#but i'm wondering if she may be better suited as an only cat

[knifegremliin]

update on the spicy babies. one of them is SUCH a hater. she actually was all furry and purry and rubbing against my hand this morning. so i decided to try to let her roam around and she spent the entire time growling and hissing at Everything.

[shuusagi]

One Month (part 1 of/?)

Hi I wanted to create a Brahms x reader that has a reader with a fairly dark/intense past where Brahms could sympathize with (also angst *eyebrow wiggle*). I got tired of the goody goody Nannies so it's time for a crude, odd and lowkey perverted one. She's a slasher fan too 👀 Brahms decides to make a game of their encounter, and the reader slowly warms up to this cat and mouse chase. Definitely a bit of a self insert. Obviously lol.

Warnings: I re-read these but I'm not the best at writing so it may show. dubcon, somnophilia, sexual assault (past, Brahms could NEVER), abusive ex, scars (none self harm), blood.

Down the gravel road, all you could see were trees and other sorts of foliage all masked with the colours of Autumn. You make a sidenote on how this area would be perfect for a killer. Maybe a British Jason Voorhees, you giggle to yourself. It was a rainy morning, clouds grey and the landscape aromatic with petricor. Winds howl in the distance, a shiver runs down your back at the thought of how chilly it must be outside. But you didnt mind, if anything you felt at home with this kind of weather, warming up to a fireplace with a nice book sounds pleasant right about now.

"We're almost at the Heelshire's ma'am." Your taxi driver broke you out of your daydream, as he stepped outside to unlock the iron gate. You let out a yawn and stretch, feeling your back muscles release from the tension that had built up. Ah, that feels so much better.

Slowly you come up to an old looking mansion, burgundy and grey with its brick siding. It looked... huge. Maybe it won't be so bad here, but then again anything is better than Canada right now. You groan as hundreds of flashbacks come and go in the blink of an eye. Let's not start.

You thank the taxi driver and give him an extra 10, stepping out into the cold breeze of the Autumn air, you are finally able to take everything in. The house was giant. Rough brick and mortar covered the outside, the doors were hidden behind a giant archway, deep within held two dark brown doors. Classy. The windows were plentiful. But I guess not much shine would show in this type of weather. The house was surrounded in pine and maple trees, a smattering of green, red and yellow creating a whimsical look to everything. The air smelt fresh, you inhale deeply as the cold air fills your lungs.

You quickly walk up towards the steps, feeling the rain chilling your bunnyhug sweater and ripped jeans. Before you could even knock, Mrs. Heelshire welcomes you in. She pauses and looks you up and down, a small sort of grimace at your appearance. Your face grows red and you lift your left arm to rub behind your head.

"Hi it's... nice to meet you Mrs. Heelshire.." Your tone wavered as she eyed you up.

She was a smaller woman, with fluffy grey-silver hair. She was dressed in a lovely red button up shirt with a plaid skirt. Her voice was dainty and proper.

"Not what I expected at all, come in before you catch a cold Miss. (l/n)."

You walk through a corridor, up the stairs to meet Mr. Heelshire. The stairs were a deep mahogany, stylized to the proper century it was built in- 1890. You look over at the old styled portraits, wondering if they were family from long ago.

You turn the corner, face to face with Mr. Heelshire. He was a slightly short man- well in comparison to you. You were 5'6", slightly thick with long (h/c) locks. Mr. Heelshire wore a fancy grey-black suit, it fit him perfectly. You shook Mr. Heelshires hand, and he moves to introduce you to Brahms. Only thing was, HE was a doll. A. Fricking. Doll. You stood there awestruck. "This is Brahms Miss. (L/n)."

You snickered. Then quickly realize their distasteful frowns, and stand yourself upright and clear your throat. "Uh- good morning, its nice to meet you... Brahms." You grab his porcelain hand and shake it gently. It was smooth and cool to the touch.

Mrs. Heelshire leads you out of the room, down the hall into his bedroom. You trip on the long rug in the corridor. "You will wake Brahms up and dress him every day at 7 am." You nod, following her once more. "He is to have learning time for 3 hours, 5 days a week." She turns to you, once more you nod. "Read him poems, and be sure to announciate your words loudly. and. carefully." She punctuates her last words. You nod. She clears her throat. "Y-yes. Ma'am." You fumble on your words.

"Now then, let's have dinner!"

Brahms pov:

He watches as you take your first steps inside the mansion. You were damp from head to toe, wearing a grey sweatshirt and ripped pants. He observed your careful steps, noticing how you tried to take off your brown boots. You looked like a dream, something that could only be thought up by an angel itself. You were a tiny bit chubby and he wondered how it would feel to hold you, snuggle up close to your tummy. Long, (h/c) hair that went down your back almost to your hips. You had a slightly noticeable scar down your left eye, a faded pink and thin. He pondered at how you could've gotten it. Surely no one would want to hurt his new plaything?

He followed as you walked down the corridor to meet his father, the way you walked was so hypnotic. Slightly clumsy but also confident, an odd mixture for sure.

His belly did flips when he saw you smile at the doll. Wow, the way it sparkled like in every romance novel he's ever been told. The way you held the dolls hand, so gentle yet firm. You were certainly an enigma to him. He wondered what it would be like to hold your hand in his large ones.

Y/N

After dinner Mr. Heelshire showed you around the yard. "There's a pest problem.. but its more so that Mrs. Heelshire worries they'll get in the walls." He scratches his head feeling awkward.

"You know, it wasn't always like this." He says, "but what Mrs. Heelshire wants she gets." He chuckled.

He picks up a trap, you open up the garbage bag and watch as he tosses the dead rat in.

