#and i’ll look back on today and go ‘i learned there’s a type of flower named after a bat’ and smile

[acoraxia]

I think the world is cruel.

But that’s ok.

I’ll sit here and do things that make me happy, even when I’m sad, and learn new things as I grow.

Because who else will look at me and say, “Do you want to learn about orcas and their biology?”

No one.

Because the world is mean.

So I have to tell myself, “Search for something new,” and that’s how I’ll find something that’ll keep me happy until I’m sad again.

But that’s ok.

I’ll just do it all over again.

[just-wrting]

Just My Type

Title: Just My Type

Pairing: Nanami Kento x Reader

Summary: Itadori helps you get closer to a man who is just your type and your opposite.

Word Count: 2126

Master List

A/N: I'm so sorry! I got a really bad string of migraines and started to sink into a slump. But here is the next prompt! I'll try to keep up, but I won't finish during October I guess. Also, NO SPOILERS PLEASE! I haven't seen season 2.

You tilt your head and study the young boy in front of you. Unsure of the reason, you wonder what sort of reason would lead the more powerful Nanami to leave a teenager in your care.

“Remind me again why I’m in charge.”

“I’m needed elsewhere and can’t leave him alone. He is to be supervised at all times.”

You frown and look over your shoulder at Nanami. He looks as stoic as ever, even getting ready to head out as he talks.

“Well, for being the vessel of the king of curses, he’s awfully adorable. Are they so sure he poses a threat?” 

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “I am not qualified to speak on that. Just don’t get him killed in the process of whatever you are doing today.”

“You’re being so cold today, Nanami. A thank you wouldn’t hurt, but since you’re my favorite I’ll do you this favor.”

—-

The silence is overwhelming. You aren’t sure how to approach a conversation with Itadori.

“Despite your power level most likely being above mine, I’d like you to stay back when fighting curses today. I know you’d be fine, but if this whole thing with those special curses involves other sorcerers, you need to know more about them.”

It’s almost comical howhe tilts his head in response. “I need to know more about those sorcerers? We don’t even know who they are.”

You push down the urge to ruffle his hair like he’s a dog and shake your head. “You need to know more about other sorcerers in general. Cursed techniques vary between people even if they are similar. The more you see the better you’ll be able to pick up on things.”

You know that’s not one hundred percent true. Some sorcerers are good at keeping their technique hidden while others get benefits for telling their technique. Nanami is open about his technique and you often find yourself a bit jealous of it. The ability to create a weak point on your opponent is amazing.

“Then what’s your technique?”

You wave your hand, attempting to dismiss the question. “It’s nothing as cool as others. It’s not even that powerful.”

Despite you being dismissive, Itadori stares at you expectantly. He’s new to the world of curses, and seems to always be willing to learn a bit more about them. His willingness to put others first is also adorable, and you find it hard to tell him no.

“It’s easier to show than explain. If you want the simple answer, I can turn my cursed energy into flowers. Each does something different,” you say awkwardly. “If you want, there’s rumors about a curse near here. If there is one I’ll show you.”

“Let’s go! No point in waiting!”

—-

You know as soon as you enter the open space that the curse is going to give you trouble. It’s not stronger than you in fact, it's a little weaker. The issue is that you’ve been hiding an injury. That’s what will make it difficult.

“Like I said Itadori, stay back unless I say so. I’ll be able to handle it, it just might take me a bit.”

He opens his mouth to protest, but chooses not to. You’re stubborn and would make sure that he listens even if he protests. Keeping him safe is better than letting him get hurt. The poor kid has already died.

You analyze the area, trying to figure out the best place to start. The curse is too strong to be easily put to sleep with a blanket of lavender, but it would still disorient it. The problem is that you aren’t sure if, as a human, Itadori would be knocked out.

The first step is easy. You reach into a little orange pouch and pull out a few seeds. After imbuing them with your cursed energy, you place them across your side. Within seconds, bright orange blossoms appear and the soothing effect begins.

“Woah, what are those?” Itadori asks and reaches his hand out.

“Calendula blossoms. They’re used in rash and burn treatments but my cursed energy allows them to ease all my pain.”

Thankfully your cursed energy also means that they’re easy to remove. There’s no pain during the removal, the pain from the original injury returns soon after though. It’s something that you’ve never used on another person, but it’s very effective on yourself for pain management.

“If you start to feel tired, back up. The area of effect is larger than I’d like for this space,” you warn before stepping forward.

You hold your hand out, having dozens of fuzzy seeds appear. Pulling a fan out of your satchel, you keep your eyes peeled for the curse. The soft light causes shadows to flicker, and you make sure to glance in each direction to carefully inspect even the smallest of movements.

From above drops a misshapen dark blob. It lands in front of you, and you shield the seeds from the burst of air. Once the air stills again, you blow the seeds towards the curse. Each starts to take root in the curse’s face. The rapid growth of your curse causes the seeds to bloom within a few seconds. Dozens of dandelions pop out of their shells.

The curse howls and tries to pull out one of the flowers. With a massive tug, it pulls out a root at least eight inches long. This leaves a bleeding hole in the curse. As it writhes in pain, the other dandelions close up to turn into the fluffy seeds. The movement will cause them to spread all over the curse, so you tuck away your fan.

You duck and twist through the tentacles of the blob. You’re doing your best to avoid getting smashed as it squirms in pain. There’s no sympathy from you as you leap over it and land on the other side. Taking seeds from a purple pouch, you toss them along the ground.

A blanket of lavender spreads along the ground, engulfing the grimy concrete. As each flower blooms, the soothing scent of lavender hangs in the air and the curse starts to move slower. It won’t be put to sleep by the flowers as weaker curses might, but it will slow it down and relax it. You aren’t fully immune to this yet, and you feel the smell start to relax your body.

This slower reaction time causes you to stumble when the curse swats at you. It sends you flying into the field of lavender. Blood drips down your side as your injury reopens. The pain takes longer to subside this time.

“I need to wrap this up,” you mumble under your breath. “I’m going to make a fool out of myself.”

You pull three seeds out of the red pouch and clutch them in your fist. You set it ablaze with cursed energy, ready to punch through the curse. As you sprint towards it, you try to ignore the growing spot of blood on your side.

You let your body drop into a slide, coming to a stop under the blob. Despite the lack of momentum, you’re able to punch up into its center. You open your hand and deposit the seeds. As they start to poke through, you scramble back.

Three rose bushes burst out of the curse and start to climb up its body. The reddish-orange roses bloom as the thorny vines meld together. It takes no more than a minute or two for the whole curse to be covered in roses. You extend your hand out and light the bushes on fire with cursed energy.

With the large bleeding holes from the pulled dandelions and the spiky web of roses, the curse is exorcized. As it disappears, you let all of the flowers wither. The petals fall from the air, but turn into nothing before hitting the ground. You feel woozy, but suck it up.

“That was surprisingly cool!” Itadori yells as he rushes towards you. “I didn’t think flowers could kill curses.”

You ruffle his hair. “Thanks, I like to think I have some surprises. Be sure to tell Nanami how cool I am. Just don’t tell him I fought while injured, I don’t want it to impact my chances of a promotion.”

“I’ll make sure he thinks you’re cool too!”

—-

You’re staring at the displays in the shop window longfully. You’ve been good at limiting your spending, but the display of the stuffed animal cat is too cute to resist. It might be silly to see an adult fawning over how plush it looks, but you don’t really care.

As you make up your mind to head in, you feel a hand on your shoulder. You spin around and see Nanami. Itadori runs over to join the two of you.

“What are you doing here?” you ask.

“Gojo is coming back today and he agreed to meet in Tokyo! I wanted to look around so I got here early,” Itadori explains as he shows off a few shopping bags. “I think I see him over there!”

With the quickest goodbye you’ve ever heard, the boy rushes off. You’re not surprised by his actions since he acts lively all the time. It’s adorable how excited he is to visit the city.

“Isn’t he adorable? He’s like a puppy or a little brother,” you giggle. “It’s a good thing you’ve also taught him.”

“What makes you say that?”

You start to feel a little nervous. “Well, Gojo doesn’t have to worry about making rash decisions. He can practically fight however he wants with how strong he is. You and I have to make smart choices so we don’t die. Someone needs to teach him that he needs to make smart choices.”

“I suppose you’re correct. It would be a shame if you made a choice that led to your death,” he agrees.

“Not that Gojo can’t teach him important things. He has his own charms and abilities.”

Nanami gets a far-off look in his eyes. “Do you find Gojo charming?”

You’re taken aback. It never crossed your mind to talk about romance with your fellow sorcerers, for various reasons, let alone talk to someone as stoic as Nanami about it. Here he is, mentioning the topic to you.

“Not really. Sure I would complain about having a strong man loving me, but I wouldn’t classify Gojo as my type. If you’re considering me your friend now, I could indulge you by telling you my type,” you say with a cheeky grin. “I’m always down to talk about romance.”

Nanami sighs. “I suppose I can’t stop you.”

You giggle. “You could, but if I’m going to tell you my type, I want to hear yours. What could the type of such a secretive man be? It’s like a romantic mystery.”

He crosses his arms and gives a slight frown. Nothing is said, so you take it as an agreement to your condition.

“Well, my type of guy is someone who’s intelligent and calculating. Being strong isn’t a must, but it would be nice.” You press your lips together as you think. “As much as a man who is sweet would be amazing, I just want him to be nice to me at least, like a gentleman!”

As you list off traits, you realize that you’re describing the things you know about Nanami. However, you don’t share that fact. Why would a man who is so stoic and stern like someone who is emotional and soft?

“You wanted the cat in the window, correct?”

Nanami’s question catches you off guard. You don’t know when he turned to point at it, or how he figured out that you wanted the cat.

“Yeah, how did you know?” you sheepishly respond. “I can’t help but like cute things.”

His jaw is clenched, and you know he’s got something bothering him. Whatever it is, it doesn’t stop him from gently leading you into the shop.

“Since I can’t tell you my type right now, I’ll get you the cat. Consider it a sort of promise to tell you when I can. Besides, Itadori talked a lot about you, so I need to thank you for looking after him."

You feel your face heat up as he pulls one off the shelf. Trying to push the feeling in your chest down, you give him a big smile.

“Don’t worry! I’ll hold you to it,” you exclaim. “Besides, you know I wouldn’t judge you for what your type is. After all, I did sort of describe you.”

You’re too preoccupied with the other stuff in the store to notice that the composed look on Nanami’s face starts to slip.

For anyone curious, the roses are Warm Welcome Roses!

[mimisempai]

I’ll always be there for you

Summary

The insulting words of a flower-shop customer make Crowley doubt himself, but fortunately a certain bookseller will help him get back on track.

Notes

50 Types of Kisses - Writing Prompts

Kiss #32: A kiss so passionate, so perfect - that after they part, neither person can open their eyes for a few moments afterwards.

On Ao3

Rating G -  1091 words

Aziraphale, who was reading, frowned as Crowley entered the bookshop. It wasn't his lover's arrival that surprised him, since it had become increasingly common for the florist to go straight to the bookshop after his day's work at the flower shop.

What surprised the bookseller was the silence.

No greetings. Not a word.

Aziraphale was about to rise from his chair to greet him as Crowley approached, but the florist stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"You don't need to get up."

The bookseller, now confused and concerned, asked, "Crowley, what's wrong?"

His lover shook his head and replied, "Nothing a good shower won't cure."

Then, without giving Aziraphale time to respond, he quickly kissed him and headed for the stairs, which he climbed four at a time.

Aziraphale doubted that whatever was bothering his lover was something that could be soothed with a shower, and that made him even more determined to ignore Crowley's silent refusal to be cared for.

Though their upbringings had been different, one thing they had in common was that they'd learned to rely on themselves and were both unaccustomed to being cared for.

This time, it was Aziraphale's turn to remind his lover that this was no longer the case.

Aziraphale climbed the stairs, and when he reached the top, he wasn't surprised to find the bathroom empty, so he went to the bedroom.

There, despite the darkened room, he saw him, still fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

The bookseller said nothing and walked silently to sit beside his lover, who did not move or make a gesture toward him.

Aziraphale gently placed his hand on Crowley's back and, after making sure the florist didn't fight his touch, began to stroke him soothingly before saying softly, "You don't have to talk. Only if you feel like it, okay? I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

A few more minutes passed before Crowley lifted his head and turned it toward Aziraphale. His expression was so defeated that all the bookseller wanted to do was take him in his arms, hug him, and tell him that no matter what happened, everything would be all right. But he knew that wasn't the way to do it, so he slid his hand down his lover's arm, intertwined their hands, and waited for him to speak.

Crowley sighed first and said, "I should have known you wouldn't let it go."

Aziraphale smiled and replied softly, "Yes, you should have. You should have known that I wouldn't leave you alone in your misery. We take care of each other. It's a two-way street, remember?" 

Aziraphale raised an eyebrow and moved his hand between Crowley and himself, "You and me."

Crowley smiled weakly, "Okay, okay..." before beginning. 

He began to explain in a defeated voice, "Today I had a lot of orders and a lot of customers in general. Luckily, Muriel was there to help me. Then there was this woman who was absolutely obnoxious, who came into the flower shop as if she owed everything, and I swear, Aziraphale, I was polite and told her to wait her turn. But she didn't like that and questioned my work, saying that she should have known from the way I looked that I couldn't possibly be competent, that she didn't want a bouquet made by someone who looked like a thug. And many other things like that."

Aziraphale, angry on Crowley's behalf, protested, "And no one said anything?"

Crowley nodded, "Yes, Muriel at first, and even Nina, who heard all from the coffee shop, came to scold her and throw her out, but..."

Crowley shook his head and Aziraphale, who had understood, continued for the florist, "But doubt crept in and now you're wondering if there's any truth in what that wench said, am I wrong?"

Crowley sighed before falling backwards onto the bed, his arm covering his eyes.

Aziraphale climbed onto the bed and slid close to him before gently lifting Crowley's arm to stroke his cheek. 

"Crowley, sweetheart, don't let this doubt consume you. Believe me, I know what it's like to doubt yourself. But I also know firsthand that you're an excellent florist. You love what you do, you do it with passion, and most importantly, you do it beautifully. Not even a month here and you had a contract with Justine. All the shopkeepers on the street respect you and your work, and even Mr. Brown was full of praise for you, saying that you contribute greatly to the development of the street. This idiot woman doesn't know you, but me, Muriel, our friends, we know you, and we know how skilled, how good you are."

Aziraphale straightened up and sat down, leaning against the headboard, and, spreading his legs, pulled Crowley toward him until he was sitting against him. Then the bookseller wrapped his arms and legs around the florist, his chin resting on his lover's head.

Crowley sighed with contentment, allowing himself to surrender, and as Aziraphale felt the tension begin to leave his body, he whispered into the florist's hair, "You are not a thug or anything else that woman may have said. Believe the words of those who love you, of me, who love you and know what a beautiful person you are. I'm incredibly proud of you and proud to be your lover."

Crowley turned his head, looked at Aziraphale, then kissed him althought clumsily because of the uncomfortable position. He grunted a little in frustration, then turned and knelt between his lover's legs to face him before wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him properly this time. He put all the elation inspired by Aziraphale's words into the kiss, and his lover responded with the same fervor, telling him again in the kiss how much he loved him and was proud of him.

The kiss lingered, and when they pulled away, they both had their eyes closed, forehead to forehead, just catching their breath and basking in the perfection of the moment. 

Crowley murmured in a slightly hoarse voice, "Thank you for being so understanding and taking such good care of me. "

Aziraphale pressed a light kiss to the tip of his lover's nose and replied softly, "That's what we do, isn't it? We take care of each other."

Crowley hummed before burying his face in Aziraphale's neck as the bookseller wrapped his arms around him, continuing to lavish him with the comfort he needed.

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable kisses series : here

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here

The florist and the booksellers series : here

[creativia10]

The Flowers Tradition

When the Collector comes to visit his friends on the Boiling Isles, Luz is in the human world. He learns it's the anniversary of her dad's death. Wanting to understand more, The collector joins her in honoring her late dad.

Warnings: death meantions (as Luz is grieving her dad)

Let me know if I'm missing any

Wordcount: 1848

Notes: I wanted to have the Collector try and understand human grief again. I thought showing him Luz's tradition of honoring her dad with her mom would be a good way to do so.

Space can be boring sometimes. The Collector had thought he made the right decision to spend some time back among the stars. To grow up after everything they did at the Boiling Isles. Admittedly though, he was coming up with reasons to visit more often than he thought they would. Then again, it was hard to keep track of Earth time when he was away from it. Really, they were lucky he didn’t come back years later.

So, he wasn’t sure what to expect when they came back to the Boiling Isles since leaving. There were certainly a lot fewer reparations finished than he expected. Really, how did itty bitties handle doing things so slowly? It sounds so boring to spend so much time cleaning up.

He floated around above the Isles for a bit, trying to find a good place to land and see their friends. His castle was still on top of the Titan’s skull where they left it, which made sense. But nobody was around it though.

Finally, he saw some friends in front of the Owl house. King was in the front playing. Eda was standing behind him chatting with someone. They looked like that puppet the collector had who seemed to have come to life. Who the Collector later learned was possessed by Belos at that time. Raine, he thinks their name was?

The Collector floated down towards the trio.

“King!” He exclaimed as he landed in front of them. King paused and turned to face him.

“Collector!” King exclaimed back. He then ran forward to give the Collector a hug. The Collector returned the hug, blinking as their eyes got a bit misty. Gosh, he missed his friend.

The Collector pulled back and then waved behind them.

“Hi, Eda!”

Eda smiled at him with her fang sticking out.

“Welcome back, Collector. You were missed.”

Raine, who had their arm wrapped around Eda, nodded at him.

Just then, some of the other kids Luz was friends with started to walk up to the Owl House. They paused when they saw him.

“Collector? Gosh, it’s been a while.”

The Collector smiled and waved at them with both hands.

“Hiya! It’s good to see everyone again. Space is lonely. And you all are more interesting.”

More of them smiled at his enthusiasm.

The Collector looked around though when he noticed someone was missing.

“Where’s Luz?”

The others exchanged looks with each other at that.

“She’s in the human world,” King said.

The Collector wilted a bit at that.

“Oh,” They said, “Does she spend more time there now?”

“Yes…” King said, seeming hesitant.

“But there’s a specific reason today.”

“Oh?” The Collector tilted his head. “Why’s that?”

The others paused again.

“Today is an anniversary of sorts. She usually spends the day with her mom.”

“Oh. Well, I really want to see her. Do you think it’s okay for me to join at least for a moment to say hi?”

King hesitated.

“You should probably at least ask her if that’s okay.”

The Collector frowned. “O-okay,” It would still be a chance to see her after all.

“She’s going to be at a specific place in the human realm this time. Probably one you haven’t been to yet,” King continued.

Then Amity stepped forward.

“I’ll take you there. She’s shown me where it is before.”

-

Amity lead him to a type of place the Collector hadn’t been to before. It was a fenced-in area of grass that had carved gray stones interspersed throughout. They almost resembled tablets. Besides many of the stones were flowers. The Collector squinted his eyes as he looked around. Why would Luz be at this place? It didn’t look like there was anything to do.

“What is this place?” The Collector asked as they looked up to Amity. Amity pressed her lips together as she looked ahead. Her expression was a bit hard to read.

“This is a cemetery,” She said.

That sounded familiar. She looked around and then started to walk along the path. The Collector followed. After going up the hill a bit she stopped. Amity pointed ahead and to a bit to the left. It looked like the backs of Luz and her mom standing in front of one of the carved stones.

“You can go ahead. I want to give them some space. If Luz doesn’t want to visit right now, please respect that, alright?”

“…okay.” The Collector was still confused about what was going on, but he didn’t want to upset Luz.

He carefully walked forward, with more caution than he usually moved with. As he got close, they noticed Luz and her mom talking quietly with each other.

“…uh, Luz?”

Luz jumped. Then she and her mom both turned around with wide eyes.

“Collector!?” Luz exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

The Collector rocked in place slightly.

“I uh, I was visiting the Boiling Isles and noticed you weren’t there, but I wanted to see you and at least say hi. Your friends told me where you were, but not to disturb you if you wanted space,” He said. Then he pointed to the way he came. Luz looked over to see Amity still where she had stopped earlier. Amity waved. After Luz nodded to her, Amity turned around and started to walk back down the hill.

“Can I ask what you’re doing?” The Collector asked, “Everyone’s being weird about it and I don’t understand.”

Luz sighed and waved him forward. He came to her, and she kneeled to be at his level.

“This is the anniversary of my dad passing away,” Luz said. She pointed to the stone in front of them. The Collector looked and saw that it said the name Manny Noceda, and listed the years of his life. “Every year my mom and I come to visit his grave.” Luz looked up as her mom held her hand and squeezed it a little.

“We set flowers here to honor him. And then my mom and I spend the day together.”

The Collector looked back over at the gravestone. He didn’t really know what human lifespans looked like, but Luz did seem young to not have a father anymore.

It was strange to picture that his friend’s father was apparently laid to rest here. Years meant it had been some time for them, for the dad to be gone like this. Death was still a concept difficult for the Collector to grasp. It had clearly affected his friend directly though. He only got a glimpse of that feeling when Luz had died. It was horrible. And he hadn’t even known her that long yet.

He didn’t really have parents in the same way mortals did, as a being born from the stars. But he knew it was a significant relationship to them.

“Can I ask what happened to him?” The Collector asked.

Luz sucked in a sharp breath and then looked down to the side at the flowers still in her hands.

“He got sick.”

The Collector nodded. He wasn’t sure he fully understood still. But he wanted to. Even if this was not a fun mortal experience he would want. It was still affecting her after all.

“…can I join you in honoring him?” He asked.

Luz blinked seeming surprised. Then she nodded.

“Yeah, sure.”

Luz’s mom knelt in front of the grave and brushed her hand against the stone.

He looked at the flowers Luz was holding. Then they twirled their hand to create three flowers for him to hold as well. Except these were purple flowers from the Boiling Isles.

“So how do we honor him with these?” They asked.

“I’ll show you,” Luz said. She bent over and laid her own flowers in front of the grave. Her mother did the same next to Luz’s.

“Hey Dad,” Luz said. She began to update him on things going on in her life. With the Boiling Isles, going back to human school, and having a girlfriend. She also said that she missed him, and thinks about him all the time.

Wasn’t he gone? Why was she talking to the stone like it was him?

“Why are you talking like he can hear you? I hope I don’t seem rude, I’m just confused,” The Collector said.

Luz gave them a sad smile.

“I’d like to think he can, where he may be. A lot of people talk to their loved ones who have passed. Sometimes it’s a way to help us deal with the grief. It’s easier to think some part of them is still here, just not in the living world anymore. I have now met someone who wasn’t quite dead, in the in-between, so it seems possible to me.”

“Hm…can I say something to him too?” The Collector asked.

Luz nodded.

“If you want.”

The Collector placed his flowers by Luz’s, and looked at the stone, trying to picture he was looking at someone. Maybe an older, man version of Luz.

“Hi, Luz’s Dad…I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I felt like I should say something. Um, you don’t know me, but Luz has become a very special friend to me. She helped me understand some things I hadn’t before. Which lead me to be able to help her and many other people. You should be very proud of her. Thank you for helping to bring Luz into this world. That alone means you’re important to me too, even if I never met you.”

The Collector nodded to themselves, satisfied with the sentiment. He turned back to Luz who was looking back at him with a stunned expression and misty eyes. The Collector smiled at her hesitantly and stepped up to her.

