#although i guess maybe he’s a teenager but i feel like everyone is at least 20s by human standards?

[pipskippy]

reading dungeon meshi for the first time wheeeeeeee!!!!

[skrrts]

♡ pool dive (one-shot)

✧ reader x non!idol san ✧ genre: slice of life, summer, more than friends ✧ word count: 2,4k ✧ mentions: staring at his body, kissing underwater, being close, nothing explicit

You love summer, but the current heatwave poses a challenge—there's just no way to do anything when it's this hot. San doesn't seem bothered by it at all, but as you insist it's just too hot for activities, he has quite the idea: breaking into his neighbor's house to take a dive into their pool.

note: I promise this is the last pool-related story 😅 Summer is just really intense this time around, and I sadly do not live close to the ocean as well.

Didn’t everyone have them, sweet memories of summer? As a child, they were the highlight of the year, not only because of no school but also because parents were more patient, allowing their kids to stay out longer than usual. As a teenager, you and your friends would stay up until after midnight, eating popsicles and watching the nightscape of the city from your favorite place close to your high school. Your friends didn’t change at all, each still a part of your life, but as an adult, summer suddenly wasn’t what you wanted it to be.

You were in your 20s and, based on social media, you were supposed to wear great outfits, sip cocktails near a pool, and be up all night, at least on the weekends. But now all you could do was sigh loudly about the heat. It didn’t even help that you only wore shorts and an oversized shirt while staying in the cooled-down basement apartment in the Choi family’s house. Over the past few years, it had become somewhat of your escape place at any time of the year: whether escaping the heat, seeking comfort, or finding a safe place where you could act silly without the questionable glares of society.

During high school, there were nine of you altogether, best friends always roaming the streets in search of adventure during school holidays. Now it was mostly just San and you. The others lived scattered across the country, studying or busy with their working lives, even during summer. Maybe this was another reason why you found yourself here rather than trying to cool down your little apartment.

Over the past year, something started to develop between the two of you. Neither of you seemed to want to put any labels on it just yet, but there was no rejection of the positive tension building up: the fiery kisses and touches, the way San held you tightly offering a feeling of security while also giving your butt teasing squeezes. It happened here and there but it was far from something you spoke about to anyone else around and there were many times when you simply shared time together as friends. Then, both of you were content with it, something that made it easier.

You were lying head over on the couch, watching San, who was sitting on a large bean bag, reading a Haikyuu manga, seeming quite comfortable without a hint that the current heatwave was a problem for him. Your gaze admired his body. He had changed quite a bit since high school, from a kind kid to a very well-built man in his early 20s. The tank top he wore was tight enough to allow your gaze to trace the abs of his body, paying attention to his strong arms that managed to lift you up so easily these days, and the way his dark hair fell into his face, framing it perfectly.

You sighed and squeezed your eyes shut. It wouldn’t help if you got lost in that kind of daydream while feeling like you already were a mess thanks to the summer heat. San seemed to finally give up, letting out a gentle huff as he closed the manga and put it aside, looking at you with an amused smile: “If you sigh any more, I might do so too. What do we do with you, huh? I guess we won’t go out after all then. Pity, I was looking forward to going to the store and eating ice cream. Wooyoung would have complained if we sent him a photo about going there without him.”

He certainly would have, although he was currently in another city for a baseball match. You looked innocently back at San: “It’s just too hot. Once we leave your room, I am going to turn into a puddle, and you won’t ever see me again. Your friend will be nothing but a memory. You’ll go and tell everyone how I used to be so good-looking but then summer carried me away.”

San was amused by your silly story, the smile on his lips told you so easily. “Mh, that really would be awful. Not only because what would I tell our friends but I’d miss you a lot. Who else comes here to hang out and doesn’t complain about me reading my favorite series for the 100th time?” His compliment added a hint of red to your cheeks and he laughed: “But seeing you blush likely means there is hope of saving you. What options do we have? You don’t want to leave because it’s too hot but I’m afraid any activity might be too much tonight.”

You grabbed a pillow and threw it at him without hesitation, which he dodged far too elegantly. “I am just teasing! I do feel like I am not entirely wrong though, so let’s see. We could just eat ice cream here and watch a movie, but we have done this already this week and I admit, it’s a little hotter today than on Tuesday.”

He frowned, looking out of the small window that was part of the room. San and his parents were rather close. While he was away at college, his father spent a year remodeling the large basement to be an apartment of its own with a living room area, a tiny kitchen, and a small bedroom with a bathroom. For San, it was perfect and he happily remained with his family. It was one of those things you admired about him. You were being one of those kids who couldn’t wait to have a place of their own after graduation just because it seemed to be part of becoming a real adult. It didn't mean you weren't close with your family but you valued your privacy.

You were torn out of your thoughts when San snapped his fingers, grinning: “I have just the idea!” Somehow, you knew you should be alarmed by this expression but whenever this man had an idea, there was no going back, so you quietly blinked, preparing yourself.

The first sign to be alarmed had been when San started shoving towels and clean shirts into a backpack, along with two bottles of water. All you could do was watch with confusion, noting how the two of you had agreed it was just too hot outside, yet he kept insisting on leaving, saying it wouldn’t be too far. Ah yes, he knew you too well; you’d have chickened out if he had told you what exactly he had in mind when he took your hand, leading you through the garden. The sun was about to set, but it didn’t feel any cooler than a few hours earlier when you arrived.

San led you to the fence, quickly checking that nobody was looking before pushing on the old wooden pieces that gave way without a problem, allowing the two of you to slip through. The neighbors of the Choi family were a somewhat wealthy couple who had spent quite a bit of money renovating the house after inheriting it five years prior. The man was an architect, and his wife a manager of some big business, but both were quite down to earth. While you only exchanged a few polite words now and then, San seemed to get along well with them. Which did not explain why exactly the two of you were sneaking through their garden right now. San led you to the stairs that went down to the basement.

“San, what are we doing here?” you whispered like a criminal, not really able to shake off the fear of being caught. Was this illegal? Would anyone call the police on you? Ah, now watching another movie with ice cream sounded rather tempting after all. He did not seem too bothered about it, looking around, fingers slipping under one of the rocks before he pulled out a small key. “You said a proper summer includes going swimming, and since we don’t live near the sea and pools are too busy with people, we’ll just use our own.”

You blinked, staring at him as he unlocked the door and pulled you inside. “How did you know there is a key?” you kept your voice low but couldn’t shake off the tension. San gently ruffled your hair, laughing: “Stop making that face. I house-watched for them a few times. Well, not right now, but they are on a weekend trip and won’t be back until Tuesday. Dad told me they asked if he could pick up a delivery they’re expecting tomorrow, which means there’s no worry at all.”

He let go and walked over to turn on some lights. Thanks to the basement not having any windows, there was no risk of anyone outside noticing it. You blinked, your eyes needing a moment to adjust before you couldn’t help but look around in awe. The entire basement had been remodeled to be an indoor swimming pool. While the pool took up most of the space, there was also a sauna tucked into a corner, a small bar area, and a big couch. The walls and flooring were made of sandstone, giving it a cave-like feel with lights creating a perfect mood.

“This is… something else,” you admitted but then hurried to shake your head. “Still, San! We can’t just break into your neighbors’ pool to cool off a little. What if they find out?”

He dropped the backpack, laying out the towels before finally turning around to look at you. For a moment, you could see his gaze linger on your appearance, paying attention to every small detail, and when he stepped closer, you found yourself swallowing.

His strong hands cupped your face so gently, making you look right at him, and you could feel his breath as he leaned in. “It will be okay, we won’t leave a mess so they won’t know. Besides,” he grinned, “we already broke in, though I’m not sure we can call it that since we used a key I was told to use in the past. Anyway, now that we’re here, let’s make the most of it.” Before you could say anything else, his lips sealed the decision with a kiss, one you were too weak to reject.

San smiled once he was certain you’d relaxed and pulled the tank top over his head, making you swallow. His body was perfect; there was just nothing lacking. His muscles suited him perfectly, complementing rather than distracting from his face. You bit down on your lower lip as he obviously enjoyed your gaze, moving slowly to the edge of the pool. “The temperature is perfect,” he said, pushing himself in and disappearing under the surface for a moment.

You hesitated for a moment before deciding to go in just like that. San brought some spare clothes, so it seemed fine, and the heat would dry everything quickly anyway. As you dived into the water, you caught a glimpse of San. You held your breath and closed your eyes, enjoying the refreshing sensation. When you could no longer hold your breath, you surfaced, brushing wet hair out of your face.

Slowly, your sight returned and you saw San smiling, seemingly enjoying that your worries about being caught had faded. “I’d say this is a good way to spend a hot summer night,” he chuckled, slowly swimming closer to you. Your expression mirrored his and you laughed: “Fine, let’s say this isn’t too bad. Just let’s agree not to break into others’ houses again next time or else, the others will want to do it too, and I’m not sure if they can manage to be as quiet as we are to avoid getting caught.”

San thought about your words and laughed, brushing his own wet hair out of his face: “You’re right, some of them certainly couldn’t. People would hear Mingi before we even made it into the water, and Wooyoung and Jongho would challenge each other to jump in, leaving a mess.” Your friends were just like that, a little wild and reckless, but you adored them for it.

“They aren’t here now, and I have your attention all to myself,” San’s voice was suddenly a whisper as he came closer, wrapping his arms around you. Your eyes looked at him, and you wondered where the two of you would go from here eventually, but there was no need to decide or worry about it tonight. You trusted that things would fall into place naturally, just as they always did. “Quite lucky, I agree,” you joked gently.

He was now right in front of you as if he were about to kiss you. “Do you trust me?” he whispered, and you looked up, nodding without hesitation. “Always.” San seemed happy with your answer, a playful shimmer deepening in his eyes, and the way he held you closely sent shivers down your spine. “Take a deep breath,” he requested, and so you did.

As he leaned in, you felt the anticipation build, your breaths mingling, then San pulled you underwater, your lips meeting in a proper kiss, one that was deep and longing yet playful as the cool water of the pool enveloped you both. It was like a scene from a summer movie coming true. The sensation was both electrifying and calming, familiar yet excitingly new. You closed your eyes, trusting him completely and savoring the connection you both shared. Time seemed to stop, and while you knew it couldn’t have been more than a minute when you both surfaced, it felt endless.

You exhaled and inhaled, San smiling, doing the same but without letting you go, gently moving the two of you to the edge of the pool and placing you on it so you could relax a little. “I hope this fulfills your wish for a summer just like in the movies,” he teased, his hands playing gently with yours.

“I think I like this version better,” you smiled as you looked at him. Both of you were content just like that, and maybe that was why this felt right. A part of you suddenly wished that this summer wouldn’t pass too quickly; even the heatwave seemed bearable now.

“Hey, want to go for another round?” you suddenly asked with a grin. San blinked, surprised before laughing: “A little practice wouldn’t be bad to improve it.”

Without hesitation, you slipped back into the water and right into his arms.

[lightwing-s]

𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲| 𝐣. 𝐭.

pairing: arkham knight!jason todd x female!reader warnings: angst, violence, domestic abuse  word count: 2,4k summary: gotham pulls you down, jason pulls you harder. a/n: after reading the arkham knight comic i found myself obsessed and wrote this some time ago while in between finals. there will be a part 2, so wait for it soon ♡ ⌜masterlist⌟ ⌜requests⌟

A long time ago, someone I knew, someone I loved, told me something I would never forget: Gotham has powers over its people. Just like gravity, pulling you down, making it hard for you to leave. 

At that point, I didn't understand. But as time went by, it all became clear.

I wanted to leave. And I tried to. So many damned times, almost on a daily basis. And yet, here I am. Still in this goddamn place.

But he also told me, on that same day, that although the gravity field was heavy, I could be stronger. That I was stronger. I could push it away, get out of here. What doesn’t kill you makes you a hell of a lot stronger, Y/n.

It all started on a Thursday night. I was given the day off on Friday, and like every reckless young adult, I had decided to spend my night getting drunk with my so-called friends at a bar, just around the corner of the street he once owned. Even if it’d been years, I could never not remember him everytime I walked by.

But that time, for the first time in forever, it didn’t cross my mind. I had missed it. I had… forgotten. It would be days later when the guilt started eating me up. How could I’ve forgotten him? How did I suddenly stop caring?

We were having fun, dancing around, chatting, and having drinks. Having many drinks. I must have drunk double my weight in alcohol, yet somehow still managed to stand on my two feet. My boyfriend, almost as drunk as me, hung out with his friends not paying me much attention. I guess he didn’t care that it was my birthday, but I guess even I forgot about that. It had been years since I last cared for it, nothing making much sense celebrating once he was gone.

I was looking for a toilet, stumbling my way around the crowded place while my bladder made it harder to walk around. 

