#also tell me how that look wouldn't have anyone swooning

[trashwithvariety]

Professor Emmrich Volkarin, of the Mourn Watch.

Rook. Fellow Mourn Watcher.

[heywardsdoll]

meeting pope at the festival after telling him to be your fake boyfriend was one of the most awkward things you'd done in your very short life.

really, it was the knowing that he would be there and that he'd know why you were there—and that you would probably have to hold his hand, an he would need to hold yours. it was all of that. those little troubles in the stories, and the places you knew you would mess up.

it all started when you noticed how nice pope was. how nice he looked with a button up, and that smile that he did when he beamed. well, okay, so it started a bit earlier before that. your boyfriend, who you had declared as your ex was following you through the party. you'd screamed for him to get away only to bump into pope.

you'd been so intoxicated, that the minute you felt his hand on yours you melted completely, but there was an urgency in your blood that you couldn't shake off. with wide eyes, you whispered something with pursed lips, "act along with it! just act—aww, has anyone told you how hot you look like this? heyward? is it heyward-" then you tried to tread a little closer to him, touching that little part of his tie before you completely stubbled into his arms. you felt so stupid as you let out a small giggle.

pope looked so confused, hand reaching out to steady you. still, his eyes had that comfort in them that you so desperately needed, "oh, hi, sorry, uh," then he winched, "what's the issue?" he whispered out, before you flinched when your ex came in.  quickly pope seemed to zone in on the angry ex, and completely changed personas.

all of a sudden he had to closer to your chest, you could smell his cologne and everything seemed to go fuzzy as he hid your face in his shirt. you took a shaky breath, trying to wish it all away. it felt nice to be in someone's arms like this, to feel so safe. that was when it hit you, how nice pope was.

finally you felt pope's chest heave when he exhaled, and seemed to let you go. your arms however were wrapped around his waist.

"is he gone?"

"yes," pope replied softly. you could feel the muscles on his arms and if you weren't in this sorry state you wouldn't be swooning so hard.

reluctantly, you awkwardly detached your arms from his waist and then looked at him again. His smile was lopsided, a mix of amusement and confusion, which only made you laugh harder.

"what's so funny?" he asked.

"you're-you're so boyfriend material!" you blurted out, stammering through the haze of alcohol. "so cute. look at this button-down. and i love the hat. you don't even know me, and you held me to your chest to hide me from my pycho ex. i would date you, i would marry you," you hiccuped, then suddenly lit up with an idea. "you know what we should do? we should fake date so i can get my ex off my back."

pope stared at you, wide-eyed, his mouth slightly open as if he was about to say something but couldn’t quite find the words.

"fake date?" he echoed, almost like he was testing the idea out loud for the first time. his brows furrowed, and you could see the gears turning in his mind, "i'm sorry, i don't even know who you are—"

"well, well, i mean, think about it, you can get to know me!" you rambled, now completely committed to your idea. "my ex will back off, and you—well, you get to pretend to be the hero." you grinned up at him, wobbling slightly on your feet. "it's like a win-win, right?"

pope rubbed the back of his neck, giving you an odd look as he held you up. "i'm not sure that's how this works," he said, trying to hide his growing smile. "i mean, you're drunk. really drunk."

"drunk, yes. but also really pretty," you insisted, poking his chest lightly, which only made you giggle more. "you know, i don't usually get these genius ideas sober."

pope, then like every nice boy you'd met smiled at you gently. you could already hear the consoling words out of his mouth and couldn't help but feel like sulking already.

but then pope sighed, his gaze softening. "look, i didn't mind helping you out tonight," he said, glancing around the room cautiously, "but fake dating? that’s a whole other level of commitment."

you nodded enthusiastically, almost stumbling again. "yes, absolutely. you already saved me once. might as well go all in, right?" you flashed him a cheeky smile, but beneath the humour, there was a flicker of vulnerability. you didn’t want to face your ex alone, not again.

pope still looked uncertain, but you knew you had to stick it to him, and so you thought of a "foolproof,' plan.

"well, at least take my number. we can talk when i'm sober, and we-"

the rest of history. so here you were again, fighting against all odds after messaging pope several times after that night. he was quite forgiving about your stunt, and even offered to meet with you. you'd taken the opportunity to talk to him and apologise in person. god, you'd been so reckless to ask him that type of question. the festive where both kooks and pogues could meet was the best place that you thought there was. it was a chrismas festival, little kids running around under the big tree.

finally you noticed him. he was staring near a small stand with two cups of what seemed like hot chocolate. he had a cardigan on, as well as a cheery smile. the only thing you had been right about that night was how perfect he was for the role. but that's not why you were here. you were here to apologise.

"hi." you murmured out shyly. pope smiled at you, handing you a cup of chocolate.

"for the lady."

you took the cup and let the warmth seep into your hands under the lights. he looked just like you remembered, kind brown eyes and a little frigity. but now he was watching you, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"you know," he hesitated before continuing, "i didn't expect you to message, and i wasn't sure if you, uh, remembered everything from last night."

you let out a pained laugh before looking away from his gaze, "oh yeah i remember. a bit too well."

pope scratched the back of his head, clearly still unsure how to navigate this conversation. "look, i didn’t mind helping out. that guy was a jerk, and could tell you were in a rough spot." he looked at you earnestly, his typical calm demeanour shining through. "but, you know, you don’t have to apologize."

you felt a bit surprised at how quickly he forgave you, "no, no i owe it because i launched that idea at you, and i completely forgot boundaries—" you let out an uneasy laugh before pope stopped you mid-sentence.

"i've been through worse, especially from my friend jj. and," he shook his head, "i'm not the one to leave people handing."

this was it. this was what attracted you to him. always looking out for others, always doing the right thing even if it made things worse for him. the one thing that you didn't want to think about too much was how hot he looked doing it too.

but you still felt embarrassed, "you're too nice. and way too smart to get involved in my ridiculous ideas."

he laughed a little, a smile lighting up his face. "i'm not sure i’d call it smart," he teased. "maybe just—stupid enough to go along with you."

you giggled, feeling a little more at ease now that the conversation was flowing. the lights felt even prettier, and the warm of the hot chocolate made you feel more comfortable.

"so," pope began, glancing around the bustling festival before meeting your eyes again. "we’re good, right? no more awkward ex-boyfriend encounters?"

you smiled, nodding. "yeah, no ex-boyfriends to worry about. i promise."

pope’s face softened, and there was a flicker of something more in his eyes—like he was relieved, but maybe a little hesitant, too. he shifted his weight, clearly thinking about what to say next. but he seemed to falter and just nodded.

so you stayed there in that little moment, and he watched the tree—you watched him.

taglist; @cerya @rainbowpiss34, @vi4goswrld, @th3eternalersi, @gothiccvnt6996, @sluggmuffin

[webslingingslasher]

spiderman saves cherry one time (but not even from smth serious) and suddenly she falls in love and tells peter ab her new obsession w him that she didn’t understand before and he’s literally cheering on the inside at how she’s closer to falling for him without realising

happy sunday!

--

'you know how you're always trying to get me to like spider-man?'

'yes.'

you hold the back of your hand to your forehead and dramatically swoon, your back lands on peter's bed. 'i've been swayed.' peter's got a strong feeling it's because you ran into spider-man today but he has to pretend he doesn't know that yet.

'did you have another dirty dream?' you gasp at the question, peter rushes out he was just joking. 'you're not funny, fyi.'

'you're cute when you have a crush.' you kick your feet on his bed, peter's being extra annoying. 'i don't have a crush! i was going to tell you i saw him today but nope, nevermind.'

peter knows how to work around your attitude. it's a special trick he's learned. 'you met spider-man? that's so cool, where were you?' you grin at him and start speed talking, peter loves being right.

'the bookstore! well, outside the bookstore. when i was leaving i was reading the back of a book and i walked right into him! i dropped my book and he caught me and when i looked up, bam, spider-man. he grabbed my book for me and asked if i was okay, like i didn't run into him!'

you replay the moment, you swoon again. 'ugh, petey, he was tall and so broad! it felt like i ran into a wall, but he was also like... i could've given him a hug and he wouldn't mind.' you lift your head up to look at peter, it's a similar feeling with him.

'i think he's kind of like you. cause you're mr. strong guy but you're the perfect amount of soft for cuddles. basically, i think i'm gonna marry spider-man.'

peter has to act like he's jealous, he doesn't mind. you like spider-man now and nothing else beyond that matters. if anything, this is a bonus for him.

'please tell me you didn't get his number, i can't compete with a superhero.'

'no!' you think about it for a second, you're not spider-man's number one fan but you see clips and articles online all the time. 'i don't think spider-man dates, i've never seen him out on one. but also, i don't think he can eat dinner with his mask on... wait, do you think he dates outside the mask and has to pretend he isn't spider-man?'

peter blinks two times, 'i don't know, i've never thought about it.' he's very flat with his reply. you huff, he's no fun. 'if you were spider-man, do you think i would know?'

'um, well, if you don't know i'm spider-man, then no, i don't think you would know.' you nod, he makes a good point. 'fair.' you keep thinking about it, you'd be thrown for such a loop if that happened to you.

'that's crazy. imagine dating someone for months or years and he tells you he's spider-man, i think i'd freak out. i wonder if anyone in his life knows who he is. wait, do you think there are people just walking around the city that know spider-man's true identity?'

peter didn't prepare himself for hypotheticals, he's wondering why he wanted you to like his alter ego so much. when you didn't care, you didn't ask questions.

'what do you think he looks like? i think he looks like you, he's probably cute. do you think he's our age? damn it, i should've asked him all of this when i had him in front of me.' you sigh again, searching for your phone you youtube his name and start watching compilations of fights caught on film.

'god, he could throw me around like nothing.'

peter grumbles out the corner of his mouth, 'i could throw you around like nothing.' you happily hum, the idea is enticing. 'could you wear the suit while you do it? wait, you better not, i wouldn't be able to stop myself from... things.'

you stare at the screen, you start to have flashes of imagery and you bite down on your bottom lip. 'oh god, i'm feeling a hyperfixation coming on.' spider-man is hot, his strength, his power, how fucking kind he is.

you sit up to look at peter, 'wanna makeout?' peter wants to know how he went from mentally begging you to like spider-man, to actually being jealous of how you fawn over him. 'i'm not a placeholder for your fantasies.'

