#and if so. so what? does it matter? if they don't notice? is it even real if they don't notice?

[be-xkyy]

𝑌𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑉𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ

Warning: sexual content (mentioned), forced transformation, murder (mentioned), isolation, child abduction, blood, violence.

Tagging list: @kthehoeforfictionalmen ★ @dreamlessnight ★ @riawrld ★ @darkuni63 ★ @minshookie29 ★ @rosey1981 ★ @thejadevvitch ★ @jellystar-star ★

Divider credits: @cafekitsune ★ @bernardsbendystraws ★

Son name: Alexandre

Husband name: Louis

Yandere Vampire who doesn't understand why you're so cold toward him; yes, maybe he killed all your friends and locked you in his castle, but he only did it because it was necessary.

Yandere Vampire who thinks you're being overly dramatic; he's already made up for his mistakes, turning you into a vampire, HIS mate, HIS wife, HIS duchess. Don't you see that he did the best for you by freeing you from your pathetic mortality? He gave you the greatest gift of all: eternal life.

Yandere Vampire who, despite his best attempts to make you happy, you're always melancholic. He gives you precious jewels that are over a century old. He makes sure his servants take care of everything and follow your every command so you don't have to lift a finger. He makes passionate love to you every night, giving you so many orgasms and love that in the end, you can't even form a coherent word. So why aren't you happy?

Yandere Vampire who after a long time decides to stop trying to figure out what you need to be happy and asks you directly (which is what he should have done from the start). One night, when you're both in your shared chambers, he decides to ask you the blessed question.

“I see that during these long months, my hard work to bring you happiness and joy has been a complete failure, so tell me, my dear, what do you need to be happy?”

“I want to be free. I no longer want to be confined within the walls of this castle. I don't want to be with you.”

“...”

Yandere Vampire who falls silent upon hearing your cold response; it almost seems as if your words didn't affect him, but his red eyes, which seem to glow, betray his anger. That, coupled with the lover/creator bond that unites your souls and betrays his anger, which seems to burn your body from the inside with a blazing fire, makes you shudder.

Yandere Vampire who decides to be merciful and forget this conversation, but not before threatening you. He approaches you, grabbing your jaw firmly. His elegant, ringed fingers grip your chin, forcing you to look into his eyes, which shine with a burning and terrifying fury.

“Never, EVER say something like that again, my dear, or I'll show you what it means to truly feel miserable and unhappy.”

Yandere Vampire who becomes more distinct and rougher in the months following your small talk. He makes love to you more roughly, leaving your body aching and your neck and chest covered in bites and love marks. In retaliation, you leave his pale back covered in deep, bloody scratches (which only feed his ego).

Yandere Vampire who one day while looking for his next dinner date in a nearby town sees a smiling happy woman in a house who reminds him of you when he first met you. She's sitting in front of the fire in the fireplace, which illuminates her with a yellow and golden glow; she's cooing to a baby who's laughing and gurgling happily; a light bulb goes on in his head when he sees this scene. Maybe that's what you need to be happy, a baby. Little brats always bring joy and happiness, right? Maybe you two can't have a baby biologically, but he can take someone else's baby... right?

Yandere Vampire who decides to take matters into his own hands. He sneaks inside the house, ignoring the pain in his throat and yearning to suck the woman's blood dry. After all, he can't alert the town of his presence (there are already many suspicions of vampires in the area). So, he decides to be subtle and snaps the woman's neck, which he does. He sneaks up behind her when she notices his presence; it's too late. He hears the woman's heart race as he grabs her jaw from behind and twists her head with an ugly "crack." The woman's heartbeat stops, and her body goes limp.

Yandere vampire who drops the woman's body to the ground and focuses all his attention on the baby lying on the floor on a worn, old floral blanket. The baby's lower lip trembles as if he can understand the cruel fate of his only parent. His eyes water, and high-pitched sobs soon follow.

“Waah-Waah!!!”

“Hey brat, don't cry. You have no idea what a favor I'm doing you! Now you'll have a beautiful and loving new mother. No more old or worn-out blankets, just the finest clothes and silks for you.”

Yandere Vampire who takes the child in his arms, rocking him a little, but he doesn't stop crying; on the contrary, he cries even more. Frustrated, he covers the baby's mouth, slightly muffling his sobs, and slips out of the house, quickly heading for his castle.

Yandere Vampire who enters the castle through the extensive gardens filled with red roses. He ignores the curious servants who stare at him curiously as he enters with the sobbing baby in his arms and, without wasting any time, heads to his chambers, where he knows for sure you'll be. He pushes open the wooden door and enters. Your eyes immediately look at him, or rather, at the child in his arms.

“My dear! Look at the gift I brought you.”

“From where? Where are his parents?”

“The mother is dead, and there was no sign of the father anywhere, so now he's all yours!”

Yandere Vampire who smiles proudly when you approach and take the baby from his arms. His eyes soften when he sees you cooing at the baby, gently rocking him in your arms, and the child soon calms down. You head to the bed, placing the baby on the soft silk sheets, protecting him from the cold. He can't help but notice the child's resemblance to you, but he snaps out of his thoughts when he hears your annoyed voice.

“You carried him all over the frozen forest in just pajamas? A baby is very delicate and could get seriously ill, you stupid man.”

“I didn't think of that at the time, my dear. I just thought of bringing him to you, and now he's here with you. That's better than nothing, right?”

Yandere Vampire who happily notices how you become someone much more energetic and happy since the arrival of the baby; although he won't deny that he's a little jealous of the fact that you spend more time with the baby (whom you named Alexandre) than with him; you take Alexandre for walks in the garden, you bathe him, you dress him and you even read to him to put him to sleep; the baby quickly became very attached to you.

“Mother! Mother, look at this!”

“I'm seeing you, my love.”

Your voice comes out lovingly as you look at the now five-year-old boy running through the rosebushes adored with vibrant red roses. You walk slowly, following your little boy. Louis, your husband, walks beside you. Your arm is intertwined with his, though you ignore him most of the time. But that doesn't make him talk any less.

“He grew up so fast, don't you think? I remember when I brought him here, and he was just a baby.”

“I remember.”

“I honestly didn't expect him to make it past the week, you know, given the fact that he was cold and malnourished, but your love seems to be able to cure anything, my dear.”

“...”

Your red eyes glare at him in annoyance, and he just smiles, revealing his white teeth and sharp fangs. You want to wipe that smile off your face and slap him for saying something so out of place, but you hold back as Alexandre runs up to you both.

“Mother! Father! I want to see the roses up close! Lift me up, father!”

“Yes, sir! As Your Highness commands!”

You can't help but let out a laugh as your son reaches out for his father, bouncing slightly before Louis finally picks him up and places him on his hip. Alexandre stares at the roses (which he's seen a million times before) with fascination before pouting.

“Roses have the same color as her eyes! I want my eyes to be red too, father!”

“I think your eyes are beautiful—”

“Don't worry, my son, soon your eyes will be red too.”

“Louis—!”

