#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.

[thewitchblue]

"Stop stealing my shit."

Jason said as he yanks his favourite hoodie from Dick's hands. Everybody comes by his apartment and steals something for the road. He had assumed this sibling habit would stop when he moved out, but apparently, that is not the case.

Dick, undeterred, continued to riffle through his closet. The apartment looked too lively in the past couple of months. It looked like people actually live here and not Jason's usual barren home. Dick held up one of your plushies and examined it. Jason said aggressively,

"That's not even mine! Put it back!"

Dick huffed. Jason used to have a stuffed animal that he dragged everywhere back in his early Robin days, so Dick could totally believe Jason having a plushie collection in secret.

"I knew my little birdie is still in there."

Dick smiled as he held the plushie. It was a fluffy polar bear that looked like it was used regularly. The image of Jason holding a small bear to fall asleep with was too cute for Dick not to feel the familiar joy little Jason used to bring him. His baby brother is still his baby brother! Underneath all that rage, Jason is still the 12 year old kid who wants love.

"Honey, I'm hooooome!"

Dick heard a voice call out dramatically like a 1950s sitcom. You were putting away your coat and humming softly when Tim casually climbed into your house through your living room window. He stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure how to proceed after climbing through the window and spotting you. This is an awkward way to meet his brother's significant other. You screeched when you noticed him and smashed a lamp on his head. He cursed his silent footsteps as he stumbled back. Five seconds ago, you were humming Singing in The Rain, and now you have an injured vigilante on your doorstep.

"You alright, munchkin?"

Jason called out as he managed to finally take the bear from Dick's grubby little hands. The white fur wasn't covered in Gotham's dirt, thankfully, but now he was angry.

You were quiet for a suspicious amount of time, so he couldn't fight Dick the way he wanted to. He went to the living room to find you cleaning up shards of glass while Tim awkwardly plucked out shards from his hair. His head hurt, but he didn't complain, and you didn't apologise.

Neither brother knew what to do around you. Dick wants answers. He will get to the bottom of this.

"How long have you been together?

Dick asked when he got over the initial shock. He needed to know everything. Tim is the one to answer,

"Four years, yes, they know about Red Hood, they've lived together for a few months now and recently got engaged."

You nodded to confirm everything while throwing away the glass. It was weird that Tim knew everything about your relationship, but you didn't really care in the moment. You sighed and lay on the couch after putting away the broom and dustpan. You need a nap, not guests.

Dick was hung up on the word engaged. It's one thing to keep a secret partner, but a secret fiancée hurts his big brother ego. Was Jason going to get married before he ever met you? Dick was frustrated. He asked,

"What was the plan? To never show us your partner?"

You lazily took Jason's hand in yours. You remained in your comfortable position on the couch, but you wanted to show your silent support. You were willing to do whatever makes Jason comfortable.

Jason lightly squeezed your hand in gratitude. He knew they would adore you and steal your attention at every possible chance. Why would he tell them about you? They would all be insufferable. He said flatly,

"It wasn't a secret. Replacement found out about it."

Dick was still mad, but now he turned to Tim with a look of betrayal. He just remembered that Tim was the one to answer his earlier question. He asked Tim,

"You never thought to tell me?"

Tim shrugged and replied,

"It was good blackmail in the beginning."

You laughed despite the tension growing in the room. Tim found out within the third week of your relationship. Master detective indeed.

He knew something was different. Jason wasn't as aggressive nor as self-destructive. He started to pull his punches in their spars, and he stopped bullying everybody. He either had six months left to live and wanted to make amends, or there was something or someone in his life fixing him.

Dick didn't like that excuse, but it made sense to Tim. Why wouldn't he blackmail Jason? He has dirt on everyone, even Bruce. Jason was livid at the time, but Tim held him back by threatening to leak the relationship to the press.

Jason sat on the armrest of the couch you were lying on and kissed the back of your hand gently. He wouldn't care if people knew now, but he admittedly wanted to selfishly keep you to himself. Jason asked,

"Why does it matter?"

Dick was malfunctioning. Why does it matter? How does it not matter? These are huge steps in life, and he missed them? He was going to miss his little brother's wedding! What's next? Adopting kids from Crime Alley? Dick was speechless.

Jason just wants them out of his house. He always hates when they show up randomly, but it's even worse now that he has someone waiting for him at home. You had clashing schedules up until now, so it wasn't a huge problem with their random visits because he could always physically shove them out the door before you arrived home. Now that you switched shifts, you can spend a lot more quality time with him, but at the cost of his family popping in and snooping like they are right now.

You and Tim were watching from the sidelines with intrigue. If there was popcorn, you both would have a bowl. Normally, this is around the time Jason punched Dick and started a fight, but this time, Jason simply dragged Dick and the previously forgotten Tim by their shirts and stuffed them out of the window. He quickly locked the window and closed the curtains while giving them the middle finger.

You walked over to him when you noticed his irritation not leaving and wrapped him in a hug. He needs something to de-stress, and you often use sensory stimulus to keep him in the presence. You murmured softly,

"Sugar bear, it's okay."

Jason nodded. He wanted your gentle touch, but he needed to search the apartment for any stolen property. What if Dick stole your favourite plushie or Tim stole his combat knife? They are stealthy in what they steal, which is why he kept everything barren in the first place. If they can get away with it, they will do it.

Your hands run along his arms. Jason relaxed into your touch. How do you do that? What magic do you have that can calm him so efficiently? You make his loud mind silent.

"If he stole one of your plushies, I'm going to kill them both."

He said gruffly. You laughed and gently ran your fingers through his hair. You shouldn't be surprised by the clear irritation, but it really highlights the effects his family still has on him. The way he tensed when he saw Tim and you, the way he squeezed your hand a tad tighter than normal, and the way his breathing changed to calm a raising panic attack just like you taught him. You lightly kissed his shoulder before saying,

"He probably stole my Nightwing plush. I have the whole family set, you know."

Jason knows for a fact Dick would steal a Nightwing plushie if he found one in Jason's home. He can already see it in Dick's apartment. It would probably be next to his bed as a trophy, teasing Jason and daring him to try to reclaim it.

He casually reached for one of his guns and loaded it. You lightly hit his arm and scolded,

"I can always buy a new plushie. You can't buy a new brother."

Jason raised an eyebrow. He definitely could buy a new brother. He could bring Bruce an orphan and his baby fever would take over. What's Bruce going to do if Jason shows up with a baby who was recently orphaned? Adopt them, of course.

"You underestimate Bruce's baby fever. He would adopt the whole orphanage if he could fit them all in the manor."

You shook your head with amusement in your eyes. You pointed out,

"You would become the eldest if he was killed. All your brothers would go to you for advice on life experiences."

Jason sighed and put the gun away. Fine. You win this round. He doesn't want to deal with his family any more than he has to anyway. He pulled you into a calming kiss. It soothed his aggression instantaneously. He practically melts into your arms. He is excited to spend his life with you.

Your beautiful boyfriend may be rough around the edges, but you love the chips and scratches.

[meadowfics]

I apologize if you're not taking requests at this time. I just have to get it down before I forget lol.

What if Kang Dae-Ho and reader meet during the games and somehow survive and get married and have a kid who one day comes home from school wanting to play these children games they learned from their classmates/teachers (the games they played) and maybe it brings up the bad memories. Like kinda angsty but with a comforting ending something.

childhood dreams, adult nightmares

kang dae-ho x wife!mother!reader

seo-ah does not understand the effect of a childhood game on you

I am adding this to my, "kang family" series since this is such a good concept! thank you for requesting <3

warning: PTSD mentions, yes dae-ho and y/n were in the games in this AU before seo-ah and byeol came along :(

there is a link to see seo-ah's little cute sneakers to make your day <3

four years ago, you never thought you would live to see this life.

the quiet suburban home in the countryside in korea.

the warm smell of baby lotion and freshly brewed tea lingering in the air. the sound of your three-year-old daughter, seo-ah, giggling as she kicks off her tiny pink strawberry sneakers by the door.

the little girl's excitement was bubbling over after a long day at daycare.

you never thought you would survive at all to see this life,

or any life outside of comfort,

or any life outside of poverty,

yet here you are.

your hands tighten slightly on the baby carrier strapped to your chest, where byeol is sleeping peacefully, her tiny face nestled against your sternum, breaths warm and steady.

byeol's weight is small but grounding, a reminder that she is real. that this life is real, and you did survive the worst.

you and dae-ho had spent the day running errands, taking turns carrying byeol, rocking her, feeding her, going through the motions of parenthood with the quiet ease of two people who had built a home out of the wreckage of their past.

when you talked to dae-ho's oldest sister, and your sister-in-law, hana, a few months back, she suggested that seo-ah is at an age where she needs more social interaction with kids her own age.

so, dae-ho and you put seo-ah in morning daycare so she can play, start her learning, and make some new mini friends.

today had been a good day.

until seo-ah says something that freezes you in place.

