#cause i realized. i realized. he was basically saying ''hat'' in it

[glitterrosesnzz]

im so obsessed with set/hos/cara it's becoming a genuine problem. here's a tiny fic of the two of them.

-

It started raining. Out of nowhere, seemingly, just a sudden downpour. Not even the leaves of the tree who's branch the two of them were sitting on was enough to keep the rain from falling down upon them.

Sethos had jumped a little, before remaining completely still, letting the rain splash over him-

Up until the Wanderer had grabbed his arm and harshly yanked him close enough that Sethos was practically in the other's lap, almost completely protected from the rain by the Wanderer's hat.

"So, is this what your hat is for?" Sethos asked, "Protection from the rain?"

"Tch." The Wanderer didn't give him an answer, instead avoiding eye contact with him, seemingly somewhat annoyed by the question. Sethos smirked at him- and then sniffled a little, rubbing his nose with his sleeve, which didn't do much considering his sleeve was already damp from rain water. The Wanderer looked back at him with an expression that was almost aghast. "Surely such a brief moment in the rainfall didn't make you sick already. Are you really that weak?"

"Haha, no, no, it's just, the change in temperature is making my nose b-buzz... hH-hHAt'SHu!!" Sethos jolted, sneezing into his hand, tiny sparks of electricity making the Wanderer startle, and it was only through the Wanderer quickly adjusting his hold that they didn't both go tumbling off of the tree branch. Gripping the other's shoulder for stability, Sethos couldn't help but notice that the Wanderer had tensed, almost like he was holding his breath... before relaxing again.

"...Pathetic." The Wanderer said, "One single tiny change in temperature is enough to make you humans- h-hey, wait, don't do it again-"

"Hh- hAH- HATt'Chuu!!" Sethos wasn't going to really get much choice in the matter, but he was a little too preoccupied to tell the Wanderer that. "HhAH- AT'Chuh!!"

"Hh'nNxtii!!"

Sethos paused in rubbing his nose to glance at the Wanderer- who now had his own nose pinched in between his fingers, his cheeks flushed slightly pink. Sethos slowly started to smirk at him again.

"What were you saying before?" Sethos asked, "Something about it being pathetic for me to be affected by something like a temperature change-"

"It was not, the change in temperature." The Wanderer slowly stopped pinching his nose, almost hesitatingly, like he wasn't sure whether or not his need to sneeze had actually gone away. Sethos couldn't help but take note of that, even as the Wanderer glared at him. "...It was nothing."

"It sure didn't sound like nothing." Sethos readjusted himself, the Wanderer grabbing hold of the other's arms to make sure that he didn't fall as Sethos shifted to face him. "It sounded like a sneeze to me."

"It wasn't. I don't sneeze."

"Are you sure? Cause it looks to me like your nose is twitching."

"It's not-"

"You completely sure that the temperature change isn't making your nose itch? Making it buzz, like, zzzz-" Sethos paused mid-sound effect as he noticed the other's eyes get a little bit hazy. "Woah, wait, is just talking about it making you start to-"

"No." The Wanderer's grip on Sethos' arms tightened ever so slightly. "Stop talking about it."

"But what if I wanna hear you sneeze again, huh?" Sethos said, nearly laughing at the expression that immediately crossed the Wanderer's face in response. "I was a little preoccupied at the time, obviously, so I couldn't really tell, but I think it sounded cute-"

"Cu- what, I didn't-"

Sethos' rolled his eyes at the Wanderer's angry stammering, before flicking a tiny bit of electricity at him, the way he normally did to slightly annoy the other-

Only this time it had another effect.

"Hih- hH'shKiu!!" With his hands gripping Sethos' arms to keep him steady, the Wanderer couldn't stifle, a burst of anemo energy tussling Sethos' hair. The Wanderer's hat got knocked slightly off balance, and Sethos had to quickly reach up and grab hold of it with one hand to keep it from falling off and exposing the both of them to the rain.

"See?" Sethos said, "Your sneeze is cute."

The Wanderer glared at him.

"I could drop you." He said, "I could drop you out of this tree right now."

"But you won't~"

[speedybeta]

Agent00 x reader — insomnia

MASTERLIST , REQUEST

Insomnia — not being able to sleep caused by a specific reason.

warnings — FLUFF! not proof read! If mistakes, just point it out in the comments or something. but also I'm not sure who the hell stays at the amp house besides the actual members, so I made some things up if it's not accurate just please pretend it is. Not long or not that short, just a little fic. Also, the way I described his room kinda made 0 sense u have to watch his room tour to actually understand what I meant but enjoy this little fic

You, being in amp, were basically like a little sister to the others. Well, besides agent. Despite your playful banter and bickering in the gaming streams, you and Agent had always been just friends. But the viewers, ever-attuned to any hint of romantic chemistry, couldn't help but point out the palpable tension that sparked whenever you and Agent were together on camera. Agent's knack for delivering insults always seemed to be directed at you, leaving the audience divided between enjoying your reactions and secretly shipping the two of you together.

Tonight, the amp house was eerily silent. Kai was away in Taiwan for Ray's graduation, leaving the house blissfully without his usual boisterous presence. Duke was nowhere to be found, preferring to stream in the comfort of his separate house these days. Davis was rarely around, spending most of his time at his girlfriend's place. Even Chris, who normally slept at the amp house, was absent. It was just you and Agent the only ones in the house, but it didn't really mean anything to either of you.

—

At 1 am, Agent had finally finished a six-hour stream. Exhaustion and fatigue weighed heavily on his frame as he gently removed his headset, then his hat, shaking his signature dreads. His gaze lingered on the now darkened monitors, a sense of weariness etched across his face. With a weary sigh, he reached forward and began shutting everything off, the room plunging into a temporary state of silence.

Suddenly, his door opened, agent stood up from his chair, not looking towards his door, obviously knowing it was you. But then felt a wave of confusion hit. It was 1 am, why the hell would you be in his room late at night? He heard your footsteps approaching him, but didn't turn around yet. He couldn't help but let out a small sigh and an eye roll, assuming your intentions were to bother him.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked a bit bluntly, his tiredness was noticeable in his tone of voice. He waited for a response, still not turning to look at you. His gaze lingered on the monitors in front of him, making sure everything was off before he called it a night.

"I can't sleep." the gentle tone of your voice made agent turn around to finally face you, his expression softened upon seeing you look at him with those tired eyes. He was a bit surprised. Hearing your soft, quiet voice was unusual and even surprising. Usually, you don't speak in such a soft tone, but the tiredness in your voice made him realize that you were extremely sleep deprived.

"Damn...Are you okay? You look tired as hell." he couldn't help but feel a wave of concern at the thought of you not getting a healthy amount of rest.

"hmhm" hearing your soft reply only made him feel more concerned. He stared at you from his desk, looking at you with a gentle gaze. "um" he heard you pause, his gaze lingering on your tired figure. "Can I sleep in here with you?"

Upon hearing you ask that, his expression changed to a surprised look. He was shocked to hear you say that. sleep in his room? with him? he felt flustered. his heart skipped a beat, looking at your tired figure. he couldn't say no. especially if you looked exhausted. he sighed, nodding his head as he looked at you.

"Yeah- you can sleep in here with me for tonight." he responded back to your question, before turning back to his monitors, watching as they finished shutting down. He glanced back at you, walking to his door that led to his other rooms.

"come on" He walked inside the other room, which was connected to his gaming room. His bathroom was dimly lit, and his shower was large and spacious. He turned to look at you, noticing how tired you looked and how you were rubbing your eyes. The corner of his lips turned into a soft grin, seeing how adorable you looked tired.

He led you to his main room, which was connected to his bathroom. He guided you into the bedroom, walking towards his bed that could fit two people. he laid down on his bed, getting comfortable. The room was average size, a red light illuminating the room.

"you can lay down" he mumbled, watching you close his door. He acknowledged how sleepy you were, and found it adorable. His heart warmed at the precious sight of you, all tired and drained.

He smiled gently at you, his eyes looking at your tired body. He saw you come onto the bed, laying down next to him. he was blushing a bit, seeing how cute you looked. it was unusual for him to think about how you look since he usually makes fun of you. He isn't used to seeing you like this.

He then placed his bonnet on, laying down properly on his comfortable bed. He observed you silently staring at his ceiling, noticing that you seemed to be more comfortable now that you weren't alone anymore. He glanced at your tired figure, a small smile appeared on his lips.

He gazes at your features, taking in how pretty you looked laying next to him. He then found himself wondering what was making you so sleep deprived. His eyes scanned your face, and then spoke softly.

"did something happen? Or why can't you sleep?" he pondered, looking at you with a soft and gentle look, staring down at your lips, watching them as you opened them to speak.

"I feel lonely- I just can't sleep with how lonely my room felt" he turned his head to look directly into your eyes now that you stopped looking at the ceiling, holding eye-contact with you. a pang of sympathy hit him when you said you felt lonely. he quietly listened to you closely, noticing your expression softening as you spoke. a silent feeling of pity arose in him as he looked at you, hearing you saying you were lonely

"you're lonely huh?" He said in a soft whisper as he looked at you, a hint of tiredness in his voice, he continued to gaze into your eyes silently, his eyes slowly roaming over your face, noticing how close you two were. he didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes shifting back down to your lips before looking back into your eyes again. he was feeling a weird feeling in his stomach at the moment as he looked at you, his tired mind a bit overwhelmed by your presence and how adorable and cute you looked at the moment. he slowly reached up and gently pushed some hair behind your ear.

"You should’ve said so…" he muttered quietly, continuing to look into your eyes, feeling a strange and confusing feeling of attraction and desire for you. despite the constant bickering and insults that the two of you give to each other, he can’t deny the fact that you are extremely attractive. he couldn’t deny that he thought you were cute and wanted you bad. he slowly moved his hand and gently touched your cheek, his thumb gently rubbing against your skin.

Agent could see your eyes glance down at his hand resting on your cheek, before looking back into his eyes. the feeling of desire continued to grow in him, making it harder for him to keep his composure and control his thoughts. he swallowed quietly, his voice soft and gentle as he spoke to you "So lonely you had to crawl into my bed, huh?" he joked in a whisper, his soft and gentle touch still on your cheek.

Agent noticed a small grin forming on the corner of your lips, and it only made his heart flutter a bit as he looked at you. he couldn’t help but notice the tired and sleepy expression on your face. he couldn’t deny that you looked adorable at the moment. he slowly leaned in a bit closer and spoke in a even more quieter voice. "Looks like you’re about to fall asleep…"

His gaze fixed at you while you slowly blinked at him, too exhausted to respond. he could tell that you were tired and about to fall asleep at any second by the way you started slowly blinking, your tiredness taking over your entire body. seeing you looking tired made him feel a rush of emotions, from wanting to hold you in his arms to wanting to just keep watching you. he softly chuckled at your lack of response and softly spoke again "Goddamn, you look cute when you’re sleepy."

He couldn’t take his eyes off of you, as he looked at you while you slowly grew more sleepy. the thought of holding your body against his own made him want to hold you close. the idea of just slowly running his fingers through your hair as you fall asleep was running through his mind. he slowly moved his hand from your cheek and gently rested it on your waist as he gently pulled you towards him, wanting you closer to him

He slowly pulled you closer to him, your body now closer to his, as he wrapped his arms around your waist. he could barely keep his composure and control his thoughts, the idea of holding you so close to his body made him feel some type of way. he felt the intense desire to kiss you but held it back, he didn’t want to give in to his own wants yet. he looked at you for a moment, his eyes still lingering all over your sleepy face.

He held you close to him, feeling your body against his, the heat and warmth from your body feeling good against him. he had to hold back all the thoughts in his mind of wanting to kiss you and hold you even closer, but he controlled himself for the time being. he gently nuzzled his face against the top of your head, softly closing his eyes and taking in the feel of your body against him. your sleepy expression and cute body made him want you even more

He let out a soft content sigh as he nuzzled his face against the top of your head, his hands slowly rubbing your side gently. he continued holding you close to him, your body pressed against his chest. he slowly closed his eyes again as he spoke in a soft and quiet voice. "You better not drool all over me while you sleep." he joked in a hushed whisper, feeling the tiredness taking over his mind.

"I don't drool." he softly smiled at your response, your tired tone and sleepy expression were still cute to him. he slowly opened his eyes again as he looked down at you, listening to your mumbled reply, quietly scoffing at it "Oh, yeah? You’re lying. You definitely Drool." he said in a hushed tone, poking your side gently, a teasing tone in his voice, his body still holding you close against him

He felt his heart flutter again as you opened your eyes and looked up at him, feeling you cuddling against him and nuzzling your face into his chest. he couldn’t resisting softly chuckling at how cute and adorable you looked at the moment. he wrapped my arms even tighter around your waist, pulling you closer to him and holding you tightly "hm, going quiet now, huh?" he said quietly, his hand rubbing your back softly.

