#happy new year this is my present to you:)

[sweetcheeksschemmenti]

Happy Birthday, Cowgirl!

Melissa Schemmenti x fem oc

Summary: You wake up expecting it to be another forgotten birthday. Melissa makes sure it’s one for the books.

WC: 2.2k

Today is my 25th birthday! I wrote this for myself and figured someone else might enjoy it, too.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Growing up, your parents never made your birthday a big deal and you didn’t understand it. All of your friends… and even your brother… got to celebrate their big day with cupcakes and parties filled with presents and excitement. Not you. November 5th was just another day as far as your family was concerned. Occasionally they would remember and mumble a simple ‘happy birthday’ as you walked out the door to walk to school, but there was no fanfare. Despite the fact that you always went out of your way to celebrate the birthdays of those close to you, you’d grown accustomed to not celebrating your own.

You had been dating Melissa Schemmenti for almost a year when your 28th birthday rolled around. Normally on a Saturday morning you would wake up with a mouthful of red hair and a hand full your girlfriend’s breast. Unfortunately, work had sent you to Nashville for a truly unnecessary- yet mandatory- conference, so instead you woke up alone in a ridiculously themed Margaritaville hotel suite. Jimmy Buffett himself stared down at you from the wall like a tacky Jesus portrait at your Grandma’s house. You glanced at your phone on the nightstand to see a missed call from the redhead. What the hell was she doing awake at six in the morning on a Saturday? There was no voicemail so you picked up the phone and called her back. Your brows knit together in confusion as you were sent straight to voicemail, something that very rarely happened. Assuming she had put her phone on ‘do not disturb’ and gone back to bed, you shrugged and got up to get ready for the day.

Once showered and dressed, you grabbed a granola bar and banana from the mini fridge and sat in front of the television to watch the morning news. After listening to a couple of local stories you tuned out the noise and stared out the window as you ate. The granola bar was stale and the banana wasn’t quite ripe… pretty on brand for your birthday. You gave up a couple of bites in and tossed them in the trash, opting for a half-eaten candy bar from your purse instead. With a deep sigh, you gathered your things for work and headed towards the door. You paused to look at yourself in the mirror once more before you left, staring a little too long at the bags under your eyes. Time was already leaving its mark on you. “Happy birthday, Y/N,” you whispered to yourself before you left for the day.

Around noon the team split from the conference for lunch with plans to return at two. Instead of joining your coworkers, you decided to grab take out from the restaurant at the hotel and eat in your room with hopes of maybe getting to talk to your girlfriend too. You scarfed down your hot chicken sandwich before dialing Melissa’s number; again, it went straight to voicemail. Disappointed, you tossed your phone onto the bed with a huff and sat on the edge with your head in your hands. You had hoped for at least a ‘happy birthday’ text from Melissa, but now you were starting to think that even she didn’t want to celebrate your day. You set an alarm and laid down for a nap thinking it might make the day go by faster.

The alarm blared and you sat straight up with a gasp- something Melissa always teased you about. ‘It’s like you remember ya left the stove on or somethin’,’ she’d mumble. It had only been two days without her, but you missed her. You decided to try the phone one more time before heading back to work, disappointed when you heard the voicemail message yet again. In a bit of a grumpy mood, you left the room and met back up with your coworkers.

“What’s that face for, Y/N? You look like someone kicked your puppy,” Seth said as you approached. You rolled your eyes and shrugged.

“Sorry, my face doesn’t have an inside voice. I’m alright. Ready to get back to it?” You straightened yourself out and slapped on a smile.

Seth and the rest of the team nodded and followed you out to the van knowing better than to question you. The rest of the work day dragged by as slow as molasses. Luckily, you were able to score a new deal on printer paper for the office through one of the new connections you made; it was a small something, but it brightened your day a little. By the end of the work day everyone was ready to head to Broadway for the annual bar crawl. You told Seth you’d catch up with the team in a few hours and caught an Uber back to the hotel. The day had really bummed you out and you just wanted to sleep for a while before forcing yourself to be social with your drunk coworkers.

Just as you sat down on the bed to call Melissa one last time, the landline rang. You blinked at it for a second before picking it up. “…Hello?”

“Hello, is this Miss Y/L/N?”

“This is she.” You toed your shoes off as you spoke, setting them next to the nightstand.

“Good evening! This is Jasmine from the front desk. We have a guest down here that wishes to visit by the name of Seth Kagan. Do you give your permission for us to give him your room number?”

You shake your head in confusion. Why wouldn’t Seth just text you? “Uh, yeah. That’s fine. Thank you for checking.”

Minutes later, there was a knock at the door and you knew it had to be Seth. You swung the door open without looking and held it for him to enter. “Don’t just stand there, man, come on.” Your eyes were on the floor.

“Well that ain’t no way to greet your girlfriend after she flew six hours to see ya,” Melissa chuckled.

Your eyes widened as you finally looked up to see the redhead standing in the doorway with an arm full of flowers and a small square box. “Baby?! What are y-, how did.. hello?!”

Melissa entered the room and set everything down before turning to face you with open arms. You eagerly wrapped yourself around her in a tight embrace. She felt like home, a comfort you’d not known until you fell in love with her. She held you close and pressed sweet kisses to your head. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” she whispered.” You pulled away just enough to capture her lips in a passionate kiss, moaning quietly when she nipped at your bottom lip.

The kiss broke and you leaned back just a little. “Mel, what is this!?” You gently hit her shoulder as tears welled up in your eyes, her arms still wrapped around you.

She smiled, a twinkle in her eye. The way she looked at you made you actually believe that she hung the moon and stars in the sky just for your enjoyment. “It’s your birthday, ya dork! I wanted to surprise you. We brought cake and presents.” Gently and lovingly, she wiped the tears from the corners of your eyes.

You cocked your head. “We? Who’s ‘we’?”

Just then, there was another knock at the door. Melissa released you from her grasp and pointed towards the door. “Go on, open it.”

You moved towards the door quickly and opened it, peeking out from behind the door to see an empty hallway. You’d expected to see a couple of your coworkers, but there was nothing. “Huh…”

“SURPRISE!!” Your friends, chosen family, and Seth shouted as they stepped in front of the door. Barbara, Jacob, Janine, and a handful of other folks from home had made the journey from Philly to Nashville… for you. For your birthday. You were in shock. No one ever put in this kind of effort for your birthday.

“Oh my gosh, come in! Wow… you guys! This is… this is too much,” you stammered as they all entered the suite, tears streaming down your face.

The small group greeted you with hugs and kind words, handing off gifts to Melissa for you to open later. Thanks to Janine and Jacob, your suite was transformed with cowgirl decorations and a birthday banner in the matter of minutes. Shots were poured into little cowboy boot shot glasses and passed around to everyone. Melissa held hers up, an arm wrapped around your waist. “Cheers to the birthday girl,” she shouted and everyone cheered in response.

You gleefully mingled with your loved ones, occasionally meeting eyes with Melissa across the room, causing a delightful pink to grace your cheeks. Once the sun had set, the group made moves to head down to Broadway to hit the bars. Barbara handed you a bag before she left, “we’ll see you down there, honey. Drinks are on Sea Barbara tonight!” You took the bag and thanked her as the group left, leaving just you and Melissa.

Melissa sat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. “You havin’ a good birthday, hon?”

You leaned on the back of the couch with the bag still in hand as you thought about your day. “I really am. Thank you for putting all of this together, baby. I’m… a little overwhelmed, honestly. No one has ever done anything like this for me. How’d you get everyone down here?” You set the bag down and stepped towards your girlfriend, straddling her lap.

