#and then i was like hmm it's been awhile since I designed a new one...

[cowboyshit]

why do i always gotta be so extra with my headers. this is just tumblr for crying out loud

[elenadvrx]

let's be honest.

nanami's tie isn't what we would usually choose to wear with a suit. or with anything at all. that design is just horrendously loud and bold.

but the reason why he willingly wears it everyday to work is of course, because of you. what turned out to be a gag gift becomes something he treasures the most just because it was given by you when your relationship was still buddingly new. it's not often he loves and be loved in return.

"nanamin!" yuuji greeted the sorcerer from afar, seeing him standing around the training field. "what are you doing here? gojo-sensei isn't here today, he had a mission to attend to."

"i'm waiting for someone else." he nonchantly replies, adjusting his tie to loosen it up a little.

"hey, nanamin? i've been wondering why you wear that tie. it's not really that nice-looking." during all those times yuuji went on a mission with nanami, his gaze always zeroed in on his black and yellow printed tie but never got the chance to ask him. curses always did occupied most of his time and attention.

"hmm? oh, you don't need to know that." clearing his throat, he fiddled with his tie a little more before placing his hands in his pants pocket. but if yuuji had looked closely, he would see that his cheeks got a tad bit pinkish. nanami was just too bashful to talk fondly about you to yuuji.

just as yuuji was about to shoot another question, nanami saw you turning around the corner - wide smiles and twinkling eyes, hastily making your way to your husband. "kento!"

it's as if you turned off a switch in him just with your mere presence - tensed shoulders relaxing, his stance a little loose before his eyes soften seeing you greet him so openly with love. a slight smile grazes upon his lips.

"hi, you look beautiful as always, my love." nanami cups your face with his big, warm hands before giving you a gentle kiss on your forehead.

"thanks, darling. you look dashing yourself." you were all smiles and giggles as you look up to him, getting your fill of him as it has days since you've last seen him. he has been away for a solo mission far from home. you've missed him too much.

looking down, you noticed his tie was loose and a little crooked. sighing, you trace the pattern on his tie before straightening it a little.

"i don't get why you're still wearing this tie. it's been years since i've gifted you this as a joke, you didn't really have to wear it. i'm getting you a new one soon."

you've been dating for 6 months when you came across this particular tie while walking through a shopping street and thought it'll be funny to see the reaction of the mostly stoic sorcerer. you never thought he'd accepted it with care and wore it everyday.

"it's fine. it's still not too worn out yet, it'll hang on for awhile more." he caresses your cheek, reminiscing the time when you were so excited to gift it to him, giggling the whole time. sure, it may be a gag gift, but it was still a gift from you. all things given by you were things to be treasured. just like your love that encompasses his whole being.

"nanamin!" the both of you flinched hearing the shout coming from the boy just a short distance from you. has he been here all along?

"you- you and sensei are together? wha-when, ho-what? wait, nevermind that, sensei was the one who bought you that tie?" seeing how flabbergasted yuuji was, you face him and ruffle his hair.

"mhmm! we're married actually. and yeah, i bought the tie to mess with him but i guess he really liked it and wore it ever since." chuckling, you nudge his shoulder with your knuckles. "i didn't know you were here. megumi and nobara was looking for you."

"oh, that's right! we had plans to hang out together before i saw nanamin. see you both!" easily distracted, yuuji dashed towards the main entrance, leaving just you and nanami alone.

familiar arms wrapped around your waist from behind before you felt a kiss on your cheek.

"just so you know, i will always wear this tie even if you buy me a new one. it really helps with my cursed technique." your husband is teasing you.

"uhuh, sure. if blood gets on it, you're cleaning it up yourself." you stay contently in his arms, warm afternoon sun softly beaming down on the both of you.

—————//—————

"if blood gets on it, you're cleaning it up yourself."

your words echoed inside your head as you find yourself kneeling on a pool of blood, your husband- what was left of him, blood-soaked khaki pants adorned on a pair of legs, clutching onto the black and yellow printed tie that was found dangling from his pants pocket. it was speckled with blood.

your vision turns blurry from tears constantly trickling down your cheeks, splashing onto the blood below you.

no… the first thing you would do once this is over is to clean his tie as thoroughly as possible. you will not let this incident taint your precious memory of this gift.

but first, you have to finish whoever did this to him.

[lapetitebabydoll]

Dear diary

Hii lovelies, it's been awhile since of done one of these imma try to do it more often like before. But anyways let me update u guys so life has been very busy but amazing I've made so many new friends, I'm trying out for cheer soon, I've gotten a lot closer to God and spending more time with him, I've joined a Christian gc and club at my school (it's amazing I love it so much Ive made so many Christian friends and we have really deep talks about the bible and God, and even cute little bible study dates 🎀), I'm going to figure skate again soon imma go back to singles and ice dancing! Ooo and I got all A's last semester! Columbia/yale here I come!! Hmm what else my birthday is on Monday so I went shopping and I got some really cute clothes I'll post soon for u loves 💗 ooo I forgot Im starting graphic design and early college classes soon!

I'm really proud of myself this year tho I've matured a lot, I dress better, take better care of myself , and I let go of all the toxic people in my life and filled my life with amazing,loving and supportive people that I love so much 💗🎀

I've been thinking about my future alot recently and right now I'm so confused on what I wanna do in life like I have so many options rn like I wanna be a labor and delivery nurse, a psychiatrist, a florist, a fashion designer, or a photographer but I can't choose it's a lot more difficult than I thought, all ik for sure about my future is I'm gonna keep getting closer to God and learn more from him and become my best self 💗🎀

~sincerely zai ₊˚⊹♡

[aquariaries]

Shin Tsukinami Heaven Story - Chaos Lineage

***I do not mind if you use my translations as a base for another language, I just ask that you credit me if you do!***

PLACE: Shopping Mall - Indoors

Shin: Wow. As expected, it's crowded because it's a holiday.

Yui: Yeah that's true.

(Today I'm out shopping with Shin-kun at the mall.)

(Shin-kun said he was going to buy new earrings, so I followed him.)

(Because it's been so long, I'm really happy. I wonder how Shin-kun is feeling ... ... ?)

(Is he having fun?)

Shin: Hey. What are you staring at people's faces for?

Yui: Eh! I-I'm not staring!

Shin: Don't lie. I can tell right away when I see that grinning face of yours.

Yui: Am I really grinning that much ... ... ? It's been a long time since I went on a date with Shin-kun, so I'm just really happy.

Shin: Hmm, is that so.

Y'know, when you say such cute things like that ... ...

I'll end up attacking you instantly?

Yui: Sh- Shin-kun ... ... !

Shin: I'm kidding. Let's go over there next. A new shop has opened up.

Yui: O-okay!

*They start walking, followed by a slight time skip*

*Shop bells ring*

Shin: Heeh. So this kind of design is popular now.

Yui: (Shin-kun has been absorbed in the accessories for awhile now.)

(It's nice to see Shin-kun having fun but, ... ... I'm feeling a little lonely, I guess.)

Hey, Shin-kun. Did you find something you like?

Shin: More or less. There were various ones after all.

Hey, look at this! They're earrings in the shape of nuts! How interesting.

Yui: You're right, how unusual!

(After all, Shin-kun loves nuts.)

Shin: Then, these ones are in the shape of fangs. Nice.

Fangs can also be used as talismans. In particular, the wolf's fangs are said to ward off evil spirits.

Yui: Heeh, I didn't know that. Is that so.

(Shin-kun has real fangs, so his are much stronger.)

Shin: Originally, accessories like these are stronger as talismans than as decorations.

Yui: You know alot huh? Shin-kun, do you also like accessories?

Shin: Of course. Just looking at them is tons of fun.

Yui: What kinds do you like?

Shin: Hmmmm. Let's see ... ...

I especially like things that sparkle I guess.

Yui: Now that you mention it, you've been picking up nothing but sparkling things since a while ago.

Shin: They just really attract me. They're so eye-catching.

Yui: Maybe I have something in common with you Shin-kun.

(It's like he's a dog that will suck something glittering into its mouth ... ... How cute.)

Heheh.

Shin: Hold up, what are you laughing at? You weren't thinking of something rude just now were you?

Yui: Nope! I wasn't, not at all!

Shin: Hah ... ... I wonder about that. Well whatever. More than that, it's boring if I'm only choosing ... ...

Yui: ... ... ?

Shin: I'll choose something perfect for you.

Yui: Really? Shin-kun will pick something out for me?

Shin: Yep.

Even with this, I sometimes choose accessories for my brother.

Yui: Eh! For Carla-san!?

Shin: Yep. Something flashy and rugged that is suitable for the Founder King. Well, I ended up being turned down for no reason in the end though.

Yui: (I-is that so ... ...)

Shin: But, I'm pretty confident in my sense of style.

So, it's perfectly fine if you leave it to me.

Yui: (I don't think it's okay if he were to hear what you just said though ... ...)

(What if he chooses a very flashy accessory? It surely won't be suitable ... ...)

Shin: You're making such an uneasy face. You really are too easy to read.

Yui: (Ah ... ... I let my uneasiness show on my face.)

Shin: Don't worry so much, I'll find something that suits you perfectly.

Or is it that you don't trust me?

Yui: That's not it at all!

Shin: Then it's fine.

Yui: ... ... Yeah. Well then, may I ask to leave it up to you?

Shin: Yes, it's been decided!

Let's see ... ... For now, what do you think of this choker?

Yui: Wow ... ...

(It's much cuter than I thought it'd be. It's not too flashy either.)

(The hydrangea-colored cloth is bordered with lace, and the top has pearls like morning dew!)

Shin: You do like this sort of thing don't you?

Yui: Yeah! I like it! It fits my taste perfectly! You know me well.

Shin: Well yeah, it's not like we aren't dating or anything so.

Yui: ... ... Th-that's true.

(... ... I'm more happy than I expected I'd be that he was thinking about what I like.)

Shin: There's still plenty of things to try and match? Here, this is next.

Take a look at this necklace.

Yui: Wow ... ... ! This is cute too!

(This time, the motif is a small lily of the valley flower. It has such a small and cute feel to it.)

Shin: Look, this hairpin and the design are the same!

Yui: Wearing them together would be really fashionable.

Shin: Right?

*He comes closer*

Shin: I'm putting it in your hair.

Yui: ... ... Ah.

(Ah, he's touching my hair ... ...

... ... It tickles ... ...)

Shin: Then I'll put the necklace on and try matching it.

Yui: Ah ... ...

Shin: Hey now, don't move, you have to stay still.

Yui: (Just thinking about Shin-kun putting it in my hair and putting the necklace around my neck makes me sensitive to his touch.)

Shin: There. They're both cute.

*He backs up*

Yui: Th-thank you ... ...

(I'm happy that he put these on me, but my heart is really pounding ... ...)

(Shin-kun's face, it's so close ... ...

When I saw the reflection in the mirror, it looked as if our cheeks were almost stuck together.)

(To where even my own sigh would hit my cheek.)

Shin: Hey, how about something like this for a change?

Yui: These are, earrings with wolf motifs?

(Wow ... ... The earrings is just like a wolf's face.)

(Wearing a crown of roses, it's kind of cool ... ...)

(Besides, this wolf has the same fur color as Shin-kun, it's kind of embarrassing because I feel like I'm looking at him in a way ... ...)

Shin: Did you not like those?

Yui: Eh, ah! Not at all! I just thought that they were too cool ... ...

*He comes closer*

Shin: What? Have you fallen even more in love with me?

Yui: ... ... Ah! G-geez! Shin-kun ... ... !

Shin: Eheheh ... ... Your face is red!

Well, you're so cute when you get like that.

Here, I'll put them on for you so stay still.

Yui: (Ah ... ... Again ... ... !)

(Shin-kun's fingertips are touching my ear and it tickles ... ...)

... ... Nnn.

(Oh no, I let a weird voice out ... ... !)

Shin: I said not to move.

Yui: ... ... R-right.

(Even if he tells me not to move ... ...)

... ... ah.

(If you touch me like that, on the contrary, I will end up unconsciously letting my voice out ... ...)

(His fingertips are moving back and forth around my ears many times ... ...)

Shin: Eheheh ... ... Which angle is the best I wonder~, I can't decide~

Yui: ... ... Shin-kun ... ... Again ... ...?

Shin: ... ... Hm? What? You can't wait? But, I want to put the prettiest on you after all.

Yui: (Ah, there he goes again ... ... He stroked behind my ear. Even if I endure it, my shoulders start to sway a little ... ...)

Shin: Ehehe. What's wrong? You're swaying. You have to stay still.

Yui: That's because ... ... ! Isn't Shin-kun tickling me on purpose?

Shin: What are you talking about? I'm not. I'm amazed, have you been thinking that I was doing that for a while now?

Yui: (No way ... ... ! He was definitely touching me on purpose and enjoying my reaction.)

(I want him to put it on quickly and finish!)

*He backs away*

Shin: All done. Here, take a look in the mirror.

Yui: (Haah ... ... My heart was pounding ... ...)

... ... Wh-what do you think?

Shin: ... ... *gasps* !

Yui: (... ... ?)

*He blushes*

Shin: N-nothing. It's nothing. Well, it does suit you well, doesn't it?

Yui: Really? Thank you ... ! I'm so happy ... ... !

Shin: What's with that shy face ... ...

Yui: (Unexpectedly it matches my hair color amazingly!)

This one is my favorite.

Shin: Ah ... ... ... ...

Yui: ... ... ?

(Somehow, from looking through the mirror I can tell that the atmosphere around Shin-kun has changed--)

(I wonder what happened? Besides, things may have even become a little ... ... strange.)

Yui: Shin-kun?

*He comes closer and blows in her ear*

Shin: ... ... Fuu *blows*

Yui: ... ... Ah!

(J-j-just now, he blew into my ear ... ... !)

Shin: ... ... Nnn *kiss*

Yui: Ah ... ...

(What's wrong, why is Shin-kun suddenly like this ... ... Nn.)

Shin: I've been holding back since a while ago, but now that I put them on I'm already at my limit.

Yui: ... ... Wh-why is that?

Shin: 'Cause those earrings make it look as if I was the one biting you.

Yui: Eh, a-as if you were the one biting me ... ...

(C-could it be, that it's like ... ... When he sucks my blood?)

Shin: Hey, you know it don't you?

What it is, that I want to do right now?

*He bites her ear*

Shin: Ah ... ... Nnn ... ... , Nnn ... ...

Yui: (Ah ... ... He's sucking ... ... From my earlobe ... ... !)

*Continues to bite her and blushes*

Shin: Nnnn ... ... , Haah ... ...

Yui: Sh-Shin-kun ... ... ! Wait!

Shin: *Sucks* Nnn ... ... Haa? Why?

Yui: Really ... ... Ah ... ... Wait!

Shin-kun ... ... ! Because we're in a shop after all ... ... !

Shin: Well then, keep your voice down so that the store clerk won't notice.

Yui: Th-there's no way I can do that ... ... !

Shin: It's fine. Because the face you make when holding back, is really cute.

Yui: But ... ... !

(Does he really want to suck my blood here!?)

Please Shin-kun ... ... Can we at least wait do it until we get home?

Shin: No can do, I can't stand it. It's your fault for luring me in with that sweet voice.

Yui: Such a thing ... ... Nnn.

*Bites*

Shin: Nnn ... ... See, even now.

Yui: ... ... Ngh.

(If he asks me like this, I can't refuse ... ...)

Shin: Do you not like being sucked by me?

Yui: That's not it at all!

Shin: Then it's fine after all.

Yui: But if it's in a shop I said it's no good ... ... ! Look, the people around us are watching!

Shin: Then let them look. Let everyone know how cute of a voice you can let out.

Even though you really get aroused from being seen. Why don't you just be honest with yourself and be happy about it?

Yui: (It shouldn't be like this way ... ... But when Shin-kun says that, I feel happy ... ...)

Yui: (However ... ... This situation is troubling to me ... ... I just don't know what to do anymore ... ... !)

-END-

[wintercosmicskye]

I designed Halkenna a spaceship! Say hello to the Midsummer Meteorite!

It’s a flying saucer-esque ship but more rounded. I actually got the name for it from animal crossing new horizons, its what i made Halkenna’s passport title lol (i might show that in a another post sometime). Forgot to mention this in the ref itself, but the windshield is what open and closes and how he gets in and out.

I think he was around 13 when he found the ship in the scrap yard, and almost 15 when he first went to Earth. I think the spaceship lasted until he was roughly halfway between 17 and 18 when it became too busted up to just keep repairing over and over like he had been until that point. (These are only rough estimates and may be adjusted as needed, I haven’t completely figured out my timeline yet). It lasted a surprisingly long time for something he found in a scrap yard that he repeatedly repaired over the years with various odds and ends. Despite already being a bit obsolete by the time he found it, the technology is still leagues better than Earth’s, as going 80,000 light years away is a fairly reasonable task for it. If that spaceship’s considered old and obsolete, makes you wonder just how advanced the newer and larger ships are.

For awhile he wasn’t sure what to name it, but he thought of it a little awhile after he started visiting Earth. The first time he went there was during the summer, and his landing was a bit rough. A few people (his soon to be girlfriend and her friend) had briefly seen it while it was in the sky, but from where they saw it it merely looked like a meteor/shooting star, granted a little brighter than usual (I’d like to think to she saw it first and made a wish, immediately followed by a hmm uhh wait that shooting star looked a little different actually, further followed by a loud but distant thump). He had luckily landed in a forest and not in the middle of civilization heheh, probably would have caused quite a few problems otherwise. Did she investigate that night or the next morning? I haven’t quite decided that part yet, I’m leaning towards that same night. I got from Bug Spray (the song) that her dad doesn’t like it when she’s out after dark. Either the friend she was with seemed mature enough to him for some lenience to stay out later and watch the stars, or it was a snuck-out situation. Or maybe she just managed to see the meteor and hear the thump from her window. Like I said before, there’s definitely still a few things i need to work out.

The Midsummer Meteorite had its pros and cons. It was fast and agile, but it had no built in weapons and had a lot wear and tear over time. Due to its small size, it would often be overlooked, and it was easy to hide away if need be as well as easily fit on larger ships. Friends he made over the years would sometimes tease him about his ship being “dinky,” but he didn’t really care. Halkenna is used to piloting defensively and a bit unpredictable, because of this he was often described to pilot “like a lunatic/maniac/idiot” (depending on how they each preferred to phrase it) and as such the majority of his friends refused to let him pilot their own ships.

He was devastated when the Midsummer Meteorite did inevitably kick the bucket. It was of course a long time coming, not only because of the damage and age, but since he had gotten it when he was only 13 he had grown taller over the years and the little ship became more confining and awkward to use (it was likely initially designed for a species a little smaller than himself). Like how a hermit crab eventually outgrows its shell and needs to find a new one, Halkenna too outgrew the ship on top of the damage done to it, and had to find something new.

It almost pains me a little to have had so much fun designing this spaceship only to ultimately decide it eventually has to be replaced, but not only does it ultimately make sense but it also kinda matches some of the themes present in the music project. Yknow like moving on and stuff, best summed up by Jami Lynne’s quote in the description of Ultranimboy A Letter to a Dying Star. Despite working fine earlier, for some reason im not able to paste things on tumblr so I can’t put the link to it, so here’s a screenshot of it instead:

I actually wonder now whether it might work even better if he decides to to move on from it before it officially kicks the bucket.

I like to think he keeps a few parts of it to add to his new ship maybe. Speaking of his new ship, im actually not sure what it would look like yet, and before you ask nooo its not gonna be the Mercury Retrograde from Omori. The Mercury Retrograde is cool and all, but the vagabond vigilante Galactic Love Defender Space Boyfriend and his newly adopted little brother Little Jack dont need a ship THAT big for just the two of them or any guest they might have, and there’d need to be a whole crew to man all that. I’m thinking there’s maybe a few separate rooms, at least a separate cockpit and bedroom to sleep in unlike before where Halkenna would either sleep in the seat or on the floor of the Midsummer Meteorite in a sleeping bag.

I’ll elaborate more about some of these things later, this post has already gotten quite long

I actually rambled a lot more than I meant to, especially considering all the stuff i already typed in the image itself lol. Anyways, I hope you like it ^v^

[phoenixtakaramono]

What did you think about Helluva Boss season 2 episode 4? Do you think it's a good season or is it kinda fizzling out? Do you think the stolitz ship is gonna survive this season? Is anything thats happening in cannon going to have an effect of "A prince and his barron"? Thank you!

1) Ooh, alrighty, Anon. It’s been awhile since I got a HB-related Ask! Honestly, I felt, for what the episode had to do, from an objective point of view as an adult who’d graduated from a design college (thus, I’ve seen the amount of work folks from the Illustration - Animation fields have to do and the miracles they have to pull out on a deadline) and as a fanfic writer who keeps up with new Helluva Boss episodes so I can keep up with the canon lore, the episode served its purpose. The end of the episode hit hard, no? So they delivered on that. Personally I would change a couple things to make certain things hit even harder (because I’m sadistic and love me my emotional knives in stories) but that’s only because I’m a writer myself and I always have things I would do differently, even for my favorite shows or movies, haha.

It might not be my favorite episode per se, but we’re almost halfway to the end of Season 2 so there are going to be episodes that are stronger and episodes that are weaker. That’s just how shows go, overall. Plus, they are an indie crew so you just have to be more forgiving, especially when it’s a collaborative group effort with everyone’s conflicting schedules all around the world, time crunches, and unexpected setbacks such as having to find another VA and nervously hoping the realistic backlash of a changing VA won’t hit too hard. There’s also the rumor I’ve seen floating around that Loona’s VA was grieving the loss of her fiancé during this episode, so her not voicing any lines is also understandable on a fundamentally personal empathetic level (I don’t know if this rumor has been debunked, but it’s also still understandable for any other reasons. But I won’t get into that here.)

Animation is hard, y’all. And you have to remember the people creating Helluva Boss are human. Not all episodes will be perfect. Even with my favorite show rn, I have certain episodes I’m happy to rewatch and certain ones I skip. There are certain seasons that will be stronger and some that you’re not that into.

I will have to say, this episode isn’t an automatic skip for me unlike the Cherubs episode sorry, I just don’t like the Cherubs personally, haha, but I understand their reason for existing in the canon lore so kudos to the animators and VAs. I do appreciate the animation of S2:E4 though. The songs were nice, and it was interesting to see the storyboards and the tweets from the song writers about the direction they were given—and how that resulted in the final product. It’s very interesting to see all the behind-the-scenes stuffs.

