#but it's still pretty cool that i'm so close to sharing a birthday with it <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[twilightprincesswii]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE VIDEO GAME EVER 🥳🎈🎉🎂🎁

[sadnymi]

Down bad

[Lorenzo Berkshire×reader][TTPDM]

Words:2.5k

I was sitting outside the castle on a bench in the garden, enjoying the warm breeze and losing myself in the music playing through my headphones. It was one of those rare peaceful moments, and I was soaking it in. Suddenly, I felt a shadow fall over me. I looked up and saw Lorenzo Berkshire smiling down at me.

"Hey," I said, taking off my headphones.

"Hey," he replied, sitting next to me. "Nice headphones."

"Thanks," I said, a bit taken aback. Why was he talking to me?

"Where'd you get them?" he asked, leaning in slightly.

"My mom got them for my birthday," I replied, still confused. "Why are you talking to me?"

He chuckled. "They're really cool. What are you listening to?"

"A Muggle artist," I said cautiously. "I don't think you'd like it."

"Why not?" he asked, his smile widening.

"Well," I hesitated, "maybe because you and your friends have bullied me and half the half-bloods here?"

He laughed, a sound that was surprisingly pleasant. "I didn't do such a thing."

"Your friends did," I shot back.

"Well, I'm not them, am I?" he said, his face too close to mine now. "Show me what you're listening to."

I sighed but handed over one of my earbuds. He put it in and raised an eyebrow as "A man without love " by Engelbert Humperdinck started playing.

He listened for a moment, then grinned. "This is brilliant! Why would you think I wouldn't like this?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know, maybe because you lot act like Muggle things are beneath you?"

"Not all of us," he said. "Besides, if I listened to this more often, maybe I'd have a better taste in music."

I couldn't help but Smile. "Well, you're off to a good start."

"So," he said, leaning in even closer, "you gonna show me more Muggle music, or are you keeping all the good stuff to yourself?"

"Depends," I said, smirking. "Are you gonna stop your friends from bullying mine?"

He shrugged. "I'll think about it. As long as you promise to share more music with me."

"Deal," I said, smiling.

And this was the start of the disaster.

We started hanging out more often, much to the surprise of everyone around us. At first, it was just casual encounters in the garden or the library. He always found ways to sit close, his leg brushing against mine or his arm around the back of my chair. His presence was intoxicating, his charm irresistible.

It was a battle I was losing, hard.

There was the time when we were sitting by the Black Lake, the sun reflecting off the water. I was telling him a funny story about my latest Potions mishap when he reached over and started playing with a strand of my hair.

"Does your hair always smell this nice?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I rolled my eyes couldn't help but smile. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Lorenzo."

"Not even a little bit?" he teased, leaning in closer.

"Maybe a little," I admitted, laughing. His fingers tangled in my hair were surprisingly gentle, and I found myself leaning into his touch.

And then come the night when we were sitting in the common room, I was nervously studying for our upcoming Transfiguration exam. Lorenzo, clearly not as concerned, was lounging next to me.

"Why are you so worried?" he asked, leaning over to look at my notes.

"Because I don't want to fail," I said, exasperated. "Some of us actually need to study, you know."

"Well," he said, taking a strand of my hair and twirling it around his finger, "you're smart. You'll do fine. Besides, you've got me to help you."

I looked at him skeptically. "You? Help me?"

"Hey, I'm not just a pretty face," he said, grinning. "I've got brains too, you know."

"Prove it," I challenged.

He leaned even closer, his breath warm against my cheek. "I'll have to show you then," he whispered, making my heart skip a beat.

Before his next Quidditch match, he found me, nervously twisting my scarf in my hands. He walked up and bent down to whisper in my ear.

"Wish me luck?" he asked, his breath warm against my skin.

"Good luck," I said softly, feeling a shiver run down my spine.

He smiled, then leaned in and kissed my cheek. "For good luck," he murmured before jogging off to join his team.

I sat there, stunned and blushing furiously. The girls around me whispered and giggled, I couldn't focus on anything but the spot where his lips had brushed my skin.

Our time together became more frequent, and with every passing day, he found new ways to get closer. Whether it was during study sessions in the library, where he'd absentmindedly play with my hair while I talked, or during meals in the Great Hall, where he'd steal food from my plate and grin at my protests, Lorenzo made sure he was a constant presence.

The next two months flew by in a whirlwind of flirtation and playful banter. Lorenzo and I were almost inseparable, spending every free moment together. He made me laugh, challenged me, and somehow always managed to make my heart race. I finally understood why every girl at Hogwarts was obsessed with him.

Then come that day, we were by the Black Lake. I was sitting on the edge of the dock, absorbed in a book, when suddenly a splash of water hit me.

"Lorenzo!" I yelled, looking up to see him grinning at me mischievously. "What was that for?"

"Just thought you could use a break from all that reading," he said, still smiling.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to my book, trying to ignore him. But then he took off his shirt, revealing his well-toned torso. I couldn’t help but stare, my cheeks flushing, and I couldn't even remember what I was about to yell at him.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Cooling off," he replied nonchalantly, before diving into the lake.

I shook my head, trying to focus on my book, but the water kept splashing around me. Annoyed, I stood up. "Are you crazy, Lorenzo? Get out of there!"

There was no response. He was nowhere to be seen. I sighed, leaning over the edge of the dock. "Very funny, Enzo. Now come out!"

Still nothing. Panic started to set in. "Okay, not funny anymore. Get out now!"

Suddenly, he emerged from the water right in front of me, pulling me down with a strong tug. I screamed in surprise as I hit the cold water, surfacing to find him laughing.

"You're insufferable!" I yelled, splashing water at him.

"You should see your face!"

I swam towards the dock, but he caught me by the waist and pulled me back. His face was inches from mine, and his eyes were sparkling. He gently pushed my wet hair away from my face.

"You're so beautiful when you're mad," he said softly, and before I could respond, he kissed me.

I pulled away, stunned, but a smile crept onto my face. He kissed me again, and this time, I kissed him back, my arms wrapping around his neck. The world seemed to disappear, the cool water contrasting with the warmth between us.

Laughing, I pushed him under the water, but he quickly resurfaced, grabbing my leg and pulling me down with him. Under the water, he kissed me again, the sensation intensified by the surroundings.

When we surfaced, both of us laughing and gasping for air, I knew. One thing was for sure: I was down bad, very, very bad for Lorenzo Berkshire. And for a moment, I knew cosmic love.

I woke up next day with this smile on my face sleep felt impossible that night my mind replying what happened over and over again.

I was walking down the hallway, when I saw him. Lorenzo was kissing a Hufflepuff girl, right there in front of everyone. I froze, my heart sinking into my stomach. This couldn’t be happening. I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare.

I walked up to them, my legs feeling like lead. The girl smiled and waved him goodbye, completely oblivious to my presence. When I stood in front of him, he looked down and smiled. "Hey, beautiful."

I raised an eyebrow, trying to process the scene I had just witnessed. "Are you fucking kidding me, Lorenzo?"

He looked genuinely confused. "Hey, what’s wrong?"

"What’s wrong?" I echoed, my voice shaking with a mix of disbelief and anger. "You were literally kissing that girl, Lorenzo!"

He shrugged, still smiling. "Yeah, and?"

"And?" I felt like I was going to explode. "What the fuck, Lorenzo?"

He looked at me, still clueless. "I don’t understand why you’re so mad."

I just stared at him, unable to believe his nonchalance. Then I laughed, a hollow, bitter sound. "Is this some kind of joke?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Okay, Lorenzo, I’m going to ask you one thing."

"Sure," he said, leaning against the wall. "What is it?"

"What are we?" I asked, my voice trembling with the effort to stay calm.

He looked at me, genuinely puzzled. "What do you mean, what are we?"

"Damn it, Lorenzo! What are we? What's so hard about that?"I repeated, my patience wearing thin.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "We're friends."

"Friends?" I echoed, feeling like I had been punched in the gut. "We’re friends?"

"Yeah, sure we are," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

I felt a wave of anger and disbelief wash over me. "And you go around kissing all your friends?"

He sighed again, this time with a hint of frustration. "So that’s it. You’re mad because I kissed you."

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. "Are you fucking kidding me? I’m not mad because you kissed me, Lorenzo. I’m mad because not even 24 hours later, you’re kissing another girl!"

He shrugged, looking unconcerned. "It was just casual, Y/N. Me, you, even this—it’s nothing serious. We were having fun."

I felt tears gathering in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "Casual?" I laughed bitterly, my voice breaking. "Casual?"

He looked at me, genuinely surprised."Y/N, you didn’t really fall in love with me, did you?"

I felt like I had been slapped. "Fuck you, Enzo. Fuck you to hell." I turned and walked away, not looking back.

Lorenzo was the charming prince, Hogwarts' golden boy, but I learned the hard way that he was indeed a Slytherin for a reason.

Unlike other Slytherins who might hex your cauldron to explode or jinx your broom to veer off course, Lorenzo wielded his charm like a weapon. With a dazzling smile and those irresistible dimples, he'd make you feel like the center of the universe, only to shatter your heart with a well-timed wink and a “Thanks, but no thanks.” Who needs dark magic when you have a face like that?

There were only two weeks left before the end of the year, and I was completely losing it. I hated him, loved him, and missed him all at once. One moment, I imagined myself killing him, and the next, I wished he'd come and apologize, begging for my forgiveness.

But what if that didn't happen? What if I couldn't have him? I might just die. It wouldn't make any difference.

I woke up every day soaking my pillow with tears. How could I let this happen? How could I be so stupid?

Meanwhile, Lorenzo continued his life with those charming, stupid smiles and beautiful eyes. He walked past me like I didn't exist. He might have looked like an angel, but he was the devil.

When the last day of school arrived, I didn't even care about which house won the cup this year. I cried the whole way home, telling my mom that I hated all the stupid romcoms we'd watched together and that I never wanted to watch them again. She realized I had it bad. She tried to comfort me and asked what happened, but I couldn't tell her—it was too embarrassing.

I even told Dad that he should've sent me to a Muggle school instead and that I hated his wizarding world. He looked confused, but then Mom explained it was the effect of getting my heart broken for the first time. She told me it would get better.

But it didn’t and I found myself crying like a baby at the gym. Fuck it, fuck him, and fuck how naive I was. The embarrassment of standing there, asking him what we were—oh god, how can I erase this from my memory?

I'd spent so many nights curled up with romcoms, thinking love was magical and perfect. Turns out, love was a lot more like getting hit by a Bludger. And there I was, at the gym, sobbing over a guy who probably couldn't spell "commitment" if his life depended on it.

Every time I saw a couple holding hands or laughing together, I'd roll my eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck. "Fuck off," I'd mutter, then promptly burst into tears. My emotional stability was like a broken wand—completely unreliable and prone to dramatic outbursts.

And the worst part? The whole "what are we" conversation. I cringed every time I thought about it. Standing there, pouring my heart out, only to get shot down. If I could cast a memory charm on myself, I would. Obliviate the whole damn thing.

But no, instead I was stuck replaying it over and over, like some sort of twisted, heart-wrenching Pensieve. My own personal horror show.

In the end, all I could do was laugh at the absurdity of it all. There I was, heartbroken and humiliated. I wiped my tears, took a deep breath, and told myself I'd be okay. Somehow, someday, I'd be okay. Even if it meant cursing every romcom ever made and swearing off charming, beautiful-eyed devils forever.

I was sitting on my bed, my legs up on the wall, and my hand furiously scribbling in my diary.

I hate it when he lies.

I hate it when he makes me laugh.

Even worse when he makes me cry.

I hate it when he's not around,

And the fact that he didn't call.

But mostly, I hate the way I don't hate him.

Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.

And yeah, I didn’t write that. Katarina Stratford did. But who would know? Those egoistic evil wizards wouldn’t know about Kat or the movie my Muggle mother showed me when I was ten, making me believe every bad boy is just like Patrick Verona—pretty and just misunderstood.

I stared at the song playing on my phone. The same Engelbert Humperdinck song that played when this all started: same Engelbert Humperdinck, same man, same,I feel you cause i too woke up every day, start to break up Knowing that it's cloudy above every day I start out, then I cry my heart out.

