#anywhere you look there's a human being SO HUMAN | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

syoddeye · 18 hours ago

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cygnet, plucked | price x reader | part one part one cw: clothes stealing, forced transformation, coercion, familial abandonment, non-consensual touching/manhandling, restraints, masturbation mention, forced marriage forthcoming cw: dubcon, forced marriage, blood, mild injury a/n: reader is a swan shapeshifter. she retains some feathers as a human. based off this request, obvs influenced by swan-maidens, swan lake.

The first time he touches you, it's your wrist. A firm grip, just below the joint. Testing. Feeling the few feathers that sprout there, thumbing over the delicate, individual rachis.

You don't move. Don't speak. Torn between the instinct to flee and the paralyzing fear that you cannot. You watch his face. The thick brows, the kempt beard. The wrinkles that pull at his forehead when he frowns.

He is older than you—older than you look, at least. His arms are burly, heavy with muscle and hair, his shirt sleeves rolled to the elbows like he means to get his hands dirty at any moment. Willing to. Blue eyes, your favorite color until this second, framed by crow's feet and speak to experience.

He looks at you with expectations you wish you didn't understand.

"Can't leave without this, can you?"

Your dress, spun from feathers and thread, drapes over his shoulder like a pelt. As if it were a thing he hunted, caught, claimed—that he did not simply steal it from the lakeshore when you were distracted. It doesn't belong there. It doesn't belong anywhere but on you.

"Come along. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

Your sisters are gone. Fled, shrieking into the oncoming sunrise. You do not blame them. But it hurts.

The lake is still. Empty.

He lets the silence stretch, patient. He has all the time in the world. You don't.

You've watched human men before, from a safe distance, tucked among the reeds with your sisters. You've seen what they do when they think no one is watching. The way their faces shift at the sight of a woman. The way their hands reach, take, ruin.

You are a flightless bird, exposed. Not much of a swan. A sitting duck.

What choice do you have?

You follow.

You learn his name is John. That he has lived in this cabin for almost a year. That he built it himself. That he traps and skins, chops wood, salts fish, keeps a gun out of reach, hidden like your dress.

He tells you these things in pieces, the same way he feeds you. A bowl of soup set down in front of you with no ceremony. A tin cup of well water. A torn hunk of bread.

He talks a little, asks a little.

"Never seen anything like you," he says on the second night while you cower behind his chair by the fire. Where you slept after tearing out of his arms and screaming yourself hoarse. "Wish you'd talk to me. Awfully shy, aren't you?"

It galls you. Shy. As if he is not keeping you here, naked. Vulnerable. You ache for your wings. The sky.

You say nothing.

He exhales through his nose, it sounds like a laugh. "I suppose it's not an easy thing, coming from a life like yours."

You want to ask him what he thinks your life was. But you don't want to know what he would say.

He keeps the dress in a chest under his bed.

You desperately search and find it while he is outside splitting wood. The latch is loose. Stupidly unlocked. You lift the lid and your breath catches. There it is. Your feathers, your escape, the lifeline that made you you.

Your fingers graze the fabric. It should be soft, but it feels wrong, foreign and unfamiliar under your hands. You wonder if it is altered. If it will still fit. If it's too late, tainted by his handling.

"Looking for something?"

You slam the lid shut.

John stands in the doorway, hands on his hips. Forehead slick with sweat. The axe is outside, leaning against the chopping block, but his knife is at his belt.

He'd hurt you if you tried to run, maybe kill you. You are not so sure you want to die.

You don't answer.

He crosses the room. He doesn't look angry. He looks—wry. Pleased. Like he had been waiting for this.

He kneels beside you, one arm resting on his knee, and tilts his head. Reeking of pine and tobacco smoke. "That's not for you anymore, darling."

You swallow. This is the closest you've been since he entrapped you. "It is mine."

He nods, as if conceding the point. "And what would you do with it?" he asks. "Go back? To what?"

He reaches out, wiping away a single, hot tear. The fireplace pops, and you feel the warmth of his skin before you feel the roughness of his fingers. You hate it.

"The lake is still empty. They've not come back."

You think of your sisters. You think of the wind under your wings and streaming over your back, the open sky. You think of the sound of John reviving the hearth in the morning, how he dropped a blanket over you the first night, and said, You'll freeze like that.

Of course, he thinks nothing of the fact that he's the reason why you're naked. Blind to it or willfully ignorant.

"It's just you and me now. I'll take care of you, Shy."

Shy. That isn't your name. But you'll be dead before you give your real one to him. At least something will remain yours.

You look at him. He is a big man. Broad shoulders and palms. Thick, hairy arms and a barrel chest. You've seen the thing between his legs—he's made no efforts to hide himself or alter his routine with you hiding in the corner. He touches himself in the dark when he thinks you're sleeping.

He could break you easily. But he hasn't.

Not yet.

He brushes his knuckles over your cheek.

"Can't believe I found you," he says. "A pretty wife, fished from the lake. Or the sky, I suppose." He smiles, chuckling as if you're both in on the joke. "Mm. Wife." He presses his thumb to your bottom lip. "Yeah, like the sound of that. I'll make you a proper wife."

The way he says it is careful. Thoughtful. It is a promise, or a threat. You cannot tell which.

You look at the chest.

You look at John.

And you do not answer.

John returns at dusk, the door creaking wide to let in the last slant of daylight, and finds you trussed up where he left you. Your wrists are raw, delicate skin rubbed angry beneath the ropes that tightened with your struggling.

His shadow spills over you, and a sigh slips from him, edged with disappointment. He crouches. Fingers press into your skin, prodding where the rope bit deepest.

"Damn near hurt yourself, honey," he scolds, massaging the worst of the raw spots. He touches you in the way you've seen him care for his axe. Slow, reverent, making sure nothing is too damaged. Unusable.

A hand settles over the soft, feathery patch above your rump, fingers carding through it appreciatively, lingering before he unravels the last knot. He ignores your hissing.

The moment you're free, you scramble away, body aching. You tuck yourself behind his chair, peeking out with sharp, distrustful eyes. He lets you go, lets you think you've won some small mercy.

Then he turns his back, shaking out his coat, unpacking the sack he carried in, setting out each item on the table. Dull, practical offerings—salt, flour, needles, twine. Things for a life you don't want. Things for a home you will never call yours. And last, draped over his forearm, a dress. Mundane. Plain, homespun, the color of stone.

But you are distracted. Staring at the chest.

He only addresses your fixation when he's finished, and hauls it out from under the bed.

"Take a look."

You do. You don't want to, but you do. Your gaze flicks to him first, wary, waiting for the trap. You open it, and your stomach drops.

Your head snaps up, stuttering, eyes glossing over with hot, helpless rage.

His smile stretches, knowing. Then, he produces the last item from his trip and draws a bundle from the sack.

He explains it's the reason why he's later than expected. A special order that took hours and a bit of coin, but was well worth it. The seamstress did fine work.

Isn't it pretty?

See the little wing pattern she stitched in?

They're the only wings you'll have now.

He holds it out, delicate feathers and lace draping over his hand, the ruined remnants of your freedom reshaped into something grotesque. A wedding veil.

"Try it on for me, darling," he murmurs, offering it with one hand and adjusting himself with the other. "Let me see my bride."

#john price x reader #price x reader

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thetadispatcher · 13 hours ago

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Vincent glanced at the remaining stranger in the room, deciding she likely wasn't going to do anything, and even if she did Dan was close enough to put a quick end to it.

So the AP700 allowed himself to relax and put more of his focus on watching the other android work, he'd rather concentrate on that then any thoughts that might pop into his head, as they never seemed to go anywhere good.

Hugh could easily guess Nines was already picking apart the human at the table, even if the RK900 showed no change in demeanor. It was just something the android did to new people.

"Maybe, but she is keeping Sixty occupied at the moment, which is perfectly fine with me." Nines would rather have someone keeping Sixty busy as the RK800 always seemed to like following him around, something he didn't much enjoy due to Sixty feeling the need to talk about random subjects he could care less about.

John shifted his attention from Nines to Bishop at the remark about military units. "Well, Hugh is the one who has to call you out, not me. He was built purely for combat, hence his much larger body. I was built to handle tasks given to Navy Seals, so I am capable of interrogation if need be." The android explained as Nines swapped seats with Hugh.

"I am a prototype called a Myrmidon, and Hugh is the other prototype called the Trojan." He motioned to the larger android as he took a seat back on the floor.

"I...suppose that's true." Strasky went silent as he felt he needed time to think, and he really didn't have much else he felt he needed to say, at least on the current subject.

He shifted his attention to Sixty who seemed unbothered by the subject they'd been discussing, if anything he felt the android had just tuned them out and was off in his own little world.

He had a feeling the RK800 would join them if they discussed something else, but he really didn't know what else to talk about, or even what Sixty would like talking about. The android hadn't dropped any hints at his personal preferences, and he seemed to like jumping into discussions rather then starting them. So Strasky decided he'd leave the android to his own devices for the time being, they really didn't need Sixty's help with anything anyways.

"Maybe, it's hard for me to say if they will." Dan may have seen the interactions Strasky had with his coworkers, but he wasn't about to judge them based on that alone. He'd been around enough humans to know some could lie and act very well, without any thought as to how it might affect someone if they found out.

"Does she listen in on your conversations a lo-AH!" Dan cut himself off with a startled yell as he turned his head, finally catching sight of the android that had walked up behind him. The PL600 promptly punched through the basement wall, barely stopping himself from hitting his intended target.

The android seemed unbothered as he stood patiently, looking expectantly at Dan.

Dan jerked his arm free of the wall as his LED started flashing yellow, quickly answering the androids contacting him that everything was fine and no one had been hurt. "I-god damn it-hi..." He turned his focus to the other android, looking mildly annoyed as he took the notepad from the other unit to write on it, then handed it back.

He watched the other android nod then hurried off happily, shaking his head with a sigh before looking at the hole he'd punched through the brickwork. "Sorry about that." He apologized as he turned back to Rook. "That can be fixed, it's...fine, I guess. Not the first time I've caused property damage, and definitely won't be the last." Usually the damage was just Dan ripping off doors, but maybe the construction androids would be happy to know they didn't have to fix another door.

