#cabbage writing corner

[leafcabbage]

i hate editing i hate proof reading so i DIDNT

3.5k words LMAO oops

here is something for the drdi hgau!! rescue mission <3

tws for injuries and mentions of needles and blood. nothing graphic

Going into the Capitol was probably a death trap, but Sneeg didn’t even entertain the idea of leaving Ranboo to be retrieved by strangers. The state they had been in during the last day of the 75th games had been bad enough, he could only imagine how much worse it had gotten in the weeks since they had been captured. 

If he wasn’t there, he was afraid Ranboo would just think they were being kidnapped, which, well, they kind of were, but it was by the right people this time. Ranboo thinking they were being kidnapped would probably lead to a struggle, which wouldn’t be helpful for anyone. 

Getting into the building had been nearly impossible without tripping any alarms, but they had made it to the floor that held the cells with Niki, Techno, and Ranboo. Now they would be on a strict time limit. They would cut the power to the floor, and have about two minutes before the emergency power kicked in. Any delays were likely a death sentence. It was a great way to get an adrenaline rush, really. 

They had scoped out the cells earlier, knew where to find everyone, and now it was a matter of finally putting the plan into action. Luckily, 13 had plenty of night vision glasses, or this would be nearly impossible. 

The power went out, and there was no more thinking about what to do, only doing it. 

Sneeg stuck to the wall as he made his way down the hall to Ranboo’s cell, figuring it was better to pretend there were guards everywhere, just in case one did make an appearance. He was pretty sure there had been guards, but he hadn’t been part of the group dealing with all that. 

He reached the door and forced it open with some specialized tool he’d been given. The engineers at 13 really had something for everything. Definitely not complaining about that. 

Ranboo was curled up on a cot just inside. There wasn’t much room for it to be anywhere else. Sneeg ignored the rush of relief at just seeing them there, alive and… well, pretty much just alive. They were absolutely not okay, bruised and skinnier than before, though he didn’t know how they had anything left to lose. He knew he couldn’t even see the extent of it, even with the night vision glasses. They also seemed to be asleep, which meant he was about to give them an unfortunate wake-up scare. 

He knelt beside their bed, trying to move quickly without being careless. Wincing slightly at how much he knew he was about to scare them, he pressed his hand over their mouth to keep them from making any noise. He didn’t even have to shake them awake, that was enough to startle them awake, eyes wide and searching the dark, trying to figure out what was happening.

They tried to shove his hand away but he caught their wrist, easily stopping them.

“It’s me,” he whispered. “It’s me, Ranboo, you’re okay. It’s Sneeg.” 

They froze, confusion mixing with the fear in their expression. 

“I need you to trust me right now.”

He could see them trying to make sense of what he was saying, of his presence there, of everything. 

Then they nodded. 

Thank god.

“I need you to stay quiet. I’m going to pick you up, and I’m going to run. You need to hold on. That’s all you need to do, hold on and stay quiet. Can you do that?” 

They nodded again. 

He took his hand from their mouth and didn’t hesitate to hoist them up into his arms. Ranboo did their part, wrapping their arms and legs around him and holding on as best they could. It was a little awkward, they were a tall kid, but it was easier with them holding on. They were light, too. Lighter than they should be. He ignored it. They would get help back at 13. His job was to get them there. 

Exiting the cell, he nearly ran into Techno, who was being kept upright by another one of the guys who had come along, his name was… not coming to mind. 

“Watch where you’re going,” Sneeg whispered, knowing his relief at seeing another one of their own alive and breathing was clear in his voice.

“What, didn’t expect me to be standing?” Techno asked, voice rough.

“Can you really call that standing?” Sneeg replied. “Come on.”

As much as he’d like to see where Niki was, they had been told to only worry about themselves and the person they were trying to get out, and trust that everyone knew what they were doing. Sneeg had been lucky to run into Techno, but now it was time to move. 

They had barely made it into the stairwell when the generator kicked in, lights flooding the floor and a delayed alarm started to sound, only now registering the forced open doors. Ranboo flinched at the sound, clinging to Sneeg even tighter. 

“It’s okay,” he said quietly, though he really didn’t know if it was. 

He really hoped he wasn’t about to get both of them killed. 

No time to think about that. He needed to focus on getting to the roof and getting out of there. He also needed to pretend that things were going to plan, because he could already feel Ranboo’s breathing and heart rate picking up. He couldn’t blame them. The whole thing was probably—no, definitely—terrifying. 

Despite being used to physical exertion, running up several flights of stairs while carrying a teenager was exhausting. He just had to keep pushing forward, though. He would be out soon enough, and then he could get Ranboo home, and they would get the care they needed, and maybe it would feel like everything might eventually be okay. 

The relief of getting to the roof and seeing their hovercraft waiting was cut short when the gunfire started. Shit. Luck had been on their side for too long, and it had run out. He only had to make it from the stairs to the hovercraft. That was it. He was so close, so close to getting them both out of there. 

The gunfire was coming from behind them, which was good because Sneeg had a bulletproof vest, and all Ranboo had to shield them was him. If the bullets were coming from the other side, they would have nothing. 

A bullet found its target in one of the guys who had been next to Sneeg, and Ranboo made a choked sound, probably having seen it happen far better than Sneeg was able to. 

He was about to tell Ranboo to close their eyes and keep their head down when a bullet caught him in the leg, sending a wave of white-hot pain through him. He stumbled, losing his footing and his hold on Ranboo, and they both hit the ground hard. 

Ranboo was at his side in a second, pulling on his arm frantically. 

“Come on, Sneeg, please.” It was the first time they’d spoken, and their voice was raspy and weak. “Get up, please.”

“Can you run?” he asked hurriedly, trying to ignore the blood he could feel seeping out of the wound. The guards would be closing in. 

Ranboo shook their head, and he wasn’t sure if it was an actual no, or if they just wouldn’t leave him.

“You need to go,” he stressed. “You need to leave.”

“Not without—”

Ranboo was cut off by the guy who had been helping Techno picking them up. They shrieked Sneeg’s name, trying to free themself from his hold, but they were too weak to put up any real fight.

At least he knew Ranboo was going to make it out. He was dead weight at this point, though. He’d known there was a chance he would die here. At least he was going to die knowing Ranboo would be okay.

“No being a martyr for you.” A familiar voice broke through his somewhat dramatic thoughts, and then Phil was pulling him to his feet. 

Phil was meant to stay back in the hovercraft, he had been part of the group keeping an eye on what was happening, but he had apparently abandoned his post for Sneeg’s sake. 

“You’ve run on worse than that,” he added, half-supporting, half-dragging Sneeg along with him.

He was right. Sneeg gritted his teeth, forcing himself to move through the pain, unable to come up with a witty retort with the pain clouding his mind. 

It was a miracle that the two of them made it. They must have been the last ones, too, because the craft was moving nearly before they were on it.

The doors closed and Phil lowered Sneeg to the ground, back against the wall, both of them breathing heavily. 

Before he could even start to ask about Ranboo, they were back at his side, arms thrown around him and face pressed into his shoulder. It couldn’t be very comfortable, what with the bulletproof vest, but he doubted they would be letting go any time soon. He put an arm around them, giving them a squeeze.

“I’m okay,” he said quietly. “We’re okay.”

“Well, unless they shoot us out of the sky,” Jack said, sounding all too happy for having said something so grim.

Of course, the reason he was happy was clear enough, seeing as Niki was laying with her head on his lap, looking much worse for wear, but awake and alive. 

“Thanks, I needed to hear that,” Sneeg replied dryly. 

“Let me look at that leg,” Phil interrupted, stopping Jack from coming up with a defense. 

“But it’s gonna hurt,” Sneeg complained.

“It’ll hurt more if you bleed out.” 

“Let him look at it,” Ranboo said, muffled by his shoulder and… oh. He hadn’t realized they were crying. “I don’t want you to die.”

Usually, he would point out that he had been joking, that obviously he wasn’t going to just sit there and bleed out. But he doubted Ranboo was in a good enough state to pick up on that, and it was better to just comfort them than backtrack and explain that he didn’t mean it in the first place.

“I won’t die,” he told them, gentler than usual. “And of course I’ll let him look at it.”

They nodded but didn’t reply, apparently satisfied with his assurance. Or too tired to keep protesting. 

He made a point not to look at what Phil was doing, because it would probably be a little nauseating if he did. Sneeg didn’t like watching himself lose blood. The pain was enough without the visual. 

“You’re going to need stitches,” Phil informed him.

“Yeah, duh.” He’d thought that was a given. “Can it wait until I can get something for the pain?” 

“You can get something for the pain right now,” Phil reminded him. “We’re fully stocked.”

They were, too. They had a medic and everything, prepared for the worst case scenario when it came to the conditions everyone would be in when they were rescued. 

“I’ll get the medic,” Phil continued, standing. “Don’t die before I’m back.” 

“I’d never.” 

With Phil off to find someone to give Sneeg stitches, he turned his attention to Ranboo, who hadn’t moved since they first got to him. 

“They’re gonna need to give me stitches, but I’m going to be okay,” he told them gently. “You’re probably going to have to let go for that, though.” 

They held on tighter in response, which wasn’t exactly promising. 

“It’ll be okay, you can—” Well… they probably shouldn’t be in the room. That didn’t seem like a good idea. “You’ll be with—” 

He had been going to say Techno, because Ranboo and Techno were fairly close, but he suddenly realized that Techno wasn’t in the main holding area with them. He must be okay, seeing as Phil hadn’t been deeply distraught. Probably being treated for his own injuries. 

“You can stay with Phil and Niki and Jack.” 

“We can have a party,” Jack interjected, obviously trying to keep the mood light.

Ranboo shook their head, more frantic this time.

“It won’t take long, I promise. They’re not gonna waste drugs on knocking me out, just gonna numb my leg and do some stitches, then I’ll be back.”

He supposed he didn’t actually know that, but he was going to make some assumptions for the sake of getting Ranboo to calm down. Not that it was working. If anything, they were getting more agitated, their breath was starting to quicken again and they were trembling worse than before. 

“I’ll ask someone to keep giving you updates, how about that?” 

He was really lost on what would help at this point. Ranboo might be a little emotional, but they were usually logical enough. Even when they were terrified, most of the time they could force themself to do what needed to be done, but no amount of logic or convincing seemed to be helping now. Not that he blamed them. He didn’t know what they’d just gone through, but he was pretty sure that if he was in their shoes, he would also be clinging on to whatever comfort he could find. 

“They’re ready for you,” Phil said, rejoining them.

“You a receptionist now?” Sneeg asked.

Phil rolled his eyes. “Do you want stitches or not?”

“No one really wants stitches, do they?” he replied, a little distracted trying to figure out how he was going to get Ranboo to let go. “Ran, you gotta let go.”

“No!” Ranboo cried, grabbing onto the fabric of his jacket like that might be enough to keep him there.

“I need to get my leg dealt with,” he said, a little firmer this time. 

“I’ll stay with you.”

“You’ll stay out here,” he replied. “I’ll be back as fast as I can—”

“No, you won’t!” they cut him off, voice desperate. “You’ll die! You’ll die! They told me you died! They showed me you died, you’re going to die, I saw your body, I saw it—” their words dissolved into sobs, their whole body shaking.

He didn’t bother asking what they meant by that. It wouldn’t be hard for the Capitol to convince them that he was dead. They had plenty of ways to alter people’s perception of reality, and considering how sick and starving Ranboo must have been, it would be easy to play with their idea of what was real. 

He’d like to just sit there and comfort them, try to convince them that it was all okay now, but he was starting to feel woozy from the blood he was losing and he didn’t think they would be feeling better any time soon. 

“I won’t die,” he said softly, though it was useless and he knew it. “I’ll actually be less likely to die.” 

It didn’t seem like they were hearing him anymore, too lost in whatever they were certain was going to happen.

Phil knelt beside Sneeg. “We really need to get you stitched up,” he said apologetically.

“Trust me, I know.” 

He gently tried to loosen Ranboo’s hold on him, knowing he could easily shove them off but not wanting to be too forceful. 

“No!” they shrieked. “No! I’m not going!”

“Ranboo—”

“No!” 

He should really be relieved they had enough energy in them to be doing this, but he doubted that they actually did. They were probably running on adrenaline and nothing else. 

“You’re going to hurt yourself if—”

“You’re gonna die!” 

The guy who had helped Techno, and then carried Ranboo to the hovercraft, joined the three of them, giving Sneeg a nod before helping pull Ranboo off of him.

As was expected, they didn’t react well, crying out at the sudden presence of another person. They fought against him, unsuccessfully, trying to grab onto Sneeg again before they were too far.

“It’s okay, bud,” Sneeg tried to reassure, but he doubted Ranboo could hear him very well over their own sobbing. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

He hated this. Hated seeing them like this. Hated that they were so scared and there was nothing he could do. Usually, he had at least some ability to make them feel better, but now he was useless. He couldn’t help but feel like it was his own fault for not making sure 13 got them out of the Arena with everyone else. None of this would be happening if he’d just done right by them the first time around. 

Ranboo responded by biting the arm of the guy who was holding them. He swore loudly, and Sneeg really didn’t blame him, it looked painful, but it clearly scared Ranboo, who started struggling even more, yanking and scratching at the guy’s arms. To his credit, he didn’t let go. Sneeg wasn’t entirely sure what Ranboo would do if they weren’t being restrained at this point, but he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be good. 

One of the medical staff emerged from the other part of the hovercraft, a syringe in hand. It was pretty easy to guess what was in it, especially when she made a beeline for Ranboo. They were aware enough to see her, and they made one last attempt to escape, managing to kick Sneeg in the side as they did. It wasn’t particularly painful, especially compared to his leg, but it was enough to make him look down, and by the time he looked up again, whatever was in the syringe had been administered. 

The sedative acted quickly, thank god, because Sneeg didn’t think he could sit and watch Ranboo struggle any longer, but he also couldn’t just leave them there. He just wished they hadn’t looked so scared as they lost consciousness. 

Phil wordlessly helped Sneeg up, the medic joining them to support him on the other side, and they brought him over to the other half of the craft, which was set up like a makeshift hospital. 

Sneeg shoved aside the guilt that built with the distance between him and Ranboo. There was no other choice, no other outcome that would have worked, but he still felt awful about it. For now, he needed to just focus on getting stitches, though. He could be there for Ranboo again when he wasn’t in danger of slowly and painfully bleeding out. 

***

The full day passed before Ranboo woke up again, and at a certain point the sedative had definitely worn off, meaning most of this was just what their body needed. It was good, Sneeg knew it was good, but he also wanted to see them awake again. He supposed he hoped it would be a little better this time.

They had been back in 13 for a good part of the day, now. His leg was stitched up, there were no expected complications, he just had to not exert himself too much for a bit and then he would be good as new. It had only been within the hour, though, that he was allowed to join Ranboo. 

He was lucky. Tommy and Tubbo had argued, then begged to be let in to stay the night, but had ultimately been sent to their bunks for the night and told they could visit in the morning. It probably wouldn’t go well if Ranboo woke up alone, though, so it was a relief to all of them that someone could be there. 

They looked a little better. Cleaner, at least, which meant someone must have washed them up. They were in 13’s hospital wear, too, and hooked up to an IV, probably for nutrition and dehydration. He hadn’t gotten much of an update on their health in general yet, and probably wouldn’t until the next morning, but comforted himself with the fact that he probably would’ve been told if something was horribly wrong. 

Ranboo shifted slightly and he sat up, watching for other signs that they were waking up. It seemed that they might be, their breathing was slightly faster, too. 

“Hey,” he said, voice quiet. If they weren’t waking up, he didn’t want to be the one to wake them, but if they were, he wanted them to know they were safe before they could freak out. “You’re not in the Capitol anymore. You’re safe, now.” 

Ranboo opened their eyes, glancing around the room without a hint of recognition. 

“You’re with me,” he added, patting their arm, then leaving his hand to rest there. 

“Sneeg?” they asked, voice quiet. 

“Yeah, it’s me.” He smiled reassuringly. “We’re in District 13. There’s… there’s a lot to explain. All you need to know right now is you’re safe, got it? You’re safe, I’m alive, and we’re gonna be okay.”

Ranboo put their hand over his, holding it weakly. “Got it,” they mumbled, closing their eyes again.

“Get some more rest,” he said, like they could do anything else.

“You’ll stay?” Ranboo asked, voice almost too quiet to hear.

“Always,” he promised. “Now sleep.”

“Rule one,” they started, and he really wasn’t sure how they hadn’t passed out again yet. “Always listen to Sneeg.

“And when do you ever follow that rule?” 

Ranboo didn’t reply, having lost the battle against sleep.