How could I have been so foolish, thinking Lorenzo was anything other than what he appeared to be? I wanted to believe he was different, that underneath his charming facade, there was a heart that beat just for me. But I was wrong, and now I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered dreams.

I let out a sigh, closing my diary and tossing it aside. The ceiling above seemed to blur as tears welled up in my eyes. I could still see his smile, hear his laugh, and feel his touch. And despite everything, I missed him. I missed the way he made me feel special, even if it was all a lie.

"Casual," he said. Yes, because it was casual when he said I was the prettiest girl at Hogwarts. Oh wait, not just Hogwarts, but the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Of course it was casual when he kissed my finger when I accidentally cut it while turning a page. And it was casual when he said he couldn’t spend a day without talking to me. Or when he told his friends he couldn’t meet them because he was going to the lake with "his girl." He called me his fucking girl.

Cause fuck it, I was in love. And fuck him if I can't have us.

My phone lit up. I grabbed it and rolled my eyes when I saw what it was—a notification that he added a story on his Instagram. I had turned on notifications for him back when I was crushing on him.

It was a song. Not just any song, but the same damn song. I started to think this was the doing of Engelbert Humperdinck maybe promoting for a new project.

My heart dropped as I opened it. The lyrics were: "So, if you see my girl please send her home to me. Tell her about my heart that's slowly dying."

I sat straight, my eyes widened when a message popped up on my screen with his name.

Lorenzo: Does Engelbert Humperdinck have any song about fucking it up so hard and trying to fix it?

[frantic-fiction]

Happy Birthday

(Gif: Alistairs)

Prompt: The gang throwing Spawn Astarion and Redeemed Durge a joint birthday party 😭

Credit to @bauldersgrave69 for letting me use their idea. Hopefully, you like it.

Astarion x F!Reader (Mostly Gender neutral but reader does wear a dress)

Warning: None. No spoilers just durge's memory lost and violent tendencies. This is pretty much pure fluff.

Word Count: 3.1k

It's been almost a year since you found yourself aboard a mindflayer ship, forcibly shoved into an adventure - one with life-changing choices. Choices that left you with a family not bonded through blood and torture, but one of trust, acceptance, and a chance to change something in yourself that you didn't fully comprehend when you woke up in that pod.

And the most important piece of the puzzle is currently walking next to you. As close as appropriate in public, moving away from the waterfront, Astarion would occasionally drop kisses on any exposed skin he could reach. But for the most part, he was content to hold your hand in his, just happy to be with the love of his life.

It was your date night. After the chaos had died down, you and Astarion had established this weekly tradition. Neither of your previous lives before the tadpoles allowed for much personal exploration or relaxation. The dates aimed to help take back both the agencies that had been torn away violently by cruel masters.

It was Astarion's week to choose the activity. He decided to push his boundaries just a bit and go dancing - not the stifling ballroom dances Cazador demanded be performed during various public events. No, Astarion wanted liveliness, drinks, and a wonderful band.

So, he bought a lovely pale yellow sundress from a stall by your apartment and added his personal style, ending with a beautiful garment - swirls and intricate patterns embroidered as accents. Donning himself in a dashing doublet, dark greys, and black accented with a similar shade of yellow.

The blushing mermaid was brilliant, the band jovial with pounding drums, and excellent lute and violin playing. Drinks were shared until heads were fuzzy. It took a bit for Astarion to work up the courage to dance, but he quickly offered his hand. The moment it was offered, your drink was down, and with a flushed face and a smile, you took his hand and pulled him to the dance floor.

The rest of the night was spent spinning and dipping until you were dizzy. You had never really danced, and if you had, that memory was lost and not worth finding. At times, you would stumble into a spin or out of a dip, but Astarion was always there to make sure you stayed on your toes with a firm hold.

When the energy of the night waned down and the band began to play a slower tempo, Astarion didn't hesitate to pull you flush against his body. His coolness was a pleasant contrast to the stuffiness of the mostly crowded tavern.

Astarion bent down to kiss you below your ear, whispering, "I don't think I will ever run out of thank yous."

"For dancing with a handsome man, I can say it was tiring but I'm having fun." The word is still a foreign concept, but one you and Astarion have become incredibly good at together.

"Yes, this night has been the best dancing I've done in years." You card your hand through his curls; his hand trails the curve of your spine. "But my thanks go beyond tonight, with you, my love. I have felt - you see I..."

Words seem not to be able to grasp what Astarion wants to say. So, he simply smiles and captures your lips in a kiss. Not everything needs words to express.

****

"My sweet, I believe we forgot dear Evelyn's oranges."

You had just entered the neighborhood where your house resided. It wasn't anything big; neither you nor Astarion liked the idea of a big space with rooms that would stay empty and cold.  

Thankfully, you came across Miss Evelyn, a sweet elderly gnome who owned a multifamily home. Her son had sadly died when the Absolute took Baldur's Gate. His wife and child went back to her parents, leaving Evelyn with a lot more space than she needed.

Astarion and you rented the upper portion of the home. The rent was cheap and you wish to pay more, and when you tried to explain just how much wealth you could spare, Evelyn shut it down immediately. She said that her price was fair and all she needed to make it for herself.

There was no room to argue after that, so you and Astarion took it upon yourselves to help her in any way she would allow - like getting oranges.

"I'll run out early before she wakes. Eve won't even notice."

"If you try to throw me on the chopping block again, I will not be making any cookies for a month."

"You would never!" You gasped, clutching your chest in dramatics.

"Don't tempt me, darling; I can be very stubborn." He said this, holding the gate to the property for you.

"Star, you know how her disappointed look makes me feel," the gravel crunched under your feet, the porch light to the house breaking through the dark.

"Yes, well, you'll just have to hope she made her bedtime." He kissed your cheek smugly and walked ahead, taking the stairs two at a time.

His shoes hit the wood boards of the porch when you heard, "Oh good evening Evelyn dear, I do have to apologize; my love completely forgot to get you oranges. By the time I realized their mistake, the vendor was already gone for the evening."

Handsome fucking asshole. Hands bunched up the skirt as you followed up the steps. He is going to have quite the time having any post-date fun with the way he's playing.

Making it to his side, Evelyn's in her chair, a basket of walnuts beside her. She didn't say anything for a moment, leaving only the crickets. Grabbing a walnut, she placed it on the table and slammed a hammer you did not see, cracking the shell before popping the flesh into her mouth.

"I figured, you two never get the things I want when it's your date night. Whatever, just get them tomorrow; your visitors gave me these walnuts so I'm not too bothered." The words were jumbled between almost toothless gums and walnut bits. A few pieces flew outwards with trails of spittle.

"Visitors?"

"Yeah, that little ragtag group you got. The bald one gave them to me. Told me something about 'Boo' thinking it would be polite since I let them break in and all."

Astarion and you met eyes, confusion reflecting each other's. Why was Minsc here?

"Did you plan something?" You asked.

"No," Astarion quickly turned to Evelyn, " I hope our little friends haven't been too much of a bother. Have a wonderful evening, my dear. Your oranges will be in your fruit bowl come morning."

He grabbed your hand and made for the stairs to your floor. Evelyn simply grumbled "They better be, pointy," before slamming the hammer down again.

You started to pull Astarion faster up the remaining stairs. But as soon as you reached for the door, Astarion halted you with an arm snaking around your middle. His mouth captured yours in a kiss, fast and heavy before you could even speak.

You melted. It's automatic, instinctual. You sigh carding you finger in his hair tugging on the roots. The orange incident quickly forgotten and the heavy annoyances with it. Not even the question of why your friends have broken into your home during date night mattered. His lips were gone too soon.

"I don't know about you, my sweet, but I believe our little weirdos have been very rude to us." He breathed into your ear before giving it a nibble. You nodded slightly, pulling his face to your neck. The he scrapes his fangs against you throat and you gasped

"I think they should have learned by now that I like to keep you to myself at night. And on our lovely date night, where you have been teasing me all night with this garment."

He pressed your back roughly against the door. The hinges whined against the force. You kiss him again, feeling his leg press between your legs. "And how am I to know that I shouldn't be ravishing you right here against this door."

"OKAY, OKAY. WE GET IT, ARESHOLE. DON'T INTERRUPT DATE NIGHT," Gale yelled.

"Maybe the next time we think about doing something nice for you two shits, I'll remember to bring earplugs," Wyll followed.

Astarion stepped you both back fully on your feet. "Maybe this time they will finally learn." Placing one last soft kiss on you cheek, he fully pulled away and moved to open the door.

You couldn't say what you had expected to see walking into your home. But this was not it.

Bright colors of balloons cluttering the floors, strings of paper tossed haphazardly around your living room. Your dining table is scatered with wrapped gifts and a frosted cake.

Each of your companions stood, all staring at Astarion and you, a mixture of disgust, excitement, and boredom (though that was mainly Lae'zel, who stood brooding in the farthest corner with a purple cone on her head). Oddly, they all had pointy hats tied to their heads. Even little Boo.

Scratch, who with all the excitement of seeing all of his friends back at his home, had begun to use his as a chew toy. Minsc pleaded with him to stop and seemed to be having a three-way conversation between the dog, Boo, and himself.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Karlach screamed as if the words had been burning in her mouth for hours. This had each and every one of your companions repeating the same phrase.

The shocked and confused looks Astarion and you shared must be very evident because Wyll was quick to jump in. “You both shared with us not knowing when your birthday was, so we’ve all decided what better time to celebrate than the start of our journey.”

This had Astarion's hand tightening in yours, his posture stiffening. Your heart hammered against your ribs, tears brimming over, trickling down flushed cheeks.

You don’t deserve this. The little voice echoes, the same voice that chokes you at night when you lay crying in Astarion's arms as he helps you calm from a panic attack. These people. This beautiful, caring family you stumbled upon was too good for such a broken, tainted person like you. To even think about this, planning a party with cake and presents simply to celebrate you and Astarion just living another year.

Him you understand; you had already been silently planning something similar for him for months. But it’s Astarion. The man who saved you, the one who reminds you each day that you are loved and safe and no longer the puppet of a cruel god. Yes, Astarion deserves to be celebrated and showered with gifts and affection. But you? The same person whose hands are stained so red with blood you still can’t comprehend the full extent of your depravity. No, you don’t think so.

"Well," Astarion’s voice cracks, and he takes a shaky breath, clearing his voice. "I guess being the center of attention for the night should make up for postponing my plan to bend my beloved over the cou-"

This snaps you out of your self-deprecation. You clamp your hand over his mouth loudly saying, "Thank you guys; this is… well, this is just perfect."

You rip your hand away when you feel the wet glide of Astarion's tongue and the scratch of a fang. "Seriously," you groan, wiping your hand off on his chest before stepping away and walking up to give out your first of many hugs.

****

"You cheated, you fucking bastard!" Astarion points accusingly over the coffee table, glaring at Gale. "I can sense a spell; you're not as clever as you think, wizard!"

You rub his arms, silently telling him to chill but shooting a glare of your own at the man. "Not to mention Karlach is not a very good actor," you say bluntly, causing the tiefling to scoff in offense. "You know I love you, Kar, but you have never been a good liar. Gale, if you won't play by the rules, I won't be responsible if Star gets violent."

Getting up from the couch, you peck Astarion's cheek and collect the pile of dessert plates. Astarion stands to start his turn of charades, beginning to mime out his word as Gale, Wyll, Karlach, and even Lae'zel tries to guess. Though Lae'zel only seemed to guess various ways to harm an enemy.

Minsc has himself in a deep talk with Boo. The two sat close to the bay window where Halsin and Jaheria had found themselves in a game of chess. By the looks of it, Halsin was winning, and Jahiera was none too happy.

Placing the dishes in the sink, you quickly wash the cake crumbs and frosting off. You carelessly toss each on the drying rack, Astarion always hated when you did dishes always complaining of the many chips you keep putting in the ceramics. 

Once done, you walked up to Shadowheart where she was dividing the small pile of presents into two.

"Thank you," you said softly, catching the half-elf's attention. It had come to light that Shadowheart had been the one to bring the idea up. "This has been more than I ever expected."