The android seemed satisfied nonetheless. He wasn't a master at conversation either and was fine as long as Vincent gave him enough to understand what he meant.

If he was comfortable with just a few words, Vincent could also get there eventually and it'd be fine.

Now he just had to not mess this design up.

Bishop only slightly nodded at the explanation. He still had to keep up the facade to not let himself get away.

"Very well. Although, in the future, you should go after the pink cyborg that came along with us. She might provide a fairer challenge."

Or she would cheat by messing with Nines' circuits, which was just fine with him as well.

"Though I take it military models aren’t that well trained to handle interrogations."

He might as well throw in a little jab at John as well.

"Let’s not worry about the details now. What matters is that you keep trying and remind yourself that there are people who like you exactly the way you are." Willow replied, before tilting her head slightly, "You escaped the WAU. It'd be a shame if you'd now be lost to those doubts that are tormenting you."

With that, she went back to browsing the plushies.

"It's good you're telling me these things. I've got my phone here, Willow's probably listening too." Rook said, "At least now I know I'm not the problem. I guess figuring this out will be the next step once his friends are sorted out. Maybe they'll finally return the favor and take care of the guy who erased himself to worry about their problems instead."

#kingedbishop

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nestaians · 3 days ago

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that post reminded me; nesta did in fact work in the cabin

nesta chopped wood, cleaned the dishes and probably cooked for them or least help in the kitchen

bc it was mentioned feyre does not know how to cook

but it is not seen as work by feyre, who shared about their life in cabin from her pov nor inner circle question it

they all make it seem like nesta and elain did nothing, like feyre hunting was the start and the end of any kind of work and feyre alone took care of them when they were in that cabin

they literally act as if all nesta and elain did was spend feyre’s money on luxuries

which is a lie bc feyre had an attitude about her sister wanting to spend money on new shoes bc the old ones was completely worn out and had holes in them

let me make it clear: feyre chose to go hunting

it has never said “nesta made her do it” and nesta is only like 2-3 yrs older than her, she was a child too but everyone is quick to forget that

in the beginning of acotar we see nesta try to look out for feyre and feyre had an attitude about it

if u have multiple siblings it makes sense why nesta is more everything of and with elain than feyre when you read their early acotar scenes. u are obviously going to be closer to the one who is accepting

it was their father who should be blamed but nesta is held accountable and blamed, till this day, for his failure as their parent

feyre painted him but not nesta. not until she “got better” srs words fail me on this

inner circle are a group of 500yrs old with all the knowledge in the world and they don’t see how stupid they are?

holding a grudge and beefing with a 20-21yrs nesta, who -in their world- is just a baby, over feyre choosing to hunt. what a bunch of pathetic losers

there’s something sad yet makes sense about nesta’s character is that she never argues or tries to prove that she did in fact work when they shit on her

feyre listening to mor’s story and the horrible things she went through and feyre immediately thinks “i get why rhysand can’t forgive nesta” as if they are anywhere near the same thing!

feyre is such a nasty person for it, for how she made nesta out to be again and again, you can’t change my mind, she is

to make it worse bc i can, before feyre went back for tamlin, she and nesta were better, in a way

feyre and nesta talked, feyre learned nesta knew she was taken and that nesta went to wall for her. nesta supported feyre and what she wanted to do

and after feyre was turned, when she was with rhysand, she undid all that progress by making nesta seem like a selfish person who does not care about her

feyre was also nasty for saying her sisters only cared about money and social standings

who knew you were taken and risked her life in the middle of winter to go to the wall for you? who supported you and your love for a fae? nesta! she cared about u!

who brought you paints? elain!

is feyre resents them for not doing more then she should just say so

feyre made it worse by bringing 3 faes, who humans fear for very good reason, into their house and let one of them invade nesta space, insult her and parroted feyre’s views on their life in the cabin

there is obviously more things like feyre constantly making nesta do things she does not want to do and making her be in presence of men she does not want to be in but that isn’t related to this topic

feyre has to sets things right, she set nesta up for failure in the eyes of her new family and now wants nesta to be a part of that said family that does not like her nor are quiet about it

nesta and feyre’s relationship is never going to actually heal without feyre taking accountability and apologising. it can’t be just nesta, it shouldn’t be just nesta who has to do it

nesta did work in that cabin. nesta did look after feyre. nesta did care about feyre

feyre wasn’t alone in looking after them, nesta and elain did too, they just had their own different ways of doing it

feyre had thoughts about her sisters marrying off and then it just being her and their father and she can paint, but then who would cook? who would chop wood for fire and keep them warm?

the reason they survived in that cabin bc they had each other. they did it together

but it’s not seen like that by feyre’s pov, by inner circle, by most of the fandom

nesta deserves better

#we could have had a story about 3 sisters despite everything coming together and their bond #instead we get all that #sjm and her missing out on great plots to focus on fae dicks is never ending #tbh she can’t pull it off anyway #what it could have been #anti feyre #anti inner circle #anti ic #anti acosf #anti acotar #nesta deserves better #anti feyre archeron #pro nesta archeron #pro nesta #sjm critical

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estrellami-1 · 2 days ago

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Stay for Dinner (Stay Forever)

ao3 link

Steve had never been more scared in his life.

He’d been through some things, he thought. Things that changed you as a person, probably. But now he understands why humans are apex predators.

Because he’s being hunted.

He’d started following Steve a few blocks back. He doesn’t have anything on him, pepper spray or a knife. He has keys and fear on his side.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” he chastises himself, blinking tears away and speeding up the tiniest bit. He sees, in the reflection of shop windows across the street, he’s matching Steve’s pace.

Fuck.

He doesn’t know what to do, doesn’t know who to ask for help, when he suddenly sees someone.

He’s an Alpha, Steve can tell right away, even though he’s not as strong-looking as other Alphas. He’s intimidating enough, all leather and chains and wild hair and tattoos, and Steve doesn’t know much about this punk kind of community, but he knows it’s a community, knows this is the safest person he’s gonna find.

He speeds up the tiniest bit more, is practically jogging when he reaches the man. “Baby!” He exclaims, throwing his arms around the man.

The man startles, but seems to catch on quickly, wrapping his own arms around Steve’s waist. “Hey, darlin’,” he says happily, loud enough it carries. “How was your day?”

“Alright,” Steve admits, letting out a little chuckle full of stress.

“Yeah? What made it just alright?” He questions, stepping back to wrap his arm loosely around Steve’s waist, the barest hint of pressure to suggest they keep walking the direction Steve was heading.

Steve thinks, silently, he could fall in love with this man. He’s halfway there based on scent alone.

“Oh, you know.” He keeps his tone light, pretends to look at the man holding him. Actually looks past him, to more shop windows. The man who was following him disappears down a side street, and Steve feels so relieved he nearly collapses.

“Oh, hell,” he breathes out, stepping back and gusting out a sigh. “I’m so sorry, fuck, he was- he was following me, and I wasn’t sure what to do-”

The alpha shushes him. “Hey, hey, hey, you’re okay. I get it, I saw him, and hey, I’ve definitely been in worse situations than a pretty omega throwing themself at me.” His eyes twinkle, inviting Steve in on the joke.

He chuckles a little. “Seriously, thank you so much.” He puts a hand on his chest. His hand is still shaking. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared.”

“It’s okay,” he soothes. “I don’t know that either of us want you going anywhere alone right now, though. Do you have someone you can call? I’m sure we can pop into any of these places and you could ask to use their phone.”

Steve feels a whine build in his throat. “I don’t- don’t have anyone, I’m new here, my roommate is my absolute best friend in the world but she’s busy, and anyways she’s half an hour away, and-” his breath catches on the whine, brings it out on the exhale.

“Hey, you’re okay,” he promises. “Would it be okay if I came with you? Or is there a different designation or gender you’d rather escort you? I’m sure we could find someone.”

“No, it’s-” Steve takes a couple of deep breaths. Wills his voice to stop shaking. “It’s fine, you can- if you’re not busy-”

“I’m not,” he confirms. “And I’d love to walk you wherever you’re going.” He pulls back and extends a hand, grinning. “I’m Eddie.”

“Steve,” he gusts out, grasping Eddie’s hand and shaking it. “Seriously, you don’t know how much I appreciate this.”

“It’s fine,” Eddie promises. “My best friend in the entire world is an omega. She’s used me to get away from Alpha creeps so many times, I’ve lost count.” He puts a hand on his chest, bows his head. “And I’d like to formally apologize on behalf of Alphas everywhere. I promise we’re not all creepy knotheads.”

Steve giggles. “I believe you,” he promises. “Thank you. Again. And… thank you for making me feel like it’s okay.”

“It is okay,” Eddie tells him immediately. “That guy’s a real creep, and if I ever see him again, I’m probably just gonna punch him in the face. No words, not a hey, how’re you doing, just bam! Right in the schnoz.”

Steve giggles again. “I’d pay to see that.”

Eddie pouts at him, offers his arm as they continue walking. “You don’t think I could take him? I know I’m scrawny but I’m hiding some muscle, okay, I- well, I was gonna say I work out, but that would be a lie. The most working out I do is moving amps, setting up for a show.”

“You work for a band? Or- a venue, or something?”

“You could say that,” Eddie agrees, letting go of Steve to hop a couple steps in front of him and bow. “You are looking at the frontman of heavy metal band Corroded Coffin.”

“Oh,” Steve says, nonplussed, “I thought you were punk.”

“Punk?” Eddie exclaims. “An affront to my culture! An affront to metalheads everywhere! An affront to me!” He mimes stabbing himself in the heart, dropping in a heap to the pavement.

It makes Steve laugh as he nudges Eddie’s knee with his toe. “Eddie? Oh no, he’s dead. Guess I’ll have to go on alone, with no one to protect me.”

“And I’m revived!” Eddie exclaims, jumping to his feet. His hair falls in his face, and he spits it out of his mouth as he swipes wildly at it.

Steve laughs, moves in closer to help. He meticulously separates Eddie’s bangs from the rest of his hair, then steps back with a light flush dusting his cheeks, realizing how close they were. “There,” he murmurs.

“My hero,” Eddie intones, sweeping low into a bow again before standing straight up and once again offering Steve his arm.

He accepts, and they walk on together.

