#adding festivity in small ways i guess?

[dreamy-loser]

christmas decor and a little sticker on my kindle

[yourfavoritewitchbitch]

Snow Angel

Summary: Steve suggests a snowy drive through Hawkins that gets heated at his favorite overlook.

This is COMPLETELY self-indulgent, because for me, Christmas doesn't feel very festive this year. It's soft and sappy with two people very much in love. This is for anyone that needs to feel something a little extra for the season. ❤️ And since I couldn't get those pictures of that truck out of my head, enjoy some smut!

18+ Only! Minors DNI!

CW: No use of Y/N. Pet names (angel, honey, etc). Fluff. Soft Smut. Slight fingering. P in V. Creampie.

WC: 4K

Snow fell softly, adding to the already six inches or so that blanketed the quiet little world of Hawkins. The forecast called for at least six more overnight, but you hadn't minded. With Christmas a few days away and nowhere to go, it was easy to busy yourself making dozens of fresh baked cookies for your friends and loved ones.

He finally swung open the front door in the early evening, with a shiver but his senses were delighted with the smell of vanilla and cinnamon wafting through the air. Ever mindful, he quickly undid his boots and toed them off at the door, sitting them alongside yours and hanging his coat on the small rack.

A soft smile pulled at the edges of your lips when you hear him enter, taking the last batch from the oven before setting them on the cooling rack. He leaned against the door frame, with a low whistle, eyes roving over your frame.

“Have you been baking all day?” He asks with a grin, cheeks and nose tinted pink from the bitter cold, the soft knit beanie you had gifted him a few weeks ago sitting atop his head.

Turning to face him, you grace him with a beaming smile to match his own. The “kiss the cook” apron, dusted with flour hung haphazardly around your neck made a breathy chuckle escape him as he took a few more steps toward you, holding out a bouquet of red and white roses.

“What's all this for?” Removing the oven mitts so you could take them from him, lifting the flowers to your nose, inhaling the fragrant blooms.

“Just saw them and thought of you.” He shrugs, moving closer, until his hand reaches out to rest on your hip, pulling you into him.

You quickly maneuvered the flowers to the counter to wrap your arms around his neck. He was warm despite the fridge temperatures he had just come from.

“Steve, they're beautiful.” You comment, knowing that he hadn't just seen them. They weren't just supermarket flowers, venturing you to guess he had gone to the square to stop at the flower shop on the way home in this dreadful weather.

“Beautiful flowers, for my beautiful girl.” He smiles, wrapping his other arm around your waist and leaning in, until his nose nudges yours. You wrinkle at the chill, as your lashes flutter across your cheeks before his lips find yours in a soft, tender kiss.

He tasted of peppermints, the same ones he stuffed in his pockets every morning before heading into work, wrappers pushed back into those pockets that you had been emptying every time you washed his jeans.

You hummed, fingers running through his hair at the nape of his neck as he pulled away, leaning his forehead to yours. Slowly you open your eyes to see his golden brown, mossy infused orbs staring back at you.

“Got any plans, gorgeous?” He asks, fingertips running up the length of your spine and back down.

You giggled at the question as you answered, “Just spending the evening with you. Why?”

“How about…” He smiled, gently swaying you to some invisible song he alone seemed to hear. “You and I take a little drive. We can look at Christmas lights, and you can sit really close.” His voice dropping seductively at the last part.

Ever since Steve had brought home that shiny new truck, he had insisted you sit right next to him on the bench seat, making sure you were pressed into his side. His hand would either be on your thigh or slung over your shoulders at all times.

You were hesitant to say yes, eyes drifting to the window, worried the two of you might get stuck out in the cold if the snow continued to come down at its current rate. As if he could sense your trepidation, he cradled your jaw, thumb running soothingly along your cheek pulling your focus back to him.

“I'll make sure it's warm and toasty for you. Want to make some hot chocolate to take with us?” Eyes wide with a mix of reassurance and excitement, awaiting your response.

And how could you say no to that puppy dog look? The pouty lips and pleading gaze did you in each and every time.

Sighing softly, you nod, and he grinned immediately, kissing your forehead and reluctantly pulling back from your warm embrace to fish his keys from the front of his jeans and make his way back to the front door.

As he got dressed, you began making the hot chocolate, opting for instant because you knew Steve would be eager to head out. You left the water to boil, hanging the apron up and padding down the hall to your shared room to change into warmer clothing.

Flannel pajamas were exchanged for wool socks, jeans and a sweater, red to match his. You momentarily stop in front of the mirror to wipe a smidge of flour from your cheek and swipe on some lip gloss before returning to the kitchen just in time for the kettle to whistle.

He returns a few minutes later, waiting by the door, cupping his hands against his mouth to warm them up as you emerge to greet him with a thermos full of hot cocoa for your little adventure.

“Here, my little snow angel.” He says softly, setting the thermos down on the small table in the foyer to grab your coat, helping you into it, then taking your matching beanie and pulling it over your head, ensuring it was snuggly in place.

“Ready?” He asks, with a warm smile that reaches his eyes, grabbing onto the thermos once more.

“Ready!” Parroting with as much enthusiasm, as he opens the front door to the awaiting winter wonderland.

The snow was still falling, large powdery flakes landing all around the two of you as winter's cold embrace fought against your warm attire. The blue and white Chevy Silverado sat idling in the driveway, a warm safe haven ready to welcome you in.

He jogged ahead to get the door for you, waiting until you slid into the seat handing you the thermos before shutting it, briefly illuminated by the headlights as he crossed the front to hop into the driver's seat.

“Shit.” He breathes out, slamming the door against the frigid cold, watching a few flakes melt into the fabric of his jacket. “Warm me up, angel.”

He sweeps his arm around you, tugging you over and gently tucking you into his side, not a space between the two of you to be had. A giggle escapes you as he buries his face in the crook of your neck, icy nose brushing against the underside of your jaw before his warm breath follows.

A few moments pass, before he sighs, placing a kiss where his lips rest against your exposed skin as he reluctantly pulls himself away. Utterly and hopelessly head over heels for the boy in front of you, hoping he can see it conveyed on your face when you lean in, pressing a soft but brief kiss to his lips. A dopey, lovesick grin graces his features when you break away.

“I love you.” He hums, squeezing your waist.

“I love you too, baby, but we can't see these Christmas lights if we sit in the driveway all night.”

He sighs again, knowing you're right. This was his idea after all but being this close to you always makes him feel dizzy. He pulls his arm away from you to put the truck in reverse and slowly eases out of the drive. As soon as he's on the main road, his hand is firmly planted on your thigh.

He throws the windshield wipers on high, fighting against the onslaught of pelting flakes melting on contact. The streets are empty, peaceful even, as the headlights shine a path ahead cutting through the snowy landscape. He takes it slow, rightfully so, as the plow trucks have turned in for the foreseeable evening since no one else seems brave or dumb enough to be out in this weather.

You turn off of your street and head north toward Loch Nora, the wealthy neighborhood that Steve grew up in. It holds both special memories and times he would like to forget but they always knew how to decorate for Christmas.

It's a quiet journey for the most part, passing the hot cocoa back and forth, listening to the radio at a reasonable volume, letting soft rock or the occasional Christmas song fill the comfortable silence. It wasn't long before he turned off into the subdivision, twinkling string lights illuminated the sign as you entered.

Bright, sparkling bulbs of all colors could be seen up and down the sleepy street, as he eased to a crawl, allowing you both to bask in the soft glow and nostalgia. Seeing all the houses lit up paired with him by your side, made your heart leap with an immeasurable fondness.

He rolled to a stop in front of a home tucked away at the end of the cul-de-sac that he recognized all too well. White lights in abundance, clean and crisp, not a strand out of place. Much like the sterile environment he had grown up in. Mrs. Harrington would rather die than ever have the gaudy multicolored lights. Calling the neighbors absolute fools for the mismatched catastrophes.

Your heart aches at the way his eyes drift over the exterior, with a heavy sigh. Christmas was a touchy subject with Steve for a long time, though it was still his favorite holiday. He was never allowed to help decorate the tree, it was a showboat, much like anything else the elder Harrington's did.

The first Christmas with you had brought the magic back for him. A fresh, live tree was picked out and brought into your home, decorated with mismatched ornaments from your childhood, multicolored string lights and tinsel. He smiled and laughed the entire time until his cheeks ached. Now that you shared a home, he enjoyed it even more, spending every evening curled up with you on the couch the entire month, watching a different Christmas movie when you could.

You take his hand, intertwining your fingers, as you look back over to him, catching the way his small frown transforms back into the smile he carried before, bringing your hand up to his lips for a kiss.

He eased back into a slow drive, leaving that house in the rear view, making an exit out of the neighborhood.

“I've got one more place to show you.” He states with a hint of softness to his voice. “It's not far from here.”

“I'll go wherever you take me. We've got plenty of hot chocolate.” Holding up the thermos for emphasis.

You ease back into a comfortable silence, your thumb rubbing soothingly across his hand where you still grasp it. The road gets a little more snowy and the trees more dense the further he goes. The path winds and travels up until he reaches a small clearing, parking it with practiced ease and shutting off the headlights.

Out beyond you lay the town of Hawkins. It looked like a snow globe, lit up from the streetlights and jolly decorations as the snow fell.

“How beautiful!” You gushed, leaning forward in the seat to gain a better look, eyes sparkling in the dim lights of the dash.

“Beautiful.” He uttered, looking at you instead, placing his arm back around your shoulders as you melted back into his embrace, kissing your temple then leaning his head onto the top of yours, muttering “I love you” into your hat.

“I love you too, Steve.” You echo, pushing away from him slightly so you could see his face, taking in the way the moonlight partially illuminated his best features. The angular slope of his perfect nose, the soft lines of his pouty lips, and the curve of his sharp jaw all stood out. His eyes drop as you take your lip between your teeth, studying him as he studies you.

He untangles his hand from yours to find your cheek, his thumb grazing along your bottom lip when you release it, causing your breath to hitch and your heart rate to tick upward as if you hadn't kissed him a hundred times before. Steve always had this effect on you, and you hoped right then and there he always would.

You both lean forward, noses grazing as he tilts your head just right for your lips to meet, closing your eyes. It was sweet and tender, his grip on your shoulder tightening slightly as if you might pull away but you reach up, gripping the front of his jacket to pull him in.

His tongue parts your lips, as you softly moan, melting further into him. He takes the lead, deepening the kiss, as it becomes hungry and heated. That familiar spark of desire shoots through you. His fingers trailing lightly down your neck finding the zipper on your jacket, tugging it down smoothly until your sweater comes into view. His hand snakes down, finding the edge of the woolen fabric, running his palm across your soft stomach, causing you to shudder, before ultimately landing on your hip.

His free hand comes to cradle the back of your head, as he pulls away to kiss a path across your jaw, nipping at your earlobe and finding the little spot below your ear that makes you gasp. He grins against you, sucking a little harder at that spot, his tongue then licking across your skin in a soothing manner.

“Steve.” You say, in that breathless way that makes him moan against your heated skin. You tug at his beanie until it comes free, running your fingers through his already disheveled hair to hold him in place.

His cock is already painfully hard, tented and straining against his jeans, groaning when you palm at his erection, hips grinding upward, pushing himself further against your hand.

“Need you.” He whispers, voice needy and strained.

“Need you too.” Replying as he parts from you momentarily to remove his jacket, watching as you do the same, tossing them both with reckless abandon into the floorboard.

He immediately grabs you by the hips, pulling you into his lap, chests flush, legs straddling either side of his.

He nips at your top lip, then your bottom lip, pulling back with a sly smirk, leaving you a little breathless and wanting before you roll your hips into his as he gasps, gripping you a little tighter to hold you in place.

“Not fair, angel.” He whispers, a soft mumble against your lips before crashing them into yours. You move in tandem, a slow and steady build, tongues dancing and gliding together in a messy crescendo of need and desire.

The cab of the truck is hot, suddenly feeling cramped with far too many layers of clothing between you, breaking the kiss to come up for much needed air you quickly ease off his lap, much to his dismay.

His pout turns into another grin, when you toe your boots off and he sees you unbuttoning your jeans, he starts to do the same. His buckle clicks open loudly, his deft fingers popping the button before unzipping and pushing them down his hips, leaving him in his very festive red and green checkered boxers, as you discard your jeans and panties with the growing pile in the floor.

Turning his head back to you, he sucks in a sharp breath, easing his hand down to rub against himself.

“Eager, are we?” He teases, taking your hand to help you back into his lap, taking up the same position as before, only the thin fabric of his boxers separating you. He presses himself up against your already soaked folds, hands at your lower back as his hips grind up, eliciting moans from the both of you.

His touch becomes more possessive and frantic, easing under your sweater, dancing up your spine and along your ribs, teasing the underside of your bra as his thumb brushes over your hardened nipple through the fabric.

He watches with hooded eyes as your back arches you further into his touch, breath becoming more erratic with each passing second. He roughly pulls your bra down, cupping your breast with his large palm, kissing back down your neck. Your hands grip the front of his sweater, throwing your head back as pleasure begins to course through your veins, when he pinches your nipple between his thumb and finger a moan, louder than the one before is ripped from your chest.

“That's it angel, love to hear those pretty sounds you make. S'just us out here, you can be as loud as you want.” He says in-between peppered kisses across your bared throat, easing his hand down between your splayed legs.

His fingers slide across your slick lips, teasing your entrance. The moment his thumb brushes across your swollen clit, your hips jolt, eliciting another high-pitched moan from you.

“Need your Steve!” You cry out.

“I'm right here, honey. Right here.” He curls his arm tighter around your waist, inserting a finger.

“No!” You breathe out, as he stills his movements.

“No?” He asks, looking up at you with furrowed brows.

“Need your cock.” Pushing at his boxers, with a whine. He chuckles, removing his hand from you to grab your wrists but who was he to deny you? Not when you were perched on his lap looking like a literal ethereal being.

“Okay, angel.” He kisses your forehead. “Ease up for me.”

You do so, allowing him to push his boxers down his hips, his girthy cock standing at attention.

“Ready, angel?” He asks, taking in a ragged breath of his own, before you nod.

“Good girl.” He coos, lining himself up at your entrance. “Just take your time. No rush.” His hand eases up your thigh.

You start to sink down, jaw going slack, tears already pricking at the corners of your eyes when his thick tip breaches, stretching you open in the best possible way.

“Relax, relax.” You hear him say, hands gripping his shoulders, releasing a deep breath, taking him a bit further into your tight heat. “That's it.”

You continue to ease down his length, with gentle praises mumbled breathlessly against your skin, until you're fully seated on his lap.

“That's my good girl, taking me so well.” He hums, wrapping his arms around you, burying his head into your shoulder.

“Ahhhhh! Steve!”

“I know, I know. You feel so good, angel.” Coming out slightly muffled, letting you go at your own pace, though it's killing him, cock twitching inside you as he groans.

Your pussy flutters around him, finally taking it as a cue to move, lifting your hips at an agonizingly slow pace, feeling every inch of him dragging against your inner walls, pausing before dropping back down.

“Oh, fuuuck.” He moans out, gripping your hips, as you start to set a more pleasurable pace, adding rolls with your movements, catching that wave of pleasure each time that thatch of hair at the base of his cock rubs deliciously against your throbbing clit.

The outside world fades away between frosted glass and panting breaths. It's just you and Steve inside the cab of his truck, safe and warm wrapped in each other's arms, connected in the most intimate way. Your bodies slot perfectly together, melding and molding, crashing into each other again and again in perfect rhythm.

Your tempo falters the closer you get to the edge of release, but he's there to catch you. He's always there. Your thighs begin to shake as broad hands start to aid in moving you up and down his length.

His lips part, watching as he disappears into your tight heat over and over, on the cusp of coming undone himself but holding back to see you fall apart for him.

Heated skin finds the frosted glass behind his head, shuddering as the cool pane meets your palm, leaving a perfect print before your continued movements drag it in indecipherable patterns, but a pattern that anyone outside would recognize.

“Gonna come for me angel?” He asks between labored breaths, feeling you tighten slightly around his shaft.

You quickly nod, too far gone to find your voice in the throes of passion. His thumb finds your aching clit, moving against you with measured precision.

That familiar heat rises up through your core, behind your navel, pressure building and building. Your whines get more high pitched, hands grasping at his sweater, wringing it between your fingers to the point that your knuckles have turned white.

He watches, with bated breath, steady praises stream from his lips, falling on deaf ears, your brain no longer registering the words. He sounds so far away but he's right here, beside you, under you and inside you.

The tension finally reaches a fever pitch, like a cork exploding from insurmountable pressure, your orgasm crashes into you with a blinding force, knocking you senseless. You clench and tighten around him, legs finally giving out, ceasing their rhythm entirely as you come undone.

He grips you, bruisingly so, holding you in place as he takes over, thrusting up into you only a handful of times before he's spilling hot and heavy inside of your needy cunt, giving you all he has to offer. He holds you to him, grunting out as his cock twitches with the last of his sticky spend.

Your chests heave, back and forth, shared breaths in the space between you as your heart rates return to normal. No words were spoken, your bodies doing more than enough to convey the feelings you both have.

A lazy, dopey smile finds you when he finally lifts his head. Cheeks flushed, hair sticking to his forehead, eyes sparkling with pure adoration as a soft “hi” escapes him.

“Hi baby.” You grin, with a breathy laugh. The absurdity of such a simple greeting after a complete out of body experience. Your lips find his, soft and slow, relishing in the afterglow for a few more moments.

He hums, pulling back, still breathless.

“We should head back.” He muses, eyes drifting out beyond the window, the snow still falling heavy around you.

You ease off of his softening cock, redressing in the quiet space, the radio playing lowly in the background. You take your place, pressed right in beside him as he eases back out onto the main road, snow already covering your tire tracks from before.

It was a slow ride home but neither of you seemed to mind, huddled together in the warm cab. Conversation flows, making the drive pass in the blink of an eye.

Once the truck was parked safely back in the driveway, he immediately hopped out, turning back to extend his hand to help you out, sliding his fingers between yours, guiding you both into the house.

Coats and boots were shed, outer gear exchanged for matching fleece pajamas. You emerge from the kitchen with an array of baked goods and made from scratch hot chocolate just in time for It's a Wonderful Life to start playing, setting the tray down on the coffee table.

“C’mere, honey.” He scoots over, patting the space beside him, lifting the edge of the blanket for you to slide in. And you do, handing him a mug, taking your own and leaning back into his embrace. The perfect end to a perfect night.

He brings the mug to his lips for a long sip, leaving behind a faint chocolaty mustache across his top lip, making you softly giggle before he turns, licking it away, his gaze settling on you.

His dulcet, sincere smile makes your heart flutter against your ribcage. Here in the twinkling lights and glow of the TV, a picture of what the future might hold was clear.

Steve had similar thoughts swirling around and come Christmas morning he hoped you would say yes right there in front of the tree.

[misswynters]

Mistletoe

featuring. ekko x reader

apart of the 2024 Christmas Special

‘Tis was the holiday season, and everything around you seemed to shimmer with festive spirit. The streets of Piltover were lit up with twinkling lights that decorated the storefronts, the air crisp with the scent of pine and spices, and the sound of carolers singing filled the background. For you, it was the most magical time of the year. It was a season of warmth, togetherness, and a touch of whimsy that you couldn’t help but love.

And this year, you weren’t alone in celebrating it.

You looked over at Ekko, who was walking beside you, a bit out of place in this festive setting. His usual cocky, confident smile was nowhere to be found, replaced with a mix of curiosity and discomfort as he took in the Christmas decorations. He didn’t quite understand the whole holiday thing, not the way you did. Christmas in Zaun was far from this bright, clean, and cheerful celebration—it was more about surviving, making do, and finding your own joy in the chaos. Piltover was a different world, one that seemed so foreign to Ekko.

Still, despite his usual skepticism, Ekko had promised you that he’d spend the season with you. He’d agreed to take part in all the little traditions you held dear, even if he didn’t fully understand them.

“I don’t get it,” Ekko muttered, looking up at a giant tree in the center of the square, its branches heavy with sparkling ornaments and ribbons. “I mean, this tree is cool, but... what’s the point? Just some big, shiny thing in the middle of town.”

You giggled, nudging him with your shoulder as you both stood on the sidewalk, watching the people bustle around. “It’s not just about the tree. It’s about the tradition, the feeling. You know, the whole spirit of Christmas? People come together, share moments, decorate, give gifts... and it’s all about love and kindness.”

