#half a deck of scattered cards

[kaiser1ns]

#. CHEATER, CHEATER STOP !

featuring 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 ıllı. umemiya hajime, takiishi chika, togame jo, kaji ren

fluff. yes, what you did was indeed cheating to some extent, but sometimes you have to play dirty to win.

UMEMIYA HAJIME

"I knew it, you were cheating on me..." the pain in his voice, the agony and misery colored his face and his eyes began to water slowly, drop by drop as if at any moment the wall holding the dam would collapse. "But i didn't expect to be with my own best friend."

"Hajime it's not what it looks like, I-I swear I can explain," you demanded, stuttering in the process as you were caught in the act, right on the spot.

"It's not what it seems? With everything that we've been through and all that I've given for you ... And this is how you repay me?" he slammed his hands on the table, furious that was one way to describe the situation as he was starring at both of you, trying to dig out an answer.

The uno cards scattered across the table seemed to echo the shattered pieces of trust that was once held in the palms of your hands. Hiragi stepped in, "It was all her idea. I am innocent." Umemiya raised an eyebrow at you like you just broke his heart (you did). "I didn't know my girlfriend was secretly an Uno mastermind and that you Hiragi would be her little follower."

"Baby, don't take it too seriously, it's just a game." You laughed a little because of his dramatic reaction, yes what you did was indeed cheating, at some point, but if you want to win you have to play dirty sometimes.

Umemiya sighed dramatically, he is being such a child right now, "Just a game? And you made me draw 32 cards because it's just a game. Do you even understand the emotional trauma you've put me through?"

"Pretty much yeah." you said nodding of head followed by Hiragi's humming, because everyone goes through it — you either put the plus cards or you draw them, no in between.

Umemiya shot Hiragi a look of betrayal before turning back to you with furrowing his eyes and pouting. You flashed him a grin, your smile so genuine like you just didn't commit the most serious crime against your boyfriend. "I will make it up to you, anything you want. More cuddles? You got it. More kisses? On the way!"

You stood up from your place to sit next to him, as you held your hand for him to take it. And he did as you kissed him on the cheek, leaving a little scent from your strawberry lipgloss you know he adored.

He can't be that mad at you, not for too long. Despite you being a cheater.

"She's pretty good at making pancakes, just saying." The white head couldn't help but laugh at his best friend's comment, knowing how much they loved your pancakes. Food tastes better when you're in good company, not with cheaters of course. "Alright, fine. But no more stacking up the whole deck against me."

You nodded, suppressing a giggle. "I will try, no promises~"

TAKIISHI CHIKA

The two of you sit on the floor, surrounded by scattered UNO cards, your laughter filling the room. Boredom crept into Chika's features after the countless games over the past hour, but then, you laid down a +4 card, well luck was on your side today. He's about to draw twenty cards, practically handing you the win.

“You should stop doing that,” he mutters, his patience worn out after countless games. You can't help but laugh, teasing him with your victory. "Don't be a sore loser now, baby. You did pretty good but I always win."

Just as you're reveling in your win, Chika threw his cards aside angry and annoyed by your so-hidden antics. Before you know it, he grabs your ankles and pulls you towards him. You squeal in surprise as he settles you on his lap, clearly having lost interest in the game.

"You know that flirting with your rival will do you no good, right?" you say, half-joking, as he removes the cards from your hand. Chika’s golden eyes lock onto yours, a serious stare replacing the soft smile that had tried to form on his lips. "You should stop cheating," he says, his voice low and demanding, as he knows you all too well by now and how you proceed to get your wins.

"I did not!" you exclaim, genuinely offended. You’ve always had luck drawing the right cards at the right time, but cheating? Never. You always play fair, and you give your opponent a chance to make their best strategy.

"I will make sure you learn your lesson," he says, cupping your face in his hands, his touch gentle despite the intent behind his words. He moves your head slightly as if inspecting you, making you feel like a doll in his hands. What's gotten into him? It nice though, to see him behave like that.

"It's not okay to threaten girls," you tease, touching his hands that still cup your face.

"It's not okay to cheat," he counters, Touché. You frown, pretending to be ready to get up, despite your best efforts, his grip is firm. He’s not letting you go just yet. Chika always seems to see through your tricks. He’s always claimed he wouldn’t be a perfect boyfriend, but calling you a cheater? That's a new low, even for him.

His eyes study you, as if you're a puzzle he's trying to solve. In many ways, you are. You bring out a side of him that’s unfamiliar even to himself. If Endo had been here, he’d have said this was completely out of character for Takiishi. Yet, here he is, a lovesick fool, the joker in the deck, and the plus card in the UNO game of your relationship—always keeping you with a million questions in mind not knowing what to expect next.

“And what are you going to do now?” you whisper, as he leaned closer. His breath is warm against your skin and the game is long forgotten.

TOGAME JO

Togame loved shogi, especially playing with the elders from whom he had learned so much. You admired this hobby of his and how good he was at the game, but today, you were determined to finally beat him. The record was 4-0 in his favor, but you still won't give up, not when you were so close to taking his king this time.

As the game progressed, your focus sharpened, your moves becoming more strategic. Your boyfriend watched you with an affectionate smile, clearly enjoying the way you were so deep into focus. Then, in a moment that felt almost unreal, you saw it. The opening. Your hands moved almost on their own, and you captured his king.

"I did it?" you whispered to yourself, still unsure if you had truly won. But the realization hit, and a wide grin appeared on your already beautiful face. "I did it!"

Togame's eyes lit up with a warm and proud smile directed at you, "Congratulations," he said warmly, reaching over the headboard to shake your hand. You extended yours as well, but instead of a handshake, he tugged on the sleeve of your blouse. To your shock, a few of his shogi pawns fell out, clattering onto the board.

"W-what… How did they end up here?" you stammered, trying to mask your 'surprised' face. "Pfft, can you imagine?"

Togame stared at you, his expression turning serious, though his eyes still held a hint of playfulness. "Y/N, you didn't need to cheat," he said, his voice gentle despite the scolding. You felt a blush creep up your cheeks. "I didn't mean to," you mumbled, feeling embaressed that he found out, no tricks up your sleeves, yet he didn't belive any of it. "I just wanted to beat you once in something."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Your determination is one of the things I love most about you. But next time, let's keep it fair and square, okay?"

You nodded, grateful for his understanding. "Okay," you agreed, smiling at him. "But just so you know, I would have won anyway."

He laughed, a sound that always made you feel warm inside. "We'll see about that," he said, leaning in to press a soft kiss on your forehead.

KAJI REN

It was one of those rare times when Kaji finished his patrols around the town early as he found himself resting with you and Kusumi, his fellow vice-captain. You had suggested playing UNO to kill time until the others returned. Kusumi had easily secured first place, and now it was just you and Kaji left in a heated duel.

The game had stretched out, each of you fiercely battling with plus cards, neither willing to back down. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of back-and-forth, you managed to clinch victory with a triumphant smile. Kaji looked at you, then at Kusumi, who extended his hand to you, to give you plus cards. The realization dawned on him.

"Is this how you're going to play now?" Kaji's voice was tinged with anger and annoyance, his usual calm demeanor shattered. You noticed his lollipop, previously a sweet distraction, was now gone.

"What do you mean Ren?" you asked innocently, placing another +4 card on the table, sealing the deal. Your boyfriend threw his remaining cards onto the table, clearly pissed off. His frustration was visible as he was about to open his mouth to express his annoyance, but you acted quickly, placing another lollipop in his mouth, silencing him effectively.

"We'll talk about this later," you said, your tone teasing. "For now, let me enjoy my win, baby."

The word "baby" came out a bit like an insult, making him sulk even more. Despite his irritation, he couldn't stay mad at you forever. As he sucked on the lollipop, his annoyance seemed to melt away, replaced by the warmth of your presence. Kusumi chuckled, shaking his head at the two of you, standing up to leave you alone sensing that Kaji wanted to be with you now.

"You cheated," he mumbled around the lollipop. You leaned in closer, your face inches from his. "Maybe," you whispered, "but you still love me." He couldn't help but roll his eyes at you, his earlier anger slowly disappearing. "Yeah, I do," he admitted, pulling you into a gentle embrace. "But next time, I'm winning."

You laughed, wrapping your arms around him. "You already won if you want to know." It took him a while to find the meaning in your words, but cuddled with him, Kaji knew best what you meant.

taglist :: @meidiary @kazuhaiku @kiurona @maruflix @stunie @nyxypoo @kajibunny

©2024 kaiser1ns do not copy, repost or modify my work

[vivalabunbun]

Sweet Sweet Nothings

Summary: The sweet lull of normalcy in an unconventional marriage

Word Count: 7K

Tags: Alhaitham x Fem! Reader, Fluff, this is just pure fluff, Smut, NFSW, MDNI, Omegaverse AU, A/B/O relationships, Modern AU, Alpha! Alhaitham, Beta! Reader, breeding, biting, established relationship, TW: Very vague mentions of gender dysphoria (of your secondary gender), TW: pregnancy and birth, Protective! Alhaitham, Jealous! Alhaitham

Authors Note: This isn’t much of a story, think of it as a collection of sweet nothings and domestic life with Alhaitham and the Sumeru cast after this. I just felt like I had to give them fluff after that slow burn. Enjoy!

Teal-orange eyes snapped towards the ticking clock on his oak desk, the time read 5 pm. Alhaitham’s duties were over for the day, now he had more pressing matters to attend to. Swift hands gathered up the papers scattered across the dark wood, stacking them into a neat pile before his body pushed against his plush seat. The golden glint of the ring on his finger only spurred him on to quickly exit his office. 

“Hey! Alhaitham are you leaving work now? Great, how about we grab some drinks with-”

“No. I’m busy.” He bluntly dismissed his blond senior. 

A firm hand snatched up his blazer that had been thrown across the back of his seat, the other flicked off the desk lamp. 

“Oi! Your senior is inviting you to a-”

“If you have a request you need approved then please leave it on my desk, I’ll look over it once I return back to the office on Monday.” Alhaitham skirted past the blond’s still frame at the doorway, paying no mind to the disgruntled scrunch on Kaveh’s face. His mind was focused on more pressing matters. 

–

“And then the brat just WALKS past me as if I were some dust on the ground! Could you believe that?” Kaveh thumps his glass back onto the tavern table, a small splash of wine lapped over the side. 

Tighnari took another big swig from this glass, his ears weren’t drunk enough to handle the tumultuous complaining of the blond. Cyno was only half-heartedly listening, ruby eyes trained on the brand-new deck of cards he had spent the week building in his hands. 

Yes, it is just a typical Friday afternoon. Colleagues gathered at Lambad’s Tavern, congregating at an outdoor table and enjoying the nice wine and early Spring air. Although more often than not, there would only be three seats filled instead of four. 

“Just what is so important that they trifle over common courtesy? In the world of job opportunities, networking and connections are a critical part of getting higher up the chain. Just how did that shrewd man get that promotion?” Kaveh’s face already had the tall tale signs of a drunken glow. 

“Well, it’s not really that out of character for him. People have always found his actions grating, but his efficiency at his work can’t be denied.” Tighnari rested his head on his hand. 

“There’s been a change in the head secretary lately.” Cyno asserted, eyes now trained somewhere else. 

“Oh? How so? He’s the same old crude man.” Kaveh dismissed. 

Cyno motioned with his eyes at a sight just behind the two other men. Two confused heads turned to follow his gaze. Nearly choking on their drinks at the scene they were now witnessing. 

There stood Alhaitham’s towering figure walking hand in hand with yours, bags filled with books and miscellaneous trinkets carried in his other. What made the men uncomfortable was the uncanny softness dawned on the stoic secretary’s face, as his teal eyes focused on you. 

His Beta wife was pressing her body against his arm as she spoke close to his ear, pointing at random stalls and vendors. Alhaitham leaned down to hear you through the chattering crowd, making sure to maneuver your bodies through the bustling streets. 

The three men didn’t know what to make of the scene in front of them as the couple walked out of sight, still holding each other close. Kaveh wonders if the wine being served today was stronger than usual. However, the three unwed men now got their answer to Alhaitham’s sudden full schedule. 

The table of bachelors called for more wine. Maybe to cleanse their palette of the sour taste of jealousy. 

–

“Have you seen Alhaitham today? I’ve been trying to hand him this paperwork since Friday.” Kaveh approached the head lawyer at the water cooler, the weekend was now over and it was now Monday, and the secretary was nowhere to be seen. 

“Hm? The head secretary applied to use his paid vacation time off. It was approved last Friday.” Cyno took a sip from the paper cup. 

“Huh?” The papers fluttered out of the architect’s slack hands, jaw agape. 

His junior truly was trying to annoy him to death. That conniving bastard Alhaitham. 

Fontaine was very different from Sumeru, with different types of foods, shops, and culture. It was quite exciting the first week of your late honeymoon to duck into every shop along the city streets. You discovered that your husband was fluent in the language, anything you pointed at he would translate for you without hesitation. However, the wonder of sightseeing faded within just a few days, like the true homebodies you were, there was a silent agreement to spend the rest of the time in the grand honeymoon suite. 

The hotel Alhaitham booked was the most luxurious one Fontaine had to offer. You will have to blame this decision on the generous amount of financial freedom granted by a pharmaceutical payout. It was only fair in Alhaitham’s mind, you worked very hard during the rut brought on by faulty inhibitors. Hard work should be rewarded, so he decides you should be indulged with the best room service, fancy baths, and thousand-count silk sheets. 

How you spent your time in the suite was really no different than how you would spend it in Sumeru. Alhaitham was laying down on the silk sheets, back slightly propped up by down feather-filled pillows, unwinding with a book in his hand. 

“Ah…Ah!... Ah… Making your wife do all the work while on vacation? You’re such a terrible husband, Haitham.” You stilled your hips, hands propping yourself up along his toned body. 

“Mm? You were really enjoying yourself, I didn’t want to interrupt.” There was a teasing tilt in his voice, teal eyes never looking away from the sentences printed as his other hand rubbed circles into your hip. 

From this angle he reached deeper than usual, making you feel so much fuller. Your walls were clenching down, trembling with pleasure from the stretch and thick tip poking that one spongey spot. A while ago you had abandoned your book in favor of bouncing up and down on your husband’s lap. It was your late honeymoon, after all, there was almost five years' worth of time to make up for. 

You knew your husband was just teasing you, but your lips couldn’t stop a pout from forming. You shifted a bit more on top of his god-like physique, pressing his tip deeper against that sweet little spot deep inside. Wandering hands made their way to grope at his plush pectorals followed by your pouting face, eyes trained on the book your husband was so engrossed by. 

“Hmph…” A displeased huff left your lips, it was absolutely adorable to him. 

“Is something the matter?” The corner of his lip was upturned just the slightest bit. 

“It’s our honeymoon and yet my husband is already having an affair with a book.” You playfully sulked into his chest. 

