#at least I didn't spend much time on this

[catzncoffee]

A little FiddleStan AU I cooked up, more information about the AU below the cut!

I'll probably post a few more characters from this AU later!

Aren't they just the cutest couple? (* ´ ▽ ` *)

BADEND FiddleStan Au

> Welcome to BLIND EYE CO. : Unsee It All!

-To Start us off, Ford sends his postcard over to Stanley a lá Canon, and Stanley immediately drops everything to rush up to Gravity Falls all the way from New Mexico, spending his last dime on gas and driving with as little breaks as possible. At this point in time, Fiddleford has left Stanford and is actively going through a divorce and the process of loosing his mind via mind gun overexposure. Stanford is not doing well, paranoid and extremely sleep deprived, watching for Bill in any eye sockets or triangles that flash in the corner of his eyes. None of them are doing well to sum it up.

- Stanley arrives fresh off a no breaks drive to meet with his estranged brother of 10 years, and while not exactly expecting a warm welcome, a crossbow pointed at his head and a flashlight shone in his eyes certainly didn't help set the tone of the meeting. Or help the spinning in his head. Or the Nausea. Frankly he only caught the tail end of Fords very concerning speech, but at least he knew to follow him down the stairs.

-naturally things devolve from there, Ford demanding Stanley take his research and flee while Stanley grapples with the fact that it's all Ford wanted of him. Spiraling into a physical fight once old grudges are dug up from their graves. A Fight that brands Stanley with a symbol he can't even understand, turning something on he didn't even know the danger of. A singular shove that absolutely wrecked Stanley's world, and the last words "Do Something Stanley!" Haunting the room as the portal that his brother built ate him and imploded.

- Fiddleford notices the gravitational anomalies and panics, going into hiding but terrified for Fords safety against his better judgment.

- Stanley spends the next week desperately trying to peice together both the portal and the journals contents, and his mental health takes an even steeper decline. He sits in the same lab going over whatever books he can find and that stupid journal over and over and over until he works on the portal till the next injury or road block, surviving off of whatever canned food both he and Ford combined had left

- Enter Fiddleford, who couldn't bear not to check on Ford after the gravitational anomalies and continued radio silence. Just a confirmation that he wasn't dead, Fiddleford told himself. Nothing more. Stanford deserved no more from him, after all Fiddleford had given. Just a quick safety check in for the sake of an old friend. A knock on the door, however, brought a slow shuffle towards it and opened to reveal a very tired, very devastated..... not Ford? But also Ford? At least he certainly looked like Ford. But Ford had less muscle mass last time Fiddleford saw him. Less hair too, because Stanford? Have a mullet? What sealed it was the normal, five fingered hands that the Not-Ford rubbed his eyes with when Fiddleford demanded, as politely as possible, to know who he was and where Stanford went.

- Fiddleford is invited in and the two sit on a couch Not-Ford cleared off in this waste zone of a house and explains that his name is Stanley, and he's the estranged brother of Ford. Who also happens to be his identical twin. Ford had called him up to help him by taking his stupid journal and running, the two got in a fight, and Ford got sucked in. Fiddleford felt cold panic settle in his gut, thoughts scattered and memories of what was on the other side coming back in nauseating waves, lapping at his consciousness.

- At first Stanely succeeds in getting Fiddleford to help him with the portal, and he's extatic while Fiddleford is decidedly not. However much to Fiddlefords surprise, he isn't forced into the basement, or working on that devil machine, or even couped up in the study to work nonstop. Instead, Stanley gives him a notebook and pen, and gives a description or photo of the exact thing he needs help with, explains to the best of his, admittedly limited, knowledge what the problem is, and has Fiddleford help. Then, Stanley thanks him profusely and dissapears by himself down to the depths of the lab, laving Fiddleford with the glow of the TV and a warm drink.

And it confuses him.

Greatly.

Because there were very few times Ford mention having a twin; Fiddleford could count them on one hand. But Ford had been angry most of those times, other than the one or two when crying and drunk, saying that Stanley had been 'ruled by emotion' and was 'brash with no tact'. But where Ford had been accusatory and sharp, Stanley had been understanding and toned down. There had been very few times over the last few days Stanley had raised his voice, and it was more out of frustration or picking at a touchy subject than anything. And more than that was the way he would shrink just a bit and apologize with enough self loathing that Fiddleford could taste it, sticky and bitter in the back of his throat. Stanford ignored everything when in a project. Stanley only seemed to ignore himself. Stanley was nothing like Stanford had been, and Fiddleford found himself craving those differences more and more, craving more time spent with Stanley, more conversation, more memories, just more Stanley. A pleasant but confusing change, especially when Stanley's features where so similar to Fords.

- Fiddleford would blame the fact that he didn't notice Stanley's condition until much later into staying back at Fords place on the way his mind was still shifting itself into something usable again, however once he noticed he would never stop cursing himself for how he didn't before. Stanley had collapsed in the kitchen, and it had taken nearly all of Fiddlefords mental power to drag the information on his injuries out of Stanley so he could treat them. The poor man had been walking around with that nasty burn treated the best Stanley could, but improperly the whole time, and infection had begun to set in like a bastard. That wasn't even beginning to speak of the malnutrition, dehydration and multiple other bruises and cuts, some yellowed, faded, crusted over, some fresh, purpled and bloodied all on too pale skin. Scars told of a life that was harder than Fiddleford had ever originally thought to think of, questions popping in his mind as he treated the increasingly more worrying Stanley.

And in this Time, Fiddleford was alone with his thoughts.

Fiddleford was here. Again. In Fords house, trying to save him from himself. Again. And frankly he was tired. He'd pushed past his family in favor of Fords shiny promises and stayed far past when he should have, gave more of his knowledge, more of his friendship, hell, more of his heart than he'd ever thought possible. And Ford still always wanted, Needed, more. Fiddleford had felt all that rage for himself and his life over and over, but feeling it for someone else was new. Yet here he was.

Here Stanley was.

Because really, what kind of man gets a call from a man he hasn't seen in 10 years, basically a stranger, one who never talks about him, and drops absolutely everything to help them? New Mexico was a 20 hour drive from Gravity Falls, and Stanley had driven that with the absolute last of his money, no sleep, just driving. Only for Ford to completely dismiss him for the survival of his research over the world. Fiddleford had no idea what Stanley supposedly 'did' when they were younger, like Stanford had vaguely mentioned and Stanely kept saying in a heartbreakingly familiar tone dripping with guilt and self hatred, but Fiddleford could tell from a mile away it was bullshit. Stanford had no reason to hate Stanley so badly. Stanley had no reason he should have helped Ford after God knows what he went through, but he did anyways. Ford? Fiddleford would bet the last of his sanity just to say that Ford wouldn't return the favour. He never had before.

- Fiddleford spirals deeper and deeper as he treats a heavily feverish Stanley, his hatred for Ford growing into a tangible thing the more he thought. And oh, how much simpler this would have all been if he'd simply met Stanley first. Rougher around the edges but kinder. Sweeter. God the way he was so gentle with Fiddleford even though he had no reason to be. The way he'd taken the existence of the memory gun in stride and stated he'd be here if Fiddleford needed support with it. It would be so much easier if Stanley just agreed to shut the portal down forever. Then they could just live. Together, of course, Fiddleford didn't think he could live without Stanley's gruff support now that he'd had it, but just. Simply live. Without the threat of the world, or demons, or weirdness over top of them.

Without the threat of Ford.

Oh how tempting it was, Fiddleford thought, in the days were Stanley was becoming more lucid while still soft and warm due to his sickness, to just simply erase Ford from Stanley's mind. But that would leave too much of a gap, and as he regains his mind bit by bit, Fiddleford begins to come to the conclusion that the memory gun needed a bit of work, yes, but as long as it wasn't over used then it's intended purpose would be served. Over using included, however, memories that were too big to simply pluck out completely. Its where he'd went wrong with his own treatment, and like hell he would leave Stanley to deal with the consequences of that.

Then, in the last few days where Stanley was beginning to move about in small increments as he shook away the last clawing hands of illness away, Fiddleford realized it. He didn't need to erase Ford completely from Stanley's mind.

Fiddleford just had to erase Stanley's love for Ford.

- So, he was patient. Fiddleford waited until Stanley was well, until he walked with full strength and his laugh was full again, until he was sure that the grown affection Stanley had for him after his illness allowed him close enough.

Fiddleford even made sure his memory gun was freshly updated and tuned to the most perfect he'd ever gotten it, making sure the shot would be clean and accurate for his Stanley's sake. Only the best for that man from now on, Fiddleford swore it.

Then he waited until he'd made sure Stanley was relaxed. Had gone out for the day and convinced him to go out to Greasys with Fiddleford. Had taken Stanley for a walk through the woods and laughed as his eyes sparked in excitement even as he cussed out a gnome. Had curled up together, warm and safe on the couch, watching movies and drinking a couple beers. Fiddleford even managed to persuade Stanley away from another long night in the portal room, asking him to stay to sleep for Fiddlefords sake, which Stanley relented to nearly immediately. It was all just such a perfect day. It all just confirmed to Fiddleford that he was absolutely doing the right thing. He'd be happier. Stanley would be happier. And Ford could stay having his horrific adventures on the other side, just like he had seemed to want so badly.

In the dead quiet of that night, Fiddleford pulled the memory gun silently from underneath his pillow, and smiled at Stanley, sleeping soundly on his chest, and fired it directly at Stanley's temple. The only sound Stanley made was a soft exhale, one that Fiddleford chose to believe was relief.

- In the following years, Fiddleford never regretted that choice. Stanley woke up and immediately broke down to Fiddleford, initially panicking him at first thinking he'd broken Stanley, them realized the man was talking about desperately not wanting to bring Ford back, asking Fiddleford if he thought he was horrible for saying so. After that it had been Fiddlefords pleasure to inform his sweet Stanley that not only did he not hate him, but shared his thoughts and truthfully didn't want to open that portal ever again. Things had moved quicker with Stanley dismantling the cursed thing than building it, and Fiddleford hadn't ever been happier. Clearing out Fords house of anything not safe to research or just plain garbage had been so satisfying too, convincing Stanley with little effort to replace any symbol of Bill with quite literally anything else. The Society of the Blind Eye had been a surprise, after all Fiddleford had never expected a group of people to find his scrapped plans or suggest he ever start them, but it was sweet, professional conman Stanley who had suggested making something more out of it. Afterall, Fidds had wanted his own company once, why not start with this?

- With that, BLIND EYE CO. was born, originally starting as a cover for the Society to do their work, growing into a more legitimate business with Fiddlefords inventions and Stanley's charisma faster than they'd thought possible. Fiddleford even continued the Gravity Falls anomaly research to better understand what could cause what, and which things were better of forgotten. Stanley, however, wanted nothing to do with the research of the journal to help with these findings, stating that nothing Ford had made he would ever want to touch, which suited Fiddleford just fine, in fact it delighted him. With Fiddleford and Stanley as both the owners and CEOs of the company( and the Society not that the town knew) it was no wonder the town quickly came to love them and know them, this large company that gave back to the community and was started right here in sleepy little Gravity Falls! How novel.

- Fiddlefords son, Tate, (now allowed to visit since Fiddleford was 'mentally stable') had taken the change badly at first, seeing his father turn from fine to broken to better than ever before, but warmed up once Stanley showed his soft side to him. Tate seemed to like Stanley better than he ever had Ford, which made Fiddlefords heart absolutely soar with happiness. Stanley and Fiddleford, while it wasn't legal to be married just yet, didn't have a solid relationship with the law anyhow and happily wore matching rings with pride. The memory gun is still in use and is consistently upgraded, with Fiddleford being the main figurehead to use it while Stanley happily sat next to him and did whatever he needed.

- Meanwhile in the nightmare realm, things are absolutely not going how Bill Cipher thought. Seriously how the hell was he to know the hillbilly would come back and steal Mackerel away from fixing the portal?! Stanley should have been getting that portal open to get Fordsy not forgetting he ever even liked sixer! Once again that stupid Specs, always messing up Bills progress. He does, however, get a new idea on how to screw with Ford while he's trapped here.

- Ford is greeted randomly, via Bill, with mirrors into his home dimension, taunting him with what's happening just to screw with him as he survives.

And screw with him it does.

Ford watches helplessly as his closest friend and former partner cuddles up to his frantically overworked brother finally at rest, and puts the memory gun to his head, and sees pure Red.

Ford is now hopping though dimensions with a purpose; subdue Bill, get home, cure Stanley, and Kill Fiddleford. And he won't stop until he does.

- Enter Mabel and Mason(Dipper) Pines, sent to their Grunkle 'Stanford' and his husband for the summer, when Dipper finds a journal that seems to have a page of a diffrent kind of paper hes never seen sticking out. The note holds an incantation written in the same cursive as the journal, and details preforming a spell on a mirror, labelled simply as EMERGENCY CONTACT NEEDED. Upon doing the incantation, the children are met with a shadow in the mirror telling them he's their trapped uncle, he's trying to get back to someone named 'Stanley' Pines, dont make deals with yellow triangles and above all else:

Do NOT Trust FIDDLEFORD

Do NOT Trust 'STANFORD'

TRUST NO ONE

Welcome to Gravity Falls!~☆

[habken]

Hi there!

I have been rewatching MHA and came across many accounts that support bkdk. So i wanted to ask you the following:

Bakugo wanted to kill Izuku on their first day and during the bomb test. He tormented him for over 10 years, insulted him, bullied him, tortured him. Because he has "promise" Aizawa never called him out on his toxic behavior, but threatened Izuku with expulsion all the tims, labeling him as "problem child". All Might never did anything, even after Bakugo states, that he wanted to kill Izuku. Bakugo never faced a consequence for his oppressive behavior, he even bullied his so-called BakuSquad. (He got himself captured by the league and only denied their offer becUse they were "losers") Meanwhile, Izuku clearly shows signs of PTSD, wincing everytime when Bakugo was near him. Bakugo used so many explosions on him, he should be covered in scars. It's clear that he is Hori's favorite. The MHA fandom is pretty toxic, we all know this. Bakugo's "character evolution" didn't make him a better person. He never really changed or helped Izuku. When he "moved out of instinct" he did so because it's "instinct", because he trained so much. He didn't care that it was Izuku, he didn't think about it. After the second/ third season, the other characters just didn't care anymore about his behavior towars Izuku. Aoyama's parents wanted Aoyama to have a quirk to prevent him from being left out of society, so basically to protect him from people like Bakugo. He was the most privileged person (hit the genetic lottery, intelligent and rich parents). But still, MHA clearly shows that if you feel insecure you can bully and torture and there will be no consequences. I love Todoroki and Izuku much more, because they at least help and support each other. Shoto had a terrible childhood, but he never turned into an abuser. He never turned into his father. Bakugo's "excuse" towards Izuku was just laughable (makes the whole Sasuke/ Naruto episode after their big last fight look like true cinema). In the end, the fandom (and Hori) support an abuser/victim relationship.

Why do you support bkdk?

Their relationship gives people a false sense of what a victim of abuse should do. MHA never took Izuku's pain and past seriously. They portrayed Bakugo as "tsundere" instead of showing the real consequences of being the abuser for over a decade. Kirishima showed how to behave if you feel "unmanly" or "inadequate". Bakugo in the MHA world was a racist the minute he found out that Izuku didn't have a quirk. He victimized himself and tortured Izuku because he thinks that the world revolves around him. Shouta from "A silent voice" shows how to seek redemption and forgiveness. Bakugo just wanted to be Nr1 hero, but never a good one who saves people.

MHA clearly shows that you can bully someone, torture someone, torment someone- and you will never have to face consequences. A spit-out "sorry" after 10+ years of bullying and right after insulting someone's mental state is enough to be forgiven.

jesus christ lmao

See I could rebute your long ass essay and give my reasons for liking the ship, but you don’t actually care about what I have to say. I’m not going to spend my time defending myself to someone who’s arguing in bad faith. I spent years defending the ship, getting hate comments and death threats, and I’m not ever doing that shit again.

If you want to goad me into defending a dumb shonen ship, pay me $50. Until then, fuck off. Go find like-minded people under the “bakugou faces consequences” tag on ao3

[postracehair]

altitude

max verstappen x reader | 1.5k

you hate flying. but it's a necessity if you want to see max during the f1 season. when you finally fly home together during a break, will you let him help calm you down?

cw: r hates flying, anxiety, kissing, like, lots of kissing, worried max, allusions to more than kissing, fluff, george/carmen cameo

a/n: she's so me! i hate flying! but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! wrote this way back after brazil, but have it now as a race week gift.