“Can I give you a hug?” He asked.

Luz gave him a trembling smile and nodded. The Collector went up to her and wrapped their arms around her. She hugged him back and sniffed a bit. When she pulled away, she wiped her eyes and stood back up.

“Come on,” She held a hand out. “I usually give Mama a moment alone with him.”

The Collector took her hand and followed her to a bench that was near the path.

“Thank you for trying to understand what I’m going through,” Luz said. “I know how this is a bit of a foreign topic to you.”

The Collector shrugged.

“It’s important to you. Besides, I wanted to understand better anyways.”

He stood up.

“I won’t encroach on your time with your mom for the rest of the day. I just wanted to be a part of this.”

Luz looked conflicted, like she was going to argue about him leaving, but then nodded. “Okay, I’ll see you later.”

The Collector nodded.

“Yeah,”

He floated away a bit slowly in contemplation. This was a lot to process. He wished his friends didn’t have to go through such awful things as grief. Hopefully, he and their friends could be there for her. And make spending time with each other good even amidst such awful feelings.

[drunk-on-starlight]

Do you have any evidence that Vanessa is just being manipulated? I’ll admit no one knows exactly what’s going on, but I feel it’s pretty clear there’s at least something similar to mind control present. If the encyclopedia is still valid, it says she was corrupted and then freed from his influence.

As much evidence as anything in this franchise has.

I'm assuming by "Mind Control," you're referring to literal control over mind and/or body? Apologies if you meant something else.

Gonna start with Jeremy (Help Wanted edition), since he's the first "glitchtrapped" character we learn about.

Here's a few choice quotes

"I think it's made worse by the fact that Jeremy tried to tell us something was wrong."-Tape 3, HW

“Jeremy complained of nightmares when he came in this morning. He wasn't talking about it like someone telling a friend about his dreams though. He was pale...looked like he hadn't eaten in days." -Tape 7, HW

"He just stands there like he's talking to someone. Sometimes he [just] rocks from side to side"-Tape 7, HW

"I think Jeremy was too far gone to consider that option though.-They just knew he'd seen something. They needed to discredit him.”-Tape 8, HW

These collectively establish that Glitchtrap (Known here as the anomaly) had clearly gotten his hooks into Jeremy, right? And yet, he was able to injure himself enough to make Glitchtrap back off. Furthermore, Glitchtrap is talking to him in Tape 7. Not only was Jeremy able to legitimately do something Glitchtrap didn't want, he wasn't able to stop him.

Now, to Vanessa. The first relevant quote here; "So, the word compliance by itself isn't going to set off any red flags, but the sentence how to induce compliance in human subjects, and how to induce self-compliance(?)"-"Did you search for 'help' by itself?"-December 2, 2019.

"I was a little worried maybe something is going on with you? One day you're researching flowers and the migration patterns of bees (fascinating, right?) and the next day you type in 'How far can a human being be cut in half before losing consciousness'."-Dec 4, 2019

At the risk of assuming too much, I don't think someone who is mind controlled would need to find a way to induce "compliance."

Then you have "I came by your desk to say hi today and I don't think you even heard me. You had your face so close to the screen"-"I waited for a second to see if you would turn around, but it was like you were in another world. It must be useful to be able to shout out the world and focus like that, I wish I could do it. I thought you were on a conference call at first because I heard voices."-Dec 9, 2019.

Much like Jeremy, Glitchtrap needs to talk to her. If he could just control her, I don't see why he'd need to audibly speak to her(1)(2), or why he'd let her type out help. Or frankly, why he'd let her Google all the other cutsey stuff. Furthermore, she wouldn't need to search how to induce "self-compliance" if he was already controlling her.

Finally, Security Breach's Retro CDs. First up, CD 1-7139

"Yes, of course, you do. Your performance reviews are good, but a routine check of your online history has revealed that you spend quite a bit of time with someone in an encrypted conversation. We have transcripts, and I’ve read them, but it’s not clear what you’re talking about in these conversations. I can’t make sense of it. You must be getting something from these that I’m not getting. Right? Who are you talking to in these?"

Again, a conversation, one in which the therapist here says "You must be getting something out of these."

Next, CD 3-7140. This is where her dad, a guy named "Bill"(3) is first mentioned, along with this "Your dad made you follow instructions, didn’t he? I’m talking about the custody battle between your mom and your dad. Your dad didn’t play it fair, did he? He used to make your mom look bad in court. I’m so sorry that happened to you. Do you want to talk about how that felt? and "He manipulated you. It wasn’t your fault." Keep that last bit in mind, it's not the first time manipulation gets brought up.

CD 5-7141 "Apparently, the IT department has put together a pretty lengthy report chronicling non-job-related communications that have been coming to your computer"-"but what bothers me about what I read is that the messages you're getting seem very manipulative in nature. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

Again, they reiterate Glitchtrap needs to communicate. Further, the messages are described as manipulative. Why would a mind control entity need to do that? And to tie into the previous tape, the therapist says "What you might not know is that this person who's been sending you messages has been hacking into your personal files too. These are the same files I have here. These files are full of details about your life."

The same files the therapist said showed her father being manipulative. In response to being told this person knows a lot of her personal info, Vanessa says "Lots of people know more than I do. Sometimes I need to listen."

Now, CD 11-7145 is where Vanessa says "I can't talk about this. He said he would always be watching. He could be here or there or anywhere in between." to which her therapist responds "Are you talking about your dad?," directly comparing Glitchtrap to her manipulative father. Vanessa also says that Glitchtrap told her that he could be anywhere, which means he's not always with her, and he'd kind of have to be for mind control.

Security Breach itself seems to support this, to some degree. Vanessa makes her entire hunt a game; She presumably knocks Gregory out and locks him in Lost and Found, only to return after dressing up, she skips around the Pizzaplex. She swaps back and forth, none of which is necessary and of which she probably wouldn't do if controlled.

If we look back at Help Wanted, she specifically says (in another example of the one sided conversation) that she can hear him, there's no miscommunication, she understands and that she made the mask herself. She also says "I think you would like it,""I'll be ready" (That she needs to make herself ready is another tally against the mind control) and that "It'll be fun." Honestly, she reads as far more of a daughter figure in HW than anywhere else.

Maybe I'm misreading all this, but it doesn't seem like mind control. It seems like a young woman had serious childhood trauma that left her open to being taken advantage by an experienced manipulator.

[jodilin65]

MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1994 Well, I learned all by myself how to print out messages sent on Prodigy. Now I can copy in those, too. Got one from Tammy recently.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1994 Not much has gone on since I last wrote. I simply cleaned the bathroom, did laundry, played computer games, played with my pig, and typed letters. One to Bob and the other to Kim. Hopefully, Tom will get up soon so we can have some fun. There hasn’t been time yet since he’s been off.

Right now I believe I’ll go watch TV. I’ve got a lot of stuff taped.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1994 Got a letter from Bob today. He used one of the stamped envelopes I sent him. He drew some flowers and I used one of his ways out in the living room. I never really liked the teddy bear that was by the table, so I erased it and did a thing of leaves, 3 different colored tulips, and a rainbow over it.

No concerts! I still haven’t heard the van.

I typed letters to Bob, Fran, Kim and my parents. I talked to Andy, who sold his car and is looking for another one.

Let me go have a cigarette, then I’ll write more.

Later…

I got two funny messages which I’m going to tape and edit. Ricky called from Fran’s and he made it sound like I picked up and he was talking to me. Then, after the 3 minutes were up, Fran called back saying, “You bitch! Why’d ya hang up? I wanted to talk to you!”

I called his regular number, but it said it was being checked for trouble. As in disconnected. So, I beeped him on his beeper and after a while, I figured he wouldn’t call back cuz it was getting late there. Sure enough, as soon as I went in to take a shower, he called.

As usual, there’s no answer at Nervous’s. I doubt he’s still with Crystal, cuz I’m sure she’d have a hard time dealing with never answering the phone. From what I hear, this girl knows a lot of people and is a phoneaholic. I never even get a busy signal. He’s probably bummed out, mad at me, missing me, and doesn’t want to deal with me or Fran calling him.

Well, time to go do something else.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1994 I’ve been meaning to write about something I’ve noticed since last Thursday. No van across the street! Yeah! Oh God, please don’t send it back?! It’s been wonderful not to have to listen to the prick sit there gunning his engine for 45 minutes. Last Thursday I slept through them playing cuz I had the fan on. The other two Thursdays before I didn’t have to deal with it too much as I was at the dance studio. If this weekend’s silent, then it’ll be nearly a whole month of peace and quiet. Thank you, God! I barely hear next door’s dog or kids too, thankfully. Out of all the places I’ve lived while on my own this is definitely the quietest. If I am beat, though, and don’t want to risk being woken up, I turn the fan on medium, otherwise, I’d probably hear the mail going into the mail slot.

We’re expecting packages too, and the mailman rings the doorbell. Geri is expecting one, Tom is, and so am I. I’m expecting CDs, address labels and stuff from Fingerhut.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1994 Andy was going to come over tonight, but he fell asleep. I can’t wait to show him my artwork, and he needs more tapes done. He did send a surprise letter in the mail. It was cool of him since I’m no longer back East and his letter was funny. I copied it into #54 which I tore out several sections of like I did with #53. If worse comes to worst, though, I can always recopy them as I did with the old tiny journals. He also sent a religious note and a picture of a lighthouse at Martha’s Vineyard that someone left him. Also, a tax business card, an NPN card for a plate, and a Red Lobster restaurant questionnaire form which he filled out. After I copied the letter (his), I mailed it to Fran, along with the lighthouse picture. Bob got the Red Lobster survey. Nervous is getting the plate. I stuck the tax card and the religious letter in an NPN envelope.

When Tom got home, he cooked us hash browns and I wrapped change. He has these really cool coin counters that are so much quicker and easier. This is the first time in my life I enjoyed wrapping coins. I wrapped $10.50 in a fraction of the time it’d normally take.

A while back I gave Tom my little unicorn address book, cuz I copied phone numbers in #35. Well, right after he went to bed, I copied in phone numbers for him. He has this really neat thing that looks like a calculator, but it holds names and numbers.

I typed letters to Fran and Bob, played a game and watched TV. I have one 1-hour show I taped earlier. I think I’ll go play my game, then see it.

Later…

Well, the good news is that I’ve had 14 cigarettes today, rather than 17, but the bad news is that I’m tight in the lungs.

Andy just called. He just woke up and is now getting ready to go to work. Boy, I sure don’t miss feeling his stomping footsteps. I don’t know how anyone below him deals with it. Hopefully, he can come over tonight, so I can show him my art, dub some tapes for him, and give him back the shirt with the button I sewed on it.

Later…

Tom’s taking a shower now. He cupped my back a little to break down the tightness. Shit gets stuck down there every now and then and it’s not always easy to cough up.

I was reading back at the beginning of #10 and browsing through several others. I can only imagine how many words I’ve misspelled and left out of sentences. Also, sometimes my handwriting is neat and other times it’s sloppy as all hell. It depends on my mood and how awake I am.

Tom just got out of the shower. In about half an hour he’ll be going to work. After he leaves, I’ll watch TV and make some coffee. Bye for now.

Later…

At 8:00 this morning I was browsing through the TV guide when I saw her name. Jenny Seagrove (Norah) in Nates and Hayes. I taped it when I fell asleep at 10 AM and saw it when I got up at 4 PM. It sucked, and it was all pirates fighting the whole time. Jenny looked better in The Guardian, as there she was shown more and in modern clothes. In this movie, she wore Little House on the Prairie-type clothes all the way through. Her hair was longer, though.

Got a really nice letter from Dad. I called and the bitch answered saying it hasn’t been a month. She knows damn well I can afford to call her. This is just her excuse as a way to not deal with me too much. Fine. I hung up on the bitch.

Andy left a message saying he wouldn’t be over, his car died, he already sold it, but don’t worry about him. How’s he going to get to work? Probably a coworker or a cab.

Tom brought some KFC home after work. That was nice, cuz I was so hungry. Tomorrow he’ll get groceries.

We chatted for a while and he went to bed. He mentioned us having fun tomorrow night. Yes, the sex is getting better, easier, and more frequent.

After he went to bed I played with the pig, watched TV, and typed a letter in response to Dad’s letter. Did some knitting, too, and now I’m not sure what I’ll do next. I’ll figure it out.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1994 I just accidentally took my meds too soon, therefore, my heart just took off on me for about 45 minutes or so. I feel better now.

Got a letter from Bob today. He says he sent several letters. What?! They must have gotten lost, as I doubt he’d be dumb enough to send them to the old address. He sent 5 Polaroids, too. One of him which I’m keeping. Two of some friends named April and Tina, two that are all blackened out, and one of him stark naked from head to toe. I put the two blacked-out ones in an NPN envelope and the ones with his friends in another NPN envelope. The nude one I sent to Kim for her to send to Fran with a letter for him that I stuck in it. I said I was a secret admirer in his building. Also, it will have her handwriting and a Springfield postmark on it.

Earlier I spoke with Andy. I told him that the booties weren’t going to work out too well as I don’t have his foot here as I do mine 24/7. I’m going to order him address labels instead for his b-day, as soon as I get an order form.

As far as anything I’m now knitting, I’m knitting a bag for my camera and flash. Yesterday I finished shooting off the roll I had of 24. We sent it off in the mail cuz it’s cheaper. I will get double prints as well as 3 rolls of film.

I taped another movie and typed letters to Kim, Fran, and Bob.

Tomorrow Andy’s number will change. He says he’s changing it so his billing cycle is the first of the month, rather than the middle when he’s broke. He may come over tomorrow. Well, I think I’ll go now and see the movie I taped.

Later…

I just did my legs with that hair removal thing. It’s not the actual removal of the hair that hurts, it’s the aftermath of it all. I get red itchy bumps for a good half hour after I do it.

Going to try calling Tammy now.

MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1994 Woke up fine yesterday afternoon at 4 PM. In the early morning hours yesterday, I did another cool wall design with shapes, flowers, hearts, bows, stars, musical notes, and other things.

Fran called and Andy may be over tonight or tomorrow.

There may be a problem with Andy’s slippers. I knitted one way too short in length and width, so maybe I can design a shirt for him with fabric glue.

Shortly after Tom came home, I outlined a little girl reaching for the light switch in my bedroom. After he went down on me and then to bed, I finished it. It came out better than I thought it was going to come out.

I played with the pig and typed letters to Fran and Kim. I also typed up two new songs. I printed a copy of each for Tammy, too.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 1994 No heavy metal concerts all weekend! Yeah! I don’t even think the jerk is there. Neither of us has heard that goddamn van.

Got a card from Kim today. It was a cute one with a cat on it. I copied it into #54, then threw it in an NPN envelope.

Later…

Another classic wall drawing! The original idea was to try drawing a girl on a hammock reaching down to a cat. I tried, but no way. So, I ended up doing big blades of leaves on the very bottom, with colorful flowers mixed in. In the center, going up higher, I drew a palm tree. I did this in the hall. I can see it from my bed which is where I’m writing.

Now, let me update beginning with when Tom was expecting Geri and her daughter Christina. I fell asleep around 9 AM and they supposedly came for 15 minutes at 1:00. I slept with no disturbances. Tom said the only thing Geri asked about me is what kind of asthma meds I take. Guess her mom’s got asthma, too.

Christina thought it was cool that I had roller skates and she liked the pig. She even wants to meet me and for us to go roller skating together. I’m not surprised. If it’s 18 or under it wants to be my friend, but that’s fine and I do prefer teens to toddlers if I ever do have to deal with kids.

Let me break for a cigarette, then I’ll continue with the drawing.

Later…

Gosh! Every time I walk by those leaves, flowers, and tree, I ask myself, did I really do that? I ask myself the same thing about the vase of flowers.

So, Dala was teaching country line dancing from 8:15 - 9:00. It was fun and I learned more stuff that I still remember. I came home and practiced. I even got Tom doing it with me.

After he went to bed that night, I played some guitar and keyboard and I even drew another Gloria picture. Some parts of it are OK, but others are out of proportion.

Tom’s going to show me how to scan my journals and print them out the same way I did with my drawings. You can even condense it to where you’ve got 4 pages printed on one piece of paper. It’d be nice to have extra copies of all my journals and I kind of wish I could safely store and lock them up in a bank vault or something like that. I doubt it, but you never know if there’ll be a fire, flood, or whatever. Can’t send it to Tammy. She’d read every single word.

Yesterday I didn’t really do too much and slept late. I woke up pretty wheezy again, so I’m being really careful with the cigarettes and trying to keep busy. I think I’ll go listen to some music now. After that, I may play more of my computer card game and eat.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1994 Continuing with the dance school - I danced with different instructors and a student. One instructor was saying how cute and fit I looked, then told Jim he was marrying me in a week - but wait till I get to the really shocking part. I have never ever in my life done the tango, rumba, waltz, or cha-cha. Different teachers showed me these and asked how long I’ve known them. They were shocked when I told them that was my first time. I was simply following their lead. Then Dala, another teacher, and I were talking. She wants to be an exotic dancer and I told her about it.

Then she said, “They’re hiring now so why not be an instructor here?”

I was like - what?! Me?!

She said they have an 8-week training period that costs nothing. This is certainly flattering and shocking, but I must work under the table. SS does allow you to work and earn a certain amount before they cut you, but I’m not sure what the limit is. We’ll see. I’ll discuss it with Tom when he’s feeling better.

I also got a comment I don’t usually get from women. I was sitting down and a woman named Sharon said, “You look very pretty tonight.”

Fucking Geri will be here between 3 AM-noon.

Today I got up late and Tom said that at 2 PM the idiots across the street were playing. Thank God I slept through it till it was over. The fan works great. They’ll probably blast off tonight, tomorrow night, or Sunday afternoon. I don’t think God will only have me deal with it twice in 3 weeks. I’m just never that lucky. Cuz they did it less last week and the week before, I’m sure this week it’ll be made up for tonight and tomorrow night.

At close to 7 PM we went to Denny’s, then to Payless for Tom’s sneakers, but he was too sick.

After, we went to the bookstore by the dance studio where I bought the pen I’m writing with and the next journal (57).

I forgot a stop. Before the bookstore, we went to a grocery store. I pulled $40 out of my account before Denny’s. I got female stuff (pads and tampons), lettuce for the pig, a blue marker pen, donuts, yogurt and smokes.

Gosh, I still can’t believe they asked me to train as an instructor there! I thought you had to dance professionally for a million years before you could ever teach in a place like Arthur Murray’s. This place is worldwide and has been around for a good 50 years or so.

Well, I think I’ll go watch TV now.

Oh, by the way, before I sign off - I played Tom’s killer keyboard and my guitar last night and a little bit today. I may play later, too.

Later…

I just typed a two-page letter to my parents. I mentioned Arthur Murray’s and what’s gone on in general.

One of these days soon, I’ve got to sit down and write some more songs. Tom’s been such an inspiration and so encouraging.

I gave my pig some lettuce and played with him a bit.

I also watched a little TV, but I’m really not in the mood now.

I took a tiny notebook with about 26 pages left in it, wrote gibberish on them and stuck them in 11 different NPN envelopes. I’m not putting those out and I’m definitely not putting out my parent’s letter till after Geri leaves. Although I never met this woman, I just don’t trust her. She gives me bad vibes and if she ever hurts Tom, I’ll kill the bitch. You know me, so, if she were to be as nice to me as Wendy’s been over the phone, then fine, I’ll be nice, too.

I hope my new address labels hurry up and get here. I have no more left and I want to stick them in my new journal. Actually, though, I have 14 left, but they’re stuck on envelopes that have address labels on them and are ready to go. Address labels on them to people, I mean, Fran, Bob, Kim and my parents. No! I have 10. I won’t put them on letters I send Fran as I don’t trust him. Once, he made a comment about being able to peel them off. Now why would he want to do that? And where would he re-stick them? I know Fran and do not trust him. I won’t even send them to Nervous, but I no longer write too much to him anymore. If he is in the hospital, and the guy’s got to be somewhere, I hope no one else is picking up his mail. Cuz whoever may do so, may not give it to him, call my folks, or the police. Not that I’d care if they did call my folks or the police, but I’d prefer them not to. I’d rather that, though, than for him to not get it. I’m not intimidated by my folks or the pigs.

A rough guesstimate of how many journal pages I’ve written in all is 8,000 - 9,000. Wow! And I began writing journals 2,277 days ago!

Later…

Tom got up an hour ago. He’s now talking to Wendy who just called.

Within the next two hours, I’ll be going to sleep.

As of last night, Tom’s been nauseous like I was. When he’s feeling better, we’re going to discuss whether or not I should do anything about training at Arthur Murray’s. I told Tom that a part of me wants to not bother and stay on SS which is all I know. But, a bigger part says there are too many possibilities and opportunities and I don’t want the government holding me back. Especially now that I’m here in Arizona.

Later…

I just played with the pig who I now call Desperado or Piggy, rather than Beauty, now knowing he’s a he. Every time I put him back in his cage, he screams, but he’ll settle down soon. He certainly ate enough.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1994 You may remember my mentioning Tom’s friend Geri a while back. They’ve known each other for several years and last summer Geri and her daughter Christina moved to S. Dakota. Well, they’re moving back now. I’ve always gotten bad vibes about Geri. Tom feels bad for her daughter, otherwise he wouldn’t be friends with Geri. Christina’s 17 now, though, and soon to be on her own. I would never tell Tom what to do, but I told him I’m concerned for him, and he understands. Maybe they’ve had good times together, but I know Geri’s a user and trouble due to my good intuition, and Tom has said so. She’s a bitch. Tom doesn’t want her here after Friday when she comes to get her keys, either. Tomorrow he’s getting her an apartment Friday morning she’s coming to get the keys here and Tom’s going to get rid of her ASAP. If I’m asleep and she wakes me up, I’ll lay her ass. She also better never pop over here unannounced. Especially if I’m here alone. Tom says she won’t, though. Enough of that sick bitch now, but I personally would love for her to come here when I’m awake, alone, and in a foul mood. This is my opinion, though, and opinions are like assholes. Everybody’s got one.

Yesterday morning was not off to a great start. I woke up wheezing really bad but didn’t have to go to the ER. I left my heater fan on full blast and it really warmed up today to 78º. Leaving the heater fan on is what did it, though. So, when I could finally breathe, I vacuumed, dusted and aired this place out. I laid out in the sun, but only got a teeny bit of color.

When Tom came home we talked about music and computer ideas.

I love Tom more and more each day. I can’t believe how lucky I am. Finally someone so supportive and positive and who lets me be myself. He recognizes my skills and talents. Most other people don’t care or are negative. It sure was hard for me not to be negative after fuckface Scott who’s either continued pulling the same shit on others or was killed by now. Or in jail. I never believed those tax stories and all the other shit he got into with Eric, and I’m sure Steve and Bonnie by now. Crystal, too.

Earlier I played Tom’s killer keyboard and my guitar. I taped some TV shows and spoke to Lisa. I wanted to wish her a happy 11th birthday today, rather than tomorrow. Tomorrow she will be busy and I’ll be getting up late. I also go to dance class tomorrow night and when I get home it will be way too late to call.

Tammy says Larry called her Saturday to thank her for the birthday card, but he never mentioned getting mine. Neither of them mentioned seeing each other and now she’s beginning to feel he doesn’t want to see her. I’m not shocked, but I reminded her that it’s not her fault, she didn’t do anything and she’ll always have a sister.

