#but it shouldn't be used as an excuse just saying the starting point is different cause we're also battling mental illness

[astro-is-a-bigot]

Hi! I assume this post is about us but reading back through our post (had to do this because of amnesia and wanting to recall exactly what I'd typed) and I realised that I had made a complete misstep in anger, encouraging "flooding his inbox and notifications with hatred" which is so non-specific and not helped by my follow-up statements making it seem as if I would be okay harassing Astro on the same level or even worse than what he is done. This is such a big mistake I will likely private that post - but I'm currently thinking about how I can do that without making it look like I'm erasing those actions.

Note that the following explanation doesn't excuse that, but I will use this to articulate my stance properly.

Like firstly... I completely forgot that death threats were a thing someone might send to Astro. Straight up. I don't know why. I was more thinking along the lines of, "you suck!!" or "get off the site!!" which are kind of mean but definitely nothing along the lines of wishing Astro death. If I had wanted that I would be out here advocating for doxxing-- Which is absolutely not what I want!! As I've been trying to articulate in my follow up posts, I want him to be deplatformed - specifically from Tumblr! Xe can go exist on Reddit for all I care, it's whatever.

And my follow up being, "wouldn't this be wishing violence on Astro?" was so brushed off in my response that, again, it did not come across well. But when it comes to harassment, there's often people who will try to make out like the actions of people banning someone and getting kind of mean towards them is on the same level as the harasser themselves - which completely ignores the context.

The reason sending a bigoted hate towards someone is not necessarily equivalent to sending hate judging someone's morals is - as I believe I've tried to articulate - the difference between upholding bigotry and dismantling it. So while there are lines you don't want to cross, I can't say I'm going to be sympathetic to a bigot if they get sent some mean messages. And this point can easily become frustrating to explain when in one breath people will state to victims "just block the harasser", and yet someone sending a mean message to the harasser themselves results in the critique "you shouldn't be doing that!!" I address this in this post with the following:

[Harassers] also like to define what is "being a good person" because they're betting on you holding yourself to that. They count on your good graces to make you complacent because they tell you, "you wouldn't want to stoop down to our level, would you?" But you know what happens when you don't let the shitty person define for you what being moral is? You get shit done.

In general, I also made the assumption that others would have the same restraint as what I do (I personally have Astro blocked and would never catch myself getting in a back and forth with xem), but that's not what most others do. They don't leave an ask stating, "get off the site" and proceed to block Astro, report him, etc - he insults the other to bait them into starting a reblog chain, and they often fall for it. That is absolutely the kind of behaviour that feeds a troll. (Which I wanna note I still blame Astro for that because I'm not here to victim blame people. If someone gets emotional after being misgendered and sexually harassed, I don't see it as being "on them" for being baited. Especially since it's never okay to sexually harass someone, even if they were "asking for it". Ew.)

So that's a very long explanation of everything, but I hope it clarifies my views. And if you need further elaboration I will provide it. But I'm very sorry to everyone for being so aggressive and completely blundering my initial posts. I hope that doesn't stop others from seeing my point and helping to kick Astro off the site because, it must be said, the one thing that absolutely stops harassers from engaging with their behaviour is when you take away the means to do it...

So yes, deplatforming is very practical behaviour that does not feed the trolls! And if that requires making documents or blogs archiving bad behaviour and calling for action, that is not (contrary to how it appears) "feeding" the behaviour. It is, in fact, necessary to communicate and coordinate as a community to counteract harassment.

friendly reminder that no, death threats are not okay. no, not even to someone that "deserves it". who the fuck are you to determine that. you are not doing some Good Thing even if you see them as a Bad Person. that's a real slippery slope. it's not gonna make them want to change, either, bc why would you change for someone who's saying you should die. this is also about telling people to kill themselves btw. and don't try to justify it bc there's genuinely no way to that doesn't circle back to "it's okay when i do it" and/or "it was justified bc they're Bad™". hope this helps. 👍🏾

[hurtspideyparker]

Tony doesn't tell the Avengers about Peter's secret identity, but Peter starts coming over constantly and chilling around the tower, helping Tony in his workshop or eating dinner with everyone.

Since Tony is weirdly secretive about who the kid is, and the fact that Spider-Man is still a small unknown (presumably adult) hero who isn't on any Avengers radars, they all collectively come to the conclusion that he's Tony's illegitimate child.

Bruce: They do have the same eyes...

Steve: This is an inappropriate conversation to have. If Tony doesn't want to tell us then we shouldn't pry

Natasha: Tony doesn't even like kids. There's no way he would tolerate one if it wasn't because of his guilt complex. I'm surprised there isn't more little Starks running around considering his previous lifestyle

Clint: *cough* drunk slut *cough*. Oh excuse my throat, I meant to say he was a drunk slut

Natasha: Steve they're the exact same. Talk too much, too fast, genius brains that go right over our heads, stubborn, like to cope with humor, same body language. They'll have the same smile lines when Peter grows into them. The only difference is that Peter was raised with manners

Steve: I'm not saying I don't agree, I'm saying it's none of our business. Anyone with basic observational skills can tell they're desperate to fill father and son roles in each others' lives, but Tony's really weird about it, so we should let him keep it private

Clint: We probably make him nervous

Bruce: Because he thinks he's a bad dad?

Natasha: I think he's kinda good at it. Which is extremely unnerving

Steve: Honestly out of all of us I had bets on Bruce having a secret wife and kids hidden somewhere. Tony stepping up to be a father was lower on my list than Nat

Natasha: You have a list?

Bruce: You think I pull?

Steve: That's irrelevant. I think it's nice that they're so close already, but we don't need to press. It might mess up a good thing

Clint: Wait can we go back to this list business. Are these like pragmatic, military leader lists, or are these for pleasure? What other kinds of lists do you have? What about which one of us is most likely to turn on you. Or what you'd turn for. Oh! What about a list of all our weak points based on accessibility and intensity, with contingency plans in case of defection or aliens or brainwashing or alien brainwashing causing defection

Steve:

Natasha:

Bruce:

Steve: This is why Tony won't share his personal life with us.

They last another week before Clint, Natasha, and Bruce team up to steal a strand of Peter's hair and test it for paternity. Steve knows something is up, and follows Clint to Bruce's lab.

Steve: What are you doing...

Natasha: Admit it, you know exactly what we're doing and you want to see the results

Steve: I... well if you already have them there's no point keeping it from me

Clint: Tony Stark is not the daddy!

Tony: Which of my exes have you been talking to?

Clint: AH oh hey Tony didn't see you there

Steve: I'm not apart of this

Tony: Is this about Peter? He told me something plucked his head when he was walking down here. Which of you murder twins was hiding in the rafters

Natasha: Y'know he's not your kid, whoever told you he was lied to you and I hope you get your child support back

Tony: My kid? He's my intern. What funky kool-aid have you all been drinking, that boy is sorting my tool drawer right now. He has slightly better dexterity than Dum-E, it's been quite helpful

Bruce: You have really poor professional boundaries if he's just an intern

Tony: Okay fine. He's actually Spider-Man. I didn't wanna tell anyone cause the Accords were still fishy, but everything should be good now. Anyways, he really wants to train with you guys so you'd have to know eventually

Clint: Who the hell is Spider-Man?

Steve: That guy in Queens who helps bring in peoples' groceries?

Tony: Well, yeah—listen, he's like 14 and he just got his powers. I'm not exactly sending him to fight armed terrorists yet. He'll grow into it, but trust me, there's potential. I'm kind of like his mentor

Steve: You really don't need to do that

Bruce: Yeah we'll all help out from now on

Natasha: Don't take too much responsibility for the boy

Clint: Oh god what have you been teaching him?

Tony: Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. Whatever, now that you all know he'll be hounding you all day for advice anyways. Good luck with that. Friday tell Pete to come down here, the Avengers are gonna train with him

Tony leaves them all, snickering to himself as loud footsteps come crashing down the hallway. If they didn't know any better they'd say several elephants were tripping down the stairs. Then, the doors burst open, Peter's mouth already running a mile-a-minute.

Peter: Really, you guys know, you guys will teach me? Can I use the shield, Ms. Romanoff can you show me how to kick, show me with Mr. Barton, or, or Mr. Rogers. I can take down someone bigger than me, I'm actually really strong. Wanna see? Why are we in Bruce's lab, is that my first lesson! Can I touch this? What are you making here, how long has this been distilling, what about my webs, have you ever seen my webs? I did them myself, but I bet we could make them even better, watch out it's really sticky—

Steve ends up with webs all over his face, several of Bruce's beakers broken from the white spray, one reacting poorly with it and exploding all over Clint and Natasha. Bruce immediately shoves them into the decontamination shower, leaving them as two drenched rats wearing skin-tight combat gear. Natasha is already fuming at the thought of trying to peel it off.

Peter: I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was on ricochet... the splitter webs were just 'cause I panicked

Steve: This is why I told you all to leave it be.

"Noted," they all say in unison.

[https-milo]

asks you say?

hmmmmmmm

maybe smth domestic w/ bakugo?

he works so hard when he trains he deserves a break with appy slices and milkshakes <3

ari you have a beautiful brain

15 MINUTES?

katsuki bakugo x reader

Summary: All he does is train, train, train. But that's so boringgggg!!

m. list

1k words

pre-established relationship • Year 2-A(literally not mentioned at all, neither is the final war) • fluff • mayhaps OOC bakugo

"Katsukiiii," You groaned in complaint as you flopped dramatically on his bed. He sat at his desk, hunched over the newest assignment Mr. Aizawa gave us. He didn't verbally answer but tilted his head up slightly to let you know he was listening, however, his eyes were still glued to the paper in front of him.

"I'm bored," You huffed, staring at him as you turned to lay on your stomach and kicked your feet.

"Why is that my problem?" Katsuki asked. He tried his hardest to sound annoyed, but you could hear the amusement hidden in his words.

"Because you're my super awesome and really strong boyfriend!" You replied easily with a cheesy smile.

Bakugo scoffed and rolled his eyes. But he put the assignment away and pushed back against his desk to roll away in his chair. He turned to face you, "What do you want to do?"

