#alt 3

[littleseasiren]

Wearing each other's clothes

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: None

Words: Approximately 400 words

A/N: Flufftober Alternative Prompt 3: Wearing each other's clothes Thanks @flufftober for this challenge. Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from my tag list. Thanks for reading!

The rest of the team was due back in less than an hour. You and Bucky were the only two in the Tower, which the two of you immensely enjoyed. You were lazily lying in bed, the worries of the world feeling like it was miles away.

You told each other you would get dressed in 30 minutes, giving you enough time to look presentable when the team arrived. Having privacy was rare in the Tower, so the two of you basked in the opportunity to be alone whenever you could.

Jarvis's voice broke the quiet peace, the two of you jumping out of the bed when he announced that the team had landed.

"They were supposed to be back later!" You barked out as you began flinging clothes at him to get dressed as fast as possible.

Seeing Bucky's shirt on the bed, you decide to wear it as a dress, quickly grabbing your tights and putting them on.

"Um, doll?" Bucky chuckles, standing shirtless with one of your hot pink sleeveless shirts in his hand. He pulls it tight, showing you his broad chest behind the shirt. There's no way he'll fit into your top.

Bucky loves the way you giggle at his antics: he's happy to be the one to make you laugh any chance he gets.

"Here," you grab one of his shirts from your shared closet and throw it at him. "We need to hurry up!"

"But I want to wear something of yours now," he states with a pout.

"Bucky, there's no way you can fit in my clothes. You're too big!" You grab an item off the table. "Here, you can wear my hair tie."

You gently finger comb his hair, smiling at his low moan and tie it into a bun. "There you go, now you're wearing something of mine."

"Thanks, doll. You're the best. Let's go meet the team." He looks you up and down, smirking at what he sees. "You look great in my shirt. I can't wait to get it off you as soon as their debriefing begins." He grabs your legs and throws you over his shoulder, running down to the hanger to meet the rest of the team, your laughter filling the silence all the way down.

Tag List:

@morganmofresh @dottirose @cjand10 @buggy14 @crazyunsexycool @tripleoyaa @mandijo17 @fluffysucker @moviegurl2002 @unkasworld @midnightskyewolf

[ikaishere]

ALT: Candles, Lanterns, Fairy Lights

flufftober day 4, the first alt prompt:) ravioli!!! the boys !!! they are having a little tangled moment with the lanterns good for them

[taruchinator]

🌳 General Audiences

🌳 1.5k Words

🌳 Day 15 | “Wait, you love me? “I always have.” For @flufftober!

Today was the day.

Thomas was groggy with sleep and trying to adjust to the light seeping through the Homestead's roof when the thought struck him.

Today he and the Gladers were heading into the maze. Today they were going to escape.

And for some reason he was sharing a hammock with his best friend.

MAZE RUNNER FANDOM ARE YOU ALIVE? I'M HERE AND I'VE BROUGHT FOOD! T_T

So as the late bloomer that I am, I've only just recently experienced the goodness that is the TMR series, and all I can say is that even though it's no masterpiece, it's a masterpiece in MY heart, okay???

I wanted to do something Newtmas for Flufftober because the content just writes itself oml these boys be gay good for them. Enjoy! ^^

Today was the day.

Thomas was groggy with sleep and trying to adjust to the light seeping through the Homestead's roof when the thought struck him.

Today he and the Gladers were heading into the maze.

Today they were going to escape.

Everything around the teen was relatively quiet, except for the rustling of leaves and soft snoring coming from the other boys in their hammocks. It was then that the brunet noticed no one was up yet—looking at the watch on his wrist indicated that he'd awoken even earlier than the Runners, which was honestly surprising since he considered himself a heavy sleeper.

It honestly made the situation around him feel that much more surreal.

To think that less than a day ago he'd managed to crack the code to their freedom with the help of Teresa, all when they were nothing short of hopeless mere hours before. Although if he was being honest with himself, Thomas wasn't even sure if this was the answer they were looking for.

Sure, it made the most sense out of everything they'd stumbled upon over the years the Gladers lived here, but there was that small voice in the back of his head that made him worry.

What if he was reading too much into something that wasn't there?

What if the instructions they'd uncovered were actually another trap set by the maze, leading them into more pain and suffering?

What if Thomas’ unknown past was unconsciously sending his friends to their demise?

The brunet let out a sigh as he shuffled into a more comfortable position. He couldn't think like this—not when they were already so deep in. No matter what the day ahead brought, he had to stay strong, if not for himself, for the people who put their faith in him.

Alby, Minho, Chuck, Teresa.

And of course…

“Hmm…”

The low grumble almost made the brunet jump out of his skin, until he felt familiar lean arms snaking around him from behind. After getting everything set up and talking nothing but strategies all night, Thomas had nearly forgotten that in the midst of their sleep deprived minds, he'd invited his best friend to lay down in his hammock to take a rest since his own was on the other side of the Homestead.

After slowly turning his body around, Thomas was met with the most peaceful sight he'd ever witnessed since arriving at the Glade.

Newt rested against his chest, a mere inch standing between them as the blond shifted under the brunet's scrutinizing gaze. The slow rise and fall of Newt's chest was more than enough to bring peace to Thomas’ mind—he was here. Alive and breathing and in his arms.

A force inside him caused the brunet to lean forward and place a soft kiss against Newt's forehead. It wasn't long before the oldest of the two began blinking the sleep away as he adjusted to the world around him.

“Morning.” Thomas spoke in a hushed tone, both for the sleeping Gladers around him as well as his partner beside him. He allowed himself to smile as the other scrunched his nose and shifted around to get into a more comfortable position.

“G'mornin’...” Newt mumbled the words while ruffling his hair, maybe trying to tame it only to make it worse but equally adorable in Thomas’ opinion. “What time is it?”

“Early. Runners aren't even up yet.” Thomas tried to give Newt some more room, but their limited hammock space made that task a little difficult, so he settled with placing one arm behind his head in hope of not having his limbs all over the blond's business.

“Bloody hell, someone's up early, then…” The amusement was evident in his voice as he showed off that damn crooked smile that gave Thomas butterflies for no logical reason whatsoever. “That eager to get today started, Tommy?”

He knew the comment was meant to be teasing in nature, but the younger boy couldn't help but have his thoughts drift back to the string of negativity from earlier. It must have been evident in his expression, because Newt dropped the smile and instead raised an eyebrow in slight concern. “You alright?”

Thomas contemplated how to answer for a minute, only to come up with nothing but the truth. It wasn't like he could lie to Newt, even if he tried. His best friend knew him too well—better than he knew himself, sometimes. With a small sigh, he gave him a sheepish grin. “Guess I'm nervous? Not sure what we're going to find out there.”

Newt observed him for a minute, then leaned his chin against an open palm, elbow resting against the rope-like texture of their shared sleeping quarters. “We're gonna find a way out. Doubt it'll be a big old door with the words ‘Exit!’ scrawled on top, but in this rubbish place, almost anything’s possible.”

At that, Thomas let out a soft chuckle. “You know what I mean.”

“So do you.” Newt's expression remained serious, but Thomas could see a hint of reassurance in his eyes, which was quickly backed up by the blond reaching for the brunet's hand with his own. “We're going to find an exit because that's what's out there. Our way to freedom.”

“What if it's not there? I mean, Teresa and I could've read it wrong. I could've read it wrong! Then I'd be leading all of you to danger for no reason and—”

“Tommy.”

With a single utterance of his nickname Thomas was silenced. He didn't even realize he started gripping the hammock until Newt's hand went to pull him away, interlocking their fingers instead. After staring at their joined hands for a moment, the blond brought them close to his lips and pressed them against the rough skin of Thomas’ knuckles.