Later…

Boy, do I ever have some shocking news! Well, I went to the party practice from 9:00 - 10:00 tonight. It was lots of fun. At first I thought I’d feel pretty stupid, but all the instructors are so nice. The students are too. The instructors, as well as some of the students, go around and take turns dancing with different people.

I do intend to write, but actually, I want to go listen to music first. I shall return, though.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1994 I’m watching an old prison movie now. The Golden Globe Awards will be on this Saturday. I saw Marlee Matlin and some other TV people I like. I wonder if the cast of Law & Order will be on.

Later…

I just edited a little. Now I’m not so confused as I always used to be with all my tapes. I wish I had this organized system when I first began doing this.

I watched that prison movie, but I still have to see the other one I taped that was on before it.

I’m cramping somewhat now and flowing fairly heavily, but by tomorrow night it’ll start fading off. I usually only rag for 4 days.

I put my mail out, but I’m going to wait till later to put Nervous’s tape out.

There’s only one unfortunate thing to this house which was non-existent in all the apartments I was in. It’s very easy for someone to walk by and grab any outgoing mail, clipped up there. Being on the corner, it’s very exposed so one can easily see it, grab it and dash on around the corner onto W. Weldon. So, cuz of this, if I ever have anything important or of value to mail, I try to wait till it’s light or near when the mailman gets here.

I take that back about it being impossible in all the apartments I was in. It could’ve been done in S. Deerfield or CT. I’m surprised no one snatched any in or outgoing mail of mine in CT, and if they did, I never knew it. I wonder if the pigs ever messed with my mail in S. Deerfield? Boy, I’m such a cop-hater now! It goes beyond any of my own personal dealings with them. They’re getting to be just as bad as those they arrest. Them and their fucking power play and manipulations. You know, there’s a fucking pig living across the street here, and believe me, I do not feel any safer.

Got some great wall ideas so I’ll go take a shot at them.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1994 I have 10 pieces of mail going out today. I have 5 for Nervous, 2 for Fran, 1 for Bob, 1 for Kim and 1 for my parents.

I must get on with finishing Andy’s booties. I sure hope they fit.

Last Thursday night before dance class I was in a bookstore in that plaza. It had some neat journals. I saw some smaller ones there for $5 each that were so nice, but I’m not sure if I want them. Will they look funny lined up on my shelves with all the others? They’re not as small as the old tiny ones (numbers 8, 10, 5 and 6) that I re-copied into bigger ones and then sent to Fran. However, they’re small than #41, so we’ll just have to see.

Later…

I changed my mind and decided I would write after all. There’s not too much else to do.

I left Andy a message and there’s still no answer at Nerv’s. Like I said, the guy’s either in the hospital or jail. I hope no one killed him. I never hated the dude that much.

Boy, my body’s sure been acting strange this month. Almost always, my breasts are sore right before that time. Sometimes they are two weeks in advance. They get very tender and sensitive. I’m not retaining too much water either, but I am bloated. What else is new as far as my stomach’s concerned? I’ve always got somewhat of a gut.

Later…

I’m still wide awake, so I figured now is as good a time as any to write.

A little while ago, I called Gina at KOOL. We chatted for a while, then she had a friend on who lives near where the earthquake hit.

Hope I get some mail today from Bob or someone. I’m sure Kim will send postcards from Florida.

Wow! Gina just said it’s going to be 76º today and 78º tomorrow. I gotta get tanning. I’m now just about as white as these pages.

Later…

Tom just got home and he’s going over some software now he got in the mail. I got no mail.

I got up at 3:00 and aired the place out. It was beautiful out.

Tom took down the bulletin board which was behind and above the microwave. I put it up over the couch for my pictures. Now all I have to do is pull the tack out if I decide I don’t want them up. This is better than having to deal with tape.

I sent most of my birthday and Chanukah cards to Nervous. I typed 3 letters so far today. In the one to Bob, I enclosed a full-page picture of Gloria I don’t like. In Fran’s, I put in two little ones. One I have a bigger copy of and the other’s shitty. My parent’s letter contained some really cool pictures the computer printed of scenery. Later, I’ll type Kim a letter.

Soon our dinner will be ready. All I’m having is garlic bread and tater tots. Haven’t had much of an appetite lately. It’ll be back soon, though.

Got my period today, too. I was luckier this month. My boobs weren’t as sore and I didn’t retain as much water and get extremely bloated. Lots of gas, though.

Later…

I’m recording a movie now which will soon be over.

Tom got some software in the mail today. It’s a program that allows you to make cards, banners, etc. Well, the musical notes in the front, plus what’s on the back cover, are of a card Tom made for me. Except for the mailbox. He tested it by using some of the pictures I drew that were scanned into the computer. I sent this to my folks.

Now there are 10 minutes till my movie’s over. What shall I do after? I really should get to work on knitting Andy’s slippers.

I had two pamphlets on doing your own breast exams. Dr. Wilcox gave me one and so did Dr. Kolnick. I put one in its own NPN envelope. Besides the two NPNs, I have two letters to the folks, one to Kim, Bob, and Fran. I suppose now’s a good time to mail Nerv’s tape if he’s around to get it.

MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1994 I’m finally beginning to feel better. Thankfully. I had a slight stomach bug for the last few days. Luckily it wasn’t too big a deal. I didn’t have to throw up, but it was a yucky feeling. Next, I get to deal with my period. That’ll arrive any time now. I still do feel somewhat nauseous. Yuck! I feel like I’m cramping too, but most of that’s gas.

Another big earthquake in California. This time hitting L.A. That city sure is cursed.

Today was Martin Luther King Day. This is the second year that it’s been observed here, so there was no mail today.

This Thursday night I’m going to go to two-party practices at Arthur Murray’s. They have these every Thurs. night. I picked this night for two reasons. Tom’s off from work then and that seems to be our lovely neighbor’s favorite time to blast off. Luckily these last two Saturday and Friday nights have been peaceful. Same with Sunday afternoons.

Here’s something shocking, though. Taggers wrote graffiti on the outside of the block wall around the pool. It would seem unlikely for these streets here to have any of that. They wrote the word, “kraze.” I even had a vision. The guy’s name is Armondo or Armando. He’s Mexican, 19 years old, brown/black thick, wavy, short hair, medium complexion, brown eyes, about 5’ 6” in height. He wore either jeans or brownish corduroys, a white shirt with a torn jean jacket. He’s skinny but somewhat built. Not as muscular as me, but close. He was alone and rode a bike. Can’t see what color, though. Or if it was a 3 or 10-speed bike.

Earlier Tom and I went to Osco drugstore. There, I got some vitamins and more body gel. When the gel runs out, I want to get some perfumed lotion. It won’t bother my allergies when it’s in the form of lotion at all. No, wait a minute. I didn’t get the gel there. I got Gas-X. Tom picked me up the gel and more of that Infusium 23 for my hair. It’s a conditioner I spray on and leave on my hair so it doesn’t end up feeling like straw.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 1994 Yeah! No heavy metal concerts these last two days. This doesn’t mean they won’t blast off tomorrow afternoon, but I’ll be asleep anyway till 4:00 or 5:00 PM. The fan works great, too.

Yesterday was my brother’s birthday, but I’m still not sure how old he is. On Thursday I’ll have to remember to call Lisa. She’ll be 11. Both Lisa and Larry hopefully got their cards by now. Tom and I were going through this book earlier to see when we went to the Black-Eyed Pea restaurant as that’s the same night I bought their cards. I mailed them the very next day. I believe I mailed them on the 11th but forgot to mention it here. Tom mailed my picture at the post office the same day their cards went out from here.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1994 Yesterday sure was a shitty morning from 7:30 - noon. I am so bummed out and afraid to go to sleep. I mean, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?!?! Why is God pitting the house across the street against me? What did I ever do to these people? I don’t even know them. I live in a house now. Oh, please God stop! Let me sleep all the time, instead of some of the time - please! Please, please, please?!?! Haven’t I been woken up enough? How long is the payback going to go on for all those people I called and woke up back east? It’s over. I haven’t called and woken them up in ages and I never intend to again, so please! Let me sleep. Let me get up when I say so. Not when someone else says so. If you must punish me, please do something else. Please? I’ve been woken up hundreds of times in the last few years. Isn’t that enough? Please, let me alone now. Let me sleep? It’s either their music or their van with no muffler. Please make it stop - please? I have no job, no kids, and live in a house now!

Later…

As you can see, yesterday was a shitty day. I’m terrified to go to sleep. I brought the big fan in here, but when the fuck is this shit ever going to stop? When I’m 35? Well, enough of those fucking assholes who will be hearing from me. I want to get to happier stuff.

I had another private dance class last night with Jim. It went very well and was lots of fun. I paid $29 for that special. These are the names of the dance steps we went over: walking step, sidestep, tap step, triple step, rock step, box step, underarm turn, and a few others.

When we came home, we made some address labels for the people I write to. I’ve got my parent’s done. Soon, we’ll do Kim, Bob, Fran and Nervous.

Later…

Today was a beautiful day. It was the perfect temperature for tanning. Not too cool, not too hot, but I miss going swimming! I was out for about an hour and now I’m just kicking back and enjoying the peace and quiet till they blast off across the street.

I just tried calling Nerv. As usual, I got no answer. He’s got to be either in the hospital or in jail.

I told you I slept with the fan on. Did it work? Yup. So far, so good. I didn’t fall asleep till about 6:00 or 7:00 AM, but I got up at 1:00.

Later…

The good news that I said I had to mention, may not be so good after all. Andy’s got 5 songs he wrote and put into demo form on his 4-track recorder. One of them, he wrote the vocals too high for him, but not too high for me being a contralto. He talked to a guy who knows Donna. This is the studio she used to work at. It’s normally $50 an hour, but the guy was going to break it to $40 an hour, as he’s got 5 songs. They figured he’d take 2 hours to do each song which was to total $400, but Andy called last night to tell me it’ll be $500 a song. 5 songs to $500 per song beats me. Either Andy was mistaken about something or the guy bullshitted him by not being up front. The guy must’ve left something important out. Andy says, though, that he’s determined not to let this stop him and that he’ll find some way to make it work out. He also mentioned going and talking to other people at other studios. I was going to do the vocals to that one song at no charge to me as I’d be doing him a favor.

I do have other stuff to write about but for now, I’m going to write an interesting chart of questions I’d like to do every 3 months. I write some questions in which Tom and I each write the percentage of probability of it happening. We couldn’t look at each other’s answers till we were done. Here are the questions and what each of us wrote percentage-wise:

Will the business work out? J-100 T-90

Will we be married? J-100 T-100

Divorced? J-0 T-0

Will we live on a parcel of land? J-90 T-75

Will the music people across the street still play 1-3 times a week? J-95 T-60

Will I be a singer? J-30 T-99

Will I ever dance professionally again? J-20 T-50

Model? J-10 T-75

Have a kid? J-0 T-1

Will Tom lose weight? J-100 T-50

Will I lose weight? J-95 T-50

Will we ever make a demo in a recording studio? J-30 T-80

Will I quit smoking? J-1 T-90

Will Tom get all the computer parts, clothes, and shoes he wants? J-100 T-0

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1994 I’m not in the mood to write too much now, but I will at least cover some of the basics. I went to see that doctor today that SS set me up with. He’s not a shrink, thankfully. He was a clinical psychologist. He was nice, and even he was appalled at all the years of different medications I was drugged up with. He asked for current and past medical and mental info. Also did some memory tests.

Got a letter from Bob today and my 100 envelopes. I’ve self-addressed 3 envelopes which I’m mailing Bob to hopefully make it easier for him to write more. I’m also ordering more address labels. The first set I ordered is like the ones I got a few months ago. The next one’s super pretty. They’re like prism jeweled.

Tom and I fooled around earlier and it was great as he managed to get inside a little further. Yup, there is hope. That KY jelly is good stuff.

I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but I copied a partially defective tape of me, Fran, Nervous, and I guess that’s all. I’m sending the tape to Nerv. I’ve thrown it in an envelope with no return label, so if there’s any postage owed, and there may be, he pays it. I know Nervous reads my letters and does not throw them out. He may not be as obsessed with me now, he may have Crystal, but trust me, he’s hooked on me for life. Therefore, he’s curious to read them. Once that hooked, always hooked. If I were to move back to Springfield now, no, he wouldn’t see me as much, but yes, he’d spy here and there for curiosity’s sake of his old obsession. Especially if he were jobless with no girlfriend, and I really think he and Crystal are history by now. Not even she answers when I try to call. If he could choose any woman on the entire face of this earth, I know I’d be his choice. Plus, if he really was refusing to read my letters, I’m sure he’d want to prove it by returning them.

I do have other great news, but I’ll write about it later.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1994 I just finished watching a movie I taped. It was good.

Tom came home and was glad our CDs came. He’s off Wednesday - Saturday, so we discussed plans. Wednesday I have the head doctor. Thursday he takes his parents to the racetrack. Friday I shoot for my new license. In between, we may do some shopping. He needs sneakers badly. Thursday night I’m going to dance. I’ll call the studio tomorrow and see if I can go then.

I’m sending the picture that was the last one Montgomery/Ward took, to my parents. Tom and I talked about it. I have a camera now, plus, there’ll be more Montgomery/Ward pictures. I don’t even really like how this picture came out. My hair and body look OK, but my face looks pitiful.

I edited a convo on a defective tape onto another. The tape that’s screwed up still plays, but there are parts where there’s music I can’t get rid of. I mean, I can tape over it, but you can still hear the music. Something isn’t sealed.

Later…

Got up at 11:30 today and there was a message from Kim. She pretty much said she had RK surgery, there is 14” of snow and more to come, Christmas sucked for her as 5 family members were sick, and she’s going to FL for two weeks.

She did bring up a very good point, though, as to why Bob’s not writing. He probably can’t afford to buy stamps. I’ll send a few to him.

Tom will be home anytime now. Good. I’ve been horny all day. I don’t know if he’ll be awake enough to fool around, but if not, I’ll take care of myself.

Can’t wait to tell Tom the good news, but I’ll write about it later.

Before I temporarily sign off, I will say that I scheduled an appointment with Jim at the studio for 8:15 this Thursday night.

MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1994 I’m not able to fall asleep just yet, so why not write?

I finally filled out the last of the 50 postcards and have already mailed out 30. I’ll mail 5 tomorrow, 5 Wed., 5 Thurs., and 5 Friday. That’ll kill ‘em all off. There are 5 people getting them - Nervous, Fran, Alex, Kim and Bob.

I did a little editing earlier. Soon I’ll do more.

I set up the timer to record a movie for Tom that I also want to see.

Later…

Tom and I finally got our CDs today. I only got two. Gloria’s Mi Tierra and Christmas Thru Your Eyes. Finally! I’m listening to the Christmas one now. It sucks, but at least I have it.

No letters today, but we sure had a lot of outgoing mail.

Later…

I called Jim at the dance studio. Tom told me last night that he really wanted me to go after he’d thought about it. You see, at first I felt bad, cuz this is fun for only me. Then Tom brought up a good point. While there are lots of things we both like, there are things only one of us likes and that’s OK. I like to dance and he doesn’t, but he likes sports which I hate. If it gets too expensive I won’t go, but I do want to take advantage of their Jan. special. After that, Jim said the smallest package is 6 lessons a month, but naturally, he wouldn’t go over the cost of it with me by phone. I told him I’d call back to reschedule an appointment with him after I see when Tom can bring me. Probably this weekend.

Wednesday I have to go to the head doctor set up by SS. Also, I have to take the written test for an AZ license. Thank God, though, the damn crotch doctor is over.

Now I’m listening to Mi Tierra. It’s OK. I’ll get used to it as I did with Rio and Otra Vez. I wish I could get those two on CD, plus what I don’t already have of Linda on CD. Hell, it’d be great to have everything I have on tape on CD. Including the edits and all the conversations, too.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 1994 I can’t sleep yet, but I am not far from sleep, either.

I don’t know when or if I’m going to return to the Arthur Murray dance studio. It’s awfully confusing as far as the cost goes, so I’m postponing it for now. They don’t make themselves clear enough on their prices. All they say is that it varies, but they’re never specific and they’re very vague. Why can’t they just say it costs this amount of money for this number of classes? Is it because they’re too expensive and they try to hide this till they get people suckered in?

Today Tom and I worked on organizing the back room. We sorted papers, disks, magazines, etc.

Thankfully the beautiful people across the street were quiet Friday and Saturday nights. Now all I hope is that tomorrow they don’t pull what they pulled last Sunday as I won’t tolerate it. No 4-hour concerts for me.

I’ve been billed for blood work beginning a few months ago. I ignored it figuring they would catch on that I have Medicaid and Medicare and bill them. They didn’t. I got a letter from a collection agency and I’m mailing them my billing information.

I also sent for more address labels. A form came in a package of coupons yesterday. I’m getting 250 rainbow colors for $5. I’m also ordering another 100 stamped envelopes.

I did 5 postcards, too. I have 4 postcards left for each of the following people: Kim, Bob, Alex, Fran, and Nervous. Nervous still hasn’t answered anytime I try calling.

Now here’s the funniest news. Andy came over to get his list of Stevie songs. Plus all my no-postage-necessary cards which he’ll mail. He brought me 3 letters that were set outside the mailboxes where he lives. One was even from a prison inmate in Florence, AZ. All had return addresses on them so I’ve “responded” to everyone who wrote, with wacky letters. I copied their letters in journal #54 which is Book of Letters #6. I read them all on Andy’s VM. He loved them and was cracking up. Then, here’s what I did with the 7 NPN envelopes: Put each of the 3 letters in a separate envelope. Put each of the 3 envelopes these people sent their letters in 3 separate envelopes and the dance studio’s number and address in another since I copied it in #35.

Later…

Got up at 11:00 today and did a few things. Wrote out postcards, sang, watched TV, and played a computer game.

Tom just got home a little while ago. I asked him if he wanted me to read him to sleep, but I guess not. We were just talking about movies.

I hope I get mail tomorrow.

Later…

I just talked to Tammy and told her about the dance studio.

Now I’m watching a movie that’s going on soon. I’ll write later.

Later…

I decided to tape the movie I was going to watch. While it was taping (and is still), I typed up a letter to my parents. I used the last of the 100 stamped envelopes, but like I said yesterday, I ordered 100 more. I hope that with tomorrow being the beginning of the 6-day mail week, I get a few letters. I sure as hell have tons of outgoing mail.

As figured, I still have not gotten any video of Lisa’s concert. I doubt I will. Tammy says she’ll send a lot of things she never does. Besides the video, she was going to send my proofs back and a family portrait, but oh well. I’m sure she has her reasons for the delay.

Still no answer at Nerv’s. I just tried again. Earlier I called his very naïve mother who was nice, though. I said I was Julian, a friend of his, and I asked if he was OK. She said as far as she knew he was OK.

I called Fran earlier and quickly hung up after 5 words. The idea was to get him to call me back but he didn’t.

I’m dying to find out what Bob thinks of the tapes. I wish I could’ve been there to see his reaction.

The beautiful people across the street didn’t give us a concert this weekend. Thank you, God!

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1994 I loved the dance class! It was so much fun and it all came back to me. Even the names of the steps like the walking step, sidestep, tap step, rock step, box step and triple step. It’s really not hard at all and it’s very different from any other dance class I’ve had, cuz it’s a big combination of dances. It’s bits and pieces of disco, country line, ballroom, hustle, jitterbug, swing and so much more. You get 3 private lessons a month, 3 group lessons a month and 3 practice parties where all students get together weekly and dance for an hour and a half. When I walked in, a woman was teaching country line to a group of about 10 people. It really looked fun. The only bummer is, is that I’m not sure if it’s very affordable. Tom and I are going to discuss it tomorrow. Jim, one of their instructors took me back to a smaller room where he showed me about 10 different steps/combinations.

Tom went to Circle K while I was there, so I showed him stuff when we got home. He bought a flash for my camera. We took a few pictures of each other.

Luckily the little fucks across the street didn’t blast off. If they did I didn’t hear it, but there’s tomorrow night and during the day Sunday I’ve got to worry about. They’ve got company now as there are two cars there on the street. These people are weird. They’re sitting in one of the cars now.

Well, I guess it’s about time I hit the sack, so, bye for now!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1994 I put all those no-postage-necessary cards outside in a bag, along with Andy’s Stevie stuff that I typed up for him. He’s going to mail out all my cards. There are tons of them, and I gave him tons of cards too.

Tom’s out now, but he should be home any minute now.

Last night I read him bits and pieces of journals 1 and 2.

I just got up to stick a Band-Aid on my thumb, so I don’t have to cut my index fingernail. The damn thing digs into my thumb.

The phone just rang. It was Wendy, who surely sounded in a great mood.

So anyway, these are the people who are getting magazine subscriptions: Scott, Nervous, Fran, Bob, Alex, Maliheh (if I got the right address), Russell, Mark (at VV), Mark (on Woodside Terrace, 1st floor), Gracie, Jimmy, Brenda, Bonny, Steve, Barbara, Debbie, Andrea, Robert, Kacey, Donna and Ellie. Most of these people have moved, but hopefully the stuff will be forwarded to them.

I wrote up two more postcards for Alex and Fran. I typed letters to my parents and Bob.

I forgot to ask Tammy for Larry’s address when I spoke to her earlier. Tammy said that yesterday when I called that Lisa did something that really “tore the family apart.” She says she talked whatever it was out.

Shit! Fuck! Damn! The assholes across the street are home now, ready to blast out, I’m sure. I have the stereo cranked up. They pulled their shit last night for an hour and a half, but luckily I’m going out tonight.

Why does God insist I deal with other people’s noise? Especially in a house? This place would be so perfect if it weren’t for them. The kids are quiet and the dogs have backed off. Tom says he really feels they’ll lay the fuck off now that the holidays are over. I doubt it. Even if they did, God would do something else. Well, I just try to remind myself of something very true - anything’s better than the NHA, Deadfield, Crackfield, the VV and CC.

Tonight’s that free trial disco lesson at Arthur Murray dance studio. If they have an affordable package, I’ll take it.

Going to go eat now and type more letters.

Later…

In a little while, we’ll be going out to the dance studio.

I did end up typing two more letters. One to Alex and one to Fran.

So far, no concerts across the street, but it’s still early. With my luck, they’ll be just starting when we get home.

Andy will be coming to get his stuff anytime now. His original Stevie notes and all my no-postage-necessary cards. He’s going to mail them for me.

Did I mention briefly talking to Mom? I did and she was in her usual hurry to get off the phone. She also went through her usual bull of calling only once a month.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1994 Finally, my appointments are over. Everything’s fine, too. I didn’t have too much waiting time, but I wasn’t in and out either. I wrote a few postcards while there.

The inflammation of my cervix Wilcox saw is simply cuz I’m a DES daughter. Also, there are no scars, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections. I thought I was getting a UT infection, though, cuz the day Andy and I went to the mall, plus two days before it, I had a pain in my right lower gut that felt like it. So, I ran and drank tons of cranberry juice. A nurse at Natchaug Hospital told me that this was the thing to do. Luckily it helped. Wilcox’s nurse said it could’ve been my appendix acting up and Kolnick said it could’ve been ovulation.

Why I haven’t been hearing too much from Bob, beats me. He must be busy with that Minnie character he’s mentioned in his last few letters. I guess he’s been helping out his landlord, too.

I just tried to call Tammy, but something urgent was going on cuz she couldn’t talk.

