#but he could also swallow him whole so he's not too intimidated

[tk-duveraun]

SY transmigrates but the system tells him he's going into SQQ and he gives that a hard pass, so it drops him in the body of a little demonic lizard in the Endless Abyss and then says "well since you right want to participate, you're on your own" and leaves him.

Which, rude.

So SY is an Abyssal Lava Gecko. They live in lava floes and nest in caves made by air bubbles forming in the lava and then cooling enough to solidify into walls. They don't need to eat, they photosynthesize off of the intense heat, but if they do eat, they produce venom powerful enough to paralyze a heavenly demon.

They're also all of 4 inches long.

Nevertheless, SY starts cultivating furiously so that wren LBH gets dropped in the Abyss, he's powerful enough to survive outside of the lava without starving or getting eaten himself.

He succeeds.

Sort of.

He finds the crater from LBH falling in, conveniently for him, it's next to a river of lava. This is less convenient for LBH who is unconscious and getting crispy.

As a lizard, he licks LBH's face to wake him up. He doesn't wake LBH up, but ingesting HD blood pushes him past his cultivation bottleneck!

Yes!

He transforms into a human!

...

He's only 4 inches tall.

[ladymochimochi]

✦♡✦ Need To Know - Part Two ✦♡✦

Katakuri x Fem!Reader [AO3 Link] Part One Description: Katakuri's fantasies become reality. Tags: Clothed sex, Face sitting, oral sex (F!Receiving), Multiple orgasms, Dirty talk, Desk sex, Size difference (Reader is slightly sized up to better fit Kata), Come shot, Facial, Come swallowing, 18+ MDNI Words: 3.6k ₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

It truly was getting to be too much. You could not get the sound of him saying your name that way out of your head. So desperate, so needy. It made your stomach flip and your blood run hot. Ever since that day, it was like you were stuck in a haze - floating through your daily routine around Katakuri’s estate, his moans on repeat inside your head. It had definitely spiced up your private time in your bed chambers at night as well. 

The only issue is that you would never bring this up to him. How were you supposed to go up to your huge and intimidating boss – who you also had a crush on - and casually tell him, “Hey, by the way, I was totally listening in on the other side of the door the other day. It was really hot. Should we...?”.  

Yeah. Not happening. 

So, you had kept your head down and worked diligently while trying to avoid bumping into Katakuri. But that could only last so long and you felt your face go pale when you were told it was your duty this week to clean up his office. 

Not only could you potentially see him in there, it was also the scene of where it all happened. How were you supposed to do your job and not want to die the whole time? 

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

Fortunately, luck had been on your side and when you had entered his office after knocking, it was evident Katakuri was out at the moment. You quickly got to work, wanting to get your chores done in here before he could return. His office was quite large but not much was in it. Just a large desk and chair and a chaise lounge with a low table, along with a rug, some decor and bookcases. The chaise lounge you always figured was just a part of the decor since there was no way Katakuri actually used it. 

Just as you were wrapping up, you heard the door open behind you and you froze. Of course, your luck could only last so long. You heard Katakuri say your name like he wasn’t expecting to see you and hearing your name from his lips again sent a shiver down your spine. Gathering your courage to face him long enough to get out of here, you quickly turned and grabbed your bucket of cleaning supplies. 

“I just finished, my lord,” you told him. “I’ll be out of here in a moment.” With a small bow, you attempted to leave but he shut the door behind him before you could even cross the room. Panic flooded your senses and you could only watch as he strode up to you. Certain bloodlines within you made it so you weren’t tiny next to him, but you still only came up to about his abdomen. You shyly looked up at him to see him looking down at you and his gaze made it feel like he was analyzing you.  

“M-My lord?” You stammered out, unsure of what to do.  

“I feel like I haven’t seen you around that much these past few days.” Katakuri told you and you felt a lump form in your throat. You swallowed it down and looked away from him. 

“Oh... W-Well, you know, I’ve been so busy cleaning all over the place. So... So many rooms, you know?” You rambled out, your face going the color of crimson. It was a stupid excuse but you couldn’t just tell him the truth outright. You had been avoiding him but you never expected him to notice. He was an important and busy man and you were just a maid that worked for him. It was clear from the other day that he was attracted to you but the fact that he noticed your absence from his presence made your heart flutter. 

His stare only continued and he made no reply to your excuse. It was evident he was not buying it at all and your odd behavior only piqued his interest even more. You began to fidget, hoping he would just let you go and die from shame in your bed chambers. His eyes drifted down to where you were white-knuckling your cleaning bucket and after a second, he visibly stiffened. 

“...You overheard, didn’t you?” His question was so quiet but you heard it all the same. A knot formed in your stomach and you felt tears prick at the back of your eyes. You could have tried to play dumb and say you didn’t know what he meant but you knew it was pointless and also cowardly. Words bubbled up your throat and you couldn’t stop yourself from speaking out. 

“I’m so sorry, my lord. I truly didn’t mean to but...” You started to confess but you trailed off, not knowing how to excuse your spying on him. Not able to face him anymore, you turned your back to him, still death gripping your bucket. You knew it was rude to do, especially to your boss but your heart just couldn’t take it. “It was wrong of me.” You whispered. 

“No.”  His reply stunned you. “It was wrong of me to do that and then put you in this position.” You turned slightly back to him and while you couldn’t see half of his face due to his signature scarf, you could see the tips of his ears were a dusty pink. The sight made your heart beat faster and it was something you wanted to burn into your brain. You turned away again, staring at his desk. This whole situation was awkward for the both of you but here you were and this needed to be taken care of.  

It was time to be honest. 

“It’s alright... I actually didn’t mind at all.” You said, your face burning hot. He stepped closer and you could feel the heat of his body right behind you. 

“Is that so?” He rumbled out, right by your ear. It sent a shiver down your spine and you finally dropped your bucket. Him being so close was making your head spin.  

“Yes. It was...” You trailed off, feeling too shy to say it aloud. But he wasn’t going to let you off like that. 

“Tell me.” He ordered as he stood back up to his full height and put his hands on your shoulders. You lost your breath at having him finally touch you. Your heart was beating so fast you felt like it may just burst from your chest. Was this really happening? Where was this even going? If it was going where you thought it was, you weren’t going to say no.  

“It was really hot. Hearing you say my name like that, knowing what you were doing on the other side of that door.” You whispered, your skin burning. He didn’t immediately reply and the silence was killing you. 

“What were you thinking about?” You breathlessly asked him and he gripped you tighter. You needed to know. What had been going through his head while he stroked himself to the thought of you? 

A beat of silence passed before he replied. 

“How about I show you?” 

You stared up at him over your shoulder with wide eyes and slowly nodded your head, your mouth now gone dry. With that he turned you around and lifted you up, hitching your legs around his waist. You let out a small, startled noise and clung to his broad shoulders. You didn’t expect him to move so quickly after how slow the two of you were going just a moment ago.  

He brought you over to the chaise lounge and sat down on the edge of it. You were now straddling him and could feel his arousal press into you. It was quite large and it made you swallow while wondering how you were going to take it – if this even went that far. 

His large hands moved to your waist to hold you in place and - to your surprise - he laid back onto the large rectangular cushion.  

“Wh-What are you doing?” You asked him startled. Katakuri was the man who never laid on his back and here he was now laying beneath you. Not that you minded really. Having this huge man now pinned under you made heat coil in your lower stomach. 

His eyes roamed over your body and his hands moved down your waist to your ass, pulling your short dress up to bunch around your hips. He then grabbed your ass roughly and you gasped.  

“I’m going to let you in on a secret.” He said as he kneaded your ass. His movement caused your hips to start rocking, grinding your core against his cock still confined to his pants and you panted lightly. “I do lay on my back from time to time. Especially when I’m about to have my hot maid ride my face.”  

His words stunned you to silence and you could only stare down at him wide eyed, mouth slightly agape. You were most definitely wet at this point and you could feel your pussy throb at how seductive he was being. 

“Now, I’m going to need these off.” He said as stopped kneading your ass and he snapped your panties against the skin of your hip. It jolted you out of your stupor. Biting your lip, you continued to grind yourself down on his arousal. You didn’t want to have to get off of him for even a second.  

“Rip them.” You told him like a soft command and his eyes widened, pupils dilating and he let out a growl as he promptly ripped both sides of your panties. You lifted your hips enough to get the ruined cloth out from under you and he tossed them across the room. 

“Close your eyes.” He rasped to you and while the sudden command left you confused, you did as he said. “Don’t open them until I tell you to.”  

“Yes, my lord.” You whispered in response, darkness the only thing you could now see. Not being able to see what he was going to do to you next added another level of heat to the situation and you could feel your heart beating rapidly in your chest. Then you felt his strong hands on your hips and he was lifting you again. A small gasp left you as he brought you up and set you back again. You felt the soft fabric of his scarf on your thighs and you put two and two together that he had you hovering over his face. Knowing your bare pussy was right in front in his face made you feel so light headed, you were worried you may pass out. 

There was a small sound of fabric shifting and then you felt it. His large, hot tongue licked up your slit and you threw your head back as you let out a loud cry. One of your hands went backwards to brace yourself on his broad chest while the other fumbled to find his hair and you gripped it tightly, earning a grunt from the man below you. His fingers dug into your thighs and then he went to work on you like a man starved. 

You moaned loudly as his tongue lapped at your clit. It was an extreme pleasure you had never felt before and you gripped his hair tighter. Katakuri let out raspy groan in response and flicked his tongue faster. You cried out again and began to move your hips. As you rocked your hips in time with his licking, you could have sworn you felt...fangs? Your mind was in such of a sex haze though that it quickly left your thoughts.  

You could feel your orgasm building quickly and you quietly begged him for more. He started to switch between licking and sucking on your clit and it wasn’t long before your orgasm ripped through you. You let out a high-pitched moan and squeezed your eyes shut, trying not to snap them open. You rode out your orgasm on his face while he kept licking and sucking.  

Once you were able to catch your breath, you started to shift away from him. But he only gripped your thighs tighter. 

“I’m not done yet.” He growled beneath you and you were about to question him when his tongue plunged into your hole. You screamed out at the hot, wet intrusion. Your hand on his chest pressed down harder and you dug your nails into his flesh. You wished you could open your eyes and watch him go to town on you but you didn’t dare disobey him. His tongue repeatedly went in and out of you and you could nothing but moan, pinned down to his face.  

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.” You gasped over and over, another orgasm coming quickly. “It’s so good.” You groaned out, now having found your voice. Katakuri moaned in response and went even faster in and out of you. Your thighs began to shake and you pressed yourself down onto his face harder.  

“Yes, yes, yes!” You squealed out as you rode out your second orgasm. Once this one passed, you let out a harsh breath and doubled over, still keeping your eyes closed.  

You lifted yourself from his face and this time he let you. His own haggard breathing could be heard and it made your walls clench. It reminded you of him jerking off and you hoped you could hear more of his noises. 

With your eyes still shut, he lifted you again and put you back on his lap. His erection felt even harder than before and you bit your lip. There was shuffle of fabric again and you waited for his next order. 

“You can open your eyes now.” He told you and you slowly did so, getting adjusted to the lights again. You looked down at him and drank in the sight of him.  

His hair disheveled, large chest heaving, half covered face flushed red, eyes absolutely hungry. You could come again just looking at him. It must’ve shown on your face because he swiftly sat up, wrapped your legs around him and stood once more. This time he took you over to his desk and set you down on your feet. But your legs were still shaking and you had to grab him before you collapsed to the floor. 

“I got you.” He said as he held you up. “You doing okay?” He asked you gently and you nodded back. “We can stop if you need to.” He said but you shook your head. 

“No, I’m good to keep going. Please don’t stop.” You told him softly, looking up at him. His gaze over his scarf turned hungry again and then he turned you around, placing a hand on your back. His large hand on your back slowly pressed you down so that your front was pressed down against the top of his large desk. The hand still there gently rubbed your back as it slowly made its way down to your ass.  

He pushed your dress up so that you were exposed to him and he turned his hand to slip two fingers into your wet cunt. The sudden intrusion made you cry out as you rocked your hips back to ride his fingers. He large fingers dipped in and out of you at a brutal pace. It stretched you out good and you knew this was in prep for his large cock.  

After everything he had done to you, it wasn't long before you reached yet another orgasm. You were a stuttering mess of oh yes and please as your third orgasm ripped through you. Your breath was ragged as you rode your high. 

“Please...” You started to beg. “I need your cock, my l-lord.” You couldn’t even catch your breath but your body needed him and needed him now. You could feel yourself dripping wet and your thighs slick. 

He removed his fingers from you and you heard the clink of his belt coming undone. Your mind was fully hazy again with lust and all that was on your mind was his cock. You wiggled your ass at him, excited at the prospect of getting fucked. His hand came down and smacked against one of your cheeks causing you to cry out. 

“Stay still.” He ordered huskily and your eyes rolled back.  

“Yes... Yes, my lord.” You panted, the side of your face pressed against his desk. Then you felt the head of his cock as he notched it at your entrance. One of his hands gripped your hip as he slowly directed his cock into you.  

You moaned loudly at the stretch; he was much bigger than you ever expected but you were determined to take it all. His thumb rubbed circles onto your hip as he entered you inch by inch.  

“You’re doing so good.” He gently said to you and you clenched around him, whimpering in reply. Soon he was seated fully within you and you were breathing rapidly at being so full. Once you were fully used to the stretch, you gave him the go ahead to start moving.  

He started out slow, pumping into you with control. Your body was slowly giving into the pleasure, every thrust feeling better and better. You started to mewl and moan and he went faster, fingers digging into your hip. 

“You’re so big.” You said breathlessly. “It’s so fucking good, yes, fuck me.” You pleaded to him, starting to see stars across your vision. 

The hand that had been leading his cock into you slammed down onto his desk next to your head and you gasped. 

You felt his large frame press onto your back as he bent over to be on top of you and your walls clenched ever tighter around him. He started to drill into you and you could barely catch your breath. To be taken in such of a feral fashion made your eyes roll back into your head. 

“This... is what I was stroking my cock to the other day.” He seductively said down to you, his thrusts unrelenting. “You crying out for my cock while I fuck you like this, after I ate my fill of your sweet pussy.” 

His words alone were about to send you into another orgasm. You cried out again and dug your nails into the wood of his desk. At this point, words were beyond you and you were just a crying, mewling mess. The hand on your hip suddenly moved and he brought it between your body and his desk so he could play with your clit. You started to scream out, your legs shaking violently. It was too much, way too much. The feel of his fingers moving against your clit, the harsh thrusts of his huge cock inside you, the press of his body against you. 

Your vision blacked out for a second and yet another orgasm crashed into you at rapid speed. He picked up his pace, fucking you faster and faster through your orgasm. You were screaming so loud you were sure the whole estate – maybe even the whole island – could hear you but you didn’t care at all. Never in your life had you been fucked like this and you were going to enjoy every second of it. 

You were slowing your rapid breathing down when you realized you had been drooling on his desk. As you were going to lift your head, Katakuri grabbed your waist and brought you up himself so the two of you were standing against the desk.  

“There’s one more thing to this fantasy.” He rumbled out to you, slightly out of breath himself. You couldn’t fathom what else he had in store for you but you were willing to go along with anything at this point. “On your knees, mouth open, tongue out.” He ordered and slipped his cock out of you.  

His words made your whole body shiver and your pussy throb yet again. He stepped away from you and it didn’t take much effort for you to get onto the floor. Your body basically thanked you for doing so. You faced him on your knees and this was the first time you actually got to see his cock. 

Your brain short-circuited as you tried to process how the hell that had fit inside of you.  

What brought you out of your thoughts was his hand stroking his huge cock and you remembered he was waiting. Looking up at him, you opened your mouth and stuck out your tongue just like he told you to. He groaned and pumped his fist faster.  

This was really what he fantasized about? Holy shit.  

You placed your hands on the floor in-between your spread knees and hefted your chest up, cleavage on display and stuck your ass out, wanting to give him the best view. His face, still half hidden by his scarf, flushed at you doing this and his eyes had a look of desperation in them. His fist went faster and faster until he let out a guttural moan and his cum shot out onto you. 

You closed your eyes as most of it landed on your tongue but some ended up on your cheek and even the top of your breasts. Slowly opening your eyes, you made eye contact with him and then drew your tongue back into your mouth and visibly swallowed.  

“Fuck.”  

It was all Katakuri could mutter after seeing such a display. You tilted your head to the side while still looking up at him, smiling softly but with wicked look in your eye. 

“Was it everything you wanted, my lord?” 

[avocado-writing]

Okay, I've had this idea bouncing around in my head, waiting for you to reopen suggestions, haha. How do you think the Origins Companions + Halsin, Rolan, Dammon, and Zevlor would react if they found out that Tav had been hiding a very serious injury from them? The kind of injury where Tav is convinced that they're fine and they don't want to worry anyone with something they can handle on their own, especially the people they care most for, but as they try to ignore the injury it only gets worse until it's potentially life threatening and they can't keep up the facade anymore. I will leave it up to you whether or not Tav and the other individual are in a romantic relationship. I think both ways have potential for wonderful angst 😆

ooohhh noooooo! but also oh yes, LOVE this sort of angst lol. written as if you have had an infection come on from an injury. this is gonna be a long list so let's buckle up...

Astarion

really tries to hide his panic but fails miserably.

can't help but start snapping - how could you keep something like this from him?

you try to give your excuses but he waves them away, angry, but mostly because he's terrified that he might have lost you.

if he has any healing potions he helps you take them, if he doesn't he immediately... sources some from somewhere.

holds you as tight as he dares, worried that he will aggravate the injury otherwise.

as you begin to heal and drift off to sleep he spends the whole night watching you rest, making sure that you're still breathing, still safe. doesn't mind when you cuddle up to him in the night, sleepily.

Gale

curses himself for not noticing your condition. he's a wizard, damn it! he's meant to be bloody perceptive.

wishes for the first time ever that he didn't just know wizard spells. wishes he knew how to heal, too.

makes you as comfortable as he can while he finds a book about what he can do for an infected wound, probably swallowing his pride and going to Shadowheart if it's bad enough.

you manage a weak, "Gale, you don't have to--", and he cuts you off, "if you're going to insist that I don't have to look after you, I'm telling you that I do."

fixes you something to help with the pain and infection, makes sure you drink it all despite the horrid taste, then tucks you into his bedroll to let you rest.

when you go to reach out and cuddle him he slips into your arms, presses his lips to your hair, and whispers as you fall asleep about how much you scared him. about how he'd never be able to lose you.

Lae'zel

only realises how unwell you are when you fall over mid-journey.

"tsk'va! why did you hide the extent of your injuries from me?"

hauls you onto her back and carries you back to camp, muttering about your foolishness the whole time.

makes you comfortable in her tent and uses her knowledge of githyanki medicine to help start healing you.

it isn't comfortable as she works on your infection but for the first time you feel her hands being soft rather than vicious.

"you should not have kept this from me." "I know. I'm sorry." "hm. ridiculous thing. zhak vo'n'fynh duj."

goes and intimidates the camp into being quiet so you can rest. it works. this is the nicest she's ever been to you. you could get used to it.

Shadowheart

obviously this is not a huge problem for her, but she is still worried that it got so far without her noticing.

immediately heals you, pouring far too many spell slots into your body in order to get it up and running again.

it helps, immediately breaking the fever you've been nursing, and the touch of Shadowheart's hand to your face is cooling and reassuring.

"lady shar teaches us to embrace our pain... but not like this. you should have known better. you could have died."

her hand slips down to cup your cheek, you cover it with one of your own. she's telling you off but you can tell it's because she cares.

"I'm sorry that I scared you." "I know. don't do it again."

she smiles and the ache in your heart is lifted, too.

Wyll

panics.

you collapse on day in camp and he immediately calls on the others for help, not so proud as to be unable to admit when something is out of his knowledge. he is not a healer. he needs help.

he manages to catch you in his arms as you tumble, hugging you close to his chest while magic is worked or a healer checks you over.

lets out a breath he didn't realise he was holding when you begin to stabilise.

helps you back to your tent to rest, gently chiding you but letting you know that he's glad you're alright.

when your hand weakly comes up to touch him, he indulges you in a kiss to let you know how relieved he is.

constantly watching you on the battlefield from that moment on. if he can help it, you'll never be hurt again.

