#and the boss doesn't like them because they took up an hour of his precious precious time with questions and idgaf personally if people

[californiaquail]

gross tumour images under the cut for those of you who like that sort of thing

very vascular growth we removed from the hock of some kind of samoyed husky (? idk it was 100 pounds and fluffy and white with blue eyes) thing. owners opted not to send off for histopath because it would have cost them like $400 which was a little disappointing because i would like to Know but i get it

[wisyhana]

Saya and Kaiba date Commission by timopeticro

I'm so happy with the result; they look gorgeous and adorable! Here's some context to this scene:

It's Kaiba's birthday, and Saya asks him to spend the day together. At this point, Kaiba has already accepted his feelings for Saya, and the girl finally has feelings for him (it took her a year and a half, wow). She's eager to spend more time with him, and it's clear how quickly she makes the first move once she starts liking someone. She invites him to her favorite place, a Harajuku-type street, and takes him to try different street foods. Saya is talking a lot, which catches Kaiba's attention immediately. She talks about the food and the place and asks him many casual questions. It's their first time being so casual and open for silly conversations, and Kaiba is enjoying it. However, he's also very conscious about everything and can't avoid being slightly anxious, especially noticing how pretty Saya looks in her goth dresses and how lovely she smells. Since discovering her secret, he has been eager to see her more often in her outfits and even caught her singing again. He's learning to like them and is anxious to know more. They also stop at card shops, where Kaiba enjoys seeing people dueling, especially the younger ones. He doesn't bother to go unnoticed; once he steps into a card store, he catches everybody's attention and is pleased to join. The duels help him to relax a bit more around Saya. She's very curious to see him that way, as he's always the boss around her, and seeing him as another player is refreshing in her eyes. They stay at the card shop for a few hours and even try to play tag games. Saya shows how she's more confident playing with other people and aims to win, making Kaiba proud. However, he also hates it because Saya's whole tag duel strategy involves using his precious monsters to kick other people's butts -since her deck focuses on using others' monsters as fusion material. Saya needs to learn how to play in teams, but with time, she'll know.

Eventually, they both feel comfortable, especially Kaiba, but he keeps yearning for something during the entire date. Though he isn't sure what he wants from Saya, Kaiba knows he wants to touch her. However, he was hesitant and didn't like feeling that way. At some point, Kaiba stops being so demanding around her, but as a consequence, he is troubled about asking Saya for something. He would have been happy just holding her hands, or at least that's what he told himself. Not knowing how to ask, he shyly begs Saya to hold his hands. He is embarrassed by how he asked it, but as Shakira said, "Lo hecho está hecho." Saya is glad to fulfill his request; it seems like the first time he has asked for something so kindly, and she is unaware of the valid reason for why he's asking. She quickly grabs his hands, surprising him, and they share a pleasant moment in silence. Kaiba notices how big Saya's hands are, and Saya realizes how cold his hands are. They talk about them, and Saya comments on how she thought Kaiba's hands would feel more robust, but they felt gentle to the touch, while Kaiba points out how fitting Saya's hands would be for piano to what Saya confirms she knows how to play it. Saya gently caressed his hands, trying to warm them up. Kaiba feels so comfortable that he thought he could die at that moment. It's such a simple yet meaningful moment for them. Eventually, they have to part ways; Saya quickly leaves on her own and goes home without giving Kaiba a chance to offer to drive her home, but he is used to her being like that. In the car, Kaiba notices that Saya's scent is still with him, and he doesn't know how until he smells his hands, and it hits him. Saya usually uses perfumed hand cream, and Kaiba always knew. For the first time, he notices how idiot he's acting for smelling the scent on his hands, thinking about Saya, and holding to the memory of this birthday.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah, I love them so much, and this commission only makes me even more in love with them.

[mmoxie]

Part 8- Cocaine Engineering

Weeks passed. Dani spent a little more of her cash on a motel room, first for a few nights, then deciding to hand over the weekly rate every Thursday until all the bills were gone.

It let her hang onto most of her new checks from Turtlebees, and she was starting to build up savings fast. Turns out when there's nothing for entertainment but unscrambling the prestige porn in your hotel room and getting a different ingredient on your hotdog at Deb's little stand, you could just... keep it.

As for the store- she was being careful. For the first couple weeks she had gone by Gina Lincoln, in honor of her old work bestie from the Wilson Titlee lottery stand. But, by the second week she had taken to wearing a blank nametag, and by the third...

"Gina, it's got to have a name on it."

"I'm just tired of being called "jyna," she said. "It sounds... pretty bad."

The meat manager let out a deep, hippoey laugh and slapped a hand down on the glass where Dani and her boss- fourth in charge- Redd, were discussing dress code.

"Can't you just correct them?" He gave her the flat, disapproving-but-concerned look of a jaywalker staring down cars as they cut across.

"I really don't want to be confrontational. Or... have them think I'm being that way."

Redd took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. He was a robust guy, probably the type who'd have been called strapping in his youth, still holding that physique together with brown argyle suspenders and a swayback posture that always made him seem to loom.

He had been in this business for a long time. Plus, he was tidying up his third divorce next week, and Gina's keeping up with me in the gray hair department, so a date would probably work out.

So he gave a little, like he always did. You could get away with a lot in a business like this, as long as the numbers looked good at the end of the day. Cut a corner if it doesn't hurt those counts.

"Listen, Gina," he leaned forward and looked at her conspiratorially, over the smart silver frames of his glasses. "All I'm sayin' is that you have to have a name on there. Doesn't hafta be yours."

And so by week three, Dani was walking around Turtlebees with a bog-standard nametag, in her handwriting, in industrial, high-stink Sharpie.

Nametag

So far, she was getting along... great, come to think of it. She had taken up a position in the produce department, groceryside's precious little no-fontanelle-having fragile-ass porcelain baby.

The managers were obsessed with it- but only at a distance. There was a fear to it, like if they touched anything, so much as breathed the same air as a napa cabbage, everything would simultaneously wilt and be invoiced at sixty thousand dollars per fruiting body.

Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH! God, Michael Keaton makes a great antagonist. And remember when Alec Baldwin was kinda cute? That's crazy.

She liked working the fruit tables. They were pleasantly cool, perfect for a good long lean. No bending at the knees, no restrictive plan-o-gram, you just put in as many fresh grapes as you can until they're gone, because baby, they're molding tomorrow.

Everything was dying all the time and it wasn't her problem. Buy it or you're wasting it. You sit the throne of Damocles and the blade is held by the single hair... of an onion.

She started subtly living the dream, while waiting for Craig to tell her she was being shipped off to Peru. She had a bug-out bag in her motel room, and was thoroughly regretting putting the old man in her phone.

He texted fast, and often.

He liked to hit send instead of comma for pauses.

She was buried under a pile of YouTube links to an alternating supply of Coltrane and Dolores Delirio. Once he found her tape collection, the onslaught of '90s Peruvian goth rock blew up her prepaid phone day and night.

But she could tolerate it all, suddenly. Produce was a full-time position, and with access to full-time hours, she finally cracked the code.

Three day weekends.

Allowed to pour all her head-down, don't-start-any-fires, grit-tooth determination into toting melons and heaving potatoes, she found she could get a lot of work done in a day. Productivity didn't really matter to her, but the fact that she could get the blood pumping and use that energy for something useful instead of murder... it had her feeling a tad more grounded, after a fundamentally paranormal week.

She made a point of helping Redd with some heavy lifts, and expressed a genuine interest in taking on more hours that same day, much to his delight.

She built a display perfectly to playbook while Redd was out sick, and made her move just a few days later.

"You know, Mr. Lake," she started, one knee up on the edge of the Leafy Greens wall, cleaning some accumulated cruft from the sprayer head with her thumb.

"Come on, Gina, we're like the same age. Actually, I might be younger." He frowned at his clipboard and pretended to be distracted.

"I... was thinking. I kinda want longer shifts."

"You huh?"

"Yeah. I don't have much going on. I think I could work twelves."

"Ah, I can't give you twelves. You'd go overbudget in a heartbeat."

"Well... how 'bout eleven?

"Best we usually do is tens, but you end up getting less hours on account of the hour lunch.

"An eleven with an hour lunch sounds fine to me. Would that work?"

For the second time, a man called Redd Lake, 40 year old grandson of a genuine Pony Express rider, cut a corner. The divorce papers were finalized, so now he had to shore up some social leverage if he was going to score that date. Get some good boy points in.

"That'd put you down to four days a week."

"Think the place'll hold together okay without me?"

He paused, then let out a short huff of a breath, turned to Dani and smiled. "It just barely might. You win, Gina."

And so, three-day weekends in Fish Camp began. She was feeling layers of fatigue, deep strata of strain and ache and worrying numbness evaporate from between her sore muscles and lift from her eroded bones. Hard days, but the reward of a three-day weekend... one day for laundry, one day for movies, and one day for bringing groceries to Craig, since he was looking after Seebs full-time now. It was about as good as a new life under an assumed identity could get.

The old boy is fine, she told herself, watching him roll sidelong off a couch cushion and onto a heap of unwashed dress socks. He just can't be cooped up in a hotel room all day. This way he gets a breeze.

Developments between Craig and his 'colleagues' were coming back slowly, and required an extra layer of translation- it was all encoded in something called Beaver Math to begin with, and then broken down into Straight Up Lies About Physics by Craig himself. And then further, one more time, into Brooklyn Standard so that Dani could at least start to find meaning in it.

Craig spent a great deal of time plunking at a typewriter- from the shortly after her lunchtime arrival to the deep, stringy black-gold of a sunset that took its time, oozing down behind the ponderosas. The endless, purposeful clacking made Dani feel old in a way that Alice Cooper Goes to Hell on tape didn't.

Sometime between sunset and the evening news, he stopped and sighed and wiped his forehead. There was a manic twitch to his mustache, and a genuine excitement in his work- and when it faded, Dani heard the absence from down in the den.

Vincent Price- Vinny, she decided one day; you look enough like Joe Pesci anyway- turned his head with her when the clicks began to slow. She scritched at his shell with a cheap toothbrush for a few seconds longer, and then gave in to the treacherous urge to socialize.

She wasn't exactly a wallflower- she always found a way to make friends, and hated an awkward working relationship as much as anybody- but she wasn't the best at relating to people. She had her most effective lessons in empathy and dialogue from Little Shop of Horrors and The Man With One Red Shoe. But she decided to try something, in the lull.

Craig was still at his post, giving off the occasional -snif- and vaguely tapping at this key or that. She eased into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.

"Punch the keys, for god's sake," she muttered, and then she heard a -snif- turn into a -snort-.

He played the part, leaning into whatever insanity needed to be in hardcopy, with a sly grin on his face.

"Yes, yes...!" Dani added, after a sip. And then it happened.

Two Finding Forrester fans, finding each other.

"You're the man now, dog!" they shouted, perfectly in sync. Laughter, cans of Inca Cola, and two workaholics taking a real break followed.

For the next two hours and thirteen minutes, it was just a couch and a touching story about J.D. Salinger viciously sabotaging a talented young man's career in sports. They laughed, they cried, they provided some of the worst film commentary on in the history of the medium. Imagined insights, outright lies, and unprecedented bullshitting bubbled to the surface until they both could stand the thought of work once more.

"Alright, so Beaver Math," Dani said, leaning back in the collapsible table's booth seat. "You told me it's innate- now look, I don't really live at the intersection of physicality and philosophy like you and the rest of the VFW- but that's bothering me. Math isn't math until you... math it."

"Dani, you're starting to sound more like me. I don't know if I mean that as a compliment, but it's progress. 'Isn't math until you math it,'" he repeated quietly, shaking his head.

"Listen, I was majoring in radio, not astronomy. What I'm driving at is that I'm used to treating math as... you know, observed. You have two apples- but 'two' by itself is conceptual."

"-snif- I don't follow."

Dani lit a cigarette and allowed herself a deep drag before continuing.

