#but then wondered if perhaps that would be a little much

[bnyf]

baby you're my bunny ♡

╭﹕୨୧﹒ bunny boy x female reader

┊ warnings : yandere content and themes, unhealthy behaviors, relationship and relationship dynamic, slight body horror me thinks? slight horror, perverted yandere, non consensual touching, suggestive, uhhh that's it me thinks :3

╰﹕୨୧﹒ authoress note : so sorry if it's badly written also sorry if it ends weird :/

no survival instinct what's-so-ever. like... none.

but he was not complaining! it was just a mere observation. perhaps you were unaware of your allure, maybe you were not exposed to the cruel world yet, didn't know how sick people and creatures can be.

well for one... your little secret admirer was not one of those adorable bunnies you'd fawn over, nothing even close really. and no, he's not some cute boy with a bunny tail and some bunny ears. he's far from cute, a little scary actually.

humanoid? sure! typical bunny boy hybrid, uhhhh not really lol! he's mixed with human genetics but he's not quit. and for a bunny hybrid, he sure had a lot of predator instincts.

to put simply, he was an abnormality of mother nature. his lower half resembled a bunny whilst his torso and up is that of a man. his claws on his feet or paws or whatever are dangerously long, digging into the dirt whenever he walks, leaving behind a "too small to notice unless your looking for it" trail.

a muscular, lean build, biceps so perfect and manly hands to hold you down if you even ever think of escaping, awe how sweet of him <3

completely pale skin with small patches of equally pale fur in various spots, completely crimson, blood shot eyes and a pair of floppy bunny ears where any normal human's ears would be.

how did he even came to be? you may ask. well he was a normal boy, once upon a time. but one day, he'd gotten into a serious accident, a near death life experience. that day he could've hear the bells of heaven ringing in his ears but he wasn't ready to die, not like this... in his head he begged for more time, asking whatever god above to answer his prayers.

and yeah! his prayers where answered but, as they say, be careful what you wish for...

the moon goddess answered his prayers, but she also cursed him for it is the price he must pay to live longer.

"i grant you more time, as much time as you may need, but for as long as you roam his earth, your soul belongs to me and your purpose, is to server me," her voice rang in his ears like a bittersweet melody before he'd lose consciousness.

when he awake, he found himself in the mountains, he was a monstrosity of a man and dared not step a foot into society. he's to bare this curse and blessing till death.

he became easily bored and clueless as to what to do next, his every day life felt null and everything felt too much to bare. his eternity just began yet he dreads his mistake with every passing day.

"maybe, i should of just accepted my faith and die that day..."

with nothing and no one, he was left to wonder the mountain and serve the goddess by praying to her and tending to her shrine everyday, he's trapped to keep her energy going so she won't become a forgotten god.

(guys i made the lore up on a whim so bare with me even i'm confused right now :0)

anyways! everything drastically changed for our boy here when you and your family decided to move to the village nearby in the rural area, and live a peaceful life and just run a nice little farm hooray! hopefully, you don't get stalked and preyed on by a lonely scarily tall bunny male hybrid who looks like a utterly angelic, celestial eldritch horror, right?

all he could think about was a pretty girl had moved in next door and he just had to watch her from afar. most the villagers were very welcoming of you and your family, it was big talk because such a pretty girl had just moved in the small village and all the villagers wanted their sons or grandsons to get married.

it doesn't have much young people, mostly elders and young children and even less marriageable women. which is why you easily became popular, with everyone always gifting you things, begging you to marry into their family. they even had a town welcome celebration for you and your family!

he watched everything from afar. feeling a slight sting in his chest. jealous? already? of course he is, he wanted you all for himself. for countless nights, he just couldn't sleep at all.

he spent all his time admiring you from afar. the way he'd blush, his heart beat fastening, the gears in his head would just slow down a bit. gosh, he actually felt his heart warm so much it'd burn in his chest.

he wanted you badly.

you were his new source of entertainment, motivation and inspiration all in one and his mind was melting with how needy he started becoming.

"what the f- she's so kind and pretty..."

"i wanna hug her, wanna kiss her, feel her skin on mine, love her, fuck her."

"she can be my little bunny princess~"

"wonder what our babies would look like? i'm getting heated just thinking about it"

it didn't help much when he found out you adored bunnies and would play with them near the spring. fawning over the little fluffy creatures, hugging them and petting them. and when you held them in your arms and give smooches while rubbing your face on their fluffy fur?!?!?

that's where his obsession becomes almost to much to bare, his entire chest area felt so warm watching you treat those bunnies with so much love.

"everything about her is so perfect, i'm starting to crave her like crazy right now."

"wanna whisk her away, take her, lock her up and keep her all to myself."

his mind starts getting clouding with so many dark thoughts of you.

and so, he start pushing boundaries and going outside his comfort zone to appease his little appetite that consist of you. at night, he sneaks in to steal a closer glance at you and probably a few things so he can remember your scent properly.

the whole house was dark, the whole village asleep by the time it was midnight hour. he'd manage to get in somehow somewhere but when he did, he immediately went to your room.

finally. he could smell and touch you as much as he wanted, his mind was actually in ecstasy when he entered your room, your scent gracing his nostrils as soon as he did, and the poor touch starved male couldn't hold back on touching you various parts of your skin.

"how delightful, her skin is so smooth and her hair feels so good, she smells like flowers all over gosh so fucking perfect, i wanna devour her, drink her up, chew her, spit her out and do it all over again" with every slight movement you make and whimper scaping your soft lips, he can't help but hold back his own voice, he wanted to moan just by being around you, it felt so good.

after so long, why wouldn't it feel great?

to be around around someone for once, to feel the heat of another person's body, the sweet scent of someone else other than himself. he'd lay in bed with you, his larger self cuddling your smaller form as smells your hair, trailing his hands all over you.

he was getting ahead of himself.

it takes everything within him to not proceed and do something to you while in your sleep. his morals along with his sanity were drifting away more and more.

time flies by when you're enjoying yourself, before he knew it he had to leave before the sun raises. forcing himself he does but he also takes like 5 things from you.

"promise i'll return your belongings my love, i just need a little souvenir to help myself with."

the poor thing gets sent into an early heat after that little interaction. he's embarrassed a little but he really needs you, like he really does. and he thinks of ways of introducing himself but... he's a monster, you would run from him and be scared. and when that thought comes to mind it makes him... sad.

"if i'd die that day, i'd never meet her, never be able to see her, but now that i'm alive with the help of the moon goddess, i can't even act normal about her. it's like i'm truly doomed."

this realization was tough. it made him sick to think about. and for a while, he was just okay with sneaking in to see you, and holding your unconscious body but he wanted a lot more, and he wanted your acceptance and love. he wanted you to want him the way he wants you.

it hurt even more when he mistakenly glanced in the mirror only to see a 6 feet tall, half human half hybrid bunny with a deadly eerie looking bloody stare, stare right back at him.

the pale moonlight leaking on him, hitting his skin almost making it look silver.

"she'd surely fear me, she'd run."

he's such a beautiful tragedy. would you be able to appreciate that?

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY GALE DEKARIOS *  assorted dialogue from baldur's gate 3

is that... is that truly you? i thought i might never see you again.

i love you, more than i've ever loved anyone. and you've proven your love for me in more ways than even the greatest mathematicians would dare to count.

you licked a dead spider. dead spider. you licked it. that is something that happened.

i think we need to get you some air and perhaps have a long talk about unresolved childhood issues.

stop licking the damn thing!

i see the art of eloquence is alive and well.

i'm awed, impressed, and a little bit scared of you right now.

nothing like a brisk stroll through the forest to invigorate the spirit.

i've never wanted to kiss you more than i do now.

right now, i need nothing more than a kiss.

tell me you feel the same way. tell me you want what i want. please.

i'll always have you.

you really would prefer me as i am?

do you doubt me?

you put the stars to shame.

let's sit here another while - i want to drink you in.

there you are.

you led me down this path.

i don't know myself anymore.

all this... it's not who i am. around you, i'm not who i want to be.

you really are absolutely heartless, aren't you?

i was hoping you'd spare me a moment.

this seems as good a time as any for me to stop babbling on.

i think you're rather wonderful. and that's not a word i waste on anyone unworthy of it.

go. enjoy your evening.

i like that about you. it's one of your rarer qualities.

i promise we'll make it work, if you'll have me.

what are you doing? stand back! now!

i thought i meant more to you than a sacrificial lamb. clearly i was mistaken.

you've brought me right where i need to be. i have no right to ask more of you.

you're plotting something, aren't you?

i go where you go.

i'm telling you, this is a mistake.

don't worry too much. a handful of powerful spells go a long way.

hold on! it's not too late to settle this without bloodshed.

mercy is not your strong suit, is it?

well... so much for my previous sentiment.

the choice is yours. there's really no good decision to be made here.

i'll be delighted to see you try... from a safe distance.

how generous of you.

there has to be a way to stop this thing!

i have no desire to end your life. you know that.

i see the glint in your eyes. you've a strategy in mind. the same one as me, i'd wager.

well, now that we know what it is, i suggest we leave it well alone.

better be careful around here.

i'll miss you, friend. your companionship has been quite the education.

i won't lie. i miss our group.

don't worry, i'll handle matters from here.

i'm ready. are you?

we must discuss it privately.

have you lost your wits? you must not do this!

we can't afford to let that happen.

they say madness and genius are separated by but a hair's breadth. perhaps the same is true of madness and stupidity.

you make me sound like some preening peacock.

i'm taking notes. making observations.

you're adorable even when you're teasing me.

you know what, i think i've clearly had far too much wine. and you've had nowhere near enough.

don't worry about me. i'm quite content to enjoy the party from here.

don't let me drag you away.

that, my friend, must remain a secret.

i do hope you know what you're doing.

might be the wine talking.

why am i doing this?

i'm sorry it had to come to this.

i'm going to bed. perhaps this was all a mistake.

careful. you don't know what i'm about to ask.

kill me, and i'll destroy the city anyway.

i want it to be perfect.

stay with me a while, will you?

i'm in love with you.

i'm many things, but coy's not one of them.

listen, i need to speak to you.

i might need you to be more specific.

i regret many things in life.

we all have our burdens, one way or the other.

i am as honored as i am enamored.

i am not the only one who longs for you... yet you chose me.

my time is yours. what do you need?

tell me, what can i do for you?

you need me?

you look... comfortable.

[narcjsistx]

slightly suggestive, but nothing so big </3 ; actor kaiser au!!

actor!michealkaiser who almost wanted to burst into tears when he discovered that he would become the male protagonist of a dark romance, he who has always been extremely famous for his action films. he didn't even know how he got the role, since he hadn't auditioned... but maybe they took him because of his fame

actor!michealkaiser that as soon as he discovered his co-star, he seriously thought about leaving the project. you, who up until that point had never had a significant role in cinema, only an extra in a few films or minor roles. how did you manage to be the female protagonist of this film?!

actor!michealkaiser who at your first meeting on set, made fun of you for arriving 2 minutes late. this, for him, demonstrated your incompetence

actor!michealkaiser that reading the script for the first time with you by his side, he was surprised to see the myriad of passionate kissing scenes he would have to shoot. he knew it was a dark romance film, but he expected much less from the screenwriters... he was surprised

actor!michealkaiser that no matter how great his acting skills were, you couldn't get along with him. he annoyed you, he often scolded you for scenes, according to him, where you seemed "dead" and not a young girl in love with the boy who almost tried to kill her as a child

actor!michealkaiser who often stopped scenes just to tell the directors to change actresses, while you were still on set with your character's line on the tip of your lips, ready to say it

actor!michealkaiser who was seriously curious to see how you would shoot the scene of your kiss, your very first one with him. in the script it was described as a scene full of passion, almost liberating for both characters who until that moment did not know the truth about the protagonist's mother... but would you have been able to do it? you who did nothing but insult each other on set?

