#have a lovely day anon!! stay safe n drink water!

[inkykeiji]

Hii Clari! What do you think would caught ranpo's eyes about a reader? And how would he approach them?? He feels like a menace

hi anon!! c: hmm i dunno about what would catch his eye, i think he’d be interested in all types of people, but i can talk about how i think he’d approach a crush or someone he’s interested in!

warnings: mentions of yandere right at the end

ranpo having a crush would be very interesting because i feel like it could go a few different ways, depending on how he’s feeling that day and the person themselves. i could honestly see him becoming uncharacteristically shy with the person if the crush hits him very suddenly and out of nowhere the moment they meet (aka if it’s a new person in his life), almost to the point where it comes across as rude because he refuses to do anything with them or be around them. the feelings are strong, potent, and entirely unfamiliar, and he has no idea how to deal with them, so he avoids them until someone talks some sense into him and helps him work through them in a positive and productive way. after he gets over his initial shyness and processes the emotions he’s experiencing, i think he’d begin to act exactly the way i describe below!!

if the person isn’t a new person in his life, and the crush + feelings develop gradually over time as he gets to know them, then i think he’d be obsessive, almost overbearing, with his presence. he’d suggest doing everything together in a way that comes across as incredibly blunt and bordering on demanding, even though that isn’t at all his intended tone. he’s just excited; he wants to spend time with them, wants to show off to them, and wants to share things with them.

if you say you’re going grocery shopping after uni class or work, he’ll naturally invite himself to tag along with you. if you say you’re craving a specific food or meal, he’ll grab you by the wrist and march you over to the closest food stall or restaurant without stopping, no matter how much you protest. if you mention wanting to see a new film that’s just been released, he will immediately buy tickets for the next available showtime and tell you—not ask you—that you’re coming with him. he’ll begin attempting (and often succeeding; he isn’t one to take no for an answer) to drag you along on all his missions and cases, because he wants you to see how smart he is, how capable and adept he is, how absolutely awe-inspiring he is. he wants you to be feel astonishment and admiration towards him, be in amazement of him and his intelligence. ranpo is not a fan of sharing his snacks, but if it’s you, well, he guesses he can part with a candy or two (and if you like that candy, you can absolutely expect him to get very enthusiastic and begin shoving more and more at you to gauge your reactions in relation to other flavours etc—he thinks they’re really cute).

i also think that he wouldn’t really hide his crush for long. aside from the fact that the behaviour described above is abnormal for him and would instantly signal to anyone who knows him well that something is up, ranpo is also so honest, and he almost always says exactly what’s on his mind. if he thinks you look pretty or handsome, he’s going to tell you so with absolutely no reservations. if he likes something you’re doing or finds one of your mannerisms adorable, he’s going to tell you so, bluntly and boldly. as such, he’ll either end up letting it slip that he has a crush on you in some totally nonchalant way, or he will very candidly and almost curtly ask you to go on a date with him because he likes you a lot.

i don’t think ranpo is one to have small or insignificant crushes, either. when he falls for someone, he falls fucking hard, and he’ll stop at nothing to make them his—which is to say, if you reject him, you’re going to absolutely shatter his fucking heart; smash it into a million sharp fragments that pierce his lungs and slash his stomach and lodge between his ribs, so painful he can barely stand to breathe at all. this definitely introduces a very slight yandere potential; he can’t understand why you don’t want to be with him, why you wouldn’t want to be with him—he’s obviously the best person in the entire universe for you, after all; there’s no way anyone else on any other planet would possibly be a better fit for you than he is—but he also isn’t necessarily the type to continue pursuing you after you’ve made it explicitly known that you’re not interested out of genuine respect for you; unless he’s seriously delusional and is able to somehow trick himself into believing that you’re just too dumb, you just don’t know what’s good for you, not the way he does, and you very clearly and very evidently need him to protect you, to shelter and guide you, because he knows what’s best for you better than anyone else ever could or ever will. he’s only doing this because he loves you, obviously. it’s all for your sake, don’t be so fucking ungrateful.

[inkyclive]

Joshua supremacy 😭😭😭 I’m so soft for him. Just let me be his little princess. He can make all the rules idc

omg he’s so gorgeous and like the thing about him—at least in my opinion/my own personal interpretation—is that while he is genuinely so sweet (almost sickly so at times!) and so kindhearted and so so tender, he is also so used to being served and so used to being the Boss, the undying’s precious phoenix prince, the king of everything, and it comes out in these tiny little wisps and hints in certain interactions; a vaguely bratty comment, a gentle yet vehement assertion, a soft chuckle beneath a gloved hand……..

all of this is to say, i think he’d fucking love to have a partner who lives to serve him and be his precious lil doll (to the point where he may even feel guilty about how much he loves it, because he knows it isn’t necessarily right, but he just can’t help but feel this way about you <3). he wouldn’t push it on you, and he wouldn’t hold you back from doing things you wanted to, either, if he deems them good or beneficial for you—he’d definitely encourage you to do things if they were things you wanted to do/made you happy—but oh, to have a baby who’s syrupy sweet and devotedly doting and hangs on his every word; to have a precious lil princess who gazes up at him as if he’s painted the entire night sky by hand, speckled the stars across the atmosphere and carved out the moon himself; to have a soft sweetheart who clings to him in every way possible, hands curled around his fingers or wrists or biceps when he takes you for a walk in the gardens or when you sit down for a meal (always beside him, never across from him, protocol be damned), who snuggles in his lap or straddles his thighs and nuzzles their sugar-sweet lips against his neck or collarbone or jaw, who obediently never leaves his side unless it is absolutely necessary <33333 that sounds like a perfect dream, a paradise, to him <3

[girlboypersonthingy]

Hiiii I wanted to request hazbin boys x injured male reader? Reader gets into a scuffle, gets roughed up quite a bit and comes home not looking too well (I wanna see em fuss over the reader lol)

Mmph, yes yes, I love boys fussing over their injured darling. Too fuckin cute! I have so many great requests for Hazbin and Helluva, I’m so excited 🫨 thanks for the request and enjoy anon 💟

Notes: gn!reader bc anyone can get into a scuffle so why not, mostly fluff with a sprinkle of angst

TW: blood, bruises, fighting, cussing, of course it’s suggestive during Angel’s part 😉

Includes Lucifer, Angel Dust, Husk, Sir Pentious, Vox and Alastor

Hazbin boys x reader- Bruises 🖤

You’re not sure who roughed you up, you barely got a look at the dudes before you were laid out on the dirty sidewalk getting punched and trying to push one of the perpetrators off you. Whoever he was, he was strong and brutal and must’ve really had a problem with you because damn, you were fucked up. Not that you couldn’t hold your own, but there was more than one of them and they really caught you off guard. You had suffered several blows to the face and a few kicks to the stomach and back. Seemed like the group showed just a bit of mercy tho- they could’ve broken your legs or straight up killed you. Luckily, you limped away with only minor injuries but a huge blow to your psyche. While it could’ve been worse, it was horrific and traumatizing regardless.

It’s hard trying to stay tough and take care of yourself because you’re scared, feeling like you’ll have to look over your shoulder from now on when you’re out on the streets. It was also a bit embarrassing considering Husk and Angel offered to tag along with you to keep you safe but your dumb ass insisted you were fine alone.

It was late now, around the time everyone went to bed at the hotel so you were expecting to silently creep inside, hobble to your room and take care of yourself in secret. And if anyone asked about the marks or bruises the next day, you’d just blame it on a wild night of partying. To your surprise, as you walk in the door the entirety of the hotel’s staff and residents were sitting on the floor and couches in the front room, drinking and talking by the fireplace. Of course, Charlie had everyone doing some bonding bullshit late at night. The sound of the door clicking open has everyone’s eyes looking towards you now. “Ah, shit…” Leaves your swollen lips as the crowd gasps and one by one, they all stand and approach your damaged figure. Finally, the one person you really didn’t want to see you like this comes rushing forward to get a good look at you.

Lucifer 🍎

“Oh, Satan! (Y/N), are you okay? What happened? Ohhh, my poor angel!”

Proceeds to fuss and worry over you while wearing the saddest expression :,( his poor bb

Might actually cry a little…just hurts him to see his darling all banged up.

It’s not just the physical pain he senses, it’s the emotional pain you feel too- the fear and the trauma and the stress of it all

His hands just hover all around the most damaged parts of you- fingers almost touching your eye which was now swollen shut, his thumb ghosting over your busted bottom lip

Whisks you away to his room and runs you a bath. Gets you all clean and is probably still whining and crying over you as he watches the bath water turn red with all the blood washing off you and gets you ready for bed.

He’s an emotional man, okay?

He also feels extremely guilty for not being there to protect you. Even if you bluntly told him you don’t need his protection, he feels like it’s still his fault at least a little bit.

Miiiiiiight start a silly little argument over you never leaving the hotel or his side ever again lol

“I just want to protect you, my love. Please! Stop being stubborn.”

He’ll really really baby you tho.

Like even if your legs are working fine, NOPE! Don’t move an inch. Luci will carry you anywhere you desire.

“Lucifer, I just have a black eye and some scrapes. I can walk just fine, babe.”

And he’ll just ignore you and continue to coddle you and do everything for you

For sure this man peppers very gentle, very soft and slow kisses on your tender face once you’re cleaned up and finally resting in his bed

And he for sure cries again in the morning when he wakes up and your face looks even worse

Probably even panics a bit like-

“IM TAKING YOU TO A HOSPITAL OH MY SATAN!!! MY POOR BABY WWAAAA!”

“It’s just some bruises! Luci, they always look worse before they look better, I’m fine.”

Just calm him down with some kisses and words of love

Angel Dust 🕸️

“Holy shit! What happened, babe? Oh no…this is bad. This is sooo bad! This is why we wanted to go with ya.”

Also gets very dramatic and concerned, looks so sad over your battle wounds

But of course he’s a flirt even under tough circumstances and can make a dirty joke even in the most dire situations

He’d definitely tell you you look hot asf and that you’re soooo brave~

Tries to lighten the mood a bit

“(Y/N), I wanna be the only one who gets to rough you up.” *pouts but also winks at you*

Angel has had his fair share of beatings courtesy of Valentino so he’s very good at first aid and knows tons of tricks to help with bruising, cuts, scrapes, preventing scars, relieving the pain.

He’s great at the clean up part but even better at the comfort part

Brings out all six arms to wrap you up in while you lay in his bed, cuddling up to you while offering soft kisses to the parts of you that aren’t so sore.

Angel is always down to fuck so if you’re feeling up to it, he’ll offer you some great sexual healing while being oh so careful of all your wounds and all the painful spots.

Will let you take control too, he hopes it’ll make you feel better and maybe return some of the confidence you lost from this scuffle.

He can spot a bruised ego from a mile away and he’ll do anything to get you feeling happy and secure again.

Also argues with you about never letting you go anywhere alone ever again lol he just loves you too much. If you’re gonna get jumped, he’s either gonna be there to help you out of it or he’s gonna be taking half the beating right next to you.

Reminds me of a song…

“I wanna walk with you, wherever you go to. I wanna hurt with you. Whatever you go through, I do too.” -sour switchblade by Elita

Yeah that’s Angel, just wants to be beside you no matter the circumstances

Husk 🃏

“Oh, you dummy! This is why we wanted to go with you. Oh, doll face. Who did this? You alright?”

Yeah, he’s mean sometimes so he’s gonna scold you for going out alone before the comforting starts.

Ultimately, he doesn’t pull you away to get you cleaned up or anything. Lets you decide what to do next, where to go. He just follows you and keeps a hand on you somewhere to let you know he’s here for you.

Will whip up any drink you ask for in hopes of it relieving the pain a bit

But he’s sneaky, he’s gonna ask you tons of questions about what happened, who did it, where you were, how many of them there was. Won’t give you your drink until you answer him.

Husk is plottin and schemin, wanting to get back at the assholes who did this to you. Hes thinking about all the cool, little weapons he has and what he can do with them to teach those jerks a lesson.

In the end tho, he does get more sentimental and soft spoken later while cuddled up to you in bed.

He’ll purr softly in your ear while letting his hands gently roam your body, tracing comforting circles all over your bruised skin

Will def wrap you up in his silky wings and then proceed to pour out his entire heart to you.

“I love you. I’m so glad you’re okay. You need to listen to me. I know better than you, I’ve been down here a long time. You have to be more careful. I dunno what I’d do if I lost ya, doll. You gotta stick with me, I’ll always protect ya.”

Once you fall asleep, he wanders out to the lobby to find Angel at the bar and there they talk about teaming up to get revenge on the assholes who dared to touch Husk’s little babe

The next morning, of course they’re still talking about it. You’ll have to tell these idiots to stop and just let it go bc omg they sound crazy rn they’re gonna make a mess if you let this continue

Buuuut if you kinda like them fussing over you this much, then by all means let them do their thing as you sit back and enjoy the attention

Ooooh, Husky is getting maadddd. Kinda cute when he lets a protective growl slip out while talking to Angel. Aww he loves you~

Sir Pentious 🐍

Immediate tears and full blown panic attack at the sight of your battered face.

“OH MY GOODNESSSSSS!!! My baby! My darling! Ohhhhhh, you poor thing, come here! I’ll take care of you.”

Doesn’t care that the entirety of the hotel residents are crowded around watching you two- Pentious holds you like a baby in his arms and carefully sinks to the ground with you, holding you so tight it actually kinda hurts due to all your bruises.

Cries for a while like this- goes back and forth between examining your bruises and cuts and bloody nose with his watery eyes to then burying his face in your neck as he weeps for you.

“Pen, I’m okay. Just a little banged up. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I CAN’T HANDLE IT!!! You’re too pretty to be beaten up like thisssss. Aawwwww.” And he’s crying even harder now.

And this goes on for a while until you finally decide to get up and go to your room with him to get cleaned up.

Babies the absolute fuck out of you- brings you food in bed and tries to feed it to you, gets you in the bath and refuses to let you touch anything while insisting he do all the work for you, carries you everywhere.

It’s actually so nice tho- he washes your hair for you real slow and firm as he scrubs your scalp, very carefully washes the dirt and dry blood from your skin only to reveal more bruises he hadn’t seen before, carefully applies ointment to your bloody cuts and scrapes

Listen…this man is not gonna stop crying until you are 100% healed up. Even the next morning, you wake up beside him to see his face wet with tears as he sniffles.

At least you know he really truly deeply cares for you and loves you 💚

“Oh, it’s okay, babe. I’m felling so much better today, especially since I get to start my morning in bed with you.”

And now he decides he’s gonna keep you in bed all day and continue to baby and pamper you

Keeps his tail and most of his body wrapped around you loosely all day as you watch movies and relax. Cant stop staring at your face and focusing on each blue and black bruise you wear, eyeing every cut and scrape and the split skin on your lip.

You took a beating and he thinks it’s only fair that you and him stay in bed until you’re truly feeling well enough to resume your normal daily tasks.

Of course, he has to stay with you in case you need something! Can’t leave his injured partner alone, wouldn’t dream of it!

Vox 🖥️

(I know he’s not at the hotel, pretend you just walked into V Tower instead, k?)

REVENGE REVENGE REVENGE

“WHAT. THE. FUCK?! Who? Where? When? HOW FUCKING HOW DARE THEY-“

You’ll have to cut him off or he’ll go on an entire raging tangent about revenge and eventually short circuit lol

“Voxy, I’m okay. Don’t worry about it. I just wanna get clean and go to bed.”

He slowly cools off and begins to focus more on you and your injuries, asking if you’re okay or if there’s anything he can do. Now behind closed doors, his entire attitude changes.

He’s following you into every room, watching you with an expression of intense sadness and concern, wishing he could take all your pain and give it to himself instead. He’d suffer for you if it meant seeing you happy and healthy

Sits in the bathroom in silence but keeps you company while you wash up. He might ask if you need help but also wants to give you space and make sure you feel safe

Assists you in getting dressed while making it very romantic and being very attentive. Vox will so slowly slip your pajamas onto you while letting his claws ghost over all your bruises.

