#and then their kids bring home a kitten and they try to hate the cat but end up loving them the most

[justaz]

sometime during season 2 merlin realizes how dense camelot is. he’s been accused and even confessed to sorcery multiple times and no one has believed him. even when aredian accused him of sorcery, uther was hesitant to execute him. UTHER was HESITANT to execute him after being accused of SORCERY. merlin gets accused of sorcery bc people think he’s put them under a love spell. he’s gone to arthur at the darkest of times and whispered how he could perform a spell to save everyone and arthur bites back that its not the time for jokes.

merlin realizing how stupid everyone is. he tests it a few times: he gives gwen a bouquet of flowers and tells her he conjured them with magic, she just laughs and thanks him for the flowers, mumbling about how funny and ridiculous he is; he joins the servants in their ranting over their jobs and says that he has a trick up his sleeve to complete his job…magic!! they ohh and ahh sarcastically and mutter how much easier their jobs would be if any of them actually could do magic; he tells leon straight up that he’s planning on killing uther with magic, leon just laughs, pats his back, and wishes him luck.

the whole city is so fucking stupid!!! merlin tests his luck further and blatantly commits acts of magic in front of people and they’re just like “:o how odd…oh well” and go about their day. someone comments on merlin’s eyes going gold and he’s just like “mmmmyeah my eyes just do that in the sun sometimes” and NO ONE questions it. he notices how people go out of their way to help him and they slip him things for free or just as gifts. he notices how much he gets away with with arthur and morgana and even uther. merlin spills a bit of wine and uther goes “i will never understand why my son insists on keeping you around” and merlin smirks and goes “i put a spell on him” and uther throws his head back in laughter

merlin doesn’t perform obvious acts of magic, he doesn’t yell out in the old tongue in front of anyone or whatever, but he gets away with magic so much and he knows that no one will ever truly suspect him or accuse him anymore (and if he is accused then it wont go anywhere, uther will just roll his eyes and wave away the accusation) so he just stops giving a fuck. he ends up helping morgana with her magic and is like “yeah this kingdom is so fucking stupid i wouldn’t even worry about it girl”

[pucksandpower]

Grid Kids

Sebastian Vettel x wife!Reader x platonic!drivers

Summary: your adopted family may be chaotic but you wouldn’t change it for the world

Series Masterlist

Max Verstappen: Jailhouse Rock

It’s an ungodly hour of the morning when your phone rings. You groan, fumbling blindly on the nightstand to silence the offender. The name glowing on the screen gives you pause: Max Verstappen.

“Seb,” you mumble, nudging your husband awake. “Max is calling. It’s 3 am.”

Sebastian grumbles something unintelligible, face squished into the pillow next to you.

“You take it,” you insist, poking him again, “I spent three hours on the phone with Lewis last night promising him that Roscoe doesn’t hate him for being left at home this weekend.”

Reluctantly, Sebastian sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He swipes to answer, his groggy voice filling the silent room. “Max, do you know what time it is?”

You hear a hurried explanation from Max’s end, something about a go-kart race, a party, and a tiny misunderstanding with local law enforcement. Your husband’s face becomes more incredulous with every word.

“Wait, you’re where?”

***

Ten minutes later, you find yourselves at the police station, bleary-eyed but amused. Max is sat behind bars, a sheepish look on his face.

“I promise, it wasn’t my fault,” he insists, blue eyes pleading.

You both manage to suppress your laughter. After signing a few papers, Max is free but the smug grin on Sebastian’s face tells you that he’s not going to let him off that easy.

“So, this is our life now?” you whisper to Sebastian, wrapping your arm around his. “Running a day care for unruly F1 drivers.”

He chuckles, giving you a light kiss on the forehead. “I think we make a pretty good team.”

Charles Leclerc: Open the Floodgates

It’s a stormy evening when your phone buzzes again. This time, it’s a text message from Charles Leclerc: Hey, can I crash at yours? My flat’s kind of … flooded.

Sebastian, reading over your shoulder, raises an eyebrow. “Flooded?”

Before you can respond, a photo arrives — Charles’ living room, a sea of murky water with floating furniture: Okay, maybe more than just kind of.

You look at each other, suppressing laughter. “Guess we’re running a bed & breakfast now too,” you comment, already texting Charles back: Come over. Bring a mop.

***

Not an hour later, there’s a knock at your door. Charles, drenched from head to toe, stands at your doorstep, carrying what appears to be a plant pot with a small, equally wet cactus.

“I saved the cactus,” he says, looking as pitiful as a drowned rat, albeit a very cute one. He offers a half-hearted shrug, “I didn’t want it to drown.”

Sebastian bursts out laughing, his contagious mirth echoing around the hall. You can’t help but join in, hugging your sides in an attempt to remain composed.

“Well, come in. We can���t have you and the cactus catching a cold.”

***

Over the next few days, you quickly adapt to the unexpected housemate situation. Charles proves to be a surprisingly tidy guest, always washing his dishes and even cooking dinner one night (although you had to discreetly order pizza after trying his special lasagna).

In the evenings, the three of you curl up on the sofa with Sebastian’s old race replays, laughing and teasing each other. And every night, before he goes to his bed in the guest room, Charles says goodnight to his cactus — the newest member of your eccentric family.

Lance Stroll: The Cat-astrophe

A week later, you get a frantic call from Lance Stroll. “Guys, I found this cat,” he says, panting heavily, “It was all alone in the alley and I couldn't just leave it there.”

The line goes silent for a moment before Lance coughs then sneezes loudly. “Uh, guys, I think I might be allergic ...”

***

When Lance arrives, the culprit — a tiny, scruffy looking kitten — is perched on his shoulder while Lance himself is a picture of misery: puffy eyes, runny nose, and all.

Between his sneezes, Lance pleads, “Can you please keep her until I figure out what to do? I can’t just abandon her.”

You glance at Sebastian, who looks at the tiny furball with a mixture of amusement and concern. He’s been a dog person all his life but how can you say no to those pleading green eyes?

And so, your home expands to accommodate another kid — this time, a four-legged one.

***

The next few days are full of chaos. The kitten — whom Lance named Speedy — turns out to be an agent of destruction, knocking over everything in her path and giving Charles’ cactus a few worrying near misses.

You try to give Lance advice on finding a new home for Speedy while dealing with cat-proofing your own. But, during the ensuing pandemonium, you can’t help but laugh.

George Russell: The Shrunken Sweater Saga

One sunny afternoon, George Russell bursts through the door, a panicked expression on his face. “Guys, something terrible happened!”

Sebastian and you exchange a concerned look, jumping up from where you were cuddled on the couch. “What is it, George?”

He holds up a shrunken cashmere sweater, once a luxurious wardrobe piece, now resembling something only a toy poodle could wear. “I accidentally put all my sweaters in the washing machine! They’ve shrunk!”

As the reality of the situation sinks in, you can’t help but chuckle. “George, you do know cashmere isn’t machine-washable, right?”

“I thought they were!” he laments, looking at his miniature sweater in disbelief.

Sebastian claps a hand on George’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, mate. We’ll figure this out.”

***

Over the next few days, you and Sebastian embark on a quest to save George’s beloved cashmere sweaters. Armed with online tutorials and gallons of fabric softener, you attempt various rescue techniques.

Some of the sweaters regain a semblance of their former glory while others are beyond saving. You present George with a colorful assortment of shrunken clothing which he accepts with an embarrassed grin.

***

A sudden thought strikes you and you can’t help but giggle. Holding up a particularly tiny sweater, you call out to Speedy.

“Look, Speedy! It’s your size!” you exclaim as you gently dress her in the shrunken garment. It fits her perfectly, making her look like the most stylish cat on the block.

The sight of Speedy strutting around in a cashmere sweater breaks all of you into laughter. Even George can’t help but chuckle, despite his heartbreaking loss.

***

In the following days, Speedy parades around the house, flaunting her new wardrobe. George’s shrunken sweaters have found a new purpose, and despite the initial panic, everything worked out in the end.

“This is the most high-fashion cat I’ve ever seen,” Sebastian comments one day, watching Speedy strut her stuff on the living room rug. “She should be on a runway.”

George, watching his beloved sweaters being put to good use, grins. “I think they look better on her than they did on me.”

Speedy watches you with a lazy stare, now comfortably nestled in her new family’s hearts (and cashmere sweaters).

Lando Norris: Call the Milk Man

It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon when the doorbell rings, jolting you out of your peaceful nap. Groggily, you stumble towards the door, pulling it open to reveal a sheepish-looking Lando Norris.

“Hi, I was just wondering,” he starts, shifting nervously from foot to foot, “Do you have some milk I could borrow? I ran out and the shops are closed.”

Suppressing a smile, you nod, motioning for him to wait while you go fetch the milk.

***

When you hand Lando the milk, he seems relieved. But then, he looks at the container quizzically. “Why is it in a glass bottle? Don’t you use cartons?”

Your laughter fills the hallway as you explain your household’s eco-friendly policy. Lando listens attentively, his previous discomfort replaced with genuine curiosity. You can tell he’s taking mental notes.

***

Over the next few weeks, Lando pops by more frequently. Sometimes he borrows more milk, other times he just wants to chat about sustainability, an interest sparked during his first milk visit.

One day, he arrives at your doorstep with a broad grin and a glass bottle in hand. “Look, I’ve switched to glass milk bottles too!”

Sebastian will be proud.

Mick Schumacher: Comfort in Company

One evening, you find Mick Schumacher sitting alone in your backyard, gazing at the stars. His usually cheerful face is thoughtful, his eyes a little glossy.

“Mick, everything alright?” you ask, settling down next to him on the grass.

He looks at you then at the stars again. “I just ... I miss my dad, you know?”

The silence hangs in the air, thick with emotions. You reach out, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay to miss him. You don’t have to hide it. Especially not here with us.”

He nods, wiping his eyes. “I know. It’s just some days it hits harder than others.”

You stay with him, listening as he talks about his dad, his memories both sweet and poignant. You realize that while you’ve adopted your grid kids into your chaotic family, they each come with their own sets of joys and sorrows.

***

Sebastian joins you two after a while and the three of you sit under the stars, sharing stories and remembrances. Mick smiles as Sebastian tells him stories about racing with Michael, the camaraderie they shared, and the respect they had for each other.