2) I have yet to see all the episodes of Season 2 so I will be reserving my judgement. Of all four episodes released thus far, I think S1 is stronger—but it’s an unfair comparison (like apples vs oranges) because we’ve seen all the episodes of S1 and we have yet to see the rest of S2.

“Fizzling out” is a strong word. Hmm. (Anon, and I mean this with love, if my support or interest in a show genuinely “fizzles out,” that’s not a good thing; you’re not going to see me continuing with something if my enthusiasm fades and it feels like a chore just to sit through something, trust me.) I have to say, excluding the Circus episode which was very, very strong and Exes and Oohs which I just adored, the rest of the episodes released thus far have things I like and a couple things I’m meh about. But, again, that’s par for the course. So I can’t objectively determine if S2 is fizzling out or weaker yet; I’d have to sit through the rest of the unreleased episodes to make that determination and then see S3.

I can’t remember off the top of my head, but I believe Vivziepop tweeted they were already working on the scripts for S3 or S4. Feel free to correct me on this! But whether it’s S3 or S4 or S5, it shows they have a plan and a strategy and there’s a lot more they want to explore and show us. They’re not spontaneously creating plot beats after every episode has aired (trust me, spontaneous writing is HARD; I have massive respect for writers who can write spontaneously—and still be able to execute it well). I’m in it to witness the spectacle and see where they take us.

3) Hm. So, hot take, but the Stolitz ship is always going to survive regardless of what season it is. They’re not ignorant. I don’t know why there are some people who think or worry the ship isn’t going to survive. It’s the main draw, the main ship, the main way they’re making profit. They sell Stolitz merchandise; it’s the most popular ship in the show. It’s not even fanon; it’s canon. So an expectation has been set, and they have to deliver. Betrayal of expectations, regardless of subversion, will be met with backlash; no one likes the feeling of being lied to. So if the Stolitz ship doesn’t survive, their viewership is going to tank. If viewership tanks, that means less interest, and less interest means less money in the bank.

I’m looking at it realistically—which is honestly kinda immersion-breaking for me because this ruins any tension of the “will they, won’t they” for me, haha (like, no, you definitely know they will)—but it’s honestly why I’m not panicking even if there is “a breakup” or “let’s see other people” or “let’s take a break from each other” or a fakeout death planned. <- That, I think, would be the worst extent of the Stolitz ship temporarily “not surviving” (ey, I understand, as a writer you gotta throw in some angst, hardship, and obstacles so when your characters get together, it feels deserving and earned), but obviously they’re going to finagle a way to get Blitzø and Stolas back together as a couple.

At the end of the day, it boils down to the HB crew’s execution of this ship in the show. There’s a lot of pressure resting on their shoulders, and I wish them luck and success.

At the end of the day, people are being paid to put out a product for mass consumption so they are invested in seeing that product succeed so they can continue to make a profit for as long as they can. Helluva Boss is their money-making machine aka golden goose. This pays the bills for them. They’d be stupid to kill off their golden goose (Stolitz). A lot of names (especially big ones with the VAs) are also attached, so they also want it to succeed. Even if there’s a loud minority of antis on the HB critical side who consistently air that they don’t like the Stolitz element, honestly, nothing they say will make the show-runners of Helluva Boss change their mind on Stolitz being canon and delivered.

4) Is anything that’s happening in canon, as more and more episodes are being released, going to affect my Stolitz fic: A Prince and His Baron (AO3 🔗).

Yes. And no. What I mean by that is I’m going to be choosy with what I see in canon. It’s the reason why I initially strategized to make P&B an AU, because the big risk of writing a long fic for an ongoing show is at some point, inevitably canon will contradict what I have planned or written. With making it an AU, I get to be selective about the canon Easter eggs I want to include or be influenced by.

For example, with the reveal of them being childhood friends in the Circus, I understand and acknowledge their canon direction, but I’m obviously going to ignore it in my AU. They’re going to stay as strangers who happened to meet in their adult years as an assassin imp on the rise and a powerful Goetia prince who wants him on the Royals faction side. Because the latter makes sense for my AU and they have to develop their relationship from a one-night stand (with benefits -> granting Blitz his baron status and land -> lowkey manipulation to make Blitz indebted to him and the land has automatically made Blitz a vassal to the prince by definition) to an understanding and feelings of genuine affection and devotion. We’re playfully poking fun at the Harlequin romance genre after all (assassin x prince), with some Hellish infernal politics.

Somethings I’m taking from canon include the dynamic between Stella and Andrealphus. Oh boy, Stella. What a complete turnaround in opinion I have of her, haha. I’m probably going to take a different approach to her (potential spoiler alert for P&B: she’s still “evil” but I like the idea she’s been spoiled and perhaps manipulated, so for certain things she has a bottom line when it comes to wickedness—and Andrealphus will have crossed that at a certain point in the story and it challenges her core beliefs because now she has to decide betraying her family or aligning herself with the husband (and imp) she despises). Of course, the more episodes I see, the more decisive I will be in deciding whether or not to go with this angle. If I see Stella continues to be an unrepentant b*tch in canon, she may not have the relatively good outcome I had been planning for her in my story at the end with the royal wedding between Stolas and Blitzø.

I also have other things P&B are being affected by, such as the worldbuilding of the rings of Hell. So while I can fill in the blanks and make P&B entirely off my imagination, it’s fun to see the canon lore and see which things to keep and which things I want to take a different approach with. :)

Thank you for the Ask, anon! 💞

[forzalando]

Flustered | Fred Weasley

Pairing: Fred Weasley x F!Reader Word Count: 2.5k Warnings: mentions of underage drinking and alcohol, tickling, making out Summary: Your flirty friendship with Fred Weasley comes to a resolution after an argument surrounding the Yule Ball that took place all those years ago. 

A/N: hi friends! this is a Fred Weasley fic based on a tik tok i saw last night (all credit for the bolded line goes to the creator of the tik tok). also thank you to @gcdric for discussing this with me very late last night, i hope it turned out well omg i’m NERVOUS. anyway! off we go. please let me know if you’d like to be added to my taglist! i’m updating it since i was on hiatus for awhile! love you guys!

As you sat on the couch of the Burrow, your eyes fixated on the many pictures in the Weasley’s living room, your mind began to drift off with thoughts of the freckled, red-headed boy sat in front of you giggling with his siblings.

There was something extraordinarily special about your friendship with Fred Weasley. After ten plus years of him being the most important person in your life, ever since your first day at Hogwarts when he tripped over your robes as you and your fellow first years hurried into the Sorting Ceremony, you couldn’t imagine life without him.

You had been through so much together; every Hogwarts experience there was to be had, first kisses, first heartbreaks, the Second Great Wizarding War, he was by your side through everything.

“What’s on your mind, Y/N? You look to be thinking entirely too hard for my liking,” Fred sassed, breaking you out of your trance.

“Too hard for your liking?” you retaliated. “What do you care what I’m thinking about?”

“It’s supposed to be a relaxing weekend! You’re much too deep in thought to be relaxing, so of course I care.”

“Well, if you must know, I was thinking about you, Freddie.”

“Carry on then, love. I’ve always wished for your thoughts to be consumed by me.”

With a cheeky wink, Fred went back to a game of exploding snap and you didn’t need to watch to know that Ginny was absolutely kicking his arse. However, you didn’t miss the sly smile that George gave you when Fred’s attention was diverted from you.

It wasn’t uncommon for the two of you to flirt with one another. In fact, you would dare to say it was the most predominant form of communication between the two of you. There was the occasional time or two where you thought that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same, but he’d always look away quickly or press a kiss to your cheeks instead of your lips, laughing it off as the two of you caught up in a moment that would cross a line that could never be crossed, though you so desperately wanted to.

After another round of exploding snap, Ginny said her goodbyes and apparated back to her flat, but not before promising that she wouldn’t miss anymore family dinners for quidditch practice, which you knew would happen inevitably but smiled nonetheless at her enthusiasm. You’d been a regular appearance at the weekly get-together for as long as you could remember, you were practically part of the family so you could say with appropriate accuracy that Ginny definitely missed dinner more than all of her siblings combined due to her busy schedule.

“Well, I suppose it’s time for us to head back as well,” George mused, eyeing the leftover pies in the kitchen. “Are you staying at ours tonight, Y/N?”

“I’d love nothing more. Besides, I didn’t get to play Fred in exploding snap and I want to knock his ego down just a little bit more.”

George linked arms with you and Fred, laughing about his brother’s awful skills as you apparated to their flat above the shop.

You’d spent many a nights at the twins’ flat over the past couple of years. After the war, you had moved in for a while until you found a job and managed to rent your own place. But, they never got rid of your bed that took up a large corner of their living room, which came in handy after weekly Weasley dinners when you just wanted to spend a bit more time with your favorite boys.

“I’m absolutely knackered,” George said once the three of you had settled on the couch. “I think I might go to bed now, if I’m honest. Besides, I want to be up early to work on those new design sketches for the storefront.”

“George Weasley, you have never gotten up before 10 o’clock on a Sunday in your entire life,” you scoffed.

“There’s a first for everything, Y/N. Goodnight to you and Freddie!”

As George turned away from you both, he faked a yawn and when he was sure Fred wasn’t looking, winked back at you to further confirm your suspicion that he wanted you to be alone with Fred.

He had just about had enough of the tension between you both and took every chance he got to get the two of you alone, by any means necessary.

When you heard George’s bedroom door close, you noticed Fred scoot closer to you on the couch until your legs were touching. He slung his arm over your shoulders and you swung your legs up to lay across his lap.

“What were you thinking about earlier? While Gin and I were playing by the fireplace?” Fred wondered aloud.

“Oh, I was looking at all the pictures on the walls at your Mum and Dad’s. I saw one from you and George’s first day at Hogwarts and I was thinking about how we first met.”

“Hmm, so you were thinking about one of the most embarrassing moments in my life?”

“Please, you’ve done much, much worse. Remember that time in our sixth year when you tried to outdrink George after we won the Slytherin match and you – ”

“Ah, ah, ah, I thought we agreed to never speak of that incident again,” Fred said as he visibly shuddered.

“I was just pointing out that I can think of quite a few moments that were far more embarrassing than tripping on my robes.”

“You’re one to talk! Don’t you remember our fifth year when you and George were running from Filch and you knocked Wood to the ground? Bloody broke his arm, you were so lucky Madame Pomfrey had him fixed up before our next match or he would’ve had a heart attack.”

A loud laugh escaped your lips as you covered your face in embarrassment; that was the year you had followed Oliver around like a lost puppy, although your schoolgirl crush paled in comparison to how you’d felt for Fred back then and now as well but neither twin would ever let you live it down.

“Do you remember the Yule Ball? When Flitwick caught you trying to spike the punch and you slipped and fell in the middle of the dance floor?” You chuckled at the memory, even if the Yule Ball was an event you had tried to forget.

“You were so mad at me that night and the whole week before, I was terribly distracted. If we had been on good terms I would’ve gotten away with it and the slipping never would have happened.”

“Well, it’s your own fault we were fighting! I still can’t believe you didn’t ask me to go with you.”

“Oi, it’s not my fault when you never said you wanted me to ask you.”

“I thought I had made it painfully obvious when I asked you every morning at breakfast if you’d found a date yet and told you that I didn’t have one either.”

Fred threw his head back and laughed, the thought of your shocked face when he had asked Angelina was too priceless a memory to ever forget.

“You were so jealous,” Fred mumbled.

“Jealous?!” you screeched. “I wasn’t jealous, I was annoyed that I had to spend all night with some Durmstrang tosser stepping on my toes. We’ve had this argument literally a million times.”

“No, you were definitely jealous. You shot poor Angie daggers the whole night and she’s such a lovely girl.”

“I shot her daggers because she hogged you and I didn’t get to dance with my best friend a single time at the only Ball we ever had at school.”

“I would’ve asked you to dance if you weren’t mad at me, and you know she was only dancing with me to make George jealous, even if he was oblivious.”

You smiled at that; you knew Angelina only had eyes for George and that going with Fred was some elaborate ruse. Shockingly, it ended up working, and he and Angelina have been together ever since.

“Still think you were jealous,” Fred challenged, poking you in the exact spot on your abdomen that he knew you were ticklish.

“Fred Weasley, for the last time, I was not jealous,” you emphasized as you poked him back.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, love,” he said lowly, a daring glint in his eye.

Never one to heed warnings or follow directions, you poked him again and within seconds he had you pinned underneath him on the couch, his fingers trailing up and down your sides as you couldn’t help but laugh boisterously beneath him.

“Fred – ” you gasped. “Freddie, please, I actually think I might pee on your couch.”

“Not until you admit you were jealous that I asked Angelina!”

You shook your head, the combination of laughter and trying to catch your breath kept you from firing back a witty remark.

After a few moments, you simply couldn’t take anymore and shouted out, “FINE. Fine, you win.”

“What was that, lovey? I couldn’t quite hear you.”

“I said, fine, I admit it. I was jealous that you asked Angelina when I wanted you to ask me,” you grumbled, struggling to catch your breath in between words.

“See, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

You glared up at him and moved to push him off of you when you realized just how close his face was to yours. If you concentrated hard enough, you could count each individual freckle splattered across his nose and cheeks. Almost instinctually, your eyes flickered down to his lips, but you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of staring, so you quickly looked away.

Fred noticed that you couldn’t take your eyes off of him and, in true Fred Weasley fashion, couldn’t resist a flirty joke.

“You really want to kiss me right now, don’t you?” Fred chuckled.

“Yeah,” you sighed, “yeah, I do.”

Surging forward, you pressed your lips to his and immediately wove your fingers through the hair at the base of his neck. You were so tired; tired of the constant flirting and feeling as if you would forever have to love him from afar while he lived his life blissfully unaware of how much it hurt you to hide how you felt.

His arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you closer to him; the raw emotion in the way he desperately kissed you left little doubt in your mind that he had wanted this for as long as you had. His hands slipped under your shirt and his fingers blazed a trail of fire up your spine; a breathy moan escaped your lips but Fred swallowed the sound with his mouth, deepening the kiss and pulling you even closer.

A scream from behind the couch caused you to jump apart, chests heaving and hair sticking up every possible way. You sat up to look over the back of the couch to see George Weasley, looking visibly shaken and guilty, with his hands covering his eyes.

“Oh my god, I leave you alone for thirty minutes and you’re about to shag on my bloody couch. Jesus, ok, let me just, uh, well, I’ve probably ruined the mood, haven’t I?”

“George,” you hissed. “What are you doing sneaking around, I thought you were going to bed?!”

“Yeah, I said I was,” he said sheepishly as he uncovered his eyes, “but I might have been eavesdropping on your conversation. When I heard it go all quiet, I thought I’d come out and see if you two fools had fallen asleep, but clearly, that was not the case.”

“Eavesdropping? I swear to Merlin, George, you’re a ten year old boy. I can’t believe you! Of all the immature and invasive things to do, my God.”

“Well, pardon me, I just wanted to see if my idiot brother would finally grow some balls and tell you he’s in love with you!”

“I’m not sure what you’re on about but that doesn’t mean you can just sneak up on people,” you chided.  “Fred, would you please back me up here, what is wrong with you – ”

You turned around to pull Fred into the argument only to find him sitting on top of the coffee table with a dazed look in his eyes and flushed cheeks.

“Fred, are you alright?” you asked worriedly.

He slowly lifted his head and looked into your eyes; you could see just how flushed his face was now that he wasn’t staring at the floor and good Godric, he was as red as the hair on his head.

“I…I…You,” he stammered. “You kissed me?”

“Yes, I suppose that is what happened,” you muttered sheepishly.

“Y/N Y/L/N…you…you kissed me?”

“Freddie, what the hell is the matter with you?”

George burst into laughter and you whirled back around to glare at him, however, this time, he didn’t hush up like he usually did.

“Like I said before, he’s in love with you, and now he can’t even form a coherent sentence because you kissed him, this is golden. Ol’ cock sure Freddie, a pile of mush because of a little makeout sesh, I’ve got to send an owl to Lee…” George trailed off as he turned and rushed back towards his bedroom.

You took another look at Freddie and smiled at the lovestruck look on his face. He was shaking his head in his hands and you saw the redness on his neck as well, which only happened when he was well and truly flustered.

“This is so humiliating,” he groaned as you sat down next to him.

“I think it’s rather cute, if that makes you feel any better,” you said as you chuckled and placed a hand on his thigh.

He removed his head from his hands and looked at you adoringly, the giddy smile on his face ignited butterflies in your stomach and your heart beat wildly in your chest.  

“All the times I imagined how this would pan out…it definitely wasn’t supposed to happen this way. I mean, not that I’m mad about it, it was incredibly sexy how you just grabbed me and kissed me, but I wasn’t supposed to be a bumbling fool afterwards.”

A moment of silence washed over the both of you as Fred intertwined your hands and steadily held your gaze.

“George was right, you know. I am in love with you. Have been for quite a long time, if I’m being honest.”

“Well, in the spirit of honesty, I guess I should say that I’m in love with you too.”

“Bloody brilliant,” he sighed as he leaned in to kiss you again, but you stopped him just before your lips touched.

“You’re not going to pass out or anything if we kiss again, are you?”

“No promises, love, but I’ll try my best.”

taglist: @theweasleysredhair @hufflepuffbaby9 @theboywhocriedlupin @swellwriting @fortisfiliae @thoseofgreatambition @wildfire-whizbangs @woakiees 

[comm-caribou]

Chapter Sixteen: Wonderful

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: Battle trauma, PTSD, panic attacks, major death, dismemberment, angst (let me know if I missed any!)

————

It had been awhile since Fang took a shower. He didn’t like the vulnerability of it, nor the way his body looked now.

Still, he felt the water would clear his head.

He had removed his arm. Even though the doctor and nurses all promised it was waterproof, he didn’t want to risk breaking it.

Juliette would end up buying him a new one without questioning it. He knew this fact all too well.

Everyone else was in bed, so he was all alone.

He always found it weird that the showers were in stalls rather than an open floor plan.

We all look the same. Why waste money putting up these walls?

He turned on the water, getting off the rest of his clothes before testing the water, making sure it was lukewarm.

He stepped under the water, letting it run over his face and scarred body.

Maybe it was so troopers like me could disappear.

****

Juliette held Cooper’s helmet in her hands, looking at the splotchy designs closer.

“I never realized they were hands,” Juliette said tracing tiny fingers on the side of his helmet. “You painted them for the little girl who named you.”

Cooper sat at her desk, flipping though her sketchbooks, “she wanted me to pick her up, so I did. Her mother told her I’m a clone trooper, but she just keep merging the two words.”

She placed her hand over a hand, “they’re so small. How old was she?”

“Three.” Cooper paused on a page, “is that Fang?”

Juliette looked over, “yeah, I doodled a bunch of you.”

“Why did you draw him so small and cu-“ Cooper did a double take, “is that grumpy one suppose to be me?”

“It’s not suppose to look realistic,” Juliette giggled, “they’re just little doodles.”

Cooper chuckled a little, “hmm, that must be Keks then.”

She drew the Corporal hugging a cookie bigger than him.

“And that’s Mirage.”

She drew the ARC standing proud showing off his hair, adding sparkles around his head for emphasis.

“Boomerang.”

The medic was wrapped in bandages, arms extended out like a mummy.

“Coyote.”

The blue eyed trooper was wrapped in his blanket happily eating noodles like at dinner that night.

“That’s Tracks and Goose.”

The silver haired pilot was holding something over Goose’s head just out of his mustached, shorter brother’s reach.

“And that must be Hardwire.”

The Commander was simply just standing hands folded behind his back, looking all authoritative, but she gave him a little smile.

“That’s what I got so far,” Juliette said, “I got some ideas for the rest of pilots.”

Cooper set her sketchbook down on the desk, “you’re very talented.”

“Thank you,” she said, but something was still bothering her.

The Sergeant lazily spun in her chair, staring up at her ceiling.

“Cooper, not that I’m not grateful you’re here,” Juliette treaded carefully, “why didn’t you just shut the door and keep walking?”

Cooper’s dark eyes shifted to her, “because you were crying. I couldn’t just walk away knowing you were in here crying over something my brother probably said. No offense, but Fang is kind of impulsive, so whatever he said you shouldn’t take to heart.”

“He was mad I went off to find those missing troops and took on a Wampa,” Juliette hugged her knees. “I thought that’s what I’m suppose to do. Keep you all safe, I mean.”

“I guess that is part of your job,” Cooper agreed, “but I guess we’re just not use to a General who treats us like you do. Our last one certainly didn’t.”

Juliette only heard mentions and whispers of her predecessor, and it was nothing nice.

The Jedi who cost Fang his arm, Coyote his squad, Tracks his voice, and Hardwire his face, Juliette studied Cooper’s relaxed face. I wonder… would Cooper tell me?

“Cooper, what exactly did the Jedi do to you all?” Juliette asked.

Cooper turned to her, “has no one told you?”

“I didn’t think it was something Hardwire would want to talk about,” Juliette admitted, “and I tried asking Fang once, but he turned it to talking about a rock cave he once saw.”

Cooper nodded thoughtfully, “I guess, the best I can say is, this Jedi didn’t like clones. Specifically, individualized clones. He wanted us to be exactly alike.”

“That’s so stupid,” Juliette shook her head disgusted.

“I know,” Cooper agreed, “he claims he was weeding out imperfects, to make the army stronger.”

“I think your individuality makes you stronger,” Juliette said, “I like that none of you are alike.”

“I appreciate that,” Cooper smiled. “I need to get to bed, and as do you. Who knows what our next mission will be.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Juliette said, “I appreciate you visiting me.”

“I know,” he said smugly. “Goodnight, General.”

He left her.

She was alone again.

She got up, and went to her desk.

Looking at the open sketchbook, her eyes were drawn to her little doodle of Fang.

It was just a cute little version of him in a heart.

She flipped to the next page, and sat down as she began sketching out Cosmos.

****

While the men were use to waking up suddenly, it had been awhile since it was an alarm.

The noise dragged Keks and his brothers out of their restless sleep, and they all went scrambling in organized chaos to prepare for the new trouble that plagued their lives.

“What’s going on?” Mirage turned to Cooper, already on his holo pad.

“We’ve been requested for immediate aid,” Cooper stated. “Hopefully everyone including the General got some sleep.”

“She had a big day,” Keks laughed, “I’m sure she fell asleep right in Fang’s arms.”

Cooper gave him a look.

Keks chocked it up to Cooper just being grumpy, and carried on to get his weapons.

When he saw Fang heading to the hanger alone without Juliette or Coyote, that raised more questions in his mind.

****

She checked her gauntlets, making sure the safety was activated as she stood next to Hardwire.

The last of the men scrambled onto the gunships, and they boarded.

