#and the last chapter of my modern au

[yourstrullyme]

did i just watch all of ellie and dina's relationship from tlou2? yep. am i now obsessed with zombies au? yep. will i make a tanthamore multi chapter zombies au? most definetly yep

[varpusvaras]

If Fox could go back ten years in time and look at the barely twenty-year-old himself in the eyes and tell him that hey, you have a home office, his younger self would look back at him and tell him that he has lost his mind.

It's such a small thing to call someone crazy over, but for the Fox back then, even having an apartment he could be secure about was a big deal. Having an apartment big enough to have a home office? Having a job secure and safe enough that he could work from home? Absolute lunacy.

There Fox still is, now, sitting behind his desk in his home office and looking out of the window towards the trees blooming in the back garden.

That barely twenty-year-old Fox would've lost his mind if he'd see the place where he lives now. Hell, any version of Fox before the age of twenty-five would lose their minds. Even now, Fox remembers the cramped rooms with at least five other kids, sometimes his brothers, sometimes not. He remembers how all of this stuff could with inside one drawer and one box, because that had been the amount of stuff he had been allowed to have. Living in a place where he could have his own bedroom, a home office, and multiple other rooms to spare still?

All of that had been a simple, too good to ever be true-dream.

One that he is living now.

Who is he lying to? Fox at twenty-six had lost his mind after seeing the place for the first time. At that point he had been living on his own for a while, and not in a bad place either, but still. It had been...almost too much.

The way Bail and Breha had looked at him with soft eyes after Fox had asked if it would really be alright for him to have a home office had almost been too much.

They would've given him at least ten home offices if Fox would've just asked. Fox knows that.

Sometimes, Fox thinks that he is getting more than he deserves.

Not that he isn't working hard, or hadn't been working hard for his own success. He had, with too much cheap coffee and by scouring the grocery stores for expiring products and by studying through every waking hour and working through half of the hours he should've been sleeping. He had done it all, and it had gotten him here, in it's own way.

Now he can have the good coffee and sip it patiently, while he stops looking out of the window for a moment and attaches the floor plans and the concept pictures to the email and sends them away. He hopes that the customer is happy, now. The job had been interesting and quite fun with all the challenges, but he had other jobs too that he needed to work on, so he simply couldn't spend more hours on drawing entirely new pictures and doing all the math again because the customer had suddenly decided that they liked radius windows better to the picture windows instead-

Right on cue, his phone starts to ring.

Fox groans.

"Seriously?" He mutters, picking the phones up. "That was fast."

The record for the fastest call back he had received before this had been what, five minutes? It had barely been two minutes now, so there must be something egregious that he had managed to completely overlook, somehow.

He takes one last sip of his coffee, before he answers.

"Coruscant designs, Fox Organa speaking", he says.

"Hello, Mr. Organa." The voice that comes from the speaker is not the voice of his customer, and Fox blinks in surprise. Had he actually forgotten to see who had been calling? There's only a number on the screen when he quickly glances at it. "Is now a good moment to talk? I'm afraid that his would be rather time consuming."

"Depends on what this is regarding", Fox says. "I'm sorry, can I ask who this is?"

"Oh, right, my apologies", the voice says hurriedly. "This is agent Strass, I'm calling on behalf of Child Protective Services. Could I ask you if it is correct that your biological father was someone called Jango Fett?"

Oh, this is already not going how Fox would like any phone call to go. No matter how many years it has been by now, just hearing the words Child Protective Services makes his skin crawl, and the name Jango Fett makes his head hurt.

Those two combined have never promised anything good.

"I do want to make a correction, agent Strass, before we get any futher", he says, trying his best not to grit his teeth. "Jango Fett was my donor. I have never met him in person, nor has he ever had custody of me at any point during my life, nor does he even know that I exist."

"Oh", agent Strass says. They sound rather young, and Fox wonders if this is one of the first times they're making this type of call. "You're still listed as a genetic match to him through a DNA-test."

"I am, but I did not make that test to be in contact with him", Fox says. "I made it so I could be sure that my siblings were biologically related to me."

"Of course, of course", agent Strass says, and Fox can hear them turning some papers over on the other end of the call. "Now, I understand that this is a bit of an unique situation, since you do not have a prior relationship with your biological father, but we have received custody of a child that is, according to a DNA-test, also the child of Jango Fett."

Even though Fox already knows that it is the Child Protective Services calling, he is still surprised by the words.

"Have they been removed from the custody of Fett?" He asks.

"According to our records, no, a third party had a custody of him", agent Strass says. "They had done a DNA-test for the child themselves, and shared the results with us."

Fox can't believe this.

Someone is still using Fett as a donor? Or Fett is has suddenly decided to return from the dead and make more kids, but Fox doesn't think that is plausible. Fox is nearing thirty, and so are most of his siblings that he knows of, and the youngest he knows are still way past twenty. He really, really hopes that the child in question is in their late teens at the very least-

"How old is the child?" He asks.

"According to our information, three months", agent Strass says.

-and Fox hopes for the world to be healing are instantly burned down.

"Like I said, I understand that his is an unique situation", agent Strass continues talking, "but since we have the information on the child's biological family, it was decided that we would first reach out to you, to see if there would be anyone willing to foster the child, before we would turn to seek out long-term fostering options from unrelated people-"

Agent Strass's voice fades somewhere into the background, as Fox thinks. He thinks of the cramped rooms, he thinks of his drawer and box and the small amount of things he had in them, he thinks about his brothers, coming and going, being replaced with kids that were strangers, that would also leave if Fox ever managed to become friends with them. He thinks about the times it would be him leaving, thinks about how sometimes he had not even had a suitcase or a backbag, and had instead packed everything into plastic bags and dragged them around, he thinks of the drawer and the box and-

Fox looks out of the window, to the back garden with blooming trees, that he can see from his home office. His office, that he could have multiple of, and how they still wouldn't be out of space, and-

"Yes", Fox says.

"-in case that- excuse me?" Agent Strass stumbles a bit with their words.

"Yes, we will take them. Him. The child", Fox tries not to stumble over his own words as he hurries to speak. "We will take him. What do we need to do?"

Bail and Breha had been through adoption agencies already. They have been cleared to be fit to adopt and foster. Fox has not, but maybe he could ge through one if he applies right now, maybe two adults with qualifications would be enough in the meantime-

Agent Strass talks for a long, long time, and Fox now hangs onto every word with all the attention he has.

Agent Strass tells him to come to the office on Thursday. Fox cleares his whole day immediately.

The call ends almost an hour later, and by that time, his customer has tried to call him six times, and has left three emails. Fox sends them a message of three lines about emergency and sends it without checking if he even typed any of the words correct.

Then he sits down and he breathes.

He just sits there and breathes for a very long time.

"Alright", he murmurs to himself, finally. He needs to go ask Breha if she is free on Thursday, Bail at least only has work then until noon-

Oh. Right.

Fox stands up, and he walks to the other end of the floor, and knocks on the door of Breha's office.

"Come in, love." At any other time Fox would've been really endeared over the fact that Breha could recognise him from the way Fox knocks, but now he has too many other things in his mind.

Breha turns around on her chair as Fox slips in.

"Hello", she says and smiles, but her smile drops a bit when she sees whatever expression it is that Fox has on his face. "Is something wrong? Fox?"

Fox takes a deep breath.

"I've done something", he says. "Without asking you and Bail first."

Breha tilts her head.

"Have you sold the house and decided to move to Antarctica?" She asks. Fox shakes his head. "Then why do you look like you're about to uproot us all?"