"We're family," was all she said. And you guessed it was all that needed to be. Just a simple act of love for two people in a large, slightly dysfunctional family. You move automatically, practically tackling Shadowheart into a hug.

"This means more to Astarion and me than we'll ever be able to express." The two of you don't mention the hoarseness in your voice. And if Shadowheart felt a few tears drop on her collar, she doesn't say.

She simply hugs you back just as tight. Once you break away, Shadowheart calls for everyone to gather for presents.

It's a novel concept to open gifts while everyone stares on, waiting for expressions of happiness and thanks. It's awkward, and both Astarion and yourself share the feeling of being out in the deep end. But it's kind of fun.

You open boxes to find books and painting supplies (a hobby you picked up after you saved that rather stuck-up painter from the Zhentarim last year.) But the best is a medium-sized portrait of the party together, something you've been begging everyone for months to do. It's beautiful, and you are already thinking of the perfect location to hang it up.

Astarion receives new embroidery supplies, a shiny new dagger, and a small box. It's black velvet, and when he opens the hinged lid, a plain-looking copper band sits in the middle of a makeshift pillow.

Never one to hold his tongue, Astarion cheekily says, "Oh how quaint, look at this darling; doesn't it look just like the magic ring the tiefling boy tricked you with."

You shoulder him, and he laughs. "Actually, it's a bit more magical than that little trinket; we went to a lot of trouble for that thing, so hush," Jahiera scolds.

"Oh then please regale us with the story of this mysterious gift," Astarion smirks.

"They call it the Sunwalker's gift. It's a rare magical artifact that protects a person from light sensitivity," Shadowheart says.

It doesn't process for Astarion right away, but your breath instantly catches. You freeze in shock; how in the hells did they find this? You thought it was just a legend.

"Gale got a lead, and long story short, it's real, it's here. Fangs, you can walk in the sun mate." Karlach smiles bouncing on her feet, her flames flickering a bit brighter in her excitement.

"However, it's not perfect. You can still succumb to some effects of your hypersensitivity. But the ring should allow at least a solid 8 hours of sun exposure." Halsin quickly adds.

Astarion doesn't take his eyes off the ring. His pointer finger smooths over the tarnished band. He swallows dryly, blinking back tears as quick as they come. "This… this" he's lost for words, and no one rushes him. They all know. "Thank you, will you excuse me?"

He's gone before anyone can react. There is no judgment; everyone knows strong emotions are not something Astarion can process anywhere but alone or with just you.

"This is amazing. I'm pissed you didn't let me in on this surprise, but from both Astarion and I, thank you all." You motion for a hug and they all pile in. 

Astarion doesn't return, but no one expects him to. The party wraps up quickly after that; everyone says their goodnight and departs into the night. You lock up the house and retreat to the bedroom. He sits by the window, staring out into the silent city. He's shirtless, his pale skin ethereal in the moonlight. The ring dances across his knuckles absentmindedly, his chin in his other hand.

You make your footsteps purposefully loud as you approach the vampire. Your hands snake themselves around him, caressing his smooth skin of the chest. He catches the ring and turns his face to meet your eyes. You push some hair out of his eye. He's been crying.

"Hey handsome," you smiled, kissing his lips. He turns towards you. Pulling you on to his lap and cups you face. There's no rush to the dance of your lips. Just soft brushes and tongue caress. You pull away panting. 

"Gods, I'll never get tired of this."

"Good cause I'm quite smitten with you." You grab his hands, taking the ring from his palm. You slide it onto his left ring finger, the magic tightening the metal to fit perfectly. You press a soft kiss to it sliding off. "Now come; I want to cuddle."

He helps rid you of your dress, slipping on one of his shi in replacement. You both slide under the sheet, Astarion pulls you onto his chest, strong arms enclosing you. Your head is tucked under his chin. He presses a kiss to your hairline whispering I love you.

You play with his hand, taking it off and putting it on each finger, watching it shift to fit each one. It was quiet for a while. Both of you are just soaking in each other. 

"Our family," Astarion says quietly, his chest rumbling under your ear. You drop his hand and look up. He has a look of pure love. "The term has been one that has only caused me pain for 200 years. To think I would find a new one that could contest 200 years of shit is…pleasant. Something I didn't expect to have again"

You smile brightly, grabbing his face and pressing your lips back onto his. "We really lucked out, didn't we. Now how about we get some sleep, and in the morning, we go get Evelyn's oranges together."

He doesn't say anything for a moment, just running his hand down your spine, stopping at the swell of your bum and back up again. He kisses you again. "There is nothing I'd like more."

Feedback is welcome and always makes me smile, hate does not! Have a nice day, cheers!

[foreingersgod]

Hii can I request juju Watkins x reader where they go on a cute date in the town

Date Night . JW

pairing: juju watkins x reader

synopsis: juju takes you out for your birthday :)

A/N: i’m pretty sure juju is from LA (to my knowledge) so that’s where this is taking place, thus the beach and all of that. that’s what came to mind so i’m sorry if it’s not exactly what you meant by ‘downtown’ !

NOT PROOF READ

I know there's lots of love in your heart

But, who you gonna give it to?

a warm summer breeze nipped at your bare skin as you walked down the cracked sidewalk. your hand was intertwined with your girlfriends, her thumb rubbing at your knuckles soothingly. her body, one that towered over yours by several inches, bumped into you playfully while she guided you through town.

it was your birthday today and juju insisted that you go out and do something for your special day. before you had met her, you didn’t really care much for your birthday. being the center of attention was never your thing and making a whole celebration about yourself didn’t seem amusing to you. but then you started dating juju and you learned very quickly that that mindset was going to change.

you had been with her since both of yours’ freshman year of high school and every birthday since, she would put together a special day just for you. you could tell, just from how much she articulately planned your birthday, that she had so much love in her heart, and it was all for you.

I'm sure there's lots of guys that you see

But, I swear they're not as cool as me

she was everything you had wanted in someone; your best friend, the best girlfriend, she was all you needed. and you meant it, you had been together for 4 (going on 5) years now and she still managed to make you feel like the only girl in the world.

like tonight, for this particular birthday, she took you on a small date downtown. while it might not seem like anything remarkable, it meant more than anything to you.

downtown was were juju had asked you out on a date for the first time. when you guys went out on a friday night with your mutual friends group and she pulled you aside. the two of you stood underneath a single street light when she nervously played with her fingers, working up the courage to ask you. it was where you had your first date, too. she took you to the movies at the center of downtown, she knew it was one of your favorite things to do. and it was where you shared your very first kiss. when it was a brisk spring evening and she was driving you home, but she was too eager and pulled over off the side of the road. she took your face into her hands and leaned over the driver seat to kiss you right there and then.

it might sound silly to most people when you would say the bustle of downtown was your favorite place, but it was true. every important moment with your girl happened right in the center of it all.

Girl, I can take you where you wanna go, if you wanna ride

We could watch a movie, hit the beach, or just chill and get high

“where are we headed to now, hm?” you looked up at her, grinning from ear to ear. your hair movies slightly as another waft of wind rushed past you.

the sun was in the early stages of setting in the distance. past all the old and worn down shops and enormous buildings, the sky was illuminating a lovely shade of pinkish orange. it reflected perfectly on juju, her beautiful skin quite literally glowing. you didn’t want to look away from her, she looked absolutely exquisite as she turned her gaze down to you.

“well we just finished the movie so i thought,” she looked upwards to ponder “we could go to your favorite ice cream place and walk down to the beach?”

you nodded in acceptance, releasing her hand and joining arms instead. you wanted to be as close to her as possible.

your favorite ice cream shop wasn’t far from where you currently were, but it did give you some time to enjoy a small walk through town. as you continued your evening stroll, you watched anything that caught your eye. you pointed out cute articles of clothing through store windows, telling her she would look so cute in them. you’d look at the other cute couples enjoying the busy nature of downtown on a saturday because you loved to people watch. you’d laugh when juju cracked a joke, always the corniest ones because she knew they would make you fold over giggling. the ice cream shop was nearly forgotten as you were entranced in your girlfriend’s company.

soon enough it appeared around the corner of a brickwork building. it was small and built with tattered white boards, the inside shining a warm light and displaying a few strangling customers.

“what’re you gonna get this time, baby” she asked, arms folded and looking at todays flavors. juju, no matter how many times you came here, never knew what kind she wanted. you on the other hand, knew exactly what you were gonna order.

“i’m thinking cake batter, tonight” you pointed out to her “what about you?”

“how does cookies and cream sound?”

“good, but it’s your ice cream not mine” you chuckled.

“yea, but you always eat some of mine anyways” she smirked, side eyeing you jokingly.

you rolled your eyes back, cheeks heating up with a rosy blush. she knew you too well. it was true, you always managed to sneak bites of her ice cream after finishing yours first.

“yea ok whatever” you said as she kissed your cheek in a false attempt to apologize.

once the very polite employee finished scooping your ice cream, juju paid despite you trying to put your card into the reader. not only was she not about to let you pay on your birthday, but she’d never take you out somewhere without rightfully paying herself.

cones in hand, ice cream dripping down the sides, juju led you out of the parlor and back down the street. this time farther, heading down to the beach. you were almost skipping with excitement as you dragged her down the sidewalk.

And we can do whatever you wanna do

Ooh, oh, oh, oh

sand piled in between your bare toes, samoa warm sensation to the bottoms on your feet. you both kicked off your shoes and socks to abandon them on the concrete as you raced each other to the shoreline. your ice cream was half gone by the time you reached where the icy water met the dampened sand, sun now even lower than it was before. the two of you made yourselves comfortable on the sand, sitting side by side with your knees pulled up to your chests.

“how’s the cookies and cream?” you questioned, taking the last bite of your waffle cone.

“really good,” she took a small bite of hers “…you want to try it, don’t you?”

you licked your lip’s teasingly, leaning over to her to try it. she laughed, scolding you for taking too big of a bite (like you always did). but she didn’t care, she’d let you eat the whole thing before she’d get mad at you.

when the ice cream was finally finished and your hands were still faintly sticky, you scooted closer to juju, hips touching and her arm instinctively wrapping around your shoulders. you let your head fall against her shoulder and nuzzled into her collarbone. the sounds of the waves lulled you into a state of relaxation as you both sat in welcomed silence. it wasn’t often you got a spot like this all to yourselves so you enjoyed the quiet while you could.

you felt her lips press a kiss to the top of your head, her breath hot against your scalp. eyes fluttering closed in satisfaction, you hummed, sitting back up to steal a real one from her. your lips caught hers gently, sharing a sweet kiss. her hand found its way to your jaw to cradle it carefully as she pulled you in even deeper.

“d’you have a good birthday?” she exhaled, looking into your eyes deeply. she asked that every time and you answered just the just the same.

“i loved it” you beamed “the best day ever”

she ran her fingers through your hair suddenly, preventing the wind from dragging it into your face, “i’m glad, i love you so much, YN”

“i love you, too” you resumed your heads position on her shoulder, sighing constantly as you overlooked the perfect ending to the perfect day “so much”

Baby, I want some of your love

Your love (your love), your love

Baby (baby), can I have some of your love

Your love, your love

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶

A/N: this was a little rushed but i hope you like it <3

[kokabeeeel]

"do you remember our first kiss?" sam asks one day; the two of them curled up together on one of the reading chairs in the library.

he doesn't expect dean to remember his first kiss, but theirs must mean something at least.

"sure i do." and sam hates the way that he's surprised; hates that after all this time he still finds things to doubt his brother on.

he plays it smoothly: tightening his grip on dean's hip - the good one even though he will pinch dean's bad one when he's getting on everyones nerves - and pressing his head further into his shoulder. "that's cool."

"did you really think i wouldn't?"

sam knows every part of dean; all his mannerisms and quirks, how there is no fooling him because dean knows sam just the same.

sam still shrugs his shoulders though.

"sammy." he can't find himself to look dean in the eye, even when dean tilts his chin to face him, he closes his eyes. "look at me, please baby."

he caves, because he always caves when it comes to dean. he's weak.