Ekko raised an eyebrow. “And the presents? That’s what I don’t get. People buying stuff for each other just to say they care?”

“Kind of,” you said, grinning at him. “But more than that. It’s about thinking of the other person, showing them you care in ways that don’t have to be big or expensive. It’s the thought behind it.”

He was quiet for a moment, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he stared at the people laughing and chatting in the square. “Guess I can see that. But, uh... I still don’t get the whole Christmas thing.”

You smiled warmly, reaching out to take his hand. “I know. But that’s okay. We’ll make our own Christmas, right? Just you and me.”

His lips twitched into a small, fond smile, his fingers gently curling around yours. “Yeah, alright. As long as it makes you happy.”

You gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, feeling your heart flutter a little. Ekko wasn’t the type to go all out with grand gestures or public displays of affection. But his quiet support and willingness to make you happy meant more to you than anything.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the two of you were curled up on the couch in your apartment. You had just finished decorating the place with twinkling lights, a few candles, and of course, a small, modest tree you’d picked out together. Ekko had been skeptical about the tree at first but had relented after you explained the tradition behind it. He’d even helped with hanging a few of the ornaments—mostly in a half-hearted, ‘I’m here because you want me to be’ kind of way. But it didn’t matter. The atmosphere was warm and cozy, and for once, it felt like home.

“Okay, now we need to figure out what to do for dinner,” you said, leaning against him, your voice soft. The flickering lights from the tree reflected in your eyes, adding to the cozy feel of the evening.

“Pizza?” Ekko offered, glancing over at you with a small, mischievous grin.

You rolled your eyes, laughing. “Pizza? Really? We can do better than that on Christmas Eve.”

“Alright, alright, I’m just saying... pizza’s easy. And we’ve done it before,” he teased, his tone playful.

You snorted, pushing his shoulder lightly. “We’re doing something festive. Something that feels... special. You’re supposed to be making this the best Christmas ever, remember?”

Ekko pretended to think for a moment, tapping his chin. “Okay, okay... How about a nice dinner, maybe some baked chicken and mashed potatoes?”

You smiled, impressed with his effort. “I like it. But we still need dessert.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical about the whole thing. “Dessert? What kind of dessert are you thinking? Not a cake, right? I’ve never been great with baking.”

“No cake,” you said, grinning. “Maybe cookies, though. The kind with frosting on top.”

“Cookies, huh?” Ekko’s voice softened, and there was something endearing in his eyes as he considered the idea. “Alright. Cookies. I can handle that.”

The two of you spent the next hour preparing your Christmas Eve dinner together, Ekko grumbling good-naturedly while you handled the baking. You took your time, enjoying the process, the hum of quiet laughter, and the warmth of having him beside you. It wasn’t anything grand, but to you, it felt perfect.

After dinner, you both settled back on the couch with mugs of hot cocoa, the room glowing softly from the lights and candles. The snow outside began to fall gently, and you leaned your head on Ekko’s shoulder, content in the silence between you. Even though this holiday was different from what you’d grown up with, there was something so special about sharing it with him. The thought of making new traditions together filled you with warmth.

You sat up after a while, your gaze drifting toward the doorway of the living room. There, hanging innocently above the doorframe, was a sprig of mistletoe—something you’d put up earlier just for fun. It was a tradition you’d kept up in the hopes that, one day, Ekko would kiss you under it. You’d almost forgotten about it until now.

With a mischievous grin, you stood up, walking toward the doorway. “Hey, Ekko,” you called, glancing over your shoulder with a teasing smile.

He lifted his head from his mug, raising an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Remember that mistletoe?” you asked, pointing toward the doorway with a playful glint in your eye.

Ekko blinked in confusion for a moment before it seemed to click. He froze, his eyes locking with yours as a blush spread across his cheeks. “Wait... You didn’t mean...”

You stepped closer to him, your grin widening. “I did. Come on, Ekko. It’s tradition.”

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck, his usual confident demeanor faltering. “I... I don’t know, I mean, what if—”

“Ekko,” you said, your voice soft, “It’s just a kiss. It’s Christmas. And... I really want it. I promise it’s not a big deal.”

He looked at you for a long moment, his gaze shifting between your eyes and the mistletoe. There was still a touch of hesitation in his posture, but then, his expression softened. He stood up slowly, closing the distance between you both. His eyes were locked on yours, his hand reaching out to gently tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

The moment felt suspended in time, and as he leaned in, his lips brushed yours gently, as though testing the waters. But then, with a softness that only he could manage, he kissed you fully, his lips warm against yours. The world seemed to melt away for a moment, leaving just the two of you beneath the mistletoe.

When he pulled back, his eyes were full of something you hadn’t seen before—a quiet tenderness, a warmth that mirrored the Christmas lights around you.

“Happy Christmas, my firefly,” he whispered, his voice soft but sincere.

You smiled, your heart swelling with happiness. “Merry Christmas, Ekko.”

And just like that, it felt like everything had fallen into place. You didn’t need to understand every tradition. You didn’t need a perfect holiday. Because, in that moment, you had everything that mattered: love, warmth, and each other. And that was more than enough.

[asidian]

Set breakdown time! Next up: Niko's room.

As before, I've circled the points of interest and numbered them to make them easier to talk about. Cool? Cool. Let's do this!

1: Niko's mom's name! This part is her and Niko's surname. The kanji are 佐々木.

佐 – sa, meaning help or aid

々 – an iteration mark. When you see this, basically it means "exactly what the last one said, one more time." So another sa meaning help or aid

木 – ki, meaning tree

It's really neat that they picked a last name for her that doubles down on her role in the narrative. Just like Niko is there to support and help other characters in whatever way they seem to need, her surname hammers it home by including 佐 not once but twice.

2: Riza (リザ) Niko's mother's given name. Somewhat odd here is that it's written in katakana and not kanji. Without getting sidetracked too much (you can pop over here to read more if you're interested) most Japanese people write their names in kanji.

Katakana seems like a bit of a strange choice here, unless a) Niko for some reason doesn't know the kanji for her own mother's name (weird, given that she's in high school) b) her mother is a foreigner (a possibility; foreigners usually write their names in katakana) c) the set designer/whoever prepped the letters didn't know the appropriate kanji for "Riza" (seems unlikely, given how accurate all the rest of this is) or d) some sort of personal habit. An interesting side note is that her letter to Niko also puts Niko's name in katakana.

3: Cutesy stationery, used for marking your place in a document or book

4: A cute blue purse!

5: Watermelon! Judging by the shiny material and placement near the other bag, I'm going to guess this is another purse

6: Niko's clothes :>

7: Pink luggage

8: Lots of instant noodles

9: A rice cooker

10: Rice vinegar

11: This girl LOVES her some plants

12: Probably food items…? The one on the right looks like it might be a five-pound bag of rice, but I don't recognize the brand

13: Lots of unwashed dishes

14: A toaster oven

15: Chopsticks

16: A cute octopus pillow. I think I saw someone mention that it's from Ikea :>

17: She often leaves dirty dishes sitting on the bedside table

18: A painting of what seems to be a skyscape

19: Brightly colored pillows

20: Metal art in the shape of a moon

21: A decorative window hanging

22: More plants :)

23: Candles

24: Her tv

25: Cute pens with pompoms on the end

26: Regular tape

27: A cute cat statue

28: Marble Pop Ramune, strawberry flavor. Ramune is a type of soda that's a popular festival drink in Japan. It's sealed with a  glass marble and you have to pop the marble down into the little catch basin before you can drink it.

29: Anime wall décor

30: Fruit jelly cups. In Japan, small gelatin based snacks like this are popular. They're tiny, about an inch tall, and you eat them in just one or two bites.

31: Niko's laptop. She has stickers on it

32: Washi tape! It's decorative Japanese tape, often with bright colors and patterns, used for crafting.

33: A lot of cute magnets, including the bunny one, which serves double-duty as a kitchen timer

34: Niko's grocery list. The only thing on here that's here because she wants it is strawberry ice cream. The rest of the items, licorice tea, manuka honey, and Epsom salts, are all natural remedies. She's been trouble-shooting how to get rid of the effects of the sprites. She knows she's sick, but not why

35: Cutesy craft supplies! Sequins, glitter, and pompoms

36: More washi tape!

37: Niko's manga collection. She is that particular brand of organizational mess that does not put her numbered volumes in order. She has made an exception for the series that makes a complete picture when you line them up, though

38: More plants :)

39: Manga posters! Issho is one of the series that she has on her shelf

40: A decorative jar

41: Little metal bird sculptures

42: What seems to be the only framed picture in her room. The angle is wrong to see what the photo is, but it's interesting that they added just one in here. Maybe it's her family…?

[oldsoul007]

kiss me

nicholas chavez x reader

summary: is it a coincidence that nicholas and y/n keep running into each other during the busiest time of the year

a/n: I know it’s unrealistic, just let me live

Nicholas and I’s first encounter in New York during Christmas was anything but a meet-cute.

The city was buzzing with festive energy, lights twinkling everywhere, and crowds bustling about. I was juggling a bunch of shopping bags and a hot chocolate, trying to navigate through the sea of people at Rockefeller Center. Suddenly, I collided with a guy carrying a huge Christmas tree.

My hot chocolate went flying, splashing all over his coat, and my bags scattered across the pavement. His tree toppled over, almost hitting a group of carolers. We both stood there, stunned and embarrassed. I quickly started picking up my bags, apologizing profusely. "I'm so sorry!" I said, glancing at the mess and his stained coat.

He bent down to help, saying, "No, it's my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." Our hands brushed as we reached for the same bag, and we both laughed awkwardly. Despite the chaos, there was this brief, inexplicable connection. We exchanged a few more apologies and a sheepish smile before parting ways, thinking it was just a random, albeit memorable, mishap in the vast city.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a series of serendipitous encounters that would bring us together again and again.

The very next day, I found themselves wandering through a bustling holiday market in New York City. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and hot cocoa. The market was alive with twinkling lights and the sounds of cheerful chatter.

As I browsed a booth filled with handmade ornaments, I felt a familiar presence beside me. Taking a double look. Turning, I was surprised to see Nicholas standing there, examining a snow globe.

"Hey, fancy seeing you here," I said joking with a smile, her breath visible in the cold air.

Nicholas looked up, equally surprised. "Y/n! What are the odds? It's funny, considering how big New York is."

We both laughed, the coincidence of bumping into each other two days in a row in such a big city not lost on us. "I guess fate has a funny way of bringing people together," I joked, my eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Yeah, or maybe New York isn't as big as we think," Nicholas replied, giving me a playful nudge. We continued to explore the market together, the unexpected encounter adding a touch of magic to our day.

The rink was a magical scene, twinkling with fairy lights and filled with couples gliding gracefully on the ice. Nicholas, who was still a bit clumsy on skates, stumbled right into y/n, who was gracefully skating by. They both tumbled onto the ice in a heap of giggles and apologies.

As we sat on the cold ice, catching our breath and trying to regain our composure, Nicholas joked, "Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Maybe the universe is trying to tell us something." My cheeks flushed from the cold and laughter, I replied, "You know, you might be right. How many times can you run into the same person in New York during Christmas? Well I might think you’re stalking me!”

We decided to take a break from skating and warm up with a cup of hot cocoa from a nearby vendor. Sitting at a small table, surrounded by the festive ambiance of the rink, we started talking and found ourselves lost in conversation. We shared stories of their holiday plans, our favorite Christmas traditions, and laughed over the series of mishaps that had brought us together.

By the end of the night, Nicholas looked at me and said with a smile, "So, what do you say we stop leaving it to chance and actually plan to meet up?" I grinned back, "i don’t know…."

Despite the festive lights and cheerful atmosphere, y/ seemed hesitant whenever Nicholas brought up the idea of spending more time together.

"We've bumped into each other so many times lately. It's like the universe is trying to tell us something."

I smiled but remained cautious. "I don't know, Nicholas. It's just... things are really busy right now."

Nicholas nodded, understanding my reluctance. "I get it. But how about this? Let's make a deal. I'll take you to the best hidden spots in New York, places only locals know about, and in return, you give me one evening to show you the magic of Christmas in the city."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but still unsure. "And what if I don't have a good time?"

Nicholas grinned, confident but kind. "I appreciate the bluntness, but then I'll owe you a favor of your choice. No strings attached. But I promise you, you won't regret it."

After a moment of contemplation, my curiosity got the better of her. "Alright, Nicholas. You've got yourself a deal."

Nicholas's face lit up with excitement. "Great! I can't wait to show you a side of New York you've never seen before."

We exchanged numbers, feeling a warm sense of excitement and curiosity about what the future might hold.

Nicholas couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to do something special to show y/n how much he cared. So, one night, he picked up his phone and called her at 1am.

"Y/n, it's Nicholas. I know it's late, but I have a surprise for you. Can you meet me at Grand Central Station at 2am?"

Me, still groggy from sleep, hesitated for a moment but then agreed, my curiosity piqued. “Promise to not murder me though.”

When I arrived at the station, it was eerily quiet and completely empty. Nicholas was waiting for ‘e with a warm smile. "I wanted to show you something magical," he said, leading me inside.

We walked through the grand hall, and I looked up to see the constellations painted on the ceiling, glowing softly in the dim light. The vast space, usually bustling with people, was serene and peaceful.

"This is incredible, Nicholas," I whispered, taking in the beauty of the moment.

Nicholas nodded, his eyes twinkling. "I thought you might like it. Sometimes, the best moments happen when you least expect them."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Thank you for this. It's perfect."

We stood there together, under the stars, savoring the quiet magic of the night.

After our magical experience at Grand Central Station, Nicholas wasn't ready for the night to end. He turned to me with a mischievous grin. "How about we go somewhere else? I have another place in mind."

My curiosity was piqued. "Alright, lead the way."

I nodded eagerly, my curiosity piqued once again. We hopped into a cab, and Nicholas directed the driver to the American Museum of Natural History. Arriving at the museum, Nicholas led me to a side entrance where a friend of his worked as a night guard. With a wink and a nod, we were let inside.

The museum was eerily quiet and dimly lit, with the exhibits casting long shadows across the floor. Nicholas guided me through the halls, showing me the massive dinosaur skeletons and the serene dioramas of wildlife.

"This place is incredible at night," I whispered, my voice echoing softly.

We wandered through the exhibits, eventually finding ourselves in the planetarium. Nicholas led me to the center, where we lay down on the floor, looking up at the simulated night sky. The stars and planets above us created a mesmerizing view.

As we lay there, the peacefulness of the museum and the beauty of the stars above began to lull them into a state of relaxation. Nicholas turned to me and smiled. "I'm glad we came here."

I smiled back, feeling a deep sense of contentment. "Me too."

Slowly, we both drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the wonders of the museum and the tranquility of the night. It was a perfect end to our spontaneous adventure.

A few hours later, we were gently woken up by the night guard. "Hey, you two. It's almost morning. You should probably head out before the day staff arrives," he said with a chuckle.

I stretched and looked at Nicholas with a sleepy smile. "That was amazing. It felt like a first date, but even better."

Nicholas grinned. "Yeah, it was pretty incredible. But this wasn't our first date. How about I pick you up at 7 tonight, and we have an official one?"

My eyes lit up. "I'd love that."

We thanked the guard and made our way out of the museum, both excited for what the day would bring.

Nicholas picked me up at seven sharp, ready for our official date. We started with a cozy dinner at a charming little bistro, where we shared stories and laughed over delicious food. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and the evening flowed effortlessly.

After dinner, we wandered through the city, stopping by a street fair where we played games and won silly prizes for each other. The night was filled with fun and laughter, and as we walked hand in hand, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

As we strolled through the park, the Christmas lights twinkled like stars, creating a cozy and magical atmosphere. Nicholas looked at me, his heart full. "These lights are amazing. They remind me of how magical the holiday season can be."

I smiled warmly. "Yeah, there's something special about this time of year. It makes everything feel a bit more magical."

Nicholas chuckled. "It's funny how we didn't know each other before, but it feels like we've known each other forever. I'm really glad we met."

I nodded, my eyes reflecting the lights. "Me too. Sometimes the best connections happen unexpectedly."

Nicholas gently squeezed my hand. "Absolutely. Tonight has been incredible, and I can't wait to see where this goes."

We continued our walk, sharing stories and dreams, feeling a deeper connection with each step. The night was filled with warmth, laughter, and the promise of new beginnings.

Finally, we found a quiet spot in a nearby park, where the city lights twinkled around us. Nicholas turned to me, his eyes full of warmth. "I had an amazing time tonight."

I smiled, feeling a flutter in my heart. "Me too. It was perfect."

Nicholas leaned in slowly, and our lips met in a gentle, lingering kiss. It was the perfect end to a magical night, leaving us both looking wanting more.

[piftamere]

part twenty-three - something stupid (wc : 0.4k)

“what do you want to eat?” maki asks you, as you both stand in front of the colorful food stall.

“um let me think,” you reply, tapping your chin while examining your options as if you were making a life-threatening decision, “how about candied strawberries?” you finally suggest, your face lighting up.

maki seems to ponder for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly before a small smile appears onto her face,“yeah, that sounds good.”

you hand over the money to the vendor and receive two sticks of shiny, ruby-red candied strawberries.

“i don’t think we’re gonna have a good view of the fireworks from here.” you say as you inspect your surroundings, sounding a little disappointed.

she looks around and then back at you with a determined expression. “let’s look for a better spot then, hurry they’re gonna start soon,” she grabs your hand firmly, “i won’t loose you this time.” threading her fingers through yours and leading you into the crowd.

you trail behind her, focused on trying not to stumble as you match her pace, though the feeling of her warm skin on yours is a little distracting.

finally, you find a perfect spot with a clear view of the sky. settling down on the grass next to her, still holding hands.

“i’m glad you and megumi are cousins” you mutter matter-of-factly, as you hand maki her candied strawberries.

she looks at you with a puzzled smile. “that’s a bit random, but ok.”

you chuckle, “i meant that i’m happy you and megumi are cousins because that way i got to know you. i’m really glad i met you.”

her face softens as she gazes into your eyes. “i’m really glad i met you too.”

you sit in silence before maki speaks up hesitantly. “can i confess something?”

“sure go ahead” you turn to her, your curiosity peaked.

“i never really liked strawberries…” she admits, barely above a whisper.

you stare at her, then at the strawberries in your hands. “why didn’t you say so?? i would’ve bought something else! or we could’ve eaten different things!!”

she looks down at the snack, a small smile on her lips. “you seemed so excited, and i wanted to share with you… turns out strawberries aren’t as bad as i remembered them to be.”

you bump your shoulder into hers, laughing lightly “you’ve gotten soft maki.”

she bumps you back, but she doesn’t move away, instead resting her head on your shoulder and sighing contentedly as the first fireworks light up the sky. “i guess i have.”

[tl:dr : you buy snacks, run through a crowd to get to a spot with a better view while holding hands, and watch the fireworks]

fun facts

maki and y/n rented their yukatas after spending all afternoon the day before the festival trying different ones on, in the end maki picked y/n's and y/n picked maki's

kugisaki didn't comment on y/n's "possible feelings" since y/n's feeling down but she's taking notes, and pulling her hair out at their stupidity

the song maki mentioned was written by y/n alone about how confused she's been feeling lately, especially because of her feelings and relationships

author's note

megumi needs to grow up fr

can you tell i like holding hands? i feel like i always end up incorporating it lol

⋆⭒˚｡⋆ tugging on heartstrings ⋆⭒˚｡⋆

as an aspiring solo artist, you dream of making it big in the music industry. With your talent and unwavering determination, you find yourself entangled in a web of romantic pursuits amidst rumors and betrayal. Will you emerge unscathed and manage to navigate your love life in the chaos of fame?

