#accidentally i put all gone by mother mother here twice so i had to find another song last minute

[sofyarostova]

@milfbro tagged me to name a song for every letter of my url, which sounds very fun so here we go!

Silence is golden - Trash Boat

Onbezonnen - Froukje

Figaro - Lordofon

You in everything - Gang of Youths

All gone - Mother Mother

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are fucking dead - The Rentiers

Over de muur - Klein Orkest

Smile - Jann

Title pending - issa (@blackcatarts)

Onion boy - Isaac Dunbar

Vent'anni - Måneskin

Als de zon opkomt - Prins S. en De Geit

For the people I'd like to tag: firstly Issa, whom I've already tagged, @gayfrasier @gothiclit @fifthlydoyoudream @mr-saavik and @nikolajrostovz. And @sofiarostova, I want to see what songs you come up with with almost the same url

[barbiewritesstuff]

Tomorrow

-- This might be a little sad? I don't know but I love it so much

Trigger warning: children?, mention of divorce

Taglist: @unsurebuttrying @dempy @peaches-1999 @Igg5989--

The babysitter is late, again. 

You think you might have to fire her because this is the third week in a row, and while your date is nice, you can tell he’s getting annoyed at having to wait for you whenever he invites you anywhere. It would annoy you too, to be honest. It does annoy you, actually.

Max is two and eating his peas with a spoon and no other utensil. While he is smart, he has yet to grasp the concept that pushing a pea around the plate isn’t going to make it appear onto a spoon and while usually you’d remind him to use his knife, tonight you don’t, because quite frankly, it’s a blessing that your babysitter is late. 

It’s been one of those days. You woke up late, Max cried all the way to nursery, you had a horrible day at work and now your dress has a ketchup stain and one of your shoes is nowhere to be seen. You run back up the stairs to change your dress. Your zipper is stuck. In your hurry to free yourself from the fabric prison you are in, you wrestle your arms around your back and finally manage to lower it just enough from your new position. You quickly grab your backup dress, a tight black dress you wore to your last first date almost ten years ago, and put it on, careful to mind the time. 

The doorbell rings and it echoes through the house. You can hear Max climb off of the sofa and open the front door despite telling him not to. Silence reigns. You gingerly climb down the stairs, thinking that maybe your date has grown tired of your unexplained lateness and has come to your house to speak with you. When you get to the front door you find someone else there altogether. 

Your husband stands there in the rain, staring at his carbon copy at the door for what seems like hours, or at least until you pick up the home phone and call your date to cancel. 

“What are you doing here?” you ask, a tad more defensive than you had meant to. It is his house after all, he’s allowed to be there. 

You hadn’t expected it, is all. Last time he was here you had a blow out fight twenty minutes before he left for deployment. He’d all but demanded divorce then, which you had eagerly agreed to, only to feel the aftershock of the death of your marriage as soon as you slammed the door shut.

“I wanted to crash. I just came home from deployment, we went to a bar to celebrate.” he says, “I just wanted to crash,” he repeats.

“Are you drunk?” you ask

“Not anymore” he replies, “I don’t -- Is he mine? Is he -- Hi buddy, what’s your name?” he asks your toddler. 

Jake never expected this. He just wanted to spend the night on his couch, after a few drinks with his friends. He expected to watch tv in frigid silence for an hour like he had before his deployment, and then you’d head to bed and he’d leave for work before you woke up. 

He didn’t expect the tiny thing that opened the door. And the kid was tiny, he barely reached his knee. But he was so cute, messy hair and teddy in his hand, dwarfed in a shirt twice his size and -- wait, Jake realises, that’s his shirt. It’s his old summer camp shirt that he left here before leaving. His head feels funny. He’s starting to sway. 

“Maximilian,” the boy replies. 

You had joked a few years ago, before everything went to shit, that when you’d have children you’d name one Maximilian. To continue your mother’s tradition of naming her children after her pets. He didn’t really expect you to go with Max, though, although he was happy you hadn’t gone with Razzledazzle, the name you had given your second grade hamster. 

“Big name” Jake says, “Little -- little guy.. How old are you?” 

The room was spinning now, he’s feeling himself starting to lose consciousness. Jake tries to angle himself away from the kid -- his kid -- and accidentally catches his coat on something, the shock of the little tug on his coat pulls him back towards reality a little.

“He’s two” you say. It’s the first time he’s heard you speak in two and a half years and he almost cries. 

“Okay -- okay -- Can I come -- I don’t feel good, can I come in?” he mumbles. You can see his eyes glaze over so you move Max out of the way and help him inside, onto the sofa. 

“You’re drunk,” you state, even though you know it’s not true. Jake Seresin doesn’t get drunk. He never has and never will, he doesn’t even like the taste of beer enough to actually get himself tipsy, which is why he finishes the night off with a whiskey. He’s not sober enough to drive, you know that, but he’s not drunk.

“I’m in shock. I have a kid,” he says it like you didn’t know about it. Like you didn’t give birth to Max alone in a scary hospital room. Like you didn’t struggle with postpartum depression by yourself for the better part of a year. He says it like that because he doesn’t want to believe you wouldn’t tell him, “I have a kid.” 

“Max, did you finish your peas?”

“I want more nuggets”

“You can have more nuggets when you finish your peas,” you say and Jake giggles a little. 

He doesn’t like peas either. It’s a texture thing, because he liked the british mushy peas. It’s funny that his dislike of peas is apparently genetic. What else has he passed down?

“Does he have a lisp?” he asks, scared of your answer. He spent six years of his life sitting in a badly lit speech therapist’s office trying to learn how to talk and having all of his hard work undone the second he stepped in a school yard. You shake your head and he breathes a sigh of relief, “Does he like sports?”

“Jacob he’s two, they all like sports at two,” you say, your voice barely louder than a whisper.

“Right, yes, of course,” he whispers, “I have a kid.”

He’s in shock, you can tell that much. He’s cold to the touch, his skin is moist and when you wrap your fingers around his wrist, you can feel his pulse is through the roof. You’re not sure what to do when you see Maximilian staring at you from the kitchen table.

“Mama?” he asks in a nervous voice. 

“Right, off to bed with you,” you say with a shrill voice, clapping your hands together. You wonder briefly if you’re freaking him out, because you’re freaking you out right now. Your plan to quietly divorce Jake and never tell him about Max had seemed brilliant at first and then faded into normal outrageously fast. But keeping your head in the game and not cracking is a whole lot more difficult when your husband, the man you vowed to love forever, is sitting in the living room with his head in his hands gently rocking back and forth, muttering “I have a kid.”

As you lift him up, Max waves to Jake, “Bye bye, Mister,” he says and Jake waves back weakly. As you leave the room, you hear him whisper, “I have a kid,” one last time.

Bedtime is an easy affair, Max is out like a light and soon enough you have no choice but to go back down. Jake has raided the liquor cabinet and found some whiskey, he’s poured himself a generous glass but it seems to be more for show, because he’s not drinking any. 

“You never told me!” He whisper shouts at you, “I have a kid and you never told me!” 

He knows why she didn’t tell him. He remembers how he acted those last few months. 

He remembers leaning over the shopping trolley picking out breakfast in the cereal aisle, joking with you as you tell him about your day. And then, Payback strolls around the corner with Fanboy and Jake remembers tensing up. 

There’s two things Jake holds sacred in life: God and his private life. In that order. 

When Payback walked past, Jake had hoped that he wouldn’t be seen, but their gazes met. Jake had stood up straight then, mid-laugh. Payback had pointed him out to Fanboy just as you tapped him on the shoulder to show him something. They had winked and he had brushed you off. The first chip in his eight years of marriage.

The rest of the mariage had come crashing down about a month afterwards. It doesn’t sound like much when he says it like that, Jake thinks, but you had to go through thirty days of arguments after eight years of getting along. Thirty days of him picking at you for everything you did, of pushing you away and thirty days of working late just to avoid a conversation. 

It hadn’t just been at home, Jake had felt his entire life after that. Work Jake had become Home Jake with his mean jabs and aggressive behaviour, but Home Jake had become Work Jake too.  One of the new recruits at the academy had cried, and Jake had forgotten Work Jake for a minute. But a minute was long enough to comfort the sobbing kid in the middle of the rec room. 

By the time the month was over, Jake had been panicking for thirty days, day and night. Deployment had been a fucking blessing. Especially since he had demanded divorce, something he knew damn well he didn’t want, and you had agreed. 

“Do you hate me that much?” he asks, no longer able to keep the tears in his eyes from steaming down to his face, “Did you think I wouldn’t want him?”

You cover your mouth with a shaky hand. 

“Baby, please, do you hate me?”

You shake your head, “No, no, I don’t hate you. I could never, I --” you sob. Jake puts his whiskey tumbler back onto the coffee table with more noise than he intends. He flinches and his eyes fly up towards the ceiling, instinctively knowing that Maximilian sleeps right above the living room. When nothing stirs, he crosses the living room in two large steps and throws his arms around you in a bone breaking hug. 

“You look nice,” he says in a way that says he knows your reply

“I had a date,” you whisper, “Babysitter didn’t show.”

“Thank the Lord,” Jake laughs through his own tears, holding you tighter, burying his face in your hair, “I don’t want a divorce. If you’ll have me -- I want -- I’d like a second chance,” He says, his voice muffled against your head. 

When you don’t say anything, he continues, “I love you. I always have, I’m sorry I didn’t behave like it for a long time. I regret everything, even then, I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. It doesn’t excuse anything, I know. But right now, all I can offer you is a genuine apology and a promise that I will be better in the future,” he says.

You sniffle, “It’s a pretty good start,” you breathe into his shoulder. He’s still wearing his outside clothes, a dirty tan trenchcoat and his uniform, and his boots, you notice as you look down. Seeing you frown, he follows your gaze. 

“Right,” he whispers, “No shoes.”

“Where have you been for the past two years? A barn?” you joke as he bends down to undo his laces. Something like that, Jake thinks. He kicks his boots out of the way to remove his trenchcoat which he unceremoniously throws over the sofa. Catching himself, he picks it back up, intent on putting it in the wardrobe in the corridor but you stop him with one hand on his chest. 

Behind you, the gentle melody of a song starts floating through the living room. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square as sung by Frank Sinatra has never sounded so nice. You take the coat from his hand and throw it back onto the sofa, guiding his hand to your hip and holding the other hand with your free one. Instinctively, Jake guides you into a slow dance.

“Do you think I can meet him properly?” He whispers in your ear.

“Tomorrow,” you reply. 

Everything can happen tomorrow. Tonight there is only you and your husband, dancing around the living room carpet, careful not to trip as your wedding playlist, the one you have played daily since his departure, moves from Frank Sinatra to Harry James to Dean Martin and then to Frank Sinatra again.

[i-writes-things]

Mom's home.

Mom!Natasha x Daughter!reader

Summary- Natasha finally gets Home for a very long mission

Warnings- Arguing,

Authors Notes- You will understand why I posted this first before the Thanksgiving story, when the Thanksgiving story is posted.

Extra Pairings::

Avengers x platonic!reader

Clint Barton x platonic!reader

Not my Gif*

-

You stopped to look out the small window in the door that connected the Compound to Helicopter pad for the fourth time since your arrival to the small room

You had be up there twice already this morning, your mother was coming home today; she had been away on a mission for almost 3 weeks now

Natasha was one to only come back, once the mission was completed.

You half hated that about your mom

In your defense she was gone quite a lot

"ugh, this could not take any longer.." You groaned to yourself and flopped onto the ground leaning up against a rack of empty pistols

After a few moments of silence, you heard the faints sounds of what could be the Quinjet and jumped of the ground, gluing your face to the small piece of glass in the door. Looking around for the Quinjet, finding nothing, but an actual helicopter maybe 2-3 miles away flying away from the Compound

--

After deciding to come back later and check again, you walking back down to the kitchen

"She back yet?" Clint asked you, while finishing up his ham sandwhich

You shook your head "Nah, she'll be here soon though, right?" You asked him hopefully

He turned and smiled at you "Of course, she always comes back.." Reassuring you, he looks you up and down "Have you had lunch? You look tired." You shake your head again "Nope. I've been up by the Helicopter pad, waiting for mom." You say walking over to the fridge and opening it

"what to have, what to have.." You just stared at the fridge not able to think of how you could put all the food together to make something

"Hey, Clint?" "Yeah" "What do we have for lunch?"

He looked over at you "Uh, Ham Sandwiches," He held up his sandwich for you to see "I think pasta from last weekend, and taco makings.." He smiled at you

"Thanks." You turned back to the fridge still not sure what to have for lunch, but your thoughts were interrupted by Jarvis

"Excuse me, Miss Y/n, your mother has just come into view on the Compound's security camera's. She will be arriving very soon." The AI finished talking and Clint brought you back to reality

"Y/n/n, you might wanna go back up to the Heli-Pad, Nat's home." He starts to walk that way hoping you would follow him

You swing the fridge door closed, accidentally slamming it, but you didn't care

Mom was home.

You ran pass Clint and huffed right back up the stairs, then wanting to, but never stopped running, especially when you see the Quinjet hanger door opening before you were even outside

You put your arms out to push open the small weapons room door that you were in early, and in doing so the warmth of the sun hit you like a brick, just now remembering how cold you were

"MAMA!" You shouted to her as her boots hit the cement and she smiled at you, dropping the duffel bag she was carrying to hug you

"Y/n!" She said back to you with a big smiled as you slammed in her, and almost knocking you both over she hugs you back and holds you tight

"Hey bubba, i missed you.." She whispered to you kissing the side of your head

You missed her so much and didn't say anything trying to hold back your tears, and instead just moved yourself closer to her

She rubs your back, and sways you both side to side til your mom heard Clint come outside to greet his best friend

She picked her head up and leaned away from you slightly "You Idiot, I thought you were gonna clean the control panel, it is disgusting." You felt the vibrations of her voice echo through her chest as she yelled at him

"I did." Clint says mockingly and throws his hands in the air at you both

"How was the mission, took you maybe 2 months just to get back." He says sarcastically "This one," Clint points at you, still in your mother's arms "was missing you big time," Natasha tried to hold back a smile "went and slept in Wanda's room four nights in a row." You look up from where your head rested on Natasha's shoulder and scolded him

"Hey. I thought no one was gonna tell. And it was only three nights, not four." You leaned away from your mom fully and crossed your arms childishly now feeling embarrassed

"Come on, you two, lets get inside.." Natasha picked the duffel bag back up with one hand and grabbed your hand with her other, pulling you along, back inside

---

Lunch

"Y/n, you want a ham sandwich?" Natasha asked you casually as she made herself a PB&J

"Yes, please.." You said as you fell back onto the couch

"Hey, I am trying to watch my show." Clint said annoyed at you

"All i am doing is jumping on couch and then falling less an 10 inches away from you, it's ok.." You said sarcastically

"Y/n, don't fall on Clint." Natasha said mindlessly

"I'm not.." "Nat, are you doing a debriefing today?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Barton?"

"That is not what I said, I am making sure my dork of friend is doing her work." Clint said taking a bite of his sandwich

"I am going to talk with Nick after I get my daughter and myself some Lunch, Clint."

"Mom?"

....

"Yes, Y/n.."

"What's for Lunch?" "Y/n. I am making you a ham sandwich which right now, silly girl.." She said a little annoyed

"Oh, right.." You giggle to yourself and jump

"Y/n-" You landed on Clint "Sorry Uncle Clint.."

"Y/n. What did I say about falling on Clint..?"

"I didn't mean to.." You said getting off Clint and walking over to the counter

She raised a brow at you "Ok, I might have maybe probably tried to fall on Clint.." You said sitting down at the counter

"Here is your sandwich," She said kissing your head "I am going to my debriefing with Nick, and will be back for Dinner, okay?" She said handing you a plate with your ham sandwich on it and giving you a hug

"Bye bye Tasha.." Clint said waving his hand high in the air still watching the TV

"Bye, Clinty.." She said ruffling his hair and left the room

----

Dinner

"Where is Nat?" Bruce asked the rest of the table

You, Wanda, Bruce, Steve, Clint, Tony and Thor all sat together at the long table.

Natasha had been down stairs with Fury doing a mission report for almost 2 hours. Thor sat next to you across from Tony, with an empty seat on your right; your mother's seat

Sometimes Wanda or Steve would come and sit on the other side of you, to help you forget your mom was on a mission or just to keep you company

For you it only made you remember even more that she was gone, but you did like that they filled the usually empty chair

Thor's booming voice and Tony's sass filled the room, arguing, like always, over stupid stuff. They argued about a lot, mostly about who's the strongest, but sometimes they would talk about Thor's room being bigger than Tony's, and how Tony built the place and picked everyone's rooms. Some nights it would be about how old Steve really is, and on a extremely rare occasion everyone would go around telling something that happened in the last week or in the coming week that was exciting, or how school was for you, but that was using your mother or Wanda or even Steve sometimes. asking you quietly whilst everyone argued behind you...

You heard faint footsteps and remembered your mom was at a debriefing with Fury, you turned your head over to the door and watched and waited, but saw nothing..

"What do you mean?!? You could have taken that room Stark." Thor shouted, mouth full of food

"How could I have known, it is right next to the corner of the Compound you idiot." Tony shouted back, pointing his fork at him

"Idiot?! I am no idiot, you fowl miss-guardian!" He bellowed at Tony as a lightning sparked in his eyes. They both stand, Tony summoning his Suit

"Thor. Tony. Sit down, and stop shouting." Natasha said sternly and they both quickly followed orders

"How did you guys get by for three weeks withou-" She looked at the wall behind Tony and there was a hole the same size as The Hulk with a few pieces of duck tape strapping from one side to the other, doing a poor job of trying to cover it up

"It was Tony's fault." Clint said casually, Nat stood there shocked which turned to disappointment and then to anger pretty fast "What the hell, Tony."

There was a moment of silence before Tony could answer her

"You really shouldn't swear in front of your daughter." Tony countered

Everyone including yourself knew what was about to happen

"Tony, don't you dare tell me what I can and can't do. I trust my daughter to understand, that I am not swearing towards her and that is correctly directly at the person I am talking too, got it?" She gives him a death stare and Tony gulps hard

"Got it, Romanoff." He says quietly looking back down at his plate, while everyone around the room is silent, silent until Morgan; sitting next to Pepper, starts giggling to herself and you notice her doing so

"Daddy, you are in big trouble!" Morgan shouts down the table as Natasha sits next you and pulls you in for a hug from the side

"love you.." Your mom whispers just for you to hear

"Love you, and I don't even remember that happening.." You said defending your own , you had done nothing, but still...

-----

After Dinner most everyone would go and watch a movie or talk in the Living room, but Natasha telling Tony off was quite awkward, so everyone was doing their own thing tonight, not you though, you actually wanted to be with your mom

"Momm.." You yelled down a hallway, after not being able to find her

"Y/n?" Natasha asked from behind you

You screamed and ran forward a little after jumping

"What the heck, mom. You scared the crap out of me.." You said catching your breath

"Oho I'm sorry," She chuckled "what did you need me for, bub?"

You look at the ground "I was, um wondering if we could do something together? I mean you have been gone so long, and I really missed you an-" Natasha pulled you into a hug "And Morgan would have made me watch Moana again.." You say leaning into her touch

"mm, this is nice.." You mumble to yourself

Natasha chuckles and asks you "What do you wanna do tonight, my sweet girl?" she leaned away to see your face

"Umm, how about we watch Moana.." You suggest sarcastically raising both your eyebrows

"No no- Please no. I was kidding." Natasha laughs at your bad joke and you lean back into her hug

"How about a movie? We could watch what is the-" "no, movie would last to long." You responded yawning into her neck

"You tired..?" She asks you softly "nah uh. am not." You yawned again "That doesn't count." You say leaning fully away from her

"I think it does, when it's almost nine o'clock and you have been up since," She stopped for a moment to think "Since fourth this morning."

"Hey- Who told you that?" You looked at her almost offended "I talk to people,"

You cough alittle and respond "Steve" Cough cough

She looked at you side ways and a little disappointed "What do you mean, Steve?"

"What do you mean?? Everyone knows Steve would do anything for you, mom.." You state as if it should be obvious to her

Instead of questioning you on this more, she complete changed the subject "You said you were tired, right?" "I did not, and stop trying to change the subject." Natasha lets out a heavy breath "You know I love you, and I am willing to tuck you in, or watch a movie, or whatever you wanna do, but I will not be talking to you about this right now, okay?" You roll your eyes "Finee.." You start to walk down the hall, she follows, questioning you

"Where you going, Y/n/n?" She asks catching up to you

"To bed, can you tuck me in, mama?" You ask her sleepily

"Sure Bubba, come on.." She takes your cold hand in her warm hand and you both walk down the hall towards your room

------

Natasha turned your bedside Lamp on as you went to the bathroom and brushed your teeth

You walked out and made sure you closet door was closed

Then you settled yourself in bed, your mom came to sit beside you on the edge

"Goodnight, my sweet girl, I love you so much, yeah.." She leaned over and gave you a big hug with multiple kisses on your cheek

"Okay- Okay, goodnight, mama, I love you.." You said and yawned again, as Natasha leaned away from you saying "So, sleepy.." She stroked your cheek and moved a piece hair out the way of your face

She smiled as you fluttered your eyes closed, but opened them quickly trying to stay awake

You brought Natasha back into another hug

"Mama?" "Yes, Baby?" "What are we doing tomorrow..?" "Oh, um- Probably going shopping for food, and oh, right- We need to go get our dry-cleaning tomorrow.." She peppered you with kisses again

"I missed you, Y/n/n." You smiled to yourself

"I am just glad your back mama.." Natasha started to get up and went to close the door

"Mom?" You sat up in bed

"Yes?" She answered unsure what you were going to say

"Goodnight, mama.." You said and laid back down and closed your eyes

"Goodnight.." Natasha closed your door and smiled to herself, happy to be back home with everyone, but especially her little girl...

[subpar-ghoulfriend]

Let’s have a baby

yandere!EraserMicx PREGNANT!Reader 

A terrible mix up leading to an accidental pregnancy? Or something more intentional? Either way now you were pregnant with (none other than the beloved power couple heroes) Eraserhead and Present Mic’s child. Time to discuss how co parenting is going to work. 

TW: pregnancy, artificial insemination, yandere elements, mentions of stalking, alludes to potential custody battle

You had been avoiding the two men for the past week, which was challenging seeing as they managed to find your phone number, address, and place of work. Any time you blocked their calls they got a new number. Two Pro Heroes versus a twenty something civilian, it was only a matter of time until you were cornered.

Now the couple stood between you and your apartment. You had a long shift at your job as a pet groomer and just wanted to get some rest.

Present Mic was the first to speak. "Hey lil momma, we heard you had work today so we brought you some dinner. We thought we could talk over a nice meal."

You had no response. You were tired, both physically and emotionally. You had been put through the ringer ever since meeting them at your doctors office. It was a total Jane the Virgin situation. You went in for an assessment about some supposed ovarian cysts and unknowing left artificially inseminated. There was a supposed mix up, a digital glitch that somehow merged your chart with the surrogates - apparently your names were super similar. Two weeks later you were called back into the doctor's office and informed of what took place. And now you were in this living nightmare.

And the two heroes had nothing to do with the error. There was totally a surrogate. They hadn't paid off your provider. And why would they? You had never met them - although given their patrols they may have seen you once or twice...

They were tearful when they were informed of the mix up, they had been waiting patiently through the whole process and now everything was thrown in chaos. They offered to compensate you for your service which sent you into a blind rage. They just assumed you would carry a child, a child with half of your DNA, and then give YOUR baby away. Rationally you understood that they had planned to be be the only parents to the child, but that was with a professional surrogate who understood the process, who didn't want the child in their life, just happy to help out a loving couple. But that wasn't you, you grew up wanting to be a mom, and now they would take that from you.

What if they tried to legally take sole custody of the baby? Surely they had some pull in the judicial system. Besides, they were a solid couple with money, while you were alone with no family and working two jobs. The thought made you sick to your stomach.

You were shaking as you tried to push past them. Maybe they would just disappear if you ignored them, a girl could dream. But instead they tagged along inside. Albeit you weren’t fighting them on it, you knew this had to happen eventually.

Aizawa easily found the cluttered dining table in your small apartment. You flinched when the loud one tried to help you shrug off your backpack. Taking a seat on the couch you waited for them to start berating you.

"Come sit at the table, dinner is getting cold," Eraser spoke for the first time.

"I'll eat later, I'm not hungry."

"You may not be, but the baby needs to eat."

You glared, how dare they insinuate you didn't know what your child needed. If your body was hungry, you ate. If you were full the baby was full too.

But, you complied, not wanting to argue, "Fine, but I ate a snack not too long ago."

As you ate, Mic kept you company, picking at some left overs, they clearly ate before their visit. Aizawa was rummaging through your place but you managed to hold your tongue until he began throwing things out of your fridge.

"What are you doing?" You hissed, getting up out of your seat.

"Mic and I will bring you groceries tomorrow. The food you have is barely safe for an adult, let alone a fetus."

"Are you kidding me? It's not like I'm chugging alcohol and living off Twinkies. Hey! I just bought those turkey slices. How is turkey bad?" You whined.

To make sure you wouldn't dig the food out trash he dumped it out of his container.

"Zashi, don't let me forget to empty the trash on our way out. Do you know how much salt is in deli meat? And there's no way you can drink any of this while you're pregnant." He gestures to the cans of soda.

As the frustration built you had to fight back tears. They couldn't come in to your home and start throwing out your things.

"Some of us don't make ridiculous money, I'm buying what I can afford and the doctor never had any problem with my health." You hissed.

Hizashi felt the tension thickening, "Hey hey hey, it's okay. Sho and I will go get you some good stuff. We just gotta watch out for you and baby."

And that was the end of your resolve, you stomped past the Hero and locked yourself in your bedroom. Finally tears began to drip down your cheeks.

Back in your kitchen Mic was chiding his boyfriend for being so tough on you.

"So I should just back down while she stuffs herself with junk food?"

Mic gave him a shrug, showing him a bottle on your counter, "At lest she's taking her prenatal vitamins?"

Grabbing the keys to your apartment Aizawa instructed Mic to wait with you while he got you better groceries. He would make copies of your keys on his was back.

You prayed they would leave soon. You were laying in your bed having cried yourself out. Barely into your second month of pregnancy. You still had to endure this for at least seven more months, but most likely much longer.

Next thing you knew you were opening your eyes and the clock read seven AM. By now your uninvited guests must be gone. Nervously you sat up, praying that you'd skip the morning sickness just once this week. You had always had a weak stomach and even the doctor was surprised you were already experiencing the symptom. Unfortunately the minute your feet touched the floor you knew what was coming. You sprinted to the restroom, not even checking to see if the duo had left.

God this was terrible, you didn't just hate throwing up, you were terrified of it. What if you started and never stopped? But it did come to an end. You wiped the water from your eyes and took a moment before standing from the floor. You screamed when a hand slid under your arm, helping you up. Another set of feet rushed to the bathroom.

" What's wrong?" Hizashi huffed as he skid to a stop.

You pulled arm free from Aizawa's grasp. "What are you two still doing here?"

You turned in the faucet to rinse your mouth. Trying to calm your stress, the nausea was trying to return.

Undeterred the scruff pulled your hair into a bun before rubbing your back. You debated returning to bed but that wouldn't get them out of your apartment. You told them you need to sit down, both of them nodding, still wearing their concerned expressions. They got you a glass of water before joining you on the couch. Stubborn men, you sat at the end of the couch so they couldn't both sit, but Mic decided to perch himself on the armrest.

He started petting your hair, "You feelin better little listener?" You nodded in response.

"I got you more food, let us know if your hungry."

You sighed in defeat, "I'm barely two months pregnant, I can fend for myself. What did you all want to talk about?"

You anxiously placed a hand on your stomach. Both men felt their hearts flutter recognizing your maternal instincts kicking in.

Aizawa let Mic begin, he was the more gentle of the two.

"Well, we figured we got off to a rough start. You got put in a tough situation. We shouldn't have assumed you didn't want a child so we're not mad at how you stormed out. But either way we expect to be in our baby's life. The two of us talked it over and we don't want to fight you if you want to be in their life too. So if you wanna be the mommy we're cool with it."

You could blame your reaction on your hormones for your response but you didn't, "Geez thank you so much for allowing me to be in MY child's life."

Aizawa placed a hand on the back of your neck, giving you a gentle massage. "Okay then, the three of us are gonna have a baby. That means you have to stop ignoring us. We can raise the baby together, without involving anyone else. But if we have to, we can always go the legal route for the baby's best interest." 

He knew it was a low blow, but the couple needed you to stop fighting them. Your eyes snapped to his and you shook your head in protest.

"Okay then we're all the same page," Aizawa reassured you.

Mic cheered, "Now we can focus on the fun stuff."

"Hun," Eraserhead caught his attention. "There's still a few more important things to figure out. We don't want you going back to that doctor. They're incompetent. We scheduled you an appointment with another's clinic for next week. Okay?"

You couldn't find your voice after how easily he threatened to take your baby. So you just nodded. Half listening.

"Good. We also went ahead and programmed our numbers into your phone. We need to be able to check in with you."

"Okay, but I can't use my phone at one of my jobs."

"About that lil momma," Mic started. "You work a lot, which is totally bad ass, but we don't think you leave enough time to rest and take care of yourself."

You tried to protest but Aizawa cut you off, "You also shouldn't be working around so many animals. Even though we love animals, they can be unpredictable and one dog can trigger all the rest into a frenzy."

You were dumbfounded, "I've never heard of anything like that happening. One of my coworkers was pregnant last year, she worked until her maternity leave. Plus I need to be able to pay my bills. And don't offer to compensate me again."

"Why do you have to view it as compensation? We just want to take care of the mother of our child. Just think about it. Mic and I have to go take care of some business but we'll be back later this week."

---

Back at their home Hizashi was dramatically splayed on their bed.

"Babe why are you pouting?" Aizawa asked.

"Why can't we just bring her home already?"

Aizawa sympathized with his better half, but they needed to be methodical. He reminded Hizashi that they didn't need to cause her even more stress, especially so early into the pregnancy. If they played their cards right they would have their happy little family soon enough.

If they could ease you in to the relationship everything would be easier in the long run. They had been managing just fine until now, they could wait a few more months.

He joined Hizashi on the couch. Mic was comforting himself the way he usually did when he felt like this. He was scrolling through the countless photos they had collected since their chance encounter with you over a year ago. 

[tobesolonely]

aura

A/n: Hi everyone! this is a tad bit different from the things i usually write (I think) as i wanted to switch things up a little bit. I’m kinda nervous to post it so pleaseee please let me know your thoughts! As always please enjoy!! thank you to everyone who beta read for me btw :)

summary: witch!y/n can see auras and harry is blue

my ko-fi! thank you :)

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Y/N has always been able to easily empathize with others. She could see others' emotional energy— their aura— and this made it easy to know exactly what they were feeling. Not only could she see auras, but she could take away anyone’s emotional turmoil just by touching them.

