#didn't married in red come out a few months ago??

[momentomori24]

How Studio Investigrave come out with banger games back to back before I can finish a single fanfiction makes me wanna grab a laptop and start aggressively typing before flipping the whole table

[thelostconsultant]

The bet

pairing: Lando Norris x reader

summary: You and Lando got married before the beginning of the season, but no one knows you're together. You make a bet at the wedding, and Lando truly believes he can get through the season with everyone believing he's single.

fc: The one in the red hoodie is just a random girl from pinterest, while the other two are AI generated. Don't take it seriously. The other photo is also from pinterest.

“What?” you asked, although the question came out more like a bark than a well formulated question.

Lando had been watching you with that stupid grin of his for long minutes now, and you couldn't hide your annoyance any longer. You loved him, you really did, but God, was he annoying sometimes. As you waited for his response, he held up a finger and opened a video on his phone for you.

It was him at the last race weekend, standing on the stage with Oscar. Nothing new. But then he talked about being single, and after this part he quickly moved over to the comments. Everyone was either offering to date him or felt sorry for him, there was no in between. But you couldn't feel sorry for him. 

“You're still gonna lose,” you told him with a laugh.

With a thoughtful hum, he wrapped an arm around you and pulled you against his chest. “You read the comments. I'm the people's princess, they feel so sorry for me. No one suspects a thing. I'm safe,” he said with a confident smile.

Over half a year ago, on the day of your secret wedding at a remote part of the world, the two of you had made a bet. You said he wouldn't be able to keep this secret, that there was no way he could last this season without people finding out he was not only in a relationship, but married too. He begged to differ, saying he was pretty good at keeping secrets.

Now, after all those months, you sometimes had your weak moments when you were sure you would lose, although this was something you were under no circumstances about to tell him. His ego was already big enough when it came to the bet, the last thing you wanted was things getting worse in this sense.

If he won, he would get the right to decide when and how to announce your marriage. And if it was up to him, it would be a hard launch, like a wrecking ball crashing into a building to tear down the walls. He wanted chaos, he wanted everyone to know how much he loved you. It was flattering, really, but could he not?

Because Lando wanted a big, flashy event with all of his friends from on and off the grid, and he wanted alcohol to flow like water while the music blasted loudly around you. It would only come to an abrupt stop the moment he grabbed the mic and announced how much he loved his wife, only to cause the guest to murmur loudly as they tried to figure out if he was just drunk or dead serious.

If you won, it would mean people found out about you, so your prize would be something other than how you made this relationship public. But what could you ask for? So, in the end, you told him you would get to make a wish one day when you figured out what you wanted, and he couldn't say no when you asked.

As of now, people didn't know about you at all. You were just a nameless McLaren employee to them who sometimes showed up on photos with the rest of the team. To make sure you could stay in the background, he even asked one or two girls during the time you were still in the dating phase to pose as his girlfriends for a while. It would only come with a few photos and posts, sometimes appearances in the paddock. Nothing serious, really.

While you could wear your wedding band all the time, Lando didn't have the freedom to do the same. Sure, he had it, safely locked away with the rest our your jewelry until the day your marriage became public. Now he only had a necklace with a pendant you chose, your initials engraved into it with small letters so it wouldn't be so obvious on photos.

“I've been thinking,” you suddenly said, moving your head a little so you could look him in the eye. When he let out a questioning hum and flashed a smile at you, you reached out to play with his pendant. “Why don't we raise the stakes in our little bet?”

Lando kissed your cheek, then he said, “You hate it that I'm winning.”

Rolling your eyes, you let out a sigh. “No, I just had an idea for a little experiment. What if you wore your wedding band on the next race weekend?” you asked with an innocent look on your face.

It was mean, you knew that, because this would surely draw attention to him. Him wearing the ring could only result in losing the game. But you had to do something, you wanted to win. Well, you just didn't want your dear husband to win, but that was almost the same. 

“That would be too obvious,” he replied with a shake of his head.

“Buy a few more and say you're copying Lewis,” you offered with a cheeky grin. 

He shook his head with a laugh, then took a deep breath. “And what do I get if they don't notice?” 

You had thought a lot about this, because you knew it had to be something big, something he really wanted. And there was only one thing that came to your mind. “You get two kids,” you told him casually. 

But Lando wasn't stupid, he knew this was the moment to negotiate. “Hmm… You know I want a big family. Three and I'll do it.”

He would lose anyway, so why would you say no? “All right, three. But if I win, we'll only have one,” you reminded him.

He nodded before leaning down to kiss you. “I’ll win, so you can start picking names,” he said with a confident grin.

You: Sorry, babe, you officially lost the bet. <link>

A few seconds later your phone rang, and you answered Lando’s call with a satisfied smile on your face. You just wanted to rub it in his face, you wanted him to know he lost the bet. To be honest, ever since you’d seen this post, you’d been thinking about what to ask for, and a soft launch of your relationship sounded quite nice. 

“I didn’t lose,” he said right away. 

“You saw the post, someone spotted the ring.”

To your surprise, Lando started to laugh, a carefree sound that made it clear he was sure he was winning this. “Do you want me to remind you that you’re not here with me right now? And that video of us was recorded during the summer break in Greece. The bet was about me wearing the ring this weekend. So no, sweetheart, you definitely did not win this one,” he explained, and you could see that smug smirk on his face. 

“Still, the original bet–”

He tutted to interrupt you. “No, no, you changed the rules with the ring. I won. No one noticed it this weekend.”

“Let’s call it a tie,” you tried, although you knew he had you in a corner now. 

“I want to talk about the prize,” he began, waiting until he heard you hum to let him go on. “We agreed that if I win, we’ll have three kids, if you win, we’ll only have one. If it’s a tie, then fine, let’s settle with two.”

You remained silent for a while as you thought about this. He was right, it would be only fair to reach a compromise, and in this case it involved the number of your future children. If it was a tie, then two was the logical conclusion, there was no reason to argue with him. So, you took a deep breath that you let out slowly until you gathered your thoughts. “All right, fine. And what about us? I mean, our relationship. Do we keep it a secret, or…?”

“What do you want? If you’d rather not be in the spotlight, we can deny everything if there'll be a bigger buzz about that tweet,” he said kindly, his patience with you painfully obvious. 

But you didn’t want to hide, you wanted things to be out in the open now. “I’d say let’s do a soft launch with mysterious posts for a while. But if you have a different idea, I’m open to it,” you assured him. 

Lando let out a thoughtful hum. “We have a short break now, soooooo… Okay, we do the soft launch, but you come to the next race with me, as yourself, not disguised as a McLaren team member, and we’ll wear our rings and everything.”

“That’s pretty much a hard launch.”

There was a scoff on the other end of the line. “You get almost two weeks of soft launch, what more do you want? Come on, I need you by my side,” he begged you sweetly. 

You agreed. There was no way you could say no to him.

liked by oscarpiastri, martingarrix and 522,145 others

landonorris: My wife, the queen of the house 😍🥰❤️

tagged: yourusername

view all comments

yourusername: LANDO!

⤷ landonorris: Yes, love?

⤷ yourusername: You said you'll give me two weeks. That's it, you're sleeping on the couch when you get home.

oscarpiastri: What did I miss? Last time we talked, you were chronically single.

⤷ landonorris: I don't know what you're talking about, I've been happily married for over half a year.

⤷ user1: WHAT?!

user2: Lando being married was not on my bingo card.

maxverstappen1: My wedding invitation must have been lost in the mail.

⤷ landonorris: Sorry, it was just the two of us.

user3: I'm so happy, you deserve all the love!!!

user4: We have a new WAG, woo-hoo! I already like her. But please yourusername don't make him sleep on the couch 😭

⤷ yourusername: I'll reconsider that decision.

[often-daydreaming]

Road Trip

It was... It was always just a fight but the last one between Jason and Bruce had been one of their worst and things only escalated after he accused Jason of having something to do with the Joker's disappearance.

It was another thing to hold against him. Another excuse to keep the Red Hood at arms length but Barbara knows Jason wasn't anywhere near Gotham when the clown went missing. Bruce checked. Tim double checked, but she knows because it wasn't like Jason was even trying to hide from any of them.

He was just traveling.

At first it was with the rest of the Outlaws for a bit and on and off after for a while afterwards with the rest of his team joining up at different points along his trip across the country.

He'd spent weeks spent on the road from New York to Pennsylvania before anyone even noticed the Joker was gone, then took a detour down to Atlanta and through Kentucky. The weekend after that was spent traveling between Michigan and Toronto and a surprising sighting in Kansas which was one of the only stops she still didn't understand since he'd have to be traveling all night just to get to that small town he'd been spotted in and Jason didn't seem to be in any hurry.

A part of her had been tempted to call Kara and see if she'd look into the matter for her but cases kept piling up and they got busy. If it wasn't the usual villain of the day causing trouble then it was the power vacuum left behind by the still missing Joker or one the guys getting into trouble. So she left it alone.

Jason didn't seem like he was in any trouble. He'd come back sooner or later. He always came back. Except he didn't. Weeks turned into months, then a full year passed them by as sightings of the Red Hood grew less and less frequent and it was only a preemptive notification she sat up so long ago that reminded her of Jason's absence as she stares down at the computer monitor playing a few seconds of footage displaying a small crowd of people, the Outlaws, some of Young Justice and the Titans along with a few other people who were cheering him on as he slipped a ring on some red haired woman's finger. The context was clear enough but she didn't find out more about the what and why until later that night when Roy sent out an update to the rest of the Titans claiming dibs on being the best man.

The above is just something that I cobbled together after reading a few Jason leaves Gotham fics and the thought of Jazz killing the Joker for (insert reasons) so my mind kind of jumped to Jason living out his best Cinderella moment, chasing after, flirting (along with getting threatened by a pair of overprotective parents) and road tripping with his team while trying to find the woman who lost her bloody baseball bat. After they meet he's just doubling down on everything with the intent of marrying her, Jazz getting her own little road trip, telling Jason where they're going next or even making a game out of if he can find her at the next stop on the Fenton family supernatural hunting/cataloging road trip cause I know they love talking about ghost but the image of Jack and Maddie fighting Bigfoot is amazing.

And the Fentons are happy for the two of them. At least he wasn't another Johnny. They had Tucker check just to be sure while everyone else just kind of assumes the rest of the bat family already knew when it was actually a mix of (we're super busy right now) and (maybe things will be a little peaceful if we give Jason some space) leaving Bruce trying to play catch up and depending on if he's reformed having to outdo Vlad who is already paying for everything.

[sugarlywhispers]

Yk that lava girl fix you made? I thought about how she can cover herself in lava..what if rain and water hurt her?

During fighting a super evil villain with bakugou (they're married) he starts speeding out rain and it injured her badly turning parts of her skin that was touched into sort of obsidian?

✨️these are really good questions that made me think of them for a few days so i could imagine the actual answers~

This is mostly what I took as inspiration for Y/N in this drabble:

Her body elevates in temperature to the point were you can see the lava running through her body, and her hair becomes complete lava, long locks or stings of lava she can use as weapon to capture things or villains (if the villain is something like those monsters of metal–she is not that heartless to burn people alive, even if they are villains).

Because she is basivally lava, the general answer is yes, Y/N can't fight in her lava form when it's raining. It actually hurts when her body transforms into obsidian–which is hard rock. I imagine that she becomes really good at fighting in her normal-human body so when this type of weather comes, she actually doesn't need to use her lava–if it's not for forming some kind of refugee or it's actually useful to help other heroes and civilians. She just stays on the helping civilians and rescue team during that kind of weather.

But I also imagined the first time Bakugou saw Y/N become obsidian because a villain threw water at her. He almost lost it when he heard your painful scream as you suddenly became rock. Like a statue, figure laying on the floor, hugging yourself in fetal position because of the pain. And nothing but simple rock.

He saw red. He went on a rampage, vengeance mode, so ready to tear and break and kill, that Deku and Red Riot had to interfere.

The villain was sent to the hospital, with custody of course. And Dynamight... he fell to his knees by your side, tears streaming down his face, body trembling with adrenaline and pain. You have told him water was your weakness, but he had never imagined it to this point. He didn't know it could kill you. He could have been more conscious, more careful of what villains crossed your path. He could have done so many things. He could–

The rock that surrounds you starts to break, the sound making everyone at the scene gasp as it moves. Bakugou doesn't understand what's happening...until it finally breaks completely and you emerge, taking a deep, long breath, in your normal form.

He watches you with big, wet eyes, almost not believing what he's seeing, as you say, "Fuck! Well that fucking hurt..."

People around start to clap and laugh because you're so... you.

And Bakugou feels... like he can breathe again. Like all that pain he felt seconds ago just dissipates in the air like the smoke that came from the rock breaking and making you born again, like a Phoenix rebirth from its ashes, so beautiful and so majestic.

He looks down and sobs, which immediately alerts the rest of the heroes and they start to pull everybody away from the scene.

"Oh, baby, I'm okay..." your arms surround his neck and he instantly reacts, hugging you back and hidding his face in your chest and neck.

Least to say, that image, Dynamight kneeling on the ground crying, with his wife comforting him, were the talk of the month. And what actually gave him the stop of Number One Pro Hero on the list for almost six months, until Deku beat him again with some other bullshit he did. But at this point, no one is concerned about the spots on that list. Dynamight and Deku go up and down between the first and second place all the time.

That is, until Y/N finally gets her breakthrough and wins first place for almost 5 years in a row.

And Bakugou can't shup up about how awesome his wife is.

[natti-ice]

you’re my favorite writer! could you pls make one of eddie asking chrissy/fem!reader to marry him? 🥹🥹

Thank you so much<3

Pairing: Eddie Munson x fem!reader

Warnings: established relationship (0.9k words)

Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated<3

"Come on baby, we're almost there" Eddie reassured you as he led you deeper into the woods, his hand wrapped around yours gently pulling you towards your destination. He refused to tell you where you were going, he even made you put on a blind fold just to ensure the surprise wasn't ruined. You could only tell you were in the woods because of the sound of leaves being crushed under your feet and the sounds of crickets filling the dead air with their song.

"How much further?" You ask, you're starting to get a little nervous about what he has in store. Eddie has never been the best at keeping surprises a secret, every birthday or holiday when he gets you something special he ends up spoiling the surprise because of how excited he is to give it to you. He tries so hard to keep his mouth shut but the overwhelming desire to make you happy wins every time.

"Just a few more feet, I promise" you can feel his hand becoming clammy, he's definitely nervous about something but you can't figure out what it is. Eddie being nervous wasn't a new thing in your relationship, in fact when you first started dating he was nervous all the time. On your first date you were surprised he didn't pass out after he asked to hold your hand, his face was beet red and he kept twisting his ring on his index finger as he stuttered over his sentences. A lot of girls would find that unattractive or that he lacked confidence in himself but you found it endearing, his soft smile and his nervous laugh as he asked about all your hobbies showed you that he was truly interested in you.

When he asked you to be his girlfriend officially, you would've thought someone had just handed him a million dollars with how happy he was. You could see all his teeth with that big goofy smile plastered on his face after you said yes, you remember that day so vividly, it's crazy to think that it was almost four years ago now. Since then, your relationship has been a dream come true. Eddie has been the best boyfriend you've ever had but he's an even better friend, even when you two hit a rough patch he was there for you when you needed him.