“Really, Father?! I'm so happy my eyes will be like yours and my mother!”

~~~

“Have you lost your mind?! Why are you telling my son he'll also have red eyes?! He's not going to turn into a vampire!”

You yell in annoyance as you pace around your chambers, your furious eyes glaring at him accusingly as he lies in bed, propped up against the pillows. He smiles at you with a shrug before getting up from the bed and walking over to you.

“Why not? I mean, our son could live forever as a five-year-old. Is that really so bad, my dear?”

“That's selfish! You killed his parents, forced him to live confined here in this castle, and now you also want to force him to be five forever?! You are truly a horrible man!”

“His mother.”

“What...?”

“I killed his mother. I already told you there was no father anywhere, and I confined him here because it's safer for him... besides, I know the idea of ​​him being five forever doesn't bother you, my dear.”

“That's not true—!”

“Oh, you can deny it all you want, but I can feel in our bond that you don't mind the idea at all. It almost seems like you'd like him to be your baby forever... so tell me, my dear, who is the really horrible person here, huh?”

You don't know how to respond, because it's true, everything he says is true. You don't want your son to grow up and leave here, leaving you with the pain and agony of your lost life tormenting your soul again. Just thinking about it sends a feeling of pain to your dead heart. Even though you hate yourself for being so selfish, you can't deny what he's saying, so you duck your head and remain silent.

He lets out a playful laugh, moving closer to you. He runs his ringed hands down the front of your dress's corset, tracing the soft fabric with his fingers. His hands slide back, playing with the laces of the corset, untying the knot and loosening the bodice. He rubs his nose against your jaw, leaving a trail of kisses up to your ear. You shudder when his cold breath hits your skin. He murmurs playfully against your ear.

“Don't be ashamed, my dear. After all, being selfish is in our blood. Just let yourself go~”

[22ayla21]

Could I request the Amphoreus men with an exhausted wife? Maybe it’s due to work or just being a mother but she’s going to dig herself into an early grave and she’s to hard on herself to even notice it.

Comfort for Wife and Mother

Motherhood is hard, but you need to know your limits and not dig yourself into a grave.

He notices her fatigue before she admits it herself. Even if she insists that everything is fine, he won't let her overwork herself. If she falls asleep holding the baby, he gently takes the child and puts her to bed.

When he sees that she's on the verge of exhaustion, he takes matters into his own hands:

"Either you go rest yourself, or I'll carry you."

And yes, he really can just pick her up and take her to the bedroom. If she resists, he compromises: "Then just lie down with me for five minutes." (Spoiler: she falls asleep in two).

When she says she's a bad mother, he stops her immediately.

"You are the best thing our children have. And me."

If she blames herself for not coping, he reminds her:

"You're not alone in this. I'm your husband, not an outside observer."

If she's exhausted, he takes the children and gives her time to recover. He makes her tea, food, brings a blanket, and creates the most comfortable atmosphere.

He might even organize a "no-kids day," sending them to Aunt Aglaea (or, in an AU with a living Gorgo, to grandma (she doesn't mind, she's even happy)).

He knows that motherhood is hard, so he always reminds her that she doesn't have to be perfect. If she cries from exhaustion, he just holds her letting her vent. He tells her how much he loves her, how proud he is of her, how grateful he is for everything she does.

He arranges small romantic moments for her to remind her that she's not just a mother, but also his beloved woman. He hugs her, kisses her, tells her how beautiful she is, even if she has tousled hair and signs of fatigue under her eyes.

"You are still the one I fell in love with. And always will be."

If she blames herself for "not doing enough," he brings the children to her and says:

"Tell Mom how much you love her."

And when the children start hugging her and vying to say what a good mom she is, he looks at her with a slight smirk:

"Now try saying you're a bad mother."

Anaxa rarely interferes in his wife's affairs if he's sure she's coping, but when he sees that she's literally "digging herself into a grave" from stress and fatigue, he doesn't hesitate to take control. The phrase "Either you rest now, or I'll carry you by force" could well come from his lips.

He can easily just pick her up and carry her to the bedroom, declaring that she shouldn't think about the children for at least the next hour or two. Even if she resists, Anaxa has an iron grip and an unyielding expression.

If she's too hard on herself, thinking she's not doing enough, Anaxa uses his authority to literally forbid her from doing extra work. He might tell the children that today "Mom is queen, and her word is law," and he'll make sure his wife doesn't take on a new load of chores.

Knowing that his wife won't admit how tired she is, he might just silently start massaging her shoulders, back, or legs. And he does it so skillfully that her protests quickly turn into relaxed sighs.

He might discreetly prepare something nutritious for her and put it in front of her, refusing to take no for an answer. If she says she doesn't want to eat, he just looks at her meaningfully until she gives in.

He might let his wife sleep alone for a night (if she wants), taking care of all the children's needs himself. Or, conversely, he'll take her to his bed and won't let her go until she falls asleep in his arms.

If he notices that she's morally exhausted, Anaxa might just take her hands, look her straight in the eyes, and say: "You're doing great. You're the best mother for our children. You don't have to fight alone."

If she starts blaming herself for something, he interrupts her immediately, declaring that she's doing everything perfectly. And if she continues, he might just pull her close and whisper: "One more word, and I'll make you be quiet in another way." (And yes, he's hinting at kisses or something more.)

Sometimes all she needs is to be near him. Anaxa might sit next to her, put his arm around her waist, and silently let her lean against him. Sometimes his presence is the best way to remind her that she's not alone.

Phainon knows perfectly well that if he leaves his wife unattended, she'll really dig herself into a grave with motherhood. So he just picks her up and carries her away from the chores. She might protest, but resistance is useless.

Reminding his wife that she's not just a mother, but also his beloved woman, he says gently but firmly: "We need you healthy, not wrung out like a lemon." If she can't stop, he resorts to tricks: from pushing the children on her for hugs to kisses that make her forget what she was even thinking about.

He prepares a bath for her with oils, sets out a warm towel, even massages her shoulders until she finally starts to relax.

He literally forces her to sleep. If necessary, he'll lie next to her, stroke her hair, and murmur something soothing until she gives in and falls asleep.

On the day she finally drives herself to exhaustion, he takes over all the housework and kicks her out to rest. He threatens that if she tries to interfere, he'll do everything terribly (not really, but the threat works).

He reminds her that she doesn't have to carry everything herself, because she has him. "We're raising the children together, you don't have to do everything alone."

Sometimes he just sits next to her, takes her hand, and silently looks into her eyes, letting her know that he sees how hard she's working and is ready to help.

He has a universal remedy for stress: pull her into a hug and shower her face with hundreds of light kisses. He'll remind her more than once or twice: "You're an amazing mother. But before being a mother, you're my beloved woman. So now go rest, or I'll kidnap you."

[strwberri-milk]

Can I ask how the original trio in LADS would respond to a reader who's burnt out? Like used to be overachieving, ambitious and hardworking but now has no energy to care about any goals, short or longterm?

feel free to look here and here as well!

Zayne doesn't burn out but he does understand the concept and has witnessed his colleagues go through the same struggle. When he notices that you're starting to show symptoms and not seeming to care as much as you used to about things that were important to you he'll sit you down to talk.

He listens without judgement, asking if there's anything you want him to do or anything you can point at as being the cause for your burnout. Even if you can't, he'll simply suggest you just take some time off. If you can take time off work or just stop working as hard if possible. He will push for you to take some time off though so you can focus on just being at home and doing whatever it is you want to, or become more invested in your studies to try and guide you through things.

He'll aim to try and help you at least gain some sort of control over your life again. Seeing you listless and just exhausted isn't fun for him. He'll support you if you decide to do a complete 180, changing paths to something that you think you'll like more, or just supporting you as you rot a bit and come out of your funk.

Xavier is a great partner to have if you just want to rot around. He'll come home and just lay with you. He doesn't demand anything of you but he will slowly work his way before trying to figure out what's wrong with you. He knows that you used to be a lot more passionate and seeing you so despondent just doesn't really feel like you. He'll be worried that something happened but when you just tell him you feel burned out he'll nod along and support you however you need him to.

He'll help you get back to at least being not burnt out, giving you some sort of motivation to get to a point where you're more comfortable doing things again. He also doesn't really care what that looks like - as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.

Rafayel burns out constantly after completing giant projects so if it gets timed so that you're both burnt out nothing really happens at home. You two just kinda lay together, not really wanting to do much until one of you snaps out of your stupor. Rafayel typically just goes shopping until he feels better or gets inspiration back so his cycle is a lot quicker than yours might be.

