#and we were both in love with various characters

[gothamite-rambler]

"I'm your mother, but you died where I'm from." (Dimensional Crossroads)

Bruce discovers that the Batwoman from another world is, in fact, his mother. As the characters interact, they will refer to each other by their hero names, but I’ll stick to their real names in the tags.

Batwoman, Batman, and his family made their way back to the Batcave. While Batwoman was eager to focus on the unusual portals opening across various dimensions, her thoughts kept wandering back to the possibility of seeing her son’s face again.

As Batwoman admired the impressive sights of the Batcave, she was particularly fascinated by the eclectic collection of memorabilia that her son had accumulated during his time as Gotham's protector.

Martha (marveling): My word, this place is spectacular! I love that dinosaur statue.

Bruce (his eyebrow raised, unsure why she was focused on his batcave if she had her own): Um, thanks, but we can’t waste—

Martha (excitedly as she pointed at the giant one cent coin): That giant penny is amazing! In my world, I encountered a giant dime once. A criminal used it to sneak into a bank—it was a total Trojan horse situation. Where did you get this giant penny?

Bruce (exasperated): The crook used it for something similar, but during the chaos, it tipped over and crushed him. Can we—

Martha gave a hoity-toity giggle , eager to talk about her son’s life, even though they both knew they should be concentrating on the portals. She reached out and patted him on the back, leaving Batman momentarily confused, unaware that the woman before him was, in fact, his mother. She had acted like this since meeting him and it felt comforting, but odd as well.

Martha: It’s nice... cool, as the kids say. This hideout of yours is grandiose and well-insulated with air conditioning. I can't help but look around at what you've collected over the... decades of your life! I find your weapon of choice amazing too. I swiped one from your belt while you were distracted.

She held up the sleek black batarang; Batman tilted his head, trying to mask his shock.

Martha (admiring the weapon): This is well-made. Pointed edge, not too heavy—let’s see how it fares when thrown.

With a casual flick of her wrist, she sent the batarang soaring through the Batcave, striking a training dummy with remarkable precision.

Martha (clapping softly): Perfect aim! I still got it.

She laughed softly, sharing a glance with Batman, who was taken aback. There was an uncanny familiarity in her demeanor that stirred something deep within him.

Bruce (down playing the feat): That… was actually a good throw. Batwoman, was it?

Martha (nodding): Indeed.

Bruce (crossing his arms): Hm… I wasn’t sure if I could trust you, especially after you pulled out two guns—which I assume you took from my belt—but your composure when the portals opened is… admirable.

Martha clasped her hands and brought them to her lips with a charming smile. Bruce looked around, puzzled.

Bruce (taking a step back): Why do you keep looking at me like that? You’ve been doing it since we left town, and it’s creeping me out which is saying a lot.

Martha (feigning innocence): No reason! Um, but yes, you mentioned my gun.

Batwoman produced the weapon from her utility belt, a warm smile on her face.

Martha: I have many weapons I use to fight with, non-lethal ones. Not the batarang, might have to make one when I get back though. I'm not trigger happy or anything. I took a gun training course in Gotham in my middle age. I'm licensed! Want to hold it?

Batman snatched the gun away and placed it on his desk.

Bruce (firm, but tired): While you're here, I will kindly request you stop waving that around? I already have to deal with one of my sons using guns.

Martha covered her mouth, embarrassed, realizing that this version of her son likely lost his parents the same way she had lost hers.

Martha: My mistake. I can take a pause from using it, I'm trained in many methods of fighting for a reason although karate was a chore when I first signed up. Funny that out of the ones I learned that left me winded.

Bruce nodded, crossing his arms once more. He felt uncertain about trusting the woman; he knew she could easily swipe the gun again, but his curiosity about why she had it lingered.

Bruce (bluntly asking): Batwoman, I'm going to ask you something personal, but I don't mean to be malicious. If you’re a protector of Gotham like I am, why do you use a gun? I thought you would follow the same rule as I do.

Martha (smiling plaintively as her hands fiddled together): Let me share part of my story. I spent years training to become Gotham's protector. You didn’t think I would be inept at swiping things from unsuspecting people, did you?

She laughed again, a somewhat forced laugh, as she slapped Bruce on the arm. He shook his head, a small smile breaking through.

Martha: Although, to be fair, one of my Doves wants... nothing to do with them.

Bruce: Dove?

Martha: Yes, that’s what I call them, all my little Doves. I debated on that, blue jay, owls-

Bruce (knowing smile): I'm kind of glad you didn't choose owls, I dealt with a crazy version of myself that was owl themed once.

Martha (warmly): Lucky me... I love my doves dearly as if they were my first born child. I loved telling them stories about h- them. That's their sibling they never got to meet, you know? Anyways, I don’t shoot criminals willy-nilly, but I'm a woman of a certain age and I need protection, such as this.

Bruce: How old are you?

Martha (sternly): Never ask a woman her age; it's rude. Got it?

Bruce (surprised when speaking): Oh, sorry… did I just apologize?

Martha (playfully): You could say I have that motherly charm. Oh, how I wish my child could’ve fought alongside me.

Batwoman's expression softened at the thought of her son. She looked away from Bruce, a moment of contemplation settling between them.

Martha (contemplative speaking): You know, I was married once, too. He was an incredible man. We met at a gala—our parents probably set us up, but it felt fated. Hm… Are you married?

Bruce (firmly): No.

Martha (curious): Hm, how many kids do you have?

Bruce (defensively): I’m not comfortable answering that… I’d prefer to focus on the portals—

Martha (interrupting): One step at a time, kid. We’ve both dealt with worse. I wanted to know you a bit more while I still can. I had a biological son; you remind me so much of who he could’ve been. May he and his father rest in peace. But I’ve also adopted a few kids. They’re wonderful.

Batwoman chuckled, shaking her head gently.

Martha (hands on her hips): Kids… Silly to say when they’re all adults, but even when one is gone, you should never truly stop living or saving others. You know?

Bruce (sympathizing): I… see what you mean.

She patted him on the shoulder before walking past him again, taking in the vastness of the Batcave once more.

Martha (candidly): I want to savor this moment with you, but I've held off on this long enough.

Turning to face the Caped Crusader, she walked closer but kept a respectful distance, unable to read his expression.

Martha (tentatively): I hope I’m not mistaken, but you’re Bruce Wayne, son of Martha and Thomas Wayne, and I’m guessing in this world, we are the ones who died in that alley.

Batman's eyes widened, but he clamped down on his emotions.

Bruce (stammering): I—Alley—We’re?

Martha smiled gently and removed her mask, revealing a woman of mature age who bore an uncanny resemblance to Bruce’s mother.

Martha (calmly, as she could muster): I’m Martha Wayne. The night after we left the movies, my family and I went down that alley. A coward tried to rob us, brandishing a gun and shouting, “Give me the money!” My husband, may he rest in peace, wasn’t about to let us be harmed. He fought back, but the gun went off accidentally. He wasn’t hit… I wasn’t hit, but…

Martha took a deep breath, to steady her emotions as she recounted the past.

Martha (clenching her fists): He killed our son. The gun went off again. My husband grabbed the gun and then collapsed—the love of my life, shot. But it wasn’t just the gun that killed him; it was the thief who turned his evil eyes on me. The gun wasn’t in his hands, but in that moment, I laid my son gently on the ground, seized the weapon with my bloodied hands, pulled the trigger, and he died. That night, I watched my family vanish before my eyes. I couldn’t save them in time. And that was the first time I killed someone.

Batman remained silent, grappling with the weight of her words.

Martha (heavy-hearted): You can imagine how that weighed on me. I had to put on a brave face, even as a widow who lost her only child. I spent 16 years honing my skills to be the best hero Gotham has ever seen. It wasn’t easy; many dismissed me as just a rich woman. They thought I should have written a cookbook, married another wealthy man I wouldn't love, and just been miserable… And yes, I’m still depressed, but I refused to play the part of a conventional wife with some stranger. Thomas was the only one who truly understood me.

Bruce (achingly): Oh God, you said his name again.

Martha (understandingly): It's a shock, isn’t it? When I first became Batwoman, I was ruthless. I beat them down, broke a few kneecaps, but my first Dove helped me temper my rage. You’ll like her; she’s your cousin.

Bruce (slightly gasping): Kate?

Batman gasped at the slip, confirming for Martha that this was indeed Bruce Wayne. She smiled widely, clasping her hands.

Martha: Does this mean I’m right? You’re really him? You’re my baby boy? Well… I suppose “baby boy” feels a bit silly now.

Bruce (denying, incredulous): I… No, this can’t be real. My real mother wouldn’t use a gun.

Martha (keeping her composure): To be fair, you died in my arms, and I watched your father take his last breath that night too. It seems we chose different paths in weapon handling. I understand your apprehensions about it; surprisingly, I haven’t killed many. Although I understand you being bothered by that. My second Dove, now going by Batgirl, believes prison can manage most of them.

Batman anxiously took a few cautious steps back, anxiety bubbling to the surface.

Martha (calmly, reassuring tone): Hey, it’s okay. I get that this is overwhelming. But I can prove that I'm Martha Wayne, and I won’t hurt you. You love dinosaurs, you had a red tricycle you adored riding around the house, your favorite cake was either red velvet or chocolate, and you idolized heroes like Zorro and Sherlock Holmes. Your father would—

Batman (shakily): Read me Sherlock Holmes books in his study… Mom?

Martha nodded and pulled a second red and black gun out of her belt, gently placing the earlier gun on the ground to signal she meant no harm.

Martha (her heart racing): If you are Bruce Wayne… I want to spend these fleeting moments fighting crime and fixing these portals with my son. I understand I have to return to my world… I know you’re not the version of my son I lost, but I want to be with you for this time. I promise I won’t shoot anyone and will respect your rules while I’m here.

A poignant silence filled the air as they both held their breath, the tension palpable. Batman stared, wrestling with his emotions before finally pulling off his mask, tears threatening to spill.

Bruce (tenderly): Hi, Mom.

Martha (softly): Hi, baby.

Martha rushed over and enveloped her son in a tight embrace—a warmth they both longed for since losing their families in different worlds. Their moment of reconnection was suddenly interrupted by Alfred and Selina entering the Batcave.

Selina (confused): Um… what did we just walk into?

Martha (terrified): Monster!

Martha quickly pulled out another gun, instinctively pushing Bruce behind her and aiming the weapon at Selina, sending alarm bells ringing throughout the cave.

Bruce (surprised and back to being annoyed): Why do you have so many guns?

Martha (speaking quickly): Rule of three; this is my last one. Promise. Stay behind Mama!

Alfred (dropping his tray, shocked): Mama?

Bruce (explaining while slightly amused): Um… there's a world where my father and I died, and she survived and firmly believes in the Second Amendment. She's alive and next to me! Look at how pretty she is.

Martha (grinning while maintaining her motherly tone): Good explanation, Bruce and thank you.

Bruce held his head, a smile on his lips, though he was unsure of what to do next. Selina shot a worried glance at Alfred, her expression filled with uncertainty, but he simply shrugged, clutching the tray against his chest like a shield.

When Martha's hand remained steady while she kept the gun aimed at Selina, the latter instinctively raised her hands, a surge of fear washing over her.

Meanwhile, Bruce attempted to reason with his mother, his voice betraying a slight tremor. The whole situation felt surreal. He didn’t want his mother to shoot his girlfriend, but this was his mom! It was a perplexing dilemma for a man who wasn’t the one facing the gun.

To be continued...

Parts so far:

Dimensional Crossroads (Martha)

Dimensional Crossroads pt 2

Inspired by a fanfic where Jason from the current canon and a version from a timeline he survived switched places

Meanwhile with canon Jason Todd in the alternate world

[championofthefade]

Thinking about Veilguard sometimes really makes me start picking it apart.

Yes, I did like it for what it is. But as someone who played the three games for the first time this year, I found it disheartening at times.

Long story short for those who rather not read my rambling: I liked Veilguard, but there are parts that just don't feel right and that everything we've done in Thedas the last three games were all for naught. (I'm yapping about my complaints, might make a more positive post later)

It's a mixed bag, really.

While I liked the gameplay, there are things that just don't rub me the right way.

The first immediate example is how the (only, in my opinion) major choice we are presented with is choosing Treviso and Minrathous. We have the choice to harden the other companions in spirit, but the only ones that actually are affected are Lucanis and Neve.

While I have done both paths, I can't say that one is a better choice over the other. Shadow Dragons are decimated if you choose Treviso, Treviso is blighted if you choose Minrathous. I think that it's fair that Lucanis doesn't want to romance Rook if you choose Minrathous, because he wants to save his city from dying. He trusted you to follow through, while Neve expects that you won't since she's a cynic. Which makes sense why she's willing to still romance you if you choose to save Treviso, although it'll be a bit more challenging to, because you were presented with an impossible choice. I don't mind that he ends up with Neve, even if the romance for all the companions kinda fall flat if you think about it too much.

Another thing is Taash. Their identity is important to their story, but having Rook (us the player) choose how to deal with their cultural crisis doesn't make sense and makes me not want to repeat those quests. Why is there no option to embrace both the Qun and being Rivani? Why am I the one choosing how Taash chooses to express themselves? Relating back to the city choices, Lucanis and Neve both choose their hardened options with Illario (getting jail) and Aelia (being given to the Threads). With Taash, the choices are a little less clear to me. I think we shouldn't be able to dictate one's cultural choices.

One of the worst choices that we have to make as Rook is Harding vs Davrin. Thinking about the amount of people who are saving Davrin just for Assan is actually crazy to me. I love Davrin, but he's reminding me of what happened to Wyll in BG3, and it's not a fun time. (I can barely pick up BG3 for various reasons and this is one of them.) I'm glad Bioware doesn't pander to the fans that are loud, because I don't have to worry about everyone's favorite white boy getting more content than the only black companion (saying this as a white person myself). I will always save Davrin because he is a compelling character even without Assan. I love the feather-brain but I feel like I want to know Davrin more than his mythical son.

I hate that we only got three world state choices, two of which don't really matter since it's more flavor text. It doesn't matter if we disbanded or merged into the Chantry, we don't see the consequences of those actions. It doesn't matter if your Inquisitor wants to Stop Solas at All Costs, because apparently they feel responsible for Solas being... Well, Solas. And our romances, outside of Solavellan, were reduced to a codex entry and sidelined.

Yes, Solas is important, and yes, I expected his romance to be given more light. I'm in the camp of people who feared that was going to be the case. And it was.

Yes, I agree that him getting a Good Ending with his vhenan is one of the better endings, but his friendship one and facing his fear of dying alone is also important. I liked playing a Rook that tricked him, I liked playing a Rook that chose to fight him as well. I'm glad we have at least those aspects that we can control.

As someone who has romanced Lucanis and Neve so far, I wish there were more little cutscenes, and not just for Lucanis. I'm just okay with how things are, even if they're a bit empty in comparison to what we could've had. That being said, I think that there's always room for improvement to have a more fulfilling resolution to the romance in the game the devs claimed was the most romantic. I wish there was more, I wish that there had been more to support that claim. I want to feel closer to these companions, and I am sure that I will as time goes on. But as it stands, for now after sitting with the game for nearly a month (11/29), I wish we had gotten more.

I would like to say that it really doesn't feel like the most romantic compared to the other three games. (Blackwall's "heart laid bare", Dorian's "you're dreadfully dull and I hate you", Josephine's letter of "let me make a promise to you here. I dream you will say yes", Zevran's "I'll storm the Black City for you, never doubt it", Anders' "ten years, a hundred years from now, someone like me will love someone like you, and there will be no templars to tear them apart", just to name the few that feel more romantic than what we're sitting with for Veilguard romances. And one of them is a codex entry.)

I hate that we have to learn through missives that the South is gone, save for Skyhold. I hate that we had no power to help the South, and that the last three games were all for naught. It's upsetting to know that Ferelden is gone. RIP Orlais, you slayed too close to the sun. Kirkwall being empty is a scary thought, but it's gone too.

It makes me wonder where HOF is. Did they ever find a cure? Are they even alive? What about a Hawke that didn't get left in the Fade? You mean to tell me that they wouldn't be out there in the frontlines doing something? You mean to tell me that they're sitting on their asses?

Varric dying is something else entirely, but it's just gut wrenching that we don't even get to mourn him. A second playthrough was mindbogglingly eye-opening. Harding was mourning when you check on her in her little room. Neve reminisces about how Varric brought her onto the job and she wishes that she didn't take it. They were mourning while Rook probably looked like they were in the denial stage of grief. What killed me inside was the fact I caught it the first time when Bellara name dropped Varric like she didn't know he was there. That's when I started thinking maybe he was gone, but I didn't want to believe it. I had to step away from my computer when the reveal happened because I was devastated.

We don't get to see just how the team made the fake lyrium dagger, or how they even managed to find Rook in the first place. We don't get to see the love interest's reaction, only the aftermath where they are still registering that Rook is there. We don't even get an explanation on how those things were possible. To create a perfect lyrium replica and locate someone in the Fade? Knowing that we could've had a mission to save whoever was left in the Fade hurts. RIP to those left in the Fade.

The secret ending is just... Bewildering to say the least. What do you mean that there's an even bigger force that has been controlling the narrative from Across the Sea? What do you mean these incredibly well written villains had no agency in their choices and were being used to orchestrate whatever the hell the Executors wanted?

Again, what do you mean that all that we've been through in Thedas just doesn't matter anymore?

[agaypanic]

Benny Weir x witch(earth priestess) reader whose discreetly been helping the crew who thinks shes human and unaware; when shes caught using magic its a big “wait you seriously didn’t notice this before?” Moment from reader

Ps love your mbav fics, sad to see some characters are gonna leave your request list soon💜💜💜

Witch Reader With Benny Weir Headcanons

Masterlist

Request Something!

***

You guys probably met through Grandma Weir

Like maybe you’re a granddaughter of one of her friends, and they needed help with something

Lemme shamelessly promo a fic of mine with a similar plot real quick

But anywayssss

The rest of your new friends don’t know that you’re a witch 

“So, how did you and Benny meet?” Sarah asked you as you settled into your chairs. Benny’s friends insisted on him inviting you to hang out with them at a pizza shop in town so they could get to know you. Although they loved Benny, they found it a little hard to believe that he had a girlfriend who lived in a neighboring town and went to another school. “He says you go to another school and all.”

“Yeah, I don’t see how he had the time to meet you when he’s always busy doing…” Erica trailed off, looking at Benny while wondering how to phrase the rest of her sentence. “Geek stuff.”

You chuckled at Benny’s annoyed expression, patting his shoulder before answering Sarah’s question. “We met through our grandmas, actually. Benny’s grandma invited mine over to catch up and do some…” Although you knew about the group’s supernatural identities, you weren’t sure if Benny had disclosed yours to them. Plus, you didn’t feel like openly talking about witchcraft in a pizza shop filled with likely normal people. “Girl stuff. And my grandma brought me along to meet Benny.”

“Yup. And I swept her right off her feet.” Your boyfriend smirked, slyly putting an arm around your shoulder. You snorted.

“Yeah, he did. Wasn’t looking where he was going, so he ran right into me and knocked me over.”

You quickly become part of the friend group

Traveling the short distance to Whitechapel to hang out quickly becomes part of your daily routine

You can tell they’re still a bit cautious around you

They don’t know you know about vampires, wizards, and all that spooky stuff

But you never find a reason to bring up the fact that you know or that you’re a witch, so you decide to just play along

Although they tried their best, your friends weren’t the best at being convincing or subtle. It was another regular night at the Morgan house. Everyone comes over to hang out and “babysit” Jane, and something weird or demonic happens, but it all gets resolved by the time Ethan’s parents come home from whatever obscure activity they were partaking in that night.

But this time, you were at the house too. And everyone, minus Benny, of course, didn’t know that you were aware of the supernatural. So they needed to get you away from all the zombified animals surrounding the house, caused by an incorrectly incanted spell by your boyfriend. Of course.

Benny and Ethan had ushered you up the stairs to Jane’s room, talking about how you should keep her company while they took care of an animal problem in the backyard. You tried to insist on helping, but Ethan was adamant that you stayed upstairs. Both you and Benny didn’t feel like explaining that you’d be fine when everyone else was so tense, so you quickly ended up agreeing.

Ethan knocked on Jane’s door before opening it without waiting for an answer and pushing you into the room. “Jane, we have to take care of something, so Y/n is gonna play with you. Don’t look out the window.”

When the boys left, you and Jane immediately looked out her window. Directly below you was a pack of various animals, growling and clawing at the house’s back door.

“Do you think this is Benny’s fault?” Jane asked nonchalantly. 

You looked at her in slight shock. “You know? About…”

The little girl nodded. “He’s a wizard, Ethan has visions, and Sarah, Erica, and Rory are vampires. No big deal.” You let out a little laugh of disbelief at her calmness. She must have known this for a long time. “Wanna play a game?”

“Sure. But first…” You looked back out the window, quickly muttering a spell that would tire the zombie animals, hoping it would make some retreat back to where they came from. “Might as well help them out a little.”

“You’re a witch?” Jane asked, pulling out Candyland. You nodded, sitting on the floor and helping her set up the game. “Cool.”

“It’ll be our little secret.” You say, holding up your pinky finger. She locked it with her own and nodded.