"Watch your step- riiight here" Eddie stops you in your tracks and turns you to face north "no peaking, keep that blind fold on until I say take it off okay?"

"Okay" you say hesitantly, your heart starts to race as you anticipate what you're about to see. You hear Eddie take a few steps away from you and take a deep breath before speaking "alright you can take it off" his voice shakes slightly.

You slowly untie the bandana wrapped around your head and pull it off, you let your eyes adjust to the light being looking at your surroundings. You look at the ground and realize that you and Eddie are standing in the middle of a heart made out of lit candles, you look up at him and see that soft nervous smile he gave you on your first date.

"What's all this, Eddie?" You question, his hands shake slightly as he grabs both of yours gently.

You see all his emotions on his face, he looks down at your hands as he speaks. "This is something I've wanted to do for a while now" he swallows thickly before finally meeting your gaze. "I love you so damn much and I can't wait another day to ask you this" he releases one of your hands and digs into his pocket and pulls out a box. You immediately know what's going on, your heart is now pounding so hard you can barely hear him speak. You dreamed of this moment for years and now it's finally here.

He slowly gets down on one knee and looks up at you, "you are the love of my life, I have never met anyone in my life who gets me the way you do. I've spent months trying to find the best way to ask you this," he starts then chuckles softly to himself "hell, I've been trying to come up with something romantic to say as we walked up here but I realized I just need to tell you how I feel." He shakily opens the box revealing a ring with a modest diamond on it "I love you more than anything in this world, it would be the greatest honor if you'd agree to be my wife... will you marry me?"

You could feel every hair on your body raise as you hear those words, he actually wants to marry you, of course he's always said he has but right here, right now he's asking you officially.

"Yes" you blurt out before you could think about an answer, you didn't have to think because you knew. You always knew.

His nervous smile turns into one filled with pure joy, "yes? You really want to marry me?"

You giggle softly "yes, more than anything!" He laughs as he takes the ring out of the box and puts it on your finger. He immediately stands up and pulls you into a tight hug, you can feel his heart pounding against your chest as he holds you close. "I love you so much" he whispers in your ear

"I love you too, baby" you hold back tears as you cling onto him. He pulls back slightly to look at you before pulling you into a passionate kiss.

Tags: @eddie-munsonscoffin @ali-r3n @thebiggestnaturaldisaster @olives-and-sunshine @arthurcerverogf @thepurplelovewitch @luv4peterba1lard @boa-hemian

Join a tag list!

[strawberrystepmom]

to forgive is divine & to err is human

pairing: Natsuo Todoroki x F!Reader (romantic), Touya Todoroki x F!Reader (familial)

word count: 7.5k

about: when Touya is released to Natsuo’s care following his 8 year prison stay, the fragility of the dynamic between the three of you threatens to derail everyone involved.

contents: cw: contains descriptions of depression, trauma, smoking, bad coping mechanisms, alcoholism, Touya dyes his hair black in a white sink (ugh). angst with a happy ending, set in canon universe but not canon compliant, established relationship between Natsuo and reader (married), Touya and reader are both assholes at certain points.

notes: tbh I've been meaning to repost this and since I'm currently in my "yes girl give us nothing" era, the time has come. Thank you to everyone (then and now) that has read this baby bc I did indeed put my ol' Kendussy into it so I didn't really change anything about it other than fixing grammar and I'm sure there are still mistakes. This is is how I wrote a year ago and that's okay and I'm proud of how far I've come.

Posting this as a double feature bc it feels too idk self promo-y to split them up again so enjoy my creature feature with my beloved Natsuo and his stinky brother. chain divider thanks to @/cafekitsune ♡

The large, red letters across the paperwork make your eyes hurt by simply gazing at them. 

“RELEASED” stamped with what you can tell was a mostly dried out ink pad, the red darker at the beginning of the word than at the end. You wish you could close the growing pit in your stomach knowing Natsuo will soon arrive back to your home, rehabilitated brother in tow, but the uncertainty makes it hard to settle as you re-stack the documents given to you by the Hero Public Safety Commission when they formally announced they would permit Touya’s release so long as someone would be responsible for him.

When the conversation came up, Natsuo volunteered without a second thought. It hurt at first that he did not ask you before making the decision but after having spent nearly a decade at his side, you trusted his judgment. Six months after the initial inquiry, you still do. Touya is a practical stranger, someone you have only met through grainy video chats, but you have been briefed by many HPSC coordinators. They have conducted home visits, interviewed both of you as if you were the criminals, combed through every bank account and piece of mail to ensure that they are putting their inmate into good hands. A good word from Endeavor, something your husband reluctantly accepted, sealed the decision. Your eyes scan over the handwritten letter from Enji, tucked in the stack of documents. 

“No one is more qualified to care for his brother Touya than my son Natsuo. He is a licensed medical professional, specializing in psychology and mental health services and has experience in dealing with traumatized children. I ask that the Commission consider no other placement for Touya.”

A tired sigh escapes as you flip through a few more pages, squinting through descriptions of you and Natsuo. Your personalities, your hobbies, where you work, who you associate with - all vital information, the panel assured you. The final page of the documents has the official ruling, the top left corner of the page curled in from how many times the pair of you have read over it.

“Todoroki Touya, thirty two years of age, is to be released to the custody of his brother Todoroki Natsuo, twenty eight years of age. Todoroki will be required to wear a location monitoring device at all times per the agreed upon terms of release. He is not permitted to be in contact with any of his prior associates. If contact is initiated, he will be required to return to the custody of the HPSC immediately and will no longer be eligible for release.”

Your eyes scan the document again and again, searching for some kind of strange loophole that could prevent all of this from happening. Guilt crawls up your spine and makes you shudder at the thought. How could you not want this for your husband? He has spent years dreaming of having a second chance to love his brother differently, to help him heal. It makes you feel vile to even entertain negative thoughts about Touya. 

Touya. You know little about the man aside from his name, or names, rather. His time as Dabi concluded, he was sentenced to 8 years of rehabilitation instead of prison. A victim of child abuse needed recovery, the commission reasoned, and they were willing to give him the space to do so within reason. The entire Todoroki family agreed with and supported the commission and their decision, his siblings and parents being granted permission to visit him if they chose to do so. 

Natsuo went as frequently as possible, excitedly telling you how much his brother has improved after every visit, eagerness infectious. You listened to his every word, rapt, as he talked about how different Touya looked now that he was eating well, how far he had come, how he seemed emotionally stable for the first time in his life. Genuine excitement danced in his eyes at the thought of having his brother back, not a shell of a boy or a man. Not Dabi but Touya, someone who was cruelly taken from him when he was too young to fully understand why. 

The true agony was seeing the metaphorical stitches ripped open, cruelly and callously. The entire country was witness to the explosive truth - Touya Todoroki was alive. Even Fuyumi with her limitless poise gnawed her lower lip hoping it would ground her enough that she could stay strong for everyone else. “I can handle this,” she assured you as you wrapped your arms around her shoulders the day after the video aired. She knew the person who would need you the most was her brother. Looks were deceiving - Natsuo was big and strong, a grown man, but his feelings were delicate. She trusted no one but you to look after him.

Natsuo had only asked you to be his girlfriend weeks before his brother revealed his true identity publicly. You will never forget the way grief was etched into all of his features, his strong brow downturned for weeks; retraumatized. It took every ounce of strength in his body to muster a smile, much less anything else, but he did it. For Fuyumi and Shouto, for his mother. 

You can remember every moment of the years following Touya revealing himself. The nights when Natsuo woke up sobbing, burying his face into your chest and balling the fabric of your shirt up between his fists as if it would keep him from losing touch with reality completely. He stopped eating for days at a time, depression sinking him into depths he didn’t know existed. You were always there with a soothing touch and okayu, a rice porridge Fuyumi taught you to make for him. 

“When Touya died, it’s all he would eat,” she explained. Your heart crumbled at the thought of a 13 year old version of your beloved future sister in law having to keep her 9 year old brother moving through the pain of loss. How did they keep themselves together?, you wondered more than once as she breezed through the difficult times with a tight smile. 

The more you watched the man you love sink, the more conflicted you felt about Touya. Those feelings lingered even into today. Natsuo is healing, therapy and love and compassion all coming together to create a whole man instead of pieces of a hurt child in a big body, but you can’t help the simmering anger you feel when you think about watching him experience the hurt in real time. Some memories stay etched forever. 

Natsuo continued to live despite the difficult times. You helped him study and make his way through medical school - a feat that he often credited you wholly for. It wasn’t true but the praise always feels good. Three years after Touya was sentenced, Natsuo opened his clinic that offers a variety of therapeutic services for children with difficult quirks or those who have suffered because of them. A year after that the two of you were married. 

“I knew you were the one when you gave me a reason to keep trying,” he tearfully admitted as you exchanged vows during your small wedding ceremony. The details weren’t for everyone else to know, but the pair of you knew exactly what he was talking about and the admission still makes you feel weepy if you start to think about it for too long.

Love feels like too shallow of a word to explain how you feel about him which is why you agreed to this in the first place - your love for Natsuo is stronger than your distaste toward Touya. You remind yourself of the mantra as you hear voices outside of your front doorstep, one immediately recognizable as belonging to Natsuo. You stand and take a deep breath, composing yourself and closing the file folder on the table as the door opens and the two white haired men crowd into the small genkan, talking amongst each other. 

“We’re here!”

A practiced, measured smile is what you can manage as you watch the situation carefully. Touya scratches the back of his head and offers a small and impersonal wave and you’re surprised by how different he looks. Thin but healthy, his skin grafts have been properly secured, his lashes are the same white as the ones that frame your husband's kind, gray eyes. The similarities between the two are striking but so are the differences - Natsuo greets you with a smile and a peck on your forehead and Touya glowers from the doorway. 

“Welcome home, Touya,”

He looks around, eyes narrowed as he takes in the sights of your well lived in home. It reminded you eerily of the way the representatives from the commission sullied your safe place away slowly, searching every corner to make sure you would not enable any more bad behavior from the man standing in the doorway. Your home had only just begun to feel like yours again.

“Nice place. Guess that’s what being married to a doctor gets you.”

His crass comment made you feel stricken, flinching slightly as your practiced smile wavers. You aren’t Fuyumi, full of endless grace and forgiveness - you can’t fake it. You aren’t Natsuo who believes in the potential of people more than anyone you’ve ever met. You are you and right now you are angry. Clenching your fists in a way you hope is imperceptible, you fake a laugh and your husband looks at you with wide eyes, noticing your change in demeanor.

“Well, it’s your place too now. Guess that’s what being a doctor's brother gets you.”

Touya purses his lips and nods, arms folded across his chest. You look over his scars, his healed skin, his cold eyes. “Do you want to show him to his room, babe?” Natsuo asks, voice shaky, as if he’s anxious for your response. “I can find it myself,” Touya answers for you, heavy boots in his hands as he pads through your home toward where his room lies. You spent weeks helping Natsuo prepare it for him, filling it with photos and books to help him gain back the time he lost while he was away. The taste in your mouth is nothing short of bitter and sour as you think about it.

“I don’t know what that was about, I asked him no-,” you raise your hand, cutting your husband off mid sentence as your fake smile finally falls and gives way to a slight frown, corners of your mouth downturned. “Don’t worry about it.” 

Touya has always felt suspicious of you. Your intentions, your affections for his brother, your involvement with his family - it’s hard not to be uncertain about someone who fits so flawlessly in the dysfunctional outline created by being a Todoroki. What are you hiding? What do you want? 

He tosses his boots down on the floor of the room at the end of the hallway. Instinctually, he knows this is his space. Covered with childhood photos of the Todoroki family, a quilt he received as a child covering the bed, he wants to be impressed with the effort put in but instead he feels hollow. This life never fit him in the first place, happy smiles for photos and dinners and whatever the fuck was expected of him, and now he had no choice but to live it. 

It is a hell of a lot nicer than the four white walls that housed him for eight long years. The bed looks a lot more comfortable, he thinks as he settles down on the edge of it, lying back with his arms behind his head. Fixing his gaze on the ceiling, he takes a moment to think in the silence of the space. The entire car ride his brother talked about you and your life together. Touya eventually began to tune him out, watching the trees pass by the window with the occasional red light flashing on his monitoring anklet catching his attention.

Rehabilitated. The connotations of the word weighed heavily on Touya - one fuck up and it would be so easy for you to convice Natsuo to send him back. You could never understand him the way that his family does. You couldn’t forgive him the way they had either, something both of you would never communicate to each other. 

“Hey,” Natsuo’s voice rasps from the doorway and Touya sits up slightly, grunting his response. “You like it alright?”

“It’s fine.” 

Natsuo sighs, carefully entering the room and shutting the door behind him as he slumps down on the bed next to his brother, shoulders sagging beneath the weight of the huge change that has come over his otherwise peaceful life. “You don’t have to lie, Touya.”

Touya sits up, using his elbows to support his weight, and offers a half smile toward his brother. “I’m not lyin’, it’s fine. Just feels like too much.”

Natsuo nods, trying to tamp down his urge to play therapist instead of brother. It was something he did all too often growing up and probably why he has made fixing people his mission in life. Touya was no exception.

“It’s the least we can do. You’ve been through a lot.”

We, Touya thinks to himself. Always we. He wonders how much Natsuo has surrendered of himself for your sake. Does he have any hobbies besides being a doting husband? Is his world filled with anything besides this little bubble the two of you live in?

“Don’t act like she had anything to do with all of this, Natsu. I was released to you.”

Touya slips a hand in his jacket pocket and fishes around for his pack of cigarettes, popping one out of the packaging with expert precision and sticking it between his lips as his brother sits next to him silently. “Lemme guess, need to do this outside?” 

Natsuo nods and Touya sighs, sliding off of the bed and leaving a rumpled quilt behind him. Heavy footsteps trail down the hallway as he peers into the kitchen and notices the backdoor, quietly slipping through it only to be met with a glowing red cherry on the other side, smoke streaming from your mouth as you stand with a cigarette between your fingers.

“Didn’t take you for the type,” he starts, pulling his lighter from his pocket and clicking it until a bright flame catches the cigarette dangling from between his lips. Once upon a time he would’ve just used his quirk but the prescription blockers he was given by court order prevented that. “All he ever talks about is how perfect you are.”

“Looks can be deceiving,” you shoot back, flicking your cigarette ashes onto the ground below before taking another drag. 

The mutual distrust permeated the air between the two of you. Touya reminded you so much of your father in law it was like looking at another version of him. You reminded Touya of everything he hated about this world - false pretense and unattainable perfection. He doubts you have ever walked around without a hair out of place, a Todoroki would never.

“Any other deep dark secrets I should know before being trapped inside of this house with you 24 hours a day?”

You chuckle, dropping your cigarette on the ground and stomping it out, bending to pick up the butt once you’re done. 