By the end of the night, Mick seems lighter, the earlier sadness replaced with a soft smile of remembrance. He thanks both of you for listening and understanding. “You guys really are like a second family to me.”

The Big Announcement

One sunny afternoon, you gather all your grid kids in the living room. The chatter is lively, the room buzzing with energy as they try to figure out why they’ve been summoned.

Sebastian gives your hand a reassuring squeeze as you both stand in front of your unconventional family.

“We’ve called you all here because we have some news,” you begin, heart pounding in your chest.

***

When you finally tell them you're pregnant, the room falls into a stunned silence, their wide-eyed expressions making you chuckle. But then, as the news sinks in, the silence is broken by whoops of joy and congratulations.

“Wow, so we’re going to be big brothers?” Max exclaims, while Lando jokes about teaching the baby to prank Sebastian, Mick looks almost teary-eyed with happiness, and George immediately volunteers for babysitting duties.

***

With your pregnancy announcement, your grid kids go into overdrive. They begin to dote on you in a way that’s both touching and a little overwhelming. From Charles insisting on cooking you healthy meals (despite his previous lasagna disaster) to Max bringing you comfortable pregnancy pillows, everyone tries to make you as comfortable as possible.

Lance even makes Speedy wear a bell around her neck in case she inadvertently startles you. The cat isn’t pleased but the sight of her jingling around the house keeps everyone entertained.

***

As the weeks go by, their concern borders on overprotectiveness. They fuss over you at the smallest things, like Max insisting on driving you to your doctor’s appointments because he’s “the fastest driver” or Lando continually adjusting the house temperature to ensure you’re never too hot or cold.

While their actions are well-intended, they often become hilariously excessive. One day, you find Mick baby-proofing the house even though the baby isn’t due for months. He sheepishly shrugs, “Just trying to be prepared.”

***

Despite the chaos, their actions stem from love and concern, which warms your heart. One evening, you find yourself surrounded by your grid kids as you sit in the living room, their laughter filling the air.

As you watch them, your hand gently resting on your growing belly, you can’t help but feel grateful. These young drivers, your grid kids, have become such a vital part of your life. Their genuine care and, at times, overzealous concern during your pregnancy only emphasize the strong bond you share.

Your family may not be traditional and your daily life may be filled with mayhem but it’s your life with Sebastian and the grid kids. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and unpredictable — and you wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

The Big Day

The day finally arrives when you’re rushed to the hospital. Sebastian is by your side, holding your hand through every contraction, while your grid kids anxiously wait in the waiting room, pacing and biting their nails.

A few hours later, when your newborn daughter makes her entrance into the world, Sebastian walks out to the young drivers, his eyes sparkling with joy and exhaustion. “You can meet her now.”

The joy and anticipation in the room is palpable as they rush in, crowding around the hospital room door in their eagerness.

The sight that greets them is nothing short of heartwarming. You’re in bed, looking tired but blissful, a tiny bundle nestled in your arms.

As they take turns holding the little one, their faces light up in awe. From Max’s gentle cooing to Lando’s finger being gripped by tiny hands to Mick’s unashamed happy tears to Charles’ whispered lullaby in French and George’s soft-spoken promise to be the “coolest brother,” the room is filled with a warm sense of family.

Even Speedy, smuggled into the hospital in Lance’s jacket, gets to sniff the newest human member of the family, much to the nurses’ chagrin.

A Baby in the Paddock

Several months later, the paddock welcomes an unexpected visitor — your baby daughter, wrapped snugly in a cute onesie with a tiny racing helmet print. As you push her stroller through the crowd, your grid kids and their fellow drivers are visibly smitten by the adorable sight.

Your grid kids instantly surround your daughter, their faces lighting up as they coo and make silly faces to elicit giggles. They take turns pushing her stroller and you can’t help but chuckle at their enthusiasm in their newfound roles as big brothers.

Sebastian, ever the proud father, looks on with warm amusement as he watches your daughter bond with her extended family.

***

Amid the hustle and bustle of the paddock, your daughter experiences her first pit stop as Charles and Lando try to change her diaper. Even Mick, the baby-proofing master, hovers nearby to ensure everything goes smoothly.

You can’t help but admire their dedication and the way they’ve embraced their roles as her protectors and playmates.

***

At the end of the day, you gather the whole group for a family photo. Your daughter, held by Max and Mick on either side, steals the show with her toothless grin.

As you look at the photo later, you realize that this quirky, chaotic family has grown and changed in the most beautiful ways. Your daughter has been embraced by these young drivers, who have become her brothers and protectors, just as they’ve become sons to you.

A New Racer on the Track

Years pass in the blink of an eye and soon your little girl is no longer a baby. She’s grown into a lively child with a love for speed, much like her father. Today, she’s ready to participate in her first karting race, and the whole gang — your grid kids now with seven World Championships between them — are here to support her.

As they gather around the track, an old joke resurfaces. Max points at a particular bend in the track, nudging Charles with a smirk. “Remember the inchident?”

Charles groans, rolling his eyes, “Not this again. It was years ago!”

Laughter breaks out among the group, their bond echoing through the years.

***

Before the race, each of your grid kids offers your daughter their sage advice. From Lando’s “always keep your cool” to George’s “remember to enjoy the ride,” her brothers are keen to impart their wisdom. Mick even attempts to show her how to properly do a pit stop, using a toy car and tiny plastic cones.

Your daughter, with a sparkling helmet almost too big for her head, listens earnestly, her wide eyes moving from one brother to the next.

When the race finally starts, your grid kids cheer on loudly, their voices carrying over the vroom of the karts. The sight of your daughter, determined behind the wheel of her tiny kart, brings a surge of pride and a few tears to your eyes.

As the race ends, your daughter crosses the finish line in third place, a beaming smile on her face. She’s welcomed back to the pit by a roaring cheer from her family, her brothers lifting her onto their shoulders.

***

That night, the celebration is filled with laughter, teasing, and an impromptu re-enactment of the inchident by Charles and Max, much to your daughter’s amusement.

Sebastian lifts his glass for a toast, “To our little racer, may you always find joy on the track. And remember, an inchident is only funny if it doesn’t happen to you.”

Laughter fills the room once again, and you can’t help but marvel at the love and joy surrounding you. These are the moments you cherish the most, moments of laughter and unity shared with this extraordinary, unconventional family.

As you watch your daughter being coddled and celebrated by her brothers, you realize that this legacy of love and support will always continue, and for that, you couldn’t be happier.

[silverflqmes]

hi!! i hope this request finds you well, do you think you could write agszc with a s/o whos good with kids please 💕?

໒⦂ 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒.

notes. hi hi anon — i wasn’t sure how to go about this so i took a little inspiration from the interactions cloud and zack have with the sector five kids and applied them to everyone a bit! went for headcanons, i hope they are to your likings<3

genre. fluff + crack

ft. sephiroth, cloud strife, zack fair, genesis rhapsodos, angeal hewley

gender neutral! reader.

➫ 𝓢𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗛 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗  i hate to break it to you anon but i gotta slap some angst in here — sephiroth finds himself a bit confused, yet curious watching you among kids. had he been raised as normal kids were, would he have received this sort of attention too..? this kindness that was given without effort or consequences?

⌗  in the beginning he just let you do your thing, hanging out with them as you did while he waited to walk you home later.. but then he was slowly urged to join- by the kids no less.

⌗  he felt awkward, out of place and unsure of how he should act — but everyone was patient with him and something oddly warm began to spread in his chest. you didn’t pressure him into anything either — which he was grateful for.

⌗  the girls would braid brush his hair, place flowers in, and when the boys marveled at his height and overall build, begging to be carried, sephiroth obliged and found himself feeling elated — at peace among them.

⌗  you always told them bedtime stories but over time, the kids began to whisper and ask you if sephiroth could because his voice was so smooth and lulled them to sleep effortlessly

⌗  one time the children found a gray, stray kitten — and didn’t want to give it away.. so it became a combined effort between you, the kids and sephiroth, too.. who felt a strange empathy for the feline. it became an everyday thing from then for all of you to take care of the cat and welcome it among your group<3

⌗  someone crying or hurt? masamune’s out and ready to take out the reason behind those tears and wails — which you have to stop seph from doing, but it’s cute how much he cares<3

➫ 𝓒𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗗 𝓢𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗘 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗  he’s um- cloud is uh.. he’s doing his best, remember?? ahem.. in other words, he is still trying to get accustomed to kids — it’s a work in progress, but you seem to be amazing with them??

⌗  bro is completely awestruck at how well you get along with them, how you have them following you around with such ease and looking all excited when you arrive. literally how is that possible?? it makes no sense..

⌗  but cloud, as stated before, is doing his best. during the times that you ask him to help out, he manages to provide a lending hand in busying them.

⌗  a lot of the kids are in awe with him and want a chance to ride on fenrir with him or learn how to wield such an impressive weapon like he does — so cloud does what he can to indulge in those requests..

⌗  not the best or worst with cooking but he does know some recipes from growing up with his mother and has shared them with you to cook together on occasion for the children<3

⌗  over time cloud does get better with them, becomes more natural and less stiff.. though he can’t help but stop at times and stare when he witnesses you with them — so serene and kind, delicate and careful. unknowingly, it brings a tint smile to his lips and thoughts of the future.

⌗  ..and then the kids call him out and he becomes a flustered, tsundere, mess — which has you stifling a laugh into your hand LMAO

➫ 𝓩𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝓕𝗔𝗜𝗥 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗  you’re good with kids?? him too!! zack is so so good with kids, they absolutely ADORE him ( can’t blame ‘em ) — he’s just so chill for an adult!

⌗  seeing you with kids literally clenches at his heart, your exchanges with them are just so so cute and you speak in such a sweet, gentle voice towards them. could honestly listen to you all day if he could😭

⌗  the kids always tease you guys about getting married and make kissy faces at you guys which has your face burning up with embarrassment meanwhile zack is like hell yeah!! ofc he’s gonna marry you, duh!!

