That's me," you said with as much courage as you could manage. Was this the woman Bradley went out with last night? Was this someone else he was seeing? Maybe a fling he was giving a second chance? God, they would look perfect together. You could honestly picture it.

"Well, I've heard a lot about you, sweetheart." Her eyes were positively twinkling with mirth at your expense now. "It's nice to meet you."

You were just about to ask exactly who she was and why she seemed to know so much about you, but then Bradley appeared in the living room. "Natasha!" his voice boomed, but then he paused when he saw you. "Oh, you're here." His voice softened considerably when he looked at you. He was wearing well worn jeans that clung to his perfect body and a plain, white undershirt. He was so sexy, you could barely think straight.

But why had he texted you that he wished you hadn't been interrupted by Noah if he had this other woman here now? You watched this Natasha walk past him, patting his flat belly as she went into the kitchen.

You felt like crying. You could feel your brow creasing as you tried to hold back the stinging sensation behind your eyes as Bradley made his way over to you.

"Princess." His voice was so soft and he was smirking down at you. 

"Bradley?" But his name fell from your tongue like a question. 

"Come on into the kitchen."

You didn't want to go into the kitchen. You wanted to leave. But he pressed his hand to the small of your back and guided you along. 

"Who is that woman?" you blurted just before you reached the kitchen doorway. 

You felt Bradley's huge hand grip you a little tighter as he laughed. "She's truly horrible, isn't she?"

"What?" you gasped as he guided you into the kitchen. Noah was sitting at the table, making a huge mess with cut up construction paper and a glue stick. And Natasha was fiddling around with Bradley's fancy coffee maker like she freaking lived here. 

"It worked last time I tried to make a latte. What did you do to it?" she asked Bradley, bending over the counter and showcasing her perfect body. 

You thought you might actually hate her. 

"It was supposed to be her treat," Bradley said at the same time that Natasha finally got the machine to do what she wanted, because she stood up and clapped. 

And then Noah spotted you and jumped out of the chair, wrapping his arms around your leg and saying he missed you, even though you'd seen him last night. You almost dropped your tote bag on the floor in all the commotion and emotions, but Bradley caught it and set it on one of the chairs. 

"I was trying to make you a vanilla latte, but I needed Nat to figure it out. Always saving the day, huh?" Bradley said, sharing a high five with Natasha. 

"You're terrible at everything," she told him. "I can't believe they let you fly a Super Hornet."

"I can't believe I've been putting up with you for nearly fifteen years," Bradley told her, running his fingers along your back briefly before he handed you the latte when it finished brewing in a mug that said Noah's Dad.

You held onto it with both hands and whispered, "Thank you." Then you watched Natasha clean up some of Noah's construction paper mess and pat him on the head. 

"Aunt Natasha promises to take you for ice cream next week if you're really good for you dad and your babysitter. Sounds fun, kiddo?" Noah lit up at her words.

"You ready to go?" Bradley asked Natasha, and she just nodded and said she would meet him outside.

"See you around," she told you with a wink. 

You just nodded like an idiot and tried to sip the blazing hot latte. Then you looked up at Bradley's handsome face.

"I might be kind of late tonight. I'll be at Nat's mercy for a ride home."

"Oh," you whispered. "Okay."

But now he was looking at you like he had been last night, as if he wanted to stay here with you instead of going out. 

He sighed deeply. "She's kind of making me go out and socialize with our friends. I guess that's what best friends are good for? Making sure you don't fall off the grid?"

Your heart perked up immediately. "She's your best friend?" you asked softly. He had told you his best friend was a woman. She referred to herself as Noah's aunt. She must be the one who had installed the dating app on his phone. She's the reason you met Bradley in the first place.

"Yeah," he said with a laugh. "And unfortunately I think it's too late to try to trade her for a better one."

You took a sip of the latte. Suddenly it wasn't too hot. It was perfect. Bradley was perfect, and so was Noah. Even Natasha was truly a delight. You couldn't wait to see her again. 

"Bye, bub," Bradley said, accepting a kiss on his cheek from Noah who was now holding approximately nine colored pencils in each hand. "See you later," he told you with a soft smile, brushing past you on his way out of the kitchen. 

"It's a beautiful day, Noah. Let's go for a hike."

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

Bradley was five beers deep at the Hard Deck when Jake handed him a sixth. "Thanks," he mumbled, kind of hating that Hangman was being nice to him. He wasn't used to this. But Nat must have been telling Bradley the truth when she said everyone missed him. Even Penny had paused for a minute to ask him how he was, and also to make sure things were going well with you babysitting Noah.

"Tell me, Rooster," Jake drawled, "how is your foray into online dating treating you?"

Bradley glared at Nat. "Have you told everyone about the dating app?"

"Not everyone. Javy doesn't know," she replied. 

"What don't I know?" Coyote asked her as he paused on his way to the pool table.

"That Rooster is on a dating app. Oops," Nat said with a grin toward Bradley. "Now everyone knows."

He just shook his head and tried to search out someone else to talk to while he sipped his beer. But Penny was slammed at the bar, and Bradley didn't want to chat up any of the women here. He wanted to chat with you. He wanted a second chance at kissing you, too.

It was late, and Noah would have to be in bed by now. He wondered if you were curled up at the end of his couch reading one of your textbooks. He could picture you placing a single Skittle in your mouth, watching it drag across your bottom lip. He wanted to taste it in your mouth.

"Fuck," he mumbled. He wished he had an excuse to text you. Without giving it too much thought, Bradley took a selfie of him with Nat and Jake. He looked okay in it, so he sent it to you. 

"Who are you texting that to?" Jake asked. 

"Nobody," Bradley replied, and after another sip of his beer, he had a text back from you. 

Babysitter: Who's that other guy?

Bradley's shoulders slumped. He should have known better. All women loved Jake. 

His name is Jake. But trust me, Princess, he wouldn't be good for you.

Bradley realized too late that Nat was reading over his shoulder. "Oh my goodness, she's asking about Jake. Poor Bradley," she said, teasingly. 

"Who's asking about me?" Jake drawled.

"Nobody," Bradley said at the same time Nat said, "The babysitter."

Bradley really didn't need that last beer. He was pretty drunk now, and quite frankly his friends were pissing him off. 

"What's she look like?" Jake asked. "And if she's cute, my next question is going to be is she over eighteen?"

Bradley rolled his eyes at Jake. "She wouldn't like you. She's smart."

Jake just laughed. "Oh, Rooster. All women like me." Bradley hated that grin. 

"Rooster has a photo of her saved on his phone," Nat sang, and Bradley wished he could tape her mouth shut.

"Show me," Jake said, and Bradley felt cornered. He pulled up that photo of you in the crown that he already loved so much and held it up for Jake and Nat to look at.

Nat was smirking, but Jake looked like someone had placed a juicy steak in front of him. 

"Holy shit. So how old is she exactly?" he asked, trying to take Bradley's phone. But luckily he wasn't too drunk to pull it away in time. 

"It doesn't matter," Bradley told him, trying to find a way to change the subject. 

"What the fuck are you doing on a dating app when that's waiting at your house? I would be tapping that nonstop," Jake said, shaking his head at Bradley. "In fact, tell her your good buddy Jake is on his way over. Tell her I want her number."

"Absolutely not," Bradley growled. And then there was another text from you.

Babysitter: He's kind of cute. For a blond. 

Bradley sighed and shook his head. He would not allow this to happen.

I can assure you he is not. He has a burgundy car, Princess. And his entire condo is beige. And he hates salad dressing.

Bradley's heart was pounding, and his head was starting to swim. He never drank this much anymore since he had to be attentive to Noah all day long. He was really regretting that last beer when you texted him a photo. Bradley's breath caught in his throat as he looked at a selfie of you laying on his living room area rug and laughing. You looked so young and sweet and perfect.

Babysitter: Nevermind. He doesn't sound like my type at all.

"Atta girl," Bradley said to nobody in particular. Everyone had wandered away from him at this point as he typed out a response.

He's definitely not your type.

Babysitter: You think you know my type?

He watched as Nat paid the tab and waved him toward the door.

I hope so, Princess. I'm on my way home. We can talk about it then.

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

Okay. These texts were getting a little flirty. That Jake guy was cute, but Bradley was definitely more attractive. Jake looked like an older version of Greyson, like the kind of guy you would usually go for: clean cut with an attitude. 

But Bradley. Well. He was definitely something different. He was older, sexier, and you were pretty sure he'd never give you an attitude. Unless you wanted him to. 

And now you were rolling around on his living room carpet, biting your lip to keep from screaming. Then you heard someone pull into his driveway, and you rocketed to your feet.

When you peeked out the window, you saw Bradley being led up the sidewalk by Natasha, which was hilarious, because he was roughly twice her size.

"Bradley," she said, pausing to scold him. "You need to stop laughing and focus on walking."

"I'm fine, Nat," he said, chuckling. 

"You did not need that last beer, did you?" she asked, fumbling to get his keys from him. You could have opened the door for them, but you were frozen, looking at the way his face was bathed in moonlight. 

"Nat, she's inside," he mumbled. 

"Yeah, she is. And you better be sweet so she doesn't ask for Jake's number."

"Fuck Jake," Bradley grumbled, and you covered your mouth to keep from laughing as Nat opened the door. 

"Hi," you said, greeting both of them with a smile.

"Hey, Princess," Bradley said, a crooked grin on his lips. 

Nat shoved him into the house. "Want me to help you get to bed?" she asked, but you held your hand up as Bradley inched closer to you.

"It's okay. I can stay and make sure he gets there."

"Excellent," Nat said with a grin that reminded you of the Cheshire cat. "He's all yours, babe."

And then she was gone, and you had Bradley towering over you, looking at you like he wanted to touch you. 

"Did you have fun?" you asked softly.

He nodded at you, his eyes half lidded as he chuckled. "Yeah. Was Noah good?"

"An angel," you promised, taking him by the hand. "Let's get you to bed, Bradley." Your heart pounded as you tried to pull him to his bedroom, but he wasn't budging. His hand was huge and warm, and he used it to pull you a little closer. 

"Do you like Jake? You think he's cute. He said he wanted your number, and it pissed me off."

You looked up at him wide eyed. He must have had a lot to drink since he was rambling a bit. "It pissed you off that I think he's cute? Or that he wanted my number?"

Bradley scoffed and pulled you against him. "Both. He's not good enough for you." 

"Oh," you gasped, running your palms along his torso where you were suddenly touching him. He was so solid. Substantial. You wondered if he had started to regret that almost kiss last night. You wanted to know what he was thinking about you. "Bradley?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't like Jake. He looks like Greyson, my ex boyfriend." 

He just shook his head a few times, running his big palm along your back again. You could feel yourself melting into him. "You can do better than either of them. You're so pretty."

"Bradley," you whispered as your entire body clenched in need. You couldn't remember ever feeling like this before. 

"You are," he told you, his brown eyes so steady and honest. "You're so funny and smart and pretty." And now he was looking at your lips. 

"Of course. I'm a princess," you told him with a small smile. And then his lips were on yours. His mouth was warm, and he tasted like beer. But you liked it. You really liked it when both of his hands wrapped around your waist, dragging your shirt up a little bit in the process. 

Your lips parted on a gasp as his fingers grazed the bare skin below your ribs. And then he was tasting you, groaning softly as your tongue met his. He was surprisingly soft and sweet, never demanding more than you were giving. Every experimental nibble on his lips led to him reciprocating the actions, making you a little crazier for him. 

When you ran your fingers up along his neck and his cheek, he groaned, "Princess," against your lips. You pushed your fingers into his hair, tugging a bit, and then he was backing you up against the TV stand. 

"Bradley," you whined when his lips found your neck. "Oh, God. You're drunk."

"Not that drunk," he mumbled against your skin, his breath hot, his lips dragging against your earlobe.

You did not want him to stop. That was literally the last thing on your mind right now. But you'd die next time you saw him if he said he regretted this. 

"Bradley," you said a little louder, planting both palms against his chest and pushing him firmly away. 

He released you completely and just stood there looking at you like he couldn't figure out what was going on.

"You're drunk, Bradley," you said softly. "Oh, God, I'm sorry I didn't stop you sooner." You took a few steps away from him, and he followed you like a puppy with sad eyes.

"I wanted that. Since last night. Since last week."

You just shook your head. "But you're drunk. You're the epitome of an unreliable narrator."

He just looked at you like he couldn't get enough and laughed. "How are you so funny?" he asked softly, brushing his fingers along your cheek. You were terrified that you'd follow him to his bedroom if he asked, but he wasn't in the right mind to be voicing any sorts of opinions concerning you or your lips or how funny he found you. 

"Just, go sit on the couch, okay?" you instructed, guiding him that way with a hand on his massive bicep. He dropped down onto the couch, all rosy cheeks and long, splayed legs, looking up at you like he expected you to join him. "I'll get you some water."

You dashed into the kitchen without another thought, gripping the edge of the hard granite counter with your shaky fingers. 

You wanted him. You wanted Bradley. And he was on a quest to find the right woman while you were simply here to watch Noah for him. You needed to get a grip on things. You needed to straighten this out. 