A warmth spread across his cheeks before he could stop it, and Newt's giggle was more than enough proof to know that it was evident in his face. “For someone so smart, you doubt yourself a lot. It's cute, though. One of the many things I love about you.”

At that moment, time seemed to stop around him, and nothing else mattered. Nothing but the beautiful boy standing before him. He barely managed a whispered response. “Wait. You… love me?”

Newt's crooked smile returned, only this time laced with what Thomas could identify as fondness. “I always have.”

Before he could stop himself, Thomas instantly leaned forward and began peppering kisses all across Newt's face. His temples, nose, cheeks, neck—anything that was exposed to the air was up for the taking. The leaps and thumps in his chest were so loud he thought the other Gladers would certainly hear them, yet Thomas could care less.

Giggles erupted from the blond below him—Thomas didn't even realize when he'd caged him under his body—until he eventually started to pull him away, albeit rather reluctantly. “Alright, alright, that's enough! We're gonna wake—!”

“God, could you shanks get any louder?”

The voice instantly brought both boys to their senses, causing them to pull away from one another fast enough to fall from the hammock, landing on their bottoms with groans echoing from them both. Thomas could feel his face heating from embarrassment, and Newt's was flush pink as well.

He made a mental note to call him cute for that one later.

On the other hand, Minho stood above them with arms crossed, eyebrows raised and a look of mock disgust gracing his features. He swung his pack over his shoulder and turned away from them and faced the West entrance instead. “When you two are done being so shucking mushy, I'll meet you by the entrance, Greenie. We need to go over the route again before the others wake up.”

Thomas could barely muster a weak nod. He was never living this down, he could already tell. “G-Good that…”

Minho left without another word, leaving the duo alone once more.

As they exchanged looks, a few minutes passed before they let out chuckles of embarrassment at the whole ordeal.

Newt was the first to stand up, and as he did, he offered a hand to Thomas with a smile. “Ready to face the unknown?”

Thomas remained still for a moment, until eventually a smile spread itself across his own face while accepting the blond's help.

It was true that he had no idea what they were truly up against out in the maze, let alone outside the walls of all they've ever known. But as long as they had each other, Thomas knew nothing would stand in their way.

Nothing they couldn't handle.

“Together.”

[thunder-shadow]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: SolarBalls (Web Series) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Earth/Mars (SolarBalls) Characters: Earth (SolarBalls), Mars (SolarBalls) Additional Tags: Flufftober 2024, Love Confessions, Kissing Series: Part 5 of thunder_shadow Flufftober 2024 Summary:

“This is amazing, dude!” Mars splayed his hand out, and like it was summoned, a blast of wind flew through the air and sent their hair flying, a pleasant cooling sensation that Earth drank in for a brief moment. And then he shook his head and reached out, fastening one hand around Mars’s arm.

“Come on!” He pulled them towards the house in the distance, smiling as the wind strengthened, blasting his hair back from his face and sending a further soothing cold through his entire body. “We’ve got to sit down and watch before it gets too far past the horizon!”

Or; Earth takes Mars down to his surface for a sight.

Or; Flufftober Prompt Day 5; Porch Swing/"Wait you love me?" - "I always have."

[rainisawriter]

A Halloween Miracle – Ice (PSF #16)

PSF Ficography | H&F Flash Ficography

Genre: Fluff, romance, slice of life

Prompt: Wearing each other’s clothes (@flufftober) / Dare: Make a donation to the food bank (@slumberpartybingo Fall Flash)

Word Count: 5,228

Pairing: Reader x Ice

World: High&Low

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You checked your reflection in the mirror again, biting your lip nervously. It wasn’t your first date with Ice yet it felt as if it was. How could you not feel at least a bit self-conscious with him, though? He was such a beautiful man with an incredible, and expensive, sense of fashion. 

Not to mention how strong he is or how much money he has. You were his complete opposite. Fashion meant nothing to you and you were perfectly happy just wearing loose, comfortable clothing. You never spent more than fifty bucks on an article of clothing, not just because it felt wrong, but also because you didn’t have that kind of spare cash to blow.

Ice oftentimes tried to buy you things but you always told him no. You felt wrong accepting gifts from him, especially since he seemed to choose the most expensive gifts possible. The last thing you wanted was for him to think you were a gold digger, just dating him for his money.

You even insisted on paying your half of the bill when he took you out to dinner, something that really frustrated him. He knew you worked hard for your money and that it was always tight for you, yet you insisted on paying.

The first time you had gone out together, he had chosen an expensive restaurant and you ended up not having enough to pay for your half. It was one of the most embarrassing nights of your life and you still hate thinking about it.

Taking a deep breath, you grabbed your keys and headed outside to wait for Ice to arrive. The cold autumn air curled around you like a blanket, bringing goosebumps to your skin and a smile to your face. Autumn was your favorite time of year and you loved the cold.

Ice’s black Bentley pulled up to the curb and he stepped out, smiling when he saw you. “Hey, baby,” he greeted, pressing a kiss to your cheek before leading you to the passenger’s side, pulling the door open for you. As soon as you were safely inside, he closed the door and returned to the driver’s seat.

When you first met Ice, you saw how viciously he fought, how cruel he could be. You never would have imagined that he could be such a gentleman, that he could be so soft and kind to you. 

“Where do you want to go?” He questioned, taking your hand in his, fingers lacing together.

You bit your lip, knowing how drastically your interests were. A good date to him was an expensive restaurant before heading to the club to party. A good date to you was staying indoors and watching a movie or going for a walk together at the park.

He waited patiently for you to answer, rubbing his thumb against your hand.

“Can we… visit the autumn fair?” you asked softly.

“Sure.” He pressed a kiss to your hand before putting the car in park and pulling away from the curb. Music was playing softly in the background, the heater turned on low to stave off the chill.

You shifted against the leather seat, turning your gaze to the window as the city passed by in a blur of silver and orange. It didn’t take long to reach the fair and the place was packed, mostly with families and their kids. You felt guilty forcing him to come here and it honestly made you feel a bit childish.

As you climbed out of the car, you offered him a sheepish smile. “If you don’t want to be here, we can go somewhere else…?”

Ice just smiled, putting his arm around your shoulders and tugging you against his side. “Nah. I haven’t been to a fair in years, it’ll be a nice change.”

“Are you sure?”

His dark eyes met yours, fingers pushing your chin up so he could claim your lips. “Positive, baby.”

You nodded, a smile slipping onto your face. He let you take the lead, following you around as you bounced from one ride to the next, tackling each game booth that they had. You weren’t very good at them, not once winning a prize, but Ice dominated each one, allowing you to choose the item you wanted. 

The loud sounds of the rides along with the sea of people was enough to cover the soft thunder above, the night sky slowly filling with dark clouds. Though it felt as if you had been there for only a few minutes, several hours passed by and the fair was getting ready to close. Most of the families had already cleared out, leaving only couples and groups of teens.

The wind was picking up, the temperature dropping as rain approached. Despite loving the cold, you were starting to shiver. You regretted not wearing your hoodie, but you worried Ice wouldn’t like the way it looked on you because it was baggy and quite old.

He shrugged out of his jacket, draping it over your shoulders. The scent of his cologne filled your nostrils and you smiled, sticking your arms through the sleeves. It was still warm from his body.

“Thank you.”

He pressed a kiss to your temple. “I can’t let my baby get sick. Let’s get you home before the rain starts.”

“Okay.” You followed him back to the car, sliding into the passenger seat. “Thank you for today. I had a lot of fun.”

He quirked a brow at you before returning his eyes to the road. “When are you going to stop thanking me for taking you on dates?”

“At least once more, Mr. Ice,” you grinned, quoting the Pirates of the Caribbean. It was the movie you both watched on your first date, so it held a special place in your heart. It was also just a really good movie.