"I hope you do enjoy your stay, and I hope this isn't too tedious for you." You could tell he was the more laid back one.

~~~~~~~

You walk Mr. And Mrs. Heelshire leave the yard, waving to them. You turn around and sigh, a loud "fuck" spills from your mouth. God it was so hard to be proper and perfect. Or as close to perfect as you could be. You clean up a bit and toss Brahms on the bed. Meh, they can't see him anyway so what's the point. You turn in and get ready for bed.

[nayialovecat]

The Ink Demonth 2023 - Day 23. Contraband

Day 23. Contraband Crossover: Craig of the Creek, Disenchantment Apparently Workshop toys are a pretty bad currency at least for the time being, but wait until you have some more of them, Kit, and you can make the best trade in your life: "limited edition toys from haunted studio, only from me!"

Kit, as well as the Trading Tree itself, come from the cartoon "Craig of the Creek" (I drew Craig once), which is an extremely nice Cartoon Network production showing kids playing on the titular Creek. I love it for many things - firstly, it brings back sentimental memories from my own childhood, secondly, it is a wonderful cross-section of different types of kids and their behavior, thirdly - it shows small problems in a completely different light. Every parent should watch this series to understand things better. I especially love the episodes that alternately show what the kids see - and what is really happening (e.g. during the game "the floor is lava"). My objection is the same as against Bluey: that it is a bit unrealistic that all the kids always take part in the games and accept the sometimes problematic rules (e.g. when playing hide and seek or being trapped in a maze) - that no one will say "ok, I've had enough, I'm not playing with you anymore". But apart from that - a wonderfully presented world of imagination, actually a mini-community. This series was also "nominated" for the City entry for a while, but I decided that I wouldn't find anything else for the Contraband (plus wanted to draw Kit).

I really like the character of Kit. This little, enterprising girl is something of a higher instance of the creek - thanks to her, kids (for a small fee) can eat their favorite sweets or snacks without having to leave their playground and go to the store, she also sells toys and gadgets. I ship her with Craig - all the episodes of them working together confirm in my eyes what a wonderful couple they'll be when they become teenagers. I'm honestly counting on it, because of all the girls hanging around Craig, Kit is the one who best suits him in terms of character and common interests.

More observant people may also notice a guest from another cartoon, this time absolutely not for children - the demon Luci from "Disenchantment" - a series by the creators of Futurama aimed at adult viewers, a somewhat modern fairy tale, and partly a parody of many well-known stories. If someone is an adult and doesn't know it, I recommend it. A wonderful story with a very good ending to the whole plot. Luci, the personal demon of the main character, Princess Bean, is undoubtedly my favourite character. I love his physical two-dimensionality, to his absolutely non-one-dimensional character. I love his texts and the fact that in all his participation in Bean's adventures, he never forgets for a moment that he is a hellish being, and his "do it, do it" is always wonderful. In his original storyline, Luci was considered a "weird cat" by those around him, hence Kit's text (while he's actually just another of Bendy's "cousins" that the ink demon is wandering around with).

As for the technical side... it took a lot of time to colour, but was surprisingly fun. It was the first time in a long time that I shaded in such a strange way. Oh, it's worth noting that the colours of Bendy's clothes were entirely developed by my daughter, Ursa. Kudos to her! By the way, I wonder who Bendy stole these clothes from X"D

Finally, I will just mention that the Contraband theme was originally associated with "The Owl House" and Eda's stall, but I moved it to another place with a better idea. And that's why Craig landed here.

PS. I don't like Kopiko, but I'm not crazy about avoiding showing existing products in my drawings. But seriously, I didn't feel like changing the name, so here you have it, a covert advertisement for the hideous Kopiko coffee candies. You're welcome, Kopiko.

Bendy and the Ink Machine (c) Joey Drew Studios Inc. Craig of the Creek (c) Cartoon Network Disenchantment (c) Matt Groening Sammy and the Ink Machine (c) Nayia Lovecat

[skellyflowers]

Royal Ball 3

Masterlist

Vessel x reader

Sleep will be referred to as “Queen Jeinnv” 

Vessel will be referred to as “Prince Adrian”

II will be referred to as “Prince Roddric”

III will be referred to as “Dilan, Duke of Elderstock”

IV will be referred to as “ Edgard, Duke of Haverlem”

I don't know the name of the man I'm dancing with, he's a lord something or other. We don't really get a chance to talk due to the line dance we are doing. He was pleasant enough for me to agree to  continue dancing a waltz with him. 

I did learn that he is the heir to a textile mill. So I may not know his name but I do know his line of work. We reach the part of the dance where we switch partners  and come face to face with the Duke of Elderstock!

Duke Dlian is even taller up close. He is dressed rather flamboyantly compared to the other guests.  He is in a red suit with matching red leather gloves. His black hair is fashioned in a bun on the top of his head. His mask is intricate if not a little unsettling but I wouldn’t dare say something like that outloud.

“Well who do we have here?” He says “You're one of the little Baronessess.” 

“Yes, you spoke to my brothers.” I say.

“Oh yes. Nice guys, it will be good to have new young blood around here. Better than the same old boys day in and day out.”

“Are they so bad?” I ask.

“Not bad, but Gods above do they get boring! Only so many rules and regulations a man can take.”

He twirled me around and I considered his words. I also caught a glimpse of my mother. She looks like the cat that got the cream. I wondered how long she would gloat about this. I don’t have time to ponder the topic because the Duke begins to speak again.

“How are you enjoying your first royal ball Baroness?” He asks.

“Yes my Duke. It is very lovely.”

“Go to know someone is enjoying themselves.”

“You’ve heard complaints?”

“If it was up to him this ball wouldn’t be happening right now.”

“The Prince didn’t want to go to his own party?” I am confused by the admission.

“His Royal Highness is very anti party.” he laughs. “He has his own idea of fun.”

“What would he prefer?”

“Sitting alone in the dark reading poetry.” he laughed even louder. I couldn't help but join him, the Duke was easy to talk to.

“Don’t let that scare you Little Baroness, he’s not that scary. More of a sad tortured artist.”

“I guess you would know better than me.” I say, still laughing.

“And you would be right. I think that the only people who have known the Prince longer than me are the Queen and his brother.”

We complete one last turn and then the song ends. I give Duke Dilan one last curtsy and he gives me a bow. He bids me goodnight and walks up to my sister Quinn! I guess I wouldn’t be telling her about the Duke.

I look for Maddie instead. It takes me a moment but I do find her. She is still with Lady Lucy Gray. I start to walk over to them but then two men approach them. I turn away not wanting to interrupt them. I start to feel out of place again, with strangers on all sides. I would have gone back to my parents but I don’t want my mother to force me to introduce myself to whoever she is talking to.

So instead I begin to weigh my options for my next move. I am so in my own head I didn’t notice that someone is walking up to where I am standing. I only truly give the person who walked up my attention when they speak.

[ambersky0319]

Alright I need to destress AND kickstart my memory of nnt so! Gonna do a rewatch and write out some thoughts (inspired by @spacehostilityy and their rewatch posts, go check 'em out! 💜)

Gonna be using the tag #amber rewatches nnt btw ^^

Also might talk about Eternal a bit idk yet but keep in mind the rewatch is also to help me write that 😅 also also doing each post by episode because I ramble far too much at every little thing.

Enjoy the rambles!

Masterpost

Episode 1

Honest to god forgot about those flying sting ray things, and especially forgot they're one of the first things we see in the show!

The art? For the opening sequence?? Is so cool????

Like those things that can shapeshift in the forest Diane hides in are in there? And MAYBE Gerheade? Idk about her but one of the fairies look a LOT like her/has a dress very similar to the one we see her wear AND she's bigger than the other fairies

And are there any demons with feathered wings besides the blue bird like things? Because if not there's an armored character with wings like the goddesses (who only have 1 pair of wings in the art) on the DEMON side. Probably just digging into this too deep, but it'd be REALLY cool if that was foreshadowing Estarossa/Mael

I really wish Elizabeth had muscles and wasn't CONSTANTLY portrayed as being physically pretty weak (at least that's how it comes across to me - in fights she's constantly told to run/is never given any chance TO fight physically). Because she literally can't be?

Like Elizabeth has been walking REAL FAR in that armor and it is DEFINITELY not light. Do you know the strength she'd have to have to move that? She also slumps in it and her footsteps are slow/small so it IS weighing her down but the fact that she can move in it as far as she has - and probably up and down hills too without falling - is impressive

Anyway reminder to myself to show Elizabeth being physically strong in my fics from now on. This is canon now and no one can fight me.

Also the shot of Elizabeth on the hill in the armor with the sun glaring through?? It's such a gorgeous shot??????

Meliodas may be a shit cook but damn is he a pretty good server

Like mans got the entire tavern full and he's serving it basically alone cause Hawk cleans the scraps doesn't serve people booze and every customer is pretty happy and having fun (until they have the food lol)

I FORGOT HAWKS TAG SAID STAR BOAR AAAAASJDJFJDHF

Wonder at which point in time the whole telling your children "if you keep misbehaving one of the seven deadly sins will come for you in armor that's rusty from blood" because it HAD to be in the past 10 years, right? Unless people were saying that while they were still respected holy knights in which case,,,, ooof

But I'd assume a little after Zaratras was first killed

But also I wouldn't put it past this dude maybe coming up with it to scare his children lol he seems like a tired dad type

And here comes all the parts I hate

The groping and sexualization

Elizabeth is like. Fucking 16. And Meliodas DEFINITELY knows that. And just. Ugh

I do like Elizabeth in this color tho- the dark blue really suits her! It's why her uniform post-Meliodas' death is my favorite of all her outfits

How many talking pigs are there in Britannia??? Because Hawk's from purgatory and I figured THAT was why he could talk

And many other people get super confused/shocked by Hawk talking so it can't be common

When Elizabeth said with the most dejected face "no" after he asked if her father got her a talking pig Meliodas looked momentarily like "that bitch."

Let's be real he would've totally gotten her a talking pig somehow

Then he instant switches the conversation to try making her feel better 💜💜💜💜

I'm sorry, the order of WHAT?

"the Order of the Beard of the Mountain Cat"

Is this a translation error? Because if not... I have found my new favorite order and I am no longer worried about naming things in my own stories with ridiculous things

(also btw I watch in Japanese with English subs)

Wonder how the Boar Hat got so popular in this town in a matter of days. Like the booze is good sure but how tf did people find that out and who was the first person courageous enough to go poking around

Yknow. I'm surprised they didn't believe Hawk was the rust knight. I mean, the people who reported it had to be drunk right? Who's to say they weren't so drunk they mistook a pig in armor as the rust knight?

Damn Elizabeth is pretty agile! She's running across roots and jumping over things pretty efficiently!

Like as clumsy as she is, she still got some skills that they NEVER UTILIZE!

Also YOU CAN SEE THE FRAME MELIODAS GRABS HER AND JUMPS WITH HER I- HOW DID I NEVER CATCH THAT???!!

THAT SONG IN THE BG UUGGHHGHGHG

THIS ONE. I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH. MY HEART.

I forget if we go over how Hawk and Meliodas met/how far we go into their backstory

Like is he in on Meliodas being a Sin/previous Holy Knight or does he really just not know? (because there's no way Meliodas isn't at least a little wary of Holy Knights himself, hiding for 10 years no matter how in plain sight he is)

I mean. Elizabeth. Sweetheart. Your dad IS laid up in bed sick. It just so happens that the holy knights ALSO arrested the rest of your family and refuse to get your dad help (I think? Cause Merlin has to magically treat the king for his illness later and I assume the holy knights would be wary of letting a doctor treat him. Maybe Vivian was treating him?)

Unless Elizabeth didn't know her father was sick. In which case. Oooooooof. What a reunion later if that's true

Meliodas 🤝 Zuko : "That's rough buddy"

I forget what crime Merlin committed, because Elizabeth says the Sins are "composed of seven terrible criminals" unless she's not actually a criminal when they formed at least

Ahhh that's right, Elizabeth probably wouldn't remember the sins well because they had to leave when she was 6-

Although I wonder if Meliodas also tried to make himself scarce around her once she got to the age where she would retain memories better to avoid the curse activating somehow? Because I have a shit memory but most people do tend to remember things, even vaguely, from the ages 3-6 (my friends and I all have our earliest memory around 2-3)

Meliodas stiff as a board falling when Twigo attacked lmao-

It does make me happy to see some knights in Britannia, even if they're not Holy Knights, try to confront Holy Knights. Sure they backtrack but like, who wouldn't in the face of that power?

Twigo got awesome eyesight to see Elizabeth's earring from that far, nevermind it's DESIGN. Like damn I got 20/20 vision but I doubt I'd ever SPOT that

I was gonna say how tf did Allioni realize it was Meliodas/how would he see Meliodas' tattoo but going back his shirt was already ripped in that general area so! Continuity win!

He be shitting his pants too lol man was holding the most dangerous Sin up and yelling in his face, and he's SEEN what the sins can do

Wonder if he retired after this. I wouldn't blame him

PERFECT TIME KICKING IN WOOOOOOO

Also Twigo recognizes his face? And says "how can you look exactly the same as you did that day" Was he the old guard that showed Allioni the Sins' carnage? Or was he a Holy Knight that survived that attack?

I guess he also could've just been an apprentice Holy Knight too that recognized him but asking that question to me hints that Twigo tried fighting the Sins with everyone else

Netsujou no Spectrum is such a great song too. The NNT soundtrack is amazing

Is the tavern a recent development for Meliodas??? What was he up to before getting the tavern but after going into hiding?

This also brings up how I really don't remember what time in his backstory he meets Hawk. I just remember they met in jail

This town is in the boonies Twigo how long do you expect this trio to wait until you can not only get a message to the capital, but receive reinforcements??

Mama Hawk best murderer

Oh nvm she missed :/

"Was our meeting chance or Providence?" man I wish I could say for sure it was chance and she got damn lucky (it'd be cool imo to explore how things would've gone if she'd found one of the others first) but. With the curse and all... There's a VERY good chance it was Providence

"I hope it's a real one this time" - Gilthunder

Okay so... When does he get in contact with King then? I'm pretty sure we SEE them interact around Ban escaping Baste but like. Gilthunder would have to know that's where King was before that. When do the Holy Knights find and make a deal with King?

And that's my thoughts going through Episode One!

Don't know how often I'm gonna do these, maybe after Wednesday I'll do a lot more? Idk we'll see

If you made it this far, you're awesome! Lmk who your favorite character is and I'll do a quick drawing of them for you if you want 💜

[strwbrrygrlcass]

hihiiiiiii

hello friends! 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ᰔᩚ my name is Jaid, but you can call me Cassie. I'm making this account with the intention of being a fan account for Saito Nagisa and other girl groups I like, as well as a blog for my personal life ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡

🌷About Me!🌷

♡ My birthday is September 1st, 2009, so as of right now, I'm 13

♡ My pronouns are she/her :D

♡ I like k-pop, j-pop, and c-pop groups, as well as BNK48, JKT48, MNL48, CGM48, SNH48, AKB48 team TP, AKB48 team SH, and may more groups/artists rom all over the world!

♡ My favorite animal is rabbits, though I would love to have a cat.

♡ My ult groups are WJSN, PIXY, Weeekly, and =LOVE.

♡ I consider myself a professional girl group stan, as I stan over 50 girl groups, 5 soloists, and I can name all the members of BNK48. (you can always message me to ask about different groups and if I stan/like them!)

♡ I like to think of myself as confident and caring, as well as sweet and compassionate. I'm always open to making friends, though I don't have that many irl.

♡ Of course, I'm not against boy groups, I just find that in my opinion women suit most concepts better (also it's hard to find a boy group that could fit the bubblegum k-pop concept)

♡ My ult biases/oshimens are Seola (WJSN), Rinji (PIXY), Park Soeun (Weeekly), and Saito Nagisa (former =LOVE)

🌷Finishing Thoughts!🌷

Though Nagi-chan has graduated from =LOVE, I will continue to love and support them until they are no longer an idol group. My new oshimen is Takiwaki Shoko, she was my 2nd oshimen when Nagi-chan was still in =LOVE .

As I mentioned before, my pronouns are she/her and I'm a cis girl. I'm also straight. You may be wondering, "Cass, how can you only like girl groups but also only like men?" And I will gladly tell you! I admire them like sisters. I don't feel any attraction towards any of the women I stan. I think it's more of an admiration than an attraction. I aspire to be like them, and I think of idols like mentors and people to look up to! I think all the girls in the groups I stan are beautiful and unique in every way!

sorry if that was lame, I talk a lot so I apologize for the rambling

[bearpillowmonster]

Batman '89 (The comic)

This is allegedly an inspired sort of Tim Burton Batman 3 with Harvey Dent. There's also a Superman '78 one that I'm going to cover later on but so far this one is 6 issues.

It's pretty sound, it feels like an 80's movie with the way the comic panels look and the wonky way the suit moves, it makes it feel pretty authentic. Harvey is set up quite efficiently, immediately making him the bad guy but with good intentions. He thinks that Batman is the cause for all this crime, he's challenged people to be like him or get rid of him so Harvey takes it out on him as well as Gordon.

And for a time, Bruce starts to agree with him. It challenges whether Batman is causing more trouble than help.

Did I mention that Babs is in this draft? She's nothing to really write home about, more or less just plays Rachel's role in TDK. But you also might know that Robin was going to be introduced in this, Drake. Not Tim Drake though. This brings about a whole slew of things because he's not Dick with the tragic backstory or acrobatic experience, he's an African American kid who lives in a garage car shop. (R)oyal Auto Body. He doesn't care about Batman, in fact he even has reason to dislike him but takes up the role of Robin on his own. You see, Batman misses out on some things, particularly when it's domestic or smaller scale. Robin's out here looking after the poor people in need.

There's this scene that's really representative of it where this guy steals from this shop down the street but he only steals essentials like diapers and formula, a common problem we have today, but Batman comes knocking wondering where the cash is because he heard the shopowner yapping about someone robbing him. Robin swoops in, fights Batman and leaves a tip, Drake, the kid with no money to his name gives this guy he doesn't know eight dollars when Bruce, a billionaire, wouldn't do the same and instead tried to chastise her for it. Robin is in the grey so to speak. And where does the name Robin come from? Well one of the white dudes tries to pin a robbery on him saying "He was robin-" and people took that as Robin Hood. (also they eventually mention he feeds birds) Very smart and very clever.

So how does Harvey get his second face? Someone sets fire to the body shop and Drake's left inside, got blazed with battery acid and fuel (auto shop), and it ended up being Bruce as Bruce and Drake as Drake who yanked him out. As normal civilians, they get along (mostly) but as vigilantes, they're adversaries. But while he's getting burned, he's having delusions of grandeur which becomes the other side of the coin and always weighing possibilities, at least better than Batman Forever's version of some guy splashing a cup of acid in Dent's face (which he just had on his person for whatever reason) and then Batman showing up too late and jumping over the gate (for whatever reason).

And guess who the arsons are?...Just some guys. But guess who catches them? Catwoman returns! And Bruce has one of her cats. I get worried when I hear there's more connection to the other movies, (including Joker's goons) because I was afraid it'd all get sidelined or just not well treated or bring down the quality of the rest but no, it's all quite good and fits.

One of the best Two-Faces I've seen. I've seen reviews saying they're not really a fan of the way it was done but I really enjoyed it, it's definitely better than Bats Forever and may even surpass Returns.

[thxtandromedatonks]

She pulled her knees up close against her as she sat upon the front doorstep, evening hot chocolate in her hand. She watched him play games with their cat like she was a proud parent. She caught herself within this particular realisation and smiled to herself softly wondering if this would be a situation she found herself in properly with their child one day. It wasn't long before the cat was tired out and skulked off to its favourite evening sleeping place, which despite his gesturing was nowhere near the house. He hadn't noticed her appear in the doorway and so to see her sat there watching them both, well he smiled brightly at her whilst she was lost wistfully in a future situation. He didn't want to interrupt her train of thought, but she had brought out a hot chocolate for him as well.

He settled down beside her, stroking her hair as he did so, before gently kissing her on the forehead. She passed him his hot chocolate that had lay by her bare feet on the floor. When they had moved in he had kept to his promise as much as he could of just allowing them both to make sure they watched the sunset together. Just recently they had managed to make it happen every evening because despite the insistence that the couple carry out this mission they had yet to come back with more details. However this may have more to do with her reluctance to even hear them out. This situation had seemed to have given them a bit of a respite as not even he had been called into certain meetings, but this, the couple had decided, was the best they could hope for. Not even a sliver of information via owl nor fireplace. Although he could have sworn he saw her cousin in Animagus form the other day at the other end of the pier. She hadn't but that was because she was doing her best not to think about it all.

The most galling part of it all was that the more she thought about it the more she wanted to go back to the castle where they had first met. To visit old haunts, to say goodbye to rooms and places she hadn't had that chance to. He had, because back in their school days he got on well with everyone, everything and every soul so would be able to return back every now and again even if only just to tie up loose ends. She however did not have the social luxury that he enjoyed and therefore her reputation preceeeded her. Only it wasn't a true representation of her. But first impressions counted for something, she had learned the harsh way. Sadly he knew this, but he hadn't judged her on rumours, back in the day. All he knew was there was this witch that he really fancied the look of whom although she had no who he was, he made it his mission to get to know.

They often reminisced over their Hogwarts days. She doubted very much that day that the resident poltergeist meant to not cause mischief that day, and that if he knew what he was doing most likely wouldn't have done so. Her now husband saved her from overly panicking when the poltergeist caused havoc all around the library. From throwing books, to knocking down free standing bookshelves that his now wife had found herself caught under. And then after that incident they never spoke, nor she remembered him. until she reluctanctly needed help to pass Muggle Studies only a few weeks later. To which he then was the rudest he had ever been to anyone, but this was mostly down to the fact of how annoyed he was that she hadn't even remembered that it was him that was there for her that fateful day in the library. Oh how times had changed

"... If they can personally guarantee upon parchment and to myself that nothing will happen to our home, and that it is not at all upon the week of Christmas then I reluctantly will do such a task. But this is the first and last of any that they require of myself or yourself." She found herself saying. "Between yourself and myself I feel I have some closure to figure out of certain areas. And I'm quite sure that there may be objects that would be far better suited to here."

"It's certainly a proposal I can put to them. What they do with it is then up to them." He replied, partly in shock, but understanding her reasoning knowing how much they had lost in the fire that they could recooperate from the school. "I'll send Scraggle out with something later this evening if you'd like,."

"I saw that recognisable black dog again upon the horizon this morning whilst you were frequenting the Alley." She sighed. "I'm aware of seeing it at least every other day now, and I'm quite sure they make sure that they know I have."

"Makes you want to stay in the Muggle world sometimes doesn't it!"

"I'm quite tempted to research a spell to see if that is entirely possible. To keep out any kind of folk that we deem as untrustworthy until they prove themselves to us both." She pondered over her hot chocolate as the sun started to lower itself further beyond the horizon. "Maybe within the new year..."

"Let's see how we go with the school first. I feel like you'e been a tad pressurised into this though." He realised as she lay her head against his lap. He had sat on the seat above her so that he wasn't too distracted by her. She however had manouvered herself to have sat between his legs, and of this he had no issues with.

"It was always going to feel like that however." She sighed sadly. "Best to figure out what they want from us upon our terms though."

He leaned forward so as to whisper softly in her ear. "Sometimes your Slytherin side can be really sexy you know that don't you?"

"Quite possibly, but highly unintentional my dearest." She smiled as she tilted her head back to face him, albeit upside down.

"I definitely chose well with you!"

"It wasn't like you were given a proper choice though" She joked.

"You mean unlike you?!" And they both found themselves trying not to laugh too hard at what she had given up to be with him.

His previous romantic life hadn't been as exciting as hers. Which, although was non-existant in experience, was highly expected of her to most likely marry into the Lestranges. There had been some girl who he had heard rumours that liked him. And she was in the year above him in terms of school. He could have gone there. She wasn't half bad he had to admit, and the age gap wasn't something that bothered him, unlike others. It would definitely up his Muggle social standing to be with a girl like her. For he wasn't at all any good at his social skills within the Muggle world as he is within the wizarding world. He was a bit of a nerd back there, someone who if they were honest was dreading going to secondary school. So his Hogwarts owl had come and practically saved him from all of that. As well as a lot of other stuff that he had come to terms with, thanks to a lot of understanding and listening from her.

They'd spent a good amount of time in the Astronomy Tower, when not in the darkened corners of the library, when it was clear of students and professors. All organised by her cousin and his rather odd seeming map. She didn't question it in the end because it meant less people knowing about them both, and more time that they could be together. She'd not been to the tower since they had had a bit of a fall out there over what neither of them can remember. She feared it had something to do with his reluctance to let her help him with things he sometimes didn't want to admit he understood. These days though it was less of an issue than it used to be.

"Andie..." He began, sounding a bit more downbeat than he had only moments previously. She turned round to face him looking more concerned than she expected him to be. "... They've asked me to go away for a week or so... They asked me a couple of months ago... I think they thought we would still be on the boat and could just moor it and then you could come with me...I really, really, really just don't want to go in the slightest. I can't even tell you why until I come back." He dare not even look at her and so had covered his hands over his face because even just saying the words made him feel sick.

Her reaction scared him because it was almost like she hadn't heard, but instead she was taking it all in. The thought of him not being there, it had drained the colour out of her face. She'd be left alone.

"You're... you're... I mean... you're coming...back..." She could feel the tears prick her eyes in the most painful way without actually rolling down her face. "I...I.... "

"Don't finish that please my darling" He whispered as he leaned forward to be as close to her as possible. "It seems that as a once non-wizarding wizard I am needed by those who aren't for information and strategy purposes.... I don't want to leave you... I don't want to hurt you, I promised in our vows that I wouldn't"

"That's ridiculously pathetic reasoning!" She gasped in anger, her whole body shaking, as she turned herself to face her husband, whom looked as broken as the day he found out about her miscarriage. She wrapped her arms around him in some sort of comfort but she knew it wouldn't do much good, although in that moment it did so as he held her as tight as she held him. "Don't go..."

"I've tried, believe me I've tried. Being away from you... it's physically painful. They don't get it... none of them.... they don't get that some of us have those that we care about on the line if they go" He struggled so hard to get the words out thst she felt his pain. "Oh Merlin, I swear they are trying to break me at the moment!"

"I'm going to fix this..." She said, determined to do something to stop her husbands' hurt that he was feeling, before it hit her as hard as it had hit him. "... Tomorrow. You're staying home tomorrow, and I'm going to that dreadful place that you fear to go to every time. I absolutely cannot let them try to break you without saying anything."

He looked at her, unable to find the words that he had in response to her steely eyed glare, and her response which dripped off determination to put this right. Although he was well aware of the fact he wouldn't hear the end of it unless he did let her go. He also knew what this mission involved. It wasn't just what he had explained to her. But it was nothing good, of that he was certain.

"Don't send Scraggle this evening. Leave all that to me tomorrow evening. Just promise me one thing, that when I get back we're having a candlelit date night" Her voice softened to a more comforting tone that put his mind at somewhat ease for he knew the sneaky side of her brain was working on overtime.

"You do what you need to my dear, and I'll promise you a romantic evening in front of the fireplace." He took a deep breath "Thank you. I don't know what you have planned, but thank you."

