#excuse me while I redecorate

[dadbodbuck]

i had a bad day and then @tommystummy started talking about bucktommy arguments and this scenario came up and i latched onto it like a moray eel. please enjoy some raw, unedited tommy kinard angst

Tommy doesn't like talking about it. It being the roughly five years he worked under Captain Gerrard, alongside Howie and Hen, when he was deeply closeted and a major asshole. He can make his excuses, he can try to convey the feeling of looking into someone's eyes and only seeing your father's. He can admit to the humiliating nightmares he used to have of his father storming into the fire station and screaming at him. Neither of those are reason enough to be callous towards people who were being tortured in their own workplace.

Howie and Hen were much quicker to forgive him than Tommy was. In fact, it seemed like it only took one mumbled apology for them to shrug it all off. Water under the bridge, they had said. Just don't do it again.

And God, Tommy never did. After that, after finally taking his sexuality out of the box deep in the animal part of his brain, he told himself he would be different. He expected it to be hard, and on some level it was, but—

Tommy kissed a man for the first time (since high school) forty-eight hours after he was reassigned to the 217, quick and dirty in a bar in West Hollywood. Something in Tommy’s chest clicked into place when he heard the soft, deep moan of a nameless man wearing body glitter. He couldn’t go back even if he wanted to.

Before, he’d been afraid of this exact thing. He’d kept his hands to himself because he knew that his closet wasn’t resealable. It was one-and-done. Gerrard’s boys would have eaten him alive. But Howie and Hen wouldn’t. They didn’t.

It still took him a long time for him to tell them. They didn’t talk often, but they did keep in touch. Tommy owed them so many favors he’d probably be repaying them for the rest of his life, but they seemed more interested in just being his friend. A distant one, but a friend nonetheless.

Distance was fine. Distance was easy. Distance allowed for Tommy to keep his comfortable walls in place, even if he redecorated them a little.

It took him three months to realize how debilitating loneliness was. He was out, now, but without the close, albeit sterile and toxic, friendship of the boy’s club at the 118. Tommy longed for connection. He thrived on it. Something deep, and routine, and constant.

But nobody was volunteering. So Tommy resigned himself to his old hobbies, cars and Muay Thai and basketball, and introduced karaoke trivia to the routine, because he’d always loved singing but never had the guts to do it while he was closeted. It was nice. If anyone noticed Tommy’s near-compulsive schedule of activities, they never mentioned it. The years passed. Howie and Hen grew even more distant. Tommy liked their Facebook posts. He did their favors. He was still lonely, but he successfully put the version of himself he had been on a shelf in the deepest recesses of his brain, never to see the light of day again.

He was a good person now. He was good. He was good despite the skeletons rattling in the closet where his love used to be.

Then, Evan.

No other preamble necessary. Then, Evan. With his broad chest and blue eyes and insane, insane ideas.

Really, was Tommy not supposed to fall in love with him?

Things are great for a while. Idyllic. Peaceful, and exciting, and sweet, and so goddamn sexy, and safe. Tommy feels safe in Evan’s arms.

The problem, of course, is that Evan has this idea that he has to know every part of Tommy. All of him.

“I want to love all of you,” Evan murmurs, as a creeping sense of dread settles in Tommy’s chest, “Even the parts you don’t like.”

Tommy chews on his words, but Evan must sense something is wrong, because he props himself up on an elbow and leans over Tommy, brow scrunched in concern.

“There are parts of me that aren’t worth loving.” Tommy settles on, eventually.

He watches Evan’s heart break in real time, and it does nothing to soothe the growing irritation in his chest.

“I don’t believe that,” Evan frowns, “I think even when you were making mistakes, you were worth loving.”

Tommy huffs a dry, sarcastic laugh. “I beg to differ.”

He doesn’t elaborate. Can’t. Evan doesn’t like this. “Tom, that’s—that’s not how this works. You don’t get to pick and choose which parts of you I’m allowed to love. I don’t care what it is. I love you.”

Tommy isn’t going to win this argument, so he doesn’t even try. Instead, he forces himself to relax, and sighs. “Okay. Sorry, honey.”

He can tell Evan isn’t buying it, by the disbelieving set to his mouth, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he lays back down and presses a gentle kiss to Tommy’s shoulder. It feels a lot like another declaration.

“I love you too,” Tommy says, bringing one of Evan’s hands up to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. Evan revels in physical touch—it’s one of his favorite love languages, although he enjoys pretty much all of them. Mostly, Tommy thinks Evan was just love-starved for a long time.

Tommy is positive beyond doubt that Evan was never like him. It takes little talking to Howie and Maddie to confirm that he’s always presented his heart on a platter, warm and bleeding for whoever wants to carry it. There’s no universe where a callous man like Gerrard would have turned Evan into what Tommy was. Evan has never been a coward.

Tommy hopes that’ll be the end of the argument, but the next day, Evan sits down on the couch and says, “I know talking about your past is painful for you, and I don’t want to force you to tell me anything.”

Tommy senses a conjunction and chooses to remain silent.

“But,” there it is, “I don’t take back what I said.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you again,” Tommy grunts, knowing he’s closing himself off.

“Then let me say it,” Evan presses, “There is nothing in your past that would change how I feel about you.”

“You don’t know that,” Tommy says, through gritted teeth, “You don’t know what I was like to Howie and Hen when they first joined the 118. I said things I shouldn’t have. I let Gerrard and his cronies get away with even worse. I let them get hurt, and I did nothing, because I was a coward.”

Evan looks at him with big, sad eyes. “You were scared.”

“I should have done the right thing anyway,” Tommy argues, “You think Howie and Hen weren’t scared? You think they weren’t terrified? Hen got up in front of everyone and gave us this big speech about how proud she was to be gay, to be black, to be herself. And all I did was stand there with this pit in my stomach. Like if anyone looked over at me they would just know, and then I’d be a pariah. Like her.”

“Tommy,” Evan says, dismayed, “She’s forgiven you so many times over for that. Beating yourself up about it does nothing.”

“It holds me accountable,” Tommy says, “It keeps me from being that person again. I hate the person I was back then. You would have hated him, too.”

“Maybe,” Evan shrugs, like it’s just that easy, “But I try not to hate people. I certainly don’t hate my loved ones for making mistakes. And that’s what you did. Make a mistake. Now, looking back on it, I can see that version of you. That Tommy, who was afraid and in pain. I still love him.”

“Stop!” Tommy snaps, but makes no move to get away from Evan. Evan’s hand stutters, but makes its way to Tommy’s shoulder, thumb rubbing over the joint.

“I love every version of all of my loved ones,” Evan says softly, “I love the version of Bobby who almost drank himself to death. I love the version of Eddie that fought people in the street. I love the version of Chim that punched me. I love the version of Maddie that ran away from me—several times, I might add. I love the version of Hen that almost ended her own marriage when she betrayed Karen’s trust.”

There’s about thirty different stories Tommy wants to explore in there, but Evan doesn’t let him get a word in edgewise. “And I love the version of you that stood by and watched because he was too scared to intervene.”

Evan leans in to plant a tender kiss to Tommy’s cheek. “I love him, and I love the Tommy who was in Iraq, and I love the Tommy who was almost a high school dropout, and I love the Tommy who loved to go hiking after middle school, and I love the Tommy who was late learning how to walk but early learning how to read. It’s not hard. He’s you.”

“I don’t want him to be me,” Tommy confesses, throat tight.

“But he is,” Evan murmurs, soft and soothing in Tommy’s ear, “He’s right here. And he’s doing right by people now. He learned how to be brave. He made amends. Hen and Chim didn’t forgive you because you killed that old version of yourself, they forgave you because you made an effort.”

It’s the first time Tommy’s ever heard it phrased like this, and something about the way Evan says it makes his eyes sting. Evan pulls him into a hug, tucks his face into the crook of his neck, and lets Tommy cry. Rubs his back through it. If Tommy pretends, he could be rubbing the uniform-clad thirty-five year-old firefighter, or the fatigued back of an eighteen-year-old soldier, or the thrifted cotton tee of a middle schooler, or the just-too-tight romper of a toddler. All the Tommies that never got this, all the Tommies that desperately wanted it.

For the first time since his mother died, Tommy is held while he cries, and after nearly thirty years, something in his chest stops aching.

[feyascorner]

Okay now hear me out HEAR ME OUT… this might get a bit angsty

But if astarion had romanced an elf tav, since elves reincarnate in dnd lore and retain some memories of their past life surely astarion would wait, right? Wait for them to come back to him, right??

Well most of us know that already 😋 but one thing I found interesting was; if astarion did find tav again (maybe he confirms it’s them through small mannerisms, maybe they meet at a tavern and this new tav laughs in the same melodic way, or he overhears tav talking about an interest they had in their past life) after confirming it is indeed tav again, how would astarion even feel ☹️

Because yes yipee you found them!!! But now are faced with the task of having to not only explain everything to them again (maybe fill in some of the gaps that are missing in their elf trances) but also have to deal with the impending doom that they’re going to have to die all over again 😭 like a cruel never ending cycle of having each other but never forever. (“I love you forever”, “oh darling our forevers don’t match up”)

OR OR OR if we’re feeling extra cruel, astarion finds tav over and over but each time tav dies gruesomely and it’s never preventable. A classic #timeloop lmao.

Ok enough rambling do with that as you wish

I LOVE TIME LOOP TROPES SO BADLY IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY...i dont really like how this came out but i love sad astarion so!!! not proofread so pls excuse that!!

Astarion, of all people, should love blood.

But when it's yours, all sticky and warm on his hands, he's repulsed by the crimson red staining his pale skin. Your lifeless body lies in his arms, head tucked into his chest, but your own no longer rising and falling in rhythm with your breaths. Your lashes are specked with flicks of red, and your eyes shut almost as if you're sleeping. It's only in moments like these, where you're truly like him, yet not like him at all. Dead, but not undead. Even in death, he thinks you're beautiful.

Just a few years, he reassures himself, despite the wet tears on his face. Just a few years, and you'll be back, as you always are.

And he does find you. After so many years of wandering aimlessly into bars you liked, places you enjoyed spending free time in, and spending most of his time in your previously shared home, he finally comes across you in the city square.

Only then does he realize you haven't gathered all of your past memories yet. On the one hand, he's ecstatic he found you when you have more time left in your elf lifespan, but on the other, it pains him to see you look at him in a gaze that's void of your usual adoration. But no matter. If something as trivial as this were to break his spirit, he would've rotted away years ago.

It takes time, but you manage to remember him again fully. When you do, neither of you wastes any time in restoring the remains of your previous lifetime together. You redecorate your old shared home together, toasting to a new lifetime together afterward. You give him that soft smile of yours, and he thinks he could not be happier than this. With you having so many years left, and him being infinite, he has no need to worry about being separated from you anytime soon.

For a moment, he's almost glad he was turned into a vampire spawn, because of what it means for the two of you.

"I love you forever," you say one day, pressed up against his chest with your legs entangled. "Even through all my lifetimes."

"Quite the grand gesture, my love," he grins, and you return the sentiment. "While I have only this lifetime to give you, you can have all of it. You can have what's my eternity."

You press a kiss against his lips. "...And half your closet?"

He snorts. "Everything except that."

It's okay, he tells himself. He has time. He won't have to watch your lifeless body lowered into another grave again until he's readied himself---though it seems he's never truly ready. As long as he's careful, you'd be okay.

He's always joked that your heroic tendencies would be the death of you.

There had been a storm. A large one, in fact, causing large waves to crash against the harbor and sending its occupants fleeing inward toward the city.

He should've begged you to stay.

"It's dangerous."

"It's far enough from the harbor, I'll be fine," you insist. "People need help fleeing and our neighbors are going to help out. I should too."

"Then I shall go with you-"

"It's still daytime. We can't risk it," you shake your head, squeezing both of his hands. He smells the whisk of your shampoo as you do. "I'll be okay, Astarion. I'll be back in an hour or two, I promise."

You never do.

By the third hour, the storm has already calmed, and he impatiently throws on a clock and bursts out the door like a madman. He flies past the dozens of people perched on the streets as they try to recover from the hellish storm, and despite how many there are, he doesn't see you. None of them even know where you are.

"They saved my son. Jumped into the water into those nasty waves and got him out, but they...they didn't make it."

Astarion can see the fisherman's mouth continuing to move, but he can't hear him anymore. He feels like he's suffocating, eyes wide as they slowly turn to the calm ocean that now acts as your grave. But there is no tombstone, and there is no place for him to lay down your favorite flower.

He was supposed to have time. You were supposed to have time.

And this time, he doesn't even have the opportunity to kiss your pretty face goodbye, left with nothing but the murky waters of the city that extend past what his eyes can see.

It's times like these that he hates his own eternity.

He's numb by the time he reaches the house again, just as you'd left it. When he enters the bedroom, he realizes that neither of you bothered to make the bed this morning, and sees your pillow crumpled messily against his own. And beside it, your messily tossed pajamas lying with no owner anymore.

He grabs the shirt, staring down at it with dull eyes.

He can't even cry anymore.

Astarion spends the next few decades as a ghost of the city, holding himself hostage in the confinements of his own home. He doesn't touch anything, he doesn't move anything, and he doesn't even dare to open your closet door out of fear that your clothes will lose your scent. He's sure they've already lost it, but it comforts him to know that he's left everything exactly as you had.

Time passes, and as usual, it only leaves him behind.

The criminals lurking in the shadows are the ones who face his wrath. He hunts them down viscously, barely drinking half their blood before they're already dead from the wounds he inflicts on them. He gives no more mercy, because the world has not shown him any in return. Today is no different, as he corners his victim for today in the darkest alley he can find that has a dead end.

The man begs for his life, but it doesn't even register in Astarion's head before he's dead.

The blood tastes like nothing as it slides down his throat. When he releases the man and his body collapses to the ground, Astarion wipes at his mouth, glowering blankly at what remains. A corpse. Even filth like this could leave something behind while you were lost in the sea, forever forgotten by everyone but him. It's not fair. It's not fair at all.

"Astarion?"

His head whips around, able to recognize your voice anywhere, regardless of how much time has passed. It relieves him because he'd begun to fear that his mind had grown foggy in regards to your voice, but the worries seem to have been misplaced because you sound exactly as he remembers. Your hair is a different length now, your face void of the previous scars you've had and replaced with new ones. But no amount of change can stop him from recognizing you. Not even death itself.

"Darling."

"I knew I'd find you here."

As you run into his embrace, he sees color again. He can breathe again. He can live again. And for the first time in decades, he lets himself cry again.

No matter how many times he does this and how many times you die, he'll wait. Even if it crushes him to watch your demise every time.

[midnightscramble]

Hi! Are you gonna do a part 2 of the courting story? If so maybe some jealousy raises when one of the kids/partners see reader in public with someone else? Thanks!

Promenading with Widows Part 2 (Violet Bridgerton x fem!Reader)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

The Masterlist

Author’s Note: This is dedicated to @blueberrycoffee19. No author is without faults and bear in mind that asks are taken as guidelines. Please enjoy and Happy readings to you.

Summary: Penelope and Kate have tea with Lady Y/n, clarifying intentions. Violet and Y/n reunite. The Bridgerton children run into Y/n and Lady Cowper in a compromising position.

Warnings: implied period typical homophobia, discussion of unhappy marriage (Y/n's prior sexual/wifely duties), strong feelings of jealousy/insecurity, unwelcome advance (made by Lady Cowper), no Beta read

Penelope and Kate waited in the foyer of the Y/l/n estate. It was one of the largest in the Ton, yet rarely visited as the late Lord was not keen on hosting. It was apparent that the house was in the midsts of a redecoration, with freshly stripped walls and large wooden crates partially cracked open, revealing new furniture within them. All the curtains had been taken off the runners, letting light stream into the house from all directions.

A butler came down the hall and alerted them of where they could find the Lady of the house, "Lady Y/l/n is taking her afternoon tea in the study," he motioned towards the end of the hall, "She can be found there, my Ladies." Penelope found it rather strange that the butler did not guide them to the study and announce them there. The lack of staff also perturbed her, as there was no one waiting outside the study should Lady Y/n need something. It seemed she was rather independent.

The women looked at each other skeptically as they journeyed to the end of the hall. As they entered the study, they immediately noticed its finished state, compared to the rest of the house. Large book cases that stretched from the floor to the ceiling adorned two walls, while the other walls had been painted a pale, creamy pink. The furniture was made of honey wood with dusty pink upholstering. The curtains were a sheer gold color, making the light of the room appear warmer than the sun itself. Every viable surface had a vase of flowers settled atop it, proudly presenting pink African violets. Penelope couldn't help but smile, there was no doubt that this was a woman's study.

Lady Y/n stood to greet them, "Please excuse the current state of things. I fear the whole house has been victim to my remodeling." Kate laughed, surprising herself. After everything Anthony had told her, she did not expect the woman to be so humble and charming.

"It is no problem at all. I must commend you for what you have done with the study. It looks remarkable, Lady Y/l/n," Kate said with a smile and Penelope nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

"Let's sit, and please, there is no need to maintain such formalities. We are all women of similar status, and I am sure we do not need reminding of it. You can just call me Y/n," She led them to the couches and poured her guests cups of tea.

Penelope could not deny, she liked Y/n. She had suspected the woman to be intimidating, as many intelligent women are. However, it had become clear that the bite and intimidation used on Anthony was purely in retaliation, and not a solidified part of her personality.

"Very well, Y/n. I fear we must have an uncomfortable conversation with you," Penelope bit her lip as she watched Y/n calmly sip her tea.

She put her cup down and her lip curled as she spoke, "I take it Lady Violet received my gift, and Lord Bridgerton intercepted the letter?" Y/n obviously found the subject amusing and Kate herself began to see the humor in it.

"My husband was quite upset by it, he worries about your influence on his mother." Kate folded her hands in her lap politely as she explained.

Suddenly serious, Y/n's smirk dropped as she spoke earnestly, "He has nothing to fear, I would do nothing to harm Lady Violet." Penelope examined the woman across from them, her change in tone reflected that this was not the first time Y/n had thought about the topic at hand. It reminded her briefly of Colin's caring, protective nature.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. However, Anthony does not understand your developing friendship, in fact we are all surprised by the suddenness."

Y/n shrugged, "Lady Violet and I find solace in each other, I found that her company was quite comforting. Since Lord Y/l/n passed, I have found myself frequently alone-"

Reminded that Y/n was a widow, Penelope rushed to give her condolences, "I am so sorry for your loss." Y/n waved her off, settling back into her chair.