And that’s when I felt it. The eyes on me. Like an eagle’s fixed on its prey. A sniper aiming at it’s target. I never understood when books and movies talked about this feeling until I felt it myself. My hair stood on end, the air suddenly thickening around me, my heart beat gaining pace. 

Something I could never, even in the wildest of my dreams, ever have imagined. I thought, maybe, I was making it all up, like some kind of drunken hallucination. Or that finally the terrors of Gotham had gone so up my head that I started seeing things. Things that weren’t real. Things that, at least, weren’t supposed to be.

Yet, there he was. Like a ghost. Clad in a red hoodie, staring straight at me through the dirty, fogged up glass window. The guy I thought I had seen the last of when I was still a just dumb teenager. 

Even though he stood so far away from me, I could see his gloomy semblance. His tired eyes, still bright blue as I had always remembered. But once our eyes met, all that pain and melancholy went away, as his face softened, and his eyes held the same sparkle in them as years ago. It could never be someone else, I would recognize my Robin whenever and wherever I saw him.

“Jason?” I whispered to myself, or at least I thought I had as I would later be informed I had drawn many eyes to me at that moment. But I didn’t care. He was here. It was all that mattered.

I had forgotten everything. Everyone. I stormed out of that crowded bar and ran into the streets. Into his arms. Arms that embraced me, tightly, like I was the last  good thing on this Earth. Like I was his own life, threatening to slip away at any moment. And for the first time in ages, I felt at home.

My boyfriend didn’t like the way I’d left that night. Well, my ex boyfriend. I couldn’t pull up with his shit anymore. Not with him being back.

After our embrace, Jason didn’t want to stay in the street for too long, at the time I didn’t know why, so I just went away with him. God knew where he was taking me, but I trusted him with my life like I always did. All I remember are the city lights flying past us, as we rushed through the streets hand in hand. His ever so sweet tone as we made our first stop under the lights of Old Wayne Tower. How he treated me, how he paid attention. His tender touch, his breath meeting mine, the scarred skin of his face as I caressed his cheek, and his soft lips against mine.

It was just me and him, the world getting blurry around us, reality and dreams blending together for a moment. And from then on, nothing else mattered. It was us against the world.

He took me home, or where I thought his home was then. He dragged me by the hand, swerving through the crowds, pushing through people, but never loosening his hold.

“I’m not gonna lose you again, Y/n.” he looked back to tell me, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, as I tried to fix his hold. His smile blinded me to everything else but him. He was  all I could see. Nothing else.

He led me through an alley to an abandoned diner, and dragging me inside, he took me to a secret door. I must have been too dumbfounded, mind too foggy, still too drunk, as I don’t remember our way up to his room. I just remember standing there, in the almost emptiness of the dark room, filled only with a bed and a desk, a picture of us as teenagers sitting on top of it. I was feeling uneasy, but yet safe.

“I thought you were dead.” I told him, voice cracking and tears flooding my eyes. “I went to your memorial”

“I know… I know it must all be too confusing to you.” he said, holding my face in his large hands, thumbs wiping the tears that had dared to fall down my cheeks. “You will understand. Soon. I just can’t explain it right now.”

Resting his forehead on mine, he took a moment to breathe. Breathe in my scent, breathe in the quiet. His eyes were closed, but when he opened them they bore deep into mine, not giving me a single chance to look away. Not that I would, no. I was already trapped in his gravity field, pushing me down, trapping me deeper, harder  than I would imagine.

“Do you trust me, Yn?” he asked, voice nothing more than a whisper. I could not reply, I didn’t know why. “Do I scare you? With my scars. With how I returned?”

All I did was shake my head no. I wasn’t scared. I would never be scared of Jason Todd. My Robin, my whole world, my safety net ready to catch me whenever I fall. And how I had fallen, so many times. And I had fallen again.

“Good girl.” he said, leaning down once more to give me a kiss on the nose. “Good, good girl. I knew you would never forget about me, because I never forgot about you.”

I was fifteen when I met Jason. Sad and lonely, walking down the streets of Gotham like there was nothing better in the world for me to do. And at that time, I really didn’t.

It was getting darker, the sun lowering down on the horizon. The loud music blasting in my ears, probably some angst pop punk tunes I was into back then, and still secretly listen to till this day, distracting me from my surroundings, making me feel like the only one in the world, when a loud scream took me off my dreamland.

“Didn’t you hear a thing?” asked this tall and dark haired boy. Removing one of my earplugs, and without any words, my confused eyes asked him 'what'. “That guy over there,” he pointed behind his back to a shadow taking the corner onto the next street. “… he was trying to rob you.”

I remember turning back swiftly, causing a sting of pain on my neck, and finding my backpack slightly open. Checking it out, I found nothing was missing and thanked him for the warning.

“You go down here every day, right? I’ve noticed you walking past here for a while. Always around the same time.”

“I live just a few minutes down.” I told him, not noticing the little hint at an obsession in his tone.

“Can I walk you home?” he offered, cheeks slightly tainted red. “It’s a bit dangerous around here at this time.”

“Won’t it be dangerous for you too?” I questioned innocently. Oh, silly me.

“I can handle myself around here.”

From then on, he walked me home every night. He also walked me to school, and also spent every free time we had walking aimlessly around the neighbourhood, pretending our lives were great for those few couple hours we had together. 

He became my shield from the world. My best friend. My white knight. He took my mind away from my family and how shitty they were. With him I was happy for a few moments, until he dropped me two houses from mine, so no one would see us, so my dad wouldn’t get mad, and I had to return to the rash, sad reality that was my daily life.

One morning, Jason came to pick me up, but instead of finding me at our regular spot, he found me at my door, wearing the same clothes as the day before, laying my head on my backpack, trying to shield the cold away with a single denim jacket and failing miserably as my body shivered intensely. On my lip, a deep cut, and a soft purple mark decorated my left eye.

“Y/n?” He shook my body, waking me up tenderly. “What did he do?”

His voice was the complete opposite of his touch, though,  covered in anger. He knew who had done that, he didn’t know why, but knew it wasn’t enough reason. There was never enough reason. He knew the culprit and he’d make him regret it. As much as I tried to, I couldn’t stop him, a pattern I would later find out would repeat itself countless times. He was too strong for me to push him away.

He aggressively knocked on my door, pushed my mom out of the way once she opened it, and searched the house for my father, the one person I hated the most in my life, and whom he hated just as much. He found him in his office, hitting the door closed behind him. Me and my mother didn’t know what to do. We just stood and waited, as we heard screams and the sound of things breaking inside the room. Her bruised hands holding firmly onto mine.

When the door reopened a few moments later, all I could see was Jason’s sore knuckles as he rushed out the house, pulling me by the wrist with. I didn’t know then, or perhaps I did, but that was the moment I fell in love with Jason Todd.

I wouldn’t see my dad till weeks later, when he returned home from the hospital. And that was also the last time I saw him, as he kicked me out for “hanging around with the wrong people”. My mom was devastated, but I didn't care. I was finally free.

A family friend took me in, and Jason continued to walk me home and everywhere else. He would visit me every night. We would often share my bed, as we quietly and secretly, made our love physical, real. As we made us into our reality. Up until he went away.

The first time Jason was taken from me had me broken into little pieces. I thought it would take long till I saw him again, but soon I received a letter from a police officer. 

In it, he told me he was put into a new school as part of this new troubled kids program.  For several months, I read him raving about his new school, the new opportunities, and how he finally had a chance at a brighter future.

I was happy for him, truly. But I couldn’t help the small knot forming in my throat from both jealousy and from just how much I missed him.

Until one day, he knocked on my door, ready to take me to school as we did before, just this time not on foot.

Getting used to Jason as a multi millionaire’s ward wasn’t easy, and I could sense him drifting away with each passing day. He wasn’t the same Jason I knew, even though he hadn’t changed even a bit with me. He just had a new life. A double one I came to know of one night when he climbed up my window.

His visits became regular, and as much as I felt Jason slipping away, Robin was still mine.

And then he was taken from me again. That time, for good. And I was never the same.

All those years, Gotham’s gravity field kept pulling me further and further down, as much as I tried to escape it. Jason’s words echoed in my head, but I knew I couldn’t be strong enough to break away. So I stayed in this city, working low paying jobs, getting around with the wrong kind of people. Trying to make my way through this tumultuous situation that never seemed to get better.

But now, laying naked in Jason’s room, covered only by the thin cotton sheets of his bed, feeling sore and exhausted, feeling cared for and complete, a whole new sense of belonging, of excitement and hope filled me to the brim. I felt unstoppable beside him, like everything would finally settle into place, allowing me to quit this gravity field for good.

Gotham’s gravity is strong, but Jason’s is a lot stronger. And I would learn it the hard way.

.

taglist: @igotanidea

[maochira]

pssst PSSST hey hey guess what?

noa is the type of dad who would say “i love you” in front of your friends and classmates when dropping u off at school, with like the most deadpan face ever but it’s still filled with love <3

(like miles’ dad from into the spiderverse ehehehe)

and maybe when he’s feeling a bit playful he’ll say it louder and won’t leave until u say it back :))))

ok mwuah byeeee

I watched Across the Spiderverse (for a second time) today so I think it's a good moment to answer this <3 But. Let me add the other Chris, Lavinho and Snuffy as well!

How your dad says "I love you" when he brings you to school

Requests open! - masterlist

Tags: gn!reader, dad!character, reader is a teenager, not proofread

Noa doesn't even realize he's embarrassing you. He drops you off at school every day and with the usual cold expression on his face he says "I love you" and will not let you leave until you said "I love you too." Most of the time, that happens in the car. But sometimes, when you're in a hurry you forget about it because your mind is focused on grabbing your backpack and running to your friend group so you can get to class. That's when your father opens the car window and yells after you, repeating "I love you!" still with the same expression while you're running towards your friends. You have no other choice than to yell it back, which your friends love to tease you about.

Whenever Chris drives you to school, he lets you out on the parking lot and actually walks to the school building with you. Saying goodbye always takes at least five minutes and you've arrived too late for your class a handful of times because sometimes, your dad just can't let you go. He repeats how much he loves you over and over and hugs you so tight you barely get air to breathe. He doesn't care if your friends see and hear it either. If you tell him it makes you feel embarrassed, Chris insists there's no reason to feel that way. He's your dad and he wants to be as open about how much he loves you as he wants, and that's nothing you should be embarrassed of. Although, he tends to get overly emotional, considering you're just going to school and it won't even be long until he sees you again.

Lavinho embarrasses you in front of your friends fully on purpose. When he drops you off at school, he always gets out of the car as well to give you a goodbye hug. If he sees only one of your friends around, he starts embarrassing you by calling you cringy nicknames and repeating how much he loves you loud enough for everyone to hear. He loves to tease you in front of everyone as well. Don't even think about telling him to back down because he definitely won't. Actually, he'd become even worse if you told him to stop. He thinks that as your dad, it's part of his job to be at least a bit embarrassing sometimes. A lot of times, actually. Teasing is his main love language, okay?

Snuffy keeps the goodbyes and "I love you"s in the car when he drives you to school. He prefers to keep that between you and him, just sometimes he forgets about it and because he would hate to let you go without saying it, he quickly opens his window to yell it after you. Only when you turn around he realizes that it embarrassed you because everyone could hear. He feels sorry afterwards whenever that happens and apologizes as soon as he picks you up from school. And still, he can't help but do it, again and again, each time he forgets to say "I love you" when you're still in the car.

Taglist (sign-up link): @starhrtz, @kaineedstherapy12, @zyuuuu, @gojosorrygeto, @luvcalico, @truegoist, @vanitasbrainrot, @toruden, @mayfuyudonutt, @weichspuelertrinker, @acacIa, @deerangle3

[tgmsunmontue]

Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 7/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX

SEVEN

��               Jake hasn’t been this amused in years, watching a guy he barely knows reem out a sulking Transformer who could probably kill him if he had half a mind to. Except the Bronco is looking suitably chastised, but even his clear remorse hasn’t stopped Bradley’s rant. Guy has some lungs on him and Jake doesn’t want to get on his bad side. Although he is kind of hot when he’s angry. Hmm. Interesting. He’ll consider that more later. In private.

                Jake has to admit he’s impressed with Starscream’s restraint and he sidles up to him, wants to ask why he didn’t just bop the smaller blue car on the nose and lay him flat, because he’s sure that the much larger Transformer is more than capable of holding his own if it came down to a fist fight.

                “I promised I’d remain neutral,” Starscream states, lips twisting in distaste and Jake raises his eyebrows at that.

                “Even if the little blue-truck-that-could managed to take a swipe at you?”

                “He can certainly try…”

                Jake grins at the dry tone and he likes Starscream’s attitude, wonders if it’s weird that he considers a robot a friend after only a few days.

                “The tall one, is he important?”