One of Y/N’s most vivid memories from her childhood was when her best friend came to school one morning in tears over the death of her pet fish. When Y/N leaned in to give her a hug, she felt an overwhelming heaviness overtake her body as soon as they made contact. Upon pulling away from the hug, her friend’s demeanor was completely changed. Instead of being sad over the death of her fish, she was able to instead reflect on all the good times she had with him. Her friend was fine for the rest of the day, but Y/N was left grieving over a fish she never even owned.

Y/N went home that day, confused. How was it that her friend was so easily cheered up just from a hug? Was that all it took for Y/N to make others feel better? If that was the case, she decided she wanted to be a ‘Professional Hugger’ when she grew up. As time went on, Y/N learned that she didn’t even have to hug others to rid them of their mental pain. The slightest touch from her instantly made anyone she came into contact with feel better.

It took a few months for Y/N to realize it was her touch that healed others. Sure, that mental anguish then became hers to carry, but how many people could say they could heal someone just by touching them? If that was the price she had to pay, then so be it. From that point on Y/N made it a point to help anyone she could. 

As Y/N got older and her skill with this power grew, she learned to redirect the painful energy elsewhere so she didn’t always have to sit with it. It worked some of the time, but it was something she was still learning to master. Y/N wasn’t always successful in doing this, though. While whoever Y/N touched went about their day feeling great, she would experience their emotions so intensely that she felt as if she were coming down with a cold. Y/N dealt with it in silence because the way she saw it if she was blessed with this gift, she had to be selfless and put it to good use. Y/N was a firm believer that all the good she put out would come back to her in another life at least ten times over.

It was difficult for Y/N not to touch everyone she saw whose aura reflected sadness, anxiety, or worry. She tried to stick to only doing this to people she knew, but there were some instances where Y/N encountered someone who was just so clearly unhappy that she could not help herself. 

For example, right now. 

Y/N immediately sensed this stranger’s emotional turmoil as soon as they entered the space. It was late afternoon on a Wednesday. Y/N had the longest, most physically demanding day at work and the last thing she wanted to do was go home and cook. Even though she had just gone grocery shopping two days prior, she stopped by her favorite Thai place on the way home. Y/N was in the middle of ordering when their presence quite literally took her breath away, causing her to stumble over her words. 

She turned to look over her shoulder at the person who was so greatly distracting her and locked eyes with the most pitiful looking stranger she’d seen all day. The first thing Y/N noticed about him was his hair. It was unruly, like he had just gotten out of bed. She also noticed how tall he was–– if he had just a couple more inches on him, he would’ve had to crane his neck to enter the establishment. Upon making eye contact with Y/N the man quickly looked down at his shoes, twiddling his thumbs. His aura was a mixture of indigo and dark red when Y/N looked at him. Anger and sensitivity.

“Do you still need a moment?”

The voice of the cashier breaks Y/N out of her analytical thoughts of the stranger standing a few feet behind her. She nods, re-situating her purse on her left shoulder. 

“Uh, please. He can go ahead if he’s ready.” Y/N gestures behind her and the cashier nods, asking the man behind her if he was ready to order yet. He steps up to the front counter, eyes trained on his feet as if he couldn’t walk without watching every step he took. 

His energy was intense and Y/N wasn’t sure how much longer she could ignore it. Something about him was reeling her in— his aura wasn’t looking too bright at the moment, but she could just tell it usually was. She felt compelled to take away his pain, and she hadn’t spoken a single word to him yet. While he was placing his order, Y/N internally debated on whether or not she should “accidentally” graze his arm when they walked past each other. Would that be weird? What if she wasn’t able to redirect his negative energy elsewhere? While she did love to help whenever she could, some people’s emotional baggage was just a little too heavy. She didn’t know him. For all she knew, he could be a killer!

He turns back around once he’s finished ordering and stands by the entrance, out of Y/N’s way. The pair lock eyes again as Y/N makes her way back to the counter to order. Once again, he quickly looked away from her. Y/N’s trying to ignore the annoying nagging feeling she gets when she wants to help someone, but it’s unrelenting. She makes up her mind that once she’s done, she will approach this stranger to get a better read on his emotions. 

“Nice weather we’re having today, isn’t it?” She cringes at her choice of a conversation starter and hopes he doesn’t notice. Y/N folds her hands across her chest, forcing herself not to reach out to him. He nods.

“Lovely.”

The tone of his voice causes Y/N to wince. It was sharp and short. He was clearly not in the mood to converse. Although Y/N knows this, she continues on.

“I love this place. I think I come here at least twice a month–– what’s your go-to order?”

The man turns to fully face Y/N this time, his aura now more red than blue. He was beginning to grow annoyed with her small talk. 

“Green curry and stir-fried vegetables.” He doesn’t ask Y/N for her order, so she takes this as her signal to stop speaking to him. The bell above the door jingles, signaling another persons’ entry. Their aura is shining gold–– Y/N would not have to interfere. 

Y/N moves away from this man, deciding not to speak to him anymore. She was getting better at accepting the fact that no matter how much she wanted to, it was impossible to help everyone. As he collected his food from the front and turned to leave, not sparing Y/N another glance, she silently hoped that whatever was wrong with this man would not last.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Harry was in a funk. There was no denying it, and he was over feeling so terribly. He hadn’t been feeling like himself for far too long. It seemed like everyone wanted something from him when he had nothing left to give. Jeff had set unrealistic deadlines, his mother was upset with him for not calling enough, and he was exhausted from constantly traveling and waking up in a new time zone. Harry needed a break.

Harry’s mind wandered to the pretty girl in the Thai place. She seemed inquisitive. She was very curious about his go-to order, and she was standing a little too close for his comfort. Harry was surprised when she didn’t ask him for a picture. He wasn’t trying to be cocky, but nearly everyone he met asked him for a picture–– he was Harry Styles. However, it was almost like this girl didn’t know who he was. She didn’t seem starstruck in the slightest.

While Harry was waiting for the light to change, it dawned on him that he may have been a tad bit rude to her. He noticed her happy expression drop when he shut her down, but he didn’t feel like talking. He liked to move from place to place as quickly as he could in the off chance he got recognized and it started circulating on Twitter. Still, he couldn’t help feeling a little bad. She was sweet like honey–– or so it seemed. In their brief interaction, she bought him comfort.

Harry wanted to turn back around and go back to the restaurant to check if she was still there. What would be the point, though? She would most likely be long gone by the time he made it back over there, as she did order immediately after him. Harry’s torn out of his thoughts when the cars behind him start honking, and he realizes the light must’ve turned green. He decides not to think about the confrontation anymore. 

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

The world works in mysterious ways. 

Y/N was sure she’d never encounter the grumpy man from her favorite Thai restaurant again but yet here she was in another situation that involved take-out and him. His aura was dark indigo this time. Stress? Isolation? Y/N didn’t know, but she wanted to help him. In her eyes, there was no reason for anyone to be down this badly. She just wanted everyone to be as happy as she (almost) always was! She takes a deep breath before approaching him.

“Hi. How are you?”

Harry was absorbed in a text conversation involving his manager and stylist when a sweet, familiar voice interrupts him. 

“I’m okay, thank you. Yourself? Also, we’ve spoken before, I believe.”

She nods, a troubled look on her face. “We have. At the Thai place. How are you, though? Really.”

Harry was beginning to find her a bit strange (but still incredibly gorgeous, even more than he did before now that he got a good look at her face). Why was she so concerned with how he was feeling? Was she going to ask him for a picture or not? As Harry opened his mouth to again tell her he was fine, the desire to tell her how he was really feeling came over him. So he did.

“Honestly? ‘M exhausted. I’ve been doing a lot of traveling and my manager wants a lot from me. I think I jus’ need a break.” 

He radiated red. Anxiety? Anger?

“What do you do for work?” Now it was Harry’s turn to wear the troubled look.

“I don’t mean this to be rude, but you’re serious?”

Y/N nods, reaching out to place her hand on his shoulder. Just as quickly as she touches him she removes her hand, and she’s almost certain he didn’t even feel her touch. She notices him let out a visible sigh of relief, his aura changing from a red to a pale yellow. Optimism. Positivity. This causes her to let out her own sigh of relief. 

“You’re feeling better! That’s great.” Y/N was not able to redirect his negative energy as the restaurant was too crowded and she didn’t want to risk putting it on anyone else, and she was feeling him. He was stressed, overworked, and anxious. Y/N just wanted to go home and nap, no longer in the mood for the food she just ordered.

Harry decided she was definitely odd but in the most endearing way possible. “How do you know I’m feeling better? Wait, am I feeling better?” Y/N watches as he works through his emotions, his aura ranging in color before settling back on pale yellow. 

“Are you?” Y/N knows the answer to this of course, but she wants to hear him say it.

“I think I am. I’ve been feelin’ horrible all week but saying how I felt out loud to you automatically made me feel better. Kind of weird, but I won’t question it. Thank you for asking…,” Harry scrunches his nose, a distasteful expression on his face. “I don’t think ‘ve gotten your name yet.”

Y/N gives him a small, forced smile. “I’m Y/F/N Y/L/N. It’s nice to meet you. I’ll be seeing you around, I think.” Before Harry can tell her his name she’s gone.

And she didn’t even grab her food.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Y/N felt like she had been hit by a ton of bricks. How one person could carry around all this emotional baggage was beyond her, but she wanted it gone. Immediately.

There was a spell Y/N kept on hand for times like these. Times when she couldn’t redirect the negative energy before it got to her. Times when it was just too much to carry. Y/N had regretfully done this spell more times than she could count and was an expert at reciting it from memory. The vile was open and ready to capture the negative energy that would shortly be leaving her.

Y/N works quickly to complete the process, unsure of what time her roommate would come barreling through the door. She had caught her doing things she deemed strange one too many times (she thought her roommate almost figured out who she really was when she caught her having a full-on conversation with her cat, Sapphire, once). She was beginning to run out of excuses for her “unusual” behavior. Y/N mutters under her breath, willing the energy to exit her.

She notices right away when it leaves her. She feels lighter— like her usual self again. She guides the energy into the vile and immediately seals it, hurrying into her room to lock it away. Y/N kept a box in her closet that she only opened if she had to. It was her Pandora’s Box, in a way. Nothing bad would be released into the world if she opened the box, but if the viles’ were opened then the bad energy she trapped would be re-released into the world, finding its way back to their original owners.

Y/N feels like she can breathe again once she bolts the box. She hoped that whatever he was doing, wherever this man was, he was still feeling okay. 

Also, for his sake and everyone’s around him, she hoped he got a break.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Y/N was on Harry’s mind. 

Something about her was magnetic. He wished he’d gotten more information about her than only her name, but she left him in such a hurry he could hardly process their conversation. Harry felt like a madman! He searched ‘Y/F/N Y/L/N’ on all social media platforms, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. It was dumb luck that he had ran into her twice in such a short time span, and he hoped good things happened in threes and he would see her again.

He was almost certain that Jeff thought he was losing his mind.

Harry tried explaining his interaction with Y/N first at the Thai food spot and again when he was getting Greek food, but Jeff thought Harry was so sleep deprived he was imagining things. 

“How did you see a beautiful, young woman who didn’t freak out or ask for a picture? Doesn’t make sense. You’re Harry Styles.”

“That’s what I thought!” Harry exclaimed wildly. He holds his phone up. “I’m thinkin’ she really doesn’t know who I am, though. I couldn’t find her on any social media platform. It’s like she’s off the grid or somethin’.”

“No social media at all? A little weird, isn’t it?”

“It’s fitting for her. If you met her then you would understand what I meant,” Harry felt the need to defend this alluring stranger who took away his pain just by listening to him speak. “Look at me, Jeff. Don’t I seem so much better than I was jus’ a few days ago?”

His manager couldn’t deny that Harry’s mood (and attitude) had done a 360. He didn’t complain about being woken up early and he happily consented to do not one, but two interviews.

“I mean, yeah? I guess––”

“Thanks to her!” Harry cuts him off. “I’m telling you. I need to see her again and thank her for whatever she did.”

“How are you going to do that?” 

Harry leaned back against the counter in Jeff’s kitchen, mulling the question over. It was a valid one. How was he going to do that? He already tried to no avail to find her on social media. He hardly knew anything about her. All he knew was her name, that they seemed to have a similar taste in food, and that she went to the Thai spot at least two times a month. 

That was it.

In one last effort to contact Y/N again, Harry planned to go to the Thai food place, pray the cashier who was working when he went in earlier this week was there, and leave his number with her. It was a risky move, probably not the smartest thing he could do, and Jeff would for sure drop him as a client if he knew Harry was doing things like this. Harry didn’t care. Phone numbers could always be changed, and he was desperate. 

If Harry couldn’t contact Y/N, he would wait for her to contact him.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Y/N was confused.

She stopped at her favorite Thai food spot (sooner in the month than anticipated, but she had another long day), ordered her usual, and was about to leave when the sweet cashier who was always there insisted she takes the piece of paper with ‘HARRY’ followed by a phone number scrawled on it.

“For me?” Y/N was confused. Something like this had never happened to her before. I mean, does it happen to anyone?

“He insisted,” the cashier warmly responds. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back–– knew you would soon enough.” Y/N’s face flushes at this and she makes a mental note to start cooking more.

“Well…,” Y/N trails off, not sure what to say. “Thank you? I guess I’ll give him a call and let him know you’ve done well.” The cashier’s aura shines pink. Affection. Love.

“You should. Take care!”

Y/N leaves the restaurant with the crumpled piece of paper in her sweaty hands, eager to get home as soon as possible. She wasn’t sure what it was, but something told her not to disregard him. His reaching out was a sign–– and Y/N did not ignore signs.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

“She hasn���t called me yet.”

“It’s been five days, Harry. She probably doesn’t eat Thai food every day. I can’t believe you did something so fuckin’ stupid…”

Jeff’s reprimanding fades into the background as Harry drifts off into daydreaming about what it would be like if– when- Y/N finally called him. Would she find him obsessed? What if she thought he was stalking her? Harry decided that when she called, he would immediately clear things up. He’d thank her for her kindness (his trademark) and see how she was doing. She left the Greek food place so abruptly when he last saw her that he was under the impression something was bothering her. Harry wasn’t sure what he could do to help if something was troubling her, but he could at least extend a listening ear to her as she did to him.

“Harry, are you listening?”

“What was that?”

Jeff shakes his head at Harry, an amused expression on his face. “Man, I hope she calls you soon.”

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

The phone rang three times. After the third ring, his gruff voice came through the other end of the phone.

“Hello?”

Y/N sharply inhales, suddenly growing nervous. “Is this Harry?” Silence. Y/N was preparing to repeat herself when he spoke again.

“Is this Y/N?”

Now it’s Y/N’s turn to be silent. Harry says nothing, awaiting her response. “Well, it is. You sound familiar–– how do we know each other?”

“Now that ’m actually able to talk to you, it sounds a bit silly…” He seems unsure of himself. “Promise y’won’t laugh at me?”

“I promise.”

Y/N says it with such conviction that Harry believes her, and it gives him the confidence he needs to proceed. “I was havin’ a hard time a couple of weeks ago. I was in line to get some falafel and you asked me what was wrong. What was really wrong.” Y/N says nothing, so Harry continues.

“I told you I was exhausted from work ‘nd wanted a break. That’s it, y’know? But I immediately felt better afterward. I’ve actually been feelin’ great ever since. I jus’ wanted to thank you, is all. I know it sounds weird and it’s probably all in m’head but I feel like talkin’ with you was just what I needed.” Harry’s rambling, nerves finally catching up to him. She was gorgeous and he was afraid she would think he was insane. 

“I’m glad to hear you’re still feeling better, Harry. That’s great.” Y/N’s voice is gentle and soft and to Harry, hearing her speak was just as comforting as getting a hug from his mum.

“I’m also really sorry that I was such a dick when you tried talkin’ to me the first time at the Thai spot,'' Harry feels embarrassed, stumbling over his words. “Not sure if you remember but I was just havin’ a shit day. I thought you were gonna ask for a picture and I just wasn’t in the mood.”

Y/N doesn’t say anything and Harry winces, certain he’s offended her when she starts talking again. 

“That’s okay. I know you were having a bad day.” 

“How did you know I was having a bad day?” Again, Y/N pauses before answering. 

“Well, I didn’t do anything to you for you to be so rude to me. I knew it had to be a problem involving yourself.” Harry notices that Y/N speaks very slowly. It’s as if she considers every word before she speaks. He’s intrigued by her. 

“That is very true.” Y/N doesn’t say anything so Harry takes it as his cue to keep talking. “I’m sorry if me leaving my number at the restaurant creeped you out. I hope you didn’t feel obligated to call me.”

“Not at all. I’ve actually been wondering how you were doing since we had our encounter at the Greek place–– that doesn’t creep you out either, right?”

Y/N was hypnotizing. Harry was infatuated. 

“Not at all.”

“Can I ask you something, Harry?”

“Course.”

“Why would I want a picture with you?”

Harry had to get to know her.

“Do y’wanna grab coffee sometime?”

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Something was definitely different about Y/N–– Harry just couldn’t put his finger on what it was. To begin, she truly had absolutely no idea who Harry was. At first, he thought she was just messing with him, but he quickly realized she was being serious. Y/N said she had “heard of” One Direction, but she never listened to the band’s music. Harry supposed that could account for her being unaware as to who he was. Maybe he wasn’t a “household name” like Jeff always said he was. 

Harry was also right about her not having social media. When he asked Y/N why she didn’t use it, she said she preferred to occupy her time with more substantial things. She didn’t elaborate, and Harry didn’t ask. She was however very interested to learn what a big social media following Harry had. He tweeted the word “Do” and they watched as the internet went wild trying to decipher what he meant. He even started trending worldwide for it. It made sense to Y/N after that why Harry was so intent on not taking off his sunglasses and beanie.

Y/N was having a great time analyzing his aura. 

She noticed that whenever someone glanced in their direction, his aura briefly turned red. Anxiety. When Y/N attempted to make a joke, it turned pink (she chose not to analyze that too much). Mainly though, his aura shone that beautiful, pale yellow that Y/N loved to see the most. Harry was doing well. He was happy. Y/N would not have to intervene today.

She couldn’t explain why, but she felt obligated to help him. Even though his energy made her feel so terribly last time, she would’ve still taken away his pain if he was blue without even thinking twice about it. Why was she so drawn to him? Y/N wasn’t sure what it was about Harry that drew her in, but she knew she would do anything to help him. Anything to see him happy.

Unbeknownst to Y/N, Harry felt the same way.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Y/N missed Harry terribly.

She wanted to call him–– just a brief conversation to see if he was doing okay. He mentioned when they last saw each other nearly two weeks prior that he was going to be very busy in the coming days, and she wondered if he still was. Harry told Y/N that he loved his job (of course he did!), but being so busy sometimes really hurt him. Not just mentally, but physically as well. 

She longed for him.

Y/N searched through her call list for Harry’s number and immediately tapped it, listening closely as it rang. She was about to end the call in defeat when Harry answered at the last moment.

“Hello?” He sounded tired, under the weather.

“Harry,” Y/N begins. “I haven’t heard from you in a bit and I just wanted to see if all was well. How do you feel?”

“Hi Y/N,” Harry perks up slightly, but he still sounds a bit congested. “‘M not sure if you can tell from m’voice, but I’ve got a cold.”

Although Y/N wishes with every fiber of her being that she could rid Harry of his cold, she cannot. However, she can make sure all is well with his mind. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she pauses for a moment as she usually does, hoping Harry can tell how sincere she’s being on the other end. “How do you feel though? Are you still feeling happy?”

“Jus’ feelin’ not the greatest again. I’ve been stuck in my house with this fuckin’ cold and haven’t seen anyone in days.”

“I can come over.” Y/N doesn’t think twice before offering. If he had to suffer physically, she at least wanted him to feel okay mentally.

“I don’t want to get you sick. It’s okay–”

“I don’t mind, really. I’ll keep you company.”

Harry doesn’t say anything and Y/N’s sure she must’ve creeped him out. They don’t even know each other well and here she was offering to come over to his home and keep him company while he was sick. She’s about to rescind her offer when he lets out a loud sigh.

“My manager might kill me if he finds out I did this… but sure, let me give you my address.”

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

As soon as Harry got off the phone, he sprung into action. His home was a mess. There were crumpled up tissues all over the floor beside his bed, a sink full of dishes, and he’s pretty sure every bathroom in his house was a mess. He opted to not have anyone over to clean up after him as he didn’t want to risk getting anyone sick and man did it show.

He quickly gathered up all the tissues and threw them into the bin in the corner of his bedroom, surveying the rest of the mess before deciding he and Y/N wouldn’t be spending time in there, anyway. He was going to focus on the mess downstairs, instead. He loaded his dishwasher and record time and used disinfectant wipes on every surface he could in the kitchen, dining room, and living room. He then surveyed the bathrooms and cleaned the one with the least amount of mess, closing the doors to the other ones. He would worry about those some other time. 

Harry was nervous to have Y/N over. He was just nervous to be around her in general. He missed her over the past couple of weeks but he opted out of contacting her, terrified that he was a bother. After Harry finished cleaning in record time, it dawned on him that he didn’t really have any food prepared to offer Y/N. If she was coming over to his house just to cheer him up, the least he could do was offer her something to eat. Harry hated doing things like this, but he was desperate. He texted his assistant and asked if they could drop off some food from the Greek place he and Y/N liked, making a mental note to find out what other places she enjoyed eating at for next time.

Y/N gets to his house much sooner than he was anticipating.

He rushes to his front door, looking through the peephole before opening the door. Y/N has a big smile on her face and looks absolutely gorgeous, as she usually does. She has a huge water bottle in one hand and a tote bag with the phases of the moon slung over her shoulder. He’s never seen it before and thinks it’s lovely.

“Hi,” Harry says breathlessly. “Thanks for coming. Uh, come in please.”

Y/N smiles and takes a small step forward, crossing the threshold of Harry’s home. She thought it was incredible–– and rather clean. “What can I do to help?” 

Harry was getting used to Y/N’s straightforward approach to things, so he’s not phased by her question. “Jus’ you bein’ here is great, honestly.”

Y/N can see that Harry’s aura is that deep indigo that she’s not fond of, but she wonders if he can work through it himself before she steps in. “So it’s just your cold that’s got you feeling down? Can we sit down and talk about it?”

“Sure. Also, not sure if you’ve eaten yet or not but I’m gettin’ some food dropped off for us.”

“That sounds great, I haven’t had dinner yet so thank you. Can we sit?” Y/N doesn’t wait for Harry to answer. She makes her way to his plush couch in the adjoining room, walking through the place like she’s been there before. Harry loves it.

“I think I told you the gist of it on the phone earlier,” Harry says, settling onto the couch beside her. He leaves some space in between them since he doesn’t want to risk getting her sick, but he wishes he was closer to her. “I’ve been feelin’ down ‘cause I’ve been stuck in the house with this cold. S’not fun.” Y/N hums in understanding. Harry notices that she reaches out her hand to him slightly and then quickly retracts it, but he doesn’t mention it. Y/N says nothing, just continues looking inquisitively at him. Harry doesn’t feel uncomfortable under her gaze–– he stares back. 

“Something’s making you feel nervous. What is it?”

Harry isn’t surprised that she was able to figure out there was more to what he was feeling than just loneliness. How was he supposed to tell Y/N that she was the reason for his nervousness, though?

“It’s nothing. I promise.”

“I don’t think so.”

Harry scratches the back of his neck nervously. “How are you so good at reading me? S’like you’re inside my brain, Y/N.” He lets out a little chuckle after saying this but quickly stops when he realizes Y/N isn’t laughing along with him.

“You’re just easy to read,” she cooly responds after a second. “Why are you so nervous? Do you have something coming up for work?”

“Not really…” 

“Then what is it? Something going on with someone in your family?” 

Harry was quickly realizing Y/N wouldn’t drop this unless Harry gave her an answer. He silently hopes for the best before answering her. 

“It’s you,” he mumbles, shifting around uncomfortably on his couch. “You make me nervous.” Y/N watches as his aura changes from red and blue to pink, and his cheeks flush slightly. 

“Why do I make you nervous?”

“You just do.”

“Why? Have I done something to hurt you?”

Y/N was so painfully oblivious that it was cute. Harry was quickly realizing that his heart doubled in size every time he talked to her.

“No. Quite the opposite, actually,” Harry reaches in the pocket of his sweatpants for a tissue, facing away from her while he pauses to blow his nose. “You’re so… you’re jus’ very interesting. Mesmerizing, really.”

Y/N feels her skin heat up at Harry’s compliment. His aura is still shining pink, the brightest pink she’s ever seen since meeting him. She was sad to see there was still quite a bit of indigo and red, though. “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”

Before Y/N can stop herself, she reaches out to grab Harry’s hand. Immediately she feels his energy transfer to her and without thinking, Y/N flicks her finger out of force of habit. The beautifully potted Pothos that Harry has sitting on his television stand instantly droops, leaves turning brown and wilted. 

Harry’s completely perplexed.

The first thing he notices is that he’s feeling better. Great, even. He feels as good as he felt after the interaction he had with Y/N in the Greek food place all those weeks ago. The next thing he notices is that his gorgeous Pothos, a plant that is nearly impossible to kill, is dead.

And it was all Y/N’s doing.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

please let me know what you thought!

[aslitheryprinx]

can we get a part 2 to the smolbois inc story? What happens next to Tommy?

Sure!

Sorry this is so long; I haven't figured out how to add the read more section, and I kept thinking of more I wanted to add.

TW for a panic attack!

Rising Tensions part 2

How was he going to get out of this one?

When in doubt, Tommy thought, bluff your way out.

"And how do you know it wasn't a mouse?" He asked, acting offended. The giants exchanged a look.

"It's fucking rude to accuse someone you just met of stealing, did you know that? You're being rude right now," he said.

"You were sneaking around our house," Tubbo pointed out. Tommy puffed himself up, glaring at the giant with all the indignation he could muster.

"And did you consider that I'm lost, big man? Maybe I just wandered into your house by accident. Now you've accused me of sneaking and stealing." Ranboo raised an eyebrow.

"You came out of the walls," the taller giant said.

"Well… well," Tommy stammered, trying to come up with an excuse, "well, that's how I accidentally wandered in! We found these caves and found these caves, and they were all twisty and shit and we got lost and then ended up here." He realized his mistake and tried to backtrack. "I mean I got lost-"

"We? There are more of you?" Tubbo asked eagerly. Tommy felt a shiver of unease. Wasn't Tubbo some sort of scientist? Anything that made him sound that excited worried him. Besides he wasn't going to sell out his family just because the giant noticed his fuck up.

"It was just a slip of the tongue, man, fuck off!" He snapped.

"It sounds more like a slip up that you didn't want us knowing about. And you said 'we' twice," Tubbo argued, seeing right through his bullshit. Tommy stiffened. Why was he so bad at lying? Was Tubbo going to try and lure his family out now?

"Why are you trying to hide that there's more of you? Are you some sort of secret agent? Probably not, you're shit at lying. Maybe you're hiding someone important like a prince or government official! Or you're part of a traveling circus!" Tubbo rambled.

"There's not more of me, you dick!"

Tommy was having trouble staying calm. He'd been too busy trying to bullshit his way out of trouble that he hadn't focused on the situation he was actually in. What was going to happen to him? What would the giants do to him? If they caught his family, what would they do to them?

"Are you going to fucking let me go, now?" He snapped, only a tiny bit of the nervousness he felt creeping into his voice.

"Sure," Ranboo said.

"No," Tubbo said at the same time. Tommy's heart dropped.

"What do you mean no," Ranboo asked, sounding confused.

"I still have more questions! He can't go yet!" The smaller giant whined. So he wanted to keep Tommy here? Like a prisoner- or worse, a fucking pet. Breathing suddenly seemed really hard to Tommy.

"Like what?" Ranboo asked. Tubbo's eyes shone with excitement as he started to list off questions.

"Like where he's been living this whole time- I don't buy the mouse thing, I think it's been him and whoever else the whole time. It explains why there was no mouse shit. Also why is he here in the first place? And I wanna know about humans! What do they even eat? Is it the same as giants or something else? Where do humans even live? And how do they-"

"Tubbo! Tubbo, stop for a second," Ranboo interrupted, and Tubbo's rambling about human came to a halt. Ranboo was peering down at Tommy, the same concerned expression on his face.

"His… his heart is beating really fast," Ranboo said. Huh. Tommy hadn't really noticed, but it was pretty fast. It was kind of loud and uncomfortable now that he was paying attention.

"Oh, shit," Tubbo exclaimed. Then he was leaning down, peering at Tommy with wide eyes. A finger reached out and he flinched, but it never touched him. Ranboo had pulled him back away from Tubbo.

"Stop poking at him," the giant said, annoyed.

"I'm just trying to see if he's sick or something!" Tubbo protested.

"He's probably having a panic attack! I think we scared him," Ranboo said.

Panic attack? Wilbur and Techno both got those sometimes. He'd never had one, but hey, maybe it was genetics or some shit.

His vision went a little blurry, and he tried to breathe. It felt like something was sitting on his chest. Why was it so hard to breathe? He thought panic attacks just made you breathe really fast, not make you suffocate!

"Woah, woah! You've gotta breathe… um… human," Ranboo said awkwardly.

"Human?" Tubbo repeated, sounding unimpressed.

Tommy was trying so hard to breathe in. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, none of his breaths were doing anything. He inhaled again, and there was a slight wheeze.

"I forgot to ask his name earlier!"

"What the hell man?"

"Hey, um, what is your name?"

…

Oh god, they were talking to him.

In between the struggling breaths, Tommy tried to focus on actually listening to what was going on rather than just let the noises pass over him.

"W-what?" He asked, hating how shaky his voice sounded. He blamed it on the lack of oxygen. He was ignoring his pounding heart and shaky hands.

"Your name?" Tubbo prompted.

"T-Tommy," he managed to force out between panicked breaths.

"Ok, Tommy can you try to breathe s-" Ranboo started.

"'m fucking trying to breathe!" Tommy gasped out. He meant to sound pissed, but his voice sounded weak and shaky. He hated it.

"Slowly," Ranboo said gently. "try to breathe slower."

Tommy gave him a doubtful look.

"It'll help, I promise," Ranboo said. "I get panic attacks a lot, it really does help."

Tommy tried. He did. But he kept freaking out, thinking if he didn't keep inhaling he'd just run out of air. Some part of him recognized that breathing slowly should help, but he just couldn't quite manage to do it.

"You've got this, boss man," Tubbo said softly. "Just keep trying."

He kept trying. He felt like he was going to pass out, but he managed to force himself to take longer to breathe. It did help.

"You're doing great," Ranboo encouraged.

"Yeah! Kick it's ass!" Tubbo cheered. Tommy managed a strangled sounding laugh.

