#and still. he sees her crack the earth open with her first and just. smiles

[shadamyheadcanons]

Cold Hands, Warm Heart

Amy insists on bringing Shadow out to enjoy his first winter on Earth. Although she seems excited to do so at first, Shadow senses that something’s wrong.

Cross-posted on AO3.

--

This was written as a gift for @thequeenofspace for the 2024 Shadamy Secret Santa event. Huge, huge thanks to the mods who worked so hard to organize it!

Shadow was awoken by the buzz of his phone on the nightstand next to him. His eyelids blinked open lazily, and he peeked at the screen.

The notification at the top read “Amy Rose.” Shadow’s heart fluttered oddly as it always did at the sight of her name, but when he opened the notification, his eyes were met with a perplexing message.

>Morning, Shadow! It’s finally time, just like I said, remember? Don’t look out the window! :D

Shadow just frowned at it for a few moments, mind bleary, but then his brain caught up and replayed a conversation he’d had with Amy about a month prior.

“Oh my God, I hadn’t realized this was your first winter on Earth! Hmm...oo, I know! I have a surprise for you! I’ll text you in the morning sometime. When I do, don’t look outside! There’s something I want you to see!”

If those words had come from anyone else, Shadow would have rejected them outright. He’d always hated surprises.

He stretched and yawned, reluctantly dragging himself out of bed. He went through his morning routine, taking more time than usual to make sure his quills sat perfectly on his head. He kept his gaze trained on the floor as he pulled on his shoes, gloves, and the red scarf Tails had given him recently, resisting the urge to look out the window.

A knock at the door jolted Shadow out of his thoughts, but he still averted his gaze stubbornly as he jogged over to answer it. Amy’s warm, bubbly voice floated in, making his heart jump once more.

“Shadow, I’m here! Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” Shadow replied, unlocking the door.

“Great! Don’t open it quite yet, okay? Close your eyes!”

Shadow shook his head but obeyed without hesitation. “Alright. I’m ready.”

“Okay!”

The door creaked open, and a rush of cold air whistled through Shadow’s fur. A pair of gloved hands took his and guided him gently forward. “Watch your step!”

“With my eyes shut?”

“Oh, you know what I mean!”

Shadow chuckled under his breath. He shuffled his feet forward, found the edge of his doorstep, and stepped carefully over it onto his porch.

Amy’s voice dropped to an excited whisper. “Okay...now you can look!”

Shadow cracked his eyes open, only to squint immediately, temporarily blinded by his bright surroundings. “Why is everything so...”

Then, realization hit him, and he blinked his eyes open wide.

Every surface around him was white. Roofs, streets, cars, and lawns hid under a fluffy blanket three inches deep. Children laughed and frolicked in the substance while parents pushed piles of it off their driveways with shovels, grumbling all the way.

For once, though, the voices didn’t overwhelm Shadow’s senses; the sounds were muted, distant, seemingly deadened by the soft white cloak coating every surface.

Shadow looked around, mystified. A flake of the substance landed on his nose, making him cross his eyes to get a look at it. He tilted his head toward the sky and blinked as more bits of it fell on his face, tickling his cheeks. He held a hand in front of him, palm up, and watched as a few more landed on his glove, lingering for a moment before disappearing.

His mouth hung open for quite some time as he observed his surroundings. A puff of air escaped his lips, appearing equally white before fading out. “Is this...snow?”

Shadow could see Amy’s giant grin out of the corner of his eye. She bobbed her head, drawing his gaze. “Yeah! Isn’t it beautiful?”

Her eyes were sparkling and hopeful, as if her entire day were hinging on his response. As he ran his gaze over the streets and buildings, he couldn’t help but oblige her. “Yes. It really is.”

Amy let out a happy whine and hopped in place, and her smile somehow widened further. “YES! I knew you’d like it!”

It’s not the only thing that’s beautiful, he thought, hoping the fondness on his face wasn’t too noticeable. “Thank you for sharing this with me. It means a lot.”

Amy squealed happily and clenched her hands in loose fists under her chin, her expression turning determined. “And that’s not the only thing I’m sharing with you today. There are tons of things to love about snow!”

If Amy were anyone else, Shadow would immediately snap at them, indignant that someone would demand his time without warning.

Instead, his heart leapt. To hide his excitement, he looked for a distraction and noticed Amy’s outfit for the first time. He raised a brow. “You seem...prepared.”

Amy glanced sheepishly down at her huge parka and snowpants. She appeared to be about twice her normal size, indicating that she was wearing more than a few layers underneath. A dark woolen hat completed the outfit. When she met his gaze once more, though, she shook it off and smiled again. “And you seem unprepared! You’re going to need more gear than that in this weather.”

“Hmph. That won’t be necessary.”

Amy smirked and wagged a finger at him. “You won’t be saying that in a few minutes!”

Shadow adjusted the cuffs of his gloves and shook his head curtly. “As the ultimate life form, I was built to endure extreme temperatures. Unless it’s approaching absolute zero or hotter than boiling water, I’ll be fine.”

The smirk on Amy’s face morphed into a petulant pout. “That’s so not fair!” Her childish reaction drew a rare smile out of Shadow, and she sighed. After a moment, though, she wrinkled her nose and pointed a mitten-clad hand at the scarf around his neck. “How come you’re wearing that, then?”

Because I wanted to look nice for you, but I didn’t want to overdo it.

Shadow averted his gaze by staring down at the red fabric. “...Because Tails has good taste.”

Luckily, she just laughed. “I’ll tell him you said that.”

“You have to try this at least once in your life,” Amy insisted, pulling Shadow along with one hand while she held a red plastic sled in the other. “Vanilla used to bring me and Cream every time it snowed!”

Several families were watching the two of them, smiling at the way Shadow was letting Amy drag him around. He ignored them. “This is the one where you slide down a hill, right?”

“Yup! And the bigger the hill, the better...like this one!”

Amy let go of his hand when they reached the crest, and she gestured to the slope before them. Laughing children raced down the hill on plastic sleds of all shapes and colors in ones and twos, with occasional groups shooting down in long wooden toboggans.

Shadow’s eyes darted over the hill, spotting tracks and bumps that could cause trouble. The biggest obstacle, however, was the multitude of humans and Mobians alike who zipped down below them. “Seems like a lot of people had the same idea,” he muttered, mentally plotting out the safest route he could find.

“Yeah. This is the best sledding hill around. It’s always like this.” She was tapping her foot and scanning the area below them, apparently planning a route herself. She cringed, then gave an embarrassed laugh. “One year, Cream and I almost slammed right into another pair of kids. I swerved away just in time!” She visibly shuddered.

Shadow could see her jaw clench. Something about it made his stomach turn. “Did something else happen?”

Amy’s eyes widened, as if she were surprised that he’d be concerned, but then she shrank down and held the sled up in front of her, hiding half her face behind it. “Err, yeah...I kind of steered us into a big rock.” She narrowed her eyes, then pointed to a conspicuous, jagged, slate gray edge jutting up out of the snow halfway down. Layers of well-worn sled tracks weaved around the dangerous protrusion. “That big rock, actually.”

Shadow’s attention was immediately torn from the slope to Amy herself. “Did you get hurt?”

Amy’s eyes widened further. She paused for just an instant, expression strained...but then she snorted and waved it off. “Oh, don’t worry. I taught Cream to bail out and fly to safety in times like that so she wouldn’t get hurt. She’s fine.”

Shadow choked. “No, I mean you. Did anything happen to you?”

Who taught you to ignore yourself like this?

Amy just stared for a moment, mouth slightly open, but then she shook her head with a sheepish smile. “No worries! I just sprained my wrist, that’s all.”

Shadow’s throat clenched, and his frown deepened. “Which one?”

“Huh?”

He reached down for her hands and rubbed around her bracelets with his thumbs, as if he could figure it out from touch alone. “Left or right?”

Amy let out an amused huff through her nose. “Left, but it’s not like it matters now.” He held her left hand delicately in his own and tried to look closer, but her sleeve was in the way. Amy rolled her eyes. “Shadow. This happened years ago, and it didn’t even break. Vanilla wrapped it for me and told me to lay off the hammer-swinging for a couple of weeks, and then I was fine.”

At that, the stress finally left Shadow’s muscles, and he sighed. “Good.”

Thank God someone cared enough for once!

After that, though, he examined the hill with new apprehension. A couple of kids tumbled off their sleds at the bottom, rolling to a stop afterward with barely-audible grunts of discomfort. Shadow winced and looked back up at Amy. “Do you feel comfortable doing this?”

She tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well...you know. I’d understand if you didn’t want to after...that,” he trailed off, gesturing vaguely at her wrist.

Amy glanced down at it, then gave him a flat look. “Shadow the hedgehog, do you think a sprained wrist would take me out of commission forever? I’m tougher than that!”

“Well—no, I just meant—”

Amy’s gaze turned sly. “Y’know, I’m starting to think you’re just too scared to try it.”

Shadow’s competitive spirit flared up in his chest, eclipsing his concern. “I’m the ultimate life form. I’m not afraid of anything, especially not an activity for children.”

“Prove it.”

He crossed his arms and stared her down. Most would back off, but Amy’s grin only grew more smug with time, even when a low growl rumbled in his throat. Her refusal to back down and the way she never showed an ounce of fear toward him made Shadow’s stomach flip.

He shook it off and eyed the hill once more, then sighed and took her free hand in his. “Fine. But we’re not going anywhere near that damn rock.”

And the second all these kids are gone for the day, I’m coming back and slicing it clean off with a Chaos Spear. That thing’s never going to hurt anyone again.

Amy skipped forward to keep pace with him, excited smile spread brightly across her face once more. Shadow’s heart skipped a beat.

Especially not her.

Once they were far enough away from the rock, Shadow halted. Amy made an inquisitive noise, but he stayed silent. After nailing down the safest trajectory, he took two steps to the left, then nodded decisively. “Here.”

Amy chuckled under her breath. “Exactly here?”

“Precisely.”

“Whatever you say,” she replied. Even without looking, Shadow could hear the smile in her voice. A moment later, though, she spoke up again...and the amusement was gone. “Hm...this is pretty steep, isn’t it?”

Anyone who didn’t pay much attention to Amy likely wouldn’t have detected the hint of hesitation she was trying to hide. Out of the corner of his eye, Shadow could see the slight wrinkle of her nose and the tensed jaw very few people would recognize as unease.

Shadow turned fully toward her. “We can pick a different spot if you want.”

Amy kept staring down the slope for a moment, but then she shook her head stubbornly and clenched her free hand into a fist. “Of course not! When have I ever backed down from a challenge?”

Shadow admired her cute, defiant expression for a moment, then shut his eyes and sighed. Not once in all the time I’ve known you. He opened his eyes once more. “Alright. I’m ready when you are.”

Amy shooed him to the side and stooped down to place the sled down exactly where he’d been standing. “Do you want to sit in the front or the back?”

Shadow opened his mouth, fully intending to say he didn’t care, but something told him Amy would feel safer if someone were holding her. “I’ll sit in the back.”

Amy’s tone turned sickeningly sweet. “Aww, you just want to hold me, don’t you?”

Shadow coughed and sputtered. “N-no, of course not! I...I just...”

Well...she isn’t exactly wrong...

Amy snorted and sat down on the sled. “Relax, Shadow, I’m just kidding. Come on!” She patted the space behind her.

He crouched down into the sled, awkwardly splaying his legs out on either side of her, and sat on the cheap plastic. After a moment of hesitation, he scooted up right behind Amy. Her hands rested flat on the snow on either side of them in preparation, and he followed suit.

“Ready?”

He nodded.

“Great! Three...two...one...go!”

They pushed forward until they reached the crest of the hill, then let gravity do the rest. Shadow hurriedly wrapped his arms around her before they could gain momentum, finding it somewhat challenging around the bulky layers she wore.

Amy let out a squeal of excitement as they picked up speed. The wind whistled past Shadow’s face, and he could feel clumps of snow flattening and crunching through the thin plastic underneath them.

Even once they were halfway down the hill, though, the speed wasn’t particularly thrilling for Shadow. Instead, he scanned the slope for potential hazards.

In the process of doing so, he spotted Amy’s hands. Even through her mittens, he could see how tightly--how desperately--she was hanging onto the edges of the sled. When they jolted over a larger bump, her body stiffened in his arms, and her initial cheer faded into a whine that she probably thought he couldn’t hear. Shadow’s heart pounded.

She’s terrified.

Shadow’s eyes darted around, searching for any excuse he could find. Luckily, he spotted a toboggan shooting down the slope nearby. It wasn’t on a collision course with them, but it was just close enough to make the argument. He held Amy closer, making her let out a squeak.

“Chaos...control!”

After a familiar yanking sensation, Shadow reappeared at the top of the hill with Amy cradled in his arms. She jumped and reflexively latched onto him like a spider monkey, looking around frantically. At the base of the hill, their sled was sliding unsteadily to a stop, being blown around by the wind without its passengers to weigh it down.

“...Sorry.”

Amy looked up at him, the panic in her eyes softening into confusion. He nodded at the toboggan that was reaching the bottom. “They were getting too close for comfort.”

She followed his gaze, then went boneless in his arms with a shaky laugh. “Thanks, Shadow!” She snuggled up against his chest.

Shadow just stayed put, frozen and flustered, until he was interrupted by a few wolf whistles and amused comments from the strangers around them.

“Aww, how cute!”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Get a room!”

A choked noise got caught in Shadow’s throat. He nearly flailed, holding himself in check long enough to put Amy down. She snorted cutely, and he crossed his arms and looked away. “Is there anything else you wanted to do today?”

Amy glanced back down the steep hill to where their sled sat. She bit her lip, then looked back up and half-smiled. “Yeah. I’ve got a better idea.”

“I know you’ll love this one,” Amy insisted, lacing up her skates beside him on the bench.

Shadow nodded, though he wasn’t really sure what the point was; the rental skates even looked like his air shoes. He stood up once he was done tying them and took a careful step onto the frozen lake. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, testing the difference between the razor-thin blades and his typical flat shoes. With his natural coordination, he adapted easily.

When he looked over his shoulder, however, he found that Amy was having a tougher time. Her whole body shook as she attempted to stand, from her quivering legs to the trembling arms she was using to push herself up. Even her teeth were chattering. Her eyes were wide and focused as she straightened up inch by inch, and Shadow could hear her rapid breathing. At last, she stood up fully, letting out a heavy, relieved sigh.

Unfortunately, her relief proved to be short-lived; just a moment after she’d reached her full height, she leaned too far back. It wasn’t long before her limbs were flailing in an unsuccessful attempt to regain her balance. Soon, she was falling, terror in her eyes—

Shadow zipped into place, having predicted the slip-up. He pressed a hand to her back, tilting her forward to help her stand back up again. She latched onto his scarf and yanked on it to stabilize herself while she planted both skates firmly onto the ice.

Amy panted, staring straight ahead with wide eyes. Shadow waited for a moment, then spoke. “Are you alright?”

Amy looked up, and her eyes bugged out even more when she found his face just a couple inches away from hers. She cringed even more when she noticed she was clinging onto him for dear life. “S-sorry! I’m fine!” she blurted.

“I don’t mind.”

She untangled her fingers from the scarf and took a step back, and he found he missed the contact immediately.

Amy shook herself off. “Phew! You ready?”

Shadow raised a brow. “Are you?”

“Of course!”

Contrary to her confident declaration, though, Amy’s progress was slow. She pushed forward one skate at a time, practically stepping forward, as if she were afraid to glide further, and her arms stuck out stiffly by her sides. Shadow took the hand on her left side and slid smoothly forward, keeping an eye on her. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not comfortable.”

“Of course I’m comfortable!” she protested. She kept her gaze locked on the ice in front of her, though, apparently too nervous to look up. Shadow couldn’t blame her; if he weren’t confident in his own abilities, the curious, judgmental stares of the couples doing laps around them probably wouldn’t have helped.

Amy stumbled forward, grabbing onto his arm to keep from falling. “S-sorry!”

Shadow’s expression pinched. He knew Amy well enough to predict that inquiring about her wellbeing again wouldn’t be of any help. Instead, he shifted closer. “Straighten up more. If you keep your weight over your feet, you won’t tip over,” he muttered.

Amy looked up at last, visibly perplexed, but she nodded and followed his advice. Once she seemed more stable, he added, “Press your knees forward. Then...” Shadow hesitated and gathered up his courage, then skated closer. He lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Keep your head up.”

Shadow could hear her breath hitch. Her cheeks were red, and he almost fooled himself into thinking she was blushing, but he tried not to get his hopes up. She’s probably just cold. Even her chin is freezing.

Before he had time to analyze it further, Amy winced. Her gaze was fixed ahead, where they were approaching the edge of the pond.

Shadow shook his head, bewildered. She doesn’t even know how to turn! Why did she bring me ice skating if she can’t skate? He stayed close. “Turn your head and shoulders in the direction you want to go. The rest of your body will follow.”

Amy nodded and stared straight ahead, focusing on the turn with almost comical intensity, eyes narrowed. With Shadow’s guidance, though—and the vice grip on his arm—she made it, gliding stiffly around the corner. A nervous chuckle left her lips, but then it grew into a sincere, joyous laugh that made Shadow’s chest feel lighter. She pumped a fist in the air. “WHOO!”

The triumphant display drew the attention of several couples, and her laugh died down into a quiet giggle. After a little while, her grip on his arm loosened, and she held his hand instead. A genuine smile graced her face, warming Shadow’s heart.

At last, they completed a full loop. Amy gazed longingly at the bench where they’d started. Catching the look, Shadow spoke up. “Need a break?”

“Yes!” Amy blurted, startling them both. She smiled shyly. “If you don’t mind.”

Shadow just nodded. Seeing her trepidation as they approached the bench, he guided her toward it, subtly taking on some of her weight to help bring her to a stop.

She can’t turn. She can’t stop. Has no one even tried to teach her?

Amy dropped onto the bench with a relieved huff, then smiled up at him. “Sorry! I know we haven’t been out there very long. I haven’t done this since last year, so I think I just have to get used to it again.”

Shadow kept quiet, sensing it wouldn’t be wise to argue.

Amy frowned. “I don’t want to keep you from it, though. You always seem like you have fun with your regular shoes, so I thought you might enjoy this, too!”

Shadow tilted one of his skates sideways to examine the blade attached to it. “There’s a little more friction with the metal and the ice, but it’s pretty much the same otherwise. I could probably pull off my usual tricks in these.”

Amy gasped abruptly next to him, her face instantly lighting up. “I’d love to see that! Can you try it?”