But eventually, secrets have to come out

You were at Benny’s house helping him with some work, both for school and for magic

The rest of your friends were coming over later

But you lost track of time, and they came in mid-spell

“Hey, kids.” Grandma Weir smiled at the bunch of teens standing at her front door. “Benny and Y/n are upstairs in his room doing some homework. Feel free to go on up.”

They all thanked her as they walked into the house, heading up the stairs to Benny’s room. Before they got to the door, Rory stopped them all.

“Wait.” He said quietly. “What if they’re making out in there or something?”

“Gross.” Erica grimaced at the thought.

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Who cares? Let’s just go in.”

“Fine,” Rory responded, putting his hand on the doorknob. “But if I get traumatized, it’s your fault.”

“Fine by me, just open the door.”

With vampire speed, Rory was in Benny’s room in the blink of an eye. But instead of looking horrified or amused from catching you and Benny in some kind of act, he looked beyond confused. 

“Oh, hey, Rory.”

“What the hell is she doing?!”

Everyone else rushed in, wondering what Rory could have possibly been looking at. The sight was definitely shocking, but not for the reason they assumed.

You and Benny stared at the group, not expecting all of them to barge in and look at you with such suspicion. You soon noticed that they were focused on a book that you were levitating as a demonstration for Benny. “What?”

Ethan pointed at the book. “What are you doing?”

Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, you flick your wrist and send the book flying over to Benny, who reacts just fast enough to catch the object with his hand instead of his face. “Basic levitation spell.”

“Okay… Why are you doing that?”

“I think the better question is,” Sarah corrected, raising a brow in curiosity, “How are you doing that?”

You sat on the edge of Benny’s bed with a shrug. “I’m a witch.”

It took a second for the group to process that information. Once they did, they started to blurt out all sorts of questions. The main one being, why didn’t you tell them any sooner?

“Didn’t think I had to.” You answered honestly. “Have you guys really thought I’ve been a complete mortal this whole time? I do magic around you all the time.”

“You have?” Sarah questioned. “Like when?”

“Conjuring plates of food out of nowhere when I’m hungry, using speed spells to get to classes on time, busting open lockers or doors for jerks to run into before they can mess with you. I think the biggest thing I’ve done was send some of those zombie animals back to their graves that one night.”

“That was you?” Ethan asked, both impressed and shocked. “I thought Benny was just getting better at his magic.”

Erica snorted. “Yeah, like that’ll ever happen.”

***

Benny Weir Taglist: @batmandallyboy @june-julie

[novathehoe]

canon event of sitting next to my girlfriend while she watches the matrix for the first time

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Why Fenris could Never Cameo in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

In the run up to Dragon age: The Veilguard, I was almost certain that Fenris would be our main legacy character from previous games. Not only has he been central in the comics released between DAI and DATV, he is an escaped Tevinter slave who's plot revolved around magisters, magic and the structural prejudices surrounding elves in Thedas. Not only that, but he's canonically in Tevinter killing slavers currently so he's geographically in the right place for us to meet him.

About halfway through the game though, it was clear to me: Fenris could never cameo in The Veilguard. Because he'd break it.

How the Veilguard treats Thedas is...odd to me, to say the least. I will be writing another post about how much I adored the expanded big lore in this game (the titans, ancient elves were spirits, where the blight came from etc.) and yet while these large lore expansions worked for me, the actual culture of modern Thedas is entirely softened, its sharp edges filed down until it's a sanitised fantasy world devoid of what made the franchise so vibrant and compelling in the first place.

So let's start with Fenris and slavery. In all three games, the reality of slavery is pushing at the corners of the world. In DAO Loghain allows Tevinter Magisters to enslave elves in order to raise money for his war effort. In DA2 Fenris is fighting to be free from slavers who will not leave him be, let alone the reminders that the city was built by slaves which are everywhere. In DAI one of the two possible mini-bosses is Calpurnia who was a slave, and characters such as Gatt and Dorian both show us how much slavery is tied into Tevinters culture and success.

But DATV the first game actually set in Tevinter where we get to see the famed Minrathous...it's like the game purposefully wants to avoid the issue. I can feel it tilting the camera away to not allow me to see. Slavery is mentioned, but never talked about in depth or as a specifically ELVEN problem in Tevinter. This might have been done to be less problematic, it feels ignored.

We are in DOCK TOWN. We are at the DOCKS. You would think that slaves from all over Thedas who are being smuggled and bought by various groups would be everywhere. You would think that the injustice in dock town would be partly built on the back of ships we've seen in the comics crammed with elves in chains. This is the world Dragon age set up for us. And yet...nothing. zilch. A tiny easily skippable side quest where we free a couple of venatori slaves, but only one of whom is an elf.

None of our Tevinter characters seem to have been influenced by their culture even a little bit when it comes to how they view elves; there is no moment when Neve fucks up and says something prejudiced, no moment when Bellara or Davrin are distrustful of her for being a Tevinter mage.

The same goes for Zevran; a character who epitomised the issues with the crows. The crows have consistently been characterised as very morally dubious assassins who kill for the highest bidder and who buy children on the slave market and torture them as they grow in order to assure that they reach maturity able to withstand torture without giving away a client's name. Zevran is very explicit about the fact that if you fail a contract your life is forefit.

Nobody responds particularly to you if you're an elf. Nobody trusts rook less for it in Tevinter. Nobody treats Rook any differently. Even DAI had better mechanics for this; with nobles in Orlais less likely to trust you as an elf.

Considering one of the main plot points of this game and what makes Solas sympathetic is the fact that he was fighting against the slavery of ancient elves...you'd think the game might want to mirror that in modern Thedas. It might want to show us how characters fighting to end slavery in Tevinter are similar to Solas and how the society Solas fought against was similar to the one that characters we love such as Fenris have fought against in modern Thedas. Maybe we'd want to explore how in a world of slavery like this, how could the answer NOT be to tear it all down? Maybe we should have that option at the end of the game so it really can chose whether we agree with Solas and his plans or not.

Adding Fenris to this game would entirely break the game because Fenris refuses to allow you to look away from this horror. He is a sympathetic character who had to learn to trust mages again because of course he didn't trust them. Of course he didn't. Fenris wouldn't allow the camera to shift focus because he's literally covered in the lyrium scars that show how slaves are used as experiments in Tevinter. Fenris WOULD question Neve on how she feels about elves and slaves. Fenris WOULD have things to say about Lucanis and the crows (let alone the fact Lucanis is an abomonation). So he could never be in this game; he'd drop a bomb on it's carefully constructed blinders to the very society its supposed to be set in.

And yet, in DATV, the crows are presented as...a found family of misfits and orphans? The politician who opposes the crows having absolute power in Antiva is framed as a comically evil idiot who doesn't understand that the crows are ontologically good. Yet...they're NOT. Crows in this game act more like a secret rebel group than an assassin organisation. We see no crow taking contracts with the VERY RICH venatori magisters despite being hired killers. We see crows just refuse to kill people despite having a contract because 'its crueler to leave them alive'. The crows don't feel like the crows here, they feel like a softened version of a cool assassin group who are cool because they wear black and purple.

Our pirate group are also sanitised; the Lords of Fortune are good pirates who only steal treasure that's not culturally significant. Theyve clearly read the modern critiques of the British Museum and have decided to explicitly stop anyone levelling similar critiques at them. There is no faction of the Lords of Fortune who aren't like this, no internal arguments about it. Everyone just. Agrees. And is able to accurately tell what a cultural artifact is vs. what treasure that you can have yourself is. Rather than showing us why a pirate stealing cultural artifacts might be bad (like in da2 where such a situation literally causes a coup and a war) it just tells us it's bad. But also pirates are cool so we still want them in our world.

This issue seaps into Thedas and drains it of any of the interesting complexity and ability to SAY anything that this franchise had before this game. It becomes a game about telling and not showing rather than the other way around. The games have ALWAYS asked questions about oppressive structural systems and their interplay with society, religion and culture and how these things can affect even the most well meaning character. Dragon age at its best IS a game about society and how society functions both for and against it's characters and what happens to societies built on cruelty and indifference. The best bad guys dragon age has given us are those who are bad because they embody these systems or have been shaped by them. Our main characters have had to wrestle with questions surrounding how to exist in these systems, fight against them, learn and grow.

Yet every group you come across in DATV is sanitised and cleaned up to the point of being as non problematic as humanly possible. None of our cast of characters have to wrestle with where they came from or the world that shaped them. None of them have to confront their own biases. They start the game perfectly non-problematic and end it that way too.

And this just...isn't what Dragon Age has been in the past. It isn't why I love the franchise. The whole game just felt, in a way, hollow. And this was a CHOICE and it is why the legacy characters are few and far between. Too many dragon age characters are just too...angry and complex for this game. You can feel them pulling their punches on this one. I have to imagine they did this because they didn't want to be criticised or have too much controversy? But I think it honestly goes far too much in the other direction and just makes it bland.

I can't imagine what I say here will be unique, but it is the basis for a LOT of my other thoughts on this game so I wanted to get it out of the way first. The softened Thedas and characters make this game by far the weakest in the franchise.

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

Y'know, there's this gripe I've had for years that really frustrates me, and it has to do with Love, Simon and people joking about it and calling it too-pg and designed-for-straight-people and all the like. (A similar thing has happened to Heartstopper, but that's another conversation.)

I saw Love, Simon in theaters when it came out my senior year in high school. I saw it three times, once with my friends/parents on opening night, once with my brother over spring break, and once with my grandparents.

On opening night, the air in the room was electric. It was palpable. Half the heads in there were dyed various colors. Queer kids were holding hands. We were all crying and laughing and cheering as a group. My friends grabbed my hands at the part where Simon was outed and didn't let go until his parents were saying that they accepted him. My friend came out to me as non-binary. Another person in our group admitted that she had feelings for girls. It was incredible. I left shaking. This was the first mainstream queer romance movie that had ever been produced by one of the main five studios, and I know that sounds like another "first queer character from Disney" bit but you have to understand that even in 2018 this was groundbreaking. Getting to have a sweet queer rom-com where the main character was told that he got "to breathe now" after coming out meant so much to me and my friends.

But also, from a designed-for-straight-people POV (which, to be frank, it was written by a bisexual author and directed by a gay man, this was not designed for straight audiences), why is it a bad thing that it appealed to the widest possible audience? That it could make my parents and grandparents see things in a new light? My stepdad wasn't at all interested in rom-coms but he saw it with me because it was something I cared about and he hugged me when we came out of the theater. My very Catholic grandparents watched it with me and though my grandpa said he still didn't quite understand the whole 'gay thing,' all he wanted was for me to be happy and to have a happy ending like Simon did. My Nana actually cried when Simon came out and squeeze my hand when his mother told him he could breathe.

And when Martin blackmailed Simon, my mom, badass ally that she is, literally hissed "Dropkick him. Dropkick him in the balls" leading to multiple queer kids in the audience to laugh or smile. Having my parents there- the only parents, by the way, out of my group of queer and questioning friends- made multiple people realize that supportive adults were out there. That parents like those in Love, Simon do exist in real life.

When people complain about Heartstopper not being realistic or Love, Simon being too cutesy, I remember seeing Love, Simon on opening night. I remember my friend coming out and my stepdad hugging me and my mom defending us through this character. I remember the cheers that went through the audience when Bram and Simon kissed and the chatter in the foyer after the movie was over and the way that this movie made me understand that happy endings do exist.

Queer kids need happy endings. Straight people need entry points to becoming allies. Both of these things can come together in beautiful ways. They can find out about more queer culture later, but for now, let them have this. Let them all have a glimpse at a better, happier world. Let them have queer joy.

[sustiawan-author]

You guys put me up to this (lol). Here are some of my thoughts on how I think The X-Files could've been improved? At least show-wise. Reddit was being unnecessarily cynical about this so let's just take these here.

Plot patterns. It gets repetitive my love like </3 I'm sure you've all seen the memes, but every episode goes through the exact same order: something strange happens, Scully hands the file to Mulder or the other way around, Mulder puts up a strong but absurd theory about what could've been a cause for such absurdity, Scully denies it with "scientific" cynicism, and the end of the episode concludes Mulder being right. It's almost always this way. And the lack of variety in plot structure, not to mention for how long the show went on, made it feel... old? Like for once I want Scully to be right about her gut, or maybe let's see them both be wrong, or let's explore many other structurally varied points to vamp it up a bit.

This, in turn, kind of pissed me off? Cause in the beginning, I loved Scully to bits. She was cynically funny, snarky, logical, and says what's true in-your-face. But when the pattern of Mulder being right about his preconceived theories gets used repeatedly, and we still see her emit the same snarky stubbornness and supposed "scientific" cynicysm even when put forth with the fact that what Mulder says has a 98% chance of being true, it just makes her seem like a bitter and, in turn, illogical character.

We need more POC </3 I know it was the 90s, but if a kids' show like Barney & Friends can even do it, I don't see the excuse lol.

I mostly see such potential for Scully's character. She could've been a strong woman in an otherwise male-dominated environment, who's both empathetic, emotionally intelligent & emotionally available, gentle, and kind, but also does not take any disrespect — but instead we get a cardboard-stale robot. I know she's smart, but along the way she became so in ally with the system that I feel like Mulder was working through these otherwise unconventional cases all by himself. I'm not saying she should jump up and cheer him on like an overeager college girl but it would've been somewhat a nice change to see genuine self awareness coming from her.

I know they tried to depict Fox as dysfunctional when Dana's not around, but to be real, I think these characters were created purposely as polarized extremes of two archetypes. They need to be more humanized in a way that makes... a bit more sense sociologically!

I really wish their banter was just pure banter and not bordering on insults or physical attacks on eo and then slapping a rubber duck-patterned band-aid over it and call it Quality TV Romance. Lolz.

Mulder and Scully being so good together onscreen is mainly and mostly courtesy of Gillian Anderson & David Duchovny's chemistry </3

I wish they could've stayed good friends and kin instead of lovers. I really wished that by the first few episodes of the series. If they wanted to make the insults and physical humor between the two work, it would've been more heartwarming to see them get together in a way a found family would be protective of one another — even through the various chastising lol.

That's it for now 💀 I love this show to bits, but as an author, there are times where we need to do a bit of a surgery-review to certain fictional works and observe them not just through a lens of unbridled admiration and love, but also a constructively critical approach especially through the basis of being a fan of the series/movie/book. Let me know what you think though! ♡

@california-112

I've got some HOT NEWS unpopular opinions for you guys about The X-Files that would probably put me in an actual FBI watchlist but if I get enough notes on this post I might as well just put myself up for it.

[creamflix]

(various) jujutsu kaisen men x female reader; 18+ content (MINORS OR BLANK/AGELESS BLOGS dni or follow, you'll be blocked), NSFW UNDER THE CUT (hence why it is so short), established relationship, sexy time!!! (unprotected sex, creampies, breeding kink, facials, mating press !!, oral [f. & m receiving separate], overstimulation + orgasm denial, missionary [surprising], whiney choso, mirror sex, grinding/humping, riding shiu’s fingers [and him] !!, mean!dom shiu, degradation, service top nanami <3, titty fucking !!, backshots, sort of pet play), cat ears duh, some characters seem ooc sorry includes (seperate): gojo satoru, suguru geto, ryomen sukuna, choso kamo, shiu kong, toji fushiguro, nanami kento, ino takuma – masterlist here ☆～（ゝ。∂）

GOJO SATORU’s antics always kept you guessing, but this? this was a whole new level.

you barely had time to process it when he casually pulled out his own custom-made cat ears — fluffy and white, perfectly matching his snow-colored hair. his signature smirk stretched across his lips as he teased, “cute, right? but i think you should wear the ones you bought for me.” the mischief in his cerulean eyes was unmistakable, practically daring you to say something, but before you knew it, you were the one wearing them, too stunned to argue.

“now we’re matching,” he cooed, stepping closer, his thumb brushing over your cheek in that playful, disarming way that always left you feeling flushed. you should’ve known better than to fall for it — gojo never did anything halfway.

the fluffy ears on your head shifted slightly as he leaned in, his own custom pair perched snugly atop his white hair, making the whole thing even more ridiculous. but when he kissed you, your body melted into his hands, your earlier amusement vanishing as he deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing yours. and before you knew it, he had you pinned beneath him, legs thrown over his broad shoulders, folding you into the meanest mating press imaginable.

his cock slammed into you, stretching you so wide and so deep you couldn’t even think straight. your back arched from the bed, the cat ears on top of your head sliding a little, but gojo’s sharp gaze didn’t miss a thing. “careful, kitty,” he groaned, grabbing your hips roughly as he drove himself deeper inside you. “don’t want those cute ears to fall off now, do we?”

you could barely respond, too cock-drunk to care about anything else — too lost in the relentless, punishing pace of his thrusts. every time he pulled out, your walls clenched around him, begging for more, and he gave it to you without hesitation. his cock filled you perfectly, making you feel like you were made for him. all you could do was take it, your breath coming out in ragged gasps as the fluffy ears on both of your heads bounced with every thrust.

“fuck — you’re takin’ me so well, baby,” he groaned, his voice thick with lust as he kept his brutal rhythm, his cock bullying your walls. “always knew you’d be perfect f’me. you love this, huh? love how deep i’m fuckin’ you?”

the ears wobbled on his head as he grinned down at you, his breath hot against your lips. you couldn’t even roll your eyes at his cocky attitude. his hips were moving so fast, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room, the fluffy cat ears swaying with every snap of his hips.

“look at you,” he panted, glancing up at the ears perched on your head, his smirk widening. “you’re already fucked dumb, huh? can’t even think straight — god, you’re so cute.”

his teasing had you trembling beneath him, thighs shaking from the relentless pressure. the overstimulation made you whimper, your whole body on fire, and your arms flailed, trying to grab onto anything to ground yourself. gojo leaned in, his face inches from yours, and with each sharp thrust, those stupid white ears on his head tilted ever so slightly, making the whole thing even more absurd.

“fuckin’ adorable,” he rasped, his fingers gripping your thighs as he pounded into you harder. “bet you’re gonna look even cuter when i mess up that pretty face.”

your head lolled to the side, but the cat ears stayed perched on your head, the soft fur brushing against your hair with each rough thrust. the pressure in your core was unbearable, and the way he was filling you, splitting you open, only made it worse. you could feel the ears slipping slightly with every brutal movement, but you didn’t care — you were too far gone.

“gonna cum for me, kitty?” gojo groaned, his thrusts growing more erratic as he chased his own release, his cock twitching inside you. “gonna cum all over my cock like the good girl you are?”

your nod was weak, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes as your body tensed. you were so close — right on the edge — and when he pushed in one last time, so deep it knocked the breath from your lungs, you fell apart, your orgasm crashing through you. you clenched around him as you came hard, crying out his name as your body trembled beneath him.

“good fuckin’ girl,” he growled, watching as you came undone, your body shuddering from the intensity. but even as your body slumped, spent and shaking, he wasn’t done with you.

just when you thought it was over, gojo pulled out with a rough groan, leaving you feeling empty and dazed. your chest heaved, your legs still trembling, but you barely had time to catch your breath before he was fisting his cock in his hand, his eyes locked onto your face.

“open up,” he commanded, and you barely had a second to comply before hot, thick ropes of cum shot from his cock, painting your face in messy streaks. some of it landed on your lips, your cheeks, and — of course —  splattered right onto the fluffy cat ears perched on your head. gojo let out a low, satisfied groan, still stroking himself as the last of his cum dripped down onto your flushed skin.

“fuck,” he muttered, grinning as he surveyed the mess he made of you. “you look so fuckin’ cute with my cum all over your face. and those ears…” he let out a soft laugh, reaching out to flick one of the ears on your head, now slick with his release. “guess i’ll need to clean you up, huh?”

you couldn’t even respond, your mind still foggy and your body wrecked, the weight of everything hitting you all at once. but through the haze, you caught the glint of amusement in gojo’s eyes as he tilted his head, his own cat ears still perched on his head, white and pristine despite the mess he’d made of you.

“my pretty little kitty,” he murmured, thumb brushing your cheek to wipe some of the cum away, only to smear it further. and even though you were completely ruined, face dripping with his cum and your own cat ears now a sticky mess, you couldn’t help but smile — because GOJO SATORU always knew how to ruin you in the most satisfying way.

SUGURU GETO is a busy man.

being a cult leader and all, he has plenty of responsibilities that keep him preoccupied. the idea of him wearing cat ears? hilarious, sure, but also something you never dared bring up around him. he’d just tease you about it, probably call you silly or kiddish. not in a mean way — just amused, like he always is when you have your playful moments.

so when you step out of the shower one evening and notice your plush cat ears missing from the closet, confusion hits. where could they have gone?

"hey, suguru," you call out, towel wrapped around you. "have you seen a, uh… hairband?" you hesitate, trying not to sound too suspicious.

and then there he is, standing casually in the doorway, those missing cat ears perched perfectly on top of his head. the look on his face? nothing short of a shit-eating grin, smug and amused as hell.

your jaw practically drops.

"looking for these?" he asks, voice smooth as he leans against the doorframe, fingers lazily tapping the cat ears like he’s been waiting for this moment all day.

