#don't want to bust my ass writing something that won't get any attention

[the-galactic-catt]

okay, before i do literally anything, how would you feel if i wrote something specifically about merlin and their amnesia ? would you read that ?

[rockerb0y]

     ❝  as much of a chance as a one-legged guy has at winnin' an ass-kicking contest but hey, don't let that stop you. if you've got such an insatiable hankerin' for my  sloppy seconds,  got my blessing to give it the old college try. over at the afterlife, getting your balls publicly busted by rogue is practically a rite of passage so far be it from me to deny you of that. the regulars don't mind a show — more  bang  for their buck, really.  ❞

     ACIDITY  bled through the cracks of seasoned sangfroid, inwardly envenomed by her name's targeted mention as lidded stare held with steadfast focus. limerence for rogue had long since receded into comfortable  amity  yet neither lacked the will to meaningfully sever attachment. unequivocally was he certain that she still spoke of him in the same manner: callous and paired with vituperative affront to mask persevering bias. regardless of their  unamicable  separation years ago, enough familiarity existed between the two of them to conduct an educated assessment on rogue's taste in partners on her behalf and corporates seldom enticed her  consummate  palette; rogue's standards may have questionable on occasion but never to an  inexpiable  extent.

          she was damn lucky to have him in her corner.

     ❝  endgame's gonna happen with or without me, choom.  i'm just flint for the fire. want people to know that 'saka isn't as indestructible as it seems, that megacorps can still bleed like the rest of us. they need  you,  not the other way around. the more people wise up to that, the closer we get to a systemic overhaul. the masses have a right to know what's at stake and who they're fightin' this war for — or fuck it, maybe i  am  doing all this simply 'cause i like the sound of my own voice. either or, maybe both. dealer's choice.  ❞

     whiskey glass lifted pointedly towards his corporate counterpart before a mouthful of smoky amber conquered thirst, thin wisps of cigarette smoke twining and coiling into themselves during cursory interlude. denunciation of his temerarious disposition and methods was expected and while the screamsheets were repeat offenders with their  inculpatory  smear tactics, an in-person confrontation boasted a certain  intimacy  which couldn't quite be replicated in text. provocation and mutual pillory fueled engagement and fortified attention proper, far more than  unreciprocated  derision ever could.

     ❝  got some good news for you, though. not too late to switch sides. you can chalk it up to entertainment, morbid interest, or something else entirely — don't give a shit, whatever tickles your taint. fact is, your eyes are on me and  something's  sticking if you're here to pick my brain. you know i'm not just spinnin' my wheels. arasaka won't twice about taking you out to pasture after they've squeezed you dry of all value, tenure be damned. no severance to pay if the body's cold and  guarantee  that they'll come to collect.  ❞   tautly between index and middle finger did the cigarette remain captive, even as paired digits motioned towards the other to accentuate outspoken evaluation.   ❝  you're a tax write-off, an asset which isn't paid to think for itself or have any kind of identity. they  own  you, in life and in death —  that's  the fine print on your contract,  that's  what happens when you hand them the leash. it's  your  endgame until you grow a spine and bare your teeth.  ❞

     lungs swelled with a prolonged inhale which further  deteriorated  nicotine supply, more ash joining the tray's plentiful pile as it was tapped loose. not unlike his patron, his own cigarette was tragically nearing its end but its quietus was detained by a desire to first deliver appraisal's denouement; a replacement had already been passingly contemplated.

    ❝  won't get a  christmas bonus  for sniffin' around the rubble when it all comes crashing down — figuratively speaking, that is. maybe you ought'a think long and hard about whether you're genuinely  satisfied with how things are and why. tell you this much, most  purebred  corpos don't seek me out to play a round of twenty questions or offer up a cig in good faith. should consider what that says about you.  ❞