"it was the middle of summer in 'nighty-nine; you had been sixteen for two months." it was; he had been, it had all felt like a late birthday present. "dad was working some case, so you and i were stuck in some motel in hermann missouri."

sam scrunched his nose up as he recalled the mysterious stain on one of the beds, and the way the entire town stunk of sausage twenty-four seven.

"it was pretty bad, wasn't it?" he's glad that dean feels the same way about that small town. thinking about it, sam doesn't think they've ever gone back there.

"we were sitting on one of the beds, you were complaining about how your bed was the one with the stain, how we should swap - which then turned into how we should share." dean shakes his head but sam can see the fond smile on his face. "you were so dramatic; throwing yourself onto my lap, hands over your eyes, kicking your legs-"

"i was not kicking my legs!"

"oh, yes- yes you were, sammy, almost hand to grab them to keep you steady." sam groans, because yes whilst he was being dramatic and throwing a tantrum only a teenager can throw, he certainly wasn't doing that. "oh, i'm sorry, i thought we were going down memory lane."

he feels the kiss dean leaves in his hair; tiny fourteen-year-old sam who just discovered his feelings for his brother swears to never wash his hair again. "you can skip that part."

"fine, fine, princess." we warms with the nickname. "as i was saying, you had thrown yourself onto my lap, and although your hands were over your eyes, i could've sworn you had started to cry." he had been.

"i felt bad, you know, felt as if i wasn't doing a good job at being an older brother."

"you called me annoying."

he felt dean chuckle before he heard it. "well, if the shoe fits, sammy."

"just carry on with the story, jerk."

"you interrupted me, bitch." and sam supposes dean has a point. "can i continue, or are there other points that need correcting?"

"you were skipping details, de, i thought you said you remembered it." sam can tell by dean's hold on him tightening that he knows sam's being a tease.

"i'll show you remembering."

sam stops him before their lips can meet. "i was promised a story, de." it almost gives sam whiplash how much it reminds him of being five and begging dean to read him to sleep.

"tease." dean whispers against his lips and sam only smiles. "blah blah, thought you were crying, yada yada yada, i pulled your hands away from your eyes and i just- i can't explain it, sammy, but it was like all those moments in romance movies where: time slows, the people around them begin to blur until it's just the two lovers, that filter comes into play... it was all that and so much more, squashed into one feeling."

sam recalls the butterflies that entered his stomach as he peered up at his brother, only to see him looking down at him.

eye contact.

"i called out to you, i said: 'sammy' and you nodded." dean's voice had been so soft back then. "you nodded and then i asked you-"

"have you kissed anyone before."

dean nodded his head. "and when you said no, i asked: 'would you mind if i was your first?' and you just smiled at me."

"well, i had been in love with you for two years at that point." because he had been; at least two years he had been conscious of that love.

"i didn't know that, though, so i asked you again- i kept asking you."

"until i pulled you down by your collar and shut you up."

"yeah, yeah you did."

"the fact i still have to do that."

"now hang on a min-"

gripping dean by his collar, sam turned his head so he could connect their lips.

feeling dean smile, sam returned it; it made it hard to kiss but there were plenty of other times they could get hot and heavy, this was just a simple trip down memory lane.

[toomuchracket]

you would cook, i'd do the nappies (birthday party!matty x reader smut)

honeymoon. babymaking. need i say more? enjoy <3

“shit, shit, matty, i'm close, m'so fucking close - oh, fuck!”

your husband groans happily into your core, hands latched onto the sides of your shaking thighs, dragging you back and forth over his face to catch the last of your orgasm. you release your grip on his hair, softly carding your fingers through it as the aftershocks subside, and release your thighs’ grip around his head; matty quietly says “nooooooo” when you climb off him and lie back down, and laughs when you roll your eyes.

for a couple of minutes, the two of you do nothing but peacefully lie side by side and catch your breath, listening to the ocean and the call of seabirds outside. once he's regained his, matty rolls over and rests his head on your bare chest, kissing the soft skin between your tits before he speaks. “morning, wifey.”

“hi, my love,” you pout your lips, and matty meets them with his own immediately. the tang of your own arousal on his lips makes you beam. “thank you for the lovely start to the day.”

“i should be thanking you, darling,” matty kisses you again. “letting me pull you onto my face when you were still half-asleep and all.”

you smile bashfully. “like it when you wake me up like that, baby. you know,” you can feel your cheeks burning. “you could wake me up by, like, actually fucking me, too, if you want.”

matty tilts his head to look at you properly. “really?”

you nod. “i think starting my day full of you would be the ideal way to do so.”

“christ,” matty buries his face into your chest - when he reappears, his pretty face is stretched into a shit-eating grin. “yeah, you're just desperate to be full of me, aren't you? i remember what you said last night, sweetheart.”

“oh my god,” you cover your face in your hands.

“ah! don't you hide from me, mrs healy,” matty pulls your hands from your face and takes them in his own, smiling; his love for you is evident in those beautiful eyes of his, and his excitement to finally be married to you is even more evident in the way he says your shared name. “it was hot as fuck, you telling me you want me to get you pregnant. i want it too, darling - starting a family with you has been a dream of mine for a long time, you know.”

“yeah?”

“yeah,” matty kisses your nose. “a kid that's half you and half me, the best writer and the best frontman in the world? they'd be messianic levels of cool. and good-looking.”

you cackle, stroking his cheek with the side of your finger. “you're an idiot, you know that, yeah?”

“but i'm your idiot.”

“too fucking right, baby,” you beckon matty up to you with your index finger, wrapping your arms around his shoulders and connecting your lips to his. he kisses you back eagerly, whining into your mouth when you bite his lower lip and soothe it with your tongue - his hips begin to grind down into yours as the kiss deepens, want for you clear as the september morning itself. smiling against matty's lips, you reach for his left hand and the cool metal band on his ring finger. “you're mine, and i'm yours. forever.”

“fucking love the thought of that,” matty moans into your open mouth. “fucking love you.”

“i love you,” you whisper, moving your hips up to meet his. “and i want you. please?”

“shit,” comes the gasping reply - much to your irritation, though, matty’s hips slow to a stop. “i wish we could, baby. but we've got a brunch booking to get to.”

you whine. “but you've already eaten!”

matty laughs. “but you haven't! and you need to, darling - can't have my wife not being properly nourished, can i?”

“ugh, fine,” you frown; it drops from your face, though, as you look at your husband's rock-hard dick and an idea pops into your head. “can i have a starter now, though? promise i'll be quick.”

he smirks in response, shifting to lie back against the pillows with his hands behind his head. “by all means, sweet girl.”

***

humming happily, you lean your head back to rest on matty's chest, turning it to look up at him lovingly. “god, you really do have very talented hands.”

“well, i try,” matty pecks your lips, moving said hands from between your thighs so he can wrap his arms around your waist. the warm water of the bath sloshes further over your body as he does. “can't keep them off you, to be honest, sweetheart.”

“good. i don't want you to,” you sit up slightly, moving onto your knees to face your husband, beaming when he moans softly at the sight of your bubble-covered chest. his hands find your hips and pull you close to him - you both laugh at the way your knees slide on the slippery bottom of the bathtub, laughs that fade into a contented silence as you look into each other’s eyes. you rest your arms on his shoulders. “i love you.”

“i love you, my perfect girl,” matty presses his lips to your forehead, then to your own. “shall we get ready for bed now?”

“you're tired?” you giggle, tracing little patterns into your husband's shoulders. “s'pose it has been a long day.”

“no, i just want to take you to bed.”

“then take me,” you smile. matty opens his mouth to say something, but you beat him to it. “yes, that was a deliberate double entendre. who do you think i am?”

matty drops his head and nuzzles it into the crook of your neck; he drags his tongue up it, kissing over your jaw and cheek so he can whisper in your ear. “you’re my wife.”

the combination of matty's words and sultry tone send shivers careening across your body. has anything ever been so erotic? you doubt it.

“fuck,” you whine, hands clutching at the nape of matty's neck and at his side. “yeah, let's go to bed, baby.”

“whatever you want, wifey,” matty kisses you sweetly a final time, releasing his hold on your hips. “stand up for me, please, darling.”

you oblige, using him as leverage to move off your knees and blushing when he looks up at you and says “yeah, i like this view” - matty only laughs and pulls himself up to stand, leaning in to kiss you quickly before stepping out of the tub. he holds his hands out, and you gratefully take them as you step out too. the next little while is spent drying off, which really equates to you and your husband pressed up against each other while wrapped in a single plush towel, tenderly rubbing the other's skin and languidly making out. you've been desperate for matty to fuck you since he woke you up this morning, and these acts of intimacy - of pure love, actually - have you aching for him.

still, though, you prolong going to bed with him; once the two of you are suitably dry, you detach yourself from matty. “you go ahead through, baby, i need a second.”

matty's eyes fill with concern. “you alright, darling?”

“yeah, i'm fine,” you nod, smiling. “can feel a spot developing on my chin - just need to look and see if i packed spot gel or not, so i can put it on before i get… preoccupied.”

he giggles. “the realism of domesticity and married life. amazing. i'll meet you out there, sweetheart.”

“see you in a second, lover.”

a final wink, and matty leaves you alone in the bathroom, closing the door behind him. as soon as it clicks, you crouch and reach to the very back of the cupboard where you've stashed your skincare and makeup bags, not stopping until your fingertips make contact with a smooth cardboard box. carefully, you lift it over the bags, catching your spot gel with your middle finger and lifting it out too - you might have fibbed to matty about the main reason you stayed back in the bathroom, but you weren't kidding about the spot on your chin - and laying everything in your hands on the countertop.

after quickly applying the spot treatment and washing your hands, you lift the lid off the box and pull back the layers of tissue paper inside, revealing the most delicate piece of lingerie you think you've ever seen. it's new and custom-made for you, ivory-coloured and beautiful; the thong and babydoll dress are mostly silk, with ribbons for shoulder straps and a soft chiffon skirt-thing that does absolutely nothing to protect your modesty. you love it dearly, and you have a sneaking suspicion that matty will too. 

he's also going to some effort for tonight, it seems - while you slip into the lingerie, you hear him connect his phone to the sound system in your villa and shuffle through his intimacy playlist, and it makes you smile. when he finally settles on otis redding's these arms of mine (a favourite for slow dancing in the kitchen at home, and also for subsequently having sex on the table), you take a deep breath, pull the claw clip from your hair, and step into the bedroom.

matty doesn't look at you right away, sat at the end of the bed tapping at his phone (likely queuing more songs of this ilk to soundtrack the romantic evening you have ahead of you). but you don't mind, not in the slightest; it just means you get to look at him undisturbed, freshly-tanned skin almost glowing in the dim light of the bedroom and curls made wilder by the steam from the bath. his wedding ring catches the light as he reaches to put his phone on the bedside table, and the sight of it sends a flush of lust right through you.

he's so beautiful. and he's yours.

“hi, darling,” matty starts as he sets the phone down, still not looking at you. “d'you find the- fuck me.”

you giggle as your husband looks at you and your outfit for the first time - half because of his swift change in conversation, half because the way he's looking at you is so overwhelming. 

those eyes of his are filled with nothing short of wonder. it's like you've entranced him, actually. matty makes no attempt to move, or speak, or even blink until you've wandered over to stand in front of him; only when you softly cup his jaw does he move - to smile - and speak. “i am, without a doubt, the luckiest fucker on the planet. look at you, sweetheart.”

“you like my outfit, then?”

“like?!” matty scoffs. he brings his hands to your hips, sighing happily when you card your fingers through his hair. “it's beautiful. and it's so sexy. you look like fuckin, i don't know, aphrodite or something.”

you chuckle, leaning down to kiss his head. “thanks, baby,” you straighten up, and matty's gaze doesn't leave your chest for a second as you do. “oi, healy, my eyes are up here.”

he goes bright red - god, you love that you still have the ability to fluster him - and grins. “sorry, healy - fuck, i love saying that to you - but they were right there! what else was i meant to do? you know i'm obsessed with them.”

“well, do you want to see them now?” you say, hands moving to the ribbons on your shoulders.

matty laughs. “you're eager tonight, wanting to take your pretty outfit off as soon as you put it on.”

“mmm,” you kiss him, pulling back just as his tongue starts to swipe at your lower lip. “just been thinking about having sex with you all day. m'needy.”