--

Everything changes very quickly after you meet Max Verstappen.

You are pulled into a world of action and luxury all because he wants you there. And you go willingly because you want to be with him, too. How could you not? The world famous champion is a kind, funny, and sweet man who loves his cats, his friends, and, as is becoming clear, you.

Much of the start of your relationship is scheduling. A day here and there between races, dinners and walks and movies at his place or yours. You spend a lot of time in airports when you can, working on the go and white knuckling your way through flight after flight. It's worth it to see him on the other side.

Somehow, you've never actually travelled together.

Until now.

The race weekend ends the best way possible -- the top step of the podium. A night of celebrations fades into an early morning flight on a private jet and this time, you're coming with. Because Max has three weeks off. He'll have to work, of course, spending time in Milton Keynes before the final stretch of the season, but for the most part you're going to have him all to yourself.

It does not occur to you until you're in the car on the way to the tarmac that Max has no idea how much you hate flying. You're in one of those big Sprinter vans, head on Max's shoulder as he scrolls through his phone. George and Carmen sit on the other side, the former's head tipped back as he dozes. Everyone is quiet and you're working a bit hard to keep yourself calm.

"What is it?" Max whispers. He puts his phone down and you look over at him. His hair is a mess, you can see that much even in the low light of the van. You reach out and run a hand through it.

"What?" you whisper back.

He shakes his head a little and wraps his fingers around your wrist. "You were all loose and then you got tense."

The frequent distance between you and the busy nature of your schedules demands that communication be top of mind. You do not lie to each other about your feelings, and you do not hide things. Even things like this.

"I don't really like flying," you say, softly. "I've never told you because we've never flown together. It just makes me kind of anxious. I've never been able to shake it."

His brows furrow. "Really?"

"I'll be fine," you assure him. "Just, maybe hold my hand during takeoff and landing. And if there is any turbulence."

"But -- I don't understand. Are you afraid?"

You know that there is really no way to make him understand but also that he won't stop trying to. Max gets afraid, he gets nervous. He's only human. But he combats it with sheer willpower, focus, and skill.

"I fly this way all the time," he says, urgent this time. "It's totally safe."

"That's not -- Max, I just get nervous. It's not really to do with safety. I just don't really enjoy it."

"Oi," George says, rousing. "What are you two yapping about?"

"Go back to snoring, George," Max says, not taking his eyes off you.

"Do I really snore?" you hear him ask in a hushed tone. Carmen shushes him.

"Pulling up to the plane now, folks," the driver calls back.

"Seriously," Max says, sounding a little desperate. "It'll be alright."

"I know. I fly all the time, Max." His frown deepens.

"To come see me," he reminds you. "If I knew you didn't like it, I would have --"

"What?" you interrupt. "Invented teleportation? It's okay, Max. Knowing it's to see you makes the whole thing easier, honestly."

This does not satisfy him. You can tell. It's a problem he can't solve -- his least favorite kind. There is no simulation to run for this, no meeting he can talk through, no track he can circle a thousand times.

The van door opens and you're all beckoned out onto the tarmac. You follow George and Carmen with your bag and Max is at your heels, his duffle slung over one shoulder and his other hand on the small of your back. Normally, he's not this touchy, but he seems reluctant to let your conversation in the van go.

"Max--"

"I'm thinking, liefje."

You roll your eyes. "About how to invent teleportation?"

"Something like that," he grumbles.

The jet is narrow, an aisle on one side and four rows of seats on the other. Four sets of two, a table between them. Carmen and George settle into one nook and you toss your bags into another. You slide into the window seat and Max sits heavily in the one next to you, still frowning. You let him, instead looking around to absorb the new experience.

It's much nicer than a regular plane, that's for sure. There is a cooler stocked with drinks and a cabinet full of what seems to be snacks. You can stretch your legs to rest your feet on the seat across from you. It's so early you figure all of you will just sleep, though Max's mood seems at odds with that plan.

The pilot introduces herself and gives a quick rundown of the route and airtime. You all nod and smile and then the doors close and the lights dim.

Max's hand finds yours immediately. You sit up a little and look over at him. He looks even more frazzled than he did at the hotel, when you both rolled out of bed and into comfy clothes. Soft pants and a hoodie that make him look boyish, younger than he is. But here, his cheeks are a little flushed and his jaw is set like he's about to get in his race car.

"What do you do normally?" he asks, softly. You can hear George's soft snores already. "When I'm not there."

"Max," you sigh.

"Tell me, please?"

The seat shifts under you as it heads for the runway. You close your eyes and take a deep breath.

"Well, I don't hold some random guy's hand," you tease. He squeezes your palm and huffs. 

"He could be so lucky."

The plane comes to a stop and you know what happens next. Your mind remains preoccupied with Max -- a good thing, right now -- but your body tenses and you squeeze your eyes shut tighter as the engines kick up and you pick up speed.

Max says your name but you don't budge. "Liefje," he whispers, much closer than before. You can feel his breath on your cheek as he gently holds your chin with two fingers and turns your face towards him.

And then he's kissing you. A closed mouth press of his lips to yours, firm but still. At least until you sigh into it, releasing your death grip on the arm rest to reach for him blindly, your tangled fingers between you. The kiss deepens, his nose sliding against yours as you part your lips and the chaste press becomes more. Max's tongue licks into your mouth leisurely, like he has all the time in the world to explore you. 

You kiss and kiss and kiss, so long that a voice in your head wonders if maybe you can do this for the whole flight, please? Max tugs your legs across his until you're practically in his lap, spread across the two seats like they're one.

"We're reached cruising altitude," the speakers crackle. "Feel free to move about, but please be mindful."

Max pulls away, a strand of spit glistening between you until he wipes it away with a smirk. His hair is even messier than before and his cheeks are pink. Lips swollen, eyes glassy -- you must look the same. Your heart is racing and you laugh, breathless.

"Well," Max says, then swallows. His voice is raspy, hoarse with desire. "Guess you have to fly with me from now on."

"Max." You pitch forward and settle where his neck and shoulder meet and inhale. His arms wrap around you and he holds you close. You can hear his heart racing just as fast as yours.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbles. "I know."

"I can do it," you remind him. "I do it all the time. I just don't like it, that's all."

You feel the press of his lips on your hair.

"I just don't like that I can't fix it," he says. "I can't get inside your head and make you know it's alright."

"No, you can't," you sigh. The plane jerks just a little -- a swoop of your stomach that has you gasping. Max's hold on you tightens and he says your name.

"How do you do this alone?" he rasps, mouth next to your ear as he rubs your back.

"I close my eyes," you say, taking deep breaths. "And I imagine you with me."

He curses softly. "We should get a jet by ourselves next time," he mutters. "Then I can really distract you."

That gets you to laugh, though you can't say you hate the idea. It makes you feel warm, makes you press your thighs together.

"Next time," you echo. "But for now..."

Max cups your jaw and ghosts his nose over yours. "For now..."

He brings your lips together.

[mr-celestial-writings]

General Relationship Headcannons (Bats pt 1)

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Richard "Dick" Grayson, Jason Todd, Timothy "Tim" Drake

Summary: How do I think these characters would behave in a relationship. How I think you two would meet, their love languages, their first dates. You know the rest.

Gender Neutral Reader

DC Masterlist!

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Bruce Wayne:

You two met at a Charity Fundraiser. He literally bumped into you. It was instinct to check you out, his analytical eyes scanned you. But it was perfectly hidden with his Playboy Brucie Persona.

He immediately went to charm your socks off. You may not have any vital information, but hey, at least you'd be a good lay.

He was very, very surprised when you turned him down. You sited not being interested in him as the reason.

Well, now he's just offended.

After that Night, Bruce began stalking seeking you out more. He learned everything he could about you. He had a point to prove, alright? He totally didn't find you attractive.

The more he spent time with you, the more he learned about you from you... The more Bruce looked forward to spending time with you.

Bruce found that he fell hard and fast for you. You were just... amazing! You were like a warm blanket on a cold winter's day. You were like the few rays of sunshine that Gotham gets a year...

Bruce eventually dropped the Brucie act around you, and he was surprised when you responded positively to Bruce just... being himself.

Bruce asked you out not too soon after that. He went all out on your first date. Candles, the most expensive food, a band. Bruce did not hold back.

You went along with it, but after words you told Bruce that you were okay with low effort, laid back dates. He felt like a bit of an idiot.

Bruce's Love languages would be Acts of Service and Quality Time. He loves doing things and spending time with you.

Richard "Dick" Grayson:

Haley brought you two together. The Puppy had gotten off her leash, and run straight into you. Dick apologized so much as he collected Haley from your arms.

Dick helped you off the ground, for a 3 legged puppy, Haley had a lot of power. He introduced himself, and offered to get you something to eat an an apology.

You two hit it off right away, though! Dick was funny and charming, and you bounced off of him easily.

What was supposed to be an apology hot dog ended up in a new friend and an exchange of numbers.

Hang outs became daily events. Dick would coo over Haley with you and buy you food. You were really fun to talk to!

Some months later, Dick decided to shoot his shot and ask you out. You were amazing, and just so fun to me around!

Your first Date would be at a cafe. Dick wanted to Impress you, but he didn't want to make you uncomfortable with some massive, grand gesture. Who was he, Bruce?

Dick's love languages would be Quality Time and Physical Touch. He loves being around you and touching you. He also gives the best cuddles. It's a win-win.

Jason Todd:

Jason encountered into you at the Iceberg Lounge. He was just doing his usual rounds, making sure everybody was happy, along with scrapping together any information he could.

He noticed that you were uncomfortable, being hit on by a bunch of goons. Something told him he'd regret it, but he swooped in. He gently place his hand on you hip, it was sold you could easily escape if needed. With a few sweet words and nicknames, Jason chased the guy off.

He then properly introduced himself. You two got to talking, and Jason found that he... really liked talking to you.

Your friendship blossomed, and a year later Jason was hit with the fact he had a crush on you. Thank you Roy, for that.

He took his chance, and decided to ask you out. He was super relieved when you said yes.

This dork brought you to a bookstore for the first date. After browsing around he then brought you to a decent restaurant. It was all worth it to see you happy.

Jason's love languages would be Quality time and Words of Affirmation. He doesn't feel like he deserves you, reassure him that he does.

Timothy "Tim" Drake:

220k, strangers to lovers, slow burn, coffee shop AU- Sorry. You are a barista at his favorite cafe. You were the one who usually took and made his coffee.

He once asked you why you worked such unholy hours, since you were always in when he patrolled. You looked him dead in the eyes and said that college wasn't going to pay for itself, and that sleep was for the weak.

That's when he decided to look into you. He wanted to study you and everything about you. You were just amazing.

Bruce stopped that in it's tracks and forced Tim to talk to you like a normal person. No stalking and unhealthy relationships on Bruce's watch.

He was terrified as he talked to you. He led the conversation a best he could. The more he talked to you, the more relaxed he was.

You two got along very well! Tim was surprised about how well you two got along. You two shared a lot of interests. Tim felt... seen.

It took a couple months for Tim to work up the guts to ask you out. He was so excited when you said yes.

He brought you to the Observatory. He knew no villains would attack, and it was quiet. He bought you so much from the gift shop.

Tim's love languages are Gift Giving and Words of Affirmation. He has a lot of trouble with his self worth. Love on him, assure him that he is more than his role as a CEO or Red Robin.

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a/n: I split this up, like, a lot. It was going to be a massive post with all the male characters I write for. Then I was going to do the same thing for the fem characters I write for.

But that was very fucking overwhelming. So I decided to split it up into the factions I write for. So, expect A Few of these types of posts lol.

Also Happy American Thanksgiving!

[sasahuaa]

Azul Ashengrotto as an omega

Riddle - Leona - Kalim - Vil - Idia - Malleus

gn!reader; sfw (subspace is not meant to be smutty but can be perceived as foreplay depending on reader’s wants); word count: 3027; tw: Azul’s canonical low self-esteem

The ocean is ruthless with its inhabitants, and the Coral Sea is no different. Despite the fact that this population is not lonely like the majority of the sea creatures, they learned to toughen themselves up, eat before being eaten, try to become greater than you look, force those around you to submission.

Azul's weak, soft heart was subjected to this terrible treatment. He became used to the dark and cold reality that his homeland, hiding himself in his octopot or running away using his ink as a distraction was something he mastered before meeting the tweels.

And the more he was hurt, the more he pitied himself. When mermaids with pretty, colourful and bright tails existed, who would look kindly to a disgusting octopus? Omegas are meant to be beautiful and soft, like Rielle! Or at least, that's what his former classmates used to spit at him, who could spare a glance to this poor unfortunate soul?

He would show them, though, Azul would swim higher than all those insolent mers ever could.

Courting

Getting to know you was like breathing through his nose for the first time, refreshing and terrifying.

When he met the magicless alpha from Ramshackle, he thought you could be easily defeated much like your friends, as the quote goes “you're the average of the five people you hang out the most". Azul is an observer, watching his prey before making any move, enticing little fishes until they fall into his tentacles by their own choice.

So of course, you self-sacrifice the little you had to protect your friends. And he underestimated you, he admits. Azul failed in seizing Ramshackle dorm, but he wasn't mad about it, after all, his interest was picked by the resident of it.

“I think you are pretty great without having to steal from others. You have a strength greater than any magic. You are a hard worker, Mostro Lounge is proof of that, it's more difficult to be better at working hard than at magic.” Do you know how his heart palpitated after hearing your kindhearted words? It surprised him at first, but he shrugged it off for this alpha just being a flatterer, he wasn't special, he thought, he was merely stunned because he didn't think you would act mellow with him after almost leaving you homeless and slaving your friends.

Azul got closer to you during winter break, after dealing with Jamil and receiving you from time to time. Mostro Lounge has the scent of the beach and coral reefs, he personalized the candles to do so, and the more time you spend with him there, helping him cook for two and then choosing a table for you both, the closer he gets the candles to you, making the smell cling to you.

The housewarden is quick to notice his feelings developing, he feels nervous before you visit him, tidying up his lounge and VIP room when you confirm you imminent presence, he is flustered frequently around you, specially when he hears your compliments or words of praise about his establishment, spitting ink discreetly (or he thinks he is being discreet) on napkins as soon as his heart misses a beat and he changes colors.

Yeah… color changes, apparently he learned that he can get even redder than an angry Riddle, or get blue to purple color. That afternoon, while in the bathroom and trying to put his act together before returning to your table, he noticed his affections for you.

Octomers change color to attract mates, also omega octopuses release chemical cues with their scent to seduce alphas, it's alike a pre heat scent, and bringing his wrist to his nose to check- yes, he is awfully aware that for mers he is not being subtle at all.

Azul uses suppressants and scent patches, his scent to attract a mate was so strong that even his precautions were rendered useless. This alpha certainly bewitched him!

Mentioning mers, now Azul can understand Jade and Floyd's strange behaviour, eels have a more keen sense of smell, so undoubtedly they caught up first on his scent. The tweels sometimes lurks by the table, teasing him more than normal, Jade would snicker a comment about a famous tale of a mermaid princess and a human prince mating, or Floyd would steal the cutlery, leaving you and Azul to share one pair.

At least they were keeping these disgraceful actions in private (Azul cheered momentarily).

About his little huge crush… Azul is a bit lost. In a quiet evening in his dorm room, looking at himself in the mirror, he wonders if he has enough confidence to pursue you. If he was younger, he would say no, Jade and Floyd were his only friends, others his bullies, what would make anyone fall in love with him?

But he had worked on himself since then, Azul considers himself average in appearance, he is strong in magic and one of the top students in NRC, on top of that, he is successful, he wonders if this is enough to become a prospect mate. Also, he knows how to appear confident, and a reliant person is attractive, right?

Azul won't outright ask for courtship, he prefers for you to notice yourself that he is your best option in a partner, that way, it seems that it was completely your choice and he would escape the embarrassment of a confession! Two birds in one stone. Also, he can't underestimate the power of body language, like the great witch of the sea once said! He considered making a contract after he ensnared you, but decided against it. He wants a relationship built on affections, someone that won't leave him because it's their choice, not because they are afraid of suffering the consequences.