"I know that I am odd and brash. Men especially seem to find my presence quite challenging to tolerate. However, these unfortunate traits of mine are not contagious. I pose no threat to indoctrinating the faire Lady Violet. She is far too principled to succumb to any of my outrageous beliefs." Y/n elongated her final words in jest of her not so sparkling reputation within the Bridgerton household.

Dropping the interrogation, Kate yielded, "I rather like odd and brash, and I am sure Lady Violet finds it as refreshing as I do. You are right though, I doubt anyone could convince her of something lest she had already convinced herself."

Y/n laughed whole heartedly, "She is quite formidable, is she not." She smiled as she reflected upon their last meeting, "And rather unrelenting. When we traveled to the gallery together she saw through my facade and refused to let any topic of conversation expire until she found what she was looking for." The adoration in her voice was clear, and the gleam in her eyes was all too telling.

Penelope's eyes widened as she came to the realization that Y/n's feelings for Violet were not strictly platonic. She looked over at Kate, wondering if she had arrived at the same conclusion.

Unexpectedly, Kate stood, "I trust that with your companionship, Lady Violet will be in good hands. Penelope, we must be on our way or we shall be late for lunch." Penelope bit her tongue despite having more questions, willing to let Kate take the lead out of respect for her seniority.

Y/n stood up as well, "Allow me to walk you to your carriage." They spoke their parting pleasantries and once in the comfort and privacy of the carriage, Penelope immediately turned to Kate.

"I think she is in love with-"

Kate put her hand up, gently interrupting the younger woman, "I am not sure that either of them are cognizant of their own feelings. In due time, they will figure it out between themselves. We must let it run its natural course."

"Will you tell Antony what we have discovered?" Penelope worried her lip, not wanting Y/n to face societal consequences.

"He is much more progressive than you think, we have plenty of friends with the same peculiarity. If anything, this may prove to relieve him of his tension, knowing that his mother in the hands of someone who loves her." She paused, reconsidering, "Although, he has been quite angsty since the memorial did not go as planned."

Penelope hummed, "Could there be another reason for his sudden stress?"

Kate sighed and rubbed her protruding belly, "He has been in a state since I have become pregnant. Anthony fears dying as suddenly as his father, he spends most of his time in the study, estate planning so that I may not worry if he passes early. I think he may be unfairly projecting his anxieties onto Violet." Penelope patted her hand comfortingly and they sat in contemplative silence until they arrived back at the Bridgerton estate.

...

Approximately one hour had passed since the women had arrived to the family home, and in that hour, word had spread like wild fire. Kate told Anthony of Y/n's feelings for Violet. He felt relieved, knowing the widow's intentions were harmless, and apologetic for his outburst. After discussing it with Kate, who had watched her own father remarry, he accepted that it was only right that his mother get a second chance at love. He confessed "I always felt that no man could replace father. Perhaps this is the unlikely solution that allows the coexistence of his memory and mother's happiness."

In his relief he mentioned to Benedict that Lady Y/n was not after his hand, to which Benedict weaseled the true information out of him. Smug he jested, "Well of course she is a homosexual, it is the only explanation as to why she resisted my charms."

Gregory emerged from around a corner, obviously eavesdropping, "You grossly overestimate your charms, brother."

Exasperated, Anthony grimaced, "You are both sworn to secrecy on this matter, it is extremely sensitive and possibly life ruining." Benedict nodded compassionately and Gregory smiled before running off to tell Hyacinth.

On the other side of the house, Penelope had confessed her discovery to Colin, who sought Eloise in confusion. "So Lady Y/n has affection for the fairer sex? Is such not illegal in London?" Eloise nodded at his questioning, "Yes, and it is illegal. Despite being absolutely harmless, it is too taboo to be brought up in court."

Colin paced the room, "And if the two of them are discovered they will no doubt be put on trial, what shall we do then?"

"I'm sure Simon and Daphne have friends in the high courts, we shall have to tell them should the family need to call in a favor." Colin nodded and with Penelope and his sister walking in tow, they found the couple in the drawing room.

Relaying the news, the Duke and Duchess were quick to accept the hypothetical responsibility. The group failed to notice Francesca and John, who sat in the corner quietly watching the interaction.

All had been sworn to secrecy as to not interfere with the budding romance, and by the time dinner arrived, everyone knew of Y/n's feelings save for Violet.

...

The next day Y/n arrived to the Bridgerton estate and was met by a very eager Hyacinth who walked her to the drawing room, "It is so wonderful that you are here. Mother has been positively bereft by your absence, mopping about as though-" She stopped herself, not wanting to reveal Violet's obvious crush, "that is to say she missed you." Y/n smiled at the young girl and her odd giddiness.

They entered the drawing room and the chatter went silent, all eyes flew to Violet, awaiting her reaction. Anthony broke the tension, "My apologies for the prior hostility, Lady Y/l/n, you are a fine companion to my mother." Violet was touched by the sentiment and stood to greet Y/n who responded gracefully, "Apology accepted, Lord Bridgerton. I shall make use of your approval and invite the Viscountess to lunch."

Gathering Y/n's hands in her own she nodded eagerly, "That would be splendid, thank you."

Y/n smiled and linked their arms, guiding her out of the room. Conversation erupted the moment they were out of earshot, the children began debating who would confess their feelings first.

...

"Where are we going to lunch?"

"I have prepared a feast at my house," Y/n exaggerated as they stepped into the carriage. Violet's breathe caught, she had not yet had the privilege of seeing where the Lady resided. Being invited into the home of someone as private as Y/n was not to be taken lightly, it meant she had earned the widow's trust.

Violet quickly remembered to respond in similar jest, "Let's say my hunger is so great that I devour this proposed feast and you are left with nothing, what then shall you do?"

"Eat you, of course," Y/n easily responded, not aware of the innuendo attached to her words. Violet flushed and looked out the window while pursing her lips together. She imagined them tangled in bed sheets, with Y/n's mouth trailing down her body. She shivered and crossed her legs tightly, trying to ignore the sudden fire within her.

Changing the topic, Y/n began, "Please ignore the state of the house, I am in the middle of redecorating and have accomplished little in my free time." Violet nodded in understanding, knowing that the young woman had inherited her husband's many duties to the Queen.

"On the contrary, I would love a house tour."

Y/n smiled brightly and grabbed Violet's hand, "I am absolutely delighted by that." She held Violet's hand for the rest of the journey, enjoying its warmth and running her fingers over the tendons, watching as they twitched.

Once they arrived, Y/n led the way through the house, "Let us start with the third level and work our way down." She showed Violet the library, indoor green house, and the multitude of guest bedrooms. Y/n seemed to get nervous as they got to the second level, purposely avoiding a room that had a large ebony door, intricately carved with the Y/l/n family crest.

Violet pointed to the room before Y/n could slip past, "What's in here," she innocently inquired.

The younger woman's voice cracked, "That was my marital bedroom." Violet squared her shoulders, not wanting to outwardly show her shock. Awkwardly, Y/n offered, "Would you like to see it?" In truth, she did not want to enter the space, as it held the worst memories of her marriage. She dreaded the room and all it stood for.

Not wanting to offend her host, Violet agreed, "Yes, if you would like me to." Y/n's hand reached for her own as she turned the iron knob. The door slowly opened to reveal a room shrouded in darkness, the closed curtains causing the room to be entirely devoid of light. While the rest of the house had undergone major changes, Y/n could not bring herself to return to this room for longer than necessary, feeling disgust over her memories of the bedroom.

Violet looked around the room, the accents of the room were a deep, dark green. The bed was black and the furniture was all leather. On the wall opposing the bed, there was a large stuffed deer's head mounted, surveying the room. She turned to look at her companion, seeing how small Y/n looked amongst the imposing decor. She moved a hand to the small of her back in comfort, "How often would you sleep here?"

"Whenever he demanded it." She said plainly. Violet nodded, feeling a surge of aggression towards the dead man. Lord Y/l/n had made his wife aware of the fact that he could not love her, carried affections for another, yet bed her on the regular. He was an imbecile, completely unaware of the invaluable woman he had married, content to treat her as a house pet. She exhaled her anger and inched closer to Y/n to put her hands on either side of her arms.

"Do you still sleep here?" Please don't sleep here, you don't have to sleep here, she thought. She looked into Y/n's eyes, trying to get her plea across.

"No, I never want to sleep here again." Violet pulled her into a hug, with one hand around Y/n's waist and the other cradling the back of her head. The memories of Lord Y/l/n's touch vanished as Y/n's senses were filled with Violet, the sweet scent of her hair, the soft caress of her skin, and the strong hold of her arms. They enjoyed the vulnerability of the moment, neither wanting to separate, fearing that it would be a long while till their next embrace.

Y/n sighed, "Lunch will be ready soon, we should probably..." she weakly offered. Violet removed her hand from Y/n's head and brought both down to her waist, keeping their bodies pressed against each other. She knew she was being selfish, to take this liberty in the very room that her companion had felt most trapped. Yet, it felt right, to reclaim this small intimacy, to give this to Y/n without the expectation of a sexual favor.

"We probably should. You know... I have quite the expertise when it comes to home decor. I would be honored if you allowed me to redecorate this room." Violet wanted to erase Lord Y/l/n, to unburden Y/n and allow her to live freely in her home without his ghost lingering.

The widow nodded and pulled away from the embrace, "That would be much appreciated. In fact, this could be your room for when you spend the night. I know that you will soon be in search of a dowager house, so in the mean time, if you need an escape, you can stay here." Violet's heart warmed at the thought.

"You would really give me the grandest bedroom?"

"As long as you intend to use it, yes." Y/n responded as if it were obvious. "Would it trouble you to come by in two days time? I have a painter on retainer and we can pick out furniture for your room."

Smiling brightly, Violet interlocked their fingers, "It wouldn't trouble me at all, shall we have lunch now?"

...

Violet returned home feeling as though her mind had quieted. She walked mindlessly through her home, letting her fingers dance along the walls. Although it was past dinner and the usual time they retired, her daughters had all gathered in the drawing room. Violet was startled by the congregation and entered the room. The women all turned to look at her, and Daphne was the first to speak, "How was your night?"

Hyacinth eagerly patted the spot next to her on the couch, smiling like the cat who ate the canary, "You must tell as all about the evening. What did you talk about it? What did you eat?" Eloise put down her book, giving her mother her full attention.

Feeling shy, Violet guffawed, "And what is with this sudden onslaught of inquiries?"

The room bustled once again as everyone feigned disinterest, Eloise reopened her book and shrugged her shoulders, Francesca tinkered with the keys of her piano and Hyacinth made an excuse, "We are simply invested in your friendships, MaMa."

Daphne was the only one that continued to look at her, "Did you have a pleasant time?" She asked softly.

Violet fixed her daughter with a strange look, she hesitated, "Yes, I did." Daphne clapped her hands once and her sisters turned their attention to her, "It is time for bed, ladies, I am sure MaMa does not want to be kept up by our incessant chatter." Sighs emitted from her younger siblings and they clambered off to bed.

Once it was just the two of them, Daphne tried again, "I know you went for lunch, and you obviously stayed for dinner, so what did you do in the hours in between?"

"I'm going to be helping Lady Y/l/n with redesigning a portion of her home, that is all," Violet turned her gaze away from her daughter, not liking the bitter taste the lie left in her mouth.

"That is all?" Daphne knew her mother was close to cracking.

"She is letting me decorate a room for when I stay there." Violet's leg bounced uneasily under her skirt, not liking the direction of the questioning, "I fail to see how any of this is your business, dear."

Daphne put her hands up in concession, "You are right it is not my business... Mama," She began, "we all so desperately want you to be happy. If you have found something-someone who helps you achieve that, then we are pleased for you." Violet's breath caught in her throat. Her children had always been perceptive of her feelings, but for them to catch something that she herself was only just beginning to accept and understand was on an entirely different level.

"How did you know-"

"When Anthony forbade you from seeing her, you sent letters to her every day. I think you forget that the Duke and I are a floor beneath you, we would hear you pacing at night in frustration." Violet put her head in her hands at her daughter's admission. Had this truly been so obvious to everyone else? How could she deny something that everyone already knew?

Daphne put a hand on her shoulder, "We love you, we just want you to be happy." With that she took her leave, and left Violet with her thoughts.

...

The next morning, Colin, Anthony, Daphne and Francesca invited their spouses for a group promenade.

...

Across the Ton, Y/n sat across from Lady Cowper, listening to her drown on about her husband's latest business deal. She had neglected her social calendar and postponed all meetings for the month following Lord Y/l/n's death, and it was now catching up with her. Dropping a few coins on the table to cover her coffee and croissant, Y/n stood.

"I feel in need of some fresh air, would you like to accompany me on a walk in the park?"

Lady Cowper nodded with a saccharine smile, not wanting their time together to end. Linking their arms, she pulled the younger woman tightly to her side, "I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your husband. How have you been?"

Internally rolling her eyes, she responded politely, "I have been as well as one can be, given the circumstances." As they made their way through the empty park, Lady Cowper tugged her towards a near gazebo. Hidden slightly behind a pillar, she asked conspiratorially, "Are you not relieved that he is gone?"

Y/n felt a shiver go down her spine and she separated herself from the woman, "I beg your pardon?"

"You do not have to lie to me, Y/n. I see the way you stare at women of the Ton," She purred, running her fingers across the collar of Y/n's dress. The widow felt bile crawl up her throat at the unwelcome and unearned familiarity.

She pushed Lady Cowper away, causing her to stumble briefly, "You forget yourself. Good day." She made to exit the gazebo and realized that she had an audience far in the distance, the Bridgertons.

...

They stalked towards their home in silence, contemplating what to do with what they had witnessed transpire between Lady Y/l/n and Lady Cowper. They come to the conclusion that it was a lover's spat of some sort, and hesitated to give their mother the news.

"I think Colin should be the one to say it, he is the gentlest," Daphne offered. Anthony nodded in agreement and watched as his younger brother swallowed anxiously. No one wanted to be the bearer of bad news, however, Violet was owed the truth. Colin finally nodded, and by the time they had approached the house, he had planned exactly what to say.

Finding her in the study, Colin slowly approached his mother, "I am sorry to interrupt you," Violet looked up at him with a smile, stilling her quill.

"You are not interrupting, I am simply writing to Lady Y/n about our plans for tomorrow." He gently took the quill from her hand and placed in on the side of the table.

"About that, are you sure that Lady Y/n is available?" She cocked her head to the side, "Why, of course. We made these plans just yesterday."

"I suppose, what I mean to ask is if Lady Y/n already has a companion who accompanies her on similar outings..."

Violet stuttered, "I-well, I do not know. I have never thought to ask... Is there a reason you are wondering?" Violet's heart rate slowly ticked up as she watched her son press his lips together in apology.

"This morning, we witnessed Lady Y/n having a quarrel with Lady Cowper, it seemed... passionate." Violet's heart sank.

"Oh."

"Would you like me to write to her to cancel tomorrow's plans?" Violet nodded silently and left the room. She bounded up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door shut. Shaking, she felt hot tears stream down her face.

That no good trollop Cowper, Violet thought as she envisioned the Lady caressing Y/n's face. She barred her teeth and let out a sorrowful hiss before dissolving into sobs. She pounded her fist on her bed, raging at her own naivety. Of course a beautiful woman such as Y/n would have the women of the Ton accosting her, and to think that she would be the one to capture the widow's heart was improbable at best. She cursed the very day that Lady Cowper was born, wishing a long insufferable death upon the woman.

She had been a fool and given her heart to someone who clearly did not feel the same for her. Perhaps Y/n would offer Lady Cowper the bedroom...

[harrywavycurly]

Eddie Munson x Not A Genie!Reader Part 2: Do you like it?✨

Part 1: Here

Tag List: @storiesbyrhi

A/N: I’m not sure what to call this series/story because you’re not a genie in this series because you don’t grant wishes BUT you do live in a bottle and help Eddie out whenever he needs it, but anyway enjoy!

To say Eddie is overwhelmed is an understatement as he looks around his living room. When he left for work this morning he had a sad excuse of a sofa, a coffee table that was one bump away from collapsing and a normal sized television that sat on an old dresser he used as a tv stand. But when he opened his front door after a long shift at the garage he all of a sudden had a brand new couch that looked more comfortable than his bed, a coffee table with random magazines and a vase full of flowers on it and a tv stand with a giant television sitting on it along with your bottle that had the lid off it letting him know you were somewhere in his apartment.

“Oh good you’re home!” Your voice is bubbly as you walk out of the kitchen with a cup of iced tea in your hand. “How was your day?” You ask as you hand him the glass and begin taking off his jacket for him so you can hang it on the coatrack by the front door.

“Uh it was good.” He answers making you smile as you grab his free hand and lead him into the kitchen. “You’ve been uhm…busy I see?” Eddie feels his eyes go wide when he looks at the table and sees its full of all his favorite things to eat.

“I didn’t want to seem useless while you’re at work and your couch wasn’t very comfortable so I replaced it but then it didn’t go with your coffee table so I had to replace that as well and next thing I knew your whole living room was…uh well what it is now.” Eddie doesn’t know what to say as you pull out the chair so he can sit down. “Do you like it?” Eddie hears a hint of nervousness in your voice making him turn his head so he’s looking at so you can see him nod his head and give you a smile.

“Yes it’s uhm…it’s great I just…how did you do all of it?” He asks as he watches you begin to make him a plate, that’s when he looks around the kitchen and notices your redecorating didn’t just end in the living room, he has a brand new refrigerator and oven as well as a whole new black plate and bowl set.

“I just make things appear…I figured you like the color black so picking the colors for your new dishes was easy…I almost picked pink but didn’t want you to be upset.” Eddie knows you’re joking by the way you giggle to yourself as you scoop some mashed potatoes onto his plate. “Just wait till you see the bedroom.” Eddie raises an eyebrow as he takes a sip of his tea you handed him when he walked in the front door.

“You redid the bedroom?” You just smile and nod as you put a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on his plate. “What does your bedroom look like?” He doesn’t know why he asked but he’s been curious as to what the inside of your bottle looks like since you appeared in his living room two days ago.

“Oh uhm…that’s kinda private.” Eddie can’t help but enjoy how your cheeks go a little pink as you politely tell him to fuck off, in your own way of course. “Maybe one day I’ll give you a tour.” You add, worried your previous answer was too rude.

“That would be cool…uhm so mashed potatoes and a peanut butter and jelly with a side of…Mac and cheese huh?” You grin as you put his plate in front of him and take a seat in the chair next to him.

“I also made apple pie and chocolate pudding for dessert.” Eddie can’t help but feel a sense of joy as he looks at you, it’s as if your emotions are so strong they overflow into whoever you’re near and right now you’re extremely happy. “Oh I’m sorry…let me just get that for you.” Eddie rolls his eyes as you reach over and begin cutting the crust off his sandwich.

