#cause they knew what would happen to a store

[mrsmnsn]

I Got My Love To Keep Me Warm🎄✨❣️

summary: It’s your first time spending the holidays with your boyfriend and his uncle and it’s nothing but the perfect Christmas.

warnings: guys it is only a very fluffy christmas special, i hope you enjoy it. the reader and eddie are dating btw (if that counts:))

wc: 1.8k

Happy Christmas :)

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You woke up with a freezing foot pressing against your own feet. You squint and hear a giggle from the boy next to you. “I’m going to put my cold hands on your butt Eddie, get off.” You said with a grumpy tone and still waking up.

“No you won’t, cause if you do i’ll put my cold hands on your boobs. I’ll have to take my revenge.” He teases you but still places his hand on your cheek and smile at you like the sweet guy he is. “I’m sorry that i woke you up like that i couldn’t resist-“ You playfully push his hand and his face making him grab you tight into a hug, a way to keep you still. “I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to help me with some chores today, all christmas chores… What do you say?”

You open your eyes but you only see Eddie’s neck since he’s pressing his cheek on your forehead while he hugs you tight. “Christmas chores? Tell me more” Eddie knew you were going to be intrigued, you had that christmas spirit, always excited for ‘the most beautiful time of the year’.

“Well, my uncle is going to a christmas tree farm because, even though we don’t have a lot of money to put up with a big tree, Wayne have a friend from his old days that works in one of those farms and got a nice price on a nice tree.” As Eddie explained you got up on your elbows to listen to his story carefully. “So, while he goes there to pick up our tree, you can come get the ornaments with me so we can decorate later and also go to the grocery store to buy some ingredients for those recipes you wanted to make.”

You’re smiling without even noticing. Now you really woke up and were ready for everything. “That’s great Eds, of course i’ll go with you! You just described a perfect day!” Eddie also was smiling without even noticing now. He loved when you got all excited about the things you truly loved.

So you two got dressed and went on your little Christmas adventure. First you take the ornaments in the self storage Wayne keeps the things that don’t fit in the trailer (he recently got to pay the rent thanks to Eddie’s help and his hard-earned money), and they made the place look bigger. You took the two medium boxes and went to the grocery store that wasn’t that far away. The place was crowded, of course it would be, there were only two days left until Christmas.

“Do we really have to get those ingredients?” Eddie said looking at the big line of people inside the store. It was probably going to take a bit more than thirty minutes.

“We don’t have to, but without them i can’t make those desserts.” You replied a bit annoyed that everyone got the same idea as you. “But come on, it’s gonna be worth it i promise!” You pull Eddie into the store.

————————————————————————————

When you got home, it was already afternoon. Wayne was already outside the trailer with the tree, cutting some twigs that expanded way too much. “Hey you two, what took you so long? Was it too hard to find the boxes?”

“Wayne you’re not gonna believe what happened there!” Eddie got out the van and started to tell the story excitedly. “I mean, we took only ten minutes to find the boxes, the real fun was in the market. The place was crowded, we started to get the missing ingredients when a lady tried to-“

“EDDIE! I told you… I told you not to say anything to your uncle.” You tried to mumble to him and your cheeks got red with embarrassment.

“What happened?” Wayne asked a bit concerned for the discrepancy in your reaction and Eddie’s.

“I’m sorry mr. Munson I- I was just… There was just a bit of a hustle in there because another woman tried to take the last container of cinnamon powder that was already in my hand and that was the most important ingredient in the recipes i wanted to make. So I got a bit carried away and-“

“She put the woman in her place, it was metal!” Eddie interrupted you and you cover your face with your hands.

“Eddie don’t be that dramatic, i was rude, yes, but only you and the lady heard what i said. I tried not to be too scandalous. At least she heard me and went her own way.” You got so stressed, the only thing you wanted to do is go back to your plans on making your christmas chores.

“I probably helped you scare her away. I gave her my bad guy look.” Eddie made that face again and you couldn’t help but fall into laughter. He was happy that he could pull a smile on your face after so much stress.

“That’s a story huh. It’s fine, just be careful with those type of ladies here in town, they not very nice.” He said giving you a small grin. Before Eddie could take you inside he stopped you again. “And hun’, you can quit the whole mr thing, you can call me Wayne, a’ right?” And you just replied with a grin and nod.

After that you just got back to your plans. You called your mom to let her know you were fine. Your family was spending Christmas at your grandparents house and you asked them if this year, you could spend the holidays with your boyfriend and his uncle. Miraculously they said yes. Now you were here, spending your first Christmas with Eddie (and also the first time you spent more than three days together) and you couldn’t be more excited. Everyday was being better than the one before.

————————————————————————————

In the next day, the tree was all pretty and colorful on the little corner of their living room. You spent the day making dinner (a tradition of theirs, a simple dish, mac n’ cheese, which you also offered to make) and the classic desserts, the gingerbread cookies and your cinnamon rolls. Of course, the moment you started to bake, Eddie offered to help. So it’s been like this the whole day, you trying to teach Eddie how to cook. You could only laugh in each five seconds.

“Stop laughing you dork, help me!” Eddie said laughing his ass off too. He was trying his best and, it wasn’t so bad, it was just funny.

“Come on Eds, do it as i said.” You contain yourself and take his hand, helping him mix all the ingredients together. You could feel his heavy sight on you. “You have to concentrate.”

“I’m trying.” He recomposed himself and started to mix again. “You’re not helping though.”

“What? What am i doing?”

“Besides of laughing at my face at every five seconds…” You giggle at him “You’re way to pretty with your hair up like that, wearing my shirt and with flour all over your face.”

“What?” You run your hand on your face and it was actually dirty. Eddie was laughing at you, so you take your time to tell him how pretty he was. You take a bit of flour and throw it at him. He stoped, too stunned to speak and then open a mischievous grin. That meant ‘run’.

Regretting instantly, because Eddie always takes those jokes very seriously, you start running around.

“Wait, Eddie wait! Don’t turn the room into a mess.”

“You started it. It’s just life babe, when you do something, there’s a consequence.” He’s laughing too and you run outside, avoiding the possible big mess inside the trailer. But when you open the door you’re surprised by the cold breeze and the snow falling down.

You just stop to look around and up the sky to feel the snow on your skin. It was really really cold, but it was amazing. You feel Eddie behind you, remember what you were playing before, but his hands were free and were wrapping around your growing cold body. It felt like you just stood there for a second, but maybe you were there for a little longer.

“Isn’t it amazing?” You speak and your chin trembles. Eddie turns you to him so he could embrace you into a warm hug. “You’re so warm. And you’re smelling like gingerbread cookies.”

“I hope that’s a good thing.” He chuckled

“It is. You smell like home.”

After that, You finish all your chores, take a very warm and needed shower and you stay our little christmas together. You three have dinner first and now, voted by Eddie and Wayne, you should come spend every christmas with them because it was the best mac n’ cheese they’ve ever eaten. You talk about things from your year, the ups and downs, your favorite moments, all that while you prepared the goodies to watch a classic christmas movie, something that Eddie came up with. One of his favorite things to do if he was honest, he used to do that on halloween but he brought that tradition to christmas too, to add a bit more to your special night together.

If they ask you, it was a perfect christmas day. You loved every second of it, specially because you got to spend your favorite holiday with your favorite person. By the middle of the movie you were sleeping on Eddie’s lap. When he realized, he felt something inside him, a warm feeling contrasting with the cold weather that he was growing accustomed to more and more and he could never get tired of it. While looking at you, a million thoughts passed through his head but the main thing was, he was sure that he never wanted to let you go. He loved you to much to even think about it.

“What’s on your mind kiddo?” Wayne asked as if he was reading his mind. He was actually, but he was reading his expressions, full of love looking down at your sleeping body.

“Nothing…. Just think i really got lucky. There’s no way i would get her without a bit of luck.” He tried to make a joke up that uncomfortable moment he got caught.

“I think that she’s the one Ed. And I mean it.” Wayne said bringing Eddie’s attention to him. “It’s pretty obvious to anyone who’s out watching you guys as i did the last couple of days. The way she treats you like you just gave the world to her, the way she looks at you like you’re her prince. It’s special Eddie and it doesn’t happen twice. You know it.”

Eddie is stunned. He didn’t disagree with what his uncle said, but to have someone telling him that you’re feeling the same way he is, that it is visible…. it really caught him. He was overwhelmed even. To have his feelings reciprocated in the same intensity.

“I think so too Wayne.” Eddie turned back to look at you. “Shes my girl. Shes the one.”

[ak-fantasies]

My baby

Seonghwa Imagine 

Pairing: Seonghwa x Reader

Genre: Slight Angst, Slice of life

Summary: You should’ve been my baby 

(a/n: this is another one I had in my writing dungeon..3 years.... soooo enjoy lol

You wanted to say nothing else as you watched him walk with her. Holding her hands and smiling. Maybe you should’ve said something, perhaps you should’ve done something to let him know.

“Yah!” A voice brings your attention to them. You looked the owner of the voice. 

“San…” You smiled and he pouts. You could tell San knew, he saw where you were looking. 

“Don’t think too much about it.” San said and you let out a soft laugh. 

“I don’t know what you mean..”  You said and San sighed.

“You want to get some food?” San asked, changing the subject. You happily nodded and followed San. San casually opened up a conversation with you about the wonders of whatever class you two had going on. You only laughed at his frustrations as you knew he was struggling a bit. 

“You’re so mean, you know that?” San said and you fake gasped.

“ME?! I could never be mean, how could you say that?!” You sarcastically replied, in a overly sarcastic hurt tone. San playfully and softly pushed you, causing you to laugh. You both decided to walk to the nearby university village for lunch since your classes were later in the day. 

“I’m craving boba…” San pouts, looking at the boba place. You nodded and followed San there. When entering you noticed someone in the corner.

“San.. San …” You whispered, pulling him down a bit. He leans down and you start pointing.

“What?” He said, looking at the direction to where he pointed. 

“It’s Wooyoung.. Go go, its your chance!” You whispered, trying to push him.

“No.. no.. what if he’s here waiting for someone..” He retorted and you furrowed your brows at him.

“You wanna end up like me?” You said and he sighed, knowing that he wouldn’t win.

“Yeah, what if I do? What if I just date you instead?” San said, trying to sound confident and you just laughed.

“San, listen you and I both know you aren’t into me, beside if you don’t I’ll do it for you.” You said causing San to sigh. 

“Fine..” He said, about to go when you stopped him.

“Wait, what do you want? I’ll order for you..” You said, giving him a smile. He smiled back and told you his order before making his way to Wooyoung. 

You watched from your spot, you could see that San was nervous but you silently rooted for him from behind. When you reached the register, San and Wooyoung were in a very happy conversation making you feel proud of your best friend. You walked over and placed San’s order and introduced yourself to Wooyoung before excusing yourself from the table. You left the shop and walked to the convenience store. You grabbed a couple of snacks and drinks before checking out and leaving to see San and Wooyoung parting ways. You happily walked back to San.

“So??” You asked and San’s face lit up.

“I have a date tomorrow!” San happily tells you and you jump excited for him.

“AHH! Yes! See, I told you.” You said and San smiled, giving you a pat on the head. You smiled looking at San, but as you looked up, you could see him. Your face falters for a moment and San picked up on it. He turned around to see that you saw Seonghwa and his girlfriend. You quickly dragged San away, walked back towards the campus. 

“You know… He’s not that special anyways..” San said, trying to make you feel better. You gave him soft smile, slowly sipping on your milk tea. You sighed as you knew that things didn’t happen the way you wanted to, but it showed you that he was never interested. The answer to your silent question. He wouldn’t be with you anyways. That was the answer to your question. 