You placed a thoughtful finger to your chin, "Hmmm, I don't know!"

Katsuki's eye twitched, "You don't know?"

You giggled, "Nope! I just wanna be around you."

He opened his mouth to reply but couldn't find the words. He ended up scoffing again and crossing his arms, "You're so stupid." He turned away, an idea hitting his head. "You just want to be around me?"

"Yep! But watching you do homework was too boring," You yawned to emphasize your point.

"Let's go train," He said, standing up with a cocky smirk on his face. Your eyes widened as you stood up.

"I am not training with you," You huffed. "The last time we did, we had to explain to the class you weren't an abuser."

He scoffed, "Maybe you shouldn't have such weak skin."

"Maybe you shouldn't LAUNCH ME INTO A TREE?" You countered and poked his forehead. Katsuki rolled his eyes and dragged you by your hand out of his dorm.

"Fine, if you don't want to train with me, you can watch me," Katsuki said, leaving no room for arguments. You let him drag you to ground beta and sat on the sides as he stretched.

"This isn't going to cure my boredom, y'know?" You shouted once he started exploding different obstacles. Despite being far from him, you could hear his scoff.

"Maybe if you joined me, you wouldn't be bored!" He shouted back, blowing a tree into pieces with one blow. Your sweat dropped.

"I'm still sore from my spar with Kirishima a few hours ago," You groaned. For 2 hours, you sat aimlessly on the ground, picking at the grass while he screamed obscenities and different death threats at the inanimate trees. It was pretty entertaining to watch. But when you noticed his heavy breath and the way his body started shaking, you immediately stood up and flung your arms around him.

Katsuki hated being weak, but you noticed his warning signs like they were your own. It came so naturally to see his every action. But, because he hated admitting weakness or tiredness, you always made excuses for him to stop overworking himself that revolved around you - especially in front of a group of people. You'd be dead if you said "Oh Katsuki! You look tired, let's take a break, kay?" in front of the class.

"Katsukiiii, I'm hungry!" You complained, shoving your face in his chest to feel his accelerated heartbeat. He relaxed involuntarily at your touch, he hadn't even noticed he was getting tired. That was the biggest bonus when you watched him train, you made sure he didn't overexert himself. He took a few big breaths and you smiled slightly, looking up at him. He rolled his eyes and patted your back. "You know what sounds good?"

"What?" He asked as he chugged his water bottle. You didn't answer and just watched as he drank, literal hearts in your eyes as his Adam's apple bobbed and water dripped down his chin. He noticed your staring and flung water at you.

You shrieked, "Hey! Can't I admire my boyfriend?!"

"Not when I'm asking you a question," He replied as he rolled his eyes. "What do you want to eat?"

"Let's get some fruit! I want apple slices!" You answered.

Katsuki quirked a brow, "Apple slices? Are you five?"

You lightly hit his arm and huffed, "No! Is it a crime to enjoy the little things in life, such as apple slices?"

Katsuki bit back his chuckle and just dragged you by your hand again out of the forest. You laced his fingers with yours and smiled when he didn't retract his hand - not that you expected he would. It was just a good feeling to be loved.

"You're so stupid," He said suddenly. You looked up from your hands and noticed he was staring at you with the faintest shade of red across his cheeks. No one else would've noticed, but you were basically a magician when it came to what Katsuki Bakugo was feeling.

A cheesy smile appeared on your face, "I love you too, Kats."

Once again, he was stunned to silence and continued dragging you to the dormitory kitchen. You giggled at his flustered state. You didn't take any offense to him not saying "I love you", you were well aware of how emotionally stunted he was. He grumbled incoherently as he grabbed a couple of apples and started to cut them aggressively.

"You don't have to do that!" You scolded. You rushed over and took the knife from his hand. The whole reason you asked for apples was to get him to take a break! The audacity of this man! "I can cut my own apples!"

"Shut up, no you can't!" Katsuki replied, taking back the knife and blocking the cutting board.

You blinked at him for a second before laughing, "I can! I'm not actually five!"

Katsuki grumbled something under his breath before slamming a plate of apple slices in front of you. "Here. Eat." You nodded and grabbed the plate before you dragged him to the couches.

"Thanks," Katsuki quietly said, his arms were crossed and he sat on the end of the couch instead of right by you.

Swallowing your first slice you tilt your head at him, "What?"

He refused to look at you but sighed, "Thank you for stopping me."

You blinked before widely smiling. You moved closer to him, your shoulders were touching. The plate of apples sat in the middle of his right thigh and your left. You grabbed a piece and fed it to him, "Anytime."

© https-milo. please do not repost, steal, copy, or modify my works!

Thank you so much for reading <3

"this wouldn't happen" I DO NOT CAREEEE 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[the-offside-rule]

Charles Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari) - Helmet Hair

Requested: yes

Prompt: 51) "Can I wear your helmet?"

Warnings: none

Charles sat in his simulator at his apartment, focused on the virtual track. The familiar hum of the equipment filled the room as he navigated the digital twists and turns. Y/n had been studying yet she couldn't help but sneak glances over over her boyfriend maneuvering his way around the virtual track. She thought of a challenge so she stood up and walked over to Charles, a mischievous glint in her eye. He looked up confused. "Are you alright?" He asked. "Mind if I join?" He smiled. "Of course, amore." He stood up and helped her into the seat. He began describing the different parts of the car to her, making sure to keep it simplified as to not confuse her. "It seems difficult, eh?" Y/n shrugged. "Seems simple enough. I hink I've got it." Charles smiled. "If you say so. Let's start with a simple track." He chose Austria and off she went, racing her heart out.

"See how difficult it is to drive the car?" Charles teased. "It's actually easy." He arched a brow. "Excuse me-" He was cut off by Y/n pointing to the times. "See? New personal best. This is the fastest the Leclerc car has ever gone." He watched in awe as she did indeed break his record.

"It's not as simple as it seems in real life, though." She scoffed. "Oh, please. I'm a natural at this." He huffed. "I bet I can make it more challenging." Y/n raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How so?" Charles nodded towards the shelves of helmet he had. Her eyes lit up more than before. "Can I actually wear your helmet?" Charles smiled. "Of course. Pick one and you canwear it while racing. Let's see how good you really are." Y/n pointed towards the generic helmet he always used. Charles stood up and grabbed it, placing it carefully over her head. "Alright, let's add some flair to this race." Her face felt squished within the helmet and her boyfriend could see her cheeks squished up against the soft interior. Charles couldn't contain his laughter at the sight. "Shut up! Let's race!"

"Ready for the challenge, Senna?" He joked, choosing Monaco as the next track. "Absolutely!" With the helmet snugly in place, Y/n dove back into the virtual world, determined to prove herself. Charles watched with admiration as she navigated the turns of Monaco, both of them sharing laughs and cheers throughout the playful competition. "You just hit the barrier-"

"I know. Its the hairpin. Allow it." Charles hid his laugh as she continued on, overtaking one by one and borderline illegally. "Did you just hit Max?" Charles asked. "Im just being competitive." She replied. "And oh look, Carlos is in the harbour because of you now." She rolled her eyes. "He shouldn't have been there." She retorted. "Where? The track?" She giggled at his jokes. "I'm first. I don't know what you're on about." Charles watched as she went onto the final lap, hitting nearly every corner in doing so. "Oh? Look at that. Leclerc, P1." Charles clapped for her. "I won your home race before you did." He shot her a glare. "Behave." She pecked his cheek. "I'm kidding. You know that."

"Are you though?" Y/n chuckled, lifting the helmet off her head. Charles burst out laughing upon seeing her messy hair standing in all directions. "You make helmet hair look way better." Y/n said, fixing her hair in the reflection of the screen in front of her. "Not as good as you." He teased. "Oh shut up." She said, slapping his arm playfully. "Are you going back to study?" Charles asked. "I am. Have fun." Y/n smiled, kissing her boyfriend. "And thanks for the helmet."

"Don't mention it. I'll be out soon anyway." Charles replied. "Love you." She said, leaving gthe room. "Je t'aime." He called after her, getting back to racing and trying to break his girlfriend's records.

[fanaticsnail]

Every day I wake up and think "Why is there no Childhood Friends Doflamingo x Reader fics?" and every day one of my Discord friends tell me "because Kid Doffy would literally treat Kid Reader like someone beneath him cus everything is still fresh for him" but I bring you counterarguments for the Childhood Friends Doflamingo x Reader story:

1. He meets Reader after his house gets burned down. Reader is Rosinante's age, so eight years old. It's when DQ brothers are being beaten by the thugs; kid Reader gets a bat and protects him and Rosinante from the thugs who were beating on them over bread

2. she brings them food from the restaurant her parents own - home cooked - and meets Homing & Mrs Donquixote, who encourage Doffy & Rosi to befriend her but Doffy remains careful

3. Doffy has confused feelings about Reader but she's only ever treated his injuries (the first human not to hurt him) so he decides Reader is "his human to protect" not "human to enslave" yep he has groups in his mind, little crazy baby flamingo boy

4. Reader teaches Doffy & Rosinante to climb trees. Doffy comments that's what monkeys do, but Reader teases him that whether it is what monkeys do, he still can't reach her if he doesn't climb. Doffy accepts the challenge. He doesn't take long to get the hang of it. Right when he is nearly at the top, he nearly falls but Reader grabs his hand and pulls him onto the branch. I think this is where Doffy starts having a little crush on Reader. He doesn't realise that's what it is.

5. I don't know Ace, Sabo, Luffy I know Doffy, Rosi & Reader. Sure they would not be as wild as ASL since the thugs in North Blue are probably much more deadlier than in East Blue, but they'd be good thieves.

6. Reader is so gentle with Rosi and Doffy gets jealous and says his brother is a crybaby and Reader shouldn't help him, he needs to learn on his own. Reader just blows Doffy a raspberry which makes Rosinante giggle - the first time Rosinante has laughed since their house burned down

I just think if we just put in some thought, it can be plausible for Kid Doffy to have Kid Reader as a friend in his childhood days. He'd feel challenged by a "human", someone younger than him, and want to prove his heavenly status, why he's better. Reader just nods along with it and is kind to them both. They don't do any sort of competitions, they just co-exist.