"Like, it's language. It's just a tool for designating a quantity. If you or I weren't around to use 'two', so we could understand where we stand in reference to shit, the number of something wouldn't mean anything. You'd have yourself an unknowable number of apples, but since you aren't observing them anyway, it doesn't matter whether or not you know it."

"Sheesh- you're Jolene's kid, alright. But where you and her differ most is that she wouldn't say the craziest shit I ever heard. You wanna try again?"

She laughed and nodded. "Listen, all I'm saying is that this Beaver Math stuff sounds like straight-up fraud. You can solve an equation on paper, but if you go outside and look for an equation with your eyes, you won't find it in nature."

"John the Baptist would disagree with you, but I digress. Let's take it from the top. You're about halfway there- numbers do serve as a label for a phenomenon, which is unaffected by whether or not it is labeled. You've got that down. --You remember I showed you the egg trick, with the bread?"

"I still don't like just jamming my fingers into the egg like that. Why?"

"Think of the yolk as matter, okay? All matter. You want to scramble it, poach it, bake it, fry it. You're saving the whites for meringue, so you pad your fingertips on some dry bread to wick off any moisture, and that preparation allows you to get the yolk out- no fuss, no muss.

"This is that middle step with the bread. That missing middle step. Beaver Math, Dani.

Beavers don't have a spoken language to convey specifics. But they know the measure of a dam before it's built. If there's two beavers building the same dam, they -snif- both know the measure. Perfectly.

Not only their awareness, but their interaction with that measure, speaks to a manipulable underpinning- if you can create a barrier between you and the dimensional shear of sliding over, you can reach in and do whatever you want with the numbers."

Dani was going to get it. She wasn't stupid, but she was starting to doubt her ability to tell hot air from stone cold fact. Craig was asking her to take a lot for granted.

Let's move past it. He's been at this all day.

"Alright, alright. Have you figured out anything new?"

Craig eased over to the refrigerator and got himself a snickers bar from the freezer. He took a slow, hard bite through the layers while he pulled his thoughts together.

"Lots of crosstalk about the big sixty-zeen pop you did the other day. Not a lot productive, just a lot of raised eyebrows. I turned off Skype about halfway through. That's when I -snif- got out the old work suitcase."

"But?"

"Right, well- as you know, they do some beaver math where they are, ship it over Skype, and -snif- then I transcribe it into hardcopy. You get how that's a ritual, right? Transubstantiation? You've got something material now, that's your little communion wafer. You set your brain right and let the eucharist in, approach it like you mean it, and it goes from being symbolic to being material. It's real all of a sudden."

"I didn't take you for a religious guy, Craig."

"Four brothers and five sisters. At that point it was just cheaper to send us to Catholic school. But -snif- I don't think any amount of time spent at Our Lady of Vailankanni Prep could've made me a good catholic."

They laughed at that, and took a few minutes to watch GWAR raise some hell on the Springer set. God bless syndication. Savior of the post-primetime lifestyle.

"Simpler times, man. You were talking about Easter?"

"Good enough. These documents I've been running off- it's a little like remote viewing. You've heard of Stargate, right?"

"Christopher Judge was on that show. Did you know he was Miles in House Party 2?"

"No, Dani. Nobody knows that. Anyway, I meant the CIA stunt in the 70s to weaponize clairvoyance. That's -snif- my bunk blueprints at work. They attracted some real talent, but never put the right tools in their hands."

He paused and picked up a page. The margins were reduced to half an inch, and the spacing tight enough to challenge legibility.

"After IBM but before Peru, me and some colleagues did some experimental cipher work. Very experimental. We were sending signals into space, bouncing them off objects and -snif- getting a readout in the back yard. Back when I was real into the perico I could let this stuff into my mind as easy as falling asleep."

"Perico?"

"You remember Watergate? Y'know that guy with the codename- Deep Throat?"

"Oh, sure."

"Well, I had a codename too. Deviated Septum."

Oh.

He laughed in the hard, seagull way that cranky old men like to laugh, and then slid the cluttered page across the table.

"Don't read. You'd get further eating it. I want you to look at this like it's a magic eye poster, and wait to see something. There's a guy in St. Louis with an identical sheet of paper, and he's gonna close the circuit and send his confirmation when he sees the same thing you do."

I could just cut out this part entirely and do just fine with Turtlebees. The hours are good and so are the weekends. Maybe me and Seebs can just dip and not deal with any of this.

...At least until I belt out another complimentary cremation.

She took a deep breath and eventually realized that neither her circumstances or Craig were going anywhere. In time she moved from a state of getting this over with to staring into the overlapping symbols and letting them lurch off the page toward her.

As her eyes unfocused, they peeled away from the page- fogging the edges of her vision until they became a suffocating, ink-black tunnel.

She closed her eyes a moment, and then she felt concrete underfoot. The world was lit with the glow of a hazy gray-pink sunrise.

Turtlebees.

Make it happen here.

"I was worried about this. One day I'll wake up in hell and just... not know the difference." But she did know, right away actually, and found herself zigzagging down empty aisles. There never was a roof- the sunrise followed her, yawning bands of orange creeping through the deep, soggy fluff.

She found herself in front of the freezer case, staring through a streak she'd made in the frosty glass.

Staring at a gallon of ice cream. There was something wrong with it.

She squinted at the lid. She could have opened the door, but no- if this is hell, it'll just shut behind me and I'll get to sample hypothermia for a thousand years or something. --Might meet Kurt Russell, though.

As yet another of her favorite films intruded on her attempt at linear thought, she saw something wrong again. Dust, in a cloud around the ice cream. Black dust- and moving, like gnats.

She could hear something, too. Overhead, on the radio. Bruce Hornsby? Always thought it was a little uncool to have a lyric about welfare lines in a song you play every other hour at the grocery store.

The dust came into focus, only for a second. Every grain was a character. For a moment so fleeting that she suddenly, painfully yearned for it, she had been exposed to the material truth of the real. Each and every particle was a minuscule, living symbol, moving as its meaning changed, each and every one of the swarm vying to make the ice cream real as if without their intervention it might cease to be. Why this particular unit was such a struggle, Dani couldn't imagine.

"Raspberries just turned up, Dani. Can you run them up to the front gondola?"

She turned and saw Redd Lake, automatically nodded, and wandered away from her moment of linkage with the universe to go freshen up the department.

Wait. Dani?

And then the numbers fell away entirely. Redd was Craig, and Turtlebees was the houseboat, and there was no existentially fuzzy ice cream to ponder, just a plate of strongly-seasoned lomo saltado serving the express purpose of making this world more attractive than the other. She ate without thinking, and Craig watched with his fist clenched tight around a fire extinguisher, hidden beneath the table.

"Milton, my guy in St. Louis, is ready to do the confirmation. I got him on the line right now. Don't think about it, Dani, but tell me what you saw."

"Man, I was at work again. Cold case. The ice cream was weird. It was like- your regular ol' tub of spumoni, but the edges were like the Take On Me video. I got a good look, and the edges were..."

"Calculus," a small voice replied. Craig's old computer heaved with the difficulty of video-conferencing on Windows 98 with an illegal satellite connection. "But what woke you up?"

"My boss was there, but... he called me Dani. Nobody at work knows that's my name. Either he knows something- and I panic, and stop dreaming, or this is bullshit, and I stop dreaming because I outsmarted it."

"You got a sharp cookie there, Craig," the crunchily pixelated little man carried on. "Saw the signs. But the lease ran out on the lab, so we don't have a testing environment to confirm anything."

Dani laughed sheepishly and reached for another drink. "Craig," she said after a few blessed drafts, "You mentioned, uh, something becoming real in this process. Did that happen? It sure didn't feel real."

"Something did. You also put my sinkable home at risk. --But I can put that behind me for a minute. The information you just lived within- 'cause that's what you did- was some classic C.E."

"C.E.?"

"I'll tell ya later. Anyway, something real. Here it is." He turned his wrist like a magician pulling an old-fashioned 'is this your card?' and revealed, plain as day, Dani's nametag. Her handwriting, her little joke- but she had left that in her car, on shore!

"Don't touch this or you'll throw up. It's a handle."

"Hmdle?" Dani was deep in the lomo saltado. Craig might have... more than two problems, but if he just made Peruvian food and stopped talking about beaver indices and zeenie-weenies for a minute, she could forgive the rest.

"I'm no therapist, and you may not have time for one. The Mayor Sean story was on The Weather Channel earlier."

"What? Why weather?"

"They've got people calling what happened to him ball lightning. --Let me tell you about ball lightning, though. There isn't any. It's ghosts. It's a euphemism. If the news says ball lightning, they're pitching an ooh-ahh distraction because something real is happening."

Dani didn't say anything. Craig crouched and began digging through the fridge, sorting through tupperware for the rest of the stir fry he intended to heat up.

"--Anyway. Think of this as a kind of talisman, linking you and your, uh, singularity, with beaver math serving as the chain. Now, I don't know that you should use it- at all, but it's access. Don't know about an off switch, but it's an on switch, for sure."

"So I just touch this, and- foom. Flame on."

"I have good reason to suspect that there may be side effects. Nausea, for one. Skin cancer, possibly. And- can't be certain, but you may relive some painful stuff in the process."

"Sounds like a lot of trouble for something I can already do just fine."

Craig sagged in his seat and rubbed his forehead. He curled his fingers around the conjured nametag and gave Dani a weary nod.

"Cocaine Engineering is fast, Dani. You jump to the end and then, if you're all in one piece, you get to work backwards and see how you got there."

It dawned on her, and she ran a hand back through her hair in disbelief. Something like that could let her attend counseling without committing arson, for one. Put up with traffic. Enjoy the internet.

She might never murder a politician again.

Wow!

<-Prev Next->

[thehazbingang77]

@sluttymothman

A pleasantly dizzying haze of crimson smoke swirled and twisted as it floated across the studio. The air was tinged with the scent of sweat, sex and something that lingered between familiar and altogether unknowable. Pheromones. Valentino had been allowing them to linger in air as the symphony of broken moans and bed frame creaking steadily reached towards their climax. It wasn’t abnormal: the overlord was rarely seen without a cigarette resting gracefully in his slender fingers. More specifically, it was practically routine for Valentino to begin tainting the air with his poison as the day wore thin. It was simple really, as the hours drawled onwards and the labours of the day began to take their toll…well, a little pick-me up didn’t hurt his precious, money-making, whores. Whatever made them fuck better~

The moth demon, one lavender leg swung gracefully atop the other, took a drag of his cigarette, deep and slow, before blowing it purposefully into the air. There was a focused intensity burning in his ruby-hued eyes as Valentino watched Angel squirm under the intense stage-lights of the studio. The set up was classic, the spider sinner gagged, blindfolded and handcuffed to the bed. A wide, fanged, smile the curled onto his lips. “…aaaaaand cut~” The moth clapped his hands together, pushing himself up from his directors chair. With a wave of his hand he dismissed the stagehand that had automatically moved toward Angel’s side, the spider still very much bound to the bed.

The steady clicking of Val’s heeled boots against the floor grew louder as he sauntered towards the bed. There was a slight dip in the mattress as the moth perched beside his favourite star. The previous night had been a little…rough. It’d been a wild night at Val’s favourite sex club, they’d both drunk perhaps a few too many cocktails and, after Angel had decided to flirt with some fucking nobody like a whore, Val had lost his temper. The memories were a little hazy. “Amorcito~” he purred out affectionately as he delicately slipped the blindfold from his eyes, “You made daddy so proud today~” The pimp gazed down at the spider, taking a moment to appreciate the view of his mouth all stretched around the pretty pink ball gag. Finally, he removed it, dropping the gag, still slick with saliva, onto floor beside the bed. The restraints, however, remained untouched. “Angel, baby... you’re not still mad at me, right?~” he hummed out the words as he toyed idly with the fluff of Angel’s chest, “C’mon. I don’t stay mad, and neither should you. So, be a doll and say we’re good so I can stop feeling guilty. You don’t want me feeling bad, do you?”