He heard you only humming in response, nuzzling your face into his chest and closing your eyes. seeing you close your eyes and nuzzle into his chest made him smile again to himself. he continued to rub your back gently, his hand moving in soft and slow circles. he could tell you were falling asleep as he held you in his arms, a soothing feeling of comfort washing over him. he closed his eyes for a moment and rested his head on top of yours, breathing in the scent of your hair and listening to your gentle breathing

He held you close as he felt you slowly falling asleep in his arms, your body relaxing, your breathing getting slower and softer, the way you nuzzled your face into his chest making his heart flutter again. he slowly exhaled and spoke in a quiet, whispery tone again, his hand still rubbing your back in a gentle and soothing motion "Just fall asleep already." he whispered, a hint of affection in his voice as he looked at you, admiring your sleepy expression and adorable tired body against his

He continued to watch over you as you slowly fell asleep in his arms, his hand still rubbing your back in a gentle and soothing motion. he could see how comfortable and relaxed you looked, your eyes slowly closing and your breathing slowing down. his heart swelled with affection and a sense of protectiveness as he held you in his arms, feeling your body relaxing as you drifted off into a deep and gentle sleep. "Sleep babygirl…" he whispered softly, continuing to hold you, feeling your body slowly relax and ease into a deep sleep. he gently shifted a bit, pulling you even closer to his body, wanting to keep you as close as possible while you sleep. as he held you, he noticed how cute and adorable you looked when you slept, your face so relaxed and peaceful. he slowly ran his fingers through your hair softly, the affectionate and protective feeling in his heart growing stronger as he watched over you while you slept.

He stayed there, holding you close to his body, your body pressed up against his as you slept peacefully. he softly sighed to himself in content, his eyes roaming over your face as you slept. he continued gently rubbing your back with one hand, the other hand softly continuing to play with your hair. he couldn’t help but marvel at how adorable and beautiful you looked while you slept, his heart feeling both affection and protectiveness towards you

He continued watching you sleep, a wave of tiredness washing over him. he was fighting the urge to fall asleep, he wanted to stay awake and keep his arms around you, continuing to gently rub your back. but the sound of your gentle breathing and the soothing feeling of holding you in his arms were slowly coaxing him to sleep. he gently sighed, his eyes closing for a moment as he tried to resist the sleepiness but he knew it was futile.

The quiet room was illuminated by the soft glow of the moon, the silver moonlight streaming through the glass of the sliding door and creating a gentle and soothing ambience. the two of you were cuddled up against each other, your bodies close together and his arms still holding you securely against him. his chest rose and fell gently as he slept, his breaths soft and steady. the room was still and peaceful, the only sound being the sound of your soft breathing and the occasional sounds of the night outside.

Your body was catching up on the sleep you missed out on. This brought you a sense of calm and contentment that you rarely felt. neither of you or agent had expected to end up like this, cuddled together in his bed, the warmth of agents body against yours feeling like a cure for both your sleepless nights. Now you know exactly who to go to for comfort whenever you struggled to sleep.

[midnight-mourning]

Mistletoe Mishaps

❄️❄️Midnight's DCA December Day 1❄️❄️

Hello!

Sorry to post our starting point so late today, had some family things come up that needed taken care of, but all good now! Hope you all enjoy, had a good bit of fun with this ^_^

Prompt: OFF DCA AU Moon finds holiday related items (cough cough mistletoe) and is trying to get the player alone for smooches but UH OH! Sun is not happy. Hijinks ensue

Word Count: 2200 (i know i said 1000-2000 but it be like that sometimes chat what can i say >_<

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

You watch as Sun falls the last spectre, turning to you for what to do next.

"Good work, that should be the last few in this area." You check your inventory, and toss him a few luck tickets. 

He nods. "Thank you, Friend. Shall we move on to the next then?"

Sun's words have an edge of excitement to them, and while you hate to put a damper on his good mood, you feel exhaustion setting in.

"Let's take a break, all this walking has tired me out,"—you pull out the zone map you'd scribbled out, since even that was beyond your abilities as the Player to see—"Is there anywhere to rest nearby? Like, a hotel or something?"

You know your Batter didn't need sleep. Whatever he was, it was beyond the needs for the task. You however, despite being pulled into this world, were still limited to your basic human needs. That included sleep, and food. Though, you weren't particularly fond of your options regarding that second one so far, but you've made do. 

You realize Sun's just staring at you. "A... hotel?"

Right. You forgot that he would have no idea what such a thing was. Your usual method of getting rest was finding a comfortable looking section on the metal ground and laying down. Though, you'd usually wake up and be laying on Sun in some way. He never said anything, and would ignore your thanks when you gave it, but you still said it regardless.

"You know what? We'll just figure it out along the way, come on," you start walking in a random direction, knowing he won't be far behind.

He nods, falling in step with you quickly. "Of course, I'll always follow your lead, Sunshine."

As you're walking, a rare breeze passes by, causing you to shiver and clutch your arms. You'd noticed that the weather here was relatively unclimactic. Neither warm nor cool, save for this very moment.

"Are you alright?"

Glancing up, you see Sun is watching you intently. 

You smile, but another breeze passes by and cringe. "I'm alright, just, surprisingly cold,"—you laugh—"It's funny, if I still understand time correctly, this would be around when the weather gets colder and snowy where I'm from."

Your Batter tilts his head, but says nothing. 

"Like, you know, snow. White, cold, falls from the sky—okay I can see that I'm losing you here, never mind." You sigh. Sometimes, Sun's lack of knowledge about things was endearing, cute even. A being as powerful and—admittedly—terrifying as him being absolutely clueless to what swan rides were and why you loved the Pedalos so much was a bit hilarious. 

As you feel his confused stare stay with you as you continue your journey through Zone 2 however, you could argue that sometimes, sometimes it was not.

You turn the corner and are surprised to see a crudely painted stand set up. It's usual masked owner is standing behind it, head propped up in one hand, unchanging lazy grin ever present. 

You smile, "Hi Moon, fancy seeing you here."

"Hello dear, Player. Might I interest you in my wares today? I think they might pique your interest greatly." He chuckles. 

Before you can speak up, Sun interrupts, "We don't have time for you. My Player is tired and needs to rest in a,"—he pauses—"Hotle?"

"Good try, bud, but not quite." You turn back to Moon, nodding, "Let's take a quick look."

Moon claps, "Excellent!"

Sun makes a noise beside you but you ignore it, instead stepping closer to take a look. 

You're surprised to find Moon's usual supplies missing. Instead replaced by a hat, a scarf, and—

"Mistletoe?" You ask. 

Moon tilts his head, "Hm? Oh, it that what it is? I wasn't too sure myself."

Sun scoffs, but you're focused on the fact that Moon just has, copious amounts of mistletoe. No new upgrades, no luck tickets or silver flesh, not even a speck of meat. Which, that last one you're fine with.

"Where did you find all this?" You ask, picking up a bundle and holding it high to examine it further.

"Oh... around."

At this you look up, but Moon's expression obviously gives nothing away. Still, you chuckle lightly at the idea of the shopkeeper stumbling upon a mistletoe bush here of all places. 

You twist the small plant in your hands, still very fresh. "Really? That's interesting. I take it you have no clue what it stands for?" 

You'd assume that much like Sun, Moon had no knowledge of the world beyond his. Though, he and The Judge had hinted at knowing more in the past, but nothing past that. 

"Of course I do, who wouldn't know such a piece of treasured, holiday symbolism?"

Had you been paying attention, you would have noticed the shared glare between your item vendor and your Batter. 

"Treasured is a bit of a stretch." You laugh, looking back to him now.

Moon leans in closer, only a few mere inches apart "So, anything catch your eye, my friend? Anything in particular?"

"Well—" Before you can give a proper response, Sun is in front of you, arm up protectively. 

His eyes are narrowed, smile strained as he speaks, "We really must be going now, right, Starshine?"

If he's trying to tell you something, you're not sure what it is. This was just Moon after all. Furthermore, your previous talk about the holidays, and the random cold front, were making you eager to remedy your discomfort. 

"We'll take the hat and scarf, Moon." You reach into your pocket for your credits, "The mistletoe is pretty, but don't really have a use for it that I can think of. Hopefully you'll find someone that does though!"

Moon eagerly accepts your credits, providing you the scarf and hat moments later. "Yes, perhaps."

The conversation ends there, Sun ushering you away without even a goodbye to the vendor. 

You only realize what's happened after the fact, and shoot a look up to your Batter, slightly annoyed, "It's rude to not say anything before leaving, you know." 

Sun doesn't respond, gaze forward and face stern. He mutters something you don't quite catch. 

After a short rest in a hotel you manage to find, you're back to work. Or well, Sun is. You're just along for the ride really. But still, after every battle, he's always looking to you for your approval. 

Usually, you were very good about providing it. However, you've lately been finding yourself to be rather distracted. 

Someone, and you could take a guess as to who, had been putting mistletoe up everywhere you went. 

Usually in the typical spots you'd find the herb, hung up in doorways or archways all throughout the zone. Other times it was just, around. 

Hanging on the sides of buildings, lampposts, littering benches, tables, and so on. It seemed there was no escaping the sea of green and white you'd found yourself in. Which, you were fine with. You found the whole ordeal incredibly amusing to be honest. It also made Zone 2 feel just a little more like home, more alive, for that matter. 

One of the other members or your party however, was very, very displeased. You'd find him glaring at the plant, and occasionally snatching it up and tossing it away in some cases. 

Your Batter was also not happy about the lack of attention you'd been giving him, sometimes too busy trying to find all the hidden locations of the herb. 

What didn't help the matter was the bearer of the decorations was usually close by when you discovered more.

Typically, you would be mid-battle, and since Sun was more than capable on his own without you, your focus would wander. And sure enough, either scouring a doorway or peeking down alleys, there would be Moon. 

He would never outright say it was his doing, that would be too easy. Though he certainly enjoyed teasing you about it. Bending down low to your height, voice sly as he declared you "Something of a detective now, aren't you, Dear?"

You would do your best to tease him back, booping his mask when in range, calling this little game of his, "Silly, but fun."

"Game?" He would ask, hand on where you'd touch his face, "I've not a clue what you mean, Friend."

You laugh, "Sure. Whatever you say."

"Though, if this were a game, I'm sure there would be an easy way for you to win."

You still haven't figured out what he meant by that, try as you might. Sun usually would appear in your peripheral, battle over and gaze stern, before you could ask any further questions.

It all came to a head one time when Moon took it a step further. 

You'd once again, guilty as charged, been on the hunt for any new secret spots, and came across Moon in a side alley, leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. Expecting you, likely. 

He waves to you as you approach, pointing out the mistletoe hanging on a clothesline above his head, "You didn't even try with that one."

He shrugs, then leans down to your height. 

"Trying would imply this is my doing, and you know me, dear Player. Trying is above my paygrade." You're now eye to eye, inches apart. "And here, I thought we were friends."

Your face heats up then, for reasons you can't explain, "W-we're friends,"—you cough—"We're friends. But I'm also not a fool, do you take me for one, Moon?"

He holds your gaze, eyes flicking down momentarily at something, then back to you. Then, he shakes his head slightly, chuckling quietly. 

He stands upright again, "You should stop by my shop again soon. I have fresh wares I think you'd be keenly interested in."

You scoff, along with the mistletoe, there had been mysteriously placed signs, all advertising 'Holiday Wares' in almost as many locations.

"I just might."

And after the battle, you did. Only to find that, his stand, completely and entirely, was just mistletoe. And you don't mean he was just selling it, you mean the stand itself was decorated top to bottom in the stuff. 

The ridiculousness of it made you laugh, hand to your mouth as you tried to contain your giggles. 

However, before you can even open your mouth, Sun is leading you away, over to a secluded spot. 

Cornered in a doorway, you have no choice but to meet his gaze as he stares down at you, smile twitching. 

"Now friend, I think this has gotten a bit out of hand, don't you think?" He tilts his head. 

You shrink a little further into the doorway, "What um, what do you mean?"

His eyes narrow, "I think you know exactly what I mean."

"The mistletoe?" You ask, shrinking a little further down with an awkward laugh. "It's just a silly game Moon's playing, that's all. No harm in it."

"No harm?" Sun bends down, fully encapsulating your field of view, "He is actively trying to pursue you and distract from our mission! how is that not doing harm?"

It clicks for you then, all at once. All the closeness, the brief touches, the murmured jests and soft laughs. Moon wasn't just trying to mess with you, he'd been trying to—

"Oh." Your face grows warm then. "I see."

Something else occurs to you then. Specifically, why Sun is so vehemently protesting such a notion. Peeking up, you see there is indeed a piece of mistletoe above the two of you. You know what to do. 

"Sun, all you had to do was ask,"—you stand a little on your tiptoes, then press a quick kiss to his cheek—"I'm always happy to show my affection for you, my Batter."

He's frozen, eyes wide under the shadow of his cap. 

You laugh, "After all, what's a quick kiss among friends, right?"

He's still in a daze as you duck under him, marching over to Moon and his stand with newfound purpose. 

His head rests in both hands as he watches you approach. 

"Your little game is over, I'm afraid," You say when you arrive. 

The masked vendor tsks, "What a shame, and I was doing so well, too."

You roll your eyes, and lean in, "Uh huh, now hold still."

Moon snickers, but obeys. Just as you're about to kiss his cheek, however, he shifts, and you find yourself kissing the mouth of his mask instead. 

Unlike the kiss you gave Sun, you find that it's warm. Like, static from a tv, or something. 

He pulls away first, chucking at your gaping look. 

Before you can react, Sun's hand is on your shoulder, moving you out of the way. You expect him to start leading you somewhere else, color you surprised when he takes a swing at Moon, who quickly dodges the attack. 

You can only watch, still shocked, as your Batter chases your vendor around the area, sharing all sorts of threats about what will happen once he catches the other, who merely laughs at his attempts.