After a few deep breaths, you filled a cup with cold water and reached down the bottle of Advil you noticed on the top self next to the mugs. If Bradley was able to hold a conversation when you went back into the living room, you'd try to get him to explain what was going on. You squared your shoulders, but when you saw him, he was sprawled across the entire couch, sound asleep. 

With a deep sigh, you set the water and the Advil on the small table next to him. You watched his chest rise and fall with each breath he took, his face calm and smooth. His lips were parted slightly, and you could see the perfect white of his teeth. Gently, you pushed his wavy hair back from his forehead, letting your fingers linger in the soft strands. 

He might not even remember kissing you tomorrow. 

You took a sheet of paper and a pen out of your bag and left him a note next to his water. Then you checked that the back door was locked before giving Noah a kiss on his forehead. And with one last look at Bradley dozing peacefully, you left, locking his front door behind you.

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

Wow, Bradley. Do it when you're sober, bro. I hope you enjoy your babysitter fic @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 6

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[strangelittlestories]

It was in the 6th year of the Wars of the Real that the anti-magicians and their Realis project (that all should act in accordance with certain physical laws) were truly challenged. This was due in no small part due to a singular invention from a family of forest witches.

Their discovery was as ingenious as it was stupid. And it radically changed what a disparate collective was able to accomplish in the face of both overwhelming force and abstract certainty.

It also caused a truly historic amount of epic shitfuckery.

From “I Fought the Spore and the Spore Won: a history of Realis and Resistance”

- - -

“So, you’re the new recruit, huh?” The woman who spoke wore strange armour that looked like it had been grown out of wood. The helmet alone glinted with metal spikes.

“I … uh, I guess? Sorry, I’m kinda new to this whole ‘magical kingdom’ deal you’ve got going on here…” The recruit in question was wearing dull red overalls and a ‘what-the-fuck’ expression.

“No worries, kid. We put out a multiversal call for aid - so anybody with a latent magical destiny or a strong subconscious hero fantasy got pulled in. Very much a ‘To Whom It May Concern’ type of spell.” 

She patted him on the shoulder. Up close he could see that the spikes on her helmet were actually the shards of a broken crown.

“So, uh, do I get any kind of training?”

“You already did, buddy. The spell should’ve planted a ‘potential seed’ inside you. When you’re exposed to trauma, then just in the nick of time it’ll suddenly sprout into the skills you need to survive. Very dramatic.” She paused for a second. “Or you’ll die. Also very dramatic.”

“So … either I’ll be awesome or I’ll die?”

“Well, you would die … unless you have one of these.” She threw him a small vial. He fumbled the catch, but grabbed it on the second try. Inside the vial swirled a glowing grey-green mist. “You catch a mortal wound, drink it. Or smash it on the injury. The fungus inside will patch you up.”

“Fungus?” The man was a pretty even split of horrified and fascinated. He simultaneously wanted to throw the vial away like poison, or guzzle it like forbidden candy.

“Yeah, you ever hear of ‘ophiocordyceps unilateralis’?”

“The weird zombie ant mushroom? Yeah, I saw it on a documentary!”

“Well, a family of witch-mycologists - real wyrd scientist types - they brewed up this variant in their forest. They turned it from a parasite to a symbiote. If it knows who you are, it’ll heal your wounds, get your heart pumping, even move your limbs for you.”

“How do I get it to know who I am?”

“You feed it.” She grinned ghoulishly. “Chuck in some hair, some blood, whatever bits of you are going spare. Anything to sync it up to your DNA. Think of it as your very own cannibal sourdough starter.”

“And people actually use this?”

“Oh yeah. Folks swear by the stuff. They even had an argument over what nickname it should have. The winner was the truly cursed phrase ‘resurrection juice’.”

“...really?”

“Oh yeah. The juice brigade are pretty smug it caught on. Some smart alec tried to give it a mushroom name, but they got one-upped by the juice thing.”

“I’m not sure I’m a fan of sharing my body with a fungus.” He tried to find the right words to articulate the niggling philosophical nuances of the idea and failed. “It feels like, I dunno, a bad idea?”

“Oh, it’s a terrible idea. A real crock of stupid. Pure idiot-fuel. But sometimes, when the world’s against you, the truly bad idea is the only one you have.”

“But, I mean, once the fungus takes over … would I still even be me?” The urge to gobble up the taboo canape had begun to be edged out by the existential dread.

“Look at it this way: you’d be mushroom food anyways, right? Why not let it be mushrooms who think they’re you? I think it’s kinda comforting that when the time comes, I can just relax and let fungus take the wheel.”

The man paused for a second, pondering the nature of life, decay, and resurrection.

“Anyways, they’ll be summoning the portal to pipe us out on our first mission soon. So best get ready.” The princess (for that’s what she was) thought for a second, then asked: “By the way … what did you do before you got sucked up into this particular asscrack, anyhow?”

The man gulped.

“I was a plumber.” He said.

[bogleech]

REVIEWING THIS WHOLE BAG OF RUBBER BUGS:

I mentioned recently that bags of cheap rubber bugs are harder to come by in real stores, but that there are a few options for them online. I just received this set from Aliexpress that’s currently only $4 with free shipping, you might even find the same set cheaper since there’s multiple listings for it, but I can verify this source is using an accurate photo and I am now going to REVIEW THEM:

SPIDER: obligatory, all-purpose spider, ambiguous species, noodly legs, minimal paint application, 3/5

COCKROACH: nice silky black coloration on the back, tan on the underside, rather haphazard leg pose, I like it but in terms of objective quality it’s unfortunately a 2/5 compared to other fake roaches and even to other bugs in this set.

DRAGONFLIES: so this set is definitely pieced together from what were once multiple different rubber bug sets, but I can also confirm that you always get the same selection I’m reviewing, which includes several redundancies. You get both a large and small dragonfly with entirely different sculpts, the smaller one more accurately sculpted but not as dynamically painted! Both I’d give a 3/5, adequate dragonflies

ORTHOPTERA: you get a cricket AND two different styles of grasshopper! The big, detailed black and red cricket is crudely painted but very unique, 3.5/5. The small grasshopper is cute and inoffensive, barely painted, 3/5. The large grasshopper is a 4/5 for me because while I’ve seen plenty like it, it has a really nice gradient from lime green to a darker grassier green that I just find very pleasant.

BEES: two very differently sculpted bees, and they both use a sparkly metallic gold with black stripes. Both deserve a 4/5.

ANTS: collectively I’m gonna say these are a 3.5/5, on their own very plain but I like that together you have a dull yellow-tan ant with comical googly eyes and a bigger, more ominous shiny black ant with spooky red eyes. I like that the black ant is also tied with a couple others as the largest bug in the set. It’s actually only slightly larger than the real life Giant Amazonian ant, Dinoponera, which is also entirely black.

MANTIDS: excellent choice for another double bug, I like the simple cheapness of the little one with its awkwardly sculpted forelegs but to fair it’s a 2/5 compared to the 4/5 of the larger, red-eyed mantis which has more of that “sparkly” paint style!

SCORPIONS: the only other arachnids in the set, and it’s amazing they included two different scorpions but only one spider. Trust me when I say that’s the most radical maverick decision a rubber bug set has ever made in the history of mankind. The small red scorpion is alright, a 3 I guess. The larger one has only six legs which is not accurate (the claws of a scorpion are modified mouthparts, not legs!) but I can’t look at its little black eyes and not want to cry so 5/5 actually.

CICADA: not terribly common in these! Charming, chunky brown cicada, though the thorax piece is so transparent you can always see the hole it plugs into. At one time, this sculpt may have been part of a higher quality set that actually painted over this design flaw. 4/5 regardless.

FLY: there’s a pattern here in which almost every flying insect in the set has a gold-brown base, which I’m not a big fan of. Sadly I’m overall neutral on this fly, normally my favorite of all the basic insects, perhaps because it looks just as much like some sort of wasp. It’s definitely a fly due to having only one pair of wings, and plenty of flies look exactly like this, but I’d just be a bigger fan if it was a chunkier, larger-eyed blowfly or horsefly. 2.5/5

UNKNOWN: there are actually several insects this could possibly represent including a few Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera, but the one insect it most closely resembles is an adult caddisfly. I like it, but it’s difficult to fairly judge it with no certain identification so 3/5 has to do.

HAWKMOTH: stellar choice! I’ve seen only one cheap-grade plastic hawkmoth in my whole life, actually! Several hawkmoths are even clear-winged, though those usually still have dark markings around the wing edges. Would’ve been more accurate to some real species if they just cast the wings in a solid color, but that’s a trivial criticism. 5/5

WASP: the wasp is SO good. The paint on this one is skewed funny but that’s fine, the green of the abdomen pops really well and I love the grouchy red eyes. 5/5

CATERPILLAR: larvae are so rarely included in these, and when they are, they’re often an incredibly plain segmented tube that doesn’t look like anything in particular, or a recolor of a generic caterpillar I’ve seen several times before. This caterpillar sculpt is actually new to me and nicely shaped, with a tapering body and accurate limbs. It is however a rather stiff hunk of plastic, not as rubbery as the others, and honestly this is the one you would want rubberiest! Still a 5/5 for its inclusion at all.

BEETLE: beetles are the most abundant, diverse insect group and the most common rubber bug toy after spiders, so it’s another bold move that they include only one in this whole set and it isn’t even one of the more recognizable, more famous beetles. On its own merits as just a rubber beetle it’s a 3/5, but its metallic blue stands out so nicely in this set, and the sculpt appears to be some sort of blister beetle, a rare choice and a very cool (but dangerous! Don’t touch them!!!) insect group so 5/5

MOSQUITO: mosquitoes are another of my favorite animal groups, and as one of the world’s most abundant, most recognized, most controversial insects you’d think they’d be a standard bug toy already, but this is only the third plastic mosquito design I’ve ever seen in my entire long life! It’s brown, unpainted, dinky and bent funny. 10/5

[lozchi]

KNOCKDOWN Chapter 3

Masterlist

Pairing(s):Sukuna x F!Reader, Modern AU

Themes: Suggestive content, profanity, mild violence, slow burn, childhood friends to lovers, OOC, fluff, angst(ish),

A/N:i want to edge all of you | Poll in my blog! Go answer haiyaa…

Chapter 3: 4,341 words

Toji strode with you backstage, leading you through the maze of corridors until you reach a quieter area. He grabbed a stool and placed it in front of you.

“He’s gonna take a bit. Though, post-match interviews usually don’t last long with him.” he chuckles.

You sat down nervously. The gratitude you felt for Toji and his child was immense; without them, you wouldn't have known what Sukuna was up to all this time.

"Can I have your name?" you asked, curiosity getting the better of you.

"Toji Fushiguro," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice as he shook your hand. "I've been training Sukuna ever since I left the military. What's your name?"

You introduced yourself, and Toji smiled, the expression warm and knowing. Sukuna had never mentioned you to Toji, but it was clear you held a special place in Sukuna's heart. There was no way Sukuna would leave a framed picture of someone in his home if they weren't important.

"I can tell he's missed you." 

"I sure hope he did." you replied, your voice soft. "I've missed him too."

You sit there, heart racing as you wait for the moment you’ve been longing for, hoping that this reunion would be everything you’d dreamed it would be.

Toji was partly right. Sukuna didn’t take long because all his responses to the interview questions were half-assed. Still, interviewers swarmed like ants, and there were more comments and questions than usual.

"Thoughts after the fight? I win, so I reign."

"What made me want to switch weight classes? Well, I wanted to, I suppose."

"This is different from my other fights because I'm fighting a different person."

Needless to say, the reporters weren't satisfied and they guess they never will be.

Sukuna scanned the crowd, searching for you, but you were no longer there. Some people had left, and staff were cleaning the place up. However, he spotted the same people you had sat with earlier—your friends, he assumed. He figured they might have answers, so he approached them.

Haibara and Shoko were chattering to themselves, discussing the intensity of the fight and then shifting to how cruel their professors were.

"The feints were so unpredictable, I didn't see any of them coming." Haibara muttered.

"Yeah, like how our prof tells us to study for a specific topic and add a completely new one on the actual exam, what a ruthless old jerk."

Sukuna towered over them, he figured you guys were friends, so he thought to at least show some manners. "Hello, you guys acquainted with—"

Haibara cut him off, unable to contain his excitement. "Yes, we are! She headed backstage with Coach Fushiguro."

Sukuna nodded. "I see, thank you." he said, and without another word, he rushed to go find you.

-

You expected to see Sukuna as soon as you saw fluffy pink hair, but you were mistaken. A kid emerged from the bathroom, holding what appeared to be a Nintendo Switch.

 “Yuuji?!?” you exclaimed, recognizing the boy who had grown so much since the last time you saw him. You recalled the times where you played with Yuuji as a toddler while Sukuna worked on his part of a project.

Yuuji’s eyes lit up with pleasant surprise, and he ran to hug you. “I miss you!” he exclaimed, his arms wrapping tightly around you.

“You’ve grown so much!” you marveled, holding him close. “And you’re still as lively as ever. I'm glad you still remember me.”