"eomma, we played a new game today at recess!"

seo-ah announces, pulling her backpack off and tossing it onto the floor. the girl's cheeks are flushed with excitement as she bounces on her toes.

you smile, adjusting the strap of the baby carrier, watching as she pulls out a small piece of construction paper with crayon scribbles all over it.

"oh yeah? what game, baby?"

she grins, bright and carefree, completely unaware of the way your world is about to tilt on its axis.

"I think it was called... hm? wait! red light, green light! it was red light, green light!"

your breath catches in your throat.

your hands go still.

your entire body stiffens, as if your muscles are locking up, as if your nervous system is throwing every alarm at once, a tidal wave of ice-cold fear crashing down on you.

red light. green light.

breathe.

breathe.

you can't.

your ears ring.

your vision blurs at the edges.

your heartbeat thunders in your chest, loud and panicked, drowning out the warmth of the home around you.

"eomma?"

seo-ah tilts her head, blinking up at you with wide, innocent eyes.

she doesn't know.

seo-ah doesn't know.

act normal, y/n.

you force a smile, swallowing the lump in your throat.

"o-oh, yeah? who taught you that game?"

your voice feels distant, wrong, like it doesn’t belong to you.

"seonsaengnim said it’s really fun! we played it outside, and i won once!"

she beams, clearly proud of herself.

your stomach churns. nausea twists inside you like a knot pulled too tight.

images flash behind your eyes, unwelcome and cruel.

you remember when you won once, too.

except, you would have died if you didn't.

the sun beating down on your skin. the crack of gunfire. bodies collapsing around you, limp and lifeless. the screams. the silence.

stop. stop. stop.

"eomma?"

you snap back to the present, your nails digging into your palms as you force yourself to focus on your daughter.

on her soft voice, her curious eyes she got from you, the way she’s still waiting for your response.

before you can say anything, dae-ho’s voice calls out from down the hall.

"seo-ah, baby, use your inside voice! your sister's sleeping."

your head turns instinctively.

dae-ho is in byeol’s nursery, gently rocking her bassinet as he hums under his breath, soothing her. t

he sight of him...tall, strong, always steady...should bring you comfort.

right now, you don’t want him to see you like this.

you don’t want to trigger him, too.

"w-why don’t you go wash your hands before dinner, hm?"

you tell seo-ah, ruffling her hair.

she pouts but obeys, skipping off toward the bathroom, humming a song to herself.

as soon as she’s gone, you let out a shaky breath and press a hand to your chest, as if that will somehow slow the frantic beating of your heart.

you close your eyes. try to shake it off. try to remind yourself that this is not then.

this is not the games.

however, your body doesn’t understand the difference.

its been a while since you remembered those games. your brain tries to block that memory all of the time.

today, the memories were clear as day.

your legs feel weak as you make your way to the bedroom, setting the empty baby carrier down carefully before you sit on the edge of the bed.

your hands are still trembling, your lungs still tight.

you need to pull yourself together. you can’t let dae-ho see you like this.

you can’t—

“baby?”

your husband's voice is soft, but it startles you anyway.

you snap your head up, meeting his gaze.

dae-ho is standing in the doorway, brows furrowed slightly, his expression unreadable.

your stomach twists.

he noticed.

of course he did.

you try to muster a small smile.

“hey.”

he studies you for a long moment before stepping forward.

“what’s wrong?”

don’t tell him.

don’t tell him.

you don’t want to see that look in his eyes.

the same look he had the night you both finally got out, the night you collapsed in his arms, covered in blood that wasn’t your own, shaking so violently he had to hold you together.

the night before that when the rebellion happened. when you had to comfort a shaking dae-ho since the gunshots reminded him of his time in the marines.

he had worser PTSD symptoms than you did, if you had to compare.

however, dae-ho is patient.

he crouches in front of you, resting a warm hand on your knee.

"talk to me, baby."

you let out a slow breath, your throat tight.

“seo-ah told me that she--um--played… red light, green light today at daycare.”

he stills.

"it reminded me of.."

for a long moment, neither of you say anything.

dae-ho's fingers flex against your knee, his jaw tightens, his own breathing uneven. the ex-marine's eyes darken in a way that makes your stomach drop.

"oh."

you nod.

"yeah."

a heavy silence falls between you, thick with memories neither of you want to relive.

“i didn’t want to tell you,”

you admit quietly.

“i didn’t want to make you—”

“it’s okay,”

he cuts in gently.

“you can tell me anything.”

you can see it.

the tension in his shoulders, the way his fingers curl into fists before he slowly unclenches them.

he’s not okay either. but he’s trying.

just like you.

he takes a deep breath, then reaches for your hands, lacing his fingers through yours.

“she’s safe,”

he says, and you can’t tell if he’s reminding you or himself.

“she’s here. alive. she’s okay.”

you nod, squeezing his hands.

"i know. i just—" you swallow hard.

"it still gets to me."

"i know, sweetheart."

his voice is so soft it almost breaks you.

he moves to sit beside you, pulling you into his arms. the warmth of him, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, is the only thing keeping you from spiraling again.

"breathe with me,"

he murmurs against your hair.

so you do.

inhale.

his chest rises with yours.

exhale.

dae-ho's arms tighten around you.

the two of you sit like that for a long time, breathing together, grounding each other.

you don’t know how much time passes before you finally whisper,

“do you think it’ll ever go away?”

he doesn’t answer right away. then, he sighs, pressing a kiss to your temple.

"maybe not completely but we have each other, right?"

you close your eyes, nodding.

"yeah."

"and seo-ah. and byeol."

his voice is steadier now.

"we survived, baby. we made it. no one is taking anything from us ever again."

dae-ho's words settle into your bones, solid and warm, and you believe him.

you press your face against his chest, soaking in the quiet comfort of him.

the past will always be there, unfortunately, waiting for moments like this to creep in.

you are here alive with dae-ho. together.

alive.

kang family masterlist here

[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.

[foamingcleanser]

i wish you would.

my first request completed! thank you to the kind anon that sent it in! i got such a vivid image from the prompt that it sent me into a spiral and now i'm toying with the idea of a continuation? idk

★ best friend!Euijoo x afab!reader

★ content: some heavy? petting. no kissing. (sorry! but stay tuned) a bit of crude language but mostly sfw.

★ word count: 1.1k

you’ve heard it your whole life: you’re a handful. a lot. even too much on a few occasions. still, you never seemed to let comments like that get to you or dim your glow. 

Euijoo has never had the courage to say it to your face, but that’s one of his favorite things about you. it’s what drew him to you in the first place; like a moth to a flame. you were bright and loud and unapologetic about it. 

in turn, your friendship was proof that opposites attract: where you were boisterous and bright - he was quiet and collected. the contrast was stark but somehow you both made it work, striking a balance where you helped him overcome his timid nature and he brought you back down to earth when necessary. 

still, there are times when the difference can’t help but chafe on him.

being your best friend meant falling into pace with your shadow and, that, he was fine with. it was hearing you go on about your dates and other guys in general that he found hard to stomach; of course he wasn’t the only one seeking out some of your light. it was just his luck that being so close to you meant he was seemingly out of view where romance was involved (there was one time a few months ago that made him think, maybe things were shifting, but nothing came of it).

as your best friend, it was basically Euijoo’s job to sit and listen to you rehash every painfully explicit detail of your latest sexual escapade. an open book policy with your friends was probably healthy; honesty is something to commend.

right now he doesn’t think he's ever wished so badly that you would just shut up. 