the cherry at the tip of his cigarette flared a bright, angry red, mirroring the mocking glint in his spheres, his structure finding repose once he leaned back. the insurgent's swagger, that effortless rebellion laced with bitterness, was as loud as the city's ever-present hum outside, yet it never failed to amuse ryker. ❝ expense it? hell, johnny, you act like i didn't already file that under 'corporate entertainment' last quarter. ❞ his tiers curled into a sardonic grin, the kind that spoke of an arrogant amusement more than any real sting. ❝ let the execs think i'm winin' and dinin' some foreign dignitary. you? ❞ he flicked his cigarette, ashes falling into the pristine ashtray betwixt them, his gaze, however, naught but cemented on the other. ❝ yourre just the sideshow. the flavour of the night. ❞ he let his words simmer for a moment, the smirk never leaving his lineaments. they both shared a recklessness that was almost innate... but ryker himself used it to scoff at from his tower, back when he was drowning in corpo luxury and blinded by his own ambition. now, however? he saw the cracks in the system. the rot. and johnny, with all his rebellious bravado, was starting to look more like the antidote to a poisoned world than the joke he used to be in ryker's mind.

❝ what am i hoping to get outta this? mhm, silverhand... maybe... i'm here for the entertainment value, pure and simple. watching you tilt at windmills is like my favourite late-night show: tragic, but entertaining. though, i mean... if your band ain't working and you need extra cash... well, we can always discuss other options. ain't using my hand when i can have another. ❞ he paused, the cigarette hanging loosely betwixt his digits whilst his smirk hardened, almost predatory in its amusement. ❝ besides, we both know you're the one who's always on the clock, even when you don't want to admit it. got that rebel brand to protect, don't ya? can't let the world forget that you're the big bad rocker boy who'll take down the system one power chord at a time. ❞ he gestured vaguely, his cigarette tracing an invisible arc through the air, mocking the grandiosity of johnny's cause. ❝ just curious about your next move... i'm a great listener, you know? ❞

but even whilst he mocked, there was a flicker of something else in his gaze ⸻ respect, buried deep beneath the layers of sarcasm and cynicism. because no matter how much he taunted johnny, no matter how much he enjoyed poking at the cracks in his armour, ryker could not deny that he had guts. the kind of guts that had started to appeal to ryker more than the cold, calculated world of corpo backstabbing ever had. he had spent so long playing the corpo game, bending to the system's will whilst pretending he was in control. seeing johnny, someone who refused to bow, ryker could not help but feel a flicker of… what? envy? mayhap. ❝ let's be real... you're not just in this for shits and giggles. you're not just throwing Molotovs 'cause you like watching the flames. you've got a plan. a real one. ❞ he crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, leaning forward slightly. ❝ would you like to share with your old friend what's your endgame? ❞ for once, ryker was not mocking. he was not taunting. he genuinely wanted to know. because if there was one thing ryker had learned from his time in the corpo world, it was that everyone had an agenda. everyone had an angle. ❝ i've spent so much time in afterlife to hear your name everywhere... and rogue, oh... damn, you think i might have a chance with her? ❞ and there he was, with jest crawling in, if only to stir the fire.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Other TTRPG Systems

So every time the big cheeses at Hasbro / WotC do something stupid, the immediate response is, "Play another system!" Which I somewhat get - after all, there's no sense in giving them money when they're being up front about trying to con you. And some other systems are really enjoyable. I personally am a fan of White Wolf's WoD.

I think my problem is that the solution of "Play another system!" is a) not really addressing the core issue and b) is actually feeding into the core issue. Because the issue at its core is: all of this is just getting us to spend more money.

Now, if you really want to say, "D&D is for chumps, I won't even touch it", more power to you. Not everyone can do that, though. Some systems are a little difficult to get to grips with, and some people are playing multiple campaigns and might struggle to code-switch between systems every other session. And ... for example, if you already have 5e, why not just ... keep playing 5e? Honestly, that fucks with Hasbro / WotC worse, and gets the point across better - namely, "You were better than this. See us still playing with what you produced when you were better than this? See us still enjoying the IP without paying you a penny more? You can stuff your 'recurrent user spending' and 'AI is the future' up your ass; I have physical sourcebooks and not even you have the money to hire enough Pinkertons to bully me out of those".