"I agreed to have a baby", Fox says.

Breha blinks.

"What?" She asks.

"Not with anyone else", Fox rambles. "With you, I mean, to get a baby with you, I said that we could get a baby but I didn't ask-"

"Fox." Breha stands up, and Fox snaps his mouth shut. "Calm down, alright? Breathe in, and sit down. I feel like this is not a conversation to be had while standing up."

She takes his hands, and walks him over to the other chair next to hers that she keeps for visitors, and she lets Fox slump down on it for a good while before she gives him an expectant look.

Fox breathes in, breathes out, and starts explaining.

--- ---

They go to the office on Thursday.

Even arrives on Saturday.

His things are packed neatly into a little blue suitcase with cartoon ducks on it, and he is dressed nicely into clean overalls and a light coat, and has new, tiny shoes on his little feet.

Fox has only one, slightly tattered picture of himself as a baby, and he feels like he is staring at a live version of that picture when Even is taken out of the car and given to him.

Bail leans over, and he smiles at Even, who does a little smile back.

"He has the same forehead curl as you do", he comments, and brushes Fox's hair gently out of the way.

Fox can only answer with a nod.

He looks at the suitcase, and he thinks of the plastic bags and the drawer and the box.

Breha puts her arm on his back. Fox thinks about the cramped rooms and the drawer and the box as they walk upstairs and go to the room right next to their bedroom, with light green walls and vines growing on the wall outside the window, with a little cot and shelves and multiple drawers for only one kid.

Even's eyes dart around the room for a bit, before he looks back up at Fox. His tiny fingers grab at the front of Fox's shirt, and he smiles at Fox with a gummy smile.

Fox hoists him higher, presses his face against the little dark curls on Even's head, and he pushes the drawer and the box away.

(He only remembers that he had already agreed on things to do on Saturday, when Thorn calls him three hours later.

"Where are you?" He asks. Fox brings the phone further away, and takes a picture, which he sends to Thorn.

"Home", he answers.

"What are y- what the fuck is that?"

"It's a baby", Fox answers.

"I know it is a baby! Why do you have a baby?"

"Because I do now."

"That doesn't explain anything, where did you get it? You weren't pregnant!"

"How do you know I wasn't?" Fox asks.

Even is sleeping on him, and he makes a little snort and curls just a little closer to Fox. Fox smiles, and does not listen to anything Thorn is saying anymore.)

(Modern AU co-parented with @t3mpest98!)

[canisalbus]

this may be a stretch and you're more than welcome to ignore this ask, but i like the little trope of soulmates finding themselves again across time, being reborn in a different time and finding each other again and getting to be together once again

so i like to think about the original canon ending for vasco and machete and the modern au to be set in the same timeline of sorts? them getting a chance to be reunited centuries later, in a world kinder to their love, that lets them finally be together and themselves with no church or anything else to keep them apart

.

[tennessoui]

would it be annoying or fun for y’all if I were to write a “choose your own adventure”/“vote on what happens to the characters next” fic vía tumblr polls?🫣🤔

[shamera]

Fandom: Mysterious Lotus Casebook Character/Pairing(s): pre-Fang Duobing/Li Lianhua, He Xiaofeng, He Xiaohui Rating: PG-13 Warning: blood, injuries, minor character death Summary:

Fifteen years ago, portals called 'gates' appeared all over the world leading to pocket dimensions people coined 'dungeons'. Ten years ago, two of the world's greatest Hunters disappeared after the collapse of a dungeon at the eastern sea. Three years ago, Fang Duobing Awakened as a Hunter, determined to follow in the footsteps of his idol. Today, a gate suddenly appeared within Tianji Hall, pulling its inhabitants into a dungeon.

[magdelanesingerin]

Chapter 9: Intimacy

“I feel like a creep and an asshole. He moved on, he’s happy, and I’m happy for him. I should be over it by now, we were only together for a few weeks, for fucks sake.  But there are these moments between us and I…” Geralt breaks off with a groan, rubbing his eyes hard enough to see stars bursting behind his eyelids.

“That’s understandable,” Nenneke says. “You dated Jaskier because you were attracted to him. Those feelings don’t magically go away just because the romantic relationship is over.”

“Yeah,” Geralt says morosely. "So far he either hasn’t noticed, or is nice enough to not call me out on it. I try not to spend time with just the two of us anymore. We hang out with Ren, or I try to have June with me as a distraction, so I don’t just fucking ogle him the entire time.”

“And does that help?” she asks with a knowing smirk.

“No,” he mumbles through his fingers. Nenneke laughs.

“Have you thought about getting back out there, trying to meet someone?”

“Get over someone by getting under someone else?” he asks wryly, and she snorts, shaking her head.

“Not exactly, no. Intimacy is a very normal human need, Geralt, and it’s not surprising that you’re craving human and physical connection again as you get more emotionally stable,” she says reasonably. “You’re doing really well. Making jokes, deepening friendships, your sleep is better�� you seem lighter, happier. It’s wonderful to see, and it makes sense to me that you’d want to share that happiness.” 

Geralt can feel his face heating as she speaks, embarrassed by the praise, but he can’t help the tiny smile that stretches his lips upward. That fragile smile fades as she continues, “Have you been intimate with anyone in the last few months?”

He grimaces and clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. It’s just sex, for fuck’s sake. He’s never been shy. This shouldn’t be so hard to talk about. 

“No. Not since…hm. That hookup at the beginning of the year. No one since then,” he forces out, feeling self-conscious and pathetic. 

“Ah, I remember,” she hums thoughtfully, but doesn’t berate him for his recklessness. She didn’t back then, either, when he told her about the party, the bar, and all his horrible decisions that night. He frowns and picks at his fingers, remembering the sharp, burning pain of getting fucked without prep, the cold tile under his hands, the smell of piss and stale smoke heavy in the air…

“I think you should consider dating.”

Her words pull him back out of his head and into the present. 

“Uh. What?”

“Dating,” she repeats slowly. “I think you should consider it.” She cocks her head thoughtfully. “You could try something new, something outside the bar and club scene. There are a number of dating apps for people looking for more than a hookup.”

The skeptical noise Geralt makes starts out as a groan but travels through a few other sounds before it trails off into a grumble. Nenneke’s eyebrows go up and she grins. 

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad an idea, surely,” she snorts. “It can be a good way of meeting people who want the same things from a relationship as you. Actually, this will be an interesting exercise, a way to consider and verbalize what you are looking for in a partner and a relationship. Tell me how you’d describe yourself in your profile. Who are you, Geralt Morhen-Rivia, and what do you want out of a partner?” 

She smiles expectantly and Geralt grimaces, trying to imagine it.

Cranky, job-insecure man, late thirties with no discernible career goals seeking companion for awkward dates and maybe more. Interests include horseback riding, medieval history, working out, and going to therapy for my various mental illnesses. Open to all genders and expressions; I will be equally emotionally inept with all.

Oh yes, what a catch. 

Nenneke smiles at him encouragingly. 

He can’t say any of that out loud. 

“Hm. I…like horses. And. Food. And I’m looking for someone who. Uh…” he trails off, eyes wide and slightly desperate. 

Her smile turns a little sad, and she sighs fondly. 

“I know, it’s not easy, is it?” she says ruefully and regards him silently for a long moment. “Well, we’re out of time for the day anyway, so you’re off the hook.” She grins at him as he sags in obvious relief. “But I’d like to make that your assignment for this week. Think about three positive things you can say about yourself in a dating profile, and three things that you are looking for in a partner.”