He'll also give you his best tips and tricks of getting out of a funk, and honestly he might just tell you to directly quit your job if you don't like it and just live off of him, no strings attached. He adores you and he'd be more than happy to take care of you if you'd like. He wants you to find something you enjoy doing at least, not necessarily a passion so your days don't just blend into a bland nothingness. He'd love to take you out and just do random things to help with that when he doesn't feel like a pile of slop, at least making your days more entertaining until you find something you enjoy doing again/find a passion.

[yokumirumerafan]

| Demon slayer reaction request |

Reaction to Y/N hiding her injury

Thanks a lot :)

Demon Slayer Characters Reacting to Y/N Hiding Their Injury

Hashira

Rengoku Kyojuro

Notices your odd movements and slightly off breathing almost immediately.

His warm and encouraging demeanor shifts into serious concern.

"Y/N! You must never hide an injury! The body is a warrior's greatest tool!"

He insists on checking it and will personally carry you to the Butterfly Mansion if needed.

Scolds you, but in a kind and protective way.

Tomioka Giyuu

He silently watches you, noticing how you wince but try to play it off.

Doesn't say anything at first but later corners you, giving you a deadpan stare.

"You’re injured." No room for argument.

If you try to deny it, he simply picks you up and takes you to get treated.

Quietly watches over you as you recover, subtly making sure you don’t do it again.

Shinobu Kocho

She already knew before you even thought about hiding it.

Approaches you with a knowing smile, but there's a sharp glint in her eyes.

"My, my~ Trying to hide something from me, Y/N? That's quite bold of you."

Playfully pokes at the injury, making you flinch before she scolds you.

Makes sure you get properly treated and warns you to never do it again.

Sanemi Shinazugawa

Absolutely furious.

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT?! HIDING AN INJURY COULD GET YOU KILLED!"

Definitely yells at you, but it's because he genuinely cares.

Forces you to sit down and get treated, no matter how much you protest.

Probably nags you about it for days afterward.

Muichiro Tokito

Barely reacts at first, simply blinking at you.

Then, suddenly, you find yourself sitting down while he starts treating the wound himself.

"You shouldn't hide injuries. It's a hassle if you collapse later."

Despite his seemingly indifferent tone, he keeps a close eye on you for the rest of the mission.

Obanai Iguro

Glares at you the moment he figures it out.

"What do you think you're doing? Are you trying to die?"

Doesn't let you move until you're properly treated.

Kaburamaru hisses at you in disapproval.

Absolutely does not let this slide, will call you out if you ever try it again.

Mitsuri Kanroji

Gasps dramatically when she realizes.

"Oh no, Y/N! Why didn’t you say anything?!"

Panics a little but quickly composes herself and makes sure you get help.

Super gentle with you and constantly checks on you afterward.

"Please don't do that again! You mean so much to us!"

Gyomei Himejima

Instantly notices, even without seeing you directly.

"You are in pain, Y/N. Why do you hide it?"

His disappointment is enough to make you feel guilty.

Very careful while tending to you, treating you like something fragile.

Prays for your quick recovery and makes sure you're fully healed before letting you fight again.

Main Trio + Genya

Tanjiro Kamado

His sharp sense of smell gives you away immediately.

"Y/N... why do you smell like blood?"

Genuine concern in his eyes as he gently insists on checking your injury.

"You should never endure pain alone! Let me help you!"

Treats you with extreme care, like an older brother would.

Zenitsu Agatsuma

Freaks out the moment he finds out.

"WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING?! WHAT IF YOU DIED?!"

Super dramatic about it but still helps treat your wound.

Won't stop worrying about you afterward and constantly asks if you're okay.

"If you ever get hurt again, tell me right away, okay?!"

Inosuke Hashibira

At first, he doesn't even notice.

When he does, he gets MAD.

"WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME, YOU DUMBASS?!"

His way of caring is aggressively yelling at you while helping bandage the wound.

"IF YOU DIE, WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO FIGHT WITH, HUH?!"

Afterward, he keeps an eye on you but tries to act like he doesn’t care.

Genya Shinazugawa

Notices when you start moving differently.

"Oi, Y/N, you're hurt, aren’t you?"

When you try to deny it, he just clicks his tongue.

"Tch. Don't be stupid. Lemme see it."

Super gruff about it but is extremely careful while treating your wound.

"Next time, just tell me, okay?"

And that's how they react! Hopefully, Y/N learns their lesson and stops hiding injuries! 😤✨

[milessunflowers]

soulmate!omega!kimi antonelli with childhood best friend!alpha!reader who goes into heat for the first time and he's scared?

STOP THIS IS GONNA BE CUTE TRUST

soulmate!omega!kimi antonelli x soulmate!alpha!male!reader

synopsis: for as long as you have known each other, you've known you were soulmates. it was only a matter of time before you presented. what you didn't account for was how scary that would turn out to be

author's note: guys i swear ive been meaning to write, i just got so busy with school and extra curriculars but now that it is my spring break/holiday, i will hopefully write more! this is obviously going to be suggestive, so if you do not want to read, you can skip!

you guys have known each other your entire lives

and once you were old enough to really understand what a soulmate was, you guys instantly knew that tug between you guys meant you were soulmates

you would brag to schoolmates about it and were just so happy

when you reached grade 8, that's when you finally learned more about omegas, betas, and alphas, and what goes along with each designation

it wasn't a big deal to either of you because regardless you were destined to be together

you guys knew it would take a bit to present so you didn't even worry too much about it

that was until you noticed something different about kimi on a random thursday

he woke burning up and sweaty and needy

he was practically rubbing himself you

you panicked because you didn't know what to do

you hadn't even presented so how were you supposed to know how to take care of a freshly presented omega?!

you frantically searched google for answers and followed what it was saying

you brought him nesting supplies, made sure there was food nearby, and tried to find something to substitute for a knot

turns out, you only needed that substitute for a few hours because your soulmate's heat triggered your rut

freshly presented omega, meet your freshly presented alpha

it was a lot of fumbling and neediness

you were trying to fuck him gently but you also wanted to mate him so badly

kimi was begging you to fuck him harder and mate him

it was hard to resist mating considering you guys were soulmates but you didn't even have a chance to talk over mating before all of this happened

(you guys didn't mate the first time thank gosh because you wouldn't know what to do)

during the first small break, you managed to text beta!ollie to help you out since ollie had helped omega!paul and alpha!dino through this before

ollie is super good at taking care of you guys since he's the best friend any of you could ask for

he makes sure you guys have fresh nesting supplies, food, water, and anything else you need

he stays in the guest room while you guys are in heat/rut

he does have to wear headphones because he does not want to hear his best friends go at it

kimi is such a loud moaner, especially when begging for your knot

turns out, it feels amazing with your soulmate

during breaks when your knot deflates, you help kimi clean up a bit, rebuild a nest, and use the restroom before cuddling him

ollie does bring better food than the small snacks you had so you help feed kimi

who looks so in love and content that you just want to kiss him all over

and you do

it takes a week for everything to die down

on the final day, kimi and you just cling to each other and cuddle

ollie tries to coax you guys to the bath to clean up but kimi whines and you accidentally snap at ollie

ollie just sighs and gives up

you and kimi nuzzle together and scent each other for the first time

i feel like kimi would smell like the beach tbh

and you have never felt more protective of him

once you guys are back together, you do tell your parents so they don't worry then go clean up the bedroom

then kimi has to talk to mercedes about his heat cycle, to make sure they don't interfere with races too much

in the paddock now, you guys are more insufferable

you are always by kimi and kimi always has a hand around you somehow

to a lot of people, you just remind them of alex and george

funny enough, george claims kimi as his paddock pup so it makes sense

alex helps you navigate how it works being an alpha while george tutors kimi on how it works being an omega

they also tell you it's okay to be however this is just the basics

kimi honestly is more protective of you than him but that doesn't mean you don't snap at people when kimi is upset

the next time kimi is in heat, you don't go into rut so you panic again

you call alex and ask him what to do

alex hands george the phone and he tells you what you can do

it works for a while but the panic doesn't subside when kimi is still begging for more

you call alex again and he (sheepishly) explains to you that you just need to fuck him

you burn bright red and hang up, definitely embarrassed but it works

you can't look george or alex in the eyes the next time you see them (and the same goes for the next few weeks)

kimi teases you about it all the time until he has to call george or alex about your rut

then it's a back and forth thing

kimi always smells like you and you always smell like kimi

you guys are so smiley and happy together, especially after you guys mate later on

bigger smiles than ever

that really solidifies you guys being mini galex since george and alex had the same look you guys do

TAGS! (if you want to be added, lmk!)

@op-81-lvr-reblogs, @koalapastries, @justaf1girl, @ghostking4m, @spoonfulofmilo, @seonghwaexile, @alex-wotton, @raizelchrysanderoctavius

[crownmemes]

Discussing Relationships Sentences, Vol. 4

(Sentences for friends discussing their love lives. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"In case you haven't noticed, I like older men."

"Is there any girl you haven't been engaged to?"

"I've not proposed yet, but I'm going to!"

"Have you ever been in love? I don't think I've ever been in love, and now I probably never will be."

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life!"

"You're gay. You like men. Why don't you just admit it?"

