#anyways happy pride and i hope you eat well random anon

[zeibei]

BY THE END OF THIS MONTH THEY'D BETTER BE ENGAGED.

sure why not. Get Engaged Beam Now!!!

[lightlycareless]

omgggg, that Toji x reader (*plus* Naoya) was incredibleee, ignore me if you want, I know you made Toji chosing to keep distance from reader and Megumi permanently BUT what if one day he ends up finally seeing Megumi, either personally or by pictures/videos 🥺 We know Megumi it's the spitted image of him, I mean, Gojo's face when he saw him for the first time said it all 😅 And also knowing his baby has the Ten Shadows technique (I cant stop thinking about how proud he was in the canon manga/anime 🥺 he always KNEW from the start Megumi was blessed/gifted, since his first breath, the fact Toji named him is not random) making the entire Zenin clan eat their shit

Heya anon!!

I'm so glad you liked it heheheheheheh a oneshot that I didn't intend to write but it just happened!! aren't we glad it did? lol

I didn't mean to ignore you, I was only focusing on other things first 😅 oof, I still have lots of request to go through, which I plan to do it slowly but surely...

Anyways, I might've not gone down that route, however... why not something angsty? I mean 😏I've had this in my mind so... yeah 😏😏😏😏😏😏😏

Warnings: mentions of infidelity. Pregnancy. Naoya is, unfortunately, a prick. this is the oneshot anon is talking about. 100% read that first hehe. this is an AU from that, so the second part doesn't count??? I guess. excuse the proofreading. also I haven't written toji that much so please excuse my oocness as well ahahahahha :')

Happy reading!

As much as the three hoped to ignore the bases of your pregnancy, behave as it didn’t rise from an adulterous act, a direct transgression to the principles of the Zen’in, and keep it a secret, it wouldn’t take long before the guilt in each other’s mind began to weight heavy on their mind, ultimately betraying them and revealing the truth to the light, excusing the angered elders to finally get rid of two birds with one stone.

“Where—Where does this accusation even come from?!” You gasp, blood turning cold at the implication—at the notion of the truth. “Do you know the gravity of such words?!”

“Better than you of the act, it seems.” Another accuses. “We were quite aware of the rumors surrounding your ill-fitting behavior, but we never believed it would actually extend to this point!”

“I—I won’t tolerate neither of you disrespecting me!” you cry. “Nor will Naoya for that matter!”

But calling for his aid would no longer prove sufficient, for Naoya, too deep in his own insecurities by that point, had come to the disheartening conclusion that this situation had gotten way out of hand for a simple diversion.

A supposed act of mercy.

He shouldn’t have let this happen in the first place, should’ve respected what you and your marriage represented, what meant to him, and discard his pity for Toji—the man has been alone most of his life, what difference would that make that now?

But he didn’t, he allowed you to go to Toji—no, he handed you over to him, thinking he was doing something right for his cousin, or perhaps something deep inside him was allured by the sick idea of you being with another man and now, he was suffering the consequences.

Consequences he did not like, not one bit—because it got too real for him: you were now pregnant, with Toji’s child, and not his.

And this only highlighted what he considered the pitfalls of this relationship, a strike against his ego and the supposed inability to beget children, a rumor that grew bigger and bigger by each passing day, spreading like wildfire to the point where even outsiders became aware of it.

Which, for a prideful man like Naoya, was only a nightmare.

He loved you, he really did—Naoya never envisioned spending the rest of his life with anyone else…

But he loved his pride more, and when his clan began to actively confront him about it, he couldn’t take it anymore.

And thus….

“…Naoya?”

“This marriage was broken before it even started.” Your husband would say, unexpected words that pierced straight to your heart. “My family advised me well in avoiding you, but I falsely believed I could achieve differently.”

“What—what are you even saying?” you breathe. “What do you mean by—by differently?”

And… where does everything you lived with him stand?

The time you spent with him, the sweet nothings he’d whisper into your ear, to love you both swore to one another, reminding each other that there was no one else that compares…

And that you were the only woman who has ever made him feel this way—loved— and would do everything in the world to make happy…

Was it… all … a lie?

All for… nothing?

Or were you the only one that actually believed the other’s words?

“I cannot look past these transgressions.” Naoya continues. “You’ve left me no choice.”

“But you—you made me do this!” you gasp. “I never—I never wanted to be with anyone else! All this time, my heart only belonged to you!  How could you—how could you abandon me after all we’ve gone through together?!”

Naoya doesn’t say anything else anymore, instead, he simply turns around, exiting the room to leave you in the hands of the vengeful elders who did not hesitate to do what they had long desired—banish you from the estate.

Swiftly yet cruelly, you wouldn’t be able to take anything with you, not even a change of clothes or even money (you didn’t even ask for much, just enough to survive the week) as you were forced to face a new life of your own—alone, pregnant.

Going back to your family was also out of the question; the shame that you’d bring upon their name was one the Zen’in didn’t not waste time to remind them of—at the end, there was only so much your father and siblings could do against the invasive ways of the elders, and perhaps, a part of them deep inside, were also disappointed that you’ve succumbed to such foul thing.

And so, you were tossed onto the street, with nothing more than the clothes you were wearing, whatever you had for savings throughout the years, managed to take it out before either clan could close your account—but most importantly, with a broken heart you believe will never heal, not after the grave wound your husband’s indifference inflicted on it.

The pain you couldn’t even mourn properly due to all the things you had to worry about now.

The first thing you did was search for a place to stay, though getting one was proving to be an almost impossible task.

Thankfully, you were allowed to keep one other thing, maybe it eluded their minds when all this was happening, but you’re not going to question why when it was going to help you pay for a roof.

Naoya’s ring, your wedding ring, was something many would consider expensive, the kind of flashiness expected from a prestigious family like the Zen’in.

You remember a time when any kind of ring would’ve been enough for you to marry him. You didn’t need anything extraordinary to commit your life and heart to him.

That’s nothing but a far cry from what you felt now.

It still hurt to pawn it, but it was the only way you could accommodate yourself and the unborn child inside you, in the only area you could afford with what you got, for even then many suspected that your ring… well, had dubious origins.

When was the last time you even had to worry about the costs of living? Food, clothes, water…?

Many years—it had to; ever since you got together with Naoya, he’s been the one that took care of you.

You just had to say the word and he’d disappear all of your worries—even from the simplest of wants, Naoya indulgingly obliged.

It was a happy life you eventually considered for your child—imagining how happy they’d grow to be without a single worry, solely focusing on what they’ll have to play that day, or how to escape their over doting parents.

A long-gone dream, tossed to the side as a nightmare quickly took its place.

…

Did Naoya ever mean the words I love you?

Or was he doing all this just to keep you there, complying, just in case someone better came along, just like his clan wished would happen?

There mere thought of his devotion being nothing but an act tightens your heart with sorrow once more, gifting you the tragic notion that perhaps, all this time, you never knew your husband…

Maybe ex-husband, by this point.

All that was left from those moments, the slightest semblance of that marriage was this baby, created from what you thought your unconditional devotion to him, turning out to be your very own downfall.

The only one that would know of these struggles would be your baby, the one to accompany you through the darkest point of your life, hopefully to a brigther dawn.

And yet… you’ve never felt so alone.

Time surprisingly, went quicker than you anticipated, though not as easy as you would’ve wanted.

Life in your new home was still very difficult to get used to, even when it’s been months since… that.

But with the job you managed to get (whatever place hired pregnant women—they’re supposed to be at home, some would say, you didn’t care.) and some extra jujutsu work you did on the side, you managed, enough to give you a, not exactly comfortable, but just enough lifestyle.

As long as you sacrificed all the things you once considered granted and turned them into luxuries: such as warm showers, take out, and the sweets you liked to indulge once in a while; your pregnancy has been horrible because of that, and that’s without considering the medical bills you’re struggling to pay as well.

But if that wasn’t enough, your noisy neighbors presented issues of their own as well.

You’re not going to deny that your presence there was like moths to a flame, starting from your somewhat suspicious acquisition—all cash—of the small house you were living in.

From there, your loneliness, alongside your pregnancy; single mothers were unheard of, or rather, highly criticized, thus, all eyes were on you, down to your smallest movement.

Yet, even then, as annoying as they were, you were ok as long as it meant you never get to see those that hurt you ever again.

However, what you want isn’t necessarily what’s going to happen, and that would be reminded of one fateful night with an unsuspecting knock, just after you were getting ready to go to bed.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone came to bother you, but it would be the first time someone did so at this hour, and with such insistence that far from worrying you, it made you angrily storm at the entrance, ready to demand who’d be so inconsiderate enough to visit you so late at night!

And you’d get your answer soon enough, in the most shocking, horrifying, if not sorrowful manner you could’ve possibly anticipated, prompting you to close the door as soon as you saw his face, or attempted to, his reflexes much faster than yours.