“My, I never knew my wife was the jealous type.” Finally, he snapped the book closed, playful eyes gazing into yours. 

“I guess you learned something new then.” You gently confiscated the book from his hand, placing it farther away on the large bed. 

Alhaitham gave a hum of acknowledgment, both hands now firmly seizing the sides of your waist. Steadying your body before following it up with a solid snap of his hips. You pressed your face harder against his chest, muffling the moan that was suddenly forced out of you. 

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Why are you so quiet now?” His hips set a rhythm, slow and deep. 

His thick length dragged along your slick walls in all the right ways, you could feel every inch outlined inside you. Each roll of his hips gently lifted your body up before accompanying it back down. Your mouth fell open, breathing out soft moans against his warm skin. The smell of lust hung heavy in the air of the spacious room. But you wanted more, this slow lovemaking couldn’t satisfy the greed deep within. 

“Mmm… More…” 

“More?” His pace escalates just the slightest bit. 

The sloppy sounds of your connecting bodies were louder now, with each in and out of your slick cunt like purrs of pleasure. He was hitting that spot that brings shooting pleasure throughout your nerves. Still, maybe it's because your expectations have been set a bit high from your first taste, but your greed wanted more. 

“More~” You breathed out, face now pressed into the crook of his neck. 

“Mmm, I think I know what my lovely wife wants.” A hand supports the back of your head, smoothing out the hair. 

Swiftly you got turned under him, his board frame now looming above, that handsome smirk on his face. He rested your head gently on the dawn pillows, as your arms wrapped around his neck pulling him down closer to you. The combination of his weight on top of you and how heavy he felt inside your sobbing cunt sent shivers up your spine. Yes, this is what you wanted. 

Leaving the crook of his neck, your lips chased after his. Alhaitham couldn’t help but let out a small huff, you were quite needy today. His lips captured yours in a deep kiss, shallowing all your noises. He shall spoil you, it was your honeymoon after all. 

In this position, he had much better footing and grasp on your waist. Meaning the strength and pace of his hips slamming into yours increased to the rhythm you desired. Moans were flowing out like water from your mouth, eyes teary with lust. The claps of your bodies echo through the room, he would pull out to the tip then slam back in. Just the way you liked it. 

Teal eyes observed your loose face, the rolling back of your eyes signaling that the knot was about to come undone. But before he lets you reach cloud nine, you have to answer a question that he’s been pondering. 

“Would you rather have consistent pleasure spread evenly throughout the year… or four days of nonstop, mind-melting pleasure then nothing for the rest?” Alhaitham asked right up against your ear, making your skin bristle. 

You felt his hips roll back to their slow methodical pace. Oh, he wasn’t going to let you taste sweet release until you paid the toll of his curiosity. Really, your husband can be so mean sometimes. You let out a small whine, trying to roll your hips into his but his firm hold prevented such action. 

“Answer the question, sweetheart.” Alhaitham continued to egg you on, clearly enjoying your displeased whines. 

“Why can’t I have both?” You muttered close to his own ears, tightening your embrace around him to offset the embarrassment creeping up on you. 

At your response his hips stilled, stoic teal eyes gazing at you as you looked away. You didn’t see the smirk that returned to his features. 

“Goodness, my wife is insatiable.” He dragged his length out fully. 

Before you could even let out another whine at the loss, he returned it fully inside of you. Filling out your unexpecting walls again pounding against that spongey patch, making your back arch up and toes curl. 

“AH!” Your body was pressed impossibly close to his. 

“I wonder if I should keep you at home, confined to the bedroom for your sake.” His hot breath ghosted over your ear. 

He was pistoning in and out now, fat tip abusing your sweet spot just the way you wanted it. Your walls were clenching around his girth just like how your arms were holding onto him to ground your sanity. The searing white flashes of pleasure were shooting up through your nerves, the edge was approaching fast. The filthy fantasy Alhaitham was painting in your mind only served to quicken the process. 

“All you have to do is be a good wife, and welcome me home with open legs. How about that?” Alhaitham pressed sweet kisses against your neck, a far cry from the filth that was leaving his tongue. 

You felt his teeth brush against the side of your neck before they clamped down. That was what unraveled the knot inside you. Your ankles hooked together as your hips pushed closer to his. Back arching almost painfully, bodying trembling and eyes rolling back. Alhaitham let out a small hiss at the tightness of your walls contracting. He wasn’t going to last long if you continued to be this impossibly tight. 

He could tell from the way your eyes were still seeing the back of your head you were still in the midst of your orgasm. This meant that Alhaitham was free to chase after his own release now. So he does. His length continues to pound against your quivering walls, pushing through the tight clenches. The extra gush of slick helped to accelerate his movements further. Sloppy slapping of skin against skin, he could feel that his tip was probably red and swollen from his calculated delayed release. 

Pressing his pulsing tip right up against your cervix, the tension inside him finally snapped. Flooding your walls with thick, warm release. Your body instantly responded, walls beginning to twitch and convulse more, trying to milk every last drop. Alhaitham panted against your neck, sucking on the soft skin from time to time as he held your body close. 

“Mmm… Don’t mark up my neck. I brought all these pretty dresses to wear and now I can’t wear anything but turtle necks.” Your fingers tussled through his messy ash locks. It seems like you’ve returned from cloud nine.

“You can just wear them in the room.” He pressed another kiss to your neck. 

Before you could voice your complaints your husband buries your face into the crook of his neck, a silent invitation. Who were you to reject? The sensation of your teeth clamping down onto his smooth skin, leaving deep indentations seems to appease his primal urges noted by the low growl that rumbles in his chest. 

“Would you like to take a bath, habibti?” Gentle finger caressed your face. 

You hummed in confirmation, nuzzling into his touch more. The calm, sweet lull of intimacy washed over the room. Passion satisfied, for now at least. 

“You smell.” Dehya scrunched up her nose. 

You gave a deadpan stare at your Alpha friend beside you. You recently returned from your trip to Fontaine, meeting up with your friends to show them the gifts you had brought back. 

The weather wasn’t that hot today so you definitely weren’t sweating, and your outfit was also fresh from the clothesline. You even took a quick shower before you went to the agreed-upon cafe. You brought your arm up to your nose for a quick sniff, nothing smelled particularly off. 

“I smell normal.” You raised an eyebrow at her. 

“No, you smell like you just rolled around in the forest.” She retorted. 

Now you were confused, glancing at Candace and Nilou. Wait, why does it look like the two were trying to hold back their laughter? What is going on? You just wanted to give them their souvenirs. 

“What Dehya is trying to say is… it seems like you’ve gotten closer to your husband.” Candace rested her elbows on the table as she leaned in. 

Oh. They meant that. A scarlet flush instantly engulfed your cheeks, a silent admission of the truth. All at once you saw the gleam in your friends’ eyes, and they started hounding you for the details. 

The tea served at the cafe was always brewed to perfection and the leaves were of the highest quality. However, your friends were much more interested in the new development of your marriage. 

–

You were drained. You loved your friends, you really do. But spilling the tame details of the budding romance between you and your husband with burning cheeks sure depleted your battery. In a way, they deserved to know, supporting you for over five years throughout the murkier times. 

At the moment, you were curled up on the couch against your husband’s chest. Fingers fiddling with the ring that matched yours resting on his finger, as his attention was trained on the book in his other hand. It wasn’t time for your ritual quiet reading session, so you felt it was appropriate to quietly enjoy some skinship. Alhaitham didn’t seem to mind. 

“Haitham.” You began. 

“Mm?”

“What is your scent like?” You continued to fiddle with his wedding ring. 

“According to your friends, a tree.” His deep voice replied, never once looking up. 

“Mmm.” Your lips pressed into a line, still toying with the gold band. 

You had that look on your face, Alhaitham notes. Demons don’t disappear so easily, even at the start of a new chapter, they will continue to cling to your shadow. If he could, Alhaitham would strangle those devils with his own bare hands. But he couldn’t. So instead, he shall always be there to pull you out from the ice-cold water back to the warm shore. 

He flips the book over, placing it faced down on the arm of the couch. His full attention was now on you as he tenderly grasped your hand, pulling you closer. He pressed his nose against your neck, senses searching through the thick layer of opulent woodiness. 

The faint sweet hints of padisarah pudding mixed with the bath products and laundry detergent you shared were guarded by that layer. The scent that he recognizes as yours, the scent he shares with you. 

“I smell like you. That is the only scent I will recognize as mine.” His teal eyes peered up at you. 

You were silent for a moment, hand halting but still grasping the ring. 

“Pfft. Have you been reading my old novels again?” You couldn’t suppress the small laugh and smile. 

“Did you want me to?” 

“No.” 

You intertwined your fingers with his, rings clinking together, a physical show of a bond. 

Alhaitham rested his head in the crook of your neck, continuing to breathe in your essence. The scent of you always seems to lull him into a drowsy state of comfort. Yet, it wasn’t heavy nor did it cloud his thoughts, so he could always think clearly of you. Yes, this is the scent he adores. 

“Have you been doing something to make my Alpha and Omega coworkers avoid me?” 

“...” 

“What a weird Alpha you are.” You rubbed your cheek against your husband's resting face. 

You’ve been sluggish lately, Alhaitham observed. More often than not, he found himself carrying your sleeping frame back to bed after you fell asleep curled up on the sofa. Book in your limp hands. Your alarm would also be ringing longer than usual, you used to be able to turn it off by the first ring so as to not disturb him from his slumber. You knew he was a light sleeper. 

As he took a bite of the dinner you had just cooked he notes the blander taste. It was your usual style to throw in as many spices as you pleased. It was the start of flu season, and Alhaitham noted the cough that’s been going around in his office. However, he had a different hypothesis he wanted to share with you tonight. He watched as you chewed then shallowed. 

“Habibti, have you taken a pregnancy test lately?” His voice was calm, tone stable. 

Your fork clattered against your plate as you stared at him starstruck, eyes wide and mouth agape. This was why he waited, it wouldn’t be good to have food go down the wrong pipe. He maintained a neutral expression, staring into your eyes to read the emotions that were running rampant behind them. 

“N-no… but…” A furrow formed between your brow as you brought a hand up your mouth. A habit of yours when you were deep in thought. 

The two of you were careful. Pills are taken at specific times. Morning after teas were always in stock around the house, either he brews it for you right after a moment of passion or you would drink it in the morning. However, Alhaitham wasn’t startled. He understands that even with birth control there was always a risk. 

Dinner was swiftly finished, dishes piled in the sink for later, there were more pressing matters to attend to. You were currently in the bathroom with the pregnancy test he had picked up on his way home from work. Alhaitham was leaning his back on the wall beside the bathroom door. He was trying to calculate when you last had your time of the month, or when exactly you began to behave differently. 

The singing hinges of the bathroom door pulled him out of his thoughts. You had that look on your face again. Alhaitham didn’t even need to look at the test in your hands to know the results, two red lines. From how frozen your stance was in the door frame, he already knew what thoughts were running through your mind. 

Children were never planned nor discussed, at the beginning the two of you were much more focused on your careers and enjoying your free time. That is to say, you greatly enjoyed the double income and no kids life. However, there was now a fork in the road. The hands holding the test were now trembling. Alhaitham quickly brought you into a tender embrace, to silence the wild thoughts before they begin to torment you. 

“Whatever your decision may be, I will support it unconditionally. Take your time.” Rubbing a small circle into your back. 

You were silent but your arms wrapped around his torso, resting your head against his shoulder. Quiet reading time was a bit more quiet than usual tonight. 

–

It was now a Saturday night, Alhaitham had already situated himself on his spot on the couch. There was already a book in his hands, but he didn’t open it, he was waiting for you. You usually didn’t take this long in the shower, he was beginning to wonder if he should go knock on the door. But there was no need, soon the soft thumps of your steps were heard coming down the hall. 

Contrary to the usual, you make a b-line straight into his lap, curling up against his board frame. He didn’t say anything, supporting you with an arm and holding you closer. 

“I want to keep the baby.” You spoke softly against his neck. 

Alhaitham closed his eyes, mind going deep into thought. There was more than enough money saved up to support a child. Sumeru has free good quality health care, a great daycare program, and the best education system. The nation offers a generous tax deduction for families with children. There were enough rooms in the house that one could be turned into a nursery, it would be troublesome to have to babyproof everything and rearrange the furniture. 

Ah, the two of you will have to sacrifice your free time and sleep to take care of a needy newborn. However… He opened his eyes. 

“Then we should start making preparations for our new addition.” 

If it’s with you, Alhaitham is more than willing to sacrifice those luxuries and needs. 

Alhaitham had to be more observant, the changes to your body and hormones made it so you were much more sensitive to your surroundings. Foods that were too strong in scent had to be dialed back or not cooked in the house. He also took care to clear the floor of any stacks of books lest your foot knocks into them. 

The worst part of it was probably how the pregnancy was disrupting your sleep. Your body needs it, yet the growing bump and overactive hormones made it hard for you to find a position that welcomed the sweet embrace of sleep. Often tossing and turning, Alhaitham would  place a pillow under your belly which seemed to help a bit. 

Then came morning sickness, Alhaitham is adamant that your child be thankful for all the suffering you were enduring to give life to them. 

The ashen-haired Alpha had been extra careful with his inhibitors as well, making sure each dose was measured to the line and constantly checking the dates printed on the bottles. Still, the clawing of his instincts only grew stronger as his teal eyes observe your bump growing day by day. You were working so hard to carry the child, he needed to do something to make you relax and comfortable. 

–

Currently, your bed has been buried under a mountain of quilts and plush pillows. You had your hands on your hips as your eyes surveyed the messy state of the bed you had just made a few hours earlier. You folded and pack those quilts away weeks ago, why were they back out? 

“Haitham, why can’t I see our own bed?”

“There’s no cause for concern. Your body must be tired, go take a rest.” A gentle large hand rested on your lower back, encouraging you towards the heavenly pile. 

That sentiment from seven years ago still rings true to this day. Your husband is weird. Still, there was a small smile on your face, what a silly sweet weirdo he is. The soft wafts of fresh linen encapsulated your senses, layers upon layers of fabric cushioning your achy joints and growing belly. Gentle fingers combed their way through your hair, making your eyelids grow heavy. 

Were these inherited instincts or learned gestures from old light novels? Oh well, the answer is irrelevant. 

One Saturday afternoon you were rudely awakened by the maddening repetition of thumping. You were now well into your second trimester, the bump on your belly growing steadily day by day, which only meant your sleep schedule only got worse. All your senses have been going into overdrive lately, every bump in the night making your eyes snap open. You groggily rubbed the sleep out of your eyes, begrudgingly rousing your sluggish body from the haven of pillows and blankets. 

By this point, you and Alhaitham had announced to friends and family about your pregnancy, there were many tears of excitement shed that day. Followed by a steady stream of boxes and gifts placed into your or your husband's hands. These items ranged from teas to help with morning sickness to long loose maternity gowns. 