Yuuji beamed up at you, his eyes sparkling with the same infectious energy you remembered. “I’m so happy to see you!” he said, his excitement evident.

To be frank, Sukuna was quite irritated by the fact Yuuji reunited with you before he did–jealous, even.

“I see you’ve reunited with this annoying brat.” Sukuna said, withholding a smirk as he approached.

You looked up, and there he was. “Ugh, my day just got ruined.” you joked, playfully throwing a punch at him.

“Shut up. Don’t deny the fact that you missed—” Before he could finish, you captured him in an embrace. 

He was momentarily stunned. “—me...”

His initial surprise quickly melted into a deep sense of longing.

You felt awkward, your face pressed against his chest. It didn’t bother you a bit that he was sweaty and bloody after the fight, but he hesitated to return the hug.

You felt his body tense slightly before he melted into the hug, his arms wrapping around you with a firm, almost desperate grip. The contact was electrifying, his warmth seeping through the sweat and grime from the fight. It had been so long since you’d felt this close to him, and it felt as though the world had slipped away, leaving just the two of you in a bubble of shared history and affection.

Sukuna held onto you tightly as if he was afraid of letting you go, his breath hitching slightly against your shoulder. You could sense the raw, unspoken emotion in his hold— profound dread of being parted from you once more. He pulled you closer, his grip tight, as if trying to erase the years of distance and disconnection between you. His heart pounded steadily against your chest, a rhythm of relief and longing.

For you, the feeling was equally overwhelming. You missed this closeness— the bickering, the physical contact, the warmth of his body, the sense of familiarity and safety that only he could provide. Your face pressed against his chest, and you could feel the steady rise and fall of his breath.

As you looked up at him, you could see the mixture of emotions in his eyes—relief, happiness, and an unspoken plea for this moment to last forever. It was a fleeting glimpse of the connection that had always been there, buried beneath the surface.

“Congrats on the win, you big dope.” you said, looking up at him. “I’ll patch you up, just like old times.”

“Just like old times.” he huffed, a smile breaking through his irritation. “I’d like that.” 

“Now kiss!” Yuuji teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“EW, NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT.” You and Sukuna both complained in unison, recoiling from each other as if stung.

“Brat, just how disgusting can you get?” Sukuna added, glaring playfully at Yuuji.

You rolled your eyes, brushing off the embarrassment. “Seriously, Yuuji? What are you, five?”

Yuuji grinned, clearly enjoying the chaos he’d caused. “I’m eight, actually.”

Sukuna ruffled Yuuji’s hair, his expression softening despite his irritation. “Don’t get any ideas, kid. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, super annoying friends. Especially Ryo.” you added, smirking up at Sukuna.

“Annoying, huh? You're the only annoying one here.” Sukuna’s eyes sparkled with amusement. 

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Alright, maybe I am, now let me help you." you offered Sukuna, gently guiding him toward a more secluded area where you could tend to his injuries. He hummed in response, a low, appreciative sound that resonated through the still air.

Toji smirked as you and Sukuna headed to a more secluded area. He leaned down to whisper something in Yuuji’s ear. "Yuuji, I have a favor for you."

Yuuji’s eyes lit up. He agreed happily, keeping the secret for now.

Once alone with Sukuna, you began to gather the necessary supplies to tend to his wounds. The room was quiet, save for the soft rustling of bandages and the occasional clink of medical tools. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words, the air thick with the tension between you.

“You know, I’m a pro fighter now.” he teased, his voice dripping with mischief. “So I’m at least expecting a pro medic to help me out.”

You pouted playfully, dabbing antiseptic on a nasty cut. “I’m a med student. Isn’t that enough?”

Sukuna was taken aback for a moment. “A med student, huh? That actually suits you. You were always tending to my wounds after fights back then. Guess it’s not much different now.”

You smiled, touched by his words. “Yeah, I suppose it’s not. Though I hope you’ve learned to avoid getting into so many fights.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and rich. “I’m a fighter, remember? It’s kind of my job now. I even got myself an assistant, see them there?”

You rolled your eyes affectionately, wrapping a bandage around his hand. “Still, you could be a little more careful. I’d hate to see you get seriously hurt.”

This conversation felt like Deja vu. 

"Don't worry, I knit during my free time."

"NO."  

"I'm kidding, woman. Gosh, gullible as always." he chuckled, shaking his head. "But I cook."

"You can actually cook now?" you asked, coming off a bit condescending unintentionally.

"Well, duh, what do you take me for?" Sukuna shot back, a smirk playing on his lips. You were pleasantly surprised.

The both of you sat in silence for a moment.

"You were always good at patching me up after."

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. "I guess old habits die hard." you replied, carefully cleaning a cut on his cheek.

As you worked, Sukuna watched you intently. "You know," he said softly, "I never thought I'd see you again."

You met his gaze, your hands pausing for a moment. "Well, I'm just glad we're back in business again. You kicking ass and me making sure yours doesn't get kicked. It's been too long, I don't intend to part from you again."

Sukuna leaned in closer, and he reached out to gently touch your cheek, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Then let’s make sure we never do.”

You finished tending to his wounds, and he looked at you with a soft smile. "Thanks." he said, his voice carrying a depth of gratitude and affection.

You nodded, feeling a lump in your throat. "Anytime, Ryo."

When you finished patching Sukuna up, he stood and stretched, wincing slightly but looking much better. "Now, how about I take you out and grab some food? My assistant reserved a place"

You smiled, feeling a flutter of excitement. "That sounds great. But what about my friends? I feel a bit guilty for leaving them."

Sukuna nodded. "They can come too after I get cleaned up and changed. What about you, Toji?"

Toji approached the two of you, smiling warmly. “I’d love to join, but I’ve been longing to see Megumi and my wife. I should head home.”

“Of course, Toji,” you said, grateful for everything he’d done. “Thank you for everything.”

Toji nodded and patted Sukuna on the back. “Take care, Sukuna. And you,” he turned to you, “don’t be a stranger. Visit us sometime.”

As you headed back to find Shoko and Haibara, Sukuna made a point to thank Toji. “Thanks for everything, Toji. See you soon.”

You both made your way back to where Shoko and Haibara were waiting. Toji, with a knowing smirk, said his goodbyes and headed off, eager to reunite with his family. Sukuna turned to Haibara. "You guys can follow us in your car. She'll ride with me."

Haibara looked between you and Sukuna, a mischievous grin forming. "Alright, sounds good. See you there!"

Shoko gave you a thumbs-up. "Don’t worry about us. We’ll be right behind you." You swore you could've seen them exchange suspicious glances at each other, like how you and Shoko would usually communicate with your eyes. 

Sukuna led you to his car, a sleek, black vehicle that screamed luxury. He opened the door for you, and you slid in, feeling the smooth leather beneath you. He got in on the driver's side and started the engine. The night air was cool and refreshing, a perfect backdrop for the unexpected turn your evening had taken. The drive was quiet but comfortable, filled with the soft hum of the engine and the city lights flashing by. Yuuji, who had been playing a round of Overcooked on his Nintendo Switch, eventually dozed off in the back seat, his head resting against Uraume–the boy was probably drooling on them, but they seemed unbothered. He was probably tired of repeating "Are we there yet?" to Sukuna.

“I've missed this.” Sukuna began, glancing over at you as he drove, “Just being with you.” He reached over, giving your hand a gentle squeeze before returning it to the steering wheel. 

"I’m glad you’re here.” You said quietly. You glanced at Sukuna, taking in the familiar features you hadn’t seen in so long. It was surreal, almost dreamlike, to be here with him again.

When you arrived at the restaurant, Sukuna handed the keys to Uraume and guided you inside. The place was cozy yet elegant, with a warm ambiance that made you feel instantly at ease. A waiter led you to a private table, and shortly after, Shoko and Haibara joined you, eyes wide with amazement at the upscale setting.

During the dinner, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and the sound of clinking glasses. The restaurant was cozy, with dim lighting that made the space feel intimate. You, Sukuna and Uraume sat at one end of the table, while Shoko and Haibara occupied the other–Yuuji in between them. As the night progressed, you found yourselves reminiscing about the past.

The dinner was filled with jokes and stories, with the discussion going smoothly. It was reminiscent of the past, but also filled with the delight of new moments forming. The unexpected reunion that had brought so much happiness made you feel thankful for the way things had unfolded.

Throughout the night, you couldn't help but steal glances at Sukuna, feeling a sense of warmth every time your gazes locked. It was evident that this was just the start, a fresh chapter in your lives that you were excited to discover alongside each other.

Uraume, Shoko, and Haibara, however, sensed something else going on between you two.

"Remember that time in high school when I got stood up?" you began, taking a sip of your drink. "And the guy who stood me up mysteriously couldn't attend classes the next day because he got jumped by someone?"

Sukuna smirked, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt. "Oh, really? Sounds like he had it coming." he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"And that someone was you, Ryo," you added, looking directly at him.

Sukuna scoffed, shaking his head. "No idea what you're talking about," he said with a smirk, though his eyes suggested otherwise.

"Sure, sure." you replied, rolling your eyes. "You're going to keep denying it, but I know it was you."

He laughed, "Pure coincidence. I had nothing to do with it."

It was a sweet, if somewhat over-the-top, gesture that he would continue to deny to this day.

Everyone else at the table was equally engrossed in their own conversations, learning more about Yuuji. Unlike Sukuna in his youth, Yuuji was an undeniably good kid, earning praises from everyone.

"And my teacher said I was the goodest boy in the world." Yuuji announced proudly, his eyes shining.

Sukuna rolled his eyes and groaned. "You're still the brattiest to me. Teach's lying."

"You're just jealous."

Yuuji stuck his tongue out at Sukuna, who just chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair. Shoko and Haibara looked on with amusement, clearly enjoying the dynamic between the two.

You also learned a bit more about Uraume, Sukuna’s assistant. They’ve been working for him for a few years now. Started out as someone who could deal with his paperwork but they've become indispensable.

Throughout the evening, you and Sukuna were noticeably touchy. His arm would find its way around your shoulder, and your head would rest against his chest at times. It was natural and unspoken, yet it drew knowing looks from everyone else at the table.

-

After dinner, everyone gathered outside the restaurant to say their goodbyes. The night air was cool and crisp, a refreshing change from the warmth of the restaurant.

"You comin' with?" Haibara asked, looking back at you with Shoko by his side.

Sukuna glanced at you, a silent plea in his eyes. He didn't want to part ways just yet; he wanted to be the one to take you home. 

"I'll be there in a bit." you replied, smiling at your friends.

As Haibara and Shoko waved goodbye and walked towards their car, you turned to Sukuna. The two of you exchanged contact information, a simple act that seemed monumental considering how long it had been, a small but significant step you should have taken years ago.  Along with the contact info he provided, he also gave you Uraume's and Toji's in case he was unreachable.

"I followed you on your socials, by the way." you said with a grin. "Malevolent Chicken or something along those lines on IG, here–" 

Sukuna raised an eyebrow. "Huh, last time I tried searching for your name online, I couldn't find a thing."

"Were you... stalking me-?

"Don't get any ideas, you did the same." 

You laughed. "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Saving his phone number, you told him, "I'll keep in touch."

"Yeah, you better." Sukuna scoffed, but his eyes were soft as he pulled you into a hug. "I will too."

In his embrace, you felt a wave of emotions. This was a moment you had longed for, a reunion that felt both comforting and exciting. You looked up at him and smiled.

"See you soon, Ryo."

"See you soon."

"Be kind to Yuuji, hm?" you added softly, sensing that there was something more Sukuna hadn’t shared yet.

"I'm probably the only family he has for now. Though, there is Toji and-" he said, his voice low and serious.

"Count me in." you replied without hesitation. He decided to save this conversation for another time.

You pulled away from the hug and waved goodbye, walking towards Haibara and Shoko.

"Text me once you get home." He called out. 

As you left, Yuuji looked up at Sukuna mischievously. "Do you have a crush on—"

"Shut up or you'll end up like Geto. Saw how I beat him?"

“Ooooh! You do like her!” Yuuji’s teasing voice cut through the night air. "You have to rizz her!"

"What the fuck is a 'rizz'?"

"Uhhhh… Whatever! You should kiss her and get married!"

“No, ew.” Sukuna grimaced as he pushed Yuuji’s face away, shuddering when the boy licked his hand. “Oh, you disgusting piece of—Ugh.” He muttered, taking Yuuji and heading back to the car. 

"Uraume, can you drive? Let's go home. Something's wrong with this kid." Sukuna said as Yuuji clung onto his legs. The kid is fearless, he's gotta give him that.

"I, for one, think there is nothing wrong with Yuuji." Uraume commented. If they didn't know any better, they would say he was smitten with you.

-

As the car journeyed through the night, you gazed out the window, lost in thought. The city lights flickered past, each one a blur of movement and color.

“That went well.” Shoko remarked, breaking the silence.