And yes, buying and playing another system shows support for actual human beings creating this stuff ... but so does buying third party content for 5e. Given what happened when they tried to rewrite the OGL to get in on that sweet, sweet third party content money, they can't afford the ill-will that trying it again would get them - not for another few years at least. If people are still writing content for 5e (and there always will be some), wouldn't it just stick in Hasbro's collective craw if DMG did a boom in business on third party 5e materials while their stupid "OneD&D" or whatever the fuck they're calling it now just went bust?

By all means, boycott D&D's new whatever they're calling it. I certainly am. It doesn't exist, as far as I'm concerned. (Seriously, those of you in my campaign - do not even bother asking if we can just borrow this one thing, because ... borrow that one thing from what? I see nothing to borrow from. 5e is where they stopped, and any attempt to convince me otherwise will be met with my patented Death Glare.) But I can't swap to Pathfinder because I don't have the spoons and neither do at least some of my players. I have built my homebrew world around 5e and I am going to run another campaign in that world when this one finally ends, and trying to rebrew it all for Pathfinder is just not something I have time to do.

When you stop giving money to one corporation, you don't have to start giving money to another. You can just enjoy the legacy the one corporation went behind before they went full Monty Burns and ... keep your money? Maybe? Spend it on another thing? Although given how many entertainment companies are cramming AI into every aspect of themselves (EA and Lionsgate being the loudest so far), the boycotts are going to save us all so much money...

Like I say - I have nothing against other systems. And most people on Tumblr have been good about it, focusing on what they plan to do instead of insisting that everyone else take their preferred course of action ... unlike Reddit, where you get an awful lot of people shitting all over D&D in general because they love Pathfinder but hate how much attention D&D takes away from it. Just ... some people can't just switch systems, and others don't want to, and that's fine. Hell, some people are even probably going to buy into what WotC is selling, even as they grumble about it, same as happens in the AAA space. I guess I just wish people would stop judging others on how - or if - they choose to boycott a thing.

But like I said, WotC stopped publishing D&D material with 5e, as far as I'm concerned. I won't acknowledge any PBH beyond the 2014 one. End of.

[idjitlili]

She’s the man

fili x reader

Also please send in prompts, it would help dearly. You know like lines like "uhh what exactly do they do? kick names , kick ass."

Summary: Gandalf tells you to hide the fact you are women ;to allow you come with the company without Thorin rejecting you because you are woman. I have seen this idea a bunch of imagines so I decided I'll take a kick at it , making it my own. Word count:2464

You had been apart of the company a couple of weeks , nine months now, yet your identity is still hidden. You barely talked to anyone; if you did it was to Gandalf or Bilbo. You knew Bilbo was smart he knew something was up with you, every month there was a couple of days where your face screwed up frowning ,or you clutched you're stomach. Bilbo was no idiot, he took in the small details, not bathing at the same time, always wearing a hat ,scarf and oversized clothing.

He decided to confront Gandalf about it, in which Gandalf brought you over and you told Bilbo your secret , and concluding that he was sworn to secrecy. This caused you to grow close to Bilbo, he would take watch when you bathed so no one saw you , you would ride next to him on the pony, and you would make fun of of the dwarves behind there backs.

The Two princes caught on about your close bond with the hobbit and decided they need to confront you. The two princes stood behind you smirking as you bent down to grab your bedroll packing it up. Oh you just know they stared at your ass , even though you were a 'man'. You had chosen the name Jared , as your male name , you didn't know why , you knew how to read and you weren't a moose. Yeah.

"Mister Jared?" Kili has called out , making you stand up right facing them, towering them slightly , because simply you were a human. You had just finished packing your bedroll ready to be on the road again when they had gained your attention. You had nodded trying not use your horrible excuse of a mans voice.

They had taken in a big breath, before fili spoke "uh.. we were wondering if you and Bilbo were um-""are you fucking master boggins?" You had gasped at their question, and their use of words , "why would you think that?!" You had whispered shouted at the princes , as there flashes flashed red , well mostly fili , kili was smirking. "Well you always take him to keep watch when you bath so..." he had grinned at you, you scoffed.