“At least you have date tomorrow..” You said, trying to clear the mood. 

“You’re gonna help me right?” San looks at you, pleading with his eyes.

“Ofcourse ! What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t help?” You said, almost offended to have him say that. 

You and San continued to walk when you heard someone say your name.

You turned around to see Seonghwa and his girlfriend pulling up in a car. 

“There yall are..” Seonghwa’s girlfriend said. You looked at her, confused. 

“We saw you two at the village but when we turned around again, you were gone.” Seonghwa said, pulling over.

“Ah, sorry we didn’t notice.” San said, apologizing, while you simply stayed quiet. 

“Let me give yall a ride?” Seonghwa asked and San smiled.

“It’s good, we gonna enjoy our walk. You two have a good time though.” San replied and encouraged you onwards. You couldn’t look at Seonghwa, you knew that it would hurt even more. You held onto San’s arm as you both walked away. You held your chest, a sharp pain coursing through. You bit the inside of your lips, trying to focus on going passed it. Seonghwa frowned watching you and San walked off.

“I told you they wouldn’t want to.. You just had to insist.” His girlfriend huffed.

“They’re my friends, of course I would insist.” Seonghwa said, driving past them. 

The next day Seonghwa went to class, seeing you sitting there by yourself. He sat next to you, as he always does.

“Hey (y/n)..” He grinned and you gave him a smile. He waited for a response but, nothing came. It confused him, why didn’t you say anything back? Before he was able to say anything, someone sat on your other side, catching your attention. 

“(Y/n) !”

“San! How was your date?” You asked as soon as you looked at San. Seonghwa watched as your face held a smile. 

“It was really good. We’re having another date next week.” San said, excitedly. You smiled, doing your best to also ignore Seonghwa. 

When class was over, you and San walked out together, talking about the wonders of his date ignoring Seonghwa the entire time. Seonghwa was confused because you’ve never ignored him like this before. 

Weeks and months flew by, with you only seeing Seonghwa on the occasion during those classes that you had together. You would do your best to avoid Seonghwa, because you knew if you ever see him, your heart would break again. 

When you avoided Seonghwa, something felt off to him. When he couldn’t see you often, he thought he did something wrong. Every time he tried to talk to you, you were somehow able to escape or San would interrupt. Seonghwa watched you from his seat, happily smiling with San and some other guy. Somehow he was a bit bother more with the unknown guy sitting with you but he didn’t do anything. Seonghwa looks at his girlfriend and watches her eat. He figured he just felt left out since he got a girlfriend, the three of you (San, you and him) haven’t been hanging out as much. 

“Seonghwa?” Seonghwa heard, snapping him from staring at his girlfriend.

“Yes?” He replied and she giggles. 

“Are you okay? You’re like staring at me..” She said feeling a bit shy.

“It’s because I can’t believe I got you in my life.” Seonghwa said, making her smile widely. He gave her a smile as she continues to eat. He watches her again when something caught his eyes. Behind her was you smiling and another guy. Seonghwa watched him hand you his phone. He could tell that the guy was into you. That made him uncomfortable, he felt uneasy. 

While you smiled, you were happy to meet this friend of Wooyoung.

“So you said your name is..?” You trailed off letting the cute boy you just met say his name.

“Yunho.” He said. You chuckled at his energy, he was cute. 

“Nice to meet you Yunho. You want to sit?” You asked, picking up your bag off the chair next to you. 

“I would but I have class right now. I’ll text you though.” He gave you a wink and say his goodbyes to his friend and San before leaving. You looked at Wooyoung. Wooyoung smiled smugly.

“I told you, he’s cute and he’s super nice.” Wooyoung said and I playfully slap him on the arm softly. Ever since Wooyoung and San started dating, Wooyoung been trying to set you up with dates with some of his friends. 

“He is really cute and he seems super sweet.” You said, shyly and San grinned.

“I’m telling you, when you know Yunho, you’ll forget all about the other guy.” San said, making you wonder. You looked to see Seonghwa looking at you. You quickly looked away and continued your conversation with the two lovebirds. You still felt hurt whenever you saw Seonghwa, but you knew you should just move on. 

You attended a party near the end of the school year , at the request of Wooyoung. Mostly because it was his party and he, being one of the most extrovert person you know, had a few friends coming. San forced you to dress up in black dress that hugged your curves and had a exposing back and mid waist. You felt a little insecure but you sighed as you knew wooyoung would be mad at you if you didn’t dress up. 

When you arrived, you could see Seonghwa sitting on the couch, when you enter the room, you could tell he was staring. You walked over to see Yunho near him. When you reached Yunho, he pulled you into a hug.

“Wow.. You look beautiful..” Yunho said, making you blush. Seonghwa over heard this, making him feel a bit angry. Its been a while since him and his girlfriend broke up. In the end, whenever he saw you be with someone else, he didn’t like it. But now all he can do is watch you get comfortable with Yunho. 

‘You should’ve been my baby’ Seonghwa thought, watching you give Yunho that smile he wish to see everyday. 

Yunho had cracked a joke, making you laugh, you felt happy. Even though seonghwa was there, you managed to distract yourself with Yunho, who hasn’t let you out of his arms since you’ve arrived. 

“Yah, Yunho! Share (y/n).. I want to hug them too!” Wooyoung pouts as Yunho reluctantly lets you go. 

“But the others might hit on them..” Yunho pouts as you gave Wooyoung a hug. All of Yunho’s friends rolled their eyes as they knew no one would go for you mostly because they knew how much Yunho really really likes you. 

“Yunho…” Wooyoung glared, and he whines. You chuckled at Yunho’s cute personality, how you two had just started talking and he was really to claim you as his. You had almost forgotten about Seonghwa during the times with Yunho, but occasionally you’ll hear the gossips. You heard that Seonghwa had broken up with his girlfriend. You had almost stopped  talking to seonghwa, but he’s been trying to reach out to you more often. You turned to see San with Seonghwa. You raised and eyebrow and walked over to say hi to San. 

“San?” You said, as San jumps almost as if he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. 

“Ah, (y/n)… ahah” San nervously answered. You looked at him and then at Seonghwa.

“Hi….” Seonghwa said and you gave him a smile. 

“Hi..” You said, before anything else happened, Yunho came by and lead you to a spot on the couch next to San. 

Yunho’s hands rested around your waist, almost protectively saying that you’re his. Seonghwa watches Yunho the entire time you all were making conversation. He didn’t like that Yunho was next to you like that, holding you, when it should be him. He excused himself, feeling himself get more and more frustrated as he sat there and listened to you laugh at Yunho’s jokes and talking to San. Seonghwa poured himself a cup of the jungle juice. He knew it was prepared by Wooyoung so therefore it would most likely get him drunk, and honestly that’s what he wanted. 

“You know, you should just take a chance and talk to (y/n)..” Seonghwa turned to see a mutual friend of his and yunho.

“Hongjoong… what do you mean?” Seonghwa ask and Hongjoong sighed.

“You’re incredibly stupid… It’s obvious that (y/n) liked you for years now and they still do… So quit this stupid shit and just talk to them.” Hongjoong said, taking a sip of his juice. 

“Hongjoong, I don’t think-“

“Seonghwa, I’m trying to be your friend right now. Yunho likes (y/n) too… Are you going to let him take (y/n) or are you going to at least try to see where it could go? Will you regret letting (y/n) go?” Hongjoong said, leaving the kitchen. Seonghwa stared at the cup in his hand. He took a sip, really taking in what Hongjoong said. Lost in his deep thought, Seonghwa never noticed you enter the kitchen. 

You noticed Seonghwa getting up and when it took him a bit to come back, your mind wonder if he was okay. You really enjoyed being in Yunho’s embrace but there was a small part of you that wanted to know if Seonghwa was okay. After a while, you had excused yourself to grab something to drink ( an excuse to go and see Seonghwa). 

“I guess your drink looks very interesting then huh?” You said, knocking Seonghwa back into reality. Seonghwa didn’t know what so say, because there you were. 

“Haha no… I was just thinking.” Seonghwa said, embarrassed. You smiled at him. 

“I know, im just teasing.” You said and Seonghwa blushed, as if he could be any more red. 

“So Yunho huh..” Seonghwa said, and you shrugged.

“Yeah, he’s really sweet.” You said, looking at Yunho smile on the couch.  You really think Yunho was sweet and you would potentially like to see where it goes, but you knew you wanted some closure with Seonghwa at least before then. 

“Would it then be too late for me?” Seonghwa said, causing you to pause. You felt those words replay multiple times in your head. 

“W-wh-what?” You said, looking at Seonghwa. Seonghwa took a breath, gaining a bit more confidence.

“I said, would it be too late for me? If I told you right now how I feel seeing you talking with Yunho, if I told you that I hate seeing Yunho hold you, I hate seeing you giving some other guy that isn’t me your beautiful smile. I hate that I can’t wake up next to you. I hate that I can’t hear your voice everyday. I hate that I only realized that I liked you, loved you after I lost you. I hate that I have to see you move on with some other guy. But I hate that I’m being hypocritical because I had someone else and yet I’m being selfish right now and I don’t want you to be with anyone else.” Seonghwa said, tears threatening to fall out. He didn’t know why but he just wanted to say it… Seonghwa took a deep breath, before looking at you staring at him in disbelief.

“Seonghwa, I-..” 

“Yah!  Seonghwa, (y/n)… We’re taking shots, come on!” Wooyoung interrupted you two and dragged you both out of the kitchen. 

“Wait, I didn’t get my drink ye-“ You said as Wooyoung dragged the two of you out together. You looked at Yunho who was watching you and Seonghwa. You didn’t know if Yunho would be suspicious of you and Seonghwa but you definitely knew San was very suspicious of the two of you. Wooyoung hand you two a shot as Yunho came and stood next to you. Yunho gave you a smile that made you feel a bit guilty. You knew that you two weren’t officially together so you shouldn’t feel this way but after Seonghwa’s confession you felt conflicted. 

After taking a shot, you noticed Seonghwa continuously getting more and more shots throughout the night. You frowned as you see Seonghwa pouring himself another shot with Wooyoung, who both were now very very VERY drunk. Yunho’s best friend Mingi was getting very drunk with them and at some point Yunho decided to take Mingi home. You frowned as you had to say goodbye to Yunho as he left. You gave him a hug.

“Why do you have to go..?” You whined causing him to chuckled at you. 

“I’ll text you okay sweetheart?” Yunho said, making you blush. He gave you a kiss on your cheeks, making you turned bright red. You froze, Yunho gave you a kiss on your cheek. When Yunho and Mingi left, you thought about what happened. Suddenly you were very sober. 

San was next to Wooyoung, holding him up as Seonghwa was holding another shot in his hand. You frown as you walked over and took the cup from Seonghwa.

“H-hey…” Seonghwa said, barely able to say anything.

“I think you’ve had enough Seonghwa..” You said, as he pouted at you.

“No, I’m having fun..” Seonghwa said, slurring all of his words. You sighed.

“San, take Wooyoung to bed and watch him please.. I’ll take care of Seonghwa…” You said, clearing everyone who hasn’t left yet out of Wooyoung’s place. Luckily there wasn’t many people left as most of them had already left earlier in the night with their DD. You sighed, knowing that anyone else that could take Seonghwa home, had already left. You were sure Wooyoung expected people to stay the night, so you took a hold of Seonghwa and try to lead him to a spare bedroom.

“Come on, lets get you to a bed..” You said as you got into the bed room. You managed to get him to sit on the bed and when you were about to go, he grabbed your hand. 