'i never said you were. come kiss me... and maybe get between my thighs and make me feel good.' spider-man is attractive because of the mystery, peter's hot because, fuck, just look at him. peter's giving you a look that's testing, he's baiting you for more information. 'don't make me beg, it's not cute.'

'no, you just wanna kiss me because you're hot and bothered over spider-man.' it shouldn't bother him, but it does. 'i don't want spider-man's fingers in me, i want yours.'

'only because you can't have him.' you groan, he's dragging it out more than he needs. 'maybe i do, maybe he's not scared to touch me.' peter's quiet, you immediately fill in the silence. 'wait, that's me being bratty. i'm not trying to force you into sex.'

peter smiles, 'you can't force the willing, cherry.'

you pat the empty space between your legs, 'then will you come fill me up? please?' peter doesn't need to be asked a third time, you're instantly settled the second he's caging you under him and pressing his lips on yours.

peter's fingers drag up your thigh, you sigh into his mouth. 'mhm, spider-man.' peter's done, he pulls off you and you're whining and trying to keep him over you. 'no! i was kidding, i swear i was just kidding!'

'too late. you're cut off, think about your actions.'

'fine. but you know who would've found that funny?' peter raises his eyebrows, he knows what's about to come. 'say his name one more time and see what i do.'

'will you punish me and show me who i really belong to?'

and... oh, that has peter bricked up.

why didn't he think about that? he would have proved how much better he is, he could've kissed you breathless until you're babbling and only whimpering his name. and the way you're looking at him tells him this was more of a ruse than anything.

peter's never dated a brat, he's still learning your quirks. you blink pretty, you have a way of acting like an innocent virgin after saying something dirty, it's an unspoken card you always pull out when convenient.

peter grips the skin above your knees and pulls you into him, your hips slam into his. 'think you can be quiet this time?' you shake your head, peter grins at your messy hair. 'no?'

peter leans down, his lips brush yours. he whispers against your mouth, a hint of a kiss. 'didn't think so.'

and peter makes you say his name so many times, spider-man's is a distant memory. 

[jisungsdaydreamer]

Stray Kids When They Have a Crush on You

«GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

Pairing: OT8 x gn!reader Genre: headcanon, fluff Warnings: none

P.S. ♡ If you like my work, please consider giving me feedback in the form of reblogs, comments, and asks! ♡

1. Bang Chan

Writes a lot of songs about you 

Will make physical contact, like putting his arm around your shoulders or his hand on your back 

A gentleman; drives you home all the time and has you call him when you're safe inside 

Very casual around you, but slowly develops deeper feelings  

Asks you to hang out with him and his friends a lot 

Very proud of you and wants to introduce you to everyone 

Genuinely looks up to you and asks you for advice a lot 

2. Lee Know

Teases you a lot but it's very flirty 

If anyone tries to tease him about you though, he will give them the death glare 

Will absolutely deny liking you if anyone asked 

Texts you a lot 

Remembers every single thing you tell him 

Will not tolerate anyone who says a single unkind thing about you 

Jealous when you talk to other guys 

When you play with his cats, he will be chill on the outside but literally swooning inside 

3. Changbin

The one who makes excuses to constantly see you 

When you're around, he'll stretch his arms back so he can "accidentally" flex his muscles 

So down bad for you and everyone knows- except for you, that is 

Would keep a photo of you in his pocket and take it out randomly and smile at it 

Acts tough but is really shy about how he feels 

Wants to be around you always and invites you everywhere 

Tells you to call him cute nicknames

4. Hyunjin

He'd write poems about you in his little journal 

Would also sketch you when you aren't looking  

Zones out a lot just thinking about you; a big daydreamer 

Buys matching keychains for you both, but he's too shy to give it to you 

Falls slowly but it's very intense, it might even be love 

He'd be sleepless and a little tortured over you 

Would have a collection of random things that remind him of you, like plushies or stickers 

Makes playlists of songs that make him think about you 

Unconsciously is inspired by you; for example, if you wear a cardigan one day, he'll wear one too the next day, without even realizing it 

5. Han

Has a goofy smile on his face always 

He would try to be suave and cool, but his heart flutters every time he encounters you, and he ends up getting tongue-tied 

Would search for cheesy pick up lines on google 

Would obsess over every small interaction with you 

Lowkey would stalk you online just for "research" 

Would not shut up about you to his friends 

Would bring you snacks to share constantly and then eat like half of them because he's nervous around you 

Makes scenarios about you both in his head before he falls asleep 

6. Felix

Everyone ships you guys together 

He always brushes the teasing off with a smile 

Brings you sweet gifts like flowers and jewelry that reminds him of you 

Brainstorms the perfect way to ask you out 

Carries your bag for you even if it's not even heavy 

Wants to know all about you and asks a lot of questions 

Hanging out with him feels a lot like you're dating even if you're not because he is so attentive and sweet 

7.  Seungmin

The one who wouldn't even know he has a crush on you 

You couldn't guess that he likes you because he's very nonchalant 

He likes to hang out with you and buy you coffee 

His crush would manifest in acts of service 

Notices every single thing; if you run out of gum, he'd go right away and buy a new pack for you, even if you didn't ask him to 

When he eventually realizes his feelings, he will be honest with you about them 

Very classic and classy; no drama 

8.  I.N.

Straight up will tell you that he likes you and if you reject him, he will try to win you over 

The flirty one who gets you flustered 

Wants to wow you with his fashion and hotness 

Would have a "boyfriend material" Pinterest board to inspire his outfits 

Tries to meet your parents to impress you (and they end up loving him) 

Drops natural pick-up lines that Han wishes he could serve 

Super smooth; no nonsense 

Straight up will tell you that he likes you and if you reject him, he will try to win you over 

The flirty one who gets you flustered 

Wants to wow you with his fashion and hotness 

Would have a "boyfriend material" Pinterest board to inspire his outfits 

Tries to meet your parents to impress you (and they end up loving him) 

Drops natural pick-up lines that Han wishes he could serve 

Super smooth; no nonsense 

«GENERAL M.LIST» · «NAVIGATION» · «TALK TO ME» · «TAGLIST»

TAGLIST @chansburgah @hee0soo

[cryptomiracle]

what type of lover is sam winchester?

sam winchester x reader (fluff headcanons)

"Wait for the signal and I'll meet you after dark

Show me the places where the others gave you scars

Now this is an open-shut case

Guess I should've known from the look on your face

Every bait and switch was a work of art"

-willow by taylor swift

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WARNING(S)

I'm just on season 14 atm, but I took a break from watching it to focus on other things, so I apologize if his character is inaccurate.

gender neutral reader

this is my first time writing for supernatural, please be understanding of this

This is kinda short

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psychical touch

he's not very big on PDA, other than hand holding or a simple little peck on the cheek/hand every now and then.. but in private? this man cannot get enough.

If you're a night owl, he's the type to sit on the couch with his head laying on your lap at like 2 am, trying to fight off sleepiness just so he can be with you. when you two sleep together, he pulls you as close as humanly possible and sleeps with his face in the crook of your neck.

he's constantly showering you with kisses on your nose, on your mouth, on your cheeks, on your hand, you name it.

He's the type to kiss you goodbye, then pull you back into another kiss, and then another, and then another, until you have to psychically pull yourself away from him.

Sometimes when he gets spooked he'll involuntarily grab your hand.

Now don't get me wrong, he enjoys when you give him the same energy, he loves for you to comb your fingers through his hair, or when you wrap your arms around his arm when you two are walking around (it doesn't matter where you're going)

if you were to randomly walk up to him and hug him, he would literally melt into you, he would do all he could to prolong the hug as much as possible, just to stay in your embrace.

When you two are cuddling, he's a little spoon (I will die on this hill.)

love language

words of affirmation

This man is a poet when it comes to you, he will wake up in the morning and just start telling you the sweetest things you have ever heard.

he will quite literally have you swooning over him, and he means every bit of what he says.

Although I wouldn't call him an insecure person, you would have to return the favor, even if it's just little confirmation that you still love him.

He's constantly worried that his line of work would cause you to get hurt, or worse.. so you would have to remind him that you don't have any second thoughts, that you can take care of yourself and that you don't want to be with anyone else.

acts of service

He loves doing things for you, whether it's carrying your bags, or running you a bath.

he'll do things without you even having to ask.

if you show any interest in something in a store, consider it yours.

Quality time

hes fine with going out to a nice restaurant, but he's also okay with just having a homemade dinner with you. He's happy as long as he gets to spend time with you.

He's an okay cook. but he likes to cook with you, it's his favorite way to spend quality time with you

Sometimes though, he would rather go to a restaurant he enjoys seeing you get all dolled up, it makes his heart melt.

When y'all first started dating, he definitely had to ask dean for date ideas, but once y'all finally got fully secure in your relationship, he'd just ask you what you wanted to do.

He enjoys sitting at home and reading with you, or doing research on whatever case him and dean are working on at the moment.

He greatly appreciates if you help him with his research as well, if you were to find something before him, he'd compliment you and tell you how smart you were, & how much of a help you were to him.

He's just a little sweetie pie

(I love him so much YALL DON'T EVEN KNOWW)

fights

Honestly, fights with him aren't that bad.

He will let you vent out all of your emotions, but if he thinks you're being irrational he will let you know.

He does have a habit of storming into another room, or going quiet whenever he feels himself get genuinely angry, mainly because he doesn't wanna yell/blow up at you.

After he cools down, he will attempt to resolve whatever it was that caused the fight to begin with.

Oftentimes, he will try to avoid conflict with you all together.

I can just imagine the two of you fighting in front of dean and Castiel, and them just standing there like "🧍🏼‍♂️👀"

If it's a really bad fight, he'll need a little moment alone to settle down.

jealousy

imma give him a 4.5/10 on the jealousy scale.