“You think he has a girlfriend?” Haibara asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

You softly laughed, a nostalgic smile forming on your lips as you considered the idea of Sukuna having a girlfriend. It was nearly impossible to imagine, considering his mysterious charm and how he appeared to linger just beyond grasp. During your youth, Sukuna was the ultimate symbol of captivating charm– a powerful natural force that attracted admiration everywhere he went. 

He always caught people's attention with his impressive presence, and he was definitely well-liked, receiving numerous affections–even if he was rude and reckless. However, despite the attention from admirers and sporadic dates, none of his relationships ever appeared to have much depth or lasting power. They were resembling quick bursts of light that flickered and disappeared instantly after appearing. The concept of him settling for someone who could genuinely hold his elusive heart, felt almost like a whimsical fantasy.

“Huh, I’d probably get into a relationship before he does." you scoffed, half in jest.

“Easy, girl. You’re saying this as if you don’t spend 20 hours a day studying.” Shoko pointed out, her tone both teasing and concerned.

“In my defense, I took the first step of getting out of my academic bubble!” you countered, pouting.

You leaned back in your seat, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over you. You had done more than just the first step. You downloaded social media, watched a live fight, and reunited with your best friend after so many years.

You smiled to yourself, thinking you deserved a lot more credit for breaking out of your shell. 

As you looked out at the passing city lights, your thoughts drifted to Sukuna. The idea of him having a girlfriend didn't seem so impossible after all. As a prodigal fighter with a charismatic presence, it was only natural that he would attract attention and possibly even be involved with someone romantically.

The more you thought about it, the more you realized just how much you had missed out on over the years. Your knowledge about Sukuna’s current life was fragmented at best. You knew little about his personal affairs, his love life, or even his daily routines. The gaps in your understanding made you curious to catch up.

Lost in your thoughts, you hadn’t noticed that Haibara had been talking to you. “–Right? Yo, you good there?” Haibara’s voice broke through your reverie.

“H-huh? Oh, yeah. Whatchu say again?” you stammered, trying to refocus.

“Hmm, nothing important...” Haibara replied, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity but dropping the subject.

You nodded absentmindedly, the questions about Sukuna’s life swirling in your mind as the car continued its journey through the night.

Haibara and Shoko exchanged knowing glances, their faces lighting up with mischievous smiles. “Hmm…” they hummed in unison, their eyes locking as they communicated silently.

Shoko’s eyes narrowed playfully. “She might be whipped for him.”

Haibara raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “It’s probably the other way around.”

“No, no. What if it’s both?!?”

Caught off guard, you glanced between them. “Are you guys communicating with your eyes? Shoko, I thought that was our thing!”

Haibara chuckled, her eyes dancing with amusement. “No, no. It’s also OUR thing,” he teased, glancing at Shoko.

You threw your hands up in mock frustration. “I feel betrayed.”

"Just discussing how cute you and Sukuna are together."

"More like how both of you are completely smitten," Shoko added, winking at you.

You rolled your eyes, a small smile playing on your lips. "You two are ridiculous."

"Ridiculously right." Haibara quipped, earning a laugh from Shoko.

You shook your head, finding their assumptions about you and Sukuna absurd. "You two can't be serious. Falling for Sukuna? That's just ridiculous."

"You can't just touch each other like that and expect us to think you're 'just friends'," Haibara insisted.

Shoko nodded in agreement. "Yu, your wording is all over the place. You make it sound like—"

"Okay, sorry, sorry, but you get my point!" Haibara interrupted.

You scoffed at their words, rolling your eyes.

"Yu, focus on the road," Shoko said, gently reminding him.

Haibara glanced at you in the rearview mirror. "Think about it like this: would you think that me and Shoko are 'just friends' if we acted the same in front of you?"

You hesitated, trying to find the right words. "But Ryo and I are indeed 'just friends'. We've gone on separate dates and—"

"None of them lasted!" Shoko pointed out quickly.

"Oh, please," you retorted, feeling cornered.

Haibara leaned in, his tone softer yet insistent. "Then is Sukuna like a brother to you?"

You paused, considering his question carefully. "I wouldn't say yes, but I wouldn't say no either."

"Because it's weird!" Shoko concluded, her voice tinged with triumph.

You let out a sigh, feeling the weight of their observations. "Fine, maybe it's a bit weird. But that doesn't mean I'm in love with him."

"–Yet." Haibara added with a smirk.

"Come on, guys. I've been friends with him for years. I haven't seen him since my last day in high school. It's a bit odd that I'd develop feelings like that," you said, trying to sound convincing.

"Maybe give it some time," Haibara suggested, glancing at Shoko, who nodded in agreement.

They didn't want to push you, but they knew how much you had on your plate with college and everything else. If this meant you could focus on something outside your academic life, maybe you'd be able to unwind a bit.

"But y'know," Shoko added gently, "whatever your decision is, we support you."

You appreciated their support, even if you weren't entirely convinced by their perspective. The idea of developing romantic feelings for Sukuna after all these years seemed unlikely, but you couldn't deny that your recent reunion had stirred up emotions you hadn't anticipated.

-

As Uraume drove home, the rhythmic hum of the engine seemed to resonate with the storm of thoughts swirling chaotically in Sukuna's mind. The idea of seeing you in any way other than a cherished friend was inconceivable. Stupid Yuuji and his stupid little ideas.

Not in a thousand lifetimes would he ever view you as more than a best friend. 

You might be the most captivating person he’s ever laid eyes on, the sweetest and most loyal companion he could wish for, but nothing more than that. He would go to great lengths for you, spend the rest of his life with you but never see you as anything more than just a best friend.

“Hmph. There’s no way."

Even though your eyes were something that could break his very soul yet hold an affectionate gaze, 

“That’s just ridiculous.”

He brushed off the way he questioned his resolve when it came to your touch, warm and comforting on the coldest of days, 

“How preposterous.”

He won't bring himself or even learn to see you that way. 

"It's outrageous."

Because maybe, just maybe, staying friends was the best thing for both of you. It was better this way, he told himself, it had to be. It would be okay.

Taglist: (tell me if i forgot to add you)

Ask under this post or any of the chapters I'll release if you want to be added. I would be posting polls or asking readers about certain things sometimes that would possibly affect the story in a minor way so stay tuned. :) Poll in my blog! Go answer haiyaa…

[luveline]

maybeee if you’re feeling like it, eddie and r disagree over some parenting decision for roan and r doesn’t really wanna overstep but it’s something she feels passionate about

thank you for your request my love! dad!eddie x (nearly) stepmom!reader — tw mentioned child abuse (NOT graphic imagery, not enacted, just mentioned)

You don't think Eddie's mad at you, which is good. He hadn't said anything he couldn't take back, things you'd worried he might; I'm her dad, (with an unspoken not you) is the most passionate thing he'd said. It hurt some, but it's irrefutable. He's her father, her primary caregiver, and he makes decisions when it comes down to it. 

He didn't say and you're not her mom, but it had felt implied. Just a bit. 

Loving her like your own, it's natural to want the best for her. Natural to have opinions on how she's taken care of and the things that she should do. Things got heated too quickly, that's all. Or, that's what you're hoping happened. 

Stacy K's mom said hey, would it be alright for Stacy to invite Roan to a slumber party? She wants one for her birthday, and she wants Roan there most of all. 

And you'd been surprised at Eddie's immediate agreement. Sure, Roan would love to come.

He picked Roan up and you parted ways with Stacy K and her mom, and you were quiet, unlike yourself, stomach churning because you knew you'd have to speak up, which you hardly ever do. Hey, Eddie?

He noticed your strange expression. What?

Is that a good idea? … Stacy's slumber party? 

Why wouldn't it be? 

It devolved from there. You tripped over your words, trying your hardest not to start a fight with Roan in the car, and Eddie took it the wrong way —or maybe he didn't, maybe he took it the right way, and you'd made a mistake. Your concerns had come across as doubtful of his ability to look after Roan. It makes sense that he took offence. 

You shouldn't, but you worry for a second that this will be the end, that Eddie can't abide by what you've said, and he's going to pack up and leave. You know he won't do anything of the sort, he's loyal and caring to a fault. He wouldn't hurt you so badly over one fight. He's making you nervous is all, sitting next to you quietly. It's not the cold shoulder, that’s never been his style. It's just… quiet. 

"Do you want something, sweet thing?" he asks as he gets up from the couch. "I'm gonna make Roan ants on a log." 

"It's been a really long time since you called me sweet thing," you say, sending him a tentative smile.

"You're sweet, you're my thing…" He licks his lips. "Not my best." 

You uncross your legs, reaching out for him before he can leave to the kitchen. "Listen, I'm– I'm sorry that I made you feel like you're doing something wrong. Sorry I overstepped." 

Eddie sits back down slowly. He swallows. "I'm sorry I shut you down. I guess I was offended." Eddie shuffles a little closer to you. "I mean, I was offended. But," —he speaks as though he's piecing his sentence together with the utmost of care— "you're Roan's mom." And he takes your hand. "You have been for a long time. I'm sorry I made it sound like you overstepped. You can't overstep. How can I be mad at you for one aspect of being a parent, when I'm happy for you to do the others? But I need you to understand that I've been doing all of the big stuff by myself the whole time, until we met I was doing everything by myself, and it annoyed me that you might think I didn't know best… 'n' that's not fair on you, 'cos I don't always know best." 

You aren't expecting it. His explanation or his easy apology. 

You look down at his hand over yours and breathe a sigh of relief. 

"I think…" You pause. When you speak, it's stilted. "Okay. I think it's a bad idea for her to go sleep over at Stacy's house when she doesn't have the words to tell us if something happens." 

Eddie's lips part. 

"That's what I wanted to say, before, not just that she's so young. And I actually do think you know best, Eds. You're a good dad. A fucking good dad."

You can see him thinking about what you've suggested. He rubs your knuckles. 

"She is a little young," he concedes. "She might not even want to stay the night when she realises what that means. But we could teach her if she does, she knows that people aren't allowed to touch her without her say so." 

"I know," you say. You're about to say more when Roan herself steps into the living room, walking at an unbothered pace. Her hair is dishevelled but besides that she's in clean jammies and clearly quite content.

"Hello," she says, a piece of paper in her hands. "I thought we were having ants on logs?" 

"Yeah, babe, I'm gonna make them right now. What have you been drawing?" 

She shows you the drawing. It's the three of you as most of her drawings are, with antennas and carapace bodies. It's gnarly. Eddie loves it the second he sees it, and he insists on putting it onto your already stacked fridge. 

She basks in the feeling of being loved and revered, and then basks again when Eddie gives her a plate full of ants on a log, chewing with a massive grin. 

"I really meant what I said," he murmurs to you, you and him hip hip by the kitchen sink. 

"Which part, handsome?" you ask. 

"She calls you mom. You’re her mom. You don't have to be sorry for having something to say to me.

You look him up and down without malice. He looks incredibly earnest, a little sheepish. His cheek is soft when you lift your hand to it, and he's eager to lean into your palm. "It wasn't about that," you say softly, hushed so Roan doesn't hear. "I promise it wasn't." 

"I know. I just hate that it's what I made you think." 

"So we're okay?" 

"We were always going to be okay, what did you think?" he asks, hand on your hip and pulling you stomach to stomach and chest to chest.

"Just worried."

He looks over your shoulder at Roan. You turn with him. She's kissing peanut butter off of the tips of her fingers with a delighted smile and air about her. 

"Talk about it more tonight?" he asks. 

His promises are always good. You talk about Roan's potential slumber party in bed that night after she's been tucked in, and you both say more sorries for your misunderstandings. It's weird to argue with him, but you're thankful it was about something that mattered, even if that something is scary to think of. 

"Thanks for thinking I'm a good dad," he says, cheek turned into the pillow, the tip of his index finger tracing lightly over your face in no one direction. 

"That's not something you have to say thanks for." You're in much better spirits now, speaking with confidence. 

"You're the one person who would know," he says. 

"That's not true. People only have to talk to Roan to know how good you are." 

He laughs a huff that kisses your skin like a warm breeze. "Did you really think we wouldn't be okay?" 

You laugh nervously. "I mean, no. It went through my head, but I didn't actually think it was the end, babe. I'm not that stupid." 

"You're not any amount of stupid, stupid." 

You laugh in his face. He puts his hand over your mouth with wide eyes but it's much too late. You stare at each other, mirrors of a fond defeat as footsteps sound down the hall. 

"What is so funny?" Roan asks, half-guilty 'cos she knows she should be in bed and half plain curious as she cracks open the bedroom door. 

Eddie sighs. It's not an unhappy sound. "Come and lie down with us and I'll tell you." 

She grins and rushes in. 

—

more eddie, roan and reader

[diagonal-queen]

chuuya, kunikida, and dazai with an s/o who would hide under the bed for no reason besides its nice down there and would sometimes grab their ankle to scare them

i would love to hang out under my bed tbh but i keep all my stuff under there lol. good deterrent for demons because then they can't fit under there

S/O who hides under the bed

♡ pairing: Chuuya Nakahara, Doppo Kunikida, Dazai Osamu x gn!Reader

♡ synopsis: How are these guys with an S/O who likes hanging out under the bed?