Honestly, not the worst possible outcome for this ordeal.

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Thank you to @monsteractialuna for the request! I've been going feral about your OFF au for days and this only fed further into my obession lol

If you'd like to request, you have until 12/13 OR until all slots are filled, currently 7 of 31 are taken! See here for more details, thanks for reading!

Tag list (if you would like added, see this post for more info):

@scarletcowboy @beemyhuneybee @fishm0ther @deviouscrackers @elsajoyagent8

@luckyyyduckyyy @zenkaiankoku @jogimote @local-shrub @amarynthian-chronicles

@robinette-green @everlightreader @sinister-sincerely @starredeclipse @dangerva

@juukai @crystalmagpie447 @mothgutz236 @lizyxml

[vind3miat0r]

project meridian loop theory

oohhh boy, we're back with me putting on a tinfoil hat and yapping about theories again

this is, of course, about the newest Project Meridian audio, so spoilers for that!!

(putting everything under the cut because theres a LOT)

JESUS CHRIST. okay. thats a lot. lots to unpack here mhm yep.

okay guys hear me out: Asset is stuck in a time or a simulation loop

bear with me im about to get REALLY nerdy with this BUT

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 5 Episode 18 — "Cause and Effect" is a time loop episode. the entire crew gets caught in a time loop for about 27 days (but they obviously dont realize this until theyre out of the loop) the loop always begins with Captain Picard's personal log, and always ends with the accidental destruction of the Enterprise brought on by their warp core exploding due to being damaged while attempting to get away from an incoming ship that lost control of its direction

throughout the episode, each time the loop resets, the crew experiences intense deja vu, brought on by the fact that theyre reliving the same day over and over. theyre able to predict small events that happen (what cards come next in a poker game, Beverly predicting Geordi coming into Sick Bay, etc)

AND in one iteration of the loop, the crew figures out that theyre IN a time loop, and devise a method to avoid getting hit by the previously mentioned ship, which would set off the chain reaction of the warp core exploding

they do this method by using big brain science time knowledge that im too tired to understand, but basically the motif of the number 3 starts showing up in the next loop reset, and when the Enterprise is once again faced with only two choices to get away from the incoming ship, Data realizes that the reoccurring 3s are connected to Commander Riker (who has three pips to signify his rank)

(for context, in every loop where the Enterprise gets destroyed, the Captain followed Data's plan of using the tractor beam to steer the incoming ship away from the Enterprise. Riker's plan was to depressurize the cargo bays) Data follows through with Riker's plan, and this time the Enterprise doesnt explode (yippee!!)

you might be thinking, "Vinn, you just explained the entire episode to us. what does that have to do with project meridian??"

well, using instances from "Cause and Effect," we can compare them to some instances that just happened in "Something's Wrong"

— the second phone call could be an outside attempt to break Asset from the time/simulation loop

— Asset knowing who the Solitaires are despite not having access to information on them could be from another loop where James told them who the Solitaires are, and Asset remembering

— the phone at the end could signify the end/restart of the loop

— Asset's uneasiness about the Meridian in the beginning of the audio and their want to "seek approval" before entering it ( could be brought on by them somewhat remembering whats happened in previous loops)

— the first phone call (the one James picks up), theres some spooky ooky ambience in the background (could be that the phone is a conduit to the "real" timeline/world and only Asset is able to pick up on that??)

— when Asset and James leave the first room and enter a new area, someone on the PA makes an announcement for the Deltas. this announcement glitches, but James doesnt seem to notice, as he continues talking (i cant quite make it out, but it almost sounds like someone else is saying something?) (again, it could be interference from outside of the loop attempting to reach Asset)

— when stepping out of the elevator, someone brings James "the latest simulation report." again, outside interference/echoes from a previous loop perhaps trying to signal to Asset that theyre stuck in a simulation

— phone at the end also as someone saying "pick up" or "wake up," didnt realize until someone pointed it out. its very faint, but its there (again, could be someone attempting to break Asset out of the loop)

one thing that i find interesting (thats not related to the loop theory) is that James says the force in the Meridian "diverts demons away" and "breaks human minds" when usually demons are allowed through the Meridian and humans just. die. then again, we have no idea when PM takes place, so it could be normal if this is like,,, a good number of years in the future

uhh hashtag yeah. im perfectly sane guys :3

[ideasarestuckinmyhead]

Haiiii!!

May I request Finn x Cowboy/girl listener who’s insanely strong? 🤠

(you can make it Gn!reader in case anyone else has a listener oc like that! If you want to!)

Hey there pretty flower.

AWOOGA- ahem, he was so fucking nervous meeting you.

Bc he turned and saw this buff person who looks so hot and buff

But anyways- when you did show off your strength? TAKE HIM At first the blonde didn't want you to hurt yourself since the crates were really heavy having new pots he ordered.

Huffing you told him ur basically a work horse and lift the crates easily and looked at him with a smile.

Finn was blushing as he realized how strong you were. He was struggling to lift ONE pot from the crate and here you are carrying it!

He asks you as he watches your muscles flex from carrying the crates inside how you got that strong.

Explaining to him how Finn nodded as he watched you place the crate down. Then turn to him with a smile before asking where'd he wanted the pots to go.

Ever since then Finn always (if you can) goes to you to carry things he just can't lift.

And every time with out fail he says how your so amazing for helping him.

If the complements make you blush just call him a southern nickname and watch him melt.

But I can def see Jim really shy asking to see you flex one time and when you can u show off.

Speaking of showing off, Finn can tell when you are because you carry many things and then look at him.

Always says thank you and tells you how amazing you are.

Loves how rough your hands are from working and doing heavy lifting.

One time yall went to a fair and you won't him a plushie flower by hitting a punching bag really hard.

Depending on how heavy the thing is you need to carry or to do something Finn holds your hat with LOTS of care and love.

You've def picked Finn up all of a sudden causing him to yelp and laugh as he realizes it's you.

Has made a comment about wanting you to crush him. But that's for a different time :D

[bomber-grl]

Hiro x very famous reader ♡

Pairing(s): Hiro Hamada x Gn!Reader

Hiro had always seen you on tv, the internet and basically all over the advertisements around the Lucky Cat Cafe

He never really had an opinion on you until you acted/ participated in the creation of one of his favorite shows and that’s when he became interested in who you are.

Plus it didn’t exactly help that Cass was pretty interested in your career

Mostly because you ended up in a cooking show, somehow

Well one day Hiro had the day off and decided to be good nephew and help around the cafe despite Cass’s protests

He was serving and taking orders like usual until he arrived at your table

You were wearing sunglasses, a hat and a hoodie

What a disguise

Well either way you were really sweet to him

And as he was about to leave after he had given you your order he had realized you were none other than the well known y/n of your industry

It didn’t exactly help that his face gave away his realization because you then asked him to sit down in front of you in your corner of the cafe and asked him to please keep quiet.

He agreed, and although the both of you made good conversation he still had to finish up the day.

So after the rest of the customers left and they were about to close for the day you two exchanged numbers/ more realistically discords and a friendship soon blossomed

It was admittedly difficult to keep up and be able to take a breath from being your friend

I mean one day he’s texting you and you text back the almost instantly

But then he sends another text and his text is left on delivered for two days straight

Then, comes the whiplash of being told “I’m so sorry for not replying, I was in South Korea but now I’m in France 😭”

So yea definitely whiplash

And honestly a jumpscare

But what really surprised him was how similar you two were

You were, if not more, nerdy than he was

And it was honestly really endearing

Because of how many shared interests you have it got to the point where you’d be face timing almost all the time

Now, if you manage to somehow make some time and hang out with Hiro it would probably be on his birthday or a random day for a surprise visit

Either way, Fred or honestly all his friends were probably in on it

(I said Fred specifically cuz his family is rich rich)

The two of you decide to bake for fun and that’s when Cass had gotten back from some errands

Once the shock passes, she’s ecstatic at meeting you and asks for an autograph

Finding out you and Hiro had been friends for so long really shocked her and made her tease Hiro by saying that he wanted you all to himself

Which really flusters him, and when he tries to find some cover from all the teasing?

You jump in on it

Honestly when/ if (I put when because it’s more likely) hiro gets a crush on you he confesses

And eventually the two of you get into a relationship

Obviously you have to keep quiet but when it’s exposed to the media then unfortunately Cass and Hiro are the ones that have to pay for it

Paparazzi immediately bombard the cafe causing them to close business

You were obviously furious and it was eventually resolved when you threatened to end the paparazzi’s careers

(Which caused a huge controversy)

Eventually you’ll have to manage for a more manageable schedule

Maybe even retire, I mean you were so famous you were in South Korea and France the next, you have enough money for the rest of your life

From this you start being/living around Hiro and the two of you continue with your now stable relationship

[innerfare]

Lawbin Headcanons 

Summary: Early stages of Lawbin. This whole thing is basically Law being a dork who’s constantly trying to play it cool while falling for the weird girl (Robin, I love you, never change). 

Characters: Trafalgar Law x Nico Robin

Genre: Fluff

CW: None // SFW

——— 

When Robin met the Captain of the Heart Pirates, the Surgeon of Death and a Warlord of the Sea, Dr. Trafalgar Law, she didn’t trust him, not even for a second. Recall, she has extensive experience with Warlords and would have died at the hands of one if Luffy hadn’t saved her despite her own insistence he leave her to die. As soon as she meets Law, she swears to herself that if things go sour, Luffy won’t be saving her and, in fact, she’ll be saving Luffy. She won’t let the Warlord take a shot at her Captain, and she takes Luffy’s proposition that if the alliance goes bad, the crew will have his back, to heart.  

For the longest time, that’s how Robin thinks of Law: the Warlord. She never talks about it, but she has PTSD from her time with Crocodile. She had never known peace or solace in her life; the safest position she’d had before joining the Straw Hats was as the right hand of a man who ultimately viewed her as expendable. And Sir Crocodile wasn’t just any man, he was a pirate brimming with power and eerily intelligent, with a mind for strategy. Just like Traffy, whose insistence on planning out every little detail and having a backup plan for every backup plan takes Robin right back to Alabasta. 

Robin becomes a little obsessed with comparing him to Crocodile. She zeroes in on his willingness to make small sacrifices for the greater cause, his analytical nature and reserved emotions, his apparent lack of friends. Only, Traffy went to great lengths to help the Straw Hats rescue the children on Punk Hazard, and he didn’t take the opportunity to be too cruel to Smoker and Tashigi despite having them chained in front of him. But that doesn’t stop her from trying to make him into Crocodile 2.0.  

And then there’s Law, who’s such a dork. Strategic alliance this, strategic alliance that, but from the second he met the Straw Hats, he wasn’t thinking about betraying them, he was wondering how he was supposed to remain impartial with such an affable group. He thought Nico, at least, would be an ally against the general Straw Hat insanity, but she turned out to be the crew’s worst enabler rather than the mother hen he had originally pegged her for. Which begs the question, what else was he wrong about? 

Annoyed to have been so wrong, Law begins paying more attention to Nico. He notices that she doesn’t fall into the insular trap that a lot of academics do. She’s not just an expert on her one field but in fact is incredibly well read and is a wealth of knowledge on a menagerie of different topics, and each topic he learns she is well-versed in is weirder than the last. 

Why is Nico an expert on Panda Shark socialization? How did Nico come to find out that there is a mythical, lost library full of love poems on an unnamed sky island? Why does Nico have so many books on a random king from the South Blue who died eight hundred years ago? How did Nico learn that there’s an island in the West Blue where white pumpkins grow on bone trees? And why, oh why, is she versed in Germa 66 lore? Finding out the last one makes his heart drop, the realization that he would risk it all for the Straw Hat archaeologist making Law’s stomach churn. 

And how is she so calm all the time? He had pegged the academic as similar to him, but her crew’s shenanigans seem to just roll right off her. She sat in that cell with him and the others in Punk Hazard reminiscing about old times with Luffy and Smoker instead of cowering in the shadow of Vergo, and she more than held her own on Green Bit, lending herself to him as an asset time and again, always being there to lend a helping hand (or twelve) when the plan fails. 

All that is to say, Law falls first. But it’s Robin who makes the first move. 

It’s only when she sees Traffy interact with his crew that Robin sees him for who he is, and she can’t get that man out of her head- that man who isn't domineering but tries to make people follow his orders to protect them, that man who is so adored by his crew (the members of which he protects rather than uses for his own gain), that man who, despite being called Warlord, is kind of adorable. 

Robin starts teasing him a bit; she just can’t help herself. Now that her Crocodile glasses are off, she can see that he doesn’t have the sort of temper that leads him to kill people but rather the sort that just leaves him spluttering and speechless. And, well, she thinks it’s cute. She starts feeling dumb, too, for not having seen it sooner. After all, Luffy saw he was a good and trustworthy person, and that should have been enough for her, but she had been blinded. 

No longer blinded, she starts enjoying her time with Traffy, though he doesn’t notice the shift, doesn't realize she's soft on him. He thinks she’s needling him for some other reason. It never occurs to him that Nico (or anyone, for that matter) finds him cute. And he almost goes into cardiac arrest when she tells him. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He demands one night, fed up with that little smile that always seems to be on Nico’s face while she’s staring at him. “Nothing,” she says, swallowing her giggle, “I just think you’re cute when you’re annoyed.” And with that, she leaves him to process what she’d just said. 