Will lean in and kiss your busted lips right as your head pops through the top of your shirt, followed by a smile and probably more kisses

Listen, most of these boys are gonna become way more over protective after this incident okay? Vox is most definitely not an exception

Insists that either He’s gonna be with you every where you go from now on or he’s gonna send security with you every where you go from now on.

And no matter who is with you when you’re out in the streets, his cameras will also be watching over you.

Oh yeah, and he goes back in the cam footage and has a perfect view of the whole incident. He watches it over a few times before ordering a hit on every sinner who dared to mess with his lover.

You’ll never have to worry or look over your shoulder or worry again 😘

Alastor 🩸

Doesn’t say much or even stay long to worry about you at first.

He’s more angry and bent on revenge than anything. He’s worried about you too but he knows you’re strong and can take care of yourself.

He slips off to do some exploring and investigating to find out who did this to you

Spends maybe an hour figuring it out and then promptly goes on a murder spree to take care of all those pesky sinners who dared to lay a finger on his beloved

Okay, now that that’s out of his system, he can come back and take care of you.

Isn’t as cuddly and romantic as the others but he still babies you and refuses to let you do anything for yourself.

“Now now, darling. Just relax. I’ll have you cleaned up and feeling better in no time.”

Bathes you, dresses you, tucks you into bed all while humming slow tunes to you

Doesn’t cuddle you but sits on the bed beside you and gives your head some gentle pets

“You won’t have to worry any longer, my dove. I took care of those degenerates and I’ll never let you wander the streets of hell alone ever again.”

Will place a gentle kiss on your throbbing head before leaving you to rest.

He’s serious tho, anywhere you go he goes too. You’re never leaving his sight again ❤️‍🩹

[n0tamused]

Hiya!! I have a WuWa request, how about Reader stargazing with Jiyan and them talking about some deep topic of ur choice while stargazing? Only if you’re up for it tho! Don’t push urself. Have a good day!

A/N: Thank you for your request anon! I hope you enjoy this :)

Contents: Jiyan x GN!Reader, angst and sadness

Low calls of an owl echo over the breath of the breeze, the soft sighs of nature enveloping you in its embrace. Your head is supported by the lush grass, and Jiyan’s bicep that he insisted you lay on. His tone was low and a soft timbre compared to its commanding tone when he was performing his duties. Jiyan’s body exudes warmth and comfort, and in all the ways you needed him, he was there.

“You shouldn’t be so reckless..” He’d mutter, golden eyes dark from drinking in the serene, dark scenery up above. Little stars were freckled across the sky like little faded droplets of milk, counting up to billions of the same, yet not one less beautiful than the other. 

The towering mountains sprouted from the ground so high, long rocks fingers reaching as far as possible, as if trying to grasp the fading lights and the moon itself.

“I know.. I try, Jiyan. Yet, I really can’t just stand by and watch, especially when I see you in the midst of it all, surrounded or cornered..” you respond back, quiet, not willing to disturb this serenity.

He hums, wordlessly in disagreement of your response yet he can’t bring himself to say anything in that exact moment. His mind is plagued by images of your exhausted form slumping behind a fallen tree trunk, and skin grimy with sweat and dirt. 

“I know you mean well, and you are doing your best. Yet, you are not a Midnight Ranger, love, you are not a soldier. This.. battlefield is not your place to be in” Jiyan says, his gaze leaving the midnight sky and falling on you, seeing the way your nose curved and how your eyes were much darker in the absence of a lamp or a fire. “I am the General, the leader of these men, and I don’t need you to step in for me, love..”

He sees your eyes lower to stare at nothing in particular, lashes fluttering while your throat bobbed with unease. His words rang true, but you couldn’t find yourself accepting them.  

“I need you alive... and I need you safe. While I can do my absolute best at shielding you while you are here, I cannot stand true to my promise to you if you’re jumping head first into hot water. Not when you do so behind my back”

“Jiyan… “ you sigh, trailing off, your lips opening and then closing as you try to pry your brain for a response that would get him to be more lenient, to see your side too.

“I know..” you say, your eyes finding his as you turn your face towards him. “I know.. I know you are doing your best, and I don’t wish to burden you with my-” “You are not a burden” “I know, Jiyan- let me talk.. please”

His lips press into a firm line and he gives you a small nod, encouraging you to keep going while his eyes apologize for cutting you off. One hand came to trace your cheek, he was almost laying on his side now.

“I don’t want to make your time more difficult, especially not when we’re in the middle of a battle. But don’t send me back to the city, please.. I can’t bear not being close to where I can see you. I am still useful here, perhaps not as a professional warrior or a soldier or a gunner, but I can help and I can learn too.. You talk about your promise to keep me safe, but what about our promise to stay alive... and with each other?”

Your question renders his thumbing of your cheeks slow before his fingers stop altogether in tracing your features, instead cupping the side of your face in his calloused palm. “I haven’t forgotten about that..'' he simply replies, the heaviness in his chest too great, making him unable to sigh to rid himself of it.  Fatigue hangs heavy over your heads, but neither of you are willing to cut the conversation or this moment short.

“Don’t send me back.. There is nothing for me there..” Not without you- it goes without being said, and he feels it in his bones that he can’t argue with you on this, you’ll both remain stubborn on your stances. He knows he’ll have to put restrictions on you, to keep you safe, but until then he’ll enjoy this night of reprieve with you. The tent he sleeps in feels like a bed of nettles without you, and the way he’s comfortable laying on nothing more but this lush grass speaks volumes of that. He does not feel cold or irritated. Jiyan is at peace.

But he has to send you back, he tells himself, but not yet.. Tomorrow, or maybe the day after, until you forget about this conversation, and until the next cargo drop off comes in. Then, he’ll send you back.

“And we will be together, my love. You must be patient. You are my northern star in these dark nights, are you aware of that? The most precious person to me, one I hold within my heart itself.. I can’t afford to lose you..” he whispers to you as you watch him with pleading and loving eyes. You tip your chin up, brushing your nose against his and with that simple motion he is leaning in to grant your wordless wish, satiating your desire for closeness with a kiss to your lips.

The arm underneath your head stirs and he wraps it around his shoulders, bringing you in closer, flush against him, and you’re wrapping your arms around him and kissing him with fervor and unspoken love. Closer, closer, stay with me, don’t leave..

He holds you with such tender touches, holds you like you may fade away like sunlight before the long night, feather light touches tracing your cheeks and chin and moving towards the back of your head. He pulls away for a moment, his forehead pressing against yours as you both inhale the same air. “I love you” - it’s you who blurts it out before he gets the chance to do so, and his eyes widen with surprise. His heart drums in his chest, and he presses his lips to your again, in search of water to quell his worry, and for a forgiveness. Every note of love is interwoven in his actions, his touches and his kisses. Were the world any less cruel, it would have granted you two the eternity of this night, to forever be here and watch the skies in tranquility. 

Black night covers you both in a blanket of stardust and far galaxies, bringing you safety if only but this night alone, undisturbed by monsters or people. And as Jiyan pushes himself to his elbow to loom over you, chasing your lips, a lone star flies across the vast sky, flickering out and leaving behind a silver fading tail.

Maybe.. just maybe, the universe heard your wishes. 

Ⓒ n0tamused. Do not repost, translate, edit, and/or copy any of my works. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.

[silentwhispofhope]

*Limping to your request box* I MISSED YOU AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA FILLED WITH FLUFF!! Is it okay to request?

💞[Skin Writing/Drawing Soulmate AU]✍️ 🖌️ - Reader is an artist and constantly draws many art in their skin because it's just so satisfying! Their soulmate Vash feels appreciated, in love, and beautiful whenever Reader's drawing appear on his skin. Their art just gives him a reason to love his skin despite skin scars 🥺 🖋️ - Reader does calligraphy, and they sometimes quote the bible doing it cause why not? Soulmate Wolfwood just looks with a soft, maybe teasing smile as he sees his soulmate's work. 😎 📜 - Reader is a poet and they randomly have ideas and prompt all throughout the day, so they grab a pen and start writing all the poetry from their head. Soulmate Knives who's intellectual and curious admires whenever his soulmate's writing appear on his skin, he just covers it from others eyes because pest don't deserve to see this beauty. 🌱

YOU CAN PICK TWO OUT OF THE THREE!! IT'S YOUR CHOICE MY FRIEND!!! 😍💝💌

- Sugar Plum Anon 💟

A/N: Just for you Sugar Plum Anon, I’ll do all three <3 I do hope you’re alright though! Please do stay safe! Since I’m doing all three, I hope you’re alright with headcanons instead of normal lil’ one shots. :)

Skin Writing/Drawing Soulmate AU Headcanons

Vash

He was absolutely scared out of his mind when he first saw the ink appear on his skin. He even went as far as to try to scrub his skin raw, and the ink was still fresh as ever. Poor blondie is wondering how the hell something like this is happening.

Meanwhile, you’re doodling like there’s no tomorrow with your ballpoint pen, tracing the outlines of your veins and doodling smiling faces.

Over time, Vash learns to just accept the random appearance and disappearance of drawings across his body. At the end of the day, it’s like a fun little game to see what’s been sketched on him underneath his turtle neck.

It takes a while for Vash to realize that it’s his soulmate doodles appearing on his skin. Warmth floods his heart each time he thinks of this, causing him to lovely trace the marks across his own skin.

He would laugh sometimes at the sudden ink smear appearing on his skin before new sketch marks appeared, your work hypnotizing him. He especially loved when you used different colors, almost painting his skin like a canvas. Eventually, he makes the move to respond.

So imagine your surprise when you find a poorly drawn flower appear on your skin. Ensue the same panic Vash experienced when you remembered you didn’t draw that.

Wolfwood

Scrubbing his skin did nothing. Seeing the scripture on his forearm made him wonder if he had perhaps gotten too drunk the night before and had gotten a tattoo.

The fancy calligraphy was choice, especially with that proverb. For the lips of the adulterous woman drop honey, and her speech is smoother than oil. Wolfwood decided that there could be worse things etched into his skin from that old religion.

You, on the other hand, were giggling to yourself. Oh, the irony of something appearing to beautiful but naughty. A snort escapes from one of your nearby friends.

He didn’t put anymore thought into it until the next day when the ink disappeared. Lowkey, thought he was super dehydrated for him to imagine that, but nope, even after drinking tons of water, the ink was no longer on his skin.

Cue some praying. He nearly has a heart attack when more ink appears on his skin. He has to go back to the orphanage and ask the elders for help on understanding the situation. Turns out it’s a soulmate thing, one which they didn’t even bother to mention until now.

Overtime, he appreciates the calligraphy he appears on his skin, particularly when new motifs appear. Wolfwood liked seeing you test new things and watch as the ink appear on his skin.

However, he was very glad to wear long sleeves when you would write down a particularly dirty proverb like 5:19. He would always end up blushing a bright red like a tomato, a huge contrast to his normal, stoic personality.

Imagine, your surprise when you notice fresh ink on your skin. For your ways are in the full view of the LORD in basic script.

Knives

He almost didn’t see the script appear on his arms, the ink nearly blending into his suit and pale skin. His fingers traced the letters he could make out. Knives immediately knew what this meant, it was his soulmate reaching out- most likely not knowing what was happening.

He tried to ignore it the best he could and kept himself covered with his cloak. Having someone would just drag him down, make it harder to reach his goal of eradicating humanity. However, his curiosity got the best of him.

Taking another look, the bleach blond quickly recognized the letters as chords with their denoted accidentals. Luckily for him, he new how to play. It was child’s play, really.

Meanwhile, your trying to understand how to play different songs only by listening too them. You were too stubborn to look them up, very confident in your ability.

And so it became a pattern for him to decipher your song you had written on his arm. He would spend hours playing the piano, watching the notes on his arm be crossed out and replaced. The composition rarely stayed imprinted on his skin for longer than a day.

Often, Knives would see lyrics being written with the chords. A little artist are we now? His small joke to himself caused a small smile. He would end up humming them, his low voice cutting through the air. It was for the sake of rhythm, he told himself.

Imagine your surprise when you saw a new. mark you knew you hadn’t inscribed into your skin, a word marked out for another.

[cinamintyy]

Hello, hope you're doing good.

I have a request. Will you be comfortable writing pregnant!reader (she has a child from a previous relationship, but her ex and her just don't talk anymore) being friends or going out with Bruno.

Amd Bruno being worried that she might be an easy target, because even his squad thinks that she is having his baby, not her ex-boyfriends. So in short Bruno just makes sure she is safe, and people don't think he is doing it the 'friendly' way, they think of it more like a romantic thing.

Hope you have a good day or night!

Bruno Bucciarati x Pregnant Reader (Platonic)

A/N: Thanks for the request, Anon. I find it very interesting. Have a nice day, and remember to drink water.

CW: Pregnancy, mafia themes, this is Platonic, fem bodied reader (obv) but gn pronouns, mentions of abortion. Reader is a non stand-user, not proofread

You thought you loved your boyfriend truly, and you thought he felt the same. So you were ecstatic when you got pregnant. You thought you both would move in together, get married, and start your family life. But for when you told him, he felt the opposite. I mean, he even had the audacity to ask you to get an abortion. He was cruel and decided to break up with. You, already devastated, pleaded for him to have a heart, stay for you two's child. But he wouldn't hear it and decided to kick you out. Which is what led you to here, sitting on the bus stop with your head in your hands. You felt pathetic crying where you were, but what else could you do? You had to wait for a bus to get back to your apartment. What's more is, just to add to your already fresh wounds, it started rain. So you just sat and cried until suddenly you stopped feeling raindrops on you. You look up and see a black haired man with a Bob cut, holding an umbrella to cover you. You just stared at him until he asked. "Are you alright? You shouldn't be sitting out in the rain, y'know." You continued to look at him before saying. "I just had a bad as all." You looked down before he sat next to you, still keeping you covered by the umbrella. "Tell me, what happened, I'm sure I could help." You looked at him. He seemed so warm and welcoming, so it just felt wrong to burden him. "No, don't worry, I wouldn't want to burden, plus, I don't even know your name." You looked away as you said. "You won't burden me. I can assure you of that, and my name is Bruno, so... go ahead." You looked at him before tearing up as you explained your situation. After your explanation, he sighed before looking into your eyes. "Come stay at my place for a bit, I'll dry you off." He stood up and took your hand. Why was he being so kind to a stranger?

And that's how your friendship started. He wouldn't dare ask someone who's pregnant to join the mafia, much less a mother. But you got your own, and you both confided in each other. He wanted his crew to meet you cause you were an amazing person, so he thought he'd tell them about you. And they all thought Bruno had the hots for you, so when he mentioned you were pregnant, they immediately thought he was the father. They teased him all the time despite him saying that you both were purely Platonic. The day they met you, Mista and Narancia, made multiple innuendos towards you and Bruno, didn't help that at this point, you were 5 months along. Both you and Bruno gave up on trying to convince the others, so you wanted to wait for the baby to be born so they could see how not alike the baby was to Bruno. This whole ordeal was both frustrating and amusing to see, but it did raise one problem. If the people who were closest to him thought there was something going on between you two, wouldn't enemies think the same and target you, especially since you were pregnant? It unnerved him thinking about how if someone had something against him, they'd take it out on you. He did push those thoughts away, and he, of course, was more protective of you than he obviously was. He wasn't too overbearing until one night, you both were out and were attacked by two men. They didn't wield any weapons yet were somehow able to harm you. Bruno shielded you before disposing of the men. You got shocked as to how he did that, but before, you could ask he ushered you back home, afraid of other people attacking again. He explained or did his best to explain everything to you while patching you up, from him being a mafiaso to the stands.