“Get—get away from me!” you shrieked, hands trembling as you did your best to hold the door shut against his overwhelming strength— but even your husband has admitted that in terms of power, he excels like no one else.

“Y/N—” he breathes, somewhat amused that you’d been able to hold him off as much as you could, though eventually he was able to break free from your grasp and enter your home, you step away from him soon after.

“What are you even doing here?!” you gasp. “No—that doesn’t matter! I don’t want to see you! I’m not going back!”

“I’m not here to take you back” He quickly responds, eyes falling down to your stomach, making his face soften at the subtle bump evident through your clothes—with this sight, he knows he can’t take you back.

“Then—then why are you here, Toji?”

Perhaps Toji needed to see through his own eyes, what the whispers went on about at the estate regarding your absence.

He wasn’t there when it happened, promised himself to be far away from you as soon as your pregnancy was announced to the estate.

Toji would’ve normally taken this opportunity to act on retribution against his family, rub it on their face that the future of the clan came from him, a low life.

But he couldn’t bring himself to do so when you cheerfully paraded around the halls, happy to finally be forming a family with your beloved husband, even though it wasn’t of his making.

For the first time in his life, he thought himself to be too cruel for having planned such atrocities against the only person that has never been rude with him, always welcoming him with a smile on your face, or at least whatever you permitted when not following Naoya around like a lost puppy.

And the baby… well, he won’t deny that he was glad that his child would have a vastly different life from his—with you as his mother, it couldn’t be any other way.

Or so he believed.

Even when promising to keep away, he still attempted to check in on you, especially now that you were pregnant, whenever he had to go to the estate that is. That day was no be no exception, begrudgingly coming back to see what else he could scam out of his family to ensure his living outside.

Toji’s slyly scanned the hallways for your figure, the briefest indication of such, either through your giggle, staff, or even his cousin’s annoying voice—there were moments where he imagined how delightful it must’ve been to have you by his side, instead of Naoya’s; to be receiver of your laughter instead of that man who clearly didn’t deserve you.

But even if it was with him, he still found comfort in the fact that you were around, there.

Not like now, gone from Naoya’s side.

In fact, you were nowhere to be seen! Not with your staff, not eating by the gardens, or even indulging in one of your husband’s idiocies.

Nothing.

And no one had seen you either.

Or more like didn’t want to say, that much became evident when he stomped his way towards a nearby staff member, demanding your whereabouts, only to be responded with a fret falsely feigning ignorance, or foolish diplomacy.

At the prospect of your disappearance, Toji felt his blood run cold, almost like the estate lost whatever little warmth it had, worsening each time he asked another servant, and he’d get the same answer.

The implications behind your absence were growing heavier in his mind, to the point it sunk his heart to his stomach…

And propelled him to the one person who would undoubtedly know where you were.

“Naoya—Where is Y/N?!” Toji commands the moment he sees the heir, the young man instinctively flinched at the sight of his angered cousin, almost as if he knew what was running through his mind and attempted to make a run for it, only to be stopped by the collar, dead on his tracks. “Do not run away, coward! Answer me!”

“She’s—she’s not here anymore.” Is what Naoya manages to squeak, but Toji doesn’t need to be reminded the obvious.

“Where. Is. She.” He hisses, the worst of his assumptions slowly becoming a reality. “What have you done to her?!”

“What—what needed to be done!” Naoya gasps. “I—I couldn’t allow it!”

Toji doesn’t remember much after Naoya told him that the clan decided she was better off on her own—only that the heir was on the floor, bloodied and whimpering while attempting to cover his face, either trying to control the throbbing of his skin, the blood from spilling anywhere else, or perhaps even shame.

No. It couldn’t be the last. To have done something like what he did required a shameless man to do so.

Nonetheless Toji didn’t bother to find out nor to be reprimanded, quick to assert what needed to be done and heading out the estate; he couldn’t even bother cursing those that had done nothing but the worst after the worst, each time a new low, for his mind solely pertained in finding you.

It took him a while to do so, as expected, but he knew it was only a matter of asking around for a woman that simply didn’t fit to do the job—and such, here he is now.

“I want—needed to see you.” Toji takes a step closer.

“Get—get away from me.”

“No, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“You were fine doing that before—what’s so different from now?” You spat.

“This is different, Y/N. You’re alone—and you need me.”

“I’m not alone—I don’t need you.” You gasp. “Get away from me or I’ll—I’ll call the police!.”

“If you don’t need me, then the baby does.”

It’s like he struck a nerve with his words, because soon after tears would begin to fall down your cheeks, revealing that the sight you attempted to portray, the strength you so fiercely put up against him, was nothing but a façade, a way to hide the fact that indeed, you needed help.

Exhausted from facing all these uncertainties on your own, afraid.

But not anymore, not when Toji was here, more than willing to step in, as seen in the way he swiftly holds you in his arms when he sees you almost faint from distress, attempting to comfort you as you continued to cry.

“Get— get away from me…!” you’d say again, still fighting against his hold. However, he doesn’t fight it, he simply allows you to vent, taking in all the pain and hatred your heart harbored from the moment you were kicked out of the estate. “Don’t touch me!”

“I’m not leaving” Toji insists, he feels you trying to squirm your way out from him, but his strength doesn’t allow it. “You can struggle all you want, but I’m not leaving you on your own—”

“What difference does it make to you? Your family abandoned me to my luck! And even forced my family to do the same!” you breathe, Toji’s eyes widen—he did not know that; his fury for the Zen’in grows, but this is not the time to deal with that. “They don’t care if I die on the street!”

“I know.” He murmurs, holding you tighter against him.

“And I—And I tried my best to—to move on, but I can’t! I can’t do it!” you sob. “I’m so alone, and scared, and—and ashamed! I don’t want to live like this anymore!! I don’t want to die!”

“…I know.”

“Why—why is this happening to me?! All I ever wanted was for—was for Naoya to love me. I never wanted anything else! I never wanted money, I never wanted to hurt anyone either! I just—I just wanted to live a happy life with him, to make him happy!

But then he—he tossed me away, at one thing he didn’t like, he acted like I didn’t even matter! He didn’t even put up a fight to defend me! he just—he just let them hurt me, like what we had was—a lie!

 Did he never—did he even love me?”

Speechless, all Toji could do is continue holding you as you kept on pouring out your feelings, hearing the heart wrenching sound of your sobs that just kept reflecting how wounded you were by Naoya’s betrayal, the transgressions of his family, and the disappointment of yours.

And all because of something you didn’t even suggest in the first place. It was him who made his way into Naoya’s mind, and eventually, it was Naoya who pushed you into it, regardless of what happened later.

He wanted to do it; you know?

He wanted to go back there and murder them for all they’d done against you.

But when he left that place one last time, he promised he would stop thinking about himself, and start doing what is right—what was needed.

If Naoya wasn’t to step up and be a man, then he would.

Toji would gladly throw away his own pride, his own anger and thirst for vengeance, just to see you safe and happy once more.

Things your husband, could simply not—but he… he’d do it in a heartbeat.

“I promise you.” Toji would reassure you once carefully placing you down to the bed after tiring yourself from crying, followed by a gentle kiss on the top of your head.

 “I swear, Y/N— I will not let my family do the same things they’ve done to me to our child. Even if it costs me my life, I will do everything in my power to keep the two of you safe.”

And unlike your husband, he means it.

Yes, a second part is coming :) just gotta put this one out first hehe.

Anyways, it's not exactly what you asked but I think it's going there??? I mean Toji STEPPED UP and was like OK imma take care of my baby mama. also, here Naoya .I. put it where it fits. ugh, can't say we're done with him...

agihajkgksa I'm excited for what's to come, I haven't written this level of angst in a while!! oof!!!

Thank you so much for your patience and for sending this ask :> I'm super happy you've like my oneshot so much!! I hope you'll be able to like this too!!

Take care, and see you soon! ❤️❤️

[merakiui]

Wow! An imagines blog for afterlife! First one as far as I can see... I wish you lots of fun with this! I wonder what your favourite characters from the game are? For me it's going to be Sian and Quincy (I first think I was going to hate this little devil brat but here I am XD). If you don't mind you can do relationship hc's with them and characters of your choice if you don't mind. I don't really have anything specific in mind, just something fluffy, sorry for that! Welcome and have a nice day!

(Is it really the first? Whoa! My favorites so far would have to be Ell and Verine! There’s something refreshing about Ell’s optimistic energy, and Verine seems so soft uwu But Sian and Quincy are also growing on me too. Either way, you’ve got good taste~ Please enjoy these hcs and thank you for being the first request, anon! :D)

Relationship HCs (Sian, Quincy, Ell, and Verine)

🎤 Sian 🎤

He refuses to admit to his feelings in the beginning. Why, you may ask? Simple: It’s embarrassing.