Ice chuckled, a smile coming to his lips as he thought back to that day. It had started out as a disaster of a blind date, set up by your friend who Pearl was desperately trying to get with. Bernie was supposed to be your date but he got food poisoning at the last minute. Everyone else was busy except for Jesse and Ice, the former flat-out refusing.

Ice didn’t want to go, either, but Pearl was his family and he needed help so the leader agreed. 

He honestly didn’t think much of you, at first. Despite being at a club, you were wearing baggy shorts, a hoodie, and sneakers. You had no interest in dancing or drinking and you acted as if you wanted to be anywhere else. He thought you were cute, but you were nothing compared to the hotties he usually pulled.

He expected the night to pass by in awkward silence, but you tried to get to know him, striking up a conversation repeatedly even when it died out. Usually his dates were all over him by now, complimenting his watch, the diamonds in his ears or the chain around his neck. You didn’t care about any of that. Even when he told you that he owned a club and a bunch of expensive cars, you weren’t interested.

When he mentioned his music, though, you became very interested. You had always admired musicians, not just for their talent but for their confidence. They bore their souls for the world to see and they did so proudly despite the fear of rejection. Ice was surprised by just how animated you became when discussing the topic and, as the night wore on, he began to warm up to you.

He offered to take you home when it became glaringly obvious that you no longer wanted to be inside the club. Rather than fawn over his expensive car, you were hesitant to even look at it for fear of somehow messing it up. He thought it was cute how he had to coax you inside, assuring you that it was highly unlikely that you would.

He found himself driving slower than he needed to because he was enjoying spending time with you. You were so different from the people he usually hung around with and it was refreshing to him. He remembers how relieved he had felt when you spotted the sign for the drive-in movie theater. It was playing the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie and you asked him if he would be interested.

You were surprised when he said yes but you certainly weren’t complaining. He was not your type at all, yet you felt drawn to him, drawn to the strong aura he possessed. You weren’t sure why but you felt safe around him, comfortable even. That’s not to say you also didn’t feel nervous, as well, given the extreme differences between you, but he just had this way of making you completely forget about your worries for a time.

“What are you grinning about?” He wondered, quirking a brow at you as he pulled up in front of your house.

“I was just thinking about the day we met,” you replied, sending him a soft smile. “Things didn’t start out too well, but I’m happy with how it ended.”

He smirked, reaching over to grip your chin in his hand. “Just how happy are you, hm?”

“Very,” you breathed out, finding yourself leaning toward him. 

“Show me,” he ordered, lips brushing against your own. A sudden clap of thunder rattled the car windows and made you jump, heart racing within your chest. He clicked his tongue. “The rain’s about to start, you should get inside.”

“Right…” You stepped out of the vehicle, heading toward the door with him close behind. You reached into your pocket for your keys only to frown when they weren’t there. You checked your other pocket but they weren’t there either. Dread filled you. “Shit…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I lost my keys…” you sent him a panicked look and he rested his large hand on top of your head, giving you a calming look.

“You probably dropped them in the car.”

The two of you started back toward the car when the thunder boomed again. The sky opened up, sheets of rain falling down on top of you. You cried out in surprise when the ice-cold water hit you, easily soaking through the t-shirt you wore.

“Get in!” Ice ordered, rushing to the passenger side to open the door for you despite his designer clothes getting soaked. When he finally made it inside, you frowned at the water dripping down his face.

“I’m so sorry,” you apologized, lowering your head.

“For what?” He quirked a brow at you in confusion.

“You got wet because I lost my keys… and now your seats are gonna be ruined…”

He chuckled, his voice soft. “You have nothing to apologize for. Do you see them?”

“Oh, um…” you started to feel between the seats, looking on the floor and reaching beneath the seat but your keys were nowhere in sight. “They’re not here. Oh my god, what am I going to do? My roommate won’t be back until tomorrow night!”

“Hey, calm down,” he called softly, resting his hand against the back of your neck. “You can stay with me tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He started up the car, pulling away from the curb.

The closer you got to his apartment, the more nervous you became. You hadn’t ever been to his place before and now you were gonna be staying the night. You took a few deep breaths, hands clenching and unclenching as you tried to calm yourself down.

The apartment building was just as you expected – a twenty-five-story building that sat in the eastern district of the city. It’s where all the rich people lived and the air just felt different there, though it was hard to explain why. 

“Welcome back, Ice-sama.” The old man at the reception desk bowed to him but the male didn’t spare him a glance as he approached the elevator. 

You hugged yourself tightly, feeling super uncomfortable between the wet clothes clinging to you, your missing keys and the fear of spending the night at Ice’s place. You were honestly scared that he would expect something from you in return and you just weren’t ready for that. 

His apartment was huge, filled with expensive-looking furniture and decorations, most of which were music-themed. “The bathroom is down the hall. Go take a shower and I’ll find you something to wear.”

You swallowed nervously, watching as he disappeared down the opposite hall. You knew you had to get out of these clothes and a warm shower sounded lovely right about now, but were you really okay being naked in his apartment? And he was going to bring you some clothes… what if he decided to join you?

Your heart hammered against your ribs as you entered the bathroom, locking the door behind you. Your hands trembled as you undressed, but you couldn’t be sure if it was because of the cold or the nerves. Probably both.

You slowly slid the clothes off your body, turning on the water so it could warm up.

There was a knock on the door and you tensed, waiting for him to try the doorknob but he didn’t. “Baby, I’m gonna leave the clothes on the table, okay?”

“Y-Yeah! Thank you.” You pressed your ear to the door, listening to his footsteps fade before you cracked open the door, snatching up the clothes before shutting the door again. You showered quickly and started to get dressed.

His scent lingered on the clothes, mixed with the smell of the laundry detergent, and you inhaled deeply, feeling a wave of calm wash over you. You picked up your wet clothes, not wanting to just leave them on the floor.

Ice was sitting on the sofa, changed into grey sweatpants and a black shirt that hugged his body. A towel sat around his neck as he dried his short hair. You assumed there were two bathrooms and he had used the other one.

“Um,” you shifted nervously in the doorway when he looked up at you. “Where should I put these?”

“Here, I’ll take them.” He pulled himself off the sofa, taking the wad of clothes from your hands before disappearing down the hall. He returned a moment later, confused as to why you hadn’t moved. His hand found the small of your back, gently pushing you toward the sofa. 

You felt as if you should say something but your mind was drawing blanks, too preoccupied with the rising nerves within your system. He settled down beside you, putting his arm around you to pull you closer.

“I have a surprise for you, baby,” he commented softly, pressing a kiss to your cheek. 

You watched curiously as he picked up the remote, turning on the TV. you recognized the music immediately, eyes snapping over to see the menu screen for the Pirates of the Caribbean. A bright smile came to your lips and he could feel the tension leaving your body.

“After our first date, I ordered the limited edition set.”

“Limited edition?” Your wide eyes fell on him, knowing exactly what he meant. “But that thing is like 300 bucks!”

He hummed, fingers brushing against the back of your neck. “It was worth it. I’ll show you the set later, if you want.”

“Please! I was eyeing it for ages but they stopped selling it by the time I saved up enough.” You shook your head, folding your arms over your chest.

Ice hummed again as he pressed play, already knowing what he wanted to do. A soft smile came to his lips as he watched your eyes light up, focused completely on the TV screen. He felt so much love for you in his heart and it felt so foreign to him. He had hated it at first because it scared him, but now he craved more.

He pulled you even closer until you were practically on his lap, arms wrapping around your waist. You leaned into his warmth, head resting on his firm chest. 

“I love you, baby,” he whispered, lips brushing against your cheek, feeling your skin grow warm.

“I love you, too,” you breathed out, hands resting over his arms.

You made it through three movies before you started yawning and Ice suggested it was time for bed. He didn’t think twice about sharing the bed with you because you were dating, you had been for a while, but you were nervous as hell.