actor!michealkaiser that, at the first chiack, you didn't even manage to get to the kissing scene. you were too embarrassed, he was too in a hurry, wanting to finish the scene as soon as possible and go home to rest after 17 hours on set

actor!michealkaiser who, exasperated, slammed you against the wall of the set waiting for the director's approval. his hand on your waist, the other on your neck "either it works this time or seriously I'm going to start screaming in exasperation. use your damn tongue if it gets you more into character"

actor!michealkaiser that when the director finally gives approval to begin, it crashes onto your lips for the first time. surprisingly, this time you feel calmer, less rigid and much more professional... it's almost as if now, for the first time, you were both on the same level. he pushes his knee between your legs, as his character should do, but he feels so suddenly caught up in the scene that it's such a strange feeling

actor!michealkaiser who has no qualms about leaving red marks and bites all over your neck, perhaps a little out of character. his hands lift your thighs, and even if that's not in the script, you wrap your legs around his waist, cupping his face

actor!michealkaiser who suddenly almost forgets the people around, more amused by ruining you with his kisses and bites. both you and him hear the staff talking in hushed tones, but you don't listen either, too caught up in the moment and wondering why your body is suddenly reacting this way to him. why, suddenly, is it like you feel absolutely off set?

actor!michealkaiser who, throughout the scene, feels as if both your soul and your body are his. as if you were his. and damn, he likes it

actor!michealkaiser who is almost annoyed when the director says the scene is perfect and they can stop. you remain still in his arms, your heart still having to return to its normal beat as the other writers come closer "it seemed so real, as if you were really a couple. they made a great choice, when they cast you in the roles"

actor!michealkaiser who, when you're off set a few hours later, comes over and fixes your scarf "the way you responded to my gestures was interesting. you seemed so caught up in the moment" he says smirking, almost as if it were a joke. you take his scarf, pulling him to your height “i can say the same about you”

actor!michealkaiser who, as he sees you leave getting into your taxi, realizes that maybe you are more interesting than he thought

actor!michealkaiser who, during the end of filming, can't wait for more of your passionate scenes. and you seem as taken by him as he is by you, every time you stay a little longer than normal on his lips. and even he has to admit that he always grips your skin a little tighter

actor!michealkaiser that at the movie premiere, he can't help but admire your beauty, you dressed in a tight navy blue dress, which is seriously threatening to drive him crazy. if he had the chance to get back in the limo you arrived in, he would, so that he can finally make you truly his

actor!michealkaiser who throughout the evening doesn't let you be far from him, always an arm around your waist or shoulders. and you don't seem bothered by his behavior, while answering questions from fans and journalists

actor!michealkaiser who, when fans and journalists ask him if you are dating, does not deny or confirm their theories. while you try to say that you are simply very good friends and have good chemistry, he almost wants to say that it's your fault, because if you weren't so stubborn he would have already shouted to the whole world that he loves you. but it can wait a little longer

actor!michealkaiser who can't help but illustrate you to journalists as the most talented co-star he's ever worked with, he who has always had actresses who are decidedly more famous than you in his action films. and you can't help but embarrass yourself in front of the cameras

he leans in close to you, his hand still on your back "looks like you're popular" he says, a hint of possessiveness in his voice. you nod, ignoring the little shivers down your spine "if you don't stop acting like this the crowd will actually believe we're lying about our relationship" you say knowing that only he can hear you. he chuckles quietly, his grip on you tightening just a bit: he knows you're referring to his possessive behavior, and he can't help but find it amusing "maybe i want them to believe we're lying" he whispers, his voice low "would that be such a bad thing?"

actor!michealkaiser which throughout the evening, does nothing but demonstrate that you have more than just good chemistry. and you, stupidly, give other signals that confirm it: you covering your mouth while speaking in his ear, him lowering himself to your height and remaining a few centimeters from your lips...

actor!michealkaiser who, after the end of the premiere, gives you a bouquet of red roses in front of the whole audience. you know perfectly well that he has never done it with any of his other actresses, yet now in front of everyone he has done it. for you. and damn, that almost makes you dumb for him

actor!michealkaiser who, once in the limo, can't help but throw himself on your lips, letting the little noises coming from your mouth drive him crazy. you tighten your arms around his neck, wondering if you're actually making the right choice, even though you're so damn happy. it's that he's so famous, and you're not... who gives you the confirmation that he really likes you and isn't just playing with your heart?

actor!michealkaiser who, having arrived at the hotel rooms, finds themselves spending the night in yours. and god, he can't help but be happy to finally let his thoughts come true, he who doesn't believe in love at first sight but suddenly finds himself thinking he could spend his whole life with you. he has already been in other relationships, but with a simple scene you managed to make him crazy, that means it's definitely a sign

actor!michealkaiser who the next morning, tired and with a few more scratches on his back, takes his phone while with his other hand he massages your shoulder, while you are still asleep. he opens his socials, noting how everyone both appreciated the film and appreciated you, all convinced that you are much more than friends, that your behaviors are not those of someone who simply has good chemistry, but of someone who hides too many things. and he can't help but be so happy with everything he's reading

✶ 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ; take a look, trust me!

[nctinthehouse]

afternoon pick-me-up

❝ pairing: barista!reader x Jaehyun — genre: fluff — wc: 0.6k — ⚠️ warning(s): none — a/n: happy jaehyun day!! 🍑 a little something for jaehyun’s birthday! damn i actually miss him :(( ❞

It’s currently late afternoon. All you can hear is pitter patter of rain against the windows accompanied by chill café music in the background.

Usually, you would be dealing with the aftermath of a lunchtime rush. Sometimes, it can get really busy during those times. However, today wasn’t much of a rush at all. Maybe because it’s been pouring down since early this morning.

You haven’t really got anything to do so you just decided to check your phone for a little.

You glance up as you hear the door open and spot a familiar figure coming in.

He’s somewhat a regular customer, probably orders a drink, two or three times a week. Usually either the same or you notice that he takes a little time, staring at the menu, maybe thinking he should venture out a little with something different.

He’s quite a happy chap whenever you see him and, you think he’s cute too.

You really want to know his name and ask for his number, but, you being you, you absolutely do not have the courage to do so. Especially with someone so handsome and probably out of his league. And usually, it’s quite busy whenever he’s here, but today, right now, it’s very quiet. Probably because it’s pouring outside. Perhaps today’s the day you pluck up the courage and spark up a little conversation with him?

You sometimes wonder what he does for work. Is he a model? Could be, especially with a face like that.

You spot him finally making his way over to you as he decides what to get.

“Hi!”, you say with a smile on your face. “What can I get for you today?”

“Hey!” He responds with a beaming smile as always, whenever he’s here. “Um, can I get an iced latte please?”

“Sure! Anything else?”

You notice his facial expression slight changes, to a hesitate one it looks like but you ignore it.

“Um yeah…” his voice comes out a little hoarse so he clears his throat. “C-can I also get your number, please?”

You stare at him with wide eyes, blinking at him a few times, not expecting that. “W-what?”

The guy repeats his question, seemingly with confidence this time. “Can I get your number, please? I-it’s just that I think you’re really cute and you seem like a really sweet person. I’ve always wanted to talk to you. I mean, other than you taking my order, but, I know it can get quite busy here so I don’t want to disturb you. I mean… It’s okay if you say no-!”

You butt him in mid-sentence. “What? No, no! It’s cool!”

He looks at you with a beaming smile on his face again; dimples popping out in view. Gosh, you just want to poke his dimples.

“Thank you…” he takes his phone out and passes it to you so you can write your name and number. You pass his phone back and looks at your name and number.

“Thanks… uh, Y/N.” he smiles. “Cute.”

You let out a small chuckle.

“I’m Jaehyun by the way. Nice to meet you!” He reaches out his hand, and you reach back, shaking hands in unison as you both chuckle.

“Nice to meet you too!”

“So, Y/N, I’ll call you, or text. Whichever you prefer.”

“Sounds good”, you say with a smile.

“Great! I’ll, uh, see you around” he gives you a wink. You give him a small wave and he does the same back, you watch him walk out of the store.

You kind of stare at the door for a while, thinking back to what just happened. A slight blush forms on your cheeks, and you softly tap them with the tips of your fingers, trying to stop yourself from blushing even further. Then suddenly, you had a thought.

“Wait, did he just order a drink and walk out without one?”

As you get lost in thoughts, you suddenly feel a buzz in your pocket and take out your phone and see a text from an unknown number.

“Forget about the drink haha, I just wanted your number today :)”

masterlist

© 2025 nctinthehouse — All Rights Reserved.

[withacapitalp]

Stuff Me, Hug Me, Take Me Home

@stevesbipanic B HAPPY VALENTINES!!! Tis I! Your secret admirer!!! I loved this prompt and I had so much fun with it thank you so much and I hope you love it!!! Special thanks to @thefreakandthehair and @hairstevington for listening to be a little feral and insane about the first thing I'm writing in a very long time

Read on AO3 instead

If there was one place Eddie never expected to end up at on Valentine’s Day, it was the mall. 

When Steve had asked to ‘take point’ this year, Eddie had imagined a day at the lake, maybe a secret picnic, perhaps even a scenic road trip. Something that was their style. A tucked away moment, quiet and held close, so it belonged to just the two of them. 

There was no way the mall - the epicenter of American greed and capitalistic cannibalism - would have that. 

“I can’t believe I found this parking spot!” Steve crowed, tossing Eddie a winning smile as he threw the car into park and grabbed his phone from where it was charging, “Wasn’t that lucky?”

“Sure, Stevie,” Eddie agreed, trying to hide his disdain, but definitely failing given the way Steve’s smile dipped. The mall loomed over them, blocking out the sun with its oppressively boxy architecture, and Eddie couldn’t help his own glow starting to dim. 

The day had started so promisingly. Steve had woken up early and slipped out of bed without Eddie realizing, coming home with ludicrously over decorated heart shaped donuts and coffee from their favorite bakery. They had traded lazy sugar-filled kisses, cuddling and watching Labyrinth. 

Hell, Steve had even managed to almost hide how much he disliked the movie, commenting on David Bowie’s ass and conveniently ignoring the plot and puppets. He hadn’t even texted Robin all morning!

And now…well now they were at the mall. 

“Are we going to a movie or something? We could’ve just gone to The Hawk. You know IMAX movies give me headaches.” Eddie said as they exited the beemer. Steve came around the front, grabbing Eddie’s hand and squeezing it twice - their signal for needing the other person to listen. 

“Trust me?” Steve offered, chewing on the inside of his lip and giving Eddie the big puppy dog eyes he could never resist. Eddie groaned, grumbling softly to himself as he lifted their joined hands up to his lips. 

“Always,” he whispered back, sealing the promise with a kiss. 

As much as Eddie hated to admit it, the mall actually wasn’t as bad as he had imagined. His brain had conjured up tortuous images of packs of useless husbands trolling around for a cheap gift to pawn off on their wives, or hordes of angsty teens lamenting not having someone to share the holiday with. 

But at almost four in the afternoon it was sleepy, practically dead. And besides, it was hard to look around when Steve was dragging him forward with a single-minded determination. All Eddie could do was try and keep up, shooting glances at his boyfriend to try and catch his eye, wondering why Steve was suddenly loath to meet his gaze. 

Then they were stopping short, Eddie stumbling and nearly tripping as Steve let go of his hand out of nowhere. He righted himself, about to tell Steve off for acting so weird, when he looked up and was struck speechless. 

“You mentioned that you always wanted to go here, but that Wayne never had the money for it,” Steve mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck and leaning out of Eddie’s space as he continued to avoid eye contact.

Eddie had told him that, but just once. Only once. He could remember the exact moment. The two of them in the kitchen of their apartment right after the move, unpacking mugs as Eddie told the story of each one and placed it with care on the shelf. It was the last mug, the final story of that night. 

“My dad promised me he would take me to Build-a-Bear for my fifth birthday. And my sixth. And my seventh. By my eighth, I stopped answering when he asked me what I wanted, ‘cause I knew it didn’t matter. By ten I was already living with Wayne, and I didn’t even want to ask him, I knew we couldn’t afford it. Wayne found out anyway, because he’s Wayne, and so he got me this mug for my eleventh birthday, and told me it was an IOU. I don’t even know why I wanted to go to build-a-bear so badly, I just got it in my head that having my own bear would be special. Something that was mine, and always would be, you know?” 

And now here Eddie was, standing in front of an ostentatiously yellow store with his heart settled neatly in his throat. 

“I know it’s kind of silly now, because we’re almost thirty. You might not even care anymore, but I thought maybe it would be a nice Valentine’s Day gift? We could build you a bear, and then you would have him forever and always,” Steve explained, his thoughtfulness continuing to choke Eddie to death. 