“Do you still like me?” Seonghwa asked. 

“Why?” You asked, remembering his confession earlier in the night.

“Because I like you.. I like you a lot (y/n)..” Seonghwa said, as he started crying. He pulled you into his embrace, as you tried to pull away. 

“Seonghwa, you’re drunk right now..”

“I just want to know, do you still like me?” Seonghwa asked, trying to keep it together.

“I don’t know…” You answered causing Seonghwa to release his hold on you. When you felt him loosen up, you quickly pulled away. But he pulled you back and flipped you to where your back was on the bed. He wanted to kiss you. 

“Can I … kiss you?” He asked, making you blushed. You really didn’t know what to say, but at that moment you said fuck it and pull him into a kiss. It was almost as you had imagined. His soft warm lips, the taste of alcohol was still there but you felt like you’ve melted into Seonghwa’s lip. When you two pulled away, Seonghwa had a smile to him. 

You blushed, seeing Seonghwa’s smile. He fell on top of you and nuzzled his face into your neck.

“Seonghwa….” You say, slightly whispering.

“I miss you…” Seonghwa mumbles upon your skin. You sighed and softly laughed at his clinginess. Your heart was pounding, one part of you is happy to know that Seonghwa likes you, but another part of you is feeling guilty for Yunho. You’ve come to actually enjoy having Yunho around. Yunho helped you through the couple of months getting over your crush on Seonghwa, but you knew that you’ve always had feelings for Seonghwa. Somehow the current boy, who is now knocked out on your chest as you played with his hair, still gave you butterflies and cause your heart to skip a beat every time he looked at you. 

[samsilly12345]

One of my favorite things about retail was the "kill them with kindness" approach.

Thieves in the store? Oh my goodness let me help you, what's your shopping list? It looks like you're not sure where to find something how can I help you? Oh! You almost put that back in the wrong spot, let me just take that to where it goes. Why am I in the aisle with you again? Well I just wanna make sure that everything is alright!

Someone looking to bitch about anything in particular? Oh my ma'am let me ask for the most specific instructions possible and make sure that I do this correctly. Oh you're in a rush? Well I'm sorry then we can either do it the way you want or we can get you out of here fast, both will have the same results, what do ya say?

Someone complaining about something I have no control over? Just agree with them! Oh you think it's dumb that we have to do this this way? Gosh, me too! You hate how we have to start closing? Oh me too I'm a night person I wish we stayed open a little longer, I've really hit my stride around 9pm.

Just straight up agreeing with them throws them for SUCH a loop. I've gotten scolded by superiors for not "defending the company" or for "badmouthing us" but like.. the customer was doing it first, most of the time I DO agree with them and would like it to be changed, and it keeps everyone from being yelled at. The higher ups didn't have much to say after that.

On the flip side, if you can get away with it being sassy is also very very fun.

Someone will eventually gripe about you being happy with a "crappy job" or tell you to go to school, get a real job, etc etc. Cranky with me for being "happy" (trust me 90% it's fake buddy) and asking what I'm so glad about? Dark humor time. Well sir I'm happy that I was able to get out of bed today! I'm happy I'm able to make some money! Or just straight up tell them, if they're really nasty and probably not coming back, that I'm not happy. I'm not happy but I have to pretend to be because people prefer that. I'd like to be left alone and be paid for being sleep.

Tell me I have a crappy job and ask me why I'm here? Well sir they hired me, and without me you wouldn't be able to get your stuff this conveniently. Tell me to go to school or get a real job? I'll tell ya that if I could afford to do it without massive student loans, I would. Plus I don't even know what my preferred profession is!

[acourtofquestions]

Kingdom of Ash Chapter 57

Chapter Highlights (most of the chapter is the highlight lol)

An hour before dawn, the keep and two armies beyond it were stirring.

Rowan had barely slept, and instead lain awake beside Aelin, listening to her breathing.

That the rest of them slumbered soundly was testament to their exhaustion, though Lorcan had not found them again. Rowan was willing to bet it was by choice.

It was not fear or anticipation of battle that had kept Rowan up—no, he'd slept well enough during other wars. But rather the fact that his mind would not stop looping him from thought to thought to thought.

He'd seen the numbers camped outside.

Valg, human men loyal to Erawan, some fell beasts, yet nothing like the ilken or the

Wyrdhounds, or even the witches.

Aelin could wipe them away before the sun had fully risen. A few blasts of her power, and that army would be gone.

Yet she had not presented it as an option in their planning last night.

He'd seen the hope shining in the eyes of the people in the keep, the awe of the children as she'd passed. The Fire-Bringer, they'd whispered. Aelin of the Wildfire.

How soon would that awe and hope crumble today when not a spark of that fire was unleashed? How soon would the men's fear turn rank when the Queen of Terrasen did not wipe away Morath's legions?

He hadn't been able to ask her. Had told himself to, had roared at himself to ask these past few weeks, when even their training hadn't summoned an ember.

But he couldn't bring himself to demand why she wouldn't or couldn't use her power, why they had seen or felt nothing of it after those initial few days of freedom. Couldn't ask what Maeve and Cairn had done to possibly make her fear or hate her magic enough that she didn't touch it.

Worry and dread gnawing at him, Rowan slipped from the room, the din of preparations greeting him the moment he entered the hall. A heartbeat later, the door opened behind him, and steps fell into sync with his own, along with a familiar, wicked scent.

"They burned her."

Rowan glanced sidelong at Fenrys. "What?" But Fenrys nodded to a passing healer.

"Cairn—and Maeve, through her orders."

"Why are you telling me this?" Fenrys, blood oath or no, what he'd done for Aelin or no, was not privy to these matters. No, it was between him and his mate, and no one else.

Fenrys threw him a grin that didn't meet his eyes. "You were staring at her half the night. I could see it on your face. You're all thinking it—why doesn't she just burn the enemy to hell?" Rowan aimed for the washing station down the hall. A few soldiers and healers stood along the metal trough, scrubbing their faces to shake the sleep or nerves.

Fenrys said, "He put her in those metal gauntlets. And one time, he heated them over an open brazier. There…" He stumbled for words, and Rowan could barely breathe. "It took the healers two weeks to fix what he did to her hands and wrists. And when she woke up, there was nothing but healed skin. She couldn't tell what had been done and what was a nightmare." Rowan reached for one of the ewers that some of the children refilled every few moments and dumped it over his head. Icy water bit into his skin, drowning out the roaring in his ears.

"Cairn did many things like that." Fenrys took up a ewer himself, and splashed some into his hands before rubbing them over his face.

Rowan's hands shook as he watched the water funnel toward the basin set beneath the trough.

"Your claiming marks, though." Fenrys wiped his face again. "No matter what they did to her, they remained. Longer than any other scar, they stayed."

Yet her neck had been smooth when he'd found her.

Reading that thought, Fenrys said, "The last time they healed her, right before she escaped. That's when they vanished. When Maeve told her that you had gone to Terrasen."

The words hit like a blow. When she had lost hope that he was coming for her. Even the greatest healers in the world hadn't been able to take that from her until then.

Rowan wiped his face on the arm of his jacket. "Why are you telling me this?" he repeated.

Fenrys rose from the trough, drying his face with the same lack of ceremony. "So you can stop wondering what happened. Focus on something else today." The warrior kept pace beside him as they headed for where they'd been told a meager breakfast would be laid out.

"And let her come to you when she's ready."

"She's my mate," Rowan growled. "You think I don't know that?" Fenrys could shove his snout into someone else's business.

Fenrys held up his hands. "You can be brutal, when you want something."

"I'd never force her to tell me anything she wasn't ready to say." It had been their bargain from the start. Part of why he'd fallen in love with her.

He should have known then, during those days in Mistward, when he found himself sharing parts of himself, his history, that he'd never told anyone. When he found himself needing to tell her, in fragments and pieces, yes, but he'd wanted her to know. And Aelin had wanted to hear it. All of it.

They discovered Aelin and Elide already at the buffet table, grim-faced as they plucked up pieces of bread and cheese and dried fruit. No sign of Gavriel or Lorcan.

Rowan came up behind his mate and pressed a kiss to her neck. Right to where his new claiming marks lay.

She hummed, and offered him a bite of the bread she'd already dug into while gathering the rest of her food. He obliged, the bread thick and hearty, then said, "You were asleep when I left a few minutes ago, yet you somehow beat me to the breakfast table." Another kiss to her neck. "Why am I not surprised?"

Elide laughed beside Aelin, piling food onto her own plate. Aelin only elbowed him as he fell into line beside her.

The four of them ate quickly, refilled their waterskins at the fountain in an interior courtyard, and set about finding armor. There was little on the upper levels that was fit for wearing, so they descended into the keep, deeper and deeper, until they came across a locked room.

"Should we, or is it rude?" Aelin mused, peering at the wooden door.

Rowan sent a spear of his wind aiming for the lock and splintered it apart. "Looks like it was already open when we got here," he said mildly.

Aelin gave him a wicked grin, and Fenrys pulled a torch off its bracket in the narrow stone hallway to illuminate the room beyond.

"Well, now we know why the rest of the keep is a piece of shit," Aelin said, surveying the trove. "He's kept all the gold and fun things down here."

Indeed, his mate's idea of fun things was the same as Rowan's: armor and swords, spears and ancient maces.

"He couldn't have distributed this?" Elide frowned at the racks of swords and daggers.

"It's all heirlooms," said Fenrys, approaching one such rack and studying the hilt of a sword. "Ancient, but still good. Really good," he added, pulling a blade from its sheath.

He glanced at Rowan. "This was forged by an Asterion blacksmith."

"From a different age," Rowan mused, marveling at the flawless blade, its impeccable condition. "When Fae were not so feared."

"Are we just going to take it? Without even Chaol's permission?" Elide chewed on her lip.

Aelin snickered. "Let's consider ourselves swords-for-hire. And as such, we have fees that need to be paid." She hefted a round, golden shield, its edges beautifully engraved with a motif of waves. Also Asterion-made, judging by the craftsmanship. Likely for the Lord of Anielle— the Lord of the Silver Lake. "So, we'll take what we're owed for today's battle, and spare His Lordship the task of having to come down here himself."

Gods, he loved her.

Fenrys winked at Elide. "I won't tell if you don't, Lady."

Elide blushed, then waved them onward. "Collect your earnings, then."

Rowan did. He and Fenrys found armor that could fit them—in certain areas. They had to forgo the entire suit, but took pieces to enforce their shoulders, forearms, and shins. Rowan had just finished strapping greaves on his legs when Fenrys said, "We should bring some of this up for Lorcan and Gavriel."

Indeed they should. Rowan eyed other pieces, and began collecting extra daggers and blades, then sections from another suit that might fit Lorcan, Fenrys doing the same for Gavriel.

"You must charge a great deal for your services," Elide muttered. Even while the Lady of Perranth tied a few daggers to her own belt.

"I need some way to pay for my expensive tastes, don't I?" Aelin drawled, weighing a dagger in her hands.

But she hadn't donned any armor yet, and when Rowan gave her an inquiring glance, Aelin jerked her chin toward him. "Head upstairs-track down Lorcan and Gavriel. I'll find you soon."

Her face was unreadable for once. Perhaps she wanted a moment alone before battle. And when Rowan tried to find any words in her eyes, Aelin turned toward the shield she'd claimed. As if contemplating it.

So Rowan and Fenrys headed upstairs, Elide helping to haul their stolen gear. No one stopped them. Not with the sky turning to gray, and soldiers rushing to their positions on the battlements.

Rowan and Fenrys didn't have far to go.