“i don’t even know what he was doing with his fingers but it hurt, and he definitely had no idea where my clit was. i swear, it was the longest two minutes of my life.”

you’ve already given him the run down of your date last night, with full blown position examples, that made him laugh so much he was worried his face was permanently red.

“it was just weird, you know? and not hot weird. like, i can do hot weird, it was just bad,” you sigh, so deep into your own train of thought you don’t notice the pained expression on his face, even as you mildly acknowledge his presence. 

“at this point i’m just convinced i’m supposed to marry you. no other guy is gonna cut it.”

and with that, as if you haven’t just turned his entire world on its axis, you stand up from the couch and walk to the kitchen to answer your phone.

the blood was rushing so loudly in his ears, he didn't even hear the damn thing ring.

“wait, what?” he calls out, shifting on the couch to look toward the room you’ve just stepped through. no answer comes. you’re too busy with whoever is on the other line. based on the words he can make out, he knows it’s a work call. 

he could take it in stride; that’s what he usually does when you tease him. always a good sport. always a good friend. 

more and more, he realizes, that’s not enough.

your back is to him when he steps into the kitchen. his touch on your shoulder is gentle, guiding you toward him just so he can grab the phone where it’s pressed to your ear and you don’t even have the impulse to stop him; that’s how caught off guard you are.

“hey what the he-” you don’t get to finish your sentence. it’s like the connection from your brain to your mouth has been severed; you’re speechless because Euijoo, your sweet, careful, painfully gentle Euijoo is crowding you back against the kitchen counter.

“what did you say?” 

he leans over you and braces both palms against the counter, effectively trapping you where you stand. “hm?” 

“what are you talking about?” your eyes are wide, pupils flickering minutely between meeting his gaze and looking at his lips.

“what did you just say back there?”

“about the fingering? i-“

“no,” he sighs, looking up and willing the patience he’s so proud of to stay with him. “not about- that, about me.” 

your stare goes blank but he knows you're processing. he’s kind enough to give you a minute to catch up.

“...about marrying you? i was just kidding.” it stings to hear like that but he doesn't dwell on it too much, there’s another task at hand. 

“and about other guys not cutting it?” he tilts his head and you swallow hard, suddenly nervous about how close he is. you may be best friends but there’s always been a carefully calculated spatial distance between you two. the last time you broached it was one night a few months ago. one night you've been trying (and failing) to forget about.

“i guess, i wouldn’t know… if you could cut it or not…” you decide to play it safe, hoping he’ll back up and things can go back to normal, whatever normal can be at this point. “oh, come on juju.” you tag on the nickname you use when you’re doing the worst of your teasing because you know it always makes him crack a smile but he remains stone faced.

“i think you do, though.” he counters, playing it safe suddenly out of the question for Euijoo. 

he doesn't know exactly where the confidence has come from, but after listening to hours of your complaints about just how bad other guys are, he has a vague idea; he could do better.

his hands move off the counter and find your hips, sliding up until they rest at your waist, fingertips brushing against your skin where your shirt has ridden up.

“i can remind you. if you want?” 

it’s an offer but it might as well be an order; you can’t refuse.

“okay…” you finally whisper, not trusting your voice when his hands are on you.

“okay?” he presses on, pulling you forward until your body is flush against his, the muscle of his thigh slotting right between your legs so you know it’s deliberate. as if on instinct, you grind forward and gasp; both from the sensation and the realization of what you’ve done. 

his expression shifts, a smirk forming on his lips; he has you right where he wants you. it’s not often he gets to see you this flustered, especially not by something he’s done. he’s committing the sight to memory.

“Euijoo…” you whine and the sound is almost enough to make him crumble right then and there but he fights against the urge. 

instead he dips his head and presses his lips to your ear.

“just kidding.” 

it takes a second but he’s ready for the shove you give his chest, moving easily with the motion. his hands drop to his sides as he steps back and you both stare at each other for a moment before finally laughing.

Euijoo wonders if your laughter is fake too.

[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.

[baejl]

playing soldier

red velvet 6th member au / superm 8th member au

jaebeom spends his first weekend back home after enlisting and jaein has a sudden reaction

WARNINGS: angst - this is my first angst afte a while, hope you guys like it.

masterlist 🦋 requests are open feedback is always important to me!

When Jaein's pregnancy came out to the public, everyone would ask her the same thing: how'd she balance the idol-mom-wife routine? 

And, as expected, Jaein avoided that question as much as she could. Mainly because she didn't have to worry about it.

Everything was already settled with SM and, as for the 'wife' part, well, it wasn't like she wasn't already spending most of her days at Jaebeom's house, living a married life during the weekends. 

But, the girl forgot about one small detail: Jaebeom's enlistment. 

Jaein knew his compromise to the nation. After all, he was a citizen just like any other Korean man. But, gosh, that was hard! - especially when you have a six-month-old baby and is starting the preparations for a comeback.

Luckily, she had a huge network: her family, members, and some nannies she'd eventually hire when things were too intense - the latter being dismissed after some photos and data of John were leaked 'suddenly'. 

However, Jaein missed her husband. More than his father figure, she missed not being in charge all the time and having some time to just be his girl, turning her brain off of the world, not caring about a single thing but when they were going to cuddle again. 

The loud crying in the living room brought Jaein back to reality. Her days were a chaotic blur of toddler tantrums, sleepless nights, grueling rehearsals, outfits fitting, late-night studio sessions... Jaebeom had now enlisted a few months ago, leaving her to handle everything on her own. 

While she prided herself on being independent, the pressure was beginning to crack her. She could feel it. 

When Jaebeom finally called her after a whole week, telling her he'd be having the weekend off, she felt like she had just won the lottery. He came home to John already starting to babble something like "dad" and toddling into his arms. 

With that, for the first time in weeks, Jaein allowed herself to exhale. The love of her life was home, even if just for a weekend. 

But, as the day went on, instead of feeling relieved, Jaein found herself growing more and more irritable. Watching Jaebeom lounge on the couch, playing with John while she scrambled to prepare lunch, clean up toys, and mentally rehearse the choreography she was supposed to practice the next day, a storm began brewing inside her.

By the time John went down for his nap, the apartment was eerily quiet, but inside Jaein’s head, the noise was deafening. Her chest felt tight, her mind racing with everything she had to do—dinner to prepare, choreography to rehearse, emails from SM to answer, and the persistent guilt of wondering if John felt neglected. 

She glanced over at Jaebeom, who was lying on the couch scrolling through his phone, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched a funny video.

And something inside her snapped.

She slammed the kitchen cabinet shut, the sound cutting through the silence like a whip. 

Jaebeom glanced up, startled.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, his tone casual, almost dismissive.

Jaein turned, glaring at him. 

"What’s wrong? Seriously, Jaebeom? Look at me!” she raised her voice. “I’m running myself into the ground trying to keep this family afloat, and you’re just sitting there, scrolling through your phone like you don’t have a care in the world."

Jaebeom blinked, sitting up. 

"Whoa, where is this coming from?” he chuckled, nervously. “I just got back, Jaein. Can I not have a moment to relax?"

"A moment to relax?" Jaein repeated, already screaming at this point.. "Do you know what I would give for a moment to relax? I can’t even sit down without thinking about the million things I still need to do! I’ve been doing this alone for months, Jaebeom. Months! And the second you come home, you act like you’re some guest here instead of John’s father or my partner." 

Jaebeom’s jaw tightened. 

"That’s not fair. You know I’d be here if I could." 

"Would you?" Jaein shot back, her voice trembling with anger. "Because it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like you’ve checked out like you’ve accepted that this is my problem to deal with while you’re out there, playing soldier for the next two years." 

"Playing soldier?" Jaebeom’s voice dropped, low and hurtful.. He stood, his height towering over her, but she didn’t back down. She trusted him enough to know he wouldn’t do anything else. "Do you have any idea what it’s like for me over there? To wake up at 5 a.m. every day, march for hours, follow orders, and not even have the freedom to come home when I want? Do you think I’m on some vacation?" 

"Well, I think you’re lucky!” Jaein yelled, her voice cracking. "You get to focus on one thing. Just one thing! You don’t have to juggle a screaming toddler, a demanding career, and a house that always feels like it’s falling apart. You don’t have to wonder if your son feels abandoned because you’re too busy performing for the world to read him a bedtime story!" 

"Don’t you dare!” he debated. “Don’t you dare act like I don’t care about John. I love him as much as you do."