“You don’t have to do that.” He mumbles but he knows it’s useless because you enjoy doing things like this and he for some odd reason wants to keep you happy so he just sneaks a look over at you and smiles when he sees the look of pure joy on your face all from cutting some crust off his sandwich.

[choke-me-joey]

30 and 37 with Joseph Quinn on Christmas day/eve while visiting family

Abso-fucking-lutely 🫡🫡🫡

Merry Christmas you horny babes!

30. We have to be quiet, can you do that for me, princess?

37. Look at yourself, you're so fucking nasty.

Joseph Quinn x reader

Content warning: 18+ content minors DNI, rpf (don't like don't read), unprotected sex, Joe is SLIGHTLY dom if you squint, teeny bit of degrading language, choking, mirror sex, creampie

This is the SPICIER second part to this fluffy lil drabble

Hoe-vember masterlist

After too many Proseccos, too many baby photos being shared and one too many mince pies, your extended family had left your parent's house, each one of them singing Joe's praises and begging him to come to the next family event (your cousin Sarah's February wedding, to be exact). He had promised he would try his best.

Once the majority of your family had left, your parents, brothers and Joe all took part in a very scrappy game of Monopoly, resulting in Jack almost flipping the board as Charlie bankrupted him quicker than last year; such was tradition.

After Joe had made his intentions to you very clear in the kitchen earlier, it was very hard for you to keep your hands off of him. Not in a sexual way, well, mostly, but in more of a 'I love you so, so much and I can't be without you' gross, romantic way. And he was the same, having kept his hand on your thigh, arm around your shoulders or fingers loosely linked with yours.

"Oi, knock it off," Jack had thrown the Monopoly dice at you as you and Joe exchanged a quick peck during the heated game. "Gonna make me see my dinner in reverse."

You had flipped him off and Joe chuckled, a slight blush creeping over his cheeks.

After tensions had dissolved, it was approaching midnight and one by one your brother and parents excused themselves to go up to bed. You and Joe followed suit, returning to your old teenage bedroom for another night.

Luckily, your parents had redecorated you and your brother's rooms to a more...mature reflection of you all now. Your room was now neutral greys and whites, a refreshing change from the garish purple you'd had it painted as when you were younger.

You flop down on the bed, watching Joe as he unbuttons his shirt. He catches you watching him as he slips his shirt off and lays it carefully on the chair at your desk.

"What?" He smirks. He knows exactly what.

"C'mere," you crook your finger at him, spreading your legs. He grins, cocking an eyebrow at you.

"Really? At your parent's house? Naughty." But he crawls on top of you anyway, hands coming onto the pillow either side of your head to hold him up. "All that Prosecco got you feeling frisky?"

"Don't say frisky." You laugh, pulling him down into a kiss, softly moaning as his tongue finds yours. You wrap your legs around his waist, rocking your hips up into his. "Fuck me, Joe." You whisper against his lips. He nibbles your bottom lip.

"We have to be quiet, can you do that for me, princess?"

You whine softly, the pet name making your pussy flutter. You nod.

"Good girl, baby." Joe speaks in hushed tones and honestly it's just adding to the excitement. The rush of doing this where you shouldn't really be doing this...it was kind of hot. Very hot actually.

Joe peels off your leggings and socks, groaning in appreciation at your little red lace thong. "Very festive." He smirks, pinging the waistband playfully. He then pulls off your jumper, revealing the matching red lace bra. "Matching underwear?! Oh, you little minx, you planned this, didn't you?"

"Maybe," you smile coyly. "I know how much you love this set."

"Fuck, I do. I really do." He sighs, sitting back on his heels to rake his eyes over your body. "You're so fucking perfect."

Your cheeks flush and you reach out to undo his jeans. You manage to undo the button and unzip his fly, tugging them down before he stops you, taking over himself. Once he's fully naked, Joe sits in between your thighs and pulls your thong panel to the side, watching in awe as strings of your arousal connecting your pussy to your underwear break away. "Jesus, babe, look how fucking wet you are for me. You like knowing we could get caught, hmm?"

"Just what you do to me." You reply, biting back a moan as Joe drags the hot head of his cock through your pussy lips, lubing himself up.

"Yeah? Well, feel what you do to me, babe?" Joe taps your clit with his cock, making you shiver. He then pushes inside you slowly, the stretch and feeling of him filling you making you moan softly. Joe places a hand over your mouth to muffle your noises. "Quiet, babe, remember?"

You nod, looking up at him with big, wide eyes. His cock bottoms out inside you, and he gives you a moment to adjust to him. "God, baby, you're so fucking tight. Can I move?"

You nod again, his hand still covering your mouth. He lets out a blissful sigh as he begins to fuck you deeply and slowly, each stoke of his cock against your gspot and nudge of his public bone against your clit making your entire body tingle.

Something behind Joe catches your eye - it's the long mirror standing next to your wardrobe. You moan softly at the reflection of Joe's bum and toned back as he fucks into you. How does this bugger look good from every angle?! Joe follows your eyeline. You can practically see his brain working as a grin spreads across his face. "I bloody love you, filthy girl. Wanna watch me fuck you?"

The involuntary clench of your pussy around him tells him all he needs to know. He chuckles, pulling out of you. You make a noise of complaint. He kisses you sweetly before instructing you to lay at the foot of the bed with your head hanging off the edge. You do so, watching him in the upside down reflection of the mirror as he crawls back over to you, sliding his cock back into your tight warmth. The rush of blood to your head coupled with the fact that you could watch him in the mirror fucking you with that perfect sexy look on his face made every stroke of his cock feel that much better.

Then he slides a hand around your throat, squeezing at the sides. You choke out a soft moan, and your pussy clenches around his cock.

"Fuck, you like that? Like my hand around your throat whilst I'm fucking you?" Joe growls, keeping his voice low. You whimper and nod, and he squeezes a little tighter. You feel like you're floating; everything he's doing to you being magnified by the position he had you in and the hand around your throat. "Look at yourself, you're so fucking nasty. Letting your boyfriend fuck you like this with your parents in the next room. Fucking filthy, baby."

Your eyes practically roll back in your skull as the coil inside you suddenly and unexpectedly snaps, and Joe has to quickly remove his hand from your throat to clamp it over your mouth once more to stop your moans from echoing throughout the entire street, let alone the house. He lets you ride it out, before flipping you onto your front, still able to see yourself in the mirror, and begins to fuck you from behind.

Joe keeps his eyes on yours in the mirror, dark and intense, as he grips your hips to fuck into you deeply. Skin slapping against skin, your soft moans and his quiet grunts, it's the most exotic soundtrack. Honestly it might be some of the best sex you've ever had.

"M'gonna cum again," you whine, fists balled into the bedsheets. To help get you there, Joe finds your clit and rubs rough circles into it. Honestly it's too much, and it brings you, shaking and gasping, to another powerful orgasm. This time Joe has to shove your face down into the mattress to muffle your sounds; you just can't control yourself and honestly he loves it, but that's not a conversation he's willing to have around the breakfast table tomorrow morning.

"Fuck, babe, gonna cum." Joe pants. "Tell me where you want it."

"Inside, Joe, cum inside me." You push your ass back against him and his hips stutter as he finds his release, coming inside you with a breathy moan. You shiver at the feeling of his load coating your insides, his cock twitching as he comes.

You both collapse on the bed, panting, with stupid grins on your faces.

"Merry fucking Christmas." Joe laughs breathlessly, and you giggle, burying your face into his chest.

"We've still gotta make the New Year happy, babe, think we can do that?" You grin, kissing his flushed skin. He laughs, leaning down to kiss you, one hand cupping your neck.

"Abso-fucking-lutely, love."

[itmeansiris]

The Solar System Legacy Challenge: Planning Gen 1 pt.60

Kason arrives a couple minutes early. He orders a coffee at the counter, when he hears s familiar voice call out to him.

Takara: The handsome man himself. Grab be a Cappuccino and a muffin. I'll grab us a seat.

They sit and Kason greets her with the traditional Tomarani Introduction. She laughs and waves him off.

Takara: Enough with the formalities Kason. How have you been, did the kids get my birthday gifts?

Kason: Yes, they did and they loved them. Thank you Takara. Personally I'm exhausted from all the parties, We also had the house redecorated recently. So it's been a lot but otherwise I'm great. How was the Summer in Mt. Komorebi?

Takara: The snow was cold, the hot springs hot, the music calming. Everything you would expect of such a traditional place. The sites were amazing though.

Kason: So no skiing or mountain climbing for you?

Takara: Kason Gratz you know better. Those horrible lift contraptions, UGH! And who ever though to put a sim on flat boards and guide themselves with a set of chopsticks. No thank you!

They share a laugh and Takara excuses herself to go to the ladies room. Kason notices Madison arrive from the upstairs stairway.

Kason: Hey Madison. I didn't know you were already here.

Madison smiles politely and takes a seat. She notices the coffee and pastry sitting on the table untouched amongst the other half eaten items.

Madison: For me?

Kason stands a little awkwardly.

Kason: I was ordering for everyone and just guessed at what you might want. I can grab you something else.

Madison: This is great. Thank you. I've actually been here for a while. The rest of the club is upstairs. I figured it was better for just one of us to meet with you guys. I'm gonna be honest I'm a little nervous.

Before he could question her Takara rejoins the table.

Takara: You must be Madison, great to meet you sweetheart.

Madison begins to stand but Takara waves her back into her seat.

Takara: No need for that. Lets get to business, I hear you have an interesting idea for my dear M.

Madison: Yes. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us...I mean me...sorry.

Takara: She's adorable this one. Deep breathes, I only bite when the catch is slipping away.

Madison giggles, takes a breath and starts again.

Madison: Thank you Takara. It's an honor to meet you. My club and I have been trying to host an event in honor of Mercury for months. We just didn't know where to start.

Once she makes it past her nerves Madison jumps into detail about the clubs extensive plans. They run through the details and iron out the rough spots. Takara seemed pleased with the careful planning that Madison and her group had put into the event. It also meant she got the easy parts, guest list, catering and getting M there. She was also impressed with Madison's overall knowledge of Mercury. Taking the time to add small details that Takara knew only M would notice and appreciate.

Before long 4 hours had slipped away. The event was set in Takara's Calendar and she was already setting up phone calls with vendors and guest.

Kason stands and stretches as Takara finishes up her latest story from her recent vacation while gathering her things. The trio gathers by the entrance as Takara says her goodbyes.

Takara: I don't know where you found this girl but I want to keep her. This event is going to be amazing. With the new book releasing in the Winter this is perfect timing.

Kason: As always Takara you've assured everything will be prefect for our star.

Takara: My star! But I'll share her with you.

Kason laughed, always entertained by Takara's love for Mercury. She'd been M's agent since college. Taking M under her wing when "There's always Something Else" was recognized as a Best-seller. Takara read the short story herself and was immediately compelled to make the Tomarang native a star. She privately located M and became her agent free of charge, wanting only to hone her skills as an author at the time. Takara had been a loyal agent and a trusted friend amongst the Gratz/Medley family. Kason knew she would do everything in her power to make this night extraordinary for his wife.

Takara: Madison, it was wonderful to meet you. If you're ever looking for event work, email me you'd be a beautiful asset to M's team. I can't wait for you to meet her, I think she's going to adore you.

Takara pulls Kason in to say goodbye and whispers

Takara: Take care and try not to let this slip to Mercury. She's cunning enough to get it out of you if she really wanted. Where did you tell her you were going anyways?

Kason doesn't meet her eyes, looking a little embarrassed.

Takara laughs as she's heads for the door.

Takara: You didn't tell her, don't worry kid I've got you covered. You'll hear from me.

He sighs rubbing the back of his neck, a nervous gesture. Suddenly Madison's hand is stretched out towards him.

Madison: Thank you for setting this up. I appreciate all your time.

Kason: Don't mention it. I'm happy to help, but when it comes to M well..

Madison: She's very lucky.

She catches herself, as he heads back to the table their group had been occupying.

Madison: Not in a weird way. I just mean its nice to have someone who takes care of you even when you're unaware.

There's a sadness to her tone, but Kason doesn't dare ask her about it, worried it would feel to personal.

Kason: Honestly I'm the lucky one. She's everything people say's she is. She's affectionate and gracious, intelligent, funny and she's the most amazing mother. Our family is lucky to have her.

Madison: I'm sure I've taken up enough of your Saturday. I should get back upstairs, the other members are probably losing it by now. If there's anything else that you and Takara need from the club let me know.

He needed no further invitation before gathering his things as slowly as he could manage (trying not to make it too obvious he was past ready to go) before heading for the door,

Kason: Have a goodnight Madison.

Madison: Goodnight.

Paris was at the Café for the duration of the meeting. She got coffee and sat in a corner watching the exchange from afar. She clearly didn't want anyone to realize she was there, something she's become rather good at. She left shortly after Takara, but not before snapping this.

PREV

NEXT

[kipsels]

Something Precious

Lumine x Zhongli

Trigger Warning: Pregnancy

Lumine liked to joke that Zhongli knew her body better than she did. The combination of his heightened senses and his observant nature meant he was cued into every little detail, every little change.

So it really shouldn’t have surprised her that Zhongli realised she was pregnant just from the slightest shift in her scent, well before any symptoms or physical changes could set in.

There had been shock, but there had also been so much joy.

Being in a space to finally have a family was a blessing all of its own, but knowing it was real… that was something immense.

It was also then that Lumine learned she had only seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to Zhongli’s protective instincts beforehand.

She handled most of it with grace. If he brewed her four different types of herbal tea that were meant to ease morning sickness, she would drink them. If he served her fortified soups and stews that were supposed to support the baby’s development, she would eat them. When her belly began to swell, she agreed to his request to swap her commissions for lighter errands and put her sword aside.

And okay, she might have chewed him out when he suggested she remain in her teapot domain for the entire length of her pregnancy because he was certain the fluctuating energy in the ley lines would have unintended consequences, but he was going a bit far that time.

Still… Though it might have felt a little overbearing, every time Zhongli got down on his knee in front of her to press his forehead against her belly and murmur sweet words to their child, the grumpy cast over her heart crumbled into a lovesick gooey mess.

But this.

This was something else.

Lumine stood in the entryway of their bedroom, her jaw dropping to the floor. Their furniture had been pushed against the walls, leaving an open space in the centre of the room.

Large, fluffy pillows and rich, blankety throws covered the entire floor, as if a small tornado had run through the place and dumped a merchant's entire stock in there. Warm colours of amber and gold shone in the afternoon sunlight, quietly beckoning her forth.

And in the centre of it stood Zhongli, his coat discarded and shirtsleeves rolled up, with his brow pinched as he plucked at a pillow as if its position disturbed him.

Perfectly human looking, and perfectly not.

“Zhongli, a-are you nesting?” She asked while she hid her budding smile behind her hand.

She knew that look- watched as he straightened up his posture and raised his index finger, furrowing his brow as he readied himself for an explanation.

What excuse would he come up with?

That he was ‘simply redecorating’, or he was ‘removing hazards’?

But the explanation never came. His mouth remained open as if the words sat at the tip of his tongue, and Lumine felt her smile grow as he struggled.

She waited as his mouth finally clicked shut, his eyes downcast as he looked down at the plethora of pillows surrounding him.

“I… suppose you’re right,” Zhongli said, his hand falling to the side as he looked baffled by his own admission, “I am nesting.”

Lumine could not stop herself, peals of laughter bubbling up inside her as Zhongli gave her a guilty side-eye.

“I am sorry, my dear. I know my tendencies leave me getting a little carried away.”

“Zhongli, it’s fine… But you know you don’t need to do all this, right? Our bed was perfectly fine,” Lumine questioned, her eyes scoping out the room to try find any surface that wasn’t covered in decadent throw blankets.

He peered at her with those magnetic eyes of his, capturing her heart all over again with his words. “I understand but… Lumine, your body is protecting something far more precious than any treasure, a miracle I once never dared to dream of."

"Can you fault me from wanting to protect you both in turn?”

Lumine felt herself soften, and she raised her arms up, “Carry me? Please?”

Zhongli’s body visibly wilted with relief at her request, and she soon found herself scooped up in his arms as he took them to the middle of his haphazard nest.

He cradled her gently as he brought her down onto the floor, the softness of the pillows and throws against her aching body leaving her sighing in relief.

Zhongli curled himself around her, one hand laid protectively over her stomach. She felt his deep breaths flutter the hair on the back of her head, the soft sound of his quiet purring reaching her ears.

“Feel better now?” She asked as his thigh nudged her legs apart, tucking himself even closer.

“Knowing you are both safe, that is all I need.”

Lumine placed her hand over his, her fingers curling in between the gaps of his own. She could feel his contentment as if it was her own, a blanket of comfort that felt warmer than any else.

“So…How much did this all cost?” She asked, her voice already drifting with sleep.

“It is of no consequence.”

“It is if the debt collectors come after us.”

-Fin-

[mothguillotine]

Chapter 1: Two Scoops of Ice Cream, Please.

Main Masterlist

cw: some swearing (and a near vehicular manslaughter)

word count: 5.7k

Summary: You move into your new house and explore the unfamiliar town, meeting new faces.

The only thing you were looking forward to about the move was the promise of a newly built mall. You were not excited to move away from your friends, but you were decidedly not excited about moving to Indiana of all places. You weren't too excited when your parents first sat you down to tell you about the move, but you tried to make the best of it for your family's sake. 

Your parents promised to help you redecorate your room, and you would get first pick of the rooms before your younger sister, who was just as unpleased about your move. By the end of April, your parents had bought a house in Hawkins, Indiana, and at the beginning of June, you officially moved. The movers carry the boxes and furniture from your old house, putting them into moving trucks. When you get to the town, barren is an understatement, the town looks abandoned.

Looking out the car window, you can’t see anyone, and when you turn to look out your sister's side, no one is around either. Theresa, your younger sister, looks very unhappy with your current surroundings. While the two of you can’t agree on very much anymore, both of you are mutually upset about the move.

“Where is everyone?” Theresa asks your mom, who turns in her seat to face the two of you.

“I think they built a new mall here recently,” your mom says, smiling at the two of you, “Why do you both look so depressed?”

“We just are tired from the care ride,” you tell her, knowing best it's just to make up an excuse. 

“Well we are almost there,” your mom says, turning back around to face the road, “John, we were supposed to turn right back there.”

You ignore the sound of your parents arguing in the front of the car. Unfortunately, your Walkman batteries had run out an hour into the drive. It was stupid of you not to make sure to grab spares, but you just didn’t think about it. After such a long drive, you were excited to get up and move around, putting all of your stuff in your room and finally being alone. 