“Your brother won't let me drink anymore,” you start, hoping the vulnerability warms your brother in law. His steely gaze convinces you otherwise and you begin to walk away, arms folded over your chest with a cigarette butt in your fist. “Just another fun part of the aftermath of your little warpath.”

Touya knows he fired the first shots but he’s taken aback at your accusatory tone. 

“Anything else you want to question me about? Figured the commission briefed you on all of my dirty laundry.”

He shakes his head and exhales smoke through the corner of his mouth, the plumes drifting in your direction. “Good chat, Touya.”

The back door slams as you enter your home through it, windows rattling slightly. Your first instinct is to pour a drink but the reminder of your rock bottom lingers on your mind as you instead toss your cigarette in the trash and turn down the hall and head to your bedroom, Natsuo sitting on the bed.

“Why does he hate me so much?”

You hate how hysterical your voice sounds, anxiety rising like bile. Rising to his feet, your husband gathers you against his chest and presses a kiss to the top of your head. 

“Give him time, he’ll warm up.”

You don’t share your husband’s boundless optimism as you hear the back door slam and hear footsteps heading to the bedroom opposite yours. Natsuo plants another soft kiss atop your hair and squeezes your hand gently as he walks back over to Touya’s room. 

“You alright?” Natsuo asks and Touya rolls his eyes, shrugging off his jacket and draping it across a hook on the back of the door. “Fine. Thanks for the concern.”

Natsuo slips through the door completely and closes it softly behind him, leaning against the solid wood.

“What happened out there?” 

Touya chuckles and shrugs, sitting on the bed in the same place he had left. “Nothing worth mentioning. I’ll make sure I keep my bottles hidden from her though.”

His eyes widened, Touya’s antagonistic tone nothing new, his shock coming from the fact you told him about your struggles with substance abuse in the first place. It wasn’t a secret but it certainly wasn’t a fun fact you gave out at trivia night. 

“Uh, yeah, thank you.” Natsuo fumbles through his words, unsure of the right thing to say. “That would be great. She has come a long way but there are still times that are difficult, especially when big changes occur.”

Your substance abuse issues began about a year after your marriage. Blissful happiness wasn’t enough to numb the intense pain of the years prior but copious amounts of whiskey while Natsuo was busy with work were good enough. Blind confidence convinced you he didn’t notice a thing, not your sunken eyes or decreased appetite, but he did and he confronted you as gently as he could.

The next day you started therapy of your own and have continued to go to meetings for others struggling with addiction since then. Nothing drastic has happened in your life since you quit drinking, calm falling over the Todoroki household, making it easier for you to maintain your wits.

He would never say it but Natsuo truly worried about your sobriety. Every time he left for a trip or wine was passed around at family dinner, he wondered if it would be the day you changed your mind. Sticking with you was easy, though. You did the same for him at his low point and he would never stop doing it for you.

“She smokes, you know that?”

Natsuo nods, Touya’s raspy voice breaking the silence caused by his brother’s overthinking. “Have to let her have one vice, you know?” 

“I think you forget that you weren’t the only person who had to live through that fucking horrifying life! It didn’t just go away when you did.”

Your voice cracks as you raise it at your brother in law, his turquoise eyes wide as he watches you yell with an intensity that leaves your hands shaking. He has never looked more like your husband than he does now, the same white hair sticking up on top of his head, his fingers carding through it and yanking the strands as he paces your living room floor. 

“There are times I don’t think you realize that your actions have always had consequences because you’ve truly faced so few of them,” you feel your face flame as Touya’s expression turns from surprised to angry. “You didn’t have to clean up the messes. I did.”

Seeing the similarities makes something inside of you crack, a piece of your heart perhaps, your chest heaving. Regret consumes your mind; you’ve gone too far. You struggle to catch your breath, rubbing your fingers over your cheeks to hide evidence of your tears. Silence blankets the room like a dense fog.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

Your voice sounds meek and thin even to your own ears, the screaming match you have been engaged in rendering your throat raw. Painfully, you swallow what little spit you can and shut your eyes tightly as you listen to Touya’s rhythmic footfalls. Taking a deep breath, you sink into an armchair and dab at your eyes with the back of your hands, opening them long enough to see Touya staring intently at you. You drop your hands and sigh. 

“I can’t imagine what you have been through,” you hiccup, warm tears sliding down your cheek and dripping onto your wrists where they sit in your lap. “But you weren’t the only one going through it and I hope your brother can forgive me for saying all of this to you.”

The white haired man remains silent as you rise from your chair, hands balled into fists at your sides. Your gaze turns directly to him and you sniffle, tears subsiding. 

“He has always loved you despite everything you’ve done, exactly as you are. Please remember that.”

The words feel cathartic to say aloud, astute eyes narrowing to watch you as you turn on your heel and begin to walk away. Your tense posture tells him exactly how you feel about the entire situation and you reason that giving Touya space seems like the best option to end the strange battle of wills the two of you have found yourselves in. 

The gravelly sound of Touya’s voice from over your shoulder stops you in your tracks. 

“Then I owe it to him to try.”

There is no apology to be found in the words but you swear you can feel it as he says them, looking over your shoulder. For the first time you don’t see Dabi or Touya, you see someone completely new - your brother in law. A blank canvas, someone you could perhaps get to know under better circumstances. 

“We both owe it to him,” you respond as you turn around and make your way back to the chair you were sitting in moments ago, sitting stiffly against the back of the chair, shoulders still held tensely by your ears. “But how do we begin?”

Touya sighs and sits opposite you, rubbing his hands over his face as he rests his elbows on his knees.

“Hi, I’m Touya.” You laugh for the first time in a week and he can’t hide the half smile that comes across his face. “I did some fucked up things and spent eight years paying for them but I fucking love my family.” He stomps his foot, emphasizing his point. “That includes you now so we better get our shit together, yeah?”

Another tear falls as you nod, a watery smile settling over your features.

“Yeah, we should.”

A year later, when you think of your brother in law Touya, a memory from your childhood comes to your mind.

You are six, maybe seven and at the zoo. Your parents hold both of your hands dutifully to make sure you don’t run off, squeezing your tiny palms between theirs as you excitedly gasp and croon at birds, snakes, and butterflies. A flamingo makes you shout, a duck makes you quack.

Steps slow down as the three of you approach a large glass enclosure. “Black panther - panthera pardus” says the sign extending from the ground in front of the glass. You don’t know that, of course, until your dad reads it aloud to you, asking you to repeat the name.

“Panthera,” you repeat, a tiny voice bouncing back at you off of the glass.

As if you summoned the cat itself, it appears and you flinch. Black, lithe, wild eyed with muscles wound so tightly you can see the shape and size of each of them. You wonder if the panther knows how to relax, the same way your mom tells you to when you cry too hard. Maybe he needs to take a deep breath. 

“Why does he look so nervous?” 

In your young mind, the question surfaced before you had time to think about it. Of course he’s nervous, you reason, all of these people are staring at him like the attraction that he is. A dazzling thing to see locked between four glass walls. 

“He isn’t nervous honey, he’s probably just thinking about what he would do if he were outside with us.”

Pondering your mom's polite whisper, you nod and accept the answer. Grown ups always know best anyway. 

As a keeper enters the enclosure and carefully stalks toward the cat, your eyes widen in surprise. How can he let someone so close? You wonder if you could ever get that close to him. To see the sunlight in his fur just enough to reveal the spots under the dark of his coat or to watch his ears twitch as he listens for sounds of danger. Would he ever trust you? Could you trust him?

The crowd around the glass increases in size, delighted whoops as the keeper dangles the cleaned carcass of a large bird above the panther. You drink in the way he crouches and springs, tight muscles unwinding for a moment as large paws capture the food between them. 

A sight you’ll never forget.

A sight you see as Touya stalks through the living room of your home, tightly running his fingers through his hair. Muscles taut, standing and walking but trying to simultaneously fold in on himself.

“What the fuck would they even want to talk about?”

You sigh, shrugging at his words. The “they'' in question is the Commission and one year after his monitored release, he has been asked to return before the panel and answer some questions. Natsuo sits next to you on the floor in front of the chabudai, sorting through the papers sent to him to review ahead of Touya’s scheduled meeting. The three of you only found out about the date today.

“I dunno, Touya,” your husband shoots a bit impatiently toward his brother. “Let me read this and then I’ll tell you.”

Silently, you watch as he scans the documents, flipping them between his fingers. You hear the heavy pounding of Touya’s footsteps across the floor, reverberating through the otherwise silent room. Your house is too quiet. There is no crowd to filter out the silence.

“Potential restoration of privileges,” you hear Natsuo mutter from beside you. He continues to read to himself and you wonder what that truly entails. Would Touya be released from his supervised period completely? Would he be allowed to wander more than 50 feet away from his guardians? 

“God Natsu, read faster.”

Natsuo’s eyes shoot a frosty glance toward Touya from over the top of the papers in his hands. Placing them on the table, your husband sighs.

“They want to see your progress and maybe give you a little more freedom.”

Touya freezes in place for a mere second before turning on his heel and rushing to the edge of the table to snatch the documents and look over them, brows furrowed in concern that this is some evil trick the two of you have decided to pull on him. Revenge for the last twelve months of him and his fits, his angry words, his snarling. 

You’ve realized during the months he’s more meow than he is hiss.

“But,” Natsuo starts, clearing his throat, Touya tossing the papers back on the table and interrupting his brother with a clear as day “fuck!”, beginning to pace once again. “We have to give testimony.”

The royal we is something Touya has hated since the day he moved into your home. It always makes him feel as if it’s two against one, no separation between yourself and Natsuo and how you feel about the situation. He assumes if you’re mad at him, his brother is too. If you’re frustrated with Touya drinking the last of your nice matcha, Natsuo must be too. If you’re angry at Touya for dying his hair black in your bathtub and staining the shiny white tiles, Natsuo must be too.

He’s wrong about that, of course, his brother never holding any of his minor blunders against him. You don’t either but it would be tougher to convince Touya to believe that than it would be to build a house by hand, despite the tentative peace that exists between the two of you. You’ve allowed him into your home, your world, your once peaceful little family and have found that you are better for it. Natsuo is better for it. But there will always be a level of distrust. 

Like that panther you think of so often, Touya must wonder what it would be like to be free and trusted. 

“Touya, I don’t know how to say this,” Natsuo says, trying to keep his tone even and calm despite how anxious you know he must be feeling. You feel your stomach drop as well, balling the fabric of your linen pants between your palms to keep your hands from shaking. You looked at the date on the documents and noticed that it was a day you knew he’d be unavailable, working on a particularly tough case with multiple children from one family. “I can’t do it.”

Touya chuckles, a bitter and hollow sound that makes you flinch. “Of course not.”

“She can, though.”

Unexpectedly, Touya’s bitter chuckle turns into a belly laugh. You wonder if he’ll double over from the strength of it, scarred hands clutching his middle. Natsuo stands, approaching his brother carefully.

“Her?” He points at you and you feel like the one being questioned. Despite the grasp on the thighs of your pants, your hands do shake and your fingers slip. “She probably wishes I would have died every single day despite the little “play nice” bullshit she does for your sake.”

Gasping at the accusation, you hope he can’t see the way your eyes glance downward. You had assumed the two of you were past this, arguments coming to a halt around six months ago when you told him you simply didn’t have the energy for them anymore. 

You then began taking him to pick up cigarettes every other day, riding in your car together silently but comfortably. His fingers always drum against his thighs impatiently and you clear your throat, mouth dry until you arrive. You have to be close to him the entire time but you linger on the edges of the small shop in your neighborhood, giving the elderly shopkeeper time to fuss over Touya the way he needs. 

The two of you then silently ride back to your home.

“How could you say that, Touya?”

Much like the smaller version of you felt compelled to speak outside of the gleaming panther exhibit, you do the same now. Your voice sounds weak, thin, defeated. Natsuo rushes to your side, kneeling back down and placing one of his large arms around your shoulder.

“Oh here we go, gotta rush to defen -” 

Touya’s words are cut off by a sharp glance from his brother, a look he has never seen before. Smothering all of the fire inside of him, hurting the one person who has endlessly forgiven him, he is doused by humility.

“I don’t hate you,” you look up and see Touya’s turquoise eyes that are narrowed and hard staring directly at you. “I don’t wish you were dead,” you continue as you shrug your husband’s arm off of you and begin to stand. “In fact, I was stupid and thought we were finally fucking past all of this!”

Punctuating your shout with a frustrated grunt, you stomp off down the hallway and leave the brothers to figure it out amongst themselves. Natsuo would simply have to find a way to make the date work for him because you couldn’t bring yourself to beg the Commission to be merciful toward someone who detests you so much. You aren’t a big enough person for that, lacking the careful compassion of your husband.

“Are you fucking serious, Touya?”

Natsuo cursing at his brother makes his steely gaze falter, eyes glancing downward toward the floor. Touya remembers a time you went too far, not long after he first moved into your home, and he feels guilty knowing he has done the same.

“Whatever,” Touya responds dismissively as he stomps off. 

Natsuo hears the back door slam and rubs his hand over his face, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. He’s transported back to 12 long months ago when he didn’t even want to be in the same room as the two of you, the tension making him incapable of dealing with his own uncertainty about the ability to rehabilitate his brother. 

As Touya steps outside into the cool air, far less suffocating than the inside of the house, he fishes around in his pockets for his lighter and mutters obscenities as he realizes it is inside. Of course, he still can’t use his quirk thanks to the very strong suppressants he has to take daily as part of his release, so he flings the door back open and stomps inside. 

Hearing hushed muttering from the living room, he closes the door quietly and creeps to the doorway of the kitchen. He shoves himself against the wall, trying to hide from view as he hears your voice.

“I don’t understand why he won’t give me a chance, Natsu.”

His brother sighs and Touya sinks further against the wall. He knows the sound - fed up, frustrated, struggling. Natsuo is the last person he ever wanted to create those feelings in and shame, a bit of an unfamiliar feeling for him, creeps up his spine and makes his stomach turn. 

“You didn’t exactly make the best first impression, of course he doesn’t completely trust you.”

Natsuo’s words make you blow out air in frustration. Touya can’t see you, but he imagines you look as downtrodden as you always have after these little battles. His brother’s defense of his behavior is surprising, though, and he idly rubs his thumb across one of the graft scars on his hands.

“I know,” you relent with a sniff. “I know.”

Your words shift Touya’s perspective, precious humility trickling over him and making his left eye twitch - a stress reflex he tried to hide for years. 

You were the first person who noticed it and on your usual trip to the small store to pick up his cigarettes after, you passed him a box of anti-inflammatory medication and a bottle of eyedrops wordlessly as you buckled into your seat. He hasn’t twitched since.

Acknowledging the hurt you’ve caused is the first step of atonement, he remembers reading in a book Natsuo brought him while he was still locked up.

He peeks from around the wall, stretching his arms over his head and locking his fingers on the back of his skull, buried in poorly dyed black hair. Natsuo looks up through his light eyelashes at his brother who approaches carefully, settling on the opposite side of the table from where the pair of you sit.

“You can do it.”

The words are simple and cause both you and Natsuo to look up. Touya refuses to meet your puffy eyes and rises back to standing as quickly as he sat, slapping the tabletop once before skulking down the hallway to grab his lighter.