The scent which the air has been tainted with has been making Angel's brain feel fuzzy he feels like he's on the surface of the moon because he's dazed doesn't know what day it is or what time it is and has at some point lost track of how long they've been doing this scene with every passing hour becoming more and more numb to touch

“…aaaaaand cut~”, finally! what a relief all Angel knows is that he's exhausted and sore and in need of water or really any sort of drink and just wants to get off the stage. The previous night is a blur and is very vague in their own mind memories are scattered as a result of having been drunk and at the moment is incredibly tired. The sound of Val approaching reaches his ears then the dip in the mattress it's not rocket science to be aware that Val is has perched himself next to them, made them proud today, blind fold is removed Angel blinks their vision sort of blurry from having had the blind fold on for an extended amount of time and the intense light and so tries to focus only on Valentino making direct eye contact with him, made the boss proud--- that's good, when the gag is removed he lets out a shaky breath

Angel is not aware of him toying with the fluff of his chest but even if they were he would not care he worships Val like a GOD and to be toyed with like this is a pleasure he is their favorite toy. Still mad at them? whatever he's not stupid he knows Val likes to mess with their head so he won't question it and be a good boy. " Yes Valentino, we're good." he says obediently.

[oceanlue]

You get jealous

Finn🌻🪴

You can see that he was uncomfortable and that girl was not taking the hint that he don't want her around anymore

So what do you do you grab that bouquet of flowers she ordered and push it into her face and say have a nice day me and my boyfriend would like to talk

She argues with you at first but then you just give her the stare

Took a while but after all the glaring and arguing she finally left and you were glad because you were about to throw hands Nobody messes with your precious boy

And then you give finn a kiss on the cheek so you can reassure him that he's okay and you're with them

Finn e.x.e has stopped working

Alphonse🧁🍭

Ok so now it's your turn to be mad

This b*#^, has the audacity to flirt with yo man

And you lucky you have a lot of restraint or else you'd be throwing hands

But apparently this lady wasn't getting the hint when he said he's already in a relationship and is very much Happy and would not trade it for anything in the world

But the lady kept on pushing

So you finally had to step in and said that if she doesn't leave your boyfriend alone you will be throwing hands with her and she will end up in the hospital not looking like herself the next time she comes out of it

She left and alphonse gave you a kiss "that was hot"

Seth🍂🏕

He'll be damn right irritated that this lady did not get the hint that he does not like her one bit

So that's were you come in

You kindly ask the lady to leave you both alone so you can have your date

But after she hears this she starts to insult you saying how she can please him better than you can and how he can do better than you

Seth was almost ready to throw hands with a girl

But you beat him to it as you punched her in the face

And you two booked it out of there

Save to say it was a fun day

Charlie 🍕🐭

After you were done getting the pizza you want to go to the little picnic bench that you and Charlie were at but to find him was a girl that wasn't even supposed to be there

And Charlie looked really uncomfortable as the girl tried to get closer showing off her breast and being all flirty which wasn't really that good it just made him uncomfortable on so many levels

So you came up told the girl to get lost because your boyfriend and yourself were having a date in the park and the girl just up straight up and salted you and also made a comment to your boyfriend you had it off of it

So what did you do you threw hands with her like a freaking professional wrestler in a boxing arena

As soon as you were done you two booked it out of there with the pizza of course it's safe to say you wouldn't be going to the park but you all found a nice quiet spot to enjoy your peaceful day of the date

Auron 🖊⌚

Obviously he would be unmotivated by all this so-called flirting

After all he only has one person in his Stone Cold barrier covered in Poison surrounded by acid and barbed wire heart

You obviously knew this but couldn't help but get a little bit jealous

So after an hour of this

You finally asked if she can be on her way cuz she's making your boss very uncomfortable and he also confirmed to this

The lady was being all pouty and whiny like a freaking toddler saying she only wanted to spend time with him

But he obviously turned her down because she was being a damn right b****

After she left being all pouty and all he turned to you and said "thanks she was really getting on my nerves"

"Mine too" he looked at you with confusion then finally connected the dots that you were jealous, he gave you a smirk and lean down to grab your hand kiss the back of it

Leaned into your ear and whispered "my dear there is no one on this planet that can keep me away from you and besides as I said before your mine"

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

I really hope you like this one it kind of gave me a thought what to do next by the way I hope you really like the Emojis I put up there I just thought I could do something different anyway I hope you have a lovely day

💙💙💙

[the-butterfly-blues]

Budding Romance

Chapter Four A Friends to Lovers Series Pairing: Steven Grant x Female Reader, Marc Spector x Reader, eventual Jake Lockley x Reader. Word Count: 1,910 Summary: After helping Marc get the information he needs, they decide to team up. Content Warning: None Requests or Prompts you'd like to see are gladly welcome. Series Masterlist * Previous Chapter * Next Chapter

Bored out of her mind, she distracts herself by watching the few people passing on a street nearby. Moon Knight has yet to show and it's starting to piss her off. If she had known he would've been late, she could have set her alarm for a later time. After another hour of waiting, she's about to get up and leave but is stopped as the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. His boss appears a couple of feet away from her. She simply stares at where he's supposedly standing for a moment, trying to think of a way to communicate without his knight.

"Let's try something."

She sticks her arm out, palm facing upwards while Khonshu watches her curiously. It was odd to have someone else talk to him, even though she can't see him.

"Put your hand in mine. I want to see if it feels any different than the proximity."

Intrigued by her idea, he does as she says and chuckles as a shiver racks through her body.

"So that does work. Great. Yes or no questions, put your hand back in mine for yes. Uh, is Moon Man on the way?" 'It is Moon Knight, little spider.'

He knows she can't hear him and replaces his hand in her.

"Great. I'm starting to get real bored, can I go ahead and get started?"

It takes a few seconds as he thinks, wondering if she should wait for Marc or go in on her own. He places his hand in hers once more.

'Let us see what you are capable of.'

~~~

Racing across rooftops, Marc knows he's late despite never setting a definite time. The moon is high above his head and the city is shrouded in darkness save for a few dimly lit street lamps here and there. What was even worse was that Marc had no idea what happened the last few hours before he woke. Steven was so content and happy, that he unconsciously blocked him out. As happy as he was about Steven having a friend, he couldn't have that. He needed to be aware of his surroundings at all times. There is no sign of the spider when he reaches the rooftop nor the Egyptian deity he serves which is odd. By now he half expected the floating bird-skull to yell at him about how he wasted their precious time by trusting the woman despite it mainly being his decision. Looking over the edge of the building towards the warehouse, he's shocked to see no one in sight. Maybe they handled all their business and continued on their way, that would be just his luck.

"I thought you stood me up."

Recognizing the voice, he doesn't draw his weapon, but still spins around in slight surprise. Scarlet Spider stands there with Khonshu only a few feet behind her. Her suit is different. Mostly black, blending in with the night sky around them, and a touch of luminescent blue in the place of the spider symbol on her chest. As funny as it sounds, it suits her well as the fabric accentuates her figure thanks to the absence of the blue hoodie. Her hands are on her hips and the blue emotionless eyes are squinted, clearly upset about his lateness.

"I waited for nearly two hours before your boss showed up."

She jerks her thumb back to where he stands with such accuracy it makes him wonder if she can actually see him.

"When he popped up, I figured I could go ahead and start. He needs to learn what personal space is though- it was like he was breathing down my neck the whole time."

An involuntary shiver racks through her body at the thought of how close he had been, her senses having been overwhelmed by his presence for a pretty long time because that's the only way she can perceive him.

"You already took care of everything?" "If by everything, you mean the guards and a very lousy security system, then yes, but you don't have much time to get the information you need. They've got people coming to check out why everyone's gone quiet."

Marc jumps down from the roof easily and he can't help but watch as [Name] slowly descends with a web, feet landing softly on the ground. She has just as much grace as an aerial silk acrobat or more, it's jarring to the quick, violent life he's lived and it's oddly beautiful.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer, moon boy."

Quickly looking away, he heads towards the building, only now noticing the knocked-out men either hanging from nearby lampposts or webbed to a wall. He doesn't know what else he expected from a veteran superhero.

"Keep out of sight if they get here before you're done finding whatever it is. They don't know I'm helping you."

Entering the warehouse, he finds more men webbed up while others lay on the floor unconscious.

"Because you don't want them to know."

Marc's head lurches forwards at the sudden impact of one of her webs.

"Don't be such a sourpuss. I don't care if they know, I just figure it'd be nice to have a bit of an upper hand for once." 'The spider is right, Marc. It has shown itself to be very useful.' "She, Khonshu, not it."

While he begins looking at the papers scattered around the room and the few boxes they have, [Name] occupies herself by messing with her Spidey-Bot. The warehouse was originally used as storage for Egyptian artifacts that had yet to be put on display at the museum. It doesn't take him long to find out where the scarab is located by simple deduction. He nearly shouts when webs surround him, pulling him closer to the ceiling, but stops as soon as he hears voices. Only seconds later do the doors open to show more of Harrow's men.

"Hold on tight, Moony."

She easily maneuvers him onto her back, his arms wrapped around her shoulders and legs around her hips. It was weird and he feels incredibly embarrassed, but he has no other choice at this moment if he wants to get out of here without much noise. As the people below them look for their men or the person responsible for their disappearance, the two escape through an uncovered vent. The moment they reach the rooftop of the building across from the warehouse, he hops off her back, a frown hidden under his mask.

"Never do that again." "I don't know what you're going on about, I just saved your butt." "You could've warned me and I could've gotten out of there in time. You didn't have to do that." "Oh, hush it, mummy boy. What'd you find?"

He turns away from her, planning not to tell her.

'The spider will be a good addition. It has shown itself useful and we will have the upper hand.'

Knowing that the god wouldn't leave him alone if he didn't do what he wanted, he turns back around.

"What I need is in Latveria. Khonshu thinks you're useful and wants you to come along." "Useful? Awesome. Usually, I'm called a nuisance or useless."

Her usual cheery, nonchalant tone fades off at the end, but she waves her hand almost as if to wave herself off.

"So is he saying he wants me to go to Latveria with you?"

When sirens sound in the distance, she has a feeling this will no longer be an easy night. Luckily, she came prepared.

"Here."

She removes her glove and pulls out a card, having stuffed it there to make sure it didn't accidentally fall out because her phone number is written on the card.

"Text me the details."

Again, before he can say anything, she's taken off.

~~~

The call Steven had received during his lunch break was a little concerning, so much so that picking up dinner isn't even on his mind.

"Do you think you can come over after work? We need to talk."

Knocking on her door, he nearly jumps back as it immediately swings open. She looks exhausted and worn, more so than the time he'd visited after one of her all-nighters. Wanting to get here as soon as he could, he hadn't even dropped his bag off at home. She closes the door after he enters, setting his bag on the dining room table.

"Is everything okay?" "Yes, no, maybe. It all depends." "If this is about last night-" "It isn't! Well, it kind of is, but not in the way you think."

Taking his hands in hers, she guides him to sit down on the couch where she sits beside him. Quite a few people knew her secret, but she never really had to explain herself to anyone because they were in the same position as herself. The words are caught in her throat, only ever having had this kind of conversation once and even then it hadn't been her decision. If she doesn't tell him now, then she doesn't believe she ever will.

"There're things I haven't been completely honest about."

With a deep breath and a reassuring squeeze from Steven who looks at her with worried eyes, she finally says the four words she's been dying to say to him since she realized her feelings for him.

"I am Scarlet Spider."

He's silent for a moment, but nearly starts nervously laughing until he sees just how serious she is. Usually, she always sported at the very least a small smile around him, a smile of contentment, but now her lips are curved down.

"You're serious?"

With a nod, she stands and retrieves her usual red suit and blue hoodie, showing them to him. The proof is undeniable, especially as he starts piecing the few other things together. The odd photo, her oddly timed disappearances, and the spider-like robot.

"Okay.." "I wanted- needed to let you know before whatever we have goes any further because if you feel like you can't handle what I do, then I don't think this is going to work. Not that I don't want it to work, I definitely do, but I understand if you don't." "Hey." "What I do is dangerous-" "[Name]." "-and there's a chance that something could-" "Listen to me."