He's secure enough in himself, and your relationship to where he doesn't feel jealous over little things.

but if somebody tests it, he will let it be known that you're his.

Like, if a cashier at a store were to flirt with you, despite him being right next to you he'll shoot them a confused yet humored look while sneaking his hand around your waist & pulling you closer.

what kind of lover is sam winchester?

overall, sam winchester is such a great lover his love is so bittersweet, kind, patient, and understanding. He's such a sweetheart ♡

[pipsqueakparker]

i'm writing a fic (it was not supposed to be as long as it's becoming) with millie & blitz that takes place right after western energy

yknow for maximum angst

but anyway so i rewatched the episode for Research purposes and this was the first time i caught this

i mean, first of all, love all the foreshadowing hidden amongst these like 2 second frames. but does that say 3 days?

im assuming that's a reminder notif for the meeting with oz in 'oops' - are you telling me that happened 3 days after he was nearly killed?

so this man rolls up to ozzie's, still freshly full of ptsd from his own assassination attempt, i'm sure. and then is there for the moment ozzie finds out his boyf has been abducted (just like stolas had been) and that also, it was the same fucking man.

also okay now that i'm here, can we just talk about not only the like reliving of trauma that just seeing striker probably did to stolas but also.

but also.

ozzie's reaction to fizz being kidnapped & threatened is, like, probably the exact reaction he wishes blitz had had. that's the response he wishes he could garner out of someone, but instead. his wife put the hit on him, and... no one cared, at least in his experience of it, i'm SURE that's how it felt.

like, yes, moxxie & millie came and saved him, and yes, blitz had such a valid reason to not be there. but if we're looking at it through stolas's eyes - the only thing that kept him from being fucking murked right then and there was stella calling it off. millie & moxxie got there after that, but if stella hadn't called would they have gotten there in time??

and i mean, striker sure did make a point to rub in how no one was coming for him. (and like then he got left on read while he was in the hospital! ouch!)

if stolas felt a little bitter while he watched ozzie fight to do whatever the fuck crimson wanted just to keep fizz safe... yeah, i wouldn't blame him. that fucking sucks. that. fucking. SUCKS.

this poor goddamn owl.

(and i'm not disparaging blitz at all with this before anyone reads it that way. this all started bc i'm writing a whole ass fic now from blitz's pov after the 'git bevver swoon' text, bc as someone with a lot of useless guilt in my soul, i love digging into characters and their guilt complexes)

[0tivez]

Out of topic but "geto apologist" is the funniest title i've seen all day 🤣🤣 anways. May i request an hc for gojo's crush being a blunt/natural flirt but not realizing that's she's flirting? Like in her pov she's just conversating like normal?

note: haha thank you anon! i will defend my man every day and every night. sorry it took a while to post this! this turned out more story like rather than headcanons, so heads up for that

characters: gojo

warnings: none, fluff

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⁜ oh he would be confused and pissed

⁜ even after a while he'd make it into a competition without you even knowing

⁜ so he just sits in his room, confused, thinking if you like him or not

⁜ i mean, gojo is also a natural flirt, but he wouldn't expect someone else to initiate that friendly flirting stuff

⁜ he thinks you love him or something and then the next day you're flirting with nanami and shoko too

⁜ but for some reason, it just doesn't register in his mind that you're unaware of this

⁜ so he'll flirt back

⁜ you greet him one morning. gojo approaches you and initiates a conversation to work his magic

⁜ he says "good mornin' sweetheart" as he inches closer to you

⁜ you look at him, smile and say "mornin" back carelessly

⁜ gojo is DUMBFOUNDED

⁜ he starts talking about something and as you're listening, you look him up and down, smile, nod, and flutter your eyelashes just like always

⁜ and for the first time in his life, gojo panics

⁜ he stutters, his voice shakes, he losts his train of thought

⁜ you stand there confused, "is everything okay?" you ask him

⁜ gojo looks at you with embarrassingly red cheeks and reply "y-yeah, must have been the c-coffee"

⁜ you raise an eyebrow and smirk. "but you don't drink coffee"

⁜ gojo widens his eyes at your low tone of voice, impressed more than he's willing to admit. he says goodbye and leaves

⁜ oh man he's PISSED

⁜ how dare you don't look affected by his flirting techniques? ones that are enough to make ladies swoon and leave him 500 messages

⁜ surely, you must have been doing it to get his attention

⁜ "two can play a game"

⁜ suddenly he starts buying you random gifts that "reminded him of you," bringing you lunch, making sure he makes subtle physichal contact with you whenever he has the chance to, just like he does with his friends

⁜ now you're confused

⁜ cause although you're not complaining, you're surprised at this sudden change of behavior

⁜ but you admit, you like the attention a little too much

⁜ and satoru enjoys spoiling you a little too much, more than he likes spoiling others

⁜ but when you ask him one day, "why?" gojo freezes

⁜ no really, why was he doing this? is it actually to compete with you or is he actually enjoying flirting with you?

⁜ "what do you mean why?" he replies

⁜ "you started buying me stuff, calling me sweet names overnight. are we in a relationship or something?" you jokingly ask

⁜ "well you're the one that started it!" he furrows his brows

⁜ you look at him confused. "huh? what do you mean i started it?"

⁜ "you've been flirting with me this whole time! and then you go around doing the same with others, i know you're trying to make me jelaous!" gojo says, not jealous one bit

⁜ your cheeks get red as your eyes open wide. "i'm not flirting with anyone!"

⁜ now you're both yelling

⁜ "what do you mean you're not? the..." gojo starts imitating you with exaggeration, it almost looks comical. he holds his hands together and brings them to his cheek as he flutters his long eyelashes non stop. "and the good morning baby, missed me?"

⁜ "nonsense! i'm just talking normally!" you defend yourself. "and i don't sound like that" you pout

⁜ gojo stands there dumbfounded, again

⁜ "wait, you weren't actually flirting?"

⁜ "no"

⁜ "but then-"

⁜ "i'm just talking. it's how i talk. does it... actually come off as flirting?"

⁜ "i mean..." gojo hesitates if he should tell you the truth or lie and comfort you

⁜ "fuck, am i easy?"

⁜ "no! no no, i mean, i do it too, do i look easy?"

⁜ you look at him, not wanting to answer. you both know the answer lol

⁜ gojo pouts his lips. "maybe we both are"

⁜ "shut up!" you smack his arm

⁜ silence

⁜ "but i did enjoy being spoiled" you finally confess

⁜ gojo laughs. "i enjoyed spoiling you"

⁜ you two look at each other

⁜ "what happens now?" you ask

⁜ gojo lookas around. "well, we're in too deep now, aren't we? we can't just randomly stop one day, people will notice"

⁜ "are you suggesting..."

⁜ "let's just act like nothing happened. you talk -not flirt, talk, and i respond the same way"

⁜ you smile at his offer. you're not going to question why he wants to continue play-flirting is it made him too annoyed, or if it meant something more, because hell, you loved having satoru's attention

⁜ "deal. i'll talk with you- not flirt, talk, and you respond" you reach your hand out, and satoru shakes it. you two nod at each other, and go on with your day

⁜ except it's not the same, is it? how can you go on knowing satoru felt intrigued by your gestures so much? how can you erase the image of him towering over you with a small box in his hands as he calls your name with his deep voice?

⁜ and him, how can he erase the image of you looking up at you with cheeks red from embarrassment, how shocked you were when he confronted you? how you asked him what are we? and how you knew he was flirting with you this whole time, and let him go on?

⁜ how long will you last before someone actually falls in love?

i don't know why but this CHALLANGED me. i became a rusty old woman. i need to step up my game

[isa-ghost]

I haven’t had the time to read amfmn yet because of life being life, but I’m incredibly excited to know that you also see the vision of the missa/etoiles dynamic 🙏 would it be too much to ask if you had any headcanons about them, maybe unrelated to amfmn? I am deeply endeared by tryhard magnet missa and the most dogboy coded character of the server etoiles and the hijinks they would get up to

YES.

So here's the post that started it all for anyone who didn't see.

ANYWAY here are more thoughts about them. These ARE canon to AMFMN, BUT as you asked, they're not about the plot of the story or anything like that. I headcanon Missa as a reaper in general (as many others do), not just as a fic thing. :]

It's not that Missa doesn't care about or use strategy like Etoiles, it's that his heart takes the wheel before his brain can in many cases, and therefore he frequently acts with little to no planning. No thoughts just Save His Loved Ones. In other words, in leisure time if he and Etoiles were to just. Sit down and talk strategy, plan something, etc? MWAH, chef's kiss. They're both as brilliant as they are powerful.

And they're both equally determined. Stubborn, if that's what you wanna call it. Missa will make anything his bitch for two reasons; (1) because it's for the people he loves & (2) because he'll be damned if he can't do this thing he really wants to do. Etoiles is the same way, but in addition to those two things, failure is just not an option to him, period. He'll keep at something even if it requires plans A through Z. You give them both the same goal? They will fuck up who and whatever is blocking the way to their goal.

In other words, I wouldn't call Missa a tryhard magnet. He IS a tryhard, he just doesn't have the (perhaps compulsive?) need to excell at everything like Etoiles.

Furthermore: Look at the way they both get when they DO fail. They beat themselves up, self-punish, and need a good while before they can shake off the loss. Though even once they do, they'll be quick to bring it up during similar situations in the future; be it to put themselves down, or to declare that they won't repeat that time again.

And a lot of what makes their dynamic and the way they put their heads together for something so enthralling is how Etoiles is an encyclopedia of combat, self-defense, and strategy and Missa has tons of unique life experience and psychological insight as a reaper. Not to mention most reapers are taught about the body's vulnerabilities and all that. In other words, Missa is an encyclopedia of where to hit and make it hurt, and Etoiles is the guy that knows how to make that hit hurt the worst and send the clearest message. Put their knowledge bases together? HOO. 😳

Missa is always wanting to get stronger, Etoiles is always scrounging for more knowledge that'll help him improve his performance in anything ever. In other words, calling back to the encyclopedias thing, they are 100% the Talks A Lot/Listens meme to each other (and it makes Phil swoon), they infodump to each other about the things they're most knowledgeable about because those things also happen to be exactly the kind of stuff they're always seeking out.