Eddie didn’t believe in God, but it was hard to believe there wasn’t something looking out for him. Something had to have given him Steve. There was no way this wonderful, beautiful man just landed in his lap. 

“I’m sorry I-” Steve began, obviously misinterpreting Eddie’s silence. 

“I love it,” Eddie said, cutting off the apology before it could truly begin. 

He couldn’t let Steve doubt this, not even for a single second. Eddie cleared his throat roughly, blindly reaching out and latching onto Steve’s wrist, pulling his boyfriend close and wrapping him in the tightest hug possible as he continued to ramble.

“I do, I love it and I- thank you, Stevie. You’re so- you’re just- thank you, thank you, thank you,” 

“Easy, Eds,” Steve murmured, the tips of his ears turning pink as he pressed their cheeks together and gave Eddie a parting squeeze. Eddie let him pull away, but didn’t let him go, interlocking their fingers as he began to bounce in place. 

“We’re going to Build-a-Bear!” Eddie giggled, his joy beginning to spill all over the place.

Steve nodded, smiling just as brightly as Eddie. But, when Eddie went to pull him forward, Steve held fast, keeping them both in place. 

“There’s just one rule. I don’t want you to look at prices at all. You get whatever you want, however you want it. Got it?” Steve said with a mock stern look. Eddie opened his mouth to agree, then hesitated.

It wasn’t like they were destitute. Between Steve’s job as a sub and Eddie’s work at the garage, they were making good money. But with rent, Steve's tuition, and the regular expenses, they didn’t exactly have a lot of cash to blow on fulfilling a childhood dream. 

“I’ve been saving for this, baby. Been doing extra tutoring on the nights you were with the guys playing dungeons and dorks,” Steve admitted, a pretty blush sitting high on his cheeks. Eddie’s heart clenched up again, and he couldn’t resist dragging Steve into a chaste but forceful kiss. 

“You’re the most amazing partner, you know that, right?” Eddie whispered against his lips. Steve ducked his head, pulling away and squeezing Eddie’s fingers silently as they walked into the store.  

The store was almost empty, even quieter than the mall itself. A couple of parents were watching their daughters giggle over clothes for their new stuffed animals, and a young couple was chatting by the little clawfoot bathtubs in the back, but other than that it was just the two of them. There was some bubblegum pop playing in the background, the kind of thing Steve liked to listen to when he made dinner at night. The sound of it settled Eddie instead of setting his teeth on edge, and he couldn’t help leaning against Steve as they approached the bins of unstuffed bears. 

“Go on, pick your new friend,” Steve said, nudging Eddie forward and taking a step back to watch. 

It was easy to eliminate some choices off the bat. Eddie took away anything that was themed for Valentines, or promotional, and he pretty quickly decided against anything that wasn’t a traditional bear. Normally he would’ve loved the contrarian energy of building a dragon or a unicorn, but he wasn’t just making this for right now. This was also for the little Eddie that had dreamt of having that perfect plush bear to snuggle with at night. 

But the problem was, he had never really imagined what the bear looked like. 

“Help me?” Eddie whined, turning back to Steve who shook his head fondly but walked forward anyway. Steve perused the options for a second before reaching into a bin and pulling out a charcoal black bear with brown eyes.

“What about this one? If you give him a battle vest and a band tee he would be a mini-you,” Steve offered, holding the bear out. Eddie took it, letting his fingers run over the fur and imagining the bear properly stuffed and dressed. 

It was perfect. 

They walked past the bear bins, up to a stand with plastic cases and the words “HEAR ME” above it in bright red letters. 

“Okay, one more rule for today. Cover your ears and turn around,” Steve ordered, putting his hands on his hips and giving Eddie a no-nonsense look. Eddie raised a brow, briefly considering putting up a fight, just for the heck of it. 

But there was something in Steve’s face, a glint in his eyes that just bordered on the edge of panic and a crook in his smile that made it sit not quite straight on his face. Whatever he was doing, it was probably something big. 

So, instead of being a gremlin, Eddie remained obedient, turning on his heel and cupping his ears, humming one of the band’s latest creations for good measure. He managed to get all the way through the first two choruses and up to the bridge before he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes. 

“Time for the best part,” Steve said in a soft sing-song tone, pushing Eddie towards the machine filled with stuffing where an employee was patiently waiting for them. 

“Hi there, guys!” She said with a bright grin, “My name is Rosie, and I’m here to help you bring your friend to life.”

Steve, being the amazing boyfriend he was, somehow sensed Eddie’s hesitancy, speaking for both of them as they got closer. “I’m Steve, and that’s Eddie. It’s his first time here.” 

“That’s so great! Okay so I am going to stuff your new friend exactly how you’d like him, then you’re going to pick a heart out of this box and follow all my instructions,” she explained in a patient but authoritative tone that reminded Eddie so much of Nancy he almost laughed out loud. He willingly handed over the bear, watching as she lined him up with the machine. 

“Firm or soft?” 

“Soft,” Eddie answered automatically, going with his gut. 

Rosie nodded and went through the process of stuffing the bear, methodically filling up each paw and giving them a good squeeze before handing the bear to Eddie for a quick check. 

“Before we do the heart ceremony, do you want to add a smell to your bear? We have some of our scents here, and I can go to the back and get you any one off this list if you want.” She offered as Eddie held his bear close. 

“Remember our rule,” Steve whispered loudly in his ear, and Eddie rolled his eyes, his heart almost filled to the bursting. He pointed out a lemon scent on the list and they watched Rosie leave to grab it. 

“Why lemon?” Steve asked, cocking his head to one side. 

“Reminds me of how the house smells on Sundays,” Eddie replied. “All your favorite cleaning products smell like lemons, and all you drink from May to September is lemonade.” 

“It’s a refreshing smell,” Steve grumbled, not a trace of heat in his tone. Eddie chuckled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. 

“Whatever you say, Lemon Boy,” he managed to get out just as Rosie returned, a yellow bear paw held in her hand. 

“Now while I put this in and add some final touches, you choose your heart and then we will do the heart ceremony.” She instructed. 

Eddie peered into the box, his eyes immediately locking onto a plaid heart. He plucked it out, showing it to Steve who couldn’t resist laughing. It was the exact same pattern as the god-awful wallpaper he had in his room when they first started dating, and, without words, they both knew what they were thinking about. 

“Okay, are you ready?” 

Eddie nodded, bouncing on the balls of his feet as Rosie stood in front of them and held out her hands. 

“So you’re going to hold the heart just like this,” she demonstrated, cupping her hands and beginning to rub her palms together, “and you’re going to make the heart all nice and warm and toasty for your new buddy over there!” 

Eddie followed her directions to the letter as she had him flip the heart and tap three times (“To wake up his heart and get it beating!”) and lifted the heart up to the sky and waved it back and forth to give his bear very high hopes. He even turned in a circle, delighting in listening to Steve laugh at his antics. 

This was the exact kind of thing Eddie loved to do most - put on a show and lose himself in being a little silly. 

“Now, rub the heart down your back, that way your buddy always has your back. Rub it down your side, so they stay by your side forever and always. Rub it across your cheeks, so your buddy is always smiling each and every day, and hold the heart to your chest to make a nice big wish!” 

Eddie paused for a second, closing his eyes and taking a second to think. He had lots of wishes. He wished his van would hold out for just one more paycheck, that the kids would enjoy the campaign he put together for them. He wanted Wayne to stay healthy, for Steve to pass his classes, for someone, anyone, to find the band and give them their big shot. 

But there was one wish that was more important than the rest. 

“The last thing is giving it a nice big kiss, so your buddy is always full of love.” Rosie said with a flourish. 

Eddie was about to lift the heart to his lips when he paused, turning to Steve and holding it out. Steve’s lip curled in a small, indulgent, smile, and he leaned forward, pressing a long kiss right in the middle of the fabric heart. The edge of his lip touched Eddie’s thumb, sending a shiver down his spine. 

From there the process moved quickly. Rosie sewed up his bear with deadly efficiency, and Eddie and Steve tag teamed the wall of outfits to find the perfect battle vest for Eddie’s bear. Before he knew it, Eddie was sat at a tiny little computer with his bear in his lap and Steve’s chin hooked over his shoulder, both of them staring down at the blank bear birth certificate.

“I don’t know what to name him,” Eddie moaned, leaning back against Steve, who appeared to be deep in thought. 

“Beddie.”

“Beddie?” Eddie repeated incredulously, turning to look at Steve properly. 

“Bear Eddie,” Steve shrugged, as if that made any sense at all. “He does look just like you.”

Eddie snorted, leaning forward and typing out the name, then hesitating and typing some more. 

“What do you think?” he asked, trying to hide the sudden nerves that were lighting up his veins. The last name wasn’t a huge risk to take, but it meant something, something far more than either of them were willing to admit just yet. 

“Perfect,” Steve said with a kiss pressed to Eddie’s cheek. 

And that was how Beddie Bearington ended up nestled between Eddie and Steve that night as they lounged on the couch. Steve had fallen asleep two episodes deep into their Survivor binge, and Eddie was content to stay exactly where he was for at least a few more hours. He dipped his head down, pressing his face to the center of the bear’s chest and smelling the candied lemon scent that permeated through the fur. As he continued to cuddle his bear, Eddie felt something hard and square in the left paw. He pulled back, perplexed by the sudden change, carefully feeling around the object and wondering what it might be. 

With a jolt, Eddie finally put together Steve’s behavior from before. He had somehow hidden a  sound box inside Eddie’s bear, that was the secret Steve hadn’t let him hear before. Eddie slapped his forehead with a palm, unable to believe he could’ve missed something so obvious. The boys would’ve had words to say about their DM being so unobservant. 

Eddie took a cursory look down to make sure Steve was still asleep, and then pressed it, putting the bear's paw up to his ear. He had expected a song, or even some funny sound. 

Nothing could have prepared him for the soft tone of Steve’s voice, fulfilling the secret wish he had put into his bear’s heart. 

“Hi Eddie, it’s me, your boyfriend, Steve. I want you to know that you are the funniest, sweetest, most creative person I know, and I’m so happy that I get to love you…because I do. I love you, Eddie.” 

“It’s true,” a voice whispered from below. Eddie moved the bear and there was Steve, staring up at him. “Sorry I couldn’t say it before.”

“I love you too,” Eddie whispered, almost in awe that he could finally say it and hear it back. 

He could hear it whenever he wanted. Eddie pressed the button on the box again just because he could. Steve’s words filled the air as Eddie nestled Beddie into the couch and dipped his head down, hair falling in a curtain around them as they shared another kiss. 

[libellule-ao3]

Rosa Incarcerem

A bewitched rose, an unbearable closeness… and only one way out.

Credit: Thank you to @raraaf6 for accepting me as a client 🙏& for so kindly agreeing to wait almost a month before publishing this GORGEOUS artwork.😍😍😍😍💖✨️ (I was afraid they would be overwhelmed with work for Valentine's Day, so I planned ahead😅)

OS | M | Ominis Gaunt X OFC | Evinis | 1 780 words

Tags: Forced proximity | Sexual Tension | Ominis needs help | Valentine’s Day chaos | Trapped together trope | Not explicit but definitely suggestive😉

Hogwarts is buzzing with the romantic excitement of Valentine’s Day, but Ominis is hoping for an uneventful day. That is without counting Evelyne, whom he is escorting to the kitchens for her detention, his wand pointed in front of them.  

Professor Sharp caught her pointing out the worrying colour change in the potion he was making. 

“It’s not cheating, but an active contribution to the principle of fairness,” she mumbled in that strange combination of shyness and honesty that is so characteristic of her.  

Of course, Sharp doesn’t appreciate the repartee: in his opinion, Ominis, blind or not, has to fend for himself. And although he values his own autonomy – much more than any teacher – he regrets that his friend, usually so discreet and reserved, is being punished for a few unwelcome words.  

Ominis has known for a long time that she has a tendency to show her fangs when she feels cornered. But since last Christmas, she has been showing it all the time. And what’s worse, she refuses to admit it.  

As they reach the stairs leading to the kitchens, a female voice behind them calls out, honeyed and overconfident.  

“Ominis!”

He turns around. Evelyne, unwilling to be noticed by the newcomer, melts into his shadow. She too recognised this tone, this false lightness that could only belong to Callista Malfoy.  