“you —” you blink, still processing what you’re seeing. suguru geto, cult leader, with cat ears on his head. and somehow, he manages to pull it off, making it both ridiculous and stupidly attractive at the same time.

he laughs, low and teasing, stepping closer until he’s towering over you. "couldn’t resist. you left them in plain sight, after all," he says, his fingers brushing your chin as he tilts your head up to meet his gaze. his eyes sparkle with amusement, even after what must’ve been a long, exhausting day.

and before you can even get another word out, he pulls you into him, his lips finding yours with a slow, heated kiss. his hands slide down to grip your hips, his body pressed flush against yours. you pull back just slightly, panting, still catching glimpses of those damn cat ears sitting on his head. "you’re seriously gonna wear those while we—"

"why not?" he interrupts, his lips curling into a smirk as he starts pushing you back toward the bed. "i think they suit me."

and damn it, you hate to admit it, but as his hands wander and his body covers yours, cat ears and all, you can’t deny how hot it is. something about his calm yet commanding presence paired with that playful touch of absurdity just works, and now you're the one in over your head.

he has you pinned to the bed, his large hands gripping your thighs as he slowly works his way between them. the cat ears are still perched perfectly on his head, the image almost absurd — yet there’s nothing funny about the way his mouth moves against you. slow, deliberate, with that same smirk he’s been wearing all night. every flick of his tongue has you gasping, trembling beneath him, the pressure building in a way that’s almost too much.

“s-suguru —” you breathe, your hands instinctively flying down to his head, fingers tangling in his dark hair. it’s overwhelming, the way his mouth feels, and without thinking, you try to push him off — just for a second, just to catch your breath. but instead of his hair, your hand accidentally tugs at the soft, plush cat ears still sitting on his head.

he pulls back just enough to look up at you, one eyebrow raised, his lips glistening, an amused grin forming on his face. "that's bad manners," he says in that deep, smooth voice of his. "tugging at my ears like that? guess you need to be taught a lesson."

before you can even apologize or respond, he’s diving back in, his grip on your thighs tightening as he doubles down. his tongue moves faster, more insistent now, teasing every sensitive spot as you arch against him. your whimpers turn into full-blown moans, your body shaking under the relentless pressure.

"s-suguru — please," you gasp, but he doesn’t let up. if anything, the smugness in his eyes only grows as he watches you fall apart under his touch.

“you asked for this,” he murmurs against you between long, languid strokes. “don’t think i’ll stop until you’ve learned your lesson.”

and with that, he pushes you past the edge, overstimulating you. every brush of his tongue makes your legs twitch, makes your mind spin, but he doesn’t stop. not even for a second. he’s intent on keeping you there, stuck in that overwhelming pleasure until you can barely think straight, each wave of sensation crashing over you until it’s all too much.

"oh god — suguru, i —" you cry out, hands gripping the sheets, but there’s no mercy in his eyes as he continues, his deep chuckle vibrating against your core.

"that's it," he murmurs, voice low and teasing. "now, you’ll think twice before pulling on my ears again."

getting RYOMEN SUKUNA to wear cat ears? good luck.

he doesn’t care if you waited in line for hours to snag the cutest pair, doesn’t care that it’s the latest trend on tiktok or whatever else you find adorable in that stupid phone of yours. the king of curses?

yeah, he’s not about to be caught in something so ridiculous.

“no way,” he says, arms crossed, leaning back against the wall with a scoff, half-amused and half-annoyed. you pout, sulking dramatically as you stare at him. “please? just try them on! it’ll be fun!” you add, your voice dripping with charm. he only raises an eyebrow, clearly unamused. you even throw your phone across the room, desperate to prove your point. “see? no pics, i promise! just for a second?”

but he’s still a hard no. “you’re really trying to convince me to wear cat ears?” he scoffs, his deep voice dripping with disbelief.

so you pull out your secret weapon, aiming straight for his ego. “maybe you're just a pussy, or even worse - not man enough to wear these.”

the moment the words leave your mouth, you can practically feel the heat radiating from him. sukuna’s eyes narrow, a dangerous glint flashing as he stands up, muscles tensing. he’s ticked off, and in an instant, he snatches the cat ears from your hands, wearing them with a devilish grin that sends a thrill down your spine. “show you how man i can be, huh?”

before you can react, he hoists you over his heavily tattooed shoulder, the movement both surprising and exhilarating. your heart races as he strides to the bedroom, his grip firm and possessive. you know you’ve crossed a line, and there’s no backing down now.

once inside, he tosses you onto the bed, the soft sheets contrasting with the hard planes of his body. “you wanted me to wear them, right?” he says, his voice a low growl, filled with mischief. “well, now you get to see what kind of man i really am.”

with that, he moves between your legs, his presence looming over you like a predator. he takes a moment to admire you, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he leans down, brushing his lips against yours. his kisses are slow and teasing, igniting a fire deep within you, but he doesn’t linger. instead, he pulls away just enough to watch your reaction, those cat ears perched adorably on his head.

“see? still a man,” he growls, his voice dripping with confidence as he finally aligns himself against you. he pushes in slowly, filling you up completely, the stretch making you gasp. “you wanted this, didn’t you?”

he begins to move, thrusting into you with a primal intensity, each powerful stroke sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. the cat ears bob with each movement, an absurd contrast to the raw, overwhelming desire radiating from him. you can’t help but giggle at the sight, but that only fuels his determination to dominate you further.

“you think this is funny?” he growls, his voice low and rough, a smirk dancing on his lips. “let’s see how you feel about it now.” he quickens his pace, each thrust hitting deeper, more deliberately, pushing you closer to the edge.

the sound of skin slapping against skin fills the room, mingling with your breathy moans and his deep growls. sukuna leans closer, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers filthy praises, the warmth of his breath making your skin tingle. “you’re perfect, taking me so well,” he murmurs, punctuating each word with a brutal thrust that leaves you gasping.

your body responds instinctively, arching into him as pleasure courses through you. “sukuna, please,” you beg, eyes rolling back as he angles his hips just right, hitting that sweet spot deep inside you.

“please what?” he taunts, his lips curling into a smirk. “beg for it.”

“please, i need you,” you whimper, desperate to cum, but he only laughs, a dark, rumbling sound that reverberates through your chest.

“not yet,” he says, the dominant glint in his eyes igniting even more heat within you. he increases his pace, relentless and unyielding, each thrust sending you closer to the brink. the world outside disappears; all that exists is the pleasure building between you and the man above you.

with one particularly deep thrust, you feel the familiar wave of ecstasy crashing over you, pulling you under as you let out a loud moan. “sukuna, i’m —”

“that’s it. let it go,” he growls, his voice rough as he cums inside you. he holds you tight against him, the cat ears jostling wildly as he rides out your orgasms together.

as you both come down from your high, he rolls onto his side, pulling you close and grinning down at you with that unmistakable satisfaction in his eyes. “next time, think twice before challenging me,” he whispers, a mischievous glint still shining in his eyes, and you can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all — because despite the ridiculousness of the situation, you wouldn’t change a thing.

it starts off innocently enough.

you hand CHOSO KAMO the pair of black cat ears, grinning as you place them on his head. he tilts his head slightly, fingers gently brushing against the fuzzy material, eyes full of confusion.

“what are these for?” he asks, his voice soft and unsure, the way he always is when it comes to trying new things with you. his inexperience is clear, but he’s willing to trust you, no matter how strange things might seem to him.

you giggle, leaning in to kiss the tip of his nose. “just something cute for you to wear, baby. it matches your hair.”

he hums in response, the thought that this might be some sort of human tradition when in love lingering in the back of his mind. so, he wears them proudly, even though he doesn’t fully understand why.

it’s only when you’re both tangled in bed later that the conversation takes a sharp turn. you’re teasing him, fingers running through his hair, when you joke, “maybe you should keep the cat ears on next time we have sex.”

you’re not entirely serious, just poking fun, but something in choso’s brain clicks. the way his pupils dilate, his breathing stutters — it’s almost too obvious that something has snapped inside him.

“you… you want me to wear them while we…?” his voice is deeper, laced with confusion and a growing intensity. his fingers tighten on your waist as he looks at you, trying to piece it all together.

you nod, not quite sure where his mind is going, but you’re intrigued. “yeah, you’d look cute.”

he swallows hard, and it’s then you notice the flush creeping up his neck. “you mean… you want me to breed you?”

your eyes widen at his sudden shift, but before you can even think of correcting him, his hands grip you tighter, pulling you closer. “you… want me to cum inside you. fill you up.” his voice is trembling, almost desperate. “that’s what the ears are for, right? to make me… like an animal?”

your breath hitches, realizing where this is going, but it’s too late to stop him now. the thought of breeding you has consumed him, overtaken any sense of clarity. you feel the shift in his pace, the way his hips move with newfound urgency, the soft grunts he lets out as he sinks deeper inside you.

“baby —” you gasp, your body arching under him. “i didn’t mean —”

“no,” he whines, his breath hot against your ear. “please. please, i have to. i have to breed you. i need to.”

and god, the desperation in his voice is enough to make you forget everything else. the way he’s looking at you, eyes filled with need, hips trembling as he pushes into you again and again, it’s impossible to deny him.

but still, when you feel that familiar tightness building in your core, you manage to pant, “choso, pull out —”

his response is immediate, a choked, whiny sob that makes your heart stutter. “no,” he begs, voice cracking. “please. i — i need to cum inside you. please, let me fill you up. how else am i supposed to breed you?”

you don’t stand a chance against that. the broken desperation in his voice, the way his body is shaking, so close to losing control. you grab his shoulders, pulling him down to you, whispering breathlessly, “okay, baby, cum inside me. give me all of it.”

the sob that leaves his throat as he cums inside you is nothing short of pathetic, but god, it’s beautiful. his hips stutter as he finishes in you, filling you up just like he wanted, his breathing erratic, body trembling with the intensity of it all.

and when it’s over, when he’s still panting, buried deep inside you, his forehead pressed against yours, you can’t help but smile at him. “you really thought i wanted you to breed me just because of the cat ears?”

he nods weakly, still catching his breath. “i… i just thought that’s what you meant. i’m sorry if i —”

you press a kiss to his lips, cutting off his apology. “it’s okay, baby. you did good.”

he blushes, burying his face in your neck, still too shy to meet your eyes after all of that.

SHIU KONG is a busy man.

he loves you, but sometimes he’s genuinely lost on where you get all of your ideas from. shit, maybe he should start doomscrolling, just like toji cheekily suggests, so he can keep up with your endless train of thought. honestly, he's never seen anything quite like the cat ears you got out for him, and he’s so amused when you place them on his head without any warning while he’s leaning back against the balcony railing, cigarette dangling between his lips.

“what’s this about now, huh?” he chuckles, smoke lazily drifting into the air as he flicks his eyes toward the little ears sitting atop his head, his lips curling in amusement.

you grin, walking over and giving him a playful wink. “just thought you’d look cute in them. and guess what? i was right.”

shiu huffs out a laugh, exhaling another cloud of smoke. “cute, huh? didn’t know that was my style.”

before he can say more, you cheekily suggest, “how about we include it during sex?”

that makes him pause mid-drag, almost choking on the smoke. this? you want to include this in bed? sure, he’s used to matching your demands in bed — pushing limits and meeting you at every wild request — but this? this was... new.

“you’re really something else, princess,” he mutters, shaking his head with an amused grin. but shiu kong isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

which is exactly why you found yourself seated on his lap right now, facing the mirror, your legs spread wide as you grind against his hand, his fingers slipping between your folds, teasing you, but never giving you what you need. your breath hitches as you move your hips, trying to get more friction, more anything, but shiu’s grip on your waist is firm, holding you back just enough to drive you crazy.

shiu exhales a slow, steady stream of smoke, the cigarette dangling from his lips as he lounges back, completely unfazed by the cat ears sitting atop his head. “you’ve really outdone yourself this time, princess,” he murmurs, amusement lacing his voice as his fingers continue to toy with your clit, slow and lazy, just enough to keep you on edge but not enough to satisfy.

“fuck, shiu,” you whine, biting your lip as you catch his eyes in the reflection, the cat ears on his head somehow making him look even more smug. “don’t tease me like this.”

he hums, taking another drag of his cigarette, his eyes never leaving yours in the mirror. “tease you?” he chuckles softly, his fingers brushing against your clit with agonizing slowness. “i thought you liked this, baby. isn’t this what you wanted?”

you can feel the heat pooling between your legs, the need building with every slow circle of his fingers, but he’s not giving in — he’s making you work for it, and it’s driving you wild. “yeah, but — shit — i didn’t think you’d make me wait this long,” you gasp, your body trembling as you rock your hips, trying to get more of his touch, trying to feel him inside you. “please, shiu…”

he smirks around the cigarette, watching as you squirm on his lap, your desperation obvious in the way your hips move, your breath coming in ragged gasps. “look at you,” he mutters, voice low and teasing as his fingers slip lower, brushing against your entrance but never pushing in. “so needy, huh? you gonna show me how bad you want it, princess?”

you let out a soft whimper, nodding as you grind down harder, trying to push his fingers inside you, but he holds back, still teasing, still making you wait. “please,” you breathe, your voice shaky, barely holding onto control as his fingers keep circling your clit, slow and torturous. “i’ll do anything.”

he raises an eyebrow, taking one last drag of his cigarette before stubbing it out in the ashtray beside him, his free hand sliding up your thigh as his fingers finally push inside you, making you gasp. “anything, huh?” he murmurs, his voice low and rough as he curls his fingers inside you, hitting that sweet spot that makes your whole body shudder. “then show me, baby. ride my fingers.”

you don’t need any more encouragement. you move your hips, grinding down onto his hand, your breath coming in short, ragged gasps as you ride his fingers, the slick sounds of your arousal filling the room. the cat ears on shiu's head bob slightly with your movement, and you can’t help but let out a soft giggle at how ridiculous the situation is — your rough, no-nonsense boyfriend wearing cat ears while toying with you — but the second the sound leaves your lips, shiu’s grip tightens on your waist.

“what’s so funny, huh?” he growls softly, thrusting his fingers deeper inside you, making you gasp. “you think this is a game?”

“n-no —” you stammer, but your words are cut off by a sharp moan as he curls his fingers again, hitting that spot that has you seeing stars. “fuck, shiu, i didn’t mean —”

“didn’t mean what?” he interrupts, his voice low and dangerous as he picks up the pace, his fingers thrusting into you harder, faster. “you think i’m here for your entertainment, princess?”

your head is spinning, your body trembling as you try to keep up with his pace, your hips grinding down onto his hand as your breath comes in desperate, ragged gasps. “n-no, i just —” 

“just what?” he growls, his voice thick with lust as his fingers fuck into you mercilessly. “tell me, baby. tell me how bad you want it.”

your mind is a haze of pleasure, and all you can do is whimper, your hands gripping his thighs as you try to keep yourself upright, the feeling of his fingers inside you overwhelming. “i want it,” you gasp, your voice barely coherent as the pleasure builds inside you, your hips moving frantically against his hand. “i want you so bad, shiu, please —”

he smirks, his grip tightening on your waist as he pulls you down harder onto his fingers, his voice a low rumble in your ear. “good girl. now, if you’re real lucky,” he purrs, his breath hot against your neck, “i might just give you what you really want.”

with that, he pulls his fingers out of you, leaving you gasping, desperate for more, and you whimper at the loss of contact. but before you can protest, shiu is already undoing his belt, his cock springing free as he flips you over to face him, gripping your waist as he positions you on top of him.

“think you deserve it, princess?” he murmurs, his voice thick with lust as he presses the tip of his cock against your dripping cunt, teasing you just like before, not giving you what you need just yet.

“y-yes,” you breathe, your whole body trembling as you try to sink down onto him, but he holds you back, making you wait, making you beg for it. 

“we’ll see,” he growls, his eyes locked on yours in the mirror as he finally, finally thrusts up into you, his cock stretching you open as he fills you completely.

you let out a loud moan, your hands flying to his chest for support as you grind down on him, your body shaking with the intensity of it all. “fuck, shiu,” you gasp, your voice breathless as you move your hips, riding him just like he told you to, the pleasure building with every thrust. 

his grip on your waist is bruising, his thrusts deep and hard as he watches you in the mirror, his eyes dark with lust. “that’s it,” he groans, his voice rough as he pulls you down onto his cock, his hips slamming into yours with each movement. “show me how much you need it.”

and you do, your body moving on its own as you ride him, the pleasure overwhelming, your mind going blank as he fucks you harder, faster, his cock hitting that sweet spot inside you with every thrust. 

“good girl,” he growls, his voice thick with satisfaction as he watches you fall apart on his cock, your moans growing louder, more desperate with each thrust. “ya gonna cum for me, princess?”

you nod frantically, your body trembling as you feel yourself nearing the edge, your hands gripping his shoulders as you ride him harder, faster, desperate to cum. 

“then cum for me,” he growls, his voice rough as he thrusts up into you one last time, sending you spiraling over the edge. your whole body shudders, your orgasm crashing over you in waves as you moan his name, your nails digging into his skin as you cling to him, your mind blank with pleasure. he follows right after, his grip on your waist tightening as he thrusts up into you one last time, his cock twitching inside you as he cums, filling you up. 

you both stay like that for a moment, breathing heavily, your bodies pressed together as the aftershocks of your orgasms ripple through you. shiu pulls you close, his lips brushing against your neck as he chuckles softly. 

“you’re something else, princess,” he murmurs, his voice filled with lazy affection as he reaches up, adjusting the crooked cat ears on his head with a smirk. “but i guess i’ll keep up with your little games… just this once.” 

you giggle softly, still catching your breath, as you lean back against him, your head resting on his shoulder as you smile. 

“just this once, huh?” you tease, already knowing better. 

he smirks, pressing a kiss to your neck as his hand lazily trails down your body, already teasing you again. 

“we’ll see,” he mutters, his voice low and teasing.

TOJI FUSHIGURO walks through the door after a long day, eyes immediately landing on you sprawled out on the sofa. the sight of you, wearing those cute little cat ears and a sly smile, makes him chuckle low under his breath. you’re always pulling these little stunts, trying to get a rise out of him. but when you suggest that he wears them?

that gets him laughing.

“you want me to wear those?” he scoffs, clearly amused, but when he sees the way your eyes sparkle with mischief, he knows where this is headed. “fine... just for a few minutes, baby. just for you.”

he lets you place the cat ears on his head, your fingers brushing through his hair while you bite your lip in excitement. what starts as playful amusement quickly turns into something far more charged when you straddle his lap, your hips grinding down against the bulge already forming in his pants. he’s got this grin on his face, one that tells you he’s onto you, knows exactly what you’re up to. “so this was your plan all along, huh?” he murmurs, voice dropping low as he leans in, lips brushing your ear. “wanted me to fuck you with these ears on, didn’t you, kitty?”

the way your breath hitches gives you away, and it’s all the encouragement he needs. his hand wraps around your throat, pulling you closer so his lips hover just over yours. “you’re such a little tease, always needing something to keep that mouth busy,” he groans, eyes dark as they roam over your flushed face. before you even register it, you’re off his lap and on your knees between his legs, fingers working to unbuckle his belt with shaking hands, already imagining how full your mouth is going to be in just a few seconds.

he watches you with those predatory eyes, and the second you take him in your mouth, that smirk of his only grows. “fuck... just like that, kitty. always so eager to choke on my cock,” he grunts, voice rough as his hand tangles in your hair, guiding your movements. the way you gag around him has his cock throbbing in your throat, and when you look up at him, eyes watery and desperate, he can’t help but lose it.

that’s when he grabs the cat ears and puts them on your head instead. “there... that’s where these belong,” he says, voice dripping with satisfaction as he watches the way you struggle to keep up with his pace, his cock growing even harder as he thrusts into your mouth. “look at you, all pretty with those ears on, taking my cock like a good little slut.”

the way he twitches in your mouth makes you moan around him, your eyes rolling back as you feel the heat pool between your legs. he’s so big, so thick, stretching your throat until you can barely breathe, and yet you can’t get enough. you’re whimpering around him, saliva dripping down your chin as you struggle to keep up with his rough pace, and toji’s practically growling above you, watching you come undone. “god, you’re such a fucking mess, kitty. love how you look with my cock down your throat. bet you can’t wait to get fucked, huh?”

and as much as you want to, you can’t respond. not with your mouth so full, not with him relentlessly fucking your face like he owns it. but you don’t need to say a word, because the way you’re gripping his thighs, the way your body trembles, says everything he needs to know.

“come on, baby. let’s get you up here so i can fuck that pussy,” he groans, pulling you off his cock with a wet pop, the sight of you with those ears and the dazed look in your eyes nearly making him lose control right then and there. “i’m gonna fuck you so good, you won’t be able to think of anything but my cock for days.”

NANAMI KENTO loves you to bits and pieces.

he's always ready to indulge in your antics, no matter how ridiculous they might seem. because let's face it – you bring a light into his life that no one else ever has. so when you tossed him a pair of cat ears with a teasing grin, he raised an eyebrow. sure, they were interesting. he didn’t exactly get the appeal of wearing them himself, but when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, the way the little ears perched on his head looked… silly.

you burst into laughter as he stared at his reflection, lips twitching with the faintest hint of amusement.

“you don’t have to wear them if you don’t want to,” you giggle, already expecting him to take them off.

but instead, nanami shrugs. “i don’t mind.”

you blink, surprised, but don’t push any further. he humors you like this more often than you expect. indulges you. and in the back of his mind, he knows how much joy it brings you, how you light up every time he goes along with your little whims.

and then, out of nowhere, you joke, "you should wear them while you fuck me."

he almost chokes on his tea. a full, sharp cough as his eyes widen slightly. "excuse me?"

you’re quick to backtrack, waving your hands in the air, heat rising to your cheeks. "i was joking! you don’t have to, kento, seriously —"

but nanami’s already looking at you like he’s considering it, really considering it. he sets his cup down slowly, fixing his gaze on you in that calm, steady way of his.