There’s been no answer at Nervous’s for quite some time. I talked to Fran last night and he says he sees Nervous nearly every day. Well, if this is true, he’s either out a lot or has his ringer off and I doubt he’s out too much when he’s not working. Maybe he’s in the hospital.

I even spoke to Ann W last night, besides Fran. We said we got a “crazy letter.” She mentioned getting hers and didn’t sound as freaked or as pissed as I thought she would. I had pretended to be at Fran’s and then joked about it being in the 70s. Ann said it was to be 15º.

MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1994 I’ve been meaning to write so many times since the New Year, but I either got busy or lazy.

Last night I taped 3 movies, but while I write I’ve got them on hold. I put Charlie’s Angels on.

Soon I have to call SS. Those assholes are making me see another doctor for a physical and mental exam.

On the 31st, Tom and I went to a restaurant that was so-so. I got prime rib but was so grossed out by the way Tom eats. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone worse and more disgusting.

We had a good day, though, and I took him to get new pants. Next week he’ll get sneakers and I may get stuff, too.

We made love on his days off, and while it gets better and better when he goes down on me, I still feel stupid in other areas.

The last two days were nice. The weather was nice.

Tom sent me a New Year’s message through Prodigy. How sweet.

We both worked on the pool and yesterday I did quite a bit while he was at work. I rearranged all 4 of my photo albums. That took a few hours. I also went through all my blank videos and rearranged those, too.

Later…

My God! I’ve been so busy. I’m not going to be up much longer, so I’ll put a dent in what’s been going on, so I don’t get too backed up.

I have to go to an SS doctor on the 12th. It’s the yearly review crap. I have to see Dr. Wilcox at 9:15 on Thursday, and the GYN who’s upstairs at 10:30.

I should stop writing now. I mean, I’m going to have shitloads of waiting to do. Oh well, but anyway, there’s not too much to tell. The weather’s been gorgeous during the day. In the 70s. Tammy says they’re in for a huge ice/snowstorm and MA and CT have been freezing. Ha, Ha!

Today I took Andy to lunch and next time, he’ll treat me. We went to a place called the Elephant Bar, but that too, was only so-so, just like the Black Angus Tom and I went to. I took $40 from an ATM and dinner came to $21. We left 3 of those notes I wrote up. One to our waiter and we put the other two on cars.

Then, we went to the Christown Mall. He got a new pair of sneakers and I got bubble gum, red lipstick and blue nail polish. The lipstick’s nice cuz it’s not too bright or too dark.

I dubbed tapes for Andy and I’m also typing a list of Stevie songs, demos and interviews.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1994 Phoenix, AZ Age 28

Welcome to the year of the dream! Yes, this is the year I get married and get my foot in the door musically. If I don’t get that foot in the door this year, then it’s all over. I’ll just be a housewife who works on computers and that’d still be fine with me.

I’m outside now. Tom and I worked on the pool. It’s a beautiful day, yet it’s January 1st! There’s snow in MA and CT.

Yesterday I mailed out a 1-page wacky letter to Ann W. I’ll let Fran know the next time I type him a letter. Yesterday I also mailed Kim and Bob letters.

[the-normal-connaisseuse]

Chapter 3: A Day at the Shop

Blossoming wisteria crawls along the brick walls of the warehouses, the red stone drawing the eyes to the purple flowers dotting their woody vines. In the places where flowers aren’t blooming, the city’s muralists are out in full force, working on various projects now that the skies are clear and the weather’s warmer. People and Pokémon walk around without worrying about a sudden gust chilling them despite their scarves and coats. Even the Pidoves that fly over the city seem to warble a brighter tune. Spring is here in Nacrene City.

I stop to readjust my mask, making sure that I have an air-tight seal. This time of year in Nacrene City is always beautiful, but the layer of pollen lining the cars and light posts is another story. If I don’t wear a mask, I won’t be able to walk down the street without sneezing myself dizzy. As I turn the corner and walk towards the shop, Neil stands at the entrance, his Delcatty sitting politely beside him.

“We’re almost ready for the day, Nettie,” he says. “We’ll have our morning talk in five.”

“Okay,” I nod, then pat Delcatty as I head in. Somehow, I’m not allergic to him. As I learned my first week in the shop, I can’t say the same about many of our clients’ Pokémon.

I come behind the L-shaped counter and lock my bag and denim jacket in the locker underneath. As I stand up, a piece of paper titled Partners for Nettie pokes out between piles of client notes from the week. I catch Neil heading to the back to make the morning tea, so I slip the piece of paper out of the pile, making sure to keep a finger in the space where it was.

The list itself is made entirely of normal-type Pokémon, and every option would do well in an apartment: Minccino, Lillipup, Audino, Eevee, Pidove—there are even Pokémon that can’t be found in Unova no matter where you look. I knew that, after only working here for a week, Neil started looking for a partner for me, but I didn’t think he would have so many options. The list must have forty Pokémon here, and many of them would require more work to find and bring here than I think is necessary. After all, how easy is it to find a Kecleon or a Ditto out in the wild? Of course, Neil could have contacts after all his travels who could probably help—he might even know breeders who could provide the Pokémon to him—but the time, effort, and money to bring a Pokémon here would hardly be worth it in my opinion.

Before I can look up how much it would cost to transport from other regions, the faint squeal of the kettle on the stove in back makes me jump. I carefully slide the list back into the pile and turn to go. I freeze when I spot Delcatty watching me with a glint of mischief in his eye.

“Don’t say anything, and I’ll give you some treats,” I whisper. Bribing a Pokémon seems weird, but this is no ordinary Pokémon. He flicks his tail and sashays to the armchairs for morning tea. I take a deep breath and join him.

--

I can’t sit in during our next client’s evaluation. Don’t get me wrong; I’d love to be in the room taking notes and learning about the signs of a strong partnership between a trainer and their Cinccino. This, however, is spring, and it’s shedding season. The minute the two of them came in, I could see the long, silky hairs dripping onto the floor. I can only get near them at broom’s length before my eyes water, so that’s where I’m relegated today. At least I know one Pokémon Neil isn’t catching for me.

Delcatty mews at me from behind the counter. Somehow, Neil taught him how to use a cash register, and he’s very good at it. He even provides exact change! I walk over to him, and he immediately points his paw at the shelves of potions and revives behind the counter.

“I’ll get them,” I say. He blinks at me.

I look at the customer—a woman in an orange, paint-covered hoodie. She gives me a small smile, drawing my eyes to her pierced dimples.

“I just need a couple super potions,” she says.

I nod and climb the ladder to the shelf of potions. As I look down, I see a long white tail behind the customer. At the end of it is a plastic egg, similar to a kid’s toy. I come down the ladder and put the potions on the counter. Two large eyes peek out from behind her.

The woman raises her arm, showing her Smeargle’s full face.

“Don’t let his timidness fool you,” she says. “He’s a mischievous little guy when he wants to be.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Smeargle in person before,” I say.

“Yeah, they’re hard to find. Sometimes people spend thousands to get a hold of one, but I got lucky on a trip to the Ruins of Alph in the Johto Region and found him. He’s been with me ever since.”

“That’s cool. I bet he helps with your art. Are you two working on a mural?”

“I’m working on a mural, but brick walls aren’t really his canvas of choice. He’s my teaching assistant, actually.” She looks at her watch. “Speaking of teaching, I have a class in a bit. If you’re ever looking to make some art, look up the Paint Swipe Building on Cheri Street. We offer a bunch of classes there. Tell them Aya sent you, and you might get a discount, too.”

I nod, trying to remember if I heard anything about a new art center in town, before realizing that I’m still holding her up. Thankfully there aren’t any other customers waiting to check out. I bag the rest of her purchase, but before I can hand it to her, Smeargle slips past her and grabs it before scampering off to the door.

Aya shakes her head at him and turns back to shrug at me. She leaves with her Smeargle.

--

Among the books on the shelves upstairs, I find a book on Smeargle. It’s short and mainly goes over the thousands of unique marks they use in the wild, but it’s full of information about dealing with them specifically—their grooming, diet, cleaning up their paint on surfaces, even use of the only move they learn on their own: Sketch. I flip through the book during my lunch break, taking notes and wondering what it takes to care for a Pokémon like that. Neil pops his head up from the staircase.

“Doing research?” he asks, before Delcatty’s head shoves his out of the way.

“Yeah, I was just looking up info about Smeargles,” I say.

He and Delcatty come over to me. “Smeargles, huh? What brought this on?”

“A customer came in this morning with one, and I wanted to learn more.”

Neil nods and looks into the distance. “They’re pretty rare in Unova—pretty rare everywhere, in fact. Smeargles can be incredibly expensive to get a hold of…Were you thinking of one as a partner, or are you just curious?”

“Just curious, for now. There are still my allergies to consider.”

“Hmm.” Neil turns and walks down the stairs again. I peek over the railing and watch him walk to the back of the shop. Delcatty and I look at each other and shrug. I turn back to my reading, and he drapes himself over my feet for a nap.

--

The young boy sits in the armchair, his Boldore tapping around and humming at me and Neil. The large Pokémon’s orange crystals shine brightly in the sunlight drifting through the windows, but the light he and his trainer give off is a bright green, like new spring grass. Everything looks good, but I can’t rely on an assessment like that. As much as I use it, I can’t let this strange ability be my main evaluation skill. I didn’t do all that research just to let the weird thing with my vision inform my decisions as a Connaisseuse.

“Now, what’s the main issue, Ryan?” Neil asks, kneeling down to give Boldore a closer look. “Your partner looks healthy and happy.”

“He is?” the boy says, his eyes wide. “But my big brother said that Boldore isn’t happy because I’m not a strong trainer and keep losing against him.”

Neil looks at me, brow raised. I step forward and pat Boldore, who taps his feet on the floor and hums. The green light around him intensifies. An image flashes in my mind: a boy, older than Ryan, cheering with his Samurott and taunting the younger boy, who had come around to check his Pokémon. Even in the midst of the loss, a feeling of care still warms my heart. I shake the image away and turn back to Ryan. I try not to show my frustration with the vision, but I can’t help but feel it. Why can’t I turn this off all the way?

“Your brother isn’t a nice winner, is he?” I ask. “Does he make fun of you when you lose?”

Ryan nods. “All the time.”

“Well, that isn’t your fault. We can tell that you and your Boldore have a good connection, and that he really cares about you, even when you lose.”

Ryan looks at his partner, who hums and leans lightly on his knee. The boy smiles and looks back at us.

“So, I’m not a bad trainer,” he says.

I nod. “You’re doing well. Being a strong trainer just takes practice, and your older brother has had more time to build up his skills. Just give yourselves some time to figure out what works for you.”

“Okay! Did you hear that, Boldore?”

His partner taps his feet on the floor. Ryan stands up from the chair.

“Thanks for your help. Boldore and I are gonna train hard and beat my brother someday.”

“If I can make a suggestion,” Neil jumps in, “if your brother has a Samurott, a grass-type move would help. If you plan on evolving Boldore further—which would require a trade—Gigalith can learn Solar Beam, which is super effective against water types. If you need a trade partner, you can always come back here, and we’ll be happy to help.”

“Really? Cool! I don’t think we’re ready for that yet, but maybe we’ll do that someday.”

We watch as Ryan leaves with his Boldore, another satisfied client. Still, I kick myself a bit for the vision. I just don’t have enough control of it. Sure, I probably reached the same conclusion Neil would have, but it feels like I’m cheating to get there. This was a fun little trick at first, but now I’m wondering how much my skills can improve when I can just receive a vision or see a light and fix things accordingly. Maybe I should tell Neil about it, since it doesn't seem like it’s going away any time soon.

“You seemed to be the right person for him to talk to,” Neil says as he turns to reshelve some items other customers had taken down.

“You know how it is with siblings,” I shrug, trying to look relaxed. “Sometimes they’re just bad sports and you have to bolster the confidence of the one who’s struggling.”

Neil snorts. “I guess. I’m a twin, so the older-younger sibling dynamic isn’t quite the same, although my brother would probably say otherwise.”

“Oh yeah, I saw someone else with the same last name listed on the Connoisseur registry the day we met.”

“Yeah, Ricard Nouveau is my brother. He’s still a traveling Connoisseur. Last time I talked to my mom, she said that he’d joined the S Class.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “You don’t talk to him?”

“Let’s just say that we don’t get along much. Don’t worry about it; you’ll probably never meet him.” Neil turns back to me. “For now, our main concerns are to maintain the shop and find a partner for you.”

“Is that really such a big priority? We’ve got a serious number of clients that want us to help them pick their first Pokémon. I would think they would come first.”

“The key is to look for more than one person at a time.” Neil picks up a box of assorted poffins. “You can look for who you’re supposed to look for, while also recognizing that there’s a Pokémon there that might fit someone else you’re working with. You’re not a client, Nettie, but it’s my job to keep an eye out for you, just as I would for them.”

I nod. “That makes sense, I guess. Is there anything I can do to help the process along?”

Neil smiles. “Well, there is somewhere I have to go for one of our clients. I was going to ask you to stay here and manage the shop while I’m gone, but I think it would be better if you joined me.”

His Rotom phone floats over and shows me a webpage, an image of students in uniforms smiling in front of a gate.

“Pack your bags, Nettie. We’re going to school.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So I finally got this written. In addition work and everyday life, I spent weeks fighting this chapter. It just wasn't working and required SO MANY REWRITES. I really didn't know if I going to finish this chapter, let alone the fanfic. At some point, though, you just have to let the thing go and move on, so that's what I'm doing. I hope that the next chapter's an easy write.

[poesiamarciana]

I cannot promise.

“I cannot promise you an undying love or an unbroken past. I cannot promise that this life or love of ours will remain the same as what it is in this very moment. I cannot promise you unspoken words to mend what you were left behind with. There are dark places you’ve been; the type of places that cannot be unseen. We were kids who had to grow up too quickly, stripped of our innocence. I cannot promise you flowers, chocolates, adventures, and star lit skies on every night. There’s going to be days when it feels like this never ending storm is thrusting at our home, pulling doors off their hinges and damaging the rooftop one tile at a time. I cannot promise you that we will have more easy days than rain filled days. But I can promise you this. I promise to never stop loving every inch of your body, your soul, your humor, your loving personality. I promise to never hold the truth from you because if there’s one thing that can kill; it’s being lied to from the one person you trusted. I promise to never belittle you because if you want to achieve something I’ll be your number one fan screaming at the top of my lungs. Telling you to keep on pushing, to keep on going, and I will be there to hold you at the finish line and tell you “I knew you could do, baby, I swear I knew you could do it.” I promise to go on crazy adventures with you, to get in the car and just go. There needs to be no destination because as long as I have you by my side anywhere in this world, will feel like home. I promise to try my best to make you smile more than to ever shed a tear because of me. I promise to never lay in the bed of another and if there is ever temptation there then I have failed at loving you, entirely. I promise to never grow too old to pick you up in my arms and twirl you around our living room floor. I will never grow too old to jump off a mountain cliff, or try new foods of which I cannot pronounce the names of. I promise to always make crude jokes that will make you punch me in my ribs and tell me how immature I am but still know you love me with the look you give me with your light brown eyes. I promise to always learn with you, to go to classes, seminars, job interviews, social gatherings, political debates, to always evolve to a better person. I promise to never forget our first kiss or how my knees shook on our first dance. I promise to never abuse you with condescending words, to never lay hands on you, or ever think of hurting you. I promise to always protect you and if we were ever homeless I'll build you a fort with the jacket off my back; so you may never forget that for you I’d give up my last everything. I cannot promise you that it’ll be perfect or even close to it, but I promise to never abandon you and to love you more tomorrow than I did today.”

To my best friend, my love, my reason, my hapiness.

[missywritesfor7]

🌺 Promise Flower | PJM 🌺

Synopsis: Jimin is a popular dance student and the best one at his university. Mina is a photography student and has known Jimin since high school. An idea for a photo project finds Mina getting closer to him than she ever has before. She learns how big his heart is, but also learns how closely he guards it. Every time she thinks he'll let her in, he pulls away again. Is it even worth the trouble?

Pairing: college student!Jimin x fem!oc

Warnings: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, alcoholism

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|| Ch. 14: Drunk ||

I don’t know why I’m so nervous about going to dinner with Jimin, Taehyung, and Taylor. Maybe it’s because this is a double date but I’m not actually dating Jimin. I also know that Tae loves instigating and stirring the pot, I can only imagine what type of things he may ask Jimin.

Jimin seems excited though, he’s the one who agreed to it with so much enthusiasm. We all planned to meet at an Italian restaurant for dinner and Jimin has spent a large part of the day mulling over what to wear. It’s not a fancy restaurant by any means and I keep telling him a t-shirt and jeans would be just fine, but he wasn’t having any of that.

“I had no idea you were such a fashionista,” I laugh as I watch him from the bed going through every item of clothing in his closet.

“I just like to look nice,” he winks. “Plus I haven’t really been out anywhere since my surgery. I have to look good for my first public appearance in a while.”

“Spoken like a true celebrity.” He cringes every time I call him a celebrity and that’s exactly why I keep doing it. I just like to see the cute way he scrunches his face at me.

“Don’t be jealous because I have style,” he laughs.

“Pfffttt calm down, you’re alright,” I tease.

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t want me to style you.” He flips his hair with a cocky smile.

“Oh please do! Then I won’t have to pick my own clothes.”

“Oh,” he sighs. “So you don’t want me for my sense of style, you just want me so I’ll do the things you don’t want to do.”

“Yup.”

He scrunches his face again and throws a shirt at me.

“Nice,” I say grabbing the shirt. “I guess this is mine now.”

“Keep it,” he smirks. “It’s the one you threw up all over anyway.”

“Oh well never mind then.” I throw the shirt back at him and laugh. “Hurry up so I can go home and get dressed.”

I haven’t actually been home since I left for class yesterday morning. After Jimin’s physical therapy appointment we stayed at his place watching movies and eating takeout that Hoseok was kind enough to pick up on his way home. Of course I fell asleep in his bed as usual so I’m waiting for him to get himself together so I can go home and wash up before we meet “TayTae” at the restaurant.

Jimin the diva is finally dressed and satisfied with his black skinny jeans, ankle boots, a fitted white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket and we head out to my place. I hadn’t planned to wear anything special, but I feel like I need to match his level of style so I don’t look like I’m in rags when standing next to him.

Now it’s my turn to stand in my closet as Jimin looks on from my bed. I have no idea what to wear, I’m not really good when it comes to fashion. I stare blankly at everything hanging in there until Jimin steps up next to me with a smirk.

“Do you need help from someone with a good sense of style?” He chuckles.

“Who?” I tease.

“Do you want my help or not?” He says scrunching his face at me for the umpteenth time today.

“Who said I need help?”

“Your face.”

“Fine,” I chuckle defeated. “No dresses though.”

“Why have dresses if you don’t want to wear them?” He asks sifting through my clothes.

“Those are for special occasions.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” I laugh. “I haven’t had a special occasion come up yet.”

“I guess we’ll have to change that.”

“Are you going to take me somewhere?”

He shrugs with a smile and continues going through my closet. I resist the urge to press further and let him find something for me to wear tonight.

I take a quick shower and dress myself in my Jimin styled outfit. He chose a pair of skinny jeans similar to the ones he’s wearing, a gray sweater dress that I forgot even existed, and a pair of knee high boots that I’ve had for over a year but they still had the tags on them. I have to admit he did a great job picking my outfit.

When I step out Jimin’s face lights up and he lets out a gasp.

“Wow, you look amazing!” He says standing to get a closer look at me.

“Do I look worthy enough to be in the presence of a celebrity like you?” I joke.

“Oh stop,” he chuckles. “You look perfect.”

I can feel my face flush red from his compliment. I’m sure he noticed and began giggling as I turned away to hide my face and wave him on so we can leave.

We arrive at the restaurant where Tae and Taylor are already there waiting for a table to open up. They both look well dressed so I’m glad I let Jimin choose my outfit for me. Taehyung looks in awe when he sees us walking towards them.

“You look great!” Tae exclaims with surprise. “Where did this outfit come from?”

“I pulled it out of the depths of her closet,” Jimin responds pulling me close by my waist.

“Really?” Tae asks in amusement.

“She seems to have a lot of clothes that she never touches.” Jimin maintains his grip around me and smiles.

No, even knowing that Tae is with Taylor, Jimin is still a bit jealous. The way he’s keeping me within an inch of him. Not taking his hands off of me. Is he still trying to prove a point to Tae?

We get seated at our table which is a booth. That makes it very convenient for Jimin to stay attached to me. Although I know he’s doing this because he’s trying to make some sort of statement in front of Tae, I relish in it anyway. I know I’m going to get a lot of questions and teasing from Tae, but deep down I’m loving the feeling. I love the feeling of being on a date and being close to someone I care a lot about.

“Is this your first time out since your surgery?” Taylor asks Jimin after we’ve placed our orders with the server.

“Yeah,” Jimin says with a big smile. “It’s nice to go somewhere other than class and physical therapy.”

“So then this is like your first date?” Tae asks with a big smile, ignoring the daggers I’m staring at him.

“Well,” Jimin looks at me with his irresistible smile. “I guess it is.”

All I can do is smile and nod. I don’t want to have a negative reaction and kill Jimin’s enthusiasm, but I know what Tae is doing and I really want to throw something at him right now. I knew he would try pushing the subject, but I was holding out hope that he wouldn’t. He’s even got Taylor in on it.

I’m thinking I may need some assistance to get through the night so when our server returns to our table I order a cocktail which takes everyone by surprise.

“Aren’t you driving?” Tae asks.

“Yeah, but it’s just one drink.” I know I’m a lightweight but he should have a little more faith in me.

“You sure?” Jimin asks.

“You guys worry way too much,” I laugh.

What I didn’t realize was that whoever mixed my drink went a little heavy on the liquor. I sipped it slow but it didn’t take long before I started feeling the effects. I guess this is what I get for ordering a house drink mixed with a bunch of stuff I’m not even familiar with that also comes in a larger than normal sized glass.

Despite the impairment, I have a great time. Jimin and Taylor talk about some dance stuff that started to go over my head, so I turned to Tae and started talking to him. Though we seem to have two different conversations going at the same table, Jimin keeps me glued to him the entire time.

I’m just tipsy enough to find it funny. Even on a double date with Tae and Taylor, who are also attached to one another in their seat, Jimin is still keeping a hold on me as if Tae would suddenly pick me up and run out of here like a bandit in the night.

After our food arrives he feeds me bites from his plate and I feed him bites from mine. By then I’ve finished my drink and enjoying the full effects of it. We all finish our food one by one and I realize I’m in no condition to drive. Why do I have to be such a lightweight?

Jimin guides me out to the parking lot where we spend some more time chatting with Tae and Taylor. I’m glad he’s holding me because I’m struggling to keep my balance. The longer we stand there and talk, the more I lean into Jimin.

Maybe it’s because things around me are starting to spin a little bit, or because I’m at my happiest when I’m with him, but I love the feeling of our bodies being close together. He feels so warm, and I feel protected. Nothing could get to me or upset me whenever I feel his touch.

Knowing that I’m not able to drive, Jimin takes my keys and takes me to my car. He opens my door for me and then straps me in, although I’m not that drunk to where I can’t buckle my own seatbelt. But I let him do it anyway because maybe I just like being taken care of for once.

He gets into the driver’s seat and starts the car before turning to me with a big smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m a good driver,” he says. He pulls off and begins the journey home.