Part twenty-three - Next

rbs and interactions are highly appreciated <3

taglist : closed :) to be added leave a comment on the masterlist of the smau

@lysaray @swissy23 @d6za1 @minzxec @sleepy-waffle @saturn-alone @dreamxiing @selysixn @reiluvr @lavender-hvze @mellozhi @cre8inghavoc @ichorstainedskin @inosfavgf @k4sss133 @taelattecookie @cheese-enjoyer9471 @wateronlyhaha @sonicsolos @bkgs-girl @colortheoryrocks @kinkybandages @woahguy278 @cuteandohsodeadly @weewooooweew @peqch-pie @myguumi @r0ckst4rjk @jun1p3rlol @juliiizh @seikamuzu @theweirdfloatything @h3xi2g0n3 @xbarrjallenx @0range-juiceee @xenop0p @reagan707 @eyes-ofhell @fyodorisbbg @theresmeaninginthat @emlient @danhengswifey @cherrypieyourface @bitchycloudstrawberry @ofherchaos @shanye1112 @eusaevi @fuyuzemi @cupkiki @lvtilzs

if you're name is crossed out i couldn't tag you, if it's not fixed in a week i'll remove you sorry :(

[athenasdaydreams]

pairing: remus lupin x reader

summary: Remus loves christmas for many reasons, but his favourite reason might be you.

chapter warnings: mention of food, other than that not any to my knowledge!!

A/N: merry christmas!! i guess i have to listen to the people of tumblr and write another one... yay

At the young age of 6 years old, Remus John Lupin knew one thing; he loved Christmas. While every day was a constant reminder of his... condition, Christmas was his chance to be normal. His mother would bake sugar cookies and brownies with him, while his father would use magic to string old christmas lights across their small house. His favourite part, however, was not the gifts, or the decorations. It was chocolate. Remus loved chocolate in any form it came in, and in winter, there was no shortage of it. Hot chocolate, peppermint bark, festive chocolate frogs his father would buy for him, Remus adored christmas for this reason.

When Remus went to Hogwarts, his love for christmas only increased. Surrounded by friends who entertained him with games of wizard's chess and card games, he had more to look forward to when the first snowfall of the year happened. Remus loved the way you loved christmas as well. Your sweet disposition only shone brighter during the holiday season. Whether you helped a first year put his ornament higher on the gryffindor common room's christmas tree, or shared your homemade treats with kids whose parents were far to busy to make any, you were just the most perfect person on earth, like an angel that descended from heaven.

On his fourth Christmas holiday spent at Hogwarts, Remus couldn’t help but watch you from the corner of the common room, pretending to be engrossed in the book resting on his lap. You were laughing as you helped a third-year untangle a string of enchanted fairy lights that kept trying to loop themselves into knots. The sound of your laugh—light and genuine—made his chest tighten in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

“Oi, Moony!” Sirius’s voice jolted him out of his reverie. “Are you going to make that move, or are you just planning to stare at her until next Christmas?” Sirius smirked, leaning back in his chair, a knowing look plastered on his face.

James snickered beside him, flicking a wizard’s chess piece that had been knocked over in the chaos of their ongoing game. “Don’t be too hard on him, Padfoot. Christmas is the time for love and all that nonsense, isn’t it?”

Remus flushed, ducking his head to hide the redness creeping up his cheeks. “I wasn’t staring,” he muttered, though the heat in his face betrayed him.

“Oh, sure,” Peter chimed in, grinning as he picked up one of the chocolate frogs from a plate nearby. “Because it’s totally normal to sit with a chessboard in front of you for twenty minutes without moving a single piece.”

Before Remus could come up with a defense, you approached the group, holding a tray of what looked like freshly baked gingerbread cookies. “Anyone want some? I tried a new recipe, and I think they turned out pretty well,” you said, smiling as you offered the plate.

Remus’s heart skipped a beat as you leaned closer to him, holding out the tray. “Here, Remus. I know you like chocolate, so I added a little drizzle on these ones.”

He stared at the cookies for a moment, then at you, his brain struggling to form coherent words. “Thank you,” he managed, his voice quieter than he intended. He took one, the warmth of your smile making his insides feel like melted chocolate.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at him, smirking. “Smooth, Moony. Really smooth.”

You laughed softly at their antics, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Well, enjoy, everyone. Let me know what you think.” And with that, you turned to help another group of students decorating by the fireplace.

Remus watched you walk away, the cookie forgotten in his hand. James leaned over and whispered, “Mate, you’re going to have to say something eventually. Preferably before we graduate.”

But Remus didn’t need their teasing to know what was on his mind. You had a way of making every part of Christmas brighter, and he couldn’t help but think that you were the best gift he’d ever have the privilege of knowing.

By the next Christmas, the common room was alive with festive cheer once more, and this time, you and Remus sat together by the fire like old friends—though to Remus, you were so much more than that.

It had been a year since that quiet, awkward conversation, and in that time, you and Remus had grown closer in a way that felt effortless. He no longer hesitated to sit beside you in the common room or join you for study sessions in the library. You’d developed a quiet, easy camaraderie that made him feel like he belonged in a way he hadn’t since arriving at Hogwarts.

This Christmas, though, felt different.

“Are you winning, Moony?” you teased, leaning over to glance at his game of wizard’s chess with Sirius.

“Not even close,” he admitted with a wry smile. His knight was just smashed to bits by Sirius’s queen, and his remaining pieces seemed to be shaking with dread.

“Poor knight,” you said with mock sympathy. “He never stood a chance.”

Sirius grinned. “I’m ruthless. Everyone knows that.”

Remus rolled his eyes but chuckled, turning to you. “I think my pieces have officially given up. Care to save me by distracting Sirius?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Oh no, I’m terrible at chess. But I can offer you some chocolate for moral support.”

Reaching into the small tin you’d brought with you, you held out a neatly wrapped piece. Remus accepted it with a quiet “thanks,” and as he unwrapped it, he couldn’t help but marvel at how thoughtful you always were.

“Do you ever stop being nice?” he asked softly, almost to himself.

You tilted your head, smiling. “Why would I stop? It’s Christmas.”

“Still,” he muttered, looking down at the chocolate in his hand. “You make everything... better. Not just Christmas. Just—everything.”

Your cheeks warmed, and you reached for a piece of chocolate yourself to hide your flustered smile. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

The word friends made his heart ache in the best and worst way. He wanted to be more than that, but the thought of ruining what you already had was enough to keep him silent.

“You’ve been so good to me this year, Remus,” you said after a moment, surprising him. “Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

His head snapped up, his eyes wide. “Me? You’re the one who’s—” He stopped himself, shaking his head. “Never mind.”

You leaned closer, curiosity sparkling in your eyes. “No, go on. What were you going to say?”

He hesitated, then sighed, giving you a small smile. “You’re the one who’s made this year so great. I mean, you’re... you’re incredible, really. You make everyone feel special. It’s hard not to feel lucky just being around you.”

Your heart fluttered, and you looked down at your lap, feeling suddenly shy. “Well, if I make everyone feel special, it’s only because I learned from you.”

Remus blinked, caught completely off guard. “From me?”

You nodded, meeting his gaze with a soft smile. “Of course. You’re one of the kindest people I know, Remus. And you always know how to make people feel cared for, even when you don’t realize it.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The room seemed to grow quieter, the glow of the fire casting a soft light over your faces.

“Thank you,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Merry Christmas, Remus,” you said, your smile brighter than any decoration in the room.

“Merry Christmas,” he replied, his heart so full it felt like it might burst.

He still didn’t know if he’d ever work up the courage to tell you how he really felt, but for now, being your friend—your favourite friend, he hoped—was more than enough.

[chelseaknoo]

25 days with Eminem

Eminem x reader

Day 5

Marshall was lying on his back, propped up by one elbow, his phone in his hand as he scrolled through messages and emails. I snuggled closer to him, resting my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. The house felt so peaceful this morning, and I couldn’t help but smile, appreciating the calm after the flurry of yesterday’s festivities.

"Hey," I murmured, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "What do you think about taking Jackie out for a walk today? Maybe a little stroll in the park?"

Marshall didn't immediately respond, his attention still focused on his phone, but I could feel him glance down at me, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You wanna go outside in this weather?" He lifted an eyebrow, playfully teasing. "You sure you're not just trying to get out of doing chores today?"

I chuckled, looking up at him. "Okay, maybe I am trying to avoid the chores," I admitted, "but I also think Jackie could use a little fresh air. Plus, you’ve been cooped up with your phone all morning."

Marshall rolled his eyes, though I could see the smile on his lips. "Alright, alright. I’m down for it. I could use a break from work, too. And Jackie looks like he’s about to bounce off the walls." He glanced at our son, who was now drawing furiously on his paper, his tongue sticking out in concentration.

"I swear, this kid’s got more energy than we know what to do with," Marshall added with a laugh, sitting up slightly to reposition Jackie, who had started crawling across the bed in search of a new canvas to cover with crayon marks. "You ready to go outside, buddy?"

Jackie looked up at him with those wide, innocent eyes, giggling before reaching for his crayon again. His laugh filled the room with warmth. Marshall’s gaze softened, and he leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "I think he’s saying ‘yes,’ huh?"

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "I think he is," I agreed. "So, park it is. We can walk over by the lake. It’ll be nice."

Marshall stood up and stretched, giving me a playful look. "Alright, I guess I can’t argue with that. Let’s get this kid into his stroller, and we’ll head out. You’re lucky I love you." His grin was teasing, but I knew he meant it.

I grinned back, watching him as he made his way to the dresser, pulling on a hoodie and a pair of jeans. "I know you do. And you love Jackie, too." I stood up from the bed and moved to the closet, grabbing my coat. It was chilly outside, but the sun was shining, promising a crisp, beautiful winter day.

We worked together to get Jackie bundled up in his little winter coat, his chubby hands sticking out of the sleeves as he tried to wriggle free. Marshall chuckled as he tried to buckle Jackie into the stroller. "Man, I think he’s trying to start a protest about the cold. Can’t blame him, though—who wants to be all bundled up like that?"

"Hey, he’s going to be thankful once we’re outside, I promise," I said with a laugh, pulling my own coat on and adjusting my scarf.

Marshall glanced over at me, his lips curling into that smile that always made my heart skip a beat. "I think you just like the idea of getting him all cozy. Makes him look like a little bundle of joy ready to take on the world."

"Well, he is a little bundle of joy," I replied, zipping up my coat and making sure everything was in place. "And I’m definitely ready to take him on his first winter stroll."

We made our way downstairs, careful not to wake the girls. They were still sleeping in their rooms, likely recovering from all the excitement of the night before. The house felt quieter this morning, like we were in our own little world.

Once we were outside, the crisp air hit us, and Jackie let out a small squeal of excitement as he looked around, his eyes wide. The park wasn’t too far from the house, just a short walk down the street. Marshall took the stroller’s handle, pushing it gently as we walked side by side.

The park was nearly empty, save for a couple of other families enjoying the peaceful morning. The grass was still green despite the chill in the air, and the trees stood bare, their branches stretching up toward the sky. It was one of those days where the world felt still, as if everything was holding its breath.

"See, I told you," I said, glancing at Marshall. "Perfect day for a walk."

He smiled at me, his eyes soft. "Yeah, you were right. Good idea." He paused, looking at Jackie, who was staring at the world around him, utterly fascinated by everything. "You think he’s gonna remember this, like, when he’s older?"

I looked down at our son, his little face lit up with wonder. "I don’t think so. But I hope he’ll remember how we felt—how much we loved these moments with him." I smiled, reaching out to gently touch Jackie’s hand. "These are the memories we’ll hold onto, even if he doesn’t. You know?"

Marshall nodded, pushing the stroller a little faster. "Yeah... I get it. He won’t remember the walk, but we will. And that’s enough."

We walked together, enjoying the quiet of the morning, the soft chatter between us, and the joy of being a family. Jackie let out a giggle, and Marshall reached down to tickle him gently, causing him to burst into laughter. The sound of our son’s happiness filled the air, making everything feel right.

"Good call on the walk," Marshall said, giving me a side glance. "It’s nice to slow down sometimes."

"Yeah," I agreed, my heart full. "It is."

We continued our stroll through the park, the crisp air nipping at our cheeks, but it wasn’t enough to deter us. Jackie, still fascinated by everything around him, was happily babbling in his stroller, his hands reaching out as if trying to grab at the world. Marshall and I exchanged a smile, watching our son take it all in with such wide-eyed wonder.

As we walked past a playground, Jackie’s gaze locked onto the swings, and he let out a small noise, his arms moving excitedly. Marshall laughed, slowing the stroller down as he looked at me. "I think he wants to swing."

I grinned, feeling that familiar excitement in my chest. "Well, why don’t we give him a chance?" I reached out and helped Marshall lift Jackie from his stroller, his little legs kicking in the air. Jackie let out a delighted giggle as Marshall cradled him in his arms.

"You think he’s too little for the swings?" I asked, looking at Marshall, my voice full of curiosity.

"Nah, let’s see if he likes it." Marshall carefully lowered Jackie into the small seat on one of the swings, his hands holding onto him to make sure he was secure. Jackie’s face lit up as soon as the swing began to move. The wind gently brushed against his cheeks as the motion rocked him back and forth, and I could hear the sound of his laughter ringing through the air.

"Oh my gosh, he’s loving it!" I exclaimed, my heart swelling as I watched Marshall gently push the swing. Jackie’s giggles were contagious, and Marshall couldn’t help but smile at how happy their little one looked.

"Yeah, he’s a natural," Marshall said, his voice full of pride. "I think he’s gonna be swinging on his own before we know it."

I stood beside them, resting my hands on Marshall’s arm as we both watched Jackie’s pure joy. It was moments like these—simple, beautiful moments—that made all the stresses of life fade away. Our son, the tiny little person who had brought so much light into our world, was here, enjoying a perfect morning with us.

I glanced up at Marshall, catching the look in his eyes—the same look of love and appreciation he’d given me countless times before. "He’s growing up so fast," I said quietly, my voice a little softer now.

Marshall nodded, his eyes still on Jackie. "Yeah, he is. But that’s what happens, right? They just... grow. It’s crazy how much happens in such a short time." He gently gave the swing another push, and Jackie let out another happy squeal, his face lighting up like the sun.

"You think he’ll like the park when he gets older?" I asked, trying to imagine a future where Jackie was running around, laughing, and playing with other kids.

"I hope so," Marshall replied, his voice thoughtful. "I want him to have all the good things we had growing up—fun, freedom, and lots of laughs." He looked at me with a smirk. "Though, we might have to teach him how to keep up with us."

I laughed, imagining Jackie running circles around us. "Definitely. But he’s got good genes," I said, my voice playful. "He’s got you in him. He’ll be running marathons by the time he’s five."

Marshall chuckled, his hands still holding onto the swing. "Well, if he’s anything like me, he’ll probably want to be the fastest. And then I’ll have to teach him how to win with style."

We shared a laugh, the sound of our love for each other blending seamlessly with the happiness Jackie was radiating.

Eventually, Marshall slowed the swing to a gentle stop, and I leaned down to scoop Jackie up from the seat. His cheeks were flushed from the breeze, and his little arms reached out for me, his smile wide as ever.

"Looks like someone had a good time," I said, kissing the top of his head as I held him against me.

"He definitely did." Marshall smiled at the sight of Jackie’s joy, his own heart obviously full. "You’re a natural dad, you know that?"

I grinned at him. "I think it’s just because he’s such an easy kid to love."

Marshall chuckled softly and pulled me close, wrapping an arm around my waist. "He really is. We’re lucky."

"I couldn’t agree more," I said, resting my head against his shoulder for a moment as we stood there, our little family together, enjoying the peace of the morning. Jackie had calmed down now, but he was still happily clinging to me, his tiny fingers grasping at my shirt.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, we walked through the park, Jackie content in my arms, and Marshall at my side. There was no rush—no need to be anywhere. We simply existed in that moment, fully aware of how precious this time was.

Marshall broke the silence, his voice low and affectionate. "So, you think we’re ready to take on the rest of the day?"

I smiled up at him. "I think we are. But for now, I’m happy just being here with you guys."

He gave me a soft, loving kiss on the top of my head before we continued walking.

As we slowly made our way down the park path, the cool breeze still gently brushing against our skin, I turned to Marshall with a thoughtful smile. Jackie, now fully calm after his swing adventure, was quietly nestled in my arms, his little hands gripping onto me.

"Hey, what do you think about grabbing a coffee?" I asked, my voice light and casual, as I began to carefully strap Jackie back into his stroller, making sure he was comfortable. "There’s that new café that just opened up downtown. We could head there after this."

Marshall raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A new café, huh? Sounds good. You’ve got my attention. When did this place open? I didn't even know there was a new spot in town."

I chuckled, giving Jackie a quick, playful tickle before finishing up with the stroller straps. "I heard about it last week—just a cute little place. They’re supposed to have really good coffee and pastries. And I thought it might be nice to try something different. Plus, it'll give us a chance to sit and relax for a bit."

Marshall leaned down to give Jackie a quick kiss on the cheek before straightening up. "You know, a coffee sounds perfect right now. I can’t even remember the last time I had something besides the stuff we brew at home. And getting out of the house sounds pretty good."

I beamed at his response, feeling that familiar excitement of doing something new together. "Yeah, exactly. A little break from the usual routine. And I think Jackie will like it, too. He’s at that age where he loves being out and about."

Marshall nodded in agreement, pushing the stroller a little further as we began walking toward the park exit. "Alright, let’s do it. A nice, quiet café sounds like the perfect way to end the morning. And I’ll admit, I’m curious to see what this new place has to offer."

"Great!" I smiled, wrapping my arm around his as we strolled side by side. "It’ll be nice to have a change of scenery. Maybe we can even get a little treat for ourselves."

Marshall shot me a sideways grin. "So, you’re saying we might get a pastry, too?" He raised an eyebrow playfully. "Now you’ve got me even more sold on the idea."

"Well, of course," I said with a laugh. "What’s a café without a pastry, right?"

We continued walking toward the café, our pace relaxed, enjoying the calmness of the moment. Jackie seemed content in his stroller, watching the world go by with those big, curious eyes. The thought of grabbing a warm drink and spending some time just enjoying each other’s company felt perfect.

"I think Jackie’s going to love the café, too," I said, glancing down at him. "Maybe we can let him have a little taste of something sweet. Just a tiny bit."

Marshall smiled, clearly entertained by the idea. "I’m sure he’ll love it. Though, I have a feeling that he’ll probably be more interested in the place itself than the pastry. I’m sure he’s got his sights set on the cups and napkins or something."

I laughed, nodding. "Yeah, he’s at that age where everything is fascinating. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to grab the menu or knock over a sugar packet."

We both chuckled at the thought, and as we neared the café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries filled the air. It was a small, cozy spot with large windows, a few outdoor tables, and a welcoming, rustic vibe. It was the kind of place you could spend hours in, enjoying the warmth of a good drink and the simple pleasure of being together.

"This place looks perfect," I said, glancing at Marshall. "It’s got that cozy vibe, you know?"

"Definitely," he agreed, pushing the stroller up to the door. "And it’s got that feel like it’s got character, like it’s been here for ages. You can tell they’ve put a lot of care into it."

I smiled as we stepped inside, the sound of soft music playing in the background. It was busy but not overly crowded—just the right amount of hustle and bustle to give it energy without feeling overwhelming. We found a table by the window, giving us a great view of the street outside.

As we settled in, I glanced at Marshall, who had already started scanning the menu. "What are you thinking? They have a bunch of different brews, but I’m kind of in the mood for something sweet."

Marshall looked up at me with a smile. "Sweet, huh? I think I can get on board with that. Maybe something like a mocha or a caramel latte? And I’m definitely getting one of those pastries." He gave Jackie a playful look. "What do you think, buddy? You want to try some cinnamon rolls?"

I laughed, reaching over to gently ruffle Jackie’s hair. "I think he’d probably prefer to eat the napkins, but sure, let’s get the cinnamon rolls. It’s a treat day."

The warmth of the café surrounded us as we continued to talk about what we wanted to try. There was something about being here, in this little space with Marshall and Jackie, that made everything feel so perfectly simple. We were creating memories, one small moment at a time, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

After placing our orders, I sat back in my chair, watching Marshall interact with Jackie, his face full of that familiar adoration. As much as we had our busy days and responsibilities, moments like this made it all worth it—the quiet times, the laughter, and the feeling of being together.

"So," Marshall said as he caught my eye, his voice light, "this was a good idea. Glad you brought it up."

"Me too," I agreed, feeling content in the present moment. "This is nice. Just... us. And Jackie."

As we settled into our seats, the sound of soft chatter and the faint clinking of cups and plates filled the air around us. Jackie was happily babbling away, kicking his little legs in excitement as we set up his high chair at the table. Marshall and I shared a knowing smile, both of us recognizing how much these little moments meant. We’d always found joy in the simplest things, and today was no different.