"Then show it!" Jaein cried, tears streaming down her face now. "Because all I see is you coming home, taking the easy moments, and leaving me to deal with everything else. Do you think loving him is enough? It’s not. He needs you here. I need you here."

Jaebeom’s jaw tightened, his voice low but firm. 

"Don’t say I don’t see it, Jaein. I see how hard you’re working, and I admire you for it. But you’re acting like I don’t care, like I’m not sacrificing anything. I miss John too. I miss you. Do you know how much it kills me to not be here for you, to not be here for our son?" 

"Then why does it feel like I’m doing this alone?" she shot back, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "Why does it feel like I’m trying and trying and trying, and you’re just... watching?" 

Jaebeom’s eyes flared. 

"Because I don’t know how to help you when you won’t even let me in! You keep everything bottled up, and then you explode like this. I can’t fix it if you won’t tell me what you need."

"I need you!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the apartment. "I need you to be here! I need you to take some of this weight off my shoulders because I can’t carry it all by myself anymore!" 

Her words hung in the air, the silence that followed deafening. Jaein’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, tears streaming down her face. Jaebeom looked at her, his expression softening as he saw just how much pain she was in.

Jaein followed her way to John's room, not really caring about Jaebeom calling her name. She had to calm herself, otherwise, she'd say even more things she'd absolutely regret later.

She didn't even know why she went to John's room. That was like her safe place. A place where she could just forget about all the problems in the world and focus on the most precious person in the world: her son. John had become her anchor in the chaos, a tiny person who didn’t care about schedules, criticisms, or the burdens she carried. He only cared that she was there. 

Stroking his soft hair, Jaein felt an overwhelming mix of love and guilt.  A perfect mix of two people that were truly, madly, deeply in love with each other. Although people would say John was the spitting image of her, Jaein couldn't spot the similarities. All she could see was a mini Jaebeom lying on his crib and that made her heart shrink even more. She had promised herself she’d hold everything together for him, but tonight had proved how fragile her resolve had become.

After checking if everything was fine with her little one, she followed her way to her bedroom. 

Jaebeom’s silhouette against the bedroom window was the first thing she noticed as she entered. His shoulders, usually so broad and assured, were slumped in defeat. The tension between them still lingered, but seeing him like that chipped away at her defenses. She hadn’t meant to lash out the way she did. It wasn’t entirely his fault - he was doing what was required of him, fulfilling his duties. But that didn’t make her feelings any less valid.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. 

Jaein wiped at the tears she didn't even notice was falling, her hands shaking. Jaebeom stepped closer, his eyes full of regret.

"I didn’t want to upset you," he said quietly, his voice raw. "I hate seeing you like this, Jaein. I hate feeling like I’m failing you. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you the way you need me to be. I thought... I thought you were handling it. You’re so strong, Jaein. Sometimes, I forget that even you have limits.”

She looked up at him, her face crumpling.

“I don’t feel strong. I feel like I’m failing. Everything and everyone." 

Jaebeom pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed against his chest. 

“You’re not failing,” he murmured. “You’re doing everything you can, and it’s more than enough. I should have seen how much you were struggling. I should have been there for you, even from a distance. I’m so sorry."

Jaein clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt. 

"I don't know how much I can keep doing this." she confessed. 

"You don't have to do it alone anymore," he said firmly. “I'll call more. I'll make sure you know that I’m here, even when I’m not. We’ll get through this, Jaein.”

[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!

[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.

[slaymitchabernathy]

Silent Night

The cold December air bites at Coriolanus through his heavy burgundy coat.

He doesn't hate the cold per se, but he does hate how it causes people to move slower, to come up with more excuses as to why things haven't been done properly. That's why he's out here in the first place, watching his Avoxes set up the lights they put on all of the shrubbery every year for the holidays.

If he had his way, there would be no decorations. December is just another month to him, but all the Presidents before him have always decorated the outside and inside of the Presidential Mansion and he won't be the one to break tradition.

"Much better," he decides, watching them wrap the trees with strings of lights. He doesn't want to be out here any longer if he can help it, not when he has a meeting very soon. "You'll oversee the rest," he tells one of the landscapers who's in charge of maintaining every plant on the premises. They quickly nod, "Yes sir, of course, sir."

Coriolanus resists the urge to roll his eyes and treks back to the front door of the Mansion, a door he rarely uses but he doesn't want to walk all the way over to the side entrance. He walks up the steps and pushes the door open, sighing when the warm air hits him. He pulls his coat sleeve back and checks his watch, he's right on schedule.

Perfect.

He strides by the front room, also known as the formal living room, and comes to a halt when he sees an unamely sight.

His wife. Talking to the Avoxes while helping them decorate the large Christmas tree they always keep by the window.

The tree is another thing he could do without, but, as tradition demands, he has his staff put it up and decorate it every year. It does look rather pretty at night with the lights shining through the window but he's never personally put a single ornament on the tree.

But his pretty little wife is hanging ornament after ornament while talking to the Avoxes as if they can talk back to her. He watches as she sits on the floor, picking different ornaments from a box beside her. She's wearing a red dress, a dress he bought her a few weeks ago for the upcoming holiday season. They'd have to make lots of appearances.

The dress is long-sleeved, made of soft velvet material. The front has lots of intricately sewn patterns such as doves and festive berries, he knew she'd like it. Her hair is pulled back from her face, tied with a red bow, he's sure she looks very pretty right now but the fact still stands that she's mingling with servants.

"Oh, that's a pretty one," she says when an Avox shows her a white ornament.

He scoffs and shakes his head, now in a terrible mood after witnessing such blatant mixing of upper class and commoner.

He walks down the great hall at a quickened pace, furious with her behavior. When Coriolanus was proposed the idea of marrying Soarynn, he was promised a number of things. She would give him children, she'd be a loyal, doting wife. She'd be perfectly well-behaved.

Clearly, that didn't apply to how she addressed household staff.

He'll have to talk to his advisors about this, thank goodness no one else saw her. He'd be the talk of the Capitol, Coriolanus Snow's little wife holding hands with the Avoxes, treating them as equals.

Absolutely not.

He's worked too hard to let Soarynn tarnish his perfect reputation.

When he enters his study, his advisors are already waiting for him, talking amongst themselves.

"I have an emergency," he tells them, rounding his desk and taking off his coat. His most trusted and loyal advisor, Quintus Heavensbee immediately sits up in his seat, "What is it Coriolanus?"

Coriolanus sits in his chair with a heavy sigh, he can't believe what he witnessed. "I saw Soarynn decorating the tree, helping the Avoxes. You said she'd be well-behaved, that she'd never step out of line."

Quintus frowns, nervously looking at the other advisors, "She has been perfectly behaved since you married," he reminds Coriolanus, "she consummated the marriage did she not?" Coriolanus scoffs a laugh, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Yes, she spread her legs and let me fuck her like the little virgin whore she is, what a surprise."

The men stiffen at his vulgar choice of words but he could care less. He only agreed to this marriage on the condition that Soarynn would do exactly as she was told. And for the past five months, she has. She wears what he tells her to wear, says what he wants her to say, and always bends over when he needs a quick fuck.

But this is unacceptable.

Quintus sighs, shaking his head, "Bring the girl here," he says to no one in particular. Someone eventually gets up and leaves the room, tension is still thick in the air.

"Coriolanus, listen to me, this is only a momentary lapse," Quintus urges, "once she falls pregnant, you'll have your heir and all will be well."

Coriolanus could care less about an heir right now. There are lots of ways to have a baby, but very few to keep his wife in check.

"I cannot afford a single mark on my image," he tells Quintus, leaving no room for discussion.

Soarynn is brought into the room a second later, hands clasped in front of her, face filled with confusion. Quintus beckons her over to sit next to him in the other empty chair that sits directly across from the desk and Soarynn quietly obliges. She sits down like the proper Capitol lady she is, hands in her lap, eyes forward, back straight.

"My dear," Quintus says, "we have been made aware that you have been spending time with the staff of your household." Soarynn furrows her eyebrows, so oblivious to how much power she holds as the First Lady. "I, I don't understand," she says softly.

Coriolanus rolls his eyes, she's always been so soft-spoken, so soft that he often has to lean down to hear what she's saying. That won't help her in this case.