They'd be stationed by the gates at the lower level, where the battering rams might come flying through if Morath got desperate enough.

On the level above them, Chaol sat astride his magnificent black horse, the mare's breath curling from her nostrils. Rowan lifted a hand in greeting, and Chaol saluted back before gazing toward the enemy army.

The khaganate would make the first maneuver, the initial push to get Morath moving.

"I always forget how much I hate this part," Fenrys muttered. "The waiting before it begins."

Rowan grunted his agreement.

Gavriel prowled up to them, Lorcan a dark storm behind him. Rowan wordlessly handed the latter the armor he'd gathered. "Courtesy of the Lord of Anielle." Lorcan gave him a look that said he knew Rowan was full of shit, but began efficiently donning the armor, Gavriel doing the same.

Whether the soldiers around them marked that armor, whether Chaol recognized it, no one said a word.

"Ready now," Chaol called out to the men of his keep.

This would be it—today. Whether that hope remained or fractured.

Already, the awakening sky revealed two siege towers being hauled toward them. Right to the wall. Far closer than Rowan had last noted when flying overhead last night. Morath, it seemed, had not been sleeping, either.

The ruks would remain back with their own army, driving Morath to the keep. To be picked off here, one by one.

"We have minutes until that first tower makes contact with the wall," Gavriel observed. A scan of the battlements, the soldiers atop them, revealed no sign of Aelin. Lorcan indeed muttered, "Someone better tell her to stop primping and get here." Rowan snarled in warning.

"Archers!" Chaol's bellow rang out. Behind them, down the battlements, bows groaned. Fenrys unslung the bow across his back and nocked an arrow into place.

Rowan kept his own bow strapped across his back, the quiver untouched, Gavriel and Lorcan doing the same. No need to waste them on a few soldiers when their aim might be needed with far worse targets later in the day.

But one of them had to be noted felling soldiers. For whatever it would do to rally their spirits. And Fenrys, as fine an archer as Rowan, he'd admit, would do just fine.

Rowan followed the line of Fenrys's arrowhead to where he'd marked one of the bearers of a siege ladder. "Make it impressive," he muttered.

"Mind your own business," Fenrys muttered back, tracking his target with the tip of his arrow as he awaited Chaol's order.

If Aelin didn't arrive within another moment, he'd have to leave the battlements to find her. What in hell had held her up?

Lorcan drew his ancient blade, which Rowan had witnessed felling soldiers in kingdoms far from here, in wars far longer than this one. "They'll head for the gates when that siege tower docks," Lorcan said, glancing from the battlements to the gate a level below, the small bastion of men in front of it. Trees had been felled to prop up the metal doors, but should a solid enough group of enemy soldiers swarm it, they might get those supports and the heavy locks down within minutes. And open the gates to the hordes beyond

"We don't let them get that far," Rowan said, eyeing up the massive tower lumbering closer. Soldiers teemed behind it, waiting to scale its interior. "Chaol brought the tower down the other day without our help. It can happen again."

"Volley!" Chaol's roar echoed off the stones, and arrows sang.

Like a swarm of locusts, they swept upon the soldiers marching below. Fenrys's arrow found its mark with lethal precision.

Within a heartbeat, another was on its tail. A second soldier at the siege ladder fell.

Where the hell was Aelin—

Morath didn't halt. Marched right over the soldiers who fell on their front lines.

The pulse of human fear down the battlements rippled against his skin. The cadre would have to strike fast, and strike well, to shake it away.

The siege tower lumbered closer. One glance from Rowan had him and his friends moving toward the spot it would now undeniably strike upon the battlements. Close enough to the stairs down to the gate. Morath had chosen the location well.

Some of the soldiers they passed were praying, a shuddering push of words into the frigid morning air.

Lorcan said to one of them, "Save your breath for the battle, not the gods."

Rowan shot him a look, but the man, gaping at Lorcan, quieted.

Chaol ordered another volley, and arrows flew, Fenrys firing as he walked. As if he were barely bothered.

Still, the whispered prayers continued down the line, swords shaking along with them.

Up by Chaol, the soldiers held firm, faces solid.

But here, on this level of the battlements ... those faces were pale. Wide-eyed.

"Someone better say something inspiring," Fenrys said through gritted teeth, firing another arrow. "Or these men are going to piss themselves in a minute."

For a minute was all they had left, as the first siege tower inched closer.

"You've got the pretty face," Lorcan retorted. "You'd do a better job of it."

"It's too late for speeches," Rowan cut in before Fenrys could reply. "Better to show them what we can do."

Rowan steadied his breathing, readying his magic to rip through Valg lungs. He'd fell a few with his blades first. To show how easily it could be done, that Morath was desperate and victory would be near. The magic would come later.

The siege tower groaned as it slowed to a stop.

Just as the wall under them shuddered at its impact, Fenrys whispered, "Holy gods."

Not at the bridge that snapped down, soldiers teeming in the dark depths inside.

But at who emerged from the keep archway behind them. What emerged.

Rowan didn't know where to look. At the soldiers pouring out of the siege tower, leaping onto the battlements, or at Aelin.

At the Queen of Terrasen.

She'd found armor below the keep. Beautiful, pale gold armor that gleamed like a summer dawn. Holding back her braided hair, a diadem lay flush against her head. Not a diadem, but a piece of armor. Part of some ancient set for a lady long since buried.

A crown for war, a crown to wear into battle. A crown to lead armies.

There was no fear on her face, no doubt, as Aelin hefted her shield, flipping Goldryn in her hand once before the first of Morath's soldiers was upon her.

A swift, upward strike cleaved the Morath grunt from navel to chin. His black blood sprayed, but she was already moving, flowing like a stream around a rock.

Rowan launched into movement, his blades finding their marks, but still he watched her.

Aelin slammed her shield against an oncoming warrior, Goldryn slicing through another before she plunged the blade into the soldier she'd deflected.

She did it again, and again.

All while heading toward that siege tower. Unhindered. Unleashed.

A call went down the line. The queen has come.

Soldiers waiting their turn whirled toward them. Aelin took on three Valg soldiers and left them dying on the stones.

She planted her line before the gaping maw of that siege tower, right in the path of those teeming hordes. Every moment of the training she'd done on the ship here, on the road, every new blister and callus—all to rebuild herself for this.

The queen has come.

Goldryn unfaltering, her shield an extension of her arm, Aelin glowed like the sun that now broke over the khagan's army as she engaged each soldier that hurtled her way.

Five, ten—she moved and moved and moved, ducking and swiping, shoving and flipping, black blood spraying, her face the portrait of grim, unbreaking will.

"The queen!" the men shouted. "To the queen!"

And as Rowan fought his way closer, as that cry went down the battlements and Anielle men ran to aid her, he realized that Aelin did not need an ounce of flame to inspire men to follow.

That she had been waiting, yanking at the bit, to show them what she, without magic, without any godly power, might do.

He'd never seen such a glorious sight. In every land, every battle, he had never seen anything as glorious as Aelin before the throat of the siege tower, holding the line.

Dawn breaking around them, Rowan loosed a battle cry and tore into Morath.

This first battle would set the tone.

It would set the tone, and send a message.

Not to Morath.

Impress us, Hasar had said.

So she would. So she'd picked the golden armor and her battle-crown. And waited until dawn, until that siege tower slammed into the battlements, before unleashing herself.

To keep the men here from breaking, to wipe away the fear festering in their eyes.

To convince the khaganate royals of what she might do, what she could do. Not a threat, but a reminder.

She was no helpless princess. She had never been.

Goldryn sang with each swipe, her mind as cool and sharp as the blade while she assessed each enemy soldier, their weapons, and took them down accordingly. She dimly knew that Rowan fought at her side, Gavriel and Fenrys battling near her left flank.

But she was keenly aware of the mortal men who leaped into the fray with cries of defiance.

They'd made it this far. They would survive today, too. And the khaganate royals would know it.

Galloping hooves drowned out the battle, and then Chaol was there, sword flashing, driving into the unending tide that rushed from the tower's entrance.

"To Lord Chaol! To the queen!"

How far they both were from Rifthold.

From the assassin and the captain.

Arrows rose from the army beyond the wall, but a wave of icy wind snapped them into splinters before they could find any marks. A dark blur plunged past, and then Lorcan was at the siege tower's mouth, his sword swinging so fast Aelin could barely follow it. He battled his way across the metal bridge of the tower, into the stairwell beyond. Like he'd fight his way down the ramps and onto the battlefield itself. Below, a boom began. Morath had brought in their battering ram.

Aelin smiled grimly. She'd bring them all down. Then Erawan. And then she'd unleash herself upon Maeve.

At the opposite end of the field, the khagan's army pushed, gaining the field step by step.

Not helpless. Not contained. Never again.

Death became a melody in her blood, every movement a dance as the tide of soldiers pouring from the tower slowed. As if Lorcan was indeed forcing his way down the interior.

Those who got past him met her blade, or Rowan's. A flash of gold, and Gavriel had slaughtered his way into the siege tower as well, twin blades a whirlwind.

What Lorcan and the Lion would do upon reaching the bottom, how they'd dislodge the tower, she didn't know. Didn't think about it.

Not from this place of killing and movement, of breath and blood. Of freedom.

Death had been her curse and her gift and her friend for these long, long years. She was happy to greet it again under the golden morning sun.

[steviescrystals]

guys things are happening

[gibbearish]

Congrats on sending that application!

THANK UUUUUU

[inkskinned]

i think probably magic is real.

the thing is that i was a teacher for a long time and sometimes i come back to this moment in the classroom where a 7 year old asked me are mermaids real? and i stared at her and had no idea how to answer.

for a really long time i just assumed that glow-in-the-dark paint/etc was a result of something made in a lab. i just recently found out that a specific mine in new jersey that just has rocks that do that naturally and it sent me for a loop about stuff.

because first of all - let's be honest, all of us: if there was going to be a naturally-occurring location for uv-activated glow-in-the-dark rocks? it would have to be in New Jersey. that's just the place that makes the most sense for that to happen. probably 10 thousand years ago cavemen were like. "oh this place is gonna be new jersey one day. this has new jersey energy."

the rocks only glow in the presence of uv light and are otherwise just normal rocks. in lord of the rings, there's a special sword that glows in the presence of orcs. it is magic, except that's a real thing that exists (and exists, as we have discussed, in new jersey, of all places). i guess maybe this implies orcs give off uv light.

yeah, okay. magic is just science. i know all the stuff about how ghosts are probably just caused by vibrating pipes. i knew about how there's a reason-for-all-of-this. but what do you mean that there's rocks that give you poison damage if you touch them. what do you mean that we live on the same planet as electric eels. what do you mean that a battery just, like - stores power?

and i don't know. in 20 years maybe they will find a mermaid but they will say something like well she's technically not a mermaid she's this other species, she has whiskers and not hair. and i will have to travel back in time and tell a 7 year old not technically, but there's something that is like a mermaid.

and she will look at me and think that what i am saying is science means magic isn't real and what i am actually saying is science is our word for why magic works. and then i will teach her about uv rocks, and new jersey. i will tell her to be a scientist, which is the same thing as being a wizard. there is probably a reason why sci-fi and fantasy are often grouped together. it is very lucky to be here, i think. if you squint, the improbability of it all - it does kind of feel like spellwork.

[coco-loco-nut]

Gen Z

pairing: Max Verstappen x Reader

summary: everyone seems to forget that Max is 26

a/n: not my favorite, but it’s something i’ve been working on for a while there will be no part two

requests open masterlist

—————

Breaking up with Kelly was extremely difficult for Max to do. Despite not being in love with her anymore, he was very aware of what would happen to P. Max knew it was better to break up than stay just because of P, so he bit the bullet. The next few months were lonely, having to readjust to being alone in Monaco with just his cats.