"My dearest Ted, I am grateful that you were able to pass that on. I am completely aware of how difficult that was for you. I was also aware that there was more than what was going on that was occupying the sadness within your mind. Together we can deal with this. And then it's quite over for us, this dreadful connection that the Order hold over us. I will make quite certain of that my dearest."

[thatasianstereotype]

It's Actually Adrien Dupain-Cheng Future Wayne. We Don't Talk About The Agreste Part.

Thank you for your patience and idea! I may have taken it in a different direction than you thought, but I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: This is somewhat crack. Moving on:

.

On the morning before the class were set to leave for Gotham, Adrien took the time to remind his very forgetful father that his son had a life outside of him like a good son would have done.

"My class will be in Gotham for two weeks on a class field trip. I hope there will be no trouble in Paris while we are gone." There was a certain emphasis on that last sentence.

Gabriel didn't even look up from his tablet. "Of course. There's no use in increasing the butterfly population if ladybugs are gone."

"Hey! Cats are a formidable foe too."

"No, they're not." Gabriel wasted no time saying.

Adrien spluttered at the utter lack of hesitation in that statement (Chat Noir totally kicked Hawk Moth's ass multiple times) and normally, Gabriel would be amused at his son's absolute lack of decorum, but he wanted to have a peaceful breakfast for once.

"Is there a point to this conversation, Adrien?"

Adrien was still miffed about his earlier comment but answered. "I would like to have an uninterrupted date with my boyfriend and not worry about any evil butterflies for once."

Gabriel blinked. He had to look up at that, leveling an unimpressed stare at his son. "What?"

"Did I forget to mention? I'm gay."

"Oh, I'm not doubting the gay part. I am merely surprised you managed to get into a relationship."

Adrien was offended as fuck. "I totally got game."

"Adrien, I may not have been there for you much—"

"May not have?" He cut in. "You definitely weren't there for me at all."

"But even I can tell that your social and romantic skills are very lacking." Gabriel continued like he wasn't interrupted.

"Okay, first of all, rude. And second of all, I snagged a Wayne for your information."

Gabriel snorted. The child did always have a wild imagination. "Sure, you did."

Adrien was not in the mood to fight for his honor. Mari would not be happy if he came to class late. She might even withhold pastries as punishment, and he wants his pastries.

"Well, I'm off to school now. I hope you have a shitty day, Parental Figure."

"I hope you fall down the stairs, Problem Child."

"I'm your only child."

"And you're always the one giving me problems. What is your point?"

.

.

.

So as far as first impressions go, Gotham is certainly among the top for most memorable. The city was very gloomy and dark and edgy. No wonder Dami loves this place so much.

Anyway, the class was taking a tour of WE. Adrien was hanging in the back of the group with Mari. She was taking notes on the tour and redesigning the Bats' costumes like a multitasking queen.

He was pretending to pay attention while texting Damian and commenting on how Lila and the rest of the sheep was chatting up with the tour guide.

He felt so bad for Dami's brother.

Hot-And-Sexy: Don't be. Todd deserves to suffer in that harlot's presence.

Sunshine: That's mean, Dami.

Hot-And-Sexy: I am mean.

Well, he did have a point. He wouldn't be Damian otherwise.

.

A mind-numbingly hour later, they were finally able to escape to lunch.

No matter how bored he felt or how much he hated listening to Lila's grating voice on how she absolutely knows the Waynes (not knowing the tour guide was Bruce's infamous dead second son), anything beat having to suffer through evil butterflies and Father always ruining his day because he has nothing better than to do than to terrorize two sleep-deprived teenagers.

Man, his dad needs to get an actual life.

"Do you think hooking my dad up with someone will help him with his issues?" He wondered out loud.

"No." Marinette answered before leaning against Adrien and showing off her sketchbook where she was redesigning Robin's suit. "Mind showing your hottie what he thinks?"

"He would claim Robin already looks amazing."

"And I will disagree vehemently."

Before Adrien could respond, someone cut in.

"Oh hey. You're part of the French class touring, right?"

He looked up to see the infamous zombie known as Todd. And huh, he doesn't look like he eats brains. He actually looks really hot in a bad boy way. Not that Adrien was paying close attention to his appearance. He was a happily taken man.

"Yeah. My name is Adrien Dupain-Cheng and this is my sister, Marinette."

He watched Damian's brother sat down in front of them and made himself comfortable at the table. "Jason Peters, the tour guide but I'm sure you already knew that. I just wanted to see how you were liking the tour and all that."

Not really. But it was a convenient excuse. The only reason why he was wasting his free day talking to annoying high schoolers instead of reading Jane Austen was because he lost a bet against Tim.

He didn't expect much and he really had to hold back from confessing he was Brucie's son when that Lila girl kept going on and on about knowing his bosses personally and if he wasn't nice to her, she will report him to her boyfriend, Damian Wayne.

He almost laughed himself silly when he heard that. The demon brat will never date someone like her. He kind of wanted to be an ass just to see her bluff, but he promised Dickie he would be on his best behavior, and he didn't feel like being guilt trip by the disappointed Mom stare today.

He noticed the two students hanging near the back and away from the rest of the class. There was a clear distance between the two groups, and he didn't miss the animosity or hostile glares Lila and her flock of idiots shot the two. He also didn't miss the way the teacher just let it happen and only spoke up when Adrien and Marinette lagged behind.

He immediately picked up on how the Parisian teen model Adrien Agreste introduced himself. He was a Bat who was raised by a paranoid furry in a batsuit. He memorized the class roster and did a basic background check on them.

"The tour was great." Marinette said. "I liked the different social programs WE initiated to help a lot of people."

"Yeah." Adrien agreed. "I think I might actually want a career doing something like that."

He has always liked helping people out as Chat Noir but maybe plain ole Adrien can make a difference like that too.

Jason had to admit the blonde kid was adorable. He had innocent doe green eyes and a pure sunshine smile.

And huh.

"Have you guys gone sightseeing yet?"

"Not much." Marinette said. "You have any places to recommend?"

"Yeah. Do you guys like animals?"

Adrien immediately nodded. He and Damian already planned to get a dog, cat, and a hamster to keep Mari's future hamster company.

"Great." Jason beamed. "I know a few animal shelters you should check out. But there's one you should go to tomorrow. Let me write down the name and address."

If memory serves him right, the demon brat mentioned at breakfast how he was going to visit his animal shelter tomorrow.

Let it never be said that he did nothing for the baby bat and he was great at matchmaking. He was also bored and what's the point of having siblings if not to use them for your own entertainment?

.

Tim didn't expect to meet the mysterious Adrien Jason swears is a perfect match for their nightmare of a brother (Opposites attract Timberlina; it makes sense. Stop dissing on my amazing logic) at a coffee shop at 7 in the morning.

And wow, the kid was a literal sunshine. Who could look so happy at fucking 7 in the morning?

He only went to bed like three hours ago before he had to wake up because he had actual shit to do. Jason kept him up. Okay, he was already awake to finish up cases anyway but that doesn't matter.

Tim was only half paying attention to his brother as he talked about his perfect (ly shitty) matchmaking skills.

Jason was spying on them at the animal shelter yesterday and swore on his grave that he saw the little demon blush when he saw Adrien waked through the door.

Tim didn't believe it since it was common knowledge that demons only have spite and ill will in their veins, not blood, therefore Damian can't blush. Surprisingly, Jason anticipated his disbelief and showed him the pictures. And wow, Tim is going to need to update his file. Turns out monstrous hellions can show an emotion other than anger and stabby stabby.

Things got worse when Dick entered the room. And it turns out that Jason wasn't alone in his spying adventures. Dick was gushing to them about his baby brother and psuedo son finally growing up and finding love like a normal pubescent teen.

Dick proudly showed off pictures of the two hugging and Damian didn't even stab the kid.

Clearly, this was meant to be.

"Is something on my face? You keep staring at me." Adrien asked politely as he waited for his sugary sweet caramel coffee and Mari's bitter black one to be done. He really should have anticipated bumping into Damian's horde of siblings at some point.

He recognized the black haired, blue eyed stranger as that insufferable imbecile Drake that has no self preservation skills and should be benched until the fool actually knows how to function as a member of society.

Shit. Tim didn't mean to zone out and make a fool of himself.

.

.

.

Adrien was half paying attention when the class talked excitedly about the upcoming Wayne gala they got invited to. The class was crowded in the hotel room where Ms. Bustier was laying the rules and her expectations of how she wants them to behave. 

Too bad she wasn’t taking the same feedback. 

But Adrien was a good kitty who kept his mouth shut and spammed Damian with animal memes like a good boyfriend. When he glanced to the side, Marinette had a bored look on her face. 

“Oh yeah, Adrien and Damian are totally fighting over me.” Lila boasted like a preening peacock.

Adrien would rather throw himself off a building. 

“They couldn’t figure out who will be my date so I decided to go alone to stop the fighting.” 

“Dami can have her.” Adrien didn't hesitate to say. Gabriel should be glad that his son is following after his footsteps even if he is a shitty anime villain.

"Damian would stab her." Mari pointed out as the only person with common sense and no evil parents to influence her actions. "You don't want to deal with that mess."

Damn, she had a point. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"I know."

.

Damian is not pleased with his family for ruining his dates with Adrien with their excessive spying and invasion of privacy.

His mood was not the greatest when the gala starts. Grayson and Father took away his good knives and daggers so he doesn't stab any guests as if he can't utilize a mere butter knife to vanquish any annoyances.

"Damian, for the love of god, please do not make a scene tonight." Father had a stern expression on his face.

The man then proceeded threatening to bench him like an unruly toddler if he did not behave so he is displeased with Father for that.

He overhears someone bragging about how Adrien and Damian are totally fighting over her.

And oh.

Oh.

It was that Lila girl he was warned about.

A plan formed in his head that made him proud to be his mother's son. He immediately headed off to find his Beloved and future sister-in-law.

They were by the food table looking every bit the part of high class in Marinette's original designs, unlike that witch sprouting lies in a secondhand dress.

"I believe a year has been long enough of a secret." Damian enjoyed pulling one over the supposed World's Greatest Detectives but he was growing tired of the assumptions that he and his Chaton were available to plebians.

"You want to go public?" Adrien whispered. "I mean I'm fine with it. But Damian Wayne isn't even out of the closet yet."

"I'm okay with it."

"Well, okay then."

"Okay."

Dear kwami, Marinette can't believe she like these idiots. She pushed them out of the shadows and into the wide open floor where the light is shining down on them.

"Make sure to kiss Adri really good in front of the cameras." She winked and felt accomplished when Adri blushed like a tomato and Damain smirked.

She pulled her phone out and set it to video, not wanting to miss a single shot of this upcoming masterpiece.

People stopped and stared as the youngest Wayne had his hands intertwined with an unknown pretty blonde boy. And once they arrived in the middle of the floor where everyone can see them, Damian turned and kissed Adrien, sweeping him off his feet like a prince charming.

Marinette kept her finger on the record button as the room erupted in loud gasps and screeching (she put her bet on Lila making that horrid noise).

Damian focused his entire attention on his wonderful, pure Chaton. But he did looked to the side for his family's reactions.

It was satisfying to see the gobsmacked expressions on his siblings and father's faces. It was always nice to get one over them. Serves them right for ruining his mood. He'll make a scene if he damn well wants to.

If Father tries to say anything, he'll just point out how Drake has been bringing a boy to his bedroom for the past month.

And Father will be too occupied dealing with the Super Clone defiling his son to worry about Damian's love life.

It was a perfect plan worthy of the best Robin.

"Well, that's one way of coming out I guess." Adrien's face was red and he was in a daze when Dami pulled back looking composed and dignified as ever that smug Hot-And-Sexy son of a bitch.

But he was smiling. Looking over, he saw Marinette holding her phone out. He hoped she got a really good video or at least pictures that captured his good side.

"Beloved, I'm a Wayne. Everything I do is dramatic. Have you met my father?"

"Yeah, I hope Batman doesn't kill me for dating his son."

"Don't be ridiculous. Father has a soft spot towards children."

At least that was good news.

"It's Nightwing you have to watch out for but Grayson has a soft spot towards me so you'll be fine."

Adrien was so dead.

Luckily, he has a beautiful and badass goddess of a sister willing to fight in his stead.

"You are so lucky I like your stupid handsome face."

Damian's smirk did funny things to Adrien's stomach. "I know, Beloved."

Fuck, can he be any more perfect?

He can't wait until Dami proposes to him in the future, but he knew Hot-And-Sexy will have to fight Mari for his hand in marriage first cause he was a classy guy like that.

I'm sorry if this was more bats than ML but I've been more into the batfam fandom than the ML one that it was easier to write the batboys. I just find it hilarious to have the bats try to set Damian up with his own boyfriend.

[writingfics-passingtime]

Call Your Bluff

~9300 words of Loki tickle fluff that I'm a little insecure about. Sorry for rambling in this one!

First and foremost, the sexual tension in this made me kinda want to explode as I was writing it. Or maybe it was the mere thought of Loki in an all black suit. So there's your warning. Still NO smut.

Rating: PG13

CW: suggestive humour, sexual tension, swearing, brief mentions of homophobia

"What shade is that?" Wanda's eyes sparkled as she saw the swatch on your hand of a crimson lipstick that had only the smallest hint of shine to it.

"Uh..." you dug through your makeup bag. "This one. Ruby Promise." you passed it to her and went back to curling your lashes.

"Mmm, Wanda. You, in a red lip, are second-to-none," Nat said as she effortlessly flicked a perfect cat-eye wing, matching the on the other side.

You chuckled a little bit as you pulled the mascara from your bag. "It's nice to be applying makeup for fun." The two other women made sounds of agreement.

If any of you had been given the privilege of a normal life, sitting on your bedroom floor with music in the background as you applied makeup with your two closest friends may have been a nostalgic experience. Though, as to be expected, your memories of makeup were a lot different.

Covering cuts and bruises you sustained on a mission enough to look tough and untouchable during press conferences, a quick application of lipstick in the back of the car before seducing a guard enough to swipe his keys, hell, did fake blood count? Either way, those experiences with makeup far outweighed the ones you were having tonight.

You tried, as you buffed out the eyeliner into a smokey wing, to not be jealous of the people who did this every Friday night before some kind of social activity. You loved your job, you felt privileged to be able and allowed to help defend the world, so you reminded yourself that all those past concealer-covered cuts and bruises weren't for nothing; they protected the lives and realities of the eyeshadow-loving people who were lucky enough to only apply makeup for fun.

"How's your game?" Nat asked as she shimmied into a tight black dress.

You shrugged and stood, having now completed your look. "It's alright. Wanda?"

"I have no idea how to play Poker." She smacked her lips together and put the lipstick back in your bag. "And I have very little interest in learning. I'm coming for the cocktails Stark promised."

"You act like this isn't mandatory," you mumbled a little, sifting through dresses in your closet.

"Mandatory is a strong word," Nat scoffed, zipping the side of her dress. You shot her a look as if to say, 'You really think I wanted to spend my Friday evening playing poker with the Avengers?' Hearing your question in your glare, she gave you a look. "What, like you had something better to do?"

"Rude." You pulled a dress from the closet, knowing she was right. There was a book you'd been dying to finish, but you knew it was more important to be engaged as a part of your team tonight.

When Tony clapped his hands, once and loudly, over the weary lounging-around Avengers in the living room and declared you all needed a bit of fun, you immediately wondered how you could get out of it. Admittedly, the prospect of a black-tie poker night in the Compound didn't completely make you want to run away, but there was something about it that unnerved you. About giving all these powerful people a good chance to learn your tells.

"No," Nat snatched the plain navy dress from your hands. "That's way too boring."

"Uh, again: rude." You glared as she walked past and sifted through your options.

"You wore this when you posed as private balcony waitress at that Opera in Venice!" She argued. "It's too professional. You need sexy."

"What for?" You crossed your arms defensively. "I'm not exactly trying to seduce my colleagues."

You could have sworn she smirked as if she didn't believe you. Selecting a silk deep emerald green dress from the back of your wardrobe, she turned and grinned as she held it up to you.

Settling your crossed arms again, you gave her a disapproving look, but it was ruined a little by your fond smile. The dress was beautiful, and maybe since it was her idea...

"Give me that," you muttered through your sheepish smile, slipping behind a rattan divider to dispose of your setting-powder laden loungewear and slip into the silk dress. It hugged your waist and hips, the dainty straps elegantly crossing and meeting at the low back. The neckline was plunging to say the least, but the dress fit really well. As in, it didn't make you feel like you couldn't lean over the table to collect your winnings.

When you stepped out and saw yourself in the mirror, you spluttered a bit of a laugh at how much you were really looking like a Bond Girl. Right down to the poker appointment.

Maybe it was too much.

Not many people had seen you like this. Seen this much of you. You trusted your teammates with your life and you had no doubt they'd be respectful, but what if this was how they saw you now? As beautiful, rather than strong and skilled? What if you were reduced to a pretty face in a nice dress?

Spiralling and on the fence about ripping it off and going with the Opera Waitress dress, Wanda and Nat's wolf-whistles made you grin and dissuaded you from changing. They assured you that you looked incredible. Not just incredible, but deadly. That was acceptable. And, catching another glance at yourself, you kind of believed them. And, maybe, you could win.

You exited your room with the others, filled with fake-it-til-you-make-it confidence, ready to do whatever it takes to win that pot.

Tony never pulled punches. Not with his enemies, nor his stamina in the lab, nor, apparently, with turning the Compound living room into a damn private poker lounge. Did he own that table, or did he hire it in? Part of you wondered if there was a secret panel in the floor that it rose out of.

His usual team of caterers were offering canapés to some of the others as you entered the room, accepting a glass of champagne from a waiter by the door.

"This is ridiculous," you laughed to Natasha. "All this for one night? Just for us?"

"You're new, but not that new," she gave a sly grin and ducked her head to the side. "This shouldn't surprise you."

"But-"

"Ready to lose all your money, Stark?" She goaded as you two approached Tony.

"Oh no, he's not playing." Pepper was by his side in an instant, fixing his velvet bowtie with a curt and powerful smile.

"You almost lose a nuclear warhead in a game of five card draw, one time, fifteen years ago, and suddenly all poker is off the table," Tony scoffed in disbelief, as if you and Nat should be on his side on this one. Then, he shrugged. "Plus someone's gotta deal."

"Pepper, you look amazing," you beamed, gesturing to her sleek black and white dress.

"You're too sweet, and one to talk," she nodded to your dress then removed her phone from her purse. "Though I'm afraid this dress is for a dinner with an old friend. Natasha, I'm counting on you to not let him gamble my company away."

"Your compa-"

"You got it," Natasha responded with her cheeky smile and you all bid Pepper farewell. As you turned to squeeze her hand goodbye, your eye caught sight of the final two inhabitants of the Compound entering the room.

In the back of your mind, you'd always wondered how Loki would have dressed up for an event. Thor, at the galas and parties, always seemed to have just dressed like himself. In the same things he fought in. Surely there was Asgardian formal wear, perhaps he never saw the need. If he never saw the need, then possibly Loki didn't either. Boy, were you wrong.

Loki... Gods, Loki.

If looks could kill, Loki in an all-black suit and tie would have won the battle for New York all those years ago; he'd be your King. His inky black hair was pulled back in a low bun, a few wisps of shorter curls hanging by his cheekbones.

There'd been this thing... this unspoken, indescribable thing between you two for the last couple of months. It was hard to say for sure, but it may have begun with his curiosity at not just your lack of fear towards him, but your willing kindness. His curiosity became your curiosity, then your curiosity became his attraction, then your desire, then so on and so forth you created and traded unspoken feelings to the point where you might just burst. Those feelings came out in flirtatious banter and small good-natured jabs, as was to be expected from two people in your position. But he was extraordinary, and he just walked in here looking like that.

Before he could notice you looking you turned back to Natasha and sipped your champagne, suddenly a lot more aware of how you were dressed, and tried to prepare yourself for a night of trying to not stare at the sheer beauty him. She looked at you for a second before her eyes flitted to Loki and Thor approaching behind you.

"Hey, fellas," she smirked seductively. It was so easy for her.

"Ah, Natasha. Looking ravishing and dangerous as always," Thor beamed politely. You took a step to stand beside Nat and then turned to face the demigods, smiling casually as they politely declined a glass of champagne. Thor's eyebrows lifted. "My dear maiden, I did not recognise you," he laughed. "You look exquisite."

You smiled sweetly and cheers'ed your thanks with your champagne, intentionally only looking at Thor and then back to your half-empty glass. You'd need several more of these.

"Any Asgardian relics on the table tonight?" You asked, then finally dared to look at Loki. His gaze was intense, but it didn't leave your face. His lips were slightly parted, his head tilted to the side at your question.

Loki's eyes narrowed. "I was not aware we were to wager more than Midgardian currency."

"Who knows what's on the table?" Nat did her half-shrug as she smiled coyly. You felt a small blush come to your cheeks at where your mind went when she said that, and very consciously did not lick your lips nervously. The lipstick should at least last a few rounds.

Tony called for everyone to find their seats, settle in, get comfortable, order a drink with the staff on the way. You smiled at Thor and Loki, being sure to make it clear you were smiling at Thor and Loki, and said, "Shall we?"

You spun and fiddled a little with the glass in your hands, keenly aware of how the cool air was hitting the middle of your back, reminding you your dress was backless. Shaking it off, you also reminded yourself you were here to win a shit tonne of cash.

The table was a long rectangular oval, dark-wood painted with hints of gold. The tabletop felt was a deep crimson. Actually, a shade that was alarmingly similar to Tony's first suit. He must own this table.

Finding your seat, you smiled to see you were seated between Sam and Bucky. Okay, maybe this would be a fun evening. Sam knew how to make you laugh better than almost anyone, and his bickering with Bucky was some of your favourite at-home and on-mission entertainment. Sam pulled out your seat for you as you approached.

"Ever the gentleman, Wilson," you grinned your thanks and took your place, shifted as close to the table as you'd like to be and ordered a cocktail with the waiter standing partially behind you. When you finally turned to face the table, your heart skipped a beat when you immediately met Loki's eyes. He was sitting directly opposite you.

You smiled a little mischievously, in a friendly way, and teased him a little by narrowing your eyes. "Perfect. Now I can read you better than anyone else."

He laughed a little, but it was more like a scoff. Nothing more than a bit of air escaping his nose. Then, he smirked. "And I you, Agent." Without breaking eye contact, he raised his glass of hard liquor and took a sip.

With that, you knew tonight wouldn't be a relaxing, kick-back time with your team. You couldn't let your guard down, it was time to go undercover. Your alias: someone unreadable, someone great at poker, someone fearless and maybe a little reckless.

It was time to win.

Texas hold 'em was the game of the night. No one here really knew that you were good at poker and, if nights like this were any indication, it was best to keep that under wraps.

When Sam whined that Vision's computer brain could too easily count the cards, you bit your tongue and refrained from explaining to him that you couldn't really count cards in Poker. Not in a way that mattered much, anyways. You let Bruce tell him that. Of course Bruce knew that. Keep an eye on him. He sat two seats to Loki's left, Nat in between the two of them.

When Steve asked where "Queens" was (his sometimes nickname for Peter) and Tony explained Pepper wouldn't let him allow a child to gamble in the house, you again bit your tongue and refrained from explaining that Texas hold' em wasn't, technically or legally, gambling; the term gambling was specific to games of chance, but Texas hold' em was a game of skill. That's fine, though. Let them think it's luck.

Ultimately, it was always best, in matter of games where bluffs were called, to be either underestimated or unthought. Perhaps you should have gone with the Opera Waitress dress - blended in a little more.

When Tony explained the rules as a refresher, you listened quietly and didn't try to bluff nod at the right time as if you'd forgotten the how to play. You were keenly aware that Loki was often stealing glances at you to gauge your reaction when others asked clarifying questions, or answered one of Wanda's questions.

Once, when you felt his eyes on you, you intentionally looked at him and smirked a little to let him know you could feel his gaze. He didn't react.

Oh, he was good. This would be fun.

Tony began dealing.

Your winning strategy had always been one of early well-placed sacrifices. Never having had the benefit of someone explaining your tells to you, you always assumed your opponents could read you like a book. They'd watch to pick up patterns, so you'd disrupt them.

You had an average hand one round? Raise.

An even better hand the next round? Call. Maybe even fold.

For example, if you picked up two aces you knew your face would involuntarily, almost imperceptibly, flash with excitement. So maybe you'd fold that hand before you even bet a single dollar past the ante.

Because: if you looked happy with your hand but then folded, maybe they would think that look didn't mean what they thought it meant. Keep them guessing, make them almost think they have your tells pinned down. When, in fact, they really don't.

The first step? Physically hold your cards close to your chest, like an amateur. You picked up your first two cards of the night and did just that.

Eight of clubs and nine of spades. Workable.

Shooting a glance at Loki, you saw him peek at his cards but keep them face-down on the table. A smile tugged at your lips. He'd played before.

"Ante up, hotshots," Tony called as he dealt the five community cards face-down in front of him. You grabbed a ten dollar chip from your pile and tossed it to the centre of the table like everyone else.

The chips were real money. Ten thousand dollars for each person to play with, courtesy of Tony Stark, with the understanding that half of each person's takings would go to a charity of the winner's choice. Even then, you doubted a single person in this room wouldn't donate everything they had in the end. Including Thor and Loki, who probably didn't fully grasp the concept of charities for there was no poverty on Asgard, but had no need for Midgardian currency.

Tony flipped the first three cards: eight of diamonds, seven of clubs, jack of diamonds.

You now had a pair of eights. Not great, but if one of those unturned cards was a ten of anything, you'd have a straight. A straight was okay, but not amazing. So, after Sam called the current bet, you also called.

As a general rule, you never raised before the fourth card was turned. That wasn't necessarily a strategy, it was just to have something for people to notice. Perhaps if they spent time wondering why you never raised in the first round, they'd forget to watch for your tells.

On your left, Bucky also called. So did everyone around the table. Tony flipped the next card. Two of spades. You felt Loki looking at you so you winked at your cards and then flicked your eyes up to catch his. He narrowed his eyes at you ever so slightly and a small smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth, but never came to fruition.

Bruce and Vision both raised, Sam folded saying he had "Nada," you called, Bucky called, Steve folded, Thor called but you got the feeling he only did that because you and Bucky did. Loki raised, but double what Vision had. Nat called. Clint folded. Tony flipped the fifth card.

Ah, the ten of spades. You had a straight. You immediately calculated the odds in your head of what people could possible have to beat you.

The distribution of suits and numbers immediately told you it was very unlikely anyone could top your straight. A flush wasn't possible, nor was a full house, definitely not a straight flush or a royal flush, or even a four of a kind.

It wasn't too improbable to tie with someone else who also had a nine, but the only thing that could beat you was if someone had a higher straight. They'd need a nine and a queen and the odds were slim of that happening. This game was in your favour.

In the two or three seconds it took you to know all of this, you once again felt Loki's eyes on you as he watched you calculate that you'd probably won this hand. So, when it came back to you, you folded.

He watched you curiously as you sat back a sipped your drink. By the time the betting went around, it was down to Bucky and Loki. They bet conservatively, neither putting in more than a hundred. It was still the first round, after all.

When Bucky flipped his cards you saw he had a seven and a jack, meaning he had two pair. Loki flipped his and you saw he had the remaining two jacks, meaning he had three of a kind. Loki won the hand, but he wouldn't have beaten your straight.