So he does what any normal tsundere would do in that sort of situation. He pushes you away by feigning his disinterest.

Naturally, his behavior comes off as rude and abrupt, but you’re able to see past that cold exterior.

Whenever you send a smile his way or compliment him for his good work, he’s quick to deny it. Though the bright blush on his cheeks always contradicts whatever he might say.

Sometimes he thinks you just enjoy messing with him, if only to see him turn red. It’s quite cute, and you can’t help but giggle when he starts to yell.

“It’s not adorable, so stop laughing! And don’t call me cute either!”

Once you’re together, Sian drops his rude act and becomes very affectionate. He still gets shy over small aspects of your relationship, such as holding hands in public or even mustering the courage to kiss you whenever he feels like it.

Kati will definitely tease Sian whenever he talks about his wonderful, loving manager, and Cyrille will provide him with all sorts of scientific facts about the prospect of being in love, how long it exactly lasts, and why relationships are so important in terms of social interaction.

Sian does his best to ignore them, but he always finds himself getting embarrassed. “Stay out of my personal life! I don’t need your help!” Yes, he’s also blushing while he says this.

Underneath that tsundere behavior is a sweet boy who does his best to give you a perfect relationship.

He’ll take you to his favorite places to eat, claiming that you have to try some of the foods he normally gets. In return, you’ll open his horizons to the things you enjoy eating.

Definitely goes to karaoke with you! The two of you sing to your hearts’ content, sharing a few laughs at the impossible-to-hit high notes. Sian manages to surprise you the first time you hear him sing, and when you make a comment he gets extremely flustered.

On days where the weather isn’t the best, the two of you might stay inside to play card games, making small bets every now and then. Most of these bets are about the number of kisses or hugs the other will receive, and when that’s on the line Sian plays exceptionally better.

He’s written songs before, and now that the two of you are in a relationship some of these are about you. You wouldn’t have known about this had you not found a journal detailing different lyrics and song titles.

Waiting for a Sian x [insert utaite name here] collaboration.

When you confronted Sian about it, he became a mess.

Sian’s never let anyone see any of his creative work before, so this was enough to bring him close to tearing up out of pure embarrassment. He feels as though he could just die on the spot.

You understand his reaction, so you’re quick to close the journal, assuring him that you won’t pry further unless he willingly tells you more.

It takes a bit before he’s confident to actually show you and explain his thought process behind certain lyrics, but he trusts you enough and he knows you won’t laugh at him.

You’re his biggest muse when it comes to songwriting. (You’re also his biggest supporter.)

You’ll catch him humming under his breath to certain songs, and he’ll even start to mumble lyrics he’s made up on the spot. You’ll chime in with your own input, and he’ll be quick to write it down if it strikes a chord in his inspiration.

Unfortunately, his memory isn’t the best, so he often forgets things like anniversaries and special dates. He’ll always apologize with his head bowed whenever this happens, but you never seem too bothered. How can you be upset with someone as affectionate and caring as him?

In times of need, he’ll be there to assist you, as he doesn’t want you to stress yourself out. After all, it isn’t fair for his precious lover to carry overwhelming burdens all on their own.

You’ll always find yourself waking up beside the best boyfriend in the world, who will do absolutely anything for you. At the start of the relationship, he tried to do so many things to impress you. He cooked, cleaned, and made sure to always message you when you’re apart. Eventually, you had to tell him to just be himself and to stop taking advice from relationship blogs.

Please give this boy all the love in the world, and he’ll return it tenfold—albeit with a flustered stutter and pink cheeks.

🔥 Quincy 🔥

As the future Lord of the Underworld, Quincy’s quick to let others know of his position as a devil. Bow before him because it’s either his way or the highway.

He has high hopes for you and even higher hopes for himself.

Quincy will be especially impressed if you’re forward and confident in the relationship, but if you’re not that’s fine. It just means he’ll have to take the lead, which is obviously the best course of action, right? His judgement is flawless!

Just know that if anyone messes with his beloved manager, he’ll have no problem putting a curse on the unfortunate soul who decided to bother you. It’s all in good fun, so don’t worry about those silly humans who are now suffering under the weight of a heavy enchantment.

“Looks like my finger slipped. Guess you’ll have to use your puny brain to figure a way out of that. Hmph!” (Based on that cocky smirk, you’d say he’s quite satisfied with his work.)

He may even teach you a few things about the different types of magic, as he wants you to be as good as he is. Oh, but not too good! Quincy prides himself on his skills far too much to let anyone surpass him.

Every now and then, he’ll tease you about anything and everything—no matter how insignificant it is. Maybe you were late to clock in and Nyang Lead Manager scolded you, or perhaps you accidentally forget your lunch. Either way, he’s going to poke fun at those mishaps.

“Ehh? How could you forget when I reminded you earlier? Well, I suppose you can have some of my lunch. ...If you can handle it, that is.”

Spicy food is his life. He probably participates in those challenges at restaurants just to prove that he can absolutely own the competition.

Petition to get Quincy on Hot Ones.

If you’re also a fan of spicy things, it’ll be a contest to see who can handle the most spice. He ends up winning most of the time, but that’s mainly just because he’s a devil who’s used to scorching heat.

If you aren’t, he’ll be pleased to hold the title as someone who can handle extreme foods really well.

Quincy doesn’t like wasting his time on anything small, so there will always be a purpose behind what he does.

Your dates are quite the colorful variety, ranging from spending the day mixing up new elixirs to sharing stories about the Underworld. One day he’d like to show you around if you’re up for it, but the scenery might take some getting used to.

He’ll ensure that you’re never bored by dragging you around to do whatever the two of you deem exciting. When you get to relax from purifying vengeful spirits, you might find yourselves in the human world disguised under the deceptive properties of Humanizer to visit amusement parks, food vendors, and even occult shops.

The relationship is upbeat, and it keeps you on your toes. You’re never going to feel bored again with Quincy around.

Despite his teasing remarks and overflowing pride, Quincy values you a lot, and when it’s just the two of you he’ll be very endearing. It tends to catch you off guard; one minute he’s laughing about messing with Sian and the next he’s moving in to steal a quick kiss.

You’ll have to deal with any reptiles or insects that happen to cross his path, as he can’t stand them. But if you can’t handle them either, then you’ll seek out Jamie. At least he can keep them safe from Kirr and Aitachi. And from your spooked boyfriend, who wants those critters out of his sight. 

Quincy will remind you to come to him if you’re ever worried over something. His advice may not be the most ground-breaking, but it’s the thought that counts. He’s willing to spend hours giving you a friendly pep-talk, and you’re bound to come out of your gloom with a fresh perspective.

☀️ Ell ☀️

He’s a ball of energetic sunshine, so be ready for a very fun, joyful relationship!

Ell always puts you first, ensuring your happiness and well-being.

Honesty is key in this relationship, and that’s mainly because he can’t lie due to his constant sneezing.

And that’s okay because he has nothing to lie about anyways! He doesn’t want to hide anything from you; he’d rather you know than try to keep it a secret.

Imagine all of the cute dates! The both of you could go to bakeries and and sweet shops to try all sorts of delicious treats. Ell would be fond of anything sugary, insisting on playfully feeding you while you’re out in public. Or the two of you could visit craft stores so he can get more supplies for his needle felting.

He’s very big on PDA. Expect lots of hand-holding, random hugs, and kisses on the cheek—even around others when you least expect it. He’ll always smile at you, commenting on how charming you look when you blush at his sudden displays of affection.

Though he’ll try his best to tone it down if Nyang Lead Manager says something about it during work hours. He’ll quietly whine and protest as he tries to explain that it’s hard to resist. He just loves you so much! His complaints tend to get cut off once he starts to sneeze, though.

Along with gifting you his needle felting creations, he’ll also play the lyre for you. He’d be so excited to show you all of the beautiful music it can make. Sometimes he’ll play a few soothing melodies if you have trouble falling asleep.

Speaking of sleep, he adores cuddling. You’ll probably wake up each morning with him clinging to you, the blanket cast aside.

If you’re fond of taking photos, he’ll let you use the light from his halo to brighten the pictures. It makes for a perfect ring light, and he doesn’t mind others wanting to use it. After all, Licht and Kati like to use it for their SNS, so you should too.

If you’re ever having a bad day, Ell will be there to make it better. He’ll do all sorts of things for you, hearing you out when you vent to him about what’s bothering you and even attempting to make a few tiny miracles happen. Anything for his favorite person in the world!

There are times when he feels down as well, but it’s not for long. You’ll always be there to cheer him up. He’s fortunate that you have the patience to help him put his negative emotions into words, and you’ll even sit through all of the times he sneezes. For that, he’s very grateful.

His heart beats faster and he gets bashful when you praise him, but he’ll always fire back with plenty of genuine compliments so you won’t feel left out. There’s lots of love to go around.