Bruno hated the fact that even him knowing you would hurt you in some way, he decided to have people guard and escort you when he wasn't able to be there. And decided to have you moved closer to him in case something were to happen. He wouldn't forgive himself if he would. You were one of his closest companions it would pain him if anything happened to you or your child. Even worse, if you both got killed. He'd protect you and your future child until he died. He cares about you both too much to lose.

[7ndipity]

Aftercare with Hobi

Hobi x Demisexual Reader(can be read as other identities tho)

Summary: How Hobi would handle aftercare with his s/o, especially after your first time.

Warnings: implied sex(sfw)

A/N: Thank you to the sweet anon who sent this request! I decided to make it into headcanons and a lil blurb. The hcs are a bit more generalized, but I tried to put an emphasis on the blurb for you, I hope you like it!

Masterlist

Requests are open

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Ok, first off, this man is so incredibly soft istg, he would soo good at aftercare! He just radiates comfort to me.

He would definitely want to stay close for a bit after, just cuddling with you, stroking your hair or playing with your hands.

Tells you endlessly how much he loves you.

Asks so many questions, wanting to make sure you're happy and content with everything that happened.

Lowkey needs to hear you laugh as part of his mental checklist to make sure you're okay, so he'd be making jokes or silly voices.

Would bring you water, or whatever drink you prefer(and snacks, if you want)

If you want some time to yourself, he'll tidy up while you're in the bath/shower(of course, if you want him to join you, he won't say no)

Naps together are also highly recommended.

Overall, he would just make you feel so safe and cared for, especially if it was your first time together.

The fact that he knows just how much trust and connection has to be there for you to feel comfortable taking that step with him definitely weighs a bit heavy in his mind, and would probably make him a little(a lot) emotional.

"Are you sure you're alright? Does anything hurt?"

"I'm fine, Hobi."

"Cause you can tell me, you know?"

"I know, sweetie." You assured him as he continued to fuss over you, rubbing soothing patterns on your back as you rested your head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, feeling peaceful.

From the first day you met Hobi, you knew he was someone you could trust. And over the course of your whole relationship, that feeling had only grown.

When you told him about your being demisexual, you'd naturally been nervous of what his reaction would be, but he'd immediately put you at ease, accepting you as you were without hesitation, happily letting you set the pace of your physical relationship. He'd been nothing but patient and understanding with you, you truly couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend.

"Thank you." You said quietly, after a minute. "For being so patient with me."

"Thank you for trusting me." He replied, pressing a kiss to your temple. "You sure you're okay?"

"That's the third time you've asked me that," You giggled, reaching up to cup his face. "I'm okay, Hobi, really."

"I just don't want you regret anything." He said softly.

"I won't regret it, everything was perfect." You told him, pressing closer. "I'm so glad it was with you."

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too."

[redheadspark]

Hi!!! Can I request spring prompt number 16. work in the garden all day and curling up together that night on the couch with Jack Russell and Fem! reader?

A/N - I think this is very cute for Jack! Thank you for requesting this, anon!

Growth

Summary - The perfect day with your favorite werewolf.

Warnings - Just some fluff for Jack :)

"What a day!"

"Easy there, wolfboy. Don't get too comfortable before we take a shower and get the grim off,"

Jack chuckled, though he groaned from how tired he was as he sank into the couch with ease. You were taking off the flannel jacket that you wore, feeling a bit lighter since it felt like you had a good layer of dirt on your flannel. Though you loved the smell: the rich earth from the soil and some of the sweat you got from being in the sun for a pinch too long. Although you're sunburned along your shoulders and arms, the soil was under the fingernails that you knew would stay there for some time, and the sweet scent of the new herbs and flowers you just trimmed was seeping through the air from the basket they were resting in.

It was a great day to garden.

On your day off, you wanted to work on your garden that was overflowing with herbs and massive flowers. They were flourishing well, but they were running out of room from how big they were getting. You never had time to harvest them before or work in the garden since work was so busy and wiped you out for the weekend, and now that you had time you were going to make the most of it.

But the last thing you were planning on that morning was Jack walking up with you to join you.

He loved your garden, technically it was both of yours but he knew full well it was your own. You grew herbs to not only use for home cooking but to give to Jack for any of the home remedies that he would use for his monster hunting profession. As for the flowers, you would sell them to the local florist for some extra cash and then take them to work with you to give out to some of the severely sick in the hospital. Your house was always filled with fresh flowers or herbs hanging upside down and ready for use.

It was your form of therapy to work on your plants, even sitting amongst the little garden with some moment of peace and quiet when you were stressed at work. Jack even held you in his arms as you cried over the loss of a patient, taking you out in your garden as he held you softly in his arms and let you grieve amongst your innocent flowers.

So it was safe to say that your garden was part of your soul, and Jack wished to keep it as tender as he could.

That morning, wearing worn clothes with your sunhat on at the ready and your lucky gardening gloves at hand, you were about to head out the door to your backyard when Jack rushed up to meet you with his own worn clothes and was lathered in sunscreen. You were surprised, and yet you weren't at the same time as he joined you with his own massive smile on his face and a pep in his step.

You loved that day, not only being able to care for your plants and tend to them, but to do so with Jack. He was observing you half the time, then asking how he can trim some of the leaves properly. You never minded answering the questions he had for you or showing him your own pair of sheers where to trim at the right place.

Time snuck by for the both of you and before you knew it the day was done.

You had two backsets filled with your harvest and bounty, a victory in your mind as you both were trudging back into your home with exhaustion and a hint of fatigue. Finding relief in your air conditioning and a cool drink from the refrigerator.

"Come on, Jack. We can share the shower water and get this grim off before we order dinner," You teased him as you helped him off the couch, hearing him mockingly groan as he then eyed you.

"You don't wish to make anything with the fresh herbs we got? I'm quite proud of what we got today," Jack said lightly.

"Although I am happy with what we have...I am bone tired and I don't want to lift a finger or a spoon for that matter. Pizza and wine sounds amazing," You explained, Jack laughing as you were about to pick up your cell phone from your back pocket. But Jack took the phone from your fingers before you would start dialing your favorite pizza place.

"I'll call the pizza, you go start the shower for us, okay? You've done plenty of work and deserve a nice shower, and I'll join you in a moment," Jack replied, pecking your lips and then moving away to call the pizza place. You grinned at him, rubbing the back of your neck before venturing to the bathroom.

As you were stripping your clothes down and then turning on the shower, you were feeling the tension melt away as the sweat and grim were washing away down the drain. It felt like such a relief to unwind and relax, even from something simple like planting new seeds and trimming the leaves that were ready. You've dealt with worse tasks and even more stressful moments, but it was a bit better that day since Jack was there. His energy alone was filled with ease and peace for you, even making you laugh a few times. Jack was a safe haven, just your little garden.

You didn't hear him come in, but you felt him wrap his arms around you from behind and hold you close as you were still under the water. As you were washing each other down with some fancy soap that Jack got you for your birthday some months before, and then lathering each other's hair with the shampoo and conditioner that you two seemed to like to share, you toweled each other off with a touch of intimacy and love in the gestures and light touches along the skin. Then throwing on your pajamas you both were eating the extra cheese pizza and drinking down a large glass of wine, which then lead to you two curling up together on the couch and watching the news.

You fell asleep in his arms, sleep coming to you naturally since you were in the arms of the very man who loved you beyond words. Jack watched you dead sleep in his hold, a smile on his face as he kissed your forehead.

The End.

Spring Prompt Session

[inkykeiji]

In the au where Ryu and reader are Dazai's subs (And Ryu hates the absolute guts of reader 🙄) what would happen if Aku is about to get punished for something and reader jumps in, telling Dazai that it's her fault and Aku's just covering for her.

Or, reader herself purposefully gets in trouble to get the attention off of him

ooooh this is a really interesting question!!! dazai is wicked smart and sharper than a tungsten needle, so reader attempting to purposefully cause trouble solely to take dazai’s attention off of aku—and thus disrupt the punishment dazai is very sure he deserves—is only going to make things worse for her + earn her a punishment of her own. dazai knows what she’s doing and he does not appreciate it. punishments are how ryu learns, Daddy has told her a thousand times before.

if aku's about to get punished and reader jumps in to take the blame, the outcome depends on whether or not she’s telling the truth. if she is, then the punishment will rightfully be transferred to her. if she isn’t telling the truth and is only doing this out of some misplaced sense of kindness, then she will also endure a punishment in addition to whatever was in store for aku.

[beauleifu]

OH MY GOSH I LOVE WRITING SYNTAX HEADCANONS FOR U AND I LOVE YOUR OPINIONS FOR MY HEADCANONSS🫶

If I have to be honest syntax is lowkeyyyy jealous? like talk abt a person next to him he'll be like "huh they did that? pathetic😒" but if u ask him if he is jealous "jealous?me?? nah Im only telling u that person is dumb"

I think he would understand if ur pretending to sleep but he would act like he didn't noticed like ur having a hard time sleeping but u dont wanna wake syntax cause of that ur pretending to sleep GOT WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY RIGHT??😭

His science skills are another level but..he was probably bad at history when he was a kid

ask him about something in history (like ottomans n stuff like that) he would just stare at u embarrassed

I think he would remember small details about u like tell him your fav food or fav color he'll keep those in his mind (cause he is a awesome bf duh💖)

Idk why but he was a creepypasta fan when he was a kid..or a science nerd

Im so sorry if I wrote short headcanons Im so sick these days idk why

Have a great day 🫂HUG.

to cope with the jealousy I imagine he'd either he in SUPER DENIAL or try to impress you with HIS genius because, in his mind, if you're complimenting someone else, he must not be trying hard enough/you must not see how smart he is

Of course, you're quick to remind him that your heart is his, and only his, every time to find out what he's doing

And SLEEP, yes I imagine Syntax finds it difficult to intrude on someone's personal space or when they're having a moment, especially if it's someone he respects. However, if he thinks it's going too far, he'll quickly get fed up and try to solve the problem.

And yeah, I don't think Syntax was ever a history-centered dude, hENCE why he didn't care for some of those questions on that test in chapter 12 of Heartstrings, like whoever was the first computer programmer. It's just not something he's interested, and would either brush it off when you ask him or feel embarrassed for not knowing

YES YES

THIS BASTARD PAYS AN INCREDIBLE ATTENTION TO DETAIL. He'll treat this relationship like fucking glass and would never to anything to put it in danger.

Hence why he'll note on the little things that you like, or things that make you tick.

Of course, this only occurs when he starts caring about you.

EYO FEEL BETTER SOON ANON!! DRINK WATER, STAY SAFE, DO CRIME- joking, but in all seriousness I conjure an imaginary soup for your soul :))

[illicitlimerence-writes]

the nights | l. norris

pairing: lando norris x reader

word count: 2.7k words (i swear i can’t write anything short)

request: yes, by anons: “heyy, can we have a lando fluff please where you guys have a day on a yacht with your bsf and their significant other and you and lando take pictures and post them to make your relationship public?” & “hello sweetheart! i really love your stories and i would like to request a fic with lando norris. y/n and lando meet during her holiday in monaco with some friends. they go golfing in monaco and her friends notice lando norris, so they go for a picture. lando is sweet but y/n doesn’t really feel the need to ask for a picture because she respects his privacy. lando’s response to her is a little angsty, because he’s stunned by her beauty. her friends notice and they create a scene in which y/n needs help, maybe they spilled a sugary drink over her shirt, you can decide! in the end lando admits how he feels about her and they decide to try a few dates💜”

prompt: dancing through the night + long picnics with friends + music festivals with local bands from this prompt list.

warnings: language, an angsty and butthurt lando (a little bit), idkkk what else.

a/n: i really tried to write everything from the asks but it’s 4am, i haven’t slept and am afraid to go to sleep. and yesterday was so stressful, writing was my only way to disconnect from everything, but still i couldn’t help to think about the stuff that’s happening where i live.take care and stay safe<3

my masterlist / summer of love masterlist 

the best trip of her life? february 2022, monaco, for sure. she’d been saving up for years, and after many ruined plans, she was finally there. it was everything she’d hoped for, and so much more.

the bluest waters she’d ever seen, the ancient architecture, and yeah, the expensive cars and elegant restaurants made the whole atmosphere feel like something out of this world. 

she and two of her friends had been in monte-carlo for four days now. and whilst she still couldn’t get enough of walking the streets, finding hidden gems to explore, her friends wanted to see if they could spot any celebrities. so she found herself on a golf course, wearing a white skirt and matching thin shirt, a cap to protect her from the sun. that wasn’t her ideal plan, but after half an hour she was starting to get the hang of it and was starting to like it.

“oh my god!” one of her friends, anna, said, rushing to her. “look over there,” she subtly pointed back, to the right. she looked back, and it seemed like they’d been right when suggesting a golf course as a prime spot to catch celebrities. “he’s that driver you like!” she continued, poking (y/n)’s stomach, she felt her cheeks warming up, but decided to turn her attention back to the course. 

“we should go over there and ask for a picture.” her other friend, jenna, squealed. she ran her fingers through her hair to make herself look more presentable.

“i don’t know, guys… i mean- he’s probably here to relax and disconnect from everything, i don’t think it’s right-”

“oh, come on! when else are we going to get an opportunity like this? he’s right there!” jenna complained.

“aand-” anna stretched the word out, “he’s looking this way.” jenna immediately turned back, seeing the green-eyed racing driver looking their way. when he noticed the girls had caught him looking he turned his head back to his friends. the girls giggled. “we’re definitely going, anna stated, jenna nodded her head.

“i- i don’t think it’s the right thing. and he was probably looking over at us because they want privacy.” (y/n) told them. “i’m not going.” she had a weird feeling in her stomach, like being nervous just because he was a few meters away from her.

“whatever,” jenna scoffed, linking her arm with anna’s, “party pooper,” she teased, turning around and walking to the boys’ golf cart. (y/n) rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she focused on the ball, she separated her legs, adjusting her posture as she gripped the club. she heard the group talking, and tried to listen in on what they were saying as she prepared her swing.

“what’s up with your friend?” her breath hitched as she heard the guy she’d been supporting all of last year talking to her friends after they’d taken a picture with him. “not a fan?”

“she’s obsessed with you!” anna confessed, “she never misses a race, sometimes cancels our plans or watches them when we’re out.”

dear god. she thought as she felt her face heating up. she held onto the club, swung back, and hit the ball, watching it fly away. she squinted, trying to see where it was headed.

“holy shit, that was a hole-in-one!” one of lando’s friends said, his mouth wide open. she looked back at them and smiled, then started walking to where her ball had landed to pick it up. she leaned down, extending her arm, and when she leaned back and turned around, she crashed into a body.

“oh! sorry,” she said, taking a step back, ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat as she realized who it was in front of her. 

“don’t worry.” lando shook his head, “that was a nice shot. it’s a difficult one here, is this your first time here?” he said casually, she only nodded, not trusting her voice at that moment. “impressive,”

“thanks,” her voice was small, she gulped and cleared her throat.

“so… your friends said you’re a fan?” he raised an eyebrow, and she got the urge to strangle them.

“uh, yeah. i discovered f1 a little over a year ago, and it’s completely taken over my life.” she chuckled, playing with the white ball in her hands, “i’m sorry about them, i told them you probably wanted to just chill and not be bothered here,” the girls were looking straight at them, with grins on their faces. they turned to talk to the other two guys there, lando’s friends.

“not a problem, love,” he smiled at her, and her breath hitched at the nickname, she tried to play it cool. “it’s my pleasure. i can take one with you if you like.” he suggested as they started walking back. 

she didn’t know what to answer, a part of her was screaming inside, the other was trying to convince her that this was all a dream. she spoke without thinking.

“i’m okay, thanks,” she said, looking down. lando frowned, a mix of shock, surprise, and confusion obvious on his face. had he just been rejected?

“fine. suit yourself,” his words were short and quick. she cringed internally, there went her changes of getting to know him.

neither of them spoke as they walked back to their respective friend groups. she approached the girls.