He keenly watched you react to the reveal of his cards and you finally got the smallest bit frustrated, and a little flustered. Would he be really be watching all night? There were other people around this table, why did he have to only be looking at you?

You slid your cards back to Tony and got the idea that Loki would have given you his winnings from that round just to see what you'd had in your hand. He eyed the cards and clenched his jaw ever so lightly as they slid out of his eyesight and back into the deck. Schrodinger's Win. He'd never know if you could have actually beaten him.

As the night went on you continued with your strategy, making sure to bluff at random. After a particularly good hand where you’d wrangled a high flush, beating Clint’s, you finally heard Bruce comment that you were good at this. Sam commented that your pile of chips was growing bigger, Thor commented that he needed another drink. He had maybe ten chips left.

“Hmm, she’s also stopped pretending to be an amateur,” Loki mused without looking at you. Everyone looked at him. His pile had also been growing, rivalling yours. He looked around tauntingly and briefly chuckled. “I can’t be the only one who noticed she’s now keeping her cards on the table.”

“I never said I was an amateur,” you shot back. “Not my fault if you underestimated me.”

Loki scoffed and laughed a little, finally meeting your eye. “I’d never do such a foolish thing.”

The table was a little quiet as you two engaged in a stare-down. Had his eyes always been that strikingly blue, and you were just noticing now that his hair didn’t cast shadow on his face? After perhaps too many seconds Tony piped up.

“Break time,” he rubbed his hands together and stood. “Refresh yourselves, get another drink, back at the table in ten.”

You stood immediately, Sam kindly pulling out your chair to enable you to not have to awkwardly shuffle around it. Immediately caught in a verbal spar between him and Bucky, you giggled at their flying jabs and walked with them over to the bar.

Standing on the outskirts of the conversation, you felt a hand on your shoulder and turned to see Nat smirking at you.

“What?”

”You mind not undressing Loki with your eyes at the table? He did try to kill me once, you know.” She sipped her Bloody Mary as you narrowed your eyes at her.

“Uh-huh,“ you responded slowly. “And you chose a slinky silk green dress for me because…?”

Her smirk turned into a cheeky smile. “Guilty.“ Her eyes flitted up to peer behind you. “Five o’clock.” Then, she left.

Her spot was immediately taken by Loki. He leaned against the bar and rested his new drink on a coaster.

“When did you learn how to play poker? I’m assuming not on Asgard.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “On Midgard’s calendar? Around 1940. Just before the Captain’s first war.”

“Hey that was my first war too,” Bucky was at your side in an instant and you noticed something dark flash across Loki’s eyes. Your gaze didn’t leave Loki, and that seemed to make him a little less tense. “Dubai,” Bucky laughed. Then, you turned to look at him. “This is the dress you wore in Dubai.”

“It is,” you laughed shyly, outwardly cringing a little as you remembered that night.

”What, pray tell, happened in Dubai?” Loki’s low voice, now dripping with poorly concealed tension, prompted you to look back towards him.

”I’m impressed you hid two guns under there,” Bucky grinned, you also grinned and looked at your drink. It was a good-natured compliment. Bucky had never been flirty or sleazy with you before, and you didn’t expect him to start now. “I need a drink.”

As he walked away you looked back up at Loki and saw his jaw tense as he watched Bucky’s retreating form. “You okay?”

”Do you think you’ll win tonight?” He ignored your actual question and hit you with his piercing gaze. Then again, you’d ignored his about Dubai. You shrugged.

“Depends on the cards.”

He stood up a little straighter. “Do you think you can best me?”

”Depends on the cards,” you repeated.

“What happened in Dubai?”

”That’s classified.”

He allowed himself to smile at you. Your heart beat a little at the ways the creases beside his lips so effortlessly curled into his cheeks. Then, he smirked. “If I end this evening ahead of you, you'll tell me?”

You raised your eyebrows. “A side bet?” He shrugged with one shoulder and took a sip of his drink. “What’s in it for me?”

He lowered his drink and took note of how others started filtering back to the table. He motioned for you two to walk back to the table together, but you noticed he didn't put his hand on your lower back to lead you even though you kind of wished he had. Just before you split off, he leaned in closer to speak quietly in your ear.

“If you come out ahead, I’ll tell you how I know when you’re bluffing.”

Your eyes snapped to him and he smirked at your off-guard reaction. How could he know that already? You’d given him nothing. He must be the one bluffing. Before you could deal or no deal, he left you where you stood to take his seat.

After that, probably as he hoped, your game got a little more aggressive. You had to know if you had a tell. You had to.

As the game continued several people dropped off. Some retired with some winnings, others ran out of money. Either way, they all stayed to watch the show.

”Fold,” Nat sighed as she put her cards down. “And that’s me for the night.” She sipped her new drink and leaned back in the seat. You finished the round with Bruce, Bucky and Loki - the four of you were all that remained.

You folded, having exactly nothing in your hand. Bucky raised, so did Loki, Bruce called. They continued upping the bet ever so slightly, then the last card was flipped. Loki folded. Bruce upped the bet, Bucky called. They flipped their cards. Bruce won.

“I’m done,” Bucky sighed and turned to order another drink. Sam reached across your back to slap his shoulder and make some kind of comment. Bruce looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then at your pile, and at Loki’s pile. You and Loki had far more to be than he did.

“I’m out too.”

There were cries of outrage as he retired but he shook his head, refusing to continue and pointing to the two people so obviously so far ahead.

“Alright, you two. Last hand, final show down,” Tony smirked as he shuffled the cards.

“Feel free to also retire,” you smiled sweetly, tauntingly. There were a few chuckles around the table. Loki narrowed his eyes but didn’t respond. He simply played with the rim of his empty glass and watched your body language.

The others around the table watched with bated breath as Tony dealt your cards, then placed the five community cards face-down. You took a peak at your cards, careful to not let Sam or Bucky see them, lest they give it away with their reactions.

You took the smallest corner of your inner lip between your teeth to stop yourself from grinning.

Ace of spades, king of spades.

When Tony flipped the first three cards you could have kissed him.

King of clubs, ten of spades, jack of spades.

By gods, you were so close to a Royal Flush. Nothing beats a Royal Flush. So, for the first time that night, you raised the bet before the fourth card had been turned.

The intake of breath around the table told you that the others had noticed you didn't usually do that. Loki watched you curiously for a minute, his eyes finally leaving your face to trail down your arm and watch how your hands were folded on the edge of the table. You twitched your thumb, intentionally, so he'd think it meant something. He smirked and shook his head ever so slightly; you didn't have him fooled.

"Call." He reached forward and matched your bet.

Tony flipped the fourth card. king of hearts. You needed the queen of spades, but this wasn't bad.

"Those are some big cards," you heard Bruce whisper, face in his hands.

"Five hundred." You threw two chips to the middle and looked up at Loki. This time, he didn't look at you. He looked at his own cards, then at the upturned cards on the table, then at his chips.

"Call."

Tony flipped the last card. It was bittersweet. The Ace of Clubs.

You didn't have a royal flush, but you had an unbeatable full house - three kings, two aces. There wasn't anything Loki have that would beat you.

"Two thousand," you sighed, throwing the chips to the centre. Loki laughed. He actually laughed.

"See two, raise two." He threw in four thousand. Your heart started pounding, the blood rushed in your ears and cheeks, but it didn't matter.

"All in."

His eyes snapped up to meet yours and you felt your chest heave. Not just from the anticipation of the game, but from the look he gave you. It was proud, hungry, skeptical, powerful, sharp, all those things at once - just as he was. It was honest. You could see, through his honestly, that he was surprised.

"All in," he agreed. You both pushed your chips towards the middle of the table and you grinned as you sat back.

"Before we reveal, how about we make things a little more interesting?"

Some chuckles and "oohs" around the table told you that there wasn't a single person who wasn't paying the utmost attention. A crooked grin spread across Loki's face and he also sat back, letting his grin settle to a smirk as he nodded and gestured for you to continue.

"If I win... I get a dare. One dare to cash in whenever I like."

A mumbled chorus of snickers and whispers around the table filled you with confidence. Loki narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue against the inside of his cheek, scoffing slightly and leaning back in his chair. He looked at his cards, then examined your gaze.

"And if I win," he began slowly. "I get a truth. To, as you say, cash in whenever I like."

"Deal," you agreed instantly. Then jabbed, "I quite like that you feel you need to win truth from me, Loki. Aren't you supposed to be excellent at reading people?"

Loki didn't react one bit as the others around him did. Telling you your cards better be good, telling you that you were a smack-talker, telling you they hoped you won. Your eyes didn't leave Loki as you turned your cards first.

He looked down and chuckled a little, but it wasn't a victorious one. He brought one hand to rub both temples and sucked his cheek, which everyone took as a sign that he'd lost.

But he hadn't. Loki flipped his cards.

Ace of hearts, king of diamonds. You had tied.

"SPLIT POT!" Tony clapped as everyone reacted. "Thank Odin or whoever that we're not having a super brawl here tonight."

You felt Sam and Bucky grab your shoulders in the sheer excitement of the game as those around you immediately began discussing the match, their strategy, the game play, how intense that last round was. But you didn't. You just stood up and held your hand out to Loki.

"Good game."

He stood as well and took your hand in his, "Yes. What happened in Dubai?"

You looked around, no one was listening but Nat was stealing glances.

"We both won," you nodded, then shook your head. "But you didn't beat me. That was the deal. Would you like to use your truth?"

He scoffed a little and shrugged, "I'll consider it an option. There are so many dark and wonderful things to know, aren't there?"

Your throat tightened a little at that, then you realised your hand was still in his. He noticed too, and placed his other on top of it before squeezing and releasing you from his hold.

"Good game, Agent."

The following morning Loki walked into the kitchen as you sat browsing on a tablet.

"What do you think of this?" You immediately asked, pushing it over for him to see a webpage you were looking at. "We need to pick a charity for our winnings. This one helps LGBTQ youth who've been kicked out of their homes."

"What?!" Loki's head snapped up from where he was reading, his voice still hoarse from the morning, then he rolled his eyes and grumbled. "Are you lot still not over this? Kicked out of their homes. Honestly, it's a sheer wonder Midgard is not still in the stone ages with how you treat each other."

There was flame behind Loki's voice that stoked a peace in you. He was genuinely confounded that a parent couldn't love their child simply because of who they loved. He'd killed people in his past, lots of people, but this was unacceptable to him.

"Of course, give the whole lot," Loki mumbled, pulling a mug from the cupboard and filling it with black coffee.

You smiled, a little sadly at the thought of these kids, and sent the webpage to Tony. "My thoughts exactly."

"Have you settled on your little dare?" He turned back and took a sip. You grinned and raised your eyebrows.

"Not yet, patience please," you chuckled. "How about your truth?"

"Hmm," he hummed in a low growl, then left the room.

You scoffed. "Bye, then!"

Over the following week, you had a little too much fun holding it over his head. Ultimately, a truth wasn't as bad as a dare. Besides, if he really knew your tell he could ask you whatever he wanted anyways and gauge your reaction. You definitely got the better win.

"Careful, Loki," you playfully warned as he swiped for the last biscuit in your hand. "With moves like that you'll be dared to run through Central Park in nothing but your golden horns."

He narrowed his eyes and Thor bellowed a loud laugh, drawing further laughter from those around. Loki looked unfazed.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He smirked back, bringing a faint blush to your cheeks. That also got Thor laughing.

Another time, and perhaps this was the time that crossed a line, is when he made a very quick playful quip at you in front of Tony. Iron Man laughed hard at your expense and you sucked your teeth.

"How would you like to be dared to kneel to Tony?"

Loki's eyes went dark, Tony spluttered more laughter. Had he won the lottery or something?

Loki never gave any indication of what he was going to ask you, but you could tell his patience was wearing thin after you'd foolishly threatened to make him kneel before a mortal. So, the next Saturday morning, he found you in the kitchen right after you'd woken up.

You felt Loki's presence behind the door of fridge. He was probably hoping to startle you when you closed it to see him standing there all tall and intimidating.

"Hey Loki," you said while still looking for the milk. "Ah," you pulled it from the shelf and closed the door. "What's up?"

"I'm cashing in," he smirked.

"Cashing in your truth?" You smirked back. He nodded.

"For what I'm about to ask, I'm guessing you'd like to be out of earshot of any lingering teammates," he whispered loudly, teasingly. You'd be a liar if you said your stomach didn't drop a little bit. He took note of how it wiped the smirk off your face and it was almost like he stole it, because his only grew wider and more self-satisfied. You rolled your eyes and put the milk back in the fridge, telling yourself you'd make the coffee later.

"Come with me," you exited and he followed you as you led him to your room. You always kept it tidy because it made you feel better to have things in their place, to have everything around you ordered and clean. It was your little sanctuary and you'd be damned if you weren't proud of how safe and comfortable you managed to let yourself feel in there. Inviting Loki in was a gamble, but if he was about to ask you something deeply personal you at least wanted a home field advantage.

Shutting the door after him, you met him where he was standing in the middle of your room. It was still early, but the bed was made. He looked around curiously as you crossed your arms.

"Shoot," you tilted your chin up but didn't quite meet his eye.

"Are you nervous?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

You raised your eyebrows and met his eye. "Is that your question?"

"No," he stood up a little straighter. It was one of those times when you realised how tall he was. "I find myself stuck at an impasse."

"How so?"

"This power you have over me. This... this dare," he narrowed his eyes as you smiled a little cheekily. "I think it's time you also choose your reward."

"Can't handle a little anticipation?"

"You'd be wise not to antagonise me, darling. I assure you there are several ways this conversation can go," he let a bit more gravel into his voice and a mischievous smirk grace his lips. "Only a few of those ways end pleasantly for you."

"Are you threatening me?"

He tilted his head with the faintest shrug, allowing you to create the inferences in your mind.

You scoffed. "You know, I kinda like seeing you like this, Loki," you taunted a little darkly. "It's not often that people have something over you. You think I'm just going to give that away? No. Thank you. I'll take all the time I need to figure out what I'm going to make you do."

He took a step closer but you stood resolute, even if his proximity did make your heart pound against your ribcage. "Would you really have me force your hand?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Force my hand?" You scoffed, confidence surging at seeing the Trickster on the back foot. "You've got nothing on me."

"Not yet," Loki smiled a little, and the gleam in his eye kind of scared you. "Though, I think I'll use that truth now."

In an instant, he grabbed you by your upper arms and swept your ankles from their place on the floor. You gasped and uncrossed your arms to brace on his, out of instinct, to stop from falling. In a graceful motion he pushed you sideways, released your arms and grabbed your wrists, following you down as you landed on your bed.

"W-what the hell?!" You called through gritted teeth as you attempted to fight Loki off.

You were a good fighter, good in close-combat, but he'd caught you so off guard. It was morning, you were safe at home and in your room, you hadn't had coffee yet. Hell, you were even still in your pyjama shorts and t-shirt. Usually you were ready for anything, but it was the perfect storm for him to get the upper hand and use his brute strength to wrestle you down onto your back. He straddled your hips and stuck your wrists under his knees before retracting his hands and letting them sit at his sides, smirking victoriously down at you.

Looking up at him, very confused, you didn't bother to fight anymore because, A: it was useless, and B: you had no idea what he was playing at.

"You had to incapacitate me to ask a question?"

A devious grin slowly spread onto Loki's face before he jokingly tried to suppress it. "Truth..." he began, then narrowed his eyes at you. "Where are you most ticklish?"

"F-Fu..." The almost-curse left your mouth and your eyes widened before you could stop yourself. Your stomach dropped a bit and you swallowed hard, giving an experimental tug on your wrists only to find they felt like they'd been set in concrete.

"Oh my," Loki let himself grin. "That's quite a worried look you're wearing."

"Loki, y-you can't be serious," you winced as you pulled on your wrists again. Loki chuckled a little and shrugged.

"With all the cheek you've given me over this little game, I'm surprised you didn't consider I'd retaliate. I rather think you deserve to be tickled to tears," he teased. Your face burned. "Unless, of course, you'd like to dare me not to."

Your jaw dropped a little. "Seriously?!" You growled and tugged once again, then tried to buck your hips a little, but you really couldn't move the middle of your body that much at all.

"Answer the question," he ordered. "I won it fair and square."

"I won my dare too, but you have no problem stealing it from me." You seethed.

"Oh no," Loki shook his head with a look of fake pity. "I assure you, you’ll be giving that up quite willingly once you're a little pool of laughs beneath me. Now, answer the question."

With one final blazing glare you let your head fall back against the mattress and you mumbled in defeat, "It's been a while. Let me think."

Loki chuckled a bit more as you wracked your brain. It was kind of over now, even if you dared him to stop for now you would still have to tell him and he'd certainly never forget it. Now, where was it again? It really had been a while... Had it been your feet? No, definitely not- but... wait? Underarms? No. Your brow furrowed in confusion and you looked to the side in thought. Loki shifted impatiently. "I'm seriously still thinking," you scoffed a little and rolled your eyes. "I-I don't..." A victorious grin spread across your face as you looked back up to him.

He looked at you intently, "What's the answer?"

"I don't know. Sorry, thats the truth that you won fair and square." You shrugged a little. He laughed at loud at that and you furrowed your brow again. "What, you don't believe me?"

"Oh, I know you're telling the truth," he chuckled. "It's simply adorable how you think that's a good thing for you."

You shrivelled in on yourself as you felt his hands come up to gently rest on your sides. "B-but, I-"

"Let me assist you in filling this gap in your knowledge, hmm?"

He smirked and, at once, scratched and wiggled all ten fingers straight onto the middle of your belly. You squeaked. Actually squeaked from the contact.

"LOHIKI!" You shrieked through the giggles that poured from your lips. Your feet kicked helplessly behind his back, still desperately trying to gain traction to maybe buck your hips enough to throw him off his rhythm. "No no no noho, NO!" You embarrassingly squeaked again when his fingers pressed in harder, one finding its way into your navel through your shirt. "GOHOD!"

Broken thoughts flew through your mind as you tried in vain to struggle against him, laughter kicking up a notch as he hunted down the ticklish places on your belly, seemingly trying to surmount if there was some spot or technique in his current targeted area that would make you break. When you truly realised he would be methodical and relentless, it made your cheeks flush even harder than they were from all the laughter.

Loki watched your reactions as he settled for scratching maddeningly through your shirt at the skin just below your ribs, smirking when he heard your giggles become higher-pitched and interlaced with little shrieks.

"Plehehease!" You whimpered and squirmed underneath him.

"Dare me to stop," he responded.

"NOHO!" You struggled again, harder, not wanting to release the tiny bit of power you had over him.

Dissatisfied by your lack of screams, Loki roughly grabbed your hips and drove his thumbs into the bones, pinching at a fast and steady pace. This time, you actually gave a tiny scream before loud laughter ripped through your throat. Your shoulders and knees lifted from the bed as your body tried to curl in on itself in self-preservation but, of course, he was in the way. Your eyes shut tight as you laughed loudly and helplessly.

“PL-PLEHE- PL-“ You pleas dissolved with every new squeeze of his fingers. When he note took and advantage of the slight sliver of skin showing from your disheveled shirt and swiped his fingers along it, you squealed loudly and fell back onto the bed, feet flailing desperately behind his back.

"Oh, mortal... how helpless you must feel," he chuckled darkly and picked up the pace of his fingers, allowing them to crawl only a little higher under the hem of your shirt. He watched keenly for any sign of discomfort past the obvious breathlessness of being tickled to pieces, making sure you were squirming because of the tickling, and not because his hands were on you. He paused for a second to be sure.

"Yohou're the wohohorst," you whined. He grinned at your involuntary smile and your groans of frustration. "I'm gonnaha get you s-so BAD with this dare," you shot your head up to glare at him menacingly, but playfully.

He grinned. You were egging him on. Something in him was always aware that you never minded when he got particularly close, but this... this was undeniable. He'd certainly tease you about it at the right moment, but for now- "SHIHIT!" His fingers kicked back into gear, fluttering and scratching at the skin just under and beside your belly button.

"Think about this, Agent," Loki called to you over your manic giggles, slowing just enough to allow you to listen to him. "We can continue with this until you break, at which point I'll have filed away all your little weak points for future use-"

"-Fuhuture whaHAT?!"

"Or you can dare me to stop now, perhaps save yourself a little trouble," with that, he started pinching at your sides. His thumb pulsed into the front of your torso as he slowly worked his way up. "Are you truly willing to allow me to discover how to take you apart?"

Just wear that damn suit again, just look at me a certain way, say my name in that dark velvet voice of yours. Gods, Loki, I'm already at your mercy. Of course, even if you weren't giggling so hard that you couldn't talk, you could never say that out loud.

He stopped just below your ribs and raised his eyebrows, giving you a chance to respond before he began a new attack.

"Y-you... you say thahat as if you wouldn't just do this again whenever you feheel like it," you panted out, the occasional hiccough peeping through.

He winked, "Try not to sound so excited, love." You glared at him but, curse his piercing blue eyes and that killer smirk, you blushed a little and bit your lip.

"Believe me, excited isn't the right word," you scoffed.

He leaned in a little closer and scanned your eyes, narrowing his own, then his smirk grew. "You're bluffing." A sudden ten-fingered digging attack into your ribcage made you scream out.

"N-NO! NO NO-AHA, NOHOHO!" You screeched as his fingers wormed their way into the spaces between your ribs, sliding down the sides to target the spaces closer to the back. You struggled much harder than before and thrashed as much as you could underneath him.

"Oh dear, have we found it?" Loki taunted, picking up the pace of his fingers. Your babbling incoherent cries for mercy came out in mixtures of high-pitched squeal-like please's and oh my god's, as he focused on finding the spaces that made your laughter kick up even harder. "You know how to make this stop!" He called in a sing-song voice.

From pure desperation, you managed to slide yourself a bit further underneath him and bring your legs up and hook your ankles around his neck, pushing down as hard as you could. The force of it caused him to choke and cough a little and be pushed backwards. Not enough to throw him off of you, but enough for him to bring his hands away from your ribs to remove your ankles from his neck.

You panted heavily, whimpering a little as your head rolled to the side. "I-hi don't wannaha waste it," you whined as he pried your ankles from his neck and shifted back to be sitting more on your upper thighs so you couldn't pull the same move again.

"Impressive," Loki coughed a little again and rubbed his throat gingerly. "You're quite the tenacious little fox, aren't you?" He reached behind himself and grabbed at the muscles above your knees, squeezing wildly. You squeaked out again and giggled, shaking your head when you tried to move your legs to find out his new sitting place rendered them nearly immobile.

"I cahan't tahahake this," you whimpered through your giggles, jolting a bit when he started squeezing harder and faster.

"Dare me, love. It's the only way out," he growled, you whined again. He sat up with an amused grin plastered on his face, then took your hands from under his knees and began bringing them above your head. Panic struck when you remembered how extraordinarily ticklish you'd been with his fingers on your ribs and you started fighting him harder.

"N-no, Loki," you looked up pleadingly. "Let me keep it, lehet me KEEP IT!" You squeaked as your futile attempts to free yourself failed and he secured your hands above your head with one of his own. Struggling beneath him, you were suddenly overcome with how large his form was over you. He had you completely at his mercy, but... you weren't afraid. You trusted him, despite the way he was undoing you with his touch.

You took a deep breath in and took the inside of your lower lip between your teeth as you looked up at him hovering over you. The breath you released was jagged, shaky, but you'd stopping struggling all that much. His gaze moved from your wrists to your crystal stare and you were delighted to see that he seemed to flinch too.

He narrowed his eyes and you saw his tongue briefly slip out to wet his lips. You saw his eyes flit to your mouth, but only for a millisecond. He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to change his mind about what he was going to say. You felt his hand shift up your side and you bit back a nervous giggle when you felt his fingers poise themselves at your ribcage.

"Would you like to use that dare now?" His voice was low and dangerous, the slightest of unsureness betrayed his resolve.

It would have been so easy in that moment to just dare him to kiss you. That's probably what he wanted, what he was getting at, but you wouldn't do that. It was so glaringly obvious that you both craved this closeness, but that nagging voice in the back of your head said you'd never know for sure if he kissed you because he wanted to, or because of the cards you were dealt in a game of poker.

So, instead, you smiled coyly and shook your head. The haziness in his eyes went a little, replaced by a flash of excited mischief. Then, he smirked. Then, he tickled you senseless.

About the time his fingers found a deathly sensitive crevice between your topmost rib and the one below it is the time you screamed out, dissolved into silent laughter and finally tapped out. You begged him to stop, then dared him to stop, then begged again for him to stop even after he had. He released your wrists with a victorious grin and rolled off of you, lying on his back next to you as you caught your breath and wiped the tears of mirth from your cheeks.

"Well played," you mumbled and wiped your eyes tiredly. He pushed himself off the bed and offered you a hand up, which you took. Loki was strong, so the force of his help and your shaking legs from the attack kind of sent you barreling into his chest as you stood. You blushed and mumbled an apology as you stepped back and regained your foot.

"Oh dear," he squeezed the hand he was still holding, leaning down to catch your eye and tease, "Have I made you weak in the knees?"

"I'm tired." You rolled your eyes, grinned and shoved at his chest with both your hands. "Before you so rudely interrupted me to violate the Geneva Convention with such acts of torture, I was about to make a coffee."

"Allow me," Loki chuckled and walked with you to the kitchen, wordlessly, a little awkwardly. Your hands brushed once or twice as you walked but you tried not to think about it. He gestured for you to sit at the counter and got to work making coffee as you'd taught him months before.

Watching Loki work was fascinating. It was as it everything he did had a shimmer of elegance. From the way he measured the coffee, selected the mugs from the cupboard, cleaned the steaming wand with a grumble that someone had left it in a mess. He frothed the milk expertly and poured it over the espresso shot before turning and setting it down in front of you. He took his coffee black. Always. It made you smile to know that he'd only learned to froth the milk to do it for others. Though, he only ever seemed to do it for you.

You sipped it thoughtfully as he leaned against the other side of the counter on his elbows, ears perking and head turning when he heard some distant noise in the hallway. Probably someone heading to the gym for their morning workout.

Would you really not say anything? What did you say after that? Tease him, provoke him, ask if he was ticklish too, drop it completely? You sipped your coffee and dared to look at him, biting the inner corner of your lip as you took in the thick atmosphere tangible in the room.

"There it is," his voice lowered in husky satisfaction.

You furrowed your brow. "There what is?"

"It's your lower lip."

"Pardon?" You looked up at him.

"Your tell," he straightened and smiled fondly down at you. "You bite the inner corner when you're trying to conceal that you're looking at something that pleases you."

You laughed nervously and tried not to blush, ignoring that he very much called you out. "You figured that out over one game of poker?"

He smiled softly, but cheekily, and winked, "I figured that out long before poker."

You looked down at your coffee, feeling a little transparent, then you looked back up. "I have a question."

He gave you an indiscernible look and sipped his brew. "Hmm."

"If you hadn't sacrificed your truth to take my dare, what would you have asked me?"

Loki shifted, almost imperceptibly. Of course you noticed, and he knew you did. You raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. He shook his head and chuckled a little.

"That's not for you to know."

You opened your mouth to protest but quickly realised you didn't know how to counter that, so you closed it again and furrowed your brow. He smiled a little bit at your frustration.

"I'll play you for it," you half-joked. Loki's smile turned to a grin but he shook his head. "Or a trade?"