The waitress arrived shortly with our order, setting down steaming cups of coffee in front of us. Marshall’s mocha was exactly how he liked it—rich and creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness. Mine was a warm caramel latte, the sweetness of the caramel perfectly complementing the smooth coffee. We both took a sip, savoring the warmth.

"This is good," Marshall said, taking another long sip, his eyes closing for a second as he enjoyed the flavor. "You made a good choice."

I smiled, reaching over to steal a small sip from his cup. "I know, I have good taste," I teased, winking at him.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. You always have to make sure I’m taken care of, huh?"

I shrugged playfully, giving him a look. "Well, it’s my job to keep you on your toes."

We both turned our attention to Jackie, who was now chewing on a teething toy he’d managed to pull from his diaper bag. His little eyes were wide with curiosity as he watched the world around him, fascinated by the new environment. He babbled in that cute way babies do, cooing at the noises and people in the café.

"I swear, he’s already trying to make friends," I said, laughing softly as Jackie smiled up at the person sitting at the table next to us. "He’s got that charm, you know?"

Marshall smiled warmly, his eyes full of pride as he watched our son interact with the world. "He does. He’s got that vibe, that ‘I’m gonna take over the world’ energy."

I nodded, my gaze softening as I looked at Jackie. "And we’re just here to watch him do it."

Marshall reached over to tickle Jackie’s little belly, making him giggle. The sound was so pure, so innocent, and it filled the space with happiness. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling a surge of love for both of them. "He’s really growing up fast. I can’t believe how much he’s changed in just eight months."

"I know," I agreed, my voice a little quieter now. "It feels like yesterday when we brought him home from the hospital. And now he’s already exploring the world." I looked at Marshall, my heart full. "It’s crazy how fast time goes."

Marshall’s expression softened, and he gave me a gentle smile. "Yeah, it really is. But you know, it feels good knowing that we’re getting to experience it all together. It’s like we’re building something here—something that’s just ours."

I nodded, feeling my chest tighten with emotion. "Exactly. It’s not just about the big moments—it’s the small ones, too. The ones that happen in places like this, when it’s just us, enjoying the day."

Marshall leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. "I couldn’t agree more."

We spent the next few moments savoring our coffee, nibbling on the cinnamon rolls, and just enjoying the quiet hum of the café around us. Jackie, meanwhile, seemed to be in his own little world, fascinated by the noise of the coffee machine and the people chatting around us.

At one point, Marshall stood up and gently took Jackie from his high chair, holding him in his arms. "You wanna walk around a little, buddy?" he asked, looking down at our son with a smile.

Jackie made a small, excited noise, his tiny hands reaching for Marshall’s face as if to say, "Yes, please!" He was so full of energy, it seemed like he’d never stop moving.

I watched them, my heart swelling with love as Marshall carefully walked around the café with Jackie in his arms. It was such a simple thing, but seeing them together like that made everything feel perfect.

"You’ve got a good little buddy there," I said, my voice soft, as I watched them interact.

Marshall looked back at me, his expression tender. "Yeah, I do. We both do. He’s our little guy."

I smiled, the warmth of the moment enveloping me. "He really is."

After a few more minutes of walking around and making small talk with the friendly baristas, Marshall came back to the table, gently settling Jackie back into his high chair. "He’s good for now. Just had to let him stretch his legs a little."

"Yeah, I think he liked the walk," I said with a smile, watching Jackie reach out for his cup, trying to mimic what we were doing. "He’s definitely taking in everything."

Marshall laughed, shaking his head. "He’s gonna be one of those kids who asks a million questions, I can already tell."

I grinned, feeling that same excitement about the future. "And we’ll be there to answer every single one of them. One day at a time."

We spent the rest of the morning at the café, chatting, enjoying our drinks, and watching Jackie as he explored his new surroundings. It was one of those perfect mornings that felt simple yet meaningful—a reminder of what really mattered.

As we packed up to leave, Marshall took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "That was nice," he said with a contented sigh.

I nodded, smiling as we made our way to the door. "It really was. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the best memories."

"Agreed," Marshall replied, his eyes full of love as he looked at me. "I’m glad we’re making memories like this."

"Me too," I said softly, squeezing his hand in return. "Me too."

As we pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, the air had turned a little chillier, the sun now sitting lower in the sky. Jackie was starting to get fussy, his little eyelids fluttering as he yawned, signaling that he was ready for his afternoon nap. Marshall and I exchanged glances, both of us already knowing what needed to be done.

"I’ll take him upstairs," I said softly, my hands already reaching for Jackie, who was squirming in his stroller, rubbing his tired eyes.

Marshall nodded, stepping closer to me and placing a gentle kiss on the top of Jackie’s head. "Alright, I’ll get the bags and meet you up there." His voice was low and affectionate, the warmth in it making me smile as I cradled our son in my arms.

Walking inside, I could hear the quiet hum of the house. It was peaceful, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air as I made my way upstairs. Jackie’s fussing had settled into soft whimpers as he nuzzled into me, clearly ready to rest. I carefully opened the door to the nursery and gently laid him down in his crib, making sure he was comfortable before giving him a soft kiss on his forehead.

I turned back toward the door, quietly stepping out into the hallway when something caught my attention—a soft noise from down the hall. I glanced at the girls’ rooms, surprised to see the door to each of their rooms still closed. I could tell from the sound of their deep, rhythmic breathing that they were still asleep. It wasn’t a shock; the late-night Christmas preparations and festivities always left them tired.

Marshall had followed me upstairs and paused behind me, his eyes glancing at the girls’ rooms before his gaze turned back to me. He smiled, that playful glint in his eyes lighting up. "Well," he said, his voice dropping in tone, "since they’re still out cold, guess that means we have a little privacy, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a flutter of excitement in my stomach. "Oh, really?" I asked, turning to face him, trying to hide the playful smirk on my lips. "And what do you suggest we do with all that privacy?"

Marshall stepped closer to me, his hand brushing lightly against my arm. "I think we could take full advantage of it," he said, his voice low and flirty. He placed his hands on my waist, pulling me a little closer, his lips hovering just above mine. "You’ve had a long day, babe. Maybe we should... unwind."

I felt the heat in my cheeks as his words sank in. The energy between us shifted, and I could feel the electric connection sparking with each small movement. "Unwind?" I asked, my voice teasing, knowing exactly what he was suggesting. "And how do you think we should unwind?"

Marshall’s lips curled into a smirk, and I could see the mischief dancing in his eyes. "Well, for starters, how about we go to our room and just... forget about everything for a while?"

I felt a shiver run down my spine as he pulled me into his chest, the warmth of his body against mine making my heart beat a little faster. "Sounds tempting," I said, my voice low, a little breathy now. "But you’re going to have to convince me."

He grinned and kissed me, the kiss slow and deliberate, his lips moving against mine with a familiar tenderness, but there was an underlying heat that quickly intensified. I responded instinctively, my hands moving to the back of his neck as the kiss deepened. We were both craving this—this moment of closeness, of intimacy.

Marshall pulled away slightly, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, "I think we deserve some alone time, don’t you? Just us. No distractions. No kids. Just you and me."

I shivered again, the combination of his words and the soft touch of his lips against my skin making my breath catch in my throat. "I like the sound of that," I murmured, my fingers threading through his hair as I pressed closer to him, the space between us vanishing.

Marshall’s hands slid down to my hips, his grip firm but gentle. "Good," he said with a grin. "Because I’ve been thinking about this all day."

I bit my lip, smiling up at him. "Oh really? All day?" I teased, stepping closer, closing the gap even more. "What exactly have you been thinking about?"

He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he kissed me again, more urgently this time, as though he couldn’t wait any longer. I responded eagerly, my hands sliding over his chest, feeling the warmth of his body through the fabric of his shirt. His hands moved to my back, pulling me even closer, as if he couldn’t get enough of the feeling of having me near.

We broke the kiss again, both of us breathing a little heavier now. Marshall’s eyes were dark with desire as he looked at me, his voice a little hoarse. "I’ve been thinking about how perfect this moment is—how it feels to have you all to myself. I want to make the most of it, you know?"

I swallowed, my pulse quickening as his words hit me like a wave. I leaned in, my lips brushing against his once more. "Well, then let’s make it count," I said, my voice husky with excitement.

Marshall’s lips quirked into a smile, but there was a challenge in his eyes. "Oh, we will," he said, and before I could react, he took my hand and gently tugged me toward our bedroom. There was no rush in his movements, but I could tell by the way his eyes were locked on me, by the slight tension in his body, that he was just as eager as I was for the quiet moment we were about to share.

Once we reached the bedroom, Marshall turned to face me, his hands gently running up my arms, sending shivers through my body. "You’re so beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick with admiration as his eyes traced the outline of my figure. "I swear, every time I look at you, I fall for you all over again."

I smiled, my heart swelling with warmth at his words. "You always know how to make me feel special."

He leaned in, brushing his lips against my cheek. "Because you are, babe," he said softly, his breath warm against my skin. "You always will be."

With that, the moment between us became more than just a flirtatious exchange—it was a connection, a reminder of why we loved each other, why we chose each other every single day. As we moved toward the bed, the weight of the world seemed to fall away. There was no pressure, no distractions—just the two of us, together, in a quiet moment that we both desperately needed.

Marshall’s hands moved to the hem of my shirt, lifting it slowly, his eyes never leaving mine as he did. I felt a rush of anticipation, the heat between us rising. "You sure you’re ready?" he asked, his voice soft but teasing.

"Absolutely," I whispered back, my heart racing as he undressed me slowly, savoring each second of the moment. "Let’s make the most of it."

Marshall's eyes darkened as he stepped back to appreciate the view. He took his time, his gaze lingering on my exposed skin, and I felt a thrill of desire rush through me. He reached for the button of his own jeans, the sound of the zipper echoing in the stillness of the room as he slid them down.

We stepped closer together, our bodies meeting in the middle of the room. His bare chest pressed against mine, and I could feel the warmth of his arousal. My breath hitched as he reached around, cupping my butt with both hands and pulling me against him, the bulge in his boxers teasing my core.

Marshall’s mouth found mine again, our kisses growing more urgent, more demanding. His hands roamed my body, caressing every inch of me as if he were memorizing my shape, my taste. His fingertips traced a path down my spine, sending a shiver down to my toes, and I moaned into his mouth, the anticipation of what was to come making my legs feel wobbly.

He led me to the bed, his hands guiding me to sit on the edge as he dropped to his knees. His eyes met mine, filled with a mix of love and lust that made my stomach flip. He kissed my neck, his tongue tracing the delicate line of my collarbone before moving lower, his mouth closing around one of my nipples.

The sensation was exquisite, making me arch my back and gasp. His other hand slid down to my waistband, and I lifted my hips, helping him to remove my pants and underwear.

Marshall kissed a trail down my stomach, his tongue swirling around my belly button before dipping lower. He spread my legs apart, his gaze lingering on the apex of my thighs. His eyes met mine again, asking for permission without words, and I nodded, my breath hitching in anticipation. He kissed my inner thighs, his beard tickling my skin, and I felt his warm breath against my folds.

As his mouth found me, I couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped my lips. His tongue danced over my clit, teasing and stroking in a rhythm that had me gripping the bedsheets tightly. I watched as he grew more and more focused, his eyes closed in pleasure, and I knew he enjoyed this as much as I did.

Marshall’s touch grew more deliberate, and I felt his thumb gently press against my anus, sending a jolt of excitement through me. We’d been exploring each other’s bodies for years, but there was something about this moment that made it feel new, like we were discovering each other all over again.

"Ready?" he murmured, his eyes looking up at me, filled with love and anticipation.

I nodded, my breathing shallow as he slid his thumb in just a little, preparing me for what was to come. He was always so tender, so caring, making sure I was comfortable with every step. The sensation was foreign yet thrilling, the slight pressure building a delicious tension inside me.

Marshall stood, his eyes never leaving mine as he grabbed the lube from the bedside drawer. He coated his fingers, and then, with the utmost care, he slid one inside me, moving it in and out slowly, stretching me. The feeling was strange at first, but as my body began to relax, the pleasure grew.

"Breathe," he whispered, his voice soothing and reassuring, and I took a deep breath, letting it out in a shaky sigh as he added another finger. He continued to kiss and suckle my breasts as he worked his digits in and out of me, the sensation becoming more intense with each movement.

When I was fully relaxed, he slid his fingers out and positioned himself behind me. He kissed the base of my neck, his breath hot against my skin, as he lined himself up with my entrance. With one hand on my hip, he pushed in, inch by inch, giving me time to adjust.

The feeling was overwhelming, a mix of pleasure and pain that had me gripping the bedsheets even tighter. I took another deep breath, focusing on the sensation, letting my body get used to the unfamiliar fullness.

Marshall paused, his hand moving to my clit, his thumb circling it as he began to move his hips, pushing in a little deeper with each stroke. I felt my body tense, and then, as if on cue, I relaxed, letting him in further.

He picked up the pace, his movements steady and rhythmic. I moaned, my eyes closing as the pleasure began to build, the sensation in my ass mixing with the pleasure from my clit to create a crescendo that had me on the edge of climax.

"Open your eyes," he said, his voice strained. "Look at me."

I obeyed, my eyes fluttering open to meet his gaze. The sight of him, his face a mask of concentration and desire, was almost too much to bear. Our eyes locked, and in that moment, I knew this was more than just a physical release—it was an emotional one too.

As the pleasure grew, so did our connection, and I felt my orgasm begin to build, my muscles tightening around him. "Marshall," I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper.

He groaned in response, his thrusts becoming more urgent as he felt me getting closer. "Come for me, baby," he said, his voice thick with passion. "Come on my cock."

The words sent me over the edge, and I shattered around him, my body convulsing with the force of my climax. Marshall followed closely behind, his own release filling me up as he collapsed against my back, his arms wrapping around my waist to hold me tight.

We lay there for a moment, panting, our hearts racing as we caught our breath. The room was silent except for the sound of our heavy breathing, the intensity of the moment still palpable in the air.

Finally, he pulled out and turned me to face him, his eyes searching mine for any sign of discomfort. I gave him a soft smile, my eyes filled with love and satisfaction. "That was amazing," I murmured, my voice still shaky from the aftershocks of pleasure.

Marshall’s smile grew wider, his eyes still dark with passion. "You’re amazing," he said, his voice tender as he kissed me, a gentle reminder of the love that was always at the center of our passion.

We lay there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the warmth of our bodies creating a cocoon of intimacy. For a moment, it was just us, lost in the aftermath of our shared pleasure, the world outside the bedroom walls forgotten.

-

Hailie woke up to soft sounds coming from down the hall, faint but unmistakable. At first, she wasn't sure what it was—some muffled noises, the creak of the bed, a low hum that made her cheeks flush a little. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand, realizing that it was already past noon. She stretched out in bed, rubbing her eyes, but the sounds continued. Her curiosity piqued, she got up and tiptoed toward the hallway, wondering what was going on.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she heard it more clearly—low groans, muffled by the walls but still audible enough to make her pause. She shook her head, trying to ignore the heat creeping up her neck as she glanced toward your bedroom door. She knew what was going on, but it still felt strange. They were probably just... having some time alone. Her parents had a way of doing that, especially when they thought no one was around.

Not wanting to stay in the uncomfortable silence, Hailie decided to go downstairs to see if Stevie and Alaina were awake, hoping it might distract her from the awkward sounds upstairs. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found them both sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on juice and scrolling through their phones.

"Morning," she said, trying to act casual, though her voice was a little higher than usual.

"Morning," Stevie responded, looking up briefly before going back to her phone. Alaina didn't acknowledge her right away, but Hailie could tell she was wide awake, as usual.

"What's up with you two?" Hailie asked, taking a seat at the table and avoiding looking at them for a moment. She kept her gaze down at the table, still trying to push out the thoughts of what was going on upstairs.

Stevie looked at her with a knowing smile. "Oh, you heard them, huh?"

Hailie blinked and looked up, a bit startled. "What do you mean?"

Alaina chuckled from the other side of the table, her eyes dancing with amusement. "We all know what’s happening in that room. They’re doing their thing."

Hailie felt her face turn bright red, but she didn't know how to respond. She hesitated, trying to make sense of what was happening. "Wait, you guys—" she started, her voice trailing off, unsure how to ask the question.

Stevie shrugged, clearly not phased by the situation. "They've been at it for a while. I don't know how you didn’t know, honestly."

Hailie groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, I can't even."

Alaina giggled, leaning back in her chair. "It’s fine. Happens all the time. You get used to it."

"Can we just... not talk about it?" Hailie said, feeling the awkwardness settle deeper in her stomach. "Like, I don’t need to know about their... private time."

Stevie raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. "Oh, come on. You’ve gotta admit, it’s a little funny."

"I swear to God, I’m gonna go back upstairs and put my headphones in," Hailie said, shaking her head. She quickly stood up, trying to block out the noise and the image of what she’d heard. "I don’t need to know any more details."

The three of them laughed as she quickly made her way back upstairs, her cheeks still flushed. She didn’t know how to process what had just happened, but one thing was certain—she was definitely going to need a little more time to get used to her parents' “alone time” after today.

[skinnyminiindustrial]

FESTIVAL AT UA

♡Summary: It's been five years since you graduated from UA and became a pro-hero. During a reunion festival back at UA, you are reunited with your old classmates, including Bakugo Katsuki, the spiky-haired blonde who never left your thoughts.

Word count: 1,661

☆*:.｡. o o .｡.:*☆

It had been five years since I graduated from UA, and life as a Pro Hero had its ups and downs for sure, but never as bad as the all-for-one battle. We are still rebuilding and trying to go back to some sort of normal since that day, which is hard, but we will pull through! Today is going to be a break from all that. The reunion festival at UA is happening, and I couldn’t be more excited! I was even more excited to see a certain spiky-haired blonde who had never left my thoughts.

Bakugo Katsuki, “The Boy Who Lived.” I liked to call him sometimes, and it’s all thanks to Edge Shot, who kept his heart beating and fixed him up. He died, keeping him alive. It was a miraculous recovery that Bakugo made. Way before the battle had even remotely begun, Bakugo was always a part of my UA experience. His explosive personality, raw determination, and passion had drawn me in back then, and if I’m being honest with myself, they still do. But back in high school, he was more focused on proving himself than anything else, and I figured that relationships weren’t exactly what he was worried about back then. Also, the all-for-one thing went down, and I never got to tell my feelings to him.

Years of hero work and occasional meet-ups with friends have buried them deep down in my heart. Today was different. Something about being back at UA felt nostalgic, and my heart started to race as I made my way to the festival!

The campus had lights hanging up, but it was evening and there was still light outside, so I couldn’t tell that they were that bright. Confetti littered the ground from the original opening earlier that day. Booths lined the walkways, and I could already spot some familiar faces.

I made my way through the crowd, with a few people stopping me for pictures. I was chatting with old classmates like Kirishima and Mina, and strangely, I felt a familiar explosive energy near me. I turned my head, and there he was—Bakugo Katsuki, his arms crossed. He had his usual scowl as he talked to Deku and Todoroki while walking towards us. He looked so different he looked more grown-up than when I last saw him, more confident and aware of people in a sense. But those red eyes still burned with the same fiery intensity.

I tried to ignore the flutter in my chest. I took a breath as they approached us. “Hey, guys!”

“You made it,” Kirishima said to Bakugo, Todoroki, and Deku as they walked up to us, hugging them all. Bakugo looked not welcoming of it, but he didn’t tell him to back off.

“Of course! We wouldn’t miss this for the world!” Deku smiled as I tried not to make eye contact with Bakugo just yet.

“We were just talking about how weird it feels to be back after everything,” Deku added with the bright smile he used to have back in the day.

“Except we’re all Pro Heroes now,” Todoroki said coolly, glancing at Bakugo with a small smirk.

“TCH. Don’t go getting sentimental, idiots,” Bakugo scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking away.

I chuckled. “Still as charming as ever, Bakugo?”

His gaze snapped to me, and just for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes and a slight change of emotion. But before I could even decipher it, he snapped back and turned his head away with a grunt. “Whatever.”

Despite his normal gruff demeanor, I always found Bakugo’s bluntness kind of endearing. It was part of his charm, I guess. He didn’t sugarcoat anything.