Their relationship is built on info dumping. Robin can talk about her weird interests, such as the mating habits of Sea Kings and the fact that the antidote made from Conine in the bark of Kona Trees can actually be used as a poison if mixed with the correct substances. And Law can talk about his childish interests, such as various comic books and ninjas. These two geek out on a level not previously known to humankind. 

They bring each other odd tokens, typically the weirdest possible thing they could find on their respective travels. 

Law buying Robin books and leaving notes inside that get progressively more personal, Robin asking Sanji to show her how to make onigiri because it’s Law’s favorite. 

And then there’s the trauma. Both were nearby when their parents were murdered. Both were alone in the world at a very young age, Robin hunted by the World Government and Law by the Donquixote family. Both know what it’s like to be completely alone with nothing to their name but a bizarre devil fruit ability and a target on their back. Both managed to find their way in the world despite feeling for years that they never would. They didn’t save each other because they didn’t have to. They’re traumatized, but they’re not broken, and together, they can be even stronger. They saved themselves, and now that they did, they’re free to bask in each others’ presence. And that’s exactly what they do. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[storiesofmyhead]

Mrs. Radio Demon

Summary: When Alastor's wife, Scarlett, was killed it was the worse day of his life. He couldn't wait to punish the man who had murdered her in cold blood. A hunting incident they said, the police that is, but he didn't believe it. He knew that the murdered had to have known their secret. This wasn't an accident.

Word Count: 1523

Pt.1 here, Pt.2

At the age of 10 Alastor had met Scarlett at a small park. Scarlett had noticed him sitting against a tree by himself reading an old looking book, a small journal laying on his legs that were outstretched in front of him. Alastor was a shy kid, he had always been quite tall and lanky. His hair was brown and short, his eyes the same color. He wore a dark red coat, black dress pants, and brown dress shoes. His look contrasted to Scarlett who wore a pretty light pink long dress that pinched at the waist with a white piece of ribbon, a small straw hat laid perfectly on her head, a pink piece of ribbon wrapped around it in a bow that hung behind her. She held a small woven basket filled with flowers that she had picked off the ground and from bushes she had hoped weren’t someone's property. 

Crouching down she looked at the young boy who seemed to be a year or two older than her, his attention had already been on her the second she began to move towards him. Closing his book, he placed it beside him hoping to hide the cover. His movements though were too slow as she had already noticed it ‘Voodoo in-between realms’. It was known that New Orleans was a place where dark magic and voodoo resided but she had never met someone who used it. 

She decided not to judge him on his beliefs and treat him as though she didn’t know. Giving him a small gentle smile she reached into her basket pulling out a ruby red rose from her basket.

“Here.” She offered it to him. Her voice soft and youthful, her eyes wide with hope that he’d take it. 

He sent her a little smile, his eyes half-lidded. “Why thank you. But I think a flower that beautiful belongs to someone of its same perfection.”

Her cheeks heat up, as a shy smile crawls up her face. “Well then I guess I chose the right person.” She responds.

Her response causes his eyes to widen just to the point of where she can see it as his cheeks and ears heat up. He doesn’t respond back, only looking at the blushing girl in front of him. His interest had peaked the moment she set foot in front of him and now it was skyrocketing. He couldn’t believe someone that looked like a pure angel was standing in front of him by choice right now. Grabbing the flower from her hand gently, he looked at it before looking back up at her. 

“Thank you, angel.” He says sending a smile her way before standing up leaving his journal and book on the ground. 

He towered over her by at least 3 inches, the rose still in his left hand. He reached for her empty hand that lay still by her side, grasping it softly, lifting it to his lips before placing them on her soft skin. 

“I hope I see you again.” He says still bent slightly by his waist, looking up at her through his lashes. 

“O-Of course. How about tomorrow, same time, same place. Right here.” Her eyes are bright and hopeful.

A smirk grew on his face as he stood tall again. “Well then I will see you tomorrow, angel.” 

Nodding rapidly she replies. “See you tomorrow.” Her hand waved before skipping away a happy smile on her face.

Alastor watched the girl skip happily away, his mother waking up from behind him as he now bends down to pick up his books, the flower safely in his left hand.

“Who was that, Sweetie?” She asked cautiously.

“My friend, Mother.” He replied just now realizing he hadn’t gotten her name.

“Oh.” She said surprised. “Your friend? That little girl. She wasn’t bothering you?”

“Of course not, Mother. She gave me this flower. I think it will look great as a bookmark, don’t you think?” He smiled politely at her.

“Of course, darling.” His mother smiled at her son, watching him basically swoon at the flower in his hand. 

~~

Same time. Same place. Alastor stood at the tree awaiting the arrival of the young girl who he had only met yesterday. What if she didn’t show up? Alastor thought. She was so pretty and he was just him. Of course she wouldn’t show up. Sighing, Alastor came to the conclusion that she had ditched him. He tried not to let the disappointment show on his face, but it was as clear as daylight. 

Out-of-breath the girl sprinted up to him. “I-I’m so sorry I’m late. My mother insisted on me putting the blue bow in my hair over my favorite pink one.” She said while shaking her head with a small smile on her face at the inconvenience. 

Alastor watched the girl laugh to herself with a relieved smile. She hadn’t ditched him, she was just a bit late. He chuckled along with her, admiring the baby blue dress she wore. The matching bow that tied her hair up into a ponytail with wispy-like bangs framing her face. ‘She looked truly breathtaking’ he thought. Though he knew he was too young to court her and that they had just met. It seemed silly that these thoughts were going through his head only at 10 years old, but he couldn’t help it. She was the first person to be his friend, to seem at least a little bit interested in who he was.

“So, what should we do?” Her hand resting on her chin in thought. “Oh! We could go on a walk through the woods.” She smiled.

“Alright.” He shrugged. “Lead the way, Angel.” He smirked, holding his arm out for her to grab.

Giggling, she blushed at the nickname. Wrapping her hand softly around his arm, she began to pull him towards the paths she knew like the back of her hand.

“My name’s Scarlett by the way. You don’t have to keep calling me angel.” She mumbled playing with her fingers.

“Well as beautiful as I think your name is, I would prefer to call you angel if that is alright with you.” He smirked looking down at her, anxious about her answer. He quite liked calling her angel, but if she didn’t like it he would stop for her.

“I guess it’s fine by me then.” She says glancing up at him with a closed lipped smile. She had completely forgotten to ask for his name after that, too flustered from his response.

“Have you ever walked through these paths before?” She asked changing the subject from the silence that fell over the two, her eyes looking up at him full of curiosity.

He shook his head, eyes glancing down at her before looking back up and surveying the area they were walking.

“Really!” She exclaims. “I always walk these paths with my mom and dad.” Especially now. All the leaves are turning all pretty shades of red and yellow.” She sighs dreamily. “I love fall.”

He loved fall too. What a coincidence, he thought. She couldn't be anymore perfect. “Me too.” He agreed.

“Really.” She grinned at him. “Oh, all my friends like the winter, spring or summer more. I’ve never met anyone who liked the fall. Oh this is so exciting.” She squealed.

Laughing at her excitement over a silly season warmed his heart. He hadn’t ever felt this way, given he was only 10 so maybe that was why, but he just knew that she was special and this feeling wasn’t going to show itself again. 

“I’m Alastor.” He mumbled.

Smiling up at him sweetly she replied. “Can I call you Al’, since you already have a nickname for me?” She was happy that he shared his name with her without her having to ask.

“You can call me anything you’d like, Angel.” He replied politely, his head spinning at the idea of having a nickname.

Sighing dreamily, Scarlett looks around the path as the finally near the opening she had been waiting to show him. She points to the small but cozy opening on the right side of the path farther down into the woods, trees and brush cover it leaving it a secret for those who didn’t look for it. 

“Here, follow me. I want to show you this spot I love.” She says pulling him off the path and into the unmarked woods. 

“Where are we going?” He asked suspiciously. 

Soon they walk into the opening, the trees perfectly shading and covering it. “This is where I want to build my house one day. A perfect little cottage right here, with a garden in the back, one kid to spoil and love and a husband who loves me and will provide for our family. A perfect little family.” The little girl sighs dreamily, getting caught up in her own little daydream completely forgetting about the boy who stood next to her.

Though he found her words very endearing and not that he could tell her, he wanted the exact same thing. A small family of his own. But what did he know, he was only 10 years old.

[burstbubbbles]

what means to you, what means to me (and we will meet again)

a skk one-shot !!

It's not the first — and it certainly won't be the last — time he finds himself staring at his ex-partner, clearly out of place at his apartment. There is something weird about Dazai's appearance today, though. Something that's almost more unnerving than finding the bastard lying comfortably on his couch when he comes home from work, or noticing his drawers have been thoroughly examined (which, of course, Dazai lets him know intentionally, to get on his nerves; he wouldn't be so obvious about it otherwise).

What strikes Chuuya as odd is the fact that Dazai actually knocks.

It's not like they're on great terms. Sure, they're not actively at war with one another; that doesn't mean they're friends. That one time he had to patch up the bastard when he got injured conveniently close to Chuuya's apartment was just out of basic human decency, alright? Okay, maybe out of respect for the old partnership too. Call it a slip of melancholy camaraderie, whatever — the point is, Chuuya's been staring at Dazai through the peephole for three and a half minutes and he genuinely doesn't know what to make of the situation.

Dazai knocks again.

"You do know I can tell you're there, right?" rings his voice through Chuuya's steel-reinforced door — a safety measure that hasn't proven useful against the mackerel's antics even once. Dazai's face gets closer to Chuuya's fisheye view. "When someone is looking through their peephole, they block the light that usually comes through it, slug."

Chuuya huffs and deactivates his ability — if he needed a bit of help from his gravity manipulation to reach the inconveniently high peephole, Dazai doesn’t need to know.

"What exactly are you doing here?" he says as he opens the door.

Apparently, Dazai doesn't mind pushing Chuuya's body aside with his own shoulder to let himself in without asking.

"Dazai ."

As if he just remembered you generally need to offer an explanation to people when you randomly show up at their house on a perfectly enjoyable Thursday night, Dazai freezes in his place in Chuuya's living room and turns toward him. 

"Showers broke down at the Agency's dorms," he says. "I had nowhere else to go." 

Chuuya raises a brow. "Since when do you shower?

Dazai snorts — scoffs — and continues his walk towards Chuuya's bathroom, bag on his shoulder.

"It's a valid question," Chuuya mutters. "Also, what the fuck do you even mean, I had nowhere else to go ? What are the other agency bastards doing? Couldn't you go with one of them, wherever they are?"

"Chuuya's shampoo smells better." The bathroom door clicks behind Dazai.

"If you wanted expensive shampoo, you should've thought about it before leaving your extremely high-paying job at the Port Mafia!" He raises his voice so he knows the bastard will hear him.

"Is that a hint of resentment in your voice?" Dazai opens the door again. He hasn't gotten to undress at all. Only his tie has come looser, and the first button of his shirt is undone.

Chuuya sputters. Jesus , keep it together.

"You wish," he replies, tilting his face upwards. "Hey," he suddenly realizes, "How the fuck do you even know what my shampoo smells like? Actually, no, I don't even want to know the answer to that. If you come at night and smell my hair, I think I'd rather die ignorant-" 

"Now, why would I do that?” Dazai asks with faux innocence in his batted eyelashes. Chuuya is about to reply, 'cause you're a creep , when he adds, "You wear that old hat all day; your hair probably smells horrible."

"You little-"

The door is snapped shut before Chuuya can get a decent punch in.

He sighs. What else can he do? Let the bastard shower.

In the meantime, Chuuya slips into his pajamas — the soft, warm fabric soothes whatever tension he had been inadvertently holding in his body— before he goes to bed. He turns the TV on and zaps around some channels before he settles on some sitcom from the 90s, but he isn't truly paying attention and he knows it.

His mind is elsewhere — you'd say it was elsewhom, if that was a word that existed. For some reason, he can't stop thinking about Dazai's wording choices tonight. He knows his ex-partner is crafty in the way he expresses himself. Dazai doesn't need to take a lot of time to think of the words he wants to say; he's quick enough that he understands exactly what he's implying with each and every one he uses. If he hadn't been a mafioso-turned-detective, Chuuya would have thought him fit for a linguist or something like that. So, what the hell did Dazai mean by...?

Well. No, Chuuya doesn't need to kid himself. He knows what was implied. He knows that if Dazai implied something, there must be a reasoning behind that something. And by now, he's past the point of guessing.

He knows this man. He knows exactly what he meant. The real question is why Dazai let him know so clearly. Really, everything about his behavior tonight has been out of character.

Oh.

*

Dazai's hair isn't wet when he steps out of the bathroom and sneaks into his ex-partner's room. Not only does the redhead have better-smelling shampoo, but he also possesses a very powerful hairdryer.

Chuuya appears to be dozing off when Dazai's head pops in through the door, but he wakes up immediately. There's a marathon of some old American TV-show he hasn't watched running on the 50-inch HD screen. Chuuya doesn't seem to be enthused by the plot either.

They stare at each other silently for a moment — Chuuya, sitting up on his bed, and Dazai, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. It isn't the first time tonight that he feels out of place.

"You know you didn't have to lie, right?"

Dazai's eyebrows shoot up. "I didn't. Chuuya's shampoo does smell nicer than-"

"Save it," Chuuya sighs, but there's no bite to it. If anything, it's almost... warm. "I meant — about the showers."

"Oh."