When you get to the house, it's honestly not too bad. The house seems freshly redone and smells like new carpet. All of the bedrooms are on the second floor, and staying true to her word, your mom, let you pick the first bedroom, aside from your parents' room. The room you pick is at the front of the house with a large bookshelf with a built-in desk. All of your books would fit well, and you would have room for more in your other bookshelf. 

You walk downstairs to where your parents are standing in the kitchen. Your dad is on the phone, the cord wrapped around one of the columns while he stands over your mom, who is taking notes on her notepad. Both of them look incredibly upset, especially your dad who, by the looks of it, is trying his hardest not to yell at the person on the other line.

“I don’t understand,” he says, “Why did you hire him if he wasn’t licensed?” 

He stays quiet for a moment, listening to the phone. 

“So when is the soonest it can be here?” he asks and listens, “Tomorrow?! That's not going to work for me. I have my first day at my new job tomorrow. I need my furniture today!”

“John, remember, deep breaths,” your mom whispers.

“I need you to figure out something,” your dad says to the phone. Your mom stands up and walks to the living room, motioning you to follow.

“Take your sister to the mall,” she tells you, “It will be easier to keep Tee distracted when she is out.”

“I’ll take the car?” you ask.

“Yeah, yeah,” she says, “Pick up a pizza when you come home.”

“Okay,” you tell her.

“Here is $20 for the pizza,” she says and hands you a crisp green bill.

Tee being excited to go to the mall is an understatement. She is ecstatic. The possibility of meeting new friends was exciting to her. You were a little less so. For Tee, it would be easier. She was only 13, and you were graduating after this next year. The chances you would be stuck by yourself for the next year were high compared to hers. 

When you pulled your mom's car into the parking lot, it was clear that nearly all of Hawkins was there, just like your mom said. Cars take up most spots in the lot, and when one is available, it is almost immediately taken. People of all different ages are going in and out with bags full of newly bought merchandise. 

When you are nearing the end of a car lane and are about to turn out, a few kids on bikes ride by, narrowly missing your front bumper, a few boys, and a girl. 

“Hey,” the girl shouts, “Watch where you are driving!”

“You almost hit them!” Tee says from the passenger seat.

“If anything, they almost hit me,” you tell her.

“I hope they didn’t see my face,” she says, putting her hands over her face to shield it.

“Oh stop being so dramatic,” you tell her, rolling your eyes, “Oh look, there's a spot!”

“I’m not being dramatic,” she tells you.

“Okay,” you tell her, “But there is no way I would have seriously hurt any of them.”

“So you admit it,” she says as you shift the car into park, “You almost hurt them.”

“No,” you tell her, looking over, “Why do you think I want to hurt children?”

“They weren’t children,” she says, “They were like, the same age as me.”

“Yeah, exactly,” you tell her, “Babies.”

From the outside of the mall, you knew that it was gonna be big, but the inside you would describe as huge. Hundreds of people are traversing the mall, each of them walking with their families or friends, either window shopping or making purchases. It’s also apparent that this is where all the teenagers hang out given the number of high schoolers and middle schoolers. 

“Where do you wanna go?” you ask Tee.

“Uh, the Gap?” Tee says.

“Okay, let's go,” you tell her and start walking towards the storefront.

The store is full of brightly colored garments with different patterns, many of them being geometrical. Tee picks through the first rack in the store, trying to find her size in the multitude of clothing. For example, the shirt Tee is currently looking at looks like a geometry textbook threw up on some fabric. 

“Look at how cute this is,” Tee says, holding up the shirt to rest on her torso.

“You look like a geometry teacher,” you tell her.

“Just because you aren’t as stylish as me, you have to be rude,” she tells you, her face a bit upset.

“If you wanna buy it, be my guest,” you tell her.

“Well, I don’t have any money,” she tells you.

“I guess you can’t get it then,” you tell her.

Tee huffs but puts the shirt back on the rack. Both of you move around the store looking through each of the racks. A few things catch your eye, but not enough to make you wanna try anything on. By the time you reach where you started, you are tired of the Gap. The pop music is starting to burn your ears, and the neon clothes are starting to kill your eyes.

“Mom wants us to pick up a pizza on our way back,” you tell your younger sister.

“Ugh,” she exclaims, “Pizza, again? This is like the fifth day in a row.”

“I know,” you tell her, “But we don’t have our kitchen stuff yet. I’m sure tomorrow we will cook something different. Maybe we can convince Mom to take us to the mall again. Then you can try and get her to buy you that ugly shirt.”

Tee stops walking next to you, and when you turn around, Tee has a hurt look on her face, “Do you really think it’s ugly?”

You take a moment to think about what to say, “No, I don’t actually think it's ugly. Besides, if anyone could look gorgeous in that, it would be you.”

“You think so?” she asks.

“Of course,” you tell her, “I was just messing with you. I don’t really have any room to talk, have you seen how I dress?”

Tee laughs, “I think you could pull it off too.”

“Oh, shut it,” you tell her, laughing.

“Ooh look,” Tee says, pointing at a small ice cream parlor.

“Scoops Ahoy?” you ask her.

“I have like, two dollars,” she tells you, “Can I please get a small cone?”

“You have money?” you ask her.

“Yeah,” she tells you, “Mom let me have all the change she found from the old couch.”

She reaches into her pocket and presents you with a dollar and some change, “Okay,” you tell her, “But I am not paying for any extra sprinkles or hot fudge.”

“I know,” she says and starts walking to the shop.

The shop is something you would expect to see off the coast. Everywhere you look, there is a nautical theme going on. If it wasn't wrong to use the same joke twice you would say a sailor threw up after eating too much ice cream and if the music for the Gap wasn’t bad enough, this place is constantly playing weird boat music. Working here seems like hell, and when you both get to the front of the line, you are correct.

The two employees who are working at the moment seem a bit uncomfortable. One is standing at the freezer scooping ice cream for the people in front of you, and the other is at the register. Both of them look like they would rather be anywhere else. 

“Hi,” you greet the girl at the register.

“Ahoy,” she says, her gaze still on the register, “Would you like to try our flavor of the week, Iceberg Mint?”

“Uh, no,” you say, “That name seems a bit insensitive, though.”

The girl finally looks up, making eye contact with you, “What?”

“Like, to the people who died on the Titanic,” you explain, “Sorry, it was just a joke.”

“Oh,” she says, it’s obvious that you have caught her off-guard.

“Well, ahoy there,” the other worker says to you.

“Uh, hi,” you wave your hand at him.

“I haven’t seen you around before,” he says, trying to flirt with you.

“Yeah,” you say, “Anyways, we want two small cones, I want the chocolate pudding. What do you want, Tee?”

“Uh, can I try the birthday cake?” she asks the guy at the freezer, he grabs a sampler, and reaches into the freezer.

“Do you want any toppings?” she asks.

“Just chocolate sprinkles on mine,” you tell her.

“Okay,” she says, “That will be $2.50.”

“Here you go,” you tell her, holding out a five-dollar bill.

“They should be right out,” she says and hands you the change.

“Okay, thanks a lot,” you tell her and read her name tag, “Robin.”

“Uh, yeah,” she says, all of a sudden more tense than before, “It was nice meeting you.”

“Have a good night,” you tell her.

“Yeah, you too,” she says.

You put a dollar in the tip jar.

When you get home with the pizza, the moving trucks are thankfully there with the rest of your stuff. Most of your things are already in your room, which means you can start unpacking your boxes after dinner. By the time the pizza is all gone, your sister has convinced your Mom to go to the mall tomorrow. 

“Do you wanna come with us?” your mom asks.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” you tell her.

The next morning, you are woken up by the smell of pancakes. Looking at your alarm clock, you see that it's almost 10:30, you roll over on your back and look up at the ceiling. It's silent for a bit until someone knocks on your door. You push your blankets off of yourself and walk to the door.

Tee is standing in front of your door, ready for the day. 

“Why aren't you dressed yet?” she asks you.

“I just woke up,” you tell her, rolling your eyes.

“Okay, well, Mom made pancakes, so hurry up,” she tells you.

You give her a thumbs up and close your door. Thankfully, all of your clothes arrived intact, and you were able to put them all away last night. You grab a t-shirt and jeans from your dresser. Downstairs, your Mom and sister are waiting for you at the dining room table. 

“Good morning,” your Mom greets you, “I made pancakes!”

“Thanks,” you tell her, “They smell amazing.”

You sit down in the chair next to Tee and put a few pancakes and some bacon on your plate. Your mom pours you some orange juice in the cup set out for you.

“So I was thinking that I would drop the two of you off at the mall later so I can pick up some things from the hardware store,” your mom tells you, “I gave Tee some money for some new clothes for the both of you.”

“Okay,” you agree.

After breakfast, you go back upstairs to continue unpacking until it's time to leave. At noon, you all get into the car and drive to the mall, you in the passenger seat and Tee in the back.

“I will be back at 5,” your Mom tells you when you are out front of the mall, “Here's some money for lunch.”

You and Tee get out of the car and wave to your mom. There is still the same number of people in the mall as last night. You also see the kids that nearly hit you yesterday 

"Where do you wanna go first?” you ask her.

“I wanna get that shirt!” she tells you excitedly.

Both of you make your way back to the Gap and to the same rack of shirts from yesterday. Tee is happy to find one in her size and takes it right up to the counter to pay. The line is a bit long, so the two of you have to wait for a few minutes.

“Lucus, what do you think?” a voice asks from nearby.

“I think it's pretty?” another voice responds.

“Wow, thank you so much for your help,” the first voice says.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Max,” the other voice tells the first.

“Ugh, whatever,” the first voice says and walks into your view followed by the other person.

As fate would have it, the girl, presumably Max, who yelled at you yesterday is in the same store. The other person, Lucas, is one of the kids riding the bikes. Lucas is carrying a few different pieces of clothing, most likely belonging to Max. 

“Hey, you're the girl who almost hit us yesterday,” Max says, looking directly at you.

“More like you kids are the ones who almost ran into my car yesterday,” you tell her.

“We had the right of way!” she tells you angrily.

“You guys didn’t even look, if the cops came they would have said you were at fault,” you tell her.

“Okay, both of you stop,” Tee says, “Both of you should have looked again but nobody got hit. Both of you apologize to each other.”

“Are you being serious right now?” you ask Tee.

“Yes,” she tells you, nudging you forward.

“Okay, I am sorry for almost hitting you with my car,” you tell other kids, “I should have looked both ways.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry too,” she says and the boy hits her arm with his, “For yelling at you today and yesterday.”

“If we get in line behind you, you won't try to fight each other, right?” the boy asks.

“I promise I won’t beat up a middle schooler,” you tell them.

“I’m not in middle school,” she says and then adds, “Anymore.”

“Well, the point still stands,” you tell her.

“Hi, I’m Tee,” she introduces herself to the two of them, “And that’s my sister.”

“Are you new?” the boy asks.

“Yeah,” Tee says, “We just moved here yesterday.”

“Max was new last year,” he says.

“Where did you move from?” Tee asks Max.

“Uh, California,” she says.

“You moved here from California?” Tee asks, confused.

“Yeah,” she says.

“I love that shirt that you have,” Tee tells Max, pointing at the shirt in her hands, “It will make your eyes stand out.”

“You think?” Max asks.

“Yeah,” Tee says, then asks Lucas, “What do you think?”

“Yeah, your eyes, will, uh be nice,” Lucus offers.

This satisfies Max, “You should come to watch this movie with us.”

“Oh, when?” Tee asks.

“Like in twenty minutes,” Max says, “We get in for free.”

“Really?” Tee asks.

“Yeah,” Lucas says.

“Can I?” Tee asks you.

“Yeah, just give me the money,” you tell her, “You can have the change from this.”

“Okay,” she tells you now with a smile on her face.

After all of you check out, you walk towards the food court. When they turn into the same ice cream parlor from yesterday you can only hope that the one guy isn’t working again but hopefully Robin is. You weren't sure exactly why you wanted to see her so much, sure she was beautiful and could kill it in that sailor's outfit but what did that mean? You had barely spoken to her and yet you wanted to see her again.

When you get inside the ice cream shop there are fewer people than the day before which allows you to see that the same people from yesterday were working. There is only one customer in front of you, Robin again looks uninterested in her job. As soon as the customer in front of you leaves Lucas and Max rush toward the counter where the guy from yesterday is waiting for them.

“You guys are starting to abuse this,” He says to the two of them.

“Mike and Will are already in there,” Max says.

“Yeah, I know, I let them in,” he says, looking disinterested in the conversation.

“Come on, Steve,” Lucas pleads.

“Fine, hurry up,” Steve says.

“Come on, Tee,” Max says.

“Wait, wait,” Steve says, “Who is this random kid?”

“She’s her sister,” Max says and drags Tee and Lucas into the back of the shop.

“Your sister, hm?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, they met earlier,” you explain.

“They are good kids,” Steve tells you, “Are you going to school around here?”

“I will be a senior in the fall at Hawkins,” you tell him.

“I graduated last month,” he tells you, “Just taking some time to get real job experience, you know?”

“Uh, yeah,” you tell him, trying to find a way out of the conversation.

“Steve, I wanna take my lunch break,” Robin says from the register.

"Fine Robin,” Steve says and walks to the register where a customer is waiting.

You leave the ice cream shop and decide that lunch sounds good to you too. Going over to one of the many food places you grab some lunch. When you get to the seating area you see that all of the tables are taken. You also see Robin sitting by herself at a table, so you decide to walk over to her.

“Can I sit?” you ask.

Robin looks up and chokes on her food, “uh, yeah.”

“Thanks,” you tell her.

Both of you sit in silence for a minute until Robin says, “I'm sorry about Steve.”

“Is he always like that?” you ask her.

“If you have boobs, then yes,” she says.

You laugh at her statement, “So, do you go to Hawkins?”

“Yeah,” she says, “I'm going to be a senior too.”

“So we might have classes together?” you ask.

“Yeah,” she says, “You just moved here, right?” 

“Yesterday, actually,” you tell her.

“In town?” she asks.

“Yeah, on Jackson Street,” you tell her.

“No, shit, that's right by my house,” she says, “I’m, like, two streets over.”

“Really?” you ask, “You should totally come over sometime.”

“Yeah,” she says, “That sounds fun.”

You and Robin talk until her break comes to an end with the promise of her coming over on her next day off. She also gave you her phone number so that way you could call her if you needed anything, her words exactly. After your lunch, you went shopping for a new pair of shorts. Given that it was getting hotter by the day you knew you needed something that would let you cool off.

After you find and try on nearly every pair you decide on a pair that's high-waisted in a light blue color. When you leave the store you see Tee standing outside Scoops Ahoy with all of the kids who were riding bikes. All of them seem to be getting along well. Hopefully, she found a group of friends to hang out with.

“That’s her,” you hear Max say as you come closer to the group. She is pointing at you and the two other boys you have yet to be introduced to are looking for you.

“You're the girl who almost hit us yesterday?” the taller one asks.

“You know what,” you say, “I’m sorry, okay? Both of us should have looked. Truce?”

He looks at you for a moment, “Okay,” he says.

“It was nice to meet you Tee,” the shorter boy says and brings her in for a hug.

“I’ll see you guys later,” she says.

“Bye!” Max says.

The two of you walk away from them and towards the exit of the mall, “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah,” she says, “It was, did you find everything you were looking for?”

“Got a new pair of shorts,” you tell her, “What did you eat for lunch?”

“I went to the pretzel place after the movie,” she tells you as you push through the doors.

Your mom is parked in front of the mall and the two of you get in, “Did the two of you have fun?” 

“Yeah,” you tell her.

“I made some new friends,” Tee tells her.

“Oh, yeah,” your mom says, “and what about you?”

“I think I met someone,” you tell her.

“Great!” she says and starts the car, “I picked up the paint and wallpaper for your rooms so we can paint tomorrow.”

“Okay,” you tell her.

“Awh, but Mike invited me to hang out at his house with everyone tomorrow,” Tee complains.

“You can at least help me with the first wall,” your mom says, “Then you can go over to Mike’s, which means the earlier we get it done the sooner you can go over.” 

“Okay,” Tee says, even though it’s clear she isn’t happy with this either.

“Are you okay with painting by yourself?” your mom asks.

“Yeah,” you tell her, “That's fine.”

The next day is full of paint and music, given that you were painting by yourself you can listen to your Walkman. By the end of the day, your room is all finished and you just have to wait a few weeks before hanging anything up. You decidedly pass out for a third day in a row in your bed.

The next morning you wake up to complete silence which is unusual. When you walk downstairs you find a note from your mom on the counter saying that she was gone and Tee was at Mike’s again. You go over to your purse and take out the napkin Robin wrote her number on. 

Then you dial the number from the napkin. The line rings long enough that you are sure you will be met with an answering machine, until the line clicks.

“Hello?” a woman answers.

“Hi,” you greet, “Is Robin there?”

“Yeah,” she says, “Give me a minute.”

On the other end of the line, you hear her call Robin from somewhere in the house. After a minute you hear the phone being picked up and hear Robin, “Hello?”

“Hey, Robin,” you say to her, “I was wondering if you wanted to come over?”

“I uh- yeah,” she says, “That sounds fun.”

“Okay,” you say, “My address is 547 Jefferson.”

“I will be there in like half an hour,” she tells you.

“Okay, see you then.”

Robin was not prepared to meet you. She was awkward and said stupid shit, all the things she mercilessly teased Steve about. All of this combined made it obvious to her that you wouldn't want to see her again, but you had sat down with her yesterday and today you were inviting her over. Someone like you shouldn't be hanging out with her, someone like Steve would make more sense. But you seemed uninterested in Steve, not that she could blame you. 

“Hey,” Robin shouts from her doorway, “I’m leaving in a little bit.”

“Okay,” her mom shouts back from somewhere in the house.

The fact is that Robin just doesn’t understand what you want from her still, she gets ready to leave. Today has been especially hot unfortunately so Robin wears a pair of shorts and a tank top, with of course her red Converse. The walk doesn't take too long thankfully and when she gets to your house there appears to be no one home. 

Robin walks up the footpath to your front door and rings the doorbell. It’s silent for a moment until she hears someone running down the stairs. A moment later you are opening the door smiling at her, “Hey,”

“Hi,” she says coming into your house, noticing how out of breath you are, “Are you okay.”

“Oh- uh yeah,” you tell her, “I was just rearranging my room a little bit.”

“Do you need any help?” she asks you.

“No,” you tell her, “I just got done.”

You start walking away so Robin follows you into the kitchen. She watches as you grab two cokes from the fridge and open them, you hand her one and take a sip out of the other. 

“So, what did you want to do?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” you tell her, “We could watch a movie or listen to some music in my room, whatever you want to do.”