"You were talking to the Avoxes," he plainly states, her attention now on him, "I saw you just a moment ago, decorating the tree like you're some lowly maid who's been tasked with such an insignificant job."

Quintus shoots Coriolanus a look, he's always approached Soarynn with a more kinder, gentler tone that tends to go over much better compared to how Coriolanus likes to say things. But Coriolanus doesn't really care for her feelings, not when he can effectively get his point across regardless of his tone.

Sure enough, her eyes water with tears, and her bottom lip trembles, a telltale sign that she's about to start crying. "Here we go," he mutters. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble," she tells him, "I just wanted to help."

Even Quintus can't seem to understand the appeal of helping the Avoxes, "Soarynn, your job is to keep your husband happy and to dutifully serve your country," Quintus reminds her, using a stern tone, "we've gone over this before, remember?"

Soarynn wipes a single tear with the back of her hand, nodding, "I remember."

Quintus grunts, pleased with her fast answer, "Good. Now apologize to your husband and all will be well as long as an incident like this never occurs again."

Soarynn looks down at her lap, trembling in her seat. Coriolanus knows he might be blowing this out of proportion but it's good to remind her of her place. Below him and every man in this room.

"I'm sorry Coriolanus," she whispers, fidgeting with her fingers.

Coriolanus tilts his head and leans back in his chair, a bored look on his face now that he can't really play with her anymore, "What're you sorry for darling?"

Soarynn swallows, she hates confrontation more than anything and hates being ridiculed in front of others. Both things he loves to use to his advantage. "For embarrassing you."

Coriolanus hums, he could push her a bit further, just to really watch her break. "That's alright darling, we can't always expect you to remember the rules. Now come here and give me a kiss and you can be on your way."

Another thing Soarynn hates, public affection.

The sick, twisted part of him loves touching her in public, squeezing her waist, kissing her cheek, twirling her hair in with his fingers. Anything to make her flustered.

Soarynn slowly rises from her seat, taking her sweet time to talk around his desk but he's in no rush either, in fact, he's got all the time in the world. She nervously looks around the room at all the men watching her, so much older than her. Maybe she thought he'd dismiss them.

"Before the day is over Soarynn," he snaps when she lingers for too long. Soarynn sniffles and leans down, quickly pressing her lips against his. Kissing makes her flustered too, initiating any physical contact with him is something she strays far away from.

Coriolanus groans when she pulls away but she's already turning on her heel, desperate to leave this suffocating room. "If it happens again then I'll execute every single one of them," he calls, watching her almost trip over her shoes. She looks back at him, eyes wide with fear, "I mean it," he tells her, "unless you're ordering them to do something, you will not talk to them. Am I understood?"

All she can do is nod, "Yes."

She's out of the room after that, closing the doors behind her.

"Well," he says, reaching for his pen, "why don't we start this meeting hmm?"

꧁ ꧂

It starts snowing at dinner.

Coriolanus only glances out the window when Persephone Creed points it out. He's more focused on his food and on his wife who hasn't uttered a single word since their guests arrived. It's nothing out of the ordinary really, Soarynn rarely talks when they have people over for dinner but he knows that she's terrified to say the wrong thing after what happened earlier today.

"The lights outside look beautiful," Livia Ravenstill tells him, "I wish our apartment building would put more effort into decorating the building's exterior for the holidays."

Coriolanus swallows his soup, "I don't particularly care for the lights, I suppose women find it more endearing than men." Livia rolls her eyes, she's always been easy to rile up, especially after a glass of wine and she's already had two, "Well what about you Soarynn? Do you like the lights?"

Soarynn looks up from her soup, clearly not expecting to be brought into the conversation at all, let alone a debate that her husband is involved in, "They're fine," she says, looking back down. Livia huffs and looks around the table, "Do none of you appreciate the holidays? Goodness, it's like no one here has a soul anymore."

Just me, Coriolanus thinks, although he hasn't had a soul for a while now.

"What do you want for Christmas Soarynn?" Festus Creed asks, hoping to change the subject. Soarynn is just having a rough day, chastised by her husband, and now forced to partake in small talk. The poor thing.

Soarynn looks around the table at all the eager eyes watching her, waiting for her to answer, "A kitten," she answers softly.

Coriolanus raises an eyebrow, a kitten?

Festus chuckles, shaking his head, "Good luck with that. Coriolanus here hates animals in the house."

Soarynn shrinks back into her seat, "Maybe some books then," she decides. Coriolanus nods, books are good, they keep her quiet and occupied for hours. He takes her hand into his and brings it to his lips, kissing the back of it, "Whatever she wants, she gets," he says, earning him several dreamy sighs from the women.

Soarynn forces a tight smile onto her face and nods in agreement. She may not like him but she can play along with his game.

That's all she really is to him at the end of the day, a token in his game.

꧁ ꧂

Coriolanus sits on the edge of his bed while Soarynn undresses. He thought about having sex but he's not in the mood tonight, his meeting left him drained, and that dinner didn't help at all.

He watches her slide her dress off her slender body, letting it pool around her ankles on the floor. Many things can be said for Soarynn, things about her kind demeanor or youthful beauty but her body is something else. Coriolanus was promised a lot of things when it came to her body. He could do whatever he wanted to her, she'd be quiet and complacent. She was a virgin, she'd bleed once he took her virginity. She would always be soft, smooth and hairless, and above all, willing to please him.

Soarynn gathers her dress and walks into their bathroom, leaving him with his thoughts. He thinks about their conversation at dinner, how she mentioned wanting a kitten even though she hasn't mentioned it in the past.

Was she keeping that from him?

He suddenly grows angry, his wife shouldn't keep secrets from him. "Soarynn," he calls, "come here."

Soarynn walks out of the bathroom, now wrapped in her robe, "Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted a kitten?"

Soarynn opens her mouth but then closes it, she's afraid to answer him. "Why?" He presses, gripping the edges of the bed. Soarynn brushes her hair behind her ears, "You never asked," she mumbles, "and it's not important."

He stands up and she immediately takes a step back, "Do you think I have time to ask about your every want? You have everything you could possibly need and yet you're always asking for more," he hisses, walking towards her.

Soarynn shakes her head, trying to take another step back but she's backed herself into the wall, with nowhere to go, "I'm sorry," she whimpers, "I'm sorry Coriolanus. I didn't mean to keep it from you."

He finally reaches her and grabs her jaw, holding it tightly in his hand, "I think you need to be taught a lesson," he says lowly, scanning her up and down. Soarynn gasps when he goes to untie her robe, letting him see that she's still wearing her bralette and panties. "I'll be good," she promises, pleading with him, "do anything you want."

Coriolanus smirks, "Be careful what you promise me, darling."

꧁ ꧂

Soarynn is in tears, begging, pleading as he drags her towards the doors that lead out to the veranda.

"Coriolanus, please! Please, I'll be good! I'll do better!"

He keeps his tight grip on her arm, probably bruising it in the process but he doesn't care. He pulls open the doors and the cold air hits them, sending chills down his spine. "After this, I have no doubt that you'll be perfectly behaved for me," he tells her, walking out onto the veranda. Soarynn yelps when he pulls on her arm, almost falling to the ground.

Coriolanus looks down at his pitiful excuse for a wife. Dressed only in her intimates, trembling in his hold with tear-stained cheeks.

He leads them down the steps, not caring if she hurts a foot in the process. His eyes are set on his greenhouse, a glass cage, perfect for teaching lessons.

"Coriolanus," she sobs, digging her heels into the grass once they reach the bottom, "please, I don't, I don't want to go in there."

Coriolanus laughs, it's cute how she still thinks that he cares what she wants. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the key to unlock the doors to the greenhouse. Inside are his prized roses, grown to perfection. They've been made to withstand the coldest temperatures in case of a power outage but right now it's quite warm in here.

He drags Soarynn inside and pushes her toward the fountain in the center. She stumbles and falls onto the ground, crying out in pain. "Maybe a night in the cold will teach you to be grateful for what you have, grateful for the husband you have who keeps you safe, who gives you what you need," he says, looking down on her.

More tears fall down her cheeks, "I'm sorry," she whispers.

He nods, turning to walk back out, "You will be," he says.