At first, you raised an eyebrow at the shapeless dresses your mother had gifted to you. Stating that they made you look like a lost ghost. However, now with your baby bump, the soft loose fabric felt divine against your sensitive skin. Carefully, pushing off the mattress you took your time gaining your balance. Moving has become troublesome because of your now shifted center of gravity.

Steadying yourself with a hand on the hallway wall you waddled toward the source of the commotion. As you grew closer to the room across the guest room, an extra space that was utilized as a small side library the barrage of noises stung your ears more. You felt irritation creeping up on you. 

Grasping your hand on the door frame you peered inside to see a head of blonde hair. Oh. It’s Kaveh. That explains the noise. 

You quietly observed the back of the unaware man as he continued to hammer furniture together. Your husband had told you earlier in the week that Kaveh would be coming over to help set up the nursery. He mentioned something about the blond having to pay off an old debt. 

Oh well, it saves you and Alhaitham the trouble of rearranging the furniture. 

“Ugh, that bastard has not changed a single bit. Who would choose such an ugly bassinet? His poor child will be welcomed into the world surrounded by ugly furniture.” 

Your lips pressed into a firm line. You had chosen the bassinet when out shopping with your husband. You bought it with your own money too. You thought it was quite cute… It’s cute, right? You waddled off to find your husband. 

“Alhaitham…” Tighnri stood just to the left of the glass door of the small cafe, your favorite cafe. 

Your husband was exiting the door, a small chime from the bell hanging above his head announcing his departure. A brown take-out bag, that contained the padisarah pudding you have been craving for the fourth time this week, clutched firmly in his hand. Alhaitham greeted his fellow colleague with a nod of acknowledgment. 

“I know your wife is pregnant. However, food should be in moderation. Especially sweets. You should know that during pregnancy the change in hormones makes it harder for the body to control its levels of-”

The ashen-haired man raised one hand, signaling for the other to halt their lecture. 

“I acknowledge your expertise and advice. However, time is precious and to save both of ours, I invite you to take this debate up with my wife. To warn you beforehand, you will lose.” 

Tighnari let out a huff of exasperation, steps heading in the direction of your shared home with Alhaitham. Surely you were more reasonable than your Alpha husband at the moment. Tighnari knew it was in their primal instincts to pamper their mates, caving into any demand no matter how unreasonable or troublesome. 

The head secretary has always been a rather level-headed individual in his eyes, sometimes to a fault, so it must just be his instincts influencing his actions. Tignari even heard from a certain blond that the ashen-haired man had given him the deadliest glare because the architect had critiqued your taste in home decor. 

“It’s normal for people to have cravings during their pregnancies, and for the most part, it’s harmless. However, there is a whole misconception about the saying ‘eating for two’. In truth, you only need about an extra glass of milk and an extra pita pocket a day. You are feeding a small-”

Alhaitham stared ahead at the path in front of him, doing his best to tune out the ramblings of the shorter man walking beside him. He had one purpose, and that was to deliver your padisarah pudding to you. 

–

Tighnari was now walking in the direction of his own home, spirit shaking a bit. Like always, Alhaitham’s prediction was flawless. He lost. The defiant blank gaze you gave him at the doorway of your house was enough to make the ebony-haired Alpha stop his clearly unsolicited advice. In the end, you got your pudding.

“That is all I have to report. Now that you have this knowledge, I trust that you will be able to decide if this proposition is fair or not. Here are the files for you to look through.” The ivory-haired Alpha placed the stack of papers on the smooth desk. 

“Understood. Thank you for the report, Cyno.” Alhaitham gathered the paperwork into his hands, beginning to skim through the contents. 

His teal-orange eyes soon left the crisp papers, peering at his colleague with an inquisitive glance. It wasn’t like the head lawyer to remain in his office after he finished delivering his information. 

“Is there any more you would like to discuss?” 

“Yes, I have prepared a gift for your child.” Cyno reached into his blazer pocket. 

Alhaitham hid his sigh. Your home was already littered with so many gifts and baby items, it was troublesome keeping the floors clear of any potential tripping hazards. You were now in your third trimester, slow steps more focused on your balance and the ache in your lower back than paying attention to the floor. 

Your husband wonders if he should have waited until he applied for maternity leave to tell his closest colleagues about your pregnancy. 

“Here.” Cyno handed him an engraved box.

Was this a TCG card case? Alhaitham’s unreadable eyes shifted between the case and the head lawyer’s eager eyes. Really, he should’ve expected this, he is already well aware of the tan Alpha’s obsession with the card game. 

“Thank you.” Your husband took the gift from the awaiting hand. 

“I custom-made the deck to be as beginner friendly as possible. Even still, these cards are staples in the game so this deck will be solid regardless of the changing meta. I made sure to have every card laminated as young children don’t know restraint. The box is also custom-made, it is made from solid wood but any sharp edges have been rounded out.”

“You didn’t have to go through so much unnecessary trouble.” Alhaitham wishes that Cyno didn’t. 

“Since most gifts have been either for your wife or for the child, I have prepared a gift for you as well.” Cyno reached into his inner coat pocket. 

This was unexpected. Your husband observed the tan man pull out a small journal. Stationary? You had already gifted Alhaitham a lifetime supply, but they were for only very important situations. So this could be a welcomed addition.

“I wrote down some of my best jokes for you to tell.” 

Nevermind. Alhaitham didn’t even want to reach for the small notebook. Cyno places it on top of the desk. 

“It’s unnecessary.” 

“It will help pass the time while entertaining your child. Your wife has been pregnant for a while now, it must feel like an maternity.” 

“...”

“Did you not get it? It’s because ‘maternity’ sounds like ‘eternity’ and-”

“I am very busy, head lawyer. Please excuse yourself from my office.”  

 Alhaitham was aware of the concept of ‘pregnancy glow’ from the anatomical journals he read some time ago. However, seeing it in person was much different from what the book had described. Another example of how learning purely from books is not enough. 

You were radiant, features softer and skin glowing. The aura around you has also been much gentler, likely attributed to your constant drowsiness and lack of stress from work as you were now on maternity leave. More often than not, Alhaitham finds it hard to keep his hands off of you.

 Resting an open hand on your round belly, feeling the subtle shifts of your child as he reads. Hugging you from behind as you cook, it’s to support the baby he reasons. He offers his chest as a pillow whenever sleep calls for you regardless if it was on the couch, you needed your rest.

However, there’s a caveat: others can’t seem to keep their hands off you either. 

“Oh! What a strong kick! I think they have real potential for dance.” Nilou exclaimed as she felt your belly. 

“Haha, what a meddlesome kid already. Kicking your poor mommy.” Dehya also had one hand resting a top. 

“It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it’s a good sign that they’re healthy and strong.” You let out a small sigh. 

“Here, have another pillow to support you” Candace placed the soft cushion behind your back, relieving some of the pressure. 

“Thank you, Candace. Even though I’m going to become a mother soon, it seems you’ll always be the mom of our group.” You giggled, giving your friends a wide smile. 

“Oh, you flatter me too much.” Candace chuckled, joining the rest in feeling your round bump. 

Alhaitham sat in your usual spot on the adjacent sofa, trying to read his book. However, his teal eyes couldn’t help but peer over at the hands that were plastered all over your belly. Although his gaze remained neutral, his lips were slightly pressed into a line. Their hands didn’t need to linger for that long he surmises. 

–

“Have a safe trip back!” You bid your friends goodbye, it was nice to have visitors when you couldn’t leave the house easily. 

Alhaitham closes the front door after their figures disappeared into the distance, offering his muscular arm to support you. You gladly accepted, as your feet and joints sang with relief as pressure was shifted off of them. Slowly strolling down the hall back to the living room. 

Alhaitham presses a soft kiss against your temple, a clever diversion from his true intentions. He couldn’t help the frown that formed on his lips or the scrunch of his nose. Your friends had drenched you in their scent, overpowering your subtle fragrance. Tsk, this is why others should keep their hands to themselves. 

“Let's take a shower. Of course, I’ll assist you.” 

“Mm? Haitham, it’s pretty early. We haven’t even had dinner.” 

“I’ll help you wash your hair as well.” 

“Haitham-”

“I’ll massage your shoulders and feet afterward.” 

“... Fine… remember to use the lotion as well.” 

“Of course.” 

There was no reason to be nervous even as your due date grew closer and closer. A room at the Bimarstan has already been reserved. He had already prepared a hospital bag with extra clothes, blankets, and toiletries. Alhaitham also packed some books in there was well. However, as you began to count down the days, it’s hard not to notice the anticipation in the air. You were very much ready to meet your child and to finally not be pregnant anymore. 

“Do you think the child will be more like you or me?” You turned to face your husband as he lay in bed. 

“It doesn’t matter. As long as they’re healthy.” Alhaitham tucks a quilt from the nest up to your chin. 

“Oh? I think that if our child looks like you but has my personality, they’d be quite popular.” You pondered out loud. 

“Mm.” Alhaitham pulls you closer to him from behind, resting his chin atop your head. 

“Then if they resemble you, it's best that they have my personality. Lest our peaceful lives will be disrupted by a constant stream of suitors at the door.” He entertains your musing. 

Your soft giggle jingles through the air as you stroked your belly, his hands soon join yours. A comfortable silence encapsulated the two of you, his soft caresses lulling your heavy lids closed. This was the sweet calm lull of normalcy, and you both were satisfied. 

Alhaitham had closed his eyes, only for them to snap open with the sudden jolt of your body. Did the baby kick again? They sure are disruptive, he can already feel the long sleepless nights to come. However, there were still a few days to stock up on as much rest as possible. 

“Haitham, I think my water broke.” 

Nevermind. 

–

 You were holding onto his hand with an iron-clad grip, crushing his fingers together. However, he knew this was barely scratching the surface of the discomfort you were currently experiencing. If he could, Alhaitham would bare all your pain himself. 

However, he couldn’t so he’ll sit beside you in the Bimarstan, brushing the hair out of your sweat-socked face and whispering sweet nothings to encourage your efforts. You’ve been in labor now for about four hours. Alhaitham has decided that the first thing your child learns to write will be a thank you letter addressed to you. 

You were trying to keep your breathing as stable as possible, practicing the technique the midwife taught you. Put the pain of the contractions always broke your streak, making you have to start from the beginning to try and steady your breath. The midwives and doctors were encouraging you to push as hard as you could. You already were, but you took a deep breath and then held onto it. Giving it your all. 

--

“WWAAHHHHH!” 

A loud, piercing, yet beautiful cry echoed off the walls. 

“It's a boy!” The doctors announced. 

--

“He’s got quite the set of lungs.” You giggled, tears still pooling at the corners of your eyes. Cradling your newborn. 

Alhaitham only let out a gentle hum, resting his head on your shoulder as he gazes at his son. Eyes as soft as the little one’s plump cheeks. It was quite a riveting experience, how can one fall in love with a little stranger so quickly? 

“No more full nights rest for us when we return home, huh.” You rested your head on top of his ashen hair, smiling as you continued to stare at your little bundle. 

Your husband lets out a soft mixture of a hum and a chuckle. He’s already prepared himself to sacrifice sleep in order to nurture this little bond created between the two of you. 

To your surprise and his great delight, your child sleeps through the nights well. A little too well. You had been released from the Bimarstan just a few days ago, the doctors all said your child was healthy. However, you couldn’t help but stare at him as if you were in a trance. 

“Come to bed, your body needs the rest to heal.” His warm touch grasped the sides of your shoulders, as Alhaitham pressed his face into your neck. Trying to lure you back. 

“Yes, I know but… just a little while longer.” You reached a hand up to tussle through his soft locks. 

Your eyes never stopped observing the small ups and downs of your little bundle of joy as he slept. Well, the face he made earlier when you had woken him up for his regular feedings sure wasn’t one of joy. He’s just like his father, grumpy when disturbed from the sweet embrace of sleep. But he needed to feed every three hours if he was to grow up healthily. 

“He’s quite a lot like you. A deep sleeper.”

“Oh? I think he’s quite like you, Haitham. You should’ve seen the mean mug he gave me.”

“I never scowl at you.”

“Yes, but you’re grumpy when woken up.”

“Hmph.” Your husband buries his face deeper into your nape. Teal eyes never breaking their gaze from the child you’ve gifted him. 

The air was quiet, yet warm and sweet. It was well past your preferred bedtime, but strangely not a single muscle felt tired as two pairs of eyes continued to study the small moments of his chest. 

“Should we head to bed now, Haitham?”

“Mm, perhaps a few more minutes wouldn’t make a drastic difference.” 

Fin~

[l0vergirlsw0rld]

day six: frotting | NSFW MDNI 18+

Poker night had somehow become a new addition to yours and Logan's routine. Wasn't exactly your favourite evening activity, but it had its perks. The usual crowd had gathered, filling each kitchen chair—Logan huffing and rolling his eyes the entire night, Remy showing off with his absurdly slick card tricks, Hank meticulously counting the odds with every hand, Wade being, well, Wade with his relentless commentary, Colossus chiming in with his positive quotes, and Scott... taking everything way too seriously, as always.

Remy, in his dramatic fashion, shuffled the deck like he was putting on a magic show. The cards flipped, danced, and slid between his fingers effortlessly, pulling everyone’s attention to his performance. You couldn’t help but smirk at how extra it all was, as he did this every single time.

“Quit showin’ off and deal already,” Logan grumbled, taking a long swig of his beer. Poker night wasn’t exactly his thing, but he never missed a week. Something about camaraderie, or maybe he just liked to keep an eye on the chaos Wade tended to stir up. You’d tagged along tonight, hoping for some girl company, but you ended up being the only one there, keeping yourself entertained in the dark corner of the room.

Your distraction? Mary Puppins—the ugliest, yet somehow endearing dog you'd ever laid eyes on. Her tongue perpetually hung out, and with her awkward, patchy fur, she looked like she was judging everyone in the room. You found yourself obsessed with her absurd charm, petting her while the poker game carried on behind you.

“Y/N,” Logan’s deep voice cut through the low buzz of conversation, but you were too infatuated with the dog to catch it.

“Kid,” he called again, a bit louder this time, using the nickname that always got your attention.

You looked up, meeting his intense gaze from across the room. His brow arched slightly, and with a gesture as casual as it was commanding, he patted his thigh. “C’mere.”

You stood up, leaving Mary Puppins in her half-asleep state, and padded over to him. Straddling his thick thigh, you kept your feet on the floor, trying not to put too much weight on him, but Logan had other plans. His hands found your hips, pulling you firmly down until your feet were dangling, leaving you fully perched on his leg.

“You weigh nothin’. Relax,” he muttered low, his lips brushing your ear as his deep voice sent shivers down your spine. The familiar scent of cigar smoke, whiskey, and that earthy, woodsy musk that was all him surrounded you, making you melt into his sturdy frame.