It took several painful minutes, but Tommy managed to start breathing normally again. He had a headache, but he kind of thought he'd gotten off easy. He'd seen some of Wil and Techno's attacks and they could last for hours.

Now that he understood what it really felt like, he felt a sense of horror that they had to deal with this so often, and a sense of pride that his brothers were strong enough to fight them off and keep enjoying their lives. He thinks he would hate existence if this happened to him multiple times a month.

"I'm really sorry for scaring you, Tommy," Tubbo said. Tommy was still a little nervous about what the giants wanted from him, but Tubbo seemed so genuine. It was hard to believe they wanted to hurt him when they both seemed so concerned. And they'd been really gentle so far. So maybe… maybe his fears were unfounded and he was just being a little bitch.

"As long as you're not keeping me here forever, it's fine," he said. Well, he had to make sure. Just in case. Tubbo made a face.

"What like a prisoner? That would be fucking weird, boss man. We're not doing that."

"You can leave whenever you want," Ranboo told him. "Tubbo was just being nosy earlier."

"I am not nosy!" Tubbo protested. Ranboo rolled his eyes but kept his focus on Tommy.

"Can… can I go now?" Tommy asked, putting Ranboo's statement to the test. He may have decided that the giants wouldn't hurt him, but he was still overwhelmed and ready to go home. He was exhausted from the panic attack.

"Of course," Ranboo said. He paused, and Tommy fidgeted nervously as he made no move to set him down. "Um… do you want me to set you down here or take you back to where you were earlier?"

Ah. It had only been a few quick steps for Ranboo, but it would probably take Tommy forever to get back there on his own.

"If you wouldn't mind giving me a ride, big man," he said, trying to sound causal. Ranboo grinned.

"RanUber coming up," he said.

"Why not RanbUber?- Wait."

"Oh no," Ranboo muttered as he walked across the room. Tommy felt a grin growing on his face.

"RanBOOB!" He shouted.

"Oh, wow, never heard that one before," Ranboo grumbled. "I'm putting you down now."

He lowered his hand, and Tommy hopped off onto the ground. He was a little wobbly for a second, which was weird. Maybe it was kind of like being on a boat for a while, and he had to get readjusted to solid ground.

Once he got his balance back, he started to walk towards the tiny cave entrance. He stopped when Tubbo called out.

"Wait!" Tommy tensed slightly, wondering if Tubbo was changing his mind about letting him leave. But Tubbo just sat down next to where Ranboo had crouched.

"Will you come back and talk to us sometime?" He asked. Tommy hesitated. One the one hand, the giants were kind of fun to talk to, and they had been really nice. On the other hand, they'd also been pretty scary and he wasn't entirely sure he trusted them yet.

"Maybe," he settled on. "No promises." Tubbo looked a little disappointed.

"Alright. I hope you will. Bye, Tommy."

"Bye Tommy," Ranboo echoed.

Tommy gave them one last look before he ducked back into the smaller caves. He walked towards the cave where he and his family had been living. He'd only been walking for a few minutes when he was almost bowled over by Wilbur, who was barreling around the corner like a madman. He'd barely registered who it was when he was pulled into a crushing hug.

"Ack! Wil you're squishing me!" He whined.

"Where were you? I couldn't find you anywhere, Tommy I was so worried-"

"Wil, calm down. I was just in a cave that's kind of away from the others. I… I can show you later," he offered a little reluctantly. He hadn't actually gone to the cave he meant to sulk in, but he still kind of wanted to keep it to himself.

"You- it's fine, you don't have to. Just… are you ok? You kind of look like shit." Wilbur had gone full mother hen mode, fussing over him like he was still a baby. The motherfucker was even fixing his hair. And people thought Phil was the overprotective one.

"I'm fine," he said. Wilbur didn't look convinced.

"I'm fine now," he amended. He added quietly, "I uh… I kind of had a panic attack." Wilbur clutched him tighter. God this bitch was clingy when he was upset. Tommy couldn't find it in himself to complain though. The hug felt kind of nice.

"Toms, I'm so fucking sorry," Wilbur said.

"Huh?" What was he talking about?

"About what I said earlier." Oh shit, Tommy had forgotten all about the fight. A little bit of guilt churned in his stomach.

"I should not have said that. I was just pissed, and being a dick, and wanted to say something to make you feel bad. But it was such a stupid thing to say."

"Why, because it's true?" Tommy muttered glumly.

"No, because it's a fucking lie, Tommy, and I never should have said it," Wilbur said fiercely.

"But-"

"You didn't know," Wilbur cut him off. "It's not your fault anymore than it is my fault for jumping down after you when you fell, or Techno's for getting us lost, or Phil's for taking us camping to begin with. Not your fault. Alright?"

"Alright, Wil," Tommy muttered. He was still being held hostage by Wilbur's clingy octopus impression. He really had been worried. It was a good thing that Tubbo and Ranboo weren't all that bad, or who knows how freaked out Wil would've gotten.

It occurred to Tommy that he should probably tell his family that he talked to the giants. That they knew Tommy was there, and knew others were with him. It seemed like something important. But… he kind of wanted to talk to them again. He didn't think Wil would let him go if he found out, let alone his actual father.

So he just… didn't say anything. They didn't need to know. If it ever came up, well… he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

Part one

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Unlikely Friends.”

Wrote this this morning and thought of my friend Nora :)

I hope you all like it. 

The GA Biological Exploration team had not expected to have humans along for their expedition, but then again, they had hardly expected to have large carnivorous worms attack them the last time, so they supposed that extra protection was worth it. But the humans were really just there for protection, so the team mostly ignored them meandering around in a wide circle with their weapons ready.

Everyone knew that humans weren’t exactly the smartest species in the galaxy, somewhere above Drev and below Tesraki, so they were really only good for protection most of the time, or at least that is how many of the team saw it, none of them having ever really worked with a human closely before. The foliage on this planet happened to be a strange sort of blue violet color, and the sky above also tended more towards purple than it did towards blue.

There were plenty of large and unusual looking flowers, mostly red in color, though, when seen under UV light they glowed in many colors unseen by those who could only view on the visible spectrum.

The head scientist was just beginning to sample one of the flowers, when he noticed one of the humans out of the corner of his eye crouching next to one of the plants. His hand was completely uncovered, it turned out that humans were perfectly fine in the atmosphere, and it looked like he was preparing to touch the plant.

“What do you think you are doing!” He screeched, and the human drew back slightly. The head scientists wasn’t used to humans and so did not really understand the expression on it’s too- mobile face. This particular specimen of a human covered one of its eyes, and looked slightly familiar though he could not have placed it. All humans looked the same to him.

“I uh…. Well nothing.”

“You were going to touch that, weren't you!”

“Well I…”

“Because you better not try that again. We just landed on this planet and we have no idea what kind of affects the flora and fauna can cause.” He turned away before quickly spinning back in place glowering at the human, “Actually, on second thought, a warning isn’t enough for you, you have already proven that you cannot be trusted.” He pointed towards a little clearing not far off, “Go sit down and keep your hands to yourself until we are done here.”

The human went to protest, but he did not allow for that.

He had no time for people who could not follow proper safety protocols. The human looked about ready to argue with him, but one stern look sent the human slouching off.

He nodded rather pleased with himself. That is how you dealt with humans properly, a firm hand was what they needed. They were kind of slow so you had to repeat yourself a few times, but they responded well to a frm no nonsense hand.

***

Admiral Vir sat in time out.

His hands were neatly resting in his lap as he sat criss cross on an alien planet staring up at the sky. A few times the other marines would pass by and grin at him and he would smile sheepishly back. He had been put in time out for touching the local wildlife. Believe it or not, his mother used to hate taking him shopping as a kid because he just had to touch everything. He was also the reason that his father had forbade them from putting their hands, tongues, or feet, don’t ask, against the window.

There had even been a rule in museums that he had to be holding his dad or his mother’s hand while they walked around to avoid him embarrassing them by touching something that he wasn’t supposed to. He had always loved those interactive museums for kids. 

Apparently this habit had not exactly gone away into his adult life.

And now here he was Admiral Adam Vir, Armada commander of the GA and UNSC combined forces….. And he had been put in time out so he wouldn't touch anything. He took it with good humor though. By all rights he should have learned his lesson by now…. Considering the incident….

He shook himself and leaned back in the alien flora, resting his head back on a big flat mushroom that was pleasantly spongy and acted as a great pillow so that he could stare up at the sky. At some point he accidentally took a bit of a nap, and when he woke up next the voices had faded as the scientists wandered off into the forest, and he was left alone with only the shuttle sitting and twinkling with metallic light.

He frowned, someone could have told him they were moving on, but that was ok.

He sat up legs still crossed and rested his chin against his hand in boredom.

He picked at the dirt below him, and then prodded one of the strange mushrooms. 

Adam was bored.

He stood glancing around and walked to the edge of the clearing where one of those red flowers was sitting and, looking over his shoulder again reached down to touch it making a face in the direction that scientist had gone off.

It's not like he was hurting anything.

The flower petals were soft, and felt almost like velvet below his fingertips. 

He sniffed a it to find that it smelled oddly like…. Bleach? Though he could completely have been wrong about that.

Walking over, to the nearest tree-like structure, which was very tall and thin with an umbrella like apparatus overhead, he found the bark of the tree to have a bunch of small berry like structures on it in a light blue color. He reached out and picked one. It came off with a sort of soft popping noise, and he rolled it around between his fingers leaving behind a purplish residue.

He squeezed it, and berry juice came out.

It smelled sweet, though even he wasn’t stupid enough to taste it.

He dropped what remained of the berry t the ground and was just rummaging through the foliage when…. A sound, the snap of one of those mushrooms, pulled him from his reverie. Like a deer in the headlights he jerked quickly upright and looked around his heart already beginning to hammer.

He turned his head, looking into the bushes where he had heard the sound, and as he did, he thought he caught a strange flicking sort of movement. It was low to the ground, and as it moved it seemed to… slither through the underbrush.

Adam lowered himself slowly to the ground reaching behind him and drawing his handgun.

There was a strange noise, like more of those berries popping off the tree, and then the slithering moved on.

He couldn’t help but be interested, and followed the sound to where it had been last, finding that all of the berries had been stripped from the trunk of the tree.

“Huh, you like berries do you.” He said to himself wandering over to the next tree and scraping off a handful into his palm. He could still hear the creature moving ahead of him through the brush, and he followed after it, tracking it’s movement with his ears more than his eyes. He would have used his thermal vision, but decided against it. It was much more fun this way. Of course a part of him knew that this was a horrible idea, but Adam had never really been known to listen to his own common sense, especially when it came to meeting new aliens.

A segment of dirt showed below him, and he bent down to examine the track.

It wasn’t a footprint, but a long drag mrk through the soil.

How interesting.

He heard more of that popping noise up ahead and followed after it.

When he got closer there was a sharp sound as if something was drawing back on itself.

The creature had noticed him.

He crouched down in the bushes eyes forward to where he knew the alien was.

He dropped some of the berries onto the ground leaving a trail back to his hand where he waited.

Of course he expected to see some sort of creature.

What he did not expect was a massive purple viper with a head as big around as a football if not bigger peeping through the bushes

He froze in place blood running cold.

It had one large eye in the middle of its face and weird protrusions along the side of it’s head which looked to act like whiskers as they trembled in the breeze.

It rose up slowly from the ground lifting its head into the air and then opening its mouth. Its face was segmented into three, so when its mouth opened its face became twice as large, opening sort of like the hood of a cobra. It didn’t have a tongue but many small undulating follicles across its mouth stained with purple juice.

Its mouth closed and its head lowered as it looked down at the berries he had let out.

He stayed stock still as the creatures slithered closer lowering its head and lapping the berries off the ground.

Its body was smooth, not completely like that of a snake but similar, ad strange protrusions stuck up from it’s back rising and falling as it slithered forward.

It followed his little trail of berries until finally it was not inches away from his hand.

I lifted his head again, and from where he crouched, he started the creature right in the face. One eye to one eye.

It made a sort of rattling noise ad opened its mouth again.

He imagined it striking at his face latching onto him and sucking his life out through his eyes.

But instead the creature closed its mouth again, and the tendrils moved forward at the side outfits head, almost like it was sniffing at him.

It lowered it’s head 

And opened its mouth and he felt the hot humidity of it’s mouths. The creature sucked the berries frm his hand. Each of the little saccules felt like suction cups against his hand. It curled into a large coil against the ground and lifted its head again to look at him almost expectantly. He raised his hand slowly and it shied away.

He made no sound as he reached out and pulled some more of the berries from a nearby tree before slowly proffering them to the creature who sucked them up from his han.

He did that a few more times until, reaching out, he let the creature eat from his hand before gently stroking it along its underbelly. He had a feeling those protrusions on its back were sensory, and he didn’t want to overload it. The creature pulled back in surprise at his touch, but not entirely,and as he continued to stroke down itt’s neck, it seemed…. To enjoy it, pressing into his hand and making that strange noise again.

He smiled giddy and scared at the same time.

This was so cool!

He coaxed the creature with him as he went around pulling berries from trees and feeding it from his cupped hands.

The sake thing slithered at his side, and on one occasion even began to slither up his body.

He let it and it used him as a staging ground to lift it’s head into the trees and suck the larger berries from higher up in the tree. He rewarded the snake thing with more belly rubs with his hands now stained purple.

Eventually voices floated to him through the forest.

The snake thing rested its chin on his head sunning itself on top of him like he was a tree.

He walked back towards the shuttle pleased to show the others his new friend.

*** The head scientist was pleased with the samples he had taken. He had started with the ground plants and was likely to work his way up. He had been careful not to touch anything, and hadn’t seen any native wildlife so far. It would take some time for them to get to know the planet like they really wanted to, but that's how these things worked, science was slow an they had to be careful-”What in the FUCK is that!”

The human’s cry of alarm jolted him from his thoughts and he looked up in stunned shock to see the human from earlier, walk forward cradling a large alien creature in his arms.

“SHHH, the human hissed, Don’t scare Jeffry.”

“Who the Fuck is jeffrey.”

The alien creature lifted it’s head and opened its trihinjed mout.

He rubbed it’s chin, “it’s okay Jeffrey, they are being very rude.”

The aliens stood on in shock, as the human patted the alien creature like… like well like nothing they had ever seen. He was just sitting there, cuddling an unknown alien.

“W-what did I say about TOUCHING things he hissed with a squeak.”

The human lifted it’s shoulders, “Well…. About that. I sort of, got bored, and then I saw Jeffrey and I thought why not try to make friends.”

“You tried to make friends with a giant alien snake?”

“Well I would rather not have made enemies with him.’ He rubbed “Jeffry’s chin and the snake thing rattled.

The other humans gathered around in shock and awe.

“What are you doing!” He hissed, “That thing could be dangerous.”

The humans ignored him.

“Yeah just get some of those berries, and I bet he’d eat right out of your hand, and then maybe you can pet him.”

The humans wandered off to find berries coming back with their hands piled and their skin stained purple.

“Don’t Touch it!” he squalled, but the humans were hearing none of it. The snake thing leaned down and slurped berries from cupped hands before stretching its neck upwards to enjoy pats from the other humans.

The aliens stood there in shock as the humans gathered around.

He had ordered the human not to touch anything, but instead he had gone off into the forest and pack bonded with some unknown alien creature.

He would have to write to his superiors about this.

He would not be working with humans in the future.

Annoyingly, humans had to make friends with everyone. 

[blossomingimagines]

Icarus

Harley Quinn x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2,703

Summary: Like Icarus she had flown too close to the sun and fell-- though you were certain the fall Icarus suffered from wasn't a descent into madness. It was unfortunate that she had always been your own sun. Always pulling you in no matter how far you may go to escape. You just hope you won't get too close this time. As you were sure this fall would be the greatest of all.

Notes: I saw this idea floating about and decided to give it a try. Hopefully it isn't too disappointing for you all. This is going to be left open-ended in case you all want more in this universe, which I don't know if you will. (You knew Harley Quinn before she was Harley Quinn. You were rivals, in whatever capacity, and she always beat you. Until suddenly you were her therapist at Arkham.)

I also got the idea from @kiraimagine. (Wanted to give credit where credit is due as this idea was a really good one and I enjoyed writing it.)

Warnings: Mental illnesses as depicted in Arkham.

The tale of Icarus was one that you were familiar with. How he had dreamed of something for his entire life and that had ended up being his downfall. Flying too close to the sun, despite the many warnings beforehand, and his plummet back to Earth. It was a tale that you associated with personally. For you were Icarus-- wanting something so bad that you would do anything to achieve it. No matter how far you would fall because of it.

Harleen Quinzel was your sun.

You had known her for most of your life. Meeting on the playground at the start of fifth grade-- you had tripped over something and ended up sprawled in front of her and her friends. Her golden-white locks pulled back into a loose ponytail as she stood above you. Her blue eyes mocking as she took in your expression. You had scrambled to your feet with fumbling apologies escaping your mouth. Your face became as red as the shirt she had been wearing. Despite your efforts, however pathetic they may have been, she had barely given you a second glance before walking away. Her ever-loyal posse following along like lap dogs. And, even as you turned to head back towards your friends, you couldn’t get her bright blue eyes out of your head. Making you feel like you were falling all over again. 

From then on a rivalry was born between the two of you-- whether you were aware of it or not. You were a person that wasn’t even in the same galaxy as her radar and suddenly you became the direct center of it. Whatever things you took interest in, Harleen always followed. Of course, it always looked like a complete coincidence that she ended up taking the same courses as you. Always excelling at everything she put her mind to-- you in a close second. 

Even as you aged, going from knobby-kneed kids to maturing teenagers, Harleen had made it her mission in life to always one-up you. To always make sure that she was around no matter what. The first day of your sophomore year had been a clear indicator of that fact.

The crowded hallways of Gotham High were roaring with life. From incoming freshmen that were trying to get their bearings to returning seniors that were establishing their claim as the rulers of the school. You just rolled your eyes at all the showboating that was going on as you made your way to your locker. A hand clutching on your bag as you were jostled for the millionth time by a football player. 

Finally catching sight of your locker was like a breath of fresh air. A small sliver of sanctuary that you needed within the bustling halls. However, as quickly as the happy feeling appeared it vanished without a trace at the sight of the woman leaning against the locker adjacent to yours. 

Harleen Quinzel-- in all her glory. 

Light blonde hair falling loosely past her shoulders. Painted lips pulled into a smirk as she listened to the jock standing before her. Though you could clearly tell she wasn’t actually listening. As her, normally sharp blue eyes were dull at the incessant rambling of the boy. 

Hoping that you could quickly open your locker and deposit everything before she noticed, you slowly made your way towards them. Seeing that she was still distracted by the jock, you felt a small smile tug at your lips. Glad that at least something was going your way today. 

You shouldn’t have celebrated so early. 

The moment you made contact with your lock a perfectly manicured hand appeared on top of yours. Your heart-stopping at the feeling of her smooth skin on yours. Your wide eyes meeting her devious blue as she smirked at you. Numbly you noted that they were once again the sparkling blue that you were so familiar with. Though you couldn’t find it within yourself to celebrate the fact. Not when she was leaning towards you ever-so-slightly. 

“Y/N,” she purrs. “I was wondering when you were going to show up. The school is not the same with my best girl gone.”

For a moment you actually think she cared for your wellbeing, but the glimmer in her eyes made you think otherwise. Your lips thin into a line as your annoyance grows. You didn’t think you had the patience to deal with her today. 

“What do you want, Harleen?” 

A faux look of hurt flashed across her face. “I’m wounded that you think I need something from you, Y/N.” Her other hand rubs your arm-- you try to desperately ignore the goosebumps that appeared because of the action. Though you were certain she was aware of it-- if the look on her face was anything to go by. “I was just wondering if you knew that we were both in the same AP classes?”

Your stomach drops at the news. Her devious smile only causes your nerves to fray even more. “How? I changed my schedule three times.” 

Harleen shrugs. “Looks like it was a match made in heaven.” 

You shake your head with a frown starting to furrow your brow. “No, I know you did something. There’s no way we accidentally ended up in the same classes again.” Your annoyed gaze meets her amused one. “Why? Why do you like doing this to me? Don’t you have better things to do?” 

At your questions, her smile falls from her lips. A sharp look flashing across her face as she leaned closer to you-- almost to the point of her nose brushing against yours. You wanted to take a step back but the hand on your bicep stopped you. You had never seen Harleen look so angry before. Even if she wasn’t completely showing you everything she was feeling. You could tell by the darkening of her eyes-- an almost desperate quality hiding underneath. 

“I think you know exactly why I do what I do,” she hisses. “You just refuse to see what’s standing right in front of you. You choose to be blind to everything.”

Her voice elevates slightly towards the end of her sentence. An almost shrill quality to her tone that you had never heard before. It causes a small wince to flash across your face. Your eyes glancing towards the other occupants of the hallway. You didn’t want anyone to be listening in on this… whatever this was.

Harleen, noticing where your attention had diverted to, seems to pull herself together as she takes a step back from you. Her hand finally releasing your bicep out of the death grip she had imprisoned it in. Though the same darkened expression in her eyes remained even as she smiled at you.

“But that’s no matter,” she continues in a calmer tone. As if her outburst had never happened. “Just know that until you realize what you’ve been blind to I’ll always be here.” Harleen inclines her head ever-so-slightly towards you, her voice dropping into a whisper. “Nothing will ever be better than that.”

Then she was gone. 

Only leaving behind the faint scent of her perfume and the confused feeling in your very soul. 

Even now you still had no idea what she had meant. High school passed you by in the same manner as your other school years. In a standoff with Harleen Quinzel for the top student position, which she won by barely a point. Not that you were too surprised she beat you at that too. No matter how egotistical she may be, you could admit that she was highly intelligent. In another life, you could even see yourself being friends with her. If only life had turned out slightly differently for you both… 

College seemed to be the only reprieve you were ever going to get from her. So you were excited to apply to as many as you could. Wanting to have as many options to choose from as possible. Anything to minimize the chance of Harleen choosing the same one-- even if deep in your heart you wanted nothing more than for her to do just that. 

Learning at graduation that she was going to Metropolis for school had been a shock. As you had been deliberating going there as well. That was before your mother got sick and you decided to stay in Gotham, however. A fact that you didn’t think twice about sharing with Harleen. 

Sometimes you look back at the night and curse yourself for opening your mouth. 

The party was already in full swing as you stepped into the house. Loud music blaring through the speakers. The sound waves caused the very house to shake. It was lucky that the host of the party lived so far away from anyone else. It wouldn’t do to have the party shut down by what was left of Gotham’s police force. Moving deeper into the party, you bypass throngs of people dancing to the beat of the song and random couples that were lost in each other. Your eyes scan the room for a quieter place that you could just rest in until the rest of your friends arrived. 

Thankfully, the search didn’t take that long as you quickly found a relatively abandoned corner. You gratefully lean against a wall once you reach it. Thankful that you had been able to find a spot that you could hide away in. As the party scene had never been a place you thrived in. Rolling your neck, you try to get rid of some of the tension that had settled over your shoulders from the past few days. Things at home were only getting more complicated but you know you made the right decision in deciding to stay. Even if Metropolis would have been a hell of a lot nicer than Gotham. 

Movement from in front of you causes your eyes to widen as a solo cup is thrust into your hands. The flimsy plastic bending in your hands as you stared at the woman who had given it to you. Your mouth pressing into a thin line at the sight of her devious smirk. 

Harleen Quinzel, of course. 

“I’m really not in the mood right now, Harleen,” you sigh. “Why don’t you go hang out with your friends and leave me alone?”

Harleen pouts. “But you’re my best girl, Y/N. Why would I leave you all alone?”

“Because your friends are probably looking for you.” You try to offer in hopes that she would just leave you alone. You didn’t feel like hearing her gloat about getting the valedictorian spot. Her laughter was not the response you were expecting, however. 

“Oh, Y/N/N, what am I going to do with you?” She asks but you’re sure it was rhetorical. Though at your continued silence her eyes flash with annoyance. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

You sigh, Harleen and her mind games were not what you signed up for when you agreed to come to the party. “I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to be getting, Harleen. Maybe if you actually told me then I might.”

She grins at you. “Now where’s the fun in that?” Her head tilts ever-so-slightly as she appraises you. As if she suddenly realized that you were wearing a low-cut dress-- courtesy of your best friend. Her blue eyes shone with varying emotions that you couldn’t even begin to decipher. Though they soon snapped back up to your face as if she suddenly realized something. “But that doesn’t matter really. I’m certain you’ll figure it out when we’re in college.”

Her words make your stomach drop. “What?” 

“When we’re in college, Y/N.” Harleen drawls. “You know the place where we’re going to be going for the next four years?”

“What do you mean we?” 

Her laughter, once again, catches you off guard. “Didn’t you know? We’re going to be going to the same college. I heard through the grapevine that we both got accepted to Metropolis University. Go Sharks.” 

You frown, your next words coming out before you could even think. “But I’m not going to Metropolis University.” 

Harleen completely freezes at that. Her eyes turn razor-sharp as the smile falls from her face. “What?”

You gulp. “I’m not going to Metropolis University, Harleen. I was but then some personal issues came up so I’ve decided to stay in Gotham.” You shrug with a rueful smile pulling at your lips. “I’m going to Gotham University. So it looks like I’m going to be a Nighthawk and you’re going to be a Shark.”

The smile falls from your face, however, at the look, Harleen gives you because of the joke. Her expression darkened even more as each second ticked by. Only the call of her name from her friends pulled her attention from you-- though she seemed more annoyed at the interruption. Thinking about the quickest escape routes you could take, to hell with your friends, you begin to shift away from the wall. Only to have Harleen suddenly grab both of your forearms and yank you towards her. Your face almost smashed against hers as she held you. Her voice coming out in a low whisper.

“We’ll see about that.” 

Before you could react, her lips pressed against yours in a brief kiss before she was gone. 

Only the scent of her perfume and the feel of her on your lips remaining. 

You hadn’t been surprised that come fall she had appeared in your lecture hall. Her ever-present smirk flashing towards you as she took her seat a few rows in front of you. You weren’t even surprised that she had taken the same major as you. After all, you both had always been eerily similar in your interests in that regard. 

Sometimes you wish you had chosen something else. 

Anything else. 

That’s all that could run through your mind as you made your way down darkened halls. Your heels clicking against the floor with a resounding presence that almost made you wince. The faint moans of the criminally insane echo from deeper recesses in the building. You try to not tense at the sounds. Your armed escort led you down various halls and security checkpoints before you finally reached your destination. 

A door, plain as all the others, stood between you and the reason you had returned to Gotham. You didn’t want to, God did you not want to, but getting a call from Mayor Hill had changed things. You had met the man on several occasions and you had never even considered the possibility of him begging anyone. Hearing the desperate plea within his words flashed you back to a time when your mother was still alive. When there wasn’t a giant bat protecting the streets of Gotham. You hadn’t had the heart to decline.

Even if you wish you had now. 

Turning to one of the guards stationed at the door, you nod. Steeling yourself for what you are about to witness. Your back straightened as your hands tightened on the various files you were holding. Your resolve only wavering as you stepped into the room. Your eyes take in the large abundance of space that surrounds the single cage in the direct center of the room. A single figure entwined with silk in the middle of it. 

Moving down the staircase, you try to ignore the way the figure's burning gaze followed you. The intensity behind it is both so familiar and completely foreign. Standing directly before the cage, you finally are close enough to the figure to see the way burning blue eyes took in every small aspect of you. A familiar smirk began to make its way onto her face when she finally met your gaze with hers. 

“There’s my best girl.” A grin takes the place of her smirk. A sight that causes your heart to lurch in your chest. Yet another reminder of why you didn’t want to come back to Gotham. Why you never wanted to return to the place that had taken everything from you. “I was wondering when you were going to visit me.”

“Hello, Harleen.”

[rebelliouslala]

A Man Who Plays Volleyball.

happy birthday my beloved little anime boy, Ushijima Wakatoshi!

summary and warnings!: OC!Yuri-Chan (they are there as you, the reader!) x Wakatoshi, fix it fic! Shiratorizawa wins to go to the Nationals; angst, descriptions of parental abuse, descriptions of anxiety, flashbacks, a form of s/lf h/rm, accidental cause to injury, unwanted touching, a creepy guy, divorce drama, this story describes the suppression of men’s mental health, a good spoonful of fluff at the end

word count; ~10k words

a/n: this was SUPER rushed. but, i love him. you have no idea how much i saw myself in satori. in wakatoshi. i love shiratorizawa. may this alternate universe make the original ushijima wakatoshi smile :)

The Shiratorizawa volleyball player, Ushijima Wakatoshi walked home. He carried his volleyball clothes in a duffel bag. He wore a white hoodie with a purple outline. It said, printed, “Ushijima #1” on the back. He walked in silence. Because he preferred it. He felt tired.

The Miracle Boy felt tired. The crickets in the warm farm fields began to buzz with the swift wind that came from behind. He closed his eyes and stopped. He softly smiled as he looked up at the cloudy autumn sky. The sun was setting.

How long has he waited for this day; His eyes, to anyone else, would be dull. But that day, after his battle against Karasuno, they sparkled like freshly oiled olives. His hairdo was gently ruffled as a train passed by to his left, and he took a deep breath. He pumped his fist as a tear went down his cheek.

“I won.”

Once the Miracle Boy arrived home; He placed away his uniform in a laundry machine, and gently sucked on a popsicle. He blinked a few times, watching the machine churn and churn and churn and churn and churn and churn and- His lower back ached. He leaned against the wall, continuing to gently bite the tip. Satori once called him insane for biting ice cream.

“Doesn’t it hurt?!” Satori cried during their summer training. Wakatoshi had offered his land to use for training. Coach Washijo had taken the offer with happiness. He had bit his thick popsicle in response. “No.”

Wakatoshi turned to a sob from the threshold. There sat on its diaper ass one of the Ushijima twins, Kazane, who blinked. She had a straight bob and palm green eyes. She whined.

The boy sighed. He gently bent down and picked her up. She babbled stupidly and gripped at his hair, then whined more for his popsicle. “No.” He continued to bite it and he frowned as Kazane started to whimper. Wakatoshi now began to bounce her and he looked at his uniform as it continued to wash. She stopped making noises and instead clung onto him.

“Wakatoshi? Wakatoshi have you seen—?” He let his mother find him as she sighed. She had straight black hair, one that was in a messy bun since she gave birth to the twins.

“Hello Oka-san.”

“Wakatoshi, you know she can’t have ice cream!” She said, exasperated.

“I know that. She is trying to take it.” He continued biting it.

“Here, gimme,” Ms. Ushijima took Kazane, and let her soft cry in her neck. Wakatoshi simply continued to look at the swirl of his clothes. “I called your father.”

Wakatoshi turned, and he blinked. Once. Twice. His eyebrows furrowed, but he straightened himself up. “Is he not busy?”