Overall, the relationship is so sweet and enjoyable. Ell makes sure there’s never a dull moment when you’re with him, and he truly believes that the two of you will be together for a long time.

He loves you with all of his angelic heart.

“I wish we could spend more time together, but Nyang Lead Manager is giving us so much work. It’s really not—achoo!”

💊 Verine 💊

At first, Verine wonders if the reason you chose to be near him is because of the desire to protect such a sickly Soul Reaper. It bothers him to no end, as he does his best to stay strong despite always having to take different medicines and vitamins.

Once he realizes that you’re not there to pester him about his health, he’s pleasantly surprised. He’s used to others giving him looks of pity, so when you offer your support he can’t help but feel warm inside.

It actually takes him quite a while to confess; the stress of it all was like attempting to find the correct medicine for a specific ailment.

Still, he manages to push his self-consciousness aside in favor of his heart’s wishes, and it succeeds! Luckily for him, since Verine believed his chances were very slim.

While Mori considers him to be a paper doll, you think the opposite. Your boyfriend may be physically weak, but he’s got a strong will and is incredibly gentle with you.

Even if he acts like the presences of others disturbs him, he’s actually quite happy to be near the Soul Reapers. He’s always interacting with the Reapers in Diluculo, but he finds that your company is by far the best.

Most of your dates consist of staying indoors, since Verine doesn’t like the overwhelming temperatures of the outside world. (Occasionally, he’ll sacrifice his comfort so that you can enjoy the outdoors every now and then.)

However, the two of you still find plenty of things to do while inside. From watching your favorite films to assisting Verine with his medicinal herb garden, a lot of these cozy dates are quite serene.

He loves it when you cook his favorite foods. Any meal prepared by your loving hands is a gift he treasures—so much so that he thoroughly believes it’ll heal his aches and pains. Sometimes he doesn’t know how to return the gesture, so you’ll have to reassure him that you don’t need anything. Just his love is enough, and that makes him smile a bit.

Verine is touch-starved since most of his living life was spent in a hospital bed and the only contact he ever received was from doctors checking his vitals. So he’s always eager to let you hug and kiss him.

He might not be into cuddling at first only because he’s afraid his constant coughing will disrupt the calm atmosphere, but once you explain that that doesn’t bother you he’s willing to give it a try. He ends up liking it more than he thought he would, which results in lazy days where the two of you just nap in each other’s arms.

He’ll always be there for you no matter what, and he checks to make sure you’re healthy. Your physical and mental health is very important to him.

If the the two of you ever get into a disagreement, he may bottle up his true feelings for the sake of pacifying you. In the end, both of you talk through it, and this allows Verine to slowly but surely open up about how he really feels.

Verine might keep a lot of his emotions to himself when around the others, but with you he doesn’t have to.

“Ah, I must’ve fainted again. I really am useless.”

When he gets like that, just tell this sweetheart he’s in no way useless. He’s perfect in your eyes, even with his coughing and eternal illnesses, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[isayamasideblog]

Put Your Head On My Shoulder

***Anon I know you wanted a head canon, but I saw someone make a hc on them dancing, so I made this. 

Words: 1.6K 

Angst :(  (at least what I call angst) 

This happens during timeskip when the Marleyans first make contact. The Marleyans bring this really weird contraption and it plays music. Mikasa has that cute ponytail.  

It’s been days since the Marleyans touched upon the Paradisian shores. Lots of new items, technology and food have been introduced to the people of Paradise. Many of them tasty, some plain odd, but there was one that everyone seemed to enjoy. 

It was a record player, at least that’s what Onyankopon called it. It was square in shape and made out of wood. There was a crank on the side and you had to put a flat, black, circle shaped record to play these melodious tunes they’ve never heard of. 

It was a rhythmic, entrancing sort of beat called song. Yes, the people of Paradis had music, but it wasn’t anything compared to what the Marleyans had. Their music was previously recorded specifically for a record. And instruments they couldn’t name played in the background. Because of this many Paradisians would sit around the record player and listen, entranced by what was coming out of it.  

One day after an excruciatingly hot day of setting the tracks for the train, the 104 squad exhaustingly waited for Niccolo to prepare food for them. While they waited, Niccolo turned on the record player, which he had managed to sneak out for himself. The 104 squad was delighted by the music as they rested their weary bodies on the wooden tables that were set for them. 

However, the most delighted was Armin, who studied the record player in an attempt to figure out the mechanics of it. He was unaware that Eren and Mikasa, who sat next to each other, happily watched as he curiously inspected the contraption. They couldn’t help thinking that he looked just like a child with a new toy. 

Meanwhile, the rest of the 104 squad were focused on what Niccolo was cooking. When Sasha, Connie, and Jean saw him pull out the bright red lobster, they cheered. Seafood had quickly become one of their favorite dishes, especially for Sasha, and Niccolo knew this. 

“I’m almost done, just a bit longer,” Niccolo assured them. 

They all continued to wait patiently and the music was a great distraction. Sasha even found herself absentmindedly tapping her finger against her knee to the beat of the song and Niccolo noticed. He laughed and told Sasha that it looked like she wanted to dance. 

Sasha laughed, “Dance to this? How?” 

Niccolo held a slight blush and scratched his nose nervously, “I can teach you. The rest of you can watch and learn. Now, please don’t laugh or tease me about my dance movements.” 

Everyone sat quietly and watched as Niccolo and Sasha stood in front of each other. Mikasa sat between Eren and Armin, and paid close attention to the way Niccolo slowly took Sasha’s hand and wrapped the other around her back. 

“Follow my lead Sasha,” Niccolo instructed. 

They slowly moved from side to side and stood very close to each other. 

“Now, normally the man leads, he kinda guides their partner to where they’re going. It’s typical for couples to dance together on dates or outings.” 

Sasha blushed when Niccolo said this, and Niccolo himself turned red. Mikasa was enchanted by the way they danced as she leant her head forward and rested her elbows on her knees. Eren took notice. He’d never seen Mikasa so entertained like this. He wondered if maybe she wanted to do this too?  

However, his thoughts were interrupted moments later when Niccolo yelped. Sasha had accidentally stomped on his foot with her heavy duty boots. Everyone looked at Niccolo with wide worried eyes as he clutched his foot and jumped around. 

“Niccolo! I didn’t mean to!” Sasha exclaimed with her hands to her mouth. 

“We should just eat,” Jean interrupted, “None of us have someone to dance with anyway.” 

Almost everyone nodded in agreement, except for Mikasa who kept staring at the record player. 

“Let’s eat, you must be hungry,” Eren interrupted her by giving her her plate.

They all dug in excitedly and filled their stomachs to their heart’s content as the music served as a lovely companion to their dinner. Mikasa ate, however her eyes kept glancing at the record player every now and then. No one else noticed, but Eren did and an idea was growing in his mind.    

❈— ⍣— ⍣ ❈— ❈❈— ⍣— ⍣ ❈— ❈❈— ⍣— ⍣ ❈— ❈❈

After a long day of labor, all Mikasa wanted to do was rest. She showered and put on something comfortable and sat on the couch reading quietly, when she was interrupted by a knock on her door. She recognized the knock. It sounds silly, she knows, but she has learned to recognize him anywhere and everywhere.  

She opened the door to find a flustered looking Eren. Upon seeing him, Mikasa grew worried, was he coming down with something? She’d never seen him like this before. 

“Eren, is something wrong?” 

“Uh. Mikasa. I’m fine,” he assured. 

Mikasa didn’t know what to say, she just stood there waiting for Eren to say something, anything really. After a few awkward moments, he finally spoke.  

“Hey, uhm do you want to come with me?” he muttered. 

“Eren, are you sure you’re okay?” Mikasa pressed. 

Eren nodded, “I’m fine.” He turned to walk away and looked back at her, “Come on, let’s go Mikasa.” 

The wind that wafted inside her door was chilly, so Mikasa went inside and grabbed a warm cardigan to wrap around her and quickly stepped out to follow Eren. She wanted to ask him where it was they were heading, but she was enjoying the quietness of the night as she walked alongside him. After walking for some time she realized that she could hear the crashing of the beach waves against the sand. 

“We’re heading to the beach?” she asked. 

“Yeah.” 

She could see the moonlit water ahead of them and many questions raced her mind as she couldn’t piece together what Eren could possibly want to do here. Her confusion grew when she saw the record player propped up on a wooden table. 

“It’s the record player,” she mused. 

“I asked Niccolo to let me borrow it,” Eren said as he stared at the sea. 

“Why?” 

Eren gulped and nervously glanced at Mikasa. He didn’t say anything and walked to the record player and fiddled with it. Suddenly, there was a song playing. It started off slowly with the piano playing softly in the background as a woman’s smooth enamored voice filled the empty space. 