She held grabbed your hips and pulled you down onto her lap, leaning forward to kiss you. “ I know a guy, “she smirked. “And you don’t have to thank me, Y/N. You deserve to be celebrated.”

“Ya know… in all my 28 years, I’ve never felt loved on my birthday. It’s always just been another day on the calendar. You’ve changed that for me… that’s something special.”

“Like I said, you deserve to be celebrated. I love you, hon. As long as I’m around you’ll never have another shitty birthday. I promise.” She made a cross on her heart to show she meant it. And you believed her. You hummed in response and raked your fingers through her fiery locs before you leaned in for another kiss. Melissa immediately deepened it, darting her tongue out to taste you.

In the middle of the lazy make out session, Melissa’s phone buzzed with a text from Barbara- signaling that it was time to head to the bars. You chuckled as your lips parted. “Oh, so NOW your phone works, huh?”

She swatted at your ass. “I’m sorry! I did try to call you at the ass cracking of dawn to be the first to wish ya happy birthday, but you were asleep! Then my phone was on airplane mode until we got here because I forgot to turn it off.” She gave you a smile she knew you couldn’t resist and you shook your head with a grin.

“You were still the first one to wish me a happy birthday…. I forgive you.” You placed one more kiss to her lips before you stood up and smoothed out your shirt. You took Melissa’s hand and started pulling her towards the door. She paused and picked up the bag Barbara had handed you earlier, placing it in your hands again.

“Open it.” You did as told and pulled the tissue paper out. Inside was a bright pink cowgirl hat that matched the decorations in the room. The smile on your face grew, so much so that your cheeks began to hurt. Melissa took the hat from your hands and placed it on your head, fluffing your hair for you before turning you towards to mirror to see. “Oh this is perfect,” you laughed.

Melissa snatched the hat off your head and put it on her own. You gasped and turned towards her, “Melissa! Do you know the cowboy hat rule?!” She shook her head and you bit your lip. Nine times out of ten, Melissa was the leader in the bedroom. Your cheeks warmed at the thought of this night being the one time out of ten. “If you put on a cowgirl’s hat… you have to ride the cowgirl.”

She pulled you in for a heated kiss. “That’s one of the few rules I’m willing to follow,” she whispered in your ear before nibbling at your lobe, earning a whimper from you.

“Later, baby. Gotta at least have a few drinks on Broadway tonight.” You took your hat back and settled it on your head. “Can’t lose the hat. A cowgirl can’t ride without it,” you winked at her, enjoying the blush that spread over her cheeks.

Melissa smacked your ass as you walked out the door. “Oh, don’t you worry. I’m not lettin’ that hat outta my sight! We gotta find a screw driver or something on the way back to take Jimmy off the wall though… I don’t know if I can uh… focus with Mr. Margaritaville staring me down.”

You pulled a screwdriver from your jacket pocket and held it up. “Already ahead of ya, baby.” You laughed together as you walked down the hall hand in hand.

No more shitty birthdays.

[bambimanifests]

how to deal with no movement or 3d showing the opposite?

for this post i will use an example, which i totally forgot about until i was writing my other post about the things i have manifested.

so i really wanted a tarot deck, for years even before i got into the law of assumption. i was very spiritual and i still consider myself to be, thought my views have definitely changed. my mom was against it especially since i wanted one for christmas.

we fought about it as she said no and when she left the room i was like fuck it is have it, so i affirmed. any time i got sad or upset and my thoughts would go from the new story to the old story i would just straight up stop myself, i would tell myself that that never happened that my mom said she will buy them, that im so happy about getting the tarot deck etc.

so when christmas finally came, a present caught my eye, i didn’t even read the tag on it, so did i know if it was mine? no.

i persisted in it, i persisted in the thought that it was mine, that it was my tarot deck and well i guess as i said it is success story so it’s no surprise to anyone that it was in fact my tarot deck.

movement is nothing.

i got no visible movement except for getting my tarot deck on christmas. still there was movement, there was a moment where my mom changed her mind and ordered it without me knowing, i didn’t see it, but i still persisted in it, no matter what she said to my face.

so please persist, because if you really set your mind to it, you can get it, you can get it now, or in three days or on any other date you want, just like i did.

ALTHOUGH! if you’re manifesting on a time crunch, please do not discourage yourself if it doesn’t show up, continue affirming, because if you switch from new story back to old, you will not see it i can for certainty tell you that. just like i can tell you that if you persist in the new story it will show up for sure.

^ if you’re unsure about this although part watch this video.

[seungsuki]

so there's this professor... - 01 fractured equations masterlist

“do you even know yourself, or are you just another child moulded by the world around us?”

your small eyes search for the voice, a distant echo floating in the cold air. you shuffle closer, yearning for the warmth of the fading memory, but the chilly air of britain’s streets sink into your bones. here, survival isn’t merely a skill; it’s a daily battle that leaves you feeling small and utterly alone like a speck of dust

“promise me you won’t fall into the mould”

you look up, your heart aching at the sight of her sad smile painted on like a fragile mask of a porcelain doll, cracking at the edges. behind it lies grief far too vast for a seven-year-old to fathom.

how could you ever comprehend the weight of her sorrow? 

your tiny hands reach out, desperate for comfort, but all you grasp is emptiness—the coldness of fingers that once cradled you close, now forever still. cold hands fall on your face as you stare in horror

no word slips from your lips, not even a fragile whisper, just a silent plea from your heart. another reminder that love can vanish, leaving only absence in your already empty void. you want to scream, to shake her from her slumber.

but instead, you sit there. hope became a cruel joke, and the warmth of her embrace is a ghost that taunts you. tears prick as you try your hardest to carve her smile into your memory. in that moment, you realise 

you’re not just searching for her; you’re searching for yourself in the ruins of her despair. 

“mother..?”

…

…

…

“hold on- let me say goodbye to my mother before we head off”

you snap back to the present, watching your best friend dash into his mother’s store. you see her happy smile as she leans down, allowing him to plant a small kiss on her cheek before he turns away. you’ve always waited for him before heading to class. it’s a cherished tradition: you walk to his house in the morning, and he walks you back after class

“flowers? my mom had extras,” alvin offers, pushing a small bouquet of neatly arranged lavender roses into your hands.

“you always give me the same kind,” you say, bringing it closer

“blame my mom for growing too many. come on! we’re going to be late!” he insists, pulling you along, not wanting to elaborate 

“i miss my mother whenever i see yours,” you mutter softly, the words slipping out before you can catch them

“i miss her too- even though i never met her. which is weird if you think about it,” alvin replies, glancing back at your sad expression

“i can’t remember her anymore”

you switch off your thoughts for a moment, letting him navigate through the bustling marketplace. you treasure these few minutes, allowing your imagination to roam. daydreaming is another beloved pastime, and alvin provides the perfect escape into your bubble of comfort.

with your bag slung over his shoulder, he takes your hand in his free hand, unwilling to lose you in the crowd.

“i heard we have a new maths professor,” alvin begins again, trying to lift the mood

“he’s supposed to be young and a genius,” he adds, looking at you for a reaction.

“maths professor? what about mrs aya?” you suddenly remember

“oh, her? thomas said she’s now in his astronomy class- lucky fella,” alvin groans

you laugh at his silliness. the only reason he liked mrs. aya was for the free snacks she gave out after class. her husband, a wealthy lord, often sent treats during her lessons, accompanied by a signature green note that wished her a great day ahead. 

“one day, i’m going to find out who her lover is so i can ask if he has a sister! i’ve never tasted such wonderful cookies,” alvin reminisces

“i guess you won’t have them anymore,” you pat his back as he sulks at the thought

and just like that, you both walk toward your university building. alvin greets everyone he sees on campus, a habit that leaves you questioning his motives

“no? i’m not friends with security, but everyone deserves a good smile!” he responds cheerily

“you’re not fully dressed without a smile.”