You and Natsuo resolve not to ask questions, with only two weeks until the panel meets time is of the essence and your testimony will be key to helping Touya if you choose to help him. 

Sitting in front of the panel is more nerve-wracking than you expected. A group of five familiar faces all staring at you with discerning eyes as you shuffle the hand-written pages of your testimony between your fingers.

These people have rummaged through your home on more than one occasion, interviewed all of your close friends and family, sifted through every piece of your dirty laundry and you’re at their mercy once again but this time you’re more willing.

“You may begin as you wish, Todoroki-san.”

Nodding respectfully toward the head of the panel, you clear your throat and exhale as you look down at the papers in your hands. You can feel Touya looking at you from across the room, Fuyumi and Shouto seated beside him and Rei on the other side of his sister, but refuse to look up at them for fear it’ll make the little courage you’ve summoned disappear.

“When Touya first moved into our home, I was uncertain of his ability to be rehabilitated.”

You spent the last two weeks reading this exact same speech to Natsuo, rehearsing it in your bedroom while pacing across the floor. The ink on the page is smeared in places from wet tears that dripped down onto the paper, black bleeding into blue and drying into rippled and raised spots. Those spots remind you of Touya, the way he has woven his way into part of your everyday existence. 

“The process of allowing him into our lives felt very invasive. Respectfully, our lives were torn apart in preparation for him. Our home was combed through, our mail was intercepted, my husband was followed by a member of this committee on his way home from the clinic he tirelessly uses as a means to help others on more than one occasion.”

You keep your tone even to avoid sounding accusatory. These are all facts the Commission themselves have confirmed via their own documentation but standing in the face of the very force that can decide your future as well as Touya’s is more intimidating than you expected.

“The day Touya moved in, our lives shifted in a way that no amount of preparation could have made us anticipate. Difficult interpersonal dynamics forced us to take a good hard look at the future of our family and the future of what we desired for Touya. How did we want his rehabilitation to look?”

Taking a breath, you look up from the sheet of paper for a moment to meet Touya’s gaze and it strikes you as odd to see something almost tender. You sniff, nose twitching, vowing to hold yourself together until you’re alone or with Fuyumi or anywhere but sitting in front of people who have made their living off of judging, doling out punishment, changing lives for better or worse.

“While we’ve had many difficult times, I am not here to talk about the difficulty I caused Touya with my inability to coexist for the first several months. Rehabilitation takes a team and I was not a team player,” you pause and hear shuffling from the seats across the room. “Despite this, Touya has dedicated himself to improvement and has continually adhered to every request the commission put forth in the original terms of his release.”

While you don’t want to continue to air out your dirty laundry, there is a therapeutic feeling in knowing you’re publicly admitting to handling things wrong. In front of Natsuo’s family, nonetheless. Touya’s family. Your family. 

At the end of this lies the fact that you are all a family and forgiveness is inherently woven through the relationships and bonds you share.

“It is the recommendation of both my husband and I that Touya’s privileges of release be expanded upon, including reduction of supervision and permission to travel to the homes of his mother and siblings independently if he chooses.”

Rising to your feet, you bow before the panel once more before walking toward the back of the room and quietly exiting as they take time to deliberate and make their decision. 

Touya rises and comes to the front of the room, standing before them. He hates the way he feels, like a caged animal with his muscles tensed, in a suit that doesn’t even belong to him because why the fuck would he ever own a suit? The sleeves are too long, it is Shouto’s after all, and he pulls the cuffs over his hands with his thumbs.

The panel head speaks and the room is so quiet you’re even unnerved from the other side of the door. Pressing your ear to the wood, you listen.

“Our decision will not be immediate. You can expect further communication from the panel in the coming weeks. As of right now, your terms of release remain the same until you are otherwise notified. Thank you for your time today, Todoroki-san.”

Touya bows and joins his family, missing the member he wishes to see the most.

You back away from the door as you hear the knob turn and rest against the wall, arms over your chest as you greet your in-law’s with a subdued smile. 

“Natsu will be so proud of you!” Fuyumi beams, rubbing your bicep in a comforting gesture. You just shrug, unable to speak. You exchange a few additional pleasantries with Shouto and Rei, wishing them goodbye as they leave you and Touya standing on opposite sides of the hallway.

“It’s okay, you know.”

Touya’s voice is a rasp, as always, and you look up through your eyelashes at him. Fiddling uncomfortably with the cuff of your shirt in the same way he’s been fiddling with his own cuffs all day, it just further emphasizes the similarities you share. It isn’t just love for Natsuo you have in common anymore.

“None of this shit has been easy and you’ve done your best. I’m not exactly a fuckin’ easy person to get along with.”

You chuckle, tension diffusing.

“I think you’re going soft, Touya.”

He chuckles back and your eyes meet, the two of you walking toward the center of the hallway to leave the building together and walk back to your car. Your footsteps are quiet and so are his, both of you slumping as you saunter out of the door and into the bright midday sun.

“Nah, just tired of being an asshole all the time.”

The news comes as you stand at your kitchen sink, Touya bent over as you help him rinse black hair dye down the drain. Your hands are wet, his shirt is soaked, but you agreed to help him after noticing a huge white patch still at the back of his head from his attempts to do it himself. 

“I dunno why you want it to be black so bad, don’t you want to look like Natsu?”

Touya snorts and the sound echoes through the steel basin. “I have to keep a little edge. Let me live.” You shut off the clean running water, allowing the dark droplets to work their way out of your sink. There was more rinsing to do but you wanted to be sure of how much more.

“It’s here!” Natsuo shouts from the doorway and you hear his hurried, large footsteps trek into the room, ripping of paper ringing in your ears.

You want to leave Touya’s side and go to Natsuo, to read over his arm, to see for yourself but you resolve to be patient and continue to lightly massage Touya’s scalp. He needs comfort right now, you can tell.

“Expansion of privileges,” Natsuo mutters to himself, scanning the page as quickly as he can. “Unsupervised access to other family homes! Holy shit!” 

Tossing the papers onto the counter, your husband bolts toward you and wraps his arms around your waist. “No, no, no,” you chant as he picks you up and you accidentally pull Touya’s wet strands of hair. He yelps and you let go, hissing apologetically.

“God Natsuo, down boy.”

Your snarky brother-in-law draws a giggle from you as your husband presses a kiss against your cheek and reaches down to slap him on the back. “Do you wanna tell mom or should I?” Touya looks up, head still dripping, and rolls his eyes at his brother. “I could just show up at her house, that’d have more impact.”

Wiggling away from Natsuo, you reach for the towel on the counter and wrap it around Touya’s neck so he can sit up and not drip black water all over your floor. He gives silent thanks in the form of a tight half smile and you smile back, stepping away to let the brothers converse about how they’re going to break the news to their siblings.

As you watch the two of them, the panther and his handler once again come back to your mind. 

The reason that the handler was able to come so close to the cat is because he trusted him. The cat could learn to trust others, to let people in, to let them be on his side. You won’t have to wonder if you could have gained the panther’s trust any longer and he won’t have to wonder what it’s like to be on the outside with the rest of us. 

[bimobuddy]

Never Tired of You

Fairly Oddparents tk fic (sfw)

So I had in mind, if you read my last post, that this is going to be the original versions of Cosmo and Wanda, where Cosmo is smart and has a deeper voice, and Wanda is a bit more silly

Switch!Cosmo, Switch!Wanda

can you tell that I don't know how to draw butterfly wings

Having been married for over 10,000 years, they often received questions like, 'How have you not gotten tired of eachother yet?'

The truth was they couldn't get enough of each other. 10,000 years and yet sometimes it still felt like their wedding was only a few months ago.

That wasn't to say they never got on each other's nerves. Nobody was that perfect, but it was never enough to cause any real problems. And even the few problems they had had, they always worked out quickly before it had a chance to fester or grow worse.

Even Cupid had mentioned their paring was probably his best work yet.

Cosmo glanced up from the cups of coffee he was making to look at his wife. Soft round face, beautiful large pink wings with shimmering gold edges.. An uncommon trait among fairies that she had been blessed with. He loved seeing her wings in the sun or moonlight- When had she suddenly gotten closer?

"Yes, my love?" He mused, turning his head to glance down at her over his shoulder. He didn't miss the way her pink eyes seemed to light up each time he called her that.

She didn't bother responding. She simply just parted his forest green wings to the sides, and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. Though he couldn't read her mind, by the way she was looking at him, it appeared she was admiring him back.

He smiled at the sight. "I'm almost done with your coffEEHEEHEE!" He arched his back dramatically and dropped the spoon into the mug, quickly pulling his hands back so he didn't accidentally knock the mugs over.

He turned his head against and shot her a playful glare, which she returned with a grin, her fingers still curled against his ribs.

"Betrayed by my own wife- I thought you were coming over here to be sweet, but you only came over here to be a menace." He said, trying to act hurt, though the way his wings parted just slightly more told a different story.

And she knew he didn't really mind. Married for over 10,000 years, and you learn what your partner likes and dislikes. You actually learn these things within the first couple years of a relationship. But the point still stands: She knew her husband very well.

A beat of silence passed between them before he started to chuckle again, though she hadn't started tickling yet. He was flustered.

She watched as a beautifully bright blush started at the bridge of his nose, spread across his cheekbones, and up to the tips of his pointed ears, which she just had to lean up to kiss. It was law.

"Wahanda, my dearest-" He started, but she just curled her fingers into the soft spaces between his ribs once more, causing him to snort and grin, his hands coming up to gently grab hers, yet not pushing away. "Ihit's ehearly, we hahaven't even hahad coffee yehet-" his knees almost gave out as she started to scratch his lowest ribs.

Cosmo wheezed, flustered and suddenly giddy. His wings twitched and trembled as his nerves seemed to spark and light up all over his body while his wife tickled him. It wasn't until she started to gently work her fingers into his underarms that he fully started to laugh and slip down to the floor, his legs giving out.

"HAHAHAHA DEHEHEAR! WAHANDA PLEHEASE!"

She followed him down to the floor until he was on his back, his head in her lap, giggling and panting while she just cupped his face and looked at him with all the love in the world. She brushed her thumbs over his red, pointed ears, making him jump a little and finally reach up, snatching her hands in his.

He caught his breath and sat up, still firmly holding her mischievous hands in his. "You've been awfully playful and clingy lately, Gorgeous," he started, "Interrupting me while I read," his grip tightened on her hands, "Holding onto my arm if I'm just heading into the other room.." he pulled her into his lap, causing her wings to flap a little out of surprise, the kitchen lights catching the golden edges just right for a second before she folded them back down.

Though despite his tone being playful, he caught a hint of insecurity in her eyes. One he knew and had dealt with many times. So he softened his tone and wrapped his arms around her. "And I could never get tired of you." He finished.

For the first time that morning, she actually spoke, "If you want me to dial it back a little, I can-" though she had gotten cut off by her own squeaking as he started to rapidly poke his fingers into her sides and wiggle them downward.

"I would never ask you to dial yourself back for my sake. I really don't mind you being so close. I wouldn't have married you if I did." he said, delighting in the way she squealed as his hands found their way to her slightly pudgy tummy. Her legs weakly kicked against the floor and she held onto his wrists as frantic giggles poured out of her.

"Oh is that a bad spot~?" He teased, his voice low, "Did I find your tummy, my dear~?" He chuckled, his lips just barely brushing over her ear as he teased her.

It was her turn to blush now. Though it didn't spread beautifully across her face, the way Cosmo's seemed to gracefully paint across his. She blushed a bright, furious red, all at once, almost as if it exploded across her features and burned brightly just beneath her skin. She had never liked it, but her husband loved it, and sometimes would work in order to see it.

While he tickled and squeezed her tummy, he also decided to nuzzle his face into her neck to pepper a flurry of light kisses against the ticklish skin. She managed out a squeaky, "nohoho!" before she went back to squirming against him and giggling.

It wasn't long before Wanda gently squeezed his hands; a silent form a communication between the two that meant, 'All done.'

Cosmo slowed to a stop, his hands turning into flat palms facing upward before Wanda's slid into place and he held them. He lifted his head to press a sweet kiss to her cheek, and she turned her head to meet him in the middle for a second kiss.

Their coffees cold, and forgotten, they stayed on the kitchen floor together for a little while longer.

-

Ahhh it's so short!! Sorry ^^"

I wanted to add wing tickles in bc if I'm being honest, 'Ticklish extra/ non-human appendages' is probably one of my favorite kinds of tickle media

But I couldn't figure out how to work them in, so maybe in the next fic

Also Wanda didn't get to speak a lot, and it kinda bothers me just a little, so she'll probably be doing a lot more teasing in the next fic

[loulovingho]

In This My Weakness

Summary: A week before the wedding, Buck gets a devastating call that his parents won't be coming.

read below or on ao3. I'm thinking of making a part two as well, but this fic can be read alone.

Tommy could tell something was wrong before Buck even hung up the phone. His smile had all but disappeared and the gleam that was usually always in his eyes was now replaced by a cloud of darkness.

Tommy's arm instinctually reached out to rest on the back of the couch, giving Buck the perfect spot to fall into. “What's wrong?” he asked, Buck gripping his phone tightly, staring down at it.

“They're uh- they're not coming,” Buck answered, his voice cracking.

Tommy was confused. He hadn't actually heard the phone call. Buck had been in the kitchen of their new place when he answered, then quickly stepped outside. Tommy had only been reading his facial expressions through the glass door.

“Who's not coming where?” he asked slowly.

Buck sighed. He bit the bottom of his lip before responding. Tommy knew that was something he'd do when he was trying not to let his emotions take over. “Mom and dad,” he replied, “to the wedding. They're not- um, they're not coming to the wedding.”

“What?!” Tommy turned to better face Buck on the couch. “What do you mean they're not coming to the wedding, Evan?”

Buck shrugged. Tommy knew he was barely holding it together, trying to play it down, make it seem like it didn't bother him as much as it really did. But, at least to Tommy, Buck was a terrible liar.

“Evan, honey, speak to me, please. Why aren't your parents coming to our wedding?”

Another shrug, but Buck looked away from his phone this time. He glanced over at Tommy, who could now see the redness in his eyes. He was fighting to keep the tears away.

“They, um, th- they said they had planned a cruise like a year ago and forgot until now, apparently.”

Tommy ran his hands through his hair, eyes wide, feeling more confused now than before. “I'm sorry, what? Evan, that doesn't make any sense.”

“I guess they didn't get insurance for the cruise, so if they cancel they don't get their money back, and they completely forgot until they got a reminder email this morning.” Buck shook his head and let out a laugh. “I guess I shouldn't be surprised.”

“No, you should very much be surprised. They can't get money back for a cruise so they cancel on their son's wedding? This doesn't make any sense. Should I call them? I'll call them.”

As Tommy went to reach for his phone, Buck laid a hand over his, stopping him. “No, Tommy, don't. I- I really appreciate it, but it's fine. Really. I'm fine.”

Buck patted Tommy's hand, then got up and started making his way back into the kitchen. He had been in the middle of cleaning some things up when he got the call, so he needed to go finish that.