"Bloody hell, maybe I just don't want prople seeing my body, it's called privacy." You spoke quietly not trying to draw the others attention.

"Why wouldn't you be comfortable?" Kili had continued not convinced really, he was really annoying you now. "Because I don't have the typical male body-""how so, you don't have breasts.” you had gasped "maybe I don't want dwarven princes seeing my cock out , then bloody wanking to my big ass cock." And with that you walked away with your bag hoping on your pony ready to continue your journey, leaving the princes stunned.

Now you were at Rivendell, you were finally able to bathe in peace and walk around in a elven dress and no one would recognise you. You and Bilbo had decided to share a room, he had been writing in a book on the bed as you went to bathe. However once you had gotten out wearing just a robe ; Bilbo was no where to be found. So you had dressed in a mint green dress that Elrond had given you , knowing your secret. You would have worn your own clothes, but Bilbo had taken them to wash them for you , what a nice hobbit he was.

You were very much grateful for the friendship that bloomed between you had Bilbo. You could not deny the attraction you felt towards the golden haired prince, you had no chance he liked women but you had to be a man. You wish he could get to know you , y/n a women , That had been admiring him the whole journey.

So now you were in search of a little hobbit , in a fancy dress which showed more of a bust than you were use to, you know being a 'man' and all you didn't show anything. You spent around an hour searching for him; before you found him at a fountain with your clothes all laid out to dry.

Unknowingly to you two dwarven princes were following you , in awe of your beauty , hiding in bushes and such. "Bilbo!" You had called out , making the hobbit turn and smile at you. "Look at you all dressed up!" He had called, you smiled widely at him before bending over picking him up placing him on your hip like a toddler, as he had just bunched up all the clothes placing them in a bag which you took and placed on your shoulder.

Whilst fili had whispered to his brother , "I know that bottom, kili." Kili had looked at him confused. "I don't know who's it is but I know it." The brothers stayed hid thinking where they could know you from, surely they would remember such a beautiful girl , they had thought.

You had headed back to your room to change , sending Bilbo to dinner to make sure no one went looking for you , he would just tell them 'no he is just getting dressed he had just bathed he will be here soon.' But it was too late Thorin had already sent fili to your room to fetch you. You were half dressed, in your trousers and undershirt which was a thin white vest which showed you definitely had breasts even if they were small or huge, no hat ,hair down.

Knock, Knock, Knock. You had assumed it was Bilbo telling you to hurry up, he always knocked just in case , but he seen you in a vest and pants before so it was fine. "Come on." You had raised your voice so Bilbo could hear. The door creeked open , and the shuffling of feet was heard soon after a gasp. "Um..excuse me but why are you wearing Jareds cloth- wait." You had turned around to see a red faced Fili , you gasped throwing on your shirt.

He thought about it and it all made sense. "You are Jared. " he spoke you nod, "yeah, um but that's not my name, it's Y/n." You spoke looking down at the floor in embarrassment. "Y-your a women..why lie?" He asked still shocked , he knew he liked you since he met you , but it wasn't common , well it was rare for a male to like another male so he pushed it off. "Your uncle wouldn't have let me come, plus if anything it was Gandalf's idea." You sat on the end of the bed , Fili shut the door , and walked to next to you taking a seat.

"Is that why you would only talk to Bilbo rarely anyone else? Because he knew?" He questioned you, you had simply nodded. "So are you going to keep this a secret still? I don't think Uncle will abandon you on the side of the road. The company like you, plus if he tries to kili and I will hide you in our packs. Mahal I will develop ale belly over night just to hide you like that.." You giggled at his words, small blush on your cheeks , he smiles at you.

"I guess ;I must now." And with that he grabbed you hand pulling you up , saying we already late for dinner and there won't be any left if we do not hurry. He lead you down the stairs and to the company who were sat at two tables, they all had looked at you and fili confused. "Who's the lass,Fil." Bofur had shouted with a smirk looking at your interwoven hands,which you tried to drop but Fili kept a hold. "You already know y/n." Gandalf looked mortified , looking towards Thorin , who's lips twitched up for a second.