"you’re serious about this?" he asks, voice low, and it makes a shiver crawl down your spine. you nod sheepishly, biting your lip.

"only if you're comfortable with it…" your voice trails off, but there's a glint in his eye now, something unreadable, and your pulse quickens.

he stands, crossing the room in that effortless way he does, and suddenly he’s in front of you, towering over you. his hand reaches up to brush your hair behind your ear, and he leans down to murmur in your ear, "if it’s something you want, i’ll do it."

your breath catches, a soft gasp leaving your lips as his words sink in. he’s serious. nanami kento, in all his quiet, thoughtful glory, is seriously considering fucking you with those silly little cat ears on his head.

"you… you don’t have to…" you manage to stammer, but he shakes his head.

"no, i want to," he says, and there’s something dark, something teasing in the way he says it. "if that’s what you want, you’ll get it."

he steps back, his fingers trailing down your arm before he turns, walking toward the bed. he picks up the cat ears again, and without breaking eye contact with you, he places them back on his head, the corners of his lips quirking up just a fraction.

"now," he says, his voice dropping an octave as he unbuttons the top of his shirt, "why don’t you come here and show me how much you want this?"

the heat between your legs grows unbearable as you scramble to your feet, already breathless just from the way he looks at you. the cat ears might’ve been a joke, but the way nanami's towering figure looms over you now, the promise in his voice, the tension thickening the air between you — it’s anything but funny.

he leans down, catching your lips in a heated kiss, his hands gripping your hips, and you can’t stop the moan that escapes your throat when he presses you against the bed.

"i'm going to take care of you," he whispers, the cat ears still on his head as he kisses down your neck. his mouth trails lower, hot and slow, as his hands roam your body, and your breath hitches at the way his fingers trace the hem of your underwear. "just like you asked."

you can't help but laugh breathlessly, fingers tangling in his hair, tugging him closer. “you look ridiculous,” you gasp, as he nips at your skin.

he pulls back slightly, cat ears tilted just a bit from the motion, his gaze dark and intense as he looks down at you. “maybe,” he admits, voice a rough whisper, “but you're the one who's going to be moaning my name, so i think i win.”

nanami never could resist you — especially not when you’re looking up at him with that glint in your eye, biting your lip, and practically begging without saying a word. the cat ears are still perched on his head, a little crooked, but he doesn’t seem to care as he leans over you, his fingers tracing the line of your collarbone, his lips ghosting over your ear.

“you sure about this?” his voice is low, teasing. he knows damn well what you want, but he still waits for your nod, that soft sound of anticipation leaving your lips.

“yes,” you whisper, breathless, as your chest rises and falls under his gaze. “want you to fuck my tits.”

the smirk that tugs at his lips is so rare, so fleeting, but it’s there —and it’s enough to make you feel like you’re about to melt into the mattress. his hand trails down your body, lingering over your breasts, cupping them in his large hands before his fingers gently squeeze.

“whatever you want,” he murmurs, sliding down the bed slightly, positioning himself between your legs. his cock, already heavy and hard, brushes against you, and you shiver at the warmth of it, the promise of what’s coming.

he adjusts the cat ears on his head with one hand, giving you a look of pure, focused concentration that almost makes you giggle, but the sight of his cock, so close to your chest, quickly wipes the amusement from your mind.

nanami watches your reaction, his eyes darkening as he presses his cock between your tits, letting out a quiet groan at the feeling. the warmth of your skin, the softness — he can’t help the low, deep sound that escapes his throat as you squeeze your breasts together around him.

“fuck…” he mutters, thrusting slowly at first, savoring the sensation as he moves between them. his gaze flickers to your face, watching how you bite your lip, eyes wide and hungry as you stare up at him. “you look so beautiful like this.”

your hands come up to cup your breasts, pressing them tighter around his length, and the way he groans at the sight of it has your stomach fluttering, heat pooling between your legs. he’s trying to stay composed, but you can tell by the way his hips jerk, the quiet groans he’s letting slip, that you’re driving him crazy.

“kento…” you murmur, your voice barely a whisper as he picks up the pace, his cock sliding through the valley of your breasts, the head of it brushing against your chin. “feels so good…”

his breath hitches, and his hands grip the headboard to steady himself as he thrusts harder, losing a bit of the careful control he’s known for. “you’re… incredible,” he mutters, voice strained. his eyes never leave your face, drinking in every expression you make, every soft moan that spills from your lips.

you squeeze your breasts tighter around him, and he lets out a harsh groan, his thrusts becoming more erratic, the cat ears now askew on his head from the way he’s moving. the sight of him like this — eyes blown wide with lust, face flushed, those ridiculous ears still perched on his head — makes your whole body feel like it’s on fire.

“kento,” you whine, the sound of his cock slick between your tits making your head spin. “want you to cum for me…”

his jaw clenches at your words, his hips snapping harder against your chest, and you feel his cock twitch between your breasts. his breath comes in ragged gasps, his movements rough and unrestrained now.

“fuck,” he growls, and the deep rumble of it sends a shiver down your spine. “gonna—”

and with a few more thrusts, he’s spilling hot and thick over your tits, a guttural groan tearing from his throat as his head tilts back, the cat ears slipping just slightly as he rides out the pleasure. you watch as he tries to catch his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his eyes hooded and still dark with desire.

you look up at him, breathless and grinning, his cum still warm on your skin. "so," you tease, voice playful, "how’d i do?”

nanami lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he leans down to kiss you deeply, his tongue sliding against yours as his hands gently cup your face. “you,” he murmurs between kisses, “are going to be the death of me.”

he pulls back slightly, glancing down at the mess he’s made on your chest before his eyes flick back up to yours, a mischievous glint in his gaze. “i think we’re not done yet,” he whispers, voice low and gravelly, his lips brushing against your ear. “not until i’ve taken care of you too.”

INO TAKUMA is head over heels for you, no question about it. you don’t even have to finish your sentence for him to be on board. the moment you say, “taku, could you —" he’s already there with a smile on his lips, “yes, baby, anything for you.”

no hesitation. not even a second thought as he slides those cat ears on, giving you that cute little grin of his, though you know deep down he’s hanging onto your every reaction, desperate for your approval. his eyes light up when you coo at him, taking sweet, playful pov pics with your phone. the way he soaks it all in, so pleased with himself for making his pretty girlfriend happy, has your heart swelling.

what you didn’t expect, though, was for takuma to be the one who brought up wearing the ears in bed.

“you think i should keep ‘em on next time?” he asks, biting back a mischievous smile. your brain practically short-circuits at the suggestion, completely thrown off by how something so innocent, so simple, had taken such a delicious turn. but are you complaining? absolutely not.

what really catches you off guard is the next time you're fucking, and he’s standing there, not just with the cat ears, but with a cute little collar to match. it’s in your favorite color too — thoughtful as always. a small bell dangles off the front, and you’re so enamored by how sweet and sexy he looks at the same time that you can barely form a coherent thought.

“do you like it?” he murmurs, a shy but eager grin spreading across his face, waiting for you to say the words.

“you look… so fucking cute,” you breathe, and his eyes widen just slightly, a mix of bashfulness and pride swelling in his chest. he tugs you close, pressing his lips to yours, and it’s all you can think about, how badly you want him.

the next thing you know, you’re face-down, back arching, moaning into the pillow as he ruts into you from behind, the little bell on his collar chiming softly with every movement. the cold metal brushes against your skin, sending shivers up your spine, and takuma’s hands grip your waist, pulling you flush against him as he buries his face in the crook of your neck.

“fuck, baby,” he whimpers against your skin, his lips trailing over the sensitive spot behind your ear, nipping at your neck as he thrusts into you. each sound he makes is a quiet plea, his breath ragged and uneven, the bell ringing faintly with the rhythm of his movements.

your legs are trembling, overwhelmed by the feeling of his cock hitting just right, the sound of his soft whimpers in your ear, the cold metal of the bell rubbing against your back. it’s all too much, and yet, you never want it to stop.

“you feel so good,” he moans, his voice low and breathy, his hips snapping against you harder now, desperate, needy. “fuck, you’re perfect…”

your moans mix with his, both of you lost in the moment, in each other. and when you reach back to tangle your fingers in his hair, pulling him closer as he fucks you deeper, he lets out a choked sound, one that’s half-whimper, half-moan, and it drives you absolutely wild.

takuma’s hands are gripping your waist tightly, hips snapping into yours as the little bell on his collar rings with each thrust. the sound fills the room, mixing with your soft moans and the wet sound of his cock sliding in and out of you, and it’s driving you both crazy.

he leans further in, his lips brushing against your ear as he lets out a breathy chuckle. “look at you,” he whispers, his voice dripping with amusement, “my little kitty, taking me so well.”

you let out a small giggle, half-playful, half-winded from how good he feels, your hands leaving his hair to grip the sheets as you push back against him. “stop it, taku,” you whine, breathless, “you’re so — ugh — silly…”

his eyebrows raise, and though he’s grinning, there’s a glint in his eyes as he mockingly gasps. “oh? silly, huh?” he huffs, pretending to be offended, but you can already feel him tightening his grip on your hips, the tension in his body building as he braces himself.

“alright, baby,” he says, his voice low and teasing, “if that’s how you feel… then let’s see.”

before you can respond, his hips slam into you so hard you cry out, your whole body jerking forward as his pace becomes relentless. his cock hits deeper than before, his thrusts harder, faster, almost punishing in their intensity, and all you can do is moan, your words turning into incoherent gasps.

“w-wait —” you stammer, but your words die in your throat as he rams into you again, pulling you back by the hips until your ass is flush against him, the bell on his collar chiming wildly now with every brutal thrust.

“what’s wrong, kitty?” takuma growls, his voice heavy with lust as he keeps pounding into you, his lips brushing against the back of your neck. “can’t take it?”

your brain is spinning, the sensation of his cock stretching you out, the cold metal of the bell rubbing against your back, his breath hot against your skin — it’s all too much. “t-takuma!” you cry out, your nails digging into the sheets as you struggle to keep up, your words turning into breathless, broken moans. “i — fuck —"

he groans, loving how you're falling apart beneath him, his thrusts becoming almost animalistic now, each one sending shockwaves through your body. “who’s the silly one now, huh?” he growls, punctuating his words with another deep thrust, smirking at the way your back arches in response.

you’re gasping, moaning, your mind a mess, but then you feel his lips brush your ear again, his voice low and husky as he whispers, “say it for me, baby. tell me who the good kitty is.”

his words make your stomach flip, heat pooling between your legs as his thrusts drive you right to the edge. you bite your lip, your pride fighting against the desperate need building inside you, but another sharp thrust has you babbling, words slipping out before you can stop them.

“y-you are, taku,” you moan, your voice shaky, barely coherent as the pleasure overwhelms you. “you’re a good kitty, fuck — so good—”

the second those words leave your lips, takuma lets out a low, guttural moan, the sound vibrating through your skin as his grip on your hips tightens even more. he’s completely lost in it now, rutting into you harder, faster, his breath ragged, his body trembling as he chases his release.

“fuck, that’s it,” he groans, his voice rough with need, “say it again, baby.”

you can’t even think straight anymore, barely able to keep up with his pace as his cock slams into you, hitting just the right spot over and over again. “you’re a good kitty,” you repeat, your voice high and desperate, tears pricking the corners of your eyes from the intensity of it all. “my good kitty, taku —”

the sound of your voice, those words, the way you’re completely unraveling beneath him — it’s too much for takuma to handle. he lets out a choked groan, thrusting into you one last time, deep and hard, as he cums with a shudder, his whole body shaking as he cums inside you.

he collapses onto your back, still panting, the bell on his collar giving one final soft cling as he nuzzles into the crook of your neck. you’re both breathless, bodies pressed together, completely spent.

“so…” he murmurs after a moment, his voice teasing as he presses a lazy kiss to your shoulder, “who’s silly now?”

you groan, your body still tingling, but there’s no stopping the smile that spreads across your face as you reach back, ruffling his hair, the cat ears still sitting crookedly on his head.

“definitely not you, taku,” you whisper, feeling the warmth of his breath on your skin as he chuckles softly. “definitely not you.”

“did i do good?” he asks, a playful grin on his face as he pulls you closer, his arms wrapped around you tight.

“more than good,” you sigh, completely spent but completely content. you nuzzle against him, the warmth of his body against yours soothing, and the little chime of the bell now only adding to the softness of the moment.

and takuma? he’s just happy to make his girl feel good, cat ears and all.

my offering to you, dear reader (and my 100 followers) <3 thank you all so much for your support !! let me know how you liked this ;)

produced by creamflix on tumblr. all rights reserved. do not copy, steal, modify, repost — support your writers by liking and reblogging. ♡ banners by cafekitsune

[moon-child-goddess]

Oblivious

Mattheo Riddle X Hufflepuff reader

Summery: Mattheo is in love with someone, and the reader navigates their way through it. Also Mattheo cant keep his hands to himself.

Warnings: Out of character maybe, Cursing, Friends to lovers, Language, some angst, This is long, fluff

Word count is just under 6k oops.

“There’s the little badger.” Mattheo greeted as I sat in my usual spot right next to him.

I scrunched my nose up at the nickname he had given to me in our second year, a moniker that had yet to die. He bestowed it upon me after I refused to divulge my name in the first month of knowing him. So he cycled through various nick names before settling on my house’s animal.

“Hi Matty.” I spoke in a sing-song voice.

His lips quirked up as he rolled his eyes. He always acted like he hated the name, but I knew he secretly loved it. Instead of responding, he reached up and straightened out my tie that I had haphazardly thrown on. I was late this morning, which was no surprise. Being late was the hallmark of my personality.

“We should get you a green one, since you are an honorary Slytherin at this point.”  He said in a sarcastic tone, but his brown eyes sparkled with warmth.

“I could just take yours.” I whispered winking at him.

Mattheo froze for a moment, then let out a cough. His long fingers tugged my collar back down. Blaise made a stupid joke to Draco, Complete with an exaggerated kissy face. A small blush rose to my cheeks.

“Thanks. You are the best” I said, interrupting the awkward tension.

He responded with a genuine smile, one that lingered for nearly twenty seconds before reverting to his usual scowl. Mattheo nudged a plate of food towards me. It was loaded with my favorite things, including a bowl of fruit topped with a generous pile of whipped cream—just the way I liked it. My smile widened until it hurt.

I wasted no time in digging into the fruit. The sweetness of the whipped cream mingled with the tartness of the berries reminding me why it was the best. As soon as I took my first bite Mattheo wrapped an arm over my shoulders turning back to his conversation with his friends.

“What do you want to do this weekend?” Blaise asked, looking at everyone.

“I am going to Hogsmeade with Ron and Harry. They just asked me in the hall.” Mattheo glowered as I spoke, his arm falling down to my lower back.

“Ditching us for the golden trio. That’s low Y/N.” Theo spoke through a mouthful of food.

“I have other friends, you know.” 

Everyone exchanged dubious glances, I spent about 95 percent of my time with the Slytherin boys, but I did have other friends. They just seemed to forget it. Draco scoffed. I took another bite of my food hiding my smile. My friends were jealous though they would never admit it.

“What if we meet-“ My words trailed off as Mattheo used his finger to wipe away some cream on the corner of my mouth. His touch lingered a moment longer than necessary, awakening butterflies in my stomach.

“Hey Mattheo.”  A female voice said from behind us. We both turned to face her, moving as one.

It was a pretty Ravenclaw girl a year below us. She and Mattheo talked occasionally in classes and the hallway; she had even tutored him for a few months last year. The girl started to fiddle with her blue sweater, shuffling on her feet.

“I was wondering if you wanted to hang out on Saturday?”

Everyone at our table fell silent. Did she just ask him out on a date? I froze. We had all suspected she liked him, but we never knew how Mattheo felt about her. He was a man of few words when it came to feelings.

Mattheo looked right at me, his mouth opening and closing, words failing him. I giggled nervously—did he like her after all? Was he nervous?

“He is free. Let’s all meet in the Courtyard at 9? We can all head out together.” She nodded.

As she walked away, Mattheo squeezed my hand, mumbling something under his breath. I couldn’t make out a single word he was saying.

I think I just got him a date, and it wasn’t me. I pushed him in to another girls’ arms. Merlin, I was dumb.

It was the end of the day, and it had passed by in a blur. I was making my way to the library so Mattheo and I could work on an essay for herbology together. The events of this morning were still raw in my mind, playing over and over. My heart hurt, and I wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Is he ever going to tell her how he feels?” Theo’s voice echoed down the hall loud and clear.

“I mean it’s obvious. Mattheo is fooling no one.” Blaise added.

I gasped as I rounded the corner, my footsteps faltering. It felt like there was another crack added to my heart today. Why, though? I always knew there was going to eventually be a girl that wasn’t just a casual hook up.

“Mattheo is in love with someone?” I whispered, disbelief washing through me like a cold wave.

“No, he just really likes this girl. She is-” Blaise smacked Theo, cutting off whatever else he was going to say. 

“Ow” Theo rubbed his arm and glared at Blaise. Ever the dramatic one.

Mattheo never told me about liking anyone. I thought we were closer than that. And Merlin, I agreed to a date for him. What if it was the wrong girl and I just made things complicated? He could have just been looking for a way out of it. Maybe that was why he was tense all day.

“It is not our place to say anything” Blaise bit out bitterly.

“Oh.”

“Why does it look like you two have offended my little badger?” Mattheo appeared; his eyebrow arched in curiosity as he looked at the two of them.

“Uhmm- They. We.” I couldn’t come up with a lie. My brain was trying to comprehend that Mattheo didn’t tell me he liked someone.

He gently grabbed my hands, his touch warm and reassuring, making me face him. His dark eyes bore into mine, searching for an answer. 

“Darling? Are you ok?” his tone was soft and filled with concern.

“Yeah, yes. They were talking about sex.” I cringed internally. I wasn’t that innocent, but what else could I say that would end the conversation?

I was getting secondhand embarrassment from myself if that was even possible.

He let out a loud laugh, which startled me to my core. I wasn’t prepared for that reaction.

“I thought I was going to have to fight my best friends for you.” His tone held amusement, a playful glint in his eyes.

Blaise flipped him off, and Theo let out a protest. Mattheo’s hands moved from mine, pulling me into his embrace. His chest shook as he laughed some more. I buried my face into his chest, trying to hide my embarrassment. He smelled of cologne and rain.

“Let’s get to the library; we have an essay to write.” He took my bag from me, slinging it on his shoulder and held my hand as we walked to the library.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but replay the conversation I had overheard. Mattheo liked someone- no, loved someone. My mind was becoming a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Every glance, every touch we shared had felt loaded with unspoken words. Was I reading into it?

When we finally arrived at the library, the familiar scent of books and the quiet ambiance did little to calm my racing thoughts. Mattheo led us to a secluded table, away from the prying eyes of the other students. He set my bag down and pulled out a chair for me, a small gesture that made my heart flutter despite everything.

As we worked, I found myself stealing glances at him, wondering what secrets he was hiding behind that stupid charming smile of his.

We were in the middle of our work... Well, he was. I was reading the same page over and over, my eyes glazing over the words. I was still focused on trying to figure out who the girl he liked was. He hardly talked to anyone when he was with me, which was pretty much all day.

I let out a gasp dropping the book on the table with a thud. The librarian shushed me from her desk, eyes narrowed in disapproval. Mattheo’s hand instinctively reached out and rubbed circles on my back as if it was second nature to comfort me.

Was I in the way? The reason he couldn’t get the girl.

No, he would tell me. Mattheo was blunt like that… but he didn’t tell me he liked someone.

“I can tell you are overthinking little badger.” His thumb smoothed out the worry lines on my forehead. His touch was soft and comforting.

Gods, why did my heart hurt so much?

“Oh, you know I just realized my outline was wrong. I need to start over.” I lied to him, something I never did. And I have done It twice in one day.

Mattheo knew I was lying too. He shook his head, looking back at his paper, his warm hand squeezing my knee, sending me silent words of comfort and understanding. His touch lingered, grounding me, yet making my thoughts spiral even more. The connection between us felt so real, so tangible, but was it just in my head? The uncertainty gnawed at me, making it hard to focus.

As the minutes ticked by the silence between us filled the space. I could feel his gaze flicker to me, trying to decipher my emotions and thoughts. The library's quiet ambiance seemed to mock my inner turmoil, each second stretching painfully.

As the evening drew on, Mattheo set his quill down, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath hitch. “Darling, you're not yourself tonight. What's really going on?”

I swallowed hard, avoiding getting any answers I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear. I forced a smile. “Just tired, I guess. It's been a long day.”

He didn’t seem convinced, his eyes searching mine. With a sigh, he gathered our things, his movements slow and deliberate. “Let’s call it a night. We can finish this another time.”

As we walked out of the library, the cool air hit us, a welcome relief. Mattheo’s hand found mine again, his fingers lacing through mine with an ease that made my heart ache. Could I bear to lose this connection if he moved on?

 I awoke with a gasp sitting straight up in my bed. My breathing was shallow, and I was drenched in a cold sweat. Tears fell slowly, tracing icy paths down my cheeks. I haven’t had that nightmare in a while. Mattheo was fighting in the war, and I watched him die as I held on to him, begging him to stay with me. It always felt too real.