They both have a TEMPER. It's pretty hard to piss either of them off, but when something does? FUCK. God help you if you piss BOTH of them off. (Stares at the Federation and The Watcher and Ender King)

I am looking you in your cubito loving eyes and telling you these two are acrobatic as fuck. You put them up high, in midair, or on something bouncy? They fucking YEET. These two are so majestic in the air. They would divebomb you with every ounce of strength they've got and you would thank them. Can you IMAGINE them fighting Codes in the middle of the fucking air?? OUGH.

You can't tell me Etoiles wouldn't learn about reaper scythes and immediately start begging Missa to fight him with his entire reapussy because he thrives on fighting insanely strong opponents. He has an addiction to defying odds and going even further beyond. To fight a harbinger of DEATH?? Missa is like the finest cocaine to this man in the least shippy way possible.

Actually wait I'm cooking on that last bit, there's something about the concept of Etoiles being an aro king and Missa being someone who falls in love quickly.

I think they're also apologists for each other. Cucurucho is pissed at one of them and the other is like "your honor he simply got too silly. Your honor he was simply popping off."

I don't know what them doing parent stuff together with Chayanne & Pomme would look like but considering their kids are as determined as them to get stronger and protect their loved ones at all costs? It's either adorable because the kids are mini thems, or it's really fucking funny and chaotic because none of the four have a leash on them.

This one's probably the silliest of all so far but you cannot tell me Etoiles's gremlin ass wouldn't thrive on surprise attacking Missa bc Missa is so hilariously easy to startle. He gets to practice ambushing people and also Missa starts ranting at him in Spanish for being a bitch and he thinks it's funny.

Of all the duos you could make up of people on QI who each speak a different language, I feel like these two would use the translators the most. There'd rarely be English spoken between them, they'd stick to Spanish & French respectively and use the tech like it was intended.

Something something the angst of Etoiles slowly being corrupted by Code and Missa, being a reaper, is the only one on QI that can see/read souls and can see his soul changing or perhaps even dying the more Code he becomes.

[feniminomnino]

"I love you."

The words leave Radovid's lips almost instinctively as they part from their kiss, but instead of regret, there is resolve in his eyes as he looks up into Jaskier's. The bard's own eyes widen at the sincerity, at the lack of fear, and at the insecurity that bubbles inside his chest.

It wouldn't be the first time that he lies to a lover, that he falsely returns those words to keep his lover's feelings safe in ignorant bliss, but this time Jaskier doesn't want to lie. It catches him off guard, but he doesn't blurt out the words just to make Radovid happy. He can't. He can't hurt him.

The moment lingers for too long and Radovid gives him a breathy chuckle as he turns his head down, clearly hurt and disappointed, but seemingly not discouraged from holding Jaskier.

"You know, it's alright if you don't. I prefer that you don't, if you don't feel the same. I just wanted to say it. Get it off my chest." The prince explains, with a kind, sweet smile that Jaskier knows to be sincere, even if it's also there to hide his hurt.

"I'm sorry..." Jaskier mutters, his eyes a bit glassy with emotion. Ironic that he's the one fighting back tears, but Radovid knows his reasons, and he leans in to kiss his forehead. This only causes Jaskier to break further, and lean into Radovid's arms to hold him tightly, then pull back to hold his face between his hands.

"I do care for you. Deeply. More than I've..." He cuts himself off, and shakes his head with an awkward laugh. "You'd think a poet would have better words for a moment like this." He continues self consciously, and Radovid laughs adoringly, shaking his head.

"I like this better. I like to know I take your wits away." He smirks, and Jaskier frowns with a smile, closing his eyes.

"I will tell you one day." He promises as he looks back up at him, staring into those terrifyingly loving eyes. "And you'll know for a fact that it's not a lie." Radovid only smiles and leans in to kiss Jaskier's lips softly. As they part, he brushes a strand of hair out of Jaskier's cheek and caresses his brow, while Jaskier can only close his eyes to feel it better.

"Lucky for you I'm a patient man. And not terribly jealous." At that, Jaskier's eyes bolt open and he looks at him with worry.

"It's not because of him." Jaskier explains hastily. "Well— Not like you think." There's a bit of a blush on Jaskier's cheeks as he speaks, and it seems to be enough to break a bit of tension that had built from Radovid's part. "I... I felt an unrequited, unwanted, unwilling love for most of my life. I got used to having lovers on the side to water it down, but it never really went away..."

"And now..?" Radovid asks, playing with an air of confidence that Jaskier knows is there to hide the fear underneath.

"It changed. My love is now that of a very old friend, but my heart... Is scared to open so readily again. I fear I don't even know how to love anymore."

Radovid pulls Jaskier down into a sweet hug, and the bard whimpers and holds him back tightly, hiding his face in the crook of his neck. "Then it's alright. I don't think anyone knows how to love. Let alone a drunk, messy prince like myself. That you're worried about giving me the right type of love speaks better about you than it does me." The prince jokes, and Jaskier finally smiles.

"I will say it one day. Soon. And you will swoon off your feet, I promise."

Radovid grins, and pulls Jaskier closer still. "Good."

[wetcatspellcaster]

First of all, thank you so much for all you do! Your work has gotten me through a really rough few weeks dealing with the first anniversary of my mom's death. I'm so excited every time I get an ao3 notification for one of your stories. ❤️

Also I'm a huge Buffy fan and your Ascended Astarion has such presouled-but-in-love-with-buffy Spike vibes I love it. Especially his not understanding why his super romantic gestures of murder and abduction are not working on the object of his affections. I love how frustrated and baffled Astarion is by Rose's refusals. "These things are the *height* of vampire wooing? how's she not swooning?? She must be playing hard to get."

Also every time they get into a physical altercation, it absolutely feels like it may end in building destroying sex. 😏

I did have a question about Astarion's expectations about Rose (which feel free not to answer if its spoilers or you dont feel like it). I know he dumped her after she wouldn't be turned by him post ritual but it seems like he's definitely spent years getting things ready to have her living with him since then with the custom bedrooms and the rose gardens. Did he expect her to come back on her own since then? even after telling her he basically wanted nothing to do with her?

Anyway this was long 😅 but thanks again for sharing your talent and imagination with us. good luck with your surgery! ❤️

Hello anon, thank you so much for messaging me. I use fic writing as a mental health lifeline (and guess what! I have also bereaved a parent in my time!) so I'm glad I can pay that comfort forward to you and anyone else, in some small form. I hope the anniversary and any related feelings that come up pass smoothly.

(also, Ascendent/Spike parallels are such a call out at the particular moment I am in drafting. I think my approach to souls in D&D is very coloured by what meaning they hold in BtVS).

To your question! I'll try to answer as best I can.

The initial reaction and break up is obvious dictated a little by canon, but in my version of events, it's also coloured by the violent/traumatic nature of the Ascendent's 'birth'. On the one hand, Ascended!Astarion is drunk on power and his first real sense of freedom, but on the other, it has come at a dramatic and awful cost that everyone around him witnessed and cannot deny. Also, not to spoil, but I have aligned my reading of the events with the fanon interpretation that a romanced Astarion justifies his desire for Ascendency through Tav, or fear of losing that relationship. So Rose's initial rejection causes a lot of anger and deliberate cruelty, because of the confusion and pain behind it: he did the Rite, partly for her, Rosalie watched him do the Rite and didn't stop him, and now? she's suddenly having second thoughts? When it's irreversible? When he's stuck here, now? And she refuses keep him company?

The anger and pain around that was real, I believe, and causes him to lash out. Hence, the break-up. Much with the way I write the Ascendent in all guises, he does an extremely stupid thing, then commits to the bit and doubles down. Oh, he's dumped her now? He kind of didn't mean to do that, but now he can't be desperate and take it back, so he has to lean in and pretend that was what intended to do all along, etc.

Then she leaves for real? Well, fuck her. He didn't need her anyway - that's why he dumped her, after all. Nothing to do with the trauma, or his mistakes. So then, he commits to the bit, twicefold. He leans in further. Starts to perform the exact life he'd said he'd have without her. Gets new friends, new lovers, an underground network of power, etc. That takes a few years.

Oh. Wait. Why does none of this feel good? Why does it all feel awful???Must be because his girlfriend, the one he did this all for, isn't here (and who's fault was that again? by this point, he's forgotten).

But pride is still a major factor in the way the Ascendent conducts himself, and he can't go to her - he can't look desperate, or unhappy, or like he regrets his decisions. I've used this in a justification of why he never sought her out in places he couldn't pretend he found her by chance, even though he can smell her blood and knows she goes to Waterdeep - he can't be the one to go to her. And she must be miserable, right? He is. So he starts to engineer things for her return, because she'll be the one to cave first, and besides, he's got eternity anyway. He's so patient (lol).

And then, inevitably, when Rosalie continues living her life avoiding him, he's like "welp. I can't go to her (pride), and she isn't coming to me. Time to make her come to me (murderous intent)" and that's how he kills a ballroom full of people. He genuinely thinks what's keeping them apart is the distance, not the element of choice (because. um. we've seen what he thinks of free will). He believes that once they're in the same room together, it'll be impossible for her to resist. He can charm her. He did it once before. And he's not sad or conflicted about it this time. And he's the same person, right?

[author laughs in REDACTED]

So basically, his expectation of Rose was that she would be the one to break first. They both love each other, and she's a nice person. She's the bleeding heart. She's the one who was seduced the first time round.

When none of that happens, he decides to engineer the same set of circumstances in a lab, assuming that forcing her into returning will have the same outcome as her choosing to return (you may notice a pattern of behaviour emerging). So once the Ascendent has created forced proximity and given himself the chance to seduce Tav all over again, he's certain he'll win, because he knows the playbook, and it worked on them, and since he Ascended he's had proof it works on everyone else.

But unfortunately, a successful romance in this scenario relies on Ascended!Astarion not being awful, for 5 minutes which... um.... he hasn't achieved once in this fic, not once.