Kid Doffy is like a street cat. He bites and scratches, and tries to claw your face off, but it's cause he's been through terrible shit and he doesn't trust strangers. He needs patience and kindness.

The fic would require just some patience and kindness I think, for the childhood part of their story, so Doflamingo by the end of it considers Reader precious to him to the point he thinks he is the best person to protect her. That it's his duty. He'd probably call himself her heavenly guardian or sth in his mind when he reaches that point.

Of course, that then can turn into him becoming very possessive of Reader as they grow up (Doffy even when becoming the young 10-11 year old leader seems to stick to one headquarters in that timeframe) and his crush from childhood evolving through time from protectiveness into a wish for a romantic relationship.

Anyway, kid Doffy & kid Rosinante deserve to have a friend during that terrible time, and they both latch onto that little amount of kindness, they appreciate it a lot. Doflamingo only realises it later down the line how much it meant for him Reader supported him.

They show appreciation for that differently later. Doffy comes into the restaurant Reader inherited from her parents all the time and makes sure everyone in the North Blue knows that's his territory, and the place where his crew gathers to celebrate things. He always sends Reader gifts such as jewelry, and kisses her on both cheeks whenever he sees her, using the excuse of it being a custom in Dressrosa to his advantage. Rosinante shows his love with hugs. When he sees Reader when he's Corazon he just hugs her. He doesn't give a shit.

Also, Reader & Kid Law & Baby 5... Reader would feed them all the food and pamper them.

Doffy can't go without Reader's home cooked meals. Food is very important to him, I think, after experiencing starvation. He probably invites her to join the crew as their chef cook when they head for the Grand Line. If not...

Well, kidnapping you is always an option 🤣

(he would lie about what happened to Rosinante. either that or get completely drunk and cry in your lap, confessing everything. You know what, I like the latter. Let the big man cry. I love pathetic drunk Doffy.)

- Yandere Doffy Anon

Okay okay okay okay okay. This was gorgeous. I am in love, and all of the relationships with all of the kids, and the coddling of Rosi. Yes. Please. I love their relationship, the silent confusion in the "what is this feeling" -> it's addictive, and I love it. "My human to protect" WHERE DO I SIGN UP????

Here is my interpretation of what childhood friendship would look like with Doflamingo.

What about a young son of a celestial dragon having regular interactions with a contractually bound daughter of another celestial dragon? And then he's taken away from you by his father? Doflamingo x f!reader image.

Your parents schedule regular playdates with one another so your faces do not grow lost on you both over time. From toddlerhood, to childhood, your friendship grew with your betrothed spouse as you both read with one another, and made puzzles and sculptures together. He pulled your hair, you brushed off his glasses, he bit you on the hand, and you cried to your maid.

You are a bit stuffy and spoilt, but what child of the pinacle of society isn't? Similar to Doflamingo, it is your birthright to be treated with the utmost respect and worshipful adoration.

But your heart becomes kind.

When becoming lost in a crowd of unfamiliar faces, the kindness of a stranger who knew nothing of your face changes you from a prissy young miss to a girl spun in webs of charity and compassion.

It makes the young Doflamingo disgusted seeing you interact and thank his servants when they fix you and him lunch. Conversing so freely with the chaperone, asking questions about his children, it makes the eight year old sick. He'd rather trick them into being scolded and thrashed.

When Donquixote Homing defects, the ties that strung you together lay severed and desolate. The friendship between you forbidden, but your mind often wanders into what had become of him. You both had this unspoken hatred and the closest friendship with one another any two children could have.

Inseperable.

Until you were separated.

It took four adults to restrain you from running to him in the council chambers. Hearing Doflamingo had returned with Homing's head, you had nearly lost yours with glee at his return. When he was denied a rise in reinstating his former title, you were overwhelmed with a grief beyond your years in capacity.

Over the decades, you wondered what had become of him. Your heart had been broken when your father renounced your coupling. Each time a potential spouse was presented to you, you would shut it down with haste. Although you were only young, you spoke with such indignation regarding your disdain for such an alliance. What if this one was taken from you too? Nothing would ever match up to him.

They would never be Doflamingo, and you refused to be the spouse of anyone who didn't meet his equal. His insanity mirrored a darkness in your heart that you had since clothed in kindness. He was your absolute, the stop at the end of the line. He was yours, and you were his completely.

When Tsuru had invited you to the first gathering of seven warlords of the sea, you had no idea what to expect. No matter what you prepared yourself with, your readiness mattered not for the sight that was to welcome you in. Charity was your character, and your humility is what made you the chosen celestial dragon the world government asked to converse with the most.

Pink feathers, rosy glasses, blonde hair, and a sinister grin you had long since burried, had your chest swell and eyes flood with every emotion. Silence was all you offered in your shock, your face shrouded behind a veiled cloth you often travelled with.

You knew exactly who you were looking at, and he had no idea it was you. The way his presence demanded attention, his sinister playfulness with Sir Crocodile and Tsuru, the way he openly taunted the former Marine Hunter Mihawk: each motion captured your soul and held you hostage.

It was only when Tsuru had asked you to speak did you stifle the warmth in your chest. You knew Doflamingo would likely hold disgust for the Celestial Dragons due to their lack of restoration, and you chose to ignore him - just as he ignored you.

When your attendants removed the veil from your extravagant headpiece, the first sound to travel through the realm was a collective gasp. You were young, a woman, and incredibly beautiful. Nothing any of the seven warlords were expecting was anything amounting to a single scrap of you. And you chose to play coy to the slack-jawed blonde in the corner.

After speaking your well rehearsed speech, Tsuru thanked you with her head bowing low, encouraging the other marines to pay their respects in kind. Sir Crocodile offered you a polite bow alongside Kuma and Jinbe. Mihawk tipped his hat to you, which you nodded in kind.

Immediately rising to his feet, Doflamingo's arms hung limp as his lips lay parted and almost quivering. His hands shook, his shoes feeling like lead in lieu of leather, and he finally stood before you. Your attendants sprung up to your side, your guardians guiding their hands to the hilts of their weapons: only ceasing when you hold up your own hand to stop them.

With that same hand, you hover it in front of Doflamingo's face, guiding it in an intimate expression without ever colliding with his skin. He rises his own, mirroring your motions and causing your eyes to flutter shut. An inaudible movement of your name courses through his lips, no sounds to voice them other than a single breath.

"Time has not been kind to you, mi amor," you whisper, Doflamingo's knees buckling at the tone your voice had grown into. It was the greatest symphony he had ever heard, the voice of his childhood friend blossoming into the bloom of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Time saved all it's kindness for you, mi querida," he managed string together beneath his petrification.

The room was silent, all watching in awe as the most detestable inhabitant in the council chambers was brought to his knees with a single look from a powerful woman. The familiarity had Tsuru's stomach tighten, wondering if extending an invitation to you was in her best interest. Although, seeing Doflamingo behave with his absolute best manners had her lip twitch up at the corner.

He was yours again. A man who was once everything, became nothing, and built himself up to something again. And he was yours.

And he couldn't be happier to be in your presence once more. Why else would he have fought so hard to rise to the top? For mere power alone?

No. That is far too simple. He is far from simple. It was for the chance to be once again worthy to stand in your presence and kneel at your feet as an equal in potential matrimony. But would you still have him after all the time that had passed between you?

Only you held that answer.

Edit to add, I got distracted by the roast chicken and forgot to add the tag list. I'm sorry everyone.

Tag list: @mfreedomstuff @daydreamer-in-training @since-im-already-here @gingernut1314 @writingmysanity @sordidmusings @i-am-vita @indydonuts @feral-artistry @the-light-of-star @empirenowmp3 @racfoam @sunflowersatori @carrotsunshine @skullfacedlady

[yuri-is-online]

I love your one sided Floyd vs Ace thing because Ace is just trying to play wingman from the background so Yuu will stop talking about how Floyd's "Such a sweet boy!", like he didn't just try to take Aces head off during practice. And "He visited my class today" , yeah perfect, Floyd visited him today too. For very differnt reasons though. or "He just helped me dye my hair! Doesn't it look good?". It does but that's besides the point.

Bro Floyd is pining SO HARD rn it's not even funny anymore! He's always lost in fantasies but they're not even the hot kind! No, he's daydreaming about holding Yuus hand and going to that one really cute Cafe in Port city that Yuu always calls a "French Cafe". He doesn't know what the hell a French is but you know what! Calling it that makes you happy so that Cafe is French! He wants that excuse to come find you whenever he wants a nap and fall asleep in your lap as you pet him to sleep, and no one can even say shit about cause like! You'd be together.

But he thinks that Ace is trying to get together with Yuu and that just puts his mood way below the poverty line. HES NOT. HE SWEARS HES NOT. ACE JUST WANTS TO TEASE YUU FOR THEIR STUPID GROSS CRUSH NOT BE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!

AlsoYuuisthepervertintherelationshipthankyouforcomingtomyTEDtalk

ah confused the ducky you. you always see my floyd visions so clearly, i am so happy

I like Ace's relationship with Yuu in pretty much all flavors, when I'm writing floydyuu I think of Ace as the self appointed mom friend/older brother. He likes the feeling of power and responsibility he gets from it since he's used to being the baby of the family. Floyd thinks that little shrimpy is funny and cute at first, someone he could chase around similar to Riddle.

But then they beat Azul. They beat Azul by annoying Sea Lion, who constantly ignores and mocks his attempts to fight him. They got under his skin, that's just on a different level. He's paying close attention now, and he likes what he sees. At first it's exciting, he likes new things and these feelings are certainly new. But it also makes him notice little things. Like how much closer you are to Crabby than you are to him. The jealousy just eats him up because he feels like he shouldn't be? Crabby kind of sucks? He's seen how his color changing magic is, he can't imagine he'd be a better option than him. But shrimpy giggles at his jokes and spends almost all their free time with him. He hates it, and it's starting to effect his... not quite but yeah kind of friendship with Crabby.