"Is this you talking or him?"

"You have a lot of love for him, don't you?"

"You've never seen a man wooing a woman before?"

"Who is it this week? The blonde or the redhead?"

"If your choice in men friends was more mature, believe me, I would stay out of your life."

"Whether or not we discussed marriage is a private matter!"

"You hide behind your work. Your real area of expertise is avoiding any real intimacy."

"I'd be a good wife."

"They say that a man is never so weak, so defenceless against suffering, as when he is in love."

"You've never known this feeling before, have you?"

"You'd like another baby, wouldn't you?"

"I think it's probably good you getting laid now and then, even if only to remove the stick up your ass."

"You think I'm being taken for a fool, don't you?"

"I'd be a terrible husband."

"Everyone has a true love. Surely you believe that?"

"We're all awkward in love."

"What is wrong with men today?"

"Romantic memories are pathogenic. They create disease."

"I don't know what she said, but it sounded like she liked me!"

"Love is still an enigma to science. Perhaps it is just a state of madness."

"If you don't mind, I'll make my own choice."

"Why is it that men always resist doing what's best for them if they think it makes them look weak?"

"I don't need a boy to be happy."

"Every time I have given my heart, it has led to catastrophe."

"How does it feel to be married?"

"I happen to be in love with him!"

"You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to steal his girl!"

"Are you sure you know what love is?"

"Do you need me to set you up on a date?"

"The people we love the most are the ones capable of hurting us the most deeply."

"Is there any particular reason you don't want to discuss your marriage?"

"Just tell her how you feel! If you won't, then I will!"

"Were you just flirting with that woman?"

[cheshitora]

I haven't seen this on your Kazutora tag (yes, I went through it) but what's your take on Kazutora as a boyfriend? I feel like he's a little nervous about it at first but I know he'd be a good one

IVE BEEN PUSHING THIS OFF BUT I SWEAR I SAW YOUR ASK 😭 ive been busy these past few days but here i am. you're absolutely right though. i haven't made a post like this and that surprises me bcuz i love my baby boy sm (not you checking out my tag lol. its mostly just reblogs tbh). and since i'm a bit stumped in my fic rn, i'll go ahead and do this

KAZUTORA AS YOUR BOYFRIEND ┊ ➶ ｡˚ 　　°

where do i even begin to start? (this will be the good tl btw)

╰┈➤ ❝ i will say this - one thing about kazutora that i think is pretty unanimous is his possessiveness over you. not in an overbearing way, but he has to cling onto you almost. given the circumstances in which he grew up in, understand that kazutora is looking for someone to love him. he craves love because he lacks it from his own family. so if he falls, he falls hard, especially if you're good to him. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ so when he falls, he's going to shower you with affection in any way he can (i don't care what ken wakui says, he'll be such a good boyfriend). it is going to take some time for him to adjust having you as a partner. he's going to have his doubts about your love for him. he's going to wonder if you're serious about him. the last thing he needs/wants is to be manipulated by someone he's pouring his heart out to.❞

╰┈➤ ❝ once the fear and doubts settle over, that's when you'll notice a change in the way he acts (not in a bad way). you start to see the goofy, almost wreckless side of him. you become his main source of happiness. he spends A LOT of time at your place. eventually, he begins leaving some of his clothes there (or maybe you start stealing his hoodies. don't take his printed shirts). ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ one of my favorite things about kazutora being your boyfriend is that he's kind of a loser. let's face it - he is. man has no game so he really wonders how he pulled someone like you. but in the sweetest way possible, he's a loser virgin. he's not a smooth talker nor is he a player in anyway. he wears printed shirts - that's the most loser thing about him. but it doesn't matter because you love your loser boyfriend. don't ever worry about him cheating (he has no hoes and the thought alone makes him gag) ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ he's very handsy. he LOVES to kiss you, anywhere. it also does not take much for him to get turned on, even if the gesture is so small (he's the type to get hard if a waitress calls him "honey". lol im just kidding. or am i?) i don't think he's super prone to pda, but his possessive ass will probably (definitely) kiss you or pull you into his chest if someone looks at you too long. he loves to hold your hand though and if you try to slip your hand away, he'll pull it right back and keep a tight grip on you. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ going back to his possessive nature, it almost borderlines obsession. no, he doesn't like it if some other person stares at you for too long. yes, you can wear whatever you want because he can fight ( just don't let him fight because he'll try to kill them). if you've been together for a decent amount of time, expect his possessiveness to increase while you're together. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ he loves to take you out on his bike. he's very careful with you at first, making sure you're comfortable and going at a reasonable speed. but once you've been dating for a while, he has no sense of caution. crazy kids. and he takes you everywhere you wanna go on his bike. the back of his bike is your third favorite seat (the first is his face. second is his lap). ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ he's very attentive to your needs and likes. he pays attention to everything even when you think he's not. can he be clueless sometimes? absolutely. but when you're really passionate about something, he makes a clear mental note in his head so he won't forget and if he does, he almost crashes out. ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ once you start living together, he takes even better care of you (he'd rather you not work though so you don't stress out but you always fight him that you need to pull your half too). but coming home to him after a long day is best sight to see. he likes to give you massage and he'll try to cook for you too. he'll even run you a bath (he just loves you so much). ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ he'll never pressure you into getting married or having kids (partially because his own parents' marriage left him traumatized and wondering if marriage was worth it). but you're also still working out your futures and careers. you'll get married when the time is right, when you're both ready. if it happens, it happens. i will say this too - he loves it if you refer to him as your husband (somewhere in TR, kazutora just got very hard). marriage may not be on the table yet bur oh, just the thought of claiming you as his wife has him whimpering for you. ❞

a note from che : oof. i'm not sure if this was what you wanted or expected (i havent sleep well in three days im abt to pass out) but i hope you like these hcs anyway. i love tora with my whole life. my husband, my man. he's my everything so i'll probably make a pt.2 to this bcuz i have a lot more to say abt him.

[hummingbird24220]

Love at First Punch (Various One-Piece x Reader)

Hello! This is one of my (many) One Piece drabble kind of fics ive had in the ol noggin for a while. Not really any plot, more of a constant theme - Fluff and fun type stuff. Innuendos and flirting. Going to try and update every Monday, Wednesday and Friday :3

Chapter One - Introductions

The battlefield was chaos. A typical town-busting bar brawl turned full-blown street fight. It started with a spilled drink, a few insults, and a poorly timed grope that earned some sleazebag a broken nose. But now? Now fists were flying, chairs were breaking, and in the midst of it all—laughing, dodging, and deliberately taking hits—was you.

A particularly large brute swung his meaty fist at you. You could have dodged it easily, but where was the fun in that? You braced, let the impact land square on your cheek, and staggered back with a sharp inhale.

"Oof—" You bit your lip. "That one had some weight to it. Nice."

The man paled. Most people would be on the ground crying, but you? You were smiling. Your eyes were gleaming, breath a little hitched from the pure thrill of it.

"W-what the hell?" he muttered, stepping back as if you were the one to be afraid of.

"Oh, don't stop now," you teased, rolling your shoulders. "You've got a good arm. Ever consider putting that to better use?"

His face twisted in confusion before a chair came flying from the side, narrowly missing you. Someone else in the fight hadn't even been aiming, but that didn't matter. You caught the wooden leg midair and snapped it over your knee, laughing.

That's when you noticed them.

The Straw Hats.

They were at a table on the far side of the tavern, watching the brawl with a mix of amusement and disbelief. The swordsman—Roronoa Zoro—had his arms crossed, looking vaguely entertained but unimpressed. Nami was already rubbing her temples like she wanted no part of this, while Usopp was practically hiding behind Sanji. The cook, meanwhile, had his cigarette hanging from his lips, brows raised in what might have been intrigue.

And then there was Luffy.

His wide, excited grin matched yours. He was enjoying the show.

You winked at him before dodging another sloppy punch and slamming your fist into someone's gut. They folded like a sack of potatoes.

Luffy's grin widened.

"Oi, this one's kinda funny," he said, leaning toward Zoro. "She's just letting them hit her!"

Zoro snorted. "Yeah, and enjoying it way too much."

"Maybe she's just got a lot of endurance," Sanji mused, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Oh, I've got endurance alright," you purred, catching another punch with your palm. "You wanna test it out?"

Sanji choked. Usopp wheezed. Even Zoro's eyebrow twitched.

Before Sanji could splutter a response, the last guy standing swung a metal pipe at your side. You could have dodged—should have dodged—but instead, you turned into it, letting the impact land with a satisfying thud. You let out a happy laugh.

The room went silent.

Nami dropped her face into her hands. "Oh my god."

Usopp looked traumatized. "Did she just—"

Sanji had gone completely red, somewhere between scandalized and fascinated.

Even Zoro looked like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or leave.

Luffy, though?

He cackled.

"HA! You're weird—I like you!" he said, pointing at you.