                “Admiral Kazansky? Yeah… I guess. He’s definitely the highest rank here, and he already knew about you guys existing, so he’s probably got quite high security clearance… oh shit. I’m going to need to be briefed or get told secret shit. They better not stop me from flying.”

                “I can always fly you.”

                “No! I want to fly my own damn plane,” Jake snaps.

                “Then we can fly together,” Starscream states and Jake’s jaw drops open.

                “Holy shit. We could. That would be cool. You said Jetfire was a plane as well. We can all fly together…”

                “That is my hope.”

…            …            …

                “I really need a fucking drink,” Bradley mumbles to himself, and he has no clue where he’s even going to be sleeping tonight, but he’s sent his car to the other end of the runway to cool off and have some time out and think about whether he can play nicely with the others. As he runs that thought through his head again he feels the early onset of a headache, new appreciation for his parents and also both Mav and Ice. He searches Ice out to find him on the phone and also rubbing his temple like he’s also warding off an impending headache.

                “You okay?” Bradley ask and Jake startles a little and blinks, like his mind was somewhere else.

                “Yeah, I’m good. Just been a very long couple of days and I don’t think the next few days are going to get any easier.”

                “You’ve probably got a point. At least we have Ice to deal with the brass. It’s not like they can put a gag order on us or take the Transformers away from us. Not if it’s us they want to be with…”

                He’s hit then with the realization that Bronco chooses to be with him, and he suddenly views all the times he’s had Bronco there, ready to pick him up. The music. The lack of buying gas. The loyalty. Of course there are also the times he’s refused to start for anyone and everyone else, but if he considers Bronco as a younger Transformer maybe that’s on par with a toddler’s temper tantrum, or teenage sulkiness. Regardless Bronco wants him and okay, Bradley can deal with that. Slaps Jake on the shoulder and heads off down the runway for yet another talk, and also, this time, an apology.

…            …            …

                Tom looks at Hound, and then Bronco off at the far end of the runway where Bradley has sent him to have a weird sort of time-out. Then he looks at the Kawasaki which is currently taller than Mav and is crouched beside him and discussing something about one of the normal bikes and he blinks, realizes that the only mode of transport available to them right now that isn’t a Transformer is a large slightly delipidated horse truck with maybe three seats. Maybe.

                He has strict orders to bring in all the humans tomorrow morning at ten-hundred, and then the further expectation to bring everyone out here. He’s lucky they’ve been given that much time, but he knows they’ll be mad scrambling on the other end, drawing up paperwork and flying in others that will no doubt want to grill them all. They’ll be separated and interviewed, and he needs to prepare them all for it. Weirdly he trusts that Bradley and Seresin will be fine, they have nothing to cover up. Maverick on the other hand is going to be a potential problem. The higher ups are definitely going to have an issue with him suddenly being in the know, despite the fact he has a small army of Transformers at his disposal and apparently has a natural gift for working on them.

                Fan-fucking-tastic.

…            …            …

                Admiral Kazansky has shared the news with them that they’re all expected to report tomorrow and Jake balks a little. He’s on leave, he didn’t bring uniform with him. This is not how he expected his leave to go. Not that he was hoping for anything exciting, but he’d sort of hoped he wouldn’t be bored and now he’s wondering if he maybe somehow jinxed himself. They’re now trying to work out the logistics of reporting to base tomorrow and Bradley has his gear in the back of Bronco, ready to go.

                “You could stay in the truck with me,” Jake offers, and he knows he’s pulling a face. Because it smells of horses and hay if he’s being generous, and if he’s going to share a sleeping space with a good looking guy he’d like it to not be the back of a horse truck. Even if he has no chance he can still dream. And he hasn’t forgotten about how good Bradley looks when he’s angry.

                “There’s a trailer in the hangar,” Captain Mitchell offers, like it’s a competition and Jake frowns, immediately wants to somehow sweeten the offer of the horse truck, but offering a handjob probably wouldn’t go over so well.

                “Stop being ridiculous. We’ll stay at the house.”

                “Oh.”

                “Yeah. That makes sense.”

                Just like that there is no further argument, and Jake has to say a proper bed and hot shower do sound really good. Even a cold shower would be welcome right now, given how dirty he’s feeling. Admiral Kazansky is looking at Starscream like he’s trying to figure out what to do with him and it makes his skin prickle with unease, but then Sally is letting out a deep sigh.

                “He can stay. If you take Hound and Bronco with you things will settle. Or I will make them settle,” she says and Admiral Kazansky nods appreciatively. Jake is reminded that while Sally may give off old matriarch vibes, old matriarchs get old for reasons like being very difficult to kill and also generally ruling the people under them with an iron fist. Admiral Kazansky then moves to sit in the driver’s seat of the army jeep and he doesn’t look overly happy about it. About as happy as Bronco is about having Jake riding with him, although he at least seems glad to be leaving Starscream behind.

                “I will see you tomorrow,” Starscream says, and he holds his fist out and Jake looks at it, looks up at Starscream and then reaches out and gives him a fist bump.

…            …            …

                He knew Pete would be the most problematic, and what irks him is that he’s not even trying to be annoying. It just comes so easily to him, taking to effort at all to put Tom’s brain into a tailspin.

                “Oh, I’m bringing Dustdrift home with me.”

                “You’re not taking a Hoover on the back of your bike!” Tom snaps and Maverick grins.

                “I don’t need to. Dustdrift can just fly after me!” Mav says and he’s almost vibrating with excitement and Tom wonders if he should seriously consider retirement. But who would get Mav out the messes he either creates or finds himself in? Sli only keeps tabs on Mav for the entertainment value, not for any altruistic reason.

                “Fine. Just… don’t get seen I guess?”

                “I think Dustdrift has superior camouflage capabilities.”

                “Of course they do,” Tom mutters

…            …            …

                He remembers the way to Ice’s house, and he’s glad he doesn’t need to concentrate on driving, that Bronco would no doubt find the way there without him paying attention anyway. He hasn’t had time to process everything, the fact that Mav only pulled his papers because his mom asked. He doesn’t like it, but he also knows that when Mav gives someone his word he holds fast to it. It’s just shit that Bradley’s dream of going to USNA was collateral damage, especially as he’s never giving up flying. Mav can’t stop him, and the United States Navy isn’t about to stop him either. They’ve sunk too much money into his training to let him go. He’s not stupid.

                He takes his shoes off and lines them up carefully, making a face at Jake who follows his example with a raised eyebrow. It’s just that way it is in Ice’s house. He hikes his duffle offer his shoulder, knows he’s going to have to iron his uniform tonight. Jake has an overnight bag in his hands, no sign of his uniform, and Bradley wonders exactly how Ice and Mav are going to handle this.

                “I have two guest rooms…” Ice states, waving a hand towards the stairs and Bradley knows he means for Jake to take one and Bradley the other, his mind clearly focused on meeting a range of Transformers rather than the fact that he’s meant to be keeping his relationship with Maverick a secret as well. What a tangled web we weave springs to mind, a poem his mom used to recite, a fact he finds incredibly ironic right now.

                “Uh, Bradley and I can share a room sir.”

                Bradley crosses his arms and looks between Mav and Ice, still not ready to just forgive the years of hurt. He understands Bronco’s loyalty more now, his anger on Bradley’s behalf. He could make all the awkwardness go away, but this is their bed, literally, and they can fucking lie in it. Or not, as the case may be.

                “Thank you Lieutenant, that’s appreciated,” Ice says, and there’s a twitch in his jaw and Bradley wonders if he should give them some time to hide all the incriminating evidence of his and Mav’s relationship.

                “We’ll take the room at the back with the ensuite,” Bradley says, throwing them a bone, because it’s the bedroom furthest from theirs, and with an ensuite they’re less likely to bump into each other in the middle of the night and have to explain… well, anything. “Come on Jake.”

                “I’ll order some food. You boys alright with Thai?” Mav calls out and he reminds himself that Mav isn’t deliberately trying to annoy him by calling him a boy. It’s just a turn of phrase no matter how annoying he finds it. Bradley calls out in the affirmative, and Jake follows him, although he adds a thank you sir which he guesses is respectful at least.

                “So… Was that weird? It felt weird,” Jake says, and Bradley lets out a sharp huff, annoyed and amused in equal measure.

                “What about today hasn’t been weird?”

                “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

EIGHT

[hapan-in-exile]

Volume 4 - Post #5: Wish You Were Here [M]

Another installment in this ongoing serialized fanfic

GIF by kpfun

Genre: Mandalorian x Fem! Reader

Total word count: 3.8K (fifth post in Volume 4)

Rating: Explicit - smut, language, +18 *NSFW*

_______________________________

V. Blessed Mother, grant me the clarity of wisdom! You are currently facing one of life’s most consistent yet challenging dilemmas. It’s the tension between two competing impulses. Your deeply ingrained sense of practicality versus how fucking horny you feel right now. 

Should you drop everything and immediately head for the Razor Crest? This hour of the day is undoubtedly your best chance to sneak out while everyone’s still asleep and reunite with your favorite family in the galaxy before anyone notices what you’re up to. 

Or do you yield to vanity? This option means time to wash your hair, put on a little makeup, and dig through Humia’s clothes for something that doesn’t make you look like a sack of potatoes. It’s a waste of daylight, but after eighteen days apart, you’d like to remind the Mandalorian what an absolute smoke show he’s been missing. 

Like, maybe he would sigh very profoundly, so overcome with emotion at the mere sight of you? Okay, sure—it’s Mando—he’s not going to run across a meadow to sweep you up in his arms. But if he gasped your name longingly while threading his fingers through your hair, it would do a lot for your self-esteem.  

All gods divine and merciful, you are levitating with excitement! He’s back, you clasp your hands to your heart. He’s back. He’s back. He’s back. You occupy the same atmosphere. There’s a buoyancy, lifting every footstep as you practically skip up to your front door, throwing it open as though about to burst into song.  

“Oh shit!” Upon entering the hut, you see Serenio enfolded in Davik’s arms. Their foreheads are pressed together, with his long black curls spilling over her lekku. They immediately spring apart like lovelorn teenagers. Which, you recall, they are at seventeen and nineteen, respectively.  

You look between them, watching as they struggle to suppress their ragged breathing. Guess their fake romance isn’t so fake anymore. Maybe Serenio wouldn’t mind getting stuffed into a cleaning cart with Davik? 

Damnit, this was going to make everyone’s sleeping arrangements infinitely more awkward. The hut is comprised of a single room. And while there are some partitions....you, Humia, Davik, and Serenio all sleep feet apart from each other on the floor every night. 

Shit, really? Well, at least romance is working out for someone. It’s sweet. Young love. You’re happy for them. Truly. Did this create a needless distraction? Absolutely. But who are you to judge? You’re about to hike an hour through the woods in the hopes of fucking your boss.

“Want to train with us?” Serenio signs before awkwardly busying herself with rearranging the furniture. 

That’s right! Humia had forbidden them from entering the fighting pits.

TaggeCo employees loved to haunt the encampment’s cantinas and drinking halls. Sometimes, management brought in musical performances for cultural enrichment, but let’s be real—the Lakarani are the true source of entertainment around here.

You have to agree with Humia. It’s far too risky. One of those Tagge corpos might recognize Serenio while she kicked the shit out of someone twice her size and begin to wonder just where their cleaning lady learned to land a punch like that. 

I guess the obvious solution is turning our living room into a training gym?  

“Yeah, you should spar with us, Kas,” Davik agrees. He’s completely serious, despite being so flustered you can see his brown cheeks visibly blushing. “We were just making some room.”

They’d already changed out of their TaggeCo uniforms. Davik is dressed for movement, and Serenio has her knuckles wrapped. 

They both practically vibrate with restless energy. Although, that could simply be a side effect of all this latent sexual tension. Do warriors consider sparring a kind of foreplay?

You’ve got to get out of here before you completely kill the mood. 

“Hmm,” the corners of your mouth tug. “Thanks, but no,” you sign, shifting so that Serenio can read your lips. “I don’t spar.” 

“Ubaa said you were a veteran. What kind of soldier doesn’t train?” Davik seems genuinely confused. “You work through all those fighting stances every morning.”

“I do meditative poses for my blood pressure, Davik. Believe me, hand-to-hand combat skills are not what I’m bringing to this operation.”

“What about self-defense? I can train you. You’re surprisingly strong. I’ve seen you carrying laundry from the wash house,” he says appraisingly. Then, a look of horror crosses his face. “Not that I’m watching—”

“I’m going for a walk,” you sign. “Need a bath.” 

What follows is quite possibly the most awkward silence you’ve ever endured as they both study your every movement, packing toiletries and spare clothing, determinedly not looking at each other. 

“Hey!” a thought occurs to you. “Humia says there’s a bonfire down at the jetty tonight for Honatoka. It sounds like fun. We have the night off. You guys should come.”