“A movie sounds nice,” she says.

“Okay,” you say, “Do you wanna pick out the movie?”

“Uh- yeah,” she says, “Where are they?”

“Inside the TV stand,” you tell her, “I will make some popcorn.”

After this, it was like you and Robin were inseparable. Whenever Robin wasn't at work she was at your hour or you were at hers. Until work started taking longer due to the increasing heat. Then you and Robin only started seeing each other on the days she wasn’t working. But by late June Robin was exhausted.

“I wish someone else would apply to work my shift,” she tells you on one of her rare days off.

You are both in her bedroom, you are sitting on the ground with your back to the bed while Robin is dramatically hanging off the side of the bed. Today was a record hot day for June and it was killing the both of you.

“At least your job is air-conditioned,” you tell her, “My mom told me to either get a job or help out with the house. I got stuck on fixing up the flowerbeds.”

Robin stays quiet for a minute, “I have an idea,” she says, “Why don’t you apply to Scoops?”

“Ugh, no,” you tell her, “I would have to wear that ugly outfit and listen to annoying music all day.”

“Come on, please,” she says and bats her eyes at you.

“Oh, fuck off,” you tell her laughing and flicking her forehead.

“We would work together,” she says, “It would be so much fun!”

“And I didn’t even mention Steve,” you tell her, “He wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“Honestly if you tell him you aren’t interested he would probably leave you alone,” she says.

“Really?” you ask her.

“Yeah,” she says, “He might be a bit of a douchebag but he knows what no means.”

You laugh at that, “You really want to spend every day with me?” you ask.

“Yeah,” she says, “You would make work way more tolerable.”

“Only tolerable?” you ask with a raised eyebrow.

“You know what I mean,” she says, “So will you?”

“I will think about it,” you promise.

And that promise leads you to a few days later, standing in Scoops Ahoy being trained by Steve and Robin on how to scoop ice cream and how to greet customers. Thankfully Steve has left you alone for the most part instead of just focusing on training you. Robin was very excited when you told her, promising that you would love working with her.

Tonight was the second night you were working which means you were done with training. Steve and Robin were both confident you could handle yourself. Like most nights the mall was packed, you had been working for what felt like forever and it's not even close to closing time yet. Back at home, Tee was gone most days at Mike’s or wherever else she goes, your mom is slowly redoing the house, and your dad was working most days except for the weekends.

“What are you doing this weekend?” Robin asks you from the register.

“I don’t know,” you tell her, “Probably nothing.”

“You should spend the night at my house,” she says.

“Yeah,” you say, “That sounds fun.”

Not a moment later Mike, Lucas, Will, Max, and Tee all rush into the ice cream parlor. Robin leans back over the counter, prepared to talk with the younger teens. As soon as the group reaches the counter Mike repeatedly slams the bell trying to be as annoying as possible.

“Hey, Dingus,” Robin calls, “Your children are here.”

Steve opens the sliding partition separating the backroom and store.

“Again?” Steve asks, exhausted with the children, “Seriously?”

Mike presses the bell yet again, while the others look annoyed. Steve relents and leads them to the back where the back hallway entrance is. 

“I swear if anyone hears about this,” Steve yells at the kids from the back before returning to the front of the store.

“It’s time for your break,” he says to you.

“I can’t believe you let the kids bully you into this,” you tell him.

“Now that they have your sister the group is too big to argue with,” he tells you.

“Oh please, they walk all over you,” you say, “And you let them.”

Your break is only 15 minutes so you get to eat your snack right away, propping your feet up on the table, and trying to relax. This does happen for a few minutes until the power decides to go out.

“That’s weird,” you hear Steve say from behind the counter.

You put your sandwich down on the table and walk out to the front.

“What is going on?” you ask.

“No idea,” Steve says and then starts flicking the light switch up and down.

“That isn’t gonna work, dingus,” Robin says to him.

“She’s right,” you tell him, “It’s just annoying.”

“Oh, really?” Steve asks then starts flipping the switch faster than before.

You look at Robin and shake your head while rolling your eyes, “He is more than just annoying,” you tell her.

“I know right,” she says.

The lights stay out for another minute and Steve continues his light switch flipping. As soon as the lights come back on Steve gives the two of you a look that says ‘I told you so’.

“Let there be light,” Steve says.

“He didn’t do shit,” you whisper under your breath and Robin laughs.

“What was that?” he asks.

“Nothing,” you tell him, “I’m going to finish my sandwich.”

That night after you are done closing up you finally catch up with Tee, “Hey,” you greet her.

“Hey,” she says back, “How was your day?”

“Ugh,” you moan, “Busy. Did you see the power outage earlier?”

“Yeah,” she says, “It was weird.”

“Mh,” you agree, “Besides that, was your day good?”

“Yeah,” she says happily, “I had a lot of fun.”

“So you guys are all friends?” you ask.

“Yeah,” she agrees, “They are all super nice.”

“That’s good,” you tell her.

“Are you and Robin friends?” she asks.

“I mean, I think so,” you tell her, “We hang out all the time.”

“Nice,” she says smiling, “Now we both have friends.”

“What are you guys doing tomorrow?” you ask her.

“We are surprising one of their friends,” she tells you, “He was at camp all month, and he's coming back tomorrow.”

“Well that will be fun,” you tell her.

“What about you?” she asks.

“I work again,” you tell her, “But I think I am spending the night at Robins so that will be fun.”

“You should date Steve,” Tee says, which obviously catches you off guard.

“What?” you ask, stopping in your tracks, “No!”

“Why not?” she asks.

“Why do you want me to?” you question.

“Well I think that the two of you would be good together,” she reasons.

“Yeah, absolutely not,” you tell her and continue walking past her.

“Oh, come on,” she says, “He definitely would want to.”

“No,” you say.

“But he would be a good boyfriend,” she tells you, “Mike told me so.”

“Mike? Why did you-” you cut yourself off, “Okay, no, please drop it Tee.”

“Okay,” she relents, “Fine.”

The both of you continue walking out of the mall in silence until you reach your mom's car. You get into the passenger seat and Tee gets into the back.

“How were your days?” your mom asks the two of you.

“Tiring,” you tell her.

“I had fun,” Tee says.

When you return home you go to take a shower and then get ready for bed. After all, it had been a long day.

Next Chapter

[allthingsfangirl101]

Love Through Makeup–Joe Keery

Wattpad Request by i-am-a-addict

"Hey, Y/N!"

I turned around to see Joe jogging toward me. I shoved my hands in my back pockets, nervously chewing my bottom lip.

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor," he said when he caught up to me.

"Of course," I shrugged. "What do you need?"

Four years ago, I got a job doing the hair and makeup for the cast of Stranger Things. I was fresh out of cosmetology school and the Duffer brothers took a chance on me. My specialty was makeup special effects but doing a show as intense as Stranger Things was a lot of pressure.

A lot of the makeup was CGI but there was still some that I had to do, especially on the characters that get dragged into the UpsideDown. After season one came out, people flipped. The show exploded and the makeup got more challenging. Season two, I was hesitant. When fans started freaking out about the makeup, I got more confident. Now I did a lot more than on-screen makeup.

"I have an interview tonight and I don't really trust the makeup team they have," he said. "Last time I went there, they used that horribly cheap makeup and I ended up breaking out right before award season. I could really use your help. You in?"

"Sure," I shrugged. "I can meet you at the studio or. . ."

"How about my place?" Joe immediately found a solution. "Maybe we can get dinner before?"

"I can't," I said a little too fast.

Joe and I have a kinda weird relationship. We started as friends. As the show went on and we spent more and more time together, our friendship turned a little 'flirty'.

"My mom is redecorating her house," I stuttered out the first excuse I could think of. "She needs my help choosing paint colors and fabric swatches. It's a whole thing. But I can meet you at the studio."

"Sounds fun," he said, sounding like he wasn't fazed. "See you then."

I turned on my heel and started walking quickly back to the makeup trailer. When I got there, I closed the door and let out the breath I've been holding.

The first three seasons of our show, Joe and I flirted back and forth. But this last season, things have changed. The harmless flirting seemed to get more serious. At least the butterflies in my stomach got more serious.

Whenever I do Joe's hair and makeup, all that one-on-one time with him, makes my butterflies turn into an entire zoo. The idea of going to Joe's apartment, and maybe getting dinner, made the zoo uncontrollable.

I stalled going to Joe's apartment for as long as I could. When I couldn't wait any longer, I grabbed the travel case of makeup I take on the road and drove to the address that Joe gave me. I shakily got out of my car and headed up to his apartment. I put down the case before knocking on the door while holding my breath.

"There's my girl."

My heart jumped into my throat at how Joe answered the door. I reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I'm hurt."

"What?" He asked, his face dropping.

"Your hair isn't a complete mess," I teased, "which means you had someone else do it. So, tell me, Joe. What hairdresser are you cheating on me with?"

I sucked in a breath when he quickly grabbed my hands and pulled me closer.

"I swear to you, my perfect Y/N, I would never cheat on you. You are and forever will be my hairdresser."

"I'm touched," I chuckled as I slowly pulled my hands out of his hands. I leaned down and picked up my makeup case. "Should we get started?"

"M'lady," he said, dramatically bowing as he gestured back inside.

I teasingly curtsied before walking into his apartment. I followed him through his house to his bathroom. He sat on the closed toilet as he waited for me to finish setting things up.

Neither one of us said anything as I cleaned his face and put on his usual interview makeup. It wasn't much. Just enough to highlight his best feature; his eyes.

"There you go," I said as I finished.

"All done?"

"Look for yourself," I shrugged as I started cleaning everything up. Joe stood up, teasingly squeezing my elbow as he walked over to the mirror.

"Perfect," he chuckled. "You always make me look awesome."

"It's my job," I shrugged. I hated when he praised me. It made my stomach flip and my heart jump into my throat. I could feel Joe watching me but it took everything in me to ignore him.

"Still," he chuckled, "you came all the way over to my place on your night off just to do my makeup. Thanks, Y/N."

"No problem."

I was about to leave the bathroom, but Joe grabbed my hand. "I really appreciate you doing this, Y/N," he said softly. "You didn't have to."

"It's really not a big deal," I whispered, barely able to breathe.

"It is to me," he whispered. My breath got caught in my throat when his eyes dropped to my lips. I pulled away and cleared my throat.

"You should get going," I barely got out. "You're gonna be late."

                                * * * * *

Ever since my house call to help Joe, I've been trying to stay clear of him. Which is pretty impossible to do when your job is literally to sit in front of him and do his hair and makeup.

Usually, on Fridays, I use my mobile cart to go to set and hang out with the cast. This Friday, I stayed in my trailer all morning. Around lunch, I was reorganizing my makeup for the third time. I jumped when the door was roughly opened.

"What the hell, Y/N?"

I spun around, my heart jumping into my throat when I saw Joe walking toward me.

"What?" I stuttered.

"You've barely said ten words to me all week. What's going on? Did I do something? Was it because of the house call last Sunday? Seriously, Y/N. What's going on?"

"Nothing's wrong," I stuttered, still shocked by his sudden outburst. "I've just been busy. That's all."

"Come on, Y/N," he sighed. "I know something's been off between us. Just tell me what I did so I can fix it."

"There's nothing to fix," I said, my voice dropping.

"Look, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by asking you to come to my apartment and do my makeup. I know it was odd but I didn't trust their makeup team. I honestly only trust you."

"Joe. . ."

"You can't say there isn't something between us," he said, dropping his voice.

"Well. . . I guess. . ."

"Is there?"

"I don't know," I stuttered. "Is there?"

We both opened and closed our mouths, neither one of us able to find the right words.

"Y/N," he whispered, stepping closer to me.

"Hey, are you guys coming to the bar tonight?" Maya asked as she ran into the makeup trailer.

I turned around and started fake organizing my brushes. Joe glanced at me before turning toward Maya.

"I'll be there," he said. He glanced at me and asked, "Y/N? Are you coming to our weekly bar-venting session?"

"I'll try," I said, not turning around. "But I'm still helping my mom redecorate her house. This week we're reorganizing her craft room. It's packed and full of things she doesn't even know she has. I'll be spending all weekend surrounded by crafting supplies older than me covered in dust bunnies as old as my parents' house."

"Sounds fun," Maya laughed. "Try and stop by."

As quickly as she came, she left. Soon, it was just Joe and me. I looked into the mirror to see Joe slowly turn toward me.

"Please come tonight," he whispered. "I'd really like to see you."

                                * * * * *

Against my better judgment, I got dressed up and went to the bar the cast was meeting at. The second I walked in, Maya and Natalia ran over to me. They grabbed my hands and pulled me over to the booth in the corner they already had.

I sat down, instantly looking up and making direct eye contact with Joe. He smiled softly at me as he handed me one of the beers the waiter had just brought over. That was only the beginning of endless drinks. Soon, I could barely stand.

"Y/N, are you okay?"

I turned around and gasped when I saw Joe walking over to me.

"There you are!" I giggled. I caught him by surprise as I threw my arms around his neck. I think I kissed his cheek.

"Whoa," Joe chuckled as he had to catch me before I drunkenly collapsed. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

"I don't know," I mumbled drunkenly. "Enough to know I have to tell you something."

Joe laughed when I grabbed his face and smushed it in my hands. "Y/N," he said through smushed lips, "maybe I should take you home."

"But first," I gasped, "I have to tell you something. It's really really really really really really really really really important."

Joe reached up and gently grabbed my wrists, pulling my hands from his face. "What do you have to tell me?"

"It's really embarrassing," I pouted as I looked down. He gently used his finger to lift my head.

"You can tell me anything," he whispered.

"I like you," I blurted out. "Like-like you. Like I really like you, Joey. But I know you could never like me back."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because," I scoffed, "you're you, Joe. I'm just me."

I tried to walk away but the booze had gotten to me. I would've fallen if Joe hadn't caught me.

"Let's get you home," he chuckled. I cooed as he wrapped his arm around my waist and started leading me out of the bar. The last thing I remember was falling asleep in the passenger seat of Joe's car.

                                * * * * *

I woke up to the sun shining through my window. The second I opened my eyes, my head felt like it was on fire. I slowly sat up and looked around. I jumped when I heard something coming from my kitchen. I sat up, instantly hit with a wave of nausea as I shakily got to my feet.

I slowly moved down the hallway, too hungover to think this through. I froze when I got to the kitchen and saw the last thing I ever thought I'd see.

Joe Keery was standing in my kitchen, making eggs. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.

"There she is," he chuckled. "How you feeling?"

"Like a classroom full of kids is screaming at me while walking through a construction zone," I sighed as I sat at the counter. Joe just smiled as he grabbed one of my Tumblers and handed it to me.

"What's this?" I groaned.

"It's a smoothie," he smirked as he drank his own. "It's my dad's anti-hangover recipe."

"Do I want to know what's in it?" I asked, scrunching my nose. Joe thought about it for a second before shrugging. The smirk on his face made my stomach flip. That flip almost made me throw up.

I shrugged as I took a sip. Joe smiled at me before finishing the eggs. He grabbed two plates and split the eggs between the two. He then grabbed a fork and put a plate in front of me.

"These are my mom's hangover recipe," he said as he grabbed the other plate and sat next to me.

We ate in silence, my stomach nauseous for multiple reasons. When we were done, Joe stood up and started clearing our plates. He put them in the sink but didn't move.

"Thank you," I whispered. He looked up at me with a strange expression on his face. He pushed off the counter and walked back over to me. He sat next to me and scooted a little closer to me. When he still didn't say anything, I pushed. "Is something wrong?"

"What do you remember from last night?" He asked instead of answering.

"Drinking," I scoffed.

"Anything else?"

Of course I remembered everything from last night. I wasn't that drunk. Besides, one of my curses is always remembering what I did when I was drunk. I didn't get that luxury of forgetting.

I opened and closed my mouth, unable to admit it. Did he know? I don't think he was as drunk as I was. . .

"Well," I whispered, "I do remember something. . ."

I gasped when Joe leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was soft and slow. Our lips moved in sync as we melted into each other. Joe broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine.

"I remember telling you how I felt," I whispered. Joe leaned back and smiled at me.

"I didn't get the chance to respond," he said softly.

I held my breath as I waited. Joe leaned in and pressed his lips back to mine. The kiss was deeper but we broke apart faster. When we pulled away this time, Joe had a different look in his eyes.

"I like you too," he whispered. "Like-like you. Like I really like you, Y/N. But I didn't think you could ever like me back."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because," he smirked, "you're you, Y/N. I'm just me."

"I think you're pretty great," I said, my face burning. Joe gently cupped my face as he leaned in and kissed me again. Our lips moved in sync, slowly deepening. We broke the kiss when neither one of us could breathe.

"Y/N, can I take you to dinner tonight?"

"Lucky for you," I whispered, "my mom doesn't need any more help redecorating."

[und8e2ff]

Home probably has a sequence of sounds it makes to let Wally know what repairs/cleanings are coming up.

Home probably has a specific sequence of bumps and squeaks for needing more oil/pellets or whatever for the heater, a series of creaks for when it's ready for a deep clean and dusting. Stuff like that.

The true question though...

Do you think Wally is a responsible homeowner that gets to this right away or do you think he procrastinates?

Imagine Home banging all the doors and cabinets because Wally hasn't dusted the fans all season.

Do you think Home is really high-strung about cleanliness? liek... Home won't let Wally open the closet door to get dressed because he kicked an ice cube under the fridge last night?

Do you think Home is petty?

I like to imagine that Wally has to consult Home about new decorations like wallpaper or whatever because if Home doesn't like the pattern, it's gonna be real passive-aggressive with him.

Except... Home and Wally don't have the same style at all so they have to compromise on everything.

The whole neighborhood knows when Wally is trying to redecorate because Home is on one making all that damn noise and Wally is spending more time painting outside.

they be fightin

----------

Home: *deep floorboard creak*

Wally: Excuse me, do not squeak at me like that. Chevron is a very trendy pattern right now. I think it'd be cute in this room.

Home: *flushes the toilet*

Wally: *gasps* *shocked, appalled* *clutching his invisible damn pearls* *he is OFFENDED*

Wally, with the wrath of indignation: H O M E !

----------

Home be side-eyeing THEE SHIT out of Wally when he comes home with bags from the decor store.

And Wally be so tired when he has to return half the shit he bought because Home won't have it.

----------

Wally up at 11pm fucken exhausted because he and Home have been looking at the catalog since breakfast and still haven't agreed on a single. Thing.

Wally: You can't just say no to everything!

Home: *slams a door*

Wally: Do not slam doors at me!

Home: *slams a couple of cabinets instead*

Wally, upset lil man: Fine! Be like that. I'm spending the night at Barnaby's!