He wasn't stupid just like Bilbo he had figured out that you were not a man, he didn't push it because you stayed out of his way and in fights you tried your best even though you had barely any experience. You didn't know why Gandalf had requested you on this trip, nor did anyone else apart from Gandalf who forced you on this trip.

The company had sat staring still until Bilbo stood up, throwing his arms up in the arm. "You bloody idiots , it's Jared ," he had shouting , as the dwarves whipped back to you eyeing you up and down. " you have a cock?" Kili had enquired only for Dwalin to slap him in the upside of the head. You pull fili by the hand sitting down on the next empty seat.  "Y/n been pretending to be male this whole time, so that you would treat her the same, I did not want you treat her like a burden, when she is not." Gandalf spoke up making the dwarves turn their attention to the wizard , no reaction at first.

Well that was until Fili stood up from beside you with a cup of ale ,"I say we welcome her , as we did before." "Aye to that." And with that they drank.  

That started your friendship with the oldest prince ;however it was not like the one you had with Bilbo. When you had all been kidnapped by Goblins he had shield you from the whips , and once you were running to escape he had grabbed your hand pulling you along with him.

Then when the orca had ambushed you  he became your shield again , even though you told him not to and tried to push past him but he would not budge. After that the eagles came he had almost suffocated you , to hold you , trying stop you falling off the eagle. Which you would not have.

I am not joking when I say this , when Beorn started chasing you he had thrown you over your shoulder , Turning into sonic to get you to safety. This is exactly what Gandalf meant about being treated like a burden, you didn't know that wasn't why he was doing it.

Anyways you all had been captured by the elves of the Greenwood realm , and you were stripped down to your underclothes not the dwarves, thrown in cells but then Bilbo had broke you all out. Your vest see through from the water , as you out swam the orcs. Legolas the kings son stopped watching you all go. You had turned around in the barrel "get shagged by an octopus, princess!" You shouted towards him, you were pissed off by the fact they had stripped you to such a level. He had looked at you like a little puppy turning his head side to side, you turned away to smirking company.

"She's got a mouth on her lads." Bofur had shouted out smirking, not that you saw kili or some of the other dwarves raising their eyebrows suggestively. He sent them a look that said  fuck off.  As you reached land stepping out of the barrels soaking wet, hair sticking to you , clothes sagging down due to the water weight.

You had noticed your problem moving your hands ove the fabric of your vest ,which your nipples were visible, crossing your arms. No one had any coats as they were only stripped of them.  Fili had walked over to you ready to strip himself of his tunic, you shook your head no. "I'll be fine once it dries, don't worry." You had spoken quietly to the dwarf . Before he could say anything a barge man had appeared firing his bow at the rock kili held in defence.

"Do it again and you're dead." Damn his voice sounded like pure golden domination,and stern. Fili had placed himself in front you, you had groaned at his action, which he ignored.

Soon enough you were all upon his barge,only then did you confront fili,who left his injured brother to follow you around like a lost puppy. He stood close next to you,you could almost feel the heat radiating of him ,oh how you wished for warmth. Goosebumps mapped down your  bare arms like snow,even the barge man had looked at you in concern. You glanced at fili's frowning face, "Fili?" he had turned to look at you letting out an quiet 'hmm?' you had broken his thoughts of you,but you didnt know that."why do you seek to protect me ,when I dont need protecting. I thought you knew I didnt want to be treated like a burden." you had whispered not wanting the company hearing your petty moans.

Fili took his gaze off the icy lake ,looking at you like he didnt know what to say,he knew a bit over the top."its not like that,you aren't a burden...its just that..uhm"his flashes lightly with a blush. "fee,please..." your tone sincere and worried as you turned to him gripped his rough hands,you couldnt believe you had touched him you go got move your hands but again he keeps them in his hands. "the reason I'm like that is because you are my one y/n,its my duty to keep you safe,even if it costs my own life." he had looked away in embarrassment back to the cold water ,but you hand moved so you were directly infront of his lips ,pressing yours to his ,delivering a short kiss.