With his plan in mind, Jade and Floyd intruded in his schemes unprompted, most often than not jabbing at him and trying to discompose Azul in front of you, the twins would often push Azul to your direction, making him trip until you caught him in your arms while asking if he was okay.

The housewarden also would use his new point system in Mostro Lounge to his favour. 1500 madol to gain 3 points, and 50 points are necessary to have a meeting with him is the usual offer that his clients receive, but Azul would place discount coupons for you to find, free points pamphlets or giving you more points than the deal. Besides the usual night meeting that was usual between you two during winter break that turned into a normal occurrence even after the classes returned, you now are frequently in his VIP room in “professional” meetings.

If you don't have anything to ask for in a deal, that's fine too, you both could do anything at all, save the deal for later.

Before, Azul used his secondary gender to entice more people to his contracts, he wouldn't submit or act flirtatious, but he release pheromones to appear benevolent and willing to help, not his fault that so many betas, alphas or even omegas fall for a compliant omega. With you, he was also more blunt, resting his cheek on his palm to flaunt his neck and looking at you through his lashes, he worked everything in himself, he can be more omega-like to accomplish his objective.

He may think he is being smooth, but Azul is a pathetic loser in love, he schedules your “dates”, but he is losing his shit behind closed doors, like a middle school girl with a crush, squealing when he receives your texts, and sometimes he is so damn obvious, staring at your lips intently while turning purple.

Just look at him, permit yourself to drown in his spell of love, breathe in his chemical cues of seduction, and eventually become utterly his.

After you two are officially courting, there's some unhealthy behaviours that needs to be worked upon. Azul often thinks that his value comes from the things he possesses instead of himself, in a way he feels empowered by your relationship, after all, you are the perfect mate, but sometimes his admiration falls onto the toxic side. He started the process to accept himself after the overblot, but on hard days he returns to the old habits, you would become his world and he would feel crushed without you.

It will take guidance and time to form a healthy relationship, he hopes you won't give up on him.

Growling

When he was little, Azul used to growl more, it was one of his only methods of defense from his bullies, to cover their sneers with his sound, hoping the agony of distressed omega would keep them away. As he started his business with deals when he was a junior he learned to contain his growl, for his stepfather explained to him that people who seem friendly and approachable are the most successful.

And while in NRC he almost never growled again, besides from the usual tiring P.E classes, but he would only do that when he was sure no one was listening, for showing weakness was disgusting. For many students, Azul was one of the most calm omegas in the school, and his Octavinelle dorm mates would report that even if they acted up and received a scolding from their housewarden, they never were at the end of a growl.

With Azul becoming comfortable in the relationship, his growls towards you are not out of irritation, if you have a disagreement he still wouldn't voice these tones, preferring to be reasonable than to concede to base instincts, he growls in playful situations, rather.

Like when playing with board games, if you do a move that renders him defenseless, he will growl in betrayal, how could his alpha be so ruthless with him? All of that while his lips quirks in a soft smile.

Purring

Like growling, he doesn't do it often, the moments that he is relaxed are rare and far in between, his mind never rests, his responsibilities and insecurities weightening on him.

When Azul was a little octopus, he purred while protected in his mother's arms or inside his octopot, using the vibrations of a broken purr to comfort himself after a rough day in school.

It also takes Azul to be comfortable in your relationship to purr, they are low sounds and very soothing, his body barely moves when he is making them, so you won't be able to feel it when placing a hand on his chest or neck.

He purrs in times where it's just the two of you together, most likely in his VIP room or any of your dorm rooms, when you cup his cheeks with your ring finger caressing the behind of his ears, his pale skin changes to a plethora of colors while he smiles and purrs, leaning closer to receive kisses and enjoy being spoiled with affection.

Nesting

If he took his time before purring in your presence, showing his nest takes even more. He wants to make sure that you are into this relationship as much as he is, his heart would break in fragments impossible to glue back together if he showed you his most sacred space only for you to turn your back and leave him.

He is not used in assembling nests, not the ones made on land, his nest in the coral sea has his octopot and some corals, algae and shells. On land, he likes lighter blankets and pillows, easier to move and does not make him feel trapped, he chose deep blue tones to make his nest. Azul prefers the comfort of tight spaces, so his nest is either under his bed or inside his closet, he never keeps the nest assembled, changing it's place frequently or tucking away his items.

Azul got some of your things even before officially courting, he didn't outright ask or stole from you (though Floyd might have done something similar either to embarrass him or to play a prank on you if he was feeling like it), he used to make pointed remarks about being in need of a specific clothing or an alpha smell, and you are willing to provide to this omega in need, aren't you?

For when he starts to bring you to his nest, he was extremely nervous, using more scent patches than usual, it was enough to mask his nervousness, but he learned the hard way that there's nothing he can do to prevent the smell of needy omega that he produces whenever he is with you.

Azul needs reassurance, he leans to prefer actions rather than words, so when he gives you permission before you enter his nest, and you don't make any comment of how cramped his nest is and pull him to your embrace, he will purr happily.

Nesting time is quiet if it was dependent on him, he rambles non-stop out of it, but there's no need for words in the attachment of both his safe haven and his sacred space, he won't be opposed for whispered lovesick words though, and while the usual is him talking more between you two, sharing random facts, occurrences in the school or gossip in general, in his nest you become the talker.

Marking

Azul is crazy about marking, he never thought someone would accept him completely, you now use a Octavinelle armband with your uniform, it doesn't matter that you are not part of his dorm, speaking of that, he has available rooms! Wouldn't it be nice if you could live with him 24/7? You can even use this opportunity to transform Ramshackle as another branch of Mostro Lounge, he promises he will give you part of the revenue.

He will be a bit grumpy if you refuse.

The octomer is paranoid about your relationship, that you could leave anytime soon, he needs to keep a watchful eye on you all the time, he is saddened he can't ask the twins for it, they do whatever they want most times, so convincing you to be closer to him is his best option.

The armband reeks of his scent, he debated covering your whole body in it, but he is afraid of being called clingy.

There's only one exception that will make him surpass this fear and claim you shamelessly, it's if another omega threatens his positions, he hears about another omega having a crush on you and making plans to confess? And if Azul hears that this omega is talking badly about him, he will go berserk.

For weeks you had Azul glued to your arm, flaunting your relationship in school halls or with his patrons, and if he is the reason why bad rumors are propagating about that omega he will never let you know.

Subspace

To guide Azul into subspace is difficult, and it would occur unintentionally on a day that he is feeling particularly troubled. He is openly touchy and clingy.

Azul is easy to maneuver in this state, but in a demanding way, Azul has a high pain tolerance, so his alpha can be as rough as they want with him. Bite, scratch, squeeze, Azul will accept anything.

If Azul is feeling daring, he will bring you to his bathroom, return to his octomer form and pull you to his bathtub so you both can entangle together. He will whimper, whine and growl if his alpha tries to get away, his tentacles coiling around their body in a death grip, at the same time his eyes fill with tears, are you so cruel to leave him when he is in need? He will blame his appearance if he suspects that, stay with him and make him feel like the prettiest of them all.

☽ ☼ ☾

“Azul, wait here.” Jade stopped him in the middle of the hall after leaving Vargas’ lesson, they are on their way to Crewel's classes, and Azul is still feeling out of breath, his throat hurts from the need of water, is he still feeling his own legs? He can't say for sure, the only thing moving him forward being his will to maintain his reputation as a top student. Honestly, if he wasn't drowning on his own self pity, he would notice that Floyd escaped the class.

“What is it, Jade?” Azul turned to him, using a light cloth to clean his sweat. He only received a cryptid smile in answer.

“They are coming!” screams of panic from other students fill the air, a commotion to clean the way while Floyd is running through anyone in his way. Azul is starting to feel restless, one thing he knows about the twins, and the current situation he is in, is that they found entertainment in the new reactions that they discovered from the octomer.

And as much as he wanted to yell at them both, from the frustration of them meddling with his relationship with the person he is in love with, and from the sudden push he suffered from Floyd, all his thoughts became white noise the moment he landed.

In your arms, to be exact.

With your scent surrounding him and a strong hold keeping him steady. Azul's legs turned jelly, and you embraced his waist to support more of him. He couldn't help the ink he spilled from his mouth and fell on your chest, mortification hitting him instantly.

“Hey, are you alright?” your voice was heavenly, he felt so flattered by the clear worry he noticed in it.

His scent flared up, Azul mourned the scent patches that clearly were ruined with the chemicals of a octomer begging for a mate. He could even feel himself turning blue and purple!

He needs to answer you, right? You look even more concerned, if that was possible. But any words escaped him with you so close, just the way he wants to spend with his alpha forever.

Azul will put the twins in cleaning duties later, but he may be forgiving if he can snatch more time with you from their antics.

[anon-sect]

Picture source: anonymous

Terry had been working long hours for months for Klingon Inc. He was given a lot of the big projects and managed to complete them in time and sometimes early. He had a reputation of getting the job done right and in a timely manner. That reputation also landed him the big projects and long hours.

Terry had paid for working so late. He had missed a lot of events in his kid's life and even lost his wife. She had divorced him about three months ago and took his son with her. He had visits with him on the weekend, but it was estranged with his son when he did visit. He promised him he would take less long term projects so that he could spend more time with his teenage son. Yet, so far, that hasn't happened yet. No matter how much he tried to turn them down, he was forced to take it by his manager on the floor. He didn't refuse because he didn't want to lose his job next.

Terry had just finished up the last big project on his desk. He decided that he would take no more. He wanted to be in his kid's life despite the divorce. He went to his floor manager's office to turn it in and leave for the night. He knocked on his door. He heard Clark tell him to enter.

Terry placed it on his desk. "All done. If it's okay with you, I want to take a nice week vacation to be a better dad." He requested, but from the look on Clark's face he could sense he was about to be denied.

"Unfortunately, I have another big one that needs your attention. It has been weeks behind schedule. With your reputation, you can get it done much quicker." Clark spoke as he shoved the papers across his desk.

Terry didn't want another one, especially one behind schedule. "I will pass it on to another coworker. I need a break." He answered back, fully refusing another big project.

Clark wasn't going to take no for an answer. "It's yours to finish, so no weeks vacation, and I need you to start on it tonight." He reiterated that it was his project.

Terry had enough of being bullied into the big ones. "No, I am heading home, and I will make time for my kid. You may not have a child or married, but I once was." He stood defiantly before the floor manager.

Clark looked at Terry silently for a moment. "Refusal to accept projects from your floor manager bears consequences that are worse than being fired. Are you sure you want to say no?" He slightly threatened him.

Terry wasn't budging on his decision. He stood defiant and silent, waiting to see what Clark would say or do.

Clark saw Terry's silence and inaction as the opposite of the answer he wanted from him. "Very well. I think I will give you that vacation from doing projects for some time. It will be at least a couple of weeks that you won't have to work about work." He spoke as he pulled out a cell phone looking device that had an enlarged camera lense on the back. He put in the setting and hit the flash option. Terry disappeared. He closed the cell phone looking device and put it back in his desk drawer.

Terry felt strange. He couldn't move or speak. He felt hollow on the inside. He felt vibration on the floor as though something big was coming towards him. He then heard a little laughter from above him. He felt hands lift him up off the floor.

Clark placed his new gray socks on top of his desk. "You see, I have authority to deem whatever punishment necessary for refusal of projects. Your punishment is to be my socks for the next two weeks to use as I please. So you at least get your two weeks vacation, just not exactly as you would have planned it." He laughed as he continued in his day, thinking about what all he would do with his new socks for the two weeks.

FIVE WEEKS LATER........

Clark relaxed on the couch on a Saturday evening. He wiggled his toes in his favorite gray socks. He had worn them on every workout and gym session. He sometimes had worn them to work. His favorite thing was that he would jack off in them nearly four times a week just for the fun of it. No matter what he put the socks through, they still remained strong.

After two weeks of wearing them, he didn't want to just simply give up a good pair of socks. So, he decided to keep them much longer to serve his feet. He wondered how really durable they were since they survived a full two weeks on his feet and in the most foul stench he could wear them in. He didn't know if the poor guy's mind was still intact or just mush by now. Honestly, it really didn't matter to him by this point. The guy was socks now. He himself was not married and had no children. He couldn't imagine the degradation and humiliation that the poor guy probably felt being nothing but socks on his feet while he lived the single life of no kids or family responsibility.

Terry was barely holding on to his wits after five weeks. Clark had tortured him to no end. Being walked on was painful enough, but to be trapped in the most foul stench of shoes just about every day was so humiliating. The gym sessions were the worse, because he was forced to absorbed all of his foot sweat in smelly gum shoes.

Terry was forced to also absorbed his cum almost every night of the week. Being fucked by his former floor manager's cock to his entertainment and delight was so degraded of one who had a kid and wife. He would only wash him once a week, only to go through being stinky for another whole week. There were times that Clark wore him to work. He could hear his friends there but had no means to call out for help. He would be trapped on Clark's feet inside whatever pair of shoes he chose to wear. Each of them reeked with foot odor regardless.

Terry accepted that this was his life and that Clark wasn't going to change him back as initially promised. He was Clark's property totally against his will, and there was nothing he could do to change that.

[sparks-chaotic-cove]

SO that lore yesterday, huh? ("≡╔═╻╝═▁" / "Mending" streamed on ggabraxas's, ArtfulRenegade's, and Heyhay13's twitch channels on 11/25/24)

Specifically going to talk about Armor/Atlas and his reactions to everything/the way he acts throughout the stream (also touching back on the end of the last stream-)

When the void monsters attacked in the previous stream- it's like a switch was flipped. His house was burning but that didn't matter- he had to scoop up the lizards and most importantly, the phoenix egg, before diving straight into battle He paused only a moment to stand beside Rune once most if not all of the creatures were gone. Then he stood by when Vast and Rune talked before Rune fled to the testing room.

And he sat with Vast. Almost none of his words were aimed towards himself. He stayed quiet, or he comforted. He didn't even react badly when Vast mentioned the human experimentation him and Rune had been doing.

For almost the entire Mending stream, she is always a step away from Rune and Vast. They stay a bit away, because Rune and Vast need each other- and right now, Atlas doesn't see how much they need him too. The only time that Atlas is closer to Rune than Vast is when he's fixing Rune's arm. And even then, he's so focused on the task that no blush warms his face as the inventor rests his head on Atlas's shoulder. When Vast runs up to Rune to embrace him after they had locked themselves in a room for so long, the first thing Atlas does is look away. Rummage through his pockets, glace around. Eventually he looks back, but to him- while he wants to be here, being around the two when they're all lovey-dovey almost feels like an intrusion. He doesn't belong between them two. Vast is happy. Rune is happy. So he steps away, glances off, fidgets, and waits. Waits until he can do something useful again.

Armor's main focus through these two streams is almost singular: to protect the ones he cares about. He admits this himself when Vast questions if he's okay- he says "Yeah [...] I don't know if 'okay' is the right word, but I will be okay." She's lost her house, but Rune and Vast and the rest of Brightstep are far more her home than that copper building is. He then says that he's more concerned about Rune and Vast right now than himself.

And they go through the stream. Vast and Rune obviously care for Atlas- Vast stuttering through how they could rebuild the house, Rune not wanting to bother Atlas with tending to his arm, etc. Armor (at least from what I remember) never replies when the other two thank him- at least it's never a "you're welcome". sometimes it's a 'yeah', but that's the most. This is what Armor does. This is what she wants to do. She wants to help them. So these actions don't feel worthy of thanking. It's just him helping out. Thats what he does. And as long as Rune, Vast, and the rest of Brightstep are okay, that's far more thanks than he would ever need. Sometimes just seeing the fruit of your work is a better thanks than being highlighted for it ever would. Atlas almost doesn't accept Rune and Vast's offers to give him a room, and refuses to change the room he's given because it's not his. He doesn't need accommodation- he's gotten used to making due with what he's got when it gets cold. He insists that Rune and Vast being alive matters far more than his burnt down house.

Atlas is so focused on helping those two he forgets himself. He insists that if they're going to do Rune's hair, then they need to fix up Vast too. Never does he comment on his own hair, wings, or anything. Although I'm sure the other two got to that in their self care endeavors. He doesn't even mention his birthday until the end, and Rune panics a bit- because Rune cares. But to Armor, it's... another day. One that's been bad in the past. At least today he got to spend it caring for others, being there for the people he loves.