[hunter-sylvester]

How do you feel about people shipping Kevin, Hunter, and Emily together? Like a polyamorous relationship.

Hey, Anon 🤘

I won't lie, Polyflower is not for me. (Polyflower = Kevin/Hunter/Emily as a couple. At least that's what I've seen some people call it and it made sense to me so it's what I call it too.)

As for how I feel about other people shipping it? I don't really care. I would never want to tell other people what they can and cannot ship. It's all live and let live as far as I'm concerned.

It's also not as much of an "ick" for me as some things are, but I do tend to avoid fics that have polyflower in them because I just don't personally enjoy it.

I wouldn't typically focus on the stuff I don't like but since you asked I'll briefly mention where my hangups are.

I do want to stress that this is all my personal hangups/opinion. I am not trying to shit on what anybody else likes.

So there's mainly two points where it misses for me.

Point 1: I don't see the attraction between Hunter & Emily. At all. I tend to hc him as gay but even if I hc him as multisexual in some way, I just can't see it working with Emily. (I know the ship is about all 3 of them but the Hunter/Emily part is where I have the issue if that makes sense. Like regardless of Kevin, I can't see the other two being into each other.)

I think I've seen some people point to this moment as showing there being something from Hunter towards Emily:

Which like...I almost get it but not quite?? It could just be my bias because I see it in his eyes when he looks at Kevin but here I just ultimately do not. I think he's looking at her like: "damn, she looks badass." And she does. She looks cool. In my opinion he's impressed by her but not like...swooning or anything, you know?

Altho don't get me started on people interpreting THIS look as attraction. I do think that's a little silly, personally. He's got nothing but contempt in his eyes here imo

Boy is grinding his teeth in quiet disdain. We can see the start of a fucking sneer. The camera cuts to Emily and when it cuts back to Hunter THIS is the face he's making:

Like idk about other people but that's not a look I'd give someone I'm in any way into.

But even if we put what Hunter would want aside...I can't see Emily being into him either?? It just doesn't mesh for me. Not in that way at least.

Like I can see them being close, for sure. Some of the WIPs I'm working on involve more of Hunter & Emily's friendship post-canon, like more stuff about them all as a band. And I can see them having a relationship that is close and involves like hugging and stuff like the occasional forehead kiss or something but it'd never be romantic to me.

It fundamentally just doesn't click for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Point 2: This is the one I really don't want anyone to misunderstand. Because it is not in any way something that applies to my thoughts or feelings on what anyone else does in their real life. Like when I say something doesn't appeal to me or I don't 'get' it, that's just a personal thing. It doesn't mean I think it's in any way bad or silly or whatever. IRL or in fandom. This is just my personal preference.

Group-relationship style polyamory doesn't appeal to me.

Like, polyamory actually does appeal to me, but just not in that way?? I like the concept of having multiple 1 on 1 relationships at the same time if that makes sense??

But on a core personal level I don't get the appeal of 1 relationship consisting of 3+ people. I don't know WHY it doesn't click for me but it just doesn't.

So it doesn't really appeal to me to read or write about it either.

TL;DR: While it's definitely not for me, I really don't care if other people like it & ship it. We all like what we like and don't what we don't. It's just not something I've really been interested in exploring myself.

Thank you for asking, Anon 🤘

[510amy5]

Chapter 13

‘She doesn’t want me to kiss her, Caroline.’ Caroline sighed, slumping back into a pew, which — Leo squinted — was also a blue-upholstered seat inside a long metal carriage. ‘I don’t think she knows what she wants at this moment, but conventions of the medium mean that she’ll probably enjoy it. She just isn’t expecting to.’ ‘Not good enough.’

Leo recognizing Rosamund's discomfort during their wedding and being enough of a gentleman to not force a kiss? Swoon! I love how even though Caroline points out that, due to the genre, it will he enjoyed Leo doesn't want to pressure his new wife at all is perfection. Consent is hot and so is defending it!

So if it was practical I would use a solid 85% of this chapter as quotes but its not so let's just do a few basics shall we?

Robin is clearly having way too much fun at the expense of his friends but I love that already Leo will stand up to literally anyone on Rosamund's behalf. Its pretty presumptuous to stand up to her childhood best friend, but he sees that she is tired and overwhelmed and does not hesitate to look out for her.

‘Honestly, Rosy,’ Robin said fondly, ‘all that effort getting you a lawyer — well, half a lawyer — and a priest and a veil, and you don’t even indulge me with a proper kiss?’ He squeezed her shoulders. ‘You’re going to have to be more convincing than that.’ ‘Leave her alone, Robin,’ Leo said shortly — and Rosamund gave him a tired smile that made his stomach flip.

The happy couple then finally has a moment without Robin and realize that they need to look the part. I love how all in Rosamund is on everything in her life. She will do anything to protect her family and needs this marriage to be convincing. This means that while Leo just points out they need to look happy and be close to each other. Rosamund of course dives in and takes things a step further.

‘I need to be a bit more convincing,’ she said, and kissed him on the mouth.

I enjoy Leo's surprise at this. Like a lot. It also means that his reaction is genuine. He fully commits to the kiss and pulls her closer without really meaning too. I mean, who wouldn't react like this if someone they had feelings for kissed them unexpectedly? Ok, maybe not everyone, but I like to think I would have been a person to react to an opportunity like this.

We also get to hear Rosamund's thoughts including a particularly interesting one.

The hand kiss in the church had been sweet, and respectful. She might even have fallen a little bit in love with him at that moment when he’d looked into her eyes and understood.

This strikes me as her being a little flippant, even in her own mind. But I think its telling. The fact that she could even consider falling in love with him, even a little bit, even as a point of amusement, it shows the potential for genuine love there as well as the possibility that she might have feelings she doesn't realize yet.

Anyway, I'm stoked to keep reading. Here's to the next chapter!

[anxiouslyfred]

A Shop of Both

for @dukexietyweek day 1, Tattoo shop

Summary: Virgil needs flowers for a meet up with family and notices the florist he goes to also does tattoos and piercings. He's confused over the safety of that.

/\/\

Virgil had come into the shop for flowers but now all he was registering was 'he has plants through his ear.'

Most people probably wouldn't have focused on that when meeting the shop owner but it was everything that Virgil had the capacity to understand now.

“Welcome to my shop, I'd ask what you're here for, but given your staring, I want to know what;s shocked you about my look today?” The shopkeeper asked after a few minutes of waiting for him to stop staring.

“Is that a real holly branch going through your ear? How is that safe on any level?” Virgil exclaimed, shock colouring his words, just as much as embarrassment as he realised just how he'd reacted in public.

Laughter was his reply, as well as the branch being pulled out to reveal a stretched lobe with a ring stretcher in. “It's female holly, the only spikes on the leaves are at the ends and yeah, it's safe, as much as you might think it's dangerous.”

“Is that how you describe this store, also? Pretty sure combining flowers and pots of mud with things that should be kept sterile like piercings and tattoos is a bad combination.” Virgil asked, looking away from the holly branch now held out to him and around the store now, unable to see any sign of the tattoo studio he knew was included somewhere in the store.

“Guess you're here for flowers then.” The shop keeper grinned, and jumped over the counter he'd been stood behind. “Come and tell me what you need them for. I'm Remus and will not share secrets over my businesses success until at least the first fuck.”

The last sentence made Virgil hesitate, frowning slightly. “Wasn't trying to flirt or get secrets from you, just find out how safe you actually are. You are right though that I'm here for flowers. Been ordered to visit family for lunch and just know if I don't take flowers of some kind the criticism I'm already expecting will be worse.”

“Skip it!” Remus near yelled, but started hurrying off among the rows regardless. “Family shitty enough you expect criticism should never be listened to when asking you to meet them.”

“They really aren't that bad. I'm just pessimistic about well, everything.” Virgil shrugged, “Including the amount of diseases being risked by anyone getting a tattoo from a flower shop.”

Remus laughed at that comment again. “Living is to constantly risk illness, injury and death, why not go to the people open about the chances of it rather than the people who make places so sterile only the worst diseases can remain while all the healthy or helpful bacteria are removed?”

“Just cause an axe throwing place states there's danger does not mean I'd let them make me wait behind the targets while people are throwing axes.” Virgil countered. “Honesty doesn't include safety. What are you even gathering flowers for? I haven't said anything about what I was looking for yet.”

“Haven't even said your name.” Remus grinned as well. “I'm just getting the fucking dull bouquet together. It's the generic shit all relatives can swoon over without worrying that it's not been thought out.”

They carried on walking past the flowers as Remus grabbed a few more type and Virgil tried to remember what the types were. “I'm Virgil and you seriously have a set bouquet for that?”

“You'd be surprised how often people need it. Also Fuck you bouquets, but I think that's because they looked at the website and just wanted to see if that one actually exists.” Remus shrugged, “Besides, I'd assume if you wanted to insult or offend these relatives while still going along with their invite you'd be getting a tattoo at the same time.”

“Would that get me proof that you actually sanitise and keep the area for tattooing and piercing clean?” Virgil blinked after he spoke, wondering why that sounded like he was flirting.

It got him shoulder nudge, “Not sure if you're flirting or turning me down on that offer for fucking.”

“Let's go with the second option.” Virgil nods, lips pressing tightly together to try and suppress whatever reaction he'd have.

“Damn, come back later if you need a tat done. JJ isn't here to cover the store while I tattoo someone currently.” Remus clicked his fingers, shoulders drooping in exaggerated disappointment.

Back at the counter now, Virgil just nodded, letting Remus put together the bouquet while he waiting and fished his wallet out.

“I've added my number to the card so you might want to remove that before any controlling mothers, interfering aunts, nosey uncles and projecting fathers find it.” Remus called after Virgil had paid and was heading out of the store.

His laughter could be heard when Virgil immediately stopped to dig the card out of the flowers and pocket it just outside the shop.

/\/\

This was a bad idea. Honestly, it was also a nice change from all the worries, dangers and concerns over destroying his livelihood that usually flowed through Virgil's mind, but it was still a bad idea.