“can we leave? i’m not… feeling too well.” (y/n) whispered, anna and jenna looked at each other and shared a knowing look.

“oh, um…” anna started, “we actually made plans to play with them,” she pointed with her eyebrows the driver’s friends. jenna grabbed (y/n)’s water bottle, which was full of red gatorade, and handed it to her, she thanked her and took a sip, leaving it uncapped. “and you were literally just talking to lando norris! shouldn’t you be more excited?”

“i- i don’t think he liked me that much,” she admitted, looking down. “well… you guys stay, i’ll just go back to the hotel and-” at that second, the same body that she’d stumbled into, now stumbled into her, causing the water in her hand to spill all over her shirt.

“shit, oh shit, i’m so sorry,” the green eyes she’d grown to like over the last year stared at her in surprise. 

“it’s fine, i-” she looked down at her shirt, an evident red stain on her chest. “i was just leaving anyway and-”

“you should change at least,” one of lando’s friends said.

“that’s right! hey, didn’t you bring a spare shirt with you?” his other friend, max, tapped lando’s shoulder.

“yeah, i did, but it’s in the lockers,”

“well, then, it’s perfect! lando, you didn’t even want to be here, and she’s just leaving as well. so why don’t you two go so she can change, and you walk her home?” max explained his plan, looking at their friends for support.

“yeah! sounds great to me!” anna added.

“oh, no, you don’t have to. i can just go by myself and-”

“no, it’s the least i could do. honestly.” lando gave her a small smile, his green eyes seemed to sparkle as the sunlight hit them. and she was done for.

“okay. thanks.”

after saying their goodbyes, the two of them walked together back to the locker rooms. after a few minutes of awkward silence, lando cleared his throat.

“i, um… wanted to apologize. for snapping at you earlier,” he started, she turned to look at him, she had her arms crossed over her chest, trying to cover the stain.

“oh! no need. i guess i… you were just trying to be nice and i was turning you down. which was pretty dumb from my part,”

“not dumb. really. i guess i was kind of bummed out because… i think you’re really pretty. stupid ego you know? but i appreciate that you were thinking about my privacy and all that. not a lot of people think about that.” he smiled, and she could hear the sincerity in his voice.

“of course. i mean, if i were you… i would want that. to just have a day of peace without a phone shoved in my face.”

after she changed and stepped out of the locker room, lando’s heart started beating faster. it was weird, how just seeing her wearing his shirt brought a million images to his head. her wearing his shirt as they ate, her wearing it as he brought her to his home, as they kissed for the first time. as they moved in together, as she fell asleep on his couch.

“you okay?” her voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“sorry. yeah, yes, all good.” he gave her a tight-lipped smile.

“thanks for the shirt,” she grabbed the hem of it, “can’t say i’m surprised it’s a quadrant shirt.”

“it was the first one i saw,” he chuckled, “it’s clean, i promise,” she nodded, seeing his cheeks getting a bright shade of pink. she’d made lando norris blush.

“i know,” she placed a hand on his shoulder, leaving it there for a second. “so, i better get back to my hotel. it was ni-”

“no, wait,” he interrupted her, she raised her eyebrows, “i mean i… since we’re both leaving why don’t we go… somewhere? together?” 

“like… i’ll meet you there?” she asked. lando shook his head, fiddling with his fingers.

“i was thinking more like… i’ll pick you up, take you home afterwards,” he bit his lip.

“like a-” she paused, not wanting to say the word in case she was getting this wrong.

“a date.” 

she tried to bite back a smile, but couldn’t resist once he saw his blushing cheeks. 

“okay.”

-

she never was a big fan of the heat, but it brought good things, boat rides, beautiful sunsets, and her shirtless boyfriend. after that date in monaco, they’d taken things slow, but took advantage of the days she had left in that beautiful country. first it was texts and calls, then a visit to her hometown, her first visit to the paddock without anyone noticing her. 

their relationship was new and fresh, and they both loved it. and each other.

“everything ready?” anna asked, sitting next to her. 

“yup. the boys are bringing the drinks and stuff,” she smiled, admiring the food they’d all prepared for the day. it was early morning, and they were getting ready to have a picnic on the boat that became their home those last few days. 

as they all sat around the food they’d all prepared, she felt an arm around her shoulders. she leaned into him, kissing his cheek. she was so grateful for him. he’d completely changed her life the moment they met. 

as they ate, they shared memories together. from the time they met, the group of six had shared many adventures since that day at the golf course. they’d all traveled together to some of lando’s races, including the last one in budapest, where (y/n) was spotted with his friends, that was what sparked rumours about their relationship.

“can you two stop? i’m trying to eat,” max rolled his eyes as she and lando giggled, they’d gotten too caught up in the other’s eyes, had leaned into each other and kissed without paying much attention to their friends.

“sorry,” she said, feeling her cheeks getting warmer as she leaned her forehead against lando’s shoulder. he extended his arm, grabbing a strawberry. he looked down at her, placing it against her lips. she opened her mouth and took a small bite, her breath hitching as he ate the rest.

the food disappeared as time passed, and before they knew it, it was already past midday. which meant their boat time for the day was over. they reached the shore and got off the boat, their hotel was nearby so they all decided to just walk there. they got ready, and after having lunch, they all climbed into a car so they could drive to their next destination.

she’d never been to a music festival as big as this. it looked like an ocean of people was out there. she gripped lando’s hand tighter, afraid that they’d get separated. he pulled her closer to him, which made her smile and feel reassured. 

“look, we should go check that band out!” she pointed to a group of four, standing on top of a stage, singing in spanish. lando nodded, letting her guide the way. “this is so cool!” she beamed, “there’s so many options. i don’t even know where to start.”

“well, why don’t we stay here until their set is finished? they’re nice!” she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. “what was that for?”

“for making me feel special. this is the best summer of my life.” 

“you deserve this. and so, so much more. and trust me, my summer is a thousand times better with you,” he kissed her cheek repeatedly, and that was the moment she knew.

“i love you.” she said, a smile on her face. fear, worry, and anxiety weren’t in her voice. she knew what she was feeling. 

“i love you too.” he smiled too, breathless. somehow, her grin got bigger, her face displayed all the happiness she felt at that moment.

-

as the afternoon turned to night, they made their way to the main stage, to the backstage area. they’d been invited by one of lando’s friends, a dj performing there that night. it was impressive, seeing the ocean of people from a higher point of view.

lando’s arm hadn’t left her waist all evening. he kept squeezing her against him, reminding her that he was there. and every chance he got, he’d leaned into her ear and whisper those sweet three words they’d just shared earlier that afternoon.

with the beat of the music, she started swaying side to side, causing him to do so as well. soon enough, he grabbed her hands, and started twirling her around, she’d throw her arms around his neck, they’d jump up and down, scream the lyrics of the songs to each other. they spent the night in each other’s arms, having the time of their lives, getting a taste of what their future would be like.

they both loved it.

later that night, when they got back to the hotel, she was leaning her head against his shoulder, her eyes half closed as the elevator took them up to their floor. he smiled, leaning his head against hers, feeling her sigh in delight. 

they got ready for bed, she was almost falling asleep when her phone started buzzing. it had run out of battery a few hours ago, and now that it had enough, all the missed messages and notifications were being delivered. she grabbed her phone from the nightstand, opening the groupchat with the rest of their friends, seeing all the pictures they’d taken together that day.

“look at this one,” she whispered, her voice was almost gone, from screaming, laughing and singing so much for so long. lando turned to her, he was almost asleep, too. but smiled as he saw the picture of him feeding her the strawberry.

“anna takes such good photos of us,” he pointed out, she nodded, admiring her friend’s attention to detail. “we should take advantage of that.” he said, she looked at him.

“what do you mean?” she tilted her head to the side, watching as lando slid his hand towards hers, linking their fingers together.

“i mean… we should post the pictures she takes.” he started, his thumb rubbing back and forth on the back of her hand, “of us.”

“you mean… make it… make us public?” she asked, locking her phone and tossing it to the side, turning her body towards him.

“i- yeah. if you want to, of course. but i just… i just had one of the best days of my life. and i don’t want to hide my happiness from the rest of the world. i love you, and i want to show you off to everyone who’ll even give me one second of their time. it’s like that song from earlier ‘live a life you will remember.’ i don’t want to live hiding my love for you. i want more nights like this one, where it’s just us and the rest of the world fades away.”

his words left her speechless. this thing between them was new, but it felt so, so real and true. after hearing his feelings, there was no other answer.

“okay. let’s do it.”

the best trip of her life? ibiza 2022. monaco 2022 was a really close second, though.

-

@idkiwantchocolatee @yeolsbubbles

[crossroadsandloudmusic]

Jesus fuck where do I even start ok so this is a massively long fic, in fact I think it’s the longest one I’ve ever written. Anyways this is for Anon so if you are out there, I FINALLY FINISHED IT!!!!!! Really sorry it took so long life has gotten really busy and tbh I fell in love with your idea and wanted to pour my heart and soul into it. I seriously hope you enjoy, oh and I went a little crazy with the Yandere Themes but nevertheless I hope you enjoy it. I wrote it in a way that could be watched alongside the mugen train arc so if you wanted to you absolutely could!!!! I hope you enjoy and thank you to everyone who have been unbelievably patient with me, y’all are the best!!!!!

As always please enjoy!

Request are always open!(disclaimer, it does take me while)

Criticism/tips welcome!

Warnings: Yandere themes, violent themes, sexual themes, delusion, stalking, kidnapping, assault, (etc.)

If anything mentioned above may cause you distress of any kind please do not read

Minors do not interact.

Sweat poured from your brow; it had been an intense workout you had just completed, but if you were going to be a Hashira you had to get stronger every chance you got.

You sheathed your sword and sat down on the dusty ground. As you did you wiped the sweat from your brow and sighed deeply.

“(Y/n), here, I brought you some water!” Spoke Kyojuro enthusiastically. His sudden appearance startled you as he had seemed to form out of thin air.

“Kyojuro, you scared me! Where did you come from?!” You replied as you sighed a sigh of relief. Kyojuro didn’t answer, only laughed as a response. Had it not been for his boisterous and jolly demeanor the interaction would have left you skeptical. Instead, you took the calabash from his hands and drank the cool water eagerly.

Kyojuro watched how your eyes closed and how your body graciously took the drink. Goosebumps rose on his skin and a shiver trickled up his spine. How beautiful you looked accepting such a small gesture from him, so beautiful of every second of every day.

If you paid him closer attention you would have come to find that Kyojuro adored you. No, he was obsessed with you. He exalted every effort to be around you, to be your friend. Along with this he often would follow you home or follow you to missions. He convinced himself that this was only to ensure your safety, and if anything were to go wrong he would be there to save you. On nights he wasn’t so lucky as to be able to follow you, he would become wracked with anxiety. He’d pace the floor or bounce his leg as his mind ran with all the ways you could have gotten hurt. After he finished what he needed to attend to, he’d run to find you. Several nights he found that you were indeed safe, going about your nightly routine or sleeping peacefully in your bed. He’d stay and watch you for a while longer before he took his leave, but even then his anxiety was not curbed. He needed more, he needed to be sure that you were safe even if he wasn’t present. These thoughts plagued him constantly. Yet to you he seemed only to be a close friend, who was helpful and kind to everyone. You were the only one who didn’t see Kyojuro’s true feelings.

————————————————————————-

On one particular morning you spent your time in and out of conciseness recovering from a mission that left you badly injured. The kakushi recovered you from the scene and transported you to the butterfly estate. You laid in bed wrapped from head to toe in bandages, and the news of this spread like wild fire; before too long the news reached Kyojuro.

He was standing and talking with Mitsuri when she mentioned that you and several other slayers were being cared for at the estate. When he heard your name, he stopped and all color fled from his face. He hadn’t known you had been sent on a mission as he had just returned from one. Quickly he apologized and excused himself, when he was sure that he was out of sight he sprinted to the butterfly estate.

He barreled through the doors frantically, his hair wild and his face flushed as he tried to remain calm. Shinobu smiled and greeted him warmly to which Kyojuro returned the gesture. She then asked that if there was something he needed and he replied that he was there to check on you.

Shinobu noticed how ever so slightly his hands were trembling and how fast he responded. She noticed his disheveled look and nervous behavior, even more intriguing was how he had found out where you were so soon. You had only just arrived a few hours before, not to mention you still were in critical condition.

“(Y/n) is doing well, I’m sure in the next few days they will be ready for visitors.” Shinobu replied with her gentle voice and soothing tone. This did nothing to settle Kyojuro’s nerves, in fact, it heightened them.

“Can I go see them now?” Kyojuro asked a little too quickly.

Shinobu smiled once again and responded,

“I feel that may not be the best thing for (Y/n) right now, as they are still in critical condition. It would be best for them to rest.”

“I see.” Kyojuro replied visibly disappointed.

Shinobu then carried on about her business and left a defeated Kyojuro alone in the hall. But just as soon as she was away from view, he began to search the rooms.

He roamed the intensive care hall cautiously, when he walked past a group of girls he would smile and wave as if he were allowed to be there. He even stopped at one point and asked which room you were in, the girl not knowing any better pointed to your room down the hall and to the right. He thanked them graciously and continued on his way.

When he approached your room, he placed his ear against the paper door. He could hear your shallow breathes, but nothing else was heard. Quietly he slid the door open and stepped inside.

What he saw next almost brought him to his knees in anguish. Your poor body, broken, bruised, battered, and covered in bandages. The only skin that was visible was that of your eyes and nose even though they too were injured. He walked and knelt on the floor beside your bed. He took your hand, he held it softly as he watched your chest rise and fall with each ragged breath. His tears stung his eyes as he looked over you and took in the full extent of your injuries; his heart shattered even more thinking of the fear you must have felt. The overwhelming guilt hung tightly to his soul, he blamed himself for everything. If he had only been there maybe, you wouldn’t be laying before him on the brink of death. Each time he gazed at your face, your beautiful face torn to pieces and bruised beyond recognition, he wept.

Shinobu knew that Kyojuro would defy her, she knew that as soon as she left from him that he find his way to you. She thought it sweet that Kyojuro was so helplessly in love with you, but not her nor anyone else for that matter, knew the full extent of his adoration for you.

Each day that he could, Kyojuro would be by your side waiting for you to wake. He would kneel by the bed and talk about his day or what interested him in that moment. Then he would read to you. And after that he would continue talking. When the nurses arrived to change your bandages or to administer medication he would stand in the corner watching their every move. Some even complained that he made them nervous by watching so closely. Shinobu would only laugh and tell them to not mind him as he was only worried about you.

————————————————————————

“Kyo…Kyo…Kyojuro!” You said loudly as you waved your hand infront of Kyojuro’s eyes.

“Hm?! Yes?” He said breaking out of his trance.

“You were staring again.” You said as you playfully laughed. Recently he had developed a habit of staring. One minute he would be talking and the next he’d be completely silent with his eyes fixed on you. At first it startled you, but soon after you grew accustomed to it so when he did drift off you would pull him back into reality. You often found yourself staring back and wondering what exactly went on in his head.

“Oh I’m sorry! I suppose my mind was somewhere else!” Kyojuro replied looking at you. He had been thinking of that time at the butterfly estate. He spent so long by your side, he refused to eat and barely drink simply because he wanted to be there when you woke. That and the guilt he felt inside wouldn’t let him leave you. He didn’t deserve to be comfortable or to indulge in anything nice because you were in pain. Pain that he believed he could have prevented. Even now, months after the incident, he felt tremendous guilt.

“What was it we were discussing?” He asked, his attention now fully on you as if you weren’t the only thing his mind was on constantly.

“We were discussing our upcoming missions, you said something about yours being on a train?” You asked as you turned towards him. You noticed a slight red hue to his cheeks appear when you locked eyes with him.

“Right! The train!”