⌗  the girls like to pick flowers for you both and do your hair all pretty<3 and zack’s too, cuz ofc he needs to look his best too!! he has little reluctance and is excited as a puppy✨

⌗  oh no a kid is crying?? zack is on the case.. had it not been for you comforting them already oops. but-! he’s on his way to find the culprit! even if it’s just a pebble or branch that happened to be in their path..

⌗  cooking? not his domain, but you seem to be good at it! especially making these cute bunny looking apple slices<3 he helps with cleaning instead ( sometimes )

⌗  now what he does do good in is bedtime stories! has the craziest things to tell and even some folklore from his hometown, gongaga! the kids eat up everything he tells them and are out cold within minutes🫡

➫ 𝓖𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝓡𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗢𝗦 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗  surprisingly, he’s very good with kids! more so the girls because they’re all heart eyes for genesis, thinking him to be some sort of a prince.. especially with the way he dresses, speaks and carries himself in general..

⌗  he often entertains their fantasies, going along with them and accepting the flowers they picked for him or the colorings they’d hand him — it was just so cute!

⌗  the boys enjoyed to see him in action more with combat, literally watching with stars in their eyes when he fights.. but they always seem to gravitate a little more towards you ahaha..

⌗  genesis has to pinch himself occasionally from staring at you, watching how loving and caring you were towards these random kids that attached themselves so easily to you because you had given them the time of day

⌗  as the kids are lining up for your cooking, so is your boyfriend — he is SO there for that food and is very much enjoying not only the meals you prepare but this overall side of you.. it’s refreshing, he feels special to see it🙁

⌗  organizes a little play for the kids to take part in — of course it’s loveless, it always has to be with him.. and the kids beg him to read it to them at night which brings tears to his eyes. finally some loveless enjoyers!! unlike his friends who make FUN of him..

⌗  always brings baskets of dumbapples to share a piece of home with the kids and even makes different deserts and pastries that he came up with personally! might not do much cooking but baking — and with his hometown’s fruit? yes he will!

➫ 𝓐𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝓗𝗘𝗪𝗟𝗘𝗬 ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

⌗  you would think he is another one of the awkward few ( seph and cloud, unfortunately im looking at you guys.. ) but he is not! angeal is really good at taking care of zack, almost as if he’s his own family.. so i believe he must be good with children too despite his stoic appearance

⌗  it was by chance one day during a mission that he had ended up helping you out with the kids you regularly took a detour to visit and hang out with, always bringing stuff from your missions — it was super cute honestly😭

⌗  he is a pretty family oriented guy tbh and totally seems like malewife material?? cooks for the kids, cleans up too, patches up them up if they get injured and tells stories to put them to sleep!! he’s doing it all, guys!

⌗  he wants to lessen your load as much as he can but you seem to have things pretty much under control and the kids are just so chill with you — it’s impressive honestly, he might need a tip or two for handling zack..

⌗  he was telling a story one time — about the buster sword, actually, and as attentive as the kids were, even you since it was your first time hearing, you’d ended up fast asleep along with the kids — it was the cutest sight seeing them curled up against you

⌗  games aside, you do try to teach the kids norms and values to keep with them and angeal also throws in a few words about dreams.. honor.. etcetera..

⌗  a few days later the kids ended up making cardboard and wooden cutouts of the buster sword and repeated his words along with the gesture — yourself included..🫣

notes. sorry for the wait, i hope these were okay and to your likings! i went in with no plan and this was the result basically.. i know it was meant to center around the reader but it shifted over to the boys ahaha.. my bad, hope you don’t mind :’)

↳ return to main masterlist . request rules . send an ask

[smelliemelly]

Thinking about how genuinely kind the LOV members can be behind closed doors.

Shigaraki will help when nobody is around. He sees a kid in need? He'll give the kid some directions or help guide the kid back to the playground or something. An old lady dropped something? He'll pick it up, no worries. As long as he's around, he'll most likely help if nobody is watching. He sees a homeless man in a dark alleyway? Here, have this jacket and snack. It's not much, but hey, it's something right? He always tries to help in any small way because deep down he truly does want to be a good person. He has dreamt of being a hero, it's not like that dream is entirely gone. Sometimes he'll dream of being in the place of the #1 pro hero, being the best of all.. It's not a big dream but it's enough for him to zone out about for a few minutes..

Dabi respects women like no other. He doesn't play when it comes to respect towards women. He sees a woman bending over to grab something and a few men are trying to take a peek? He's already standing behind the lady glaring at the pervs. An old lady is crossing the road? Of course he's gonna help, but he definitely won't say a word. A woman is getting harassed? He's gonna step in and make sure those men back off. Again, he won't say a word. I just feel like he has respect for women because c'mon.. he's a villain not a monster.

Toga and Twice will feed the stray cats and even give them homes if they can. They see a stray cat(or dog) it's getting food and perhaps a small box with a blanket to sleep in. They can't help but have the biggest soft spot for any animals they see on the street. They sometimes bring little kittens or pregnant mama cats into the hideout. They just cannot turn them down :( again, villains not monsters!

Spinner hates to see a person being picked on, whether that be for their quirk, their looks, their voice, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, he will NOT stand and watch. He's definitely gonna step in. If you seem super upset about it he'll definitely give a compliment or two, to make you feel better. Of course not in a flirty way ofc but in a genuine way.

Mr.Compress definitely gives money to those people who sing/ play instruments on the streeet. He finds any talent absolutely amazing and if there's a hat or guitar case with a few coins he'll give some too. The least amount he'll give is $20. This man tends to have lots of money on him why?.. we don't know. He will also sit there and watch, unless he's super busy, he'll clap and whistle, "Bravo!" "Well done!" "Pure talent!". He's a stranger's biggest cheerleader when it comes to talent on the streets.

Kurogiri is a parents biggest help. If there is a kid in the store crying and whining and throwing a tantrum... "Do you know the boogeyman? He visits kids who give their parents a hard time." Most parents either look terrified as he explains the boogeyman to their child or will thank him silently. He doesn't have a filter when it comes to explaining the boogeyman so uh.. that child will be scared shitless and become the most well behaved kid ever unless they forget about the boogeyman story

[lowkeyrobin]

hi! I got a kitten yesterday and i was thinking about a sparrow!ben hargreeves x reader where the reader brings home a kitten and at first he hates it but then she catches him like cuddling or playing with it. Just a thought! Have a perfect day! 💕

oooo okay I can try! ; and omg I bet ur kitten is so cute okgnghehjajd ; fun fact I started feeding one stray cat and this mofo brought along his wife and then his 3 or 4 kids 💀 ; anyway thanks for requesting, hope you enjoy!

SPARROW! BEN ; feline friend

summary ; you come home with a cat to surprise ben

warnings ; language

disclaimers ; reader had some similar familial neglect growing up

word count ; 791

masterlist

Ben, growing up in the Sparrow Academy, never got a little kitten or puppy for Christmas. Christmas didn't even exist. The best Christmas they ever got as kids was when Grace brought home special treats for the Sparrow kids on the special day. That day was special for every other kid in the world except them. They didn't get presents, or new toys, new books, new clothes, they didn't get to spend solid family time together.

Reginald wasn't as bad as he was to the Umbrella Academy in this timeline, but he was like one of those parents who refused to do anything fun. Any childish belief or dream would be shot down instantly. You shoot down the idea of Santa Clause to a bunch of little kids with superpowers and act like it's outrageous they ever believed it in the first place.

All Ben ever wanted growing up for Christmas was a cat. He had a soft spot for them.

He always felt bad for the stray cats on the street that he'd sneak out to feed with Fei. They were always too scared to want to be pet, but they were confident enough to sit with the still little kids. Ben didn't have that many great childish memories either. Instead of trying to hold it all together like the glue of the family, like he was in another timeline, he was miserable. He grew cold.

He essentially had nothing to really live for until you came along.

And you brought a cat home one random evening after learning how he'd always wanted a cat. You kind of forgot that he wasn't much different from you. He didn't have the chance to have a pet growing up unless you counted Christopher because he was a high-maintenance little asshole. Over time, he grew up into an adult, too mature and old to want to care about Christmas or wanting a cat for Christmas.

You carry the kitten in your hands, entering with a bit of struggle through the front door. A litter box, food, toys, and other essentials sit in your car as you'd wanted to surprise Ben first, then make him help you drag everything inside.

You find him sitting on the couch, his attention halfed between the television on Cartoon Network and his phone in his hand, scrolling through the hellscape that is Twitter. He looks up at you, quickly saying hello, asking how your day was.

You're silent, a wide smile on your face as the kitten looks up at you, curled up in your hand.

He then notices the little creature and he furrows his eyebrows. He sets his phone down and stands in front of you, seeing the little kitten in your hands.

"Where- why?"

"You never got to have a pet growing up, neither did I. We both deserve to have something else to live for, especially something so adorable," you smile.

You hand him the kitten, allowing the small animal to sniff out Ben and begin to trust him. He softly strokes the kitten's small head, unknowing of how to react. After becoming cold and miserable, he didn't really care for animals anymore.

"When I told you about never being able to take in strays as a kid, I didn't insinuate I wanted one now"

...

"Oh"

Safe to say Ben didn't want the cat, then.

You didn't get rid of her, though. You couldn't do that to your soul or to her. You deserved that kitten even if Ben didn't. He didn't even have to look at her for all you cared. She was yours then. You didn't really understand why he was being such an ass about it, though.

But, you return home from work once more, expecting to see Ben on the couch glaring at your playful kitten once again. But, as you enter the living room, that's not what you'd found.

Ben was on the floor, his right hand swiftly moving over the carpet, the kitten's eyes quickly following as she sits in front of him. The cat lays down, her butt in the air, ready to pounce. Ben sits with a smile on his face, allowing the cat to tackle and scratch his hand up. He picks her up, cradling her in his arms as he pets her small head.

You raise an eyebrow, setting your things to the side. "I thought you hated the idea of having a cat?"

Ben quickly looks up at you, allowing the cat to run free. "Uh..."

You shake your head with a smile, "Glad you warmed up to her, dickwad"

"I've honestly been hiding it since, like, week two," he shrugs. "I was trying to hold my grudge."

"That's mean."

"I didn't ask."

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA for getting a pet one of my parents is allergic to and/or planting plants that would attract them?