He'd literally filled 3 A4 pages over all the dangers and concerns he has around getting a tattoo, and still was about to walk back into the florist, piercing and tattoo studio that was 'The Wild Side'.

“Good Afternoon, Welcome to the Wild Side. Which of our services are you here to request?” Someone unknown was sat behind the counter and spoke disinterestedly, only glancing up from their book to Virgil for a second.

“Maybe a tattoo?” Virgil asked, even more uncertain about going through with this thought now Remus wasn't there being whatever level of enthusiastic and teasing he seemed to naturally be.

The person sighed, leaning back from the counter to tap their book against the door. “Someone's thinking about making a horrible decision. Come talk to them.” They called, which had Virgil jolting and putting his hand to the pocket his pages of reasons why he shouldn't do this were stashed. At least, wanting it removed later wasn't actually one of those concerns.

“What type of bad decision can I- VIRGIL!” Remus was cooing as he hurried through the door before bouncing in excitement that definitely wasn't deserved when they'd only met once. “Tattoo or piercing and do you have ideas over what or where?”

Virgil blinked a little, stepping back. “Um – a tattoo, on my neck maybe, since you suggested getting one to annoy my relatives and that'd be visible.”

“You seem nervous about the placement.” Remus stated, but reached out to touch his neck. “You're not one for standing out, are you?”

“Invisibility would be my preferred state 80% of the time. If it weren't for all the smiling, I'd want to be the Cheshire Cat, able to evaporate constantly.” He didn't deny that having a tattoo that's visible had been on his list of reasons not to get one at all.

Remus's hand moved slowly to the front of his shoulder, just beside where a collar might reveal with a couple buttons undone. “How about here then? Close enough that it might be glimpsed but you can easily keep it covered without changing your hoodie for turtle-neck sweaters.”

“Are you going to just stand in the florist section for this consultation or are you actually going to show our customer the studio?” Janus's voice interrupted whatever reply Virgil could have given and thankfully got the hand on him to instead grab his wrist to tug him around the counter and through the door Remus had emerged from.

“Sorry for distracting you from your take down of whichever politician, JJ.” Remus cackled. “Just actually doing my job.”

The door shut but Virgil could swear he heard a comeback about flirting not being part of Remus's job. That seemed like a crazy thought though.

“So about the placement, or whatever you want putting on you? I am an option for things that can go on you.” Remus immediately put doubt to Virgil's doubt about him flirting already pushing him into a seat more likely used when tattooing was in progress than for a normal consultation.

For all the concerns and comments Virgil had made on his first visit to the store the tattoo studio was clearly cleaned and maintained well. The biggest consideration to the store-front was the plants and flowers painted all over the walls and a few small potted plants like aloe vera kept on top of cabinets clearly marked for paperwork.

Focusing back on what had been asked Virgil shrugged a little. “Can it be a frowning vanishing cat? Just- just not the meme one, maybe more like the Cheshire cat original illustrations except frowning? And yeah, there like you suggested.” He tapped where Remus had held his hand too moments before.”

“Still not letting me be on you. A man could be hurt by this rejection but keep doing it. Means you're more comfy around me.” Remus leered a little, grabbing a sketchbook and pushing a chair from a desk over to be next to Virgil.

“Pretty weird that you're set on hooking up with customers at your job. Maybe try inviting me on a date somewhere other than here.” Virgil snarks back, getting the closest he'd dare to outright rejecting or accepting Remus's flirting. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad, but hell, it'd already got him to do something he wouldn't have expected to ever do and that was far less like flirting than Remus had done today.

Remus hummed, pencil moving quickly over the page for a few minutes. “Other than trying to convince JJ to hook up just so I can say I've fucked everywhere I own and failing, you're the only person who've walked in those doors I've flirted with. And they were harsh in their rejection so I spent a month swapping any eggs they brought with spoiled ones since I have keys to their apartment in case of emergencies. Is this a good design for your tat? What colours do you want the cat?”

“Purple and black, do we need to book in a time to do it or-” Virgil's answer for that was easy, using the two colours he was most comfortable wearing.

“I can do it now. No other bookings and JJ knows not to send multiple customers through at once.” Remus span his chair back to the desk grabbing a pot of pencils from one of the drawers. “Pick a purple or two for me to use. I can match the inks we've got to these.”

Virgil looked through the pencils for a moment before deciding Remus wouldn't mention things if he didn't want him to question them. “How harsh would I have to be to face a similar response?”

“Planning your script already?” Remus grinned at him, as if even that could be flirting. “They left me to man both parts of the store alone for a week. Do you how annoying it is to be tattooing someone and have to stop because the bell to the store has gone off? I had to threaten them with letting Picani help out to get them back. Picani is a therapist we know who sometimes asks to use the upstairs space as his office and can't keep any plant alive for a week. Can't remember what they actually said when turning me down, but they have a sharp tongue unless they're trying to charm you so that doesn't matter.”

It was Virgil's turn to smirk, handing his chosen pencils over, “Why would I need a script? I've already told you to ask me on a date at a time neither of us is working that's outside of the store before anything'll happen which you haven't done. Guess you aren't actually into me.”

“This should take until closing time, if you're happy with it.” Remus hummed, scribbling the pencils over his drawing a few times including a black pencil too. “Let's get dinner and I can show you how to look after this after that. Does that cover a date outside of work?”

Virgil froze in the process of taking his hoodie off. “Yup, guess so, and yeah, that looks good.”

“Plus dates get a discount on tattoos.” Remus stated. “So get that t-shirt off and I'll to a test line so you can know how much pain to expect.”

“Sure, I guess.”

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Hiii!! I love your work!! Could I get a platonic and romantic match-up for DC and Marvel?

I'm female, she/her, 20 years old and straight. I'm 163 cm (I think that's like 5'2 or 5'3 sorry I'm not sure), skinny figure average body type. I have brown curly hair and blue eyes. I wear glasses only when I'm home or during exam season.

I love blue so my wardrobe consists of a lot of blue, I also wear whites, blacks, greens and very few reds. I usually wear casual clothes like shirts and jeans, oh and a lot of turtlenecks, I love wearing them lol.

I listen to all genres of music (literally even rap and very little country even lol) and my hobbies are playing video games and watching movies and doing different makeup looks (I looove glitter lol)

I'm pretty shy but I get very loud once I'm conformable with the people around me. I like to think that I funny and can make people laugh. I'm kind of an ambivert( I think that's what it's called) but I'm working on being more confident. I'm a bit insecure about stuff like academics. I usually keep things to myself but at the same time I love telling my friends what going on in my life. I love animals and think all of them are cute and I really like documentaries and learning stuff about earth and the world.

Hope that's not too much and thank you for taking the time to read this!! You're awesome!! <33

Hello!

Thank you! <3333333

I would love to write you both platonic and romantic headcanons/matchups for DC and Marvel.

And, don't worry, your information wasn't too long.

<333333333333

I really hope you like your matchups!

I had a lot of fun with this!

Enjoy!

<3333333333333

Romantic and Platonic Matchups; DC and Marvel

~~~ Romantic;

~~~

DC;

Maxwell Lord -

So, stay with me here.

I personally saw you best with the one and only Maxwell Lord.

Life is good, but it can be better.

We are also pretending that he did strike oil, and he is like filthy rich cuuuuz-

You landed an assistant position at Black Gold Cooperative through an extra credit program at your college, thinking it'd be a simple, forgettable gig - answering phones, organizing files, and maybe getting coffee.

You didn't expect your boss to be Maxwell Lord, the charismatic, well-dressed, ridiculously charming businessman who had a smile that could make anyone weak in the knees.

At first, you thought he wouldn't notice you.

Totally normal thought, since he had like seven other assistants.

You were a college student among a few dozen employees.

(But, honestly, you were pretty awesome, so if anyone didn't notice you, their loss...)

But Max?

He noticed you immediately.

Maybe it was the way you did your hair, or the fact that your style was so intriguing - love the turtlenecks.

Something about the way you carried yourself though - a little shy, but with an undeniable wit and charm - drew him in.

He liked that you weren't intimidated by him, or swooned when he looked at you or said anything like most people.

And you respected him and his work ethic.

He quickly started requesting you for tasks personally.

And before long, you were practically his right-hand assistant.

Max had a reputation - flashy, persuasive, powerful - but when you spent time with him, you saw something deeper, different.

He wasn't just a businessman; he was someone who desperately wanted success, admiration, and love.

But, he did it all for his son.

He wanted his kid to have a better life than he did as a kid.

He didn't tell you about his son yet, but you know.

He liked talking to you, sometimes venting about the pressure he was under, and you always listened.

You weren't afraid to call him out when he got too arrogant, which amused him endlessly.

You had inside jokes with him, like rolling your eyes whenever he tried to sell you something ridiculous.

"Come on, sweetheart, tell me a turtleneck wouldn’t look better in gold."

The feelings crept up slowly, on both sides.

You weren't sure if it was just admiration or something deeper, but the way Max looked at you, how his hands lingered when he handed you something, and how he remembered the smallest things about you?

It made your heart race.

But he was also your boss...

Uh...

We'll just push that under the rug for now.

One evening, after staying a bit late to help him work, Max made an offer - he'd pay off your entire college tuition.

"You're brilliant, you know that? You shouldn't have to stress about money. Let me handle it, carino."

You were stunned.

Was this... Inappropriate?

Was this a sugar-baby situation?

But Max saw your hesitation and quickly clarified, "I just want to take care of you. That’s what people in love do, right?"

Well, that's one way to confess, right?

There was no denying it anymore.

He wanted you.

And you wanted him.

When you finally kissed, it wasn't just passion, it was a relief, like you'd both been waiting too long for this moment.

Some people judged your relationship because of the age difference, but Max shut them down immediately.

"She makes me happy, and that's all that matters."

Max buys you everything - jewelry, designer turtlenecks, makeup, all the glitter that you could possibly want or need.

But he loves it more when you let him take care of you in softer ways.

Like rubbing your back when your stressed or running a bath for you after a long day.

If you put on a documentary, he pretends to be uninterested but ends up getting way too invested.