[quordleona03]

#this one goes out to the Beejdunking Brigade #i want bj to get better but i know he's just going to keep fighting it forever. if a warzone can't kill his ego idk what possibly could #peg takes the house and kid and dog and bj goes to maine as his backup plan and is greeted by mulcahy looking happier than ever #maybe then-- MAYYYYBE-- he can finally realize that there are consequences to shitting where you eat

I wrote Peg Hunnicutt in All We Know (will be posting the first chapter from her POV in December) as a woman who decided to stay married to BJ and made it work (and they had more children) (and BJ is a good dad). But I also wrote her - deliberately,consciously - as the kind of housewife for whom The Feminine Mystique was written when Betty Friedan was considering "The Problem That Has No Name." (Yes, I know she has a realtor's licence in "The Party" - for various reasons I decided that didn't turn into a career.) And while thinking about Peg Hunnicutt reading Betty Friedan's book when it was hot off the presses in 1963, I started to think about Peg Hunnicutt, home in Mill Valley, waiting for her husband to come home from the war - and I thought about the beejhawk narrative: BJ and Hawkeye fell in love during the war, and -

What About Peg?

So I wrote the story of BJ and Hawkeye coming home from the war, and the stranger in the house, from Peg Hunnicutt's POV: The Hunnicutt Mystique.

I don't intend to ever write a sequel to The Hunnicutt Mystique, not because I can't think of one but because I can easily think of half a dozen: and how do you pin someone as complex as BJ down to one ending? To me, BJ Hunnicutt's tragedy is that, all of his life, he has been top of the heap, king of the hill: tall and handsome and good at sports, good in his classes: he works hard for what he's got but he's starting from a privileged position which he does not in the least recognize. While an instinctively cruel person (he enjoys practical jokes) BJ recognises that being kind is better than being cruel, and he wants to be a good man, and he struggles to live up to his own ideals.

That BJ's ideals are very much that of a man who was born in the 1920s and came of age into the period where US media was pushing the narrative that a perfect family is one where the man leads and the woman follows, the man earns and has a career, and the woman stays home and is absorbed in housework and children, is of course not his fault; but I can't think that BJ ever examined this very hard. He wants to be Peg's perfect husband and Erin's perfect father, and the draft took him away from them and Peg spent two years learning to be just fine on her own.

And BJ went to the 4077th, where he found that - try as he might - he would never, there, be the man whose attention everyone competes for: he would never be top of the heap, king of the hill, recognised as the best surgeon, the funniest man, the one whose attention and approval everyone competes for - because Hawkeye got there first and BJ cannot win in any contest except those that Hawkeye frankly doesn't care about, like physical strength or chess. To make matters worse: BJ adores Hawkeye. Hawkeye is wonderful and kind and funny and knows exactly what to do in the weirdest situation BJ has ever been in. Hawkeye says, frankly and openly, that BJ is his best friend. (Except there was Trapper, who was also Hawkeye's best friend.) But if BJ is Hawkeye's best friend, Hawkeye feels no need to compete for BJ's attention: he assumes he'll have BJ's attention if he wants it, and if BJ is busy or preoccupied and brushes Hawkeye off, Hawkeye goes off to spend time with other friends and really doesn't seem to mind, or try harder for BJ's attention next time. To make matters even worse: Hawkeye keeps winning all of the contests without even seeming to try, and Hawkeye thinks BJ's work is good and offers praise and tries to find ways for BJ to shine - Hawkeye is BJ's age and all but a year in Korea equivalent in experience: but Hawkeye behaves as if he had authority over BJ. I think BJ would love to be able to take Hawkeye home and look after him. BJ would love to be in a situation where - as BJ sees it - the natural order of things is back: BJ is everyone's main guy, and Hawkeye is his best friend because BJ chose him, not because BJ fetched up at the 4077th and fell into Hawkeye's best-friend position.

And what if - Hawkeye's and BJ's relationship is exactly what we see it is in the series, but Hawkeye is in a loving, romantic, sexual relationship with Mulcahy?

meme redraw ft captain hunnicuck

the thing about hawkahy is i think it presents a wonderful character development opportunity for beej once he accepts that his waifish wifeable roommate picked a shorter, sweeter, quieter, poorer partner over the big man on campus who took him for granted enough to punch him in the face and then act like nothing happened, because it turns out hawkeye values honesty and empathy over whatever the hell is going on with bj. maybe eating his own heart out is the first step to getting over himself

[gyusimp]

꧁𝐒𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮꧂ ᴋᴇɴᴊɪ ꜱᴀᴛᴏ x ꜰᴇᴍ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ [ɴꜱꜰᴡ]

꧁ᵂᴬᴿᴺᴵᴺᴳˢ: ᴺˢᶠᵂ | ˢʰᵒʷᵉʳ/ᵇᵃᵗʰᵘᵇ ˢ³ˣ | ᶠⁱⁿᵍᵉʳⁱⁿᵍ | ᴱˣᵖˡⁱᶜⁱᵗ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ | ᴿᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ ᶠᵉᵉˡˢ ⁱⁿˢᵉᶜᵘʳᵉ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ʰᵉʳ ᵇᵒᵈʸ | ᴮᵃᵈ ʷᵒʳᵈˢ | ᴹᴰᴺᴵ! | 6.7k words

It had been a couple of hours since Ken came home, he greeted you as usual and then went down to the basement to take care of Emi for a moment although without much enthusiasm. Today he felt tired, more emotionally than physically but still he had to be a father, mother? Responsible for the little kaiju and after spending the whole day locked up in her containment unit it was only fair that he let her spend at least some time with him. However, you noticed he looked a little down when he greeted you. His smile was gone and his eyes looked dull and his mood only confirmed his frustrated state when he went back up to you.

"Mina, mute all notifications," he asked her assistant, his voice slightly irritated, to which the robot complied.

Ken walked over to his wide bed and dropped onto his back, his dark locks moving against the bump on the mattress.You stopped what you were doing and went to peek through the door, finding him in bed with one arm on the mattress and the other covering his face.

"Are you okay Ken?" You asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind you as you walked in his direction.

"I'm fine" he replied through gritted teeth, still lying down.

You frowned, you knew it wasn't true and in a way it still bothered you that he tried to be strong with you. He was in a safe place now, why couldn't he just tell you how he felt? Whatever was wrong with him, you always ended up listening to him. You sighed regretfully and sat down on the bed before laying down next to him and gently hugging him to your chest.

"Why are you doing this?"

"What?" You didn't understand where he was going with his question.

"You tend to be around me always...even if I seem irritable" he replied, letting his arm fall around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"Sure, because I'm your girlfriend, silly" you said jokingly "What is it that's bothering you, my love? Do you want to talk about it?" Your voice was softer now, conveying confidence and reminding him that he could always rely on you.

He let out a sigh, tightening his arm around you and burying his face a little deeper into your neck as he turned on the bed to face you. Ken took a few deep breaths before answering.

"I'm... tired, I guess." It was noticeable in his voice.

"I see... because of baseball or Ultraman?"

"Both...even though it's been a while, sometimes I still feel like I can't handle everything, including Emi....I feel exhausted all the time"

"Aawww my love" you said, cradling his face against your neck and kissing his cheek "I know how you feel, it's not easy to carry so much at once...but you're doing an excellent job with everything. For today just rest...relax, the day is over and I'm sure tomorrow will be better for you honey...we're together now okay?" You spoke sweetly, trying to comfort him, feeling him settle into your shoulder as he closed his eyes.

He simply let out a small snort of laughter and snuggled up to you. He already felt a little better, just being in your presence was enough. Although, that didn't mean he wasn't still exhausted...

"Is there something you want me to do for you my love? To make you feel better?" You asked, carefully running your fingers through his hair. “I can make you something to eat or run you a bath.”

“Stay here with me,” he murmured into your neck, pulling you a little closer to him, making you smile.

“You sure? You don’t want anything?” Ken hesitated for a moment longer, considering the question.

"Well, maybe I like the idea of a bath," he said, standing up slightly so he could see your face and smile at you with a tired air.

"You want to join?" He asked, smiling.You couldn't refuse when he asked you so sweetly. You kissed his cheek and smiled against his skin.

"I guess that sounds good. I'll go get everything ready, okay?" you said, kissing his forehead and getting out of bed.

Ken stayed in bed, still looking at the ceiling while resting one hand on his chest and the other next to his head on the mattress. His eyelids were starting to get slightly heavier as he heard faint sounds of you walking in the distance in the bathroom next to his room. He didn't know how much time passed when he started to slowly squint.

"Ready," you said, accidentally waking him up when you peeked through the door of his room and came back, while he stretched and settled on the edge of the bed.

Ken stood up and walked into the bathroom where he saw you arranging some things in the bathroom space where his tub was, which looked more like a jacuzzi of sorts.

"Come here baby, I'll take care of it," you told him, starting to take off his shirt as he let himself be carried in your hands, feeling immersed in the warm environment watching as a thin layer of steam formed on the glass that surrounded the shower area.

You unbuttoned his jeans and slid them down his legs until they reached his feet as well as his underwear. He felt a little embarrassed by the fact that you were still fully dressed while he stood in front of you, completely naked. He kept his gaze on your face, watching your reaction to seeing him like that.

"What's wrong?" You said as you felt his gaze on you. He remained silent and a little embarrassed for a moment, simply watching you as you stood in front of him. After a few moments, Ken finally spoke.

"I'm, uh... just a little embarrassed, I guess," he admitted, his face a little red. "You're the only person I've ever really shown my body to," he added.You smiled tenderly at him, hearing his words and seeing him so still.

"Don't be embarrassed, you're beautiful. Besides, it's not the first time we've seen each other naked," you joked, trying to make him relax.Ken couldn't help but crack a small smile at that, embarrassed but amused. He raised a hand and scratched the back of his neck, still watching you.

"I know, it's just different when I'm completely naked while you're still dressed" he replied in a more confident but still slightly embarrassed tone from afar.

"Oh don't worry" You finished stacking his clothes and arranged them on a small piece of furniture next to you before starting to get rid of your own. You took off your shirt, jeans followed by your underwear and let your hair down, leaving you as naked as he was.

"Well, I'm less embarrassed now" he admitted quietly, a small smile appearing on his face.

You laughed with him as you both walked to the spacious tub, slowly feeling the warmth of the water hugging your legs until you both sat at the base. Ken leaned back, leaving his arms resting on the edge while you stayed next to him, giving him some space in case he needed it. You noticed his frustrated expression leave his face and his eyes slowly close as he let out a tired but now relieved sigh.

"This... feels good..." he murmured, closing his eyes as he sank a little deeper.

"I know... I needed this too" you said, lying down on the other end next to him, closing your eyes and sighing.

The atmosphere was perfect, no doubt this only helped him feel better, forgetting for a moment all his problems, responsibilities and frustrations. Spending moments like this with you made him feel so safe. It was ironic how being the most famous and greatest superhero in Tokyo, you were the one who always ended up saving him.

Your soft voice while talking to you was his greatest relaxation now, seeing your smile made him laugh too and wish that time would stop somehow.

"Hey, why are you there? Come closer," he asked, being the one who was more eager to close the distance between you two as much as possible.

"Sure," you agreed happily, moving through the water to get closer to him and position yourself between his legs, resting your head against his chest.Kenji's arms wrapped around your waist and his chin gently rested on your head.

"Better like this?"

"Much better," he admitted with a smile."We should do this more often."

Kenji was totally on board, but after a few minutes of conversation, he immediately noticed how you began to cross your arms and cover yourself nervously, still sitting behind you and resting his chin on your shoulder. His eyes moved over your body again, before leaning a little closer.

One of his hands gently placed itself on your side, under your crossed arm, simply holding you.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Why do you say that?" you asked calmly.

He kept his hand on your side, sliding it lightly up and down. "You're covering yourself up," he replied in a whisper almost against your skin, leaving his hand on your waist instead.

"No, it's not true," you tried to deny it but you felt trapped. It wasn't a lie that this wasn't the first time that Kenji and you were naked and so close together, however, this time you felt intimidated by the lights and how the lighting revealed small things that probably only you noticed but making you feel insecure being next to him, preventing him from observing you completely.

He raised his head slightly so he could see your face better, his hand still on your waist and the other holding your crossed arm. He raised an eyebrow slightly at your weak attempt to resist.

"Come on, don't cover yourself up. I know you're nervous, but there's nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart. You always look great."

You felt your face heat up slightly. "Ken... I just... don't like it, and you know it, I mean... I don't like the way I look and I'm embarrassed..." you admitted to him.

He let go of your arm and brought that hand to the back of your neck, gently caressing it. He continued to rest his head close to your ear, his breath against your neck as he spoke to you in a soft voice.

"My beautiful girl... you have nothing to be ashamed of. But I know you like to keep the lights off and not let me see you. It's so obvious," he murmured, his hand caressing your neck softly.

"Yeah... I know it won't be like that but... I don't like the way I look and, I think that if you see me well then you won't like me either" you admitted, with a slightly lower voice, hugging yourself to hide your chest.

"Honey, listen to me. I know I can't change the way you look, but I know you're beautiful. And I've never felt less attracted to you. You're beautiful and sexy to me, no matter how much you insist otherwise" he pointed out sweetly, his voice serious but soft.

"Okay..." you said, letting yourself go and slowly moving your arms over your chest, letting only the thin layer of water at the beginning of your body cover you in the middle of it.

"That's better"

He held you tightly against him, with one arm around your waist, while he lightly caressed the lower part of your torso. His eyes were still on your bust, clearly appreciating the view. Kenji gently leaned closer to your neck, pressing a small kiss just below your ear, you were blushing heavily and avoided turning your face to look at him.

"I don't like the way I look, I've always thought they're too... small" you admitted, a little annoyed.

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss just above your shoulder. "I think they're perfect" he added. You were about to say something back but his impulse was faster, making you swallow your words and startle when you felt both of his hands holding your breasts under the water, one in each hand. "Relax" he murmured against your jaw, gently tightening his grip as he placed a kiss on your cheek.

"What are you up to?" His hands cupped your bust delicately, feeling his fingers on your wet skin warmed every part of you, physically and in every way. "This isn't anything strange for us, darling," he whispered, pressing a small kiss just below your cheek.

You looked at his hands and hesitated but eventually gave in, relaxing your back and leaning back against his chest as his hands continued to touch your bust softly. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. Everything about you is perfect, including this."

"Y-you really... like them?" you asked blushing.

Kenji let out a small snort, a small smile on his face as his hands continued to caress and squeeze your breasts in the water. "Of course, they're perfect for me. I love them. I want you to like them too" he replied, leaving another small kiss on your neck again.

"If I like them it doesn't matter... I want you to think I'm pretty... Please, keep going..." it was starting to feel so good that you asked him to keep going, leaning back on him and closing your eyes trying to ignore the growing sensation between your legs with each touch of his fingers.

"Of course... Anything you want" he whispered, leaving another small kiss.

Kenji continued to hold your breasts in his hands under the water, leaving small, tender kisses on your neck while his fingers lightly caressed and massaged your nipples.You couldn't help but let out a small, tender moan after feeling his fingers run over the tips of your breasts, making you jump and half open your eyes to see his hands.

"Oh, you like that, huh?" he whispered in a soft voice, while continuing to work your nipples with his fingers. "I love hearing that, honey. I want to know how I make you feel," he replied, still in a soft voice.

His fingers fit perfectly over every inch of you, the touch of his fingers making you half-close your eyes and lean your head back on his shoulder and bare chest while his hands continued on you, caressing you without any hurry, amidst small sounds in the water that surrounded them. His other hand slid lightly from your chest to your stomach, gently caressing your belly with his thumb. Instinctively, you moved your legs through the water of the tub to open them. You then noticed your actions and were slightly embarrassed wondering if Kenji had noticed, you acted without thinking when you noticed that one of his hands had moved down your body as if it was screaming at him where you needed more attention.

"What are you doing?" He whispered in a soft and amused voice, leaving a perfect silence for you to excuse yourself with a short "nothing" as you felt trapped."Trying to pretend that you didn't open up a little" Kenji took his hand from your nipple and placed it lightly on your thigh, sliding it down and across your leg, passing over your knee as he did so.

"I was just getting settled"

"Really?" he replied, still amused, with a small hint of disbelief in his voice. You took his hands and brought them over your breasts again "Are you going to keep going?" you asked blushing.