The guys were deep into the game now, all their attention on the cards, poker chips scattered across the table, beer bottles clinking occasionally. The air was thick with smoke, swirling lazily under the kitchen light.

Your unofficial role for the night? Holding Logan’s cards, passing him chips, clipping his cigars, and fetching him another drink whenever he grunted for one. It wasn’t exactly thrilling, but being close to him like this made it worthwhile. The game dragged on—poker nights always did—but sitting in Logan’s lap made the time pass more easily, especially with his arm draped protectively over your waist, keeping you flush against him.

Then, there was a shift. You started feeling... restless. Maybe it was the pressure of your jeans pressing right where you wanted it, or maybe it was how absurdly hot Logan looked while dominating the poker table. Either way, the heat between your thighs was starting to spread, your body responding in ways that you hadn’t anticipated.

Subtly, you began shifting your hips against his leg. It was a small, innocent movement at first—barely noticeable—but the friction was immediate, sending a spark of electricity shooting up your spine. You pressed your core more firmly against his muscled thigh, feeling the delicious hardness beneath you. A soft heat pooled in your belly, and before you knew it, your panties were damp, your arousal growing with every tiny movement.

You bit down on your lower lip, trying to keep your composure. The last thing you needed was for the rest of the table to catch on to what you were doing. But Logan wasn’t so oblivious. His grip on your hips tightened, and he leaned forward, his lips brushing the shell of your ear.

“What the hell do you think you’re doin’?” His voice was a low rasp, his breath hot against your skin. The growl in his tone made your pulse quicken.

Without missing a beat, you rolled your hips again, pressing yourself harder against his thigh, hitting that perfect angle that sent a fresh wave of pleasure through you. A blush spread across your cheeks, the heat rising fast as you bit back a quiet gasp. You weren’t trying to get this worked up, but now it was too late.

Logan’s response was immediate. You felt him harden beneath you, the unmistakable bulge growing as your movements riled him up. His grip on your hips became almost possessive, and you knew you were driving him just as crazy as you were.

The others had no clue what was happening. They were too wrapped up in the game, the music, and their own chatter. But beneath the table, a much different game was unfolding.

Logan’s chin came to rest on your shoulder, his eyes trailing down the front of your shirt, clearly focused on the curve of your cleavage. His breath was hot against your neck as he whispered, “You’re gonna pay for this later, y’know that?”

You shivered, your body practically vibrating with anticipation, knowing damn well that you wouldn’t mind paying whatever price he had in mind.

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[sol-aranea]

Card Spring

gambit x nonverbal! reader

WARNINGS: gender neutral reader, extreme spoilers for episode 2, badly written dialogue for Remy, grief, the reader goes nonverbal, not proofread, complete fluff, self indulgent, I needed comfort.

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT!!!!

After Storm leaves, a nonverbal reader sticks to their room, playing with old cards she’d given them. Gambit decides to teach them some tricks to try to cheer them up.

My eyes focus solely on the cards in my hands. The red and black letters and numbers flash as I try to spring them from one hand to the other. At least one always finds its way on my blanket. My legs crossed, they fall into the space in my lap, semi-contained until a knock forces me out of my daze. The cards fly from my hands, scattering on the mattress and falling to the floor. I sniffle, climbing down desperately to gather them as quickly as I can. The door opens as I find my favorite card, one that Remy had painted. The Ace of Hearts is painted over, the black paint hiding the original art. A bright red heart is centered, an anarchy symbol in the middle. I tucked it into the deck silently, my chest tightening as I find the Ace of Spades, the one Ororo had painted. The light blue is combined with white lightning that intersects to create an ‘A’. Her line work was made up of words she wanted to convey to me. She spoke of our friendship, our sibling-hood, the reasons why she gave me the deck. Tears fell for the fourth time that day when I saw the card.

The Ace of Clubs and the Ace of Diamonds both lay on the bed, unpainted. Logan and Rogue were supposed to paint theirs, but never got around to it. Logan’s had a thin white base coat, the letters still seen through the first and only coat. He’d gotten bored, and got up and left Remy, Ororo, and I at the table where we were painting. 

“Cher?” Remy’s voice shocked me out of my thoughts. I looked up, finding him in my doorway, a concerned look on his face. He must’ve saw my red and puffy eyes, and decided to enter. I finished gathering my cards, and nestled myself back into the nest of blankets I’d made. He sat down on the edge of my bed tenderly, his usual joking demeanor gone. “Jean says you’re not talkin’?” I didn’t look at him, instead opting to try to spring the cards again. I tried with my hands closer than before, being more careful to not let them fall. I still failed.

“Like that nonverbal thing you was talkin’ about?” He tilted his head, trying to see my reaction. I nodded, semi-successfully springing in the meantime. I lost a few cards, but not nearly as many as the previous attempts. Remy’s eyes fell to my hands, recognizing the deck immediately. He watched me struggle for a minute before scooting closer to me. He used some spare blankets to make himself a nest, and leaned in to watch my “technique.”

“Mon ami, what is this hand doing?” He sighed, pointing at my left hand. I demonstrated how I was catching the cards with the hand, and he shook his head. “You want your pinky out like this,” he stuck out his own hand, showing how he would hold the deck himself. “That way, the cards can’t fall out your hand.”

When I tried the way he showed me, I lost less cards. I smiled a little, testing the new hold. After a minute, he nodded. “Good! Now, that other hand? Needs work.” He pulled his own deck from his pocket, explaining how to hold the cards so that there was air between each card, making it easier to make each individual card spring on it’s own. “This makes the cards not go all choppy. Makes it smooth!” I nodded, observing his hands closely. 

Half an hour passed, and my tears were dry, and I had a decent deck spring under my belt. I smiled at Remy, and he grinned back. “On the road to becomin’ me!” He went quiet for a minute, watching me practice before he spoke up.

"It's gonna be okay." He said quietly. "We're gonna get 'er back." I looked down at my cards, nodding sullenly. "She's gonna be okay." I wiped my tears away and sniffed. She would want me to be strong about this. Remy smiled when I tucked my cards into their box and removed myself from my nest.

"You want some beignets?" He grinned when I nodded, and threw his arm around my shoulder. As he led me out of my room, I tucked my deck into my pocket, deciding to use it as a reminder of who I was fighting for in the battles to come.

[whimsi-clown]

What's the Best Way to Start a Story? Ah, yes. Death.

Part 1 of the Reverse lsekai Disney Villains x Modern Reader AU

(That I made on a whim)

Warning: Lots of Curse Words and a bit OOC

In a series of unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you view things) events, your eccentric rich bitch of an employer had just died.

Sad, I know. But they had it coming. Sorta.

Nobody really liked them. They were, to put it bluntly, an asshole of the highest degree, and they didn't have any living relatives or descendants.

As such, with you being the only person in existence who still stuck by them, gave a shit about them, and had the balls to deal with all of their bullshit, they decided to leave you with their inheritance.

From their large plot of land to their unrealistically big ass mansion with a private beach close by, along with everything inside of it. Money included.

It was all yours for the taking, and you were all too eager to accept.

At this point, you had everything you needed to live the life of your dreams. A large plot of land, a mansion, a near infinite amount of money.

Now, all you needed left in this big and lonely mansion...

Was companionship...

...

Yea, no. We'll skip that for now.

So, with that in mind, after setting down the remaining boxes of your belongings that you had just brought in, you decided to stroll through the halls of the place, eager to familiarize yourself with your new home.

Your eyes perking in interest as you spot a door that you had never seen before, curiously entering it with a new wave of excitement as to what you could find (or possibly sell) on the other side.

Nothing could ruin this day for you!

.

.

.

.

.

Something has just ruined this day for you.

You groaned, dragging your hands down your face as 12 of the most iconic Disney Villains settled on the set of couches before you with crossed arms, disgruntled expressions, and glares aimed your way.

Maleficent sat on the lone couch to your left, while Grimhilde, the evil queen, sat on the other couch to your right, both looking at you with displeased glares.

On the main couch sat Ursula, Cruela De Vil, Dr. Facilier and Jafar. All sharing the same disgruntled expression, like they have better things to do than be in this predicament.

And those who decided to stand behind the couch were Hades, Captain Hook, Shan Yu, and Gaston. All of them with their arm crossed.

Finally, seated on the carpeted floor before the couches are Scar and Oogie Boogie. Who looked bored out of their minds.

You let out yet another groan.

How did you end up in this situation again??

Ah, right. The mysterious room.

For those of you who are wondering, here's what went down literal hours ago.

You had entered what looked like an old storage room, flicked the light switch on, and discovered that it was filled to the brim with various antiques and junk.

Looking around, you felt like a kid in a candy store, discovering the various curious objects that your former employer collected, lining each shelf.

Everything was so interesting (and sellable) to you.

But what stood out to you the most, though, was an assortment of random items set up on a row of pedestals.

A staff broken in half, a shattered mirror, an unlit greek looking torch lying on its side, a dusty lamp, a tarnished silver hook, a vintage hunting rifle, an old scattered deck of tarot cards, a weird wavy looking sword (a quick google search informed you that it was a serrated jagged jian), a lion skull (not even gonna question how your employer got their hands on these ethically), a gold nautilus shell necklace, an exotic black and white fur coat of some animal (again, not gonna question how they were ethically acquired), and finally a set of red hand carved dices.

With a wide shit eating grin and dollar signs in your eyes, you decided on the spot that these would definitely sell for a large amount of money and decided to take a picture of them to post online.

However, before you could take the shot, you realized something.

No one would buy any of this junk if you sell them as they looked now, like junk!

So, with a new goal in mind, you quickly set out to grab whatever cleaning materials you could find.

And when you came back, you glued together the two broken parts of the staff, put back the pieces of the shattered mirror back in place, set the unlit greek torch up, rubbed the dust off of the lamp, polished the silver hook, cleaned the vintage hunting rifle, stacked and rearanged the deck of tarot cards, sharpened the weird wavy sword, dusted the lion skull, washed the gold nautilus shell pendant in soapy water, and brushed the exotic fur coat.

When all was done, you stood back with your hands on your hips, a prideful grin stretching across your face at having cleaned all of the useless junk before you.

If only you had the same amount of energy and enthusiasm when it comes to cleaning the rest of your house.

You were about to take a picture again when you realized you weren't completely done. There was still one item left.

The pair of red dice.

You stared down at the dices in contemplation. For some reason, something about them didn't seem to sit right with you.

One dice had a six facing up, while the other had a five. Making it an eleven in total.

You grabbed the dices, shaking them around in the palm of your hand and without much of a thought, threw them onto its pedestal. Watching as it rolled on the surface before stopping, both dices landed on a one.

Snake eyes.

All of a sudden, the lights in the room started to flicker and turn off completely, leaving you in the dark.

You cursed under your breath as you were about to turn the flashlight on your phone when you noticed that the dices were glowing green, like one of those shitty glow in the dark star stickers you had as a kid.

Suddenly, the dices weren't the only thing glowing as the fur coat was glowing white, followed by the shell pendant glowing gold, the lion skull glowing green, the sword glowing a dull blue, the tarot deck glowing purple, the hunting rifle glowing red, the hook glowing gold as well, the lamp glowing red too, the torch glowing blue which also lit up in blue flames on it's own, the mirror glowing purple, and finally the staff glowing green.

Each of the items slowly hovered in the air, wind seeming to pick up around you despite the lack of windows, and then suddenly a burst of green smoke spread throughout the room, temporarily blinding you as you coughed into your fist.

You swatted your hands around to clear the smoke, rubbing your teary eyes when a sound caught your attention. Not just any sound, it was the sound of a person, no, people! It was the sound of people!

When the smoke finally cleared, you were greeted by the sight of a dogpile of people, all groaning and moaning in pain, some muttering curses under their breaths as they struggled to get up from their current positions.

"Get off of me, you fools!"

A comanding feminine voice exclaimed.

"Ugh, you first, I can feel you stepping on my tail."

Another masculine voice grumbled.

"Ugh, get your slimey apendeges off of me, woman!"

Another masculine voice exclaimed in disgust.

"For the last time. It's not slime, you narcissistic oaf, it's mucus!"

Yet another feminine voice retorted.

"She's actually right, ya know? It's mucus, not slime. Had to learn that the hard way."

Yet another masculine voice says, agreeing with the person who spoke before them.

Whilst they were still arguing with one another, you figured now would be a great time to escape, slowly backing away, careful not to make a sound when you flinch as your back hits something sturdy and warm.

With a nervous gulp, you slowly crained your neck up only to see a tall gray skinned man with shark like teeth and blue flames for hair, looking down at you with a wide toothy grin.

"Hey there, nice to meet cha', you goin' somewhere, babes?"

The gray man asked in a casual tone, a hint of a threat hidden beneath it. Before you could respond, you yelped in surprise as you were suddenly grabbed by the back collar of your shirt and lifted a few feet away from the ground.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?~"

You froze as you were suddenly face to face with a big talking sack, your face growing pale when you noticed a centipede crawling out of its open stitched mouth.

The thing before you seemed to notice this, grinning even wider as they brought you closer to its face.

"What's wrong, little one? You feeling ssscaareeddd?~"

A snake had just slithered out of its mouth like a tongue and hissed at you as it trailed off the word 'scared'. Which made you scream as you kicked at his face in response, causing the thing to drop you as it held its face in pain.

"UGH! YOU LITTLE-"

The commotion seemed to finally catch the others' attention, finally registering your presence.

Before you could run off and escape, though, a tendril of black smoke wrapped around you, restricting your movement as it pulled you closer to the blue flame headed guy who merely chuckled as you thrashed around in his grip, successfully getting your arms out before trying to tug and yank the rest of the smokey tendrils off of you.

"Hey, fellas, I think I found the culprit to our little... Heh, predicament..."

The blue flame haired guy announced as he pulled you closer to him and grabbed ahold of your cheeks with one hand, forcing you to face the rest of the group.

The rest of them then approached, crowding around and glaring down at you.

"So you're the reason why we're in this mess... Speak. Why have you brought us here?"

The beautiful woman before you asked, no, commanded. Her pose is regal and sophisticated even as she looks down on you. She wore a golden crown atop her head, with a purple velvet dress and a black cape.

Your face morphed in confusion as you stared up at her, practically scanning her features.

For some reason, you feel like you've met her before.

You turn to the others as well, scanning them from head to toe.

A tall mean looking lady with greenish skin and black horns, a grumpy arabian guy dressed in red and black, a big intimidating asian dude, a woman with melanie martinez's hair but if she were emo, a guy that looks like a himbo, a fat drag queen with tentacles and light purplish skin, twinkish looking man with a fancy hat dressed in all red, twinkish looking man with a fancy hat no. 2 dressed in all purple, and a literal fucking lion.