Since last summer, the witch has been showering him with perfumed, honeyed, and calculated invitations. His own parents covet the large dowry she will offer her future husband, and she herself sees him as a good match — honourable, manipulable, and much less dangerous than his brother. Ominis has no doubt she would be prepared to snare him in a scandal to force him to marry her. As a result, he avoids her, like dragon pox.  

“I have tried so hard to be pleasant to you, Ominis, and yet... you continue to avoid me.”

He remains silent. She gives a falsely resigned sigh.  

“Perhaps this little gift will convince you of my sincerity?”

He instinctively reaches for the flower she presents to him. A shiver runs up his spine. Fleeting. Unusual. An imperceptible magical vibration, like a warning.  

“Don’t touch that flower!” 

His friend’s cry splits the air at the same time as she strikes the rose with the back of her hand. But it was too late.  

The magic explodes. A tendril of thorns and bewitched flowers wraps around them, clinging voraciously to their clothes. For a moment, she gasps for air. In the blink of an eye, he finds himself thrown against the young woman, his body crushed against hers, his arms reflexively closing around her.  

A strange silence falls. The time for a breath.  

Then —  

A click of the tongue.  

“Oh.”

One word dropped in a bored, almost jaded breath. Ominis can’t see Malfoy, but the pulsing of his wand traces the outline of her motionless figure. He knows she is fuming. She wanted to trap him... but not with Evelyne, apparently.  

The tension in the air twists, becoming heavier. Callista Malfoy inhales slowly.  

“What bad luck...”

The intonation is too controlled, almost amused.  

“I wonder what Marvolo would think of that.”

She lets the threat hang between them, then turns on her heels, her feigned indifference almost erasing her presence. Ominis hears the rustle of her robe, the measured rhythm of her heels on the stone, then nothing.  He exhales a sigh.  

“Are you all right?”

She's there, pressed against him. Her body against his, every line printed against him.  

And her smell, Merlin...  

A shiver goes through him. The warmth of her body, the scandalous yielding of her curves... He feels himself blush.  

She raises her head. Her breath brushes his throat, and beneath her palms, his heart beats wildly.  

“I'm sorry...” she breathes, her voice trembling with a mixture of guilt and emotion. “I... I wanted to spare you this, but it went too fast...”

He clenches his jaw, consumed by the fire spreading through him.  

“It’s a Rosa Incarcerem.”

The evidence slaps him in the face. These bewitched roses are very popular this year. Almost undetectable, they enchant anyone who touches them together, forcing them to kiss to break the enchantment that binds them together.  

He lets out a hiss of frustration.  

“Well done. Really.”

He would have preferred anyone else. Even Malfoy, despite her shenanigans. At least she wouldn’t have affected him like that, and he would have remained indifferent. 

With Evelyne, the trap is far more vicious.  

He tries to free himself, by force, then with a counter-spell, but the plant vice strengthens its grip.  

“Wait... is that Gaunt?!” exclaims a student nearby.  

An excited murmur runs through the corridor, a cruel reminder that they are making a spectacle of themselves in a busy place.  

Ominis’s fingers clench his wand, and he whispers an incantation. The magic flows over him like an icy wave, covering him in a veil of invisibility. He barely notices his classmate’s slight start, her breathing suspended for a fraction of a second before she understands his intentions.  

The surrounding murmurs intensify, but at least no one can see them any longer. No one’s about to break that spell anytime soon!  

Their bodies are trapped, welded together by an implacable force that strangles him to the same degree that it inflames him. 

He feels everything. The outrageous softness of her chest crushed against his, the searing heat of her belly against his, and below that... a torment he would give anything to ignore.

His breath catches when Evelyne tries to pull away, pushing his chest away.

A fatal mistake.

Her movement fans a insidious fire deep in his core. Rigid from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes, he endures the wave of pleasure coursing through him.

Ominis is tense.

Shamefully tense.

“By Merlin’s beard, Evelyne... stop moving,” he hisses through clenched teeth.

“I’m not doing it on purpose!” she croaks, in a high-pitched voice that leaves no doubt she grasps his state of arousal.

Let’s hope she doesn’t make a comment that would add to his mortification, like last time!

She is shaking now, tensing up in a desperate effort not to move, not to let that vice of flowers and thorns press her further against him. But it’s no use.

The spell weighs relentlessly down on them. And he... He has never known such humiliation.

His own body betrays him obscenely, and there’s nothing he can do about it. Damn this uncontrollable desire!

This time, he can’t pretend it’s a casual masculine greeting at dawn, a physiological reaction that has no context whatsoever.

Now he has to admit that it’s because of her. Because he is incapable of ignoring the caress of her erratic breathing, the scent of "geranium rosat" enveloping him, the firmness of her breasts pressed against his chest, her fingers clutching his robe, and her damn hips that kiss his so perfectly.

For Merlin’s love, let him be anaesthetised or stunned!

“You, the plant expert... Say you can do something about this.”

“If it were just the intrinsic magic of the rose, I probably could. But here... it’s an artificial curse, woven with too many protections for me to break it.”

Alas, that’s what he thought... Those who created this knew what they were doing.

“Ominis, er, I... I don’t know if you have ever kissed anyone, but if it’s your first kiss, I want you to know that I’m sorry for ruining it.”

He closes his eyes, as if that will ease the tension pulsing inside him. His throat tightens. He feels the weight of the confession before it even passes his lips.

“It’s not my first kiss.”

The silence fills with silent questions.

“Anne...”

His voice is hoarse, almost strangled. He doesn’t enjoy talking about this. His free hand clenches despite himself on Evelyne’s hip, like an unconscious anchor.

“She asked me when... when hope of recovery abandoned her.”

He doesn’t need to say any more. At the time, Sebastian’s sister wanted to find out what she might never know. And he was the only one she could ask.

“Even if it wasn't ideal... at least it made sense,” says Evelyne. “No one should have their first kiss stolen by such an absurd enchantment.”

From Ominis Gaunt’s point of view, no one should have their second one stolen that way either. And yet, he is beginning to seriously consider it. It’s better than this awkward embrace where the slightest movement puts him through the wringer.

Evelyne seems to come to a similar conclusion as she starts a movement.

“So, let’s try not to make a big deal out of it and just do it... Alright?”

Then her fingers slide down his torso to the nape of his neck. A light touch at first, almost innocent, before she fully buries her fingers in his hair at the base of his skull.

She wants to guide him, but doesn’t dare.

A searing heat pulses under this caress and descends directly into his crotch, electrifying every nerve in its path.

He tenses even more under the contact. Evelyne must feel it, because she suspends her movements for a second before abruptly withdrawing her hand, as if she has been burned.

Ominis holds his breath. Every nerve, every inch of his skin, is crying out for that all-too-brief touch. The absence consumes him almost as much as the closeness.

Every second stretches out a silent torment, a space suspended between desire and the forbidden.

At last, Evelyne tiptoes up cautiously, as if dreading the moment as much as she desires it.

Her breath, uneven and shallow, grazes his face, a sigh escaping against his mouth, and he fights the raw impulse to close the unbearable distance before the kiss falls.

First a gentle touch. Then the soft pressure of her hesitant lips.

The blood boils in his veins. His heart races. His fingers instinctively find their bearings on her curves. A need. To hold her despite himself. For a second, Ominis thinks about giving in to the temptation to go deeper. To demand. To claim.

But he doesn't have the right and, in any case, Evelyne is already moving away.

The curse bursts out in a magical blast, freeing them as suddenly as it had chained them.

She stammers out a confused apology, almost stumbles backwards.

“I, er... I’m going to be late for my detention, er, sorry,”

Then she disappears faster than a snake into the tall grass. Ominis opens his mouth. No words come out. Emptiness replaces her warmth.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

He exhales slowly, forcing his body to let go.

His trembling fingers brush his lips, where the echo of the kiss lingers, where Evelyne had pressed herself too deliciously against him, igniting a violent, unrelenting shiver.

A cruel truths hit him: he's doomed.

A/N: This OS takes place after chapter 5 of "Lullaby for Cursed Seeds". Although it can be read as standalone, it will be incorporated into chapter 6 with a few slight modifications. Thank you for reading. 💖

[minniesfiles]

PEOPLE LIKE ME

Jeonghan loved you. He loved you in a way that terrified him, in a way that made him selfish and silent and a coward.

❧ PAIRING; jeonghan x reader

❧ GENRE; angst

❧ TAGS/WARNINGS; strangers to lovers to strangers, heavy angst, timestamp, oneshot, emotionally unavailable jeonghan, major character death, implied depression, smoking, alcohol consumption, grumpy x sunshine with tragic ending, inspired by the song ‘Angel’ ft Jimin

❧ WORDCOUNT; 3.2k

𐚁₊⊹

▍18 OCTOBER 2021

It was autumn the first time Jeonghan saw you.

It was a late afternoon, where the sky was a faded blue, and the golden leaves settled on the ground in a final display of warmth before winter’s icy touch.

You were standing beneath a rust-coloured oak tree, watching a flock of birds taking off into the sky. And there was something about the way you watched them with your head tilted slightly and lips parted like you were whispering a wish only the wind could carry. It was like you wanted to follow them.

It was as if you had wings yourself. Something untouchable and too delicate for this world.

As another cool breeze blew, it tangled through your long, dark hair, lifting stray strands and sending them floating like silk ribbons around your face.

You had no jacket on and your oversized blue sweater had slipped off one shoulder. Jeonghan wondered why you’d wear something like that on a cold day.

He was sitting on a park bench with a cigarette dangling between his fingers, watching you the way someone watched something they know they shouldn’t want.

Then, as if you sensed him, you turned and met his gaze.

Most people looked at him and saw trouble. Some saw a lost cause.

But you? You just smiled.

It was the kind of smile that could undo a man. And maybe, just maybe, that was the moment you undid him.

And perhaps it was also the moment you started ruining him.

Jeonghan saw you as someone who belonged in the sky. Someone who wasn’t meant to stay tied down to the earth like he was.

▍8 DECEMBER 2021

He learnt your name without you even telling him. Kim Y/n.

He wasn’t supposed to, but the name-tag you dropped when you were rushing to work was what got you and him at his point.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” you asked him one day as you stirred your coffee absentmindedly.

It was his first date with you — or whatever counted as a date in his world. He took you to a dingy little café in the corner of Gangnam, which had the kind of scent that smelt like burnt espresso and nostalgia to him.

“Not much to say” he shrugged.

You smiled and rested your chin on your hand as you studied him. “I think you just don’t know what to say to me.”

That should have been Jeonghan’s first warning. You were right.

You had this way of looking at people like you could see all their secrets. Like you could unravel them without even trying.

And for some reason, Jeonghan wanted to be unraveled by you.

You were all light and warmth. Laughter that filled a room. The kind of person who danced barefoot in the rain just because it made you feel alive. You would drag him into old record stores, press play on songs you swore could change his life.

You had a way of seeing the world that made one believe in magic. You believed in love, in fate, in the kind of things he stopped believing in years ago.

Jeonghan, on the other hand, was the kind of guy people warned a girl like you about. He had a past filled with bad decisions, hands that had held too many things too tightly and ruined them in the process. He had walls so high no one ever dared to climb them.

Except for you.

You climbed them without hesitation.

─────

It was past midnight, and both of you were lying on the roof of his apartment building, staring at the stars.

“I used to think I was meant for something bigger,” you murmured. “Like I was supposed to be something more.”

“You are,” he said without thinking.

You turned to face him, the city lights reflecting in your eyes. “You don’t even know me.”

He did, though.

Jeonghan knew the way you hummed to yourself when you were lost in thoughts. The way you always smelt like lavender and old books. The way you could fill up a space just by being in it.

You were the kind of person one could not help but notice. The kind of person who made the world feel less empty.

And Jeonghan knew, deep down, that he didn’t deserve you. Because in his world, Y/n and Jeonghan weren’t supposed to happen.

But God, he wanted you anyway.

▍12 FEBRUARY 2022

One night, Jeonghan laid tangled with you in his bed while the city lights casted shadows on the ceiling. You traced lazy circles on his pale skin with your soft fingertips while humming a song under your breath.

“Tell me something real,” you whispered.

He exhaled smoke as he watched the way the glow from the bedside lamp made your eyes flicker like candlelight.