The festival continued, with games and activities all around, but my eyes kept finding my way back to Bakugo. I couldn’t help it. I tried to keep myself busy with some festival games—winning a plush toy here, laughing at Kaminari being a fool there—but no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Bakugo’s presence was magnetic.

Finally, I found myself wandering through a quieter part of the festival, away from most of the crowds. The lights that hung up in the trees lighting my path are now brighter because of the night sky. I didn’t notice Bakugo following me until I heard his voice behind me.

“Hey”

I turned around, and my heart skipped a beat. Bakugo stood there, his hands still in his pockets, his eyes locked on mine. “You’ve been staring at me all day,” he said, his tone a mix of frustration and something else I could not quite place.

My goodness, I must have looked like such a freak to him, I bet I creeped him out so bad. Heat rushed to my cheeks. “I wasn’t staring,” I stammered, trying my best to brush it off.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said, taking a step closer. “What’s up with you?”

I swallowed, unsure of how to respond to him. After all, how was I supposed to explain my years of lingering feelings? How am I supposed to tell Bakugo Katsuki that I have had a crush on him since high school?

But before I could even try to answer, Bakugo sighed, his gaze softening—something anyone rarely saw. “You’re different,” he muttered. He’s quieter than usual. “What’s going on?”

I blinked, taken aback. The last time he saw me was when we spit up in our groups to fight. The last time he saw me was when we spit up in our groups to fight the villains. We haven’t talked since then, only hearing things about each other either through the news or through our mutual friends, and yet he is acting like how we used to be back in the day, trying to not show it back then, but I know he cared for me in some way, even if it was something little that he thinks nobody else would recognize even though they all did, and I did too, but right now he’s acting like he was worried.

“I’m fine,” I say softly, though my heart is pounding. “I just… it’s been a while since we have seen each other, and all of us together, it just brings back a lot of memories, you know?”

Bakugo’s eyes flickered with resignation. “Yeah,” he muttered, looking away for a moment. “I get it.”

There was a brief silence between us before he spoke again. “You never said anything,” he said, his voice low. “Back at UA.”

I had a curious look on my face. “Said anything about what?”

“About liking me”

My heart stopped. I stared at him, eyes wide. “W-what?”

He huffed, a small smirk appearing on his face. “You think I’m blind? I noticed. Today I noticed, back then I noticed. I just didn’t say anything because... I wasn’t ready for it back then.”

My mouth went dry since, I guess, I was mouth-breathing and my heart was pounding in my chest. Dude, was he…confessing? Bakugo Katsuki? What the hell was he saying?

“Why are you bringing this up now?” I asked, and my voice was barely a whisper.

He shrugged, his eyes meeting mine again, more serious this time. “‘Cause I’ve had enough time to figure things out. And to be honest, I don’t hate the idea of you liking me.”

My cheeks burned, but before I could say anything, Bakugo stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “So, what do you think?” He asked, his voice soft but confident. “So are you going to keep denying it, or are we doing this?”

I blinked up at him, my heart raving, and a slow smile slowly appeared on my face. “I guess we’re doing this,” I whispered.

Bakugo smirked, and without another word, he leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to your lips. It was unexpectedly gentle, and I might say his lips were soft, and he was a good kisser. It was unlike what I imagined it would be. But it was perfect.

Bakugo pulled away from the kiss, his usual confident smirk still on his face, but then there was a softer gleam in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before. I was speechless, my heart still fluttering as I processed what just happened. Did Bakugo just kiss me?

“Don’t get all weird now,” he said. His voice was gruff as he scratched the back of his neck, suddenly looking a little awkward and out of his element. “I ain’t good with this kind of stuff, but… you better not regret it.”

I let out a small laugh before I could even stop myself. Seeing Bakugo, usually so tough, loud, and aggressive, flustered like this was kind of cute. “I definitely won’t regret it,” I said softly, my smile widening as I watched him struggle to keep up his tough-guy facade.

“Good,” he grumbled, his pink cheeks still visible by the lights. “‘cause if you do regret it, I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” I teased, stepping a little closer. I felt confident now that the air between us had shifted. “Yell at me until I don’t.”

He shot me a halfhearted glare, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward into a smile. “TCH. Don’t push your luck.”

Bakugo might not have been that emotionally expressive in public, but right now he was letting it all hang out, and right now I could tell he was happy. It was written all over his face.

I think every thing is going to be different now, and I can’t wait to see what happens!

☆*:.｡. o o .｡.:*☆

My first story!!!!

[dontsh0vethesun]

a storm and a kiss

part three of home for christmas

natasha romanoff x reader

The hallmark movie inspired Christmas story that nobody asked for.

Natasha Romanoff fell out of love with Christmas, but perhaps a certain someone could help her find the festive magic once again.

Coming home to her small hometown from her life in New York City, the children’s author is reunited with the people of her past; some are happier to see her than others.

But, will rekindled relationships inspire the Christmas story she’s struggling to write? Or will she go home empty handed?

awkward silences, fluff, wanda meddling again, still cringey, snowed in trope kinda, mentions of alcohol

wc: 2.1k | part one | part two | part four

“Wow, this town still goes all out for Christmas, huh?” Natasha spoke, attempting to cut through the uncomfortable quiet between you as you walked.

The layer of snow along the ground and the greyish-white clouds above you only added to the winter feel of the town. The lights strung along each and every building were on most of the time, biting through the dark of winter in Ohio and various festive decorations stood on every street corner. The oversized tree in the town square was your favourite, the one in the heart of the town, surrounded by the goings on of the month-long fair that was always busy.

She used to love it here, how the community always came together at this time of year. Everybody was always included and she felt as much a part of it as anybody. It makes you both wonder back on those years before, when the magic of the season lost its touch on the woman when the warmth that sparked within her turned to something cool and dismissive.

“You’d know that if you came back here, rather than having your family schlep to New York instead.”

“I guess so,” she sighed.

“They always talk about you - how you don’t decorate your apartment, how you don’t make Yelena that hot chocolate you always used to bring us all.”

“I get too busy for all this Christmas stuff,” she shrugged, internalising the frown her lips desperately wished to fall into. “I don’t have time for the ‘Christmas cheer’ anymore, I guess.”

“You used to,” you returned, sparing a look at the side of the face. She peered downwards at her feet, her eyebrows knitted into the thoughtful expression they always had done when you knew she was in quiet contemplation. “Natasha Romanoff was never ‘too busy’ for it all.”

“People change,” she mumbled. You saw the clenching of her jaw poke through her skin and you knew there was more to it. Still, whether you sympathised with the redhead’s clearly deep-rooted dislike for this time of year, her dismissal of the conversation left you with a stinging in your belly that even the chill of the air couldn’t compete with. An explanation is all you want, she owes you that much at least.

“Yeah,” you sighed. “They do.”

Even when you reached her car you were still hoping somebody would take over for you. It’s a certainty that Melina and Wanda - and perhaps various other interfering ‘allies’ - had something to do with this. After all, sending two people to a remote cabin over thirty minutes away is a perfectly reasonable ask. Tasking two people, who have a physically observable discontent between them, with fetching unnecessary Christmas tree ornaments is not strange at all.

You’d tried to get out of it, of course, but with Melina’s irresistible way of charming you into doing just about anything, you found yourself caving into her demands rather quickly. ‘It’ll only be a couple of hours’ you repeated in your head over and over.

–

The car journey couldn’t have been much more awkward if you’d tried. It was clear that both of you had words on the tip of your tongues that you fought away by drowning them out with the radio’s music. You wanted to ask her ‘why?’. You wanted to give her a piece of your mind yet, also, tell her how much you think about her. Positive and negative. You wanted to be honest to somebody about the way she plagues your mind at night with ponderings both wholesome and unsavoury, hot and cold, loving and loathsome.

She wanted to say sorry. She wanted to tell you her love for you was still there - it always had been. But times change, things change, and things that once brought her joy had melted away and taken a part of her with them. She wanted to explain why.

So, it was merely two people with words aching to be set free, sitting in a silence that felt less dangerous. You climbed out of the car as soon as the hum of the engine slowed.

The house brought back memories of all those times before; the wooden roof clothed in snow, a frosted cobweb weaved against the window in the centre of the old front door. The crack in the porch decking, just to the left of the doorstep, was still there and you both smiled to yourselves at the sight. You remember the time that Kate tried to keep up with Carol, carrying the same amount of logs into the house for the fire. She smirked with hubris and you all laughed when she stumbled, dropping it all with a snap beneath their weight. You all decided to use the gaudy gnome Alexei had bought, much to Melina’s distaste, to hide it for as long as possible. It worked until it didn’t, and you all still feign oblivious to the damage.

“Alright, I’ll look down here, you look upstairs?” Natasha asked once you’d walked in.

“Sounds like a plan.”

You made your way upstairs, eyeing the dent in the papered wall where Wanda had playfully pushed you one tipsy evening. She’d been teasing you about the way you’d apparently been ogling Natasha and she only retaliated to the shove you’d given her, chuckling when you almost fell down the staircase.

There were still photos hung in frames along the walls when you reached the top, memories of your group of friends cemented into shots. Smiling faces framed with wood, the glass shielding them gathering dust. You wiped one clean with your sleeve just to be met with Natasha’s smile, her arm draped over your shoulder whilst you grinned all the same. The rosy hue to the apples of her cheeks only served as a reminder of what made her so easy to love.

The drawers you searched through turned up nothing, and the cupboards were just as unsuccessful. Apart from the trips down memory lane, you found nothing, and you only sighed as you descended the stairs once more. It was becoming more clear why you were sent on this excursion - the decorations didn’t exist. You suppose you should have figured it out sooner.

“Anything?”

“No,” you shook your head. “We should probably get on the road - it’s already getting dark.”

“The snow’s pretty bad, I think we’re gonna have to wait it out.”

“Okay, I’m just gonna call Wanda to let her know I’ll be late back.”

You stepped out into the kitchen and grumbled at the obvious smile in her mischievously toned voice when she picked up.

“I hate you,” you groaned.

“How’s it going? You found the ornaments?”

“Wanda,” you sighed. “We all know they don’t exist. You and Melina must despise me, I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she returned, clearly holding back a laugh at your annoyance.

“This isn’t gonna change anything, Wands. My life isn’t some fairytale you can turn into some true love thing.”

“Nobody said anything about ‘true love’,” she answered. “Apart from you.”

“Oh my God-”

“No, you’ve said it now. It’s been spoken into the universe. I can still see it between you, y’know? It’s a bit much if you ask me,” she teased.

“Well, I didn’t ask you,” you mumbled.

“You’re not denying anything, though,” Wanda spoke, her tone softening just as it does when she wants you to know she’s being earnest. “You know I’ve always been on your side with all of this - I am always on your side. So you have to trust me when I tell you that you need to trust your heart with this.”

“I loved her, Wanda. I did. But, things change. It’s a lot to make sense of.”

“Then take your time - I’ll be here. But I can see it in both of you. Sure, things change - people change - but maybe, sometimes, that’s the best thing that can happen.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Yes. You will,” she returned. “And we’ll talk about it later. One more thing, there’s a storm coming tonight so I think you might have to stay there,” Wanda hurried out, clearly hoping to hang up before you could say anything else.

“Oh my God, Wanda.”

“Sorry,” she laughed - clearly not meaning it - before ending the call as quickly as possible.

Natasha was sitting on the sofa when you walked back out, holding up a bottle of vodka she’d found with a smile and gesturing to the space beside her for you to take a seat.

“My mom texted me,” she spoke. “We’re gonna have to wait the storm out here tonight. We should be able to head out first thing in the morning.”

“I’m gonna need a drink then.”

–

You didn’t speak much at first but the uncomfortable silences between you had become such a regular thing that it hardly felt unusual. Natasha had found two shot glasses and filled them rather liberally as the evening drew in, you winced less and less at the sting of liquor in your throat. It seemed the alcohol wore away that tall wall of glass between the pair of you because, as time passed, scatters of conversation turned into recalls of childhood memories. And then you felt comfortable asking her what your mind had begged you to.

“Why’d you leave, Nat?”

“I had to,” she shrugged, taking a sip that emptied her glass. “I got into college, moved to New York.”

“You know what I mean, Natalia,” you breathed. You were leaning close enough to her to see the twitch at the corner of her lips at the use of the name only you are allowed to use. “Why’d you leave me?”

“I didn’t mean for it to all happen like that,” she sighed. “Things changed. The way I wanted things to go didn’t seem possible anymore so I left it all behind.”

“You left me behind, too.”

“I didn’t mean to, sweetheart,” she spoke the pet name for the first time in years and it tasted just as sweet on her tongue, you felt it wash over you like the stroke of a tender hand. “Anyway, I’m here now and we’re having a good night. Reminds me of old times.”

“We had fun, didn’t we?” you smiled, letting your shoulder rest against hers as though the space between you had never been there.

“We did.” Her grin was contagious, it always has been. She let her hand rest on your leg as though it was the most normal thing in the world and you accepted it because you agreed. “Do you remember that time, just like tonight, when we just sat and talked for hours? The others were all asleep-”

“We could hear Yelena’s snoring from down here,” you laughed and Natasha chuckled at the memory, you felt the laugh move her body from where you leaned against her.

“And it was like we were the only people who existed.”

Neither of you mentioned the way you desperately wanted to kiss the other that night - nor the other nights you’d felt the same. But, right now, as though making up for missed opportunities, she cupped her hand around your cheek and swiped a musing thumb against your bottom lip. The skin left your lips tingling and wanting more, you felt a shiver run through your spine as her face drew nearer.

The gap between you vanished with a slow touch of her lips to yours, the bitter taste of vodka lingering on the tongue that pushed past your teeth. It was all you’d wanted since you were young and, at first, it left you dizzied with nothing else on your mind apart from the woman who held your waist.

But, as the saying goes, good things must come to an end. When the haze of Natasha Romanoff’s mouth dancing with yours had settled, you thought back to the unresolved issue you held with her. You still don’t know why she left you, you still don’t know why all of your calls wouldn’t even ring out on her mobile. You don’t know if this is just a drunken thing she’d forget about by morning.

You pulled away as though her kiss had left you burnt and her flushed cheeks stared back at you.

“I can’t do this right now,” you stumbled out. “I still don’t understand what’s happened between us but I can’t just move past it all so quickly.”

“I’m-”

“No, it’s fine,” you sighed, pushing a hand through your hair in an attempt to unravel your mind just the slightest inch. “I’m gonna sleep upstairs. I’ll see you in the morning.”

If you’d found the drive to the cabin uncomfortable, the car ride back home was incomparable.

[fortunapre]

𝐀/𝐍𖧞 this is the last part. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW: “dont stop! your writing is god-tier!“ i heard you all chant in unison.

Dont fret little ones. 🖐️🙂‍↕️ Ive surely got some more ideas in the bank...If you haven’t, go check out my prompts list <3

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒𖧞 16+ (entire fic rating), swearing, mention of alcohol, mention of intoxication, a little bit o’ mischief…not really but you’ll see ;)

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𖧞 oscar piastri x fem!reader

Go back?? (Scene vi) Click Here!

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𖧞 Scene VII 𖧞 (𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞)

be honest im 𝒻ℯℯ𝒹𝒿𝓃𝑔 yall

December 17th, the same night

We both walked into the room in silence.

The only noise was the shutting of the door and a barely audible “Santa Baby,” playing from the other room. Instead of looking at Oscar, I surveyed the room.

Unlike the front room, there were no Christmas decorations. It was a plain bedroom, a guy’s bedroom by the looks of it, with only a small desk and a bed. I tried to distract my gaze from the man in front of me, but the tension was growing too thick.

I reluctantly looked away from the uninteresting room and focused on him. He was no longer facing away from me- he was leaning back on the desk, hands gripping the desk on each side of his body. No matter how relaxed he seemed to be trying to look, I could see how rigid he really was.

He was looking at me, no smirk present. With how serious he looked, I thought to myself about how I kind of miss his ever-lasting grin.

He let out a deep sigh and moved to fold his arms, his body still leaning back against the desk.

I watched as he slightly turned one of his folded arms, looking at his wrist. I assume he was looking for his watch, but forgotten he’d given it up to the festive host earlier. He sighed again and looked away.

I only kept looking his way. I was blatantly staring, but what else was I supposed to do. I was hoping to get him to look at me.

My staring worked, as he probably felt my burning gaze. He looked up, brown eyes meeting mine.

“I’m guessing there’s still about six minutes left,” He finally broke the silence, and told me.

“Yeah…” I had no idea what to say. Did he want to get out of here? Or rather, did he want to get out of a locked room with only me? “..probably.” I added.

“This is stupid.” I heard Oscar mutter. I'm not sure if I meant to hear him, but I felt kind of sad at his words.

“7 minutes in heaven is always stupid. I’ve always tried to stay out of party games.” I told him, trying to save myself from feeling embarrassed. While we were sitting in a circle, and as I waited turn after turn, I dreaded when I’d be chosen. I dreaded being chosen, because I was secretly hoping the person to choose me was Oscar. And now that I’d gotten my wish, he didn’t even want me here.

He saw my reaction and acted quickly. “No, that’s not…” his words trailed off. I waited for him to finish his sentence, slightly confused. “Not the game,” he added. “That's not what I’m talking about.”

“What then? Being stuck with me?” I didn't mean to say what I was worrying about outloud, but I continued anyway “Trust me mate, I don’t want to be here anymore than you do.” I lied through my teeth. I definitely sounded defensive.

He scoffed and I saw him poke his tongue in his cheek. “Y’know what?” Oscar spoke and he sounded deeper and sharper. Apparently what I said riled him up. “Maybe If you’d let me speak, I’d tell you. Don’t start saying shit just to start something.”

I’d almost flinched at his tone and curse.

“Ok.” His anger only fueled mine. I unfolded my arms and put a hand on my hip, trying to look as unfazed as possible by his presence. “Enlighten me.”

“First of all, why would you think I wouldn’t want to be near you? Did me kissing you not once, but twice, not mean anything?” His voice was raising, but he didn’t look angry so to speak. I scrunched my eyebrows at his omission. “Don’t answer that. I don’t care, actually.” He suddenly added, catching me off guard.

It was my turn to scoff. God, and he accuses me of being an instigator. “Asshole! Of Course it meant something, it takes two to go as far as we did, you know.”

The argument held confession-notes in between the lines, but any affection or truth was smothered by our matching anger. Neither of us were understanding the words that came out of our mouths, and instead becoming more riled up by the yelling. Which, we were definitely yelling now.

“Don’t lie and try to make me feel better, Y/N. You were probably just filled with adrenaline.”

“Do. Not. Tell me how I feel. I know what I'm doing, I knew what I was doing just fine both times.”

“Really?” He had a monotone accusing tone, trying to find a lie. He seemed to be unimpressed with anything I said now.

“Yeah. Really.”

I hadn’t realized how fast my heart was beating now. I tried to slow my breathing and be the level-headed one because his head was definitely not thinking straight. Apparently he had nothing else to say, but neither had I. This argument was stupid and we both knew it.

We both stayed silent and slunk against something behind us, not daring to look at eachother.

Then, I heard him speak again and prepared an eye-roll.

“Now, what I was saying was…” Oscar started still not looking at me. “Was that I meant that I’m what's stupid.”

“That’s an understate-”

“Don’t.” He stopped me. “Don’t try to be snarky, Y/n. Let me speak.”

I just looked at him then raised my eyebrows and moved my head in a ‘Well, speak!’ motion.

Despite my attitude, he stayed calmer than before and took a deep breath. “Do you remember Christmas, two years ago?”

That same question.

What was so important two years ago? “You already asked me this…”

“Just. Yes or No? Do you remember?” He seemed suddenly on edge.

“I mean, I remember it, yeah, but are you talking about, like, a specific thing that happened? I don’t understand…” I spoke, trying to convey my confusion. He looked stern, and intent on hearing everything I had to say.

“Yeah,” he clarified. “I, um, I’m talking specifically about that night. Christmas night.”

My mind whirled as I tried desperately to pick out an obvious memory, but nothing was coming to mind.

That Christmas was the year my brother and sister didn’t come.

That Christmas was the year I was gifted the worst sweater by my mom.

That Christmas I stayed up practically all night.

I remember staying up all night, because the next morning, my mom forced me to go into town with her. I remember vividly how sluggish I’d been the whole time. But… that’s all….

Suddenly, I remembered something.

The thought of staying up triggered another thought: that night, I remember sitting on the sofa, watching a movie, when someone scared the shit out of me.