After staring at the crowd before you, you turned your head back to properly look at the other three you had just met. The fat sack of creepy crawlies, the shark teethed flame head, and the literal fucking queen.

Stupid. That's what you currently felt. Not scared, not happy. Stupid.

How could you not recognize the people before you?? They were your literal childhood before you grew out of them. Gods, you felt so dumb for not realizing it sooner!

They were all Disney Villains!

Noticing that you seemed disappointed about something rather than fearful of their presence, the villains turned to one another with looks of confusion. Not used to this kind of reaction.

Hades, who still held you hostage decided to shake you out of whatever it is you were so hung up about.

"Oy, kid. You still with us? Kinda rude to just space out on people ya know?"

He asked, successfully snapping you out of your momentary internal berating.

"I... I know you guys..."

You muttered out loud, still in disbelief of the situation.

This caused the villains to smirk and perk up a little smugly, their ego rising at the thought of being recognized by someone they deemed lesser than then. Especially a certain muscle head.

"Ah yes, of course you've heard about the great Gasto-"

"You're all disney villains!"

You unintentionally cut off him off, your eyes widening as you clamped your mouth shut with your hands in realization of your mistake.

The villains were also caught off guard, not by your interruption, but by your statement.

"Disney... Villains?..."

Shan Yu slowly repeated, confusion evident in his tone.

You kept your mouth clamped shut, refusing to respond until a silver hook was pressed against your neck.

"You better spill, little one, or I'll slice through that pretty little neck of yours, and you don't want that now, do you?"

Captain Hook threatened, pressing his hook closer to your neck, nearly breaking the skin.

That was what led to all of you gathered in the living room, after begging asking to be released so you could explain to them, glancing at each disney villain from Maleficent to Oogie Boogie.

When Oogie Boogie noticed that you had glanced down at him, he sent you an eerie grin that made shivers crawl down your spine.

Out of all the Disney Villains present, He unsettled you the most.

The other's existence was reasonable and made sense to you.

Evil human beings of higher power and capabilities? Fine. A literal dark fae, an octupus lady, and a greek god? Good. A talking lion? Amazing. But a literal walking, talking, sack of bugs?

Burn it to the ground.

You take in a deep breath, exhaling through your nose in an effort to stay calm (spoiler alert it is not working) as you face the group of animated evil doers come to life with an uneasy smile.

"So... What would you like to know first?"

End of Part 1

Next Part

[sunny-mercya]

A mere Human

Sting Eucliffe x Male Reader

Fandom -> Fairy Tail

Masterlist

When Sting had meet you—accidentally during one of his missions—he thought, you too were a child of the dragons. With your complexion of beauty and the way you spoke, so mighty end elegantly as if you belonged to a upperclass—royalty even—family, you easily could be counted as such.

You weren't.

Sting notice that soon enough, bringing a roar—one of deep buried down in the guts—of anger out of him. Not because of you, you weren't at faults here, but at your "Master" or to be more precisely—your handler.

The handler, who had requested the help—and belonged to a guild, which was more a tribe of fanatics worshippers and dark mages—had asked Sting to help him bring you closer to the true power of the Water-Dragon.

You weren't an actual child of the Dragons—like Rouge, Natsu or him—you're just a mere human. Meant to be sacrificed to the deities above.

Sting was baffled, couldn't understand how humans could be so absurd cruel to their own kind. Neither did he understand the ritual they were doing to you. Though what Sting understood—a sort of desire, like a small flame it felt like—that he had to save you. Even if it meant buying you. Prices, how ever high, wouldn't matter to him.

The price was high, so ridiculous high that it took Rouge and Minerva 4 hours to bring it down to an affordable price of 50,000 Jewels (original price, 9950,000,00) for you and Sting had proudly claimed it had been worth all these Jewels.

~~~

Half a year later since Sting had brought you into freedom and yet you're still the same skittish boy with an servant like mindset, when he first had met you and it drove Sting always into a fit of upcoming anger.

Rouge had reminded him over and over again, that it would take some time, effort and patience to break those patterns from you—but Sting wasn't known to be a patience person and when he had cornered you—one day when you were about to clean something again—you got into fright so much that you wailed shrill into a sobbing and released a weeks downpour of heavy rain.

Sting pinched the bridge of his nose, massaging it slightly to ease the pressuring ache of annoyance which keeps building up. Just watching you, how you kneeled on the floor—head down, which gives your neck and back pain again and Sting knows that means another steaming hot bath, looking focused on some simple old card game in front of you—was turning the once felt annoyance into anger again.

Of course, Sting was and would never be angry at you—only at your past handlers, who made you into this mess of anxious fright and dumbly strict following every rule and command—but sometimes the fuel of up staggering annoyances, does made it look like as if Sting was angry with you.

»Oi! [Name], how about we take a stroll around town?«

»We can't, Master Sting. It's getting dark and it rains.«

Sting wanted to laugh at the paradoxical answer you gave him. Someone like you, who could—even when it's unintentional—do weather magic, was not a fan of rain is surely a silly thing to say.

He didn't laughed, decided to sigh out instead. Knowing well the story behind your distaste of rain, which he truthfully had gotten from Minerva—because somehow, for whatever reason, you spoke more with Rouge and Minerva than him and it makes Sting only slightly jealous.

Being forced to create a heavy downpour and than having to sit in said rain for month, was a new form of punishment—Sting didn't knew existed till now.

»Fine. At least sit on the bed to look at those stupid cards. Please.« Sting scoffed

Wordlessly you scoped up the cards in your hands and stood up—making your bones crack and snap sickeningly loud—taking a seat on the bed, next to Sting and holding the card deck now—letting a silence emit between the two of you.

Sting sprung up from the bed, turning to you and ripping the cards out of your hands—throwing them onto the ground, making them scatter around in a mess—face visible morphing into a violent expression of rage.

»Why are you like this?! Why can't you be normal for once, huh?! You know what, don't fucking answer at all! I have enough, fucking enough!«

With an uproar of curses and nasty words towards you, Sting took ahold of your wirst, gripping them tightly and pulling you up—with such a force, that a whine escaped your lips—from the bed and out of the room.

Marching through the guild towards the front door with you, Sting sneered at everyone who comes across his way—especially at Rouge and Minerva, who came running to him and demanding to let you go.

»Sting. Let [Name] go.«

»And why should I?«

»Because you're frightening him.«

»Oh really? Well, that's the only thing he's good enough for, being a little whiny boy. He's so fucking useless and pathetic, annoys me to no end!«

»Sting! Don't you dare!« but Rouge's objections to whatever Sting was planning to do with you, felt on deaf ears.

Sting had opened the door, throwing you outside into the rainy darkness—telling you not to dare to come back inside at all, if you hadn't learned to be useful.

~~~

The heavy downpour—filled with so much sadness—hadn't stopped even weeks after, flooding the riverbanks and streets into a small ocean like lake—the water almost knee high and fishes already been seen swimming in it.

Minerva stood before you, umbrella held above the both of you, looking down at you—and your bone drenched, shivering and trembling mess of bodily limps form—with an expression of minimal sympathy and concern.

In Minerva eyes, you looked rather pathetic and pitiful—a weakling like a newborn is what you are—but that's your charm, Minerva mused, which makes her—kinda, in a sibling like way, after all you too are a child of the water—like you.

»Don't you want to come back inside?« she asks, voice lacking from any kind emotion to speak.

Rouge and Minerva had tried many times, to convince you to come back inside, but all their attempts had been futile—as you didn't want to leave your spot, wouldn't bug with whatever way of sugarcoating and bribery they tried—and they both came to the point, where neither of them wanted to continue with such time consuming wasting.

»No. I can't. Not till Master Stings allows me to.« you uttered in a whisper, voice hoarsely meek.

Minerva sighed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head—should have expected your standard answer.

Despite what Sting had said to you, Minerva knew he hadn't exactly—really not all—meant it in such way, not fully at least—only a small portion of it perhaps, but otherwise it was just the anger which spoke volumes out of Sting.

But without you, Sting was a mess too—lounging around and nagging about boredom and how lonely—especially in bed, without his personal heater and cuddle buddy, which he only begrudgingly admits—he felt, but Sting is too proud and arrogant—in his own selfish way—to say such things, those signs of weakness for a an might Dragon-Slayer, out loud.

»Alright. I come by later then.« Minerva walked away and leaving you by your lonesome once again.

If Sting, Minerva mused in her thoughts—while getting back inside the guild—only wouldn't be so egotistical dumb.

[iitsarss]

𓎟𓎟 reader x gr13f3r　 messy room　 ◞ ◟

ꔛ word count: 784⠀╱⠀established relationship 。

(¬_¬")⠀⠀⠀note ⠀╱⠀idk how to write i just did this,based of one of my bots lol srry if he isn't acurrate

After six agonizing months, Griefer—also known as Brad—was finally free.He had spent far too long in that stuffy hospital, and now, at last, he could return to his normal life. Video games, beating up people who annoyed him, and most importantly, spending time with you! Sure, you had visited him every day in the hospital,—which also ended in you both crying while hugging and Griefer apologizing for everything, although he would never mention it again in his life, it was way too embarrassing or at least that's what he thought—putting that aside, for Griefer it wasn’t the same when you visited him in the hospital.He missed the....freedom.

Today was different though; it was a perfect day for a date! The sun was shining, the heat was just right, and after a few hours of hanging out, Griefer felt a sense of ease wash over him. But there was something he had been wanting to ask you for a while now—something that had made him nervous every time it crossed his mind,you haven’t even been once to his place,sure you and Griefer had been dating for a while now,but before the venomshank incident you two only dated for at least 2 months and you haven’t been there even when you only were his friend,he normally told you that his place was “too cool for you to go there”,he was just a stupid asshole,a cute one though.

As you walked side by side, Griefer finally gathered up the courage to ask, his voice slightly hesitant,looking away for some seconds before looking at you.

"S0... W4NN4 C0M3 T0 MY PL4C3? 1 M34N, W3'R3 B0TH K1ND4 T1R3D 4ND 4LL... PLU5 Y0U H4V3 N3V3R B33N TH3R3..."

His heart raced, and a million scenarios played out in his head. What if they said no? What if they didn’t like the idea? What if- 

“Hm,sure,sounds good” You said while giving him the most beautiful smile he had seen in his life—he really was down bad—He let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding—this was his lucky day.

The way to his house,or more precisely room, was very tiring and long, why did he even live in that uh,mountain..? Whatever 

As you both stepped into Griefer's "house," the reality of his living situation hit you like a wave. The place was a total disaster—clothes scattered all over the floor, half-empty snack bags lying around, and sticky Bloxy Cola dripping from a shelf. A deck of cards was scattered across the coffee table, and in the corner sat a giant cage that you knew housed his gorilla mascot. Griefer, with his arm draped casually around your shoulders, didn’t seem too concerned about the mess. He was more nervous about having you over for the first time, and when he glanced at your face, he noticed something: a hint of hesitation or discomfort. He couldn't quite tell.

He stopped in his tracks and removed his arm from around your shoulders to face you, raising an eyebrow with a look of concern.

"H3Y... B4B3, Y0U 0K4Y?"

His voice was soft as he studied your expression, hoping—no, praying—that everything was alright. His fingers fidgeted nervously as he waited for your response.

“Griefer, this place is a mess—”

The words seemed to hit him like a punch to the gut. His face fell, and for a moment, it looked like you had just broken his heart. You felt a pang of guilt, wondering if you should have softened your tone. But it was the truth. You gestured around the room, arms wide open, pointing to the chaos surrounding you. “When was the last time you even cleaned this place?”

Griefer gulped, his eyes darting everywhere except at you, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. God, he was terrible at hiding his anxiety.

"H4—CL34N? PFF7—1T’5 N07 TH47 B4D!"

He looked around the room again, his shoulders sagging as he took in the full extent of the mess. Okay, maybe it was actually really bad. With a resigned sigh, he stepped closer to you, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his head on your shoulder.

"4LRIGHT, 1T'5 K1ND4 B4D—1 PR0M15E 1'LL CL34N 1T."

“Kinda bad?” you teased, raising an eyebrow.

He let out a frustrated grunt. "4LRIGHT, 1T’5 V3RY B4D."

In the end, you convinced him to clean up every corner of the room. He picked up clothes, tossed every can of Bloxy Cola into the trash, and wiped down every shelf. Though he grumbled and complained at first, a few kisses—and a little make-out session—soon had him smiling again, happier than ever to have you by his side.

[hahaifolded]

The Siren, the Cook, and the Sister (6)

Sanji x PirateHunter!FemReader (Masterlist) Chapter 6: Can you Imagine? (Previous) (Next) Summary: An acquaintance of yours appears. You try to reconcile with what you just done. Warnings: In-world violence

You knew that voice from anywhere.

“You thought you had me fooled, didn’t you Siren?” it sneered.

Distracted by the earlier commotion, no one saw the approaching Marine warship. Now it stood next to the Thousand Sunny holding an entire Marine battalion with a Vice Admiral at its helm.

“Doberman,” your robotic voice recognized.

“IT’S VICE ADMIRAL DOBERMAN!” shrieked the man into a speaker snail.

Just my fucking luck, you thought. You left Robin’s grasp and walked towards the warship.

With every step, you contemplated your choices. On one end, you could do what you’ve always done and accept your punishment. Maybe if you begged hard enough, they would spare your sister’s life.

Not a chance.

You knew that Doberman wasn’t going to let you or your sister go unscathed. Additionally, the Strawhats were now in danger. With the damage, you inflicted on their ship, the Strawhats were in no position to escape swiftly. As you stopped in front of the warship, you knew exactly what you had to do.

“Anything you want to say for yourself?” asked the Vice Admiral as his battalion scattered on their deck, preparing themselves for battle.

You glanced back at the Strawhats. “I hope this makes us even!” You leaped onto the Marine warship, mask half down and blades out.

———

The Strawhats stood in wonder. In a matter of minutes, the Marine warship was in shambles.

Wow, he really held back on us, thought Sanji. Almost like an acrobat, you flew up and down in the air, using a mixture of sky walk and your scream to maneuver yourself around the enemy ship. Marines scrambled, trying to get away, but it was no use. If you didn’t slice them with your blade, your scream knocked them away. Sanji had to give it to you, you were a strong fighter.

Realizing the opportunity you granted them, Nami called everyone to get ready to escape. Usopp and Franky rushed to repair the most serious damages on the Sunny. Jimbei ran to the wheel, ready for future instructions. Brook rose to the crow’s nest to find the best way out. And Zoro and Sanji manned the sails. With that, the crew was ready to go.

As Chopper checked Nami’s neck, the navigator counted the crew. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-. “Robin,” she called out, “where’s Luffy?”

— — —

With one final scream, you split the warship in two. You landed on the slanted stern of the ship and admired your work. It felt freeing as a source of your torment slowly sank to the sea floor. Doberman can’t snitch on me if he’s too busy taking a dip in the sea, you coyly thought.