“Never,” Sneeg replied for them. “You never do.” 

And yet he still put up with them, for some reason. 

He sighed and leaned forward, resting his head on his arm on the edge of the bed. If he was going to keep his promise to Ranboo, he had to get comfortable somehow. 

[saturnville]

brown sugar

pairing: lewis hamilton x black oc (victoria "tori" scott). summary: he loves her. she’s too blind to realize it. warnings: angst. reference: brown sugar (2002). wc: 5.9k. an: this took forver, ngl. and I don't even know if I like it for real LOL, but I hope you all do! tags: @boujiestpoet @mauvecherie-writes @saintslewis @greedyjudge2 @vile-harlot @emjayewrites @ggaslyp1 @neewrites @cocobutterqwueen

Working hard for what he desired was a concept that was instilled in him from a young age. If he wanted something, his father would say, it was up to him to put in the work to make it happen. He'd have help, he'd have support, but the grit had to come from within. It was a lesson he carried with him throughout his life. 

As a child, he was determined to become a successful racing driver. He'd now become the primary name in Formula One as one (if not) the greatest racing driver and the first Black driver, especially of his caliber. He'd broken barriers and found himself doing things he'd never thought he'd do; designing, producing, and mentoring. 

He was determined in every aspect of his life, including his love life. Or, the lack thereof. He was used to the fast life of money, cars, and women, but as he grew older, it seemed unappealing. Bringing random women homemade his stomach clenched in discomfort, staying out too late made his head hurt, and having a large bed to himself grew lonesome. 

But, he knew what he wanted. He put in effort to ensure that, even selfishly, he got wanted; always did. And it was going to be her.

-

"Hello?" Her voice reverberated throughout the airy penthouse. Her heels kissed the hardwood floor as she entered the foyer of his home. Her nostrils widened as she inhaled deeply. He was still present. The scent of his favorite cologne lingered and tickled her senses. "Lewis!"

"Do you like yelling my name or something?" he joked as he came around the corner. As he came into view, she smiled gently. He looked very comfortable. He wore a pair of loose-fitted black sweatpants and pulled the matching sweatshirt over his head. His hair, as usual, was pulled into a low bun and a lazy smirk played on his lips. 

She rolled her eyes playfully and welcomed his hug and kiss on the side of her neck. She shuddered. "Try again. I came to drop this off." In her hand was a black restaurant-like bag. Lewis dropped his hand to her waist and turned his head to the side. He watched as she swallowed thickly. She said, "Nothing much. I cooked and had a lot left over." 

Lewis' eyes lit up in excitement. Her love language was cooking. Her grandmother was the 

chef of her family, often teaching everyone, including herself, her family recipes. And since leaving the States to move to Europe for business, her grandmother's recipes were the bridge that kept her connected with her Mississippi roots. Lewis was always an indirect benefit of her love for her roots. 

"You spoil me," Lewis said boyishly, allowing her to put the bag in his hand. The scent was familiar. Greens, green beans, cabbage, vegan mac n' cheese (an extra step she took), black-eyed peas and rice, and a small portion of. "Thank you." Lewis visited the States plenty of times, but nothing was as fulfilling as Grandma Eve's cooking, and he learned that from the first time he went to Mississippi with her. 

"Something like that, but that's all I wanted." 

Lewis's face turned upward. "You're not staying?" She shook her head. 

"I have a date." That didn't go over well with Lewis. He grunted in disdain and took a step back from her. She pursed her lips and turned her head to the side. "Don't act like that. I told you I had a date three days ago." 

He never forgot about her date. He simply didn't care. Not because he didn't care about her happiness and romantic prosperity, he didn't believe that the guy (or any other guy, for that matter) that she'd gone out with, was worthy of her. They weren't worthy of being in her presence, let alone breathing her air. He never forgot, he just knew she deserved more. 

"Mhm," Lewis hummed. He dug into the bag and plucked a piece of cornbread from the napkin atop the containers. "Yeah, I know. Guess I gotta eat all this by myself..." She chuckled and waved him off. She dropped a kiss against his cheek and waved, "I've got to go. I'll tell you about it later." 

Lewis nodded. It made his chest hurt saying, "Enjoy, love," but by the smile on her lips, he knew she appreciated it. 

"Thank you, baby!" 

He huffed deeply as she left his home, the nickname she gave rubbing his insides warmly. He only hoped he'd still hear her say it. 

-

She met the man. She said she met the man, who took her out and was everything a partner should be. He was kind, generous, and a leader--the overall catch. He tried not to show the jealousy, the envy, the discomfort on his face when she spoke of him, of this David character. 

He tried to stay happy, smiling and supporting her newfound love with the man who seemingly swept her off her feet. Lewis kept showing up for her in every way he could until he couldn't anymore. 

There was no reason (in his opinion), to show up when another had filled his place. Lewis knew it was wrong, but how long could he accept being pushed into the background by the woman he'd come to know and love in a way most wouldn't imagine? He knew it was wrong, but his heart couldn't take it. 

Once her phone calls slowed, texts grew less, and she stopped showing up how she used to, he didn't force it. He did what most hurt people did; he fell back. 

-

"You talk to Lewis lately?" Her friend asked. Tori thought for a moment. She hadn't seen him, she hadn't spoken to him, and she hadn't been to his races in a while. Life had been on the rise and her schedule grew busy. She'd accepted the position as senior partner at the law firm and had found love. Her life had changed so much that she hardly realized their disconnect. 

Tori took a sip of her almond red wine and twisted her lips. Suddenly, the sweet red was bitter against her tongue. She didn't meet the eyes of her friend, Jen, who grew curious with her silence. Tori swirled the liquid in the cup and shrugged. "No, it's been a while. He...he reached out to congratulate me on the promotion and I was told he came to the party, but I didn't see him. I haven't heard from him since." That was a month ago.

"I did," Jen countered. "He spoke to everyone, left a gift for you, and tried to get to you, you weren't around, so he left." 

Tori's stomach jerked. How had she not seen him? She'd known Lewis like the back of her hand, which included being able to sense his presence. How had she failed? 

"You were with David for most of the night, so, that's expected. I know you two are close, so the fact that you haven't said much about him is shocking. Did you at least thank him for the gift?" 

Shame fell over her. "I never knew he got me one. I just assumed he came and went because I didn't see him. I was so focused on everything else." 

Jen's eyes narrowed. This was odd. "So you don't remember the black box with the gold ribbon? Cursive writing on the bottom?" Tori shook her head. At first, she thought it was from David, but when he did not take credit for it, she simply pushed it into the corner of her room and said she'd get to it later, along with the other gifts that awaited her attention. 

Tori groaned, "I feel terrible." She hadn't known her best friend come to celebrate with her, she hadn't recognized his handwriting on a gift he got her, and she made no effort to show up for him within the last few weeks. And even worse, she hardly realized the shift. 

"You should," Jen shrugged. "I'm all for expanding your circle, trying new things, exploring new people, but abandoning your friend in the process isn't cool, T, and you know it. He loves and cares for you a lot, so I can only imagine how it feels to ignore my calls and texts while you're living la vida loca with this new guy and his circle." 

This time, Tori's eyes narrowed. "What does David have to do with this?" 

If only she wasn't so naive sometimes. Jen chuckled and shook her head, "I see you don't know your friend as well as you think you do." 

What was that supposed to mean?

-

Tori went home that night and sauntered to the corner of her room where the remaining gifts resided. Her friends and family were quite generous, having blessed her with money for new outfits, a new lunch box to carry, coffee mugs, and decor for her new office. However, her eye was trained on the black box with a gold ribbon. It was off to itself in the corner, hidden by everything in front of it. 

Tori crawled toward it and shuffled it toward her. It was heavy in her hands. She shook it. On the bottom was the cursive writing. To My Love, congratulations on all you've accomplished. Xx, LH. 

Her forefinger and thumb pulled the ribbon and opened the box after. She couldn't stop the tears from swelling once she saw what was inside. There were small knickknacks, such as her favorite snacks that she never had the time to get and a pearl necklace that matched his. But, what tugged at her heartstrings was the letter that was framed beautifully. A letter to herself, from herself. One that she swore she'd never see again. A note was on the front. Since your dreams have become a reality, here's your reminder that you can do all you put your mind to, Xx, LH.

"I wrote myself a letter. I don't remember what I did with it, but I wrote to my future self. All things that I'd hoped to accomplish in five years." 

Lewis turned his head, "And what's that?"

Tori sighed dreamily. "I want to make senior partner. Hopefully, own property and stop renting. I want to travel and go places I never thought I'd be able to afford. I want to find love. I want to be happy, Lewis. Truly happy." 

"And you think you'll get there in 5 years? To true happiness?"

She nodded, "I do."

Dear Tori, 

I can't believe you did it! Promotion to senior partner is no easy feat. Not only are you a senior partner, but you're the youngest in company history. When the world kept trying to decline you a seat at the table, you brought a folding chair and made your presence known. I hope you're proud of yourself. 

Did you ever take that trip to Athens? I hope so. I know you're a mythology nerd. I hope you went with Lewis; he always supported your nerdiness. 

And love? Is it there yet? How is the dating pool? Is it still terrible or have you found a man that you love? Is he caring, humble, generous (not just financially), and supportive? Make sure you're not settling! You know Lewis wouldn't approve of you settling. You're too good to settle. 

Write back in five years. I can't wait to hear about what you've done. 

I'm proud of you. All the love, 

Tori

Tori sighed heavily. She'd accomplished a lot that was on her list. She made senior partner, she explored Greece, Rome, and Alexandria, Egypt for her birthday the previous year with Lewis, and had more fun than she could have ever imagined. She remembered the trip like the back of her hand. From how he surprised her with the tickets on a Saturday morning and sent her on a spa day to prepare. How he had an itinerary planned for their 14 day excursion across two continents. His intentionality and persistence in ensuring she was fulfilled never went unnoticed...until recently. 

It made her wonder...did she have everything she wanted? Sure, she got the promotion she desired and deserved, she bought a home, and she met a good man. But, did she love David, was the question, and if she didn't love him, how did she allow him and her newfound success to blind her from the genuine connections she had before? When and why had she changed? 

Her eyes wandered over the box again. To my love. She missed him, she had to admit. Seeing his beautiful smile and eyes light up whenever she walked into a room and feeling his warmth whenever he hugged her. She wondered how he was doing. Would he pick up if she called? 

-

Lewis sat on the balcony of his penthouse humming along to the music that played on the outdoor speakers. His eyes caught the twinkle of the stars above and the winks of buildings. The night, quiet and gentle, had settled into a familiar sense of loneliness. He nursed a glass in his hand, swirling the liquid around, its color catching the light of his environment. The weight of the past few weeks had weighed on him heavily, especially with the growing distance between him and Tori. 

He missed her presence in his life--their conversations, her laughter, and the way she effortlessly made his house feel like a home. He replaced their last interaction in his mind, the way she casually mentioned her date with David. The bitterness ate at him ever since, not because she was with someone else, but because he hadn't been honest with her or himself. 

Lewis sighed and set down the glass. He picked up his phone and scrolled through the messages he'd sent her, most of which went unanswered. It hurt to feel her drifting away, especially knowing she was happy with someone else. But he couldn't keep pretending that he was okay with just being her friend. He couldn't keep pretending that he didn't love her. 

His phone buzzed. A message from Tori. He felt a strange mix of hope and dread as he opened it. 

Tori: Hi...I've been meaning to catch up. It's been a while since we talked. Been thinking about you. How are you?

He stilled. She thought of him. After all this time, she thought of him. 

Lewis: Hey love. It's good to hear from you. I've been okay, just busy with everything. I'd love to catch up if you're up for it.

Lewis gnawed on his bottom lip as he awaited her reply. He saw the three bubbles appear, but they disappeared just as they appeared. Fifteen minutes went by. He sat in the same place, phone in hand, tapping the screen every time it tried to go to sleep. His jaw clenched in annoyance and his stomach churned with an emotion he couldn't identify. 

She reached out once after not speaking to him in so long, and once he replied, she disappeared. Was she purposefully playing with him? 

Lewis: I see you're busy. I hope everything's okay.

Twenty minutes later, he received another message. 

Tori: Sorry, Lew. Dinner w/ David and his friends. Can we catch up another time? 

He didn't reply. Lewis stood from the seat outside and walked into his house, leaving the phone by its lonesome all night long. 

-

There was a gathering for her friend, Tone. He wanted to celebrate his birthday at his pool house and invited his closest friends and acquaintances to join him. So, Tori packed a bag, put on the best swimsuit she owned, and walked through the double doors with a smile on her face. 

As she moved through the room, her eyes scanned for familiar faces, until they landed on Lewis, standing on the balcony, looking unusually distant. 

Even from her position, she noted how different he seemed. His usual warm and welcoming demeanor was replaced by an aloof presence. He chatted with people, but Tori noticed he wasn't as animated, not as lively. 

She debated on if she'd approach him. Before she could finish debating, her feet carried her to him, her heart inexplicably heavy. 

"Lewis," she called softly. A small smile was on her face as she stepped closer. He turned to face her. The expression on his face was unreadable. "Hey, stranger."

He offered her a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Hey, Tori. Long time, no see."

An awkward chuckle fell from her lips as she felt the sting of his words. However, she continued, "How've you been?"

Lewis shrugged once. "Busy." There was tension in the air, palpable and uncomfortable. Tori shifted her weight, unsure of what to say next. His demeanor was so different from what she knew. 

She looked around, noticing how everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, oblivious to the sudden awkwardness that grew like a weed. "I've missed hanging out with you," she said gently, hoping to prod at something within him. 

Lewis nodded, but there was a coldness behind his eyes. "Things change, I guess." 

Ouch. Tori swallowed hard, trying to understand where he was coming from. "You seem different. Is everything okay?"

He looked at her for a long moment. Even so concerned, she still managed to miss the point. In the same flat tone, he said, "I've been dealing with some things." He avoided her gaze after that. 

Tori's chest tightened. She realized she hadn't been there for him, too caught up in her own life to notice the distance that had grown between them. But she couldn't understand why he was being so distant now, so cold. 

Tori chewed along her lip, hesitating before she spoke again. "Is this above David?" she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. 

Lewis's jaw ticked. He turned to face her fully, a mixture of frustration painted on his features. His eyes rolled once. "It's not just about David, Victoria," he said, his voice low but firm. She gasped slowly. "It's about everything. You're so caught up in your new life, your new job, your new boyfriend. Have you forgotten about the people who were there before all of this?"

His words hit her like a ton of bricks. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She hadn't realized the extent of the distance she manufactured and hadn't noticed how her actions were affecting those around her, especially Lewis. She felt a lump form in her throat, guilt washing over her. 

"I'm sorry," she finally managed to say, her voice cracking. "I didn't mean to push you away. I didn't realize..."

Lewis shook his head, a sad smile on his lips. "I know, love," he interrupted softly, resignation evident in his voice. "But it happened. And I can't just ignore that."

Her mind raced back to her conversation with Jen and her revelation while opening gifts. She was losing touch with what truly mattered. Standing here now, feeling the weight of Lewis's words, she understood that her new life, while exciting, had pushed away those who had been there for her. Her realization about David became clearer-while she cared for him, he didn't understand her in the way Lewis did. David's presence highlighted what was missing, rather than fulfilling her in the way he had hoped.

"I miss you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Her eyes welled with tears as she faced the uncomfortable truth and consequences of her actions. 

Lewis looked at her, his expression softening for a moment. "I miss you too...but I can't keep pretending that everything's okay when it's not." 

The weight of his words settled heavily between them. They stood there in silence, the noise of the party fading into the background as they stood in the thick of it. Just as she prepared to say something else, she felt a hand settle around her waist. She looked up--David. Her eyes cut to Lewis, who chuckled lowly. 

"Hey, babe. Got off early." David pressed a kiss against her forehead and looked at Lewis, who stood expressionless. 

"Lew..." 

"I'll catch you around, V." With a nod toward David, Lewis set his cup down and walked away. If things kept going the way they were, he'd never speak with her again, and she couldn't live with that. 

-

A week passed and she hadn’t heard from Lewis. Her messages went unread and her calls went unanswered. It had been a week since she saw Lewis. She'd sent messages and called, all of which were ignored. She went as far as sending flowers. Flowers! David never got flowers from her. But Lewis did. 

She couldn’t get ahold of him and it drove her mad. She often pondered about what could possibly be going through his mind--was he fed up with her? 

She spent minutes, hours, and days with her eyes trained at the nearest blank wall, going through the motions in her head. Save for tonight, she didn’t have much time for that. She had an evening event planned with David that she couldn’t get out of even if she tried; she confirmed her RSVP and paid the registration fee. She’d have to suck it up and deal with it like a big girl. 