Pretty short one, honestly. I'm currently living with my parents and younger siblings. Ages aren't particularly important, just know that everyone involved is an adult except my youngest sibling, who just reached teenagerdom, and the rest of us "kids" are stuck living at home without any real way to get places of our own.

What some of my siblings know, to varying degrees, and that my parents either don't know or are willfully ignorant towards, is that I am so far removed from my parents' political views that it's like listening to an alien way of thinking whenever one of them brings politics up. I've gotten very good at shutting up and letting them think what they want to about me- with how hard they project, they probably think I'm exactly like them. In reality I just don't think minorities should be considered "hate crimes against God" and think they're insane for believing as much.

Sure doesn't help that I'm in multiple categories of minorities that they consider "hate crimes against God" lmao

One of them, in particular, has gone into detail multiple times about what he thinks should be done to people like me or those who support them. It's, uh…not pretty. Let's just say he thinks fascism is perfectly fine and leave it at that.

When I move out- because I refuse to be stuck here forever- I'm hoping to be financially stable enough to afford a pet. I'm considering a snake, or maybe a bird, or a cat. Not all at once, obviously. However, when we were growing up, we only ever had dogs. The fascist parent is allergic to cats, so I can count on one hand the number of cats I've ever actually interacted with, and I'd need more than two hands and two feet to count the number of "throw the kittens in a sack and toss them into the river" "jokes" I've had to suffer through over the years.

I'm pretty sure there's no saving this familial connection. I want to tell them both who I am, but I can't do that until I have my own place because I know they're gonna react really fucking badly. They've told me so themselves.

…which brings me to my question. I guess it's not so much "WIBTA for encouraging the presence of animals one of my parents is allergic to as a measure to keep them away" and more "WIBTA for getting a pet that my parents might dislike enough to try and get rid of" iykwim.

What are these acronyms?

[ominoose]

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐜 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐇𝐂'𝐬

Character(s): Steven Grant, Marc Spector, Jake Lockley Summary: Not x reader, just random silly thoughts about the lads. Kinda summer themed. They're still in London. This came out more British than intended. Warnings: None

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭

Now that he's not constantly tired and getting two hours of sleep every fifth night if he's lucky, the Brit goes between quiet moments with a book on the couch to hyperactive spiels with no warning.

The newfound energy also takes his sass and mischief to the next level. If Marc or Jake (usually Marc, Jake's too scared) piss him off he will not drop it. For days Steven will slyly bring it up, make offhand remarks or fully kick up the argument again. It's never serious, he's still the one to step in if the other two are at arms, but Steven is no pacifist. "Y'know I just bought all these ingredients to make a lovely homecooked dinner with enough leftovers for Jake's taxi shifts and Marc's workouts... But-" "Steven please, we're starving, come on." "Since my cooking apparently tastes like a grannies garden!" "Por favor, I didn't even say it, Marc did-" "But you didn't disagree bruv!"

Takes Eurovision seriously. He made a point of not watching the BBC broadcast this year, although he's kept tabs on it through other websites. He's still not over last year. Jake tried to look into it and made a small comment about listening to the winner, commenting on Sweden's contestant being good. Steven went on a rant for a good twenty minutes about how it was rigged before Jake learned this was a lot more than a friendly song contest.

Whines when its hot out and forces Marc or Jake to front outside. Then forces them to buy a Mr Whippy for him to front and eat.

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫

Gets really into British football. It started with hearing chants and noises outside on match days, the comradery and stupid sing-songs from fans in matching team colours bringing him a sense of nostalgia. He's still a diehard cubs fan, but going to the local pub to watch the match, getting a healthy outlet to yell and bang a table amidst others oddly suited him. Steven's just glad he's socializing.

Secretly folds up Stevens more "colourful" shirts and hides them.

Loves British chocolate, hates British crisps. He see's a packet of pickled onion Monster Munch and physically cringes away.

While Steven fronted and browsed through a charity shop, Marc spotted an old ds, just like one he had as a kid. The Brit could physically feel him eye it up from the inside and bought it. Now Marcs post-workout routine includes playing Pokemon.

Marc gets visibly sad and sighs whenever they phone in pizza because its never like the ones back home in Chicago.

Loves a greggs sausage roll.

𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐲

Half the reason the other two found out about him was when the old lady that Steven scared off in the elevator to the point she avoided them like the plague suddenly smiled and offered them tea. Turns out Jake had been helping her carry the shopping back to the flat when they bumped into each other. Their odd tea and biscuit afternoons helped Jake keep tabs on the boys.

Naps in front of the telly, usually to some reality tv like Eastenders, snoring away. The moment Steven or Marc slowly try to control the arm holding the remote he jerks away, pulling it to his chest and telling them off because he's still "watching" it.

Knows Marc folds and hides Stevens shirts that he hates. He puts them at the top of the pile just before Steven fronts. Marc has no clue and it drives him nuts.

His favourite passengers to pick up are drunk women. They're always either very funny or tell the most downright devious gossip, never afraid to openly include him in it too.

Made a solemn vow to himself that if he ever drove past Rishi Sunak he'd egg him.

Since he prefers night-shifts, the cat distribution system seemed to give him an 90% chance of meeting kittens on the street. If he has a passenger when he spots the little critter he'll make a mental note to return after drop off, Jake Lockley will not pass a chance at checking up on and cradling a gatita. Marcs learnt to be somewhat present during these shifts to stop Jake sneaking home with several kittens in his coat.

[theheirofthesharingan]

Hi, not sure if you do this but do you have any headcanons for Itachi and Sasuke's relationship?😅 like in a world where there is no war or pain, how do you think our beloved brothers would live?❤

(please ignore this if you don't write things like that)

Oh, I love doing these for the brothers. Here are some.

Both Fugaku and Mikoto are busy parents, but they love their children very, very much. Due to Mikoto being their primary caretaker, the brothers are much closer to Mikoto. Fugaku feels a bit envious, but Itachi quietly, in his own way, makes his father understand that he's appreciated.

Since their parents are mostly busy, Itachi takes care of Sasuke. Which includes waking Sasuke up in the morning, dragging him to the bathroom so he could brush his teeth and bathe, and get ready for school.

When it was the first day of Sasuke's school, he could not stop crying. So, the Principal asked him to sit with Itachi. It took several days for Sasuke to stop crying. Shisui teased him a lot because Sasuke "the big boy" acted so childish and had to go to his nii-san to stop crying. It of course irritated Sasuke so, so much. And Shisui has a lot of photos of Sasuke giving those annoyed looks which he shows Naruto and Sakura.

Naruto and Sakura love Itachi. They sometimes wait a little longer until Itachi has come home so they can talk. And Itachi always brings them sweets whenever they're home. They have no idea how he knows they'll be home that evening.

Kakashi is like that tired mama cat who needs breaks from her kittens. So he asks Itachi to look after his team on pretext of being sick. The three kids love the time they spend with Itachi. And they can't stop talking about how amazing Itachi is. Naruto even says to Kakashi's face "You should get sick more often so we can get Itachi as our leader." Kakashi even found Team 7 discussing how to replace him with Itachi. The man was truly horrified at the audacity of those children.

Itachi is a minor. So he can't go to the bars. But all the friends he has are much older than him. Still, to make him feel included whenever they're having alcohol in a normal place (that is not a bar) they give him apple juice. Itachi does not like that, but he has to keep quiet, because they're trying to help him.

Both Itachi and Sasuke spend most of their time with each other. In the evenings they go on long walks together. Itachi loves the full moon nights and cool evenings.

Sasuke often falls asleep in Itachi's room and in the morning finds himself tucked in his own bed with a warm blanket around him.

Sasuke is loved in his Academy for being a sweet and obedient child, a trait vastly similar to his brother's. The boy does feel a little bad that he's always compared with Itachi, but there's Yamato who has never compared him with Itachi. And Sasuke loves him for it and he's obviously Sasuke's favorite teacher.

Sasuke is a bathroom singer but Itachi thinks Sasuke is terrific. He wants Sasuke to perform at the school, but the boy just wants to hide somewhere.

One night, Sasuke fell sick and Itachi took care of him all the time for several days. He denied going on all the missions until Sasuke was fine. Even though Sasuke's head hurt and his entire body aches from fever, being with Itachi was comforting to him.

Sasuke often felt bad because his brother knew what things Sasuke liked and what he hated and all, but he didn't know much about his brother.

This frustrated him further when he didn't know what to gift Itachi on his birthday. So, he discussed that with his friends, but didn't like the suggestions. Eventually, they asked Kakashi, who managed to give Sasuke the perfect idea. That was one of the rarest moments when the lazy Kakashi had impressed Sasuke.

[vincentmatthews]

♡~OC Asks~♡

{Please specify which OC the question is targeted to, for people who may have more than one. Thank you and have fun💕}

{Safe questions}

🦋What is their favorite season?

☕️What is their favorite coffee/tea?

🍓What is their favorite fruit?

🍿Favorite show/movie?

🧁What's their dream date place?

🎀Do they have something they collect? {Stamps, rocks, stickers, etc}

🐾Do they have a pet? What are they, and what's their name?

🌿Do they like camping or road trips?

🍋Do you have a song that you associate with them?

🥞What breakfast dish instantly reminds them of home or being a kid?

🍕What's their guilty pleasure food?

🥝Do they have a food allergy or food they hate?

🍉What is their favorite summer food?

🎄Favorite holiday?

🎃What would their Halloween outfit be?

🎁What is something they keep like: a souvenir, a keepsake, or a family heirloom; that means a lot to them? Why is it so important to them?

🧸Do they have a stuffed animal or item they've kept from when they were a kid?

🍷What is their drink of choice? Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic?

🔪Say they were put in a classic 80s slasher/horror setting, who would they be? {Example: The killer. The dude who dies first. Etc.}

🍄Say it's their love interests' birthday, how would they celebrate it?

🎟Say they go to a fair/carnival, what fair treat would they get to eat, and what attraction would they like the most?

🌊What is a phobia of theirs?

🐁Do they find a creature cute, that normal people don't? Such as spiders, rats, snakes, sharks, etc?

🦴Have they ever broken a bone or had any sort of major injuries before? If so, what was their ailment?

🍰What is their favorite dessert?

♥️Favorite color?

🎈If they could travel anywhere, where would they go?