“You know who General Grievous is, correct?” Hardwire quietly asked her.

“He’s a Jedi Hunter,” she stated, “basically Count Dooku’s most feared lackey.”

“And he should never be faced alone,” Hardwire said it like an order. “He killed our first General.”

Juliette understood, but still felt annoyed.

I was trained to fight since I could walk, she thought. A Jedi hunter doesn’t scare me.

Hardwire put on a holo projection, and began explaining the plan of how they were going to be aiding the 41st Elite Corps until General Luminara returned.

Their mission wasn’t suppose to involve danger, which is why the Jedi Master let them go alone.

The idea of ever leaving her men alone—even with minimal risks—was something Juliette couldn’t fathom. Not only because she wanted to protect them from the cruel galaxy, because she couldn’t picture living her life without them in it.

Even if it meant having Mirage tailing her.

She could feel the presence of his hand, already hovering behind her back ready to catch her if she fell.

She turned her head slightly, catching Fang in the corner of her visor. The usually sweet trooper was stiff, rigid, like he was ready to snap at any second.

Maybe when they got back to base, she’d find a moment alone with just him. She’d hold Fang close and assure him he’s enough, that she’s still right here, and she wasn’t going to disappear on him despite how much he hurt her when he left earlier that night.

The booming of explosives brought her back to reality, reminding her she’s in a battle zone as they touched down.

Hardwire turned to her, “stay with me, we have to get to Commander Gree.”

She looked for Fang again, but he was gone.

Mirage’s hand pressed on her lower back, “one foot in front of the other, General.”

She stepped off, and followed Hardwire despite the pull of the men’s cries of anguish as they were shot down by countless droids.

****

Wherever Coyote went, Fang went.

It seemed his former squad leader was following Keks, Mick, and Buck.

He would ask what the Corporal’s plan was, but the comm channel was being flooded with his brothers crying out for aid.

“Man down!”

“Man down!”

“We need a medic!”

“Medic!”

“There’s too many of them!”

“Medic!”

“Keep firing!”

He heard Commander Gree was safe at some temporary base, which meant Juliette was safe.

Last thing he needed to hear was she engaged that monstrous Separatist General.

Keks slid down a hill, and they all followed.

“Corporal?” Buck finally spoke, “what’s our current objective?”

“Retrieving one of our down scouts.” Keks stated, “reports say one of our ARFs is still alive, and ve are going to get him home.”

“So a rescue then?” Mick confirmed.

“Affirmative.” Keks fired on a couple droids, then moved forward.

“Sounds like a plan the General would be all over,” Buck laughed, “she loves rescue missions!”

Coyote sighed, “stay focused, Buck.”

“Yes, sir,” Buck responded as if talking to an officer.

Fang turned to him, “sir?”

“I do outrank them by experience,” Coyote shrugged, “although he’s not wrong, Juliette is always jumping on these types of missions.”

“It’s risky.” Fang mumbled.

“You okay?” Coyote asked, “you seem… off.”

“I’m fine.” Fang barked.

“No you’re not.” Coyote sighed, “you better not let it get in the way of the mission. It will get you killed if you’re not focused, and we can’t have that.”

Fang sighed, “I just don’t like her risking herself like she did on Hoth. She could’ve died.”

“Fang,” Coyote softened his voice, “she was a skilled fighter before she found us. She is still a skilled fighter now, and there’s so much we don’t know yet.”

Fang had to agree.

As always, Coyote was right. Coyote always was the wisest out of all of Pack Squad, and the most in tune to their individual problems.

“Look,” Coyote sighed, “let’s focus on getting that ARF, then we can talk this out. Okay?”

Fang nodded, and hurried ahead blasting two droids as they slipped into the tree-line.

****

It was driving her crazy.

She felt like a caged animal in this makeshift base, going over battle plans on screens instead of executing them.

Juliette wanted to be with her men.

Fighting by their side.

Hardwire must’ve known this. His arm was looped into her’s, keeping her in place at the table as Gree and other officers argued.

“Let me go,” she whispered to Hardwire.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered back, “but I won’t.”

“We just got to keep holding this position,” one officer stated.

“Well obviously!” Cooper exclaimed, “that’s all we’re doing, and we’re getting slaughtered.”

The word felt like knife in her gut being twisted.

She tugged on Hardwire’s arm, but he stood firm like a mountain.

She hissed, “let me go.”

“Just wait.” Hardwire’s hand gripped her’s, “not until we have a plan.”

“Do you have a plan, General Trix?” Gree turned to her, “or is your plan just to run into danger, guns blazing, and no regard to anyone’s safety?”

Cooper placed his hand to his helmet, as if pinching the bridge of nose, “why did you say that?”

“No regard to anyone’s safety?” Juliette repeated. “Seriously, Commander Gree? Are you really asking me if my plan is to put any one of you in danger?”

“I doubt you have any plan in facing a lightsaber manic like Grievous,” Gree’s sergeant stated. “Just because you held your own in a few battles doesn’t mean you can fight real threats.”

Juliette clenched her fists, “better out there fighting with the men, than talking in circles in here.”

“We’re not talking in circles.” Gree waved his hand dismissively.

“I’ve heard the phrase ‘we need a plan’ eleven times already,” Juliette turned to Hardwire, “let me go out there.”

“And do what exactly?” Gree demanded, “if you think you’re so smart, what’s your plan?“

Juliette sighed, dragging Hardwire, “we’re going to go push back. Cooper, stay here and keep radio contact with me.”

“Yes, General,” Cooper acknowledged.

“Wait!” Gree chased them out of the tent.

“Juliette,” Hardwire warned, “this is technically Gree’s mission.”

“Exactly, General, and I-“

“You said you want those ships down, correct? Rocket launchers will do that.”

“Juliette, I understand you’re frustrated but we don’t have rocket launchers.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Hardwire. Trust me, my Commander. I can do this.”

Juliette released his hand, and he let her go.

****

It was quiet now.

Buck and Mick were up ahead, keeping a lookout for both droids and the wounded ARF they got reports about.

Keks knew he didn’t have to worry about them. While Buck had a tendency to get shot, he always managed to push though the pain until danger was gone. Mick was alert, it was like the trooper had sixth sense for when someone took aim on him.

What Keks had to worry about was Coyote and Fang.

The unbreakable pair bonded by both training and the events that took place in the cave.

Coyote was an excellent soldier, a fine leader, but once Fang was present his ability to focus would dissipate. Fang was impulsive, almost always getting stuck on a thought and having to follow it though.

“You two hanging in back there?” Keks called over his shoulder.

“Yes, sir,” Coyote answered.

Fang didn’t say a word.

That’s not promising, Keks waited for them to catch up, “talk to me, Fang. Vhat’s on your mind?”

“It’s nothing,” Fang grumbled.

“Seems like something,” Keks stated. “Is it about vhy you aren’t speaking vith the General?”

“You two aren’t talking?” Coyote turned to Fang.

“It’s nothing,” Fang assured, “I just don’t like how she always risks herself for us. Yes, I love that she cares so much she’d do anything to protect us, however not at the cost of her life. We are suppose to fight and die for the Republic.”

“Just because ve are meant to die, that doesn’t mean I vant to die,” Keks said, “I vould love to live to see the end of this var, go drinking vith my brothers every leave, and just have a real life.”

Fang stayed quiet, then said lowly, “what about her life?”

“She chose to be a General,” Coyote cut in, “this is her choice.”

“I feel like it’s in her training,” Fang argued, “she told me her father use to train everyday for hours on end to protect others.”

“I don’t really see vhat’s vrong vith that,” Keks admitted.

“She could…” Fang trailed off, shaking his head.

Keks knew what he meant, “she could die.”

Fang made a broken noise, and pushed past them to get out of this confrontation.

“Did you have to make him cry?” Coyote sighed.

“I think he vas going to anyways,” Keks said quietly. “It’d be easier if he just told her.”

“Told her what?” Coyote stepped over some down tree trunks.

Keks ran his hands over the scorch marks of a lightsaber, already dreading what they were going to find soon.

“That he loves her,” Keks stated.

****

The missile hit one vulture droid, and it crashed into the other. They collided into the ground, explosively wiping out a chunk of the droids while illuminating the unscathed to be slotted.

“Why didn’t you just say you had a missile launcher?” Gree asked Juliette as the men cheered.

“You wouldn’t let me get a word in,” Juliette stated, “not to mention, it’s attached to my back.”

“I thought that was your jet pack.” Hardwire admitted.

“It’s both.” Juliette corrected.

Mirage chuckled, carrying another wounded to the medical tent they were guarding.

“Just throwing it out there,” Boomerang said, “please never give Mirage a jet pack.”

“I’m sure I’d be a good flyer,” Mirage set his injured brother down, ruffling his hair.

“You can barely walk,” Boomerang argued.

“Looks like you pushed them back some.” Gree said, looking through his binoculars. “They’re either regrouping or preparing to cover Grievous’s escape.”

“I’m thinking the second option,” Hardwire stated.

“Should we go hunt him down then?” Juliette asked. After seeing so many men come back clinging to life die from lightsaber sustained injuries, she’d happily attempt to take that heartless monster down.

“I’d advise against it,” Gree pat her shoulder, “not until the Jedi arrives through that blockade.”

Juliette turned to Hardwire, “how’s Captain Stickler?”

“Last I heard he said the shields are still up,” Hardwire said, “just focus on the ground assault for now.”

But what about Cosmos? My pilots? It’s the most dangerous job in the Republic. I’ve seen the casualty numbers…

She had to shake it off.

Somewhere out there on the ground was Fang.

As upset with him she was, she wanted her boyfriend to be okay too.

****

That explosion was caused by Juliette.

Fang knew it in his heart that that was the doing of his girl.

So full of surprises, he thought as they came to last reported sighting of the ARF.

“The report said that they found the General here,” Keks explained, “he engaged the squad and they had to retreat.”

“So, we’re here why?“ Buck asked.

“Because one vas hurt,” Keks stood on top of the mess of broken trees. “He’s here.”

“Not to sound like a downer, but…” Mick trailed off, “you know?”

What if he’s dead?

Fang turned to Coyote.

His brother who ran back into the cave because he had to be sure he wasn’t leaving his Pack behind.

We’re here to be sure.

Keks knelt down, surveying the mess, “Hound? Are you in there, vod?”

Nothing.

“Hound?” Keks carefully moved though the mess, “Hound?”

Fang looked around, but nothing caught his eye.

“Hound?” Coyote called, “where are you?”

“Hound?” Buck moved some wood with his boot.

Mick was off ahead when he jumped back, falling on his back and scrambling away.

“What?” Buck ran to him.

“I found a leg…”

Fang stopped, feeling a tingling in his arm.

Burning, crushing, excruciating tingling in his whole right side like his body was being lit on fire again.

Coyote came over to him, softly whispering, “hey, you okay?”

Fang focused on his breathing, sinking down to the ground.

Coyote knelt down, lifting off his helmet, “it’s okay. I’m right here, look at me. Focus on me.”

He didn’t fight Coyote when he removed Fang’s helmet, and he tried to focus on his brother’s ice blue eyes.

Coyote took his hands, “you’re not in danger. I’m right here, Fang, I’m not going anywhere.”

Fang’s gaze shifted to behind him, to a white mass.

“Hound.” Fang refocused.

Coyote turned, “Keks! Over here!”

Fang crawled over, moving the branches and taking his brother’s arm.

He felt limp, but he dragged him out.

The scout had wrapped his leg and tied it off at his knee.

Like Fang, his missing limb was on his right side.

Coyote leaned down, listening closely.

Keks approached, “is he…?”

Coyote let out a sigh of relief, “he’s alive.”

****

Keks knelt down, lifting off the ARF trooper’s helmet.

The young scout must’ve passed out he concluded, and he lightly tapped his filthy cheek.

Hound stirred, whimpering as he cracked his eyes open.

“Sergeant Digger reported you missing,” Keks smiled under his helmet, “ready to go home, kid?”

“Corporal?” Hound weakly smiled, “hi, brother.”

Mick stepped around them, “I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, okay?”

Hound nodded, sitting up very vaguely looking over his missing limb.

Keks helped steady him, “you seem a little loopy, Hound. Did you take a sedative?”

“Uh huh,” Hound blinked lazily. “Mutt gave it to me for emergencies.”

“That’s good then,” Keks placed Hound’s helmet back on, “come on, lads. Ve need to get back to safety.”

Mick began walking with Buck beside him, and Hound just hung off without a care in the universe.

Keks wondered if it was the pain killers, their training, or just Hound’s attitude that was leaving him so at eased.

“I still don’t quite understand why we came out here, sir,” Fang admitted, “but I’m glad we found him.”

“You’ll understand,” Keks said, as they began moving again. “Soon ve vill be home, eating dinner, and you’ll be back to your old self. That is, once you make up vith Juliette.”

Fang sighed, “I doubt it. After what I did, she’s probably still mad at me for walking out like that.”

“Just talk to her.” Coyote sighed, “get that through your thick skull, will you?”

Keks chuckled, then went up ahead to catch up with Buck and Mick.

He pat Hound’s helmet, and went off ahead with his gun ready.

“Keep alert,” Keks reminded them, “that explosion probably pushed them back towards us.”

“Yes, sir,” they all answered, except Fang.

He’s stuck in his head. Keks switched to his private comm frequency with Coyote, “keep an eye on Fang. He’s not himself today.”

“I agree,” Coyote answered.

Fang finally spoke up, “droids. Up ahead.”

“Wonderful.” Keks said, “get into the trees, before they see us.”

Buck and Mick ducked down, letting Hound down easy. Coyote pulled Fang to behind a tree trunk. Keks lowered down behind a shrub.

The droids came running by, bickering and yelling about retreating.

“Run for it!” One of the battle droids bellowed.

Typical of them, they all began repeating, “roger roger.”

There’s too many, Keks looked around.

He carefully moved, staying close to the ground.

“Men,” he said in the private comm, “there’s a path that vay. You need to follow it back to the base.”

“What about you?” Coyote asked.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Keks said, “after I cover you.”

Mick noticed the twist of trees, and took a quick dive down the pathway.

Buck double-checked, then followed him.

“Wait,” a droid called. “I heard something.”

Several droids stopped, approaching the tree Coyote and Fang were hidden behind.

The droids clicked their blasters, prepared to take aim.

Not on my watch, Keks stood up.

He fired on the droids, blasting a few heads off.

“Come and get me.” Keks taunted, running the opposite way.

“Keks! What are you doing?” Coyote’s voice filled his helmet.

“Get out of here,” Keks ordered, “I’ll lead them away!”

“Keks, you can’t face them alone!“ Fang argued, “let-“

“Coyote, there’s a file in my bunk,” Keks heard a bolt of plasma whoosh by his head, “give it to Cooper. He’ll know what to do with it.”

Keks ducked behind a tree, firing on the perusing droids.

“Yes, sir,” Coyote said, “goodbye, Keks.”

A bolt pierced his shoulder, and knocked his blaster from his hand.

Another through his chest.

Keks felt his body giving up, as he pulled himself behind the tree, taking out his thermal detonator.

They surrounded him, blasters aimed right at him.

Keks squeezed his eyes shut, I didn’t want to die.

“Goodbye.”

[miracleonice87]

anything with matty tkachuk! but maybe a fluffy one where it’s your first season living together after being long distance for awhile and it’s like the moments you guys go through? first fight, first night together, new game day rituals, etc.

a/n: the last of the requests for the moment! I’ll probably open them back up soon. here’s a piece with a few vignettes referred to in the request. enjoy! 

warnings: partners arguing, brief mention of sex

_____

Firsts

first night…

“You’re going to throw your back out.”

Matthew scoffed. “You think you’re so heavy but you weigh next to nothing,” he insisted, scooping his arm beneath the crooks of your knees, the other steady beneath your underarms as he lifted you off the ground.

You chuckled, covering your face with your hand shyly.

“Matthew,” you whined. He shook his head.

“Nope, we’re doing it,” he told you, walking toward the front door. “You’re finally moving in with me. We’re doing the cheesy ‘carry you over the threshold’ thing.”

You couldn’t argue with that. Smiling, you looped your arms around his neck and resigned to his resolve. A few yards more, and Matthew was kicking open the door with one foot.

As he stepped into the house, he let out an adorable “ta daaa!” and beamed at you.

“Welcome home, princess,” he said sweetly. You leaned in to kiss him and pinched gently at his cheek.

“Thank you, my love,” you said. Matthew put you down carefully and closed the door behind him. As you stepped forward into the living room — your living room — you spotted not only a gorgeous bouquet of blush pink roses, but also an overflowing gift basket filled with an array of your favorite items. The jasmine candles you always burned in your own apartment, the lavender tea you drank each night before bed, your favorite shampoo and conditioner, the shower gel you always stocked up on at your favorite St. Louis boutique — all of it, and more, was tucked inside.

“Baby…” you began breathlessly, running your hand along the perimeter of the wicker. “What did you do?”

Matthew approached from behind with a smile, wrapping his arms around your middle and burying a kiss in your hair.

“I just wanted you to have some things that’ll hopefully make you feel at home here,” he said somberly. “And I gotta admit, Taryn helped me track down the stuff from St. Louis,” he added with a chuckle.

You turned in his hold to face him, and he noted the glistening in your green eyes as he reached for your face.

“You are so sweet. Thank you, baby,” you said, pressing your lips against his. When you parted, Matthew noticed the way your bright smile had faded. He knew why.

As thrilled as you were to be moving in with Matthew at last after a full year of dating long distance, you were still anxious leaving your hometown of St. Louis. You couldn’t wait to start your life in Calgary with Matthew, but living so far from your family and childhood friends had you battling homesickness from the second you took off from Lambert. The reality had caused you to break down on the plane and was bringing tears to your eyes once more.

“You okay?” Matthew asked kindly, kissing your forehead repeatedly. You held his wrists and nodded.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” you said.

“I know it’s not gonna be easy, sweetheart,” Matthew said, pulling you closer. “But your parents are welcome here anytime, and you can go visit them literally whenever you want. And you know my parents are gonna be up here way more now that you’re here. We all know they like you better than me,” he told you, pulling a giggle from you as you looked up at him with a smirk.

“There’s a smile,” he said. You nodded, sniffling.

“Trust me, Matthew, I’m so happy to be here with you,” you assured him. “This is where I’ve wanted to be for so long, and you’re so gracious for having me here. And I can’t believe how thoughtful these gifts were. The excitement I feel to start my life with you outweighs any sadness I’ll feel. Trust me on that.”

Matthew grinned, and you couldn’t help but reflect his joy in your own expression.

“I love you, princess,” he said, hugging you tight. “Welcome home.”

“I love you, too, Matthew,” you said against his shoulder.

_____

first fight…

It had taken a few weeks, but you soon settled into your new life in Calgary with little trouble. Spending every day with Matthew felt like a dream — you were both giddy when you hopped into bed together each night and woke up next to each other the following morning.

As Matthew began training camp, you found your own routine with your work as a freelance graphic designer. You only put in about twenty to thirty hours per week, which Matthew knew you did because you wanted to, not because you felt you needed to. He reminded you every so often that you could quit at any point if you no longer felt the need to work — though you told him not to hold his breath.

Matthew refused to let go of his housekeeper, as he wanted to save you from doing all of the chores, though you did insist on taking over the bulk of the household duties because you actually found them enjoyable — scheduling, grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking, laundry, and paying bills.

It was that last little item that caused the first tiff between you and Matthew since you had moved in with him — in fact, the first tiff the two of you had had in months.

One afternoon, after Matthew returned home from practice, he kissed your cheek and grabbed a glass of water before sitting down at the kitchen table to chat with you, as he did almost every day. As you worked on a logo design for a client, Matthew sat scrolling through his phone; then, eyebrows furrowing, he paused.

“Hey, babe?” he began. You acknowledged him with a distracted “hmm?” without looking away from your screen.

“It’s no big deal if so,” Matthew spoke, “but did you forget to pay the water bill this month? And maybe… maybe the electric bill, too? I don’t see that they’ve been deducted from my account yet, so I just wanna make sure they’re not late.”

Heat crept up your neck and chest as you slowly closed your laptop, pursing your lips to the side. When you didn’t respond right away, Matthew looked at you curiously.

You took a deep breath and pulled your legs underneath you, curling up and wishing you could hide from this altogether.

“Don’t be mad…” you said softly.

Not a good start, Matthew thought to himself. He clicked his phone to lock it and set it aside, folding his arms on the table.

“Babe…” he said, a warning in the single word.

You picked nervously at the seam of your leggings. “Okay. I kind of…” you cleared your throat, stalling. “I kind of paid those two out of my own account. But just those two. I swear.”

Matthew rolled his eyes, pushing himself out of his seat as he muttered, “oh, my god.”

Yep, he was pissed.

After pacing for a few moments, Matthew crossed his arms against his chest and faced you.

“I thought we talked about this,” he said, clearly frustrated.

You dropped your head. “I-I know…” you said timidly. “We did. I just-“

“And you paid them yourself anyway? Despite having already discussed it?” he questioned, his volume rising.

With lightly shaking hands, you tucked some hair behind one ear and swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze, which was sure to be intense.

“Yes,” was all you could manage.

Matthew tossed his baseball cap on the table and sighed loudly, resuming his pacing across the hardwood.

“Baby, we can’t start out like this,” he said firmly. “I didn’t ask you to come live with me so we could split the cost of living like you’re some random roommate of mine. I asked you to move in because I want to share my life with you — I wanna share everything with you. I make more money than I’ll ever be able to spend, and you should not be spending your own money to pay our bills.”

As he spoke, you chewed anxiously on the inside of your cheek. When he paused, he sighed once more.

“Can you look at me, please?” he requested.

With a shaky inhale, you did as he asked, and his gaze softened the moment he saw the unease on your face.

“What’s goin’ on here, baby?” Matthew asked. “You’ve gotta talk to me. We’re partners.”

You pulled the sleeves of your sweatshirt down to cover your closed fists as you considered how even to answer him. Finally, you decided on a simple response.

“I feel like a mooch,” you said quietly, your eyes traveling downward again.

Out of your frame of vision, Matthew’s face fell. He felt sick at what he had just heard. He crossed the room swiftly, easily pulling out your chair and turning it to face him. He knelt before you and gathered your hands in his own.

“Princess… hey,” he said gently as he reached to smooth his hand over your hair. “Look at me.” This time, it wasn’t a question.

You forced yourself to look at him, finding immediate comfort in the tender way he was now looking at you as compared to before. He squeezed your thighs soothingly as he spoke again.