When she heard a knock on her door, she sulked to the entryway and unlocked in reluctance.

David’s presence filled the space as she stepped away from the door. "You alright?" he asked, concern knitting his brow as he took in her somber demeanor.

She forced a smile, but it felt like a mask slipping from her face. "Yeah, just a long week."

“M’fine,” she mumbled, avoiding his gaze. She swiped her purse off the side table. She tucked it under her arm, rolled her shoulders back, and nodded. “Let’s just get through tonight, okay?”

David eyed her intently but said nothing further. He opened the door and allowed her to walk ahead of him to the car, which she got in herself, as she often did because he was too busy trying to race to the driver’s side.

She scoffed. Lewis would never let her touch a door handle. 

-

The ride to the event was turmoil. David was oblivious to her turmoil as he mindlessly hummed to the pop songs on the radio as he drove.

When they arrived at the event, Tori plastered a smile on her face. T the atmosphere was vibrant--an array of colors as the theme was tropical living, with a surplus of exotic foods and drinks from all over the world. However, the underlying tension between Tori and David crept through. 

“Gonna get a drink,” David said in her ear. “Do you want anything?” Tori rejected and ushered him to enjoy himself. He pressed his lips against her forehead, to which she gave a tight-lipped smile. 

David nodded once and retreated toward the bar. She watched from a distance as he spoke with the bar attendant, breaking her gaze every once in a while to speak to others she was familiar with. But, when she saw his eyes light up and his smile widened when a woman made her way toward him, her eyes lowered. 

Who was she? She was pretty, Tori admitted. She was taller than she was, curvier in shape with light eyes. The woman leaned in, petted David’s color, and giggled at whatever he whispered in her ear. Her jaw ticked. 

The icing on the cake was when her lips touched the corner of his mouth. He did nothing. He only pressed further into her space. He seemed comfortable, which meant he’d done this before. Her tongue ran over her front teeth as her stomach bubbled and her throat grew tight, She turned on her feet and walked toward the bathroom. 

She dapped water on her face and looked in the mirror. This was not the place to fall apart. 

Tori returned to the event a few minutes later and still, David was entertaining the woman with no more shame than he had lacked before. 

As the night grew, her discomfort and frustration did, too. She spent most of her night alone speaking to familiar faces while David smooth-talked that woman. And soon enough, she couldn’t take it anymore. The more she glanced over, the more tears pooled her eyes, the shakier her voice got when she spoke, and the quicker her resolve wore down. 

“Excuse me,” she said quietly, swiftly exiting the conversation. She opened her clutch and fished out her cell phone. One way or another, she was going to leave before she suffocated. Her thumb hovered over the dial pad as she debated entering the 10-digit number she knew by heart. If she called, would he answer?

Tori gnawed on her bottom lip as she debated. Her determination to get out of the door curbed her ability to hear David calling after her. “Tori! Where are you going?” 

“I’m leaving,” she said quietly, not turning to face him. “You can continue with the girl you were with.” 

David huffed and rolled his eyes, “It wasn’t like that. You’re overreacting.” 

Tori turned slowly. “You mean to tell me that you come to an event with your girlfriend, go to the bar, snuggle with some broad, and you think it wasn’t like that?” 

The disrespect was glaring. 

David’s hands went up. “Because it wasn’t! She’s a co-worker.” Tori rolled her eyes. He disrespected her and was okay with it. He was comfortable with disrespecting her and saw no fault in it. She could only imagine what happened when she wasn’t in the room.

“Consideration is one of the best things someone can give another person,” Lewis told her as they walked along a trail. “If something would hurt you, I’d never do it to you. And if I did hurt you, unintentionally, it’s up to me to listen to you and take accountability, even if I didn’t mean to. It’s the kind thing to do.” 

What a difference between the two. Originally, David fit in the picture of what she thought she wanted, but everything was a facade. If he couldn’t admit his faults, how kind, generous, and supportive was he? What kind of leader did that make him? But Lewis, her partner through life’s ups and downs embodied empathy, understanding, and emotional maturity. 

The realization hit her hard. A mix of sadness and clarity. She’d been naive and out of the loop for so long, but in this bittersweet moment, she began to understand how she felt. Her life was good, but there was potential for more. David filled a space, but there was still a lingering emptiness without Lewis. 

Then, her conversation with Jen registered in her mind. How Lewis brought her that considerate gift, handwritten and thought out. David didn’t get her anything. Nothing but congratulations, a kiss, and an offer to buy her coffee on her first day. Her connection was nowhere near as deep and genuine as she had hoped and thought. 

The dots connected. Lewis loved her in a way she didn’t think to acknowledge. And with the revelations she had, the recent interactions with David, and the lack of interaction with Lewis that had her in emotional turmoil, she understood that she may have loved him the same way.

Everything became clear.

“Go back to her,” Tori said after some time. She held the phone to her ear and listened as it rang. “We’re done.”

The phone rang and rang. Her heart sank further as the waiting period grew longer. Then, she heard him. “Hello?” she heard on the other line. “Tori?” Hearing his voice made her eyes water. 

“Will you please come get me? I’ll be at the hotel on Fourth Street. Will you...” Tears began to flood her eyes as her frustration broke through.

She heard ruffling in the background and keys jingling. Lewis’s voice was clear, “I’m on my way.” 

Lewis arrived fifteen minutes later, waiting by the passenger door. Tori sighed in relief. When she was close enough, he opened it and assisted her in the car. 

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Lewis nodded, his eyes still trained on the road. “Anytime.”

-

The silence from the car ride lingered, thick with unspoken words and emotions. Tori stood awkwardly near the entrance, arms wrapped around herself, feeling the weight of everything she’d endured. Her eyes were red from holding back tears and her body was tense, still bracing for the chaos she left behind with Lewis. 

Lewis moved with quiet grace. He didn’t rush her, rather approached her with a familiar tenderness she forgot existed. “C’mon, let’s get you comfortable.” 

Tori found her way to the couch. Lewis knelt in front of her and lifted the hem of her dress. He took her foot in his hand, one by one, and plucked the expensive heels off her feet. Tori watched him, her breath caught in her throat. She could hardly believe how natural the ordeal felt. His touch, even in this simple act, was a balm to her frayed nerves. Her feet slipped free and she wiggled her toes, sighing in relief.

Lewis stood and offered his hand. A beat passed between them. She felt an array of emotions. Vulnerable by the events of the last few days, but she pushed them aside and took his hand. They made it to his room a few moments later. Tori followed him to his closet where a drawer full of her clothes was located. 

Without being prompted, Lewis’s hands were steady as he unzipped the back of her dress, giving her space to shrug it off. As her dress slipped down her waist and pooled at her feet, Lewis rummaged for something for her to wear, wanting to give her privacy and the dignity of handling herself. 

She couldn’t help but note the distinct difference in the approaches between David and Lewis. There was never such a powerful, wordless communication that made her feel seen. Lewis allowed her to control the pace. So, when she walked toward the bathroom and beckoned him to follow, he did. 

They faced the large mirror and Tori’s heart fluttered. He was very handsome, she noted. Still dressed from the evening’s excursions, she presumed. He wore a blue and white sweatshirt with baggy jeans and boots. A hat covered his unbraided hair but it still didn’t mask his beauty.  

Without much thought, she leaned into him. The warmth of his body eliminated the coldness she felt earlier. She closed her eyes and basked in the steady rise and fall of his chest. As she found herself relaxed against him, Lewis’s hands found their way into her hair, fingers deftly undoing the pins and ties. The sensation sends a shiver down her spine. 

Tori’s mind raced as she felt overwhelmed by the gentleness of his touch. It was all too much and yet it was exactly what she needed. Every brush of his fingers against her scalp, every slight shift of his body to accommodate her, spoke volumes. She felt her defenses crumble and a soft sob escaped her lips. 

Lewis didn’t speak; he held her. His arms wrapped around her, firm yet tender like she was a precious jewel. Tori buried her face in his shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of him. It was intoxicating; a mix of nostalgia and comfort. His grip on her was tight—he’d never let her go. Through her pajamas, she felt his warm hands caressing her back as she shuddered with emotion. He whispered sweet words in her ear, further accelerating her emotional rollercoaster. But after a few moments, ori pulled back slightly to look at him. His eyes are filled with concern and something much deeper, something that made her heart ache with longing and desire. She missed this, and she missed him much more. She missed how he saw her and knew her so well. He knew her.

“What did he do?” Lewis’s voice was low. He released an arm from her body and wiped her tears away from her eyes, ignoring the brown makeup stains on his sweatshirt and the black mascara under her eyes.  

Tori smiled sadly and shrugged her shoulders. Simply, she replied, “He wasn’t you.”

The words cycled in his head like a wheel. What did she mean by that? Did she mean it literally or was there something hidden behind her words?

“Tori…” Lewis dropped his hands from her waist and sighed. “What are you talking about?”

He needed to hear her say it all. Everything he desired to hear, he needed to hear her say it. 

“He wasn’t…he isn’t you, Lewis.”

He said nothing. 

“I don’t know what I was so clouded by but,” she paused, taking his hands in her own. “He’s not as considerate or kind, not as sensitive or sincere. He was all on a girl this evening and saw no issue with it. He didn’t open my door and saw no issue with it. Then I started thinking…you’d never do that to me because you never have.”

Lewis’s face turned up. “So it’s about what I can do for you.”

Tori’s eyes widened. “No! No, it’s about the intent behind what you do that sets you apart. You…are just so kind and considerate without wanting anything in return. Not saying you don’t deserve it, but your selflessness and overall nature are so beautiful and I cannot believe I was blind to it all this time.” Her cadence increased as she continued to rattle off her enwfound revelations regarding him. 

Lewis’s dark eyes studied her face. He searched for any trace of uncertainty. His heart pounded so loud that he heard it in his ears; a mix of emotions swarmed within him.

“Do you mean that?” he asked quietly, his voice tinged with vulnerability. 

Tori nodded empathetically, squeezing his hands tighter. “Every word. I mean every word. I was so caught up in what I thought I wanted, in what looked good on paper. But you—you’ve been the one who’s always been there, who’s always seen me, even when I didn’t see myself.”

She took a breath, “David was what I thought I wanted, but you...you’re what I need. And I can’t believe it took me this long to see it.”

Lewis swallowed, his throat tight. “It’s nice to know you might feel the same way…” His voice was thick with emotion, and for a moment, they both just stood there, letting the gravity of the moment sink in. The air between them crackled with unspoken words. Tori’s heart ached as she saw the pain in his eyes, the hurt he’d been holding onto for so long. “I’m so sorry, Lewis. For not seeing you, for not appreciating you like I should have.”

Lewis shook his head, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You’re here now, though.”

She blinked back tears, overwhelmed by his forgiveness. Always so kind. She stepped closer, closing the gap between them, and rested her forehead against her chest. “I’m here,” she whispered

Tori pulled back slightly, just enough to look into his eyes. “I do now,” she said softly. “And I’m sorry I made you wait. But I’m here, and I’m yours, Lewis. If you still want me.”

Lewis’s eyes darkened with emotion, and he gently cupped her face in his hands. “I’ll always want you.”

He leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a kiss that was tender but laced with the promise of everything he’d been holding back. It was a kiss that spoke of his love, his desire, and his quiet, steadfast determination, despite all the ups and downs, to finally have what he’d always wanted—her.

[bookofthegear]

Aha! That statue is from the Vinča culture of Eastern Europe—you’d know it anywhere! Protruding almond-shaped eyes, the nose elongated until it almost forms a muzzle, posed with short, stylized arms held stiffly out to the sides…yep, classic Vinča. (Assuming 7000 years old is “classic.” Might be “vintage.” Or “heirloom,” you can’t remember.)

You can’t tell off hand if the statue is a genuine Neolithic artifact or just a good reproduction. It’s pretty well intact though, made of terracotta and stands about eight inches high. Appears to be female, with two small holes punched in each arm. Like much Vinča art, it manages to be both alien and expressive.

Nobody’s ever worked out the Vinča writing system, so nobody knows if the figures are gods, goddesses, rulers, ancestors, or the local equivalent of Barbie dolls. “Possible Ritual Significance” is archaeologist slang for “dunno, looks important.”

Apparently this one is considered of possible ritual significance in the labyrinth, because small offerings have been left in the niche at its nonexistent feet. You see withered flowers, a small dried fish, and a dozen coins, only some of which you recognize.

One of the coins you don’t recognize is triangular and very thin. You suspect that you could use a corner to wind up the clockwork bee.

Of course, that would involve taking an offering from what might be a goddess…

[fanfictionstuff]

Curiosity 4 (Ikki Niko x Reader) SMUT

*Characters are of legal age*

Sorry for the late update, I know people have been waiting for it, including my friend who requested it. My favorite character from Blue Exorcist is finally back on the show so my thoughts are nonstop Amaimon. Sorry.

Normal.

Everything was normal the following day. You got up before Ikki and quietly changed into some clothes from your drawer. Since you’ve spent so many nights together, your parents and his had arranged for you to have a place to keep your clothes at each other's houses. You even have a uniform hanging in his closet, which is perfectly normal for best friends, right? It’s not.

Moving swiftly through the kitchen as if it were your own, you take various pans from the cabinets and gather ingredients from the fridge needed for breakfast. Ikki’s mom has left some miso soup for both of you. Preparing the tamagoyaki is straightforward, and there’s pickled cabbage waiting for you in the fridge.

Breakfast is normal. Ikki praises your cooking while you roll your eyes because there's really nothing to praise. Tamagoyaki is quite easy to make, and the soup and cabbage are leftovers from his mother. "You make the best tamagoyaki ______." “Whatever you say, Ikki.”

Everything felt normal as if last night hadn’t occurred. Watching you browse through your textbooks, Ikki begins to wonder if maybe it hadn’t happened. 

“_____, is everything okay?” He questions cautiously.

"No. Everything is not fine. Can you tell me when I'll actually use this after high school?" You pull up the calculator on your app. "Once I graduate, this calculator will be all I need. I’d like to know when I’ll have to apply this level of math in real life, Ikki?” You lift the workbook in frustration. It’s ridiculous.

He frowns at your answer; he is not talking about schoolwork. “I meant…with us.”

“Us?”

Now, he’s truly wondering if it was a dream or something more. Could it be a dream of one of his deepest desires? “Uh, never mind. I have practice in about an hour; I need to prepare." He heads into his bedroom to put on his workout clothes. A bento his mother packed yesterday sits waiting in the fridge, which he plans to take for lunch between practices.

“_____, do you need me to get you anything?” He questions as he grabs his bag.

“No, after I finish this, I’ll grab lunch and pick up what I need.” You dismiss him, focusing on the problem in front of you. “Don’t overdo it today.”

After another twenty minutes of struggling with the workbook, you reach for your phone and decide to google the answers. At first, you try to use a website that gives you the answers and explains how it’s the answer, but then you get bored with reading about math and quickly switch to just writing the answers down.

Instead of making something for lunch, you decide to go out to a local café with great sandwiches and warm drinks. It’s just around the corner, and you make it into the coffee shop rather quickly; the scent of coffee and baked goods hits you as you enter the door. “Hi _____.” The barista grins. “How ‘s my favorite customer today?” He questions as you step up to the display case.  “Good, how are you?”

"Great! Where’s my other favorite customer? I don’t remember the last time I saw you come in alone," he asks, as he begins preparing your favorite hot drink for your order.

“With his true love.”

The man snorts. “Fairly certain soccer isn’t his true love, kiddo. Anyway, what else can I get you?”

Your original plan was to come for a sandwich, but your eyes lock on a slice of cake. Would it be weird to get a slice of cake and a sandwich? Usually, you’d order one and take the other home, but you’d like to eat both now. “A panini and a slice of cake.” You point towards the slice of cake you want.

As you sip on the warm drink, you relax in the quiet cafe, watching the people walking by outside on the sidewalk. It’s not a school day, so you notice a lot of high schoolers walking by with friends. The warm comfort of the drink and smoothing warmness of the cafe is slowly starting to get to you. You and Ikki had stayed up pretty late last night, and he had to wake up early for practice today, so you wanted to make him breakfast like a good girlfriend best friend.

Shaking your head, you decide to head back to Ikki’s house. You should take a nap while you can before Ikki finishes practice. 

The journey back to his house feels slower, as fatigue weighs heavily on every step. You struggle to unlock the door and carefully place your shoes in their designated spot before slipping into a pair of indoor slippers. A nap is definitely needed. Wanting to be as comfortable as possible, you remove your pants and neatly fold them before settling onto the sofa with a cozy blanket.