She stops, looking down at him with her suit still clutched tightly in her hands. While standing up, he takes the spandex from her grasp and sets it to the side before taking her hands in his, mentally copying what she would do if he was in her place.

"We'll figure it out." "But, what if it becomes too much? Always seems to be much more than what people think." "Then we'll deal with it then. All we can do right here, right now is take it step by step."

He's not used to calming someone, but he finds it nice, finds himself useful. It's odd feeling confident enough to handle something like this. If not for her constant support and care for the past months, he'd still be the same anxiety-riddled, mild-mannered man. When the tension in her brows softens, she sighs, worry still evident in her eyes.

"Do you really want to be a part of this?"

Dropping one of her hands, he hesitantly cups her face, thumb running gently across her cheekbone.

"As long as it's with you, absolutely."

~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Shorter than the last two, but I thought it was a nice place to stop. If you can't tell, it's going to follow the series for a while and then I think I'll continue it with a bunch of different scenarios and such. If you want to see any kind of scenario in the future, let me know what it is by commenting or sending an ask or something. Taglist: @ninjarose23, @ahookedheroespureheart, @wendds, @spicydonut25

[loneworldgazer]

boo boos

about: where bonten gets patched up by you.. eh except for a minoorrr error

a/n: i hate writing bonten because it's so damn cliche and "you're the only one i love" type of bs but it's addicting🔫🔫

warnings: mentions of blood and violence, chapter 189-206 spoilers‼️‼️, kissing in kakucho's part

tag tag: @rindousarus, @lucylikesbluehairedmen

(lucy idk who you like in bonten but here you go😭😭)

sanzu

obviously sanzu is the type to be careless and he sometimes would scratch his face whenever a bastard had a chance to touch him but he easily kills them off

most of the times (would say 3 times), he would be high and it's a completely wrong time for him to be sent off to a mission but he lives the risks of being high so he'll just take whatever the hell mikey gave him

it would be a lot more messier execution and blood would stick and drip down his face while rindou and ran asked him to wash off the stains of his face (no sanzu, doesn't matter if it's the results of your hardwork after pill popping and killing idc)

he eventually does clean off the grime on his face and felt a stinging sensation on his cheek, he touched up everywhere on his face and the scar was lined on the left of his cheek

he sighs with a grin and pressed the wound again and again, feeling the burn of the scar opening and closing

he hums as he slid into your private room to find anything to patch him up or maybe you.. if you could

he peeked from the door way and you were writing down.. who knows? whatever you were writing down was long forgotten when you looked up cause you felt a precense and immediately rushed to sanzu

"cmere you idiot" it's the shocking way to find out, you the partner of sanzu being the bigger person than him. the other members of bonten just watches sanzu being nagged by you like a mother a lot of times when his wild ass doesn't do things right and perhaps one of them let a snicker escape.

you grabbed onto his face gently but quickly pushing him onto a chair and he whistles like a tease to your concerned actions and you grumbled under your breath because of your wreck of a husband. you stopped going through the medkit and paused to look at him, he knows you wanted to pop a question so he tilted his head yo let him know what is it.

"um.. are you okay with hello kitty bandaids?" it was reasonable for him to laugh very loudly because you looked so nervous when you couldn't find any normal bandaids and you didn't say anything when you wiped a clean rag over him. well until he stopped laughing.

"i don't want to make you look like a fool infront of the other members, you clown"

"what are you a kid, why do you even have hello kitty bandaids in the first place hm~?" you told him with a smile threatening to grow on your lips that it was ridiculously cute that you had to buy it. don't waste your chance before it's out of stock <33

so he agrees,

one of the many things that his sweet partner can intoduce him is wearing hello kitty bandaids that fits his hair colour

he DOES NOT give two shits if any of bonten were to make fun of him, he doesn't care if he had to be called preschooler or that you were sending him to school but all that matters is to be showy with his glamarous bandaids that he had so he could remember that sweet expression on your face when he decides to wear them

it's completely okay if you called him extra because you know this man has the audacity to ask if you had hello kitty bandages if his arms bled

extra!!:

"sanzu, do you think this is a fashion show" you deadpanned at him when you see him sneaking on bandaids on his face, to what show you? because you know damn we this fool is wasting precious stuff during the time he won't need it.

he slowly starts peeling off another one when you start scolding him, giving empty threats on how you'll wrap him up in bandages to bury him later and the time you turn around again is where he quickly pushed the sticky bandaid on you.

"there, we're matching!" he points at the mirror or better he shifts you towards the mirror by grabbing your waist and loosely hugging it when you look at the glass when both you and sanzu had the cute bandaid on both your noses.

perhaps you shouldn't rub your temples and stress about this a lot because your husband will not take this seriously.

mikey

this was a boss we're talking about so mikey had to intervine because this smart group of asses are actually breaking into bonten's bank, carefully taken care by the haitani brothers

the boss got held at gun point before the last few seconds of his breath to get him to spill but mikey got impatient and accidently killed him too soon

mikey gripped the gun in frustration that his fingers could form a bruise with how hard he's holding it, an unfortunate turn of events had happened when the windows in all the rooms got smashed in by the other members of the sleaze he killed and managed to land a kick on his head

sanzu dealt with the problem quickly, blocking mikey from the enemies slinging the katana he had lazily on his side with a crazed glint in his eyes threatening the other members from getting way too close

the kick was unnessarily strong for no reason that mikey wobbled to his knees to the sheer impact the feet of the slain man (sanzu specially killed) could effect him so much

kakucho swiftly lead mikey out of the room whilst shooting down any person running in

mikey settled in your shared bedroom as he informed sanzu and kakucho to put him in the room whenever anything serious occured because he atleast wanted to see his beloved when he wakes up

the soft plush pilliows greeted his head as his half unconscious form laid on the bed before his eyes gave up and met darkness (like his impulses‼️‼️)

the taps of a wet cloth made him jolt out of his slumber and you panicked, telling him it's just you and you were just taking care of him while he's asleep. his head hurted when he shifted to look at you and you gently told him to rest when he feels bandages wrapped around his head.

he sensed your worry when your lips trembled on the face of his skin when you pecked kisses all over him and he couldn't help pulling you over into a hug which you squeled when you stumbled out of your chair.

"sleep with me love" he kissed you back on all the places you touched him with your lips to calm down the hurting beats of your heart when you see him writhing from the danger he put himself in, you held his face which he tiredly nodded to your thoughts which were all concerned for him.

you're worried if the head injury's bad, nah don't he shakes his head if you ever think that, he just needs to bask in the comfort of his love.

hours passed as mikey fell asleep in your arms, relaxed by your side when he wakes up but eventually he had to talk to the other bonten members for them to fill him in on any news

he reluctantly gets up because he wanted to still admire your sleeping face, the serene peace you were in as your chest slowly bumps on his arm when you breathe in and out when he shifts away made him feel bad but he had no choice

this was sonething he worried about and he didn't want to happen but he felt your fingertips on his back when you reached for him to stay

"mm.. mikey, your face.."

he touches his face feeling baindaids on it and he got on his knees to stare at your lips and to hear what you wanted to say

"um.. we ran out of actual bandaids from the last time you got hurt but i found my rabbit bandaids but i don't know if you want to go out to the others like.."

you stopped rambling when he puts his head down to laugh quietly to how worried you got, he shushed you to not get so concerned and he looks in the mirror to see the bandaids plastered on his cheek. he waved at you before going and shut the door noiselessly.

there's no need to be scared of his public image or whatever, mikey nonchalantly wore it around the members, he didn't mind if they let out an amused sound of them when the feared leader of bonten walks around with cute rabbits plastered on his face.

even he couldn't keep a grin from slipping out.

kakucho

they had divisions and they were given to kakucho and sanzu, mikey's trusted men

they supervised their own divisions and trained them with the basics they need to know in bonten, also giving the excuse to watch out for any spies or 'traitors'

with that the two had the time of their lives.. minus kakucho, sanzu was going crazy on his men and if you glanced quickly, you wouldn't notice how hard sanzu was on his men

there were times that sanzu might've just played all of them and kick their teeth out instead of doing warmups with them but kakucho's a lot more responsible while sanzu was respected in fear, everyone respected kakucho because of his strength and level headed behaviour

the division each took turn with kakucho, sparring with one another eventhough it might've taken a whole day because he wanted to see how capable they are without dreading that their lives would be in danger if he took his eyes off one of his men

let's just say some of them were really aggresive

while kakucho would applaud them for this to be absolute beasts in beating the hell of out of him in the session, he still tasted spite from getting pushed back and forth but he kept cool and thought this as a process for his patience

by the end of the day, everything's dismissed and sanzu would look at him with a toothy smirk because of how much damage he endured

sanzu calls kakucho reckless as he spits at him to clamp his mouth shut before a gun goes in it as bruises and scratches were on his face, the same with sanzu who liked the pain and took a while to patch up

kakucho looks in the mirror to see how bad it is and to how bad he flinched, he gets twitchy

he thought of you, he didn't want to hurt your feelings and see you glare at him in sadness on how rough things were at the headquarters when he trained so he tried his best to get rid off any visible marks on his face

it was time for him to go back so he bowed to mikey, a sign for him to leave and trudged home to see you again

it was at dead of night, clock nearing 1am when he greets the safe home an "i'm home" and he hears the television on, he slowly walks into the living room and placed a hand on the couch to pull himself to it to see you wrapped up like a burrito and snoring a little.

he smiled to himself, his lover leaving the movie they loved playing and accidently falling asleep which made him frown a bit when he realizes that you were probably waiting for him to reach.

he patted your shoulder and whisperes that he's home and asked for you to hold on when he carried you in his arms and hugged you tighter when you were all warm but your hands cold when he felt it sting against the back of his neck. he planted you on the cold sheets of the bed which you stretched like a cat to look up at him and he hisses at you not to get up so quickly when you held his face.

you smashed your lips on him which he didn't expect and he felt himself heating up to how straightforward you are, you missed him so much although it's been a day. you cursed at him for being an idiot for hurting himself all over and rested your forehead on his and he feebly says his apologies.

"but you're my idiot, c'mere" his ears red when you got off the bed to open up a medkit and he tells to stop and you were not having it and you grabbed his chin for him to look at you while he squirms a little when you also have to observe his face to look at his state.

you dragged to the shower and though he hates how troubled you were when he's hurt, he finds it endearing when you start bossing him around. he really needed someone to pull him out of his roughed up state with a little scolding.

also a bonus that he's also a simp for you so it's two good things in one to obey.

extra!!:

after the warm shower and the scrubs you did to each other, he felt relaxed while you threw yourself on the bed in sleepiness but you had to deal with some things first.

you straddled his lap while applying the bandaids on his face and he squints and looks closely at it, they were small [animal/s] dancing around on the bandaid and he left out a soft chuckle that made your heart leap.

"these [animal/s] are like you" you lift an eyebrow while pressing it down on his jaw and he explained on how you were the bigger person than anyone and 'ferocious' you were but he knew that you cared deeply about the people you love.

you lightly smacked on his cheek which made him yelp, if that wasn't the cheesiest bullshit he spewed then you didn't know anymore, kakucho has his face recognized as the respectable bonten 3 but he still had the heart of a boy holding his gifted new puppy.

[ichigoromi]

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐬𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐲𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧| 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 | 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆

Alright, just want to put out there that I do NOT SUPPORT cheating. I'm going to write one where I might just lash out at OMI. Hmm, I don't like cheating for personal reasons, but I just don't think it's right.

So, for my previous post, I want to clarify that he did not full-on kiss the close friend but maybe like a lip to lip touch only; that was what I was going for initially.

Now, I want to write something that really hurts because I'm just reminded of something.

But, this post might be triggering and sad.

Warning (s): mentions of cheating, strong language, hospitals and breakups.

a/n: omg i didn't know i was going to write this long. just's a heads up, i used the she/her pronouns!

Enjoy...