Meanwhile Yuu is savoring any sort of contact they can get with him. I love the hair dye suggestion, Floyd says he'll give you one color but really he just wants an excuse to put a streak of teal where his swoop would be on your head. He's too much of a coward to do it, going with whatever you request instead and how happy you are makes it almost worth it until you babble about how you'll have to show your friends how cool it is and what a good job he did. He makes a point of visiting Ace intending to threaten him but he ends up just whining about how he doesn't know how to get through to you, and asking if Ace knows anything about what a "french" is (he thinks it's a dessert) before he lapses into the silence of daydream while Ace wonders if it would be worth it to get Jamil involved.

Yuu gets the perv title for being into a literal fish on top ha of going along with whatever Floyd comes up with. Please do not underestimate his imagination he can be quite filthy when he wants to be, he's just being a good boy and only thinking about extramarital h*nd h*lding for now (•̀⤙•́ )

[telleroftime]

"Vessel" doesn't seem like a word to me anymore... anyways Sukuna is very OOC me thinks, but happy comfort means everything to me ,,,

Warnings: Mentions of the general effects of depression; implied eating disorder, insomnia, self deprecating thoughts, self sabotage. (Nothing caused by Sukuna)

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where, for one reason or another, you are forced to consume some of his fingers. Maybe it was a dare your friends threw at you or maybe it was an order from the the Jujutsu higher ups. Either way, you consume them. Of course, Sukuna thinks you're going to be an easy person to take over and control. A measly human? You're not that strong and yet your soul is just a little too hard to overpower.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he tries to sabotage you. One way or another, he wishes to weaken you. He will take over your body... or so he thinks. He tries to mess with your sleep but you already had it pretty bad. He tries to mess with your eating but you already weren't doing too great. Nothing works because you were already sabotaging yourself before Sukuna came into the picture.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where your soul still isn't giving in and he cannot afford to switch vessels. No one had caught his eye as worthy enough and with the fact that he can't even force control onto you, he has no way of switching anyway. So now he has to desperately try and keep you functioning. At least long enough for a solid plan to form.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he forces you to eat and drink and sleep because he'd be damned if your body gives out on him. He'll try and tease you into it, but when he notices that doesn't work he'd come up with some sort of excuse. He's not a liar, he's never been a liar, and yet he's barking out a "I need to eat too" like he's a desperately starved dog. "Let me have a taste," "cook me something," "there's two of us so eat it." It's so demeaning for him to have to say that, but you will live for his sake.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he originally made your dreams a living hell, suffering is his forte after all, but now he feels your body weaken. He can feel your hazy mind, your sluggish movement, your tired eyes. He doesn't like it. He'll stop the nightmares if it means you won't break.

"Oi, wretch, sleep if you're so tired. I ain't dragging this body to bed for you." // "You'll just torment me so what's the point?" // "Would you rather I tuck you in? Sleep."

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he's been watching you long enough he ends up picking up when your thoughts end up bothering you. He hates it. The way you just stop and freeze? He finds it such a troublesome 'weakness' and so incredibly dull. Your misery isn't caused by him and he has to watch it regardless? He nags you so much that you have no time to think of anything negative.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he keeps on using the excuse of needing an adequate host. "I have no use for someone so weak, so eat/drink/breathe to not disappoint me". In reality, he has started to fret over you. He's worried, especially as the only place he can truly look you eye to eyes is when he personally drags you into his soul. Where you see him through a reflection of yourself.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he finally finds a different body. Someone far more befitting his needs. Someone far more adequate to house his soul. Not you. It happens right at the moment that you let him in too. Where the eventual banter you two share is far better than the memory of his terror. You know you shouldn't, but have grown to like his company. Which is what allows him to finally take over your body and switch.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where the King of Curses has taken a liking to you and comes back to stay, at least for a little while.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where your head feels suddenly so... empty. He's gone and you know it and everything is just so quiet. Unbearably so. You probably would have gone back on your bad habits too if it weren't for him. Your soul was alone, yes, but he didn't leave. He came back, like a dog to its owner.

Sukuna x Vessel!Reader where he's so much firmer now. It was one thing having his voice in your head but now you see him in front of you, a body other than yours. His gaze is firm and intense as if even beyond your mind he can still hear your thoughts. Bringing you food, tossing you things. Indifferent in everything but his actions.

[hansslut]

valentine's day with the yjs ୧ 💌 ୨

cw: pretty much just fluff !!! may have swear words included tho ??

a/n: made this for me and everyone else who's single on valentine's day too :l hope this make you all feel a lil better and ily mwah mwah, happy ( early ) valentine's day babes <3

NATALIE SCATORCCIO

- pretends she hates valentines day and everything that has to do it but deep down she adores it

- will stand awkwardly looking at the different kind of chocolates and sweets and being like "uhmmmm.....reeses are never a bad option i guess?" ALSO I FEEL LIKE she'd ask other people buying stuff for their partners what they're gonna get them cuz she's so confused 😭

- we all know she's a sucker for kisses, cuddles, holding hands, AAAANYTHING that has to do with physical touch but hates showing it so i think she'd use valentine's day as an excuse to be publicly affectionate a bit

- ok that's all i might add more later on

JACKIE TAYLOR

- she's OBSESSED with holidays and celebrations, whether it's valentine's day, christmas, anything

- waking you up at like 7am and being like "hi hi valentine hey you're my valentine it's time to wake up my valentine" while shaking you and smooching you all over

- she's never letting go of you on vday. always clinging by your side, holding your other hand while you're brushing your teeth, talking to you from outside of the door while you're on the toilet, hugging you by the waist when you're cooking

- wearing ridiculous matching outfits with her in PUBLIC. i feel like she'd have those shirts that say "their queen" AND YOU "her king/queen/monarch(☠️)" OR GETTING YOU THOSE SILLY LIL HEADBANDS THINGIES WITH THE JIGGLY HEARTS..

- knows exactly what to buy you and she's already gotten everything prepared😭 it's adorable cause she'll give you a gift of something you forgot you wanted and you're just sitting there standing like :O

SHAUNA SHIPMAN

- ditches you for jackie. end.

- JK. i think she'd just treat it like a regular day honestly

- gets you a chocolate and calls it a day but not in a bad way??? LIKE she already loves you and does a lot of things to show it so she doesn't really think valentine's day is necessary

LOTTIE MATTHEWS

- she's suuuuuuuuch a softie for showing you off and getting to shower you with gifts :(

- she wouldn't wanna go out too much, she'd probably have everything set out already. your gifts hiding in the closet, your sweets hidden in the fridge, everything prepared and on point

- i feel like since some of the yjs were mean to her and telling her to just stop talking and stuff, she'd be kinda closed off at the start and she'd be scared to show you how much she loves and adores you, but then when she sees that you accept and give her the same love back and even more she's SOOOO hyper

- writes you cheesy letters that you keep in your drawer forever and probably even little drawings of your favourite things or you and her 😭

VAN PALMER

- THE SILLY!!!!!MAI SILLY!!!DE SILLY!!!:DD

- arcade dates w them on valentine's day or going like on an amusement park☝️☝️

- they'd go print out some silly t-shirts for y'all... like "i love my van" with a picture of a van LMAOO and they'd make you wear it all the time

- if you want to do smth on that day, you BET you will. they'll never let you down i SWEAR they're the sweetest pookiest babiest to ever exist :(((((((((

TAISSA TURNER

- hates valentine's day more than anything... "what the fuck im NOT wearing that" when you ask her to match outfits with you but does it anyway

- she's miserable doing anything on valentine's day cause she thinks it's cringe but warms up to it when she sees how happy it makes you

- she's the girl that said "happy wife happy life" btw so she'll do anything u ask her to no matter how much she despises it which is.. a lot probably

- gets you a chocolate and takes 2 hours to decide if she should write you a corny letter with it and she scribbles down some ideas but then just puts :)

LAURA LEE

- as a christian we shouldn't be celebrating vday but im not really that religious so????

- but laura lee is so anyways she would be all like "im not going to sin, i don't want to disappoint my lord" 😭😭😭

- she'd still go on a date w you, well more like flower picking and stuff and she'd probably pull out the the bible and start reading to you but you love her too much to say no so you just listen

- ok yeah that's it end of post mwah mwah

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 53 Fear Posting

Hello, kind internet void. What a chapter, huh? Not much to say other than I need someone to heal Chihiro's pain pronto.

That's a lie, of course- there's always a yapfest from me. Thanks for tolerating my nonsense as usual.

Hiruhiko Gets Fucked

Ch. 49

Ch. 53

How it started vs. how it's going for our playful psychopath foil

I loved this moment. Instead of shaking the protagonist and making him question himself, Hiruhiko's trolling just shows us that Chihiro is already well aware of how people see him.

Hiruhiko tried to call a bluff with the ol' reliable "I'm just like you" to make the MC question everything he's done, but it backfired in a huge way. He should have been paying attention since the start:

Chs. 1 & 6

Chihiro wasn't just being edgy in these moments early on, Mr. Discount Mahito.

I enjoy when the author has the protagonist confront that they really aren't so different from their sworn enemies. When done well, it helps the character clarify their moral stance and adds depth as they incorporate some of their enemy's ideals into their own worldview. But Sojo already forced Chihiro to do this. So what value would Hiruhiko doing the same have? Is it different just because they're close in age and Hiruhiko said he already understood Chihiro?

Nope. The meaning comes from Hiruhiko posing a different question.

Sojo asked: who gets to have the final say over Kunishige's intent? The answer Chihiro came to is: the one who's willing to go the farthest to fight for their vision.

Hiruhiko asked: are you aware of how evil you appear to be by going so far? Chihiro answers that he is, and always has been.

I'm really pleased with this turn of events! The flippant piece of shit doesn't get to waltz in and completely upend the protagonist's worldview by pointing out that he's killing people for once. Instead, we get an amazing inversion of the scenario that makes me want to cry for Chihiro. I trusted Hokazono-sensei to do a crisis of conscience arc well but this is a much better outcome IMO. It's never too late to try and exploit a character's cognitive dissonance between their beliefs and actions, so good try Hiruhiko. You just tried to fuck with the wrong traumatized MC. Enjoy being two arms lighter for the next few chapters.