————————————————————————

Kyojuro went on to explain his next mission would be on board a train. Suspicious disappearances had occurred recently on the train, therefore several slayers had been sent to investigate, but none had returned. It was then decided that Kyojuro, along with three other slayers, were to be sent and exterminate the demon. From the way Kyojuro spoke of the mission it was to be a fairly quick trip. Only two days from the way he had put it. And yet he spoke confidently, the feeling of impending doom sunk in the pit of your chest. He noticed your change in attitude and immediately spoke up,

“What’s the matter?” He asked, his eyes soft and comforting. He worried that perhaps he had said something wrong, he searched his words hoping he didn’t offend you somehow.

You fidgeted nervously and replied,

“It’s nothing-just-just be careful Kyo.” You often found that saying such kind words made you nervous, you looked away from Kyojuro and down to your feet.

Your words silenced him. He could feel his heart thumping and the blood rush to his face. Oh how his heart soared! Your soft words were music to his ears, he felt that such kindness was wasted on him, nevertheless he couldn’t help but feel elated. How kind you were to be worried about him, although misguided as this mission was nothing to worry about, it would be far easier than ones he had handled before. He knew that you would see that you shouldn’t worry for him as he would return home unscathed. And then he hoped that you would also see that he should be the one to protect you. You would see that you could depend on him, be safe with him, love him. Yes he would return home unharmed, and then you would finally see where you belonged. You belonged with him.

‘How wonderful!’

‘Things will be perfect!’

‘It will be beautiful!’

His mind chanted.

He stood from his seated position beside you, you looked up at him and saw the brightest smile plastered across his face. He extended you a hand and you took it, before you knew what was happening, Kyojuro pulled you up into his arms. He wrapped them tightly around your waist and lifted you from the ground.

“Kyojuro?! Kyojuro!? What are you doing? Put me down!” You yelled but he only laughed and started spin. He twirled the two of you around several times before setting you back down.

“Of course I’ll be careful, (Y/n)! If I’m careful that means I get to live another day, another day that can be spent with you!” Kyojuro said in his usual loud voice.

Suddenly he dipped and wrapped his arms around you once again, this time his grip was tighter. So tight in fact you began to have trouble breathing, if he squeezed any tighter your ribs might have broken.

“Ach-Kyo-I can’t breathe.” You managed to choke out. He loosened his grip, but still he embraced you.

He smiled so warmly, he reminded you of the sun. His blatant affection had caught you off guard as he was being particularly flirtatious. Perhaps this is what Mitsuri meant by Kyojuro’s ‘extreme crush’ on you. This was of course followed by Tengen saying it was more of an obsession rather than a crush. And at the time you didn’t believe either of them because Kyojuro had always came off as sweet and kind spirited. He was like that with everyone. Today, and past several weeks for that matter he had become a bit more touchy and a bit more gushy than usual. It never bothered you as he had yet to properly ask you out, and the idea of the two of you together seemed pleasant. Though, at the back of your mind, something told you to be careful. Almost like you were telling yourself that you might be getting more than you bargained for if you did get involved with him. Therefore you thought it best to tread lightly.

“I have something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a very long time.” Kyojuro whispered, his lips grazing the shell of your ear. His voice was deeper, more serious now. Your sense heightened and the hair on your skin rose.

He couldn’t deny his feelings any longer. He wanted you to know just how much he truly loved you, how much he worshiped you. But your voice stopped him before he could continue,

“Kyojuro, whats going on? You’ve been acting weird lately, are you okay?” You asked him as you retracted from his grip. You looked at him with worry in your eyes, Kyojuro’s smile still as wild as ever.

“I’ve never been better! I feel amazing, I feel as though I could fight a thousand demons!” He yelled, his response failed to cull your confusion.

“What is that you need to tell me?” You asked, hoping that whatever it was he said next would answer your questions.

Your heart rate rose in anticipation for what he was about to confess.

Then he took a step back and he calmed. His muscles relaxed and his smile that was filled with raging excitement faded to a grin of contentment.

“No, now isn’t the right time. After I arrive back home, I would like to spend some time together. Just the two of us.” He said as his hands slid from your back to your forearms, he held them firmly and his thumbs rubbed the exposed skin.

A blush spread across your cheeks, his soft gestures and words had you confused, most of all they had you flustered.

“Sure-I mean yeah, we could spend some time together. Alone.” You squeaked out nervously. Kyojuro smiled and laughed once again before embracing you harshly one last time. His touch was starved, so much so that it seemed he hadn’t hugged anyone in quite a long time.

The two of you shared parting words and Kyojuro headed to what you assumed, his father’s estate.

You stood in the middle of the training grounds still stunned by the whole interaction. The most you could do was stand motionless as your mind raced trying to make it all make sense.

Then you looked down to your hand and saw that you still held the calabash Kyojuro had given to you.

“I’ll have to return this when he gets home.” You said aloud as you examined it more closely. When he returned you would simply walk up and give it to him. You’d thank him and the exchange would be over, right? Then the two of you could go back to being close friends, right? You knew it would never be that easy. It’s was apparent now that Kyojuro did desire you, and you-well you didn’t know if you felt the same. Kyojuro was a very handsome man, a terribly strong slayer, and he was overwhelmingly kind. He was a good person and you knew that. But something about the way he showed his desire worried you. His actions appeared restrained, as if he was hiding the full extent of his emotions. That being said Kyojuro was never the one to act on pure emotion, he was level headed and used logic to solve his issues. You were torn by your thoughts. Part of you wanted to let yourself enjoy his presence and see if a blossoming relationship could sprout from your friendship, then again a roaring wildfire starts from a singular spark.

Frustrated and wanting nothing more than to go home, you picked up your belongings. You looked across the training grounds and saw that it was empty. Earlier you had heard voices of others but you had been so focused on your training you hadn’t seen who it was. In fact, you had been the only one using the training grounds today as there was no one present when you began and when you ended.

Except, Kyojuro.

Your throat tightened.

No one else was here except you, and yet Kyojuro somehow managed to be stopping by. Equipped with water of course.

‘How did he know where to find me?’ Your mind asked itself.

‘Maybe I’m reading to much into this.’ You thought trying to reassure yourself.

‘No I’m just being paranoid, I need to get some rest. Yeah I’m just tired!’ You thought to yourself once again before shaking your head and silently laughing.

‘Getting all worked up over nothing.’ You laughed at your own paranoia, for a second you were thinking that Kyojuro had been stalking you.

‘What a ridiculous thought.’ You added.

As you continued to settle your nerves back down, you made your way through the gates and around the corner of the fence. From there you would descend the hill, and follow a thin path into the forest. After a several mile trek you would enter the town closest to your home. There you thought you might do some light shopping as you had been meaning to get out more often. Maybe you would find a new kimono or yukata to add to your collection. Then you could stop for some udon, and after that you could finish your journey home. From the way you trained today, udon and a good night’s sleep was well deserved.

————————————————————————-

That evening you spent your time wandering the crowded streets stopping and admiring all the merchandise. Just as you had expected, you didn’t make it through without spending money. As you walked from vendor to vendor something caught your eye. It had been a glorious (y/f/c) haori. It was perfect in every way, you stopped and admired it for quite a while. The merchant took notice of this and gave you deal, you thanked him. Immediately after, you had handed the man your money and put it on. To which he smiled and clapped, you were just a thrilled as it fit perfectly. You thanked him once again and continued on your way.

Then you stopped for something to eat. A bald fellow that wore a striped kimono sat with his udon cart near the end of town. You approached him and paid for two bowls, as you were exhausted and starving at this point. You handed him your money and he handed you two bowls. You took them and thanked him just as you had the merchant. Quietly you ate on a bench nearby, the food was immaculate and it settled your grumbling stomach. You returned the bowls and thank the man to which he thanked you in return. Then you continued down the winding road towards your home. It was getting dark and the trees appeared black against the orange sky. You sighed with content. The world you lived in was so cruel yet so beautiful at times. How lucky you were to live amongst such glorious sights.

‘I know what it means to be a slayer…I defeat the evil that prevents others from seeing the world as it truly is. And it is beautiful.’ You said internally. As your mind worked with solving the intricacies that entangles life, today’s incident and worries were behind you. But of course they were never far away, in fact, one followed close behind observing your every move.

————————————————————————-

You stepped onto the wooden engawa and opened your door. Inside was dark and quiet, it was always nerve wracking to come into your home late in the evenings. Quickly you fumbled for your matches. Once found, you made your way around the house lighting each lantern. Soon the house was entirely illuminated and you felt a bit more comfortable.

Towards the end of your journey the feeling of being watched crept upon you. You had been uneasy and quickened your pace quite a bit. This had not been because you were avoiding a potential demon, but from the lack of one. When the feeling first appeared you stopped, hands clasped your sword in anticipation. In an instant you knew that what you sensed had not been a demon but instead a human. A strong one, one that was determined and feared nothing. You knew you would have to face who it was if you stayed any longer, and as many demons you killed, you were not prepared to kill a human being. Therefore, you fled. But now you were home, and home was safe.

You made quick work of your training clothes, tossing them to the side as you pulled on your evening clothes. Then you went to your room and hung up your new haori, something so nice should be treated as such. You chuckled, as you knew soon enough you would be wearing it into battle.

‘Hopefully this one will hold up better than the last’ you thought to yourself as you smoothed out the wrinkles and freeing it from any dirt.

Afterwards, you stepped outside to fetch some water from your well. Then you brought the pail inside and scooped a cup of water from it.

‘I’ll have to make some tea in the morning.’ You mentioned to yourself as you sipped the cool water slowly.

You tended to a few things inside the house before officially retiring to bed. Accompanied by your cup of water and your katana, you shuffled into the bedroom. There you sat down on the fluffy futon and immediately sank into its warmth. Knowing you would soon fall asleep you took one last sip of your water and placed it withins arm reach, then you placed your blade on the floor next to your bed. That is where your sword always resided as it was easy for you grab incase of an emergency, and it gave you a strong sense of comfort knowing your weapon rested alongside of you.

You inched into the covers and snuggled tighter into the pillows. The warmth and softness of your bed always made you question why you left it to begin with. Your eyes heavy with sleep closed and your muscles settled, before long, you had fallen into a deep sleep.

Luckily for Kyojuro, not even the world coming to an end could wake you tonight. As he had done many nights before, he stepped onto the engawa and strolled to the door. There he picked the lock and slid it open.

Inside your home felt as it always did, peaceful and tranquil. Maybe it was just your energy, but regardless Kyojuro had never felt as peaceful as he did here. Here beside you.

He stood in the entrance of your room and admired you. How beautiful you looked sleeping so comfortably. It was amusing to him how you slept the same every night, one leg bent and the other straight, while one arm was always wrapped around a pillow and the other rested underneath your head. He chuckled quietly as he took his seat where he had many times before; it was a cushion conveniently placed against the wall. During the nights he came he would take his spot and lean against the wall while he silently watched you. Each night that he did he yearned for your touch, he wanted so desperately to be the one you cuddled so closely. But for now he was content with watching you sleep peacefully as he knew before long his dreams would become reality.

You stirred slightly and Kyojuro froze, but then you settled, falling back into your deep slumber. He released his breath and smiled, there had been several nights where you had almost caught him. One being particularly too close of a call for comfort.

A couple weeks before, you returned from a mission, it had been strenuous both the journey and battle. You were injured but not severe enough to warrant a visit to Shinobu, instead you opted to treat your wounds in the comfort of your home.

Kyojuro had followed you into battle and remained just out of sight. During the fight he almost jumped in to help, but you managed defeat the demon on your own. Your fighting style was confusing to anyone that watched you, you were the master of trickery. In one moment it looked as if you were leaving an opening for an opponent’s attack, but at the last second you would strike and rise victorious. The demon would only realize the full extent of your deception when it’s head was rolling across the ground.

‘Amazing!’ Kyojuro thought to himself as he saw your perfectly calculated performance. Your art was appearing weak and unbalanced while you remained in control the entire time.

After the battle had concluded, you sheathed your sword and turned towards the way you came. You made the trek home drenched in sweat and covered in dust.

Once home you wasted no time changing clothes, stripping them as soon as you walked through the door. Being that you were exhausted you had forgotten to close the door.

Kyojuro stood not far behind you, shielded by the shrubbery close to the engawa. He watched stunned as you removed the top layer of clothing off your body. Once he realized what you were doing, heat rushed to his face and his eyes widened. He audibly gasped and ducked further into the brush.

Although you weren’t fully unclothed, seeing more of your body rendered him into a blushing, fumbling mess. His hands trembled and sweat began to pour from his pores. Before, this had only been a dream, one he would think of you when he was alone late into the evening. But now you stood almost completely bare, your skin illuminated by the moonlight.

Kyojuro could feel his body reacting to the intimate scene in-front of him. His legs became weak and his blood rushed from his face to just below his belt. A rising tent formed in between his legs.

None the wiser, you picked your clothes up from the wooden floor and stepped inside; closing the door behind you.

When you bent to retrieve your clothing, Kyojuro groaned as the sight was far too much for him to contain. Once the door was closed he released the breath he had been holding in so desperately. Quickly he tried to calm himself as his length grew even more prominent, but all attempts were made in vain as the images of you flooded his perverse mind.

Unbeknownst to you, you wandered your home. You did small things that were required of you every evening. Watering your plants, changing clothes, cleaning your sword, and other small chores such as that. Once your nightly routine had been completed you walked to your room and shut the door. Inside you put on your usual sleep clothes and made yourself comfortable in bed. Tomorrow you would train and the day after that you would train some more. Even though you wanted so deeply to give up, to give in, you knew that you couldn’t. You could only get stronger and faster.

You quietly placed your sword at the side of your bed, then you laid down and sunk into the glorious mass of pillows. Seconds later you were asleep and Kyojuro was making his way inside. Kyojuro approached the door, his hands fumbled as he tried to pick the lock. Much to his surprise the door had been left unlatched.

‘Careless.’ He thought, as he silently slid the door open. The unlocked door was added to the many list of reasons why you needed him to protect you. What if someone where to come in and harm you? You slept far too heavy to sense them, you were leaving yourself open to intruders. It was dangerous! But if you had Kyojuro by your side you needn’t worry about such things as he would handle them. He would keep you safe, and to thank him, you would love him forever. He walked through your home making sure that no one else was around. Once he found that the home was all clear he walked into the kitchen and fixed himself a glass of water. He drank it and set the glass upside down beside the water pail absent mindedly. He then strolled to your room and opened the door. Inside, you lay sprawled across your bed, quietly snoring. Kyojuro laughed a bit at your position but nevertheless he came over and draped your blanket back on top of you. When he did the sweetest of smiles spread across your face, your body instinctively curled underneath the blanket and you sighed deeply. His heart leapt for joy, if only you knew he was the one that took such good care of you. Perhaps you would throw yourself into his arms immediately! Kyojuro could do nothing except kneel beside you and admire your beautiful face. How gorgeous you looked, how serene your expression is when you sleep. He had already been so riled up before, but now he his heart was nearly jumping out of his chest.

‘One kiss wouldn’t hurt.’ He thought to himself, still kneeling close beside you.

‘Just a small one, I doubt (Y/n) would even notice.’ He thought again as he began kneel closer. His heart raced now, he could hear his blood surging through his body. He inched closer and closer till his lips grazed the skin of your cheek. His breath came out ragged and starved, he craved this type of intimacy with you.

Very gently he placed a soft kiss on your cheek.

As a result you awoke from your sleep and instantly grabbed your katana. You unsheathed it and ran to search your home. You rummaged through each room and each time it returned the same result. Nothing. In your half awake fueled confusion your ran outside to investigate there and nothing was spotted again.

That night you failed to sleep as peacefully as you did before, in fact you spent most of your time grappling with what exactly had happened. It felt as though you had been touched by someone, it felt like someone had been there. But none had been seen, therefore you reasoned with yourself that a big had landed on your or maybe a mouse scurried past. You reluctantly let yourself believe your reasoning and tried to sleep.