At that, they exchange a glance, faces flushed.

“Yeah,” Davik nods. “Do…you want to go?” he signs, asking Serenio.

“Okay,” she shrugs, breaking into a wide smile.

And that’s your good deed for the day! You’ll just have to be mindful to knock very loudly before opening the front door from now on.

**********

It’s true—you’re stronger than you look. Novitiate discipline in the palace temple helped you develop a lot of muscle mass at an early age. For whatever reason, monastic life seems to require climbing an ungodly amount of stairs regardless of which religion you serve. 

That being said, you’re a far cry from elite bounty hunter. Davik might have a point about strength training. By the time you’ve climbed the pine tree and made it over the perimeter wall, you’ve got both hands on your knees, panting for breath. 

It’s a lot of effort to avoid passing through the main gate, but you can’t shake the feeling of paranoia as you set out to meet with your co-conspirators. Best to avoid any questions about where you’re headed.

When word of Emperor Palpatine’s death reached the Metatessu sector, Lakarani independence fighters did not wait for Imperials to develop an exit strategy. They immediately seized all the military outposts, along with the mining operations and refinery. Without available reinforcements to take back control of the planet, Imperial forces abandoned Lakaran.  

While fighters had expelled the Empire, they did not succeed in keeping Lakaran free from foreign influence. The planet was now considered part of Hutt Space, and Yarella the Hutt leased Larakan’s mining rights and coaxium production to the Tagge Corporation. 

But their siege and occupation of the refinery against Imperial forces was the stuff of legends. Literally—images of the martyred fighters could be found in every home, along with altars dedicated to the fallen. 

It’s why the Tagge family made sure to invest in a robust security infrastructure when they took over. 

So, another convenient feature of the retaining wall they’d built around the encampment to prevent mudslides is that it created limited access points in and out of the camp. These gates could be barricaded if necessary, sealing everyone inside. Drones and satellites monitored the area from overhead. 

All in the name of safety. If someone working at the plant was exposed to radioactive material, Tagge Corp claimed they would need to track the population for containment. Of course, all you had to do was look at the river to know the Tagge Corporation didn’t give a fuck about contaminating people with toxic materials. 

The transponder on your wrist tracks everywhere you go. All they had to do was locate your signal, and a team of TaggeCo security could show up at your door and drag you off under the pretext of “containment.”

Tampering with the device was a fireable offense. If you wanted work, you submitted to their surveillance. 

It wasn’t so much that your movements were scrutinized, but they did get documented, which could cause trouble for you later if TaggeCo got suspicious. They might start to wonder why you went hiking through the woods before dawn, who you were meeting with, and a lot of other dangerous questions. 

In a stroke of luck (and probably his dick), the security guard Humia was sleeping with had shown her how to mask the transponder’s signal without damaging it. Still, vigilance costs nothing. You’ve packed your rucksack and draped a towel over your shoulders. If anyone sees you…hopefully, they’ll assume you’re visiting the hot springs nearby. 

Coordinates popping up on your communicator showed the Razor Crest’s location about two leagues northeast of the refinery. 

Again, just terrible bounty hunter skills—you have no idea how to read a topographic map and are forced to backtrack more times than you’re comfortable admitting. How did Mando do this without walking in circles? 

Eventually, you give up trying to navigate the map and just climb the highest tree you can find to look out over the valley. 

There she is! You spot Razoria—which is what Nito called the ship when he needed her to cooperate—settled under a rocky outcrop amidst a shallow marsh at the edge of an alpine lake. You’d been so caught up thinking about Mando and the kids, you’re surprised by the overwhelming sense of relief that wells up inside you just looking at the ship. 

For the first time since you boarded the shuttle for Lakaran you feel…safe. When did you start to think of the Razor Crest as home? 

These weeks on Lakaran might be the longest you’ve been in one place since you stepped onboard the Crest. Wanderlust had been the most enticing part of Nito’s pitch to join them, shuffling the Child across the galaxy. You’ve already seen more star systems in the past five months than your seven-year career in the military. And every night, you slept on board this gorgeous clunker. 

With each new planet, a voice would emerge from your subconscious telling you to make a run for it. Now, the voice would say. Run now before it’s too late. But you’d grown so tired of running away. You wanted to run toward something. And you did—you are—running home to this new family of yours.

The Crest had good cover under the rock and surrounding treeline, but her hull gleamed brightly in the early morning light. While TaggeCo didn’t patrol this far into the mountains, drones or satellites might pick up the glare. The Mandalorian should have some camouflage netting in storage. Tree branches would do the rest.

Nito and the kid are stretched out in the sunshine, lounging on the shore of the lake. As soon as he notices your approach, the Ardennian launches into a gallop. 

“Thuli!” He wraps all four arms around you in a fierce hug. 

You drop to your knees to join his embrace. On the shore, you see the kid waving his hands excitedly.

“Hey, little man!” You lift him up and place him on your hip. “Did you miss me?” 

The Child slowly blinks those enormous brown eyes and rests his downy head against your chest. Your heart melts a little when he gurgles contentedly. 

It felt so good to be back together again. All that’s missing is… 

“Mando’s not here,” Nito says, catching you searching for him. “After we landed, he headed straight for Yarella’s castle in Palmal.”

“Yarella’s…?”

As an added precaution, you’d boarded the shuttle to Lakaran directly from Daiyu in case anyone from the Tagge Corporation followed up on you. While Humia had been rude and irritable when she met you at Palmal Spaceport, you were deeply grateful for her presence at your side. 

In ten years of travel, you’ve never seen a city less organized. Palmal was carved deep into the mountainside. Its warren-like sprawl of metallic buildings and tubular walkways made it impossible to see ahead in any direction.

Each step felt claustrophobic and dangerous. Which it is! With all the twisting paths and sharp turns, the city’s layout was an ideal hunting ground for bandits.

It made perfect sense why the executives and TaggeCo employees all lived on-site in dormitories and residential halls. Why, despite being poisoned, the Lakarani preferred camping in clapboard shacks surrounding the refinery. You were less likely to get your throat slit.

And looming above the lawless chaos, coiling upward in a gleaming steel spire, is Yarella the Hutt’s castle.

“Why would he do that?”

Mando certainly didn’t need the money. Did the man not know what else to do with himself? Did his life hold no purpose beyond battle and hunting? You can feel tears pricking at the corner of your eyes. How could that be his priority when you haven’t seen each other in weeks?

“I think he wanted to have some cover for why we’re here on Lakaran,” Nito shrugs. “You know, big scary Mandalorian in your backyard makes people nervous. Yarella will probably have a job for him.” 

Without pausing to take off your clothes, you shrug off the rucksack, step out of your boots, and wade into the lake.

“Uh, Thuli–”

You dive into the water before Nito can see you crying. 

Mando’s not here. You don’t care about the rationale or logic of his decision. He couldn’t wait one fucking day—one fucking hour—to see you?

The crushing weight of disappointment that he’s not here—that he couldn’t care less about being here to see you—feels inescapable, like the pull of an anchor dragging you down toward the murky depths. You kick your legs out in frustration, but you can’t swim. You can’t breathe. You just sob, choking as frigid water fills your mouth and subsumes your tears.

Why would he do this? You thought you’d offered him the perfect arrangement. The perfect companion and sexual partner. Instead, you’ve been blown off and left behind.

Mando doesn’t let many people in. So you would have thought that what you shared together…a...a connection—

Fuck—a connection? You know, in your bones, he’s never shared that kind of intimacy and tenderness with anyone else. You would’ve thought it mattered more to him.

Apparently not.

Was this your fault? Before leaving for Lakaran, he’d asked about what to tell the kids, and you said something like, “This doesn’t have to change anything.” You didn’t want to burden him with worry over love, duty, and Creeds. 

Was it the wrong thing to say? Should you have confessed that your heart belonged to him and no one else? Would he be here if you had? Maybe he was simply taking you at your word—that what you’d shared didn’t change anything.      

The truly heartbreaking realization is that as angry as you feel toward Mando, the real person you’re angry with is yourself. You’d told him he didn’t need to change, but you still expected him to. Are you really such a narcissist that you thought having sex with you one time would be such a transformative experience he’d wake up a completely different person?

It had been three times. Regardless, you’re not being fair. You want to storm and rage. But what good will it do? You’ve fallen for a man whose life is encased in cold steel.  

Hadn’t you prayed for clarity and wisdom? It won’t heal the hurt breaking your heart to pieces or soothe your anger, but you’ve got to temper these feelings with honesty, for him and yourself. 

Stepping out of the lake and back onto the shore, you peel off your wet clothes and join the baby, catching tadpoles in the shallow waters and swallowing them whole. 

It’s a beautiful day. You’ve got the whole morning to spend with these two wonderful kids you deeply cherish. Who’s absence had also weighed on your heart these past eighteen days. Why spoil this precious time together? 

For being a nosy adolescent, Nito very graciously ignores your red, swollen eyes and doesn’t ask what’s wrong.

“I’m about a minute from eating some of those mud-guppies myself,” he moans, watching the Child slurp down handfuls. “We’re down to broth and hardtack.”

“Well, let’s catch some fish,” you offer. 

“I don’t know how," Nito murmurs. "You can’t eat anything from the harbor in Coronet City, so I never thought to learn. Do you think I can actually, like, catch a one? With…my hands?”

“Come on, city slicker, I’ll teach you.”

“Do you have a hook? Isn’t that how they do it?”

“Yes," you chuckle. "You can also use a net or a basket. But I’ll show you how to spear a fish. I’m sure Mando has a spear somewhere in that arsenal.”

Even better, the Mandalorian has a ranseur, which is basically a fancy trident. Nito’s eyes widen in horror.  

“Won’t Mando be mad if we get fish guts on his spear?”

“Fuck’im,” you say darkly, without pause.

Nito looks askance at your embittered tone.

“What? It’s not made of Beskar.”

His brow remains furrowed, “I want to learn about the baskets.”

After scouring the Razor Crest for all the necessary tools, you camp out on the shore, braiding fishing baskets from the tall reed grass surrounding the lake. “Did you learn how to do this in the war? So you wouldn’t starve?”

“What?” you laugh, showing Nito how to strip the reeds for cordage. “No, I learned to fish as a child.”

“I thought you grew up in a palace?”

“That came later. I moved to the palace when I was your age.” 

Moved to the palace is a very polite way to describe being abducted and held hostage against your will. But you’re committed to keeping the vibes positive this morning, so you leave that out. Nito’s childhood was no picnic either.

“Before the palace, I lived with my family in a house by the beach. So we fished. You grew up on Corellia, so you learned engines.”

“Hmm…you are terrible with technology. But this is pretty cool. We’re really gonna catch fish in this thing?”

“With a rock and some patience, we will,” you wink at him, tying off your knots. “Here, you carry the baskets, and I’ll get the kid.” 

About an hour later, you’ve caught at least a dozen fish. And it’s impossible to feel anything but pride seeing the joy on Nito’s face. You show him how to clean and scale the big ones. Baby chomps down the rest. “Hey, kiddo. Close your mouth when you chew.”

“Are you staying to eat these?” Nito asks. “Or do you have to go back?”

“I think we should spend the rest of the morning camouflaging the ship. You can tell me all about your adventures on Coruscant while we work. But first, I need a nap.”

You tell yourself this is not a ploy—that you’re not stalling for time in the hopes of seeing the Mandalorian when he returns. But that’s a lie.

Nito suddenly grows fidgety. “I—um. I should maybe tell you that Mando’s been sleeping in there.”

“What?”

“In the sleeping compartment. Not at first. You know how he usually sleeps with his back against a wall or something? But then…” Nito trails off. “I just thought you should know.”  

Damnit, your heart starts racing. The Mandalorian has been sleeping in your bed. Your mind leaps to a million possible reasons, yet what else could it mean? 

A wide smile tugs at your lips. And you’d begun to wonder if he missed you at all. 

“Thanks for telling me.”

Standing in front of the sleeping compartment, your body is awash with nervous anticipation. Over what, you have no idea. Just that…

When the door slides up with a faint whine of compressed air, you stare down at the bedroll and gasp. On top of your blankets is a brightly patterned piece of cloth. You pick it up—the fabric is so soft and diaphanous that it slips through your fingers like falling water. 

Free of its delicate folds, you realize it’s a stunning silk robe.  

In his eagerness to undress you, the Mandalorian had torn the hem of your (old) robe, pulling it over your head. It’s so old, tattered, and threadbare that you told him not to worry about it.

This one is elegant, with a beautiful print—pale pink, with butterflies in shades of blue and lavender. Like moondust, you smile. You remember telling Nito about the butterflies on Hapes that migrated along the coast and converged in the palace gardens. Was it a coincidence, or had Mando been listening? 

It might be one of the most beautiful gifts you’ve received from…anyone. 