Mikasa and Eren stood next to each other facing the ever expansive sea. Mikasa felt content just standing by his side, she couldn’t ask for more. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. Meanwhile, Eren stared at the night sky mustering whatever wavering courage he could gather. It wasn’t easy as his hands began to sweat at his sides and he quickly wiped them on his pants. He turned to look at Mikasa, and she turned to look at him. 

He didn’t say anything as he held out his hand to her. Mikasa understood what he wanted to do as she put her soft hand inside his rough one. It didn’t matter how rough it was, he held onto her hand as if it were a precious stone he couldn’t dare break. He then brought his free hand and wrapped it around her waist firmly. 

Mikasa thanked the lack of light as Eren brought her closer to him, she didn’t want him seeing the blush she fought hard from spreading across her face. Especially when she could feel the warmth of his body against her. It was all too much, but she couldn’t let him go, not even if she wanted to. She rested her head on his shoulder and felt the way his breath hitched against her. 

Eren pressed his cheek to her cheek and his lips lingered close to her ear. He could hear his heartbeat against his ears and he wondered if she was able to hear it too. He hoped she was paying attention to the song’s lyrics. He had spent hours listening to every record Niccolo had and paid close attention to the lyrics, until he found the perfect song that voiced how he felt. 

As they swayed side to side Eren ignored the way Mikasa would accidentally bump her foot against his every now and then. Neither of them wanted to utter a word, they just wanted to get lost in the song and in the moment. Mikasa’s heart swelled when the word love was mentioned in the song. Was he trying to tell her something or was this just a song that he picked at random with no double meaning intended? 

She stopped entertaining such ideas and pushed those thoughts to a place in her head she didn’t dare acknowledge. But as the woman kept singing those words of love, tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes as she realized that she might want more. He didn’t see her tears, he never would. 

She laid her cheek on his shoulder and gripped his hand letting him sway her as her knees grew weak. He was already holding her tightly, but he somehow managed to hold her tighter as he gently swung her. It was almost like he was pressing his heart to her heart as he clung to her. 

There were words in his mouth he wanted to spill to her, but he couldn’t. He wants her to be happy and he couldn’t give her that happily ever after she deserved. This is all he could do right now and he was going to relish every moment he had with her. 

They held each other closer, as the song kept playing those words. Those words they both kept hidden in the depths of their hearts, chained by pride and fear. To anyone watching, it looked like a boy and a girl having a romantic night at the beach, but to them it was a slice of happiness they had foolishly denied themselves.

[hungline]

Happy pride month! 🏳️‍🌈 Can I request some junhoon please?

there’s something between us anyway

pairings: queerplatonic junhoon, mentioned seokhan

genre: fluff, light angst, uni au, fake dating au, rated pg-13

warnings: swearing, aromantic characters, queerplatonic relationship

a/n: happy pride month anon! i hope you like this 🏳️‍🌈

words: 660 

summary: Junhui and Jihoon don’t behave as normal friends do.

+ tag list: @jooneos​​​ @kirtikagarg​​ @disrespectfulkookies​​ @roseyjongdae​​ @reeneryu​​​ @joonsvalentine​​ @smoochkook​​ ✨

“You and I are going on a date this Friday night,” is the first thing Jihoon says when Junhui pulls back a chair at their usual table in the library.

Junhui blushes, startled before he remembers himself. “We are?”

Jihoon doesn’t even bother looking up from his book. “Unless you’re busy.”

It isn’t phrased as a question at all but Junhui still responds, “No. I’m free. I just thought…”

“Thought what?”

Tugging at his backpack strap, Junhui shifts on his feet nervously. “I thought you were aromantic like me. You said you didn’t like anybody that way.”

“I am aromantic and I don’t like anybody like that. You would be the first to know if that somehow magically changed,” Jihoon answers simply.

Deciding that he’d rather continue this weird conversation sitting down, Junhui drops his backpack at his feet as he gazes at Jihoon across from him. “Then why are we going on a date this Friday?”

Jihoon sighs as he shoves a random piece of paper into his book to use as a bookmark before he closes it and looks up to meet Junhui’s eyes. “Jeonghan is trying to set me up on another blind date. I told him you and I already had plans and he took it the wrong way.”

Junhui’s eyebrows furrow together, feeling even more confused. “Why would that mean we actually have to go on a date though?”

“Because,” Jihoon begins, rubbing a hand over his forehead in irritation. “Jeonghan invited himself onto our ‘date’ so we’re actually going on a double date with him and Seokmin.”

“Ah, yes. Okay. I now see why we’re going on a date this Friday.”

Jihoon rolls his eyes but Junhui has known him long enough to understand he isn’t actually annoyed with Junhui or anything. “It won’t kill us to act like a regular couple for one night.”

Junhui nods his head to agree than stops, realizing something. “But it won’t only be for one night, Hoon-ah.”

“Fuck,” Jihoon swears as he realizes the same thing. “Jeonghan is never going to let this go.”

“You could just cancel it last minute,” Junhui suggests.

“No, that wouldn’t work. Jeonghan would re-schedule the double date for another day.”

“We could pretend to break up before that then.”

Jihoon shakes his head, looking as miserable as Junhui suddenly feels. “He would just set me up on another blind date and that solves absolutely nothing for me.”

“I guess it wouldn’t be hard for us to act like a couple for a while then. Mostly everyone already thinks we are together even though…” Junhui trails off, biting his lip to keep himself from finishing that train of thought.

But Jihoon has no sort of qualms doing exactly that. “Even though neither of us is capable of falling in love with anybody. Yeah, I know.”

Junhui winces. “I mean, if I was able to feel romantic love, I’m sure I’d feel it for you if that makes you feel any better.”

“It doesn’t but thanks anyway,” Jihoon sighs, resting his chin on his hand. “Same though.”

After another moment of awkward silence, Junhui decides to do his best to smooth over the situation. “You know, technically, we kind of are a couple. We spend a lot of time together. We eat most of our meals together. We hold hands, cuddle, and support each other. And we do sleep together in every sense of the word. We love each other, but we aren’t in love with each other.”

Jihoon’s eyes go hazy as if his thoughts are somewhere else very far away from their current conversation. “Huh. I guess I never thought of it that way.”

“Don’t worry,” Junhui assures him. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

He feels inexplicably warm when Jihoon’s attention focuses back on him. Fondness Junhui is well acquainted with shines from within Jihoon’s warm brown eyes as he stares at him from across the table. 

“Yeah. We’ll be fine.”

[bigskydreaming]

Thank you again and still for all the help and support! I really truly can not imagine making it through the past couple days without it, considering I spent most of it awake and in the bathroom puking from the constant migraines that come with your head not being happy about its bones not being in the right place. Stress aggravates them, or at least my awareness of them, and because of how little work there is currently and how expensive being broke and disabled in LA is, let’s just say, there’s been stress, lol.

I’m feeling a bit better today, or at least I’m making myself pretend that and act like that since I’ve got another appointment at that clinic where I get my juicy and tasty IV bags of nutrients pumped into me since I barely even CAN eat, physically, which combined with the lack of sleep and the nausea, like, also not a great combination.

So, I mean it when I say your donations and support have absolutely been invaluable, everything from a couple dollars to an anonymous message, like, its all amazing and appreciated and invaluable. Yeah. I already said that, whoops, anyway, BUT I DIGRESS.

That’s about all of an update I have there, lol, so in other news, I should be around more today since like I said, I’m feeling a bit better and have possibly plateau-ed on this latest pain level. (My super-annoying superpower....ever since I was a kid I’ve been able to adapt to increases in pain like a pro. As in, being able to manage/function despite it. Course, I still feel it, but give me a day or two to adjust to a new norm in how much my body hates me currently, and then I can power through).

So, like I said, I should be around more today, and I’ll probably be random as hell. Like I’ve mentioned before, my blog is where I spew literally everything from inane thoughts to fandom feels, since its like.....my only social outlet these past couple years and the only way I get to interact with people who aren’t doctors. Expect no pattern in topics until I find whatever sticks and keeps me focused on it enough to serve as a distraction from, y’know, the broke body and broke bank account.

SO! Absolutely feel free to hit me up about anything and everything. ESPECIALLY if you’ve made a donation or sent me something. Like, I know some people who have sent money don’t even follow me or know me at all and are just generous spirits who saw my post somewhere, but for any of you who have sent any kind of support just cuz you like, like me and my rambles, lol, totally feel free to drop into my messages even on anon and say what kind of posts or content from me you really engage with and would love to see more of. I can’t make any promises or guarantees, unfortunately, given I didn’t expect or plan on crashing so hard these last couple days, bleh, and just....literally, like, writing more of the kind of stuff or posts people who have helped me stay alive is pretty much the only way I have of kinda giving at least something back, so I mean, I am happy to pounce on anything in that direction. 