Ikki gazes down at his phone while eating the bento his mother prepared for him. He hardly registers the coach announcing that practice will end early today, as he's still grappling with whether last night was a dream or reality. He hasn’t received a text from you, which feels unusual since you usually message him during lunch.

After practice, Ikki makes his way to the locker room to change out of his sweaty clothes. He pulls out his phone to check for any messages from you, but finds nothing. A wave of disappointment washes over him, yet he quickly dismisses it, reminding himself that you’re likely busy with your own activities.

“______.” Someone whispers, shaking your shoulder. “Are you okay?” You groan, opening your eyes to see concerned teal eyes staring at you. “Ikki? Yeah, I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I bed?” You ask while rubbing your eyes.

“Oh, you didn’t text me during lunch, so….” He tilts his head down, allowing the hair to cover his eyes. “…. I was a little worried.” He admits.

You slowly sit up, glancing around the living room. “Wait, what time is it?”

“A little after two.”

“Why are you here?”

Ikki’s concerned expression morphs into something else, his mouth a thin, straight line. “Sorry, I can go-“

“What? Where are you going? Why are you here so early? Practice shouldn’t be over yet, right?” you ask, tossing the blanket aside and standing up. Ikki’s eyes widen as your bare thighs come into view at his eye level. he swallows hard, his gaze slowly moving up; you remain unaware of his lingering stare. As you stretch your arms overhead, your shirt rises slightly above your panties.

As memories from what he’s starting to believe was a dream flash through his mind, his mouth starts to water.

Ikki quickly averts his gaze, feeling a rush of heat creeping up his neck. "I-I just... our coach let us go early today," he stammers, trying to compose himself. He clears his throat and looks away, his heart racing at the sight before him.

You raise an eyebrow at his flustered demeanor, noticing how he avoids looking directly at you. "Well, since you're here early, want to watch a movie or something?" you offer casually, not realizing your casual movements' effect on him.

Ikki hesitates momentarily, still trying to shake off the images from the dream—or was it reality? "Uh, sure. Yeah, that sounds good," he replies, finally meeting your gaze but quickly looking away again.

“Great.” He’s still on his knees when you lean forward to grab the remote from the coffee table in front of the sofa. Ikki bites back a groan at the sight of you bent over like that in only a shirt and light blue underwear. 

You didn't think twice about dressing like this in front of Ikki; it was completely normal for you. Even though last night had been more intimate and left you feeling exposed, him seeing you like this now, just casually watching TV, made it feel innocent again. 

After selecting a movie, you sit on the other end of the sofa. Your body angled towards him, with your knees bent and resting against the arm of the sofa. This position gives him a perfect view of your slightly visible underwear. 

It had to have been a dream. Otherwise, you would’ve said something to him, right? His fingers dig into his thighs as he tears his eyes away from you. Last night, you were so open and blunt with your curiosity. So, was it a dream? He glances back at you from the corner, but as his eyes land on the blue cloth, he can’t help but feel starved. He wants to pull them down, see if you’ll make those same noises if he parts your legs and runs his tongue along your slit. 

“Ikki, are you okay?” You shuffle on the sofa, not noticing that you’ve opened your legs a bit wider for his view as you do. 

“No.” 

“What’s wrong.”  “Last night.” He watches you carefully to see any signs that maybe last night wasn’t just a dream. 

Your eyes widen; he sounds upset. Quickly, you straighten up, tucking your legs under you, and sit on your knees, staring at your best friend. “I’m sorry! I pushed too far. Didn’t I? We can just pretend it didn’t happen.” 

“No.” 

Your hands start to shake at his blunt tone. Is he angry and doesn’t want to be friends anymore? Does he feel like you took advantage of him? “Ikki, I’m so sorry. I was being selfish.” 

“______, I love you.” 

“I know; I love you too. Yet, I put you in that position. I shouldn’t-” 

He leans in, his forehead touching yours. You can feel his breath on your skin as he closes his eyes and sits silently with you.

“_____?” 

“Yes?” 

“I meant I’m in love with you.”

He leans forward, gently pressing his warm lips against yours. It’s a sweet, quick kiss, and when Ikki pulls away, he rests his forehead against yours again. "I'm sorry if I just made things awkward between us," he murmurs. “If you don’t return my feelings, it’s okay. We can act like I never said anything. I just can’t lose you _____.” 

You slowly pull away, reaching up to cup his face while pushing some hair from his eyes. “Sorry if you made things awkward? Ikki, I asked you if I could give you a blow job last night.” 

“_____.” 

“You’re not going to lose me; I love you too. I always have.” You admit before pressing your lips to his. He responds with a low groan before nipping at your bottom lip. Encouraged, you part your lips slightly, and he slips his tongue inside, gently moving against yours. His hands slip up your thighs; they’re on your hips, fingers slightly tucked in the waistband of your underwear. “Are you okay?” He whispers against your lips. You nod.

“You’ve been teasing me since I got home today. Did you know that?” He says with a smirk. “First, I wasn’t sure if last night was just a dream. All morning, you didn’t say anything, and now, when I come home, you’re wearing only this.” He gestures towards your outfit. “Bending over, slightly spreading your legs. Right in front of my face.” He moves from the sofa to kneel in front of you. “I told you before, you taste amazing.” He gently trails his fingers over your knees, spreading them apart slightly. “Can I have another taste, ____? It's all I've been able to think about all day." He confesses, running his tongue over his lower lip. 

You nod, feeling a rush of excitement and anticipation course through your body. You can feel yourself getting wet at his words and the way he's looking at you. He leans forward, placing his hands on your thighs as he parts your legs wider. His fingers trail up and down your inner thighs, causing you to shiver.

“You smell amazing, too.” He looks up at you with darkened eyes before pulling down your underwear and nuzzling against your core. 

You close your eyes and let out a soft sigh, enjoying the feeling of his warm breath against your sensitive area. He starts to kiss and lick gently, causing a wave of pleasure to wash over you. You reach down and thread your fingers through his hair, gently guiding him closer to where you need him most. 

You're feeling a mix of emotions: embarrassment but also excitement. Last night, you thought he only did it because you gave him oral pleasure, and he felt obligated to reciprocate. But now, as his mouth eagerly explores your core with messy licks and desperate movements, it's clear that he's enjoying this just as much as you are. Your body responds by arching your back in pleasure, and he places your legs over his shoulders for easier access to you. 

He can feel your arousal building, the tension in your body growing with each passing moment. Ikki's face is buried against your core; his eyes are closed in concentration as he focuses on giving you the most intense pleasure he possibly can.

You let out a loud gasp as his thumb finds your clit, rubbing small circles that send jolts of pleasure through your body. Your hands grip his hair as your back arches off the sofa, letting out moans of pleasure that fill the room.

With his thumb rubbing your clit, he uses his other hand to insert a finger into you slowly. He watches you through his hair, accessing the situation. Your expression and sounds only hint at pleasure, so he slowly adds another finger. Still focused on your expression while starting to make a scissoring motion with his fingers. That’s how he’s supposed to do it, right? To prepare you in case you want to go further with him. His brow furrows in concentration, wanting to bring you the most pleasure possible. When you start pulling his hair almost painfully, he realizes you’re going to cum. He curls his fingers while gently sucking against your clit.

You pant out his name as you come undone, the sensation seemingly stronger than it had been last night. “I-I think you somehow got better at it, how? It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. Your body jolts as you feel his warm tongue running along your folds again. “Ikki! Too sensitive.” You whine, trying to pull away. “Are you going to do this every time?” He frowns at you. “I’m sorry _____, you just taste amazing. I’ve never tasted something this amazing before.”

“You’re full of shit.” You huff, not believing that the taste of your release is anywhere near the level he’s trying to say it is. Ikki shakes his head, leaning forward to run his tongue along your folds once more. “I could do this all day.”

“Can I suck your cock?” Suddenly, the tables have turned, and Ikki’s confidence melts away into embarrassment at your words. “W-what? No, I mean yes.” He attempts to hide his red face against your legs. “Yes, just let me shower first, okay? I just got back from training and wasn’t expecting to do this within twenty minutes of walking in.”

“So, you were expecting this?”

Ikki chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I-I mean, I hoped it would happen again; I didn’t think it would happen so soon." He looks up at you with a shy smile. "But I'm not complaining," he adds quickly, the embarrassment still evident in his face.

You grin at him, finding his reaction endearing. "Alright, go take a shower then. I'll wait for you."

Ikki nods and stands up, pulling his clothes off as he heads towards the bathroom. You watch him go with an appreciation for his toned body before pulling yourself together and sitting up on the sofa.

As you wait for Ikki to finish showering, your mind races with excitement and anticipation. Last night was amazing, and you can't wait to feel that same pleasure again with Ikki.

When he finally emerges from the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in comfortable lounge pants, you can't help but stare at him hungrily. He grins at your reaction before making his way over to you.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks softly as he stands in front of you.

You nod eagerly; this all started off as your idea; of course, you’re ready.

“Maybe we could go to the bedroom.”

“Right! Yeah, of course.” You probably sound a bit too eager, but Ikki is your best friend and boyfriend? Is he your boyfriend now? Maybe this is something you should confirm first. “Uh, Ikki?” You question, suddenly feeling nervous as you follow him into the bedroom.

“Yes?”

You sit on his bed, nervously fidgeting with your fingers. “So, uh, are we in a relationship?”

He pauses, suddenly becoming more nervous, too. “I hope so. I love you, and you said you love me unless you don’t.”

“I do! I just, nothing was said.”

You watch as his face starts to turn red. “_____, I thought it was implied.”

“Oh, right, yeah.” You rub the back of your neck awkwardly. “Anyway, you’ll let me suck your cock now?”

He knows you’re just reflecting your embarrassment, so he doesn’t say anything about your comment. Slowly, he nudges you to sit on his bed, and he sits beside you. His eyes never leave yours as he pulls down the waistband of his pants to reveal himself fully.

He's already hard, and your mouth waters at the sight of his length. Without hesitation, you lean forward and take him into your mouth. A low groan escapes Ikki's lips as your tongue swirls around him teasingly.

You savor his taste and feel in your mouth, loving how he responds to your every movement. You want to make him feel as good as he made you feel earlier. You take him deeper into your throat, causing him to let out a loud groan that seemingly vibrates throughout the room.

Ikki reaches down, gently taking hold of the back of your head as you continue to pleasure him. His fingers thread through your hair, his breaths coming out ragged and labored as you continue on.

"Oh god, ____," he moans softly, eyes tightly shut as he revels in the sensation of your mouth on him. "You're so good at this."

You remove your mouth from him but don’t lift your head, slightly panting; the puffs of air you release against the head of his cock just make him more sensitive. “Ikki, I’m the only one that’s done this for you. I could be awful for all you know.” You causelly comment, licking the tip.

"I don't think that's possible," he replies, his voice slightly hoarse. "You... you make it feel so good."

You grin in response, feeling a newfound confidence as you move back down to take him into your mouth again. Your lips wrap around him, and you begin to move your head rhythmically up and down, taking him deeper with each passing second.

Ikki's fingers tighten slightly in your hair, guiding your movements as you continue to please him. His breaths come out in short, sharp pants, each one more labored than the last as he approaches his climax.

"I'm going to cum," he warns you softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

You pull off him just in time, sitting back on your heels as he releases a loud groan, his hips bucking as he reaches his peak. He grips the sheets tightly as his orgasm washes over him, his eyes squeezed shut in pleasure.

As he enjoys the aftermath of his release, you lean forward, kissing the tip of his softening penis softly before looking up at him with a smile. "Glad you enjoyed it."

Ikki leans forward, capturing your lips passionately as his hands roam over your body. You eagerly respond, tangling your fingers in his hair as the kiss intensifies. His hands continue their exploration, trailing down to your core, where he finds you already wet with anticipation.

He slides a finger inside you, causing you to gasp and arch your back against him. "You're wet again," he murmurs against your lips before adding another finger and increasing his pace. Your moans become louder as he continues to please you with his fingers.

Feeling impatient, you grind yourself against him, wanting more contact and friction. “Could we, um, have sex?” You mumble as his thumb makes contact with your clit.

“Y-yeah.” He pulls away from you slightly to remove his pants completely; you follow suit and remove your shirt; your underwear is still somewhere tossed in the living room.

Gently, he guides you to lie down on the bed. “Are you sure?” You nod. “Let me know if it hurts.” He positions himself above you nervously; he expects the first time to be awkward; you are both virgins. His main concern is not hurting you when he first enters you.

“I’m ready.” You reply, reaching up to wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He takes the hint, slowly entering you, his eyes locked with yours as he moves deeper inside you.

At first, it feels a little uncomfortable, but he moves slowly and pauses to ensure you’re okay before entering more. He waits a moment once he’s fully in you, giving you time to adjust. There’s no pain, just an odd feeling of being filled. You pull his head down to place a kiss on his lips. “Okay, you can move now.” He nods, starting with shallow thrusts, watching you carefully the whole time. You moan softly, your legs wrapping around Ikki’s waist as he moves deeper inside you.

Ikki groans softly in response, his chest grazing against yours as he finds a rhythm that seems to work for both of you. His lips find yours again in a passionate kiss, his movements becoming more urgent as he tries to please you in every way possible. Ikki moves a hand between your legs, reaching for your clit, gently pinching it as he continues to thrust into you.

You gasp at the sudden sensation, your eyes fluttering shut as waves of pleasure radiate from your core. "Yes," you whisper, clutching at his back as he continues to touch you in just the right way.

Ikki's movements become more earnest, his thrusts deeper and harder as he tries to give you the pleasure you both desperately crave. His eyes are locked on yours, searching for any sign that he's succeeding in making you feel good.

"I'm close," you pant, your voice barely audible over your own heavy breathing. "Don't stop."

Ikki nods, his eyes never leaving yours as he continues his relentless assault on your body. His breath becomes ragged, his heart pounding in his chest as he fights for control over his own impending orgasm.

Suddenly, a wave of intense pleasure washes over you, your entire body trembling as you cry out his name. Ikki feels your muscles clench around him as you release. His body shudders against yours, and he lets out a rough groan as he cums deep inside you.

Ikki's breath hitches as he pulls back slightly, his gaze still locked with yours. "Are you okay?" He whispers concern etched on his face.

You laugh, “Better than okay. Hey, did you know most girls don’t have an orgasm during their first time? So, good job.” You pat his back.

His head drops to your shoulder, “_____, please.”

“It’s true. I read it online.”

“_____.”

“Fine, fine. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

You grasp a handful of his hair, pulling his head back so you can make eye contact. “So, our parents…”

If your parents knew, they’d realize they had been wrong about your supposedly sibling-like relationship all this time, and it’d be a mess.

Ikki looks thoughtful for a moment. “We’ve only got a few months before we finish high school. Let’s tell them once they’ve helped us move into a new apartment at the university.”

[ellesthots]

Fateful Beginnings

XXIV. “natural curiosity”

parts: previous / next

plot: under extreme pressure to perform, you prepare for your first and final interview with Bruce Wayne. Batman learns intriguing info on the gruesome murder of John Doe.

pairing: battinson!bruce wayne x fem!reader

cw: 18+, mental illness, anxiety

words: 3.2k

a/n: this brings me to the end of my back-posting! we are now up to date across tumblr, ao3, and wattpad 🥳 excited to keep writing more soooon 👀

Was this some kind of cruel punishment?

If it hadn't been for Dr. Vry's unfortunately logical and desperate plea, you wouldn't have said yes—now you were left flying back for half a week. With enrollment for freshmen starting the first day of September, you had to have this in to Bridgit the morning after meeting with him. Thinking of all the belongings you'd just bought for the apartment you thought you'd be living in, you decided against a flight and booked a U-haul for that weekend instead. You'd see if Mar wanted to drive back with you in it, and if not you'd buckle down and do it yourself.

Your parents came back not an hour later. After a few minutes of hugs and chitchat they put themselves to bed, exhausted. Your mom didn't appear critically ill or markedly different in any way (besides a darker tan), so you let yourself relax for the evening out on the couch. A rerun was on the television, the air was stale, and the setting sun stabbed your eyes. You grappled with feelings of guilt as the minutes turned into hours of nothing. You loved them, but was this all you had to look forward to?