A wave of panic surged through me as I stood up grabbing my slippers. The torches casted an eerie glow on the paintings that were sleeping as I hurried down the silent corridor. I needed to get to the Slytherin common room. I needed to see him with my own eyes.

I knocked on Mattheos door very gently, my knuckles barely made a sound against the wood. This was stupid. I shouldn’t be waking him up. It was selfish, but I needed to see him breathing.

My vision was still blurry from the tears, heart pounding a mile a minute. The door cracked open very slowly.

“Darling?” he mumbled, sleep thick in his voice reaching out for me. “What’s wrong?”

I launched into his arms holding on to him tightly. His arms caught me snaking around my waist holding me close. Mattheo nuzzled his face in my neck. I pressed my ear to his chest listening to his steady heartbeat.

He was ok. It was a dream. I let out a soft sob. Mattheo shushed me, pulling us into his room. As a perfect he got his room to himself, so I didn’t have to worry about waking any roommates.

“What happened darling?” He asked again, running his finger through my hair untangling any knots they found.

“I- I had a nightmare.” Mattheo raised an eyebrow.

“Again?” I nodded. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No” I mumbled into his chest. “Can I stay with you?”

He didn’t respond, just pulled us to his bed lifting the covers, guiding me in. Once he was settled in, he pulled me to him, tucking my head under his chin. I could feel his lips press a lingering kiss on to the top of my head. He rubbed soothing circles on my back. His warmth enveloped me, chasing away the remnants of the nightmare. I grew tired, and that was how I fell asleep. In his arms, ear pressed to his chest, the steady thump of his heart a lullaby. A reminder he is alive.

My eyes fluttered open as the memory of last night clung to my consciousness. I wiggled around trying to bring feeling back into my leg, a heavy arm still on my waist. Mattheo’s hold tightened, pulling me in closer. The warmth of his body against mine was a nice contrast to the cold dread I felt last night.

I was safe.

Mattheo groaned, a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine.

“Sorry for waking you,” I whispered, my voice hoarse.

He cracked an eye open, a sleepy smile playing on his lips. “It's okay.”

“Stay in bed with me a little longer.” His request was gentle, almost a warm plea against my skin.

“We must get ready for Hogsmeade. And you have a date,” I reminded him the word bitter on my tongue.

His eyes darkened briefly before he rolled them, pulling me impossibly closer. He whispered something incoherent, a blend of frustration and longing that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Stay with me a little longer,” he repeated, one of his hands pushing my hair back exposing more of my face to him.

“Okay. Just for ten minutes,” I complied, my resolve crumbling under the weight of his touch. It wasn’t hard to give in to him. This seemed to make him happy. He said nothing more, moving his hands from my hair down to my hip squeezing gently.

We lay there in silence, the early morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a soft glow on his floor. My chin rested on his chest as I studied his features. The way his dark lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, the faint stubble on his jaw, the curve of his lips. I wanted to memorize every detail, hold onto this moment.

As the minutes passed, I felt calm. A calmness I only ever felt in his presence.

“Matty,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, scared to ruin the moment. “Thank you.”

He tilted his head down to look at me, his eyes soft and full of something I couldn’t quite name. “For what, darling?”

“For being here. For making me feel safe,” I replied, my heart pounding.

His lips brushed very gently against my forehead, a feather-light kiss that sent another wave of tingles down my spine. “Always, little badger. Always.”

We stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s arms, until the world outside demanded our attention. But for those precious moments, nothing else mattered to me. Harry and Ron could wait.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione had packed our day with activities. It was a nice break from my overthinking. They made me laugh till my sides hurt. A nice break indeed.

Currently, I was standing outside Honeydukes waiting for Ron and Harry. There were so many people inside that you could barely walk through it. It was overwhelming. Between the cacophony of excited chatter and the scent of various sweets was too much for me. I pulled my coat over my lips, trying to warm myself up as the cold wind nipped at my face My nose began to run.

Warm hands wrapped around me from behind, and I let out a surprised squeak. A head rested on my shoulder.

“Hello little badger.” Was whispered in my ear.

Mattheo.

I smiled, turning to face him. I leaned back into his arms that circled around me and looked up at him. He gave me a quick smile. If anyone else saw it, they would miss it, but I knew Mattheo.

“What are you doing alone in the cold?” he seemed annoyed at the thought, his warm breath clouding up in the cold.

“There were too many people in there, and I told Ron I would wait.” I pointed at the window behind me, proving my point.

“Hmmm. I see.”

He did not see. His eyes never left mine.

“What happened to your date?” The word once again bitter on my tongue.

“Not my date.” He bit out. “And she ran off with some boy she wanted to make jealous.”

That look I couldn’t decipher flashed through his eyes again. This was good. Now he had an opportunity to make a move on the other girl.

“Oh.” I bit down on my bottom lip.

“Yeah, so I came to kidnap my girl. Did you eat?”

My heart skipped at his words—his girl. If only.

“Hang out with us. We were about to go get drinks. Plus, I really want hot cocoa.” I pleaded.

He was pulling his scarf around my neck, eyebrows furrowed, contemplating his options. It smelled like him, overwhelming my senses with a mix of his cologne and something distinctly Mattheo. I pushed my nose into it, inhaling for a quick second, seeking comfort in his scent.

“I will make you one, and we can go to the astronomy tower like we always do.”

It was tradition. We spent Saturday nights looking at the stars and reading from a book to each other.

“Matty, I can’t just leave without saying anything to my friends.”

“I will go in and tell them.”

He was not going to take no for an answer.

“Ok.” I caved.

His smile returned, and he pulled my hair out from the scarf before making his way inside. I watched him through the window, anxiety coursing through me. I hoped he was nice to them. It was no secret they hated each other.

He moved through the crowd so effortlessly, his presence commanding attention. Before I knew it, he was back outside in front of me.

“They’re all set. Let’s get out of here,” he said, taking my hand in his. His grip was firm, reassuring, and I squeezed back, feeling a sense of security wash over me.

When I walked into potions Mattheo was sitting at our usual table. Only my spot was taken by another girl who was letting out an obnoxious giggle. I rolled my eyes, making my way to my chair, but then I halted, Theos words echoing in the back of my mind.

Was this the girl?

I didn’t know how much more I could take of this guess-who game. My heart hurt more than I thought it ever could. Seeing him happy with someone else was more than I could bear. I was in love with him. I tried so hard to deny it, to hide it. But I was in love with my best friend, and this pain was getting to be too much.

 I needed space.

Another giggle from her solidified my decision to keep my distance. I took the seat next to another Hufflepuff, who raised both their eyebrows up to their hairline, taking a second look to make sure they weren’t hallucinating.

Mattheo spun in his seat and sent me a what-the-hell look. He cocked his head to the side, using his head to point at my chair. The girl still sat there, getting comfortable. I waved and looked down at my textbook, repeating to myself that this was the right thing to do, trying to convince myself.

That’s how it continued for a while. I would sit with my house or walk the other way. My peers began to look at me like I had lost it. I was never at their table or on their side of the room, and here I was for the last few weeks actively being a Hufflepuff.

I showed up to class early to avoid him.

Mattheo kept my spot open and would stare at me from where he sat, whether that was in the dining hall or classrooms. The first few days he wore a questioning look. It slowly faded into one of hurt and confusion. The shine in his brown eyes was dulling.

I needed time. How much time exactly, I wasn’t sure.

Various friends became worried when I stopped taking care of my appearance. My hair was in disarray, my tie was lopsided, and my skirt was wrinkled. I felt queasy most of the time and wasn’t eating as much. The once neatly arranged notes and textbooks in my bag had become a chaotic mess.  I stopped turning in homework.

Mattheo knew that I wasn’t eating enough because one afternoon in the library he dropped a sack of food in front of me, giving me a cold stare before walking off. There was a note in there that just said, “Eat.”

My roommates came into the room laughing loudly. From the sounds of it, Slytherin won the Quidditch game. Mattheo would be happy about that. I didn’t move, just stared at the blank stone wall in front of me, feeling the coldness seep into my bones.

Someone landed on the corner of my bed, their hand gripping my calf.

“Alright, no more being sad. We are going to the party tonight,” my friend stated, leaving no room to argue.

I turned my head to look at her.

But I was stubborn. “The Slytherin one? Yeah, no thank you. I am staying in.” Mattheo would be there. If one is avoiding someone, they don’t show up to their house party.

“Please? You need it.” Her bottom lip jutted out hands in a payer motion begging.

“I have stuff I need to do.”

Like stare at the wall till I fell asleep.

“Please? You won’t even have to do anything. I will do your hair and get you ready.”

She gave me puppy dog eyes. I honestly was convinced she would cry if I said no. Everyone would be there, and Mattheo and the boys always stayed in the corner. I just needed to stay on the opposite side. I should get out and find a new normal.

“You must stay with me, never leave my side.” I spoke sternly leaving no room for negotiations.

She squealed, agreeing with my condition.

I was in the thick of the people dancing and singing off-key. The room was a blur of colors and sounds, the music pounding in my ears. I hadn’t seen Mattheo or Theo all night. Theo wouldn’t keep his mouth shut if he saw me. I ran into Blaise on the way in—that was over an hour ago, so I don’t think he said anything to any of the gang. My friend had said they were all in their usual corner drinking about ten minutes ago. My guard was down.

I had a slight buzz from the one too many shots of firewhisky I took when we got here. Unfamiliar hands were on my waist, dancing with me. I didn’t push them off, just continued. My brain was too hazy to care. My friend made eye contact with me, wiggling her brows. I turned, facing the person behind me. It was some blonde from Slytherin I never talked to before.

We drunkenly smiled at each other, my arms going around his neck. As we danced, we grew closer. His forehead on mine. Kissing him would probably be a bad idea. But I didn’t really care. I wanted to feel something. Just as I was about to kiss him, my body was yanked away harshly.

“What the fuck, Y/N?” Mattheo growled, my name coming out like a curse. There was a dark look in his eyes, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.

Oh, I was in trouble. He never used my name. My heart rate picked up.

“Go away, Matty,” I slurred, pushing my way past someone. The moment was now dead.

In the next second, I was thrown over his shoulder and carried through the crowd. One of his hands held my dress down, keeping me modest. He shoved people out of the way. It wasn’t a hard feat—most of the people here were wasted anyway.

“Put me down.” I smacked his back, but it didn’t even phase him.

“No,” he hissed. “You are drunk.”

“I am not drunk.”

“We both know you are, so stop lying. It makes things easier on both of us.”

I sent a pleading look to Theo as we passed by. He laughed. Of course, he would think this was funny. No one made an attempt to save me. My friend was lost in the crowd, so I was on my own.

He kicked open a door, and once we entered, my nose was met with a very familiar smell. His room. I yelped as I was thrown down onto his bed. It was a little harsher than I think he intended, because he cursed and backed away. I sat up on my arms, glaring at him. Blowing the hair out of my face.

He paced in front of me, looking up at the ceiling, frustration etched in every line of his face.

“I am going back to my room,” I stated moving to stand up.

His head snapped to me, softening his gaze. “You are not leaving till you sober up.” There was tension in his tone, like he was trying to hold himself back.

I glared at his words. “I am fine. I can sober up in my room.”

His jaw tightened, and his nostrils flared. It was a little scary to be on the receiving side of his anger. I almost stood up to ease the anger like I normally would.

He thrust a cup in my face, hissing the word “Drink.”

I complied, not wanting to further his anger. His fingers dug through his curls, tugging them out of place.

“Fuck, you look so good.” He dragged a hand down his face. “Darling, where have you been?”

I squeezed my eyes shut at the nickname. A knock on the door interrupted any response I was going to give.

He made no move to answer it. We stared at each other, neither one of us blinking. His jaw set. We were playing an awful round of the staring game.

The door creaked open. I didn’t take my eyes off Mattheo, and his stayed on me.

“Matty, come back down,” a feminine voice spoke in a baby tone behind me.

Merlin. That was the girl, wasn’t it? I was now sobered up. My heartache was back, one hundred times worse than it was before. Now that she was there, and behind me.

Mattheo paid her no attention. I dropped the cup on the floor.

“That is my cue to leave. Goodbye, Mattheo.”

This time I meant it. Goodbye forever. I think he knew it too. He scrambled to catch my hand before I left, breathing hard, eyes wide. He tried to pull me back, but I didn’t budge.

“Y/N,” he said softly, as if my name was a prayer leaving his lips.

The girl behind us scoffed. I looked at him, really took him in. There were bags under his eyes and pain hidden in those beautiful brown pools.

My eyes burned I was doing this to him. I fought the urge to take care of him and take away any pain. But that would mean I would hurt all the time. It was something I couldn’t do. Call me selfish, but I just couldn’t.

“No. No, we are not doing this.” I yanked my hand away and ran as fast as I could.

There was a frantic banging on my room’s door. I didn’t move. My limbs felt like lead, and I had been staring at the wall in front of me since I left the party two days ago. I hadn’t left my room or moved. My friends had brought me food, but it remained for the most part untouched. I was not hungry. I missed my friend. I wanted to run back to him.

When I didn’t answer, the knocking didn’t stop; it just grew louder. I didn’t understand who it could have been. My roommates had all gone out to enjoy their weekend after I convinced them I was okay.

It wouldn’t stop, and the longer it went, the louder it got. Whoever it was, was not going to give up.

“Go away.” I yelled out still not moving from my bed.

It stopped.

“No,” a male voice growled out muffled by the door.

The knocking began again. A groan escaped me. The door was unlocked; they could just enter.

I kicked my sheets off me, cursing under my breath.

Mattheo stood there, clenching and unclenching his fists. His hair was messy, the curls out of place. He looked into the dark room behind me, staring into the shadows. When he looked back down, his eyes hardened with resolve.

When his hands reached out, I backed away. I didn’t miss the flash of pain on his face.

“What do you want, Mattheo?” I sighed; my voice heavy with exhaustion.

“Are you okay? Why are you avoiding me? What did I do?” He asked rapidly one question after the other not taking a breath.  

“I am fine. Let me sleep.”

His eyes narrowed into slits. He was just as stubborn as I was. The air in the room grew thick, and we were on the cusp of a fight. He wanted to yell at me, and I wanted to yell at him.

“You are not fine. What’s going on?” He spat the words out. I flinched.

“Stop. Please just leave me alone!” I cried out, wrapping my arms around myself, trying to protect my fragile heart.

Mattheo reached out again hands shaking before he let them fall to his side.

“Why are you being so dramatic?”  his tone was laced with frustration.

“Fuck you. I am going to shower. When I get back, be gone” I slammed the door my breathing was ragged. I was seeing red.

He was still there when I got back from the shower. My hair was wet and dripping on the floor.  He sat on my bed head down and hands in his lap.  I ran the brush through my locks.

“Why are you avoiding me little badger?” Mattheo whispered not looking up at me.

“I-I just need time.” I stuttered.  Placing my brush on my desk.

“Time?” He questioned confusion showing on his face. He stood up taking slow steps watching me and waiting for me to run.

“Don’t make me say it please.” I whispered, the anguish seeping into my tone.

His hands were on me cupping my face wiping the tears that came.

“I don’t get it. I thought we were- I thought we were closer than this.” 

He bent his head, so we were eye level, not letting me escape this time.

“We are Mattheo. I just have a lot going on up here.” I taped the side of my head. His hand grabbed mine clutching on to it.  It wasn’t a lie. I did have a lot on my mind.

“Let me in. Let me fix it please.”  His words cracked at the end; eyes glassy.

“Matty I will be ok. I just need to get over the fact you are in love with someone. I-“

He didn’t let me finish his words coming out in a hurry.

“I am not in love with just anyone. I am in love with you. I want you.”

“But Theo said-“

“My beautiful oblivious girl.” His hands moved to my neck. His forehead resting on mine. “Theo is an idiot.

“oblivious?” I scoffed.

“Yes, oblivious baby. I have been in love with you since we met. I can’t keep my hands off you, because touching you satiates the need to kiss you.”

I gasped.

“Which if you can’t tell is all the fucking time. The last two and half weeks has been hell.”

It was silent. We were breathing each other in his nose nudged mine.

I stood on the tip of my toes, closing the gap between us. At first, he didn’t respond or move. As I pulled away, he used the hand on my neck to pull me back. His lips moved slowly at first before moving in a frenzy. My feet were suddenly off the ground, and he nibbled down on my bottom lip. Mattheo had me in his hands, setting me on the desk behind us. My legs hooked around his waist keeping him close. He now had his fingers in my hair pulling gently angling my face to deepen the kiss.

I was putty in his hands. My fingers tangled in his soft hair ruining the curls even more. The taste of him was intoxicating something I would never get over. I was addicted. When we parted, I was panting for air. Mattheo moved his lips down my neck trailing to my shoulder. He bit down. I moaned before I could stop it. His lips moved in a smile against my skin moving his lips back up landing on mine again.

“Fuck little badger, I don’t ever want to stop.” He mumbled against my lips.

“Then don’t.” I pecked him once, twice, three times. My heart rate wasn’t coming down anytime soon.

He pulled my face back looking at me. The smile I loved plastered on his.

“You should smile more. I like it.” I whispered drunk off the kiss.

He didn’t say anything but placed a quick kiss.

“Theo and Blaise are going to be unbearable once they find out you are officially mine.”  His smile widened.

“Oh yours?” I giggled pressing my face into his shoulder.

“You are mine, baby, and I am yours,” he promised in my ear kissing the shell of it.

“I love you Matty.” I whispered back.

Mattheo pulled my face up

“I’ve waited so long to hear you say that” he murmured, his eyes searching mine for any hint of hesitation.

When he saw none, he kissed me again, this time slower, with a tenderness that made my heart ache. His hands moved gently, reverently, as if he were afraid, I might disappear. We stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s arms, losing ourselves in the connection we had longed for.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Pick One: Magical Girl Show or Rom-com. You cannot be both.

Early in season four we get the episode Gang of Secrets. An episode that ends with Marinette outing her secret identity to Alya. A touching moment that sparked outrage across the fandom because it meant that Marinette had made the choice to reveal her identity to her best friend while keeping her hero partner in the dark.

This choice spat in the face of the exceptions that many fans had for the series. Thousands of pre-season-four fanfics feature moments where Ladybug and Chat Noir promise each other that they'll be the first to know each other's identities. After the Alya reveal, scores of fanfics were written to salt on Marinette's choice to tell the "wrong" person.

Most of these fics feature a betrayed Chat Noir quitting or otherwise punishing Ladybug for breaking their promise to be each other's first, thereby destroying his faith in their partnership. But that promise was never made on screen. It only existed in the realms of fanfic and, when Chat Noir finally found out in canon, his reaction was largely neutral. He never once blamed Ladybug for her choice or pushed for a reveal or even asked for the right to tell one of his friends.

So what happened here? Why did the fans have such wildly unrealistic expectations of canon? Were their expectations even unrealistic or did canon betray them? The answer to that is not as straight forward as you might think because it all comes back to one of Miraculous' many, many, many writing problems: Miraculous is trying to be both a Magical Girl Show and a romantic comedy, but those are not genres that mesh. You can only be one (or you can be a third thing that we'll get to at the end as it's the easiest way to fix this mess, but I want to mostly focus on where the anger is coming from and why the writing is to blame.)

To discuss this mismatch, we're going to do something that breaks my heart and talk about some of Origins flaws. While I love that episode and unironically refer to it as the best writing the show ever gave us, it's not perfect and its flaws are all focused around trying to set up both genres. Do note that I'm going to use a lot of gender binary language here as magical girl shows have a strong focus on gender segregation and rarely if ever acknowledge gender diversity.

Let's Talk Magical Girls

Magical girl shows are shows that center on young women and their friendships. While male love interests are often present in these shows, the boys tend to take a backseat and function primarily as arm candy while the girls save the day and carry the narrative.

A great example of this is the show Winx Club. This show features a large cast of teenage girls who save the magical universe from various threats with their magical powers. Each girl has a love interest, but the boys are usually off doing their own thing and only occasionally show up for a date or to give the girls a ride on their cool bikes or magical spaceship. I don't even think that we see the guys fight or, if we do, it's a rare thing. They are not there to save the day. They are there to be shipping fodder.

Like most magical girl shows, Winx Club starts with the main character making friends with one of the girls who will eventually become part of her magical girl squad. This brings us back to Miraculous.

Did you ever find it weird that Origins implies that Marinette has no friends? She doesn't even have a backbone until new girl Alya shows up to become Marinette's First Real Friend:

Marinette: I so wish I can handle Chloé the way you do. Alya: You mean the way Majestia does it. She says all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing. (pointing at Chloé) Well, that girl over there is evil, and we are the good people. We can't let her get away with it.

This is a bizarre opening because Miraculous is not about Marinette making friends or learning to stand up for herself. If you skipped Origins and just watched the rest of the show, then you'd have no clue that Marinette wasn't close with her classmates before this year. You also wouldn't know that Alya was new in town and you definitely wouldn't know that Marinette had never stood up to Chloé before this year. So why is this here? Why waste screen time setting up elements that aren't actually important to canon?

Miraculous did it for the same reason that Winx Club did it: magical girl shows traditionally start with the main character making friends with at least one of her eventual female teammates because Magical Girl shows are all about the girls and their relationships. The boys are just arm candy.