“Yeah, but you know, it’s nice because you‘re going to Nationals-, isn’t that what you wanted, Wakatoshi?”

The boy sucked on the stick as the machine stopped. He went down to take the uniform, and began to fold. “Yes.”

She sighed, “Stop acting dramatic. I know you’re happy. Oh- I also invited your girlfriend over.” Wakatoshi now walked past his mother, and his baby sister as he went to his room. He hung his shirt and pants. Ms. Ushijima followed him, “I suggest you wear some nice formal wear, got it? And I want you both in the family room.”

“I was thinking of a nice berry bush, a purely platonic meeting. In the back—?”

“Ugh, fine. Whatever. Sure. Remember to change Mayumi’s diapers.”

Yuri had met Wakatoshi at the side door of his house. Yuri hopped up and gave him a kiss to his jawline. “Good afternoon, ‘Toshi-Chan!”

Wakatoshi blushed. He held his cheek. “Afternoon, my flower.”

The wind that messed up Yuri’s hair passed, and Wakatoshi with no hesitation helped them fix it, after a soft question if he could. He gently petted their hair back.

The couple sat peacefully in the bushes. Yuri, after the wind, then went to the strawberry bushes and started to pick. They hummed as they put them in a small bucket, as Wakatoshi instructed them to, and rinsed them in a bucket his Grandfather made. After that, they handed the small fat berry to his hand, as he cut off the top part of the berry.

“The leaves are edible, but are annoying to the throat. It’s better to mush them together, since they have good properties for the body.” Wakatoshi explained. Yuri giggled in response, continuing to pick a few more, with a here and there bite to the smallest one.

Yuri might even turn around, and coo, “Look at this, ‘Toshi-Chan! Aw, it’s no bigger than my thumb!” At which Wakatoshi leaned over, uncomfortably on the small blanket his Mother gave him, before nodding. “Do you want to name it? Like a child?”

“Oh great idea! How about, hmm, Plate!”

“Hm?”

“Because strawberries, and plate berries!”

“Ah.” Wakatoshi nodded, and he gave them a small side of the mushed leaves. “This should be enough for both of us. Do you think so?”

“Mhm! Oh, how are the twins?”

Wakatoshi leaned back and took a deep breath. Kazane cried so much he had to wake up Grandmother Nijiko for it. She complained loudly, but went over and in a few hours the silence was gone. Mayumi singlehandedly ate the rest of the prepared milk bottles his Mother made. Wakatoshi lost approximately 3.26 hours of sleep. “They are well.” He said.

“Oh! They’re the cutest!! With their little soft lettuce cheeks-! I can’t wait until I can feed them little berries!” Yuri popped one in their mouth.

“Mayumi-tan loves blueberries. Especially playing with them. Kazane-tan prefers spitting the strawberry seeds in my hair.”

“No wonder you take so many showers, Wakatoshi-Chan!” He ate a bit of the mush, and he looked above at the clouds. Yuri laid next to him, and dipped their finger in the mush.

“Satori-kun told me- you- uh, you got mad. I was wondering where you were after the game.”

“We had to celebrate. Besides that, I could not charge my phone. The TV crew took up all the outlets.”

“Aw, bummer! But still, Wakatoshi-Chan~,” Yuri poked his side. He twitched in response. “You got mad. It was a close game.”

Wakatoshi ate another strawberry dipped in mush. “I won. Do not worry. I am okay.” Yuri laid on their stomach and pouted. “Promise?”

“I would never lie to you, Yuri-Chan.”

“Good. Then critique me on my violin, okay!”

He nodded, as Yuri brought out their violin case. Being best friends with Satori, all sorts of little stickers were on it, especially a large Pokémon one. Wakatoshi crossed his legs as Yuri took their violin out, and their bow. They hummed quietly, tuning the violin and hastily rubbing rosin on the bow. They used the bow on the violin, once- twice -the first made Wakatoshi fear the twins would wake up from their nap- before Yuri played.

The Swan.

Wakatoshi laid back. Yuri closed their eyes, leaning into their instrument, and played. The wind picked up again. And Wakatoshi closed his eyes.

Yuri and he met in freshman year. Wakatoshi saw Yuri come in, shy.

“I am so sorry! I thought this was the auditorium.” Wakatoshi had just worked out. He assumed in their vision, this would be attractive and more romantic. To him he felt more comfortable and relaxed.

“It’s a few more blocks down. But I believe the Coach will not allow music.” Seeing Yuri’s jolt of embarrassment, Wakatoshi added, “But I believe outside is a perfect place to play. I would help you, but I know the plants shall tell you what to do.”

And here, as the wind guided Yuri’s fingers, their bow, the soft and intimate touches to the strings, did Wakatoshi hear how his advice had really counted. From Day 1 to Day Now, their improvement let him smile quietly in pride. They were perfect.

After a few days of waiting for a response from Wakatoshi’s father, it was settled and official. He would join them that night for dinner.

Yuri held onto Wakatoshi’s arm, their middle finger writing characters he could not decipher. He looked around at Grandmother Nijiko holding the twins. Kazane was in a little blue robe and Mayumi in red. His mother opened the door to the wardrobe for Wakatoshi. He wore a tight white shirt, and black sleek pants. He observed a royal purple kimono.

Yuri gulped as they watched his mother gently pinch his ear, “Nuh uh, do the Atlantic Blue.”

“I believe it is Pacific Blue.” Wakatoshi responded as he took that instead, and dawned it. He helped Yuri with their kimono.

“Wow, your family is like, really traditional, Wakatoshi,” they said quietly, looking at Wakatoshi.

“It’s my father’s arrival. Oka-san likes it like this.” He paused, before he continued to help them put it on, “and Oba-san, of course.”

Wakatoshi could not admit it, but he did appreciate it too. The clan was well, they just valued the importance of continuing to be perfect. It was only in their strict rules he did not want his new siblings to be subjected to. Wakatoshi glanced at his left hand. as he tied Yuri’s pink clothes together.

“‘Toshi, remember to smile.” Ms. Ushijima reminded him.

Wakatoshi grimaced. “Yes Oka-san.”

Yuri squeezed his hand, and looked up at him. He gently smiled back.

“Yuri-kun, make sure Wakatoshi doesn’t go on about volleyball again!” Grandmother Nijiko said. His smile faded.

His mother went from the twins, to going to him and attacking his stance.

Ms. Ushijima went on her tippy toes, muttering and complaining about his height, then how his hair was so dry, how he needed to use lotion more, and how filthy he was.

Yuri only stared at their feet. The Ushijimas stared at Wakatoshi, having his mother flick his ear and pinch at his stomach. “Stop eating so much rice! Obviously this sport isn’t putting off enough weight, eh?”

The doorbell rang. Finally, Wakatoshi took a gulp of fresh air as his mother went to the door.

It opened. Wakatoshi couldn’t stop smiling.

Everything seemed to blur and fade into each other. Wakatoshi took his coat. Yuri was taken away. The twins began to cry and whine for food. Ms. Ushijima said nothing.

The dining room in the Ushijima home was tiny. The dinner table was small, made of driftwood from Wakatoshi’s great grandfather. The clinking of dishes were mixed in with the twins crying. Yuri sat uncomfortably. Wakatoshi only ate as he looked at his father.

Mr. Utsui Takashi barely had hair- he was balding. He had a curly like stubble though, and he had developed an annoying, wheezing-like cough after inhaling any sort of food. It seemed his vision got worse, since he had thought the twins were identical. He had to take a double take to Yuri and Wakatoshi before laughing and embracing him tightly. His hands were disgusting. He smelled of fish and B.O.

But Wakatoshi put his face in his neck, and embraced him thrice as tightly once he had seen him minutes ago. Wakatoshi nearly lifted his father from the ground. Now, as Wakatoshi picked at his small serving of possibly 382 pieces of rice and steak, he watched his father talk to Yuri.

“Ah, Wakatoshi, she is so cute! Ooh~,” he pinched Yuri’s cheek who giggled and thanked him, a little awkward. Wakatoshi ate his steak, a little curve on his lips from their interaction.

“Utsui-san, I am so excited! I cannot believe you came all this way, because ‘Toshi-chan is going to nationals!” Yuri smiled.

Wakatoshi’s grandmother stopped feeding the twins and sighed. “It’s not why he came.”

The young man felt the steak he swallowed start to froth in his mouth. He forced it down, and turned to his father. “What is the news that you have?”

“I got fired from my job.” Mr. Utsui said, a little weak. “Well, they laid us off—,”

Ms. Ushijima stood up and gathered the plates. “Your father is coming back to live with us until he finds something good. Hopefully in Tokyo so he can move out again.”

“Y-yes...” Mr. Utsui slouched, but he continued to eat his rice.

Wakatoshi ate his steak, and he quietly let his mother take it as he looked at Yuri’s hand. “Will you be taking care of the twins, then?” he said.

Mr. Utsui opened his mouth, a little confused, but he only sighed, “Ah- well yes. I will. I am also discussing that matter with your mother.”

“Do you need to go to court for it?” Wakatoshi continued to sit as Yuri held onto him, adjusting their feet from the long period of sitting on them.

“No, Oba-san will handle the matters.”

Wakatoshi nodded, and quietly asked his grandmother to be excused. Once she nodded, she eyed his left hand as he helped Yuri up.

“Your lover cannot go. I need to ask them some things as well.”

“Oba-san.” Wakatoshi bowed his head, “they need to stretch out their feet.”

“I don’t care. Sit by me, Yuri-tan.” Yuri looked back, and shooed Wakatoshi off. He bowed, only slightly, before sliding open the doors, and going outside.

The Ushijima Land stretched for only a couple of square acres. Wakatoshi sat down awkwardly by the lake.

It was technically a marsh but his mother never liked him calling it that. He fondly remembered how he invited his team here to train. Goshiki nearly passed out in the fields further West, if Grandmother Nijiko had not taken care of him. Wakatoshi smiled remembering how she pinched his cheeks and cooed, “Goshiki-Bo.”

“Wakatoshi.” He turned, slightly, and Mr. Utsui sat down next to him with a bit of difficulty. “Ah, what a nice night, hm?” he tried to hide his cough.

“Yes.” the young man said.

Mr. Utsui sighed, tapping his fingers and looking off at the side, towards the stars. “H-How is Shiratorizawa?”

“We won against Karasuno a few days ago. My team and I are going to nationals.”

Mr. Utsui smiled. “Ah, perfect, perfect, good for you. I’m happy that it makes you happy.” Wakatoshi looked down. He did not feel anything. The dream that had woken him up this morning has scared him. He had no idea why. “You trained hard for this, hm?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad my son has come all this way. You’ve gotten so big and strong! Tell me, do the twins bother you? I hope the farm work isn't too much either. But you’re 18 now, and-,”

Wakatoshi stood up. He took a deep breath. He simply took off his kimono.

Mr. Utsui blinked. “‘Toshi?”

“I’m going for a run.” The boy ran without a word to his father. He was glad Mr. Utsui didn’t follow. Because Wakatoshi began to cry.

After a good ten minute run, Wakatoshi took yet another shower once he got back. He now wore his pajamas. A big shirt he had been gifted once from Mr. Utsui, and Pokemon themed pants he got from Satori a year ago.

Wakatoshi went to the entrance of his home, holding Yuri’s hands. It was time to say goodbye to Yuri-Chan. “Your Grandma is so weird.” they giggled, trying to hush their voice. That made no sense to him, really. Grandmother Nijiko heard everything.

“She is my blood. I got it from her.” Yuri giggled and kissed him softly, and he did in return. “You’re so weird~,”

“Yes.” He wanted to go inside already. He needed to think of what the matter was with his father. But he needed to also stall for Yuri to feel safe.

“Heh, okay, tomorrow is my practice.” They pulled him close and cooed, “I’ll see you?”

“Of course.” He stared at their features. He remembered hearing a few opposing volleyball players try to bully Yuri. He made sure they lost within two sets. For Yuri was like a flower to Wakatoshi- they had a timeless beauty. He loved staring at the shape of their eyes, how their nose scrunched ever so slightly when they smiled, and especially, when their irises dilated. He never felt such an intense feeling pull himself toward her.

They hugged him tightly. “Love you, ‘Toshi-Chan.”

“I love you too.”

After another kiss, Yuri-Chan’s aunt pulled up in her car. With another wave, Yuri had disappeared from his grasp. Wakatoshi was all alone.

☆彡

The Last Set. Wakatoshi took his stance as one of the outer blockers. He watched the ball be served by the Karasuno Crows. The Samurai Crow, Asahi, paused before spiking, causing Wakatoshi to miss his timing on the block. On the next turn, when Kenjiro sets, Wakatoshi returns his point as he spikes against the block. In games, he lets Satori do the blocking, since he is better. Wakatoshi is smart, he has no doubt about that in this sport, but he knows his teammate’s instinctual guess is better than anything. When Satori went left, Wakatoshi followed and blocked it correctly. He quietly nodded as Satori beamed with pride.

After another few more scores, Wakatoshi blinked at the sudden point Karasuno took. His eyebrows were raised as he drank his water. He was surprised by the new attack Karasuno made. Never in his years of volleyball research, of play, did he believe it could work against his strong team, or actually score. They were extremely fearless.

Wakatoshi frowned at himself when Reon missed. But now he can make a point to honor him, and also win back the lead. As he spiked, he spotted the little short Libero, the Lightning Bolt Crow Yu. He frowned, and he spiked quickly to his left. It was quick, causing a jolt of pain to his shoulder, but it did the trick for them to get a point.

Despite that, the Blond Crow, Kei, tried to go against him. Which made him annoyed. This tiny blocker, tried to go against his immeasurable strength? Wakatoshi huffed quietly. 

Wakatoshi hated how Kei knew how to one touch, how to time his spikes perfectly. But he didn’t even have the strength like Satori did. He was just a wannabe Satori. And no one is like Satori. And such thoughts, that the young man had, made his strength greater with the stress of the Blond Crow. Kei made a grave mistake. Pissing off the Miracle Boy.

With the next point to be made, and with his new power up that Kei unknowingly gave Wakatoshi, the Miracle Boy then, out of pure anger, made sure he could not play. Using his entire body weight, he made sure that Kei was out. Against Kei’s perfect block, Wakatoshi had spiked so hard to Kei’s right fingers, he heard the crack.

As Wakatoshi landed, he turned away. He had scored. And Kei would be gone.

After Karasuno’s kerfuffle of Kei’s condition, now Wakatoshi could serve. Now that the Blond Crow was gone, just a few more points were made by him and Wakatoshi could see Father.

“Bring it!” Karasuno yelled.

Bring it? Wakatoshi thought. How amusing. He will. He threw the ball up, jumped, and struck it hard. The Samurai Crow hit it in the air, his skin turning red from impact. Typical. Karasuno was playing yet another synchronized attack. But Wakatoshi saw how Satori eyed Sugawara’s shoes, and jumped immediately. The Captain relaxed at seeing Satori’s correct guess, and watched. He watched Satori glare down at the boy, a blush blooming on his pale cheeks. Wakatoshi could not help but smirk to himself as well.

The Eagles were soaring far above the Crows.

The Last Set. Wakatoshi, being a not loud person, clapped for Satori as the rest of his team screamed. Satori’s blocks were always one to be celebrated. His skills were amazing, and were an important asset to the team.

After switching sides, Wakatoshi served. But he can feel himself getting tired, as he jumped he got a blurry vision and hit the ball to the net. He makes a genuine apology, deciding to let his team do some more of the heavy lifting. After all, the Blond Crow was gone.

But seeing the Chibi-Chan, Shoyo Hinata, Wakatoshi stood taller. He scowled at the boy. Kenjiro sensed his anger, and set the ball to the Ace. Now he spiked it down. But no. As if the boy was blessed only with his speed, he saw, in awe, how the boy caught the damn ball with his face. Satori missed his spike, the two comrades tched at the boy. Wakatoshi could feel his and Satori’s hatred at the boy’s talentless smile. Even more so, what made Wakatoshi steam further was that Shoyo still scored points. Not only was he reckless, he always just went for his head. It made the Ace sick to his stomach. Ungrateful runt.

Wakatoshi had not doubted he wouldn’t win, but now he wanted to crush the small boy. He wanted to win just as bad as he did.

After the next loss, due to Satori’s overthinking, Wakatoshi tried not to chuckle at seeing Satori get yelled at by the Coach. Despite the hilarity, now the Captain had to make up for Satori’s lost concentration. Right now he couldn’t depend on him. Right now he needs to win. Even if Satori can’t pick up his slack.

The first years’ reckless quick attack. Wakatoshi hated it. Speed was all he had. Nothing like the great rival Wakatoshi had expected him to be; no, just Stupid, Small, Sly Shoyo.

Wakatoshi can hear Yuri-Chan cheer loudly from the bleachers with his school. He heard his school cheer proudly after Eita’s no touch serve, only to find Karasuno's ridiculous cheering. Now he turned around, to his team, and he furrowed his brows. He looked upon their glistening faces. “We Shall Finish This.” Now all of Shiratorizawa sang aloud. Perfect. A traditional song. A traditional strength of his. He will beat all of Karasuno, if he has to, to the ground.

Wakatoshi watched as Shoyo reflected his spike, and made what should’ve been his point, theirs. He never wanted anything more than to crush Shoyo as he did to Kei. He clenched his fists and turned away.

Goshiki talked. Gushed about the Shrimp. “Can you believe it, Wakatoshi? It’s like his speed can power through your strength!” The Ace said nothing in response.

Stupid Shoyo....he shouldn’t have done that at all.

Goshiki was trying to prove himself, to help Wakatoshi’s previous loss- Wakatoshi felt like he was trying to watch paint dry.

In retaliation, Wakatoshi hit hard against the New Crow despite the Samurai Crow’s time block that he copied from the Blond Crow. But now he felt his arm throb. Store. He would need to wait until he can use all of his strength to beat them. To finish this. But first, Wakatoshi needed to calm himself down.

He needed a replacement.

Wakatoshi turned to the smaller, youngest member. He put his hand on his shoulder, and made strong eye contact. “Goshiki. Do not panic, you have much talent. Let us finish this.”

Wakatoshi moved out of the way, and he caught his breath. Goshiki made a great point. As he planned. As he should. So he can finish beautifully. It was often like the paintings his Uncle Hideaki would make, little colors mixing in, adding up to the pine forests next to the Ushijima Acres. What Goshiki did was pure art. With a serve to get them back in the lead. With Goshiki’s now flared ego, Wakatoshi knew he could lead this. He had successfully stored up enough energy, and calmed himself down- 

A tie.

He noticed Coach staring at him. As Captain, as Ace, as a Volleyball Player. He needed to win for him as well. He lowered his stance. Kenjiro made the set to, The Traditional Wakatoshi, The Traditional Strength, The God, spiked hard to the Libero Crow. The ball flew past.

One More Point. Wakatoshi heard. One More Point. Because they are stronger.

But who came running back? Just as they were winning, for one more point. The Blond Crow had flown back to the game.

The Last Set. 15 Shiratorizawa. 14 Karasuno.

Wakatoshi wanted to crush his dreams, and now his other fingers. Yunohama came in, but Satori read failed on a part of the play against Tobio. Wakatoshi wanted to say something to the Blond Crow. But he realized he did not despise him like Shoyo. Only found him as an obstacle to crush.

Wakatoshi reminded Kenjiro. “Use me mercilessly.” He had enough stamina. He needed to be ready to beat the dreams of these foolish crows. As Reon made the ball go up, Wakatoshi struck Kenjiro’s fake set, right at Kei. He stared him down during their fall. He felt himself puff out his chest. He talked with his glowing eyes, as if saying, I can beat you.

Wakatoshi needed to serve again, but at the stupid Libero. He felt his thighs shake as he readied himself. He leaped up high, and hit the net to fool them.

But it didn’t work.

Satori couldn’t block the return attack. And now Karasuno was in the lead. Despite how hard Wakatoshi used his strength to get through the Blond Crow. During Coach’s timeout, Wakatoshi squeezed the pouches the twins had packed for him. Every game. Every practice. The twins packed him a little juice pouch.

He relaxed. His legs really needed to sit. A lot. Despite how tired he was from that run, he caught his breath. Kenjiro asked if he can still be used. He saw his teammate’s red, exhausted faces. This game was worrying them. Karasuno was in the lead.

Wakatoshi agreed with a warm smile. Because now he can win, with real, strong teamwork. Everyone depended on him. “Use me.”

On the court, the Libero saved it from the Samurai crow’s attack. Meaning he can serve, and he- It didn’t count. He tried to push it far. But his shoulder ached. Stupid Shoyo. Too late. He was too quick. Wakatoshi felt his muscles ache, like quiet screams.

This time, he spiked inside. Stupid Shoyo.

Wakatoshi was breathing heavily. But, he looked up, and grunted out of happiness. Stupid Shoyo!! He thought to himself.

Reon served. But, Shoyo made the next point.

Stupid Shoyo.

Wakatoshi smiled though, when Shoyo tried to quick attack, and Satori blocked it. But he didn’t grimace out of disappointment. He only kept thinking.

Stupid Shoyo.

Wakatoshi watched the ball on the next attack. He watched Hinata not jump. His legs froze. Stupid Shoyo. He congratulated Goshiki on the new point, with a nod as he went to the net.

He watched the ball slowly fall as a new play began. Another point-

The Libero. Wakatoshi felt the ball slip through his block. He hated the feeling as he grimaced at the passing and quick sting to his pinky. Wakatoshi stood and watched the Blond Crow figure out their attacks, he couldn’t help but now feel the same sense of annoyance as with Shoyo. He needed to truly show them who was going to win.

The Last Set. Hinata served. They do a minus tempo back attack. Shoyo spiked at Taichi. When he failed, Wakatoshi picked it up and yelled at his server. It’s time. Merciless Attack.

He wanted to hit. He wanted to hit Stupid Shoyo’s face so hard. Kenjiro noted Wakatoshi’s burning fury. Goshiki whimpered under his breath as he ran. But Wakatoshi flew up, and he spiked it to three blockers. But he spiked it right at their setter.

No point. The ball went up.

His nose flared, and he grunted underneath his breath.

Those crows.

Those.

Those damn crows.

THOSE BASTARD CROWS DARED DEFY HIM. HE HAD NEVER FELT SUCH HEAT IN HIS BODY; AS IF LAVA HAD BEEN SPURTING OUT OF HIM IN RAGE. SUCH ANGER INSIDE HIM AS HE SAW THE KARASUNO CROWS WEAKLY FIGHT; SUCH ANGER INSIDE HIM AS HE SAW THE KARASUNO WEAKLY TRY AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT AGAINST HIS STRENGTH. HE WAS PINNING THEM DOWN.

THE BALD CROW PICKED IT UP. CHANCE BALL.

WAKATOSHI COULDN’T STOP. HE NEEDED TO FIGHT.

STUPID SHOYO NEEDED TO LOSE!

This time, Shoyo flew up in the all out quick attack. Wakatoshi saw the ball. Where it went. Down. On his side. He felt his throat being choked, by someone.

Beneath him.

Wakatoshi saw it. He shook Shoyo’s hand and walked away. His face was grim. He saw Coach;s face staring at Shoyo. He noted how Satori was painted, with a tear falling down his face. How Goshiki sobbed. Reon staring at his hand. The Libero panting, his face a bright red.

Wakatoshi heard it. A flat thanks. No one spoke. Except the single mutter, “I thought we couldn’t lose.”

Wakatoshi smelled the salt, he saw the youngest shake and cry, hugging his broad body. A single, disappointed turn from the Coach. A flat, “hit 100 serves when we get back.”

“Wakatoshi, didn’t you get mad?” Satori asked.

Wakatoshi felt his body relax. His inner thigh was being stretched out. He paused. “I wanted to say I am stronger than them. Isn’t that childish? I wanted to say it.”

“Childish reasons are what drives us. What a great game.” A pause. “I’m quitting volleyball. I’m going to watch you on TV and brag about how we were best friends.” Satori giggled. “It’ll be fun to be interviewed about you when you get big and famous!”

21 Karasuno. 19 Shiratorizawa.

He turned away to the bright smiles of the first year duo. The Great Eagles had lost their feathers.

Wakatoshi woke up with a gasp as he held his throat. He panted, beads of sweat dripping down his bare chest. He groaned quietly, and he held his head.

It was a dream. A Dream.

Stupid Shoyo...he had invaded his dreams. And Wakatoshi looked at his left hand. He held the trophy.

He had held the trophy. Not the Karasuno Crows. He did. He touched it. And no one else could ever take that feeling away from him.

Wakatoshi turned on the bath again in his personal restroom, and got in. He sat in complete silence, and he filled the bucket with water. He dumped it upon himself. It was cold. He let his body shiver. He let himself sink as he weakly washed himself.

He heard his dad snore a few rooms down. But the worst thing that Wakatoshi did that night was cry.

☆彡

Wakatoshi knocked on the door to Coach Washijo’s room. “Wakatoshi-kun, come in.”

The boy walked inside, and blinked softly. He wore his school uniform, freshly ironed. “Coach Washijo. May I sit down?”

“Of course.” Wakatoshi pulled out the chair, and sat, he looked at his feet. Coach Washijo sighed, and he looked to the windows. “You know it, hm?”

Wakatoshi nodded. “We do not deserve this trophy.”

“I am already surprised you finished your punishment. I am extremely disappointed by the fact you brought the Chibi-Chan on our school grounds before. And for the game itself, Captain.”

Wakatoshi moved the chairs aside and he got on his knees, bowing his head. “I do not deserve the title as Captain.”

“Neither does anyone else on the team, son. But, I was the one who called you in here,” Coach Washijo went to him, and tapped his back. Wakatoshi slowly got up, and looked down. “I am proud. Don’t tell the others this, Wakatoshi-kun. That was a close game. I need you to practice with everyone. Get everyone ready for the Nationals. You deserve it.”

Wakatoshi bowed. “Thank you, Coach.”

As he left, his mind became fogged. How, how could he have even let himself be seen like that? Coach knew. Coach and he are the only ones, only ones who know the Karasunos were so, so so close to becoming the winners.

So.

Close.

Wakatoshi turned to the restroom quickly, and he began to breathe heavily. He loosened his tie as he stared into the sink. That close. Two points away from his dreams, his father, everything he had known into the sink, washed away because of Shoyo. 

“STUPID SHOYO!”

With the force of thunder, he punched the mirror. He panted, and looked at his reflection. The mirror didn’t shatter. The boy sighed as he turned on the sink, and washed his face. He rinsed it, as the water turned hot. Hot. Hot. Hot-

He held onto the sink, gasping for air. He remembered it. He remembered his mother scrubbing him fiercely with a wood scrubber. “Wakatoshi you need to start scrubbing!” She picked at his hair. “You need to start getting off those dead skin cells!” She ripped off anything that came off him. “Or else no one will like you! You wanna end up like your Dad? I married him out of pity! He was supposed to give me money!”

Wakatoshi held onto the sink, panting again as he washed his face. No. No he did not want to be like his father. Injured. No, that's why he ate well. He treated his body well. Run no less than five laps around the acres. Avoid the tree stump to the right. He could never, ever end up like his dad. 

He threw his head up and panted as he stared at himself. His skin was pink. He felt nothing on his skin. He only sighed. He grabbed the paper towels and wiped his face. He started to cry.

He was so close to ending up like his Dad. Like Tooru. No. He is strong. He got to Nationals.

He’s living his true, and only dream.

Then why is The Miracle Boy panicking?

☆彡

The lunch room was bustled, filled with happy and chattering students from the game that happened a week ago. The chefs served sushi today. Yuri was away in the auditorium for practice.

Wakatoshi ate with his team. Satori smiled. “Wow! Did Yuri give you good luck concerts for their concert, Wakatoshi-kun?”

“No.” he responded, eating a salmon roll after.

Eita sighed, “Well, I hear they’re playing with that new transfer, Choboyo-kun.”

Wakatoshi looked up, and scowled. “Oh.”

“Ooh, Eita-kun you’re going to get Wakatoshi-kun so angry!!” Satori laughed. 

Wakatoshi continued to eat, and he frowned as he looked down. It was one of his worst flaws. Jealousy. Shoyo. Tooru. Despite how they collapsed, how they looked up in anger, he knew they still probably had nice days. Tooru probably was nice with his nephew. Shoyo had hugged his best friends. Wakatoshi had his teammates and the twins. Yuri and he had been dating for a year, four months, and 27 days. The thought of Yuri being with another boy, of course it was rational he would get upset.

Besides, Yuri never told him of anything remotely close to the concert for that night. He continued to eat. He would tell them later.

☆彡

Wakatoshi slammed the ball against the ball in a beat. One two, one two three. He remembered the beat from a lullaby his Uncle Ushijima Hideaki sang to him. He threw the ball up, and ran, staring at the ball. He wanted nothing more, like Left Handing Hideaki, than to show his strength. He hit the other side of the net.

Satori, Goshiki, and Kenjiro were across Wakatoshi. Taichi and Eita were with Wakatoshi. He watched as Satori took the first hit, giving Kenjiro time to serve to Goshiki. Wakatoshi moved with Taichi to go for a block. Wakatoshi jumped early, but blocked Goshiki’s spike.

“One touch!” Taichi yelled. He jumped down, as Wakatoshi quickly caught the ball and moved it up. Eita made a pretty decent set. Wakatoshi did not want to upset him by saying it was much too far from the net, but he jumped.

Satori jumped perfectly. A great timing block. 

Wakatoshi froze. He saw Satori’s crazy blood red eyes flash into the Blond Crow. Wakatoshi smacked down the ball.

“FUCK!”

The game stopped, and everyone went to Satori’s hand. He winced quietly, and he flexed his middle finger. His comrades gasped out of grotesque. “Wakatoshi-kun! Shit-, you do scare me!”

“Sorry.” Wakatoshi panted. He was sweaty. He was sticky and sweaty. He wanted to shower.

“Is everything—?” Coach Saito started.

“Let’s put Hayato in while we practice.” Wakatoshi grabbed the ball, walking over. “We need to make sure we win the next game.”

“Captain, we did win.” Goshiki gently took Satori close, wrapping his fingers with a tape.

Wakatoshi scowled. He didn’t want to admit to his comrades they barely won. Stupid Shoyo almost took away their name of the Great Eagles. But he turned away. “One more game, then Eita and I shall take Satori to Nurse Yui.”

Everyone gave a hesitant agreement. Wakatoshi sighed, he banged the ball against the wooden ground. He looked across the net.

Six players in black and orange uniforms. Goshiki’s hair had faded to the Captain Crow. The foolish Lightning Libero Crow. Kenjiro looked so much like Tobio.

Wakatoshi twitched. He threw the ball up. Not again. Not again. He leaped into the air, and he felt- no he saw Goshiki move. Shoyo. He spiked hard, past Hayato, past Goshiki’s defense, so hard the ball had flown to the ceiling, and had gotten stuck in a beam.