Home: *opens the closet and the front door*

Wally:

Home:

Wally, honestly a little hurt: I'll... see you in the morning then.

----------

Wally glamping in his own front yard because he and Home can't agree on new light fixtures.

bruh, imagine camping in your front yard while your house stares you down because it thinks you have shit taste in lamps...

----------

Overall, I think they have a cordial relationship.

Wally is on top of it with home repairs, mostly on top of it with the cleaning but might skimp on cleanliness when he's absorbed in a personal project or commissions.

Home is just a tiny bit petty about being left dirty.

Wally: *choking on paint water*

Home: *starts bumping and creaking about how Wally wouldn't be choking if he did the damn dishes*

----------

Barnaby is the first to know when Wally is *attempting* to redecorate and always has a room ready for when he and Home inevitably get into it.

[tsarjozinzbazin]

Hear me out, but any of the dwarves covered in glass shards glitter after making impromptu redecorating with the Yuletide decorations and just giggling

(Based on a line I heard from Management while playing; yes this is an excuse for you to use a glitter brush on whatever digital art program you use lmao)

hey so I dont have a glitter brush?? I dint know anyone who has a glitter brush either? but this idea was cute so you know

you can have Driller covered in the one brush I do have

the alpaca brush

[siriannatan]

1920s mafia!Au with Flower Ranchers

Guess who watched Bernadette Banner and got inspired for some Mafia!au stuff?

I did. And I decided to delve into the Flower Ranchers pit.

Agreeing to infiltrate the Ranch - a high-profile club owned by a mysterious gangster known only as Canary- was probably Scott's biggest mistake in a while. Not that he had many other jobs to think about. Or an option to say 'no', You don't simply say 'no' to Grian. Not with a serial killer hunting him for some bizarre reason and Grian saying he can get her to stop. Scott had no idea how he was supposed to do it but meeting her would probably be better than his current situation.

The main and frankly only thing Grian wanted was Canary's real name. Scott had no idea why and what for he wanted it. But he managed to get into the bar despite not really fitting the usual guest list through an interview for a singer. A cute, blonde man in a pinstripe, three-piece suit made of dark navy fabric and a lighter blue undershirt was overseeing it all. The eyepatch over his left eye was curious. He guessed he was managing the club for Canary. By his side, with no break was a guard. Also blonde, dark ash grey shirt and deeply red trousers with black suspenders. Blonde. Red eyes. A meta-human judging by the flames dancing in his eyes whenever anyone got too close to blondie with the eyepatch.

After his turn Scott decided, in a flash of genius, to sneak about behind the scenes of the establishment. Not a good decision since the fire-eyed blonde was currently pressing a knife to his back. On the perfect spot where no ribs would stop him from stabbing Scott's heart before he could even think about fighting back. "Whatcha' doing' back here precious?" he asked, pushing the knife a bit harder.

"Looking for the toilets," Scott nervously chuckled out an excuse.

Red, as Scott decided to start calling the scary guard, huffed, clearly not believing Scott. "Yer' lucky boss likes your face and voice..." was the last Scott heard before being knocked out.

Scott woke up with an intense headache. And the voice he vaguely recognised as the blonde man with the eyepatch. "Calm down Tango, I'm the boss, I can do whatever I want," he didn't sound at all bothered by whatever 'Tango' was bothered by. With a groan, he absolutely was not able to not make Scott decided to open his eyes. Pinstripes and eyepatch was sat in an armchair in the club in Red's lap. "Looks like Scotty's waking up," he chuckled and Scott felt his already low body temperature drop even lower.

Just how much did he know already? Where in the frozen hells did Grian send him...

"I'm going to guess my lovely brother has something to do with your sneaking," pinstripes continued to grin as he presented Scott with a photo of him and Grian talking. "I like to keep an eye on my charming siblings, just so they don't get in the way too much, especially Grian," he chuckled as he tossed the photo away. 

"I had no idea who..." Scott tried to protest. He was a dead man if Grian heard he was caught. If not by Grian's goons then Pearl would hear just where she could find him.

"Shush, no need to panic, your face's pretty enough to make me want to not let Tango redecorate my club," he was stopped and blondie stood up. Red huffed and glared at Scott. It was probably best for Scott to listen to what eyepatch had to say. "I'm guessing he had to have something good to offer you, like keeping a certain sister of ours away from that pretty face of yours. Tango here also happens to know of your talents outside of singing..."

He definitely knew far too much. No one but Pearl and Grian knew what he was capable of outside his occasional performances at local clubs, bars and even rarer - the theatre. He could only hope pinstripes - he was more and more certain he's talking to the Canary - did not know about his meta-human abilities. Not even Pearl knew about that and they used to work together before it ended in an unfortunate circumstances and ended with her hunting him down... But if the sibling talk was real... Scott was sure there was frost forming on his skin but absolutely did not want to look at it.

"I say the abilities of someone who once managed to keep up with Pear's temper and work style could do much better than running Grian's useless errands. What did he even send you here for?" he asked with a tiny grin.

He no doubt already knew but what choice Scott had but to humour him. "Canary's real identity," he said and was totally stunned as the other started to laugh. "He said he'd get Pearl off my case, she was getting really hard to avoid," Scott mumbled and Tango's glare softened slightly. 

"She can be a bit much," pinstripe hummed. "Well, that's a surprise," he chuckled. "I suppose my acting's better than I thought. I thought he'd figure it out by now. No matter, I'll deal with my brother another time. As for you, little flower, how about working for me instead? Pearl avoids this place like fire, and you sing very nicely, so how about staying here? No grumpy faces Tango."

"As long as I can do some stuff of my own," Scott said before he could stop himself. Couldn't he just say no and look for a way to get as far from these accursed siblings as he possibly could?

"I don't see why not as long as it doesn't get in the way of my business and work for me takes priority," the Canary shockingly agreed. Red, or Tango did not complain in any way. "But when not performing or doing your own things, you'll be staying close to me and Tango. I'd hate for someone to bother my cute new singer," the Canary, or Jimmy as he introduced himself while giving Scott a tour of the backrooms. Red - Scott would only call him that since it seemed to annoy him slightly - was one step behind them the whole time.

Over the next few days, Scott followed Jimmy along with Red. He was very touchy but at least he was pretty and Tango was scary enough to keep most trouble away. And turned out to be a great pianist when the usual one was suddenly killed not too far from the club. It very much seemed like a Pearl kind of a kill so Scott was obviously a bit tense but still gave a great performance. Jimmy sitting in the audience with two guards replacing Tango certainly helped. She wouldn't do anything with him around, right?

Aside from Tango purposely making the usual set of songs harder the evening went well. Grian was among the guests but he was easy to ignore. Jimmy seemed to be enjoying himself. A very good evening he'd likely get very praised for. He was honestly getting used to being just Jimmy's favourite singer, even if other performers looked weird at him. So what if Jimmy also liked him as a pretty accessory? Tango was for being handsome and scary, and Scott was for being pretty and keeping Jimmy from being too angry at his problems.

"I'll grab a drink," Scott told Tango after their performance was over. Red just nodded and was off to rejoin Jimmy's side. Other guards instantly cleared out, a rather amusing sight considering Tango wasn't all that tall, he was quite a fireball when angry.

By the bar Scott made sure to also ask for Jimmy's favourite drink along with his water and was about to go to his new boss when a commotion started and suddenly very close to him was a barely held back by guards Pearl. If looks could kill Scott'd be a dead man. He didn't really see Pearl since the 'betrayal', at Cleo's funeral house but was still quite confident he'd be okay. As long as guards could hold her back long enough for him to reach Jimmy...

"You traitor!" Pearl called out along many mean words but Scott was not quite listening to her. He was never one for much conflict. Thievery? Lying? Even more theft? Yes, yes, yes. Bringing a big issue - one Jimmy knew about but still - over to a bar owned by a mob boss? Hell no and so he seized up. Chill climbed up his spine and frost formed on the glasses he was holding.

And then there was sudden heat and a Tango between him and Pearl and a hand on his back. "Sorry dear sister but I'll have to ask you to be nice to my performers, especially Scott, he's kind of my favourite alongside Tango," Jimmy's voice. Scott decided to ignore all that was happening and focus on the half-hug Jimmy had him in. Otherwise, he'd probably freeze the whole building.

He was so focused he totally missed Pearl leaving and being moved to Jimmy's office. Only Tango's freakishly warm hands on his face shook him out. "Sorry... open conflict's not my thing and..." Scott instantly jumped into apologising.

"It's all okay Scott, the boss knows, he's currently arguing with his siblings about that whole thing. Pearl had to find out somehow you're here... I'd be more worried about them than the boss," Tango gently explained as Scott slowly recovered. "He got really worried when you got all unresponsive, told me to make sure you're oka..." Tango rambled. He was clearly not used to having to explain himself in any way that did not include punching and burning. Not that Scott cared, he was warm so he just hugged him.

"Warm..." he offered as an explanation. Tango was really pleasantly warm. "Just a little while... My power is a bit hard to control..." he sighed while practically melting into Tango on Jimmy's office carpet.

And that's how Jimmy found them shortly after. His wings were no longer hidden by the illusion he usually kept up. "Scott? Oh my... I'll murder Grian one of those days... Bringing Pearl here when I said she's banned," he huffed as he joined the hug, completely ignoring Tango's hopeful look at a chance of no longer having to have emotions.

"Come on Red's it's just a hug, you're warm, I can give you a kiss later," Scott hummed even happier with Jimmy and his wings providing additional warmth and comfort.

"Boss..."

"What he said, Tango, but I say we move it somewhere more comfortable where idiots won't be looking for me," Jimmy made the final decision. "I'll leave revenge for later. NO one scares my favourite people and gets away with it. No one," he huffed as Tango carried Scott somewhere - Jimmy's room - that didn't matter at the moment. Being comfy and warm came over anything after losing control.

[quinn-borel]

I would like you to write a fic about Quinn taking care of her son Hauchefant.

“Remember not to have too much coffee, my lady.” the steward reminded Quinn as she was about to pour herself another cup from the carafe.  She frustratingly tapped her finger on the table as she pulled back—he was right, but she needed that extra bit of juice to get her morning started.  The previous night had been a late one as per usual, and unlike her husband, she was far from a morning person.  The steward instead offered to pour her a glass of water, which she could enjoy with her eggs and toast.  

“Thank you.” she said with a bitter smile, her tired eyes following the steward as he excused himself from the breakfast nook with the coffee carafe in hand—no longer would she be tempted to exceed her one-cup limit for the morning.  As usual, the eggs were fluffy and flavorful and the toast, crunchy to perfection, just the way she liked it.  It only took the house Borel steward a few weeks to make her breakfast the way Aymeric made it for her on days he didn’t have to attend early morning meetings.  It was quite impressive.  Though it would have been more enjoyable to share the meal with her husband, who hastily said his farewells as she was getting herself dressed.  He, too, admittedly slept in due to their elongated night.  

“Did milord eat breakfast this morning?” she called to the steward, who poked his head back into the nook,

“Unfortunately, he did not.  Though, I presume he will return ‘round the noon hour for a meal.”

“Gods, I hope so.” she sighed, “He’s been running himself ragged.”  The steward had no retort as he went back to his duties.  Quinn lost her appetite upon hearing that Aymeric, once again, skipped breakfast due to his station.  The practice was becoming all-to-common for her liking, yet it pained her to have to lecture him once more while she had the luxury of staying at home for the time being.  The lady of the house stood up from the table and abandoned her plate, leaving half a piece of toast and a quarter of her eggs to the side, a choice she would later regret.  

Quinn made her way down the main hall towards the western wing of the house.  Although she had no plans for the day involving anything outside the house, she couldn’t help but to be lost in thought as she calculated her plans for the day.

“Oh, I didn’t have tea with someone today, did I?” she muttered, “I really need to buy a planner or something to write these things down.  Oh, but then I have to go to the Crozier to find one.  It’s been snowing a lot lately, and I’d rather not take him out in the cold just to get a notebook.  Perhaps I can ask Aym to buy me one?  No, he should really be home to rest...”

Admittedly, she found herself bound to the house for the foreseeable future, especially as winter roared in with its nasty weather as it so loved to do.  While Ishgard was an eternal winter scape, when the Eorzean calendar read the beginnings of the sixth umbral moon every resident knew that it was winter winter.   She would just have to hunker down and wait it out…

…at least she wasn’t alone during the day anymore.

Five moons prior, Quinn had given birth to her and Aymeric’s son, lovingly named Haurchefant de Borel.  He was born a healthy weight with this father’s eyes and his mother’s complexion, with an infectious smile and laughter that could fill a room.  He was their pride and joy, and undoubtedly a symbol of their love.  

Opening the door to their room, Quinn felt the stress of the early morning lift from her shoulders as she heard Haurchefant babbling in his bassinet.  While he may have been the reason she was up so late the night before, Quinn was elated to see him up and about.  At least, as about as a five month old could be.

“Looks like someone is finally awake.” she giggled as she approached Haurchefant’s crib, which sat in the corner of her and Aymeric’s room while his true room was being redecorated.  The little one stared at his mother curiously for a moment before smiling and kicking his feet in excitement—at least, kicking as much as he could while swaddled in his layered onesie.  Quinn leaned over his cot, gently touching her fingertip to the tip of his nose, “Good morning, my little lord.”

Haurchefant giggled in response as he reached for his mother’s hand.  Upon grasping her finger, his other hand went to his mouth as he looked at her almost expectantly.  The hand that touched his mouth flailed a bit more before touching his mouth again.  She knew exactly what that meant.

“Is my little Haurchie hungry?” she cooed playfully, “My smart little man knows how to tell me that he is, doesn’t he?”

He nearly slapped his mouth in protest, brow furrowed as if his signal did nothing to her since there was no milk in sight.  But Quinn knew better than to make her little guy wait, immediately lifting him out of the bassinet and bringing him over to the rocking chair in the opposite corner of the room,

“I can’t wait until you’re in your own room, it’s crowded in here.” she lamented as her gaze fell to all the baby necessities littered in the once-spacious master bedroom.  But, soon he would be old enough to be in his own room…and maybe she and Aymeric could finally get some decent sleep.  

Haurchefant fussed as there was still no sign of milk, a tiny whine coming from his mouth in frustration.  How could she be so cruel?  He was hungry, and he was hungry now.  Even if he was picked up, which he loved, he still wasn’t getting anything to eat!  Impatient as he was, the babe began to fuss even louder, despite his mother sitting down and positioning herself for a comfortable feeding time for the both of them.

“Now, now…” Quinn bit her lip a bit, trying not to raise her voice as he began to whine louder.  She gently hushed him as she slid down one side of her dress, exposing her breast just before the infant had a full-on tantrum.  Bringing the babe to her bosom, Haurchefant quickly latched on to her nipple and began to nurse…as if he wasn’t fed just a few hours beforehand.  Quinn sighed and leaned back a bit, holding her son in the optimal position so that he could have his breakfast without any disruption.   

Finally, some food!

“I’m still so glad you don’t have teeth yet.” she muttered,  “…To the bottle with you when that happens.”

Of course the baby was unfazed by his mother’s promise to bottle feed him if he bit her, he was too busy focusing on his own morning routine.  The little boy had his own day ahead of him—breakfast with mom, some burping, a walk around the house, and then that dreaded tummy time…but somewhere in there, lunch! And dinner! And a snack, maybe?  It was a tight schedule, with little room to let his mother do much for herself.  Though he would certainly let her know if she was slacking in her duties.

With a yawn, Quinn sat back in her chair and did what she could to keep her eyes open.  With the vision of her son fading in an out, she used her free hand to tap her cheek in an attempt to fully wake.  She wondered if Aymeric faired the same, sitting at his desk looming over paperwork with his eyelids drooping from the lack of sleep.  She could not quite recall the last time each of them had a full night’s rest…maybe five months ago, she assumed.  

Yet even with tired eyes, the moment she looked down at her suckling babe she couldn’t help but to beam with delight.  That was her boy; her little baby boy.  Sure, he had a habit of wailing and crying at night and fussed throughout the day, but those moments were miniscule compared to the quiet moments where he bonded with his mother like so.  Or, the moments when he giggled and smiled up at his father, both sharing the same bright, blue eyes and wavy black hair.  

Quinn could still recount the moment Aymeric held their son for the first time–how he wept with joy, praising Halone for such a healthy boy and thanking his wife for giving him such a blessing.  The pair were nearly inseparable until the little one cried out for his first meal.  Of course, Aymeric would soon have to return to his duties, leaving the babe in the care of Quinn for most of the day.  But for sure, upon his return home every night after kissing his wife he would take his son into his arms once more, giving Quinn her much-needed break.

“All done?” she asked curiously as Haurchefant nuzzled his head against her, softly smacking his lips together with quite the bit of milk dribbling out of his mouth.  As per their routine, she pulled the babe up and near her shoulder, patting him on the back until the softest belch came out of him.  And then some…

“Y-yeah, you’re done.”

 “b-buhb ba…”

“I’m glad you’re full.” she giggled, pressing her lips to his cheek  before returning him to his bassinet for a moment.  

But, oh, he wouldn’t have that.  While his mother was fixing her dress back to the way it was, he was determined to get her attention once again.  A loud screech came from the bassinet as he kicked as best as he could through his swaddle, Quinn wincing slightly before she got the hint.

“Alright, alright.” she cooed as she once again lifted him up and into her arms.  He squealed with delight, his smile brightening up the room as he looked at his mother with adoration.  Quinn began to sway with him in her arms, humming softly before pressing another kiss to his forehead.

“Well come and well met, my brave little spark…” she hummed, “how long you’ve wandered, burned bright as a star…”

The babe grinned as his mother sang to him, a hand reaching up to touch her face which she allowed as she lowered her head to kiss her son once more,

“Oh, I have awaited you patiently all this time...”

And she continued to sing and sing, lulling her baby into a calming sleep until she was able to place him back into the bassinet without worry of a tantrum.  Upon her final verse, she sat herself on her bed, eyes slowly closing as she hummed,

“…for this journey’s end...is but one step forward to...tomorrow…”

And with a final note, Quinn fell back asleep.

An early morning nap between mother and child never hurt anyone.

[kesaluliloveyou]

You made a blog for your ocs!!! How did I miss this!!

Please, if you can, tell me some fun facts about best girl Bria 💕✨✨

What are her hobbies? What does she do for self-care? What kind of books does she like to read? And anything else you can think of!

I did! And you’re my very first ask…I’m absolutely astounded, honestly, that I’ve gotten an ask or that people are checking out this self-indulgent sideblog of mine. Thank you so much for your interest in best girl Bria! I love writing about her; she definitely gets some favoritism from me so I loved answering this. I hope it’s interesting to you and others who aren’t me, but really, just thank you so, so much for giving me this excuse to rant about her!