‘What is more believable, a big landed on your face or someone came into your home late in the evening just for a chance to touch you?’

Kyojuro had successfully evaded your sight but only narrowly. Once he kissed you he saw your body jump and your hand shot underneath him to your sword. He had been on his feet and out of the house before you even opened your eyes. He fled out of the house and into the woods. He waited patiently till you settled down and went inside, then he waited just a bit longer for you to go back to bed. He was disappointed he couldn’t spend longer with you, but tonight you would have been far too on edge to return. In the end he got what he wanted, so with that he made his way back to his home to spend the rest of night.

The next morning you found something rather peculiar. One of your glasses sat upside down next to the pail of water you brought in the morning before. This was strange as you never set your glasses upside down, instead you dried then and set them back on the shelf. You stared at the glass in confusion. Perhaps what was even more startling was the fact that you did not drink any water when you got home the previous night. If you had, you would have taken it with you to bed.

Not wanting to spend another minute inside that house you gathered your belongings and left to train. Hopefully when you returned home that evening the glass would be on the shelf and the whole occurrence that happened the evening bedroom would have all been a dream.

————————————————————————-

Kyojuro smiled recalling the fond memory. Now he was far to aware of your capabilities to do something as risky as that, not to mention, being under the influence of lust aided in his rash actions that night. No, now he was far more in control of his feelings. He knew he needed to wait, that soon you would open yourself up willingly and accept him. Maybe after the two of you were together long enough he would confess to these things. Hopefully the two of you could laugh and it would become a joke between lovers. The was a beautiful thought to him.

He looked out the window and saw that the dark night was shifting to morning. The eastern sky displayed a pale blue and the stars began to recede underneath the presence of the rising sun. He had stayed much longer than he anticipated, now he would have to hurry to arrive at the train station on time. Kyojuro stood and walked towards your open door. Before he left he turned and look at you one last time.

‘I could do this forever.’ He thought. He could spend his life completely and entirely dedicated to you. He could wake early every morning and protect this world the two of you live in, forever until the end of time, if it meant he could be with you. He could do anything for you.

He stepped out into the blossoming light of morning, the ground wet with dew and the birds sang a merry song. His heart hung as he thought it to be such a glorious morning, one he believed would be better spent with you. Yet he continued on his way, the hearts of others took priority over his own. Soon enough the two of you could share tender moments such as these.

————————————————————————-

The light streaming in from the window pulled you out of your slumber. Instinctively your stretched your muscles and sat up from the bed. Your muscles sore from the training you endured the previous day, but now you had grown accustomed to the feeling. Groggily, with your still heavy with sleep, you managed to get out of bed and walk to your bathroom.

There you relieved yourself, took a bath, and combed your hair. Then you exited the bathroom and marched down the hall into the kitchen. After your bath your body had fully awoken. Now you walked through your house bright eyed and bushy tailed. You took the cup from your room and refilled it, with your water in hand you walked out onto the engawa to enjoy the morning.

It was beautiful, the sun shone brilliantly and earth seemed to come to life. Birds in the trees sang, wildlife scuttled across the open yard, and plants beamed with pride as the soft breeze swayed them gently. Today was a beautiful day for training.

You hastily ran inside to put on your training clothes and grab you sword. As you did you dried your cup and placed it on the shelf. You looked at the shelf and your mind brought back the memory of that strange night and the upside down cup. It had troubled you so much you mentioned it to some fellow slayers, they joked and remarked that it could have been a ghost. You were not fond of their playfulness as the situation seriously spooked you, but the more you thought about it the more the idea of a friendly ghost seemed to interest you. You named the ghost Yurei, and each morning you left you would yell,

“Bye Yurei! I’ll be back soon!”

It was a small habit you had formed and you practiced it religiously. In fact, you deemed it bad luck to leave your home without saying goodbye. As a result, you’d hear the faintest of footsteps and tiniest bit of rustling at night. And when these things occurred you’d smile to yourself and think,

‘It’s just Yurei, he’s getting himself a glass of water for the evening.’

It always set your mind at ease knowing your imaginary roommate was keeping you company.

Once you had collected your things and changed clothes, you bolted out the door hollering your usual goodbye. You waved as you took off down the road, hand held high and sword at hip. Today a feeling of joy filled your heart, you weren’t sure where it had come from but you welcomed is as it was a much needed release from the burden that slayers carried. Somehow you felt things were going to change and that excited you.

————————————————————————-

When you arrived at the training grounds, all was empty except for Mitsuri and several younger slayers she has taken under her wing.

“Mitsuri!” You called and she turned towards you. Once she saw you, she squealed excitedly!

“Oh, (Y/n)! It’s been so long!” She said in her angelic voice. She jumped with joy and held her arms open. You ran to her and scooped her up in the biggest hug you could.

“Ugh I know, it’s been far too long!” You replied, with your arms still wrapped around her. The two of you pulled apart and began to talk. After a short conversation you mentioned that you needed to get started training, she smiled and said the same. Before you could go to the other side of the training yard she called you back.

“(Y/n)! Let’s go out this evening after training, I have so much I need to tell you!” She said, her voice full of enthusiasm.

“Absolutely!” You agreed.

After the plans were settled, the two of you separated once again. You to the opposite end of the training yard, and her along with her tsuguko plus two others.

For hours the five of you trained parallel to each other. After the sun began to set, Mitsuri bid her students farewell and made her way to you.

You hadn’t noticed how dark it had gotten, your mind had shut out the rest of the world and the only thing you could see was the swinging of your sword. Mitsuri ogled your spectacular technique, she knew it was only a matter of time before you became a hashira. She stood off to the side and sing your praises internally.

‘She’s so amazing the way she tricks her opponents! She’s like an optical illusion! No wonder Kyojuro is watching her so closely!’

In one final swift motion, you soared into the air. Your legs hung loosely underneath you as your chest faced the clouds, in an instant you switched your body midair and positioned yourself in the perfect stance to administer a finishing blow. You landed nearly silent, you stood from your crouched position and sheathed your katana.

“That was so cool!” Mitsuri cheered, her gleeful voice pulled you out of your trance and back into reality.

————————————————————————-

“Hey, let’s go here, the food is amazing.” You said pointing at a small restaurant in the middle of town. Together you walked in, inside the dimly lit building you were greeted by a young woman. She smiled and took the two of you to a table. Afterwards she placed to cups of tea in front of both of you and left to give you some time to chose what you wanted to eat.

“How many demons are you up to now?” Mitsuri asked.

“43. As long as I don’t sustain any serious injuries, I hope to complete my goal by the end of the year.” You said, just then realizing how close you really were to becoming a hashira.

“Oh you are so close! I can’t wait! You have to sit beside me during the meetings!” Mitsuri chimed. Her cheerful demeanor was contagious, you smiled along side her and replied,

“Of course! Who else would I sit by?” You asked.

“What about Kyojuro? I’m sure he’d be fairly heartbroken if you weren’t close by, speaking of, how are you and Kyojuro? Have the two of you gone on any fun dates recently?” Mitsuri against with her head propped on her hands listening intently.

When you heard his name mentioned all color fled from your face and your heart sunk. You hadn’t thought about Kyojuro all day, and when she said his name the feeling of dread returned.

“Oh yeah, me and Kyojuro, well um, we are supposed to go out when he gets back from his mission. I think tonight he is supposed to be at the train station.” You said nervously, but your hesitation went unnoticed by Mitsuri.

“Ah! Are you two officially now? That’s wonderful! When is the wedding going to be? How many kids do you plan on having? Will the have hair like Kyojuro’s or will they have (y/h/c) like you? Will they use flame breathing or (y/b/t) like you? Can I babysit them? How often do-” You stopped her before she could keep going.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We haven’t even gone out yet!” You yelled bursting into laughter, although the situation with Kyojuro caused you some anxiety, Mitsuri’s rapid fire questioning made you lose all sense of seriousness.

“Oh, well I assumed from the way Kyojuro spoke the two of you had begun to get pretty serious.” Mitsuri replied, clearly surprised by your response.

“What do you mean?” You asked, the feeling of dread crept up into your chest.

“He mentioned several occasions the two of you spent time together, he seems absolutely smitten. He talks so loving of you and about the way you treat him. He even said that he was going to see you at your home one evening. It’s funny, there’s a joke circling about how you don’t see one without the other. Where you are, Kyojuro is never far behind.” She said nonchalantly as she sipped her tea.

You on the other hand remained speechless.

It was true.

You were right, Kyojuro had been following you.

Your hands trembled harshly against the wooden table, sweat began to drip from your forehead. Your mouth felt dry and the thumping of your heart pounded in your ears.

Mitsuri noticed your sudden change and spoke up,

“(Y/n), are you alright? You look pale.”

You looked at her saw genuine concern.

“Oh yes I’m fine! I think I just got a little too hot this afternoon!” You said quickly as you straightened up in your seat and wiped your brow. Your hands still trembled and your mind raced but you kept your composure the best you could.

The rest of the evening went on without a hitch, after eating and chatting a bit you had calmed down. Even enjoying yourself a bit as you and Mitsuri laughed the night away. But the thoughts of Kyojuro never left the back of your mind. As soon as you felt yourself begin to feel comfortable the image of Kyojuro carefully stalking you, watching and waiting. That was what terrified you the most, what was he waiting for? If all of what Mitsuri said was true, he had every chance in the world to do what he wanted. Yet he didn’t. Something wasn’t right and you could feel, he wanted something from you but you didn’t know what. Maybe he enjoyed the chase, the feeling of almost getting caught, or on a more concerning thought, he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Like an owl observing an unsuspecting mouse.

“(Y/n)?…(Y/n)?…(Y/n)?” Mitsuri’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

“Hm? Yes!” You said turning your attention to her. Big green eyes looked at you with concern, she knew you were distracted by something serious.

“Are you okay?” She asked, her voice comforting yet prying.

“Oh yeah, I’m alright. I think I may just be tired, yeah I’m just tired.” You replied, but she was not convinced. Even the way you spoke revealed that your attention was else where.

After another short conversation Mitsuri offered to walk you home. You politely declined and the two of you parted ways promising to meet up again soon.

Now as you made the all too familiar walk home your heart and mind drowned in a sea of emotions. First and foremost you felt tremendous guilt as tonight was to be spent having fun and enjoying each other’s company, but instead your anxiety took control. Overthinking was something that often plagued you and although you tried your hardest, your brain refused to cooperate. Knowing that this was a problem of yours made your emotions that much more difficult to decipher. Kyojuro wasn’t stalking you, the mere notion was ridiculous, given how skilled and observant you are now surely you would have spotted him. It was impossible to believe he had been following you, let only following you for weeks. You would have seen him, right? Or heard him? Kyojuro wasn’t very sneaky, and whenever he thought something he said it. He was a bit brash like that. Mitsuri probably took some very light compliments made towards you by him more serious than intended. This was all a misunderstanding and one day the three of you would laugh about it. In fact, it’s so outrageous, you’ll tell Kyojuro the minute he gets back. Yes, you’ll tell him when he gets home, you’ll meet him in town and you will go out together. You’ll share a silly moment and he will explain everything. There wasn’t anything wrong and he wasn’t stalking you. Yes, you are fine and just overthink things sometimes. You were tired and stressed, it’s no wonder you’ve been so erratic lately. You’ve been pushing yourself to the absolute limit and your mind was paying for it. You needed to rest, meditate, regroup, and when he returned talking with him to get peace of mind would help even more.

Yes, you are fine.

You are fine.

You are fine.

————————————————————————-

After night had fallen, and you had returned home, Kyojuro begun his mission. He met with a young man and the two discussed that of the Mugen train. It was the learned it was under repair but was set to return to work the following morning. The first demon he slayed during that night proved to be slow and he easily defeated him, saving the lives of others in the process. In fact he met a very kind, yet strong willed girl and an older woman at one of the train stations. The girl sold bento boxes which were in his opinion, delicious. He decided that after he defeated the demon that terrorized the passengers on the Mugen train, he would buy all of her bento boxes once again. He would bring you several as he knew you would enjoy them. Some day in near future he planned to bring you to a restaurant he found along the way as well.

When morning broke, Kyojuro bought a ticket and boarded the train. Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu would meet him onboard, the four of them would then make quick work of the demon and return home. Then when he returned he would take you out, the two of you would share a nice evening and after he took you home, he would confess his true feelings for you.

As Kyojuro sat in his seat on the train car, he found himself staring out the window and imagining what life was going to be like after that night. When you heard how deeply he loved you, would you throw your arms around him and hug him in that overwhelmingly warm embrace you had or would you confess that you felt the same. Either way, he knew that you loved him back it was only a matter of coaxing out a confession from you. He couldn’t wait to hear the words,

“I love you, Kyo.” Fall from your lips. He would do whatever it takes to hear you say it.

He would kiss you a million times, hug you a million times, and protect you from a million demons if it meant you would utter the words that could melt his blazing heart.

Those thoughts filled his head constantly and his heart could do nothing but beat in leaps and bounds. How wonderful would it be to kiss you, how wonderful would it be to sleep beside you every night. When enough time had passed and the both of you felt ready, he hoped you would allow him the honor to explore your body and fulfill your every need. 

His thoughts halted as his stomach began to growl. He looked to his side and saw the stacks of bento boxes still rest beside him, then he looked out the window once again. The sky has changed from a brilliant blue to soft orange as the began to set. This surprised him as he had apparently spent the day dreaming rather than focusing on the mission. He laughed at his absent mindedness; his boisterous laugh shook the cabin and startled the passengers. One man even turned to his wife to comment how strange Kyojuro was.

Once he regained his focus he reached inside the purple covering that held the boxes and fished out a beef bento box. He opened and was astonished by how wonderful the food looked. This surely had been made with love. Then another thought came to mind. Tanjiro and the others would be arriving soon, so he thought it best to set a couple back for them.

After setting aside six boxes, Kyojuro pulled apart his chopsticks and began to eat.

“Umai!”

————————————————————————-

Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu board the train and searched for Kyojuro on the accompanying cars. Inosuke proved to be difficult as he jumped from window to window astonished by how fast the train was moving. Zenitsu followed closely alongside him apologizing to the fellow passengers as Inosuke had stepped and shoved several.

Just as soon as Tanjiro opened the door leading to the next car, a rippling wave of sound blew past the three boys.

“Umai!” Yelled a strong voice from the other side.

The three entered cautiously and saw that exclamation came from a young man with fiery hair. He sat facing away from them eating eagerly.

“Umai!” He shout after every bite.

The three approached him and Tanjiro introduced themselves. After exchanging pleasantries, Kyojuro motioned for him to take a seat.

Tanjiro explained that the three were sent by the Kasugai crows to meet him there, then he asked Kyojuro about Hinokami Kagura. Kyojuro then confessed he did not know what it was and stated he have never heard the term before. He then questioned Tanjiro as to what color his sword was, to which the boy replied it was black. Kyojuro exclaimed at how unfortunate that was, but the boy needn’t worry as he would become his Tsuguko and that he would train all three boys. Tanjiro was grateful but he questioned what exactly Kyojuro was staring at. In fact he questioned twice and each time Kyojuro didn’t answer. This was because although his mind needed to be on the mission he couldn’t help but think of you. Every second of every day his mind was slowly becoming even more occupied by your image. But his attention was soon grabbed by the yellow boy and his many questions of the train. He explained the situation as many people disappeared on the train along with all the swordsmen sent to it.

Just as soon as Zenitsu began to wail the conductor entered from the back of the car and requested to see their tickets. Each one held out their ticket and the frail man punched a whole in all. As the man handed back Tanjiro’s ticket, Kyojuro sensed something amiss. He stood from his seat and revealed his sword.