Geralt groans like he’s been assigned a 20 page research paper instead of a dating profile, and his very supportive therapist laughs at him.

“I know, making you say nice things about yourself, so cruel,” she teases.

continue on Ao3

[antlereed]

tmws final chapter is actively beating me to death as we speak

[ravendruid]

Be In My Eyes - Chapter 8

You can read the previous chapters here or on AO3. This is a big one with some emotional scenes (at least for me). I know it might be a sensitive subject to some people, so I'd like to issue a content warning for mention of dead parents. I added a second warning before it starts, and after it ends, in case anyone wants to skip that part. Thank you so much for reading this. It means a lot to me <3

Greyskull Keep was first and foremost a student dormitory, even if in the shell of an apartment building, and like any other college dorms, not a lot of money and thought was put into its furnishing: the appliances were good enough so that the students didn’t have to worry about finding repairs, and the cabinets and counters built from cheap wood materials. That said, Keyleth was still glad to have a fully furnished kitchen she could cook in, even if a small one.

One of the things Keyleth loved the most about holidays was gathering her family and cooking with her dad, so it was bittersweet to see the display in front of her: half of the island was covered with an assortment of vegetables and other ingredients for the main meal, and the other half had everything that Vax needed for his pumpkin pie.

“It has been a while since I’ve cooked,” Vax admitted nervously. He had changed into an older set of clothes, albeit still black, and was wearing Keyleth’s pastel yellow apron with embroidered bees and flowers of all colors.

“It’s just like riding a bicycle,” Keyleth grinned at him as she started cutting the squash on the counter in front of her.

“Is this a bad time to mention that I don’t know how to ride a bicycle?” Vax chuckled nervously, holding the bag of flour in one hand and a measuring cup in the other.

“Oh, no.” Keyleth looked at him in amusement. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I didn’t learn until I was ten.” She admitted with a blush, and Vax snickered in reply.

 One of the first things Keyleth noticed as they started cooking was that Vax was really handy with a knife. The second thing she noticed about him was that he always managed to make a mess regardless of what he was doing. After Vax spilled flour and sugar on the floor a few times, his pumpkin pie was finally ready to go in the oven, and he set it aside so he could quickly clean up the mess he had made.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” He asked Keyleth with a smile. 

“Here,” Keyleth handed him a bowl of potatoes. “Can you cut these into cubes without making a mess?”

“For you?” Vax leaned in closer, his hand resting on hers on the knife handle, making Keyleth’s stomach jump. “They will be perfectly cut and not a single drop on the floor.”

Altogether, it barely took two hours to have a fully finished meal on the table, which Vex’ahlia had decorated with napkins, candles, and a small centerpiece shaped like a black witch’s hat with purple ribbon and a wooden flying broom leaning on it. Displayed proudly in the center was the main dish, a large vegetable casserole that Keyleth had worked hard on, and around it were several other smaller sides, like gratin potatoes – which Vax had kept his word and not a single drop had fallen to the floor –, butternut squash and apple salad with dried cranberries, and spicy cauliflower rice.

“Keyleth, this is amazing,” Vex said with a smile.

“It smells so good. You did an amazing job,” Vax clapped her shoulder with a smirk. 

“T-thank you, guys.” Seeing the twins’ awed faces was a much better reward than Keyleth had ever hoped for. “Let’s eat!”

“So, Keyleth, how do you usually spend your Harvest’s Close?” Vex asked, spooning a large serving of casserole onto her plate.

“The town where I’m from, Zephrah, hosts a big, shared festival every year where all the farmers and producers of the area bring their products to sell and display. It’s a way to show everyone in town the efforts of their labor, the season’s harvest, no pun intended,” She chuckled. Keyleth started feeling some anxiety when she saw how entranced Vex’ahlia was in her story, but when she looked at Vax, who was equally, if not more, enraptured, it all vanished. Vax was looking at her with such adoration and admiration like he needed every word she spoke as much as he needed air.

“We usually have a large potluck, and everyone in town brings food and drinks. My dad and I are in charge of plant-based main dishes since we have a small community of vegetarians, and I’m always the dessert table supervisor, so I have to make sure the little ones don’t go poking their fingers in the numerous pies and cakes we have.”

“Vax used to do that when we were young.” Vex rolled her eyes at her brother, and they all chuckled. 

“Do you have any other traditions at your festival?” Vax’s eyes were glimmering, and Keyleth noticed how Vex’s head whipped in his direction in shock.

“Uh–We do,” she ignored it and continued, focusing her gaze on her plate and only glancing at Vax a few times to boost her confidence. “Besides the display stalls for selling produce and other products from the farmers, we also have artisanal sellers, games for the kids to play, and entertainment for everyone. Then when the sun sets, we light a giant bonfire and share stories and songs around the fire. And we have a large cherry tree in the center of town that we always fill with so many fairy lights, and when night comes, we light it up as well, and it almost looks like it’s daytime. When I was young, I would lay down underneath it, my stomach hurting after I ate so many desserts and candy, and I would imagine the fairy lights swinging with the breeze were the last fireflies of summer saying goodbye. It’s funny because I would always wake up in my bed the next morning, thinking it was magic, until one day when I found out that my dad would always carry me home at the end of the night because I would fall asleep under the tree.”

“You sound like you miss home a lot,” Vex pointed out sadly, to which Keyleth nodded.

“Are you going home for Winter’s Crest?” Vax asked.

“Well, yeah. We have the entire week off, and my dad would probably fly to Emon and drag me home if I didn’t go.” Keyleth joked. 

“Your dad sounds amazing, by the way.” Vex stared at her plate, petting Trinket, who was sitting straight next to her, waiting for his share of the meal.

“He’s pretty cool.” 

“Pretty cool? He came all the way over to help you move in.” Vax snickered, “That sounds like an amazing father.”

Keyleth was about to ask the twins about their father, but she noticed the warning look that Vex gave her brother, and she realized that she had never heard them mention any parents. Several questions flooded her mind – How about your parents? Did your mom teach you how to cook? What does your dad do for a living? – but by the time she decided to ask the twins how they usually celebrated Harvest’s Close, they were already enthralled in conversation about school, so she dropped the subject for later and enjoyed their company and the amazing meal.

—

“What the fuck was that at dinner, brother?” Vex asked, sitting at the end of her bed with a huff. 

“What are you talking about, stubby?” Vax smiled, sitting opposite of her. 

“You were drooling all over Keyleth.”

“What?” He laughed. “You’re insane, Vex.”

“Did you just laugh? I haven’t heard you laugh in months. Are you two fucking? Is that why you spent all day with her?” Vex asked in scorn.

“Keyleth and I are just friends, Vex’ahlia,” Vax’s smile fell. “Besides, you were the one who pushed me into baking that pie.”

“I didn’t force you to go get groceries with her or spend the afternoon in the kitchen cooking together. The pie takes 20 minutes to make.”

Vax rolled his eyes at her and leaned in, placing his hands on her shoulders. “We are just friends, stubby.”

“Good, because I have to share a room with her, and the last thing I need is for you to start fucking my roommate, okay? That would be so fucking awkward.”

“What about you and whitey?” Vax asked, cocking his head.

“What about it?” Vex swallowed dry.

“You two have been hanging out a lot, haven’t you?” Vax wiggled his eyebrows in amusement.

“We are just friends, brother,” Vex’ahlia said coldly, getting up from the bed.

“I’m sure he would love to be much more than that,” Vax got up and pulled her into a hug, “but if he touches you, I will have to kill him.”

“Please, I can take care of myself,” Vex sneered, looking him in the eyes.