Truth be told, you were a virgin who had never gone beyond kissing anyone before. You figured Ice was the opposite, having quite a few notches in his belt. That didn’t bother you, it was long before you started dating, but you assumed he had an expectation. How long was too long to date without getting intimate? You knew you weren’t ready but you were afraid he might leave you if you refused him.

Your heart raced within your chest as he led you into his bedroom. The bed was huge, fit for a king, with a plush black and white comforter. As he pulled back the covers, he took notice of how tense you were and a frown tugged at his lips. “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah!” you replied quickly, forcing a smile. 

He knew you were lying. He said your name, hand on his hip. “Tell me.”

You shifted nervously under his piercing gaze, mumbling under your breath.

“What?” He stepped closer to you. “I couldn’t hear what you said.”

You screwed your eyes shut, fists clenching at your sides. “I-I’m a virgin!”

Ice was both taken aback and confused. He knew you were vastly different from the people he usually dated, but a virgin? He definitely hadn’t expected that. Why were you suddenly bringing it up, though? At first, he thought that you trusted him enough to confide such information to him.

His eyes scanned your tense body, taking in the way your fists trembled slightly, how your eyes remained closed, and the deep frown that marred your face. He knew he was wrong. You weren’t confiding in him, you were worried about it.

“Baby,” he called out softly, closing the distance and resting his hands on your upper arms. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

You slowly peeled open your eyes, expecting to see him looking annoyed to some degree, but his eyes were filled with warmth. “You’re… you’re really okay with it?”

“Of course, I am. What kind of person do you think I am?” He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but he was hurt that your mind had even gone there.

“I’m sorry, I…”

Ice exhaled sharply to calm himself before pulling you into his arms. Despite the tense situation, he felt you relax in his grip. “I love you and I’m just happy spending time with you. I won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with, but you have to tell me what those things are, understand?”

You nodded, fingers curling around his shirt. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Let’s get some sleep, okay?” He paused as he considered his words. “Unless you’d like to sleep in the guest room instead?”

“No,” you mumbled against his chest, cheeks darkening. “I wanna stay with you.”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Whatever you want, baby.”

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Sun streamed through the cracks in the curtains and you shifted, eyes fluttering open. You instantly felt the lack of Ice’s presence behind you, his side of the bed cols to the touch. With a yawn, you crawled out of bed to search for him but the apartment was empty. Upon checking your phone, you found a new message from him.

-> Had to go deal with a problem at the club. Stay as long as you want, baby.

You quickly messaged back, telling him that you hoped everything was okay. It felt strange being alone in his apartment and, truth be told, you felt kind of happy that he trusted you around all of his items. He had more faith in you than you had in yourself because you feared you would break whatever you touched.

You glanced at the clock and cursed. It was almost time for your shift at the food bank so you needed to hurry up and get ready. You searched for your clothes, finding them in the laundry room. He had tossed them in the washer but hadn’t turned it on and you didn’t have enough time to do it yourself.

You bit your lip, tugging your phone from your pocket. He still hadn’t responded to you so you hesitated to send another. You knew you had no choice but to wear his clothes if you wanted to get to the food bank on time. If you asked to borrow his clothes but he didn’t reply immediately, only to say no later, it would be awkward as hell when he found out you had done it anyway. 

“Damn it,” you cursed, returning to his room. 

His closet opened up into the next room, overflowing with fashionable clothes from brands you couldn’t even pronounce. Your eyes scanned the items as you slowly walked through the room, looking for something that was close to your style but also something that didn’t look as if it cost a couple of grand.

You found a basketball jersey that was big on you but super comfortable, along with a pair of jeans that had a hole on the left knee. You assumed they were old and not worth much because of it. They were also big on you and you had to roll up the pant legs so they weren’t dragging against the ground. Securing them with a belt, you nodded in satisfaction before grabbing your shoes and leaving the apartment.

Ice had left a spare key for you on the table so you were able to lock the door behind you. 

Taking a deep breath of the cold autumn air, you smiled and started to run down the sidewalk, leaves crunching beneath your feet. Because of how far the food bank was from the upper district, you were three minutes late for your shift. 

The other volunteers jumped in surprise when you slammed the door open, breathing heavily as your lungs tried to suck in air. Your side was in stitches, heart beating hard against your ribs and your legs felt like jelly.

“You’re late,” scolded Mako, eyes narrowed and arms folded over his chest.

“S-Sorry!” you quickly bowed to him before rushing over to your station.

“Our doors open in five minutes!” he announced, raising his voice so everyone could hear him. “Remember to be kind. These people are struggling and are hungry. Kind smiles, soft words. Be polite!”

The food bank was a large rectangular building divided down the center. On the right side was the kitchen where the homeless could come and get some freshly made soup to fill their bellies. On the left was the food bank where you worked, handing out groceries to families who couldn’t afford the overly priced items at the store.

Kai, your friend and coworker, leaned toward you with a frown. “How are we supposed to act cheery when we’re nearly out of food?”

“Eh?” You looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“The supply truck was robbed and all the food was taken. We have enough for maybe two days, depending on how many people show up.”

A frown tugged at your lips, a sad feeling settling in your gut. You were forced to push those negative feelings away as the doors were opened and people began to flood the building. You forced a smile as you greeted the woman at the front of the line, trying not to worry too much.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

“Oi, are you still alive?” Sarah snapped her fingers in front of your face, knocking you from your thoughts. 

“Sorry,” you sent her an apologetic look. “What were you saying?”

The two of you were relaxing at the back of the club, far removed from the crowd of people dancing and drinking. The walls were thick enough to block most of the sound, though you could still hear the faint bumping of the bass.

She hummed, sitting back on the couch and crossing her legs. “You’ve been distracted all day. Did you fight with Ice or something?”

“No, of course not!” you replied quickly, holding your hands up as if in surrender. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

Honestly, you doubted she would care but you needed to get it off your chest because you couldn’t stop worrying about it. “I work at the food bank downtown.”

She sent you a surprised look which you didn’t notice because you were staring at your lap. She knew you had a job and did odd jobs sometimes for extra cash, something she found strange. She had grown to know Ice well and she had been surprised to learn that he wasn’t taking care of you. 

She had no idea that, when you weren’t working, you were volunteering. She briefly wondered if Ice knew.

“The supply truck was attacked and we barely have enough food left for tomorrow. What are we going to do?” You frowned, running your hand through your hair in frustration. “All of us pooled together what little bit of money we had but it didn’t buy much. Donations have gone down a lot this year and I don’t know if we can recover from this.”

Sarah watched as you stood up with a groan, pacing back and forth. This was clearly something important to you but she didn’t even have to ask if you had told Ice. She knew you hadn’t because you feel bad using his money. Even if it was for a good cause, you felt guilty asking him to spend his money for you.

Sarah had no qualms about this, though.

She pulled herself off the couch, resting a hand on your shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll find a way.”

You gave her a grateful smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. “Thank you and thank you for listening to me ramble.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Mako looked worried as he approached you, eyes glancing to the storage room behind you. He tugged you away from the line of people, lowering his voice. “How is it?”

You shook your head with a frown. “Not good. We have two loaves of bread, one gallon of milk, three boxes of cereal and a jar of peanut butter. There’s no way we can stretch that out for all of these people.”

Mako scowled in frustration, running a hand through his brown hair. “Shit. Did you call up everyone on that list I gave you?”

“Yes. All of them said they weren’t in a position to help us right now…”

“Of course not,” he huffed, folding his arms over his chest. “We’ve exhausted all of our options. We have no choice but to close our doors for now.”

“But, Mako-san -” You bit your lip, eyes scanning the room full of people that were waiting for their food. “We can’t just -“

“I know!” He snapped angrily, startling the people nearby. He sent them an apologetic look before leaning toward you. “I know that, but we don’t have any choice.” Mako took a few deep breaths before stepping over to the center of the room, clearing his throat. “Can I have everyone’s attention, please?”