The lights flickered and in a flash a hulking spiny demon appeared. It stood to a massive height and reared its ugly face, but Kyojuro calmly unsheathed his sword. He marveled at the beast’s blood demon art, but in the same breath vowed to take its life. When he held his sword, vibrant orange and red flames danced amongst the blade. The light from him alone illuminated the entire car. He instantly took his stance and held his sword above his shoulders, quickly he struck slicing the demon’s head off in one clean blow.

The boys praised his strength and speed, but now time was of the essence. Kyojuro sensed another demon was present and immediately gave chase. The three boys scrambled and followed suit.

Next Kyojuro stood face to face with a long, spindly, grotesque creature. It towered to the ceiling on tall legs, much like the first spikes riddled it’s body. Passengers fled past him in terror but he stood unfazed as he knew this demon would be dead in a matter of seconds.

Tanjiro and Inosuke charged forward ahead of him, the demon focused it’s attention on the remaining passenger. Kyojuro reminded it, that he was it’s opponent. Before another action could be taken Inosuke rushed the demon only to be passed Kyojuro. He scooped the man bridal style and dropped him at the end of the car. Kyojuro couldn’t help but think of him carrying you in such a way, even though the thought lasted a second. Lightening fast, Kyojuro ran and sliced this demon’s head off too in a singular blow. Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu stood silent before shouting their praises and worship for Kyojuro, he only smiled and laughed as he knew he would make fine swordsman of the boys.

Some time later, they returned to their original seats. Inosuke laid across Zenitsu and snored loudly, while Tanjiro rested his head against Kyojuro. All four were peacefully sleeping, blissfully unaware of the true nightmare that was unfolding.

————————————————————————-

Kyojuro’s sleep fell upon him heavily and sudden. His muscles relaxed, his eyes fell closed and his breathing slowed tremendously. Before he could process what was happening to him he began to sink, sink into an over encompassing slumber.

He could see the sun through the clear water, but the further he descended, the more the sun failed to reach him. He lost sight of the surface as bubbles rushed around him.

It was bright, the sun peaking through the window was ever so bright in the morning. Kyojuro began to stir but the bed he laid in was so comfortable, he didn’t want to leave.

‘I’m in a bed?’ He thought and then his body full awoken as he leapt to feet. He ran towards the door and snatched it open,

“Tanjiro!” He yelled, worry taking a hold of him as the slayers he was protecting couldn’t be seen.

“Kyo? Are you alright?”

The voice made him pause. He turned and that it was true. You stood before him, just as beautiful as you always were. You wore a (f/c) kimono, one that looked similar to one his mother wore. The sight alone stunned him into silence.

“You aren’t looking so well, do you need something to drink?” You asked, a look of confusion and concern spread across your face.

Kyojuro stumbled towards you, his arms extend and his fingers trembled. Once he had you in his arms his hands cupped your face, he looked at you desperately. Then he pulled you into his chest and he rested his chin on top of your head. His body shook and shuttered as sobs fell from his lips, quickly you pulled away and started drying his tears.

“Oh Kyojuro, don’t cry baby. What’s wrong?” You asked while wiping his tears and holding his face.

“I-I don’t know.” He choked in between sobs.

“I’ve just waited so long for this, I never thought it would come.” He said as he buried his head into your shoulder and squeezed you tightly. You winced and pushed back slightly,

“Careful, the baby.” You said as your hand rested gently on your growing belly.

“Baby?” Kyojuro asked.

“Um, yes…your baby Kyojuro.” You replied a bit confused.

Kyojuro dropped to his knees. Shock and amazement took over him and he instantaneously wrapped his arms around you again. His hands roamed your body feeling every curve, then he pressed his ear against your belly. Very faintly he could hear the subtle thumps of a fellow heart.

Just as quickly as the tears started before, they started again and he sobbed into your kimono.

“Kyojuro what has gotten into you? Did something happen?” You asked as you knelt down to him, you stroked his hair and held him close as he sniffled.

“I promise to be the best father I can be. I promise.” Kyojuro said still overcome by emotion.

“You already are, Kyo.” You said, and this caused him to lift his head.

“What d-” Before Kyojuro could question even further the sound of pattering feet came rushing towards him.

“Daddy!” Called two voices in unison.

He turned just in time to see two bouncing and bounding little boys headed straight for him. They each jumped and tackled but Kyojuro was fast enough to catch them. Giggling and laughter ensued as the boys tried to break free from his grasp and continue their shenanigans. Instead Kyojuro hugged them tightly. His heart was so full, seeing this truly wonderful life nearly brought him to tears again. Instead, he stood from the floor holding a boy under each arm. The boys cheered and giggled, begging him to spin them around. He obliged and as he spun the boys held out their arms, cheering once again.

Kyojuro could see the blissful smile on your face, you looked happy and content. Seeing your reaction made his heart swell with pride.

He placed the boys back on the floor and they took off outside. You giggled at the boys antics, very energetic just like their father.

Kyojuro admired you before walking and wrapping his arms around you. He held you from behind, his face resting on your shoulders and his hand placed on your belly. He sighed happily as he embraced his loving spouse and watched as his children ran wild in the yard.

“What is it, Kyo?” You asked.

“This-it’s all so beautiful, it’s like a dream.” He replied nuzzling his face into your hair. You hummed in reply as your hand reached around and cupped his face. As you did his hand met yours, he held it gently as he spun you around to face him. The softness of your eyes never failed to render him speechless. He tilted your head up with his thumb and leaned in, the kiss the two of you shared was far more wonderful than he could have ever imagined. He moved from lips and began to pepper your face and neck with quick pecks, this earned him your beautiful smile and soft giggles once more.

“Kyo, stop! Stop it, the kids are around!” You said in between laughs, but this failed to stop him, as he only continued with his attack.

“They won’t notice if we are gone for a little while.” He whispered huskily in your ear, his body shaking in anticipation to touch you.

“Let’s continue this later!” You said smacking your hands against his chest playfully.

“But what if I can’t wait till later?” He replied still kissing you, now leaving small bruises on your neck.

“Why don’t I make breakfast first, then we can discuss it, hm?” You asked and this caught his attention.

Almost on cue his stomach began to growl. He knelt in and placed a final kiss on your lips and released his grip on you. You smiled cheekily as you walked past and placed a small pat on his backside. He turned and grinned at you before returning the favor. He always loved the blush that would appear on your face afterwards.

Then the two young boys came running back into the house, each grabbed one of Kyojuro’s hands.

“Come outside! Come outside! Come outside!” They demanded and though Kyojuro wanted to stay and see just how riled up he could get you, he couldn’t deny the pleas of his own sons. Before he ran outside to join he came to you, he placed another kiss on your forehead and turned towards the door.

“It’s time to wake up, Kyojuro.” You said in a serious tone. This has caught him off guard and turned back towards you.

“What was it?” He asked, hoping he hadn’t upset you.

“Hm? Oh nothing breakfast will be ready soon.” You said accompanied by a smile.

“Oh.” He replied trying to make sense of what happened. He pushed it out of his mind and walked out to the boys.

Together the three played all sorts of games. The sound of their laughter could be heard for miles.

“Count to ten!” The boys called and Kyojuro turned to face the bark of a willow tree.

“Cover your eyes!” They called as they gingerly ran for a hiding spot. Kyojuro couldn’t help but chuckle at their silliness, as he knew it would only take him a matter of seconds to find them. Kyojuro closed his eyes and covered them with his hands, when he did he noticed the darkness seemed much more dense. It was black as night even though his hands only covered his closed eyes. Next the ground underneath him shook and sounds of a roaring horn came after.

Flashes of the train appeared in his eyes and then the image of young girl. A young girl who was some how inside his mind, he could see her wandering throughout his dream and finally disappearing behind a corner. Then the image of the same young girl attached to him by rope appeared. The horrendous stench of demon blood entered his nostrils and made him recoil in disgust. He fell to the ground and opened his eyes. Tears fell from the once again, but instead of joy being their cause, now it was sadness as he knew this was a dream.

His boys ran over to him,

“Dad!” They yelled. The commotion took you from your cooking and you came to the door.

“Kyo!” You called as you ran towards him. Kyojuro clutched the earth as helpless tears came tumbling down.

“I’ll go get you some water!” You said hastily, then you ran inside and out of sight. One boy ran with you while the other stayed at his side.

“Is it time to wake up already?” The child asked, Kyojuro turned and saw that the young face that had worn nothing but a smile now looked gravely serious. Before Kyojuro could question deeper, you interrupted,

“Here, drink this.” You said as you held a cup full of water. He took it from your hand and took a small drink. He turned and saw the worried faces the three of you wore; it left him heartbroken.

“I’m going for a walk.” He said his voice unsure and upset.

“Are you sure you don’t want to eat first breakfast is almo-” He cut you off before you said anything else.

“No, I need to go for a walk. I want the three of you to go inside.” His voice dangerously serious. Your expression changed from concern to hurt, Kyojuro’s soul ripped in half seeing you upset by his words.

You quietly ushered the children inside before closing the door behind you, Kyojuro covered his mouth so that his weeps were not heard. Quickly he ran through the gates and down the gravel path in search of the girl he saw.

Anger fueled his rage as he desperately searched for her, visions of the train and the light fading through rippling water flashed in front of him as he careless ran around what seemed to be endless turns. Tears stung his eyes as he knew he had to leave but didn’t, his heart yearned to go back and lay in your arms just one last time. Just one last time to kiss you, to hold you, and believe that this was real. Yet he knew that it wasn’t and to get back to the real you, he needed to wake up.

As he ran recklessly throughout his dream trying to escape, in reality he held the young girl that entered his mind by the throat.

She wiggled and writhed in his grasp, choking from his strong grip; It was tight enough to stop her, but not tight enough to kill her.

With a loud scream, Tanjiro awoke from his dream. His hands instinctively reached for his neck to ensure his head was still attached. He caught sight of Nezuko who looked him with confusion. Then Tanjiro noticed the others, Kyojuro held a girl up by her neck, Zenitsu and Inosuke still fast asleep. Each one attached to the other people by ropes that vaguely smelled of demon. He inspected the one at his wrist, but then he smelled a different scent. A much stronger demon’s blood; tucked away in his haori, he pulled out his ticket. When he brought it to his nose the stench was prominent and repulsive. He then knew that the earlier demons slayed on the train was not the real threat, but another. He asked that Nezuko burn the ropes on the others to, as he felt that cutting them would be wrong.

After Nezuko had released the boys from their bindings, Tanjiro desperately tried to wake them. None of which awoke.

When Kyojuro’s rope was cut he released the young girl and sat down. He still slept but his rest was far from peaceful as he ran desperately in search of a way to get out.

————————————————————————-

Tanjiro was then met with the people that had invaded their dreams, swiftly he defeated them all; knocking them unconscious. He felt regret as he knew that the demon had promised them what they had lost or what they could never have; silently he prayed for their peace.

He turned to Nezuko and took her by the hand. Together the two ran to the end of the car, there he opened the door and much to his surprise a horrid scent filled his nostrils.

Quickly he made his way out of the car and onto the roof. There he called to Nezuko to go and wake the others. Tanjiro was then met with the demon responsible for all the carnage, he stood ready for any attack thrown his way.

————————————————————————-

The rushing water appeared around him again, in an instant Kyojuro burst awake. He took in the scene around him, pulsating flesh oozed out of every crack and hole of the interior in the train car. Instinctively he drew his sword and began to slash the wriggling tentacles. As he did he noticed more started to form, this demon was proving to be far more difficult than the ones before. Nevertheless he calmly approached them, sword in hand.

“To think that all of this happened while I was dozing…�� He uttered as he approached two more disgusting limbs.

“How could this be?” He asked himself; the previously severed tentacles rose once again.

“I’m ashamed as a Hashira.” He drew his sword once again, holding it high above his shoulders.

“If only I could crawl under a rock!” He yelled before igniting the entire car in a blazing tornado of flames. The flesh sizzled and recoiled from the burn. The move was so powerful it lifted the train from its tracks and back down again.

Kyojuro then ran and found Tanjiro, he knelt to his level. He ordered that him and Inosuke find and demolish the demon before it has a chance to harm any of the passengers. He would protect the back five cars, while Nezuko and Zenitsu would protect the rest.

In an instant, Kyojuro disappeared and ran through the cars. His speed so intense it shook the cars themselves. As he sped through, the sight of the sleeping passengers bled together, the sight of their faces blurred. Kyojuro soon found Inosuke and he gave him the same orders that he gave to Tanjiro. Afterwards he returned to the last five cars, there he slashed his way through each and every groping arm; blood soaked his sword and painted the walls around him.

As he cut through the last of the arms in the last car, terrifying sight came upon his eyes.

Sitting the front row, another arm sprung from the wall and reached for you. You laid there sleeping, head propped against the side of the chair. Your (h/c) hair undeniable.

“(Y/n)!” He called, his voice booming and full of fear. His heart clenched and his breathing hitched as the arm slinked closer towards you.

He jumped into action and not a second later, was the arm detached and flopping loosely on the floor. He turned to grab you but much to his disbelief, you were nowhere to be seen. There had not been anyone sitting in that seat, it had had only been a fiction of his imagination.

A few moments after a deafening scream rattled through the train, he turned and watched as the skin of walls squirmed in discomfort.

Then out of the corner of his eye you appeared again, he turned quickly to find nothing except another growing limb protruding from the splintering wall. He made quick work of the arm before turning, and once more he caught a glimpse of you. This time you stood at the end of the car waiting for him.

As he cut his way through and while he protected all the passengers on board he called your name,

“(Y/n)!” He yelled and just like before, he would catch the smallest bit of you before you disappeared. Each time that he went to look at your image directly he would instead see another slimy tentacle reaching out for him.

Soon he realized that where he saw you, he saw a passenger in need of saving. Therefore each time you appeared he’d follow your invisible steps and allowed you to guide him through the train cars.

He was frustrated, not only with the constant barrage of attacks but that fact he let himself sleep will there was a demon on board. People couldn’t gotten hurt, and worse-killed. He was disappointed in himself but nevertheless he continued to fight with his imagination of you guiding him. That was until he heard your voice.

“Kyojuro, catch the passengers…” Your voice spoke, gently but commanding.

Just as soon as your voice reverberated in his ears, the sounds of squeaking metal overtook your words. Next the vibrations and the wining of the train cars being derailed came.

Far faster than any human could react, he soared through car to car, scooping up passengers and carrying them to the last car. Once sure every passenger was safe, your voice arose once again,

“Hold on to something…” Your voice whispered in his ear. He didn’t think on your words, only acted. He held the passengers together as he gripped the seats in front of them. If any were to fall he would catch them.

All seemed to slow in that last second. Through the window he could see as the cars leading to his all jumped and crashed to the sides of the tracks. His was next and his body braced for impact.

————————————————————————-

The trained soared through the air for what seemed like hours, Kyojuro desperately held the passengers together. He knew that some would be injured, but he would not allow any to die. As the cars flipped and continued to fly he saw you. This time when he turned to you, your image stayed and you did not fade. Standing beside him together the two of you held the passengers in place.

Kyojuro was star struck as he stared into your eyes, how did you know to come? Were you actually here or were you another figment of his brutal imagination. Regardless, you turned to him and smiled.

“Keep them safe…it’s not over.”

The side of the train crashed into the ground, the jarring wails of people and the cries of the train erupted as a crater was smashed into the ground from the cars. Trees were demolished, ground scraped till nothing but rock and debris were left behind. The structure of the car itself collapsed into itself and left splinter ball of rubble.

————————————————————————-

When Kyojuro opened his eyes he was met with faces of groaning passengers, one by one he took them from the battered cars and set them nearby. He addressed their injuries and determined not a single one’s life was threatened. He smiled triumphantly as he had succeeded in keeping them safe. He left them as he went to assess the other damages and other passengers. In his heart he thanked you, even if you weren’t truly there you gave him the strength to continue on. This mission had been a bit more difficult than previously thought, but he remained un injured. When morning arrived he would help the others to the butterfly estate, and then he would return home. First he would stop and eat, then he would go back to his estate to freshen up a bit. Afterwards he would go find you wherever you may be and ask you on a proper date. The dream he had been thrusted into was the most beautiful world he could have possibly ever imagined, now he had ever intention of making it his reality.