"if you die then I die with you,now keep me warm with those strong arms." and with that a chuckle left his mouth quiety as he cupped your cheeks pressing his lips to yours like you did he gasps in shock after. "god you are freezing,darn lucky im wearing two tunic?"

"you are wearing two? I would have took one earlier ,Ijust didnt want you to be cold. seriously everyone has seen my nipples through my vest." you groaned in annoyance but fili soon shedded one of his tunics putting on you ,you thank him before he wraps his muscular arms around your body,as you both look out to the lake. However the whole company had watched in awe.

You already know you have the princes and Thorin you also know fili gonna get hella jealous when you have to pretend to court bard in about 0.03 seconds.

[katsukikitten]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

A/N I had so much fucking fun writing this and I hope you all enjoy it too!

Sleep seemed to be avoiding the ash blonde as he scrolled through his phone for a Christmas gift.

But nothing was screaming Bakugou Mitsuki.

He wanted it to be perfect.

Although his mom DID piss him off majority of the time she still pissed him off.

More scrolling just to come up empty handed had the ash blonde seeing red. He locked his phone, hoping that sleeping on it would help him decide.

But instead he rolls around restlessly before the sound of agitated pops fill his silent room.

He reaches for his phone until something catches his attention. He strains to hear, perking his ears to best get a note of the familiar melody that is softly playing. He stands in his bed, noticing that the sound is coming from the vent.

*"A pair of hop-a-long boots and a pistol that shoots Is the wish of Barney and Ben Dolls that'll talk and will go for a walk Is the hope of Janice and Jen And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again"*

"Is that fucking Christmas music?" Bakugou asks aloud as he gazes at the time.

12:05AM

He shoves a pair of shorts on before forcing himself into a shirt descending the steps two at a time.

He creaks open the door to the stair well slowly, guiding it shut so it won't slam.

He finds the music coming from the common room and what he spies sends a spiral of emotions twisting in his gut, he leans against the jamb as he watches, arms crossed.

There you were, climbing a ladder, singing the lyrics softly as you worked in shorts that were much too short.

And a tank top that said "Meowey Christmas!" that hung from your form.

Scarlet eyes rove over your figure, your shirt lifts up exposing your toned back as you struggle to reach the ceiling to hang a small green plant.

It is that much out of reach that you almost tip the ladder.

Somehow by the grace of Kamisama you attach the foliage to the ceiling successfully.

You look up at it with triumph, hands on wide hips as you admire your work, although there was still so much to be done.

"What are you doing?" A gruff voice pulls you from the wonder of the large living room that is now garnished in garland and glitter. You startle losing your footing, the ladder topples before you do, hitting the floor with a loud crash before bouncing a bit from the force.

At this rate you're sure to bust your tail bone at the very least considering you're falling from at a minimum of six feet.

You expect the worst with your clumsy self, wondering how you'll ever be a hero if you cannot even land on your feet.

Luck for you, you fall into strong arms, while a growl reverberates in the chiseled chest you're pressed agaisnt.

"Be fucking careful!" His eyes shine with rage and annoyance. You shrink away from him as best you can while trapped in those muscular arms.

"Why are you doing this by your fucking self? And at midnight?!"

"I...I just woke up and couldnt sleep. And Christmas is next week..." You say sheepishly, eyes looking everywhere but him as he makes no move to put you on your feet. And you cannot bare to admit that a dream drove you down those steps and into the basement of the dorm.

Something green catches your eye and a devilish smile begins to form on your lips as an idea formulates in your head. The mistletoe that you had just successfully hung stares down at you expectedly. Demanding to be obeyed and for once you are torn.

Should you obey a times old tradition or should you avoid angering someone who barely tolerates you? The green leaves adorned with white and red berries seem to wink in the glow of the white Christmas lights, urging you to make the write choice.

"Your shitty music is too God damn loud. And you're out here doing this in the dead of night for fucking what?!" He rants endlessly as your heart pounds in your chest while you make a decision that you hope you won't regret.

You press your feather soft lips to his smooth cheek and he is silenced instantly.

Completely still as if a frozen by Todoriki's ice, he stares down at you in your shirt that slips of your bare shoulders confirming what he already knows.