That’s when you came barreling into his life. Only two years younger than Max, you were a breath of fresh air for him. He really didn’t expect to fall for you, not so quick anyway.

You knew a bit about Formula One, but it was more to the extent that your home hosted a race, some drivers lived in the city, and your hairdresser’s son was a driver. It didn’t phase you when Max told you about his career and fame, you just thought the Dutchman was cute.

“Men who own cats are major green flags,” you told him over text when you first started dating. That might’ve been what really made Max fall for you. You made him feel young, understandably so. He was 19 when he first met Kelly, and she was 28.

Max taught you about the races, you helped him connect with his inner Gen Z. He taught you Dutch and how to game, you taught him slang and pop culture. The two of you were sitting on the couch a month before the Monaco GP, watching Cars of course, when Max asked you to join him at the race.

“Of course, anything for Lightning McQueen,” you squeeze his hand. You knew from TikTok that Charles, your boyfriend’s work husband, was Lightning McQueen, but how could that not be Max.

“Kachow,” Max says causing you to laugh. He has been watching the TikToks and reels you send him, usually something formula one or cars related.

Max is watching Cars 2 with you when he points out each driver in the movie. You store the knowledge in the back of your mind for when you watch classic races and Max explains things to you. You feel sufficiently ready for Monaco.

“Lewis, this is my girlfriend, Y/n,” Max introduces you to the Mercedes driver. You look at him, star stuck.

“I loved you in Cars,” you blurt out, causing Lewis to laugh and Max to hide his face in embarrassment. Max isn’t surprised, but he can’t believe this is how your first interaction is going. Lewis is just happy you aren’t with Max because he is a driver.

“Thank you, how old are you?” Lewis asks, ready to feel old.

“24, two years younger than Maxie,” you smile lovingly at your boyfriend.

“I forgot how young you actually are,” Lewis’s unspoken words hang in the air between him and Max. Now that you are dating someone closer to your own age.

Lewis’s statement seemed to be the general consensus when everyone saw you with him. Max looked and acted like he was 26. He was using slang you taught him, he was making pop culture references that he likely wouldn’t have known otherwise. He was getting to experience his twenty’s like he should have been, not as if he was much older than he was.

Lando was the most excited to meet you, not only were you his age, but you brought out Max’s inner child that Lando never could.

“I’m stealing your girlfriend,” Lando tells Max, wanting to claim you as his best friend.

“No,” Max deadpans.

“What if Lando is my bestie?” you ask Max, who can’t say no to you.

“Then I guess that’s okay,” Max kisses your temple.

“OMG, McLaren is doing another hide and seek video, you two should join,” Lando proposes.

“That actually sounds fun,” Max says, looking at you for confirmation.

“I’m in,” you smile, letting Lando lead the way.

The video is a hit, the fans are loving this version of Max. Max is loving this version of him too, for once he doesn’t feel like he has to grow up faster than he should.

“Stay away from her, she’s no good for you. Act like a grown up,” you overhear Jos tell Max as you come back to the garage from hospitality. You have yet to meet Jos, Max made it very clear that he doesn’t want you near his dad. The memes the two of you send back and forth are a good enough reason why, so you hang back.

“What do you mean? I am. I’m 26, why should I act like I’m 40? I am happier with her than I was with Kelly,” Max argues back, you hold yourself back.

“World Champions are serious, mature. Quit acting like Lando Norris and more like an adult,” Jos is seething.

“Ask Max to come back here, say the team needs him or something,” you as an engineer when you notice Jos getting angrier.

“Then why am I leading by a heavy margin already. You just can’t handle that I am putting myself first. What would you even know about being a champion? You never won a race!” Max yells. The engineer quickly cuts in and leads Max to you.

“You gagged him, baby. Are you okay?” Max hugs you, you just rub his back as he regulates his breathing.

“He’s an opp, for real,” Max mutters into your shoulder, causing you to snort with laughter.

“God, I love you,” you can’t contain the laughter. Max joins in, your smile is infectious.

“I did use it right, no?” Max asks between the laughter.

“You did, I just wasn’t expecting it,” you take a deep breath, calming down.

“No cap?”

“Alright, you are using too much. Where is old man Max, this is freaky,” you take a step back, the smile that remains on your face betrays your words.

“You got me into my gen z era, you get the consequences,” Max pulls you back into him as you groan in annoyance.

“I love you too,” he laughs, peppering your face with kisses.

And when a journalist is brave enough to ask about the shift in Max? He’s always eager to talk about you.

“My girlfriend forced me to watch hours of YouTube compilations about formula one memes. We are always sending different memes to each other, she definitely helps me remember to laugh more,” Max gushes.

“I guess we all forget that you aren’t nearly forty,” the journalist nods. Max answers a few more questions before finding you in his drivers room. He lays down on the couch, his head on your lap.

“What’s on your mind?” you run your hand through Max’s hair.

“Have I changed that much?” he asks, his blue eyes looking up at you.

“I don’t think so, I think you’ve just started being yourself around more people. You are still the same Max that I first met and fell in love with, everyone else is just seeing that Max,” you are confused about the question, but answer him. Max doesn’t reply, he just nuzzles closer to you.

“I like this version of me,” he says into your shirt a few minutes later, you keep playing with his hair.

“I’m glad, but I like every version of you, Max. Even old man Max,” you smile as he sits up.

“Old man? How about I show you how far from true that is,” there is a look in his eye that tells you that you just started something.

“And how will you do that?” you decide to entertain him as he slips his hands under your shirt.

“I don’t think I need to tell you.”

[sweeturavity]

𝓑𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐅𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑

𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇. . when katsuki finally confessed his “big problem”—his baby fever that had been eating away at him for months— tiny feet and starting a family, you were surprised—but safe to say, you weren’t against it.

katsuki bakugo had a big problem. well, not big enough to cause chaos—though he was no stranger to that—but big enough to keep him up at night, pacing his living room like a restless tiger in a cage. how could a man like him—a grumpier version of any grandmother you’ve ever met, a walking volcano of hot-headedness, and someone who never gave a damn about societal expectations—have this kind of problem?

the thing is, katsuki bakugo was hiding a secret. a deep, dark, unbelievably soft secret. one that not even you, the person closest to him, would suspect. because who in their right mind would guess that the mighty explosion master extraordinaire, was an absolute sucker for babies?

yes, katsuki bakugo had a raging case of baby fever.

it started the moment he began spending more time with you—watching you interact with the world, your gentle care for others, and that warmth you exuded that could melt even his gruff exterior. he never really thought about kids before, much less his own. but then he saw you holding a friend’s baby at a small gathering, cradling the tiny bundle in your arms like they were the most precious thing in the world. the way you smiled down at them, the soft cooing noises you made, and how the baby instantly relaxed against you—it was like a punch straight to his chest.

katsuki swore he felt his heart skip a beat. that tiny human looked so damn peaceful in your arms, and for the first time in his life, he imagined what it might be like to see you holding a child that looked like both of you.

ever since that day, the thought just wouldn’t leave him alone. he’d catch himself staring at families in parks, his sharp eyes zeroing in on chubby cheeks, tiny fingers, and wobbly little steps. he even started tolerating kirishima’s stories about his nieces and nephews, though he’d never admit it out loud.

but here’s the kicker—katsuki bakugo was absolutely mortified about telling you. how does a guy like him, who’s built his entire persona on being tough, independent, and borderline unapproachable, confess that he’s been daydreaming about late-night feedings and toddler tantrums? about a miniature version of himself—or, god forbid, you—running around the house?

so he kept it to himself, bottling up those strange, unfamiliar feelings like he did with most things. but every time he saw you, especially when you were in one of those rare, tender moods, he felt that itch grow stronger. he wanted to tell you. he wanted to share this part of himself with you.

and it didn’t take much longer for you to figure out what was going on with your husband. after all, you knew katsuki bakugo like the back of your hand—every scowl, every grumble, every subtle shift in his demeanor. it was easy to notice when something was off, even when he thought he was being sneaky about it.

you saw how his eyes would linger, softening ever so slightly, whenever a baby was around. at first, you thought it was just a coincidence—a rare moment of katsuki being uncharacteristically quiet. but then it kept happening. whether it was at the park, at a friend’s house, or even in the grocery store, he couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from those chubby-cheeked little ones.

and then there were the baby videos. oh, those damn videos. you remembered the first time you caught him watching one. he’d been sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone with his usual scowl. but when you peeked over his shoulder, you saw it—a ridiculously adorable video of a baby giggling uncontrollably at their dog’s antics.

“seriously, katsuki?” you teased, leaning in closer. “didn’t take you for the ‘cute baby video’ type.”

he practically jumped out of his skin, locking his phone and shoving it into his pocket with a glare. “shut up.” he barked, his ears turning a telltale shade of pink. “it popped up on my feed. stupid algorithm.”

but after that, you started noticing more. how his fingers would hesitate just a second longer when he scrolled past a baby video, or how he’d glance at your phone if you were watching something similar. of course, he’d always roll his eyes and mutter something about how “cringe” and “unnecessary” it was for people to post that kind of shit online.

“what’s the point, huh?” he’d grumble, arms crossed over his chest. “ain’t like anyone cares about random babies.”

but you weren’t fooled. not even for a second. the way his voice softened at the end, the faintest twitch of his lips as if he were fighting back a smile—you knew. katsuki bakugo had a soft spot, and it was big enough to fit every giggling baby and their tiny fingers in it.

and now that you knew, it was just a matter of time before you brought it up. because there was no way you were going to let him keep this adorable little secret to himself.

you decided to wait for the right moment, knowing katsuki would probably combust on the spot if you confronted him too soon. patience wasn’t always your strong suit, but for this, you were willing to bide your time.

that moment came one lazy sunday afternoon. katsuki was sprawled out on the couch, pretending to be interested in whatever action movie was playing on the TV, but you knew better. his phone was resting suspiciously close, and every few minutes, he’d glance at it like it was calling his name.

“you know.” you began casually, sitting down beside him and leaning against his shoulder. “you’ve been acting kinda weird lately.”

he stiffened immediately, a gruff ‘tch’ escaping his lips as he shifted under your weight. “the hell are you talking about? ’m not acting weird.”

“oh, really?” you tilted your head to look up at him, a mischievous glint in your eye. “so, you’re saying you didn’t watch that compilation of babies trying lemons yesterday?”

his eyes widened, just a fraction, before narrowing into his usual glare. “you were spying on me?”

“you were sitting right next to me, katsuki. it’s not spying if you’re practically shoving it in my face.”

he grumbled something under his breath, probably a string of curses about how nosy you were, but you weren’t about to let him squirm out of this.

“you know.” you continued, voice softer now. “it’s okay to admit you like them. babies, i mean.”

his entire body went rigid, and for a moment, you thought he might explode—not in anger, but sheer embarrassment. his ears turned that familiar shade of pink, and he refused to meet your gaze, choosing instead to glare at the TV like it had personally offended him.

“i don’t—” he started, but you cut him off with a gentle laugh.

“katsuki.” you said, reaching for his hand and lacing your fingers with his. “it’s fine. it’s not like you’re some heartless robot. you’re allowed to like cute things, you know. even babies.”

he let out a frustrated sigh, running his free hand through his hair. “it’s not like that.” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. “i just. . fuck, i don’t know. ever since you—i mean, we—it’s just been on my mind, okay?”

you blinked, taken aback by his honesty. katsuki bakugo wasn’t the type to bare his soul, but here he was, stumbling over his words, trying to explain something he didn’t fully understand himself.