Shadow gazed at her for a few seconds, knowing he could never say no to that face. He shrugged and adjusted his gloves. “Guess I could give it a shot.” She squealed, and he stepped back onto the ice to take a more active stance. He glanced around between the other skaters, calculated how much room he would need, and launched forward, ice flakes shooting up in his wake.

Shadow raced around the lake, throwing his weight into each stride and weaving between the other skaters. The carve of metal on ice sliced past his ears, crisp and clean. He made a few laps to get the feel of the friction, adjusting his stance to compensate. Then, he lined himself up in the center of the ice, pushed himself even faster, and leapt up high. He twisted his body sideways as he hurtled through the air, flipping forward end over end. He kept his eye on the ground as he fell, then straightened out in time to land on both blades with a decisive scrape. He fumbled a little with the landing, but he was able to lean into it without much trouble.

Around him, cheers erupted from the skaters who’d paused to watch, but Shadow didn’t have ears for them. He returned to Amy’s side, and she beamed as he approached. She was sitting on her hands, shoulders slightly hunched, but she took her hands out to applaud rapidly for him. “Shadow, that was so cool!”

Shadow groomed his quills back, not hiding a smirk. “Hmph. What can I say? I’m a natural.”

Amy brightened up and pressed her hands together. “Oo, I have an idea! You should be in the next Olympics with us! I bet you’d be great at figure skating.”

Shadow wrinkled his nose at the thought of the frilly outfits and classical music he’d always associated with figure skaters. “That’s not really my style.”

The way she wilted made him feel guilty. “Aww, really? But you’d be so good at it! You’re great at tricks, and you’re a lot of fun to watch!”

Amy’s eyes shined up at him, pleading and hopeful. He only lasted a few seconds before relenting. “Fine. I’ll learn one trick.”

Her resulting smile was worth it. “Really? I’d love that! Which one do you want to learn? There’s the toe loop, the lutz, the salchow...”

Shadow stared blankly. “I don’t know what any of that means. Which one is your favorite?”

Amy pursed her lips. “Well, my favorite is the axel, but it’s the hardest one, so...”

“When has that ever stopped me?”

Amy giggled. “I guess you’ve got a point. You have to start skating forwards, then spin around, and...” She trailed off and twirled her fingers, trying—and failing—to demonstrate. “Well, it’s kind of hard to describe with words, but...”

Amy looked out across the ice. Her eyes flicked down to her skates, and she cringed for just a moment before she could hide it.

There’s no way she can demonstrate that. Shadow rubbed his chin. “Is there a video you could look up?”

Amy perked up again immediately. “Oh, yeah!” She pulled out her phone and started typing away on it. “My favorite figure skater, Elise, can do it perfectly! She’s from Soleanna. I’d love to meet her someday!”

Amy kept talking about the figure skater, but Shadow was more preoccupied with her hands. She’d had to take off a mitten to use the screen, and seeing how stiff and shaky her fingers were made him wince. He lifted a hand and opened his mouth to ask, but she interrupted him.

“Alright! Found it! Check this out!” She handed him the phone.

Shadow took it and watched as a slender, red-haired woman skated confidently through an ice rink. She wrapped her arms around herself in preparation. When the music from Amy’s tiny phone speakers reached a crescendo, she launched herself into the air, twirling twice before landing on one foot and effortlessly leading into the rest of the routine.

“You don’t have to do two spins like she does,” Amy added. “It’s better to start small with just a single.”

Shadow replayed the jump a few times. Forward, on that foot, then land backwards... He nodded and returned her phone. “Got it.”

Her eyes bugged out. “Already?”

He crouched down in a starting position and smirked at her. “I’m a quick learner.” Then, he took off.

Shadow looped around the pond a few more times. Several other skaters turned to look this time, but his focus was locked solely on Amy. Worry tugged at his mind when he noticed how she was sitting: shoulders hunched, hands between her knees, and face half-buried in her parka. He pressed his lips together. I need to get her off of that bench to do something. He looked forward again. But first...

Shadow rounded one more corner, then dashed forward and smirked. No one underestimates me and gets away with it. He took stock of where his feet were, pulled his arms in, and launched himself up, spinning three times. The area seemed to grow still after a collective gasp...until Shadow landed solidly on one foot, teetering for just a moment before he regained his footing. Shouts and applause rang out behind him as he skated casually over to Amy, drifting backwards to a stop. His smug smile grew the longer she stared, mouth open wide.

Eventually, she regained her composure and shook her head, smiling. “Now you’re just showing off, aren’t you?”

“Of course. Don’t you know who I am?”

Amy chuckled. “Yeah, we get it, Mr. Perfect.”

Something in her tone stung. Shadow glanced down at her skates again, wondering if he’d overdone it. “All the same, I think I like my air shoes better. Maybe I can pull off axels in those, too.”

Amy snorted. “You actually haven’t landed any axels yet.”

Shadow’s jaw nearly dropped. “Then what was that?!” he demanded, gesturing back at the ice.

Amy’s laughter rang out. The light, pleasant sound tickled his eardrums. “You landed on the wrong foot!”

Shadow stared at her blankly and skated closer. “So it doesn’t count? Really?”

Amy nodded through her laughter. “For the record, though, I thought you looked really cool. Just like you always do!”

In the wake of those words and Amy’s pretty, charming smile, Shadow fell forward into the snow, tripped up by the transition off of the ice. Amy laughed all the louder, and Shadow just stayed face down for a few seconds, hoping his embarrassment would melt away into the snow. When it didn’t, he scrambled up onto the bench next to Amy, hoping to salvage at least some of his dignity.

Amy’s merriment died down at last, and she cupped his cheek, making his pulse skyrocket. “Are you alright? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have laughed!”

Shadow sat still, allowing her to brush some stray snow out of his quills and off his face. “It’s no problem.” Once she finished, he spoke up once more. “You know a lot about skating considering you—” Shadow froze, then panicked. “I mean...not that you...”

Amy blew her quills out of her face and smiled wryly. “It’s okay, I know I suck.” Shadow’s blood boiled, but she held up a hand. “Don’t worry, I’ve known for a long time that it wouldn’t work out.” Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes were downcast. “I really did want to be a figure skater when I was young, but, well...” She gestured weakly at the ice. “You know. I asked Sonic if he wanted to be my partner for doubles ice skating last year, and he said yes, but then he saw me actually skate, and—” Amy bit her lip. “Well, he didn’t want me to get hurt. So...he went with Blaze instead.”

Shadow’s heart clenched, then burned. His fingers hurt from how tightly he held onto the bench underneath him, and his voice lowered an octave. “He did what?!”

Amy held up her hands immediately. “No, no, it’s not like that!” She rested a gentle hand on his tense shoulder. “For doubles figure skating, you don’t just skate normally. You do tricks and throw each other around in the air. It’s just about the most dangerous event at the Olympics.” He didn’t calm down, so she kept trying. “Blaze is a really good skater, and they won gold. I’m happy for them, really! I never could’ve done that. I’m just glad Sonic was looking out for me.” When he still wasn’t convinced, she laughed nervously. “I mostly just felt bad for Silver. Blaze didn’t know he liked her yet, and I think he got the wrong impression.”

Shadow’s pulse spiked even higher. Silver? You’re worried about Silver?! Why don’t you ever put yourself first?!

But out of the corner of his eye, Shadow could see worry lines etched into her face, and he knew now wasn’t the time. He closed his eyes, inhaled, and let it out slowly. With that, he met her gaze properly. “I’ll teach you. I’ll teach you all of it.”

The worry lines made way for surprise. “Really?”

Shadow nodded. “If there’s anyone who can teach you, it’s me. Anytime you want.” He stood up and reached out his hand. She looked confused, so he added, “I’m not skating without you.”

Amy stared at his hand for a long time. She started to reach for it, then stopped and looked away, defeated.

Shadow let his own hand fall. “Another time?”

Amy sighed, then gave a tired smile. “Yeah...some other time. I have another idea.”

Amy leapt into the air as she led him away from the frozen lake. “Alright! Feels good to be back in regular boots again, huh?”

Shadow nodded absently, but his attention was drawn toward her hands, which she was rubbing together. When she turned around and noticed he was looking, she whipped them behind her back with a hasty smile. “Have you ever heard of snow angels?”

When Shadow looked closer, he noticed her teeth were chattering again. “Are you alright?”

Amy huffed and crossed her arms, tucking her hands under her armpits with a pout. “Of course I’m alright! Have you heard of them or not?”

“I may have heard the term,” he replied, still unable to focus past her obvious discomfort.

Amy leaned in. “You’ve ‘heard the term?’ Do you know how to make one?”

“Uh...no.”

She wrinkled her nose, then nodded with authority. “Well, then, I’ll have to teach you! First, you hold your hands out to the side, then—!”

“Shoot!” The second she began to fall backwards, Shadow zipped in and caught her. “What are you doing?!”

Amy just froze in his arms for a moment, gazing into his eyes, but she snapped out of it, pressing her hands against his shoulders. “No, I’m supposed to fall back this time! Let go!”

“But—”

“You don’t understand—!”

With one last shove, Amy’s arm strength won out. She toppled the last foot or two to land on her back in the snow, and Shadow stumbled.

By the time he regained his footing, Amy was pushing her arms and legs back and forth through the snow. “S-see?”

She was trying to hide the pain in her face behind a smile. Shadow’s heart stung. He didn’t wait another moment before reaching around her torso to lift her up. Amy made a noise of complaint, but she didn’t stop him.

“What in the world were you thinking?!” he muttered, hurriedly brushing snow off of her head, shoulders, back, and arms.

Amy grumbled and wiggled away from him. She forced another smile onto her face and pointed at the imprint in the snow. “Look! It’s an angel—oh, wait!” She hopped around to crouch above the angel’s head and reached a finger toward the snow. “If you draw an oval here—”

Before Amy could blink, Shadow had dashed to her side and taken her hand to lift her upright again. “What are you doing?!”

Amy looked from her finger to his blazing eyes. “I’m...adding the halo?” Both of them could see the way her hand was shaking between them. She yanked it back. “Shadow, what’s gotten into you?”

“You’re miserable.”

For a moment, she just stared back, as if she felt trapped, but she shook it off with another fragile grin. “What are you talking about? We’re having fun!”

“We aren’t. You hate this.” When she opened her mouth again, he cut her off. “I can tell.”

Amy’s eyes darted around, and her breathing quickened. “B-b-but...I...”

Shadow sighed and took her hand. “There’s one more thing I want to do.” She hesitated, visibly confused, so he held up his Chaos Emerald.

After a moment’s hesitation, she squeezed his hand and nodded.

Shadow warped back to his house with Amy in his arms. She stumbled a bit upon landing, but he held her upright.

“Sh-Shadow?” Her voice was muffled and shaky against his scarf. He could feel how cold her face was against his neck.

“You’re shivering. Stay put.”

“I’m f-fine! I-it’s not a big deal, I just–”

“Stay.”

Aside from a quiet whimper, she didn’t argue further. He kept her body close, ignoring the damp shell of her coat. Shivers wracked her small frame for a while afterward, but Shadow was patient. In time, they subsided.

Once she’d stopped shaking, Shadow pulled back. He tugged on one of her sleeves. “You won’t get warmer unless you take this off. It’s wet.”

Before she could speak, he’d already warped away to turn up his thermostat and retrieve his warmest quilt, the one that was far warmer than he’d ever need for himself. She barely had time to remove her parka and snow-covered knit hat, revealing the red sweater she’d been wearing underneath. He instantly draped the blanket around her shoulders and guided her down onto his couch, gentle but firm. “Sit.”

“Huh?”

Without waiting for a reply, Shadow teleported to his kitchen and started rooting through the cupboards. Where is it, where is it...ah. He withdrew a box of cocoa powder and a pair of mugs. He swiftly poured water into them, mixed in the powder, and tossed them in his microwave.

Shadow could see into the living room where Amy was settling down on the couch, still wrapped in the quilt. Another shudder made her shoulders hunch, and his foot tapped rapidly. When the digits hit zero on the microwave, he whipped it open and immediately withdrew both mugs.

In an instant, he was lowering himself onto the sofa next to Amy. “Be careful. It’s hot.”

Amy’s wide eyes drifted from Shadow’s face down to the mug he was holding for her. Her nose twitched. “Is this...hot chocolate?” He nodded. Her head tilted. “But this is your first winter on Earth. How do you know about hot chocolate?”

Shadow watched as wisps of steam curled up from his mug. Slowly, he opened his mouth. “Space is cold. The ARK was heated, but there were drafts and cold corners, especially near the windows.” His gaze drifted across the room toward the wide bay window that revealed the street outside; even shut, it couldn’t mute the whistling wind outside. He could see Amy shiver just looking at it. She turned away and took a tentative sip of her hot cocoa, then peeked up at him silently.

Shadow sipped his own as well, feeling the hot liquid burn a trail down his throat, banishing what little chill he felt. He stared into his mug as he reminisced. “I was fine, but the scientists had trouble. I saw them shivering, carrying extra jackets around in case they had to go through a cold spot.” His teeth clenched. “I felt helpless.”

A hand rested on his shoulder, reassuring yet clammy. He took it in his own warm grasp but kept staring straight ahead. “One day, a scientist brought in a rare treat from Earth. Using the stove in the breakroom, she heated up water, powder, and marshmallows, and she shared it with all of us in the cheap paper cups we kept around.” He inhaled deeply, and the scent from his mug brought back the warmth of the memory. His eyes fell shut. “It wasn’t much, but everyone was happy. They were warm and relaxed for once. They smiled and laughed with each other.” Shadow’s eyes fluttered open once more. “I picked some up at the store a couple months ago in case someone needed it. I don’t have marshmallows, but...”

A tiny gasp interrupted him. Amy was gazing up at him admiringly, eyes shining. “That’s beautiful!”

Shadow’s heart pounded. He wanted to feel flattered, but something in his chest still ached. He sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were cold?”

The adoration melted off of Amy’s face, and she huddled farther under the quilt. “It’s...it’s not that bad, I just...”

“Amy. I know you better than that. What’s going on?”

Amy froze, and not just from the temperature.

Shadow didn’t back down.

At first, all he could see on her face was fear, like that of a cornered animal. He didn’t avert his gaze, but he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand, and the fear softened. He continued until her muscles went slack and the tension had left her face. She sighed and looked down at their hands. “I wanted it to be perfect.”

“What do you mean?”

Amy bit her lip. “Today. All of it. I...I know you haven’t had the easiest time adjusting to Earth.” She squeezed his hand. “Winter is beautiful, and I wanted to be there with you for all of your...‘firsts,’ you know?” She put her mug down on his coffee table. “The first time you saw snow, the first time you went sledding, and skated, and made a snow angel...” Her shoulders rose, and her eyes started to water. “But I can’t do it. I can’t! I want to love winter, I really do! It’s beautiful, and there are so many activities that can’t be done any other time.” She peeked up at him through her eyelashes, then looked away. “And...it’s romantic. That’s why...I wanted...”

Shadow’s heart pounded painfully. “Amy...”

Her chest started heaving, anger seeping into her tone. “But I don’t like winter. I can’t stand it! I’m scared of sledding, I’ll never be a good skater, and I hate, hate, hate the cold! No matter what I wear, I’m always too cold! Everyone else is fine, it’s just me! Why can’t I—”

Unable to take any more, Shadow swiftly put down his own mug and opened the quilt to duck under it with her. He wrapped an arm around her to hold her close, and she cut herself off with a squeak. Shadow found her hand—warmer than before thanks to the hot chocolate, but still too cold for his liking—and rested his chin on top of her head. She made an inquisitive noise, but he stayed where he was, afraid he’d lose his nerve if he made eye contact. Once her muscles relaxed, he took a deep breath. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen up.” When she remained silent, he paused to find the right words, then spoke.

“I can run at the speed of sound without breaking a sweat, and my motorcycle is faster than any sled. I can skate anytime I want to. And I can’t stand surprises.”

At this, Amy pulled back, looking fearful once more. “I—I’m so sorry, I—”

Shadow pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. He exhaled through his nose. “I can’t stand surprises...unless they’re from one person.” He pulled his hand back, steeled himself, and fixed her with an intense gaze. “I’m not here for sledding or skating. I’m not here for snow or kids’ games. I’m here because I like spending time with you, and if you’re miserable, then there’s no point.” This time, his hand was the one that shook as he lifted it and cupped her cheek. “I never want you to make yourself unhappy for me again. Never.”

Amy stared up at him, eyes wide and unreadable. Nervous as he was, Shadow still didn’t look away, determined to let the message sink in.

The wait felt like hours, but at last, the shock frozen on Amy’s face melted away, leaving eyes watery with emotion. A smile soon bloomed across her face, the brightest one he’d seen all day. She threw her arms around him and eagerly swooped in for a kiss. It was too fast; before he had time to process it or tilt his head, she’d already knocked their noses together. She snorted and giggled at the way his face scrunched up, but she stayed close enough to rub noses with him afterward. Shadow was charmed enough to put up with it for a few seconds, but he quickly grew impatient and tilted his head to close the last bit of distance between them for a proper kiss. Her cheeks were still cool, but the breath she shared with him was warm, and the last of her shivers died down as she relaxed in his arms. Shadow kept up the contact until the pounding of his heart steadied, and then he pulled back. He took a moment to admire her affectionate gaze and the glow of her cheeks, now rosier than ever.

He cleared his throat. “You only had us try activities for me today. Is there anything you do like about winter?”

Amy’s smile was small and secretive. She bit her lip. “Well, I do like to cuddle up indoors with someone I care about and drink hot chocolate while we watch the snowfall.”

Shadow’s lips curled into a smirk, and he chuckled under his breath. He retrieved their mugs from the coffee table and returned Amy’s to her hands. “I think that can be arranged.”

She happily snuggled closer, nuzzling her way into the crook of his neck, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The two of them watched snow blanket the neighborhood for the rest of the evening, enjoying the picturesque view and each other’s warmth.

The trick Shadow does the first time on his skates is this one from SA2:

And the concept of Elise being a figure skater is a reference to this beautiful calendar art from the Sonic Channel website for April 2023:

I like to think she gets to have a more relaxing life now that Iblis doesn’t exist and she can safely shed tears without the world ending.