Wakatoshi panted, his muscles spasming, and he looked at Goshiki with anger. He showed him. He showed him he is the strongest. He showed him no matter how hard he would train like Tooru he would not—

Satori gripped his arm. Wakatoshi stopped breathing. His best friend frowned. “Wakatoshi. You won.”

☆彡

Yuri smiled and they held Wakatoshi’s hand. They had been wandering the neighborhood for awhile, and now Yuri was just beginning to look at the music stores and babbling about their new deep desire for something about a gem. They said it would make the music sound crystal clear.

“Is it not clear already?” The boy asked.

“Silly! No!! It needs to be perfect for the concert!”

The concert. Wakatoshi followed them around, and after the eighth story about how they loved little stuffed animals, he asked, “Who is Choboyo?”

“And- huh? Oh! Choboyo-Senpai! He’s in university, so he offered to play with me! He’s a little bit much though...”

Wakatoshi went closer as Yuri continued in telling their story. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yuri looked over and sighed. “Because look at you! Wakatoshi-Chan, you’re slouching. Don’t worry, he’s only in the background of my performance for tomorrow. Now come on! Chin up~! I need to pick out a good outfit for tomorrow! I wanted you to help!”

Wakatoshi was too tired to disagree, despite him having promised his mother to babysit the twins. That morning. He knew Grandmother Nijiko would tell Ms. Ushijima, and he knew he would be subjected to the marsh cleaning, but, seeing Yuri’s smile as they picked out a strawberry shirt for their suit, was enough for him to think;

 “Who cares?”

Wakatoshi was benched. Coach Saito had explained to Wakatoshi that he had to maintain his speed before he could be put back on the court. Which was perfect. During lunch, privately, he practiced. It was better for him then.

No more Karasuno Crows.

But tonight, the concert hall had changed. However, Wakatoshi's face was non wipeable of his scowl. He wore a hand me down of Mr. Utsui’s suit. It smelled horrible. It was stiff.

“Ah~, Yuri-kun!” Choboyo was indeed a young man, with a stubble, messy and sleek white hair, his eyes a never-ending black.

Wakatoshi scowled as he watched Yuri hug him. Yuri wore a lovely green suit, their hair pulled back.

They were so beautiful.

“Choboyo! This is my boyfriend, Ushijima Wakatoshi. He’s a volleyball player- He’s going to the National Championship!”

The young men stared at each other. Wakatoshi nodded. “Good luck.”

“We say break a leg, actually.” He only despised him even more, now. “Come on, Yuri,” Wakatoshi eyed his hand. His right hand lingered on Yuri’s waist, on their shoulders, and on their hands.

Wakatoshi sighed to himself.

Yuri turned. “Is something wrong?” Choboyo also looked, raising a white eyebrow of his. Wakatoshi gripped his fists and he scowled at Choboyo.

“You like Yuri-Chan. My partner.”

“Wakatoshi—!”

“I won’t lie.” Choboyo took his hands off Yuri, “They’re very attractive.”

Wakatoshi widened his eyes. He didn’t expect the man to just admit it. It was almost like he was trying to be a pervert.

“E-excuse us,” Yuri put a hand to Choboyo’s chest. “I-I’ll be right there.” Yuri sighed as Choboyo smirked to himself, kissed their hand, and walked away.

Wakatoshi stepped closer. “Do you not see this? He’s a pervert.”

“It’s one performance,” Yuri said, rubbing their arm. “Don’t you realize this is why I’ve been asking you to be with me? W-why I’ve been playing more around you, and not practicing here? I know.” 

He blinked. He wanted to say something. Anything. He gulped. He blinked. “Yuri-Chan. I do not think you should play with him.”

Yuri looked up with teary eyes. “If you’re not going to be here to support me right now, I-I want you to leave. I can’t do this right now, ‘Toshi. I want to take a break.”

He gulped. “Yuri, perhaps you should think straight. D-don’t—.”

“I’ll see you around.” They turned around, and just like that, Wakatoshi again, was alone.

☆彡

Wakatoshi locked the door behind him. He sat on his bed. It creaked. Across the hall, he heard the twins.

The twins.

He got up as fast as he could, and he went to their room. Everything in the room was painted pink, and had little birds that twittered happily with the characters of bird songs next to their beaks. The room was split into Mayumi’s play space, and then Kazane’s.

Wakatoshi squatted down. 

The twins were on the floor, Mayumi’s foot was in her mouth. Kazane was trying to climb back in her crib. Her left hand was on the crib. Wakatoshi picked up Kazane, and started to hum.

Before he had heard his mother and father fight, he actually wanted to sing. He remembered seeing his father’s sisters all perform and sing. It made him stare in awe. The twirling of their batons, of their voices, their silks. Wakatoshi adored it. He once thought of himself there, dancing.

It was Grandfather Ushijima Touma who frowned at catching him. “Nijiko.” he had stated firmly. “He is pretending to be a daughter.” Wakatoshi had never felt such pain as he did that evening.

But being an artist was worse. That was when they discovered he had a tendency to write with his left hand. Just like the exiled Uncle Hideaki. He was supposedly in Germany.

“You had let him draw?!” cried Ms. Ushijima. Her parents stood next to her. She gripped his hand. “Does this look right to you? Huh, Takashi?!” 

It was only his father. Little, nothing for brains, Mr. Utsui, who stood in front of his son. “He’s just a boy! He’ll use it for-for something great! You just wait!”

Wakatoshi picked up Mayumi as well, and began to hum. He began to quietly sing the lullaby. An old song. It was about change. About the discovery of an island. About how the tide changed with each roll onto the warm sand. Yes, everything to the nude eye was the same, but change happened. With tradition, came slow, but sure, change.

He lifted his baby sisters above him. He teared up. “This forbidden, new world, on a summer day we meet.” Mayumi was the only one awake now. He hummed as he knelt beside her. “On a summer day, we will meet again, Imoto-san.”

“Wakatoshi?” The boy turned, with teary eyes as Mayumi drifted into sleep. Mr. Utsui stood there, his mouth slack open. He closed it. “I didn’t know you sang.”

“Me either.” Wakatoshi stood up.

Mr. Utsui looked away, “Ah- well, Wakatoshi, why don’t we go outside?” He nodded and stood, awkwardly following him outside.

The sun was setting to the west of the Ushijima Acres. Wakatoshi sat on an old swing. Mr. Utsui sat next to him. Wakatoshi made sure not to look at his father; for he smelled horribly.

“Son, I- well, I have some news about you and your sisters.” Wakatoshi looked at him. Mr. Utsui had gained many splotches of white on his face, and wrinkles.

“Yes?”

“I got a job out of Miyagi Prefecture. I’m taking the twins with me. You will continue to live with your mother.”

Wakatoshi paused. He looked out at the sunset. “No.”

Mr. Utsui wheezed out of his age, “I beg your pardon?”

“You have not been here for the divorce. You were not there for Oka-san when she gave birth. You were not there to take care of the girls. You were not even here for me.” Wakatoshi looked at the sun, and it disappeared.

“You do not deserve the twins.”

The boy got up, before he stopped. His shirt was caught on something. He tugged. To no avail. He tugged and he- Wakatoshi had stumbled, back, he was trying to regain himself.

But everything flashed.

Yuri. 

Kazane. 

Mayumi. 

Mr. Utsui.

Ms. Ushijima.

Grandmother Nijiko

Grandfather Touma.

Kei.

Shoyo.

Himself.

Wakatoshi had fallen into the marsh, and he had passed out into the water.

☆彡

Wakatoshi awoke, to Kazane biting his finger. He gasped, and he groaned. He began to gently flex his body, and groan again. “O-oka-san-?”

“Hold still.” Ms. Ushijima scrubbed his body. “You nearly drowned in the lake. Ugh, look at the water! Oka-san!” she cried. She wore a bra- she never wore such things. Sweatpants?

Were Satori’s theories true? Did alternate universes exist?

“Oka-san- agh- I-I cannot-,”

Ms. Ushijima smacked his face. Satori was wrong, alternate universes did not exist. “Still, I said! You banged up your knee pretty badly.”

Wakatoshi sat up, practically leapt up, but he moaned loudly in pain. “N-No, no. No-  O-oka-san- please- I can’t-!”

“Shut up, you’ll heal if you sit still!”

Wakatoshi looked up, and started to cry. “I-I won’t win. Oka-san,” he hugged her, he cried in her neck. “I-I won't a-able to play! I’ll fail at nationals! Tell me!!” He held her tightly as he looked at her.

Ms. Ushijima stared down at her son.

Wakatoshi had clear snot on his upper lip. His tears were salty, and stained his cheeks as they dripped down into the tub. He was only in his bare underwear. The water was marshy. He had a rose colored bruise blossom on his knee.

Ms. Ushijima took his chin. “Listen to me, Wakatoshi. If you sit absolutely still, I’ll see what I can do. Just,” she heard the baby whimper.

“O-oni. . .” one of the twins started to cry.

Wakatoshi sniffled, and he looked at Kazane. Ms. Ushijima gave the baby to him. “Kazane-kun, go comfort your Oni-tan.”

“Oni~!” Kazane wrapped her chubby arms around him, then Mayumi as Ms. Ushijima placed her on him. Mayumi, adorably, finished her sister’s sentence, “tan!”

Wakatoshi smiled, and he softly cried, as Ms. Ushijima lifted up his right leg. “It’s alright, Wakatoshi-tan, I’m here.” She held it with care, and repeated, quietly as she wet some rags, “I’m here.”

☆彡

It was the night of the concert. Wakatoshi wore his school outfit, despite it being the weekend. He told his parents it’s on school grounds. They did not argue.

Goshiki found out about his injury. He had gotten the word out. Wakatoshi had been numb the entire night. He went to bed the night before, sleeping with his sisters in their room. He had awoken to their stuffed animals on his face.

Mr. Utsui chuckled about how their first word was for their elder brother. Grandmother Nijiko spoke nothing as she ate breakfast with him.

Satori sat next to Wakatoshi, wearing a hoodie, and he smiled. “Yuri-kun looks awfully pretty today, huh Wakatoshi-kun~?”

Wakatoshi said nothing. He only looked down. Strangely, he did not want to get up this morning. He did not want to do anything. He felt as if he should retire from life.

The Miracle Boy was supposed to be strong.

Never to get hurt.

And yet, here he was. Pathetically existing next to his family. He did not even mention to them that Yuri did not love him anymore. He did not tell anyone, either, of his sisters moving away from him.

They sat on his lap though, pacifiers in their mouths.

“Wakatoshi-kun, your sisters are so so so cute!” Satori laughed as he picked up Mayumi. She began to whine, aher pigtails bouncing as her blue eyes stared at Satori in fury. She fussed before Wakatoshi gently put her on his lap.

“She does not like to be held from under the arms. Only by her stomach, Despite her being ticklish there, she loves it.”

Satori smiled softly. “You love them a lot. Were they there for you when-?”

Wakatoshi nodded. “Yes. They were born right after. Oka-san was tired. They kept me company.” He paused. “I do not know what to do without them.”

Satori sighed softly, “I understand.”

The lights dimmed. A hush over the audience. The auditorium was huge and packed.

Yuri, and Choboyo came out. Yuri was so uncomfortable. Their eyes looked down at the ground. Choboyo grabbed the microphone. “Thank you, everyone, for our performance tonight! I gotta say- Yuri has something great planned out!”

The two turned to the middle of the stage. Yuri nodded. They held a different violin. It was not theirs.

Choboyo went to his grand piano proudly, and he looked at Yuri’s body, then at their eyes. They both looked at each other, finally, nodded and looked away. After a few seconds, Choboyo started off.

Wakatoshi hated it. He pounded a key, then followed it as if he was trying to sing a love song for Yuri.

Despite the famous classical song, it was still the one Yuri had played what seemed like eons ago. The Swan.

Here it went by the Carnival of Animals.

But Wakatoshi knew what Yuri was trying to replicate. But their music, their bow, the sound made Wakatoshi cringe.

It was not the joy, peaceful, calm song Yuri played in the land. Here, mixed in with Choboyo’s romantic noise; was their song of sorrow. They focused, as if on the music, and not on their own play.

Wakatoshi looked down. Two birds. One defeated. Another attack for more.

The song ended.

Wakatoshi clapped, his hands smacking like thunder, and Yuri looked at him, just for a moment. They went backstage, and the next duo came out. The song was the infamous Clair De Lune.

“Wakatoshi?”

He looked at his dad beside him. Mr. Utsui showered the night before due to falling in the marsh to save Wakatoshi. He had done his hair. He had also shaved.

“Your mother and I talked, we decided that I’ll live here. After my first paycheck I’ll get a good car, so I can drive in and out of the Prefecture. And, son?” Mr. Utsui moved in closer.

Wakatoshi suddenly teared up. When he was little, he remembered exactly how his father smelled when he protected him from the traditional rules that had ached his once frail bones.

Like hot sand.

Mr. Utsui, in that moment, murmured into Wakatoshi’s ear, as the song had ended, “I am so proud you got into Nationals. Keep working hard. Keep getting stronger for us.”

As Wakatoshi’s hot tears fell, he whispered, looking at his father, “T-Thank you, Oto-san.”

☆彡

Wakatoshi had bounced the ball. He stood firmly on his right leg. He breathed in deeply. He eyed his friend across from him, and Mr. Utsui who held the twins. Mayumi was on the sand, babbling and trying to eat it.

“Imoto-san, do not try to eat the sand, okay?” Wakatoshi looked across to his sister.

“Oni~!” Kazane cried with a laugh.

Wakatoshi chuckled, and he gently bounced the ball. The sand underneath his sneakers. His deep and panting breath. He looked at his friend with a soft smile.

Satori panted himself, his red hair sticking to his forehead. He only smiled widely with happiness.

Wakatoshi breathed deeply, and calmed himself.

Satori and he, underneath the midnight moon.

Wakatoshi served. Satori dived under and threw the ball up, before spiking. Wakatoshi, with great speed, blocked and Satori read him. Satori gathered himself again to throw the ball, set, then spike. Now Wakatoshi served it to himself, and he quickly set it. He now went to the left, and spiked hard right. Satori tried to follow for a moment, before he watched the ball slam beside him. Satori, however, blocked enough to make a dump. Wakatoshi nodded.

A great defense.

Satori smiled with a small breath of relief, “Wakatoshi-kun, I love playing with you, but you scare me.”

The young man smiled as he went underneath the net to get it. “I try my best to be a Strong Monster as well.”

“How scary!” Satori gasped, and Wakatoshi took the ball. He spun the ball as Mr. Utsui cheered happily.

“Go Wakatoshi-kun!”

“Are you okay? I know your dad is back.” Satori said quietly.

Wakatoshi turned around. “It’s okay. I-I’m not happy he is back.”

Satori widened his eyes. “Oh?”

Wakatoshi sat beside him against the barn. The Ushijima space was so peaceful now. Not in a flash as he usually saw it. Wakatoshi took a deep breath again. “He came to announce he lost his job. He told me he was happy and I was happy. Not that he was proud.” Wakatoshi began to practice throwing the ball up and setting, as if it was instinct. “I was thinking. I am not happy. We nearly lost, Satori.”

His friend looked up at the stars. “I wanted to quit after that game.”

Wakatoshi stopped. He looked at his friend. “But you have so much—,”

“Those memories won’t stop flowing. Once we win nationals, Wakatoshi-kun, that’s when I’ll stop. Seeing your smile hold that big, big trophy, that’s when I’ll quit. Because then you won’t need me, and I won’t need you anymore.” Satori smiled. “I love you.”

Wakatoshi opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it. He closed his eyes, before he looked at Satori. “I love you too, Satori. Thank you for being by my side.”

They both, slowly, turned to gaze at the stars.

“So, you’ll recommend me for a movie interview, right Wakatoshi-kun?”

“Perhaps.”

☆彡

Snow drifted down. It fell against Yuri’s umbrella.

“Wait!”

Yuri stopped walking, and took out their earbuds as they turned around. They widened their eyes. “Wakatoshi-ch-? What are you- Why are you running?” Yuri started.

Wakatoshi winced, and he sighed. He hid a huge dandelion bouquet behind his back, with a small box.

“Yuri-Chan.” the young man panted, “I-I am not the strongest. I lost a lot of things in the past few days. I gained some of them back.” He showed the bouquet, and the box.

“I should have focused on you, my flower. On your music. I went to your concert. You did not practice, did you? It is alright. I do not want to jump back to our relationship if you are not ready. I believe we should go back to the beginning, Yuri-Chan. If you like, we can go back to my farm, and I can listen to you play, and play, and play until we fall asleep.”

Wakatoshi, after a moment, opened the box. There was Yuri’s dream sapphire blue rosin. One swipe, said the ad on it, and the bow is brand new.

“I will always love you. But I was not okay. Now, if you take me back, I will be. Then I will never break that promise.”

Yuri looked at his big tearful eyes. “I love you, stupid!” Yuri cried and they jumped on him, tackling him. The couple held each other, with laughter and deep chuckles as they cuddled close in the soft winter wind. In an act of warmth, Yuri hugged. In an act of love, Wakatoshi kissed. 

The couple was late for their classes that morning.

☆彡

Wakatoshi rinsed his face in the sink, lightly with cold water. Goshiki stood beside him by making faces. Reon patted the youngster’s back, and laughed. Eita instructed, but also listened to Kenjiro. Satori sang to himself.

The clinking of the lights above the young man began to go into a rhythm. His eyes tilted up, and he blinked. Once. Twice. And again.

He, and his teammates, were in a full purple volleyball outfit. The Number One on his shirt was bold white. His muscles flexed gently when he looked at his short olive hair. His eyes glimmered seeing where he was. How he was there.

The young man smiled to himself.

“Great Eagles.” The young man who played volleyball said, “Let’s finish this.”

[thepartyresponsible]

For the wip ask (they all sound very interesting ngl it was hard to pick just one!) LostSteve

lost steve! yeah, so. what if shield defrosted captain america, and he broke out and just...kept running? what if they lost him? what if he ended up hiding out in tony’s tower, away from the fight for long enough to get his feet underneath him?

this fic is mostly about steve and tony finding each other first, so they can form the heart of the avengers, instead of the fault line that splits the team in half. here’s the first part of it.

                                                          —  

There’s an alert from Nick Fury that Tony chooses to ignore, for the sake of his convenience and Fury’s ongoing character growth. JARVIS announces its arrival and then diligently reminds Tony about the message twice before Tony tells him to mute it until morning.

“If it’s really that important,” he says, “they’ll just send someone to break in anyway.”

Which is why, on some level, he’s not at all surprised to find a man sitting on a couch in his penthouse twenty-seven hours later. He will admit to being caught somewhat off-guard by the specifics of the situation, though, because Steve Rogers has been dead for longer than Tony’s been alive.

“Zombie?” Tony asks. “Hallucination? Oh, clone? Are you a clone?”

Steve Rogers looks at him the way people look at wax sculptures. Like he’s interested in the details of the creation in front of him, but doesn’t believe for a second that what he’s looking at is real. “Mr. Stark,” he says, politely. His voice is deeper than Tony would’ve guessed.

“Robot,” Tony theorizes. “Sexbot? Updated Trojan Horse? If I let you inside me, are you gonna--”

The man’s brow furrows, and his mouth twists down, and his eyes are too sad for circuitry. No one would code that kind of grief.

Tony pauses for a moment, rocks forward onto the balls of his feet and then back onto his heels. He studies this intruder carefully. Someone sent him a Steve Rogers lookalike in a white t-shirt and stained khakis. He’s hale and healthy, built like a god, but his feet are bare and dirty.

Bloody, too. There are bloody footprints on the carpet.

“Wait,” Tony says. “Wait. Who the hell are you?”

There’s a long beat of silence. The man on his couch just stares at him, eyes tracing over Tony’s face, his shoulders, looking at him like he’s starving for something. He’s quiet and small, somehow, in a way that doesn’t relate at all to the amount of space his body takes up.

And then he stands, light and graceful on his bloody feet. His jaw tightens, and his shoulders pull up, and he’s an American Hero, suddenly and decisively, like he’s made some kind of choice about it.

“Mr. Stark,” he says, again, “I’m Captain America.”

And he is, Tony thinks. The same way that he’s Iron Man. Because once you put on that kind of armor, whatever else you used to be is irrelevant.

                                                           —

He’s Captain America, and he’s back from the dead. SHIELD had him and lost him, and Nick Fury wants Tony to go looking for him. That’s the message he left with JARVIS over a day ago. And Tony can’t imagine he was the first name on their list, which means Steve Rogers has been alone in the wrong century for an unknown but considerable amount of time.

“Hey,” he says, calling out from where he’s slouched against the kitchen island, watching Captain America dutifully eat through every scrap of leftovers Tony had in the fridge. “How long have you been here?”

“I was born here,” he says, through a mouthful of fried rice that he hides behind a napkin. He chews, swallows, and jabs his fork over Tony’s shoulder. “In Brooklyn.”

Tony knew that. Of course he knew that. He memorized everything about Steve Rogers back when he thought he could become enough like him to make Howard consider him worthwhile. “No, I mean,” he says, waving his hands, “in this century. How long have you been--- Jesus. I dunno. Awake? Aware? Unfrosted flakes?”

Steve blinks at him. He stares for a second and then ducks his head, stirs his fork through the open takeout box in front of him. “Spent a couple days,” he says. “Looking around.”

Looking around. Steve Rogers, unwitting time-traveler, barefoot in New York. What had he been looking for? Why did he come here?

“Why didn’t you get any shoes?” Tony asks, instead of any of the more complicated questions.

Steve tucks his feet under his chair. He washed them half an hour or so back, walking uneasily into the bathroom Tony showed him and then locking the door behind him, like he thought Tony was some kind of pervert who would bodyslam through the door to catch a glimpse of him sudsing up his bare ankles.

“Didn’t have any money,” he says, surprisingly mulish about it.

“You couldn’t smash and grab a pair of Sketchers?” Tony shakes his head. “If you get lockjaw, you’re gonna have to tell Fury you caught it from somewhere else. Fuck’s sake, when was your last tetanus booster? 1943?”

He shrugs. He doesn’t seem concerned. He’s busy eating his way through enough calories to keep your average winter-starved grizzly happy.

It’s hungry work, coming back from the dead. Tony remembers the unholy things he would’ve done for a cheeseburger.

“Didn’t have any money,” he repeats, scraping his fork around the sides of the takeout box, diligent and serious, like it’s the very last scrap of food he’ll ever get.

Tony clears his throat, hip-checks the counter to heave himself to standing. “I’ll get you some cash.”

                                                           —

There’s a weird moment, when Tony gives him the money. It’s just a few hundred dollars. He’s not Tony’s problem, not his project raised from the dead, but he still doesn’t want to give Steve Rogers the means to get himself truly lost in a world he doesn’t know.

Five hundred dollars will get him some food and somewhere to sleep for a few days, but it won’t get him far enough out of SHIELD’s orbit to get himself in trouble.

He looks up when Tony gets close. There’s a well-worn wariness in his eyes. He watches him the way a dog from a bad home might watch him through the bars of the shelter’s kennel. Resigned instead of hopeful, like he knows how this goes, like he knows he can survive it.

“Here,” Tony says. He leaves the money two chairs away from him, within easy grabbing distance. “And I have shoes your size, if you want to borrow them.”

“I don’t need that,” Rogers says, pointing at the money.

Tony lets his mouth tip up sideways, smirks like this is the part of the whole situation he finds truly unbelievable. “You’re going to come into my house,” he says, “uninvited, unannounced, and then you’re going to refuse to accept my hospitality? Rogers, what would your mother think?”

There’s a stall point in Roger’s stare, like watching a bird fly into a window. There’s a moment, right around the word mother, when those blue eyes blank out, and Tony’s just staring into empty space.

“She didn’t,” he says, and it’s fascinating. He’s stitching himself up right here at Tony’s dining table. Tony can practically see it happening, vertebrae stacking up, pulling him taunt like a needle tugging on a thread. “She never liked charity.”

Tony is familiar with pride. He has something of an overabundance himself, although he comes by it honestly. He knows hurt pride hates an audience, so he looks away.

“I imagine she hated the idea of you starving, too,” Tony says. “Probably worked very hard to make sure that didn’t happen. Going to waste all her work now, Rogers? Seems ungrateful.”

He’s half-taunting by the end of it. He’s not sure why. He finds weak points like a magnet finds iron. Sometimes he doesn’t even know what he’s pulling on until after he’s accidentally ripped out someone’s heart. It’s not one of the traits he’s proud of, but, like his pride, he knows where it came from.

Rogers glares at him, but he hooks the next takeout container over anyway.

“I’ll get those shoes,” Tony says. JARVIS has already measured; Rhodey left some boots that should fit.

Steve doesn’t say anything, but, when Tony comes back, the money is gone, and so is he.

                                                           —

Tony doesn’t tell Fury a damn thing. If Fury lost a national icon, that’s his problem. And anyway, Tony’s still not completely convinced that the blonde who materialized in his penthouse was actually Steve Rogers and not some kind of really confused, really well-built homeless man. Or a stripper.

Tony’s never actually met a stripper who showed up in khakis, refused to disrobe, and then ate ten pounds of takeout before silently disappearing, but he’d be willing to pay another five hundred dollars for a repeat performance.

He figures out how the maybe-Steve got into his penthouse. He upgrades the security, but he tells JARVIS to let him in if he ever comes back. He’s not sure what he’s hoping for, but he’s too curious to lock him out.

        ��                                                  —

There’s a bit of nothing that kicks off in New York, some Hammer tech that goes haywire. Tony puts it down like the cheap knockoff that it is, but he gets stuck in debrief with Phil Coulson afterwards, because he’s not quite quick enough to abandon the scene after the fight’s over. In his defense, he was holding a car above a partially-trapped bicyclist, and Coulson caught him before the EMTs could finish disentangling her.

He makes it back to the Tower after an hour of mostly-wasted time. Steve Rogers is sitting at his dining table. Tony bites back the ludicrous urge to “honey, I’m home!” him.

“Hey,” he says instead, as he steps in from the balcony, stripped down to the skintight suit he wears under the armor. He didn’t expect company. “You get something to eat?”

Steve seems somehow offended by the question. “I didn’t break in here and steal anything,” he says.

“Okay,” Tony says, moving past him. “Well, that’s a gold star and an empty stomach for you, Rogers. We’re all very proud.”

“It’s not my food,” Steve tells him. If he had hackles, they’d be raised. Tony wants to pat him on the head, but only because he’s always had a sort of neurotic tendency to see how hard people bite before he decides whether to trust them.

“Yeah, and a twenty-dollar grocery bill is really gonna break me,” Tony says. He takes a smoothie out of the freezer. “You want pizza? I’m gonna order pizza.”

Steve stares at him for a long moment before he shrugs. “I could eat,” he says.

“Great,” Tony says. He has JARVIS order three pizzas, because he wants at least half of one for himself, and Steve Rogers is a human garbage disposal.

Steve takes a shower while they’re waiting. He asks first, which Tony supposes is the polite thing to do, and he takes his backpack with him, like he’s worried Tony’s going to steal his wallet.

“You know,” Tony says, when Steve remerges, wearing another knockout set of some grandpa’s Goodwill khakis and button-down shirt, “you keep showing up like this, and it’s gonna get harder for me to lie to Fury about having no idea where you are.”

Steve flips open a pizza box and carefully selects a slice. His hair is wet and neatly combed back from his face. He’s handsome from a distance but damn near devastating at close range. Tony takes another bite of pizza, hopes it’ll help swallow back the urge to sink a few grand into war bonds.

“Fury’s the guy with the eyepatch?” Steve doesn’t settle into a seat. He takes his pizza and wanders over to the window, stares out at the skyline.

“Yeah, that’s him,” Tony says.

Steve makes a face. Tony can see it, dulled and faded, in the reflection on the glass. “He’s persistent,” he says, slowly. Not like it’s a compliment.

“Yeah,” Tony says, again, “that’s him.”

Steve doesn’t say anything else. Tony finishes his slice of pizza, eats another one. There’s an ache in his right shoulder from being wrenched around by Hammer’s ridiculous creation, and he should be icing it, but he doesn’t want to. Not with Steve Rogers here.

He’s never liked looking human in front of an audience. His problem has always been that he couldn’t figure out how to stop. At least, not until he built his armor.

Steve comes back when he’s out of pizza. He’s catlike in his wariness, in the way he seems pissed at Tony for daring to exist in his proximity.

“That fight,” he says, apropos of approximately nothing at all. “Earlier.”

“Oh,” Tony says, rising out of his chair and moving toward the bar, giving Steve the room to loom over the pizza like he’s defending his kill. “You see that on the news?”

“Saw it on the street,” Steve says. “Heard the screams.”

Heard the screams and came running. So he’s still in the hero business. Fury will be happy to hear it.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed,” Steve tells him. He sounds angry about it. At Tony, not the situation. “Where’s your backup?”

“Backup,” Tony repeats. “Cap, c’mon. Read a newspaper. I work alone.”

Steve Rogers looks up from his pizza perusal just long enough to roll his eyes. It should feel like a slap across the face, and maybe it does. However it feels, Tony likes it. Wants more of it. There’s always been something grounding in being dismissed, like Tony’s never known where he stands until someone shows him how he doesn’t measure up.

“Is that supposed to be impressive?” Steve asks. “Men who work alone die alone, Stark. And they’re not very effective when they do.”

Tony knows he’s meant to be offended. He is, probably. But he couldn’t bite back his smile for anything. “I think I liked you better when you called me ‘Mr. Stark.’”

“Seems to me,” Steve says, “you want everyone to call you Iron Man these days.”

“Oh Captain, my Captain,” Tony says, “surely they had that line about glass houses in the ‘40’s?”

Steve frowns at him. “I never asked anyone to call me Captain America.”

“And yet,” Tony says, tipping a bottle of whiskey his direction, “that’s how to introduced yourself to me.”

Steve gives him a look like he thinks Tony’s being deliberately obtuse. “That’s who I am,” he says.

Tony rolls his eyes and flips a tumbler right side up. “But when I start using a stage name,” he says, “suddenly I’m a narcissistic asshole who doesn’t--”

“Do you think,” Steve says, looming up suddenly, shifting gears like something mechanical, going battle-ready with more decisiveness than a faceplate clicking down, “that anybody spent years, spent—I don’t know. Millions of dollars? Do you think anybody did that for Steve Rogers?”

Tony’s caught wrong-footed. He did it again. Drilled until he found the nerve, cut until he broke the skin.

“I think you don’t get one without the other,” Tony says, trying now to soothe. But he’s not very good at it. His instincts don’t run this direction. His whole life, the only things he could ever repair were machines.

Steve shakes his head. He steps away from the pizza. He looks around, eyes zeroing in on his backpack.

“Stay here,” Tony says, sidling out from behind the bar, whiskey now in hand.