His apartment isn’t too far, only about fifteen minutes, and it seems much shorter than usual because of the easy conversation flowing. When they get to Steve’s apartment, he sees Robin’s car and grins at Eddie, motioning him inside. “Rob,” he calls, “I brought my boyfriend!”

She bursts out of her room. “Steve!” She yells, pulling him into a hug. She pulls back to study them. “You’ve never met this man before, you slut,” she tells him affectionately. “Hi, Robin Buckley, who are you?” She thrusts a hand Eddie’s direction.

He grins and shakes. “Eddie Munson, at your service.”

“Hi,” she agrees, then taps Steve rapidly on his shoulder. “Explain. Why do you scent stressed?” She presses her nose into his neck. “It’s old but still there. What happened, Dingus?”

“I was being followed,” he tells her.

“A creepy knothead variety of our designation,” Eddie explains.

“I saw Eddie and he was the first person who looked… safe.”

“He jumped me,” Eddie agrees, smirking at Steve. “Not really beating the slut allegation, sweetheart.”

“Oh, shut up,” Steve tells him, laughing.

“I noticed what was happening,” Eddie continues. “Played along. Creep Alpha left, but-”

“I didn’t want to be alone,” Steve admits. “And I knew you were busy, and way far out, and we don’t know anyone else in this godforsaken city.”

“Now you do,” Eddie tells him.

“Now I do,” Steve agrees softly.

“Eddie Munson,” Robin murmurs, studying him with narrowed eyes. “Why do I know that name?”

“Um,” Eddie says, “are you into metal? I’m in a band.”

Robin snaps her fingers at him, expression brightening. “Corroded Coffin!”

Eddie’s eyes sparkle. “Holy shit, yes! Have you seen us?”

“Oh, no,” Robin laughs. “Not really my scene. But there’s this pup we knows who’s absolutely obsessed. Never shuts up about you.”

Steve frowns. “Dustin?”

“Yeah, Dingus.”

“But I thought he was always going on about the other band.”

“Ah, yes, because as we all know, you can only ever like one band at a time.” She hits him with an extremely judgy expression. “Do you listen when your child talks?”

“Hey, if he’s mine he’s yours, and you know I don’t.”

“Um,” Eddie says, “child?”

“Not actually mine,” Steve reiterates. “But also basically yeah. And yes, he’s obsessed.”

A slow grin creeps across Eddie’s face. “In that case, do you want to do the funniest thing ever?”

Steve’s eyes spark as a manic grin makes its way onto Robin’s lips. “Oh, hell yeah,” Steve agrees.

They work out the plan: invite Dustin over, have Eddie be the one to open the door.

“Hey, little dude,” Steve says into the phone. “You busy for the next little bit?”

“Uh,” Dustin says, sounding distracted, “yeah? I’ve got a test due tonight, a paper due Friday, and then it’s prep for finals. Why?”

“Just, uh. Wanted to see if you wanted to come over,” Steve says weakly. “But if you’re busy-”

“Rain check,” Dustin decides. “Three weeks from Friday?”

Eddie, who’s standing close enough to hear, shrugs and nods at Steve’s questioning look. “Sure, bud,” Steve tells him. “Three weeks from Friday.”

“Okay, great,” Dustin says. “See you!” And hangs up.

Steve pouts at the phone for a second. “No respect,” he sighs.

“Aw, Stevie,” Eddie playfully pouts, “I’m sure your pup loves you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Steve rolls his eyes, but smiles at Eddie.

“What does the rest of your day look like?”

“I do believe the rest of my day depends entirely on what you’re planning with me.” He leans against the wall, shoulders curved toward Steve, who smiles rather bashfully.

“Would you like to stay for dinner?”

Back in her room, Robin calls, “would you like to stay forever?”

Steve instantly blushes firetruck red. “Feel free to ignore her,” he tells Eddie. “She likes to quote movies at the absolute worst time.”

“Oh, I dunno,” Eddie murmurs. His cheeks are dusted pink. “I dunno about forever, not yet, but I certainly wouldn’t mind staying for dinner.”

“Okay,” Steve murmurs. “Chicken work for you?”

“Chicken,” Eddie murmurs back. “Sure.”

Neither of them look away from each other.

The days turn into weeks. That first day—first night, really—Eddie was there, they’d exchanged numbers.

Steve talks to Eddie on the phone most nights. The nights he doesn’t, he’s with Eddie.

At first they’re just friendly. Friends. But there’s something deeper and they both sense it. Eddie’s rosemary-and-walnut scent mixes perfectly with Steve’s lemon-basil. Robin complains about getting hungry around them, and they just laugh, knowing she’s teasing.

Still, that something deeper is there, is entirely present, and Steve knows, and Eddie knows, and he knows Eddie knows he knows. They’re both inching toward a free fall.

There’s one night they’re in Eddie’s apartment. What Corroded Coffin sales don’t cover—which is most of it, Eddie had explained—his shifts at the mechanic shop do. He gets home, weary and grease-covered, and Steve had already let himself in, was making dinner for the two of them.

“Stevie,” Eddie groans, the second he steps foot in the door.

Steve clenches his thighs at the bolt of want that spears through him.

He laughs it off, halfway turns to meet Eddie’s gaze. “Yeah?”

“Fuck, smells amazing,” he breathes. “I’m so hungry I could eat a dragon. Do you know how big those are? And I mean a whole dragon, too, an adult, not a tiny baby one.”

“You’re hungry,” Steve summarizes.

“Starving,” Eddie agrees, brushing a kiss on his cheek before moving off to his bedroom to change.

Steve freezes. Hears the moment Eddie realizes what he’s done.

He’s got a choice to make, he knows. He could pretend like nothing happened. Things would be awkward, for a minute, but they’d get past it.

He could address it. Eddie might get nervous or defensive. Might not react well. Worse yet, he might say he didn’t mean to.

Or…

He sends out a happy, pleased scent, more honey-lemon than usual, and continues cooking.

He hears Eddie walk tentatively out of his bedroom. Hears the moment his feet hit kitchen tile and he smells Steve. “Oh,” Eddie whispers.

“Go change,” Steve murmurs lightly. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Yeah,” Eddie responds. Steve can hear the smile. “Okay.”

“Okay,” he parrots.

He plates the food, and Eddie comes out just as he’s putting the plates on the table, wrapping him up in a hug. His nose dips closer to his scent gland than is strictly friendly, and Steve sends out more of the happy honey scent.

“Baby,” Eddie murmurs. “Yeah?”

Steve leans back into him, lets him support his weight. “Yeah,” he whispers, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s, around his waist.

He gets Eddie’s happy scent for his efforts, woodsmoke and petrichor filling his nostrils as he inhales.

They talk during dinner. About what they’re feeling, what they’re looking for. “Sweetheart,” Eddie tells him. He’s liberal with the terms of endearment, which Steve definitely likes. “I liked you the minute you threw yourself at me, trying to get away from that creep.” He inches his hands over the table, grabbing Steve’s. “But I fell for you the minute you laughed.”

Steve blinks. “The minute I laughed?”

“Mhm,” Eddie nods. “I believe I was apologizing on behalf all Alphas everywhere, who aren’t raging knotheads. You giggled, and you said I made you feel safe, and I looked in your eyes and fell in.” He shrugs. “And, I mean, you know our scents are compatible.”

“More than that,” Steve murmurs.

Eddie nods. “Exactly! And I-” he gusts out a breath. “Hell, Steve, I’m terrified. I don’t know how to be in love. But if it means a future with you? I’d do anything.”

“Love?” Steve asks, scarcely able to breathe.

Eddie bites his lip, grips Steve’s fingers a little bit harder. “Yeah.”

Steve abandons his food, rounding the table and collapsing onto Eddie’s lap. “I love you too,” he whispers. “I know it’s really early, but…”

“No take-backs.” Eddie smiles, pokes his side. “‘S not too early if we both feel it. ‘S just right.”

“Just right,” Steve murmurs, a wondering smile on his face. Suddenly, it turns teasing. “Which one of us is Goldilocks, then?”

Eddie snickers. “Obviously you, you’ve got the hair. My hair’s more like one of the three bears.”

Steve laughs, tugs teasingly on a curl. “Yeah, but I like your hair.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. ‘S metal.”

“Oh, baby,” Eddie rumbles. “You tryin’a start somethin’?”

Steve hums, pulls back. “No, sorry. Just wanna be near you right now.” He looks up at Eddie. “Is that okay?”

“Perfect, baby,” Eddie agrees. He shifts, drags Steve’s plate closer. “Finish your food,” he suggests. “Then we can go watch a movie. Or call Robin, if I know you the way I think I do, this conversation isn’t going to be able to wait until you get home.”

“Yeah,” Steve says, “it probably can’t wait till tomorrow.”

Careful eyes watch Eddie’s reaction. He smiles, nuzzles the side of Steve’s head. “Definitely not,” he says. “That would be a complete violation of best friend code.” He pokes Steve’s thigh. “Can we call Chrissy after? Can she come over? She hasn’t met you yet.”

Steve narrows his eyes in thought. “Chrissy’s your omega friend, right?”

“She is.”

“And does she like women?”

Eddie laughs. “I like the way you think, baby! Call Robin first, get her over here, Chrissy lives closer than you two do. I’ll call her as soon as you’re off the phone with Robin, okay?”

Steve grins. “Sounds great.” He shovels the rest of his food in his mouth, as fast as he can, then runs to the phone.

Eddie’s not any slower. He doesn’t even finish, excitement pulling any remaining hunger away, and he ends up behind Steve, pulling him into a hug as he talks to Robin.

They hang up after only a couple of minutes, and Eddie dials Chrissy’s number. “Hey,” he says, barreling on before she can even say hi back. “You’ve got ten minutes to get over here if you wanna meet my omega.” He winks at Steve, who beams back at him. Honey and woodsmoke permeate the space, dancing around and melting into each other, creating a soothing blend of scents.

He gets off the phone and turns Steve to face him fully. “Hi,” he murmurs.

Steve giggles. “Hi.”

“Can I kiss you?”

Steve’s eyes widen, and his inhale turns into a gasp. “Please,” he breathes, and Eddie does.

They’re still kissing, just little pecks, by the time there’s a knock on the door, signifying Chrissy’s arrival.