Feeling accomplished, you slowly sky walked to the Sunny. However, the closer you got, dread blossomed in your stomach.

Are we good? Like I know I said ‘this makes us even’ but does it? I mean I did try to kill two of their crew mates and did significant damage on their ship. So like if they’re still mad, I can’t blame them… You know what I’ll just grab my chest and go… yeah… grab my chest and go.

You made a beeline to your chest, completely bypassing Robin, Nami, and Chopper. You threw it over your shoulders and bent your knees, ready to sky-walk out of there. You quickly looked at Robin who stared at you with wide eyes. I should give her back her Vivre card… I’m pretty sure she won’t want to see me again. You held back from it. You wanted a small reminder of these past few days… before you messed up.

Before you could get away, however, a long arm suddenly wrapped around your waist. What the--

Suddenly, Luffy crashed into you, causing you to drop your chest and smash into the side railing of the Sunny. In your place stood a proud Luffy carrying multiple white bags. The captain laughed as you groaned in pain.

“Why?” you moaned out.

“I needed something to hold on to,” he answered as if the answer was obvious.

Nami, recognizing the bags, exclaimed, “is that what I think it is?”

“Yep. Berries.”

Nami hugged her captain and squealed in excitement. “Thank you, thank you Luffy! With all of this, we can for sure repair the Sunny and have some leftover!”

“The Sunny? No, this is for the robot hunter.”

“What!”

What?

You shot up in shock. You couldn’t believe your ears.

Also not sure if he heard right, Sanji, dropped down from the sail. “Did I hear you correctly? You’re giving all of these berries to the Siren?” He glared at you, almost looking at you for an explanation.

Luffy scratched his head. “Yeah. To make up for the berries that we used on the Sunny. Is this not enough?” In front of the captain sat four bags of berries, each holding roughly 200 million berries.

Finally coming to your senses, you answered, “more than enough.” You really couldn’t believe the kid. Despite what you did to his ship and crew, he still felt like he had to pay you back for something that he had no part in. Taken aback by his maturity, you decided to follow in his steps.

“Strawhats,” you called out, “I’m truly sorry for attacking you all and damaging your ship.” You directed your attention to the captain and continued, “although I appreciate the gesture, I don’t think it’s right of me to take these berries. I’ve done enough damage to you all already." You felt your face heat up as they all looked at you. “I’ll just take my chest and leave. I wish you all the best of—“

“No.” Luffy interjected. His face was now serious. He slowly approached you and gently laid his hand on your shoulder. You stilled under his grip. Maybe he did want revenge.

“My crew was out of line and as captain, I have to take responsibility for their actions," said the rubber boy. His arm moved from one shoulder and unto the other. Now in his hold, he turned and announced to his crew with a beaming smile, "And besides, you housed and fed us back on that island so the least we can do is take you to your sister! Just let Nami know where and off we go!" And just like that, the boy ran off to who knows where.

"You have to be kidding, Luffy?" argued Sanji as the boy moved towards the top deck. He couldn't believe his captain. While he may have had a point that Usopp and Nami messed up, it didn't mean you were completely innocent. You attacked his crew blindly and brought the Marines with you.

He yelled out loud, "we can't just trust this Marine mutt. For all we know, this is some elaborate plan to capture us."

"No, trust m--" you tried to defend yourself but you were cut off.

"Shut it you! You may have tricked the rest of my crew, but I see you for what you are," accused the cook. He got in your face and continued, "a conniving selfish bastard that hurts others without a second thought. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you're the reason why your sister's hurt."

The reason why... Your ears started to ring... Am I the reason?

Sanji waited for you to lash out. He expected you to end this little charade and show your true colors for everyone to see. Instead, he was met with complete silence as you bowed your head down.

"That's enough, cook," scolded Robin as she placed a hand on your shoulder. Sanji felt the energy shift. As he looked at you, he no longer saw anger incarnated. Instead, it was grief. "Luffy is our captain. Whatever he says goes."

Realizing he crossed a line, Sanji tried to get another word in. But he was interrupted by a loud grumbling.

"SANJIIIII!" whined Luffy from the top deck, "I'm hungry!" He outstretched his arms and grabbed the cook, leaving you to your thoughts.

I knew it. It's all my fault. I messed up. I couldn’t protect her... what kind of sister am I? Your head filled with self-deprecating thoughts. Maybe this Vinsmoke is right. Maybe I am a selfish bastard.

Almost like she read your mind, Robin cradled your face and said, "hey, it's not your fault. You did everything you could for her, okay? So don't blame yourself for something that was out of your control." She pulled you in for a quick hug.

After a few minutes of deep breaths, you were able to clear your head. You couldn't help but feel embarrassed by everything that just transpired. Damn, I need to get my emotions in check.

"Honestly, maybe I should go," you said as you left Robin's grasp.

"No," interjected Nami. That caught you off guard as she was the last person you expected to advocate for you. The navigator approached you with a bright smile. Placing her hand on your shoulder, she continued, "you heard what Robin said, whatever the captain says, goes. So tell me, where are we headed to?"

Word Count: 1520

Previous - Masterlist - Next

Author's Note: I just like word vomiting here. I feel like this chapter was better than the last one, but I also forwent from writing action in this chapter cause damn that last chapter was so hard for me.

Also, I feel like Luffy is a little OC here in terms of his dialogue but not much in his actions. Because, all though I see Luffy as a boy (he's always been younger than me), he's pretty mature for his age so I can see him being like "hey my crew messed up, that's on me." I don't know if y'all will agree or not.

Additionally, I just want to admit that I got the title for this chapter from Hamilton (I unfortunately had a Hamilton phase in high school... but in my defense I wasn't weird weird about it... just normal weird). Cause the whole time I wrote this, the part that goes "forgiveness, can you imagine" from It's Quiet Uptown was in loop in my head.

[ceciditanima]

Helluva Boss fanfiction/thoughts

Call me weird, lmao, but after watching the newest episode, those were my only thoughts. I'm just saying I was permanently 🍃 since I watched it, so writing might lack. Oh well, lmao

The stale air of Blitzø’s apartment hung heavy with the scent of cheap sulfur and regret. Dawn, a sickly yellow smear on the grimy window, barely penetrated the gloom. Empty takeout containers littered the coffee table, testament to another sleepless night. Blitzø himself, sprawled on the threadbare couch, nursed a half-empty bottle of something vaguely alcoholic and decidedly unpleasant. His usual manic energy was absent, replaced by a weary slump. Across the room, Stolas, the former prince of Hell, sat hunched on the edge of the bed, a picture of elegant misery. His usually vibrant plumage seemed dull, his usually sharp eyes shadowed with exhaustion. The opulent silk pajamas he wore did little to mask the profound sadness emanating from him.

This was the aftermath. The aftermath of Stolas’s move-in, the aftermath of a night spent mostly in tense silence punctuated by the occasional, strained attempt at conversation. The aftermath of a fight, a brutal, honest, and ultimately heartbreaking exchange that had left both of them raw and vulnerable. Blitzø’s attempts to lighten the mood – jokes, bad puns, even a desperate rendition of a particularly awful infernal polka – had only served to exacerbate the tension. The argument, sparked by a misplaced coffee mug and escalating into a raw exploration of their insecurities and unspoken feelings, had ended with Blitzø’s unexpected, complete emotional collapse.

Stolas, despite his own turmoil, had been the one to comfort him, a quiet strength in the face of Blitzø’s explosive grief. The intimacy that followed – a fragile, tear-streaked solace – had been both terrifying and exhilarating. They were tangled, a mess of conflicting emotions and unspoken desires. A complicated dance of love and resentment, a battlefield of affection and anger. Their relationship was a constantly shifting landscape, a precarious balance that could shatter at any moment.

The silence in the apartment was thick enough to choke on. Blitzø shifted on the couch, the springs groaning a mournful protest. He swiped a hand across his face, smearing away the remnants of dried tears. The alcohol had dulled the sharp edges of his heartbreak, but the underlying ache remained. He glanced at Stolas, who was now meticulously arranging a scattered deck of playing cards, his movements precise and almost mechanical. The elegant grace of his actions felt jarring against the chaotic mess of the apartment.

“So…” Blitzø began, his voice rough, “about that… thing… last night…” He trailed off, unsure how to navigate the treacherous terrain of their shared vulnerability. The intimacy had been a revelation, a brief respite in the storm of their volatile relationship, yet it left him more confused than ever. Their connection was undeniable, a potent blend of passion and pain, but their unspoken fears and past traumas still loomed large, casting long shadows over their tentative steps toward something more.

Stolas paused in his card-arranging, his gaze meeting Blitzø’s. A flicker of something – vulnerability? Hope? – crossed his usually stoic features. “It… it was unexpected,” he admitted, his voice low. “But… not unwelcome.” He hesitated, then added, almost shyly, “Perhaps… perhaps we should talk about it?”

Blitzø’s chair scraped against the floor as he pushed himself up, the movement abrupt, fueled by a sudden surge of pent-up emotion. He crossed the room in three long strides, the distance shrinking under the weight of his unspoken feelings. Before Stolas could react, Blitzø cupped his face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking Stolas's cheeks. The warmth of his touch seemed to melt away the remaining barriers between them.

The kiss was a whirlwind of desperate need and tender affection. It started slowly, tentatively, Blitzø's lips brushing against Stolas’s with a hesitant gentleness. But the hesitancy quickly vanished, replaced by a raw, passionate hunger. Blitzø deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring the contours of Stolas’s mouth, a silent language of longing and desire. Stolas responded with an equal measure of intensity, his hands finding purchase on Blitzø’s shoulders, pulling him closer. The kiss was a collision of conflicting emotions - anger, hurt, and a deep, abiding love - all intertwined in a desperate, beautiful dance. When they finally broke apart, breathless and flushed, a fragile silence descended, punctuated only by the rapid thump of their hearts. The unspoken words hung in the air between them, thick and heavy with the weight of their shared experience.

The lingering warmth of their kiss still clung to the air between them. Blitzø, his heart still pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs, reached out and gently pulled Stolas closer. The prince leaned into the embrace, his body yielding to Blitzø’s touch with a surprising willingness. There was a vulnerability in Stolas' posture, a quiet surrender that softened Blitzø's heart. He wrapped his arms around Stolas, the embrace both comforting and fiercely possessive. The scent of expensive perfume and sulfur mingled, a strange but oddly alluring combination.

For a long moment, they simply held each other, the silence filled with unspoken emotions. The unspoken questions that had hung between them earlier seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a deeper understanding, a quiet acknowledgment of the complicated bond that tied them together. It wasn't a perfect love, far from it. Their relationship was a precarious balance, a dangerous dance on the edge of a precipice. Yet, in this shared embrace, in the unspoken comfort of their nearness, there was a sense of fragile peace. The weight of their past, the fear of their future, seemed momentarily lessened, replaced by the simple, powerful solace of physical proximity. The warmth of Stolas’s body against his own was a grounding force, anchoring Blitzø to the present moment.

[bluemoonpunch]

Leo Season 2024 Collective Reading

Leo Season 2024: July 22 - August 22

At the very center, the word FARMER lays over The Storm which already paints an interesting picture of the general collective energy that will be at play throughout Leo Season. On one hand, The Storm spells out trouble for the Farmer as plans for the initial plowing and planting of the fields are affected by the sudden change in weather. For other Farmers in Leo Season, this storm, though sudden and loud for everyone equally, suggests refreshed and rejuvenated soil that will only support and amplify the growth of the desired harvest going forward. For everyone, Leo Season will mark some kind of wake-up call or checkpoint of clarification all for the sake of locking into place some of your steps for the journey forward.

At the head of the spread, Gaia puts a focus on the energy of the environment, bringing to mind the soul of Gaia versus the physical form of Mother Earth. This alongside Happy, Happy, the Lizard, and Decision, there’s an emphasis on generating energy, matching energy, and directing or driving energy with deliberate intent, further expanding on that idea of everyone operating as a Farmer in Leo Season.

The Lizard feels like an energetic slingshot that is just buzzing to get moving, with Happy, Happy the one setting the aim and Decision being the bird’s-eye-view of the desired targets that are on display and within reach. With Happy, Happy in such a prominent position, it feels like maintaining a happy or optimistic outlook is crucial for being able to hit the markers of Decision, and may even decide whether or not you see those opportunities at all.

In the image of Decision, the woman in blue mirrors the fairy in blue in Happy, Happy. This affirms the sense of Happy, Happy’s vision being what directs the Lizard’s energy toward Decision, mobilizing her on or toward the chess board or battlefield. In the image of Decision, the golden hues of the chessboard are juxtaposed by the dark shadows of the mysterious doorway in the upper right-hand corner. This cross between light and dark reflects the image and message of the Solar Eclipse on the far right. All together, this seems to put significance on perspective, perception, and your ability to navigate and guide yourself on a path or through a strategy that you have constructed for yourself. Going back to the mix of Farmer and The Storm, this can demonstrate the significance of co-creation and personal alignment with the Universe or natural flow and order alongside personal desire and achievement.

The sign of the Solar Eclipse suggesting shadows over the board, missing links, blindspots on the current path or within the current plans, brings us into the lower half of the reading. Where the top half seems mostly stimulated and illuminated by Fire and Light energy, the lower half of the reading is more steeped in Water energy. At the head there is The Moon, followed by the Third Eye’s Visualisation, the Full Moon in Scorpio, and the Electric Eel. Another Decision card from another deck came out in the center, carrying the same energy of the original one up top, but painted in a different light.

On the lower half, the image of Decision feels like the chess board from up top was shaken up and all of the game pieces were scattered around the table. The image of the lower Decision, showing multiple arrows falling and pointing in different directions, is meant to point to the pressure and overwhelm of decision-making while on the move, and here it feels more like someone’s travel bag was ripped open and spilled out on the floor of the airport.

Full reading with 5 pick-a-card readings to choose from here!

[ragnarokhound]

“Tell me to stay and I will be here for as long as you’ll have me.” for the h/c prompts? 💞

Thank you for the prompts!!! I was going to respond to both of them today but uh. This one got a little out of hand lmao

I hope you enjoy!!

9. “Tell me to stay and I will be here for as long as you’ll have me.”

Jaytim, warnings for: Thoughts of self-harm, canon-typical violence, panic attacks/triggers w/heavy emphasis on breath, Jason being a defensive, self-deprecating asshole <3

---

Jason doesn’t like to think of himself as a couple cards short of a full deck, but some nights? Are harder than others.

It’s so stupid. It’s always so stupid. Half the time it’s not even a trigger— and Jason knows his triggers, intimately. Has them filed away in a corner of his mind so that when the glass descends and his hands stop feeling like they belong to him, he can think to himself, oh, it was the beep of that guy’s wristwatch that set him off. That’s why he needs to be outside right now. That’s why he wants to punch brick until his knuckles are red and white and mangled.