Vax knew his sister could take care of herself, she had to do so many times before, but he also knew she loved and appreciated how protective he was towards her, especially when men were involved.

“I just don’t want him to hurt you, that’s all.”

“I’m not mom, Vax. I won’t fall for his smooth talk.” Vex pulled away from him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You’re the one who needs to be careful, brother.”

“What do you mean?” Vax stepped back in shock.

“Even the prettiest roses have thorns.”

“I told you, we are nothing but friends, and even if we were, it’s my heart, and I get to choose who breaks it.” Vax huffed in frustration, turning his back on her and storming off the bedroom.

—

*CW: Mention of dead parents starts here.*

Keyleth finished putting away the last of the clean dishes from dinner, turning around to see the half-eaten pie on the island in front of her. Memories flooded back to her, of meals and pies, of her and her dad cooking early in the morning, of them picking up fresh produce the day before. She furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to recall her mother’s presence in the kitchen with them, the touch of her fingers on Keyleth’s hand as she guided her through the pumpkin patch, or the glimmer of her eyes when Keyleth showed her the perfect pumpkin that she had picked from the ground herself, but all she could remember was an empty face, an empty touch, a pair of dull and cold green eyes that belonged to someone else.

The first Harvest’s Close after Vilya’s death was the hardest. Keyleth was too young to remember much of it, so all she could remember was an overwhelming feeling of emptiness inside her as if something important was missing from her life. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that those feelings started to subside, and, as Keyleth grew up, she learned to relish the moments she had with her dad, so being away from home for the first time, especially on such an important holiday, was being very painful for her – a much as she tried to hide it from the twins.

But now she was finally alone since the twins had disappeared to their respective bedrooms, and all the overwhelming feelings of the day finally rushed through her heart. Keyleth couldn’t remember what her mom looked like anymore, what she smelled like, or what her voice sounded like. She couldn’t remember the mornings when she would open the soft yellow curtains of her bedroom to let the sunlight in or how her mom would always say, “Good morning, sunshine!” as she did so. Keyleth couldn’t remember the warm chamomile tea with honey her mom would make her every night before bed or how her voice sounded rough and exhausted after a day of work as she read her bedtime stories.

What Keyleth could remember, though, was how long it took for her dad to pick up the small habits of her mother in an attempt to fill the void. She remembered how it took him months to greet her the way her mom did every morning, how he always forgot the honey until he saw Keyleth get up one night and walk barefoot to the empty and dark kitchen to add honey to her tea. Keyleth smiled melancholically at the memories of her father, exhausted after a day of work, asking her if she would like a bedtime story, and Keyleth, too scared she would forget her mom’s voice if he did read to her, had told him no, she was okay. She wasn’t okay, though, and deep down, she knew that when her dad kissed her goodnight, his heart tightened in his chest for not being able to fill that emptiness inside his little girl.

Keyleth fell to the ground with a soft thud, her back hunching against the dull cream-colored counter as she pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head between them. Her tears were warm and fast, and her shoulders shook as she tried to stifle a sob, then another one, and a third one until she couldn’t hold it anymore. 

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her, and the familiar scent of soap filled her mind as she was pulled into someone’s chest, not needing to open her eyes to know who it belonged to. Vax ran one hand up and down her spine comforting her, the other tight against the back of her head, pressing her deep against his sweater. “Let it out.” He whispered barely loud enough, the air of his voice soft against her head, and Keyleth cried harder, burying her hands into his clothing and pulling him closer to her.

She didn’t know how long it took for her to stop crying. What was probably only a few minutes felt like hours, but eventually, Keyleth’s sobs turned into sighs of exhaustion, and she realized she was practically sitting on Vax’s lap, his sweater damp from where she had buried her face. He was still holding her tightly, his hand now rubbing circles on the small of her back, and his slow, steady breath puffed warmly against her hair.

“I’m sorry,” Keyleth’s voice was weak, and her eyes were still glimmering when she pulled away from him.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” his voice was soft and warm, and Keyleth wanted to bury herself into his chest and cry again. Instead, she let him pull her to her feet and drag her to the couch.

“Your sweater–”

“It’s okay,” Vax smiled at her lovingly as he sat on the couch, pulling her with him.

Keyleth sat down by his side, slightly turned so she was facing him, and Vax wrapped one arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I–” Keyleth’s eyes welled with tears again, and Vax squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I miss my mom,” she finally voiced what she had been trying to hide all day, and tears streamed down again. 

For the second time that night, Vax’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her into his lap, pressing her head into his chest as he pressed soft kisses to the crown of her head. 

“I miss my mom too.” 

From the tone of his voice, Keyleth could tell he understood her pain, so she brought her teary eyes up to meet his and said softly, “I’m so sorry Vax.”

“It’s okay.” He replied with a sad smile.

“I’m here if you ever need to talk,” Keyleth nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. The smell of his cologne was intoxicating, and Keyleth held tightly against him, feeling the hardness of his chest against her hand. 

“I know, Kiki. And I will always be here if you need me.”

*CW ends here.*

Keyleth’s heart pounded so loudly in her chest that she knew Vax could hear and feel it. She didn’t want to let go of him, and Vax didn’t seem to want to let go of her either, not from how tight his arms were around her, so she let herself cry again until exhaustion took over. 

When Keyleth woke up the next morning, it took her a few seconds to realize Vax was asleep underneath her, his arms still surrounding her tightly, and her cheeks flushed red as her heart sped in her chest. Vax felt warm and soft, and his breathing was so relaxed and slow that if Keyleth didn’t have her ear against his heart, she would have guessed he wasn’t alive. She felt comfortable with him in ways she had never felt with anyone else, so once the initial embarrassment vanished, Keyleth found herself being lulled back to sleep by his steady breathing, smiling at the thought of his arms wrapping around her, how his warm his breath felt against her hair the previous night, and how kind he was to her all the time.

[stardustandash]

Someone give me some inspiration to write the next chapter of this Bad Batch modern au, Im strugglin today.

[keyrousse]

Chapter 9 of "Identity" is up!

In which Cahir finally shows up in person (he is tagged as a character in this fic after all) and pushes the plot forwards by just talking.

There's also some action (not much, as I basically gave up on describing fight scenes).

[rieamena]

totally (not) beating the allegations

best friend!takuma ino headcanons

contains... best friends to lovers, mutual pining, casual confession of love, kisses (platonic), kisses (romantic), modern au, high school to university au, living together-ish, fem intended reader, pet names (baby, babe, love, sexy, handsome, beautiful, sweetie, the list goes on and on), lots of physical touch, nicknames (you call takuma, kuma.), reader has a mother and a father, y'all are basically dating just without the label...

word count: 2.3k (this wasn't supposed to be long. i told myself 0.8k maximum...)

riea's comments: all sixteen people living in takuma city RISE UP! i miss my husband of 35 years so much, come back to me loml :(( something to munch on while y'all wait for the next full throttle chapter. also not too much on me if this is a drabble and not hcs idk the difference :))

first off... i just wanna say that i KNOW I KNOW that ino is one of the funniest people in the jjk cast idc idc!!! if he had more screentime (and if the situation wasnt dire) my boy would be crackin some jokes!!!!

you've been friends with takuma for around 7 years, your first meeting happening in tenth grade, when your teacher paired you two up for an interview project. when time came to actually record the interviews, it was hard to edit out you two laughing uncontrollably every fifteen seconds or so

i mean, you two just had so much in common!!! same favorite color, same favorite franchise, same favorite tv show, same favorite video game; it was like yall were the same person. there was just one thing you both disagreed on: whether hex code #286061 was blue or green

your argument ended up being the last ten minutes of the final video you submitted...

without a doubt, after that, you two became inseparable. in school, people would take notice of your closeness. when one of you were absent, teachers would jokingly ask "where's the other one?"

there was not a single thing you didn't do together, homework, go to the gym, gossip, eavesdrop, etc etc. so of course, you ended up applying to the same universities and when it came time for college acceptance season...

takuma invited you over, forcing you to bring your mailed letters from the eight universities. sprawling out over his lap, you took in the all too familiar sight of his room. you've been in his room more times than you've been in your own (and vice versa!)

i mean ino's been over to your place so many times that he calls your parents mom and dad. and you've been over to his house so much that takuma's mom practically jumped for joy every time you burst through the front doors with a "guess who's home!!!" so it was completely normal that you guys knew the ins and outs of each other's rooms, right?