“You are anything but a mooch,” he said with conviction. “You are my girlfriend, who I love — who I’m obsessed with. You’re the person I want to spend my life with. I wanna take care of you in every way I possibly can, including financially. You know what I mean?”

You nodded slowly, unable to think of a convincing argument against him.

“I don’t want to fight about this with you,” Matthew continued, shaking his head. “We shouldn’t be fighting about money. Listen, if you want to spend your money on things that are only yours, that’s fine. Even though I really wish you wouldn’t even do that.” He muttered the last part and you offered the tiniest smile. “I don’t want you footing our bills, babe. You don’t need to worry about that. Okay? I want you to let me take care of all of that. Please?”

You nodded slowly. “I’m sorry,” you whispered. “I didn’t want to go behind your back. I just felt like I wanted to contribute.”

Matthew gave you a disbelieving expression. “Contribute? Babe, you contribute so much. You’ve barely been here a month and shit around here is more organized than it’s ever been. You’ve already got this place running like a well-oiled machine,” he told you as you breathed a chuckle. “You take care of me in countless ways. Let me handle the money. That’s the easy part.”

You let your head roll back with a sigh, knowing that Matthew was being the logical one in this instance. “Okay,” you agreed as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “I will. I’m sorry.”

Matthew shook his head, kissing the tip of your nose and then your lips. “Don’t be sorry,” he said. “Let’s just go upstairs and have make-up sex since this was our first fight in forever.”

You threw your head back in laughter. “You are something else,” you told your boyfriend, who was already picking you up out of your chair and toting you upstairs.

_____

first game…

As you stood in your closet selecting an outfit for Matthew’s home opener, you felt a familiar pair of arms snake around your waist and a set of lips you knew well come to rest on your cheekbone. A grin overtook your face.

“Good morning, sunshine,” you teased as Matthew relentlessly planted kisses on your skin. “How was your nap? I didn’t wake you, did I?”

You turned his direction, and Matthew shook his head. You smoothed the short curls atop his head and he nearly purred, making you laugh.

“My nap was good,” he said with a yawn. “And you’re gonna make me fall asleep again if you keep doing that.”

You snickered, kissing his jaw, before you turned back around and reached for a couple articles of hanging clothing.

“Once you pick what you’re wearing, can you make me a cup of coffee?” Matthew asked from behind.

Your brows pulled together, puzzled, and you cocked your head as you turned back toward him.

“Are you really that helpless?” you said in your best teasing tone.

Matthew rolled his eyes lightheartedly and said, “No, I can make my own, but I don’t want to. We’ve got a good thing going.”

You shook your head, amused. “Okay, I’m lost,” you told him, hanging your outfit on the back of the closet door to steam later. “What are you talking about?”

Matthew followed you out of the closet and toward the hall.

“You made me my coffee before the last three preseason games at home, remember? And we won them all,” he said matter-of-factly. “So yeah, if you don’t mind, we’re gonna keep that going. Unless you wanna be the reason we lose…”

“No!” you exclaimed immediately. Matthew laughed — he knew that would do the trick, as you were nearly as superstitious as he. “I’m going now,” you said. As you turned to descend the stairs, you glanced back at him, batting your lashes. “Cream and sugar?” you asked sweetly. 

Matthew laughed hysterically and tickled your sides as he followed you down to the kitchen, thankful once more that you were here to share not only his home with him, but his life. 

[marchioness-caprina]

You Like Me Not?

Pairings : Takami Keigo (Hawks) x Reader

Writing Style : 3rd Person

Warnings : Mild Cussing

Word Count 3290

3rd Person's POV

" Hawks. I'll ask you Nicely ok? Can you Please Please keep your distance from That New hero in your agency? That Foxy bimbo bitch what's her name again? " Y/n ranted narrowing her eyes towards Keigo who was casually lounging down on the couch with an amused look on his face.

" Now now Little Dove, I can't avoid her if you don't even know her name. But if I must say it then... Hmm" Keigo's eyes gleamed mischievously at the female in front of him as he uttered a word that made y/n go red with anger .

" Enchantress? "

" Keigo. " Y/n gave him a stern look and he just laughed at her face like it was a joke.

" Listen Kid. Looks like you gotta have another reality check. I can't avoid her because.... " Keigo paused his eyes never leaving y/n's angered face.

" Because? " Y/n growled impatiently as she crossed her arms.

" 1. We're Not even dating but here you are acting like you're MY girlfriend when you're clearly you're.... Not. " Keigo chuckled and y/n who knew that it was a fact flinched; feeling as if a million bricks were dropped on top of her head. The way he said it was like a harsh blow to the gut but she kept her usual strong expression.

" 2. We're working under the same agency so getting paired up with her isn't avoidable... Plus as her hero name states... She is enchanting " Keigo's smirk only grew as y/n's face became flushed with anger. Her eyes burning up dangerously as she gave a venomous glare at Keigo.

" And last but not the least... 3. I'm not interested in a first year kid. So chances of the two of us of ever dating is a Big fat No. Plus I think Enchantress is a lot more prettier than the average and if you ask me... I'd go after adults like her than Kids like you so stop acting like we're---" Although Keigo's Tone was indeed playful and the smirk on his face made it even more clearer. His words stung like hell.

Y/n who was visiting their agency and went straight up to his office to complain had taken in the harsh damages and blows. Yes she may be a first year brat in U.A but was it really terrible to love someone older than her by a few years?.

Apparently she was a little naive in terms of love so when Keigo saved her when she was still in middle school she fell in love. Who wouldn't? He's got undeniable charms, a pretty face , a well sculptured figure but most of all. He made her feel safe and protected, setting she never felt before so when she finally began studying in U.A she decided to pursue Hawks so it was very common for her to come by the agency. Almost everyone knows who she is by now.

So this was the usual; but it was the first time she walked out on Keigo who was still Talking.

Because it was honestly too much. After she confessed to him and started pursuing him, Keigo decided to be a Jerk and gave her a very hard time. When she'd come over to give him lunch he'd purposely fly away and call her to deliver it to a specific place but when she gets there he calls her again to either say that she was taking too long and left or he had 'accidentally' gave the wrong address and he needs her to send it on this one instead.

And he keeps doing that everytime. He even went as far as to go to another town to have her chasing him like a madman. Yet her determination never faltered. Something Hawks had came to acknowledge her for.

He sends her on wild goose chases and one time he gave her 3 wrong addresses even though he was only sitting in his office the whole time.

And if people think his wings are sharp then his words are sharper. He may be sweet to the media or the other people outside but when talking to her, his words are venomous, sarcastic, and over all it's just rude and pretty painful to hear.

How y/n had managed to stand strong until now was a mystery and everyone in the agency had grew to respect her for this but also carrying a little hatred for Hawks who purposely plays with her.

Keigo who was left in his office was speechless, he blinked a few times and even pinched himself to see if he was dreaming and when he found out that he wasn't he gave out a sigh.

It was quiet, far too quiet. His mind drifted off to y/n who had stormed out of his office awhile ago. Yes he was very much aware of the cruel treatment he was giving her but that's only because he wanted to see how persistent this girl was with her love for him, he thought she'd give up within the second time but when she never did he grew even more intrested and began testing her a lot more than intended and when he found out that her affection for him was too strong.

He didn't know what to do and began running away like a coward. It was wrong in so many levels. She was younger than him not to mention she's still studying in U.A, His job isn't necessarily designed to have a normal life and finding love and making a family IS normal, and he might die one day and he didn't want her to carry the burden of losing him so it's better to make her hate him.

But boy was he wrong when she kept coming back stronger than before. She was already forcing her way in his heart that he became distressed with his emotions.

And poof, he suddenly realized that he loved her back.

Something about her allured him to no ends and curse his animalistic instincts when it comes to mates because as much as he hates to admit it, he had already acknowledged her as a Mate. HIS mate. He can't help but be greedy and possessive of her, and the the mighty knows how many nights he had to lock himself in, restrain himself while his self control was being brutally tested on ; because with one wrong move he may have already infiltrated U.A causing a security distress, Crashed inside her dorm room , fucking bred her like a feral animal and claimed her like the pretty little mate she was.

Everytime he sees her, his control weakens and he had to hit himself and punch his face multiple times literally to remind himself that she was still a goddamn minor and he can't have his way with her yet.

She's not making it any easier for him so he developed a bad habit of taking it out on her because if his words can't do the talking then he might as well jump her bones and have her screaming his name.

Keigo groaned as he planted his palm on his forehead.

He was beginning to feel anxious. Like something bad was about to happen; something he didn't like at all.

He turned on the T.V and started reading through a few papers works but he couldn't hold himself back anymore.

He jumped out the window and began feverishly looking for the h/c haired girl.

" Fuck me and my Fucking Hormones... God.... Kid what have you done to me? " He mumbled but it came out as a growl instead. He was agitated, frantic and nervous, he couldn't get her out of his head even if he'd hit his head on a fucking billboard.

His eyes darting to every direction he knew she would take to get here. As creepy as it may sound but he knows every single route she'd take to get to his agency including the transportation she'd take to get there every time.

After some time he finally spotted her after dashing and flying at jet speed throughout the city like a mentally deranged patient he had finally spotted her .

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he tried to regain his cool.

" Hey Kid" He yelled out once he was near enough and he got no answer.

Y/n had purposely ignored him. His words still rang inside her head and everytime she remembered. It made her heart clench in pain.

And when she heard her name being called out by the said Male . She wanted to turn around. hell she even wanted to run to him like a love sick little puppy but she can't let him see that she was crying.

So she ignored him and began walking at a faster pace.

" Oohh~ playing hard to get now aren't we? You know you gotta try harder. A little silent treatment isn't going to have me falling for you ya know" keigo casually stated with a hint of playfulness but he knew any better; he was desperate to have her attention back to him.

God, what did he do? Did she finally wake up and decided that she was sick of his bullshit treatment? Shit now what?.

After minutes of no answer Keigo began to feel frustrated and without thinking he landed behind her and grabbed her by the shoulder. only to whirl her around to face him.

" Kid---"

Keigo froze after seeing here blood shot eyes and tear stained cheeks.

He did it this time and he felt like a full blown jerk for doing this... For hurting her.

Y/n avoided any form of eye contact and placed her eyes on anywhere but him, lips quivering in a mixture of anger and sadness. She looked like a mess.

But Keigo thought otherwise though, he felt so sick of himself. The face she was making, teary eyes, flushed cheeks, quivering lips. It had disgustingly turned him on even though the situation screamed otherwise. His thoughts began to drift into the dirtiest part of his mind wondering if this face would be the reward he'd get if he'd have her under him, sprawled all over his sheets, sweaty and needy for him while crying-- no begging for him to give her more while he rearranged her guts. Damn he really was Messed up in every possible way.

He wanted to slap himself for thinking that way but a part of him couldn't blame himself because ever since she started coming over he had been so pent up it was a miracle he hadn't fucked her on the spot. And he didn't even have the guts to fuck another woman because he already acknowledged her as a mate; HIS mate.

He swallowed hard before forcing himself to speak.

" What's this? Now you're giving me a Sad and Pity worthy face? If you're making me feel guilty then it's working. I didn't think you'd stoop this low th---"

" Takami leave me alone. I don't want to see you right now, if you came here to insult me even further then just Go. " Y/n cut him off, she was unable to bring herself from listening to another one of his remarkable insults again when the wound was still fresh.

Keigo paused as his once playful stare began to change into a more intimidating and stern look.

' Leave you Alone? After what you've done to me? Oh~ what a naughty baby bird... No Never.... I'll keep this in mind when I finally claim you, I'll punish you for ever thinking of leaving' those thoughts circulated through Keigo's head as he silently stood there. Staring at her.

Y/n who was unable to handle the pressure tried to yank herself away from his hold but he had a grisly grip on her shoulders and his gaze managed to intimidate her enough to stop moving.

" Listen.... Y/n---"

" Senior Hawks! " Keigo was cut off from speaking and to top it all up he was taken by surprise and his reflexes kicked in; pushing y/n away quite harshly.

Their gazes were flung to the left where Enchantress, the new Hero in their agency was running towards them with a devious smile.

Keigo groaned and y/n rolled her eyes after seeing the pink haired female make her way towards them.

" Hey " Keigo muttered but again; he was caught by surprise when Enchantress had wrapped her arms around his while smiling proudly at y/n.

" Who's This Senior? " She asked pointing at y/n but the look on her face made it obvious that she already knew who y/n was.

" She's y/n...a fan" Keigo's persona shifted in a heartbeat and was now wearing his natural and charming smile.

" Oh? She's a Fan? Well nice to meet you. I'm the new Hero Enchantress, Say... You have a pretty face " Enchantress smirked making y/n fight back a scowl.

" Thanks " As much as y/n wanted to drop all the pleasantries and Immediately move to the part where she's ripping of Enchantress's left boob.... She can't.

So she decided to keep it neutral and gave Enchantress a small nod and a smile.

" You have a pretty face... But... Senior if you were given a chance to pick, which one of us would you choose? I wonder" Enchantress cheered innocently but her question got Hawks cornered.

She was doing this on purpose; placing him in a situation where he'd most likely fuck up and judging by the looks the two females were giving him... He can't smooth talk his way outta this. Not this time.

" Of course.... I'd pick you-- " Keigo's eyes we're settled on y/n but he pulled his gaze away from her and towards enchantress. " Enchantress" Keigo finished and The look of triumph on The pink haired female's face was floor-bash worthy.

Y/n stood in place, for a moment there she had her hopes up. Keigo was cruel enough to pull that stunt on her; giving her false hope only to bring her down and rub it in her face.

" Or course you'd pick me, miss y/n is still a kid and she's... Take no Offense in this miss y/n but Senior Hawks is a bit... Hmmm... Out of your league?" Enchantress smirk grew wider and Hawks who was already lying through his teeth was still fighting his Pride for dominance.

With a sharp glare sent towards Enchantress who didn't seem to notice only scooted closer towards him.

" Oh, Really? Ok then "

Keigo blinked at how nonchalant and uncaring y/n's reply was. He was genuinely expecting her to explode like usual but this time it's different.

Y/n was fighting back the new batch of tears, heartbreak was a real pain in the ass. Couldn't he just put her down slowly? Why is he taking pleasure in hurting her this way? Now he's rubbing salt onto the wound.

In which area did she lack in? Her face? Body? Skill? Intelligence? Now that she thought about it, Enchantress tray lived up to her Hero name. She was perfect in every angle.... Perfect for Hawks. Enchantress had a nice body, a seductive face and y/n heard of the achievements done by the Female Hero.

She can't beat her even if she tried. She's mentally, physically and emotionally drained to even give a reaction. She'd just get hurt even more.

Maybe this is a sign.

For her to finally give up, move on, shift her focus and concentration to something more beneficial.

This was hopeless and all she ever got was pain. She's not a masochist who yearns for the continuous and brutal impact of emotional pain. Heck even masochists needs a little love too.

She's tired and y/n knows better than to put herself down with her own insecurities. So she needed to make a move fast because she'll only get hurt again.

It's wise to forget him.

With a deep breath she pulled out a strong front with a genuine smile on her face as she gazed at Keigo and Enchantress.

Keigo wore an anxious look while Enchantress held a surprised expression.

" Well, you two do look compatible and you're right he is out of my league.... That's why I'll look for someone else within my reach. He's not the only fish in the pond.... I'm sure I'm holding you guys back.. Carry on with your hero duties, I'll go back now Bye~" Y/n turned around and gave them a wave before skipping away from the two.

Her tone along with her smile looked far too cheerful that it scared Hawks.

Did she just say she'd look for Someone Else?, she had the guts to say that right in front of him?.

He balled his hand into a fist, and for the first time in his life he had never felt this scared to lose someone. He was breathing heavily while throwing a mental tantrum.

" You know.... I thought you'd finally stop that bad habit of yours Hawks.... I learned from the rumors and wanted to see for myself and probably give you a hand to confess to her but now that I've witnessed it, You really are a Fucktard" Enchantress shook her head as she crossed her arms gazing at Hawks with disappointment.

" Fuck off. This was your fault to Begin with. It's not as easy as you think"

" Really? You're blaming me for all the fuck ups you're responsible for? A girl's heart is fragile Hawks... I didn't live for a hundred years buried in the shelter of naivety. Her love was true and I think you just lost your chances.... If you wanna fix it. Fix it fast because once a girl has enough, she'll leave you like you're worth nothing. "

" I... I know I fucked up but your meddling wasn't necessary "

" Really? I was getting tired of watching you hurt her. I'm a woman too and I don't appreciate seeing other men hurt a woman who clearly loves them.... I did her a favor by giving her the ultimatum to let go... Looks like she took it in the end " Enchantress chuckled while Hawks stood there, his demeanor turning darker by the passing second.

" You're saying it's better that she leave me? " Keigo muttered Darkly , a dangerous look in his eyes began to resurface.

Enchantress kept a calm expression and nodded her head.

" You're Toxic Hawks. And it's better for her to leave you than seeing her get hurt over and over again... I've been in that stage before... And it hurts more than any injury I've suffered... "

" Since you're so knowledgeable about this then why not tell me how to fix it? Before I decide to go rogue and slit your throat" keigo threatened as he plucked out a feather which turned rudged and sharp; pointing it at Enchantress .

" Hmm... You seem to Love her judging by how strongly you reacted ... But you're worst than shit in showing it... But here's a tip . If you wanna fix it then fix yourself first. Learn how to treat a woman you like as if she's greater than a queen and remember that I'm not the one who hurt her...it was you." With those words being uttered Enchantress disappeared in a puff of smoke.

........ To be continued

[kickingitwithkirk]

Greetings from Austin pt. III

Pairing: Alpha!Jensen Ackles x Alpha!Jared Padalecki x Omega!OFC

Summary: Jensen and Jared are at odds over a monumental decision that changes their lives in a way they couldn’t have envisioned.  

WC: 3825

Warnings: a/b/o, bisexuality, biphobia, homophobia, angst, cursing, self doubt, depression/anxiety, married life/disagreements, medical stuff, sexual dysfunction, infertility/surrogacy

*flirting, m/m oral sex, Jensen’s insecurities are coming out, Jared gets arrested, both get counseling

A/N: This part consists of several time jumps over four month period.

A/N II: Hey, sorry took me a way longer to get done than planned, rewrote Oct 23 a dozen times alone and hoping makes sense, trying to flesh out characters more and has some stuff that plays into story line in later parts.

Part II

Masterlist

@winchesterandbeyondbingo​​​​​​ square filled-Jensen Ackles

*Series Inspired by this art.

*no beta-all mistakes are mine

September 8th

7:30 am

Jensen was sitting in the makeup chair clenching his extra strong coffee container to help warm his hands. He’d spent a second, uncomfortable night in his trailer on location as Vancouver was having an unusual cold snap this time of year and with the covid restrictions the director decided that everyone needed to stay on site.

While he wasn’t happy about the weather, missing his own personal heater but at the same time grateful for a brief break from Jared now that they were heading towards the next phase of starting their family.

Jensen jokingly said they needed a code name since they were planning on keeping their plans a secret, even from their families, until the pups were born, playfully suggesting a cartoon from their childhoods.

Of course with Jared’s weird sense of humor, he loved it and started throwing ideas like operation: pound puppies.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Frieda said as she applied a concealer under his eyes to hide the dark smudges from not sleeping well.

“Huh?”

“You asked about my new job and haven’t heard anything I’ve said, wanna talk about it?”

“Sorry, not focusing very well today.”

“Yeah, we’re all feeling out of sorts with this being the last couple days.”

Jensen couldn’t believe he was down to his last two days of filming.

“Too bad this virus messed everything up, it would’ve been a hell of a send off if everybody could have been here.”

Alex and Misha had left right after they’d finished but Jim Beaver was back for the ending. It was only right for Bobby Singer to be there at the end, having been such a pivotal character in the brothers lives.

Frieda continues chatting about random things while finishing his makeup. A PA stuck his head in calling Jensen to the set. He stepped out of the trailer and smiled seeing his Baby sitting near the building being used as the exterior of Harvelle's Roadhouse.

***

September 12th

“Jen, I’m taking out the bags,” Jared calls out seconds before the apartment's front door shut.

Jensen was doing one last check around the place for any forgotten anything. Satisfied, he walked into the living room containing neatly marked boxes ready to be shipped back to Texas, relieved they had downsized from the big house Jared had years ago.

He stopped to gaze out the picture window when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, molding his back to the muscular chest of his mate, who rested his chin on his shoulder quietly saying, “I’m gonna miss this view.” Jensen hummed in agreement tipping his head back as Jared nuzzled his neck.

“We need to get going if we’re gonna make Seattle by seven,” Jared softly muttered as they’d stood there for a few heartbeats longer before releasing him. They walked to the door and Jensen turned once more to gaze out the window at the view of Vancouver.

***

September 21st

“This has been a great trip but man, I’ll be glad to be in our own bed tonight.” Jared remarks as they drive past a green highway sign saying Austin 312.

“Can’t wait,” Jensen drowsily says having not slept much the last couple days. They had decided to road trip it back to Texas, stopping at a few places they had wanted to visit for awhile.

Jared somehow managed to finagal, okay so his mind numbing blow job combined with those lethal long fingers that always makes Jensen agree to anything got him a couple extra days in southern Colorado.

Jensen enjoyed the beautiful scenery and hiking in the mountains but hated camping out. Well, it wasn’t technically roughing it the way Jared liked but still.. a frigging yurt in late September?

Oy vay, what he did for love.

The sound of Jared singing along to some classic country song on the radio as he drove finally put Jensen completely out.

***

October 23rd

Turning from the open fridge with a puzzled expression on his face, Jared senses the same vague something he’s felt God knows how many times in the last couple months.

Shutting the door he walked over to the island counter where his husband was seated pushing his unfinished dinner around on his plate.

“Jen, what’s going on? Are you worried about the implantation? Dr. Rodgers said the embryos were healthy and optimistic the surrogate took this first try.”

What Jensen wants to ask, the question that’s plagued him since that day in August choosing their Omega surrogate...how the hell does he phrase it without upsetting Jared?

“Did you choose her because you knew she’d be the one I’d pick?”

Jensen slapped his hand over his mouth, eyes wide, disbelieving he blurted it out.

Jared worked to find a response squeaking an actual squeak before he could get control over his vocals, “That’s what I’ve been sensing!” Gripping the edge of the counter with his big hands, “Are you seriously going there again? I was honest about our interactions when I realized she was the one I knocked down at the clinic and FYI, you weren’t exactly in full control either Alpha!”

Jensen clenched his teeth at being reminded his inner need to be in control at all times slipped.

“I’ve racked my brains trying to figure it out how to ask something like that without upsetting you!” Jensen yells getting up and pacing around the kitchen.