“I don’t deserve you,” he admitted.

You smiled, that soft, knowing smile of yours, and kissed him like you didn’t believe him.

Like you thought love could save him.

Jeonghan always reminded himself how he wasn’t like you. That he came from shadows, from a past filled with darkness.

But you — you weren’t afraid of the dark in him.

You leaned into it and traced your fingers over the rough edges of his life as if you could smooth them out.

▍27 MARCH 2022

Jeonghan tried to warn you.

One night, when you fell asleep beside him, he brushed a strand of hair from your face, “please angel, don’t fly so close to me” he murmured.

You didn’t hear him.

Or maybe you did, and you just ignored it.

Because you were also the kind of girl who didn’t believe in warnings.

You believed in love. And love, you thought, could fix anything.

He should have let you go sooner.

Jeonghan knew how this would end. He knew that he would only ruin you, that people like him don’t get to keep something as pure as you.

He told you again, and then again.

“Don’t fly so close to me angel” he’d mumble against your skin on a usual Saturday morning.

But you would simply laugh, tucking your head against his chest. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s true.”

You lifted yourself up on your elbows and looked at him with those wide, trusting eyes. “You don’t get to decide what I do with my wings.”

He sighed. “Y/n…”

“I love you,” you whispered.

Jeongan wanted to believe that love was enough.

But love doesn’t change what a man is.

And people like him? They break beautiful things.

▍10 JUNE 2022

It started the way all things break — slowly, and then all at once.

Jeonghan had a habit of disappearing. Not physically, but emotionally. Some nights he would pull you close, whisper things in your ear, let you think you had all of him. And then, without warning, he would shut down. He’d go out, stay late, drink too much, lose himself in the noise of the city so he didn’t have to feel the weight of what you made him want.

Because you made him want things he didn’t deserve.

And you — you deserved someone whole.

The first time you cried over him, it was because he didn’t come home. He found you sitting on the sofa with your arms wrapped around your knees.

“Where were you?” you asked with a small voice.

“Out” he simply shrugged, like it was no big deal.

“Out where?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

You shook your head while your hands trembled. “It matters to me.”

Jeonghan wanted to tell you the truth. He wanted to tell you that he was afraid, that loving you made him feel like he was standing on the edge of something too high, too terrifying.

Instead, he kissed you.

And for a while, you let that be enough.

Until it wasn’t.

It then started becoming too frequent. Small fracture, things that seem insignificant at first. Another night where he didn’t come home. A fight over nothing that turned into something. The way you would look at him sometimes, searching for something he couldn’t give you.

“You keep shutting me out,” you whispered one night, hugging your knees to your chest.

He lit a cigarette and avoided your gaze. “I never asked you to stay.”

You flinched, and he hated himself for saying it.

You should have left then. You should have ran before the darkness in him swallowed you whole.

But you stayed.

Because you always saw the good in people. Even when there was nothing left to see.

“Why do you do this?” you asked with a shaky voice as tears rolled down your cheeks, breaking the long silence.

“Do what?” he muttered, lighting another cigarette after the first one finished in a flash.

“Push me away.”

Jeonghan exhaled smoke, still avoiding your gaze. “Because one day, you’re going to leave. And I’d rather it be now than later.”

You stared at him for a long moment before whispering, “You really believe that, don’t you?”

He didn’t answer.

You sighed, standing up and walking closer to him. “I’m not leaving Jeonghan” you said as you reached for his hand. He wanted to believe you.

But people like him didn’t get to keep people like you.

▍23 JULY 2022

The night you and Jeonghan ended, it was raining.

You both stood outside his apartment, neon lights from a nearby diner reflecting in the puddles at your feet.

“Tell me the truth,” you pleaded with your trembling voice. “Do you even love me?”

Your voice broke on the last word, and something inside him cracked. Your hair was soaked, raindrops clinging to your long lashes like unshed tears.

He should have told you what you wanted to hear. Maybe it would have saved you and him. Maybe it would have saved you.

But the thing about Jeonghan was, he destroyed everything he touched.

“You don’t wanna lose those wings because of me Y/n,” he said with a hollow voice. “People like me break beautiful things like you.”

You let out a soft, broken laugh, shaking your head. “I don’t care,” you whispered. “I don’t care if you’re broken. I love you.”

His hands curled into fists. “You shouldn’t.”

He saw the way your breath hitched. “Then tell me you don’t love me. Look me in the eyes and tell me, and I’ll walk away.”

He should have told you the truth — that you were the only light in his life, that without you, he was nothing.

But if he loved you, he had to let you go. So he gave you the lie that would set you free.

“I don’t love you.”

The moment the words left his lips, he wanted to take them back. You inhaled sharply, as if he had struck you.

And then you turned, walked away without uttering a word, disappearing into the rain.

And he just let you go, no matter how much it destroyed him inside.

▍25 JULY 2023

Jeonghan received a phone call two days later from an unknown number. His heart dropped before he even answered. Like there was an unshakeable dread filling up in his chest. Something felt wrong. There was a hollow pit in his stomach he couldn’t explain.

When the shaky voice spoke, his whole world shattered.

A drunk driver. A car that never stopped. The impact was instant. No chance to say goodbye.

You were gone.

The phone in his hand slipped and fell on the floor with a thud. His knees gave out and he collapsed to the floor, numb and breathless.

His breath hitched, but no sound came out.

Memories flooded in — when he first saw you, the warmth of your hand in his, the way you chased away his darkest days with your light. He could almost hear your voice, but it slipped away like a whisper in the wind.

The sun crept through the window as the new day began, but it felt cold. How could the world continue to turn without you in it?

Just like that, the light you carried — his light — was gone, snuffed out.

▍30 JULY 2022

He went to your funeral. It was raining heavily that day.

He made sure to stand in the back where he was hidden in the shadows like he always was, drenched in the downpour.

His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms. It was as if the pain would keep him grounded and keep him from shattering completely.

Jeonghan watched as your family and friends wept for you. He listened as they spoke of you — how vibrant you were, how you lit up every room you stepped into, how you had dreams bigger than life itself.

Someone whispered about how unfair it was, how someone so full of life could be taken so soon. Someone else wondered if you knew how loved you were. He swallowed hard at that because he knew the truth. You didn’t.

Because of him.

No one knew that you died thinking he didn’t love you.

No one knew about the nights you stayed awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering why he kept his distance, why he always seemed just out of reach.

No one knew about the unanswered messages, the half-written replies he never had the courage to send. They didn’t know about the way he had watched you from afar, longing to reach out but never daring to.

And that was the worst part.

Jeonghan loved you. He loved you in a way that terrified him, in a way that made him selfish and silent and a coward. He thought there would be more time. More chances to say the things he had locked away in his chest. More moments where he could turn around and run to you instead of away.

But life had stolen those chances. Death had taken away the possibility of redemption.

And now, as he stood there, his heart breaking under the weight of words left unsaid, he realised something far worse than his own grief.

That you had left this world believing a lie.

That you had gone thinking he never cared.

And no matter how many sleepless nights Jeonghan spent whispering apologies into the dark, no matter how many times he wished he could trade places with you, the truth remained. He had lost you. And you never knew the depth of his love.

Perhaps the cruelest thing about regret is that it changed nothing.

And so, as the final words were spoken and the casket was lowered into the earth, he turned and walked away — back into the shadows.

The only place he ever truly belonged.

▍15 AUGUST 2022

Jeonghan never stopped seeing you.

It wasn’t just in his memories, though they haunted him endlessly. It wasn’t just in his dreams, where you stood just close enough to touch but always disappeared the moment he reached for you. It was in everything.

In the blinking street lights that reflected on the wet pavement, your laughter still echoing down empty streets, just like the nights you used to walk home together.

In the sound of a song playing on an old record player, static crackling between the notes that reminded him of the way you used to hum absentmindedly. How your voice blended with the world around you.

In the scent of lavender that sometimes drifted through his apartment, even though you were gone, even though he threw away the candle you left on his shelf months ago.

It was maddening.

He drank to forget. Bottle after bottle, glass after glass, burning his throat, numbing his mind. But even in the haze of intoxication, you were still there, slipping into his thoughts like you had never left.

He smoked to forget. Let the smoke fill his lungs, let the world blur around him, hoping that maybe it would drown out the echoes of your voice in his head. But it never did. The memories clung to him that made it impossible to wash away.

But nothing worked.

Because the truth was, Jeonghan had never been so afraid of loving someone before. He never let himself feel something so deeply, never allowed someone to carve their name into the walls of his heart. And yet, you did it easily, without even trying.

He was afraid of losing you. So he kept his distance, kept his heart guarded, kept his love hidden behind silence and stolen glances. He thought that if he didn’t hold on too tightly, it wouldn’t hurt as much when you were gone.

But in the end, he lost you anyway. And the pain was unbearable.

Because now, there were no more chances. No more time to fix things, to tell you the truth, to hold you just once without fear. There was only regret. Only the ghost of you, lingering in the spaces you used to fill.

And Jeonghan knew, with every aching part of him, that he would never stop seeing you. Not now. Not ever.

▍18 OCTOBER 2022

He found your journal two months later which was tucked beneath the old record player you left in his apartment.

The irony wasn’t lost on him. It was the same day he first saw you, a year ago, standing beneath a rust-coloured oak tree, looking like something out of a dream.

Jeonghan never believed in fate, but this? This felt cruel.

The pages were filled with you. Your thoughts, your feelings, the little fragments of poetry you loved so much. Lyrics scribbled in the margins, quotes that must have meant something to you, tiny doodles in between sentences. It was chaos, yet somehow, it was unmistakably you — warm, messy, alive.

But then, his fingers hesitated as he reached the final page. There, written in your delicate, familiar handwriting, was a single line.

“Even if you break me, I’d still choose you.”

His breath got caught. A sharp, unbearable ache spread through his chest which pressed against his ribs and crushed him from the inside.

His vision blurred as he read the words again and again, as if they might change if he stared long enough. As if there might be some other meaning he could twist them into, something that didn’t feel like a knife to his heart.

But the truth was undeniable.

A lump formed in his throat that was suffocating him. His hands trembled as he clutched the journal closer, as if holding it tightly enough might somehow bring you back.

And for the first time since you left, Yoon Jeonghan wept.

He cried out loud as he fell to his knees. He screamed as he held your journal to his chest, feeling himself break the last of him completely.

Because you were never afraid to love him. And he was too much of a coward to love you back.

You were always fearless. You ran headfirst into love, into life, into everything. You were meant to fly. And maybe he was the one who clipped your wings. Maybe, all along, he was the weight dragging you down, like a storm that pulled you under.

Maybe he was always meant to watch you fall.

Because the thing about people like him?

They don’t just break beautiful things.

They destroy themselves in the process.

And as he sat there, drowning in the words you left behind, Jeonghan realised that he never truly feared losing you.

He feared what it would mean to love you completely.

And now, it was too late.

[sirfrogsworth]

I think this question is the most asked one I see from people starting their photography journey.

They upgrade from their smartphone and get a nicer camera and lens and then wonder why their photos don't look much different.

A fancy camera opens up more possibilities and gives you great control. Lenses are creative tools that allow myriad perspectives. But a paintbrush does not paint a picture for you.

The answer to the question is light and effort.

The better the light, the less effort required. The worse the light, the more effort required. But you always need both to get a good photo. And you need a lot of both to get a spectacular photo.

Imagine this photo taken in the same overcast light as the waterfall above.

That would be the world's most boring parking lot photo.

But because the light was so beautiful I was able to pull out my smartphone and get a great shot. No fancy camera required. But I knew my phone was limited so I took three photos for a panorama. And I captured everything in RAW format to make sure I didn't lose any dynamic range or color information. This required a lot of extra post processing to combine everything and edit the colors close to what my eyeballs saw.

The light made things much easier. I just had to point the camera in the direction of the sunset. But effort was still part of the equation.

The best light is at...

Sunrise.

Sunset.

Or at night (tripod required).

Or... bring your own light.

I had a sunset but my friend was in the dark so I employed my gigantic 7 foot umbrella.

Good photographers often plan their shots in advance. They will scout locations (Google Maps is your friend), take test shots to find the best composition, and then wait until the light is magical to get their shot. There are some landscapists who return to a spot continuously until conditions are perfect. I've heard of some who spend a year or more to get the photo they desire.