But Miraculous isn't a magical girl show. The writers have explicitly stated that it's a rom-com and romantic comedies aren't about female friendship. They might have female friendships in them, but that's not where the focus is. The focus of a rom-com is on the romance and Origins is very clearly all about the romance.

Origins as a Rom-com

Origins has a lot on its plate. It has to establish the villain's motivation for the first time, show us how the heroes got their miraculous, show us how the heroes first met on both sides of the mask, show us how they met their respective best friends, and show us how the heroes dealt with their first akuma. It would be perfectly understandable if this 40 minute two-parter didn't do anything with the romance. They have a full show to give us that!

In spite of this, Origins has some incredibly touching moments for both Ladynoir and Adrienette because romance is the heart of Miraculous. It is the main focus of the show. The driving motivation for both of our leads and the majority of the show's episodes. To tell the story of how their journey started without at least one of them falling in love would feel wrong. That's why we see both of them fall in love!

First we get Chat Noir giving his heart to his bold and brilliant lady, then we get Marinette's heart being stolen by the shy sweet boy who never once thought to blame her for her snap judgement of his character. We even get a touching moment where Chat Noir inspires his lady to accept her role and be Ladybug, leading her to boldly face their enemy and call him out:

Roger: I have a new plan, unlike you! Move aside and let the pros do their thing. You've already failed once! Ladybug: …He's right, you know. If I'd captured Stoneheart's akuma the first time around, none of this would have happened! I knew I wasn't the right one for this job… Cat Noir: No. He's wrong, because without you, she'd no longer be here. (they look at Chloe) And because without us, they won't make it, and we'll prove that to 'em. Trust me on this. Okay? Ladybug: Okay.

I love this moment, but it does lose a little of its power when you remember that we had an Alya-driven variation of this exact same thing five minutes prior:

Alya: HELP!! (Marinette suddenly gets filled with courage. She gets the case out of Alya's bag and puts on the Miraculous. Then, Tikki appears, happy to see Marinette again.) Tikki:(raising her arms) Mmmm! Marinette: I think I need Ladybug! Tikki: I knew you'd come around! Marinette: Well, I'm still not sure I'm up for this, but Alya's in danger. I can't sit back and do nothing.

This scene initially confused me because - if Miraculous is a rom-com - then why would you make Alya the reason that Marinette became Ladybug? Why wouldn't you have Chat Noir be the one in danger so that Marinette chose to fight because of her love interest and then encourage that bond with the later scene of him encouraging her? Why split the focus like this? Why give Alya so much attention?

In case you haven't figured it out, it's because Origins is trying to establish two different genres of show. Two genres that will continue to fight for the rest of the series (or at least the first five seasons).

Magical Girls Vs Rom-com

Why is Alya the one to shake off the nightmare dust and inspire the others during the season five finale? Why is Alya the one that Marinette trusts with all of her plans while Chat Noir is kept in the dark? Why does Alya and Marinette's friendship get so much more focus than Adrien and Nino's? Why was Alya the only temp hero who got upgraded to full time hero?

It's because Alya is Marinette's second in command in a magical girl show and magical girl shows focus on female friendships while the boys are just there to be cute and support the girls.

Why do most of Marinette's talks with Alya focus on Adrien? Why is Chat Noir the only other full time holder of a Miraculous for the first three seasons and then again for the final season? Why do Marinette's friends become more and more obsessed with Adrienentte as the show goes on? Why is the love square's identity reveal given so much more narrative weight than any other identity reveal?

It's because Miraculous is a rom-com and the love square is our end game couple, so of course the story focuses on their relationship above all else!

Are you starting to see the problem?

Circling back to our original question: no, it was not unreasonable for the fans to expect that the Alya reveal would have massive negative consequences for Ladynoir. That is what should happen in a rom-com and Miraculous is mainly written like a rom-com. But the writers are also trying to write a magical girl show and, in a magical girl show, Alya and Marinette's friendship should be the most important relationship in the show, so it makes perfect sense that the show treats the Alya reveal as perfectly fine because the Alya reveal was written from the magical girl show perspective.

When it comes to Miraculous, if you ever feel like a writing choice makes no sense for genre A, re-frame it as a thing from genre B and it suddenly makes perfect sense which is fascinatingly terrible writing! It's no wonder there are people who hate the Alya reveal and people who will defend it with their life. It all depends on which genre elements you've picked up on and clung to. Neither side is right, they've both been set up to have perfectly valid expectations. Whether those expectations are valid for a given episode is entirely up to the mercurial whims of the writers!

How Do We Fix This Mess

At this point, I don't think that we can, the show is too far gone, but if someone gave me the power to change one element of Miraculous, that element would be this: scrap both the magical girl stuff and the rom-com stuff and turn Miraculous into a team show where the friendships transcend gender.

At this point, I've written over a quarter of a million words of fanfic focused on these characters (the brain rot is real) and one thing I've discovered is that it is damn near impossible to keep Adrien and Alya from becoming friends. They're both new to their school while Marinette and Nino have gone to the same school for at least a few years. Alya and Adrien are both obsessed with Ladybug plus Adrien is a natural hype man who loves to support his friends and Alya loves to talk about her blog. Alya is dating Adrien's best friend. On top of that, Alya, Adrien, Nino, and Marinette are all in the same class, meaning that they pretty much have to be spending time together five days a week unless French school don't give kids a chance to socialize or do group projects. If so, then judging them for the first issue, but super jealous of the latter.

Given all of that, why in the world is does it feel like Alya is Marinette's close friend while Adrien is just some guy who goes to Alya's school? Along similar lines, while canon Marinette barely talks to Nino, I've found that Marinette and Nino tend to get along smashingly, especially if you embrace the fact that they have to have known each other for at least a few years.

If you embrace this wider friendship dynamic and scrap the girl squad, replacing it with Alya, Adrien, Marinette, and Nino, then the fight for narrative importance quickly goes away. It's no longer a question of is this episode trying to be a magical girl show or a rom-com? Instead, the question is: which element of the friend group is getting focused on today? The romance or the friendship?

A lot of hero shows do this and do it well. I think that one of the most well known examples is Teen Titans. That show has five main characters and the focus is usually on their friendships, but there is a very clear running romantic tension between the characters Robin and Starfire with several episodes giving a good deal of focus to their romance. I'd say that this element really starts in the show's the 19th episode - Date with Destiny - and it all culminates in the movie that capstones the series: Trouble in Tokyo. The character Beast Boy also gets a romance arc and, while it's more short lived, it's further evidence that you can have strong romances and strong friendships in the same show and even the same episode. You just have to own the fact that boys and girls can be friends with each other, a very logical thing to embrace when your show has decided to have a diverse cast of heroes instead of imposing arbitrary gender limitations on its magical powers.

I couldn't figure out a way to work this into the main essay, but it's relevant so I wanted to quickly point it out and give you more to think about re Origins. Have you ever found it weird how Origins gives both Adrien AND Marinette the "I've never had friends before" backstory and yet wider canon acts like Marinette has this strong amazing friend group while Adrien doesn't seem to care about making friends and instead focuses all his energy on romance? Why give both the protagonist and the supposed deuteragonist this kind of origin if it's not going to be a major element of the show? It makes so much more sense to only give one of them this backstory and then focus that person's character arc on learning about friendship.

[kendrixtermina]

I swear a lot of these people seem to have Rei mixed up with Anthy from Utena & just never paid any attention to her character or statements that were made about her by the staff (I have a thinkpiece written about it about that here and here) aside from heavy cherrypicking to support their fanwank. (For starters, Rei's problem/flaw isn't mindless obedience, it's resigned fatalism, and she was very much supposed to come across as someone who's gloomy & difficult to approach, not whatever the haters chose to plaster on her. Though that is an issue that you see with ppl with less expressive personality types that ppl will just project stuff on them. Even regardless of any ship stuff that's just quite unjust to Rei.)

To the extent that Rei can be said to be a fantasy of any sort, Asuka is also a fantasy. She's literally a genius with model looks, basically the anime version of that guy who became a harvard doctor a navy seal and an astronaut, and a "hot foreigner" trope to boot.

They're representing contradictory appeals (and on a deeper level, various conflicting psychological drives & needs), like emotional safety & excitement, sadism & masochism... both are asignd both negatively & positively connotated concepts.

Not to mention, she's right there with Misato & Asuka in the "people are complex and have different sides to them that can be challenging" dialogue in EoE (the one where all three are shown in the train and/or naked), indeed she gets the dialogue explaining it to Shinji - & she's a good example here because he's been avoiding her ever since finding out all that complicated stuff about her origins.

He'd go to her if he wasn't scared, so Asuka's rightfully pissed to be his last choice & he's probably also going to the person who always puts him down & rejects him because when you hate youself being bashed feels like being told the truth & everything else can't be trusted or brings up insecure feelings. So the two represent a "crab bucket".(though in the end he shies away even from Asuka)

This is also kinda reflected in the ep 26 where he wishes Rei was just a regular classmate with no connection to any mad science stuff, so he can have a normal classroom romance with her. (meanwhile Asuka becomes a childhood friend, bond comradery without any lust or competition complicating it, though it's ego flattering if she still shows a bit of interest...) but that's of course not the reality he lives in.

This is definitely a point where Shinji dropped the ball when Rei needed him (although one might wonder how much he could even do on his own, similar as with Misato.) - he's totally overwhelmed, has lost everything at this point & has no reliable adult figures left to talk to.

& then the last Rebuild basically ask what if that was different. What if he had more processing time & positive adult role models (the grownup classmates) - it's very much bringing up the catharsis that was tragically thwarted in the OG where Rei blows up "before she could convey her heart"(as per the EoE booklet) & Shinji just keeps avoiding her.

Here Rei gets to figure out & express her feelings, & we see that given more processing time, Shini was, in fact, capable of accepting her just as she is ("Ayanami is Ayanami"), & afterwards this is the catalyst that leads him to confront Gendo (along with the help he got from everyone else but this is defs a big one, seeing how he carries the player sh gave him like a talisman)

- and he learns to get used to/ tolerate positive treatment more broadly. ("why would you all be so nice to me!" "...because we care about you?")

(It also shows Rei getting the parental love she never got/ futilely longed for from Gendo from Grownup!Hikari instead.)

Just look at the scene where Mari & Shinji have followed Gendo into minus space and she's like, "it's going to be difficult to catch him..." but Shinji just shakes his head & calls for Rei, with total faith that she's going to let him take EVA 01 from right under Gendo's nose

Quite some stretch from the Shinji who doubted any gesture of goodwill & frantically feared that ppl would stop wanting him the moment they're out of earshot

Additional Reishin Thoughts

I’ve been thinking about my OTP again and why it’s so hated by the fandom. One misconception I think a lot of people have is that it’s the “easy” ship compared to Asushin and that it would be a submissive tradwife marriage. Rei still challenges Shinji to not just run away, grow up and learn to love himself and challenges his worldview of demanding validation from others by calling him out for never trying to understand anyone else.

People who claim it’s incest ignore that in 3.33, Shinji wasn’t really upset about Rei’s origins, just that he failed to save the Rei he knew. Rei is sort of a metaphor for acceptance. Shinji accepts that Rei Q is still Rei even if she doesn’t have all her memories and him learning about her origins is less to squick people out and more a lesson about how you can’t have the good without the bad when it comes to people you care for.

I think some people are projecting their issues with traditional families onto this pairing and their feminist critiques are actually quite demeaning to Rei. Her whole arc is about breaking free and proving she’s not just Gendo’s replacement goldfish. I don’t think she’d be a submissive tradwife and is perfectly capable of holding her own. Shinji has his flaws but he respects her and wouldn’t treat her like a 50s housewife. I think a lot of people let their disgust towards this ship get in the way of understanding what it is and ignore the beauty of it.

What makes it appealing to me is that it’s the story of two lonely kids helping each other grow and face both internal and external challenges and gaining a deep emotional understanding. I respect people who prefer Asushin or Kawoshin for whatever reasons they have. I just wish that same respect could be afforded back.

[versadies]

MY LOVE, MINE, ALL MINE (various x gn!reader)

SALUTATIONS. my love, mine, all mine

ADDRESSED. neuvillette, alhaitham, capitano, diluc, itto, tartaglia, kaveh, kaeya (x gn!reader)

STAMPS. what body part they kiss the most (sfw)

CONTENT. ooc (?), fluff/no-angst, established relationships, possibly cheesy (not sorry), possible grammar errors, mentions of battle, mentions of blood (capitano, childe)

POST-SCRIPT. all these characters are nothing but pokemons to me, i see one, i'll collect one in game. part two will come soon (with zhongli, wriothesley, ayato, thoma, pierro, and pantalone!)

LINKS. masterlist / taglist / part two

HANDS – Neuvillette, Alhaitham, Capitano, Diluc

NEUVILLETTE kisses your knuckles the most. To him, he believes that kissing you on the lips is far too intimate to be seen in public, preferring to do it in closed doors where it’s just the two of you alone, and so he often kisses your knuckles whenever he can. 

Whenever he does, one of his glove-covered hands would reach towards yours before lifting it to his lips, kissing each knuckle with care as though your hand is a delicate treasure, as if every kiss is a promise that he’ll hold your heart with care and unwavering devotion. 

It doesn’t help that you often find your cheeks warming up when his intense violet-shaded eyes look at yours, and no words were enough for you to explain the connection that you both have from just a simple stare. 

By the time he pulls away from your hand, you let out a breath that you didn’t know you were holding. 

“Oh, do you have a fever, my dear?” He asks worriedly, removing one of his gloves to check on the temperature of your forehead after kissing your knuckles out of nowhere while the two of you were lounging on the couch in his office. “Fret not, I can make something that can ease your fever away.” He adds, before standing up and rushes away to make a drink that will help you ease yourself, unaware that he’s the reason for your flustered state.

Ah, the things you’d do for this sweet man of yours. 

The same goes for ALHAITHAM when it comes to kissing you in public. He believes that the two of you kissing on each other’s lips should be private with no one to ruin it or spoil the intimacy, and so you often find him kissing you in other parts instead – specifically, your hands or cheeks. 

It’s rare for him to kiss you in public since he’s not much of a PDA man, but when he does, it happens at a quiet or secluded moment when the world seems to be muted around you two. When Alhaitham finds himself staring at you for too long, he couldn’t help but smoothly put his hand on top of yours, and raises your hand towards his lips to kiss it. 

His turquoise-shaded eyes stay on yours when you look at him, never looking away as you feel his lips on your skin, bringing chills to your spine from the feeling. The way he stares at you is as if he knows your deepest secrets and desires, and knows what sets you off to make your knees become jelly-like.  

It doesn’t help that he’d casually act as if nothing happened after, as if it’s just a casual thing to do (it is, to him), leaving you staring at him with your mouth agape. 

“What? Cat got your tongue?” He asks, hiding a small smirk as he glances at you. 

He definitely knows what he’s doing. 

CAPITANO is a strong man with a physique that could make anyone intimidated – both vision-holders and non-vision holders alike. It’s no doubt that such a powerful man like him would most likely be found in numerous battlefields, bringing the Tsaritsa many victories that she deserves. 

So it’s a strange sight to see said strong man on one knee, holding your hand as he gives it an affectionate kiss. He does it in a way that’s as though you’re a deity worth worshiping. He’s a captain by others, but to you, he’s your knight in shining armor (that’s corrupted by bloodshed and death, but we don’t talk about that here). 

You cannot see the expression he makes, but the way he kisses your hand is enough for you to know how much this man, who had killed so many and left no mercy to his opponents, is soft and caring for you. He kisses with care, as if afraid that you’ll shatter if he doesn’t control his strength. 

It became a custom for him to be on one knee and kiss your hand whenever he comes home to you from another mission – which is perhaps more often than you both like to admit. Despite your insistence that he doesn’t have to do such things, he does it anyway. In a way, it’s his way of apologizing to you for the lost time, and will do anything to make it up to you.

And he always did, with gifts, comfort, and of course, love. 

“I’m home, my love.” He spoke, with a hint of affection in his gruff voice that usually holds so much authority, kissing your hand tenderly.

DILUC is a gentleman by heart, and although he’s seen as the epitome of perfection around Mondstadt, he is seen indoors as a vulnerable man who you dearly care for. For so long, the two of you have found comfort and love within one another in the dimly lit room that you both share in the manor. He’s your warmth, and you’re his pillar. 

In private, where no one could see underneath the aloof and courteous man but you, he’d tiredly wrap his arms around you as he sighed in contentment. It’s normal for a man such as him to be so tired from work, so tired from his duties, and so tired from everything outside of his manor, but he is never tired of you, his beloved spouse who he treasures. He’s a zealous soul who cares not for wealth and materialism, but for the people of Mondstadt and the ones he loves.  

Your hand is often intertwined with his, and he’d bring up your hand up to his lips in the quiet moments of your shared intimacy. To him, your hand is a canvas that he paints with his deep affection and adoration. 

You couldn’t help but soften up as a result, feeling cherished and loved by your beloved man who never fails to make you swoon. 

For Diluc, kissing your hand is more than some simple intimate gesture, but rather a way to honor your pure essence – to show you how grateful he is to have you who has captured his soul in a tight grip that he never wants to leave from. And so, he continues to kiss your hand more, each a testament with a silent vow to love you throughout your lives together. 

“A-Ah.. My bad,” He clears his throat, his ears turning almost as red as his hair, “It seems I almost got carried away.” 

LIPS – Itto, Tartaglia, Kaveh, Kaeya

ITTO is a kind soul at heart, with a fiery passion when it comes to his loved ones – specifically, and with no certain favoritism, you. The oni is not one to shy away from showing you how much he loves you with all of his huge heart, so expect lots of kisses from him! 

The most prominent part that he kisses is of course, your lips. 

For Itto, there is no greater joy than the taste of your lips, each kiss contains joy and love on his end. With his endless energy and passionate spirit, he approached each kiss and affection  with an infectious enthusiasm, eager to lose himself in the overwhelming warmth of your presence and affection. 

In the sweetness of your kiss, he finds it much better than the feeling of sweet victory from a beetle battle, and he couldn’t find himself to remove the pleased grin on his face whenever he gets a kiss from you. 

It’s as if your lips is a magnetic force to his, as he never hesitates to kiss you whenever he could – be it whenever he greets you, whenever he wins a battle, basically every moment with him (a bit of an exaggeration really, but you get what I mean!). 

“My boo boo bear!” He cheers when he sees you in his vision, running up towards you as he instantly gives you a bone-crushing hug, lifting you up with his immense strength regardless of your weight. “I missed you! How was your day?” He asks excitedly, giving you a big smooch! on your lips.

CHILDE is just as fun as Itto – if you excuse his battlelust, of course. Besides his need for an activity or someone to fight with, the prowess fighter is not shy when it comes to giving you what he believes you deserve, which is giving you his undying affection.

He’s an infectious man, who leeches off to your kisses and hugs. He’s a fighter by spirit, but a lover by heart. He’s attentive to your needs, very willing to give you tons of kisses if you ask for it. Of course, even if you didn’t, he’d snatch a kiss or two from you without you expecting it. 

His love is like an unforgiving ocean, often wild and untamed, yet it comes with a fierce and unrelenting passion. In moments between the two of you, he seeks to plant his lips on yours, as though your kiss is a battlefield conquered by him, a well-done victory even. 

With each kiss on your lips is a vow, a vow that he’ll see to it that he gets to see the light of day after every battle, to see you by the end of the tunnel and show you that you won’t lose him that easily. For in your presence, he found his salvation, the arm that reaches out to him to pull him out of the abyss he’s in, guiding him out of the unforgiving ocean that seems to drown him whole. 

And so, he’ll never stop kissing you, regardless of where you are and the circumstances. 

“Were you watching me?” He asks eagerly, running up to you before planting a kiss on your lips, his hands that are scarred from the numerous weapons he held and the battles he fought in find themselves cupping your cheeks. 

When he pulls away, he looks at your eyes with a cheeky grin. “I did great, didn’t I?”

Known for his works and talent, KAVEH is no doubt a respectable man around the land of wisdom and scholars. Many would sing praises to his masterpieces and his original ideas that bring potential to Sumeru. As what a certain scribe would describe him, he is the light of Kshahrewar and a master builder and craftsman. 

However, such a bright reputation hides a man whose heart is tender and emotionally fragile, with too much on his plate. Which is why he is ever so grateful to have you by his side through it all.

For every affection the two of you share, Kaveh feels like the luckiest man in all of Sumeru – no, in Teyvat even. He doesn’t feel like he deserves you, a person who loves him for all that he is. With you, he feels cherished and appreciated even, and you balance his emotional fragility with your presence that seems so encouraging and comforting.

He seeks refuge in your affection, often cupping your cheeks and giving you a kiss. His kisses are frequent, and his lips often find themselves on yours. Each of his kiss is full of love, and there’s no doubt that there seems a desperation laced in it, as if he’s scared that this kiss is his last, and you might be gone before he knew it – just like his loved ones. 

Yet, in the softness of your lips, he found reassurance. He’s reminded that amidst the struggles of his life, your relationship remains timeless and true. Just like how he does with his work, he pours his heart and soul into your relationship together, cherishing the bond that you both have towards one another with  tenderness.

“Thank you.” He said, kissing you on your lips with a look that threatens to crumble. “I know I’ve said it too many times, but I can’t help myself. I really am grateful.” 

When you ask for what he’s thanking you for, he could only give you a smile, a sight that shines far brighter than the sun itself.