The soft voices of the crowd slowly disappeared until the room was silent, everyone staring at him. Your heart ached, the other employees exchanging sad looks because they already knew what he was going to say.

“A couple of days ago, the supply truck bringing us food for the next month was attacked and the food taken. Because of this…” He paused, biting his lip as the crowd shifted nervously, exchanging worried looks.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket and you tugged it out, seeing your boyfriend’s name on the screen. You tried your best not to sound sad or worried, turning your back to Mako as if that would block the sound. “I can’t talk right now, I’m -“

Ice cut you off. “Come outside, baby.“

“Huh?”

“Trust me.”

With a furrowed brow, you made your way through the crowd, stepping outside. You shivered as the cold wind wrapped around you, but that was the last thing on your mind. You instantly recognized the shiny supercars that sat in front of the food bank and your heart skipped a beat. What were the Mighty Warriors doing here?

The door to Ice’s car opened and he stepped out, eyes locking with yours. 

“What are you doing here?” you questioned, watching as the others exited their vehicles and started to direct large box trucks into the parking lot. “What’s going on?”

His hands found your waist, a frown on his lips. “You should have told me.”

“Sarah told you, didn’t she?”

“Yes and I’m glad she did.”

The breath was knocked from your lungs when Bernie opened the back of the truck, revealing boxes upon boxes filled with food items. It was way more than what the food bank usually received in a month’s time.

“Ice,” you breathed out, tears stinging at your eyes. “That had to cost so much, I… I swear I’ll pay you back!”

He scoffed in disbelief. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

“Huh?” You looked at him in confusion, cheeks darkening when he took you by the chin, leaning his face toward your own.

“You’re mine, baby. Everything I own belongs to you, too. My money is your money and that?” His gaze flickered to the truck before finding yours again with an intensity you had only seen when he was fighting. “That is a small price to pay for your happiness.”

“Ice, I -“

He cut you off with his lips, hand pressing against the small of your back to bring your body against his. You tilted your head to deepen the kiss, arms wrapping around his neck. 

Mako slowly stepped outside, his eyes wide as he watched the men carrying the boxes inside. “It’s a Christmas miracle!”

The comment made you laugh, breaking the kiss. You sent your boyfriend an apologetic look before addressing Mako. “It’s October, Mako-san.”

“I know that,” he huffed, looking a bit embarrassed and intimidated by the large man you were standing next to. “But a Halloween miracle hardly has the same ring to it.”

“That’s fair,” you laughed, turning your attention back to your boyfriend.

He adored the way your eyes sparkled with happiness and love. He knew then that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making you happy. 

His forehead rested against your own. “Move in with me.”

You looked at him in surprise. “Eh?”

“I want to live with you,” he explained softly, pulling you into a slow, sensual kiss. “For the rest of my life.”

Your cheeks burned at the implication of the words and you were unable to hold back your smile as you nodded, claiming his lips again.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

-> High&Low/Rampage Taglist: @kiraaaeon, @simpforchuchu, @star2fishmeg, @thatpoindexterpixy @manhwabtch

-> General Taglist: @asterhaze, @mrskenpachizaraki

[rainbowfey]

22 "Wait, you love me?" - "I always have."

@flufftober

When Sanemi’s mansion appeared at the end of the street, Genya slowed down until he had stopped walking. The familiar pressure in his chest grew bigger and for a moment, he struggled to breathe. He had not been back to Sanemi’s estate since an incident where Sanemi had clearly shown him that he did not wish to speak to him. Ever since, Genya had not seen Sanemi even once and for weeks, he had dreaded the moment where they would meet again. Thus, it had come as a rather shocking surprise when his Kasugai crow had told him that his next mission would lead him to Sanemi’s mansion. For a while, he had contemplated relaying the message through his crow that he would not follow this particular order. But then, he had gathered all his courage and decided to go through with it. After all, Sanemi was still his brother even though he could not stand Genya and probably never had since they had been children.

Genya took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders before he started moving again. However, he could not bring himself to walk quickly and thus, he meandered along the street, stretching it as much as he could. But even the longest path had to end at some point and sooner than he liked, he arrived at the gate in the fence surrounding the mansion. The gate was closed and instantly, the hope that it would be locked stirred in his guts, giving him a good excuse to leave without further investigation. Almost smiling at that prospect, he reached for the handle.

The gate swung open without a hitch. Genya stared at the definitely unlocked and now open gate and cursed silently as his hope was shattered. He grimaced and uncomfortably shifted his weight from one leg to the other. He looked up to the sky, hoping to see his Kasugai crow come for him to tell him that he could leave again but except for a few fluffy clouds, there was nothing in sight. Miserably, he looked down at the package in his hand. The order had said very specifically that he was to deliver it to Sanemi personally, so he was not even able to just set it down somewhere and make a run for it.

Genya sighed and clutched the package when taking the first step through the gate. Even though the package was the very reason as to why he even was in this situation, it was also the only thing he could hold onto right now. His legs felt shaky when he walked further onto the estate, leaving the gate behind. Each step took him farther away from the street leading back to safety, his only refuge. He nervously glanced around and listened intently for any sign of Sanemi but the estate lay eerily quiet before him. He gulped when he realized that this would only prolong this situation and suddenly, he almost hoped to hear Sanemi’s aggressive snarl somewhere close as this was his only way to get out of here quickly. But since everything stayed silent, he did not have much of a choice than to walk to the front door of the mansion and knock, hoping that he would leave the estate in one piece later on.

When Genya had reached the door, he hesitantly lifted his hand and carefully knocked at the wooden door. Only once, then he quickly took a step back, fearing the worst. His heart started beating faster when he heard footsteps behind the door and almost without noticing, he pressed the package against his chest as if he could hide behind it. When the door opened, he took a deep breath and his chest felt like it would explode at any moment now. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

“Genya-kun! What a surprise to see you here,” a voice exclaimed that sounded way warmer than Sanemi was even able to.

Both relieved and disappointed at the same time, Genya opened his eyes again and met the gaze of an attendant. It was a woman, wearing the typical uniform that showed her to be a Kakushi. While her mouth was covered with the usual Kakushi mask, her brown eyes smiled at him warmly and a faint memory stirred in Genya’s mind. If he was not mistaken, he had seen her before. Maybe she was even the attendant who had ushered him out after his last confrontation with Sanemi, treating his wounds and taking care that he got away without being seen. He remembered her kindness and when he now looked at her, he felt the lump in his throat lightening a bit.

“I am here to deliver a package to … Shinazugawa-san,” he said hesitantly. “I have to hand it over personally.”

The attendant nodded and looked at the package in his hands curiously. “Of course,” she said in her friendly voice. “Shinazugawa-sama is not here at the moment but I’m sure he will return in a few hours. How about you come in and wait here?”

Genya flinched and quickly shook his head. He did not dare to imagine how Sanemi would react if he got back to his mansion just to find his detested brother sitting in his living room. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he mumbled.

But the attendant did not seem to take notice of his reluctance. Instead, she held the door open for him and motioned for him to come in. When he hesitated, her gaze softened and she calmly said, “How about you wait in the garden? Would that be a compromise?”

And to his surprise, Genya found that this indeed sounded a lot less intimidating. Slowly, he nodded and her eyes lit up. “Follow me then,” she said enthusiastically and waved him closer.

The path to the garden led them through a part of the mansion and even though his heart still thundered in his chest, Genya curiously looked around, taking in the sight. As he had expected, Sanemi did not seem to be in favor of decorations or knick-knacks but to his surprise, there were quite a few plants that did look well taken care of. Of course, that could also be due to the diligent attendant but Genya was surprised that Sanemi tolerated plants in his personal space. Even more since some of them were very obviously flowers. Somehow, that did not fit into Genya’s image of his brother as flowers seemed gentle and soft while Sanemi was as hard as stone.