Seriously though, fuck Hiruhiko. I appreciate his role in the narrative and I'm looking forward to what he does next, but he's kind of on the same level as Soya for me. I will cheer his death and not mourn one bit when we move on from him for good.

But we shouldn't be glad when people are killed, should we?

On Death and Killing Intent

This chapter had many jaw-dropping action moments but they're all so sad.

In my Chapter 51 post, I went on a bit of a tangent about how the adult cast all seem to have a heavy burden that they're using to try and steer the younger generation. Samura, Shiba, Kunishige, and Uruha all reject the idea of being "heroes" and the first three are shown to be reluctant to take lives if they can help it. Because killing is a wrongful act that leads one to hell. Doesn't matter what one's intentions are- taking a life is an act of evil. The adults didn't want the younger generation to revere them or try to follow in their footsteps.

But Chihiro chose to do so anyway, and he's taken their mindset to heart to help himself commit to the bit.

Doesn't matter that Chihiro tanked all of Hiruhiko's attacks to let the audience escape. Doesn't matter that he held back to avoid accidental casualties. Doesn't matter that he's ridding the world of the Hishaku's evil. He's a killer - a monster- that's going to hell. And he's resigned to it. He doesn't even have the excuse of saving lives or fighting a war to hide behind- he's steeping himself in sin for selfish reasons.

I was wrong about Samura having to teach Chihiro how to buckle down despite knowing he's walking the path to hell- Chihiro can already do it. So Hiruhiko was right. They're both drenched in blood with no chance for redemption. But that wasn't what Chihiro was pissed about last chapter. It was Hiruhiko assuming their reasoning for killing as being the same that got to him.

Chihiro doesn't find pleasure in killing someone, obviously. Not even Sojo, who was an objectively evil child torturer that wanted to use Kunishige's works to massacre innocents. But when Chihiro's alone against true evil, like his fights against Sojo and Hiruhiko, he goes full-on villain mode to meet them where they are. He's walking straight to hell and doesn't care about how it makes him look when the people he cares about aren't there to see him at his worst.

I posted a little bit about how loved Chihiro is even if he won't let himself realize or accept it, and it's true more than ever now. Chihiro's not a good guy. We shouldn't be thinking he's a purely wholesome person. But he's a damn sympathetic protagonist who is in a truly unbearable amount of pain, and I want him to just... let himself cry or something.

We don't mind that he's a murderer since we see him focus on doing what good he can, like taking detours for abused orphans and risking his life to save helpless captives. He's not the same as the vile scum he kills. Chihiro, though... "All scum go to hell!" is one of the earliest taglines of the series. Pretty sure he would apply this to himself, too. He's in a self-destructive spiral and we're just now seeing how far gone his mental state is.

What's that saying... the road to hell is paved with good intentions?

Chihiro and Samura

Seems like Kunishige was (or could have been) quite the warrior himself based on Shiba's comment... putting a pin in that.

Samura's got a ton of death flags, sorry to say. He's just scooping them up and dumping them all over himself. Not gonna stake my life on this or anything but Tobimune is probably going to be usable by the Hishaku somewhat soon... I hope Chihiro gets to reunite with him one last time before that happens though. Surely next chapter is where the gang gets back together...? Hakuri will probably teleport Chihiro to the temple once he's recovered, so it'll just be a matter of Chihiro getting Hiruhiko to talk enough before that happens.

Not that the type of food has deep symbolic meaning, but Chihiro and Samura are sharing traditional tea snacks; probably higashi (干菓子) of the rakugan variety. They're extremely dry and sweet, so I doubt Chihiro enjoyed them- is that why they're untouched? Maybe Chihiro wasn't actually willing to stop looking at Samura as a hero despite what he said? I don't want to make guesses about the meaning of the food being uneaten. I've been too fried by IRL stress to have much time to think about fun stuff lately. Just know that this is another food=connection/understanding moment that's a bit strained instead of comfortable. (Hakuri's still the only person we've seen Chihiro willingly accept an offer of food from and actually eat... hm.)

No wonder Chihiro considers himself a monster if a "hero" like Samura talks about himself like one. Noble beliefs (hi, Hiyuki!) don't shield you from the horror that lurks in your conscience. It's really respectable of Samura to be so blunt about the reality of what he did and try to steer away Chihiro from admiring him, but the consequences we see now are...

None of them could have known that Chihiro would end up like this a little over three years later (hopefully). He took the lesson of "killing=monstrous" to heart a little too well, sadly... so who can help him break that mindset? Assuming the author wants to say that Chihiro's not the villain he thinks he is, at least. Which is reasonable. He might not be a hero, but he's not truly a monster either.

It depends on who else knows about how he's faring and if Chihiro will let anyone in to help. Keep close tabs on how he interacts with Hakuri and Hiyuki, IMO. One or both of them will probably be the key to him at least stabilizing his metaphorical descent into darkness. Even if they can't pull him out, they can walk through hell at his side.

Hakuri's more than willing to do this already- I wouldn't be at all surprised if he considers staying with Chihiro to be the best part of his life so far, despite all the hardships that he will face. He was already in hell when they met and Chihiro helped pull him out of it. Hiyuki's the bigger question since we hardly know anything about her right now. Her faith in Chihiro as someone who only kills bad guys is important, though. As of this chapter, I can see her helping him out if she believes it's the morally right thing to do.

Spaghetti Queen Thoughts

I'm a little surprised we've left Hiyuki behind for most of the arc to this point, so I do wonder where she'll factor in and how much.

She's set up to be just as important as Hakuri was during the Rakuzaichi arc thanks to her strong ties to the Kamunabi. And there are issues with her that are completely unexplored; namely, her convictions clashing with how the Kamunabi operates. Maybe we'll see her again with the other two bearers? Or when things shift back to Kamunabi HQ for the blood test reveal and such?

I wonder how she'll be motivating Chihiro. They squabble like siblings already; she's the only one who genuinely gets under his skin (which is very cute if you ask me). Both of them are headstrong and idealistic, but Hiyuki doesn't seem to be down on herself and what she does nearly as much as Chihiro is. So maybe that'll be the angle... hard to say when there are so many unknowns, so obviously she needs to come back ASAP to give us more insight!

Thanks for letting me ramble, kind void... see you next week if I make it there.

[donniesgirlie]

I’ve reacntly just read your “kisses and kips” and I freaking loved it! But I was wondering what if reader reacted differently after the line “Y/n, I'm perfectly capable of determining what I do or don't need. Just go to bed, I'll be there soon.”

As someone who doesn’t really handle “getting in the way” of someone else’s business very well, is terrified if they are bothering someone, specially a special someone (like an s/o) I’d froze up after that line, even if his tone isn’t directly at reader per say, I know I’d probably closed off to the point of leaving and sleeping back to my place out of fear I’ve made Donnie upset and getting in his way. Do you mind making a scenario out off this reaction? If not, you can ignore this request

Thank you!

First request, LET'S GOOOO!!

Me too - I hate the thought of even potentially being a bother😭

Hope you enjoy!

Original

Kisses and Kips - Alternate Version: Donatello x F! Reader

.

"Donnieeeeee~" You pull at the side of the doorframe, swinging yourself in and out of the lab as you draw out his name.

He had told you he'd join you in bed an hour ago under the guise of "5 more minutes." You get why he is working so hard; you do. With the recent uptick of Foot Clan activity, he needed to get the truck up and running again as soon as possible, but goddamn it- you just want to cuddle your boyfriend. You don't think it's too big of an ask, especially considering he's been working on that damn gadget for days now with little to no breaks.

With a sigh and light shake of his head, Donnie sets down his soldering iron. "Yes, love?"

You can hear the edge to his voice, strained from disuse and tilted with frustration. He slips his glasses off to pinch between his eyes, exhaustion clear on his face.

"Come to bed?"

He slips his glasses back on and swivels back to his work. "I can't. I need to finish this."

You let go of the frame and walk over to him. "You've been up over 48 hours, you're clearly exhausted, and you need rest - even if just for a little bit."

"Y/n, I'm perfectly capable of determining what I do or don't need. Just go to bed, I'll be there soon." You know he's not upset with you, but his sharp tone makes your heart drop; you can feel your stomach turning sour and your mouth going dry.

"Oh." You swallow, feeling your eyes start to prick with the threat of tears. Your voice comes out in a whisper as you turn to leave the lab, "okay..."

You know it's stupid, that he's been frustrated with the truck, and you shouldn't take it personally, but logic doesn't quell the small voice in the back of your mind whispering that he's upset with you and that you're smothering him. You calmly walk back to his room, ready to hide your tears in your pillow.

-

It's hours later when Donatello decides to come to bed. The first rays of sun are surely starting to peak over New York's surface, but all he can think about is you.

He knows he was harsh; he knows that you didn't deserve the cutting tone when you were simply expressing your concern for his well-being. He has just been so frustrated with the truck - the nunchucks are sticking and he can't figure out why despite taking them apart three times now, and the grill won't properly shut after shooting manhole covers. Not to mention the various other upgrades that he's itching to start but can't until the main problems are fixed.

He refuses to use that as an excuse, though. You're not his verbal punching bag that he can toss attitude at whenever he's inconvenienced.

So, as much as he hates to wake you, he refuses to go to bed without apologizing.

His heart breaks when his sits on the edge of the bed and looks at your sleeping face. Dried tear tracks streak your face as you grip his pillow.

Reaching a hand out, Donnie gently shakes your shoulder. "Y/n... Honey, please wake up?"

After a few coaxes and prods, you finally stir - slightly curling into yourself before stretching back out. "Dee?" You mutter, eyes slowly blinking open. "What time is it?"

"It's still early," he replies easily, moving his hand to lightly trace his thumb along your cheekbone. "I just didn't want to sleep without telling you that I'm sorry. I was upset because one of the circuit boards was giving me trouble, but I shouldn't have snapped at you; I'm sorry, love..."

"It's okay," you say, scooting closer to drape your arm over his lap, lightly nuzzling your face into his side.

"It's not," Donatello pulls from your hold just long enough to properly lay next to you before pulling you back against his plastron. "You didn't deserve to be yelled at just because I was annoyed."