"kuma, baby," you started with a sigh, reveling in your best friend's repetitive motions. running his hand through your hair, ino looked down at you, eyes showing that he was listening. "i'm scared, what if we don't–"

"ah-ah-ah! no negativity here!" he cut you off, pushing you off his lap and grabbing the letters you left on his desk. "listen here beautiful," takuma says, bringing a hand to your cheek, his heart swelling when you subconsciously leaned into it, "we're gonna take each other's letters, and open them," he handed you a white envelope, the logo of both of yours dream university on it, "starting with, kyōmei."

taking a well needed deep breath, you nodded. "okay," you and ino began to open the envelopes at the same time, only looking at each other when you saw the status. "accepted or rejected in 3...2...1..."

"ACCEPTED"

"ACCEPTED"

cue the mandatory silence before the screaming. "holy shit. you got in." "you got in." "WE GOT IN!!! WE'RE GOING TO KYŌMEI!!!!" you two practically flew off the bed, jumping up and down in celebration. peppering his face in kisses, you nuzzled your face into takuma's neck. "i'm so proud of us! i mean, kyōmei," you pulled away from his neck, shaking his shoulders harshly, "the kyōmei?!!!"

anyways, soon enough, you both realized that you'd have to move away, resulting in a seven hour search for apartments near the university's campus. and just as takuma was about to give up, you found a listing for units 19A and 19B, right in the heart of the city and just a five minute walk from kyōmei

and with that, it was moving day, well, days is more like it considering that the whole process took like ten days... finding cute furniture is really hard! and moving all of it is even harder!! and don't even get me started on the appliances! although, you and takuma found a way around it

like what do both of you need a microwave for? and there isn't a reason to have two dishwashers, there wasn't even a reason to have one! y'all kept your fridges though... who was gonna be banging on the other's door in the middle of the night for some cold water??

with time, it came for the highly anticipated freshman formal, an welcome event hosted by kyōmei itself, and of course, you had to go. so here you were, staring at your figure in the mirror as your best friend's large hand rubbed your shoulder, the other zipping up your black dress. "all done!" he breathed, taking a step away so that you could see for yourself. "i look so cute~" you giggled, hearing the clack of your heels as you twirled. "you do!" he paused, looking you up and down, "when did you get that dress?"

"your mom gave it to me a couple days ago! where'd you get that tux? i don't think i've seen it before," you walked over and straightened takuma's suit, as he laughed in response, "your mom gave it to me..."

"this was planned."

"this was definitely planned."

"we should send a picture in the family group chat!"

"we should!!! but, hair first!"

notice how i said family group chat, singular, not plural. and that's because there's a gc for both of your families! it's name was a mix between "ino" and your last name, since, in all seriousness, your families were close

so here you were, sitting pretty on takuma's lap as you focused on straightening the front pieces of his hair, because that's what best friends do!

"okayyyy sexyyyy," you squealed, moving out of the way so that takuma could see himself in your vanity mirror, "damnn, i look hot!" he smiled as he checked himself out, his hand firmly on your waist (to make sure that you wouldn't fall, of course!). "i knew i was fine but, did i always look this fine?" he asked, looking up at you with his big dark brown eyes, a playful smirk evident on his face. "yes, takuma. you're the sexiest man ever. just a bit of eyeliner on you and we'll be on our way, okay?"

turning back to your station, you grabbed some brown and black pencils before starting to lightly draw over ino's outer eye corner, "do men as sexy as me really need eyeliner?" a look from you was all he needed to know to shut up and close his eyes

and oh, how he loved being so close to you. not just emotionally but physically as well. like, not every duo can say that they barge into the other's apartment to steal snacks! and speaking of snacks... let me just say, there's a whole cabinet in his kitchen reserved for your favorite foods and! he keeps your favorite ice cream flavor stocked in his freezer

you, on the other hand, have a little space where you hide takuma's favorite anything. chips, gummies, takeout menus, you name it, you have it. because your best friend is oh-so-optimistic, it can be harder for him when he's just not having the best of days. which is why when you go your (not so) separate ways at the end of the day, you pack up a basket for him. ribbons in his favorite color, his top 15 favorite snacks from that one time y'all bought one of everything in a nearby convenience store and ranked them, takeout on the way, horror flicks he's been wanting on dvd because he said "its cooler that way", and a handwritten letter from you, for my kuma, scribbled on the envelope

dropping off the basket at his door and retreating back to your place, you'd press your ear against the wall separating your units, physically feeling your heart break when you heard sniffles. that was all you needed to practically fly over to his, a few boxes of tissues in hand. because that's what best friends do!

and don't even get me started on how many belongings y'all have at the other's place... like that one time takuma walked into your apartment announcing his presence, only to be met with silence. let me set up the scene for you. you are taking a relaxing shower when you hear a knock on the door followed by four more and then three more. "come in!" you called out, unbeknownst to you, ino's voice was closer than you thought

"already in here..., anyways. is my shampoo in there?"

"the one with the purple cap?"

"yeah, thanks babe!"

"wait, can you get me my towel?"

or that time when you causally opened the door to his unit (because it was basically yours too) and greeted him with a simple pat on his head before skipping off to find those jeans you thrifted

slight cohabitation aside, the university life was definitely... something. it was clear and obvious that you two were close, a blind man could see it. but close is a really really really vague word, and it's surely not the word that describes the way the two of you act. in this friendship, terms of endearment drop like rain from clouds. every. other. sentence. contains a "babe" or "baby" or "sweetheart" or "darling" WE GET IT OKAY...

and it seems like if y'all go a single day without touching each other, a bomb will fall from the sky and earth would blow up. his hands are constantly on you, his favorite places (when in public) being your shoulders and arms, and when at home it was without a doubt your waist and thighs. just imagine how difficult it must be for people speak to you both on campus when his arm is slung around you and your hand is holding onto his side. the rumors practically created themselves....

and when i say people were shocked, i mean they were SHOCKED when y'all were like "haha, no, we're not dating!!! we're best friends!" everyone was thinking: yeah best friends who FUCK. best friends who are IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. y'all became the campus' it couple without being a couple. how does that happen??!??