I knew I was going to be near the Arch. I used Google Maps to figure out a cool vantage point. I hauled my tripod a few blocks to that spot. And then my heart sank a little...

They turned the lights off.

The lights that illuminate the Arch confuse migrating geese in September. I still took the photo. And it's okay. But I didn't have the light I wanted. So I'll have to go back another time when geese aren't screwing everything up.

I'll have to put in that effort.

I understand you cannot always plan ahead. If photographers need to get a good shot spontaneously in bad light, they have to go above and beyond to elevate the photo.

They might have to find an interesting perspective.

Perhaps use an atypical lens.

Long exposure.

Or they can incorporate an interesting subject. A model. An old barn. Fungus.

Think about foreground, midground, and background. If you have a dull background, increase interest in the foreground or midground. Or both.

Again, the worse the light is, the more effort you have to put in to compensate. You might find yourself lying on the ground or dangling over a cliff.

Another option is to bring your own light. Overcast days can actually look quite compelling if you light a subject and then underexpose the background. This can bring out a lot of details in the clouds that would otherwise get lost in a natural light exposure.

(not my photo, source unknown)

Sometimes the prettiest days make the most boring photos. Sunlight at high noon is very hard to work with photographically. Especially if you have people in the photo. Hard shadows tend to not be flattering.

Black and white can sometimes make harsh sunlight look cool.

Or you can add a fold-up diffuser to help soften things.

All of this is to say... you cannot take a fancy camera to a waterfall on an overcast day and expect it to do all of the work. You are just going to end up with a flat looking snapshot. You have to put thought into your photos. You need a bag of tricks you can pull from at any moment. And you have to be willing to go the extra mile if you don't have the light you want.

For a waterfall at sunset, you can just put it dead center and call it a day.

(photographer unknown)

But if you have an overcast day with boring light, you're gonna need to effort your ass off.

This photographer put the camera near the ground, found a great composition, included cool foreground/midground elements, and used long exposure to make the water silky.

(Stephen Spragg)

There is also the option to combine maximum light with maximum effort.

This is by famed photographer, Joe McNally. He shot at night. There is a hidden flash off to the right of the worker. He used a wide lens to get a unique perspective. He used long exposure to get light trails from the cars below. Oh, and he is hanging off the side of a building.

Light and effort. Light and effort. Light and effort.

And, as always, the third secret ingredient is... education.

Education will help you leverage light and effort more so than any camera or lens. Don't just learn the open chords. Learn those ones where you have to stretch your pinky out super far while barring the low F.

Sorry, I used to play guitar and a metaphor slipped through.

Free photography education...

Tony & Chelsea 7 Hour Course Karl Taylor Free Introduction to Photography

[farfromstrange]

Happy Birthday! Can I get a bouquet of peonies with daisies, perhaps with the reader and Matt getting a pet? Maybe Matt finds a stray out on patrol? Thank you!

Thank you!! This was actually so much fun to write after I got that headcanon request for Matt with the stray animals of Hell's Kitchen. I picked the dog to be a terrier because I just liked the idea of Matt being enamored with a small dog (and the reason why he took him is even funnier, considering it's a small dog, but you will get that once you start reading). Anyway. I hope this is what you were imagining, or that you at least enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)

Matthew Michael Murdock The Second

Event Masterlist | Matt Murdock Masterlist

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Request: A bouquet of… peonies and daisies.

Warnings: Fluff

WC: 807

“Don’t be mad at me.” 

Matt resembles a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar as he stands in the doorway to your bedroom. 

“What did you do?” you ask. 

His nervous sigh is followed by a steady pat, pat, pat against the wooden floorboards. 

“Well?”

“I found a dog,” he blurts. 

“You found a dog?” you repeat, carefully tasting every syllable on your tongue. 

If he didn’t look so serious you would think he’s joking. When Foggy and Karen suggested he get a guide dog, he declined. He has you, after all, so hearing him say those four words seems utterly absurd. You want to laugh, really, but then he steps aside, and the previous tiny footsteps you attributed to a lack of sleep suddenly take shape. 

A small, dirty ball of fur appears next to him in the doorway. 

You gasp. “Oh. You found a dog.”

“He was trying to stop some guy from hurting an old lady,” Matt says. “He has no collar, no chip—I checked. He… he had nowhere to go, and I couldn’t–”

Matt Murdock found a dog. You open your mouth to speak, but the terrier takes off into a sprint and jumps on the bed before you get a chance to. 

His little tail wags excitedly as he starts sniffing you, and you lose your train of thought, again. “Oh, hi!” A laugh bubbles up in the back of your throat when his snout bumps yours.

He’s a bundle of energy, so small you wonder how he found the courage to play guard dog, but there is a fire in him that reminds you of the man standing across from you.

“This little thing tried to defend an old lady?” you ask. 

He shrugs. “I was surprised, too.”

“What are you? A Yorkshire terrier with anger issues?” You scratch behind the dog’s ears. “Ugh!” you grunt when some of the dirt on his fur lands under your fingernails, “You need a bath, Mister.”

Matt, in turn, takes a few tentative steps forward. “I was gonna clean him up and then take him to a shelter tomorrow,” he says.

You look between his fidgeting fingers, his guilty expression, and the terrier in your bed. “Why would you do that?” 

“Well, we’re not exactly prepared for a dog...”

You cut him off, “And yet you brought him home.”

He sighs. You got him there. 

You give the dog a gentle shove and follow him off the bed. Matt tilts his head, listening closely to even the most minuscule of movements you make. He’s confused, too, maybe; you are so calm about all of this. 

“Do you hate dogs?” you ask.

“I don’t hate dogs,” he says.

“Then let’s go clean him up, and we can decide where to go from there.”

You’re tired, exhausted even, but this is one of few spur-of-the-moment decisions Matt has made that you are actually happy to go along with. 

He was the one claiming you didn’t need a pet. Not a cat, not a dog, not even a weasel. Now though, you’re sitting on the uncomfortable tiles of his bathroom, your pajamas covered in water from the little dog Matt brought home splashing around while you’re trying to clean him of all the mud stuck to his fur. And he’s right there beside you, smiling like you haven’t seen him smile in a very long time, sensing the excitement that is coursing through that animal and projecting it onto himself. 

He carefully runs his hand over the dog’s fur. “I’m not taking him to a shelter, am I?” he says. He’s so calm, so collected. 

Oh, how the tables have turned. Mister I-don’t-need-a-dog, enamored with a stray he brought home. 

“No,” you smile at him, “you’re not.”

“Would that be okay with you? Keeping him?”

“Honey, this is the first time you didn’t wake me with a near-death experience,” you say. “Of course, I’m okay with keeping him.” 

He chuckles. “That’s fair.”

“I know.”

“I love you,” he says.

Your smile only widens at his words. “I love you too.”

Just as he’s about to bridge the gap between you to give you a kiss of… gratitude, perhaps? The dog decides to leap from one end of the tub to the other, sending even more water hurtling around the room, and he barks happily at your surprised reactions. 

“I can see why you decided to take him with you,” you state.

“What?” Matt frowns. 

You wipe the droplets off your forehead with a grin threatening to split your face in two. “He’s just like you. Oh, maybe we should name him Matthew Michael Murdock The Second…”

And that’s when he realizes you will never let him live this day down; you’re just getting started.

But at least you don’t end up naming him that. 

[caitchercatlady]

How the TWST Boys Spend Valentine's Day w/You!

The Third Years

Trey Clover

This should be a day in which Trey gets a thank you break for all he has done for you and the rest of Heartslabyul. There is supposed to be a wonderful bakery in Foothill Town, and though it's not a complete break away from sweets, at least Trey doesn't have to bake. The both of you share a chocolate cake, which will lead to some staining of the face. Trey offers to clean the chocolate off you...the same way you two cleaned the plate.

Cater Diamond

Has a little bit of social media envy around this time of the year. He already planned on giving you little gifts anyway, but it would be nice to record the whole thing, too. All of your delightful reactions will be posted online for everyone to see, comment, and heart on Cater's MagiCam page. Cater may not be the mushy type, but you're gonna change that when you surprise him with a cheek kiss on live.

Leona Kingscholar

Doesn't believe he has time for holiday of love cheer. He's about to learn that you do. You don't have to do anything too active. Just spending time under the NRC garden trees is enough. Leona lets you play with his hair as long as you don't make it all messy. Oh, you move his hair just enough that it still remains perfectly...unkempt as it usually is. Then, his forehead is shown just enough for some cheeky, soft, and cute peaks.

Vil Schoenheit

Not the one to disappoint his date on the Day of Romance. He shall take you to the finest place in Foothill Town for dinner and he shall gift you the finest present he can think of to make you smile. All of this to show you how much he cares for you. Then, as you take a fine walk along the pier, gazing up at the brightest of stars, the two of you will share a lovely kiss of romance.

Rook Hunt

Knows how to make your perfect Valentine's Day (I mean, are we surprised?) Whatever your favorite things in the world are, he will deliver them. Wherever place you wanna go, he will take you there. Whatever your favorite song is, he will sing it. Your dream place to be kissed, as long as he has your consent, he shall make your dream come true.

Idia Shroud

Not the one to go public on the holiday of love (in which he most likely loathes). He's already been trapped by capitalism. He doesn't need another reason to go deeper. You can tell he's not in the mood to be alone as he asks you join a server and a play a few rounds to distract him from the red and pink heart fodder. All's harmless in an MMO farming game, right? He must've forgot that the game had a kissing feature.

Malleus Draconia

Has been aware of the holiday, but has never gotten to experience it for himself (as he hasn't had many chances to celebrate). He's overheard Lilia gushing over how much of a romantic you are, and Malleus can't ignore that information. But what can he do to express his wishes to be yours for the day...or maybe more after. At night, when you least expect he, he poofs over to Ramshackle, violin in tow. The sweet music captures you immediately. Malleus will float up to your window, prepared to receive your sentiment. A simple, yet thankful kiss on his forehead is enough for Malleus's chest to thump more than his heart could ever muster before.

Lilia Vanrouge

He's been so busy with...other things that Valentine's Day has been one of the holidays that slipped his mind until he arrived at NRC. His last few attempts at getting into the holiday spirit were...attempts. Now that he has you, his platonic cards to his friends and love cards for his family are top notch. How can he ever thank you? A kiss on the hand, perhaps? He was raised in the traditional ways after all.

[ask-nurse-curly]

as stated in the updated pinned post, we are diverging from the canon roleswap timeline starting nnnnnnnow :) ask boxes are open again!

[ Transcript under the cut ]

Hey Curly, I just wanted to check in with you. Things have been a little weird recently with this nearby satellite..

Are you doing okay?

Hey Captain!

Funny business, isn't it? I don't think we've ever had anything like this happen before.

It's okay, though. Sometimes I kind of want to follow Daisuke's example, but most people are nice.

What about you, everything alright on your end?

Me too, there's just so much going on at all times, haha.

Everything is mostly alright. I've got nice people, but some of them.. They're just getting under my skin. I should probably put the phone down.

How bad is it? My worst has been spam messages, mostly. Did you know the Halcyon colonies are reopening admission?

Makes you wonder why they need new people so soon after launch.

Oh yeah! I don't think I'm going to take their offer, I'm pretty content with Earth.

As for the messages.. I don't know. Some of them are just.. Mean, I guess. I don't want you to worry about it, I can handle it, it's just frustrating.

Have you gotten any fun messages though? I got one not that long ago asking about how I felt being a pilot, it was a nice question.

'Mean'? I'm sure you know that sounds worrisome. Are you okay?

Ah, I can't even remember all of them! There is this Martian scientist who gave me the scoop of planetary warfare amongst their kind, someone who is very intent on educating me about possums, and I even reconnected with someone from my med school years, that was pretty wild. Also someone from an actual gunship patched into our frequency, apparently their surname is the same as yours? Do you know a Hideo?

I'm really fine, if I couldn't handle a few weirdos, I wouldn't be on this ship lol

But.. That's very interesting. I don't know if I have any familiar faces on my end, so consider me jealous of you. I can't say that I know a Hideo? Should I?

Now who are you calling a weirdo? :-)

I don't know if you should! If it's a coincidence then certainly an amusing one, guess Musumes are just made to be captains. :-)

Maybe so.. I'll have to start a club then, Captain Musume club.