His fingers started moving again, carefully squeezing your nipples and caressing them again. You closed your eyes trying to relax as small muffled moans sounded in your throat trying to ignore your desires but then you whimpered slightly desperate, calling Kenji's attention, it was impossible not to want him so much and more in the middle of the situation you were now in.

"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" he added, gently caressing your cheek and placing himself close to your ear again.

"I give up okay?" you said, lying back against his chest as he watched you take both legs out of the water and arrange them in the tub, to keep them open, more than they were before.

Kenji loved how you didn't even need words to let each other know what you wanted and right now he knew he was all you needed, stirring a surge of love and turmoil inside your chest at once.

"This isn't giving up, baby" he replied, his voice soft but playful. "Just keep giving me all your cute little moans. I love knowing that you love what I do"

"Okay... " you moaned lightly "but only if you keep touching me..." you hesitated a little before saying where.

"Oh no problem sweetie, where do you want me to touch you?" he added, a small trace of teasing in his voice. You looked at him annoyed and very flushed

"Please Ken, you know perfectly well where" He let out another small laugh as his eyes locked on yours for a second.

One of his hands made its way down your body until it reached your thighs and caressed them before having his fingers where he urged you. His fingers still gently caressing down through that sensitive area between your legs, passing through your folds and reaching your entrance with his middle finger.

"Wow... you're so wet" Kenji murmured.

"How do you know? We're in the water" you replied with slight annoyance and a big blush.

He let out another small laugh, still gently caressing your entrance with his fingers. "It can feel... it's different, I know you very well."

"And I guess that makes you feel too cocky, doesn't it?"

"Of course it does" Kenji replied, sliding his finger down, caressing your folds with teasing movements and without warning, he slid inside your entrance. He let out another small huff, a smile still on his face and still close to your neck as he slid his index finger even further inside you, his thumb began to press slightly upwards, gently moving against your clit repeatedly. You almost stood up, arching your back and clinging to his thighs on either side of you with both arms, squeezing your eyes shut and frowning, making him laugh shamelessly at your explicit reactions to the feeling.

Your head rested on his shoulder as you gripped his thighs with your fingers as you felt his index finger move even deeper inside you. "I love making you feel like this, baby," he continued, moving his thumb in small circles against your clit causing a burning sensation from so much pleasure building up around the area.

You brought your hand to your mouth and bit your knuckles trying to keep your composure under his touch despite feeling like he was stretching you out. He left a small kiss on your neck, still with your head resting against him and your fingers clinging to his thighs, but he could feel you tensing against his hand. "Don't hold back princess...I want to hear you" he added, sliding a second finger into your entrance, pushing them in and stretching you even more than before making you moan more intensely than before.

It wasn’t even a big deal what Kenji had done to you yet and you were already a mess. Your hips moved against his hand as you felt his long, slender fingers curl inside of you along with his thumb poking and caressing that sweet spot over and over again. His name escaped your lips in the dirtiest way possible, as if it was the only word you knew how to say while your hands tightly gripped his thighs, squeezing them every time he advanced further inside you until he made you see stars. His smile showed how proud he felt to see you like this and to know that no one else could see you in such a vulnerable and intimate way, you awakened a selfish feeling in him and it filled his chest to know that you would writhe like this just for him.

He knew every part of you very well as you knew him so touching all those places where even you couldn’t reach and observing your different reactions was priceless. This man adores you, needs you and wants you, you are his woman and he will do whatever it takes to keep his woman satisfied. His.

His fingers moved with agility faster and faster making you open your legs more and more, feel a couple more touches of his fingers were missing to make you cum when suddenly everything fell apart; like a pyramid of cards under a breeze outside. Your expression of frustration and irritation was present when you felt completely empty from one moment to the next when Kenji completely removed his fingers from you. You turned to see him and he noticed your annoyance immediately.

"Damn it Ken, what are you doing?" You gasped in frustration, feeling the needy throbbing in your center.

"Shut up, you're ready. Now turn around" He demanded, with the same need in his voice.

You were so focused on what his fingers were doing to you that everything around you blurred, including the bulge between his legs that you sat on. Kenji grabbed you by the waist and helped you turn around to straddle his lap, causing small waves between both of your bodies until you were facing him directly with both hands on his shoulders. His other hand slid down your back, caressing your skin to your thigh, pressing his fingers lightly against your leg through the water, and lifting it up, placing it around his hip.

His hand around your waist kept you close against him as he slid inside you, still caressing your back with his other hand that was under the water. He sighed against your neck with his head against your shoulder as he gradually entered deeper and deeper inside you, caressing your walls with his tip not being able to stop you from moaning for a single second. The small moan that escaped you when you felt him enter made his lips curve into a smile against your neck. “Does it feel good?” he murmured against your neck, gently caressing your thigh under the water with his other hand.

“Good? ...fuck, I feel like I'm in heaven, baby.” You could barely speak without panting.

Kenji moved more firmly and a little roughly to make you bounce on him repeatedly, getting what he wanted. A loud moan escaped your mouth almost involuntarily, making you blush for sounding so dirty.

“Ah, ah... that's the noise I wanted to hear, baby. I want to hear more of that,” he purred against your neck, his voice soft and slightly breathy.

"Then give me reasons."You held onto his shoulders tightly as you felt his hands on your hips to increase the intensity of his thrusts, looking at him blushing deeply, unable to stop moaning and whimpering his name for more, letting your wet bangs fall over your face as well as his, looking at him through your wet, long eyelashes.

His hand around your hip pressed you even tighter against him, still having your body pressed close to his, with his lips still pressed against your neck as he felt your body still arch against him. "That's it baby. I wanna hear you moan my name... I wanna hear you scream my name" he panted softly against your neck, bringing his hands down to your ass to grab you tightly so he could fill you up better.

"K-Kenjii!" you moaned louder "more... I want more of you" you begged, almost in the middle of a tantrum. "Fuck Ken, you're perfect"

"No... not perfect. I just wanna make you feel good..." he murmured, softly against your ear, his voice soft and still holding you tight against him in the water.

Well you're perfect for me you said grabbing him by the nape of the neck and pulling him closer to you to kiss his lips, feeling the speed of his movements increase. He opened his mouth even more so your tongue could enter his mouth, still having your body even tighter against him, still moving inside you firmly and needily.

You continued kissing him with need and desperation, biting his lip and taking his tongue in your mouth letting the saliva of both of you mix in your mouths. "Mmmhhh... damn, I love the way you kiss me" Kenji panted against your mouth, his voice soft and breathy while still moving you against him.

"And I love the way you fuck me" you told him in the middle of the kiss.

His hands went to your hair, still pressed against your head, still with your tongues tangling in the middle of the kiss. He still moved inside you, having your legs around his hips and your body close against him, keeping your back arched.

"But I enjoy the way you squeeze me, babe" he panted in the middle of the kiss.

You continued the kiss until he felt your moans increase and get caught in the middle while you frowned and your moans stayed between your mouths, you let him take you by the hair with a little more pressure and without stopping kissing him, you began to move more on top of him, riding him urgently and quickly, bouncing on him repeatedly. "Mmm... baby, you're eager, aren't you..." he panted into the kiss, gripping your hair.

You moaned in response, still moving harder and harder until he felt you tighten around him and knew why. His hand still gripped your hair even tighter, as your body moved in circles on him, pressing at a slightly different angle.

"Mmm... baby... you're tighter," he panted against your ear, his voice soft and a little breathy.

"And do you know why that is?"

"Tell me," he panted against your ear, keeping a hard grip on your hair.

"How about I show you instead?" You asked, moving faster on him.

You didn't stop moving on him for a second, slamming your hips against his crotch until a couple of minutes later you clung to his strong shoulders, almost digging your nails in as you felt your hands slide over his silky wet skin, arching your back and letting yourself go without a care, cumming on top of him completely pleased by each of his thrusts, feeling your release seep in even under the water giving you a different and warm sensation. Kenji gasped in your ear as he felt you cling to his shoulders and arch your back slightly as you cum on his lap, holding you close to help keep you stable on top of him.

"Mmm... good girl..." he murmured.

You were breathless, letting yourself fall on his shoulder, closing your eyes as you felt him continue to move in you on his own, seeking his own release, you barely moaned as you felt him move and you were very overstimulated, Kenji was almost using you so he could cum himself.

His moans against your neck grew slightly louder and more erratic as he continued to thrust into you, still holding your hips with one hand and your hair with the other. His breath was hot against your skin, and you could feel his body tense slightly.

“You feel too good, gurl…” he panted into your ear, his voice soft but muffled, still pressing you lightly against him through his thrusts. “Shit… you still feel… so tight…”

“Kenji…” you moaned, wrapping both arms around him and resting your face on his shoulder, tired and hypersensitive with each thrust, “are you almost there?”

After a few minutes, Kenji was finally on the edge and after a few more thrusts he called your name loudly as he eased you down on top of him, squeezing your hips as he finished, sending thick ropes through you. Kenji dropped into the tub, both arms on the edges as he tried to normalize his breathing, and you lay down on his chest with increasing tiredness.

You stayed like that for a few minutes as he caught his breath, holding you close with his arms, gently caressing your hair and your back with his hand, having your body relaxed against him. After a while, still with a soft voice, he broke the silence slightly.

"That was... pretty intense..." he said, still with his breathing ragged.

"I know... I bet I'll wake up sore tomorrow." After a few minutes when your body wasn't shaking as much anymore, you noticed that you were both still wet in the now dirty water with the release of both of you making you blush.

"Don't you think we should take a shower?" He let out a soft laugh and shook his head slightly, still with his chin resting on your shoulder.

After a moment, he responded slightly in a mocking tone."I guess so, I think we've already made the water dirty enough."

You held onto his shoulders and slowly moved up so he could get out of you and both of you stood up, letting the used water go down the drain. Kenji got out first and then helped you out of the tub by taking your hand and walking together to the shower where he turned on the faucet and both of you got wet under it.

He washed his hair and then helped you with yours, treating you with ironic care after having taken you as hard as he pleased and when you were about to clean your body of the remains of him, he told you considerably, that he wanted to take care of it himself.

"Let me take care of it..."

"Are you sure?""Believe me, I want to."

He let out a soft laugh again when you gave in and let him touch you and take over. His hands began to move softly and carefully over your body, soaping the soft skin and wetting it even more with the warm water.

You watched as Kenji bent down a little to gently bring his hand between your legs and clean you off of him, as you blushed and gently rested a hand on his shoulder to support you. His touch was gentle and careful, as he lightly ran his hands along your thighs and into your folds, continuing in the same manner for a few minutes with the water still falling gently over the two of you and with his hand still resting on your hip.

After a moment, he slightly looked up and looked at you lightly with a smile on his face.

“Are you still blushing sweetie?” you simply smiled sweetly at him, as he finished and stood back up to clean himself off. “You’re adorable when you blush…”

“Thanks…” you said a little shyly. This time with Kenji was so private and cute so you couldn’t help but go up to him and hug him under the shower. He hugged you back, and wrapped his arms around you gently, still with the water falling over both of you.

"You're very sticky today, huh?" He teased softly against your neck. You closed your eyes feeling his warmth and the water all over your body as you tenderly kissed his collarbone and shoulder.

"I love every part of you." His arms tightened slightly around your body in response, as his hand lightly caressed your back and hair, you leaned your face on his shoulder and wrapped both arms around his back tightly.

"You're so affectionate... I love it.." You smirked

"I'm always so cold... consider yourself lucky."

"Oh, I can assure you, I consider myself very lucky... as long as I'm the one who gets this adorable and loving version of you."

"Of course, always just for you." He held you even closer to him, his arms wrapping around your small figure and the water gently passing over both of you as he still gently caressed your back and hair. "I promise it will be like this my love" you said taking his cheek and kissing his face. Kenji leaned forward slightly and kissed you softly on the lips with softness and warmth, still with his arms wrapped around your figure and his hand gently running through your hair.

After a while more of hugging and cuddling under the shower, you both got out and dried yourselves with towels before going back up to his room. You both started to get dressed again, while relaxed silence reigned between the two of you.

"Can I ask you something?" Kenji broke the silence, catching your attention. "Why are you always so cold to everyone?"

You weren't expecting that question so you looked at him trying to explain "I...I don't know" you laughed "It's just...it's not easy for me to express what I feel I guess. Even with my family who are people I really love, but with you..." you smiled more and looked at him "The 'I love you's' come to me in droves for some reason"

He kept looking at you for a moment, watching as you tried to give him an explanation while you laughed softly, and he adjusted his shirt. After a moment, you looked at him and answered, with the smile growing on your face and with your eyes slightly shining.

"I guess that's something that's very much just me, huh?" he joked softly in a low voice, with a smile on his face at your confession. "Well, it's nice to know that I'm the only one who sees this version of you... it really is very, very cute."

"Thanks...I didn't even know how affectionate i could be" you joked "I guess...you bring out the best in me" you said with some nostalgia.

You both climbed into bed, settling down between the sheets after getting fully dressed, leaning against the headboard as Kenji checked a few messages in his team group about training and baseball stuff. He took his phone in his hand to focus his sight on some messages left a couple of hours ago, raising his arm to his forehead to rub it lightly while he still had the phone in his other hand.

He continued to read the few messages on his phone, when suddenly he felt a gaze on him. Kenji turned his face slightly to his side and found you looking at him with a smile on your face, with your hand under your head, while you were still lying next to him. He slightly raised an eyebrow at the smile, slightly amused, and put the phone back down.

"What's wrong?" He replied as he looked at you for a moment, a small smile on his face

"You're just so beautiful." Your voice was like you were looking at the most unique piece of art hanging on the walls of a museum.

"Thanks love..." he said softly laughing, running a hand through his hair and feeling slightly embarrassed by the compliment on his appearance "You're gorgeous too..."

"Thank you" you said laughing and wrinkling your nose in embarrassment "but you more so, Mr. "Best alive player"

"Eh, you don't have to remind me... although I admit it's true..."

"You should have said the most precious alive player" He gave a small smile as he answered with the soft and gently mocking tone.

"Well, if it were up to me, that's what I would have said... "the most precious player alive" would sound better... but the reporters aren't ready for that truth..."

You laughed next to him and got closer to him, gently taking his face in your hands and looking into his eyes making him completely forget about his cell phone "But look at that cute little face" you said sweetly

"Are you telling me I'm adorable?"

"Maybe... more than that you are "Perfect," you said softly, tracing the entire profile of his nose with your index finger and caressing his cheeks.

"Perfect, huh? Where does all this come from?"

"What do you mean, where? Every time I see you..." He continued to look into your eyes, slightly curious, as he listened to how you responded to your feelings towards him.

Kenji kept his head still, slightly relaxed with your caress and soft voice, with slight traces of curiosity in his eyes."Isn't what you're saying a little exaggerated..?"

"Not at all, it's what I feel, what I think... it's the truth." You said hugging him, resting your face on his shoulder and after a silence you spoke "I really think you're the best thing that's ever happened to me... maybe the only good thing in my life. I always felt so alone, hurt, misunderstood... having to be strong in order to move forward and not let anyone know me well enough to hurt me" you said in a low voice "always so distant, so distrustful, expecting the worst from others, but with you... none of that exists... all those walls fall when I'm with you... and you can see who I really am... I'm not afraid or distrustful of anything when we're together"

He immediately responded to your hug, resting his head on yours and wrapping his arms around you protectively. After a moment, he heard you speak quietly, your voice still low, and he felt the hug around him relax slightly. He kept his hug around you, listening to you intently. As he listened to your words, he felt his own heart relax and break at the same time as he saw how vulnerable and fragile you felt at that moment.

"I'm honored that you trust me so much... I don't want you to be alone anymore... I always want to be by your side..."

"I love you Kenji Sato... I fall more and more in love with you every day that passes."

"I love you even more every day, my love... I love you more than I can describe..."

He gently pulled away from your arms and continued to lightly caress your cheek with one hand, gently running a thumb along the skin of your cheek, and watched you for a moment with a tender smile on his lips, seeing the smile on your face. After a moment, he gently moved forward with the smile on his lips and softly replied.

"Can I kiss you now, darling?" You laughed at him being a little shy and seeing him blush.

“Of course.” You said and grabbed his face to kiss him.

He smiled lightly again as he listened to your laugh and your small affirmation, relaxing into the soft grip of your hand against his cheek. After a moment, he let himself go with your movements, allowing you to pull him forward towards you so he could kiss you. His lips pressed softly against yours, his hand gently caressing your cheek.