So he's figured it out. He shouldn't be so surprised. Chuuya is many things, but stupid isn't one of them.

"You don't have to lie," Chuuya repeats. "You don't have to explain shit either. We're not fifteen anymore."

There's subtext in that statement. Dazai could read between Chuuya's lines and decode a message that says I know you with his eyes closed and his ears covered.

So, when he says–

"I wasn't lying, before,”

–he trusts that Chuuya will get the message. Judging by the nod...

"Yeah. I know."

I wasn't lying when I said I had nowhere else to go.

There's a beat. And then—

"So, what is it, then? You're feeling like shit?"

For the second time that evening, Dazai snorts. He appreciates the phrasing, though. 'Shit' is a noun vague enough that the pain could be physical or mental, and the closed yes-or-no question narrows down all the possible answers to monosyllabic words.

"Yeah."

Chuuya nods like he expected as much, and starts to get up from his bed.

"What are you doing?" Dazai frowns.

"Well, you're just standing there hoping I'll ask," the redhead strides toward him and drags him by the arms in a single moment. Once again, the sharp words sound almost sweet. "It's a bit pathetic, even for you."

Dazai doesn't resist Chuuya's grip or his pull toward the bed. He half-wants to refuse. There's a side of him that wants to, but it's not the side he's been trying to listen to for the past few years. That side is a little confused, but it's saying something along the lines of: 

Fuck it, if you're going to be vulnerable, you might as well do it with your ex-partner in crime turned enemy turned begrudging friend with mutual trust, right? 

All the chaos in his mind quiets down slightly when he burrows into Chuuya's silk sheets, under the duvet. He almost wishes it wasn't that way. That Chuuya wasn't so adept at reading him and perfectly guessing what he needs every single time he does this, no questions asked. But he is, and it makes running away from his feelings all the more difficult in the best and worst way.

"For someone who said we're not fifteen anymore..." Dazai trails off, just to fill the silence.

Chuuya is on his back facing the ceiling, just a few inches away from him — far enough that they don't touch, but they could, if they wanted to. He turns his face at Dazai with a small grin at the tinge of nostalgia in his voice.

"Go on. Finish that thought."

Dazai finds himself rolling his eyes half-heartedly. "Why would I? You've already finished it in your own brain. Congrats, Chibi, you've finally proven you have one!"

"What, are you embarrassed that you still have the mental maturity of a fifteen-year-old?"

Chuuya clearly realizes his mistake as soon as the words leave his mouth.

"Are you embarrassed that you still have-"

"Oh, don't start about my height, you piece o-"

"I didn't even get to-!"

"You and I both know you were going there. Shut the fuck-"

A pillow lands on Chuuya's face before he can finish his statement. As it slowly falls from his head back to the bed, it reveals a shocked — perhaps offended — expression.

"Well, that was immature," he states calmly, "This is what I get for letting you into my house, my shower, my bed-"

"Oh, woe is you," Dazai can't stop himself from inching closer towards him anymore. There's something magnetic about them both, there always has been. "And I'm supposed to be the dramatic one here."

Chuuya laughs, but he tenses a little when Dazai's head falls on his shoulder. Dazai waits patiently for a sign, any sign. One second passes, then two, then Chuuya relaxes and adjusts their position so they're lying against each other more comfortably. Okay, then. 

"You still are."

Dazai cocks a brow at him.

"The dramatic one between us," Chuuya adds. "I just have a sense for theatrics, that's all."

Dazai finds himself smiling at that. He takes in the warmth of their interlocked arms — their hands are limp against each other's, and Dazai will keep it that way, at least for tonight.

Chuuya's other arm rises, and Dazai can tell he was about to activate his ability until he remembered he couldn't in his current position. Instead, the arm searches around the bed until he finds the TV-remote and turns the sitcom off. Now, only their rising and falling breaths can be heard in the quietness of the room.

He can tell Chuuya wants to say something just by the way he's breathing, the way he opens his mouth slightly and closes it at random intervals. Dazai waits.

Eventually:

"Will you be gone by the morning?"

He turns towards the redhead, his head falling more comfortably against his chest — he doesn't mention the heartbeat. There's no need to do so.

"Look, I just–” Chuuya is stumbling over his words. “I'd rather know now , y'know, than just... I don't know."

Dazai considers his options carefully. 

"I have work in the morning,” he starts, slowly, “And the agency is kind of far from here..."

But, deep down, he's weak.

"And... Nobody there actually expects me to show up on time."

Chuuya gives him a good look, and then he nods. The arm that was entangled with Dazai's and in-between them leaves — only to wrap around Dazai's shoulders, the hand landing gently on his brown locks.

"Okay, then. Good night, Mackerel."

Dazai breathes in before he sighs contentedly. "Night, Slug." 

And now that they are so close together, he's got to admit it.

Hat or no hat, Chuuya's hair does smell pretty nice.

more on my ao3 !! + threadfics on twitter !!

[yunaboveclouds]

Jotaro Kujo (Part 3) x Reader

Dating Jotaro Kujo would include:

- Boy I don’t even know how the hell you got him to fall for you. You probably didn’t bother him like his fangirls and just talked to him like a normal human being. I feel that’s all he wants

- It might take him a while to actually start liking you, he’ll slowly start falling though as he realizes you’re a pretty cool and chill person

- Chillin with him while he smokes whether you join him or not

- If you don’t like the smell of smoke (like me and my lungs fr) then he won’t smoke in front of you, though that doesn’t mean he might have the scent of cigarettes on him

- We established he’s a tsundere, he loves you a lot just doesn’t know how to show it straight up, especially in the beginning

- If you ask him out he’d accept, probably acting like he doesn’t care and pulls his hat down to hide his face and smile

- If he asks you out he’d keep it very straightforward, short, and simple. It’s just “Let’s go on a date.” And you BETTER accept, do not break this big guy’s heart :(

- The first date would also be simple, maybe a small picnic in the park or going out for food

- I feel a lot of the dates wouldn’t include a ton of talking, and if there is talking then you’d be doing a good amount of it. Jotaro comes off as the type of guy who enjoys just being in your presence

- So basically his love language is quality time

- He’ll give you small gifts like seashells and jewelry or have Star Platinum get things for you if you wanted

- As your relationship progresses his gifts will get bigger. Such as giant ocean animal plushies

- More dates like going to an arcade so he can win you prizes effortlessly and impress you

- There will be aquarium dates, might be the place where you first kiss. Picture it, standing under a tunnel of fish swimming all around you and he pulls you in for a kiss

- Will beat people up for you, no questions asked

- You got a girl from school picking on you? Don’t worry, his fists are rated E for everyone. Equal rights equal fights

- Will not let his fan girls bother you, like they will never even get close to you (don’t ask how)

- Listening to music together whether it’s blasting in his room, on the car while you guys watch the stars, or sharing ear buds

- Even though he holds up his bad boy personality around everyone including his mom, he has his moments where he just melts with you

- Please hold his face once in a while, he’ll love it

- Very minimal PDA, closest you get is you and him wrapping your pinky fingers (if his giant hands let him)

- His mom would love you so much oh my god, sweetest woman alive

- She’d invite you to come over so often and loves that someone got Jotaro to settle down with

- Jotaro’s friends would be so surprised if they found out he was dating someone, Kakyoin wouldn’t be as surprised but Polnareff? Polnareff would be so lost as to how Jotaro got a girlfriend before him

- Forehead kisses, he has to bend down all the time to kiss yours

- Probably has back problems because of you

- Despite his fists being brutally scarred and coarse, he’s so gentle whenever he touches you in any way. I feel his hugs are the best and he’ll try to be careful when you hold hands

- Will carry you

- Let’s you wear his hats and clothes (but not for too long cause he wants them back)

- If you ever go on any transport, plane, boat, train, you name it, he will let you rest on him. Just don’t bring Joseph, it’ll give Jotaro PTSD

- Carefully caresses your face and admires every part of it, even plays with your hair

- If you can see Star Platinum he would love you so much, they say that Stands are a reflection of one’s soul. So basically Star will be very excited to be out and to see you

- Jotaro will smile with you a lot more than others

- He’s not the best at communication but once you get to know him it’s very easy to tell how he’s feeling

There’s probably more stuff but that’s all I got for this one. I am currently going through a JJBA brain rot please let me know if you have any requests!

[blood-grove]

His Kid (Pup?)

dog!price + human! child reader (gender neutral pronouns)

tws; fluff , fluffy , fluff , minor injury :( , i would say language barriers but lets just say you both can understand each other. no use of y/n sumamry; prices rambles about you! eventually realizing that hes a sucker for you and your his kid now.

Gods if you didn't stop fucking running off when they took this..what'd they'd call themselves? Human a couple of weeks ago he didn't expect to have a basically oversized puppy keeping all of the unit on there toes.

We couldnt really tell if there were old for there species we guess not it took a look for them to learn boundaries especially when we first encountered them they said they were 12 years old it was clear then that 'human' years were different from ours they clearly weren't some old greying dog.

There so damn touchy, Honestly weren't they raised with any manners? Putting there hands in our faces , tugging tails , pulling off my damn hat. They learned there lesson with the random touching when they tried to..'pet' Simon, I know he didn't mean to bite them I could instantly see the flash of guilt in his eyes when he nipped them purely out of how much they had gotten him riled up they've been avoiding him now as of recent but I'm sure the human just needs time the humans skin was fragile the nip was enough to cause it to bleed a candy and bandage later they were fine. I've recently spotted them and Ghost together the human drawing mumbling and rambling on about something as Simon just watched I couldn't help but grin slightly at the sight, They had there calm moments the slow days around the base I could hear them making those weird noises that they do..'giggling?' it sounded more like a little piglet squealing when them and Soap would be running around base. Oh right them and Soap truly a pair together whether that's a good thing or not its still to be decided thought it was sure Soap was the perfect dog to help them tucker out enough for a nap, Honestly out of all of us I'm pretty sure Soap is reason for most of there scratches and bruises somethings in the earlier weeks forgetting that there not a adult dog despite being around the size of one they were easily knocked over plus easily scratched with Soaps claws accidentally grated against them.

Pretty sure I've been recently been hearing Soap filing down his nails(finally bloody fuckin' hell I was half convinced I'd have to force him to the groomers) to a manageable level which is a wine in my book no more hearing the damn bastard slip and slid on the smooth floor. The pup is great around Gaz a healthy medium between Soap and Ghost you could easily find them both laying around even with Pup laying on Gaz's stomach as he rambled on about something Gaz seemed to be alright with the petting we all eventually assumed that was how the human showed affection but of course there's still boundaries between us so they human learned to ask before petting us. I'm not to fond of petting but sometimes the human will come in my office and just sit there either watching him work or looking around the office just something about them is so..I don't even know the word they eventually one day laid against me I didn't know really what to do so I just stayed still eventually laying down letting them cuddle closer. There're pretty damn cute. Shit. I just sighed as I gently pulled them closer as I went back to finishing up the report..I hoped we'd keep em' for bit longer.

[ratlesshonret]

Okay so. Limbus Theory Time. But I'd be lame if I did a theory about the soon-to-release (hopefully) Canto VI, so instead I'm doing Don Quixote Theory Hours.

Okay so, let me lay out my thought process. In the latest released piece of content for the main game, "Risk Levels and Classifications" I believe it's called, Don Quixote seems to recognize the name Moses. To me, this implies that she has either met or been in proximity to Moses in the past.

Furthermore, in Canto IV, Don is basically the first person to realize Dongrang is Distorting, and says something about it before even Faust can. This says to me that she has been involved in cases of Distortion in the past, since she recognizes the signs before anyone else. Before this point, supposedly none of the Sinners have seen someone Distort. There was Papa Bongy in Canto 3.5, but the group only arrived after he had Distorted.

If Don Quixote really has been involved in a Distortion case, then it'd make sense that she either knows of, or my theory, has met Moses, the Distortion Detective.

Going even further back, to Canto III, Don beats the shit out of Sinclair when he stabs a dead inquisitor repeatedly, and says that her friends had done similar to her in the past when she had been "overtaken by fervor."

What has, to this point in the game, been the most effective method of "curing" the Distortion? What method has worked on Papa Bongy, Dongrang, and Distorted Bamboo-Hatted Kim?

Beating them up.

It is my theory that, in the past, Don Quixote has Distorted. And she was saved from her Distortion by her old friends "beating some sense" into her.

Past this point is stuff I don't really have much evidence for, but want to talk about anyway. So here's your warning that we're going from "mildly substantiated speculation" to "complete spitballing."

I think that Don Quixote has not only Distorted once in the past, but potentially multiple times. The way Don speaks about when she's been beaten by her friends says to me that it has happened multiple times before. So I don't think this Distortion is juts a one-off thing. She either has Distorted, or been on the verge of Distorting, multiple times before.

Furthermore, I want to look at exactly when Don notices Dongrang's imminent Distortion.

Don notices that Dongrang is about to Distort when he begins talking to somebody who isn't present. As we've seen in every Distortion victim and potential Distortion victim, from Philip, to Yan, to Xiao, to Vergilius, to Dongrang, they all speak with Carmen before they Distort. It's well-established at this point that Carmen is the one who causes people to Distort.

My theory is that Don has spoken with Carmen, perhaps many times, due to her past Distortion. This is why she recognized Dongrang's imminent Distortion, due to the context she knew he was speaking with Carmen. Don isn't stupid, she's been shown to be able to deduce things quite easily as long as she has the background knowledge to do so.