“believe me, i know - two orgasms already today, and you want more?” matty tuts, but he can't keep the smile from his face. “don't worry, gorgeous, you'll get them. gonna give you everything you want, my love.”

“everything?”

you don't specify exactly what you mean, but matty nods slowly in understanding anyway, a small smile on his pretty face. without breaking eye contact, he lifts the skirt of your dress up and kisses your bare stomach. “gonna put a baby in there tonight, sweetheart.”

fuck.

“promise?” you say, shakily, breathily, legs on the verge of giving way from the plentiful desire striking between them.

“promise,” matty nods, still pressing gentle kisses to your belly. his hands move to the backs of your knees, tugging you forward to straddle him. “but i think we should do it again tomorrow, just to make sure. and the day after that, and so on, etc etc. you'll be flying home pregnant, i'll make sure of that, sweetheart.”

“hope that won't be too much of an effort for you,” you tease, giggling when he blows a raspberry into your neck - it turns to a full-on cackle when matty leans back and rolls you both over, caging your body into the mattress and continuing to blow raspberries into the bits of your exposed skin that he knows are ticklish.

“nah, it's a treat when you've got a wife as beautiful as i have,” your husband pulls himself up slightly to look in your eyes. there's nothing but love in his gaze, and you know yours is the same. “can i tell you a secret?”

“ooh, yeah.”

matty kisses you deeply, a proper head-spinner of a kiss, before murmuring against your lips. “i love making you cum.”

“that has got to be the worst-kept secret of all time.”

“well, let me tell you another one, then.”

“alright.”

another kiss, less gentle than the last; matty takes your lip between his teeth, dragging it to release as slowly as honey dripping from a spoon. “i really want to make you cum now.”

“again, obvious,” you pant out, body tingling with want. “can feel how hard you are, baby.”

matty laughs breathily, rolling his hips into yours almost as slowly as he released your lip. “and i can feel how wet you are. maybe we should take that pretty underwear off before you ruin it, yeah?”

“and then you'll ruin me?”

“of course, darling,” matty giggles, kissing your nose. “will you shuffle back and get comfy on those pillows, please?”

you nod. “d'you want me to take off my dress first, or…?”

your husband thinks for a second. “may i?”

“of course,” you smile. “just pull the end of the bows on my shoulders, and…”

“obsessed with that. you're like a little gift i get to unwrap,” matty beams. “well, you're already a gift. but you know what i mean. anyway,” he giggles excitedly as he undoes the straps of your lingerie, then moans softly when it falls down enough to reveal your chest. “fuck, you're so hot.”

“back at you, gorgeous,” you wink. “now - please get me naked and get inside me, baby.”

“as you wish, my love. what is it they say, again?” matty’s brow furrows in thought as he carefully pulls your dress and thong down - tapping your hip so you can raise it and he can slide them off - and lays them at the bottom of the bed. “happy wife, happy life?”

“yeah, think so.”

“well, mrs healy,” matty grins, leaning down to make out with you again and wrap your legs around him. “i'm about to make us both really bloody happy.”

you moan when he slides the head of his dick through your folds, gathering the abundant wetness. “sounds good- oh.”

“christ,” matty hisses as he slowly pushes into you, your body rearranging to welcome him home. he smiles down at you once he's bottomed out. “feel fucking perfect, as always.”

“shhhhh,” you giggle, hiding your face in his neck. “you know i can't take compliments. but,” you smirk. “i can take you.”

matty laughs, throwing his head back before kissing yours. “yeah?”

“yeah.”

“well, in that case,” your husband pulls his hips back, almost fully leaving you, before thrusting quickly back in. you sigh happily at the feeling, and matty smiles. “feel good, my love?”

“perfect,” you breathe out, dopamine clouding your brain more and more with each precise thrust of matty's hips. a particularly pointed one has you keening. “oh, do that again, please.”

“this?” matty repeats the movement, over and over, groaning when you cry out and clench around him. “fuck, sweetheart, m'gonna cum if you keep doing that.”

“good.”

he smiles. “no, not yet, it isn't. wanna get my sweet girl off again first before i fill her up.”

there's another gush to your core. matty notices, of course, and laughs slightly deliriously. still fucking you borderline-animalistic, he leans down to take one of your nipples in his mouth, dragging his tongue up your chest and neck so he can talk directly in your ear. “you like me talking about that, darling? how i'm gonna pump you full of me, get you all sticky and dripping, with a baby in your belly? my baby? our baby?”

every muscle in your body is taut with pleasure; your throat is so constricted that you can barely speak, but you manage a whimper. “please. want…”

your brain is too cloudy to finish the rest of the sentence. somewhere in its recesses, you worry that matty will give in to his slight sadistic streak and make you finish it, but luckily, today, he understands. of course, that might be because he's just as fucked out as you are - he certainly looks it, eyes black and heavy, jaw slack, a sheen of sweat glistening on his pretty face. he's gorgeous, though, and he smiles shyly when you tell him as much. “i love you, my girl. gonna make you cum soon, yeah?”

you nod enthusiastically, softly reaching up to caress his face with your left hand. matty turns his head slightly, still fucking you, and kisses your rings, those pretty signifiers of the two of you belonging together and to each other; you smile as he does. “love you.”

“you're so fucking cute,” matty kisses you passionately. his leaning forward lets him thrust deeper inside you, and he moans into your mouth when you suddenly jolt and clench like a vice around him. “that the spot?”

“yeah.”

“in that case, then…” matty leans even further forward, quickly detaching your legs from his waist and resting his elbows beside your head. incongruous with the feral way he's driving his hips into your own and hitting that spot inside you, your husband tenderly brushes your hair from your face and smiles. “feeling good, darling?”

“so good,” you lift your head to kiss him, teeth sinking into his bottom lip in reaction to a particular thrust sending shockwaves through your nervous system. “m'getting close, baby.”

“good girl.”

shit. your eyes roll back in ecstasy at the phrase, and you cling to matty in a wordless plea for him not to stop. wordless, because your jaw is shaking too uncontrollably from the electric pleasure in every nerve ending on your body for you to talk. he knows, though.

and he knows exactly how to blow the fuse. “taking me so fucking well, sweetheart. will you cum for me?” matty coos, fucking you impossibly faster and deeper, dragging whines from your lips. “need to feel you, darling, need you to cum on my dick like a good girl and make me cum, make me fill you up with our baby. you'll do that for me, won't you? cum for me, so i can get you pregnant?”

you will. and you do, so quickly after the words leave his mouth that it would be embarrassing if you weren't so in love; your entire body tenses, so hard your muscles will surely ache tomorrow, and then releases. your limbs quiver, flailing wildly against the mattress, and your chest heaves as you cry out your husband's name. he cries out yours in reply, before crashing his lips onto yours, still erratically fucking into you even as you feel him spurt hot cum deep in your cunt.

matty all but falls on top of you once he's finished, your sweaty, satisfied bodies breathing heavily in rhythm. neither of you make any attempts to move for a while, aside from you gently stroking the back of his head and him pressing soft kisses to your collarbone - neither of you dare, lest you let any cum spill out of you instead of doing what it's designed for. you like being like this with matty, anyway, as physically and emotionally connected to him as possible, and you know he loves it too.

he's the first to move, though, lifting his head to kiss you softly before sitting back up onto his knees as best he can without slipping out of you. “i love you.”

“i love you too,” you smile sleepily, stretching your arms with a yawn. “loved that. i think babymaking is my new favourite kind of sex.”

your husband laughs. “same, definitely,” he smiles, manoeuvring your legs so they're at a 90° angle to the rest of your body. “can i stretch your legs back a little bit, sweetheart? think it'll be the best way to pull out but still keep my cum in you.”

you nod, pulling your legs back enough so your backside lifts off the bed, while matty sucks air in through his teeth and pulls out. he grins. “that actually worked! god, i am so smart. right, let me just run and clean myself up

“ok, baby,” you smile as he speeds to the ensuite, sliding your hands under your backside to keep it up. giggling, you push it up and rest on your elbows in a sort-of shoulder stand. “feel like this is also quite smart, actually.”

matty peers around the doorframe and cackles. “you are literally doing gymnastics to keep my cum inside you, you weirdo.”

“your weirdo,” you tease, as matty comes over and carefully wipes the wetness from your entrance. he flops on the bed beside you, kissing your cheek. “but what can i say? i just really want to have your baby.”

matty rolls onto his side, stroking your cheek. “i want that too, darling,” he murmurs softly. “i really hope it happens soon.”

“i think it will,” you kiss him sweetly, then smirk. “if it's a boy, are we still naming him after you?”

“oh, fuck off.”

[coff-in]

heyhey!! may i req ashley with a fem reader? i may ramble here so please bear with me (reader and ashley are the same age)

reader and ashley were basically childhood friends, reader being the only person to actually give ashley a chance to actually be her friend rather than befriend her to try to get to andrew (which ashley was very wary of reader right from the get-go)

reader is basically known for being perfect and even "pure" by her peers back in highschool (and being a part of student council is no help) mostly due to her mother forcing her to excel and reader never really having much of an identity because of it

so it would be pretty scandalous for rumors of reader and ashley dating to go out, right? well, ashley fuels those rumors meanwhile reader tries to shut them down because reader isn't even out when it comes to liking girls

reader's mother is pretty disapproving of reader's and ashley's friend/relationship but the two usually sneak around to hang out anyways, mostly ashley

in the current game setting, reader is quarantined with the graves siblings since at that point, her mother stopped caring and viewed her daughter as a lost cause and is practically an accomplice in everything that happened

of course, with the quarantine, ashley and reader have gotten closer than ever before to the point that reader is questioning herself and her attraction to ashley

the relationship will be relatively toxic especially with reader likely being more of a doormat than andrew (somehow) and ashley's nature in isolating reader from friends and even her peers in general

notes from coff-in: this is actually such a cool idea, 'nonnie! i don't know to like, add on to this because it's just... it's so fucking good. you really cooked here :D still i tried my best, please enjoy!

[fem] reader-insert, homophobia(?)

holy shit, i think leyley would actually be so happy if [reader] actually came over to celebrate her birthday. even if [reader] wasn't able to bring her a gift, just her showing up to say "happy birthday, leyley!" would cause leyley to break out into a huge adorable smile!! the fact that [reader] actually takes the time and makes the effort to be there for leyley would make her like [reader]. [reader] is there for her, she likes to be friends with her. even having her sneak out of the house to hang out with ashley is so heart touching to her and enforces the idea that [reader] likes her. it also builds up that attachment to [reader] in ashley character.

i'm not too entirely sure how people in the neighborhood the graves' lived at react to gay people but... i'm sure it would be some sort of struggle being "outed" as gay when you yourself aren't even sure if you're gay or not. [reader] would definitely panic when ashley teases her about the rumors. "didn't you hear about them? everyone's talking about us~ about our relationship~"

"what?! what no! ashley, they can't-- they're lying!! we're not dating-- i don't even--"

"you don't what, [reader]? you don't like me? aren't we friends?? you're MY friend!!" omg the back and fourth the two go through of ashley pushing the boundaries of their relationship and [reader] calming her down after she (purposely) misconstrues her words turning ashley down. and it's so hard trying to dispel the rumors because yeah, they always hang out with each other (because ashley gets mad when [reader] tries to hang out with other people) and yeah, [reader] doesn't have many other friends outside of ashley (because ashley doesn't like to share :3c) AND NO, SHE'S NOT JUST FRIENDS WITH ASHLEY TO GET TO ANDREW!!

and GOD ONCE [READER]'S MOTHER FINDS OUT???? ashley knows all about shitty mothers, this is just another factor that she could use to keep [reader] close. it's an aspect that they can bond over!! they're both disappointing daughters to their mothers... kinda romantic, isn't it? it's like the only other that can relate is right next to them huh? (ashley's giving her smug bedroom eyes to [reader] while [reader] is like "haha... ha yeah, so true ashley canwetalkabout somethingelse?") THIS CONFLATES OR LIKE COMBINES WHEN THE QUARANTINE HAPPENS LIKE "WOWIE YOUR MOM DOESN'T WANT SHIT TO DO WITH YOU EITHER!!! we should kiss rn"

biggest question i have is whether or not andrew would like it or not? he's used to being ashley's rock, her anchor, the only one who loves her. and now [reader] comes along and... well, not steals her but makes her less reliant on andrew. ashley's always going to andy so it's not like andrew's leaving her (not like he wants to do so either) but there must be some tension or competition between him and [reader]. especially since [reader]'s taking his spot as "doormat extraordinaire" like bro!!! what the fuck!!! honestly such a fun idea to explore.