He scoffed, but it was good-natured. "I don't bargain with mortals."

"You did over poker."

"That was a game."

"This isn't?"

He shook his head. "Not quite."

Your heart raced and you bravely assumed he'd do it anyway. "Ask."

He took a deep breath in, even though he tried to make it look like he wasn't. Then, he swallowed and exuded confidence. "Where is the best place to eat breakfast in this city of yours?" You fought your smile as you watched him smirk a little bit. He knew he had you.

"A little French café on fifth."

"Hmm?"

"Hmm." You finally smiled shyly, trying to keep it from spreading into a grin. "I dare you to have breakfast with me."

"You haven’t a dare left, darling."

"Does that mean I'll have to ask properly?"

"Perhaps."

You finished your coffee and stood, walking over to the sink to take care of your mug. Loki's eyes stayed trained on where you had been seated as he finished his own coffee. Turning to leave, you stopped in the doorway and shot him a mischievous smile.

"I'm getting dressed, then I'm going to get breakfast at a little French café on fifth. You're welcome to join me."

Cheeky thing, he thought as you put the ball back in his court. He had half a mind to sweep you up in his arms and propose forgoing the meal all together. Though, he didn't.

He instead met you by the front door ten minutes later and walked, as before, wordlessly with you to the car. But this time when your hands touched, he reached out and weaved his fingers through yours. Then, he broke the silence.

"What happened in Dubai?"

You grinned and looked at the ground. It probably wasn't smart to refuse him now that he had a very effective way to make you talk. Part of you wanted to just so he'd have an excuse to wrap his arms around you later, but you thought that would be a little obvious. Then again, when weren't you obvious to him?

You squeezed his hand and tried to contain your grin as you let him in to all your secrets.

"So there was this Russian oligarch..."

[youbloodymadgenius]

Nunky! (Modern!Ivar x reader - Modern!Ivar x OCs niece and nephew)

A/N: This is my entry to @flowers-in-your-hayr 650 Followers Celebration 🎉 Congrats again, love 🌸 And thanks for this amazing moodboard 😍

I'm awfully late, sorry about that. The truth is, do you know what it is to struggle? Let me tell you: there were three other drafts before this final version. More than 4000 words... All trashed...

Anyway, I'm quite happy with this one, that's all that matters.

@geekandbooknerd, thanks for beta reading this for me 🌺

Let me know if you want to be tagged 😊

Divider by @firefly-graphics

Summary: Ever wonder what kind of uncle Ivar would be? Let me show you 😉

Warnings: fluff, fluff, fluff 🙈

Words: 1978

"We're going to play Pete the Cat or Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game, you in?" He shouts at you from the deck.

Lazily lying on a sunbed in the shade of an oak, you don't bother opening your eyes. As much as you love board games, there's no way you're leaving this perfect spot. Not yet, and certainly not for the next two hours.

"No, I'm good." You shake your head for emphasis, even if you're not sure he can see you.

"Okay lovebug, see you later," he says tenderly before changing his tone, "All right kiddos, get ready to lose!"

You let out a chuckle as Viola and Soren, feeling offended, express loudly their discontent. And you can't help but laugh. You know he's going to let them win anyway. He may be a sore loser who hates to lose and would do anything to win, whether in business or in a game, but things are different when it comes to his niece and nephew. That's just how much he loves them.

Your multi-faceted lover…

To the world, he is Ivar Ragnarsson, the crippled son – and true heir – of the mighty Ragnar Lothbrok, and, till last year – till you – Scandinavia's richest and most eligible bachelor, and all this in spite of his legs.

To his employees and business partners, he's an arrogant, cranky, demanding, cold-hearted, smart as hell, and very successful business tycoon. Oh, if they could see him right now, they wouldn't believe their eyes. No dress shirt, no suit pants, no blazer. With a backwards baseball cap, a basic black tee-shirt and stonewashed jeans, he looks more like a boy than a crafty businessman.

To you, he's the man you've been in love with for eight months; a complex human being, for sure, full of contradictions: so self-confident and yet in some ways so self-conscious; outwardly tough but at times so incredibly vulnerable. You won't lie, he can be infuriating; he's stubborn, strong-headed and short tempered. But he's awfully clever, deadpan and… well... devastatingly handsome, with his impossibly beautiful features and his otherworldly icy blue eyes. He's a fantastic lover too, unexpectedly caring and attentive, loyal and faithful.

To Viola and Soren, his favorite brother's children, he's Uncle Ivar – or Nunky, as Viola calls him – the best uncle ever, funny and mischievous, loving and supportive. He's always ready to go out of his way to teach them all the cool stuff kids are supposed to know; silly jokes, riddles and magic tricks. He's their favorite babysitter, the one who is completely devoted to them, the one who feeds them ice cream and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, before reminding them conspiratorially, with a finger on his lips: "You know the deal, sweet peas! Not a word to your mom."

You remember as if it were yesterday your first meeting with them.

Soren, chocolate all over his face, greets you with a big smile, immediately asking you if you want to play hide-and-seek with them. On the other hand, Viola looks at you from head to toe, scrutinizing you intensely. With her lips pursed and her brows creased, she doesn't seem very pleased, to say the least. The seconds tick by and finally, placing her tiny hands on her hips, the little girl takes a deep breath. "I don't want to play with her. I don't like her." The hostility in her tone can't be missed.

Speechless, you look at Viola with wide open eyes. You usually have a way with kids and are honestly a little stunned by such an unfriendly welcome.

"Viola, please…" Ivar grumbles, rolling his eyes, but he doesn't have time to say another word. "No, Nunky! You told me she was your lover!" Ah, now you're beginning to see her problem, and it brings a small smile on your lips.

Viola points an accusing finger towards you. "Are you Nunky's lover?"

You nod playfully but Viola doesn't seem the least bit amused. "That's why I don't like you. And just so you know, you may be Nunky's lover now, but I'm going to marry him. I just have to wait a little," she frowns, thoroughly concentrated, "I need to be a little older, maybe like… that," she stretches out the fingers of both hands in front of her, "but Nunky is going to marry me. Me, not you. So, you might as well leave right now."

You struggle to hold back your laughter, aware that this is a very serious matter for her.

"Come here, baby girl." Rubbing a hand over his face, Ivar pats his knees and then helps his niece as she climbs onto his lap. "We've talked about this, little bird, remember? We're not getting married, not in ten years, not ever." He speaks so softly, and there's so much love in his eyes, you feel like you're melting.

"But, I lo–" Viola interjects with a pout, but Ivar stops her, shaking his head. "There's no buts, baby love. Uncles do not marry nieces. That's the way it is and that's how it must be. And yes," he looks at you fondly, "Y/N is my lover. But it doesn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere, Viola. I'll always be in your life. I love you." He gently ruffles Soren's hair. "I love you both. You have no idea how much I love you."

You must have dozed off and are awakened by Viola high-pitched squeals of joy. "Oh yeah, let's go into the backyard." Hmph! Looks like you're going to have company. Bye bye peacefulness.

Well, so be it.

Yawning, you stretch like a cat before sitting up. Ivar and the kids are on the deck and you wave at them. Soren casts you a broad smile and takes two steps towards the backyard but Viola stops him.

"Wait, Soren! Nunky," you don't need to see her to know that she's blinking her big, beautiful blue eyes at Ivar, "please, we are tired. Right Soren?"

Viola's brother nods tentatively as Ivar bursts out laughing. "Is that so, munchkin?" Putting on a thinking face, he stares blanky up in the air for a second or two, tapping a forefinger on his chin. "Let me guess, you want a ride, baby girl? Soren, buddy boy, would you mind fetching the princess's carriage for me, please?"

At this point, you know exactly what is going to happen, yet it never ceases to amaze you. And as sure as the sun rises from the east, the next moment Soren is pushing a wheelchair in front of him, coming to a halt next to his uncle. Ivar immediately sits down, slipping his crutch into the intended holder attached to the backrest.

Reaching out, he now gently grabs Viola's wrist. "Your carriage awaits, princess." The little girl climbs very carefully onto his lap before wrapping her chubby arms around his neck.

Ivar pulls her closer, "Hold tight, princess!" and as soon as he's sure she's securely seated, he grabs his push rims and pops a wheelie, Viola bursting with laughter. He then looks at Soren, cracking him a smile. "I'll give you a ride too, bumblebee, stay put."

Soren, older than Viola and always overprotective when it comes to his beloved uncle, frowns, concern all over his boyish face. "You sure I'm not too heavy now? I'm over fifty-five pounds, you know?"

Ivar laughs, an easy smile on his plump lips. "Don't worry, I'll be just fine." A smile tugging up the corner of his mouth and Viola giggling on his lap, he rolls towards the wide wooden ramp leading to the backyard.

Ivar hates using his wheelchair. He despises it. He's very secretive about it. The truth is, it took him two months to tell you that he sometimes needed one and another two months to actually use it in front of you.

He hates it so much that he would rather crawl than use it. Actually, that's what he does every night, after taking off his leg braces.

Yet, he keeps his old wheelchair here, at his brother's house. For recreational purposes only; or in other words for Viola's and Soren's enjoyment. And he gives them rides, up and down the ramp, sometimes for hours, popping wheelies here and there. Because Viola and Soren love that and it makes them laugh. Because he would do everything and anything to make them happy.

That's just how much he loves them.

Ivar pulls a sunbed next to you and flops down on it, stifling a hiss of pain. "Where are the kids?" Raising yourself up on one elbow, you kiss him, your free hand gently stroking the tight muscles of his right thigh.

Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he kisses you back. "Gathering the things they want to take to the beach."

You want to give him a disapproving look, but you won't. You know better. You know him.

He shouldn't go to the beach. Not today. He woke up in pain this morning. Walking in the sand is a struggle even on good days. He'll pay for it later. You know he knows it. And you know he'll do it no matter what, and whatever it takes.

Because that, he can do.

Sometimes, you catch a hint of sadness in his eyes. When Soren and Viola are running and he can't run after them, because running is simply not an option for him. When they are jumping on the trampoline and he can't join them, because it would end with broken bones. When they are playing football, or riding a bike, or skating. When they are tree climbing, or playing gunny sack race, or rock climbing, or playing hopscotch, or skipping rope, or dancing, or…

But walking in the sand, even if not easy, that, he can do.

He's going to struggle all the way – wincing, hissing, silently swearing, even dragging his right leg with his hand if necessary – until they reach their favorite spot, a small cove shielded from the wind, with marvelous pebbles and smooth sand. And he will sit for hours, his legs aching, making sandcastles even though, even as a child, he didn't like that. Because it doesn't matter. Because Soren and Viola matter. And the sparkle in their eyes will bring a smile to his face. Their laughter will make it all worthwhile.

Yeah, this is what he's going to do, for Soren's and Viola's happiness. And you know there's nothing you can say or do that is going to change his mind.

That's just how much he loves them.

⚔️"What are you thinking about, love?" Ivar's soft voice pulls you out of your thoughts as he wraps his arm around your shoulders.

"I was thinking what a fantastic uncle you are." You reply genuinely, your thumb grazing his cheek. "And what a fantastic father you will be one day. The father of our kids."

Ivar blinks several times. You know that no matter how many times you tell him, he still finds it hard to believe that you want to make a life with him; marry him; carry his children.

"This…" His voice trembles and he lowers his gaze, "this is really what you want?"

"Of course, it is, my love." You reassure him for the thousandth time, peppering his jaw with light kisses. "Negotiations with Viola will doubtless be tough, though…" You chuckle, your fingers threading through his hair as he nods. "But let me tell you a secret," you can feel his hot breath on your ear, "you've already won, love." He offers you a breathtaking, mind-blowing smile and then his mouth finds yours and he kisses you and it feels like you're alone in the world, nothing matters but your shared love, nothing exists but him, nothing counts anymore, nothing, nothing, nothing...

"NUNKYYYYY!!!!"

Well… You may have spoken too soon…

🛡⚔️🛡

@flowers-in-your-hayr @honestsycrets @lisinfleur @waiting4inspiration @saldelys @gearhead66 @inforapound @readsalot73 @milkkygirls @xbellaxcarolinax @shannygoatgruff @zuxiezendler @a-mess-of-fandoms @hecohansen31 @lonewolf471 @ivarthebloodyking @fuckindiva @tgrrose @didiintheblog @peachyboneless @funmadnessandbadassvikings @ethereallysimple @destynelseclipsa @cocovikings23 @pieces-by-me @xceafh @mrsalwayswrite @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie @pomegranates-and-blood

[barnesbabee]

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇɪɢʜᴛ- ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀʟᴀɴᴅ

WONDERLAND MASTERLIST

⇜ ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ - ᴇɪɢʜᴛ-  ɴᴇxᴛ ⟿

CHARACTER LIST:

White Rabbit - Choi Jongho Absolem (Blue Catterpilar) - Kang Yeosang Cheshire Cat - Kim Hongjoong Mad Hatter - Choi San Haigha (March Hare) - Jung Wooyoung Tweedle Dee - Song Mingi Tweedle Dum - Jeong Yunho Bloody Red King - Park Seonghwa

ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ: @myunvillage @mirror-juliet @jess-1404 @earth-to-leiki [Send me a DM, an ask or comment to be added to the tag list]

“The stars sure look beautiful today.”

From that night on you and Seonghwa continuously exchanged shy glances, and even the simplest touch would make you blush, as you both reminisced what had happened that night. You anxiously waited for the day you would finally belong to each other, and as the night approached, the both of you started feeling butterflies all over your body.

You had decided the wedding would be small. Not because you weren't extravagant, but because none of you had friends, so it wouldn't make sense to throw a big party. Although the King, without your knowledge, had ordered the most beautiful wedding dress, and he couldn't wait for you to see it.

One day, you decided to take a peek at the ballroom, where the wedding would be taking place. You could see he tried to minimize the red and black, but it was stronger than him. It did look beautiful though... The gold chandelier lit up the sparkly room, decorated with rose petals cut in the shape of a heart, and several portraits of you and the King beside each other. You wondered when those had been painted, but you were honoured. Your heart was clenching in adoration as you noticed the contrast between the portraits all around the castle compared to those. Every painting of the King you had seen so far was of him with a stone-cold expression, but in all of these you were both smiling, laughing, or looking at each other lovingly. The King make sure to capture his favourite moments in all of these paintings, from the day you met, to the picnic in the garden.

"Thank you, Miss."

You were startled to hear a voice behind you while you peeked through the barely opened door. You jumped slightly and turned around, but calmed down once you saw it was one of the maids. She was looking at you with her big, sparkly frog eyes. At some point, it freaked you out, but after seeing them every day you got used to the frog people.

"You're welcome ma'am, but what might you be thanking me for?" You asked, quite confused.

"You've made our lives infinitely better with your presence. Our King has really changed... He said 'thank you' the other day. I have worked for him for a decade and not once had I heard those words from him. He treats us like people, not like servants. You are a blessing, Miss."

You smiled at the maid, a sad yet sympathetic smile.

"I know it's a lot to ask, but I beg of you, give him another chance. Seonghwa is but a neglected, traumatized child in an adult man's body, and I'm trying to help him become a better person."

"I cannot promise anything Miss, but if he truly shows the people mercy and compensates them for all we've been through, the people might give him another chance."

You gave her a slight nod, and thanked the maid for her honesty.

"Hey!" A voice called from up the stairs.

The maid excused herself, and you looked at the staircase, to find a distressed Seonghwa running down towards you.

"Did you see the room?" He asked arms crossed over his chest.

You stayed quiet for a second and looked away from the man who stood apprehensively in front of you.

"No?" You lied.

"Aw come on! I wanted it to be a surprise! I knew I should've covered that paintings."

The image of a sulking Seonghwa was the most adorable thing you had ever seen. You wrapped your arms around his waist and laid your head on his chest.

"I'm sorry, but I was too curious..." You paused and looked up at the man "If it serves any consolation, I was very surprised, and I loved it."

"Really?" He happily asked, flashing you his pearly whites.

You hummed in agreement, earning a small kiss from the man.

"Well, the surprises aren't over. There's a couple more, starting with tonight's dinner."

Before you could ask what he meant, Seonghwa grabbed your hand and dragged you towards a small room in the attic. It took a while to go up all of the marble stairs, and you were out of breath once you reached the room, but it was worth it.

The King gripped the golden handle of the red, wooden door, while looking at you with a big grin. Once he pushed it open, the most beautiful sight was prepared for you. The roof of the small room had a beautiful glass skylight, and the stars looked down at you as you stepped inside. There were white rose petals scattered all over the dark wooden floor, and a small table with two chairs sat in the middle. On the wall right in front of you was a lit fireplace, and the table was set for two, with the most beautiful cutlery you had ever seen. You noticed a letter sitting on one of the dishes, that you assumed was directed at you.

"I, uh... I learned to like white roses." Seonghwa said, embarrassed.

You remember the first time you met when he freaked out over the white roses in the garden. He moved to stand behind one of the chairs, and pulled it back.

"Come, sit down."

You obliged and sat down on the chair he held out of you The male sat in front of you and motioned towards the letter.

"Tomorrow we get married, and there are many things I want to tell you, but I can't. So I wrote it down."

You grabbed the letter and opened it. The King's calligraphy was beautiful and easy to read, but it didn't surprise you: everything about him was very neat.

'Dearest Y/N,

I'm sorry you have to read this, instead of hearing me say it, but I know that if I were to tell you how I feel, half of my sentiments would be left unsaid. I have lived a short life that felt very, very long. These years have dragged on relentlessly, but ever since you arrived, time flies. I hate going to sleep and I can't wait to wake up, to be with you, to look at you, to kiss you... I have had many experiences that I thought were love, but the second I laid eyes on you, I knew all of those previous times were wrong, I finally knew what love was. And recently I've come to find that love isn't only one thing, because somehow my love for you grows in many ways every day I spend with you. You may call me crazy, but there's nothing I wouldn't do for you, and I will keep my promise of changing to be a better King. Even if you stop loving me, even if you leave me, I will hold up my promise as proof of my everlasting love for you. But I must confess, I've imagined us growing old together, and one day, when I pass the crown onto my future child, I hope it is your child as well.

Forever yours,

Seonghwa.'

Tears streamed down your cheeks like two rivers and your bottom lip trembled as you read the letter.

"Ah, those are happy tears! Correct?"

You set down the letter and wiped away said tears with your wrists.

"Yes, yes they are. This was beautiful, Seonghwa, thank you."

"I'm afraid that's as far as the surprises go today, because when it comes to dinner," Seonghwa paused, revealing two sandwiches that would be your meal "I'm afraid it's mediocre. I tried my best but everything I made came out raw or burned, I'm afraid this is as far as my cooking abilities go."

You were surprised and very touched that he had done it all by himself, even if it were just some lousy sandwiches.

"You made dinner by yourself? Well, my good Sir, they must be delicious." You joked as you took one of them.

They weren't good, but they weren't bad either, and you appreciated the effort that had gotten into them. You imagined what kind of King Seonghwa would have been if the previous King had chosen to raise Seonghwa instead of his sister... Surely a kind, caring King that everyone looked up to, one every eligible young woman (and man) would bad their eyelashes at. It was truly a shame... But it wasn't too late for a change, you were hopeful.

You spent that night together, cuddling and telling stories while looking at the starry sky, and you eventually fell asleep on the many pillows Seonghwa had sprawled on the floor.

The next day, you woke up with a smile, remembering that your wedding was in a few hours.

You laid on top of Seonghwa and kissed him.

"Wake up sleepy head."

Seonghwa smiled, wrapped his arms around you and flipped the two of you, so you'd be under him.

"Good morning princess."

You help his face in your hands and smiled.

"After today I'll be a Queen."

"My Queen."

Your sappy moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Sir, Miss, I'm afraid we must commence dressing you for the wedding."

The King peeled himself off of you with a groan (but not before kissing you). He helped you get up, and the two of you followed the maid that took you both to your assigned fitting rooms. Seonghwa had picked his own suit, but you had no idea what he had in store for you. The second you opened the door, you were met with the most beautiful dress you had ever even imagined. It was white, with a tight corset that expanded into a glamorous princess-like puffy tulle. The tulle had many layers, and its bottom was decorated with pearls. The corset, while sleeveless and heart-shaped, had lace appliques that covered your chest and arms, and the torso was decorated with many sparky stones. The veil was equally decorated with pearls and had a tiara attached to it.

Attached to the dress there was a letter.

'They say white symbolizes faith. I have faith in you and in our marriage. Much love, Seonghwa.'

The maids helped you dress, very carefully and with care. They truly seemed to like you. One of them even fixed your hair in a pretty bun and attached the veil to it.

They had spent around an hour fixing everything, and when you were almost done, the door opened.

"The King is waiting for Miss Y/N."

And that was your queue to leave the room. You carefully walked down the stairs and made your way to the big ballroom, once the doors opened, with the announcement of your name, your eyes fell on Seonghwa, who was staring at you happily, in his new look. His hair was slicked back, no longer covering his eye, displaying it proudly, no longer ashamed of his past. His suit matched your dress: it was white and fit him neatly, and it only served as proof that Seonghwa looked good in any colour.

You noticed the crowd in the room, but you weren't too surprised. Although you had decided to hold a small wedding and not invite anyone, you two knew the people would want to see who was brave enough to marry their King, so the man opened the castle doors for anyone who wanted to witness the wedding.

To say the people were surprised to see the King smile was an understatement, but the fact was that he was smiling, and the smile grew wider for every step you took towards him.

The ceremony went beautifully. There were tears in your eyes and in Seonghwa's eyes, and as you celebrated and sealed the marriage, everyone clapped (to you and Seonghwa's surprise).

Everything went perfectly, until the toast. Seonghwa suggested a toast in your behalf after the maids handed every citizen a glass, and when you took a sip, your body felt weird, and you started shrinking, and shrinking, and shrinking until you looked like Thumbelina.

"Y-Y/N!?" Seonghwa asked frantically, as he looked at tiny you standing on the table.

"Tweedles, now!" Someone roared from the crowd.

The Tweedles grabbed you and tossed you over to the Hatter, who had been concealed in the crowd this whole time. After hearing about the wedding, the Hatter decided he would use the certain crowd and commotion to blend in and enter the castle. Without anyone noticing, Cheshire sprinkled some of Absolem's shrinking cake into your drink.

The Hatter grabbed you gently and Bayard came running in. He placed you on the dog and reached for his pocket to retrieve some cake as well.

The King, noticing what was happening before his very eyes, panicked. Tears streamed down his eyes and his bottom lip quivered.

"No! Please don't steal her away! Please!" He begged, running towards the group with one hand stretched out, hoping he could get to the dog before they left but to no avail.

The Hatter just laughed and shrunk himself, giving Bayard the signal to leave. The card knights tried to follow the dog but he was too fast, and there was no time to get the horses before losing sight of the dog. You were gone.

The King fell to his knees, and cried, as he stopped seeing you from the distance.

"Please, don't take her away from me..."

[bbugyu]

of all the views you had seen, there was little that could compare to him.

6.2k | cavalry captain!jeonghan x gn pyro!reader, genshin impact au, fluff, adventure, drinking, so much flirting, mentions of trauma, honestly this is the sweetest i'm ever gonna write jeonghan

happy inazuma release day!!! it's your local kaeya trash, because i predictably fall for gay bastards that lie straight to my face (example: jeonghan), and i'm here to give you a fic i wrote AGES ago and just polished up a bit to celebrate the release of what is likely going to be my FAVORITE region in genshin impact. i'm japanese so 😅 i have a soft spot. if there's any other gaymer carats out there, enjoy this one. if not, sorry! you can actually probably still read this and understand it for the most part, though you might miss a bit of context of the landscape and the lore.

ps. go tell @babiemingoo that wonwoo xinqiu 🤭

~

your work with the adventurer's guild was always efficient. you received your commissions, you carried them out, then returned for your reward, usually before the sun had even peaked. the rest of your day was generally spent either basking in the eternal sun of mondstadt, feeding cats in inazuma, or enjoying a hard earned meal in liyue, depending on where you decided to stay that week, finding board and paying for it with the commission you had earned that day. your tendency to wander came less from choice and more from nature - you could call yourself a nomad, but generally, you just got bored, and preferred seeing everything teyvat had to offer rather than settling in one place. adventuring was simply what you were meant to do, your mother had told you at a young age.

she, too, had wandered for most of her youth, and didn't stop just because you had come into her life. you remembered getting scooped up because you had wandered off a bit too close to the railing at wangshu inn as a toddler, playing with dogs at the docks of liyue harbor. you remembered the ludi harpastum and the first time you had ever had a sweet honey roast, and the way it made your eyes grow ten times in size before you dug in for more.

when your vision was bestowed upon you, you already knew how to use a sword. it was important, your mother told you, that you knew how to protect yourself. she had a vision as well, younger even than you had, and you had come to recognize the static in the air as a sign that she was angry - whether it was because of an altercation with someone on your journey or because you had secretly eaten the last hashbrown without consulting her first.

she used her vision and a sturdy blade she had owned since before you were born to protect the two of you on the road, but when she felt you were old enough, she taught you how to weild. a two handed weapon that was far too big for you when you were only fourteen, but when your reckless abandon got paired with a spark, you suddenly became far more dangerous than even your own mother. she scolded you for nearly starting a forest fire when you tried to pair the two skills for the first time after receiving your vision, and you both agreed that training was a beach activity from then on.

your mother settled eventually, after you were old and skilled enough to take on the road alone, pulling the many favors she had gathered in her travels to build a home in a small neighborhood south of liyue harbor, nestled in the foothills of mount tianheng, where you visited as often as your wandering allowed.

you had become much better with your vision. more careful but just as hot. quick to scan situations and strategize in the moment, hardly taking a second before jumping into action, slaying hilichurls like you were getting paid. well, you were, you supposed, but you had been doing this long before you had discovered the benefit of joining the guild. you were good at it. you were built for adventure, but revelled in leisure. there was good reason you were able to take afternoons off, and you milked every last second of it.

"you're back in town?"

you grinned, leaning your sword against the wall and dropping your bag off your shoulders before settling at the bar. "for now."

rubin often served you alcohol - when you were in mondstadt, at least, however often that may be - but never questioned you deeply. he would ask how your travels were, and listen to your stories from regions beyond his knowledge, of the cultures that he had only heard of from people like you. he enjoyed them just about as much as any, if not a little more, purely because your tenacious personality brought something more to the table. he wondered, though, how long you intended to keep living day by day, sleeping in different beds every week.

"what's wrong with sleeping in different beds?" you teased, laughing into your wine glass. "if i didn't know any better, i'd think you were shaming me, rube."

rubin simply laughed, knowing your tone by now. "i just wonder if you ever intend on digging in your roots, or if you'll continue travelling forever."

"if i dig roots, you may never see me again. is that what you want?"

"what," he said. "you don't like mondstadt?"

"i love monstadt," you assured him. "but i also love inazuma. and my mother is in liyue, though she might be upset with me if i try to settle too close to her. perhaps natlan would suit me more?" you shrugged finally, the door behind you opening as you finished with "i suppose i'll settle when i've found a reason to love one place more than the rest."

rubin shook his head, a chuckle falling from his lips. "a wanderer through and through." his attention was quickly drawn to the man entering the bar. "ah, captain! the usual?"

"please," the decorated man said, quickly taking a seat beside you despite the rest of the bar being available. "would you like another, wanderer?"

you eyed him cautiously, studying what you could see if his face around the black eyepatch, gaze skimming down his elaborate clothing before looking down at your emptied drink. "sure."

"another for your wandering friend, rubin, on my tab, please." your brain swirled, considering the brief information you had been given and wondered how you had never managed to meet this regular during your past visits. "are you just drinking dandelion wine, or something more fun?"