I’ve never seen him drive before. He didn’t have a car in high school, and he still doesn’t, so it kind of blows my mind that he even has a license. Watching him drive now seems kind of…hot. That could just be the alcohol talking though.

“What?” Jimin finally asks after I’ve been staring at him for probably too long.

“Nothing. I’ve just never seen you drive before,” I say smiling like the drunk fool I am.

“Really?” He laughs. “Well I’ve never seen someone get drunk from just one cocktail.”

“I’m not that drunk.”

“You’re not passing any sobriety tests either,” he chuckles. “How are you such a lightweight?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t drink in high school like everyone else so I haven’t had as much time to build a tolerance.”

“You mean you weren’t out drinking with the other band kids after school?”

“They were all fucking each other, I didn’t want to be there as the odd person out.”

“Oh, you weren’t fucking anyone?”

“Not in the band.”

He raises an eyebrow and I realize what I just said.

“I mean I wasn’t fucking anyone at all. You know me, I was lame.”

“What happened with the guy you were dating? The one that was on the lacrosse team, what was his name?”

“Sid? Fuck him.”

“That bad?” He giggles. “I thought you two dated a while?”

“How do you know?”

“Word travels fast when he has a big mouth.”

“Fuck him,” I say again causing Jimin to giggle some more.

Yes, Sid. The asshole I dated for 9 months in high school. The asshole I let take my virginity. The douchebag that told everyone who would listen about it and made it sound like we were some sex crazed rabbits. We had sex twice for a grand total of 2 minutes and 45 seconds of mediocrity.

When I tried to back off a bit, claiming to not want our relationship to only be about sex, he accused me of being a whore. He was actually the whore who was fucking some other chick, so I broke up with him. I wasn’t even torn up about it, it just gave me an easy out.

I wasn’t aware that Jimin knew about me dating him though. Oh god how much does he know??

“Wait, how much did he tell you? What kind of lies did you hear??” I need to know. Not that I’m concerned about it now after it’s been years, but I’m dying internally at the thought of Jimin thinking I’m something that I’m not.

“Take it easy,” he chuckles. “He didn’t tell me much. Just said you two were very…active.”

“Fuck!”

“I didn’t believe him though,” Jimin says quickly to keep me from flying off the handle.

“Fuck him.” I mumble again. “He was the active one! When I realized how disappointing he was I wasn’t interested in being ‘active’. So he decided to be someone else’s disappointment.”

“So,” he says still giggling. “You want a man that’s good in bed?”

“What? No! I mean, yes, but no. Not like…goddammit, Jimin!” I’m flustered and digging myself deeper into a hole as he erupts into laughter.

“It’s so easy to tease you when you’re drunk,” he laughs.

“Fuck you.”

“Come on, let’s go inside.” He parks the car and helps me out to his apartment.

“You’re so mean, you know that?” I pout throwing myself on his bed.

“Yup, the guy that just drove your drunk ass to his place so you can rest is soooo mean.” He grabs one of my legs that’s hanging over the edge of the bed and removes my boot. “The guy who wasn’t even bothered when you threw up all over him is sooooo mean.” He grabs my other leg and removes my other boot.

“I’m sorry,” I say still pouting and sitting up. “I just didn’t know you knew about Sid and…all of that. I try really hard to forget.”

“It’s ok,” he laughs sitting next to me. “Everyone has those moments they want to forget.”

“Yeah?” I ask getting ready to open a can of worms that may or may not cause me to learn some things I don’t want to know. Too late though, tipsy tongue already moving. “Do you have one of those moments?”

“Well…” he hesitates.

“Jiminie, are you still a virgin?” I probably shouldn’t have asked that but it’s too late now.

“What? No. I mean, not really…”

“What does that mean? Either you are or you aren’t.”

“Well I’m not but it’s stupid and cliche and meaningless and I try to forget about it.”

“Ok but remember it just this once and tell me about it! Who? When? You were never with anyone in school! Jiminie who??” Ok maybe I’m too eager and probably turning him completely off, but whatever was in that drink has some fucked up effects. Or I’m just a terrible lightweight due to my inexperience with anything stronger than half a glass of cheap wine.

“Jeez,” he says shyly. “It was stupid. I went to a dance camp one summer. It just kind of happened. Then I never saw or spoke to her again after camp was over.“

“You’re right, that is cliche,” I joke hoping I haven’t pushed him to unlock a memory that may be painful. He seems more embarrassed than anything though.

“Any other questions, detective?” He chuckles.

“Well since you asked,” I laugh. “Why are you so jealous of Tae even when you know he and Taylor are together?”

“What? I’m not jealous of Tae.”

“You weren’t all over me yesterday and today to prove a point to him?”

“What point would I be trying to prove?”

“That I’m…I mean you’re…well you think he likes me don’t you?”

“Well I did, but he’s with Taylor so I don’t think he has a thing for you.”

“Then what was…everything? Like you were trying to make a statement or something?”

“I was just enjoying the night with my date,” he smiles. “You look beautiful.”

“So you weren’t acting?”

“Of course not. I love spending time with you.”

“Right, but you seemed a bit more…romantic than you usually are.”

“Really? I guess I should do better.”

“Jiminie,” I chuckle trying to find my way to the point. “Are you trying to romance me?”

“Is it working?”

“Of course it is,” I smile. “But, are you wanting to be a couple or something?”

“Do you want to be a couple?”

“If you want to…”

“I’m asking you.”

“To be my boyfriend? Exclusively?”

“Well…” he nervously rubs the back of his neck with a shy smile. “I don’t really know how to be a boyfriend so I’m not sure I’d be good at it, but I know I care a lot about you and I would do anything to see you smile.”

“No one says you have to know how to be a boyfriend,” I say mindlessly reaching to stroke his cheek. “Just be you. That’s why I like you. That’s why I always enjoy spending time with you.”

“So…you’ll be my girlfriend?”

“Jiminie you’re too cute, yes I’ll be your girlfriend as long as you’ll be my boyfriend.”

“Should we seal the deal and make it official?” He asks smiling.

“What do you mean?”

I should have known better. It was such a cheesy setup, yet I still find myself pleasantly surprised when he leans over and gently presses his lips against mine. We hadn’t kissed since the day I got mad at him weeks ago, but I had been craving him this entire time. This is different from that kiss, and different from our drunken kiss. This kiss has meaning. It has feelings and purpose this time.

Neither of us let up, burning our commitment into each other’s lips. I’m not very tipsy anymore, but I’m completely drunk on him now. I don’t know how long I’ve waited to call him mine, but now I can’t get enough.

His lips are the glass of wine that start my night with the fresh tingle of pleasure. His tongue gives me a shot of whiskey with a bold smoky flavor that warms my entire being. His hands gently guiding my body to lay back on the pillow is the beer chaser that rocks me to sleep under the blanket of euphoria that is his body.

Whatever hangover I have in the morning is worth it.

[autisticdragonslimegirl]

Since I'm a writer I'll post what I'm writing.

Verna hesitated to get on the boat, it would be the first time he'd ever left the continent. The World Eaters had been gone for at least five years now, but a thought still nagged in his mind, What if they were to come back in my absence and burn all the Mother Flowers again? Before Verna could change his mind he was ushered onto the boat by the captain of the ship. He thought it was funny that a sky-faring Keeva would want to own a boat. Verna had been ordered to relax on this trip to the sister continent by the queen of the Amber Palace, though he planned to do more research on this continent's Mother Flowers than relaxing.

The boat docked at a large port and the smell of sun baked fish instantly filled his lungs. The sources of the stench were vendors set up along the large pathways, trying to sell the day's catch to anyone who walked near. The amount of people overwhelmed Verna, all the talking and bustling felt tight around his lungs, and he swore to himself that people were making fun of his appearance. He figured that the best course of action would be to find his fellow researchers, Ophidian and Sunstone. They're a Yunai and a Half-Amkile, whatever those were. The amount of different looking people walking around was overwhelming, there was never this many types of people back home, it was only Caretakers, Keeva, Caprine, and the World Eaters. Though now the World Eaters were gone for good, and Verna was glad about that.

Verna wandered through the edge of the town, standing where it said that Ophidian and Sunstone were to meet him. He found himself in a small park, sitting on a bench watching a fountain as he waited. It was the small spaces like this that Verna missed the most. They had all been destroyed when the World Eaters had attacked and they're the last things on the leader's long lists of what needed to be rebuilt. Verna was so lost in thought he didn't realize when someone had sat next to him, it was only when their wing bumped against his that he did. 

He turned to look at the person and he stopped in fear, A World Eater was looking at him with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, It’s a bad habit of mine to unfold my wings when I shouldn’t.” Verna glanced around, could no-one but him see the monster that sat right beside himself? “Are you okay? You look pale.” 

Another voice came from nearby, “Sapphire! Good to see you. Oh this is funny, you’ve actually found the person we were looking for.” The World Eater got up and talked with the person who owned the voice, acting like they had known each other forever. The person they talked to looked like a Keeva, but not as owl-like, and they partially looked like a wolf? Their fur, or was it feathers? Were gray with orange tips, and their feathered wings were a bright orange. Besides them was a white fox dressed up as if snow was going to fall from the sky any minute. 

“Glad to see you met Verna, I don’t think he’s been told that you were going to be joining us as well, the letter that we sent is probably arriving today actually.” How could I be paired with a World Eater? Don’t they know of the dangers that they pose to the lives of Mother Flowers?

Verna wanted to scream, he wanted to get away but the amount of eyes that would be on him was a dizzying thought. I’ll just have to tell the queen when he gets back, she understands the threat of the World Eaters. 

“Hey Verna, are you alright?” Verna turned to face the orange one who had come over to him. “Oh dear, I know that look. Let’s get you out of the crowds. I know a small restaurant nearby that’s always quite empty where we can talk.” 

They walked over to the restaurant, cutting through some back alleys along the way. Verna made sure to put the other two between himself and the sapphire-scaled World Eater. Their name was quite fitting, Verna would give them that much. They walked into the restaurant and the orange one, who Verna learned was the one named Sunstone through passing conversation, swiftly made his way up to the counter to order a meal. The fox sat down beside Verna and struck up a conversation with him.

“What’s it like back at your home? There’s records of it in books and logs of overseas trades but it’s only been recently that ships have traveled to and from both continents.”

Verna had remembered the time before the world, or at least the world he knew, was scorched. He glanced around, spying the world eater up at the front with Sunstone, “My home used to look like this.”

“Used to? What happened?”

Hatred rose in Verna’s throat, stinging the back of it, “It was all burnt away by World Eaters.” He shot a glance at Sapphire, not caring if the fox caught it or not, but judging by the way she turned her head Verna assumed that she did. “Even in the five years that they’ve been gone their destruction still covers the land. The only city that stood through it all is the Amber Palace, my home.” 

He can picture it all so clearly, the day when their wings blotted out the sun. The day when they burnt everything to the ground. But most of all he can still hear the screams of the Mother Flowers echoing through their roots. It was his duty to look after and care for all the Mother Flowers. To care for his friends. Even the grouchiest one was still enjoyable to look after. When he was able to see the brief moments of gratitude that they showed it was like when the sun shone through the clouds on a rainy day. But all of that had been ripped away from him, now the only two Mother Flowers left were the young one, which was not to be let out of their friend’s sight and the one that now laid dormant. Verna sighed, the dormant Mother Flower was Verna’s closest friend, but when she sensed the death of the others she quickly retreated into the ground and sealed herself off. The crystal flowers that had once grown along the rocky mountainside wilted away, leaving only husks of the crystalline petals.  

Verna figured that losing possibly his only friends was the reason why the queen had sent him to the Argent Lands. It’s not really about taking care of the Mother Flowers here, it’s about taking care of me after losing ours. Bowls clattered as they were set down on the table. One of the bowls of noodles was put in front of Verna. He peered into the broth, he’d never heard of making noodles this way. Part of him wondered if some shops had sold this back home, but if they did he never got to see them before the land was scorched. He didn’t feel safe eating around a World Eater, there were too many stories from friends and families of those who passed who said that they had let their guards down while eating and were swiftly killed. Tears started to well in Verna’s eyes and he tried to hold them back, the weight of all the deaths was unbearable. To go from a full continent of people to only thousands in less then a week was a horrifying thought. And yet they sit here with a World Eater. How many have they killed? 

“Are you okay? You seem to be crying.” Sapphire said as she walked around to where Verna was sitting, trying to offer some comfort. As she reached out a hand to hold his Verna smacked it away forcefully. 

“Millions were killed by the hands of your kind, yet here you walk among the crowds as if you’ve done nothing?” 

Sapphire stepped back, the words had stung deep into her, but Verna didn’t care. He watched as her scales shimmered before turning invisible. Sunstone got up quickly to follow her. The fox was speechless, finally speaking when she found the right words to say.

“The Sly were ruthless here too, and they definitely did kill. This city is one of few that accept the new generation that condemns the orders that were given to them. I know that getting over the trauma won’t be easy, but all I ask of you is to understand that the Sly you see hate the bloodshed and destruction as much as you do. Some of them had to watch their friends die, few of them, like Sapphire, had to kill their friends themselves.” 

[subpar-ghoulfriend]

Live In Nanny

Villain!All Might x Reader

All Might raising baby Deku but is in desperate need of a nanny. 

TW: Yandere themes, breeding kink (our villain is ready to make the reader a mommy), dub con 

AN: literally just took Hero All Might and flipped him upside down. So baseline form is big buff boi and villain form is lanky but retains the strength.

Single father with a nine month old child, seeking live in nanny services. Negotiable pay. Negotiable time off/vacation days.

Toshinori was impressed with your interview. You had over 8 years of experience working with children between babysitting and working at a day care. Plus Izuku took to you immediately. It was just a bonus that you were easy on the eyes.

You agreed to begin immediately, trying not to let on that you were in desperate need of money and a place to stay. You didn't have much to move in. And, in comparison to the huge room you had been given, it seemed like you owned even less. You figured your new boss must get paid well. His house was huge, the largest you'd ever been in.

Your room was next to baby Izuku's. Settling in to a routine with the baby was easy. You weren't sure exactly what your employer did for a living, his schedule was sporadic, he would be in and out throughout the day. Whenever he was available he would stop by to love on the infant. It was clear that he was doing his best as a single parent, but house keeping wasn't his strong suit. You tried your best to help out with the chores and grocery shopping, after all he was paying you graciously and giving you a roof over your head.

The only bump in the road so far has been getting Toshinori's permission to take the little one on walks through the nearby park. According to the father, errands were one thing but what was the point of going to park? Izuku can't even walk, there wouldn't be any benefit. Eventually you convinced him, after rambling about how good it is for babies to be exposed to different levels of stimulation. You could show Izuku the ducks and dogs, plus he could see all the pretty spring time flowers.

The older man was worried, he feared that his child, and you for that matter, would be targeted by his enemies. Plenty of low life's would love to make a move against the notorious villain. But you wore down his resolve. So long as you would tell him before you went. Thankfully he could play it off as being a bit of a helicopter dad. He always has a spare crony he could send out there to watch over you two.

---

"What are you both doing," your bosses laugh filled the air.

You were in a very flattering position, palms on the floor stretching through your hips, ass hiked up with a tempting arch to your back. Then you pushed yourself forward, giving the giggling baby raspberries before returning to your original position.

"Baby yoga!" You smiled, oblivious to the growing bulge in the villains pants. "Right now we're doing downward facing dog and cobra."

He watched you cycle through the motions, hypnotized by your movements.

You took such good care of him and his baby. Ever since you got here you went above and beyond (very plus ultra of you). You even packed his meals to go when he had to rush off to a job. And you did it all with a smile and his kid bouncing away at your feet. The man allowed his mind to drift to the thought of you with his babies, Izuku on your hip and your round belly ready to pop.

You made an amazing nanny but you would make an even better housewife.

---

It wasn't until a week after Izuku's birthday that you learned about your bosses occupation. You were at the park and a stranger approached you to coo over Izuku.

"Such a little cutie, this is Toshi's kid, right?"

That caught you off guard, how did this person know Toshinori? You knew he was a protective dad and there something about this woman felt off.

"Well, either way, this is for you," she smiled as she passed you a manila envelope. "A little birdie wants you to have it."

You skeptically eyed the parcel as the woman disappeared through the park. You shoved it into Izuku's diaper bag before rushing back home.

You decided to peek into the envelope after settling 'Zuku down for the night. You curled onto the chair in his nursery, using his nightlight too sift through the documents. Various photos of Toshinori, your employer, amongst high profile criminals. Photos of the most terrifying villain among his infamous exploits. And finally a piece of paper with a single web address and access code. This was the most damning piece of evidence, All Might - the villain himself - joking amongst his companions before transforming into the man you knew as Izuku's father. Without this video you would have never even guessed. All Might was known for his unassuming nature, his slender frame concealing his god-like strength. Still he looked terrifying, like make children cry type terrifying. Toshinori on the other hand was massive but his sunny attitude made him approachable. For all these months you had been working for a criminal. A criminal with a child. You had been living with him, laughing and raising a baby, taking care of him and his family. Oh god, your late night fantasies of your boss, a total DILF, were fantasies of a sadistic monster.

The betrayal and shame brought you to tears. You should call the cops. Take Izuku far away from this place, from being exposed to his fathers atrocities. But you were torn, he was a good dad, he always put his son first and provided him with only the best. He would tear the world apart for Izuku even if he had to put a target on your back. You shook as you muffled your cries, trying not to wake the baby you cared so much for. Eventually you wrote yourself out, falling asleep in the nursery.

By the time Toshinori made it home it was close to two in the morning. As usual he tip toed into his sons room, shocked to find you curled up in the rocker asleep. He was quiet, surprisingly more so than in his slender form. As you made his way to wake you he was surprised to see your phone still unlocked, you had fallen to sleep with that video on loop. Underneath your phone was the envelope, he didn't need to look to know what was inside. He hadn’t woken either of you, managing to shut off your phone and pick you up with or so much as a peep. He decided rather quickly that he would wait for you to make the first move. At least in the mean time he could pretend you didn't care about his lifestyle and that you wouldn't try to leave him or his son.

"Toshinori," you mumbled as he was about to settle you into your bed. You were half asleep and groggy from crying.

"Go back to sleep, darling, it's late," he paused to sway with you, just like he did when putting down 'Zuku for a nap. He was shocked that it worked and finally escaped your room. You let him lull you back to sleep, further affirming his belief that you would stay.

---

The next morning you creeped downstairs. Izuku wasn't in his crib, meaning Toshinori was him. You found them both in the kitchen. The sight of the pair would usually warm your body but now shivers radiated down your spine.

"Look who's up, buddy, say good morning," he bounced the child, beaming like the happiest father.

Taking a deep breath you decided to rip off the band aid. "Mr Toshinori, I have to resign."

His pause was so long you wondered if he heard you.

"Did the video upset her that much, Zuzu?"

He looked at you with the same warmth he always did. "There's no need to be formal, you were fine calling me Toshi just the other day. Take a seat, I made pancakes, just like you like'em."

You complied, his unchanged demeanor intimidating you into submission.

"There's no need for you to quit," he started. "Nothing has changed aside from your level of awareness."

"I can't work for you knowing that you hurt people."

At that his smile faltered, "Darling, if you truly felt that way, you wouldn't be here. You would've slipped out early this morning."

You were silent. He was right, in a way. Trapped between what was right and what was best for Izuku. You'd never be able to do anything about your boss's criminal activity, even if you did and All Might was locked away, Izuku would suffer the most.

"Give yourself a few days to adjust, okay? If you still want to quit after that, we can reassess."

There's was a glint in his eyes that hinted he wasn't asking.

---

"I'll be back this evening," Toshinori told you a as he kissed Izuku's forehead. He was uncomfortably close as he returned the baby to your lap. "There's plenty of groceries so you don't need to go out today. I have a coworker out front, so don’t worry if you see someone outside."

"What are they doing?"

He placed a hand on the top of your hair, petting you like some cat.

"He'll just keep an eye on things. I need someone to make sure you stay put."

---

A week flew by with your employer pushing off the discussion of your resignation. He wouldn’t leave you unsupervised so just walking away wasn’t an option, besides could you really leave Izuku? 

Then the child came down with some type of bug and was absolutely miserable for several days. You couldn’t get much sleep as a result, even if his father was home for most of the day. 

---

Izuku finally fell asleep around three in the morning. You napped beside his crib out of fear he would wake up if you so much as changed positions.

Then you woke in Toshi's arms as he carried you down the hall.

"Where are we going," You whined, anxious to be away from the child.

"I told you to rest, instead I find you in the nursery."

"'Zuku is sick-"

"But he's asleep, there are baby monitors, not that he won't wake the whole city up with his cries. You've been up for nearly two days with him, time for bed."

But he wasn't taking you to your room. Instead he dropped you on to his bed.

"What are you doing?" You snapped.

"I don't need you sneaking back. I can keep an eye on you here. I'll take care of him if he starts crying." He rolled in next to you.

The bed was huge but so was your boss. "Stop wiggling."

"Well I can't get comfortable."

“Fine,” he said and pulled you into him, “now stop it and get some sleep.”

You burned with embarrassment, turning silent after several attempts at protest. Just as you began to drift off, Toshinori's hand moved to beneath your shorts. You shut your eyes, pretending not to notice. He probably didn't even realize what he was doing. Then his fingers grazed the spot where your skin met your panties.

"I know you aren't asleep yet, darling."

You didn't respond, opting to keep up the façade.

"Mmm, are we playing pretend? I don't mind."

You gasped, pushing at his hand, "I'm trying to sleep."

"I can see that," he chuckled. "I'm just helping you wear yourself out. You've been taking such good care of the baby, let me return the favor."

He jerked your hips, pressing you tightly against his bulge.

"You've been such a good mommy."

God the way you could feel your body responding made you hate that he was a villain.

"'M not-" You gasped as he did his fingers into your thighs. "His mom."

"You sure about that? I know how much you care about him. Always rushing to him when he’s cranky, never taking any days off. You make sure he's a happy little baby and you take such good care of his daddy. Isn't that's what mommies do?"

A moan slipped through your lips, "Stop."

"Are you sure? It seems like your having such a good time," he teased, sliding his hand to find your wetness.

Your body jerked involuntarily. He wasted no time tearing off your layers. Your determination quickly fading.

"I'm gonna take such good care of you," he pushed a finger in to your warmth.

You shivered at the sensation. Before you could register his actions there was another digit. He skillfully maneuvered his fingers to prep walls.

"What a tight like cunt," The man cooed. "So perfect and pretty. Just waiting for me to claim."

You gasped as he curled his fingers in you. Tears of pleasure pricking your eyes.

"Atta girl, I think you're ready to take daddy's cock."

You shouldn't be surprised when you saw how absolutely hung your boss is. There was no way the whole thing would fit inside of you.

Without hesitation All Might slowly began to press inside of you. The head of his cock already made it feel like you were tearing.

"Wait wait wait," You cried. "Too big."

He paused, reassuring you, "I know you can do it baby. You're okay."

You shook your head violently.

With a sloppy squelch he withdrew. He disappeared momentarily, give you much need time to breathe. Then he was back and you felt a cool, slick fluid rub against you. He applied a generous amount of lube knowing full well that if he played his cards right you'd happily be his forever.

Regardless there was still a painful pressure as he forced himself deeper.

"You're doing so good, taking me so well."

He was slowly increasing the speed off his hips. All you could manage was incoherent whines as his momentum bounced you back and forth.

"Toshi, Toshi," You panted.

"I don't think so baby girl," he slapped your thigh. "You know what I want to hear."