Mando had left it folded neatly on top of the bedroll, knowing you'd come back to the ship. Kriffing hell, why hadn’t he just waited for you?

Ugh! How could one man be so generous and insensitive at the same time?!

You groan and throw yourself onto the blankets—which, of course, smell like him. You bury your face into the covers to breathe in his scent. The warm, smokey fragrance of the muscle salve he used. The tang of leather and the musk of his sweat. 

It’s a scent tied to your memories—distracting fever dreams of his tongue trailing the curve of your throat, the soft brush of his lips on your collarbone, his warm breath against the shell of your ear. 

You will absolutely not cry and masturbate over this man yet again. Once was a tragedy. Twice is a habit.

But even now, in your mind’s eye, he was kissing you, his mouth sliding down your neck, drinking in your skin, your bodies tangled up together as he moved inside you. Each caress of silk against your nipples is a reminder of his lips.

Had it been like this for him? Were you in his thoughts when he slept in this bed? Did Mando touch himself and think of you? 

You close your eyes and trace your hand down your stomach toward the heat pooling between your thighs. At least there’s no tears in your eyes this time.

When you open them, your imagination conjures the Mandalorian here with you, kneeling between your legs to watch your fingers work. He joins you, drawing his cock into his hand, stroking himself with long, languorous pulls. 

It’s an abstract fantasy since you’ve never seen his face—but you imagine holding each other’s gazes.

His eyes would be...brown. Definitely brown. The hairs trailing down Mando's smooth, muscular stomach are dark and coarse. His powerful body is taut and beautiful—broad shoulders, tapered waist, and thick, sinewy thighs. You would stare into each other's eyes, stroking in rhythm as your breathing quickens, moans rising together. 

You writhe on top of the covers, this vision of him fixed in your mind. His lips slightly parted as he breathes harder and faster, fist tight around his shaft, the dark head of his cock sliding back and forth within his grip. When he did that, here, on this bed, he was remembering you.

Then you think back to the moment he first plunged inside you, that first shock of penetration. His satisfied groan, your own desperate cry.

You keep replaying that—over and over again, the first time every time, your fingers moving as fast as he could thrust—until your orgasm hits you so hard the world goes white. Your eyes roll back in the rush of release. Everything is blurred and humming, and you’re lost to the pulsing of your heart and your cunt.

You lay there a few moments, expecting to feel his body pressed against you in the aftermath, but…Mando’s gone. He's not here.

And when you finally wake up hours later, he still hasn’t returned.

**************

Continue reading: Volume 4-Post #6: Count Your Blessings

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[stellar--void]

As someone who's never read the locked tomb series and only really knows about it through memes the people I follow reblog, here's my best guess at what's going on (although from the sounds of it I'm not sure anyone who reads it knows what's going on either):

There's a girl named Harrow, presumably because it sounds like marrow and she has a special interest in skeletons. She's a necromancer apparently and she hates this. What an inconvenience.

There's another one named Gideon who's like, a jock? Hates teenagers. She's like 18

Gideon hates Harrow because she won't cannibalize her. Or potentially because she's supposed to cannibalize her. We'll call it mixed feelings.

They are walking around an abandoned spaceship with unclear intent. The spaceship might be haunted? Or maybe the main characters are haunting it. Those teens are covered in bones so they might be dead. Or they might just be freaky like that idk that's their business

There's also someone named God. Unclear if it's supposed to be literally God or if it's just some guy Named God but people seem to not like him very much

He's a memelord (ba-dum-tsss)

I think he's supposed to be like a space emperor or something. He's just like sitting in a room all day with a corpse?

The corpse is Earth's human-sona. You do you girl

At some point Harrow has to cut someone arm off and they're kind of into it

You do you girl

Harrow is being haunted by the Earth's human-sona's ghost

They're like. Trying to undermine the space monarchy? And this leads somehow to Harrow having to eat Gideon, which she is not happy about

The emperor is now sitting in a room with two corpses. Gideon lives in Harrow's brain?

Everyone is playing the world's worst game of musical chairs but the chairs are corpses and they are brain ghosts and the music is reality collapsing

Most of them are doing this because they are dead (ouch!) and want to inconvenience eachother. But at least one group is doing this because they're polyamorous. It's not going well

One of them is named Pilates Sex or something

Gideon is still just lying on the floor

I know at some point Harrow makes Bone Soup and feeds it to someone and reanimates it so they die of Bone Explosion and I think that's metal as fuck but I'm not sure why she did that

There's a new ghost with amnesia, and she's just like. Some kid.

Everyone's like 'well where the fuck did you come from'

She's called Nona. There's also someone called Nonagesimus and I'm not sure if Nona is short for that or if it's just a coincidence

Nona can speak every language but read none of them, and she deeply doesn't care about any of this. They keep trying to rope her into their drama and she just keeps doing her own thing

Harrow might be dead. Nona might be past Harrow???

Nona has died.

I forgot about that fuckass sword. I don't know what that's about let's ignore that

Anyways I think basically since Earth is dead a bunch of people are trying to get to her to revive her but Memelord cleverly hid her slightly behind his throne.

Everyone knows she's there, she's clearly just lying there, but she's behind him and they can't get to her without having to shuffle awkwardly around him in front of everyone and it would be embarrassing

They're trying to get him to leave the chair. He won't leave the chair. Gideon is still just like. There.

Some other people are trying to stop the others from bringing earth back because they're pretty sure if she comes back she'll be Pissed

Like she's going to murder them worse than anyone's ever been murdered.

You do you girl

[oneatlatime]

The Boy in the Iceberg

58 seconds in and I can already see why people say this show is gorgeous. Look at those colours! Although the double image around some of the line art is distracting.

Can water do that? Just have random fast currents in an otherwise pretty still ocean? Also, Catara couldn't have grabbed a spare paddle and helped? Actually they seemed screwed anyway. If they were going any faster they probably would have landed harder, or not on ice at all.

Judging by Sokka's lack of reaction to Catara's temper tantrum, I'd say she has that exact rant at least three times a week.

It's a face!

Maybe the giant orb created the current to summon them there?

Catara has no self-preservation instincts at all. Giant glowy orb washed up in front of you, don't poke it!

Tiger seals.

Solitaire. Neat.

That haircut is not good. Also a very unique choice for a voice. Wait this is Zuko? The guy everyone's obsessed with?

I love Appa already.

"this is Catara, my flying sister." A man after my own heart.

They really would have been stuck without Aang to offer a ride. What was their plan to get home?

Zuko is a prince? Hunting the avatar to reclaim his honour. Not sure how those two go together but ok. I guess 100 years ago the avatar stole a time-travelling Zuko's honour.

Appa can swim through the night? Why does he have six legs?

I didn't know this was a dream sequence at first and I was wondering where Sokka and Catara were. For future reference: dreams are brown.

Aang should have frozen to death by now. That's nowhere near enough clothes. And Catara can't be only just noticing the blue lines now.

Seems like the village has hit a rough patch.

If this is how catara reacts to a bald child, she's gonna spontaneously combust the first time she meets a teenage boy who isn't her brother. And how is an air bender going to teach her water bending?

Between the Appa snot and the watchtower gag, I sense Sokka will become the butt of many jokes.

You know, if you want him to actually learn, maybe tell him what he did wrong rather than reciting philosophical stuff and then shooting fire at his face? His presumably scarred face? Scarred presumably by fire? Kudos to Zuko for not flinching.

Is there a stick in Zuko's hair that's supporting it upright or does his hair just do that? Does Zuko have Pippi Longstocking hair? Speaking of hair, why does Catara have her hair like that? Surely that gets in the way of seeing stuff? It does look good when her hood is up though.

Good sneaky exposition dump Zuko. Didn't notice it until I thought about it after.

There's something hilarious yet tragic about Sokka spouting the wartime equivalent of live laugh love quotes and losing the battle with potty breaks. He has no idea what he's talking about but he believes in what he's saying so much.

Did Aang spend an hour in there?!?

So pretty.

Appa has six legs and penguins have four wings. Is the rule in this show that animals have 50% more appendages?

Last airbender smothered by penguins, more at 11.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid!" "You still are a kid!" That line feels like something that's going to come back.

Was the whole 'being a bender is showing no fear' or however that line went actually about bending, or do you really just want to explore the ship, Aang?

Gerbils at the south pole?

Would the fire nation send people back to rig a lost ship or are all fire nation ships rigged at all times and the crews are just used to working around the traps? Actually that would be a great way to catch spies.

I would jump to brain-damage induced amnesia from being trapped in an iceberg for a few hours before I'd ever think of a century long cryo-sleep. "it's the only explanation." Really?

All of these backgrounds are so pretty.

Air bending gets you some serious air. Those hops are stupid big, even accounting for cartoon physics.

I really like the end credits music. And according to the credits, I've been mispelling Katara's name this whole time.

Some final thoughts:

Katara (with a K) is too idealistic and trusting and Sokka is too cynical and suspicious. A perfect sibling pair. Also I love Sokka's sense of humour.

I like Aang's specific flavour of goofiness. He seems secure in himself and genuine. He has attention issues though.

Appa is a sea bison actually. Common misconception.

I like that they introduce the antagonist like 10 minutes into the first episode, but they're going to have to flesh him out way more before I read Zuko as anything other than an asshole. Also the voice is going to take a while to get used to. It's not that it doesn't fit the character design, it's just that I've never heard an actual human talk like that naturally. It's kind of muppet-like. Maybe he damaged his throat when he got that scar?

The voice acting is just superb. Even single lines like Gran Gran have distinct character. I did have to rewind a couple of times to catch what the old man with Zuko was saying.

The shading on the snow, the clouds and the skies, it's all so beautiful. You could watch this episode on mute and still be satisfied.

Katara is the only waterbender in the whole south pole, Sokka is the only man in the whole village, and Aang is the only air bender in the whole world. Gonna be a lot of lonely kids in this show. I sense a theme. I bet Appa is the only sea bison too.

Sokka is my favourite so far, but I think Aang is going to grow on me. Katara is a little bit too much of a Little Sister (TM) and Zuko just feels flat. But that just means more room to grow for both of them as characters. Of course Appa reigns supreme. I hope there's more of him in the next episode.

Even though this was half of a two-part episode, the cut off didn't feel abrupt. Maybe not a full self-contained story, but they left off at a perfect place.

Rereading this before posting, I asked a lot of quetsions. That's good! So many hooks to get me into the show, all in the first episode. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[1-800-whore4alexturner]

Truth or Dare

Steve Rogers x gn!reader

Warnings: Cursing, Making Out

Synopsis: You never would have guessed a simple game of Truth or Dare would bring you and Steve closer than ever before.

As you sat in a circle with the rest of the avengers, you felt like a teenager again. God, this was so immature, but then again, why were you so nervous over a kid’s game? Maybe it had to do with the fact that you’ve barely had any alcohol while everyone else is tipsy, some already being drunk. Or maybe, it’s because of Steve Rogers, who you’ve had a stupid crush on for God knows how long. In any case, he’s right there in front of you, and for some reason, you can’t take your eyes off him.

It isn’t fair. You barely even know him. He’s been so distant ever since you’ve joined the avengers, and for no reason. Well, maybe there was a reason, but either way, you didn’t know what you did to have him avoid you like this.

Your thoughts were cut off by a loud voice. “Well then, let’s start!” Tony said as he walked into the room with a tray filled with shot glasses of vodka. Everyone nodded their heads eagerly and smiled as he set the tray down in the center of the circle.

You tried your best not to look back at Steve. After all, what would he say if he knew you were staring at him? That he likes me back or something stupid like that. Yeah, no chance. It’s just a stupid crush anyways, it’s not like you were in love with him or anything. But why wouldn’t the butterflies in your stomach just come to a halt. That would make this so much easier. You barely even knew him. How could you have a crush on him?

“Cheers, ladies and gentlemen! Let’s get to it!” Thor exclaimed as he grabbed one of the glasses from Tony.

He lifted it to his lips, but before drinking it, Tony grabbed the shot glass from Thor’s hand. “No. These are for the game.”

Tony went on the explain the rules of the game - truth or dare, but if you couldn’t do the task, you had to take a shot. Sounds simple, right? Well, it was easy enough, for a while at least.

After a couple rounds of truth or dare, with Natasha being dared to give Clint a lap dance, Tony being dared to strip to his underwear, which he did quite excitingly may I add, and so on. Now, it’s Steve’s turn.

“Truth or Dare, Rogers?” Tony questions. Oh god, this better not be something completely stupid. Well it was.

Steve glances towards you and doesn’t answer immediately. “Dare.”

Damn, you really thought Steve would go soft and pick truth. I guess that alcohol really did loosen him up some.

When you look back at Tony, you can see a mischievous sparkle in his eyes which we’re looking straight back at you. Fuck. Slowly a smirk crept onto his face.