Bruce busied himself with monotonous tasks the rest of the day. The panic attack had wiped him out physically, but his mind was wired. A still-relevant yet menial task he felt he could get into a rhythm with involved stealing the giant stack of newspapers Alfred kept by his fireplace in his office for kindling. He flipped through pages and pages of decades-old Gazette publishings, refusing to indulge his curiosity as he passed the months directly preceding or proceeding his parent's murder. It felt like an impossible feat as he discarded them to his left, forcing his eyes to remain tethered to the current moment. Eventually he found clippings from the past few years, and he nestled into the corner chair to pore over their contents. Why was the Gazette failing? Why was the journalism department going to shut down? He distinctly remembered his parents reading the Gazette together every Sunday before church. On the walk to church, he remembered people sitting on park benches reading it. He only paid attention to the comic strip curated by the art majors, but even as a young kid he knew the paper was influential.

As he skimmed through the recent few years of publishing he couldn't discern why sales were lower. It was putting out relevant information that was decent to read... He stood up and walked down the hall to Alfred's room, and found him buttoning his cuffs. "Master Wayne, what's wrong?"

Bruce shook his head. "You read the Gazette, right? Do you know how many people read it?"

Alfred finished the last button and shook out his sleeves to straighten them. He shrugged. "I don't know precisely, but in concept it seems to be doing rather well. On my grocery trips I see lots of people reading it."

Bruce nodded and made some small talk for a moment about dinner ("I've been craving some sausage and cabbage soup, would you mind that, boy?") before making his way back to Alfred's office. He logged onto the computer and looked up sales for the Gazette. While there had been a decline, it had been slow and not enough to completely shut down a department. After looking into Gotham's budget, he realized there was enough budget and in fact, the majority of the Gotham finances were allocated between GCPD and GU. Looking into the school attendance rate there was still a good amount of students applying to the university; less people going into journalism, sure, but still enough to warrant continuing the major. Was Vry a particularly attentive and anxious president, or was it manipulation to get him to agree to be interviewed?

Alfred forced him away by physically walking upstairs to bring Bruce down, and they ate the soup in silence. It was warm, and soothed him enough to take the edge off his guttural sense of impending doom.

The next day he got a call from Gordon. A quick change into the suit and a back exit getaway later, Bruce found himself at the police station. The guards stiffened their spines and glared at him as he walked up; usually it didn't bother him, but after being discovered he felt every eye on him was an x-ray. He walked down a dingy, slim hallway to Gordon's office and knocked on the door. Gordon invited him in, appearing visibly stressed. "In the office on a Saturday?"

"Hey. I don't know what to tell you, but the results came in inconclusive."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "No idea what the metal is?"

"That's not exactly the problem." He reached into the desk and pulled out a plastic EVIDENCE bag smattered with pokes from the sharp metal inside. It landed on the table with a sharp rap. "We know what it is, but we are lost as to its function."

Bruce swirled the bag so the shrapnel tilted and moved about its cage. Gordon continued. "We brought in a few dentists, even one doctor, to clarify why this might be used as a filling but no one had heard of it before." He quickly continued. "Well, one guy did. Said he used to be a chemist. He'd heard of the metal, but said it was bordering on corrosive. He couldn't make head nor tail of why it would be used in a man's mouth."

"What is it?"

"The man said 'Electrum'. I made him repeat it because it sounded made up." Gordon rolled his eyes and bit his lip, lost in thought. His tone was biting. "I just want to find these punks. Can't have someone causing crime scenes like that running loose."

He'd never heard of Electrum. He opened his mouth to speak but Gordon continued again. He's talkative today. "The man said its properties are that of a 'spark to light up the wire'. Something about conductivity. I think it's just some man who got an under-the-table dental. Probably cracked open a soda can and peeled off a clip to tuck into his gums." By the end he was mumbling, and quickly stood up.

"They were certain it's Electrum?"

Gordon nodded. "He said it was clear. Bet his life on it." And with that he left, motioning to be followed out.

Electrum. Nothing could be found on the web about it. Alfred didn't know, and there had never been a mention about it in any newspaper since 1800 (any further back he couldn't find). By this point he was exhausted, and hadn't even realized he'd pulled a whole weekend staying wide awake. He physically pored over every newspaper article himself pre-1900, his smart engine struggling and misreading the small, fuzzied print. There was nothing that could even be vaguely related to Electrum. Fuck. He dragged his feet up to bed and crashed early Sunday evening.

Had it really only been a strange, foreign filling? Usually this would be his favorite type of thing to sleuth out, something no one could find but he could; he would read the small print from an article in 1806 and solve the mystery, following its crumb trail to an ultimate victory. It was the perfect catharsis, but he was too in his head. All Monday afternoon he twiddled his thumbs and waited for evening, but when evening came he couldn't bring himself to put on his suit. That one scrap metal felt like it was lodged in his tooth, giving him an emotional toothache. He slipped into bed and laid on his back with his arms behind his head. He gazed up at the ceiling, drawing a mental map of the situation. The John Doe couldn't be traced back. Dentist, former chemist, clarified it was Electrum. Electrum can't be found anywhere. No trace of it. Testing was inconclusive. Bordering on corrosive. Man was stabbed repeatedly and hung by the blades. Owls were etched into hilt. Owls were etched into pins and rings of the Gotham University president... Bruce squinted. How could he gain more information on Dr. Vry? His first thought was a Batman interrogation, second idea stalking her in his car for a week to see what she was up to. Both options, especially the latter, caused an internal cringe. Much like he couldn't shake his suspicion about Electrum, he couldn't shake the thought you embedded in him that he was too invasive.

Being invasive to criminals isn't bad. Often, it's the only way to catch them. Your voice came into his mind. And you're assuming she's a criminal. What happened to probable cause?

Her jewelry insignias perfectly match those on the weapon in an unsolved murder.

Perfectly, huh?

Almost.

Almost, yeah.

Even imaginary you mocked him. He continued having a conversation with himself until Alfred knocked on his door. He bristled and sat upright in bed. The old man leaned against the doorframe and gazed at him, spectacled. "Wanted to check in. Social battery ran out, I assume?"

Bruce stared down at his sheets. "Unsolved murder. Can't find any clues."

"Peculiar. Not much stumps you these days."

He struggled not to receive it sarcastically given how vigilant Alfred had been about his mental wellbeing the past few months. He hoped this wasn't another request for him to meet with his therapist, but his hopes were quickly dashed. "I called New Discoveries, they have a few openings this week and next."

Bruce bit back a retort. "If I ever need her, I'll give her a call."

"Bruce,"

"Stop, please. I've got enough to deal with right now."

He leaned in and raised his eyebrows at the boy. "Your analyst could help with that."

"I don't need someone to tell me my parents died."

Alfred heaved a deep sigh. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm not talking about this." This was the push he needed to get out and into his suit. He jumped out of bed and strode firmly past him, ignoring Alfred's calls to get him to 'just make a phone call'. He was surprisingly swift getting into the suit and out on the town. Guilt plagued him at abandoning Alfred, but this was about the tenth time they'd had that conversation since June and it was making him ill. He wouldn't mind seeing his therapist again, he'd liked going after the murder, but he didn't think he could handle being forced to reckon with his mortality at this point in his progression. He still wasn't sure it existed, and until he tied up all the loose ends about the owls, or his symptoms got significantly worse, he was going to ride this last high as long as it let him.

The next few days with your parents went smoothly. It was almost like before your mom had gotten sick, plus Walter. Walter was ecstatic to see your parents back, and you no longer sobbed in the shower out of lonely desperation. You were able to distract effectively through various arts and crafts with your mom, and by the time you were starting to need 'me' time she would tire. You spent some time with your dad fixing the back deck and pulling some weeds out of the raised flower beds. You tended to the pumpkins your parents had planted in June, and harvested some bell peppers and blueberries.

You avoided thinking about Gotham until you were in Gotham; you hadn't even mentioned to your parents you'd been fired/quit, and figured they'd know when a U-Haul ended up at their house with you and Mar inside. The quiet neighborhood was relaxing when your family was around, but that desperate feeling of loneliness was pinned to your chest. The town felt more desolate after being in the city, the quiet felt heavier when they were gone, and knowing how fragile her health was you figured you'd spend more of your life without her than with her. The combination threatened to consume you, and you spent every lull in conversation and every night lying in bed unable to sleep from worry about finding your purpose in life. What interested you? What motivated you? What were your values? How could all of the above be translated into a livable life?

Where did you belong? Did you belong here, in the sleepy town with wide open skies? Did you belong in a city with skyscrapers and sardine-squishing sidewalks? You liked the access the city afforded you. When you'd first moved there, you'd been enthralled by the hundreds of restaurants and stores within a mile's radius. You'd maxed out a small credit card being silly and young, trying cuisines you'd never even heard of. You found cute themed shops that were abhorrently overpriced but nonetheless aesthetically pleasing to visit. But the city moved so fast, and just in time for you to settle into a routine with a favorite restaurant they'd be closing shop. It was cutthroat and intimidating, and you felt softer. Too soft. Life here was too slow as to be entirely, aggravatingly boring. There were only a handful of restaurants in town and they were all dying fast food chains strung out amongst various struggling mom and pop shops that wouldn't dare invite in a health inspector. But the nature was beautiful, and sometimes you loved the quiet breeze of it all. You had no friends besides Mar who you could never see leaving the city, a degree that was worthless in the current economy, and your extended family lived in south Florida for some unknown reason. You only saw them once a year at a family reunion that was usually in July, but had been postponed to Christmas. Ugh.

On Monday you set off for Gotham. You'd arrived on time a few days earlier to ensure you could properly pack your stuff. Day one was filled with throwing out the perishable groceries and giving yourself a moment to breathe outside of your childhood home. The food tasted bland, your favorite shows had lost their spark, and your bed was lumpy and hard. The floors were cement and made your feet ache with every slapping step. The water took ages to heat up compared to home, and you kept watching your step for Walter who never showed. The flight had been frustrating. Your head pounded. You felt like screaming into an empty field, creating a dust storm from pounding your hands into the dirt until you were bruised.

Day two after arriving back to Gotham, you sat down at your small desk in the corner to think up some questions. It was impossible to focus, but you kept yourself to task by repeating you'd be out of here permanently, genuinely, so, so soon. As you stared at the blank page, anxiety sprouted. It hadn't before occurred to you that everyone would be reading this; in fact, everyone would likely be seeking this out so much it would be translated to different languages hours after being published. For a moment you couldn't wrap your head around why this time felt so much more high-stakes, and then you remembered the fate of an entire university department rested on how marketable and quality this interview was... and remembered how obscenely rich and powerful the subject was. You twiddled your fingers just slightly above the keyboard, nervous to even begin to dive into it.

The first thing you did was peruse Scypher, especially their forum sections.

SEARCH: Bruce Wayne

SEARCH: Mr. Wayne

SEARCH: Bruce

SEARCH: billionaire

SEARCH: Gotham

SEARCH: Gotham City

SEARCH: Gotham and Bruce

SEARCH: Gotham and Bruce Wayne

You sifted through hundreds—if not thousands—of posts thirsting after him. There were pap photos, one-shots written daydreaming about him, some tweets hating on how rich he was (you liked those), but the vast majority were simply pining after him in a public arena. You got a small sense of what people wanted to see from him, but not enough to create a substantial question.

You went onto Google and searched the same things. A handful of articles from major news outlets were titled similarly: What We Know About Bruce Wayne, the Orphaned Billionaire. People generally knew about the circumstances of his parent's murder, that he lived at home with his maids and butlers (was there more than one Alfred?) and everything that he'd announced at Gotham University graduation. There was logistical data on his Wikipedia page such as his height, birth date, current age, and where he went to school growing up. Information for the past decade was slim, the only bits being where he attended college, his date of graduation, and his major. It appeared the only times since his parent's death he peeked out into the public eye were school-related.

No one knew anything about his personal life, and you worked yourself into a tizzy brainstorming ways to persuade him into talking about himself. Where was the line between too benign of a question and too invasive of one? What was relevant information to someone high-profile's first interview? You'd spent hours digging into the first interviews of now-major celebrities, but they all happened before they rocketed into fame. This was different: he was born famous, and now at age 30 he was finally speaking to someone. After a certain point in your research you feared you would need to be the blueprint for this kind of thing; even nepo babies had been interviewed as children, asked questions such as their favorite musicians, movies, books, and colors. How did you show the public he was normal, personable, even? Did you even want to make him appear normal, because he didn't seem it. He was an enigma. Someone you couldn't quite peg.

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. What's my goal with this? No one else's, mine? What do I want to learn about him? What are my natural curiosities? This led to an immediate rush of creative energy, questions popping up left and right; you didn't care about how invasive or off-kilter they might seem. After the brainstorming, you gathered the questions into three categories: COMFORTABLE - DEEPER - DANGEROUS.

The first contained questions that were more basic, and likely wouldn't elicit an emotional response in any way to the interviewee. The second probed a bit more, considered more thorough and juicy. At this point an interviewee might be more choosy with their phrasing, or pause to think about it. The final category was fully questions of your own mind, questions you didn't think you'd ever ask but wanted to be put to paper. These were so juicy as to be intimate, so personal as to be disorienting.

When else would a woman have the leverage to ask such a dizzyingly powerful man anything she wanted?

[lady-ashfade]

Can you do a kazzle dazzle were kaz is like in love with reader while reader doesn't think so and all the crows tease him and stuff because its somewhat obvious to everyone but reader. And kaz like leaves her anonymous gifts. And then maybe a love confection at the end?

Sorry if your not taking requests

What gave me away?

Kaz brekker x Fem!Reader

I’ve seen so much like this and I just love it! I want kaz to gift me things.

Notes: Longest kaz fic of mine, like I haven’t wrote this much for one character in a while. You can be a crow in this, or just work at the club.

Warnings: Fluffy, cursing I think, teasing from the group, kaz being a little soft. Maybe some angst. Spelling mistakes.

His hooded eyes stared at her fingers as she washed to counter, moving them up he looks at her face. The face that he admired and couldn’t help but feel warm when he looked at her. She wear a dress, not too fancy or too boring. She worked the bar or help the kitchen at times, so she always got stains on her dress. She looked beautiful to him even now, messy dress and a little dirt on her cheek.

She had her lips pouted a bit and at whatever she was thinking about, he found it cute. He couldn’t help but do this often, he just feel in a trace. Kaz let his mind run to far that everyone there notice his absence mind. Smirking, Nina was the first to speak. “You got a bit of drool there, boss.” She leaned close and pointed to the corner of his lips but never touched him.

Kaz broke his trance and turned to her with a glare, “Excuse me?” She laughed and sat back into her boyfriend arms. “You’re partially ripping her clothes off in your mind. And not to mention your heart is acting weird, you wanna go talk to her?” She asked with a teasing small voice as if she was talking to a child.

He took a deep breath of annoyance and rolled his eyes. “She’s using the wrong rag, she should have switched it out a hour ago.” He stated to throw their thoughts off. Nina nodded but she didn’t believe it, no one at the table did. “I don’t know boss” Jesper tapped in, “You were giving her the eyes.” He moved his eyebrows.

“What eyes?” Kit had no clue what he was talking about. Jesper laughed and turned to wylan who already knew what to do. They stare at each other with big eyes and admiring their features, like a puppy. Nina giggled and hit the table, “He looks exactly like that!” Kaz groaned at their teasing, “Stop taking or you’re all out a job.” He grabbed his cane and stood up with it.

“No, boss don’t leave.” Jesper called out as they watch him leave, “Kazzel, we’re sorry.” Nina watched him leave. Once he disappeared they all looked at each other with big smirks. “He was totally drooling.” Jesper laughed. “Totally, now” she pulled out her coin purse. “Who wants to bet on them?” The table pitched in and were planning to get Inej in on it later.

//~//

His office was quiet and he could hear the sounds dying down as the club closed and the workers left, the only person left was you and the other crows. A knock at the door made his ears perk up, he knew who it was. “Come on.” His voice sounded light and low. You step through the door with a tray in your hand and carefully walked. “What have you brought this time?” He continued to write on the paper.

You smiled and walked over to him and set the tray on the table in the corner. “Well, get ready to eat a feast.” You giggle and picked up a big plate. He pushed his paper away, he learned that even if he wasn’t hungry you wouldn’t care. You placed the plate down in front of him and set down the  utensils he needed. “Cabbage rolls, with a small side of eggs. And my favorite, seasoned potatoes.”

He looked up at you, his eyes questioning you. “We didn’t serve these tonight.” You smiled and shrugged, “They just appeared out of no where.” You walked back over to the table to get the other things you brought him. “And you’d feed this to me not knowing if it was poison?” He grabbed the fork and poked the food, but he knew you had made it. “Maybe I want whatever you have stashed around here.”

He hummed and you came back over and set down a glass of water and a smaller plate, a sweet roll on top of it. He remembered when you found out he had a sweet tooth you always got him one, he hated someone knowing that. But if it was going to be anyone he was fine with it being you.