They part just long enough for Eddie to open the door and hug Chrissy. Steve scoots in under Eddie’s arm, leans into him as he greets her. Strawberry pastries bloom as she grins. “It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”

Steve giggles, shakes her proffered hand. “I agree. I’ve heard good things about you.”

She narrows her eyes at him. “And you don’t think it’s weird that he’s such good friends with an omega?”

Steve grins. “My Alpha best friend is on her way over as we speak. I’d argue I’m one of the few who really understands.”

“Then I’m sure we’ll be just fine,” Chrissy nods, walking into the kitchen and fetching herself a drink.

“Yeah,” Eddie sighs. “That’s Chrissy.”

“I heard that!” She calls.

Steve giggles. “I really don’t think you two can be worse than me and Robin.”

“That sounds like a challenge, baby.”

“It wasn’t,” Steve protests, laughing. “Not everything has to be a competition.”

“It doesn’t have to, but it’s more fun if it is.”

Steve snorts, rolls his eyes, shakes his head. “C’mon.” He motions to the kitchen, and Eddie walks with him.

“So, Steve,” Chrissy says, sitting on the counter. “How did you two meet?”

Steve grimaces. “It’s not a very happy story.”

She sighs. “What did he do?”

Steve blinks, then laughs. “Oh, no, he was great. It wasn’t him at all.”

“C’mon, Chris,” Eddie complains. “You should know me better than that by now.”

“I do know you and that’s exactly why I thought it was you,” she fires back, before looking back at Steve with a little nod.

“I, uh. Robin and I are new here, so I don’t really know anybody yet. I guess I do now, but I didn’t. I was walking and I saw this Alpha following me. And I even tried turning, to see if he was actually following me? And he was. And I didn’t- I had keys, I guess, if it came down to it, but I really didn’t want it to come down to it.” He grimaces, realizes the air is rank with rotted greens. He grimaces again, apologizes. Smiles when Eddie grumbles, pulls him in tighter, and presses a kiss to his temple.

“Want me to continue?”

Steve shakes his head, relaxes in Eddie’s hold. “I can. Just… got overwhelmed for a second.”

“It’s alright, baby. Take all the time you need.”

“I mostly understand anyways,” Chrissy says softly. “If you’d rather skip all that.”

Steve sighs. “He didn’t touch me, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he tells Chrissy. “I saw Eddie standing there, in front of me a little, and he was the first person who looked safe. So I just… pretended. I ran up to him and hugged him, and called him baby, loud enough the guy following me could hear. And thankfully Eddie caught on quickly. He jumped in, no hesitation, and the guy left, but… I was still rattled from it, y’know?”

“Definitely,” Chrissy nodded.

“So he walked me home, came in and met Robin, and… stayed for dinner.”

Eddie snickers. “I think I did what Robin asked, though. I’m staying forever.”

Steve rolls his eyes through his grin. “She’s gonna be insufferable about that.”

“That’s your best friend, baby.”

“Yes, I know,” Steve grouses. He’s still smiling.

Just then there’s another knock on the door, and Steve sprints to open it. “Robin!”

“Steve!” She greets him. He gives her a hug and pulls her into the kitchen. “Robin, meet Chrissy, Eddie’s best friend.”

Robin blinks. “Uh,” she says. “Hi.”

“Hi!” Chrissy says. “It’s really nice to meet you. Steve said you’re like me and Eddie! That’s cool!”

“Yeah,” Robin says, “except we were here first.” She immediately blanches. “Oh, fuck, sorry, no, that implies that what you have isn’t the same as what we have, which means I think you’re a liar, except I don’t think you’re a liar, I swear, I just-”

Aside to Eddie, Steve whispers, “should we give them the room?”

In lieu of an answer, Eddie wraps his arm around Steve and quietly walks them out of the kitchen.

In the living room, sounds are a little muffled, but Steve hears Robin’s ramblings broken up by a softer, higher voice—Chrissy—and soon they’re both talking, a low murmur that works as the background to the steady thump-thump of Eddie’s heart against his ear where his head is pillowed on Eddie’s chest. He yawns, curls in a little. “I could fall asleep like this.”

“I’m here if you want to,” Eddie murmurs, running a hand down Steve’s back. “I’ll be here. Take you to bed, if you want.”

Steve shakes his head. “I wanna stay out here. But if they stay in there for much longer, I’m gonna fall asleep. Especially if you keep that up.”

Eddie chuckles lightly, keeps rubbing his back. “You do that, baby.”

Steve does.

He wakes up slowly, later, in a way he hasn’t in so long. He’s used to his alarm blaring, shocking him awake, and the rare days he gets off he wakes up in a rush thinking he’s late for work. He rarely wakes up slowly like this, pushing his legs out to stretch, tilting his head up, humming when it puts his nose in contact with Eddie’s scent gland. Rosemary and woodsmoke seep into his nostrils, permeates every inch of his brain. He knows, distantly, he’s pumping out the honey again, but it’s unintentional, and he nearly falls back asleep. He drifts for a while, laying in that twilight of sleep, before Eddie shifts, waking up.

He puts a hand on Steve’s back, and Steve wakes up more, purrs. Eddie rumbles out an Alpha purr back. “Mornin’, baby,” he mumbles. Steve just hums again, and Eddie chuckles. “Not awake yet?”

Another hum. “Almost.”

“Take your time, sweetheart.” He rubs his hand down Steve’s back. “I’ll be here.”

Another hum. “When’id Robbie n’ Chrissy leave?”

“They didn’t stay for too long. They left at the same time, and Robin triple-checked that you’d be spending the night here.”

Steve nods sleepily. “‘S good.”

Eddie chuckles. “Yeah. You wanna wake up or go back to sleep, baby?”

“‘M awake.”

“Wasn’t really my question, but I think that might’ve answered it anyways.” He dips his head to press a kiss to Steve’s temple, and Steve purrs again. Or more. He’s not sure he ever stopped in the first place.

His purring is interrupted by a yawn. He opens his eyes with he finishes, blinks in the dim light of Eddie’s room. “Food?”

“I can make some,” Eddie agrees. “How’s eggs and toast sound?”

“And coffee?”

“And coffee,” Eddie chuckles. “You gonna let me up? Or are you planning on becoming a limpet in your next life and you’re getting a head-start now?”

“Wanna go with you.”

“You can, but that doesn’t negate the fact that we’ve still gotta get up.”

Steve huffs out a dramatic breath, rolls out of bed and onto his feet. Stretches, then realizes he’s in boxers. No pants. He squints at his bare legs, then at Eddie, who smiles. “I didn’t want you wearing jeans in bed, sweetheart, I know how uncomfortable that is. I can give you some pajama pants if you want.”

“Yes, please. And thank you.”

“You,” Eddie says, “are most welcome.” He rolls out of bed and strides to his dresser, tossing Steve a pair of red-and-black plaid sleep pants.

He dons his own, blue with pink polka-dots. Snickers when Steve looks between the two of them.

“You wanna know why I put these on? Instead of giving them to you?”

“Yeah,” Steve agrees. “You know I like those better.”

“I put them on,” he pauses for a taffy kiss, sweet and stretched-out, “so you can take them home with you tonight and put them in your nest.”

“Fuck, I love you,” Steve breathes.

Eddie pushes in for another kiss, this one impatient, hot and searing, licking across the seam of Steve’s mouth, pressing between his lips, bullying his way past Steve’s teeth until he can taste him, and it should be gross because neither of them have brushed their teeth yet but instead it’s just good in a way that makes his Alpha light up. “Love you,” he mutters against Steve’s lips, pulling back to tap Steve’s hand, still holding the plaid pants. “Get dressed, baby. I’ll start on breakfast.”

“No, wait for me!” Steve whines, frantically pushing his foot into the half-folded leg of the pants.

Eddie waits, so Steve slows down a little, letting the pants unfold before he shoves his legs through the holes.

They pad out to the kitchen together, where Steve sits on the counter while Eddie pops bread in the toaster and fries some eggs.

Eating is a quiet affair, Eddie hooking his ankle around Steve’s as soon as they sit down, just wanting to keep that touch.

Eventually Steve has to go get ready for work, so he heads home and nearly bumps into Chrissy as she’s walking down the steps of his apartment building. He grins at her. “Hello,” he says, “sleep well?”

She flushes, but winks at him, and he laughs.

He continues on, up to his apartment, where Robin’s waiting for him. She’s in the kitchen, nursing her second cup of coffee. Steve knows it’s her second because she always downs the first the moment it’s no longer scalding. “Well hello there,” she says, lecherous grin on her face. “And what did you get up to all night, might I ask?”

Steve rolls his eyes. “We literally just slept, Robs, I didn’t wake up until this morning. I did pass Chrissy on my way in, though.”

She nearly chokes on her coffee, blush staining her cheeks pink. She tries to wave him away, goes for the sappy comment. “I’ve never known you to fall asleep on someone you’ve only known a few weeks. It takes longer than that for you to be willing to invite someone into your pack.”

Steve flushes, holds up the pants Eddie had on. “Um,” he says, “surprise?”

Her mouth drops open. “You bitch!” She delightedly shrieks.

He giggles. “Guess you were right about me being a slut, huh?”

“You should know by now that I’m always right. And I thought you said you didn’t have sex?”

“Yeah, but I can still be a slut without having sex.”

She narrows her eyes at him. “That’s not how that works, at all, but also yes. You can. And only you, I think.” She shrugs, turns away to head to her room, bumping his arm with her shoulder. “You’re one of a kind.”

“Hell yeah I am.”

“I never said that was a good thing.” She disappears into her room, leaving Steve to stare after her.

To think she called him a bitch.

The week continues as it had gone before; he and Eddie still talk on the phone nightly, except now those are few and far between; they’re usually at an apartment, either bothering Robin or enjoying solitude with each other in Eddie’s apartment. On the nights when Steve doesn’t work the next day, he’ll stay over at Eddie’s.

He doesn’t entirely know what they’re waiting for. Why they haven’t had sex yet. They both want to, but it’s like there’s a lot whisper in the air, something murmuring not yet, it’s not time now, but soon. And honestly? Steve really enjoys the change of pace.

About a week later is the third Friday, the day Dustin’s coming over. Eddie gets there around noon, because when Dustin says six p.m., what he really means is whenever he feels like it.