Karlach

another panicker.

scoops you up in her arms and holds you to her chest, running to the tent of the nearest healer in camp - or, if you're in the city, kicking down the door of a local doctor.

begging the healer to check you over, but is reluctant to let you go. if she stops holding you it's like she's relinquishing control and that scares the life out of her.

you're healed and she feels you start to stir in her arms, peppering you with kisses of relief, choking through her tears that you're never to scare her like that again.

carries you back home, even if you're totally capable of walking. she just wants to make sure you're okay.

Halsin

sternly disappointed that you didn't tell him, but more annoyed that he didn't notice something was wrong himself. how could he not see how out of balance with nature you were?

squirrels you away to his tent to heal you, make you soothing and medicinal teas, his big hands over the source of the infection.

you burrow into his touch, into his chest, and you end up sitting in his lap as he heals you.

he wants to tell you off a little, but is more relieved that you're alright. encourages you to share all your burdens with him.

kisses you on the forehead, then on the mouth when he's sure you're strong enough for it not to knock you flat.

Dammon

my poor boy is just a blacksmith, so though he doesn't exactly panic, he does scoop you up and try to find a healer as soon as he can.

waits quietly and nervously as you are examined, silently cursing himself for being too busy to see how you were hurt. he's meant to be better than this. he's meant to love you, how didn't he notice?

when you come to he can't stop apologising, and it takes several of your kisses to soothe him and tell him it was not his fault but yours.

he makes you promise that you'll always tell him when you're hurt. has you look into his eyes and swear it.

he can't do much on the battlefield but he can protect you where he can.

Rolan

another one cursing that he doesn't know healing spells.

"you aren't meant to die, gods damn it! you're meant to be strong... what good am I if I can't keep you safe..."

rushes you to the best doctor in Baldur's Gate. pays for all the treatment that you could need. holds your hand at your bedside for your entire recovery... until you come back to consciousness, of course, at which point he just starts telling you off for being stupid enough to get into his mess in the first place.

you grab him by the collar and drag him down for a kiss. that finally shuts him up. but he never lets you forget how foolish you were.

Zevlor

practical but still worried about you.

you collapse in the field and he finds a safe place to hide the both of you from dangerous eyes, using his Lay on Hands ability to channel his magic into healing.

you try to apologise but a finger to your lips silences you, and all you can do is watch in quiet wonder as he burns the infection out with his Paladin's light.

when you're better he gently chides you. tells you that you have people relying on your leadership, and that a problem shared means there are more heads working on how to fix it.

when he sees how sorry you are lets you cuddle into him. when you say you'll repay him, he insists your happiness and well-being is enough for an old warrior like him.

does take the kiss you offer, though. he's been wanting to do that for a while...

[honeygrahambitch]

"Now there are two things we can do." Brian said and looked at Beverly and Jimmy. "We tell Tim that Will is in a relationship or we let Tim be delusional just so we can see Dr. Lecter being jealous right in front of us."

"Tim from the HR department?" Jimmy asked a bit lost. "I go on vacation for once and I miss all the drama."

"Basically, this guy Tim is fruity." Beverly explained. "He's been visiting the lab for all kinds of stupid reasons only to interact with Will or to ask us about Will."

"Why didn't you tell him? He's taken for life."

"That's exactly what I was telling you two just now. We could tell him or we could see what happens." Brian went on. "Imagine being Will and having two men fight for you."

"Are you jealous, Z?" Beverly asked, making Brian scowl.

"No one is fighting for Will, Hannibal has already won."

"He has but does he seem to be the type to accept other people flirting with his hubby?" Jimmy asked rhetorically.

"That's a different story, you wouldn't want to see a man flirt with your wife either."

"Dr. Lecter is consulting on the case today. If we are lucky, Tim will come by. The funniest part is that Will is completely oblivious to his attempts."

*

"The victims not only have the eye colour in common. That was supposed to throw us off." Will said thoughtfully as he looked at the three bodies. "It's something else."

"We ran all the tests. Nothing similar." Jimmy replied.

"I mean, they did have the same blood type." Beverly added. "They are all B negative."

"I suggest you all find something more specific than that, we are not about to tell people to stay indoors if they have green eyes and the B negative blood type." Jack demanded a bit too impatiently. "Doctor?"

Hannibal was reading the case file just as Beverly was handing him the report following their tests. "We will find it, Jack." He replied not even lifting his glance but reassuringly enough for Jack to be satisfied.

The door of the lab opened and everyone moved their glance towards the visitor.

"Oh, hi, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

As soon as everyone noticed it was Tim, their attention went back to the case file. Brian elbowed Jimmy subtly but not discreet enough for Hannibal to miss it. What he didn't miss was also the fact that this man who had just entered smelled really cheap.

"I hope I'm not intruding, I will be real quick."

Jack rolled his eyes. "What, Tim? What is it? Unless you solve this case I don't want to know."

Tim turned his head away from the dead bodies, visibly horrified. "I...sorry, no, not my domain. Unless they are trying to apply for a job here." He said and laughed awkwardly.

The joke made everyone in the room eye him at the same time, in a way that made Tim wish for the earth to swallow him.

"Anyway...I brought Will a coffee."

Hannibal flipped the page loudly enough for everyone in the room to hear it. "There is not sufficient information on the third victim. No medical history." He said as he watched the man hand Will the cup of coffee.

He gave Beverly a questioning glance. If anyone in that lab knew what was going on, she was the one. She shrugged awkwardly.

"We couldn't contact any relative of the last victim yet. That is why a lot of information is missing." Will explained. "Thanks'." He said absently as he accepted the cup of coffee.

Tim smiled widely, making Brian bite his own tongue in an attempt not to laugh.

"I like your shirt." Tim blurted out just like a teen who has been practicing the whole morning in front of the mirror.

Will was not phased, he was so focused on the third body that he didn't even hear the remark.

"I do too, I got it for him." Hannibal replied, making all the eyes in the room go to him. To Hannibal, that was never something to intimidate him. On the contrary. "It matches his eye color."

Brian kicked Jimmy again almost making him lose his balance.

However the most precious view in the room was the way Tim's face paled instantly. Out of pure stupidity, he tried to feed his own delusion and went on to ask:

"Aren't you Will's psychiatrist?" He had to convince himself that handsome man was nothing more than that.

Hannibal appreciated the poor thing for doing his homework. Although not completely.

This time Brian could not hold back his laughter, earning a punch in the shoulder from Jimmy.

Jack sighed loudly in his habitual "why can we never focus on the case" manner and didn't even make an effort to explain anything. "Please return to the HR office if you are done."

Hannibal made a mental note. Tim from HR. It was just as good as a business card. "Not anymore. Fact which makes buying clothes for my husband completely ethical."

Will lifted an eyebrow subtly.

"I didn't know Will was married." Tim mumbled taken aback, his heart and spirit visibly breaking.

"Will didn't know either." Will replied. "But I suppose I'm as good as married, indeed." He added thoughtfully before looking at one particular detail on each body.

"How does this discussion help us solve the case?" Jack asked, the frustration visible on his face.

"It does, in fact. If you check the victims you will notice they each wear the same ring. If you trace that back to the jewelry shop they got it from, we will have a new lead."

"I should have Tim in the lab more often." Jack said, pleased by the new connection.

"I don't think I will ever be able to come by. I don't like being led on." Tim said and left the room, making Brian almost choke.

"Who was that?" Will asked when he heard the door of the lab. "And how did I end up with this coffee?"

[webslingingslasher]

Not to be annoying but I rlly hope u write some kind of blurb for the jealous frat!Peter when someone flirts w reader after they are officially boyfriend girlfriend bc u wanna assess what kind of relationship they'll have after all the emotional trauma and angstttttt (idk if u got my first ask though)

*cleaning out my inbox*

kisses scattered across your face woke you up, hair tickled your nose, and you showed you were awake by lightly pushing on peter’s shoulder. it's just too early.

'can't snooze me, trouble. you're the one that told me to wake you up.' another round of kisses, your wake up call isn't that terrible. 'c'mon, up and at 'em. you've got a midterm to study for, leslie's waiting for you.'

his reasoning doesn't make you move any quicker, it was on leslie for choosing saturday morning as peak study time. you weren't even able to hang at the party last night, instead you hunkered down in peter's room and lightly woke when he crawled into bed around one to tug you into his side.

'it's so early.' peter pouts against your cheek, 'you'll survive. you've been putting in overtime this week. i swear that you've hung out with leslie everyday.' it's true, and like peter said before your first study session 'you'll feel your brain grow, super proud of you.' there's no question you'll ace the midterm.

'promise me you'll let me sleep in tomorrow?' a flurry of kisses, you savor them, you know it's the last attack of the day. 'you got it.'

---

peter thought you could use a little pick me up, so, he gladly walked into the library doors with your favorite fast food. it might've been slightly selfish, because he knows he just won himself some brownie points.

it took him a minute, but he found you. back in the study section, lightly kicking your feet under the table. you were nodding your head while chewing on the end of your pen, peter's heart picked up; he couldn't wait to see the look on your face.

you laugh, he smiles. peter moves around a bookcase and comes to a sudden stop. sitting right next to you, was a guy. he had your total attention, no other sign of people around you, peter couldn't even try to pretend it had turned into a last minute group session.

peter finds it hard to swallow, it's not that you're not allowed to hang out with guys, it's the fact that you lied about it. was there ever a leslie, or was it code for this guy the whole time?

the answer will be in your reaction, and he's about to catch you. you don't see him coming, your eyes flash to the bag on the table then to the hand setting it down. you almost burst at the seams, a surprise visit and your favorite food.

'peter!' you wince at your tone, a nasty look from the table next to you gets a silent apology. 'what are you doing here?' you're already digging through the bag, you miss the inspection he's doing on your study partner. you also miss the way he's avoiding peter's eyes.

'just wanted to say hi,' you chew on a fry and hold your mouth closed while you pucker, a chaste kiss. 'hi.' you swallow and tap on the arm next to you, peter follows the motion closely. 'have you met peter yet?'

'uh, no.' he scoots closer to the table, you shrug and look up at peter. he has his focus on leslie, it seems more intimidating than friendly. when your study buddy looks to you for help, peter loses it.

'trouble? wanna come talk to me for a minute?' you frown, your fries are at the perfect temperature. 'but, you-' the look in peter's eyes tells you he isn't playing, a sense of urgency has you scooting your chair back.

the second you're ducked behind a shelf, it spits out. 'who the fuck is that?' peter's tone has you drawing your head back, it's sudden and aggressive. 'who, leslie?' he laughs, 'nice try, who is he?'

it feels accusatory, you take a slight step back. 'that's leslie, peter.' he snorts, 'and you left out the fact he's a guy?' the reason for his sudden change makes you feel dirty, you don't like how he's directing his words.

'i didn't feel like it had to be spesified.' peter nods sarcastically, 'so i tell you i'm hanging out with... jordan, and i've been around them for hours a day, for the entire week then you find out it's a chick and you wouldn't mind? not even a little bit?'

'it depends on what you're doing with her.' a dry laugh, 'you knew exactly what the fuck you were doing with that name shit. don't stand here and tell me i'm the idiot.'

he's making you feel sad, you don't understand how peter could think of you like that. 'i don't understand why you're so upset.' peter tugs at his snapback, scratching at his curls, he replaces it.

'because you're my fucking girlfriend.'

your arms cross, 'so i can no longer hang out with any other guy?' maybe you were being a little difficult, but he's the one that implied you were cheating, or at the very least capable of it.

'jesus christ, that's what you jump to? no, honey-' the name sounded sour, '-it's the fact that you knew i'd think he was a girl and you didn't try to change that.'

'i don't see why it matters.' peter feels like he's talking in circles and he really wants to break from the conversation because he can feel his frustration building, he's about to start saying things he'll regret.

'it doesn't!' you pull on his arm with wide eyes, your head spins to look around. peter brings himself to a whisper shout, 'it doesn't fucking matter, but it starts to matter when you lie to me.'

'don't make it seem like i'm cheating on you.' you tried to ease him down, like the two had nothing in common. it was the wrong choice of words, a fire blazed in peter's eyes. you stepped back when peter pointed a finger at you, for once, he's making you feel really small.

'you're the one who brought up cheating. go back to your fucking friend, i'm done.'

you try to grab onto his wrist, but peter shakes you off like you're nothing. 'peter,' he has no interest in what you have to say, you can't follow him, he's too quick. 'peter!'

when he's out of sight you look down at the ground and sigh. peter was right, you knew what you were doing by alluding to the fact leslie was a girl. and peter doesn't care when you hang out with other guys, but because you left that part out, you've been lying by omission and it makes everything seem worse than it is.

you just don't know what he meant by 'i'm done,' and you really hope it just pertains to the conversation. either way, you shuffle back to your table with a tail between your legs and hope to god peter would let you apologize.

---

gentle knocks at the frat door, you were scared that if you gave peter a heads up, he'd bolt.

'uh oh, you're in trouble.' ethan has a smug look, it tells you that he's been preparing for you to show up. 'how much?' you need to know your chances before you can think of your plea bargain.

ethan wavers, 'he was... upset.' you hold your face between your hands as you slide in, mumbling out a 'fuck,' before building confidence to move up the stairs.

you lightly tap on your boyfriend's door, when there's no response you slowly twist the door knob. peter's lying on his bed, ankles crossed while a book covers his face.

'peter?' the door clicks shut. you timidly step forward, 'petey?' nothing from him, just a slight adjustment and he's back to reading. 'did we break up?'

the book drops, you're looking right at him. 'no, we didn't break up.' you can breathe a little bit better even if he went back to glaring at words, the main anxiety was flushed. 'okay, good.' you reach the end of his bed, rubbing at his shin you try to soften him up.

'i love you.' peter has a very unimpressed glance when you capture his total attention by taking a seat, pushing into his thighs. 'i don't know why i didn't tell you leslie was a guy, i mean, i honestly forgot but when you started saying she... i didn't correct you.' your fingers twiddle with the band of his watch, 'and i don't know why, i guess i wasn't thinking about it like that. but yeah, i'd feel a bit cheated if you did the same to me.'

'you keep saying cheat.'

cheating is almost number one in things you should never do to your partner, but for some reason, it really hits something in peter. just saying the word, out of context, has him pulling from your touch.

'peter, c'mon, stop it. you know what i mean. i'd never, ever cheat on you. i love you too much. i was on the spot and i thought you were implying i was cheating, and i was trying to say i wasn't cheating but then i think you took that as a guilty conscious coming forward and admitting i was cheat-'

'please stop saying cheating. please.'

you hold your mouth shut, a sheepish look crosses over your face. 'sorry.' it comes out as a mumble, it's an uncomfortable silence. you don't really know what to say, or do. you smash repetitive clicks on the side button of peter's watch, when you take a peek, he's watching your hands.

you're really trying, but you need to wash away any idea of it from his head. 'it's just that i never want you to think i'm cheating-' you're shocked into silence when peter rips his arm from you.

'fucking quit it with the cheating, trouble.' you open and close your mouth like a guppy, nothing sounds right. 'i know you don't like it, but i just need you to know that me hiding that leslie was a guy didn't mean i was trying to-'

'say cheat one more time, i fucking dare you.'

you stay silent. 'i don't know how to fix it, peter. i'm sorry i lied, and i’m sorry i keep saying the 'c' word.' you jump at peter's stage claps, you never knew how sarcastic a noise could sound.

'there we go! that was hard, huh?' it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you frown at him. 'you don't need to be so condescending.' peter snorts, 'and you don't need to be lying about girls who are guys that wanna fuck you.'

you freeze on the spot, pushing the words out like they'll make you puke if you think too hard about them. 'leslie doesn't want to fuck me.' peter nudges your back with his knee, 'you're cute.'

you shake your head, 'i mean it. he knows you're my boyfriend, i talk about you all the time.'

'that's so cute, you're so cute.' you push his arm, 'i mean it, peter! i promise he wants nothing to do with me, he even told me he likes someone else.'

peter plays along for the sake of it, 'oh, yeah? he does? let me guess... it's someone you know.' you light up, 'yes! he wouldn't tell me if we were friends, but he said i know her!'

'right, right. and she's super pretty, right? maybe a little outgoing?' it's impressing how well peter knows this. 'yes-' peter keeps going, 'maybe intimidating because she'd never notice him? and how she might not be into a guy like him?'

peter's ticked every single box; your eyebrows furrow, a supercut of every moment you've had with your study partner runs through your mind. you see where you've been dumb on hints, and how you very much are... the girl you know.

'and that might be because she...' you fill in the blanks with shame, 'has a boyfriend.' it's muttered in a deep tone, pitch mocking peter's next words.

a brew of frustration, not on peter, but on men in general. you can't even study without being hunted? and why the fuck does peter know the game so well?

'this is bullshit! what the fuck is your problem?' you stand and glare down at peter, demanding him to answer on behalf of the world's male population. peter holds a hand on his chest, 'what the fuck is my problem? i don't know, what did i do?'

'you!' you point at him, again, a placeholder for all feminine rage. 'you fucking- you're a... you're a man and you suck and why am i constantly fucking sexualized? all i wanted-' you suck in for air, you don't know why you feel a lump in your throat, is this something really worth crying over? yes.

'all i wanted was a friend.' no tears, you're full of anger again. who does that to a person? 'and the whole time i'm being baited? i just wanted to pass my fucking class, peter! i wanted to do it without your help and the second i don't have a fucking man tied to my hip, i'm being plotted against?'

'trouble,' peter's heart hurts and you can hear it.

'no! it's so unfair, and it's unfair that you'll never understand it. it's unfair that i have to live my entire life afraid of what's behind my shoulder. it's unfair that i can't be left alone. even when i make it clear i already have the person i want. it's just-'

you sink next to peter, he sits up to hug you. 'unfair. it's really, really unfair and i'm sorry i can't relate or understand. i'm sorry you thought you had a friend, i'm sorry you feel like you can't relax, and i'm sorry i rubbed it in your face.'

he did rub it in your face.

'you have plenty of guy friends with good intentions that would do anything to keep you out of harm's way. that includes calling out other guys that may not have them, but i could've been nicer. i'm sorry i'm just a man sometimes. i'll work on it, i promise.'

you melt into his touch, peter is very much just a man sometimes. but he's your man and always good at calling himself out when he needs it. 'is that why you thought i cheated on you?'

'the next time you say cheat, you owe me twenty bucks.' you ignore the quip, 'is it?'

peter scoffs as he rubs your back. 'i didn't think you were cheating, trouble. i was upset that my girlfriend was lying about who she was hanging out with.' a slew of kisses to your hairline follow.

'and maybe a little jealous.' you laugh, there's nothing for him to be jealous over, but he's super serious and pulls away to cup your face so you're looking right at him. 

'because you're my baby, and i need it to stay that way.'

[samonroegf]

getting high with sam for the first time

f!reader. suggestive moments but no smut, fluff if you squint, angstish, childhood best friends to strangers to lovers? idk i just love him. veronica ( a character i made up) is used to replace alyssa bc she's a weirdo lol. lotta emotions, pals. 3.8k ᝰ masterlist

you'd known you wanted to try weed for a while now, it was just a bit intimidating. there's also the fact that you're 18 and you still haven't tried it, some might call you a pussy, but you just like to be precautionary.

there was the anti-drug commericals and your father breathing down your neck about being a functioning member of society. the pressure has become too much. you can't help but remember some of the stoner movies you've seen and they seemed so carefree.

so you started to concote the perfect plan, you'd never gotten in trouble, never even tardy for school. when your parents monthly business trip comes up, you knew exactly what you had to do.

invite sam monroe over for the first time in four years, and ask him to teach you how to get high.

so you think about your childhood best friend turned stranger, sam monroe. he wasn't the nicest, especially after his parents’ divorce. but there was also the fact that he had a soft spot just for you. and supposedly everyone knew, you hadn't witnessed this soft spot in a long time, so you hoped it made him a little nicer. you can't even recall why, maybe a kid crush or something. maybe you never knew at all.

you cleaned your room, made it all nice and hid some of your stuffed animals. if you were to invite sam over, you couldn't look like even more innocent than you already did.

on that fateful friday afternoon, you kissed your parents and bid them farewell. the pair completely oblivious to what their perfect little girl would be up to. a somewhat devious smile played on your lips.

you had harboured some kind of school girl crush on sam, since the two of you grew distant. he was mysterious and quiet now, you wish you knew him. wish you never would have let him slip out of your hands.

maybe that can change, maybe you can sew up the tattered thread of a connection. you wanted to laugh at yourself, you're so worked up about sam fucking monroe. the boy that you used to play in the mud with, but then again you're not just little kids anymore. things were definitely complicated. maybe more than you realized.

you couldn't help but start to pace around your room a bit, what if he said no? what if he just refused to come over? maybe you should cook something enticing, give him a extra reason? you had the weed and rolling papers already, courtesy of josh. you hated talking to him, but he had what you needed.

you walked over to the home phone hanging on the wall, and then to the clock on the stove. 6:30 p.m. the green digits stared back at you. this was a once in a lifetime chance so you swallowed your anxiety and picked up the receiver.

you dialed sam’s mom’s number, having it memorized like it was your own mother's. there was always some part of sam in your head, always stuck with you like a lover slain.

you waited patiently for someone to answer the phone, your heart beating louder than your ears could stand. you were sure this was the dumbest you'd ever felt.