Let’s start with the actual questions you posed. We’ll start with the hobbies that Bria has. Which really aren’t too many, to be honest. She has far less hobbies than she wants to have or would like to have. In one of Bria’s most toxic traits, she’s super hard on herself and pushes herself to be crazy productive. In her mind, she’s not worth a lot, as a person and as a Guardian, unless she’s always being ‘perfect’ and her idea of perfection is intrinsically tied to being productive. In her mind, she should always be doing something. She pushes herself really hard – she must be among the tops in grades in school. She must not only take care of her other Family members and the house they all share, but she must stay active and current on everything going on in their lives, in their varying hobbies and changing interests and such. When she’s not doing that, she feels she must be training and improving her skills. When she isn’t doing that, she feels she must be learning various subjects that will help the Family, along with learning the wider world of the Mafia.

It leaves her very little time for proper hobbies of her own. However, in the little bits of time she does find herself with in between everything else she does, she does somehow find times to have a couple things that she really loves and considers hobbies.

Bria is definitely one of those weird people who truly enjoy house-cleaning, for one. Other than just feeling like she should be responsible for it, she volunteers and takes over taking care of the house because it’s something she genuinely finds relaxing. House-hold cleaning and chores aren’t too mentally taxing, they’re monotonous, and that gives her overactive mind a break while also allowing her to have an outlet for the huge amount of nervous energy she normally contains. Her favourite chore is the dishes and her least favourite is cleaning the bathroom. Both Guiana, Raf, and Lara always leave it an absolute mess, with Lara’s makeup and skincare stuff always being all over the place, Guiana having a bad habit of just wiping her hair onto the shower wall when it sheds, and Raf leaving spit-out toothpaste in the sink.

Bria also has a really strong interest in not only interior décor but houses and architecture in general. This is expressed during her teen years in first redecorating and rearranging her own bedroom a dozen times over and then doing the same to the house Luca and the Guardians end up sharing. She’ll be the main one deciding how the place is decorated, though she does take the others opinions into consideration. She also checks a lot of real estate listings and I think one of her main guilty pleasures is going to open houses, even when she has no intentions of seriously buying property or anything. It’s surprisingly Tony who often accompanies Bria to these. In fact, later on, when they’re both adults, I see Bria and Tony, who actually shares her interest in architecture, restoring and selling at least one or two historical properties.

Bria also has a real soft spot for paint-by-numbers. She doesn’t really consider herself a good artist. When faced with a blank white canvas or a blank sheet of sketching paper, she has no idea what to create. She becomes overcome with fear about messing up or creating something that’s trash. With paint by numbers, she gets to feel like an artist, while not having to worry about messing up. She knows the picture she’ll create will look good because it has rules and guidelines already in place. She finds intense satisfaction in perfectly filling in each spot and gets excited for the finished product each time. A lot of the art in the places she’ll live are her finished paint-by-numbers and, other than books, these are the gifts that the other’s often think to give Bria.

I say other than books because Bria’s main hobby and her biggest love? It’s reading. She’s been a voracious reader since she was a child. She’s been reading since she was four, encouraged by Luca’s father who would sit and help her sound out words or would read to her and Luca. She was reading junior chapter books by the time she was seven and had progressed to actual novels by the time she was ten. She is a quick reader and, despite pushing herself and having so little time to herself, she aims to finish a book every month, though she does prefer months when she gets through more than just one book.

She’s not really finicky about what she reads. She’s willing to try most genres and styles, such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry and the like. She really loves non-fiction, especially biographies. When reading fiction, she’s a fantasy novel geek, likes some comic books, and is shonen manga trash, which she’s less shy about admitting. Her secret guilty pleasure for fiction though, and the one she tries to hide? She’s a huge fan of romance novels and shoujo manga. The one she ensures she hides? Her love of trashy erotica ala Harlequin novels, Fifty Shades of Grey, Billionaire Boys Club, etc.

As you can probably guess, Bria doesn’t really allow much self-care into her life. Her entire worth is really based around what she can do for others, often at the expense of her own needs, desires, and health. She wouldn’t even know where to really begin with self-care. To her, the term is really about things that she doesn’t have much interest in – bubble baths, skin-care routines, shopping days, and other stereotypical self-care clichés. It takes her a long time, honestly, to realize that self-care means so much more than that and really encompasses anything she feels like doing to relax.

Fun little facts – she paces whenever she gets angry.

She talks with her hands without even realizing she’s doing so.

She’s embarrassed to admit it, but she reads her horoscope and the horoscopes of her family members every day. She’s not entirely convinced of the validity of astrology, but she’s not convinced there’s absolutely no validity.

She goes to bed pretty early compared to some of the other members of the family, but has a hard time falling asleep. It normally takes her at least an hour or more to fall asleep.

[nanaosaki3940]

His and Her Circumstances [Tokyo Revengers]

Fanfic: A Condition Called Love

Fandom: Tokyo Revengers

Pairing (romantic): Keisuke Baji X OC/Reader

Genre: Romance, Fluff, slightly suggestive (no smut)

Note: I know this is an xOC fic, but you can read it as a self-insert if you like. 

TR masterlist

Nana’s POV (February 19th, 2006)

It was still early in the evening when Chifuyu and Takemichi arrived at Keisuke’s place today to help him out with the furniture redecoration of the Baji household just because Keisuke’s mom, Ryoko Baji felt like doing so. The thing was, Ryoko heavily believed in astrology, good luck charms, and stuff like that and she also believed that redecorating her whole house would bring good luck to the Baji family’s life, especially in Keisuke’s life to be more accurate.

“Sorry about this, guys…” Keisuke stated in his usual deep yet soft tone to Takemichi and Chifuyu who were shifting heavy furniture from one room to another. “Nana and I were supposed to help my mom redecorate our whole house. Feng Shui says it’s good luck. But obviously, it’s impossible for just the two of us alone, so you two are really saving us here…”

“So heavy!” Takemichi grunted out through his gritted teeth when he tried to lift a box that was filled with showpieces.

“Careful, Takemitchy!” Chifuyu called out in concern before rushing over to his friend to help him out. “That box has showpieces in it. Drop it and everything in it will break into millions of pieces.”

“Thanks, Chifuyu and Takemichi…” Ryoko stated with a wide grin of gratitude on her face as she talked into the room while holding a book in her hand. “My Keisuke here is a weak boy, so he ended up troubling you two.”

“Who’s weak?!” Keisuke snapped, growling at his mother with furrowed eyebrows before I put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

“Calm down now, Keisuke. Let’s not make a ruckus now.” I mumbled into his ears in a gentle voice to which the said boy immediately went quiet before returning to work.

“N-No, we're fine!” Takemichi stuttered out in embarrassment with a blushing face, smiling sheepishly at Ryoko.

This was the first time Takemichi came to the Baji household and the first time seeing Keisuke’s mom, so naturally, he was feeling quite flustered – after all, he didn’t expect the matriarch Ryoko Baji to be so young-looking and beautiful.

“Where should we put this, Ryoko-san?” Chifuyu asked her in a polite tone before the Baji matriarch started to guide the two boys with the whole redecoration again.

“Alright! That's it then!” Ryoko stated just after the two blonde boys shifted a cupboard to a different room.

“Okay!” Chifuyu and Takemichi responded in unison, sweat dripping from their bodies from all their hard work for the past few hours.

“Chifuyu, Takemichi, apparently the living room furniture is important too, so after you're done with that please take care of it.” Ryoko instructed with a smile while her eyes locked down at the pages of the book which was still in her hand.

The book in her hand happened to be one of those which tells you what’s good luck for you or not and using that Ryoko had been guiding us through this entire time.

“Oh! Ah, yes!!” they replied before dashing towards the living room.

“Hey, Mom!” Keisuke called out with a frowning face as he pulled out some manga books from his mother’s bookshelf. “I thought all my manga were gone. Why are they here?!”

“Keisuke, I’m still reading them!!” Ryoko snapped back.

“Please, don’t fight over some manga, you two…” I spoke up again, sighing heavily at the antics of these two Bajis while rearranging some showpieces on the shelf just like how Ryoko wanted.

“Oh excuse me, Chifuyu. Can you go to the convenience store on the corner and get me a garbage bag?” Ryoko asked in a gentle, motherly tone.

“Yes!!”

“And Takemichi, please be a dear and get me a small parfait from the sweets section. The waitress there often forgets to serve it with a spoon, so make sure it’s ready to go.”

“O-Oh, okay, yes!!”

Making Keisuke’s friends do all of her work - that was one of Ryoko’s personality traits which I found very funny sometimes, like how she was ordering around Chifuyu and Takemichi and making them run around the house but none of them could say anything to her because one, she was a parental figure to them, so they couldn’t be disrespectful towards her which was obvious and two, she was ordering them around in such a soft, motherly tone that the poor boys didn’t exactly know how to refuse her orders.

“Finally, we are done!” a sweaty, tired Takemichi exclaimed out in joy with a grinning Chifuyu standing beside him as we all looked around at the redecorated house.

“Oh, I’m sorry. This is wrong.” Ryoko suddenly spoke up in a concerned tone, staring down at her book with furrowed eyebrows, and in response, Takemichi and Chifuyu went stiff as a stone in their spot.

“Huh? What are you saying?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

“I was looking at the wrong page!” Ryoko stated, showing me a certain page from the book. “This isn't gonna bring me good luck!”

“What the hell are you doing?!” Keisuke snapped at his mother again with his hands on his hips. “You're kidding me! Come on woman, this is enough!”

“This isn’t good!” Ryoko snapped back at her son. “My lack of fortune caused you a lot of problems before, Keisuke! Remember that one time you broke your left arm?!”

And her words suddenly made me recall one incident from early 2004 which was just two years ago when one delinquent gang named Killer Bee forcefully barged into our school to attack Keisuke because they were aware of the fact that Keisuke Baji would never fight and throw hands inside the school campus. Although Keisuke didn’t fight them back and ended by breaking his left arm when he was defending himself from their attack, his former vice-captain Ryusei Sato and Chifuyu were the ones who jumped into the action right on time and saved his life from that gang. I was also there with them and I remembered knocking the commander of that gang out cold in one go by throwing one of Manjiro’s infamous roundhouse kicks on that man’s head.

“I don’t care! And that had nothing to do with this!!” Keisuke shouted out in frustration again as he and his mother began to throw fiery daggers at each other through their sharp glares.

“A-Ah don’t worry! We’ll do it again!” Chifuyu intervened in a nervous tone, trying to calm down those two Bajis before looking over at a concerned Takemichi. “Right, Takemitchy?!”

“Y-Yes!!” Takemichi squeaked out, furiously nodding his head before they both rushed over to the room to shift around the heavy objects again.

“Ngh! Uaghhh!!!”

“Ha!! So heavy!!”

“I know right!!”

“What’s wrong?” Keisuke asked as he walked over to the boys who were now on the ground, all sweaty and tired and out of breath, taking a break for a moment before they started redecorating again. “Are you two worn out? Well, I suppose you two did carry a lot of stuff.” 

“N-No we are totally fine, Baji-san!” Chifuyu tried to convince his former captain but failed miserably.

“Just give us a moment, Baji-kun and we will carry-“ Takemichi was about to say something more but was cut off immediately when Keisuke lifted a huge cupboard with just one arm. 

“No more. Just rest.” Keisuke stated in a cool, nonchalant voice before he walked away with the cupboard in his arm while the two blondies stared at the ravenette man in complete shock with dropped jaws and widened eyes.

“And his mother calls him weak?!” Takemichi gasped out, causing me to chuckle in response. “Just how strong is Baji-kun?!”

“A lot actually. Just like Manjiro and Ken-chan…” I replied with a smile before walking away as well to help out Keisuke.

And it wasn’t long before we redecorated some of the rooms again and our entire work came to a completion.

“Okay, that’s more like it.” Keisuke stated, slightly nodding his head as we looked around the house to see if anything was left to be done.

“Yeah, it’s good, isn’t it?” Ryoko grinned with a satisfied look on her face.

“Well, then. Let’s get something to eat.” Keisuke added before I started to walk towards the kitchen with Ryoko.

“Ryoko-san and I’ll go and cook something for us. You guys take some rest in the meantime.” I stated, causing the faces of the boys to light up in pure happiness and excitement.

“Thanks, Nana-san!” Chifuyu called out with a smiling face to which I smiled back in response.

After entering the kitchen, Ryoko and I pondered for a while, thinking of what to cook for dinner tonight. After going through several different options, we finally chose to cook a hot pot for dinner.

“I appreciate your help!” Ryoko stated with a smile as we all gathered around in the living room with the Baji matriarch sitting on a couch while the boys and I were on the floor with our legs crossed, the TV in front of us was turned on and the food was served on the kotatsu table beside us. “Feel free to eat whatever you want.”

“Yes!! It’s good!!” Chifuyu and Takemichi stated happily in unison as they took a bite from their food.

“Also, thanks for the help too, Nana-chan.” Ryoko stated as she turned to look at me, her smile widened a bit more. “You were a great help today, especially when we were cooking for dinner.”

“I’m glad I was able to help you, Ryoko-san.” I smiled back. “Feel free to call me for help whenever you need it.”

“Ah, sometimes I feel like what I’m gonna do without you, Nana-chan.” Ryoko let out a heavy sigh as she leaned back on the couch in a relaxed manner.

“Now, you’re exaggerating, Ryoko-san. You’re gonna make me blush.” I added before the said woman and I both started to chuckle together in unison.

“Oi, Shitty-mitchy.” Keisuke who was sitting close beside me called out while pointing at the TV, causing the time-leaper to look over at the ravenette boy. “What do you think?”

“Huh? What’s this?” Takemichi asked in confusion, looking over at the TV as well.

“That’s Baji-san's favorite TV show.” Chifuyu informed while chewing his food.

“It’s Kayo Suspense Gekijyo.” Keisuke stated, staring at the TV screen with a serious look on his face, furrowing his eyebrows a bit. “I found out that the woman behind him is the culprit. She claims she wasn’t there when it happened, but I’m pretty sure she’s playing some kind of trick.”

“Oh! You like this kind of thing, don't you, Baji-kun?” Takemichi asked excitedly, his lips curling up into a smile. “No wonder you were always suspicious of Kisaki from the very start.”

“Keisuke’s really into the mystery, crime-thriller genre. Movies, TV shows, novels - doesn’t matter. As long as it contains this particular genre, Keisuke engages himself into it with all his heart, mind, and soul.” I chimed in with a smile before looking over a Keisuke for a moment. “Sometimes I wonder why you wanna be a pet shop owner when you get older… You’re smart and hella perceptive. You can become a police officer or a detective if you want.”

“Police officer or detective, huh?” Keisuke trailed off, getting lost in his own thoughts.

“Yeah, I also think those professions will suit you, Baji-kun…” Takemichi added.

“I can guess the killer too, you know!” Chifuyu chimed in as well, his lips curled up into a wide grin. “I have really good instincts when it comes to that sort of thing!”

“Dumbass! It’s got nothing to do with intuition!” Keisuke playfully scolded his former vice-captain with a smirk. “You have to think in terms of music.”

“Keisuke, it's logic, not music.” I muttered into his ears, immediately correcting his mistake and in response, Keisuke’s cheeks went red in color in complete embarrassment.

“Ah, yes! That's it! That's it!” the ravenette chuckled sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck.

As the four of us continued to chat and laugh while watching the TV show, Ryoko who was sitting on the couch behind us decided to intervene in our conversation.

“You idiots!” Ryoko suddenly spoke up in a loud tone with a beer can in her hand and we all turned over to look at her. “In most of these cases, the fourth guy fighting on the TV is the culprit! the main character, the sidekick, the girl, and then the killer! That’s why the old man is the culprit!”

“Huh?!! That’s not funny at all!” Keisuke snapped at his mother yet again for the umpteenth time this evening.

“Look, the old man is the murderer!” Ryoko countered back, now pointing at the TV. “He’s the killer, only one person can get in that car…”

“He’s not that old!” Keisuke growled out with a frowning face. “If he's an old man, then you are an old woman too!”

“Huh?! What did you say, Keisuke?!!” Ryoko finally snapped back before she threw a kick at her own son.

And the rest of the night went with me and the blonde boys trying to disrupt the fight and calm down the two fiery Bajis every once in a while. As time passed by and the clock almost struck midnight, I found myself the only one in the Baji household to be wide awake while the rest of them were all passed out either on the couch or on the floor. Since I was the only one still up and functioning, I decided to go ahead and engage myself in some household chores, like putting blankets on their sleeping bodies to keep them warm, cleaning up the kotatsu table, putting away tonight’s extra food into the refrigerator, washing all the dirty dishes, and then last but not the least, cleaning the kitchen up completely spotless.

It took me some time to finish my job and as soon as I was done with it, I noticed Ryoko finally waking up from her slumber and sitting up on the couch.

“You’re awake, Ryoko-san.” I smiled, walking up to her.

“You did everything by yourself?” Ryoko asked with a sheepish smile. “Thank you, Nana-chan. Sorry for causing you all this trouble.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m happy to help anytime you need me.” I responded in a reassuring tone.

“Well then, Nana-chan… Can you be a darling and go to the convenience store around the corner and get me some turmeric? And some of those cake rolls with that chocolate chips… the cheeky ones that try to up the quality a notch.” Ryoko stated with a closed-eyed smile and I sweat-dropped at her in response.

She’s never gonna change, is she…?

“Okay, sure. Be right back.” I smiled back before turning around and walking away towards the front door.

“Don't worry about the house key. Oh and uh, Nana-chan…” Ryoko called and I turned to look back at her again, noticing a warm, gentle smile on her face as she was staring at me with her soft, bronze-colored eyes. “Take care of Keisuke for me, okay?”

In response, my face softened a bit as I blinked at her a few times.

“He was born to an idiot like me and an even more idiotic father.” Ryoko went on in a light tone, her eyes shifted from me to her sleeping son on the floor. “And now he’s a fool too. But… he’s always sincere in what he does. He's simply irresponsible. I taught him that much. Keisuke rarely brings his friends home with him and it’s even more shocking that he fell in love and decided to date a smart, capable girl like you… This is the first time I’ve seen him laughing with all his friends like this. Keisuke is an only child, so maybe Chifuyu and Takemichi are like little brothers to him. And I have nothing to say much when it comes to you, Nana-chan. You and Keisuke have been best friends ever since you two first met years ago at the Sano dojo and now you’ve become lovers. I’m really happy for you two, you know?”

“You’re… happy that Keisuke and I are dating?” I asked as my lips slowly curled up into a small smile.