Except, at least to Tommy, the conversation was very far from over. So he got up as well and followed Buck.

“I just don't get it,” he said. “Can they switch dates? I've had to do that for trips before.”

“I asked that. But whatever cruise they're going on doesn't go back to those same places for a few months, or something... I don't know. The answer was no, though.”

“What all did they say? I feel like I'm getting a third of the story here.”

“They said what I told you. Can't make it, have a cruise, no refunds, send their love... and a blender, I guess.”

“We already have two blenders.”

“And now we'll have a backup for our backup.” Since they got into the kitchen, Buck had been avoiding eye contact. He was keeping busy, moving dishes from the drain to their spots in the cabinet, clanging silverware together as he tossed them into a drawer, and even moving spices from their usual spots on the spice rack to new spots.

“Well, should we- should we change our date then?” Tommy asked. Yes, they both wanted to get married on the anniversary of the day they first met but, if they needed to adjust for the Buckley's, they would.

The question stopped Buck in his tracks. Still turned away from Tommy, he lowered his hands to rest them on the counter. “We're not changing our date.”

“Evan.”

“No,” he doubled down, firmer this time. “We're not changing our dates. If they can't make an effort to show up, then they just won't be there.”

Now Tommy was starting to get somewhere. Sometimes it took a minute, but Buck would always eventually let his true feelings out.

“If you're sure.”

“I am.” Buck finally turned to face Tommy. He wiped at his eyes, letting out a humorless laugh. “I really thought we were getting somewhere, you know? I thought... I thought they cared.”

“Ev, I think they care, they just-”

“Prioritize a cruise over our marriage.” Buck finished.

“We could Facetime them,” Tommy offered weakly.

Buck shook his head. “No, if they- if they can't show up they don't need to be there at all.” He wiped at his eyes again, but this time the tears couldn't be held back. He felt like a little kid again, his lip trembling, head down, trying to quiet his sobs so his parents couldn't hear him.

But his parents weren't there this time; Tommy was. He was there, and he was wrapping Buck up in a hug before Buck even realized he had crossed the room.

He held on tight, clutching the back of Tommy's shirt. His shoulders shook with the force of his cries, but Tommy held on.

He always held on. His strength, both mentally and physically, kept Buck upright during his toughest moments.

Buck did the same for Tommy too. That's why this relationship worked so perfectly. They didn't go fifty-fifty here; they both gave one hundred percent of themselves.

“I re- really wanted them th- there,” he managed to get out through little breaths.

“I know, I know,” Tommy soothed, running a hand up and down Buck's back.

“They were s- supposed to walk me down the a- aisle.” He pulled back from Tommy just enough to look up at him. “Oh God, what are we gonna do about that?”

“Hey, hey, don't worry about it,” Tommy said, bringing his hand up to Buck's face. He used his thumbs to gently wipe the tears from his cheeks. “We'll figure something out. We don't have to do the walking down the aisle, or my mom can walk us both, or we'll walk together, or-” he paused, “or you could ask Bobby and Athena.”

Buck sucked in another breath, contemplating the idea. “That's- You think they'd do that?”

Tommy smiled softly. “Of course they would. They wouldn't hesitate for a second.”

“Bobby's already doing the ceremony though.”

Tommy shrugged. “Doing things a little differently than normal is the Buckley way, isn't it?”

Buck managed a shaky laugh. “The Buckley-Kinard way now. Sorry you're stuck with me.”

Tommy shook his head. “I'm not.” He placed two fingers under Buck's chin, just like the night he first kissed Evan. The night he tried to play it cool, all while his heart was racing and mind filled with a million different thoughts. He kissed him softly, slowly. He could feel Buck's body relax, some of the weight from the last few minutes falling away.

“I love you, Evan.”

Buck reached up, running his hand through the back of Tommy's hair. There were a lot of people that told Buck they loved him. Some, he believed, others... not so much. But there was one person who he believed it every single time, and he was gonna marry that man in a week, no matter who was or wasn't there.

“I love you too.”

[peachy-skies-writings]

Moonlight Jellies

Pairing: Sebastian (SDV) x f!Reader

A/N: Based on an interaction between my married farmer and Sebastian in the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies where he said, "I remember the first Moonlight Jellies festival that you came to. You didn't notice, but I was watching you when the jellies came up. You looked beautiful in that blue light..."

I think it's from the new 1.6 update but it was too cute. I felt inspired.

Not proofread but I will in the morning and update on ao3 too :)

------

Summer was coming to an end, with the weather cooling down significantly over the past few days. It was your first Summer in Pelican Farm, having moved to the town only one season ago for a fresh start. Mayor Lewis had excitedly told you about the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies and how it was a must-see on the final day of the Summer season.

Pelican Town traditionally saw out the Summer months with this festival every year, with the entire of the town coming to witness the spectacle at the beach. Even Abby, Sam and Sebastian were going to be there.

The four of you had made fast friends, being around the same age, and having similar interests made it all the more easier to join their friendship group. Fortunately you fit in incredibly well.

Unfortunately, however, you'd developed a crush on Sebastian. The dark-haired emo boy who lived in his mother's basement. Yup, that's the one.

It had been unexpected. And you were pretty sure he didn't like you back. And it's not like the crush was even that strong, right?

Yeah, sure you had thought he was cute when you first met him. And yeah, sure you had thought about him every day at least twice. Oh, and sure, you were often seen heading to his house to drop off a Frozen Tear but you didn't mean anything by it, right?

Genuinely, you thought you had everyone fooled until Abby pulled you aside at the saloon the night before the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies.

"What are you going to wear tomorrow night?" She asked.

"Probably some jeans and a shirt... why? Do I need to dress up? Will I need a swimsuit?" You started to panic, fearing you weren't quite as prepared for the festival as you thought you were.

"No... I just- It's one of Sebastian's favourite holidays and... I think it'd be nice if you dressed in that dress Emily made for you." She stuttered out.

"Huh? What's that black dress got to do with.... Abby..."

"What? I know you like him. And I see how he looks at you. Why don't you give him something new to look at?" She wiggled her eyebrows, gesturing to your body.

Not sure if it was the alcohol in your veins or if it was a newfound surge of confidence, you agreed. Well, Abby made you swear that if you didn't then you had to give all your pumpkins to her for the entire of the Fall season. Nevertheless, you agreed.

The next day, you arrived at the beach at 10pm exactly, excited to see an age-old traditional in your new town. As promised, you were wearing your new (f/c) dress, and you had to admit: you looked damned good.

You made your way around the townspeople, speaking to everyone where you could, finally landing on your three friends.

"Whoa, you look nice!" Sam exclaimed.

"You wore it! It looks great!" Abby smiled, pulling you closer to the edge of the pier.

"Thanks guys." You blushed, looking at your friends. Sebastian hadn't said anything but you could see a faint tint of red on his cheeks, which only served to make your face flush more.

He looked at you and gave a shy smile, before turning back towards the sea. The Dance of the Moonlight Jellies began, illuminating the beach with their iridescent blue glow.

It was breath-takingly beautiful.

Sebastian felt the same as he looked at you, bathed in the blue light from the jellyfish. It gave you an ethereal glow, like a goddess.

"I see a green one!" Abby yelled.

You lean forward to see if you can make out the rare green one you'd heard so much about.

"Oh! I see it! Abby, I see it!" You exclaimed excitedly back at her.

Sebastian smiled to himself, another blush creeping up on his face. That night made him realise that he had to tell you how he felt.

[bangtan-in-black]

Hmm maybe yan!JK who is married to the reader and they live isolated, until a merchant convinces her to run away...

Warnings: jungkook looses his temper/ gets a little rough (it is an accident) , Jimin is the sweetest.

Living on the Red Valley ranch had been exciting at first, your husband made a lot of money but he was away a lot. It seemed that you never really got to speak to anyone other than the wide expanse of animals your husband had bought you to make up for the fact he's never home. That too was another thing that changed. The grandiose presents and knick knacks were not exciting anymore. 

Of course you appreciated how your husband was willing to go so far to make money for you but what was the cost? You barely saw the man you vowed to wake up to everyday. 

The ranch was of course gorgeous but you never knew what to do there, you felt like spending all that time alone in that big house was just pointless, especially if you had no one to talk to in your own home. 

You missed him, you really did. 

You really wanted to make something for him, you always wanted to show him how much you loved and appreciated him but you simply couldn't as you never knew when he'd come home. 

Sighing to yourself, you get ready to go out and tend to the cows and get the  chicken eggs. 

Red valley ranch was a picturesque and enchanting place nestled in the heart of the Joseon countryside.

Jungkook was one of the kingdom's fiercest knights. He would often travel to see the king for strategy meetings. Initially it had taken a while to convince the king of him living in the countryside but he had eventually agreed much to your delight at the time. 

You and your husband always wanted to live out in the countryside. However, with the way things were going, you wish you'd never left the city. At least if you had stayed you’d be able to see your husband every day. Sure it wouldn't be private or anything with you living in the place with your husband and the king and the rest of the knights and maids who worked under your majesty. But you'd have the man you love next to you every night. 

Jungkoook never wanted you to go with him on his trips back to the capitol, his excuse being that there could be bandits or thugs hanging around the dirt roads and you supposed he was right. That didn't mean you stopped trying to go with him though. It had caused a massive fight between the two of you a few months ago. It seemed that he was desperate to keep you in the house. 

Even when he was home you were never ever allowed past the merchant market down the street. Even then you rarely got to go alone. 

You loved how protective he was most of the time but sometimes you just felt caged. 

After collecting from the chickens and the cows you noticed you were running dangerously low on hay, which you blamed the horses for, and other foods for the animals. In fact you didn't have much yourself, just the milk and eggs you had collected a few minutes ago. 

You knew Jungkook would not be happy but you assumed he'd rather let you go out on your own then let you starve to death. 

You grabbed your basket and a few coins and headed down the road to the merchant marketplace. Many different  people came here to sell. It was a small community but not impoverished. This was because many of the people who lived here also worked for the king or the members of the royal court. This made the place ideal to merchants selling their trinkets. 

You would be very quick, you told yourself. 

The merchants' stalls and carts were surrounded by people from your small community. Everyone was excited to see if they could get anything of value from the merchants. 

Almost every stall was filled to the brim with excited customers. You weren't surprised though as it was sally like this, especially on nice days. 

Lining up by the merchant selling feed for animals. You looked around, noticing but one stall that had no people surrounding it. You would have guessed that the man running the stall had sold out. If he didn't look so defeated that is. 

You don't know what made you walk over there but you felt your legs moving on their own. 

“Hello, Sir?” You called out to him as he had his head buried in his hands. 

Upon hearing your voice the mysterious man jolts up and looks at you with a mix of shock, excitement and apprehension. There was always a chance you would walk the other way. 

“Hello ma'am, are you by any chance interested in any of these.” the man motions to the small table in front of him.  There lay a bunch of gorgeous hand crafted trinkets. 

“Oh my! These are the prettiest little decorations.” You marvel happily, smiling as you find a gorgeous sculpture of a horse made from a divine green rock, closely resembling emerald. 

“Jungkook would love this.” you smile. 

“I also have it in blue and black ma’am,” the man smiles nervously. As if he depended on you buying a small horse statue for him to survive. 

“Can I see it in black please?” you smile politely at the eager man. 

“Of course. Here you go.” he hands you the statue gently and you hold it firmly. “It's gorgeous, how much is it?”

He looked surprised for a second but then a bright smile took over his face.

“Thank you so much ma'am!” he bows with a big pleased grin on his face. “It's uhh three coins”

“Such craftsmanship like this deserves five coins. Please accept.” you hand the man five shiny golden coins. 

“Please ma'am i'm so grateful but it's too much!” the man offers you the two coins back. 

“No no, I can assure you I'm fine without the coins.” You offer the man a bright smile and as you turn to walk away you hear “Wait! Ma’am at least let me give you this horse as well” you turn around to see the man behind you holding a smaller version of the statue you had just bought in his palms. “It feels wrong taking your money without offering you this ma’am”.

You were slightly taken aback by the man's stunning moral standing. He really wasn't going to let you leave without you accepting his gift was he?

“Ok then.” you smile at him and his reaction to your agreement. He seemed relieved. 

“I'll be sure to come by again!” you call. 

And you did come by again. In fact while Jungkook was away you went out to the market every couple of days and always found the time to visit the sweet man who had given you such beautiful ornaments for your home. 

You of course spent some more money on his beautiful carvings. You were receiving money from the capital from your husband. You assumed he wouldn't mind as many of the carvings you had bought were for your husband. He'd always loved the carvings at the palace so you smile at the thought of surprising him with some of his own.  

The man, whose name you'd learned was Jimin, was so sweet. The two of you had had a few conversations with each other.  He went out of his way to show you how grateful he was. In fact around half of your collection was given to you for free out of the goodness of his heart. Which you really appreciated. 

You’d gone to Jimin's stall three times and ended up with six different ornaments. 

You’d kept your conversations pretty cordial. Other than the quick conversations you didn't know much about each other. But you felt he could be a good friend.

In fact you were planning on going to the market today. You had your basket ready and everything, you were planning to get some seeds for your small flower garden. And you were planning to see if Jimin had any new pieces in his collection. 

That was the plan anyway, with your basket on the table you pull some muffins out of the oven. You fancied something very sweet. 

“Smells delicious baby.” A deep voice calls out from behind you. 

You almost dropped the tray in shock. “Yeobo!” you yelled excitedly 

Carefully placing the tray down you then rush over and throw yourself into your husband's arms. 

“Where are you going so dressed up?” he licks his upper lip as he looks at you with furrowed eyebrows, not really making an effort to mask his confusion. 

“Oh umm, I was just going to quickly run to the market to get some flower seeds.”

He sighs “honey, what did I tell you about going to the market without me? Anything could happen to a gorgeous girl like you. And I can't have that, I love you too much to see you hurt over some dumb mistake.”

“Im sorry,” you feel guilty, the look he was giving you was radiating sadness and worry. 

“I just need you to be safe, you know that's why we moved here.” Jungkook said, this time he sounded more stern. 

“I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I have been a few times the past few days and nothing bad has happened to me yet.” at your revelation Jungkook just shakes his head. “You're not gonna be happy until you're dead, isn't that right.” 

“You're not allowed to leave this house! Do you understand? I don't know what I'd ever do if something bad happened to you.”

“Jungkook, that's not fair and you know it.” you whisper. Feeling increasingly upset at the way your husband was looking at you.

“You knew the rules Y/n. I'm not gonna talk about this anymore. Go upstairs”

“I really wanted to get some flower seeds though.” She knew she was walking on a very thin line. 

“Y/n, I'm warning you. Go upstairs, I'll be up to see you in a minute.” 

“Oh ok,” not wanting to make your husband even more upset, you did as he asked. 

“Good girl,” he calls after you. 

You really didn't expect this to happen, you were so excited for him to come home. Could you even give him his gifts now?

Sitting on the bed you shared with the man you married you waited for him to come upstairs. 

“The cake was good,” you heard him behind you. 

“I was craving something sweet.” you whispered. 

He hums. 