“did you just quote haz-”

“stop. robert and his gang.. again”

with that, alvin moves you behind him, muttering about “stupid rich boys” as they approach. you clutch the flowers closer, watching him roll his eyes dramatically. a sigh escapes his lips as he stands face-to-face with robert

“how do you always bump into us? it’s almost like you wait here,” alvin begins

“me? wait for some peasants? do you not know who i am? i am robert smith! the-”

“the second son of lord smith and the sole heir of the luxury leather manufacturers. we know. you’re a broken record at this point,” alvin interrupts, mimicking him.

“i see [last name] still comes here. have you not found a partner yet? you keep coming to ‘educate’ yourself, but what’s the point? no one would hire a low-class rat,” robert retorts, his friends snickering in the background.

“i told you to leave us alone, right? get lost” alvin insists, trying to shoo robert away, but he stands firm

“i could propose to spare your lowly life… i do need a new piece for my future collection,” robert continues to taunt

“ooh, how unfortunate! to me, [name] leroy sounds a lot better than [name] smith- which, by the way, sounds like a shoe polisher,” alvin shoots back as he walks away with you

“you don’t always have to defend me,” you mutter, glancing back at the fuming robert.

“grow a spine first stupid” alvin replies, looking at you with his usual smile.

with that, you both reach your first class. mathematics has its own muse, but you’ve never understood the supposed muse. while you’re not failing, you’re certainly not a star student either. you settle into your seats in the middle rows as alvin struggles to see the board from far

“glasses aren’t such a bad thing…” you comment as you pull out your notebook.

“true, but i don’t see why i should pay so much just to read the board,” alvin sighs, slouching back with his latest magazine.

“you’re going to pay attention to the board… with a magazine?” you question.

“shush, i don’t want to label you as a snitch,” he teases, flipping through the pages.

you let the conversation drop, not wanting to disturb his reading. your gaze drifts around the classroom, where a mix of new faces and familiar ones fills the room. it’s a new semester, and getting into the university was not easy, given the challenging entry requirements.

right on cue, your new professor walks in. his striking blonde hair catches your eye, making him stand out immediately. even his three-piece brown suit looked more expensive than your entire snack budget.

he stands before the board, chalk in hand, neatly writing his name with precision. even his handwriting exudes a sense of perfection. he appears rather young for a mathematics professor, surprising you further.

“i am william james moriarty,” he introduces himself as he turns to the students. “i’ll be teaching mathematics.”

“i hope you take this class seriously. i remember a quote by albert einstein,” william states.

“pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”

“what is he even saying?” alvin whispers, and you shrug in response

“now, some of you might be like mr. leroy here, confused as to why i brought this up,” william continues. “think of my words as motivation.”

“he knows my name??” alvin gasps, nearly shouting in your ear

“i am well aware of everyone’s name, mr. leroy. you’re not as quiet as you presume to be,” he replies, and the class erupts into laughter. 

you can’t help but join in as alvin buries his face in his arms, magazine forgotten on the floor. the rest of the class unfolds normally. your professor teaches, and the time slips away. class had ended before you even finished your notes. 

“should we get him a little gift?” you ask as you pack your bag

“a gift?? for him?? after he embarrassed me??” alvin exclaims, his bewildered expression making you laugh

“your hair is messy again silly”, you sighed 

a silence falls between you, and you reach out to push the bangs from his forehead. he flinches, feeling your hand before swatting it away to fix his hair himself muttering about how he could do it himself 

“okay, so what are you going to get him, your majesty?” alvin rolls his eyes

“a set of new chalk?” you suggest 

“chalk? why? the school provides him with a huge box!” he reasons.

“no, no! i mean the kind used by mathematicians- hagoromo chalk! isn’t it nice? i could even knit him a small napkin to clean the board later on!” you continued 

“i don’t see you putting this much effort into my gifts…”

TAGLIST

@eliasorchard @ayaswrld @iris-arcadia

© seungsuki 2024-25 -- do not repost, translate, alter, etc on any platform without permission. Any characters used in my work do not belong to me, they are created by their original creator. all images are from pinterest. banner video is made my me and do not use it anywhere

[hai7ani]

a sequel (kind of) to Stay

you see Ran again for the first time in 10 years after he left home.

it's a Wednesday night in Shinjuku, when you are out shopping for a new scarf and window shopping on some possible presents for Christmas. it's particularly chilly today and the streets are more packed than usual 一 probably because the festive season is coming up (very soon) and people are out shopping just like you.

and then you see him, out the window of family mart when you were browsing for some rice balls as a snack. he's still so tall, a lot fitter now, and he's got a new haircut you didn't think he would actually go for, but you still recognise him nonetheless. the mole on his neck close to his Adam's apple and the many rings he still wears on his fingers makes you smile. he still likes to sit cross legged despite your nagging for him to stop from a slip disc many, many years ago.

Nii-chan is still the same.

you grab a bottle of Ayataka off the shelf and a box of chocolate you think works just fine. you ask the employee for a pen and rip a sticky note off the Post-It you like carrying with you.

/

Ran smells something familiar.

he blows out the smoke from his mouth and puts the cigarette a little further from him to sniff the air a few times. it gets stronger, and then a pair of ballet flats appear in his view on the floor.

"Haitani Ran?"

his world stops spinning.

"it is you!" you grin. "i wasn't sure because of your..." you want to say silly as a tease. "new, haircut."

you catch the way he tries to discreetly put away the cigarette and stomps on it, leaves his foot there to keep anymore smell from spreading, gently fanning the air around to get the smell away. he thinks it's cute that you are trying to talk to him without making it obvious that you know each other very closely, like blood.

you play with your fingers when he doesn't say a thing, but his eyes shift lower, lower, and lower, and then he sees it.

the bump on your belly, and a little girl hiding behind your legs, holding a bunny that drowns him in so much nostalgia the moment he laid eyes on it.

"oh! she's my neighbour's kid. i'm looking after her tonight, her parents aren't around."

he knows it's a lie 一 of course he does, and you know he knows. she shares so much resemblance with you two together. "Mama, don't lie." her tiny voice is muffled with your dress and you panic, trying to laugh it off and stop her from fussing, and he laughs quietly.

you introduce her then. Maya, you say. she is 4, and a very stubborn girl. she likes bunnies and the colour red. she's got a sharp mouth and very into space.

"here," you grab the Ayataka and Meiji from your bag and hand it to him. "please take it. we haven't seen each other in so long, count it as my treat tonight." you smile warmly, the crescents of your eyes making him feel at peace, and he takes it from your hands.

he looks at the box you played with a while ago and finds a piece of paper slipped into it with the chocolate itself.

"it's okay," he makes a motion around you both with his index finger. "he's clear," he nudges his chin to a man sitting in a black, shiny Bentley parked a few metres away, and he is watching all of you intensely. there is another woman sitting in the passenger fixing her lipstick through a Dior pocket mirror. "but thank you."

when you wave goodbye and make little Maya say goodnight, he gets into his car and opens the box of chocolate, fishing for the piece of paper out.

he sees that it's not just a paper, but an ultrasound 一 a foetus at six months old 一 and he flips it to the back.

'For Uncle Ran.'

/

Rindou is busy washing the dishes when you wrap your arms around his waist unexpectedly.

"what's got you so happy? you sound kinda insane." he asks. oh, right. you've been giggling to yourself ever since he came back home and Maya was begging for her Dad to pick her up in near tears because she thinks Mom is being weird.

"no, it's nothing." you cover your mouth and try to stop yourself from laughing any more. you're still smiling, though. "it's just..."