“Steve, I dare you to spend 7 minutes in heaven with y/n.”

While everyone in the circle smiled and looked between you and Steve. Steve had a confused look on his face. Only when Natasha leaned over in his ear to tell him what he had to do did Steve blush.

God, you were petrified. You were gonna be locked in a room for 7 minutes with a man who hates you. “Well, get to it kids!” Tony exclaimed with a laugh.

You slowly got up, Chris following suit. You both slowly walked into the room closest to where you were previously sitting, Tony locking you in.

“Timer’s started. You better do what you need to do quick, you’re not getting any time.”

Well, you wouldn’t be needing it anyways. You both stood in there for a minute, you avoiding eye contact, although you could feel Steve’s gaze on you.

“Y/n, look at me, please.”

You slowly looked up at him, meeting his gaze. God, this was so awkward. Well, I guess there would be no better time to get something off your chest.

“Steve, why do you avoid me so much?” you ask timidly.

Steve looked ashamed and took some time to think over his response.

“To be completely honest, I’ve had the biggest crush on you for a while, y/n. And I didn’t know if you liked me back so I just avoided you because I was afraid. I’m sorry.”

You nod slightly, but still seem to remain in a bit of disbelief. Was he serious? Why hadn’t he said something sooner? He obviously didn’t have feelings for me. How did this make so much sense yet was so confusing.

“Y/n.”

You look up.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks timidly.

You stood there astonished for a second, before quickly responding. “Please.”

In a flash, Steve was there. His lips pressed against yours, not aggressively, but sweetly. You parted your lips slightly for him to continue kissing you. This was nice. Finally, Steve gave you a kiss you’ve waited for years for.

The kiss quickly turned more and more passionate, Steve slowly moving his tongue into your mouth. You would have never guessed he would be this good of a kisser. The way his lips moved against yours made you feel every part of you melting. A couple kisses later, your hands find their way down to Steve’s shirt. They softly rubbed over his toned abs.

This all felt so natural. Everything seemed like it should, but the fact you were with the guy you love yet somehow it was the first time you kissed him. The whole thing felt so surreal. Maybe that was why it seemed so perfect, or maybe it was just destiny? Either way, it felt too real to ever forget. “I never knew you could kiss like this,” you state while pulling away, ready to dive right back in.

“Wow, y/n. That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.” Tony stated from the doorway, breaking the silence of the moment. You both jump, your hands coming out from under his shirt and his from your waist.

The door was quickly unlocked and everyone in the room looked at you both. Based off of how you both looked, they could tell what happened.

“Fucking finally,” you heard Natasha whisper under her breath.

“Language.”

[buffyandwillow]

Just saw your post, hope you survived yesterday. Can’t stop recommending Ted Lasso to everyone, it makes me feel good. Also this is less of a hot take and more of a general wondering, but i always find myself thinking about Anya in the pockets of time she’s not part of the scoobies. Like right after she looses her powers and she’s stuck as a teenager: how does she get money, an apartment, a car, who are her friends… logistically i have so many questions but also emotionally we never see her cope with that enormous transition. I think i’ve brought this up before but the possibilities are always running around my head.

thanks dali <33 i have survived (mostly)... i really enjoyed the first 2 seasons of ted lasso!! gonna watch the news eps soon :') anya ramblings:

i was wondering recently about how anya afforded an apartment before working at the magic box. i have thought long and hard and so far, here's where i'm at:

she seems sort of lonely/alone at first, and d'hoffryn definitely didn't check in on her to see if she was ok, but i wonder if hallie did. i know they didn't keep in super close contact, since in older and far away hallie had been invited to the wedding but she didn't seem to know xander at all. i suddenly like the idea, though, that she visited anya at least a couple times in s3-4, starting immediately after she hears from the other vengeance demons that anyanka isn't one of them anymore.

maybe hallie helped settle some debts to get anya some money. i bet a ton of demons owe anya favours. she's been around such a long time! and hallie's teleportation skills would be helpful for reaching contacts in other countries/dimensions. also, despite the humour of anya's "and i'm flunking math" comment, she proves to be good at practical math and accounting in s5 - i am sure she remembers exactly how much various people owe her, down to the cent.

while anya doesn't have any type of traditional job before working at the magic box, she clearly pays for goods and services (she acquires an entire human wardrobe, she goes to get her hair done, she eats and drinks, etc). for some reason, i can imagine anya actually being somewhat rich, which could be why she never seems concerned about money, and treats getting a job as kind of a fun new experience. while the job does enrich her life, and she loves money, it never seems to be about earning money so that she can afford things she needs. she already could afford things. she just liked being part of a larger system (which i find very interesting about her, but which feels like another topic).

i can't see her stealing the money (although... she does pull off that bank robbery in him dkhjgh), can't see her buying lottery tickets /winning the lottery, can't see her having a demon uh. sugar daddy., can't see her ever having opened a bank account in her demon days that's just grown a ton of interest (although... interesting... actually, not fully against that), really the question is fascinating and i can't believe it was never addressed!

anyway - say she and/or hallie dig up some funds for her to live comfortably on her own. that would secure physical things like shelter/clothes/food. but emotionally... i actually can't see her having much of an emotional support system for this big transition (hallie wouldn't get it, not really), and that makes me sad. she latches on to xander, but he's only somewhat helpful... (i am guessing maybe xander and giles--idk, he has adulting knowledge--helped her get some ID.) she has a lot of friends and acquantainces in hell's bells, from her demon days - but how many of them ever came to see if she was doing OK after the wish? impossible to say - we do know she wasn't close enough to any of them to invite them to be in her wedding party, though.

there are characters i wish she'd gotten to interact more with, truly, because i think that they could have helped or understood her situation. spike, for one, seems to Get her to some extent. we get a couple moments where they commiserate about having once been feared - but there's nothing to imply they ever hung out outside of the scoobies, and i sadly doubt they did. and tara! tara and anya, the scooby outsiders, supporting their partners but always feeling a little left to the side.

the questions still remain, though. i'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this! feel free to send meta recs etc. i love theorizing about anya!

[malaierba]

I'm just talking about iromatsu, just spitballing

It's no news to anyone that the rift between Karamatsu and Ichimatsu like... haunts me. It doesn't feel like what happened with Todomatsu, where he simply broadened his interests and matured and thus drifted away somewhat organically. Ichimatsu's world arguably got smaller after highschool, so whatever caused the change in dynamic must've been contained or like limited by the people involved in it.

I was thinking about the roof fight scene, where Karamatsu triggers the fight by bringing attention to the letter and potentially to how awkward things are amongst the sextuplets. When Choromatsu grabs Kara, Kara grabs him back and Jyushimatsu (followed by Ichimatsu) approach the duo. But when Karamatsu pushes back and accidentally causes someone to knock Totty to the floor, Jyushi and Ichi's hands are suddenly on him.

Okay. Here's where the overanalyzing of 10 seconds comes lol.

Karamatsu was... Passive in highschool. In his memories, we know he's aware and worried about his brothers, but it takes an external trigger to push him to act. According to Choromatsu, he was too timid and emotional, although I think we have ample evidence to assume that Choro didn't exactly think highly of Karamatsu in highschool.

(makes sense if you ask me. Karamatsu probably had mediocre grades (struggles with kanji even in adulthood, in Totty's game show both him and Oso fail to pick the most logical answer to the math question), most likely wasn't nagging his siblings to take school seriously, with his timid personality he wasn't being any better as an eldest than Osomatsu (at least from a performative pov), probably was mainly interested in arts which makes me think that not only was he not thinking of pursuing the traditional school/work path after highschool, he might've even been thinking of *gasp* becoming a musician/actor)

Ichimatsu funnily enough, for all that he was socially integrated, in his inability to be true to himself shows something oddly similar to Karamatsu, in that he's afraid to "rock the boat". He plays along with what he sees his friends do and in doing so falls in line. Of all the sextuplets, he's the one that at first glance looked like the most normal teenager.

So I was wondering, what if the rift started after the fight. Ichimatsu sees Karamatsu being attention to the problem that everyone's been ignoring and it hits home. He probably struggles to reconcile the image of the Karamatsu that ate lunch with him and was riddled with anxiety but wasn't proactive in managing it, with the one that suddenly tries to do something about it, and in doing so triggers a fight and makes everything worse (at a first glance).

Idk 🤔 Ichimatsu's canon opinion on Karamatsu is that he gets on his nerves but it's not like he hates him, and we know from the incident skit and the PS Vita games that he admires his kindness and the ways in which he takes care of his brothers. All of those things make him someone with the potential to disturb the status quo, which Ichi generally avoids because when he doesn't he goes off the handle and starts flipping stuff and shitting on tables.

I've always liked to think of iro's shift in their relationship as a result of a big, unknown event, but maybe the fight was the event? Ichimatsu saw a Karamatsu that he hadn't seen before, at the same time that Karamatsu discovered one of his core values (to maintain the harmony within his brothers, and to have the character to act when things went beyond their baseline chaos towards actually bad-bad), which of course would require him to develop a stronger personality.

Maybe to Ichi that looked fake, since in his case it was. Maybe it was stupid, unnecessary, and it didn't stop. Suddenly Karamatsu was being less of a wallflower, leaving Ichimatsu to wonder where the anxious nervous brother he knew went.

I guess what I want to highlight here is the difference between doing something because of external motivation vs. Internal motivation. In therapy you talk a lot about core values. Humans can change, but change is easier and everlasting if they are in accordance with something you truly believe in.

Ichi's popular guy persona was just him not wanting to stand out in a bad way, and mimicking his friends while disregarding how that made him feel. Kara, I think he really wanted to be stronger and more outspoken. His anxiety was not only holding him back but keeping him from helping those around him before things escalated too much. His motivation to overcome it was different.

(as for his sparkly fashion, poetic schtick, that's not the focus here but honestly I think Ichi just finds it embarrassing because it's so attention catching. For Karamatsu though, I'm part of the "it's a visual metaphor for him coming out of his shell"-gang. And maybe the closet cough. Or as my blog says, he's cringe but he's free 🥲)

For the record I'm not saying this is 100% how things are, I just thought of something that could work as an explanation and decided to try expanding on it, to see if it still made sense. Iromatsu.... Is still a mystery to me.

[genesis-of-the-between]

I guess this is it.

Fourteen years. Eoghan is only fourteen years old, and yet he lays dying in the snow, his own blood a sanguine halo around the gory pit in his abdomen. He can only stare up at the snowflake-filled sky through half-lidded eyes. He might be crying. His cheeks are too numb to tell.

The ruined village is quiet. Everyone else must have left already. The fires are dying down, and when they’re extinguished, he’ll be truly, completely alone.

What a pitiful way to die.

Every breath is a struggle. Maybe it’s better to just give up, to stop fighting sooner than later. It’s not like he’ll live anyway.

He blinks slowly. When he opens his eyes a few moments later, he finds a creature standing over him.

The thing is vaguely humanoid, although it’s hard to tell, since it’s entirely pitch-black. It has a singular eye, the only speck of white in the otherwise lightless void.

Void…wait.

Is this…

Y̸͈̜̺̞̓̌̈́̏Ŏ̷͈̖U̶̹̠͗̈̕͝ ̷͎͙̯͇̰̋̍Ẉ̴͖̠̬̀̂̚̚I̵̡̥̖͑͋͝L̵̙̹͇̺̤̞̇͌L̸̼̝͊̔̂̈ ̵̗̖̫̎N̴̨̢͔̞̘̋̀͐̆͜O̸̟̞͑Ţ̵̘̰̏͂̚ ̸̟̫̦̮͆̔̈́͆͘̕Ḋ̴̞̖͛̎̀̔̚I̶̺̹̻̣̍͂̍Ẹ̴̺̉͠ ̸̘͚̪͛̑̌̓͜H̶̬͖̎Ë̴̢̛̲̰́̽̾͝͝R̷̡̻̠͎̦̒̿̏Ȩ̵̞̫̲̙̟͂͋́̀͠.̵̭́͂̓̌͌͌

Eoghan actually wants to believe this is actually happening, but he knows it can’t be. What would Beos, Lighteater, God of the Void, want with a dying teenage boy?