“You know, I didn't want to yell. But I need you safe.” He rubs your shoulders.

“It was only down the street. I was so careful too.”

“It doesn't matter Y/n. You know I don't like it when you go out alone.”

“I'm sorry.” 

“Just don't do it again. You wanted some flower seeds huh?”

“Yes.”

“Come then, let's go.” he grabs your hand and pulls you down the stairs to the front door. 

“Really?” you ask excitedly. 

“I'm here to protect you now.” Jungkook grips your hand tightly. 

Jungkook took you to the market. You went around a few stalls. You ended up getting a variety of beautiful flower seeds. 

Jimin didn't seem to be here today, you noted. His stall wasn’t there. It was a shame, you wanted to see if he had anything new. 

“Happy now?” Jungkook asked as he held your hand tightly as you walked through the market together.

“So happy.” you nod. 

“That's good. I hope you know that you have to give me a little something for how generous I am.”

“Oh I have just the thing.” you smile. This was the perfect window to give him the gifts you’d bought him you thought. 

“Hmm I've missed you.” Jungkook stops and you look into his eyes.

“Why do I have a feeling that you mean something different than I do?” you muse. 

“Give me a break. I haven't seen you in three weeks. Do you know what that can do to a man? Especially when he knows he has such a gorgeous woman waiting for him at home.” 

“Jungkook, we're in public. It's improper to talk about such things.” 

“Then let's go home to the bedroom and talk about them there.” He whispers, his voice sultry. 

Jungkook wasn't joking. As soon as you entered your bedroom he was pulling your dress off of you. 

“You know i have to go back soon right?”

“ I know,” you say sadly. “How soon?”

“Two days.” he says in between kisses. 

“Jesus Jungkook, why'd you even bother coming home?” you push him away slightly 

“Y/n.” Jungkook says disappointed. 

“No, Jungkook, it's really not fair, why don't you understand? I need you here, not at the castle. You're my husband and I never get to see you, don't you get how that’s affecting me? I'm so damn lonely here without you and when you are here you don't stay for long before you're off again.”

“I do it so we can afford nice things Y/n.” 

“I don’t need nice things for fuck sake! I need you!” You scream, all the anger and stress you've been experiencing with your beloved by your side was affecting you in such a negative way. 

“But you're not here. You’re never fucking here!” Suddenly tears were rushing down your cheeks like they were a part of a stream passing over the rocky earth.

___

You stare off into the distance of the ranch. Jungkook was gone again. He'd spent the majority of those two days ignoring you. Doing something you never thought he'd ever do to you. 

Thinking about it makes you feel so upset. 

The man you loved was so mean to you. Why did it have to be you?

You thought that he understood you. 

You knew you needed to take your mind off of what had happened but you simply don't know how you'd get past this. 

“Right the cows need more water you mumble to yourself “and the chickens need more seeds.” 

You were determined to busy yourself to make the sting the tiniest bit less noticeable. 

“The market.” you mumble “ I should go to the market.” 

Pushing down the pain you felt wasn't going to do anything you knew that. But you didn't want to deal with how you felt at that moment, not now. Perhaps not ever. 

Stumbling around through the market as if you were almost lifeless caught the attention of most of the people there. A lot of them were posh snobs who turned their nose up at you as you walked along the stony pathway. 

You only got this treatment cause you were not born into nobility like many of these women. You just married one of the highest ranking knights in the land. Which was evidently not enough for these women who were born to counts and lords. 

Wandering around the market trying to fight back tears was challenging. But you eventually managed to push all those emotions down when you saw Jimin's stall. And it was packed. 

You were so happy for him, it was obvious to anyone that had been struggling with his business and it seems to have taken off, you noted.  

“Thank you so much everyone but we have sold out for today, i promise ill be back tomorrow with even more complex ornaments for you and your homes.” he calls out to the crowd surrounding his stall nervously. 

As the crowd disperses you decide to go say hello to the man. 

“Ahhh ma’am. I'm sorry but I am sold out at the moment” he smiles at you nervously. Like you were going to cut his head off because he had run out of stock. You honestly couldn't care less. In fact you were happy to see him doing so well.  

“That's ok, I just came to congratulate you. Your designs deserve the appreciation they are getting.”  

“Thank you so much ma'am.” he bows profusely. 

“You don't have to call me ma'am you know? I'm not above you or anything.”

“I call you ma'am because I respect you and because I am so thankful. Without your coins I probably wouldn't have survived the approaching winter, but now at least I have a chance. Even if it's only a small chance I'm still eternally grateful maam." Jimin explains. 

“Come on, I know your name. Let me tell you my real one.” you suggest

“Only if you're sure ma'am.” he says and you roll your eyes. 

“My name is Y/n, Jeon Y/n.” 

“Well in that case it's so great to meet you miss Jeon.” he smiles politely at you. 

“Jimin,” you whine. 

“Ok, Y/n? did your husband like your gifts.” he asks and even though he meant no harm by it you really wanted to just turn on your heel to stop yourself from crying.

“Umm actually i never had the chance to give him them. He was uhh too preoccupied with work… and things.”

“Oh well I'm sorry, that's a shame to hear.” Jimin smiles at you still, it was a cute dumb smile. He was so nice, but would he be as nice if he knew everything that was going on.

Deciding you don't want him to find out you quickly think of something else to say. “ Would you like to come over for dinner? Or at least a thank you cupcake?”

“To uhh say thank you for all the freebies.” You don't know why you offered such a thing, but your mouth started moving before you knew what you were saying. 

Standing there thinking it over for a second you realise it really can't be that bad of an idea. The man was harmless.

“Uhh only if you’re sure. I'd be honoured to.”

___

Dinner with Jimin was quiet but it was still overwhelmingly polite. It seemed as though Jimin was stunned by the charming ranch you lived on with all the animals your husband had bought you. 

When dinner was finished Jimin bowed to you to show that he was thankful for the meal. You offer for him to take some home and after a few moments of quick consideration he smiles and says “Yes please!” 

Not to lie but you were awfully charmed by Jimin's excitement. He reacted like that, for something you had made. 

It was a huge confidence boost. Especially to see him so eager to get the wrapped up dish from your hands. 

“Thank you so much Mrs jeon!” it seemed he didn't even notice that he had used your title instead of your name again. 

“Do I owe you anything?” Jimin asks as he approaches the entrance of the house.

You shake your head “nothing at all, this one's all on me. Although maybe you could perhaps teach me how to make such darling decorations some time.”

“I'd be honoured. When are you free?”

“Whenever you want me to be.”

“How about tomorrow? Noon?”

“Works for me,” you smile as you wave him off. 

Listening to his humming as he left fired up a small sense of joy in your heart. 

You always did love learning something new. 

___

“So you need to hold the scalpel tightly. We do not want you to hurt yourself do we?”

“Like this?” you ask

“That’s perfect.”

“What now?”

“Let yourself be free. Let your hands lead you.”

You pull your sleeves up. Not really aware that you were showing off one of the parts of you you were most self conscious about.

“What's that bruise?” you freeze, slowly looking up to see him looking at you confused and was that concern you saw in his eyes?

“Oh uh.” you didn't know what to say, you weren't going to tell him your husband had been a bit too rough with you. That was just going down the rabbit hole. 

“I bumped into my kitchen counter this morning.” You mumble. He shoots you a  look. A look that says he didn't believe you. You couldn't blame him. You don't think you’d believe yourself if you were him.

“I don't believe you.” he decides after a few seconds.

Panic sweeps over you. “Why not?” you cant even look at him. 

“That. you can’t even look at me.” 

“It's nothing.” you protest.

“Is he hurting you?” Jimin continues

“What? No! Hes - hes not.” 

“Then why can't you look at me?” he pushes 

“Why are you avoiding looking into my eyes now? After I asked about your husband.” 

You felt something get caught in your throat. Your sobs. 

“You can tell me. You don't deserve a man like that.” 

That was it, it broke the damn. 

Choking on your sobs in front of this practical stranger was not how you thought learning about how to sculpt would go. 

But why should it be any different from your life? 

“If he's hurting you, you need to leave him Y/n.” 

He called you by your name?

“I can't. He wont like that,” 

“Why should that matter? What about you?”

“I wouldn't know how to do any work to get any money, i'd starve to death come winter time.”

“Then, come with me.” 

“Run away with me”

[scarstothepast]

In(human) - Prologue: In the Underdark

Pairing: spawn!Astarion x fem!named!tav

Tags: angst, post-game events, unsolved feelings, mentions of Cazador, canon violence, isekai

Summary: Six months ago, Astarion saw with his own eyes what he would have become if Tav hadn't stopped him. Just when he thought all was lost, his old group of adventurers knocked on the door of his tailor shop, underground, when the world was under threat again. To Astarion's surprise, Tav was there too. But she looked nothing like the person he remembered.

"I hope you die screaming."

It had been a hundred years since Astarion had thrown those words at Tav.

A hundred years he spent cursing her name.

When he felt the anger begin to cool, he would revisit the memories to remind himself why he had left her.

She betrayed him. She betrayed him. She denied him a power that would allow him to be free forever.

It denied him the possibility not only of walking in the sun without any fear, without depending on a tadpole, but of never fearing anything again.

Then the day came when revisiting that moment wasn't enough, and Astarion found himself visiting a sorcerer capable of glimpsing alternative destinations.

The hatred and boiling sorrow that he had so carefully nurtured for a century turned to stone and crumbled between his fingers.

He watched himself ascend and take Tav as spawn, with only a small portion of his own blood running through her system. The only thing that differentiated her from the other spawns he transformed.

Because it wasn't long before he started treating her just a little better than Cazador treated him.

"You would turn into something you despise."

Those were her words.

And she was right.

He became... a new Cazador, as a vampire ascendant.

Maybe even worse.

While he knew exactly what to expect from his late master, neither Tav nor the other spawns knew what to expect from him.

A constant caress from a velvet whip.

Sometimes an executioner, sometimes a lover.

All the anger, all the hurt, all the words and curses came back to bite him.

Most of his old group of disorganized adventurers should still be alive, but not their fearless and impetuous leader.

Tav was human.

And careless.

Which meant that she had probably been dead for decades.

Which meant it was too late for regrets.

Tav saved the world. Saved Faerun. Saved seven thousand souls from Cazador and Astarion. And saved Astarion.

She became one of the great heroes of Baldur's Gate.

She received several proposals.

Many wanted to become her lover.

Few out of true affection. A substantial and obscene number motivated simply by the nobles' game of power and influence.

She turned them all down.

Never married.

She never had children.

Until she disappeared into history.

Astarion felt even more miserable when the trance, in mockery of his staunch desire to hate her for a whole century, brought back memories of her delicacy, her affection and her love.

From the time when he had been her lover. The object of her affection and care.

That he held her in his arms. At the time he had everything.

Freedom. Security. Love.

It was a new kind of torture.

Astarion cursed himself a few times.

A century of hatred was good enough, but, gods, he needed more. Another time.Whereas the first time he abandoned the first person in two centuries of torture who cared about him, now he brought torment for himself.

"Astarion." He shivered like a skittish cat at the sound of his own name.

Dalyria stood there in the doorway of the tailor's shop with a small but hopeful smile.

How she didn't come to hate him was still a mystery to him.

The others certainly did.

"What now?" He muttered, turning again to the intricate embroidery pattern on the red silk.

Another piece he would never sell. Designed to be worn exclusively by a person who should already be dust in a forgotten grave.

"Well, your mood hasn't improved, even after a century, I see." Astarion froze at the voice. He turns slowly to see Halsin smiling gently at him.

As if he hadn't abandoned them in battle.

Behind him stood Lae'zel, with her characteristic scowl and a clear judgment in her eyes, and Shadowheart, a little older, but apparently in top form despite everything.

He was completely speechless.

"It's a beautiful piece of work." Said the druid after taking a look at the embroidery Astarion was working on. "Do you have time to save the world, in the midst of all this?"

Too shocked by everything, Astarion didn't answer. It was his chance to redeem himself, even if she was no longer there.

But the very fact that she was no longer there was a discouraging factor.

"I told you it was a waste of time. Besides, he..." Lae'zel was quick to attack him, clearly resentful of his defection.

A childish voice, however, interrupted the tense moment behind the three of them.

"Are you the heroine my mother talks about?" It was Dalyria's son, Thorin. Astarion hesitated, almost resentful at the thought that they had recruited someone to replace Tav.

"It depends on who's asking." A cadenced, elegant voice replied.

A voice that had haunted Astarion for the last six months in the same way that his former master had haunted him in the first years of his freedom.

Impossible.

Astarion got to his feet immediately.

He made his way through his former companions to see Dalyria's son standing before a slender, elegant figure, dressed in black tanned leather pants and an equally black linen tunic, embroidered with gold threads.

Her dark hair fell in wavy cascades over her shoulders. It framed her oval face, with well-groomed eyebrows, lips painted a soft red and eyes as black as the darkness that surrounded them.

"Uncle, it's the great heroine!" The stoic face turned to where Thorin was looking. At him.

Tav.

An elegant, cordial nod. Fluid, ethereal movements.

She was nothing like the impetuous, clumsy adventurer he remembered.

"Do you already know your answer?" She asked in a calm tone. Clean of any emotion, just like her eyes.

There was nothing reflected in them. The sorrow that haunted him during the trance was no longer there. Neither was the young, cheerful face during the moments when he was forced to face what he had left behind while blinded by rage.

"I-I..." Astarion stammered, fighting against his own conflicting emotions which were about to drive him mad.

"Astarion, we don't have time for winding things up, nor is it difficult to say a word with three or two letters. Yes or no?"

It wasn't an impatient tone, but it did inspire urgency.

Astarion was about to open his mouth when an assassin glided out of the shadows, attacking Tav.

Only to turn into red mist and black dust. A distinct metallic smell floated in the air.

Blood and metal. The metal of the weapons he carried.

As if nothing had happened. Tav turned to him again.

"Well?"

Astarion studied the face, the same face he had enjoyed, admired and kissed for many nights a hundred years ago.

It was the same face, although it looked completely different.

"Yes." Astarion finally replied.

Tav was no longer human.

[lolasimms]

a lots gonna change pt.14

Summary: Married life isn’t great, infidelity ensues, and things change

next chapter

"Here Lila" Abby called out as she handed your daughter a paper plate with a piece of confetti cake smeared all over it. If you were being honest the piece was too big for your liking and you were sure that Lila would be leaving with a sugar rush. But special occasions called for special acceptions, this being one of them.

"Thanks Abby" Lila accepts the plate and bounds into the dining area to go and enjoy her sugary treat.

"Should I cut you a slice?" Abby glances up at you, her large hand gripping the icing covered knife.

"Sure, that'd be nice." You reply and she lowers the knife back into the white frosted cake, littered with rainbow sprinkles. Much like Lila's, she cuts you an abnormally large triangular piece of cake, placing it on the polka-dotted paper plate and then handing it to you. She awkwardly smiles, grabbing her own plate and then makes her way to the dining room.