🌻Favorite flower?

🦝What do they smell like?

🍞What smell reminds them of home or better days?

🧿Do they have a superstition or belief? Such as "black cats bring bad luck", belief in ghosts, tarot, crystals, meditation, etc.

🥰Tell me about a time they'd get romantic with someone {keep it pg-13 please}

💫What do they wish on shooting stars? What is their one wish they want to come true?

🪴Free Space for your own question~♡

🔮Random Question chosen by the poster~♡

{Spicy Questions}

🌶Where have they almost been caught having sex? And what were they almost caught doing?

🩵Do they bite or leave hickies on their partner? And do they leave them where people can see it? Or do they hide them and press on the marks when they're in public?

🍇What is their sexuality? And what is their "type"?

🍼Do they have kids? Or are they willing to have any?

🍾What's the the kinkiest thing they've done while drunk at a party?

🍪What is their dirty name for their partner?

🥀Do they have a favorite position?

🧨If they could screw anyone without any consequences, who would they choose?

🎉Say it's their love interests' birthday, how would they celebrate it~?

🌽Have they ever done a dirty video before? Either alone, or with others? If so, has anyone ever "found" it?

🥑What are some of their random kinks/fetishes?

🥥How vocal are they, during sex?

🍐Say they wanted to look sexy for their partner, what sort of outfit would they wear?

🍑How did they react to having their "first time?" And was their partner understanding if they were nervous?

🥧Have they ever had a one-night stand when they were drunk?

🐹What "pet" names do they like being used for them? {Babe, Kitten, Puppy, Mutt, etc.}

🐺Tell me about their first time trying bondage~♡

🔥Do they get turned on by strange things, such as fire, chaos, blood, etc?

🧀Are people with piercings and tattoos a +1 on them being attracted to them?

🐧Do they have a safe word? What is it?

💉Have they done drugs before? Which ones? And are they addicted to anything?

🌹Tell me about a time they'd get romantic with someone {you can add the kink here}

💋Do they kiss first? And do they bite their lips if they're mischievous or aroused? And do they bite their partner's lips when they try and pull away?

🍀Free Space for your own question~♡

🎲Random Question chosen by the poster~♡

[shyravenns]

I have a bad habit of wanting to see very big guys and animals, and here’s a bunch of nonsense about it. 

it’s a bit of an open secret, but Simon is very much a dog person. He won’t admit to it, and he absolutely won’t say more than what is absolutely necessary over it, but he quite enjoys the chaotic energy that only a dog can bring. Has a *very* bad habit of befriending strays during missions even when he’s not actively trying to do it himself, and tends to be very lenient towards the smaller dogs he comes across. He’s not *stupid*, and he knows how dangerous dogs can be, but he’s oddly charmed by them and has to be told more than once to stop whatever it is that’s he’s doing, and leave them ALONE. Soap is the only one who can call him the Dog Whisperer without getting the glare of a lifetime. 

And if Simon is getting yelled at for befriending the local strays, then Johnny is getting fussed at for befriending the birds. He’s very much the type to befriend a crow, and gets more than a little excited when they bring him back a gift (”Or junk”, as Simon likes the remark). Brings bird seeds with him almost everywhere, and is absolutely a bird watcher in the sense that he tries to sketch the birds of whatever region he’s in. Would love to own a small bird of his own one day, but he would never be home enough to properly take care of them. But he does have his favorites, and has been yelled at more than once about the trail of birdseeds that have leaked out of his pocket. Also, was that kid who collected bird feathers he found on the ground. 

Kyle is the cat person to Simon’s dog preference. He grew up with cats, and will defend them against anyone who has anything negative to say about them. He doesn’t have one of his own, but he can't help but *melt* at the sight of a stray kitten and has on more than one occasion scooped them up and tried to bring them to somewhere that *wasn’t* in the middle of a busy road. Very open to the nickname Cat Whisper, and he’s the favorite human of the base’s cat. His favorite memory is waking up in a safe house, and seeing a random cat asleep on his stomach.  

Price has a squirrel outside of his flat that bullies him. He used to *hate* that little bastard, but he’s grown to tolerate it and it’s antics. Even if that tolerance has made him buy a feeder and food for the little guy, and leads to him being low-key worried about it during the colder months when he's not there. Had nothing to say when someone asked “is there someone at home waiting for you, Capt?”, and tried VERY hard not to think of the fat grey squirrel curled up in the feeder. Isn’t much of an animal person, but is open to the idea of getting a pet that doesn’t require too much of his time. 

[noonajoe]

When She Forgets Her Birthday (Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader)

"At Least Don't Forget Your Most Special Day"

Word Count: 600+

©noonajoe (Published on 6 March 2023 - 20:52 Bangkok Time) this story is not going to be sold, modified, or translated in any manner.

At first, he will forget because this person is actually experienced in dates, he knew when he forgot important dates he will be smAcKed *just kidding*

Today it’s your birthday and you act cold towards, him. Why? Because it's Q4 of the year, you have many jobs to do at the office. Kuroo didn’t mind that, it is just how it is, you’re a pretty busy career woman but still trying hard to be at home punctual because Kuroo often asks “going home late again? Can I have you 1 hour earlier today :(“

2 days have passed but somehow, it’s November. Huh? That’s weird, in October they are supposed to celebrate only 1 important day: your birthday. Kuroo was confused and checked his phone again, and he just receive a notification entitled “Y/N’s birthday” has passed 2 days late!

He was confused, and called her, “hon, you’re okay, right?”

“Uh? Really Tetsu, don’t mention your stupid prank/confusing questions now I’m still in the middle of work”

“Wow honey, you changed a lot” he pouted, well she forgot her own birthday and she didn’t even remember something missing around her? Okay this woman is pretty something

“Sorry honey, I’m just pretty stressed, I’m going back late again okay:( I’m so sorry for not cooking for you a whole week”. Ok but Tetsu is like, ‘honey sweetie please be sad a little that I forgot your birthday 🙁

They end up their conversation at 8 PM

He goes to the nearest bakery/convenience store/okonomiyaki stand, just anything to make a little surprise for his girlfriend, even tho it’s just a little. 

“I’m home, Tetsu?” the room was pitch black, and she didn’t see anything

He showed up, bringing a self-made pancake with waffles and ice cream, decorated with candles, and a piece of paper written “Happy Late 25th Birthday Kitten! Sorry your man here didn’t find any cakes left on the streets”

“Oh….?” she was confused while Kuroo is singing her happy birthday, and she checked the calendar. “Oh my dear, thank you for remembering it, Tetsu...”

“Seriously? You didn't remember? Even a little?” he asked

“Uh… yeah, well it's late for 2 days... so....”

“No one said happy birthday to you? Last 2 days?” he asked again.

“No one, hon” she said sadly. Well, Kuroo does know that Y/N hates birthdays because she didn’t have any friends, and also her parents were not remembering her day much because of financial problems since she was little, she always stays with her grandma yet she never celebrate her birthday. Not even once. She often sad when she saw her friends celebrating their birthday with their parents and relatives. that’s why before she met Kuroo, she always forgets her birthday. At first she just dont want to remember, but later she just forgets it. poor woman:(

“Kitten you have me now, okay? Please just let me spoil you with any stupid gifts, even I will give you a car on your special birthday” He strokes her head, hoping her to just depending on him more, it's her special day.

“Nuh-uh, no thank you mister rooster there. Car it's too expensive including maintenance, tax, and insurance. Just you remembering is more than enough for me” she answered him, kiss him on the cheek, and hugs him tightly because it's her 1st birthday to celebrate.

"Whatever then, that's really you. But remember if you forget your birthday again I will forcefully spoiling you" he hugging her back. She remembers Tetsu's important dates such as matches, birthday and even his cat's death anniversary. So he feel wrong not celebrating his darling girl.

“okay then, blow up the candles first please, don’t forget to make a wish” he laughs, stroking her head, leading her to blow the candles.

“Should I say my wishes out loud?” she jokingly asked him

“Well I will be glad to hear it, but if you don’t it’s okay. It’s your day, honey” he answered, with a smile, so many couples were angry when their partners forget their days but this time, it’s not so bad.

“My wish is you’ll stay remember again like this, even if it’s 2 days late” she blew up the candle.

[intothemysticfic]

Thunder (Stray Kids)

You can't be sure whether the booming thunder or the torrent of rain makes your whole body shake. When Chan noticed he didn't have his flash drive, he called you asking if you could bring it and save him the trip. Always looking for ways to ease his stress and be helpful, you had agreed without a second thought.

You're having second thoughts now as the windows of your car rattle from the storm. You let out a relieved sigh as you pull into the parking garage. You try to breathe deeply, hoping to settle your nerves quickly to get the flash drive to Chan, but your body isn't cooperating.

Soon, your phone is ringing. Answering the phone, the quiver in your voice is noticeable. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"No. No, it's just the storm - I got a little nervous while driving. Everything is fine. I'll be up soon." You don't make it up to him.

Before you can he comes to you. "I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't realize how bad the weather was." He wraps you up in his arms, rubbing soothing circles on your back. 

"Kitten," Minho calls through the dark apartment. His voice is almost drowned out by thunder. The horrible weather had knocked out the power; he'd worried about you the whole way home.

Using the flashlight on his phone, he finds you huddled with the cats in front of the coach, wrapped in blankets. He joins you, alternating between rubbing his fingers across the soft hair on your head and the silky fur of the cats, eager to soothe all of his babies. 

"I'll protect you," Changbin states as thunder cracks outside, making you flinch. Typically, you'd tease him by dodging his easy affection, making him work for your attention. However, when he opens his arms for you, you fall right into them. It makes him chuckle.

"Awe, my cute little baby," he teases, rocking you in his arms. Changbin kisses your head and does his best to comfort and distract you from the periodic thunder. 

The crack of thunder makes you both squeal as you get ready for bed. Embarrassed laughter follows the outburst. "Hurry and shower," you whine, "I'll be scared alone."

"What if the power goes out while I'm in there? I could die," Hyunjin pouts back.

"Don't worry, I'll rescue you if the lights go out."

"Or, you could shower with me. I don't want to be alone either," he offers. Another crack of thunder interrupts the peaceful night.