I had been peacefully wrapped in my blanket at around 4 am, when someone barreled through the door.

Oscar.

It was Oscar that scared me. I hadn’t been expecting anyone, especially Oscar since I didn’t even know he’d been out.

Two years ago, we didn’t ever talk to each other except to tease, so it’s no surprise he didn’t bother to tell me he was going somewhere.

When he came in, I was confused. My confusion grew as I’d taken in his appearance. His eyes were barely open, and his focus was darting all around the room. When his eyes met mine, his eyes opened and his body suddenly stopped. Full stop. He planted his feet and stared at me. His jaw was slack and his cheeks, from what I could tell in the little light from the kitchen behind me, was pinker than normal.

He was drunk. Oscar had come home drunk that night and had seen me when he walked through the door.

At the time, I remember laughing at him and turning back to my movie to ignore him.

But that’s not where the altercation ended– drunk Oscar had said something.

I remembered Oscar stopping, looking at me, and then he showed the broadest smile (one I'm sure would never have been directed towards me, had he been sober). Then, he sauntered closer to the sofa, out of the doorway and in front of my view of the television.

“Oscar…” I groaned. “Just go to bed, mate, your wasted.”

He stayed in place, restricting my vision and looking at me. Actually, he was staring at me. Actually he was staring all over me.

That night, I was wearing my short PJ shorts, and a Star Wars t-shirt. Nothing special, but it definitely caught drunk-oscar’s attention.

“Hello?” I tried again, but he was unrelenting.

“What?” was all he answered with.

“Get out of my way, that’s what.” I snapped, just trying to watch Princess Diaries.

He looked behind him to the screen and a grimace filled his whole face. Usually Oscar’s expressions consisted of mad and smirky-jerk, but when he was drunk, tons of emotions flashed on and off his face.

“That’s shit.” He must have been referring to the movie. His voice was groggy and deep, probably tired after what seemed like an exciting night.

“Whatever.” I gave up with the television and just wanted him to leave. “Just go to your room before someone else catches a visual of your post-party debauchery.”

“Dirty girllll,” he said slowly, borderline slurring. “Stop thinking about my de-whatever.” I quirked an eyebrow and shook my head at him. He seemed so incredibly out of it. I should totally hold this over him. Where’s my phone? I should totally film this.

I gave up looking for my phone, and looked back at oscar. Still standing there.

“Wait, what? I wasn’t at a party…” Oscar spoke, referring to my earlier statement of his “post-party” inebriation- an incredibly late reaction.

“Okayyyy…?” I said slowly. “Then what’s,” I motioned to all of him, “this?”

“Nothing.” He said rather quickly. Then his tempo changed as he looked down, almost shy. “None of your business, alright?” I nodded, but he kept speaking. “Actually, this has nothing to do with,” He copied my motion with a serious amount of sass and gestured to all of me, “…you. Ok?”

“Yeah, alright.” I was over this. He’s obviously completely drunk.

“I'm serious! Don’t accuse me of getting drunk because of my feelings, ok? Don’t even think about it. Why would I care about you… let along get drunk over fucking childhood crush on you? That’s ridiculous, and entirely possible— That’s not the point!”

Wait.

Back to the present- I now know why Oscar’s worried about that night.

Oscar must not have been that plastered if he now remembers what he said. Or rather, what he confessed. At the time I ignored his rambling and walked him to his room, away from me.

Now, I’m not sure all of that was just drunk-rambling.

Oscar was watching me figure everything out, watching me realize what he was so afraid of.

“I remember you rambling about having a… but there’s no way.” I said out loud to him, voicing my spinning thoughts. He just kept looking at me. “Right?” My voice got softer as I took in what Oscar’s silence might mean. “But you hated me.”

“Y/N.” He spoke like I was stupid.

“What?” I fired back, getting defensive.

“I never hated you, think about it.” He was trying to make me realize it, but all of my memories of him are arguments– save the past week.

“I am thinking about it. You always picked on me and fought with me. You said the meanest things and I always fought back. We’ve never gotten along…” I tried to list.

Then, all of a sudden, a smirk formed on his face.

That same smirk I’d claimed I’ve been missing, now felt weirdly… intimate?

“Oscar, you…” I didn’t know what to say.

“Yeahh” Is all he replied with, smirking and telling me all I need to know with one look. He started to move closer to me.

Step by step, he slowly walked towards me like he was testing my reaction. I just let him come closer and closer until we were face to face. Pine and wintergreen filled my senses. Our eye contact never waivered.

“Y/n, I don’t mean to bring this all up now.” he gestured to the door. His smirk lessened in intensity as he tried to apologize.

I suddenly remembered we’re in the middle of a 7 minutes in heaven game. And that it’s definitely been longer than 7 minutes.

(My sister was the culprit of our unexpected extra time, having told them to leave us alone.)

I focused back on the man in front of me. The man who had practically just confessed to me that he had a childhood crush on me. A childhood crush that he claims has never left.

“This is stupid.” I copied his words form before.

“Oh?” Oscar almost recoiled, hurt flashing on his face.

“No! Not… Not you! Not this.” I reacted and grabbed at the front of his shirt, not wanting him to misunderstand me and turn away.

Both of our breathing hitched at the contact, and the proximity it brought.

“Ok, then what do you mean?” He said, softly. His eyes were trained on my lips. I opened my mouth and closed it again, not knowing how to say this.

“I mean I’m stupid. Im stupid for not realizing it sooner. Im stupid for being so harsh and rude and-” I started apoligizing as my emotions began rising.

“I was rude too.”

“Yeah, but you…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. His confession was still new. However, the more I thought about him— Oscar Piastri, my rival and hater in every way—my mind started to clarify.

“Yeah, I…” He couldn’t say it either it seems.

We both stood close, not fully saying what we meant out loud yet still fully understanding what each other meant and wanted.

Seconds passed by of us relishing the new emotions, my grip never leaving him. We practically shared air at how close we were and our eyes locked. I started to feel what could only be described as butterflies.

It washed over me and the idea hit me like a train: I wanted him too. Maybe more than he wants me.

At this revelation I tugged him to my level and brought my lips to his ear.

I didn’t want to waste anymore time arguing or lying to ourselves.

I took a short breath and then whispered, “let’s get out of here.”

Then in almost one motion he smiled, a devilishly handsome smirk, then he grabbed my hand and took us away from the party.

Away from prying eyes.

hehehehhehehe 🫵💋

OH? WHATS THAT?!?! YOU GOT HERE FIRST BECAUSE, gasp!, you’re on my taglist?!?!?

any other people i missed or new people that want to be tagged, COMMENT or MESSAGE ME!

𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𖧞

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my apologies if i couldn’t tag you but hopefully you got my messsge <3

[seastarblue]

Writemas Day Nineteen!

BIG ONE YAY

ft ice skating, the Duo Ever (Kai n Fel as like 17 year olds) and glamour wearing off! yay!

the prompts for today!

the ones I used:

setting: festival (a little one 😌)

feeling: the bite of icy air

“He lost himself in the moment, he lost all thoughts of logic, of warning, of danger, and let himself be, living only for the moment.” (But like. Heavily edited. Which is on par for how I’ve been doing these 😭)

———

“Ah, c’mon, Kaids,” Felix called behind him. “We’re gonna be late!”

“I’m coming, wait!” Kaiden replied, shrugging a light shawl over her shoulders. The days in the capital had gotten colder, and while they were never freezing like in Daeryn, Kaiden still felt chilly. Snow fluttered down onto the streets, light and gentle, and never overbearing.

The snow wouldn’t stop the little festival from happening, however. Crossing over many, many bridges, and climbing many, many ladders, the two teens eventually made their way to one of the city plazas. Kaiden had never been to this specific one; it was far from the trainee housing, and she really had no need to stray far from it. Felix had convinced her to come along, saying something about a surprise he had to show her. The strange boy was always full of surprises, Kaiden knew. Most of which were naught but harmless fun.

The plazas were normally beautiful, being the centerpieces of the Vespar, but this one was simply magnificent—the decor was sparse, yet tasteful, the snow adding a gentle ambiance to the area. Kaiden filled with warmth at the familiar sight. She’d never been here before, but it reminded her of Daeryn, with its simplistic style and homely charm.

What caught Kaiden’s attention was the giant circular ice… thing nestled in the center. A simple railing lined its edges, where some people were fastening their shoes, and on the actual circle people glided along the ice, graceful as birds.

“So?” Felix asked, bouncing from foot to foot. His dark brown eyes sparkled with excitement, much like a mirror to Kaiden’s own.

“What are they doing…?”

“It’s called ice skating! This,” he replied, sweeping a hand over the skaters, “is the rink!”

“Oh…”

“Yeah, they came up with them a few years back. People just liked them enough, I guess.” he explained. “But the winter’s not cold enough in the rest of Vespar to keep the ice solid. That’s why Liaba has the only rink!”

Kaiden shivered a bit, courtesy of the frigid winds that blew behind her. It was cold, she agreed. Though perhaps it was because of the sheer height of the mountain, much higher than the rest of the city. She glanced to her right, the small sign reading ‘Liaba Ridge’. Now she had a name to put to the place.

“Well… let’s get going?” she asked. She had to admit, she felt like a giddy schoolgirl at the prospect of ice skating.