"i saw Nii-chan today."

he freezes. "really?"

"yeah. and you know what else i saw?" a laugh.

"he cut his hair," you make Rindou face you and show him just how short it was with your own hair, "this short!" another laugh.

"you remember the last time i tried to make him cut his hair? he locked himself in his room the whole day because i picked up a pair of scissors! i was going to open a bag of chips!"

"and, he was in a suit. it looked expensive, and it's purple. he hated wearing suits. i can't believe that man got him to wear one now."

you go on and on laughing about Ran to Rindou, the dishes long forgotten in the sink. the younger listens and laughs with you.

and if you would've taken the time to stop laughing like a maniac and look out the window to your right, you'd see the same Bentley parked right outside your apartment complex with the windows rolled down.

Ran smiles whenever the two of you would laugh.

next to the window of the kitchen is a little girl standing in front of it. one hand holding a bunny, the other holding her weight as she leans on the glass a little.

and she waves. shows him her bunny and then her snaggle-tooth that she actually hates, but adores now that the purple-haired man that looks a lot like her father shows off his own to her.

"Maya... and Sana." he whispers. you've always been a fan of these two names when you were younger, almost having change your government name to one of it out of impulse.

and the car leaves just when Maya waves goodbye and waddles away.

"Merry Christmas, you three."

[willsimpforanyone]

Hello! I'm not sure if you are taking requests right now, but I'd you are could you do something with a daughter of medusa who us almost or fully blind and everyone avoids her except for percy who has a crush on her? Can end however ypu would like :).

And remember to take of yourself and drink water!!! ❤️

thank u my lovely <3 hope u enjoy

i do have bad vision but i am not blind, so i apologise for inaccuracies,

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

medusa was blessed with a daughter

gorgeously thick, curly hair, strong as hell, brought up by your mother as best she could

she was so happy when you opened your eyes as a baby and no one you looked at turned to stone

her curse was not yours!

it only took a moment for her to realise her curse had a different effect on you

you were not cursed, but as a side effect of being medusa's child, you were almost completely blind

growing up, you never realised there was anything too different about you

why would you? your mother raised you and she kept her eyes covered most of the time, she knew how to live as a blind woman in a seeing world

things got worse as you got older, and around 10 years old is when it got really bad

the monsters were relentless, and even medusa hiding you away didn't seem to help with the nightmares

so, when you were 12, she brought you to the camp

chiron was hesitant, but knew you meant no harm - you were a scared, lonely kid, like so many others before you

kinda for the first time, you were interacting with people who could see

it wasn't hard to guess who your mother was, and apparently that was enough for the other kids to reject you immediately

you learned to wear sunglasses or some kind of fabric over your eyes, otherwise some kid would start screaming

the first couple years of teenhood were rough

of course. you learned to live with it

you learned to become incredibly spacially aware, to be able to walk into a room and know exactly how many people there were and where they were standing

there were some kids who were alright, some from the athena cabin were civil despite their mom being the one who cursed yours

occasionally, though, there was a kid called percy

a son of posiden, who you were suitably wary enough of (again, considering the story)

he came to camp a little before you did, and was off on a quest when you actually arrived

it was an odd introduction

"hi, i'm percy, i kinda killed your mom"

you had shrugged, fingers still trailing over the book in front of you

"i know. she sent me an iris message from the underworld. it's not the first time someone's killed her, she'll be back in a few days"

the silence that followed was one of awkward expectation, and you snorted a laugh. "dude, chill out, i don't care anymore"

he'd hesitantly accepted your acceptance and had left, and you'd thought that would be the end of it

to your surprise, he would come back and talk

a friendship blossomed over the next couple years, something that was new to you

you genuinely liked him

he didn't ask questions about being blind all the time, he didn't scream when your sunglasses slipped down your nose, he seemed to automatically let you know what he was doing and where he was in your space

with him came grover, the somewhat nervous satyr who calmed down once annabeth, percy's other friend, slapped the back of his head when he asked if your hair was just a bunch very thin snakes

this was more friends than you'd had in your life, and it was kind of incredible

annabeth got some books in greek braille, and together you discovered that it was easier for you to read - the ancient greek hardwire was still very much present in your brain, even if you couldn't see the letters

percy, however, went the extra mile every time

every activity you were hesitant about, he was right there with you, describing the new areas, offering to help but never touching you or giving advice unless you asked first

any time something changed with the camp, whether it was a part of the forest or the layout of the camp itself, he'd go with you to explore the differences to change the mental map you had in your head

late nights were reserved for sitting together around a campfire, maybe with grover and annabeth, maybe not

but they were a time for you to ask questions instead

what colour were the new swords? what does bronze look like? is the red of the strawberries as sweet as they taste?

he would answer as best he can, trying to explain from every angle, like trying not to use other colours to explain another colour

one night, in your fourth year of camp, you got up the courage to ask him the question you'd been wanting to ask him forever

"percy? what do i look like?"

there was a pause, and you knew he had turned to look at you by the rustling of his hair

...a minute passes, and you shift in your seat

"you don't have to tell me, it's fine, forget i asked-"

"no!"

he interrupts you, blurting out a protest a little louder than he intended

he continues, clearing his throat

"no, i just- would it be okay if you took your sunglasses off? so i can give you the best description?"

in answer, you slipped off your sunglasses, hanging them in the neck of your t-shirt

all you could see was a faint warm, orange-yellow glow from the fire

percy takes a breath

"okay, here goes- you're beautiful. i-i know that isn't much but... you look warm. like the feeling of coming back to our cabin at the end of a really good day, tired but happy, and everything is quiet and calm and cosy and you know you're gonna sleep so good. you look like sunsets over the sea, like someone has managed to set the horizon on fire but, y'know. less dangerous than setting fire to things."

you laugh, subconsciously leaning against his shoulder with your heart trying to keep pace with the butterflies in your stomach

"yeah? i look warm?"

his voice is almost a whisper

"right now, yeah. the firelight is reaching out over the grass to touch you, preferring to have you warm than the trees around us. if we were regular teenagers, we could be telling scary stories"

i rest my hand, palm up, on his knee, a silent way of telling him to give me his hand

he does so, and i link our fingers together tightly, a 'thank you' that we don't need to hear

"percy?"

"yeah?"

"what do you look like right now?"

another pause, and he squeezes my fingers gently

"i think... right now, i look like i'm completely in love with you"

my head lifts from his shoulder, head turned to him as if i need to hear him better, like we aren't side to side, holding hands

"you... what?"

he breathes a shaky laugh, and i feel his hand move to pause just over my cheek

"sorry, that wasn't a great description, but i couldn't think of anything else to say. can i put my hand on your cheek?"

slowly, i nod, feeling his warm palm settle against my skin, his thumb brushing over my cheek

"please say no if you don't want me to," he whispers, voice nervous but also filled with hope

"but can i please kiss you?"

i don't need to be able to see to know how big he smiles when i say "yes"

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

i hope that was okay? i tried my best, if anyone has an issue with it or wants me to correct something, let me know!

[samgirl98]

Mending a Family 49/?

Prev | Next

This was not how Dick had wanted to reunite with Jason.

He didn’t want Jason to have called them because of a tragedy, but here they were. Jason had called the family, but his son was missing.

The sun had just set when Bruce and Dick entered the small house.

Everyone else had wanted to come, but Raven couldn’t teleport all of them. Tim had protested the loudest. It had been a metaphorical kick to the guts when Dick had found out that not only did Tim know where Jason was, but he had been able to meet Jason’s little family. He could admit, at least to himself, that he had been jealous. If Bruce’s clenched jaw had been any indication, Dick wasn’t the only one who had been feeling that way.