You couldn't be rational, not when he was pounding into you. All you knew was pleasure in this moment. How could you not give the man what he wanted when he was fucking you dumb.

"Mmm daddy, hurts so good."

"Ah- fuck yeah. I knew you were a little pain slut. You want me to fuck you like a whore and then treat you like my little princess?"

You nodded, gasping for air.

"You've been such a good little mommy, I think you deserve this little treat huh?"

You didn't respond, stubbornly refusing to tell the man what he was desperate to hear.

He shifted to a painfully slow pace as he would pull almost completely out just to slam back into your abused whole.

"And here I thought you wanted to cum, I can always stop here, finish myself later-"

"No! No no no, don't stop."

"Then repeat after me: I'm such a good mommy."

As you stayed silent until he began to move at a snails pace. So close to losing your high.

"O-kay, okay, I-I've been a good mom-mommy," You cried tried to buck against the giant.

And just like that your boss was pushing you back to the edge of an orgasm. You were sobbing from pleasure and frustration.

"I know,” He growled. “Fucking good girl, taking care of our baby while daddy's working. You're gonna look so pretty knocked up. All glowing and swollen. Bet your tits are gonna look so pretty when they get full. Gotta keep you stuffed with my cum so our little boy can have a sibling."

[gotnofucks]

Will you make me a drabble where I ask Steve to be my daddy or just make him my daddy🥺🥺👉👈 love you bestie!!

Title: The Journey to Daddy

Pairing: Steve x Reader

Summary: Five times you call Steve ‘daddy’, and the one times he asks you to.

Words: 1.6k

Warning: slight smut, daddy kink, some jealousy and possessiveness, 18+ Only

A/N: There is only one person who can ever make me go soft. Berry, this is for you. Love you more my queen @donutloverxo

+++++

1.

Sometimes, you felt like an onion. You had a lot of layers around you: secrets, insecurities, dreams you were scared of living, things that were never said. And every time, it felt like Steve would peel a layer to expose the truest form of you. You'd never felt as naked as you did when his eyes were fixed on you, with no judgement or question, only love.

You'd been going out for months now, learning about each other, exploring your boundaries. Steve was the most attentive boyfriend. He was caring and respectful, always there for you before you even asked for him. He'd lift you up when you needed something from the top shelf. He'd cook for you because he knew you liked the domestic look on him. He'd tickle you to tears when you were down, trailing kisses down your forehead to your nose to your chin before blowing a raspberry on the hollow of your neck that would have you giggling.

Steve was so perfect, and it was very unconscious the first time you called him Daddy. You were in the kitchen and had broken a plate when Steve came rushing out, carrying you away from the wreckage to make sure you were okay. he wouldn't let you clean it, afraid you'd hurt yourself.

"You're okay baby?" He had asked.

"Yes daddy" you had softly replied into his neck, soothed by his smell. And though he didn't say anything, the thought kept running in his head. Daddy?

2.

Your cries got higher with each thrust, nails digging into Steve’s shoulder as he pumped into you. He loved it when you got like this, all dumbed down and messy, garbling words that felt like poetry to him. You came around him again, squeezing his length between the velvety walls of your sex and he released into you with a growl.

Sweaty and spent, you looked a beauty to him as you laid under his naked body covered in his essence. His large body framed yours and as he leaned in to kiss your glistening and bruised lips, you tiredly said, "I love you, daddy".

He stilled, whispering a love you back before collapsing next to you. Looking at you drifting away, he got up to clean you and cover you up, holding you close as his thoughts ran wild. There it was again. Daddy. Why did you call him that?

3.

Your birthdays were more important to Steve than they were to you. Every time, even when you’d not been dating, Steve would pull all stops for your birthday. He’d arrange a party that would consist only of your closest friends and family, cook all your favorite food, and would make sure everyone got you a present you liked.

There was that time Steve had made a list and gave it out. “Just get her something from this. I know what she likes.” Idiot. He should have put only his name on the list, since there was nothing you wanted more than him. Today, as you celebrated this day as a couple, he decided to make it intimate and private.

He decorated the balcony in your favorite fairy lights, lightening soft candles and putting your favorite flowers everywhere so that it smelled divine. You both sat under the stars, holding each other as you snuggled in the blanket, talking in hushed tone.

“What did you wish for when you blew the candles?” He asked, pressing his lips on the crown of your head. You looked at him, eyes reflecting the candles that danced in the wind.

“I have everything I want. Here.” You said, touching his chest. “You’re all I want. Thank you for today, daddy.”

You kissed him, not noticing the slight hitch in his breath as you said that. Daddy, he liked how that sounded.

4.

The sounds of typing were a normal in your house, but it bothered Steve when it went past midnight for the third night in a row. He saw you stifle another yawn, rubbing at your eyes as you tried to finish this project on time. You worked way too hard if you asked him.

“Baby, come to bed. It’s late.”

“I can’t, really need to get this done.”

Steve sighed, washing your now empty coffee mug before sitting beside you. He counted three more yawns along with four curses whispered under your breath and he knew he needed to step in. Gently stopping your hand, he turned you to face him and cupped your face.

“You still have four days before you need to turn this in. Come to bed honey, you’re tired and I don’t wanna sleep without you.”

You pouted, tired and internally glad that he finally stopped you. Nodding, you allowed him to more or less carry you into the bedroom and put you into pajamas, tucking you into the warmth of his body as he turned out the lights.

“Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll make you your favorite breakfast tomorrow so you’re all charged up for another day of working. I love you.”

His arms came around you, your back to his chest. Tangling your fingers with his, you pressed a sleepy kiss on his knuckles before whispering into the dark, “good night daddy. Love you too.”

5.

The fifth time you did it, you scared him.

The Avengers Gala was something Steve hated and loved. He loved he could have you on his arm, his girl to proclaim before the world. His friends got together and had a nice time, and people he hadn’t seen for a while surfaced too.

What Steve couldn’t handle was the audacity of men to ogle you. Despite you being on his arm, they would follow you with their creepy eyes, trying to sneak in a word whenever someone pulled him away from you. He knew he mustn’t be jealous; if there was anything Steve was ever secure about, it was your love for him. But he couldn’t stand still watching some good for nothing bastard try to win you over with a pick up line that was older than he was.

“Excuse me gentlemen” He almost growled, taking your arm possessively before whisking you away into a dark corner, intent on having you all to himself. You rolled your eyes, used to this act by now. You’d never told him, but it was almost endearing watching a man like him get so antsy over you.

“You can’t always hide me away!” You chided him but didn’t push him away. You preferred his company over any other, and if were to take you home right now, you wouldn’t mind. Steve bit his lips before cutting a glance to the men who were flirting with you earlier, a snarl lodged in his chest.

“No, but I can do this!” His lips crashed on yours, pulling you into a deep kiss that tasted of his power and love. You melted into his touch, arms hooking around his neck to bring him down to your height, tongues tangling together in a sloppy kiss. Steve didn’t let up until you had to finally break to breath, both panting hard.

“What was that for?” You asked, softly touching your lips that tingled.

“To remind everyone that you belong to me!” He said, pulling you closer. You smiled, pressing another kiss on his lips before tucking your head under his neck.

“Of course I belong to you daddy.”

He spent the rest of the party distracted. You’d called him that a lot recently. But why? Did you want him to be a daddy? You'd both decided to never to have children in the early days of getting together. Why then did you call him daddy? And why did it send a thrill down his back? God, he hoped you weren't pregnant.

+ 1

The morning after the party, he woke you up with kisses trailing down your neck, soothing the sting of the bites he had placed there last night. As you whimpered, wanting to sleep some more, he pushed a hand under your top to tickle your ribs, smiling as you giggled and squirmed.

“Steve!” You squealed as he reached under your breast. He chuckled before kissing up your exposed tummy, loving the sounds of your laughter as he reached your mouth and pressed deep and slow kisses there.

“Good morning.” He said, nuzzling his nose into you. You sighed in happiness, snuggling into him and breathing in his scent.

“Good morning.”

You stayed that way for a while, him gently rocking you back and forth as you hummed, enjoying the quiet morning together. It was after a few minutes that Steve spoke.

“Why do you call me daddy?”

A sudden shyness came over you and you buried your face deeper into his chest, not speaking. Steve tutted, gently pulling you back and titling your face up to meet his eyes.

"Do you want us to have a kid?" Steve asked and you shook your head.

"No." You said, embarrassed.

"Then why do you call me daddy?"

You looked at him with glittering eyes, cupping his cheek softly that was threatening to develop a scruff if not shaved.

"Because I trust you." You said. "I never have to hide from you, never have to worry. You look after me, you love me unconditionally. You care about me in a way no one has ever before. When you take charge, it makes me feel good. I love it when you guide me in bed. I love it when you step up and look after me. Calling you daddy puts those feelings into words."

Steve couldn't look away from you and your eyes. The love and trust you put in him made him a better person, it made him feel worthy. All he ever wanted in life was to have someone to call his own, to hold them and love them and never let any harm come to them. Looking into your eyes, he knew he had all he wanted. He held you closer and tighter, brushing your lips with his.

"Say it again then, baby."

"Daddy"

[ganyuslily]

DON’T CRY FOR ME ( I DON’T DESERVE IT )

there is no place in celestia for a sinner like me. ( or, in which the history seems to come full circle. )

pairing: albedo/gender neutral reader

category/warnings: note format, letter format, bittersweet, albedo creates a homunculus, reader starts to be called ‘little love’ by albedo at some point, reader calls albedo brother later on, this is all platonic love and more focusing on albedos inner feelings and relationships than anything else

note: please reblog i put so much thought in it i think ill cry otherwise @xiaophobic

NOTE ENTRANCE #1

i feel as if i became my master by accident. it’s a weird feeling. i don’t exactly feel… proud. i don’t feel accomplished and i feel as if i should, right? after all, creating another living human being with the use of alchemy has to be one of the most impressive things an alchemist can do.

but i don’t feel that way. i look at them and they remind me of myself. and even though i said i feel as if i became my own master by accident, i do not… want to become her. i do not want them to feel the way i did. and yet, at the same time, i don’t think i’m able to take care of a living, thinking human being. i do not want them to be bound to me by any means either. but i cannot abandon them. it is not right.

they’re my responsibility. and i’ll try my best to give them all that i was never given. they deserve it. i know they do.

NOTE ENTRANCE #3

they don’t speak yet. they stare at me and eat; they sleep a lot. they grabbed my hand once. they are not the way a newborn child is, it seems as if they’re just… learning. by observing me, that is. i think i did that too? i do not remember. they follow me around and try to do the same things i do; i had to stop some of my other experiments. i don’t want them to get hurt by accident. and i don’t want them to become purely an alchemist — nothing more and nothin less.

…i feel as if i should take them to see others in mondstadt. so they don’t become too much like me.

NOTE ENTRANCE #5

they insist on following me around. i halted all of my research now. i’ve decided it’s in their best interest to get to know the world not through alchemy but in the way others do — through pure curiosity.

yes, i know that’s how alchemy is fueled; by the need to know and understand. by the need to create. and yet, i think that if they won’t have the proper means, they won’t look at it through the glasses of an alchemist, right?

extra note: they thought that the flowers flora was showing off in her stand were extremely fascinating. i bought them three — one of each type. they had an expression of such pure happiness on their face that it made my heart clench. did i ever feel this emotion to the extent they did today?

NOTE ENTRANCE #7

they started speaking now. maybe it’s the fact that even though i tried to make them spend more time with others — such as kaeya, jean or lisa, — they still talk most similarly to the way i do. i think it’s to be expected — after all, they do spend most of their time in my company.

extra note: the first words they spoke to me were my name. they didn’t call me by master or sir, or any of the weird honorifics they heard others call me by. i’m glad they didn’t.

NOTE ENTRANCE #15

they cried today.

i introduced them to klee today; it was inevitable and she was excited to meet someone that would play with her. i told her not to overwhelm them too much and she promised not to. as to how much i could trust that promise, i wasn’t sure. i decided i’m going to leave them alone for a second since i needed to make a quick run at the nearby shop.

they cried, klee told me when she ran up to me after i came back. she didn’t want to tell me why though — and neither did they at first. no matter my questions and klee’s worried promises that she’ll share the dodoco with them, just please stop crying. they just smiled at me, tears streaming down their cheeks as they wiped them. they seemed surprised by them, but they didn’t question it. they simply accepted it; embraced it, even.

the sunset is beautiful.

NOTE ENTRANCE #20

as much as i don’t want to admit it, i think that deep down, they’ll become an alchemist too.

am i selfish for not wanting them to?

NOTE ENTRANCE #25

they demanded that i teach them the basics of alchemy. i refused.

they didn’t talk to me the whole day afterwards.

NOTE ENTRANCE #26

they said the same thing today. i refused today too.

NOTE ENTRANCE #27

they told me they wish to study alchemy today too. my answer did not change.

NOTE ENTRANCE #32

…today marks the first day of them becoming my apprentice.

NOTE ENTRANCE #40

they feel so much. they’re so full of emotions, so full of life and curiosity. they get along with klee amazingly — it seems they enjoy the other’s presence a lot. they also took up a job at flora’s flower-shop stand. it seems they have a fondness for plants; every time they come back from it, they have a spark in their eye.

NOTE ENTRANCE #50

they asked if they too can call me brother albedo. too?, i asked and they said yes. they proceeded to tell me that’s what klee calls me. and that she said that they feel like family — her, them and me. and all the terminology that she explained in her childish language to them.

i agreed. of course i did.

we’re family, right?, they asked after a couple of minutes of silence.

yes, we are.

i never expected them to view me as family — but for them to do so was more than i felt i was deserving of. i cannot fail them — especially not when they see me as their brother.

NOTE ENTRANCE #71

it makes me feel dumb but i realized they still don’t have a name. and somehow, everyone found something to call them by; kaeya calling them flower, klee calling them her big sibling, lisa calling them pretty. it’s all fitting, in a way — and i don’t want to give them a name. i believe they deserve to do it themselves.

and me? well, i decided to settle for little love; they have so much of it — more than they seem to be able to give.

NOTE ENTRANCE #85

they excel at alchemy. scarily so. they caught up to sucrose already and yet, they still don’t seem to have a specific niche or a specific topic they’d like to uncover. they are not yet obsessed with finding the answer to one specific question that seems to plague their mind whenever they go.

it’s good. i hope they stay that way.

NOTE ENTRANCE #124

i didn’t write in here for quite some time now. i didn’t particularly feel the need to do so.

NOTE ENTRANCE #150

they’re perfect.

i am not saying it in a way that some people do when they ignore the others flaws and minuses. no, i’m saying that even though they’re not perfect, not in the word’s definition, they still somehow are. maybe all their flaws and characteristics that one would describe as “bad” make them into the perfect person they are.

even though i’m aware of the fact that i’m supposed to be the perfect human, i am not. maybe because of the fact i’m too perfect, it makes me too imperfect. when i look at them, i see someone who i never was and will never be — and it fills me with a sense of peace.

NOTE ENTRANCE #163

even though i want to become anything else than my master, it seems i can’t.

NOTE ENTRANCE #174

i can’t leave them. i can’t leave klee either. i don’t want to leave mondstadt or all the people that made me feel like i belong.

but i have to.

NOTE ENTRANCE #178

i need to leave.

A LETTER TO ___

i am not quite sure about how i’m supposed to do this, if i’m being honest. i’ve never been the best at goodbyes.

hello… you? i’m sorry, it’s just that you still don’t have a name. i mean, i do hope that by now you have one, but if you still don’t have it then i’ll explain as to why you don’t. the reason is simply the fact i’d like for you to choose it on your own. you deserve it. so… pick one that you like on my behalf, will you?

if you’re reading this, then i’m probably not in mondstadt anymore. i’m probably neither in liyue or sumeru or snezhnaya. i’m… not in teyvat anymore, probably. i’m probably hiding where all the other sinners are, wherever that might be. i just hope you won’t ever get to know that place.

i feel awful for shouldering this responsibility on you, so please ask others for help with it; take care of your sister for me. she’ll take care of you in exchange too, i can promise you that. just stay by each other’s sides. it’s always easier to take what the world throws at you together.

i leave all of my notes and research to you. as much as i once hated the idea of you following my steps and becoming an alchemist yourself, it’s your life — and i’m no one to control it. promise to use it for good; to make good use of it for the ones that are less lucky.

you see, there is no place in celestia for a sinner like me. i know you’ve always felt so much; felt more than anyone else and was more vulnerable and open with your feelings than i ever was. reading you was as easy as reading and open book — and please don’t take it as offense, little love. it’s a gift. one that you should treasure.

you see, there is no place in celestia for a sinner like me. so don’t cry for me; i don’t deserve it. save your tears for someone worthy, will you?

your brother,

albedo.

[lonely-lost-soul]