That’s why, at a quarter after three, there’s a knock on the door.

Eddie slides in his socked feet over the hardwood, nearly running into the door and saving it at the last moment. Steve snorts.

Eddie throws open the door. “Ah, hello! You must be Dustin!”

“Oh holy shit,” Dustin says, blinking wide-eyed at Eddie. “You- you’re-”

“Wow,” Steve says, coming up to Eddie, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him speechless before.” He pats Eddie’s shoulder. “Good job.”

Eddie snorts. “Thanks?” He hip-checks Steve, sending a warm smile his way.

Steve grins back, moves to the kitchen. “In or out, Henderson, and close your mouth ‘fore you start catching flies like that Mona Lisa of yours.”

Dustin scurries inside. Eddie frowns. “Mona Lisa?”

“Yeah, he’s got one of those…” Steve waves a hand. “Plants that eat bugs.”

“Venus fly trap,” Dustin says. “You’re Eddie Munson.”

“I am.”

“And you’re in Steve’s apartment.”

“I am.”

Dustin pauses. “Why in the hell-”

Eddie wraps an arm around Dustin’s shoulders. “Ah, to be young and carefree, to know not the trap of a heart given to another-”

“He’s got a girlfriend,” Steve says, crossing his arms. “Trap?”

Eddie freezes. “Not trap. Uh… fuck, I wrote myself into a corner.” He releases Dustin, bounds up to Steve. Ducks his head and looks up at him. “Forgive me?”

Steve chuckles. “Dramatic dork,” he says, but presses a chaste kiss to Eddie’s lips.

“What the fuck?” Dustin screeches.

Steve winces. “Dude, language and volume, c’mon. Christ, it’s like you’ve never seen two people kiss before.”

“But you!” Dustin says emphatically. “Him! How?”

Steve exchanges a glance with Eddie, then sighs and tells Dustin how they met. “He escorted me home, met Robin, stayed for dinner…”

“Stayed forever,” Eddie mumbles in Steve’s ear.

Steve chuckles. “Even if I thought you were punk when I first met you?”

“You what?” Dustin hisses. They both ignore him.

“Even then,” Eddie promises. “Especially then, actually, as soon as people know I’m in a band they act different. You didn’t. Just kept talking to me like a normal dude.”

“Oh,” Dustin says suddenly. “Really?”

Eddie offers him a crooked smile. “Don’t sweat it, man, according to Robin you’re an actual, genuine fan. Already worlds ahead of the people who didn’t give me the time of day until they thought I could give them popularity.”

Dustin nods. “That makes sense,” he says. “Still. It sucks that people are like that.”

Eddie shrugs. “I feel sorry for ‘em. Chasing everything they can to get an inch closer to the top. What’re they gonna see once they get there? A whole lotta nothing. Plus,” he smiles at Steve, “it means we’re here, now.”

Steve leans against him. Eddie wraps his arms around his waist. “Together,” Steve agrees.

“Together,” Eddie parrots.

“Oh,” Dustin murmurs again. “You guys, like, actually love each other, don’t you?”

Steve tilts his head. “How’d you know?”

“The way you looked at each other,” he says honestly. “Like it belongs in a movie or something.”

“Oh,” Steve murmurs. Eddie’s arms tighten around his waist.

“You’re right,” Eddie tells Dustin. “We do.”

Steve snickers. “We do belong in a movie?”

Eddie laughs, dislodges Steve, swats at him until Steve swats back.

“Wow,” Dustin says, deadpan, “you two really do deserve each other. You’re both children.”

Steve exchanges a look with Eddie. They both charge Dustin, who chants, “Shit, shit, shit!” as he runs for the living room.

Eddie catches him around the waist, throws them both onto the couch, where they lay, giggling and panting.

Steve laughs, sitting on the chair to the left of the couch. “Speaking of children,” he asks Dustin, “do you want to call the rest of the Party?”

Dustin’s eyes gleam. “Holy shit, yes, wait, I brought-” he scrambles up, sending an elbow into Eddie’s gut in his hurry. Eddie squawks and grabs at the back of Dustin’s shirt, but Dustin’s out of reach, and doesn’t notice what he just caused. He digs around his backpack for a minute. “Ha!” He yells, holding up a walkie-talkie. “Okay, hang on, lemme-” he depresses the button. “This is Dustin calling a code yellow, everybody come in! I repeat, code yellow, come in!”

“This had better be good, shit-for-brains,” Max warns him.

“That’s what a code yellow means, Max. And you’ve gotta say over. Over.”

“Fuck you, how ‘bout that?”

“Christ,” Steve murmurs to Eddie. “Meet my feral children.”

Eddie grins back. “They sound like fun.”

“Okay,” Will chimes in. “I’m here. Dustin, don’t answer Max, she’s just gonna have an even worse comeback. Save yourself the pain. And us. Over.”

“El and I are here,” Mike says. “Over.”

“How about Lucas? Over.”

“Here,” Lucas says wearily. “What’s this about? Over.”

“I’ve got someone I’d like you to meet.”

“You didn’t know him until today, shithead,” Steve tells him.

“Is that Steve? Hi Steve!” El calls. “What’s the news?”

He grabs the walkie out of Dustin’s hand, sends him a look when he tries to take it back. “The news is,” he looks at Eddie, who nods encouragingly, smiling. “my Alpha.”

He hands the walkie to Eddie. “Hey, guys!” He says. “My name is Eddie Munson. It’s nice to sort-of meet you!”

“Dustin,” Will says, low and controlled. “Tell me this isn’t a prank of some sort.”

Dustin steals the walkie back. “Dude, I nearly died,” he swears to Will. “It’s him. It’s really him.”

The walkie explodes with noise.

“Who?” Max asks.

“I’ll educate her,” Lucas promises, and then they’re both gone.

Then Mike, El and Will take turns pinging in. During a lull, Eddie swipes the walkie. “I’ve got a question,” he says. “Why do you guys calls yourselves the Party?”

“Oh, shit,” Steve murmurs. “I’m gonna lose you to them.”

“Never,” Eddie promises him.

“Uh,” Will says hesitantly. “We play D&D. It’s how most of us met, we were all interested in playing in school, and we kind of just… bonded.”

“No shit?” Eddie asks. “That’s super cool! Who’s your DM?”

“I am.”

Eddie laughs. “Dude, that’s great! I’ll have to pick your brain for storylines. Maybe we could swap our favorites? Do you have any homebrew or are they all canon?”

“They’re all canon,” Will admits. “But I did add my own twists to a few.”

“Man, that’s awesome! When I first started I was terrified I was gonna mess up. Had to do everything by the book. But then I got more confident and I started adding some of my own stuff in, and then I got even more confident and decided to write my own campaign.”

“And it was good?”

Eddie snorts. “Actually? It was complete shit. But I had good friends who didn’t tell me that, they encouraged me to keep trying, and I did, and now I’m actually good at whipping up a homebrew.”

“Wow,” Will breathes. “Could we- not now, obviously, but-”

Eddie chuckles. “I’d love to talk shop with you, Will.”

“Stealing you from me,” Steve murmurs. Eddie rubs a soothing hand on his thigh, passes the radio back to Dustin. “Sweetheart,” he murmurs, “you really feel that way?”

Steve shrugs, tips his head down. “‘M just… feeling weird, I guess. It’s not your fault. You don’t have to coddle me.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” Eddie agrees, bringing Steve’s hand up to kiss his knuckles. “Tell me how I can fix it?”

Steve shrugs miserably. “I don’t know.”

“You’re just feeling some kinda way?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s alright, baby. Wanna come sit over here with me?”

Steve considers it, then nods and moves from his chair to the couch, next to Eddie, close enough they’re touching all the way down and Eddie can comfortably get an arm around his shoulders. “There we go, sweetness. That better?”

Steve sighs, tucks his face into Eddie’s neck, and goes boneless. “Yeah.”

“See what I mean?” Dustin says, and that’s when they both realize he’d broadcasted their exchange to the rest of the Party.

“There’s something deeply wrong with you, little man,” Max drawls.

Dustin squawks. “Just because you’re taller than me!”

“Yeah, yeah. Yada yada. They’re sweet, is what they are, and maybe if you ever got your head outta your ass where your precious Suzie-poo is concerned-”

“Oh, fuck you, Maxine, and what if your guy hadn’t lived in the same town as you, huh?”

“I’d still be doing better than you!”

“Christ,” Steve mutters, curling a hand into Eddie’s shirt. “Make it stop.”

Eddie ducks down to press a kiss to Steve’s temple. “You bein’ funny or serious?”

“Both,” Steve admits. “But mostly serious.”

Eddie chuckles, then plucks the walkie from Dustin’s grasp. “Alright!” He says. “That’s enough. This is Eddie, Steve, and Dustin, signing off. Over and out.” He twists the knob to turn the walkie off, then tosses it back to Dustin. “Put that away, please,” he says softly.

Dustin turns sad eyes up to Steve. “Did we cause a migraine?” He whispers.

Steve smiles, reaches out to grab Dustin’s shoulder. “Only a little one,” he admits. “Rain check on the rest of today?”

Dustin nods immediately, shoving the walkie into his bag and scent-marking Steve, accepting the same back, and then turning to Eddie with a questioning look.

“Sure, kid,” Eddie chuckles, reaching out and accepting the same. “It was really good to meet you.”

“You too.” He smiles. “I’ve got a key, so don’t worry about locking me out. I’ll get it.”

“Why didn’t you let yourself in?” Steve wonders.

“You told me to knock.”

“When have you ever done something I told you to.”

“…and the key was in my bag and I didn’t want to have to find it.”

“There it is.” Steve sighs fondly, shaking his head. “Never change, Dustin.”

“Never,” Dustin agrees, fishing the key out of his bag and brandishing it at them with a grin. “Call me?”

“I will.”

“M’kay. Bye, Steve. Bye, Eddie.”

“Bye, Dustin,” they tell him, and then the door is closed. Eddie listens for the snik of the lock before he moves himself and Steve to lay down on the couch. “You wanna take a little nap, baby?”

Steve hums. “Should go in my room,” he murmurs. “And… need water first.”