"more fun?" you asked. "what are you drinking, then?"

"well, a death after noon, of course," he stated. "don't tell me you haven't had one."

you blinked at him. "i haven't."

you turned towards rubin when he laughed at the back and forth. "shall i make two, then?"

"definitely," your new drinking buddy said, then gestured to you. "you trust my taste, right?"

you said nothing, but he accepted your silent smile as an agreeance. "captain," you said finally, thinking of how rubin had addressed him. "of?"

the man turned towards you, his elbow planted on the bar and his cheek on a fist. despite his get up, he had a playful smirk across his lips. "you mean, my reputation doesn't precede me? you really are a wanderer. everyone in mondstadt knows my name."

"everyone but me," you corrected. "as i'm currently in mondstadt."

his teeth shone behind his smirking lips before he sat up straight. "well, allow me to introduce myself." he saluted, his arm extending from his side at an angle - a salute you recognized from the guards around the city. "i am jeonghan, the cavalry captain of the knights of favonius."

"ah, the knights," you smiled briefly, before letting your eyes wander as you thought, crossing your arms over the bar. "i don't see much of a cavalry in the city, though."

he let out an amused exhale. "so i have a bit more free time these days."

"i'm sure the acting grand master is jealous of all your free time," you teased. "poor guy, looks like he's staving off a panic attack every time i see him. you should probably help him more."

"so," he sighed, leaning against the bar again. "you know of the acting grand master but not me?"

"jihoon?" you asked. "of course i know of him. he's all anyone ever talks about around here."

jeonghan nodded once, thanking rubin when he placed two drinks before you. "people talk about me, also, you know."

your lips stuck out in a pout. "jeonghan, you said? doesn't ring a bell."

he rolled his eyes and picked up his drink, holding it out for you to cheers against. you giggled, clinking your glass against his before taking a sip. the golden liquid was sweet, but not like the dandelion wine you had grown to love in this region. it had more depth, a subtle bitterness to it, and a refreshing bubble. you stared after the glass when it left your lips, then looked over to find jeonghan grinning at you.

"i see why it's your usual," you said, taking another sip before placing the glass on the bar. "i could drink too many."

"will you?" he asked.

"not tonight," you replied coolly. "i haven't asked sana to put me up at the guild yet, and if i get there too late, i'll get a cot instead of a bed. unless rubin finally wants to come clean about something?"

the bartender laughed. "how many times do i have to tell you? we don't even have rooms to board."

you squinted at him. "i know there's something upstairs. i'll learn your secrets one day, rube."

"i wouldn't be a very good bartender if i didn't know how to keep them."

"so you're in the guild?" jeonghan asked as rubin attended to another patron. "an adventuring wanderer."

you smiled vaguely at him. "i am. i have to pay for my travels somehow."

he shrugged. "there's other ways to make money. probably more profitable, too."

you eyed his teasing smirk. "i'm not sure i know what you're implying."

"as a captain of the knights of favonius, i assure you, i'm implying nothing at all," he said, exhaling sharply and adjusting on his stool. he leaned over towards you before speaking in a quieter tone. "but as jeonghan, i think you know exactly what i'm implying."

you only laughed, recognizing the thinly veiled attempt to worm a secret out of you. "i outgrew those means a long time ago. besides, when mora gets tight, i can always board up with my mother. i like liyue enough."

jeonghan studied you as you drank again. "liyue's home, is it?'

"for her, yes," you said, looking over to him, but you found yourself looking away again when his steely blue gaze met yours. you thought carefully about how much of yourself you were willing to reveal to this stranger, especially considering how important he was in the rule of the city. "she was a wanderer, too, and ended up falling in love with liyue harbor."

jeonghan made note of the way your face softened as you spoke about your mother. "and what about you?"

you met his intent look again, thinking about how his covered eye somehow made him even more intimidating. perhaps that was its purpose. "what about me?"

"what have you fallen in love with?"

a smile crept onto your lips as you processed his question. "oh, archons, what have i not fallen in love with? the smell of the open ocean in inazuma, the breathtaking temples in sumeru - have you ever been to waterfall city?"

jeonghan merely shook his head at you, the corners of his mouth turning upwards as he put his cheek on a fist again, leaning against the bar. "beautiful?"

you exhaled, eyes wide as you thought of the towering falls and the light mist that covered the city, trying to come up with an apt description. "humbling. there's nothing like it."

he watched your expression, head tilting further. "what a wonderful way to describe a place. tell me more."

your gaze went to him, then away briefly, feeling suddenly shy as you noticed his look. "about waterfall city?"

he shrugged a fur covered shoulder, shaking his head lightly. "about anywhere. describe your world, wanderer. i'd like to hear whatever you have to say."

you wondered if the heat that ran through you was because of the alcohol or the man, but you just took another drink and cleared your throat lightly, thinking of more places you had discovered in your travels. you thought of qingce village, one of your favorite places to visit, because the people are kind and welcoming and the fields are so beautiful. you told him about a tea shop owned by an old man - he insisted you call him pops so fiercely that you weren't even sure you had caught his given name - and it was probably the most relaxing cup of tea you ever had.

"it's been a while since i've gone," you sighed. "i think i'm overdue for a chat with pops and his tea."

jeonghan was smiling when you looked at him again. "the tea in liyue is unmatched," he said, reaching for his drink. before taking another sip, he gestured for you to continue.

so you did. you told him about sakura pond, about celestia city, about the volcanic black beaches. you told him liyue had your favorite people, but inazuma had your favorite food. he clicked his tongue at you.

"what about mondstadt? do we have one of your favorites?"

you smiled, genuinely. "sunsets. the night sky is different here than it is anywhere else. i think mondstadt is the closest we can get to the stars without joining the archons."

jeonghan studied you briefly, his blue eye flicking over your face as you finished your drink. "i think that's an apt observation. it seems your eyes are always wide."

"i travel for the views," you exhaled. "i don't plan on missing any."

he thought a second. "have you been to starsnatch cliff?"

your eyes lit up. "not in years," you said, in complete shock that you could have forgotten such a place. you pushed from the bar slightly, turning towards him, and he noticed the flash of a red gem strapped to your right thigh for the first time. "my mother took me there when i was a kid, but i haven't gone since."

"it never gets old," he said, sipping at the end of his drink. "i've yet to see that view and not be in awe."

"i'll go before i leave mondstadt again," you decided.

he looked to you. "when will that be?"

you sighed. "not sure, yet."

he just chuckled. "would you like another drink?"

"oh, no," you said, standing and stretching your spine. "i should make my leave. i don't like sleeping on cots. i just came by to let my ol' pal rube know i was in town again."

jeonghan watched you pull your pack onto your back, grabbing the handle of your sheathed claymore from where it was leaning against the wall next to the bar. "perhaps i'll see you again tomorrow?"

you looked at him, a vague smile on your lips as you strapped your sword back on. "perhaps you will, captain."

"jeonghan," he corrected. "but i don't believe you ever shared your name?"

"that was by design, captain," you said, and he swore he caught a glint in your eye as you bid rubin a farewell and stepped out of the angel's share.

jeonghan spun back around on his stool, immediately looking to rubin. "do you know their name?"

"no, sir," he said, looking at the closed door. "they've never said."

jeonghan's gaze went to the empty glass you had left behind, thinking about your stories, your sword, and the signifier of your vision on your thigh. "fascinating."

you got lucky - sana had a private room for you, and said you were welcome to rent it for your stay. she said not many people were travelling to mondstadt these days, and that more often than not, the adventurer's barracks in headquarters went unused. ever since the fatui had holed up in the grand goth hotel, it had been harder for you to make extended stays in mondstadt, but it seemed that something was telling you to stick around longer than usual. you laid on the hard mattress - a feeling that was more comforting than most, thanks to your continuous travels - and thought of the charming captain that had made a night of questioning you. you wondered if he really had any interest in anything you had to say, or if he had been hoping for details about something pertinent to an investigation.

you packed a lighter bag in the morning, only bringing along the essentials as you set out for your commissions for the day. that afternoon, you wandered around mondstadt and asked questions. questions about the simultaneously well-discussed and mysterious cavalry captain that had listened to your tales of travel, and answers came easier than expected, though they didn't contain all the details you were looking for. that night, you waited up at the angel's share to brag about your newfound knowledge to the captain that never showed, and you did your best to not let that hurt your ego.

the next day, you made a detour on your way back to the city after completing your commissions, stopping by springvale to enjoy a well deserved lunch and catch up with some locals. you sat in the grass with a skewer of grilled meat, watching the windmills of mondstadt steadily spin in the distance as time passed, thinking about how rubin had asked you if you didn't like it here.

you did, you decided. mondstadt felt different than anywhere else you had been. untouched, almost. wilder. freer. despite being born in inazuma, your first memories being in celestia, or your mother being in liyue, mondstadt felt comfortable. felt like a home. you wondered to yourself what that might mean.

sana greeted you happily when you returned much later than you normally did. she told you to go ahead to the guild and come back, filing away your reports and retrieving your rewards. you dropped off your things in your rented room, quickly, practically galloping back down the steps towards the entrance of the city to continue your conversation with the adventurer guilds' mighty receptionist without your sword weighing you down. you crossed your arms on the counter, comfortably lounging as you chatted with her, having always enjoyed her conversations more than most. like rubin, she was a reason mondstadt always felt comfortable.

"fancy meeting you here," an all too familiar voice said, and you pulled your eyes from sana to find jeonghan leaning his side against the counter next to you.

"good evening, cavalry captain!" sana chirped, placing your reward - your room free already removed - on the counter and bowing politely. "can i help you with anything today?"

his icy gaze flickered from your lightly curved lips towards sana. "oh, no, my dear. i'm just coming back from an investigation near springvale"

"interesting," you said, eyeing him. "i was just there and didn't see you."

"i wouldn't be very good at my job if you did, wanderer," he grinned. "knight business, you wouldn't understand. got the assignment yesterday."

"ah," you shifted to your side to face him, making him eye the vision on your thigh. "is that why you never showed? rubin was worried."

he looked you up and down. "rubin was, huh?"

you rolled your eyes and adjusted your posture to face away from his smirk. sana looked between the two of you twice before clearing her throat as quietly as possible, making jeonghan let out a chuckle before he directed his attention to the guild's receptionist.

"how goes holding the post, sana?"

she looked almost frightened when the attention was directed back to her. "good, captain! in fact, one of our most capable adventurers-" she gestured to you, "-just returned from taking care of some of our more difficult commissions - no one else would take them."

jeonghan looked at you. "why did sana have to tell your secret?"

your eyebrows quirked upwards. "what secret?"

"that you're good at this. shouldn't you be bragging?"

a chuckle spilled from your lips, and jeonghan watched you as you looked away. "i'm not the bragging type."

he studied you a moment. "what type are you, then?"

you considered the question, wondering exactly how to answer. what type were you? if not a teller, than surely you must be a shower, but that didn't seem right either. you exhaled. "the quiet type. see you later, sana."

he laughed, pushing off the counter as you tucked your mora into your waist bag, wishing sana a good evening and following you towards the fountain. "you sure talk a lot for being the quiet type."

a smirk landed itself on your lips as he fell into step beside you. "maybe private is a better description."

"that one i can see," jeonghan said, looking over to you. he thought of how you had spent nearly an hour telling him about the best views in teyvat, yet he still didn't know the most basic information about you. "do you share your name with anyone?"

you thought. "my mother."

he scoffed. "anyone else?"

you looked to the sky. "rubin."

"wrong," he retorted. "he doesn't know your name, either."

you laughed, looking over to him as you came up to the fountain, spinning and sitting back on the ledge. "you asked?"

"of course i asked," he said, planting one foot on the ledge beside you and placing his arms on his knee. "i asked other people, too. almost everyone knows you, but they don't know anything about you. bits and pieces, but never the full picture."

you just smiled up at him from your relaxed posture on the concrete. "what's wrong with a little intrigue?"

he just smiled back at you. "nothing. i tend to keep a bit myself. did you know there's a large number of people in this city that were shocked when i said you wield a claymore?"

you hummed, dipping the tips of your fingers into the fountain. "did you know there's a large number of people in this city that consider you the most eligible bachelor in not only mondstadt, but in all of teyvat?"

his lips parted slightly as you spoke. "so you snooped, too."

"i was bored yesterday. it wasn't hard," you exhaled. you flicked a drop of water towards his foot. "jeonghan yoon, the cavalry captain of the knights of favonius since he was only nineteen. who loves wine and whose adopted brother runs the biggest winery in teyvat, yet they're hardly ever seen speaking. who comes from a far off land on a different continent, but has come to love mondstadt like it was his home. who wears an eyepatch but has never told anyone why."

he chuckled at the assessment and pulled his foot off the ledge to sit beside you. "so when do i get to learn about you?"

"i told you about me yesterday," you said.

"you told me about teyvat," he corrected. "and while i was able to infer some things about your character, i still know close to nothing about you."

you thought for a moment, realizing no one had ever noticed how little you truly shared despite always being willing to tell stories. "sometimes it feels like i am teyvat. it's hard to think of things that are just about me."

"you could start with that vision," he said, nodding at the strap across your thigh. you looked down at it, exhaling.

"what's there to tell? you know what it means, and that's more teyvat than me, too."

he leaned back on a hand, looking you up and down in curiosity. "how old were you."

you chewed your cheek. "fourteen. you?"

his lip quirked upwards. "sixteen."

you bumped his shoulder with yours playfully. "beat you."

he laughed. "how'd it happen?"

you paused. "you go first."

he just chuckled and looked away, watching a dog wander past the general store. "another day, then."

"no fun," you sighed, brushing your hands together as you leaned forward. "what about the eyepatch?"

he met your eyes, mouth slanted in a smirk. "another day."

you clicked your tongue. "if you wanna learn about me, you have to be willing to give up some details, too. i value a fair trade."

"then stop asking questions that you know i won't share the answer to." jeonghan noticed the color of the sky, then suddenly pulled a pocket watch out, checking it quickly to confirm that there was enough time and stood. "come with me?"

you stared up at him. "where?"

he grinned, extending a hand to help you to your feet. "you said mondstadt's sunsets were your favorite, correct?"

you generally weren't prone to following mysterious men into back corridors, but jeonghan easily convinced you with no words at all that sneaking around the sight line of the acting grand master was completely normal behavior, sushing you with a grin as you giggled, taking refuge around a corner after the two of you made it up to the second floor of the favonius headquarters. he tugged your hand with his, pulling you into a steep maintenance staircase behind a door.

"this feels like it's against some rules," you said, climbing the stairs behind him.

"nonsense," he said, looking back at you and grinning. "are you suggesting that a knight of favonius would break rules just to impress a mysterious traveler?"

you laughed quietly, wondering if he really meant that he wanted to impress you. "not most, but maybe this one."

he only thought for a split second. "if anyone asks, we're on official knight business."

he opened the door and you found the sky again, beginning to glow orange as the edge of the sun began to hide behind the cliffs. you stared in awe at the way the few fluffy clouds reflected pink and gold, then readjusted your focus when jeonghan spoke again.

"i hope you aren't afraid of heights," he said, walking over to the parapets that surrounded you. "the best view requires a bit of a climb."

you looked up at the tower, and while it wasn't much higher than where you stood, you also recognized that you were well above most of mondstadt already. "you climb up there?"

he paused, studying you. "we don't have to, we can just sit on a merlon-"

"no, we can climb," you said, walking over to where he was and eyeing the small gap between the parapet and the adjacent roof. "hop over?"

he laughed, stepping over the gap and holding a hand out for you. "watch your step."

and though you didn't need it, you accepted the hand anyways, and it stayed on yours as you walked over the roof to the tower, as if making sure you didn't misstep several stories in the air.

"would you like to go first?" he asked. "i'll catch you if you fall."

you rolled your eyes at him, dropping your hand from his grip. "you go first. i want to see where the handholds are."

he just grinned at you. "very well," he said, tugging on the wrists of his fingerless gloves to make sure they were taught against his skin before taking hold of a brick. you watched him as he took foothold after foothold, and he resisted the urge to show off by speedily scaling the wall in favor of making sure you had the chance to see where he gripped. when he reached the opening in the tower, he pulled himself up and spun around, exhaling with a grin as he seated himself at the ledge with his legs dangling above you.

"your turn."

you adjusted your waist bag as you sighed in amused annoyance, spinning it to be behind you and out of your hips' way to climb the wall. it wasn't much - a couple meters, maybe - and you had definitely climbed further, but jeonghan's presence made you slightly nervous. that nervousness, however, just fueled you to prove yourself.

you scaled the wall easily, making jeonghan whistle and jokingly call you some kind of adventurer, and your only hesitation came when his hand was in your face. despite your initial inclination to ignore it, you put your left hand in his, allowing him to help you pull yourself up on the ledge and sit beside him.

"impressive," he commented.

you laughed, brushing off your hands. "you, too."

"c'mon," he said, gesturing his head over his shoulder before making moves to stand. "the view's on the other side."

you sighed, looking over the view of mondstadt shrouded in golden light as he stood and walked to the other ledge. "never a moment of rest with you."

"if you want to miss the sunset, be my guest."

you leaned back on your hands and laughed, pulling your gaze away from the city to look at where jeonghan had seated himself on the other end of the tower, and subsequently the view of the rolling hills beyond him that were glowing golden in the evening sun. you blinked for a second, realizing you hadn't seen the sunset the night before, and quickly got to your feet to join him before you missed this one, too.

he gave you a soft smile when you sat beside him, and you briefly wondered how many he had in his repertoire. the wind was stronger higher, whipping gently through his hair and alleviating any uncomfortable warmth you may have had from exerting yourself on the way up. you watched the dregs of sunlight skip across the grassy hills and the sky turn deep orange and bright pink, feet swinging lightly over the edge of the tower.

"i was fighting with my brother," he said suddenly, causing you to look at him with a start before you realized he was telling you about his vision. there was a slight smile on his face as he looked out on the fields. "hyungwon. it was bad. he already had his - he's a pyro, like you - and we were both young and stupid and just lost our dad. we were sword fighting and it came to me when i needed it. it probably saved my life, honestly."

you blinked at him. "you think he would have killed you?'

he exhaled, leaning back on his hands. "i think if the roles had been reversed, i would have tried to kill him, too. i'm grateful it didn't go that way, though." he coughed abruptly, clearing his throat. "we're on speaking terms, and i do love him as a brother, but i generally avoid him."

you let that thought ruminate as you watched the sun sink, halfway beyond the horizon. "my father was in a gang in inazuma, but my mom ran away when she found out she was pregnant. didn't want to raise a kid in that world, i guess? we ran into him when i got older and he wasn't very understanding." you paused, remembering the detail too well. "they were going to take her vision. that's what they did to traitors. probably take me, too. they weren't expecting me to start setting fires."

jeonghan's gaze was on you as yours was on the horizon. "just a couple of survivors."

you looked over at him, a smirk on your lips. "a couple?"

he laughed waving at your implication, thinking he would have said the same thing in an attempt to fluster you just as you were to him. "like, more than one and less than four."

you only laughed back. "fortune favors the weak, i suppose. the archons saw we needed help and extended a fig branch."

"is that what it was?" he asked, a laugh on his lips. "we were both fighting people. that's hardly an offer of peace."

"look for the deeper meaning, jeonghan. we were fighting for our lives," you pointed out, and he realized it was the first time you had addressed him by his name rather than his title. "i was fighting for family. for freedom. is that not the greatest pursuit of peace?"

he watched you as you pulled your knees to your chest, putting your feet on the edge of the stonework surface you sat on. he studied the way the golden rays lit your skin and made your eyes sparkle. "i suppose so."

you paused in that moment for a long while, and jeonghan allowed the comfortable silence as the two of you watched the sun disappear beyond the cliffs of mondstadt. the sky was turning a deep shade of purple when you told him your name, and jeonghan thought that it was quite possibly the best news he had ever received, but he kept that joy to himself as he confirmed your name, and you rolled your eyes.

"are you gonna answer my other question now?"

he scoffed. "about the eyepatch? is it really that interesting?"

"not any more interesting than my name," you retorted.

"completely untrue," jeonghan insisted. "i've never been so excited to be told a secret, and i get told a lot of secrets."

you eyed his smile warily. "my name may be unknown, but it's no secret."

he sighed and shook his head lightly. "you really wanna know the reason i wear it? it's probably not as dramatic as you're hoping."

"yet you hide it?"

he laughed. "what's wrong with a little intrigue?"

you looked away, recognizing the parrot of your own words. "whatever you say, captain."

"no!" he whined and grabbed your arm, making you start and look at him with big eyes. "you just started calling me jeonghan, don't go back to captain."

you stared at him, only breaking to laugh, dropping your legs over the edge again. "you won't show me what's under the eyepatch, so i thought we weren't on first name basis."

his hand on your bicep was warm and gentle, but his gaze was piercing as he thought it over for a bit longer. you did your best to hold it, but you felt yourself shrinking when he quietly muttered, "go on, then."

it took you a second to register what he meant, and you reached out slowly, fingers hesitating before they brushed upon his cheekbone. jeonghan closed his eyes, resigning to your touch as you gently lifted the eyepatch. his eyes opened again, slowly, and you thought your heart might have skipped a beat.

"like chocolate," you commented, and a smile spread across his lips.

"that's the kindest reaction i've gotten."

your fingers fell upon his temple, brushing down gently as you inspected his singular brown eye. "since birth?"

he nodded, his eyes flicking down to your lips briefly before he spoke. "heterochromia. it's a characteristic of my family."

you studied his face. "not the one here?"

he sighed. "not the one here."

the icy blue of jeonghan's eye had always struck something in you. it made him mysterious. commanding. it felt like he saw more than you despite having one eye covered. but now, you felt warm. you felt his gentleness. there was comfort hidden away behind that black patch, and you told him that you understood why the cavalry captain had chosen to hide the eye he did.

but to you, he was willing to show anything that would keep you around longer, he said.

"why me?" you asked, studying his expression when he looked away. the sun had retreated behind the hills, leaving the sky a deep blue.

jeonghan didn't respond right away, and you wondered if he himself even knew the answer. "we're birds of a feather, you and i."

you looked out to the view again, watching the subtle movements of the wild hills. "did you travel much before you came here?"

"it was all i knew," he told you. "i was thirteen when my father left me here."

your neck snapped, your eyes on his profile when he leaned back on his hands. "left you?"

he almost laughed, a smile on his lips when his eyes met yours. "i was slowing him down, i suppose. hyungwon's father found me and took me in."

"so you stayed?"

"i didn't always want to," he assured you. "i had the itch to leave for years. as soon as i was able, i always told myself." he paused, eyes dropping. "then father died. then hyungwon turned down his position with the knights. and i was their second choice."

you pursed your lips. "you stayed for a job."

he laughed. "it's not that simple."

you smiled at him, enjoying the warmth of his eyes on yours as the sky cooled. "are you sure we're birds of a feather?"

"listen," he said, getting off his hands and brushing them off on his thighs. "i accepted the job so that i could set the story straight. i didn't want to run from the people that believed that hyungwon tried to kill me to avenge our father."

you studied him. "i'm sorry."

"don't be," he said, nudging your shoulder. "i was still planning on leaving, but then i fell in love."

you looked away, trying to sort out the way your stomach flipped. "are they still around?"

"not with a person," he laughed, then nodded towards the now dark hills. "with the views. besides, i get free reign whenever i leave for missions. i have fun adventuring, and come home to the best sunsets in teyvat. there are worse places to call home."

your eyes scanned the horizon, remembering the brilliant rays of sun you had just seen skip across it. "that is tempting."

"how tempting?" he asked.

you thought on that for a moment. "almost as much as a death after noon right now."

jeonghan laughed, slightly proud that he had hooked you on his favorite drink. "shall we go see rubin, then?"

you hummed, smiling at the captain. "as long as i don't have to sit alone again."

"that's a promise," he told you as he stood, holding out a hand that you took without hesitation, though he withheld his intention to make sure you were never alone again.

[slashingdisneypasta]

Sylvester the Cat x Toon!Reader || Drabble

Plot: I'm just experimenting with the Looney Tune idea so possibly enjoy some cute Sylvester Jr wanting you to be his new other parent.

Warnings: Toon violence?

You're just tying up the ends of Wile E's bandages into a tight little knot, prompting a wince from the coyote and a little board sign saying 'Ouch!'. Immediately you wince, stepping back. "Ohh... sorry, Wile E... I'm not exactly certified... " Daffy made you do this job, seeing as you're worse at sports then any of them- and that's saying something.

His head falls forward slightly and his ears wilt as you step back.

"Okay! Who's nex- " Turning around - picking up some more bandages and band aids in one fist, and an industrial sized tube of Acme branded antiseptic cream tucked under your other arm, - you look about for your next patient.

- And droop as soon as you see what kind if work load is waiting for you. It looks like every toon you know is lined up for medical attention!

The bandages and band aids slip out of your hands and scatter across the floor. "Oh boy." Quickly taking a deep breath to refresh yourself, you perk right up in order to get to it. Okay! "Sly! You're first, what's wro- Uh, hah. Nevermind."

Looking at him... maybe you don't have to ask...

Tweety flies through the giant gaping hole in Sylvester's tummy and the cat gives great sigh, slumping forward. "Why are the only times he's in there are when he can get out!!"

"I know, I know, woe is you. Sit down." You have no time for sympathies right now, you can allocate Sly only 2 minutes- and that's because you like him. The other patients coming get only one. "Okay, Sly!... um... " Oh brother you're stuck. Why do you do with an ailment like this?? Sylvester patiently sits, waiting for you to finish as you set your paws on your hips with a huff... wondering where exactly to go from here. Hm. "Do you maybe... know where your insides... are? Like, presently?"

"Uhh, they were... disintegrated... "

You two share a concerned look. "Maybe... spackle?- "

Just as Sylvester is gulping down his fear at your crazy suggestion, a certain black and white kitten comes speeding out of the crowd at the two of you. "FATHER!" Sylvester Junior stops at his fathers side, eyes wide with worry. "Father! Is he okay, Y/N??"

As you start rifling through your medical kit for something actually useful, you waive a dismissive paw at the kitten. "Oh, don't worry SJ. Your dad has recovered from worse- you know that."

Oh- that gives you an idea! It may not be strictly medical... or orthodox in the least, but its worth a try! Come on- you guys are toons. Straightening up, you look to the court; Searching for the little yellow speck you know is flying around somewhere.

Sylvester Jr nods slowly, pouting. His eyes are big, and round, and adorably full of worry. "Do you think I can sit on his lap safely, Y/N?"

Oh he's just the cutest. You turn back to your patient and raise your brows at him. "Can he?"

Sly perks up at the chance to get some much needed affection - rather then shameful berating, - from his rugrat. "Of course he can- come on, son- oww... " Unfortunately Sylvester Junior throws caution to the wind, and launches his little body at his father- almost going all the way through and causing you to seriously wince, but luckily Sylvester has a good grip on him and sets him in his lap rather then inside the cavern that was his belly. "Aghhh... thanks, son... I feel a lot better now... oof!- "