T̷̪́̋̀͌͘͝H̷̬̀E̵̛̜̖̖͂͗̃͝ ̵̦̠̜̩͖͐̀̊͋͐͠A̶̦̖̺͐̓Ĺ̸̙͇͖͊̒L̸̡̢̲̝̩͛̄̾̂-̵͍̤͈̗͆̒D̸̜̫̦̬͍͒͑͐̌̕͘Ẹ̸̆͑͒V̸̨̲̗̠̂Ṑ̸̤͒Ú̴̜̓̔̅̚̕R̴̗̺͚̪̬̒͌͒̆Ḯ̷̢̡̩̠̻̀̔͐͝Ǹ̵͚̰͒͑͌G̵̲̦̉͌̈́ ̷̧̢̞̮͔̒̌͂̄͘D̶̢͎̠͓̒̐̆̿͝A̶͇͑͗́R̶̼͓̹̋K̸͈͙̑͑̃͗N̷̰̞̹̣͗̾͌̒̚Ë̸͎̞́͗̑̕S̶͚͉̥̣̩̝̉̌̊͠S̷̮̖͚͚̦̘͛́͘ ̵̨̟̈̓̌̒͑̕W̷̳͚̥̃́̈͝Į̶͚̘̼͛̑̿͆̾͜L̸͉͈̓͘L̸̩͗ ̶̝͐C̷̲̯̈́̆̉͠L̷̠̟͔̦̓A̷̹̹͓̟͂̒̄͛̃ͅI̷͙̘̜̦̝̎M̴̖̠͓̮̋̉͒͋͝ ̵͕̜͔̜́̍́̚͝Y̶̱̣͇̌O̴͎͓̍͋U̸̡̩͔͕͌͛̃R̸̢̨̻̳͕̦̍̓̇͝ ̶̧̱̈͐S̷̹̼͍͔̘͖͌́͌O̶̼͎̽̎̆̍́͆U̸̡̢̲̼̞̣̾́Ľ̷̢̮̟̒̊̓,̵͎͈̯̎̑̒͠ ̷̰̭̝͉̹̆́̇̚B̶͇̽̾̓͜U̶̪̞̙̤͍̞͑͆͛̾̓T̶̘̼̗̻́̍͊̌ͅ ̴̙̖̺͖́͋̏͐͘͝N̷͙̈́̈́͗̽͘O̵̠̹̓̌͝T̸̲̠̲̃̆ ̷̼̹̗͍͎̏͛͛̕Ṯ̴͍͆̍͋̿O̴͍̰̼͎͉͎̊͝D̷͖̭̀͆̏̈́̓̍Å̷̡̧̢̖̫̩̈̿̌͑̅Ẏ̷̹̞̪͛̿̕.̴̤͉̯̦̂̔̇͠ͅ

Maybe it’s just how dying feels, but the pain almost feels…less painful, somehow.

W̵̢͐O̵̙͛U̶̡͊̈́ͅL̴̟̓D̷̯̀̃ ̵̚͜Y̴̹̜̓͋Ȯ̷̰͋͜U̵̗̰͊ ̴̨̧̂̽L̸̠͋Ī̷͖́Ǩ̸̪͍E̷͇̾̎͜ ̵̝͊T̴͎̤́̒O̷̪͈̅̊ ̷̫͈̈̂B̴̰͎͐̉E̴̙͉̅ ̸͓͗M̴̩̃Y̸̗̔͝ ̵̙̣́Ë̴́͐ͅM̵̛̳Í̵̫͗S̶̱̊S̶͔̼̀À̴͔͍R̷̛̜͍̂Ý̴̞̳?̸̫̋ ̶̘̳͌Ì̶͕̄ ̶̙̇̏ͅĆ̴̰͠Ǫ̶̙̅͗Ú̶͉̅L̶̹̾D̵̺̗͌ ̴̺͐̌S̵͇͎̀Ă̸̝̻̔V̷̖̻̀E̶̡͆̓ ̷̼̐̇Y̵̳͌̋O̶̜̬͛U̶̢̽.̸̜̘͛ ̶̳̓̾B̴͍̗̕U̸̠̦̚T̵̗̟̓̎ ̸̪̀͒I̵̳̍F̴̖̣͂ ̴̹̐Y̵̖̎͛Ǫ̴̈U̷͕͋͌ ̴̡͌W̸̤͂̉I̷̻͇͛̓S̴̯̦̐̌H̷̛̤̳͑ ̴̻͇̿F̵̥̐Ȍ̶̩̎Ŕ̷̜͔ ̴̧͚̀P̷̘̪̆E̷̗̽A̸͍͗C̴̻͠Ë̸̻́̃ͅ ̷̛̹̈A̷̮̳̿N̷̛̮͘D̴͙̂̒ͅ ̸̢̺̉Q̵̱̾͐U̷̿͜I̷̝͋É̷̮̂Ṱ̴͊̆…̶̩̔Ĩ̷͔̰̐ ̷͚͖̆C̸̝̃̊Ö̸͉́͠Ũ̶̥̳͘L̶͔̈́D̶̛̺̣ ̶̨̬̾̆G̸͎̰̊I̷̢̍V̷̫͛͘E̵̲̯͋͝ ̵̹̅̕Ỵ̷̣̾O̷̝͉̓̏Ṵ̶̪͆͘ ̷̼̜̅͒T̴̈͜H̴̲͠A̷͎͐̾Ț̸̈́͝ ̴̞͎͒̌Į̶̱͑̓N̵̮̓͝S̷̖̑̓T̷̳͎̂Ȅ̶͜À̴̱̥Ḑ̸̀.̵̬͙̋͆

Save me?

S̸̗̣̉̌Ă̸̙̰̐V̷̤͑̑Ẽ̴̤̯ ̵̢̲̐Ỹ̶̭Ọ̶͒Ȕ̸̫̱.̷̦̱͗̚

…Alright.