“You better drink the whole glass of water, and eat at least half of everything.” You dropped your eyelids and leaned on his decks. “If that’s all, leave me to it.” He looked back down. Your eyes glanced over a bit and your breath hitched. Nodding you picked up the tray and walked out of the room like he told you.

“You should stay, be with me for a while.” The words you always wished to hear spoke through your head in his voice. You knew kaz was closed off, he didn’t like to show anyone anything he didn’t have to. It was known that he cared about you and the crows…But you hoped he cared more, like you did him. Each night you glanced at him, when he would walk around the bar with a glare and looked like a angry dog. You hated yourself for falling for a man that couldn’t love you back.

The next day you walked through the alleyways as the fog still covered the streets, the sun coming up and the soft light shined. You did like the morning because the way you took, there was never many people. You got to hear the birds that nest around and you could hear yourself think. Entering the club you worked and smiled at the men that work the table set up, you went to the bar. As you got closer you noticed something on the table, a box wrapped in a ribbon that wasn’t there when you closed.

Curiosity got the better of you and you looked at the note attached to it and your eyes widen as you saw your name written. There was no other name or any hint as to who it could be. It could be some sort of bomb or a poisons animal, but sometimes you couldn’t let the wonders stay. So you took of the top of the box and saw a few cookie cutters and your heart stop as you pick one of them up. You remember them from the store you went by, you stayed about a hour just convincing yourself not to waste money.

You looked up to see if anyone was looking at you, if you could spot the person who gifted it but you saw no one. Smiling big you took the box and put it under the corner. Everyone noticed the whole day you were more happy and hopping around the place. Everyone was more alive to see you like that, and it made them feel happier. When Nina asked what you were so happy about, you told her about the gift. “Who got it for you.” She raised a cup to her mouth and then took a bite of her waffle. “No clue, it wasn’t signed.” She was stunned for a moment as you walked off. Then she remembered that your boss was aways interested in your smile, so she put the pieces together.

That was just the start of the weekly gifts that were on the counter when you entered the club. Sometimes it was a flower vase with your favorite flowers. Sometimes it was new baking equipment, others it was just small things you would look at in the market. Once your shoes broke at work and you had to finish the shift with no shoes. Then, a man came in with a new pair as the club closed and that was your final straw.

You needed to find the person. They always knew what you wanted or needed. At first you thought it would be Inej because she couldn’t be seen, but you asked her and she said no. You could tell when she was lying. You asked everyone and they all said no, but you never asked kaz. It wasn’t even on your mind but it you needed to cross every box off. So when you brought him his nightly meal you had the perfect opportunity to ask.

This time his sweet was a cookie in the shape of one of the cutters he had got you. He lightly smiled with his eyes because you had used it. “Kaz.” You set down the glass on his desk. He glanced at you and then back down for you to get the words out. You tried to control the sweat coming off your body and your heart from beating fast.

“I’ve been getting these gifts, and I have no idea who they are from.” He nodded his head and picked up some food with his fork. “And are they threatening?” You shook your head and bit your lips. “No, they are sweet actually. Who ever is sending them is actually paying attention to me.” You fumbled your hands.

“Is that all you wanted to say? Why tell me this?” He sound annoyed. “Because I wanted to know if..” you stoped and looked at him. He let a few seconds pass by and looked up at you as you went silent and frozen. “If?” He asked to get you to keep going.

You needed to just bite the bullet and ask him. Part of you wanted it to be him- No. All of you wanted it to be him. To know that he pays attention to you, noticing everything like you do him. “Are you sending them?” You let out a breath. He stopped for a minute and looked into your eyes, you noticed his lips slowly curl up into a smirk.

“What gave me away?”

That wasn’t what you thought you would hear. And you actually thought you imagined it for a minute. It made your mind fly with thoughts and it took you so much by surprise, you stop working for a moment. “So, it was you?” Your brows raised themselves but crunched, he loved that look. “Hmm, but I should have guessed you would have figured me out.”

It clinked into your brain, it made your stomach fill with butterflies and heart flatter. “So, why did you do it?” You smiled at him. “I like to see you smile. I needed to show you thatI think about you non stop but, i couldn’t say it to your face.” He was truthful. “I-” he took a deep breath and raised his hand slowly and put it above yours. You he had a problem with touch, and that he was working on it.

Before you could voice your opinion he place his hand on top of your softly, it fit over yours perfectly. It was warm and the leather felt nice. “I have these feelings for you, that I don’t know what to do with. But, I’d like to have you as mine.” You smiled wide and tried not to cry, so you giggled at the overwhelming feeling.

“I will be yours, Kaz Brekker.” He actually smiled for the first time, not a small one but a bigger one. You could tell he was trying for you and you couldn’t help but find it adorable, but you couldn’t voice it. “Now, eat up and I’ll be back in a few. I want you to tell me that again.” You pranced out his office like you owned the place and acted high and mighty.

He sighed and chuckled, shaking his head at how much you affected him. The only warmth he felt inside was thinking of you, or seeing you.

“I’ll be yours kaz brekker.” He would replay those words in his head until his last breath.

[sockiestupidity]

Papusa Making-Miguel O'hara x platonic teen reader

Description; Reader is the complete opposite of Miguel and does not easily trust, reader gets caught stress making papusas at ungodly hours by Miguel💀Alternatively:Miguel unexpectedly befriends the newest addition to spider society over food

no spanish bc im a no sabo kid🙈(sorry if he seems too white for y'all)

warnings- lowercase intentional, bad writing/bad grammar, fluff, angst??, implied abuse/neglect, ooc miguel(acts a lot like peter b.???), not proofread, idk what else, let me know if i forgot anything🤷‍♂️ the reader is gn!!! reader is also implied to be nonverbal bc i said so🥰

also the povs slightly change at some points (just ignore it🙏)

first time writing a fanfic pls be nice :))

it was dawning 4:00 am and y/n still had yet to fall asleep, their mind preoccupied with anxiety and paranoia, they took a deep heavy breath, and tried not to close their exhausted eyes. they squeezed their eyelids shut, feeling a headache approaching, and as soon as they did, images of their past events played. they quickly shook their head, trying to get those images out of their mind. as grateful as they were for having a place to stay at hq, they could not help but think about the comforts of their own home. despite the imposing threats of their home, there was almost something cathartic about sleeping on an old bed that was on the verge of falling apart. the young spider's new housing situation felt too safe, too quiet…to… comfortable. as a new spider, they did not know for how long these types of comforts would ve provided without a cost. they almost never slept, as they felt as if they did, these comforts would suddenly gone, as if it was all a sick joke, or a dream

suddenly y/n felt something wet drip down their cheek. "am i crying?" they thought to theirself.

they took another deep breath in, trying not to hyperventilate. in times like these, y/n would usually either bake or cook (only when their parents were not present) or they would just straight up bottle their emotions. y/n sighed as they weighed their options. despite their brains constant paranoia as to what might happen if they get caught baking, they decided to go against their paranoia for once.

as y/n quietly treaded towards the communal kitchen, making sure not to wake anyone up (AN: i imagine that hq house is just a rlly big ahh house so that why theres a communal kitchen). as they looked through the contents available, they remembered that a previous spider had make masa recently, and had leftover masa that desperately needed to be used. y/n also recalled how another spider had previously made pickled vegetables and cabbage and ended up not needing it. this gave the young spider an idea. they swiftly grabbed out the needed ingredients for papusa filling. which included beans, cheese, and loroco. y/n decided to make vegetarian papusas just incase other spiders were interested in eating them. since they basically acknowledged no one in spider society, y/n decided that this could at least be seen as a token appreciation for being taken into the society.

they happily began mixing, almost forgetting the previous events that were plaguing their mind, until a large, menacing figure was seen in their field of vision. y/n suddenly stopped mixing, their hands now trembling with fear, panic clouded their mind, and their eyes began to blur, as they began hyperventilating the figure got closer. in response, y/n decided to continue moving back until they were trapped in a corner of the room.

the figure suddenly came to a halt, y/n looked up to the figure, not being able to recognize the harsh features of the figure.

the figure held a hand up, as soon as the figure did, y/n flinched. the figure suddenly donned what looked like a frown. suddenly, the figure began to speak, "hey, its going to be alright kid, i need you to breathe with me okay?" y/n nodded, still trembling with fear.

the figure began to count with their fingers, "just follow my lead, alright? in for four seconds, hold for seven, and out for eight, alright?" the young spiderlings breathing soon began to calm down after the figure repeated the exercise. soon their vision began to clear, and as soon as it did, they realized that the figure was the stoic man who led the spider society.

he suddenly spoke again, "everything alright?" y/n nodded.

"what are you doing up so late?" he asked the young spider. y/n noted how it looked like he was attempting to soften his features for them.

y/n just simply gestured to the bowl of mix, as well as the pickled vegetables and bag of masa. miguel nodded.

"i have never made papusas before but i have made tamales, could i possibly help you out?" he questioned.

y/n pondered. could they really trust this man? miguel's stature was huge, and could easily take advantage of them. y/n looked down, trying to blink away tears.

miguel attempted a look of sympathy towards the newest spider. he had felt so bad for not monitoring your earth earlier than he decided to. he had seen what had happened after it was far too late. it frustrated him, those events weren't even canon, he could've done something if he had known, there was no need for you to go through that much pain. going through his loss of his daughter made him sympathize with you, not only did you remind him of gabriella, you also reminded him of himself. he felt obligated to take care of you because of your naivete not only that, but he also didn't want to see you go down the same path of destruction he went down.

he took a deep breath in and out, "i understand why you don't trust me, and i respect that alright? but i just want to make it clear that i would never do those things to you. i want you to be able to trust me" he explained to you.

y/n looked back up. he seemed to be trustworthy op enough. after all, he was a grieving father, and seemed as if he had really cared for his daughter.

y/n gestured towards miguel, then to the abandoned products, and then to themself.

"you want me to help you?" he asked, wanting to clarify that he interpreted your gestures right. you nodded in response. he responded with a rare smile.

the two of you got to work, mixing the filling and placing it into the masa. after all the papusas were finally finished with shaping, he finally spoke up.

"maybe next time i can show you how to make tamales, we can even incorporate the banana leaves as well" he suggested.

you pondered his suggestion and nodded with a smile. even though you often did not trust adults, miguel seemed like someone you could trust, and you found it admirable that he was willing to incorporate your culture.

"alright kid, lets cook these" the two of you began to cook the papusas. when the two of you were finally done with cooking the papusas, and cleaning the area, most of spiders in the hq housing were awake, as it was around 6:00 am (AN: realistically papusa making doesn't always take that long but just ignore it for the sake of the story🙏). some of the spiders heading towards the kitchen commented on how good the kitchen smelled.

one of the spiderpeople looked towards you, "did you do this?" they asked. you gestured towards yourself and miguel, miguel simply looked away, "the big bad boss helped you out?" they questioned in shock. the spiderpeople could not believe it. the cold, harsh man had helped you, the timid new kid make food? but it seems that the surprised chatter was soon silenced as people started to eat your papusas.

needless to say that they encouraged you and miguel to cook more often.

AN: if u got this far tysm for reading, i rlly do appreciate it-feel free to leave feed back, or interact in any way🥰 i was inspired to write this bc despite the amount of miguel x hispanic reader works there were, i felt like most of them were targeted towards mexican ppl (or like some of yall forget that other latin countries besides mexico exist) and i wanted to see some rep for salvadorans

[sebastiansallcw]

Could you pls write a fic about Sebastian and f!reader (slytherin) and their first kiss! :))))

such a cute request!! thank you for sending it!! wc: 1100+ warnings: fluff and kissing

Winter approached Hogwarts quicker than Y/N expected. Her sweaters failing to keep her frame warm, her Slytherin robe crossed over her body to retain any heat possible. After a duel of Summoner’s Court, she found her teeth chattering and skin icy to touch. Some of her opponents ridiculed her at the sight of her tucking her knees into her chest, as she watched others play their round. Y/N didn’t have enough energy in her to make a snide remark about how she was still able to win despite her frigid state.

Y/N only had one thing on her mind, sitting on the couch near the fireplace in her common room. She hoped most students would be out playing in the snow or studying for their classes to give her some space. Perhaps she also had Sebastian Sallow on her mind. 

Just a friend. All he would ever be–it’s been years since she developed a crush on him, but it never went anywhere. Just longing looks and pangs of jealousy when she saw him chatting up some Hufflepuff, leaning against the wall. 

As she made her way back to the Slytherin common room, she saw Sebastian sitting by the fireplace, right where she wanted to be. His long legs stretched out in front of him, his eyes fixed on the flames. Y/N walked up to him, hoping to warm herself up by the fire and enjoy his company. 

She always did. 

Sebastian turned when he heard footsteps approaching. His eyes brightened up at the sight of her. Sebastian would be damned if Y/N never got sorted into Slytherin, as emerald green complimented her so well–let alone, they could share moments together like these. He knew how to talk to everyone, how to swoon their hearts, but with Y/N? It’s like the cat got his tongue with her.  

"Hey, Y/N," he said, patting the spot next to him on the couch. "Come sit with me."

Y/N didn’t need much convincing, she did want to spend time with Sebastian–but she didn’t want to waste time developing her crush. She didn’t need to get butterflies around the boy, she didn’t need to get distracted by him during their classes. But the warmth of the fire was calling her and she found herself sitting down next to him. 

The two sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the warmth of the fire. She could feel her skin absorbing all the warmth possible. Y/N stole a glance at Sebastian, noticing how the firelight flickered against his features. He had way too many freckles to count. She found herself unable to look away, admiring all his features.

“You’re staring, L/N.” He mused, the corner of his mouth lifting upwards. “What’re you thinking about?” Sebastian always had a way of teasing her, but bringing her back to reality. She wouldn’t believe that Sebastian actually cared about her–but he did.

Why wouldn’t he?

Y/N shook her head, trying to snap out of it. Luckily the warmth of the fire concealed the rush of blood to her face. She tried to conjure up an excuse, but nothing logical came to mind. She doubted he’d care about how a chinese chopping cabbage bit her leg and had Professor Garlick menangle it off.  

"Nothing, just enjoying the warmth," she said.

Sebastian nodded, not quite believing her. Now it was his turn to admire her, the way she watched the fire intently. Ominis teased him about Y/N relentlessly��did he focus in class today? Did he purposely show up to class early just to sit outside to small talk with her? Or made sure that she sat beside him during Great Hall meals–despite never engaging in a conversation beyond small talk.

Y/N glanced back over at Sebastian, a mischievous glint in his eyes. She knew that he was up to something. It was the same look he would give Ominis in class, or before he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt before a duel. 

Sebastian scooted closer to Y/N, their shoulders brushing together and his hand resting beside her thigh. Y/N always admired the way his hands looked. She could feel the heat radiating off of him and it made her heart skip a beat. Y/N resisted the urge of snuggling more into his side, smelling his cologne. She tried to concentrate on the fire in front of them instead, but her mind kept wandering to the close proximity of their bodies.

"Are you cold, Y/N?" Sebastian asked, his voice low and smooth, almost as if it came out as a whisper. Y/N nodded, feeling her cheeks flush at the concern in his voice. He reached over and pulled his Slytherin robe off his shoulders, draping it over hers.

"Thanks," Y/N murmured, feeling the warmth of his robe and his body heat enveloping her. She leaned her head back against the couch, closing her eyes for a moment. Sebastian's hand brushed against hers and she opened her eyes, looking over at him. He was gazing at her with an intensity that made her heart race.

"Y/N," he said softly, his hand still touching hers. "I've been wanting to do this for a while now." And before she could even comprehend what he meant, Sebastian leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

As their lips met, Y/N could feel the warmth of Sebastian's breath mingling with hers. His lips were soft and gentle, moving against hers with a tantalizingly slow rhythm. She could feel his hand cradling the back of her neck, his fingers threading through her hair. Sebastian's other hand moved to rest on her waist, pulling her closer to him. Y/N could feel the heat of his body through the layers of clothing as he deepened the kiss, his tongue lightly brushing against her bottom lip.

The kiss was slow and passionate, as if they were savoring each moment. Y/N could feel the electricity building between them, the intensity of their feelings for each other being poured into the kiss. She could feel her heart beating faster and faster as they kissed, her body humming with desire.

As they pulled away, Sebastian rested his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged and staring at her with a look of wonder and adoration. "I've been wanting to do that for so long," he whispered, his hand stroking her cheek. "I've always fancied you, Y/N."

“And I’ve always fancied you,” She whispered.

Y/N couldn't believe what she was hearing. All this time, she had been harboring a crush on him, and he felt the same way. She leaned in and kissed him again, this time with a passion, a desire. The fire crackled behind them as they kissed, their bodies pressed together in a warm embrace. 