His hand splays out on your back, rubbing up and down it as he buries his face in your hair.

He feels the soft press of your lips to his collar before your muffled voice mumbles, "Well, I forgive you," against his skin.

[brotherwtf]

“they warned me about you, but I didn’t listen.”

oh man so delicious anon!

---

It was a routine night in the pub off of Thorpe Abbotts, one that everyone could expect after a rough mission. RAF pilots were trying to get a rise out of the Americans, but they were too drunk and scarred to even care to fight.

Gale sat at the bar, nursing a ginger beer and shifting uncomfortably whenever a girl would sidle up next to him. A polite smile, a compliment to their dress, and they left with a smile on their face and a giggle on their lips. Gale was used to it at this point.

His eyes scanned the crowd, looking for John. He had run off at one point after Gale refused to come dance with him, leaving Gale behind at the bar. Gale doesn't care. This is normal. But he can't help the thickness of his throat when he finally spots John on the dance floor.

Gale shouldn't feel jealous, shouldn't resent the poor girl John had sweet talked into joining him in a dance. She had done exactly what he had done, fallen for the sweet smiles and smooth talk of John Egan.

John wraps his hands around the woman's waist, leaning down and kissing the curve of her neck and Gale has to look away. His eyes sting and his stomach turns and the ginger beer tastes wrong on his tongue. He taps the bar, alerting Crosby who had been sitting next to him the entire night.

"Don't wait up, I'm heading back to the barracks," Gale says, trying to keep his voice as level as he can. His head hurts.

Crosby nods, waving him off with a cheery "Goodbye, Major!" and returns to chatting with a pilot Gale doesn't recognize. The cool outside is a welcome shock to Gale's system and he breathes in the cool evening air of East Anglia. The air bites when he opens his eyes and realizes that tears have started to well up and break across his eyelids. He brushes them away, cursing and calling himself silly and weak before he starts walking back to his barracks.

Gale only gets to the supply hut when John finally catches up to him, shouting his name into the cool air. It feels cruel to hear the sound of his name on John's lips.

"Croz told me you bolted, something wrong?" John asks, all smooth and suave and Gale swallows something thick again.

Gale could never hate John. As much as he wished he could end whatever was happening between them, stop the inevitable pain that was to come with the war, he could never stop loving John. It just made his jealousy even more cruel. He breathes shakily, trying to school himself so John couldn't tell how worked up he was getting over some poor girl John had coerced.

"I'm fine. Just tired," Gale says, and knows it's a sorry excuse.

John gives him a look, one that Gale definitely deserves, and grabs him arm. He leads them to the outskirts of the air base, towards a small dip in the field that shielded them from prying eyes. Once they settle in the grass, John grabs Gale's hand and places a gentle kiss on the back of it. It breaks and mends Gale's heart at the same time.

"Come on, Buck. What's buggin' ya?" John asks.

Gale allows himself to look into John's steely blue eyes and feels his heart clench. God, John was just so damn beautiful, even rumpled and drunk. He sighs shakily and squeezes John's hand before turning away.

"They warned me about you, John Egan. Playboy and charmer, always looking for a good fuck," He doesn't intend for the words to sound so harsh.

"But I didn't listen. I didn't listen because I thought 'I'm probably different, an exception,' like a goddamn idiot. Why would I be an exception? A fucking queer like me," Gale huffs and crosses his arms over his stomach.

The words are cold and he can hear John sigh heavily from beside him. They're close enough where Gale can feel the breath against his cheek, and he closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath.

"Come on, Gale. You know it's not like that, you're the only one for me, I swear," John says, and he sounds like he's begging.

Gale turns back to John and sees him poised as if he wants to hold and clutch Gale, but looks for an opportunity to do so. Gale stands his guard. He doesn't need John's comfort, he tries to tell himself that.

"Was that what you told that girl tonight?" Gale says and the words are meant to cut.

John turns away from Gale and shakes his head in frustration. He runs a hand down his face before turning back to Gale, finally grabbing his hand and refusing to let go.

"Goddamnit, Gale. You know that doesn't mean anything! She was just looking for a dance, that's all," John huffs.

"So why were you sucking her neck like a goddamn vampire, huh? You don't ever do that with me," Gale says, starting to stand. He wants to go to sleep. He wants this day to be done.

John grabs his arm and follows him up to his feet. He brings Gale closer to him, and Gale has to ignore the way John looks so goddamn tall when he does that.

"Gale, I gotta hold myself back around you so I don't just fuck you in the middle of the runway. That's why I go and dance with the girls, I'm allowed to do that. I'm not allowed to with you," John says and Gale shakes his head.

"Stop, you don't mean that," Gale whispers and tears his eyes away from John's face.

"Of course I fucking mean it, Gale. God I was dancing with that girl so I didn't just kiss ya in the middle of the bar. You know I only danced with her because she looked like you," John says.

Gale kisses him then, harsh and desperate and John moans right into his lips and kisses him back with the same fervor. John's hands find Gale's waist and bring him closer until their fronts press up against every inch of the other. Gale reaches a hand up and holds John's jaw, raking his thumb over the stubble that started to form as the evening went on. John moves his lips from Gale's and moves them down to his neck, making sure to kiss where clothes could cover them. Gale sighs and shoves his hands into John's hair, pulling him back up to his lips.

John rests their foreheads together and smiles, starting to hum a tune and sway Gale to the imaginary music.

"Fuck I wish I could dance with you like this in public. Wish I could hold and kiss you however I wanted," John whispers and Gale smirks.

"Do it now. Do everything you want with me now," Gale pleads.

John brings him in tighter, kissing Gale's cheek and continues to sway him.

Gale wishes the night could last forever, here in John's arms.

I love forbidden romance and jealousy, some really tasty stuff right there. 🥲 thank you for the ask anon!

[one-strugling-bean]

Thinking abt Hater n Peeps...

thinking about how they probably started out as friends with similar interests. Two losers with a damaged heart and a need to feel respected (and loved) meet and decide to conquer the world that wronged them before together

Thinking how at first they probably saw each other as more of a means to an end: ill make him do all the boring paperwork stuff while I actually conquer everything vs ill let him believe he's the number one and show his face while I pull the strings from behind type of shit. but eventually grew to appreciate each other's company, found interests in common, and went through shit that forced them to grow closer

(especially since they were probably each other's first friend. imagine the giddiness over finding someone you just click with after a whole life of being lonely)

thinking bout how much hater must have soaked in peepers praise from the start. Peepers being the 1st person to have ever called him cool. to support his dreams. even if hater hides it under a "sure you can tag along, if you do everything I say" kind of facade, he actually becomes super addicted to (and dependent on) peeps right from the get-go

Thinking bout how peepers must have been the opposite. He sees the potential hater has from the start, but for all the praise and admiration to become more than a way of manipulation it takes a bit. Still, it's only a small matter of time before peeps drowns in all the charisma and power being with hater brings. besides, he's found in Hater companionship the likes of he'd never felt before with anyone.

When he decides to make Hater the nº1 villain in all the galaxy, he knows he's sealing his fate - but he doesn't regret it one bit.

They essentially become best friends (also each other's 1st and only friend), though they never properly talk about it because ew feelings, and "they're supposed to be villains, and villains aren't friends". but they still see each other as friends and act accordingly

but then their pipe dream actually starts looking like it could work, and what before sounded like a make-believe game the two played with each other while they travelled the galaxy together, starts looking like a reality

They are ecstatic. they buy a customized ship. peepers convinces his people to fight for their cause and suddenly they have an army as well! hater steadily learns how to behave like a terrifying overlord instead of an edgy teen, and suddenly their fame is spreading everywhere!

they're unstoppable! hater is on his way to becoming the biggest threat to the galaxy and peepers is the 2nd in command that made it all happen! everything is perfect!

then, hater hurts peepers with his powers for the first time and things are... different.

They're both shocked that 1st time. hater has hurt many people by that point, but he never lost control on someone close to him. even if he was upset... peepers is also shocked because by that point he trusted hater with his life. he saw himself as a valuable part of their team, - their partnership! it felt like a betrayal. to both of them, actually

and slowly, these excuses become the reality. hater hurting peepers physically and verbally becomes the norm, and perhaps in an unconscious bout of retaliation, peepers becomes hater's biggest critic, just as he is his biggest fan. He's the first to point out hater's mistakes (under whats acceptable of him) knowing exactly where to press on his insecurities to make it hurt more

but they don't talk about it, just like they never talked about whether they were friends before, so separately, they start making excuses. Hater is the leader - the greatest Villain in the Galaxy - of course he shouldn't spare anyone! and Peepers is working for him right? If he makes a mistake, of course he should be punished! they were always using each other for their own goals

...there can't exist a betrayal of something that never existed, right?

they stop hanging out informally as much because "they're not friends it's just a mutual partnership". they still do hang out sometimes, because they're still lonely and have no other friends but its less... carefree

time passes and the empire grows. the more it does, the more they fall into their make-believe roles - the evil villain and his assistant. hater becomes crueler, peepers becomes more obsessed with his work (and crueler) and slowly they lose that spark that started them out in the 1st place

Then wander and sylvia come around and the make-belief starts to crack.

things start getting out of control. Hater's cruelty doesn't kill the enemies. peepers work isn't efficient enough. the two are once more thrown into unlikely situations together that force them to be closer, and the occasional chaos breaks the carefully crafted characters they'd built over themselves for so long.

they start being seen as jokes again. the empire is losing its edge and so are they. all the while, they start losing that shadow of subordination that had been controlling their relationship for so long

but wounds and misunderstandings have been piling up for years, and there's only so much "casually hanging out with my friend-turned-toxic workplace relationship-turned-sorta friend again" they can do before something gives

and by the end of season 2, hater's fate seems inevitable - he'll let go of villainy sooner or later. but what about peepers? the other half of the same pipe dream, the other half of the same messy relationship.

Was he gonna be able to let go of it too? What was going to weigh heavier in the end? The fractured friendship? or the pipe dream?

were they meant to be able to solve their issues and regain that initial connection that drove them to conquer the stars together in the first place? Or just... break apart, for good.