Like wayyyyy too invested.

Like buying a documentary studio for you.

(Stop this man, he's going crazy-)

He loves to buy you blue outfits for you both to match!

Takes you to fancy events but always stays by your side to make sure you're comfortable.

If you feel overwhelmed, he whispers jokes in your ear to make you laugh.

And if that doesn't help, off you go to eat at a diner down the street.

Shared milkshake with two straws!

Calls you 'carino,' 'sweetheart,' and 'honey.'

When he's feeling particularly flirty?

"My Queen."

And then he does a little eyebrow bounce.

He likes it when you let him do your makeup.

Not that he's at all any good at it.

But he also likes watching you work and occasionally stealing kisses when you're trying to concentrate.

You steal his dress shirts to wear about the house.

Yeah, you moved in.

Alistair loves you.

You are the best step-mom.

He pretends to be annoyed but secretly loves it.

He can get caught up in power and success, but you're the one thing that keeps him human.

And he adores you for it.

Think of all the exotic pets he'd buy you.

"Max... That's a tiger cub."

"Yeah, I saw it and thought of you."

~~~

Marvel;

Bucky Barnes -

You met Bucky when he was trying to live a semi-normal life - grabbing coffee, running errands, just being human.

Pretending everything is kind of good, and nothing bad *cough cough* Civil War *cough cough* happened.

Maybe you were reading at a cafe, playing video games on your laptop, or just waiting for your order, and Bucky found himself intrigued by you.

You didn't treat him like the Winter Soldier.

You weren't scared of him.

And you didn't pry into his past.

You just... Talked to him.

And he loved that.

Bucky is quiet at first - as were you - but you bring out his sarcastic side.

He enjoys bantering with you and loves how loud and lively you get when comfortable.

You introduce him to your favorite movies and video games.

He gets way into gaming - you lose it laughing when he starts cursing at the screen.

He likes games that don't remind him of war, so I believe he'd like simulator games (farming like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing), and Minecraft.

He's a fairly creative person, so I find that he might like building elaborate villages and towns.

Slight OCD?

He adores animals just like you do - that's probably why he likes those games - and you both watch nature docs together and cute animal YouTube videos.

You end up naming random animals you see in docs and in real life.

*Morgan Freeman* "And as the seal in its natural habitat hops and wiggles its fat, round body along the snow-"

"That's Greg. Greg the seal."

"Yeah, I like Greg."

He realizes he loves you when you're just existing.

Dreamy sigh.

Maybe you're reading, your glasses slipping down your nose, or you're excitedly rambling about a new makeup look you were going to experiment with.

You make him feel safe.

Like he can just be.

Just be Bucky.

He's hesitant at first - he worries about burdening you with his past.

But you shut that down real quick.

He does tell you some stuff eventually.

It's not dramatic.

It's simple.

One night, after a long day, he just said it.

"I think I'm in love with you."

"You think?"

Cue the kiss.

He loves when you dress in blue, since it matches your eyes.

He loves your eyes.

Whipped.

He does small things for you to make your life easier.

Fixes things around your place picks up your favorite snacks, and lets you hog the blankets even when's he'd cold...

He lets you see him without his arm, revealing his scars.

He loves hearing about your interests, whether it's makeup, games, or history, and he enjoys listening to you talk.

He’s touch-starved, so he’s always wrapping his arms around you.

If you’re reading?

He’s got his head in your lap.

Soft forehead kisses.

He loves holding your face gently before kissing you.

Protective but not controlling.

If someone upsets you, they better pray Bucky doesn’t find out.

~~~

Platonic;

~~~

DC;

Diana Prince -

You met Diana in the most unexpected way - maybe at a museum, where you were admiring an ancient artifact, and she casually mentioned a fact about it.

She was immediately intrigued by your curiosity about the world.

Seeing you get excited over learning new things reminded her of her own fascination with humanity.

Diana adores your love for animals.

If you ever express interest in a specific animal, she’ll tell you stories about the wildlife on Themyscira.

She may even take you to a sanctuary to see some of them up close.

She encourages you to express yourself however you want.

If you feel shy about trying something new, she reassures you: "There is no shame in growing into yourself. The only mistake is not allowing yourself the chance."

She loves helping you pick out outfits and will absolutely hype you up.

She might even suggest bold looks just to push you out of your comfort zone.

Since you love makeup, she lets you try different styles on her.

Diana has no problem walking into battle wearing the most glamorous glittery eyeshadow you’ve ever done.

("A warrior should never be afraid to shine," She’ll say.)

If you ever feel insecure or doubt yourself, she reminds you of your strength - not just physical, but your resilience, kindness, and intelligence.

"You are already powerful. You only need to see it for yourself."

She takes you stargazing because she finds it relaxing and thinks you’d enjoy the beauty of the night sky.

You two have deep conversations under the stars about life, humanity, and dreams.

Diana doesn’t tolerate any self-doubt from you.

If you ever put yourself down, she immediately corrects you.

"You do not need to be anyone but yourself. And you are extraordinary as you are."

She’s incredibly protective in the most effortless way.

If someone disrespects you, she’ll step forward and say, "Apologize."

And they will.

If you ever feel overwhelmed, Diana has a calming presence.

She’ll sit with you, maybe braid your hair, and remind you that whatever burdens you carry, you are not meant to carry alone.

She sends you little notes of encouragement, sometimes in Ancient Greek, just to make you smile.

~~~

Marvel;

Steve Rogers;

You first met Steve through mutual friends at a casual gathering.

He noticed you sitting quietly, taking in your surroundings, and made it a point to introduce himself with his signature polite smile.

At first, your shyness reminded him of how he used to feel before the serum - unsure, a bit reserved - but he saw the potential for a strong friendship in you.

You bonded over a shared love for history, movies, and learning new things.

Oh, and also he realized that you were dating Bucky, instant friends.

Once he found out you liked documentaries, he suggested watching some together.

Steve loves listening to you talk about your day, even the small details.

You might say, "Oh, this is boring," but Steve always insists, "If it's important to you, I want to hear it."

He’s the best person to have around during exam season.

He’ll make sure you eat, rest, and not overwork yourself.

He even encourages breaks with a quick walk outside or a coffee run.

When he finds out you're working on your confidence, he becomes your biggest cheerleader.

"You’re capable of more than you think," He’ll remind you whenever you doubt yourself.

He lets you try out different makeup looks on him for fun, especially if it means making you laugh.

He draws the line at glitter though - he spent days trying to get it out of his hair after one of your experiments.

If you ever get self-conscious about academics, Steve is the first to remind you that intelligence isn’t just about grades.

He’ll sit and study with you, offering encouragement the entire time.

You have movie nights together where you introduce him to modern films, and he introduces you to classics.

He loves explaining why Casablanca or Rear Window are masterpieces.

He teaches you some basic self-defense moves, not because he thinks you need them, but because he wants you to feel safe and strong.

He’ll never let you talk down about yourself.

If you say something self-deprecating, expect a firm but gentle, "That’s not true. And I won’t hear you say it again."

He’s very protective, especially if he sees someone treating you poorly.

He doesn’t even need to say anything - one firm look from Captain America is enough to make anyone back off.

If you ever feel overwhelmed or anxious, Steve is the kind of friend who’ll just sit with you in silence, letting you take your time to talk or just breathe.

He surprises you with little things that remind him of you, like a blue scarf ("Thought you'd like the color") or a book on animals after watching a documentary together.

[dearaliya]

Fourth Wing: We're so back!!

Dear Aliya...

OH MY GOD!!

I know I was the one to put you onto this book, and I know you devoured it long before I was able to, but now I have come to the end and I have many many thoughts! With the next book in the series due soon, I'll have to get them all to you soon!

I'll be honest, it had been a while since I'd read a proper book. I'm talking paper, turning a page, needing a light source of some description, the whole shebang! I'm delighted to say that this is a very easy book to read and a terrific pathway back into demolishing books like the good old days.

The worldbuilding is decently rounded out and the plot points are relatively paint by numbers and predictable (which I'll get to).

Shall we dot point? Thank god I'm not spoiling this for you!

Violet Sorrengail She's got all the traits of a YA fantasy heroine and then some! However special she might end up being, there wasn't once a time I thought that things were just a bit too easy for her, which sometimes takes the fun away. Don't get me wrong, she is very special with her two dragons and duel-toned hairstyle and legacy family, but it never felt like it was getting to the point of complete absurdity which is a fine line to walk.

Her disability (Ehlers Danlos, though it isn't called that in the book) was extremely well written, naturally due to the author's experience. It's a part of her, one that she's fully come to terms with and handles on the daily, no song and dance drawing all the attention to this one big thing making it her entire personality. Rare!

It provided great growth for her as well, accepting that sometimes she isn't like everyone else (not in that way) and sometimes she needs that little bit of a helping hand was a great big step! It's a struggle to accept that sometimes you need accommodations, everyone wants independence and to concede it certainly hurts.

Xaden Riorson Speaking of independence, let's discuss my- everyone's- favourite character! Now, is he my favourite because I think that he is a very good boy who treated Violet very well and did everything he could to prepare her for the realities of fighting a war so she wouldn't have to rely on anyone?

Obviously not, she thought he was going to kill her and I swooned!

Call me predictable, my head will turn xx

I think, beyond me having a crush on him, Xaden was quite genuinely an interesting character to follow. None of the mysteries are particularly deep, but I'm hardly Sherlock Holmes and they were more than enough to keep my attention. Bit by bit, he went from generic bad boy number whatever to an actual person with thoughts and a world-formed view. He's lived in this world, before the events of the book, and you can tell from his actions, sublime!

Dain Aetos Broooooski I was foaming at the mouth. Forgive my language, but brother was on my nerves and FKN stayed there!! Look, to have someone who wants to protect is one thing, but to do that by implying incapability? Violet better than me for real, I might have told him to stick it.

Every party needs a pooper and that's why we invited Dain.

DRAGONS What's this? The biggest draw in of the book? I think so!!!

Ever since I've had eyes I too have loved shiny things and Andarnaurram is right there in my heart with all the other sparklies. She is highly baby and if anything ever happens to her you will find me face down, ugly sobbing, inconsolable.