Again, just can’t make any guarantees given how unpredictable my life is and depending on how many people send requests or prompts or messages, etc, but I don’t delete anything of that nature and I usually get back around to stuff EVENTUALLY. For instance, I’m REALLY hoping to finish up two one-shots today, one that’s focused on Duke, Dick and Cass from that prompt you sent me a couple weeks ago, @zee-gee, and the other uh.....that umm, TW/X-Men fusion you commissioned way longer ago than my pride will allow me to admit in public @camelotpark, lol. And like, those posts you see me making to @russianspacegeckosexparty about the changelings project I talk about a lot, like.....Adam basically just sends me random thoughts and prompts about it all the time, and its like a running thread that’s easy for me to pick back up and sink into whenever I see a new one in my inbox and I’ve got enough spoons at the moment to dig in.

Also have a couple other things I want to respond to today while I have the energy and a destined-to-be-longer-than-it-needs-to-be meta about Dick’s positioning in narratives with various other characters and WHY I think it so usually works out that way, and I’m aiming to keep that more like....musing-esque than rant-errific, but uh, let’s see how that actually goes, lmfao.

Anyway, that’s what I have in mind for today, aside from my going to get my IV buffet at ten and emailing and calling people from listings about rooms to rent, but tbh, I might just end up being even more random and sporadic than usual, if I can’t focus on any of those long enough to stay sufficiently distracted today. (Like, my other annoying superpower as long-time followers have heard before, is my ridiculously fast metabolism. I know, “oh no, I’m so skinny, poor me,” but like....its never been about weight gain or loss for me, its about how fast my body processes various medications, meaning pretty much every painkiller I’ve ever tried is largely useless to me, or at most wears off in a couple hours.....whereas my ADHD meds actually provide me MORE relief from the pain than any of them. Basically, they let me actually focus on something OTHER than pain and not get interrupted/distracted by the occasional pain spike that likes to remind me its there and wants my attention......so I mean, I still feel everything that comes with my head being physically out of whack, but for the hours vyvanse is working for me, coupled with some heavy duty pain meds, I can like.....just sorta....not care about it for awhile. Like, it hasn’t gone away but its more shoved to the back of my mind at least. And all of that, I’m happy to stuff in a closet whenever I can, lol).

And that’s enough rambles for this post, I think. LOLOLOL, as if I have a quota. But yeah. Just wanted to express how much your support has meant and continues to mean, and like.....I’m still here and alive and crossing fingers that I’ll hear about an actual surgery date soon, but in the meanwhile like......I’m kinda stuck in a perpetual Limbo, one that’s largely confined to whatever is in hobbling distance from my bed of the day, and as much as donations help me physically, in remaining able to at least stay that way, just, any and all interactions on here help by keeping me engaged with the world on at least some level, and make it so I have stuff to think or talk about beyond my own situation and how I’m not a super huge fan of that.

(Okay, I shouldn’t say any and ALL interactions are appreciated, since I have my fun little runs of anon hate in my inbox, but I mean, all of the above is why they’re not really a big deal to me and never have been. Its like, dude, my own body has been trying to take me out for the past three years, and you think a few insults from an anonymous stranger are gonna do the trick? LOLOL, please. Tbh, the only real negative effect anon hate has on me is that it makes me a bit more snappish and quick to assume the worst than I’d like, when people @ me in a way that I misread as aggressive or in bad faith. I’m aware that my day-to-day temperment is a lot more irritable and open to fights than I usually like to be, as self-control is kinda a big deal to me, and my situation and stress and other shit kinda keep me constantly operating at a level best described as itchy, and none of that is an excuse for any times I read an interaction wrong and go for the throat. I just mean like.....I’m a very blunt and straight-forward person, and I do appreciate when people take a similar approach to me as it really helps keep those misreads to a minimum. Any time someone wants to engage with me in some way, I promise I am SO much easier to talk to if you just....put it out there, whatever it is. Its the games people play online (and in real life) that just frustrate the hell out of me and...yeah. Again, I’m not saying any of that as an excuse or a request for a free pass any time I fuck up an interaction or cross a line, I’m just saying, if anyone’s held back on interacting with me because they think I might snap at them or mistake it for them trying to start a fight, like......just be direct with me. Honestly, thats just....always gonna be more productive when it comes to me.)

But yeah. So that’s the current state of me and all that jazz. Again, I so appreciate everything everyone’s done to support me, not just these past couple days but over the course of these past three years as well. I notice and remember all of it, and its why even though I rant and complain and am critical about so much in society and fandoms and all that.....I really truly am a believer in the idea that there’s more good in people and the world than bad, and the bad just tends to be louder is all. It was especially loud for me the last couple days, the volume got way jacked up, but the goodwill from you guys has been more than enough to drown it out and give me some reprieve.

Alright, shutting up now. All done. The end.

[willelbyers]

Shadow

Summary: ‘“You would not believe the day I’ve had,” Mike sighs, tossing his bag onto the counter.

Will looks up from the stove, where he’s cooking rice. “Well hello to you, too.”’

Mike has a story to report on, and Will’s suspiciously not pleased.

Pairings: Mike/Will, background Lucas/Max, past Mike/El

Notes: It’s a future-fic, about 4,200 words, with the whole Party mentioned if not involved somehow. It’s set in the mid 1990′s, most of the Party is either done with school or going to grad school. Mike’s a reporter for the NYT, Will is a freelance artist applying for a teaching job, Lucas is going to school for engineering, Dustin is a marine biologist, El is doing vigilante work, and Max’s occupation isn’t mentioned but I’m going to tell you right now that she’s a stunt coordinator for movies. There are a few suuuper minor original characters mostly there to push the plot forward.

prompt: @ anon: Wait, my hero’s secret identity is… you? To be honest, I’d kind of always hoped… + Byeler

Posted on Ao3 here as well as written out below the cut. Enjoy!

November

“Hey,” the woman snaps, grabbing his arm. She’s young, with startlingly piercing eyes—and a really annoyed expression. “You work here?”

Mike blinks at her, coffee clutched in his hand, her own hand on his wrist. “Well, that’s what it says here.” He points at his ID, hanging around his neck, with his free hand. “Um. Who are you?”

“I need to speak with someone who can write an article,” she continues, not answering the question. “I have a story.”

“Your name, miss,” Mike insists, because look. He’d be happy to help. But she probably doesn’t have clearance to even be in the building, and if he can’t even bring Will in for the occasional lunch then he can’t let some random lady in, either.

“Kara Sigo,” she says, finally. “And before you ask, no, I’m not supposed to be here, but I need to speak with someone who’ll listen to my story.”

Mike takes a moment—just a moment. He’s bored, okay? “Okay. I can listen. Ten minutes.”

She grins at him, smile thin. “Sure. You’re gonna end up listening to me for a longer time than that, anyway.”

“You would not believe the day I’ve had,” Mike sighs, tossing his bag onto the counter.

Will looks up from the stove, where he’s cooking rice. “Well hello to you, too.”

Mike sighs again, making his way to the small fridge. “Sorry. Hi. It’s been crazy.”

“Tell me,” Will says, flicking off the burner and spooning some rice onto small plates. There’s a little bit of chicken in the fridge, so Mike pulls that out.

“Some woman came in to the building today,” Mike starts, picking up forks. “Got past security—the New York Times, what awesome safety precautions! Anyway, she told me this whole story about how some guy tried to mug her last night. And that’s not weird at all, but what she said next was.” He waves his fork before scooping up some rice. “She said that somebody, some shadowy figure, just, like. Appeared. And saved her. Knocked the guy right out and then vanished just like he’d come. She couldn’t even see what he looked like.”

Will looks startled, eyes slightly wide. His food remains nearly untouched on the counter. “Huh,” he says, letting a little huff out of his nose.

“The weirdest thing?” Mike says. “I believe her.” Will blinks and he shrugs. “We’ve seen stranger stuff, right? El, the Upside-Down, everything we know about Eight—Kali. Maybe this guy is another subject.” He leans forward onto the counter. “Should we call El? I mean, you guys have been working with Owens, trying to find the others. Maybe this is a lead.”

Will doesn’t respond for a moment, looking lost in thought, so Mike nudges him. Will looks at him. “Yeah, sure. I’ll check in with her.”

“At least,” Mike says after a moment, “I believe she believes what she saw. If this doesn’t pan out.”

“Hmm.”

They eat in silence for a while, the scraping of forks against plates the only noise.

“Oh,” Will says suddenly, setting his fork down. “Lucas called earlier. He’s got a few days off in a week, so he’s gonna come visit. Max’s schedule may line up, too, but they’re not sure yet.”

“Alright,” Mike shrugs. “Remind me to clean beforehand and we’ll be good.” He pauses. “Wait, when did Lucas call? When did you get back?”

Will shrugs. “He called around noon, and I got back at around… three in the morning? Good to know I didn’t wake you up. I tried to get home earlier, but Mrs. Rodriguez insisted on her kitchen getting finished literally yesterday so I had to finish up the paint job.”