[awkward-fink]

Hey Fink!

Hope your new year has been well so far. Also how tf is it 2025 that’s so crazy to me!

What’s your favorite little head cannon you have of each of your favorite cod guys? Just curious I love hearing how people interpret characters differently 😋

-Cher 🍒

Hi !!! 2025 is very young still and all that really happens is that my dog now loves to climb underneath the blanket with me to cuddle. Living warm water bottle, i tell you! 2024 was over so very fast.. Let's see if 2025 wants to slow down, but with what I see in news.. I don't think so. How are you?

My favorite HC's? Oh.. hard. I like all of them and am always working some.. Mhmm... Alright! Only for you, some small HC's that I like a bit more than the others.

MISC HC!!

Price -> actually joined a cooking club in his free time. Not only is he learning some really neat tricks, he also finds some contacts with people far away from anything military. And thats a break he really needs to calm down again after missions. Military may be his life, but even the most hardened man needs something different. Or needs to know how to impress a date with a perfect Beef Wellington.

Ghost -> loves to read "dime romance" books. They are easy to hide, easy to fold into his pockets, durable when he takes them with him into missions for the little downtime he has. Kicker is, he doesn't read them because he likes the action or themes, he likes to pick apart the loopholes, the mistakes in the writing, the cliches, etc. And he loves discussing them with Kate Laswell, who also shares this guilty pleasure.

Gaz -> This man, this unit of a man, has scheduled spa days with his sisters. You think his glowing skin, shining eyes and perfect smile are just coming to him for free? Think again! Everytime he is off mission, his sisters bully him into a spa or a Hamam or anything else relaxing. Its their way to pamper him, to check up on him, make him relax quickly. And at the end of the day, they are gathered at their mothers house, sprawled on the couch, limbs all tangled as the applied facemasks harden as they sleep soundly, close to each other. Gaz loves it, but not for the beauty factor, but for the love his family shows him in such a way, time spend together with love and gentle affection.

Soap -> is currently losing a quip-war with his niece. It started innocently enough when she was younger, always toddling after her favorite Uncle Johnny, and he ate it up. Until the little bean witnessed him and her mother bickering and she shot up to help her Mommy by kicking Soaps shin. It wasn't painful and the small bean was told that violence doesnt help. But! But Beanie Niece got training from grandpa for this and the next time Soap came home, she fired the first shot. Making fun of his meticilously styled Mohawk. And it all escalated from there. And worst of all, Beanie is currently winning.

König -> got forcefully adopted by a grandmother he met in one of his missions. Oma Elsbeth has a place in his heart after he rescued her by accident. And she sends him the most silly and thoughtful care packages that anyone else on base is jealous of. She even makes him sweaters made from her knitting yarn and the best socks he ever owned were made by her. He only doesn't like her self made Cabbage roulades... but he will never tell her that.

Alejandro -> has a very big heart. If he has snacks or chocolate on his person when he is out and around he will give those treats to children. He loves how their eyes light up, loves how they invite him to play soccer with them, adores the shrieking laughter he can get from them. It reinforces why he works so hard to help his home, Las Almas. And he knows Rudy is just around the corner but he never calls him out for it.

Rudy -> has the best connection for blackmail in the whole of Las Almas, and it is spreading. It is not made up by operatives or spies. No. Its the abuelas and Nonnas and grandmothers. He helped his own abuela once, when she had a bad day, to her tea party and he stayed for the cakes. And he came back for the goldmine of information he got about everyone and anything. Don't mess with Rudy, he will pout and talk to his gang of abuelas and they will uncover all the dirt there is about you.

Horangi -> can fall asleep anywhere, as long as there is a little bit of sun shining on the spot. Sleeping on the tarmac? Pilots better swerve around him. Sleeping on grass? Don't mind him dozing right in the middle of a field of grass, just beside some cows that lend him some company. Falling asleep on other persons? Only if he trusts them, but holy shit König doesn't even care anymore when the other falls asleep on his back, he just carries him around like a sack of rice. Falling asleep in the water? Yes, absolutely. More than one time someone thought he drowned.

Nikolai -> gives all his planes and gadgets names. Female names if he likes them and male names if he can't be arsed about those fucking things anymore. Akulina is his favorite plane and Alina his favorite weapon. His navigation is called Demjan, and he cusses it out every day and every minute he has to use it. Where are the maps if you fucking need them?

[dabisqueen]

Slimeball line cook Dabi x fem!Reader 🦠

⇢ word count: roughly 1.8K

⇢ plot: sex on the beach

⇢ warnings: Minors DNI, line cook!Dabi has a lot of dumb pick-up lines up his greasy sleeves, smoking, drinking, unprotected sex, creampie

This is my submission for the Wet Hot Slimeball SUMMER BLOCK PARTY– hosted by @bastardblvd Pls don't take my shitty writing serious.

It's a hot and humid summer night, the heat of the bonfire making it even worse, with the flames illuminating each sweat-drenched face of the present Grimetown residents.

Who's dumb idea was it anyway, to do this during the summer?

You wipe the salty droplets off your forehead, thinking that at least you can enjoy looking at the scantily dressed men present. It's been a while since you’ve done it with anyone in Grimetown, the latest hook-up with sex shop owner Gojo needing you to go on Plan B.

Nonetheless, you feel needy tonight, like a horny teenager. The heat between your thighs undeniable, you take a deep breath, your breasts almost busting out of your skimpy bikini top.

Popping open the can of "Tramp Stamp", Grimetown's signature beer, you lift it to your lips to take a generous sip. The instantaneous taste of sulfur and cooked cabbage spreads in your mouth, making you shudder and cringe. 

What the–

Turning the can, your suspicion is confirmed when you see the expiration date. You sigh, taking another sip, ignoring the beer's foul taste. At least, it still makes you drunk; plus it's for free– courtesy of Landlord Sukuna. 

Accompanied by the shouting and jokes of the Grimetown residents, you watch Naoya - fully dressed - stumbling uncoordinatedly along the shoreline, asking repeatedly in a slurred voice if someone has seen his pink bikini. 

The wish for someone to rail your brains out outgrows you, and – as you take another sip of the beer – a certain dark-haired figure approaches. 

"Give me that–" Toji stops just a few feet away and stares at your drink, his large, muscular figure towering above you. "I'll pay you in nature."

Looking him up and down, you notice the large swell in his pink bathing trunks. Despite the urge to hook up with him for the night, the horde of rats at his feet, staring at you with their soul-piercing eyes, makes you shudder involuntarily. Your gaze snaps up to his face, eyes locking with his vibrant green ones.

"No thanks. Go and get your own." You take another sip of the beer to punctuate your words.

His expression turns sour, the scar across his lips contorting when the corners of his mouth pull down.

"'You serious?" His eyes narrow at you.

"Yup." Shrugging your shoulders, you focus all of your attention back on the almost empty can of beer.

"Cheap skank," he mutters under his breath, before he turns to saunter in the direction of the fire, with the rats following, yelling, "Who do I have to fuck to get some beer around here?"

As the bonfire continues to roast you from the front, a movement catches your attention and you turn to look.

"What’s a nice girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?" You hear a raspy voice, so husky and deep that it instantly spreads a warmth between your legs. 

Dabi, the cook at the local burger place "Cum n Eat", comes to a stop in front of you, a half-smoked cigarette hanging in the corner of his mouth. His hands are buried deep in his rainbow-colored swim trunks, lazy-lidded sapphire eyes gleaming down at you from above bright pink sunglasses.

"Oh for God's sake–" you grumble impatiently, "I already told Toji: go get your own fucking beer."

You roll your eyes and chug the remaining lukewarm dregs, feeling it burn down your esophagus. 

"I don't want your beer." He eyes you up and down. "Nice bikini. Can I talk you out of it?"

You almost choke. Blinking at him once, twice, you try to determine whether he's serious or not. But Dabi just grins, stepping closer and propping his sunglasses on his head. The bitter, tart smell of old grease and cigarettes starts to envelop you, as your attention is drawn in by the growing swell in the front of his trunks. Instantly, you feel a surge of pleasure light up every cell in your body. Your throat bobs as you swallow, your mouth filling with saliva.

"Are you seriously pulling these lines on me?" Your eyes quickly flick up to meet his, trying to hide the fact that you're somehow turned on by his sleazy approach. 

"If it works, it works." His eyebrows drift upwards, sly and smug, as his gaze drops down to your chest.

You notice with embarrassment how your nipples have pebbled up, their hard outlines visible through the thin fabric of your skimpy bikini top. You flinch and cross your arms over your chest, your cheeks starting to take on a pink hue.

"I think we both know what we want." Dabi looks at you a little more intense– hungrier.

You feel captivated by the striking aquamarine pools of his eyes and despite his grungy appearance, they have you imagining plenty of naughty things about him.

Fuck, you want to bang him. Badly.

"Ok, what do you have in mind?" You breathe, surprised at how needy you sound.

"Why don't I put you on my to-do list?" His tongue sneaks out, wetting his lips as he starts to stroke his cock over the fabric of his swim trunks, making it strain against his swim trunks.

"Well– better cross me off then." You reply and stand up, brushing the sand off your butt with your palms.

With a satisfied smirk, Dabi steps closer to wrap his fingers around your wrist, pulling you with him towards some protruding cliffs in the distance. 

Finding a small recess, Dabi shoves you in and pins you against the coarse rock, your meaty tits squishing against the hard surface. Taking another drag of his cigarette, he trails his free hand down the curve of your ass and pulls your bikini bottom to the side to reveal your soaked, throbbing pussy. 

"Damn girl," he chuckles as he blows out the smoke, "You're slicker than the floor of my burger place."

"Shut up," you pout, wiggling your buttcheeks, "and fuck me already."

"Can't say no to that, right?" Hooking his thumbs under the seams of his trunks, he pulls them down just enough to free his aching, pierced cock. It smacks against his abdomen before hanging heavy under its own weight, precum dripping off its tip.

Dabi sighs out another drag of his cigarette, eyes lazy-lidded, pumping himself a few times before aligning his eager cock with your aching pussy.

"I’m not a dentist, but I'm gonna give you a good filling." He growls betweed grittey teeth. Yet, you swallow back a snarky response, the teasing of his fat bulbous tip against the tight entrance of your pussy too distracting. Only a breathy moan escapes your lips, indicating how ready you are.

He dips down and the scent of cigarette smoke grows strong when his lips graze the rim of your ear. "Ready for this hot, fat Bratwurst?"

"For fuck's sake, Dabi–" you groan, "Cut it out already!"

He chuckles and takes another drag of his cigarette. Then he snaps his hips forward, plunging into you with one firm thrust, quickly stuffing you to the hilt. It tears a garbled cry from your throat as you collapse against the cold rock, your legs giving out as you struggle to accept him inside you.

"Fuck, your cunt's hotter than my cigarette." There's the barest hitch in his breath, his eyes glued to the sight of how your pussy is clenching around his girth.

He gives you hardly any time to accommodate before pulling back and forcing you to take his full length again. You bite your lips trying to suppress another strangled moan– but then he starts an even, savoring pace. 

The slow drag back and forth of his cock suddenly turns into quicker, fuller thrusts when he loses what’s left of his patience. It's all that you need, the rough friction of his barbells against your spongy walls feeling too delicious, and you can sense your orgasm growing closer and closer.

“What a sight,” Dabi rasps, watching his cock disappear relentlessly into your sloppy wet cunt with stunned awe. His hips pick up speed, pushing in and out, faster and faster, your needy moans and his throaty grunts inaudible over the cacophony of laughing, drinking, and shouting of all the others down the beach.

"Fuck," you curse, your head rolling back as you gasp for air, feeling the rough friction with each swirl of his hips.

"How do you like your eggs in the morning? Fertilized?" Dabi pants, as you eagerly meet every frantic jolt of his hips, "Cause I'm gonna cum inside of you."

"Shut the fuck up–" you cry, cunt clenching around him, "Just make me cum!"

His hips start moving even faster and each plunge into your pussy sends his cock reaching impossibly deeper inside. The sound of his length squeezing into your tightening pussy grows louder and lewder.

"Shit—” his breathing turns heavy, his jaw drops open. The cigarette tips from his mouth and onto your panties, burning a hole into them before falling on the beach sand below.

"Don't stop," You plead, feeling your climax just around the corner, your mind starting to swim. "Just like that, just a little longer!"

A broken groan leaves his lips and you feel a stutter in his movements before he stalls completely. A wet heat starts to fill you up as his cock twitches inside you, pumping you full of his sticky cum.

"Dude, what the fuck?" You turn your head, your own climax denied, leaving you utterly unsatisfied.

"What?" Dabi's lips pull up into a cocky grin. 

"I didn't cum!" You whine.

"Not my fault–" He tsks and withdraws from you with a lewd wet sound.

"You're a slimeball!" You yell, his cum dripping down your thighs onto the sand below,

"Never said I wasn't," he chuckles while tucking himself away. 

Turning on the spot, Dabi saunters off towards the bonfire. Angrily, you watch after him, still trying to regain your bearings when he starts jogging before it becomes a sprint. A familiar dark figure, surrounded by a swarm of rats, is standing by his beach towel, reaching down to grab a vacant can of beer and you hear Dabi yell, “Toji, get the fuck away from that or I’ll put your pets on my menu!”

REBLOGS, LIKES AND COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

[fog-and-rust]

Here we go again with screenshots

The Restricted Section has the coolest tapestries

***

Fluffy buddies

***

Stained glass with Hogwarts Founders

***

This place reminds me of an old game Keepsake (2006). I adored this game. Maybe it's the reason why I enjoy Hogwarts Legacy so much.

***

I want this writing-desk. It looks epic

***

I headcanon that this is the place Zenobia used to go to console herself after failing social interactions before MC befriended her (I always return her Gobstones. My MC is a menace to dark wizards, goblins and Puffskein Dunkein, but she is nice to Zenobia)

***

Love the ambience. Wonder if these images of Demiguise scare Mr Moon

***

Cool signs ahead, but the troll one didn't work

***

Cool aesthetic

***

Cozy corner at the entrance to Ravenclaw Common Room.

***

Their battle will be legendary! Let my Hufflepuff girl enter Ravenclaw Common Room just to vibe there.

***

He looks so soft

***

My MC is on her way to tell her classmates how awesome Chinese Chomping Cabbages are

***

Ominis gets his beauty sleep at every opportunity

***

Everett is wondering if he can change Duncan's Boggart from Puffskein into Venomous Tentacula

***

Closeup of Professor Sharp's Auror Badge (if someone needs references)

***

Bestie, stop. If you want to be dramatic, go jump from Astronomy Tower. Use Fizzing Whizzbees or Levioso to survive

***

I feel like three of them could become good friends. Each one is a loner and can be a savage so they can understand each other

***

He can infodump about ALL the ingredients in Potions Classroom and I'll listen to it for hours

***

Kink suggestion for Garreth's fans: Imagine him spoonfeeding you with his new concoction

When I saw him taking a spoon out of his pocket I cackled so loudly that I startled my dog

[leafcabbage]

heres a deleted scene to tide you all over

Tommy had meant to go to get lunch alone and bring it home as a lovely surprise since he was such a lovely person. Unfortunately, he managed to run into Tubbo coming home as he opened the door, who had to question where he was going. He’d thought he had plenty of time before Tubbo came home from therapy to do his sneaking around, but alas, his inability to keep track of time foiled his plans once more. 

Tubbo coming home had woken Ranboo up from napping on the couch, which prompted them to want to join Tommy, which meant of course Tubbo wanted to go, too, so it was a whole group outing now. There was a brief discussion of driving versus walking, in which Ranboo insisted that walking was fine with them and they wanted to go outside, and Tubbo gently pushed for them to accept that driving would probably be easier on them. A compromise was reached where Tubbo would drive them and they would sit outside and maybe do a little walking around a nearby park. Tommy was just happy to not have to walk a mile both ways, or take the bus. 

They got their food and found a picnic table in the park to set up at. It felt strangely idealistic, like one of those days that only existed in books and movies, but it was very much real life. Tommy was pretty sure ideal days didn’t usually include getting french fries thrown at anyone, but Ranboo had decided to attack him when he started trying to be the best cheerleader he could be every time they took a bite of anything. They had good aim, too, despite their self proclaimed awful depth perception.

Tommy had been planning to start trying to catch them in his mouth when Ranboo stopped, much to his disappointment. 

“Why’d you stop?” 

“I’d like to eat some of my food,” they replied.

“Yay! Good job, eat your—”

Another fry hit his forehead. 

He gave Ranboo a miserable look. They didn’t seem particularly moved by his pain. 