You are braless, in shorts that barely cover that muscular ass and now you've pressed your lips to his cheek?!

What the fuck?! Is what the hot head wants to yell and as if you read his mind you answer. He watches a slender finget point up and he follows. He spies some damn piece of bush tapped to the ceiling.

"Mistletoe. Dems the rules!" You laugh and he stares at you as if you're fucking crazy.

Shame paints your cheeks, your cute idea down the drain despite not being brave enough to actually kiss him.

Suddenly his cheeks burn up into the tips of his ears before he sets you down on your feet roughly.

"So a fucking dried up plant makes the rules?!" You watch his jaw work as he grinds his teeth, flushed to all hell.

"Ah yes..." You say softly and he just stares at you before letting go the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Just stay off the ladder." He turns on his heel before you grab onto his shirt without thought.

You cannot bare the idea of decorating another year alone. He stills before looking over his shoulder, eyes turned into frozen hot embers.

"I...I." Your normally boisterous voice dies in your throat. Scarlet drinks in your features, your eyes rimmed with unspoken tears. Katsuki's heart sinks as if it were wearing concrete shoes

He sucks his teeth before turning, shoving you back towards the decorations, this time careful to avoid that damned plant. Deft eyes spy more than on sprig lurking above unknowing victims.

"What do you want me to do?" He growls, crimson watches your lovely features slowly light up as you realize what he has said. You begin to jump on the balls of your feet as you pull him to dusty boxes. You place a Santa hat on his head and he stares at you with glowing embers. He pulls at the stupid fucking hat and throws it over his shoulder holding eye contact. You figure you shouldn't push your luck too much as you pull another box in front of him.

"We need 21 stockings make sure everyone knows which one is theirs!" Bakugou instantly regrets agreeing to this little charade, he is about to tell you never mind but his eyes catch you smiling again. Humming along to the next Christmas song as you wrap the pillars with glittering snow dusted garland.

It's that same smile that allows you to order him around for the better half of the night before you pull him to the project you were working on.

The most important project of the night!

The tree.

A tree it seems you pulled from the Earth yourself, spending majority of the night trimming the branches to be sure it looked perfect. The thick trunk was secured tightly by a black stand, hidden beneath a fuax white fur skirt. Lights twisted around the tree all the way to its 7 foot top.

"Help with the oranaments!" You pull on his wrist, guiding him to a box filled with many different glass orbs. Your palm and fingers seem to sear into his skin.

"I trust your judgment. Put up what you calls to you." You smile wide at him, wide enough that your eyes seem to smile too.

His heart skips a beat before you turn your back to lift a long string of fruit.

"Oi is that why the whole damn dorm smelt like oranges and grapefruits?" His eyes follow circles of oranges and pinks, dehydrated from an agonizingly slow bake.

"Yes. I used to makes these with my grandmother." You smile at the memory, tears threaten to fall but you do not allow them.

This was the first Christmas since her passing that you had felt even an inkling of the magic again.

Before, it all felt bleak, meaningless and the holidays were just another reminder that the spirit of the season had died with her.

Normally your feeling of dread would have started long before Thanksgiving and you would have been holed in your room debating whether any of this was worth it or not while lying prone for the fifth day in a row.

Hiding beneath your heavy comforter in your overly neglected room.

But you don't feel like that now.

So why were you dwelling on it?

Clearly your grandmother was here, guiding you, *reminding* you to enjoy the holiday.

That her memory would be honored as long as you spread the joy, even if it was something as small as listening to a few Christmas songs that you had actively avoided for years.

So God Damn it you were going to enjoy it while it lasted.

If for whatever reason the magic faded again then you'd cross that bridge when you got there, for now you were decorating with your grandmother and an unusual guest.

That very same guest whose eyes go wholly unnoticed by you as he watches.

Watches you fight whatever it is that goes on in that gorgeously smart head of yours.

Suddenly you move, delicately wraping what feels like miles of dried citrus around the deep green needles that seem to reach out for your loving touch.