Jared huffed, “So all this time instead of talking to me, you’ve conjured up some..”

“For the last two years I’ve gotten the sense you feel somethings missing, kept telling myself it’s your unfulfilled biology. But ever since you meet that Omega you’ve been.. I can’t explain it and now I’m second guessing our marriage Ja....” his rant abruptly cut off.

Jared’s eyes were glowing red, pinning him with an eerie wolf expression, the intensity disconcerting him. “I chose you, my husband, my soulmate, my everything!“ The words should have been reassuring but Jared’s voice was pitiless, something Jensen's never heard pass from his lips before.

Jared took a deep breath and with normalcy returning said, “I love you Jensen and I thought you understood, for me, in my mind, both of us having pups with the same donor means my offspring won’t be seen as just step relations but will grow up having strong familial ties with JJ, Arrow and Zeppelin.”

Jensen started to speak when a low, reverberating growl from Jared warning him not to interrupt.

“I consciously listened to my inner wolf when it came to choosing the person who is biologically the Om of our children and I,” Jared emphasizes tapping his chest with his long index finger, ”have no regrets but apparently you do.” Taking a deep breath Jared drops a non sequitur, ”The dogs need to be fed,” and walks away.

At the sound of Jared’s SUV leaving Jensen’s legs gave out and he drops to the floor curling up in a fetal position wrapping his arms over his head. Arlo and Koda laid down, one on each side, cocooning him between them.

***

Thanksgiving

“The kids are in a tryptophan coma,” Jensen announces as he walks in through the kitchen's back door. He had followed Danneel home afterwards helping get JJ and the twins cleaned up and put to bed, “they’ll be out till Monday.”

“Good, cause I’m dead on my feet,” Jared replies yawning while loading the dishwasher. It had been their turn to host the holiday with Danneel, the kids, Clif, Jared’s siblings and their broods.

“I told you to wait and I’d help finish the cleanup when I got back.” Jensen said as Jared started the machine.

“I figured you’d wanna stay awhile and be too tired and I didn’t want to deal with it tomorrow. All that’s left is to put the trash and recycling out, could you grab it?”

“On it,” Jensen picked up the bags walking around the side of the house dropping them into their designated receptacles.

When he came back in Jared was switching off the lights downstairs. They made their way up to the bedroom taking turns in the bath getting ready for bed.

Jensen was sitting with his back against the headboard checking his messages when Jared drops heavily next to him, “I plan on sleeping for the next three days.” He mutters resting his head against Jensen’s shoulder.

“Sounds good to me babe, I’m glad we didn’t schedule anything extra this weekend, be nice to spend some time alone.” He finishes wiggling his eyebrows.

“Hmm, do you remember last year's Thanksgiving?”

Jared closed the kitchen pantries door, pushing Jensen against it seductively lowering his fox slanted eyes huskily whispering, “I’m so fucking horny I need my dick you now.”

“Dude, we’re re in my sisters...“

“..you’ll have to be quiet,” Jared dove in for a deep, dirty kiss, grinding against Jensen until he was begging to be fucked.

“You’re the one who got us busted..oh fuck Jensen..so fucking tight..fuck..not gonna last..then later I get Mac saying it sounded like your dick...”

“Okay..buuut,” Jared tilts his head slowly running his tongue up the column of Jensen’s neck, “you gotta admit,” hand slipping under his sleep shirt, “our sex life,” long fingers tip toe up the smooth, freckled chest, pads teasing his left nipple as Jared nibbles on his earlobe, ”is never boring.”

Jensen groans, dropping his arm, still clinching the phone, tipping his head to expose more of his neck to Jared’s wondrous lips, enjoying the scratch of his short beard.

“I thought you were sleeping the next three days.”

Jared answers by removing his hand and straddling his husband's thick thighs taken the phone placing it on the nightstand and starts nibbling along the other side of Jensen’s sensitive neck, working his way to his slightly raised claim mark flattening his tongue licking the ultra sensitive spot that always drives his Alpha wild.

Jensen slides his hands up Jared’s back finding a grip in his shortened hair, unhappy about how much he’s cut off for Walker, unable to tangle his thick fingers into the soft tresses like he used to.

Finding a purchase he pulls hard making Jared groan at the pleasurable sensation tips his head back till it’s the perfect angle for Jensen to run his tongue across those candy pink lips, teasing them open to grant him access, continues teasing, alternating between caressing Jared’s tongue with his and sucking on his lips.

Moaning, Jared rocks his hips seeking friction, breaks their kissing long enough to work Jensen's sleep shirt off. They end up wrestling a few moments before Jared tosses it as Jensen’s lips attack his more desperately.

Tapping Jared’s thigh, Jensen rolls them kneeling between sleep pant clad legs watching as Jared reaches up gripping the strategically placed bar in their custom made headboard with both hands, his pecs flexing in anticipation of what’s to come.

Not breaking eye contact Jensen bends forward, his lips a hair's breadth from Jared’s, slowly slides backwards hovering, caressing the acres of golden skin beneath him with only his warm breath, pausing to hook his fingers in the pants waistband and pulling them with him as he continues journeying south.

Slowly making his way back north he leaves wet, open mouth kisses along the now naked, extra long, muscular legs he loves, sucking on the insides of both thighs, nipping hard enough to leave marks before arriving at his designated stop.

He hasn’t even touched Jared’s beautiful cock yet it’s fully engorged, resting against his flat stomach vigorously leaking precome. Jensen dips his tongue into his bellybutton lapping up the liquid collecting in it, cause fuck, he’s loves how more sweet than salty Jared’s always tasted.

Hips rolling Jared rubs his cockhead against Jensen’s tongue and he kitten licks the dribbling slit before resting his head on Jared’s lower stomach and wrapping his lips around the velvety head.

Shifting his grip on the bar Jared’s makes nonsensical noises, toes curling at the mixed sensations of his mates silky beard tickling his lower regions while sucking on his cockhead, alternates swirling his tongue over the nerves underneath and teasing his slit sending spikes of pleasure radiating through him.

After all these years Jared’s still amazed at Jensen’s knowledge of his body, his ability to keep him on the edge of not enough for however long he’s in the mood to play.

“..pleease...need to cum...got to..so fucking..uhh..Alpha!”

Raising up on a forearm Jensen starts bobbing up and down his shaft, pausing briefly on each downward pass, working his throat open to take Jared further in until he’s nose deep in dark, trimmed pubic hair. Holding his mate's substantial cock in his throat swallows around him as Jared’s knot inflates, pushing his jaws apart till it’s too much.

Letting the knot slip out from between his plump lips Jensen wraps a hand firmly around it and starts vigorously bobbing drawing out a litany of obscene noises, feels Jared’s balls drawing up and backs off swallowing the warm, thick, spurting liquid.

Leisurely licking until Jared hissed, too sensitive for anymore kisses the tip one last time crawls back up the bed searching for his pillow and face plants on it.

“Dude, you’ve finally sucked out my last brain cell.”

Purring deep in his chest, Jensen gives Jared a self satisfied smirk, who mutters, “wasn’t trying to give you a bigger head.”

Rolling onto his side Jensen displays his turgid cock needing attention, “okay, he’s the bigger head,” Jared concedes reaching down running his fingers over the weeping tip, wetting them with precome spreads it over the shaft firmly fisting Jensen’s pulsing thickness, moving his hand up and down excruciatingly slowly.

“So,” his honeyed voice lowers an octave watching Jensen dissolving into a breathy mess, “how does he want me?”

Jensen opens his mouth to answer when a phone rings. Glaring over his shoulder, “not mine,” he growls. Still stroking him Jared stretches for his, “it’s the clinic..hello? Dr. Rodgers, hey, how are you sir?” He lets go sitting up against the headboard.

Why’s the doctor calling them at such an odd time, on a holiday no less?

Jared's brow wrinkles before he turns to Jensen, eyes sparkling breaks out his wondrous smile making his dimples pop.

“Jensen, she’s pregnant!”

Jared's practically bouncing on their bed like he’s on a massive sugar high discussing what comes next with the doctor. Jensen feels his erection rapidly diminishing, gets up heading into the bath and turns on the shower.

Climbing in he crosses his arms against the far wall, resting his forehead against them closing his eyes as hot water bounces across his broad shoulders.

Jensen knows he should be elated. Jared’s getting the pup (or pups) he’s desired for years and the possibility of being a father himself again. Instead, his heart seized up in conflict.

***

After that god awful argument in October he ended up at Josh’s, who confessed his mate and him were seeing a counselor because they were having marital issues too. Spending the night drinking and reflecting Jensen came home the next morning to a still angry Jared cause he didn’t know where the fuck his husband was all night.

Filling him in about his talk with Josh, Jared seemed somewhat mollified but a few nights later...

Walker star Jared Padalecki arrested near the one year anniversary of Stereotype bar altercation.

· Jared Padalecki was arrested once again in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning on one count of public intoxication…

When he got released Jared sat Jensen down pleading with him to sit in on his next therapy session, saying they couldn’t keep going on like this, it was tearing him apart.

He wants..no..needs Jensen to completely open up, stop trying to protect him and discuss what’s going on in his head, what he’s really feeling.

Jared’s therapist started off informing both of them he wasn’t a marriage counselor but after a brief conversation with Jared knew the situation was having a detrimental impact on his mental health.

He listened to them separately, then together, about their observations and thoughts on each other’s behaviors came up with a hypothesis:

Since Jared’s last depressive episode, his random thoughts/emotions were feeding more into Jensen’s deep seated insecurities over his mate’s open, flirtatious personality and how he perceives others attraction/interactions to him.

And now Jared’s inner wolf is demonstrating an intense attraction to an Omega, something never encountered before with past preferences in Beta females, with this new dynamic Jensen didn’t know how to handle it.

Jensen opened and closed his mouth several times sputtering before saying this was complete bullshit and stormed out.

***

Lost in thought Jensen didn’t notice his husband stepping into the open shower stall until his considerable frame was blocking the water, Jared’s voice drew him out of his musings.

“I can hear you thinking clear in the other room.”

Cupped Jensen’s face between his large hands he gazed into those spring colored eyes that captured his heart the moment he looked into them years ago, “Hey, no matter what happens next, we’re good.”

***

December 16th

Jared was sitting in his chair chatting with Lindsey and Keegan while the crew was finishing setting up for the next scene when his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number but excuses himself, stepping away for some privacy answering.

“Hey, everything okay?” Lindsay asked after he hung up, concerned by the visible tension rolling off the big Alpha.

“Umm..I don’t know, I need to make another call...” Jared said, waving the phone, “yeah, let us know if you need anything.” Keegan says and Jared nodded his thanks.

The phone rang three times, “Hey Clif, I need a favor.”

***

December 19th

Clif pulled the SUV into the parking lot, “Are you sure this is the right place?” Jared inquires looking around taking in the old motel located in a very questionable area of Austin.

“This is the name the guy mentioned.” Clif replied, getting out heading for the office. Couple minutes later he climbed back in, “the manager said the laundry out back.” He started the vehicle and drove to the rear of the property.

Clif got out again and knocked on the building's door. An older Hispanic woman answered engaging him in a brief conversation before stepping back inside.

Clif nodded to Jared and as he got out of the vehicle that piquant scent hit him seconds before the door reopened. The person he’d spent days searching for froze in the doorway upon seeing him.

***

December 22nd

Jensen, claiming out of the Uber, grabbed his bag thanking the driver, walked up the front stone pathway relieved to be home from L. A. after a hopefully final costume fitting for his new role as Soldier Boy, this flying back and forth every week for the last couple months had gotten old real quick and he was looking forward to enjoying the holidays at home.

Jared’s parents were coming tomorrow and staying for a few days as was Danneel and their pups. Josh said he was still planning on dropping by a few hours Christmas Day since he and Mac were scheduled to spend most of the holiday with their parents.

Jensen felt that mixture of anger and sadness he got thinking about his parents. He was raised in their church and though he never believed in it, respected their choice.

Too bad they couldn’t reciprocate.

***

Alan and Donna belonged to an ultra conservative church. The foundations of child rearing was to be found in the good book and in the Ackles household-spare the rod, spoil the child-was gospel.

When they were growing up neither parent was the physically or emotionally demonstrative type, only showing their offspring a reserved affection, especially in public.

The saving grace was their Beta nanny who gave them unconditional love, especially Jensen, who was shy as a child already knowing he was different from his siblings. She instilled the confidence in them to discover who they truly were inside and encouraged Jensen to come out before moving to California.

Shortly after graduating he told his family about his bisexuality and his boyfriend was moving to L.A. with him.

Alan and Donna tried to stop him. He was to go to their pastor and confess his transgressions, beg forgiveness for his sins against the church and its teachings, threatening to pull the agreed upon six month financial support while he auditioned for parts before going to college if it didn’t work out.

Jensen refused, packed up, took his boyfriend and left. He got his first break shortly after and quickly learned Hollywood didn’t care what his sexual orientation was as long as he kept it behind closed doors.

His management agency decided early on to promote Jensen as the good guy/boyfriend type. They also set him up on dates to events with many up and coming female artists of the time. He had no problem playing along when he wasn’t actually dating a woman.

His big break came on the CW. After co-starring in a couple series for the network he was offered the chance to be a lead in a new series created by Eric Kripke.

At the audition he met former Gilmore Girls heartthrob, Jared Padalecki, flashing his infectious smile, dimples for days and the most beautiful, incredible color shifting eyes Jensen’s ever seen, he was done for.

Jensen might not have his biological parents in his life anymore but his now in-laws, the complete opposite of the Ackles, helped fill that hole.

It’s easy to see where Jared’s personality comes from. His Om, Sherrie, is overly affectionate, excessively physical and verbal with everyone she considers family, biological or not.

The first time he accompanied Jared home on a holiday break Jensen was literally bowled over by the five foot nothing Omega and instantly became part of her brood.

***

Barley getting the front door open Jensen is hit with the piquant scent of orange blossoms and spices he couldn’t quite place.

Dropping his carry-on bag in the foyer he followed the scent further into the house. Arlo sat up near the large picture windows facing the backyard where he and Koda are napping and gets up coming over to greet him.

“Hey big guy, where’s daddy at?” Jensen asked rubbing around his ears like he liked having thought Jared would still be on set before the holiday break.

He heads towards the kitchen where the scent seems to be coming from, “Babe is that coffee shop back open, what’s it called, has those sweet rolls you're obsessed with..” he abruptly stopped and blinks not believing what was in front of him.

More accurately who was in front of him.

“Babe is in his office and dinner will be ready in twenty.”

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?”

***

tbc

GFA: @babypink224221 @waywardjoy​ @let-me-luve-you​ @all-4-wincest

SPN: @donnaintx​ @lyarr24

Sam/Jared @idreamofplaid​

Dean/Jensen: @flamencodiva​

[theravencawsatmidnight]

Pink Chains

Pt 4

Punk! Kyotani x Bubbly F! reader. Aka my favorite cliche trope. It lives in my head every second of the day.

Kyotani owns a grunge /punk apparel shop after leaving the Sendai Frogs after a incident with the Black Jackals. He designs his own clothes and hires Oikawa & Iwaizumi as his employees. Everything goes smoothly for awhile, till you walk in; pink dress, big smile , and bubbly personality. His whole life stops in that moment. 

Tags / @kozushiki . @zopzoop. @haikyuu-but-low-iq . @mochababes. @milkbreadcat. @derpeedoo . @galagcica

Kyotani closed his store down early like he said he would and went to the beach with his friends for some volleyball. It was a little hot and not too crowded. No one ever had to worry about buying a volleyball because Oikawa kept one in his car ‘just in case he needed it’. Mattsun met up with the three telling them Yahaba would be here in a few minutes too, Kyo was still on edge over what happened to you this morning and the night before but he needed to get it together when Yahaba got here.

“ ou Oikawa! When you gonna let me ink you?” Mattsun asked from the sand, he was sitting with Iwaizumi.

“What?!” Oikawa caught the ball Kyo tossed to him and out a hand on his hip looking at them with disgust. “And ruin this flawless skin?!”

“Ill hold him down” Iwa told his friend.

“What? No . Iwa chaaaaannnnnn”

“Sounds good to me “ Mattsun pretended to get up. “Ive got my kit on me”

“ NO NO NO” Oikawa dropped the ball running to the water only to be chased by the two and tackled into the ocean.

Kyotani pulled his shirt off rolling his eyes, ‘fuck its hot ..”

“Been awhile Mad Dog “ said a voice from behind him

Kyotani was about to get in the water to help harass his friend when he heard the voice, his chest twitched and he glanced over his shoulder to see Yahaba standing next to all of their towels and cooler, he had on a pink shirt with tan shorts and sandals. Kyotani tossed his shirt to his towel going over to his old teammate looking everywhere but at him. He just needed to explain himself, explain hes trying to be better, tell him about you..

The only noise was his friends yelling and splashing in the background so no one knew he was here yet.

“Well? I canceled a meeting because Mattsun said you wanted me to join you guys for volleyball”

“How is.. Being a lawyer”

“Pretty good, is that all?”

Kyotani rubbed his sleeve looking up at the sun till he saw spots and had to look away, “ not really..”

“Well can you tell me? Im a busy person and i promised Mattsun id do one game with everyone”

“I got my brand off the ground.” Kyo finally said, still not meeting his eyes.

“ uh huh,” he took his phone out to check messages

Dammit Kyotani come on.. Its just Yahaba.. It shouldn't be so -

“Apologize to Bokuto yet?” he asked, texting this time.

Kyo finally looked at his friend with big eyes. “No, i , have not had the chance and i… “ he made a fist and rubbed his back feeling the sun on it start to burn. “ … im scared ill lash out again”

Yahaba stopped texting to look up at his friend. “..scared?”

“I have .. someone i want to hold on to and if they see me like that i.. “

“Someone? You mean what i think you mean? Someone is interested in you?”

“Came into my store.. Yahaba you would not believe it unless you saw her, ask Iwa and Kawa and Mattsun. Look im.. Sorry for how i was in highschool, really. Im trying to start over since the Sendai Frogs and keep a low profile,im trying to be better. I just want my friends there with me.”

Yahaba sighed tossing his phone on a towel and pulling his shirt off. “ fine fine.” he picked the ball up tossing it to Kyo “its all good, now lets play some volleyball”

It was a good afternoon for everyone at the beach; Kyotani had all his friends around him and everyone was cool with one another. They played a few games of volleyball and Yahaba teased Kyo about his little girlfriend wanting to know everything about her. Iwaizumi was relieved everything worked out for Kyo, he really did want to be better. Oikawa had someone else to tease now besides Kyo and Mattsun was spending his time drawing new tattoo ideas in the sand on his towel.

Kyo was sitting with Yahaba watching Iwa and Kawa toss the ball back and forth for a bit, it was almost time to come pick you up. He took his phone out to send you a message but decided on a video instead, it started with the camera on Iwa and Kawa, then drifted to Mattsun and his idea, then to Kyo and Yahaba.

“ ill be there in a little bit sweetie” he smiled and Yahaba snatched his phone.

“y/n chan!!!”

“Yahaba!!!”

The happy boy got up running off with the phone with Kyotani chasing after him.

**

Meanwhile you were in the library doodling between studying. Kio and Yukio had not bothered you much and you just wanted to leave and be with Kyo. during the day one of your professors gave you a flyer about an upcoming Gallery and wanted you to participate in it but you needed to come up with a new design and concept. Some doodles were scribbled out and some had question marks next to them.

“Hmm.. something,... new….” while you were browsing the web your phone dinged and you saw you had a video text. You pressed play and squeaked instantly at the video. It was so cute! Seeing Kyo run around and laugh made you feel really good. The video ended with Kyo tackling Yahaba into the sand and Iwa and Kawa and Mattsun dog piling them. Kyo snatched his phone and panted at it with a smile. “Im on my way sweetie” he said before it ended.

Quickly you shoved your notebook into your bag and hurried out to the main hall to walk to the exit. A lot of of other people were leaving too and you could not walk any faster to get by them. Yuiko and Kio spotted you after leaving a class and decided to follow you out close behind.

“That boyfriend of yours is bad news” Yukio said.

“Who just hits another person for no reason?” Kio added.

It sent shivers down your back and you pulled on Kyos jacket to hug it and try to walk faster.

“Do you ..? hear that? A man said.

“It sounds like .. screaming?” added a woman

“No its more.. Like music but ? is that even considered music?” most of the people in the hall rushed to the exit and you couldn't help but chuckle at what you heard. It was the song Matssun was playing in his shop.

“We are gonna get kicked off the campus,” Oikawa said, closing the car door.

“I think that's the plan.” Iwa said waving awkwardly at some women walking by them.

“So are you gonna tell me which one she is or do i have to figure it out?” Yahaba ask Kyo, who was leaning on the hood of his car with his hands in his pockets. “You can figure it out” he told him, a little smug.

Mattsun sat down by Kyo nudging him. “Not a typical friday for you”

Kyo shrugged his shoulders. “ i wouldn't want it any other way”

You had finally made it outside and politely pushed by some people to see Kyo and his friends, the music was coming from his car and he had brought everyone with him to come get you.

You couldn't help but squeal and run over to him leaving the two girls behind you clueless. Everyone you passed watched but you did not have a care in the world.

“Kyoooooo!!!!!”

Yahba looked up from his phone and nearly dropped it. “No. no way man. Shes the OPPOSITE of you?!” he looked at Kyo who had a huge smile on his face, “ HOW THE FUCK!!!” he looked at the others then you again.

Everyone shrugged with asmile and you ran over between Kyos legs wrapping your arms around him letting out a giant sigh of relief. Kyo squeezed you very tight and you did the same. Everything was better now.. Having Kyos arms around you, his scent lingering off of him, his heart beat against yours.. Everything was okay now.

“Hows my happy girl?” he asked pulling back , his hands falling to your hips rubbing lightly.

“Super good now!!!” you jumped hugging him again.

“I..--i ..” Yahaba was speechless.

“Sweetie this is Yahaba, he was also on our team”

“Nice to meet you!”

He got red in the face and Iwa elbowed him a few times while Oikawa teased him.

“So whos been giving you a hard time y/n?” Mattsun asked standing up and stretching, giving the students a evil eye.

Kyo pulled you too him and you pointed to the two girls holding each other. “Uhm, they were but what are you gonna do ?”

“Oh no, not me.”

Kyo pat your hips and you stepped back so he could get up. He rubbed his sleeve and made his way to the two scared girls. Kyo leaned down to their level looking them over.

“Uh..we …” they both tried to say.