“hello, kimball residence, who am i speaking with?” robin kimball, sam's mother, sounded tired. the kind of exhaustion you onlly get when you hate your life.

“hi robin! it's y/n! i was wondering if you could, uh, get sam for me?” your voice was shaky, but you hoped that she wouldn't pay it too much mind. or that she didn't notice it all.

“oh y/n! it's so nice to speak with you, how have you been?” her voice perked up once she realized who you were. always having been like a second mom to you, during your friendship with sam, guess the whole family has a soft spot for you.

“oh, I'm okay! i was just thinking of sam, and wanted him to come hang out, maybe have a sleepover like we used to!” you tried not to sound so childish, but perhaps it was working in your favor. excitement bleed into your tone, maybe hope too.

robin sighed a little, a mix of sadness and apprehension, “i can try to get him on the phone, but I can't make any promises.”

that confused you. but considering how sam acted at school, you couldn't imagine he was any easier at home.

“what do you want?” his voice felt like venom and ice, but you tried to ignore it.

“i, uh, i have some, uh, i have some w-” your stuttering didn't get you very far, sam was a very impatient boy.

“would you just spit it out,” he sounded less mad, and more just irritated. you imagined he probably dragged a hand down his face.

“sorry, I'm sorry. i just have some weed and wanted u to come over. you don't have to, I don't wanna bother you. bye, sam.” you rambled this out as fast as you possibly could and hung up just as quick.

your nerves and his mean tone became just a little too much, you'd never heard him talk to you like that. you didn't know him anymore. that hurt your heart, much more than you would like to admit. it was a fact, had been for quite some time but something about witnessing it with your own ears. it was real now.

sam stomped up the stairs to his room, closing and locking the door with a slam. he ran his hands through his hair, tugging on the black and blue strands.

“who the fuck does she think she is?” his voice was mingled with various emotions, he couldn't figure them out nor did he really want to.

“doesn't talk to me for four fucking years and then one day just calls me up and asks to hangout?” he's trying to keep his voice to a low mumble. as to not bother his younger siblings, even if he couldn't really stand them.

“tells my mom she wants a sleepover?” he almost wanted to go over there just to give her a piece of his mind. he kicked a box on the floor, and it shot across the room against a wall. he heard peter stomping down the hallway to yell at him, and slipped out of his window. a common practice these days.

he was dressed in cargo pants, his boots and a sweatshirt with the rolling stones logo printed in black and white. he was cursing under his breath, as he made the walk.

he couldn't believe her audacity, but then why would she call him unless he was the only one she could call. that had to be bullshit, she had plenty of friends. ten times more than what sam had.

he kicked a rock and lit a cigarette as he continued down the street, he hated that he could still remember the fastest way to her house. her perfect little house, with a perfect little family.

it was only just then that her words settled, like rain through a fog. i just have some weed and wanted u to come over. you don't have to. why would she have weed, unless her perfect little life wasn't so. course, could have been a lie to get him here. could be a prank, but she was never one to be nasty like that. or at least he hoped she wouldn't steep so low.

he had about a million questions that are going through his head, but the one that stuck out the most, why me? why would she call me out of everyone? it's not like sam was the only stoner in their school, but she still wanted him to come over. it made him puff on the cigarette a little faster.

sam stopped in the middle of the street for a moment, staring at the moon and sun that were now able to be seen at the same time. there was some poetry in this but he didn't want to fucking hear it.

he tried to shake his head of all these thoughts as he walked up the stairs to her front door. at the very bottom, you can still see paint marks of her and his handprints from when they moved in. sam was the first friend she made, he remembers her telling him, they'd be friends forever. feels like a cruel joke now.

you sat on your bed looking anxiously at the baggie that stood out on your bedside table. the nightstand a white wood with a pink lamp, and covered in literature. the weed looked weird and out of place next to them.

the slam of the front door and stomps crawling up the stairs brought you out of thoughts, sam standing in your doorway. he leaned against the wood, just looking at you. he looked pissed, but you were unsure if that was just his neutral expression at this point.

“you called.” he barely uttered two words to you, but you couldn't help the growing smile that stretched your lips.

“i wasn't sure if you'd actually show up!” you wished you didn't sound so happy, it was weakness he was bound to attack. you hoped your best friend, sammy was still in there, somewhere.

“what can i say? free weed, can't let that kind of offer go.” he chuckled as he spoke, and it was almost like you knew him again. but you didn't, he was a stranger in your bedroom, while your parents were hours away at this point.

he almost wanted to break something, he had so many questions, so much to say but now that he was in front of her, he wanted nothing more than to push it all aside. this wasn't like this normally, usually anger was so easy to hold onto. this time, it was like he never had any to begin with.

he slowly wandered into the room, looking over everything you had displayed. you prayed he didn't open the closet and get assualted by plushies. the thought almost made you want to giggle.

he was stuck, stuck holding a picture in his hand. he hadn't seen the polaroid in four years. a cheesing sam stared back at him, so free and fun. your arms were tight around him, couldn't be older than six and you were smiling just as big.

as you came to stand next to him, you looked at the picture in his hand. you were being torn between crying and laughing. it's such a cute picture, one that you thought you'd show your kids one day. but those thoughts were one of a silly little girl who believed that sam would always be by your side. you felt stupid, mad and sad all at once.

“i remember this day,” sam's voice sounds faraway, like he is scared to talk at all. like the picture and you would disappear, and he'd wake up from another dream.

“it was the day our dad's built your pool, and we played all day long.” he finished, looking from the photo to you. it was the first time he's really looked at you. his blue eyes peering into yours, you felt naked under his stare.

“yeah, and we had ice cream and it got everywhere,” you chuckled sadly, this felt like a reunion with a lover rather than a friend. you looked away back to the picture in his hand, taking it you put it back on your mirror. as he watched your hands, he noticed it wasn't the only picture of the two of you. you kept every single one, always one to cherish every memory, even if it hurts more than it helps.

“why do you still have them?” his voice is barely above a whisper like he's scared to hear the answer.

“i always hoped you'd come back, that we'd go back to old times. feels kinda stupid to say out loud” you laughed, bringing your arms around yourself trying to bring yourself some comfort.

you're looking at all the pictures, too scared to see what expression is resting on sam's face now.

“well, I'm here, aren't I?” you finally turned to look at him, your eyebrows creased in worry or concern. you weren't sure. his hand comes to rest on your shoulder, it's awkward and comforting all the same.

“would you have ever came if I didn't call? if i didn't have weed?” your voice might break if it shakes anymore, your tongue sucks over your teeth in anxiety.

“wait, don't answer that. i don't want the answer. i don't think you miss me the way i miss you.” you interrupted him. the second half of your words came out mumbled as you walk away from him and sit on the bed. a tear slid down your face, and it makes a bitter laugh come out of you. you've never wanted someone so close and so fucking faraway from you. you wioed it away and hoped he didn't see it. weakness was not an option.

“you don't get to do this,” his voice is quiet, but you were sure that it wouldn't stay that way.

“you don't get to cry and put words in my mouth, you have no fucking idea how i feel.” he raised his voice a bit and you just rolled your eyes at him. he came to sit opposite to you on the bed.

“yeah, you're right. but you also never fucking talked to me. you were my best friend one day and then avoiding me the next. how the fuck do you think that's gonna make me feel? hell, how the fuck can you just do that to someone.” you were yelling too now, staring at him with so much anger. you weren't even really that mad, you were just hurt.

“that is not what fucking happened. you became friends with josh, that's what happened,” his eyes narrowed at you and you wanted, well you don't know what you want but this is definitely something that needed to happen. josh had been a bully in middle school, i guess much hasn't changed.

“excuse the fuck out of me? i did no such thing, i was friends with veronica. i was friends with her, and then you left. and i know, yes, i know that you fucked vee. you left me, and that wasn't enough.” you were seething at this point, barely able to remember why you even missed him in the first place. you got off the bed, not even being able to look at him.

“i did not fuck veronica. who told you that? let me guess, veronica?” your head whipped in his direction, you stopped in your tracks.

your cheeks warmed as you realized you may have been fed incorrect information, “you didn't? but she and josh both told me on seperate instances.” you felt stupid, you came to sit on the bed again. a sheepish look on your face.

“no, i didn't fuck veronica. are you stupid?” the anger in the room begin to fizzle out, and you smacked his shoulder, “don't say that, I'm not stupid.” you gave him a fake angry look and looked at your feet.

you'd been lied to for four years, four years where sam didn't have be alienated. four years where your best friend could be beside you.

“why’d you stop coming around, then? if it wasn't cause of that? ” the fear of rejection injected to your veins. your lip was tightly pulled between your teeth, an anxious habit. your eyes looked from him to your hands as you waited for him to answer.

“somebody told me you hated me and didn't want me around anymore.” his voice was distant like he couldn't believe his own words. “told me you were just friends with me out of pity.”

“now you're the stupid one.” you laughed dryly, trying to make light of the situation. you bumped your shoulder into his.

“hell, i might be. i doubt if you hated me you'd keep all those cheesy momentos.” he chuckled and you could have savored the feeling that went through your chest. he might be better than any high that weed could give you. if you didn't have a bit of love for him before, you definitely do now.

you felt like a tornado of emotions, you didn't know what was to happen now.

some time passed in silence, you both unsure of what was to happen next. years of pushed down feelings that no longer have a sense of direction.

anxiety creeped up your back, looking at sam he's just looking at you. a slight smile on his lips, it's a sight you could get used to.

“what?” you laughed a bit out of embarrassment.

“you’re just pretty.” his voice was soft and you kinda wanted to throw up. how could all this happen and he can just have the audacity to compliment you. you dropped eye contact but a similar smile could now been seen on your face.

“so, we're good now?” you spoke, eyes glued to the floor. you didn't think you could keep from kissing him, if he kept looking at you like that.

“we’re so good. you ready to smoke?” sam smiled some, and layed back on the bed. his arms falling above his head, he stared at the ceiling. life is just some game, and he's pretty sure he just won big. he felt somewhere between being on cloud nine and being the dumbest motherfucker he's ever met. he can't believe he believed josh about some stupid rumor, instead of just coming to you.

“so, actually the thing about that, i don't know how. i called you so you could teach me because i trust you.” warmth gathered on your cheeks again.

he leans up on one arm to look at you, and he smiles real big, teeth and all. his tongue crossing his lips as he laughs a bit. it was clear though, he wasn't laughing at you, just laughing at the situation. but still you must tease him, make up for lost time.

“sammy, don't laugh at me.” before you could stop yourself, the nicknames spilled out of your lips. a nickname sam hadn't heard in some time and it made his heart skip a beat.

“babe, it's not my fault, you make it so easy.” there he was again, undressing you with his eyes. whether it be intentional or not, you weren't sure. his cheeks glowed a little pink and you couldn't help but giggle. it's fair game at this point. you never knew sam as someone to use alot of pet names, is he trying to pick you up?

“yeah, well, you're blushing, dork.” it was a dumb retort, and on top of it all you stuck out your tongue at him. crossing your arms like the brat that you are. it seemed your question answered itself. you were somewhere between friends and lovers, and that scared the shit out of you.

“no I'm not.” he said incredulously, like it was something that was physically impossible. he quick to get off the bed, pushing at his cheeks in the mirror.

you're happy to skip up beside him, “yeah, you are, it's like you have a crush on me or something." you giggled. another thing that should have been left unsaid, spoken by you again. it was necessary, you had to know the truth. it felt like life or death, at this moment.

he stands up beside you, and it's only then that you notice he's got at least half a foot on you. it feels intimidating when he smirks at you.

“what if i do? maybe i like to make cute girls squirm,” his hands come to rest on your hips, and you were sure you were gonna faint, have a heart attack, or maybe die.

“sam, what are you doing.” it wasn't a question, cause you didn't want the answer.

“i'm touching you, is that okay?” you can't help but dumbly nod. he leaning towards you and you let him. his lips are soft against yours, and he pulls you closer. his smell and taste was intoxicating. you were sure if you were dead, this would be what heaven felt like.

your hands come to rest on his chest, letting him kiss you a bit longer before pushing him away.

“i-i think we should smoke, yeah, i think we should do that.” you weren't even sure what you were saying at this point. but you didn't want to just get him back and immediately jump into bed. you're not ready for that yet.

“whatever you want, doll.” he presses one soft, chaste kiss to your forehead and walks towards the weed and the rolling papers. you were almoat confused as you followed him back to the bed, who is this man? you wanted to kick your feet and acream into your pillow.

you watch as his skilled, ring-clad fingers pushed the weed into the white papers. you thought you might have a health issue when his tongue dipped over his lips to wet the paper. your reaction doesn't go unnoticed by him, so he just chuckles and finishes sealing the joint.

“now, what you're gonna do, and I'll demonstrate too. put the paper between your lips,” he explained everything in excruciating detail, and it made your legs clamp together a little. you needed more self control, maybe, but you weren't going to let all this get to you. not this fast, it wasn't fair.

setting the paper between his lips, he pulled a lighter out of his pocket, it was white all the plastic wrap has been picked off of it.

“when you hit it, take small puffs, breathe in and then exhale, like this okay?” he making eye contact with you as he does so.

he hands you the joint and you hope it helps you recollect yourself. you do exactly as he said and did, and somehow still end up coughing up a lung. irritated eyes making contact with his playful ocean ones.

“try again, it'll get easier, you're just a baby stoner.” he rubbed your back a little, and you tried again. this time it went down smoothly and you could feel something as soon as you exhaled. you hand him the joint and watch his expert smoking habits.

you never knew how hot someone smoking could be, but here he was. sam, your sam, looked like some bad boy in a teen cliche film. you never knew why girls would go for guys like this, but now you got it.

the two of you spent the rest of the night recalling stories, watching comfort films and laying in his arms. he held you tight, and smoked you out until you were nothing but a giggly, high mess. he got decently stoned himself and you feel asleep like that.

[nightwingbb]

This scene is from an old DamiJon WIP that I don't think I'll ever finish (Never say never, but I lost my outline and simply do not remember what the plan was for this lmaoo), but I think about it often, so sharing with all you on Tumblr so it doesn't disappear in my Google Docs for all of eternity.

It had been amusing, back then, that Damian didn’t understand the appeal of a wedding. Jon had laughed as Damian complained, then brushed the whole thing off with a Man, I feel bad for your future husband.

“And I for your future wife,” Damian had replied. “The poor woman will have married an idiot.”

The reception had been in full swing at the time, with first-generation Titans swarming the dance floor, Dick and Kory at the floor’s center with grins that stretched as wide as their faces would allow. There was a crowd by the bar, as well, where Jon’s parents were sipping at champagne and talking with a few Justice Leaguers. Bruce and Selina were among that crowd, Bruce nodding absently as he looked over at Dick and Kory, a proud smile pulling at his lips.

Damian and Jon had settled themselves at a vacated dinner table, both too young to drink, and Damian too Damian to join the crowd on the dance floor. They were talking as best they could over the music, bickering the way they always had and scrolling listlessly at their phones.

Jon hesitated, biting at his lip. He had yet to come out to anyone. The idea was daunting and still relatively new— he had only figured out that he needed to come out a month or two prior, and the idea of telling Damian was particularly intimidating. 

It wasn’t that Jon thought he would react badly. Damian had come out back when he was eighteen. Jon had been sixteen and teasing Damian for not having a girlfriend because, again, sixteen, and Damian had simply raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m gay.” 

Damian had been unperturbed— almost flippant— when he had come out. He was almost guaranteed to be just as unbothered by Jon coming out. 

But Damian was also the one who had single handedly sparked Jon’s sudden sexuality crisis. 

Damian, who was arrogant and rude and hot-headed, but one of the most compassionate people that Jon had ever met, with stupid— stunning— green eyes, and full lips that Jon would give anything to—

Jon took a stuttering breath, peering at Damian from across the table. He needed to forget about his stupid crush. Damian was still his best friend, and his best friend had just given him a perfect opportunity to come out to him.

“Maybe,” Jon said tentatively, “I won’t have a future wife.” He took another breath. He’d dipped a toe in. Might as well take the plunge. “Maybe I’ll have a future husband, too.”

At that, Damian whipped his head up from his phone. He blinked at Jon. “You’re—?”

“Bi,” Jon interjected. The word felt weird on his tongue. He swallowed, then said, “I’m not gay. I still like girls, but guys are… good…” 

Guys are good. Rao help him.

Damian blinked again. “Okay,” he said, then turned back to his phone, and that was that.

[tomieafterdark]

Catboy Eren drabble

cw: afab!reader, dom!eren, 18+ dni if u are a minor

I am gonna be honest, this is so unserious I don't know what possessed me to actually write it and hit poster prob should have stayed in the drafts. Anyways, it is inspired by the same person that inspired this fic because he has a catlike aura.

not proofread also click here for more content

You always thought Eren had this "grumpy cat" aura to him, and you never stopped reminding him about it. In fact, you had tried to make him say "meow" or use a catboy image as his profile picture several times, but all you were met with was him ignoring it or telling you it will never happen.

Everything he said seemed to go in one ear and out of the other, because one day when hanging out with him you decided it would be a good idea to bring cat ears and try to put them on him.

And you did. Eventually.

As if his death glare had not been enough, you just had to blurt out that he looks like a submissive catboy. 

And that is how you ended up in this lovely situation.

"E-eren slow down!" You whined.

"Shut the fuck up." he hissed in irritation, pushing your head further down into the pillow. 

Tears rolled down your cheeks as Eren was stretching you open more and more with every thrust, as if the position he had you in wasn’t painful enough he went in with almost no prep. Adjusting to his size was quite the challenge.

He loved watching your hole swallow his cock whole, but what he loved even more was the way you reacted to how deep he went inside of you. He could tell that none of your previous sexual partners had ever touched your cervix with their tip, nor had they stretched you so good that it feels like your first time all over again. 

He kept his eyes locked on you as he fastened his pace. Your whimpering grew louder and clearer even though your face was buried in the pillow, your cries were actual music to his ears. He needed to hear them more clearly. 

He suddenly slips it out, you are too fucked out to notice it at first, still arching. But next thing you know he is sitting next to you on the bed and leaning against the headboard. 

“Get up y/n, I want you on top.” He commands coldly, his intimidating gaze not leaving you for a second.

You get up slowly, feeling a mix of pain and pleasure between your legs. You suddenly notice he forgot to take off the cat ears you had put on him earlier, it is very hard to not giggle but you manage to somehow muster up enough self control to keep quiet. You slowly move over to him, it is impossible to not stare at his face because of the cat ears. He looks so good with them on, and surprisingly not submissive. However the “grumpy cat” energy remains, and he looks even more annoyed now because you are taking way too long getting on top of him. Somehow he comes to the conclusion that you are being nervous because of his size but you are just in awe of how good he looks with cat ears on, you haven’t even glanced at his dick yet. 

“Y/n, if you are scared of the size just say that. I can assist.” He mutters, seeming less annoyed and almost concerned now. 

“Huh?” You look at him in confusion, but the dots soon connect. You are about to protest, but the way he suddenly became all attentive and kind of careful made you feel some type of way and you don't mind this going on for a bit longer. 

He starts fingering you and the sudden intrusion makes you hiss but he quickly shuts you up with a kiss. You manage to take a quick glance at his cock amidst all the kissing and moaning and you feel the knot in your stomach. It is a strange mix of fear, excitement and doom. How would all that fit inside you? 

All the mixed emotions and his skilled fingers bring you closer and closer to climax, he is aware of it by the way you are squeezing around his fingers and moaning louder and louder into the kiss. He stops right before you cum, you feel so close and you are so desperate that without even thinking, you quickly bring your left hand between your legs. 