Take tonight for instance.

He was doing his rounds. In between cases and expecting a slow night, when he found some guy getting worked over by a couple of mobsters. This would be easy, he thought. I eat chumps like these for breakfast, he thought. They aren’t even packing.

But a few meaty thwacks in the exact wrong rhythm, followed up by the poor sucker screaming in the exact wrong tone, and he’s left playing fifty-two-card pickup with only jokers to substitute. 

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Bloody shins aren’t as satisfying as busted braincaps no matter what Tim and the other bats say, but relationships are about compromise. He puts the guys in cheap suits on the ground and calls them an ambulance.

Their hapless victim gets a talking to about when it’s smart to borrow from loan sharks (never), directions to Leslie’s clinic (yeah, no, you’re gonna wanna take 15th—), what to say when the Red Hood personally intervenes on your behalf (thank you, strange man, bye), and Jason makes it to a safehouse without once giving in to the burn of the goading green fire in his blood.

See? Compromise.

Now he’s on the couch with blood on his bare knuckles, and the shards of glass in the bathroom are all that remain of his mirror. He sits and tries to breathe, but his brain is full of static; shuffling and shuffling and shuffling the deck but there’s no one to tell him when to stop. He’s not really sure how much time has passed when he hears the quiet whir of his security system shutting down.

There’s a gun in his hand with the safety off, pointed at Tim before the window’s even open.

Tim’s voice is loud in the quiet room, casual and light like the liar he is, but to Jason it still sounds muffled. Boxed up. Buried.

He takes another breath.

“Bad time?”

“Fuck off,” Jason says, just as faux-casual, because that’s what they do.

Only it wheezes out of him instead, thready and weak. The gun shakes in his hand. Tim pauses on the window ledge.

Jason can practically hear the gears whirring as he reassesses the scene: Jason’s bloody knuckles and the distant sound of water still running in the bathroom sink. Haphazard parts of his uniform shucked off almost at random, the helmet nowhere in sight, but his top missing and the holster straps hanging off his waist. 

Air whistles in and out of his tight chest in shallow, streaking streams that get closer and closer together the longer he looks at Red Robin’s expressionless white eye sockets. He knows what Tim sees. 

The silence weighs on him. It pisses him off.

The only thing worse than being a scattered mess is having a witness. The only thing worse than having a witness is if that witness is Tim. They haven’t been fucking that long, but it’s been long enough that Tim probably came over tonight with more than one item on his to-do list.

“Not tonight, princess,” Jason bites out when Tim still hasn’t said anything. “Daddy’s tired.”

Tim steps inside.

The gunshot rings sharp and stinging in the air before he even realizes he’s pulled the trigger. The smoking hole on the floor by Tim’s foot is the only warning Jason feels capable of giving right now.

“Did I—did I fucking stutter?” He tries to say, but black spots bloom at the scattered edges of his vision, and he wavers.

One second Tim is frozen with his palms out, showing that they’re empty, and the next he’s easing the gun out of Jason’s hand and letting Jason twist a fist in the front of his costume. He helps Jason sit back down, and Jason doesn’t want to look at his face, to see the pity there. 

He gasps, muscles tensing, and under his fingers he catalogs the new mesh Tim is trying out with his suit. It’s probably something with a stupid, long name and the word “polymer” thrown in for added pretension. It sounds like something Tim would do.

“...something happen tonight?” Tim is asking quietly.

It’s not Robin-steady, because he knows Jason well enough to know how bad an idea that would be, but it’s not the levity they fake with each other either. Whatever it is, it’s making Jason itch.

Then he catches Tim taking his pulse and peering into one of his eyes with intense scrutiny, and what he’s said catches up to him. 

Jason laughs. It’s an ugly sound.

“Oh, quit it. I wasn’t gassed,” he snaps. “There’s no toxin, there’s nothing wrong with me.”

“That’s not what I—” Tim tries to backtrack but it’s way too late for that weak shit.

“Except for the everything that’s fucking wrong with me,” he snarls. He didn’t know he was going to say that until he'd already said it, bubbling and burning out of his mouth like melting plastic, acrid and noxious— but he feels afloat, drifting; like he’s watching himself from the other room. So it doesn’t matter.

“It’s not going to be fixed, there isn’t any antidote for you to cook up in your cute little lab for this—” he whirls a sharp-fingered hand around his temple, “fucking garbage.”

“Jason,” Tim says, fingers tight and prying at Jason’s grip.

“There’s no cure for being beaten to death, no little step-by-step handbook for kids who don’t fucking stay dead, so you can take your shitty costume and your knock-off batarangs and fake-ass fucking concern—”

“Jason, take a breath for me.”

“You—”

Take a breath? Oh, he’ll take a fucking breath, alright—

He’ll take a breath and then he’ll—

He’ll take a breath and—

He’ll take a—

He takes a fucking breath.

Tim’s face is bare.

His eyes are very blue. It takes Jason approximately three years to realize that the heavy weight on his shoulders is Tim’s cape, unclipped and pooling in their laps.

It takes another five to realize that the heavy weight in his lap is Tim himself, straddling his thighs and breathing steadily under their joined hands. Tim’s heart beats an alternate rhythm, almost three beats for every breath in, almost four for every breath out, and Jason closes his eyes.

“Fuck.”

“Hey,” Tim says.

Jason doesn’t say anything more.

What else is there to say when your kind-of-colleague, kind-of-booty-call, complete-pain-in-the-ass comes over when you’re in the middle of some kind-of-mental break? Fucking ‘sorry’ ?

“Sorry,” he says. “Not exactly fit for company right now.”

Tim smirks. “I noticed.”

“Oh, fuck off.”

“You gonna shoot at me again?”

Jason scowls.

“I fucking might.”

Tim only rolls his eyes. Jason finds it oddly settling. He finds all of it oddly settling; bickering with Tim is normal. Easy. It reminds him of what he’s like now. The full fifty-two.

His fingers are still trembling, but Tim is stroking absent-mindedly over the skin on the back of his hand. He might not be aware he’s still doing it. Tim exudes an air of total comfort, like the only place he wants to be right now is literally babysitting Jason; but Jason knows better. He sighs.

“Listen,” he says, staring at a point past Tim’s ear. “I could have picked a better way to say it, but I’m— I’m really not up for anything tonight—”

Tim stiffens.

“Jason, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Sex, obviously.”

He watches in real-time as Tim processes that. It’s honestly kind of fascinating, in a terrible, gut-stabbing kind of way. Tim takes a deep breath.

“Dude. I get that you are in an emotionally vulnerable place right now—”

“Hey—”

“—but I’m not that much of an asshole,” Tim says flatly. “You really think I’m gonna bail the second I see that you’re having a bad night? Or that I’m only gonna stick around if you put out after you’re done having a panic attack? Very sexy. Fuck you very much,” he finishes, hissing and affronted. 

Jason stares at him.

“You can’t tell me this is how you wanted to be spending your night,” he says, but his hands creak convulsively around Tim’s, as if to hold him in place. The traitors.

“You don’t know how I want to spend my night,” Tim retorts.

“Oh, come on. I’m not gonna ask you to babysit me and check the closet for monsters before I go to sleep so I don’t have wittle nightmares—” Jason scoffs.

“So don’t ask,” Tim says, eyes burning; Jason’s breath catches. “Tell me to stay. I’ll be here.”

“You’ll be here,” he says skeptically. But Tim’s hands squeeze around his, so hard and fast it hurts. The pain is grounding.

“As long as you’ll have me.”

He wants to scoff again. It’s the kind of saccharine after-school-special corny bullshit that he always hated coming from Bruce.

But his grip is just as tight on Tim, their bones rubbing together through the barrier of their skin. The thought of letting go makes his stomach swoop, like the moments just after stepping off a plane with no chute. That window between stepping and being caught; when his heart still needs convincing that someone else will save him.

(It’s the kind of earnest, rock-solid sincerity he always craved from Bruce; the kind he always ate up, hook, line, and sinker.)

He swallows his pride. His dry throat clicks.

Fine. Stay. If you’re so fucking eager, is what he tries to say. 

But all that comes out is, “Stay.”

Tim leans forward, and drops his forehead onto Jason’s bare shoulder. Jason’s shaky breath stirs the fine black hairs beneath his nose, the mild scent of his shampoo wafting gently into Jason’s nose. After an uncertain beat, he lets his cheek fall. Then the rest of him. They stack against each other, two cards forming the foundations of a house. 

When Jason shakes apart, Tim holds steady.

[gimpyhair]

Pockets Full of Memories

Missing scene from X-Men 97' ep9, Romy. I wrote this because I love angst, pain and feeling sad, apparently ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Warning: Unbeta'd, written quickly, English is not my first language. We die like Gambit

Rogue still felt disoriented, but she was determined to walk into his room, or what was left of it. Kurt tried to convince her to rest, but nothing could change her mind.

She stepped in Gambit's bedroom to assess the damage: His bed was turned upside down, the furnitures were broken beyond repair, playing cards were scattered across the room, half burned. The floor was unsteady under her feet, threatening to collapse under her weight.

She was looking for a keepsake, something she could keep close to her heart, that could give her the courage she needs. She saw his crop top, covered in dust and ashes, laying on top of a broken chair. She felt the soft fabric against her hands. She inspected it closely. It had an oily stain, probably from cooking gumbo or beignets. She was about to take it when something caught her attention.

Gambit's trench coat was on the floor. She thought it was lost forever in Genosha, turned to ashes. She will have to thank Kurt for thinking of salvaging it.

Rogue gently picked up the jacket and whipped off the dust as best as she could. She brought it close to her face and took in a deep breath. She smiled, relieved: it still smelled like him. She closed her eyes and focused on the mixture of his cologne and sweat.

Rogue chuckled slightly at the strong smell: he probably should have washed it before they left for Genosha. Still, she was grateful he didn't. She could remember how handsome he looked after a training in the Danger Room: his hair sticking to his forehead, his cheeks and neck shiny with sweat, a dashing (and annoying) smirk on his face. She would steal glances in his direction, hoping Remy wouldn't notice her. And when he caught her staring, he couldn't help himself but to tease her.

The familiar smell of his cologne reminded her of a date they had, by the lake next to the mansion. Remy had prepared a romantic picnic, with wine, cheese and charcuteries. They had talked and laughed the whole afternoon. Gambit gradually moved closer to her, but he always looked at her eyes before doing so, to make sure she was giving him the permission. Anna eventually felt comfortable enough to cuddle into his arms, something they never did before. It was at that moment that he whispered his love to her, next to her ear. She could still feel her arms shivering with excitement, his warm breath tickling her neck, her heart pumping so hard against her chest she thought he could see it. She was however not ready yet to reciprocate his confession. Like a real gentleman, Remy reassured her that he did not expect her to give him an answer, simply being with her was enough for the moment. They mutually agreed to take things slowly, focusing on trusting each other, better understanding their boundaries, at least until Rogue could sort out her feelings.

A tear fell on Rogue's cheek, bringing her back to the painful reality. She put on his trench coat. It was too large for her, but it gave her the warmth and comfort she was seeking.

She emptied his pockets: a deck of cards, a pack of cigarettes, keys... Still, Rogue could feel something in his jacket, but couldn't figure from where it came from. She eventually noticed a zipper sewed inside his trench coat: of course a thief would make sure he has secret pockets.

She unzipped the pocket and took out a folded picture. It was torn on the edges and wavy from the humidity. It was a photo of both of them, a lifetime ago. Remy's arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Rogue was looking at the camera while his eyes were only focused on her. Underneath, she recognized his handwriting "En compagnie de mon amour"

Her lips started to tremble. She could feel her eyes getting wet, but she fought back. As she puts away the picture, a piece of crumpled paper fell to the ground. She was about to ignore it until she noticed a faded Genosha flag. She took a closer look and saw that it was a return receipt from a store in Genosha. A jewellery store. She quickly read what item was bought then returned, on the same day.

This sent a shock wave through her whole body. Anna was no longer able to hold back her tears. She cried and sobbed, crashing on the floor. She was clutching on his trench coat like a lifeline. Her heart ached so much from the guilt and regrets that she thought it would crumble in million pieces.

She eventually cried herself to sleep, drained and exhausted.

Kurt started to be worried. He hesitated to enter Gambit's room: he respected Rogue's need for privacy, but at the same time, she had not left the room in the past hours. As he was about to touch the handle, the door opened.

His sister was leaving Gambit's bedroom. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying. She wore a familiar trench coat and held in her hands a pink shirt. Looks like she found what she was looking for.

Kurt gently held her hand, giving her a light squeeze. Their eyes quickly met. Rogue responded with a faint smile, before walking away.

Author's note: let's ignore the fact that she abandoned the trench coat 2 scenes later

The date by the lake was inspired by a scene on kaebear89's Poolside fanfic : https://archiveofourown.org/works/55761745 Also, I wanted to address the "You never wanted to make things official" line...

[xgodxaspectx]

✥ Specially For You ✥ [Male Reader x Shoto Todoroki]

Warning: Kissing, Fluff

Minors DNI

▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭ ▭ ▭▭ ▭

As a kid, Shoto was most of the time abused by his cruel father, a secret their family only knew. In fact, it was at a point that one day his mother poured boiling hot water on the little boy face earning a very bad red burn on his left side of his face by his mother by the anger raging within herself towards her husband. This make the boy to Hate his father with all his life.

He always had a cold expression after that day on. Wanting nothing but pure revenge on his father for the things he had done. But....on his quest of becoming a hero, he didn't quite understand How and When he fell in love with a certain boy. It was a total mystery.

.

.

.

Present day

.

.

.

"Surprise!?" Everyone exclaimed at Mina and the other girls words. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Iida asked, some of the classmates agreeing. "NoNoNo, I swear it's nothing bad!" Toru responded, "It'll be fun!". The whole class accepted to join for this 'surprise'.

"Ok then, meet us at the entrance after school. And Iida, don't worry, I asked sensei for permission" Mina grinned as the blue haired male felt the urge of asking 'for what?' But denied himself. "If it's not anything sus, I'm excited!" Y/n exclaimed while he smiled making the girls heart flattered. "Wait, SUS? When I ever do something sus..?" The whole class slapped their forehead.

Y/n sat on his seat as he blankly stared at the board in front of him. He was not playing any attention to the teacher' words. 'I wonder what the surprise might be..' he thought, leaning back on his seat as he wondered.

After few minutes the bell rang signaling the end of today's class. Everyone hurried themselves out of the classroom, making their way to their dorm as soon as possible. They were all excited and somehow, Shoto was excited too deep down, but denied himself.

Time-skip

"Woah!" Everyone bursted in amusement. They all stood in front of a beautiful, luxurious hotel with beach-side view beside it. "How did you girls pull this out!?" Denki exclaimed as Momo cleared her throat catching everyone's attention holding a card in her hand. "Oh right" he nervously laughed.