Coriolanus closes the glass doors behind him, making sure to lock them before walking around to the back of the greenhouse. He can see Soarynn watching him, following him with that pitiful stare. He finally reaches the back where there's a maintenance box with a few switches inside of it. Most of them are for the lights but one is for the heating.

He turns it off.

Soarynn shakily walks up to the glass panes, resting her hands on them while trying to talk to him but it's pointless. The glass is thick and he doesn't care to hear what she has to say. He can hear the heating begin to turn off, hear a machine shudder to a stop, and then it's quiet.

Soarynn goes still, looking around her glass prison for the rest of the night with wide eyes. She's a bit slow but he didn't marry her for her high intelligence.

Then, it hits her.

She's pounding on the glass now, crying, begging for him to let her out. The glass is too thick for her to break though. He turns off the lights next, just for the fun of it.

"Goodnight darling," he says even though she can't hear him. But she looks so pretty, sobbing while begging to be let out, scarcely dressed.

He begins walking away, he'll come back for her in the morning.

She won't freeze to death but she'll certainly learn how good she has it.

Coriolanus walks back up the stairs, looking forward to a quiet night.

A silent night.

꧁ ꧂

꧁ Three Weeks Later ꧂

Coriolanus sits in his favorite armchair, sipping a glass of bourbon while watching his wife open up another present. Christmas morning came quietly enough, neither of them rushed downstairs to open any presents. They had breakfast, he read the paper, and tuned into the parade the city throws every year for the holidays.

He admires how pretty Soarynn looks right now, sitting on her knees while on the floor, tearing open another gift. He dressed her in a green dress today, it's soft like her, and the skirt is made of tulle while the bodice is styled like a corset, showing off her small frame. Her hair is perfectly curled and styled and she smells like vanilla, she looks so perfect.

It's a rather domestic feeling, opening presents together.

He's so glad they're able to enjoy this, especially after that horrible incident where Soarynn got locked in the greenhouse for an entire night. Poor thing was trembling from the cold, lips blue, teeth chattering, couldn't get a word out.

A lesson she needed to learn a long time ago in his opinion.

Since then, she's been so good for him, so pliant and obedient. Never stepping out of line, talking back, or making a fool out of him. He would've done it months ago if he knew this would be the end result.

Soarynn gently sets aside the torn wrapping paper and holds out a new sketchbook, beautifully binded with a thick leather cover. She's rather good at drawing and he already gifted her some new paints.

"Thank you," she says, looking up at him, "it's beautiful."

Coriolanus nods, pleased that she is pleased with her gift, "You're welcome darling."

She reaches under the tree and pulls out another wrapped gift, "This one's for you." He takes it from her and sets his glass down on the end table, "What's this hmm?" She already got him several gifts, not as many as he got her but after their little incident, he's had no problem showering her with gifts to remind her that as long as she behaves, no one has to get hurt.

Soarynn blushes, looking down at her lap, "I remembered you mentioning it at a dinner we attended." Now his curiosity is piqued, he tears open the gift and is very surprised to see a telescope, perfectly encased in shiny packaging. He had mentioned it once, offhandedly and he was a little drunk but she clearly remembered it.

"How sweet," he muses, setting the box down, "how good of you to remember."

Soarynn nods, only meeting his gaze momentarily before looking back down. He sighs, she's still skittish around him since that night, well-behaved but constantly on edge. Good, she ought to have a healthy fear of him.

"I have another gift for you," he tells her, looking over at the doorway to the front room. An Avox appears right after he says that, holding a large red box with a bow on top. Soarynn eyes the box once it's set in front of her, "What is it?"

His lips curl into a smile, "Open it."

Soarynn cautiously lifts the lid off of the box and gasps, dropping the lid in the process. She gently reaches into the box and pulls out a fluffy white kitten with bright eyes, the same shade as Soarynn's coincidentally.

"Oh," she says, "oh it's perfect, it's so perfect, thank you!" Coriolanus watches her with her new kitten, quite pleased that he's turned out to be the hero after all that's transpired. The kitten meows, wiggling in Soarynn's hands and she carefully sets it down on the floor. Coriolanus lifts his foot when the kitten bats at his leather shoe, "She'll have to be trained," he tells Soarynn, "and she can't sleep in our room. Ever."

Soarynn nods, not caring about his rules or conditions. She's already enamored by this cat, he can see it so clearly. "She will," Soarynn says, "she'll be trained and so well behaved I promise."

Coriolanus hums, leaning back against the chair while watching Soarynn play with her new kitten. The feline is easily entertained, running under the tree, playing with the wrapping paper. Everything she does so easily entertains Soarynn.

This will be good for her, something to care for until he puts a child in her. Also something he can use against her, threaten to take away in case she misbehaves, steps out of line. A weakness.

He'd like to imagine that this time next year they'll have their first child. Soarynn will already be pregnant with their second one, he won't stop at one and he needs an heir.

Coriolanus isn't too fond of children but Soarynn likes them. Babies are just so loud, always crying. He'll have to cherish these nights when it's just the two of them.

These silent nights.

| tumblr oneshot/drabble |

{ Part 2. }

{ Part 2. | Alternate Version }

| taglist: @strawberriicakes @wonderlandbound111 @villiansarehottest @thevoicesinmyprettylittlehead @kickmybark @melodyoflovee |

[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. 

[the-froschamethyst4]

Lesson Learned

𖤐Pairing: Husband! Alex x Wife! Reader

𖤐Pronouns: She/Her

𖤐Warnings: angst, language, children, married couple, teenager, yelling, family dispute/argument, underage drinking, smoking, sad ending (sorry),

𖤐Summary: Alex and Y/n wonder where they went wrong with their first born

————

————

"He's not home."

"Where the fuck is this kid, he's missed his curfew and he forgot to pick his sister up front school, where the fuck is he?" Alex was getting pissed off.

His oldest son Blake had left school half way through with his friends, his location is off, and he didn't pick up his little sister Maddie from school when it was over. Maddie had to take the public bus which was dangerous for a middle school girl, thank God she got home safely, but where the hell was Blake?

Blake has been going off the deep end for a few weeks almost months now.

Coming home late, leaving school early or half way through, and they all end up with the same situation.

'I left with Sean'

Sean was this new kid in Blake's school, and him and Blake have became almost inseparable and getting themselves into so much trouble.

Alex hates Sean and it was obvious too. Y/n didn't meet Sean, and couldn't give an opinion on him, but she does hate the fact that Blake turned from such a good kid to someone who's getting into trouble.

Maddie comes down the stairs with her phone in hand and handed it to Y/n showing her a post Blake had just made.

"Alex," Y/n calls to her husband. He turns and sees Blake at possibly Sean's house a bottle of vodka in his hands and screaming a song, Sean in the back with a joint in his mouth and a red solo cup.

Alex sees red and his blood is boiling.

"Alex? Honey?"

He doesn't say anything but gets his phone and calls the police.

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

Blake and Sean were just drinking and smoking, guess having a good time maybe, Sean's parents didn't care what he did in fact they were separated and Sean lived with his father who didn't care what he did while his mom never yelled or punished him as a kid, so she didn't care what he did.

There was a pounding knock on the door, making them both stop what they were doing, Sean puts his joint out and Blake hid the vodka under the bed.

"Hello, officer."

"Hello, is Blake Keller here?"

"Yes?"

Blake comes out of the room.

"That's me."

"You're under arrest for illegal underage drinking and smoking," he motions to his partner to put Sean in cuffs too, but Sean fought the officer and Blake was quickly getting escorted into the back of a cruiser.

His mind was racing, heart pounding and his world was in slow motion. What the hell will happen to him? Is he going to jail? What will his parents think? He disappointed them.

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

Alex and Y/n sat in the parking lot of their local police station, they had gotten a call a few minutes ago about having Blake in their custody.

"Alex, why would you do that?" Y/n asked, not upset with Alex but just wanted to know. Why get the police involve when Alex could have gone to Sean's house and get Blake himself.

"Because I want to show this punk a fucking lesson," Alex says, tapping his stirring wheel, looking very annoyed, his index finger joint in his mouth.

"Are we gonna go in and get him?"

"Not yet..." he says.

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

Blake sits in a cell with Sean, Sean wasn't taking this as seriously as Blake. Blake's leg was bouncing up and down nervous, Sean was picking fights with the passing officers.