After a moment, he brought a hand to your neck, holding your head firmly close to him as his lips pressed even more firmly against yours, gently caressing your neck with his thumbs as he did so, gently running his tongue along your bottom lip, asking for permission to enter. After a few more moments, he finally pulled away from you slightly, lips still dangerously close to yours with his eyes slightly lidded. He took your hip in his hands and moved you slightly so that you were on top of him under the sheets as he relaxed on the bed and held you close.

Kenji let you kiss his chest lightly, relaxing even more beneath you. “I love you… with every fiber of my being…” His tone had never sounded so sincere.

You smiled, hugging him and settling on top of him “I love you too my love…”

He responded to your smile by relaxing even more, and wrapped his arms around you even tighter, making sure you were as close to him as possible under the sheets.

After a moment, he stopped holding you and relaxed even more, placing a hand against your cheek and responding softly, with a small laugh.“It’s late… we should sleep…”

“You’re right" you said, kissing his chest. "Good night honey"

"Sleep well, darling… "

I'm so sorry for the delay! T~T university is killing me! But after Dec 14th i'll have more free time. Hope you enjoyed pookies, love u so much! 💖

[captainsophiestark]

Oblivious

Damon Salvatore x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Fictober 2024! Requested by @elenavampire21 - hope you like it! Thanks for being patient while I got it done!

Fandom: The Vampire Diaries

Day Thirty-One Prompt: "It's always been you."

Summary: You've always felt like the lowest priority out of everyone in the Mystic Falls group, but Damon disagrees.

Word Count: 1,905

Category: Fluff, light Angst

A/N: That's a wrap on Fictober baby! Woohoo! And Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I hummed to myself as I scanned my bookshelf, trying to decide which one to grab. Since moving into college at Whitmore, I'd mostly just brought my favorites, since I didn't have much book space to spare in my single dorm room. But bringing all of my favorites made it a little hard to decide what to read on any given day.

I'd just about made up my mind, actually reaching out to grab one when the door to my room went flying open, smashing into the opposite wall.

I whirled around, my fight or flight response kicking into overdrive as I tried to remember where the nearest stake was in my room. I'd been dragged into the supernatrual drama just by being tangental to a certain friend group in Mystic Falls, which meant I was on high alert for supernatural threats. This weekend in particular, everyone I knew was back in Mystic Falls for a visit and a party.

At least, they were supposed to be. As I whipped around towards the door, I came face to face with none other than Damon Salvatore.

My heart started a very annoying gymnastics routine. I'd had a crush on Damon for a long time, despite knowing all his supernatural secrets, but with Elena around he'd never bothered to give me the time of day. I'd made my peace with it, more or less, but suddenly finding him standing in the doorway of my room, his piercing blue eyes fixed absolutely on me, still sent my heart racing.

"Hey! What are you doing?" I demanded, fixing Damon with the fiercest glare I could muster. Probably not very fierce at the moment, but I did my best.

"You should really keep this locked," Damon drawled instead of answering me. I scowled as he closed the door behind him, then took a few steps closer to me.

"We're in a crowded student dorm hall. It's normally not a problem."

"Well, it's a problem now."

Damon grinned at me, making a point of flashing his fangs. My scowl deepened.

"Do you not have to be invited in to student housing?" I asked, trying to deflect and distract Damon from paying any attention to my heartbeat. His grin only widened.

"Nope. I've used that to my advantage many times."

I tried to keep a grimace off my face at that. I knew enough about Damon and his history to realize he was refering to past hookups as much as anything else. Not my favorite subject to get into with him.

I cleared my throat, trying to push the thoughts out of my mind. I met Damon's gaze again and raised an eyebrow, going for casual and just hoping I could kind of pull it off.

"Why are you here?" I said. "Aren't you supposed to be hosting a party in Mystic Falls?"

"Aren't you supposed to be at that party with me?" Damon asked, voice low as he took another few steps towards me. I let out a little huff and looked away.

"Believe it or not, I'm not in the mood to go running back home every weekend that I'm at college. I have work to do and people I want to spend time with this weekend, both of which require me to stay here."

Damon stepped even closer to me, getting in my space and moving to try to see my expression. When I continued to look away from him, he took my chin in his hand and turned me to face him. I scowled, but didn't pull away.

"I don't believe you."

"What do you mean 'you don't believe me'?"

"I mean, when you explained your reasoning to me just now, your heartbeat told me you were lying." I frowned, but Damon just leaned in a little closer, his grip still tight on my chin. "So why aren't you in Mystic Falls?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes, finally pulling back and out of his grip. He let me go, but took a few steps to follow me across the room as I walked away.

"I'm just sick of all the supernatural drama," I said. "It's been nice to be here, building something separate from which vampire we're trying to kill this week, or which werewolf is trying to kill us. I'm happy here, and I don't want to blow all that up by going home and finding myself in the middle of the supernatural drama again."

Damon hummed. Nothing I'd said was a lie, technically, so he couldn't call me out like he had earlier. I kept my back to him so he couldn't read it in my face either.

"I guess that's the truth," Damon said, his voice way too casual. "But I know you well enough to know it's not the whole truth."

I snorted, then whipped around to face Damon with a scowl.

"Why do you care? I gave you an explanation, and it's the truth, so it's all you're getting."

Damon shook his head as he stepped even closer to me.

"Not gonna work for me, sweetheart. I'm not leaving here without the whole truth."

"Why? Damon, seriously, why is this so important to you?"

"Because. Now are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to compel it out of you?"

He wiggled his eyebrows at me, but I just rolled my eyes.

"We both know I'm on vervain, so knock it off. Just go back to Mystic Falls. Flirt with Elena to mess with your brother, whatever! Just leave me alone!"

"I don't want to flirt with Elena," Damon said, taking another step towards me. His voice was low, and more serious than I usually heard it, as his eyes locked onto mine. "I want to flirt with you, no one else. It's always been you."

Everything about Damon's tone and body language told me he was serious, but I knew what a good actor he could be when he wanted to. I scoffed and rolled my eyes, crossing my arms and squaring my shoulders to face Damon.

"Oh please. It's always been Elena, from day one with you! And the handful of times it hasn't been Elena? It's been just about anybody else in our group besides me. Caroline, that reporter Andie, the vampire Rose who kidnapped Elena... hell, even Rebekah Mikaelson! But never once me, Day."

Damon's frown had deepend, and he actually looked a little wounded. He took another step closer, almost putting us chest to chest, and opened his mouth like he was going to speak, but I put up a hand to stop him before he could get a word out.

"It's fine, Damon. Seriously, it's not a crime for you to not reciprocate my feelings. And I'm not avoiding Mystic Falls all because of some one-sided crush. But, seriously. Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena were supposed to be in a triple together. Nobody even checked with me, if I might want to join them in a dorm, since we were all going to Whitmore. I know I got sucked into the group by accident and not really by friendship, but for fuck's sake, I've thrown myself headfirst into this world and trying to help you guys, and still, it's like I'm barely even present. So I decided to say screw it, and I've made a bunch of great friends here outside of all this vampire shit, and I'm happy with that. So just go back to your party and leave me alone. I'd say pass the message on, but I doubt if anybody else'll notice."

Damon's frown had been steadily deepening the whole time I'd been speaking, and now he looked truly upset. I'd confessed a little more to him in the heat of the moment than I'd been planning to, but my words were still true. Maybe it was time for a full break from the rest of the Mystic Falls gang, and maybe this was how I got it done.

"Are you... absolutely blind?" Damon demanded, reaching out to take my hands before I could stop him. "I'll admit, when I first met Elena, she looked so much like Katherine that I was a little hung up on her. But I got over her when I got over Katherine. All I've been doing since a few weeks after I met you is trying to flirt with you! You've always shut me down!"

"What? Damon, you're crazy-"

"I abandoned Ric at the bar to buy you a drink and play pool. I blew off Stefan to go to some stupid Mystic Falls festival with you. For god's sake, I even asked you on a date after your graduation!"

"No no no, that was playful flirting. And the date thing was to make Elena jealous!"

"The date thing was not to make Elena jealous!"

I laughed, mostly out of panic, shaking my head and stepping back from Damon. He didn't let me get far. He followed me across the room until my back hit the wall, and then stepped into my space again. I looked up at him with wide eyes, and I knew he could hear just how fast my heart was beating.

"Damon, come on. You're... you. If you'd had a thing for me for over a year, there's no way I wouldn't know about it!"

"That's what I kept telling myself," he muttered. The faintest possible smile made its way onto his face. "I'm actually a little relieved it turns out you're just oblivious."

I snorted, but my heart had picked up speed again, which honestly shouldn't have been possible. If Damon were lying... well, it didn't make sense for Damon to be lying. There was no reason for him to come all the way down here, especially while everyone else in our group was throwing a party at his house, all for a lie with no real motivation.

I searched Damon's face, this time without a scowl. He smirked back at me and let his gaze slowly, clearly wander down to my mouth. I laughed.

"You're serious, aren't you? You're telling the truth."

"Of course I'm telling the truth," he said. His voice was more sincere and serious than it had been since he'd walked into my room as the smirk on his face became more of a smile. Slowly, he let one hand wander down to rest on my waist. I bit my lip, considering for just a second, then surged forward and kissed him.

Damon wasted no time pushing me against the wall and kissing me back. I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting myself get lost in the moment.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to Mystic Falls?" I breathed between kisses as Damon moved along my neck and jaw. "You're missing a party in your own house."

"I'm sure. I hid all my good booze before I left. And I hate to rub it in, but..." Damon pulled back just enough to look me in the eye and let a predatory grin spread across his face. "I'm pretty happy you ended up in a single dorm room right now."

I laughed, something I honestly never thought I'd be able to do about the way I'd ended up in this single dorm room. Leave it to Damon to find a way to make it happen, despite the odds.

It'd taken a lot more drama and heartache than it should've to get here. Still, as Damon wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight to his chest, I got the distinct impression that it would be worth it.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen @misshale21

TVD/TO Taglist: @elenavampire21

[ripdragonbeans]

Love In The Darkest Of Places // Modern!Aemond x Reader

Chapter 4: Freedom

Summary: You and Aemond are in college now, which presents itself with its own new challenges. One you didn't expect, however, was cutting off your family.

TW: unhealthy family dynamic

Masterlist

Chapter 3 // Chapter 5

The thought of jeopardizing your relationship with Aemond was too scary to even consider. As much as you wanted to say yes, to be his, you knew there was no way to guarantee you would stay together. At least with this friendship there was no way of messing it up. Or at least you hoped. Your heart and soul yearned for him but your brain was terrified. The risk that came with being in a serious relationship was too great, according to your brain. Your heart and soul said to hell with it, to jump into the deep end, but in the end you were too afraid.

For the rest of high school that’s how you two were: best friends. Never once did either of you waver. Not once did either of you date. There was an unspoken arrangement that you would wait for each other. Of course, since Aemond made his move after that regrettable double date, it would be up to you.

“Do you wish we could be together?” you asked him one night. You were spending the night in his dorm room. It wasn’t the first time you’ve asked the question.

“You know my answer,” Aemond replied, never looking away from the television screen.

It was movie night and as per usual, you stayed in his dorm. High school seemed so far away yet it was almost as though it was yesterday. The double date with Cregan had always stayed in your mind. That Monday afterwards did, too. 

“I feel like I'm playing you,” you admitted to Aemond. 

“If you actually were, I don't think you'd be worried about it.” He looked at you and smiled. “I'll wait however long and if we only stay friends then that's okay too. You're my best person in the world. Together forever, remember?”

“Yeah, together forever.”

Silence.

“What if…” you started, “what if there's someone else out there for you?”

“The only person I want is you. If someone else finds me then maybe you ran out of time.”

“What if… what if I find someone else?” 

“Then I'll let you go. I'll do whatever to make you happy.” Aemond reached for your hand and squeezed it. He looked out the dorm window. “It's getting late. Do you want me to walk you back to your house or?” He left the question hanging.

“I think I'll go back to my house alone” you replied. It hurt your heart to leave him but you did so anyway.

Aemond’s face fell when you gave his answer. He simply nodded and got up to let you out of his dorm. 

“You know I -” you began to say.

“Don't worry about it,” Aemond said with a tight smile. “I understand.” 

And with that he closed the door.

You couldn't help but press your forehead against the door. You knew you should head back to your own dorm but you couldn't bring yourself to do so. Your feet refused to move and the thought of leaving Aemond alone in his room hurt your heart. 

So you let yourself stay there. 

You could hear Aemond through the door a tiny bit. You wondered if he felt as conflicted as you. A small mirthless laugh left you. Of course he felt conflicted. You were the one making him wait. Taking a deep breath, you pulled yourself up and headed out of the dorm and to your family’s house.

Unlike Aemond’s loving family, yours refused to pay for a dormitory. You had to walk or grab a ride home at the end of every day. Normally you would ask Aemond or Helaena for a ride but you wanted to be alone right now. Asking Aemond after this movie night was out of the question as well. So instead, you basked in the brisk cold night as you made your way back to the house.

When you arrived at the house you didn't bother announcing your presence. It wouldn't have been met with anything kind anyway, if it even received a reply. While the interior was warm and welcoming to everyone else, it was cold and lonely for you. Stepping inside the building, you toes off your shoes and shrugged off your coat before retreating into your bedroom. It was your safe haven in this place. 

Plopping down on the bed, you let out a groan. The day had been going perfectly well until you told Aemond it felt as though you were playing him. You were just too scared for yourself and for him. You didn't want either of you to get hurt in any way. Gods forbid the pain is caused by you or him. You hugged a pillow, wishing it was Aemond. Soon enough, sleep found you.

You walked down a cold, empty hallway. Your footsteps echoed against the walls. You didn't know where you were going; you were just walking. One thing you did notice, however, was the deep pit in your stomach. Something was going to happen but you didn't know what. And it would be something big. 

Soon, the walls became grand. Wallpaper were plastered on and large portraits of your family lined them. Your parents looked regal, of course. If it were another time you thought they would even be royalty. Then came the portraits of your brothers, Jace and Luke. 

Ever since Luke took Aemond's eye, you’ve cut him off. You avoided him, refused to talk to him, and have even left buildings if you found out he was there. There was no love in your heart for Luke, even if you were siblings. You could never forgive him for what he did. Yet here, in his portraits, he looked like a carefree child. So innocent. So wrong.

Jace’s portraits seemed accurate, in your opinion. He was still as charming as ever but you could see underneath him, how he loathed you, how we always craved the attention from mother and father. You smiled cruelly at that thought. He would never have their full attention. It was always on themselves but you let Jace believe that maybe one day their focus would be on him. To an extent you pitied Jace but not enough to make room in your heart to love him. He did nothing while Aemond was hurt and he constantly ridiculed you. No, there was no love.

Soon, there were pictures of Mrs. Alicent, Mr. Criston, Aegon, Helaena, and Jason. Unlike the photos of your family, these were candid, happy photos. They were real and genuine. No fake smiles or practiced poses; just silly faces and love. As you approached each of their photos, you couldn't help but feel joy. You were so happy for them and you wished desperately to be part of that. 

But something was off.

In the bundle of photos with Aemond was another person. Their face was covered or they were always facing away from the camera. Aemond was either grinning ear to ear or looked at that person with…love. The person in question had long, dark, flowing hair. You didn't recognize this person but it did something to your stomach. A pit dropped and it made you want to throw up. 

You kept walking down the hallway.

Suddenly, you heard laughter. Laughter and voices. You pinned down Aemond's but didn't recognize the female one. You didn't like this one bit. Could there be someone else for Aemond?

No. No, that can't be.

You raced down the hallway to find Aemond and this mysterious woman locked in an embrace.

“Aemond?” You asked quietly.

Aemond turned around. “You're too late,” he said. His voice echoed. “I waited for you but you took too long. I found someone else.”

“No!” You cried. You had woken up in a cold sweat. Looking around, you tried to ground yourself. There is no hallway, no portraits or pictures, no Aemond with some other woman.

You sighed as you heard someone come up to your door. You had an inkling it was one of your brothers.

“Hey, can we talk?” Jace knocked on your door.

You opened it only to reveal your older brother. “What do you want?”

He looked down at his feet. “I wanted to apologize. I've never been the best big brother and that's on me.”

“Okay…” you were confused as to why he was doing this.

“I was talking with my girlfriend, Sara, and she said that we needed to talk so here I am.”