♡ cw: Swearing, teensy tiny bit of NSFW in Dazai's part.

note:

Seriously though. Thank you guys for all your sweet comments and messages I really appreciated all of them very much (and yes each one made me cry). I might not say it very much but I love all of you guys and I'm thankful for your support. Apologies for errors and I hope you enjoy x

Chuuya:

He's just kinda like...wha...? He's so confused at first lol

Even if you grab his ankle and try to scare him, he's just like...why'd you do that babygirl (gender neutral term). He'd also find it kind of adorable how frustrated you get that it didn't work, but what were you expecting? He's a mafia executive babygirl (again, gender neutral term)

Chuuya is little amused by your under-the-bed habit and lowkey thinks it's pretty cute. At first though he was kinda worried as to what caused it, but if it makes you feel better then he doesn't care

If he wants you out of there he will coax you out with your favourite food or something like you're a puppy (he's getting his yearning for a pet dog out of his system don't worry)

Probably wouldn't go under the bed with you super often, but you guys would have a lot of conversations while he's laying on the bed and you're laying under it. It's surprisingly easy to do!

Would start leaving you little gifts/snacks down there sometimes as a surprise

Probably wouldn't encourage you to sleep under there though. Spinal health and all

As always Chuuya is very supportive and all he wants is for you to feel happy and safe <3

Kunikida:

Worried about this habit at first. He assumes that it's some kind of trauma response. Whether it is or it isn't he'll learn to accept it don't worry

That being said he doesn't really love it. If you wanna relax he'd rather that you do it in a more comfortable space. If you're under there because you don't feel great then he'd rather you just talk to him. He'd do (almost) anything to make you feel better :')

If you grabbed his ankle one time to scare him he might never recover. Like he'd be genuinely terrified. Might faint or burst into tears or scream or something idk

Absolutely would chide you for your "childish behaviour". In all honesty he just feels like it's something Dazai would do and he suffers enough from this kind of thing at work

But yes in the end he would forgive you if you apologised to him. Might not be so kind if you continued trying to scare him though

Leaves you a pillow and a blanket down there just in case you get cold. He won't leave any food though because he's worried about ants and mould and stuff

Wouldn't go under there with you though. Sorry but he just doesn't wanna 😪

Honestly? As long as you're getting your shit done, he doesn't mind where you spend your free time

Dazai:

He literally doesn't even question it. Sometimes small spaces are just cosy y'know?

Dazai literally lived in a shipping container (at least I think? I haven't read Stormbringer yet T-T). He'd be all up for hanging out under the bed whether or not you were with him lol

The first time you grab his ankle to scare him, if you're lucky, you'll catch him off guard. But you're never getting his ass again, ever

I mean sometimes he might play along to humour you, but you'll literally never actually scare him again. Like he just walks into your bedroom under the assumption that you're under the bed and prepared to scare him.

Straight up if he can't find you when he wakes up or something he'll just guess that you're under the bed and won't bother you.

That being said if you straight up disappeared or something he'd obviously worry about you. But he gives you space when you need it, and will only come under the bed with you if you say he can

Also he would definitely start doing it to you. Both as revenge and just because he thinks it's funny, but he'll stop if you ask him to (you don't. It straight up becomes a war)

He straight up might try to get it on with you under the bed, as if there's room or something. Damnit Dazai

taglist~ ♡ @gettinshiggywithit, @fedyushka, @flower-of-darkness, @bejeweledgirl

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

I have to ask about my top 5 favorite boys Dunsparce! I know all it's Pokédex entries talk about it burrowing underground BUT!!! What if like. You raise it from an egg or catch it so it's used to humans instead of just a wild one and give it a backyard to like. Use it like a bigger Pokémon version ant farm situation and try to keep it outside or not to drill in the house/make sure to make it feel safe so it doesn't on instinct? That's GOTTA be a at least a B-tier then, right??? (I may be coping a little but sue me, I think Dunsparce is a silly guy that is severely underated, at least before S/V came out.)

(Hey! It’s the pokémon in the blog’s pfp at last!) While I unfortunately can’t give dunsparce the glowing B-tier rating you were hoping for, but I also can’t say that a dedicated owner would be entirely unable to care for one. It won’t be easy (or cheap), but certainly not impossible. Let’s get into it, this is a long one.

To begin with, dunsparce are pretty big. At nearly five feet long, these surprisingly quick pokémon need a lot of space to move around. Thankfully, they aren’t too heavy, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble carrying them around with a big bear-hug. Now, as you pointed out in your post, dunsparce do require some specialized space to be happy and healthy, which will likely present some problems for a lot of potential owners.

Wild dunsparce make their homes underground in (I like the way you put it) giant, maze like ant-farm structures (Crystal, Ruby/Sapphire, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum). They have been known to share these burrows with other ground-dwelling pokémon like digletts (Ultra Sun), so if you are already the proud owner of a burrowing pokémon you may already have what you need for a dunsparce. Given their size, dunsparce need a lot of dirt to dig around in, which could be a problem when it comes to the size of your home and/or yard. Thankfully, while these pokémon are skilled digger with their drill-like tail, they aren’t exactly avid explorers: once a dunsparce has a nest they are happy with, they’ll spend most of their time inside it, remaining “virtually motionless” (Crystal). So, while you probably won’t have problems with your dunsparce running away from home, you will need to make sure they have adequate space. The larger your yard, the more likely the space will be adequate for a dunsparce. Because of their size, a simple sand/soil box won’t cut it (this is where the potentially expensive part of owning a dunsparce comes in).

Because they spend most of their time underground, it is important to have proper expectations about socializing with your dunsparce: these pokémon aren’t really the cuddly, indoors type. In fact, wild dusparce are known to be very skittish, especially around humans. According to the pokédex, dusnaprce tend to run away as soon as they’re aware that a human has spotted them, burrowing into the ground as fast as they can (Gold, Ultra Moon). In your request, though, you brought up an interesting question: would a dunsparce raised from birth be more comfortable with humans? As with most animals, I would have to guess that the answer would be yes (this isn’t really something I’ve explored on this blog before, so it’s an interesting avenue to go down!). Keep in mind, though, that these pokémon are pretty rare due to their fear of humans in the wild, so getting a dunsparce egg might be pretty expensive, and you’ll want to do your research to ensure that you’re buying from an ethical pokémon breeder.

Due to their aforementioned fear of humans, dunsparce are far more likely to choose flight over fight in most situations. This means that they aren’t exceptionally dangerous to humans. Their drill-like tail allows them to use powerful moves like Hyper Drill and Drill Run. While these moves could really do some damage to a person, they’re much more likely to cause damage to the environment around them when they try to flee. It would not be a good idea to bring a dunsparce inside unless it is some sort of indoor space where they can comfortably dig if they feel threatened. The only dangerous dunsparce is a dunsparce that feels cornered in a space where they can’t dig.

If you are able to provide a dunsparce with the large nesting space that they need, they are a pretty easy pokémon to care for. They’re laid-back but skittish, but get along well with other burrowing pokémon. While I can’t recommend them to all pet-owners, those with the right resources and dedication could find a great pet in this pokémon. Be careful though: if your dunsparce knows the move Hyper Drill, they are much more likely to evolve into the much larger, much more difficult-to-care-for dudunparce! I’d recommend the use of an everstone, just in case.

[cyanoticfireflies]

Hazbin Group Chat Fic, pt 2

(Part 1)

PurpleFemale: All right, which one of you hos put a carafe of blood in the communal refrigerator?

SeXXXySpider: Objection!  I’m the only certified ho here and it wasn’t me

Alastor: Ah, guilty as charged, I’m afraid.

WhiskeyWhiskers: Why the fuck would you even…

WhiskeyWhiskers: Nope.  Nope, I’m good.

SssirP: Why would you put blood in the refrigerator?

SeXXXySpider: Christ, Pentious, read a room….

Alastor: To keep it from spoiling, of course

CharChar: Alastor, listen.  We are a ~totally accepting~ group of people who are okay with each others… quirks.

Alastor: Why thank you.

CharChar: But maaaybe please don’t leave blood in the refrigerator like it’s a carton of milk?

Alastor: Perhaps I’m misunderstanding your logic, dear girl.  Why is it okay to store the mammary extractions of a cow in the refrigerator but not the vascular extractions of a deer?

PurpleFemale: Oh thank god.

SeXXXySpider: Okay, I’m not the only one who immediately assumed it was the blood of a sinner, right?

NaNaNaNiff: Not this time at least!!!

SeXXXySpider: (ㆆ _ ㆆ)

SssirP: But… we keep food in there.

WhiskeyWhiskers: Apparently so does Alastor.

PurpleFemale: Gross.

Alastor: I must say, I’m feeling very singled out right now.

CharChar: Oh, no, Alastor, nothing like that!  We’re just all still adjusting to the little quirks from living together.  Right, everyone?

Alastor: Yet here I am, being publicly judged for what I choose to put in my mouth and yet no one says a thing to the effeminate spider.

SeXXXySpider: *WHEEZE*

PurpleFemale: Kill me.  Please.

WhiskeyWhiskers: I hate every single one of you.

Alastor: Really, half of the freezer is taken up by the boxes of popsicles he keeps in there.

PurpleFemale: …

WhiskeyWhiskers: …

SeXXXySpider: …

SssirP: Alastor does have a point, actually.  We’re supposed to share the space, but Angel Dust takes up more than his fair share.

PurpleFemale: I’m simultaneously so relieved and so disappointed.

SeXXXySpider: I was actually going to be really proud of the radio freak

SeXXXySpider: And was then going to go bleach my brain

WhiskeyWhiskers: Alastor, do you even hear yourself when you say things

Alastor: Sorry?

CharChar: Um, I think everyone else might have drawn their own conclusions about what you were making an allusion to….

NaNaNaNiff: They definitely thought you meant dicks!

Alastor: I did not.

PurpleFemale: Well we know that NOW

CharChar: Actually, that gives me an idea for a get-to-know-everyone exercise!

WhiskeyWhiskers: Of course it does.

CharChar: Everyone should tell the group what their absolute favorite food is!

CharChar: I really like apples.  I know it’s cliché with my dad and all, but I remember being really little and him conjuring up some for me to snack on and they were always so good!

PurpleFemale: That’s actually really wholesome, babe.

Purple Female: I guess chicharron for me.  But, like.  Good chicharron.  If it’s shitty, then it’s worse than no chicharron.

SeXXXySpider: Lasagna ((っっ˘ڡ˘ςς)

SeXXXySpider: But if you get the sauce from a jar, you deserve to be shot

PurpleFemale: Wow, Angel.  You actually… participated.  And answered.  And the answer wasn’t a sex joke.

SeXXXySpider: Hey, I’m happy to talk about sucking the cream right out of a long thick cannoli if you want me to

PurpleFemale: And there it went.

WhiskeyWhiskers: You should know by now not to tempt fate

PurpleFemale: Yeah….

SssirP: I actually quite like a good chamomile tea and biscuits, myself.

NaNaNaNiff: Hehehe, you don’t like scrambled eggies?

SssirP: … I do like them hardboiled on occasion

SeXXXySpider: Damn, hardcore, my guy

SeXXXySpider: I guess there really is a kink for anything in Hell

SssirP: I didn’t mean my Egg Boiz!

SssirP: I would never!

CharChar: How about you, Niffty?

NaNaNaNiff: I like chocolate!

PurpleFemale: That was a surprisingly normal answer.

NaNaNaNiff: Chocolate covered ants, chocolate covered crickets, chocolate covered silkworms

NaNaNaNiff: Chomp chomp!

WhiskeyWhiskers: Again, Vaggie, tempting fate…

SeXXXySpider: I’ve never regretted less not having a gag reflex

CharChar: That’s… that’s all right!  Some people do eat, um… chocolate covered bugs.  Everyone has their own tastes!

CharChar: Husk!  What about you?

WhiskeyWhiskers: Macallan

CharChar: What’s that?

PurpleFemale: Husk.  No.

WhiskeyWhiskers: Glenfiddich

PurpleFemale: No, Husk

WhiskeyWhiskers: Balvenie

SeXXXySpider: Daaaaamn, daddy only drinks the top shelf shit

WhiskeyWhiskers: Call me that again and see what happens

SeXXXySpider: Don’t flirt with me in public, baby

PurpleFemale: Brands of whiskey can’t be your favorite foods, Husk

WhiskeyWhiskers: No one else was told their answers were wrong

CharChar: I mean, no, but everyone else’s answers were technically food, sooooooo

WhiskeyWhiskers: All right, fair enough, I guess.

WhiskeyWhiskers: I mean, shitty bar food?

WhiskeyWhiskers: I don’t know.  It’s just kind of nostalgic?

CharChar: Really?

WhiskeyWhiskers: I think my first vegetable was celery from a bloody mary.

SssirP: Aww.  That’s kind of sad.

SeXXXySpider: Newsflash, P – if we weren’t all walkin’ tragedies we wouldn’t be here

CharChar: Alastor, I guess you like venison?

Alastor: Indeed, my dear!  ThE RaReR ThE BeTtEr

SeXXXySpider: Hey, Niff.  Can I be your best friend if I bring you, oh, say, a 10-foot or so chocolate covered moth?