“You’re being counterproductive,” Tubbo told him, also uncaring about his pain. 

“I’m just trying to be a good friend.” Tommy sighed heavily, resting his chin on his hand. “Weren’t we gonna go on a walk?”

“Yeah, but some of us eat at normal speeds.” Tubbo looked pointedly at the empty wrappers in front of Tommy. 

He didn’t think he’d eaten <i>that</i> fast, but apparently some people disagreed. 

“It’s better fresh.”

“I think it stays fresh for more than ten minutes, you know.”

Again, Tommy was pretty sure it took him more than ten minutes to eat food, but he would very kindly not argue with Tubbo, and it wasn’t because his bad perception of time might mean that he would be wrong.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Find the word

Thanks @winterandwords here, @museandquill here, and @aziz-reads here!

Rules: post excerpts from your WIP with the given words

My words: fast, slow, still, backwards, track, praised, question, reappeared, unwieldy, cabbage, adjoining, design

Your words: peace, head, test, blank

Tagging @authorcoledipalo @authorlaurawinter @chauceryfairytales @tabswrites @mk-writes-stuff

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy @honeybewrites @the-golden-comet

Keep reading for:

Ash gets help

Power control with Carla

Kelsey should not put on more adult responsibilities!!

Lexi and Ash find the portal

Robbie's eyes are like black holes

Shh...older draft of Part Three...

A bit from an older work

Carla looks for her mom

Ash out of breath

Fast - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

“Really?!” I said, pushing myself off of the tree—a little too fast, so I almost fell over. “Um, where exactly, uh, do I go?”

Slow - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

“You’ll be fine,” Carla comforted, not seeming to notice I wasn't nervous. “Don’t be afraid of your powers. But you must know how to control them, which is why we’re going slow.”

Still - from The Secret Portal Part One (Kelsey POV)

Still—wasn’t satisfied. I worried that Aunt Kamryn would forget that Roni would want to read a book aloud before brushing her teeth. She usually practiced her reading with me. Hopefully Mom or Aunt Kamryn were a good replacement.

Backwards - from The Secret Portal Part One (Lexi POV)

“It seems weird,” I said, almost walking backwards to keep an eye on her as I turned around the corner of the school. “Like—ah!” My boot got caught on the grass, causing my feet to slip. I tumbled onto the ground and dropped my violin, the “oof!” that followed indicating Ash tripped over the sturdy case.

Track - from The Secret Portal Part One (Akash POV)

I’d lost track of how many times I’d overheard other students fawning over that attribute. I have dark eyes, too! But apparently they didn’t have a gravity that drew everything in to its death.

Questioned - from "Eternity"

Praised - from The Secret Portal Part Three (older draft)

Inside the ambulance, the doctors were astounded by the miracle of the girl, but there was no time to praise that.

“Why did you report this to the FBI?” I questioned. “This seems like just an average missing person case--no offense. Why didn’t you report this to your local police?”

Reappeared - from The Secret Portal Part One (Carla POV)

My eyes didn’t leave my pia and the other lady. Pia disappeared into the shadows. The other lady looked around for her. Behind the lady, Pia reappeared.

Unwieldy - N/A

Cabbage - N/A

Design - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

Adjoined - N/A

I was panting hard. The spirals on the ring’s design pressed itself into my palm. A headache was starting to form in the back of my head.

[xylodemon]

well, enough people told me to write the Cauthor thing, so i'm writing it. here's the first 600 words or so.

--

They were lying side-by-side, close enough that Mat felt Rand wake before he heard it. Rand's body snapped taut, his legs going stiff and his back arching off the hay. A whimper caught in his throat as Mat rolled toward him, then a mumbled word that might've been no. When his eyes finally opened, they were glazed and darting in the shafts of moonlight coming through the gaps in the roof, panicked in a way Mat understood all too well. The dreams were bad enough on their own, but waking in an unfamiliar place somehow made them worse.

Another whimper. Mat grabbed Rand's arm and tugged him onto his side. "Rand." Rand thrashed for a moment, only settling once his eyes focused and lit on Mat's face. Mat squeezed his arm and said, "Rand," again.

"Mat?"

"Yeah," Mat said, tugging Rand closer. "It's alright. We're alright."

They weren't alright. Nothing had been alright since Winternight. But saying so seemed to calm Rand somewhat; his breathing slowed, and his voice was a bit stronger when he spoke again.

He asked, "Where are we?"

"Some farmer's hayloft." Mat's lips bumped Rand's temple—an accident, but he didn't move away. "We broke our backs hoeing his blasted cabbages all day. Remember?"

Rand paused before saying, "Yeah," in an uncertain voice and bringing his hand up to Mat's shoulder. For the briefest moment, he gripped Mat hard enough to bruise. Then he slid his hand down, pausing first at Mat's elbow, then at Mat's waist. "The dream. It was… I was somewhere else. Somewhere—"

"I wasn't real," Mat cut in. "He isn't real."

"Did you have it too?"

Mat said, "No," and Rand buried a soft, miserable noise against Mat's throat. That was <i>another</i> feeling Mat understood all too well. He wouldn't wish these dreams on anyone, especially Rand or Perrin, but there was a twisted comfort in not having them alone. "I was already awake."

Rand shifted closer, sighing as he tangled his legs with Mat's and burrowed himself against Mat's chest. He slipped his hand around to Mat's back and knotted his fingers in the loose folds of Mat's shirt, and Mat grit his teeth as heat flared in his gut, a mix of nerves and white-hot desire he'd done his damnedest to bury once Rand and Egwene started stepping out together. But Egwene—Egwene wasn't here.

She's dead, his mind whispered. Perrin and Nynaeve too. It was just the two of them now, bound for a foreign city on a dangerous road, and the mad hope that the Aes Sedai who dragged them away from home would actually help them if she found them.

Rand tipped his head back and breathed out against Mat's jaw. Mat barely heard it when he complained, "You're not sleeping enough."

"I'm not—" Mat huffed. How could he sleep, with Fades and Trollocs chasing them, and Darkfriends lurking around every blasted corner? But the last thing he needed was Rand trying to play nursemaid, so he said, "I'm just uncomfortable, is all," in the lightest voice he could manage. "Half the bloody hay in this barn is underneath my shirt."

That pulled a laugh out of Rand, thank the Light. He slid his hand up Mat's back and curled it, still clammy with fear-sweat, at the nape of Mat's neck. His mouth grazed the hinge of Mat's jaw and lingered there—a kiss. It's just the two of us, Mat reminded himself. Just me and him. He dipped his head a little and let his lips catch the swell of Rand's cheek, then the corner of his mouth.

"Mat—"

Mat kissed him before he could say anything else, because it didn't—it didn't matter. He'd wanted Rand for years, and he'd lived on scraps as long as he could remember. He'd take this now, even though he'd likely end up paying for it later.

[somethingclevermahogony]

Five Senses Tag

Rules: share a snippet to represent each of the five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell)

Thanks for the tag, @willtheweaver!

Sight:  He looked down at the water, it sparkled in the afternoon sunlight, a thousand shards of light glimmering amongst the sapphire expanse. Beneath the surface he could see flashes of silver and gold, fish, hundreds of them, they swam and darted beneath the beneath the hull, occasional one would approach the surface, just long enough for Narul to make out the chromatic glimmer of its scales, the flash of a tail fin. Further down he could just make out the swaying fronds of lakeweed, verdant greens and rich reds, between these aquatic trees larger creatures weaved.

Sound: The clashing of metal on metal and the yells and screams of dying men, were muffled as if in the far distance, though he knew that the carnage was playing out mere feet away. An unearthly howl split through the snow, what followed was the sound of metal cleaving flesh, screams of terror.

Taste: Dish after dish was presented to the tables. Fish and crustaceans played a central role; stewed, boiled, baked, fried, even raw. Salty and savory. Narul lost count of the varieties. After a short while, each silver tray would be whisked off by the servants to some unknown location, often with the majority of the food still left on them. Along with fish there came slabs of meat; beef and goat, nearly every dish drizzled with sauces of vinegar or mustard or else coated in herbs and oils. Occasionally vegetables; peeled asparagus, cabbage, and other greens would make an appearance and would be almost entirely ignored. Bowls of beer and wine, thick with sweet honey and crushed fruit  were constantly replenished, with the banqueters drinking from golden ladles dipped directly in the bowls.

Touch:  And so he reached out to drag his fingertips over the rough bark, interrupted by the occasional soft sponge of moss or lichen. He could feel the roots and twigs beneath his feet, the subtle cracks and crackles of desiccated plantlife.

Smell: Narul had never seen the like of it, such luxuriant extravagance. The sweetness of the perfumed oils which dripped from the walls only made him all the more aware of the terrible stench which wafted from his own person, a peculiar mixture of his dust, forest rot, and human funk. Ninma was little better. In some corner of his mind he felt a sort of savage satisfaction, knowing that his scent, the dirt on the soles of his feet, his very presence in this place, it all served in some small way to deface and dirty these opulent halls.

Tagging @illarian-rambling , @mk-writes-stuff , @rivenantiqnerd , @roach-pizza, and @elsie-writes

[violet-moonstone]

Wings of War Chapter 1 (Preview/Rough Draft)

Working on a HTTYD fic that (for now) is called Wings of War. I have a feeling it's going to take me a very long time to write and that I won't update super often, so I thought I would post bits and pieces while I'm working on it before I put polished chapters on AO3. Here's the (rough) beginning of Chapter 1:

This is Berk, a cold, rocky island surrounded by sea stacks and crashing waves, full of cliffs and towering evergreens through which the wind howls eerily at night and sings in the early hours of the dawn. Our island is dotted with wooden houses and mead halls, earthen huts and stone arenas, farms with turnips and cabbage, yak and sheep. Among these structures live our people: proud, strong Vikings in wool and leather, armed with iron and steel and of course…dragons.

A Monstrous Nightmare to be exact — a flash of midnight blue accented by a grey the same colour as the early morning sky. And on the dragon’s back are a young girl and her younger brother, screeching as they do their best not to fall to their deaths. They speed above and around the farms of the less-populated areas of Berk, startling farmers and their animals alike. An impossibly old man named Mildew nearly tumbles into a puddle but for the sheep at his back steadying him. He raises his fist in the air, cursing the unholy children who, after all these years, insist upon tormenting him with their blasted dragons.

Zephyr and Nuffink are already climbing too high into the air to hear the profanities being screeched up at them. If Moonscale weren’t doing her best to keep the tiny humans on her back from plummeting to their demise, she might give the wrinkly old human below a heated response. But luckily, they fly off and away to a forested area of Berk, leaving the villagers safe...for now.

On an average day in Berk, you can see Terrible Terrors delivering mail, Gronckles and Hotburples in forges, Changewings playing hide and seek with local children, Timberjacks ferrying people and goods to and from nearby islands. Our isle is home to all sorts.

And a girl trying to teach her brother to love flying. The day is not going quite as she planned.

“AAAAAAHHHHH ZEPHYR!” Nuffink shrieks. “We’re too high, too high!”

“Nuffink, I can’t see how high we are when you’re blinding me!” Zephyr pulls at the little hands that grasp desperately at her face.

“Ohgodsohgodsimagonnadie!”

“Nuffink, you’re not gonna—”

“Down! Please let me down!”

Zephyr tries again to gain control of the reigns, but pulls to hard and Moonscale banks to one side, huffing in frustration as Nuffink digs his heels to her flank. Soon, they dip too far and begin to spin. Nuffnk yells even louder, directly into Zephyr’s ear.

“AAAHHHH!”

Zephyr winces. “Nuffink you need to calm down! You’re freaking Moonscale out!”

“She’s freaking me out!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Zephyr can see the blonde braids of Ingrid Ingerman, and beneath her, the purple and gold of her Deadly Nadder, Nightshade. They glide to Moonscale’s side. “I told you this was a bad idea!”

“Oh!” Zephyr shouts, “well that’s a lot of help now, thanks!”

“You’re welcome,” Ingrid replies flatly.

From behind them, Zephyr hears a soft voice, barely a whisper above the Autumn wind. Ingrid’s sister Inga is calling out, but too quietly for them to hear.

“What?” They yell in unison. Ingrid, more successfully than Zephyr, turns in her saddle to try and hear Inga’s words.

They are repeated in a louder, deeper voice from her brother Ingvar. “Look out!”

The two girls have but a moment to eye each other in confusion before they pull up sharply to avoid the suddenly taller treeline before them.

“Phew,” Zephyr exclaims in relief, but too quickly.

“I’m...I’m gonna throw up,” Nuffink wheezes.

Ingrid makes a face. “Oh gods, not again.”

Zephyr scowls at her. “Hey!”

Ingrid shrugs. “If you wanna scrub puke out of the seams of your saddle, be my guest! Just don’t ask me for help this time.”

Zephyr ignores her. “Hey,” she says over her shoulder to Nuffink, trying to yell above the wind in as calming a manner as possible, “we’re just going to find a clearing to land so you can—”

“No, no, no,” Nuffink pleads, his voice muffled against his sister’s back. “Not in the woods! Take me home, please!”

“What’s he so afraid of?” Ingvar asks in a voice that rivals his Thunderdrum. “The woods are just trees. And we have dragons.”

“The dragons make him more scared, muttonhead!” Zephyr snaps at him.

“Hmm,” Inga muses from the back of her pale blue Gronckle, finally close enough to be heard. “He doesn’t look to good, Zeph. Maybe we should land, just for a little bit.”

Zephyr hesitates for a moment, biting her lip. Then she feels her brother’s tears rolling onto her neck. She shakes her head before speeding back towards Berk’s centre.

The Ingerman triplets cast each other wary glances before taking off after her.

You will find an image of Vikings and dragons living in harmony, living and growing in a connection that has lasted for 20 years and will last many more. We defend each other, loyal to the end, integral part of each others’ lives. But the peace between the Vikings of Berk and dragons is not universal. Every so often, we face a new foe, whether it be dragon hunters, poachers, or even those who want to train dragons for nefarious means. They claw at the edges of Berk’s influence of our allies and the settlements we’ve built to house the many who flock to Berk, who see it as a beacon of light in the darkness.

“Nuffink, I need you to calm down, okay?” Zephyr tries again to be soothing as they near the village town square. They’re too high up to make out the little dots below, but she can tell that they’re farmers and merchants setting up their stalls for the day. She didn’t want any run-ins with villagers angry about her disruptive flying — she was becoming known for it. And if falling from her dragon didn’t kill her, then her mother would. “I’m just going to drop you off at home and then—ack!” Zephyr squeals as Nuffink clutches too tightly at her abdomen.

“Oh, Frey I looked down! I looked down, I looked down!”

And now it’s Zephyr’s turn to feel nauseous. She tries to pull away from her brother’s grasp but leans too far. Moonscale huffs in annoyance at her rider’s constantly changing desires but obeys the order she believes she’s been given.

The two Haddock children wail as the dragon dives directly towards the village below.

These conflicts leave many in need of a place to go, and so our borders extend past Berk, to the smaller islands around us, to new ones we’ve had to find. It has not been easy to keep everyone safe, to ensure fair treatment of humans and dragons alike in a community extending so far, but we must, for the alternative to extending our light is allowing the darkness to devour us all.

And what bearer of light is more formidable than a dragon?

Hiccup Haddock can’t help but smile as he reviews his entry for the day. He sits leaning beneath a tree on a hill, overlooking Berk. He woke early despite the heaviness of his eyes and limbs, wanting to get some writing done before the day’s responsibilities took him away from his passions.

“I think I outdid myself this time.”

The black dragon curled up by his side scoffs.

“Oh hush, Toothless, you can’t even read.”

Hiccup ducks as Toothless waves his tail at him.

Berk’s chieftain puts his hand to his head dramatically. “I am totally unappreciated in my time.”

Toothless warbles out a low laugh and rolls his eyes. Hiccup laughs along for a moment, before they are disturbed. They go quiet and almost in unison tilt their heads to the side as the sound of a fast-approaching yell increases, following by a gust of air that ruffles Hiccup’s hair and the pages of his journal. He yelps and accidentally drops his book and charcoal, then skitters after them as they nearly slide down the hill. Toothless sweeps his wing forward to prevent the book from tumbling further.

“Thanks, Bud,” Hiccup says. He straightens up, reaching out to lean on his dragon after the sudden movement elicits a painful popping noise from his spine. “Gah! What unholy goblins are speeding around like that at this hour of the morning?”

He squints into the distance and just barely makes out a pair of auburn braids, a mop of blonde hair, and a large, blue dragon.

His shoulders go slack. “Oh, goody. Those are my unholy goblins.”