Steve straightens up like a cobra, like he’s going to spit venom in Tony’s face. Tony wants to put his mouth on him, which is probably only half because he’s always been hellbent on his own destruction. The other half is that Steve Rogers is beautiful like something made in a lab for aesthetics alone, carefully designed for universal appeal. Tony likes to tell himself he has a taste for the exclusive, but the reality has always been he wants exactly what everyone else does.

“You don’t want SHIELD to find you,” Tony says, “then stay here. Trust me, this is the last place they’d think to look.”

He’s not standing between Steve and the exit. He was careful about that. Whatever SHIELD might think about him, he doesn’t have a death wish. And also, when he’s thinking about it, he’s not usually deliberately an asshole. It’s just that, most of the time, he’s not thinking about it.

“Why should I trust you?” Steve asks.

Tony shrugs. Hell, he has no idea. “Why’d you come here? The first time. When SHIELD lost you, you came here. Why?”

“I went home,” Steve says, argumentative, all squared shoulders and tight jaw. “I went to Brooklyn. But it wasn’t there anymore. None of it was—I couldn’t find…”

He trails off, shakes his head, sharp and agitated, a horse bothered by a fly. It’s hard to look in his eyes. There’s something in them that Tony doesn’t want to see. It’s like watching a statue bleed.

“I heard there was still a Stark in New York,” Steve says. “I read about you. I thought maybe you’d--”

“You thought I’d be like Howard,” Tony finishes for him. “Sorry to disappoint.”

“I thought you’d be like me,” Steve says, which doesn’t make any sense at all.

“You,” Tony says. And then, a little helplessly, “What?”

Steve looks away. He shrugs, looks back. “I saw the suit,” he says. “On the news. I saw what it can do. I didn’t think--- things have advanced a lot. I didn’t understand. I thought Howard had…”

Tony squints at him. “You thought Howard did a Rebirth redux and tested it on his kid?”

“I thought a lot of things,” Steve says, snappy. “It was a very confusing couple of days.”

Tony can imagine that it was. “So you thought I was Rebirthed, and you wanted--”

“I didn’t want anything,” Steve says, and there’s that flash of exposed nerve again, that look like a sinkhole in the backs of his eyes. “That’s not the point.”

Tony takes a sip of his whiskey. It settles, warm and sweet, into his stomach.

I didn’t want anything.

I shouldn’t be alive, unless it’s for a reason.

Tony holds the tumbler out. Steve needs the warmth more than he does. “Here,” he says.

Steve takes it, seemingly on reflex. “I can’t get drunk,” he says.

“Well,” Tony says, circling back toward the bar, “not with that attitude.”

[angstymdzsthoughts]

I promised that I would share the convo me and @time-flies-by​ had earlier today regarding the Maleficent AU post, so here it is!

-

time-flies-by Dude that Maleficent AU-

angstymdzsthoughts I knoooow

angstymdzsthoughts It got a bit dark on me

time-flies-by It did, but goddamn was it good!

angstymdzsthoughts Right? I'm super happy with it

time-flies-by As you should! It actually gave me chills

angstymdzsthoughts WWX goes to sleep in his husbands arms, happy and in love. Wakes up to that husband mutilating him Thank you!!!

time-flies-by The best part, is that LWJ doesn’t even see anything wrong with it. He’s just like, “it has to happen”

angstymdzsthoughts Yep! Just another part of getting married to him

time-flies-by WWX definitely leaves understanding Madam Lan a lot better.

angstymdzsthoughts Oof LWJ grows up around spouses who seem perfectly happy with life after losing their wings And his mother, who still had her wings, was miserable So he thinks hes actually helping to make WWX happier

time-flies-by Double oof WWX really doesn’t understand what he was getting himself into.

angstymdzsthoughts Oh my god other spouses try to warn him (in a quiet subtle way so their husbands don’t get upset)

angstymdzsthoughts All the Lans are taught that this is a special, intimate experience between spouses

angstymdzsthoughts I feel like Su She is jealous that LWJ got to experience that and is vindictively happy when WWX ran away

time-flies-by Oh my god, the Lans all brainwashed into thinking that the tight smiles, and the tears are signs of love, when in reality their spouse is trying so hard to not hate them. Soakxldowkenenw fuxking Su She

angstymdzsthoughts The spouses are all trapped. Oh wait

angstymdzsthoughts The "soulmate" thing only happens once or twice in a generation and Madam Lan had been the most recent before WWX so the spouse around who tries to warn him away is an old woman who has been married and trapped in the CR for life 55 years That makes it so much worse

time-flies-by Oh my god, imagine wwx accidentally runs into the the wing room, and is absolutely horrified to find all the wings there, so he goes to lwj and is all like “Lan Zhan? What’s this?” And LWJ just goes “don’t worry Wei ying, I’ll make sure that never happens to you.” And what he means is “I’ll make sure your grounding isn’t as painful as theirs.” And wwx trusts LWJ 100%, but then their own grounding happens.

angstymdzsthoughts OOF Oh my god just rip my heart out

angstymdzsthoughts All I can picture is WWX crying and calling LWJ a liar before he's silenced Most disturbing part is how gentle and loving LWJ is being while hes Removing His Husbands Limbs Soft little praises and telling WWX that they will be happy together now

angstymdzsthoughts Ohhh WWX is totally gonna blame himself if he saw the wings and didn't immediately run Gets to Yunmeng like 'how could I be so stupid to believe him'

time-flies-by Ooh especially if the spouses before him tried warning him too.

angstymdzsthoughts Yes Exactly

time-flies-by WWX: The signs were all there. . . There was a red flag everywhere!

angstymdzsthoughts The way WWX sees it is like that 'face eating leopard party' meme Everyone else is just plain horrified

time-flies-by Oof 😂

angstymdzsthoughts LWJ is crying in the CR asking what he did wrong Yunmeng Jiang is ready to start a war in order to get WWX his wings back

time-flies-by Omg yesssss The Lans are all clueless and offended because they see NOTHING wrong with their traditions.

angstymdzsthoughts Someone tries to put it in perspective for them. "How would you react if your spouse cut off your hands?" But the Lans dont get it and just dig their hole deeper. "Thats ridiculous! You Need hands! Wings are in no way a necessity."

time-flies-by Aish 😓

time-flies-by Yeah no, the Jiangs are definitely cutting all ties with the Lan after that.

angstymdzsthoughts The Lans argue that wings do nothing but make someone fickle and reckless and arrogant. They Need to be earth bound so they can learn stability and humbleness ... Oh my god... Horrible thought

time-flies-by Do tell

angstymdzsthoughts Some children of grounded spouses end up with wings too But they get them cut off when they are younger Should it be LXC or LWJ who use to have wings?

angstymdzsthoughts Spend their entire adolescence being ashamed of the wings and eagerly waiting for the day they can be removed

time-flies-by Oooh maybe LXC?

angstymdzsthoughts The most recent wings added are a pair of small white ones maybe half the size of WWXs and the sight of them make him run out because he may be sick

time-flies-by Oh god, what if there’s like, a whole room just full of children’s wings.

Angstymdzsthoughts Of course the Lans would keep them Ohhh WWX hears people talking about the grounding ceremony that will follow the honeymoon and has no idea what their all talking about He asks and the Lans explain that it's a sacred ceremony between spouses that truly binds the new spouse to the Lan family WWX is like- oh wow that sounds really great! Like a big 'welcome to the family'!

time-flies-by Oh no that make it worse! WWX is super excited for the ceremony. He’s like hyping himself up nonstop.

angstymdzsthoughts Oh with the Lan members with wings- they normally have a form of the grounding ceremony when they get their courtesy name and become a Real Lan. Lose your wings and get a name Oh my gooood WWX and LWJ go to bed that night talking about how the bonding ceremony will be tomorrow morning and LWJ assures him that he knows WWX will be perfect

time-flies-by Oh god no, I’m just imagining a bunch of children scared but super willing to lose their wings, because they’d been taught that having them made them everything the clan was against

angstymdzsthoughts WWX, cuddling close: What if I mess up and make a fool of myself? No ones really told me what to do yet. LWJ, petting WWXs wings lovingly: Don't worry, I'll take care of everything Exactly

time-flies-by Oooh I just got chills again

angstymdzsthoughts Something about LWJ touching and admiring WWXs wings in this context... 😨

time-flies-by LWJ: once I get rid of these, he’ll be all mine.

angstymdzsthoughts Touching wings isn't a normal thing outside of family (given that touching in general isn't normal in Chinese culture) but WWX was always super ok with friends petting his wings. He totally offered to let LWJ touch his wings when they were teenagers after catching him admiring them

angstymdzsthoughts LWJ hadn't felt a wing since his mother died shortly after her Binding and WWXs are a really beautiful glossy black color that turns a dark, rich purple if the light hits them just right. Of course he wants to touch

time-flies-by 😥😥

angstymdzsthoughts LWJ, cautiously running one finger along the feathers: They are so big... WWX: Of course they are! My wings have to be big and strong to carry me while I fly! LWJ immediately snatching his hand back, suddenly cold at the remainder that WWX can and will fly away far, far away from him

time-flies-by LWJ is really undermining the love WWX has for him by being that concerned that he’ll leave him.

angstymdzsthoughts He got brainwashed by his clan and he saw his mothers constant attempts to escape. Everyone around him said that the only reason she was trying to leave was because of her wings. If his own mother would leave him because of wings, what would stop WWX?

angstymdzsthoughts Madam Lan got way too close to actually escaping and QHJ was pressured into finally doing the ceremony. Madam Lan didn't last long after that

time-flies-by sent a post Source (****)

angstymdzsthoughts Hahaha

angstymdzsthoughts You know what would be worse? Baby A-Yuan with wings

time-flies-by Oh noooooo

angstymdzsthoughts Like au where LWJ didn't do the binding and unbrainwashed himself Then A-Yuan is born with wings and he grows up being told he won’t be a Real Lan if he keeps them So his parents have no plans of removing them but as his naming ceremony gets closer Yuan says he Wants to get rid of them WWX is immediately packing a bag and getting him and his son the hell out of there. LWJ is right behind him with another bag

time-flies-by Oof yes I like that

time-flies-by But like what if, the day before they leave or something, A-yuan runs to the elders and tells them about what his parents plan to do, and he’s so desperate to get rid of his wings that he asks them to just do the ceremony there and then

angstymdzsthoughts AAAAAAAAAA

time-flies-by When LWJ and WWX wake, they’re so stressed cause they can’t find A-yuan, but a few minutes later he comes in all proud and wingless

angstymdzsthoughts I mean since its Maleficent au wings are apparently magic and can be put right back on but Still Horrible WWX cries LWJ is gonna fight to get his sons wings back and then get his family the hell out of there Oh my god..... LWJ walking through a room full of tiny, near identical wings looking for the little pair that he would recognize anywhere

angstymdzsthoughts Let's a few tears out when he finds them. Remembers helping WWX clean and groom them and watching while WWX taught their son to balance and fly using those wings Hates himself for not seeing what his clan was doing to LSZ and not getting them away from all of it sooner

time-flies-by Codnekaoenen perfect

time-flies-by Heartbreaking, but perfect

angstymdzsthoughts Also, if things had gone according to plan and they left before LSZ did the Binding Yuan, struggling and crying: But I won’t be a Real Lan! WWX, throwing Yuan over his shoulder to carry him mid tantrum: Then you're gonna be a Wei. Lan Zhan, would you please carry this bag? LWJ, taking the bag: Mn. Wei Yuan sounds nice.

angstymdzsthoughts Then they go to Yunmeng so LSZ can grow up in a healthier environment

time-flies-by Oh I like your version better.

angstymdzsthoughts You brought the pain, I brought a bandaid

time-flies-by Haha yes yes, thank you

angstymdzsthoughts Oof tho. LWJ finds the wings and brings them home where WWX is guarding Yuan while he sleeps. They Return the wings while Yuan sleeps and return to making plans to go to Yunmeng once Yuan wakes When he wakes up and has his wings back he bursts into tears.

angstymdzsthoughts Could be because he really missed his wings and is glad to have them back or because this means he's gonna have to go through the grounding AGAIN and it really hurt the first time and he doesn't want to go through it again. Maybe both

time-flies-by If both, then WWX and LWJ will do their best to reassure him that he won’t have to go through the grounding ever again.

angstymdzsthoughts Aww little Yuan crying so hard he can hardly breath and bringing his wings around himself so he can pet and groom them because he needs to make sure this is real and their back

angstymdzsthoughts Oof. Imagine LXC seeing this and wishing he could have kept his wings. Goes to visit his wings and knows that they are too small to fit his body now that hes an adult so he's lost his chance

time-flies-by *sigh* we really should give LXC a break.

angstymdzsthoughts Never Ok how about he gets his wings back and even tho there too small because they never got the chance to grow with him and he'll never be able to fly hes so unbelievably happy WWX and Yuan teach him how to groom his wings correctly because the only person who ever did that was his mother and he cant quite remember how to do it

time-flies-by *sniff* family bonding time

angstymdzsthoughts He starts an arrangement with Yunmeng Jiang so he can send any winged Lans to them for half the year so they can learn that having wings Isnt the worse thing in the world

time-flies-by Oooh yes yes That’s good.

[whump-town]

Give and Take

This one's for you @genevievedarcygranger

I couldn't even tell you what this is about but it's something? Like about Hotch? I'm pretty sure there is no plot so just buckle in or whatever. I don't know, this is weird

The key to building a profile, to standing before someone and piecing together the important parts of their character, is to figure which parts of themselves they give to you and which parts they accidentally show. Most people are fairly easy to read (which is the optimal word, really. No one wants to be profiled but most people don’t mind a little reading on them. Makes them feel special, understood). The thing about secrets, about people, is that they always carry their burdens. It’s like any wound, you naturally lean to protect what hurts. And when once you figure out what hurts, when you can spot the source of the blood you’ll find no matter how advanced a species humans pretend to be, we still have the look of a wounded animal. A dog backed into the corner of an alley. A lame cat waiting to see if swift justice will rain down.

And the wound being protected speaks measures but more importantly…

It’s the reaction-- what happens when the wounds been found and what they anticipate the reaction will be to it.

But, hey, that’s all complicated nonsense. Take it with a grain of salt. Honestly, people always tell you everything that you need to know about them. Especially when they have something to hide.

The first time that Aaron Hotchner ever saw a dead body he was twelve.

The river is unforgiving. That May had brought treacherous storms. Drops of rain that fell so hard, so roughly they’d leave welts on exposed skin. Children still marched to school with the threat of their umbrellas being snapped out of small hands and the wind pushing back clothing, trying to disrobe them as they fought against its pushing hand.

Two days of hard rainfall had the river spewing over the bridge in town. Spitting up its murky water like a well-fed newborn, leaving the fallen limbs of trees and dead fish to rot in the sun. By the time the storm blew over the children were as unsettled as the river itself. Jittery with energy, begging for release. So, out they went. Mothers called from their front porches, father’s leveled threatening fingers-- stay away from the river.

It’ll suck you in and it’ll never let you go.

Johnny Martin was three years older than Hotch. He’d failed kindergarten, first grade, and the seventh grade and was generally regarded as a pointless child, someone to look over. Nobody worth a damn fails that many grades, you know? Nobody worth giving a second chance to let alone a third and a fourth. Except it wasn’t that Johnny was intellectually any different than the other kids. It was just as simple as his father was a nobody, a heavy drinker, and his mother was a weak, dreadful sight. So no one ever tried. His teachers didn’t pay him any attention. No one did, really.

That’s probably why he drowned.

He was bloated, Hotch didn’t even know what he was looking at for a moment. There was a cut across his face, the skin raised around the edges that nearly made it look like pursed lips. A panting mouth. Then he’d seen the eyes, bulging and red. He hadn’t screamed, wasn’t even afraid. No point in wasting the energy on something like that. The real things worth fearing lived at home.

He never told anyone about Johnny Martin.

They found his body a little while after Hotch did. A group of twenty-somethings trampling through the woods with their artfully rolled joints wedged in cigarette cartons and the cheapest beer they could afford. He climbed up a tree, watched them call the cops, and take Johnny Martin away.

For a week, he watched everyone pretend like they gave a shit about Johnny Martin. Heard his English teacher profess some make-believe story and saw the tears glimmer in her eyes. In death, Johnny Martin became a whole person. For the first time in Johnny Martin’s entire life, he wasn’t a ghost, he was a boy. A living thing for which people felt remorse, for which people mourned.

When they’d never looked at him before.

Hotch wanted to know if that’s all it took. Is death really all he needed to become a whole person? For someone to notice the cigarette burns on his arms or to look at him? To notice him? Is absence the only way to be known?

He’s only told the general outline of that story twice. Once while drunk at a college party, one of the few places that sort of talk is welcome. “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen?” And they circle around to him. Expectant eyes filled with the reflection of the flames of the fire dancing. He’d been thinking about his father’s office. The sound of the gunshot filling the house. Walking slowly down the hall, still stepping around the weak points in the floor so that he wouldn’t make a sound. Standing there looking at the blood splattered on the roof.

They put heart attack on the official death certificate. Illegal, sure, but not as ugly as suicide. Besides, a man like Richard Hotchner’s reputation would be ruined by his final actions. That couldn’t happen. So he’d been given a hero’s goodbye. A veteran of the Korean war sent off to the sound of his widow’s sobs, his two sons standing like little soldiers.

But that sort of thing ruins the mood. Kills the vibe so artfully created by the warmth of the dying fire and the joints being passed around.

So he tells them about Johnny Martin.

They hang onto his every word.

When he tells Dave it’s a diversion.

He’s laying in a hospital bed, the morphine has him slurring a bit but he’s talking more than Dave’s ever heard out of him. The kid hardly makes a peep for the three months he’s been working with them and he gets tossed down a few sets of stairs and he’s suddenly impossible to shut up. Dave was just trying to fret over him, expressing some concern until Haley could get here to do the heavy lifting. He ends up with more than he bargained for.

“No, s’okay. I’ve seen dead bodies, sir. Promise.”

Hotch tells him about Johnny Martin, curates a similar story to the one he told that night around the fire.

He’s a good storyteller and, though Dave can tell which elements of the story have been shifted for his enjoyment there are truths in all lies. Dave wants to ask what Hotch means when he mumbles out that part about ghosts, he doesn’t catch the exact wording but the implication. His dismissiveness towards Johnny Martin “some people you never notice, they’re just ghosts and there’s nothing you can do to change, to be seen”. Dave doesn’t ask what Hotch means by that and he still manages to find his answer.

Hotch has this tendency to step back. All his manners and smiles are for flourish, Southern hospitality that allows him to nimbly work his way through a crowd. Secretly, he’s an introvert. He always finds his way to the corner of the room, back facing the wall and watching. It’s where he’s most relaxed, where he’s unnoticed.

A ghost.

But even ghosts can be found out.

Even ghosts give a little bump in the night.

Aaron Hotchner doesn’t actually believe in ghosts but for a week he thinks he might. It freaks him out so bad that he tells Derek but he’s lost so much sleep freaking out over this that he mostly just sounds a little crazy. The fact that he tells Derek speaks measures but before everyone else, Derek was who he relied on and Derek is who he falls back on.

There was a broken plate in the kitchen, a plate that he didn’t break because he’d only gone to the living room. He couldn’t tell what it was but there had been this strange scratching. Then the plate fell. Honestly, he tore off. Ran to his bedroom and to Haley and when she asked what that sound was he said he hadn’t heard anything. Though he didn’t tell Derek that part, he more or less crawled into Haley’s arms and laid there until he felt safe again. Until her half-conscious rubbing at his back lulled him back to sleep.

They didn’t die so at least it wasn’t a serial killer.

It’s a cat.

Hotch’s ghost is a cat.

An old mangy orange thing that Hotch reluctantly takes into the house, Haley names him Casper. Naturally, she can’t let it go. Her husband the bravely trained, frequently praised federal agent tucking and running because an elderly cat had managed to let itself into their home.

Derek asks her about it, the ghost, the next time they all go out for drinks and she makes him swear to secrecy but he tells the others.

Not that day, nearly a year or more later.

After New York.

Penelope Garcia stays up all night watching what she thinks is going to be her friend’s last hours. Watches Hotch get tossed like a rag doll by a car bomb, and land discarded out of the view of the cameras. Just gone and she’s torn between not wanting to know and knowing she has to look. No matter what she’s going to see, she has to go on. They sift through the recording, speeding up the time-lapse. She watches him slowly gain consciousness over a stretch of twenty minutes, all taking place in less than a minute for her. Sees him stumble as he tries to stand, sagging against a street lamp and gagging up nothing. His stomach was too empty.

He’s disoriented, limping around the road.

Then came Sam.

The kid who tried to kill Hotch standing over his shoulder, touching his arm, and so close, so dangerously close. She cries, sits there and cries as she urges Derek to be faster. What if he has to finish the job? Kate was moving around, they were both alive, but Hotch can’t protect her. He can hardly stand.

He screams himself hoarse.

As Derek runs up on them all he can smell is burning rubber and blood. He’s breathing oddly, too quickly and his ribs aren’t moving the right way but Derek can see Hotch. He’s right there coherently speaking, words clear. So it doesn’t matter, the blood-splattered out on the road and running down Hotch’s collar.

And then Sam…

And the ambulance.

And Kate.

Reid, Prentiss, and Rossi are waiting for Hotch when he steps away from Kate. Reid had seen how immobile Hotch’s right shoulder had been, how stiffly it had moved as Hotch struggled into his kevlar. Rossi had seen his poor coloring, the bruises under his eyes from his lack of sleep. The way the cuts looked against his face. Prentiss had been behind him. She always is, creepily just a step behind. She’d seen how awkwardly his right leg had taken his weight. She even rolled her eyes when she noticed he forced himself to stop limping once she saw.

But what they all knew, what they’d all seen was a clock.

Another timer dangerously close to zero.

You know what they say. The bigger the man, the harder the fall.

Emily can’t get the sound of his body hitting the ground out of her head.

Hotch gets a room, courtesy of the entire hospital still being cleared out, to sleep off the drugs they give him. Groggily he groans, wakes up enough to look around him and falls back to sleep.

JJ gets sick, it’s too early in the pregnancy to be morning sickness but they’ve all just had an awful night and she’s filled with this senseless guit. Can’t stop thinking about Hotch’s soft, sheepish congratulations. Why didn’t she just tell him? What did she think was going to happen?

9/11 left New York hypervigilant and even with the threat eliminated the team is asked to stay in one place. So they stay with Hotch, all crammed up on top of each other. Legs thrown over laps and blankets jerked like children, a group of adults afraid to fall asleep. It’s impossible to sleep so Derek tells them about Hotch’s ghost, filling the dark room with noise. Better than sitting here just watching Hotch breathe, waiting for each inhale. He exaggerates it, of course. Hotch is asleep and can't exactly defend himself. Not that there’s all that much he could say-- he spent three sleepless nights ghost-hunting a cat.

“He ever tell you about that ghost haunting him?”

The next morning, still groggy and his presence of mind making it impossible to not feel the pain but too heavy to really care, he doesn’t fight with Derek nearly as much as he should.

They take the case of The Angel Maker Part 2 and, for once, Hotch does what’s best for him. He takes time off, drives home to save his ears from the trouble of the jet climbing to proper altitude. He gets back on a Wednesday, the others are waiting (Garcia may or may not have tracked his phone). Climbs slowly out of the car, the shrapnel wound on his leg hasn’t healed yet, and doesn’t look nearly that scary standing in jeans he’s had to roll the bottoms of and a patchy beard.

Which is why he doesn’t wear jeans. Suit pants he can have tailored to fit both his waist and the length of his legs. The problem with Levi's or a pair of Wranglers is that one of those measurements is always wrong. So the waist is small enough but the length isn’t long enough. He has to compromise one of them and he typically caves in the length.

Garcia knits him a hat that winter. It’s black to match the rest of his clothes with a red little fuzzy ball at the top. He thinks he can accept the gift and forget it-- like the gloves Reid got him or the cigars from Rossi. That’s not the case. He wears the hat. In a mix-up, a crowd of suits, he’s much easier to catch with his little red fuzz ball sticking out over the crowd.

And he isn’t allowed to forget about Reid’s gloves. He’s guilted into those too and finds himself being ushered into cases where the weather will be chilly with his only access being that hat and a pair of gloves.

The parts of Aaron Hotchner that he gives without prompting aren’t necessarily not him. He is decently grumpy and a workaholic. The man can not take a compliment, a fact that Morgan and Prentiss love to exploit. He’s boring, repetitive. Anyone who has spent more than a week with him can testify to that. He just likes to eat the same foods over and over and isn’t too picky but he won’t touch uncooked cauliflower because it’s texture is weird. Like a bouncy ball. As far as spending time with him goes, another weird thing to learn is that he’s messy. Methodical, yes. Messy… at the same time. He does have a bookshelf and his books are organized but he’s also really bad for leaving his unfinished books out on tables like decorations.

The parts that don’t come readily, the parts that require reading or profiling or just generally bugging the shit out of him are decent too. He’s an optimist. He wants to believe everyone is good, redeemable. Partially because he needs himself to be and because he’s a hopeless romantic and an optimist and that’s an impossible thing to be in this line of work. But some people are just good and some people are worth a second chance (and a third and fourth). He thinks that one-day people will forget he exists-- what happens when the team doesn’t need him to be around? When there’s no reason he has to be invited out?

And then what?

Aaron Hotchner is afraid of becoming a ghost again.

[rockthingsbymeg]

(Not so) ruined surprises

Guns N’ Roses Christmas special - fic no. 3

Pairing: Axl Rose x female reader

Summary: based off the prompt -  “What no that’s not daddy, that’s Santa”

Info: 1455 words; fluff; Axl is the father he deserves to be;

A/N: Hey guys, since I’ve literally forgotten to post these, I’m going to give you guys a little spam through the day with the ones I’ve written already <3

It was the first Christmas Y/N and Axl spent with their daughter. She was only eleven months old, so small and fragile, and she was the absolute light in their lives. She had fiery red hair like her father, and his somewhat soft and yet shape facial feature overall, but her eyes and her lips were just like Y/N's.

She was a curious kid, always crawling or speeding around in her tiny legs until her parents caught her. They could not leave her alone for a second, especially during Christmas, as there was a huge chance someone would accidentally step on her.

Y/N's mother was entertaining her, sitting on the couch with her favourite toy and bouncing her gently on her legs, giving Axl the perfect opportunity to put his plan into practice.

As soon as his daughter had her attention on someone other than her parents, they both sneaked upstairs. Axl wasted no time getting into his Santa Outfit, fake belly and all, while Y/N helped him out, giggling at the sight of her husband doing his best to hide his copper hair, but small strands always falling from beneath the white, curly wig.

“Can you please help me?” His voice was a mix between laughter and frustration, which made Y/N laugh even more before she walked up to him and did her best to get every hair underneath the wig. “Do you think she'll like this?” His smile was wide as he looked at himself in the mirror, completely unrecognizable under the suit.

“Honey, you've seen how happy she gets at the mall when she sees someone dressed as Santa. She'll love it. Especially when you give her all those presents.” Y/N's tone was soft and reassuring, eyeing the red bag filled with her baby's presents.

“God, I hope so. Otherwise, I'm just making a huge fucking fool of myself...” He chuckled, blowing a curl from his face only for it to fall right back into place.

“You are.” She laughed, pecking his lips, and finally letting go of the wig, not one red hair picking from underneath it. “But it'll be worth it.”

Axl turned to the mirror and eyed himself up and down, putting in a small pair of fake, round glasses and then turning to Y/N, extending his arms and giving her a proud smile. “How do I look?”

Y/N's eyes raked Axl's body, taking every single careful detail in. His suit was absolutely perfect, enormous on his slender figure, as well as the boots on his feet. He had gone a long way to find the most perfect suit to surprise their little girl, and he sure had succeeded.

“You look perfect, Santa.” Her smile was genuine as she leaned over and pecked his lips, chuckling as the fake, white beard got in the way but not stopping them.

“Great.” He smiled back, stroking her arm gently and then tilting his head toward the door. “Now go ahead and go down, and I’ll be there in a while.”

Y/N nodded and smiled at him one last time before leaving their bedroom. The baby laughter echoing around the house warmed her heart more than she could ever explain, and her smile got twice as wide when she came down to see her daughter in her red little dress, crawling away from her grandmother as fast as she could.

Y/N made her way to her daughter, gently picking her up and poking her nose with the tip of her finger. “And where are you going, little girl?”

Her daughter pointed excitedly at the window, bouncing in her mother’s lap and smiling. “Snow!”

Y/N glanced out of the window to see their windowsills covered in snow and new flakes increasing the pile. “No, baby, you can’t go to the snow now.” Her daughter’s lips immediately curled into a frown, but Y/N knew exactly how to pick up her mood. “But now it’s gift time, sweetheart. And you know who gives us gifts right?” Her smile was just as wide as her daughter’s, who was once again bouncing on her mother's grip, snow completely forgotten upon hearing the word gifts.

“Santa! Santa!” Her big eyes immediately began looking around, so full of hope to see the big man in a red suit that always put a huge smile on her small lips.

“That's right, baby, Santa is coming. With all your gifts, ‘cause you've been a very good girl for mommy and daddy, haven't you?” Y/N began making her way closer to the tree, turning her daughter away from the staircase so Axl could come down without being seen.

He walked down short seconds later, having been hearing his girls talking downstairs so he'd have somewhat of a cue of when it was safe to go down. He made as little noise as he could coming down and walking out of the main door, ringing on the bell rather than going down the chimney. Surely their little daughter wouldn't care about those details, which he was extremely thankful for.

He closed the door and rang the bell, smiling as he heard Y/N's voice getting closer and closer, along with their daughter's as she continuously yelled Santa! at the top of her small lungs.

As soon as the front door was open, the little girl extended her arms towards him, bouncing in Y/N's tight grip, begging wirelessly to be picked up. Axl gladly picked his daughter up, making sure she wouldn't grab his fake beard and blow his cover, smile wide under the white hairs as he said in the lowest tone he could muster, yet still making it sweet “Ho, ho, ho! You must be Maya, am I right?”

His little girl nodded with all her might, though she had a small frown in her brows, her small eyes scanning Axl's face closely and intently.

“You know what I got for you, Maya?” He kept his tone, gently bouncing the girl on his arms in an attempt to bring her smile back, his own brows curling into a frown. “I got you a loooot of presents.” He said merrily, pointing to the big, red bag behind himself. “All for you.”

Maya didn't seem too excited about the gifts, not even when Axl picked the bag up and stepped inside the house, escaping the cold. He placed the bag on the floor again, opening it and letting his girl take a look at all the boxes inside, almost full to the top with toys and other gifts that she needed.

Her big eyes were still on him as she placed a hand on his cheek and looked carefully into his eyes, looking back at her mother and then pointing at him.

“What is it, baby? It’s Santa!” Y/N gently stroked her daughter's back and worriedly looked at her face, trying to understand what was wrong.