And I would NEVER call you a weirdo, Nurse Curly, never ever......

Uh huh. I believe you.

:-)

What is weird is just...how much some of these people seem to know. I wonder if our phones were hacked into somehow? Do you think I should be worried about my Meeboo subscription at this rate?

I feel like I should be more shocked but with how much of our data gets sold off and leaked on a daily basis, I can't find myself to be horrified.

You should definitely worry about your Meeboo subscription though.

...Fair point.

Well, if my streaming services are what takes the brunt of exposure, I suppose I could live with that.

Do you think that's how they found out about your nurses calendar? If that's even a real thing.. Did you ever model for a nursing calendar? Lol

Haha!

No, god no. I could never. Can you imagine me in a pin-up calendar? That would be bonkers.

No, I was just joking. I guess the very nature of their, uh, request was too much for my English sensibilities, so I turned to my trusty defence mechanism honed by generations of haughty stuck-ups.

...How did you know about that?

Well we certainly love a modest king..

I was told about it by one of the messages I got, I didn't know if it was true or not but I guess my curiosity was piqued. Sorry, it was inappropriate to ask.

Oh god, are they still harassing you about me? I'm so sorry.

They are strangely...invested.

I hope it's not too much of a bother. And I doubly hope they cease soon.

I don't mind too terribly, I just feel bad talking about you when you're unaware. I certainly try to keep my answers vague so that I can maintain your privacy.

Truly, I don't know if I should be offended or relieved they ask me more about you than they do myself, haha!

I'd go for relieved! Or perhaps even flattered. They seem to think highly of your captaining skills. :-)

They do! I'm not sure how they know about THAT information, but I'll take what I can get!

I can't say i blame them, it's pretty obvious!

I mean

Crew ratings should be public access, right? Based on delivery reviews and stuff. Or could be if they weren't and got leaked too.

I definitely don't doubt that...

I don't know, they seem fairly invested in my love life as well. Which goes beyond the scope of simple work appraisal. I've been asked if I'm single, who my type is. I felt like I was filling out a dating application lol

Haha, funny that

You could lean into that too, if you wanted to, let them do all the legwork. It's worse than the Wild West on those apps sometimes.

I'm not trying to find someone through texting strangers, besides, it seems they already have my ideal love interest picked out for me. They're trying to cause trouble is what they're doing.

And how do you even know what those apps are like? Isn't that like.. Cheating for you?

Oh shoot. Er

It would be! It totally would be if. If I were still in a relationship.

Which I'm not. For the record.

In any case, not that I prowl those apps much, it's not really uh, worth it for me.

What? Since when are you not??

You were just talking about Marie before we took off. Unless.. Did you break up when we got service...?

Yeah, haha, turns out it's not always great when familiar faces text you, right?

But yeah, she... It's not easy, I guess, dating someone who isn't there for half a year at a time at least, you know?

It was kind of a long time coming, so. She just was the braver one out of the two of us to cut the cord.

Sorry, didn't mean to be a downer. It really is okay though. We're good, and. I think I've kind of went through the stages of grief back when we were still earthside.

So. Not a big deal.

I'm so sorry, Curly :( I wish you would've told me. I'm still here if you need to talk, okay? Breaking up sucks, even if you see it coming.

Oh no, I promise it's okay! It really, really is

I'm okay, it's not a big deal.

I mean, it would be, it

But it's not like

I didn't really

She maybe...didn't really...exist?

Curly what are you saying right now

I am a fool is what I'm saying :-(

I'm so sorry.

Any chance we could pretend I never said anything?

How are we supposed to do that? I don't even know what to say.

Why would you lie about that?

...Could we talk?

I mean, in person.

I'll explain everything, just

I'm afraid of how much of this might get exposed.

Please.

Yeah

Are you in the medbay? I'm on my way.

Yes.

Thank you.

[azalawa-scroggs]

.... Well, my hand slipped. I saw @rendevok's new royal AU art and talked about it with them a little bit, and two days later there was this sappy little thing :3 Fair warning that this is MUCH mushier than my usual... if you're not into very shippy stuff, stop here. xD Also tagging @anotherfangirlsworld without whom there would be nothing :3

Miles was exhausted. The campaign had been long and harrowing, ending with a merciless siege of several weeks. They'd eventually won the battle thanks to a desperate and risky scheme of Miles's, but they had lost so many people, and those that had survived were so exhausted that Miles nearly wondered if it had been worth it.

It had been, though. That was what all his advisors had said upon his return, congratulating him about his sagacity in his clever victory when Miles had all but begged for them to make sure, though foreign politics or better logistics, that such a painful war would not be be needed again.

Now, at last, after hours spent in that meeting, Miles was free. He dreamed of a good bath, of clean night robes and the luxury of feather pillows and soft bedsheets, but he knew he wouldn't be ready to sleep until a long time yet, too wired by the argument he'd had with his advisors – chiefly, one – and the hardships of the past few months.

So he found himself headed to one of his favourite places in the castle, the library. There was, hidden at the turn of a staircase, a little alcove there which held works by a favourite author of his; evocative poetry, philosophical plays, even a few treatises on art and political memoirs. Those books reminded him of home, of love, of the idealism he had lost in great part at his father's death, and it seemed, a little more every day since. It was where he always sought refuge when he felt too weary or too weighed down by life.

Those books, he often thought privately, for those were not musings fit to be heard by any others, had saved his life on more than one occasion.

He untied the fastening of his ceremonial cape and draped it over his arm, sighing as the weight fell of his shoulders. He would set it down on the back of a chair as he sat down in the quiet peace of the library. Or perhaps he would take the books back with him to his quarters, throw the cape on his desk to be picked up by his manservant, and settle in his favourite armchair to read by the firelight.

It turned out he did neither of those things.

There, in the shadows, standing in front of the hidden shelves, was the last person he expected to see: Phoenix Wright, grand duke of Borschinia and supposedly attending important matters in his own country. He seemed in deep thought, a hand on his chin, pondering the titles. Affection surged in Miles at the familiar mannerisms in the middle of all his questions, and his step hurried nearly despite himself.

Phoenix heard his approach even muffled as it was by the carpet. He turned towards him, gave him a blinding smile, and caught him into an embrace, kissing him deeply.

Miles stumbled backwards under the strength of Phoenix's kiss, one foot up the little step leading to the alcove, one foot down, but he didn't mind. Too welcome was the warm hand in his back, and even the one holding his wrist to prevent Miles from making a clumsy gesture in his haste. That one soon relented its grip when Miles slid his arms behind his neck, slotting himself deeper in his arms. Behind his back, Phoenix's arm tightened its hold, bringing Miles even closer.

“You're here... Goddess, Miles, you're here,” Phoenix whispered in awe between kisses, looking at him with stars in his eyes. His now free hand had climbed behind Miles's neck, untying his ribbon and drawing small circles at the base of his skull, his fingers tangling in his hair, much longer now than it used to be the last time they saw each other. Miles hadn't exactly found the time to get it cut. “I can't believe it.”

Miles laughed, melting into Phoenix's touch, somewhat drunk on tiredness and on the warmth of his lover all around him, the delicious sensation of his fingers at the base of his neck. “I will have you know this is my home,” he replied. “I should be the one in wonder you are here. I thought you had an important council to hold with the Feys in the coming weeks?”

“Yes, but... oh, Miles,” Phoenix replied, his voice thick with emotion. He closed his eyes and swallowed as he leaned his forehead against Miles, clearly fighting back tears. Miles frowned, taken aback. “I thought I was coming to attend your funeral.”

Ice fell into Miles's guts. Only then did he realise the way Phoenix was dressed, his uniform as official as his own. He, either, hadn't even discarded his cape.

“When did you arrive?”

“Only a few hours ago. Imagine my relief when I heard you were alive and in a meeting, for a change,” Phoenix answered with a fond smile. “But I couldn't fully shake my fear until I held you in my arms...”

He leaned down for another kiss. Miles indulged him with delight, his own heart heavy at the thought.

How he'd missed this. How he'd missed him... Despite everything, he couldn't fully regret this turn of events, if it meant Phoenix was here to welcome him home when he most needed it.

“I'm so sorry, my love,” he whispered. “I faked my death as a ploy to lower the enemy's defences, but I never expected the news to leave the battlefield... my officers had firm instructions not to write home about it.”

“Yet someone must have done it,” Phoenix said, frowning. “I imagine Lord von Karma was all too delighted to pound on the opportunity.”

Miles let out a groan.

“Of course. He's the one who would profit the most from my death. But if he was made aware, I cannot imagine he didn't know all of my plot, so why...?”

“Well, had you come back any later than you did, he would have put the full regency in place rather than the limited powers your mere absence allows him, and who knows what edicts you would have had to undo when you took back your place,” Phoenix replied. Miles couldn't help smiling at his judicious observations. Phoenix knew the laws of his country nearly as well as Miles himself did, and Miles knew he'd studied all of it to prove to the court he was the strongest suitor.

Miles sighed, rested his head against Phoenix's chest, which he could do without bending his back too much with the way Phoenix was still standing a full step higher than him.

“You're right, of course,” he said. “My death would be even more advantageous to him than marrying me off to Franziska. I'm starting to wonder if I should start looking out for assassination plots.”

He didn't really mean it, of course. Lord von Karma had all but raised him in the wake of his father's death. It was clear the man disagreed with him on many policies, now that Miles was old enough to have a mind of his own, but Miles didn't think he would truly plot to kill him.

Phoenix brought him closer and kissed him again.

“Enough talk about your death,” he murmured, and Miles, too late, remembered the grief Phoenix had gone through until this moment. “You're here. You're alive. And I want to marry you tomorrow.”

Miles's heart ached. They should have been married years ago. They were betrothed as children, an alliance decided under the blessing of King Gregory and Misty Fey of Kurain. But the death of the former, the disappearance of the latter and the opposition of Lord von Karma to the marriage, seeking to unite Miles with his house instead, had thrown a wrench in those plans.

“Soon now, love,” Miles replied, as he always did when Phoenix expressed both of their yearning, even though neither of them knew when that would be possible.

“Tomorrow,” Phoenix insisted. “We'll storm through the court and cause a scandal, I don't care, elope if we must. I'm sick of waiting, Miles. I'm sick of being afraid to lose you...”

“I know,” Miles said. He felt the same. They both felt this way, and they both knew it. “I know. If I could, I would summon an officiant to these chambers immediately.”

“Immediately?” Phoenix's eyes sparkled in the way they always did when he had a mad idea, or even when he was just indulging Miles, like now. Miles couldn't help his foolish grin.

“Yes,” he went on. “I'd call them here, in this very place, to perform the ceremony. We'd stand here,” he gently pushed Phoenix back to climb the step into the alcove. “Between the bookshelf and the window. It wouldn't take the half of an hour. Wouldn't that be lovely?”

“Very,” Phoenix said, who hadn't let go of Miles throughout this little demonstration, both hands on his hips. “I would improvise my vows, you know I don't mind speaking spontaneously. But what about you? You much prefer to have your speeches planned.”

“I've had my vows ready since I took the throne, Phoenix. I'd merely have to fetch them from my chambers.”

Phoenix let out a wordless little keen, which was extremely satisfying to hear, since Miles was the one usually prone to embarrassing noises. He kissed Miles's lips with ferocity, then his cheeks, his nose, his eyes.

“Tomorrow,” he repeated once more. “I'm serious, Miles. I can't wait any longer.”

“This year,” Miles offered back. “Since I came back before Lord von Karma could consolidate his power, this move looks very poorly on him, like the greedy grab for power it was. Stay with me a while as we keep up our efforts to remind the court of my late father's wishes. It is already apparent you would make an ideal consort, and your rushing here has only proved it further – I doubt Franziska fell for the ploy like you did, and in this instance it plays in our favour. In three months at most, we will be united.”

Phoenix nodded, looking a bit settled. They'd made such promises to each other countless times before, but this time Miles was determined to see it through.

Phoenix was right. They'd waited long enough.

“I cannot wait for the day I no longer have to be parted from you,” Phoenix murmured into Miles's ear, his breath hot and tickling. He punctuated his sentence by lightly biting on Miles's lobe, the caress of his hands in his back growing slower, heavier. “When I can live here, by your side, yours openly...”