“Not so fast.” Your wrist is suddenly burning from the iron grip he has on it and the more you pull away the harder he grips. You whine and pout in frustration, not even looking at him directly and still looking for a way to reach your high. You are really starting to lose patience. 

He grabs your lower face, making you look up at him. “If you want to cum, you will do it on my cock. Got it?” His stern voice and cold stare anchor you back to reality, and all you can do is nod. 

He doesn't waste another second, grabbing you by the waist making you straddle him. You instinctively hold on to him, and he does the same to you, just he does it for a completely different reason. You held on to his shoulders because a part of you feels safe around him, while he grabbed your hips out of impatience and to teach you a lesson for putting cat ears on him. 

You try to wriggle yourself out of his tight grip a bit, usually when you are on top like this you are the one controlling the pace and taking on a more dominant role but this is nothing like that. Instead, he slowly lowers you down on it and you gasp hard even though only the tip is in. 

Truth be told, he is resisting the urge to slam you down on it and teach you a very hard lesson, but ever since he noticed you have not had anyone his size before he has been taking his time with you. No, not because he cares, he just thinks your reactions are hilarious. You went from “annoying and cocky asking him to meow for you” to “crying little mess that does not know what to do with herself every time he thrusts” very quickly.  

He watches you intensely, you avoid looking into his eyes, it makes you feel like prey and as if his darkness is about to eat you alive even though he still has the cat ears on. The more he lowers you down on his cock, the more you are starting to believe you will feel it in your guts. He lowers you down very slowly and it gives a whole new meaning to “feeling every inch of him”. 

Your mind is going a bit blank, all you can repeat is “it is so big” and “I feel so full” inside your head. On the outside you are just biting your cheek trying to not burst out in tears like you did earlier. It feels different when your face is not in the pillow, hiding from his cold sharp gaze. This has you feeling new depths of submissiveness and being vulnerable. Though he can kind of notice you are trying your hardest to keep it cool but that is nothing but a challenge to him. This makes him want to break you more. 

You let out a yelp, because he suddenly slams you down on it with no warning and does not stop thrusting even for a second. You are not looking at him directly but you can tell he is smirking at the way you are struggling to keep it together. 

“You were doing a good job trying to keep it together, but you have to try harder to fool me.” He whispers into your ear as one of his hands starts to caress hair. The contrast of his soft demeanor while caressing your hair and his rough thrusts that have your legs almost shaking has your mind going hazy. “I will break you either way, you might as well give in to make this easier for yourself..” he continues in his dark husky voice as his hand leaves your hair now, traveling further down caressing your clit instead. 

It does not take a lot of movement to make you come undone. All that pent up energy from earlier was just waiting to be released, hanging on by a thread. The higher you feel the lower you will come down, and right now you are not just seeing stars you are seeing other galaxies. He grins as he watches you come. Your beautiful eyes are finally letting those tears out, and this time he can look into them since there is no pillow to shove your head in. 

You feel so drained from that one orgasm, you end up just laying down for what feels like several long minutes. This low really matched the high. 

Suddenly he climbs on top of you, his eyes even more dark and playful now. Before you can even react he, flips you on your stomach.

“Wha-” you blurt out. 

“Who said I was done teaching you a lesson? I was going easy on you earlier..” He snickered as he spreads your cheeks apart. 

 © 2024 tomieafterdark | All rights reserved

[dilfth1rster]

I was wondering if you could do some smutty head cannons about Dean Winchester

Hi anon this is my first head canon like this, hope you enjoy it and if you want to further explore it, you know where to send me a request:)

Let's start with Dean is definitely a kinkyyyy himbo...

He's very dirty minded, any conversation that sparks as something a little sexual is like poking a bear with a stick. You never know what can trigger him.

I surely see him as both a dom and sub depending on a situation and or his mood. He doesn't see gender and would fuck anyone.

Nice chick in shorts a little too revealing? ... Yeah he would definitely try to hit that.

An older guy that gets a little too touchy after a couple of beers? Dean, umm- WOULD!

As of what he's into, it's a damn wide spectrum.

Starting with dress up... He loves that damn wild west cowboy shit. He loves getting in his cowboy boots and hat and a fringy jacket which also activates a dominant confident side in him.

He loves dominating and being dominated.

VERYYYY verbal whether it be about how nicely his big cock slides into you or how he degrades you and calls you his dirty cumwhore OR- how he pants in your ear while ramming into your ass with a speed of lightning.

He can NEVER decline a blowjob, he loves that shit. With him, it's more of a deepthroat or a "skullfuck" because he'd be holding you down on his wide 7 inches till u smelled the musky trimmed bush of his and later on definitely got lightheaded...

While I already mentioned his musk, I must add that his usual body smell is sweat mixed with a strong woodsy cologne and "leftover" whisky.

Dean appreciates when a lady shaves down there but he's a wild one for a hairy cunt as well as a bushy, hairy guy.

Loves high heels and "girly" accessories especially pink ones.

Is not scared nor intimidated by being called or referring to himself as Daddy.

Knows you're obsessed with his hands and loves helping you get wet by putting his chubby fingers in your mouth/throat.

DEAN WINCHESTER LOVES RISKY/OUTDOOR SEX!!!!!!! (includes public places such as dirty bar restroom which leads me to another thing that is...)

Unprotected sex. He's not friends with condoms, loves breeding you, and seeing his cum ooze out of you... and he CUMS A LOT.

He also loves getting bred by older guys(daddy issues I guess).

If you're okay with it:

He's definitely into watersports. Would love to piss on you, in his words "mark" you as his and degrade you.

Slap and choke you around(a little manhandling never hurt nobody huh?)

Make you worship his boots as a sign of your ultimate submission.

(let me include an image because it's getting hot in here...)

If it's longer than a one night stand he'd definitely want to cuckold you and make you watch as he breeds and destroys another young chick he met at the bar and brought to the motel room. Maybe if you're nice enough and behave he'll let you lick the juices off his cock after?

This man got a thing for piercings, belly button one that pops out from under your top, lip piercing or ESPECIALLY tongue and tits pierced... GOD DAMN!

Sex with him is usually fast paced(I say usually because from time to time it's not fast, IT'S DAMN RAPID)

SO... CUM-

we estabilished that mans got a breeding kink but well- Dean also loves cumming in your mouth and watching you swallow his sweet, chunky load, as well as painting your whole face in his seed.

If he's titty-fucking you he can explode directly on them.

If he's with a guy he enjoys getting bred and getting his face painted.

OH AND I ALMOST FORGOT-

This guy is a goddamn foodie, he loves to eat his sweet treats like the well known pie and such... he also loves to incorporate that into sex...

making you eat the pie he just came on or stuffing pieces of it into your pussy and eating you and IT out :)

Well- I think that's it for now. I'd love to further explore some of the aspect with you all, so if you got any questions or ideas, write away in the requests in my bio :)

(I'm a new writer so if you could like and reshare or leave a comment with your thoughts I'd really appreciate that)

[httpsdana]

you could do one where cubarsi sees the reader as someone very serious and intelligent so he thinks he has no chance with her but in fact he does

The Misunderstanding~Pau Cubarsi

*Pictures are from Pinterest*

enjoy <3

request from here

master list -> part 2

players/drivers i write for

y/n had always been someone who takes things seriously. Focused, determined, and meticulous, she's the kind of person who gets lost in books and thrives on deep conversations. Most people respect that about her, but she can’t help but feel that they also find it intimidating. Especially him—Pau Cubarsi.

She always noticed the way his gaze lingers on her when he thinks she's not looking, the subtle way he keeps his distance, never quite venturing into her space for more than a casual greeting. It’s as if he’s built a wall between them , one she can’t seem to break through. What she didn’t understand is why.

Pau has always seemed so lighthearted, so effortlessly charming, and yet when it comes to her, he acts like she's on another level entirely.

And maybe that’s the problem. Maybe he doesn’t think she's approachable. Maybe he sees her serious side and assumes she wouldn’t be interested in someone like him.

But the truth is, she has been interested for a long time. She just didn’t know how to show it.

It all comes to a head one afternoon when the two of them got paired together for a project. The silence between them is stifling as they both sit at the table, her notes spread out, but neither of them saying much.

She catches him glancing at her a few times, his eyes darting away quickly when she met his gaze. It's almost...endearing, the way he seems nervous around her. She has never seen him like this before.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, y/n break the silence. “So, should we start on the presentation or the research first?”

He fumbles with his pen, tapping it against the table. “Uh, research. Yeah, that makes sense.”

The awkwardness is ebident. Normally, she'd find this kind of silence uncomfortable, but with him, it's different. There’s something unspoken hanging between them, something that’s been building for months.

As they work, the tension only seems to grow. y/n steals glances at him, wondering what’s going on in his head, why he’s acting so strangely around her today. She wants to say something, anything, to ease the tension, but she's not sure where to start.

It’s Pau who finally breaks first.

“I, uh... I just want to say something,” he mutters, not meeting her eyes.

y/n puts down her pen, her heart rate picking up slightly. “Okay...”

“I’ve always thought you were, like...really smart. And serious. And, you know, I just figured someone like you wouldn’t ever be interested in...well, in someone like me.”

Her eyes widen. Someone like him? Is that what he’s been thinking this whole time?

“Wait,” she says, trying to process his words. “Why would you think that?”

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck in that way he always does when he’s nervous.

“You’re always so focused and put-together. I just...I don’t know. I thought you’d think I was too...I don’t know, not serious enough? Not on your level.”

y/n blinks, the realization hitting her like a wave. All this time, she thought he was keeping his distance because he didn’t like her, but it turns out he’s been feeling the exact same way about her.

“Pau,” you says softly, leaning forward. “I’ve liked you for a while now. I just thought you didn’t like me.”

His eyes snap up to meet hers, wide with surprise. “What? No way, I—” He stops, swallowing hard before continuing. “I’ve liked you since forever. I just didn’t think I had a chance.”

A small laugh escapes her lips, and his confusion deepens.

“We’re ridiculous, aren’t we?” she said, shaking her head. “Both of us too caught up in what we thought the other person felt.”

Pau chuckles softly, his shoulders relaxing as the tension between them begins to dissolve. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

The air feels lighter now, the awkwardness replaced by a sense of relief. They both smile, and for the first time, it feels easy. Comfortable.

“So,” y/n says, trying to hide the smile creeping onto her face, “what now?”

He grins, his usual charm shining through once more. “Well, how about we actually start talking? You know, instead of assuming things about each other.”

y/n laughs, feeling the weight of all her previous assumptions slip away. “Sounds like a plan.”

As theh continue to work on their project, the conversation flows more naturally. There’s no more distance, no more unspoken tension. They shared stories, laughed at each other’s jokes, and for the first time, they both saw each other clearly—not as the intimidating or unattainable person they each thought the other was, but as equals.

When the project is done, he walks her to the door, hesitating for a moment before speaking again.

“I’m really glad we cleared that up,” he says, his voice a little softer now. “I didn’t realize how much I was holding back because of what I thought.”

y/n smiled, stepping closer to him. “Me too. But now we can stop holding back, right?”

His eyes meet hers, and there’s something new there—something unspoken but understood. “Right.”

Before she can say anything else, he leans in, gently pressing his lips to hers. It’s a soft, tentative kiss, but it’s enough to make her heart race.

When he pulls back, there’s a teasing smile on his face. “Not so serious now, are you?”

y/n laughs, feeling lighter than she have in a long time. “Guess not.”

[bloodyinkandquill]

Dom x Reader, Valk and Reader idol reader who’s being harassed by toxic fans

writing this in math class, i’m so tired lmao, why’d i have to stay up listening to a true crime podcast, anyways hope this is good! it’s probably my most specific request as of now

- The first time you saw them, a concert some friends invited you to, you didn’t expect much, you knew a song or two, but you didn’t think it would be that cool, how wrong you were, as soon as it started you were inthralled, everything about it, the lights, the stage, the effects, it all served to mystify you, as it came to a close and the two idols said their thanks and goodbyes you knew, you wanted to do what they did

- You already could sing, so perfecting it was the biggest challenge, once you did you started everything else, finding a label, creating your online image, the whole shebang, it was tiring work but it was all worth it, you were gaining traction, fans, tons of streams on your first album, and then you got an invite to a celebrity party, so many big names were doing to be there, including the idols themselves, Flipside

- You dressed impressively while still being related to your branding and swallowed your nerves as you attended it, so many famous faces were there, it was intimidating but also so rewarding, this proved you were making it in the competitive world of fame, it’s there that you met them, Dom and Valk, easily the most famous and well known idols and singers in all of the Inpherno, you took a deep breath before walking to the two brothers and starting a casual conversation, much to your surprise and delight they recognized you, it was an amazing feeling, you exchanged pleasantries before Dom glanced around to see if anyone was listening before asking you if you wanted to hear something funny that happened earlier

- You looked at him intrigued as Valk immediately snapped his head towards his brother face red with embarrassment, Dom went on to tell you that one of their friends while out with some other friends spotted him and Valk while out doing something and paid one of said friends 500 bux to jump over Valk, it went about a great as you’d expect, you instantly cracked up, careful to not be too loud since you didn’t wanna bring major attention to the conversation, Valk softly punched his brother’s arm grumbling out that he promised he wouldn’t tell anyone

- Dom just chuckled before saying ‘Nah, they won’t tell, right?’ While giving you a grin and what you assumed was a wink, a one-eyed wink, you flushed very slightly but promised not to tell with a light chuckle, from there the conversation was a lot more casual and genuine, you enjoyed your time with them beyond them being the Flipside

- From there you guys began to have a friendly fake rivalry, which helped your popularity boom, especially with the release of your newest album, then behind closed doors you began to get closer to them, becoming good friends in Valk’s case and maybe even more in Dom’s, nothing had ever officially happened or been confessed but you two would share looks a little too intimate for just friends, purposely have your fingers brush each others if walking next to each other, and having conversations maybe a little deeper than a platonic relationship would

- Everything was paradise, that was until the flooding began, you had gotten your fair share of hate, that comes with the territory of being an idol, but after one particularly ‘mean’ rival comment about Flipside some of their very… dedicated, fans began to think it was too far, you had run it by both of them and they both said it was fine, but you doubted even if you said that they’d care

- You began receiving small but very persistent harassment online, someone even went as far as to doxx you, luckily it was taken care of very quickly to the point the media didn’t even know it occurred and no one came to your residence but it was still terrifying, things only progressed, meaner comments, even more persistent hate

- It was starting to become too much, you tried everything you could, blocking accounts, not checking social media as much, etc but it didn’t matter, they’d find ways to send you hate, threats, insults, whatever, you kept it together well publicly, the general public didn’t even know this was occurring, to everyone you were completely fine, only you knew you were faking it all

- While hanging out with Flipside one day, just a casual thing at their house chatting, maybe going to play some video games later, one of them asked something that caused a chain reaction, tears began flowing, you couldn’t stop, barely able to form words as you sobbed out the pressure being too much to handle, the dam had broke and the flood released, instantly both of them were surrounding you, offering any comfort they could, trying to discern what had caused this, Valk ran to grab you some water as Dom squeezed your hand, he was being so sweet and gentle things to you, honestly it might have made you cry more at just how good to you he was being

- Eventually you composed yourself enough to finally admit everything that’s been happening, showing them some of the worst things you’ve been sent and experienced, they looked so concerned for you, Dom giving you a tight hug that made the waterworks start again, at some point Valk asked why you didn’t tell them, even if not purposely they had caused it, you said you didn’t wanna seem weak, or like you were overreacting, it came with the job, you were supposed to be able to handle it, Dom looked you in the eyes so genuinely as he said that your not meant to deal with this level of harassment, they don’t receive that awful of hate for that long of a period, you don’t need to shoulder this alone, that broke you again, that night you fell asleep in Dom’s bed, they both wanted you to stay at their place, worried about you, they had a guest bedroom but you very sheepishly asked Dom if you could sleep in his bed, he gave you a smile and you fell asleep in his arms, you were exhausted from how much you were crying you fell asleep almost instantly

- The next day Valk published a public statement saying that the kind of behavior you witnessed would absolutely never be tolerated, the rivalry you had with Flipside was completely for show, and they would not tolerate harassment of such a close friend, Valk took your phone for the day, he figured you needed a break from it and he made sure you just had a day away from social media

- Him and Dom just had you stay at their place for the day, relaxing and being there for you, if you and Dom kissed, that was confidential, and if it did happen weither or not Valk made very obnoxious remarks about it like kissing noises or that kissing in a tree song thing, was also a mystery

- Slowly things started getting better, the hate had died down significantly and you received so much support form other fans, sure it was still an awful thing to experience but Dom and Valk were there for you the entire time when you needed, and you became closer to the both, in different ways but still

sorry the ending is abrupt i could think of any other ways to end it, i’m also so tired, i said i was writing this in math but hah, that didn’t happen i wrote just about all of this after classes, i’ll get this posted then start on my next request which is uh… the darkheart x reader hcs

[stylesonfilms]

ink & innocence - 8

word count: 7.4k

heres a longer update!! let me know what you guys think!

Aspen didn't expect to feel his warm, plush lips on hers. The cool of his lip ring contrasted the sweet feeling. It was like magic, she swore of it. She swore she could feel the fireworks authors mentioned in books, she could feel his warmth radiating into hers. Before the girl could give in fully to the kiss, Harry pulled his face back.

"I'm sorry. I should've asked." Harry kept his long ring-clad fingers cupped over her jaw, his thumbs mindlessly brushing at her skin. It was such an unfamiliar gesture for Aspen—so soft, so tender—but Harry wasn’t too sorry. The truth was, he hadn’t realized how badly he wanted to kiss her until it had already happened like something subconscious had snapped in him. For all the guilt and anger he had carried toward himself, kissing Aspen didn’t feel wrong. It felt grounding. A calmness settled over him that he hadn’t realized he’d been searching for.

Aspen’s thin fingers reached up to curl around both of his wrists, her touch so hesitant and delicate, but not to pull him away. A hot blush crept up her neck and spread like a rosy fire on her cheeks, burning with both embarrassment and awe.

"I," she squeaked, her brown eyes darting across his features, wide and overwhelmed. God, she was so embarrassed. Her first kiss— her first kiss— was with him. Harry Styles. Hot-headed, intimidating Harry Styles who everyone said had no softness to him, and yet here he was, his hands on her cheeks like she was precious, like she might shatter if he let go. Her chest felt like it might burst as her gaze flickered to his lips, parted slightly like he might speak or— she hoped— kiss her again.

"I've never," Aspen mumbled off, her voice cracking. She hoped he’d catch her meaning because there was no way she could finish the sentence without wanting to crawl under the earth.

A small grin tugged at the corner of Harry’s lips. "You've never wha'? Had y'first kiss?" His voice was soft, teasing in a way that wasn’t cruel, and yet it made her stomach twist in nervous knots. Aspen nodded shyly. Harry felt a strange, almost primal pride swell in his chest. Of course she hadn’t. A brooding feeling of ego mixed with an odd protectiveness coursed through him. There was something about being the first, specifically Aspen's first, that felt significant. He wasn’t the sort of man to care about such things, and yet with her… it mattered.

"Can... Can I kiss you again?" Harry asked, his voice carrying more forward confidence now, though he made sure to keep his tone gentle. He didn’t want to spook her, not after she’d let him kiss her once. It mattered to him, inexplicably, that she wanted him to do it again.

Aspen’s heart stammered in her chest. His question swirled around her mind like the most delicate of touches, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She nodded again, but this time Harry wasn’t letting her off so easy.

"Words, baby."

Baby.

Her stomach plummeted and her face flared with so much heat she thought she might combust. No one had ever called her that before— certainly not Harry. It rolled off his tongue so naturally, so easily, and yet it hit her like a train. She swallowed tightly, her mouth suddenly dry.

"I want you to kiss me, Harry," she whispered, her voice betraying her with its nervous, shaky tone. "I just… I don’t… know how?" Her last words squeaked out, and Aspen swore the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She was positive she was going to ruin it. Harry had kissed other girls before, probably a lot, and she had to be terrible at this.

But Harry only laughed, a soft chuckle that carried no mockery, no cruelty. It was… gentle. Kind. Like he was amused by her innocence but also endeared by it. His thumb brushed along her bottom lip, featherlight and soothing.

"Jus' try to follow my lead. Do what feels right, okay? There's no wrong answer. When I move, you move. It's simple, you'll do perfect." His voice was low and warm, so comforting that she almost believed him. Almost.