“on your mind, huh?” you teased gently, though your heart was swelling at his vulnerability. “like. . you’ve been thinking about us? having a baby?”

he groaned, dropping his head back against the couch and covering his face with his arm. “don’t make me say it out loud, idiot.”

you couldn’t help but laugh, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. “you’re such a dork, katsuki. but for the record. . i think you’d be a pretty amazing dad.”

that got his attention. he peeked at you from under his arm, his crimson eyes searching yours for any hint of doubt or teasing. when he didn’t find any, his expression softened, and he let out a quiet, almost relieved breath.

“yeah?” he asked gruffly, like he didn’t quite believe it.

“yeah.” you said firmly, squeezing his hand with a warmth that made his chest ache in the best way. “and, you know, maybe it wouldn’t be the worst idea to start our own family.”

katsuki could feel his heart skip a beat, the words settling over him like a blanket of relief and excitement all at once. he stared at you, wide-eyed and a little stunned, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he’d just heard.

you were more than happy with his idea.

he didn’t know what he was expecting—maybe teasing, maybe some sarcastic remark to brush off the heavy topic—but this? this genuine, heartfelt agreement? it floored him.

“you— you mean that?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual, almost hesitant.

you smiled at him, your expression so soft and full of love that he thought he might melt right then and there. “of course, i mean it, katsuki. i’ve been thinking about it too, you know. and seeing how you are. . it just makes me feel like we’d be good at this. together.”

his throat felt tight, and he swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check. katsuki bakugo didn’t cry, damn it, but this moment—this you—was doing something to him he couldn’t quite explain.

“yeah, well.” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away, his ears still bright red. “don’t think i’ll be one of those soft-ass dads who lets the kid get away with everything.”

you chuckled, leaning closer and wrapping your arms around his middle. “no, you’ll be the dad who pretends to be all tough but secretly sneaks them sweets when i’m not looking.”

“the hell i will.” he shot back, but the corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk.

you chuckled softly, the sound filling the quiet room as you glanced up at your husband. your eyes met his, and in that moment, they said more than words ever could—full of love, trust, and the unspoken promise of a future you both were starting to dream about together.

katsuki’s crimson gaze softened in a way that was reserved only for you. his calloused hand moved with a gentleness that never failed to surprise you, his fingers slowly tilting your chin up to meet his.

“c’mere.” he murmured, his voice low and rough, but carrying a warmth that made your heart flutter.

before you could reply, his lips brushed against yours, firm yet tender, a kiss that spoke volumes. it wasn’t just a kiss—it was reassurance, excitement, and an unspoken vow all wrapped into one.

you melted into him, your hands sliding up to rest against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your palms. it was moments like this that reminded you just how deeply katsuki loved, even if he wasn’t always the best at putting it into words.

slowly, the kiss deepened, the soft tenderness giving way to something more heated, more desperate. katsuki’s hands moved on instinct, his grip firm yet gentle as he guided you onto his lap. the motion was seamless, almost as if it was second nature for him to want you this close, to feel you against him.

his hands found their way to your waist, fingers pressing into your sides in a way that made your breath hitch. it wasn’t calculated—it never was with katsuki. his movements were raw, driven by pure feeling, as if his body knew what he wanted before his mind could catch up.

you tangled your fingers in his hair, tugging lightly, earning a low growl from deep in his chest. the sound sent a shiver down your spine, and you couldn’t help but press yourself closer, your knees bracketing his thighs as you straddled him.

“you’re somethin’ else.” he murmured against your lips, his voice husky and rough as his hands tightened their hold on your waist, pulling you even closer. “always makin’ me feel shit i never thought i’d feel.”

you smiled against his mouth, your own fingers sliding down to trace the sharp lines of his jaw. “maybe i just have that effect on you, katsu.”

“damn right, you do.” he shot back, his lips trailing down your jaw and along the column of your neck, leaving a searing trail in their wake. his breath was hot against your skin, and the way his hands moved—one slipping up to rest against the small of your back, the other holding your hip firmly in place—made your head spin.

the movie playing in the background was long forgotten, the only sounds in the room now the soft gasps escaping your lips and the low, gravelly noises katsuki made as he kissed you like he couldn’t get enough. and truthfully, he couldn’t.

[wcters]

𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗬

pairing: lando norris x fem!gymnast!reader

summary: a new quadrant athlete and lando norris hit it off

warnings: fluff, established relationship, nothing else really, these warnings are mostly just notes on what is in these | faceclaim is sunisa lee, this is definitely one of my favourites that i’ve done 😌

yourusername and quadrant

liked by quadrant, landonorris, and 423,731 others

yourusername so excited to announce that i am joining quadrant athletes !!!!! had such a fun time filming so keep your eyes peeled

view all 374 comments

maxfewtrell so excited to see what’s in store!

user1 nah cause we all knows he’s going to eat them up

keeganpalmer i totally had that last one

↳ yourusername i don’t doubt that, you did really well 👏

landonorris so hyped for this

user2 love love love

riabish finally another girl to join me and lotte❤️

↳ yourusername us girls have to stick together 👯‍♀️

↳ lottevandrunen401 hell yeah we do 💪💪

user3 she’s going to humiliate them in any gymnastic challenges 😭😭

↳ user4 she’s naturally good at everything, i wouldn’t be surprised if she does that for every video

quadrant 👀👀

quadrant

liked by yourusername, landonorris, and 47,093 others

quadrant GOLD MEDALIST GYMAST vs GOLD MEDALIST SKATEBOARDER vs LANDO NORRIS

can keegan palmer and lando norris beat y/n y/l/n at different gymnastics levels? full video out now!

view all 148 comments

user1 they knew they were cooked from the first level 💀💀

user2 their reactions were priceless

yourusername good try boys 💪 I’m just too good

↳ maxfewtrell someone needed to get lando’s ego down a couple notches

↳ landonorris that’s so not true

user3 keegan actually did pretty well

user4 with a little more training keegan could do a lot of hard moves

keeganpalmer i’m very proud of myself 😌

landonorris i’m going to stick with race car driving

user5 i would pay to see max’s reactions to lando falling from the bar 💀

f1gossip

liked by user1, user3, and 18,762 others

f1gossip   lando norris seen partying with friends in a club in london this weekend 🇬🇧 

view all 75 comments

user1   brother does not stop 

user2   are my eyes playing tricks on me or is that him and y/n in the third photo???

↳ user3   no i see it too, keegan is there as well

user4   did you see them giggling and whispering to each other in the new video? something definitely happened that night

user5 y/n looks like she’s enjoying quadrant

user6 all of the boys brought their significant others except lando and y/n

↳ user7 maybe they brought each other 👀

yourusername

liked by user1, landonorris, and 307,264 others others

yourusername 👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻

view all 195 comments

user1 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

keeganpalmer slay

↳ yourusername slayyy

user2 that’s lando’s hair colour….

↳ user3 and also like half of the population 💀

user4 the one time lando likes but doesn’t comment??

maxfewtrell who could this be?

↳ yourusername i have no idea 🤔

user5 the club photos and now this? the evidence is STACKING against them

yourusername added to their story!

f1gossip

liked by user1, maxfewtrell, and 83,901 others

f1gossip lando norris talking about his new girlfriend in a post race interview at the hungarian grand prix! who could this mystery girl be 👀

view all 134 comments

user1 MY GOOD LUCK CHARM 😭😭

user2 whoever she is, she’s lucky

user3 max what are you doing here?? 🤨

user4 it’s totally y/n, all the signs point to her

user5 he totally let that slip by accident and just went with it 💀

user6 did anyone else see y/n at the mclaren garage?

landonorris

liked by yourusername, maxfewtrell, and 1,024,018 others

landonorris yeah, my baby’s a gold medallist. what about yours?

view all 307 comments

yourusername love you ❤️

yourusername did me dirty on the last picture though

↳ landonorris i love that one 😕

user1 he’s so proud of her 🥺

maxfewtrell there were so many times he almost let it slip

↳ landonorris it was not that many

↳ maxfewtrell mate, i started a counter

↳ landonorris don’t believe this, this is all slander

user2 we all knew it, you weren’t too good at hiding it

user3 we could tell you liked her from the first video

yourusername

liked by landonorris, keeganpalmer, and 381, 064 others

yourusername another prize i get to have 😚

view all 204 comments

landonorris ❤️

user1 she called him a prize 😭😭 she loves him so much

user2 his face in the first one 💀

↳ yourusername it was his reaction to when i asked what he made

keeganpalmer dude i was about to burst i couldn’t keep it a secret anymore

user3 i know they love to mess with everyone

↳ theofficalfng mate they do

maxfewtrell good, now he’ll stop complaining about being single 🙄🙄

user4 maybe she’ll help him get better at gymnastics

↳ user5 i can imagine it 💀 lando would be like “i’m tired” and y/n standing there with a hand on her hip like a mom going ‘really?’ 🤨

↳ yourusername can confirm 😐😐

↳ landonorris all you guys are getting sued for slander

[foldingfittedsheets]

So I spent 7 of the hours on my 10 hour shift doing pretty much nothing but draw and take notes for the book my beloved are writing.

Then at the eighth hour I had three consecutive groups came in all looking for the exact same bed which is wild in itself. They all three wanted Nectar and I talked all of them into other beds cause fuck Nectar.

But essentially the time I would normally have eaten dinner was swallowed in a haze of running around between folks. I ended up spending the last three hours trying to juggle multiple folks. I sold 15k in those three hours which is wild.

Finally, at the end it was half an hour after close. I was starving and frazzled so I hurried through closing duties. I just wanted to get home and eat. The store I was at is about 15 minutes from my home. It wasn’t until pulled in to my parking spot at home that I suddenly realized: I didn’t lock the door.

I was hungry! And stressed! I looked at the battery on the electric car and I could have gotten back to the store but I wasn’t confident the battery could actually do the whole round trip again.

I called my manager profusely apologizing and saying the my other car wasn’t home yet and the store isn’t in the best neighborhood. He panicked and said he’d go lock it up. I apologized more.

My wife got home and we got some very late food, settling my system down finally. When we got home again my manager called me back.

“Brother,” he said. I instantly knew what was happening from his tone.

“No,” I whispered.

“You locked it.”

“Noooooooooo!” I wailed. “What the hell! I have no memory of locking it, I was so sure I didn’t, I’m so sorry!!!”

My wife scooted up to the phone and added, “Do you like cupcakes? We’re gonna make you some cupcakes.”

So that’s how my night went.

[demilypyro]

My father chases ghosts.

In a moment of uncharacteristic boldness, I once questioned my father on why he treated me with such cold detachment. Why his advice only ever seemed to come in the form of lecturing, and why he never hugged me, or even said he was proud of me. His words in that moment caused the small amount of respect I had for him to shake. He told me that he saw it as the mother's role to love a child, and that it was the father's role to keep the child on the straight and narrow. After some contemplation, I decided in that moment that I disliked him, not just as a parent, but as a person.

My father doesn't have a father. He was the product of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy between an interracial couple in the 60s... My grandmother was never willing to speak about what happened to my grandfather. I can only imagine he didn't stick around long, since my father never knew him, and grew up with only his mother. And it's always been clear to me that this bothered him. The man idolizes masculinity. Maybe desperate for a father figure, he found role models in his grandfather, whose portrait still hangs in his house and which he treats with great care, and his stepfather, whose surname he took (discarding his mother's last name) and passed on to me. Supposedly, his stepfather left his mother in a matter of years, so why my father idolizes him so, I don't understand. I've never met the man.