But enough about me!

I was a fan of all the dragons and how they interacted with their riders. Everyone had fun and interesting personalities that bounced well off their human counterparts. Otherworldly? Yes. Just buddies in big scaley skins? Also yes! The different colours were cool, but the different tail endings were cooler, it's a way of differentiation I'd not seen before but you're welcome to correct me.

Other, more spoilery thoughts By other, I mean some gripes. Now, I'm a picky bitch so these aren't experience ruiners but more nitpicks.

You remember how I said paint by numbers? A LOT of the plot points were telegraphed mere moments before they occurred. Violet bonding to Tairn and Andarna, Jack's allergy to oranges and the book of fables all come to mind as clumsily dropped into sentences or entire chapters. It felt a little tooooooo hand holdy, I almost expected a kiss on the forehead once we got to where the foreshadowing wanted me.

Murder was just a little too easy to get away with. Jack was straight evil to begin with, there's no way he should have remained in the fighter quadrant. I understand the explanation, strongest prevail, yadayada, at some point maybe you should kick the dude practically HALVING your cadet pool out of the quadrant? Sure, he got scolded for killing someone in a sparring match, but any leader with half a brain would have known that numbers in a fight also matter.

Nothing more comes to mind, so I appreciate you listening to my thoughts. I'll see you next time, stay well!

Hannah xx

[malfoyswand]

𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬

pairing: draco malfoy x reader

summary: your best friend, draco malfoy, plans a surprise to ask you to the yule ball.

word count: 1.8k

genre: fluff

warnings: none, just soft draco :)

author's note: thank you to the lovely reader who requested this, it's my first request so i really hope i did this justice! also yes, i got a little inspired by that one gilmore girls episode with the 1000 flowers for the proposal lol

➪ masterlist | requests

"Mate, I think you're overthinking this."

Blaise Zabini reported his opinion of the matter, but Draco Malfoy barely comprehended a word he had spoken. The only things on his mind were (Y/N) and of course, the bloody Yule Ball.

If he was honest with himself, Draco was at least partially excited for the dance. He knew it was meant to be one of the greatest nights he may ever experience while at Hogwarts, but he wasn't sure if he would. The dance was only a week away and somehow, Draco found himself without a date.

If anything, the Yule Ball was making him nervous.

"I'm not, Zabini!" He spoke quite loudly, then softened his voice as he realized students had looked their way. "This needs to be perfect, alright? This is (Y/N) we're talking about, you know how I feel about her."

Blaise couldn't help but sigh, with a smile on his lips as the two of them walked to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. It was quite a feat for Malfoy to tell Blaise that he had romantic feelings for his best friend, (Y/N). Blaise knew that Draco dreaded being seen as anything but tough to the world, the fact that a girl had this much control over his emotions spoke volumes. 

"Exactly my point, Malfoy. She's been your best friend since first year, I doubt she would ever be disappointed or angry with whatever you come up with. Besides, she's just a girl. Just ask her to the ball like how you would ask a girl out on a date."

"Er.. well.." Draco began to speak, the hand that wasn't holding his books scratching the back of his neck. The two of them finally stopped walking besides the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Blaise's eyes widening as he tried to hide his laughter.

"You're telling me that Draco Malfoy has never been on a date before? Merlin!" His laughter echoed down the chamber, earning him a scoff and a playful shove inside the classroom by Draco. "Sorry, sorry. I just thought that with every other girl in this school begging to be your date to the dance, you would've taken at least one of them on a date." His voice was spoken quietly, careful that the other students wouldn't hear their conversation.

Draco shook his head as the two of them sat down in their seats, pulling out their books and parchment. "No. I've turned them all down. They're just not her, know what I mean?"

"You're down bad, mate." Blaise smirked slightly to himself, whispering the only advice he could really offer his friend. "Listen, girls like being asked out in a personal way. You know the kind of things (Y/N) likes, all you have to do is make it special and she'll be swooning."

"Right." Draco mumbled to himself as Professor Moody began to teach his lesson. However, he certainly wasn't thinking about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Instead, Draco glanced over to where you sat across the room. He knew you better than anyone, yet he had no idea how to ask you to the Yule Ball.

That was when the idea struck him. The new bag you bought last week caught his eyes, he noticed the way the bag had intricate floral designs sewn into it. A memory replayed in Draco's mind. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he wrote on a spare piece of parchment, folding it into a paper crane before sending it your way.

Your hands caught the paper crane, grinning as you knew exactly who it was from. You tried to ignore the way your heart seemed to skip a beat each time you saw one fly towards you. On the piece of parchment, it read:

Meet me at the Astronomy Tower tomorrow morning before breakfast? - D.M.

You lifted his gaze to meet his awaiting gray eyes, your head nodding before turning back to the professor's lesson. Draco did the same, but his mind was already running through a mental checklist on all the supplies he had to get to make his idea come to life.

The next morning, you woke up wondering why in Godric's name you decided to meet up with Draco this early in the morning. The sun was just starting to rise outside the window, and none of your other roommates were even awake. You groaned as quietly as you could, practically tiptoeing around the dorm bedroom to avoid waking everyone else.

As you brushed your hair in the girls' lavatory, you felt the butterflies in your stomach begin to flutter around again. You cursed yourself under your breath as you tried your best to focus on your breathing.

Lately, being near Draco Malfoy has always made you more excited than you really ought to be. Of course, he was your best friend so you had always been excited. But now, even one glance at him caused a warmth to glow within your chest. The feeling was a foreign one.

As you walked through the castle towards the Astronomy Tower, that warm feeling in your chest arose again as you caught sight of him. He was pacing near the entrance door, mumbling as if he was rehearsing something. You cleared your throat as you walked towards him, Draco stopping in his tracks.

"(Y/N)." He spoke your name, his lips forming into a soft smile. "Thanks for meeting up with me, I know it's a bit early for you." His tone was playful, he knew you were not much of a morning person. 

"About that, why so early in the morning, Malfoy?" You gently shoved his shoulder, he only laughed in response. He opened the Astronomy Tower door entrance, his hand indicating for you to step inside first. 

"You will see."

You walked up the long set of stairs up the tower. You couldn't see the fact that Draco was a nervous wreck behind you, his hands having to wipe themselves on his slacks to remove the sweat from his palms. As much as you hated to wake up this early in the morning, you knew the views up from the tower would be gorgeous. Draco knew that the Astronomy Tower was, quite honestly, your favorite place to admire the landscape.

“Oh my..” Your body stopped in its tracks once the two of you reached the highest level of the tower. Your eyes couldn’t take in your surroundings fast enough it seemed.

It was as if every surface of the tower was covered in red roses. Somehow, someone must have placed hundreds of roses in vases, scattering them around almost every corner of the room. The light shining into the tower only amplified their beauty, it was as if each petal seemed to come alive as the sun continued to rise.

“D-Did you know these flowers were here?” You stuttered as you started to pace around the room slowly, your fingertips grazing upon almost every petal there was. Their beauty took your breath away.

“I did.” Draco bit his bottom slightly as he watched you, desperate to know your reaction. He couldn’t tell if you liked or hated them. “They’re for you, actually.”

Your eyes darted from the roses you were admiring to Draco, your body facing his. Although you were truly flattered, the idea of him doing all of this for you made your head spin with so many questions. You knew Draco Malfoy better than he may ever know himself, you had never seen him do anything this nice or extravagant for anyone before. 

“You said a couple of weeks ago that you wish spring would come along so you can watch the flowers bloom again. Of course, it’s only December, as we can all see.” Draco answered your question, a slight chuckle falling from his lips as he pointed outside of the tower. More snowflakes began to fall, covering the castle with even more snow.

“So, I thought to bring the flowers to you. And I only assumed you liked roses, from your bag.” His eyes went from watching the snowflakes outside to your bag that was decorated with tiny red roses around it. Since when did Draco notice something so mundane, like a new tote bag?

“I just.. don’t know what to say.” Your voice came out as a whisper. Him decorating the entire Astronomy Tower with roses, just because you said you missed the spring and summer flowers, was entirely insane. You couldn’t come up with the words, so all you could do was step forward to hug him tightly.

Within an instant, you felt Draco’s arms wrap around your waist, his head resting in the crook of your neck. He closed his eyes, smiling softly to himself out of relief and joy. He was relieved and happy that you had liked the surprise, but he knew what he must do, even though it terrified him.

“That’s not the end of the surprise.” He said as he slowly pulled away from the hug. All of a sudden, it was as the boy became aware of every heightened emotion he was feeling. “But I must do this properly..”

Your eyebrows raised as you watched him turn around, picking up one of the red roses from their vases. If you weren’t convinced you were dreaming at the moment, you would have sworn you saw a small bit of sweat on Draco’s forehead as he looked towards you.

“I-er..” He took a step forward towards you, any closer and your bodies would have made contact. With a deep breath to calm himself, he handed the rose to you. “Would you want to go to the Yule Ball with me, as more than just a friend?”

Your lips slightly parted as you took the rose from him. You had slowly been falling for your best friend for the past four years, but you had convinced yourself that the Slytherin Prince would never fall for you. For four years, you had thought that he would never settle for you, when every other girl in this school begged for him just to look their way.

Once you realized you had failed to give an answer, you closed your mouth and smiled in his direction. “I would love to, Draco.” You responded, stepping forward once more to close the gap between you two. You pressed your lips softly to his cheek.

When you pulled away, you realized that Draco’s cheeks were slightly pink as his eyes widened. You couldn’t help but laugh slightly at the sight. Draco Malfoy was notorious for being the calm, collected one of the two of you. Seeing him as, essentially, a nervous wreck over you caused that warmth to be felt in your chest again.

“Who would have thought I could make Draco Malfoy this nervous?” You joked, attempting to calm his apparent nerves.

“Who said I was nervous?” He scoffed just as playfully, grabbing a few more roses to hand to you. You took them in your hands, smelling their pleasant aroma as you followed him back down the staircase.

“Malfoy, you were just as red as these roses.”