“Leave my girlfriend, alone.” he told them both

“ O-OKAY!!” they ran off and Kyo went back to you and his friends giving you a kiss. “Ready for the zoo sweetie?” he kissed you again and pulled your giggling body close.

**

[blue-bird-kny]

Headcanons for Inosuke, Tanjiro and Giyuu with an s/o who loves surprising them with sweet treats she makes herself for them? And likes to watch them try it since she wants to make sure that they find some happiness out of it? Love your writing! Congrats on 101 btw!!

Thank you for the request! I must say that I definitely strayed a bit from your initial request, but I hope its still enjoyable. Enjoy~Amanda

Warning: None

(2k+ words)

Tanjiro:

Tanjiro loves when you bake for him! The first time you gifted him with your famous banana bread he fell instantly in love with you (and the bread too, it was delicious). He found it adorable how you stood with hopeful eyes, patiently waiting for his reaction as he bit into the soft, moist bread.

Sadly, constantly being on missions made it hard to find time to make your boyfriend sweets, but he didn’t mind. He was beyond grateful that you took the little free time you had to carefully craft such delicious treats, he’d appreciate it every time no matter what it was.

Tanjiro was leaving on a simple mission, something so quick that he’d be back by tonight. You were asked to stay behind and at first that really upset you, how could you make sure nothing happened to him from the estate? He was of course relieved that you were being kept out of harm's way, but he couldn’t help laughing at your puffed cheeks, “(y/n) its only one day, no reason to get all worked up. Beside,” he enveloped you in a warm hug. “by tonight I’ll be back here, sleeping beside you as I do every night” his soothing words helped ease the tension on your face. “Don’t do anything stupid” you warned, eyes full of worry. “Please, I’m the one leaving and I’m more afraid you’ll do something stupid”. The two of you shared a laugh, peppering his lip repeatedly with small kisses. “Would you two stop being gross, let's go Gonpachiro!” Tanjiro sighed, already prepared to deal with his wild friend. “See you tonight” he placed one final kiss to the top of your hand before joining his friends.. “See you”

“Hmm what to do with my time” you contemplated, perhaps you could train but training alone was boring. As you passed the kitchen, you were struck with a fantastic idea. You browsed through the shelves and cabinets of the kitchen, “I think I have everything I need” you cheered. It’s been awhile since you could surprise Tanjiro with something sweet, so today was the perfect opportunity.

                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tanjiro sluggishly trugged to his room, one heavy foot in front of the other. The mission, although short, was extremely draining and all he wanted to do was cuddle beside your sleeping form. “I hope she’s still awake” he almost felt guilty for wishing that you were awake at this time of night, but he knew you. You always waited for him to come home from missions, regardless of the time of night he could count on your comforting smile ready to greet him.

As expected, he opened the door to find you waiting cross-legged on the bed, a small box poorly hidden between your thighs. “Welcome Back!” you jumped into his waiting arms, eager to give him his present. Wiggling out of his grip, you present to him a small box that held the yummy treats, “I’ve made these for you, I hope you like them”

Inside, Tanjiro opened to find small heart-shaped chocolate, all with their own little design. Hands clasped tightly together, you watched expectedly for his reaction as he popped one of the hearts into his mouth. His tongue wrapped around the candy, its milky-sweet taste danced around his taste buds as the smooth chocolate melted away. He hummed in delight, swallowing the silky sweet, “Delicious! This is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!”

Blushing, you bowed your head bashfully, “Thank you”. He smirked as he sneakily grabbed another chocolate from the tray, placing it into his mouth. “You should try it too”. His tongue masterfully slid between your surprised lips, the taste of chocolate mixed with his fervent lips were almost too much to handle. You both pulled away gasping for hair, Tanjiro eyes full of amusement as you hid you warm face behind you hands

“That cheeky bastard”

Inosuke:

By far he gives the best reactions when you gifte him homemade treats. From your famous vanilla cream cupcakes to your strawberry moche, Inosuke happily devours anything you present in front of him.

You loved baking and you loved Inosuke, so it only made sense that you combined the two. The first time you decided to bake something for Inosuke, you’d settled on a simple chocolate fudge cake. It was early on in your relationship so you weren’t sure how he’d react when you shyly handed him a slice one night after dinner.

Que a broken Inosuke who was so surprised you did something so sincere for him, he accepted the plate quietly. He gleefully ate the entire plate once he shook away the initial shock and since then, you made an effort to consistently shower your boyfriend in baked goods.

Today had been a normal day around the Estate. You were supposed to be training outside with your friends and boyfriend, but you had managed to sneak away. You wanted to surprise Inosuke with your tasty chocolate fudge cake, the same recipe you followed the first time you baked for him.

By far it was his favorite treat you’ve made him thus far. He made it very apparent how much he adored chocolate, he’d do practically anything just to have a small piece. The childish Inosuke had the biggests sweet tooth that you were more than happy to satiate..

You whisked each ingredient together delicately, so as to not screw up the consistency. You peered through the small window that allowed you to watch the others outside. Per usual, poor Tanjiro was having to avoid your rambunctious boar-headed boyfriend who was always looking for a reason to challenge the others. “Jeez one day he’s going to get himself into serious trouble and then I’ll have to kick his ass” you’d managed to finish the cake and clean your mess before dinner when you planned to give him the decadent treat.

                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Inosuke you're going to choke!” You worriedly warned your walking hazard of a boyfriend. Not listening to a word coming from your mouth, he continued to scarf down the food on his plate (and then some). “Fine don’t listen to me then, more cake for the others and I” you pointed your nose in the air, arms folded almost mockingly. Like you cast a spell on him, Insouke suddenly stopped eating, mouth already watering over the cake. “Go get it women!” his voice was loud and his eyes wide. You looked back disapprovingly, “please” he added once he noticed your narrowed eyes. “Better”

You might as well have walked in with a unicorn the way Inosuke’s astonished eyes trailed your every step. “Enjoy!” You cheered as everyone around the table dug into their slice. “(Y/a)-chan that pig doesn’t appreciate your talents enough! You should cook for me more often!” Zenitsu commented much to Inosuke’s dismay. Instinctively, Inosuke wrapped a possessive arm around your waist, pulling you into his lap. “I’ll kick you in the face, Monitsu” his voice was low and threatening.

As he continued to glare at the now shivering blonde, you noticed a small stain of chocolate lingering on  Inosuke’s lower lip. “You have something on your face” you teased before swooping closer to his face. The moment your lips landed on his, your tongue swiped over his bottom lip, pulling away with the new taste of sweet chocolate over taking your tastebuds.

Zenitsu’s jealous yelps could be heard miles away but you ignored them for now. “Delicious” you mumbled low enough so just the man whose lap you were on could hear.

One…

Two..

Three..

That’s how many seconds it took for Inosuke to lose his cool, abruptly jumping to his feet, your surprised form dangling loosely in his arms. “We’re leaving” he announced to the room. Boy were you in for it now.

Giyuu:

Let the battle of Gift Giving commence! Despite what the others think, Giyuu is an avid gift giver who always returns from missions with something that reminded him of you. Be it a hair pin, flower, or jewelry, you could always expect something new, which you always looked forward to. Of course, whenever he presented you with anything it was always filled with shaky movement, an awkward interaction you always found adorable on his part.

He was also really awkward the first time you gifted him a sweet treat. When you presented the warm snack to the man, it was like he’d forgotten all motor skills. He simply stared at you like you were some foriegn being, which unintentionally made you feel insecure about your present and caused your eyes to water. Panicking, Giyuu took the whole treat and shoved it into his mouth, almost choking in the process. In the moment it was such a strange experience, but looking back it was probably one of your fondest memories from your early relationship.

As your relationship grew and time passed, Giyuu never really overcame the embarrassment he felt when he received a baked good from you. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them because in reality you were the one to unlock his sweet tooth and made him crave sweets on a daily basis almost, but because he couldn't fathom the idea that you wanted to do something like this for him. Baking was no simple task, so Giyuu was always so appreciative when you showed up with wrapped food just for him.

Recently, you  noticed something off with your stoic boyfriend. Lately he walked around as if cement blocks were tied to his feet, eyes always shifted to the floor as he walked to avoid eye-contact with anyone. The little times he’d spoken to you, it was almost as if you were talking to a phantom; his mind clearly elsewhere, somewhere dark and isolated.

It was hard to pull Giyuu out of that depressive mentality of his sometimes. There were times where tokens of affection could slowly bring the life back to his eyes, but other times all he needed was a silent space to think and a comforting hug.

You searched around the house to find Giyuu, a small package neatly balanced in your hands. When you found him, his back was turned away from you concerned eyes, hidden inside one of the emptier rooms in the house you two shared. You silently walked to his side, sliding down next to his still form. “I’ve made you something. You don’t have to eat it right now, but maybe it’ll make you feel a little better.”. His cold eyes shifted to the tray that was now held in front of him, an array of brightly decorated chocolate dipped strawberries filled the plate. Giyuu didn’t say a word, simply stared at you with hard eyes. His lack of response made you worry you’d crossed a line somewhere, “I’m really sorry, maybe I should have just left you alone, I don’t want to be a bother” you rambled, getting ready to leave the room, fearful that you’d messed up.

You were pulled from your thoughts as you felt Giyuu's full body weight thrust itself onto yours, arms clinging tightly around your smaller frame. His trembling finger wrinkled your clothes but you didn’t care, you were just relieved you didn’t make Giyuu even more upset. “Thank you” his voice was weak as he spoke into the juncture of your neck, warm tears slowly creating patches on your clothing. Giyuu was crying; he had never looked  so vulnerable, never so desperate for comfort. Some time passed quietly as you gently caressed his hair, his warm breath steadying beside you. “You know, I hate that you have to see me so..so weak, but I hope you understand that every small thing you do makes it better” he sniffled, pulling away to gaze affectionately into your pleading orbs.

You placed a reassuring kiss to his cheek, taking them into your hands. “I’d dip a million strawberries if it meant you’d smile” your kind smile was inviting, prompting a smile of his own to match.

The rest of the night was spent together, chatting away any fowl thoughts and sharing the dipped strawberries. You couldn’t take away Giyuu’s sadness, but you will always be there to cushion the blow with all his favorite sweet treats.

Main Masterlist

I promise that at some point I will learn how to write a proper HC, but for now please accept my scenarios lol. It was such a cute request, I couldn’t help getting carried away. Thank you for reading, please look forward for more work!~Amanda

[staticscreenwriting]

Skin deep - Chapter One || B.H.

Synopsis: Billy survived the battle of Starcourt but is left with a body full of scars. Scars that remind him of the pain he had to go trough and the horrible person he has become. In order to forget about all of that and move on, he wants to get them covered up. Good thing Hawkins has a brand new Tattoo studio and the girl who works there might just be the help Billy has been looking for.

A/N: I needed a TattooArtist!Reader x Billy story so I wrote one and you know me, I can’t keep it short and simple. There will be several parts to this. Don’t ask me about an updating schedule because I don’t have one. I try my best to be consistent but I make no promises. Likes, reblogs, comments are all much appreciated. 

[additional note: I am German. Sometimes I get the tense wrong or make mistakes. I am useless when it comes to punctuation. Go easy on me, please.]

Billy’s palms are clammy as he steps out of his car. His eyes wander towards the sign hanging above the door, welcoming him to “Little Bear Tattoos” as an American traditional bear face grins back at him.

This isn’t his first time getting a tattoo, by all means, he shouldn’t be as nervous as he is. But things are different now. Everything is different. Things change after you almost die because you sacrificed yourself to an otherworldly creature to save a little girl.

He had just turned 18 when he got that stupid little skull inked onto his arm. That’s now just a little over a year ago but it seems like a lifetime has passed since then. Sometimes, Billy thinks, sometimes It feels like that was another person altogether. That dumb little boy who thought he knew shit. The one that paraded his tattoo around like a complete and utter douchebag. He thought it made him look rough and cool and dangerous.

In retrospect, it just made it more obvious that he didn’t know shit about anything. Not life. Not death. And most definitely not about what it means to look rough and cool and dangerous. Sometimes he wishes he could go back to that moment and just relish in ignorant bliss. Most of the time he tries not to think of the past though because thinking of the past means thinking of all the things lost that night in July. Most of all himself.

Back then, getting a tattoo was easy. Now, it feels like the entire world is resting on his shoulders. It feels like he can barely keep it all from crashing down on him. 

The bell above the door chimes as he steps inside the tattoo parlor. It’s a relatively small shop but it looks clean and the walls are covered in framed drawings of very intricate designs. If those have been drawn by this place’s artist, he’s in good hands.

A fluffy little brown dog is lazily resting on a pillow by the shop window and only raises his head as the sound of footsteps approaching fills the room.

“ Hi, welcome to little bear. “ a cheery voice calls out to him as a girl steps out from behind a curtain leading to some backroom. She has a big radiant smile on her face though it exudes a certain warmth that only genuine smiles do. 

“ Hi uh — I was wondering if you have a free spot. “ 

“ Hmm… that depends. What are you wanting to get? “ 

To be quite honest, he hadn’t really thought much about it. All he wanted was something to cover up the ugly scars still streaking most of his body. When before, he felt a certain kind of pride whenever he passed a mirror, now it sends a sharp pain straight to his heart. Everything about him, from the perpetually tired look in his eyes to the scars, it’s al a reminder of the bad things he’s done. And the worst part is that he can never talk to anyone about it. Ever. No one will understand but the people who’ve been there, and though he and Max are getting along much better now, he still doesn’t fancy having long profound conversations with her about his demons.

“ I uh — I’m not sure but it needs to cover something.” 

“ Old tattoo? “ 

Billy swallows audibly “scars.” 

He’s not sure what reaction he’s expected from her but a casual “Okay, we can figure something out. “ is not it. Though he avoids wearing short sleeves these days, whenever someone manages to catch a glimpse of his damaged skin he got 1 of two reactions. Either people started regarding him with pity or disgust and he honestly wasn’t sure which was worse. At least those disgusted by him left him well enough alone and didn’t hold a million questions they expected him to answer in great detail.

“ Let’s sit down and we can talk about some things you like and see how we can incorporate those into a tattoo. Also, I would have to take a look at the area you want me to tattoo and see how bad the scarring is just so I can take that into consideration when designing the piece. Scar tissue is harder to tattoo but don’t worry, I promise I can do it. “

“ You’re gonna be tattooing me? “

It seems like a dumb question but honestly, Billy hasn’t met or seen that many female tattoo artists in his life and this girl seems to be about his age. That’s not something you see every day.

“ Yup. I’m (Y/N), this is my shop. Now, do you want something to drink while we discuss the piece? I got all kinds of sodas, I got water and I got non-alcoholic beer. 

“ Dr. Pepper? “ 

“ Good choice. Coming right up. “ 

She walks behind the counter with the cash register and reaches into a small fridge taking out two cans of Dr. Pepper before leading him towards a little seating area by the window. 

The fluffy little dog lifts his head once again regarding the two of them with only mild interest before plopping back down. 

“ Oh, you okay with dogs? I can take him to another room if you’re uncomfortable. “

Billy shakes his head. Nah, he loves dogs. Always wanted one but Neil, being the miserable bastard he is, never allowed the kids to have any pets. Too much work, too much responsibility. What an asshole. 

Though Billy is never going to admit it, the bedside drawer, that was once filled with issues of Penthouse magazine, now holds a bunch of self-help books and magazines dealing with topics of PTSD and trauma. A lot of them mention getting a support animal whether that be a specially trained dog or just a hamster to keep you company. It makes sense, it gives you someone who listens to you vent about all your problems and insecurities. If only his dad cared enough about his mental state to reconsider his stance on pets. Then again, when has Neil ever cared about him?

“Nah, it’s fine don’t worry. He’s cute.”

“Thanks. His name is Bear and he’s kind of the mascot of this store.”

There’s a twinkle of pride in her eyes while she talks about the shop and her dog. Something Billy is infinitely envious of. Everything he’s ever felt any hint of pride in is gone. His car. His looks. All of it.

“Okay so tell me a little about yourself. Is there anything you can think of that you’d like to get inked? Any interests, hobbies? Maybe you wanna tell me a little about yourself.”

Back before, when things were different, Billy would’ve packed as much ego enlarging words and compliments into it as possible. Would’ve mentioned his car and his most satisfactory performance skills in the bedroom. But now, he hardly knows who he is these days. 

“ Um … my name is Billy. I’m 19, I’m from California. ‘Bout two years ago my dad packed us all up and had us move out here to the end of the world. Then … things happened.”

“You miss California?”

“Every day. The thought of going back one day is the only thing that keeps me fucking going. I miss the ocean. I miss surfing. I miss home. I miss all of it.”

She looks at him intensely for a moment, sizing him up, contemplating her next words. He can almost see the creative gears running in her head. 

“Alright. I might have an idea. I’d have to see the area first though.”

He expects pity in her voice though there is none. Her words are comforting and warm and calm. Billy wonders how often she has to deal with clients like him. Those who come to her with painful and ugly reminders of their past.

His hands are shaking as he pulls off his denim jacket and reveals his left arm to her. The skin is streaked with scars. They’re the same paths that used to wind up and down his arm in inky black hues like poisonous vines. Now they’re a faded pink but that doesn’t mean he hates them any less.

Billy can feel his heart beating in a fast rhythm as anxiety floods his system. Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe -

“Okay how big would you want to go,” (Y/N) asks, her voice gentle and soothing and her eyes switching from his arm to his eyes. She doesn’t ask him what happened and that’s a relief.

“As big as you can. I know you can’t make it disappear but I’d like as much of it covered as possible.”

“ I won’t be able to do an entire sleeve today but if that’s something you want we can start with a bigger piece on your upper arm today and then work our way to a full sleeve in the future?”

“Sounds good. I just want the scars gone. I need them covered.”

“Well my guy, you’ve come to the right place. It’s my specialty. You’re in luck too, I’m free all day so depending on your pain tolerance and the trauma of your skin, we might even be able to finish the first piece today.”

Pain tolerance, he wants to scoff at that. What he’s been through, the pain and the anguish and the emotional trauma, nothing will ever compare to that. Not even close. He’d get a 100 tattoos all at once and it still wouldn’t measure up.

“Alright, let’s do it.”

“Cool awesome! Imma go over to the drawing board and you can feel free to keep yourself entertained in the meantime. We have an arcade machine in the back. There’s records in the corner if you want to listen to some music. I’ll even let you choose.”

“Is that an honor?” Billy asks, a small smirk on his face. Every once in awhile a flicker of the person he used to be shines through. But then it’s gone and he’s left as this shadow of his former self.

“Oh you have no idea.”

As (Y/N) settles behind a big wooden table and starts scribbling away, Billy wanders over towards the corner of the studio. A bright red record player is resting on a sideboard surrounded by several boxes filled with vinyl records. They’re sorted by band name then chronologically. There’s all kinds of genres too. AC/DC and Judas Priest but also Stuff like The Mamas and the Papas and the Monkees.

“Anything, in particular, you wanna listen to? Kinda hard to make out your taste with this selection. There’s … everything.” Billy calls out to her, leaving through the records.

“What can I say? I like a bit of everything. Don’t like to limit myself.”

Old Billy would’ve raised his eyebrow and asked her if that extends to her love life as well. But old Billy is gone and so he keeps his mouth shut.

“I know it seems like just your kinda music, but maybe stay away from the hard rock. Maybe something a bit more mellow.”

He hasn’t really listened to a lot of music since … well since everything. He mostly sleeps or reads and sometimes when it’s a good day he even attempts to do a bit of writing. It’s nothing spectacular but it’s - something. An outlet really. The stories vary from an autobiographical retelling of the incident to silly tales of young boys going on space adventures. It's a way to get lost in the save parts of his mind. The ones that can create make-believe worlds and happy thoughts. Not the ones tainted with gruesome images of the past.

The opening notes the Monday Morning by Fleetwood Mac fill the air and Billy doesn’t miss the smile tugging on the corner of (Y/N)’s lips. 

“Nice. Didn’t really think you were a Fleetwood Mac fan.”

Billy shrugs his shoulders casually “they’re a classic.”

He sits back down in the seat by the window, watches as the clouds pass the sky and the people go about their day. That’s until a furry little ball of fluff settles down in his lap and demands to be cuddled.

“Oh hey, you.”

“Sorry about that. Bear does not understand the concept of personal boundaries. He thinks everyone is only here to pet him. If he bothers you just set him down.”

But he doesn’t mind one bit. In fact, combing his fingers through the curly brown fur fills Billy with a sense of calm and it grounds him a little. He really needs to adopt a dog for himself. 

“It’s fine. No bother.”

Time passes with Billy cuddling the dog and ever so often glancing over at (Y/N) while she’s working on the sketch. She’s drawing then erasing then redrawing. Copying then throwing it away then doing it all again. All the while she’s dancing along to the music. There’s a lightness about her that Billy wishes he could possess. Even before the Stacourt situation, he never had this unbothered lightness about him. That’s just not the person you turn into when you grow up in a house with Neil Hargrove.

A light drizzle falls outside and Stevie Nicks sings along to it and life feels … almost peaceful right then. Billy lives for these small moments of normality. These glimmers of what life used to be. 

“Okay, I’m ready. Wanna have a look?” 

There’s a bright smile on her face as she looks at him and waves the sketch around. “I think I nailed this one. I hope you’ll like it.“

Billy can see that she actually means it. It's not just a silly phrase she’s tagged onto her sentence. She’s genuinely nervous for him to see it.

Bear follows Billy as he walks toward the counter, a smiley (Y/N) watching their every move. There’s something about how passionate she is about her work that makes Billy both happy and sad. There used to be things in life that he was passionate about. His car. His clothes. The music he loved. Now it’s all dull and trivial and he’s lost. So damn lost.

His eyes wander towards the sheet of paper. Delicate black lines run across the page, swirling and arching and creating a beautiful composition. It’s a lighthouse. A tall and sturdy one. It shines it’s light out into the distance to guide the ships safely around the sharp edges of the cliffs. It’s a beacon of safety and hope surrounded by the rough sea and crashing waves.

“I thought it was a nice symbol, you know. Light in the dark. Guiding ships to safety.” (Y/N) explains. She’s biting her lip nervously and Billy thinks it’s insanely adorable. This piece is perfect, to think she’s uncertain and nervous about his reaction …

“I tried to incorporate the ocean and the crashing waves. You know, as a reminder of your life in California.”

Billy is speechless for a moment. Everything he wanted. All the ideas swirling around in his head. She put it down on paper, made them visible. And he didn’t even have to voice them. They were all just mushy gray clouds in his head, non forming a coherent picture. Just a feeling. A feeling of peace and belonging. Of being strong when everything around you tries to push you down to your knees.