[reader] has nothing left but ashley. ashley drove away her friends in middle/high school, her mother abandoned her due to rumors of her dating ashley, and now she's stuck with ashley (and andrew) for three months. no one is calling the phone to talk to her, no one is trying to break her out, and no one is missing her. it's only [reader] and ashley (and andrew)

fucking love this idea, come here. let me kiss that wonderful brain of yours 'nonnie. MWAH MWAH MWAH!!!

----

coff-in

[dedeinthewild]

I feel so bad 'cause I just deleted the request, and I really really really liked it so I had so much fun writing and imagining it.

Thank you very much to whoever submitted it (and if you recognize your request I'm really sorry that I accidentally deleted your post) <3

arvid lindblad x reader, established relationship

~ "you're a guy, you just don't get it"

“Hey everyone, welcome to a day in my messy life,” the girl smiled into her phone camera, with a few bags of flour and a baking pan in front of her.

“Today I’ll decide as I bake if I want to make cinnamon rolls or focaccia. We’ll see.”

“You might be wondering when and why I’ll decide? Well, let’s call it the creative process.”

“Is that what you’d say in English? I have to admit, it sounds pretty cool.”

She always made these silly but sweet videos, filling her gallery with little clips where she smiled and chatted about her day while doing what she loved. It wasn’t about being glued to her phone, nor a desperate attempt to become an influencer, since all those vlogs stayed on her phone.

She and Arvid shared an iCloud, so every time she saved one of those videos, his phone lit up with a notification, telling him she’d stolen more space again. He didn’t see the point of filming himself cooking, drawing, or maybe taking the family dog for a walk when he was home, just to keep the video. For him, being in Prema had made video cameras and filming a way to connect with fans and do fun challenges, all with a clear purpose—something he couldn’t quite understand about the casual clips she recorded.

“You’re a guy; you just don’t get it.”

“And? Should I throw on a dress and wander around complaining about my hair?”

“That’s you to a T, dumbass,” she laughed, tossing one of her stuffed animals from the bed at him.

“Ouch.” Arvid pretended to rub his arm as if she’d actually hurt him.

“Direct hit,” she grinned.

Arvid flopped onto the bed, only his feet visible in the frame, still wearing his old plaid slippers that he used at home. His face was buried in the pillow, one arm wrapped around her torso, holding her close.

The London summer meant he could wear short sleeves and keep the window slightly open to catch the sounds of the street below. As the sun set on that late afternoon, he thought about how she’d never been the kind to like taking pictures or having her picture taken. So it was even stranger for her to make videos so casually, narrating little things as if she were the star of a teen TV show.

“You’ve got a nice smile in those,” he observed.

She often filmed horizontally when walking, from above, or from precarious spots where the phone was bound to fall—as evidenced by her battered and worn case. She turned to look at him with a playful scrunch of her nose, gazing into his dark eyes.

“Let’s talk serious matters,” she said, sitting up on the bed and crossing her legs under her.

“Oh god,” he sighed, teasing her.

“Where are you gonna be next week?”

“Here.”

Arvid was always so concise, so sure, it made her shake her head every time.

“No deals or meetings?”

“I hope not; it’s my birthday.”

“You say that as if I don’t already know!”

He laughed into the pillow, turning over to get a better look at her as the light from the window highlighted her and her accent thickened as she spoke.

“Did you know?”

“I’d kill you if I could.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I absolutely would.”

The driver raised his eyebrows, with a few defined curls falling over his forehead.

“Maybe I wouldn’t,” she smiled.

A week after that conversation would be his birthday, which he would celebrate, as he did every year, at his favorite restaurant with close family and a few chosen friends. As always, no one ever knew what to get him because he was one of those guys who was nearly impossible to buy for—he either had everything he wanted or was impossible to read. Not because he was picky, but because he was mysterious about what he truly liked. Still, she knew that beneath his sarcasm and confidence, he was soft-hearted.

“So, always the same?”

“Good steak and chips,” he said, arms crossed over his chest with one of the stuffed animals he’d given her tucked in his arms.

“I never thought you’d be a creature of habit.”

“That doesn’t sound nice.”

“I just looked it up in the dictionary.”

Arvid burst out laughing, his brilliant smile flashing, his laugh filling the room.

She spent the following week perfecting her gift, hiding with her laptop wherever she could while he wandered around the house when not on video calls with his team. Since she was little, she had always loved making things by hand, creating little cards and trinkets for the people she cared about most. This time, to go along with the gift she’d gotten him, she’d had the best idea.

On Arvid’s birthday evening, as they were getting ready to go out to dinner with his family and friends, she pulled out her laptop, calling him over just as he was putting on a sweater.

“What?” he asked, stepping out of the bathroom with his cologne bottle in hand.

“I want you to see something before we go.” She smiled shyly, setting the laptop on the desk.

When she hit play, the opening screen showed Arvid’s face, looking suspicious yet amused, while she blended some ricotta with an egg to make some type of cake she’d seen online.

“That’s not it, that’s so not it,” she said, smiling.

The real Arvid, the one watching the video, furrowed his brows for a second, recognizing the scene and wondering what it had to do with that evening.

“Don’t trust her, whatever she does,” he said to the camera, making a quick appearance before probably dashing off to his simulator upstairs.

The rest of the video was perfectly edited, showing every appearance Arvid had made in her vlogs, from a little laugh behind her as she made coffee to a quick glance as he passed in the frame. She added some playful captions and memes throughout, and as she watched, she giggled to herself, noticing how often he wandered into her videos with one of his classic lines.

“Sift the flour?” one of the Arvids in the video asked, holding a wooden spoon and glancing at the recipe she was showing him, realizing they’d missed a step.

“Who sifts flour, duh,” the real Arvid shook his head, curls bouncing.

He glanced at her as the clips played and felt warmth spreading through him, realizing what she’d done for him. He knew, deep down, that she understood his true love language. Memories. Of him, of her youth, and the carefree life they tried to live between pit stops, ice cream runs, and metro trains making them pull strange faces.

He rested his chin on her head, watching the final part of the video, where she, bundled in a huge scarf, walked around London searching for the perfect gift for him, documenting each piece.

“Arvid’s a tough one, I have to be honest,” she smiled at the camera, with a light in her eyes that only travel seemed to bring.

“On our third date, we joked about the guy sitting next to us who was wearing…”

“A watch with a duck dressed like a police officer on it,” they said in unison, echoing the words from the video.

“And, well, that same night the police stopped me,” Arvid laughed, listening to her. “It was just a quick question, but God, it was scary.”

She raised a bag both in the video and in real life, smiling two different smiles but both so sweet and real they reflected onto him.

“You didn’t,” he said, sitting on the edge of the couch.

“Open it.”

Arvid slowly opened the brown bag from a small Camden Town shop, revealing a black box that contained exactly what he suspected: a watch with a duck dressed as a police officer on the face.

“It’s not one of those fancy Rolexes.”

“I don’t care,” he hugged her, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“I should tell you something,” the birthday boy said, smiling as he looked at her from his height.

She nodded, feeling his fingertips run through her hair.

“I always watch them.”

“You thought I didn’t know?”

Arvid raised his eyebrows, amused.

“Ollie sent me a picture of you smiling at one of them.”

And she was happy about it. Because if she loved his confident, playful side, he loved her clumsy, chaotic, and fun side, too. She’d given him a watch and spent hours editing all his little appearances in her vlogs, even though he’d always been sarcastic and skeptical about them.

Arvid was close to very few. But for those few, he was a completely different person than what the fans saw.

~ not proofread, I want to apologize again 'cause I'm clumsy and dumb lol

hope you like it :)

[tea-and-secrets]

.

(1)

I need to ramble about an ex friend real quick

Lets call him [RED] since that's not his real name but the similarities between him and this character are uncanny, and let's call me [GREEN] since that's my name.

So this guy. We've been friends since grade [REDACTED]. We've always been good friends. He's pretty cool, always been pretty cool. One day, in grade like [REDACTED], he just stops talking to me for some reason. Why, you ask!? BECAUSE HIS GIRLFRIEND CONVINCED HIM TO CUT OFF ALL HIS FRIENDS. but this isn't about his ex-girlfriend (boyfriend? Partner? Never bothered to update but I'm pretty sure his ex girlfriend was trans too). We managed to make up after that.

Anyway, we'd spent most of our childhoods on and off between this strange state of friendship and him not even acknowledging my existence. Grade [REDACTED] we were friends, grade [REDACTED] we weren't, grade [REDACTED] we were friends, grade [REDACTED] we were acquaintances, grade [REDACTED] was rocky but we eventually made up. And most of grade [REDACTED] was fine.

Then his ex started to say and do some pretty awful shit, including encouraging him to s/h. She was pretty horrible to me too, even when we were friends. Anyway, covid hits and we start losing contact, and then grade [REDACTED] starts and we're pretty much besties again since we never saw his ex again (where did she go?). We also met this one kid, who's gonna be important later on, who let's call [GREY].

(2)

Anyway, me and [RED] have a few more fights, and we end up in a low point. This is like the end of grade [REDACTED]. We're still friends, but it's not good. Me and [GREY] ended up getting closer over the summer, since we conveniently lived super close. [REDACTED] grade starts and me and [RED] get super close again, to the point of me confessing feelings for him that I've had since we met (Also confessing that I hated his crush (who let's name [BRONZE] since I'm an unoriginal whore), which leads to me never talking to [BRONZE] or any of her friends again, which i was fine with cause I'd always hated her), and he cuts me off for like an entire day or two or three. Which sucks, obviously, but we get over it and are besties. [GREY] and [RED] are also close, which makes sense.

Soon, me and [GREY] share each other's first kiss and start dating, and [RED] is PISSED. no clue why. So anyway, with a clueless little [GREEN] now dating a clueless [GREY], and a [RED] who seems to hate me and doesn't talk to [GREY], we end up having a fight that ends with me in tears and I do something that I very much regret (I set something of his on fire after school. Little [GREEN] was a pyromaniac -- i still sort of am).

Anyway, [GREY] forgives me since they knew that I was being impulsive and irrational, but [RED] is still not talking to me. Then, suddenly, the whole class save for [GREY] and my other best friend (Uhhh…. [CRIMSON], sure) starts hating me. Then, suddenly, the whole school. I ask [CRIMSON], and they (at the time she) tells me that [RED] had not only told everyone what I did, but also spread a shit ton of rumours about me. I was basically shunned from everyone and everything, until I had to move away later in grade [REDACTED].

Keep in mind, I was [REDACTED] years old when this happened.

(3)

Anyway, time skip a few horrible months, and I finally get in contact with [RED] again. He's convinced we're still besties, and by then I'd blocked grade [REDACTED] out of my head, so I start hanging out with him again, and invite him to my [REDACTED] birthday party. but for some reason he seems very uncomfortable with me. I ask him why, and it turns out that he's not comfy with how "friendly" I'm being.

Unbeknownst to me, I was acting like the end of grade [REDACTED] never happened -- which i was because i couldnt REMEMBER the end of [REDACTED] grade. So we have another fight, and we're basically never as good friends again as we used to be. We're still distant acquaintances.

Time skip another few horrible years, to about a month ago. During [REDACTED] grade, me and [GREY] had decided not to date, but we are still very good friends (occasionally with benefits). By now, [GREY] and [RED] are also friends. [GREY] gives me [RED]'s snapchat, and we start "chatting."

He asks me how I've been, and I return the favour. A few selfies. Some mutual updates on a game we like. He asks about school, and I tell him how junior high and high school had been since we last talked, since that's what you do. I ask the same, and he starts going off at or on me for - something?? I can't tell, but he doesn't seem happy.