“No.” Her daughter shook her head quickly, looking at Axl and pushing her face closer to his, looking into his green eyes and letting her small index trace his lips. “Daddy.”

Y/N suppressed a booming laugh at the astonished look on her daughter’s face, shaking her head and taking her in her arms, pointing at Axl. “That's not daddy, sweety, that’s Santa.”

“No, daddy.” She protested, reaching forward towards her father and placing her finger rather harshly under his eye. “Green. Daddy green too.”

“Santa has green eyes as well, little girl.” Axl tried to keep the mask, but he knew it would be useless. Once their daughter got an idea in her head, it was impossible to convince her of anything else.

“Smell like daddy.” She protested once more, reaching for his beard and pulling it down before anyone could stop her. “Daddy!” Her smile was once again back in her face, her arms reaching for Axl one more time. “Daddy!”

No matter how hard they tried, no one could contain their laughter anymore. Axl picked his daughter in his arms and gave her a careful yet tight hug, stroking her soft hair under his fingertips before picking up the bag of presents and dragging it under the tree, sitting down with her and with Y/N by their side, letting his little girl roam through the bag and pick whatever caught her eye.

His head briefly turned to Y/N, watching her closely as her eyes were glued on their daughter, happily tearing wrapping paper apart and doing her best to open all the boxes, though she knew one of them would have to step in at a point and help her.

Before she could, however, Axl leaned down and pulled her for a gentle kiss, smiling so widely his cheeks truly hurt. “Merry Christmas, Y/N.”

“Merry Christmas, Axl.”

------

Thank you so much for reading. Likes, reblogs, comments and any kind of way you show me you liked this are endlessly appreciated💛

Requests are closed.

Taglist: @curly-hudson; @agroupiewhore; @littlemisscare-all; @metalheartofgold​

Check out my masterlists for more Guns N’ Roses content (here, here, and here) and everything else that I’ve posted to celebrate Christmas.

[trashmenofmarvel]

Branded - Chapter 49

Pairing: Demon!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: You begin your new normal, and come up with a new plan. Bucky likes it decidedly less than the last one.

(This is a fan AU of Falling’s Just Another Way to Fly by araniaart​ . Please check out this incredible series for all of your demon Bucky needs.)

Chapter Warnings: Mild explicit content, sexual tension, angst, Bucky being Bucky

AO3

Knowing that Bucky was fine with your extreme changes was comforting, but you weren’t willing to live with it. Not until you tried everything you could. After all, there was your mother to think about, and you weren’t sure she could survive the shock of finding out her daughter was a wizard/pseudo-demon.

After you asked Bucky to contact Strange, you both arrived via portal and went into his office. Before Bucky could get a word in edgewise, you shoved your notepad against Strange’s chest, glaring at him until he read everything you’d written down.

Strange pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“First off,” he muttered, “there’s no need to threaten to tear me limb from limb if I put Sergeant Barnes back into the cryo-chamber. The chamber is beyond repair, and there is no more use for it, anyway. And while I appreciate your honesty in regards to… this latest feeding… as long as you’re not in an enslaved bond, I’m willing to change the terms of the Ancient One’s agreement. So, moving forward, please do not inform me of what the two of you do in privacy.”

Bucky choked from somewhere behind you; in hindsight, you probably should have warned him what you were going to tell Strange.

“And secondly, I will continue your education myself. If,” Strange added with a raised finger, “you agree to remain in the Sanctum for the time being. You are going to be exposing yourself to magical energies, and I want to view the effects they have on your current state firsthand. I will not bend on this point.”

Your tail lashed like a whip, and you were very tempted to reach back and grab it. Now you understood how Bucky must feel when his tail misbehaved.

You also resisted the urge to look back at Bucky with big puppy-eyes in hopes he would convince Strange to let him stay as well. But you didn’t. You needed to prove that you could do this without having your hand held. What happened to you in the demon realm was traumatic, you wouldn’t deny that, but you couldn’t let Bucky coddle you forever, either.

You gave a firm nod while looking Strange in the eye. There was another reason you wanted to be taught to harness whatever was inside you. A reason Strange didn’t need to know. A reason that had everything to do with Helmut Zemo.

The next month you spent in near isolation, only seeing Strange for lessons and glimpsing other sorcerers when you went to the library. When you weren’t in your lessons, that’s where you spent most of your time. Suffice it to say, you’d been fired after not calling in for a full week (you couldn’t really explain that you’d been kidnapped to Siberia), but that worked fine for you. The Sanctum and lessons were quickly becoming your life, and even Bucky didn’t see you as often as he probably liked.

You certainly missed him. Missed his scent and his touch and even just his comforting presence. But you couldn’t let yourself be distracted, not for a single night and not even for Bucky. You were doing this for him and for you.

Unlike before, when you couldn’t even create a spark, under Strange’s guidance you could now create ropes of fire and bursts of light from your hands. You couldn’t create a portal, not since the disastrous moment you accidentally sliced a demon in half, but Strange only patted you on the shoulder and said, “Perhaps it best we leave portals for the more advanced lessons.”

But one area you were excelling at was sensing and harnessing energies. Every night before bed, you turned that focus inward, imagining the demonic energy inside you being expelled back to the realm it came from. According to the laws of magical equilibrium, the alien energy would want to return to its natural state, which apparently was a sort of UV ray that came from the sun of that realm.

You didn’t really understand it when Strange explained it to you—hell, you didn’t have a grasp of most things he said—but you could get the gist of it. And lucky for you, you seemed to have a natural talent for magic now that you were “unblocked,” as he called it.

So when you woke up one morning and most of your demonic features had vanished, you were pleased but not too surprised. You’d thrown yourself into magical studies more than you’d done even in college, and it was showing. If only your mom could see you now.

Or… perhaps not. There were some parts of you that hadn’t changed, and you glared at your horns and tail with a frown. You’d have to start cutting holes in your pants from now on, not to mention learn how to guise yourself in public. A small price to pay for being able to speak again. Demonic Cats: The Musical had taken a curtain call.

Still, you didn’t complain, but nor did you lighten up on your studies. You were searching for something very, very specific in those dusty shelves of the archives, and when you couldn’t find it, you knew only one place to seek your answers.

When it was mid-March and the show outside had melted, most of the sorcerers were either on the rooftop or away from the Sanctum. It was the only chance you’d get, and now that you had a feel for sensing magic, you were confident you could find the vault a second time.

Without a hobgoblin to guide your way, it took you much longer to find the familiar stone staircase spiraling into the depths of the earth. You followed it with more confidence and less fear than the first time even as your heart thudded in your chest. Strange hadn’t told you not to come down here, and technically you were part of the Mystic Arts, so you had every right to explore your new home.

At least, that’s what you told yourself, standing in front of the massive door that guarded the vault. And to your eternal surprise, when you wrapped your hands around the handle and pulled, it opened with a loud groan.

Exhaling, you squeezed through the opening and came to an abrupt stop on the other side, forgetting to take a breath as you stared with wide eyes.

The room was empty.

All of it, gone. The creepy statues and mounted heads. The cabinets full of demonic body parts. You stepped into the middle of the room to confirm what your eyes were telling you. Only the lectern remained, empty and dusty as if the book that used your blood for ink had never been there.

Bracing your hands on your hips, you swore under your breath. Now how the hell were you supposed to—

“I told Strange what you found the last time you were down here.”

You whirled around, your tail sticking straight out and fluffing up to twice its normal thickness.

Bucky stared at you, his tone just as devoid of humor as his sharp eyes.

“So, he had everything moved just in case you went looking for it again.” He strode forward, his boots tapping softly on the stone floor, his guise retained as it usually was when he visited the Sanctum.

The slow, predatory walk had you soon backed away. You weren’t afraid, you were just… slightly intimidated.

“Why are you down here?” Bucky continued to walk toward you.

“I—“ Your voice cracked, something it still did after so long of disuse. “I was… doing research.”

“Yeah?” His voice was flat. “What could you possibly need to know that would require the Book of the Dead?”

Your back hit the edge of the lectern and your stomach fluttered when he didn’t stop in his approach.

“You seem to be doing just fine with Strange’s lessons,” Bucky said, eyes roving over your body, leaving both heat and a chill in its wake. “You managed to change back.”

“Mostly.” You cleared your throat so you wouldn’t sound like a frightened mouse. “Bucky, I… I was going to tell you. I’ve just, been busy.”

“Busy, huh?”

He stepped closer, only a few feet away when he tilted his head.

“If Strange is being so thorough with his lessons, then why hasn’t he taught you how to sense when something is following you?”

With Bucky’s last few steps, his guise melted away, wings half-flaring over his back as his eyes darkened. He loomed over you, bending down to growl in your ear.

“The next demon stalking you might not be so friendly.”

You closed your eyes, fighting yourself, but your shallow breathing and the goosebumps along your skin gave you away. There was definitely something wrong with you. Normal people did not get so hot and bothered from the idea of being hunted down by a demon, even if said demon was your kind-of-boyfriend.

“I assure you, I can take care of myself just fine.” You almost said it without a hitch in your breath, too.

Bucky pulled back, brows raised.

“Want me to show you?” you pressed.

He studied your face for a moment, and then gave a shrug and said, “Sure.”

Your lips twitching was all the warning he got before there was a conjured, fiery rope in your hand, whipping him across the chest and throwing him back several feet. Only his flaring wings kept him upright as he skidded across the floor.

There was a flash of approval, and oh God, excitement in his eyes as he licked his lips. You didn’t know if he was trying to distract you, or if he genuinely wanted to sink his teeth into you.

You wanted to find the answer and see how far you could push him. It was about time you put your skills to use on a real demon, anyway.

When his wings flared and his tail danced in delight behind him, you prepared yourself for Bucky’s attack—and it was good that you did. He crossed the distance between you in a blur, and you barely had time to move your hand in a circle in front of your chest.

An orange, concentric circle formed out of thin air, and it vibrated when Bucky’s human fist collided with it. He was still holding back, but that hit would have probably knocked you out cold.

Okay, you thought, watching him with a tilt of your head. You think you can pull your punches with me?

You shoved your palm against the makeshift shield, and the lines unfolded and wrapped around Bucky’s legs and chest, pulling his limbs together in a series of fiery ropes, and he shouted in surprise as he tumbled to the ground. His wings were useless, caught in the same trap against his back, and you stood over him in triumph.

“Neat little trick you’ve got there,” Bucky commented casually as he tried to wriggle out of his bindings. “Won’t hold me forever.”

“I know.” You smiled, and Bucky gave you his strongest side-eye. Your shit-eating grin only increased in size. “Don’t need it to hold you forever.”

You stood over him, a foot to either side, and you sat on his stomach, straddling him and probably looking like the cat that ate the canary. The tail flickering behind you didn’t help.

Bucky predictably went still, a mixture of interest and exasperation on his face.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” You leaned down and half-laid on top of him, tucking your head into his shoulder. “Just enjoying this strapping young demon I’ve captured.”

“Young?”

“…strapping, then.”

Bucky snorted, and you dug your face deeper into his neck, reveling in his rich, calming smell. You licked him, teasing at first, but then with genuine interest.

“You gonna, uh… let me up?” He shifted under you, which was exactly the wrong thing to do, because now the growing bulge in his jeans was pressed right between your legs.

“Mmmm-no. You said you can get loose, I want to see it.”

But it wasn’t the ropes you were paying attention to when you sucked on his neck. Bucky groaned low in his throat. Both of you had forgotten about the ropes, and Bucky seemed oddly comfortable with them.

An option you might have to explore another time.

“You really want to test these bindings out, huh?” he growled, flexing his muscles as he suddenly strained against them. You nearly purred, appreciating the view of his armored bicep.

“Well, I gotta have something to show for all this training.” You went quiet, then, resting your cheek against his shoulder. “I miss you. I’m sorry I’ve been so distracted.”

“And I miss you, but I’m not going to give you a hard time for this. Not after what you’ve been through.” He turned his head just enough to press his lips to your temple. “Monster misses you too, you know.”

You lifted up, getting a good look at him.

“What? He… he came back?”

“He did. Hours after you moved back into the Sanctum.”

You didn’t know what to say. Monster had been missing ever since you… ever since Zemo shot you. Apparently, he’d been at the Sanctum when you went missing and had been an absolute nightmare to the sorcerers.

And then when the rescue mission failed to bring you back…

“How…” You swallowed. “How is he?”

To your surprise, Bucky rolled his eyes.

“A pain in my ass. He thinks he’s a lapdog. Every time I sit down, he jumps on me, kneading me with his claws like I’m mama cat.”

“Sounds like I’m being replaced,” you said, smiling as you leaned your head on his shoulder again.

“Nah. More like he thinks sucking up to me is gonna get you back sooner. Which… I’m all for that.” He brushed his lips against your hair, but your smile faded at his next words. “You will be coming home eventually… right? Because that place, my place, it’s yours too.”

You sat up again, avoiding his eye. As much as you wanted to take him up on that offer, and you did, so badly…

“Sweetheart?”

“I can’t. Not yet.”

Bucky’s voice was so soft it hurt when he said, “Can I ask why?”

Releasing a breath and closing your eyes, you knew you had to tell him. Otherwise he would just blame himself, and Bucky’s next question confirmed it.

“Is it because of… of Zemo?” He said the name like it was vile poison in his mouth.

“Yes. But not in the way you think,” you added when he blinked up at you in surprise. “It’s not me I’m worried about, Bucky.”

His eyes narrowed, scanning your face once before he looked around the room, as if just remembering where you were.

“Why did you come down here?”

You worried your lip, and Bucky watched the movement with growing suspicious. You didn’t want to tell him, not because you enjoyed keeping secrets—in fact, you had been enjoying the healthy communication between you lately—but Bucky really, really wasn’t going to like it.

“I came down here because I need to answer a question. A question that Zemo himself shed some light on.”

You focused on Bucky’s jacket zipper, fidgeting with it rather than meeting his eye.

“And… what question would that be?”

You took a deep breath. Fuck, here it goes.

“How do you prevent a free demon from being enslaved again?”

Bucky’s brows dipped.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “So you… what, wanted to be trained in magic so you could protect me? That’s… I wouldn’t ask you to do that, but I appreciate the thought. Still not sure why that involves the Necronomicon.”

“There’s more,” you said with a wince at Bucky’s scowl. “It’s not just that, though getting better at magic is part of it.”

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Probably not. No.”

Bucky shifted under you like he was getting more comfortable, but his tone was extremely put-out.

“Let’s hear it, then. How do you prevent a freed demon from being enslaved again?”

“Well, you see…” You fidgeted again. Bucky may have been the one still tied in fire ropes, but you got the sense you were the one being dangled over a pit. “I already know the answer. I’m not sure how to… execute it.”

Bucky frowned.

“Execute what? Sweetheart, you’re starting to talk like a sorcerer, and you know how much I love that.”

You smiled a little, but it quickly faded again.

“All right. I’ll tell you my plan, but please, leave your questions to the end,” you said, trying to keep it lighthearted, but the gears in Bucky’s head were turning at the words my plan. You cleared your throat and continued.

“Now, the thing about free demons is you can’t protect them from being enslaved. Only demons bonded to a master are protected. Zemo said it himself; in fact, it was one of his selling points.”

Bucky scowled but didn’t interrupt you.

“He said if you were bonded to him, he could protect you from any HYDRA shitbags still hanging around. And… unfortunately, he had a point. It’s only a matter of time until someone else stumbles upon an old lab or a journal or whatever, and then they’ll be coming after you. Everyone knows about the Winter Soldier. Even if the world still believes he’s dead, that didn’t stop Zemo.”

Bucky’s scowl had vanished, his expression unreadable as he listened.

“So…” you continued, trying not to sweat. “If you were bonded to someone you trusted, someone who could protect you, that could be one way of doing it—“

“That’s why you’re training so hard?” he asked softly. “You would be willing to put a huge target on your back like that? Having me bonded to you?”

“Well,” you spluttered, face heating. So much for reprimanding Bucky for not keeping his questions until the end. “I wanted to be in the running, at least. I’m not exactly a threat compared to others you could choose from.”

“You mean Steve. I… actually talked to him about it already.” Now it was his turn to look away. “He said he’d be willing to if it’s what I wanted. It’s not what I want, but I still have to consider it.”

Bucky finally looked at you when you neglected to speak, and he rushed to say, “It’s different with a human master, it wouldn’t be like our pact at all. I don’t have to feed on him. It’s more fulfilling if I do feed on my master, but by no means is it necessary. I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t leave you to be with Steve, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

It was exactly what you were thinking, and you were so thrown off course that you floundered. Of course, you’d considered that Steve would be a good candidate, but you hadn’t realized Bucky had already had a discussion.

“Are you considering it?” The sudden lump in your throat made it difficult to speak. “Being bonded to him?”

He gave a soft smile, the kind that always held a bit of sadness.

“I was going to talk to you first, ask you for your input before I decided. Just didn’t get a chance until now. I hope you know I wouldn’t make a decision like that without you. Especially considering what happened last time I kept you in the dark.”

Whatever insecurities and jealousy lingered in your heart evaporated, and you put a hand on his chest, wishing you could express exactly how you felt. How much you loved him and didn’t blame him for any of what happened.

But like so many moments, you found words weren’t enough, and you just had to hope your actions communicated what you felt.

“Whatever you want to do, Bucky, I’ll support you.” You squinted at him and tapped him on the chest. “And what happened to me is not your fault. Zemo was watching us for a long time, and he would have found a way to use me against you eventually. I’m just grateful it turned out the way it did. Could have been a lot worse.”

“A lot worse than you dying and going to the demon realm?”

You folded your hands over your chest.

“I could have died and stayed dead.”

Bucky opened his mouth, hung there for a moment, and then closed it again. You waited for him to continue arguing, and instead, he changed the damn subject.

“You said that could be one way of doing it. There’s other ways?”

Hell, and what a subject change, too. For a moment, you really did consider lying, or at least telling him the other option was off the table if Steve was a choice. He was a safer option—that was without a doubt.

But you couldn’t lie to Bucky, or hold back. Not after everything. So you took a deep breath and pushed on.

“While I came up with that answer, I wasn’t satisfied with you being enslaved again, even if it was to me or Steve. So I tried to search for other solutions. In the archives, on the wizard internet, even Wong’s private stash of books.”

“There’s a wizard internet?”

“Bucky, please.”

“Sorry,” he said, not at all sorry. “Keep going.”

“I wanted to find a way for you to be as free as possible, without the danger of enslavement, and then… I had a thought.” You took a deep breath. “I thought… what if there’s a way to make the human-demon relationship equal?”

“…Come again?”

“The demon-human bond is always a power imbalance, right?” you said, excitement rushing your words. “Either the human enslaves the demon, or the demon owns the human. There’s no partnership. No equal exchange. No symbiosis.”

“Symbiosis.”

“It’s a term in biology.”

“Yes, sweetheart, I know what it means. I don’t think biology is going to help us here.”

“No, you’re right,” you muttered. “Which is why I needed a magical solution in order to create a soul-bound that’s equal from both sides.”

The truth finally hit home. Bucky’s eyes widened.

“No.”

“Bucky—“

“Absolutely fucking not.”

“I haven’t even told you the plan yet!”

“Does it involve you being bonded to me?”

You took a second too long to answer.

“Thought so,” he growled. “No fucking way am I ever doing that to you again.”

“You wouldn’t be! I told you, it would be an equal partnership, not—“

You yelped as the bindings shattered and Bucky rose at the same moment. You would have fallen flat on your ass if he hadn’t grabbed you by the arms and pulled you to your feet.

“Listen to me,” he said, face inches away. “You drop this line of thinking right now. You will not go looking into binding magic, and you will stay far away from anything demonic. Do you hear me? Tell me you understand and you won’t keep looking!”

You glared up at him. The full weight of his anger glared back, his wings rustling as his tail lashed back and forth.

“No.”

He bared his teeth at your refusal, a growl escaping from his throat. You didn’t flinch, though your tail betrayed you as the fur puffed out like a startled cat.

“Snarl all you want, it won’t change my mind.”

“You’re talking about experimental magic.” His gaze grew harder as his claws tightened around your arms. “Magic that Strange himself wouldn’t attempt. What makes you think you could survive, let alone succeed?”

Now it was your turn to bare your teeth, though they were blunted and human again. You almost missed the sharp canines.

“I summoned a portal to the demon realm when I was ten years old. I adapted to that same place, became more demon than human just to survive. I died and came back to life because of demonic magic.”

You met his eye, unblinkingly.

“Who else could do this but me?”

Bucky said nothing, his expression unreadable. You released a breath and let your voice soften.

“The Ancient One was adamant on three things. She wanted me to train with the leader of her order. She said you and I were very important to each other. And she told me that I would have to make a choice. A choice that would affect the both of us.”

You turned your hands so they were placed against his forearms. Bucky still hadn’t moved, but there was something like growing horror in his eyes.

“I know this is what she meant. This feels right. Like I’ve finally found my purpose. This is what I’m meant to do.”

“And what is that?” he asked, slowly, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. And there was another shoe. A big shoe. A shoe he was going to hate, but you wouldn’t hide it from him. It was only a matter of time before he found out, anyway.

“Everyone in the Order has their strengths,” you said. “Wong is the archivist and keeper of knowledge. Strange has an innate understanding of time and prophecy. The Ancient One, according to Strange, had a deep connection to the Dark Dimension.”

“And you?”

You swallowed dryly.

“I have… a strong affinity for magic that comes from the demon realm.”

He jerked away, as if contact with your skin burned him. Before you could stop him, Bucky turned and practically fled from the vault, disappearing out the massive door without looking back.

You released a breath as your tail sank to rest on the dusty floor. The words of the Ancient One rang in your ears, and you wished she hadn’t been right. If Bucky had been on your side, you wouldn’t have cared who else disagreed. But maybe that was the point.

It wasn’t supposed to be easy. No test ever was. You just didn’t appreciate that you still had to prove yourself after all this.

Hadn’t dying and going to Hell been enough?

Your heart as heavy as the stones at your feet, you left the empty vault.

Next Chapter

[angelsxbelle]

inch by inch.

part 1??? if i get more requests idk

request: soulmate sugawara with reader that’s nishinoya’s cousin

parings: sugawara x reader, nishinoya x reader (cousins)

warnings: nishinoya, swearing, fluff

synopsis: in which y/n l/n runs into a certain handsome gray haired boy at her cousin’s volleyball practice and just can’t seem to get him out of their head for whatever reason

yuu was your classic crackhead cousin, the one that sat at the kids table at dinner despite being a whole ass 17 year old, the one that stuck his face in his birthday cake when it was put in front of him, the one that rode his bike down a hill at top speed while screaming his lungs out

what you didn’t expect him to do, however, was almost accidentally make the best decision of your entire life happen

you both went to karasuno, you were in the same year as he was a few months older than you and you lived relatively near each other, so you saw him ever day at school

you were well aware of his volleyball team, as he was always eager to play and you had met his best friend tanaka a few times when he had come over to yuu’s house when you were visiting with family

tanaka was fun, but you had never been interested in him in a romantic way, despite the enormous blush that appeared on his face whenever you walked into the room and the stupid grin that came over him

you had just assumed all of his other teammates would be the same way

normally you didn’t have too many interactions with yuu at school since you were in different classes and didn’t really have any of the same interests, but you still always made sure to say hi regularly

he was more into sports while you had other hobbies, but your paths still intersected fairly frequently

one day, as you were getting ready to go to school your mother called out to you from another room, saying that she had made a special treat to give your cousin since it was his birthday, and she wanted you to give it to him at school since you would be seeing him there

begrudgingly you agreed, since you would have to stop by his morning practice to drop off the sweets before your first class

you made your way to school like normal, carefully carrying the basket under your arm as you walked toward your destination

looking around, you spotted the boy’s gym quickly and walked over to where you knew your cousin would be practicing with his teammates, hoping you wouldn’t cause too much of a disruption

you creaked open the door apprehensively, trying to keep a low profile and direct a minimal amount of attention towards you

you were just about to make it to the side of the gym when you heard a loud, “OIIIII!! Y/N!!!!” from across the room

you winced, looking over at the bouncing ball of energy that was nishinoya yuu, otherwise known as your nutcase of a cousin

“h- hi  yuu, i brought you these sweets from home since it’s your birthday today’, you squeaked out

“ ahHH, thanks!!!”, he yelled, making everyone turn around to look at you

“well, i better be going”, you say, as you look away from your cousin’s face your eyes pan around the room, scanning the faces of the other boys in the room, seeing a particular one with gray hair staring right into your soul, eyes as wide as saucers

you gulp, and then awkwardly make your way out of the gym, too embarrassed to say anything else, not thinking too much of what you had just seen, shutting the doors behind you and making your way to your first class

*sugawara’s point of view*

he had never seen anything like it, at least not in his three years of being at karasuno high school, not ever with anyone else he had ever met. 

sugawara koushi watched as you gracefully walked by him, despite how on edge you appeared, your hair swishing past, eyes bright and sparkling even though you weren’t looking at him.

he had gone so out of focus that he hadn’t even been hearing the words coming out of your mouth, although he could have sworn he heard the words “nishinoya” and “cousin”, thinking thank god to himself you weren’t there for anyone else.

 his thoughts twisted and turned back and forth, not able to figure out why it felt like he couldn’t breathe, or why he couldn’t stop thinking about that beautiful girl that had just walked by him.

after he was sure you were long gone, sugawara walked slowly over towards your cousin, stopping just before him, not even realizing the words about to tumble freely out of his mouth.

“h-hey noya- san, who was that?”, he said, in an almost muffled tone.

“just my absolute favorite cousin of all time!!”, yuu yelled enthusiastically.

“what’s her name? is she in your year?”

“it’s y/n, she’s a second year like me although she’s pretty mature, almost a buzzkill if i’m being honest”, he mused.

“h-huh, okay, i see”, sugawara said, almost speaking to himself as he started to walk back to where he was standing before, ready to resume the passing drills they had been doing before you had stopped by. interesting, he thought.

“ you aren’t into her or anything eh suga- san? hah!!”, nishinoya yelled from where he was in the gym over to sugawara, jokingly.

“n-no!”

shit. that was probably the most unconvincing thing he had ever said, not to mention he had just developed a fat instant crush for his kohai’s cousin out of the blue during volleyball practice. this was going to be a long ride.

the entire practice sugawara couldn’t focus, his body was moving in the routine way it did every day, but his mind was elsewhere. the moment you walked past him kept replaying over and over again in his head, like a reel from an old movie. he had never seen your face before, but it felt like he had been waiting for you for years. 

the real question though, was what next.

after practice had ended, he walked over to nishinoya once more, his body moving before his brain could.

“noya- san, what kinds of things does your cousin like’? 

“huh???? so you do like her after all do you eh?” 

“yeah, i do”

“well i’m just going to ignore the fact that you’re trying to hit on my cousin and focus on the fact that you’re asking me for girl advice, so HERE WE GO:)!!! she really likes stuff that’s more calming, and i know she’s not a huge fan of small talk and she likes to get to know people for who they are deep inside, you know intellectual stuff like that.”

“hm, i guess i can figure something out, but i think that’s really interesting, she’s not like you at all noya- san”, he laughed.

“yeah!! i think she’ll really like you though, she seems like your type!! as long as you talk to her a little bit before i’m sure she’ll be into you.”

“well, thanks for the advice noya- san, i should go to class now but thanks for your help!”

“no problem, good luck suga- san!!”, he yelled.

that morning, sugawara koushi walked away with an extra spring in his step.

not wanting to ever make you feel uncomfortable or rushing you, he took his time with getting to know you, starting with little interactions in the hallways, offering to help you with your homework, the small things that mattered.

 he couldn’t help but feel completely captivated every time you looked up at him, the butterflies in his stomach never really going away.

sugawara took his time getting to know you, waiting for the right moments to speak to you, remembering the little things that made you happy, noticing you seemed just as happy to see him as he was to see you as time passed. 

being your friend was already amazing, even he could be satisfied with just that but he just couldn’t keep his eyes off you. not for a second that you were near him, he always had no trouble listening to what you had to say, watching every word flow out of your mouth like water.

slowly but surely, you were falling for sugawara koushi as much as he had fallen for you. 

sugawara knew he was finally ready to ask you out, after weeks of finding out just how much he really did like you after dozens of conversations where he could tell you felt the same way for him too.

it was after one of your afternoon classes had just finished, when you spotted a certain gray- haired boy walking towards you that you happened to be very fond of. you let a huge smile cover your face, ready to hear whatever he had to say to you before your next class.

“hi y/n!”

“hey koushi, what’s up?”

“o- oh! not much actually, you see... uhm... i was actually wondering if you would want to go on a date with me sometime with me this weekend? it’s totally okay if you don’t though!”

“no, it’s okay koushi... i’d really like that actually... what did you have in mind?”

“r- really? i was actually wondering if this weekend on friday night we could go stargazing together, i talked to nishinoya about it and i thought it might be something you’d like to do.”

“yeah! that sounds like something i’d really enjoy, how about i meet you at your house and we walk together?”

“that sounds perfect, i guess i’ll se you then, and... thank you so much for saying yes to me!”

“no problem- i... i really like you koushi.”

“i really like you too y/n.”

and so, that weekend, y/n l/n found herself getting ready to go stargazing with sugawara koushi. you wanted to make sure you looked good, so you were careful to keep your hair neat and wear a nice outfit, one comfy enough to lay down on the grass for two hours but that would also catch his eye.

you put on your shoes, ready to walk out the door and make your way to sugawara’s house, nervousness and anticipation fluttering in your stomach as you prepared yourself to see him.

as you got to his front door and met him on his steps, you couldn’t help but notice how he looked awestruck at your appearance, his eyes as wide as saucers as he looked you up and down once, and then twice. after normal hellos, you made your way to the spot you had designated for your viewing.

as you approached your destination, you couldn’t help but let out a small gasp as you saw the hilly fields of grass outstretched in front of you, with a warm breeze slowly whipping through the long dark green strands as faint clouds shifted above you, revealing a bright blanket of scattered stars adorning the sky. 

you looked over at sugawara, his soft eyes and gray hair glistening in the moonlight, looking almost as perfect as the scene in front of you. 

he took your hand in his as you moved forward up the biggest hill in front of you, stopping at the top of it to look out onto the small town you had called home your whole life, the lights inside looking absolutely tiny as you looked over the onstretch of scenery below you, the hem of your dress slowly fluttering with the wind flowing by you.

“koushi... this is beautiful”

“not as beautiful as you.”

you laid down on the grass together, careful to keep the hem of your dress from sliding above the top of your thighs as you stretched out comfortably on your back next to him, the midnight blue sky in perfect view above you.

“y/n... i just wanted to say i think you’re really amazing and i hope after this we can go on more dates together.”