Eddie carefully sits them up, helps Steve stand. “Go to your room, baby. I’ll get you water.”

Steve hums, leans into Eddie for a second. “Thank you, Alpha.”

“Omega,” Eddie softly rumbles. “Love you.”

“Love you.” He pushes off Eddie and walks down the hall. Eddie watches him until he’s in his room, then moves to get his water.

The weeks continue. Eddie meets the rest of the Party. He and Max hit it off like a house on fire. Will has a much quieter, though no less sincere, appreciation for him. Steve teases him relentlessly about Mike’s obvious crush on him. “No!” Eddie cries. “He’s a child!”

The weeks continue. Steve is at Eddie’s apartment more than his own now. Robin’s taken to waving a white handkerchief whenever he leaves, like he doesn’t know she’ll be calling Chrissy the moment he’s gone.

The four of them get together fairly often; mandatory Friday movie nights, at the very least, though more often than not they’ll all just congregate at an apartment and stay until it’s far too late.

Steve and Robin’s lease is up soon. And because he tracks his heats, he knows his next one is due right around when their lease is up. “Just move in with Eddie,” Robin tells him. “Chrissy’s lease ends a month after ours. I’ll renew it, and a month in she’ll come live with me.”

“Maybe,” Steve hedges. “I’ll have to talk to Eddie about it.”

She scoffs, rolls her eyes. “Like he’d ever tell you no.”

Steve blushes, because she’s right and he loves it. “I’ll talk to him,” he promises.

“You’d better,” she threatens.

He does. He’s relaxing on the couch with Eddie after dinner when he looks up at him and asks, “Eddie?”

Eddie smiles down at him. “Yeah, baby?”

Steve works his lip. “What do you think of me, maybe, moving in with you?”

Woodsmoke blooms. “How would you feel about it?”

“I really want to,” Steve whispers.

Eddie kisses him. “I do, too,” he whispers back.

“There’s one more thing.”

“Okay.”

“Um. The timing is… really not great. And I don’t know exactly when it’ll be, so it could be before or after mine and Robin’s lease is up, or it could hit, like, the day the lease expires, but.” He takes a breath. “Would you help me through my heat?”

“Baby,” Eddie rumbles, dipping to kiss his gland. “It would be my absolute honor.”

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #robin buckley #chrissy cunningham #buckingham #omegaverse #alpha beta omega #tw stalking #but only a little #starambles

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pan-kojiwa · 3 days ago

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✮⋆˙ 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴? ˙⋆✮

[𝘊𝘞] ➻ 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘕𝘢𝘨𝘪. 𝘚𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 (fr this time)

You’re sitting on the couch with Nagi on the floor in between your legs, a controller in his hands as you watch him expertly dodging and killing enemies on the screen.

It was yet another casual late night gaming session. You didn’t mind though. You actually love those nights. You love playing video games. That’s actually how you met him. You used to go all the time at the arcade not far away from your neighborhood. He would often hang out over there, so you two rapidly became gaming buddies after playing against each other a couple times. Then from that point, one thing led to another and now he’s your boyfriend.

You haven’t been dating him for very long actually. Despite that, there’s nothing awkward or weird between you two— and surprisingly you feel really comfortable with him. There’s something about him that just puts you at ease— must be the fact that he’s pretty laid back. He never makes you overthink things and he’s really easy to talk to—even though he complains a lot. But honestly, you find it pretty cute.

However, tonight, you didn’t feel like playing. And again— you really like your gaming session with him. But…

It’s been three weeks of just doing that. Three whole weeks. You can’t take it anymore. You need to go out, go somewhere— anywhere! See things, visite places— anything really. You just need to do something different or you were seriously about to lose your mind. Watching him play was only entertaining the first few time, now you’re bored. Yet, you’re too stubborn to say anything to him. You don’t want to ruin his fun. Plus he said once that you were the best gaming partner, and you absolutely refuse to give up that title!!

You look down on his fluffy white hair as you start playing with it gently. He doesn’t say anything still focused on the game, but you keep going, patting his hair. He loves that that— or at least he doesn’t mind.

You’re a cuddle bear, and Nagi might be the comfiest human being ever— what a good match. Plus, he’s so cute? Sometime when you two cuddle together he would fall asleep snuggled against your chest. It’s so cute.

You smile softly before glancing back at his neck mischievously. You’re bored— so you might as well try to entertain yourself. You slowly start fluttering your fingers on the nape of his neck, leaving light and subtle touches. As you caress it, your index softly travel up to the base of his neck as you slowly let your hand slip in his hair.

You lean slightly towards him with a playful smile stretching your lips, waiting for Nagi to react to your teasing. Yet nothing. He’s still focused on his game, softly pressing his controller’s buttons. A little disappointed, you pout. It’s so hard to make him react sometime. Admitting defeat already, you let go of his hair letting your hand fall beside you.

However, hearing the sound effect of defeat echoing in the room, makes you glance at him shifting in his seat as he suddenly turns his upper body to face you.

“ - Why did you stop?” He simply asks.

“ - Huh?” You blink rapidly, opening and closing your mouth, taken aback by his question.

Not knowing what to say, you just stare at him.

Well— before you two even started dating you were already being touchy with Nagi. Always kissing, pinching his cheeks or squeezing him in your arms. Telling him to lower his head so you could pat it, and more. That’s just how your relationship with him has always been since you know him— he kinda just accepted it and never complained somehow. And even when he became your boyfriend nothing really changed. It was and is still the same. Expect now you kiss him on the lips.

Basically, you’re the one who makes all the move when it comes to physical stuff so the fact that he seems eager for it kinda throw you off.

“- Oh… You were so into the game, I figured that I’d let you—”

He quickly cuts you grabbing one of your hand and putting back on his neck.

“ - Keep going.”

“ - What?”

“ - Feels good. I like it.” He says, putting his controller aside.

Oh—You giggle your heart fluttering. Yeah he’s really your personal teddy bear.

“- Come sit here then.” He slowly gets up and flopped on the couch, crossing his legs. His eyes nonchalantly following your every move, yet could still notice the hint of curiosity in them. A playful giggle escapes you as you uncrossed his legs to sit on his lap, straddling his thighs.

A smug smile spreads on your lips as you wrap your arms around his neck.

“ - Looks like I finally got a reaction out of you huh?”

“ - I don’t know? I just liked how it felt…”

“ - I’ll do something better then.”

You press your forehead against his, giggling softly as he observes you curiously. Slowly, you pull your head back and plant a quick kiss on his right cheek.

Without hesitation, you do the same to the other side, but this time, your lips linger just a little longer before you pull away.

“ - That’s not what you where doing—”

You cut him off with a peck on his lips

“ - Hush.”

Your fingers slides in his fluffy white hair as you lean in, your lips softly brushing against the skin of his neck. And with your ear right next to his nose, you can hear his steady breath. You definitely have to change that, right?

You tease him some more, playfully brushing your lips this time, on the spot just under his earlobe. You giggle satisfied when he tilts his head instinctively. With a faint smirk on your lips, you press a soft kiss on his neck, then one higher, and another one on again— leaving a trail of kisses on his jawline.

A soft sigh escapes his lips as he wraps his arms around your waist, gripping it softly. And from that alone, you already feel like your heart is about to explode. And, sure it wasn’t the first time Nagi had held you like that— sure, you’re used to kiss him all over when you cuddle with him— but this time… this time, it’s different. The atmosphere between you two has changed. You know he feels it too. Your brain is telling you to stop, but that feeling coming deep from your heart wants to see where this is going to lead you. You feel Nagi’s hand slide inside your loose t-shirt, gripping your waist tightly, and your breath hitch from the sensation of his cold hand on your skin. You straighten up, taking time to observe his expressions. Eyes closed, lips slightly parted, head tilted, breath slightly uneven— you can’t help but get curious about what more you could see.

You blink, new sensation and new emotion rushing inside your heart. They are all mixed up together forming a lump on your chest making your breath shallow. As you run your hand through his hair affectionately— a gesture he seems to love— and with his arms still inside your t-shirt caressing your waist, he leans forward to rest his head on your chest.

“ - Are you being shy Sei?”

No response. Nagi usually accepts whatever type of affection you give him with no problem. But sometimes he can get embarrassed and tries to hide the way you make him blush. You chuckle smugly and place a kiss on top of his head.

“ - There’s no need to be shy—”

Suddenly, he straightens up and grips your waist lifting you off his laps to then effortlessly lay you down on the couch.

“- Let me try.” His eyes are laced with feelings that you’ve never seen before.

Hovering above you, he looks directly in your eyes while placing one hand on your hip making it slide on your tummy. Then, he lowers his head next your throat kissing it in the same way you did.

You gasp, but quickly cover your mouth to prevent any embarrassing sounds from getting out. You can actually feel your cheeks getting redder as Nagi covers your neck with light kisses. A breathy sigh slips from you as he slightly graze your neck with his teeth. Your eyelids are becoming heavy and your throat dried up— you lick your lips swallowing hard as Nagi tilts your head to get a better access.

You sure didn’t expect him to react this way. Usually teasing him with kisses and hugs always results in cuddles sessions, where he would hold you tight all night long. But this time— it almost feels like you have a different man in front of you. If your kisses were only light teasing, his are getting more insistent— more passionate. It was a first for both of you.

His hands slowly slides up your chest under your shirt, and you can sense a slight hesitation, that was totally gone the moment he grips it gently, still nibbling on your neck and moving closer to your collarbone.

“Sei…” Your finally close your eyes a breathy sigh escaping you as your respiration becomes even more shallow.

Still nibbling your neck and brushing it with his teeth seemingly wanting to bite into it, he instead starts to suck on the sensitive spot he created with his kisses— gently tugging at it with his tongue, a red spot starting to form.

A shiver runs through your body, tightening your grip on his shoulders. You gasp, and your eyes snaps open— you didn’t expect this reaction from yourself— shivering this way… from a mere hickey at that— and Nagi neither. He pulls back from your neck, tilting his head while he gazes at you with a half curious half amused look.

Flustered, your cheeks turn a bright shade of pink as you hide your face behind your hands.

“ - Are you being shy?” He said teasingly.

“ - Please, shut up.”

You gently push him away from you, while still trying to hide your flushed face. What the hell just happened anyway?? Not just only your reaction no—the whole thing.