Anyway, I don't answer his nonsensical rant, and he texts me a few weeks later "Hey, [GREEN], what's up??" So I, not liking him and now remembering why we stopped talking in the first place, again don't answer. A few days later, a lot of friends I had saved on snap from our old school had blocked me. Apparently, according to [GREY] at least, [RED] spread more rumours about me. His excuse? "Payback." IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO!! YOU CAN GET A NEW ONE!! You didn't have to make everyone hate me over it!!!

Anyway, yeah, we still haven't talked since then. I hate him and he hates me and I can't watch the character [RED] without thinking about him. It sucks, but I'm glad he's out of my life.

[maraschinomerry]

True to form I'm a day late but happy 10th anniversary to The Screaming Staircase! (And thank you Linnie for your post which reminded me this is a thing and inspired me to post my own)

Lockwood & Co as a show had been on my radar pretty much since it launched - it must have popped up on my Netflix at some point, and I already had a couple of mutuals posting about it. I saw and liked the gifsets with the spirit of "I don't even go here but this looks cool", finally in March I went "wait, why don't I watch this? There's literally no barrier beyond my own stubbornness" and thank goodness I did.

I still cannot get over how deeply I connected with the show, and the way it taps into everything I'd have loved at 13 or 18 alike and is equally enjoyable now at 25. The unabashed love shown between the Iron Trio is so refreshing and sincere, and it gives me hope for my own place within the group I've chosen as my second family. The world that Jonathan Stroud has constructed is amazing and I would love it wherever it was set, but like my other favourite shows/universe (Morseverse) being so intrinsically linked with Oxford that I can spend days there just wandering between locations I love that Lockwood & Co has a deliberate and well-established base in London. A few months ago I passed through St Pancras alone and was so ecstatic to be sharing in a little of Lucy's journey, and just last week I excitedly pointed out Sidcup on a station departure board when I was down there with my brother.

Of course, I couldn't talk about Lockwood & Co's impact without expressing my eternal gratitude to the show and the fandom for reigniting my creativity. I haven't finished it yet, but I'm further into The Screaming Staircase than I have been in a book for years. I'd been in the most intense artistic slump, having barely done anything creative in months, but then I was able to dedicate a good 10 hours to my Lockwood portrait and close to that on my unfinished George one, which in turn gave me the energy for other projects. In 2020-2022 I published just under 10,000 words of fic across 2 fandoms, plus about 2500 words earlier this year of one I'm still undecided on posting. In the 6 months since I started watching Lockwood & Co, I have written a whopping 46,610 words of published fic, with about 750 words towards some of the 12 requests I have yet to finish (side note: thank you so much to everyone who has been patient with all these unfinished requests, I know it's been months for some but I promise they'll all get finished eventually!) I cannot even begin to fathom that number - that's nearly 50,000 words, written entirely of my own accord, when by comparison my 3 years of essays for my degree probably amounted to a very forced 30,000 words. All that fic I owe to the beautifully characters created by Jonathan Stroud & brought to life by Ruby, Cameron and Ali, but I also couldn't have done it without the overwhelming support of everyone who has read, liked, commented, reblogged and requested. There aren't enough words to tell you all how grateful I am, and this post would be a mile long if I named everyone personally, but I wanted to take the time to thank some of the people who have made my experience so special.

@ettadear @givemea-dam-break @honey-with-tea @ikeasupremacy @marinalor @neewtmas @oblivious-idiot @personinthepalace @reckless-enough-serenade @tangledinlove @wellgoslowly @wordsarelife

If I've missed anyone important I'm so sorry, but I love you all and am so glad to have had this time with you! Happy 10th birthday to The Screaming Staircase and the wonderful fandom it's led to 🫶

Just reckless enough.

Love, Merry ❤️ xx

[hall0wedwyrm]

Minecraft Headcanons for the anniversary

Happy birthday to the biggest brainrot ive ever had.

I wanna share my own hcs for the Block People!! because I haven't escaped them in all of my conscious existance. I am required by law to also include Herobrine. Okay here you go <3

Steve is ancient. As the first mortal being, he's been around for a very long time and watched the world change countless times. They still find exploring very rewarding, as they're always finding new things.

think of the world as like... when you update the game and the unexplored chunks have the new content... its just like that.

Alex is not as old... but they are still very very old. As the second mortal being, they are not as experienced but they know a lot about the world. They're a thrill seeker, and they looove danger.

Steve still panics when they jump into danger, even though they have been together for centuries at this point.

Alex is a free spirit, but they also have their own comfort in their base and being in familiar territory

They're very much the kind of player who has the huuuuge main base with all of their mob farms and projects being close by or easily accessible, where Steve would just have their one home and expand accordingly (a room for... basically everything)

Now... Herobrine is like. THE Oldest Being. He literally made the Nether, and Mobs, which were already around when Steve first appeared.

I have this headcanon that Herobrine is the sibling of the End Poem entities? Where hes their cast out brother because he was 'messing with their perfect world' and they decided to put him in the world. He wanted there to be a challenge but they were having NONE of it

If you know Narinder from Cult of the Lamb... like that.

He got assigned as the ruler of monsters after the individual monarchs had acknowledged him as their Creator. He lives in the Nether.

He's currently working on his Overworld Mansion (i.e. Herobrine's Mansion if you remember) since his siblings presence has faded away, and hes jumping at the chance to adventure into the overworld. He's picked a spot thats nicely tucked away in a deep forest

Herobrine originally believed that Steve was made to be a mockery of his new form, but ended up getting attached to them instead.

He then met Alex and they unintentionally swept him off his feet. They were a very fresh breath of air in his life and he appreciates them greatly.

He thinks Steve is okay (Hes obsessed with them).

Yeah... i'm a Hero/Steve/Alex shipper. I'm also the enjoyer of Steve/Herobrine and Alex/Herobrine as stand alone items too... basically im very open to any variation of this ship i just love them together lmao.

Herosteve enemies to lovers

Hero is Pan, Alex is genderfluid bi and Steve is demiboy bi there you go

I love masc Alex... but i do also like Alex being buff and fem.

Although i do love they them Steve a lot too... maybe at somepoint Steve tried just they them and was like 'this is kinda cool and also i dont mind either'

The newer characters (Noor, Sunny, Ari, Zuri, Makena, Kai and Efe) have built a community spot together. They're like a smp server where they announce "hey guys I'm heading to the mines anyone wanna join?" and there ends up being a little team who heads out.

Alex and Steve are the cool mentors who visit sometimes and help out. Alex brings cool trinkets and rarer items while Steve provides extra blocks and food.

Steve's advice is shit but Alex is actually pretty good at it???

"You just gotta go find it" vs "Oh heres a detailed explanation of how to find what youre looking for"

Herobrine is the 'creature that hangs around in the shadows sometimes' and watches over them. He's not malevolent towards them, so they assume he's somekind of protective force

Ari and Sunny saw him first, and Kai n Zuri did not believe them when they told them. Efe though it was cool though, but Makena didn't leave their safe area for like a week until Noor reasoned with her and said it was probably nothing.

okay yeah im doing part 2 for this with world building headcanons and for the other guys because i made basic ideas for my interpretations of them but this is kinda long already

[danceofthephilos]

Langa Hasegawa Character Intro & Chiaki Kobayashi Interview (spoon.2Di vol.71)

"Right now... I'm having fun!"

Langa Hasegawa

"S" Name: SNOW Birthday: February 8th A returnee* transfer student from Canada, and a high school second year who's always spacing out. He sometimes shows a stubborn side.

(*note that "returnee" here refers to a child with Japanese nationality through their parent(s) who's come to Japan after living elsewhere, but includes children who were born overseas - this doesn't imply anything one way or another about if Langa was born in Canada or Okinawa.)

Chiaki Kobayashi Interview

—When you were playing Langa, what sort of direction did you receive from the staff? What did you consider important to your portrayal?

My own impression of Langa is that he looks cool at a glance, but is an unexpectedly expressive and aggressive boy. So when we were recording the first episode, I played him really lively, like he could keep up with Reki. And then in direction I was told "we want him to be more spaced out and out of touch", "he should go at his own pace without discussing things with Reki." Moreover, that as the story progressed from here, he'd gradually show more expressions. I think it was exactly because I received that direction that Langa began to come to life as a character to me.

—In episode 5, Langa has his first BEEF with ADAM. Could you give us your impressions from when you were performing, and tell us how you perceive what ADAM is to Langa?

I think, to Langa, ADAM is someone who can show him sights he's never seen before, and can teach him a kind of excitement he's still never experienced first-hand. So, when I was recording episode 5, he pursued him without any negative feelings like fear or worry he could lose. But because I got direction that I was coming on too strong and it felt like Langa would win from the beginning of the race, I had to be conscious of the balance between being overwhelmed when he was supposed to be overwhelmed, but still chomping at the bit. I was really overjoyed to be able to talk everything until now out with a great veteran on the front lines like Koyasu-san. (laughter)

—Episode 6 turned out to be a really fun episode. What were your impressions and memories from recording?

We, the cast, will enjoy ourselves! After this, we're over the hill! That's how we got through it. (laughter) The episodes right before and after this were particularly hard, so this was a pretty extreme difference in intensity. But thanks to this episode, we were able to deepen the camaraderie between the characters, and dig into each character in more depth, so I think it was a really important episode.

—Are there any other scenes in the story so far that have made a lasting impression on you, or episodes you remember recording the most strongly?

Episode 2 made a lingering impression on me. Episode 2 was an important episode that really condensed Reki and Langa's deepening relationship and the joy of skating. Episode 1 was still the episode where they first met, so Reki and Langa weren't really opening their hearts up to one another yet. But in episode 2, they're dealing with the same things, they're sharing their "fun" with one another, and gradually start to get along. It was an episode without a race in it, but I think it's this episode that really solidified Reki and Langa's friendship. On top of that, because the episode's crammed full of things that beginner skaters go through, people who've never skated before can have the sense that they're growing alongside Langa, while experienced skaters can have a taste of nostalgia and think "I used to do that!", so I thought the composition of the episode was amazing.

—Is there anything coming up in the story that you thing we should pay close attention to?

I think you should look out for the outcome of the tournament, that everyone will be staking their hopes on when they compete, and what will happen to Reki and Langa. Of course the main draw of a tournament is who's going to battle who, and which pair is going to end up competing in the finals, but underneath that, there's an intricate web of human relationships depicted from all sorts of angles that you can't tear your eyes away from. I think you'll enjoy it, even when it's heart-wrenching. (laughter)

—Finally, please send a message to all our readers.

Will Langa go down the same path as ADAM? What will happen to Reki and Langa's relationship? There are a lot of things to be anxious about, but please keep watching over those two! The staff and cast are working together as one to do our best to show you those things, so please keep waiting with infinite anticipation! I think there will be more and more developments unfolding that you won't expect. Thank you, and enjoy!

(from spoon.2Di, volume 71 - February 2021)

[five-nights-at-whoopees]

Meet the Characters: Part 2

So, I decided to focus this on a background character! (mostly since they will show up again, but of course- I'm not sharing everything-)

I'm honestly doing this for @skippudippu who sent the first ask, and with that being said- let's get right to it!

Howard Weinerman had been Randy's best friend first; before Ellis had come into the picture, Randy and Howard were to the hip- they had met through a playdate set up by their parents when they were still pretty young. Life had almost felt like a dream back then when Cunningham foolishly believed the folktales of a hero in the ancient days of Norrisville.

"I'm going to be a ninja," Randy had declared with the same level of enthusiasm a young child could have. He was beaming, grinning at Howard who just slightly rolled his eyes at the other's antics.

Life had been so much simpler back then.

Of course, Whoopee's Pizzeria opened- it was still being established as a new restaurant and everyone was in awe over its technology; animatronics weren't exactly common yet, and Howard found himself being dragged over there by Randy who was ridiculously fast for someone his age. In the end, it had become almost tradition to go there with the Weinerman's as Randy's parents were almost always busy- too focused on their work to notice their own children.

Howard only really cared about the food, but he also found himself in awe with the band; maybe one day he and Randy could form their own band- it would have a cool name, and they would get to perform and have their own songs and everything! That was how things should've gone, in some other life.