"O-Okay," Aspen whispered, her chest rising and falling unevenly as she prepared for the moment. Time slowed again, and she was absolutely convinced this was more dramatic than it should be, but it didn’t feel small. Not at all. It felt monumental. Just… kiss him.

And then she did.

Harry’s lips met hers again, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth before shifting into something more. Aspen’s breath hitched as she tried to follow his lead, her lips clumsy at first but so eager, so earnest, that Harry couldn’t help but smile against her. He moved slowly, carefully, like he was coaxing her into it. His lips brushed over hers in a fluid motion, a silent promise that it was okay, that he wouldn’t rush her. Aspen’s fingers slid down to his forearms, timid at first before settling there like she was afraid to let go. Harry angled his head slightly, just enough to deepen the kiss, and Aspen’s heart pounded as she melted into it. The tension in her body eased as her lips began to move with him naturally.

That small shift—that little motion of him pulling her deeper into the kiss—made her ache. She didn’t even know what she was aching for. She just knew she loved the way his lips felt on hers, the way her body leaned toward his without thinking, the way every other thought melted away. Kissing Harry felt like being wrapped in warmth and light, like standing in the sun on a cool day.

By the time he finally pulled back, Aspen’s chest rose and fell with quick, uneven breaths. Harry’s forehead rested against hers for a moment, his hands still holding her jaw like he didn’t want to let go. Her eyes fluttered open only to meet Harry's already looking back at her. 

“Y’did good,” he murmured, his voice low and gruff, like the words were for her ears only.

Aspen blinked up at him, her lips still tingling. “I… I liked that.” It came out as a whisper, almost like a confession, and Harry smiled, a real smile this time.

“Yeah? Me too. If I didn't need t'breathe, I wouldn't have stopped.” To that, they both chuckled breathlessly. 

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

The walk back to the RV was quiet, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Aspen still felt the faint blush on her cheeks, and Harry kept his hands stuffed into his pockets, the tip of his boot kicking at a loose rock here and there. When they finally reached the others, Harry swung open the door, letting her step inside first before following behind her.

The RV was warm, filled with the smell of leftover snacks and the faint sound of a song playing from someone’s speaker. Zayn looked up from the driver’s seat where he was adjusting the mirrors, shooting Harry a look. “Took your time, didn’t ya? Thought you fell in.”

Harry ignored him, moving toward the back of the RV where the others were lounging. Aspen slipped into one of the bench seats quietly, her book clutched to her chest like a shield. Harry sat next to her, his legs stretching out into the narrow aisle. The RV rumbled to life as Zayn started the engine, and the quiet hum of the road filled the space.

Their knees bumped softly every now and then—just enough to make Aspen’s heart skip and her hands grip her book a little tighter. Harry didn’t move away, though. If anything, it seemed like he did it on purpose sometimes. Isobel, who had been lounging nearby, raised a brow at the two of them but didn’t say anything. After a moment, she stood up, brushing her hands on her jeans. “I’ll go keep Zayn company.”

As she disappeared to the front, Kirsten mumbled something about being tired and crawled into the far-back bunk, leaving Aspen and Harry alone in the dim cabin. Harry leaned back in his seat, his green eyes flickering toward her.

“Comfortable?” he asked, his tone flat but not unkind.

Aspen nodded quickly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah.” She paused. “Are you?”

Harry’s lips twitched faintly, like he might smile. “Yeah. I am.”

And for the first time, he realized he meant it.

The hum of the RV blended with the soft rattle of the windows as the road stretched beneath them. The cabin fell into a quiet stillness, but it wasn’t tense—it was the kind of silence that felt settled, unspoken words lingering but not pressing. Aspen shifted in her seat, her book still clutched in her hands like a lifeline, though she wasn’t reading anymore. The events of the evening replayed in her mind on an endless loop. Harry kissing her. Twice. The way his lips had felt—soft yet firm, gentle yet deliberate—as if he’d been balancing between patience and urgency. Her heart fluttered every time the memory resurfaced, and she had to remind herself to breathe.

But Harry? He didn’t look half as flustered. He lounged back against the seat, arms crossed, looking so effortlessly calm it nearly annoyed her. How was he so unaffected when her nerves still buzzed from the lingering feeling of his lips on hers? His eyes, however, gave him away. Every so often, they’d flick toward her—not in a sharp or obvious way, but in little glances like he was trying to figure something out. Like he was studying her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

It was Harry who broke the silence.

Without warning, he reached over, snatching the book from her hands. “What’s this?” His voice carried an air of casual curiosity, but there was mischief under it, a flicker of that familiar Harry who seemed to enjoy getting under people’s skin.

“Hey!” Aspen huffed, her hands scrambling to grab it back, but he leaned back further, holding it just out of reach. “Harry, give it back! I was reading that!”

He smirked, his dimples faintly making an appearance as he turned the book over in his hands, flipping through the pages lazily. “What’s the book about? Is it any good?” His thumb ran along the edge of the pages, fanning them as he skimmed over the back cover.

“It’s mine,” Aspen protested, leaning toward him and trying to snatch it, though her reach was far too short. Harry didn’t move much—he just tilted the book out of her grasp, clearly entertained by how flustered she was getting. “And yes, it’s good. Really good. It’s not some dumb story, so don’t—don’t mess it up!”

Harry let out a low chuckle, one that seemed to rumble from deep in his chest. “Relax, I’m not rippin’ the thing apart. What’s it about then?” His green eyes lifted to meet hers, lingering a little too long, like he wanted to see how she’d react.

Aspen frowned, still leaning toward him but now too flustered to do much about it. She sat back with a frustrated huff, folding her arms across her chest. “It’s… a love story,” she admitted quietly, though the words felt embarrassing coming out of her mouth. It wasn’t like she hadn’t read love stories before—she adored them—but saying it to Harry Styles after what had just happened felt like a humiliating admission.

Harry raised a brow, clearly amused. “A love story, huh?” He looked back at the book in his hands, flipping through a few more pages. “What, like some cheesy romance where the guy’s a prince or somethin’?”

“No!” Aspen snapped defensively, her cheeks turning pink. “It’s not cheesy. It’s about two people who are… complicated.” Her voice grew quieter as she tried to explain, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. “They don’t really understand themselves, or each other, at first. But they… help each other in a way no one else does.” Her eyes darted to the window, focusing on the blurred landscape outside as she mumbled, “It’s more about them figuring out who they are.”

Harry’s grin softened as she spoke. He hadn’t expected such a thoughtful answer, though maybe he should have. Aspen always seemed to have more layers to her than she let on. “That so?” he asked, his voice quieter now, his teasing edge giving way to something else—something gentler.

“Yes,” she said, looking back at him with narrowed eyes. “And you wouldn’t get it, anyway. You don’t even like reading.”

Harry huffed a short laugh, shaking his head. “You don’t know that.”

“Do you?”

“Well… no,” Harry admitted, his lips curving into a grin again. “But maybe I’ll give it a shot someday.”

Aspen blinked, surprised. “You’d actually read it?”

He shrugged, holding the book out to her finally. “Maybe, if it’s that good.”

Aspen took the book back carefully, her fingers brushing against his as she did. The small contact sent a jolt through her, and she quickly pulled the book to her chest, hugging it like she could shield herself from the blush threatening to bloom again. “Well… you should.”

Harry didn’t say anything to that, but the faint smile playing on his lips didn’t fade. He sat back again, stretching out his legs, and Aspen swore she could still feel the warmth of his touch on her fingertips.

For a while, they didn’t speak. Zayn’s music drifted faintly from the front of the RV, and the steady motion of the vehicle made the air feel heavier, sleepier. Aspen turned her gaze back to her book, though the words on the page blurred together. She was too aware of Harry sitting next to her, too aware of the occasional bump of his knee against hers—subtle, but enough to make her heart stammer each time.

Isobel glanced back at them once, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Aspen stiffened, looking down at her lap like she could will herself invisible. Harry, however, didn’t react. He just leaned his head back against the seat, his fingers tapping rhythmically on his thigh like he was completely unfazed. After a moment, Isobel stood, muttering something about keeping Zayn company.

As she disappeared to the front, Kirsten groaned softly, shifting in the far-back bunk. “I’m going to bed. Don’t wake me up for anything.”

“Noted,” Harry called back, though his tone was flat, like he couldn’t care less.

Kirsten grumbled something under her breath before turning over, leaving Aspen and Harry alone again. The soft hum of the RV filled the space once more, punctuated only by the occasional crackle of gravel beneath the tires.

Harry’s knee brushed against hers again, just barely, and Aspen’s breath hitched. She glanced up at him nervously, but he was still sitting there, head tilted back, his eyes half-closed like he was on the verge of dozing off. But Aspen wasn’t so sure—there was a softness in his expression that she hadn’t seen before, like the walls he usually kept up had lowered just enough to let her glimpse something real.

Her gaze lingered on him longer than it should have, and she quickly looked back down at her book, though she wasn’t reading. Her mind was spinning, her chest was tight, and her heart… well, her heart was starting to feel like it might belong to him, whether she wanted it to or not.

Aspen took note of his sleepy state, his head tilted back lazily against the seat, his breathing growing softer. She glanced back toward the empty bench across from them and then back to Harry, a small huff escaping her lips. He looked so uncomfortable, his neck bent at an odd angle, yet he didn’t seem to care.

Finally, she spoke up, her voice gentle but clear. “Do you want a pillow?”

Harry cracked one eye open, his gaze heavy-lidded and soft, like it was an effort just to look at her. “Hm?” His head turned slightly toward her, though it still rested against the seat. “Sure, why not.”

Aspen nodded, trying not to overthink the fact that he was accepting her help. She placed her book down carefully, leaving her fingers tucked between the pages to hold her spot, and stood up. With small, quiet steps, she moved toward the far back bunk where her things were, careful not to wake Kirsten. Pulling her pillow out of her bunk, a soft, cream-colored one that still smelled faintly like her shampoo and perfume, she turned back and made her way to Harry.

He cracked both eyes open this time, lazily watching as she held the pillow out to him. “Here,” she said softly, almost shyly.

Harry blinked slowly, his eyes flicking from the pillow to her face. For a moment, she thought he was going to say something, maybe tease her for fussing over him, but instead, he just gave a tired smile—one of those rare, unguarded smiles that softened his usual sharp edges. “Thanks,” he murmured, his voice low and scratchy from exhaustion.

He shifted slightly to get more comfortable as Aspen sat back down in her seat, feeling oddly warm from the simple interaction. Harry held the pillow for a moment, looking at it as though he was debating how to use it, before tucking it behind his head. A contented sigh escaped him as he leaned back, and Aspen swore she caught a glimpse of his dimples again before his eyes fluttered shut.

The RV’s gentle hum filled the space once more, punctuated by the rhythmic rumble of tires against the pavement. Aspen watched Harry for a few seconds longer than she meant to, noting how peaceful he looked now, so different from the guarded, brooding boy she had grown accustomed to. His lips were slightly parted, his long lashes casting faint shadows against his cheekbones. Something about seeing him like this, relaxed and unbothered, made her chest ache with a feeling she couldn’t quite name.

Tearing her gaze away, Aspen picked up her book again, flipping it open to where her fingers held her place. She leaned back into her seat and tried to focus on the words, though it took a few attempts before the sentences began to make sense. The stillness of the RV and the soft weight of the evening finally settled into her, and, surprisingly, it wasn’t long before she felt herself relaxing as well.

The occasional bump of the road made the RV sway gently, a motion that might have been jarring earlier but now felt oddly soothing. She lost herself in the story, her fingers curling around the edge of the pages as the characters pulled her in. For the first time in hours, her mind felt still— no more replaying of Harry’s kiss or her awkward responses, no more overthinking every glance or word exchanged. It was just her and the book.

Until she glanced up.

Harry had shifted at some point. Instead of leaning back against the bench, he had turned slightly, curling his tall frame in on itself. He looked more comfortable now. Her pillow—her pillow—was now hugged tightly against his chest, one arm slung lazily over it as his breathing remained slow and deep. Aspen’s eyes widened slightly as she stared, her book momentarily forgotten. He looked different like this, so vulnerable and… soft. She’d been using that pillow for days, and now there he was, tangled up with it like it was his favorite thing in the world.

A nervous laugh bubbled in her throat, but she swallowed it down, pressing her lips together as she shifted her gaze back to the page in front of her. She couldn’t explain why the sight made her cheeks feel warm again or why it made her heart flutter in a way she didn’t want to think about. Harry didn’t know it was her pillow, she told herself. It didn’t mean anything.

And yet, every time her eyes strayed from her book, they found him again— his fingers curled faintly into the soft material, the faint rise and fall of his chest as he slept, and the peaceful expression on his face.

Aspen let out a quiet sigh, shaking her head to herself. “You’re ridiculous,” she whispered under her breath, though she wasn’t sure if she was talking to Harry or herself.

Turning back to her book, she forced herself to focus, though now there was a small, secret smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Harry might be impossible to understand, but in this moment, with him curled up like that and snoring ever so softly, she found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t so impossible after all.

That night when they got home and everyone scattered to their own homes, Aspen found herself holding that particular pillow between her arms and her nose pressed into the scent. She was sure that all she needed was the flannel off his back and she could fall asleep thinking it was him.

Her eyes shot open. The girls eyes scanned around her room as if anyone could hear or even see her. Another flicker of shy embarrassment hit her, but she refused to part ways with the plush pillow that smelled faintly like Harry. Their kiss replayed in her head about a hundred times before she drifted off to a peaceful sleep. 

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Harry was back to his usual schedule the following week. Wake up, go to work, fill out paperwork, get ticked off by Niall or Zayn or both, and come home. 

He would be lying if he said he didn't still think about the kiss he shared with Aspen. The thing with Harry was he never took himself for a kissing kind of guy. Sure, he'd go down on plenty of women and kiss them there, but he tried to avoid unnecessary kissing during his antics. But it was different with Aspen. For the first time in a longgg time, he wanted to kiss someone and that someone happened to be her.

The metal lip ring tucked between his teeth while the machine buzzed between his hand. 

"Is this the biggest piece you've ever done?" the girl on his table spoke up. She had been working with Harry for the past few weeks on completing her thigh piece. He brushed the dry towel over the ink to wipe the skin clean, and she winced.

Harry's eyes flicked up to the woman's face which was scrunched in pain before he returned to the intricate work on the skin. "No, it's not." His answer was vague and bland, and he showed no interest because well-- he wasn't interested. Harry could feel the way she faltered. Usually, he would be slightly more talkative with his clients but the burning edge of whatever he felt kept him quiet. Maybe it was the fact that he filled in another page of Aspen in his sketchbook instead of working on finishing the design he was tattooing now. He eventually got to it, finishing the sketch ten minutes before his appointment started.

Before she could open her mouth to utter another word, Harry sat up and turned the machine off, setting the gun down. "All done. How's it look?" He was listening, he promised he was, but her voice just dulled down into the background noise of the shop. He knew it was good, there was no reason for it to not be. The nitrile gloves snapped off his skin as he rolled back in his chair and stood to his tall figure. "Niall will come over and check it out, give you the proper wrap and care. Feel free to come back if anything happens." Harry was already turned around and walking off before she could thank him.

It had been almost a whole week without seeing Aspen. His brows furrowed to his inner thoughts while he rinsed the suds off his hands, yanking out the white towel from the dispenser to dry his hands. 

The front door chimed. Ding. The metal door closed the space of air. 

"Hey!," he heard Zayn's voice from the front. It was probably someone checking for their availability or wanting a piercing. He sighed, reaching for the box of black nitrile gloves again. He loved his job, don't get him wrong, but man he could hate it sometimes. Piercings were quick though. Clean, mark, pierce and send them off with proper care instructions. It would merely take ten minutes. But a certain voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Hi hi," the voice chirped. "Iz meant to bring you your keys earlier this afternoon, but she took an earlier shift so I thought I'd run them down for you!" 

It was undoubtedly Aspen. The smile that tugged on the corner of his lips disappeared just as fast as it came. His heavy boots scruffed against the tile floor, making his way from the back of the shop to the front. 

"Do you have a few spare minutes? I can show you around!" Aspen nodded and clasped her hands in excitement at Zayn's kind offer. 

"I'll do it. You have a client." Harry's voice made them both jump. He had rounded the corner and stood for however long. He wasn't exactly lying but he wasn't exactly being truthful either. The next person Zayn had to take would be in half an hour but Harry was sure he'd find something better to do.

"Oh," Aspen looked between them both and another smile spread on her face, "yeah, sure! Thank you." 

She had been wanting to see the shop for the longest time since she heard Isobel rave about it many ages ago. The decor, the music, the open book of tattoo designs they've already done. Her eyes caught glimpse of the red accent wall the moment she walked in, which had three huge art pieces that Zayn painted and was kind enough to donate to the shop. It was very... them.

Harry stepped away from the counter, nodding toward Aspen with a simple tilt of his head, silently motioning for her to follow. His heavy boots echoed across the shop's tile floor, each step confident and measured as he led the way. Aspen trailed behind, her fingers nervously toying with the strap of her tote bag. Her eyes darted around, taking in every detail— the moody lighting that gave the space a quiet edge, the faint hum of music bleeding softly from hidden speakers, the gleaming tattoo chairs, and the array of intricate sketches pinned to corkboards on the walls.

She lingered for just a second too long when they passed a framed photograph on the wall—a black-and-white shot of Zayn and Harry, both mid-laugh, sitting with ink-stained gloves and tattoo machines in hand. Harry caught her pause and slowed, looking over his shoulder.

"Taken right after Zayn decided to stab me with a needle during a tattoo," Harry said flatly, though there was a hint of humor in his voice. "Thought it'd be funny to mess up a line on my arm. I nearly killed him for it."

Aspen blinked up at him, startled. “He didn’t actually—?”

Harry huffed out a quiet laugh, his lip ring glinting in the low light as he smirked. “No. But I wouldn’t put it past him if he was having a bad day.” He tilted his chin toward the picture. “That’s just the kind of guy he is.”

Aspen smiled faintly, moving along with him as he gestured toward a row of tattoo chairs that sat perfectly aligned against one wall. “This is where we handle the real work. It’s not as glamorous as some people think,” Harry continued, his voice slipping into something a bit softer, less clipped. “People come in expecting some spiritual experience when they get tattooed, but mostly it’s just a lot of swearing, sweating, and people trying not to cry.”

Aspen let out a tiny, surprised laugh, though she quickly covered her mouth, looking embarrassed. Harry glanced down at her, something flickering in his green eyes at the sound of her quiet amusement—something that softened the sharp edge of his usual expression.

“You think I’m joking, but I’m not,” Harry added, stepping closer to one of the chairs and thumbing the worn armrest. “Last week, a grown man nearly passed out 'cause I had t'touch up a line on his wrist. His wrist, Aspen.”

“I—I believe you,” Aspen murmured, her lips twitching into a hesitant smile. She tried to keep her gaze focused on the chairs, the scattered ink bottles nearby, and the small machines resting neatly on stainless steel trays. Still, it was hard to ignore Harry’s presence, the way he seemed to take up so much space without trying.

After a moment, he moved on, leading her toward a set of framed sketches hanging above a counter stacked with ink bottles. Aspen’s eyes widened as she approached, taking in the detail of the pieces. The art varied— some designs were elegant and flowing, like something out of a fantasy novel, while others were sharp, edgy, and dark. Harry stood quietly beside her, his arms crossing loosely over his chest as he watched her reaction.

“These are incredible,” Aspen breathed, leaning in closer to inspect one. “Who drew all of these?”

Harry shifted, his gaze falling to the art. “Zayn did a few. The rest are mine.”

Aspen’s head whipped around, her expression a mix of awe and disbelief. “Yours?”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching again. “That so hard t'believe?”

“No! I mean, I just—.” Aspen stumbled over her words, her cheeks turning red. “They’re just really good. Like... really good. I didn’t know you could draw like this.”

Harry shrugged, though the faintest bit of color rose in his neck, barely noticeable beneath the tattoos that crawled up from his collar. “Been drawing m'whole life. Just something t'do when I needed t'get out 'f my head.”

Aspen’s eyes lingered on a sketch of a fox curled up under a crescent moon, its tail swirled elegantly around its body. There was something delicate about it, which surprised her—it didn’t quite match the brash, intimidating man standing next to her.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

Harry glanced at her sideways, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face. He said nothing, though his lips pressed into a thin line as he tilted his head toward the hallway leading to the back.

“C’mon,” he murmured. “One more stop.”