Things were still a bit tense between you and Abby after the altercation at Joel's two weeks ago. You'd assured her that she was forgiven after a lengthy heart to heart, but she was still doubting you and beating herself up. Ever since said altercation, no words had been exchanged with your ex-wife, save for a few updates about Lila's school and pickups but that was it. And you hoped it stayed that way. You knew they were both partly at fault but Ellie had started the physical fight, and she hadn't even made the effort to offer a genuine let alone any apology.

It was Abby's birthday and her father had invited you over to his, insisting you bring Lila along to help the Andersons celebrate. The home sprung memories of familial and domestic bliss. Streamers strewn about the dining room, metallic balloons that displayed '26', radio hits that you're sure Jerry didn't even listen to, booming throughout the house and an assortment of different coloured balloons held together by ribbon.

With your plate of cake in hand, you made your way to the dining room, where Jerry had Lila sitting beside him, the both of them looking through an old chunky photo album filled with baby photos of Abby and others of her extended family. Lila was "ooohing" and "ahhing" whilst simultaneously letting out giggles. Your eyes met the blue orbs of your lover who finally gave you a genuine smile for the first time in a week. You stride towards Abby, taking a seat besides her and taking your hand in hers.

"I love you." You whisper as you smile at her, leaving a kiss on her cheek, immediately she warms up, her face tinting to a light shade of red. She leans into you, placing a chaste kiss on your mouth where she mumbles an "I love you too." You're both interrupted by Jerry, who clears his throat and Lila's quiet "eww." The two of you pull apart, sporting mischievous grins on your faces when Jerry shuts the photo album and announces.

"Okay Abs, time to open your gifts." Lila's immediately trailing behind him as he makes his way over to the living room and the two of you follow suit. You were sat on the arm of the grey sofa, while Abby had Lila in her lap. The five year old had been so excited to pick out Abby's gift that she'd insisted it be the first one she opened.

"You sure this isn't a bomb Lila?" Abby jokes as she shakes the box, holding it close to her ears. You and Jerry simply chuckle at Abby's playfulnesses, but Lila finds it to be the funniest thing ever. She's hunched over giggling while Abby tears the wrapping off the small box. When she opens the box she's met with a vintage field watch, one she’d been raving about for the past six months.

“Y/n, you didn’t!” She yells, turning to you with a smile on her face and you simply smile. She reaches up and kisses you. “Hey, I helped wrap it” Lila exclaims hating the takeaway of attention from her. “Thank you too Lila” Abby squished her cheeks and then places the watch on her wrist.

-

“Thank you for coming Ms. Lila, I’ll see you next time alright?” Jerry waves off a tired Lila who’s hands are swinging behind you as she’s splayed out in your arms. “Bye, Jerry.” She mumbles, letting out a yawn in the process. You walk her over to the car and sit her into her booster seat, clicking it in and then shutting the door. Abby and Jerry are stood at the front door chatting, when he motions for you to come over.

“Thank you for coming over Y/n and bringing sweet Lila, you raised an angel.” He smiles, playing with the hair on his chin. You warm up at the compliment and offer him a genuine smile.

“Thank you Jerry for having us, and for the food and cake.” Abby pulls you closer into her and smiles down at her dad. “Alright dad, we’re going to head Lila’s done for the day.” She takes the box of cake from his hands and hands you the car keys. “Alright goodnight you two and happy birthday again Abs.”

The drive back home is quiet, the car being filled with only sounds of the heater blaring and Lila’s soft snores. Abby has her hand on your thigh the whole way home as you drive, not daring to let go. The two of you basking in the silence. As you’re making a left turn, she gives your thigh two small squeezes causing you to look at her. She gives you a loving smile and then rubs you softly. She didn’t have to verbally say it but you knew it was another apology, no matter how many times you’d forgiven her, she still felt responsible for the fight and she wasn’t going to stop atoning for her mistakes until she felt her forgiveness was truly earned.

-

Despite her protests, you’d managed to get Lila into the bath once the three of you had arrived back home. She whined and whined but you knew if she didn’t have her bath she would get restless at night. Once bath-time was over, you’d taken her into her room, read her a story from the array that were shelved in her bookcase and then proceeded to read.

“Mommy stop.” You were mid-way through a sentence when she’d lifted her sleepy head to stop you from continuing.

“What’s wrong baby?” You question as you drop the book into your lap.

“There’s two characters, and you’re not doing Mr. Flippers voice right. Can Abby come read that part?” She asks, genuine concern over the inadequacy of your impression. You call out to Abby, who was in your bedroom and she immediately made her way to the Lila’s room.

“Everything ok?” She asks, her hair wet from the shower she’d just taken, clad in an oversized hockey tee shirt and plaid pyjama pants.

“Can you help mommy read to me?” Lila looks up from the tucked in cover of her quilt.

“Really?” Abby asks a grin coating her face and Lila nods adamantly. The five year old falls asleep not even half-way through the book. Her head resting on her little pillow, hands tucked under her cheeks.

You kiss her goodnight as Abby switches on her nightlight, the two of you exiting the room.

“She asked me to read her a bedtime story.” Abby smiles down at you and you grin widely, nodding your head. The two of you make your way into the bedroom.

-

“So, how’s 26 treating you so far? You ask her as you straddle her waist, her arms immediately grabbing onto your hips and squeezing tightly.

“Pretty good, though I know a way that could make it great” She smiles at you, her fingers grabbing the hem of your pyjama shirt and lifting it over your head.

“Mhm, what may that be?” You lift yourself off her thighs and shimmy your way out of your pyjama shorts and underwear. She immediately pulls you back down to straddle her when you’re interrupted by your phone ringing on the bedside table. Abby’s let’s go of you waist but you continue.

“Just ignore it.” You mumble as the two of you come together in a kiss. You’re grinding against her in tandem as she sloppily kisses down your neck, making her way to your chest, when the phone begins to ring again.

“Just take it, baby” She sits back against the headboard and you un-straddle her. You reach over to your phone, and to your surprise the contact reads Joel. You’re taken aback, seeing as Joel never called you this late at night, ever.

“Hello?” You hold the phone close to your ear, as you fidget with the comforter. Abby’s warm hands stroking your back rhythmically.

“Are you on your own right now, where’s Lila?” He questions and you’re taken aback by his forward ness.

“I’m with Abby, Lila’s asleep. Joel what’s going on?”

“Y/n, you need to get down to the Oakwood Hospital right now, it’s Ellie.”

taglist;

@moonlightdivine @maybe-cece @macaroni676 @sawaagyapong @katiemars @ellieseater @dakota-dream @joliettes @hebrokeimup @bratydoll @wakasaaa @catostrophiclesbian @dinas-a-bird @lazyunknownwerewolf @h3sitant-alien @ceo-of-ellie-simps @mechetegirl109 @kashoot-me269 @lonelyfooryouonly @ellieswifee @doodlebob-mp3 @ellieismami

[coffee-writesthings]

so like months ago me and @lonewolfinthetardis came up with a sort of collaborative thing (we both write a fic with the same prompt and then share them) and then I basically didn't touch it for however long, until now! This is gonna come in 4 parts, with this as the first one (dw they'll all be connected to the same post lol)

Spy entered the meeting room, where Sniper and Miss Pauling were already waiting for him.

“Fashionably late,” said Sniper, “like always.”

He retorted, “At least I’m fashionable. You look like you crawled out of a dumpster.”

“And you wear 10,000$ suits to the bloodiest job on the planet.”

“Boys.” Miss Pauling snapped, there wasn’t enough coffee in the damn world to deal with these two. Once satisfied that they had stopped squabbling like siblings, she spoke again, “I have a job for the two of you.”

“Why just us?” Sniper asked.

“Think about it for a few seconds. You’re both the most efficient mercs here by a long shot.”

“Well thank you, Pauling. Though I think you’re mistaken. I’m efficient in killing, but he,” he stared daggers at the other man, “is efficient at taking shots. He doesn’t kill.”

“Look at me in my eyes, Spy. Just how much do you think I care about your banal, stupid differences? Does it match up, at all, with how much I want to smack you in the face right now?”

“I can help with that part.” Sniper interjected smugly, “She doesn’t care about how it gets done, just that it does.”

“Fine. What’s our mission?”

She pulled up a map with locations of both RED and BLU bases, the various battlefields for their fights, among various other things like the town of Tuefort. However, she ignored that, in favor of taking a massive red pen to circle one location in particular, far off to the east from their base. “There’s a gala going on here, and they have something we want. I can’t be more specific, just know it’s important to the Administrator-- if you fumble this operation, it’s your head, and Respawn won’t save you.”

“Please, there’s no way you’d be able to turn off Respawn. Right?”

“Do you really want to test that theory when I have a gun pointed at your face?”

“Understood ma’am.

Spy asked the question he usually asked when it came to missions, “What are our covers?”

“I’m so glad you asked!” she actually did seem a little glad, if not like she had a plan up her sleeves. Passing out a small pile of identifications and a sheet of paper to each man, she explained, “Your name, Sniper, is going to be Michael. You’re married to Spy. His temporary name is Samuel.”

“Like hell I’m going to marry the spook!” he looked at him, “Ugh, can’t even imagine kissing you.”

“I can imagine it,” he gagged, “You probably taste like the coffee you drink all day.”

“And you probably taste like week-old cigarettes.”

Before they could descend into stupidity, she pulled out a whistle, blowing on it hard, “Get yourselves together! You’re trained killers, not toddlers who can’t share a toy.”

They shared a look of disgust.

“Listen. It’s three days. You can get over yourselves for three days. It’s only 72 hours, probably less if you get there and back faster. And, once you’re back, you can go to town on each other all you want.”

Sniper took a deep breath, gathering himself. She had a point-- he was supposed to be polite, efficient. And, well, he could just get it over with and then he’d never have to think about it again. “I’ll do it. Sorry for the… outburst.”

“Thank you, for cooperating like an adult. Spy?”

“If I leave him to die, can I collect his paychecks?”

“Spy.”

“Sorry, sorry-- I jest. I’ll do it.”

~ Scene Break ~

So as not to arouse suspicion when they’re at the gala, Sniper plans to take his van, but leave it some ways away from the venue. Getting into it brings some comfort to the fact that he has to work with Spy for this mission.

What was it he hated so much about him, though? Was it the snobbishness, the way he was just an asshole to everyone, or something else?

“This is what we’re staying in for the next several days? I think I’d prefer death by fire to this.”

Ah, it was definitely the way he was a snobbish asshole.

“Get over yourself, Spy. Like it or not, this is where we’re gonna live together, for a bit.”

“I’ll do it, but I’m going to complain the whole time.”

“Do that and I gag you with that mask of yours.” Sniper got into the driver’s seat as Spy got into the Passenger’s.

“You might as well drive a mile away and shoot out my tongue at that point. It’s so typical of you to run away from your problems.”

“Well look who’s talking! Scout’s your damn kid and he doesn’t know-- you really think you’ve got legs to stand on here? You- you get too close, Spy.”

“And you’re too far away. I get up close because that's the only way for me to kill.

“These three days better pass fast.” he growled.

“That’s one thing we can agree on.”

A few hours passed, where Spy found that he had fallen asleep. He awoke to the sounds of Sniper humming to some quiet song, a smile on his face— the sunlight shone into his beautiful brown eyes. How could someone he never really liked have such a fairytale face?

He dismissed the thought, going back to sleep after his momentary - severe - lapse in judgement.

[lxdymoon0357]

HELLO! Sorry to bother you, but i just loved this fic so much so i was wondering would it be alright to have a continuation to it?

Like, maybe it's a few months after Penelope got married and she hasn't seen reader in so long and no one seems to not even know where she is. As if they just dissapeared.

So she just can't take it any more and sneaks out to find reader and they just have a little chase before they both fall down a small hill. And even though reader got hurt because they protected Penelope they still asked if she's okay.

.... Reader death flag perhaps 🌝

Have a great day!!!

(Tried to decided the ending so hard! Kind of failed, Siyeon! Penelope X Callisto... Part 1)

My lover who never belonged to me... Pt. 2

Before she understood anything to say or do, she felt tears pricking hard from her eyes and she fell with you to the floor, before crying her heart out as she failed to realize that in order to live and survive as Penelope she ruined Penelope, the lover who belonged to you…..

------

That happened three months ago, Penelope ended up crying herself to sleep and when she woke up, Y/N wasn't there, she thought that Y/N was getting ready for the wedding, before Reynold entered the room, telling her to get ready and freshen up to get her make-up done, before he picked up Yvonne and walked out, as to wake her up and get her ready as well. As she was sitting in the bath tub, crying her eyes out yet again... As she was crying, the sound of the door opening caught her off-guard as she immediately tried to wipe her tears and pretend as she was only taking a bath normally..... But it didn't work, as the person who walked in was Callisto and he knows Penelope too well, and he knew it was something related to you, otherwise why would Penelope try to cry in private and not come to him for it.....

He immediately felt his blood boil at seeing his fiancé crying her eyes out on a day she was meant to be the happiest, as he walked over and loomed over Penelope and held her nape to turn her head to him, her eyes all glassy and nose teensy bit red from crying.

"What did that little friend of yours did to you, princess?" Callisto, enraged along in contrast gently stroking Penelope's cheek, which was wet from her tears and the bath water, with his gloved fingers.

As he sharply took out his tiny sharp dagger, which made Penelope jump up and grab his arms before squeaking out in wails, "NO! Stop, Y/N didn't do anything!" As Callisto turned to look at her face wet again from salty tears, he put his dagger away and softly wrapped Penelope in a towel and put her on his lap and she cried angry and sad tears in his shirt as Callisto rubbed her back and kissed her here and there to calm her down. Finally she calmed down and started getting ready, as Callisto left, also to get ready. Penelope got all dolled up in makeup, got her hair done and got dressed, finally walking down the aisle and saying her wows, finally after what seemed like forever, Penelope was feeling happy and warm until she looked back at her father and siblings, only to find a empty seat near Yvonne, you seat....It was empty..

As the party and drinking started, Penelope slipped out and pulled Yvonne and Reynold out of the venue before asking, "Why was Y/N's seat empty?" As Yvonne and Reynold looked upset and confused before Reynold spoke up and said, "Penelope, Y/N left a letter saying she needed to go somewhere and so she couldn't attend the wedding, Derrick yelled at them as they were leaving, but Y/N just ran off with a horse....We're sorry..." Yvonne immediately hugged her side and patted her back as Penelope again had her eyes filled with tears, but this time she wouldn't cry, she can't cry....

Without saying anything Penelope pulled Reynold and Yvonne back into the venue and started partying to get rid of you from her mind...The night ended up with her carrying her drunk husband back to bed and then spending nights with sister having a sleepover. Finally she was a wife and an empress, she would do anything in her power to find you and make you happy again!

Unfortunately that didn't work, you didn't arrive home after the wedding, you weren't seen by anyone, it's like you ceased to exist, you were basically gone and it was very hard to Penelope to move on as even though she wasn't as close to you as original Penelope, but she was still very close and you were one of the most important person in her life, you helped her survive so many things even in the game you were always protecting Penelope....