Not only has Don Distorted before, and not only has she spoken with Carmen in the course of it, and not only has she Distorted multiple times in the past, but I think she has some kind of "Recurring Distortion" caused by Carmen not being willing to let up on Don. And I also think that she is still at risk of Distorting, even as she rides on the bus with all of the other Sinners.

Don Quixote always acts like a hero of justice, a valiant knight who respects those who keep the peace and fights to stop injustice and villains all over the City. And yet, we know she doesn't really believe this delusion of grandeur she has. As far back as Canto II, in the scene with the mariachi gang, we've been able to see a side of Don that's much more grounded in reality. The gang even brought up the idea that Don is insincere.

I believe the reason for Don's personality is that she's constantly battling Carmen. If Carmen is really trying to get Don to Distort, she may be attacking Don's sense of justice. Something along the lines of, "You can't really help people, injustice can't be eliminated by just one person." Possibly even telling Don that if she Distorts and accepts this fact, she can do more to combat injustice than she can right now.

I don't think Don's love of justice and hatred of villains is a lie, but I do think her old-timey speak and her sheer dedication aren't sincere. The sheer amount of trouble Don causes when she sees an injustice, and her lack of ability to restrain herself, I don't think can be put up to an act. So what is it?

As I said before, I think she's battling Carmen. Whether she's trying to prove she can serve justice all on her own, without Carmen's help, or whether she's trying to delude herself so hard that Carmen can't get in anymore, I don't know. But I think her act is all an attempt to stop her "Recurring Distortion" phenomenon.

If Limbus knows about her past Distorting, there's a chance they've had her talk with the LCD. If this is true, then it's another potential avenue through which Don has learned of Moses, if Moses and Don didn't meet in Moses' Distortion Detection.

If Don is also at constant risk of Distorting, then this could be involved with the "deal" that she's made with Vergilius. It's possible he sees her deranged behavior as a warning sign of Distortion.

It's possible that Don saw an "injustice" and attempted to right it when she joined Limbus Company, and her being unable to do so caused her to Distort. The "deal" could have been that she wouldn't put herself at risk of Distorting. But this is all just wild speculation.

In short, I think Don is a constant Distortion risk. Carmen saw her emotional instability and intense desire for justice, and decided she could use that to get Don to Distort. Because she is a prime candidate for Distortion.

But there's one more thing I haven't brought up, and that's Don's "friends." The people who stopped her from fully Distorting in the past by beating sense into her. Who were these people?

I don't know. Not conclusively anyway. But I have an idea.

The Udjats.

To be transparent, I did not come up with this theory. But I think it makes at least a little sense. The Udjats, and their leader Dias, seem to be quite invested in Distortions. They would know what to do in the case of one of their own beginning to Distort. It's possible that Don joined the Udjats because she thought they were just, or through some other reason entirely. Again, I have no real evidence of this.

If Don was an Udjat at some point, or knew them in some way, then that'd be another potential route she knew Moses. Moses was once a relatively high rank in the Udjats, and continued being under Dias' thumb long afterwards, as shown by her still having to do work for Dias during the time of Distortion Detective.

All together, this is a bunch of barely-substantiated theories, but I think they make just enough sense to be put out there. "Don has Distorted in the past" is the one I'm most confident in, while, "Don was an Udjat at some point" is one I'm very much not super confident in. But I think it's food for thought.

[gallaghersgal]

Hi there! How are we doing on this fine sunday? I spent the day at the beach and of course, that gave me some ideas so ahem ahem ✨beach day with carmy bear✨

First let’s talk about the most obvious thing ever but…this man looks HAWT okay?!!? He already does on a daily basis, doing the most regular things ever but at the beach????? 74 dead, 192 injured.

anyway yeah he looks really good but also:

You manage to whisk him away for a few days, just the two of you to relax and you rent a small house by the beach. Your goal is basically to get him to slow down a bit, catch up on some sleep and have fun, you know?That in itself is tough because he!!cannot!!relax!!!!!!!!! But he’s also very very in love so he agrees for a weekend away.

He carries all the bags because he was raised a gentleman and there’s no way you lift one pretty finger of yours k?

You insist on putting sunscreen on his back and face and okay maybe it’s just an excuse to give him a nice massage and maybe he knows that but plays along too

But he’s just as protective, always making sure you’re hydrated and you’re wearing your hat if you’re seating in the sun.

i might be almost 21 but playing in the waves!!!!!! and making sand castles!!!!! at first he might think it’s a little silly but not in a mean way, just the kind of thing he doesn’t think of to have fun because he just doesn’t have fun yk? but he helps you and realizes it is actually fun. it definitely turns into a competition btw and you end up both winning and eating ice cream as a reward.

Playing cards too!! i feel like he knows one or two great cars games that he’d teach you, something he got from Mickey or Cousin maybe?

also napping on the beach. he lays his head on your belly while you read and you’re playing with his hair and the weather is nice and it’s actually pretty good to feel the sun on his skin and—when you notice he’s sleeping, you don’t move, just let him take whatever he needs.

you 100% make sure to take a billion pictures of him, of the two of you (you send one of him sleeping to nat <3) and he tries to take aesthetic pictures of you, he snaps a few more just to keep for himself.

a lot of talking too!!! he’s been working a lot, you too, life got in the way so you take the time to catch up—you tell him about the new show you want to start with him, he tells you about a flea market he’d like to check out. It feels nice to catch up and somehow it reassures him? Like his anxiety gets too much and he’s scared you might be unhappy but then you talk and you tell him you love him and you want to do things with him and his chest feels less heavy.

who says day at the beach, says watching the sunset together. of course it’s beautiful but carmy keeps looking at you and the way the light seems to hit your features so perfectly well because he’s a sap.

You get a little cold and he’s instantly handing you his sweater. And I just know his heart melts when you nuzzle closer to him <3

I love to think he’d stay up at night to listen to the ocean. He can’t sleep because his mind is too loud so he goes on the little patio and listens to the sounds of the waves on the shore. Maybe you join him, rest your head on his shoulder and enjoy the moment with him. he hasn’t felt this happy in a long time.

-🧸

hey so something you don't know about me is that i love the beach more than literally any other place on earth!!!!! i went to the OBX a lot as a kid and it shaped me into the woman i am today!!!!! i love the beach!!!!!!!!!!!! i even had a finnpoe beach au that was like. god. it was at minimum 10k words and it wasn't even complete yet. i would just work on it when at the beach house my father took me to cause there was no wifi there- but enough ab me!!!!!

i agree that baby boy canNOT relax, poor thing. but you could talk him into it saying he can try all kinds of new restaurants and get some ideas for a seafood course for the bear menu <33 and ughhh i just. staying in a cutie little beach house with him!!! i used to go to the beach every year and when i got old enough to really appreciate the whole day, my fav thing became evening walks and i know those would sooth his soul sooo much

"there’s no way you lift one pretty finger of yours k?" i will sob??? i will actually cry and scream and roll around on the floor???? god i just. carmen carrying your bags upstairs to the house while you take stock of all the general beach things available in the shed underneath. yall know how beach houses are on stilts? yeah like that. and placing your shampoo and body wash and things in the outdoor shower so it can be used first thing, because once everything is unloaded all you wanna do is walk down to the ocean and once you're there, well, who isn't gonna jump in!

massaging the sunscreen into his back, the way he would sigh a little, and you can press soft kisses to his cheek as you do so. ugh i looveeeee him!!!! he would be so so protective, making sure there's plenty of snacks, and if you're hungry he'll walk the beach with you until you find a little sandwich shop or taco place for whatever you wanna eat. he's confused at first why you're making a sand castle, preferring to sit and read his book, but suddenly he's finished with a chapter and spending time with his girl seems so much more fun, so before he knows it he's packing wet sand into the mould sitting across from you, sandy shins and messy hair, but he's all smiley too

the poor thing would get so exhausted from playing in the waves, probably bc he's not used to it. swimming in the ocean really takes it out of you!! so when you're laid out under the umbrella reading he grumbles like "babe, lemme... c'mere," and tugs you just a little closer to rest his head on your tummy :((( playing with his curls while they dry from the salt water, forming them into perfect little spirals, putting a little braid here and there

just talking to each other and catching up in such a relaxed setting is so sweet im gonna sob. maybe y'all snagged a beachfront place so you can watch the sun set over the water ((i have never seen this... #eastcoast)) while you're sitting on the rlly comfy deck chairs, he's got a beer and you've got a little cocktail he made you, and you're playing cards and chatting about what's been going on lately. just sitting out there together listening to the waves, wrapped up in his sweater from his culinary school i- i genuinely cannot. i love him and i love the beach. I LOVE HIM AND I LOVE THE BEACH!!!!!!!

tldr; me and 🧸 love the beach and carmy so much

[lesbi-snail]

I just need to know if others feel like this:

My current situation: I’m a seventeen year old, living in Germany. I would’ve been able to vote in the original polls for next year (the presidential vote I guess it would be called?) due to the revoting that will happen in either February or march (as of my knowledge) I’ve officially lost my vote.

It feels like I just have to watch everyone decide about mine and others future, watching such a big part of the country vote against mine and so many other people’s rights. It feels like my voice has been ripped from me, like it no longer matters what opinion I have just because the vote was pulled forward about 6 months. I realized that’s what it probably feels like for everybody who can’t go and vote, but it feels extra horrible to have to stand by and watch people of my generation (and other generations obviously) decide about mine and others value as human beings just because we’re different, having lost my voice when I finally had it, finally had the power to at least cancel out one vote for that messed up party, to go and participate in raising the count of the votes.

I always think about the fact that some people might say: the AfD (our version of Trumps Party, with way too many similarities to Hitlers Party) won’t win either way, but: they said that about Trump too. And now, now he is there and causes misinformation and Propaganda to be spread, causes that so many people have to live in fear of what is to come, if they can even survive the next 4 years.

It feels especially cruel to me. I can’t think about the votes too hard because it always causes a deep sense of despair, of fear inside of me. Is anyone else who is part of this group that got their vote basically ripped away feeling as upset about this as I am? Because everyone I know either isn’t in the group or just doesn’t give a f.

Rough German translation:

Ich möchte nur wissen, ob jemand sich genauso fühlt wie ich: ich bin 17 Jahre alt, lebe in Deutschland und hätte eigentlich bei den Bundestagswahlen mitwählen können. Durch die Neuwahlen (im Februar oder März nach meinem Wissensstand) habe ich diese Stimme verloren.

Es fühlt sich an, als müsste ich andere darüber beim Entscheiden zu sehen, wie die Zukunft von mir und anderen auszusehen hat, anzusehen, wie ein Teil des Landes gegen meine und die Rechte so vieler anderen stimmt. Es fühlt sich an als wäre meine Stimme mir entrissen worden, als wäre meine Meinung nicht mehr wichtig, nur weil die Wahlen 6 Monate nach vorne geschoben wurden. Ich weiß, dass es sich so für viele anfühlen muss, die eh nicht hätten wählen können, aber es fühlt sich nochmal extra schlimm, extra grausam an, dass ich nur daneben stehen kann und nichts tun kann, und zugucken muss wie andere über meinen und den Wert anderer Menschen als menschliches Wesen entscheiden, sich so viele entschieden, dass es uns nicht geben sollte, nur weil wir anders sind. Es fühlt sich extra grausam an, jetzt, wo meine Stimme, meine Möglichkeit wenigstens eine der Stimmen für diese widerliche Partei auszugleichen, mir entrissen wurde.

Ich denke immer darüber nach, dass einige sagen würden : die AfD (die Partei, mit viel zu vielen Ähnlichkeiten zur NSDAP) gewinnt doch eh nicht, aber, genau das haben sie auch über Trump gesagt. Und nun, nun ist er da und sorgt dafür, dass Falschinformation verteilt wird, sorgt dafür, dass immer mehr Angst haben müssen vor dem, was kommen wird, ob sie diese 4 Jahre überhaupt überleben können.

Ich kann jetzt nie über die Wahlen nachdenken, sie füllen mich mit Angst, mit Trauer und so, so viel Furcht. Gibt es andere, die zu dieser Gruppe von 17-jährigen gehören, die sich genauso fühlen? Weil alle die ich kenne entweder nicht zu dieser Gruppe gehören oder sich einen Dreck für interessieren.

[rems-writing]

Act like a brat, get punished

Pairing: mobster aged-up!Jongho x non-idol!Hongjoong

Genre/trope/AU: smut/strangers to lovers/mafia AU

Wordcount: 2,995 words

Rating: mature

Nets: @mirohs-aurora-society @othersideoutlawsnetwork @illusionnet

“I’m sorry, my son. You now belong to this man.”

“We had no other choice! We didn’t get the money in time so this was our best option.”

Hongjoong was tired. He was so tired. He knew his parents were poor, but he didn’t realize that their poverty was so bad that they had to resort to borrowing money from the mafia. The chilling discovery of this reality happened today. He was working four jobs. Three mundane 9 to 5 jobs and one small business that involved his designing skills. Hongjoong loved fashion. It was the only thing he had going on at this point. After the death of Beomjoong, he had to pick up the slack and become the main breadwinner of his family. His dad was a retired electrical engineer while his mom was a part-time worker at a food stall located in the mall just a block away from their cramped apartment. As he stared back and forth in between his parents and the man they owed money to, he sighed heavily. He took off his hat, wiped his sweaty brow, pinched the bridge of his nose out of frustration, and simply walked past them to retrieve his things. The man Hongjoong’s parents owed money to looked at the young man in shock as he came back downstairs with a dufflebag packed to the brim with almost nothing. Just a few clothes he reformed, a laptop for online fashion school, his sewing machine, and a few stacks of bills he had stashed away for an emergency fund. His head was hung low and he threw the bills at his parents’ feet. 