PurpleFemale: Please don’t make that sexy.

WhiskeyWhiskers: What did you say earlier about bleaching your brain?

SeXXXySpider: No, but seriously.  Chomp chomp, sister, just like you said!  No sexy.  Just crunchy.

NaNaNaNiff: Ehehehehe, that’s a LOT of bug!

SeXXXySpider: I’ll see what I can do, toots

WhiskeyWhiskers: If we’re actually killing Valentino, I want in

CharChar: … I mean… me… too?

SeXXXySpider: ╰། ╰། ◉ ◯ ◉ །╯།╯

PurpleFemale: Whoa.  Really, babe?

SssirP: Goodness! 

Alastor: That doesn’t sound like you at all, Charlie

CharChar: Angel’s boss is a jerk

SeXXXySpider: Bet

(Part 3) (Part 4)

[seresinhangmanjake]

Beyond the Hills: Part 4

Jake Seresin x Reader (College AU)

Main Masterlist, Beyond the Hills Masterlist

Summary: Technically, you and Jake Seresin have known each other for twelve years. All throughout your childhood education, you and Jake shared classes, lunch periods, homeroom teachers. It seemed if the opportunity for you to be in the same space arose, the universe made it happen. But you were not friends. Not enemies, either. Not much of anything to one another outside of the occasional class project partners. When high school ended you assumed you wouldn’t be seeing him any time soon, but then you find yourselves at the same college, and once again, forced together. It seems no matter where you go, Jake Seresin is there. But you are not the shy girl you were in your youth. You want to try things now; party, have fun, do things you’ve never done before, and suddenly, for reasons you don’t understand, Jake seems to take issue with your new choices.

Notes/warnings: just cursing, I think. Likely typos. I know people literally just voted for the second part of the Oh, Baby AU to be posted next, but this was almost done and I got a sudden burst of inspiration to finish it.

Words: 1300

---

“So are we going to talk about why you’re being weird or are we ignoring it or…what’s the plan here?”

Jake was trying to drown out the noise—the hundreds of jumbling thoughts in his head, each containing a question that led to the same answer: He liked you. He wanted you; enough to have the prickling sensation rise over his skin that said it might even be more than that. He couldn’t deny how he sought you out, catching himself walking to the campus coffee shop he knew you frequented, or considering attending the senior art exhibit because Lydia had mentioned you’d be there. Maybe it was because he needed you, in some way. He didn’t want to need you, and unlikely was it that you wanted to be needed by a man you barely knew, but he couldn’t stop himself. It was a craving. A yearning for something sweet and gentle and wholly unique, unlike anything else. And that’s exactly what you were. Unlike anything else. Special.

“Not answering me is only adding to the weirdness,” Rooster said, snapping his fingers from across the room, hoping the high-pitched sound might draw his roommate’s attention. “Did you hear me?”

Jake finally raised his forearm from his face where it had been resting to block the light from the sun, and sat up in his bed. His heavy inhale was a relief, as if he hadn’t been breathing quite right and just didn’t realize it until he made the conscious effort. 

“I heard you,” Jake said, running a hand through his hair to straighten the locks ruffled by his pillow.

“Oh, so you were just being a dick,” Rooster huffed. 

“Well, maybe don’t ask questions you already know the answers to.”

“How was I supposed to know if you wanted to talk about it or not?” Rooster moved to his own bed, plopping down and leaning forward with his elbows resting atop his knees. He clasped his hands and his thumbs began a little war with one another. “I guess I won’t ask if this behavior has anything to do with her, then.”

Jake nodded and snatched his t-shirt off the floor, pulling it over his head. “Would be a waste of a question.”

The shake of Rooster’s head in response irritated Jake immensely, but he knew where the reaction was coming from, and it wasn’t exactly…unfair. “It’s been a week since the bar, man, and you haven’t made a single move,” Rooster said. It was just short of a scolding, forcing Jake to roll his eyes. “Not even a step.”  

“I know.”

“Not even an ant-sized step. I mean, snails move faster than you. Snails, Jake.”

“I know,” Jake groaned. “I just—” He matched Rooster’s position but let his face fall into his hands, rubbing them up and down to try to erase the tight knitting of his features. “I think I’m going crazy." His words were muffled into his palms, then he lifted his head to meet his friend’s stare. “No, I know I am. I’m fucking insane, actually. I’m practically addicted to this girl and I don’t even really know her.”

“You keep saying that, but maybe you do.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “What?”

“You’ve always noticed her,” Rooster said. “She’s been in your classes for years. You know some of the things she likes, and what might make her laugh. You know that she’s embarrassed when the rain turns her hair frizzy, but you think it’s cute anyway. You know that…” He paused to remember another of many on the list of reasons. “You know she really likes strawberry-flavored things. And you know—”

"This is making me sound like a creep. How do you even know all of that?”

“You spilled it after a few drinks the other night," Rooster replied, smirking at the memory. “Look, all I’m saying is that you’ve unintentionally gathered a lot of information over the last twelve years. Putting all of that together,” Rooster shrugged, “Of course you like her. Hell, before Lyd wrapped me around her little finger even I was getting ready to like her and all I knew about her was that she’s beautiful. You know much more. So cut yourself some slack. She’s clearly a hard girl not to like.”

Understatement, Jake thought. Severe understatement. Rooster had a point Jake couldn’t deny. He had noticed so much about you—more than perhaps reasonable—and the truth was he had all the tools and knowledge to bring a smile to your face any time he wanted to. So why hadn’t he? Why had he restrained himself, and why did he still feel the itch to continue doing so?

You aren’t good enough for her, his thoughts intruded. That’s why. She deserves someone who won’t—

“Ok, why don’t you just say it out loud?” Rooster said. “You know, release it from that bottled-up, guarded portion of your heart.” 

Jake knew the look on his face was suggesting his roommate was nothing short of ridiculous, but Rooster didn’t budge. 

“Go on,” he urged.

The blond’s brows dipped in the center, mildly insulted. But that’s what happens when someone pinpoints one of the few things you’d rather not discuss. And it was harder knowing Rooster of all people was so easily able to do the pinpointing. The man’s brain was consistently on partying or Lydia, partying with Lydia, sex with Lydia, sex with Lydia at a party—Lydia, Lydia, Lydia—and still he had enough room in his head to sense Jake’s walls. He wasn’t intimidated by them, either. Despite how sturdy, how thick and long those walls of Jake’s were, Rooster had no issue walking right up to them, rapping on the carefully stacked stone with determined knuckles, and declaring, without any hint of gentle sympathy, that his friend was being an idiot. 

Maybe he was being an idiot. 

“My heart is not guarded,” Jake defended…weakly. 

Rooster's look easily proved how unconvinced he was. But maybe Jake wasn’t truly trying to be convincing. It felt like lying to his father after a night getting high with his best friend back in high school. Useless. Pointless. His father could smell the weed cloud wrapped around his son, and any following words from Jake’s lips fell on deaf ears. 

“Fine,” Jake muttered, his heart jackrabbiting against his ribcage. He was thankfully for that cage. It kept the organ from breaking free from his body like it felt it was on the verge of doing. Jake pushed on. He pushed through the thumping in his ears “I…I like her.”

“And all was well.”

“Shut up.”

Rooster clicked his tongue as he shook his head. “So touchy. Let’s hope if you two get together she soothes that grumpiness.”

“I’m not grumpy," Jake lightly snapped. If said by Rooster a minute earlier, Jake would have been harsher, but the weight of his confession was lighter than the denial he’d been holding on to. He suddenly found himself less angry. Less tense. “I’ve been conflicted for weeks and it’s exhausting.”

Jake would’ve said more. The relief of letting it out—however initially reluctant—coaxed him to spill more of his secrets. The tale of his past was ready to tumble off his tongue. But there was a knock at the door.

“It’s unlocked, baby,” Rooster called. 

The smile Rooster greeted his girl with whenever she entered a room fell instantly at the sight of her face. The confident woman he knew didn’t worry her lip between her teeth. She didn’t wring her hands. And yet, in that very moment, she was doing just that.

Rooster rushed her way. "Lyd, what's wrong?"

She released that lip; ran her fingers through shiny platinum strands. Her sigh filled the silence in the room, then she said, "We've got a problem, gang."

---

A/N: I hope you liked it :) It’s painfully long overdue, and I apologize to those who had an attachment to the series. I genuinely didn’t think many people wanted it. I’m actually really happy and thankful that you guys encouraged me to continue this. Just a little tidbit: “I’m practically addicted to this girl and I don’t even really know her” was the line this series was built around. I thought it would be fun to mention. 

tags: @wkndwlff @kmc1989 @sagittarius-flowerchild @dempy @oliviah-25 @rosiahills22 @xoxabs88xox @matisse556 @hardballoonlove @ssa-sadboi @lynnevanss @pono-pura-vida @tgmreader @amgluvsbooks @ravenhood2792 @djs8891 @shakespeareanwannabe @sailor-aviator @novagreen04 @memeorydotcom

[ramblin-tiger]

“NO! I refuse to believe that this is the end!” The spectral man screamed at the cloaked figure standing before him, rage and sadness radiating from him almost visibly. The cloaked figure took a step forward and the specter lashed out with a fist, simply passing through the cloaked figure as if he they were both made of smoke. “Charles,” the specter froze as the cloaked figure spoke his name, “your time has ended in the physical word. It’s time to go and move on, there is nothing for you here.” Charles’ arms slowly lowered to his sides, almost as if defeated, as the figure spoke. “But. . . But this was my day. OUR DAY!” Charles’ fury began to grow once again, and he looked around him at the wreckage. Two cars lay mangled a few feet away as paramedics and firemen scurried around like ants, working frantically to save the two men from the vehicles. The cloaked figure looked over at the commotion for a moment. The paramedics had just begun to cover a man in a suit with a sheet as others attempted to save a drunken man from death. “I was. . . Finally getting married. . . The world finally changed enough for me to have this one thing, and that bastard,” he pointed at the drunken man that was now being loaded into an ambulance, “gets to live?” He screamed the last part at the cloaked figure. “Look Charles,” the cloaked figure began, “I don’t make the rules of the worlds we exist in. I merely follow them. While it is true that your time in the physical world was cut short, there is nothing that can be done about it. That is the way of life, it goes on and you exist until you die and then leave the physical realm.”

The hooded figure raised an arm, its sleeve shifting down to reveal a bony had as it rested it upon Charles shoulder gently. “I would be lying if I said I understood your pain, as this existence is the only one I have ever known. Taking those who have passed on to their next journey. Blame me if you want for that man surviving. Blame me for the crash. If that makes you feel better then you are more than welcome to blame me for the wrongs that have been brought upon you, but it’s still time to move on. . .” Defeat filled Charles’ eyes as the hooded figures words sank in, and his head sank. “I guess. . . I guess he’ll just have to go on without me then, huh. . .” The hooded figure nodded slowly as it lowered its arm. “That he will. It will take time as things always do, but eventually the wounds will heal, and he will grow to be happy again. Perhaps not as he once was but happy nonetheless. . ." The hooded figure paused a moment before speaking again. "Now then Charles, its time we left this place behind. ‘Tis no place to linger.” It offered a bony hand to Charles, and after a moment the specter took it and faded away as he began his new journey.

The hooded figure stood there for a moment and watched the cleanup crews and police bustling around what was left of the wreck, simply observing the goings on. From the corner of its vision, it saw a young woman wearing a white robe approaching him. “Death, its been a bit since we spoke last. How goes things with you?” Death looked at her from the depths of his hood, its faced concealed in the shadows within. “Another life passed, and another spirit almost broken. It’s always the same. The confusion, the rage. The hate. . .” Deaths voice was filled with sadness, not for itself but for those it had helped move on. Death paused for a moment before speaking again. “and what about you, Life? How goes things on your end?” Life smiled softly. “I watch life go on as always, growing and learning. Building and destroying. . .” Her smile faded as her brow furrowed in thought. “Hey Death, I have a question.” She looked over at the last remnants of the accident, a bit of shattered glass on the road, as traffic began to resume flow around them.

“Why do people love me but hate you?” Death raised a hand and pulled back its hood, revealing the barren skull that was its head as it spoke. “Because you are a beautiful lie and I am the painful truth.”

[linalavender]

How Tatsuki Fujimoto writes Affection

First of all I would like to give massive credit to Tiktok user @campaign_baby for their Tiktok I saw on this that really made me think of it alot more

I will Bring up Examples from:

Shikaku

Mermaid Rhapsody

Goodbye Eri

Fire Punch

Chainsaw Man Part 1 (Quite a big spoiler in this will give fair warning)

Fujimoto has a sort of strange method he uses to write that a character Loves/cares deeply for someone. And its The character either being willing to be consumed or to provide sustenance to someone, Or to consume the other person. Examples:

Shikaku

After Shikaku confesses her love for Yucel, He rushes to the hospital to offer her his blood, Making her into an immortal vampire just like him. Yucel has also fallen for Shikaku, its basically his confession of love, He wants to live with her Forever.