When they reached the garden, the attendant gestured to a spot where he could sit down. A wooden porch sat between the house and its garden and since the porch was still under the roof, Genya would be shielded from any wind and rain there. Not that that would be necessary as today the weather was particularly mellow, almost as if it wanted to soothe Genya. With a grateful nod, he sat down and braced himself for a long wait.

It took a while for his heartbeat to finally calm down. The neat garden did help calm his nerves and after a while, he almost forgot his fear of the confrontation in his wake. At one point, the attendant popped her head out of the door and asked him whether he would like to eat or drink something. He politely declined and she disappeared, only to come back with a cup of tea anyways. She handed it to him, giving him a friendly wink. “Good for the nerves,” she said under her breath and Genya could not help but smile back at her nervously.

The time flew by and before he knew what had happened, the sun set on the horizon. With the fading light, Genya’s nervosity came back and he fiddled around the now empty cup. For a moment, he hoped that Sanemi would not return this evening but if that was the case, the attendant surely would have let him know. So, he started counting the minutes, growing more uneasy with each moment that passed. But everything stayed silent.

When Genya finally heard voices in the house behind him, he flinched violently and hastily grabbed the package he had set down next to him. His heart hammered in his chest and when he heard heavy footsteps coming closer, his stomach tightened and he felt like he was about to throw up at any moment now. He desperately pressed a hand against his mouth and swallowed hard when he heard the door behind him opening.

The footsteps came to a halt and Genya did not dare to turn around. Only when he realized that Sanemi would certainly consider this behavior disrespectful did he force his body to move. He quickly got to his feet, staring at the ground intently as he bowed deeply.

“I am here to deliver a package,” he said quietly, hoping that his voice would tremble less than his body did. When Sanemi did not reply, Genya held the package out with both hands, still lowering his head.

The seconds of silence seemed to blur into a small eternity while all he heard was his blood rushing through his ears and quiet, steady breathing a few steps away. Then, the silence was shattered by the sound of the door sliding open again.

“I have prepared dinner for you, Shinazugawa-sama,” the attendant said in her friendly tone and Genya froze. “Since it’s too late for young Genya to walk back through the forest alone, I have prepared a portion for him too.”

Genya managed to suppress his gasp just in time before it could leave his mouth. He wanted to scream and run away but his body did not react at all, leaving him frozen in place. Bile made its way up his throat and he desperately pressed his lips together.

When Sanemi did not say a word, the attendant walked towards Genya. From the corner of his eye, he saw her setting a tray down on a narrow table, positioning the dishes neatly before she looked up and smiled again. “You should have your meal while it’s still warm.”

That was what tipped the scales and suddenly, Genya’s voice worked again. “I … I should get going,” he stammered, shooting her a pleading look.

“Nonsense,” she said firmly. “And now come here and take a seat.”

Her tone did not allow for any protest and with a sense of impending doom, Genya cautiously set down the package on the porch and followed her order, sitting down, his gaze still fixed at the ground.

“You too, Shinazugawa-sama,” the attendant said politely but insistently. And to his bewilderment, Genya heard footsteps coming closer slowly. The floorboards of the porch creaked when Sanemi sat down. The attendant beamed at him and nodded. “Good. And now enjoy your meal.”

And with those words, she bowed politely and retreated back into the mansion, leaving them alone. Genya’s ears were ringing and he struggled for breath. Everything in him wanted to get up and run away but he knew that would be a grave mistake. “I’m sorry,” he blurted out. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I’ll just get going now.”

“No.”

The word came out of nowhere and hung in the air between them, growing until it almost suffocated Genya. His hair stood on end when he hesitantly asked, “N- no?”

Sanemi heaved a deep sigh and his voice sounded exasperated when he repeated, “No. She’s right, you can’t leave now. It’s not safe.”

“I’ll be fine,” Genya stammered, instinctively backing away. “I can handle it.”

Sanemi huffed and Genya froze at the familiar sound. “Yeah, I’ve seen how you handle things,” he said, his voice full of disdain. “You are going to stay here for the night. But tomorrow morning by sunrise, I want you gone.”

“Yes, Sir,” Genya muttered, feeling entirely miserable. His whole body tensed up when he felt Sanemi moving next to him, but Sanemi just pulled the table a bit closer.

“Eat,” Sanemi said curtly and pointed at the tray which held two portions of each dish.

Genya looked down at his hands that were still trembling. He knew that if he reached for one of the bowls now, Sanemi would notice it. But if he did not follow Sanemi’s order, he was risking even more. And thus, he plucked up his courage and cautiously took one of the bowls, praying that he would not drop it. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sanemi looking at his hands but he stayed silent. Instead, he slowly started eating, not paying Genya any further attention.

With a weird mixture of relief and fear, Genya looked down at his bowl and the lump in his throat grew. While his stomach did feel hollow, he was fairly sure that he would not manage to eat even a single bite without having to throw up. His heart started pounding faster again while he pleaded with his body to not give up on him.

When he realized that Sanemi was looking at him, his heart stopped. “What are you so afraid of?” Sanemi asked harshly and Genya flinched.

He did not know what to say as Sanemi would probably not take too kindly to him revealing the truth. Hastily, he wracked his brain for a possible explanation but nothing came to mind and the bowl he stared at helplessly also did not reveal any magical solution.

“I’m not going to harm you,” Sanemi said after a while and Genya winced when he realized how accurately Sanemi had read his mind.

“But you tried to last time,” Genya blurted out and pressed his hand on his mouth when he realized what he had said. The urge to flee grew until it was almost overwhelming but he stayed frozen in place, the bowl trembling in his other hand.

For a moment, Sanemi stayed quiet. Then, he nodded. “I did,” he said curtly. “But I’m not going to try again.”

Genya paused and asked himself whether he had heard the words right. He set his bowl down, careful not to break it. And when he spoke, the word came without him thinking about it. “Why?”

Sanemi stayed silent for so long that Genya started to think he would not reply at all. But when he also set his bowl aside and spoke up, his voice sounded strangely tired. “Because I realized that it’s too late. You have chosen your path and I am not able to change that anymore.”

Images flashed before Genya’s inner eye. He still saw Sanemi’s face in his nightmares, pale with rage as he stormed towards Genya, two fingers outstretched, aiming for his eyes. The tone of Sanemi’s voice now did not want to fit in with those memories and Genya’s mind started swimming. When he had told Sanemi that he had started eating demons, he had expected a reaction. Maybe surprise, bewilderment even, probably also a bit of anger. But he had not expected Sanemi attacking him like that. How in the world could anyone ever expect something like that, even from a person that hated them?

After the incident, Genya had thought about it every single night, lying awake and staring into the dark. At first, he had thought Sanemi had wanted to kill him. However, there would have been more than enough more convenient ways to do so. And after long and hard thinking, Genya had come to the conclusion that Sanemi had went specifically for his eyes because he wanted to blind him. But why he had tried that had escaped Genya. Until now.

“You wanted me injured so badly that I can’t be a demon slayer anymore,” he said slowly when the realization sunk in. His heart stopped and for the first time, he looked up and met Sanemi’s gaze. The look out of his dark eyes paralyzed Genya and he held his breath, waiting for a reaction.

Sanemi looked at him, his face entirely blank. But then, he sighed and shrugged. “It did not work,” he said, his face still unmoving.

Genya stared at him, trying to grasp what could have led Sanemi to this attempt. “I … why did you want to do that to me?” he asked quietly, his heartbeat slowing down until it felt like his heart would stop beating at any moment. If this was the moment of truth, he had to use his chance to find out once and for all.