“Y-You’re not going to fight back? Or beg to stay?”

“There’s no point. Now come on. Let’s go. I’m sure you don’t want to be late or whatever.”

As Hongjoong brushed past the people that gave him life (he no longer viewed them as parents), he looked at the man wearily before nodding his head, indicating that he’ll be near whatever expensive car or creepy van the man drove in. To say it puzzled the man and broke his heart at the same time was an understatement. After Hongjoong shut the door behind him, the man’s resolve hardened and he scowled at his parents. 

“Look at you two. You basically let him walk out! He didn’t fight, beg, or compromise with me. He just… left. How does it feel to know that your entire family is gone? Only this time… you’re the cause of it?”

Hongjoong’s mother broke down in tears while Hongjoong’s father bent down to comfort her. He looked at the money in disdain before looking back up at the man. He had his hands shoved in his pockets, the big watch on his left wrist sticking out like a sore thumb. The father was about to say something when the man held his hand up. 

“Save it. You two now have money. And from the looks of it, your youngest son saved enough to last you guys a few years. Maybe even more if you’re wise about it. Despite being so… drained of life, he thought about you guys. Always. Consider this debt paid off.”

“B-But don’t we owe you so much more?”

“Eh. You do. However, seeing as he oh so willingly walked out of here without your consultation or mine, I think you guys can pay me back by living with the consequences of your actions. How does that sound?”

The father shut his mouth, knowing the man was right. The man clicked his tongue before adjusting his sleeves and bidding farewell to Hongjoong’s parents before exiting their apartment. He tuned out the mother’s wails that grew louder as he walked away, knowing that this is all she can do. After walking down the steps to the lobby (he refused to take the elevator. He claimed he was too cool for that), he stepped outside and breathed in the crisp air of the city’s nightlife before focusing his eyes on the man before him. 

His heart ached painfully at the sight. 

Hongjoong had his head hung low, his dufflebag was hanging loosely from his hand, tear streaks stained his handsome face, and his sniffles could be heard every now and then. The man cautiously approached him and tucked his fingers under Hongjoong’s chin so he could lift his head and observe him some more. 

Hongjoong didn’t even flinch at the strange touches he was receiving! He truly was tired of it all. 

“You can put your things in the backseat.”

Hongjoong nodded and the man unlocked the door to his expensive Mercedes so Hongjoong could throw his stuff in the back. He let out a quiet ‘Excuse me’ as he squeezed past the man and got into the front seat so he could get himself situated and mentally prepare for what was about to come. Once he was buckled up, the man went to the driver’s seat and closed the door beside him before buckling up and starting the engine. He felt extremely horrible for the younger man’s situation and he felt like he had to say something. Instinctively, he grabbed Hongjoong’s hand, making a note of the single painted nail on his left ring finger. For someone who liked to rough people up using his own bare hands, his touch was gentle. 

“Hey. Look at me. Please.”

The man’s voice was gentle and Hongjoong looked up at him. Despite the hollow expression on his face, the man could tell that his eyes conveyed so much sadness and despair. He squeezed his hand gently and offered a small grin. 

“I’m truly sorry that things had to be like this. How about we make a deal? Just do what I say and I’ll ask nothing else from you. You are free to do whatever you want. I won’t track you down, I won’t have any of my men stalk you, I won’t stop you from doing whatever you need to do, and most importantly… I won’t stop you from running away. If my men do track you down and harm you, I’ll kill them myself.”

Hongjoong’s heart skipped a beat as the man made his situation less of a living hell by putting this offer up on a silver platter. A small part of him doubted his words though. After all, he was part of the mafia. However, the geunity in his eyes and his words washed away that doubt momentarily. After thinking about it some more, he nodded firmly. 

“Ok. I’ll take it. And I can tell you’re a man of your word so… I guess I trust you.”

The man felt relieved that Hongjoong took the deal and his grin grew bigger. Hongjoong  couldn’t help but wonder what he would look like if his round cheeks got squished. He shook away the thoughts and expressed gratitude towards the man. 

“You don’t have to thank me. You didn’t ask for this life so let me at least provide some sense of normalcy for you.”

“Still though. T-Thank you, sir.”

“Jongho. Call me Jongho.”

As the two drove off to Jongho’s mansion, Hongjoong looked back at the building complex he used to call home. With a calm mind and a rapidly beating heart, he awaited the new chapter in his life to begin.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Living with Jongho wasn’t so bad! He stuck to his word and allowed Hongjoong to live his life like he normally would. Except for a few rules he made. 

Always come home on time.

If you are invited to dinner, never say no. 

Always sleep on time. 

Focus on fashion school and growing his fashion business. 

These rules didn’t sound as horrid as Hongjoong made it out to be. He practiced timing himself on studying for school and going home after he was done (he had a habit of holing himself up in one of the studios after hours on campus), he ate well, his insomnia was crushed by his newly adjusted body clock, and his fashion business was growing more famous as each day passed. 

It was all thanks to Jongho. 

In addition to Hongjoong’s lifestyle becoming healthier, he found himself falling in love with the older man. At first, he was afraid that Jongho would lash out and he would lecture on how he doesn’t even like men and that he wouldn’t go for someone as young as him. However, after a long night of heartfelt confessions, crying (Jongho let out his bottled up emotions), steamy make-out sessions, and passionate sex right on Jongho’s work table, it’s safe to say that the two were madly in love with each other and they embraced their bond more than ever. Currently, they are getting ready for dinner with some of Jongho’s work colleagues. Hongjoong has met the respective partners of each one, but he was closest with Jung Wooyoung, the fiance of San, Jongho’s older brother. As he thought about what type of weird conversation these two were going to have, he was snapped out of his thoughtful daze when he heard his boyfriend’s voice call out to him. He turned around and had to stifle a laugh. 

Jongho looked absolutely fucking hot in the suit he picked out for this evening. The black button-up shirt clung to his muscled body deliciously, his tie was tucked into his vest, the black slacks he wore defined his meaty thighs, and his dress shoes were polished to perfection. He looked like a god! There was only one problem.

The vest was way too small for his body. 

“That thing is ready to burst at the seams!”

Jongho chuckled nervously and his heart swelled with adoration as he heard Hongjoong giggle loudly. He saw the younger man approach him and watched as he carefully unbuttoned the vest with his dainty hands and a laser-type precision. Hongjoong made sure that the vest came off without it ripping apart. Finally, he shrugged it off his body and smoothed out any wrinkles the vest left behind on his shirt. Jongho willed himself to not grow a boner under his boyfriend’s touch. Hongjoong took a step back and observed him some more before nodding firmly. 

“I think the look is fine. No need to add a blazer or anything else. Just throw on your winter coat and you’ll be all set.”

“This is why you’re the fashion expert.”

Hongjoong giggled as Jongho grabbed his waist and peppered kisses all over his face before pulling him into a hug. He felt himself become flushed at the mere sight of Jongho’s beefy body practically swallowing his tiny frame whole. He had to push him away after a while, causing Jongho to pout. Hongjoong booped his nose and squished his cheeks. 

“Come on, lover boy! We don’t want to be late.”

Hongjoong skipped away and Jongho chuckled to himself before sighing happily and following after him so the two of them could make it to dinner on time.

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Dinner went great. Everyone had a good time, ate until they were full, drank until they couldn’t anymore, and paid for it all before leaving. While the six of them were left to explore the city, Jongho was driving at an ungodly speed back home to the mansion. Once they made it, he grabbed Hongjoong, hoisted him over his broad shoulder, tossed the keys to one of his servants so they could park the car, and clambered upstairs to their bedroom before throwing Hongjoong onto their shared bed. 

“Did you think that was funny? Hm? Teasing me? Purposefully flirting with Seonghwa?”

Hongjoong shrugged, which made Jongho a bit angry. It didn’t help that Hongjoong had a dopey smile on his face, which was quickly wiped off when Jongho took off his belt and grabbed the tiny man’s wrists before securely tying him up so it was snug enough that he couldn’t shrug it off yet he didn’t feel pain. Jongho gripped Hongjoong’s chin and kissed him harshly. While one hand was keeping Joong’s head in place, the other ripped away his shirt with terrifying (and arousing) strength. His fingers delicately traced the hem of Joong’s skirt before pulling it off quickly yet carefully. He cursed under his breath when he saw Joong clad in nothing but a silver body chain and a silk thong. 

“Well well well. You’re really just asking for it, huh?”

“I did this just for you though.”

Hongjoong pouted slightly, but Jongho never wavered. He can act as cute as he wants. He’s going to be punished like the brat he is. He released Hongjoong’s head and quickly snaked it down to his bound wrists before adjusting him so he could bend the younger man over his lap. With his ass raised in the air, his fingertips lightly skimmed over the curve of it. Jongho looked down at Hongjong, whose eyes were blown with lust. 

“You’re going to count to 10. If you slip up, we’re starting over. And do not give me attitude. Or else I’ll go harder. Understand?”

“Yes, sir~”

The way Hongjoong said that and batted his eyelashes up at Jongho caused the man’s cock to strain painfully against the hard confines of his slacks. He was going to ruin the man below him. He soon raised his hand and swiftly brought it down onto one of his asscheeks. The sound echoed in the room and Hongjoong let out a yelp. 

“One!”

Another smack. 

“Two!”

Another. 

“Three!”

Another. 

“Four!”

As another one was delivered, Hongjoong swore he felt the marks starting to form since Jongho never took off his rings when he spanked him. 

“Five!”

Another one was delivered and Hongjoong just knew that he wouldn’t be able to sit after this. 

“Six.”

Hongjoong’s voice wavered yet Jongho still heard the word loud and clear. He wanted to stop there, but due to the mischievous look in his eyes and the way he bit his lip, it was a sign to keep going. He soon delivered another one. 

“Seven!”

Two more. 

“Eight!”

One more. 

“Nine!”

Last one. 

“10!”

Using his strength, Jongho lifted Hongjoong by the hips and made the younger man straddle him so he could kiss him fiercely and passionately. Hongjoong moaned into the kiss and he flinched a bit when Jongho’s fingertips skimmed through the reddened skin of his ass. He was soon laid down on his stomach and he felt Jongho’s plush lips kiss the reddened skin before he tore off the thong he was wearing. 

Oh. 

Jongho cursed loudly when he saw Hongjoong wearing the new buttplug he got him a few weeks back. It was his reward for being so obedient and never once breaking any of his rules. He dug his fingers into Hongjoong’s hair and yanked him backwards so his bare back was touching his clothed chest. Hongjoong moaned at the contact and Jongho’s lips ghosted over the shell of his ear. 

“Did you wear this just for me?”

“Mhmm! Only for you, sir!”

“You’re such a good boy. Fuck! You make me so happy.”

Jongho angled Hongjoong’s head so their lips could meet once again. During this heated kiss, Jongho tore off his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt quickly before discarding it. The same went for his pants. When he was finally bare, Hongjoong felt Jongho’s huge cock be pressed up against his ass. Despite having sex with him before, Hongjoong will never get over how shockingly large Jongho was. Hongjoong felt his back hit the mattress and cringed slightly at the buttplug being pulled out from him. The cringe was soon replaced with pleasure as he felt himself being filled by his mobster boyfriend. As soon as Jongho bottomed out, he settled inside Hongjoong for a minute before pinning the tiny man’s bound wrists above his head with one hand and squeezing his throat with the other. He pulled out slowly until the tip was only in before slamming back into him harshly. 

“JONGHO~”

Jongho chuckled darkly and began pistoning his hips at a fast pace. With each slap of skin, a moan slipped out of Hongjoong. They grew louder and louder with each passing second. Jongho then tilted Hongjoong’s head up towards the ceiling without letting go of his throat. Hongjoong’s eyes widened at his own fucked out reflection staring back down at him as he was getting dicked down. 

Jongho recently installed those mirrors and now they were being put to good use. 

“Look at you, darling. Being stuffed full of my cock like the bratty slut you are. God I love everything about you. From this body chain to the way you scream my name. You just love being fucked by an older man, huh? I can tell since you’re clenching around me so much. Go on. Say it!”

“F-FUCK! I LOVE IT! I FUCKING LOVE IT! SIR, PLEASE! PLEASE LET ME CUM! I’M SO CLOSE!”

“Since you asked so nicely.”

Jongho rammed into Hongjoong a few more times before Hongjoong let out the loudest moan and felt himself spill all over his body. Jongho reached his climax as well and stopped so he could empty himself inside Hongjoong. The two of them were breathing heavily, staring into each other’s eyes lovingly before Jongho pulled out of Hongjoong. He carried the younger man into the bathroom and ran him a hot bath before lowering him into the tub and climbing in afterwards. He wrapped his arms around his waist and the younger man snuggled into his chest. 

“Best. Sex. Ever! I got to thank Wooyoung and tell him that this was worth it.”

“So Wooyoung put you up to this, huh?”

“Well… the body chain and buttplug were my ideas, but Wooyoung was the one that suggested that I acted like a brat.”