Sakusa Kiyoomi

You felt like your relationship with Sakusa was slowly breaking down.

It was becoming toxic for you and him; it was not working out like last time.

When you guys fought in the past, you two would make up the next day, but these days, he stays out and comes back once every few days.

You tried calling him and even staying up to wait for him, but he never came home.

All the stress from your work and your relationship problems were becoming troubling for your body.

Still, you want to make this relationship work. You have been together with Sakusa for five years, almost half of your youth.

You two have been with each other through ups and downs; you guys can work this out.

Or so you thought.

It has been weeks that you tried to meet him and call him to have dinner together so that you two can have a proper conversation and makeup.

He never replies to your texts or calls.

When you are out at work, he only returned to the apartment to collect a change of clothes and belongings.

You noticed that his stuff was slowly getting removed, and you dread the worst.

Hell, you really wanted to confront him and ask him for the truth.

How did you two end up in this state?

You confide in your best friend that you consider as your sister from another womb. Since you only have brothers.

Your boss was being extra generous and gave you half a day off, considering that you have been overworking and decided to make his favourite dinner.

You bought tons of food so that you two can bond again and work the problems out.

It was a good day, and you were feeling hopeful.

Oh, hell no.

You felt your stomach dropped as you noticed the familiar pair of heels and that customised sneakers.

You heard giggles and moans.

There he was, half-naked and full-on making out with your best friend that you consider as your sister.

She hurriedly stops Sakusa when she noticed you.

Your knuckles were turning white from your grip.

"So this was why you have been avoiding me? I see two of my best friends hooking up. Ah, you must be glad that I was a fool so that you two can fool behind my back, huh?" You let out a bitter laugh and took a deep breath.

"How long has this been going on?" You asked the two of them.

"Six months."

They have been seeing each other for six months, and you spend all your tears on these two people you trust the most. They were your world.

"Was it fun? Hmm, Hanari? Tell me? How was it fucking your best friend's boyfriend knowing all of our relationship problems? Six months...I can't believe it. I must look like a fool where I pour my heart and tears to you about my relationship, and you two were fucking behind my back." Your eyes have gone completely dull, and the tears were threatening to spill.

"Kiyoomi, I was the one trying to work things out and trying to make this relationship work. What about you? I know that you are tired from your practice, and you could not even bother trying in this relationship?

How about me, huh? I am exhausted from taking care of patients and trying to please you. Was this relationship all about you?

Hanari, I know you like him since high school but just didn't have the balls to confess before I did. I felt bad, but now, I don't. But, as my best friend, how could you?

I am over this. Enjoy my sloppy seconds, Hanari. I hope you two are happy. Thank you, you assholes."

You flipped them off and turn your back on them. Before you even reach the door, you felt a sharp pain on your right cheek and taste blood in your mouth.

"Well, I guess you can't even handle words that you need to resort to physical violence." You threw her a nasty glare and walks out of that apartment and both of their lives.

Once you reach your car, you collapse on the car seat in excruciating pain.

It started when you confront them, and you felt the sharp pain in the lower right side of your abdomen. You could not raise your voice at them as it worsens the pain.

Your hand trembles as you reach for your phone to call someone to come and get you as you can't drive due to the pain.

"Oh, why are ya callin' me? Did ya miss me?"

"Tsumu, can you come to the parking lot in my apartment building? It's urgent." You requested, trying to pace your breathing.

"What's wrong? Are ya okay? Hey, I'm comin', hang in there."

You ended the call and laid back on the seat. It hurts so much that you feel like fainting.

Though it was only a ten-minute wait, it felt like ages for you.

"Oh lord, I'm glad I pull Samu along. Can ya walk?" He asked you, and you shook your head. He tries his best to make a minimal movement, but he sees you grimace at every small movement he makes.

Osamu got behind the wheel, and Atsumu cradle you close to his chest.

You whimpered in pain and clutch on to his sweatshirt tightly.

"Where's Omi? Didn't he went home earlier to get ya?" You shook your head, tears slowly trickling down your cheeks.

He knew something was wrong but decided to not probe you anymore.

You were immediately wheeled in, and Atsumu were left to handle your paperwork. Osamu sighed and started contacting his girlfriend that he might not return back today.

Hearing that you were hospitalised, she told Osamu that she would be driving up there.

Atsumu tries not to show his nervousness, but as his twin, Osamu clearly knows that he is distraught for you. Your boyfriend was supposed to be here, taking Atsumu place, but instead, he was nowhere to be found.

You were in so much pain that you could not even drive and had to ask Atsumu, who is an amateur driver.

"Doctor y/l/n requires immediate operation since she has a ruptured appendix. May I know who is her next of kin?" The assistant doctor asked and Atsumu followed after him to wrap up the paperwork for you.

Atsumu watches you slowly breathe in and out in a constant manner and gently brushes your hair away from your pale face.

He called and informed Sakusa about your hospitalisation, but his teammate just told him that he was just exaggerating and you were just down with the flu.

You were still in a deep sleep from the anaesthesia.

"Hey, how is she?" Mira, Osamu's girlfriend, asked Atsumu.

"She just came out from surgery about three hours ago. So, she's still asleep. Her brothers are coming tomorrow." Mira lets out a sigh and gently holds your hand.

She heard about Sakusa from Osamu and almost wanted to storm to his apartment and drag his ass here.

"I think the two of them broke up. She called me and asked me to pick her up, and she was hunched over in pain. Sakusa left practice early saying that he was going to pick her up, but it was a lie."

Mira lightly pats your hand and heads out of the private ward.

After Mira left, you squinted your eyes and grimaced at the faint pain on your right side.

"Oh, thank the lord you're awake! Do you know how worried I was? What happened between you and Omi?"

"We broke up. He cheated. I'll be fine." Even though you say that you would be fine, you can't help but feel the hot tears spill.

Atsumu pulls you to his chest and pats your back gently.

"Hey, I'll be here for ya. Don't ya worry, 'kay? Don't waste yer precious tears on someone who doesn't deserve it. Take care of yourself, 'kay?" He gently wipes the tears away from your cheeks and places a light kiss on your forehead and heads out of your ward for you to rest.

It's all going to be okay, you still have other people that care for you.

He never came to the hospital to check on you after you collapse in the parking lot. In fact, he released an announcement about the breakup.

Your brothers held back a lot when they went to pick up your belongings.

Atsumu offered for you to temporarily to stay at his place until you find a place for yourself.

You knew that Atsumu has been by your side this whole time and his feelings for you, but you just need to confirm it.

"Hey, ready to go?" He arrived just in time.

"Tsumu, I want to ask you something and you have to be honest with me." You pats the empty space beside you. He sat down beside you and you took his hand and held in your small hands.

"Do you have feelings for me?"

He froze and blinked at you.

"I know. Since a long time ago." His face fell and he braced for the rejection that was going to happen soon.

"Loosen up. I'm not ready for a relationship yet but if you can wait, I'm taking that confession."

Atsumu's expression lights up and he threw his arms around you, careful to avoid your stitches area.

"I'll wait! No matter how long it is, I'll wait for you!"

Alright, I hope this does not change your mind about Omi. ITS ALL AN IMAGINATION. I love Omi with all my heart but I had to break to y'all the harsh reality. Being cheated is never pretty and with the right support system, everything will all work out fine.

This has been the alternative ending that I would have written for my previous post.

Thank you for reading.

Stay safe and healthy!

With love,

Rosalie🍓

[fairytalesofthewind]

Can I request The Avengers with winged!male!reader, who is a new member of their team? Reader is a ball of joy and love, he's like everyone's kid, until he gets snatched by Hydra agents and later is found with one of his wings cut off, leaving a permanent and ugly scar on his back. After that he shuts down completely, lays in his bed all day long and doesn't talk to anyone : he became a wreck of the person he used to be.

I really would like to see The Avengers helping him cope and Tony coming up with some crazy idea, which lead to Reader receiving a prosthetic wing and once again becoming an official member of The Avengers.

Anon, you are a true genius!

warnings: hydra (so also torture, a bit of gore, and kidnapping)

+ implied Stucky 

I called the male reader Icarus, you’ll find out why ;) I may be a little bit too obsessed by mythology. Sorry that I didn’t write with ‘you’. 

wordcount: 2424

Requests are open!

Icarus was found by shield at age 15. He had been an experiment of hydra for 3 years. He remembered the day the Avengers had infiltrated the facility where the majority of hydra worked. He remembered hearing the explosions and screams while he was trapped in the many cells of the building’s basement. The only occupied cell what that of his.

He had felt his surroundings shaking, had felt the dust falling on him as the building was ready to collapse. And then the bombs stopped getting fired. The screams had stopped. Icarus had thought the fight had completely stopped and that the people were either dead or that the people had fled. Icarus had thought no one was coming for him, and that he was trapped in his cell, no way to escape.

But then he had heard a single loud bang. It came from the door leading to the basement. He saw that the metal door had an imprint of a fist in it. Then he heard another loud bang, and saw how the imprint expanded. After a few more hits, the door gave away and fell to the floor.

A man with a metal came walking up to him. Icarus knew who he was, emphasis on was. Because the man ushering towards him wasn’t the Winter Soldier anymore. That was what the agents had told him.

“Hey kid. Hang on in there, we’ll get you out as soon as possible.” He said and came closer and inspected the outside of his cell. More specifically, the keypad in front of it. “Hey Stark, I’m gonna need your help here with some tech.” Bucky came even closer to his cell and Icarus’ eyes widen as his hands neared the glass.

“Stop!” Icarus yelled. Bucky froze at the command, and dragged his eyes up slowly to the panicked boy in front of him. “You can’t touch the glass.” Icarus warned him, his tone a bit softer. “It’ll trigger the alarms and then gas will come out of the ceiling.” Bucky frowned looked up at the top of the cell. In each corner was a camera, along with a small metal tube coming out of the walls. He supposed that the gas would come out of there.

“Is the gas deadly?” He asked the boy, there were probably going to trigger the alarms trying to get him out. But they would have to find another way if the gas is really dangerous.

“No,” Icarus started, “it just makes me go to sleep.” Bucky nodded as stepped away from the glass container. They would have to wait for a few minutes until help – the help being Tony- arrived.

“So…” The boy drawled out, “Are you really a 100 years old?” He wanted to look at Icarus with a ‘are you serious’- look but as he saw the curiosity written on his face, he responded a soft smile.

“I’m 106 years old.” He felt a pang of amusement as he watched Icarus’ eyes widen.

“Isn’t that a bit weird?” Bucky tilted his head, silently asked the boy what he meant by that. “You know…with friends, and lovers. You’re much older than them.”

Suddenly Stark entered the basement and said: “Well, Bucky doesn’t have any problem with that seeing as his boyfriend is also a super soldier and also very old.” He strutted over to the keypad on his cell. Icarus stared at him with wide eyes because – oh my God this is The Tony Stark.

“Friday baby, tell me how to get the angel out.” He said. Icarus blushed a bit, most of the agents didn’t call him an angel because of his wings. But rather demon. He didn’t which one fit the best seeing as he had neither white wings, nor black, but brown wings.

Tony was quiet for a few long seconds. He looked concentrated, not that they could see his face through the helmet, but his head was tilted just a bit. He let out a loud drawn-out sigh and said: “Yeah, no can do, that’s going to take hours. I’m just gonna blast it.”

Icarus straightened up immediately, if he were to do that he would just trigger the alarms. It wouldn’t do much to the glass either, because it was made of something special. Before Icarus could let out a warning, he heard the zooming of Iron Man’s blasters and then he heard a small explosion.

The boy made eye contact with Bucky after he saw gas coming out of the metal tubes. Just before he slipped into unconsciousness, he picked up the curse words both of the men let out.

Only a few hours later did Icarus wake up. It was very quiet around him, but there was also an unfamiliar sound that he didn’t recognise that made him realise that he wasn’t in his cell anymore. Did the agents change their mind on waiting a few more months to send him on a mission? Did they suddenly decide to get rid of him? Did they-

“Ah, you’re waking up.” The voice was so much more gentle than he was used hearing. It reminded him of how his family used to talk to him.