[teamsasukes]

kishimoto: now we don't have time to unpack all of that

[hearts4renaa]

SO HIGHSCHOOL ~

summary: all the corny, cute, romcom type things you guys do that makes everyone at NRC swoon. featuring the dorm leaders. contains: 1.4k words in total of fluff fluff and more fluff. gn reader, one of the lyrics i reference uses "her" but that's it. a/n: inspired by 'so high school' by taylor swift! i might make this into a series.... lololol we'll see! please enjoyy

“’Cause I feel so high school, every time I look at you ~”

“You knew what you wanted, and boy, you got her ~”

Riddle went above and beyond while courting you, giving you flowers, remembering and celebrating basically every important date, and eventually officially asking you to be his.

You giggle and almost coo when you open your locker to yet another small bundle of roses. You gently grab the small bouquet, letting yourself relish in both the floral scent and the affection you feel by this gesture. Ace and Deuce groan from besides you, already knowing who they’re from. “Geez, that guy and his roses, hey?” Ace comments. “That’s the third one within the past four weeks!”

You shush Ace playfully, your fingers trailing over the little paper tag attached to the ribbon. Your brain recognizes the penmanship almost immediately, for this handwriting has expressed numerous words of love towards you countless times before. Your heart flutters as your eyes scan the paper.

I love you forever, dearest.

“Truth, dare, spin bottles. You know how to ball, I know Aristotle ~”

You go to all of Leona’s Spelldrive games! you show up in Savanaclaw colors, your hair styled like his, and the biggest smile on earth.

“And look at that!” the Spelldrive announcer exclaims. “Yet another goal from Savanaclaw’s very own Housewarden,” The camera captures Leona’s signature smirk as he high fives a nearby teammate, high off the adrenaline of the game. “He’s playing well tonight,” The announcer speaks. “And I think we all know why!”

The camera pans to your absolutely shining face, cheering from the stands with crinkled eyes and hands clapping. Leona pauses for a moment to look at you, his eyes locating you almost immediately. “I love you, you’re doing great!” You mouth to him in pure excitement. Leona cracks a small smile before getting his head back in the game. He scored six more times that night.

“Get my car door, isn’t that sweet? Then pull me to the backseat ~”

Azul gives you total gentleman treatment! You haven’t opened a door in ages and you completely forgot what carrying a bag feels like.

“Thanks for tonight, Azul.” You smile at him as the two of you begin to approach the entrance of the Ramshackle dorm building. “I had a great time, as always. You didn’t have to walk me home, again, though.” You chuckle lightly. Azul gives a small smirk back, but his eyes gleam at your comments. His hand squeeze yours just a little tighter, and a faint blush starts to creep up his face.

“I’m glad,” He says softly. “And you know I’d do almost anything to spend more time with you.” Your front door comes fully into view and you feel as if it’s ending all too fast. Despite how many dates you’ve gone on, the rush of being out with Azul is something you’ll never get fully used to. He always leaves you craving him and his company. The two of you come to a still at your porch, and he turns to face you. He whispers your name, bringing your hand to his mouth and lightly kissing your knuckles. You swear that no fairytale prince could ever compete against him.

“I’m high from smoking your jokes all damn night ~”

You’re the first person Kalim looks at when he tells a joke. Taking you to his family home proved that he was absolutely serious about you, and it’s so evident that his siblings can see how much he loves you too.

The group of younger siblings burst into another fit of laughter at Kalim’s joke, as if they had never heard anything funnier in their lives. “Again, Kalim,” One of his brothers tugs on his sleeve. “Tell another one!”

While Kalim’s jokes were inevitably corny, you couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as well. The smiles of the little children were infectious, their energy fueling your own joy. Kalim tells another joke, but his eyes weren’t focused on his siblings’ reactions. No, he wasn’t even looking at their faces at all. His eyes automatically find your figure with each joke he tells, and he feels his heart swell each time you laugh. With your head thrown back and your eyes wrinkled with giggles, he’s never seen a sight more beautiful.

“Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me? It’s just a game, but really, I’m betting on all three, for us two ~”

Vil likes to mention you in his interviews, and he does it almost unconsciously. Questions about his romantic life are inevitable with someone of his level of fame, but he handles each one with grace.

The studio lights would be blinding for most, but Vil’s been in this industry for so long that he’s gotten used to it. The questions from the interview have been rapid fire, and Vil responds to each one with a graceful, almost calculated response. He’s been running on autopilot the entire morning; well, until your name gets brought up.

“Now, I just have to ask,” The interviewer crosses her legs and leans in towards Vil, as if he was telling her a secret. “Kiss, marry, kill: Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and your partner, Y/N?”

He doesn’t hesitate for a moment before answering the question. “I wouldn’t kill any of them,” Vil responds with a small smirk. Kissing you is as easy as breathing to him, and the idea of marrying you sends a chill down his spine. He loves you like he was made for it, and his devotion shines like a glittering gem. Vil continues his response. “But the first two options are reserved for Y/N and Y/N only.”

“Brand new, full throttle. Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto ~”

Idia likes to have some sort of physical contact with you at all times. At first, he was really jumpy, but your touch has become a comfort to him.

You hum as you lean onto Idia, your head resting on his shoulder. The lights in his room are dim, save for the bright TV near the edge of his bed. Your left arm is linked with his right one and you nuzzle your cheek into the fabric of his sweater. The clicking sounds of Idia’s controller lull you into a drowsy state, the late hours starting to hit you.

Idia looks away from his game to gaze at your sleepy figure, and he feels his cheeks start to heat up. It’s definitely not the first time you’ve done this, but the intimacy of it all still brings a warm, fuzzy feeling into his chest. The idea that the two of you could simply link arms, sit in silence, and do your own things and be content astounds him just a little bit; He thought you would’ve gotten bored. Your affection for each other runs much deeper, but you can feel all of it in the form of linked arms.

“No one’s ever had me, not like you ~”

What’s there that Malleus doesn’t do for you? But seriously, one of his favorite things to do with you is stargaze at nighttime, where his affection for you is at an all time high.

The night air is soothing as the chill creeps up your skin, keeping you awake. Malleus sits next to you, his presence being a comfort. The moon is bright tonight, the field quiet, with the occasional chirp from the nearby birds. The stars in the sky create a masterpiece of little lights, and Malleus can’t help but stare at you like you’re a work of art.

Malleus rubs his thumb into the flesh of your hand, gazing at you with hearts in his eyes. He feels the sudden need to ask a question that’s been weighing on him for a little while. His voice rings in your ears.

“You truly don’t fear me?”

You giggle lightly, letting go of his hand and turning to fully face him. Your fingers brush past his cheeks, cupping them gently and bringing your foreheads together. “I could never,” You whisper, smiling brightly. “Not when you love me so deeply.” His heart swells with affection. You open your mouth to continue, but his lips crash against yours before you can get another word out.

[shhhsecretsideblog]

Working Late

Had this idea stuck in my head for past few days so had to write it up. Quick little oneshot, 1.6k words. Self inflicted birth denial, clothing birth, voyeurism, but soft fluffy ending. Enjoy.

You were working late again. The sun had set hours ago, the dark evening sky barely visible through the windows, the office an unusually quiet ghost town. Unfortunately the conference call with your American counterparts could not be moved and with the time difference you had to stay late, long after the rest of your company had gone home for the day. Well you weren’t entirely alone this evening; your wife, and joint business owner, also stayed late deciding to finish up some things before she went on maternity leave next week. It made sense to work the same hours and go home together.

When your meeting was finished, you packed up your things and headed down the corridor towards her office. The door was slightly ajar, you were just about to knock and enter when you heard a long quiet moaning sound.

You paused, putting an ear closer towards the crack in the door, a smile pulling at your lips realising what she was doing. The pregnancy had made her insatiably horny, it wouldn’t be the first time she’d relieved that itch here in this office. Though you were a little miffed she hadn’t invited you this time deciding to go at it solo.

“Mmmnggh- oh god!” Moaned your wife beyond the door.

The arousing sounds had an immediate effect on you, turning you on despite the late hour and the long work day. You quietly opened the door a little more, wanting to watch and catch her in the act. But instead of seeing her in her chair with one hand down her pants as you expected, she was standing, her back to the door, bracing the wooden desk and swaying her hips.

“Oooohhhh-…don’t come now…” she moaned quietly.

What on earth was she doing, you wondered. The question was soon answered when she grunted and slightly squatted in front of her desk.

Oh my god, she was in labour! Panic clenched your heart. You should rush into her office, to help and support her, but her continued moaning and grunting kept the arousal firm in your pants. You couldn’t go in there like this.

“Mmmmmffh- baby wait a bit longer please!” She panted and shifted around the room, unaware of your presence. “Your daddy is in an important m-meeting… mnnnnhh… when he’s finished he can - take us - to hospital… then you can come o-outtt… nnnnngghh”

You watched the way her hips circled in between each contraction, the way her knees dipped at every pain, the way her beautifully tight round stomach having dropped low on her hips a few days ago contracted visibly through her thin dress, the way her swollen breasts heaved with every laboured breath. The sight had you frozen, in fear and fascination and arousal, leaving you standing in the dark corridor watching her through the gap in the doorframe.

“Oooohhhh it’s so low…. Mnnnnghhh-oh god! I t-think..I need to p-push… hooohooohooohooo no! Not now… daddy isn’t here yet…”

Your labouring wife grasped the edge of her desk, moaning and whimpering. Her stance had widened, her knees were buckling, and yet you couldn’t move. Every sound escaping from her lips pumped more blood to your groin.

“Nnnnngghhhh!” She leant an elbow down on the desk, her other hand cupping the swell of her heavy stomach which just accentuated the size of her full term bump. It really was huge, you had no idea how she managed to carry the extra weight and still dress the way she did - in her staple black dress and heels. Even when heavily pregnant she was still every inch the successful corporate woman you fell in love with.

“Hooohooo- you can’t come out now baby…. Please. Oooohhhh…Don’t push… don’t push…”she panted a mantra to herself.

You were transfixed; watching her struggle and sweat and labour in the office where your baby was probably conceived.

Suddenly she grunted, a deep gravelly sound, and you nearly climaxed in your pants.

“Oh my god…was that- shit, my water just b-b-broke!” She looked past her swollen stomach to see her stiletto heels now soaked in amniotic fluid. “Ooooohhhhh… Y-you’re really coming n-now aren’t you little o-one? Hoooooo- where’s… where’s your dad?”

Rubbing her contracting stomach and raising her head, your wife looked towards the door. You had no idea why but you disappeared out of sight the second she looked up, concealing yourself behind the wooden door. You should go in, you should help her, she was having your baby. And yet, your legs didn’t move.

“Okay… okay baby. Looks like hooooo it’s just you and m-me…” You heard her say, still out of sight but well within earshot. You heard movement inside the room and took a chance peeking round the door.

She had kicked off her heels and lowered herself to the ground, kneeling beside her desk with her arms up gripping the edge. She hummed, rocking slightly back forth, clearly preparing herself for the next wave. Then suddenly she sucked in a gulp of air before letting out a long lowing sound, deep and primal, and sinking back on her heels as she pushed. Hard.

Your jaw slackened, watching fascinated from outside. This woman was incredible, absolutely beautiful, listening to her body and following her instincts, birthing your baby right here in her office. You fell more and more in love with her with every grunting sound she made.

“Mmnnnggghhhh!!!!!!!” She roared, “fuck…. The head… I can feel it coming….”

She let go of the desk, a little unsteady without the support, scrambling underneath her flowing dress. Oh my god, she was delivering your baby, right here right now.

“Oh oh oh no- I can’t…. get-them-off!!!!” She cried, and you realised she was still wearing her underwear and was struggling to get them past her hips with her widened knees.

“Hooooohoooo oh baby wait a second… need to make room… I’ve got to take them off… I’ve got to…. I’ve got to…. Oh shit I’ve gotta pushhhhhh-NNNNGGGGGH!”

Your wife growled again, bearing down with everything she had despite her underwear blocking the baby’s exit. It was the hottest sound you’d ever heard. She gasped in between pushes, trying to tug her knickers out of the way. But to no avail.

“Oohhhhhhh I can feel you…. Oh my god there’s your h-head-hoooohoooo.” Her dress was pulled up and you could see her cupping the bulge that was pushing against the fabric of her underwear.

You baby was crowning, but your wife was struggling. The fierce lioness from a moment ago, who was confidently delivering her baby unassisted, was starting to panic. The baby was coming out and she was pushing hard, but she couldn’t move to take off her underwear, the head retreating after every push by the restrictive fabric. You could see the panic gathering in her eyes as she failed to break free from her knickers and her body struggled to birth the head. Tears welled in her eyes and it broke your heart; the spell of your voyeurism vanished in a heartbeat.

You immediately threw open the door and rushed over to her.

“Oh sweetheart.” You whispered, kneeling down beside her.

“You- you made it. Hooooo The baby…. is coming….” She grasped on to your for dear life, pulling at the lapels on your suit jacket as she grunted and pushed again.

“You are doing amazing, darling.” You encouraged, supporting her weight under her arms.

“Get-my-pants-off-now!!!!” She growled against your chest.

“Okay, just hold on to me. I’ll get them off.” You assured, moving her trembling hands to your shoulders, freeing your own to help deliver this child.

The thin material stretched across her widened hips, you hooked your thumb on either side and pulled down but they would only go so far with her knees splayed.

“I need to you move a little bit-”

“Move?! Are you serious? I can’t move! Grrgghhh!”

“Just a little bit darling, I need your knees closer together so I can get these knickers off…”

“I can’t… this baby needs to come out now. Oh god I need to push!!!!! Just get them off-get them off!!!”

You tried to rip the fabric but it was stretched too tight you couldn’t break it. Frantically you looked around to see if anything else could help, and thankfully your eyes found the scissors on your wife’s desk. Grabbing them quickly, you carefully cut the fabric at one hip and they immediately fell to the floor.

“Oh thank fuck!” Your wife gasped, still clinging on to your shoulders she widened her legs and sank closer to the floor in a deep strong push. “Here it comes…. MNNNGGGHHHHH!”

Before you could react, the head popped out with another gush of fluid. Your wife eased her grip on you, panting heavily in relief.

“Hoooohoooo- oh my god… that’s our baby.” Her hand cupped the newly born head, and she looked up at you and smiled.

“You are incredible.” You kissed her sweat-dampened forehead. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in labour?”

“I didn’t realise I was in labour, and when I did… hooooohoooo you were on your conference call. I knew it was important and I thought I had plenty of t-time… ooooohhhhhh god. I’m feeling pressure again….”

“Do you need to push? Is it time?”

“I think so… mmmnnnnh… are you ready to meet our b-baby?” You wife asked, a smile still tugging at her lips despite the rising pain.

“Of course, let’s meet our baby.”

Your wife shifted, stealing herself ready for the peak of the contraction that was building. Her hands braced against your shoulders, while your own were poised ready between her thighs.

Your beautiful wife grunted again, deep and long, as she pushed. You held her hips steady when she twitched and yelped as the shoulders stretched her wide, and a few seconds later your baby was born into your hands. A baby boy born at 8:56pm on the floor in your wife’s office at the company you’d build together.

[midascrow]

Lucifer x GN!Reader

A Fan of the Devil?

———————//————

synopsis: Charlie’s father is introduced to the hotels “Gardener”, and comes to find out that they’re a fallen soul from above. He’s also surprised to learn that they’re a fan of his.

warnings: religious pressure(?)

an: Part 1? If this is well received ofc. This is told from Lucifer’s perspective and therefore his view and inner thoughts regarding what’s going on around him. I also threw in the idea that he’s bad with names cuz that feels very accurate to me lol

—————————————————————-

He hadn’t expected his daughter’s friends to be so….eccentric, upon meeting them. Of course he knew Charlie’s heart bled gold for any sinner around, but he thought-, more so he hoped that she would keep somewhat better company.

Especially in the revelation of this “RaDiO DEmOn”.

Baggie- Mag- Vaggie, was alright he supposed. She loves his daughter, perhaps just as much as he does,that much he was sure. And while he was a bit disheartened by having not known of their relationship prior, he was still content and moved by the way the two leaned towards each others embrace as they spoke.

His heart ached. Just a bit.

“Are they up in their room again?”

“I think they’re in the Garden again, hon.”

Garden? The hotel had a garden?

“Oh! Oh maybe we could-“

“I don’t know…you know how they can be about us going in there..”

“Pshhhh! I’m sure it’ll be fine Vaggie! Plus remember how they always talked about meeting him??”

Meeting who? Who’s meeting who??

Was there some kind of owl in here?

“Dad!”

“Ah!”

Charlie blinked down at her father in an awkward beam, watching his red eyes dart around nervously, for a moment or two. “Who?!-“ His throat dried and swelled in embarrassment, cracking his voice as he fixed his pride with a dust off his hat. “Uhm…Yes? Char?” Nailed it. Totally. Very cool and suave of you big boss.

His daughter smiled, a crease in her brow before she clasped his arm and tugged him forward, away from the peering eyes of the others and down a long corridor. “There’s someone- Well-there’s someone who’s been dying to meet you! Yknow ever since they arrived here it’s just be non stop-“

Someone wanted to meet him? Why??

Surely they were a weirdo.

His grimace must’ve given him away, because Vaggie, who he hadnt noticed following them till the moment of, gave a small hum, to cut through her girlfriends words.

“They were a bit of a fanatic on earth apparently.”

He dead panned.

“A cultist.”

“No.”

“A satanist?”

“That’s not even what satanists do!”

“…..”

“….A banker-“

“Just-!….Wait and you’ll see.”

He fell silent at that, a frown pulled onto his pale lips as his feet dragged him towards wherever they were headed.

He was a bit stumped when they came upon two large doors, both decorated in shimmering glass mozaics, depicting two dividing scenes. An Angel; hands carefully cupped around a beautifully red apple, kneeled down towards the other mural, was depicted on the right. And on the Left, in the same position, with the same red apple, a demon.

He shifted uncomfortably.

“Wow Honey! I uh- Didn’t know this door even existed! It’s very cool, yes yes very cool- now let’s head back to the-!” He called nervously, a half witted laugh leaving his sharp tooth smile as Charlie nodded vigorously, shiney eyes aglow as she took hold of the golden handles of the ornate doors, pulling them open with a mighty huff as a golden light spilled from inside.

It was startling to say the least, fact proven by how Lucifer felt his wings practically shoot from his back in defense, feathers cascading down in time with the petals and leaves that followed an imaginary breeze through the threshold.

His ears strained to hear the quiet sound of rushing water and leaves shaking, birds chirping and insects buzzing quietly somewhere in the back.

His skin warmed. Not in the way it naturally did from hells weather, but as if the sun was beaming down on his skin for the first time in eons. Of course, he knew it was fake. But it was so close.