however... there were a couple of people who were particularly excited to hear that you both were single. a few girls approached you one day while in the general area, asking if it was true that you and ino weren't dating. "we aren't... why?" one of the girls shifted on her feet, clearly nervous. "well... could you um... give this to him for me?!" she bowed, presenting a pretty pink envelope. you froze, staring at the item before giggling. "i see what this is about! don't worry! i'll make sure this gets to him safely!" long story short, that letter was never delivered

and on ino's side, he had some classmates pestering him about you. asking for your favorite show, candy, date style, everything under the sun. "guys, guys! she doesn't even want a boyfriend right now!" takuma shouted, even though two days prior you were complaining about how spending too much time with him was scaring all the hotties away

but let's get into the real stuff... the realization of love

for takuma, there wasn't a "wow, i'm in love with her" moment. what he does know though is that he started feeling something different for you a few months before college admission season. to him, the world was always bright with you by his side but now... it was so much brighter. it was like looking directly into the sun; it hurt but he couldn't look away, he doesn't want to look away. you're the best thing to ever happen to him, and the mere thought of ruining what you have just for some feeling—no matter how intense—isn't... right to him

and you figured it out after a dream you had one night back in high school. you dreamt of being in takuma's arms, the ones you snuck glances at when he wasn't paying attention to you. in not dream world, all you had to do was ask and he'd gladly envelop you but the vibes in this dream were different. there was tension. and it was thick. his beanie was off and thrown somewhere on the bed, your bed. looking back at him, your breath caught in your throat, "hey pretty," he slurred, drunk off tiredness. ino's called you beautiful more times than you can count; he made sure to do it at least once a week, so why... just why did this time make your stomach heat up and your heart race? you woke up with a flushed face, queasy feeling in your gut, and a deep understanding. it wasn't just platonic love anymore

"hey," you started, eyes trained on the movie in front of you, but your mind was focused on something else, "y'know how everyone thinks we're dating?" ino nodded as you reached over to grab the bowl of popcorn. "i've been thinking... maybe they're onto something..."

takuma's gulp could be heard from miles away, "wh-what are you trying to say?"

"what are we? seriously. because i can't sit here and pretend like i don't wish we were something more."

"something more like...?"

"now's not the time to be oblivious! don't you get it?! i'm—"

"i'm in love with you,"

it was like time stood still as you looked at your best friend. his face was lit by the tv screen a couple feet away, his hair was a mess, and slightly prominent dark circles were under his eyes, but... he's never looked more beautiful to you. "have been. for a long time. we've basically been dating for like four years already. four more and then we'll get married?" he flashed his signature smile

"oh, shut up," he brought your face millimeters away from his, whispering "make me." before kissing you deeply, not on your cheek, or your forehead, or your shoulders, but on your lips this time. and all the times after that too

because that's what best friends lovers do, right?

jjk taglist

@blendingcaramal @gzchaos @theamazingrain @woah-girlz @voloslobotomyservice

@kyozvy @obessionofagrl @bubybubsters @sugurusbaobei @raindropsonrwses

@c-moon20-12 @saltynanobeanie @theamazingrain @synthiiiiis @ghostlyluminarycloud

@poopyyy @supernatrualqueen @bxrbie-jadeee @laitifly @discipleofthem

@cheesecake95 @strawberry-cherrypie @makeshiftproject @magiamad0ka @ncitygreen

@stillnotherapy @oniondrip @cloudy-yyy @definitely-not-leena @kidd3ath

@atigerandabear @russianremy @ohnoitsamistakee18 @ivy-vivii @ourfinalisation

@1ndee @yourhornysister @ancientimes

[crownorclover]

go for it, chilchuck! some core chilaios moments from a modern day canada au that i've been chatting about with @transcanadianhighway! visuals inspired by the chapter 56 cover of dungeon meshi, mashed up with that one go for it, nakamura! cover. make the niche content u want to see in the world!! some details and closeups under the cut:

-order of events is indicated by how full each heart is

-the brief summary is laios is living out of his truck (a 90's chevy silverado with three different paint colors) before he moves into marcille and falin's apartment to crash on their couch. chil lives in the apartment downstairs. they get to know each other at their shared work site. Slow Burn and various antics occur, including laios' truck breaking down, so they end up commuting together in chil's smartcar.

-finally drawing kensuke the air fryer (which laios picked up off the side of the road) was a joy, because that was one of the first details we talked about and i am now very emotionally attached to this air fryer akjfgdkja

-laios with the phone is a moment after this piece. namari pulls a wingman move, and flakes on plans last minute so that it's just our boys getting drinks together.

-chil is from atlantic canada, pei specifically. if you caught that in my last post u have earned a virtual pei sticker. excellent work

[whichwayloreylo]

Microbiology - My Favorite Biology

It started out as another normal morning for Rey. It was a Monday and she was sitting in her Microbiology Lab. She had woken up late this morning and rushed to get here, but she had no other choice because today was the last day to collect the staining data she needed for her final lab report and presentation. It was going to make up half of her final grade for the class, so needless to say she had to be here. She had woken up late, but that wasn't unusual for a Monday morning. She'd signed up for this lab from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. every Monday at the beginning of the semester. She sorely wished her advisor had dissuaded her from it, but she was here now.

The lab period was uneventful. Rey finished collecting her final set of data, scribbling it in the chart she'd drawn in her lab notebook. She was excited to be done with this class. It was a great lab (despite the hours), and the lecture was even more interesting; but she shared it with her least favorite person on campus. Kylo Ren.

She and Kylo hadn't gotten off on the right foot. He was rude to her the day she moved onto campus- they had bumped into each other in the hallway, both carrying boxes. He had made some petulant remark about someone being in the way and she had snorted a laugh in response. When she did so, he spun around wildly to look at her. His eyes had widened for a brief second before he composed himself, only to then give her a look of utter disdain. In every encounter they had after that, he looked at her like he hated her. He even occasionally taunted her in front of his friends for a laugh. She didn't appreciate it and mostly just tried to ignore him. Everyone else just acted like she was invisible, why couldn't he?

But now they were both here, sitting in the same lab. She sat on the opposite side of the room from Kylo at least. But today's only assignment was to collect your final data and you could leave once you did so. The professor himself, Professor Snoke, had made a brief appearance at the beginning of the class but left the rest to his TA, an eager but entitled student named Hux. The other students of the class shuffled out slowly as they finished their work. It wasn't long before only Rey and Kylo remained. Hux stood up behind the desk located in the front of the lab, his chair scraping on the floor drawing Rey's attention as she looked up. He cleared his throat before speaking. His eyes were pointed at Kylo. "Can you two finish and clean up after yourselves, Ren? I have to go sort some files in Professor Snoke's office for the end of the semester." Kylo only grunted in response, not looking up from his notebook in front of him. This triggered a glare from Hux, but he said nothing else as he walked around the desk and quietly exited the lab.

Rey hated to be alone in the room with Kylo, but she was almost finished. Just ten more minutes and she could clean up and walk out that door. She worked hastily, her goal set in her mind. As she cleaned off her lab bench and proceeded to collect her belongings to leave, Kylo did the same. She tried not to let it bother her. "Just keep ignoring him", she thought to herself. But as she began to walk to the door, she could feel Kylo's presence behind her and hear his heavy footsteps. As soon as she felt her hand land on the door handle, she twisted, only to find it locked. She hesitated for a second before trying again and jiggling the door handle. She turned it every which way it would go, but nothing happened. "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!", she screamed internally. After a moment she heard Kylo shuffle behind her, getting impatient.

"Come on", he said. "It's not like the door's locked. Quit joking around and just open it." Her skin prickled with frustration at his words as she rolled her eyes. She then turned around to glare at him. She stepped away from the door, motioning to it while saying, "You think I would joke about this? About being locked in here with you?" She tried to say the last word as venomously as she could. If Kylo noticed, he didn't say anything. Instead, he scoffed at her as he normally did before strolling up to the door himself. He gave her an overconfident smirk before he turned the door handle. When it refused to move, he tore his eyes from hers and looked down at the handle in confusion. He began turning it each way, just as Rey had tried, before he closed his eyes and sighed heavily. Seeing his shoulders drop in defeat did nothing to quell Rey's panic.