They were dead now, by the way, with courtesy of hydra.

Icarus opened his eyes and looked to his right where the voice had come from. He recognised the man, he was the Falcon. Sam was still wearing his suit, with his metal wings. Icarus eyes fell to the said wings and frowned.

“You know, you guys are in big trouble.” The people around him straightened up. Already thinking of the possible things the boy could say. There was something you didn’t think about, this was just a distraction and now the shield base has been taken care of properly. You lost-

“These are copyrighted.” Icarus pointed to his own wings. “I could sue you for plagiarism.” Sam lowered his head in relief as he let out a little chuckle.

“I’ll pass it on to the boss.” He said as he looked to the other side of Icarus. The boy followed the line of sight and saw Tony sitting on the other side of him. He was immediately attacked with concerned questions about how he was feeling. Tony told him that they were going to bring Icarus somewhere safe, there were going to give him a home. But all Icarus could think about was, oh my God, this is The Tony Stark.

Icarus was 16 when he started his training. He was done basically living in the hospital wing of the tower. Apparently hydra had really taken a toll on him. Physically and mentally.

He had begged the captain to train him. But Steve had refused time and time again claiming that Icarus wasn’t ready yet.

Between recovery and asking for training, he became friends with Sam. Well, he became friends with everyone. You could even say that he became their family. But it happened with Sam the fastest. Sam took care of him from the start. He visited Icarus every day to check up on him. He helped the boy get comfortable. Icarus saw Sam as a…dad?

They would fly together almost every night. They would soar over countless buildings in New-York. They would stop on skyscrapers and talk about everything and nothing. Sam became his best friend, he became his family.

Icarus was 17 when he realised how much the Avengers truly cared about him. It was his first mission, and the Avengers were acting like overbearing mother hens. It wasn’t even a big mission, it was just to pick something up and bring it from place A to B. But due an unexpected rainstorm Icarus couldn’t fly back. He arrived hours later than he should’ve had at the meeting point.

And to say he had received an ear full about it was an understatement. For the next few days after that mission, he had heard one rant to the other. It was all the same: about how he was precious, about how bad it would be to lose him because he was their family. He was their ray of sun- no scratch that- he was their sun. He was their kid.

Icarus was 18 years and 2 months old when one of his mission went seriously wrong. Sam wasn’t there to support him in the sky. And Tony was needed on the ground. But as multiple planes left to escape, he had to go after them. There weren’t only hydra agents on those plane, but also innocent hostages. Hostages that would probably get used for the same purpose Icarus had been used for.

So he couldn’t just let the planes go. He went after the plane of which he thought was filled with hostages, but was only filled with agents. He had entered the plane just before it’s backdoor had closed. He realised his mistake as he was suddenly surrounded by a dozen men with guns.

One of the men closest to him raised his gun towards him and shot. Icarus felt a sharp prick on his neck and he already knew what was going to happen. Just before he slipped into unconsciousness, he picked up the curse words his family let out on the comms.

Icarus was 18 when he was recaptured by hydra.

Hydra had claimed they had no use for him. They already had a better reproduction of him.

But that didn’t mean that we are just going to get rid of you, no stupid demon boy. We are going to have a bit of fun with you.

Icarus was 18 years and 5 months when he lost one of the most important things of his life.

He lost of one his wings. That means that he not only lost one of his limbs, but he also lost being able to fly.

He wouldn’t be able to do the thing he loved the most, he wouldn’t be able to fly anymore.

Icarus was 18 years and 8 months old when the Avengers had to save him again from hydra. But the boy they saved wasn’t the Icarus that had been captured. He was missing something –besides from the obvious; his wing.  

From the moment Icarus had returned home, everything went just a bit worse day by day. He was unhappy, of course he was. Not only had he lost his wing, but he also had a very large scar where it used to be.

He felt terrible. He would spend almost every hour buried under the safety of his blankets in his bed. He didn’t leave his room, no matter how much his family tried to get him out.

One day Bucky entered his room, he brought some tea and breakfast with him. “Good morning, little angel…” The rest he said fell on deaf ears. Icarus had buried himself under his blankets himself.

A few seconds later felt the cold rushing over him. The bed dipped beside him, Bucky sat on the blanket so that Icarus couldn’t use them to hide anymore. But it didn’t really help much as the boy just turned his back to him, his one wing currently hiding himself.

Bucky cleared his throat. “Look, I know how much this sucks. I lost my arm, I know how it feels.” Suddenly Icarus had sat up, and was now looking at him with an angry face.

“You think you know how I feel?!” Icarus pushed him off the bed. They were now both standing with Icarus pointing a furious finger at him. “You just lost your fucking arm! I didn’t just lose my wing, no I lost the thing I loved the most! I can’t fly anymore, and you know whose fault is that?” Icarus kept walking closer and Bucky kept stepping further away from the boy.

“It’s my fault! I was overtaken by my giddiness of the mission and I got distracted, I was too overconfident.” Bucky was almost in the hallway with the way he kept backing up.

“And besides, James. You got a metal arm in return. You can still do everything!” Unlike Bucky, Icarus didn’t have another wing.

And that, had given Bucky an idea.

Icarus was 18 years and 11 months when Tony had dragged him out of his wing towards his lab. He didn’t give him any choice to struggle back, he was coming whether he wanted to or not.

Tony had covered his eyes just before they entered the lab. He had made him sit on a stool. He heard a few nervous coughs, so he knew that the other were there as well.

Tony granted his sight back after a few seconds of rambling something that Icarus was too tired to listen to.

“-and we hope you will like this…”

In front of him, on a stand, was a metal wing. It was a similar size of his own. He had thought: what is the point of a monument? But then Icarus realised that what he was seeing wasn’t just a metal wing, it was also a suit. He felt a few tears roll down his cheek and immediately afterwards felt someone’s arms going around him.

“Oh, it’s alright, angel. It’s going to be alright.” They let him cry his heart out, patiently being there for him.

It was a few days later that Icarus sat in the craftsman’s lab again. Tony was securing the many straps on his new suit. He explained him the rules of the new suit, of what it could and couldn’t do. “Now, Sam will help you fly again. He knows how the metal wing work. My advice for now is to not fly too low, or too high. You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

Icarus was 19 when he was given back the thing he loved most; being able to fly. He was able to be happy again. He picked up the nightly flights with Sam again. Sometimes staying away from the Tower until 5AM. He was almost back to his normal self; he was already back to being the most energetic member of the team, and he showed how grateful he was almost every second of the day.

This night he was sitting on a building with Sam eating his pepperoni pizza.

“You know, you’re in trouble, right?” Icarus looked up at Sam with raised eyebrows.

“These are copyrighted, and you know, I could sue you.” Sam pointed at his metal wings with a small smirk.

“Copyrighted my ass, you can’t beat the original.”

[mimisempai]

My favorite place is inside your arms

Summary:

Loki loves to cuddle and over time he has learned that all he has to do is ask and Mobius will gladly give him what he wants. One morning, Mobius remembers...

Notes:

Nothing but love...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32712547

1130 words - Rating G

If someone had told Mobius that his lover was a cuddler the first time he met him, he would probably have laughed in his face.

But in retrospect, it made sense that once the walls Loki had built around him were gone, he was more of a tactile type, even if it took him a while to actually reach out for what he wanted.

Mobius remembers one of the first times Loki initiated a hug just because he felt like it.

Loki was clearly not a morning person, and was rather grumpy when he woke up, and Mobius found it endearing to be honest.

On one of their first mornings together, Mobius prepared breakfast to give Loki a chance to steal a few more precious minutes of sleep.

A little later, as Mobius sipped his coffee, Loki entered the kitchen and Mobius couldn't help but smile into his cup at the sight of his lover.

Loki's black curls were a mess, his eyes, still puffy from sleep, were barely open and his mouth was closed in a pout. He was dressed in just a pair of low-rise sweatpants and barefoot. If they didn't have to be at work in three quarters of an hour, Mobius would have taken him straight back to their room and given Loki's hair even more reason to be messy.

Instead, he took another sip of coffee and said softly, "Good morning sweetheart."

Loki grumbled and approached Mobius.

Mobius leaned against the kitchen counter and watched Loki walk toward him. He assumed that Loki wanted to get his own cup of coffee right behind him so he pushed himself aside a bit, but Loki kept moving forward and put his hands on the counter on both sides of Mobius so that their bodies were almost touching.

Then Loki, under Mobius' amused gaze, took the cup out of Mobius' hands and put it on the counter.

Mobius protested, "Hey Loki, you know I need this to work!"

Once again only a grumble answered him.

Then Loki took one of Mobius' hands after the other and placed them on his hips before he pressed himself to Mobius and wrapped his arms around him.

"That's better," Loki growled into Mobius' neck and he closed his eyes.

"So if I understand correctly," Mobius said with his mouth in Loki's hair, "I'm your body-pillow and I don't have a say in it."

Loki grunted and buried his head even more into Mobius' neck, tightening his arms around him.  Then he whispered against Mobius' skin, making him shiver, "You left our bed too early, I didn't get the cuddle quota I needed to function properly this morning."

Mobius' heart skipped a beat at Loki's confession. He told himself that he was willing to play the role of body-pillow every morning if it meant being the object of such confessions.

He tightened Loki's arms around him, buried his head in his lover's hair as well, and whispered with a smile, "Sorry sweetheart, I'll make sure you get your cuddle fix every morning. I promise." He closed his eyes enjoying this moment of sweetness.

It was finally a great way to start the day.

The coffee could wait.

Mobius smiled at the memory of this moment which had been the first of many others.

As always he was awake before his lover.

Mobius liked to watch Loki sleeping.

He looked young and innocent in his sleep, sprawled out on their giant bed, while managing to wrap himself around Mobius. He looked so precious like that.

Soft. Trusting.

Things he hid a little more when he put on his god of mischief persona.

Though Mobius was secretly glad that Loki kept some aspects of his personality to him. Here, in their home, in their bed, Loki knew he could drop all his walls in front of Mobius.

Loki's eyes fluttered, and he stretched as he always did when he emerged from sleep. Mobius tightened his arm around Loki, leaned over and kissed his forehead. Then his temple, his eyelids, his cheek, while caressing his back, until he was completely awake. When Loki finally opened his eyes, Mobius couldn't help but kiss his lips and when he pulled back, a sweet smile adorned his lover's well-kissed lips.

"Good morning," Loki said, his voice soft and sleepy.

"Good morning, yourself," Mobius replied with a cheeky smile as he added. "Guess what time it is?"

Loki groaned and buried his face in the pillow. "Please don't say 'time to get up' again! I won't get out of bed if you say that."

"Oh, well, actually-" Mobius rolled on top of Loki and kissed him again, "I just wanted to say it was time for this morning's last hug." Then he pressed a thigh between Loki's legs.

"Wow," Loki replied, "that's perfect."

He spread his legs and wrapped himself around Mobius like a koala bear, letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

"As you say," Mobius replied, kissing Loki's neck and then flicking his tongue at it, "perfect."

"You're a perfect boss, love, you know how to motivate your employees." chuckled Loki, his lips against his, before kissing him tenderly.

When they parted, panting, Mobius, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes again, whispered, "You're the only one who gets this special treatment, sweetheart."

With a hip flip, Loki turned Mobius around and straddled him, saying with a mutinous smile, "Darling, I hope for your sake that I'm the only one getting this special treatment. Because these arms..." Loki leaned over, took Mobius' arms and wrapped them around him, " are only allowed to hug one person this way, this head..." he took Mobius' head in his hands and pulled his face closer, "are only allowed to think of one person, these eyes..." He kissed each of Mobius' eyelids, "only allowed to look at one person, and finally these lips..." He pressed a long kiss on Mobius' mouth, "only allowed to kiss one person."

Mobius, who was enjoying discovering this possessive side of his lover, replied in a defiant tone, "And who is this person?"

Loki pressed his forehead to Mobius', "Darling, I think I'm going to have to refresh your memory and it's going to take a while."