In the end, it had been decided that only Bruce and Dick would come. He hadn’t wanted to leave Mar’i, but Kori had shown up at the manor. His daughter would be in good hands with her mother, aunts, and uncles.

The first thing Dick noticed was Jason sitting on a chair, slumped over with his hands cradling his head. The despair cloaked his younger brother.

The second thing, or rather, person, that Dick noticed made him scowl.

Talia had her hand on Jason’s shoulder.

“Richard, Beloved,” she greeted them.

Jason looked up. His eyes were red, and tear tracks marred his cheeks. He got up and approached Bruce until he stood before their father.

“Thanks for coming,” Jason said in a hollow voice.

Bruce didn’t hesitate; he hugged Jason, holding on to him as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

“Always, Jay lad, always. I’m so sorry that I ever made you think you couldn’t count on me. Don’t worry; we will find your son and bring him home safe.”

Jason was the first one to break the hug. He cleared his throat and sat back down.

“We just came back from looking around the school. They sent us back, saying that they’d regroup in the morning,” Jason added bitterly. “Did Tim tell you anything about the situation with Danny? How I found him?”

“Yeah, he told us while we got ready.”

“Hn, you found Danny in an alley after he came through a portal, correct,” Bruce asked.

“Yeah,” Jason gave a wet laugh, “The little tyke burrowed his way into my heart.”

“I put Ellie down for a nap,” Dick turned toward to voice to find a young red-hair walking into the living room they were standing in.

Jasmine Nightingale: Jason’s younger sister.

Not jealous, not jealous, not jealous

Raven turned and frowned at Dick. He looked away from her disappointed look. He couldn’t help what he was feeling.

His eyes fell on the pictures on the fireplace mantel. Dick walked toward them and picked up a picture of a five-year-old boy with blue eyes and black hair scowling at the camera while he had on a backpack.

So this was Danny.

The next picture he picked was of Jasmine, Jason, Danny, and a baby girl he assumed was Ellie, smiling at the camera. The following picture showed Lian and Danny swinging from Roy’s arms. The last one was one of Raven, Roy, and Lian with Jason’s family at what looked to be a birthday party.

Dick could see Jason’s happiness shining through the picture. Jason had left the family behind but had formed a new one. One that didn’t abandon him, one that had been beside him.

“Do you have any idea who would want to kidnap your son,” Bruce’s question brought Dick back to the present situation.

“I do,” Jasmine said, “Jazz Nightingale. I used to be Jazz Fenton.”

She took out a piece of rubber.

“The Fentons, my bioparents. The world I come from doesn’t have heroes. Well, it didn’t except for one. Phantom. He fought ghosts that would come through a portal from our basement. My parents’ lifework was to open a portal into the afterlife to study ghosts.”

“It wasn’t really to study, though. They wanted to capture, dissect, or destroy them to prove their crazy theories. In their eyes, all ghosts were evil and unfeeling without sentience. I don’t know how that worked because if something doesn’t have sentience, how can they be evil.”

“They finished their portal, but it didn’t work. My brother, Danny, decided to check it out with his friends. From what I understand, one of them asked him to enter so they could take a picture. He tripped; the on button was on the inside. He turned it on while he was inside.”

Jazz’s voice wobbled with emotions. She took a deep breath and continued.

“The accidents gave him powers, ghost powers. He was half dead and half alive,” Jazz said with a hollow chuckle. “He always called himself Schrodinger’s boy. My parents discovered Danny’s powers and attacked him while he was with Ellie with one of their inventions that was supposed to rip a ghost apart ‘molecule by molecule.’ As is usual with their inventions, it backfired and deaged them both instead.”

“I was there, luckily, and could push Danny into the portal before jumping after him, Ellie. When I got here, it had been a few weeks since I had pushed Danny in, even though it had only been a few minutes for me.”

There was silence for a few seconds before Bruce spoke up, “You think your parents kidnapped Danny this time?”

Jazz played with the piece of rubber in her hands, “I know they did.”

“I don’t care who took my kid. I’m going to find them and take my son back home,” Jason said. “Raven, can you help us with a location spell?”

Raven shook her head, “That’s the first thing I tried. Something is blocking my magic.”

“How is that even possible?” Jason got up, pacing, “I need to find him!”

Dick’s eyes widened when he saw Jason’s hair start to smoke.

“Jason, you’re on fire!” Bruce went to get a pot of water and was about to throw it at Jason when Talia stopped him.

“Habibi, you need to calm down. You won’t find Daniel if you let your emotions get in the way. You’re like him; he is your son. Concentrate and use your powers to find him.”

Jason stopped pacing.

“What if it doesn’t work,” he asked in a scared voice.

“Then we find a different way to look for him, but you’ll never know if you don’t try, habibi.”

Jason nodded and closed his eyes. A red light had Dick looking away. After blinking away the spots from his vision, Dick looked toward Jason again. But it wasn’t Jason, not anymore. In his place stood a creature of smoke and fire. Dick was about to attack when he noticed a purple ‘R’ in a white circle on the creature’s right breast.

“Jason, son, what is this,” Bruce asked breathlessly.

Jason opened his eyes, which resembled glowing embers.

“I’m sorry, dad, but I didn’t come back fully alive either,” Jason whispered, his voice echoing eerily. “I understand if you hate me, but please, help me look for Danny first.”

“Jay, lad, I could never hate you, with or without powers, whether you’re alive or half-alive. I will always love you, and you will always be my son.”

Jason gave a weak smile and closed his eyes. Then, Dick felt a warm wind pass through him. After a few tense seconds, Jason opened his eyes.

“I felt something weird. It felt like Danny, but he was scared. I know where they took him to, though, before his signature disappeared.”

“Where,” Dick asked.

“We need to go to Ghostwriter’s bookshop.”

Why didn't Jason go to Ghostwriter from the beginning? Well, give the guy some slack. His son just got kidnapped, and he's not thinking straight.

Anyway, I hope getting these chapters in a row has made at least some of you happy.

[exhaustedcatte]

Detention, boys!

“–pair of troublemakers, they are,” Pomona Sprout wailed. “I know it was them, but there’s no way to prove it.”

Minerva, who’d just walked in, already knew who the offending duo could be. “Potter and Black?”

“Potter and Black,” she confirmed. “Charmed all of my Mandrakes to sing! Sing! Can you believe it?!”

A smile unwillingly pulled on the Gryffindor House-head’s mouth.

“What did they sing?” Professor Sinistra asked curiously.

Pomona ducked, shy. “I didn’t recognize the song, but Ms Bones said it was a muggle band called—ehem.” She cleared her throat and whispered, “The Sex Pistols.”

Minerva suppressed a loud guffaw, forced it back down her throat, and allowed a small grimace. Sinistra had no objections, laughing cheerfully.

“I bet you that was all Lupin,” she said, still grinning. “I’ve heard him giving gospels on muggle music with such ardor, you’d have thought he was being paid to advertise.”

Minerva didn’t know muggle music, but she knew her boys. This prank definitely had their signature on it, not just the handle on magic, but the careless display of talent.

Charming those noisy crybaby Mandrakes was no easy feat.

“I’ll hand out detention for the weekend,” Minerva said easily. “Potter and Black for the frontline work, Lupin for definitely pointing them towards the charms and Pettigrew for stealing all of your Mandrakes,” she raised her brows.

Pomona sighed, smiling.

The thing was, it was easy to detain them for smaller, localised pranks. It had their magical imprint all over it. While they had stepped into juvenile delinquency and thrown dung bombs, most of their practical jokes were, well, practical. Neatly studied and practiced. Difficult charms and jinxes. Hexes that Minerva had almost forgotten about since her own school days.