"So we can die together?" You joke.

"That would be romantic, don't you think?"

You scoff, but you don't really need to be convinced. Showering with Hyunjin sounds like a perfect distraction from the occasional thunder. 

"Can we go to bed? You question as thunder rumbles outside. It's movie night, but you can tell Jisung's tense from the storm, distracted, and not really paying attention to the movie. You don't want to call him out on it, though.

Instead, you pout, "I want to cuddle with you." If he notices that the crashing thunder doesn't make you flinch, he doesn't comment as he leads the way to bed. Ignoring the storm raging outside is easier with you in his arms.

Felix coos at you as you refuse to uncover, a comforter hiding you from the world around you. "It's safer under here," you mutter, hating how thunder seemingly rattles the house. Realistically, you know that the thunder doesn't pose a threat, but the loud sound sets your nerves on edge.

He checks the weather on his phone quickly, doing the math between when the storm is supposed to pass and when he needs to be at dance practice. "Well, I guess if it's safer, I better join you."

Peeking from the safety of your blanket, you question, "Won't you be late."

Felix grins, "I've got a little time," before wiggling his way into your blanket burrito. 

You glare out the window as the quiet of the apartment is interrupted by thunder as if you can chase away the bad weather with a look. The noise is grating, and you hate it. Wanting comfort, you seek out Seungmin to demand, "Hold me."

He scoffs, "Are you scared?"

"No," you grumble, unwilling to explain that it is less about fear and more about how the loud noise rattles you to your core. "But you're my boyfriend and obligated to comfort me when I need it."

"Oh," he teases, "I might have to rethink this dating thing then." But even as he says that, he pulls you into his arms, holding you tightly. Then, offering, "Do you want to wear my noise-canceling headphones?"

I.N lingers near the door as the storm rages outside loud and unrelenting. He'd never admit it, but he's worried you haven't returned yet.

He quickly grabs a towel when you come inside, soaked and shaking. Encouraging you to change quickly so you don't catch a cold, insisting that you let him dry your hair.

The thunderstorm seems to have upset him far more than it bothered you, but you refrain from teasing him about it. Instead, you let him take care of you to settle his nerves.

[intersexalastor]

(warning: animal abuse and death)

thinking about a civilian (+dabitwice) au where touya is fond of cats, but enji hates them. and enji says smth kind of messed up involving one of touya's many insecurities to nip touya's interest in the bud, that something which he thought was ultimately harmless to say. but young touya very much internalizes it since enji is essentially god in his eyes and, again, he's already insecure as is. i have many ideas of what might have been said but can't really choose which way to go but regardless.

growing up, whenever touya came across some stray, especially kittens, he'd trap them and take them to shelters. and when he later makes friends with jin, jin's happy to lend a helping hand. he's got a room he was using for storage anyways that he can keep a cat or two in when needed.

it's no secret to either nat or fuyumi that touya has a soft spot for felines, since they've personally witnessed his efforts. but anytime they suggest he should keep one of them (they think it'd be good for touya to have a pet tbh) touya always brushes them off, making an offhand comment that strikes them as odd, something related to that very insecure boy from all those years ago.

and when enji's trying to figure out how to get on his eldest's good side, because touya keeps fully rejecting him at every turn, natsuo snorts and says he should get touya a cat, then. enji's hesitant but ultimately takes nat's idea. touya refuses, of course, having already decided that he shouldn't get one. enji won't force it, but also realizes that what touya's saying echoes what he said years ago and that his words had a larger impact than he had meant for them to

one day touya's headed home from work when he sees a couple of shithead kids having lit a kitten on fire. after delivering a couple of (minor) burns of his own, touya brings the kitten to an emergency clinic who say it's too late, all they can do is euthanize at this point.

touya won't (can't) accept that and takes the kitten home. he tries taking care of it with his emergency supplies, but ultimately regrets his decision when he finally has to come to terms with that this kitten is near-death and all he's done is prolong its suffering.

its little black body is curled up in his hands when its chest stops moving. he holds it there for a long time in silence. his mind is simultaneously blank and yet racing with thoughts all at the same time. all he can do is stare at the kitten's now-cool little body, unable to conjure up something to say, to do. and in the back of his head is a stream of thoughts.

things like how inherently cruel the world is. how this kitten was just a blip on this earth, whose pain, life, and death were all at the hands of people who couldn't care less, how it burned and was in pain and it didn't matter to anyone or anything. how its mother wouldn't care, how its siblings wouldn't care, how its father especially didn't care. it's dead. food for the worms and beetles. how he made it worse (because isn't that his whole life's story?)

he buries it in the backyard under a plum tree. he curses himself for taking the cat home, knowing full well that a cat (or any creature for that matter) belong with him.

he decides to make the long ride to see jin, because he can't stand being home, knowing that a small corpse is sitting in a freshly dug grave not meters away from him.

and when he gets there, jin is like "ta-da!" because he's saved a kitten by himself today and he wants dabi to see it because it's way too cute. but touya doesn't have any desire to see anymore kittens today. despite that, he can't bring himself to admit his sin to jin, so he has no argument for when jin insists that touya needs to see this kitten.

it's a little kitten with curls galore, little furry rosebuds all over its cream-colored body. a sweet little face looks up at him. jin is talking excitedly because, like nat and fuyumi, jin also thinks touya should get a kitten. (he loves them so much after all! even if he would never use the world "love") this irritates touya and he ends up angrily confessing his fuck up to jin. which ends up to touya admitting why he refuses to have a cat.

there's arguing and finally just talking and jin somehow manages to get touya to question whether or not what he's believed since he was a kid is true. touya agrees to keep the kitten for now, but only if he moves in with jin (as friends bc they still don't realize they're head over heels for each other btw) bc maybe he should really get away from his father while he's sorting things out.

now touya won't stop holding this little baby. and jin has to compete with a cat for attention.

[0dotexe]

I'm really feeling some 𝔽𝔼𝔼𝕃𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 tonight and I thought I'd share something from my past that haunts me still.

It has been 18 years since my best friend died, and the memory haunts me. TW for animal death, bullying, family nonsense, the works.

This is gonna get long, I'm sorry.

Some background

Be me, a 13 y/o kid with autism going through the ringer in a catholic school. I have no friends, and most of the kids either bully me or avoid me. I was used to it at that point, but I longed for a friend for so long. I thought I could make some from extracurricular stuff like soccer or the scouts, but I just had this air to me that drove people away.

"Fine" I thought, "who needs friends anyways?" as I continue to try my best to survive.

The summer before the semester began I went to a scout camp that lasted a week. I was far from home and could usually do activities I enjoyed without being forced to socialize much. As my mom picks me up and we go to the peach festival in a town nearby she says there's a surprise for me at home. I cannot guess for the life of me what could be so surprising.

So we get home, technically my grandparents place. I'm greeted with something that genuinely makes the most excited I'll probably ever be in my life. We had cats in the backyard. A momma cat decided our place was suitable and let her kittens hide under a shed.

I immediately go outside and try to see the cats. The momma is surprisingly social but the kittens aren't, obviously. No big deal. I read about this in my giant cat book. I just need to get their trust.

Momma cat (Dyemond) had four kittens. Rocky Road, Cloud, Sprinkles, and Little D. These cats basically took over my life that summer. Grandpa set out a trap, captured Little D, and took him inside so we could give him food and I could socialize with him. His name basically was inspired by a white diamond on his back. Nothing too deep. But anyways.

I literally sit there for hours talking to him, giving him food (his favourite was ice cream), making him comfortable, until he isn't scared anymore. Unfortunately, my grandparents were apprehensive of letting cats stay inside (one part because they're hoarders, one part they didn't have the supplies to house him) so at the end of the day, we'd just let him go back outside. Stupid in hindsight, but I was a kid. I didn't know any better.

One day, I get back home from another grueling day at catholic school. At this point we don't have to trap Little D to have him be comfortable coming up to me, but something is off. He's not as energetic as he normally is, he's not purring, he looks banged up but that's just how cats are, right?

I raise my concerns with my family. Practically begging them to take him to the vet. I do this every fucking day until they finally do on a Friday. I raised this concern a week ago, and they're only JUST NOW getting to it? "Fine, whatever, so long as he's going to get better."

He was taken to the vet in the morning, and I was picked up from school the same afternoon, asking my mom, "What happened? Is Little D okay? What did the vet say?"

I can tell that my mom doesn't want to answer the questions I'm asking but I'm pestering her about it so she finally says, "He has cancer." Thinking I'll leave it at that. No the fuck I won't, I keep prying.

"Oh, so he just needs some medicine to feel better, right? Like chemo or something?"

"He's dead, [REDACTED]." is the last thing I remember hearing my mom say. The weekend following I remember literally nothing. I cannot for the life of me find a single memory of what I did. I asked my family to how I was during that time and they just said, "You didn't say or do anything." I believe this is the point in which my depression started and no one can tell me otherwise.

So, I need to bring up this guy

His name throughout this memory will be called S. I hate him, but I do respect people's privacy. So S was a new student that semester, and he made it his perogative to make my life a living hell. I'm sure he was a bully to everyone else too, but sometimes I feel like he singled me out more often than not. I was an easy target, because no one stood up for me.

S was the kind of guy who once he knew what pushed your buttons, he pushed all of them at once to see what reaction you'd have, and then push them once more for good measure. Even though his bullying affected me a bit, nothing hit me as hard as the day I come back to class after mourning (and still mourning) my only friend.

I was in a religion class (forced onto the curriculum, but I almost never paid attention unless Veggietales was playing, but I digress) and the teacher assigned homework over the weekend. Understandably, I didn't do it. I couldn't hand over my book, open to the page and it's blank. He asks me why I didn't do my homework, so I tell him the truth, "My cat died, I'm sorry." he quiets his voice and apologises, and gives me an opportunity to turn it in next class. I thank him quietly and go back to my desk.

But S had other plans. Oh, of course he did. He eavesdropped on the conversation, trying to find more bait to pester me with. This information seemed to be a goldmine for him as he stands up and yells, "Hey everyone! [REDACTED]'s cat died!"

The world around me stops. I hear a mix of laughter but also some "Dude what the heck" but I don't do anything other than lay my head on my desk, sobbing quietly. The teacher berates him, but he's not sent to the office.