“Thank you for staying.”

You’d be lying if you said you’ve always thought you’d end up dating the notorious Cavalry Captain, who is more than often a flirtatious man whenever you’re around. KAEYA is not one who shies away from something, and if it means reminding you every now and then that he’s into you, then so be it!

Every waking moment with Kaeya is a thrilling challenge, and you two often find yourselves in a dance of wits and flirts, with a few glasses of wine and other drinks that the tavern sells. The two of you know how to push the other’s buttons, often playing banters and all. Even when you two are now dating, things are still the same – besides the fact that the two of you are free to kiss one another and often crash at each other’s places. 

Yet underneath such playful flirting and bantering, there’s a deep and abiding connection between the two of you that remains unspoken but welcomed.

Unsurprisingly, Kaeya finds home in your lips. To him, it just felt right. Sure, he likes to kiss your hands and cheeks, but it’s a different story when it comes to your lips. For him, stealing a kiss on your lips is not just an ordinary gesture of affection, but rather a declaration of his unwavering love for you. 

And so, more often than not, he prefers kissing you more on your lips.

With a teasing look and smirk on his face, he’d pull you close towards him without warning, his lips finding yours with an urgency that left you both breathless. There’s often laughter and desire lingering around the privacy of your bedroom, and it was a safe sanctuary that Kaeya finds comfort in. 

His laughter would fade into a whisper of “I love you”’s as he traces his cold fingertips on your face that he loves to see at every waking moment. He cherished these kinds of moments, and he’d be damned if he doesn’t spend each one as if it’s his last. And so, he continues to give you more kisses to drown your sweet laughter, for in your warmth and embrace, he could only find his great happiness and peace. 

“Come on, give me another one.” He chuckles, urging you to let him give you one more kiss before the two of you can sleep in each other’s arms. “Just one more kiss, I promise.”

PENPALS. @scaraslover @saving-for-xiao @dawgimsohot @ragnvdnr @chiruru @aqualesha @renamichii @mrkamisato @shenhesl0ver @serami00 @serenareiss @hiqhkey @emperatris-rinaka @bystander36 @irisxiel @ladycoleigh @034ven @dear-dairiess @owozi8 @hadesaedes @chiro-chiro-kun @hersscherofyatta @mariusvonhangme @yuzuricebun @nejibot @hoshikistarlette @solaaresque @crowbird @lordbugs @flowersforayato @headintheclouddd @estelwrld @giyusimpsassemble @irethepotatosblog @moonlightaangel @alice0blog @shotosbrainrot @sniffoat @chihawari @mxsomn @kuni-kuzushii @jiminscarmex @mitsukii14 @ylimeprive @sachispet @loreleis-world @sn-owo @starforecasts @someonetookmynamelmao @ceylestia @astrequa @ymikkos @reallysporadicarcade @melodyyamino @dudufodd @somberrock @yevenly @lemontum @nghing @shaiah @miss-lady-witch @yashe @imkaaayy @badlywrittens @0rah-s @totallynotaraidensimp @garlicforthewin

[qiu-yan]

haterisms beneath the cut

this hater poll brought to you by....a series of Bad Mcfucking Takes i had to read with my own eyeballs. seriously did we read the same book or not.

explanations:

"jiang cheng killed wei wuxian": jiang cheng did not kill wei wuxian in any version of the story. in mdzs wei wuxian died from backlash and in cql wei wuxin chose to let go of lan wangji after jiang cheng stabbed the cliff face. you can argue till the cows come home about how responsible jiang cheng is for wei wuxian's demise, but "jiang cheng killed wei wuxian" is just factually incorrect.

"jiang cheng abuses jin ling": jiang cheng does not abuse jin ling. first, the narration goes out of its way to establish that jiang cheng does not hit jin ling, specifically in a setting where hitting children is normalized and expected. in fact, wei wuxian says that jin ling is bratty specifically because he's never been hit. second, jin ling is also clearly comfortable talking back to jiang cheng and needling him in a way jiang cheng definitely was not with his own parents. even when jiang cheng is actively losing it when he captures wei wuxian in qinghe, jin ling remains completely unruffled - which speaks to how much jin ling takes for granted that he is safe with jiang cheng.

"jiang cheng could have easily helped the wen remnants, he just didn't": antis love to act like yunmeng jiang could have easily taken in the wemnants and jiang cheng simply chose not to because he was a hater/super jelly/various synonyms for ontologically evil. which is not the fucking case. learn to read. yunmeng jiang's own position post sunshot was very weak - they were a great sect in name only and were excluded from the alliance tying the three other great sects together - and jiang cheng could not politically afford to protect wei wuxian after wei wuxian alienated lanling jin. that's why jiang cheng says "if you insist on doing this, i can't protect you," and why wei wuxian then tells jiang cheng to let him go. because they both understand this. come on

"jiang cheng forced jiang yanli to marry jin zixuan": jiang yanli as a character makes so many sacrifices for her family and her brothers. her relationship with zixuan is like the one thing she chooses for herself. she loves him!! the tragedy in wei wuxian killing jin zixuan is that yanli genuinely loved zixuan!! ngl i think antis argue this purely to try to exonerate wei wuxian: if jiang yanli didn't love jin zixuan then wei wuxian donutting him isn't a problem anymore, apparently. this is the result of people thinking of jiang yanli as purely a thing for wei wuxian, rather than a human being in her own right.

"jiang cheng should have protected wei wuxian from yu ziyuan": this one is annoying because jiang cheng was also a child. when a child is abused, it is the fault of the abuser, not the fault of another child who is also subject to the whims of the abuser. come on.

[chokamo]

glimpse of us

pairing : oscar piastri x fem!reader

summary : raising a baby is difficult as it is, but no one told you raising a carbon copy of your kin who likes your hobby just as much as you would be a blessing .

your daughter’s love for the ocean have stem from the various time you went to the beach when you were carrying her in the womb.

the mist of sea salt, the sound of waves and the stench of sand lingering between your clothing and crevices of your skin captivates you. the connection you had with the ocean, seems to passed down to her.

when you met your now husband, oscar, your love for the beach went to him as well. it became a weekly tradition for you to visit the shore during your earlier relationship, the calming atmosphere resonating throughout waves was enough to help soothe any stress both of you faced.

any time both of you feel down, going through a rough patch in your relationship or on the verge of a breakup, the beach was always there. so, it was no suprise when the both of you decided to purchase a home near to the beach.

when she was born, her curiosity about the world increased between the comfort of your home and the outside world. so, you made it a routine to bring her to the beach once a week. and before you know it, she eagerly began to show her interest towards the beach, and you were not complaining.

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, user, user, user and others.

yourusername our second time this week 😓

user LOL

user their love for the beach 🥹🥹🥹

user Y/NNNN OMGGG

user GORGEOUS Y/NNN

user your photo dumps always hittt

user my fav family ever

user baby piastri 🤍🤍🤍

user -> i love when she appears

user -> agree!!

user 🔥🔥🔥🔥

oscarpiastri i love both of you

you replied -> we love u 🥹🥹

user cuties

user makes me want to go to beach now 😓

user i love how they protect their daughter privacy.

user -> true! even her name is unknown

user -> good parents right there

user -> i just know she’s the safest baby out there

user the pink aesthetic is so arghhhh

user FINALLY!! was waiting for a y/n post

user thank you y/n for the oscar crumbs

user -> the only thirst we can appreciate

user -> his back 😳😳😳

user a post from a y/n will always atee

user never stop feeding us 🤌

oscarpiastri

liked by yourusername, user, user and others.

oscarpiastri second home @/yourusername

user oh y/n you are gorgeous

user LOVE THEM SMM

user piastri FAMILY 🤍

user his love for y/n is admirable 🥹

user -> so true!! he ALWAYS post her 😭😭

user OMG i didn’t even notice baby piastri there 😭

user -> ME TOO she’s a rare sighting on their post

user -> as they should 👏

user -> lets keep babies safe from weirdos ‼️

user their summer break are so >>>>>

user oh i love this

user body is tea

user y/n is so stunning

user i want her

user who taught him to photo dump like this?? 🤨

user -> he’s so good at it now!!

user -> all thanks to y/n

user -> THANK YOU Y/N we say in union

user 😫😫😫😫

yourusername ill give a 8/10 for this dump 😳

oscar replied -> 🙄🙄🙄🤍

user LMAOO

user living for their playful banter >>>>

user can’t wait to see more of them next time.

a/n : do people still like dad!f1?? i like em <33

check out my other post! masterlist

disclaimer: this is a work of fiction, the events and characters depicted are not based on real life, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

[azems-familiar]

not a gposer, so i don't have Much, but a friend of mine posed Lelesu and Hythlodaeus the other day for me and i thought these were really cute:

(i did do the edits on the second one myself)

Another random WoLQotD/OC question

I thought I'd ask this while I worked on my other questions. :)

If you're a WoL x NPC shipper, what drew you to that ship and why? What makes that ship the pinnacle for you and your oc? Is it that you love the canon character you write them with, you find their dynamic interesting or something in between?

If you're not a WoL x NPC shipper, but you have a ship with another person, how did that come about? What makes that ship fulfilling for you? Has the ship impacted your relationship with that other person? Feel free to gush, I wanna hear it!

Oh, and pictures are a must (if you have them).

[etherealising]

one | christmas (baby please come home)

pairing(s): carmen 'carmy' berzatto x fem!reader | fem!reader x original male character | the bear x fem!reader

synopsis: you reunite with carmy at the berzatto family christmas, five years after your falling out.

warning(s): angst | fluff | pining | semi-unrequited love | minimally edited

wc: 7.8k

READER HAS A NICKNAME BUT OTHERWISE AMBIGUOUS

A quiet Christmas playlist drifted through the confines of the house as three friends sat gathered around the kitchen table spending much-needed time together catching up while building gingerbread houses, the various glasses of wine shared between the three of them lowering their inhibitions. 

“Baby! You’re not even looking at the camera.” Natalie’s slurred words caused a fit of giggles to spill out of you as you held up your dilapidated gingerbread house whatever artistic skills you possessed washed away with all the wine swishing through your bloodstream. 

You positioned yourself once more smiling at Nat’s phone as you held the slowly crumbling house, Pete instinctively leaned over to join you for the photo only for his reindeer antler headband to poke you in the eye. Both of you fell into a fit of hysterics as Nat giggled behind her phone most likely snapping blurry photos. 

None of you could be sure how you’d gotten to the point of being wine-drunk on Christmas Eve. The celebrations began when Nat and Pete picked you up from the airport earlier that morning, the three of you deciding on a quiet night in with a home-cooked meal, followed by a night of Christmas festivities courtesy of Pete which you could never turn down especially when seeing how excited he always got. You remembered Natalie listing off her worries for tomorrow’s dinner as she poured the three of you wine, that first glass somehow turned into two empty wine bottles in no time as the three of you enjoyed each other’s company. 

“Wait, wait we’ve got to get a picture in our matching pjs!” Pete was by far the most sober of the three of you and that was probably how he won the game of rock, paper, scissors that forced you into wearing the set of Christmas pajamas he bought you that were a replica of the ones he and Nat currently had on.

You shook your head immediately, not wanting any more photo evidence of this night, especially knowing Nat was probably sending these pictures to Mikey who would most definitely never let you live down matching with the married couple. “I think we have more than enough pictures.” The words felt heavy as they rolled around on your tongue and you couldn't help but giggle at how slow you felt like you were speaking.

Nat moved around the table to your side wrapping her arms around your neck as she leaned her chin against your shoulder and her cheek pressed into yours. “Pretty please Baby, we only get to do fun things like this a couple times a year when you visit.” She moved her face away to give what you assumed were supposed to be puppy dog eyes but was really just her concentrating extremely hard. “If you love me you’ll do it.” 

You rolled your eyes pretending to be put out by the married couple, not wanting them to know just how much fun you were actually having. While you were thankful for your success and the career you built up for yourself, that meant that you spent the majority of your time traveling and working, and while it was nice to see the world, sometimes you wished you could take more than a quick beat for visits like these. You hadn’t visited Chicago as much as you would’ve liked since moving to the West Coast, which meant you saw less and less of the family that made you one of their own all those years ago. You watched as Nat and Pete struggled to set up the phone in the living room for the group photo, giggling at how they seemed to feed off of each other as though they shared a single brain cell between the two of them.

Nat waved you over once they got the phone set up, “Oh! We should do like one of those awkward photo shoots.” 

You groaned, shaking your head back and forth while Pete stood next to you aggressively nodding his head in approval, the two of them were so goofy together you’re unsure why you ever thought you’d have an actual choice in how this unprofessional impromptu photo shoot was going to go. While you may’ve been inebriated that didn’t mean you were on board with every decision the two were making, but you also loved them too much to tell them no, and as you watched them excitedly try to figure out what pose to go with you figured you could feed into their inherent goofiness just this once in the spirit of Christmas.

Carmy stood in the kitchen of his childhood home watching as his mom prepared for Christmas dinner the following day, vehemently refusing any help when he offered it up but forcing him to keep her company and recount all of his culinary adventures as she worked.

He watched his mom move around the kitchen in an organized frenzy, talking to herself at points when she listed off what needed to be done next. Carmy could already see the weight of the looming festivities hanging heavy over her head, stressing her out before the day even began. While he understood and appreciated her love for food and cooking probably more than anyone considering she fostered that same love and appreciation within him when it came to the culinary arts, he always wondered why she insisted on cooking family dinner every year if it always ended in a mess.

“Oh fuck me!” The loud expletive forced Carmy from the recesses of his mind as he stared in his mother’s direction. “Carm honey, do me a favor and finish decorating the fireplace, the box of decorations is already out there.” 

Carmy stood there a minute longer trying to compute the fact that his culinary excellence was being disregarded and he was being put on decorating duty, “Carmen. Can you do it or do I have to do every fucking thing myself?” 

“No, uh yeah I got it.” He met his mother’s eyes nodding his head up and down in acquiesce, to let her know he had it under control.

She shooed him out of the kitchen returning to her food prep before he even made to move to the living room. Carmy quickly found the box of decorations exactly where his mom said it would be, the house was abnormally quiet he assumed Mikey was at The Beef but he couldn’t be sure he had no need to be near the sandwich shop at the moment and Sug moved out ages ago so here he was stuck in his childhood home with nothing better to do than decorate the fireplace mantle.

Carmy knew however he decorated the mantle his mom would just come behind him and fix it to her liking, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. Maybe if he got it close enough to how she liked she would have to do less fixing. He was surprised to find how calming decorating the mantle was, but maybe that was only because he didn’t care to impress anyone with his subpar decorating skills.

Reaching into the box Carmy pulled out the stockings each one designated to one of the Berzatto siblings. He easily hung the stockings onto the hooks on the mantle before reaching in for the last one, embroidered with a name he was sure he hadn’t seen in far too long a time. Carmy was foolish to think that because he ruined the friendship between the two of you that his family would disregard your whole existence over his mistakes. 

Carmy remembered how hard he tried for the first couple of months after he’d left to get into contact with you, to try and let you know just how sorry he was and how much he missed your friendship…missed you. If you ever gave him the chance, he was sure he’d spend his whole life apologizing for that moment. 

That night would haunt him forever, and his mind made sure of it, the worst moment of his life was on a constant loop anytime he got a moment of calm and quiet. Which wasn’t often but they happened enough for the hurt and pain on your face from that night to be permanently seared into his mind. And when it wasn’t memories of the way the moonlight illuminated the tears running down your face from that night, it was the overwhelming guilt that weighed on him for ever speaking to you that way.

Carmy’s hand traced across the embroidered thread of your name as though passing over it enough times would permanently thread the letters into his skin. He hesitated, unsure if they still hung the stocking long after you moved, a moment passed before he decided he would hang it if only just to catch a glimpse of something that reminded him of you. Carmy maneuvered the other stockings around in order to make space for yours trying to ignore the warmth that filled his chest at the sight of your name hanging directly next to his. 

He was pulled from his daze as his phone vibrated multiple times in rapid succession, he pulled the device out of his back pocket unsurprised to find Nat blowing up the sibling's group chat, plus Richie courtesy of Mikey. He was ready to shove the phone back in his pocket when a message coming through from Richie caught his eye, his heart sped up a bit as he read it before it disappeared off of his screen. 

Carmy was positive he had never opened the sibling's group chat as fast as he did at that moment. Opening the text chain he frowned at the assortment of pictures above Richie’s message doing his best to figure out what the hell he was looking at. The first few pictures were of Pete and Nat and as much as he loved his sister he wasn’t interested in seeing either of them. His thumb began swiping through the photos rapidly unsure why anyone would take so many photos of the same things over and over again. Carmy found himself stopping on one picture in particular, a picture that was neither Sug nor Pete, but presumably, the person who took the previous pictures of the couple. 

There you were. 

Smiling so wide it almost looked painful, a glow to your skin that made Carmy unsure if it was from the phone camera or if you were actually glowing. The picture was blurry but for the most part, he could make out your features, he would recognize you anywhere even after all the time spent apart he would be able to pick you out of a crowd with no trouble at all. That’s how deeply you were ingrained into his brain even if the last time he saw you was when you were a fresh high school graduate.

He scrolled once more the side of his lips ticking up at the same photo this time just a lot clearer, he absentmindedly saved the photo to his phone before resuming his viewing. Carmy’s eyes were always drawn to you when you were in any of the photos, at some point he began disregarding Sug and Pete entirely, giving you his full attention. He couldn’t help the quiet chuckle as he scrolled through all the shenanigans the three of you got up to saving another individual shot of you in front of the Christmas tree in Christmas-themed pajamas with matching socks and a headband with two candy canes in the shape of a heart. The sight of you smiling directly at the camera made it seem as though you were looking directly at him, a blush rose to Carmy’s cheeks at how pathetic it was for him to get so worked up over a few photos of you. He looked at the last photo a moment longer before realization dawned on him, his eyes quickly shot from his phone screen to the stocking he hung up. 

Carmy scrolled through the recently sent messages he missed after staring at the pictures of you so long gathering enough information to confirm his suspicions. He quickly turned on his heel before heading back into the kitchen.

“Yo ma,” she gave a distracted hum which was enough for him to begin his line of questioning. “Is uh…does Baby still come to family Christmas?” 

The older woman stopped what she was doing turning to face her youngest son with the most egregious ‘are you fucking stupid’ look Carmy received in a while. “Do I bust my ass every year preparing seven fishes that nobody ever fucking appreciates or eats?” 

Carmy was unsure if it was a trick question but as his mom raised her eyebrows awaiting an answer he realized there in fact was a right answer, “Yes?”

She shook her head looking him up and down as if he were a stranger “I don’t know what’s gotten into you Carmen, it’s like you're from a whole different fucking planet. Of course, the girl comes to Christmas, we're the only family she’s got left.” She stopped speaking to pull out the pack of cigarettes she kept on her slipping one between her lips before speaking around it. “And you would fuckin’ know that if you came home once in a while Bear.” 

Carmy nodded his head ignoring the last sentence as he let the information settle in, he would be seeing you face to face for the first time since high school, and the two of you would be in the same for hourse. He took his chance to slip out of the kitchen as his mother turned back to finish her prepping. He needed some time to himself to try not to work himself into a frenzy as he thought about what tomorrow would bring.

The Berzatto family home looked exactly as you left it all those years ago, the only noticeable difference was the Christmas decorations but other than that it was still your bonus home, the home you spent as much if not more time in than your own home. 

The home you grew up in sat just right across the street, a family of three began renting it a year after you left for college and although it was weird to think that another family was living in the home that would always hold a piece of you, you were just happy to rent it out to a loving family. You’d try to find the time and bring them a goodie basket or something, you always sent holiday cards, but now that you were in town you could meet them properly. 

You stood at the trunk of your rental car staring at the array of wrapped presents trying to decide if you should bring them all in now or just wait. Your eyes fell on the matte black sleek box, the last-minute gift cost more than it would’ve if you bought it ahead of time, you bit your lip the longer you stared at it only now feeling uncertain about the unwarranted gift.

“You sure you’re up for this?” The voice came from your side, Hayden leaned against the car as he watched you stare at the box as though it personally wronged you.

A small sigh escaped you as you turned to face him, arms crossing over your chest “Not really, no but I come home every Christmas and I can’t stop just because he happens to be in town.” Hayden looked at you like he knew you were lying but decided against mentioning it. “Thanks for coming with me by the way, I know it was last minute…how you holding up?”

Hayden shrugged before looking straight ahead, “Well my best friend has been sleeping with my wife for the better part of a year, and said wife served me divorce papers two days before Christmas so.” His voice trailed off as he gave you a sarcastic smile. “But I would say you’re having a worse day than me so it makes me feel a bit better.”

You frowned, not entirely understanding what he was getting at, causing him to roll his eyes, “Oh c’mon Baby, the kid you’ve been in love with our whole lives is home for Christmas, the two of you never even dated mind you. He broke your heart years ago and for some reason, you’re still in love with the idiot but won’t pick up the phone to tell him, and all of your relationships have failed because you’re too stuck living in the past.”

“I should’ve left your ass at home wallowing in self-pity.” 

Hayden’s lips pulled into a sardonic smile as he tipped his head to you. “Well now we can wallow in self-pity together, you can stay out here in the cold looking at that stupid box, but I’ll be in that warm house drinking all of Miss Berzatto’s good liquor.” 