Its drawn in a way you can tell its such an act of compassion too.

Mermaid Rhapsody

"I loved her so much that I thought, If it was by someone with a smile as pretty as hers, Maybe being eaten wouldn't be so bad."

Toshihides Dad feels the exact same way about his Mom as Toshihide feels about Shijyu. Mermaids eat humans, But that never mattered to either of them.

Goodbye Eri

In Yuutas Movie about Eri, He writes her to be a Vampire, because he wouldnt actually mind to be her sustenance, In his movie, he loves Eri so much. (I genuinely cant read this fucking story without sobbing, Rereading it again just to get this screengrab just made me cry for like 20 min help)

Fire Punch

This one is Pretty straight forward, Agni with his regenerative powers feeds his village by continuously chopping of his Arm so they dont all starve to death. But more importantly he does this to prevent his sister from doing it aswell. He doesnt want her to suffer that pain so he takes sole responsibility for providing himself to the village.

Agni also later feeds his followers with the help of Togata Chopping of the part of his face that isnt on Fire. I think this has more todo with making sure Togata gets fed rather than his followers, To Agni Togata means alot.

⚠️Chainsaw Man Part 1 (Spoilers for the Final arc)⚠️

When Power is about to Die, Power not only offers her own blood For Denji to Drink so he can get back to health, But Pochita also offers a small part of himself so she can come back as a Powerful Devil.

And ofcourse the big one is Denji Eating Makima. He obviously has to and all for the sake of erasing her. But he explicitly says it wasnt an Attack, It was an act of Love.

Its such a fascinating thing that the idea of consuming someone can be concidered something you do to a cherished one, as an affectionate thing. I guess as Denji mentions that you basically become one with eachother in a way if you consume them.

But this is such a Weird thing Right? Where does this idea even originate from? Well ofcourse we can only Speculate but I really think he took on inspiration from his own life here, Because he has actually done this to someone he loved. Yes, Seriously.

Tatsuki Fujimoto eating his deceased Pet Fish

In the Authors notes for "Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 22-26" Fujimoto shares a story from when he was 24:

"Even though we were poor, we had a pet Japanese rice fish. I found it dead one summer. I went to toss its body into the trash like in Parasyte, but my girlfriend said she wanted me to bury it, So off I went to the park, alone. I tried to bury it under this big tree, but the ground was too hard, my hands got all dirty and I had no hole to show for my effort. Out of Options, I figured I would pretend I had buried the fish and left it lying there on top of the ground. As I watched it for a little while, ants found the body and began to carry it away. Im not sure what came over me, but in that moment, love for that pet fish welled within me for the first time. I brushed the ants away, and then Ate it."

You can read the full story here

It has that "Wait what the hell am I reading" Charm to the story like alot of his works, But theres something so weirdly beautiful about this story, Somehow stricken with grief and love for this fish, He ate it. As Denji says, its not an attack, his fish is part of him now and its an act of love. So strange, yet so Beautiful.

Anyways thanks for reading this insanely long post if you even got this far I appreciate it!

[hendolish]

ty @purple-afternoon for giving me inspo :)

————

declan rice/anthony gordon - dazed (part 2!)

————

The air at the England camp is alive with anticipation. The excitement of the previous match lingers, creating a charged atmosphere, and Anthony finds himself drawn to Declan more and more each day.

They haven’t labeled their relationship, but all Anthony knows is that he likes spending time with Dec, definitely loves kissing him, and he doesn’t want any of it to stop. He also appreciates their banter, a language of its own, filled with teasing, and the laughter that makes Declan's face light up in the most captivating way.

The morning sun filters through the training ground, casting a golden hue over everything. Anthony stretches on the pitch, his muscles relishing the warm-up, when Declan jogs over, a mischievous glint in his eyes after he catches Anthony tugging down the front of his top from where it's ridden upwards.

“Ready to get schooled, Gordon?” Declan teases, nudging Anthony with his shoulder.

Anthony grins and rolls his eyes, feeling that familiar light and easy flutter in his chest. “In your dreams.”

They share a laugh, the kind that feels easy and natural. As they move through drills, Anthony notices how Dec’s presence steadies him. The banter between them flows effortlessly, punctuated by moments of shared glances and inside jokes. Somehow it feels as though they've known each other forever.

During a break, they sit on the damp grass, catching their breath. Declan leans back, propping himself up on his elbows, looking out over the training ground. Anthony can’t help but steal glances at him, taking in the way the sunlight highlights the contours of his angular face.

“Dec,” Anthony starts, his voice soft, “d'you ever think about what happens after all this?”

Declan turns to him, eyebrows raised. “You mean after the tournament?”

“Yeah. Like, what happens with us?”

Declan’s smile is warm, reassuring. “I think we figure it out as we go, mate. I like this,” he gestures between them, “and I don’t see why it has to stop.”

Anthony nods, feeling a surge of affection and a wash of relief he wasn't aware he was witholding. “Me too.”

Their moment is interrupted by Stonesy, who plops down next to them with a wide grin. “You two look cozy. What’s the goss?”

Anthony feels his cheeks heat up. He opens his mouth to respond, but the words get stuck. “Uh, nothing much, just… talking.”

Declan, ever the quick thinker, jumps in. “We were just discussing who’s got the best moves on the team. Obviously, I said you've got nothing on me.”

John laughs, clearly delighted by the deflection. “You wish, Dec. Everyone saw those moves after the quarters.”

The banter continues, and Anthony is grateful for the distraction. He admires how easily Declan shifts the focus, making everyone laugh and feel at ease. It’s one of the things he loves and admires about him.

Later, as they head back to their rooms, Declan wraps an arm around Anthony’s shoulders, pulling him close. “You alright? Looked like you were about to combust back there.”

Anthony chuckles, leaning into Declan’s side. “Yeah, thanks for that. I’m still getting used to… this.”

Declan’s grip tightens slightly. “Me too. But we’ve got this, Ant. No need to rush anything.”

That night, they find themselves in Declan’s room, the TV playing highlights from the previous matches. Declan lies back on the bed, and Anthony joins him, resting his head on Dec’s chest. The steady rise and fall of his breathing is soothing, and Anthony feels content in a way he hasn’t felt in a long time.

“Didn’t expect you to be such a cuddler,” Anthony murmurs, a smile tugging at his lips.

Declan chuckles, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on Anthony’s back. “Guess you bring it out in me.”

Anthony’s heart swells at the admission. He lifts his head slightly to look at Declan. “I like it. I like being here with you.”

Declan’s eyes soften, and he leans down to press a gentle kiss to Anthony’s lips. “Good, because I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

The next day, during training, the mood is good. The team is a well-oiled machine, working together seamlessly, and Declan and Anthony’s connection on the field seems to have bloomed alongside their off-field relationship. They move in sync, anticipating each other’s moves, creating opportunities that leave their teammates impressed.

As they head back to the dressing room, Harry Kane comments, “You two have gotten pretty close lately, haven’t you?”

Anthony feels the blush creeping up his neck. “Uh, yeah, we’ve just been… spending more time together.”

Declan, sensing Anthony’s discomfort, jumps in with a grin. “Can you blame him, mate? I’m irresistible.” He winks, making everyone laugh, effectively diverting the attention.

In the quieter moments, Anthony reflects on how much has changed in such a short time. He’s never felt this kind of connection with anyone before, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying. But with Declan by his side, he feels ready to face whatever comes next.

As they lie in bed that night, Declan pulls Anthony close, pressing a kiss to his temple. “You know, I’m glad we have this time together.”

“Me too,” Anthony whispers, feeling the truth of those words deep in his bones. He looks up at Declan, their faces inches apart. “I don’t want this to end.”

Declan smiles, a soft, genuine smile that makes Anthony’s heart skip a beat. “It won’t. We’ll make sure of it.”

Anthony closes his eyes, letting the warmth of Declan’s embrace wash over him. In this moment, everything feels right. The future may be uncertain, but with Declan, he knows they’ll face it together. And that’s all that matters.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Declan breaks it with a question that catches Anthony off guard. “How long is a flight to Newcastle d’you reckon then?”

Anthony enjoys the way the syllables trip off Declan’s Cockney tongue. “About an hour, I think.”

Declan’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, have you even got an airport up there? I ain't gotta buy a private jet or something?”

Anthony laughs and hits him lightly on the chest. “'Course we’ve got an airport, you div. It’s the north of England, not the third world.”

He can feel the rumble of Declan’s laughter in his chest as he argues, “Same thing.”

Anthony rolls his eyes but smiles. “Like I said, about an hour. Not... not that I’ve, like… looked it up already or anything…”

Declan’s eyes twinkle with amusement. “Oh, so you have been planning my visits, huh?”

Anthony’s blush deepens, and he sputters, “N-No! I just… I was curious, alright?”

Dec’s laughter is infectious, and before Anthony knows it, they’re rolling around on the bed, playfighting until Declan pins him down, swooping down to steal his lips in a kiss.

The kiss is warm and sweet, filled with the promise of more moments like this. As they pull apart, Anthony gazes up at Declan, his heart full. Whatever the future holds, he knows they’ll face it together, and that’s all he needs.

♡

[loveronlineee]

Not All Bad Part 1 (Spider x Reader)

Masterlist

Spencer “Spider” White x Reader (She/Her)

Warnings: none

Synopsis: After Y/N’s friends ditch her at a house party, Spider unexpectedly comes to the rescue

Another fic for the Heartbreak High fandom! Once again, this has not been proofread at all. I’ll reread it before I start on part 2 lol

Wanna request something? Look here!

Y/N wandered around the party in search of her friends. Where they had gone she had no idea. One moment they were taking shots in the kitchen, the next they were gone. I guess it wasn’t the first time Sasha and Missy had disappeared on her. It still hurt though.

She pushed her way through the living room and poked her head out the front door before checking the dinning room. They definitely weren’t downstairs. Y/N made her way up to the bathroom then one bedroom. It was best not to go into the other bedroom as it was closed with a sock on the handle.

She huffed in annoyance. They weren’t here.

Spider came up the stairs and noticed her standing there. His eyebrows furrowed.

“Hey.” He said, catching her attention. “You okay?” He asked in a surprisingly soft tone. Y/N sighed as he walked closer to her.

“Yeah I’m fine.” Spider gave her a disbelieving look. Y/N folded her arms and leant against the wall.

“Sasha and Missy ditched me.” She said at the floor. Luckily, Spider still caught what she said, even with the party background noise.

“Really?” Y/N looked back up to see one of Spider’s eyebrows quirked up.

“It’s not the first time.” She turned her head to the other people hanging out in the upstairs hallway. Spider thought of what he should do. He held up his can of beer to her. Y/N squinted at him playfully before taking it. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Spider smiled. “Hey why don’t we grab a couple more drinks and go sit outside?” Y/N blinked in surprise.

“Why are you being nice? It’s weird.”

“What? I’m not allowed to be nice?”

“No, you’re Spider.” The blonde just chuckled and gestured to the stairs.

“C’mon.” Y/N followed him back down, taking sips of the beer as they went. Spider grabbed a couple more cans from the fridge and they headed to the front door, a couple classmates noticing them together and giving odd looks.

Y/N breathed in the night air, away from the crowds of people inside, and sat down on the front lawn. Spider sat beside her and opened one of the cans.

“Where’s Ant and Dusty?” Y/N asked. Spider shrugged.

“Somewhere inside.” Y/N found it a bit weird that he didn’t want to hang with them but didn’t question it any further.

They sat in silence for a little while, looking at the houses across the street and listening to the music coming from behind them.

It was nice. Calming even.

Y/N had forgotten the concept that Spider could be chill. She looked over at him. One leg stretched out, the other bent so that he could rest one arm in his knee and can in hand. The other hand was planted in the grass behind him so he could lean back a little.

Spider was pretty. Most couldn’t see that past his almost always unpleasant personality, but it shone through in moments like this.

He looked over to Y/N after realising she was staring. He smiled.

“What?” Y/N hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Spider’s smile grew as he leaned in closer to her.

“What is it?”

“I used to have a crush on you in year 7.” He just stared at her for a moment, blank look, processing. Y/N scanned his face in amusement.

“You used to have a crush on me?” He repeated at a low volume, like he wasn’t quite sure he heard her right. Y/N chuckled and took another sip of beer.

“Yeah don’t let it go to your head.” Another period of silence as Spider continued to process.

“You used to have a crush on me?” Y/N laughed loudly making Spider smile more.

“Dude don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Uh right I just- I just had no idea.” He shrugged and shook his head, still in slight disbelief. Y/N decided to give him some more context.

“Remember how I used to go to the library at lunch? This was before I was friends with Sasha and Missy.” Spider nodded.

“Yeah I remember. I’d always see you whenever I went in there.” Y/N smiled softly and played with the now empty can.

“One time, I was eating my lunch and reading when you burst in and disturbed the peace.” Spider chuckled quietly as Y/N continued to speak. “You were running away from Ant, I don’t remember why.”

“I think I said something about him Mum.” Y/N laughed.