Sylvester Junior has thrown his arms around his father, and your heart leaps at the adorable scene...

Except- you wouldn't have, if you had heard what was really going on in that hug.

Sylvester's eyes widen and he deadpans at his son, hearing the words that come out in a rushed, hoarse whisper as soon as the hug he thought was genuine closes around his neck. Of course... this is his son, after all...

"How am I doing, Father?? Is Y/N looking?? I've been told that other cats become more inclined to date a cat who's good with children!, and since you're hopeless at that, I've elected myself, your darling baby son, to help you! So, are they looking father??"

"Junior!"

"Yes father???"

"I do not need your help to woo anyone, and I'm working on Y/N... " Sly tries to assure Jr, not sounding totally sure as his eyes fall downcast. "Its, uh, just a slow process, is all... " After a moment, he proudly lifts his chin, and he would puff out his chest, if... you know.. it was there... "I got your mother on my own, didn't I??"

Sylvester's proud moment is cut off quickly as his son pulls away from him to give a very deadpanned, sassy expression at the mention of his absentee mother cat. "And where is she, may I ask, father??"

A loud 'Aha!' comes from you a few feet away as you jump up, and grab something right out of the air.

Deeply rolling his eyes, irritation flickering inside him at the antics of his son, Sylvester Sr plonks him down on the bench beside him, angrily crossing his arms. Jr follows suit, looking like an exact replica of his father... except, smaller.

Blinking blankly around to see the two, with Tweety now wriggling around in your paws, you giggle at the sight. "What happened to you two? You were having such a heart warming father-son moment a second ago!"

"I'm full of shame, Y/N. Oh woe... "Sylvester Jr sighs, shaking his head as Sr turns his head slowly to look at him. "How am I to face my friends at the playground... My father- a loser!"

Sylvester pointedly looks away, angry eyes pointing towards the court. "My son... a spoiled brat. How am I ever to show my face in society, again?" An even heavier sigh comes out of Sylvester Jr at that remark, and Sylvester Sr immediately jumps up from the bench, pointing a stern finger at his son. "Oh no ya don't- Don't you dare get out that bag!!"

"But Father! I'm full of shame!" Sylvester Jr whines, holding the paper bag in his lap as you watch the two in wonderment. How they can bicker like this, and still have such an adorable, open relationship you have no clue - some kids are too scared to talk back to their fathers, - but the state of these two's relationship is truly, really endearing to you.

Oh how you love Sly... You catch yourself swooning at the thought of him, and immediately stop yourself. Stop it, Y/N! This is not the time for that. Taking a deep breath, you shake yourself. Okay, back to the task at hand.

Meanwhile, Sylvester snatches the paper bag away from Jr. "Oh, cut that out, wouldja?!"

While there's a pause in the argument, you jump and take your chance to hold up Tweety in front of Sylvester's face- his pupils shrinking at the sight and his teeth growing sharper, somehow.

"Oh no oh no- You mean old puddy tads- using me like this!" Tweety exclaims, wings pressed firmly to your paws and pushing, struggling to wiggle up and out of your tight grip. Yeah yeah, you think. Tell it to the choir.

Hopefully when I let Tweety go, Sly will give chase... and be all better!

Heh... isn't that how it works? It is, right? He'll 'perk right up'! you could say.

"Alright... here goes nothing!" You squeak, closing your eyes and letting Tweety go, hoping to god that Sylvester doesn't trample you in his endeavour to snatch his favourite little yellow bird.

Feeling a wind blow against you side and ruffling your fur as Sylvester springs to action, you slowly crack your eyes open again- first seeing Sylvester Jr as he still sits on the bench in front of you swinging his legs over the side of the bench, before peaking over your shoulder, and... "Yes!" You cry out as soon as your keen feline eyes catch sight of Sylvester looking good as new again on the court, chasing Tweety through the still-roaring basketball game. Clasping your hands together, your tail wiggles excitedly behind your back. "It worked!"

"What?" Sylvester hears your cheering and immediately halts in his tracks, looking at you then down at himself- a big, toothy smile spreading across his face when he see's he's all better. "Y/N! You did it! Thanks!"

"Of course!" You call back, then point at the scoreboard and wink. "Now kick those Monstar's butts for me!"

The green Monstar turns a squinty looking evil eye on you at hearing your words but you don't care- you're far too busy burning the image of Sly giving you a thumbs up into your mind.

"Heheh, no problem... " That trademark evil grin slips across Sly's face again as he rubs his paws together, turning his attention back to the game as you sigh, paws on your hips; Happy with your job well done.

"Uh, hello??" Someone speaks up from behind you, and you jump, suddenly remembering the mile long line of toons that still need medical attention.

Ohhh... great. You slowly turn around, seeing Elmer giving you angry eyes and quickly look extremely apologetic, paws awkwardly behind your back and spine as straight as a plank. Oops!

You might seem help... you think you tilting your head to see the rest of the long... long, l o n g line. "Uhh... SJ? You wanna help me play nurse, maybe?"

"Oh, yes Y/N!" He exclaims enthusiastically, hopping off the bench and taking up your medical kit in his short little arms- which is way too big for him. You giggle and take it from the kitten, patting his head. "I'll be happy to be your assistant!"

Fist bumping each other, you wink. "That's the kinda attitude I like to see! Lets go."

~

A couple hours and countless injuries later and the game is coming to a nail chewing close. Truly, this is a new level of anxiety you're feeling as you leave Sylvester Junior, now exhausted and up past his bedtime, curled in Granny's lap with a blanket strewn over him. Then you sit back down to watch the game beside a very injured Sly, as Witch Hazel defibrillates Taz.

If Michael doesn't make this shot - with but seven seconds to go, - he has to move to Moron Mountain in your place. You all dragged him here for help and now h's the one with everything on the line.

You cant help but feel a massive load of guilt.

"Oh I cant watch!" You squeak suddenly amongst the thunderous sounds of the audience at 4 seconds, and cover your eyes. "Tell me when its over!"

.

.

.

3 seconds later, the buzzer screeches and you hear the toons around you cheering, and peak out nervously from beyond your paws. ... What happened?

Your gaze flickers to the score board.

Oh my god. A deep, relieved breath comes out of you. "We won!?"

"We won!" Sylvester concurs, jumping up from the bench and throwing a fist into the air. Then he puts his paws on your arms and beams down at you. "We're not gonna be slaves!!"

You wonder what you could say in response, but the one thing your body is telling to you to do is throw your arms around him- so you do. And he doesn't think twice before squeezing you back, picking you up and swinging you around.

Then the world comes crashing down around Sly, as his son opens his eyes to see the scene- and gasps. The kitten sits up quickly in Granny's lap and points. "Oh, father! You did it! I knew you could do it!"

Immediately Sylvester puts you down, his paws retreating from you and a definite sense of nervousness - and maybe embarrassment? - settles over him. You raise your brows, confused, but still swimming in the joy of the game being won and just tilt your head as you confusedly smile. "What did he do??"

Sly Jr doesn't even think a second before gleefully elaborating- despite his father very nearly shaking his soul free waving his hands at him in a doomed endeavour to shut his son up. "No- stop, Junior!- "

"Asked you out! Didn't he?" As the wide eyed bewilderment on your face and the utter horror on Sylvester's dawns on Jr, his shoulders drop and he turns disappointedly at his dad. "Didn't you?"

"No!"

"Oh, father!- "

Sylvester Sr's tail, shoulders, and head slump forward as he turns his kitten around so he faces away from the two of you, embarrassment replaced by exasperation. "You're tired, son. Go to sleep. Night night, sleep tight, sweet dreams, don't let the bed bugs bite and we'll talk in the morning." Then he slowly, meekly turns back to you.

And you're practically glowing. "Sly... what's he talking about?"

"Father likes you!- " Sylvester Jr tries to speak up again, turning his head but Sr twists his head carefully back, a reprimanding tone in his voice.

"Sleep! Hah hah... " Sylvester (Sr) turns back to you, arms held carefully behind his back as he chuckles nervously. "My son is... troubled... a little- "He point at his head and swirls his finger; A gesture reading 'Loopy'. As soon as the meaning behind that word and his gesture occurs to you, you visibly droop. Oh. Okay... I guess SJ was just messing with us... Sly watches this reaction, and his ears perk up quickly; Sensing some dissappintment. "I mean, uh... unless you liked the i-idea?"

You peak up at him again from the floor, seeing his face slowly going red. "... D-do you?"

"Wha- I asked first! You answer the question."

"Hey." Setting your fists to your hips, you look stubbornly at him. "You were just taking it all back! So you tell the truth. Which is it??"

"Yeah- but I asked the question first!"

"Sylvester James Pussycat Senior!"

"Pfft... if you think pulling full name on me is going to change anything... " He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. "You've got another thing comin'!"

Your eyes narrow, and so do his, before suddenly Taz jumps up from the bench he was resting on and ZOOMS past Sly so fast and so hazardously, that he's caught off guard and jumps forward with a yelp- accidentally knocking you.

"Oh!-"

"H-hold on, I got ya!!" Sylvester's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates and he grabs you just before gravity manages to drag you down to the ground; Pulling you back up to your feet- which just so happens to bring you two extremely close together.

Two sets of eyes widen and faces go red.

Everything seems to go a little quieter around you, the deafening sounds of the auditorium seeming to get plunged under water as the crazy all just slows down for just a moment. Enough for you to enjoy the few seconds you foreseeably get before he jumps back like someone sprayed him.

But to your surprise, he doesn't move. Just stands there and looks shocked... but does not move even an inch away from you. Doesn't even let go of you.

Finally, after a few good moments, you sigh and give in. "... Sly, would you like to go out sometime with me?"

"Ah... " His ears flatten against his head as he looks bashful, with a cute little smile that makes your stomach do backflips as he curls his tail around yours. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

You lean up and give him a feather light kiss on the cheeks- and he goes even redder.

[mutants-and-soldiers]

The Proposition (Ch. 1)

summary || You've been thinking about Steve's proposal a lot. Part of you wants to decline but a bigger part of you wants what he's offering.

pairing || alpha!Steve x omega!Reader (Past alpha!Bucky x omega!Reader)

word count || 3,706

warnings || A/B/O, eventual smut, therapy talks, kink negotiation, lots of dialogue — 18+ ONLY//MINORS DNI

notes || I can't get this story out of my head, really! First chapter is all about setting up the smut so I apologize but I believe in talking things out. Thank you to everyone who commented on the first part of the series! I'm going to try and be better about answering comments from here on out! Keep the comments coming, I love hearing from you guys so much!

You can also read it on Ao3. Do not copy, translate, rewrite or repost any of my work, even if you credit me. I always welcome comments and reblogs!

Sequel to Helping Hands: One Two Three Four Five

Divider courtesy of the talented @firefly-graphics

After so many years of going to see Dr. Beta, you were used to the routine when you stepped through the doors. It was late in their work day so you were the only person in the office other than Valarie, the receptionist, who gave you a kind smile. “Good afternoon,” she said, typing something onto her computer. “Dr. Beta’s just about ready.”

“Thanks, Valarie,” you say, setting your bag down to take off your suit.

It had been weird the first time Dr. Beta had demanded you not wear the suit during your sessions. You protested but in the end, she won out. There were a lot of reasons for choosing a female-only office but this was the biggest one. They accommodate you so much just to make you feel welcome and safe in your own skin. It was one of the few places that you could take the suit off and feel comfortable.

The suit was just being zipped up into your bag when the door to the doctor’s office opened. Dr. Beta was a matronly middle aged woman with plenty of laugh lines and crow's feet from years of laughter and joy. She was a kind beta who had done wonders for your mental health and self esteem. Without her, you probably wouldn’t have gone through with the job proposal.

She called your name with a gentle smile, “You ready?”

“Yep,” you smiled, walking over to step into the room. The blinds were closed tight but there were several lamps around the space that allowed a soft light to keep it illuminated. The wooden diffuser was pumping out the soothing smell of lemon and sandalwood. Dr. Beta had always said the lemon helped cut the potency of your powers but you weren’t sure if that was true or if it was something she said to make you feel better.

The two of you settled into your usual spots before the doctor asks, “Anything new since we last saw each other?”

It had been a month since your last session. The milestone of going monthly instead of bi-monthly had been huge for you. There was a time that you saw her weekly, which was when you were at your lowest. You were glad to be where you were.

“Where do I even start?” you laugh, leaning casually back on the leather couch. The cold material felt nice on the bare skin that peeked out from your denim shorts and athletic tank top. “I’ve been meeting regularly with three guys to run with them every Tuesday and Thursday. We also go out for drinks and the game on Sunday.”

“Wow, that’s fantastic!” she gushed, genuinely excited for you. She even sat her clipboard and pen down to lean forward with her elbows on her knees. It was something she only did when you made some kind of...positive choice in your life. The way it made your chest swell with self pride was silly and kind of childish but the woman had always been extra motherly to you. “Clients?”

“One of them was,” you nod, trying to keep the flush of excitement from making you seem too eager. “They’re really nice guys and they invited me to start sparring with them next week after our runs.”

A gentle look crossed the doctor’s face that had you melting. It was a look that she gave when she was proud and the way your name came out of her mouth spoke volumes. “I’m so proud of you,” she said aloud even though you knew it by her body language. “It’s been a long time since you took time for yourself in your personal life. Are they on your level of martial arts?”

“Better!” you said, excited to have a good challenge.

“Better than you?” she laughed, sounding incredulous. “I’d have to see that to believe it!” You join her for the laugh. “Anything else?”

Your mind flutters to a certain blond and his proposition but decide to keep that to yourself for now. It wasn’t good for you to hide secrets from Dr. Beta and you usually didn’t, however, she would definitely encourage you to take him up on the offer. You didn’t think you were ready to come up with reasons (lies) for why you couldn’t do that yet.

“Not really.”

She nods, grabbing her clipboard to flip the paper. “Dr. Noland said you were going to get your heat early this time around. She said you mentioned you might know why?”

Damn it. You forgot how much the two doctors communicated between each other about your health. It was the program you were in and, while amazingly helpful, could be very annoying at times. Case in point, now you need to make a choice on whether to point blank lie to Dr. Beta or just tell the truth. Lying by omission was much more your style.

“Yeah,” you sigh, resigning yourself to the conversation. “The last client I helped had...intense pheromones. I think it may have kicked me into my heat cycle early.”

The doctor’s hazel eyes widened in shock, “Even with the suppressant you took?”

Nodding, you look away for a second. “The client was a super soldier,” you admit, running a hand through your hair in frustration.

Understanding blossomed on her face when she made a guess as to who you were talking about. “Well, that might do it, for sure,” she nodded, making a note. “Still, I’m going to have Dr. Noland change your suppressant just in case it’s not working.”

She stood up, going over to the cabinet behind her desk. She took out a large bottle, tossing it to you, that had heat vitamins in them. Another bottle was thrown your way full of pills specifically for healthy slick production. The last thing she came over with were a few vouchers for omega-centric energy drinks and heat-snacks.

“I know you hate this question but I am legally required to ask,” she chuckles. “Do you have someone you trust to help you through your heat?”

You hesitate. “No.”

Her head snaps up, hazel eyes pinning you to the spot. “You hesitated. You never hesitate,” she points out with far too much excitement. She sets the clipboard down, doing the lean again. “Do you have someone in mind?”

Well, the cat was out of the bag and now you couldn’t lie because she would never believe you now. “I was...propositioned,” you admit, feeling stupidly relieved that you had been honest with her. She had conditioned you so fucking well to feel better when you told the truth as opposed to lying. It had been a ‘bad coping mechanism’ you created during your childhood to gain some control of your otherwise uncontrollable life.

“By one of your new friends?” she asked, already getting the gist of the conversation. “Was it your client?”

“No, not my client but his...best friend,” you whisper, feeling a little embarrassed that you were having this conversation.

Dr. Beta is quiet for a moment, contemplating how to ask the question. “What’s the big deal then? Why not take him up on the offer?”

You cringe. “There are…a lot of reasons but I’m sure you’re going to make them seem like they’re not problems but things I’ve blown up in my mind.”

She laughs, shaking her head. “You know your feelings and worries are valid! I just help you see things in a more logical light. I think you should really talk this through with him but...would you like to practice with me?”

You bite your lower lip but give a heavy sigh when you realize there’s still nearly forty minutes left of your time with her. “Fine. It can’t hurt.”

You sat in the booth twitching with your napkin. You and the owner were good friends from back in your academy days so he allowed you to pay a certain amount for the whole rooftop terrace. It meant you could enjoy a meal with someone without having to wear your suit. You also got the same female server every time who knew your situation and didn’t care.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” you heard a familiar voice say to your left.

Not really sure why, you stood up when he approached. He was wearing a thin blue zip-up jacket over a blue and white plaid button up shirt that was unbuttoned enough for you to see the white t-shirt he had under it. His jeans were dark and fit far too well around his massive thighs. A plain blue ball cap sat on his head and some fake glasses to help hide his identity. The smile he gave you was enough to make your preheat brain purr.

It took you by surprise when his big arms wrapped you up in a hug that smothered you in his masculine scent. Your hands touched his back, hugging him hesitantly. The squeeze lasted a little longer than you expected, just enough for your head to be perfectly swimming in his pheromones.

You pulled away when he did, allowing him to sit at the far side of the table, facing towards the rest of the area. He had insisted that you come without your suit so it was the least you could do to keep the waitress from noticing his erection.

“It’s okay, I ordered some water for us,” you smile, genuinely happy to see him. It wasn’t often that you saw any of the three men individually. They usually hung out in a pack and you were happy to know that you fit into the group pretty well. “Get whatever you want, Steve. It’s my treat.”

He gave you a look. “I would prefer it if you let me pay.”

Your heart gave a hard thump in your chest. There was something about the way he said it that was just short of a command. You look into his blue eyes, trying to gauge his intent before setting down the menu. “Is this some old-fashioned pride I see leaking through?” you tease, giving him a mischievous grin.

“No, I just figure it was only right that I buy you lunch before helping you with your heat,” he said so casually it made your face heat.

“What makes you think I’m going to agree?!” you laugh loudly.

There is a knowing glint in his eyes that makes your stomach flip. “Isn’t that why we’re here? Alone?” he questioned easily, looking up just as Julia came to the table.

“Welcome back,” she greets you, setting two empty glasses and a pitcher of water down on the table. “My name’s Julia.”

“Nice to meet you Julia,” Steve responded with a neutral smile. It caught you a little off guard because it...definitely wasn’t the smile he gave you. Was it just part of his disguise?

You both ordered a beer and your entrees. It wasn’t until Julia walked away that you focused back on the alpha across from you. He was already looking at you with an intense expression. You feel like he’s basically prying into your soul.

“I...spoke with my therapist yesterday and…” you start, finding it very hard to talk about this kind of thing. It was so easy to soothe your clients but so hard to give yourself a break. “She...convinced me to talk with you about my...worries.”

His expression softens a bit. “I’m willing to work with you,” he soothes, reaching out to take your hand. His fingers curled around yours, warm and solid. “Tell me everything.”

You take a deep breath. “I’m not afraid of hurting you,” you blurt out. “You can take me even on your worst day. I’m...embarrassed to count myself among the small population of omegas that go...feral during their heat. I...fight my partner. Dr. Beta says it's because of the trauma I experienced. Trauma doesn't just disappear during heat...it gets worse. I’m just not the usual kind of docile omega that society seems to exemplify.”

He looks up to alert you that Julia was returning with your drinks. He didn’t speak until she was back inside the building. “Truthfully, I’m actually more intrigued than put off by the notion,” he finally said after taking a sip of his beer. “Do you fight the whole time or just in the beginning?”

It wasn’t a line of questioning that you expected so you gaped at him like a fish out of water for a few seconds before finding your words. “I don’t...know,” you admit sheepishly, sipping your hard cider. “I’ve only been with one alpha during my heat and he had to go to the hospital a few hours into it.”

Something dark and tempting flashed through the blond’s eyes. “How do you feel about restraints?”

Your core throbbed at the simple question. It probably showed on your face because his smile started to widen in understanding. “Yes, that’s fine,” you breathe, trying not to think too hard about the implications.

“Would you prefer to do this at your house or in my suite?” he asked as if you had already agreed to the whole thing.

Your mind screamed at you to say decline. It was dangerous and there were so many things that could go wrong. Your omega brain though had already bought into the whole thing. You wanted this big, powerful alpha to hold you down and take you in the most forceful of ways. You wanted him to restrain you to your nest and have his way with you until the heat fog cleared.

“Wait, wait,” you say, trying to finish your thoughts before deciding anything. “I’m serious when I say I’m insatiable. I don’t have any refractory period between one wave and the next.”

Julia opens the door, alerting you both that she was coming out with food. You both wait until everything is set and she walks away before continuing. The food smells delicious so you grab the burger and bite into it. You always craved red meat before your heat so when the flavors burst across your taste buds, you hum in appreciation.

Steve took a few bites of his own meal before responding. “The super soldier serum makes it so I don’t have any refractory period,” he shrugs casually with a smile. “I’ve never met someone who could keep up with me so...I’m interested to see if you can. Any other worries?”

Heat blossoms across your cheek and in your chest. “I don’t want our friendship to be jeopardized,” you finally admit after finishing half of your burger. You grab some of the fries and eat them while thinking.

“Did helping Bucky keep you from being friends with him?”

“No, of course not,” you sigh, running out of excuses. Dr. Beta had been right, talking with him had definitely made you a little more comfortable with the idea. “Fine, okay, I accept your offer.”

“My place or yours?” he asks with a genuine smile.

You mull over the question for a bit before shrugging. “I have all of my nesting supplies at my house so we can do it at mine,” you chuckle, feeling a little nervous but excited too.

He nods. “Do I need to bring any supplies? Snacks or drinks?”

The two of you continue talking about the logistics of your heat while you finish the food. It makes you feel a lot better knowing you wouldn’t have to go through with it alone. You had already taken the initiative to send a message to all of your clients to let them know you would be out for your heat. You even went ahead and took an extra week just for yourself.

After you pay and you have your layers back on, the two of you stand outside the doors to the restaurant. You don’t want to leave him, truthfully. He smelt so good and you were so close to your heat that it was hard to separate from him. “Thanks for talking with me,” you smile despite the bonnet covering everything but your eyes. “I’ll give you a text when I’m ready.”

“Of course, thanks for lunch,” he chuckles, leaning down to kiss your forehead through the layers. “Here, take this for your nest.”

He shucked his jacket and offered it. Your hand reaches out to take it slowly. “Thanks but this might just push me into it faster,” you laugh brightly, holding the large jacket close to your chest. You could smell the scent of him even through all of your layers. It made your head foggy.

“That’s the idea,” he smirked, turning towards the tower with a wave. “Just let me know when you want me to come over.”

You watch him walk away, eyes lingering on the way his biceps stretched the fabric of his shirt and down until you stared at his toned ass in those jeans. It was obvious how close you were to your heat when sweat started to form along your temples and slick started to dampen your panties.

Once you got back home, you arranged your snacks and vitamins on the counter so they were easy for Steve to find. He might need to feed you for the first few waves because you weren’t sure if you’d be coherent or not. Then you went into your extra bedroom that you used for your heats and started getting it ready.

You pulled out all of your slick-resistant pillows, cushions and blankets from the closet to make a nest on your king sized bed. It was a nice four post bed that had your mind in dark places. All you could think about was being restrained with cuffs around one of those posts while Steve fucked into you.

It didn’t take long before you needed a pad for all of the fucking slick that was making everything so annoying. The nest took a lot longer that you would like to admit because it just didn’t seem...right. You’d never had this kind of issue before but your omega brain wanted Steve to be comfortable and happy too.

Looking back at the closet, you debated on whether or not you wanted to pull out the box of toys. You weren’t sure if Steve would want them or need them or…

“Fuck it,” you mutter, grabbing your phone to send the alpha a quick text. Toys or no toys?

You were adding his jacket to your nest when your phone vibrated in your pocket. Instead of the one or two word answer that you expected, it was...something else.

Definitely toys. I’ll enjoy teasing you until you’re begging for my knot.

Fuckin’ hell! Was this the same blond with the surprisingly boyish face that you had met during lunch today? The same guy that Sam teased about being an old virgin?

You didn’t think the pad was going to hold up to all of the slick that gush from you at the text. How does one respond to a text like that? You grabbed out the delicate pink box out of the closet, wincing at the color because it was the only color that the shop had to store your toys. Omegas were feminine right?! They liked pink, right?!

Laughing at yourself, you set the box on the little table in the room. You opened the lid and set it to the side so you could look at your assortment of toys. It was a collection you started when your first heat hit you at sixteen. You had been a late bloomer because of your constant martial arts training, which stilted your omega hormones.

It had all the necessities and even some extras. You had your typical knot dildo, a vibrator, a clit vibe, a few different types of condoms for when you weren’t in your heat, a bottle of lube that encouraged slick production, a bottle of regular lube, and a few different sized anal plugs. The last few were just because you enjoyed the feeling of being full when having sex.

Quickly you took a picture of the box and sent it to Steve as a reply. It was the best you could come up with. You had never really been good at those kinds of things. Well, you’d never had someone try and sext you.

Happy that everything was prepared, you cuddled under your fuzzy blanket in your nest. Comfort flooded through you as you nuzzled into the man’s jacket, deeply taking in his scent. It was nice and musky and made you feel warm and safe.

The phone buzzed. You’re okay with anal during your heat?

Your pheromone idled brain made you giggle, “Consent is important,” before you could text him back. Yes, I like being stuffed full.

It didn’t even register how inappropriate the text sounded before you hit send. You were obviously a lot further along than you had previously thought. The subtle throb of your core was starting to get worse but you weren’t too far gone to see his last text.

Good to know. Get some rest. Need me to come out and check on you before dark?

You groaned as a cramp hit your pelvis, slick becoming an issue. It simultaneously hurt and felt good. You were so distracted that you couldn’t answer the text message. Everything was suddenly too hot so you threw off your clothing, slipping your hand down to brush against your clit. It was already so sensitive it hurt but you needed relief.

It wasn’t enough and you knew that it would be futile to try and get yourself off with just your fingers but your brain wasn’t working. You groaned helplessly as the lackluster orgasm washed over you. It wasn’t enough, so frustratingly not enough. Sweat dripped down your cheek from your hairline making you kick off the blanket so you could turn over.

You didn’t care how it looked with your ass up because the scent of Steve on the jacket helped clear your head a little. It made your core throb but it also helped you become coherent. Enough so that you grabbed the phone and typed in a one word response that only said:

Now.

Credits for the pictures in Moodboard:

Unsplash photographers:

1. Kelly Sikkema

2. Vulkan Olmez

3. Toa Heftiba

Like, comment and reblogs are always welcome! Thanks for reading!

[boldlyvoid]

Amoreena | chapter thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

main summary: Heaven is a real place and it's located exactly 14.6 miles away from the FBI, Quantico Headquarters. Off behind a small park, under a fantastical willow tree surrounded by wildflowers, in every colour young minds can imagine.

Don't forget, heaven also comes with angels.

Chapter Warnings: fluff like unbelievably fluffy!

word count: 6.1

here's the playlist for the fic, the last song in the playlist if looped will lead right into Amoreena at the beginning and it works pretty well timing-wise if you like to listen while you read !!

from the beginning <3

All their bags were packed by Friday morning, Y/N and Amoreena waking up extra early with excitement for the weekend ahead of them, and they didn’t even know what was going to happen yet.