You grinned, shaking off the hit like it was nothing. "Oh? Does that mean you'll be buying me dinner first?"

Luffy tilted his head. "Huh?"

Sanji smacked a hand over his eyes. "Please. For the love of all that is holy. Stop talking."

But you only laughed, stretching your arms over your head, feeling the ache settle in. Damn, that had been fun. The last poor guy standing was out cold, and the brawl had fizzled out, people too distracted by your antics to keep throwing punches.

You turned back to the Straw Hats, planting your hands on your hips. "So, what's a crew like yours doing in a place like this?"

Luffy tilted his head, still grinning. "Looking for strong people to join our crew."

"Oh?" Your eyes gleamed. "That so? What's the pay like?"

Luffy blinked. "Uh... food?"

You hummed, pretending to think it over. A pirate crew, a fight-happy captain, and a ship full of interesting people? Oh, this had potential.

"Well," you purred, "if you're willing to give me some test runs first, I might consider it."

Usopp dropped his drink.

Sanji looked ready to either die or propose.

Zoro just sighed. "We're gonna regret this."

Luffy, however, just grinned.

You had a feeling this was the beginning of something very fun.

[emeraldscript]

1.1k of alien max going ham in the ocean and daniel being so normal about it.

warning: one sided piss kink, kind of. (to catch up on the alien max au lore, go here)

daniel eventually leaves max to it in the water, after his fingers have gone beyond pruny. max, however, is undeterred and completely in his element. literally.

he goes under the waves for extended periods of time, eyes wide open and apparently protected by some sort of second eyelid that lets max see under water without issue. daniel’s only a little jealous. max goes diving for all sorts of stones, shards of glass, star fish and even a jellyfish that daniel is pretty sure is one, poisonous and two, fucking painful to the touch. max just holds the blob up above his head like a fucking hunting prize looking proud as anything.

making his way over to daniel, max says: "daniel, look, his tentacles are so long. these guys are fascinating, what are they?" 

"woah, calm down there buddy, they sting like a bitch. it's a jellyfish. you should watch out," daniel says, paddling his way backwards for safe distance.

"jellyfish?" max mutters to himself, combing his hand through the tentacles, looking lost in thought. 

yep. that was daniel's cue to skaddadle out of there, back to the shore. 

"see you on land, maxy," daniel says over his shoulder. 

his alien housemate is a bit of a psycho but so endearingly curious about everything that daniel can't help a wave of fondness from spreading in his chest.

back in their spot, daniel lets himself starfish on the towel, shimmying out of his shirt and shorts to leave them to dry in the sun.

he doses in the sun for a few minutes, eyes closed. eventually, he cracks his eyes open to peer into the waves to find max.

the man in question is just coming up from yet another dive before diving straight back down. snorting, daniel closes his eyes again.

he must have nodded off because the next time he opens his eyes, max is stalking the shorelines, bending down to pick up and inspect little rocks. daniel watches as he picks up one after the other, comparing each one to the next, discarding some and keeping others.

after a few more minutes, max seems satisfied and stalks his way over to where daniel is lying, sizzling in the afternoon sun with only his still slightly damp boxers on.

"daniel!" danyul, max says, stepping right up to him and dropping down into a cross legged sitting position next to him on the sand.

"hey, bud, you having fun?" daniel asks, voice still rough with sleep. 

"yes, it's very good. you have very varied wildlife in your seas. very nice creatures," max says, smiling. 

"nice, huh? what'd they say?" daniel asks.

"not much, but they're very friendly and peaceful. i do not know why you're so scared of the jellyfish. he's done nothing wrong, daniel," max says, pout forming around his mouth.

"mate, we get third degree burns from those fuckers and then we have to ask our friends to pee on us to make it better," daniel says.

"i would of course pee on you if you asked, daniel. don't be stupid," max says, matter of factly. after that, max turns his attention back to his pebbles, running his thumb over them almost reverently. as if that was not the most insane sentence max has uttered to date in daniel's presence.

okay, well fuck, daniel thinks. the mental image that conjures up is one he's been trying his hardest to avoid. daniel has been trying to be steadfast, to not think about max's bits. now all he can picture is max, standing over him, shorts down, peeing on daniel's thigh to ease the sting of a jellyfish. he wonders what max has got going on down there. he's pretty humanoid in all aspects, except his respiration and ears. 

does he have a dick, just like him? probably. max looks like a man by human standards. he's sporting pretty noticeable biceps, broad shoulders. his pecs stand out, especially now under the soaking wet t-shirt clinging to his frame. it highlights the way his waist tapers in beautifully as well. 

daniel wonders if it's big or small. wonders what he'd prefer. decides it doesn't matter to him much.

he's just endlessly curious, wants to peel back the layers, find out, explore. see what makes max tick. if it's similar or different to humans. wonders if he moans, if he'd stay quiet, if he'd try to swallow down the sound. would max come? would it taste different?

daniel feels his inner thigh tingle, the tell tale sign that his dick is about to do something stupid. daniel swallow, hard. 

daniel clears his throat and says "yeah, thanks."

max looks up then, smiles a tight lipped smile at daniel. 

"daniel," max starts, sounding hesitant. 

daniel hums in return, still willing his dick to calm the fuck down.

max raises one of the hands to the back of his neck, rubs the base of his skull, scratching his dripping wet hair at the back of his head. 

"do you- i mean. would you?" max starts, voice sounding rough. max is kneading the flesh on his upper thigh. daniel thinks he looks nervous. his ears and cheeks are pink, again. 

"what is it, maxy?" daniel asks.

"i- i got these for you," max finally presses out. looking anywhere but daniel's face. 

he's holding his hands out, cupped into a little bowl. three pepples are lying on max's palms. 

daniel hesitates, feeling a bit confused. he looks at max, head bowed, arms outstretched, keeling in front of daniel now. 

daniel pushes himself upright into a sitting position. sees max's hands shake, very slightly, but it's there. daniel can see it. 

"you don't have to accept them, of course. this was stupid of me, sorry daniel, forget i ever said anything" max says, slowly lowering his hands.

before max can go any further, daniel cups his hands around max's.

"thanks, maxy, that's so kind of you," daniel says, feeling unmoored. 

max's head snaps up at that, eyes wide. 

"daniel, i-" max starts. 

daniel cuts him off by saying, "c'mon, give em up, i want to see," holding his own palms out for max to deposit the stones into daniel's hands. 

max does so, chewing his own bottom lip. 

daniel inspects the stones. they're all smooth, without imperfections and almost perfectly round. 

"wow, maxy. how'd you even find three of these?" daniel asks, impressed. 

"i dove for them. for you, of course," max says, sounding exasperated. 

"of course, you did," daniel says, grinning. "you're something else, maximus."

max smiles back, one of his signature crinkly smiles etched into his features. the blush doesn't leave max's face for quite a while after that.

[spring002]

now playing. . . across the universe by fiona apple

scaramouche doesn't understand your antics and how you always manage to pull out a "what if" question out of nowhere. of course, he does reply to all with them, with truth. he remembers when "will you still love me if i was a worm?" was trending and you were reposting on tiktok cute replies to the question. however, when you asked him that question, he said, "no."

you were incredibly distraught, "what do you mean??" he laughed at your demise until he noticed how you were fed up with him. "sorry, excuse me, let me explain."

you glanced at him with a look that only said, "explain yourself."

"okay, i wouldn't love you still if you were the worm. i'll love you as a worm while you're a worm. well?"

"that is so cute but question, so you wouldn't want to turn me back into a human???"

he pinched his nose bridge, "aiya, what was the point of asking, name? and yes, i would turn you back into a human with the resources from ei."

"just asking if you would love me the same." you said with a sigh.

he exhaled a laugh before pulling you into his arms, his hands resting on your waist. you rested your chin against the nape of his neck, the very end of his hair tickling you. you can feel his warmth from his hands against your back. "i would love you the same regardless of what form you take."

you smiled against his neck, kissing it lightly, "you're so cute, honey. it's the same for me."

it's 3am, you and scaramouche is already in bed, but you're wide awake and still thinking about the alternative universes trend on tiktok, "do you think we would still be ___ in different universes?" you know you had gotten the answer you liked from scaramouche, but you just need one more answer to this question and you'll fall asleep peacefully. rolling to his side of the bed, your body stopped at his. you poked his cheek, "honey..."

he peeked with one of his eyes before opening both, "hmm.. g'morning?" his hair was sprawled out on the pillow and his hands snaked underneath the comforter, bringing you closer to him. his hands were so much warmer than your body, maybe because you're wearing a t-shirt. you curled closer to him, stealing a bit of his warmth.

grabbing your phone, the blue light reflecting on your screen, you checked the clock, around three fifty. you replied "it’s not morning yet but i have a question again."

he already guessed it from your tone. "is it from tiktok again?" gosh, do you ask so many questions specifically from tiktok? probably if he was able to guess it again. you nervously laugh,

"unfortunately."

"ask away."

scaramouche was piecing together the random tiktoks you have been reposting and the question from earlier to see how you were trying to ask a question about alternative universes. "so what you're asking is that do you think we would be together in every universe?"

you nodded, although he couldn't see it, he heard the folds of the blanket shift. "i don't think we would be together romantically every universe. but it doesn't matter how many universes there are. there will always be a version of me standing by your side, romantically, platonically, beyond the forms of humanity and even as pixels, 3x3 apart."