He closes his eyes, and his body feels so light…it’s almost like he’s floating. He drifts off into the dark, and he knows everything will be okay.

~~~

“Eoghan? Is everything okay?”

He blinks. It takes a second for his brain to remember where he is. He’s not dying in the ruins of his home, he’s sitting in a sleeping bag with his girlfriend worriedly studying him. That was five years ago.

“You were just sitting there, staring at nothing and mumbling…”

“I’m fine, Soph. Just a dream. Nothing to worry about.”

She purses her lips. “If you say so…”

He chuckles softly and presses a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you for caring, at least.”

You sacrificed everything to get this far, and at the last moment you were betrayed by the one you thought most dear. You lay dying one the snow, praying to any god, demon, or anything that would listen. You receive an answer.

[cash-legacy]

The start to the school year was uninspiring, with a late-autumn snow.

Aphrodite was chided for her uniform choices, and instructed to run inside before she died of frostbite.

Inside was not much better, however, as Aphrodite was forced to sit and try to pay attention to math, while listening to her brother's disgustingly successful attempts to woo every woman he laid eyes on. This time, he chose known awkward-loser Allie Wallace. Maybe just to make her feel better about herself.

I mean, seriously, keep it in your pants, Valentine. We're Freshmen.

Although I guess maybe it's in the name.

After school ended, the whole Freshman year was sent off into downtown Copperdale, for a Class Bonding Activity: thrift shopping!

Edward: Take a look at braces over here! When did you get those things put on, Cash? Did your psycho-nerd aunt do them?

Aphrodite: Go to hell, Edward.

Edward: Was it before or after she murdered that lady?

As was the way of teenage boys, Edward in fact found Aphrodite quite attractive - a fact that bothered him, considering his girlfriend was right nearby.

While everyone else was shopping for clothes, Aphrodite's eyes were elsewhere.

They were pinned directly onto Angelina Wang, the prettiest girl in the grade. At least according to Aphrodite, who was a completely unbiased observer.

Totally unbiased.

She was fairly certain Angelina didn't know she existed.

She was fairly certain nobody knew she existed.

Aphrodite: [Helloo, Angelina! I'm right here! We could be best friends! I know all about makeup, and swim team, and tight ribbed shirts, and.. low waisted sweatpants, and bleached blonde hair...]

It was good she didn't say any of that out loud.

Edward: Hey, braces.

Aphrodite: Not my name. Just FYI.

Edward: Oh, I'm so sorry. Please don't murder me, I'm so scared. Does homicide run in the family? Eyes off my girlfriend, nerd.

Girlfriend?

Aphrodite grimaced. Angelina could do so much better.

Aphrodite: It's literally the first day of school. When in the Watcher's name did you start dating?

Angelina: Oh, we've been together since seventh grade.

Edward: Not something you would understand. It's only available to normal people, who aren't Legacy Sims. You have to go straight from Elementary School to High School.

Aphrodite: [As if that's my fault!]

In other news, across the room,

Olive: Hey, Valentine, check out this video I took.

Valentine: Oh my Watcher, is that my dad? What is he doing?

Valentine: Is he seriously holding a boombox outside her window? That's, like. Harassment.

Olive: Right? Tina wasn't even home! He was just standing there. It was so embarrassing.

Valentine: Wait - come here. I have a question for you.

Olive: Why are we in ThrifTea's conspicuously non-gendered bathroom?

Valentine: It required privacy.

Olive: Go ahead.

Valentine: Is it, like... sooo weird if I'm kind of into you?

Olive: Why would it be weird?

Valentine: Because my dad is dating your mom-

Olive: Step-mom. I don't even call her "mom."

Valentine: Step-mom. Is it weird?

Olive: Maybe a little bit.

Valentine: Good thing I'm not, then!

Olive: Terrible save. But I'll take it.

Valentine: ANYWAYS- Did you hear about this bill the Senate is voting on?

Olive: Bill? Senate? Who are you? Since when were you interested in politics?

Valentine: I don't know. Since I became old enough that the Watcher felt it was realistic. Politics are interesting.

Olive: Uh-huh...

Valentine: So this bill-

Aphrodite: [Valentine Cash, I know what you're up to in there. You had better believe I will be using this as blackmail later. Weirdo.]

[lapeaudelamemoire]

ii. (triptych middle)

mandarin chinese drama ost track playing out of my phone on my bed next to me on repeat. (云泥 by 希林娜依，高, from 云之羽.)

leaving my partner's apartment today i realise that i no longer know what i want to do or have anywhere i want to go for leisure. that i've given up on doing something in my free time.

i don't know any good cafes to go to that are open after 3pm. (3PM.) Or maybe 4pm. Maybe 5pm at the latest. Certainly not near me. Not even in the city. Not anywhere, hardly anywhere really. Libraries close around this time too. I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again - even in Norway/Oslo there was a cafe that stayed open until 10pm every night. Maybe this is a sign that I've thoroughly suffocated; that there is truly nowhere to go. In this 'city'. In this place that calls itself a fucking 'city'. (If you can't tell, I spat that.)

Even when the nights don't fall until past 8pm now, there is nothing to fucking do. No thing. N o t h i n g. So I don't think about going out any more. There is nothing to do. And nothing to dress up for. Just a whole lot of nothing. A whole heap of nothing.

So I go and get my bread and bubble tea and prepare to go home, which is when I realise as I'm walking down the street that I would have used to go out to sit down somewhere for a coffee and read, but there's nowhere. And all the fucking coffee here sucks. (Lol, because I tried to tell K that the coffee here is really good all that time ago. He would have died of boredom here and gone tf back to London, which, fair enough.)

People talk about the outback or whatever when they talk about the colony called Australia, but even the 'cities' are pretty fucking barren, at least to me.

.

time to start pulling my guts out of my mouth, i guess.

there were things i really did want to say, which were that i haven't really felt actively good about my body for a while. not really sure how to address this internalised fatphobia when it's me. stopped feeling sure about myself and confident once my body started changing, although i think i've done pretty well so far. but i also don't like feeling like i need to feel attractive to others. dislike the feeling of wanting validation from others, and also which is almost always about wanting to feel attractive to men. feels like i'm 14 again. which was half a lifetime ago now. cognitively, i realise this is all bullshit. but in my body, i haven't been feeling it. and maybe it's also because that's not really something expressed a lot in my relationship with my partner. i realised too that and which isn't helped by the fact that when my body started changing, it seems i leaned right into being cute, rather than 'sexy', which was what i felt i was when i was slim. and i realise too that that's societal, that you're sexy when you're slim but cute when you're not. one or the other, it's still about making yourself attractive in some way. this isn't nice or poetic or whatever, it's something i need to untangle. and so it just is.

i watch tv and play FF and realise that everyone is slim. now i have to avoid looking too much at skinny women because their visible ribs remind me of when i was a teenager and EDs were all the rage. i don't want to go back there again, walking towards the mirror and watching how much my thighs jiggle. that in itself is something that needs addressing. the avoidance - i guess. the feeling that i'm unsure how i look to others, the sense that i don't think i 'can' be attractive or sexy. it's like puberty all over again. and as i write this i realise that this is probably something that will happen more and more as i age, and get older, and my body continues to change, and i move further and further away from the societal beauty ideal of young and slim. when i was that i never had to think about it. and now i do. welp. that's privilege. you can be aware of it and still never know how it feels not to have it, until you don't fit into that circle any more.

and my body - well, my body. the issues stack like a vulnerability stack in a game. noticing patches on my skin that are dry, that are discoloured, that spread. i worry. walking to the train and realising on the train that my soles are burning a little. it's hard to feel good about my body when my body is now mostly a source of concern and worry, but above all now also a source of uncertainty. physically and aesthetically.

maybe that's also why i've stopped wearing lingerie. i've been thinking it would be good to do a shoot again, that maybe that would help. but as with everything these days - well.

-

- interlude -

well the autosave draft post feature has come in very handy, thank you tumblr. (laptop crashed.)

-

and then - well, the suddenly i don't have family to speak to in my other native language any more, because they aren't safe to be around. because it was after this that all these issues with my body started happening. maybe it was linked, maybe it's just because it's come time. but either way, i can't seem to disassociate them.

[scarlettriot]

Take Him Seriously

Pro Hero Kirishima x F!Reader

Summary: When your pro hero bf suggests slipping away at the hero gala you don't really take the big guy seriously... he's about to show you why you should.

Very minor BakuDeku and KamiJiroShinso

Warnings: SMUT BELOW THE CUT 18+ Minors DNI! Exhibitionism, Soft Dom, Lots of Praise, Pet Names (Sweets & Baby & Good Girl), Cursing

Word Count: 1,753

Alcohol, as it did with many people, had a way of making Kirishima's lips looser and thoughts flow more freely. You sat across from your boyfriend at the yearly heroes gala, the both of you dressed in your finest. The party was in full swing, awards and dinner had been served and now the drinking and dancing were the primary events. Although, you and Eijiro opted to take a break. Sinking down into chairs at an empty table. He'd lost his jacket some time ago and you were dying to kick off your heels already.

Somewhere among the smiles and laughter you both shared, he'd leaned back, long legs as thick as tree trunks stretched out wide in front of him and you couldn't help but notice crimson eyes lingering on you as you massaged your aching heels. "If you wanna get off your feet for a while, I have a few ideas of how we can make that happen."

You actually giggled at the comment. "What?"

It wasn't that Eijiro wasn't capable, he was MORE THAN capable! It's just, he wasn't one to usually voice those desires, he usually just... acted on them. And you knew with a room full of friends and colleges he'd never do so in such a public place.

And yet, "Mhm, wrap those luscious thighs around me and I'll keep you off the ground for a while, whatcha say?" He'd leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees even as you slipped the black strap back in place and stood.

"Sure, Eijiro, whatever you say."

He looked up at you, a pout on his lips, "You're not taking me seriously."

You kissed that adorable lower lip of his, "You're right, I'm not. But, when we get home, I'd love to get all tangled up with you-"

Eijiro grabbed your hand and tugged you back down to eye level, "And what if I don't wanna wait that long?" You were still pretty sure he was full of it, "You should take me more seriously, sweets."

He let your hand fall, brushed his lips against your cheek, and let you wander back out to the dance floor but you could feel his eyes on you the entire time.

An hour had passed. You were busy dancing and catching up with friends you didn't see nearly enough and, honestly, you'd nearly forgotten about what Eijiro had hinted at with everything else that had been going on.

You'd been walking back from the restroom when a door open and someone pulled you inside the small coat closet, though, it didn't take much for you to realize who the someone was.

"Eiji! What the-"

He backed you against the door, lips hot against yours while he fumbled with a folding chair, jamming it up under the handle of the door. "I told you, you should take me more seriously." He kissed down the length of your neck, sharp teeth nipping at your skin harder than usual, and, for a second, you were too caught up in the moment to remind him he had to be careful. That there was an event happening that both of you were supposed to be present at!

"Ei, hey, Eijiro," You managed to gain enough sense to pull his head back to look at him, "Babe, we're very much in public. If you want we can just go h-"

That was the second time his lips had cut you off. "Don't care. I want you, right here, right now." He bunched the fabric of your floor-length gown until he could grab at your legs underneath. "Been wanting to tear this dress off you since we left but I still can't do that so I guess I gotta settle for these instead."

It took him no effort at all to rip open the black pantyhose you'd been wearing, quickly followed by the lacy panties under them. The pupils of his eyes were blown wide, tongue darting out to lick his lips while he teased your folds, his other hand guiding yours to the front of his black pants where he was so painfully hard.

"Please, sweets..."

He knew just how to lure you in. Your hands flew to his belt and shoved his pants and boxers down just enough to free him. Eijiro already had two fingers inside you and his thumb circling your clit.

You wanted to move, to sink down on your knees in front of him and give him what he apparently been thinking about all night long but he pinned you to the wall. "I don't have the patience for that." A third finger slipped inside with ease now, one of your legs hooked in the crook of his arm.

"Eiji." You whined rocking your hips, pushing his calloused fingers deeper until he was reaching your favorite spot making you moan and whimper, all his favorite noises he couldn't get enough of. You fought with his tie and then the buttons of his shirt, eager to claw and leave your mark on him.

"Not fair." The man groaned when you ran nails down the planes of his back. "I gotta behave. You've got all this skin on display..."

"Didn't stop you on my neck."

He finally noticed the little bite marks he'd left behind. "Well, if I've already done that much." You moaned at the contact on your neck again, the opposite side this time. And when he applied that pressure, thrust his fingers in hard and deep, you had to bite your cherry red lip to keep yourself from crying his name as you came around his fingers.

"That's a good girl. Keep nice and quiet for me, okay?" You hadn't even fully came down off your high before Eijiro had you up in his arms, the weeping tip of his cock easing into you.

You reached up and found the empty bar of a rack, hanging onto it for dear life as Eijiro pounded into you, your hips meeting every single time with a harsh smack that you were pretty sure was louder than any of the moans you'd been making.

You were still so damn sensitive. He had your toes curling in seconds with the steady pace he set. Watching his cock quickly vanish inside you and then slowly pull out so you could feel each vein he had to offer, every inch he could give you.

"More, more, please, Eiji." He only smirked at your babbled pleas but gave you exactly what you requested. Picking up the pace and fucked you so damn hard you thought you might go through the wall. "Please, fuck!"

With your legs around his torso and your back braced on the wall, that left one of his hands free to clamp over your noisy mouth and the other to toy with your clit. "You want them to know what we're doin' in here? You're gonna let em know who's fuckin' you this good if you keep that up."

It was no use, you couldn't stay silent while he had you like this, you never could. His fingers dipped inside your mouth, "Suck on these so you'll keep quiet." And you did, maybe even a little too well because now it was Eijiro who was moaning like a horny teenager.

"Fuck you're too good at this. Damn, you look amazing, I told you that, right? So fucking gorgeous."

His praise had you sucking his fingers in harder, hugging his cock tighter, teetering right on that edge once again. "Gonna cum again for me? At this fancy party? My cock all the way in you and my fingers down your throat, ah, yes" He chuckled, "So fuckin' good for me, baby. Keep cumming."

Eijiro slowed his thrusts letting you actually ride out your high this time, letting you muffle your screams by biting his shoulder. You whined pitifully when he pulled out of you entirely, very aware he hadn't cum yet. "Get on your knees for me, please, sweets. Can't go shooting inside you when you got nothing to keep it in..."

You both looked at your torn panties on the floor and realized he had a point.

On your knees, Eijiro popped his fat cock right into your mouth with a sigh. "You're gonna have to swallow all of it, alright? Don't want any getting on your dress, I wanna ruin that later."

It didn't take him long to reach his peak, not with the way you swallowed him, hollowed your cheeks out, and tongued his head. He had his messy fingers wrapped up in your hair, fucking your throat how he pleased.

"Love you so damn much, sweets." Eijiro kept his voice low, muttering practically when you felt the first hot rope shoot down your throat, "Taken' me so fuckin' well, always take me so good, take it all, fuck, Y/N."

You might have damn near choked from all the cum he'd just unloaded but at least none of it ended up on your dress or his pants.

He dropped to his knees in front of you, kissing you tenderly and wiping the tears and mascara off of your cheeks. Eijiro helped you straighten out your dress again and fix your hair as best as it could be.

"Sorry I didn't take you seriously earlier." You chuckled, your throat still a little raw.

"I can't really blame you. I didn't even know if I'd have the courage to go through with it but then I saw you on the dance floor and I couldn't wait anymore."

He scooped up your torn pantyhose and undies, pocketing them both before dropping another quick kiss on your lips and opening the door...

"About fucking time!" Katsuki grumbled, pushing pasted you and Eijiro and going into his coat that had been hanging near where Eijiro had just been railing you.

"Seriously, have you two no shame!" Denki tsked and you half hid behind Eijiro.

The redhead tucked you under his arm with a grin. "You're one to talk. As if we didn't all hear you, Kyoka, and Hitoshi goin' at it in the restroom last year at this thing. Least we kept it mostly quiet."

"Just go out to your damn car like everyone else does! It's not that hard!" Bakugo huffed, tucking his phone into his pocket. "Then people can get to their phones or go to the fucking bathroom and not have to wait for someone to fuckin' get off! Speakin' of which, where's my damn nerd!"

[mugunghwc]

“L-let me guess… you tried not t-to look at my face to avoid making m-me feel self conscious about it a-at first?” Pace falls slightly behind as she follows after Gong. Just a step, but it makes her feel better. “People stare. B-back home I got used t-to it. It’s different h-here. There’s no safe spot t-to go when I’m overwhelmed, o-or when some teenagers s-say ‘look a-at the monster’. I’m s-sure others get that too, but does that m-make it wrong to feel self conscious myself? To be nervous to a-ask for help when I n-need it?” Was it a healthy thing to do? Obviously not. Still, Mizuki struggled with the rational side of her mind. Often times she’d rather just suffer than speak out and risk being berated or mocked more than she already was.

“I t-think good and bad is v-very relative though. A killer c-can murder in c-cold blood, yes, but they also m-might be someone who has t-their own moral code. F-for money they kill, but i-if they have the option t-to help a lost child t-they do it without question. J-just like a good person w-who goes to church every weekend and v-volunteers c-can bully a person for being gay.” Grip on Oak tightens ever so slightly. The trusty hound opens his eyes, flickering gaze to her and then Gong. He might be far from a guard dog, but he was fairly good at warning Mizuki who to trust and not trust. Regardless of the stranger’s history or job, Oak HADN’T tried to run away from him. “I don’t t-think I’m inherently scary though… I j-just know my burn can make p-people uncomfortable. It used t-to be worse, and maybe…” Maybe I still use that as an excuse to run away and be afraid?  

Chest swells when she spots her hotel. All the stress she had been previously under began to seep out leaving her oddly exhausted. Chances were she’d be sleeping in the next morning and would avoid straying too far from the area. “B-before we say our g-goodbye is there anything y-you’d like for helping me? I-I think I have some money on hand. P-perhaps you could grab a little snack f-for your troubles. Oh- I have a coupon f-for a free bowl of ramen!” As they come to a stop she begins fishing though her bag, hoping to find the aforementioned item. Apparently it was a very popular spot to go to with highly rated food. It might not be much, but at least she could thank him properly.

     her... question, bordering assumption, had him staring almost in disbelief once her steps came to a halt—forcing him to stop, as well, & lay his eyes on her as she went on. in truth, his words were meant to simply add an air of casualness to the conversation, tease her a little bit by pointing out she had been worrying about something that, in his eyes, shouldn’t matter much. yet, it turned out to leave such an impression on her, that she felt the need to justify herself. that was something that he hadn’t expected, especially from a shy soul as her own, but as she was done talking, the man’s stare shifted away. “i’m not bothered by it.” he admitted, & although, it was hard to miss, his words remained true. it wasn’t pretty & far from natural, but it didn’t incite disgust in him, or fear. that was ridiculous for him to even think of ; allowing a snort to escape him before reminding her to keep walking. she could talk as she did that.

     the explanation that she had given him, seemed to paint a surprised look on his face, but even if he could see where she was going with this, it did not erase the fact that she was willing to put herself at risk regardless. it made him wonder how she got that scar to begin with—if she had been just as careless, & got into an accident because she lacked self-preservation, or was it because of someone... the latter, incited some frustration within him that he kept hidden from view. a memory of his past came to mind. “you seem to believe everyone has redeemable qualities.” gong noted, still struggling to grasp such a mindset. “it’s a wonder nothing has happened to you yet.” with how naive she was, he could easily imagine any other man in his position trying to lure her, walk her to her hotel & invite themselves in, to have their way with her. however, that seemed to be a possibility she hadn’t even considered, as she showed no concern over him knowing where she was staying at, & alone, nonetheless. “you draw more attention your way by the way you act about it, than the scar itself.” he finally commented & paused once again, once she tried to search something in her bag with the dog still in her hold, disrupting any sleep. gong stared at the dog, as if she hadn’t spoken until a coupon was presented to him.

       “if you had money to begin with, you could’ve called a cab.” he commented, which made him wonder if she had forgotten about it, or if simply wanted to try her luck with a stranger. whatever the case was, he didn’t know. another snort escaped him, after taking the coupon away from her grasp without even looking at it. “you want to invite me to some snacks...” gong repeated, chuckling before looking over at her. “& where are these snacks? in your bedroom?”