...god i rly want a season 3

[almacambiondaughterofsaleos]

lmao she ate you up

Again Stolas is an insult to real abuse victims. The show tries to make Stella into this evil harpy while excusing people who have done abuse like Loona because she gets the trauma excuse. Heck, Stolas for all claims of being a victim is actually more of a victimizer than a victim because of how he used his power to trap a guy into a coercive deal to keep his book. People say Blitzo started it when reality he was going to have him in his room and expected him to ravage him even though this was the first time they met in years. The guy has been predatory from the start and I don't care what excuses to try to make him fake sympathetic. Coercing someone into sex for a long time is not a simple mistake it's a crime but since it's hell it wouldn't be punished. Also stfu about him giving his daughter love he will regularly choose Blitzo over his daughter while having the nerve to claim he still loves her.

People claim he wants to give her a normal life while not having two minds of cheating on her mother and obnoxiously still carrying on an affair that broke the family. That is the embodiment of not caring about your daughter. Also coming out of the closet shouldn't be an excuse to hurt people. Again everyone says he's improving but those so-called improvements is still coercing people into a relationship and whining when they rebuff his advances because in the past they treated them like shit and still denies they look do on them. This is the same twit who had the nerve to say Blitzo and Striker sound the same when they told him off for being a privileged asshole he really isn't learning.

There is a difference between being a normal,flawed dad and being a neglectful, selfish asshole who puts his wants before his child. And let me tell you a child shouldn't be forced to sacrifice their stability to make their manchild of a father happy. And even worse he's doing this for a guy he forced into his fantasy and treated like trash. His so-called abuse by Stella is forced and fake. He says he did it to give her a normal life but in reality he just ended up potentially putting her in danger of a unstable mother. Also it's less of an attempt to show males can be abused but the fact that it's a way to make Stolas look artificially better so his abuses on Blitzo are excused. Also Stolas has more power over Stella than he does over him. One thing abusers tend to do is trap their victims. And let's face the fact there is nothing Stella could do to trap him. Stolas was the one who could do that to her with his privilege but he doesn't exercise it because the narrative needs to make him look like a saint compared to her for putting up with everything.

Also not being able to read the room and his microaggressions have been detrimental because it feeds into his flaws and even worse his lack of accountability for his actions. He freaking put a cigarette out on Blitzo and we just expect him to see him as not looking down on him. And again this is the guy who used his own butler as a squeeze toy and Blitzo rightfully points out how he treats his own servants. The way he treats other imps have influenced why Blitzo callled bs because his microagressions aren't actually micro when he has acted like a typical royal who has abused the lower class. And again his obliviousness to read the room has hurt his relationships because people are telling him straight to his face but he ignores them because he'd rather live in his own world where he does nothing wrong. In summary, he's a selfish asshole people are babying and pretending that he's just a traumatized, flawed man when in reality he's worse than that and acting he ain't is just whitewashing.

Also stfu about saying we hate it for no reason. We hate it because it left the og premise for a shitty love drama with an insufferable creator's pet who ends up taking away anything interesting plot and refuses to own up to his mistakes. He always is a hindrance on the story and resent him for it.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for being truthful with my husband's coworker?

I (23f) have a husband (25m) who is very close with his coworkers. They come over to our house a lot for DND, holidays, etc.

One of his coworkers, N (27m) and I were close. N is very charismatic and flirts with EVERYONE. My husband legitimately did not care, I've even showed him me and N's texts before which look the same as my husband and N's- yes some flirting but nothing actually serious. Most of it is joking

Well, N started dating someone they all work with, J. I had never met J, I have 0 clue her age. The first time we met, I tried to be inviting as there isn't a lot of girls around except those of us that are married or who already are coworkers. She seemed shy, maybe a bit socially awkward.

Then the second time, I caught her pointing at me and whispering to her best guy friend and they both started laughing. It felt like I was in high school, but I ignored it. N had been out of the room. This was at MY house.

We've met a handful of times since, and by a handful I mean literally 5 times. Every time she does not say a word to me. I've tried talking to her and she'll blankly stare at me. So I've stopped. If she doesn't want to be friends that is her choice.

Except my husband caught her vagueposting about me on social media. N doesn't have social media fyi. She basically posted the exact outfit I was wearing, something that happened, and then put "what a dumb situation caused by someone stupid, but at least the outfit was cute". She also replied to a comment saying i was flirting with her man and a homewrecker, which is why I brought up how N is because he is like that with EVERYONE. So I haven't liked her since because, sure she can be upset with N and me joking and "flirting" even if N is like that with every coworker and even my husband, but to post about me and call me stupid just seemed petty and rude

I asked N if she was uncomfortable with our interactions, because J had me blocked on social media and I couldn't ask her, and N said she shouldn't be because he treats me no different then anyone else.

Well, any group hang outs she doesn't come to. There is always an excuse, and I dont even want to invite her because of what she said about me. Except for DND which I am not a part of (I do enjoy it, but the way they play is so fast paced and im dyslexic and not good at math, I have a better time watching then playing so I do other things while they play, it also gives my husband time to enjoy a hobby he likes alone). Anytime J is over for DND she ignores me or whispers to her guy friend when I'm around. N is still N, flirting with everyone (me, my husband, the guy who plays an orc, J, etc.). I dont even think he is intentionally flirting i think he is just very charismatic and some stuff he says can be taken that way

Well most recently N invited us to his house so me and my husband went. J came home started talking to everyone there and then saw us and went to her room (N, J, and two other people live together). She didn't come back out the entire time me and my husband were there, but I found out later she came out once we were gone.

N texted me asking my opinion of J. I was truthful and said, and I quote "Well she seems smart and she is pretty, but I don't really know her. I don't think she likes me, which to each their own. I wish she was a bit more polite about things when she is at my house. Cant really speak on someone i dont know except that shes a bit cold and not who i had thought you would be with.. Otherwise, as long as your happy, what does my opinion matter?" To which N replied "so you have a bigger opinion" and then blocked me.

My husband agrees with me but N is his best friend, they haven't discussed it at work. I have seen J recently, we ran into each other at a store, and she called me a bitch (I guess N told her what I said). AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[hyperfixingfr]

It bothers me the way people, especially in this fandom, will "simp" for villains who are clearly mirroring real life bigotry and hate (misogyny, racism, homophobia, child abuse, etc). I get going head over heels for a villain who is evil in a way that feels very cartoony and silly (ex; Stickybeard, Toiletinator, Knightbrace, Spankulot, so on) because, well, they aren't exactly hateful... Nor does their impact hurt anyone truly. But if you look at Father, after seeing him abuse children, kidnap them, brainwash them, force them into racist and misogynistic/sexist conformities, and imply that he has MURDERED people, and you say "he's hot" you're... Kind of weird. Him and Mr. Boss are probably the only two who I'd argue shouldn't be simped for yet I see it all the time.

Before I get attacked, let me back up WHY this is weird. To start, I am an abuse victim. I have seen with my very own eyes as "friends" would disregard what my abusers did to me and call them "attractive", knowing everything they had done. This phenomenon I described with Father as an example? It exists in real life. And it happens FREQUENTLY. You can find numerous cases of real life crimes being disregarded and failing to bring justice to victims simply because the perpetrator was good looking. By doing this with fictional characters, you are reinforcing to people who do it with real abusers and bigots that they're not doing anything wrong by disregarding their actions with physical looks. It's the same reason you should hate proshipping. It's not cool to simp for characters who are genuinely terrible people, and it's especially not cool to try and pretend they aren't shitty just so you can like them. It's gross, especially to abuse victims or victims of bigotry. If you try to say, "well I can tell the difference from real life/fiction" or "I don't like REAL abusers" this is a talking point of proshipping. The "fiction" excuse. There's a huge difference between getting the hots for something that is a complete figment of the human imagination and has no true real life problem parallels (aka... Toilet themed villain) and getting the hots for something that can, does, and will unfortunately happen more with frequency in real life OR parallels the real life issue (Father being abusive and bigoted for example). The fact that it's a fictional character doesn't stop the very realistic aspects of gross behavior from being there, and by "simping" for them just because they're fictional, you're sending a really nasty message to abuse victims. I should also reiterate that your content of simping for a shitty character can and will be used as justification for someone who does the same to real life abusers. Fiction affects reality, I promise. If fiction didn't affect reality, people wouldn't be so determined to see representation of minorities in media. If fiction didn't affect reality, sharks wouldn't be overhunted and endangered in the real world simply because of a work of fiction. If fiction didn't affect reality, cats wouldn't be having emergency vet visits after consuming milk due to the fictional concept of adult cats drinking primarily milk. Please be careful about this stuff.

PS; I am NOT saying you can't personally find his looks attractive. You can say he's hot. But like... Don't "simp" for him.

[chesirecatsmile]

max chuckles deeply as he starts to run his hand up the leg of daniel's jeans. they’re sitting on the double bed in max's hotel room together, both a bit drunk and a bit high from the race.

"do you want to–" he starts, palming daniel over the thick layer of denim.

daniel's breath catches in his throat as max looks at him straight in the eyes like he hasn't just turned daniel’s word upside down. there is no denying that he's just been propositioned. by max. max has just propositioned him.

"answer. even if it is to say no.” max’s hand presses again, more insistent. “but i want to, and i know you do."

daniel carefully presses his lips together for a moment before speaking. "i’m not going to say no."

max laughs, and his laugh always makes daniel’s stomach flip and tighten. for a moment he wonders if max is tired and drunk enough to regret this in the morning, but it's hard to make excuses for this.

the room is warm. daniel feels the heat down his back and on his legs, where max is pressing.

"go on then," max growls into his ear, daring, closing the gap between them. he starts to undo his own jeans.

it shouldn't be this easy. there should be more consideration, more build-up. 

more time.

then again, daniel considers, isn't his whole life long enough?

max thrusts into daniel's hand and moans, his pink lips parting and neck thrown back. after a while, it's clear max isn't going to move to reciprocate, so daniel puts his other hand down his jeans to get his own dick out, never taking his eyes off max.