Perhaps similarly, my father left his mother's care the second he turned 18. Having lived with my grandmother for some years when I was in college, I can honestly understand why. She is prone to smothering the people she loves. In light of that experience, it maybe becomes easier to understand why my father would prefer a more distant form of parenting. Still, I don't agree with his philosophy on gender roles.

Some years after I transitioned, I had a conversation with my father that stuck with me. He said that he actually saw himself as rather unmasculine, a possibility that had never once occurred to me. With that in mind, I suppose he is somewhat short, and not especially muscular. He told me he had always felt insecure about it. But, unlike me, he had never once considered abandoning the pursuit of masculinity entirely. Rather, in his own words, he felt he needed to chase it even harder. To live up to the image he'd set for himself. The ghost of masculinity.

A lot became clear to me in that moment. My father is obsessed with chasing ghosts of how he thinks things Should Be. My mother once told me how he had this "plan" for where he wanted to be in life at each age. He wanted to live on his own by 20. He wanted to be married by 30. He wanted children by 40. When he found out my mother was pregnant, he married her as fast as he could. My mother didn't really care, but he said they HAD to be married before the baby was born. Things had to go in the right order. According to him, that was just how things Should Be.

He was chasing the ghost of the perfect nuclear family that was denied him.

They divorced when I was eight.

In light of all this, it becomes very clear why he acted the way he did when I was younger. I wasn't how his child Should Be. No matter how many things I was diagnosed with, he never bothered looking into what neurodivergency was, or how to deal with it, and simply held me to the standards of a neurotypical child. My mother tells me that when I was six, he yelled at me in a store for wanting to try on a dress. His child being autistic was something to be ignored until it went away. His child being transgender? Forget it.

In recent years, I think my father has started giving up on me. In a good way. Seeing me become happier as my transition progresses seems to have finally convinced him that he doesn't understand what's best for me, at least somewhat. I speak to him maybe once a month. But I often mourn the idea of a father I could've been closer to. A father with whom I could have had a relationship of love, and support. A father I never had.

Maybe I'm chasing a ghost too.

[thirdsaltyhunter]

If I Catch You

Summary: Dean chasing you through the halls of the bunker in a ghostface mask, what more do you need

Warning: SMUT, if I catch you I f*ck you trope, mask k*nk, choking, praise, edging, manhandling

A/N: did I forget to post this yesterday cause I was to busy partying... yes but hopefully you'll enjoy this enough to forgive me

You had always loved Halloween even despite being a hunter. It brought back the happy memories from your childhood, when there were no worries, the monsters were only people in masks and the good guys always won at the end of every scary movie. Dean shared your appreciation for the holiday. Even before you and him started dating, you would often spend Halloween nights curled up on motel beds, watching horror marathons with all the snacks and sugar you could handle. Sam on the other hand didn't see the appeal. Sometimes he would join you in your movie watching, but it was mostly to appease you and avoid ridicule from Dean.

This year you and your boyfriend had the bunker all to yourself. Sam had chosen to spend the night with Eileen and leave the two of you to your festivities.

The empty bunker allowed the perfect opportunity for you and Dean to play out a fantasy that you had talked about a few nights before, when you were cuddled up bingeing the Scream franchise.

"Ghostface is hot," you blurted randomly in the middle of the movie. You mostly said this to see his reaction, but there was a hint of truth to your statement.

"Why?" he said in utter confusion. He paused the movie and looked down at you in his arms.

You shrugged. "I don't know masked men are just hot."

"Masked men?" he tried to hide the hint of amusement.

"Oh yeah, it's a real popular thing now. I can show you all the thirst trap videos."

"Yeah I don't need to see that."

You laughed at his look of disgust before he continued.

"So what your saying is that I need to get a Ghostface mask, hm?" he said with a smirk.

"I mean I wouldn't mind, have you chase me through the halls in it." You tilted your head back to face him, your lips almost touching.

"What happens when I catch you?", he asked with a devious smile, his hold on you tightening slightly.

"You'll have to find out," you responded, your voice sultry and teasing.

"I think that can be arranged."

One costume store purchase later and you found yourself in only a set of sexy underwear, standing in the empty hallway. The concrete floor was cool under your bare feet, but your racing pulse kept you from being cold.

Dean had given you a head start before he would try to come and find you. Your excitement was growing. He wasn't going to chase you, if it came down to a sprint race, Dean would win every time. No, he was going to hunt you. You knew this made the game more even, but you also knew that he was crafty and smart. Though in all honesty you wanted to be caught, you were just going to be a little tease before you let him find you.

You had just rounded the corner by the kitchen, when the power went out, causing the bunker's red emergency lights to come on.

Nice touch, you thought.

You heard his voice echo through the hall, signaling that he was coming to find you. Your adrenaline was pumping. Not out of fear, you knew Dean would never hurt you, but out of anticipation for what would happen when he found you.

You slipped into kitchen looking for a spot to hide. Unsatisfied with the spots, you head to the library. You hid in the far corner behind one of the shelves and waited. You listened for his footsteps but heard nothing, years of hunting had trained him to be light on his feet. When you finally heard his voice call your name he was much closer than you expected. He purposefully stepped heavy coming up the stairs from the War Room, his boots thudding against the stone.

You took the opportunity to dart out the door in the back of the library. The bookcase blocked you from his view, but he definitely heard the door shut. You bolted down the back hall, heart pounding as you rounded the corner just as the door opened behind you.

Quietly you slipped into one of the bedrooms and hid under the bed. You listened until his footsteps passed the door and went down the hall. Crawling out from your hiding spot, you checked to make sure the hall was empty before sprinting the opposite direction.

As you ran past the next hall you saw him rounding the other end. You picked up the pace, knowing he had seen you. You turned the next corner and stopped, pressing your back against the cool tile wall to catch your breath. When you decided the coast was clear you went to move to the next hall, when an arm wrapped around your middle, you back pinned to his chest.

You tried to wriggle from his grasp just making it free when you stumbled. You caught yourself, but his hand caught your ankle dragging you across the polished concrete floor and pulling you under him.

He rolled you over and you came face to face with the black eyes and long mouth of the mask, illuminated by the red glow of the lights. This was the first time you had actually seen him in the mask and it was even hotter than you imagined. When he pinned your hands above your head you knew you weren't getting away.

"Gotcha," he growled.

"What are you going to do with me now?" you said through panting breaths, partially from running, partially from how incredibly turned on you were right now.

"You'll have to find out," he responded before using one hand to pull his belt from his jean and loop it around your wrists.

Ok that was hot.

When your hands were secured, he stood up scooping you up off the floor and tossing you over his shoulder, delivering a quick smack to your ass before walking toward your shared bedroom. It wasn't often that he manhandled you like this and you were loving every second of it.

When you got to the bedroom, he tossed you onto the bed and straddled your legs. He hooked two fingers into the belt around your wrists.

"You want this to stay on?" he asked.

You nodded eagerly. Even being dominant and aggressive, he never wanted to push you limits, solely focused on giving you what you wanted.

"Stay," he ordered, getting up from the bed to strip down to his boxers, leaving the mask in place.

You watched him with lust blown eyes, your chest still rising and falling rapidly as you admired his body. He moved to the end of the bed, grabbing your ankle and pulling you to the end. Your underwear was pulled down your legs and tossed over his shoulder. He wrapped you legs around his hips and you could feel his clothed erection. You moaned grinding down on him until his arm crossed you hips, holding you still.

He ran two finger through your slick. '"So wet for me. Is this just from me chasing you?"

You nodded again.

He lowered to his knee, his masked face coming level with your dripping cunt. Two of his fingers dipped into you, immediately curling into the spot that made your back arch and your knees weak. Your head fell back letting the pleasure wash over you.

From the box under the bed, he pulled out your vibrator. He planned to torture you tonight.

"Don't cum until I'm inside you. Do you understand me?" he said turning the toy to the lowest setting and pressing it to your clit.

"Yes," you moaned, hands gripping the sheet above your head. You didn't know how long you were going to last. You were already on the edge of release and he had hardly touched you yet.

As you got close he removed the vibrator, running his hand up your thighs and squeezing your hips to sooth you. You whined and looked at him between you legs. You tried to give him your best puppy eyes, but you couldn't see his expression. You only were met with the blank stare of the mask and the vibrations returning to your sensitive cunt.

He continued teasing you, edging you another four or five times. You hated it and loved it at the same time. It amazed you how he knew exactly where to keep you on edge, or at least it would amaze you, if there was a single part of your brain that could think straight.

"Dean," you whined again, desperate for release.

"Beg for it," he responded sternly, fingers dipping inside you again.

"Please, fuck me." You squirmed, you didn't know if you wanted to get away from he sensation or fuck yourself on his fingers.

He sped up his motions and leaned over you body until he was face to face with you. You could just barely see his eyes, but you knew he was watching you fall into ecstasy.

"Please," you begged.

He removed his fingers and dropped his boxers. His cock was thick and dripping precum, edging you had teased him almost equally as much. He pulled your hips even closer to the edge of the bed and hooked your shaking legs over his shoulders. His hands gripped your hips firmly as he slid into you, filling you completely.

He watched your face as your head fell back in pleasure, a loud moan escaping your lips.

"That's my girl," he praised, running his hands up and down your sides, desperately trying to keep himself together.

He started thrusting into you, slow, but so deep you could hardly take it.

"Look at me," he said, his hand came up to circle around your throat to put your attention back on him.

Your eyes opened to watch as he fucked you. You could see a blush of exertion creeping down his neck from under the mask. He gently added pressure to the sides of your throat as the speed of his hips increased.

Your hands reached for him as you got closer to falling apart. Noticing how close you were, he started to circle your clit with his thumb. You came with cry of his name, your hand gripping his forearm, his hand loosening from your throat, causing you to feel almost high.

He planted his hand beside your head as his hips stuttered and he came with a deep moan. You both stilled for a few minutes, panting and trying to regain your bearings.

After a moment, he gently pulled out to go get a towel to clean up your combined mess. You squirmed from the sensitivity as he wiped you down. He whispered an apology before tossing the rag and undoing the belt from your wrists.

Finally removing the mask, he ran a hand down his face and smiled down at you. It was funny to see him have that boyish grin after playing the sexy, dangerous slasher for the past hour. He lifted you up to place you at the top of the bed against the pillows.

"That was awesome," he said, laying down beside you and wrapping you in his arms.

"Yeah it was, I fucking love you." You laughed and buried your head in his neck.

"I love you too sweetheart, and I love that I can do things like this with you."

You nodded in agreement before you started to feel how worn out you were.

Both of you were exhausted from your activities and quickly fell asleep, deciding to take a nap before settling down for a night of Halloween movies and junk food.

[lightseoul]

Hiii congrats on 2k! Can you please do no. 22 for this event. Love you💗

hello, nonnie! thank you so much for the greetings <3 and yes, of course! this was so fun to write lol it practically wrote itself. hope this one makes y'all laugh! and love you too 😚

(this is lightseoul’s 2k milestone event ft. bakugou katsuki! to play, view the numbered list of prompts here, then simply send an ask with your chosen number and i’ll whip something up!)

22. "ARE YOU SINGLE?" (1.3k)

none of this would’ve happened if shitty hair—the hulking brute of a gentleman he begrudgingly calls his best friend—didn’t notice.

they were just taking a short albeit much-needed water break at the tail end of the day-shift patrol, the unforgiving sun having pushed them to near dehydration (as it always does) as they guarded this rather quiet part of the city.

and to be fair, it’s not like he did it on purpose.

he was just briefly but thoroughly scanning the area, like a responsible pro-hero on duty would, when his eyes laid on you.