“I see. In that case, I’m glad that Wooyoung fed you that idea. You should be bratty often. I love it when I go rough on you.” 

“Me too, Jongho. Me too…”

[legiblyloathed]

Ain’t He Darling? (Chapter 3)

Yandere! Wally Darling x Reader

TW: brief gaslighting in this chapter

A/N: And now, back by unpopular demand, me! It took me a bit longer than usual to brain out this chapter, mainly because I’ve been replaying Breath of the Wild to prepare for Tears of the Kingdom. Fun fact, for one innocuous paragraph in this chapter, I had to google very basic knowledge just to get by. Extra credit if you can guess which one it was. /j And now, without further ado, I present: chapter 3.

Tag list: @tikosan @itsyellow @twerkingnutella18 @azoart @elegantkidfansoul @cutsieskull @delvira-only-baby @anaki-kuroshi @jellyfish-fish

Prev

The first thought in my mind when I wake up in a heap on the floor of my foyer is something along the lines of “My bones feel like rusty springs.” Who would have thought falling asleep against a door after a long, stressful day would cause every bone in your body to creak in protest with every bend and stretch? Not even a minute of consciousness and it’s apparent that leaving the house is gonna be a pain in more ways than one today.

The second thought is “Whoever just knocked on my door is dead to me.” Which, I will admit, is a bit harsh, but the headache that rears up from the sound compounded by the burn of every joint in my body would make anyone just a tad grouchy.

Against my body’s wishes, I force myself up off the ground, the sound of joints popping ringing in my ears. Some of the pain subsides with the release of pressure, but it’s clear that a good long soak in a hot bath will be necessary later. I allow myself a good, long stretch to wring out any remaining bubbles before relaxing with a heaving breath and opening the door.

The large stranger is smiling with an air of patience, as if he already knew of my predicament. He’s dressed rather simply: a button up shirt, a multicolored tie, and plain slacks. The emblem on his hat and bag signifies that he’s the mailman, which in hindsight should have been obvious considering the two letters clutched in his hands.

“Well, hey there, neighbor!” His voice holds the heavy twang of a southern accent that’s imbedded itself deep into his soul. “Don’t reckon we’ve met yet, have we?” His empty hand extends itself towards me as he proclaims, “Name’s Eddie.”

You’d think I’d be more accustomed to the sheer friendliness of the people around here, and yet I still have to take a moment to register the greeting and introduce myself. After a firm handshake, he offers me the mail in his other hand. “Got a couple letters for ya. You sure made friends fast!”

I let out a chuckle as I take the envelopes. “Guess I did, huh?” I respond as I take a quick glance at the two letters. One is a bright shade of pink, the other a cool blue. I look back up at the friendly man. “I’m kind of embarrassed to admit I didn’t know there was a post office here,” I say sheepishly.

To my relief, Eddie laughs. “Guess we are a pretty small neighborhood, but every town needs a mailman.” He pats his mailbag for emphasis, and I hear the light crinkling of paper rustling around inside. “Letters ain’t gonna deliver themselves, you know.” He spares a glance at his watch to check the time. “Speaking of, I still got a few more stops on the route, so I’d best be leaving.”

“Oh, alright!” I say with a smile. “Wouldn’t want to keep you. Have a nice day!”

“I will, you have a nice day, too, neighbor!” With a grin and a wave, Eddie sets off while whistling a tune. I watch him walk away for a moment before ducking back into my house and shutting the door. I debate reading the letters right there in the foyer, but my decision to skip dinner the night prior seems to have upset my weary body, which lets out a growl of hunger. The sudden realization of just how starving I was propelled me into my kitchen, where I haphazardly tossed the letters onto the table. Breakfast first, then social life.

As I start to prepare a simple meal, I happen to catch of whiff of myself.

…a bath. Breakfast, a bath, then social life.

—————————

It’s a little past midday when I finally wander back into my dining room, the worst of the muscle pain having dissolved in hot, soapy water. The feeling left me sleepy, and I only came back to grab a quick snack from the fridge before taking a nap. However, the garish colors of the envelopes lying askew on the table are a reminder that I forgot to get around to reading them.

With a vague feeling of guilt for having functionally ignored my neighbors, I grab the envelope on top first, which happens to be the pink one. A scan of the address reveals the sender to be none other than Julie. I huff out a laugh. I should’ve guessed. After a trip to the junk drawer to locate my letter opener, I unfold the paper (Why does it smell like flowers? Does she put perfume on her parchment?) and lean against the table as I read.

Dear Neighbor,

Hope you’ve been feeling better! You seemed a little anxious at the picnic and I’ve been rather worried. I talked to Frank and he said you just weren’t adjusted to the neighborhood yet. So, I had an idea! I’d like you to come over to my house today to play with me and Frank! We still have plenty of treats leftover and a ton of games we didn’t get to play. I think we’ll all be the best of friends!

Lots of Love,

Julie Joyful <3

The whole paper is covered in doodles of hearts and smiley faces and it brings a smile to my face. I smooth the letter out as best I can. When the wrinkles are all gone, I grab a few magnets and hang it up on my fridge. My first letter! I really do make friends fast. As I beam at the page, picking up the other letter, a sense of calm washes over me. A fun day with two of my lovely neighbors. Just what I need to take my mind off-

I don’t move for a second. My eyes stay glued down to the deep blue envelope held in my hands. I know it’s a bit silly to be so scared of a simple name neatly printed on a piece of paper, but that acknowledgment does little to comfort me. All I can do is stare at the letter.

The letter from Wally.

I breathe in. I breathe out. In. Out. In. Out. I let my hand drift back down, setting the envelope and whatever it might hold within back onto the table. It almost feels dangerous to let my eyes linger on it. I walk away, leaving the kitchen without the snacks I once intended to grab.

I’m not hungry anymore.

—————————

Julie’s house is every bit as bright and cheery as the woman who lives there. The colors border on overwhelming, both the exterior and interior being so vibrant you could make out all the furniture in the dead of night. The smell of grass, flowers, and a hint of sugar waft through the air. It’s the kind of place you can enter and know deep down you’re gonna be safe. But the single most stunning feature of her home has to be the flower garden.

I enter under a beautiful picket fence arch which has long been overtaken by interwoven pink roses. Those same roses line the garden, weaving around each other and the white stakes in the ground. Bushes of multicolored hydrangeas line the back of the house, and stepping stones made of pebbles and small glass stones forge paths through the flowerbeds. In the middle of it all is a clearing in which a yellow blanket lies covered with tea cakes and sandwiches.

I’m so wrapped up in the scenery that I bump into Frank as he carries a small tea set to the blanket. The two of us both jump in surprise, and the cups wobble on the tray for a moment before they level it out to keep them balanced. I put a hand on my chest to calm myself. “I’m so sorry!” I exclaim. “I got distracted, are you alright?”

Frank huffs a bit as he continues to make his way toward the blanket. “I’m fine, neighbor. No harm, no foul.” They lower the set to the ground, careful to keep it steady. Once he seems sure of its integrity, he looks up at me, a hint of exasperation on his face. “Just, please pay a bit more attention to where you’re going.”

With a wave of anxiety, my hands move to tuck near to my chest and tug at each other, eyes averted to a patch of daffodils. “Yeah, I’ll try. It’s just…” My sentence trails off as I admire the intricacies of the garden around us. I manage to turn back to him. “This place is incredible, isn’t it?”

Frank stands up and takes a look around too, an air of peace overtaking his grumpy exterior for a moment. “It really is. Julie works hard to keep it like this, and it really pays off.” I murmur an agreement, and we both take in our surroundings in silence for a minute or two.

The sound of the back door swinging open appears in my periphery, and a familiar, chipper voice follows it shortly. “Oh, you’re early!” Julie steps out and joins us, the small plate of warm sugar cookies in her grasp sending steam into the air. “I didn’t think you’d show up for another half hour. I’m so happy to see you!” She moves the plate to her left hand, wrapping her right arm around me in a half hug. I’m ushered back towards the blanket, and the three of us all settle down in the middle of the garden. I don’t waste a moment before picking up a sandwich and taking a bite.

We don’t chat much while we eat, though Frank does have to remind Julie not to talk with her mouth full a time or two. She seems eager for us to finish eating so we can get to the games, the buzzing energy around her so infectious that I find myself rushing to finish my lunch so I can find out what she has planned. She’s done within minutes, and it doesn’t take long before I’m also licking the errant sugar sprinkles from my fingers. We chatter about everything and nothing as Frank works their way through their meal, seeming immune to Julie’s impatience.

After a good long while, Frank finally wipes his mouth and begins to pile up our dirty dishes onto the tea tray. It doesn’t even take a second for Julie to already be on her feet, bouncing in excitement. “Are we ready? Can we play now? What should we do first?”

“First, we should clean up.” Frank seems to be struggling to balance everything as he stands up, and I hurry to my feet to take the tray from him. They murmur out a brief thank you as they push themself off the blanket. “It’s not a good idea to start running around with glass on the ground. We don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Once he regains his bearings, he kneels down to pick up the remaining few plates and a few scattered pieces of trash. “We should probably take the blanket in, too, so we don’t trip over it.”

Taking the cue, Julie bends down to pull the yellow blanket from the grass, folding it into a messy pile in her arms. “Good idea, Frank! Come on!” Not seeming concerned with waiting for Frank and me, she disappears in a flash of pink into her house. The two of us glance at each other, chuckling as we follow behind, the clinking of china marking our footsteps.

The dishes have only just touched the kitchen counter when Julie darts back into the room. She notices my looking towards the sink and rushes to say “Don’t worry about it, I’ll clean all of them later. Let’s just go!” I match her smile as I follow her back outside with Frank tailing behind.

The next couple of hours seem to soar by, the boundless energy given off by the pastel woman so contagious that I don’t even realize how exhausted I am until I stumble and fall during a game of shadow tag and find that I don’t feel like getting up. I instead stay flopped over panting in the grass, arms outstretched, staring at the sky as the shades of blue begin to fade to soft arrays of green, orange, and pink. A grey face pops into my view, peering at me from the side with their eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Are you alright? That was a pretty rough fall.” Still trying to catch my breath, I offer a thumbs up in lieu of a verbal response. Frank seems satisfied with that, and lowers himself to the ground far more gently than I had.

He’s at once nearly bowled over by Julie, who if I didn’t know better almost seems a little winded herself. With residual giggles, she says, “Wow, I haven’t gotten to play for so long in ages! I knew we were gonna get along great!”

It’s a tad awkward being the only person fully lying on the ground. I funnel all my self discipline into propping myself up, opting to lean back on my hands to continue taking in the scenery above my head. My eyes sweep over it all, noting telltale specks of stars as the sun slips away to reveal them from behind the blue. I don’t think I’ve ever such a beautiful view of the sky before.

“I agree, it’s incredible.” Frank’s voice nearly makes me jump out of my skin. It takes a second to register that I must’ve let that last sentence stray from my mind to my tongue. I keep my focus upwards, hoping no one noticed my embarrassment. It appears to have worked as he continues, “It almost looks like a painting.”

A painting. A simple, commonplace thing that shouldn’t churn my stomach, but I still feel my heart drop at the words. In my periphery, Julie leans in with a giddy look on her face. “Speaking of, you and Wally seemed to have fun yesterday. Why, you two were out by the woods so long, Poppy almost sent out a search party!” She laughs, and I deem myself lucky that she didn’t notice the blood drain away from my head.

A pale imitation of a laugh comes out with the words, “Yeah, I guess we did…” The silence in the air grows thick, for me if not for the others. The rational and empathetic sides of my brain are waging war once more, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Does… does he ever make you guys feel…” I trail off, struggling to find the words with two sets of eyes now focused on me. “…nervous?”

Frank’s head tilts, and he appears puzzled. “What do you mean? Why would he?”

My head begins to sink into my neck, like a turtle hiding from danger. “It’s just, I always feel like he’s staring at me, and some of the things he says while he does it come across a bit… off. Y’know?”

“Oh, that’s just how Wally is!” Julie bats at the air as if to dismiss the notion. “You’re worrying over nothing.”

As I begin to stutter out my disagreement, Frank asserts, “She’s right. He doesn’t mean any harm. You just haven’t gotten used to him yet.”

“I mean, I guess.” I push myself off my hands, the need to articulate my emotions taking over in my flustered state. “But, I got used to you guys and Poppy and Eddie within minutes. Wally just makes me feel uncomfortable.” The words are tumbling out now, and there’s nothing I can do to stop them.

When I force my eyes upward, Julie’s are already meeting them, and my gut wrenches at the uncharacteristic dour edge to her appearance. “It’s rude to talk about people like that behind their back, neighbor. He’s been nothing but lovely to you since you got here, and it’s not nice for you to treat him like some kind of threat.” A glance at Frank reveals a similar sentiment in his appraisal of me, and shame builds up within my heart. Against my will, tears begin to burn my eyes and mist my vision.

Unable to take it any longer, I push myself up. “I think I should go.” Neither of them tries to stop me. I pass through the magnificent greenery, knowing that the memory of it is going to have a permanent black mark tied to it. My hand settles on the garden gate, and I hesitate for a brief moment before deciding on “Thank you for the lunch, and for the games.” A mutter akin to that of ‘you’re welcome’ is heard behind me, and with that, I set off for my home.

The sky continues its transition to the night, and I solemnly await for the colors to fade so I can no longer see the brushstrokes in the heavens.