“i’d love that koushi.”

you looked up, your hand brushing alongside his, bodies close, you could hear him breathing and feel his chest moving up and down, watching the bright orbs in front of your eyes dance along next to the fluffy clouds mingling alongside them.

you turned back to your side, looking over at sugawara, just as he turned to look over at you. you stared deep into his soft brown eyes, and you could feel his staring right back into yours. 

you had never felt a connection like this with anyone else, not in high school, not in middle school. he was the one person you had ever been able to look at and tell instantly how much they cared for you.

you slid in closer, inch by inch, just a little bit closer, as you watched him do the same, his fingers reaching underneath your jaw, gently pushing your hair out of the way as he pulled you closer.

and then your lips met.

his lips were soft, warm, it felt like a hug and a warm cup of coffee from a long lost acquaintance, like security and reckless excitement at the same time. 

you felt like you could stay like this forever.

and then he pulled away slowly, looking deep into your eyes as you looked deep into your eyes as he brushed his fingers along your cheek.

you buried your face into his neck, taking in his scent as you never wanted to leave this position. you felt like being close to him was the only place you could truly rest, the only place you wanted to rest.

you talked for hours that night, about anything from books and movies you both happened to enjoy to sharing deep vulnerabilities, you had no trouble letting each other in as you felt completely in tune with him, until you looked at his watch and realized it was 3am already.

groggily, you both managed to stand up and slowly make your way back home, with him dropping you off at your house since he didn’t want you to walk alone so late at night.

you barely managed to tuck yourself into bed and put on pajamas before you passed out cold from the day you had had, as you got ready to slip into your cool bedsheets you replayed the night you had had over and over in your head, not wanting it to end.

you were sure, at koushi’s house, he was doing the same.

in the weeks that followed after that, he had asked you to be his girlfriend and you had gladly accepted, the looks on the faces of his teammates, specifically your cousin’s, was all the reason you needed despite there being so, so much more.

what started as a basket of sweets for your cousin and a painfully awkward interaction turned into the best thing that had happened to you in your entire life, your sweet boyfriend that never ceased to astound you. 

sugawara koushi got what he had wanted most, and you got what you ended up needing the most.

each other.

[thebadgerclan]

Harry Potter Masterlist 1

 ** indicates smut

The Fourth Champion Masterlist

Harry Potter

Trapped-You’re trying to study, but Harry has other plans....

He Knows- You spend Christmas with Harry, but Sirius doesn’t know you’re dating...

His World- Harry doesn’t care that Snape’s your father....

Relax**- Harry’s stressed beyond belief....

A Few Firsts- Harry finally musters up the courage to ask you out....

A Lifetime Of Love- Harry’s never been told those 3 little words...

Can’t Hurt Us Anymore- Despite Voldemort’s death, Harry’s still afraid.  

Character Kinks

Just Feel**- Dumbledore’s lessons are too much....

Dreams**- Harry had a dream....

Spin The Bottle**- A game of spin the bottle reveals some long dormant feelings..

Today’s About You**- It’s Harry’s birthday...

Fought and Won**-The war is over...

Nothing Can Keep Us Apart**- Harry comes to you after the final battle...

Better Than Your Dream**- You make his dream come true...

Halloween- Halloween is a difficult day for Harry...

Regret (TW: SUIDIDE)- He feels nothing but stinging regret...

No One Could Compete- Harry gets inside his head sometimes...

Control**- He needs to feel in control...

Tomorrow**- There’s 2 sides to Harry...

Sex w/ Harry HCs**

Beautiful**- Harry’s always thought you couldn’t be more beautiful... he was wrong

That Good**- Whatever’s making you this needy today, Harry’s not questioning it

Better Than A Dorm**- After the Yule Ball, you know exactly where to go for a little alone time with your love....

Eighth Year- Harry returns for his eighth year..

Need You Now**- You finally get the chance to have him....

I’m Not Like My Father- You knew your relationship couldn’t stay secret forever

So Much More- After the Department of Mysteries, Harry feels conflicted...

Don’t Be Quiet**- Your kids are with Ron and Hermione for the weekend... 

Home To You**- After busting a cell of Death Eaters, Harry comes home...

Disrespect**-    Punishments can end in pleasure...

Hermione Granger 

Hermione Granger Smut HCs

James Potter

Broken Trust- James just couldn’t keep his mouth shut...

He’s Ready- After Voldemort attacks, James raises his son...

James Potter Smut HCs**

James As A Husband HCs

Lily Evans

Lily Evans Smut HCs**

Lily As A Wife HCs

Being Best Friends w/ Lily HCs

Fluffy/Random Lily HCs

Fred Weasley

Can’t Believe He’s Gone- Fred is there after your father’s death.

A Weasley In A Bookstore?- Fred sees the book you’ve wanted for weeks

Contradictions- Umbridge is just too much for Fred...

Redder Than His Hair- Y/N is shy, Fred is not

Amortentia’s Got Nothing On You- George’s usual teasings feel different on opening day.

Blame It On The Chocolate- Fred and Y/N and their late night O.W.L cramming

Now We Know**-Both you and Fred have wanted to try this for a while...

Intense**- Fred knows how to be intense..

Unattached**- You’re not a couple, that’s for sure.....

George Weasley 

Quarantined w/ George HCs

May 2nd- On the anniversary of the battle, there’s a ceremony....

No One Can Know- Y/N Malfoy has to sneak around to see her boyfriend

You’re Mine and I’m Yours**- George needs to forget....

Welcome Distraction- Jealousy boils over at Bill and Fleur’s wedding...

I’m Yours?- Usually calm and collected, for once in his life, George is nervous...

Ron Weasley

Run Out Of Adjectives- After Slytherin defeats Gryffindor again, you remind Ron why you fell in love with him...

Edge**- Ron is desperate...

Charlie Weasley

Romanian Internship**- Charlie got his internship...

Be Mine- Charlie is all you have....

Why Is The Box Moving?- Charlie gives Y/N her birthday present.

Something He Loves More Than Dragons**- Your first time with Charlie...

Bill Weasley

Mrs. Weasley- He never loved her....

Lucius Malfoy 

The Newest Malfoy- You meet Lucius after the war....

Resigned- You like Lucius, but he’ll never notice you...

Courtyard Brawl- Gone is the pureblood mania....

You’ve Changed Me- Lucius has changed since you first met.

I’d Take A Curse For You- While at the Manor, you and Lucius are ambushed.

Need You Now**- Lucius needs you now.....

Reliant**- Lucius’ surprise leaved you completely reliant on him.

Kind Of Sweet**- Lucius gets a bit carried away...

Draco Malfoy

Shaken Up- Draco gets very protective after Umbridge’s detention....

Making Up After A Fight HCs

I’d Rather Have The Snake- Y/N runs into her ex while out with Draco

Cuddling HCs

Nothing’s Working- Nothing Draco does is helping you feel better....

Always Take Care Of You- Draco is there when the world is too much

Flower**- You didn’t know what that flower did....

Newt Scamander

Loopy- This is why you don’t mess with an angry Thunderbird

Just Ask Her- Newt’s nervous to ask you something...

Alone In New York- Newt gets caught cheating

Angry Frank- Frank is angry and accidentally hurts Newt

The Demiguise Is Always Right- Dougal strikes again.....

Artemis Fido- The baby’s coming

Chaser- Ravenclaw vs Hufflepuff

New York Niffler- The niffler’s loose in NYC

Trust The Demiguise- Newt’s creatures have become strangely protective of you...

Queenie’s Birthday- It’s Queenie’s birthday, and Newt’s pretty shy

Sweet Girl- The niffler’s finally asleep...

Mine Forever- After 20 years, he’s here...

Your Happiness- All he wants is your happiness...

Cedric Diggory 

People Die- You’re so afraid for Cedric....

Cedric As A Boyfriend HCs

Sleepy Ced- Y/N stays up studying in the common room

Owlet- Y/N is sick and Cedric takes are of her

Jealous HCs

Late Nights In The Library- Cedric is studying and Y/N is tired.

Stuck With Me- Cedric won’t stop until Y/N says she’ll go out with him

Neville Longbottom

The Cowardly Lion- Being stuck in the Room of Requirement isn’t so bad...

Never Thought You’d Notice**- He never thought you’d notice him...

This Moment**- Now just seems like the perfect time...

Dance Lessons- The best night of his life...

Cliche**- He wanted to wait...

Nymphadora Tonks

Bad Day- After a long, hard day, there’s no one you’d rather go home to...

Sirius Black

The Eagle and The Lion- Sirius tells you how he met your mom

Moments**- These moments are so rare

Then He Did- He won’t want you.......

Overprotective HCs

New Wardrobe- Cleaning the master suite comes with an unexpected surprise...

Judge Too Soon- Sirius’ first visit with your parents doesn’t go as smoothly as you’d hoped

Respect- You put Snape in his place....

Stay Away- Sirius would gladly date you, if only your mother would let you....

The Newest Black-Nothing could make him happier than he is right now...

Never Stopped-14 years may have passed, but you still love him..

Best Christmas Ever- Harry gets 2 big surprises this Christmas...

Belated- Sirius lands himself in detention on your anniversary....

Alive and Well- Sirius is home after 12 years...

One Second- One second was all it took....

Always Your Sister-James is emotional at your wedding...Keep reading

She’s Gotta Go- Walburga’s gotta go......

James’ Speech- James gives his best man speech at your wedding

Princess Sirius- Your daughter decided to turn your husband into a princess....

I Don’t Deserve This- Your first dance with your new husband

Angelic- Your number one fan is always there to support you.

Tease**- Sirius has had enough of your teasing

Harry Will Have A Friend- You share some good news after escaping Godric’s Hollow

Plaything- Severus doesn’t see your relationship with Sirius the way you do.....

Remember Who’s In Charge**- Cuddling takes a turn...

They’d Be Proud- Life before and after Voldemort’s attack

Silly Feuds- Sirius feels like an idiot....

5 Words- He doesn’t think he deserves you....

You’re Safe- You don’t want Sirius to go home....

Victory- Gryffindor wins the Quidditch cup, and Sirius is overjoyed..,

Complete- Your family’s growing.....

Finally A Family- Alexa’s first Christmas with her family all together...

She’ll Say Yes- Sirius is a nervous mess

All That She Needs- You have all that you need

Lovable Idiot- Sirius gets into another fight

Not A Disgrace- Sirius’ mother makes it plain how she feels

Too Dangerous- Sirius wants to meet his daughter

Part 2:Long Awaited- Sirius finally meets his daughter

First Time __  HCs

Guard Dog- James is a bit protective of his little sister.....

Family Name- Being a Malfoy casts an impression, and not a very good one

Not So Bad- Sirius meets your parents

He’s Alright- You haven’t heard from Sirius in weeks....

More Often**- Sirius and you switch things up

The Fifth Marauder-Why can’t he see?

Part 2: Someone Like Me- He finally sees what he’s been blind to.

Stick To Maroon- You’re tutoring a 2nd year...

On The Desk**-The meeting’s finally over...

Living With Sirius HCs

Nobody Else- He’s home...

10 Sickles- Bets were made...

Movie Night- James wants to watch a horror movie...

Space- You and Sirius don’t see eye to eye on this

New Relationships- Lily and James won’t admit they have chemistry....

Run Away- Sirius needs to see you

Whole Once More- Sirius never knew....

Second Chances- Your first date with Sirius doesn’t go as planned

Revenge- Y/N is hexed...

Strong- Nightmares haunt him

Lion in a Sea of Badgers- Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff

Sirius x Hufflepuff HCs

Secrets- Sirius learns some new things about his girlfriend

Whenever You’re Ready- We all have our bad days...

Leave-Sirius breaks out and finds you...

Nighttime Confessions- The night of Sirius’ discovery...

Nearly- After the Department of Mysteries

I Prefer Red- Y/N spends Christmas with the Blacks

Snitching- Y/N just wants to see Sirius smile

Cake At Midnight- You want cake, but it’s midnight

Twice Obliviated- Y/N sees her ex while out with Sirius

My Three Girls- And baby makes 4...

We’ll Be Alright- This was unexpected...

Mother’s Day- The Black’s first Mother’s Day

Care- Y/N gets sick at an Order meeting

She’s Perfect- James, Lily, and Remus come to meet your daughter

You’re Mine- Despite being your boyfriend, Sirius still flirts with other girls

This is Not A Date- Y/N and Sirius aren’t on a date, they’re 3rd and 4th wheeling.

Protecting His Girls- Your daughter’s had nightmares ever since she found a boggart in her closet.

Welcome To The Order- Y/N is finally inducted into the Order, and finds more than friendship.

Worth The Wait- Sirius finally gets what he’s waited 12 years for.

Night Off- While at a bar on her night off, Y/N meets a less than friendly man, and one that’s pretty okay.Keep reading

Lightning Muses- As a storm rages outside, Y/N reflects on memories with her lover and Harry

Revelations At The Order- Y/N finds more than she thought she would at an Order meeting.

Rage**- An Order meeting goes wrong....

Don’t Speak**- Sirius sent you a patronus with instructions, and you’re not about to question them

Take Care Of Me**- You need to let go for a while....

Forgive You**- Sirius and you have an argument...

Dirty Girl**- You tease Sirius at an Order meeting....

They’ll Be Alright- After Voldemort attacks, Rose is raised by Lily and James...

Time To Think- After a spat, you need time to think...

Yours Forever- Sirius always held onto hope...

Young Sirius Smut HCs**

The Best Day Of His Life- He’s always wanted kids, that hasn’t changed in 12 years....

Remus Lupin

Actually Bathe**- Remus looks so relaxed...

Boggart: Version 1**, Version 2**-You thought you could do it

Nothing Left- Everyone he loves is gone

Storm**- Rainy mornings are sometimes the best....

Overprotective Remus x Sister HCs

Remus Meeting Parents HCs

Proud- Remus is proud of how well you did on an assignment...

Student’s Favorite- Remus doesn’t believe that the Hogwarts students love him as much as they do....

Remus x Herbology Professor HCs

Learn To Knock- Harry apparently doesn’t know how to knock.....

Her Wolf- Much like a wolf, Remus won’t give up until he has you....

Too Easy- Sometimes, you’re able to forget about the war.....

Mystery Wolf- Remus won’t rest till he finds this mystery wolf....

Rough One- You care for Remus after the full moon..

Ruined Surprises- You open the package that came, unaware of what it was.

Remus x Pureblood Slytherin HCs

You Love Her Like A Sister, I Love Her Like A...- Even though James knows about your relationship, he still isn’t a fan of what he sees....

Took You Long Enough- Remus’ confession has been a long time coming....

Who Else?- Remus adores you, but Lily is very protective of you...

Moony and Puck- You never found your soulmate in Salem...

Unrepairable- Remus made an irreversible decision...

Lovesick Wolf- Remus us always so shy around you....

With A Little Help From Lily- Remus has liked you for 4 years, and finally acts on it...

Forgotten By Morning- After a few butterbeers, Remus lets something slip...

Her Muse- You’re hard at work on your latest creation

Admit It- Despite overwhelming evidence, Remus does not believe he cheats at games.....

Coffee and Chocolate-N.E.W.T week is here.....

Recovery- Remus’ recovery after the full moon

The Wolf Can Skate- Remus agrees to an ice skating date....

All Was Golden- Important moments seem to happen at sunset

Better- Remus makes a bad day better

So Much Easier- Remus discovers a way to make the full moon easier

Yearly Occurrence- It’s time for the Yule Ball again

Being Quarantined with Remus HCs

Gorgeous Girl- You’re late for a double date

The Order Can Wait**- Remus wants you now

Shut Up and Kiss Me- You need to study, Remus disagrees

Don’t Let Them Hear**- A little fun at the Order

Makes Me Sick- Y/N has to fake-date for a mission, Remus is not happy

Kindly Fuck Off- Tonks is getting a little too comfortable....

Not The First Time- Your brew amortentia with your best friend, what could go wrong?

I Think....- This can’t be a coincidence

No Music Needed- It’s been a long day..

I’m Home- Remus has been away for 2 weeks....

Head Girl- Sirius loves Y/N, so does Remus

The Perfect Moment- Remus is anxious at an Order meeting...

Her First Moon- It’s Y/N’s first full moon...

Please Understand- Remus never told Y/N about his “furry little problem”...

Lucky- When everything seems wrong, Remus makes it feel alright.

After The Full Moon- Y/N knows that each moon affects Remus differently, she’s there for him every time.

See The Goodness**- Remus doesn’t think he’s all you know him to be....

Scruff**-Remus decided to grow out his beard....

All The Work**-You teased Remus for the whole class...

Desperation**- You’re both desperate when Remus comes home...

Git- Severus Snape, you’ve decided, is a git.

Being Married To Remus/Remus As A Father HCs

Like His Mother- You help raise Teddy after the war....

Cure- Y/N is tired of seeing Remus suffer...

Possessive**- The full and pollen, what could go wrong?

Face Tomorrow- The future is so uncertain...

Pup- The newest Lupin....

Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs- Christmas with your family....

Feral**- The wolf in him comes out...

Before and After- Before and after the full..

Remus During Your Pregnancy HCs

Nowhere To Be- There’s nothing quite like cuddling during a storm...

Travelling The World w. Remus HCs

Young Remus Fluffy HCs

You Stop, I Stop**- What can he say?  You turn him on...

The Wolf’s Wedding Night**- The full’s coming up, and Remus is needy...

His Favorite Time Of Day- Mornings are his favorite time of day...

Young Remus Smut HCs**

Luna- Remus has never been more in love...

Yours**- He won’t let them hurt you...

Alpha**- You need your alpha...

The Wolf and The Hound- Remus is so nervous....

Trust- Your trust is what makes your relationship strong, and what keeps the sex good...

How The Marauders + Lily react to you and Remus Having a Baby and Naming them after them HCs

Severus Snape

Damned First Years**- He’s had enough of those damned first years....

Sir**- You know you made a mistake, you you know you’ll pay for it....

Stress Relief**- Severus knows how stressed you’ve been...

Devoted- You prove Severus’ alliances...

She Won’t Last- Umbridge’s punishments are taking a toll....

Now I Have It- Christmas morning in the Snape house.....

Want You Close- Severus doesn't want to get up.....

Severus x Triwizard Champion HCs

What I See- Severus thinks you deserve better...

Welcome To The World- You go into labor while Severus is supervising detention....

Bets- A game of truth or dare....

Would Have Been An Unforgivable- Lockhart, ever the idiot, has once again gone too far....

I Won’t Let Him- Your ex is out of prison....

Lake Nights- You’re supposed to spend the night with Severus, but it’s such a nice night....

Part 2: Little Tease**-Severus has had enough of your teasing….

Potion Master’s Mistake- Even Severus makes mistakes....

Hidden Feelings- What exactly is the potions master feeling?

Part 2: Unforgettable**-Hidden feelings are finally revealed

I Will Be Here- After 16 years......

Another Year, Another Ball- You reflect on the year at the Yule Ball....

Call Me Severus- Potter’s payback.......

Never Stood A Chance- Severus is very protective of what’s his.

Professor In The Making- You hang out in Severus’ classroom after giving birth to your second child...

Snape’s What?- The students had no idea....

Time and Space- Severus wants to get to know you better....

Be Okay- Your mother has quite a bit to say

Almost Discovered- He almost found out....

Good Night’s Sleep- Madame Pomfrey has a rule that you detest....

Body Worship HCs

Married To A Whale- Your robes don’t fit like they used to...

Overworked- You’re overworked and Sevuers takes notice

Break- Everyone has a breaking point....

Forgive Me- Severus and you fight, and some words are said

Never Doubt It- You plan a picnic for Severus

My First Priority- When the crowd becomes too much, Severus is there

Won’t Let You Fall- You take Severus home for vacation....

My Good Girl**- Severus has been waiting for you....

One Sided- Your feelings aren’t as one sided as you thought..

Guilt**- Severus feels guilty for last night...

Perfection- Severus shows you how beautiful you really are.

If It Weren’t May- You’ve picked up crocheting during quarantine

Something Different**- Sev wants to try something new...

Bedrest Is Boring- You’re on bedrest, but you’re lonely

Lonely No Longer- Severus needs to meet his soulmate

Birthday Presents**- Severus gives you a birthday surprise

The Potion Master’s Soulmate- Snippets of your life as Severus’ soulmate

Free Period**- Severus wants to see you after class...

Another Love- Severus has never had pizza before...

Get This Right- Why does Severus know so much about creatures?

Movie Night- Y/N convinces Severus to watch The Notebook

The Afterlife Awaits- It’s time for Severus to go...

Any Worse- All you wanted was to get Severus some new vials...

Damaged Souls- Y/N still remembers, but has yet to tell Severus

Don’t Be Shy- Severus has never been caught pleasuring himself, until now

Part 2: Dreams Come True- Severus had a dream you are all to happy to make reality

Calming Stars- A stupid argument....

Anti-Venom- Of course the potions master lived, he could put a stopper in death after all...

Not Ideal- Y/N has feelings for Snape, but knows she can’t...

Christmas Surprise- You’ve changed....

Morning Discoveries- She’s not a Seer, but she can still read tea leaves...

Loss- Y/N’s kitten passes away...

Horrible People- You’ve had enough of the marauders

I Will Wait- Severus says something he will regret for the rest of his life

Sketches- Severus finds your hidden talent

Very Early- Severus notices some things...

The Reason- Severus meets his soulmate, he’s not happy

You?-You finally meet your soulmate..

You Can Do This- Your first day as Charms teacher isn’t going as planned...

Meeting The Dark Lord- You’re invited to a ball hosted by none other than the Dark Lord himself

Nighttime Confessions- The night of Sirius’ discovery...

Bland- Y/N meets the Order’s double agent

Thanks Seamus- Seamus’ habit of setting things on fire is actually helpful for once...

The Perfect Life- Your daughter is sick.....

“Detention”-Y/N is caught fighting....

For Him- Y/N will do what she must to protect Severus

Potions Master- It’s that time of the month

Do It For You-Mad-Eye is dead...

Finally-Y/N shared some good news...

Make Her Pay- Umbridge has gone too far...

Unexpected- Y/N is pregnant, and the students try to guess who’s it is

Unicorn Incidents- While teaching, Y/N gets hurt...

Marriage Material- Y/N’s first order meeting as Severus’ wife.

All That Matters- Y/N is ill, and Severus thinks he can help her

Imbeciles- One of the twins pranks doesn’t go as planned

Quiet- Y/N is shy, but she’s still got a lot to say

More Than She’ll Ever Know- After all these years, your mother still makes sure you know how she feels

I Am Alive- Y/N has horrific nightmares about the night she almost lost her husband

Give Me A Chance?- Y/N’s Liked Severus since 4th year

Can We Start Over?- Y/N’s on her way to Hogwarts from Ilvermorny, knowing who she’ll see when she arrives.

Ensnared By Her Voice- Y/N is a singer who returns to Hogwarts to perform, while there, she catches the eye of an old flame.

The Python’s Failure- After Nagini strikes, Snape manages to make it to Madame Pomfrey, much to the relief of Y/N

Realizations**- Severus waits a bit too long to act on his feelings…

I Expected More**- Severus decides to add something new to your dynamic...

But I Want You- Severus is the only one you want...

Always Be Right Here**- Sometimes, Severus needs to be taken care of...

What Would She Say?**- Severus has a little fun at dinner with your mother..

Exhaustion**- Severus has been brewing for over 12 hours...

Anything- After a long night, Severus takes care of you

He Knows**- You broke a rule...

Can’t Tell You Enough**-Severus finally tells you how he feels...

Dessert**- Severus�� birthday has never been a big affair...

Anniversary- Severus tries to cook dinner for your anniversary.......

Dunderhead- Your daughter says her first word, and it’s not what you expected...

A Little Threatened- Severus is jealous of your birthday present...

Mistake-Severus forgets that you’re still young..

Chasing A Comet- You thought his obsession with Lily was fading..

Independence Day- You invite Severus to visit you for the 4th of July..

That Type Of Day**- Severus has been wanting you all day..

By Your Side- When one of the twins’ pranks goes wrong, Severus is there

Every Word Is True- This is the first Valentine's Day Severus isn’t dreading

Firewhiskey- Severus finally makes his move

Mrs. Snape**- Severus’s wedding day...

Books and Potions- You’ve had enough of the Marauders...

Finally Home- You’ve been away for 3 months...

The Dark Lord’s Ball- Severus has kept you sheltered from The Dark Lord, he is not pleased with that....

Raise A Child- When Remus brings his newborn son to Hogwarts, it brings a revelation upon Severus...

Someone Better- Severus is worried you’ll find someone new on your travels...

Don’t Make A Sound**- You need to be quiet...

N.E.W.T Class- He’s always refrained from yelling at your best friend, until today, that is....

Be Yours- He knows it’s wrong, but he can’t help but be attracted to you...

Stressful Week**- Severus knows how to help you relax..

Severus Snape As A Father HCs

Not A Bit- Severus isn’t in pain anymore, this is news to you...

The Serpent and The Falcon- Severus reads your latest interview...

Potent**- After a Herbology incident, there’s only one person you need...

All She Wants**- After the duelling club, Severus is the only thing on your mind...

Want It Too- He knew his feelings weren’t one-sided...

Different Yet Alike- Though you are different, you are also like your mother....

Horror Movies- You don’t like horror movies, but you’ll watch them for Severus...

What Do You Need?**(TW: SEXUAL ASSULT MENTION)- Severus knows that this may be difficult for you...

First**- You want him, all of him..

Truly Be Yours- Even though it was a potion, he still felt the same...

Gone- You were the best thing to ever happen to him...

How Long I’ve Waited**- He’s waited for this for years....

Why Me?**- His feelings contradict one another...

Beloved**- Severus spoils you on your birthday....

Under The Desk**- You have a little fun with Severus...

My Perfect Man- You know exactly what he needs to hear...

Lay His Claim- Severus can finally take you out...

Won’t Be Gentle**- He can’t wait, he needs you now...

Cruel Misfortune- Though you want him, Eileen comes first...

Anything For You- You take care of Severus when he’s sick...

Five**- When Severus comes home tense, you know how to help him relax...

Sidetracked**- Severus was going to finish a potion, he really was...

No One I’d Rather Have- Neither of your dates were going well...

Show**- Severus wanted to spend the day with you, but you certainly made up for your absence...

His Angel Of Music- Hogwarts’ production of The Phantom Of The Opera...

Putting Him Back Together- Severus knows you’ll take care of him...

Assistant- Severus’ assistant helps him in more ways than one...

Defend- They won’t hurt him, not while you’re around...

Bringing Him Back- He’s never wanted to come back, not until now...

Internship- He’s going to miss you so much...

Part 2: Reunited- 7 months later...

Alps**- You needed this week away...

St. Mungos- The sole upside to being bitten by a python...

Silence**- Severus adores teasing, just not here...

Memories**- A walk down memory lane.

Nice and Slow**- Relaxation with your lover...

Bat- Severus didn’t know your Patronus changed...

Needless Worries- Severus loves you more than he could ever love her...

Little Game**- Severus decides to play a little game with you...

Wizard Flu- The Wizard Flu hits Hogwarts...

Wanted For A While**- Severus has wanted to try this...

Little Flower-Severus doesn’t sing, but he will for Iris...

First Time __ With Severus HCs

Retaliation- After becoming close with Severus, he won’t stand the Marauders’ bullying anymore...

Vigilant- Severus would never be unfaithful, not of his own free will...

Want You, Need You**- 5 months, and he hasn’t touched you...

Busy Day**- Your husband surprises you on your break...

Nothing To Forgive- Severus knows you’d never hurt him...

Beneficial**- Your period isn’t all that bad...

Severus Snape x reader x Harry Potter

Chastity**- While he loves his submissives dearly, sometimes, punishment is needed... Severus loves you more than he could ever love her...

Remus x Sirius x Reader

Join The Pack- They both want you...

Virgin Reader HCs**

My World**- Remus made Sirius wait...

Just Had To See Her**- Remus was helping an old friend into the castle...

Severus Snape x Lucius Malfoy x Reader

One Is Hard, Two Is Hell- Severus and Lucius are Called, and you can’t sleep...

How they react to a S/O who hasn’t had the best sexual experiences

How they deal with jealousy within their relationship 

My Prince**- Severus is needy after a long day

Real Man**- Lucius is appalled that a man’s never make you come...

James Potter x Reader x Sirius Black

General HCs 

Charm**- Flitwick’s newest charm can be used for multiple purposes...

Mrs. Potter-Black**- This is the happiest day of your life....

Sweet Tooth- They lost sight of you for 5 minutes...

Remus Lupin x Reader x James Potter

General HCs 

My Mates**- You’ve never been with Remus this close to the full...

Marriage, Children, Etc. HCs

Cedric Diggory x Reader x Harry Potter

So Proud- Both of your boys made it out safe...

Little Lion Cub**- Harry needs him.....

Easter Holiday**- Cedric makes good on his promise...

Fred Weasley x Reader x Geroge Weasley

Anything For Our Girl**- The twins want to try something new with you...

Test Subjects**- Your boys bring home some new products.....

Draco Malfoy x reader x Harry Potter

New Pleasures**- Harry’s a little reluctant...

Ron Weasley x reader x Harry Potter

Promotions**- Ron celebrates Harry’s promotion...

James Potter x reader x Lily Evans

Show Me**- You may be inexperienced, but that’s not going to stop her, or James for that matter...

Spoiled- A day in Hogsmeade with your loves...

Happy Birthday To Me**- James’ birthday surprise...

Harry Potter x reader x Hermione Granger

For Now-It’s finally over....

James Potter x Lily Evans x reader x Remus Lupin

We’re Here Now- Remus is cared for after the full moon by his three loves..

Marriage, Sex, Children, Etc. Hcs

Urgent**- Thank Merlin for the Room of Requirement...

Relaxation**- After a long week, you loves know how to help you relax...

We’re Not Done Yet**- Your three lovers know exactly how to make you feel good...

Hour**- You each get an hour...

Build You Up- No matter what people say, Lily and James are always there...

How They Got Together HCs

We Want You**- It’s all you’ve thought about for days...

What Have We Here?**- Who said getting walked in on was a bad thing?

How They React To You and Lily Being Pregnant At The Same Time

Having Triplets HCs

Sending Their Kids To Hogwarts HCs

Honeymoon Smut HCs**

How Long’s It Been?**- What would you do without Sirius?

James Potter x Sirius Black x reader x Remus Lupin

Does She Know?- He just wanted to keep you safe...

Harry Potter x Severus Snape 

Under No Circumstances- Harry knows how difficult it is...

Need To Let Go**- After a hard day, Harry needs to let go...

Lucius Malfoy x Severus Snape

Sweet Prince**- While he knows he is loved, he still worries his lover’s heart isn’t entirely his...

James Potter x Lily Evans

Gryffindor Wins**- After the Quidditch Cup....

First In A Few Ways**- He’s her first in a few ways...

Lily Evans x reader x Sirius Black

Back To Normal- After the full, Sirius is exhauted...

Other:

Marauders + Lily Assorted Favorites