“Do you like it? I can change it if you —“ 

“I love it!”

Her mood immediately changes after hearing those words. As if a switch is suddenly flipped and sunshine floods her face. Her eyes light up and her smile widens.

“Okay perfect! Wanna get started?” 

“Sure, let’s do it!”

The black leather chair is soft underneath him as (Y/N) puts the stencil onto his skin. She has a soft gentle touch which only matches the tone of her voice. Very calming. A complete opposite to the rest of Billy’s life.

“Okay, so it’s not gonna be pleasant since I have to tattoo over scar tissue. If you wanna tap out or take a break just let me know.”

He’s fairly sure that whatever pain he’ll have to endure, it will be nothing compared to what he’s already been through. Pain has a completely different meaning to him now. 

“I’ll be fine.”

And he means it. Not just about the tattoo, about everything. It feels like this is the first step into a new life. One that won’t be determined by his past mistakes. By the trauma.

The buzzing sound of the tattoo gun fills the air and (Y/N) starts pulling the first few lines. Short strokes. As if to test his pain tolerance. Her eyes wander up to meet his, a silent question shining through them.

He grants her a nod. One of pure determination. One that says, without question: “I’ll be fine!”

For a while, they sit in comfortable silence. There’s just the humming of the machine and the raspy voice of Stevie Nicks to lull them into a soft tranquility. 

“ I’m not gonna ask about the scars but can I ask about the skull on the other arm?”

Billy lets out a mix between a laugh and a scoff. “Sins of my youth really.”

“ Oh geez, that makes you sound so old. You’re what, 19?”

“ Almost 20.”

“ See. You’re still in the prime of your youth!”

Billy shrugs his shoulder as she dips the tattoo gun back into the ink. Truthfully, it doesn’t feel like he’s in the middle of his youth. He feels so damn tired. He never got to be a kid. Never got to be a teen. Always wandering in between it all, lost and disillusioned with no one there to guide or help him.

“ How old are you?”

“ Just turned 20 a few days ago.”

“And you already have your own shop. That’s impressive.”

“Yeah well, it’s all I ever wanted to be. Worked my ass off. Spent all my free time at my cousin's tattoo studio up in Carmel. He taught me everything I know. Worked after school and on the weekends and then when I graduated my cousin gave me a little loan and I had enough to open the shop. He believed in me when no one else did and it means everything to me. Hope I make him proud. I just always felt like this is what I'm meant to be. An artist. And this way my art gets immortalized on people’s skin and in some cases it can help them overcome difficult times in their lives. I hope I can make even the smallest change in people’s lives. “

It doesn’t get lost on him, that she doesn’t mention her parents. Something must be up there but it sure as hell isn’t his place to ask about it. Families, he knows quite well, can be a touchy subject.

“Well, you’re definitely making a change in mine.”

“Yeah?”

She looks almost bashful as the question tumble from her lips.

“Yup. I … I need to make those scars disappear. They — they remind me of the worst time in my life and of a version of myself I never want to be again. Having you cover them for me with this art piece that’s so fucking cool, it means everything.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“You should be proud of yourself.”

There’s a connection there, one he can neither grasp nor explain. It’s like she understands parts of him he doesn’t even put on display. And it’s both scary and exciting. And maybe, he understands parts of her she’s not aware she’s putting on display either.

“Okay. I’m done!”

There’s an infinite sense of pride exuding from her words. Billy wishes there was something in his life that he was good at. Something to let him be proud of himself.

“Wanna take a look?” (Y/N) asks with the most radiant smile playing on her face.

“Absolutely!”

His legs are stiff from sitting in the chair for so long but he can’t wait to see the finished piece. Slowly he walks towards the full-length mirror, (Y/N) hot on his heels.

His eyes fall onto the artwork now permanently inked into his skin. There are vibrant shades of blue and dark black lines. The sea is alive, it’s unforgiving and rough. But there’s the light from the lighthouse, the hope, the safety. It’s all there’s and it’s beautiful. Where there used to be ugly pink scars thick and burning, there’s now a beautiful painting. The scars are gone. The pain is gone. All that’s left is beauty and hope.

He doesn’t realize that tears are running down his cheek until she hands him a tissue. His first reaction is to wipe them away and pretend they weren’t there in the first place. A Hargrove man isn’t allowed to cry. Not in front of people anyway. Especially not in front of women. Hargrove men are bitter and numb. They’re stoic. Silent. Angry. Above all they’re sad.

But isn’t that the person he wants to leave behind?

So he lets himself feel it. Lets the tears fall as if it were nothing. 

Maybe this can be the next step into becoming the person he wishes so desperately he can be.

“I take it you like it?”

“I love it.”

And he hugs her. Pulls her close and tight as if he’s known her forever. She reciprocates the hug in no time. Softly oats him on the shoulder.

She smells like flowery perfume and clean cotton. Soft. Sweet. Intoxicating

“I can not thank you enough.”

“Billy, trust me this means as much to me as it does to you.”

He doesn’t disagree with her but he’s sure that’s not true. It means everything to him.

They talk for a little longer then he pays her, way too little if you ask him. She deserves way more and he suspects that some kind of personal sympathy plays into the price. But he’s not one to argue. Not when he’s sure he’ll come back. There are more scars. More pain. He’s not fixed but he’s at least a work in progress now.

She takes a few Polaroids of his tattoo, to put on her wall. To show people she can cover scars. Can help them. Help fix them. Make them feel less broken. 

“They’re burn scars.”

Billy finds himself sharing a piece of his story. One he’s kept so close to him, sometimes he almost wondered if it was true. But it is. And there are more reminders all over his body. It feels right to share it though. She helped him cover part of it, without judging. Without questions. She deserves to know.

“Huh?”

“My scars. They are burn scars.  Not — not from the outside but from the inside. Like fire going through my veins. I uh don’t know how to explain but that’s what they are. You can tell that to your clients. That you covered burn scars. That you’re that talented. “

For a moment she just stares at him, a deep sense of affection shining from her eyes. It’s comforting and nerve-wracking all at once. But he lets himself feel it. He promises himself to let himself feel the good things even if they seem scary.

“That’s … hey, would you like to grab some dinner with me? I could really go for a burger at the diner round here. It’s real good. “

And with the way she smiles, how the hell is he supposed to say no to that.

“Sounds good to me. Lead the way!”

The sun hangs low above the horizon almost dips behind the line to vanish and make room for the moon but not quite yet. They step out into the dawn, Bear pattering alongside them his leash grabbed tightly in (Y/N) hand. 

As hues of red and pink and orange surround them and dip the world into a golden haze, Billy feels like maybe this is the way. Maybe this is his path leading into a new future. With less pain. Fewer scars. More color and more smiles.

And maybe a beautiful and talented girl and a little dog by his side.

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 42 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Hello darlings! The saga continues… Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Pearl’s eye started to wander and Violet set out on a quest to truly prove herself.

This Chapter: Aiden struggles with envy, Adore learns something extremely disturbing about her girlfriend, and Violet makes a friend in the park.

***

“Oof!” Katya held the sweater she was knitting in front of her face, blocking the view of the TV. “Oh god, that scene gets me every time.”

“I can see why this is one of your favorites.” Violet smiled, her pencil paused on her sketchpad as she watched Nancy’s powertrip, The Craft a surprisingly good film.

They were sitting on the couch in Trixie, Katya and Pearl’s apartment, Katya sending Violet a text if she wanted to come down and watch a movie.

Violet had learned early on that Katya despised people who were on their phones while watching movies, but that crafts were allowed, which was probably also why Katya had asked her specifically since Max was out of town. Pearl, Kim and Shangela were all on the no movies list, while Trixie was apparently walking on ‘thin fucking ice’ as Katya herself had said.

“I was a witch once.” Katya smiled, going back to the pink sweater with purple clouds she was knitting, the size of it making it clear that it was for Trixie. “Who doesn’t like a side of blood magic?”

Violet smiled, shaking her head as she turned her attention halfway back to her sketch, her hand doodling flowers along the lapel of the jacket she was working on.

***

“Kiara?”

Aiden was having a perfectly good day until she came over.

It was a little after lunch, the cafeteria serving the chicken he liked. He’d been working on some sketches, fairly satisfied with his progress so far, the days going by so fast.

He was on track to have almost 10 different looks finished by the end of the day when they had to turn them in, and so he was certain that he’d be getting into the Spring collection.

He had been perfecting a sleeve, when his pleasant thoughts had been rudely interrupted by Violet’s voice, as she approached their station to talk to Kiara.

“Hi,” Violet was holding a black portfolio in her hands, her pink nails tapping on the black vinyl. She was wearing a pair of black high waisted pants, a belt cinching in her waist and a long sleeved silk top. “I was wondering if I could see what you were working on for the Spring prêt-à-porter collection?”

“Sure? Kiara looked surprised, but she still grabbed her own stack of sketches, Kiara one of the few designers that still preferred to do everything by hand. “Why?

“I heard that you’re doing a jacket,” Violet put her portfolio down, “and I’m thinking of doing a jacket, so I just want to make sure we’re not submitting the same thing.”

Of course Violet was thinking of submitting a jacket.

“Scared of the competition Chachki?” Aiden was about to reach for his own sketch, his centerpiece for his spring submissions a jacket as well.

“No?” Violet looked at Aiden, her big brown eyes unblinking. “Why would I be?”

Aiden was about to open his mouth to respond when he realized that there was no point, his hand falling down.

That girl was just so incredibly condescending, and he hated her for it.

“Here we go.” Kiara said, gesturing to her sketches, tapping on the 3 versions of the jacket that she was going to submit.

“Hmm.” Violet peered at them, nodding. “Good. We’re not doing the same at all.”

“I showed you mine. Are you gonna show me yours?” Kiara asked, and Violet giggled, pulling out her own sketches.

“Deal,” she said, flipping open the portfolio.

As curious as he was, Aiden decided not to look, burying his head in his own work, now more determined than ever to get that jacket spot.

***

“Babyyy, pay attention to meeee,” Adore whined, tugging on Pearl’s top, attempting to nuzzle into her neck as they were on the bed. Pearl had invited her over for dinner, but the second they’d finished Katya’s famous twice-baked potatoes and garlic chicken (and several bottles of wine), she’d pulled out her laptop and begun working on content for Galactica’s new website.

Adore had never seen Pearl work after hours before. She was slightly shocked to see her do any real work, to be honest, imagining her position at Galactica to be purely schmoozing with brand reps and taking high-profile selfies at fancy events.

“Sorry, I have to finish this shit tonight.” Pearl finished the last of her wine and pressed a quick kiss to Adore’s forehead before going back to her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard, Pearl actually typing at a surprisingly impressive speed.

“But…” Adore knew she was being a brat, but really, what was Pearl’s rush to finish something this late anyway? Would anyone even be ready to receive it? “Please-”

“Dore,” Pearl sighed, actually looking down at her. “I need to turn it into the site designers before midnight tonight. I thought I’d have time at work, but there was an influencer emergency and you know how those bitches get.”

Adore didn’t, in fact, know how influencers got, the realization that she knew absolutely nothing about Pearl’s work slowly creeping over her.

“I tried asking for extra time, but Fame said no.” Pearl pressed space, her short nails clacking against the black keys of her Macbook. “And unfortunately, eating her pussy right now for a favor is out of the question.” Pearl huffed. “Believe me. I tried.”

“What?” Adore’s hand froze on Pearl’s waist. “You tried what?”

“Eating her pussy?”

Adore sat up, rocking the bed. “Pearl!”

“What? You know that me and Fame used to hook up. We’ve done it for years.” Pearl turned to her with a curious expression. “They didn’t tell you?” Pearl raised a brow. “Huh.” She bit her lip, going back to her laptop. “I thought for sure they would when they were all freaked out about us getting together.”

“They?” Adore asked, trying to keep her voice from getting shrill.  “Who is they?”

“Fame mostly” Pearl shrugged, “but I thought Bianca would have had something to say.”

“Wait, so...sorry.” Adore squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind before asking, “You and Fame used to hook up, and Bianca knew about it?”

“I assumed? I don’t know for sure, but why else would your sister hate me?” Pearl paused typing, a cheshire grin on her face. “I’m delightful.”

Adore could feel her heart pounding in her throat.

“And you… You were gonna...you were gonna cheat on me with her?”

“Cheat? Wha - No!” Pearl closed her laptop, putting it to the side before she turned to Adore, shaking her head. “I’m not cheating.”

“It sure as shit sounds like it.”

“We never talked about being exclusive? So I just figured…” Pearl shrugged, and Adore wanted to hit her. “You’re a really cool girl, and I thought you didn’t care about stuff like that.”

“Well…” Adore’s mind raced. She’d been so ready to get angry, throw an absolute fit, but Pearl calling her cool was having the effect of pouring aloe onto inflamed skin. “I mean...I guess that’s true, we never talked about it.”

“It’s 2014. Everyone who’s not an absolute square is open these days,” Pearl continued.

“Is that… I mean, so…” Adore swallowed hard. “So you want an open relationship?”

“I’m not running around town fucking everyone I meet, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just think like… We know how we feel about each other? So why worry about oppressive hetero-normative rules?” Pearl punctuated her question with a charming smile, and Adore could feel herself melting.

“Yeah, that...makes sense.”

“See, this is why you’re the fucking best.” Pearl closed her laptop and kissed Adore gently, cradling her head, and every last ounce of anger dissipated into thin air.

Well...anger at Pearl, anyway. She’d deal with Miss Goddamn Fame and her traitorous sister tomorrow.

“Don’t you need to work?” Adore asked, pressing into Pearl’s embrace.

“I’ll go in early tomorrow,” Pearl said, moving her lips to Adore’s neck.

Adore sighed happily, lavishing the attention, sure that being with Pearl was worth it.

***

Courtney had gotten to the office before 6 am to prepare for the Friday design meeting--organizing the nearly 400 sketches into categories, making scans and copies and mounting the originals on card stock, each one numbered for easy reference. In the end, she had a tabbed binder for each of the attendees with high-quality copies, just barely finishing by the time Miss Fame strolled in at 9:30.

They’d been at it for awhile now, and what had begun as an orderly review with everyone on the same page had devolved into chaos, tension high as people defended their opinions. She stood in the corner of the conference room, feet already aching in her 4-inch heels, trying to follow the rapid-fire conversation, Raja and Trixie bickering about pant length and Pearl tearing out the pages she didn’t like, tossing them to the floor.

“This skirt on 42 is nice, but it looks complicated. How much would it cost to manufacture it?” Pearl passed a sketch to Bendela, who was the head of the tailoring department.

Bendela examined it closely, before proclaiming, “At least $700.”

Pearl pulled it out of her hands, dropping it on the floor with the other rejects. “Bye!”

“Well, hey now…” Alyssa flipped to the same sketch in her own binder. “Maybe it wouldn’t work for the stores, but it’s still good. Could we save it for a potential runway look?”

Pearl rolled her eyes. “Sure, but that’s not what we’re doing today.”

“Why don’t we put it aside and give Jovan some notes for runway?” Trixie suggested.

“That’s literally what I just said,” Alyssa snapped.

“I know, I’m agreeing with you!” Trixie exclaimed, handing her a fresh Red Bull. “Here, have some more gogo juice.”

“I really like this top on 27, but it would have to be a bit shorter to work with the other separates,” Alaska drawled, and Raja nodded, jotting down a note on the corresponding page of her binder.

“Yes, it’s pretty. What do you think, Fame?” asked Raja.

“It would be pretty, if it wasn’t in this disgusting color,” Fame said.

“Non-disgusting color coming right up!” Trixie said cheerfully, scribbling a note on the page.

“Trixie, I do not appreciate your tone.”

“Sorry Miss. You want to see something great? Check out Maxwell’s suit options. Starting on 104. He really outdid himself this year.” Trixie let out a loud chef’s kiss.

“Awww, thanks coach!” Maxwell said.

Courtney shifted, stretching a little, and noticed that Miss Fame had finished her coffee. Relieved for an excuse to move, she slipped from the meeting, grabbing her coat on the way to the elevators. She got Fame’s usual order as quickly as possible, along with her preferred apple cinnamon muffin to have on stand-by in case her blood sugar was having its usual pre-lunch dip, and returned to the 25th floor, shocked at the face that greeted her in the lobby when the elevator doors opened.

“Adore?”

“Courtney! Thank god. This bitch wouldn’t let me into Fame’s office-” Adore gestured towards Roxy, irritated, who gave her an equally dirty look in return, “And I need to talk to her.”

“Well…” Courtney beeped her access card, shooting Roxy an apologetic smile and saying, “Thanks, I got it.”

Once inside, she tossed her coat over her chair and turned back to Adore, who was rattling the doorknob of Fame’s office like a crazy person, pounding on the door.

“Fame? Fame, open up!”

“Adore…” Courtney touched her lightly on the shoulder. “She’s not in there. She’s in a meeting, with like, the whole senior design and marketing teams right now, and-”

“Well, I need to talk to her, right away.” Adore was clearly agitated.

“Are you okay? Can I-”

“No! I’m obviously not okay! I need to talk to her, now-”

“Okay. You wanna wait here until they break for lunch?” Courtney asked. “I can’t really ask her to leave without-”

“No, I want to talk to her. If you don’t want to interrupt, I will. I don’t give a shit about her meeting.” Adore charged forward, and Courtney caught her by the shoulders.

“Wait! Okay, I’ll tell her you’re here and that it’s urgent. Please, just…”

Adore seemed to begrudgingly accept this plan, crossing her arms and sitting on the edge of Courtney’s desk. “Two minutes and then I’m coming in.”

Courtney took a deep breath and made her way towards the conference room, trying not to wring her hands on the way. She was worried for whatever was making Adore so upset, but she also couldn’t help but roll her eyes a little at her demanding attitude. It wasn’t something that reared its head terribly often, but when it did...hoo boy. Spoiled brat Adore was by far the worst version of Adore--petulant, entitled, unyielding. Courtney prayed that she would get through this tantrum without a scene.  

Courtney re-entered the conference room, handing Miss Fame her coffee and then turning to a fresh page in her notebook and scribbling out a note, trying to be as concise as possible.

Adore Delano here. Very upset. Needs to talk. Says it’s urgent.

She underlined “urgent” before showing it to her boss, hoping that she wouldn’t get scolded for her friend’s behavior.

Fame glanced at the note and then stood up, clearing her throat.

“I have to go attend to a family matter,” she announced, “but I’ll be back shortly.” She gestured vaguely to the empty chair beside her seat, indicating that Courtney should stay and take notes.

Courtney quickly sat down, pulling over Miss Fame’s binder.

***

When Miss Fame entered her office suite, Adore was there, pacing around. She looked physically fine, which was a relief, but Fame was still concerned, knowing that Adore wouldn’t come to her, not in the middle of the day like this, unless something terrible had happened.

“Hello darling, what on earth is going on-”

“Don’t fucking darling me!” Adore snapped, catching her off guard, and Fame took a deep breath, opening her door to her office and ushering Adore inside before firmly shutting it. For one thing, it would give them some privacy. And for another, it would make sure that no one passing by saw Adore’s messy hair and booty shorts.

“Is anybody hurt?”

“Fuck you!”

Fame sighed, locking the door. If she was going to screech like a maniac, they may as well have as much soundproofing as possible.

“Now, Adore-” Fame began, but Adore immediately interrupted.

“What the fuck do I have to do for y’all to stop treating me like a fucking child?!” Adore burst out, and Fame couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“A child? Since I was at your 15th birthday, I don’t think that’s very fair-”

“Don’t change the subject!” Adore shouted, looking genuinely upset, her hand shaking.

“What is the subject, dearheart?” Fame took a step forward, but Adore stepped back. Fame could feel her panic rising, wondering if something was actually wrong with Bianca, if anyone had gotten hurt. “I think we missed a step here-”

“Pearl! Pearl, is the fucking subject!” Adore jabbed a finger against her chest, Fame looking down.

“Adore!” No one had done that to Fame since she was a child, the action incredibly upsetting and weird.

“Specifically,” Adore poked her, “you,” poke “fucking her.” Adore looked up, her eyes filled with anger. “Is that clear enough?”

“Oh.” Fame’s heart sank, the secret apparently out. The last thing she ever wanted was for Adore to get hurt, but here they were. “How did you…” Fame looked over her shoulder, making sure the door was locked, hoping that Courtney was still in the conference room.

“Look at me!”

“How did you find out about this-”

“Pearl told me!”

Fuck.

“She apparently thought that you’d told me already.”

“Good god.” Fame closed her eyes briefly, cursing herself for not being more explicit with Pearl back in September. “She really shouldn’t have done that.”

“She?!” Adore yelled. “Why didn’t you? Why do you all fucking tiptoe around, protect me like I’m a goddamn infant?!”

“Adore-”

“I’m 24 fucking years old! Half of your employees are younger than me, and I know for a fact that you don’t treat them like delicate little babies-”

“Please. Calm down, I don’t-” Fame held up her hands. “Please.”

“I’m not a child.”

“You want the truth? The grown-up truth?”

“Yes!”

“Me not telling you about my…” Fame made a vague gesture, “history with Pearl. That wasn’t to protect you. That was to protect myself.”

“What…” Adore looked momentarily thrown by this, her anger replaced with confusion, and Fame pulled her onto the sofa, taking the opportunity to grasp one of her hands.

“She’s my employee, Adore.” Fame rubbed her thumb over Adore’s hand, gently caressing it. “We may have had an understanding between us, but…” Fame sighed. “Nobody else would--could understand.”

“You mean like your husband?” Adore shot back, face twisting once more into anger. “I can’t believe you would cheat on him, that you would-”

“I would never ‘cheat’ on Patrick. He knows everything. You don’t need to worry about my marriage. But I mean that if my...Interests came out publicly, it would be very damaging to my professional reputation. That’s what I feared.”

“And you didn’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust anybody with things like this, Adore. So instead of telling you, I just...broke things off with her, and made sure she knew how much I love you. That I would be very angry if she mistreated you.”

Adore bit her lip, taking in what Fame had said, her blue eyes misty. “You went behind my back and told my girlfriend to be nice, or she’d be in trouble? Don’t you see how fucked up that is?”

“I’m sorry. It was a bad decision, but it wasn’t because I was trying to baby you. It was...it doesn’t matter. I can see now that I should have told you instead.”

“Yes. But…” Adore sighed. “I guess I understand why you didn’t.”

“I’m glad,” Fame said. “Thank you for that.”

She pulled Adore close, hugging her tightly, trying to show how sorry she was. When Bianca had taken custody of Adore nearly ten years earlier, Fame felt like she shared the responsibility to look out for her.