You didn’t know he could be bold like that. You didn’t know he could turn into a beast when provoked.

And now you’re wondering what would have happened if the way your body reacted to his touch hadn’t stopped him.

You instantly recall the way his lips and teeth grazed your skin, the way his hand roamed all over you body gently gripping you soft and warm skin—

“ - Oh my god…” you whisper, feeling heat rushing to your face again as you bury it in a cushion.

“ - You liked it, didn’t you?”

You sit up, a small pout on your face. You couldn’t believe it. Nagi, out of all people, is teasing you. Then he lazily leans into you, pressing his head against yours.

“ - Teasing you is easier than I thought. I should do that more often.” He smirks as you push him away again.

“- You tricked me...” you grumble slowly removing the cushion on your face.

“- You're cute.”

“ - Okay, okay I get it, please stop now.” You say flustered.

You grab the controller sitting on the floor and hand it to him. Right now you need a distraction, because this side of Nagi was making your heart and mind race.

“ - Let’s play! I want a revenge.”

“ - A revenge?

“ - Yeah. I can’t let you win a battle like that.

Nagi chuckles shaking his head.

“ - Okay but you’re going to lose.”

“ - What are you talking about! You huff. I’m way better than you at this game.”

You notice an envelope with your name on the table from the corner of your eyes. Weird. You were almost sure it wasn’t there before. Curious you glance at your boyfriend, silently asking him what is it.

“ - It’s for you.” He says handing you the envelope.

“ - For me??”

“ - Open it.”

You nod setting your controller down on table.

Inside it, you find two tickets to the theme park you've been wanting to try since it’s grand opening last month. And not just any tickets— a three-day VIP pass.

You gasp in surprise. You only mentioning this theme park to him last week, and he already got tickets?

Squealing, excited, you instantly dive into his arms to kiss him on the lips.

“ - Thank you Seishiro!!! How did you get these?? Wait… don’t tell me— it’s Reo, isn’t it?”

“ - Yeah, he helped me. The ticket office was way too crowded.. couldn’t get in.”

You laugh, nuzzling his face, happy to do something else other than playing games. And suddenly, you remember the second ticket in the envelope. Wait— is it his ticket? Does that means he’s going with you? We’re talking about Nagi here— the laziest person you know. Does he even know what’s going on at a theme park?

You looked at him sceptical, yet, you didn’t even have time to ask anything that he already answered.

“ - Yeah it’s mine. And yes I’m coming with you. He sigh. It’s gonna be a hassle but it’s okay since it’s you.”

You can help but coo at how cute he is. A feeling of happiness flooding in your heart. You kiss his cheek again, this time longer and he close his eyes as your mouth sinks on his skin. He’s really perfect.

You ask him to lower his head and run your fingers through his fluffy hair.

“ - You’re the best! Let’s play now.”

He simply nods handing you your controller.

Yeah, of course you’re still kinda tired of gaming nights. But you can never get tired of your awesome and cute boyfriend, Seishiro Nagi.

#⟢inking waffle⟣#nagi seishiro #seishiro nagi #bllk nagi #bllk drabbles #nagi x reader #seishiro nagi x reader #blue lock #bllk #suggestive #bllk imagines

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arcticdementor · 3 days ago

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Okay:

NOT EVERYTHING IS A MESSAGING PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GOVERN

Actually, what the 20th century teaches us — as explicated by the likes of Bernays and McLuhan — is that with modern mass media systems, maintaining power in an ostensibly-Democratic society is pretty much entirely a marketing problem. Control the information everyone receives, and the narratives they use to make sense of it, and the channels through which people might coordinate, and you'll get a mostly-compliant population, and the non-compliant unable to coordinate well enough to pose a meaningful threat. Like the bull charging the flapping cape, they'll channel their action into the meaningless clown show that is "democratic politics," and ignore all the groups and institutions where power actually resides.

To point to the single most obvious policy failure: combining high levels of immigration with significant prohibitions on housing construction, and thus bringing in people without any place to put them and driving rents into the stratosphere

And if you're an elite, what's wrong or "insane" about this policy, exactly?

reflects the absence of a human being at the top of the system who can and will say "this combination is insane" and change one or both policies

I note that this does not mean the absence of human beings at the top of the system who could do this, just the absence of those who are willing to do so. And if such people are there, then consider why they aren't doing this.

I will point again to my "car speeding past obvious cop" analogy. You think these elites are missing a problem that is, to you, obvious. But you're a random nobody, and they're, well, elites. They have access to plenty of "insider" information you don't. So why are you so confident that they're the ones missing the cop car, rather than you being the one not noticing the diplomatic plates? Have you considered that they might have good reasons for not caring about the consequences — including "backlash" — of pursuing this "insane combination" of policies?

If you cannot build infrastructure due to permitting, then you SHOULD capitulate on permitting reform.

Here, I will link my third-highest-voted Motte post, on understanding the nature and motivation of the "Blue Tribe," and quote this portion:

Mencken defined "Puritanism" as "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy," but a better definition might be "haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be doing wrong." You are your brother's keeper (after all, remember the origin and context of that phrase). "Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." "An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere." And so on. A friend of mine once told me, years ago, about how a coworker of his came in one Monday morning teary-eyed and demanding a meeting so that the business could decide what they were going to do, collectively, to help address the plight of the Rohingya. A week ago, this woman had never heard of them, and probably wouldn't have been able to locate Myanmar on a map. But she saw a news report about them, and that was enough for her to feel the burning need not only to "do something" herself, but to recruit everyone else she knows to do the same. It's something I see all the time online "you don't want to intervene in [bad thing X]? Then you obviously approve of [X]!" Don't want to send more into Ukraine? Then you must think the Russian invasion was 100% justified, you Putin boot-licker! There is a certain kind of person for whom moral disapproval and the drive to intervene are one and the same thing, inseparable. To them, a lack of a burning need to stop a thing is proof that you don't actually disapprove of it. It's the classic stereotype of the D&D Paladin played badly: "see evil, smite evil." They are constitutionally incapable of shrugging and saying "none of my business." And the Blue Tribe is full of them. Consider every missionary of an evangelizing, expansionist faith who has set out to convert the heathen — by fire and sword if necessary — because it's their duty, it's the right thing to do, and it's for the heathen's own good. If you have the One True Faith, the true set of Universal Human Rights, the Objectively Correct Morality, then you have a duty to spread and enforce it everywhere you can. Why fight the Red Tribe? Because if you don't, you are complicit in every wrong they do. If you let the Red Tribe keep being transphobic rather than try to stop them, then the blood of every trans kid in a Red Tribe area who commits suicide is on your hands. Like Kendi says, you are either actively anti-racist, or you are racist. It's one or the other. You are either fighting evil, or you are evil.

To change these policies is to compromise with evil, which is to be evil, because to be good, you must fight evil. You're asking them to actively participate in either the far-right evil of anti-immigrant xenophobia, the bigotry of treating human beings differently just because of which side of an imaginary line they were born on, of a government that does not provide the equitable treatment of all people within its area of administration. That, or to participate in evils like destroying the environment, increasing the portion of Mother Earth being ruined by humans; in gentrification; in allowing greedy capitalist real estate developers (like Orange Hitler) to earn profit on the same, and so on.

What part of "you don't defeat Nazi's by adopting and enacting Nazi policies (you become one that way)" is unclear? If mass immigration is morally obligatory, and NIMBY is morally obligatory, then their combination is morally obligatory, and thus the negative consequences of that combination are necessarily just. And if justice makes you unhappy, that's your problem, and you need to reexamine your morals (or lack thereof).

Good must be done, evil must be fought. Fiat justitia ruat caelum.\

What part of that is unclear to you?

things they promised you and refused to deliver

You say that like it's a problem. What reason do left-wing elites have to deliver on these promises? What consequences for refusing to deliver could they ever have to worry about?

The Democratic base are already too loyal. The Democrats already (implicitly) promise things they can't deliver, and fail to deliver things (like construction projects) that they could deliver if they tried. They already eschew the opinions of swing voters.

Yes, and they still hold all the institutions that matter despite these, the meaningless, fake pro-wrestling clown show that is Trump's second term notwithstanding.

We can imagine there being "current social norms" and "the potential social norms that the currently underlying production base could support," and when these two things become too distant, it creates a source of political potential energy that a vanguard of intellectuals and political leaders can transform into a political movement, in either direction.

You sat that as if those "political movements" can actually make a meaningful difference themselves, rather than as tools for the ruling elite. The people who rule have all the power, they haven't gone anywhere, they aren't going to go anywhere, and there's nothing you can do about them.

They want medicine rationed by political race categories? Then — no matter how much you don't like it, no matter what you write online, no matter how you vote — medicine is getting rationed by race. Period. There's no fighting it. Accept total defeat, and give up.

Accept total defeat. Give up.

ACCEPT TOTAL DEFEAT. GIVE UP.

If the dominant view is that the world is flat, then being a revolutionary means replacing this model with the view that the Earth is round, causing a net gain. If the dominant view is that the Earth is round, then being a revolutionary means replacing this correct view with a random new incorrect one, resulting in a net loss.

Net gain and loss in material well-being, yes? But if what you care about is social status and power over your fellow humans — "better to rule in hell than serve in heaven" and all that — then that "net loss" in the latter situation is still a gain for you if it maintains your hold on power.

Under those circumstances, the correct move for the establishment party (in this case, Democrats) would be to focus on running the machine well (as they (in theory) have the advantage in this due to expertise), while initiating a broad search for potential improvements.

Again, why should they bother? What does not doing this cost them, except meaningless elections that don't actually affect anything?

Forcing a bad investment will create natural opposition.

Why should elites care about creating "natural opposition"? Medieval rulers generated "natural opposition" all the time. Peasants are revolting yet again? Just send out some knights to crush them all. And warfare in the past century plus has been even more capital-intensive (as opposed to labor-intensive), ever more in the favor of large centralized governments with deep pockets, than it was in the Middle Ages. "Guerrillas" and "popular resistance" almost always lose (particularly when the professional soldiers are being supported in crushing them, rather than being held back by politicians more sympathetic to the guerrillas).

Governing is where Trump is weak. Governing is, in theory, where the Democratic establishment is strong.