****

"why did that take us so long?” max says quietly afterwards. he rolls over to the other side of the bed and gets up to pad around on the floor for his boxers. 

he doesn't seem worried at all. he's not talking about it, not pleading with daniel to never tell anyone about this, ever, and daniel keeps waiting for it to happen, but instead max just suggests that daniel should probably get back to his room because it's late and no-one should find them like this in the morning. 

daniel nods dumbly in agreement and leaves. If max isn't initiating a conversation, he certainly isn't fucking going to.

****

daniel doesn't regret it the next day, but as soon as he wakes up - still wearing the same jeans, unbuttoned and unzipped - he knows that something will have changed between them.

but, day-to-day, nothing different happens, although he wasn't quite sure what he was expecting. marko is still there being a pain and max still bickers and disagrees with him on all the same points as he used to. daniel sometimes thinks he sees max watching him out of the corner of his eye in a way he never used to, but that might only be because he wants max to be looking at him like that.

they still haven't talked about it. kelly still stays over at max's three times a week, and daniel tries not to think about that too much.

It takes several weeks and plenty of liquid courage for daniel to see max outside of work, at a team gathering in london.

"are we ever doing this again?" daniel hisses, his fingers digging into max's shoulders and his body pushing max against the wall of a shady alley just outside the pub. max doesn't answer. "i want to fuck you," he mutters, wishing that saying it didn't make him blush. 

a hot twist of satisfaction rushes through him as he feels max tremble slightly at the statement.

"really?" max breathes. "we’ll see about that." daniel tilts his head to kiss him, but max pulls away, grabs daniel by the wrist, and calls for a taxi.

it’s no time at all, or that's what it feels like for daniel, whose thoughts alone could take him miles away - before they're in max's bedroom and max is above him and holding him down on the bed with his hands on daniel's hips. now, daniel realises max's intentions, and despite the concerns he has about what going where, he finds with a slight shock that he is more than happy to let max do this to him.

max pulls down daniel's jeans, an action momentarily uncomfortable for daniel due to his erection on the way, and shoves daniel's t-shirt up to his underarms, exposing his chest. one trip to the bedside cabinet and then there's two, three lubed fingers like max has done all of this before. we really should be kissing, daniel thinks, but you can't have it all.

as if asking daniel if he were sure would be admitting too much or breaking the spell, max just pushes daniel's bent legs back and slides in. everything is slick with lube, but it's still a little rough because daniel hasn't done this for a very, very long time. but that's max's face in front of his and it feels fucking good, he moves to meet max's gentle thrusts and grunts in shared pleasure straight after max does.

at least this time max touches him, telling him to keep his legs held back as he moves one hand to daniel's inner thigh and the other to bring daniel off with smooth, steady strokes. daniel's neck arches back from the feel of it and he can't reign in the desperate sounds he's making.

it's not long before max is hitting him deep inside and running the pad of his thumb across the head of his dick and he's coming all over max's hand. max is face to face with him when that happens; they're still not kissing, but daniel knows they shared the same breath when he came, parted desperate lips so close to each other's, and the thought alone makes his mouth go dry.

max follows him soon after, coming inside him with one hand sliding against daniel's stomach, slick with daniel's come.

"can i stay?" daniel asks, before max has even pulled out.

"yes," he replies, but doesn't say anything else, just pulls out and climbs out of bed, leaving daniel alone.

daniel hears him making a drink or a bowl of cereal in the kitchen for half an hour. when he finally returns, daniel takes the easy route out and pretends to be asleep.

****

at least things don't stop altogether this time.

max touches him a little more often than he used to whenever they're alone or in a safe space, but he's still as careful as he's always been with anything that matters, and daniel uses that thought as reassurance. the jokes and banter they've always made about each other have a charge to them now. daniel notes that social media laughs like always did when the dating jokes and rumours came around, but he feels this time around they are both contributing to them.

after a long day of filming at the red bull ring, max corners daniel in the cafeteria bathroom when it's just the two of them.

"do you still want to fuck me?" he asks almost politely into daniel's ear, managing to look up at daniel even though he’s taller, one hand splayed across daniel's ass and the other holding him firmly against the wall. daniel stares at him and max presses his body slowly and deliberately into daniel's.

"yeah," daniel says, barely hearing himself.

"okay," max replies, "good."

then they are interrupted by max’s ringtone that sounds like a fucking ambulance.

"hello," max says, quickly removing his hand from daniel and stepping away. he nods several times as the caller gets across their point quickly and max says nothing else except for, "see you, bye," before ending the call.

"that was kelly," he tells daniel, although daniel barely needs the confirmation. "she's coming to my hotel later."

"perhaps we could...here..."

max's eyes dart around the empty room. "no. another time," he says, his head bowed in silent apology. two jerky movements later and he's shut the door behind him and left.

daniel bites the skin around his nails the entire taxi drive back to his room.

****

three days later, max calls just as daniel finishes replying to the last email in his inbox and is about to switch on netflix

"come over," he says, like daniel lives just across the road.

"right now?"

"right now."

daniel takes a single, deep breath. "alright."

after flinging out a quick excuse to michael and driving all the way from almost fucking france, daniel finally arrives to max’s in a frenzy before he can think about it.

when he rings the doorbell he can hear other voices; when max opens the door kelly and a couple daniel knows only vaguely peer at him curiously from max's living room.

max coughs and very quickly leads daniel away from the house.

"daniel-" he stutters. "i forgot to say...I'm sorry. you're going to have to go. unless you want to join us?"

"no, thank you," daniel says coldly, the beginnings of arousal fading fast, and he gets straight back in his aston martin.

****

on monday, they're both in meetings in milton keynes.

"sorry about the other night," max tells him when they run into each other near the men's toilets on the fourth floor. he smiles slightly like everything is alright now and launches into discussing their respective sim sessions scheduled for the next day. daniel smiles back as he listens but feels a familiar pang in his chest and the whole brief exchange confirms what daniel's thought all along- that max has no idea how to deal with this.

their friendship does continue to function well, at least. it's not like there's much choice about it, not right in the middle of the season and straight after renewing their contracts. they are contractually obligated to get along well.they still make each other- for the most part- happier, filling their roles as predictable, constant mates.

and so daniel resolves to put this recent bizarre series of events in their entirety down to a few bad decisions and forgets about it, but one evening (an otherwise entirely normal evening of two six-packs of beer purchased from the carrefour at the end of max's road and bickering) max pushes daniel right up against his bedroom wall and daniel lets him. it’s wrong, and daniel thinks for a moment about stopping, but he's hard and he needs this and daniel is never one to say no to something he so desperately wants.

from his bedside drawer, max hands over lube and a condom. "do you want to?" he asks, a shy smile in place. 

daniel nods.

max manoeuvres daniel onto his back in the middle of the bed, it seems that max takes it for granted that daniel will get hard for him as he's still not touching him more than is necessary- still reserved, still fucking holding back- although at least this time max is completely removing his and daniel's clothes efficiently.

kneeling in front of him and slicking his fingers, max reaches behind and prepares himself, and daniel's fingers twist in mid-air in his strong, conscious desire to do it for him. 

but he can only watch as max's eyes flutter closed and mouth falls open, his hard dick quivering and twitching, and a deep flush runs from his cheeks to his chest. after a while - daniel hasn't moved, doesn't touch himself, can't stop watching- max's hands are flat on the bed either side of daniel, and he briefly leans forward and rubs himself against daniel's stomach, leaving a trail of pre-come there before spreading his legs and carefully lowering himself so that daniel is inside him

they both shudder as max slides so that he is firmly seated in daniel's lap. daniel grips him tightly as max slowly shifts.bdaniel looks up at him, prompts him to go ahead wordlessly, too shocked and turned on to say anything.

"i haven't done this for a while," max says in a low, tight voice. he frowns. "and never like this." daniel feels a bolt of inquisitive jealousy shoot through him- who managed it, many years ago? Who had max under them, naked an needy?

it is- are you okay?" daniel asks somewhat gruffly.

"i’m fine," max replies, starting to rock his hips. "it’s good."

they don't really talk after that. max sets the pace, but falters often; daniel keeps his hands on max's hips to keep max where he is. eventually, daniel reaches for max's dick and fists him insistently.

it's over quickly, intense rather than drawn out. when max switches his angle and gets daniel in deeper at the same time daniel flickers the head, max comes. he shudders all over, and it's so incredibly sexy enough to push daniel over the edge straight after.

****

bathed in the gentle, low sun that falls over monte carlo the next morning and lying next to max in bed, daniel realises how awkward and fragile and raw their relationship is now. they are moving towards something both wonderful and frightening; a transition they won't be able to back away from is impending and well within their reach.

"good morning," daniel says, seeing max waking up. "did you sleep well?"

"yes-” max tails off as daniel rolls over so he finally has max under him. he presses max into the mattress and grins before leaning in to run his tongue along max's jawline and neck and clavicle.

but, as he runs his hand up max's still-naked thigh, daniel makes himself really look at max this time, looks firmly at him to try and find what he is feeling mirrored in max's eyes. daniel doesn't see it.

it is then daniel realises his mistake.

"we are sleeping together," daniel says uncharacteristically quiet, stopping, but still hovering above max in the same position. "things are going to get complicated, but that doesn't mean we can't-"

before he's finished his sentence, max's eyes grow wide in panic and he sits up; instinctively, daniel moves back to the other side of the bed. "we've fucked a couple of times," max says with a mirthless laugh. "i  mean, we can't be...there's our career. and kelly."

"but-"

"i'm sorry," max continues, "i don't think we can be teammates and friends like we are and do this. i can't be that close to someone."

"okay," daniel replies, biting back frustration. "we will just… okay- fuck." he doesn't let himself admit anything. he doesn't want to look any more of a fucking idiot.

daniel can't even bring himself to feel heartbreak because anything tangible they had, anything describable, was momentary, barely there. and it is never going to completely disappear, he realises now, this strange tension between them. for years he'd thought an eventual affair was the inevitable conclusion, but as it turns out, that's not the solution either. 

that’s not the ending.

"marko is going to kill me if i don’t call him back,” max says as if nothing ever happened, and things feel the same as they always have except daniel knows now what could have been and that this isn't what he wants.

read on ao3!