She knew, of course, that sometimes that meant that she was overprotective, and maybe even patronizing, but she couldn’t help it: Adore would always be a sweet baby to her, someone who had been through hell far too young, who deserved to be a bit spoiled and sheltered.

“There’s one more thing I need to know,” Adore said, still chewing on her lip.

“What is it?”

“Does my sister know?”

Fame took a deep breath, tucking a lock of Adore’s fading purple hair behind her ear. “She does. But she’s the only one. Besides Patrick. And now you. And she promised me, swore on her life, that she’d never tell.”

“Hmm.”

***

“We’ll get the results tomorrow, and it isn’t that I’m like, nervous nervous, I just hope I have done a good enough job-”

Sutan smiled as he listened to Violet chat, the fact that she was actually sharing her honest feelings about Galactica’s prêt-à-porter collection feeling like a big deal.

Sutan had asked Violet out for lunch since he was already in midtown for a meeting, the two of them now walking hand in hand around Central Park, Sutan drinking coffee while Violet was sipping on tea. The air was crisp, Autumn leaves covering the ground, the people of New York taking in the beautiful day.

“Sutan!” Sutan felt a pull on his hand, Violet stopping dead in her tracks. “Sutan, look!”

He turned his head, not even registering what was happening before Violet had shoved her tea and bag into his arms, letting go of him to make a beeline towards a couple that were walking a small dog.

“Excuse me-” Violet cleared her throat, catching the couple’s attention. “Can I pet your dog? Please?”

“Of course!”

The couple smiled, and Sutan watched as Violet crouched down on the ground, quickly taking off her gloves and handing them to Sutan so the pug could sniff her fingers.

“Hey there, hello gorgeous, hi,” Violet smiled, her hand soon running over the puppy’s head, scratching it behind the ears. “That’s it, that’s a good boy.”

Sutan tilted his head. He had never seen Violet interact with a pet before, and somehow, he had assumed that she would be either a pet hater or a cat person, but she looked genuinely happy, and completely in love with the dog.

“What’s his name?”

“Dough. It’s his first trip to Central Park, he’s been looking forward to it all week.”

“Really?” Violet looked up, her smile never wavering as she chatted with the couple about the dog. “Oh Sutan, look how cute he is.”

“He’s very-”

“Who’s a good boy?” Violet grinned, cutting off Sutan as she scratched the pug’s chin. “Who’s a good boy?”

Sutan took a sip of his coffee, hiding a grin as Violet’s bag dug into the crock of his elbow. He had never seen Violet so willingly talk to strangers, had never seen her be so overly excited about anything that wasn’t related to fashion. He took another sip, pocketing Violet’s gloves as he watched her play with the dog, a sense of calm washing over him as Violet made Dough chase his own tail.

[aracaeli]

The Sign of Three

NOTE: Merry Christmas @elfchensdcartblog from your DCMK secret santa!! I’m sorry for posting it at the last minute possible, I should probably have said Happy New Year instead. Here is my humble gift to you. Also, I’m sorry for not writing it with the accent. Regular english still gives me trouble and I’m not sure I’m capable of writing it right. Big thanks to @dcmksecretsanta for hosting he event.

I’m really rusty, but actually making this gift is more fun than I imagined. I forgot how soothing writing can be. Please forgive any mistake I made, happy reading! ^^

----The Sign of Three----

“You know, this is a very bad idea.” Heiji said to Kazuha for the sixth time that day. He’s practically sulking by now. On default, Heiji is not a big fan of malls. Much less going to a mall two days before Christmas. Suffice to say, the place was packed. People are everywhere. There’s people who are getting their christmas shopping late, young couples celebrating christmas together, or just some rando who had the bright idea to come to the mall near christmas. The mall even blasted out “We Wish You a Merry Christmas'' in every speaker on loop. Heiji swears if he finds the person responsible for that song that guy will have to answer to him.

Kazuha however is chipper as ever. She ignored his comment and instead was busy looking at toy displays in front of her while whistling along on the christmas song. Heiji wouldn’t even be here if Kazuha had not dragged him out. Heck, he wouldn’t even leave the house if it weren’t for her. His plan is to stay at home and do some reading, maybe go out for a bit to get food, but that’s it.

Kazuha apparently had other plans for him. She insisted on making him come with her to her class christmas event today and accompany her to do last minute shopping for the kids. Apparently the school wanted the students to celebrate Christmas by making a christmas event where the kids can play and exchange gifts. Only, the actual event is two days early from christmas because the kids will be celebrating with their own family on the actual christmas.

The idea is stupid. Heiji said as much.

He gets smacked in the head for that. Heiji had tried to lie his way out, but Kazuha immediately saw through him.

And that’s another weird thing about Kazuha lately. They had been married a while, but Heiji was sure that her changes only occurred recently.

Lately, she seems to become more observant. She often notices small things that she didn't notice before. Normally if someone moved her pen when she was away, she wouldn’t notice, but now she was able to tell the exact distance of the pen’s displacement. 

Another weirdness is, she woke up by the slightest noise. Before when Heiji had to stay late because of work, he was able to get to their bed without waking her. Now Kazuha is awake when he cracks the door open. If Heiji made a noise, she was able to tell exactly what was causing the noise, even if she was two rooms away. Heiji didn’t know what was the cause, it’s not like it’s the first time he saw that kind of ability. He had good ears, so does his father. What’s weird is that Kazuha suddenly developed one, too.

Maybe it was contagious?

Heiji shakes his head, chasing the ridiculous thoughts away. Despite Kazuha being weirdly observant, Heiji managed to secure an awesome gift for her, in his humble opinion. The subject of his musings is still shopping happily, uncharacteristically unaware of his thoughts. 

Kazuha is still looking at the display. But now she has already moved to the far end of the store. She picks up the toys one by one and assesses them carefully, as if it was important evidence on a crime scene. After a while, she held up a toy truck in front of him.

“Do you think Mikoto-kun would like this one?” Kazuha asked, holding a red toy car that resembles a fire truck. 

Mikoto is one of Kazuha's students in elementary school, who Heiji really doesn’t like. Mikoto, like most the boys in her class, had a crush on Kazuha-sensei and wanted to marry her when they grow up. Nevermind that Heiji visited the class and told them that Kazuha was already married to him.

In response to that information, Mikoto--who had the smuggest face for someone barely older than a toddler-- just looked at him from top to bottom, face clearly displaying unimpressed. “Oh well, we’ll see about that.”

The audacity.

Not caring what the brat would get for Christmas, Heiji answered shortly, “He’s a kid, that’s a toy. The math suggests that he would be thrilled.” 

He thought she would get annoyed with him, but his wife just shrugged and went back to shopping. In the end, she made a decision and took the toy to the counter to pay for it and told him to wait for her. Heiji watched her with a suspicious gaze, wondering if what meets the eye is really the truth. 

Heiji thinks it’s weird that Kazuha invited him to the event. While it’s not the first time he has come to her class and participated, it was always such a disaster. Considering what happened when he was present, he should be banned.

In his defense, it was the brat’s fault. Everytime Heiji comes to pick Kazuha up, he will ‘accidentally’ step on his foot. Kazuha makes Mikoto apologize to him of course, but the boy apologizes with a sleazy grin not fit for a child. One time, when he visited Kazuha during class, the brat ‘accidentally’ poured paint all over his shirt. Heiji tried to get back at the kid, but as if sensing his petty intention, Mikoto immediately cried.

Worse, Kazuha never sided with him. She came and comforted the kid while Heiji had to watch the kid buried his face in Kazuha’s chest while giving him the smuggest smile known to humankind. He had to bite back a curse. 

Another incident that popped in his mind is when Heiji cursed in her class, in front of the children. It was actually quite comical, the children had simultaneously stopped what they were doing and looked at him in shellshock, Heiji stood awkwardly for a minute. He was about to make a run for it. When one of the kids decided that what he had done was unacceptable on so many levels and tattled on him to Kazuha.

Kazuha had put him on time-out as if he was five despite his protest to her.

“I can’t play favour, Heiji. It’s not a good example for the kids” Kazuha said sternly while putting her hands at her hips. Long story short, he lost the debate.

He had to sit in the hallway to think about what he did while the other children peeked at him curiously from the window.

One kid even booed at him.

Yeah, it was not his proudest moment.

While he was reminiscing, Kazuha came back from the cashier, carrying one more bag in her hand. She didn’t have any trouble carrying it, but he decided to perform his duty as a good husband and took the bag from her hand. Beside, this way her hand would be free for him to hold.

Chiding himself for being sappy, Heiji linked their fingers together in a loose grip, suppressing the blush that always comes despite already being married to her. But Kazuha was having none of it today as she tightened her hand.

Kazuha leaned closer on him. Their arms linked together and her nose almost brushed his shoulder. 

“Let’s go upstairs.” Kazuha said, leading the way. As they walked side by side, she broke the silence.

“Did you finish your christmas shopping?” Kazuha asked. The mall was crowded and loud, so Heiji really had to pay attention to hear her. 

“I did. Finished it weeks ago.”

“Including my gift?”

“Yes.”

“Is it a living thing?”

“No.”

“Is it a nonliving thing?”

“We’re not playing 20 questions!”

Kazuha pouted. She bit the inside of her cheeks and turned her face away from him. Giving Heiji her side-view. And suddenly he finds himself resisting the irrational urge to kiss that protruding lips in public. Fortunately, unlike with the case of  Fairy’s lips, he still had common sense left.

“I think I know what you get me.” Kazuha said suddenly. 

Heiji gave his wife a skeptical stare, surely she was just bluffing, afterall he went through a painstaking measure to make it a surprise. He even draws a murderboard, which he hides in Kudo’s house, much to the latter dismay.

“No you don’t.” Heiji sneered.

“Hmm let’s see now,” Kazuha put her hand to her chin, mimicking his favorite pose when solving a case, complete with a smile, which may appear innocent at first but completely devious. 

“I know that you suck at handcraft. And I don’t see you working at anything, so it can’t be handmade. You said it was a non-living thing, so it can’t be a pet. Judging by how quick you are in answering my question earlier and the fact we have a joint account, it’s unlikely to be a trip or a dinner.”

Heiji started to sweat. Is this what the suspect always felt whenever he made a show of his deductions? Still, Kazuha is not done yet.

“The fact that you finished weeks ago means you had planned it for awhile. You’ve gone to Tokyo for a suspicious amount of time, it can be unrelated to gift-buying, but my instinct said it was very related. But it’s weird that you go so far just to shop, there’s plenty of places here where you can hide your gift. That suggests the involvement of an outside party. Probably a delivery. Which means…”

Kazuha added a dramatic pause.

“....it was custom-made.”

Damn. What’s gotten into her?

Still, Kazuha went for the kill, “The fact that you’re giving it to me, big chance it was a jewelry. Probably a necklace. Since you had no sense when it comes to women’s fashion, the one you custom it’s not probably the design. If my deduction is correct, that necklace would have my initial.”

Heiji completely avoided looking at her. Somehow his pride is trampled over her deductions. He had plans after all. The only solace he had was Kazuha doing all of that is kinda hot. So he let it pass.

“Am I right?”

Heiji shrugged. “I don’t know, you had to wait.”

Kazuha gives a little happy jump, almost knocking a lady that was passing by them.

“I can’t wait for a necklace with a ‘K’ pendant to come.”

Heiji nodded along with her statement. The pendant that he ordered is actually spelled ‘K.H’, since Kazuha had officially become a Hattori now. He decided to let her little mistake in detail be left uncorrected and changed the subject.

“Can we go now? I think this place is getting more packed.” Heiji said, and true to his word, someone bumped into him. Said person didn’t even apologize and just walked. 

“Hold on, I still need to buy one more for Chika-chan.”

“Huh? I thought it was a secret santa.”

“It is, but I’m buying a present for all of my students in the class.”

Heiji frowned. “Why? Isn’t that a bit much even for you? You’ll see them again next year.”

He felt her getting tense. She was looking straight ahead but he can tell that she was carefully masking her face as casual indifference.

Shrugging her shoulder, Kazuha answered, “I just want to make this year memorable.”

Heiji observed her face carefully for any clue, but sensing his curiosity, Kazuha looked back at him and feigned a smile. Deciding to not pursue it further, he noted this exchange and kept it in Kazuha’s folder, a place in his mind palace where he keeps anything related to Kazuha that he finds odd or weird. That folder had recently become thicker and thicker.

“Let’s go up one more floor, I think I see a store selling hair accessories.” Kazuha said quickly as she pulled him along by his hand to the elevator direction. Heiji followed along.

She accidentally stumbled on her steps. Delaying them for a few seconds. In consequence of that, they missed the elevator. As the door closed with a resounding ding sound. It was like a butterfly effect, the world just decide what he needs today is a murder.

If only they got on that elevator, they would have missed the shrill scream of a person discovering a dead body.

But unfortunately they did.

Knowing that scream everywhere, Heiji felt his detective sense alert in an instant. But before running off to the source of the commotion, he looked at Kazuha first, wordlessly asking for her permission.

Kazuha sighed, smiling softly, “Go”.

Heiji gave her a cheeky grin. He  handed her the shopping bags to her. Since both his hands are free, he had the chance to strike a cool pose before running off by gripping the edge of his hat and pulling the cap to the front.

“I’ll be back.”

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

In the span of time for one call to the police, five interrogations, and one person broke down crying later, Heiji managed to gather the suspects in the back of the store. The body is found in a clothing changing room. A man in his late thirties, wearing casual jeans and polo shirt. The corpse had been found laying on his back, half his body leaned on the mirror. Eyes wide and mouth wide open. Although there is no blood. 

The store owner had been very helpful in aiding his investigations. She closed the crime perimeter and helped gather witnesses. Even though she initially insisted that the man just had a heart attack, until Heiji pointed out the signs that he clearly is poisoned.

Heiji was busy doing his usual detective work that he didn’t really notice that Kazuha hadn't shown up even after thirty minutes had passed since they heard the scream.

Heiji was about to search for her, already worried that something happened to his wife. But as he was about to walk away from the crime scene, Kazuha catches up with him, completely unaware of his worry. She even brought a drink in hand  and casually sip the cold liquid from the straw while looking around the crime scene curiously. 

“Solved it yet?” She asked. Slurping the boba tea. 

Heiji was momentarily distracted by the movement of her lips. Shaking the unwanted thoughts away, he looked back at the corpse.

“Not yet. So far, here’s the situation. Someone is found dead in the changing room of this store.” Heiji gestured towards the corpse.

“No blood.” Kazuha remarked.

Heiji nodded. He feels weirdly proud that she participated in the case. He resisted the urge to pat her head, “Exactly. Death by poison.”

“Cyanide?”

“No, arsenic.”

“Who do you think did it?”

“Well, I figured out the trick, But I’m still not sure who did it.”

Kazuha nodded solemnly. Still slurping her drink. Her gaze turned towards the three people standing behind the store owner who were looking at them the whole time. The three men are the main suspects for the case. Heiji told them to stand far enough so they can’t overhear his conversation. Heiji was sure the culprit was between the man with glasses and the tall one. Although he had no evidence or any defining clue.

“The guy with the glasses seems suspicious.” Kazuha said. Leaning close to whisper in his ears. He instinctively take a step back. Typical of Kazuha to annoy him with her stupid breath and her slurping when he was in the middle of a case. 

Heiji snatched the drink from her hand. 

“How is he suspicious?” He asked, only half-interested in her answer.

“Look at the inside of his wrist.” Kazuha said confidently at first, but she suddenly turned hesitant and quickly shrugged “But, I don’t know though, you’re the Detective.”

Reluctantly, Heiji followed Kazuha's advice and focused on the man in glasses hands. 

Wait….that mark…

“I know who the killer is.”

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

An hour and half later, they finally manage to get out of the mall. Heiji was sure that they were already late to the event. Thankfully, there was no traffic on the way, so they made it to the school ground less than ten minute later. The event hasn't started yet. Most of the kids were still playing around, although Kazuha’s coworkers had pulled out various games and an assortment of christmas themed sweets out.

When Heiji and Kazuha enter the classroom. The children cheered. Immediately, she was surrounded by her students. They formed a circle around her and tried to get her attention. Looking at the spectacle before him, Heiji can’t help but note that Kazuha is really good with kids. 

Heiji put their bag on the gifts table. He searched for an empty chair to sit on. Heiji found one in the back of the room. He sits down on one of the chairs beside the low round table. Heiji was so focused that he didn’t notice someone approaching him.

“So you came.”

Heiji turned to the source of the voice. But he didn’t see anyone.

“Down here”

He looked down and his stare met with Mikoto’s gaze.

“Hey”

Mikoto only grunted. The kid pulled the chair across him and sat down. He slouched on the chair while looking around the room with bored eyes. Heiji noticed that his eyes landed on a little girl with a pigtail who was excitedly chatting with Kazuha. He looked back at the kid and the girl.

Heiji was a very observant Detective. The best in Japan. Despite what neechan said. That’s why the blush on Mikoto’s face didn’t go unnoticed by Heiji. He gave a small sigh. Kids these days, so easy to move on from one crush to another.

“Do you like that girl?” Heiji asked. One eyebrow raised suggestively. He deliberately didn’t gesture on the little girl across the room.

Mikoto looked scandalized, suddenly sitting straight with face flushed red. “What! No! Who likes Chika!?”

Heiji grinned. “I didn’t say anything about Chika-chan.”

Mikoto was about to defend himself. But no words come out. All of his face was flaming red to the tip of his ear. The blush even went up to his ears. In the end, he settled to look away instead. Sulking.

“So…” Heiji began, finding the opportunity to tease the kid highly amusing. “Do you think Chika-chan cute? What’s her deal?’

Mikoto crossed his hand in front of his chest, “She’s not cute! She’s stupid!” he stated, too loud and too defensive to be true. Some of the kids and one teacher had looked their way due to commotion. 

“Hey, stupid is a bad word.” Heiji chided. 

Mikoto was about to protest. But somehow decided against it and mumbled a low “Sorry.”

Seeing the kid actually reminded him a lot of someone. Although Heiji can’t quite recall who. “Here’s an advice, if you like her, don’t pull her pigtails.”

Mikoto, once again, flushed red. As if he was just caugh red-handed. “I don’t need your advice, I bet you also pulled Kazuha-sensei’s ponytail.”

Heiji laughed. It’s actually happened. The scene of their younger years flashed before his eyes. Kazuha used to have pigtails too when she was young and the sight of her hair swinging around as she walked always seems cute and endearing to him. Although back then he had no idea what the feeling blossomed in his chest was. 

Young Heiji never made the connection between the flutter of his heart and Kazuha’s presence. Once Heiji even thought he had heart problems. His mother laughed when he brought his concerns to her. Shizuka had said that he was healthy as a clamp and had nothing to worry about. To his embarrassment, it took him ten more years to finally understand he was in love with Kazuha.

“What are you boys talking about?”

Both of them turned around simultaneously, only to find Kazuha standing behind.

“Nothing,” Mikoto said. Kazuha looked at the two of them suspiciously. “Mikoto-kun, you should join the others. The game is about to start.”

Mikoto sends Heiji a distress signal to help him get away. But Heiji feels no remorse as he shrugged his shoulders in total betrayal.

“Mikoto-kun.” Kazuha said again, voice more stern. In the end, Mikoto sighed and walked away from the couple. Joining the merry and fun of his friends in the center of the room.

Kazuha sat on the empty chair that Mikoto left, staring at the crowd in a somewhat somber gaze, “He reminds me a lot of you.”

Heiji immediately defended himself, “What! I am nothing like that brat.”

“You two seemed to get along, though” Kazuha said.

“No, we’re not. He hates my gut. Apparently he used to have a crush on you.” Heiji added, “And just so you know, those little accidents that he did, are not an ‘accident’.”

Kazuha laughed. “I know. I just wanna show how ridiculous you are, getting jealous of kids.” Heiji opened his mouth, but she cut him off, “Don’t even try to deny it.”

Heiji blew a harsh breath. Looking around at the happy kids around him, the christmas decoration is exquisite, and the cookies smelled delicious, even from when he was sitting.

“Why do you insist I come anyway?” Heiji asked. Although he probably knows the answer. With how observant Kazuha is lately, maybe she noticed that he’s not having such a great time at work. 

But his wife is always able to surprise him. “I’m pregnant.”

Heiji gaped at her as the world turned into a standstill. Voices become mute and he swears the earth stop spinning.

Kazuha...is pregnant…

Kazuha is pregnant.

He heard the words clearly. But the meaning didn’t actually register in his head. Kazuha is pregnant? With his child….

There’s another human being that he will be responsible to. Someone who looks like him. Or maybe Kazuha. Maybe a well-behaved kid like Chika-chan or a brat like Mikoto.

What would he do if his kid makes bad choices? Or become too reckless like him?

He could feel his panic rapidly growing by the second. The thought of bringing a human life in this world is downright overwhelming. Kazuha might be good with kids, but he is not. What would he do with one? That’s easy, he should feed it. Oh God, what did you feed a kid? What does a kid even eat??

As if sensing his rapidly growing panic, Kazuha called his name. “Heiji,”

When there was no response, Kazuha grabbed his hand that was laying on the table. The contact startled him. His eyes turned to her.

“We’re gonna be fine, Heiji.” Kazuha added, “Beside, I’ve been thinking about it, and I think I want to focus on raising our family.” 

Suddenly, it made sense. Why she wants to make this year christmas with her class so memorable. The way she is acting so weird recently. There’s only one thing he can’t figure out, thought….

“I don’t get why you suddenly become so observant, is that another side effect of pregnancy?”

Kazuha stared at him in bewilderment, “What are you talking about?”

“You! You were suddenly very observant. Like a detect--” Heiji stopped mid-sentence, he abruptly stood up from the chair, knocking it backwards. As if he just received the meaning of the universe, he exclaimed:

“Oh God, our child is gonna be a detective!!”

.

.

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A/N: And thus, Heisuke is doomed since he was a literal fetus to be a detective by his father. 

There’s a local belief in my area that when a mother is pregnant, how she behaves is influenced by the child’s personality. So if a woman often gets angry during pregnancy, that means the child is temperamental, so on. Halfway writing this, I realized that it might be too weird and specific, so I ended up rewriting it into a more general trope. Although dumbass me misread the fact that Kazuha is elementary teacher-to-be, not elementary teacher. Still, I hope you accept this as a humble sort-of-headcanon to your Heisuke AU.

I actually really like the concept of the AU, I had to refrain myself from liking and reblogging all the posts because then you would have easily figured out that I’m your Secret Santa (lol). Can’t wait to see your next works. Good luck and Merry Christmas! ^^