“Oh- shit! Charlie!” A voice barked beyond the golden glow of the garden, a figure stepping out from the shadows of a large bush, covered in leaves and flowers as they stumbled clumsily through, racing towards the door and slamming it shut, completely ignorant to the king beside their hip, who’s gaze pierced them in silent wonder.

He hadn’t felt that in a while.

“What did I tell you about coming in unannounced! You could throw off the entire ecosystem! The slightest temperature shift might make one of the flowers wilt or one of the fruits shrivel! At least warn me before-“

“Ahem.”

The sinner paused, shoulders jumping stiffly as they froze, finger pointed towards Charlie rudely from their rant before their gaze shifted to the side.

He heard the way their breath hitched, and his chest puffed slightly in pride, wings fluttering just slightly.

“Hello there.” He was being cheeky, he knew that, though his smile felt a tad too genuine, caused by the sheer awe that glimmered across the sinners face at the sight of him. “Lucifer Morningstar, I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting yet.”

He couldn’t find it in himself to dislike that look. He was the avatar of pride after all.

And a small part of him took a rather large enjoyment in the stuttering and stumbling of the sinner before him.

“Y-Your highness! Oh my gosh-“ He grinned “I wasn’t expecting your company- I would’ve dressed more- well I-“ Vaggie coughed from the side, redirecting their attention as they picked the stray foliage form their hair and clothes in a frenzy, towards the garden around them.

With a startled gasp they quickly stepped to the side, nearly tumbling in their haste as they held their arm out, presenting the garden to the king. “It’s..it’s an honor to meet you Sir.” Your voice was steadier, but still thick with anxiety that stuck like molasses to your tongue.

He watched your hand tremble, just slightly. Like his.

His wings fluttered again. A warm feeling bursting through his chest and into his eyes, giving them that shine that reflected the faux golden glow of the sun in the large green room. “The pleasures all mine, My dear. Do you mind explaining what it is you have-.…here”

His smile faltered, gaze stuck on the tree that stood tall and proud in the center of the spacious garden. Its leaves and branches stretched far, each adorned by beautiful red..apples, that hung and shimmered in the light. He expected the familiar ache of guilt to swarm his heart, but was surprised when he found himself breathless instead.

“I hope it’s..somewhat accurate. I’ve only seen recreations of course, never the real thing..” Your voice was a bit muffled in his mind.

He felt you step cautiously beside him, as he continued to gaze reverently at the scene before him. Shadows and memories danced past his eyes and through the patches of sun that decorated the floor. He swore he could hear quiet calls and whispers mix with the rustling leaves.

“You made this?” It wasn’t really a question.

Plants weren’t common in hell. Especially none such as this. They simply couldn’t grow in the rotted soil that spread across his kingdom. And there was simply no pure water to be found that could sustain them. So how-

“I might’ve take a few things before I fell.” You laughed shyly, cheeks warmed under the sun and the intense gaze of the King that snapped towards you.

Lucifer finally got a proper look at you. At your eyes and your features. Your afflictions. There was no denying you were a human soul. It was clear as day and still beat deep in your being. But..

“You were in heaven?” He gasped, eyes wide, mouth agape as he turned fully towards you, the grip on his cane tight as he scanned over the few demonic markings that lined your body, and the big golden X that flashed across your entire being. For only his eyes to see.

A virtuous soul cast out? Was that even possible? To turn away a true, virtuous soul, one of the few who had made it into heavens gate from their life on earth-

“It’s safe to say I didn’t truly agree with heavens teachings. It was too…polished.” There was an easy going smile that matched your tone, as you let your eyes wander towards the tree that wisely outshined every other plant in the garden. You continued.

“Heaven wasn’t my first choice. Frankly I didnt believe in it to begin with. But my folks were..somewhat of zealots. They wanted the best for me, I know that. But I missed…” You paused, seemingly thoughtful as Lucifer watched you with rapt attention, you both becoming ignorant to the two lovers that slipped out.

Charlie smiled softly to herself. Her dad needed this.

“I missed the free will that their religion took away from me.” Your gaze was knowing, almost wise like the tree when it peered back into his own, and Lucifer swore he felt something crack. Something lift from his shoulders and pulled his wings away, letting them spread proudly, in a way he hadn’t felt or experienced in years. Possibly ever.

“You know….I always enjoyed the story of you they told on earth.” Lucifer grimaced again, the vision of you dimming for a moment as he glanced away.

“Is that so? I’m sure they’re singing my praises.” It was a dry laugh, his hands gesturing in a faux confidence, but his lips quirked when he heard your muffled one.

“No, many aren’t. Most seem to align themselves with Heavens view…” You hummed thoughtfully and stepped forwards into the soft grass that peaked through the cracks of brimstone. Lucifer followed, instinctively. He felt leashed by your presence, though not necessarily in a bad way.

“Though there are plenty, who think a little more like me. There’s many versions of your story. I always knew that the original couldn’t be the full story. Too..one sided. Time on earth taught me that there was always a second side. Someone’s else thoughts-, perspective. Falling only confirmed that.”

You words tangled with your fingers that fluttered across the branches of a close bush, caressing a small flower that curled into your touch. “The first thing I did was look for the story. Of the garden. I wanted to replicate it, though admittedly there was never much detail to go off!”

You laughed again and the sound was quickly becoming a favorite of his. It was gentle..understanding. It almost hurt.

“And when I read the story..it was different. More romantic for sure.” You flushed softly, cheeks warm again as you recalled the way the story of Lucifer and Lilith warmed your soul. “But..more honest. Heart breaking even. I couldn’t believe how horrible it was must’ve been…and never knowing how amazing your gift was..” you turned to him again, your gaze so earnest and true that it made him step back.

Lucifer couldn’t deny the warmth in his own cheeks. You were pretty..pretty? That felt mundane. You practically glowed in the garden. And while it wasn’t a perfect representation of what Eden had been, it was better.

Eden had always been..one dimensional. It lacked the depth and feeling that Lucifer had hoped to give humanity. It was gorgeous, there was no denying that. But it wasn’t real.

This…This, is what he had hoped for the garden to be. Alive. Truly alive.

And…you brought it life…because of him? It didn’t feel right in a way. Having spent so many years locked away by himself and mourning the sin and ruin he had created from his own selfish wish.

Selfish? Had it been selfish? At the time, when he had done it, it didn’t feel selfish. He wanted humanity to live. To be alive! Truly, and honestly alive.

And you were so Alive. You were dead here in hell and yet you were breathing life into this gorgeous scene because you chose to. You chose to fall too. You chose to be in hell.

Because of him? Because of his…gift?

It was ironic almost. Laughable even.

Your lips pursed, a worried sweat on your brow as you lost that roaring confidence that bled into your words prior. “I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to preach or anything-“ He stopped you.

“So-.…you’re a fan?” His lips screwed into a wobbly smile, embarrassment creeping up his neck at his less then poetic comment, though the laugh you graced him with almost made the shame worth it.

“You could say that. I personally think I hold the title of number one fan, but you know beggars can’t be choosers I suppose.” You gestured animatedly, a small smirk on your lips as you professed your..favor towards the king, and he gleamed.

“Well!” His hands flew to his suit, straightening it out and letting his chest puff out from its slumped frame. “May I know the name of my, alleged, number one fan?” His words were coy, smug as he gestured to you with a flourish that he had shown to the other residents. (Of course till you had so rudely stunned him to silence)

The smile you gifted him was holy.

“(Y/N)…Your highness.” Your bow was playful, a little awkward and strained, but it made him laugh.

“(Y/n), hm? I’ll be sure to remember that.” His throat cleared briefly, “I…hope you wouldn’t mind me stopping by sometime again soon..I’d like to hear a bit more about your garden.” He liked the way you looked at him in this moment. Disbelieving but so hopeful. Like he was something, someone to gaze at in such a way.

“I’d be honored.”

Maybe you had a fan of your own now, as well.

———————☆

[thollandsgirl2013]

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐩𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤

Parings → Peter Parker x Stark! Reader

Warnings → fluff

Summary → At Tony's birthday, you reveal your pregnancy, leading to mixed reactions.

You and Peter were on your way to the compound, your nerves making the drive feel like an eternity. Peter was gripping the steering wheel too tight, his knuckles white with anxiety.

"I'm telling you, he's gonna kill me," Peter said, his voice trembling. "He’ll blast me off Earth, and I’ll never see my kid."

"Peter, stop being such a drama queen," you said, trying to keep the mood light. "Dad loves you."

"I’m serious, babe!" Peter's eyes darted around the road as if he was expecting an Avengers-level attack at any moment. "He won’t be happy that I made his daughter pregnant."

"We're married, Peter," you reminded him with a teasing smile.

"I KNOW!" Peter practically shouted, his stress palpable. "But it’s Tony Stark we’re talking about! He’s a genius billionaire with a high-tech suit. I don’t even have a suit like him!"

You chuckled, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "Relax. It’s going to be fine. Besides, you’re not just telling him you’re going to be a dad—you’re giving him a grandkid. He’ll love it."

Peter gulped. "I hope so."

As you pulled into the compound’s driveway, you could see your dad’s birthday party in full swing. The decorations were up, and everyone was mingling. Tony, Pepper, and Morgan were surrounded by the Avengers, with Happy looking over the festivities with his usual vigilance.

You and Peter walked in, and Morgan immediately ran over to hug you. “Y/n!” She squealed, her excitement almost palpable.

“Hey, Morgan!” You replied, giving her a big hug. “Happy birthday to Dad, huh?” You said while looking around the exaggerated decorations.

“Yeah.” Morgan chuckled.

Peter fidgeted beside you, his hands twisting together as his eyes darted around nervously. It was almost comical how out of sorts he seemed, like he was bracing himself for an impending disaster.

“Pete, you look like you’re about to face Thanos again,” Tony quipped, striding over with that signature smirk of his. He clapped a hand on Peter’s shoulder, then turned his attention to you. “Hey, kiddo.” His tone softened as he pulled you into a quick hug.

You smiled, trying to sound nonchalant despite your own nerves bubbling under the surface. “Just a little something,” you said, holding out the neatly wrapped box. “Happy birthday, Dad.”

“Oh, honey, you didn’t have to,” Tony said, his lips curling into a grin as he took the box from your hands. “But you know I love gifts.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at his predictable response. “I figured,” you said, crossing your arms playfully. “But this one’s actually from the both of us.”

Tony glanced at Peter, who offered a sheepish smile. “Yeah, uh, we both worked on it,” Peter mumbled, his nervousness still evident.

Tony’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he held up the gift. “Well then, let’s see what brilliance you two have cooked up.”

If only he knew.

_____

Dinner was served, and despite the delicious food and lively conversation, Peter couldn’t seem to relax. He kept playing with his fork and glancing at the clock, as if hoping time would slow down or speed up.

Finally, it was time for the presents. You exchanged knowing glances with Peter and headed over to where Tony was opening gifts.

“Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here,” Tony said, grabbing your gift first, tearing into the wrapping paper with his usual flair. When he pulled out the onesie with "The Best Grandpa's Grandkid" printed on it, his face registered confusion for a moment.

Everyone else was busy chatting with each other, but you watched Tony’s reaction closely. As the realization hit, his eyes widened, and a huge smile spread across his face.

“This is… this is…” Tony started, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. “I’m going to be a grandpa?” Everyone's attention was on you and Tony now.

"Happy Birthday, dad."

All the avengers started congratulating you. Natasha was the first to approach you. She enveloped you in a warm hug. “You’re going to be the best mom,” she said with a sincere smile.

Wanda joined in, her own hug equally comforting. “You and Peter are going to be amazing parents.”

You felt a lump in your throat as their kindness washed over you. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”

Pepper smiled at the display of support and stepped over to you, her eyes glistening slightly. She kissed your forehead gently. “Oh, honey, you grew up so fast.”

Sam and Bucky, who had been watching the whole interaction with smirks on their faces, couldn’t resist a bit of teasing. Sam clapped Peter on the back hard and said, “Looks like the kid’s having a kid.”

Bucky chuckled, adding, “Guess we’ll have to start calling you ‘Spider-Dad’ now, Parker.”

Peter laughed nervously, his face still a bit pale. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Steve approached, giving Peter a reassuring pat on the back. “You’ll do great, Pete. You’ve got this.”

Tony looked at you with a mixture of pride and nostalgia. “My little girl is going to be a mom,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “You grew up so fast, Y/n.”

He pulled you into a tight embrace, his tears betraying the emotions he was trying to keep in check. “I’m so proud of you,” he murmured, kissing your forehead.

As Tony pulled back from the hug, his gaze shifted to Peter. Peter’s face went pale. He had a brief moment of relief as he saw Tony’s smile, but it quickly turned into a look of terror as Tony’s expression shifted.

Tony’s eyes narrowed as he turned to Peter, the smile gone. “How dare you make my little girl pregnant!”

“Dad,” you said, trying to keep your tone calm, “let’s not start with this.”

“Um, Tony, sir, I-I can explain,” Peter stammered, his face turning red.

“Tony, honey, calm down,” Pepper said, stepping in with a soothing voice.

“Oh, I’m calm, Pep,” Tony said through gritted teeth. “But Parker’s gonna die tonight.”

Peter’s eyes were wide as he looked to you for help. “Y/n, say something!”

“Dad,” you said, stepping in between Tony and Peter. “Do you want your grandchild to be fatherless?”

Tony huffed, looking between you and Peter. “Fine,” he grumbled. “But only because I don’t want to be a grandpa to a kid without a father. Parker, you better take care of my little girl or so help me—”

“I will!” Peter interrupted, trying to sound as earnest as possible. “I promise, Mr. Stark, I’ll do everything I can.”

“Dad, relax,” you interjected, stepping between Tony and Peter. “Peter’s going to be a great dad. He loves me, and he’s going to love our baby.”

Tony’s face softened a little, but his protective instincts were still on high alert. “Alright, alright. Just… make sure you keep my little girl happy. And don’t mess this up.”

Peter nodded vigorously, his eyes wide. “I promise. I’ll do everything I can.”

“You better.”

Everyone else, who had been watching the scene with a mix of amusement and concern, slowly started to relax as Tony’s anger subsided. Morgan ran over to Peter and hugged him tightly.

“You’re going to be the best dad ever!” She declared.

Peter looked at Morgan, his eyes misty. “Thanks, kid.”

Happy came over and slapped Peter on the back, almost knocking him over. “Welcome to the family, kid. If you need any help with the whole ‘being a dad’ thing, let me know.”

Peter managed a shaky laugh. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

Pepper wrapped her arms around Tony, giving him a gentle squeeze. “See? It’s going to be alright.”

Tony took a deep breath, finally letting go of some of his tension. “Yeah, alright. I guess I’m just going to have to get used to this.”

The rest of the evening was filled with congratulations and warm wishes. Tony seemed to be in a much better mood as he began to accept the news. The whole party eventually gathered around, with everyone offering their support and excitement.

As the night went down, you and Peter found a quiet corner of the compound, away from the hustle and bustle of the party.

“See?” You said, wrapping your arms around him. “That wasn’t so bad.”

Peter let out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, it actually went better than I thought it would.”

“Now we just have to get used to the idea of being parents,” you said with a smile.

Peter grinned, his anxiety replaced by excitement. “Yeah, I think we can handle that.”

You both stood there, imagining the future and the new life that was growing inside you. It was a perfect end to an eventful day, with love, laughter, and a new chapter about to begin.

‎∗ ࣪ ˖༺ 𓆩☆𓆪 ༻˖ ࣪ ∗

[junkdrawerfics]

Game On

(one of my favorite clips, lowkey)

Jasper X Reader

Summary: A little snippet of wolf!reader playing baseball with the Cullens. You and Emmett have a little rivalry going, and you'll do anything for some Jasper scratches.

Word Count: 1021

---

“You sure you can keep up with us, wolfie?” Emmet calls from the batter’s box with an absolutely snarky grin.

You cock a brow at him, settling into a crouch with an equally vicious smile, “Just you watch me, Em, you won’t make it to first base.”

“I’d like to see that,” he taunts back, twisting his grip on the bat and posing it over his shoulder.

Jasper chuckles from across the field, the sound easily reaching your sensitive ears, “Take it easy on him, darlin’.”

“No can do, Jas.” Your friendly rivalry with Emmett started as soon as you and Jasper got together, only made worse by you being a shifter. Competitiveness runs deep in your blood. “Someone has to put him in his place, and you pansies sure aren’t going to.”

“Ooh-” Emmett hisses through his teeth dramatically. “-you gonna let her talk to you like that?”

“I’m not one to get offended by a few words,” Jasper shoots back, smirk all too cocky, “Not like when you whined a full week when she called you a cream puff.”

“Hey-”

“It’s time!” Alice chimes before Emmett can stand up for himself.

You snicker and he throws a glare your way.

Game on.

With your enhanced speed and strength, you put up a good fight against the vampires. It’s almost unfair, you and Jasper working perfectly in sync, getting them out one at a time. On your turn to bat, the feeling of smashing the ball, brutal and unrestrained, makes your whole body spark to life, driving you through the plates like a flash of lightning. It’s exhilarating.

Nearing the end of the thunderstorm, the game is close, your team up by one run. Emmett is back up to bat. Chest heaving, heart pounding, you make eye contact with him and, with the most wolfish smile, mouth a silent, ‘Bring it.’

Emmett scowls, eyes focusing back on Alice, and you hear Jasper chuckle softly.

Alice winds up, moving with practiced ease, and launches the baseball straight down the line. A crack of thunder overlaps the loud ring of the bat slamming into it, and it goes flying. You go flying after it.

You tear through the trees, eyes bright with glee as you follow the ball. The wind whips your hair around wildly, the damp ground giving way under your feet. You feel free. Out of breath, every muscle aching, but free. The moment right before your feet leave the ground, adrenaline surges through every cell of your body and you explode into a mess of fur and snapping teeth.

You jump, far too high, far too fast. But your teeth clamp down on the baseball, practically ripping through the leather, before you go crashing to the ground in a flurry of dirt and grass. The earth shakes at your impact, the sound louder than the storm’s thunder.

“(Y/n)!”

The family of vampires freeze, eyes wide. Jasper races after you. Worry burns through his veins as he comes to a stop at the crater’s edge. Gold eyes narrowed, he desperately searches through the haze of dirt for a sign that you’re okay.

Then you pop back up, and all his concern dissipates. You, in wolf form, look up at him with happy, squinted eyes, the ball still clamped firmly in your jaws. Your whole body practically shakes with how hard your tail is wagging.