Y/N made sure everything was packed and ready for a 3rd time on Saturday morning, right before they left on the trip; making sure they had sunscreen and aloe vera, all her medicine and ginger ale by the pack for her random bouts of morning sickness that lasted all, day, long... And their dresses and his suit hanging behind the driver's seat, beside Amoreena, they all piled into Y/N’s car and took off down the road on their adventure.

Amoreena was awake for the first half of the 9-hour trip, singing like crazy as they drove through Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, it was so amazing she couldn’t stop cheering the whole time. It was more than she’s ever seen before, even though they lived so close to New York, she’s never been through it before.

Once they arrived in Rhode Island, Spencer pulled over at the closest gas station to make sure the girls were all prepared and ready for the big surprise he had for them. They filled the car, used the restroom and bought some lemonade before getting back into the car, he turned in the driver's seat to see Amoreena and Y/N better, looking at their wide eyes memorizing the calmness in their faces before he told them.

He didn’t want them to freak out too much, he was worried about Y/N’s blood pressure and how loud she might scream and any stress that a situation like this could put on her body. He’s seen how people react to Taylor Swift, he just didn’t know how they would.

“Now, I'm only telling you so you don't freak out," he repeated the same worry she had when she broke the news of the baby, "I didn’t have to rent a place on the water because my friend lives up here, so we’re going to stay in her guest house,” he explained it simply.

“Rossi's wife?” Y/N asked, confused about who it could be and if she knew this woman yet.

“No, actually I think you might know her, her name is Taylor?”

“No,” she shakes her head furiously, “no, nope, there's no way you did this, Spencer Walter Reid I am not kidding I’m going to pass away if I see her.” She's holding both her hands in fists as she tries to stay calm, closing her eyes quickly before letting out a deep sigh.

“Taylor who?” Amoreena yells, undoing her seatbelt and standing between their seats, she almost jumps into his lap as she leans over and grabs a fistful of his shirt, “Taylor WHO?”

“Go get in your seat and I’ll show you,” he teases, watching her follow orders and get back in the seat as quickly as possible, shouting at him to drive the second he hears the seatbelt click again.

Y/N is completely speechless for the next 20 minutes of the drive, eyes wide and a hand on her stomach as she stares out the front window. She’s like a statue, not able to hear anything Amoreena is saying but that doesn't stop her from going on and on with her stories.

“Mom!” She’s finally able to break her out of the haze, “pass me your phone!”

“Yeah,” she doesn’t even question it, handing her the phone back to the antsy 7-year-old so she could continue her internal panic.

They see her house on the hill as they approach, “holy shit,” Y/N whispers as Amoreena turns on the last great American dynasty, knowing exactly where they were going.

Taylor asked for his licence plate number and car model when they were emailing, letting her gate guy know to let Spencer right in so he could keep it a secret. But they knew the house, there was no point in not telling them. Y/N looked a little relieved that he gave her the time to freak out alone and not as soon as they crested the hill.

Her driveway felt never-ending as they got closer and closer, Amoreena was still in disbelief as she squealed in the back seat, hands flailing as she tried to calm the excitement inside her body with her favourite stim.

Then Taylor walked out into the front yard and Y/N was a mess. Crying as she waved her hand in front of her face, not wanting to be a mess in front of Taylor fucking Swift, “I told you nothing crazy! How did you do this?”

“Yes, but I said 'define crazy’ and you didn’t,” he reminds her with a cheeky smile.

She shoves him, “I didn’t think you could do this?!”

Once they’re parked the door automatically unlocked, and as much as spencer hated that non-safety feature, he's glad Amoreena can get out quickly before she's screaming bloody murder. Amoreena is out the door and in Taylor’s arms faster than they’ve ever seen her move, she should be a track star. It almost knocks Taylor to the ground as she takes her in, holding the sweet little girl against her chest with the biggest smile on her face. Amoreena snuggles right into her, with a hand on her cheek and her other arm wrapped behind her neck. She couldn't be any closer to her, it was like she was her favourite relative who she hasn't seen in a while.

Amoreena is talking her ear off already by the time Spencer’s helping Y/N out of the car and walking her to Taylor, she’s holding his hand like she’s going to pass out or something, “and this is my mom Y/N and my dad Spencer but somehow you know him already,” Amoreena introduces her.

“Hi, Y/N, it's a pleasure to meet you, Spencer's told me a lot about you.” Taylor’s sweet voice saying her name alone makes her stutter out a bunch of nonsense, not to mention the fact Spencer's been talking to Taylor fucking Swift about her.

Amoreena moves out of the way for Taylor to wrap her up in a hug, and Y/N cries harder than he’s ever seen on her shoulder, “thank you,” is all she can say, it’s frightening to Amoreena at first to see her mom cry like that but she knows her mom just loves Taylor like family.

What she doesn’t know is just how much Taylor saved her life. If she didn’t have someone to listen to, someone to take the pain and replace it with hope, she wouldn’t be here and by default neither would Amoreena. Spencer owed everything to Taylor swift at this point, she was a blessing in his life that he took for granted. Not realizing until that moment just how much she meant to him as well now.

“Sorry,” Y/N finally says as she pulls off her, “I’m pregnant, I can’t help it.”

Taylor’s hands fly right to her stomach, “holy crap, you never told me that she’s pregnant in your emails, oh my god!” She’s genuinely so happy for them, “how far along are you?”

“6 weeks on Sunday,” she smiles, feeling like herself again even though it’s incredibly strange to be telling Taylor before her parents even knew. “No one really knows, it’s all very new but when you know, you know… y’know?”

For a woman with an English language degree, she sure knew how to make a sentence, all of them laughing at the words she chose, but they understood.

“We should have used paper rings!” Amoreena yells, holding her hand over her eyes in disbelief as she shares her head with a sigh, she couldn’t believe she forgot that song existed.

It made Taylor laugh, scooping the little one up in her arms and starting the walk inside.

“Well come on in, I’ve got a big lunch spread ready for us and then we can go to the beach for the ceremony whenever you want this weekend, does that sound good?” Taylor is beyond excited to make new friends, much like Amoreena, they got along famously.

“Where are the cats? Do they live here or in LA or Nashville?” Amoreena changed the topic in the form of a yes and proving just how much she knew about Taylor.

“They’re here, Olivia and Benjamin will probably find us soon, Meredith isn’t very open to new friends now that she’s an old lady,” Taylor explained as she set Amoreena down in the entryway, bending down to be at her level and pointing off into the living room, “oh, see, there one is!”

Amoreena saw one of them laying on the floor under a sunny spot, running to it and petting it gently, “hi Benjamin, I loved you in the ME video,” she whispers as she pets him, making Taylor swoon.

“She’s amazing,” Taylor swooned, “I can’t wait to have one.”

“You should!” Y/N agreed, reaching to take Taylor's hand on impulse, and Taylor held it back with a smile, “oh that would be so wonderful, I can just imagine the beautiful stories you’ll create when you discover what it’s like to love someone how your mom loves you.”

Taylor’s smile was priceless, "that's the best way to think about it," she beamed at Y/N the way Spencer did, she had that effect on people. They followed her into the dining room, taking a seat near each other and digging into all the food Taylor made for them.

“Ah,” Amoreena said as she finally joined them, sitting on her knees on Taylors nice antique chairs. “Shark coochie,” she whispers the words to herself, not able to stop her mind from repeating it, but still not wanting Taylor to hear it in case it was inappropriate. She was incredibly well-mannered for someone who had a hard time reading social queues.

“It’s a hard word to say,” Taylor agreed, making her feel less awkward. Spencer may have told her about her autism in advance, wanting his little girl to be respected by everyone she met, for who she truly was, “my mom called it a coochie spread once, actually, she's going to be over tomorrow for father's day.”

"Yes! Oh, I love Andrea," Amoreena laughed at how cool this day was, smiling at Taylor the way she smiled at him that first morning at breakfast like she just found yet another person to love. “You’re so wonderful, Taylor.”

“Oh, thank you, you're pretty enchanting yourself,” she smiles, “I take it you’ve known about me for your whole life?”

“Yep,” she smiled, reaching for a chocolate-covered strawberry and taking a huge bite, covering her mouth before she continued, “I was born a month after Red came out, November thirteenth, it really is a lucky number now, mom says so at least.”

“It is!” Taylor agreed with a smile, “I have some markers, do you want to wear matching 13’s today?”

“Mom, can I colour on my hand?” She turns so fast Spencer thinks she’ll get whiplash.

“Yeah, go for it!” She agrees, spreading cream cheese on a croissant and layering tomatoes on top, definitely pregnant.

So Taylor gets a marker and both their left hands now have matching numbers. Amoreena asks to take a million photos, eventually just taking Y/N’s phone from her, permanently, to take photos of all her favourite things around the house.

She runs off with the cats at a certain point, giving Y/N a chance to thank Taylor without tiny ears listening in. “Can I get really emotional and tell you how much you mean to me or is that too weird for our first chat?”

“Not weird at all, knowing you’ve used my music to raise that beautiful child makes me love you just as much, I’d love to hear why you picked me, of all musicians, to show her how to love,” Taylor replies, as regal and kindly as humanly possible.

“My first fiancé, Stephen, he was actually like an angel and our first kiss was quite literally in the rain, but he passed away in 2010,” she explained it with a smile so Taylor knew it wasn’t a touchy subject anymore, “I bonded with Fearless in a way I can’t even describe to you, it’s my life, he was my superstar, and white horse, I mean come on, I can’t tell you how many times I cried to that after he died but it helped me not feel alone. I wouldn’t be who I am without Fearless, and then Speak Now was there for me when I needed a good cry, Last Kiss really broke me but it wasn’t until Lover came out that I realized I could find someone again, and it’s always just like you released things as I needed them like you were helping me through all the bad things,” she’s never even told Spencer all this, it was special to him that he got to give her this moment.

“When you re-released it with the vault songs, I met Spencer literally a month later. I cried my eyes out to you all over me, but That’s When makes me think of Spencer and now the whole album has a new memory in my heart that’s better. It's just like why you re-released it, to replace the bad things that happened that took all the happiness out of something you cared so much about." Y/N took a second to breathe, shaky as she got to the end of her rant that she seemed to have prepared in the 20 minutes before she had to talk to her.

"I love you, honestly. You’re my best friend and you didn’t even know me then, but you’ve held my hand through it all, so thank you,” she cried a little, holding her belly with one hand as she tried to hold the tears in.

Taylor was out of her chair and in Y/N’s arms within seconds, crying into her arms as she held her. She rubbed Y/N’s back as she cried too, “I’m so sorry that happened, but I’m glad I could be there.”

“Do you want to be this baby's godmother?” She asks on impulse without even asking Spencer if he’s okay with it, he was, it made him laugh.

“Eleonora Taylor Reid,” Spencer says from across the table, making them both turn to him with wide eyes.

“Yes,” Y/N agrees fast, “that's the name if it’s a girl, if it’s a boy he can be Taylor as well?”

“Holy shit,” Taylor smiled wide, “yes, I want to come to visit the farm and buy them baby gifts and throw you a baby shower! I inadvertently helped make them so it’s only fair.”

“Hopefully she gets your voice too, Y/N,” Spencer adds and Y/N shoots him a panicked glance, “it’s the Taylor legacy to be a good singer.”

“You can sing?” The question Y/N feared coming past Taylor's lovely vocal cords, almost on queue.

Y/N can't help but glare at spencer, he had too many tricks up his sleeve and she was at her limit.

“Yes,” Y/N finally answers, “I was going to go to theatre school, but I switched to become a Librarian, I’m not good with crowds or competition and that's basically what the industry depends on. I like the quiet, telling stories on paper is just as easy as singing it to a crowd.”

“That's fair,” Taylor agreed, “would you and Amoreena like to sing some song with me? I have my guitar or the piano? I’m not used to having new friends over without sharing at least 1 song with them. I’m sure you’ve seen my listening parties?” She was really trying to convince her to sing, Spencer knew why and what she had planned.

Amoreena came running in then, “I can play piano too, can we do the long live new year's day from the tour movie?” She rests her hands on Taylor's arm, looking up at her with the biggest puppy dog eyes.

“Of course, come on,” she says taking Amoreena’s hand and rushing into the piano room. “Here, we’ll record it too,” she offered, setting her phone up on the music stand to capture the moment forever.

They sat side by side on the bench, Amoreena showing her how she could play the opening perfectly and surprising Spencer. He knew they had a piano at home, he’s just never seen her play it before.

“She has perfect pitch,” Y/N bragged, “she can play a song after hearing it once.”

“Really?” Spencer had no idea, unbelievably proud of her as he listened to her play.

She’s quietly playing the intro to Long Live as Taylor watches, joining in with the harmony of New Year's Day, “this one reminds me of my mom and dad.”

“Does it?” Taylor coo’s, smiling at her softly as Y/N tries not to cry beside Spencer.

“They’re the knight and the princess of our kingdom,” she explained before the two of them started singing the words together, like they always have, only Taylor was beside her and not just on the TV.

“I said remember this moment, in the back of my mind, the time we stood with our shaking hands, the crowds in the stands went wild,” Amoreena’s tiny voice lead-in, fearlessly as she played away.

“We were the Kings and the Queens, and they read off our names, the night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same... You held your head like a hero, on a history book page... It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age,” Spencer couldn’t help but cry as she sang with Taylor.

This was on the concert movie, he showed her after school, this song came on and she was silent, listening to the words as she stared at him and then back at the TV. Her mind was connecting little dots, making a story about her mom and dad being the king and the queen, it all made sense now.

“Long live the walls we crashed through, how the kingdom lights shined just for me and you, I was screaming long live, all the magic we made and bring on all the pretenders, I’m not afraid,

Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life, fighting dragons with you, I was screaming long live, that look on your face, and bring on all the pretenders, one day, we will be remembered,”

Their fingers moved in sync on the keys as they harmonized almost perfectly, she wasn’t kidding about Amoreena having perfect pitch. She knew all the words and sang them almost louder than Taylor.

“And hold on to spinning around, confetti, falls to the ground. May these memories break our fall…”

The piano changes, the cords softer as they move into a new song, smiling at her mom and dad like she knew something. She had no idea what happened the night of the fake wedding, just that they had a party without her.

“And hold on… To spinning around… Confetti… Falls to the ground…”

Spencer wraps his arms around Y/N then, resting his chin on her shoulder as they sway to the tune, she’s barely whispering the words beside him as she smiles as her baby.

“There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby, candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor, you and me from the night before, but… Don’t read the last page, but I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared and you're turning away. I want, your midnights, I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

Y/N’s hands rest on top of Spencer’s, she squeezes them three times, right before the next lyric.

“You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi, I can tell that it's gonna be a long road. I’ll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe, or if you strike out and you're crawling home,

Don't read the last page, but I stay, when it’s hard or it’s wrong or we’re making mistakes. I want, your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

“Hold on, to the memories, they will hold on to you,” the two of them chanting along with Taylor in beautiful harmony, Spencer felt like he was in heaven among the angels, but for real this time. “And I will hold on to you…”

The piano is so soft, it’s just Amoreena’s fingers hitting them as Taylor goes silent, letting her take the lead with a soft smile, “Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh, I, could recognize anywhere. Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh, I, could recognize anywhere.”

They stop for just a moment for Amoreena to smile up at Taylor, just like the break in the concert, “I really do love you,” she reminds them all before playing again.

“We love you, too, sweet girl,” Taylor replies for them using the same nickname for her because it was the truth. She was the sweetest girl, that Amoreena.

“There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby, candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor. You and me forevermore, don't read the last page, but I stay when it’s hard or it’s wrong or we’re making mistakes and I want, your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day,”

“Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you,” the girls all chant together, swaying back and forth to the rhythm before taking different parts in the song like they’ve planned it before.

“And Long live,” Taylor takes the one song, while Amoreena takes the other.

Please don't ever become a stranger…

The walls we crashed through..

Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere…

I had the time of my life

Please don't ever become a stranger…

With you…

Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere…"

Amoreena plays the rest, smiling wide at the best day of her life. Meaning every single word she’s saying. “And Long live, the walls we crashed through. I had the time of my life… With you…” Amoreena ends with a few extra notes, making Taylor smile as she held her in a side hug.

She turns back to the piano then, starting to play Amoreena by Elton John. “No way..” Y/N gasps, before getting ready to sing along with all the confidence in the world, alongside Taylor Swift of all people.

“It’s just that; Lately, I've been thinking, how much I miss my lady, Amoreena's in the hayfield, brightening the daybreak,” Taylor changes some of the words, much to Y/N surprise.

“Livin’ like a lusty flower, runnin’ through the grass for hours, rollin’ through the hay, oooh, like a puppy child! And when it rains, the rain falls down… washing out the cattle town… and she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown… And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by when we would lean… Laughing, fit to burst, upon each other…”

Y/N turns to Spencer then, singing to him softly as she wraps her arms around him and sways her hips to the song, pressing against him like they were in the movie Dirty Dancing, something she’s always wanted to do, clearly, with the smile on her face as she sings.

“I can see you sittin’, eatin’, apples in the evenin’. Fruit juice, flowing slowly, slowly, slowly down the bronze of your body. Livin’, like a lusty flower, runnin’ through the grass for hours, rollin’ through the hay, oooh, like a puppy child.”

Amoreena’s voice was the loudest in the chorus, this was her song after all. She belted it out like it was made for her.

“And when it rains, the rain falls down! Washing out the cattle town! And she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown! And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by! When we would lean, laughing, fit to burst upon each other…”

Spencer knew the words as well, who didn’t? It was Elton John's best song. He hugged Y/N, snuggling into the crook of her neck as they twirled in Taylor Swift's living room, swaying with her, forgetting they weren’t alone for a moment.

“Oh, if only I could nestle, in the cradle of your cabin. My arm's around your shoulder, oh… The window wide and open, while the swallow and the sycamore, whoa! Are playing in the valley. Oh, I miss you, Amoreena, like the king bee misses honey!”

“And when it rains, the rain falls down! Washing out the cattle town! and she's far away somewhere… in her eiderdown! And she dreams of crystal streams, of days gone by when we would lean! Laughing, fit to burst upon each other, oooh!”

Amoreena and Taylor playing the iconic piano solo together, Y/N can’t help but move in closer to watch over her little girls shoulders.

“Lately, I've been thinking… How much I miss my lady… Amoreena's in a cornfield, brightening the daybreak. Livin’, like a lusty flower! Runnin; through the grass for hours! Rollin’ through the hay, woah! Like a puppy, like a puppy, child…” Y/N’s voice loud enough to be on the recording Taylor was making as the song ended.

Taylor stopped it then, just as Y/N swore, “holy shit, that was the coolest thing that’s ever happened in my whole life.”

“Mom,” Amoreena looked at her like she broke the law or something, “you don’t swear in front of her…” she mumbled.

Taylor laughed, wrapping her up in another hug, ��have you heard champagne problems? It’s okay for big kids to swear here,” she teased her.

They laughed like they were family like they’ve been there before and were always meant to return. Something just clicked with them, and without a doubt, they’d be returning. Taylor Swift of all people slipped right into their little life, filling the shoes of big sister, best friend and coolest aunt in the world all in one day.

It was the most perfect afternoon.

—

Just before the sunset, they all changed into their wedding attire. Meeting out on the beach for their small, extremely intimate wedding ceremony with miss Taylor Swift. Getting it out of the way so they could have the whole weekend for whatever Taylor had planned for them. She said she had a few surprises up her sleeve still.

They filled out all the paperwork required on Taylor's kitchen table beforehand, she had all the right documents from when she registered to ordain online. All they had to do was submit it at town hall and they’d be legally married.

But it didn’t matter to them, this was enough.

Taylor and Amoreena stood side by side at a homemade arch on the beachfront that Taylor owned, waiting patiently for Spencer and Y/N to walk down the fake aisle, hand in hand. They couldn’t stop smiling as they saw Amoreena at the end, a big smile on her face as she bounced with excitement.

They reached the end, turning to each other, Amoreena took Y/N’s bouquet, it was her duty as maid of honour and best man.

“Spencer and I have been emailing for 2 weeks about today, he’s been filling me in little by little about you both as he got to know you, I’ve really gotten to see his love for you in the form of letters,” Taylor described with a large smile on her face.

Y/N looks at him with an open mouth, shocked as she shakes her head in disbelief at him. “You’re kidding, is she who emailed you when we had lunch 2 weeks ago?”

Spencer nodded with another cheeky smile, “she emailed me as you told me not to plan anything too crazy.”

Y/N just laughed at the insanity, “sorry Taylor, please continue.”

“It’s okay,” she laughed along, “it’s actually kind of interesting how Amoreena picked long live and New Year’s Day to sing because from what I’ve learned about you both, the intermission poem from that tour really was written for you, somehow. Almost like by design or some violent, exquisite happenstance…”

Y/n’s eyed do that thing they always do when she’s remembering something she’s heard before, finding the exact filing cabinet in her mind and opening it. She finds the words.

“When she fell, she fell apart. Cracked her bones on the pavement she once decorated as a child with sidewalk chalk,” she starts the poem with a small nod, letting Taylor continue the monologue in the form of vows.

“When’s she crashed, her clothes disintegrated. And blew away with the winds that took all of her fair-weather friends, family and lovers. When she looked around her skin was spattered with ink. Forming the words of a thousand voices, echoes she heard even in her sleep: whatever you say, it is not right. Whatever you do, it is not enough. Your kindness is fake. Your pain is manipulative.”

Y/N hasn’t watched the concert recently, unlike Spencer. She didn’t realize how much it sounded like them. Spencer, however, spotted the coincidences the second he heard it that night with Amoreena. Telling Taylor, explaining in detail how Maeve and Stephen were their personal last kiss storylines, but they’ve found a lover in each other. Cheesy, but it was the best way he could describe it.

“When she lay there on the ground she dreamed of time machines and revenge. And a love that was really something. Not just the idea of something.”

She turned her attention to Spencer, replacing the pronouns to fit him for the next part, Y/N looked at him already knowing why, smiling as she made the connection in her mind.

“When he finally rose, he rose slowly. Avoiding old haunts and sidestepping shiny pennies. Wary of phone calls and promises, charmers, dandies and get-love-quick-schemes.

When he stood, he stood with a desolate knowingness, waded out into the dark wild oceans up to his neck. Bathed in his brokenness. Said a prayer of gratitude, for each chink in the armour he never knew he needed.

Standing broad-shouldered next to him, was a love that was really something. Not just the idea of something.

When they turned to go home, they heard echoes of new words: may your heart remain breakable but never by the same hand twice. And even louder: without your past, you could never have arrived so wondrously and brutally, by design or some violent, exquisite happenstance… here.”

“What she said,” Y/N says with a quick giggle, leaning in as she laughs, taking him down in a giggle fit with her.

Amoreena’s lightly tugging on Taylor’s dress then, “you have to say it, please you can’t not say it, I had this planned out before I even knew you’d beee here…” she whispers like Taylor has any clue what she’s talking about.

Y/N just starts to shake her head with a smile, “I think she means the speak now bridge,” she reminds her.

“Ahh,” she smiles, picking Amoreena up to be at eye level with them all, she sings. “I hear the preacher say speak now or forever hold, your, pee-E-eeace,” she sings it exactly like it is on the album, almost as if she’s been practicing to release it again…

“There’s the silence there’s my last chance, I stand up with shaking hands all eyes, on me,” Amoreena lightly signs right back. “Horrified looks from everyone in the room but I’m only looking at you!”

Spencer laughs then too, smiling at his little girl living out the fantasy of a lifetime, seeing her mom dressed like a princess and marrying the broken knight with rusty armour, while Taylor Swift of all people holds her. Nothing about the life they had together felt real, but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I think it’s only fair if I get a say in who marries my mom because I’ve known her the longest,” she adds, “and I’m not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on this white veil occasion, but you happen to be the best dad in the whole world, so I think it’s cool that you love my mom.”

Y/N lets out a choked sob, she clearly had no idea that Amoreena was planning to say all that, but of course, she was. She knew all about every single Disney princess wedding, every fairytale ending and happily ever after, Taylor has helped her learn about love and vows and true feelings that cannot be stopped.

She knew what to say and she meant every word.

Spencer reaches out to take Amoreena from Taylor, holding her in his arms instead as Y/N snuggled in close to them, both his girls in his arms.

“I think it’s only fair I give some vows to you as well, I’m committing my whole life to this family, you should know how much that means I love you, too, Amoreena.” She snuggles in closer to his neck as she holds him back, Y/N’s head resting on his other shoulder.

“Till the day I die, I am going to be here for you: with unconditional love, with the best stories and the best morning cuddles. I don’t care if you pull me out of bed at 5 in the morning to feed the goats, or the chickens or just because you think the sun looks pretty and want me to see it too. I love you Amoreena, you’ve completed my life."

"Do you remember that day you asked me to be your dad?” his voice is so soft as he bumps her cheek with his nose.

She wipes her tears as she pulls away from his shoulder, overly emotional at the events of the day and extremely tired from the excitement she let out earlier. She nods softly, “I meant it.”

“I know honey,” he can’t help but start to cry a little as well, dropping his manly facade and being real with her. She deserved to see exactly what she meant to him, “I watched you pouring glitter glue all over that table, making the biggest mess ever, but it made me think… I had a hole in my heart for so many years, there was a part of me missing for so, so, so long, and then I found a little Eden by beautiful little kingdom, and the fairest lady in all the land took me in, and she patched up my broken heart with glitter glue.”

Amoreena tried to smile the tears away, sniffling as she tried to nod, “that's how I felt when you told me I could pick you to be my dad.”

Y/N was a sobbing mess, having to crouch down to her knees as she let it all out, steadying herself by holding onto Spencer’s leg like a child would at that height, “is she okay?” Amoreena worried.

“Your mom loves us so much, and the baby does too, so it’s making her a bit more emotional than normal,” he explains, wishing he could scoop Y/N up and hold her as well.

She wipes the tears from her face as she calms herself down and stands back up with help from Taylor, “thank you,” she manages to whisper to her with a smile.

She’s also been crying, watching the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. A family built on true love coming together, using her songs to form a bond that she’d never understand.

And she didn’t want to, some stories were best kept in families, to be sent down the line, generation after generation, to fall into the lap of someone like her one day and create a whole world with it.

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband, wife and daughter, the royal Reid family,” Taylor’s voice is soft as she plays along with Amoreena’s fantasy land, hushed to match the moment as Spencer leaned in to kiss Y/N.

Amoreena doesn’t cry out in disgust this time, instead, resting her head on her dad's shoulder as she watched them peck each other's lips gently. Watching a fairytale happy ending unfold in front of her very eyes, blessed to be the result of this happy union.

...

A/N: my anon is on now if anyone wants to come talk about the fic with me!! i love to share little hc's and things with you over here (also this was the original planned ending I wasn't going to continue past here but I'm probably going to write this for the next 10 years its too fun not to)

tag list: @shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria @spookyspence @reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @samuel-de-champagne-problems @jswessie187