“what was that?” kirishima, who just downed an entire 500 mL liter of cold water they got from the convenience store a block away, suddenly pipes up from right beside him.

“what.”

when the redhead doesn’t say anything for a beat, bakugou chances a glance at him, only to find the man sporting a shit-eating grin.

bakugou feels himself bristle.

kirishima’s grin only widens. “you just did a double take at that girl.”

“what girl?” bakugou grits out, feigning ignorance.

but any plans he had to keep that charade up practically fly out the proverbial window when the damned hardening hero moves to unabashedly point in your direction, and before his mind can catch up, his body lunges forward to restrain the man’s arm.

the man in question laughs. “i knew it.”

bakugou only scowls at him before shoving him away, as if he wasn’t the one who threw himself onto the guy in panic. kirishima takes it in stride, though, used to years of his friend’s rough treatment, taking the opportunity to look at you instead.

“ooh, she is cute.”

“shut up.”

bakugou fights the urge to follow his friend’s line of vision, knowing all too well what’ll greet him at the end of it.

he admits his gaze might’ve lingered a beat too long, not that he’ll ever admit that to his patrol buddy.

no, he’s taking that secret with him to the grave.

“let’s go say hi.”

bakugou instantly looks up in alarm, but before he can lunge forward again and hold the stupid fucking man back, kirishima is already up and crossing the street, the traffic lights having conveniently turned green for pedestrians just a moment ago.

he pauses for a second, the urge to flee and hide from you before his best friend does something to embarrass him and the curious need to go do say hi raging a tug of war inside of him.

but if there’s one thing he knows for certain as a pro-hero, it’s that a second’s worth of hesitation can cause irrevocable damage.

and so with gritted teeth, he follows suit and crosses the street, and in just a few strides, he finds himself trailing slightly behind the redhead, who’s now merely several feet from where you’re standing, holding to your chest what seems to be a clipboard.

you notice kirishima first, probably having heard the heavy booted footsteps of the two men, turning on your heel at the sound. your eyes widen at the sight, before your face morphs into a look of recognition and… pleasant surprise?

“oh gosh—” you start, eyes annoyingly fixed on his best friend, “—red riot, hello!”

“heya, …” kirishima trails off, and you promptly supply him with your name.

his pr prince of a best friend beams at you. “nice to meet ya!”

and only then does his presence seem to register to you, because your gaze finally drifts to him, and your smile falters for just a millisecond before you school your features into a polite expression.

“hello, mr. dynamight, sir.”

he feels his eye twitch at the salutation, and he doesn’t have to look at the pro-hero beside him to know that the guy is watching the scene before him in mild amusement. he doesn’t know how else to respond if not to ask you why the fuck he’s being treated so formally while you regard shitty hair with subtle familiarity, so he settles with a grunt.

that seems enough to satisfy you, though, because you swiftly turn back to kirishima. “my best friend is a huge fan of yours, by the way.”

and as kirishima readily accepts the compliment and thanks you, bakugou finds his mind singlehandedly honing on what you just said.

your best friend is a huge fan of kirishima, not you.

also, that means your best friend is a fan of his best friend.

and if the four of you were to pair up, perhaps on a double date…

bakugou shakes his head at the thought, and perhaps too aggressively, because he catches both of your attention, the two of you glancing at him with worry.

“you okay, bakubro?”

he steals a glance in your direction, which he instantaneously regrets, because he makes eye contact with you. he immediately averts his gaze, choosing to face the guy instead.

“‘m fine.”

kirishima hesitates. “you sure?”

bakugou only tosses him a glare.

“i’m gonna take that as a yes,” kirishima shoots back, before returning the smile on his face and shifting to regard you. “anyway, we were just taking a short break from patrol and wanted to check in. everything alright here?”

that apparently is enough to make you light up. bakugou’s gut churns in what is absolutely not jealousy.

“yeah, thanks!” you reply, gratitude bleeding into your tone. “i was just—” you trail off, eyes shifting down to that clipboard you’ve been clutching this entire time, before: “you know what, do you guys have a minute?”

“sure!”

“no.”

kirishima whips to look at him. “come on, bakubro! let’s help the citizens out, yeah?”

and bakugou doesn’t know why or how, but his mouth runs off before his brain or heart can dictate to him what to say.

“yeah,” he mutters, “for all i know, this is just a fucking pyramid scheme.”

instantly, the air around the three of you goes quiet.

that is, until kirishima pipes up. “he’s just joki—”

“thanks, red riot—” you cut him off, much to bakugou’s surprise, his eyes shooting up to look at you whose lips are now pulled into a tight line.

“—but i think only dynamight here fits my research’s inclusion criteria.”

your what?

and before he could even comprehend the last three words you just uttered, you bring up your clipboard and pen like you’re about to jot something down, and hit him with it.

“are you single?”

bakugou only gawks at you, too stunned to speak. although he apparently doesn’t have to, because you continue.

“are you?” you repeat, before laughing dryly. “of course you are, what with that fucking attitude…”

at that, kirishima instantly barks out a genuine laugh, his booming voice reverberating throughout the street, even startling the cat perched on top of those large garbage disposals.

bakugou, on the other hand, only gapes at you in horror, because who would’ve thought the pretty girl from across the street was a fucking rude ass potty mouth?

a fucking rude ass potty mouth who could clock him like that?

“does he tend to go speechless like this?” you ask kirishima a few moments later, who’s still shaking in suppressed laughter.

“no,” the pro-hero finally replies after catching his breath. “you’re the first one i’ve ever seen make him this way.”

“really?” you reply, voice low and laced with sarcastic disbelief.

“he is actually single, though,” kirishima quickly adds, much to his chagrin. “…if you’re interested.”

as if on cue, you finally turn to look at bakugou, and he—swear to god—feels his heart stop when you glance at him, something akin to curiosity hidden amidst your features.

but he doesn’t get to bask in it, though, or in its implications, because his dipshit of a best friend drawls on.

“if you are, though, that’s great—”

oh, don’t make him do it.

“—because he finds you very much attra—”

BAM!

[where-does-the-heart-lie]

ASL Apocalypse AU

I was looking through old art and i found a page of those outfits for Sabo and Ace and i knew what i had to do cuz those fits are super cute. I did add a bunch of details, but as a whole, those are the original designs. No i will NOT share this old art , if anyone asks, they will be sent to The Dungeon.

Some extra details 👇

I dont know what caused the apocalypse in this universe, probably some kind of nuke or something.

Ace and Sabo knew eachother before the fallout, they were both 10 at the time. They found Luffy, or should I say Luffy found them, afterwards. I think the story would be essentially the same as their original plot. I just think that sabo “dying” wouldnt happen, and he just wouldve gotten that scar from the event that caused the apocalypse. Although, if it was a nuke that caused everything, the people who signed off on dropping the nuke could still be the celestial dragons in this case, so sabo would still get that scar from em!

I imagine these guys fightin people for abandoned convenience store resources, making tarp camps for themself, helping weary travelers on their way, and finding new clothes on dead people… yeesssss… aesthetic…

The un shaded/saturated versions

[sturniolothinkr]

sleepy ⋆ matt sturniolo

summary: you’re drained after work, seeking to cuddle matt. instead, you mistake chris for him.

contains: fluff, a bit of jealous!matt, best friend!chris, light cursing, use of y/n.

word count: 968

a/n: based off the ask i sent to @dazednmatthews a while ago :) im sorry if its not good, im still nervous about writing on here 😭

the day felt never ending. you were on your feet the entire day, having to do more than usual at work due to the amount of call outs that happened.

you were exhausted, and feeling very drained overall. you promised matt you would go over there to hang out when you were off, and all you wanted to do was take a hot shower then take a nap with him.

as soon as you made it to your boyfriend’s house after work, you let yourself in and headed straight for his shower before anything else.

the hot water felt soothing against your sore muscles, your eyes shutting as you grew more and more tired. you did your best to hurry up with your shower, washing your hair and body quickly and rinsing yourself off. the sooner you got out, the sooner you could sleep.

once you were done, you shut off the shower and stepped out. you dried yourself off, before hurrying into matt’s room with the towel wrapped around you.

a frown made its way onto your face when you took notice that matt wasn’t in his room like you thought he would be. you figured he was in the living room, so you shrugged it off as you dressed yourself in a pair of shorts and one of his shirts.

as soon as you were done, you tossed the used towel into his laundry basket before you left his room. you rubbed your eyes tiredly as you walked to the living room, hearing the tv playing an episode of spongebob.

there was a sleepy smile on your face as you spotted who you thought was your boyfriend sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone. you plopped down next to him, immediately curling up beside him and resting your head on his shoulder as you struggled to keep your eyes open.

“uh..” chris began, looking away from his phone to look at you then around the room in confusion. “y/n? what are you doing?” he added, his eyebrows furrowing as he was processing what was going on.

you reached a hand up and put your finger to his lips, ���sh. tired.” you mumbled, dropping your hand as you let your eyes finally fall shut.

chris let out a quiet laugh, wondering if you knew it was him and didn’t care or if you were just so tired that you thought he was matt. either way, he found it funny and he felt too bad to reject your sleepy state.

he could tell you were very clearly exhausted and must’ve had a long day, so he was letting it slide.

“love you, matt.” you mumbled, your hand holding his arm now.

chris held back the loud laugh that threatened to escape, pressing his lips together as he used his free hand to pat your head. “yup. love you too, y/n.” he replied, knowing matt was going to be so confused when he came back from the store.

it didn’t take long for you to completely fall asleep, your weight leaning into chris as he returned to his scrolling on his phone. he lowered the volume on both the tv and his phone, as a way to not disturb you, remaining unmoving so you could continue to rest peacefully.

about twenty minutes went by, when he heard the garage door opening and the sound of matt’s car pulling in. chris held back his laugh as he imagined the look on his brother’s face, seeing his girlfriend cuddling him instead as she slept soundly.

the sound of matt and nick bickering was heard once they entered the house, footsteps making their way up the stairs.

“no, i’m just saying that-“ matt cut himself off when he rounded the corner and caught view of you and chris together on the couch.

matt stopped in his steps, taking in the sight with an eyebrow raised and the grocery bags hanging from his hands.

“alright, so i must be seeing things cause what the fuck?” he finally spoke up, as chris began to laugh.

your boyfriend set down the groceries as he made his way toward the couch, taking in the view of you cuddling up to his brother with his arm locked in your grip and your head resting on his shoulder. your lips were slightly parted, and it was obvious you were deep in sleep.

“listen, okay, she’s so tired that she thought i was you. i didn’t want to move her or some shit! look at her, she’s so peaceful.” chris began to defend himself, trying to keep his voice a bit quiet.

matt shook his head, while nick laughed from behind him.

“oh, this is so good.” nick said, giggling as he pulled his phone from his pocket and snapped a few pictures.

matt huffed and made his way around the couch to sit down on the other side of you. his hands were on you in seconds, protectively pulling you into his side instead.

a noise of complaint left your lips, a sleepy mumble of “fuck off” coming from you as your comfortable position was being moved by your boyfriend.

that only made chris laugh harder, as he threw his head back against the couch cushion and clapped his hands together.

your boyfriend hushed you, wrapping his arm comfortably around you. “sorry, baby. i’m here.” he whispered, feeling your body relax as you heard his voice in your half asleep state.

you mumbled something he couldn’t pick up, easily falling back asleep as matt glared at chris who kept bragging about you cuddling him.

“yeah, yeah. enjoy it while you had it. that was the first and final time.” matt stated, his hand gently playing with your hair while a scowl was on his face.