Aspen followed him down the short hall, the sound of her sneakers soft against the tile compared to the steady thunk of his boots. He stopped in front of a black door at the very end, his tattooed hand reaching for the handle. Instead of immediately pushing it open, Harry paused, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

“It’s nothin' special,” he said, almost as if he were trying to lower her expectations. “Jus' my office. Mostly just a place for paperwork and sketching.”

With that, he opened the door and stepped back, holding it open for her to walk inside. Aspen hesitated for half a second before stepping past him, the faint scent of his cologne lingering in the air as she did.

The office was small and dimly lit, though a warm lamp in the corner gave the space a cozy glow. A cluttered desk sat against one wall, papers scattered haphazardly alongside a laptop and an open sketchbook. A worn leather couch stretched against the opposite side of the room, and shelves lined the walls, holding art supplies, ink bottles, and small trinkets. The space was unmistakably his— equal parts chaos and creativity, with a quiet charm Aspen hadn’t expected.

She lingered near the door, her gaze falling on the sketchbook resting open on the desk. She could see the faint outlines of a design, though she couldn’t make out the details from where she stood. 

“Is this where you draw?” she asked softly, her voice tentative.

Harry stepped in after her, letting the door click shut behind him. “Sometimes. Depends on the day.” Harry shuffled over to his desk and flipped the book closed, his eyes making sure she didn't see herself on the page, but she was already busy looking around.

Aspen’s fingers fidgeted with the strap of her bag again, her gaze darting around the room. She didn’t know what to say, but Harry didn’t seem to mind the silence. He leaned back against the edge of his desk, watching her as she took it all in.

“Y’don’t have to stand by the door, y’know,” he said after a moment, his voice softer now. “I don’t bite.”

Aspen looked up at him, startled before a tiny, shy smile tugged at her lips. “I didn’t think you did.”

Harry smirked faintly, though there was no teasing in his expression this time. He just watched her, this quiet girl standing in his space, surrounded by his mess, who seemed entirely out of place yet somehow perfectly fine being there. For reasons he couldn’t quite pin down, it didn’t bother him. Usually, the presence of anyone else ticked him off, made him feel too crowded.

“Y’like the shop?” he asked finally, breaking the silence.

Aspen nodded, her smile lingering. “Yeah. It’s really... cool. It suits you.”

Harry blinked at that, taken aback by the sincerity in her voice. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected her to say, but somehow, her quiet compliment settled deep in his chest, in a way he didn’t entirely understand.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, glancing down at his hands before looking back at her. “Means more than y’think.”

Aspen’s cheeks turned pink again, but she didn’t look away this time. For once, the silence that settled between them didn’t feel awkward or heavy— it felt comfortable. Safe, even.

Harry broke the silence with a small breath. "Can I kiss you again?"

A new heat that was all too familiar crept up to her rosy cheeks again. She swore she could cry from relief. After their kiss and after they got out of the RV, she didn't see much of Harry. The girl worried herself into thinking he didn't want to kiss her anymore, that it was a one-time thing he needed to get off his chest. 

Before she could speak, Harry had already pushed his tall figure off the desk and took a step forward. She felt his lingering gaze and just as she was about to shy down, she realized she didn't even answer him. He was waiting for approval. A shy nod followed by a squeak of 'yes' made Harry continue his route to her. 

The man inhaled deep through his nose, letting it rumble out as his hands gently rested on Aspen's waist. His thumb caressed over the clothed skin. He was taller than her, much taller, she now realized. The girl lifted herself onto her tippytoes with a shy realization, only to have Harry plant her back down on the floor. "I've got it. You just... stay there. 'S perfect."

Aspen couldn't help the shy, nervous giggle that came from her lips before they met with Harry's perfect ones. This time felt more natural than the last. She knew what to do and how to do it. Her frail fingers came to rest on his broad shoulders. Aspen suppressed a gasp when she realized how structured he was, his shoulders firm, and Aspen could feel the ridges of his built muscles under the black shirt he wore.

When Harry took a step closer, that's when Aspen tilted her head this time with a newfound bravery taking over. She followed Harry's actions from last time and deepened their kiss. At this point, the girl was sure she didn't need oxygen if she had Harry. 

Their lips continued their slow tangle. Harry wouldn't say it, not to her or even himself, but he was glad that their kiss was never just a kiss. He swallowed down a groan at the feeling of the girl deepening their kiss. His nose bumped hers gently as they traded sides. His fingers gave a small squeeze to her clothed flesh and subconsciously pulled her closer.

Aspen was the first to break their kiss with a small gasp for air. Harry looked down at her, his green eyes absorbing the sight in front of him. Her lips were now a deeper, yet brighter shade of red, just barely slick with a mix of her lipgloss and spit. A nice tint, he thought. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, Harry couldn't help but press a kiss to the beautiful sight he saw. A small sigh fell from them both, and Aspen's eyes took a moment to flutter back open once they separated again. 

One of her hands rested on Harry's chest now, slightly catching on the fabric. Her lips rolled into her teeth before she let out a small giggle. Harry quirked a brow, hands still on her hips, as he looked down at her. "What?"

"Sorry, I just... I didn't know you still wanted to kiss me."

Harry’s brow furrowed slightly, though the expression didn’t carry any real weight—it was softer, almost confused. His thumbs stilled their motion over Aspen’s waist as he tilted his head, his green eyes studying her face closely. “Why wouldn’t I?” he asked, his voice low and steady like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Aspen’s cheeks burned deeper, the blush spreading down to her neck as she shrugged one shoulder. Her fingers, still resting against his chest, played nervously with the fabric of his black shirt. “I mean... I just thought maybe it was—.” She hesitated, her words getting tangled on her tongue. “I thought maybe it was a one-time thing. Like you just... needed to get it out of your system.”

Harry stared at her for a beat, and then, unexpectedly, a soft, breathy laugh escaped him. It wasn’t mocking, but it was genuine—surprised, even. He shook his head slowly, the corner of his mouth tugging up into the faintest, crooked smile. “You’re funny, y'know tha'?”

Aspen blinked up at him, startled by his reaction. “What?”

“You really think I’d do all this—” Harry gestured vaguely between the two of them, his large hands briefly leaving her waist before returning to hold her steady. “—just to get it out of my system?” He raised an eyebrow at her, the teasing look on his face softening just slightly as he continued. “Trust me, love, if I didn’t want t'kiss you again, I wouldn’t be standing here asking for it like some lovesick idiot.”

Love. There he went again.

The words knocked the wind right out of Aspen. She stared up at him, her wide eyes darting across his face to confirm he wasn’t joking, but there was nothing in his expression to suggest otherwise. He was looking at her with the same quiet intensity as always, but there was something else there, too— something she couldn’t quite name.

“Oh,” she breathed, her voice barely audible.

Harry huffed a quiet laugh again, this one softer, almost fond. “Yeah. ‘Oh,’” he echoed, his lips twitching up into a half-smile.

Aspen bit her lip, trying and failing to suppress a nervous grin as her gaze dropped to his chest. She couldn’t look at him directly when he said things like that—it was too much, too overwhelming. But Harry didn’t seem to mind. He stood there patiently, his thumbs resuming their slow, absentminded circles against her waist as he let her process his words.

After a moment, Harry spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “I wouldn’t kiss someone I didn’t want, Aspen.”

Her gaze shot back up to his face, her lips parting slightly, but no words came out. Harry’s green eyes held hers, unwavering and sincere, before they flicked down briefly to her lips. His hands on her waist gave the faintest pull— so slight she almost didn’t notice— until her body was just a bit closer to his.

“I don’t do things I don’t mean,” he added, and before Aspen could even think to respond, Harry dipped his head down and captured her lips again.

This kiss felt different. It wasn’t as tentative as before, nor was it rushed or uncertain. It was slow, purposeful— as if Harry was trying to prove a point without saying another word. His lips moved against hers in a way that made Aspen’s heart stutter, and when his hands slid carefully up her sides, just under the hem of her sweater but over the thin material of her leggings, she felt her knees wobble.

Harry must have noticed because he chuckled softly against her mouth before steadying her, his fingers splaying out against her back. “Careful there,” he murmured, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.

Aspen let out an embarrassed giggle, her breath shaky as she pulled back just enough to meet his gaze. Harry’s green eyes were darker now, but not in an intimidating way. There was a softness to him, something warm that she hadn’t seen before.

“Sorry,” she whispered, her cheeks still flushed.

Harry smirked faintly, his hands lingering on her back as he tilted his head slightly. “Don’t apologize. I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Aspen rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet, you’re still here,” Harry shot back easily, his smirk widening.

She shook her head quickly, letting out a soft, nervous laugh as her eyes darted to the floor before flicking up to glance around the office. Her fingers fidgeted at the hem of her sweater, suddenly hyperaware of how close he was. “Is this... um... is this part of the tour, too?” she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, breathless and shy.

Harry’s expression softened instantly, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked down at her. “It is now,” he murmured, his voice low and warm as his thumb brushed faintly over the small of her back.

Aspen’s heart tumbled in her chest, her breath catching as her eyes flicked up to his and then quickly back down again. She felt like she might combust on the spot. The way he looked at her, like he actually saw her, all of her, was almost too much to handle. Her hands twitched, still nervously clutching the fabric of his shirt as she tried to will herself to calm down.

“I—um...” she started, but her voice failed her, barely a squeak, as she felt the weight of Harry’s gaze on her. She swallowed hard, her head ducking slightly as she focused on the buttons of his black shirt instead of his face.

Harry must have noticed her growing shyness because he straightened slightly, his hands sliding back down to her hips, his touch gentle but grounding. “C’mon,” he said softly, his voice breaking through the tension in the air, “you wanna see anything else, or is this good enough for today?”

Aspen blinked up at him again, her cheeks glowing red as she offered the faintest, shyest smile. She could barely meet his eyes as she shook her head, her voice small. “This is... this is more than enough.”

Harry chuckled, the sound deep and warm, and Aspen’s eyes were drawn to the way his lip ring glinted when he smiled. “Good. You’re not getting any more today, anyway,” he teased, though his tone was light, almost playful.

Aspen let out a small, breathy giggle, but it quickly disappeared as she shyly dropped her gaze again. Feeling brave for only a moment, she swatted lightly at his chest, her hand barely making an impact, before her arm quickly fell back to her side. “You’re the worst,” she mumbled, her face burning as she refused to look back up at him.

Harry tilted his head slightly, his smirk returning as he watched her, clearly amused. “Mm,” he hummed, his hands lingering on her for a second longer before he stepped back. “But you’re still here, aren’t you?”

Aspen didn’t dare answer— she couldn’t. Her tongue felt tied in knots, and she knew if she tried to speak, it would only come out in another nervous squeak. Instead, she let her lips tug into the smallest smile, her gaze still cast downward as Harry turned and stepped toward the door.

“Let’s get you out of here before Zayn starts wondering what I’m doing with you back here,” he reminded her, holding the door open and looking back at her.

Aspen hesitated for a second, then quickly scurried out of the office with Harry a few steps behind, her heart still hammering against her ribs. Whatever had just happened between them— whatever this was, left her completely undone.

"How'd you like the place?" Zayn was quick to greet her when they rounded the corner. "Did Harry give you any attitude?" He teased, nodding his head towards his friend. Harry only rolled his eyes, plopping down into the reception seat that was usually occupied by Niall. 

"It was.. it was good, I loved it! And no, he was on his best behavior.," Aspen promised with a small smile. Her brown eyes glanced over at Harry who was already looking back at her. Another common trend she noticed, he was always looking. Zayn offered to walk Aspen out and she waved a shy hand to say goodbye to Harry. When the both of them reached the door, he made sure to follow her with his eyes through the glass panels until he no longer could see her. 

Zayn's voice made him snap back to his friend. 

"Dude, when did you start wearing lipgloss?"

[monstersandmaw]

Male gnoll x gn reader (nsfw)

Disclaimer which I’m including in all my works after plagiarism and theft has taken place: I do not give my consent for my works to be used, copied, published, or posted anywhere. They are copyrighted and belong to me. 

As promised, the modern gnoll story is here!

Content: insecure, squishy, gender and body neutral reader; praise kink from gnoll boy if you squint; penetrative sex, knotting.

There's also very fleeting mention of a young, terminally ill patient passing off-screen. If you want to skip that entirely, skip from: "Halfway through the third time you encountered him there though, he got a call on his phone and his whole demeanour changed." to the paragraph beginning: "Three days later, and you’d been to the gym every day in the hopes of catching him, you hadn’t seen him."

Wordcount: 6934

You stared at the weights rack and felt a bead of sweat roll down your spine that had nothing to do with your previous sets.

This would be the heaviest you’d ever attempted to chest press, and while it might not be much by some people’s standards — that half-orc last week had really put you off your stride by snorting at you, but we can’t all be built like brick fucking walls, can we? — it was more than you’d tried so far. But you were ready. You just… needed someone to spot for you. Just in case. Safety first, and all that.

But the only people in the weights section were the kind of people who, through no real fault of their own, you tended to find nauseatingly intimidating. Like that troll who could probably bench press one of you in each hand. Or that werewolf who was fully shifted and currently on her hundredth(?) chin-up on the bars. Or that gnoll. He’d been doing slow, measured bicep curls for the past five minutes and you’d been trying not to stare at him. Most male gnolls were a bit smaller than their female counterparts, and tended to be less aggressive and competitive in the gym, but this guy was huge.

You must have looked a little too long though, because his dark, rounded ear twitched and he turned his head to look at you. Instead of glaring at you, he offered you a wide, friendly grin that showed off his massive, chunky teeth and made you a bit weak at the knees. Always good to go weak at the joints when you were about to attempt a personal best in the weights section at the gym…

Fuck.

“You ok?” he asked, setting down a dumbbell that was heavy enough to double as a battleship anchor, and you swallowed.

Now or never.

“I…” you croaked and cleared your throat, looking down at the bench and back up at him.

“You want someone to spot for you?” he asked, stepping a little closer. His paws were massive and while he had clothes on — black gym shorts and a big, baggy, white tank top — he wore no shoes. His claws flexed as his dark, smoky brown pads spread to take his weight, and you swallowed again. He had really adorable freckle-like spots up his shaggy legs too.

“If you wouldn’t mind?” you finally managed to squeak.

At that, he beamed at you and gave a gnollish giggle that seemed genuinely pleased. “Happy to.”

“Thanks,” you mumbled, and took a breath for courage. No going back now.

You lay down on the bench and he came to stand behind the rack. His big, clawed hands hooked under the bar but he didn't take any of its weight as you adjusted your grip and got settled, and prepared to lift it free. He loomed over you, his face serious with concentration. It was a comfort to know he was focused on the task, not gawping around at the other gym-goers. The future integrity of your chest and ribs depended on his concentration if your arms failed you, after all. You had no doubts about his strength though. He really was massive.

Getting your breathing under control, you shoved carefully upwards, and he grinned as you took its weight and began your reps. After five, you felt your arms start to burn, but you pushed on towards ten.

At nine, your muscles shuddered in complaint.

“You’ve got this,” he said in a low, quiet rumble, and it spurred you on to do the last one. You hooked it back in place and met his dark brown eyes. “Nailed it,” he grinned, all teeth and joy. “I reckon you can go up another five kilograms…”

“I’m not sure,” you replied, sitting up carefully and swinging your feet off to one side. The idea of making it heavier seemed overwhelming.

“I’ll spot you again, don’t worry,” he said, reaching for a couple of the smallest weight plates from the rack and slotting them easily onto the end of your bar. “But you definitely had some in the tank. Take a minute, have a drink, and go again.”

His quiet, easy conviction was enviable, but it sparked something in you that had been dormant for a long time. Or maybe it had been smothered into dormancy. Either way, it felt a lot like the echo of self-confidence, though the feeling was unfamiliar these days.

When you set down your water bottle and paused to let your muscles relax after the first set of reps, your eye was caught by a wiry looking goblin doing weighted squats on the far side of the room. She had iron grey hair and looked to be in her sixties or seventies, and you felt the heat of shame flood your cheeks when you realised she was lifting more than you could, at half your height and a fraction of your body-weight.

Seeing where you were looking, the gnoll gave a little snicker and said, “Oh boy, don’t compare yourself to Rose, friend. I’ve seen her outlast full-grown orcs in friendly pull-up competitions, and she can plank for an hour without breaking a sweat. Goblins are made of steel, I swear. Focus on your own journey.”

You laughed, feeling stupidly grateful to him for his kind reassurance.

“Come on. Give it a go?” he said, and you nodded and lay back. “I’ll be here. I won’t let you hurt yourself,” he added.

It was a struggle, but you made it to five before you needed a pause, and he hooked his rough-padded fingers under the bar and took the weight for a second.

“Breathe, and then just five more.”

Somehow when he said it like that, it didn’t seem so bad.

Things got tricky at eight, but you gritted your teeth and pushed through, and when you hit ten and he took it from you, your arms felt like wet noodles, but you’d done it.

“Alright!” he exclaimed as you sat up and cast him a sidelong look. He offered his paw for a high-five, and, embarrassed by his enthusiasm for you, you answered it. The pads of his paws were rough and warm, and his entire hand almost engulfed yours. When you lowered your gaze again, you could just see his little tail wagging back and forth and that finally brought a huge smile to your face. How long had it been since someone was genuinely excited for your achievements?

“Thank you,” you mumbled, your voice cracking a bit. “That was really kind of you. I’m sorry I interrupted your workout.”

“Not at all,” he smiled. “Happy to help, and you smashed it! I’ll leave you to get on, but shout if you need me to spot for you again.”

“Thanks,” you said, but your shyness returned, and you didn’t trouble him again that session.

Three days later, you were back in the gym with your muscles mostly recovered. On the ground floor of the building, there was a huge swimming pool and as you passed the viewing window you could see a couple of humans and a few orcs and perhaps an elf doing serious, focused laps in the swimming lanes, barely making a splash as they powered through the water. This whole ‘fitness drive’ thing was still pretty new to you, and just walking up the stairs into the upper level of the gym where the machines and weights were sparked the same nauseous anxiety in the pit of your stomach that you always experienced at the thought of going to a public gym. You didn’t look like someone who belonged here, with soft edges and extra weight in places it wasn’t conventionally attractive for humans to carry it, and while you weren’t really here to please other people, you were trying to take better care of yourself lately and that, unfortunately, involved exercise.

Your eyes scanned the space and you’d have been lying if you weren’t searching for a flash of honey-coloured fur. There was a large group of orcs messing around in the weights section, so you bailed and headed blindly for the nearest cardio machine, heart pounding in a way that made you want to throw up.

“Guess I’m running today,” you muttered under your breath as you stepped automatically up onto the treadmill. Panic had made you go to this one, and you thought you’d probably look even more stupid if you changed your mind now.

After an overly-long warm-up walk, you cranked it to something manageable and felt your body complain already. You made it to about one kilometre before you had to stop. Deciding to pretend you’d always intended to use it merely as a way to loosen up, you hit the ‘stop’ button and ignored its friendly advice to do a cool down, grabbing your water bottle from the holder and turning around to see if there was enough room in the weights area for you to slink in and do a few reps.

And there, looking at you across the room, was the gnoll from before.

Your heart flip-flopped in your chest, first with delight and then with horror as you realised he must have seen you lumbering away on the treadmill. Fuck.

But when he met your eye, he grinned, showing all his teeth, and he waved. You smiled back, and wove your way through the bristling array of cardio machines to join him.

“Hey,” he said, scratching behind one large ear with his right paw. “I wasn’t sure if you were a regular… I kind of thought I might never see you again.”

“No, I’m usually wheezing away in a corner at around this time every few days,” you snorted.

He didn’t laugh at your self-deprecating humour though, and instead turned his muzzle towards the weights. “You need someone to spot for you again?”

You bit your lip. “Yeah, I guess. You can be my cheerleader again too if you like,” you added with a spur-of-the-moment burst of bravery.

“Gladly,” he giggled, tail wagging back and forth. “You wanna do a few warm up rounds first? I just got here, so I’m kind of cold anyway.”

As before, when you were ready, he came over and stood at the head of the bench, hands ready to catch the bar. It was harder to concentrate this time round, with him looming over you. He had to be nearly seven feet tall, though he had that distinctive hunch that gnolls’ unique biology lent to their kind where werewolves were more upright.

When he took the bar from you at the end of your first set of reps, his fingers brushed yours and you nearly gasped at how velvet-soft his fur was. “Thank you,” you said, and as you sat up to take your short break, you introduced yourself by name.