A Pirate's Life for Me

Cover Art Done By: @fridaydev-draws and @friday-dsv (Dreamsmp x reader) Pirate Au! Love Interests: C!Wilbur, C!Techno, C!Dream, C!Sapnap, C!Quackity, and C!Schlatt

~~~

Salt burned your lungs as you tossed open your window with a loud bang, the seagulls perching on your flower boxes screeched in protest and flew from your window. “Fucking sky rats get the fuck out of here you heathens!” You snarled out the window shaking your fist at the bothersome birds, the sounds of the ocean crashing on the shore filled your ears as well as the chatter of the dock workers. You let the breeze blow back your hair and you heard someone calling your name from down below.

“Good morning (Y/n)!” You glanced below you and grinned,

“Morning Eret!” They waved back enthusiastically their dress spilling around their ankles, a basket of fruit was balanced on his hip. “Opening early today? I'm sure your patrons would be happy to start their drunken stupor early,” She held a hand to his mouth snickering and you shot them a look.

“If that gets more money in my pocket then so be it, I won't complain too much.” You shrugged, “Will I still see you later tonight?”

“Always do dove, how can I resist a drink from my favorite bartender.”

“You can’t it’s my charm.”

“Will the both of you shut the fuck up!” Another man’s voice growled from another open window, “It’s too early for your bullshit.” You saw Eret click his tongue but smiled up at you despite the man's protests,

“I’m heading to the market anyway. These fruits won’t sell themselves, I'll see you later.”

“See you soon!” You closed your windows once more, but not before urging your daisies to grow one last time. You tossed open the curtains allowing light to spill into your cozy home, a small carpet was in the middle of your room. It was a deep red and the pattern was made of gold yarn, aside from that everything in your residency was made of dark wood. Your shelves were littered with books and empty cups, and your old worn journal sat open on your desk. It was filled with childhood memories and you continued to write in it to this day, it was easier then, things were simple and everything was innocent and new to you. Now your days were filled with sea fairing idiots who liked to drink themselves stupid, but you could handle yourself, you always kept your father's dagger on your thigh at all times. Those who were frequent customers knew not to mess with you and those who were new learned their lesson within the first ten minutes of meeting you. You inherited the bar from your father, a kindhearted man who died a few years before today, leaving you with the bar and the dagger you had on your hip. You fished through your closet pulling out your clothes for the day, your dress was a gorgeous light coffee color and came down to your ankles. The bottom was flared and had dark brown panels on the sides, it faded inward to a light green then back to the coffee color. The corset around your waist was a dark brown with light green trim, you tied it tight with a small huff making sure your waist was sinched perfectly. The sleeves came down to your elbows allowing you to move your arms freely while making drinks. The top of the dress ended just below your collarbone, you strapped your dagger to your thigh before lacing up your knee-high black boots.

You thought back to your tavern downstairs, you were fortunate enough that you weren’t running this entire operation yourself. You ended up hiring help and they were like family and you knew they saw you as such as well. Most of the girls didn’t have a family of their own so you gave them room and board, also money, of course, you weren’t a terrible boss! You opened the door to your room, you watched Cecil, the tavern’s mascot trot out of Juniper’s room. The border collie liked to switch up which rooms he stayed in protecting every one of your girls when you couldn’t be there for them.

The first of your girls was Adelaide or Addie, she was one of the first to fall under your care. She was around your age, a motherly type, sheep hybrid, who cared for the girls, and always gave the drunk patrons with mommy issues a shoulder to cry on. Her long brown hair always hung down her back, she typically worked tables, served food and drinks, and always got a generous tip from patrons.

The next girl was Judas, a squid-enderman hybrid who was taller than you could ever wish to be, although intimidating you couldn’t meet a kinder woman. A jack of all trades the woman helped out wherever she could, black-ish purple hair curled around her shoulders and some people came specifically to hear her sing. Her voice was like rich velvet and lured men and women in like a siren.

Juniper was after Judas, a demon hybrid who was naive but you’d be a fool to underestimate her. She worked beside you at the bar, she can make some mean fruity drinks, Eret always preferred her drinks over yours. Freckles adorned her face and shoulders, her light brown hair curled down to her middle back, purple horns sprouted from the top of her head. You wanted to adorn it with gold jewelry and you were saving up to gift some to her.

Yeti was a human woman like yourself, she didn’t bother with those who were rude or obnoxious. She kept to herself only really talking when she was spoken to or when there was an opportunity to crack a rare joke. She typically stayed on the sidelines, out of the scenes and Yeti liked to help Judas decorate her sets.

Zig was a kind young adult, they got along with everyone who came inside the tavern. Soft emerald eyes drew people in, and they tried to make sure tensions within the bar didn’t rise and start a fight. There would always be one or two that’s just natural, but one look at Zig and his magic words and they seemed to disperse, not wanting to hurt the kid’s feelings.

Vendetta was the tallest member of the group you had taken in, she was stunningly beautiful and didn't take shit from anybody. She was a guard dog if you will, making sure no one fucked with any of the girls in your tavern. While Zig did their best to keep people under control sometimes they couldn’t win. That’s when Ven would step in and ‘kindly’ escort them off the premises with or without force.

The youngest member here was Luvena. She was a moo-bloom hybrid with soft brown hair that sprouted flowers, her cow ears would twitch when she was excited and followed Addie around like she was her daughter. Addie took her under her wing and was training her to be a perfect little waitress, absolutely warming customers’ hearts. Luvena also loved to give out flowers, she was a fan favorite bringing new life into the tavern.

Cecil barked seeing his mama and scampered over to you, you poured food into his bowl as Juniper wandered into the hallway. Her head rested on the doorframe as she gave you a tried wave, “Morning (Y/n).”

“Morning Juni, We’re opening a little early today. Take your time I’m not expecting a big rush of bar patrons this early.” You assured her and she gave a sleepy nod,

“I’ll be down as soon as Ven’s out of the shower.” She yawned, “This beauty doesn’t come naturally.”

“Hardly darling you’re gorgeous just the way you are.” You reassured with a wink, Juniper flushed a little, happily laughing beside you.

“Just go wake the others will you, you flirt!”

Tossing your head back you gave a happy laugh heading down the hallway to make sure everyone was awake and ready to go for later. Addie and Luvena shared a room so she was in charge of waking up the youngest member of the tavern. Judas was already awake making breakfast for everyone when you headed downstairs, Zig was sitting on the counter beside her, they were the designated taste tester.

“Good morning Miss (Y/n)!” Zig chirped, the young adult hummed fondly, “Sleep okay?”

“Absolutely. What about you both? Thank you for making breakfast Judas.” You hummed fondly and Judas had a shy smile on her face.

“I slept well thank you.” Judas hummed softly, “Also it’s my pleasure. Want to make sure everyone’s healthy and alright.” She let out a little squeak as you wrapped your arms around her body, you barely came up to her chest,

“Judas please marry me,” You complained, “Your breakfast is always heavenly and you care for everyone. Please be my wife.”

“(Y/n)! Please.” She sputtered face turning a dark purple, Zig made a noise of protest and held his hand in the air.

“If she won’t marry you I will!”

“Zig! I’d be honored!”

Their entire face lit up with excitement and they hopped off the table to hug you tightly, you hugged them back and pressed a fond kiss to the top of their head. “I got to open up the tavern, you mind setting the table for me Zig?”

“Sure Miss!”

You sent Judas a kiss in the air which her face burned at, quickly going back to her cooking. You smiled eagerly and unlocked the door to the tavern, you shoved a bucket in front of the door to keep it open. The salty ocean air wafted through your nostrils and your eyes sparkled wondrously.

Today is going to be a good day.

Almost immediately a particular bastard caught your eye,

“You’re here early.” You mused raising an eyebrow,

“Heard you were opening early today sweetcheeks,” His voice was a low baritone, rough from years of smoking and drinking. Horns curled around his fluffy ears that stood out against his gruff exterior, he was a ram hybrid at its finest. “Figured I’d take the opportunity to get a special drink from my special girl,” He mused looking you up and down drinking in your figure. You scoffed at the retired man, he dressed like he was cosplaying captain jack sparrow, the gun’s in his belt just added to his costume and so did his large ruffled shirt, he was never one to forget his gold jewelry.

“Where’s Quackity?” You ignored him sitting him at his usual table, he frowned but you knew he was taking it as an opportunity to stare at your ass. He slid into the stool and put his feet up on the table, his boots were muddy but you could only control him so much. He was too much of a regular to get scared off by your threats and scolding.

“He’ll be in at his normal time. He’s not much of a day drinker, although can’t say I’m complaining. Having all your attention on me and all, considering I’m the only one in here. That being said, I’ll have my usual sweetcheeks.”

“Stop calling me that,” You scolded with a certain fondness that was reserved for the man. “You’re lucky you’re my favorite regular Schlatt,” you gave his ears a fond pinch and he bleated. He sent you a scalding look as you walked away, although the look soon fell as he got a good look at your ass once again.

“I’m your only regular sugar tits!”

“Schlatt feet off the table.” Addie criticized whacking his boots with a rolled-up menu, he rolled his eyes but dropped his feet to the floor. “You should know this by now, we go through this every day.”

“Yeah, yeah little lamb I’m on it. Judas here?”

“She’s always here,” She huffed spreading the menu down on the table. “Do you want your usual or something different? Should I get Quackity’s drink ready too?”

“Nah just stick with mine, for now, tell Judas I’d like to see her.”

Addie clicked her tongue and placed her hand on her hip, “fine. But if you’re just going to grossly flirt with her as you do with (y/n), then keep it to yourself.”

“You’re not the boss of me. Just because you look like an old hag-” The way she glared at him sent a chill down his spine, “shit babe take a joke will you.”

Eventually, people began to file into the tavern, as the morning faded into the afternoon and then into the evening. The tavern was bustling with life, Judas’s elegant voice traveled through the crowds and her voices seemed to float above the voices. Quackity joined Schlatt by his side seemingly irritated by a conversation they were having, Schlatt was about five drinks in at this point, which was much less than his usual, and Quackity on his second.

“What are they talking about?” Luvena asked swinging her legs as she sat on the bar beside you. Her moobloom ears twitching every so often as she tried to eavesdrop on their conversation,

“Vena it’s impolite to eavesdrop.” You scolded bopping her on the head lightly, she whined and rubbed the top of her head.

“I wasn’t!” She argued as you rolled your eyes, you looked over at the two men to find Quackity looking over at you. His hand was raised in the air, one finger was up summoning you to get him another drink.

“I’ll be back, why don’t you talk to Ven while I’m gone. She’ll keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t need a babysitter!”

“Good thing she doesn’t want to babysit your ass either, now shoo.” You motioned her to hop off the bar and she did so with a long, dramatic sigh. You looked over at Ven who gave you a silent nod, letting you know she’d watch out for the youngest member of your band of misfits. Meanwhile, you grabbed Quackity another drink and walked over to the two men at the table, “Someone order a drink?”

“Aye! Mamacita! Fancy seeing you here.” Quackity purred a bright smile spreading across his face seeing that you were the one to deliver his drink,

“Hey Big Q,” You greeted placing the drink in front of him, “You doing okay?”

“Better now that an angel walked into my sight,” He flirted and you rolled your eyes. “What? It’s true! You always brighten my day you know? Ow!” Schlatt hit his ex-first mate over the head,

“Take a breath lover boy. Thanks for the drink sugar tits.”

“You’re welcome, what were the both of you talking about if I may ask.” You hummed grabbing some of Schlatt’s empty glasses, an uncharacteristic frown came over both their faces. “Oh? Touchy subject?”

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Just dishing out some old problems, most of which are better left unsaid.” He aimed that statement at Quackity, his jaw seemed clenched and Quackity’s brow furrowed in annoyance.

“Well I just want to remind the both of you,” You passed the tray of empty glasses over to Addie as she walked by, she took them swiftly. You grabbed the side of both their heads and pressed them against your chest, not that you knew but both men’s flushed to the tips of their ears. “No physical fights are allowed in this tavern. If one starts I won’t hesitate to kick your fucking asses. Got it?” They looked over your chest and locked eyes with one another, after years on the sea they could read one another’s facial expressions rather easily and at that moment they shared the same thought,

‘They should fight more often.’

“I said, got it?”

“Yes ma’am,” The repeated simultaneously as you pulled away,

“That’s what I like to hear-”

“(Y/n)!” Vendetta’s velvety voice called out from behind you, you turned and saw a group of newcomers file into your bar. Your body tensed momentarily,

Pirates.

Schlatt turned his head to follow your gaze and he tensed from behind you, “fuck me.” He growled and Quackity raised an eyebrow at his captain, he turned to look over his shoulder and his face lit up.

“Sapnap!”

The pirate who had a white bandana tied around his forehead glanced over at him and a smile lit up across his features. “Quackity? Is that you?”

“My man!” He stood up from his chair heading over to wrap the man in a hug, “I haven’t seen you in years, man.” You zoned out of their conversation eyes locking with a few of the other pirates who walked into the tavern. Vendetta and Addie both greeted them, but everyone who was under your care knew to keep their guard up around pirates. From what you could gather there seemed to be two crews, a crew of what only seemed to be two, Sapnap was included. The fire demon was still talking with Quackity, while the other man took in the view of the tavern, he had shaggy blonde hair, and had a few scars across his face. A porcelain mask sat on top of his head, a forest green cloak was around his shoulders, his hood was lowered around his neck. A sword was strapped tight against his hip and there was another dagger that seemed to be tucked against his side. His eyes gazed towards you and he winked teasingly with a coy smile, you scoffed looking over at Addie.

“Seat those two gentlemen yeah? Be careful, I’ll tell Ven and Yeti to keep an eye.” Addie looked at you, concern written on her soft features but she nodded. While Addie departed, you noticed Ven talking with the other group. Luvena was hiding behind Vendetta’s long legs, although a tall blonde boy seemed very keen on talking to her. You smoothed out your dress and moved towards the group of three, you eyed them up casually. The blonde looked to be around Luvena’s age, he had a shit-eating grin on his face and his uniform matched that of the second tallest in the group. The second tallest was clad in a light blue jacket with large golden buttons on the red collar. He had a cream-frilled shirt underneath and a black belt holding up his brown slacks, those were tucked into black boots. On his back seemed to be a guitar and was the only one of them not holding a weapon, but you knew better than to assume with pirates. His curly brown hair seemed to bounce every time he talked, he seemed to be the ringleader but there was no doubt that the real ringleader was the hybrid standing beside him. He was taller, on par with Vendetta in height, he had long pink hair that was tied in a ponytail on top of his head. A few pieces framed his face elegantly, there was no doubt he was the captain of the little crew that was in your tavern. He had a white shirt on with a deep low cut ‘V’ it showed off a good portion of his scared chest, around his shoulders sat a deep red jacket but his arms were outside of it and crossed over his chest. He seemed content on letting his second in command do all the talking, his red eyes were the only ones to meet yours. His head tilted upwards and before Vendetta could stop him he walked over towards you,

“You own the tavern?” His voice was a low monotone and it sent an array of pleasant chills up your spine.

“I do,” You raised an eyebrow crossing your arms over your chest, “Names (Y/n). You are?”

“Captain Technoblade of the ship Odyssey, I was hoping you had a few rooms and a table available. My brothers and I are pretty exhausted, we’ve been sailing all night.”

Brothers, they certainly didn’t all look alike, but then again you certainly had a mix of girls in your care. Your tongue swiped against the top row of your teeth, “Why don’t you and your brothers take a seat at the bar for now. Juniper will be happy to serve you, I’ll see if we have some free rooms available.”

“Thank you, once you return I’ll introduce them to you if you’d like,” Technoblade bowed his head before turning back to get his brother’s attention.

“I’d like that thank you.” You gave a nod motioning for Vendetta to follow you as you slid behind the bar with Juniper, Judas had also taken a spot sitting on the bar. You figured you’d let her know as well, considering she was another adult figure in the group. You knew either Juniper or Judas would fill in Addie considering the three were close. “Ven, can they be trusted?”

“Not too sure about the masked man, the one Quackity seems to be familiar with seems decent enough. He’s a fire demon though, could smell him from miles away, we all just need to be cautious.”

“Agreed,” Juniper added tapping her finger on her chin. “We should just try to curb all fighting if at all possible, what did the captain of the other group ask you?”

“They want a room, I’m about to check to see if we have availability. Thoughts on that?”

Judas let out a low hum her eyes followed both sets of pirate groups around the tavern, “I say if we have availability let them stay. They seem harmless so long as we don’t mess with them, which we’d never do.”

“Plus I can always stay awake to keep an eye on them.” Vendetta tapped her nails against the table,

“You sure.”

“As if I’d let anything happen to any of you, you’re my family.”

You all smiled softly, and you noticed Judas’s eyes widen, “Zig! Get that out of your mouth this instant!” She shot up from her spot and over to the person in question. The three of you laughed fondly at the nonsense, meanwhile, Juniper saw the three brothers sit at her bar. She moved away from you to greet them, you immediately could tell she was taken with the second eldest brother.

He seemed to be an absolute lady killer.

Vendetta ruffled your hair before going back to stand at her place by the door to keep the peace. You headed up the stairs to the rafters to check on the extra rooms you had, “Excuse me?” You tensed visibly turning around to face the man in all green. His eyes were mesmerizing, a fierce jade green to contrast his cloak, “Do you happen to have two rooms available?” The man held up two fingers to clarify his request,

“Do you usually start introductions with a blatant request like that?”

He chuckled a smile spreading across his lips, “I’m Dream and you gorgeous?”

“(Y/n), it’s your lucky day I’m about to check and see if any are available. My tavern is a hot commodity tonight.”

“Well, I can see why,” he spoke and you raised an eyebrow and tilted your head to the side.

“Oh?”

“It has the hottest owner around. Word spreads fast.”

You couldn’t believe this man was making your cheeks burn, he chuckled softly taking a step towards your figure. “Oh really, word spreads that fast on the open sea, Captian?” It was his turn to turn light pink, but he covered it up quickly with a chuckle.

“Touché.”

“I’ll get on that room for you and your friend. Take a seat, for now, this part is for guests and staff only you know?”

“So I have you all to myself?” He cheekily mused, he stepped towards you and before you knew it you were pinned against a wall. His hand suddenly brushed against your cheek, it was cold in comparison to your warm cheek. You felt Dream’s thumb brush against your cheek slowly, “You know...being on the open sea alone does something to a person.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” You mused pushing your forehead back against Dream’s, “All alone with only your crew with you.” Taking his other hand within your own you slid it up to your hip, you saw his entire face turn red as he stared down at your chest. “You’re probably missing a little love in your life, aren’t you Dreamy?” He nodded dumbly, his eyes still not leaving your chest,

Perfect. You weren’t going to let some pirate boy get the better of you.

He let out a grunt of pain as you spun him around and pressed his head into the wall with your elbow, your other hand has his pinned behind his back. “This hallway is for staff and guests only,” You purred in his ear before letting him go and swinging your hips before heading up the stairs fully. From behind you, Dream’s face was a deep, dark red and he had to clear his throat. Dream wasn’t going to let you go after that, I mean look at you, tough and able to hold your own, it awakened something inside him.

After checking up on the rooms you headed back down into the main hall, three-room keys in your hand. Glancing over at the scene in front of you, you saw Juniper dancing in the middle of the tavern the flirtatious brother at her side. Judas was sitting beside Schatt and Quackity at the bar, Addie was tending to Technoblade and the blonde at their little table. Dream and Sapnap were whispering to one another in the corner but still seemed to be enjoying the show. Vendetta was smiling softly by the door, beside her were Luvena and Zig both playing various instruments. You noticed Eret was also amongst the crowd, she had a brilliant grin on his face, it was flushed pink with alcohol and you smiled to yourself.

It was peaceful, and for a moment you forget half the patrons were scoundrels or pirates.

That was until the man dancing with Juniper locked eyes with you, his eyes lit up and he spun Juniper off into Addie’s arms. She giggled snuggling into the mother sheep’s arms, you heard a distressed “Juni! I’m holding glasses!” Before your vision was overtaken by the handsome flirt.

“Hello love,” He hummed, “May I offer you a dance?”

You were about to refuse but you saw Yeti, who finally made her appearance as it was getting closer to Judas’s set, giving you a big thumbs up “I’d be honored.” You responded taking his hand within your own, he pulled you out onto the dance floor and you felt his other hand politely hover on the small of your back. He allowed you to lean into his touch as he began to elegantly spin you around the dance floor, you were almost embarrassed to say felt like a princess. “Maybe I could get your name?” You asked above the music, “Since it seems you’re my dance partner this evening?”

“Wilbur Soot my love.” He hummed proudly, “The first mate of the ship Odysseus at your service. Plus I play music on the side.”

“Well now you need to play for us,” Wilbur twirled you around in a circle,

“Maybe one day. If you give me your name?”

“(Y/n) (L/n).”

“Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

“I was right.” You commented biting the bottom of your lip trying not to smile,

“About what?”

“You.”

“Ah? Already talking about me I see? Is my manliness and gentlemanly qualities that renowned?”

“Not exactly.” He picked you up slightly and pulled you into a low dip, “I was right in thinking you a nothing but a flirty playboy.” Wilbur almost dropped you, you squawked grabbing onto his neck. He began to laugh as you clung to his chest,

“Alright love. You caught me red-handed.”

Wilbur set you on your feet hands on your lower back, you were pulled close to his chest. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“I get them for free hon. I own the place.”

“Oh...oh.” He paled a little, “I didn’t fuck up our chances of getting a room did I?”

“Nah lucky for you and your brothers, I have you covered, same with your buddies over there.” You motioned to Dream and Quackity’s friend, Wilbur’s face paled as he felt the chilled room key get placed in his palm. “What’s your little brother’s name?”

“Tommy.”

“Tell them both we serve breakfast free from 7 am to 10 am.” He nodded as you walked past, Wilbur meanwhile turned to look at Technoblade. It seemed he had his red eyes on the couple the entire time they were dancing. He held up a room key, it was labeled 205; Technoblade nodded his head before leaning back and talking to Addie once more. “Dream!” You called throwing a hand up into the air, instead of Dream, Sapnap looked up he nudged Dream with his elbow. The man was now wearing his mask, but at least you could tell he was looking at you,

“Well hello, darlin’ you must be (Y/n). Name's Sapnap. Dream told me about you, so you have good news for us I hope?”

“Pleasure, I'm sure he told you all about me,” He nodded, his eyes taking in your body especially your ass. “Got you both a room key, your neighbors. Across from the other crew of pirates. Just don’t fight and we won’t have any problems.”

“You mean those jackasses are staying?” Sapnap complained loudly, looking over your shoulder at the other crew members.

“You both didn’t think you were the only patrons, did you? This is a business after all.” You, tossed the keys their way, Dream caught it with ease and Sapnap fumbled it only a little bit. After they were in their hands, you waved them off with a flutter of your palm you turned around to go speak with Judas about her set but before you could take a step you saw Schlatt stumbling up from his seat. “Ah shit,” You knew what was about to happen, you weren’t paying attention to the ram hybrid so who knew how many drinks in he was. You felt responsible, for a while you and Judas had been trying to help Schlatt with his addiction. You couldn’t help but wonder what exactly set him off for him to get this drunk, Quackity caught him in his arms with a grumble. The man was a drunken mess, and as you approached you could hear his slurred speech and could practically smell the alcohol on his breath. “Schlatt,” You spoke carefully and as soon as you got close Schlatt detached himself from Quackity and lunged at you. His head was buried in his chest, he almost purred like he was very happy to be there, you rolled your eyes and ran your fingers through his hair. You were mindful of his horns but he seemed pretty eager for you to touch them,

“(Y/n).” He whined although it was muffled against your ample chest, “Why do pirates have to fuck everything up?”

“What are you on about Schlatt? No one likes pirates.”

“They’re gonna take you away from me, sugar. You’re my safe space, this tavern is my safe space.” You sighed listening to his drunken ramblings, you grabbed his horns and pulled him away from your chest.

“This is my life Schlatt, I’m not going anywhere trust me. Plus my family is here, they need me. So try not to worry okay?” You slicked back the hair on his forehead before planting a fond kiss there, everyone in the tavern narrowed their eyes at the scene. Even your girls were green with envy, at the sight of their lovely boss kissing someone who wasn’t them. He leaned against your lips eyes fluttering closed,

“Well, well, well if it isn’t Captian Schlatt? Or ex-captain if I remember correctly.”

“What?”

You turned your head and felt Schlatt’s arms wrap around your waist and held you close to his chest. The touch was protective and you felt your heart skip a beat, why was he protecting you, and why did you actually feel protected?

“Has the drinking finally caught up to you? Or was it the fact that you lost your so-”

Was that Dream's voice?

“Shut the fuck up.” He snarled and you were shoved behind him into Quackity’s arms, you felt less protected. “I’m not that person anymore and you fucking know that,” Vendetta came to stand beside the both of you a hand was placed on your shoulder protectively. You knew she was desperately wanted to step in and you held up a hand to stop her.

“This isn’t good…” Quackity murmured, “They’re going to fight. Schlatt’s going to get himself fucking killed.”

“Calm yourself. We won’t let it get that far.” Ven grumbled eyeing you waiting for your signal. But you were lost in the conversation or argument, the two were having, you couldn’t believe Schlatt was a pirate. He was so...he just didn’t...he was a drunk okay? That didn’t exactly shout feared pirate to you!

“Oh, are you sure? I remember that look, that’s the look you’d get before you stomped someone’s lights out. No wonder your son disappeared under mysterious circumstances-” Dream was shoved against one of the poles holding up the building. He grunted and Schlatt’s arm was pulled back ready to punch, but his arm was stopped by smaller hands,

“Pardon me Mr. Schlatt but you know how we feel about fighting in our tavern.” Addie bubbled, she had a smile on her face but it wasn’t kind, it was full of warning.

“Get the fuck off me, sheepie. This doesn’t fucking concern you.” Schlatt shoved her away and as soon as his skin made contact with her body he made a sound of distress.

“(Y/n)...” Addie murmured quietly, your father’s dagger was embedded in Schlatt’s arm,

“Fucking hell you bitch!” He snarled baring his teeth, you glared at him twisting the dagger he yelled in agony.

“Touch one of my girls again and next time this dagger is going right into your back.” You ripped the dagger out, splattering the floor with blood. He grabbed his arm tightly and looked at you with slight betrayal in his yellow eyes. “I mean it Schlatt, Quackity take him home.” The man nodded looking at you longingly, he muttered a quiet ‘Sorry’ before escorting him out of your tavern. “You,” You glared harshly over at Dream, “Go to your room.”

“You’re not my mother.”

“Then find another play to stay.” You spat, he turned away and you looked over at Addie, “Are you alright?” Your voice turned tender as you cupped her cheeks. She nuzzled against your palms and nodded her head,

“I’m fine. You didn’t need to-”