“Well look at you,” the blond sighs, shaking his head, “I didn’t know wolves could fly, darlin’.”

Shaking off the dirt clinging to your fur, you scramble out of the hole you created. Without hesitation, you push into Jasper’s open arms. He chuckles as you wiggle in his grip, letting out little happy huffs as he scratches your head. You love it when he gives you scratches in wolf form, it’s like getting a massage in human form.

“You know-” You perk your ears and pause to look up at his slanted, mischievous grin. “-Emmett won’t like this.”

You let out a muffled ‘woof’. He better not like it, because he just signed his defeat. You won. The thought makes you growl happily as you adjust the ball in your mouth. Time to show off your victory.

Jasper sticks by your side and you trot back to the field. The moment you reach the tree line, Emmett lets out a loud, rumbling groan.

“That has to be cheating!”

“Umpire?”

Everyone turns to Esme. Emmett looks so hopeful, but then she looks at you and winks. You’ve never been so happy to see someone’s face plummet.

“You’re out, Emmett.”

You drop the ball and let out a small victorious howl. The man glares at you playfully, but you catch the smallest glimpse of a smile when you do a few happy stomps and throw yourself at Jasper. The blond grunts as your full weight takes you both to the ground. 

“Darlin’,” he wheezes out a bright laugh, “you’re crushing me.”

You huff, not caring even a bit as you drop your head on top of his chest. More scratches. You deserve more scratches, you won the game! Jasper can feel your insistence, having grown accustomed to reading your more chaotic emotions in this form, and gives in when you nudge him with your nose, licking his face. He curls his fingers through your thick fur, earning a happy grumble from you.

“We’re going to head back to the house,” Carlisle announces, voice ringing with amusement, “Feel free to join us when you would like to.”

Which ends up being far later in the night because there is something so lovely about just curling up with your vampire and watching the stars come out. He eventually goes and retrieves your extra clothes (he started keeping some with him after several phasing accidents) and you return to the Cullen household, where you mercilessly mock Emmett.

“How does it feel to lose to a wolf, cream puff?”

“(Y/n), I swear to God I’m gonna-”

You dash up the stairs, giggling wildly. Jasper follows behind slowly, tossing the bigger vampire a smug grin.

“Next time, you shouldn’t underestimate her.”

---

This idea came to me at like midnight and I wrote down the idea and I love it. I hope you guys enjoyed it too!

[alrtyhoney]

The rundown: You looked like someone Miguel terribly misses– his daughter. (FIRST PART)

Content: Miguel x Daughter!Reader (wc: 1359)

“Have you thought about it already?” 

The girl remains focused on her drawings, doodling away. “About what?” She mumbles a reply, without turning her gaze, still engrossed in her drawings. She knew what he was going to say anyway.

Miguel reaches forward and tenderly tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Your quinceanera, Gab.” He remarks warmly. 

She only laughs in return, shaking her head. It's silly, she thinks to herself. "I'm not even near being fifteen yet!" she protests in between fits of giggles. It occurred to Gabriella that his father had an ulterior motive from the sudden pique of interest in her hobbies and likes; he wasn’t particularly chatty, so the past few weeks had pushed her to finally ask him what he was trying to do. 

She didn’t understand at first. Miguel, very patiently, explained that a quinceanera was a special once-in-a-lifetime event for every girl. It was more than just a birthday celebration, it was an important milestone in her life. But she quickly discouraged the idea, not wanting to think about it so early. They had all of the time in the world, she thought, there was no reason to rush.

“I just want it to be special.” He says, “Your mother would’ve wanted that.” 

“No te preocupes, papá.” She reassures her with a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll make it special.” 

The clip ended, the screen slowly fading until only his reflection remained in the empty frame. All he could see now was a hollow shell of a man looking back at him; his expression blank and unflinching. Miguel closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. That scene had etched itself into his mind, burning– mockingly so. 

Nothing could ever fill the hole that his daughter had left in his heart - like when he first held her in his arms so many years ago; her presence still obvious on his chest where her memories had imprinted themselves, a permanent reminder of the loss of a child. He trudged through life with heavy feet and an even heavier heart. 

He wonders if things could’ve been different or if he would always be incapable of keeping people in his life, always slipping from his fingers and out of his grasp.

“You’re watching it again,” Lyla appears on his shoulder, sitting there with her legs crossed. 

“What about it?” 

"That's the fourth time today," She says, her voice laced with a trace of worry that she was quick to try and disguise as part of her normal banter. It had become increasingly clear to her that something was amiss and although she was programmed to know anything, Lyla did not know much about Miguel. 

“What do you want?” 

“An anomaly is spotted in earth-829, a renaissance-like hawk wreaking havoc in a modern museum– yikes.” Lyla briefs him, “Jessica is already on standby.” 

Miguel shakes his head, sighing. “Shouldn’t she be on maternity leave already?” He asks, his suit already appearing and opening a file regarding the mission. A hologram opens in front of him, filling in the details. Vulture. “Tell her to go home. I’ll handle this one.” 

“I think you shouldn’t,” Lyla squeaks with a nervous smile on her face. “Think you really shouldn’t.”

Miguel taunts with an arrogant tilt of his head, matter-of-factly declaring, "And who's the one taking orders here?" His mask then slides firmly into place, and a portal opens beneath his feet as he steps through. Lyla knows too well by now that there isn't any room for negotiation. 

As he stepped into the unfamiliar environment, a chorus of cries and screams greeted him from the running crowd. They pushed each other to safety, a few staying to watch spider-man in action. Miguel sighs, cracking his neck as he prepares himself to step in.

However, he slightly flinches as the said hero narrowly avoids him, crashing into the wall behind him with a loud thud. She quickly scrambled back to her feet, dusting the bits of rubble from her suit. “Hello? Mascot-man? I’m kinda in the middle of something here–” 

“I’ll take it from here, kid.” If it wasn’t for the mask covering his face, his nonchalant tone would betray his expression. It was no surprise to him that someone as young as her had been bitten by a spider like so many others before her, but he knows damn well what awaits for her and that is what troubled him every time. 

“And who are you exactly?” She shouts, running towards the anomaly again. 

Miguel quickly binds the vulture's wings with his webs, allowing you to throw in a few punches before the bird regains its footing and takes off into flight. “I’m from another dimension.”

You audibly gasp, the eyes on your mask widening as you swing around, “I knew dimensions were real!” Completely unfocused, the anomaly narrows his eyes before charging towards you– before you could react to your senses tingling, you were sent tumbling to the ground, near the broken pile of rocks and other rubble. 

Miguel loudly groans, getting a hold of the enemy. “Kid, focus!” He barks out, and you immediately snap back to what you were doing, swinging enthusiastically towards him. 

“How did you do it? I mean– I tried to prove it all my life!” 

“Aren’t you 12?” He scoffs at your statement, clearly not a fan of exaggeration.

“14 – and that’s not the point, mascot-man!” 

The fight went on with you chatting and talking his ear off. Miguel had answered in dismissive grunts and his usual ‘it’s classified.’ remark, but he just couldn’t discourage your eagerness in any way. You had tired him out, more than the anomaly did.

Spider-society, magic watch, many more of you– you’ve basically summed up. 

“You should definitely let me join,” You offered cheerfully, cocking your head and wiggling your foot. The battle had finally come to a close, thanks in part to the arrival of a couple more spider-men who lent an extra hand. You had caught up to Miguel, basically begging him to let you in. “We made a great team back there old man!” 

“Old man?” 

“Okay, sensitive,” You muttered under your breath. “But seriously– I could learn more from you!” 

“Kid, listen–” 

You had cut him off again, seemingly not taking no as an answer as you tried to persuade him again. You continued to babble, not leaving any room for him to interrupt. Miguel rubbed a hand over his face, hidden beneath the fabric of his mask, as he groaned in frustration for what felt like the hundredth time today. His eyebrows furrowed as he listened to you rambling on and on– patience nipping on itself from your lack of understanding with regards to the matter at hand. 

“First off, I did most of the work back there. If it weren’t for me calling for back-up, you could’ve been injured badly. This society isn’t some school club you can just sign yourself in,” He explained, already itching to return and leaving you in the dust. A liability is the last thing he needed. “You don’t have what it takes.”

You throw your head back, groaning. You take your mask off, revealing a busted lip and a frown. “Whatever, your club sounds stupid anyway.” You mumble under your breath, suddenly feeling worn out yourself. Of course what he said had stung– it had taken so much effort to learn how to control your powers over the past two months since you were bitten by that spider. It wasn’t like there was a manual or a book written for freaks that happened to have superhero powers under such circumstances. You had to learn on your own. 

Turning your back on him, you had fully expected him to disappear as well– but, to your surprise, he was totally motionless; a statue in solidarity unable to shift an inch. His stillness made the atmosphere unbearably tense and although you could not bring yourself to look back at him (well, you did call his club stupid.), you sensed his gaze upon you like a heavy weight pushing down on your shoulders. 

“Gabriella?” 

[passionwillow]

Smutty idea!

Deacon is nervous to be intimate with his gf because it's the first time he's been intimate outside of Anne so reader takes charge while he finds his footing.

Oh my GOSSSHHHH YES

No hate to Annie I really do like her character sometimes lul

The divorce left Deacon reeling for a while, so when he met you, it was like a tether back to Earth. Your easy smile, loud laughter, and dedication to everything you cared about had his knees weak and head fuzzy.

He took it slow, wanting to make sure this was something you really wanted: an older guy with a dangerous job and kids (he already knew he wanted you).

When he realized you were as committed as he was, his whole world lit up. He was head over heels.

The physical aspect of it is what gave him nerves. He hadn't been with anyone in bed since Annie, hadn't touched anyone but her for years.

When he finally had you there, laid out in bed all undressed, he froze. He felt like such a fucking fool, but there nerves, the anxiety, had him stuck. Luckily, you understood, and guided the way.

You pulled him down into a kiss, taking his hands and gently guiding them to your chest, to your hips and thighs, letting out soft moans as he took the hint and touched you.

You could feel his hands trembling as he cupped and kneaded your breasts, fingers pinching and tugging at your nipples and reveling in your moans.

His hands roamed over your stomach and hips, squeezing the soft flesh, so different from Annie's slimmer build. The way you arched into him, like you were craving him, made his skin warm and his cock harden.

His mind was spinning. Your scent in his nose, the soft warmth of your body beneath him. There was so much he wanted to do, so many things he wanted to try. He was always in charge, always knew what to do, but he couldn't fucking decide.

You looked up into his eyes, seeing the conflicting thoughts behind them and smiled, cupping his cheek and whispering. "I want you in me, Deac. We have all the time in the world to try things together."

His brain seemed to slow, the thoughts narrowing to you, underneath him. He cracked a smile and pressed his lips to yours, humming as you took his calloused hand and slid it between your thighs.

Oh, holy shit.

You were so wet, absolutely drenched, just from him. His forehead rested against yours, eyes closed and lips parted as he breathed heavily and eased a finger into you. You were so tight, so willing and you were all his.

Your eager moans had him slipping a second finger in, eyes fluttering open to watch the expression on your face as he prepped you. And you were praising him.

"Fuck, Deac-.. Just like that, oh my gosh.."

He couldn't take it. He slipped out of you and gripped his cock, tip slitted right against your entrance. But he still hesitated. Your hands cupped his cheeks and he looked at you, looked at the excitement in your eyes. And you were asking for him, asking for him to take you.

"Please, Deacon, I want this. I want you."

He thrust into you slow and steady, trying to stop and let you adjust but you were so hungry for him. Legs around his waist, hands clawing at his back, practically begging.

"Oh- yes, yes, please-"

He let you guide him, his head empty of everything except for you. Your walls around him, clenching tight, your thighs locked around his hips. Your nails digging into his back and clawing, your whines and whimpers and pleas for him go harder, faster, deeper.

He lost himself to you completely that night, and he was on his knees for you forever since.

[sherewrytes]

A sparkle of a moment, Eren x Black F reader

Wanted to see if I can write Fluff for this Christmas season.

The scent of cinnamon candles filled the cozy apartment as you hummed softly, focused on the tiny halo you were crafting for Seren’s angel costume. The warm glow of the Christmas tree in the corner lit up the room, its ornaments sparkling like the excitement in your daughter’s eyes. Seren sat cross-legged on the rug nearby, her little hands clutching a piece of paper with her lines scribbled in bright crayon.

“Okay, baby,” you said, glancing up from the delicate golden wire and tulle in your hands. “One more time. Remember, use your big voice so everyone can hear what a perfect angel you are.”

Seren nodded enthusiastically, her curls bouncing under the dim light. She took a deep breath, puffing out her cheeks in exaggerated preparation before chirping, “Peace on Earth and good wool toward men!”

You stifled a laugh, biting your lip. “Goodwill, sweetheart. ‘Goodwill toward men.’”

“Good wool?” Seren’s tiny brows furrowed in confusion.

“Goodwill, Seren,” Eren’s deep voice chimed in as he entered the room, balancing a Target bag in one hand and a beaming Seren in the other. “Though, honestly, you could probably get away with it. You’re cute enough to make wool sound festive.”

You smiled at the sight of him, his usual cool demeanor softened by the way Seren had her little arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Eren set her down gently, ruffling her hair before holding up a pair of fluffy white wings from the bag. “Alright, princess, check these out! Daddy found the most angelic wings in the whole store.”

Seren gasped, her tiny hands flying to her cheeks. “They’re soooo pretty!” She reached for the wings and twirled around the room with them, her little feet nearly tripping over the tutu of her costume. Then she stopped suddenly, her face scrunching up.

“But…they’re not sparkly,” she pouted, holding them out toward you as though you could magically fix them.

Eren sighed dramatically, crouching down to her level. “Not sparkly enough for my superstar angel, huh?”

“No,” Seren said solemnly, shaking her head.

You smirked, leaning against the table. “Well, Daddy’s got his work cut out for him. Good luck, Mr. Perfect Wings.”

Later that night, with Seren fast asleep, Eren sat hunched over the kitchen table, rhinestones, glitter glue, and sequins scattered around him like an arts-and-crafts tornado. You peeked in, biting back a laugh as you caught him squinting at the tiny gems.

“You know, I didn’t think arts and crafts were your thing,” you teased, stepping behind him to rest your chin on his shoulder.

“They’re not,” he muttered, carefully pressing a rhinestone onto the edge of one wing. “But my baby girl deserves to shine brighter than every other angel on that stage.”

You smiled, kissing his cheek. “She’s lucky to have a dad like you.”

He glanced up at you, his lips curving into a small smile. “Yeah? Well, she’s lucky to have a mom like you, making halos and teaching her how to say ‘goodwill.’”

“Good wool,” you corrected with a grin.

Eren chuckled softly, brushing some glitter off his hands. “She’s going to kill it tomorrow. You’ll see.”

The next morning arrived with the excitement of Christmas just around the corner, and the air was filled with a sense of magic. You awoke early to the sound of tiny feet padding across the living room. Eren, still asleep beside you, groaned softly as Seren clambered over the bed, her green eyes wide and sparkling with anticipation.

“Mommy, Mommy! Is today the day I’m an angel?” she asked, her voice high-pitched with excitement.

You blinked sleepily at the clock, noticing the time. “Yes, sweetie. But you’ve gotta get dressed first, okay?”

“Okay!” Seren cheered, running off toward the bathroom to get ready.

Eren groaned again, cracking open one eye. “Is she really awake already?”

You smiled and gently kissed his cheek. “Yeah, and I think she’s more excited about being an angel than Christmas itself.”

Eren stretched lazily, rubbing his eyes, before turning to you with a grin. “It’s her first big performance. I get it.” He yawned. “I’ll make coffee.”

By the time you finished getting Seren dressed, her angel costume was the picture of perfection. The wings now sparkled with glitter and rhinestones, the halo sitting crookedly atop her head, as if it, too, had been rushed by excitement. Seren twirled around in the mirror, admiring herself.

“Mommy, I’m soooo sparkly!” she declared, her green eyes shining even brighter than the gems on her wings.

“You sure are, baby girl,” you replied, smoothing out the edges of her dress. “You’re going to steal the show today.”

When you and Seren arrived at the daycare center, Eren had already secured the best seats in the audience. As soon as you spotted him, he waved you over with his signature grin, a little less relaxed than usual with the weight of his proud fatherhood showing.

“I can’t believe how fast she’s growing,” he murmured, his voice thick with sentiment as you sat down.

You leaned against him, resting your head on his shoulder. “I know. It feels like just yesterday she was a tiny thing in my arms.”

Seren’s daycare teacher led the little ones to the stage, herding them into their designated spots with the precision of a drill sergeant. Seren immediately darted to her spot at the front, her head swiveling to find her parents in the crowd. When her green eyes met yours and Eren’s, her face broke into the most radiant smile.

“There she is,” Eren whispered, squeezing your hand. “My angel.”

As the play began, Seren’s voice rang out a bit timidly at first, but then, with a burst of confidence, she shouted, “Peace on Earth and good wool toward men!”

The audience erupted into laughter, and you could see Seren beam under the stage lights, her eyes catching every ounce of attention in the room. You and Eren were the loudest cheerleaders, clapping, whistling, and shouting words of encouragement. Eren even held up his phone to snap a few blurry pictures while he clapped with one hand.

“Go Seren! You’re doing great!” you cheered, waving wildly. Seren, halfway through her lines, gave a tiny wave back and then completely forgot the rest of what she was supposed to say. Instead, she turned to face you both and shouted, “I love you, Mommy and Daddy!”

The crowd laughed even harder, and Seren’s face lit up, full of pride as she finished her performance in her own unique way.

Afterward, as you all gathered in the lobby for cookies and punch, Eren crouched down and pulled Seren into a tight hug. “You were amazing, princess,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Seren wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. “You were the loudest cheerleader, Daddy.”

“And you’re my shining star,” he replied, glancing over at you with a proud smile.

You joined them, pulling Seren into a group hug, all of you smiling as your little angel basked in her own Christmas magic.

After the pageant, the family made their way to the local ice cream shop, the streets alive with Christmas lights twinkling in the cold night air. Seren bounced eagerly in Eren’s arms as she greeted everyone who passed, her face beaming like the brightest star.

“Merry Christmas!” she shouted with a grin so wide it seemed to light up the street, her green eyes sparkling with the magic of the day. “Merry Christmas!” she repeated, waving at a couple walking hand-in-hand, who chuckled and waved back.

Eren laughed softly, adjusting his grip on her as they entered the ice cream parlor. “She’s got more Christmas cheer than I’ve ever seen.”