You crossed your arms and leaned on the doorframe. “Talk about what?”

Jace shrugged. “Everything, I guess.”

“...Okay. Give me a minute to get dressed and we can go to the Dorne Café.” You closed the door behind you and got ready.

Within ten minutes you and Jace were out of the door and in his car. The ride to the café was silent. It wasn't tense or anything, just quiet. When you arrived at the café there were a decent amount of people there but not too many. After both of you placed your orders you went to claim a table outside.

Sitting across from each other, you waited for your brother to say something first. You simply looked at each other. In contrast to you, he was waiting for you to speak first. Once again in your life, you were at a stand still with your brother.

Not being able to stand the silence, you broke it. “Okay, I'll bite. You, Luke, mother, and father never wanted to do anything with me. I was always on the side and when I wasn't I was teased and ridiculed.”

“That’s a pretty heavy way to start this,” commented Jace.

“Well, you wouldn't talk first, so I did.”

“I teased you because I was mad. I was upset that you were closer with Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond and not with us. You're my sister. You should've been with me and not them.”

“You weren’t the most welcoming type when it came to me, Jace.”

“That's because I didn't know!”

“That’s a shitty excuse. We could have been closer. We could have had a better relationship.”

“I know and I want to fix it!”

You sighed and put your head on your hands. “Jace, it might be best for us to just go our separate ways. Damage was done and it was constant. I just can't forget all that.”

“Yes, you can. We can start over, pretend that nothing ever happened.”

“But it did happen. My childhood was filled with your constant teasing and mother and father’s neglect. It's forever burned in my mind.”

Jace threw his hands up in the air. “Then what do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know, Jace.” You could feel a lump growing in your throat. You didn't know what to expect on your way to the café but it wasn't this.

He nodded his head. “Okay, then.” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I wasn't a better brother. You deserved to be treated better.”

“I know.”

Silence enveloped the air. No one talked. Only distant conversations and cars speeding by were heard by the two of you.

“I think it’s best if I just go to Helaena’s,” you whispered.

“What about us?”

“What about us? We're ruined Jace. We were never truly brother and sister.” You paused. “I was planning on moving in with Helaena, anyway, she needs a roomie for her apartment. I'll pack up my things over the next few days and I'll be out of everyone's hair.”

“If that's what you want.”

“I'm sorry, Jace. I truly am.”

Both of you were slow to pick up your trash. It was as though you were savoring these last few moments. When Jace dropped you off at Helaena’s apartment he walked you to the door.

“Maybe one day we’ll get better,” he said.

“Maybe.” You were hesitant but you gave him a hug. “Goodbye, Jace.”

Once he left and his car had gone out of view, you knocked on the door.

“Coming!” Came Helaena’s dreamy voice. She opened the door and wrapped you in a big hug. After letting you go she said, “I read your text, I'm so excited for you to move in! It'll be just us. No boys to stink up the place.”

“Believe me, I'm so excited.” You tried to smile but it faltered.

Helaena furrowed her brows. “What's wrong?” She pulled you into the apartment.

Once you were seated on the couch you told her everything that had transpired between you and Jace. 

“It was a goodbye and it was upsetting but it was also freeing in a way.”

Helaena nodded her head. “I understand.”

“I’m not looking forward to moving all my stuff out. I just don’t really want to go back there.”

“I’ll be with you every step of the way, I promise,” Helaena said. “And we can ask Aemond and Aegon to join us, too. They would keep your family away from us.”

You laughed mirthlessly. “You know, my mother still thinks Luke was in the right. She thinks that Aemond deserved to lose his eye. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m related to her.”

“That’s sick,” Helaena agreed.

“Gods, what even is my family?”

“A mess. They’re a giant mess. But,” she paused. “You have us. You have me, my mother and father, and Aemond and Aegon. We will always be with you.”

“I used to be so scared that you guys would push me away; especially after Aemond lost his eye.”

“Why would you think that?”

You shrugged. “I felt responsible and guilty. I blamed myself and believed that you guys would later blame me, too.”

“Don't be ridiculous. That will never happen. I promise.” Helaena pulled you into a hug.

Gratefully, you returned it. “I talked to Aemond this morning.”

“And?”

“I'm just so torn, Hel. I want to be with him but I don't want to risk our friendship.”

“You know I think you should take the leap but I can't make that decision for you. You have to do it yourself.”

Your thoughts moved to your dream. “What if there's someone else for him? Someone better than me?”

“I honestly can't see Aemond with anyone else but you. You two have been through it all. And,” she paused and obviously glanced at your collar bone. “You're still wearing the necklace after all these years.”

You brought your hand up to rub the gem between your fingers. It was an action that you developed whenever you got stressed. 

“Look, you even mess with the necklace whenever something is wrong because it calms you. Aemond calms you.”

“It’s all so much.”

“You know what I think, but I want you to do it on your own terms. If you need more time, then take it.”

You took Helaena’s hands in your own. “Thank you.”

She squeezed your hands before letting them go to clap them together. “Now, shall we start moving in now or tomorrow?”

You huffed out a laugh. “I think tomorrow will be fine. We can give the boys a heads up tonight and just chill.”

“I love that idea.” She looped her arm through yours and led you to your soon to be room.

Moving in with Helaena was a breeze, thankfully. You didn’t have much to take out from your parents’ house. Jace actually stepped in to help a little bit but said nothing when doing so. When you left with your things, all he did was give you a small nod. 

You had officially cut ties with your family.

You were free.

The air felt fresher. The grass was greener. Your mother, father, and brothers no longer loomed over you. Taking a deep breath, you smiled as you looked around your room. No one would steal anything from you. You had a whole apartment you shared with one of your closest friends. Everything was right. Everything except the hole in your heart.

Pacing the room, you went through the war in your head, trying to choose if you should talk to Aemond or not. The worst he could say was no but that would be too much. Even though the chances of him saying no is almost nonexistent. Still, the risk was there and that terrified you. Putting your gears aside, you dialed Aemond’s number and called him. 

The phone barely rang before Aemond answered.

“Are you okay?” he immediately asked.

“Yeah, I'm okay. I guess I just wanted to talk to you,” you admitted. 

“What's up?” He asked again. When you didn't respond he said, “I know something is wrong. You don't call me unless something is really messing with you.”

Sighing, you nodded your head until you realized he couldn't see you. “Can I come over?”

“Yeah, always.”

You could hear his smile. Aemond always loved it whenever you came to his dorm.

“I'll see you in a bit, Aems.”

“In a bit,” he repeated.

When you asked Helaena to drive you to Aemond's dorm she gave you a knowing smile.

“Are you finally going to tell him?” She asked you.

“I…I don't know but it's in the realm of possibilities,” you said. It was true. You played with the idea of telling him today but you were still scared.

The car ride to Aemond’s dorm was uneventful. Helaena gave you words of encouragement and tried her best to keep you calm. 

“You're going to be okay. Both of you. I've never seen two people who meshed as well as the both of you. Whatever bond you have with him is unbreakable,” Helaena told you.

You wrung your hands together. “Yeah.”

When Helaena pulled up to Aemond’s dorm building he was already out in front waiting for you. His tall frame making him stand out in the emptiness of the walkway. With his hair down and flowing slightly with the breeze he looked ethereal. You could never get over how beautiful he was. 

When Aemond saw you, a smile brightened up his face. You smiled back. It was going to be a good day, you thought to yourself. Stepping out of Helaena’s car, you gave her a quick thank you and tried to control yourself as you walked to Aemond. As soon as you were by his side he pulled you into a hug.

“You've had me worried these last few days,” he admitted.

“And why's that?” You asked him.

“You've pulled away a bit.” He was quiet.

Your eyebrows pinched together. “What do you mean?”

“Once you moved in with Helaena you didn't call or text me much and didn't offer to visit until now.”

“Oh.” You couldn't tell him everything. Not yet. “There's been a lot going on.”

“You don't have to take that on alone,” Aemond reminded you. “I'm here for you. Together forever, yeah?”

You smiled. “Together forever.”

That night you spent the entirety of it with Aemond. You put on a movie, popped popcorn, and simply enjoyed each other's company. It was as though there was no lingering feelings between you two. It was just you guys. Anyone from the outside would have assumed you were together, and gods, did you wish it was true. Aemond, for sure, wished it was. 

You and Aemond say against the wall on his bed. His arm was casually around you while you snuggled in close. At some point in the night he pulled his hair up in a messy bun. When you tried to braid his hair he swatted your hands away with a goofy grin on his face. 

“Just once!” You pleaded.

“You've already done it once!” Aemond laughed.

“When?” You put your hands on your hips.

Aemond sighed then explained, “Back when we were fourteen. You convinced me to let you braid my hair. It was in knots afterwards.”

Crossing your arms over your chest you muttered, “It wasn't too bad.”

“We needed Helaena’s help.”

Nudging Aemond with your shoulder you told him, “Fine. I won't braid your hair tonight. But let's do something!”

“What if I braided your hair?” 

You raised an eyebrow. “You know how to braid hair?”

“There's a first time for everything,” he shrugged. “It's your turn to have knots,” he bumped you back with his shoulder.

You huffed, “Fine,” and plopped yourself in front of him.

When Aemond ran his hands through your hair, you couldn't help but lean back into him. He gently massaged your scalp before carefully dividing your hair into three sections. 

“Are you sure you know how to do this?” You teased.

Aemond tugged on your hair, sending shivers down your spine. “We're about to find out,” he whispered in your ear.

You couldn't help but flush at his words. Aemond braiding your hair shouldn't be as intimate as this and yet it was. Your relationship has changed since you've both moved on to college. Now, you simply danced around each other.

As Aemond braided your hair, he would tug on it every now and then, causing a bolt of pleasure to shoot through your stomach. 

“Am I hurting you?” Aemond asked when he tugged it for the fourth time.

“No,” you let out breathlessly.

When Aemond finished braiding your hair, you turned around only to find each other nose to nose.

“Aemond?” Whispered.

His violet eye bore into yours before quickly dipping down to your lips and back. “Yes?”

You looked at him and slowly leaned forward. Meeting you in the middle, Aemond captured your lips in his. It was soft. It was tentative. For a second you froze, not knowing what to do, but then Aemond reached up to cup your face and you kissed him back. You moved so you were on your knees in front of him, just now slightly taller than him sitting down. His hands went to your waist and he held on like he never wanted to let go. 

Sitting back on your haunches, you placed your hands on his shoulders. Aemond tensed up slightly but relaxed quickly. The kiss wasn't heated or rushed. It was very slow and calm. You were both waiting and now you finally had each other.

[healingfairy000000001]

Trafalgar law x witch! straw hat (part 6) ---------------------------------------

"Another day, another spell! Or maybe not, because today is my break!" she thought excitedly as she walked around the dock. It seemed Law hadn't woken up yet, but neither had the crew! Except for Sanji and Brook, who always woke up at that time.

Sanji was cooking breakfast skillfully while Brook enjoyed a good cup of coffee. "MORNING!" Y/N greeted, stepping in to join them.

"Y/N-chwaaannn~ How grateful I am that you blessed me today!" swooned Sanji, while Brook returned the salute casually.

"Need help?" she asked Sanji, coming closer to the cutting board.

"No need! You must be tired from night guard duty," he replied, declining the offer but returning to his cooking as he casually asked about last night.

"Nah! I don't feel tired at all!" she answered cheerfully, sitting close to Brook.

"Yohohoho~ You never seem to be sleepy!" chimed Brook.

"And you'll never catch me slipping!" she said with a small, shared laugh, and the atmosphere returned to its usual comfort. Sanji continued to cook, Brook drank his coffee while thinking of his next tune, and Y/N read a book without a title.

It was peaceful, and soon, everyone started coming in, waking up from their slumber.

"Hey! Where’s Tragu?" asked Luffy, after munching on some breakfast. Nami and Robin turned to Y/N, prompting everyone to do the same.

"He's probably still asleep," she stated calmly.

Zoro looked at her from the side before going back to his food.

"That's not fair! Why does he get to sleep?" protested Luffy.

"That's true! He needs to at least wake up on time!" added Usopp

"What's with the commotion so early in the morning?" Law said as he entered, and all eyes turned to him. Some smiled, while others quickly returned to what they were doing. Luffy and Usopp, however, decided to tell him what the commotion was about.

"How dare you not wake up on time!" "Yeah! How dare you!"

The man in question didn't change his expression as he sat down for a cup of black coffee, ignoring the two idiots.

With an angry look, Usopp demanded one more answer, "And where were you yesterday? You didn’t sleep in the men’s quarters nor on the ship's deck!"

Now that caught everyone’s attention. "Where was he?" Everyone focused on Law, waiting for an answer. His response was simple: "Asleep."

Everyone’s faces fell to the floor. Was it the answer they wanted? No. Did it help? Maybe. But thanks to Nami bringing good news to change the subject, the situation was saved.

"We’re getting closer to an island!" she showed her compass, causing Luffy and Usopp to quickly leave Law alone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the Thousand Sunny docked, the summer island appeared abandoned, with overgrown trees and missing a port or road. It looked completely deserted. The crew decided to spend the day exploring or swimming.

"Not leaving?" asked the witch.

"Don’t feel like it," Law answered, leaning against the mast with his katana close by, his hat covering his face.

Hearing this, she sighed and rolled her eyes before walking away. "Oh! That should be obvious, but don’t touch anything in my lab."

He ignored her, giving her a side-eye. She jumped off the ship and caught up to Nami and Robin.

"Nami! Robin, wait up!" she shouted, catching up to them. "I believe we haven’t spent much time together lately."

The two women looked at each other and smiled. "Well, I am going to draw the island’s map," said Nami. "And I am accompanying Chopper to find some medical herbs," added Robin.

Nami's option wasn’t as tempting as collecting ingredients with the adorable doctor and the archaeologist, so the decision was clear. "Let's get to collecting! Nami, I'll join you in the afternoon!" Y/N exclaimed excitedly, throwing her fist in the air.

Nami shook her head and waved them off, preparing her tools to draw the map. Chopper got his bag, and Robin chuckled as she walked alongside the two into the heavy forest.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The forest was thick with branches and hanging vines, heavy with humidity, which excited the doctor and the sorcerer for the amount of plants around them—wildflowers, mushrooms, weeds, various berries, and animals.

The two had a blast finding and comparing the uses of certain herbs in their fields.

"This is useful for painkillers!" exclaimed Chopper, showing her a leaf. "It can be used to create ink for scrolls!" she answered. "It was a plant used in human sacrifices," added Robin.

Which understandably creeped Chopper out, but the conversation didn’t end there. "For real? To harvest their souls for dark magic?" "Usually it’s to please a god or bring fortune and get rid of illnesses." "Huh."

"Can we change the subject?" pleaded Chopper, looking at the two women like the subject at hand was a normal thing.

Deciding to continue, the conversation died down as the three continued the herb hunt, until...

The forest grew colder and less crowded with trees. Even the animals became scarce. That’s when they reached an abandoned town. Doors were torn down, windows were broken, and everything reeked of death.

Chopper hid behind Robin while Robin and Y/N got on guard, ready to fight at any moment. "We should head back," said Chopper, but it seemed only Robin heard. "Y/N?" But she didn’t respond, walking to the side of a house and inspecting its wall, which was covered in grayish, wall-climbing plants. Tearing them down revealed... a strange symbol.

"This is bad news," she muttered.

Cawww!

"We have to leave! The crow is warning us!" yelled Chopper, but it was too late. Blackened arrows were shot at them from the sky. Robin grabbed Chopper, shielding him with her body.

"Not a second time," whispered Y/N. "ARIELA!" she shouted as a purple shield engulfed the three of them, protecting them.

"A witch! Our lucky day!" The culprits, a group of people with ragged clothes and bone-like physiques, emerged from their hiding spots. "We can satisfy our goddess!"

"Nerocta evera aarota!" she casted another spell, this time conjuring a strong wind that blew the attackers back. The leader quickly formed a shield of his own, filled with horrified faces. "Shit!"

"Robin, Chopper, RUN!" she shouted, dissolving the shield.

The two nodded, though hesitant, understanding that returning to the others was in their best interest. Chopper shifted into his running form to save time.

"Catch them!" three of the attackers jumped forward at their leader's command, but were stopped by a rock wall slamming into them, taking them out.