When Ellis came into the picture, Howard was admittedly a little miffed but Randy still made time for them both- and going to the pizzeria was part of their routine, he liked it. They would play the games, win some prizes, and wait until they could go again but then that day happened.

It had been Randy's birthday.

Howard and Ellis knew just how excited he had been- to bring them to their favorite restaurant and watch the animatronics perform, but then things got weird. Really weird.

He remembered faintly Randy telling him about a cool new mascot that had something special planned, and he didn't recall if he went with him- he does remember the color yellow, that it had looked shiny.

Only the next second, Randy and some of their classmates - Bucky, Julian, Rachel, just to name a few - were gone. They went missing. Despite the attempts to find them, they just vanished without a trace, and Howard felt like his entire world was spinning.

This couldn't be happening.

Randy would return. He had to come back.

Only Howard didn't quite understand, that Randy just couldn't come back; the friendship he had with Ellis completely fell apart- they still saw each other every once in a while, but it wasn't enough. He didn't want to see Ellis.

He wanted Randy, and as he got older- the reality of the situation hit. He became angry at the world, deciding to shut people out; he wouldn't let himself get fully close with anyone ever again. Nothing could fill the empty feeling in his chest, nothing could change the fact that his biffer was just gone and the rumors that he and the other kids simply ran away was nothing short of a mockery.

He managed to pass his classes; he began frequenting the Game Hole, knowing it was something Randy would've enjoyed- he picked up playing Grave Punchers and the other video games- fighting games, imagining he still had Randy beside him. (it was all a lie- Randy just wasn't coming back)

Leaving high school, he almost contemplated getting out of Norrisville but he just couldn't- and soon enough, he became a game developer; he still was angry, but at least he knew how to do business, and people were of course, fascinated- the younger crowd especially.

Howard continued life- it's not like he had any other choice, but then Debbie came around, asking questions: if he remembered anything from the day Randy went missing. He denied everything - he has weird flashes sometimes, faintly recalls a weird smell but before he can figure out what it is- it vanishes. He wanted answers.

Debbie is a news reporter- she's a professional journalist now, and she gives him an offer.

After that, things are never the same...

(If only he had known the web of lies and dark secrets, it would come to unfold)

[kookiecrush]

Jokers living up to their names and doing it in an alternate reality as usual. 😂 I'm sorry, but it's so pathetic to come to a Taekooker blog after Jimin makes a birthday post to brag about Jikook thriving and Taekook "giving" us nothing in the time of solo era/2023 when there have been more significant Taekook moments than any single year since I started following their story in 2016. We've seen Jikook together four times when we know they were filming company content, and Weverse/TikTok interactions...and that's pretty much it. Taekook is Thriving™, so I can see why they'd want to swap narratives. Multiple confirmed hang outs before leaving on trips and after arriving back in SK (including when Tae was only back for a couple of days in between schedules), Paradise Hotel, Busan beach late night, bowling (multiple times confirmed), attending a musical, the Dream premiere, arriving late to Yoongi's concert together and leaving together, wearing the matching sweetheart shirts on the same day despite Tae being in SK and Jungkook being in LA at the time which is one of the most insane boyfriend things they've ever done, Tae sneaking into Inkigayo to support Jungkook's first solo performance there, Jungkook proudly wearing the Wooga ring which tells us he has officially been folded into Tae's closest social circle in a significant way and of course his closest friends have been outspokenly supporting his bf's hit song including Bogum and one of Tae's best friends from high school. This is just what I could think of off the top of my head, my mind has actually been blown by how much has happened in the last year. Everything makes sense given what I believe to be the nature of their relationship, I just feel incredibly blessed. Never expecting anything, but always grateful for what they share. That's where I'm at. I've actually never been more sure of them. I don't give a single f about who posts what on social media, I never have. They can call each other. Taekook literally live within walking distance of each other. They can hang out whenever they want without anyone knowing, and I'm sure they do. Being boyfriends and all. I just think people in the fandom in general are unaware of a lot of what Taekook do because I remember seeing posts after the Dream premiere from ARMYs saying "I feel like it's been years since I've seen them!" And some people very intentionally try to avoid seeing what they're up to together. It's cool. You just look like an idiot when you come to a Taekooker blog and say nonsense like what that anon sent. 😂

They love to come and brag on taekook blogs, and it really is pathetic. Any little j*kook interaction is seen as another chance for them to get "one up" on us, which is very immature. It's not a competition 🙄

You're right. There have been PLENTY of pretty significant taekook moments this year, but j*kookers are blind to them as usual. Even with all the taekook going on, j*kookers still claim it's a "dead ship."

To be fair, as I said before, we don't always know when the members hang out with each other, so j*kook could quite possibly have hung out together more than what we already know, but certain comments from them, and the fact that they haven't known each others schedules or what the other has been doing recently makes that seem more unlikely. And j*kook filming company content is not a "romantic outing," despite how much they want it to be 🤷‍♀️

I think taekook makes them feel insecure at times, which is why they try to diminish their interactions. There's no denying at this point that taekook are incredibly close (romantic or not) and that they spend a whole lot of time together. If j*kookers are really as unbothered by this as they say they are, why are they always so desperate to rub any little j*kook moment in our faces the second it happens?

You listing all those taekook moments really made me realise just how much taekook content there has been in the past 8-9 months! They really are thriving. Taekook don't have to DO anything for me to keep believing in them, but they keep showing us in little, subtle ways where their priorities lie. "Never expecting anything, but always grateful for what they share" is such a great way to put it. I don't expect anything from them. I'm not entitled to their private life or relationship, I just enjoy observing their love from afar.

I think a lot of the fandom is very unaware of the extent of taekook's bond and their interactions. We look for and notice things about them that they never would. They don't pay attention to noises in the background of their lives or them wearing the same t-shirt on the same day. Most of what makes us believe in taekook isn't common knowledge amongst army because if you're not looking for it, you won't see it. They're not exactly flaunting their relationship. I do feel like they leave us a few clues every now and then, though 😉

[farharbour]

soooo as i suspected i was too busy to do anything fun for my babygirl (jesse) for his birthday (TODAY!!!) and i won't have any time today to do much either since it's cookie baking day BUT i still wanted to share some fun character progress & development stuff w/ him from the last 5-ish years 💞

my first ever art of him (2018) -> baby's first cingefail re-design (2019) -> another re-design, pretty close to what i settled on (2022) -> another re-design (mid-2023) -> the same thing only without the scar because i didn't like it & the one i'm sticking with because i love it and i love him (late 2023)

he was originally named james and was my self-insert cis-sona LOL and i already made a post recently about how developing him helped me not be so scared and come into my identity as a trans man (and i made jess trans later on too as a radical act of self-love or whatever) so i won't go into that again. he is my favouritest guy ever truly

i changed his name in 2019 and was workshopping his design until this year actually, i was never really happy with how he looked until recently. i'd never say he's truly a self-insert these days even though i joke about it still hehe.. he's his own guy now but i still like to put a lot of myself in him for old times' sake (my mental illness, love of cooking, etc.). i took a little inspiration for his personality from some of my favourite books; 'white noise' in particular helped me develop this idea of how powerful a narrative it could be for him to have this almost obsessive preoccupation with death.

i want to talk a little bit about 2022 jesse too because he is so very special to me but it's less relevant to who he is as a fallout character. i wanted a death stranding oc and just decided to slot him into that uni too NGJGHFDFG i'll put this bit under a cut since i'm sure not a lot of you are particularly interested in that.

anywayyy thanks for letting me share my guy with you all and thanks for appreciating him <3 and if you don't idk why you read this post but that's fine too i guess 🐜🎒

ok SO his 2022 re-design came from adapting him into the ds universe and even tho this is under a cut it's still SO self-indulgent so i won't get too deep into it. he was like. "evil" i guess? he was with the demens and i paired him off with higgs (they met when they were teens after jess accidentally killed his brother and ran off from his family's preper shelter) but he was still not really into the killing and the terrorism stuff. but. when you love someone and it's toxic yaoi sometimes you overlook things like murder y'know

he and higgs were linked by a set of chiral rings that higgs made for him. they gave him a sort of healing ability that basically boiled down to him shaving time off of his own life to give to someone else in the form of healing wounds, restoring blood, etc. and that transfer was done thru chiralium. or something. i never really gave that bit too much thought LOL what was most important to me was that he died mid-way through the story of the game and he never crossed the seam because higgs, in some desperate attempt to control death, crudely mummified his body with tar so his body never decomposed or became a bt. so he was kind of. stranded (heh). on the beach. and the pair of them link up again after higgs gets exiled.

maybe i'll share a bit more of this when ds2 comes out and i get to think about him & that world some more but for now that's it ok cool

[artemisrogers]

Can you do James x Kirk smut? 😘

Of course. I thought of the cutest idea for this. This takes place Hardwired to Self-Destruct era

Happy Birthday Surprise James Hetfield x Kirk Hammett (rough foreplay, dressing room sex, edging and body worship)

It's Kirk Hammett's birthday and James and Kirk have been together for 2 years now. So why not surprise your boyfriend with semi public sex in your dressing room?

I played out the last cords of Atlas Rise and the crowd went wild. I smiled loving how the crowd responded to us and shot a look at James, my heart racing a little. We've been dating for about two years now but I still have fluttering in my chest every now and then. Of course James had the fans sing happy birthday to me.

We headed backstage and I handed my guitar to my guitar tech, thanking them as always. I headed to the dressing room James and I shared and splashed some water on my face to cool me down. James came in his boots clunking on the floor, and wrapped his strong arms around my waist.

"Happy birthday baby."

"Thanks James." I said a smile on my face.

James went to go and changed into his casual clothing. I couldn't help but stare when he took off his black shirt and put on his Motorhead shirt and changed from his black jeans to his blue ripped jeans with his famous bullet belt. I knew I should change as I grabbed my white tank top but I felt James pull me flush against him. My heart fluttered again.

"You know I wanted to wait until we got home to give you your gift...but I can't wait Kirky." James said and I knew by the nickname he calls me when he's in the mood he was horny. Very horny.

I gasped when he bit down hard on my neck marking me. James growled in my ear as he pinned me to the wall. I couldn't help but moan as he kissed me like a starved man. I wrapped my arms around his waist and automatically submitted into him.

"Good boy submitting to Papa Het like the dirty submissive you are." James teased me as he pulled gently on my bottom lip.

I felt him grip my throat and squeezed enough to let me know who was in charge. My cock throbbing in my jeans got harder by the minute. James chuckled as he unbuckled my belt and pulled my jeans down. My red boxers showed just how much I needed him in that moment. A wet spot where precum started leaking in the front of them.

"J-James please."

"Not yet baby, not until I finish worshiping this gorgeous body of yours." James said letting go of my throat.

"Strip for me and go sit on the couch."

"Y-yes sir." I said obeying his every order.

I watched as he stripped down as well his tattooed body on full display for making me weak in my knees. I needed him so badly but I knew the ball was in his court. James walked to me and got onto his knees tracing his calloused finger across my smooth skin. I couldn't keep all my moans and whimpers in, especially when he left kisses or hickeys on my body.

"such a beautiful man. Nice little nipples on your chest."

Sucks on one of my nipples I dug my nails into his shoulders.

"Pretty tattoo."

Licked my tattoo and left a hickey on my lower stomach. I felt my balls get heavy and I knew I was close.

"James fuck Papa Het I'm so close!"

"Don't you dare cum yet." James said as he slowly stroked his own cock spreading the precum on his head.

I watched as he straddled me and sunk down onto my shaft. Fuck he was tight! I thrust my hips up to help him ride me. I nuzzled my face into his chest our breathing rough and labored. I wasn't going to be able to hold back much longer. Tears started to weld in my eyes threatening to spill.

"Shit I'm close! Oh ffuucckk!" James said as he shot his load onto my stomach and chest as well as his own. Of course that triggered my own orgasm and I shot my load inside of him. Both of us panting as he slowly pulled off cum leaking from his hole. I watched my soften cock leak some cum down the shaft as I looked back at James.

"You made my birthday ten times better Papa Het."

James chuckles as he kissed me deeply again and got dressed.

"I know I did. Now get dressed and let's get you home."