You smiled, your heart swelling with pride. “She’s a little ray of sunshine, isn’t she?”

They made their way to the counter, where Seren stood on tiptoe, peering up at the menu with intense concentration. “I want…uhhh…all the sprinkles, Mommy!”

Eren chuckled and turned to the counter worker, who nodded knowingly. “Two cones, then? One for you and one for her?”

“Yep,” Eren said with a grin, “and extra sprinkles.”

After a few moments, they were sitting at a cozy booth by the window, watching the snowflakes fall as the Christmas lights twinkled outside. Eren pulled Seren onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her as he handed her the cone. She took it eagerly, her eyes lighting up with joy as the cold treat met her lips.

“Mmm, I love ice cream!” Seren said, her voice muffled as she stuffed the cone into her mouth.

You laughed and took a bite of your own cone. “I see you do, sweetie. Just be careful not to spill it everywhere.”

Seren glanced up at Eren, then at you, her green eyes twinkling with mischief. “Mommy, Daddy, I want to feed you!”

Eren raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a playful smile. “Oh, you do, huh? Well, okay. Go ahead.”

Without hesitation, Seren scooped a big spoonful of ice cream and tried to feed it to you, giggling as she held the spoon with both hands. “Here, Mommy! Eat it!”

You leaned in, taking the spoon from her with a grin. “Okay, okay, I’m eating it. You’re so generous, Seren.”

Eren watched the exchange with a fond smile, his eyes soft as he glanced between you and Seren. Then, to your surprise, he took a spoonful of his own ice cream and held it out to you. “Here’s your turn,” he said with a wink.

You laughed, accepting the spoon and teasing, “You’re both going to spoil me with ice cream, huh?”

“We’ll spoil you with all the love in the world, sweetheart,” Eren replied, his voice low and warm.

Seren’s head suddenly leaned against Eren’s chest, her eyes heavy with the weight of the day. “Daddy, I love you,” she mumbled, her tiny hands clutching the sides of her cone.

Eren pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I love you too, baby. More than anything in this world.”

You watched the scene in quiet adoration, your heart full as you leaned against Eren, feeling the warmth of your little family in the cozy booth.

“And I love you both,” you whispered, glancing at Eren and then at Seren, who had already drifted off to sleep, her ice cream forgotten in her lap.

Eren kissed your forehead, his arm still around Seren as he pulled her closer, not caring that his own cone had long since melted. “Merry Christmas, Y/N,” he murmured.

“Merry Christmas,” you whispered back, content, as you all sat together—your hearts full, the night perfect, and the snow falling softly outside.

[yeonlogic]

★ baby be mine ⋆｡°✩

PAIRING bestfriend!gyu + f!reader GENRE/WARNINGS fluff, crack, friends to lovers au, gyu works in a vinyl shop, gyu gets friendzoned woopsies, mild swearing, semi smau reader is friends with chaewon & kazuha from lsrfm

SYNOPSIS you and gyu have been friends since you first saw each other at school and now your starting to develop feelings for him

wc: around 3k?

“are you done picking out a vinyl you want or what” beomgyu complained looking at you look through the compartment full of vinyls

“yeah yeah whatever, you work here anyway im sure the owner wont mind you closing up the shop late” you said as you took a look around the cd section thinking about whether you should get a cd or a vinyl.

“okay uhm I decided Im not getting anything” you chuckled nervously looking at beomgyu knowing he would say something about it

“yah you cant just spend hours looking at the shop for around 3hours and not picking anything!?” he frowned “okay okay Im sorry ill make it up to you and help you close down the shop.”

you two started closing down the shop together. as you two finished you took a look at the city in the night admiring how it looked.

“your still walking me home right..?” you said turning to him as he was locking up the shop door “yeah I always do cuz your scared of those weirdos who would come after you” he teased “well Its not my fault its scary, what if a random guy chases me or something” your voice had a hint of worry and nervousness as you said that, gyu walked up to you by your side “Its alright ill be your night and shining armor” beomgyu said jokingly “now come on its getting late.”

you two walked the streets together your hands shoved In the pocket of your hoodie, it was cold freezing cold.

“hey if you have the time you should teach me how to use the guitar” you nudged his shoulder with yours looking at him with a smile on your face, “how about tomorrow? If you can” he chuckled “also your shivering a lot.. is it that cold..?” he grabbed your wrist stopping you from walking away as he took his jacket off and draped It on your shoulders, your heart was beating from how close he was to you, you were so used to him being close to you all the time but why was this one different?

you felt your cheeks heat up a bit but you didnt worry about it too much. “thanks..” you murmured, his jacket was warm enough to block the cold, “dont mention it” he replied as you two continued to walk back to your home.

“thanks for walking me back home gyu” you smiled and gave him a hug, “also here you should take your jacket back” you took it off as beomgyu stopped you from doing it “no keep it, it looks better on you” he laughed softly “ill see you tomorrow?” “mhm” you replied as you entered your house going into your room.

you dropped onto your bed looking up at the ceiling confused about what you were feeling at that moment gyu gave you his jacket that was now wrapped around your torso.

you grabbed your phone from your pocket and opened the messages app.

you turned off your phone and placed it on your bedside table, you felt confused why were you feeling these random butterflies in your stomach whenever you think about beomgyu oh god “THE FUCKING HEART?!?!?” you screamed into your pillow “okay clam down maybe its just a platonic gesture calm down and just sleep this through.” you muttered to yourself as you layed down on your bed.

you were In a cafe with chaewon since everyone from school was on school break so you both decided to hang out today

“ugh Im so glad were on break right now i think I would’ve passed out if the teacher gave us any more test papers” she ranted and complained while you were zoned out lost in your thoughts about last night.

“y/n?, helloo earth to y/n!?, Y/N!!!” chae snapped at you “huh?” you replied “girl did you even listen to what I was saying” “uh yeah ofc”

“then what did I say?” one of her eyebrow was raised up “uhm that you wanted that bag you saw?” chaewon looked at you

“seriously y/n whats got you acting so weird this day” chaewon stared at you while sipping her iced coffee, “honestly I dont even know Its just something about last night..” you said nervously “tell me, maybe I can do something about it”

“promise me you wont laugh..?” “duhh.”

“Its just I never knew I’d look at my bestfriend differently, you know beomgyu right?” “yeah the one who works at the vinyl shop down town right” chaewon replied

“yeah.. well uhm I was with him last night and he walked me home but its something about the way he saw I was freezing and gave me his jacket— but I mean its not even that romantic Its the part where he put the jacket on me he was so..close something about that just felt so different to me because Im so used to being close with him all the time but it was just that one moment that made me realize maybe I have feelings for him..?” you sighed and covered your face with your hands “chaeeee what do I dooo” you pleaded feeling embarrassed to talk about this to your girl bestfriend

“Look as much as I dont know shit about love I can tell you definitely have feelings for him I mean.. you two were friends since 8th grade till now you two are technically inseparable” she shrugged “I guess..maybe If i just ignore him for the whole week maybe he wont notice that I have feelings for him??” “idk girl im sorry but I dont know what to do.”

6:22 PM

you arrived at the vinyl shop where you could see gyu standing at the cash register as you entered the shop and approached him.

“hey gyu um..we might have to cancel that guitar lesson since Im gonna be busy this day” you smiled nervously at him hoping he wouldn’t ask you why or what your gonna do. “oh alright..” he said, you could feel a bit of sadness from his voice and you felt bad because of it, “maybe next time?” you said as you left the shop feeling guilty.

beomgyu went home to his shared apartment with his friends as he saw soobin and hueningkai playing a videogame together on the couch, gyu approached them and grabbed the tv remote and turned It off and sat Inbetween the two boys “heyy I was about to beat soobin hyung” kai frowned “yah why are you so grumpy today” soobin side eyed him “its nothing..” gyu responded and sat up from the couch and went to his bedroom.

-

another day passes by and you and chaewon are together spending time at the arcade just chatting and playing some games, you havent chatted gyu ever since that night because of how scared you were for him to find out you have a crush on him.

“oh btw y/n I invited kazuha we havent seen her in so long and apparently shes taking a 1 week vacay here” chaewon was excited to see your guys friend that you havent seen from since she left the country.

“holy shit zuha Is taking a vacation here?!?!? why didn’t you tell me earlier!!” you were suprised as you saw kazuha enter the arcade from the entrance, you ran towards her so fast and engulfed her in your arms “zuhaaa you never told me you came heree you dont know how much i missed you” “im still here yk” chaewon pouted and crossed her arms looking at you

kazuha chuckles “I wanted it to be a suprise for you two, what are we waiting for? enough about me being here i still have to make it up to you two since i havent spent time with you guys ever since” she frowned as you and chaewon gave her a hug.

-

“taehyun you promised me your gonna win me a plushie from the claw machine right” kai giggled looking at tyun “yeah yeah whatever” taehyun responded.

“hey gyu isnt that y/n over there?” yeonjun looked at beomgyu, beomgyus gaze was on you. “be right back guys” he said and ran towards you but he overheard your convo with your friends.

“hey y/n have you and that guy bestfriend youve been friends for like what 5 years? what was his name..? oh beomgyu! have you two ever dated yet? you two were stuck together like glue.” kazuha asked you

you coughed “what? oh beomgyu! hes just a friend”

“friend, friend, friend”

was all that gyu heard from that convo, he immediately left and went to his friends and told them that he wasnt in the mood to play arcade games with them so he left early.

“why does it have to be the girl i like to friend zone me like that” gyu sighed as he slumped on his bed just thinking about you “agh fuck this is embarrassing beomgyu get yourself together” he murmured to himself.

-

same old day just beomgyu sitting on the couch with taehyun on his left and soobin on his right, “do you guys know if y/n likes anyone by any chance..” gyu asked “lol no.” soobin responded “wow thanks soobin” beomgyu scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“if i do remember her friend chaewon told me she liked someone but im just not sure who” taehyun said as he scrolled on his phone “did i hear gyu having a crush?” yeonjun teased.

“it just..pisses me off how she hasnt talked to me for 2days and now shes telling her friends that im just a friend to her..” he sighed laying his head back on the header of the couch “wait wait y/n friendzoning you?” kai chuckled “shes just saying that chaewon told me about it.”

“told you about what?” he says.

“that she likes you duhh” kai responded “come on gyu you needa step up your game its so obvious she likes you because of how shes ghosting you and saying your just a friend cause shes hiding the fact she likes you!?” kai chuckles looking at how dumbfounded beomgyu looked “OoOoo~ beomgyus inlove~” soobin and yeonjun teased him about it “shut up.” was gyus response.

beomgyu got up from the couch and went into his room opening the messages app from his phone and texted you.

“wanna meet up..? my treat :)” he sends the send button as he waits for your reply.

*buzz buzz*

his phone vibrated from your notification. “sure! what time??” you replied to his text msg “right now maybe?” gyu replied.

he got up from his bed and immediately grabbed his shoes and slipped them on and rushed out the door. “whats up with him?” taehyun said “inlove for sure” soobin added.

-

as he got In his car, he drove to your place and parked his car right infront of your house, as he gets out of the driver seat he goes up to your door *knock knock*

“coming!!” you rushed downstairs and answer the door to see beomgyu on your doorstep “hey uhm havent seen you in awhile whats the occasion for the hang out?” you smiled.

“just something i have something to tell you” gyu chuckled nervously as he opened the car door for the passenger seat for you.

you two went on a city night drive with snooze by sza playing on the radio everything was going chill and calm until gyu stopped at a park. “were here” he smiled and got out of the car to open the car door to the passenger seat.

- you two sat on a bench, silence filling up the air. “so..what were you gonna talk about?” you said breaking the silence “i’ve just been thinking..for the past few days you’ve been ignoring me and avoiding texting me which i kinda hated not gonna lie” “he giggled “but during those days I honestly realized i couldnt be myself without you talking to me for 2days i know call me dramatic but i cant live without talking to you y/n” he frowned, you honestly didnt know how to react about it.

“im sorry i havent talked to you..I- just was feeling things that i felt that was wrong i mean- ugh fuck am i really about to say this?, Im confused about my feelings gy-“ “I like you too dummy.” He responded before you could finish your sentence. you just sat there looking at him “dont look at me like that its true” he giggled “fine i admit it I like you- actually no I love you” you finally said it and oh how you felt so relieved to let those words slip out of your mouth knowing your best friend beomgyu felt the same way as you did.

“so if I like you and you like me..does that mean we’re a couple or?” gyu said as you just laughed “yes. yes gyu i would gladly be your girlfriend” you smiled at him as you gave a kiss on his cheek making his heart flutter.”

“well im glad because I love you too” he responded and kissed you, you felt a wave of shock from it and didnt know how to explain it but your lips just melted with his, his lips were soft and plush on yours. “Im so glad your mine now.” He whispered.

a/n: PHEEEEWWW I finally finished this my hands are lowkey sweating rn but I hope you guys enjoy this 🥹 I might make extra beomgyu bf texts for this later so ^^

heres sum extra gyu content added onto this ff I did!!

bf!gyu texts

[thyras]

→ a gift

PAIRING → halbrand (sauron) x f!númenórean!reader

WORD COUNT → 1.7k words

WARNINGS → flirting, gifts, manipulation, just reader trying to fight the darkness she is slowly succumbing to 🤭

SUMMARY → reader has a meeting with Queen Míriel, Galadriel, and Halbrand about the future of the Southlands, and reader is bestowed a fine gift.

FIC MASTERLIST → NEXT PART

The throbbing in your head subsided as you sat up in your crisp sheets. The tolling of the morning bell sounded through your chamber. Your head turned to see that the window had been cracked open, and the salty air flowed in. You rubbed your eyes and tried to smear the sleep off your face.

For the first time in a long time, your nights were not sleepless and only filled with the gentle quiet of the rolling ocean. You could not help but smile as the sun started peaking through the window, its rays reflecting off the tiny droplets of dew forming on the window sill. Your mind pulled at them, and to your surprise, they lifted off the window sill much like they would when you were younger, creating beautiful sun-catchers for you to twist and mold for your mother's enjoyment.

Letting out the deeply rooted magicks again felt good—almost freeing. Like in the old days, the tantalizing taste of freedom surged through your veins as you molded rivers and streams against their new banks. The power was so intoxicating that even now, you could taste the freshness of the water on your tongue and feel the sun's heat on your skin as a light breeze rippled your strands.

But as soon you lifted the droplets enough, a knock was on your door. The droplets fell to the floor, and you quickly gathered your skirt up and scrambled out of bed towards the door. You reached the door and opened it to find a fellow maiden.

"My lady, the Queen wishes to speak with you," you nod.

"Let me dress, and I will be there momentarily." The maiden nodded and backed away from the door before you reached your chest and grabbed your gown and robes. Your eyes returned to the droplets of dew lying on the tiles just before the window. A smile crept up on your lips as your fingers touched the blue jewel around your neck.

There was something freeing about finally not being the only person burdened by carrying this secret anymore. Your shackles felt loosened, and you could breathe easier again, knowing the shadows appeared to be gone.

You dressed quickly and moved with haste as you and the other maiden made your way into the upper conference room. There, you were met with guards positioned at the entrance. You nodded to them and they parted.

Three figures stood at the map table, Míriel at the head, Galadriel to her left, and, to your mild surprise, Halbrand. You were unaware he still wanted to give counsel to the queen. His dark green eyes sparkled slightly when he saw you. The thoughts of last night were probably still on his mind.

You had wanted to lose yourself in him, in his dark, fiery scent. Feel his hands on your ignited skin as he buried himself in you, taking you and ravaging you. But he had been a kingly man and took utter care in not prolonging your kiss, respecting this virtuous facade you had masked yourself with.

When you were all but virtuous.

Míriel greeted you, bringing you out of your less-than-innocent thoughts. You bowed slightly to her in response before making your way over to the table.

"You called for me, my Queen," You glanced at the other two briefly. Galadriel looked warily at you. Suspicion crossed her face as you placed your fingers on the table. She did not understand why a mere maiden would be summoned to a meeting about battle plans.

"Yes, how would you feel about returning to Middle-Earth with me?" You feel your face prickle in surprise as you take in Míriel's words. "I may require a maiden with your skill set." You swallowed hard and looked at Galadriel in your periphery, her brow raised in question.

"I am at your behest, my queen," you bow your head again. Over the centuries, you had to learn how to protect yourself without using those magicks you shoved down in protection. You became proficient with a blade and became quite the swordswoman. The skills Míriel was talking about.

"Good. We leave in two days," she said softly as another maiden entered the room.

"My lady, your father wishes to see you in the tower." Míriel nodded and took her leave as you, Halbrand, and Galadriel remained. Your pulse quickened as the silence grew until Halbrand spoke, his voice aimed at Galadriel, but you tuned him out as your mind grew heavy.

You had left Middle-Earth years ago, never to return when you could finally get transport here to Númenor, where you wished to settle and learn more about your mother's family. But you found yourself so enamored with this place that you decided to make it your home, traveling every hundred years. Start a new life with a new identity, as if not to raise suspicion of your heritage. It had been a somber life until you got your present position in Míriel's service.

You had purpose again. One you had believed you would never find again.

"Lady..." Galadriel said softly, breaking you out of your thoughts as you turned your head to her. "You should join me as I look over the troops and give my counsel on fighting Orcs today so I can see if you are up to the challenge."

"Yes, of course, I would be glad, too." You looked at Halbrand, who was watching you closely, as a smile rose from your lips.

"Would you like to join us?" A thin smile rose on his lips; his earlier foul mood was gone as you met his gaze. He inclined his head to you.

"I would be honored, but before that, could I borrow you for a moment."

"Of course," You said as you felt Galadriel's searing gaze on you. Halbrand motioned for you to follow him, and you accepted the invitation.

You both had a pleasant enough conversation as you walked from the palace toward where he was taking you. He was rather interested in how you spent so many years without being tempted to use your divine gifts. You happily answered his questions. However, as you both ended up at a blacksmith's shop, you could not help but look up at it with confusion.

"I hope you do not plan for me to advise you on a craft I know nothing about." A playful smile filled his lips, and he shook his head before moving to grab a cloth-wrapped object underneath the table.

"I would not ask a mere queen's maiden on something such as this." He motioned to the long, cloth-covered object as he softly sat it on the table. "Though I think the owner would not be pleased for me using materials without asking, but I got inspired." Your brow raised as you made your way over to the table.

"Inspired how?" You asked, raising your brow at him.