They’d made the suit of armours duel outside the Defence classroom, transfigured every single notebook in their class into origami birds, charmed it to fly away and got them all let off class. Hexed the Slytherins to speak in haikus for two full days. They’d also frozen the Lake into an ice rink in the cusp of summer post-exams. Pranks against which Finite Incantatem were useless. They put a lot of effort into their jokes, which somehow turned out just as remarkable as their neglected schoolwork.

But she’d given them many cauldrons and trophies and broom closets to clean for all of those, because she knew only they could be responsible for such intelligent tomfoolery.

What was difficult to pin on them was larger, vastly spread magic, because their trace was faint when it was distributed wide, mingling with everyone else’s magic. In theory she would put all her money on it being the Marauders, but she couldn’t simply accuse them when no one had seen them out of bed, no misbehaving, nothing. Very mystifying.

Which was why she was effectively silenced when she walked into the Great Hall on Tuesday. Everything seemed fine at first, but then she noticed, after hearing the excited tittering.

The Slytherins were emerald green. Minerva almost marched down to the quartet – the rivalry was telling. But she glanced around and saw the Hufflepuffs drenched in yellow. The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were not spared either, dyed in their own house colours.

Minerva peered down her table. The other professors were trying to puzzle out how this had been achieved. She was silently proud that they kept glancing at the four boys on the far end, as if trying to read the answer straight from their brains. They knew no one else was capable of such advanced magic while still being playful.

Minerva looked over to them.

The Marauders were maintaining a strong air of ignorance despite the obvious looks being thrown their way from students and teachers alike.

Remus was stirring his likely fourth sugar into his tea, while Sirius kept nibbling the untouched toast from his friend’s hand. James was roughing his hair up and laughing at something Peter was whispering into his ear. They were also painted a vibrant red, probably as an alibi.

“I know it’s them,” Dumbledore said lowly, eyes dancing with mirth. “But I do think it’s rather spectacular, don’t you agree, professor?”

She huffed a laugh. “Yes.”

It was hard to tack this on them, not when Potter and Black, who despite knowing magic straight out of the womb, would vehemently deny everything and call it a fluke of someone’s luck. Not when Lupin, a severely clever werewolf who often downplayed his own intellect, would disagree politely and be off in that quiet way of his. Not when Pettigrew, the most unassuming and yet the sneakiest of them all, would lie impressively through his teeth.

She sat back and sipped her tea, enjoying the humorous sight of the bright morning sun reflecting off of the colourful skins of her students. But mostly she was observing her band of troublemakers.

They were still hanging off of each other’s shoulders like limpets, clingy and supremely codependent, in the best possible way. She watched Sirius proof-read a parchment Peter had given him. Remus was feeding James his scones and cream, who was trying, futilely, to tame his hair with a bottle of Fleamont’s Hair Gel that had just arrived with the owls.

These idiot boys, she thought fondly.

There would be no way to prove it was them other than their excited footsteps and victorious laughter that echoed through her office later that day.

Minerva McGonagall stepped into the hallway, unable to tamp down the pride in her voice when she called out, “Detention, boys!”

[sopekooks]

“where flowers bloom, so does hope.”

happy birthday @huhfeatjhope ♡︎

[wiltkingart]

so i may be a little bit stupid. as in this isnt the first time i saw your trans leon art of course. it's probably the second or third time. but when you posted your commission art post and reposted the leon pic w it it made me realise that. leon's body looks like me. and usually even no-op art has features that i don't have like pronounced body and facial hair but like... this pic made me realise that i don't have a girl's body i have a body. with tits on top like. i guess like cherry on the cake? like just a feature on top. idk it's a change of perspective that i really like and makes me feel so much better and i would have never come to that conclusion if it wasnt for your art. so thank you

that's not stupid. it's not really a popular perspective. things are getting a little better now i think, at least in trans spaces, about celebrating and loving our non-op non-conventional bodies. but when i was growing up trans (not even that long ago! im 26 in a few days!) there was nothing like this that i ever saw. and my body was a source of just. daily despair. for a long ass time. i'm not saying i don't still have bad days but it wasn't until i started exploring trans bodies in my art that were different from the post-op 'ideal ("acceptable") stealth trans guy' image that i could i start to envision a different future for myself, a possible future, one that's more inline with my present. more in line with me and what my body looks like. this is how i learned to make peace with my body. love it even. tits and all! this took years of work but i am so much more happy and content these days than i ever thought i could be in this body. all thanks to art. and daring to have that first thought of 'what if'.

so yeah. there's kind of a lot of weight behind what i do here and i'm honestly astonished that i have gotten very little backlash for it over the years. sometimes i'm met with confusion, but for the most part its all very positive and enthusiastic, because there are a lot of people out there who have bodies like you and me and i'm so happy i can offer strangers like you a piece of the peace i've made for myself. take care <3

[hoodedscarlet]

Title: breathe into me (fall into you) Fandom: Overwatch Rating: Explicit Ship: Cole Cassidy/Gabriel Reyes Tags: Canon Compliant, Reunion Sex, Drug Use, Drugged Sex, Masks, Monster!Gabriel Reyes, Light Pet Play Themes WC: 3,238 Read on AO3 here

-x-

Cassidy had never given up on Gabriel being alive. Never meant he was prepared for coming face to face with the ghost of him, let alone in a backwater town in the middle of nowhere.

Luckily, the two of them are more than happy to fall into old, hedonistic vices to soothe the pains of their reunion - with a little help, of course.

Considering how many years it'd been since he’d walked through the door, it was surprising how little this backwater safe house had been touched by the passage of time. Cassidy ran a hand over the countertop; the drag marks left on the counter made the layer of dust over every surface in the room even more striking. From the tops of the cabinets bolted higglety-pigglety to the wall, to the linens left wrinkled on the beds. Just moving through the room alone had kicked up a not-insubstantial amount into the air; not for the first time tonight he was thankful for the serape around his face.

The other was right in front of him - for a man dressed in leathers slinking about like a harbinger of death, it was some sort of whiplash to see Reaper- No, Reyes leaning over one of the beds to push open the window. Realising that was the connection he’d been missing all these years was still taking it’s sweet time to sink in.

He'd thought the man dead, for fuck's sake- (-no. No he didn't. Some sorry part of him had always stuck on the missing body after the Zurich explosion. Worried at the way things didn't add up like a hangnail as he sought out the answer in the bottom of his glass. Gabriel fucking Reyes didn't just disappear, there had to be something he was missing, there had to be, there had to be-) "Can you think any louder, Cassidy?" Cassidy was pretty sure he could hear the snap in the air as he came back to himself - if the tilt of Reyes head in return was anything to go by, he wasn't the only one aware of it. He shrugged it off, offering a winning grin in return.

"What can I say, boss? Thought you were dead - and gotta say, you got some real pep for a corpse." A beat of silence passed between them, ringing with all the volume of a gunshot. For anybody else it'd be understandable - for Gabe Reyes? A man who could volley banter whether it was on base on Christmas, under fire in Venice, on stakeout in the deep South? The silence now spoke volumes by comparison.

"I'm not your boss anymore, Cassidy." He said, eventually.

“Sure you are. What’s a few years, a faked death, a lost arm-“ he flopped onto one of the cots, hold up his prosthetic and wiggling his fingers to make a point “-and you tryin’ to kill me, all between pals?”

“I wasn’t trying to kill you.”