Ryoko-san’s happy… it means she approves of our relationship, right…?

“I always wanted Keisuke to end up with no one else but you, Nana-chan. I’ve been shipping you two ever since then.” Ryoko replied with a soft chuckle and my smile widened a bit more upon hearing her response. “I hope Keisuke doesn't make too much of a fool of himself. Please keep a close eye on him.”

“Yes, I will, Ryoko-san. You can count on me.” I reassured her once again.

I love Keisuke to death, Ryoko-san… He’s just so precious to me… I promise to love and protect him till my dying breath…

As soon as I walked out of the building to head toward the convenience store, someone familiar called out my name from behind me.

“Oi, Nana.”

I turned around to see Keisuke making his way towards me, yawning while running a hand through his silky, raven locks.

“Why are you going alone at this late hour?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows a bit, his eyes telling me he was still tired.

“You were sleeping, so I didn't want to wake you up.” I smiled at him apologetically and in response, he rolled his eyes at me.

“Don't be stupid. I’m coming with you.” He scoffed before we both headed towards the store together.

“Thanks for coming.” I smiled at my lover after we finished our shopping and stepped out of the store.

“Don’t thank me, stupid. As your boyfriend, I have to tag along with you wherever you go.” He scoffed again before gently taking the shopping bag from my grip. “Also, I’m sorry about Mom being super annoying today…. I said I didn’t care about my mom’s fortune, but…”

“No, it’s okay.” I giggled in response as we walked down the quiet streets together side by side, the moon in the sky glowing brightly above us, illuminating the whole area like a spotlight. “It’s been a while since I hung out with Ryoko-san like this.”

“You sure? She’s always so pushy.” He muttered, letting out a heavy sigh tiredly.

Somehow, her being a Baji kind of justifies her behavior….

“Besides I got your mom’s approval today.” I informed, grinning at him.

“She always approved you ever since we first met 11 years ago, Nana. She thinks you're the right choice for me. Well, I think that too…” Keisuke smiled back before reaching out and grabbing my hand in his larger one, intertwining our fingers together.

He then looked away from me for a moment and set his eyes on the ground underneath us, that breathtaking smile was still dancing on his face.

“You know, Nana, I… I have known you ever since we were four years old, but then again sometimes I feel like I still don’t know very much about you. I’m still learning about you, little by little. At least, I hope I can fully know and understand you someday…” he muttered in a low, gentle tone which was enough for me to hear his words given the quiet environment around us.

“Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual…” I muttered as well, tightening the grip of our intertwined hands. "For the past 11 years, we were just childhood best friends and now we are lovers. Our relationship changed and took a completely different form, so obviously, we’ll start rediscovering each other from scratch.”

“Really?” he asked as he looked back at me, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” I replied with a smile, causing him to smile back in response.

Soon later we both came back to the Baji household where we found Ryoko and the other two boys on the floor in the living room, sitting in a circle with a big bag placed in the middle.

“What’s that?” Keisuke asked, raising an eyebrow as he and I moved closer to see what it was.

“Candies.” Ryoko replied with a smirk as if she just achieved something great.

“Damn, this is a huge bag. Is it all just candy?” I asked, looking at it while Chifuyu and Takemichi excitedly went through the bag to find anything else other than the sweet treats.

“Yeah. I won an online contest.” Ryoko replied with her smirk growing even wider than before. “The bag is full of candies of different flavors. I wanted to give these to you kids earlier but for some reason, it just slipped away from my mind. Anyway, choose whatever you like.”

“Huh? Online contests? When did you get into this kind of shit?” Keisuke asked in confusion as he and I took a seat with the rest on the floor.

“Doesn’t matter, Keisuke.” I stated before looking through the bag with Chifuyu and Takemichi, pulling out some candies as well. “Let’s see… We have strawberry, fig, pomegranate, orange… There are some weird ones as well, like cheese…”

“Cheese, huh?” Keisuke trailed off, taking the candy from my hand before looking over at his former vice-captain. “Oi, Chifuyu… You don't like cheese, right?”

“Hell no. I’ll rather throw my wallet in a ditch than choke down cheese.” Chifuyu scoffed before huffing and looking away with a pout while Keisuke unwrapped the candy and took it in between his two fingers.

“Right…” Keisuke muttered with a sadistic smirk before he leaned a bit toward the blonde boy, holding the candy in front of his face. “Say aah.”

Just then, for some reason, Chifuyu’s whole face went red.

“Baji-san's feeding me candy!” Chifuyu started mumbling to himself, squirming around where he was sitting as his face was showing all sorts of emotions – shock, happiness, disgust, and a lot more. “This may never happen again! But it’s cheese flavor… Cheese flavor!”

And seeing Chifuyu like this caused me and Takemichi to deadpan at him while Ryoko started to giggle in amusement from beside us.

“Is he in love with Keisuke or something?” I mumbled to Takemichi.

“You creep. Eat on your own.” Keisuke scoffed in disgust, throwing the candy at Chifuyu before moving far away from the blonde boy.

“Huh, B-Baji-san?! I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable! I’m not in love with you, I promise! I see you as my big brother!” Chifuyu cried out in a reassuring tone but Keisuke moved away from him even further yet again, causing Ryoko and Takemichi to laugh at them in amusement.

While this whole commotion continued in the middle of the living room, I quietly moved a bit far away from them and started to go through the candies that I picked from inside the bag- one of them was clay flavored. I simply stared down at the candy in my hand with a confused look written all over my face.

Huh? Clay-flavored candy? What in the world is that?

“Which flavor is that one? Strawberry?”

I quickly looked up to see Keisuke now sitting beside me, also looking at my candy while the others (Ryoko, Takemichi, and Chifuyu) were busy with their own activities just a bit away from us.

“Huh? No, it's clay.” I replied before unwrapping the candy and putting it inside my mouth.

As soon as I did that, I felt like gagging right at that moment. The taste was bitter and so horrible that it literally killed me.

“Why are you eating a clay-flavored candy?” Keisuke deadpanned at me.

“Just wanted to try the taste… It’s really bitter.” I replied with a small pout, not realizing the look in his eyes and how close he was leaning to my face.

Keisuke then looked back at the others for a bit just to find them still talking about different flavors of candies before he turned his attention back to me and that’s when I looked up and noticed his sharp bronze eyes boring into my brownish-amber ones. The look in his eyes was completely different, something I had never seen before. The emotions behind those pretty eyes were so intense and passionate that they started to draw me toward him even closer without me even realizing it.

What’s with this look? What’s with the strong emotions behind those eyes?

“Bitter, huh…” he whispered in a deep, rough yet smooth voice before he leaned in even closer to my face, his eyes flickering between my eyes and my lips.

In the midst of the unexpected chaos, Keisuke's actions caught me completely off guard. Before I could process what was happening or even formulate a question, I felt something soft and warm pressing gently against my own lips. It was Keisuke's lips, and he was kissing me. 

Huh? Wait, what? Keisuke’s kissing me now?!

My eyes immediately shot open in astonishment, my body freezing in place as my mind raced to comprehend the surreal turn of events but even with that, I found myself incapable of moving, anchored in place by the sheer shock of the moment as the world seemed to have shifted on its axis. Keisuke, who was doing all the work, was kissing me, delicately yet passionately, as if he believed I were as fragile as thin glass. Gradually my eyes closed, almost of their own accord, surrendering to the intoxicating sensation that washed over me as I leaned into the kiss. 

I felt him smirking into the kiss, his lips moving tenderly against mine, slow and soft, as his hands crept their way up to my cheeks, holding my face firmly in place with a gentle yet possessive touch so he could lead the kiss. A warm, tingling sensation surged wildly through my stomach, a desire awakening within me that went beyond the kiss itself. I couldn't help but respond, my hands instinctively finding their way and grasping his chest, pulling him closer with a fervor I hadn't known I possessed, holding onto him tighter than I intended to. 

At that moment, the presence of Ryoko, Chifuyu, and Takemichi faded into insignificance. I didn’t care if they noticed us kissing. I just simply didn’t care. Nothing else mattered except the sensation of Keisuke's lips and hands on mine, his warmth and existence enveloping me, and the unquenchable thirst for more. That's all I could care and think of in that moment. I wanted more. I craved more. I yearned for Keisuke to ravish me, to consume me, to take me to the heights of ecstasy in heaven, or to plunge me into the depths of desire in hell; either way, I would have remained extremely satisfied with the outcome. 

I could feel the heat and warmth radiating from Keisuke’s body with his sweet breath mingling with mine in a tantalizing dance. He smelled very nice; a captivating mix of mint and sandalwood, invading all my five senses, literally driving me to the edge, to the brink of desire. His tongue then gently teased the seam of my lips, seeking entry, and I eagerly granted it, inviting him into the intimate realm of my mouth. Our tongues intertwined with one another and danced with a fervor that escalated the kiss into something passionate, raw, and demanding. Euphoria began to blossom within me, setting off fireworks of sensation that sent tingles and desires coursing through my entire being, the whole feeling became completely blissful. At that moment, it felt as though the universe had faded away and nothing existed or mattered, leaving only Keisuke and me in a world of our own making. Only me and him. 

Keisuke's hand moved from my cheek to the nape of my neck, deepening the kiss further. I could almost taste the faint remnants of the cola he had been drinking earlier, a tantalizing addition to the sensory overload, as it rolled off my tongue and seeped down my throat with every push of his tongue against mine. A kiss is one of the most sensual happenings, aside from sex and of course, I loved it. His lips were so warm and soft and tasted of mint and cola which caused trembles to shake my body while the euphoric warmth blossomed within me once more. He then gently tilted my head to the side and continued to kiss me, intensifying the kiss, his lips demanding. I felt a smoldering heat deep within me as he slanted my head further, deepening the kiss while his fingers in my hair gently ran up and down the back of my neck, coaxing shivers out of me and down my spine. 

The kiss had a raw intensity; breathing fast, heart rated faster. To me, Keisuke was like my personal drug, each touch an instant intoxication that electrified every nerve in my body and set my mind ablaze. I think probably it was the anticipation of being together in a way that was more than words, in a way that was so completely tangible, beyond anything I had ever imagined. In that moment of the kiss, it felt as if our chemistry became an ever-bright flame, promising a depth of love and connection that transcended the superficial. His kiss was not at all the same as those movie stars, but one steeped in a passion that ignites. It was the promise of realness, of the primal desire that lived in us all. In his kiss, I found the promise of years and the sweetness of waiting for real love. In his kiss, I finally found my sanctuary, my sense of belonging. 

The kiss lingered for several exhilarating seconds before we broke apart, gasping for air, panting slightly, our foreheads resting against each other's before we opened our eyes together. In that brief second of pause, all I could do was gaze lovingly into Keisuke's eyes while he took his time to study my face. I felt my blush deepen under his scrutiny as Keisuke gazed at me endearingly, his eyes softening with tenderness. 

In my eyes, Keisuke Baji was the embodiment of perfection. He was so gorgeous that my heart seemed to plummet into an abyss of longing. His long, ebony hair; his perfect, carven features; his arrogant, sensual mouth – fuck, right now, I wanted to kiss him again so bad. I yearned to lose myself again in the intoxicating world he had opened up to me. His kiss was so tantalizing, that it left me breathless, greedy, and utterly unsatisfied, wanting more, craving more. 

Just as I entertained the thought of diving back into another passionate embrace with Keisuke, he abruptly withdrew, his expression inscrutable, leaving me in a state of profound confusion. 

“Keisuke, could you get me some water?” Ryoko suddenly spoke up from her spot with Takemichi and Chifuyu by her side and her voice brought me back to reality.

And that’s when I noticed something weird – the candy that was in my mouth earlier wasn’t there anymore.

“You’re such a pain.” Keisuke groaned out, rolling his eyes before standing up and walking away without sparing a glance at anyone.

On the other hand, I was still sitting in my spot with a hot, red face burning like the sun. Not only Keisuke and I just shared our first kiss seconds ago in front of his mother and our friends but also he stole my clay-flavored candy which was literally in my mouth.

“What’s up, Nana-chan?” Takemichi asked as he came over to me with a confused look.

“Keisuke stole my candy…” I muttered out as a response, not meeting the gaze of the time-leaper.

“Eh, really? What flavor was it?” Chifuyu asked, who also seemed clueless about what just happened earlier as he pulled out some more candies from the bag. “We still have a bunch more, Nana-san.”

“I-I’m good, thanks!” I stuttered out in embarrassment.

“Okay then, you should give this flavor a try!” Ryoko stated before tossing some candies at me who also looked clueless and I let out a heavy sigh in relief.

Looks like they didn’t see what happened between me and Keisuke, huh…? Thank God…

3rd Person’s POV (Meanwhile in the kitchen)

With a burning face and a racing heart, Baji leaned back against the refrigerator and let out a heavy sigh, trying to process what just happened right now - He just kissed Nana and for both of them, it was their first-ever kiss. Well, he won’t call it a simple kiss; it was more of a small make-out session for them. His breathing was heavy, his hands were now all sweaty, his heart hammered hard against the ribcage as if it would burst out of his chest at any moment now but even after everything, he had never felt so alive and loved before.

Fuck, I love her so much…

Baji then slowly reached up and touched his lips with his fingers, getting himself lost in a deep trance again, thinking about how Nana’s lips felt against his own ones – it was sweet, it was soft, it was sensual, and most definitely, it tasted like cherry because of the lip balm she always used.

“She’s right…” Baji mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes, and sighed, twisting the stolen candy with his tongue inside his mouth. “It actually tastes like clay…” 

To read the entire fic -

[quietwings-fics]

Home Sweet Home

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: N/A Fandom: Supernatural Ship: Gen (Gabriel & Fen) Additional Tags: Moving, Home, Furniture, Past Gabriel/Kali (Supernatural), Pre-Canon, Gabriel-centric (Supernatural), Domestic Summary:

Gabriel moves in.

Gabriel flicked on the lights to an apartment that was bland and dusty. Beige walls greeted him like lazy cows, with barely a glance to acknowledge his existence before they went on chewing their cud and farting. The light above, the only light in the whole place, flickered from the effort of the Herculean task he’d set it. The double windows on the other side of the room had droopy eyes from the broken blinds, half-covered on one side with the other missing to reveal the grime crusted into the corners of the glass.

Under Gabriel’s arm, Fen wriggled. He’d been stuck there patiently for at least half an hour while Gabriel had danced along with the motions of getting his documents in order and his keys handed to him. The lady down in the office of the complex had had eyed him with suspicion, but how was she supposed to know that Fen weighed a couple hundred pounds more than the sixty pound limit on dogs in the building? He was light enough to toss around when he wanted to be.

Gabriel lifted him up to give him a kiss on his tiny wet nose, receiving a dozen enthusiastic licks in return before he set Fen down and let him pad around the edges of the room.

“Bit of a fixer-upper,” Gabriel mused. The ceiling above him creaked as his upstairs neighbor moved around. He made a face. Fen sat in the middle of the floor and whined at him. “Not as fancy as Kali’s place, I know.” He scowled because the other option was to admit to feeling heartbroken, and he wasn’t doing that until he’d set up a TV and a dozen pints of ice cream for good measure. Fen flopped down against the floor and pouted. “Stop acting like a child of divorce and help me pick out where the furniture should go.”

Gabriel didn’t really have a vision of what he wanted the place to look like yet. He was flying by the seat of his pants. One thing he did know was that the pitiful excuse for a kitchen that was tucked into the corner had to get more inviting. Cabinets that didn’t look like they were falling off their hinges and a stove that was halfway between shiny-new and well-loved rather than familiar with the rust on its burners. He opened the fridge they provided him, and then he shut it just as quickly. There were things growing in there that God never imagined. Gabriel blinked that fridge away and put a new on in its place. Right at the foot of it went Fen’s dog bowl.

What was the point of having grace if he couldn’t have fun redecorating? Make the dishes do a little song and dance before they tucked themselves into the cupboards and retile the walls with a snap of his fingers and sweep away the old wooden flooring for carpet until he’d made himself a nice nook. He leaned back against a small dining table he didn’t have to carry up six flights of stairs and took it in with pride. 

Fen yelped as Gabriel started playing with the living room next. Whips and chains with mood lighting to match turned into housewife chic with a light up poster above wine before noon gave way to a disco ball scattering light over the whole room. Fen chased one of the glittering beams, sticking his nose into it like he could catch it. Damn, but Gabriel missed disco. Humans let things fall out of fashion too quickly. Disco, plaid dresses, the guillotine… By the time Gabriel was catching up on the fads, they were already years out of date.

The light was kind of headache inducing once the novelty wore off. Gabriel sighed and sent it back beyond the veil where the style of ages past belonged. He rolled out rugs under his feet, tiger, zebra, bear, but the heads always gave him the creeps, so he went psychedelic instead, all fuzzy pinks and greens and blues with plenty for fluff to sink his toes into. Fen rolled across it like a kitty on catnip.

Gabriel could lean into sleaze. That was fun, the sharp contrast between the bright and welcoming kitchen and his den of hedonism. He dropped himself back into a cushy loveseat, first blue, then purple, then red when he settled on it. He made sure the carpet would match while the walls turned to complimentary wood. He popped the leg rest up and leaned back on his arms as he worked out the rest of the room: a couch too green to tell if it was dingy and too dark to check for stains, magazines littering a coffee table with two ringed marks doubled up on the left side and coasters that would never be used stacked just next to them, the light above them finally getting a rest as Gabriel swapped it out for a dimmer bulb.

Gabriel took a deep breath. The loveseat squeaked under his weight.

Fen popped up, paws on the footrest and tail wagging so hard that Gabriel could hear it beating.

Gabriel patted his stomach. “Here, boy,” he called. Fen leapt up onto him and squirmed around until he was comfortable enough to flop down in Gabriel’s lap. Gabriel scratched behind his ears. “What do you think? As good as our last place now?” Fen huffed in disagreement. “You’re not exactly helping me get over her, you know.” Fen’s tail thumped against his chest as he pushed his nose onto Gabriel’s arm like an apology. Gabriel sighed. “Well, I like it,” he said, mostly to himself.

He’d still have to sort out the bedroom later. He was thinking dark pink bed, heart-shaped, sheets like satin and covers thick enough to feel squished under them. Lava lamps? Maybe a shelf to store knick-knacks on. All the good stuff he’d found over the years, his personal sketch for modeling for Michaelangelo (and definitely earned the night after) and the ankle bones of an old vessel he’d loved (he should go visit her great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandkids sometimes soon, make sure they’re getting on alright) and… one of Lucifer’s feathers (which would spend half of its days displayed where Gabriel could see it and half of them shoved into a drawer where he didn’t have to think about it.)

Home sweet home, if he did say so himself.

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