S wasn't expelled until months later, when he called a crush of mine gay. That's neither here nor there, but I do find it kinda funny that, THAT was the defining moment for his expulsion from catholic school. Stay classy, catholics. I remember the day too because when I heard the announcement on the speaker; I almost fell out of my chair and just said out loud, "Thank god. I'm finally free. He's finally gone." Crying of course.

This memory haunts me, for a variety of reasons.

It's up there on one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. It's probably also one of the reasons I left the catholic faith because if someone like him can be a catholic, who else out there could hurt me?

A few years after mourning him, my mom seems annoyed at me, she says to me, "[REDACTED], Sometimes I wish I never told you he died. You just can't seem to get over it. He's just a cat, move on."

He wasn't "Just a cat" he was Little D. He was my best friend. He was euthanized. I wasn't there to comfort him. He loved ice cream. His purr was so loud it could cause an earthquake. I couldn't get him to the vet fast enough. He died. He fucking died. We buried him in the backyard, and I'm just supposed to "get over" that?

We had kept two of the other litter mates and got them to the vet immediately after this incident. Rocky Road and Cloud. Sprinkles just fucked off and was never seen again.

Those two are dead now too (they both lived for about 15 years), any connection I have to that part of my past is now gone. It hurts. It fucking hurts.

I'm sad everytime I think about this. I had to learn as a child to mourn in a way that makes it very hard to express my emotions. When I was at my grandpa's funeral, I couldn't cry. I had to cry in a locked room away from everyone else. My emotions weren't valuable or permitted to express to my family when I was truly suffering, so why show it then?

I don't know how to end this. If this helped you in some way, great. But just know this will never leave me. I can't "get over" it. Almost two decades later and I just can't get it out of my mind.

I'm sorry, Little D. I miss you.

⬖.Exe

[termytheantisocialbutterfly]

My coworker threatened me by saying she was going to bring two kittens to work in a box to try and get me to take them home

I'm not even kidding, she literally said, "[Termy], I'm going to bring two kittens in a box because I know you love them and you're always picking up strays"

And I hate myself for having to say "I have four cats and my fiancé will leave me if I bring more home"

[fushipurro]

In the Shadows of Love

Chapter 3 - Night Owl

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☆ Content: 18+ MDNI, mentions of alcohol/smoking, gangs/gang violence, angst, fluff, angst, insecure/intrusive thoughts, hurt/comfort (if you squint), mutual pining

☆ Word Count: 3.9k

For someone with anxiety, there are a multitude of situations that can trigger a fear response. One that never fails to set you off any time it happens, is that of someone knocking at your front door.

You were in a deep sleep when the intrusive noise began, jolting you from your slumber in a state of panic. With your phone in hand, ready to call for help ─ if need be, you swiftly leave your bed towards the source. You check the peephole first, revealing the shadow of someone large which only heightens your current state of fear. They knock again and by now, your skin is clammy and trembling with nerves.

And then the man backs away slightly from the door allowing the hallway light to shine down on him. Realization hits, and without waiting another moment, you open the door.

“…Toji?”

His face twitches ever so slightly, all words lost on him as emerald eyes trace your figure. You had gone to sleep wearing an oversized sweater stretching clear down to your thighs with extra baggy sleeves to compliment. Whether or not you have anything else underneath is a mystery, but not to you.

After a moment, he clears his throat. “Did I wake you from a nap?” he asks, and it’s obvious why he might think that way. Now that you’re coming down from the earlier panic, you notice your body is still plenty bit groggy and the urge to crawl back into bed is more enticing than ever to appease the dizziness.

Instead of telling him you’re akin to that of a vampire, you simply reply, “It’s all good, what do you need?”

He hesitates again, raising his hand sheepishly to the back of his neck ─ a subtlety, you’ve started to notice he performs when trying to express himself, as if the words he wants to say are almost foreign in nature.

“Could you watch the kid for a while?” he starts, swallowing thickly. “I hate to ask, but there’s a problem at work and I can’t get his usual sitter right now.”

“’Gumi?” You hide your face behind the door to yawn into your sleeve. “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Thanks doll, I’d appreciate that,” he sighs in relief. “I’ll be back in a few with him.”

He leaves, and you take that time to clean yourself up, preparing Tsumiki’s breakfast while you wait. This time, you’re ready when the knocking returns, happily opening the door for the two to enter. Tsumiki then comes trotting over, meowing away as she begs Toji for some attention. Megumi’s eyes light up, and he holds his hand out eagerly for her to sniff.

“Here’s some of his things to keep him entertained.” Toji hands you a small backpack. “You don’t need to fuss over anything, the kid’s got a good head on his own.” He brings his hand down over Megumi’s hair, roughing it up. At this point you question whether his hair is unruly because of genes or how often someone messes with it. “Be good Megs, I’ll see you later.” He smiles.

You and Megumi both wave goodbye to Toji as he leaves. With his father gone, the young child takes this chance to freely explore the rest of your apartment. He looks around with lips parted in wonder, taken aback by how colorful and full of life your home is. The walls are bright, every spot is decorated in a way perfect for you, there are plants near the windows, and best of all ─ Tsumiki.

Your sweet baby kitten has already taken a liking to Megumi just as much as she has his father. Her paws attempt to snag his pant strings, looking for any way she can get him to play with her. You point out a container of toys near her cat tree. “’Gumi, would you like to try some of these with her?”

He eagerly nods, opting for one of Tsumiki’s favorites ─ a bumblebee bound to a string that connects to a stick. While the two of them play, you decide to peek into the bag Toji had given you.

“Let’s see here… we’ve got coloring books with…no crayons?” Good thing I have my own. “Some toys, candy, and a note. Looks like that’s it,” you conclude. The note itself reads…

“Let me know if there’s any issues – Toji +81-46-8654-9433”

You punch the numbers into your contacts, deciding to make your first message to the man a photo of his son and your cat enjoying themselves.

On Toji’s end, he had just situated himself into his car when his phone beeps with a message. He’s confused at first to see an unknown number followed by a photo attachment, but his worries fade upon realization that it was only you texting him.

He admires the photo for a minute, happy to see his son look… happy. There are days he questions whether he’s good enough of a father to him. His memories always coming back to remind him of the promise he made, once upon a time.

Trusting another doesn’t come easy to Toji. Hell, it’s a miracle he even went out of his way to ask you, who he barely knows, to watch over his own flesh and blood. Despite that, he still willingly chose to, trusting his own instincts. Trusting you.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t desire to learn more about you. It could very well be a subtle detail you carry that reminds him of another, or maybe it’s something else altogether. Something new. In all honesty, he could have a file on you by morning from just a simple phone call. With his connections, it’d be a cinch, but at the same time feels wrong for him to do for whatever reason.

What he can understand, is that you’ve entered his life like a breath of fresh air at a time when he needed it most. Funny how in that moment, Toji had a cigarette in hand. He tells himself he’ll be rid of that bad habit someday.

Someday.

. . .

Toji enters the club and immediately hears the crunching of glass beneath his boots, earning a disgruntled noise from the man. Tables everywhere are flipped with alcohol pooling along the floor around broken bottles.

“What the fuck happened here?” he comments, a cold anger brewing in his body.

Choso ─ one of the other bartenders that Toji’s come to befriend ─ approaches with a broom in hand. “Some new faces decided to step on some toes and left here missing a few.”

Toji clicks his tongue out of sheer annoyance, “I’d like to make whoever broke everything to clean their shit up,” he nearly growls out the words. He guesses there might be a few other missing limbs given the splotches of red across the floor.

“Do that and we’d have more trouble,” Choso replies with a neutral tone. “Ryomen doesn’t answer to anyone.”

Ryomen.

It’s a name that sparks a clusterfuck of emotions in Toji, notably more malign than anything else. He was well aware that this was his territory Toji had moved into, and even more so that this job would inevitably bring the two closer in orbit to one another.

The man in question is a ruthless leader of one of the largest gangs in the area. A good portion of the funding to this club is handed down by him, hence why no authorities are being involved after whatever occurred the night before.

It was a calculated risk on Toji’s part, one where the pros outweighed the cons to leave his old life behind. Being an employee here brings some degree of protection for him and his son, as much as he hates to admit the need. A small price to pay for the problem he faces ─ one he hopes he can resolve before anything bad happens to someone he cares about.

You and Megumi spend your earlier time together by exhausting Tsumiki’s youthful energy, followed up with some coloring and other games with the toys Toji brought for the boy to play with. Most of his fun was found playing “doctor”, where he’d life a toy stethoscope to Tsumiki while you pretend to be his vet tech at times, or simply a patient.

After a while, he found your movie collection. He was especially fascinated by the sheer amount of kaiju films from Godzilla to Gamera, even the standalone Mothra films. He picked out Godzilla: Final Wars to watch, noticing the number of monsters the movie has across the back of the case meaning he’ll see plenty of different animals and action to match.

His excitement is palpable, in ways that remain true to his quiet demeanor. In your short history of babysitting (which is little to none), Megumi is by far the best kid you’ve watched over. He doesn’t sob, nor scream like a banshee ─ hell, he doesn’t even throw tantrums, not that you’ve had to scold him for anything. He’s a sweet kid.

You noticed it was getting to be around a good time to eat, deciding to ask, “Hey ‘Gumi, are you hungry at all? I can order us a pizza if you’d like.” He replies by happily nodding his head, no sooner returning his attention to the TV as one of the monsters lets out a roar. “Pizza it is.” You smile, pulling out your phone to order delivery.

Megumi’s quickly become a fan of the movie and the franchise as a whole. He seems to really enjoy whenever Mothra is on screen, which inevitably comes with some sniffling during the scene in which she sacrifices herself for the greater good against Gigan to aid Godzilla. Who can blame him though when you’re also needing a few tissues no matter how many times you’ve seen this movie.

The pizza arrives not long after, and Megumi is living it up. You end up needing to keep some napkins handy as it becomes hard for the boy to avoid smearing his lips with sauce but you’re glad he’s having fun.

Judging by the increase of yawns as time goes on, you can safely assume the food coma is starting to hit paired with his exhaustion from playing. You haven’t heard anything from Toji to assume he’ll be back anytime soon, but it doesn’t matter much to someone who lives like a vampire.