He turns to Blake. "Bro, when we get out of here, I'm gonna go smoke a fat one, you want one?"

Since both boys were underage with something kind of minor, like the drinking and smoking, they were just being held till a parent comes and gets them.

Blake hasn't even made a call to either parent, he was still unaware the person who made the call was his own father.

"Hey, officer," Blake goes to the cell door and gets the attention of a female officer. He did ignore Sean's request to smoke a joint afterwards. She just turns and looks at him. "Can I make my phone call?" He asked.

She gets the keys and opens the cell letting Blake out to go use the phone. Blake looks at the phone, he taps the desk thinking who he'd call first. He starts putting in Y/n's number, she might not be too mad at him if he called his dad.

Y/n looks down at her phone and shows Alex, the station was calling again.

"Answer," he says.

"Hello?" She puts the phone on speaker, but Alex would keep quiet even though he wants to yell at Blake.

"Mom."

"Blake, honey, is everything okay?" She knows it's not.

"Nah mom...I...I was with Sean and police came to the house...we were both arrested for underage drinking and smoking...I'm at the police station...could...you come and get me...I don't...I don't want dad to know either."

Y/n looks at her husband who was trying to hold his anger in.

"I-I'll come and get you," she lied. She hangs up and looks at Alex.

"We give it a few minutes." he says.

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

It's been 30 minutes since Blake's phone call, Blake was laying on the bench, knees to his stomach, he was tired, and ended up falling asleep, Sean still hasn't made his call, not knowing who to call.

"Blake Keller!" An officer yells at the cell, making Blake wake up. He sits up and looks at the officer and stood up walking to the cell door. "Your father is here."

Dammit

The door was opened and Blake followed the officer to the main entrance of the station, Blake sees a pissed off Alex, arms crossed over his chest.

"Dad-"

"Save it," Alex walks out first and Blake behind him, head down and once he opened the car door, he sees his mom in the passenger seat. He leaned back and the car ride was silent, so silent not even the radio was playing it was like a punishment.

Getting home Alex steps into the house first door shuts once Y/n was the last to enter the house.

"You are an idiot." Alex says.

"Alex!"

"He is Y/n, do not stand up for him!" He looks at Blake. "You are an idiot, you leave school half way through, you didn't pick up your little sister from school, you post, you drinking and smoking-which was even stupider because your sister saw it and let us know, I called the police to come and get you," Alex confesses.

"I wasn't smoking-"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER BLAKE!! YOU WERE STILL DRINKING UNDERAGE!!" Alex yells. "We gave you a car thinking you'd had some responsibility one of them being you pick up your sister from school, she took the public bus which is fucking dangerous, Blake, and you know that! I want your keys, your phone, laptop, video games and you are NOT ALLOWED to be even near Sean, the same vicinity as him, because you are fucking grounded-"

"Grounded!!"

"Yes, grounded till I fucking say so!" Alex storms up to Blake's room and Blake follows.

Y/n couldn't do anything, she could only watch and make sure Maddie wouldn't hear the yelling and harsh cursing from both Alex and Blake.

"I should just fucking destroy everything you own!" Alex threatens.

"Alex, please-"

"You're such an asshole!"

"Blake!"

Alex takes almost every electronic Blake owned and took it to his and Y/n's shared bedroom, putting it all in a box, tapping it up and shoving it into Alex's closet.

"Alex!"

"It's done Y/n," he says.

"I get that, but-"

"No buts, you are too easy on him."

Y/n just stays quiet. "I am not."

"You are...he called you because you know you wouldn't get mad at him, you're too easy on both of them-if this was Maddie, would you get mad or will you act how you're acting now?"

"I am mad, Alex! But I think what you are doing is unnecessary and harsh-"

"He's a teenager, he'll get over it and maybe it'll teach him a fucking lesson which is what I want happen, you do stupid shit, you'll end up in jail and you'll be punished."

"I'm sleeping in Maddie's room tonight," she says.

"Why?"

"Because I don't wanna talk right now," she takes one of her pillows and a soft blanket and heads to her daughters bedroom, Alex didn't stop her.

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

Y/n gently pushes the door and the little lamp next to Maddie's bed turned on. Y/n stops in her tracks and looks at Maddie.

"Mom? What are you doing?" She asked.

"Nothing, hon-"

"Did you and dad get into a fight?"

"Did you hear us?" Maddie just nods. "It was about your brother."

"I heard," Y/n comes to her daughter and Maddie moves over letting her mom get into her bed and get comfortable. "Is Blake grounded?"

"Yeah, yeah he is," Y/n says.

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure." Maddie just lays on her back and Y/n watches.

"Was it my fault?"

"Baby, why would it be your fault?" Y/n asked.

"Because I showed you where his location was."

"Baby, if anything you did the right thing."

"But I got Blake in trouble with dad."

"It's fine, baby. They'll be mad, like little boys and they'll get over it..."

"I don't know...dad seems kind of scary when he gets mad." And Alex almost never gets mad, maybe frustrated but not cussing in every sentance he says.

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

Alex laid on his back in the empty bed, he was laying on Y/n's side, he just thinks about everything that just happened.

Was he a bad dad?

Where did he go wrong?

Did he do something wrong?

He rolls on his back and stares up at the ceiling before closing his eyes.

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

The next morning Maddie and Y/n were up Y/n was fixing herself some coffee and Maddie was sitting on the couch watching something, Blake had came down with no word said to his mother or little sister.

He grabbed a pop tart and sat on the love seat leg propped up on the other, he reaches over and takes the remote and changed the channel.

"Hey!" Maddie says.

Blake was just giving attitude the entire time, he didn't speak to Y/n nor Maddie, even when Maddie was telling him to turn the channel back to what she was watching, he ignored her.

"Blake do you want breakfast?"

Nothing.

"Give me the remote," Maddie says.

Nothing.

Alex soon gets up not even looking at his son, his gaze was set on Y/n, going to her and kissing her nape.

"Can we talk?" He asked. She just gives a nod and follows him to their shared bedroom.

He shuts the door and sits on the bed, he moves Y/n to be in front of him, he placed his arms around her waist and burying his face into her stomach.

"I'm sorry..." He apologizes.

"For?"

"I'm sorry for being an asshole to you, saying to take it too easy on our kids, you're a good mom, the best wife and mother, I could ask for and for the kids, never forget that please," he says, looking up at her, his chin resting on her stomach.

"I forgive you..." she says, cupping his face and bring him up, so they could kiss.

Going downstairs, Maddie was trying to reach for the remote from Blake but he was just holding it out of her reach. Alex in the way of being able to take the remote snatches it from Blake and tosses it on the couch for Maddie.

"Don't be an ass," Alex says to Blake.

"Don't be a dick," Blake says.

"Blake, enough!" Y/n says, Y/n looks at Maddie who just learned the signal that once Y/n and Alex get serious to leave the room, which she does.

"You got in trouble, I know you're mad at us and everyone in the world right now, but please-"

"Please, what mom? I'm stuck in this house now, and my one friend is I think still sitting in the police station-"

"Your one friend? What about Mark, Tyler, Lucas, Chris, and Hunter? What about them? They are your friends, fucking Sean was using you, kid, you said yes to everything so fucking easily, you are smarter then this Blake. I don't understand how you thought you two were friends, he was using you!" Alex says.

"No he wasn't-"

"If he wasn't, why were you two in jail again? Oh right, underage drinking and smoking, because of him, just because his parents don't love him doesn't mean yours don't! Your mother begged me not to call the police on you, but for you to learn a lesson, it had to be fucking done, and I'm tired of this attitude bullshit, Blake...grow up!"

"I am grown!"

"Fighting words," Alex says, Blake stood up to Alex, but Alex was in the goddamn Military, you think he'd be afraid of his own kid? Chest to chest, spit for spat, Alex and Blake just kept yelling at each other. Y/n tried to pull both males from one another, but that was hard when Blake would press on.

"FUCK YOU!"

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!!" Alex yells, pointing to the door, it was silent, Y/n looked at her husband, tears welting in her eyes, she turns to Blake who didn't seem faze and felt like he knew this would happen, he doesn't say anything but goes upstairs.

Y/n looks up at her husband tears finally falling. "W-Why?"