The front door opening drew both of your attention, your heads swiveled to watch Mikey exit the house and begin making his way to you, a frown lined his face as his eyes landed on Hayden by your side confused at the extra guest you brought with you.

“Why the fuck are the two of you standing out here in the cold.” Mikey’s gruff voice felt like a balm for the doubt that was beginning to eat away at you from Hayden’s unwelcome reality check.

Hayden moved quicker than you anticipated, wrapping his arms around your shoulders and pulling you into his side. “Oh you know just reminding our girl here that love sucks and it's all a fucking illusion because no matter how much you love someone they’ll always end up fucking your pseudo brother.” 

Mikey’s confusion was evident as his eyebrows pinched together even more, his eyes darted between the two of you mouth opening to speak only to quickly close as you shook your head back and forth as subtly as possible.

“Hey, is your mom drinking yet?” Hayden’s question earned a hesitant nod from Mikey who was unsure if providing her a drinking partner was the best thing to do. “Great…great, well merry fucking Christmas!” Hayden pressed a gentle kiss into your temple before moving to head into the house, clapping Mikey on the shoulder as he went by. 

Mikey moved to stand next to you, the both of you watching the train wreck of a man head into the Berzatto household. “What the fuck is up with that kid?” Mikey turned to look at you trying to figure out exactly what kind of mess you brought to family Christmas.

“Sasha’s leaving him.” You watched as understanding washed over Mikey’s face a small nod following as he put two and two together at Hayden’s weirder-than-usual behavior. Mikey opened his mouth to give you shit about bringing the insufferable kid with you only stopping as you spoke over him. “He’s good people, Mikey, I just didn’t want him alone on Christmas.”

Mikey didn’t have an argument for that. As irritating as Hayden could be he found himself indifferent towards the kid you called friend. Mikey was loathed to admit it and he would deny it if anyone ever asked him, but he had a secret appreciation for the kid, Hayden was there for you during a tough time in your life, he was there for you when you needed a friend or someone in your corner who wasn’t directly connected to the youngest Berzatto and for that, Mikey respected the kid, but it's not like he’d ever tell you or him that. 

“Let me look at you,” Mikey’s voice broke through the quiet that had settled over the two of you, your eyes flashed to his face taking in the facial hair he'd decided to grow out. “All fucking grown up ain’t you. Can we still call you Baby or you too grown for that shit now?” 

You rolled your eyes at the joke Mikey made every time you came home before turning and grabbing your bag from where you sat it in the trunk, leaving the gifts behind and moving to walk towards the house with Mikey, “As much as I regret the nickname I’m not sure if I could get used to hearing you all call me by my first name again.” 

Mikey chuckled at your words, hand moving out to grab your elbow and stop you from continuing ahead. “Relax out here with me for a bit yeah?”

A frown lined your face as Mikey stopped in front of you, you could tell he had ulterior motives for stopping you, his hand moving to take the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket before lifting it to his mouth and lighting it. 

“You uh, you know your little boyfriends in that house right?” 

Your nose scrunched up at Mikey’s words, you could hear the teasing tone in his voice as he spoke but that didn’t mean his words didn’t make your chest ache. Of course, you knew he was here, but not until a week after you booked your flight and Nat gave you some bullshit excuse about how she just didn’t know he was coming home for Christmas. You were upset with her and rightfully so but Pete somehow still talked you into coming and so here you were pretending like seeing Carmy after so long didn’t matter, pretending like you hadn’t teared up on the drive over with your face turned to the window as Hayden drove, quietly reliving every vile word Carmy spewed at you that night in your head. Pretending as though you didn’t carry his words along with the hurt they caused within you for years like they didn’t change the way you viewed yourself and took up space in other people’s lives, maybe Hayden’s observation about you carrying the past around was more factual than you once thought. 

And it didn’t matter that he tried getting back in contact with you his first year in California or that he sent flowers and a card when your mom passed saying he’d come home if you needed him to. None of it mattered because it would never make up for the underlying truth in his cold, cruel words from all those years ago.  

Mikey’s eyes darted around your face watching the small changes in your expression knowing you were thinking about the past, his cigarette halfway gone as he lost you to the inner workings of your mind. He took another puff before letting it fall from his fingertips and stomping it out, the tears lining your eyes forced him to move faster as he tucked you into his chest listening to you struggle to breathe as you fought to keep the sobs from wracking through your body.

“Shh, shh, you’re okay. You can leave right now if you need to and no one has to know you were here.” His hand raised to stroke your head as he gently rocked the two of you back and forth. “Hayden will understand.” 

You pressed your forehead into his chest as you willed yourself to calm down not wanting to make it obvious you’d been crying once the two of you made your way inside although it was probably already too late for that. 

“Why does it still hurt Mikey?”

A deep sigh raised the older man's chest at your words, his hands fell to your biceps gently pulling you away from him. The look Mikey gave you said it all, a look that forced you to face a truth you’d been running from for the past five years. Creating a new life and pretending as though whatever misguided feelings you held towards Carmy were just that of a childhood crush. 

It still hurt because you never stopped loving him.

You were thankful Mikey didn’t speak the words aloud unlike Hayden, you’d already been lectured by him countless times on this subject, Richie even jumped in from time to time to express his discontent. No one could understand why you held onto your feelings for Carmy so strongly knowing firsthand how much pain and anguish they caused you. You were scolded plenty of times about holding onto all that hurt, being told to either let it all go or talk to Carmy. You couldn’t bring yourself to do either of those things. 

But you couldn’t keep living in your head and feeding into the fairytale of you and Carmy forever. You had to move on with your life at some point, and even though Hayden was correct that one moment from your past kept ruining your future, at this point, you were doing it to yourself. Although it was painful and it took some time, the broken record of Carmy’s words from that night five years ago made it just a bit easier. 

“Baby,” Mikey paused on his words trying to find the right thing to say he felt torn every time this topic came up. You were a little sister to him, he viewed you in the same way he viewed Nat. He wanted the best for you, but this wasn’t it and the both of you knew it. 

“Why are you doing this to yourself? I’m not saying you should forgive Carm m’ just sayin’ holdin’ on to all this hurt isn’t doing you any good.” He watched as you looked away from him, the realization clear on your face, Mikey could read you so well he knew you were tired of carrying the grief of that dead friendship around with you. His hands reached out to cup your face the rough pads of his thumb tenderly caressing your squished cheeks. “You’re finally in the same place after all this time, figure this shit out for both of your sakes.” 

An exhausted sigh escaped your lips as you fought the urge to come up with some lame excuse as to why now wasn’t the right time, but there’d never be a right time for the two of you. 

You wrapped your arms around Mikey’s waist once more needing the warm strong bear hugs he always provided to help calm yourself down enough to be prepared to face everyone, but also to signal you were done with this conversation entirely. You pulled out of Mikey’s grip as he gave you a look seemingly asking if you were okay, you nodded in answer, relaxing into him as he pressed a gentle kiss onto the skin of your forehead.

“Alright, let's get you inside before mom comes out here and cusses me out for keeping you in the cold.” Mikey’s hands rubbed up and down your arms to provide you with the much-needed body heat.

A genuine laugh left your lips knowing Mikey’s words were closer to the truth than one might think. Mikey moved to turn around and begin walking to the door but was forced to stop as you reached out to grab his hand. “I uh, I got you something.” 

His eyebrows raised in question, “Awe you didn’t have to get me nothin’.” You rolled your eyes rummaging through your bag for the two presents and holding them out to him once you found them, chuckling as you watched him place his hands over his heart mockingly. You knew Mikey didn’t do well when it came to sentimental moments and the best you would get out of him was a joke as opposed to anything else. 

You smiled holding the heavier of the gifts out to him first, “I wanted to Mikey, don’t think of this as a gift, think of it uhh…as a show of appreciation yeah?” You nodded, feeling your face warm as you let your eyes dart around so you didn’t have to watch his reaction.

Mikey smiled, finding your shyness endearing before tearing into the neatly wrapped paper and revealing a frame, his hands engulfed it from end to end. He smiled at it before you saw confusion etch across his face, “This is great Baby, yeah but uh what the fuck am I looking at?”

You shoved his shoulder before laughing at him and grabbing the frame out of his hands holding it in front of your chest, the glass facing him so he could still see its contents, “It's a trademark certification you dumbass, can’t you fucking read Mikey.” You joked to try and underestimate how big of a gift this was.

Mikey’s brows furrowed before he snatched the frame out of your hands to get a better look at the certificate sitting behind the glass, eyes snapping back up to your face with a look you couldn’t read. You shuffled your feet feeling like you overstepped a boundary you didn’t even know was between you and Mikey, “Don’t worry though I-I, put it in your name, I didn’t trademark it for myself or anything. I just remember how much you all used to talk about this, and I'm not sure if it's something you still want but I…I just wanted you to know I still believe in you. And I…I know how tough shit is lately and I promise I didn’t mean to step on your toes but…Mikey, you deserve good things too okay?” 

You could hear your long-winded explanation become more emotional by the minute but you needed Mikey to know how loved and appreciated he was. He was a big brother to you, always by your side whenever you needed him, he saw you through all the bullshit with Carmy and helped you to get through your mom's death. And when you were hellbent on throwing whatever little future you didn’t think you had left away he was right there with you pushing you to see just how much you deserved to get out of this godforsaken city and make something of yourself. 

“You deserve so much in this world Mikey, and I wish I could give it to you. But you need to know how much I believe in you and how much I love you, I’m always in your corner,” you paused trying to choke back another round of tears. “And Mikey I…I don’t think I would be here right now if it wasn’t for y-.” 

Before you could get another word out you were once again trapped in his comforting embrace, the both of you taking every bit of love and comfort the other offered in that moment. Mikey’s head tucked into your neck as you felt his uneasy breathing through your hands clutched around him. He wasn’t the type to get emotional in front of other people, and feeling a tear of his smear against your cheek as he raised his head from your neck and settled his bearded cheek against yours, you weren’t sure if you had done the right thing by giving him the gift or not.

The two of you stood in silence as you allowed Mikey to have this moment, not wanting to make him feel insecure about you being present while his emotions ran high. When he finally pulled away you could see the leftover sheen in his eyes. He tucked the framed certificate under his arm as both his hands reached up to grab your face, his eyes found yours, 

“Thank you, Baby,” the words were spoken so quietly you were surprised you caught onto them a small imperceptible nod of your head directed at him as you gave him a tearful smile. Mikey placed a kiss on your forehead before he grabbed the frame again and wrapped you in another hug. 

You decided it best to leave the biography you finally wrote, printed, and compiled about him after all these years in his room, wanting him to be able to experience it in private so he could indulge in whatever feelings it brought forth. 

Mikey’s head sat atop yours as your face rested against his chest, ear listening to the rhythm of his beating heart. The hug you shared with Mikey in that moment felt heavier than any other time you had the pleasure of being held in his arms. You’d be remiss not to notice but chose instead not to bring it up to him and enjoy the moment for what it was.

A moment of peace.

30 minutes passed since Michael escaped the house to do whatever the fuck it was he was doing outside. Carmy didn’t know and in all honesty, he didn’t actually give a shit either, too busy helping their mom out in the kitchen to try to give any thoughts to whatever grabbed Mikey’s attention. 

He was focused in the corner of the kitchen making Tiff Sprite to help alleviate her nausea symptoms. Anyone else would have done their best to block out the rambunctious noises going on throughout the house, but not Carmy though, the chaos fueled him, it grounded him. If the house was quiet it would have been too much for him, to be alone with his own thoughts ping-ponging around in his head, waiting for a chance to drown him. So if he had to listen to his mom list off a plethora of things he needed to make sure happened for Christmas dinner to go off without a hitch while he was making Sprite from scratch, he welcomed it. 

He finished his concoction just in time for Richie to walk through the kitchen, the older man trying to figure out how the fuck it was even possible to make Sprite from scratch. Gratefully taking the glass Carmy offered to him marveling at the carbonated drink in his hand.

Carmy nodded in his direction, “Yo Cousin, where the fuck is Mikey. He just fucking disappeared.” Carmy’s head swiveled around the kitchen checking whether his brother was there or not, coming up empty in his search. Richie glanced up before settling his eyes back on the drink in his hand still doing the mental math to wrap his head around what the fuck Carmy just made.

Richie jutted his head in the direction of the front door, “Outside talking to Baby.” His eyes finally focused on Carmy’s in time to see the color drain from his face at the older man’s words, the younger of the two looking as nauseous as the pregnant woman upstairs. Although he knew you were in town he’d gotten so sucked into the chaotic energy of everything that his mind hadn’t given him any time to overthink seeing you all these years later and if he knew Mikey was outside with you he would’ve made sure he was nowhere in the vicinity of your entrance, not because he didn’t want to see you or be around you but because after all these years he still had no idea how to admit every feeling he kept bottled up and tucked away from you. 

“Did you not know she was coming? Your moms invites her to every holiday, Cousin, and she comes every time.” Richie knew the last bit wasn’t necessary but felt Carmy rightfully deserved it, all anyone wanted from the youngest Berzatto was a visit.

“Dudes been out there for fucking ever though, those two idiots probably just standing outside like a bunch of fucking jagoffs.” Richie left the kitchen not waiting for Carmy to follow him before heading to the front door. He stopped moving the curtain on one of the side windows to spot two of the people he considered family and a surprise plus one. He let out a low whistle nudging Carmy’s shoulder who finally joined his side nodding his head to the window. 

“Awe and she brought her little boyfriend with her.” Richie’s words bounced through Carmy’s head like a game of pinball. You were seeing somebody? Carmy unceremoniously shoved Richie out of the way to get a glimpse of his own out the window, the older man did his best to hold in his laughter. 

Carmy looked out the window just in time to see you snuggly pressed into another man’s side, his brain working overtime to figure out who it was before he watched the man lean in and press a soft kiss into the side of your head causing Carmy’s stomach to sink. 

“When did they start dating?” Before Carmy could stop himself the question was out in the open, his voice sounded less curious and more annoyed than it should have. 

Richie knew what he was about to do next would probably get him into a load of shit but he couldn’t help but want to fuck with Carmy, would you beat his ass for it later, probably but that wasn’t gonna stop him from having his fun. 

“Ohh shit, nobody told you, Cousin?” Richie did his best to sound sad as he spoke, fighting to keep his face neutral as Carmy turned to look at him. “Listen, I don't think it's my place to tell you.” Richie raised his free hand and the cup up in defense.

Carmy could feel his heart speed up the longer he looked at Richie, “Told me what?” An apologetic look washed over Richie’s face twisting the feeling of despair deeper into Carmy’s chest. “Told me fucking what Richie?” He did his best not to scream in the man’s face but the longer Richie stayed silent the more Carmy was sure he was going to have a breakdown. 

“Carm…she’s,” Richie paused suddenly realizing that maybe this joke wasn’t as funny as he first thought it once was but he was in too deep now. “Baby’s married.” 

The tightness in Carmy’s chest intensified tenfold as his eyes traced Richie’s face for any inkling that he was lying. He could feel his palms becoming clammy as he tried to comprehend the truth bomb Richie just dropped on him. When did you get married? Why didn’t he know? 

Even if he didn’t want to admit it, he already knew the answer to that last question. You didn’t want him to know, the two of you weren’t those same kids from five years ago. There was no more sharing everything that happened in your lives with one another and Carmy only had himself to thank for that. 

“Don't fսck with me right now Richie.” Carmy was doing his best to hold onto whatever was left of his resolve not knowing if he could realistically spend his first Christmas home in years watching you be happy with some other man. 

Before the older man could admit to his fallacy the door swung open, the man in question walking through the door. 

“Yo, Richie how you been man? Tiff trynna kill you yet?” His voice drifted through the foyer as he shrugged out of his jacket while Carmy forced himself to turn around making eye contact with the man only receiving an indifferent look in return. “Carmen, good to see you home dude.” 

It took Carmy a moment to realize he knew the man standing in front of him, Hayden Ivanovski was always more your friend than he was Carmy’s but the two of them got along decently enough for your sake. Carmy’s eyes flitted down to the hand stretched out in his direction, quickly latching onto the gold band wrapped around his ring finger, the truth of the situation settled heavily inside of him as he shook Hayden’s hand.

“Yeah uh, good to be back.” Carmy restrained himself from physically massaging out the ache in his chest as he stood in front of the man who succeeded where he couldn’t. He let Hayden’s hand go, tuning out the conversation between Richie and Hayden as he lost himself to the overwhelming thoughts swimming through his head moving to stand just outside of the kitchen as he leaned against the wall. There was no doubt about it, you were married, and those hateful words Carmy spewed at you in the backyard of his family home five years ago probably only helped to push you into Hayden’s embrace. 

Carmy heard you before he saw you. He’d been so lost in his self-deprecating thoughts that he hadn’t heard the door open again. 

All of these years, all the skipped holidays, and Carmy was missing out on you. The sight of you standing in his family home helped to calm his racing heart but then he watched as Hayden pulled you into his side, the two of you looking like a picture of love as the man leaned in placing one more kiss to your temple, conveniently staring Carmy down from across the foyer. 

Carmy dropped his gaze from Hayden before focusing on you once more, the tension seemed to just bleed right out of him as he watched you glow in happiness even if caused by someone else. He was so caught up in his staring that he hadn’t realized the way Mikey glanced at him, eyebrows raised like he was waiting for Carmy to make a move he hadn’t prepared for and didn’t even know he could still make. 

He’d be lying if he said the years apart made him forget what you looked like. You were still the same girl he left in Chicago all those years ago except the wand of maturity worked its magic on you, and in his opinion he thought you looked more beautiful than you had in high school. 

Carmy was never one to pay too much attention to a woman’s features, and not because he didn’t care, it's just that he didn’t think it mattered, he wasn’t drawn to you because of your appearance it was just you as a person that always kept his attention. The comfort you brought him, the way he used to feel safe just being in your presence, the softness you taught him it was okay to bask in, and the way you allowed him to be vulnerable and unapologetically himself were what really kept him hooked. But as he drank in your form he learned in that exact moment why a woman might want people to notice the small things, and he made sure to do so as he stared at you from his vantage point staring around Mikey’s body. Carmy was sure he could look at you all day and deep down inside, he knew he would spend most of Christmas doing just that now that a future with you wasn’t attainable. 

He was pulled from his study of you as your voice rang through his ears, the way his name sounded coming out of your mouth warmed his body. 

“Merry Christmas Carmy,” he could tell your smile was forced, but even the fact that he was worthy of your attention at this moment was enough for him. “It’s nice to see you home.” 

Carmy tried not to read into your words knowing you were just being friendly but the way Mikey cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at his younger brother, he knew he needed to say something. 

The moment was lost though as another voice interrupted the silence that fell over the group in the foyer. 

“Baby, is that you? My goodness, you look fucking gorgeous and you brought Hayden!” Half of Donna’s body popped out of the kitchen finally gaining a spare moment to greet the newcomers. Her words mumbled through the cigarette between her lips, while she held a ladle in her right hand and the left was occupied by tongs. Her apron was covered in all sorts of sauces and whatever the hell else she was in the kitchen making.

Carmy watched as you laughed half in amusement, you and Hayden both waved in his mother’s direction. Hayden gestured for you to walk in front of him as you both made your way to the kitchen. Donna waved the tongs in Carmy’s direction, “Jesus fucking Christ Carmen, take the girl's bag and coat. Don’t just fuckin stand there.” She huffed eyes glaring the longer Carmen stayed glued to the spot. “C’mon Hayden, I need someone to drink and gossip with.”

The man wasted no time tossing his jacket atop the rest of the pile before maneuvering around Carmy and you. Richie and Mikey had dispersed at some point leaving the foyer empty aside from the two old friends. Carmy gestured for your tote, taking it out of your hand before awkwardly helping you to slip off your jacket doing his best not to touch you unnecessarily. 

Carmy tried to match the small smile you gave him as you made to move around him but was sure he just looked miserable. He was surprised as you gripped his bicep before walking past him, “I uh, I actually bought you a Christmas present. So um, find me later yeah?” He watched as you genuinely smiled at him for the first time in years, unsure if the rhythm his heart was beating in was healthy or not.

A concerned look washed over your face at Carmy’s silence forcing the man to hesitantly nod his head surprised you would’ve gotten him anything after all this time. He opened his mouth to speak but settled against doing so, sure he would make a fool of himself, instead giving you a small shy smile in return. Carmy watched you a moment longer, your own mouth opening and closing like his once had before you settled on a simple nod and dropped your hand back to your side, before walking into the kitchen.

Whatever little hope that interaction had given Carmy was dashed as soon as he heard Hayden’s voice call out to you. You were happy and that’s all he ever wanted, Carmy knew he should’ve been happy for you, but he couldn’t bring himself to come to terms with the fact that all of this could’ve been avoided if he had just been honest with you five years ago.

Maybe then he wouldn’t have to watch as another man brought forth the happiness that once used to be reserved for him. 

a/n: well, well, well what do we have here? gonna be honest idk how the bear fandom is doing so this series rewrite may not get as much love as the original, but that doesn't bother me as much as it used to.

some quick housekeeping as we begin this journey once more; ya girl is working full time so updates will be sporadic, genuinely have no upload schedule so please if you read this rewrite be gracious and understand i have a real life outside of fic writing. other than that please enjoy like/comment/reblog it means a lot.

i've missed you all so much please fangirl with me over these two once more! 🫶🏼🤍