“You feeling sleepy, ‘Gumi?” He shakes his head, not ready for this wonderful day to end. “Why don’t we go get cleaned up, okay? Then we can come right back.,” you negotiate. Begrudgingly, he agrees, joining you in the bathroom where you supply whatever he needs to ready himself for bed.

You pass him a thick fuzzy blanket once back on the couch, and Tsumiki comes right up to cuddle with him. No matter how hard he tries to stay awake to continue the next movie, his efforts are futile as sleep takes over and he’s out like a light just minutes after. You send a text to let Toji know, moving away to your desk to get started on some overdue work.

The meeting you were late for in recent times progressed into a project with another agency, and all the preparations were time consuming to say the least. Turns out, they’re requesting you to work with one of the other company’s top models and the photos will end up on the cover of a popular fashion magazine.

It's exciting to say the least, but you can’t wrap your head around why of all the people your agency has to offer, they went out of their way to choose you to represent your company.

Work is work, and you can’t afford to be picky letting insecurities run wild, but still. You’re not some hot shot celebrity. Most of the modeling gigs you’ve had thus far centered around specific features like the hands, hair, simple clothing brands… nothing that comes close to warranting a red carpet.

The partner company’s specialty lies in high fashion, luxury clothes and whatever else screams “Hey, I’m rich!” And that’s not to mention the prominent people they have working for them ─ big wigs such as Satoru Gojo, Mei Mei, or Yorozu to name a few.

You know for sure that Mr. Nanami had a hand in selecting you for this, and for that, you’re grateful. You’ll just have to hope when the time comes that you can meet whatever expectations are set and still have a job by the end of it.

Toji’s work continued long into the midnight hours. The owner had decided it wouldn’t be worth opening for business, and instead have the workers use this “time off” to deep clean and restock the bar. No sooner was he free to go that the man slid into his car and sped (safely) home.

He enjoyed your periodic updates, always coming with photos of Megumi. Toji may not be good with feelings, especially when it comes to his own, but he tries. He tries to do good by his son and for those he cares about, even at the cost of himself. That’s all that matters to him.

And only he knows and can see just how much of a difference you’re making by being in Megumi’s life.

In his head, he knows what’s missing. For a while, he hoped it wouldn’t become an issue, leading him down a path of memories among earlier thoughts. He shrugs it aside as he exits his car, contemplating on smoking first to clear his head but finds his pack to be empty. Oh well, maybe now he can act on those sobering thoughts.

Some habits need to snuffed or replaced with something just as enticing, good or bad.

He debates on whether he should call, text, or even knock on your door at this time of night. A part of him considers leaving you alone until morning, giving you something extra for your trouble then. But before he even has a chance to go over the options once more, your front door opens.

To his surprise, you’re looking much more full of energy, devoid of that fear he saw swimming in your eyes. You part the door further, beckoning to him. “Please, come inside,” you murmur. He swallows thickly upon entering, his mind racing with questions.

Did you stay up waiting for him? Better yet, how did you even hear him before he made himself known? Toji is keen on staying low-profile and quiet as an owl, minus the hooting. So either you’re a night owl, or there’s some other reason for your ears to be as attentive as they are. Maybe a mix of both ─ not like he’s one to talk or judge, anyways.

More to the mystery that is the girl next-door.

“Sorry, work dragged on longer than I hoped,” he tells you, burying his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. “Hope you weren’t staying up just for me.”

“No worries,” you reply. “Was everything alright at work?” He follows you further into your home. While paying extra attention now, his ears can hardly pick up any sound your footsteps make across the wooden floors.

Are you always like this, or just around others? It could merely be because it’s nighttime and you’re trying to be considerate of others, but something tells the man it goes a lot deeper than that.

Toji huffs, frustration laced in both his exhale and words, “’s fine, annoying as hell though.” He rolls his eyes remembering the disaster he walked in on.

“I see… would you like something to eat? I’ve got plenty of leftover pizza, if you’d like.”

He thinks you must be some kind of mind reader on top of everything else, as the moment you ask, his stomach rumbles all low and resounding like thunder off in the distance. There wasn’t time for him to eat while on the job, so he’s more than happy to accept your offer.

“I’ll take that sound as a yes,” you chuckle, moving to grab the slices to reheat. For a big guy like Toji with an appetite to match, you imagine after tonight you won’t have any more pizza to spare (and that will prove to be true).

Toji takes this time to look around your apartment feeling similar to the way you felt when you came over for dinner. He hopes to find anything that might reveal more about you to him, like some of the obvious hobbies laying around.

There’s an easel with a painting in progress near a window, an electric piano and a few other instruments by the looks of it. There are other things too, but there’s one sight that catches his eye and breath above all else. Hanging off the front of your fridge is a familiar sheet of paper ─ a crayon drawing of a dozen rabbits, now paired with a second piece featuring a black and white wolf combo. Megumi isn’t even your son yet here you are displaying his artwork proudly to see each and every day. He’s not sure if he can imagine another scenario more endearing than this.

He doesn’t know how long his eyes remain on that spot till you pass by in front of him with the plate of food and something to drink. Toji’s eyes now attempt to focus on yours as you settle into the seat across from him. “How was he?” he asks softly.

“He was great!” You beam, while your fingers find a strand of hair to toy with as you speak, “We did a lot of coloring, playing, movies ─ oh and he couldn’t get enough of Tsumiki. He’s a good kid, Toji.”

He shakes his head, his mouth curling into that of a genuine smile. “Don’t know how I got so lucky with him.”

“Well, he’s lucky to have you,” you confess. “He thinks the world of you, telling me during this one movie about how, ‘My dad could take those aliens down, he’s the strongest!’” You try and mimic Megumi’s excited voice.

Toji grin stretches wider, flashing you his pearly white canines with a flex of his bicep ─ not that you’d even be able to see the muscle beneath his jacket ─ but the point remains. “He’s right, you know. I never lose a fight.”

You snort, “Oh, I believe you.”

“Good,” he replies between bites of his remaining pizza. A notification then chimes from your computer, which has you up and out of your seat, heading over to check it out. Toji watches your brows furrow with intent, furiously typing away a response to whatever came through. “Was this a bad time with work?”

“Hm?” you hum, angling your head in his direction. He reclines in his seat, half-turned to face you with his arm draping over the backing of the chair. “Oh, no, it’s nothing I can’t do from home,” you answer.

“Don’t models usually work outside in front of a camera and not their living room?” His voice is playful, but he does have a point ─ not that your income is solely dependent on modeling.

The words take a minute to come out of your mouth as you finish replying to the email. Turns out, you’re not the only one crunching work in the dead of night. Might be time to start a club with your fellow bats, owls, and other denizens of the witching hours.

“I do actually have a gig scheduled for next week.” You swivel your chair, facing him in full. “Everything right now is work from home if I can help it.” Your eyebrows twitch upwards following your words, a light huff leaving your nose.

“Oh?” Now you’ve got him interested. “What are you doing for that?” he asks, resting his cheek against his fist.

He expects you to answer as you normally would, maybe even with a hint of a blush to highlight your face. What you instead do is tuck your knees to your chest, lowering your chin as you shrink into yourself.

Why?

“It’s for an expensive clothing brand,” you start, not even sparing him a glance as he leaves his seat to take up residency closer to you. “They want to do a fall fashion shoot with this top model for a magazine cover, and… I was selected to work with them.”

To Toji, that sounds like a great opportunity.

Expensive brands mean juicy paychecks, so what could possibly be wrong with that? He’s no expert in the world of modeling. He also knows you may not even answer in full if he asks, but nevertheless, it’s worth a shot.

“What’s the matter with that then?” he questions, keeping his voice soft.

“I’m just–“ you exhale. “Not…used to this sort of thing,” you mutter, a look of defeat washing over you.

Toji takes that as a hint that you’re not ready to open up, and for that, he won’t push it. Even if he’s gritting his teeth to not inquire more, he doesn’t have any desire to make you uncomfortable. Something tells him that if he did, there would be no going back.

Proving his point, you shake off those thoughts by standing up, turning in the direction of the hallway leading to your bedroom. “Would you like to see Megumi now?”

He nods his head, “Sure, doll.”

Your bedroom is just as telling of your personality as the rest of your home, with Megumi metaphorically encased in a cloud. You have a good-sized mattress fitted with the softest sheets, thick blankets, and plenty of pillows to match. Tsumiki trills the second she notices the man, stretching her way over to his open palm for some love. She made the perfect companion for his son like that of the sister he never got to have.

You walk over to occupy your girl as Toji takes to unfurling the sheets, lifting Megumi up into one arm careful as can be to not disturb him. The boy groans ever so slightly, but his frog plush provides the comfort lost from not having a cat to cradle as he sleeps.

Toji can’t help but notice how sweet your room smells too. You had a few candles lit in the living room among soft amber lights perfectly placed to make the area feel peaceful as can be. As far as your bedroom goes, there’s a hypnotizing mix of a citrus, vanilla, and other lingering fragrants paired with your own natural scent. With such an eye for scents and styles, he can’t help but be further enticed.

You lead the way back out to your front door, and he takes Megumi’s bag, hoisting it up over his free shoulder.

“Thanks for watching him, it was a huge help.” He keeps his voice low, the words coming out in deep, rich waves. “And show those rich fucks what you’re made of next week.” He winks, happy to see the hint of a smile cross your face again.

A confidence booster in the most Toji way possible.

“Thanks, Toji,” you reply, thankful to the low levels of light for hiding any coloring that may be present on your cheeks and ears. “Have a good night.”

“You too, pretty girl,” he remarks right as your front door comes to a close, leaving you a mix of perplexed and well ─ flustered, to say the least.

On the opposite side of the door, Toji stands there for a moment realizing what he just said. His intentions were there to help you feel better, but the two words that left his mouth came as natural as breathing. It wasn’t a lie, so then why?

Why is his heart beating the way it is?

☆ Notes: we setting the stage now, baby!!!

this ended up being a pain in the ass when i revised this chapter because FUCK perspectives. i don't want to use 1st person when switching to toji povs, and considering i have more planned for the future, i hope what you see here is good enough