Felix only smiled and pulled her along.

~~~

“…let me go over this again. You need to—ACK KAI NO!”

Kaiden fell flat on her backside. For the sixth time. She felt sore. And slightly paranoid, what with the literal blades strapped to her shoes.

Felix sighed. “You gotta let yourself move forward, Kaids.” He helped her up, got her hand on the railing, and pushed off to give her a demonstration.

He was graceful as ever, sailing across the ice in a simple straight line. After a few moments, he turned around again and emphasized his movements, shouting so that Kaiden could hear him. “See, it’s push, then glide, then push, then glide. Easy!”

Kaiden was skeptical, but she decided to let him return to her before she started her own push-glides. She started, steady and slow, with Felix standing near her for moral support.

She repeated Felix’s advice like a mantra. ‘Push, glide, push, glide…’ All was well, for a few moments. Then Kaiden slipped and fell for the seventh time.

She stayed seated on the ice, a small frown plastered on her face. “Felix, I don’t think I’m going to get this down anytime soon.”

“Aw, no, you’ll get it soon enough! These things take time, yknow?” He crouched down next to her, patting her shoulder. “You should have seen me a few years back, I was awful…” he made a face, greatly exaggerated, to try and cheer her up.

Kaiden’s face softened, but she still wasn’t convinced. “I think I’ll take a break. Over there.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Have your fun, Fel.” She got up, accidentally pressing Felix’s back in pursuit of a support. He winced.

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s alright.” He led—or rather pushed and pulled—her to the railing. She leaned back on it, and off Felix went.

The ice near them was completely empty, the other skaters opting to stay on the other side of the rink, away from the stumbling newbie. So, instead of people-watching, Kaiden opted to Felix-watch.

As she observed, Felix’s movements became more loose, his expression softer, somehow. He never once seemed upset with her, during all their outings, but now he seemed… at peace. More serene. She liked it. But, at the same time, she wondered why he felt calmer now.

As he skated, he seemed to lose himself in the moment. Like nothing mattered. Not danger—as if there was any—not logic, nor the world around him. Just him, the ice, and the icy air biting at the residents of the rink.

Then, something changed. Felix himself changed. His jacket, originally covering his back, morphed away to reveal a diamond-shaped cutout, and from it emerged silvery insect wings. They glittered, mirroring the ice underneath him, and it took her breath away.

The moment shattered when his eyes—now a pale grey—met her star-struck ones, and he looked positively horrified.

———

guys I promise it’s a chill one trust me

General Writing Taglist! Lemme know if you’d like on via dm!

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yay I hope yall enjoyed :>

[stylesispunk]

"would you kiss me under the mistletoe?"

Ceo!Joel Miller x f! Reader

summary: Christmas is coming, and the annual party at the company might be the night you get to kiss your boss. Warnings: none. Just fluff. word count: 3k>

a/n: I wrote this one yesterday during my break, so since Christmas is around the corner I got inspired by the magical spirit, I hope you enjoy it 🤞💌 reblogs and comments are always appreciated.

masterlist

dividers by @/plum98

Christmas wasn’t special for you. You had never celebrated the night over dinner surrounded by your family, at least not since you were a kid. 

The holiday season was just a reminder of the absence of belonging somewhere, to a home, and those sweat-warm nights with your family had been left behind, the laughter, and the joy of the anticipated wait for Santa was just a tear slipping down your heart, becoming memories fading away each passing year. 

But you still love it. You loved the twinkling lights, finding solace in the love filling the air, even in people losing their minds over finding an important gift to give to their loved ones. And you just loved the scent of freshly baked cookies, and the songs playing on the radio. You just found magic in the season in a certain way, creating your little bubble of coziness inside the four walls of your apartment. 

Even at work, the lights and decorations seemed to envelop the place into a festive atmosphere that made your heart melt. 

The days leading up to the company's annual Christmas party create the joyful spirit of the upcoming holidays in the atmosphere. Everyone around you received lovely greetings and well-wishes from your coworkers. You couldn't help but admire and smile at the picture because it was the closest you could get to being surrounded by a crowd during these days. Before returning home to an empty apartment with a tiny Christmas tree in the corner of your living room, next to a door and a picture of you and your mother who was thousands of kilometers away.

You were engrossed in your own self-pity and didn't notice Joel approaching you. He'd been your employer for the previous year and a half, and his cute face had been on your mind from the day you walked into this office for the first time, and his kind personality didn't help you get rid of the crush you'd developed on him.

Joel, seemingly oblivious to your internal struggles, flashed a warm smile. "Hey you”

You, shaken from your thoughts, managed a smile in return. “Mr. Miller”

Joel chuckled, “How many times I’ve told you just to call me Joel”

"I-I know, it's just... force of habit, I guess." You stuttered, feeling the red rushing into your cheeks.

Joel's laughter filled the air, and he leaned casually against your desk. "So, any exciting plans for the holidays?"

You sighed, glancing toward the horizon, almost picturing the small Christmas tree in your apartment, the twinkling lights casting a soft glow in the dark "Not really. Just the usual. Quiet night at home, maybe watch some movies."

He laughed, perhaps thinking it was just a joke.

“Are you coming to the party tomorrow, right?” he asked you, his eyes shone under the soft light of the day.

You hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, I'll be there. It's a good time."

"Great! Looking forward to it," Joel said with a smile, the kindness in his eyes reflecting a genuine excitement “Besides, secret Santa tomorrow? Exciting!”

You beamed at him, lost in the urge to kiss him right now, and ending with the thoughts that had tormented you for over a year. "Yeah, I guess so," you said. "Last year I had Betty, I'm glad she liked the present I got for her"

"That's because you're attentive and nice," he explained, "and everyone here is aware of it. "This is why we all love you."

Your eyes widened, and your heart stopped beating.

"I mean, why do they love you," he clarified, clearing his throat.

He panicked when you didn't respond.

"And you're my best employee." he added, trying to dismiss the words that escaped from his lips "My favorite," he added, just to make you smile.

As Joel's words remained in the air, the hot flush spread across your cheeks.

"Yeah," you said, your voice a little lower than normal. " Thank you, Joel. I'm grateful."

He grinned, obviously oblivious to the effect his words had on you.

Then, the conversation shifted to work-related topics, yet the questions lingered.

Why does he appear more excited about my presence this time? You questioned yourself.

The next day, the sharp winter frost made you shudder, and the frozen ground, now draped in a white cloak, rushed the coolness into your rose cheeks, leaving you with a soft blush of pink color on your skin.

However, soon you entered the workplace, you were embraced by the warm atmosphere of everyone gathered together, and all the cold bones in your body melted. The lights and laughter were buzzing with excitement for the approaching party.

As you approached your office, everybody greeted you with infectious smiles that made your heart skip a beat. When you arrived at your desk, your eyes were caught up by a small, carefully packaged gift placed in front of your computer. You couldn't stop yourself from being curious.

“I hope you wear these at the party tonight”

-Your secret Santa

The corners of your mouth curled in a smile. It was a nice gesture, and you couldn't help but appreciate the time and effort that went into selecting such an appropriate and beautiful gift for you.

You caught yourself stealing glances at everyone throughout the day, wondering who may be your secret Santa. All you wanted was for it to be Joel.

Amid your thoughts, one of your colleagues, Lisa, burst into your office with an animated expression. "Hey there! So, who's your secret Santa? spill the beans!"

Lisa's enthusiasm made you chuckle, a combination of enjoyment and a little embarrassment. "Well, Lisa, it's a secret. That is the entire purpose of Secret Santa."

"Hey, what's all this excitement about?" Joel inquired; his tone lighthearted as he stepped further into the room.

Lisa, unable to contain her curiosity, smiled at him. "We're attempting to determine who this lady's Secret Santa is!" "Do you have any ideas?"

Joel pretended to be innocent for a minute, scratching his chin as if deep in contemplation. "Hmm, let me think about it." Isn't it a real mystery?"

You flashed him a playful gaze, thinking he was hiding something.

"Oh, Joel, come on. You can't keep us waiting forever." Joel's face softened into a discrete giggle as Lisa demanded. "All right, okay. I might know something."

Lisa's eyes expanded with excitement. "Of course, you're in charge!

You lifted an eyebrow, meeting Joel's gaze. "How do you know this?"Spill it!"

Joel leaned in, his voice low, as if passing on an exclusive secret to you. "Well, I heard your Secret Santa got you something just perfect." Something that will make you happy."

You lifted an eyebrow, meeting Joel's gaze. "And how do you know that?"

He laughed. "Let's just say I have my sources"

Lisa giggled, fascinated with the enigma "So, do you have any guesses, Joel?"

Joel pretended to think for a bit, then smirked and pointed at himself. " We'll find out at the party, I'm sure." The secret will stay till then. That's our tradition"

Just as Joel was going to say something else, Tess's voice echoed from a distance, desperately calling out for Joel. Tess and Joel exchanged a few words before Joel excused himself to join her, leaving Lisa and you behind.

Once Tess and Joel were out of earshot, Lisa turned to you with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know, those two would make such a hot couple, don't you think?"

Your heart sank a little at the thought, and you managed a weak smile, trying to brush off the sudden wave of emotions. "Yeah, they do seem to get along well."

It was true though, starting by Tess being Joel's business parter to her being gorgeous and closer in age to Joel, they had always gotten along. They had the same kind of fancy life, they had always traveled together everywhere and shared time beyond office hours. They were just made for each other, but that didn't mean it hurt you less.

As the workday came to an end, you and Lisa couldn't get your minds off the upcoming Christmas party. The light interaction with Joel added an extra element of enticement, and the mystery surrounding your Secret Santa kept the optimistic mood intact.

When noon arrived, you and Lisa exchanged stressed glances before heading home to prepare for the evening's festivities. The excitement swelled within you as you went out into the cool winter air, and you couldn't help but wonder what surprises the night wold unfold.

So, once you get home, you carefully pick an ideal dress for the occasion. The dress you chose was a deep emerald green with delicate sparkles that would capture the light of the night. It moved with flow, reflecting the essence of the season. You paired it with the silver earrings your Secret Santa had given to you to wear tonight.

Later that evening, as you approached the building, the bright lights and festive decorations revealed the start of a beautiful night ahead. The sweet smell of festive treats filled the air, and cheerful chattering boomed around the venue.

You were greeted by the warm glow of fairy lights and the enthusiastic energy of your coworkers as you entered the party. The area had been transformed into a winter wonderland, with the season's magic filling every corner.

Joel, dressed in a traditional black suit, stood near the entrance, smiling as he welcomed everyone. A small connection lingered when your eyes met his, in a timid exchange of smiles between the both of you, anticipating the red flush of your cheeks. 

Once inside the party, the atmosphere was electrifying. The sparkling bulbs, giggles, and music generated a happy atmosphere. Coworkers chatted while exchanging anecdotes and enjoying the festivities.

As the Secret Santa reveal arrived, you found yourself scanning the room for a glimpse of Joel. The mystery of the gift, as well as his fun demeanor, had piqued your curiosity.

Joel subsequently joined the guests, arm in arm with Tess, your heart tugged at the sight, however, his eyes met yours, and he smiled at you, timidly. 

You didn't mirror his expression, instead, you focused on what was happening in front of you instead, at the moment of Secret Santa reveals.

The room buzzed with anticipation as each person shared and received their gifts. You couldn't help but appreciate the effort and consideration that went into choosing each present, smiling at the thought of it.

When it was finally Joel's turn, everyone was expectant. Since he was the boss, all the employees wanted to know who was the lucky person receiving the gift of the head of the company.

He stood in the middle of the room, with a beautiful wrapped box. The anticipation in the room grew as you, along with everyone else, awaited the revelation.

Then, he walked toward you, handing over the carefully wrapped box. The entire room seemed to stop breathing, and all eyes were on you and Joel.

The room seemed to fade into background noise, and all focus was on this exchange between you and your boss.

You could feel the strong beating of your heart in your chest, leaving a way for blood to rush all over your cheeks.

"Looks like I got the honor of being your Secret Santa," Joel replied, his eyes twinkling.

You smiled at him, receiving the gift in your hands. A delicate friction between your hands sent shivers down all over your spine.

As you unwrapped the gift, you discovered a charming necklace, a delicate pendant that caught the light of the room on it.

Joel's gaze was drawn to yours, and a real smile flickered across his lips. It had a delicate beauty to it; the unspoken connection you and Joel shared grew in that right away, but only both of you could feel it.

Before you could utter a thank you, everyone in the place cheered, and Tess came, leaning over to Joel and whispered something into his ear as applauses kept feeling the room. He nodded in return, his gaze fixed on you, walking away with Tess. and you couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at that.

But the party had to continue, and you found yourself engaged in conversations with your colleagues, even when your thoughts kept d drifting back to Joel and his gift.

As the night progressed, you felt a tap on your shoulder. Turning around, you saw Tess, wearing a mischievous grin. "Joel's Secret Santa choice was spot on, don't you think?"

You smiled a hint of blush on your cheeks. "Yeah, it was a really beautiful gift."

Tess leaned in a little closer. "He put a lot of thought into it. You can tell. It matches your earrings"

Tess pointed out the matching elegance of the pendant with your earrings, and your smile widened. The subtle coordination hadn't gone unnoticed by you, and it offered a further level of appreciation for Joel's considerate choice.

Tess laughed, her suspicious grin persistent on her face. "You should know that Joel isn't just good with gifts." He's been talking a lot about you."

You couldn't help but raise your brows in surprise, and you couldn't help but feel a curiosity"Really? "What exactly has he been saying?"

Tess shrugged, her humorous look still on her face. "Oh, he just thinks you're pretty amazing at your job and stuff. However, you did not hear it from me."

After that, Tess went away, leaving you with an increased feeling of affection and awe.

Later that night, while you were drowned in a sea of joyful beams and festive ornaments, you felt a soft tap on your shoulder. When you turned around, you saw Joel standing there with a real grin on his face.

"Hey there," he greeted, his eyes reflecting warmth. "I hope you're having a good time."

You returned his smile, the connection between you palpable. "Yeah, it's been great. Your gift was really thoughtful. Thank you."

Joel's eyes held a glint of appreciation. "I'm glad you liked it"

"It was really beautiful" you whispered, touched by the sincerity of his gesture.

"I just thought it would complete the set," he replied, his eyes holding yours.

Joel lifted his hand, and his fingers delicately tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, a soft heat spread through you. The air around you seemed charged with a different energy, and the festive lights of the party contributed to a magical moment.

"Thank you, Joel," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. The connection between you felt more profound with each passing second.

Joel's gaze lingered on yours, his thumb gently grazing your cheek. The world around you faded away.

“You look breathtaking tonight”

A warmth spread across your cheeks at Joel's compliment, his words adding a touch of sincerity to the already enchanting evening. The festive lights and laughter seemed to dim in comparison to the connection you shared in that moment.

"Thank you," you replied, feeling a genuine appreciation for his kind words. "You don't look too bad yourself in that suit," you added playfully, a smile dancing on your lips.

Joel chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "Well, I figured a classic suit is always a safe bet for these occasions."

You nodded, the emerald green dress and silver earrings reflecting the joy in your eyes.

Joel's gaze held a twinkle in his eye. "Having a good time?"

"Absolutely. And thank you again for the lovely earrings. They're perfect."

Joel's smile widened, and he glanced around the festive atmosphere. "I'm glad you like them. It's the least I could do for my favorite employee."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, you felt the weight of their meaning.

Joel, with a genuine smile, continued the conversation. "So, any exciting plans for the holidays? Family gatherings, maybe?"

You chuckled, a hint of wistfulness in your response. "Not really. It's just going to be a quiet Christmas at home. I've gotten used to spending it alone."

Joel's genuine smile faltered slightly, replaced by a look of surprise and concern. "You're kidding, right?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine disbelief.

You shrugged, trying to downplay the weight of your words. "No, it's true. Christmas has never been a big celebration for me. I'm used to spending it alone, just enjoying the quiet."

His eyes searched yours for a moment, a mix of understanding and something else you couldn't quite decipher. "Well, that's not right. Christmas is a time for joy and togetherness. No one should be alone during the holidays."

You appreciated his concern, but a part of you felt a little embarrassed for sharing such a personal detail. "It's okay, really. I find my own ways to make it special. Movies, maybe a good book, you know."

Joel nodded, and his smile softened, and he excused himself to make a call, leaving you momentarily alone in the midst of the festive celebration. As you stood there, a sense of vulnerability washed over you, wondering if you had shared too much with him.

As you stood there, waiting for Joel to return after what felt like an eternity, a sense of disappointment settled in. The celebration continued around you, but a subtle shift in the atmosphere made everything feel a bit less magical for you.

After about ten minutes of waiting, you couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that maybe you had shared too much, that Joel's concern had led to a sudden change in the dynamics of the evening. He may have felt pity for you and you debated whether to stay or make your way out, with a mix of vulnerability and disappointment.

With a heavy sigh, you decided to leave the party. The twinkling lights and cheerful laughter seemed to lose their polish as you made your way through the crowd toward the exit. Each step felt like a retreat, not just from the party but from the unexpected connection that had briefly sparked between you and Joel. But it seemed to be just in your imagination.

Once in the elevator, you decided to call it a night and head home, where the glow of your Christmas tree awaited.

Meanwhile, Joel couldn't get you to leave the party without saying goodbye. He felt a magnetic draw toward you, a want to be near you. He followed you outside, trusting his intuition, only to find you standing alone, staring at the city lights from the lobby. 

Joel paused for a beat before approaching you. As you glanced into the distance, looking deep in focus, the city lights shed a lovely glow on your face and he felt his heart squeeze at the sight.

"Hey," Joel said gently, breaking the silence. You turned to look at him, surprise and something he couldn't quite decipher in your eyes.

"I noticed you left without saying goodbye," he continued, his voice filled with a warmth that mirrored the glow of the soft light of the city.

You offered a small smile, "I thought you were busy. Didn't want to interrupt."

Joel shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "You're never an interruption, trust me. I was looking for you. Didn't want you to leave without a proper goodbye."

A quiet connection flowed between you two as you stood there. As Joel took a step closer, the city seemed to fade into the background, the space between you narrowing.

Joel's eyes moved up, and a soft laugh escaped him, as if on instinct. You followed his gaze to realize you were standing just beneath a mistletoe, hanging in the door of the lobby. 

He chuckled a genuine and welcoming sound that echoed through silence. "Well, would you look at that," he replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

You couldn't help but laugh along with him, the suddenness of the situation providing a magical touch to the night. The noise and bustle of the city appeared to vanish, leaving only the two of you standing beneath the mistletoe.

Joel took a deep breath, a vulnerability in his expression. "I've been trying to deny it, even to myself, but I can't ignore it any longer, you know?”

You listened closely, the air thick with anticipation. The city lights built a protective shell around you two, pointing out your fragility.

"I think I'm… kinda in love with you," Joel admitted, his voice echoing with devotion.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stand motionless. The revelation sat in the breeze, and you could feel the importance of his words. It was a confession that went beyond the cheerful mood of the night. It was a confession that contained a time of words held back. 

Joel's eyes were filled with both optimism and anxiety. "Would it be too forward if I asked to kiss you under the mistletoe?"

A soft smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you replied, "No, Joel, it wouldn't be too forward."

Joel leaned in, his eyes stuck on yours, under the soft glow of the city lights and the mute witnesses of the mistletoe, your lips touched in a tender kiss, and the world around you distorted.

Joel stared at you with pleasure and joy as you pulled away. "I've been wanting to do that for a while."

You laughed, your heart humming with new sensations. "The feeling is mutual."

"So, about tomorrow," Joel began, his voice soft, holding your face in his hands. "There's no way you're spending Christmas alone."

You looked at him, surprise in your eyes. "Joel, I appreciate it, but you don't have to—"

He gently interrupted, "No, I want to. Christmas is a time for love and joy, and I can't bear the thought of you spending it alone. If you're willing, I'd love for you to join me and my family for Christmas dinner."

The lights continued to twinkle around as Joel's gaze lingered on yours. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, and he leaned in once more. The soft press of his lips against yours sent a thrill through you, a continuation of the connection that had deepened under the mistletoe.

As he kissed you, his hands traveled from your face to your hands, interlocking your fingers. When he pulled away, a playful smile danced on Joel's lips. "Let's get out of here," he suggested, his hand still holding yours "I have better plans to spend the night."

[yuri-is-online]

Reading the Room at a 5th Grade Level: MC's Curse and Taiga's Memory Issues???

Hi. My name is Yuri and I am an idiot. You see, when I downloaded Tokyo Debunker and I saw what happened to the MC I was confused. "Why did everything go red?" I asked myself. "It's like we were in another dimension!" I unhelpfully said at some point probably. Well I finally googled the name of the station the MC said "was not her usual stop" and guess what? I should have done that way fucking sooner because it's related to a Japanese urban legend, much like Takeru in Episode 2. And helps me with what I noticed yesterday while I was re-reading the Hotarubi episode.

This post contains spoilers for Hotarubi's Episode, viewer discretion is advised.

When the MC is contacted by the spirit who allegedly curses her she is riding the train home from a concert. She receives a text message from someone with a spider lily profile picture, in English their user name is "Mina." Before we are confronted by Mina, the conductor announces that the train's next stop is Kisaragi Station, a station that dear reader, does not exist. It's also extremely famous! But I am not smart or up to date on horror things so I didn't know (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄) so sorry if this is all stuff you guys already knew.

Kisaragi Station

The original post about Kisaragi station was, as best I can tell, made on a site called 2chan, which is a Japanese anonymous forum. I was able to find a post about it on r/nosleep from 2019 which claims that people started posting about it on reddit in 2010, and another post on Quora translating a thread that was posted to twitter. There are a few common themes to the urban legend, but there are three I find particularly relevant to our situation.

The station is believed to be on the border of our world and the "other world." It is possible to leave the station, we will get into how in a moment, but attempting to leave it by following the train tracks will get you killed. Especially if you attempt to cross through the train tunnel, that will take you across the point of no return. The original post describes hearing the sound of drums and bells, similar to a Japanese festival, that get louder the closer you get to the tunnel. Accepting rides from people in the vicinity of the station will also kill you. Cell service is active in the area, but you aren't able to find location information and people will not be able to find you. The anomaly on the train we see isn't tied to Kisaragi Station as far as I can tell, and I have been combing through various yokai to see if I can find anything like it but so far I haven't had much luck.

Back to how to leave the station, you have to light something on fire. Specifically something that causes smoke. Paper seems to be the most common suggestion. It's a small detail, but since the game starts with us seeing the school on fire I thought it was an interesting thing to note.

I added Taiga into the title of the post as in the translated twitter thread, the concept of memory loss the longer you stay in Kisaragi is brought up. We never actually see Taiga leave the station, and the MC only leaves it because Haku does something with his artifact. In Episode 5 Haku says he was not using his stigma to put the children's spirits to rest, implying that spiritual energy adn stigmas are different powers he can use. I am going to propose something kind of crazy at the end of this entire post about Haku, but for now just dealing with the facts presented in game he specifically says he "cordoned off" the area. Does he mean that he took the train to Kisaragi station? Or was MC always going there? And if he was the one responsible for doing that then uh. How did Taiga leave the station and get back to Darkwick? Was he trapped there and did he wander around for a long time, doing permanent damage to his memory in the process? Or am I over thinking this and he lost track of the anomaly and lit something on fire so he could leave. I like the idea of him lighting the station on fire and the ghosts asking him to leave, but that's probably not what happened lol

Red

When the train reaches Kisaragi Station in game, the color pallet swaps to red. Much like it does in Episode 5 when MC receives a certain visitor:

We learn later on that this is Zenji, and that Zenji is dead. MC seems to be reacting to his presence and I would like to think that the color choice is deliberate. If we go back to Episode 2, Takeru only has light amounts of red shading around him in his comic panels, when he kills the streamer and when Alan beats the shit out of him are two that immediately come to mind. Interacting with him does not turn the world red like interacting with Zenji or Kisaragi Station does, further strengthening Leo's conclusion about him being a Talupa and not a ghost as this red tint seems to be used for when MC is interacting with the spirit world. Which I am once again asking, how did Taiga get home from Kisaragi Station? Did he carjack a Taxi ghost?

This raises some questions about the anomaly that cursed MC. Is it a ghost and is it something unique to Japan? And if neither of those things are true then why was Haku there? I can think of two reasons for him to be there: the first is if he is there to keep an eye on Taiga for Cornelius/the Institute because Sinostra is on probation but they need him (he was specifically assigned this mission because of how aggressive he is) or it was meant to be a Hotarubi mission because it fit their criteria but Haku couldn't handle it so they arranged for Taiga to come along with him. That last thing is sort of countered by Haku saying that he doesn't think Hotarubi would be able to help with the MC's curse, but he could be lying about that I suppose.

Anyway who wants to hear my really stupid out there reason for why Haku is there-

The Part of the Show Where I do a line of coke Cope

So hear me out, what if Haku's stigma is time travel. So in this post on the subreddit donsaadali suggested that the powers you pick from in the personality test are powers the ring could give MC. I had the thought before that maybe it was a list of stigmas that the various characters had completely forgetting about the time travel line. But it does sort of fit with my line of thinking: make people follow my orders? That's Jin. Elemental powers? Towa. The others: extreme luck, never having to sleep, shapeshifting, and gravity control aren't ones that we have concrete information about but I am tempted to say that "extreme luck" could be Taiga, as turning things into ammo struck me as a quality of his artifact and not his stigma but I'm not really convinced of that. Anyway, if Haku can time travel, he could go back in time, pick up MC, and bring her back to Darkwick even if that's not what happened in the first place and Taiga was the one who brought her back the first time! But why he would do that is lost on me. Well not completely lost, I do think he wants to "help" her but with what and why is not something I have a theory on just yet.