“Could’ve fooled me, partner. Or did you forget the whole point of spread shots are that they spread?-”

“Cass.” The bite of his name on Reyes’ tongue is sharp, cutting through the rest of his train of thought. Cassidy fell silent in an instant – how could he not? Years of falling into line at his commander’s word didn’t just evaporate. Unlike then, though, Cassidy’s eyes caught more. Like how it seemed to pain the other man to raise his voice like that; how pain in general seemed to rest in his joints. Cassidy knew the feeling – whiskey was a medicine as much as an indulgence, these days – but it was more acute in Reyes body.  

….Christ, he needed to change this line of thought before he got called out for thinking too damn loud again. And fast. Not like Reyes was helping with that – with that overdramatic skull-owl mask on, he could read the man even less than before. …Though.

"Well, do I at least get to see your face?" Cassidy said, changing the angle of attack instead as Reyes settled on the other cot. “Y’know, that’s the whole thing about masks. Could be talkin’ to just about anybody right now. And I mean, it’d take a whole lotta dedication to get down the voice, and the talk about you do, and Christ, don’t get me started on the whole everything you’re wearing. But got no proof to the contrary right now. “

The way that Reyes looked him up, down, and then sighed said everything he needed to know. If he was a wise man, Cassidy would of left it there… But god, he had so many questions. And if there was any time to poke the sleeping bear, it’d be now right?

“What’re you huffing for? I’m right, ain’t I? Hell, if I remember right, that’s something you had stamped into the ol’ brain matter before I even came outta basic. Don’t trust nobody at face value – and well, if I can’t see your face? Well, that speaks for itself.”

He could see the way Reyes hissed in a breath, like he was resisting the urge to snap back. (Good.) What he wasn’t expecting though was the almost too-calm way that the man gathered himself together. “….Fine.”

And before Cassidy could consider what the fuck this meant, Reyes was reaching up to his face. Broad fingers felt back under the hood with the dexterity of a motion done a thousand times. The hiss is more startling - was that thing mechanical? He’d hear the sound a hundred times working alongside Genji, but in the same breath as Reyes was altogether more strange. Stranger too was the there-and-gone scent of something saccharine sweet.

But everything about where they are, what’s going on? All momentarily forgotten as finally the mask is lifted up and away - and oh. Oh. Cassidy’s heart stuttered in his chest, forgetting it's job for a moment as he looked upon the unfamiliar, achingly knowable face of a man who’d haunted him for years. There were differences now – god, were there differences - skin gone pallid, the muscle around his mouth scarred in a Glasgow upturn. His eyes were particularly striking; gone were the warm browns like freshly made coffee, instead struck through with a red like blood. There was familiarity to be found too, though – the same cut of his jaw, the cut of his goatee. And of course because it was Gabriel Reyes, who never did anything clearcut, there was something that felt both old and new as well. Long curls fell past his face as Gabriel pulled his hood back, fingers ran carefully through them as they settled on his shoulders. They suited him, Cassidy thought, a quiet little remark to himself alone.

"Surprise." Gabriel said, through slightly too-sharp teeth.

Now Cassidy could see his face, it was easier to see how much this affected Gabriel – the little crease in his brow, the way his gaze into Cassidy’s own was just a little too even. Gabriel didn’t do nervous – nerves got a man killed. There were few other words, though, for the emotion that twitched at the corners of the older man’s mouth. Time to break the ice, then.

"Shit, Moira really did a number on you, huh?" Cassidy cracked, eyes glinting. As he’d hoped, Gabriel snorted, shaking his head in disbelief.

"This isn't all her fault." A pointed raise of the eyebrow from Cassidy made Gabriel's lip quirk. "Alright, smart ass. More than you'd like it to be. But I'm alive."

"That you are," Cassidy replied. “It’s a good look on you.” That gets a smile that crinkles the corner of Gabriel’s eyes – and makes Cassidy’s own heart go double step.

“First time I’ve heard that one in a while.”

“Good to know the folk around you don’t have eyes. Or taste.” It’s something dangerously close to flirtation, spilling from his lips unbidden. For this, Gabriel kept a frustratingly good poker face. (Of course.)

Tearing his eyes away from Gabriel's face for the moment, his eyes settled on the damn mask instead – first as a curiosity, but then closer. From the outside it was easy to dismiss the piece as a fashion statement - this was Gabriel Reyes he was considering after all, the man who saw Halloween as a competitive sport. But being able to see the inside of the mask? It revealed the complex snaking of metal and tubes that coated the inside.

"All that ain't just for show, then?" He asked, gesturing at it. Gabriel's eyes follow Cassidy's hand, flicking over the internal components in the same way he'd once poured over mission plans. Dangerously quick, even now – he wouldn’t expect anything less from the commander.

"Well, like you said cowboy - Moira did 'a number' on me.” Gabriel made lazy bunny ears with one hand, before letting it flop to the bed again. “There's better and worse ways to deal with the pain of all this - don't get the fun side effects of these drugs, but it keeps me on my feet."

"Side effects, you say?"

He's been got hook, line and sinker, Cassidy can already tell - when Gabe's eyes flick to his they seem almost luminous in the low light, the red gleaming with a flash of teeth. Suddenly he feels ten years younger – back at a time where all it’d take was a look to have him raring to go. Even now he can feel the heat flaring in his gut like a match against a strike board.

Gabriel always was his weakness. What’s new?

"Sure. If you haven't got my metabolism, it'd only take a puff or two to get you high, guapo. Better than any weed you could get your hands on." There’re insinuations there - Cassidy knows they remember as well as each other the way work would give way to the ease of each other’s company in the wee hours of the night. A joint passed between them, the thrill of playing chicken with touches and looks. And oh, when it turned to petting? Turned to rutting slow and easy? It was electric to chase the taste of smoke on Gabriel's tongue, not being sure if it was the drugs or the other man's touch that was making his skin prickle more.

He knows he shouldn't follow this thought - he had too many questions, too much unjust anger for the disappearance of this man who was never his - and yet skin hunger has haunted him almost as long as Gabriel has. (Cassidy is many things – but above all, he is only human.)

"That a theory, or an offer?" Cassidy drawled, eyes flicking up and down Gabriel's body in a way he never would of chanced back in Blackwatch. Instead of a reply, Gabriel picked up the mask, holding it out in front of him like a golden ticket. The way his eyes darked while doing it though? It perhaps betrayed how benevolent Gabriel was really being with all of this.

"Hold it to your face. I think you can figure it out from there, pup." Gabriel's voice was already dipping lower, scratching rough around the edges in a way that sent heat down Cassidy’s spine. He knew he should think this through more – for fuck’s sake, he didn’t know what the drug inside those pipes would do to him. It didn’t stop him though from lifting the mask to his face, peripherals going dark as it enclosed his sightlines. Quickly he felt the mask's edges conforming to his face - nanites? Bio responsive rubber? He couldn't find it in himself to care - especially as he realised how intensely Gabriel was watching him at this moment. Red eyes, bright and so vividly hungry. It was more than enough inspiration to lock eyes with Gabriel through the mask - and take one long, deep breath.

He could hear it happen; some unseen catch clicking open, gas hissing through the pipes he’d seen only moments before, and the smoke flooding into his mouth, sweet and damning. It was quickly drawn over his tongue, down into his throat like the most wicked of nicotine – the taste of it is something he ants to chase on its’ own. There's a sweetness to it, saccharine and inviting, but something else to it too. A crispness bordering on the medicinal without going too far, almost mint-like in flavor.

It’s distracting enough he doesn’t notice the first effects straight away - his shoulders catching from around his ears, him sinking just a bit into the cot underneath him. The tension of the reunion seemed to seep out with each passing moment of this drug seeping into his veins. And oh, wasn’t this all dangerous?