“Man, she’s a piece of work,” Mike laughs, throwing his head back. “She’s kept you overtime at least five times!”

Will laughs, too. “Well, you’ll be glad to know that I finished that project. I’m gonna be working on a mural for that school down the street for a few weeks while my job applications get reviewed.”

“Good,” Mike says firmly. “You deserve that job, you’ve wanted to teach art for ages.”

“Thanks, Mike.” Will looks down as he says it, face slightly pink, and Mike grins. He takes pride in being one of the few who can make Will see how highly others think of him.

“Always,” Mike says, because it’s true.

Kara is sitting at his desk the next morning, and Mike stops in his tracks as he sees her. “Jesus. We really need actual security.” He plasters on a smile and walks towards her. “Miss Sigo. As much as your story interests me, you really should call ahead.”

“Kara,” she replies. “Call me Kara. You can’t be very old, and it’s weird for someone around my age to be calling me ‘miss’. And I will call ahead next time.”

“Better late than never, I guess,” Mike shrugs. There’s gonna be a next time? “So, Kara, what brings you back here?”

“My story,” she says like he’s an idiot. “Except it just got better.” She tips her head at a younger girl hovering by the wall, who Mike hadn’t noticed. “She goes to school with my younger sister. She heard my story and came to talk to me right away. She met the shadow figure, too.” Kara gestures for the girl to come over, and she does. Slowly.

“Hi,” she says, voice soft. ���I’m Jen. And Kara’s right. I saw him.” She leans forward, voice dropping until she’s basically whispering in his ear. “And even better: I remember what he looks like.”

The story gets published, and there are four additional witnesses for Mike to add to the piece—two older women, an older man, and a teenage boy. The story probably is helped along by the fact that the boy is his boss’s nephew.

And there’s a drawing. One of the witnesses, the older man, is a freelance artist like Will, and Mike gives him the task of drawing what Jen had seen. And, look—it’s a good drawing but not a great likeness, there’s still far too much shadow across his face. But you can see a man there—no, a boy around, Mike’s age. Young, narrow and sharp, pale, hair flopping over his forehead, frown playing across his lips. It could be almost anyone, or at least, any young light-skinned guy. But there’s—there’s a person there.

He comes home that day in a happy daze, but as soon as he walks into the apartment he and Will share he’s met with a sharp smacking sound as a copy of the New York Times bounces off his chest.

“Ow,” he says belatedly, even though it didn’t hurt because it’s a paper. But Will is still standing there, glaring at him. “What?”

“Why did you publish this?” Will asks. He nudges the paper with a toe, and Mike feels a flash of annoyance.

“I write stuff, Will,” he says. “That’s my job. This story fell into my lap, and you know I had to take it.”

“It can’t be safe, Mike,” Will protests. “You—you know what this is like. Do you—do you see the byline?”

Mike rolls his eyes. “Yes, Will, I see my name.”

“No, Mike!” he snaps. “This is you. People will know who you are. People who might think this is fake could ruin you, and the people who committed those crimes will look at you!”

“So what? It’s not dangerous, is it? You said El didn’t know anything about this guy, so he’s not a lab subject. First-person accounts aren’t always accurate. The adrenaline can get to the witnesses. Kara and Jen and the others might have just seen some guy save them in the middle of the night and the power of suggestion got to them. It could just be a normal guy. So it’s fine.” Mike knows, as he says it, that it sounds stupid and contradictory. How would six different people have those same accounts? And it’s not like he doubts this shadow man could exist—he’s seen so much weirder. But. “Don’t take this from me, Will. Please. This is—this is big. Powers or not, this guy is giving me a real story.”

He doesn’t want to fight, and Will must see it on his face, because his own face relaxes, resigned. “Yeah. I just—yeah. I worry.”

“I know.” Mike steps forward, over the fallen paper, and hugs Will tight. “You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do,” Will mutters into his shoulder, softly, and Mike just holds him closer.

“So, Max called me yesterday and said she’d come in three days. She’s gonna try to stay with a cousin in Brooklyn, but if that falls through…” Lucas trails off as he glances out the window of diner, his implication clear. The rapidly darkening sky casts a purple haze across the restaurant.

“Of course she can stay with us,” Mike assures him, glancing at Will, in the seat next to him, to make sure there’s no dissent. There doesn’t seem to be any. “Seriously, we’ve got everything all set for you guys. Dude. Tell us what you’ve been up to!”

Lucas grins and launches into an explanation of his engineering classes at Brown, excited, and Mike can’t blame him—Lucas is so close to being done with college, for real. It’s something he and Will both can’t really relate to, seeing as they only went to typical four years and then immediately looked for a job. No; Lucas wants it all, and he’s good enough for it.

He casts a glance at Will, who is looking at Lucas, but he notices his brow is furrowed and his head tilted, like he’s listening to something faint. Mike hooks his ankle into Will’s for a moment, startling him. You okay? he mouths, and when Will just shrugs and smiles in return, Mike accepts that. Will doesn’t really hide stuff from him anymore, not since the Mind Flayer. There hasn’t really been a point.

“And you guys?” Lucas finishes. “El calls me, like, once every two weeks, so I know a little bit about Will, but Dustin’s always just talking about marine biology, which isn’t any help.” He grins a little. “But I saw that Mikey-boy has an article out! A big one, huh?” 
“Yeah,” Mike tries to tamp down a proud smile. “I didn’t really do anything. The story happened to fall to me, and I did the interviews and wrote the article.”

“He’s being humble,” Will counters, standing. “Mike’s a really good reporter. Now, I have to use the bathroom, so I’ll be right back.” He makes his way to the back, and Mike watches him until he turns the corner.

Instantly, Lucas leans across the table. “So. How are you guys?”

“We just told you,” Mike replies, confused. “Fine. Jobs are fi—”

“No, not the jobs,” Lucas dismisses. “I mean you guys. As humans. Living together still working out and everything? You… I don’t know, dating anyone?”

“No,” Mike says, maybe a little too quick for his own liking, but there’s something in Lucas’s tone that makes him nervous. Lucas doesn’t seem to notice. “I mean, living together is fine. Good. Saves money, and we get along, obviously. My job makes enough, and Will gets those government subsidies. But dating… no, not that. Too busy, I guess, and El and I didn’t carry on like you and Max did. Again. Obviously. You knew that, you were there.” God, he’s rambling for no reason. Will better get back soon, because he’s making a fool of himself.

As if on cue, Will appears from the back of the diner, smoothing down his shirt. He drops back into his seat in the booth, next to Mike. “Alright, where were we? Did I miss anything?”

“Not really, I—who, dude!” Lucas cuts himself off, eyebrows shooting up. Will looks vaguely startled by his rapid reaction. “Your nose is bleeding.”

“Oh, shit.” Mike’s startled by Will’s curse, because he doesn’t really do it, but the amount of blood pooling on Will’s upper lip probably does warrant it. He snatches up a napkin and hands it to Will, who pinches his nose with it.

“What happened?” Mike asks.

“No clue,” Will replies, muffled through the napkin. “It’s kind of dry out, that’s always what Hopper said makes some people’s noses bleed.”

“Speaking of a Hopper,” Lucas says. “El told me a little bit about that project of yours, using the lab systems to find the others. Tell me about it. As much as you can, I know it’s classified.”

Will grins around the napkin. “Oh, you’re gonna love it.”

And Mike listens, because he really does want to hear about this.

The next day, he arrives at work to find an unfamiliar boy at his desk.

“Uh, hi,” he says, and when the boy turns around Mike takes a step back. He looks terrible—sixteen or seventeen at the oldest, bruise on his cheek, cuts and scratches up his neck and onto his face.

“Hi,” the boy replies. “You’re Michael Wheeler?”

“Yep.”

“Good. Hi. I need to talk to you about the man, the man in the dark. He saved my life last night.”

“Look, Will, are you sure El didn’t know him?” Mike pesters. “I know I said it could just be a normal guy. But someone else saw the shadowy guy yesterday, barely a block from where we were with Lucas! And he gave some pretty good descriptions, and. I just. I really think he has powers.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “The kid today, James, said that this guy was… shrouded in smoke. He could disappear and reappear places, and the smoke could hold things and move stuff. And he said the guy attacking him… James said it looked like he thought he was going insane, like the shadow man was talking to him up here.” He taps his head. “I don’t know. Just. Maybe I should call El.”

“She said no, Mike,” Will insists. “Look, I’ll ask her to look into it again if you want. But maybe you should let it go. Maybe this guy is covering himself in smoke for a reason, so no one knows who he is. His face is always in shadow, right?” He sounds uncertain, like he’s not sure what to say. That puzzles Mike, because Will is always calm and collected. Ever since the Mind Flayer, Will just… knows. He knows what to do. Maybe being so close to dying gave him perspective or something, but it doesn’t matter because the bottom line is that being uncertain isn’t Will’s forte. Mike… he has to wonder what Will doesn’t want him knowing about the shadow. If maybe he knows something he shouldn’t.