you chuckled as you rolled away from scaramouche. he knew he made you flustered from just that. "honey, come back, are you flustered?"

"nooo???"

"c'mere." of course, you were pulled back by scaramouche. "let's go to sleep."

"don't you want to hear my answer?"

"i don't have to. i know what you mean," he rested his chin on your shoulder as your legs tangled with his.

"but i want to express it."

"then go ahead."

"i think you're right. we wouldn't be together romantically every universe. but every other universe, i'll be there for you too."

"very original, name."

"well, you took the words out of my mouth."

[readingwritingstuff]

Daryl Dixon and the Five Love Languages

Part One: Gift Giving

A/N: I'm only writing up to Alexandria because that's all I feel like writing up to! Love the whole show but in my head, everyone lives happily ever after in Alexandria <3

The Quarry

At the quarry, Daryl's distant. Very distant. Fitting in with the group doesn't matter as long as he has his brother by his side. When you show up, wide-eyed and jumpy from your time stranded on your own in the city, it doesn't affect him much. Even if he does find himself studying you from time to time, wondering how such a doe eyed scared kid survived out there

But you're not a kid, something Daryl learns very quickly. You're in your twenties, sure, but the look in your eyes the first time you kill a snake and bring it into camp for dinner...it reminds him of something older. Of something harder. Darker in a way some twenty something from the city shouldn't know. You don't even know how to cook the snake. But you sling it over your arm and, to his surprise, walk up to him and ask him point blank, "do you know how to cook this?" He does. He shows you. And you aren't scared to grip the carcass and rip back when he tells you too, exposing the meaty insides. You finish up, and when you bit into it at dinner, you smile at him and, through a mouthful of snake, thank him

That night, after dinner, he sneaks over to your tent, expecting to find you asleep. But you're not. You're up, digging snake meat out from under your nails with the tip of a knife. You wince and jerk it back when you dig a bit too deep, but when he walks up, you assure him you're fine. You grin up at him, so happy and you ask if he enjoyed his dinner

For a moment, Daryl sees who you might have been before. Bright, content maybe. Rare. Most people, people Daryl knew in his world and the people out in the city, they were never fully content. But there you were, smiling up at him like snake meat was a five-course meal. He cleared his throat and shrugged, "s'ok" he murmured, rolling the item in his hand back and forth. You notice, because of course you do. "Whatcha got?" you smile, and he holds his hand out

"Always get ta keep your first rattle off a snake," he says as you take it, eyes sparking like it was jewelry or roses or whatever the hell girls like you were supposed to be happy about

You thank him, and he can tell you mean it. He shrugs it off, turns, he leaves you standing next to your tent and he tells himself he doesn't care if it made you smile. If he made you smile. Only that it was your rattle, your kill. Fair for you to have it. And if it made you smile, well. That wasn't a bad thing.

The Farm

It's stupid. He knows it's stupid, but he passes the same damn field every time he leaves the farm to look for Sophia. And it's flowers. Yellow ones with red centers. And one day when he's passing by he sees the yellow and it reminds him of the scales on that damn snake you killed. And then, no matter how much he tries not to, he can't help but think of you every damn time he passes that flower field

So even though he knows how dumb it is, he stops to pick flowers. He picks a dozen or so. He even ties them together with a long piece of grass. He scoffs at it, he can't help but hear Merle's voice in his head telling him what a pansy he is. Then he wonders if you like pansies

He hangs onto it for the rest of the day, shoves it in his tent, he convinces himself he won't give it to you.

And then he hears you head to your tent, and something sounds off. He listens in, even if he isn't totally sure why he's doing it. Carol's following you, and she's telling you it'll be alright. The sounds of your footfalls quieting, and he hears you pause. "What's the point Carol? Nobody here listens to me." Carol shushed you, and Daryl shifted up in his tent to listen closer. "I'm not a mother. I'm not a sheriff or a deputy. I'm not anybody who had something to fight for before all this besides myself. And yeah! Maybe I like pretty things and I like to take a second here and fucking there to think about something else. But Shane had no right to say that shit to me. Not that it matters, not that any of this shit matters," you laugh, and it's such a broken, awful sound that Daryl cringes. Carol follows you, and Daryl hopes she can say something to you that means something. That'll help cool whatever fire Shane lit under you. Shane. What the hell had that asshole said to you? He made a note to himself to listen more when that asshole was around you, to see just what the hell he thought that had gotten you this worked up

He stays up for a while later, long enough to hear Carol pass by his tent and head up to the RV with the others. You don't camp up there, you don't like how cramped it is. You camp out past even where he thinks is far enough away. He thinks about it, long and hard, but eventually, when camp is quiet and he's sure no one will see him, he grabs the flowers and slips out of his tent

He leaves them in front of your tent, not pausing as he does. He doesn't want you to see him, doesn't want to look into your doe eyes if they're full of tears and he doesn't have a damn thing to say to make it better. But he has this. He has these stupid flowers. So he drops them in front of the zip to your tent, heads back, and tries not to think about it again

But the next day he catches your eye over the fire, and he blinks at the flower you have tucked behind your ear. You cant know, there's no way you could. But you look at him with a quiet, small smile, and you mouth the words thank you. He shrugs, like he doesn't know what you're talking about. But you know, and he knows you know. And that feels pretty good.

On the Road

Being on the move agrees with you. It doesn't agree with anybody else in the group, but you do okay. Daryl wouldn't say it out loud, but watching you watch the world makes things better. No day is easy, but watching you stop to admire a stream or stare into the sunset when camp was made for the day, it softens things, if only by a bit

When you stop to admire a spiderweb one day, he feels something raw clench in his chest. You turn to him, noticing his stare. You're dirty, hair tangled even though he's seen you rake your fingers through it at night in an attempt to manage it. You smile and point how intricate the web is. How hard something so small must have worked to build something so beautiful. He shifts on his feet, and before he can think better of it, he pulls out the tacky, plastic spider ring he picked up back on the main road. It's scuffed and chipped, like some kid had thrown it from the car. He liked to think that maybe the kid had been dangling his hand over the edge of the window and it slipped off. Maybe the kid had thrown a fit. An awful afternoon for the parents, but a normal one. And maybe that's why he grabbed the ring out of the dirt, just to hold something normal for a second

He holds it out to you, and he shifts on his feet, but he doesn't leave when you take it this time. "You like this kinda stuff, huh?" he gestures to the spider web, "small stuff."

You nod and take the ring, looking at it, inspecting it, "small stuff's worth noticing Daryl. It's the only stuff that's ever been worth noticing."

And then you do something he doesn't expect. You bounce up on your toes and kiss his check, quick and simple. "Thank you Daryl, really." He stills, the spot where your lips had been was burning, and he blinks at you as you turn to follow the group, he doesn't miss you slipping the ring onto your pinky finger. Daryl Dixon does not blush. Not ever. Not once. But he did duck his head then, letting his overgrown hair fall in front of his face, so no one would see if he did. Just in case.

The Prison

It's the first time he looks for something for you. He doesn't realize he's doing it at first. But he and a few others from the prison stumble onto an abandoned strip mall. It's beat to hell, but there are only a few walkers inside. They can't pass up the opportunity, so they clear it, and set the rest of the day for scavenging

Daryl isn't thinking about finding a jewelry store. He's thinking about food, medicine, the shit he's supposed to think about out here. But he passes it, and he stops. He wants to keep moving, but he freezes up and combs it with his eyes. The cage that had been pulled down on it is open wide enough to crawl through at the bottom, and he can see how empty the spot is. It's too easy

So, against his better judgement, he drops to the floor and crawls inside

He grabs a few things. A silver band bracelet for Carol, a pair of clip-on earrings he thinks Judith might like when she gets older, and for you...a charm bracelet

It's laying on the floor, like someone had dropped it and forgotten it there. It has a few different charms on it. A horse, a star, a moon, but the part that really solidifies it as yours is the spiderweb charm. It's out of place, admittedly. But it's silver and shiny and it has a tiny gemstone spider right in the middle

He doesn't give it to you for a while. He gives the other bracelet to Carol, and he gives the earrings to Rick for safe keeping. But the bracelet feels too personal. He's starting to regret grabbing it when you swing by his cell one night

You're holding a plate full of food, and he frowns, realizing he'd been so caught up on watch earlier that he'd missed dinner without realizing. But you noticed. You always noticed. He coughs, and not for the first time that day, he reaches into his pocket to toy with the charms. But he forces himself to do it this time. "Here," he says, holding it out. You shift the plate, then give up on holding it and gesture for Daryl to take it. It's an awkward exchange, and Daryl feels himself redden at how un-smooth this is. But you smile down at the bracelet in your hand and, without a word, step forward and hug him

You're warm. Warmer than anything he's felt in a long time. He doesn't expect himself to do it, but he lifts a hesitant arm and wraps it around you, too. You pull him tight and, your voice full of something that sounds softer and kinder than he thinks he'd ever deserve to hear from you, you thank him and say quietly, "you see me, Daryl. Maybe better than anybody else ever has."