Heat started to pool into Miles's guts. His knees weakened, and he stumbled backwards a little, holding on to Phoenix's neck. Phoenix was unrelenting, pushing him until Miles could lean on the clover wall, right next to the bookshelf, then pressing his body against Miles, his hands wandering all over his back and sides, his mouth sucking and kissing into the curves of his neck. Miles's fingers curled into the fabric of Phoenix's uniform jacket, holding on desperately.

“Phoenix...” he breathed. “My quarters – not here –”

“There's no one here,” Phoenix retorted between two kisses. “Only us...”

He pulled the curtain a few inches, hiding them from sight, plunging them more into intimate obscurity, and Miles surrendered to his touch.

[freetalessimian]

Quick question that no one will know. WHERE TF ARE THEY??

You can already see weapons. Theres also an arch, so maybe the mountain used to have a building???

I just want to know where it is and the lore 😭 why did Mac choose this mountain, whats the history behind it. Was it just because it was secluded? I can’t imagine it’s THAT far from the city because Mk would have been more cautious if so right?

(Yeah ill just go on a field trip with my new sketchy mentor to who knows where😄 thats not a terrible idea at all. Im the Monkie Kid)

Oh yay, dead people already, great signs. Also did Mac make them climb all those stairs? Man, he was really pushing Mk to his limit. Did he climb with Mk? Was it just awkward silence or was it a checkpoint thing like a video game 😭 just occasionally hes there again like (Great job just a little further 🙂)

I NEED TO KNOW. What battle was happened here? Was it from the jttw, or just a random battle? Was it specific to Macaque or Wukong in anyway? Theres swords and spears littering the ground. And skeletons. It was definitely a battle ground. I believe we’ve only seen a few of these? So they’re might be clues in flashbacks?

Perhaps its Sandy’s or maybe Macaque’s? Both have spears in the ground. Though we don’t have many clues as to where the battles took place besides that Sandys flack back happened on a mountain but the place probably wasn��t a factor as it was triggered by the situation. And Macaques you can see a mountain range

I couldn’t really find anything that matches. However if this were the case and THE battle really happened on this mountain it’d be quite interesting, but would surprisingly give me a lot to work with to make a timeline.

For instance if either battles happened on that mountain then it would have had to of been after the main jttw, or after Sun Wukongs circlet was removed. As I believe it is closer to his mountain, or at least the city. Which he would not have been near during the journey westwards, as we know his island is in the east, near the Dragon of the East’s palace.

I think Wukong in lmk either continued the pilgrimage without the circlet or they wrote most of the scenes to take place after, like the Samadhi fire. As we can see the group is still together, and Tripiaka is still their master. But Wukong is NOT wearing the circlet, so this probably takes place after. So that means other chapters could have been rewritten to be after the main journey west, and the groups just stuck together? Or perhaps get back together to do errands for the celestial realm like in this scene with Nezha.

Its not a crazy assumption to think that Macaques defeat and possibly death took place after the main jttw or when Sun Wukong returned home as we see Dbks defeat/death also took place after. Perhaps Wukong was just tying up loose ends 😃

Oh I ran out of photo room but In Macaque’s flashback Wukong isn’t wearing the circlet there either.

Makes me wonder just how much of the journey to the west they altered in Lego Monkie Kid, was the Lady Bone Demon’s defeat even in the early chapters? Was Macaques death before or after hers? THERE IS SO MANY LORE QUESTIONS, That if I got the answers to them It would change even more of my inner timeline than you’d expect.

[odufee]

Prongsfoot but it's an AU where James and Lily still died, but it's set in the real world, so they died in a car crash and Sirius adopts Harry. After Harry grows up and finds out what love is, he realises Sirius might have felt something much deeper towards his dad than he initially thought. On his 20th birthday he confronts Sirius about it, after finding him caressing James's face on a visibly old, black-and-white photograph of the two of them, where Sirius was kissing his best friend's cheek, who carried the cheesiest grin.

Sirius finally admits to it, albeit reluctantly and vaguely, revealing little details about his feelings. Harry could tell it hurt Sirius to talk about and he didn't want to disrespect the memory of Lily. He acknowledges he never admitted to his feelings while James was alive, not to him and not even to his own self. He respected Lily too much. And thought it would have only been selfish to confess, because he knew James had only loved her his entire life. Harry thanks him for being vulnerable and makes sure his favourite godfather-turned-father knows he doesn't think any less of him.

Years later, when Harry has a family of his own and he's going through old boxes in his late parents' house, he finds a photo album hidden under a wooden plank in an inconspicuous cabinet. It was full of photos of a man that has long matured in both age and appearance. Having grey hair, wrinkles around his eyes and a slight limp. And yet Harry could never misplace the rakish, cheeky aura of his godfather while he was young. The photo album was filled with images of Sirius. Most were signed with phrases varying from "Sirius, summer 1977" to "What beauty looks like" with only Sirius's half-naked frame in sight.

As much as Harry was elated to find a part of his late dad, even shedding a tear, something heavy rested on his heart. He knew that, perhaps, this part of James Potter might have been too vulnerable to dissect. At least for him. He might have been his biological father, but he was a person first.

So, after preparing himself mentally to part ways with one of the only remaining pieces of his father, Harry did the only thing that felt right. He gifted the album to Sirius on the 40th anniversary of his parents' death. Sirius's tears were both comforting and heart-wrenching to witness. Harry saw his godfather combing through the album annually after that, at random times during the year, whenever he'd visit and the other man wasn't aware he was in his godson's line of view. It made Harry wonder how often Sirius looked through it without anyone else knowing.

[izvmimi]

cw: horror. body horror.

The crunch of bone and sickening squish of blood and gristle layer over the sound of his laughter, usually so sweet but recontextualized in this darkness as terrifying, ghastly even, just as much as it's out of place.

Yet you remain frozen in shock, unable to move an inch. Not to run away, and definitely not to stop him, and how could you? In fact, you’re thankful Luffy has his back turned right now, hunched over his feast, and you tell yourself it’s adrenaline that keeps your feet planted in this position right now, stuck like glue, rather than the imposition of his will. 

You continue to watch, ineffectually, and impromptu dinner has started squirming less and less as time has passed, save for weak twitches of bruised legs and battered arms, unable to effect any real movement. The thought of escape has long disappeared, perhaps from the moment of that garish grin of his spread across his face, and boiling blood started to pump into his veins.

Hunting is so much fun, particularly if you’re good at it.

He’s told you this just a few times, just another musing amongst the many he entrusts you with in the early mornings as he holds your hand, demanding time alone to walk the shores of the beach, or in the late nights, once both of your more primal appetites have been sated.

Your love who finds joys in the small things can oft have interesting ideas of what fun entails, and perhaps in your heart of hearts you may disagree here, but he is stubborn to a fault and better off happy than upset in any way.

Perhaps if he were malicious, this would all feel a little less strange, you wonder.

You can practically see a shiver run down his back as he enjoys himself, lips smacking and tongue slurping, and perhaps if you were not afraid to move any closer you would thump him on the shoulders and remind him to breathe to not choke as he scarfs everything down. Instead, you watch, hoping that it’ll be over soon, and not much will remain for you to look at. Hopefully he cleans up after himself.

But he’s sensed your presence a while ago.

“Oh!”

Turning to look at you, swirled wisps of smoky white clouds both surrounding him like a halo and sprouting from his scalp, even the very brows on his face untainted by the blood smeared all over face, he grins widely, meat and flesh stuck between his teeth.

“Did you want any?”

In a move that makes your stomach turn, he yanks a lower limb from the trunk right at the joint, with the kind of effort you’d expect separating a slow-cooked lamb shank that’s falling off the bone. You’d prefer that. You’ve never been a picky eater, and have had your share of strange meat, but the shape of that piece is too intact, too familiar.

“I saved the best part for you,” he grins. The fact that he’s proud of himself practically makes his blood scarlet eyes glow.

You don’t think you can say yes, but you also cannot say no. Willing yourself with as much courage as possible, you take a step forward, then another, until you’re standing right next to his crouched form.

You try not to look at the leftovers.

“I’m not hungry, Luffy,” you say, sweetly. He looks at you, tilts his head, then shrugs.

“More for me, I guess.”

You lower yourself gently until you’re sitting crosslegged on the blood-dampened soil. The thick smell of iron disgusts you, but as you let your head rest on Luffy’s shoulder, the smoke hagoromo engulfs you and dulls your senses just enough. 

“Maybe next time,” you mutter under your breath, and he hums in pleased assent.

[softxsuki]

Hi! May I request a Valentine's letter from Gojo Satoru, Jujutsu Kaisen, for a fem!platonic reader? The reader is a civilian. I would prefer if he addressed the reader as "my friend" instead of using her name. I want the letter to be bittersweet and angsty, sort of like him saying goodbye and apologize for not getting in touch with her for so long (cause, well, he was sealed, so) . I imagine he wrote the letter after he got unsealed and before fought Sukuna because he lowkey hinted at the fact that he knew he was going to die. Well, yeah, something like that.

Please and thank you in advance 🫶

Goodbye Letter from Gojo to His Friend

This event is now CLOSED, but you can view the masterlist for the other letters here.

| Pairing: Gojo x Fem!Reader (platonic) | Genre: Just devastation really| Post-Type: Letter | Word Count: 640 |

Warnings: heart wrenching angst, spoilers for people who aren’t caught up to the manga! Bad ending …

Note: I’m seeing a trend where you all want me to cry and suffer while writing these…who hurt you guys this year 😭

You sigh, checking your phone for what felt like the millionth time.

Did you do something wrong? Was he okay? It had been over a month since you last heard from Gojo, and you couldn’t help but worry. He had let you in on the world he lived in; the reality of curses and sorcerers and the like–but it had answered so many unanswered questions you had about things. He was someone who kept you safe, made you laugh, and who you could trust with your life.

The strongest. That’s what he had called himself…so he had to be fine. Right?

What went wrong? Where was he? Why hadn’t he reached out to you?

You get up and decide to check the mail, better get moving to distract your mind than rot with these haunting thoughts. You open your door and collect the contents of your mailbox, closing the door and throwing yourself back on your couch.

Bills, bills, student loans, bills, spam…and a letter from…Gojo?

Your heart stops and you sit up a little straighter, discarding the other envelopes to the other side of the couch, quickly opening the letter;

My Precious Friend,

I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark for so long. Did you miss me? It’s moments like these where I can’t help but think of you. You’re doing well aren’t you? Perhaps writing this is a bit selfish of me…but I felt guilty just disappearing on you. I wish I could get the chance to tell you what happened in person…but let's just say I was stuck somewhere for a bit and just finally got free. 

By now, my fate is probably already sealed. As I write this, I’m off to face my greatest challenge yet. A challenge I felt confident about facing before, but things are complicated now. You’ve been a dear friend to me, you tolerated my dramatics and laughed with me, listening to me moan on and on about those damn elders…so thank you for being a better friend than I could have ever asked for.

I guess I wrote this to you to help you move on? As much as I’d like to keep my friend all to myself…If I haven’t shown up at your door by now, then it probably means I can’t…Am i spilling too much about this to you? Maybe, but I need you to know. 

Don’t wait for me anymore.

I hope only for your safety and happiness, that’s all. My friend…my lovely, wonderful friend. One of the few who have been a true friend to me, please stay well.

This is goodbye, until we meet again one day, hopefully.

Love, 

Satoru :3 

You couldn’t control the sobs escaping your lips. What happened to being the strongest? He was supposed to be undefeatable? Why?? Why had he left you all alone?

It was obvious that he was gone from this world. He should have been back by now if he was okay, smiling at you and teasing you like he always did.

Would you ever learn the truth behind why he left? Why he was gone? Would you never see him again?

Your heart felt empty. Your anxieties for the past few weeks had all been accurate in worrying. You should have left to look for him yourself…but then what? You were a normal human, no cursed energy, no super strength, nothing…Why couldn’t you do more for your friend who had done so much for you?

“Goodbye Satoru,” you choke out, hot tears running down your face. A small part of you couldn’t help but hope that one day you’d see him again. Whether it be in this life, in the next life, or in the afterlife, he was your friend. Yours. And no one would replace the mark that he left in your life.

Posted: 2/14/2025