Sanemi stayed silent for a while. His gaze wandered over the dark garden and for once, he seemed almost calm, unsettlingly so. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded strained, sending a shiver down Genya’s spine. “I can’t watch my brother go down that path.”

Genya’s head shot up and he stared at Sanemi with wide eyes. In his ears, faint memories of Sanemi’s voice rang when he hissed at him that they were not family. “You said you didn’t have a brother,” Genya said, casting his caution to the wind. “What changed?”

Sanemi sighed and when he looked back at Genya, his face darkened. “Nothing,” he said curtly. “After tomorrow, I don’t want to see you again.”

And even though Genya was not surprised at these words, his heart ached when he looked at his older brother, his pale face so familiar and so foreign at the same time. When he blinked, he saw a younger, happier face for a moment and the pain in his chest grew until it took his breath away. He could still see a younger Sanemi smiling at him, ruffling his hair. But then he blinked another time and the world turned dark again. The fair features turned into rough, hard ones, no hint of that kind smile left. The lump in Genya’s throat grew until it suffocated him. “Why, Sanemi?” he asked and his voice broke.

Sanemi closed his eyes and for a moment, Genya could see the pain in his features as he grimaced. When he opened his eyes again, he straightened his shoulders and stared into the night. “You don’t want to see a person you love seal their own fate,” Sanemi said. And when he turned back and looked at Genya, his voice sounded cold. “I’m not going to stand by and watch you die. If you want things to be this way, you’re on your own.”

And while Genya heard his voice, four words echoed in his mind. ‘A person you love’. The world shattered around him when he looked at his brother. “Wait,” he whispered, his vision blurring, the world washing away until Sanemi’s face was all he could see. “You love me?”

And when Sanemi looked at him, Genya could see the anguish in his eyes. “I always have,” Sanemi said hoarsely, his gaze burning into Genya’s eyes. “And that’s exactly why I can’t watch you go down.”

Genya’s face felt cold when a single tear ran down his cheek. And when he looked at Sanemi, he felt small again, like the child that had sought shelter in his brother’s arms when it got scared. “I’m sorry, aniki,” he squeezed out and quickly wiped the tear away. “I’m so sorry.”

Genya looked down, desperately trying to regain his composure as more and more tears blurred his vision, running down his cheeks uncontrollably. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to find something to hold onto as the pain ripped him to pieces. When he heard a movement next to him, he flinched and hunched up his shoulders, trying to shield his head.

And then, a hand touched his back. Hesitantly at first, then firmer as it grabbed his shoulder and slowly pulled him closer. And when he felt an arm wrapping around his shoulder, he broke. Pushing his fear aside, he threw himself at his brother, clinging to him as if he was his lifeline. Sanemi froze under his touch, his body growing stiff. But then, he heaved a deep sigh and softened, pulling Genya into an embrace. “We’ll make it through this together, Genya-kun.”

And for the first time in years, Genya felt safe again.

[scaryfangirl2001]

More Than (fanfic, 321 WC)

@flufftober

The sun sets over the horizon, casting a warm orange glow on the campsite. Cory, Shawn, and Topanga huddle around a roaring bonfire, roasting marshmallows and sharing scary stories. As the night progresses, the conversation turns more serious. Shawn, quiet most of the evening, speaks up.

"Hey, Cory?" he says carefully.

Cory turns, a marshmallow hovering before his face. "Yeah?"

Shawn's eyes lock with Cory's, and they stare for a moment. Then, Shawn's face softens into a smile. "I'm glad we're friends, Cory," he says in a voice filled with emotion.

Cory's face lights up with a warm smile. "Me too, Shawn. You're my best friend."

Shawn's smile falters, and he looks away, eyes shining with unshed tears.

Cory's brow furrows in concern. "Hey, Shawn, what's wrong?"

Shawn takes a deep breath, then turns back to Cory. "I don't know how to say this, Cory."

Cory's eyes lock with Shawn's, seeing fear and uncertainty. "Just say it, Shawn," he says softly.

Shawn's voice is barely a whisper. "I love you, Cory."

Cory's eyes widen in shock, feeling punched in the gut. "Wait, you love me?" he repeats, voice shaking.

Shawn nods, eyes never leaving Cory's face. "I always have," he says, voice filled with conviction.

Cory's heart races, feeling like he's floating. He never considered Shawn romantically, but now it makes perfect sense. He reaches for Shawn's hand, heart pounding. "I love you too, Shawn," he whispers.

Shawn's face lights up with a radiant smile, and he leans in to kiss Cory. The world melts away, leaving only them, lost in love and happiness.

As they pull away, Cory grins at Shawn. "I guess we're more than best friends now," he says, voice filled with excitement.

Shawn chuckles and wraps his arms around Cory. "Definitely," he says, holding him close.

They sit, wrapped in each other's arms, watching stars twinkle above. It's a moment they'll never forget, changing their lives forever.

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: Gen

Fandom: Sanctuary (Canada TV 2008)

Character: Nigel Griffin

Additional Tags: Fluff, victorian london, Pickpocketing, First Job, mentor, Victorian era, Books, Theft

Prompt - Alt 3: "Wait, you love me?" - "I always have."

Chapter Summary:

Nigel liberates some books so The Five can complete their experiment.

[bilightningwhumper]

@flufftober 2024- Day 6/Alt 3: “Wait you love me?” - “I always have”

<<Previous . My Flufftober 2024 Masterlist . Next>>

"Final Piece" Masterlist --- TNEI Tumblr Masterlist

Summary:

Excerpt for "Final Piece" (The Last Unicorn retelling) Lir finds a secret hidden in Galen's closet

Notes:

Characters: Lir- name unchanged from book Galen- Unicorn

Ao3 link

Word count: 531

Lir PoV

It wasn’t Lir’s fault. At least, he didn’t think so. The box at the bottom of Galen had his name on it, not Galen’s

Still, the curiosity nagged on him. Was he even supposed to have seen it? It was underneath blankets he’d only moved to organize things. But her didn’t want to go behind Galen’s back to look inside.

He must not have hidden his thoughts that well because his friend cornered him at dinner one night.

“Alright, what’s wrong?” Galen asked, leaning his arms on top of the table, looking directly at Lir. “You’ve been acting weird for days, so don’t tell me it’s nothing. Something’s bothering you.”

Lir couldn’t meet his eyes, opting to push the food around on his plate instead. “What’s the box for? The one with my name on it?”

He could feel Galen’s eyes on him. Maybe this was a mistake. Of course it was probably a secret and- He was… laughing?

“Is that what this is about?”

Lir heard the chair move and looked up to watch Galen disappear into the bedroom. When he came back, he had the box, eyes still laughing with a smile on his face.

“I was going to give it to you eventually, just didn’t know when. So now is as good a time as any.” He said, placing it next to Lir’s dinner plate. When he still hesitated, Galen nudged him gently. “Go on, open it. It’s for you.”

Tentatively, Lir lifted the top off. It wasn’t a big box. Probably carried shoes before they were replaced with the collection of items he found inside. A pile of letters, sealed with the same date written on the outside of each, though a year apart. Small toys and dried flowers. There were some handmade items, too.

Lir wasn’t sure what to think of all of it as he pulled out the items one by one. Galen had a lot of little things around the apartment that he called ‘knick knacks’ and ‘decorations.’ Was this supposed to be his start for that?

Then, underneath the letters, he found something he did recognize. A jewelry box, one shaped like a mating courting gift. Usually it was the alpha who gave it to an omega, but he’d learned that Galen wasn’t really a fan of following tradition. Carefully, he opened it to find a locket. The picture slot was empty when he looked inside, but the other side had an engraving. A ‘G’ and an ‘L’ on opposite sides of a heart.

He blinked. Once. Twice.

“Wait,” He looked up at Galen, who seemed worried. “You love me?”