Anyways, everyone walked towards their hotel room that was provided. "Meet us the swimming pool after you all freshen up!" Urarake waved as the girl squad left. The rest of us just walked to our hotel room. 'Im guessing a pool party...huh'

Y/n's pov

I popped onto the soft bed of my hotel room as I spread my arms onto the bed as I let of sign a relief 'Damn this bed is SO soft' I snuggled . I rested on the bed for a while before getting my lazy ass out of it giving a one last stretch. I walked towards my baggage and dig for the swimsuit in it 'Luckily I brought it in case' I smiled. After finding it, I went to the bathroom near me along with some extra clothes. I quickly changed myself into the swimsuit and wore a casual shirt and pant over it. I rinsed my face with water and headed out of the bathroom. 'Better get going'

2nd person pov

As you reached the swimming pool situated beside the hotel, you saw all you friends scattered all around there. But one certain boy caught your attention, the duo haired male, Shoto. He was your kinda close friend ever since you guys met. You knew more of his history than anyone in the class including Izuku, but never showed it. He was sitting on a deck chair while looking at his surroundings. You took the initiative to approach him. You footsteps caused him to look towards you and give a small noticeable smile.You waved at him, smiling at him innocently. You take a seat on the deckchair beside his.

"Enjoying?" You asked as he lightly nodded his head, "Yeah, I guess.." You gave a giggle to the male at his reply. "Nice swimsuit though" you flirted. His upper half was naked which was half coved by a open button beach suit . A faint blush creeping onto his face. "Thanks.."

"Hey guys!! We are going in, Care to join?!" The girls exclaimed, "Don't mind if we do!" Karishima bursted jumping into the water, Bakugo followed after few seconds of the others jumping in, "Wait for me!" Deku exclaimed as he did the same. You stood up from the chair and stripped yourself down to your swimsuit only. You tossed your clothes to the chair you were sitting on and extended your hand to Shoto, "Care to join?" You queried as another blush was formed on his face as he met your beautiful (body type) body. [You also only wore a swim shorts] He removed his upper garment and took your hand. You two ran to towards the pool and dived into it leaving a big splash. Everyone chuckled and began playing games.

You all had a lot of fun that day. After the pool party, you all went to the mall nearby and shopped for almost the whole day. The girls took a lot of time picking their clothes but you and the boys didn't care knowing the girls. Uraraka was SO happy that she finally didn't have to care about spending limited money.

3rd person pov

After all the fun, they all were so exhausted. It was around half-past eleven and almost everyone were sleeping soundly. But not everyone, Y/n had other plans.

At sharp 11:50 a bell rang in hotel room where Shoto stayed. He tiredly walked towards the door "Who could be here at this hour?" he yawned and rubbed his eye as he swung open his room door. He was puzzled when he saw no one in front of his door but when he was about to close his door, he noticed a note lying on the ground. He picked it up and began reading it,

'Meet me at the beach at sharp 11:58' he read. "11:58? Why 11:58?And who sent this?" He questioned himself but shrugged it off and follow the orders. He quickly got ready and headed towards the beach.

On reaching there he saw nothing or no one but darkness. It was 11:59. He signed in disappointment. 'Someone's playing pranks on me aren't they...'

He was about to leave when a bright light caught his attention.

12a.m...

"Happy birthday Shoto/Todoroki !!"

Everyone cheered which caught him off guard. Colorful balloons flew into the air.The whole class was present there. Shoto started approaching a table containing a large cake, still shock from the surprise.

"Make a wish!" Shoto eyes widened but closed his eyes and made his wish, later cutting the cake. They all exchanged smiles. "W-Who did this..?"

"It was all Y/n's Plan!" Y/n nervously laughed, scratching the back of his neck "It was thank to all of them" He answered.

For few minutes or hours they all played so many games. After a while, Shoto walked towards Y/n. "Hey Y/n" Y/n turned towards him "Yeah?", "Could I talk to you....privately?" Y/n's eyes widen but nodded.

Y/n started to follow the other as he lead them a bit far from the setup. "What is it?" Y/n asked when the other stopped on his track. "Thank you" he blushed. Y/n was surprised to see the male blushing but let out a smile. "That's the least I can do for my Lover-" The duo haired haired male chocked on his own saliva which caused Y/n to comprehend the words he just said, "Wa-wa-wait, what! T-That's not what I-I meant!" Y/n said nervously. Just before he could finish what he was meaning to say, the other male grabbed onto Y/n's (s/c) cheeks and joined their lips together for a second.

"I L-Love you too" he spilled. Y/n gasped at the male's reply and grabbed onto his waist, joining their lips once again. Shoto wrapped his arm around the (h/c)-ette's neck as they leaned into a heart warming kiss.

Y/n pushed his tongue against his lovers lip,asking for entrance. Shoto slightly parted his lip as y/n brushed his tongue around the other males mouth. They both fought for dominance, but the duo haired male gave out easily. They kissed like that for what seems to be like minutes. They broke the kiss, gasping for air as a string of saliva connected both our lips.

"So, does this makes us both boyfriends?" Y/n said joining our forehead's together. He nodded his head against Y/n with a smile, "Mhmm"

"I love you soo fucking much"

"I love you too. You are the best thing that ever happened to me"

They shared one more kiss before returning back to the group.

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[nicromancytarot]

Hello lads, I’ve been incredibly busy again. Christmas happened, reconciled with my family after 3 years of no contact? Insane, I know — but surprisingly good. I got two new decks for Christmas and have just spent the last hour and a half analysing them. I am obsessed. I’ll be getting to some of those requests later, tomorrow I won’t be able to because New Years, but worry not.

Also, if you have been one to receive a reading from me, please ensure you give me your feedback, this is most important now because I need to make sure I’m not incredibly busted after my break.

Talking of readings, here’s my analysis of one of the cards in my new deck.

The knave of chalices, the page of cups.

It depicts a man, angry as he sits at the table with scrunched up paper in his hand. Behind him, a man and a woman dance, and while he cannot see, he is vigilantly aware. A black cat, symbolising bad luck lurks in the back of the image; the man’s luck is wearing thin. A quill is in the ink pot, the feather light, holding no weight, but the man writes with a pen, his words as heavy as the instrument he uses. The table is scattered with objects, untidy as the gentleman’s mind, as messy as the piling thoughts of frustration, jealousy, and regret.

I am incredible, we are so back.

[thedarkbackwards]

Wither

From a distance jack could see the shape of a gas station come through from out of the fog, "maybe I can pull in there" he said to himself, the car reeked from the discarded fast food, jack loved to eat, his forehead dripped of food sweat, "fuck! please be open" beside him there were Polaroids upon Polaroids of woman that jack loved to humiliate, the pictures were scattered all over the front seat of the car, pouring out of what seemed like a journal, Jack was not a very good man. 

Jack pulled up into the gas station, everything seemed really dark, the lights from the car as he pulled in illuminated the front doors of the bathroom, jack wiped the condensation from the windows to try and get a better look, "fuck me, of course its closed" Jack reached for the keys in the ignition and turned the car off, he reached over to the passengers side of the car and sorted out all the Polaroids like a deck of cards. the sweat dripped from his nose on to the passengers seats. he stuffed all the photos into his small journal and slid it into his jacked pocket. He grabbed his keys and opened the door, He got out of the car and walked to the front of the station, he pressed his hands and face against the glass peeking in to see if anyone was around, he noticed the time which read 4am and cat calendar on the wall which had august 6th circled on it, the glass left an imprint of his dirty sweaty face as he pulled away. 

He was holding it in for a long time, "come on man" he murmured to himself, "Shit" he cried to himself, Jack really needed the bathroom keys and could see it sitting net to the empty cash register, the doors were locked and the lights were off, no one around, not a soul in site. the pumps were turned off, jack remembered that he still had half a tank of gas so that should be good for a few more miles, but he really had to take a shit!. he walked to the back where he had parked his car, he noticed the mens bathroom, he walked over to the door and reached for the rusty handle, jiggling it up and down a few times he realizes that its locked, "fuck off man, come on". As jack was about to give up and walk away back into his red beat up Prius, he notices the woman bathroom door slightly open. He reached down at the handle of the door, making sure he doesn't accidentally lock the door in front of him, he jiggled the handled down and Eureka!! the door opens, Jack sighed in relief as he entered the bathroom, the door closed behind him as he walked in. 

Jack had been in the bathroom for the last 10 minutes, he had finished zipping up and after he washed his dirty rough hands, he stood in front of the mirror looking through the journal, organizing his photos. Jack caught his reflection in the mirror, Jack smiled, he took his journal and stuffed it back into his jacket, Walking to the door he looked down at the handle of the door and noticed there was none, "where...the" he muttered, He pushed on the door and noticed it didn't budge, Jack made a fist and began banging on the bathroom door, "Hello!!!!" he yelled out, "Anyone".....but all he heard was the sound of his voice echoing and nothing more. Jacks paced back and fourth for a minute, he back away from the door and lifted his legs kicking the door, still nothing, not even a budge. 

Jack was laying on the bathroom floor, his jacket rested crumpled up on the bathroom floor, supporting his head, he was staring up at the ceiling, his right hand rubbing the top of his belly, he was hungry, he was so very hungry, Jack loves food, jack loved to eat. after day 2 the water to the sink stopped working, the bathroom smells like shit and piss, the toilet stopped working on day 4. jack could feel his insides eating away at itself, Jack was very hungry and very thirsty, but that's what happens when you haven't eaten in 8 days. 

All hope is lost he thought to himself, clearly jack has realized  that this gas station out in the middle of nowhere is completely abandoned, Jack at some point during either night of day which he had lost track of time started  to cry dry on the dirty bathroom floor and had become so hungry he began eating his victims Polaroids, the pain of each picture began rotting his stomach as the days went by and it wasn't until the 20th day where he started to wonder why he isn't dead yet. 

its been 36 days, jack felt his bones press tightly on his skin, "let me die" he softly moaned, the decay and rotting flesh reeked  as the bathroom lights above him flickered in and out, the maggots pushed through his flesh eating away at him as he withered away, he noticed a Polaroid photo laying across the bathroom floor, it was the photo of his very last victim, jack moaned as he tried to make his way towards the photo, he used whatever strength he had left in his body to drag himself across the other side of the floor, his stomach began to detach from the bottom half of body, he screamed out in pain and agony as a wave of maggots toppled down from inside of him, Jack inched closer and closer as he grabbed the photo lifting it up with his weak and brittle fingers, stuffing it into his mouth he began to chew and chew, his teeth snapping and breaking apart little brittle termite infested wood, the strength to chew was too much, jack swallowed the remaining parts of the photo along with the rotting teeth, jack mustered up the strength to swallow as it traveled through his thought destroying and damaging his neck, his teeth cut and punctured his lungs. 

A car pulled up to the gas station, it was early in the morning about 5am, a younger man in his early 20s got out of his truck, hair tossed around and messy, he walked to the front of the building, he reached into his brown khakis and pulled out the keys to the front of the store, his day was just starting, he walked towards the back of the office, "lights on, lets get this day started" he said, he walked over to the register and reached over the counter and grabbed the bathroom keys, the young man began to walk outside and towards the bathrooms out back, he checked the mens bathroom first, making sure everything from toilet paper to hand soap was all full and set up for whatever customer was going to show up today. He left the mens room and walked over to the womans, and noticed a red Prius sitting in the parking lot, he didn't think much of it, usually people just want to sleep in the parking lot and not drive all night, understandable he thought, as he put the keys into the womans bathroom he jiggled the handled and entered, but the door was a bit tough to open, he noticed a journal jamming the door, he reached down to grab it, but didn't open it up just yet, as he entered all the way, the bathroom looked clean, soap dispensers were full, he noticed a pile of clothing on the corner of the floor. he sighed out loud and said "fucking bums" the young man picked up the clothes and stuffed it into the trash can outside along with the journal. From a distance the young man could hear a bell as if someone had entered the store. the young man ran up to the front of the store and entered, the store radio above him had just come on and faintly could hear the voice of the radio dj saying, "welcome back to the morning show, we got some great line ups for you today August 6th" 

[foxedthecards]

Echoes of the past

(Doesn't have to be considered canon, unless you want it to be!)

@the-haunted-office

((Eh I like weird unexplainable shit in rps it can be as canon as you want it to be! If you feel inspired to reply to it too go ahead! ))

Seven year old Jonas sat, hugging his legs to himself and staring up at the magician as she performed. Among all the children there, he was the only one wearing the most serious and intense expression of concentration on his face.

After the performance, the children scattered throughout the birthday party, laughing and chattering and leaving Jonas alone. He had by this time moved quietly to the side of the stage, watching her with his big brown eyes.

She noticed him there as she was putting away her materials, smiled and turned to him. " Hi cutie. What's your name? "

The brown eyes looked quickly to the side. " Jonas. " he whispered.

" Oh hi! You're the birthday boy! Why aren't you out there playing with your friends? " she asked as she sat down on the side of the stage.

Jonas was quiet and then gave a little half-shrug. Their moms were friends of his mom. He didn't know the children themselves. " I wanted to stay here, " he said after a moment.

The magician lady was very pretty. He liked her smile, her sequined outfit and top hat but most of all he liked her tricks. They were amazing and he wanted to know how to do them but he was too shy to ask her.

" Oh! You want me to show you a trick? " she asked gently. She took out a deck of cards.

He nodded very quickly, his brown eyes looking down at the cards.

" Ok I'm gonna tell you a story about four families that went to Las Vegas for a vacation! That's where I live! " she said with that big beautiful smile. She began laying out the cards. " So there were four families and in each family they had a mommy, a daddy, a brother and a sister. "

In four piles she laid out each a queen, a king, a jack and an ace as she told her story and Jonas listened, watching the cards with the same serious concentration he'd given to her performance. He watched her lay down and pick up the cards with interest until finally she had all four stacks out again, turned face down.

"...And you'll never believe it! " she concluded and began turning over the cards. " In the morning, here were all the daddies, the mommies, the sisters and the brothers in the same rooms! How silly was that? " She turned over each set of cards in turn, revealing four kings, four queens, four jacks and four aces all together.

Jonas's eyes widened. He looked up at her. " Can...can I do something like that? " he asked.

" Mmm let me see your hands, " she replied with a twinkle in her eyes. She took his little hands and turned them over, looking closely at them. Then she smiled and nodded.

" Oh mmhmm. Yep. Don't tell anyone but..you have a magician's hands, " she whispered. " Just keep practicing ok? "

" Ok..." he whispered back, smiling to himself. Then out of nowhere a hand shot out and grabbed his hand, pulling him up.

" Jonas! Where have you been? Will you come on I've been looking everywhere for you! UGH hurry up you're embarrassing mommy in front of her nice friends and mommy paid a lot for this birthday party..."

He shrunk back from the words, closing one eye as he was dragged off.