Without realising it, Cassidy found himself breathing deeper, deeper, like he could get the smoke to curl around the depths of his lungs and live there. It’d be worth it to see that look perpetually live on Gabriel’s face – mouth slightly open, eyes laser focused. Gabe had always had a look that felt like it stripped him back and lay him bare. Once it'd made Cassidy nervous in a way few things could. Now it just made his legs fall open as he finally exhaled, drawing the mask off to breathe out the plume towards the ceiling.

When he tried to hand back the mask though, Gabriel's eyes seemed to pin him where he sat..

"Actually, I think you can do that again. Can't you, Cass?"

Suddenly he's oh so aware of the weight of the mask in his hand, the weight of the gaze that sat on him like it'd never left, the weight of his hardening cock against his thigh. With a mouth gone dry he couldn't help but nod.

"...Yes, sir."

"Good boy."

And oh, the praise hit him like a shot of liquor – and he could see Gabriel knew it. Cassidy couldn’t bring himself to care though - not when his world has narrowed to him, Gabe and the mask in his hand weighed like a promise. With anticipation as potent of a drug as whatever the hell Gabe was having him breathe, Cassidy lifted the mask to his face again. Once again, the rubber latched to his face, once again he breathed deep of the sweet smoke. This time, he could almost feel the way that the smoke seeped in between his muscle fibers, how it curled in his temples to make his vision swim. His exhale came alongside a soft groan, teeth dragging over his lower lip as he tried to center himself within this heady, sudden high.

"Good?" Cassidy goaded after a few moments, smile wide and cheeky. The high was intense, but pleasant. If this was any other time, any other situation, this is when he would have put down the blunt and sunk into the couch for a while to contemplate his thoughts and how they flickered individually by. Gabriel didn’t look even close to finished with him, though.

"Not yet," the older man replied - Cassidy realised with a start that Gabriel's fingers were flexing in and out of the blanket on the cot he say on, the claws of his gloves have cut neat little holes into the wool. It was as if he’d needed to cut into the blanket to stop doing the same to Cassidy – and oh, wasn’t that an intoxicating thought all on its own? He couldn't help but imagine feel the cool metal along his skin, thumbing at his lips to part them, curling around his neck to squeeze. "Go on. Another one."

Cassidy couldn't help it - he whimpered as he brought the mask up to his face once more. It felt like it wasn't even his hand moving it, anymore - like he couldn't stop himself if he tried, like it wasn’t really him who had decided to flood his lungs once more with smoke. And oh, this time he could feel how it all went straight to his cock, making it flex and ache against his zipper as the drug dragged him down, down, down. His mouth felt so unfairly empty, his pants too tight-

-Which was a problem only made worse as he felt another hand on top of his, holding the mask to his face with force. Cassidy’s sharp inhale from shock was done straight into the mask too, making his head spin all the more as time seemed to stretch and twist out before him. When had he been pushed back onto the cot? When had his shoulders hit the blankets? All that he knew for sure was that the look on Gabe's face was positively predatory.

He knew there was no way for the other man to see that shock scrawled onto his face, how it melted into helpless arousal as Gabe straddled his hips. The triumphant grin on the other man’s face though as their hard cocks pressed together through leather and denim though? Oh, that made Cassidy more than convinced that Gabriel knew exactly the effect he was having.

"Again."

With his limbs like rubber Cassidy couldn't help but obey, pulling the smoke into his lungs like it was a lifeline. The way he rutted up against Gabriel was purely instinctual at this point - though trying to stop himself from rolling his hips up over and over was as futile as trying to stop the ocean's tides. Each moan came easier than the one before as his finger buried themselves into Gabriel’s thighs. With each breath the world became a bit more liquid, time seeming to stretch and twist like taffy as his arousal swallowed any higher brain function he had left.

Cassidy wasn't sure when his pants came off. He'd felt the scratch of Gabriel's claws against his thighs - he'd taken his gloves off, right? Maybe it was the drugs, but the face in front of him seem to warp - when the mask was lifted off Cassidy's face he swore Gabriel’s had shifted, the scarring at the other man’s mouth splitting open to reveal teeth stretching impossibly back. And was that one pair of eyes or two? Maybe even three, splitting the skin of his face and nestling in his hairline?

He should have cared more, should have forced himself to care more - but all he could bring himself to care about was if Gabriel wanted this. Wanted him with all the force that Cassidy wanted him in return. And oh, did the intensity of that gaze, the hands across his body speak to that desperately. When finally those fingers wrapped around his cock he couldn’t help but keen at the sensation of it all – god, was he already that close to the edge? The strokes were slow and steady, eased by his pre-come alone. Any attempt to look at the sight for himself though failed – his eyes were too hazy to focus on anything else but the glowing red of the gaze above him.

"There you go, Cassidy," and oh, Gabriel’s voice was wrecked – low and husky, scraped through in a way that made him throb. Lisped slightly as well – in his fucked-out state Cassidy couldn’t figure out if that was because of the jagged mess of teeth, or the long tongue he could see flicking out of the other man’s mouth. Whichever it was, it wasn’t stopping the filth that tumbled out of Gabriel’s mouth unbidden, thoughts that were only drilled further into his mind by the slow rock of Gabriel’s hips against his own.

“Been waiting such a long time to see you like this again. You look so good wrecked – I wish you could see yourself. Would keep you like this for days if I could – fuck your mouth until you craved it, made sure you never forgot the shape of me inside you. Fuck. Such a good fucking boy."

Cassidy couldn't stop his orgasm from crashing over him if he tried. -x- My Ko-Fi!

[imgonnagetyoubacktv]

it would feel so nice to work towards a career that has meaningful impact and makes millions of people happy

[chaunceydollz]

But anywaysss my new years resolutions for 2024 are

•To master human anatomy (2nd year in a row😭)

•get a scholarship (full ride, stretched but good to hope.)

•do sims renders (ik how to do them but I’m a big procrastinator.)

•Make one god damn real life friend before I graduate🧍🏾‍♂️

[crysdrawsthings]

Happy New Year, folks! May 2023 be kinder to us all c:

[singsweetmelodies]

I am almost falling over my chair in this fucking airport waiting for the new chapter omfgggggg I am so excitedddddddd

I’ve already re-read it (AGAIN) earlier today so it is ✨fresh✨ in my mind so LETS DO THIS!!!

omg, love, i am SO sorry - i saw this on sunday and thought i replied, but apparently i didn't. stupid tumblr. and stupid brain. but. OMG. 🥺🥺😭😭😭🤗🤗🤗🤗🥰 THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR THIS, omfg, your excitement is like a shot of serotonin right into my veins. i love you so much for this, ahhhhh ❤️❤️ hope you enjoyed the chapter!! 😘😘

[radio-4-is-static]

WONDER BOY'S AKUMU CLUB - Yojiro Noda

[corviiids]

my top bit of advice going into the new year: compliment people. especially strangers. literally everyone you interact with if you can. when you buy coffee in the morning compliment the barista's tattoos. when you're chatting with a coworker tell them that by the way you like their outfit. always find something they've chosen to do on purpose. nail polish, jewellery, tattoos, hair colour/style, statement accessory, outfit, etc are all good bets. things people hope will be noticed. things that aren't too personal so it doesn't make them uncomfortable (eg probably not their physical features). i've gotten into the habit of scanning everyone i talk to for something about them that i think is cool so i can tell them. it's a great habit because it makes me notice people and realise just how many neat little details there are in people's presentation of themselves that might pass me by if i wasn't paying attention. and it brings out so much joy. you'd be surprised how much it disarms people to receive an unexpected compliment from someone they don't know. it is the most sincere smile you will see all day long. it feels nice to make people happy but it also means you win the social interaction. establish dominance by complimenting a stranger's earrings and disappearing into the fog