Bakugou breaks the spell by finally picking up some glass orbs and dotting them all over the tree. The smell of pine, citrus and your signature shampoo tickle his nose here and there as he works. He even catches himself humming along to the songs that float in from the radio, enjoying the sound of your slightly off key notes.

The two work in otherwise silence before you begin to bump into one another as you near closer to the top, earning yourself a glare followed by a snarl.

"Oi! Watch it!"

Somehow you smile everytime he says it, confusing him further before the two of you step back to admire your work.

A few moments pass by before two sets of eyes fixated on the illuminated tree with scrutinizing eyes.

It looks amazing, perfectly balanced in color, light and decoration but it seems off...

And the answer sits on the tips of your tongues.

"Ah the star!" You exclaim, rooting through box after box before finally producing a large golden star.

It catches the light of the room, pulling scarlet eyes to the reflective surface. He watches the Christmas lights dance along the gold, fighting to shine as brightly as you.

You make your way to the ladder before he grabs onto your wrist, snatching the star with a snarl.

"I'll put it up, you'll probably just fall again." You notice the blush on his cheeks as he climbs a few rungs, "Is that good?"

He instantly regrets his question as his blush turns into agitated flush as you tell him to position it this way and that.

Small explosions pop over his hands hinting at what he is about to do when you tell him to move it "just a hair to the left" for the sixth time in a row. He takes in a sharp breath to yell before you beat him to the punch.

"PERFECT!" You exclaim, bouncing on the balls of your feet again as if you were a child basking in the presence of the tree after Santa came.

He comes down from the ladder standing beside you once more looking over the work the two of you have done. His heart beats faster and with excitement, the music encouraging the feeling of the scene melding together into a cohesive piece. For a moment he is taken somewhere else.

To a memory long forgotten of him barreling down the stairs, his mom and dad sitting on the couch with tea and coffee. Mysterious gifts nestled beneath the tree. He had gotten an All Might figure that year.

Warmth pulls him back to the present, your arm wrapped around his as you lie your tired head on his shoulder. Sparkling, wonderous eyes glistening with tears.

*Happy* tears.

He remembers what you were not like this last year. He remembers how you looked. Hated how your normally bright shining eyes had become dulled. How your sunshine seemed to bleed from your smile.

He loathed the idea of you, the brightest thing he could think of, seeing the world in drab boring greys like you did last year.

But this year must have been filled with vibrant colors.

And he had helped with that with something as simple as hanging a fucking ball on a tree.

He silently vowed to help you see that the holiday shined as brightly as you did all year round, even if it meant being woken up in the middle of the night because you just felt like it.

His eyes stray from the tree to you before looking over the room once more. Suddenly he realizes y'all's orientation of the room and he looks up.

Spying the green foliage with poisonous berries with deadly intentions.

A devilish smile forms on his face.

He pulls your chin to him, to be met with a furrowed brow. He leans closer, breath ebbing between touching noses before he tilts his head just so, crashing his lips to yours. Fully kissing you, tongue sliding over your lips to tease but you open your mouth to his surprise.

He snakes his tongue in for just a moment before pulling it out to guide your lips with his own into a passionate kiss.

Passionate enough that you lean further into him for support, you stare up at him in a daze with burning cheeks.

He smirks with reddened lips as one deadly finger points up.

"Mistletoe." He breathes darkly.

××××××××××××××××××××

☆° EPILOGUE °☆

The sun floods into the common room in hues of reds and pinks as Kirishima yawns heading for the kitchen.

Voices carry in from the living room detailing the ruby haired boy from breakfast for just a moment. . The TV is Eji's guess as he makes his way to investigate why someone would be either up so late or so early.

Kirishima crosses the threshold, ready to erupt with an overly cheerful goodmorning when it dies in his throat. He looks over the back of the couch to see Bakugou lying in his back arm protectively wrapped around you, as you lie between his legs. The two of you sleeping snuggly beneath a cat Christmas blanket as the TV plays a classic movie.

Ruby eyes notice the decorations, the tree, all of the stockings over a lit fire that were not there the night before. He smiles a wide toothed smile looking down at the two of you with faint smiles painted on your lips.