Because the merely-elected "government" is not what does the actual governing. This isn't just true for Trump, but for any Republican president. Elections don't matter.

It feels to me like the lesson the Democrats ought to be taking from Trump is,

"Build loyalty in your base and swing for the fences because the worst that will happen is you fall out of power for one term"

But the actual lesson they seem to be taking is that maybe craven capitulation will make them look better because Americans completely changed their politics over the last four years and will surely never change them again.

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animeyanderelover · 3 days ago

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Anon: Kaneki and Ayato sharing a darling?

Tw: Yandere themes, possessive behavior, obsession, paranoia, clinginess, stalking, overprotective behavior, sadism, delusional behavior, threats, isolation, abduction, violence, death

Tags: @flaming-vulpix

Sharing a darling

🔲🌌Well, this is certainly going to be something. Both of those men would already be overwhelming enough by themselves yet together those only amplify the other's obsessive and protective tendencies. That all is before we are even going to mention that those two would not get along at all at the beginning. Sure, they know each other and they have worked together in the past but when it comes to the topic of you there is no way for compromises. Their obsessions just clash as the way they treat you differs too greatly. On the one hand you have Kaneki who is extremely paranoid, overprotective and clingy who just wants to hide you away and ensure that no one can harm a single hair on your head. Opposite of that there is Ayato who is possessive, harsh yet also overprotective. Differently from Kaneki he is not one to coddle and worship but one to demand and to lash out. Ayato would be far too cruel to you in Kaneki's eyes and in Ayato's opinion it's nothing short of pathetic how down bad Kaneki is for you. Kaneki is far too overprotective to let Ayato anywhere near you and Ayato is far too possessive of you to allow Kaneki to have you. Such conflicts end often in violent fights betwee those two.

🔲🌌In regards on how you even made acquaintance with both of them I consider it more likely for you to have known Ayato before Kaneki as the way they fall into an obsessive love differs very greatly. Ayato hates humans for he sees his greatest enemy in them. They hold nothing but prejudice and fear for his kind so in return Ayato only holds hatred and anger for them. It is this mindset which he has been surviving on for years that would make it hard for him to start thinking differently of you and especially difficult to even accept his feelings once something seems to fundamentally change in his perception of you. Kaneki is very different as he falls hard and fast once your kindness and consideration has torn down shaky walls he has been trying to build around himself. There is something holding him back though but it differs greatly from what is holding back Ayato. For Kaneki the barrier that he needs to overcome is his own insecurity and his terrible tendency to overthink. He's terrified to be seen as a monster in your eyes as he remembers how he used to think of ghouls back when he was still a human. Yet who would he be to blame you for being afraid of him? He is a monster after all.

🔲🌌Kaneki is blinded by infatuation and a rapidly growing paranoia. Signs so obvious that Ayato can't help but notice them. He himself doesn't know what he is supposed to think as he connects the dots. Part of him even wants to reject what he is seeing with his own two eyes right now. Kaneki is a fool but he is strong. Why would the white-haired ghoul fall for a small prey such as you? Yes, he doesn't think of you to be special enough to have another ghoul fall in love with you yet another part of him just doesn't want to aceept that there is now a competition that can't just be simply killed. After all this would only mean that he would have to rip the mask off of his face, look at himself in the mirror and admit what he is truly feeling for you. So he pushes that idea away as good as he can yet it is hard to ignore something that is so painfully obvious. The possessive part of his obsession threatens to burst out and it all explodes when Ayato catches Kaneki stalking you, admittedly because he himself has been doing it. The very moment his red eyes catch sight of white hair, he acts on sheer impulse as he all but attacks Kaneki who reacts just in time, a look of shock on his face.

🔲🌌There is this terrible period of time where both of them only heighten the terrible tendencies of the other person. Ayato only grows more possessive and violent and Kaneki in return grows only more paranoid and overprotective as he witnesses how Ayato is hunting you down. Kaneki abducts you to protect you from the clutches of Ayato which results in Ayato going on a rampage as all he sees is red before he tracks you down. It is the most peaceful option if Kaneki isn't with you whenever Ayato finds you as he will only harshly knock you out and take you away, leading to a meltdown from Kaneki's side once he returns and notices that you are gone. If Kaneki is with you when Ayato finds you which is the more likely scenario as he knows that the younger brother of Touka is after you, a fight is always guaranteed to happen as Ayato chooses violence and Kaneki responds accordingly to protect you. It's destructive, bloody and traumatising for you and it isn't unlikely that you get hurt within it all even if Kaneki is trying his all to protect you. The worst is only waiting once you do get hurt as this triggers Kaneki to activate his Kakuja in which case he is easily able to overhwelm Ayato.

🔲🌌Those violent conflicts and clashes eventually reach the knowledge of others. Whenever those two fight, chaos is left in their wake and once the CCG becomes aware of it, they start to investigate. The involvement of doves only adds more fuel to the situation as their mission is to find out who the ghouls responsible for all the destruction are and to eliminate them so that they won't endanger the citizens of Tokyo. Kaneki avoids them as long as they do not confront him or threaten to take you away from him, Ayato is much more happy to show them what happens when they think that they can just follow him and it is his showcase of aggression that only ends with more officers of the CCG investigating and chasing after him and Kaneki. It all ultimately leads to one brutal showcase where Kaneki, Ayato and the doves end up fighting against each other. In the middle of all of it is none other than you. It's all too blurry for you. You vaguely recall that one officer tried to rescue you as soon as they noticed that you were human and that Ayato and Kaneki both went after you the moment they noticed before something hit you. Blood, screams of your names and after that only darkness as you collapse.

🔲🌌It's unclear who exactly it was that wounded you during the battle. There was too much happening for Ayato and Kaneki to tell if one of them hit you or if it might have been even one of the doves but all of that fades into irrelevance as you fall down, crimson blood quickly staining your clothes and forming a small puddle on the ground. There's this painful silence for a few seconds following after that before the storm hits with all its strength. For once Ayato is actually grateful for Kaneki's outburst as the white-haired man goes berserk, keeping the doves busy as he leaps to you and quickly carries you somewhere else so that no other attack can hit you again. Any more damage would be fatal and as Ayato decides for once to prioritise your human life as he tries to stop the bleeding, Kaneki creates a massacre as he's in that moment nothing more than a mindless creature who attacks every living thing around him. By the time Kaneki snaps out of it, he's standing in a small pond of blood. Neither the sight or the stench matter to him in that moment as he instantly starts panicking when he is unable to spot you at first until he notices Ayato.

🔲🌌The unsung hero of this tale is Ayato as he is the one who at the very least manages to keep a grasp on his rationality as Kaneki is a mess the moment he sees just how bad your wound is. Realising that neither Kaneki nor him are equipped to be of any help of you, he spontanously decides that Anteiku is the best shot both of them have at the moment. So he pushes Kaneki harshly away from your body and barks that what you need is help and not someone pathetically bawling his eyes out over you. So both of them head to the shop, taking everyone by surprise when they arrive with your bloody form in Ayato's arms. The decision to bring you here was no mistake though as you are immediately catered to to everyone's best abilities. Questions are only asked once you are out of any immediate danger though most members of Anteiku can already imagine half of the story as Kaneki's and Ayato's strifes has travelled all around their community. Touka is the one who has a serious word with both of them afterwards, pointing out the obvious that both of them must already know. That both of them have to stop. You nearly lost your life after all all because those two can't stop with their conflict.

🔲🌌It takes you days to recover somewhat from the blood loss. Days of bleeding through bandages and sheets. Days of pain and an bacterial skin infection which they are luckily able to treat with antibiotics. All whilst you suffer and recover, it is Kaneki who decides eventually to reluctantly leave your side to approach Ayato after a lot of sleepless nights and heavy consideration. It's the first time both of them have actually talked face-to-face without their kagunes out or without any hostile intents. There's nothing but silence from Ayato's side at first as he doesn't even look at the white-haired man but he is listening nevertheless. Your near-death experience marks a change within this situation. Neither Kaneki nor Ayato are able to deny that what happened to you was their fault, especially from Ayato's side this realisation isn't easy to admit yet the weight of the situation is too heavy for him to ignore his guilt. Kaneki could not survive in a world without you and for that sake he is going to work together with Ayato if it has to be done. He knows after all that without Ayato you might not have made it and that is one thing he is going to be grateful for. The offer only stays as long as Ayato stops hurting you.

🔲🌌Ayato takes a lot of time to consider the offer made by Kaneki. Truth is that he doesn't want to share, he's too possessive to ever settle contently with sharing you. However, he knows that he can't beat Kaneki by himself and unfortunately he only has himself in this situation. So reluctantly and with the most bitter of aftertastes Ayato agrees through gritted teeth. Everything is far from over though. In fact a new era with problems is just about to begin. This relationship will never be peaceful, fights will often ensue and they are still capable of ending in violence. Kaneki and Ayato have just learned to see it through that you will be kept out of it all. Their obsession types are just not compatible and they will never be which is something that Ayato and Kaneki just accept. A piece of harmony only happens once Ayato finds himself mellowing out around you which means that physical pain is less likely to be used and which additionally means that there are less fights happening as there is nothing to trigger Kaneki's overprotective paranoia. Still it feels like you are in a downgraded version of tug of war with less blood and violence. Both of them can't stand to be around each other for too long.

🔲🌌As Ayato isn't clingy and needs time away from you, there is more time that you spend overall with Kaneki which is one of the few things that work fine for Kaneki. Once Ayato demands his share of time with you though, he expects the white leech to actually stay away. To no surprise Kaneki struggles fairly much with that part of the deal as part of him is still terrified that Ayato might hurt you and it is obvious in the way he searches your body for any bitemarks or wounds as soon as he is back. Ironically enough both of them could potentially balance each other out nicely as they are complete opposites when it comes to the way they treat you but they aren't close enough for that to ever happen. Mutual tolerance is the best level that they are ever going to reach. After all Ayato would only get annoyed if he had to watch Kaneki, who is despite everything a very strong ghoul, clinging to you like a puppy whilst Kaneki would probably have sooner or later a meltdown if he were to watch how rude and harsh you tend to be treated by Ayato. So it's best for both if they just try to co-exist without getting in each other's way too much. It's better for you as well.

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