"Honey..." he doesn't have anything to say and Y/n just goes upstairs to follow her son. Y/n was trying to take to Blake, but he was just packing and ignoring her.

"Blake please." Maddie hears from the walls her mother sounding hurt, distraught even. Maddie was crying to, she didn't want her brother to leave, but she couldn't argue back.

He pushes past his mom, no word exchanged but Y/n begging her son to stay and telling her husband to change his mind, but Alex just sat on the couch looking at the black screen TV, hands over his mouth and then the door slams shut from Blake.

"HOW COULD YOU!!?"

"..."

"ALEX!"

[firewasabeast]

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.”

[i-am-a-bad-influence-writes]

Proper Etiquette Chapter 2, Moving fast

Masterlist Word count: 1.5k Xavier x Fem!Reader

Summary: Your family is rich. Filthy rich. So rich that they bought titles for themselves and their children. Sadly, your parents want their titles to mean something and have an arranged marriage lined up for you. You told them you’d agree to it if you were allowed to live as a “commoner” for two years and if you’d find someone you loved who would marry you, you could. Surprisingly, they agreed. Only downside is that that deal was made 18 months ago and you really do not want to go back to that life.  

Warning! This story is meant for mature audiences. It contains swear words, talk of violence, talk of trauma, mentions of alcohol, drinking, and smoking, sex, and other mature themes. Do not engage if you are under 18.

∘₊✧───────────────────────────────────────✧₊∘ 

'This is insane,' you breathe out as you put your last box of things on the floor in Xavier's apartment and run your hands through your hair. You don't know what possessed you to say yes, but here you are, moving in with someone who is barely an acquaintance to you to get out of an arranged marriage. 

This truly is insanity. 

'I agree, it's very strange,' Xavier replies with the slightest smile. He seems to be enjoying all of this a little more than you thought he would. It's a bit daunting but very endearing at the same time. 

Jeremiah had told you before about the forever virgin Xavier, who is his very best friend but also very much a lost cause when it comes to romance. Besides that, all you've heard about him is positive. Well, mostly positive. The man has some quirks, but nothing you can't handle. What you can't stop thinking about is why he would offer this. 

You clap your hands together. 

'Okay, so my parents are coming over in this Sunday. It's now Wednesday. We've got to make this place look like I've been living here for ages.' You take a look around. Xavier doesn't have much decor which means this'll be: 'Easy. I've got enough throw pillows to make it look like I've thrown up over this place.' 

'You have a special way of talking,' he says with the slightest hint of a grin. He doesn't really show it all that much but he's been quite amused having you around these past few days whilst you were working out the details. 'I cleared out some space for your clothes in the bedroom.' 

You follow him there but stop yourself at the door. Seems he put all his personality in this one room. There's a big king-sized bed with beautiful lavender covers, about five plush looking pillows, and a beige knitted blanket on top of the covers. On the floor is a fluffy light blue rug that looks as comfortable as the bed. There's a big oak wooden wardrobe in the corner and a similar looking cabinet across from the bed with a big mirror on top of it with a beautiful silver floral frame. It's beautiful. 

'Thank you.' You didn't realize you said that last part out loud and feel your cheeks go bright red as Xavier smiles at you. 'I emptied the right side of the wardrobe and cabinet. Oh, and I didn't want to assume what side you want to sleep on so that's your pick. You can put your things there. Maybe put your perfume on top of the cabinet next to mine or put it in the bathroom.' 

'Sounds good.' 

'I'll go grab your clothes. Make yourself comfortable. I'll work on the kitchen in the meantime.' This seems too good to be true. Xavier comes into the room a few times with the boxes that are labeled clothes and then leaves you be. 

As you start putting things away, you start hearing music coming from the kitchen. Curiously, you look through the door opening and see him humming along with the music as he rearranges his kitchen. Xavier is not a bad sight to behold, you decide. It's not as much as a decision as it is a blush that reappears on your face though. 

That's when a few things start to dawn on you. If you are telling your parents about the two of you, there should be a story. Not only a story, but affection, nicknames, a façade of a beautiful relationship. 

'Xavier, what should we tell my parents when they ask how we met?' 

'We could just say we met in the flower shop. That we met when I came to drop off some things for Jeremiah.' 

'And then?' You watch him turn around and you quickly return to the task at hand, pretending to be casual about the whole thing whilst there are stupid butterflies in your stomach fucking up your whole resolve. 

'What do you mean?' 

'Who asked out who?' You look up again and see Xavier leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, looking at you adoringly. Almost as if this whole thing is real. 

'I asked you out after Jeremiah urged me to because I kept talking about you,' he suggests, 'it wouldn't be a complete lie.' You look at him with questions written all over your face. 'He did try to get me to ask you out. Said we'd look good together.' 

'Okay, sounds good.' He nods and starts to turn away, heading back to his task. 'Why did you offer to marry me though?' 

'Oh... Well... I guess you could say we are in similar situations,' he admits, 'my parents were getting desperate and have been trying to get me to go to a matchmaker. They'd be happy to hear I got married.' 

'Won't they be suspicious?' 

'Won't yours be?' You shrug. 

'Obviously, but I've never told them about boyfriends, so they won't be too surprised.' 

'I am the same. I've always been very private about these things.’ Strange, but then again, you are marrying a stranger. 'Do you have enough space for your things?' 

'I'll figure it out.' 

'If you need more space, just move some of my stuff. I don't have a lot, it's just very spread out.' You nod in response and he returns to the kitchen, humming along with the music again. 

∘₊✧───────────────────────────────────────✧₊∘ 

The day passes in the blink of an eye. Right now it looks like you've just moved in, but if you go at the same pace tomorrow, it'll look like you've lived here for at least a few months. The evening is different though. It's quieter, a little awkward even. 

Xavier and you sit on opposite sides of the couch as you watch a show. There's palpable tension that neither of you wants to admit to. You know very well what it is and Xavier knows it to. Tonight is the first night you'll share a bed together and you have not discussed what that'll look like. 

After a few minutes, you decide if you go to bed first you might already be asleep when he goes to bed. So you get up, stretch, yawn, and walk past him towards the bedroom. 

'Tired?' You nod. As you walk past, he grabs your wrist gently, stopping you in your tracks. Your skin almost burns where his fingers touch your skin. 'Listen, if you're not comfortable sleeping in the bed together, I can sleep on the couch tonight.' You shake your head. 

'No, it's your place. If anything, I should sleep on the couch, but it really doesn't matter. We'll be married soon, so we have to get used to it one way or another.' He nods in response. 

'If you're comfortable with it, I'll join you in a bit.' 

'Sounds good.' 

'Just one word of warning.’ You feel yourself freeze up. What if he's a terrible snorer or has some weird bedtime ritual? You know what, scratch that. That's something you could live with. 

'What is it?' 

'I- Well, I tend to cling to things in my sleep.' 

'What do you mean?' 

'I might try to cuddle you in my sleep.' 

'That's fine,' you say before you can really think about it. Truly, it wouldn't be that bad. You're very touch starved, and cuddling could be quite nice. 

'Are you sure?' 

'I am sure.' 

∘₊✧───────────────────────────────────────✧₊∘ 

You were not sure at all, but it's too late and you're too comfortable to fight against the conflicting feelings fighting in your chest. It took less than ten minutes for Xavier to fall asleep and just another five for him to wrap himself around you as if he had done it a million times before. 

You'd be lying if you said you didn't like it. 

But now that the morning light falls through the curtains, it isn't as comfortable. Yes, you are incredibly comfortable in his arms, but you have to pee so bad. At the same time, you really want to stay in bed with him. You didn't think you'd get this comfortable this fast. 

As gentle as you can, you slip from his arms and head into the bathroom. After flushing the toilet, you look at yourself in the mirror. This almost feels like a one-night stand. Strange house, strange bathroom, stranger in the bed. 

You head back into the bedroom to find Xavier still happily snoring. You're not really all that tired anymore, but you still consider crawling back into bed if only for the comfort of his touch. Then, Xavier stirs and groans. His eyes flutter open and he looks at you standing next to the bed. 

'Come back,' he murmurs, his voice low and raspy from sleep. You don't say anything; you simply slip back into bed and he wraps his arms around you like you're supposed to be there. Like this is the way it always should be. You can't say that you hate it. 

It's actually quite nice. 

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Previous - Next

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[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”