“Yeah sounds about right. Well you ran in and dropped down in the seat next to me. Your breaths were heavy but your smile was so wide. You looked over to me and said-“

“Oi Y/N, cover for me will ya?” Spider said. Y/N grinned.

“You remember.”

“Yeah that was pretty funny. And you did.”

“Of course. I had to back you up and say that you had been with me all lunch.” Spider laughed.

“Such a stupid fuckin lie to Ant’s face. He was so fuckin mad.” Y/N laughed along with him.

“I know right.” She checked her phone for the time. 4am. “Shit I was supposed to be home like an hour ago.” She scrambled to her feet, Spider doing the same.

“I’ll walk you home.”

“Ah no Spider you don’t have to do that.”

“I’m not letting you walk home alone at 4am.” Y/N smiled at him once again.

“Okay then.” The pair began heading down the street. “I’m only like 10 minutes away.”

They walked in comfortable silence until they reached Y/N’s house.

“I’ll see you at school yeah?”

“Yeah. Thanks for walking me home.” Spider shrugged.

“S’alright.” Y/N grinned at him.

“You’re not all bad Spencer White.” She pecked him on the cheek and walked inside.

Spider nodded to himself, scrunched up smile on his face in excitement as he headed back to the party.

[didishawn]

I dreamed the night with something similar and would like to place a request: Rodrigo de Paul comments on his storie praising his body, Yn shows Pedri and this becomes a confusion during Barcelona x Atletico de Madrid. The stress of the game becomes violent sex after the match. forgiveness for English translated by Google

saludos desde Brasil ❤️🥺✊🏻

Dios, como amo a Rodri

Cuidado con el 7 (Pedri x Reader) smut

Warnings: misunderstandings, Rodri de Paul vs Pedri, smut, rough, fights, maybe some DE Paul x Reader, there could be a part 2 with the three of them if anyone wants it

Masterlist

"Pero bueno, que cuerpazo, ¿no?" that is all it takes for Pedri to turn to you with an alerted look, you are just lazily laying on the coach on your phone. (oh well, what a great body, hm?)

He recognises the voice, of course he does, one of your greatest friends, World Cup champion, Rodrigo de Paul doing such comments towards his girlfriend, she giggles.

He scoffs, you pause the story and turn to him "¿Todo bien, Pepi?" (everything good, Pepi?)

He doesn't answer, rolling his eyes.

You shrug your shoulders, you guess he is another one of his moods, you keep on watching your friend's story.

"Madre mía, que maravilla, que rica que estás, boluda, no se como no te probe antes" (my goodness, how wonderful, you are so delicious, girl, I don't know how I didn't taste you before)

The weird man talks like that to the asado he shows off on the next story, the definition of food porn, you tell him just that and he answers inmediatly, starting an even weirder conversation.

Pedri passes by you, frowning as he looks the name of the Argentinian man on your screen, but doesn't stop to read.

That night, he fucks you hard.

Your brain hasn't really catched up on everything that has happened on the last couple of hours.

Atlético de Madrid vs Barcelona, one of your dear friends against your boyfriend. Everything during the game went good, Barça won and you were happy for Pedri, you went down to meet him, maybe even see Rodri.

You saw the two men, facing each other, Pedri looks mad, Rodri confused.

"¿Pero que os pasa?" you ask, they both turned to you. (what is going on?)

"Decime vos. A mi me vino tu noviecito a preguntarme qué por qué coqueteo con vos y que si habíamos chapado" Rodri explained, you turned to Pedri, wide eyed. (you tell me. Your little boyfriend came to me to ask why I flirt you and if we have fucked)

"Pedri! ¿Qué cojones?" (what the fuck?)

"¡Escuche como te lo decía!" (I heard him tell you that!)

"Así por saber, ¿decir que?" you asked (just so I know, say what?)

"Que tenías un cuerpazo, que que rica estas y que no sabe como no te probó antes" (that you have a great body, that you are so delicious and that he doesn't know how he didn't taste you before)

Rodri laughted out "Naah, pará, esto es buenísimo" he turned to you "¿Se lo decís vos o se lo digo yo?" (noo, stop, this is great. ¿Do you tell him or do I do it? )

Yours and Rodri's explanations were not enough to cease Pedri's jealousy, so now wonder how you are here, body against the door in some janitor's closet, Pedri fucking you, hard and fast from behind. He enjoys it, really, so do you, having your boyfriend's hard cock almost destroying your insides.

"Te parecerá bonito, ponerme celoso con ese amiguito tuyo" he groans into your ear, just being inside of you makes him want to cum. "Pero tú sabes que solo yo te puedo follar así como te gusta" (real pretty, making me jealous with that friend of yours. But you know only I can fuck you how you like)

There are marks on your neck, deep purple bite marks, your ass red from the slap of his hips against it, his fingers are marked on your fingers.

You feel his balls hit you, your hands against the door, so is your face as you try to muffle the sounds coming from your mouth, you are a whining mess, groaning, moaning and grunting. His fingers almost hurt your clit, yet all you can feel is pleasure as he plays with it.

Your juices go down your thighs, you have already cummed in so little time, there is no way you have been at it longer than twenty minutes, you can still hear some shouts from players on the back. You really hope Gavi is not waiting for you.

"Lo adoras, ¿no? Que te folle aquí cuando cualquiera nos puede encontrar, deseando que tu amigo el campeoncito pueda ver a quien le perteneces" (you love it, don't you? That I fuck you here when anyone can find us, wishing your little champion friend can see who you belong to)

"Pedri!"

"Shhh, de verdad no quieres que nos escuchen, ¿hm?" (shhh, you really don't want anyone to hear, hm?)

You hake your head, but even you in your hazed mind know that anyone who passes by will know what is going on in the closet as Pedri's hard thrusts have the door rustling.

The stimulation on your clit, the hard thrusts, the kisses, his hands, him, finally pushes you over the edge, you cum once more around him, your walls once more tightening on him for what must have been the third time.

He groans into your ears, his release finding it's way deep inside you, you are so full of him, he pants, the two of you are truly breathless, he kisses your cheek.

The two of you walk out together, hand in hand, you can see Rodri from afar, he waves at you with an ample smile, winking an eye, Pedri's grips tightens on your grip.

Mierda, shit - you think

This is not over, you are sure of that.

[for-ships-that-never-sail]

Okay Y'ALL I saw Episode 5 today and these are the thoughts I jotted down while watching it (PART 1 OF 2)

Please don’t read below the cut if you are avoiding spoilers until you get to watch it yourself 

And FYI some of these may not have any context, but I guess it won’t matter cause you’ll have context in 7ish hours anyway (also sorry about how long all my thoughts and feelings are lol)

We’ve all seen the first 4 mins so that’s that - nothing extra special to add there other than that Colin’s soft voice for Pen feels like it makes my heart grow bigger every time I see it

Um what the absolute fuck was that opening title??? Have they deviated and changed that this much before?? Have I never noticed other than with the very small changes they do with adding the correct Bridgerton’s name etc?

Anthony wanting to do that one Monica scream is adorbs

LOLLLLL I love you sweet Greggy

LMAO Cressida with them BARBS

Awh Cressida I do feel for you my girl

OMFGGGGG Colin’s chat with the boys??? THIS IS MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!! SOMEONE STAB ME IN THE HEART AAAAH

And Anthony with that quick wisdom? Is it rude of me to not really have expected it from him even though I know this kind of good sense is in him? I do love you Ant! Sorry that I still think of you as SLOW to good sense because of last season lol

Also that cute and private GOSSIPY moment? LOVEEE

OH PORTIA FOR FUCKS SAKEEEEE WITH “THOSE EXACT WORDS” why are you stressing her out but also why are you STRESSING ME OUT?

BAHAHAHAHAHHSSHHAHAHASHA THAT IMMEDIATE 360 please stopppppp I have whiplash - this show has never presented something I personally see as a legitimate concern (from the character's perspective) and then proceed to resolve that issue soooo fucking fast, like that took two seconds PLEASE I’m dying, I can’t believe I thought I’d be stressed about that comment for a considerable amount of the episode? and then BAM 😂 Excellent job Colin!

For the love of god no one wants to chaperone them???? They’re just gonna go???? No one is gonna stop them? Like is she the John Cena of the Bridgerton universe?? Everyone is just like, oh look, Colin walking down the street speaking to himself, oh look he’s in a carriage, also just speaking to himself - like H'WHAT?

Having that said, yes of course get her alone and fuck her by all means if that’s what you wanna do, don’t let my hang ups about propriety and the rules of the ton stop you my boy

Omg pen my baby was so moved 🥹 She somehow hadn’t processed that whole thing even during the carriage ride? Because unless they teleported, she was just like reeling in silence until this point, just like, looking for the words???

Oh my god OH MY GOD OH MY GOD there you go Portia my mans was as clear as he could be about the exact words both indirectly and directly thank you very much

Omg STAHPPPP I can’t Col you should totally write her love letters saying this type of stuff every day - it’s what she deserves 🥹

Omg they’re so cute???!!!

Consent king!! This is so INTIMATE and CUTE!!! 🥹

Have I never seen tits bigger than like a 32B on Netflix before? Cute lil perky tits never really get registered as out there nudity I guess? Like I knowwww we saw tits the last two seasons, and I guess at the brothels this season too, which I nearly forgot, but like even 0.6 seconds of Pens tits rn feels like I’m on HBO and not Netflix? LOLLL

NO ONE HAS EVER REMOVED A BELT BETTER THAN LUKE NEWTON HAS

FUCK he’s so hot??? I’m probably equally attracted to both actors irl tbh but in the showverse Pen is just my girly and Colin was just my sweet boi too right up until he started undressing rn? Now pen is still my girly but Colin can fucking get ittttt LOLLL

Also we’ve seen him undressed before??? I don’t know what’s going on but he did the 0.0003 second belt thing and I audibly gasped and my brain suddenly went blank and now I’m just drooling over Colin and how hot he is fml

Luke Newton should probably just go around taking his shirts and belts off all the time tbh

Just in real life, stay undressing king, you’re such a treat 😍

Awh he’s got the cutest lil butt, but like…. I can’t look? I’m feeling an odd amount of… second hand embarrassment about his butt? I don’t know if that makes any sense but somehow it feels wrong to be looking at your butt Colin I’m sorry this is just like Pen’s property now you know? I shouldn’t seeeee this lol

Kinda wish they edited out that tiny bit where he moved the sheet? I assume that was for the sake of the actors/show because they can’t actually be like fully naked out here, but that tiny bit could’ve been easily edited a different way - only because I don’t want it to register like he’s covering her up? He’s not, he 100% would NEVER, but like logistically I get it, just wish the editor saw it the way I see it and took that bit out

oop JUMP SCARE Lmfaooooo my mans thought it would end before it even began 😂😂😂

Awh he’s so sweet with her - Touch me anywhere? Please they are really taking on such great parts from the books

Though on a side note I wish that this mirror idea was broken into 2 parts too? like part 1 he just says the lines from the books about wanting to grab her tits and fuck in front of a mirror but they don’t because he wants that gentle missionary first time, and then part 2 after the LW drama he actually passionately fucks her in front of the mirror, horizontally sure, but like from behind while facing the mirror? That's such an easy way to cover her up too - one arm coming from under her, wrapped around her bust to cover her there, and other arm coming over her and snaking down her belly so we know there is finger action but Nic would still be tastefully covered - this allows them to just stare at each other through the mirror the entire time which could have been sooooo hot? And I wouldn't have to suspend disbelief when it comes to her tits not touching any part of him through this whole thing lol - It’s aight though, this is what AO3 is for and I’m by no means disappointed with anything that’s happening rn

Still, circling back, is it like an actor/show rule to just show tits and not do anything else with them? Because I knowwww Colin isn’t gonna just fuck her without sucking on them titties that whole entire time, like please BE REAL for just ONE second, cause there’s absolutely nooooo way his hands and mouth wouldn’t be directly on those tits - but yeah, if it’s an actor/show thing to not do it because it might be too porny/uncomfy, I get it - I’m just looking for that realism because come onnnn there’s literally NO WAY his mouth wouldn’t be all over that LOL

Like even with their vertically challenging situation, I know my mans would fold his neck his back his spine his evvvverryyything to get his face on her tits LOLLLL

Also, sir? Everyone enjoyed your fingers but when are you going to eat my girl out? Please she deserves to see God???!!!!!

Never underestimate the power of grabbing your own dick to get it in either, it's just so fucking hot and I don’t make these rules

I personally think the carriage scene was A LOTTT spicier than this though

Sorry guys, don’t be upset or anything - I just think THAT was PASSION and THIS is LOVE

Slow and settled love - best friend love - honestly it’s how I see couples being intimate once their honeymoon phase is long over - just like, chit chatting while gentle fucking - super comfortable with each other and just not awkward at all - contently smiling and giggling afterwards, like that was all just totally normal everyday behaviour between them

It’s like they’re having a casual bestie moment, just the same as walking around in a market or gossiping in a ballroom

When you really think on it though, it’s so cool that a first time can be this way because you’ve just been best friends your whole life

Anyway, no furniture break I’m afraid