Mobius licked his lips and replied, "We may be late..."

Loki replied, a mischievous smile on his lips, "That's okay, my boss will give me an absence note."

He captured Mobius' lips in a passionate kiss, and the room echoed with their laughter and kisses for a long time that morning.

Loki has known for a long time that he doesn't need to invent tricks to get Mobius to take him in his arms. He only has to ask, or help himself, his lover is always ready to give him what he needs.

_________

As always, bear with me as it is not beta'd I hope you enjoyed it 🥰

[everafterkeiji]

Summary: When your first Christmas with Suga turns into a bit of a sweet mess.

Pairing: Koshi Sugawara x gn!reader

Word count: 3.4k

Genre: fluff

A/N: god help me i wrote this on INSTINCT, dropped EVERYTHING for this baby. Also happy holidays my lil melodies!!

"Asahi please stop freaking out."

Sugawara says through the phone as he hears complains and whines from Asahi, panicking where he misplaced Suga's gift for Y/N. He strictly ordered Asahi to hide his present for you knowing it's all you've been talking about for months. Next thing he knows, Asahi calls him completely frantic acting like he's completely destroyed their friendship.

Suga laughs as he hears random sounds from objects assuming Asahi was carelessly running through his house finding the beautifully wrapped gift. Meanwhile he was preparing all the ingredients needed for these extremely adorable Christmas inspired cupcakes that he and Y/N found. He was looking at the list of the things needed before setting everything on the kitchen counter.

"SUGA I'M SO SORRY. WHAT IF I LOST IT?"

"Asahi you're the tidiest person I know."

"I RUINED YOUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER. I'M SUCH A TERRIBLE PERSON."

"Asahi! Please. It's too early and when you find it please just come over and bring it to me. Y/Ns got work from that cafe so we have time. I'll call you back okay? I'll just bake." He says before hanging up the phone, leaving a very stressed Asahi, feeling like there was a baring weight on his shoulders as he finds the gift.

Meanwhile Koshi has his tongue poking out as he figures out what the woman on the video just said. As he mixes the ingredients together, he can't help but smile when he realizes how important it was for the two of you.

As mentioned, it was your first Christmas together and this man was not going to pass up on the opportunity to show you how much you mean to him. You've got this lovesick fool wrapped around your finger, completely struck by your beauty and characteristics. You felt the exact same, feeling as if the gods gave you one of their prized possessions. How could you even deny the butterflies that surround you when he holds your hand, or even when he takes your bag on the way home.

Everything about him was already a gift from the heavens.

So here he was, completely forgetting what a budget meant, buying you the object you've been endlessly fangirling about it, even if you joked that you accepted him with a little bow wrapped around his head. Though he was willing to do it just to hear your laugh, he'd rather choose spoiling you instead. You can possibly imagine the way he looked, so confident swinging the little paper bag in his hands as he walked as if he won a lottery. He also bought you another gift that you didn't even request for. He just wanted to see the way your eyes would shine when you receive it.

As for you, you also forgot about your initial plan of spending less than what you expected. You didn't really settle on one thing, you had the cute idea of putting all the things he loved in a box along with all your photos together and with some heart warming letter you knew he would love. He loved the way you would stick notes on his favorite snacks and giving it to him when he was off to practice, or even the way he changed his alarm to you continuously telling him if he doesn't wake up he gets less hugs.

You figured that he adored your little acts of love instead of buying him a shirt or a sweater so you figured it benefitted your time preparation for his present. Also maybe buying everything that reminded him of you wasn't a brilliant idea.

It took you several days of torturing yourself from spilling the secret. You can never hide anything from your boyfriend- I mean how can you? One glance from his soft eyes was enough for you to surrender any information you've got so Daichi had to physically clasp his hand over your mouth just because he didn't trust that you have the ability to keep the secret to yourself. You thanked him knowing it was difficult to do especially when all you wanna do is ramble on how you found this plushie that you got him.

So when the universe put you two together, its absolutely the same for him.

He had to physically beg for Asahi to hide it from you knowing he was to be the least suspected one to just blurt out a secret. The con is Asahi was at the top for being anxious and being too caring. Though he deeply wished he picked Daichi, he figured he was practically a bridge for you two so he disregarded the idea. Seeing Asahi all worked up about the gift was quite humorous to Suga.

"Suga- honey do you know what that means?"

"Yes what is it darling?"

"We'll have our first Christmas together!" You exclaim, clapping your hands with a smile on your face as he chuckles draping an arm on your shoulder. He kisses the side of your head as you automatically lean into his touch.

"And I'm excited for everything, hun." He says with his heart jumping in glee at the idea of being under theChristmas lights with you, imagining you two snuggled up talking for hours just embracing the warmth of each other.

"Even New Years!"

Sugawara smiles as he reminisces the precious memories you two have made in the short amount of time. It amazes him how a person was able to consume his thoughts on a daily, how every second with you felt like he wanted it to last for a lifetime. You overwhelm his heart with so much adoration and he can't help but feel as if he was given a slice of heaven whenever he's around you.

"You do know Y/N likes you right?" Daichi asks as he sets the vice captains heart on fire with what he just said. Suga let's out a nervous giggle before waving his hand back and forth as an act of denial. Daichi laughs at his gestures, examining the pink tinted cheeks of his fellow teammate.

"C'mon, Suga."

"I-it's not like Y/N likes me back the way I do!" Daichi lets out another laugh as he runs a hand through his locks. Sugawara wipes the sweat from his forehead, finding it challenging to think about them having mutual feelings for each other. His mind can't focus on the probability of you two dating since he figured he'd feel as if he was on cloud nine if that were to happen. Another heat wave rushes to his cheeks as he shakes his head no.

"Koshi!" A voice shouts, making him yelp..his confession.

"YES I LIKE Y/N."

"ME?"

"Y/N?"

"SUGA!"

".. oh no."

He remembers how he wanted to faint that day, definitely disappointed he confessed to her opposite to what he had in mind. He wanted it to be in a calm place, only them with possibly a scenery in front of them but instead he got a funny confession, yelping like a girl before declaring his love in hopes what surprised him was Daichi but was faced with Y/N instead. In the eyes if the universe, it seemed too funny yet wholesome while Sugawara thinks it's too clumsy and could've been way better.

So with the disaster of a confession, he made it up to you by bringing you along on fantastic dates. Sugawara developing a habit of picking random things that you had on that date whether it'd be a tissue that you drew on a smiley face with, or the receipt of what you ordered that day. It was such a cute habit seeing him pick them up and just shoving it in his bag, he'll pretend he hid nothing but later on you saw a little box under his bed filled with the objects with dates on each of them.

"Koshi what's this?" You ask shaking the box in your hands as his eyes widen running to you and softly taking it away from your hands. He chuckles nervously, arms waving around you as if he was protecting it with his life. You laugh at his actions before attacking him from behind hugging him, trying to stop him from moving any farther. Suga let's out a war cry, desperate to not give into your embrace.

"NO I WILL NOT SURRENDER TO SUCH CUTENESS."

"WHAT IS IN THERE SUGA."

He trips as he walks, making you follow behind him, falling the same way he did. You fall to the floor laughing at the stupidity of you two. You were facing him as you take in the way his laughter was the best thing you've ever heard. He had his eyes closed with his smile brighter than the sun as his chuckle echoes through the room. You let your hand rest on his cheek before leaning in and kissing his temple. This quickly had the young man turn his head to you with flustered cheeks and sleepish smile.

"Seems like you're incredibly in love with me."

"What's so wrong with that?"

Before he could land a peck on your forehead, you grab the box from his hand earning a gasp of betrayal from your boyfriend as you quickly jog to a corner opening the box, and what was in this so called treasure chest was filled with random objects. As you take in the tissue in your hands, you see his handwriting on it with the date of your recent date. You smile as he comes behind you wrapping arms around your waist, resting his head on your shoulder.

"You know you're too cute for me, Suga. You're gonna make me have a heart attack with this."

"At least I can you were drop dead in love with me."

"Okay now- that wasn't cute."

This automatically carries a smile on your lips as you give the last customer their drink. Seems like everyone was affected by the chilly holiday feels since there were no customers that pissed you off like usual. Everyone was rushing to spend time with their families at home. Your family along with Suga's were spending the holiday together, happily welcoming the boy into your family. Although you found it funny when Suga acted so nervous when he was invited to spend it with them.

So as promised, your boss insisted everyone to go home early making you take your time in cleaning up.

-

"Asahi! You made it happy holidays!" Suga softly pats the ace's shoulder giving him a smile. Asahi does the same, setting down your gift on the table. Asahi takes a seat on the couch admiring the way the room was filled with decorations, with polaroids clipped with fairy lights, even a tiny Christmas tree in the corner borrowed from your parents.

"Seriously thank you for bringing it over, where did you find it?" Asahi chuckles as he removes his scarf.

"It was in my drawer all along. I thought I hid it in my cabinet so that's why I panicked." Suga shakes his head in amusement.

"I'd like to stay but my moms making me buy something from the store." Asahi says standing up. He hands Sugawara a box that was wrapped neatly with a gold ribbon at the middle. Suga's eyebrows were raised in confusion as he sees the little tag that said "To: Suga, From: Daichi and Asahi", he then smiles before handing a present to him as well. They both bid a thank you to each other before Asahi leaves.

As Suga leaves your present on the counter so he can continue cleaning up the mess he made from baking.

That's when he heard a knock to the door as he takes a peak in the little hole seeing his lovely lover standing in the doorway. Then he realizes that his present for you was just laying around and the kitchen was still pretty much a disaster. So he dashes as fast as he could.

You were replying to messages from Kiyoko and Yachi and he simply thanks the world that it was sparing him time.

And with such speed, comes with great responsibility. He accidentally knocks down the flour on the counter, where the tiny box was placed making it covered in flour making him puff in annoyance. With the dust making its way to his nostrils, this unfortunate makes him sneeze making the whip of air carry the flour residue land on his face, giving his face a powder like finish, along with his hair. This absolutely had him at complete shock as he hears the door open.

"Suga honey! Oh- what the hell happened." You say with a slight giggle as you snap a picture of your beloved boyfriend covered in flour. Looking back at the photo, you laugh even more, him swiftly hiding the flour covered box in his hands shoving it in his pockets.

"Y/N! Ah- I'm so sorry." He says before you set down your bag and remove your shoes as you set the cookies from the cafe on the counter. You take in how he looks with a frown on his plump lips as you smile softly before going over to him, your finger landing on the flour as your fingers swipe across your face joining him in the little flour art on either of your faces. He chuckles as his flour covered hands land on your cheek.

"How do you make it look so cute, sugar?" He asks as he gives a slight squish to your cheeks. You roll your eyes at his words as he places a delicate peck on your forehead.

"Are you sure it's really okay? I could clean this up all by myself you go ahead and take a shower!" He says but even if you insisted on helping him he disagrees.

"But-"

"Nope nope, I did this, it's my responsibility. Now shoo!" He says pushing your back to go on ahead and shower, the habit he's been doing to Kageyama and Nishinoya. You giggle at his actions before finally giving in to his demands.

During your well spent shower you hear a scream from the outside. You immediately grab your towel, wiping away the water in your eyes and wrapping it around your figure, frantically opening the door.

"Suga?!"

"Y/N wait no I'm fine!"

You look up to see smoke coming from the oven with your boyfriend in his adorable apron with matching mittens fanning his hands as he quickly brings out the tray of burnt cookies as you both lock eyes now both widening at the same time at the sight of you.

"Oh! Wait! Look away!"

"SUGA!"

"WAIT NO I SHOULD LOOK AWAY!"

Suga covers his eyes as he tries to stumble around the room trying to move around the counter. Thankfully, he screamed when you were finished showering so you grabbed the clothes you had from the room to help the poor boy, changing while he had his eyes covered. You still had your hair dripping wet but you immediately remove the hands from his face, revealing a very red Suga.

"Koshi, love. What happened?"