One day, as Penelope sent another troupe to find you, but as they still came back yet again empty-handed, Penelope sighed, even they couldn't find you, she'd been sending so many troupes to find you over the capital, but still no news was there about you...As she sat in the garden tryin to forget about another yet failed search, she saw a knight tossing a tiny stone again and again in his hand while talking to his friends, Penelope squinted and walked discreetly closer to them trying to figure out what it was due to curiosity, but as she recognized the stone, the weight of guilt and happiness came crashing down on her, as she realized this was the stone from your bracelet which you word 24/7, it was from original Penelope.

Penelope immediately let her presence known as the knights immediately bowed to her, before Penelope asked, "Where did you find this stone?" She asked pointing to the stone still in the knight's hand, the knight opened his hand and showed it to Penelope before saying, "Ma'am it was at the edge of the nearby border, where the forests start, but on the other side, nobody really goes there, but I found this on the ground...." Penelope took stone before inspecting it and she was correct, it was the stone which had the same pink and green engravings in it.

"Fine, get the carriage ready and take me to the place where you found this stone..." Before dismissing everyone and walking to her room to get changed into more casual clothes, which would allow more freedom and to prepare her crossbow in-case somebody tried to attack her, she was the empress after all...

Finally sitting in her carriage as it began moving, she looked out the window at the beauty of the empire, she remembered how you enjoyed going around the markets and places in the empire to hang-out with her to make her happy. She got so lost on memories and thoughts that she didn't realize when the carriage stopped, until one of the knights knocked on the door and informed her so...

Opening the door, she breathed the air in, which was filled with the smell of grass, flowers and dirt, she felt refreshed as she walked around taking in the scenery of the forest edge, it was bustling with the sounds of leaved, birds singing tunes and the sunlight peeping through the multiple layers of leaves, vines and trees. As she took a good look around, she asked, "Would you all mind letting me spend time alone in this place for a while, you can spend time here while I go walk.." this was immediately disagreed by the knights as they told that it was their duty to follow their empress to guard her not matter what..

She tried to convince them, but they wouldn't completely agree still very doubtful of the idea, finally Penelope has enough as she sighed, as she said, "Fine, but I have some serious business with someone here, so you can't follow me, but how about this, if I don't return within fifteen minutes, you can come inside, I will be leaving a trail of white lines with chalk.." Penelope said, before pulling out chalk from her robes, finally knights agreed hesitantly, as Penelope walked into the woods, taking in the beauty of the forest, where birds were flying, eating, feeding their babies, the grassy floor filled with flowers and large untamed plants, with grey stones and vines and large branches hanging from trees supporting many small animals; bunnies, butterflies, rodents, frogs, snails and tiny birds. As Penelope walked and walked, putting marks of chalks on trees as she did so, she continued to marvel in the forest's beauty, not realizing how far she'd gone in very less time, as she walked in clearings where they was a huge majestic lake, with many swans, goose, ducks, rabbits and deers. As she walked along-side the lake, still leaving marks of chalk on the trees as she walked, her dropped at the sight of someone oh so similar to her, you...You were there in an outfit you normally wouldn't wear, Penelope would only describe this outfit as a 'pirate's outfit' you were wearing pants, with a loose shirt tucked in, the shirt had poofy sleeves with a low collar, you were also wearing knee-length boots and you're hair was free and open, unlike how you would usually put it up..

As you washed your face in the lake, before rinsing your mouth and spitting the water out, as you pulled a napkin form your pocket and wiped you face as your eyes get into contact with a frozen Penelope's green eyes, as you froze before acting as though you never saw her.

This made Penelope feel as though somebody has ripped her heart into half seeing you act as though you were disgusted by her and she wasn't important to you, as compared to how warmly you would wave and smile at her when you saw her...As Penelope walked timidly towards you expecting you to yell at her, but you didn't....You didn't even show an ounce of hatred towards her, but you still didn't accept her into your walls again...You're face was unreadable and didn't show any expression as barely acknowledged her, Penelope slowly started talking after taking a deep breathe. "How-How have you been, Y/N?" Penelope asked timidly, before receiving her answer, "I've been fine." completely derived of emotion from you, this wasn't what she expected.

"Why-why did you leave?" Penelope asked, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"I had some work." You said, turning your head away form her. As you both stood there in silence, Penelope trying not to cry and you sitting on a large rock, before there was sound of steps running as Penelope somebody also came into the clearing changing your mood and behavior immediately as you stood up and opened your arms wide, where the blue haired beauty was swallowed up in your arms and warmth, you immediately squeezed her tight picking her up a few inches above the ground before putting her down and kissing her lips...

"Well, I shall take my leave now, your imperial highness." You said, trailing behind the blue-haired girl who was pulling your hand, as Penelope now saw knights coming in from behind her, "Your highness, you weren't back, we came to find you!" they said, as you ran back, you bowed on your knees and said, "Thank you for looking after me for the time being." you said, flashing her your warm, final smile and giving her a letter before running back to the girl who was sitting on the horse, and sat behind her, that girl looked at Penelope and smiled at her before the horse started running as you both left the scene leaving no trace of you and your new found lover ever being there....

-----

"Dear Siyeon,

I've written this letter for my apologies. I'm sorry for leaving your wedding like that on such a horrible time and in search informal manner, please forgive me. I hope you weren't too upset about me being there. As I woke up, I remember how I confessed and when I was planning on telling you to not look at me differently, when a messenger bird came to me delivering a letter.

That letter was from a very dear person who had been missing for a long time now, they were asking me to come there to give me an explanation, they said if I wouldn't come, it would mean I didn't accept them back and so I had to leave, because I needed to know the situation of such a important person.

This person had gotten into a horrible mess and so was missing, they asked me to leave with them but I couldn't do so, without faring everyone a goodbye, yet I also couldn't face them after leaving you wedding like that. I hope Callisto is not mad by me leaving you in such a rush. I'm sorry yet again and I hope I give this letter to you before I leave the empire forever. I know I behaved wrongly with you when we met and I hope you forgive me for that. I know it's sudden after me being gone for so long, but this had to be done, I had to comply to my darling lover, Penelope's wish. I hope maybe one day we'll meet again and we'll spend time again as friends.

Love, Y/N L/N"

-----

Penelope was crying tears of joy and sadness as she reached the ending of the letter, wrapping the blanket around her tighter as Callisto ran his hand up and down her back. Penelope's eyes dropped tears on the parchment, making lines of inks on the paper, smudging the writing slightly. Penelope for the last time realized, she may have taken the body of your lover, but your lover will always be with you...

[julianalvarez9]

meant to be / martin ødegaard

requested: yes

wc: 1.1k words

summary: you're an aspiring actress being interviewed by jimmy fallon at the tonight show. you can't possibly imagine where tonight would take you, though.

author's note: sooo my first request for martin 🥹 i'm was actually really excited to start writing for him, he's just the cutest little guy isn't he ☹️ hope you like it!!!

"so, y/n, how is it that you're married?" the interviewer asked, jokingly tone heard through his voice. "stop!" you giggle, repositioning yourself on the sofa to keep comfortable. you had done a lot of interviews over the past few months, but still being an aspiring actress, sometimes, the nerves got to you. especially on shows like the one you were at currently, where you knew that it was watched by millions.

you weren't mad at the topic being brought up, but you were surprised that he had done enough searching before interviewing you to find the video he was alluding to. the fact that you had married on a holiday with your family when you were just a kid was spilled by you as a joke, while filming a video of 2 lies and 1 truth with florence pugh, your co-star. ever since then, it had become almost a meme to try and find the kid your younger self fell in love with during the family vacation.

"your turn now!" your co-lead yells, excited about how her inevitable win. it had been fun until now, your chemistry clearly showing on camera, and you were quite entertained about the whole challenge. but being a deeply competitive person, you knew you had to win this round to even have a chance of taking the lead on the score. "okay so, this one's hard," you earned mischievously, before listing the options. "i went skydiving during the summer, i married young, or i have two older brothers," you sentenced, trying to keep your face hard as stone to avoid giving away what the truth was.

"you went skydiving!" florence assured, so sure about her answer that she was squealing, thinking she had won the round, and consequently, the game. "no! i'm actually afraid of heights," you laughed, and her face fell when she realized she had lost. "it's quite a tricky one, but i'm married," you laughed, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"not really married, though, that's why i said it was a tricky one," you laughed, and continued to explain. "one summer i went on a cruise with my family and fell in love with this one kid. we jokingly got married. i think my mom even has a picture!" you laughed, and florence furrowed her eyebrows immediately, pouting at your cheating. "yeah but you're not really married, dummy, that's cheating!".

"we have some news! your mom found the picture and she kindly sent it to us!".

your face turned bright red when the audience started cheering, and you turned around to see the picture showing in the screens behind you. two little boys were seen, holding hands under a tree. you didn't remember it clearly enough to recognise where you were, but you remember that the cruise had stopped once on the coast before returning back home, and you guessed that's where the picture was taken. "that's so embarrassing! i had never seen it" you commented truthfully. "i hope he doesn't recognize himself," you laughed while blushing, and tried to fan air into your face to make your cheeks calm down. the entire studio was cheering, and jimmy was pleased to see your reaction and how excited the whole crowd was about his discovery. "you didn't get to him yet?" he asked curiously, and you shaked your head in negative.

meanwhile, internet was going crazy about it. the search had started when you joked about it months ago, but now, with photographic evidence, it didn't took long until someone recognised who the little kid by your side was.

the interview was about to come to an end, but minutes before, jimmy clapped his hands excitedly. "we have a surprise for you, y/n!," he squealed, and the crowd let out a "oooh" in anticipation. "oh my god!" you exclaimed, while smiling widely, "i really like surprises". his eyes glinted mischievously, "well, we hope you like this one! we've found your husband with the internet's help!". the sound in the studio was deafening, cheers and screams filling your ears, but the only thought that you could form was a simple question. what? it couldn't be.

jimmy went on, this time, explaining to the camera and the viewers. "on the line is martin ødegaard, arsenal's captain, welcome!".

after what felt like too long, but probably, was only a couple of seconds, he answered a shy "hey", thick english accent lacing through his deep voice. "so, martin, is it really you?" the interviewer pushed, and you were glad that the focus had turned from you, because you still were in shock about it. you never even considered that the little five year old guy would ever find you, let alone, be someone in the public eye as you were. it seemed unreal, and you still were having problems believing it.

"i guess so," he laughs, and you are one hundred percent sure that you look like a tomato now, after hearing the beautiful sound heard through the line. "my mum always watches your show, and she told me she recognised me in the picture you showed earlier," he explained, and after jimmy showed the picture again, a few tweets were also shown on the screen; various fans pointing the similarity between the little kid in the photo and what you could guess was a picture of martin as a kid.

you were taken back to reality from watching the screen showing the tweets by his sweet voice alluding at you. "how's my wife doing? haven't seen her in so long," martin joked, and the whole crowd yelled in delight. you laughed, while trying to shake off the feelings erupting in your stomach after being called his wife. "it's been like 20 years, no?," you asked, already knowing the answer. "yeah, i think so".

you didn't want to think too much about it: you knew it was only a joke. but 20 years is too much time, and he could be actually married and with a family of his own. you shifted uncomfortably in your seat at the thought, and it was like the interviewer had read your mind. "martin, are you actually married? kids?".

"apart from y/n, no," he joked, and the public laughed. "i'm focusing on football currently," he pointed out, and a few pictures of him wearing a red jersey and celebrating appeared on the screen behind you. so he was really arsenal's captain, wasn't he? "that's great! y/n, do you like football?".

"yeah, my dad's actually a diehard arsenal fan," you said, matter of factly, remembering how your weekends went when you were a kid, seated at the sofa with your dad, while cheering on his favorite red team. it really seemed too good to be true. "you were really meant to be, weren't you?," quipped jimmy, buzzing at the thought of actually being a matchmaker between the two of you.

"i guess so," you smiled.

[lounaticm]

Married!Captain x Dark HCs

(I haven't been able to stop thinking about this ask from @psychnerd713 and only after I gave an answer did my brain decide to properly start thinking about it, so. Here's a continuation.)

The wedding is a quiet affair, just the two of them. Much as the Captain loves their crew to death, they didn't want anything loud or to have too much attention. This was for them and him. Thankfully, the Captain has both the knowledge and license/authority to officiate their own wedding, the very first to take place on their new planet.

The Captain says nothing about having gotten married afterwards, though it doesn't take too long for someone to catch them with their gloves off, the ring standing out starkly. The discoverer stating their surprise and lack of knowledge about the Captain being married draws a lot of attention, eventually bringing Celci around to mention that the Captain's records upon boarding the Invincible stated that they weren't married.

"It happened recently. Didn't want a lot of attention or to cause a commotion."

Questions about 'who' and 'where' and 'when' and 'why they hadn't said anything before' immediately began to flood in.

"No one that any of you would know. Not too far from the settlement. Almost a month ago, now. Because it's a rather complicated situation."

Cue Dark suddenly appearing through what looks like a hole in the universe.

"I would say you certainly seem to have some timing... except I know you're always watching or listening."

"I worry."

"I know. You're a professional worrier at this point. And due to the sorts of things that have happened, I don't mind a bit. It's nice to have an extra pair of eyes on things."

The crew, of course, feels rather hurt that they weren't at the very least told about the Captain getting married before now, but ultimately understand - at least, as much as they're able to without all the details of what led up to it all, but that's an entire lifetime and then some, and it would simply take much too long to try to explain it all just then.

Dark wears a glamor for the first while, hiding his inhuman skin tone and the unnatural (and sometimes uncomfortable) aura that usually surrounds him. The first time he lets any of it down is actually accidental, an ever-so-slight slip of his concentration as he's walking around the settlement, speaking and reminiscing with the Captain. All it takes is for the Captain to make him laugh, a burst of cyan sparkling off of him like flecks of aquamarine catching the sunlight, a small ripple of red following in its wake.

He starts consciously allowing parts of his aura to show through after that. The red and cyan anaglyphic effects. The grey pallor to his skin. An occasional feeling of slightly increased air pressure around him. It's assumed that that's all there is to him... until he's seen getting irritated at a certain wannabe usurper in the crew. Grey creeps off his skin like smoke, eventually coalescing into a sphere around him, the color of everything in this area being sapped away until it is removed from this proximity. That slight pressure becomes a heavy weight, pressing down like the gravity had suddenly shifted to be double or triple of what it should be. And then there's the high-pitched ringing, like a gun had gone off much too close by, and the creaking, as if something wooden were under a strain. No one could deny that the Captain's husband made for quite the intimidating sight when he wanted to be, and he hadn't even raised his voice.

He'd introduced himself to everyone by the name Dark, and though people always hear the Captain calling him Damien (and diminutives thereof) no one calls him anything else.

Dark sometimes disappears for a few hours, but no one knows where he goes and they've no intentions of asking and potentially butting into personal business. Some have heard the Captain asking him how 'the Others' are doing when he comes back again - always through those abyss-like doorways that close too fast to see anything but a pitch black void. Eavesdroppers often hear talk of someone called 'Will' getting up to all sorts of things. Regardless of what names are mentioned, there is always clear fondness in his tone, if sometimes colored with exasperation.

Knowing me, my brain probably won't let this go even still, so if I end up with more thoughts, there will be a sequel to this.

@kiwibubbles5