"You've got to be kidding me. It was probably that self-absorbed ginger Hux." His words came out as another sigh. "What do you mean?!" Rey blurted out. "Will you calm down?" he asked impatiently, his head still hanging. "I mean that I think Hux locked us in here. He's Snoke's TA, he has keys to the lab." Rey stared at Kylo's face in shock, her mouth practically hanging open.

She hadn't ever done anything to Hux. He basically ignored her presence like everyone else. No. No, this had to be a stab at Kylo. She'd heard rumors about their hatred for one another. But Rey was just an innocent bystander in this situation. She didn't deserve this.

Looking up and seeing the panicked expression on Rey's face, Kylo sighed again and reached his hand out towards her, expecting something. "It's not a big deal, just give me your phone and I'll call someone to come let us out", he said, surprisingly nonchalantly to her. "I - uhhh, I don't have my phone", she stuttered. Touching each of her pockets as if to make sure. She knew she didn't have it. She'd woken up late and thrown on some clothes and grabbed her backpack before she rushed to class. She realized she didn't have her phone before she got here, but the situation was dire and she figured she could survive one lab period without her phone. Turns out she was wrong. Kylo's outstretched hand then clenched into a fist. "Are you serious?" he asked in that haughty tone of his. "I woke up late and had to rush to class. Use your phone, smartass." She spat back at him. She really wasn't in the mood for this.

He dropped his hand then, but still kept it clenched into a fist at his side. His pressed his mouth into a thin line. "My phone just died like 20 minutes ago." There's no way this was real. Rey must still be asleep in her dorm, caught in a nightmare. "You don't have a charger?" Rey asked as she looked down sheepishly. She could feel her confidence and voracity she had just moments before draining from her. "No." He said this quietly, almost as a whisper.

They both knew it. The situation was clear. They were locked in here. Together. Could this day get any worse?

[thinkinonsense]

Bewitched: The Rake and The Risk

˖⋆࿐໋ james logan howlett ✦ bridgerton au series

bewitched masterlist

chapter two

cw: flirting (mix of 1800s and modern day), jealousy, old time thoughts of women and marriage, james is a slut

pairing: viscount!logan howlett x fem!reader

a/n: sorry this is later than intended! i try to aim for a new chapter every friday but college is kicking my ass right now. next chapter will be longer!! also!! if you want to be tagged for the bewitched series please comment on the original bewitched masterlist post linked above this<3 there are so many of you lovely readers who want to be tagged and i need a more organized way to find everyone to add. sorry for the minor inconvenience. i appreciate every one of you!!

main masterlist

in all the twenty-nine years of knowing james howlett, lady chamberlain never would have pictured him coming to her home to ask about the eligible bachelorettes of the ton.

"what do you want to know, my dear?" lady chamberlain asked, sipping a cup of tea as the two of them sat in the living room.

"i am coming to you because as you know, my mother is expecting me to wed sooner rather than later and i was wondering whom might be the best women to seek out this season." james said, lying through his teeth.

if james really wanted to know who the best women this season were, he would've just opened the latest issue of lady cavanaugh. both of them knew this but it was more fun for lady chamberlain to tease the viscount.

"hm.." she smiles. "anyone in particular?"

"no."

the lie falls with ease. too much ease but lady chamberlain sees right through him.

"well, i did take note last night that the only lady you danced with was lady worthington's niece." she remarks slyly.

"the french girl?" he asks, playing coy. "i think i remember her."

lady chamberlain wasn't going to play games with the boy in front of her.

"i would hope so, you seemed quite fawned of her."

"i don't know if i would say that much."

"hm, so you don't want to know who she's planning to attended the mask ball with?" lady chamberlain smirks, knowing she's got him hooked.

everyone in the ton looked forward to the queens mask ball each season. it was the perfect way to help break the usual ice of finding 'the one'. that's where most couples tend to meet for the first time.

"let me guess..." james rolls his eyes. "prince harrison?"

lady chamberlain shrugs, placing her tea cup back on the dish. "the two of them talked quite a bit after you stormed off. she seems quite smitten with him."

"it's the first ball of the season. she has plenty of time to look for a better husband." he scoffs.

"well, dear... there are people who search their whole lives for something that's been right in front of them the entire time."

the elderly woman's words rang true in the room but james was far too in denial to notice them. instead, his ego was eating him alive. why would you not jump at the opportunity to be with the viscount?

˖⋆࿐໋

this afternoon was the queen's annual tea party. all the ton's debutantes gather to make friends and share their predictions for this season. anxiously, you paced the cobblestones outside, waiting for the carriage to pick you up.

"dear, it's not lady-like to pace back and forth." your aunt calls out from the doorway.

"my apologies," you reply, not stopping your feet.

"you're snagging the hem of your gown!"

thank heavens that the carriage was approaching. she waves you off, wishing you luck on your first adventure alone in the ton, wishing desperately she could join you.

your goal today is to make at least one friend. you'll even settle for an allied.

once you arrive at the queen's castle, you step inside. covered in soft pastels, flowers, and butterflies; you immediately feel calm. everyone is chatting and sipping tea at the tables. you sit down in the first available seat.

"you're the diamond, correct?" someone whispered next to you asks.

you turn your head to see a blonde girl to the right. she's wearing a soft yellow dress that doesn't quite fit her right.

"correct." you nod, offering the girl a smile to which she returns.

"shouldn't you be sat with the queen?" she asks, nodding to one of the beautiful girls surrounding the queen.

"probably but this was the first seat i saw." you joke, sipping on your tea.

the girl laughs with a small nod and introduces herself. her name is bridget and her father is a jewelry maker for the queen.

"i saw you dancing with the viscount last night at the ball." she smiles. "do you fancy him?"

almost choking on your tea, you shake your head.

"no, no, no. i don't fancy the viscount." you state.

bridget hesitates, watching your body language closely. the pressure gets you to speak up again.

"why do you ask?"

"because the viscount is a major rake."

the word rake rolls off her tongue with pure disgust. you'd never heard someone with such respect as a viscount be called something so dishonorable. rakes were known for their ability to seduce and lead on women with no promise of marriage.

"but he talks of his desire for a wife?" you question, more to yourself than to bridget but alas, she answers anyway.

"only because his mama is practically begging for a viscountess." bridget whispers.

you suppose this made sense due to the fact that most rakes never even intend to wed and after your conversation with james last night, he made it clear that marriage was not something he craved.

"trust me, you aren't the first lady to attempt to tie down the viscount. well, at least you have a shot since you're the diamond this season and all." the blonde girl rambles.

"oh, heavens no!" you repeat.

"hm, that's sad..." she sighs. "he is quite handsome."

"most definitely but i intend to wed for pure reasons."

"if that's truly the case, stay as far away from the viscount as possible."

˖⋆࿐໋

for the rest of the afternoon, bridget's words stuck to the front of your brain. if james wasn't so intolerable, perhaps he would make a good husband to someone.

once everyone finished with their tea, you decided to go sketch in wisteria park. the weather was beautiful outside and gave you the perfect inspiration needed to work on a new piece. normally, you would only draw on the sides of the letters written to your father back home. no one was more supportive of you than your parents. in a world where women mean nothing more than their wombs to society, it was rare to have parents who let their daughters have dreams.

sat on a patch of grass near the small pond, you set up your quill, small tray of paints, and paper. in the area where you decided to sit, across from you stood a beautiful cherry tree. as you work on the outline, you can hear footsteps approaching.