"I'm sorry! I can't believe I just messed up everything for our..first Christmas." Sugawara slides down on the floor feeling like he's lost all the time to make up for everything. Y/N sits beside him taking his had and leaning it your shoulder while your hands rummage through his hair, comforting him.

"Love, you didn't ruin it. I promise you that. If its any consolation, I think you look absolutely cute in your outfit." Sugawara lifts his head off your shoulder with a pout to his lips. You giggle at the sight of him before gently placing a peck on his pretty lips.

"And a frown doesn't suit it." You say before he chuckles bringing you into his arms, a move to hide his face. You laugh as he practically hugs you even tighter.

"Should we even bother to taste the cookies?"

"Oh please no I don't wanna go to the hospital on Christmas."

-

"Okay now gift giving time!"

Suga tugs on your hand underneath the table as you look at him, as he turns his head to the side signalling for the two of you to leave the table for a while. You excused yourselves. Suga leads you into the empty room as he excitedly sits down on the bed, and you followed his actions.

"So what are you up to, mysterious man?" You ask as Sugawara pulls out a tiny box from his pockets. Your eyebrows were raised, confused at the tiny little thing. He then goes behind you pushing back your hair as you feel a cold material hit your neck. Your fingers grazes over the thin material as you feel an circle charm on it that felt like there was distinct design from the texture. You close your eyes with a smile, already loving how he was so delicate. Once he locks it, you immediately hop off the bed rushing to the nearest mirror as your eyes set upon the dainty piece.

It was a gold necklace with a small disc charm in the middle with a letter S along with engravings of your favorite flower at the bottom. You gasp at how it was able to emit such beautiful details of the flowers. He wraps his arms behind you, resting his head on yours as light bounces off the mirror from where his finger was. Curious, you turned to him as you take a hold of each hand, then finding him wearing a ring with your initial with the same flower esque design on your necklace. It was placed in his ring finger and you covered your face, speechless at everything.

Suga takes this a sign that you were absolutely bewildered by his gift and he smiles as he pulls you into his arms.

"You're absolutely god-sent, it's unfair at this point." You say as he chuckles, he pulls away to see you pouting as he tucks a piece of hair behind your ear, letting his hand rest on your cheek like usual making you rest your cheeks weight on his hand.

"I know this isn't our only Christmas, we've got so many to go through. I just wanted us to start off strong with this. At least, even without a holiday or special occasion, we'll always feel like the other is around. Especially, it kinda looks like I'm married to you so what else can I complain about?"

You slap his chest jokingly feeling like the waterworks were coming to meet you. He pats your hair as he lets his eyes linger on you, setting your heart on fire with the way his eyes made you feel so safe and loved.

You wipe your eyes as you make your way to the cabinet, grabbing the present and handing it to him shyly. He remains silent as he opens the box to be greeted by his favorite snacks, an adorable plushie sprayed with your perfume, along with scattered letters and photographs of you two. He takes in one of the notes that his eyes landed on.

"My little ray of sunshine! Out of all the things I could say, you've left me speechless everytime. It's just pure luck that I managed to pull an angel like you. I genuinely hope you like this and not scold me for spending too much but how can I when I'm too in love with you? Merry Christmas, my love - Y/N."

He shouts in glee taking you by surprise as he basically tackles you on the bed, hugging you for the hundredth time today as he repeatedly kept saying thank you. You laugh, finally feeling relieved that he loved your gift. He sits up like a little kid reading every note that touched his hand and his eyes sparkle everytime. It surely was a sight that could make it feel like Christmas everyday. He hugs the plushie with all his love as you snap a photo of them, admiring the way his cheeks looked squished against the softness of the toy.

"Merry Christmas, honey." You say, curled up in his chest.

"Merry Christmas too, love."

He looks at you and he hums in happiness at the sight of the both of you, welcome in each others arms and nothing but endless smiles and laughter.

"I'm so in love with you."

"Good, believe it or not but I love you more."

[everydaychurch]

Beauty from Ashes (Part 2) by Warren. Read pt 1 first

Before I left Detroit the Lord spoke something to me. I was sitting in my pick-up truck waiting to go into my soon to be ending job (Yes God does have a way of speaking to us in ways only we can understand). As I  was offering my prayers to start my work day I heard, in the depths my heart  “Warren, I will restore to you the woman of your youth”. Honestly I was disappointed. I wanted my marriage back. I know now that wasn’t going to happen. I also wondered who this girl could possibly be and questioned if I was just hearing voices. Maybe I was crazy. So after I came home to Seattle, back now for months, with those disastrous dating attempts that resulted in my swearing off dating behind me, I get a text from an old high school girlfriend I friended on Facebook. We talk on online for several months. Since later she had a trip coming up to Seattle from Spokane on vacation I agreed to meet her for coffee. I had sworn off dating and had no intention of a relationship with anyone. Starting any romance other than being friendly was off limits at this point. I had been spending most of my time working on myself and focusing on my relationship with God. A good friend was also walking with me as a helpful counselor and support partner.

As I walked to the meeting place agreed upon (Starbucks) I wasn't the least bit nervous to see my old high school girlfriend Julie. My main goal was to hopefully apologize for being such a bad high school boyfriend. Then out of nowhere the same voice from the year before saying the woman of my youth would be restored to me spoke again. As I walked up to the her table, still maybe 40 feet away, the voice spoke to me again asking  “Can you be married to Julie the rest of your life?”.

 I was a little freaked out. 

However, the presence of God was with us as we caught up on life and we could sense it. The next few days were wonderful as we met again the following Sunday.

Did I mention that when God asked me that question while approaching Julie at Starbucks my first reaction without hesitation was “yes”? 

It was obvious. We dated for a year (300 miles away from each other). We have been married for 4 years. God did promise to renew. Not the way I expected of course but I know everyday of my life Julie is a direct gift from God. He had a plan before I did ( I didn’t have a plan) Julie is by no means my salvation but reuniting with Julie further helped change my perspective on how I see God. This was supernatural as far as I was concerned. Julie is a widow. I don’t think she ever anticipated marriage again so late in life either but I know God is renewing her too and changing her view on the nature and goodness of God as well. 

I have been blessed through work as well. I have gone from $17 an hour to a financial figure I could never remotely anticipated. I have been able to take good care of Julie.She has health concerns and does not work. I can pay the bills and have a nice home and car. I am certainly grateful at that alone;  BUT God was not done yet. 

I was able to share 2 years with my step-daughter Ellie. She is in college now and back in Spokane. I think I did a pretty good job helping Ellie get ready for adult life. I didn’t have to do much. She is very mature and has a strong faith in Jesus. I can honestly say I love her. I am still not, nor was I perfect, but I like to think I didn’t screw it up and am a positive influence. I have incredible in-laws as well. I love them and they love me too. That is such a gift.

I also have a much better relationship with my kids and grand kids. Ministry and church life were rough on them and I didn’t do a very good job of protecting them from the time obligations my position supposedly required. I failed to nurture. I wasn’t giving to them with the attention they needed and deserved. There seems to be a running story of “PK’s” or Pastor’s Kids in culture today as if its a funny joke that the pastor’s children are the trouble makers or the ones that grow up to be the most anti-church or anti-god humans. There is truth in that, but its not humorous. Its a tragedy. You can pass blame on church culture for this, but the reality is that it has nothing to do with church culture. The buck stops with the dad. I was ultimately responsible.

I would like to believe I am a much better dad today because of what I have been through and that my deeper, more accurate view of God has taught me how to love them and treat them with the dignity they deserve and as the wonderful adults they are. If I knew then what I know now I don’t think I would have let my church position take priority. Insecurity, fear, and a mentality of works may have possibly ruined the ability of my children to understand  the truth of God. My prayers are always for them to feel loved and know love from God and for them to truly know Him. Only God can do this and I know God can do this.

My daughters are so precious to me. Not a possession, but unique individuals who have their own purposes, talents, strengths and weaknesses, They are all smart, artistic, passionate for justice, good moms, and hard workers.

Another big surprise of God’s restoration is what happened in November of 2017. We had moved a few miles away from my old church where I was once on staff and where Julie and I  lived across the street previously when we were newlyweds. Julie, Ellie, and myself were looking for and trying churches in our new city. Nothing was sticking. Nothing felt right.

I believe when you find the right church you know it. It will be clear and peaceful. Let me backtrack the story a bit. When I first came home to Seattle in 2013 I ran into my former Senior Pastor’s wife Mary in Safeway. I explained to her how I was divorced now. I used to feel I had to explain this whenever I ran into anyone who knew me before when married the first time. That’s a story in its own right. I rarely even think about having to justify this to anyone anymore. Mary was full of Grace and urged me to come talk with her husband. I thought. “No way is that going to happen”. It didn’t end the way I would have preferred while on staff at this church. Many of the challenges I faced in my role there  were magnified by my lack of maturity and my misunderstanding of the true heart of God. My faith neurosis blemished the good things that were accomplished under my ministry . Like a house on fire I surely never wanted to enter that building again, especially after a divorce from a spouse who was once also on staff there. I am sure my pride had a lot to do with that. Pride fueled by shame.

God can be funny sometimes. He does the unexpected.

Jump back ahead 2 years as Julie, Ellie, and I are church surfing with no success. A persistent voice starts speaking to my heart saying “go talk to Steve” (the pastor). I hear this over, and over, and over again. It doesn’t stop until I set up the eventual appointment. I had a boss once who had a motto when ever there was silence between two people that went like this “Just have a conversation”  We were going to have a conversation. I had no clue what the result would be.

Gracefully in the two hour meeting that followed with Steve, Mary, Julie, and I an amazing occurrence of healing took place. Love broke out. We were invited to come back. To be restored. To be protected. We began attending Northwest Church right away and still attend to this day. I am part of the Worship Counsel, teach guitar, and play guitar on the worship team. I never thought in a million years something like this would ever happen. 13 years had passed since I was a staff member there. It was like a son returning home to his family after a long journey. Steve is retired now and change is in process but I am excited for what the future holds. More opportunities and restoration continues that quite frankly blows my mind.  

I was unexpectedly asked to be a part of a team that traveled in May 2019 to Nashville to serve in music worship for the Chaplains portion of the Foursquare Church’s National Convention. Wow. I didn’t plot, plan, or ask for any of that but the door opened. Julie went with me. More evidence of the wonderful nature of Jesus in action. Quite a contrast of my former false beliefs.God was pouring out His love beyond expectations and I knew it.

I had been to National conventions in many years past. I always felt so inadequate when I did. I recall feeling that if people really knew me they would certainly challenge my attendance. So I would play the pride game. Espouse my position of course since I served at a large church. This was my off-based, ugly attempt to justify myself. This gathering was certainly different. I just felt blessed for the opportunity and gave what I had to offer. It was very freeing. No stress at all. A National Convention doesn't justify your position with God, Jesus justifies your position with God.  

God has certainly proven over and over again, through all the difficulty I have endured who He is. How He loves people. How He loves me. When that light bulb finally went on for me my perspective on everything changed. How I view God now changed how I see myself and how I see the rest of the world around me. I no longer wrestle with the mind games of “if” God loves me or not. I am secure in knowing that He does love me deeply and its much easier to respond to His love when that is etched on your heart.

I am not suggesting a different gospel than what the bible clearly teaches. We are still sinners saved by grace. Jesus is our savior and Lord and He is the only way to reconciliation. We must acknowledge our sin and need for redemption. We must know Him and know that He laid down His life on the cross for our sin. His words are clearly written; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14;6. 

However let me end with this; He is a relational God. Slow to anger and full of grace. He wants all to know Him and follow Him. He wants to be the honored centerpiece in all our lives. He knows all our issues. He is patient. He sees you right where you are. He knows how to untangle false assumptions of who, and how He is. He wants us to love others in the same way; but we have to walk out our lives with Him to the fullest so we can do that. To love others as naturally as breathing. 

The Gift of Jesus Christ is above all the entanglements, sin, and struggles we have gotten ourselves into. He is our hope, our joy, our healer, our restorer, and our re-newer and so much more

Peace