“Yes, I did. No one messes with you. With any of you on my watch.”

The sheep hybrid made a little sound as her bottom lip trembled, she wrapped you in a tight hug which you accepted without hesitance. Judas walked over next and wrapped you both in her arms, pretty soon you were surrounded by your girls and Zig.

All of them had the same mindset: comforting both you and Addie.

It was good to be loved.

Wilbur watched the scene curiously and glanced over at Technoblade who stood up from his chair.

“I think that’s our cue to leave for the night.” He looked over at his first mate, Wilbur nodded in agreement grabbing his guitar from the chair beside Technoblade.

“They...Techno were they talking about Tubbo.” Tommy whispered to his brother, his brow furrowing in concern as they all climbed the steps up to their room, “You don’t think-”

“It just might be Tommy.” Technoblade tilted his head to the side, “Guess that’ll be something we ask him when we get back to the ship tomorrow.”

“Well, this trip is going to be way more fun than I thought.” Wilbur snickered lighting a cigarette, taking a long drag, before letting the smoke curl out of his mouth and up into the rafters. ~~~

Tag List: @v01dw4lk3rz, @jam-bombs, @abovenyx, @glitterydigitalart, @phoenixaesthetic19, @luluwinchester, @boiled-onionrings, @pastelmoonwitche, @roxy3457, @alovestruck-fool, @victory-is-here, @mack4676, @fiorenc, @theoneandonlyyeti, @bloodrose0723, @sandyy-woo,

[themonotonysyndrome]

Desmond verse - Happy husband, better than a diamond

Was in the mood to write more about Castin and Celica this week. This could be better but I enjoyed writing it during my lunch breaks!

Summary: Relationships go both ways. Celica is ashamed to admit that she only learns about this fact late in her life. But that’s alright. From now on, she’ll do her best to make Castin happy.

-

“I told you, when we first got together, not to hurt my feelings. That if you weren’t in this for real, then to not let it start at all.”

…

“Ever since our wedding night, I’ve been looking for ways to get closer to you.”

…

“Because every time I come to this room, you’re either reading or lost in some study project - ”

…

“I see you here, so fixated on… whatever is in this book and I wish you pay that type of attention to me.”

…

“ - why don’t you do that with me?”

“Your grace?”

Celica flinches and jerks her head towards the door. The pen in her hand steadily drops dark ink onto the financial report that she was supposed to verify and sign. But instead, the Baroness was so lost in her thoughts that not only did she fail to focus on her work, but she also zones out from her surrounding. 

Castin’s words continue to haunt Celica and she has no choice but admits that she’s been a terrible wife and putting zero effort into her relationship while her husband is doing everything he can to reach out to her. 

That needs to change now. 

Celica puts the ruined document away before clearing her throat. “Enter.” 

The Anisedora Head butler steps into her office, the picture of immaculate as he stands across the study table. His stoic face betrays nothing. “The shipment of the latest excavated gemstones has arrived at the port, your grace” Ezekiel informs. “They will be delivered to the manor by lord Hammer’s soldiers this afternoon.” 

That’s right. Ever since they married, Castin had taken it upon himself to arrange the security of his wife’s goods and safety. Celica deeply appreciates his thoughtfulness. But did I ever even thank him? A dark voice whispered in the woman’s head. She unconsciously grips her pen. 

It didn’t go unnoticed by Ezekiel but he made the wrong assumption. “I will personally deliver the cargos now for your immediate inspection, my lady.” 

“It’s fine, Zeke. You don’t need to change the schedule. Hmm. Speaking of schedule… what is Castin’s like today?” 

“Lord Hammer is currently overseeing his men at the training fields. He has no other pressing matter today.” 

Celica knows an opportunity when she sees one. It’s decided then. The Baroness place her favourite pen back inside its case and pushes her chair back. Ezekiel straightens himself when his lady and daughter in all but blood heads to the door. “Clear my schedule for today, won’t you Ezekiel? I’ll continue working tomorrow.” 

“...It will be done, your grace.”

With a destination in mind, Celica leaves the office with Ezekiel in tow. The weather is getting warmer in Intacia and the Baroness recalls how much Castin loves sunny days. It makes him more productive, more energetic - happier. And it seems it’s a sentiment shared by most Intacian as the servants are eagerly preparing the manor to match the season. Some are carrying fresh flowers from the gardens to brighten up the many rooms while others are restocking necessary supplies like food, clothing and other materials from the visiting merchants at the market. Everyone is in a good mood when she passes by, giving her a curtsy and a small smile. Though the male servants immediately avert their eyes when she’s in view. 

When they reach the landing platform of the grand staircase, Celica pauses and studies the large portrait hanging in the centre of the wall. It’s a portrait of her and Castin in wedding attires; painted during the day itself by the most talented artist in Intacia. Commissioned by King Rhett, himself. Her husband looks natural in the portrait; an uncharistically shy smile and devastatingly handsome. Beside him, Celica’s expression is hard and her eyes shone nothing but displeasure. Looking back at the portrait, the Baroness realised how her past behaviours and refusal to acknowledge Castin hurt not only herself but her husband as well. When did it become so easy to be blinded by one’s own grief? 

“Ezekiel, contact the artist that painted this portrait. I would like to commission him to make another one of Castin and I.” Celica announce suddenly. 

Having raised Celica and thus, very familiar with her moods, Ezekiel inclines his head and excuses himself to do as requested. Alone now, Celica ignores the portrait and heads straight to the training fields. 

Despite the war being over, Castin is still the Commander of the Intacian Royal Army and thus, his job is still managing the soldiers. Teaching recruitments is just one of his many duties so soldiers are a common sight around the manor. Speaking of which, the moment Celica walks into the training field, the men stiffly give their salute with their eyes firmly on the ground. Other than their strange behaviour, no one stops the Baroness from walking to the centre where Castin is. 

“Hah! Not bad, not bad. That trick of yours nearly clipped my ear,” Castin gleefully praise the young soldier that managed to catch him off guard. Then Celica witnessed just how fast Castin flips the situation to his favour by swiping his opponent’s ankle and thrusting an elbow to his stomach. Making the young soldier drop his sword in surprise before Castin easily knocks him down. “But you need to work on your reflexes a bit more.” 

“Y-Yes, Commander!” The soldier replied, clearly winded. Despite his defeat, some of the men cheer and two even come forward to help him up. The sense of camaraderie is strong between them. 

Castin is about to chat up to his General when someone clears his throat. “Her grace is here, Commander.” 

“No kidding? Sweetheart! Did you already finish with work - ” Castin spins around like an excited puppy, a beaming smile on his face. However, his words trail off as soon as he sees his wife and his eyes widen. His sword clatters onto the ground. Celica raises an eyebrow at that but finds it unimportant. 

“I wanted to focus on something else instead of work,” Celica explains. Here’s where she begins to hesitate. “Today, I want to focus on, um, you.” 

No reaction. Just a silent stare from Castin. This is getting annoying.

Celica sighs and places a hand on her hip. For some reason, Castin flinches. “I appreciate a verbal response, husband.” 

“Damn baby girl, how’s a man supposed to react when his sexy wife suddenly ambushes him out of nowhere.” Castin finally snaps out of his trance, his silver tongue coming out to play. His eyes roam her body and he slowly smirks, making Celica’s heart skips a beat. “Looking all fine in that man-eater dress? If I’m not already hot and sweaty…” He purposely trails off, the implication isn’t lost to the Baroness but it did confuse her.

“Man-eater? Castin, don’t be silly, this is my Summer dress. I wear this sort of design all the time back at the main manor.” Celica replied, gesturing to the black sleeveless dress with a low v-cut and high slits at the sides. Generously showing off her cleavage, legs and high-heels. Yes, it’s a bit revealing but none of her servants back in the Coastal Empire bat an eye whenever the lady of the manor stride the halls underneath the Summer sun. She’s pragmatic, not a seductress. 

Besides, Castin has no right to be so coy. Sweaty, tousled hair and in nothing but a simple pair of boots and pants that showcase the cut of his hips and dark hair that trails lower, well, Celica absentmindedly knows what she would be doing tonight. Or appropriately, who.

Meanwhile, Castin’s swagger stumbles, as if he couldn’t believe the words that came out of his wife’s mouth. He begins to mutter under his breath rapidly, “....no right to tell her what to wear… guess I’ll just start punching people if she’s uncomfortable… so damn gorgeous though - ”

Since it looks like Castin is going to be at it for a while, Celica addresses his General instead. The only man left in the training field while the rest had run away. “General Evans?” 

Said man stops his awkward fidgeting to give his full attention to the Baroness. Very much aware of his Commander’s possessiveness over his wife, his eyes are firmly on her face. Celica recalls that next to Castin, this man is the second strongest warrior in Intacia so his timidness amuses the woman somewhat. “How may I be of assistant to you, your grace?”

“I would like to spend the day with my husband,” Her declaration stuns Castin. He looks as if his birthday had come early. At that moment, Celica knew she made the right choice, so she continues. “Be sure that nothing interrupts us, will you?”

General Evans bows in understanding and leaves after Castin dismiss him.

“You mean it, sweetheart? You want us to hang out together?” Castin breathes, barely able to restrain his joy. He’s so close to Celica that she can practically feel his heat on her skin. 

Celica nods. “Mn. Work can wait. Let’s go on a date today.” 

Her husband burst with emotion and soundly capture Celica’s lips in a long, passionate kiss. Both are panting when they were forced to pull back for air. When she notices the lipstick stain on Castin’s mouth, Celica ‘tsk’ and brushes a thumb to remove it. Castin can’t help but smile broadly, so full of love for his wife. 

“So are we going to the bookstore downtown? Or those new boutiques that just open?” Castin guess as the two made their way back inside the manor. As pleasant as the sun is, the rays are starting to give Celica a headache and Castin needs to wash up. Ezekiel has yet to return, but the head maid and a few others had prepared the bath in advance.

“Actually, I was hoping we could do what you want for a change,” Celica explains after Castin slips into the tub. He pouts when Celica declines his offer to join him but then he flusters when she starts washing his hair. He lets out a tiny moan as her fingers massage his scalp. “I remembered what you said before and you’re right. I enjoy relaxing by the fire as I read and that made me realise something. Oh, hold your breath please.” Celica pauses to rinse his hair. 

“Which is?” Castin asks curiously, turning to face her. His genuine desire to know her every thought makes the butterflies in her stomach flutter and it’s so freeing that she no longer has to stomp them down. 

“That you always go above and beyond for me, Castin. So now, I want to get to know you like your friends know you.” Celica replies, throwing back Castin’s exact words back at him. “Like His Highness, King Rhett.”

“By the Goddess, how did I get so lucky with you?” Castin whisper and kisses his Baroness’ hand reverently. “I love you, sweetheart. So, so much.” 

“And I love you too.” Finally, Celica could utter those words with pride and assurance. Finally, Celica could admit to the world that she loves Castin Hammer. An Intacian warrior who’s more to him than meets the eye. 

After some well-deserved relaxation, Castin gently grab his wife’s hand and the two made their way deeper into the manor. Her husband’s excitement proves to be infectious as Celica finds herself curious about the romance movies that Castin wants them to watch. Food and drinks are delivered to the leisure room as the couple nestled on the plush couch. 

“I never take you as a romantic sort.” Celica comments, snuggling to her husband’s side. His arm around her is a comforting warmth. The movie begins by introducing the heroine and the setting. “I feel a little silly now.” 

Castin chuckles and drops a kiss onto her head. “I came on to you so strongly because I was head over heels for you from the get-go. Deadass! Took Rhett by surprise too.” He would never be ashamed to admit how much of a fool Castin made himself be just to get his wife to look at him. 

As for Celica who has never been on the receiving end of such unyielding affectionate gestures, the Baroness couldn’t help but feel suspicious and wary of the warrior’s every word and gift. She’s happy that they managed to overcome that hurdle together. 

And today too, with the help of Castin, Celica successfully overcome another personal hurdle: communicating with her lord husband. Castin holds nothing back when sharing his interests and dislikes with someone he loves. After their movie marathons, Castin drags her around the manor, not unlike a child. He loves cooking so Celica is treated to many meaty snacks that would have Ezekiel glowering at him. He personally introduced his men to her, shooting a maybe-maybe not so playful warning about wandering eyes and afterwards, Castin even indulge her questions. 

“Would you oppose if I were to spoil you?” 

“Hell naw, sweetheart! If it means getting those fingers of yours on me again like when we were in the bathroom then I’ll be the happiest man alive.”

“Castin!” Celica hisses, cheeks tinted red. They’re still among the servants! 

So used to their lord’s unabashed nature, the passing maids merely dip their heads. It’s a sign of a strong and fair household when the lord and lady are happy and working together so everyone is silently doing their best to ensure it will remain as per. 

Castin’s teasing aside, Celica was genuine with her desire to spoil and maybe it’s time for a little… harmless payback. 

So now it’s the Baroness's turn to drag him to their bedroom. Castin couldn’t stop smirking when she pushes him to sit on the bed. But before he could undress her, it was her turn to smile. With a snap of her fingers, servants rush into the bedroom. Each of them carries a sleek black box. Celica nods and they flip the boxes to reveal rows of rings, necklaces and earrings. 

“U-Uh, Celica? What are you doing?” Castin asks, a little blinded by the shining onyxes and diamonds. 

“I’m flexing. As you would say.”

Castin splutters but Celica didn’t give him any time to recover when she signals those carrying diamonds to come forward. “These are all crafted by an artisan from Steelgate. I quite like his more daring design - it reminds me of you - so I agreed to be his supplier. So which one do you like?” 

“Right… a seriously rich Baroness. Why do I keep forgetting about that?” Castin mutters, side-eyeing the jewellery.  

“Well? You wanted my fingers on you again, yes? Pick any of them and I’ll put it on you.” Celica cheekily prompts, enjoying her husband’s subtle distress. Unlike her, Castin isn’t used to such luxury. It’s alright. She can teach him how to enjoy the finer things in life. If it’s not pretty jewelleries or fancy clothes, Celica is confident that he would enjoy weapons from foreign countries. 

But for now, seeing Castin deeply ponder between a pair of onyx earrings and a small, diamond necklace is enough for Celica. 

“You know what, baby girl? I think I’m actually a ruby kind of guy.” Castin suddenly declares. He turns to stare at Celica in a mixture of lust and love. It makes her throat oddly parched. 

“That’s fine,” Celica replies, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible before addressing one of the maids. “Can you please fetch the ruby sets from - ”

“Actually - ” Castin interrupts. He’s smiling impishly now; loving how the way Celica pursed her lips. It makes him want to kiss her senselessly. “I want those rubies.” 

Celica blinks and unconsciously brushes her left ear where Castin is pointing. “You… you want my earrings?” 

“They’re the exact colour shade of your eyes. Plus, it’s your favourite set.” Castin explains. Here, his expressions become fond. “That way, I will always have something of you physically on me.” 

The Baroness’ heart skip a beat. Time and time again, Celica can never understand how Castin could make her feel like the only woman in the world. The only one so deeply loved and cherish. So without a word, Celica unclasps her earrings and put them on Castin. Her husband tilts his head and slicks his hair back with his palm, grinning roguishly with half-lidded eyes. The picture of seduction. 

“They look good on you.” Celica says when she finally finds her tongue again. “But since you didn’t choose from any of the jewelleries here, they’re all yours.” 

Castin immediately splutters. “What!? What the heck am I going to use these for, Celica!? I can’t wear any of them for training!”

“Sure you can. What’s stopping you?”

“Uh, baby girl? The prices? The fact that any one of those cost a fortune and a half? Take your pick!”

“Relax, Castin. If you break any of them, I can always buy more.” 

“My wife’s really on another level…” 

Celica rolls her eyes. If she ever brings her warrior husband to their main manor, Celica makes a mental note to show the treasury to him. 

Days continue to pass and the next time guests visit the Anesidora household, they are greeted by Ezekiel and a giant portrait of the couple that brought peace between Intacia and the Coastal Empire. 

Smiling happily together. 

[idontblushsrry]

Love Language|| Jujutsu Kaisen

“I wanna be fluent in your love language. Learning your love language.” 

A/N: If you didn’t guess from the tagline this is inspired by the song love language by Kehlani. I’ll probably do more of these with different shows and what not because why not. If I missed anyone lmk and I can make a part 2. Also please tag spoilers appropriately esp for manga readers, that being said spoilers for the prequel? manga on Yuuta’s part.

Characters: Itadori, Fushiguro, Kugisaki, Maki, Inumaki, Okkotsu, Gojo, Nanami, Sukuna

Warnings: said it b4 but spoiler warnings in general but esp on Yuuji, Yuuta, and Maki’s parts

Plot synopsis: The 5 love languages; physical affection, quality time, words of affirmation, gift giving and acts of service, and how each jujutsu kaisen character shows their love and affection for you. Ft. a gender neutral reader!

Word count: 2352

Itadori Yuuji

Love Language: Quality time and physical affection

Ok listen-

So for physical affection, Yuuji’s just that kind of person

He is all about giving to you

He’s holding hands with you if you’re ever walking anywhere, and if you’re not a hand holder pls pls pls let him hold your pinky he likes the reassurance

No but seriously he loves to hold you like yall could be walking in completely opposite directions and he’ll try to find some way to hold onto you until the very last second

And even then he’s all ‘:( babe imy’

‘Yuuji we just talked 2 minutes ago’

Another way he shows his love is through quality time

I think for him this is the biggest thing overall, esp as a jujutsu sorcerer bcus you never know yk but also because you’re important to him

Like remember how he literally went to occult club so that he could get out of school in time to go visit his grandpa...ye :(

He also loves finding dumb touristy things to do with you while in Tokyo or anywhere yall go together on a mission 

If you get together before he died and came back then that time he had to spend away from you literally killed him

Like my mans was goin THROUGH it

He almost considered spoiling Gojo’s secret

When he sees you again, he’s not gonna let go for like a solid day

Fushiguro Megumi

Love Language: acts of service and words of affirmation

This boy loves you so much

He loves to tell you all the things he loves about you when you’re alone

But he’s a little awkward with his words sometimes, hence where acts of service come in

He’ll immediately offer to hold your things, run to help you train or study, and if you’re cold? He’s fully prepared to never see his jacket again

Also he can’t cook but he’s fully prepared to suffer hearing Sukuna and suffering through Yuuji’s antics if it means he can learn how to make your favorite food

He also will surprise you by making you a playlist of all the songs that you’ve had stuck in your head and sends it to you randomly out of the blue one day like ‘thought you might like this’

However the best of both worlds is when he leaves you little notes throughout the day or sends you texts asking if you need anything or just encouraging you to keep going 

Negl he’s lowkey the president of the Y/N support club bcus-

You need anything? It’s yours

Cravings? Sad? Angry? What do you need bby, I’ve got it for you

Also he’s totally the type to be like you need help fuckin this person up? 

Also before yall started dating, Fushiguro was a mess

He was constantly asking to spar with you and go on missions, basically anything he could do to be near you  

End of the day, Fushiguro loves you and makes sure you know it whether it’s through his actions or his words

Kugisaki Nobara

Love Language: physical affection

So, she’s not the best with words, she tries but like someone help her bcus she is LOST

Like when she had a crush on you she was like “c’mere dumbass i wanna give you a hug”

In fact, she still is like “c’mere” but now you are dating :)

She loves you though and at first she doesn’t really know how to show it 

But one day you both come home from training and you just look at each other like ‘yeah today sucks’ and yall both just held each other for the rest of the day 

After that, she decided that she wants to do that with you but like always

She’s holding your hand, kissing your cheek when you go shopping, etc. etc.

She really loves to cling to you because she always has this fear that maybe one day you’ll get killed or just disappear so she figures might as well hold onto you for as long as we’ve got

After missions, she’s running up to you and if you aren’t prepared for the tackle, you’re probably gonna fall

On dates too, like if you guys have to meet up for a date, she’s tackling you

On the subject of dates...

She doesn’t mind PDA, and while she might hold your hand or arm so that you don’t get separated

She also doesn’t mind wiping food off your face and eating it, only to then kiss the spot on your face the food was previously at

She will split her shopping load between the two of you, however she will be slightly pouty if she’s carrying more than you (she then cheers up when she realizes she can do more shopping to “balance” the two of you)

In private she’s very cuddly and kissy which honestly isn’t that bad until it gets hot

At which point she’ll just say turn on the ac or convince you to walk around in a tank top (or something like it) so that she can continue holding you

Tbh she prefers the big spoon, but if she’s ever upset you let her be the little spoon >:(

All in all a very loving girlfriend who tries her best to show how much she loves you by glomping you at any given moment. 

Zenin Maki

Love language: acts of service and quality time

So you’re telling me that Maki wouldn’t immediately go out of her way to make sure her and her s/o can spend as much time together as possible?????

Like she’s super observant (which can cause her to be a bit harsh, see Yuuta) but she can always tell what’s bothering you

So if you’re upset that you haven’t been spending enough time together due to her being out on missions or otherwise busy she’s immediately running to finish her stuff and spend time with you.

((She’s very sorry, but on the bright side she brought your favorites!))

Maki is also an acts of service type

This mostly ties in with her kind of direct action way of thinking

She thinks she’s slick but you can always see her sneaking around to do small things like grabbing your laundry for you and folding it

She’s very much like if you love someone, you gotta prove it

Overall, dates with her are very intimate and personal to the two of you

Like she’ll take you to a frog pond you landed in during a fight once

Or you’ll take her to a street fair that serves this exclusive food that Maki mentioned wanting to try 

However, Maki shows her love through quality time and acts of service and while she does receive love from these to a degree, she is very much a words of affirmation gal

She’s not insecure in her day to day life but she has her moments, everyone does

Sometimes, she’ll feel like shit and a failure and all she wants is for you to say that she’s doing amazing and that she’s a great girlfriend.

Inumaki Toge

Love language: Physical affection

Because of his curse, he can’t exactly express how he feels about you through words

He does text you frequently throughout the day (I’ll have to do a hc abt that someday)

But he’d prefer not to be on his phone to communicate if you’re right in front of him

So he does the next best thing and just smothers you in physical affection

He loves kissing you the most

Like he could spend hours just kissing you if you let him (please let him)

But in public, he gets if you’re not a big fan of pda he’s willing to tone it down as long as he gets kisses later in private

He’d still prefer it if you held his hand or linked pinkies maintaining touch in some way

Also, unrelated, but it means so much to him if you try to understand his sushi language

He knows realistically the foundation of any relationship is communication so already he’s at a disadvantage because of his curse 

But if he sees you like take notes after he says something or start to need him to text you to translate, his heart is swelling

Like ‘omg this person loves me enough to learn a whole new language <333′

Another tangent but before you were together he was struggling so muchhhh

Like how does one express their feelings for someone without words?

If you’re Inumaki, you buy some flowers and text said person to meet you at a cafe

It took an embarrassingly long time for you to realize it was a date, but once you did, you ever so gently linked pinkies with Toge

Okkotsu Yuuta

Love language: words. of. affirmation. 

He’s literally so sensitive please tell him you love him regularly

In return he’ll be sure to tell you how much he loves you too

He knows that he can’t really be there for you as much as he’d like but he likes to let you know that he’s thinking of you

Doesn’t matter the time, if you call, he’s answering

If he doesn’t he’ll cry he’ll immediately call you back and is apologizing for missing your call

You assure him it’s no big deal but the man has his volume turned all the way up and changed your ringtone to one specific for you by the time you’ve even said hey

Aside from that, he really is sensitive

He’s been through a lot especially with Rika as well as growing up alone and bullied 

So for him, it’s everything to hear that you like having him around and don’t think he’s too much or anything like that

Of course, he gets better with time, trusting you and having the confidence in himself to not need constant assurance

That being said, if you ever just whisper in his ear, “I love you, Yuuta.”

That’s not your boyfriend, that’s a puddle of love on the floor

(Maki, Panda, and Inumaki had a field day when they saw him, Fushiguro now questions if Yuuta really is a respectable 2nd year.)

Gojo Satoru

Love language: gift giving and quality time

So Gojo doesn’t exactly get to spend a ton of time

Between missions, him beefing with higher ups, and you and him playing parent the baby sorcerers yall don’t exactly get time to go out much

In which case Gojo tends to default to two options:

He’ll either go the extra mile to try and spend time with you 

Whether that be an at home date where he tries and fails to surprise you with a home cooked meal

Or a date out at a restaurant or cafe (which you tend to visit after his home cooking efforts)

OR he’ll bring you various souvenirs from his missions

He loves to spoil you, and if he could he’d probably bring you back a whole store’s worth of stuff

But alas, airport security regulations

Anyways, he loves to spoil you especially if he can spoil you with sweets because it benefits him in two ways 

He treasures all the time you spend together, and he does try to overcompensate for his absence with gifts

Despite your assurances, it’s kind of a guilty pleasure at this point (just let him, trying to argue just goads him on further)

He doesn’t only buy you small things, he enjoys buying you outfits

And he especially likes seeing you in them 

Kento Nanami

Love Language: acts of service

Y’all remember the episode where he killed that curse that was bothering that baker lady?? Yea that

He’s literally such an acts of service boyfriend it’s not even funny

Before you got together, he would memorize your coffee order and bring you a cup pretty much everyday like clockwork

Now that you’re togehter, he wakes up before you so h=that when you wake up there’s the smell of coffee throughout the house

When you come out of you’re shared bedroom and he’s just scrooling through his phone like “mornin’”

Of course you already made the bed and ironed his clothes because relationships are give and take

And then when you leave for your jobs in the morning, he kisses you and holds the door open for you

He’ll draw a bath for you if he gets home before you, if you let him join or not is up to you

Also, if you ever get sick, he’s actually the best

Like he isn’t the best cook but he can heat up soup and tea

He’ll run to the store while you’re asleep and when you wake up, there’s like a whole tray of food in front of you and he’s like ‘it’s important to eat and drink so your body can heal’

And when you inevitably fall asleep after eating and taking medicine at his insistence, he tucks you in and clears away the dishes, exiting with little more than a kiss to your head

Ryoumen Sukuna

Love Language: gift giving and acts of service

So like Sukuna never says he loves you...ever

But he does notice if someone or something’s making you uncomfortable, and if so, said entity’s head will be presented to you later that day

You also just so happen to be the only person he can tolerate being around him for longer than 20 seconds

He also loves to give you jewelry, he likes seeing you adorned in something from him

He also isn’t gonna just handle all your problems for you, he will push you to become stronger by training with you 

He’ll also expect this energy to be reciprocated, as long as you’re pushing yourself to be better, he’s content with that

(He wants to see you grow because he’s scared that if he ever gets caught lackin one day you’ll end up dead)

He’ll never tell you or admit it, but Sukuna truly does care for you and hold you in a regard that he doesn’t have for others

So be grateful jkjk