And then you're gone, taking your warmth and your kind words and your bracelet with you, and he's left standing there in his cell with a plate full of food and the distinct impression that you maybe you're beginning to see him, too.

The Woods

Things are bad when you lose the prison. You make it out with Daryl and Beth, and the three of you do what you can to keep going. But Beth's a kid, and Daryl is a man who'd finally found a home, only to lose it in a hail of blood and gunfire, and you? You just feel lost

Daryl lost it at that damn cabin. So close to what he'd lived in before all this, to what he'd been before all this, that everything that had happened finally slammed into him full force. The moonshine hadn't helped. And he'd said shit to you and Beth he wished he could take back

You all talk after, when things calm down, and when Beth suggests burning that shithole down you're more than up for it. And as the three of you stand there, burning the past and all its evils with it, Daryl feels lighter than he has in a long time

After that, it gets easier for him to show how he feels about you, even if he isn't sure what exactly that is

He gives you some of his portion at dinner, no matter how much you argue. He gives you little thing he finds as you walk, pretty stones and bird feathers and sometimes, sometimes he just points things out. The way the sun turns everything gold as it rises, the way dew clings to everything in the morning, turning it wet and cool with relief, a respite from the heat, and, of course, how it clings to spiderwebs, turning them into catchers of little water droplet gems. You always stop, no matter how tired you are or how long you'd walked that day, and admire it. At a certain point, Daryl realizes that while you're busy admiring the world, he's busy admiring you.

Alexandria

It's been a long, long time since he's felt nervous to give you something

You've been in Alexandria for years now. Things are good, really good. For the first time in a long time the future is beginning to feel real. When you'd arrived, you'd clung to each other. This place was too good to be real and you both knew it

And yeah, you'd been right. The place had seen its share of blood and destruction. The picture perfect idea the founders of this place had wasn't realistic. But what you built it into? What you created from the remnants of the destruction there? That was real. And now, after all the blood and death, you and Daryl Dixon were together in a way he'd wanted for a long, long time

Things had grown slowly for years, since the very first time he'd seen that look in your eyes, that drive. Since you'd smiled at him when he gave you that first gift, that rattle. He'd known it somewhere deep inside him that he loved you differently than he loved the others. You were something to him, something he didn't know how to have

But you showed him, every day you showed him how try. How to try to be together in this new world and how to try to leave the ghosts of the old one far behind, and now, now he wants to set down roots with you, to look you in the eyes and tell you exactly what it means to be in this place with you, with a future that feels solid and yours

So when he finds a ring, the ring, he knows it's time. He'd found it in the woods. He didn't want to know how it had gotten there. Didn't want to think about who had worn it before. Because before didn't matter anymore. All that matters is here and now and the fact that it's, to his best guess, your size, and unique in a way he knows you like

So he cleans it up, the simple band and pointed gem scrubbed clean with water and a little soap. He doesn't wait, not when he knows with such certainty where it needs to be

It's like any other night. He comes back from his run, the freshly cleaned ring sitting snug in his pocket. You're in the kitchen, the smell of food from the garden mixing with some of the spices he'd brought you a run all mixing together to make the whole place feel warm. And that's how you feel to him, warmer than anything in the world. Daryl never wants to be cold again

He helps you with dinner. You eat together, clean up, share stories from your day. It's normal. It's perfect. And when you stand from the couch at the end of a long night, Daryl stops you. He's looking at you with this stare, the one you know means he's sorting through the words to tell you something

And he wants to, he does. He wants to tell you that he loves you more than anything in the world, that knowing you, being with you, it makes a world of the dead feel alive again. But you know him, you know that look in his eye, and you aren't all that oblivious either. You'd felt the way he'd rubbed his thumb over your ring finger the past few nights in bed, like he was trying to memorize it. And you'd known he'd been listening when you were talking to the newlyweds down the street, listening in his easy, casual way, yes, but listening with a look in his eye that said something more than words ever could

And so, before he ever gets a chance to pull out the ring and get down a knee properly, how he knew he wanted to, how he knew you deserved, you leaned in and press a warm, gentle kiss to his mouth and say, with absolute certainty of your love for the archer before you

"Yes."

[nicolesainz]

Grab me a mate, but don't call me mate, please? (FC47)

Summary: Franco is making his F1 debut after substituting Logan. The paddock's eyes are on him, like hers. She is the younger sister of Alex Albon, who with a simple 'hello' fell for the Argentinian. She feels uncomfortable with Franco having a flirtatious persona, but little does she know, his eyes only look at her direction.

A/n: I LOVE Franco! It was necessary to write about him since he is the lovechild of Lando and Carlos. Also, in the title I am talking about mate (the drink), which Franco loves and Alex gave him a hard time about it.

Warnings: none, simply fruitful and sweet, bad Spanish translations

"Just lost a fan, Alex." James Vowels says giggling at Alex, who rolls his eyes with the state of his sister being wowed from the newcomer Franco.

"At least now she will wear our gear. It hurt my eyes seeing her in orange." Alex responds as he tries to poke his sibling, but she does not respond.

"Do you maybe have an available work position at Franco's garage Mr. Vowels?" y/n softly says and both her brother and his boss laugh hysterically.

"Unfortunately no, although you are more than welcome to give out data pointer to both our drivers." James says before he goes back to his seat in the pitwall.

"Why don't you ask him out?" Lily appeared on Alex's side, curious as to what is happening.

"You can tell it's not in the Albon gene to be brave in matters of the heart." Y/n fires back and Lily erupts in giggles.

"I am telling you tho, you probably should go and talk to him. You have nothing to lose." She tries to encourage a very shy Albon sibling.

"Hey man, what's up?" Alex shouts with our warning and shakes hands with Franco who paid a visit at his teammates garage.

"All well, but Jesus Christ, the heat is horrible." Franco says as his arm goes around Y/n's shoulder. Her face instantly turns into a deep red shade, darker than the one of Ferrari's car.

"Singapore is worse. This is nothing. Once we get there, you will wish to be back in Baku."

"You are coming to Singapore as well, y/n? No?" Franco turns his head to face Alex's sister and her eyes soften at how calmly and sweetly he looks at her.

"I will be there. It's one of my favourite tracks." she quickly responds, trying not to flinch at the sensation of Franco's body leaning onto hers.

"Increíble! That's what I wanted to hear." Franco winks at Y/n and suddenly her knees go weak. Lily notices how she is one breath away from fainting onto his arms. The couple knew how smitten she was with Franco, but hadn't expected such reactions from her.

"Oh god, you really like Franco don't you?" Alexandra exclaims when Lily narrates the story to her and Rebecca.

"I would say so yeah. But I really don't think he is into me. He is just being flirty just like with everyone else in the paddock."

"It's friendly flirting. He even did it with Oscar on the fanzone presentation and Lily somehow got offended." Rebecca pointed out.

"Really, you have to approach him. Go and ask him to make you a matcha or mate however that drink he likes is called. I always see him with such a drink in his hand." Alex suggested and Lily thanked her for saying what she had also advised Y/n to do.

"Take our word for it. We wouldn't tell you to go for it, if it wasn't for a reason." Rebecca squeezed y/n's hand softly, reassuring her that everything will be alright.

"Okay, okay. I will go talk to him." Y/n raised her hands in a moment of surrender and the three fellow girls clapped at her finally making up her mind and finding the courage to talk to Franco.

When she started strolling around the paddock, she noticed that a bunch of photographers were surrounding Franco, asking for his input in him replacing Logan in the middle of the season and how Williams will move forward with Carlos already occupying the second seat in 2025.

As always, Franco was calm and composed, responding to each interviewer's question in full detail, without being nervous or angry. For a man who has no PR training, he handles the media part like a PR assistant himself.

The questions slowly started eating Franco alive and he was looking left and right to find an excuse to avoid them without seeming rude. When his eyes locked with Y/n's he politely walked out of the circle of interviewers, by saying there is an emergency he has to take care of back at his garage and grabbed her once more from the shoulder and moved their bodies as far away as possible from the hungry eyes of the public.

"You are an angel heaven sent, gracias!" he leaned a kiss on Y/n's cheek and if her heart could talk at that very moment, it would certainly scream.

"No worries. Say, uh, I have been wanting to try Mate for a while. Could you help me with making it?" the words come out of her mouth with major struggle.

"This is great. Of course I will help you mi hermosa dama" his hands quickly left her shoulder and grabbed her hand firmly, guiding her to his garage, where he had all the necessary equipment.

Alex, Lily and Carlos who were chatting outside of the William's pitstop turned their heads towards the direction of Franco smiling at them, whilst holding Alex's sister close to his body.

"That was quick" Alex exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh come on. Franco blurted to me by accident that he wants to take out your sister and so me and the girls tried to persuade her to talk to him." Lily explains not wanting to keep this secret anymore from her boyfriend.