"I was thinking about what you said about your background. While on that raft, I met with a sea serpent and its strength. It sunk my ship, and I could not help but feel the irony of meeting you." Your face warmed against his words. He motioned to the cloth, and you moved over, taking the fabric into your finger and unwrapping the object.

What you were met with could not be put into words. A blade fit for a woman's hand. It's silver, vibrant, and bright against the afternoon light. Your eyes traveled down to the fuller to see the sea serpent engraved there, a finger traced across it, and a smile filled your lips at the craftsmanship.

The hilt was equally as beautiful. It was wrapped with gold and silver ores twined and twisted to create the grip. The end of the hilt held a similar blue jewel, much like the one that hung around your neck.

You were utterly lost for words at the beauty of the blade. "Lingwilókë," his silvery tongue released in Quenya.

"Sea-Serpent," You looked up at him in surprise. Your times among the elves on the western shores had given you a firm grip on the language. His eyes darkened, and he nodded.

"Go on," He motioned for you to take it. Your hand moved to hover over the hilt. Anticipation nearly took over you, but that suspicion that had saved you for many years rang out. A tingle filled your fingertips as you felt the dark shadows of your past rise on your spine.

It ran its claws across your shoulders before whispering in your ear softly, tempting you to grab the blade into your fingers. It tasted good, just like how his kiss had tasted—the soft yet primal kiss that he gave you underneath those stars, the feeling of his hand caressing her chin, thumb running across your bottom lip as he gave you a dark smile.

Your fingers finally gripped the blade, and you felt the darkness sigh in relief that seemed almost completely satisfied by the fact that you had given in to that desire to feel the beautiful blade underneath your fingertips.

You held it up to the light and twisted the blade. It was light; clearly, he knew how to craft weapons for a woman properly. You stepped out of his way and twisted the sword in a few movements to see how it felt. Electrifying was enough of a descriptor for how it felt to feel the blade in your fingers.

"It's a beautiful blade," you said, laying it in your fingers and trying to return it to him. "Fit for a queen," Halbrand held up his hand to stop your movements. You raised your brow at him, clearly concerned that you were trying to hand him the blade.

"It's yours," You swallowed hard and looked down at the sword in your fingers. "Forged for a woman with the ferocity of that sea serpent that attacked me." He paused, looked down, and chuckled to himself. "Call it a gift,"

Your heart clenched, and your face warmed as his eyes darkened. That smile rose on his lips as he strode over to you. His hand gripped your chin, and you could feel words trying to leave his lips, but that black shadow took this chance to return, its words wrapping around your ear like the sweetest of liquors.

Fit for my queen.

[moonstruckme]

Hi my love!! I just reread your bodyguard tasm!peter parker blurb and it was so cute 😭I loved the original premise where peters spider senses got distracted because of her!! You wrote it so beautifully.

I'd love to request a part two (If you're open to that?) where he's guarding her again and we see their relationship develop a little more??

i read your requests rules and couldn't find anything about you not writing part twos, but feel free to ignore if you'd rather not! lots of love <3 <3

Hi sweetheart, thank you thank you!!

bodyguard!(tasm)Peter Parker x fem!reader ♡ 1.1k words

Peter’s staying on the ground for your sake, but he doesn’t love it. 

You’re relaxed as can be, lounging on your bed while he paces your unfairly giant room from end to end. This, he thinks, is why people hate politicians. You’ve got an ensuite bathroom the size of his apartment, and on the taxpayer’s dime. He gets it now. If you and your dad were living in a shoebox like every other self-respecting New Yorker, maybe the guy wouldn’t get so many death threats. 

“You don’t have to be all vigilant,” you say. “My dad’s not here. So long as I don’t get actually kidnapped or killed while you’re here, sitting down isn’t going to affect your performance evaluation.” 

Peter looks at you. “I’m getting a performance evaluation?” 

Your smile is lopsided and goofy. It’s humiliating how much it affects him. “No. Who would he send it to? Your employer?” 

“Oh.” He feels stupid. “Good point.” 

“Come here,” you laugh. “I got us coffee.” 

He goes to sit on your bed, mostly because he’ll do anything you ask him to. After spending a few hours hugging you on a roof, Peter’s found that he actually likes you. You’re not snooty or spoiled like he might have expected, friendly to him even though he’s technically working for you. You seem oddly down-to-earth for someone with your upbringing, funny and smart. (Smarter than him, maybe. You turn him into a blundering idiot every time he sees you, though, so it’s hard to say.) You’re surprisingly fun to be around. 

You lean over, grabbing two disposable coffee cups from your nightstand. “Do you want peppermint or caramel?” 

“Which one do you want?” 

“No way. You’re my guest, you get first pick.” 

Peter’s here on a job, but he likes your version of the story better. That you’d think of him as your guest, someone invited in whom you want to please, makes an affectionate warmth unfurl in his gut. 

“You should probably have the one you want, because the other one’s going to get cold,” he says, an apology in his tone. Your brows wrinkle. “I can’t really drink through the mask…” 

“Oh.” You close your eyes, expression clearing. “God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Peter’s smiling under the mask. He wonders if you can hear it in his voice. “Enjoy yours. I’ll live vicariously.” 

“You couldn’t just lift it up enough to drink?” 

“Uh, no. The whole secret identity thing is…kind of important to the job.” 

You smile guiltily, lifting one of the cups to your lips. “Fair enough.” 

You’re silent for a minute, watching him as you sip at your coffee. Once again, making it nearly impossible for Peter to do what he’s being paid to do. He should be keeping his senses alert, watching the windows, surveilling the perimeter or whatever. Not looking into your clever, narrowed eyes and thinking about how your whole room smells like you. 

“Okay,” you say, still scrutinizing him like you’re trying to count the threads in his suit, “now I’m dying to know what’s under the mask.” 

Peter sits very still. He’s had people—fans and foes alike—try to tear it off him before, but he doesn’t think you’re like that. 

“I mean, obviously you’re tall,” you lean back on the bed, mouth pursed in contemplation, “so you’re not, like, twelve. You sound about my age…” 

“I what?” 

“Your voice.” 

“What—” He clears his throat. Tries to sound more generationally ambiguous. “What would make you think that?” 

You crack another one of those sweet, silly smiles. “Well, you’re not going to fool me now,” you say. “I’ve heard you talk. You can’t be more than thirty. Plus, when you got here, you said ‘yo’.” 

Peter really needs to stop saying that. He doesn’t even know when he started. 

“You’ve got stitches all over your suit…” you go on. “What neighborhood are you from again?” 

“I’m not telling you that,” he laughs. 

“Oh, come on.” You scooch a little on the bed, tucking one leg under you to face him more fully. Your eyes pierce his like knives. Very pretty knives. “There’s almost ten million people in New York. You really think I’m going to track you down?” 

“Your dad is the mayor…” 

“Stop.” You give his shoulder a playful shove. Peter’s mask feels suddenly warm. “Those surveillance rumors weren’t true, the tabloids made that up to mess with his re-election campaign.”

“Okay, okay. I’m from Queens.” 

You lean back on your hands, and he can’t decide if the way you’re looking at him is analyzing or flirting. “Interesting,” you say slowly. “So you’re, like, a real man of the people. Not the Bruce Wayne type.” 

“Hey,” he teases, “Bruce Wayne could’ve lived in Queens. It’s nice.” 

“But Bruce Wayne wouldn’t have to sew his own suits,” you point out. 

Peter tilts his head, blows a breath out the side of his mouth. You’ve got him there. 

“And you’re tall, clearly pretty strong, you seem smart…” You nod, seeming to have come to a decision. “I think you’re handsome under there.” 

A laugh startles out of him. He hopes it sounds casual, like it came from someone cool, whose heart isn’t galloping in his chest. Peter really shouldn’t care if you think he has the potential to be handsome under his mask. It’s not like you’ll ever find out. Still, it feels weirdly nice. 

He makes his voice light and playful. “Well, it’s good to have your approval. Now we can pretend that I’m almost in your league.” 

For the first time since he’s gotten here, you look genuinely caught offguard. “Me?” 

“Yeah, you.” Peter grins. It feels good to have flustered you. He’s missed doing that. “Who else?” 

You look away from him as you laugh, shaking your head. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” you say, “but you’re a superhero. You’re not the one who should be worried about leagues.” 

You’re cute. Peter makes a bold move, scooting an inch closer to you, into your space. He’s glad you can’t see that under the mask, his face is just as flushed as yours. “I’m not a superhero,” he says, keeping his voice light as meringue. “I’m just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman.” 

You roll your eyes. “Humble, too. Points in your favor.” 

A laugh rumbles through his chest. Someday, he’s gonna have to get Peter Parker in your orbit somehow. He wants to meet you—more than that, he wants you to meet him. He’s not sure how long he can wait. 

He decides to let you off the hook. Slightly. He reaches across you, taking the unused cup from your nightstand. “Thanks for this,” he says. “Once you don’t need me here anymore, I’m gonna take it home and heat it back up.” He grins even though you can’t see it. “Maybe I’ll swing by and return the favor sometime.”

[redheadspark]

Hawuuuu can I request 8. thinking of their s/o's needs before their own with Druig

A/N - HAWUU! I think this is great for Druig, thanks for requesting this, friend!

Darlin'

Summary - Druig tends to you after the near Emergence

Warnings - a mix of angst and fluff together :)

You heard a gentle rap of knuckle on your door, having you perk your head up and hear the door open very slightly.  

“Can I come in?”

You knew the voice far too well, having you slightly smile though squint in pain from the soreness in your ribs.  

“Yes,” was the only thing you could muster, seeing Druig poke his head in and see the sight of you. You were curled up under one of Ajak’s massive quilts in her spare room, the window still shut with the sun rays peering through the bright linen curtains that were over the windows.  Although you were grateful you were alive, a lot thanks to Ikaris and the massive fight that broke out on the beach hours before, you were in a lot of pain.  You took a heavy beating from the fight, Ikaris knowing you were a fierce fighter and you two squared off for a few long moments.  Ikaris was just as strong as you were, but in the end, he got a few good licks in and you were covered in bruises and scabs because of him.  In the end, you all saved the work but lost some friends along the way including Ajak and Gilgamesh.  Now you all were resting and healing at Ajak’s old farm in South Dakota, the quiet open field seemed to be a bit haunting as you were still licking your wounds and trying to gain your strength again. 

Druig, though hurt himself thanks to Ikaris and his personal vendetta against the Mind Controller, was still worried about you and how you were holding up.  You two have been lovers for centuries, staying together through the thick and thin of life.  You two never once left each other’s side since you two got together so long ago, and to think for a split moment that he was going to be taken from you placed you in such a fragile mindset.  You had no idea that Druig was thinking the same, that he too was beyond petrified of losing you and being on Earth without you there.  

“Darlin’,” he said in worry, coming in with a tray filled with medicine and snacks. He immediately placed the tray on the dresser by the door, closing the door within a second to give you two privacy as he glided over to you and sat next to you on the bed.  Carefully, he pulled the quilt down, seeing your body was still etched in bruises and scabs under your thin shirt and sweatpants, “What hurts?”

“It’s not as bad as before,” You reassured him In a breath, though Druig could hear it in your tone that you were still in some pain.  You were about to get up, possibly to stretch out your back, but Druig placed his hands on your arms to usher you back onto the bed, “Sweetheart, I’m fine—“

“You don’t look it,” He mumbled, his blue eyes scanning your wounds and you could see the pain there. Both were protective of one another, far too protective which seemed strange since you both were powerful Eternals that could defend yourselves.  Still, you both looked out for one another and to see you now still in pain brought Druig pain. 

He hummed, reached over to push the hair out of your eyes as you smiled fondly at him, “Although I hate seein’ you like this, you are still as beautiful as I day I saw ya for the first time on the Domo,”

“Sap,” You hummed as you were flushed in your cheeks, seeing him crack a grin finally and then look over at the tray he abandoned earlier. You raised a brow at him, “What did you get?”

“Oh!” Druig said, moving away from you and walking back to the tray instantly. You watched in intrigue as he held the tray carefully in his two hands and walked back over to where you were. Perching himself on the side of the bed with the tray placed in his lap, you finally saw what he had.

Medicine and aspirin, some gauze that was still wrapped in a tight ball, an ointment container, and a few snacks.  But you saw that they were hearty snacks: nuts and some fruits as well.  You realized that they were your favorite snacks and fruits, making your eyes mist as Druig tapped the tray with his thumbs nervously.

“Phastos told me which medicine to get ya to make ya feel better,” Druig explained, sounding a bit nervous, “And Ajak had some fruit in her fridge that didn’t go bad yet—“

“Honey,” You breathed, reaching her to place your hand on his.  Your scarred hands on top of his porcelain ones, such a contrast, and how Druig’s eyes instantly locked in yours.  You saw love in his eyes, the love that he would pour into you every day and with every ounce of himself. No matter when he had a rough day or was exhausted working in the village from sunrise to sunset, he made sure to always show you he loved you. He was a giver, knowing what you needed before you knew it yourself.  It was a trait that no one else saw, not even Makkari or Ajak.

“I love you,” You said to him, seeing the love pour over him on his face and in how he breathed out a long exhale.  Like he was holding it in and finally able to let the weight on his shoulders go.  He placed the tray on the side and leaned over, pressing his head to yours and kissing your cheeks soundly and then your lips. He was soft with you when no one else was around, and he wanted it that way. With the rest of the world carrying on, your own little world together was all he ever wanted or craved.

“I love you more than life,” he breathed as he cradled your face in his palms, “I’m so fucking glad you’re here with me,”  

“Me too, sweetheart,” you agreed, letting him nuzzle his nose against yours and breathe you in to recenter himself again.  You both have been through so much, too much for two people in love to endure.  But in the end, you both maddest out alive with a future ahead of you.  But you weren’t thinking about the future, you were only thinking about the boy who was loving you in that bed, who was tending to you like you were the only person on the planet.

The boy who considered you his equal, if not more than.

The End

May Prompt Session

[lets-try-some-writing]

Anon angst! May I request some Smokescreen being a prime angst? More likely, what would the team think that Smokescreen is the new prime and OP's death? :3

Anon, you know EXACTLY what to ask me for. *cracks knuckles*

━━━━━━ ⊙ ❖ ⊙ ━━━━━━━━━━━━

Optimus's vitals were completely untraceable. That could have meant he had been offline since the blast from the Nemesis or that he was hiding somewhere. Logically, Ratchet was inclined to believe in the former of the two scenarios. No mech, not even a Prime, could walk away from such devastation unscathed. Even Prima himself fell before the might of enough blasters and bolter shells.

Even still, the small hope that Optimus still lived kept Ratchet moving. There was no body yet. There was no Matrix. No confirmation that his Prime was gone. There was still time, and while there was still time, Megatron had to be stopped. His rulership of Earth could not be allowed to continue.

And so Ratchet handled the groundbridge while the team and Ultra Magnus went to war. Smokescreen was unaccounted for, but his groundbridge had also been rather unstable. His signal was, much like Optimus's, similarly untraceable. The rookie was too energetic to die. Yet another reason Ratchet wanted to believe that Optimus was still functioning, if only in some dark hole in the ground. He had to believe in something, and so he believed in his Prime as he guided the team in their work.

The battle began to spiral quickly. Their numbers were too few and even with Ratchet and Rafael throwing themselves into coordination, there was little that could be done. Their hope was dwindling, and as it did so, Ratchet found himself praying to a god that may or may not have even been real, begging for Optimus to again rise from the ash and smoke as he had done countless times before.

"Ratchet! Look!" Rafael pointed to the screen frantically, and within moments, Ratchet was speaking to the entire team with disbelief and fearful hope.

"It's an Autobot signal, but its... airborne." The signal was strange and largely unrecognizable. It had no ID attached, but its size specs fell well within Optimus's range. With Ultra Magnus fighting for his life, Ratchet could only come to the conclusion that his Prime had, again, somehow wormed his way out of death.

He smiled and his spark sang as he watched the signal. He had no video feed of the events playing out, but he could hear the sounds of exclamation from the team. He could hear Optimus's weapons firing through the team's open comm links and he could hear Megatron's scream of rage. Optimus was back. He was alive-

"Soldier... what is your designation?" Ultra Magnus's voice broke through the blur of joy and relief that flooded Ratchet's mind as the battle drew to a close and the team gathered to begin the trip back. The children sat a little closer to the screen, watching the Autobot signals clumped together as they listened to the audio coming through.

Did Ultra Magnus really not recognize his brother in arms after so long? Perhaps time and the damage from the blast were merely making things difficult for him to see-

"Nebulous Prime. The inheritor of the title Last of the Primes." The voice that came through the link was deep and baritone just like Optimus's. But there was a youthful lightness to it, a sweetness and silky sound that came from those who had not yet spent millennia screaming orders on the battlefield. There was no rattle or gruffness to his tone, whoever this Nebulous might be.

Ice cold fear shot into Ratchet's spark as he fell silent. He stopped listening to the audio and paced frantically as he waited for the team to arrive. It couldn't be possible. This wasn't possible. Optimus ALWAYS came back. Even from the brink of death. There was no way there was a new Prime. This had to be a mistake.

Optimus would never die. Not to Megatron.

"Ratchet, I'm sorry." Arcee came forward first. She looked tired on a spark deep level. The rest of the team followed her as she entered the hangar that Ratchet had moved everything to. The children watched with nervous eyes, their gazes uncertain as Bumblebee stepped forward next. His doorwings were dipped and he merely shook his helm, dried coolant streaks staining his face. Bulkhead and Wheeljack were came after him. Neither were pleased and both seemed grim.

"What happened? Where is Optimus?" Desperation laced his voice, and he was sure he sounded a moment away from breaking down into tears. He frantically scanned each of the team, silently assessing their minor wounds while he searched for familiar red and blue paint. Ultra Magnus was the last to come forward, and he held himself with as much grace as was possible considering the damage he had sustained.

Ultra Magnus opened his intake to speak, but his vocalizer halted. He looked to the ground, seemingly trying to come up with the words he wanted to say. Ratchet shook ever so slightly, his usually steady servos twitching erratically as he fought against his growing fears. Optimus couldn't be gone. Not for good.

"Step aside Commander." The command echoed in the hangar, and everyone froze as a mech stepped in with imposing but soft pedesteps. He was tall, just as tall as Optimus, if not slightly shorter. He strode forward with grace that was unnatural, seemingly new to the mech as he focused on his steps. Most of his frame was obscured in shadow as he approached Ratchet and the team. But for the briefest of moments, Ratchet saw familiar blue optics cycling wide in greeting.