“I’m Cade,” he replied, and stuck out his hand for you to shake.

Conscious that your palms were probably super sweaty, you tried not to flush hot and make it even worse, and you slid your hand into his. Again, the size of him was striking, and you felt something in your core tighten and start to tingle at the sight of it, let alone the feel of his paw flexing around your hand. His claws were dark and neatly rounded and you wondered what he did for a living. Most gnolls — not that you knew any personally — seemed to have active, outdoorsy jobs, but there was something about him that made you curious.

“Ready for round two?” he asked, and you got back to it with a shy smile. “Ah, come on. It’s not that bad, is it? You might even learn to love it soon.”

“It’s better with company,” you admitted as you took the weight of the bar and looked up just in time to watch his face go from serious to delighted at the compliment. “Not sure I’ll ever come to love it though. Not the way you seem to.”

He grinned and giggled gnollishly — the sound high and bright and a little silly coming from someone so intimidatingly built — and you couldn’t help the way your heart felt a little lighter and your body a little more energised. “I did consider changing careers to become a personal trainer for a while,” he said while you started to count your second set.

“Oh?” You didn’t have the breath to ask anything more articulate, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Mm. I just enjoy helping people out, I guess.”

“What do you do now for work?” you asked in a bit of a garbled rush between reps six and seven.

“I’m a paediatric nurse,” he said, and you nearly dropped the bar on your chest. He reached down and snatched it before it had even dropped an inch, and he shot you a look. “Don’t worry, I’m used to that reaction,” he said with a wink. “I was expecting it.”

“Sorry,” you said. Jeez, what a charmer. “I just… I wouldn’t have thought… you know… I’m sorry.”

“Eh, it’s fine,” he said. “Come on, get to ten and I’ll tell you the rest.”

You pushed through the last three and he took the bar and rested it on its hooks, allowing you to sit up with thrumming muscles in your shoulders and arms. You stretched out and twisted your neck to look up at him from your seat on the bench.

“We have a bad reputation still,” he sighed, “But actually, traditionally, male gnolls are the caretakers in our clans. Historically, the females did all the fighting and protecting, and we raised the cubs and taught them the basics before they went on to train with the females.” He shot you a cheeky look and added, “Statistically, male gnolls are the least likely of almost all species to be aggressive, so despite appearances, we make perfect caretakers. The kids at the hospital love me, once they get past the teeth and the size.”

“I can see why,” you said faintly.

Cade pulled a wide smile and eyed the bar. “Go for three sets this time?”

You did, and when you were done, you thanked him, and then headed to grab a kettle bell to do some other exercises. If both of you kept sneaking glances at each other for the rest of your session, well, at least it wasn’t just you.

Halfway through the third time you encountered him there though, he got a call on his phone and his whole demeanour changed. You’d been doing some lower-weight dead lifts, and as you set the bar down on the mat you watched all the joy bleed out of him; his tail bristled high and stiff, his ears swivelled back almost flat against his head, and his big brown eyes went wide with distress.

“Shit, now?” he hissed, turning away from you. “Fuck. Ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can. No, don’t worry about it. Thanks for telling me. Ok, I’ll see you soon.”

He hung up, took a deep breath, and then slowly looked over his shoulder at you. “I… I have to go. I’m sorry. Don’t try any more without someone to spot for you, ok?”

You nodded. “You alright?”

He bit his lip and shook his head. “No, not really. One of my patients is… Uh… Yeah. Not long left, apparently.”

“Oh shit, Cade,” you said, crossing to him. You laid your hand on his fluffy forearm and squeezed the solid muscle beneath your fingers. He seemed to relax just a fraction at that. “You need someone to give you a lift to the hospital? My car’s outside.”

Again, he bit his lip and then nodded. “You wouldn’t mind? I was gonna get the bus.”

You shook your head. “Of course not. Let’s go.”

He was mostly silent for the journey, his knee bouncing as he sat crammed into in the front of your car, but when you approached the main entrance to the hospital, he said, “You can just use the drop-off at the front. Thank you again. I’ll… I’ll see you around, ok?”

You nodded and reached for his arm again. “Take care of yourself.”

He smiled, gave a low rumbling noise that you’d never heard him make before, and then climbed out and strode into the hospital without a backward glance. You looked down at the seat and found a fair few golden hairs stuck to the fabric, and didn’t have the heart to brush them away.

Three days later, and you’d been to the gym every day in the hopes of catching him, you hadn’t seen him. Your mood was decidedly flat as you stepped out into the fresh night air and tried to plaster on a smile when your best friend uncoiled his muscular, python’s tail from the back of the taxi that was waiting at the curb and flung his arms around you. His dark brown skin had a pearlescent shimmer to it and his long, thick brown hair was plaited into a thick braid that hung down his spine. He wore a glittery, black shirt studded with a rainbow of rhinestones that matched the iridescent gleam that seemed to hover over his snake’s tail too, and he had the most exquisitely neat makeup on that you’d ever seen.

“Gods, Mal, you look incredible,” you wheezed as he hugged you.

“You look good too, sweetheart,” he grinned back. “Any sign of your delicious little puppy at the gym today? No, of course not. If there had been, you wouldn’t looked like a kicked puppy yourself. Come on. It’s my birthday. You’re not allowed to mope,” he said, and he practically bundled you into the back of the taxi before going round to the other side and piling in beside you.

He gave the driver the name of the club, and the car set off.

“There’ll be so many beautiful people there tonight, you’ll forget all about this gnoll of yours, I swear,” he practically purred in your ear, and you tried to smile.

“Happy birthday, by the way,” you said, and you drew an envelope from your clutch and handed it to him.

He frowned. “What’s this? We don’t do cards or presents anymore, sweetie,” he scowled, but he did look secretly pleased.

“Couldn’t resist this one,” you shrugged.

The card was nothing very special, just a lame joke about not throwing a hissy fit on your birthday, but it predictably made Mal groan and roll his eyes. “Really, darling? Didn’t we get over the reptile jokes in kindergarten?”

You did manage to muster a heartfelt smirk at that, and waved your hand. “I couldn’t resist,” you said again.

“You’re awful. I love you so much,” he laughed, and tugged you into a sideways hug in his arms. “You’re the only person I tolerate this kind of shit from, you know that?”

“Yeah,” you smiled.

For a long moment, Mal held you and then he let you go and sighed softly. “I want you to be happy, you know?” he said. “You’ve been, like… ‘background miserable’ for ages.”

“I’ll try,” you said. It had been easier until Cade had vanished.

The club was packed already, but Mal dragged you to the front of the line and the two of you were admitted like celebrities and shown to the VIP area of the club. Perks of being with the brother of the owner, you supposed. Yves came over to greet you and his brother and to wish Mal a happy birthday. His present, it turned out, was unlimited drinks for the two of you all night.

For an hour, you and Mal chatted and drank leisurely, and watched the people out on the dance floor that was slightly below your booth, but just as Mal slithered with enviable elegance off the bench and started to make his way towards the dance floor, dragging you along with him, you caught sight of the familiar shape of a gnoll’s ears and froze so abruptly that your hands were torn from Mal’s grip.

“What, Sweets?”

You frowned, trying to make out the figure that was across the space, apparently also being dragged by his friends onto the floor. It was him. It was Cade. You had to laugh, and just as you did, he looked up.

His jaw dropped and he fell utterly still as well, then he laughed and shook his head.

“No way,” Mal breathed, now leaning in to hiss in your ear. “That’s him?”

“Yeah,” you said, and as Cade joined you, Mal — the cheeky shit that he was — gave you a solid shove between your shoulder blades.

You stumbled forwards and Cade shot his hands out to catch you before you planted face-first onto the dance floor. You whipped around the moment he had steadied you, and shot Mal the most venomous glare you could, and then turned back to Cade. “Thanks,” you yelled above the music. “My meddling best friend isn’t exactly known for his subtlety.”

“It’s ok,” Cade chuckled. “It’s good to see you. Sorry I haven’t made it to the gym lately. You find someone to spot for you?”

You shook your head and realised you were still holding his forearms. He hadn’t let go either, so neither did you. “How are you doing? I was worried about you when I didn’t see you after… you know…”

He bowed his head in understanding. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d worry about me, if I’m honest. I’m good. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, even if it was still really sad. It’s part of the job sometimes though. It’s… It’s not my first. But I’m not here to mope.”

“Why are you here then?” you asked, squeezing his forearm gently as someone knocked into you from the side. “You look about as comfortable as I am in places like this…”

His ears were pricked as far forward as they could go, straining like satellite dishes to catch your words above the thundering music, and the urge to make an inhuman squeak rose up your throat like a physical presence. For someone so huge and muscular, he had no right to look so heartbreakingly cute.

“My friends’ house purchase went through so they decided to celebrate and drag me out with them. You?”

“Mal's birthday. His brother owns the club, so we’ve had free drinks for the night.”

“Nice,” Cade laughed. “You want to dance?”

You did, but it wasn’t something you were any good at. Then again, looking around you, there weren’t many you’d have said were actually dancing. Shyly, you managed a nod, and he grinned at you again, and held out both paws. You slid your hands into them and he exhaled, his chest falling noticeably.

“What?”

“You’re so small,” he said. “I… I’m so afraid I’m going to crush you all the time.”

“You won’t,” you smiled, and stepped even closer to him. Close enough to smell the soft musk that rose from his fur. Close enough to see the lights reflected in his coffee-dark eyes and watch the way the pale whiskers on his dark muzzle splayed wide with his anticipation. In the lights you noticed that the white trim of fur along the outer edge of his ears looked like a fine line of silver. “You’re really beautiful, Cade,” you whispered, certain that the music would drown your words, but he pulled his dark lips back in a broad grin and dipped his head shyly.

He turned you in his arms so that your back was to his chest and he stepped a little closer, moving his hands to your waist. You tried to fight the self-consciousness that roared to life like a wildfire in your mind, and when he felt you tense, he leaned down and murmured in your ear, “Is this alright?”

You nodded and leaned back into him, looking up at his pale throat and chest. It was a surprisingly familiar view by now after your sessions in the gym. He was wearing loose jeans that ended at the knee, the way many non-humans did, and he had a black t-shirt on that fitted his muscular frame beautifully. His red-gold mane melted into the dark fur of his ears and the creamy underside of his chin and neck, and you wanted to melt against him and have him hold you forever.

“Yes,” you exhaled. “It’s just been a while, that’s all.”

“We can go however slow you like, but you should know I like you,” he said in a low, inviting rumble. He pressed his cold nose carefully against your cheek and then nuzzled you with his jaw. “A lot. Gods, you smell amazing,” he blurted, as if he couldn't help himself.

That self-conscious heat evolved into something entirely different, and pure want coursed through you instead. You ached again and your body seemed to prickle all over with desire.

His hands drifted a fraction lower, to frame your hips, and his fingers dug into your soft flesh. Above the music you heard him give a long, deep lowing sound; primal and visceral and honest in its appreciation, and it made you shiver.

You lost track of time as you danced together. It wasn’t so much ‘dancing’ as ‘sharing the same space and touching wherever you could both get away with it before it became completely indecent’.

At one point, when you’d turned to face him again, someone nudged into you from behind and a hand wandered over your back, and you flinched closer to Cade. He pulled his lips back and showed all his teeth, and the human who had wandered too close to your corner of paradise shied away with hands raised.

“Didn’t take you for the jealous type,” you said, and Cade growled at you instead.

“I’m not,” he said. “But I am protective. If you want to leave here with someone else tonight instead of me, I won’t stop you.”

“I don’t want to,” you said, placing your hand on the centre of his chest. “I’m not sure I’m ready to go home with you tonight either, but I do want your number and I do want to see you again.”

He smiled, and drew his phone from his back pocket. He twitched his muzzle towards the edge of the dance floor and then offered you his palm, leading you through the jostling crowd towards a quieter spot and shielding you with the bulk of his body when you had to force your way through the crush. You exchanged numbers, and then he looked over your shoulder and said, “Your friend is coming over.”

You turned to find Mal easing his way around the edge of the dance floor. He was moving slowly, carefully, the way he did when he was very drunk and trying not to show it. “Ah, man, I’ll have to get him home safely,” you sighed. “I guess this is goodbye for now.”

Cade nodded. “I’ll see you both to a cab if you like.”

“You are protective,” you chuckled.

“I’m not hearing a ‘no’.”

“No, you’re not,” you smiled. “If you like, you can get on the other side of Mal and see that he doesn’t slither off somewhere.”

The two of you wrangled a very curious and very obvious Mal into the back of a cab, and Cade came to stand with his hands on your waist. “Can I kiss you?” he asked, his ears tilted back in a perfect display of meek shyness.

“Yes,” you exhaled.

He lowered his head and brought his muzzle to your lips. His mouth was soft against yours and he pressed his lips against you and then let the very tip of his tongue lave over your lips while his rough hands rose to cup your jawline and hold your face delicately. Cade didn’t spend long kissing you, since it was evident that this was a human gesture for which his body was not really built, but he did move to nuzzle your cheek with the velvet fur of his muzzle before stepping back and breathing out a long sigh.

Before he could say anything sweet or romantic, Mal opened the door and half his tail spilled back out onto the tarmac, and he cursed. “Fuck. I just wanted to say to hurry the fuck up because I’m cold and drunk and I don’t want to sit the back of this cab any longer than I have to,” he slurred, his forked tongue thick with drink. “Sorry,” he tacked on a little late.

Cade chuckled and helped you tuck Mal’s python tail back into the car for a second time, and you shook your head. “I’m so sorry,” you said, and squeezed his arm. “I’ll see you at the gym? And I’ll text you.”

He nodded, and you got in to the taxi next to Mal and shot him a flat look. “That was not cool,” you said. “You only get a free pass because it’s your birthday.”

And with that, you told the driver his address, and then, when Mal was safely inside and a little more sober, you headed home.

A text was waiting from Cade but you saved it for when you were finally ready for bed, and as you lay there in the dark, you opened your messages with a little trepidation.

>> You looked so beautiful tonight. I was *this* close to not going out tonight, but I’m so glad I did. I hope you got back ok and that the birthday boy isn’t going to suffer too much. I’ll be at the gym tomorrow. Perhaps we can grab a coffee somewhere afterwards if you’re going to be around? Night, and sleep well. C x <<

You read it through four times before you replied, and after that, you saw each other every day for a fortnight solid.

It started with coffee after the gym and then progressed to drinks, and then drinks and a snack, and then dinner, and then dinner and a movie, and then dinner and the same movie again because there was nothing else on that you wanted to watch, and then dinner and a stroll along the riverbank while the city lights twinkled around you. Finally, after two weeks of meeting every day, he took your hands in his and kissed you silly on one of the bridges over the river.

He nuzzled you afterwards and let out all these delicious, gnollish noises that made your heart skip and dance and skitter around like a trapped bird in your ribcage.

“I want you,” you gasped as he leaned you back a little way and closed his mouth around your neck, raking his teeth oh so gently across your skin. He froze, and then drew back.

“You mean it?” he asked in an equally soft voice. His dark eyes were huge and his ears frankly adorable as they swivelled first back against his head in uncertainty and then pricked forwards in undeniable hope. His tail rose high and fluffy behind him and you giggled softly.

“Yes, I mean it,” you laughed. “I want you.”

“Now?”

“Not ‘now on this bridge’,” you snorted. “Now as in tonight. Now as in take me home.”

“Yours or mine?”

“Whose is closer?” you asked in a decidedly hoarse voice.

He paused. “Mine, probably.”

“Then let’s go there.”

He held your hand all the way there, and stopped at least five more times to nuzzle you and kiss you.

You’d been to his a couple of times before during your whirlwind courtship, but you’d only cuddled on the sofa while eating popcorn and watching reruns of your favourite shows. This time, you didn't bother with the sofa.

You kicked off your shoes at the door and he backed you towards the bedroom, growling and making those delicious, low-frequency lowing sounds in a constant, rumbling song. He loomed over you, but you grinned up at him and tugged at the lower hem of his black t-shirt.

He tore it off over his head to reveal the coarse, ivory fur of his chest and throat, and you reached for him, watching as your fingers disappeared into it. He growled — actually growled — when you scrunched your fingers and tugged experimentally, and you looked up at him again. He was panting softly, eyes half-lidded with his muzzle tilted upwards a fraction.

“Bed. Now,” you said in an unusually assertive voice.

Cade gasped and then simply picked you up by the hips. You looped your legs around his middle and let him carry you into his bedroom, where he deposited you carefully onto the bed and leaned down over you. It didn’t take you long to discard your clothes and he stared at you in wonder when you lay back again.

He was hard and as he rutted through his jeans against your thigh, you arched your back off the bed and moaned. “Now, Cade. Please.”

You ached all over and you’d never been this turned on in all your life. Every nerve ending seemed to have been dialled up to eleven and every time his rough paws skimmed over your skin, you gasped and jerked and groaned.

“So sensitive,” he purred, leaning back to undo his jeans and cast them aside. His boxers came next, and you tried not to stare at the size of him. You hoped you could take him.

He knelt between your legs and gently bit and mouthed his way up your inner thighs before closing his mouth over you and letting his tongue savour you. It should have been unnerving to have the most powerful jaws of almost any creature on land so close to where you were most delicate, but it sent a thrill up your spine instead. He moved his head between your legs and you let your hand rest between his ears, guiding his pace and taming his ardour a little.

Cade drew back, his eyes glassy and his muzzle wet with a combination of your arousal and his drool, and he rasped, “You taste incredible.”

“I want to come with you inside me,” you moaned. “I want you to knot me, Cade.”

His eyes fluttered and rolled at that and he gripped his cock in one hand as though trying to stave off his own orgasm already. “Fuck,” he grunted. “Fuck, that’s about the hottest thing you could have said to me. I’m really not gonna last long now. Oh fuck, I can already feel —”

“Cade, inside me. Now.”

“You’re sure?”

“Cade…” There was a growl to your voice too.

His cock was leaking all over his hand, all over the back of his fingers, and he wasn’t even working himself. You weren’t going to need any extra help to ease him inside you, but you were going to need him to take it gently.

“Slowly,” you warned as he lined himself up. He nodded, looking nervous and earnest.

The tip of his cock nudged inside you and you groaned and lay back, enjoying the huge stretch of him. Cade, meanwhile, bit back a curse and began to shake all over.

“I can’t,” he gasped. “Please… I…”

“Keep going,” you said, sounding gloriously winded already and he was only a little way inside you. “Don’t stop.”

The gnoll let out a long, lowing groan and then braced himself on both arms. You drew your knees up to help him and he began to pant again. “Fuck,” he cursed as he eased himself further inside you. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, I can’t I’m… I’m going to come… fuck, you’re tight. Oh fuck, beautiful, I can’t…”

“Yes you can,” you crooned, though the seduction in your voice was a little strangled by the intensity of the stretch as he eased almost all the way into you. “You can wait for me, I know you can. You’re so good; you’re so kind, Cade. You’re going to make this amazing for me, I know you are…”

At the string of praise, his heavy jaws parted to show all his thick, sharp teeth and he began to shake with the effort of not plunging into you in a single stroke until finally, finally, he was seated inside you to the hilt of his cock.

“See?” you said, reaching for the ruff around his neck and threading your fingers into the depths of the soft fur.

He keened and began to rock his hips. “Please… Please can I move now?”

“Yes, Cade. Let me feel all of you inside me.”

What began as a slow, careful slide of his huge cock inside you hastened to a desperate rhythm in minutes. His hips snapped against yours and you felt the weight of his balls as they rocked against you with each thrust. Cade was whining with each stroke, and you realised that the delicious stretch was growing, and each time he withdrew, it was a little less far.

“You’re going to knot me, aren’t you?” you gasped, drawing your knees up even further so that he hit you just-so with the tip of his cock at the apex of each desperate thrust.

“Mmnn,” he whimpered. “Fuck. I’m so close. You’re so gorgeous. Been thinking about this since… since we danced. Gods, I wanted to fuck you that night. Came all over myself when I got home. Popped a knot and everything, oh fuck, oh fuck you’re so tight I’m going to come, I’m so close, I’m going to come, can I come? Please let me come, beautiful, please let me fill you —”

His babbling, rambling pleas devolved into another gnollish low and he threw his head back, picking up the desperate pace. His hands grabbed your hips and his claws pricked your skin as he pulled you further onto his growing knot with every thrust. Delirious pleasure coursed through you and you barely had the presence of mind left to give him the permission he clearly craved.