"She will voodoo me outside of a seat, so Franco can keep the Williams one." Carlos joked with the couple laughing along.

Franco was shy but smart enough to not simply tell Y/n on how to make her Mate. He would guide her through it by moving her arms along with his, using as an excuse the fact that 'there are specific measurements and only I know how to show you best.'

"Do I put some sugar in it?" Y/n' turned her head around, only to be met with Franco's warm hazel eyes and puffy lips. Torture would depict her state perfectly.

"You are sweet enough, no need for more sugar." he didn't even comprehend how easily that slipped off his mouth, but it surely had the desiring effect he wished.

Y/n's smile had reached the tip of her ears, whilst her breathing had gone very rapid.

"You are good to go. Give it a taste." Franco hands her his cup of Mate and she takes a sip out of the metallic straw.

At first she grinned with how sour it was, but its aftertaste, was more sweet and cold than expected. Very refreshing and enjoyable.

"Can I have a taste as well?" he suggested and as Y/n nodded, his lips captured hers softly, taking away the cup from her hand and wrapping each other in their respective embraces.

Franco was nibbling Y/n's lower lips as soon as she started whimpering quietly with how much she was into their kiss. "Simplemente encantador" (simply lovely), moaned Franco before breaking their kiss. Both refused to let the other go away from their grasp.

Y/n's eyes were shimmering and even smiling along with her flustered lips at Franco's sudden surprise.

"I think it was high time this happened."

"If you wanted to do that, you could have said so." y/n' jokingly punched Franco's arm and he giggled loudly from his heart.

"At least now I have an even better excuse to take you out." Franco winked and leaned in once more to kiss Y/n and show her what she is about to get into when dating him.

[obsessionatthemoment]

Byler quote of the day to make up for not doing it this past week (also not really a quote because I'm a cheater this has been in my drafts, unfinished, for several months):

Buckle in, folks (I'm sorry this is so long, but I tried to keep it as brief as possible. Also bolding the important bits, if you want to skim).

Okay, so I'm not usually big on music analysis, but I noticed this as I was listening to songs from Stranger Things while falling asleep, and I couldn't not comment on it.

I know people have analyzed the "every breath you take" part of the snowball dance many a times, but I feel like I don't hear people talking about the song prior to it, "time after time" enough. They're both great separately, but when you look at them together, it becomes nearly undeniable Byler evidence.

I will almost entirely be focusing on Byler, and Mileven, so please don't be surprised when half the song is skipped.

When "time after time" begins playing, the caption reads "slow romantic song playing." Lucas asks Max to dance, and she agrees. As they walk off, Dustin watches forlornly, and the lyrics "almost left behind" play almost perfectly in time. This establishes that the lyrics matter.

Next, a girl walks over to them, and asks Will to dance. Will is unsure, but after Mike does what Will reads as a "accept it" gesture, he says "yes." As this happens, the lyrics "Sometimes you picture me, I'm walking too far ahead." Play, and as Will walks off to dance with the girl, it shows Mike watching, with an upset, regretful facial expression, while this lyric plays: "You're calling to me, I can't hear what you've said."

A few moments later, slightly overshadowed, by the focus on Dustin deciding to go ask a girl to dance, Mike is shown still staring at Will and the girl, and for the first time, the chorus plays "If you're lost, you can look and you will find me. Time after time."

Though we don't get to see Mike again until "every breath you take," this scene heavily implies that Mike continued to stare at Will and the girl until El arrived.

And, they very specifically waited for El to walk in at "every breath you take," instead (which's captions do not read "slow romantic song," by the way) , even though directly after "time after time" ends, Hopper and Joyce are together. El was already there. She could have entered the scene during the song, but she very purposefully didn't. You know why? They can't count on each other in the way the song portrays. El wasn't there when Mike needed her, and vise versa. When they "fall" (struggle) the other doesn't "catch them" (support them).

Instead, they waited for El to walk in at "every breath you take," in theory, both songs have a similar idea, of being there romantically, however one song is saying "I'm going to be there and support you during the hard moments. You can always fall back on me." And the other song is saying "I'm going to watch your every move, because when I'm without you, I start to go crazy. This is happening even if you don't want to date me, by the way."

Basically, what I'm trying to point out here is that El and Mike's song is creepy, codependent, and invasive. Then, the song that features that wonderful gay panic on both Will and Mike's part, is about being there for someone no matter what. Mike and El can be "obsessed" with each other (or the idea of each other) all they want, but when it comes down to it, Mike is always going to lean on Will, and Will is always going to lean on Mike. They're there for each other, no matter what. Time after time.

*Mic drop (almost accidentally spelled "mic" "mike" which would have been funny).*

[itsnotmuchyet]

....see, I would love to say that the way RR writes about the world wars is offensive to Americans too, but I can't, because barely any American fans seemed to notice or care. You are right. It is a huge problem.

Rick inventing godly parents for every notable historical figure is so incredibly offensive in so many ways I really don't know where to start. You end up getting the strong impression from the series that humans can't do much on our own. And then you take a step back and have to reckon with the fact that he chose to say that Adolf Hitler was a son of the Greek God Hades. And what can anyone say to that. It blows my mind that that specific detail wasn't heavily criticized upon the book's release. It casts a long shadow over all the rest of the world building.

The entire concept behind these books is colonial. Not only does he take what he wants from Greek mythology (which was, let's not forget, a RELIGION that some people still follow to this day) and then strips it of the Greek context so he can refrain everything in the most overbearing Americanness possible, but every reference to these Greek stories is laden with derision.

Why does he have to make fun of the gods, and the heroes, and the monsters, and even ancient modes of dress? In the Roman camp, Percy refers many times to the "bedsheets" senators wear. I can't think of a single instance of admiration. Reyna never wears a sewn hairstyle. Everything most foreign to an assumed American reader is associated with either foolishness or evil; like Octavian as Augur, in ancient Roman garb. Is there ever a temple or an object, in either a Greek or Roman context, that is presented as admirable and a noteworthy achievement for that culture? A mcguffin like Athena's statue doesn't count, not that I remember it being particularly revered by the demigods once they found it.

You see this reflected and perpetuated in fandom. Hera in particular stands out to me, but all the gods are treated with outright contempt. The invented swears or exclamations in the fandom are...telling. while not as common as some other fandoms (looking at you, witcher fans) I've seen really vile phrases like, uh. "By Hera's t**s" or "Aphrodite's dripping ****." Try translating that kind of language into the trappings of Christianity and say it in front of a believer, I fucking dare you. But it is so obvious that much of fandom sees Zeus and Hera and the rest of the pantheon as fictional characters - and what I am trying to say, in this long winded way, is that Greece ends up being treated as a fictional place, too.

I've seen fan stories where Percy visits Greece, and between "the Mist" and the way none of those stories ever introduce Greek characters, much less Greek demigods, the implication is that American Percy Jackson understands "the truth" of Greece better than Greek people. And isn't that what Rick Riordan is implying with his books? It's a pure theft. Greece might as well have fallen off the map after the Trojan War as far as he's concerned. He got what he wanted from it so hang the rest.

And he does this with everything. Piper McLean is Native American (Cherokee), but demonstrates no real understanding of or connection to Cherokee culture. She wears feathers in her hair. She is shallowly Native American, enough for the aesthetic and not much else. Frank Zhang has Chinese heritage, but Chinese culture is not relevant to his story at all. Him being Canadian doesn't even really matter. Leo Valdez is Hispanic. Hazel Levesque is black (and from the 1930s!!!!! Can you imagine her thoughts on how things have and haven't changed since then?). But their culture does not actually matter. Everything in these books is about America. Even when it says it's about something Greek, no, it's about America.

And that's the thing that gets me about it, that's what I keep thinking about, because Rick Riordan is one person who has influenced so many young people to think about other people and cultures, particularly and especially Greece, in the same crass and insulting way he does. I don't know what to do about that.

The central, subconscious tension in the Percy Jackson books is how much Rick Riordan fucking hates Greek myths.

[lucabyte]

On autonomy, and what it means to be Obliged to Help.

Bonus:

[dootznbootz]

Odypen definitely and equivalently adore each other BUT I weirdly can't see them as the type to actually say "I Love you".

They still definitely vocalize their love for each other but it's more so in "My Joy", and "Extraordinary Woman", "Strange Woman/Man", etc. And very cheesy lines (both say some cheesy shit in the Odyssey, and he definitely does in the Iliad as well. "Joy like a drowning sailor seeing land" bit???)

I could see "I adore you" but even then, that's probably during very specific moments but the actual "I love you"??? I just typed it just now for fic shit and... It weirdly just didn't feel right and I don't know why. 😅

Idk maybe it's kind of because I see them as over the top in ways, they love wordplay and riddles and I think they'd almost think "...That's not good enough >:( " about it??? I don't know???😂