"Come on, then," Y/N muttered, her fingers crackling with mana. "Show me what you’ve got."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the other side, things were more peaceful. Sanji returned with some fruits and vegetables, Zoro had hunted down some animals, and the rest were either resting on the beach or waiting for Franky's infamous 'SUPER BURGER!'

Nothing could disturb their peace—until Robin and Chopper showed up, barely catching their breath. The crew immediately got guarded, and Nami and Luffy rushed toward them.

"What's wrong?" asked Luffy, worried. "Where’s Y/N?" added Nami.

That's when Robin spoke up. "Magicians! A lot of them!"

With this new information, the crew exchanged looks. Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, a reluctant Usopp, and Nami decided to go help their friend. "Where?" Robin pointed in the direction they came from, and before she could give more details, Luffy and Zoro ran straight ahead.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the commotion rose, the two sides continued their battle—two types of magic: those who used mana and knowledge, and those who relied on others’ souls.

"HAH! You think you can take US down?" the leader mocked, as ghostly hands emerged from the ground beneath him, attacking Y/N. "You’ll make a perfect sacrifice!"

Ignoring him, Y/N jumped high, creating a boulder to stand on. As she looked down at them, the witch felt... anger? Betrayal? Or just pity? She’d never know, because she had to finish this quickly.

"Ignia mi cora jejuteti sma tih berimah min thulg wanar ISMARI NEDAI YASAMA!" she threw her hand up with the palm facing the sky, the other straight by her side, palm facing the ground. "Waayuha ard kudibeamry wahibry tarwidatenla tasmahleaduwy LILHARAB!"

With the two spells cast, the sky filled with dark gray clouds, and the ground glowed with strange letters surrounding the whole village.

"RUN!" one of the dark magicians warned, running toward the edge of the village, but instead bumped into an invisible wall.

"What—THAT BITCH! Kill her!"

With one of them soaring high to stab her, an ice crystal pierced him, slamming him to the ground. And that was when the hell she unleashed began—ice-like spears and fireballs rained down, crushing the ceramic bodies of the dark magic users and burning them to ash.

Y/N descended, the sky clearing as the glowing runes on the ground faded. She bent down to pick up a ceramic shard that hadn't burned. "So, you also lose your humanity by 27, huh?" she chuckled dryly before letting the shard crumble into ash...............

[squarebracketsmileyface]

in your universe, did Brian take Tim’s virginity? in my head he did, something about Brian being so sweet and gentle with Tim with Brian kissing Tim all over his body makes my brain go brrrrr

Oh definitely he did. I'm currently stuck between two places for when I want it to have happened, honestly.

Under the thingy a bit for length and a bit for the fact that it's talking about sex and alcohol a fair bit

Because on the one hand, I could make it when they get together properly in uni. Tim got overwhelmed at a party and Brian found him holing up somewhere absolutely not coping at all, probably just because he lost track of his friends and kinda freaked out a bit, and yeah they were both fairly drunk, but Tim needed comfort and Brian gave him that. And then once Tim had calmed down one thing led to another and it ended with them sleeping together at that party. Brian's definitely had sex before at least a couple times in this version of it, he's still awkward, especially since Tim's his best friend and has been for a couple years at this point, he doesn't want to ruin that.

Then both of them are like "well shit" the next morning after they stumbled home together and woke up hung over (Brian more than Tim, Tim's used to being drunk at that point and knows how to deal with it—though he does try not to drink, chain smokes instead most of the time—Brian not so much, Tim has to look after him a bit cos he's being a bit of a baby, but he doesn't mind that, counts it as returning the favour of Brian looking after him the night before) and they remember what happened. But they sit down and they talk, because Brian's a psychology student and Tim's had a decade of therapy (albeit not the best therapy, but still therapy), and they kinda figure things out and go, "you know what? I like you, you like me, how about we date? No one needs to know, that way there's absolutely no pressure from anyone, and we just see how this works out?"

Because I think that'd be absolutely adorable.

Or

I want it to have been something kinda stupid when they were still pretty new friends, as in, both probably still 16, maybe Brian had just turned 17, something like that. Once again, it was a drunk thing, at least on Tim's side of it. That's the one thing that's constant in my mind is Tim lost his virginity while drunk, because my version of him was pretty much at least slightly tipsy all the time throughout his time in highschool. He had a friend who was old enough to buy alcohol who had absolutely no moral issues buying alcohol for him even after realising Tim was becoming pretty reliant on it. Tim was struggling so bad with even just existing after getting out of the hospital to have at least a couple years of normal highschool before college, that he kinda needed the alcohol to help him cope/function.

It would probably have been a much worse decision if it was that second one, or like, Tim made the decision at a worse time mentally. Like, it wouldn't go badly for either of them, wouldn't fuck up their friendship or anything for more than a bit of awkwardness that went away after like a few weeks, but in this version of how it goes, it happens because Tim's in a pretty bad downward spiral that he doesn't know how to handle. Probably with Tim very drunk because something or other had happened, or had been happening for the past week that he absolutely didn't know how to handle. So he turned to two things he knows help, alcohol (drinking all day, probably skipping school for it so he wouldn't get caught) and getting comfort from Brian. But this is a pretty damn bad spiral, so Brian's usual amount of comfort wasn't really enough.

He'd have found himself going back to Brian's place after school, spending the whole evening there slowly getting more and more drunk, with Brian at first joining him because whoo alcohol! Something they're not meant to have! But he doesn't drink as much as Tim and after a while starts gently attempting to be like "heyyyyy, maybe you should drink some water instead, you just seem to be getting more upset? Let's go make something for dinner and watch a movie or something, yeah?" And eventually that works, they eat and they watch a movie and Tim sobers up a little before they go to bed, but he's still struggling a lot (probably hallucinations is how I'm thinking, hallucinations and rapid switching, thought they wouldn't know that second part, probably just assumed it was part of the being drunk) and he ends up crawling into bed with Brian instead of taking the air mattress on the floor like he usually does when he stays over.

They end up kissing and don't get round to talking about anything before they're very awkwardly wiggling out of their clothes and figuring out how having sex actually works. Then the next morning rolls around and they're not as awkward as they expected to be, they don't regret it exactly, but they're also a bit like "😬 oh we did that... Well, uh... As long as we're still friends?" And it kinda ends there, they both definitely still have crushes on each other but for whatever reason neither of them act on that again. Until uni comes along, then you get that same party (the one Jay and Alex also "get together" at for the first time properly) and they sleep together again for the first time in like a year or so, and this time they actually talk about it and have that same whole "I like you, you like me, how about we date?" exchange as above.

...could technically have both if I wanted, just make Tim forget about the time in highschool so he thinks the time in uni is the first lol

[naanima]

I don't know what caused all of us concurrently to have so much Maxiel feels in the past 42 hours or so. But I caught the bug, but instead of working on the 5 Daniel Ricciardo fics I'm writing, my brain decided it wanted to spend an hour (it was like 40mins) to write this Max Pov fic. MAXIEL.

Max loving Daniel through the years. As a friend. Honest.

It is unbetad, I literally word vomited this out. Haven't been posted on Ao3 yet bcos I might add to it sometime later, or it might be added to a longer piece I'm working on.

Words: Around 700ish words.

Max knew he loved Daniel three months into joining Red Bull. It wasn't one single thing, it was an accumulation of soft words, loud laughs, and gentle touches when Max felt like the world was ending because he couldn't fucking race as well as he should have, when he was barely containing his rage at the car not fucking being good enough, and when he felt like they were wasting time doing promos and other useless things that wasn't racing. It was that and all the ways Daniel defended him against the media and anyone else who said anything bad about him, even when it was the truth.

So of course Max went from having a little crush on Daniel to loving Daniel. It was very hard not to love Daniel. And even years later Max still could not understand those that hated Daniel.

Loving Daniel only increased the sex dreams Max had of Daniel. It was fine, Max had a handle on it. Daniel was very beautiful and liked to flirt, and Max matched Daniel with a similar energy. He loved Daniel, and if Daniel was ever serious about any of it, Max would of course jumped the man. But they weren't like that, and women was just easier when Max was still a F1 driver. So he kept on flirting, kept on pushing the line, and laughed uncontrollably as Daniel stuttered and stumbled over Max's words and actions.

Max never lost at anything, he was not losing "gay chicken" to Daniel.

And bit by bit Max was figuring out that he had a physical and mental type when it came to people he found attractive - dark haired and olive skinned and a beautiful smile. He liked them driven, funny, and a sliver of mean streak. He added older to the list when he met Kelly.

Max loved Daniel, and he knew Daniel at the very least liked him a lot, and when Daniel left Red Bull he still spent time with him, still defended him, and still laughed at his jokes, Max knew that Daniel loved him too. They weren't best friends, but they were friends who knew each other than almost anyone else could understand them because of their careers.

They spent years like that, having each other's back, loving each other, spending time together. They had their ups and downs like any friendship, months where they didn't speak to each other because they were angry at each other. But Max always knew that the silence was temporary because he knew Daniel, he trusted their friendship, and Daniel has never failed him before.

Max watched Daniel's career rise and fall, went from a bright shining star to crashing into the dirt making a crater with Daniel in the centre of its wreckage. And Max couldn't do one fucking thing beside be there, beside spend time with Daniel off track, beside sending messages of support.

Daniel was a good person, an excellent driver, and someone Max loved. It was frustrating. Everyone else in life talked about Daniel with hints of barely hidden regret, as if somehow Daniel was lesser than he was, as if he wasn't beautiful and talented and fucking driven.

Marko and Christian stopped talking about what they would differently with Daniel in his presence, stopped hinting at how Daniel was a coward who didn't fight. His father stopped making snide remarks about Daniel never being a good driver, and Kelly, well, Kelly stopped looking at Daniel with sharp eyes as if weighing his worth against her's in Max's life.

Max wasn't sure he wanted the answer to that.

There were many times Max wanted to punch everyone in fucking throat for them trying to rip pieces out of Daniel. He held back because he had control now. He made sure he supported Daniel more.

It didn't click together until Daniel had hugged him on international television, clung to him like a koala that Daniel had made Max touch all those years ago, and Daniel was so thin, soft skin over lean muscles and bones, the last bit of fat burnt away by the past few years.

And oh. The world had turned slightly on its axle, and Max realised that he didn't just love Daniel.

Well. Of course he was in love with Daniel.

Daniel was simply lovely.

[nightlark100]

Consequences (Pt 9)

Things were…okay. Grace couldn't say they were bad. She had a roof over her head, she had food and warmth and friends. She had no reason to complain.

But…It was difficult. So much had changed in such a short amount of time and she felt like all the threads holding her together were rapidly unraveling. She was grateful to Steph for letting her stay, her attempts to thank the girl being dismissed with a handwave (she got the impression that Steph didn't want to make a deal about it but was actually happy not to be in an empty house anymore) but her parents rejection hurt like a physical wound. When she was younger she'd had lots of friends but as she got older, life had pretty much become centred on family and church activities. She had lost her family. And she didn't know where she stood when it came to her church. She hadn't been back since moving in with Steph, fearing that if she went there they would turn their back on her too and she'd lose the last connection to her old life. As long as she didn't go, she could pretend that she was still welcome. God wouldn't judge her for being afraid would he? Well… that was if he cared about her at all.

Meeting the Lords in Black had shifted her perspective a bit. She still believed but it was more abstract now. God was there, he just didn't care. If he did, he never would allow those creatures to cavort and deify themselves.

She had spent a lot of time thinking about everything she had been taught over the years, at bible study, at abstinence camp, at Sunday school. She had scribbled countless pages in a notebook, her handwriting careening wildly across the paper in harsh strokes of sparkly pink gel pen.

Maybe it wasn't that He didn't care.

Maybe she just didn't deserve His love.

She had sinned in the worst ways and no matter how hard she tried to fix things it only seemed to make things worse. She was worthless.

Sitting on the bed, her eyes fell on a small brown teddy bear. Peter had given it to her, it was from when he was younger and his parents had left. He said it might help her sleep, at least until she felt a bit steadier.

Peter had been a surprise for her. Steph she already counted as one of her best friends but she had found herself getting closer with Pete. He was over most of the time, although he usually didn't spend the night (which Grace suspected was for her benefit). He had kept his distance at first until a few days after the move, when he'd come in with the bear and told her some things she hadn't known.

Like how his parents had decided one day that they didn't want to be parents anymore.

How they'd left him locked in the house and told him they'd be back soon.

How he'd felt so grown up and responsible at first being left home alone but as it got dark, panic had set in.

He explained that they'd sent a text to his brother, Ted, who was away at college and asked that he look after him. But Ted was in the middle of exams and had turned off his phone, something he had warned them he was going to do.

Three days later, Ted finally turned his phone on and found the singular text message. No follow up to confirm he'd gone to get Pete. Nothing. When he'd rushed to his parents house, he'd found a terrified and sickly little boy waiting for him, convinced he was going to die.

Peter told her how, when Ted had rung their parents, they'd been told that “mom and dad just need some time to reconnect and sort out their marriage”. They'd said they'd be back and Peter would wait, sitting in the front window to keep an eye out for their car until the day that the house had been put up for sale and the two brothers moved into their tiny apartment.

“That was the last time I went to church. I was convinced that I had done something wrong and that I was broken in some way, I had to be for them to abandon me. Especially after I found out that mom remarried and became a dutiful Stepmom. I felt thrown away by everyone. Except Ted. And I felt angry that my parents could still pretend to be devout after leaving me in that house. I know it's not exactly the same but I can understand some of the things you're probably going through. And I'm here to talk if you need it.”

He'd left her alone after that, placing the bedraggled bear on her lap. It had a bowtie on. That made her smile. She'd found herself talking to him a few times after that. He never made her feel small and even when he disagreed with her, he would explain why he felt that way and present his opinion in a respectful manner. It was nice. She valued the empathy he showed her in a way she hadn't expected.

Stephanie was another surprise in her own way. She'd seen facets of Stephanie's personality while they'd been dealing with Max and she'd seen the image Steph put out at school. But at home, and the Lauter house truly was becoming home, she got to see something a bit softer. Steph didn't have similar experiences to fall back on but she supported Grace how she could and was quick to provide a distraction if her friend got stuck in her own head. Seeing Steph let down her walls, seeing her with sleep mussed hair on a Saturday morning watching animal planet allowed Grace to let her own perfectly rigid mask loosen a little. She didn't have to be perfectly tidy and presentable, an embodiment of piety and purity. And that was nice too.

----------------

Bit of a shorter part just to give Grace some time to adjust to all the stuff I keep throwing at her

Consequences (pt1)

In which the Lords in Black aren't fully satisfied with Grace's sacrifice (or, the pitfalls of an abstinence only sex education)

---------------------------------

She hadn't wanted to kill them, Grace thought numbly as she stared down at her dirt streaked hands, unable to shake the image of her latest victims from her mind. Yes, she believed that the behaviour she'd witnessed from the young couple, drunk and making out in the park, was dirty and perverse but she didn't want to kill them. And yet when she had gotten near, it was as though she was seized by a terrible hunger and she just couldn't stop herself.

She slipped to the ground, resting her head against the side of her bed and felt tears burning her eyes. It had been a few months since everything with Max... since she had given in to the primal temptations and sacrificed her chastity to send him to hell. She should feel... something. Relief? But her insides felt like they were rotting. She'd done so many terrible things and she didn't even have her unwavering faith to fall back on anymore, not after what she'd seen in the school gym. She didn't know if the colourful figures had been demons or if they truly were gods but it felt like jagged claws had slashed apart the fabric of her soul, leaving jagged doubts behind. Doubts and hunger.

At first she'd been able to ignore it but it had gotten stronger. It would rise in waves, crescendoing down onto her when they peaked and leaving her scrabbling for purchase as her mind crumbled.

Even the brief moments of peace she usually got between the waves had been lost to her now as she found herself battling daily with nausea, sometimes barely making it from her bed to the bathroom in time. She had tried to hide it as best she could but she knew her parents were concerned, had heard them whispering while she lingered in doorways. If it continued much longer they'd want to take her to the doctor, but she knew medicine couldn't help her. Her soul was sick, that was the cause. She would just have to pray harder. Maybe she could ask Stephie and Petey for help? Surely her friends would agree to pray with her when they saw how bad things had gotten.

Struggling to her feet, feeling her stomach twist painfully as she did so, she retrieved her phone from her bedside and sent Steph a text asking to meet up.

Her friends would help. They had to.

[luinquesse]

This is all you’re gonna get because it’s tumblr~