"i should've known i would find you here." a familiar voice says.

you don't even glacé up at the person near you, paying no mind to the man who seeks your attention most.

"do you want something, my lord?" you ask, fighting the urge to roll your eyes.

james' head spun every time those last two words fell from your lips, sounding to pretty the way that they roll of your tongue.

"you may call me, logan." he says. "if you so wish."

"logan?" you cock a brow, finally looking up at him.

"it's my middle name." he replies awkwardly.

"hm..." you pretend to ponder for a moment. "that's far too personal for me."

" 'too personal'? how might that be?"

james stands arms crossed against the cherry tree, glaring in your direction. you don't rush to answer his question instead you continue adding details to the branches and trees. he huffs under his breath, clearly irritated your lack of interest in him.

"well, we have no intentions to be together this season and we aren't friends so, there's no need for nicknames and such." you reply nonchalantly.

"you don't know my intentions"

a sweet giggle escapes you. james brushes off the warmth flooding his chest, rather focusing on topic at hand.

"oh, i bet i do."

suddenly, you drop your quill and give him your undivided attention.

"why are you even here, james?" you sigh.

"i was visiting an old friend this morning and wanted a stroll through the park."

"an old friend?"

the words left your lips before you could stop yourself. james was quick to notice the tone shift. he smirks, walking over to you and sitting on the grass to your right.

"mhm..." he hums.

"is she viscountess material?" you scoff, returning to your scribbles.

"and why would you care?"

why did you care? it's not like the two of you really know each other; yet, something about james made your blood boil. perhaps it was how he has a near perfect life and somehow still complains. he has no issues in finding a partner because everyone wants him. if he didn't have his head up his own ass, he would realize that.

"i don't."

"sounds like you do."

james liked watching your face scrunch up at little with dislike for him. how your pressure on the quill increases. how you avoid his gaze. how you pretend he doesn't exist next to you.

"i don't." you repeat. "i just cannot believe that someone like you is complaining about having to take a wife when all the women of the ton are smitten with you."

"someone like me?" james pretends to be offended but he was too busy enjoying this riled up version of you.

"someone who never gone with unmet needs, never struggled financially, never been under minded or overlooked." your words come out sharp but james doesn't let them cut deep.

"look, sweetheart..." he squints those hazel eyes, glaring deep into your soul and leaning in closer than he should've. "you know nothing of my families struggles."

"and you know nothing of mine."

james was so close to you. your noses almost touching before you pull away. being within his close proximity made you feel a foreign warm tingle deep in your stomach.

thank heavens that the park was empty, minus the two of you. the last thing you needed was for someone to see the two of you this close and label you as one of the viscounts mistresses.

"i-i must get going." you stutter, collecting your belongings.

"where are you off to?" he asks.

"i'm supposed to be accompanying lady chamberlain and prince harrison to dinner this evening."

his face scrunches with distaste at the mention of the prince. also, why would lady chamberlain hide this piece of information from him?

"isn't it quite early to prepare for dinner?"

"i must look perfect for the prince." you smile.

but not at james. you're smiling for that no good excuse of a prince who couldn't see that you already were perfect.

"you look fine to me." he huffs.

"it's vocabulary like that, that keeps you from finding a wife."

"and to think it was my insufferable personality that kept the ladies of the ton away."

it's difficult to hide the laugh you want to let out. instead you bite down on your cheek, not giving him the satisfaction of your laughter.

"ha ha ha." you mock dryly.

"do you always have a stick up your ass?"

james question makes your jaw drop. never in your life have you heard a man speak so vulgarly.

"that's no way for a viscount to speak to a lady." you scold. he can't help but roll his eyes at your comment.

"i'm sure that a man has spoken even more colorfully to you."

"what are you insinuating, my lord?"

"that i highly doubt a lady such as yourself still has her virtue." he shrugs.

never has your head spun so fast at a single sentence. you couldn't fathom that a rake like him has the nerve to question anyone's virtue.

"excuse me, viscount howlett but my virtue is none of your business." you rage. "and you have quite the nerve to question it."

"and why's that?"

james was playing with fire but he didn't mind getting scorched by your flames.

"i've heard the stories about you."

"like what?"

"like what you do with the promiscuous women of the night." your words leave a smirk plastered on his face as he watches you intensely.

"don't act so innocent either." james hums. "i'm sure you've had your fair share of promiscuous adventures in france."

a flush of red hits at your cheeks. the last person you wanted to talk about promiscuous acts with is james. mostly because your lack there of. only your own hands have touched you so intimately.

james studies your facial expression before it clicks for him. he shouldn't ask. he really shouldn't. but come on, he has to.

"have you never—" his words come to a halt when there's a ruffled noise inching closer.

"i'm under no obligation to answer you, viscount howlett." you scold, collecting your belongings.

"hm... seems like you've already answered my question." his cocky tone sends you over the edge of annoyance.

"shouldn't you be more concerned with finding a wife rather than my virtue? this season will be over before you know it and you will need to find one sooner rather than later."

james admired the way you spoke with such sharpness. you were shy and reserved but the weight of your words were heavy. there was grace in the way you spoke and he loathed it.

he loathed how perfect you were. how absolutely perfect you would fit into his life. how perfect you would be at being his little wife. only needing to plan parties and open your womb to his child. he would never stop you from your dream of painting either. all he wants is someone who can handle the duties that come with being his other half.

by the time james snaps out of his thoughts, you are long gone. off to get ready for your date with a man who's twice as rich as him and much more likable. the only thing he could do is hope that nothing good comes from this dinner.

──★

i'll tag everyone else who commented in the morning when i wake up <3

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[sahkuna]

to you, someday - gojo satoru (series masterlist)

His question for you was unprompted. "If you could tell your past self anything, what do you think you'd say?" You slow your pace until your steps falter into a full-on stop. A few spaces in front of you, Satoru seems to have noticed your absence at his side and turns around to catch your curious gaze. Behind him, the late afternoon sun etches his hair a light, pale yellow. You watch Satoru happily slurp away at the cold refresher you had bought for yourself moments prior before he wrestled it out of your unexpecting hands. You feign the act of thought as purse your lips, biting back the sardonic smile twitching into place on your face. "I probably would tell her to stay the hell away from that rich new kid with weird blue eyes in Ms. Ayase's grade 3 class. Maybe then he wouldn't follow her around so much." And it's that comment which makes Satoru laugh, warm and bright.

pairing: gojo satoru x fem!reader

synopsis: Time makes the heart grow fonder... you think. From your early childhood years to navigating life as adults, there are key moments that Gojo Satoru holds near and dear. There are so many things he wants and hopes to say to you, someday. But for now, through the telling of important dates, log entries, and memorabilia that he keeps will suffice.

content: afab reader, 18+ so mdni, modern au/canon divergence, childhood friends, friends (who bicker quite a lot) to lovers, slow-ish burn, domestic fluff, pining, small angst if you squint sorry, eventual smut → resolved sexual tension, #MMC BEING SO IN 🤍 WITH FMC IT'S PATHETIC /pos.

word count: ??? ... will be updated as i post!

CHAPTERS —

✰ ENTRY #1 - i know you better (now)

✰ ENTRY #2 - TBA

✰ ENTRY #3 - TBA

✰ ENTRY#4 - TBA

gojo's birthday is next month and i've been oh so very irregular with writing. so i wanted to do something special, a series (my very first and last lmao)! let's all celebrate!!!

i plan to release these chapters all before/by dec 7th... praying to God.