“Yes, come for me,” you slurred. “Come inside me, Cade. Fill me —”

With a roar, his hips snapped against yours one last time and his whole body locked up. His lips pulled back from his huge teeth into a rictus of ecstasy and his eyes rolled as he came in huge, shuddering waves, lost to the pleasure of your body as his knot finally swelled to fill you and the sensation of it tipped you over the edge as well. As your body clenched around him, he cursed again and tugged you somehow even further onto his knot. His hips spasmed against you and you could feel him emptying himself into you in waves.

It was a long time before he stopped coming, and even with his knot plugging you tight, you felt some of his come start to leak out around you already, spilling down your thighs and onto the sheet. “Fuck,” he hissed again, and his body went suddenly slack, though his chest was still heaving for breath.

He fell forwards over you and braced himself at the last second on his forearms. You lowered your legs and he grunted as the movement jolted his over-sensitive knot, but you stayed there for a long time.

Gradually, your breathing settled into the same rhythm and your heartbeats slowed, and a leaden satisfaction descended into your whole body. You felt full, and cherished as he held you.

You lost track of time as you lay there together, but finally his knot receded and you felt a lot more of his come start to slide down your thighs. “Making a mess,” you mumbled from where you were half-buried by the soft fur near his ear.

“Mmph.”

“If you’re expecting me to have put on enough muscle to chest press you off me, you’re sorely mistaken,” you quipped, and to your joy, he gave a delighted, gnollish giggle and lifted his head enough to regard you with his slightly unfocused, dark brown eyes.

“You’re really something,” he said, and he let his pink tongue just grace the tip of your nose. “You sore? You want me to run you a bath?”

“Oof, yes please,” you smiled. No one had ever offered to do that for you after sex, and you were indeed a little sore from where he’d stretched you further than anyone ever had.

He lifted himself off you carefully, withdrawing from you and giving a little grunt as his softening cock slid free. He sat back on his haunches and ran his thumbs over the curve of your thighs, staring at where you knew you were probably gaping a bit. It was hard not to feel embarrassment until he murmured, “You’re exquisite.”

Cade leaned over you and fondly raked his upper and lower teeth over the soft flesh of your thigh before laving his tongue over your skin and then finally standing on shaky legs. “Been a while since I came like that,” he admitted shyly as he staggered towards the door. “Think I might skip leg day tomorrow and just chill out here.”

“I’ll join you,” you said. “I may never regain feeling in my legs.”

“I’ll carry you around anyway,” he grinned as he left and went to run the bath.

True to his word, Cade did carry you around his apartment the next day, and your feet barely touched the ground from the moment you woke to the moment you fell asleep in his bed for the second night in a row.

You weren’t exactly complaining though. It was heaven.

__

I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you’ll consider reblogging as well as leaving a like. Take care of yourselves, and I hope you have a lovely day/night wherever you are, and whenever you read this.

| Masterlist | Ko-fi (tip jar)

[halfagone]

Thank you! So this next one is a risky just a DP x DC au. Basically, Dani joins the young Justice and constantly gushes about her father Danny, with her bragging about his achievements and causing both the YJ team and the league as a whole extremely curious about him (especially Batman). When Dani finally decides to introduce them to him, they were not expecting an 18 year old who’s already ruling the realms despite his young age. Naturally, shenanigans ensue from there. What do you think?

Hmm... *strokes non-existent goatee* Now this is an AU I don't usually do... (I have a threshold for angst, as I like to call it, for any given story, and I wonder if this would've passed the threshold) I think for best comical effect Danny shouldn't be super mature like he is in, say... Off With the Demon's Head, where we see a similar father-daughter kind of dynamic between Danny and Ellie. That way the YJ and JL are all the more shocked when they realize that this is the guy Ellie's been talking about all along. Also if Ellie and Danny are only, like, four years apart so Danny's 18 and Ellie's 14 and they call each other father and daughter that would be hilarious XDD

I have been extremely picky about my Ghost King AUs recently, however, so I don't know how I would go about this. There are so many fics with this concept, I've written a number of fics with it too, and not all of them really do it for me anymore? I don't know if I just feel burnt out from the idea thanks to oversaturation or what, so I don't know what I could do for you on this idea. But! I can have a really funny exchange/reveal. >:D

---

Ellie, otherwise known as Phantom ("The Second," Ellie would always tut. "It's Phantom the Second, and don't you forget it."), hopped around excitedly as they stood at the zeta tubes, waiting for her apparent father to arrive. More than a few of them were shifting around on anxious feet, wondering how this meeting would go. Ellie had never held back on boasting about her father, and well. Could you blame them for being intimidated? Even just a little? Many of them hadn't gotten the privilege of seeing his exploits themselves, but they had seen the ripple effect across the world nonetheless. It was nothing to scoff at.

Oh gosh, they were totally going to blow this, weren't they?

Batman remained as stern as ever, even though he was just as curious and intrigued by the stories Ellie had shared. What concerned him the most at the moment, however, was how Ellie had told them to wait here, at the zeta tubes, when Batman was sure that no outsiders should be able to enter the base without the assistance of-

Before he could even finish that thought, there was a blinding ripple of light concentrated around a seam in the fabric of time and space itself. Many of them had to shield or close their eyes to protect their sight from the glare, and when the light finally abated they looked back to see a figure floating above the ground. A ebony black crown floated about their head, wisps of black fire smoking from its gemstones. A thick black coat was thrown over one shoulder, lined with a shock of white fur. It hid the royal regalia underneath, but the quality of it could not be understated.

The mop of white hair couldn't hide the toxic green eyes, no matter the fringe that laid atop of it. Those eyes were piercing, staring into their souls without mercy. More than one of them swallowed; that was fine, only the Supers could hear them... Right?

When the figure laid their eyes on Ellie, they smiled, revealing fanged, glittering white teeth.

"Dad!" Ellie shouted with excitement, floating off the ground without realizing it.

In another flash of bright light, the intimidating figure was then replaced with a young teenager, whose black hair floated gently as they touched down on the ground. Bright green had turned into calm blue, and the royal garb had been replaced with... an uni hoodie with tattered jeans?

"Hi, baby! How are you?" The teenager exclaimed as Ellie threw herself into his arms. "Is it okay if we have McDonald's for dinner? Uh, there was an accident in the kitchen again."

"Don't tell me you and Pa blew something up again," Ellie groaned with exasperation.

"Don't be ridiculous, me and your mom did this time," Ellie's father remarked with nervous laughter. Ellie shook her head at his antics. It was then that the unknown teenager turned to them. "Oh hi! You guys must be the Justice League, and... Young Justice? I hope that's correct? Ellie's told us a lot about you guys. Has she been good? How much collateral damage has she caused?"

"She burned down a lab the other day," Superman commented distantly, his shock overwhelming him.

The teenager gasped, turning back to Ellie. "You did? Aw, I'm so proud of you." He pulled her into another hug, making the younger girl giggle in happiness.

Meanwhile, everyone else couldn't help but stare. What the actual what just happened?

[yoditopascal]

holy shit.. someone who writes shizuo x reader... i never thought i'd see the day...

aaanyways... may i request something that involves the reader being VERY into shizuo but also kinda scared to approach him given his reputation, but he ends up catching on and realizes he probably has to make the first move...? thank you!!

RIGHT?! Like idk why more people don’t write for him he’s my stankalank 😔

Also SORRY this took so long I couldn’t figure out how to end it to save my life 💀

Trust me

You had known Shizuo since grade school. The two of you being in the same classes all throughout middle and high school. It was natural for you two to gravitate toward each other. 

During high school you two would walk to and from school together, when it rained he always bought an extra umbrella because he just knew you’d forget yours like always, at lunch you’d both sit on the roof or outside in the courtyard and eat together. When Izaya came along you were the one who’d patch up his wounds and when he was upset you were one of the very few people who could calm him down.

To say you had developed a small crush on the man during the time you had gotten to know him had been a huge understatement, but anytime you even thought about confessing, your shyness got the better of you.

“Just tell him already!” Shinra’s slurred hushed voice was immediately silenced by you.

You were both at Russia sushi, celebrating Celty and Shinra’s anniversary week. Shinra had ordered some sake for the table which soon turned into two and then three, Celty cut him off after the fourth. That’s when he started ordering shots.

“I can’t!” You slurred, throwing your head down on the table with bang.

“What do you mean you can’t?” Shinra giggled, as he leaned his whole body across the table to ruffle your head. “it’s not that hard just go up to him and profess your love!”

“Keep it down, I don't want the whole city to know!” You squeaked cheeks impossibly warm and completely flushed from both the alcohol and embarrassment.

“Trust me, the whole city already knows.” He deadpanned. 

‘I don’t get it, you like him right? Why not just ask him out?’ Celty typed out on her phone, tilting her helmet to the side.

“I caaaaan’t it’s too embarrassing Celty!” You whined pressing your cheek back down to the cool table

“Come oooonn! What’s the worst that could happen?” Shinra waved you off.

“You don’t get it! He’s so cool and strong and handsome and strong and just…him!”

‘It’s just Shizuo. He won’t hurt you.’ Celty typed

“I know that. It’s just that as he’s so-so-“ you couldn’t even finish your sentence.

‘I get it, he can be pretty intimidating at times’

It wasn’t that you wasn’t that you were scared of him but what if you pissed him off by confessing to him? Being on your friend’s bad side was the last thing you wanted. 

But then again what if you never confessed? You didn’t want to spend the rest of your life swallowing down your feelings. What if Shizuo found someone else while you were being too chicken shit? The idea of him with someone else made your stomach roll, you couldn’t stand the thought of it!

“…maybe… you guys are right.” You admitted from the table.

“That’s the spirit!” Shinra cheered, pouring you another shot. 

The three of you drank and talked some more and before you knew it Russia Sushi was closing and Simon was ushering you, Shinra and Celty out of the door so he could clean up. 

‘You sure you can get home on your own? You’re pretty wasted.’ Celty typed as she balanced Shinra in one arm and her phone in the other. The pair had opted to walk as Celty didn’t want Shinra falling off her bike.

You waved her off as you started drifting in the direction of your home.

“I’ll be fine, I'm just around the corner.”

So was Shizuo. You thought to yourself,

“See ya around!” Shinra called out to you as he drunkenly waved, stumbling over Celty as he did so.

You waved back as you rounded the corner leaving their line of eyesight, just as you made your way to walk to your apartment you paused for a moment, thinking, before making another turn in the opposite direction. Home could wait, you had something important you had to do first.

When you reached the apartment door you started at it for a solid five minutes before leaning up to knock with a shaky hand. 

“The hell are you doing here?” A sleepy voice asked as the door opened. Shizuo stood before you in boxers and a t-shirt sleepily scratching his stomach as he yawned. 

“I came to see you!” You slurred, it was well past midnight and you were being far too loud for his liking.

“Go home you’re drunk.” He shushed you stepping out of his apartment in his slippers as he went to lead you back towards where you came from.

“But I missed you.” You said this time a little quieter just now aware of how loud you were being.

“I just saw you a few hours ago.” He sighed as he leaned on his door frame, he could tell you weren’t going to be going anywhere anytime soon, thank god he didn’t have work in the morning.

“Hang on I gotta- I came over to tell you something.” You stuttered, starting to lose your confidence.

“What is it?” He said crossing his arms, all this would have been amusing had it not almost been 3 in the morning.

“I-I” you opened and closed your mouth trying but failing to find the right words to use as you started at h intensely.

Shizuo sighed heavily. “Look it’s late why don’t you-“ he started but you interrupted him.

“You’re so pretty Shizuo.” 

He blinked down at you once then twice a pink tinge rising to his cheeks. In all the time he’s known you he’s never heard you be so bold.

“I-is that what you wanted to tell me?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck, starting to feel a little nervous, it was a foreign feeling to him.

“No but I thought that you should know.” You stumble forward a bit and Shizuo catches you.

“How much have you had to drink?” He asks as he steadies you on your feet, hand lingering on your forearms as if to help balance you.

“Only a little, Shinra had way more!” You tried to play it off, cheeks heating up at Shizuo’s close proximity.

“That shitty four eyed bastard.” He said through gritted teeth, of course Shinra was involved.

“You should smile more y’know? You have a really nice smile.” You smile up at him, cheeks completely flushed as you stared at his face again leaning a little bit closer this time.

“Why don’t you stay here tonight? You’re way too wasted to be out on your own.” Shizuo backed away as he finally let you go, he went to open his apartment door and let you inside.

“I can take care of myself!” You said following his lead “And stop distractin me, I'm trynna to tell you something!” You cried as he closed the door behind you two.

“I’m sure you can.” He chuckled at you as you stomped your foot childishly. 

“And I’m happy to let you.” Shizuo raised a finger and flicked your forehead. “After you sober up.”

You deflate and start to pout. This isn’t what you came here for at all. You better hurry and tell him before you lose your nerve.

“But I lo-!”

“Tell me later. Let’s get you to bed.” He said, leading you by the shoulders to his bedroom.

“You can have my bed for the night, I’ll take the couch.”

“I don’t wanna put you out Shizuo, I can-“

Before you could finish your sentence Shizuo shoved some clothes into your arms and ushered you into the bathroom to go change.

After what seemed like forever you finally reemerged from the bathroom in an old pair of boxers and a t-shirt Shizuo had let you borrow. 

A blush rose to his cheeks at the sight of you in his clothes. Bust he shook his head and brushed the thought aside as he noticed you fidgeting with your hands nervously. 

“Care to tell me why you came to crash here in the first place? Your place isn’t that far from Russia Sushi.” He asked as he led you to the bedroom again. 

“I don’t know! Me and Shinra got really drunk and I was super anxious and just thinking too much.” You began to ramble as you sat on the edge of the bed “ I didn’t want to go home and didn’t really know where to go and just well… I trust you Shizuo.”

You trusted him.

No one had ever told him that before.

“I think I knew you’d take care of me is all.” You said looking down at your feet.

Shizuo didn’t know what to say. Here you were pouring your heart out to him and he was just- what? 

What was he doing? What did he want to do?

Silently he forces you to lay down in bed and tucks you in. 

It didn’t matter what he wanted to do about it right now. All that mattered was that you were vulnerable and you needed him.

As he turns out the light and goes to leave the room you call out to him one last time.

“You’d be such a good boyfriend, you know?” You yawn with closed eyes.

Shizuo choked on the air in his lungs.

“G-get some rest.” He stutters as he carries himself to the living room and plops down on the couch.

For the rest of the night sleep eluded him.

Was that what you came over to tell him? That he was pretty and you trusted him?

What about that whole boyfriend thing?

Shizuo pushed a closed fist to his forehead and closed his eyes, trying to sleep. He had a lot to talk to you about in the morning.

The next morning you felt like absolute dog shit.

“My head….” You whined as you slowly sit up.

The action makes your stomach turn and you find yourself rushing to the bathroom.

“Morning” a voice grumbled from behind you. You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand and stand up from the toilet to be greeted by Shizuo, dressed in his usual bartender attire, shuffling from foot to foot awkwardly in the bathroom doorway.

“I’d ask how you’re feeling but I can tell you probably feel like shit.”

“Worse than shit.” You corrected scooting past him to sit on the bed. Just as you were about to lay back down you realized…. Wait a minute. What was Shizuo doing in your house?

“Sh-Shizuo?” You ask quirking your head to the side

“Yeah?”

“Not that I mind but what are you doing in my apartment?”

“You mean what are you doing in mine? I was wondering the same thing.” He said crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned on the door frame.

Memories of the night before come flooding back to you in an instant.

Oh shit. So it wasn’t all a dream after all.

You damn near fall out of bed as you jump up to your feet.

“Ahhh I’m so sorry Shizuo I don’t know what I was thinking!” You cried.

“It’s fine, better you come here than anywhere else.” He sighed, going to sit on the edge of the bed. He patted a spot next to him for you to sit which you obliged nervously.

“Why’d you drink so much anyways?” He asked curiously

“I don’t know! It was Shinra and Celty’s anniversary and he kinda just talked me into it!”

An awkward silence enveloped you two as he gritted his teeth irately before he broke the silence

“… next time I’m going with you.”

“Huh?”

“Can’t trust that asshat as far as I can throw him.” He grumbled as he closed his eyes and nodded his head set on his resolve.

Your cheeks flushed at Shizuo just casually inviting himself along with you the next time but you nodded your head anyways

“O-ok…thanks Shizuo.” You said shakily 

“About what you wanted to tell me last night…” he started

Your cheeks flushed again.

“I-I have no idea what you're talking about.” You said looking away, liquid courage had long since left your system.

Shizuo saw your expression and your aversion to his hard gaze and instantly knew, no matter how hard he pressed you, you’d probably never tell him the truth.

It was up to him to tell you instead it seemed.

“Listen…” he swallowed hard. “I-I think you're pretty too.”

Your heart stopped beating in your chest. No way was this happening right now.

“Wha-“ you started but was cut off.

“Ahh I’m not really good at this shit.“ he interrupted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Shizuo?”

It was now or never he thought.

“Uhh,” he hesitates for a second, clearing his throat into his fist.  “did you maybe…wanna go out some time?”

“I- what”

“You don’t have too if you don’t wanna, I just thought-“

“No!” It was your turn to interrupt him. “I-I mean I’d love too Shizuo!”

“You sure?” He asks raising an eyebrow at you, he didn’t want to force you into anything if it made you uncomfortable.

“There’s nothing else I’d want more, trust me.” You finally smile closed eyed up at him.

[redtsundere-writes]

Tyrant's Favorite | Sukuna Ryomen

Chapter 10 “Killers” is available now!

King!SukunaRyomen x Servant!FemReader

Summary: You used to be just another servant among the army of humans operating under the command of the terrible king, Sukuna Ryomen. An ordinary human who only knows how to wash, clean and cook. Until one day, he notices something in you that you hadn't seen before.

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Preview ↆ

King Sukuna was ready to start choosing who would be the new servants to join the castle. Even though his only job was to kill useless people and sit in the comfort of his throne, he still found it tedious and boring at times. Killing people in one cut for him is as simple as cutting a piece of paper with a pair of scissors. Amidst the gloom provided by the veils, he settled into his stately seat and yawned. “How much longer will they make me wait?” he wondered. Uraume had informed him that the number of people had increased by 30% since last year, which meant that this time he had to take care of more useless parasites. 

The faint sound of the door to his left brought him out of his thoughts. He arched an eyebrow when he saw you slowly entering the room. You looked more nervous and shy than usual, looking down at the floor in case you had already killed someone. Your yellow dress trailed softly against the marble floor until you reached the curtains that sheltered the king. Seeing him that way from, so close brought back memories. 

For him too. He couldn't believe it had been a whole year since he first saw you. A beggar he thought he would kill instantly when he saw the lousy state you had arrived in. Malnourished, dirty and with dried tears on your cheeks. You just screamed “unseemly” with your appearance. She was glad she had given you a chance. You looked like a completely different person now. If I had known you as you currently look, I would even think you were a princess from a family rotten in gold. 

“What the fuck are you doing here? You should be in class,” Sukuna scolded you with a stern tone even though on the inside he liked to see you. 

“Kenjaku told me that to get used to death, I must see it. He said it would help me to be able to kill someone like you asked,” you explained as you looked around. The room looked glittering. The massacre had not yet begun. You didn't know if you had arrived at the right or wrong time. 

“Is that what he said?” He asked skeptically. You nodded as you returned your gaze to his four eyes. “Not a bad idea….” He thought aloud as he scratched his chin. 

Not only will you get used to seeing him in action, you'll also become familiar with the new servants. Plus it was a great excuse to spend time with you alone. It was true that they had started archery lessons a couple of days ago, but he was so busy that he sometimes relegated that task to Kenjaku. It bothered him, but he would never admit it, not even to himself. 

“All right. Come closer then.” 

You didn't really want to, but you were already there. You stepped through the translucent fabrics until you finally faced him. You were planning to stand next to him while you watched everything, but Sukuna had other plans. He yanked you up by the waist to make you sit on his lap. Her hands gripped your body to hold you in place. It was lucky they were in the shadows because you didn't want Sukuna to see how flushed you were. It was as if every time they met, he tried to get closer to your body and each time he was more and more direct. You could hear your own heart beating like crazy from the illusion, but that couldn't be right. 

“You better not do anything stupid, you understand?” He growled in your face. You turned your face away at the intimidation. “You know what will happen if you do.” You swallowed dryly before nodding quickly.

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