The worry cleared, replaced with a small amused smile. “I always have, bonehead. I thought you figured that out already. Why else would I have risked going back there?”

“Oh,” Lir could feel himself blushing as he looked back down at the locket. In a small voice, he said, “Thank you.”

Galen just nudged him gently with his food again. “Eat your food before it gets cold.”

And now Lir could hear the hidden ‘I love you’ beneath his words. Nothing could make him happier. Except maybe someday hearing Galen say “I do.”

TNEI Taglist:

@scoundrelwithboba

[daprettieststar]

amortentia

a fic by @daprettieststar for @flufftober day three

T | mary macdonald/marlene mckinnon | 3.6k

flufftober day three: favorite scent

& alt 3: “wait you love me?” “i always have”

summary:

Amortentia day in Potions class turns out to be very eventful. Marlene relives her favorite moments of Mary through the scent of the potion. Mary confesses what it smelled like to her, too.

read on ao3

<prev masterlist next>

[dat-carovieh]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Polizeiruf 110 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Wiktor Krol/Adam Raczek Characters: Adam Raczek, Wiktor Krol Additional Tags: Developing Relationship, Mental Health Issues, Love Confessions, Flufftober, Prompt:, „Wait you love me?“ „Always have.“ Summary:

Wiktor besucht Adam in der Klinik.

@flufftober

[christmassavestheyear]

we're too young to drown, deep in dirty waters a fic by @thefootnotes for @whumptober

The photographs on the walls feature a Gabriel that never existed; a man who had no flaws, a man remembered by everyone as the smartest, the strongest. A family man, apparently. It all makes Carlos scoff mentally, but then the guilt overtakes him, and he returns a few days later to assist his mother with her latest panicked dilemma.

Or the one where Gabriel left certain things behind, and Carlos isn’t sure how to feel about it all.

T | tk strand & the reyes family | 2.1k whumptober day 18 - revenge: unreliable narrator, loss of identity, "i see what's mine and i take it" + A3: finding old messages

read on ao3.

[ikaishere]

ALT: wearing eachother's clothes

flufftober day 15! long story short, @breannasfluff drew genderbent ravio and legend and I fell for it so easily. have her wearing her gfs clothes<3

[midnightshard06]

Flufftober Day 21

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50489362/chapters/128899048

Summary: Sonic decides to wear Silver's gloves. Silver is confused by this, but is just glad to see Sonic happy.

Pairing: Sonic the Hedgehog/Silver the Hedgehog

Warnings: None

Word Count: ~600

@flufftober

“Hey Sonic have you seen my…” Silver trailed off. “Oh.”

Sonic jumped and put his hands behind his back. “Oh! Hey Silvs. What’s up?”

“Why do you have my gloves on?” Silver frowned in confusion. There wasn’t any reason for Sonic to be wearing them right? Was something wrong with his? Did they need to be washed or something?

“Oh uh… I mean what do you mean? I don’t have your gloves on.” He chuckled nervously. “That would be weird.” He waved a hand and paused as he realized that it was now very obvious that he had Silver’s glove on. Silver rose a brow in silent question. “I uh… can explain?”

“Go on.” Silver crossed his arms. He was just sort of confused and would love an explanation. Sonic had never done anything like this before and the two had been together for a while now.

“Well…” Sonic rubbed the back of his head and sighed. “I just wanted to? I was kinda curious how your gloves and ring things felt to wear.” He idly played with the ring. “Is… that weird?”

Silver let his hands fall to his sides as he thought. Was that weird? He wasn’t sure if he was the best judge of what was weird or not to be fair. He found he didn’t mind it really, it felt sort of… nice maybe? Nice that Sonic had shown an interest in his stuff at all. His feelings felt a bit complicated, but not bad. “I… don’t think it’s weird?” Silver internally cringed at how unsure he sounded.

Sonic grinned, there was a twinge of nervousness to it. “Are you asking that?”

“I- no.” Silver shook his head. “No, I don't think it’s weird.” He smiled. “How about this, where are your gloves? I’ll wear them today and let you wear mine for the rest of the day.”

Sonic perked up. “Really?” He coughed into his hand. “I mean yeah sure. That sounds good. Let me go grab them real quick.” Sonic was gone in a flash of blue and back in the next moment, holding out his gloves to Silver. He looked excited.

Silver smiled, took the gloves, and slid them on. They were nice he supposed, but what was nicer was the happy look on Sonic’s face. That was all he needed to be sold on the whole thing. In fact, he had an idea that Sonic might enjoy. “What if we went all the way?”

The other hedgehog looked at him, clearly interested. “Oh?”

“What if we swap shoes for the day too? Just to complete the look?” Silver suggested, tapping his hands together.

“Sure!” Sonic looked happy, so Silver figured mission accomplished. Silver did have to help Sonic put on his boots, but it wasn’t too hard. He was just glad the two of them were the same size. Sonic’s shoes were pretty comfortable, which made sense. They would suck to run in if they weren’t.

“Hey, looking good there Silver.” Sonic winked.

“Are you just saying that because I have your stuff on?” Silver rose a brow and grinned.

Sonic gasped and put a hand on his chest. “I’m offended you would think that.” He tapped Silver on the nose. “I’ll have you know you look good all the time.”

“All the time?” Silver crossed his arms.

“All the time.” Sonic copied Silver.

“Well you don’t look half bad yourself.” Silver turned towards the door. “Now that we’re dressed should we get going with the day?”

Sonic walked up and linked hands with Silver. “Let’s do it.”

[baubeautyandthegeek]

Aiding Love - Susan McAlester/Janice 'Jan' Higgins

A/N: Alt 3 for @sicktember

“Fuck…” Susan barely hides the wince even as she moves to wash her hand, trying to stem the blood flow a little until Janice moves to her side with the first aid kit, gently drying the cut with a flannel she’ll throw out later, moving to gently press a padded bandage over the cut, wrapping it carefully even as she speaks. “Not enough to be sharkbait, you gotta keep bloodletting?” “Wasn’t on purpose.” Susan mutters and Janice smiles slightly, pressing a soft kiss to the padded wound. “Can you guys keep the domestics out of the lab?” “First off, she saved me from a shark…” “You saved me too.” Susan murmurs the words softly and Janice smiles and kisses her hand again softly. “Second… this is our home lab… you can always leave.”

[serickswrites]

Cast Me Down

Warnings: self sacrifice, captivity, torture implied, noncon implied

Villain strode into the room, not even glancing to Sidekick cowering in the corner. They couldn’t. If they looked at Sidekick, their resolve would break. And they couldn’t let their resolve break. 

“Ah, the prodigal son returns,” Superhero crowed from their chair. They fingered the blade in their hand that was, mercifully, unbloodied. For now. 

“Let Sidekick go, Superhero.” Villain didn’t let their voice betray how terrified they were. Their plan had to work. It had to. Because, for once, they didn’t have a back up plan.

“And do what then?” Superhero glared at Villain. 

Villain gave a sidelong glance at Sidekick. Sidekick was visibly unhurt, shaken up, but unhurt. Villain was grateful for that at least. “What you have always wanted to do.”

Superhero cocked their head. “And what’s that?”

Villain swallowed. They had fought against this their entire career. They had escaped Superhero and their touches once and had been fighting to stay free since. “Whatever you want to to me.”

Superhero laughed dryly. “You’re offering yourself in their place? Hear that Sidekick? I was just going to rough you up a bit, but now I get that and more.” They eyed Villain and licked their lips. 

“No, Villain! You can’t!” Sidekick shouted from their corner. 

Superhero shot them a dark look. “Hush, little one.” They stood up and held out their hand to Villain. “I’ve been known to make a deal with a devil or two in my time.”

Villain thrust their hand into Superhero’s. As Superhero’s grip turned bruising, they reflected that it was they who were making a deal with the devil, not Superhero.