To be clear, that was just me spitballing. I do not really think that Haku's stigma is time travel, there isn't enough evidence for me to think that. I do think that if there is a timeloop going on he is probably aware of it, but again. I don't know why.

Sources

Translated original post (x)

The above post also has a youtube video linked at the top if you want an audio version of the post and some other train related stories

Translated Twitter thread (x)

Shitty r/nosleep post (x)

[justporo]

From savoury to sweet

All your friends are invited for winter festivities and you're doing your best to prepare everything for a big reunion. But a certain vampire keeps testing your patience until it ultimately snaps...

MASTERLIST | AO3

Author's Note: Written for the "Delicacies" prompt of the BG3 Winter Holiday challenge and since I'm running this challenge I'm cheating a bit and also fill the "Holiday spirit" with this - because I guess everyone knows the feeling of feeling stretched thin when the end of the year comes around with all the joy and stress it has to offer... And sadly I don't have a sassy vampire to pull me through it *sighs* Happy holidays to you all!

Pairing: Astarion/GN!Tav (You) Warnings: none Wordcount: 1,5k ~~~

The little townhouse in Baldur’s Gate you and Astarion lived in was filled throughout with delicious smells: mulled wine, freshly baked pastries, simmering gravy. Together with everything being neatly decorated with holly, candles and more wintery decor it made for a very cosy and festive atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the comfy mood was disrupted by smells of burning and colourful curses being spat.

Gale and you had been bustling around the kitchen cooking, baking and making preparations, meanwhile Astarion sat at the long table there - one leg lazily dragged up onto the bench. He was reading something and kept stealing brandy infused cherries out of a bowl that always seemed to magically find its way back into his reach - no matter how often you moved the bowl away from him.

The wizard had come over to help you prepare a whole bunch of food. And of course there had been a very good reason behind all of this.

Somewhen when winter had rolled around and the Midwinter holidays had come closer, a thought had entered your mind and been stuck there ever since - and with that a wish.

It had been quite some time since you had seen all the other members of your little adventure group last - or friends rather because that was what they all had become. And you missed them all deeply. But fortunately there could be something done about that.

So, you had brought up the idea to Astarion to invite them over for the holiday to have a nice festive evening together.

Immediately, the vampire’s nose had scrunched up in distaste: “You’re not becoming all sappy all of a sudden, are you? I didn’t sign up for this.”

You had swatted his arm and pouted profusely, feeling a little hurt by his immediate rejection of your idea.

This had been a dream of yours for a long time: having a really fancy and enjoyable holiday festivity with someone to actually share it. Because you never had the chance to have that when you had grown up on the streets of Baldur’s Gate.

The closest you’d ever gotten to a holiday celebration had been sharing a stolen pie with some other urchins while you had huddled somewhere under tattered blankets, trying to escape the cold.

When you had painted that picture for Astarion (maybe purposefully laying it on thickly), his sassy attitude had immediately fallen. You had seen some of your past hurt mirrored in his red eyes. With a small sigh he had hooked his thumb on your chin and promised you to give you the holiday festivity you had always dreamt of.

“But”, he had immediately added when you had already started jumping up and down joyfully, “no one and I mean none of them will stay with us, darling. I had enough of sharing camp with all these buffoons for a lifetime - for all of immortality even.”

You had brushed off his sarcastic words quickly and had sent out letters to all your friends the following day. Answers had come in slow and sporadically since then - but that surely only meant that everyone was just very busy. Right?

But once you had started to think about what dishes you all wanted to prepare for this evening, how to get everything festive and whatnot, all these worries had quickly been forgotten. Gale had immediately been enlisted as your aid to tackle the massive task - obviously not taking no for an answer.

So there you were: a prodigy wizard and a former thief slaving away in the kitchen for almost a whole day in preparation for holiday dinner. Meanwhile a vampire was contributing nothing to the efforts - except if you counted his snide remarks (and of those he contributed many).

Every surface in the kitchen was filled with already finished dishes, loose ingredients or heaps of dirty pots, pans and utensils. Together with Gale you had prepared little filled pies as a starter, a variety of sides for the main course of different picks of meats and fish and sauces to compliment everything.

Almost all of it was done being prepped for dinner.  Now only your baked dessert was missing. And of course that had been where things had went awry. Your nerves had been on edge already, stressing how everything would go. Gale had not been helping with his unhelpful-helpful commentary. And not even to mention your vampire just lounging there on the bench like a cat, making it a point to annoy you even more with his sassy manner.

And you had reached your breaking point when you had pulled a completely burnt cake from the oven, covering up the delicious other smells while a small smoke cloud had erupted in the middle of the kitchen and Astarion hadn’t been able to keep his mouth shut about it.

“Oh love, I mean, I am no expert by any means, but I do think that’s a bit dark even for a dark chocolate cake,” he’d commented while he had barely even lifted his eyes from his book, one elbow propped up on the table and head placed on his hand while he popped another cherry into his mouth.

And that had also been the reason why he’d been hit with a small bun. Caused by your already thin stretched patience finally snapping you had grabbed the nearest throwable thing and had hurled it at the vampire’s head. That thing had happened to be a bunch of sweet rolls you had made as a side. Your impeccable aim had made sure that you hit your mark - and the screech you had let out had probably given it even more force.

Without even checking Astarion’s reaction you had sunk down on the bench opposite of the vampire and had buried your face in your hands while you tried to not let tears overwhelm you.

Astarion reflectively hissed and swatted the gnarly pastry away from him. But then he took in the scene and quickly realised that he had rightfully brought this onto himself.

Gale, who had taken a step back from you in caution with hands lifted defensively, threw the pale elf a sour look now while you suppressed sobs. “Incredibly supportive, Astarion, a job well done”, the wizard scolded the vampire who at least had the good grace to look ashamed of himself.

The wizard sat down beside you and started rubbing your back while he kept throwing Astarion looks. The vampire shuffled around awkwardly for a few moments, not being used to and not enjoying having to apologise.

With a sigh he finally got up and moved around the table and with a “shoo shoo” motion chased Gale out of the kitchen so he could be alone with you for a moment or two.

“Love, I’m sorry,” Astarion whispered as he sat down beside you and looped an arm around your shoulders. Immediately you let yourself fall into his touch. You really didn’t want to be mad at him. Under different circumstances you would have just laughed at his comment.

“I’m sorry I upset you with the stupid thing I said, forgive me?”, the vampire added and softly nuzzled his nose into your hair as you buried your face at his chest.

“I forgive you - sorry I threw baked goods at you”, you mumbled into his chest but you knew he had understood you when you felt the soft rumble of his laughter run through his whole body.

“It’s all good, my love. I got what I deserved and may I add: incredible aim. You’ve not lost your touch since the end of our grand adventure”, Astarion added and pressed a kiss to the top of your head.

You relaxed a little and just sat there with him for a few moments as you felt that your breathing slowly became normal again and some tension leaving your body. Astarion just held you.

After a while the vampire dragged over the bowl of liquor drenched fruit he’d been stealing out of. “Cherry, my sweet?”, he asked and with that made you look up again. He was holding the sticky fruit between his thumb and index and winked at you.

And for some reason that made you laugh. But when you didn’t immediately answer, Astarion shrugged his shoulders and popped the little treat in his mouth. You whacked his hand.

“No, Astarion! And stop eating those, we still need them!”, you scolded him as your partner pouted at you for being told off.

“Alright, no more cherries, but only if you agree to come with me and get some fresh air”, Astarion proposed. You wanted to protest but the vampire hushed you. “I’m sure Gale can be trusted to not burn the house down for like half an hour alone”, he continued.

You looked at him with some suspicion: “Unlike you to trust Gale with anything but walking in a straight line.”

Astarion rolled his eyes while he already got up and made to drag you along.

“Well, unusual circumstances and the like - you know”, he went on and let his free hand draw circles in the air. You just shrugged, honestly being happy to be dragged outside for a while.

“Now come, love, get your cloak - you need a break from all the sweet and savoury dishes here”, Astarion said and patted your butt for some motivation.You grinned at him: “Alright, except for that one sweet snack, my dear.”

Tag list: @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @darlingxdragon

[hopelessdelusional]

The hospital bed was really starting to get uncomfortable. 

You had your knees up to your chest, staring out into the window. Rain was hitting the glass, adding to the ambiance of the room. The TV was playing a random cooking competition that you put on for background noise, and the noises from the surrounding machines started to drive you insane. You knew that you shouldn’t complain. You weren’t considered for primary care anymore, meaning instead of nurses in and out of your room routinely it was your friends. They brought in your things from home to make you feel like claustrophobic, but somehow it just made you feel worse. 

There were clothes tossed into a suitcase closer to the bathroom, and the bed was filled with familiar blankets, pillows, and plushies. Not to mention the loads of gifts from friends and family that littered the sides of the bed. You were and still are overwhelmingly grateful, your friends took time out of their day to find a way to make you feel more comfortable, if only it worked.

But it would never feel like home, it was still a hospital that you put yourself in. Seeing all of your familiar things only made you miss home more. 

Or maybe it just made you miss someone who reminded you of home more. 

Texting Katsuki back was one of the hardest things you’ve done; and you were in a hospital for gods sake. The guilt of leaving things the way it did at the festival weighs heavily on your shoulders, never wanting to deal with that kind of pain again, mentally and physically. You’ve never felt this type of nervousness with anyone in your past, and you didn’t know what to do with that energy. The fact that as friends this man has treated you better than all of your ex's has really started to become apparent. His immediate response and surprising gentleness making you both feel so loved and guilty at the same time. You never would have expected him to send the previous messages (he said 'I love you'!), and the more he texted you the more you felt your sanity slipping away. Grasping at some sort of solution or intelligent thought before you do something stupid. 

“I wish they still considered alcohol as medication.” 

“Hey man, maybe don’t say that in a hospital? Just a suggestion.” 

“Did you know that during prohibition the only way to get alcohol and it not be deemed illegal was if it was prescribed?” 

Three different voices, three different personalities. Only you would have guests that say such things; Shoto, Hitoshi, and Izuku (in that order specifically). 

You grabbed the closest object, stretching your legs out and trying to look busy. The Nintendo switch was now in your hands starting up. You were playing with it earlier but you didn’t realize you had been staring at the window for that long. However you could never concentrate on just one thing, not when Katsuki was waiting for you. 

“Guess who’s back!”

Izuku’s voice invited the boys in, instantly warming up the once isolated room. Shoto's straight face immediately morphed into an affectionate smile, his eyes full of sympathy. Shoto hadn’t been able to spend too much time with you, given his schedule has always been full. He wasn’t as familiar with the hospital surroundings, and was extra careful wearing a mask in the hospital (but always taking it off for you). He entered the room with hesitance, and sat down on the edge of your bed with a warm hand accompanying your free hand. Meanwhile, Izuku and Hitoshi walked in with ease, as if they stayed there as patients themselves. Izuku only gave you a second of his attention before he was immersed in the cooking show that was playing on the small television. Hitoshi however simply patted your head and dropped onto the chair to the left of you, putting his feet up on the bed and joining Izuku’s curiosity in the show playing. 

All you could do was roll your eyes and hand Hitoshi the switch, who happily took the liberty into playing Kirby and the Forgotten land. You scooted closer to Shoto, who got more comfortable on your bed now that your attention was on him. 

“How’s my sickly baby doing?” 

You can’t help but laugh at the question as Izuku turned around with his hand still on his chin from inspecting the show. 

“Better now that I have my favorite visitor.”

Hitoshi made a gagging sound without even looking up from the game, while Izuku dramatically gasped hopping onto the bed. Both Shoto and you groaned at the intense shaking the green haired man had inflicted onto the bed. He just giggled and laid down next to you, flopping his hand over his forehead in a theatric manner. All you could do was look down at your friend, an amused look on your face. 

Shoto cleared his throat to get your attention away from his partner. Slowly, you looked back at your friend, waiting for him to say whatever was on his. 

“Katsuki has been texting Izuku nonstop, and if I didn’t know that he was texting about you I’d think Izuku was cheating on me.” 

A loud laugh escaped Hitoshi’s mouth, accompanying Izuku sitting straight up almost unnaturally. 

“Way to get to the point ‘roki” 

Hitoshi was still laughing as Izuku attached himself to his very blunt partner. You however, you were reminded as to why you were looking out the window just moments ago. Great.

Not only had Katsuki been blowing up your phone, but his long term childhood friend as well. Katsuki was nervous, he was nervous about you and he was doing everything he could to ease his fears. That thought just made you feel guilty all over again, especially how you lest him the day of the festival. When texting you would wait as long as humanly possible to respond, whilst he responded almost immediately making you jump every time. Katsuki cares about you, is worried about you. You know him, you know him really well, he's as scared as you are probably even more. The two of you were acting like a high school couple, so nervous to mess things up again.

You love him. You are in love with Katsuki Bakugou. What are you supposed to act like? He doesn't know your in love with him, or maybe he does. No, he definitely doesn't because he's as dense as a rock sometimes. Besides Izuku told him that you like him and he didn't believe that. So now what, tell him? Tell him that his feelings for you were perfectly reciprocated, maybe even more? Then what? Then you date? Get married? Do you want kids? What about your careers? You were used to your small bubble with your followings, but Katsuki was famous. You knew you didn’t live a normal life but it was far from being as famous as the blonde. His fans would literally gut you alive before you made it to your three month anniversary. 

“I’m not trying to scare you, i’m just reminding you just how much that dick-head loves you.” 

Shoto has his eyes trained onto you, making you feel on the spot one of his many talents. You can tell he’s searching you, watching your body moments and using all your years of friendship to read your muddled mind. The people that surround you know you the best, they knew you were in love long before you even considered it. 

“I don’t know what to do.” 

Your words hung heavy in the room. Suddenly the room felt very small, and you felt isolated. There were a thousand thoughts swimming around in your head, and every single one of them were about Katsuki. 

“Hey.” 

That one word brought you back to reality, surprised to hear that wasn’t Shoto or Izuku’s voice. 

Hitoshi removed his feet from the bed and leaned into your personal space, forcing the two of you to be face to face. Closing your eyes, you allowed yourself to relax.

Hitoshi and you worked a project years ago, which ended up creating a very close friendship and an unexplainable bond. Sure you had been friends during college but that first photography gig out of college that the two of you worked created something special between you two. The two of you knew each other better than anyone else. When one of you were drowning, the other would pull them out. That’s when the two of you started a rule; or an action per se. When one of you started to spiral, and the other one was worried, one of you would put each other’s foreheads together. 

It may seem crazy, or strange, but every single time you two used it, it helped. It was like being pulled out of a bad dream, such close contact with someone you love so much was more affirming than anything else. So when Hitoshi leaned in and slowly rested his forehead against yours, every muscle loosened and every sliver of fear escaped. 

“You’re gonna be okay.” 

Your eyes were still closed when he whispered those words, and it was like he had casted some sort of evil out of your body. You felt more calm, confident even. You leaned away first, not wanting to creep Izuku and Shoto out too much (even though they’ve seen it before). 

“I’m gonna be okay.” 

A beat of silence passes, Izuku's hand rests on yours giving you his famous loving smile.

"Why don't you ever do that for me 'Toshi?"

"Shut the fuck up Shoto."

"Make me."

Shoto winked and blew a kiss towards Hitoshi, making Izuku and you irrupt in laughter.

"I'll make you shut up alright."

A pillow was suddenly thrown across the bed, hitting Shoto straight in the face. Izuku snapped out of his giggles immediately worried about the equipment around them, but you only laughed harder.

"Not my money maker!"

Shoto wriggled towards you to use your body as shield, enabling Hitoshi to let out many vague and confusing threats towards the bleached-haired man. Shoto only responded with 'you can't get me!' making Izuku turn his worried chanting towards his boyfriend

instead.

Nevertheless, you sat in nonstop giggles, petting Shoto's head and using your other hand to block Hitoshi's pillow attacks. You knew that Izuku was strong enough to physically disable both of the boys if he wanted, so he must notice how happy it's making you in the moment to allow it to happen.

Yeah, it was gonna be okay.

You were only in the hospital for another week before going home, but that week felt like a lifetime. 

Throughout the week you started texting Katsuki more regularly, like old times. You found yourself checking your phone more often and even smiling at his texts. The love that you carried for him was sitting heavy in your chest, but when he answered your texts you felt the weight lift. He had a magical touch on your anxieties, even through the phone. As much as you wanted to see him immediately, to see and touch his face, to hear his voice again, you refused to do it in the hospital. Thankfully, you were able to convince him that it was a hospital policy, and you had already hit the limit on the amount of visitors. Lying to Katsuki was not your favorite thing to do but again, the hospital was not a place where you wanted to confess your love. 

Once you finally got home, you were immediately bombarded with emotions. The whole friend group had been waiting at the shared apartment when you left the hospital, and they had your favorite dinner, drinks, deserts, and more. Your favorite movie was playing and plenty of games ensued throughout the night. 

The night was amazing, and it allowed you to keep the river of thoughts flowing in your mind at bay. However once the apartment got quiet again, you found yourself glued on the couch, feeling frozen in the living room.

There was too much to think about, and to think that this started because of some stupid party of drunken kissing makes you feel rather foolish. Katsuki made an impact in your life, when you weren’t hanging out you were calling, and when you weren’t calling you were texting. He slithered his way into your heart, and made you consider that love was worth it. No matter what happens, be able to love Katsuki will be worth it. 

"Thanks for tonight Shins."

Hitoshi had taken the responsibility of cleaning up the apartment while you laid out lazily on the couch. You felt guilty about not helping your friend, but he insisted that you continued to get rest. You heard him scoff while noises of dishes clink in the dishwasher.

"It was the gangs idea, and-" then there was a stutter, causing you to pop up from where your head rested.

“We were all pretty worried about you, you know.”

The tone of his voice had shifted, and the fact that Hitoshi had to pause before saying that implies that he really means it. You could do was wait for him to come to you, hands in his pockets and head down. He slumped onto the couch and nearly collapsed into you. 

“Seeing you on the ground like that…that’s not something I ever wanna see again.”

One hand in his hair, the other glazing over his back, gently rubbing any tension he was holding in. When Hitoshi opened up about his feelings, it was best not to rush or speak into what he says right away. Besides, you hadn’t even thought of how he felt about the night you passed out. The two of you briefly spoke about it when you were fresh out surgery, mainly just the purple-haired man saying he wanted to kill Katsuki for making you pass out before you told him he had nothing to do with it. It was simply bad timing, your body had hit its limit, which is making you think of Katsuki. How did he feel? You left him at the festival after having that awful argument. He probably thinks it’s his fault. 

Pushing that thought for later in the night, you started whispering reassuring thoughts to your best friend Time passes, the two of you stayed on the couch for the next couple hours re-watching Markiplier’s Five Nights at Freddy’s videos. As the night progresses, you were getting more and more nervous about the future situation you were going to put yourself in. Katsuki had been texting all day, even though he was at work all day he took every chance he had to check up on you and talk about random things. It wasn’t until Hitoshi fell asleep that you texted Katsuki, knowing he stayed up to talk to you, to ask him to meet tomorrow. 

Tomorrow you were going to tell him, you were going to ask him to forgive you. Maybe, maybe you’ll ask for more. You wanted to be with Katsuki forever, and you hope he wants the same. 

The next day comes, and suddenly you were surrounded by clothes were scattered all over the room, where only a small sliver of sunlight was allowed. Huffing, you sat defeated on your bed, getting nowhere on the outfit for today’s events. 

Today is going to be perfect, it has to. The weather was perfect, your outfit was going to be perfect, and Katsuki is perfect. A Perfect day. 

Two knocks at your door made you groan loudly, knowing it was Hitoshi wanting to “check up” on you. He had already come in three times as the minutes fly by, it was just him trying to help you which ended in him giving you a lecture. Already sick of it, you yelled incoherent curses forward’s Hitoshi, before laying out on the floor full of clothes. 

There were another two knocks, and before you could string out another couple curses your name was being called from someone who wasn’t Hitoshi. The door opened and Hitoshi was standing with Ochako, who had a bright smile on her face due to amusement. 

“I called for backups, as you don’t deem me as a reliable source for fashion.” 

Hitoshi grunted out those words before scooting over the smiling brunette towards you. You deflated, a smile making a way onto your face.

"Oh thank god."

An hour later Ochako had somehow constructed an outfit that had hit all of your needs. Comfy, but not in the way that makes it look too casual, still making the outfit look put together. You smiled happily at the result, feeling like yourself again. Nothing was more therapeutic than putting on clothes that made you feel confident. Nobody knew how to help you with outfit dilemmas the way Ochako did, somehow she just always knew what you wanted to wear even when you didn’t. 

It wasn’t until everything was settled and peaceful, when you realized there were multiple voices in the apartment. 

“Ko?”

The brunette was busy fixing your hair, humming along with the playlist that was put on hours ago. 

“Hm?’

She was still lost in her thoughts, trying to recreate a hairstyle she found on Pinterest. By the looks of her face, she seems to be struggling. Her eyebrows furrowed and tongue slightly sticking out, making you smile gently. 

"Are there other people in the apartment?"

Ochako continued to fix your hair, until she squeaked with excitement and jumped up to show off her hard work. Somehow she perfected the hairstyle to be just like the Pinterest photo. How she did that, you have no idea, you just know you're lucky to have a friend like her.

"I love it Ko!"

She smiled brightly, which was so contagious you grinned as well. Before you could ask again, Ochako looked at her watch (it's a hello kitty watch) and gasped.

"You need to get going!"

You furrowed your eyebrows at her sudden urgency. The brunette grabbed your bag and started pushing you out the door. You knew you still at had least an hour until you really needed to go, choosing a later time because you knew it would take you a long time to get ready.

"Ochako what are you talking about?"

The door swung open, and sure enough the living room was full of familiar faces. The whole friend group was once again all sat in the shared living room, chatting and eating snacks. Putting your hands on your hips, you cleared your throat loud enough to gather the group's attention. Heads swung your way, smiles on everyone's faces. Shoto whistled and looked you up and down, causing Kyouka to smack him upside the head.

"I meant it in a feminist way," Shoto grunted out rubbing his head.

"I can't blame him, you look sexy y/n!"

Ochako stepped back and admired her work, making the group chime in agreeing. Rolling your eyes, you sat on the edge of one of the couch chairs in your living room. Momo occupied the chair, and she slipped her hand into your hand to study the rings on your fingers.

"Yeah, you got a date or something?"

You stuck out your tongue at Hitoshi, then crossed your arms.

"Yeah, with your mom."

'Oohs' and groans filled the room, making laughter to ensue at the bickering between your best friend and you.

"Shouldn't you get going y/n?"

Izuku looked at you with a puzzled expression. You reflected his face, also confused as to why everyone seemed to agree with his statement. The. only thing you told them was that you were going to meet up today, never specifying the time. Even when Hitoshi asked you were too frustrated with your outfit process you just angrily yelled out 'later' to get back to building an outfit.

"Guys stop teasing, you know they don't know."

Somehow even more confused, you whipped your head towards Momo for her comment. She just looked at you with kind eyes, before you continued to glare down every one of your friends. Stubbornly, you hopped up and let out a loud huff.

"No, I don't know, meaning I don't leave soon. Therefore I will make myself a quick drink."

You stomped over to the kitchen, grabbing the necessary tools to make the drink. You heard small giggles from the living room, making you push out another loud groan. Just before you were able to finish your drink, the doorbell rings, making you jump. Carefully, you look at your friends for answers, but they all just shrug holding back their smiles. They obviously know something that you don't, making you nervous.

"I didn't even know the doorbell worked."

Hitoshi snickered at your comment as you cautiously made your way to the door. No one else made any indication that they were going to get the door, in fact they looked like they knew exactly who was standing behind the door. Letting out a shaky breath, you opened the door.

Familiar cologne engulfed your senses first, then ruby red eyes met yours. A shock of electricity went down your spine, freezing your body. His eyes looked you up and down, smiling when he met your eyes again. There was a small blush littered on his face, and a bouquet of your favorite flowers in his hand. Your hand squeezed the door as you looked at the blonde in front of you, in complete disbelief that Katsuki Bakugou was standing right in front of you.

"Hey."

.・。.・゜✭・.✫・゜・。.

cowboy like me

hey how's it going hope you enjoyed the chapter

i'm still in a bit of a writing slump so i put a bunch of smau stuff to make up for it 😭

the next episode is gonna be out in like two seconds hopefully its already linked

ily guys and i'm so sorry for the wait, life's just been mean.

fun facts ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

-the pantsed story is actually real my aunt is a special needs teacher is her coworker got pantsed, plus she had a kid look up her skirt 😭

-greys anatomy reference, had to make it (i stopped watching when Derek died rip)

-a day after yn was in the hospital ochako momo and izuku went shopping for gifts

-as soon as mina kiri sera and kami found out they also got their own gifts

-(after yn responded to Kats text he went and bought yn a sweater that he noticed yn really liked)

-izuku is a nerd, always has been always will be. he just knows so much random shit and goes into an autistic rabbit hole whiners he finds smth interesting (me)

-i like to imagine izuku's mom or kat's mom always had on cooking shows growing up and that's why zu is so fascinated with cooking shows

-can u tell how much i love zu by the way i write him LMAO

-kats is like a dog waiting at the door for its owner like legit he's stressed tf out

-the forehead touch thing came to me bc me n my sister likes to do that to make each other laugh,,,,,, and also..... doctor who.....

-izuku is BUFF

-college yn gang is my fav era we love irresponsible young adults

-katsuki doesn't like eating dinner alone so whenever they ask he always comes over-plus the man just likes cooking

-shoto and bkg never really got out of their competition phase so

-speaking of competition... the only people not taking the game all that seriously were Momo and jiro LMAO the rest of the group was like "if I lose im gonna rip of my skin"

-ochako dabbled in cosmetology for a bit so she's the most experienced with that kinda stuff

-shinso only wears baggy black outfits.... he aint no nofen abt fashion (even tho i do love me a good angsty black baggy fit)

-bkg loves yn

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