“Shadow,” Mike mutters. “Yeah.”

His next piece is titled just that.

SHADOW: New York’s Silent Hero

And people read it.

Including, it appears, all the way in Amsterdam.

“Hello?” he says into the phone. Will’s out grocery shopping, and Lucas and Max are probably out at some bar, so Mike is eating dinner by himself in the kitchen.

“Mike Wheeler!” an angry voice yells, and he winces, pulling it away from his ear.

“El?” he asks. “Uh. Hi?”

“Your… article! Dad called me and told me about the… the Shadow! You should have told me sooner. I can’t look at our research until I get back from Europe!”

“You’re in Europe?”

“Amsterdam. Yes. Tracking down a lead on Six. That’s not the point. Why didn’t you call?”

“I…” Then he realizes. “I thought Will did.”

“Well, he didn’t.”

“He said he did.”

“He… what?”

Mike suddenly feels numb. “He lied to me.” It’s unreal. “He lied to me.”

“Mike,” El says, suddenly sounding hesitant. “Mike, just think for a minute—” 
“He lied.” He lowers the phone. “El. I’ll call you back.”

“No, no, Mike, maybe Will is—”

He puts the phone back into the cradle and grabs his jacket. The door slams shut behind him.

He runs down the street, in the direction of the store Will said he was going to, thoughts going by as fast as his feet are taking him.

Because Will lied to him. And the thought crosses his mind—maybe Will is the Shadow. The heroics make sense. But he can’t be, because Will doesn’t have powers, hasn’t shown any sort of ability in the ten-plus years the Upside Down has been open to him.

So it can’t be him. But. Will knows something.

A yell catches Mike’s attention and he skids to a stop, backtracking slightly to glance down an alley. And—

There’s a man in there, a young girl scrambling back, as the shadowy figure puts distance between them.

It takes Mike’s breath away for a moment—the interviews really didn’t do his appearance justice. The shadows are inky, darker than the night sky, spiraling around to safely shield the girl and trap the man. His feet don’t seem to touch the floor, and his eyes are pinpricks of light in the dark. It’s—something. It’s really something.

The girl finally makes it to Mike, but she doesn’t stop. She stumbles to her feet and runs, and that’s when the man turns—probably to catch his target before she can leave.

Instead, he sees Mike.

Mike hears the gun before he sees it—a bang and then a flash of dark metal. He’s ninety-nine percent sure it’s a killing shot and there’s not even enough time to brace himself and then—

It stops. The bullet stops, midair. And then it drops to the ground.

“Put the gun down,” Shadow says, and his voice is really terribly familiar, laced with an echoey tone that makes him sound a million miles away, “or I will make you.”

The man doesn’t do it, frozen in place, glaring.

“Put it down,” he repeats, and the man’s hands shake a little but don’t let go.

“Fuck outta here,” the man swears, entire body taut like a stretched rubber band. Shadow glares at him and he twitches violently. “Get out of my head!”

“Your mind is strong, I’ll give you that,” Shadow says. He tips his chin down and the gun throws itself out of the man’s hand, clatters to the ground. “Sleep.”

And that’s really all it takes. The man drops like a brick.

Shadow kneels down and touches his forehead, black fingerprint staying marked on skin for a moment before fading. Then he turns to Mike, face shrouded in black mist. “Don’t worry,” he says. “He’s not dead. Just forgetting.”

And that echo is gone, so Mike can hear his voice—his real voice.

“Will?” he says, hating how his voice trembles.

The shadows drop, abruptly dissipating into the night. Will’s feet come back down that half inch until he’s standing flat on the ground. He looks just like he always does as he takes a hesitant step forward. “Mike.”

Mike hears himself make a strangled noise. “How? When?”

“I don’t know,” Will says softly. “I think… this is something I’ve had for a really long time. But I couldn’t… I didn’t know I could do anything like this until recently. Not even El knows. I didn’t tell her.”

“You didn’t tell her,” Mike repeats. “She called me. Said—”

“I know,” Will interrupts. “I. I can hear the radios and telephones. I heard. I knew you were coming.” He smiles crookedly, apologetically. “I was hoping to get home before you could find me out here and yell at me, but. I got busy.” He sighs. “I didn’t mean for you to see this. I didn’t want you to know.”

“You lied,” Mike snaps. “You lied to me.”

“I’m sorry,” Will says helplessly. “Mike, really. I’m sorry. I just… I had to.” He closes his eyes for a minute, shakes his head. “I had to.”

“Why?” This is unfathomable to Mike. Will is and has always been an open book to him, and it hurts that Will would keep something like this from him.

Will doesn’t answer the question. “I can make you forget, if that’s what you want. I can erase the last hour from your memory. We could just… go back to before.”

“Is that what you want?” Mike asks, too stunned by the suggestion to process the revelation that Will can apparently do that. “You want to shut me out again? Why?”

“Maybe we should finish this conversation at home,” Will answers instead.

“But—” he starts, and then. If there’s one thing Mike knows, it’s not to push Will in a direction he doesn’t want to go. So he stops. “Okay.”

Will steps forward. “Don’t freak out, okay?”

“Wh—”

Will’s hand closes around Mike’s wrist and then they’re home, world dissolving and solidifying around them. He stumbles and Will catches him, pulling him close.

And, wow, they’re very close to each other.

“Whoa,” Mike breathes.

“I’ll be honest,” Will says, voice low, “I’ve never tried that with another person before.”

Mike’s brain isn’t working, so of course his mind jumps to their ongoing, unpleasant conversation. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Will’s grip loosens, eyes darting to the floor, and Mike finds his own balance. “I was scared,” Will says simply. “This… thing I do, the helping people… it can be dangerous. When I saw you were writing the articles, I guess I freaked out even more. I want you to be safe.” He takes a deep breath, and when he lets it out it appears as dark smoke. He frowns, annoyed, and waves it away. “And in the beginning, I didn’t know what was going on, what was wrong with me. I know how you feel about Kali, how… dark her powers can get, and I… I didn’t want you to think that about me; think less of me.” He finally looks back up at Mike, eyes meeting. “I didn’t want you to look at me any differently.”

“I would never,” Mike says earnestly. Because this revelation doesn’t change anything. He’s still Mike and Will is still Will, and they’ve been best friends and they still live together and work well and Mike still loves him.

“You’re already doing it,” Will counters quietly. “You didn’t see your face back in the alley. You don’t see your face right now. You’re looking at me like… like…” He trails off, frustrated. “I don’t know. Like how we all looked at El when she killed Brenner. Like she’d done something good, but also something horribly irreversible.” He sighs harshly, rubbing a hand over his face. “It was stupid of me to suggest wiping your memory. I just… don’t know if I could handle you looking at me, knowing what I can do.”

“Hey.” Mike acts without thinking, stepping forward and taking Will’s face into his hands. “You’re still Will, alright? If I’m looking at you differently it’s because circumstances are different, not you. You’re still you. I could never think less of you. And I forgive you, because I understand.” He takes a breath. “And I love you.”

And. Oh. He hadn’t realized it until he said it. That’s a thing. He’d almost forgotten because… it just hadn’t been an issue. He’s pushed it back for so long. But right now… Will is really close. Really close. In-Mike’s-hands close.

Will’s expression is guarded and cold, like he’s trying to distance himself, but there’s pink present high on his cheeks. “Oh.”

Which isn’t an answer Mike had really expected. “Will,” he says.

“Mike,” he responds.

Mike swallows. Hard. Christ, he’s going to do it. “Tell me if… if I overstep, alright?”

Will nods, and Mike just. Goes for it. He kisses Will, firmly, and yeah, Mike’s in love with him. Shadow powers and nightmares and quietness and all. And Will’s not pulling away, either.

“Are you disappointed?”

Mike frowns. They’re tangled up together on the couch, the TV on with the volume low. “What?”

Will shrugs, shoulder digging into Mike’s side. “The… Shadow. You called him a hero, in your article, and I’m just—I’m not that. Are you disappointed that it’s me?”

“Why would I be?” Mike asks, perplexed. “Will. He’s a hero, and my career kind of rests on him for the moment, but you. You’re incredible. You’ve been a hero for forever. I’m glad it’s you.”

Will shifts a little, leaning up, and Mike can see his grin in the dark. “I love you,” Will says, and Mike feels like his heart is going to combust.

“I love you, too.” Maybe it’s too early to be at the ‘I-love-you’ stage, after not even two hours of feelings being out in the open. Maybe they shouldn’t be as stupidly love-struck as Mike definitely is.

But maybe, Mike thinks as he leans down to kiss Will again, maybe this has been years in the making.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Leave me a comment if you’d like. My other stories are here.