He almost believed his faulty vision. But then the mech stepped into the light, and Ratchet's entire world came crumbling down.

"I am Nebulous Prime... I am sorry that this is how we have to meet again." Blue, yellow, and white. The colors were wrong, the frame shape was wrong. The new and deadly weapons weren't of the right caliber. The doorwings now made flight capable were nothing like the smokestacks that Ratchet knew and familiarized himself with. The face that greeted him was too young, even with the new and very clearly Primely classical additions.

This was not Optimus. This was not his Prime.

"No... Optimus always comes back." His whispered denial echoed in the silent base. Ratchet could feel his systems heaving in panic and grief, and yet he was helpless to stop it as the Prime before him frowned in that all familiar and yet entirely new manner Ratchet found dooming above all else.

"Optimus Prime became one with the allspark roughly six hours ago. The damage he sustained was too great, and he refused to use the Forge of Solus Prime when I brought it to him." The mech who was once Smokescreen shifted on his pedes. He looked like Orion just after he returned from Primus's core. Uncertain and confused.

Ratchet could not find it in himself to have any sympathy.

"He told me to restore the Omega Lock and Cybertron." Nebulous spoke with a commanding air that even he seemed unsettled by. The team looked to him instinctually, watching his every word and action as they once did for Optimus. Ratchet merely seethed.

What had Smokescreen done to be worthy? What had he done to warrant his life being preserved over Optimus's?

"YOU SHOULD HAVE RESTORED HIM INSTEAD!" A venomous cry escaped him before he could stop it. His plating flared, his fists shook, and never more in his life did he wish he had a valid reason to strike a mech.

"Despite his shortcomings, he always found a way! He, WE would have found some way to fix the Omega Lock without the Forge!" Nebulous watched him with tired optics that were unfitting of his youth. He frowned and seemed to watch Ratchet with a vague sense of detachment. The team refused to meet Ratchet's gaze as he tried to vent.

"Cybertron and our people take priority over any one mech. Even if that mech is a Prime." Nebulous declared softly. Ratchet almost saw red as he reached up and grabbed the new Prime by his neck guard, forcing to Ratchet's level.

"That mech was YOUR PRIME!" He could feel coolant begin to gather in his optics. He ignored his blurring vision in favor of watching in hatred as Nebulous remained still.

"He led us through the darkness!" He remembered Orion Pax and how he had gathered armies to lead forth to war. He was still just an archivist. He was no warframe, and he had never raised a weapon with intention to kill. Despite his fears and insecurities, he guided them all the same.

"He fought until the bitter end against every foe!" He remembered Optimus Prime, fresh from Primus's core and unsteady on his pedes. He had been so full of life then. So eager to throw himself into combat in order to preserve even one more life. Optimus's frame had been covered in so many scars by the time they left their world.

"He deserved to see our home restored!" He remembered his Prime, the mech he had dutifully stood beside until the very end. Optimus didn't smile often anymore, but when he did, it was full of fond affection. They had been through everything together, and Ratchet had been of the belief that they would remain companions until the end.

Looking at Nebulous, he saw that familiar depth in the Prime's optics. But it was that wealth of hidden knowledge that left Ratchet reeling in the truth.

"He did. And if I could have changed things, I would have. I never wanted to be a Prime, but this is the burden that was given to me." Nebulous slowly removed Ratchet's servo and held it softly, kindly even. It was not how Optimus held his servo on those rare occasions where Ratchet's oldest friend felt the need to show his affection. Optimus liked to cling to one or two digits at a time, a soft brush that would not be noticeable to any watchers. Nebulous held his whole servo firmly, and yet with enough ease that Ratchet could easily break away.

"I am not Optimus. I do not have his skill or his experience. All I have are echoes of knowledge that I do not know how to find or apply." Meeting the new Prime's gaze, Ratchet's anger began to fade. In Nebulous's optics, there was indeed the knowledge of the Primes. But lingering in his optics was also fear. Primal and deep fear of the unknown just like Orion when he took on the mantle.

He looked so much like the scared archivist Ratchet had spent vorns upon vorns comforting as he grew into his station. It was painfully familiar, but also saddening. Just a cycle ago, Smokescreen had stood before him, eager and willing to jest and fight at a moment's notice. Now a terrified youngling held himself with as much strength as he was able, desperately trying to not show his terror.

"I am not used to this frame. I am not used to this weight on my mind and spark." He shifted on his pedes, and only then did Ratchet see the way his new wings dipped to the ground, a form of communication any mech could easily read as distress. Nebulous's kibble was heavy and while he had been reformed to handle the weight, his unused arm hung limply at his side. Guns and other weapons seemed to crush him.

He was used to speed, but now he was a proper weapon of war. Just as Optimus had changed, Nebulous would as well. Given time, his frame would continue to shift until the Matrix was settled. But until then, he would continue to carry weight that Optimus had been comfortable with, but Smokescreen likely never would find himself at ease with.

"I am not Optimus." A tremor rang out in Nebulous's voice. For a moment, he looked like Smokescreen again. He looked scared and lost without his idol to lead him. Ratchet wanted to be upset, but the longer he watched, the more he found himself easing into his new and unspoken role.

Nebulous was lost. He bore the burden well enough for now, but he was grieving and enduring the weight of the Primacy all at once. Ratchet could weep later, in private. For now, he had work to do.

"But I will finish what he started, if only to honor him." Nebulous looked defeated even with his proud statement. The team looked to him in concern and then to Ratchet for guidance. Ratchet was the eldest amongst them. They needed a leader.

"We will finish what he started." Nebulous startled, his optics wide and his wings perking up. He must have expected Ratchet to decide to leave or possibly defect.

Maybe he would have if Nebulous didn't look so much like Orion Pax. Maybe he would have joined Megatron in order to kill him from the inside.

But not now. Not when Optimus's legacy stood on the brink of collapse.

"We will end this war." He clasped Nebulous's servo and hastily schooled his expression. Optimus would be avenged. But in the meantime, Nebulous needed all the help he could get.

Just as Ratchet had been a friend to Optimus Prime, he would be a guide to Nebulous, the Last of the line of Primes.

[spikedsoul]

A Different Ending

(source: taka on twitter, 18+ only! seriously!)

here we are, the first of several writings for the 400-500 follower celebration! a new chapter of mwn is also coming out within the next day or so, followed with one more short and a request someone made ages ago!

Bowser heaved a deep, heartbroken sigh as he gazed down at the quiet piranha plant clutched between his claws; he was yet again sitting alone on a bench after a failed marriage attempt, which usually wasn't a big deal, but this one had stung much more than anything else in the past. He was in one of the most romantic places there was - behind a beautiful chapel on the fucking moon with the Earth twinkling in the sky above - dressed to the nines in a fancy white and purple tuxedo and his mane meticulously styled, as requested, and yet he still sat alone, which he'd been promised wouldn't happen. Or at least, he wasn't supposed to be sitting alone with only a broken promise for company.

Peach had lied to him.

Again.

He suddenly chucked the piranha plant away from him with a deep growl, his frustration with himself mounting as he watched the poor plant land on top of his discarded jacket. One day he needed to learn to just quit her entirely, and honestly this seemed like a fantastic last straw. The final offense to crack his shell.

She'd come to him so sweetly, as always. "Oh, Bowser, can you help me get Mario to chase me again? But this time let's make it a wedding!"

He'd thought she was mocking him at first until she went out of her way to get him a custom suit and everything. More than that, though, she swore up and down she'd give him something he'd always wanted - provided he knew it didn't mean she was suddenly changing her mind about him.

Bowser groaned and leaned forward on the bench, putting his face in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. He was so fucking dumb! And now there was a chapel full of people thinking the worst of him, again, when really the whole scheme was Peach's idea.

He'd sold himself out for the promise of a kiss he was never going to get.

The only small solace he had was that she actually turned Mario down too when the idiot plumber had gotten a little too aggressive trying to give her flowers… but honestly, that didn’t help heal the rage beginning to bubble in his heart.

“Excuse me…”

Bowser’s head jerked up, his lip curled back over a fang to warn off whoever dared interrupt him - only to see you standing there, giving him a sympathetic, dare he think it, pitying smile. He recognized you from the few times you’d gotten caught up in some of the shenanigans between him and those plumbers.

He switched his snarl to a scowl rather quickly and looked away. “What.”

In his peripherals, he saw you point at the piranha flower bouquet; he braced himself for a teasing remark about the only things willing to sit near him being aggressive plants. He didn’t have a reason to suspect that from you, at all, but that didn’t stop him from assuming. It was suspicious enough you left the “reception” to walk around and find him.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” you asked softly.

He whipped his head around in surprise as he fixed his wary gaze on you. His brain thoroughly scrambled, he first nodded, then shook his head, and finally winced at himself.

“You - you can sit,” he finally managed, scooting over just a bit to make room for you.

You gave him a suspiciously warm smile and reached to pick up the bouquet so you could sit. You were so gentle that the quiet plants didn’t start snapping, even as you settled them back on your lap - and that was oddly intriguing to him. He shifted to face you a little more, his thick arm draping over the back of a bench as he forced a scowl.

“What do you want, woman?” he growled when you didn’t immediately speak.

You were quiet for a moment, focused on the ribbon on the bouquet, then looked up at him. “I’m sorry she did this to you.”

He inhaled sharply, his eyes going wide in surprise. His mouth fell open like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out even after a few tries. Just how much did you know?

You looked back down at the bouquet as you smiled again; there was something sad about it this time that made his stomach feel like it flipped over. His stunned silence clearly betrayed just how shocked he was that you know.

“I heard her talking about it when I visited the palace,” you explained softly. “She was actually sort of laughing about it. And then knowing she’s happy to let you take the fall, despite all this being her plan…” You shook your head, looking up at him again. “I just thought I’d come check on you.”

“Me–?!”

“Yes, you.” You didn’t give him time to say anything else before you cut him off with a resolute nod. “You’re the fall guy, always, but from the few times I’ve interacted with you, you don’t seem like such a terrible guy to me.”

He growled quietly, immediately on the defensive that anyone could possibly see him as decent… despite desperately wanting exactly that. But who even were you, exactly? Yes, he could read the little nametag pinned to your dress, and as he mulled it over in his mind, he could remember Greenie and Red Idiot calling you that several times. But who were you to them? And how in the hell did you end up involved in their shit sometimes?

“What are you to them?” he demanded. Instead of flinching at either the growl or his demand, you just smiled a little bit, catching him off guard, and he blinked.

“The brothers, I assume you mean. I’m supposed to be their secretary for their plumbing business, but it seems like I get dragged into unwanted adventures by sheer association with them… and their shop has been closed since the last time a certain someone decided to try and raid it.” You raised both of your eyebrows at him in an unimpressed manner, clearly indicating his recent attempt to kidnap one of the brothers directly.

Bowser rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, pouting a bit. He… sort of liked how you were so boldly challenging him, if  he was honest. You weren’t being abrasive about it, but you were letting him know that you honestly weren’t afraid of him.

“Look,” he muttered, “they just get on my fuckin’ nerves, okay? Didn’t mean to put you outta a job…”

“Well, I’m still getting paid, so it’s not such a big deal. Anyway, I also wanted to let you know that you look dashing in your tux… I’m not sure if anyone bothered to mention that, something else I think is a little unfair.” You sighed softly, like you really believed what you were telling him.

Maybe he could take advantage of the situation? Why not? He hadn’t self-sabotaged in fifteen minutes at least.

He pressed his lips together as he glanced back at you thoughtfully. You tilted your head to the side curiously, like an adorable, confused chain chomp pup.

Here went everything.

“Since you seem to be so concerned about me, li’l lady,” he started slowly, rubbing his chin in thought, “how ‘bout I take you out on a date, and I’ll tell you anything you’re curious about. How’s that sound?” He smirked a bit.

His smirk slowly faded as you seemed to actually consider his offer. After a moment or two, you smiled, stood, and gently set the bouquet back down in its spot. He watched as you stood in front of him; your hands came up to cup his cleft chin and his heart jumped at your gentle touch, his eyes widening at the bold move.

This wasn’t even remotely what he expected.

You smiled oh so sweetly at him, warm and inviting and completely unafraid. “Counter offer,” you murmured. He nodded dumbly. “I’m gonna go back inside, but if you follow me in I’ll call this a first date, and I’ll consider letting you take me on a second one.”

He didn’t reply. He couldn’t, too utterly shocked by this. You giggled softly when he didn’t respond.

“No pressure,” you said softly. “Not like you don’t know where to find me.” And then you made things a million times worse by kissing the side of his muzzle before promptly turning and strutting back toward the front of the chapel. His jaw dropped as he watched you go; behind him, his tail was wagging something fierce, knocking moon dust around.

That just happened. That really just happened, without him making a deal for it or anything. You willingly kissed him of your own volition. But now you were walking away…

Wait. No. You weren’t Peach - you had left the invitation open. He was letting you walk away.

…Was he fucking stupid?!

By the time he fully registered everything, you had disappeared around the front of the building. In an instant, he was on his feet and sprinting toward the front of the chapel in pursuit, skidding around the corner and bounding up the steps a few at a time. He ignored the stares he got from the few beings in the foyer, but it was hard to ignore the startled yelps from people when he rather violently slammed the door open with more strength than he meant to.

When he glanced around, all eyes were on him. “Uh… sorry,” he muttered. Maybe this had been a bad id–

“Bowser!”

His head whipped around shamefully fast at the sound of your bright voice and he locked his eyes on your smiling face at the far end of the chapel. For the first time in his life, he suddenly felt rather self conscious, but he slowly made his way toward you when you beckoned him over. His shoulders hunched, he held his arms close to his body, and his tail curled around his legs as he picked his way between the tables and guests; as he moved, though, a bashful smile settled on his maw, the tip of his tail flicking despite being wrapped around his leg.

You held your hand out to him when he got closer, smiling warmly at him. He was acutely aware of just how small your hand was compared to his as he took hold of it, but you didn’t look bothered in the least. In fact, there was genuine excitement in your eyes as you looked up at him. It made him duck his head in embarrassment.

“People are starin’,” he mumbled as he got himself sat beside you. His smile hadn’t faded, though.

“If I cared what people thought about me, you might never have met me,” you chuckled softly. “They can stare all they want; I’m delighted you decided to come join me.” You used your free hand to push a loaded plate of food at him, but he ignored it for now.

He gazed down at you; his tail slowly uncurled from his legs and began to sway a little behind him. “You really mean that, don’tcha,” he stated softly.

You nodded and your smile became softer, but more serious. “I do. Sometimes I’m a little too honest, but at least that means you’ll know I’m not lying to you. But I won’t just say mean things to be mean, either… just to clear that up.”

For the first time all day, Bowser chuckled. “I appreciate the honesty,” he rumbled. “This also means if you feel like things ain’t gonna work out that you’ll say somethin’, right?”

“Of course. Unlike some people-” you coughed softly and shot a glance toward a portrait of Princess Peach hanging near the altar “-I don’t enjoy playing with people’s feelings. Everyone deserves a chance, and I believe that firmly, but if it looks like we aren’t compatible long term I’ll say something.” You blushed a little as you finally took your hand back to start eating.

He laughed softly at the contemptuous look you’d sent Peach’s portrait. You really were something else, and though he wouldn’t mention it to you, he felt like already there was a sort of connection that he never had with Peach. He could easily see you turning out to be the one for him - but he wouldn’t hold his breath, just in case.

“I guess that means I’ll just have to enjoy every single moment with ya, just in case,” he purred smoothly, watching as your face reddened. Good, that meant he was back in his groove, and you were squarely in his sights.

To your credit, though, you kept your composure, sending him a sweet smile. “Well, aren’t you a smooth operator,” you chimed. “I kinda like that… confidence looks good on you.”

A shiver threatened to crawl up his spine, but luckily he managed to suppress it by the time it got to the base of his tail; he couldn’t stop the heat that rushed to his cheeks, unfortunately. Not only had you gone out of your way to check on him after this fucking catastrophe, but you also appreciated his lines and said it even suited him… he wasn’t entirely sure what to expect (given he’d only tried for Princess Peach before now) but he was starting to get pretty excited.

He leaned in closer to you with a quiet purr. “Well, how about we blow this joint and I’ll show you just how confident I can be, hm?”

You giggled softly in surprise, your face still flushed a lovely shade even as you tried to hide your fluster behind your hand.

“What, eager to get to date number two?” you teased.

“Or maybe I was hopin’ we could prolong date number one.”

You pursed your lips in thought as you regarded him, but after a few heart-pounding moments, you nodded, that beautiful, bashful smile never leaving you. “Alright, that actually sounds nice; did you have something in mind?”

What did he have in mind? Honestly, he wasn’t sure he’d expected you to agree so readily, despite all the signs you were genuinely interested in him. But he didn’t want to run you off already by being too aggressive or forward, or anything like that even though you just said you liked his confidence. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to do something a little more lowkey this first time…

He pressed his lips together briefly in thought before a wide grin pulled his lips back. Of course! It was so simple!

“Well,” he hummed, “how ‘bout some sky gazin’? I know a nice little place ‘round the back of this chapel, once we’re done here… We could talk and get to know each other a bit more before the second date?”

You reached over with a warm smile, resting your hand on his forearm. “You know, I think that sounds lovely. It’ll be nice getting to know the real you, the ones most others don’t get to see.”

Bowser’s tail felt like it was about to break the confines of the little foldable chair, it was wagging so hard. His heart was already threatening to break the confines of his chest just from your willing touch, but the gentle rub that followed practically made him swoon. If you kissed his snout again he just might faint.

Briefly, his mind tried to convince him that this was all some sick joke - but his gut told him you really were being genuine.

People were staring, not snickering, and there hadn’t been anyone outside to see you be so sweet. Nor would there be anyone to witness the second half of this date.

“Do you wanna head out already?”

The sound of your voice had him blinking back into the present. He had enough presence of mind to reply, “Thought you were hungry?”

You chuckled softly, smiling up at him. “I’ve eaten a little bit. If I’m still hungry later, we can go get something, how’s that sound?” You rubbed his forearm again, though did take the chance to get another bite in.

He nodded too eagerly as he put way too much effort into standing up like a calm, collected adult, forced to hold his tail with one hand to keep it from knocking anything over due to his excitement. His other hand extended to you, palm up in an invitation.

“Shall we, beautiful?” he rumbled, smiling warmly at you.

You placed your hand in his, a quiet, pleased hum escaping you as you allowed him to help you to your feet. Your eyes met his, and in a soft but earnest voice, you replied, “Lead the way, handsome.”