As he walked through the wreckage he found Tanjiro lying on his back. He spoke with him and reported that all passengers were safe, all he needed to do now was rest and wait.

“Kyojuro behind you!” Your voice came to him, quickly he turned, shielding Tanjiro. His hand gripped his sword as his eyes searched through the fog.

His focused settled on figures crouched not to far away. Stripped tattoos ran up and down the assailant’s body and face.

Kyojuro sat ready, his ears waiting for your voice to arise, his eyes watching carefully for the first move.

As the smoke cleared, the figure became visible now. Squatted on both legs, the individual sat ready with in hand on the ground and the other propped on his thigh. Unruly pink hair sprouted from his head and chiseled muscles covered his chest to his arms. Most terrifyingly his eyes read,

‘Upper three.’

Kyojuro knew this is what you had meant by it not being over. He was foolish to let his guard down so easily.

Before anything could be said the demon jumped from his position with the intent to kill, but before he could reach Tanjiro, Kyojuro’s blade sliced clean through the demon’s arm.

The demon jumped back and bounded backwards, his arm instantly regenerated as if it had never sustained an injury.

“That’s a fine sword.” Spoke the stripped man as he licked the blood from his previous cut.

Kyojuro remained silent as his mind pondered the individual in-front of him.

‘He sure can regenerate fast. This heavy and overwhelming demon aura…So, this is an Upper Rank.’

Then Kyojuro spoke,

“I can’t understand why you’d go after a wounded person first.” Kyojuro stood before Tanjiro, he was willing to lose his life if it meant he’d keep him safe.

“He could get in the way of the chitchat…of you and me.” The demon replied, his piercing eyes still gazing upon a struggling Tanjiro.

“What would you and I have to talk about?” Asked Kyojuro.

“I’m meeting you now for the first time, but I already dislike you.” He said with a bit of venom in his voice.

“Is that right? Well, I loathe weak humans, too. The sight of a weakling makes my skin crawl.” The demon said.

“Then, it looks like our senses of value are completely different.” Kyojuro replied shortly, blade in hand.

“All right, then I have a brilliant proposal for you. Why don’t you become a demon, too?” He asked.

“I will not.” Kyojuro’s fixed upon him, not an ounce of emotion was shown on his face.

“I can tell your strength at a glance. You’re a Hashira, aren’t you? Your fighting spirit has been honed to the hilt. It’s close to the realm of the highest.”

The air grew more and more tense as they continued.

“I’m the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku.” His eyes stayed steady and his face never faltered.

“I’m Akaza. Kyojuro…Let me tell you why you can’t enter the realm of the highest. Because you’re a human. Because you’re going to grow old. Because you’re going to die. Become a demon, Kyojuro. Do that, and you can go on training for a hundred, for two hundred years. You can become stronger.” Akaza taunted, extending his hand to Kyojuro.

As Kyojuro stared forward he pondered Akaza’s request. It repulsed him and the idea of living in that eternity seemed more like hell than anything else he could have imagined. To live a life in the darkness of night, reaping the souls of the innocent to fuel his own arrogant need to be stronger-to be powerful. The thought alone wrenched his heart, even more evil, he thought, would be to live a life away from you. To live without you, that would truly be hell.

“Both growing old and dying are part of the beauty of being an ephemeral creature like a human. The fact that we grow old and die is what makes human life so unbearably precious and noble. Strength isn’t a word used to describe just the body. This boy isn’t weak! Don’t insult him. I’ll repeat it as many times as it takes. You and I have different senses of value.” Kyojuro spoke, his stance just as strong and determined as his voice.

“No matter what the reason, I will not become a demon!” He finished, his hands gripping the handle of his katana tightly.

“I see.” Akaza said before slamming his hand into the ground and shattering the Earth. Around him a glowing red snowflake appeared on the ground.

“Technique Development…Destructive Death…Compass Needle!” He exclaimed, his voice gruff and full of anticipation. Red light changed to blue as Akaza prepared to make his first assault.

Kyojuro stood ready, although his heart trembled he did not show it. He knew this battle that was about to unfold would be brutal and bloody.

“If you refuse to become a demon, I’ll kill you.” Akaza’s words angered Kyojuro. He spoke so confidently as if this fight were going to be an easy one, he would soon learn the full extent of a mere human’s strength.

Faster than any demon he had encountered before, Akaza charged at him. Kyojuro held his sword ready, and as his fist blew past his face with alarming speed all that could be heard was the powerful blows being absorbed by his blade.

The battle was on, flashes of blue and orange illuminated their dance as Akaza sent flying punches and Kyojuro blocked every one with his flaming katana. Dust swirled around them, only small sparks and fiery slashes pin pointed their location. Tanjiro kneeled some distance away and watched in fear as Kyojuro ruthlessly fought.

‘I can’t lose. I have to keep fighting, I have to protect the others.’ Kyojuro’s mind spoke as he delivered swing after swing and block after block.

‘No I won’t, I won’t lose. I won’t lose, I have to win for-’ His mind stopped, through his conflicted thoughts you appeared. You were how you always were. Eager, determined, bright. Your smile was as warm as ever, your laugh as joyful as ever. How wonderful you really were never failed to amaze him.

“Kyo!” You called, your arms extended out to him as you reached for a hug. For a split second he almost lowered his weapon but then the constant barrage of attacks brought him back into reality.

“There were never any Flames among all the Hashira I’ve killed until now.” Akaza jeered, his fist perpetually being stopped by Kyojuro’s weapon.

“And no one every took me up on my offer either.”

In a split second, Kyojuro swung his sword directly into Akaza’s wrist.

“Why do you think that is?” Akaza asked, as if they were only chatting and not in the midst of a gruesome fight.

“As a fellow martial artist, I just don’t get it. Not when only the chosen ones can become demons!” Akaza continued to taunt, but only a moment later did Kyojuro slice Akaza clean off.

It regenerated instantly and he threw another punch at Kyojuro. It was caught once again by the hilt of his sword.

“Watching the hideous decline of someone blessed with extraordinary powers…it pains me, I can’t bear it! Die, Kyojuro…While you’re still young and strong.” Kyojuro had effectively stopped his blow from landing, but together their strength were far too strong. They now stood face to face.

Kyojuro swung his blade between them, beautiful flames scorched the edge and threatened to slice through Akaza’s skin.

Akaza jumped back, his agility unmatched by any other.

“Destructive Death…Air Type.” He announced as his fist charged with the power of his blood demon art. But the blow was not a physical one, rather a forceful blow of energy. Kyojuro quickly looked around him before the invisible strike hit his katana, it was so powerful that it made him flinch and slide on the loose ground.

He ducked and watched carefully as Akaza unloaded onto him another wave of attacks.

‘I see.’ He thought to himself as he analyzed his form.

“Flame Breathing…Fourth Form..Blooming Flame Undulation!” Kyojuro cried, he swung his sword up and as he did a cascade of yellow flames erupted from his katana. The fire stopped the air attacks from reaching him, he watched with determination as they steadily fell into the flames.

‘When he strikes the air with his fist, the attack will reach me here!’

Swing after swing Kyojuro effectively stopped each of Akaza’s air strikes, surrounded by the cover of blazing fire, Kyojuro felt his heart start to ignite. With each blink of his eye, your face was all that he could see. Your beauty, your body, your smile, your laugh, it was all needed before and it was all he needed now. He decided then that he would make it home to you, even if it were the last thing he did.

‘He can move faster than the blink of an eye’ Kyojuro thought.

Then Akaza returned to the ground, they stood apart from each other and smoke filled the space around them.

‘If I allow him to fight from a distance like this, slicing his head off will be tricky. In that case…’ Kyojuro lowered himself, in a spiral of blazing fire he rocketed forward. Before Akaza knew what had happened Kyojuro was a mere few inches away.

‘I’ll just have to get up close!’ His sword was drawn wielded faster than light. Only narrowly did Akaza dodge his cut.

“This superb reaction speed of yours..” Akaza said in astonishment of Kyojuro’s speed. His words were interrupted as another fiery blow whistled past him.

Now Kyojuro was more determined than he had ever been before in his life, it was seen in his terribly intense swings and the screams of his voice. Together the two fought impossibly fast and extremely hard. Their moves were indistinguishable as they were far too powerful to be seen by the naked eye.

“And these breathtaking sword skills will be lost, too…Kyojuro! Doesn’t that make you sad?” Akaza asked, defending Kyojuro attacks and propelling his own.

“It happens to everyone!” Kyojuro replied, blazing light encircled them both.

“It’s a fact of life for any human!” He cried, then the sound of Tanjiro struggling caught his attention.

“Stay where you are! If that wound reopens, it’ll be fatal! Stand back! That’s an order!” He yelled behind him. Inosuke and Tanjiro stopped in their tracks and watched hopelessly from the sidelines.

Again Akaza surged forward and sneered,

“Don’t bother with that weakling, Kyojuro! Come on, give me your best shot!”

Now the battle was becoming even more gruesome, Akaza challenging Kyojuro for more.

He soared towards him sword held high behind him, his eyes fixed on his neck.

He missed but not before his foot landed in the center of his chest sending Akaza flying into the forest surrounding the train tracks. Kyojuro gave chase and pursued him like a starving coyote trails an injured rabbit.

As he charged forward through the trees Akaza sprung from behind an oak and exclaimed,

“Nice moves!”

This startled, Kyojuro but only for a moment as the two engaged in their fight once again. A second of hesitation proved unfortunate for Kyojuro as Akaza too struck his with his foot and sent him soaring back out of the forest and into the clearing. He landed with a horrible crash and dirt coated the air from his impact.

Inosuke and Tanjiro called out for him, but their pleas fell upon deaf ears. The only thing Kyojuro could see was that of the encasing dust and the voice of Akaza.

“Turn into a demon, Kyojuro.” Akaza said cooly as he exited the woods.

Kyojuro steady himself on his sword, the kick along with the crash had been cruel. His body now ached as bones were broken and badly bruised.

“Fight me forever and get stronger together with me.” Akaza offered.

Kyojuro remained silent. He stay kneeling his weight held by his katana as his chest heaved.

‘Am I going to fail?’ His mind asked, as his body had long reached it’s limit. He could feel himself faltering and fading.

“You have what it takes to do that!” Akaza called to him.

The beating of his heart slowed as his body began to rest, surely now he was bleeding internally and it wouldn’t be long before he could no longer fight.

‘Is this how I am going to die…’Kyojuro thought again. His heavy breathing continued until something stopped him entirely.

“Kyojuro…keep fighting Kyojuro!”

Your voice. He heard it again.

“Keep going!”

“Get up!”

“Kyojuro, please!” Your voice urged.

His nerves began to tingle and his began pumping faster. He pressed his weight into his sword as he started to stand. Your words filled his soul and his fighting spirit was ignited once more.

“I’ll pass! Let me repeat it. I don’t like you! I will not become a demon!” He yelled to Akaza. He stood now with fury and rage fueling his strength. No more was he to think of dying here, he would live to see another day. Another day he would spend with you.

He surged into the air,

“Flame Breathing…Third Form…Blazing Universe!” He came down upon Akaza’s head, flames consumed them both.

“Magnificent! That’s sensational!” Akaza adored while blood spurted from his body.

“Destructive Death…Air Type!” He countered while charging head first.

Kyojuro blocked the first blow and it threw him back, to which he regained his footing and ran towards him, sword high above his shoulders.

“Keep fighting!” You echoed.

Kyojuro cut and slashed

“Keep going!”

He swung again.

“Please Kyojuro!”

Fire enveloped his blade. A punch flew past his head a few inches away, yet he swung again and the slash was caught on Akaza’s forearm.

“You still don’t get it? That if you continue attacking, you’re just getting closer to death, Kyojuro?” Akaza yelled, becoming frustrated with him.

“Don’t give in!” You voice called out through the sea of battle.

Although he knew, your voice was only heard by him. The voice that he knew his mind had conjured, he could feel your presence. Miles away you slept alone in bed but still your aura guided him. It pushed him to fight.

With a guttural scream, Kyojuro fought with all his might. His body was failing and his reflexes became slower but still he pushed. You pushed.

Blood now poured from his head and seeped into his eye.

“Flame Breathing, First Form…Unknowing Fire!” His massively strong attack severed both arms from Akaza’s body, almost as fast as they had been sliced off did they regrow.

“It would be a shame to kill you now! You haven’t reached your physical peak yet!” Rambled Akaza as he threw punch after punch, each were blocked or redirected by Kyojuro’s quick movements. But he wasn’t fast enough as a devastating blow hit him in abdomen, the force of Akaza’s punch so powerful it crunched every rib on his right side.

Kyojuro gasped and stumbled back, this stopped him for a moment as he drew his sword back.

“Second Form…Rising Scorching Sun!” Kyojuro swung his sword upwards and Akaza shielded his face from the flames. Blood could be seen leaking through his shirt.

Akaza jumped back and continued his assault on Kyojuro battered frame.

“In a year or two, you’ll have polished your skills even more, and you’ll have greater precision!”

Another blow landed on Kyojuro’s face, this time shattering his skull and cheek. He staggered backwards, his left eye clamped shut from the blood. He ran towards Akaza, his mind now occupied with every intent to kill.

“Third Form…Blazing Universe!” Kyojuro screamed, his voice rough and coarse.

“Fourth Form…Blooming Flame Undulation!”

His constant pain mixed with fear powered his attacks, one after the other the battle grounds became a roaring wildfire. Both were at their limits, now was time for the final brawl.

“Destructive Death…”

“Fifth Form…Flame Tiger!”

“Disorder!”

Together the two surged towards each other colliding in a magnificent explosion of blue and red. In an instant Kyojuro sliced the arm of Akaza, he fell back and to the ground.

The battlefield became quiet as blood dripped from Kyojuro’s wounds. All that could be heard was that of his ragged breathing and the thumping of his heart.

Akaza stood and faced Kyojuro, he could see the desperation in his eyes, he was not far from collapse.

“Let’s fight more.” Akaza said while he stared at Kyojuro blankly.

“Don’t die on me, Kyojuro.” He spoke, but Kyojuro stood still. His breathing weak and forceful, the crushed ribs caused him immense pain as he drew each breath in and push each one out.

‘I…I don’t know if I can continue’

‘I don’t know if I will live’

“Kyojuro!” Your voice sounded as if it were miles away.

‘I don’t know if I can make it’

“Kyojuro!” You yelled closer now.

‘How can I keep on fighting?’

“Kyojuro!” You called from right infront of him.

His eyes shot open to see yours, your face worried and anguished. Your hands reached out and gripped his shoulders, he could see tears falling from your eyes.

“Kyojuro you have to keep going no matter how hard it gets, you have to keep fighting!” You ordered him, he could feel your desperation.

‘But what if I can’t?’ His mind questioned weakly.

“You have no choice, you have to. Keep going, don’t stop just because you are weak. Set your heart ablaze, Kyojuro!” He could see your face clear as day, the tears poured from your eyes as you begged him to fight.

‘I will fulfill my duty.’

As he opened his eyes, he knew that you would be gone. He mustered all the strength he had left, pulling his last remaining power from the tips of his toes to the ends of his hair.

“Even if you fight to the death, you can’t win, Kyojuro. Those impressive slashes you inflicted on me have already healed completely. But what about you? A smashed left eye, shattered ribs, and damaged internal organs…All irreparable. If you were a demon, you’d heal in the blink of an eye. Those would be mere scratches for a demon. You can struggle all you want, but a human can never beat a demon.” Akaza spoke watching as Kyojuro struggled to breathe. All had went silently and air became heavy with the feeling of dread.

Suddenly Kyojuro burst into flames, his hair and haori danced among the fire, this was the true power of a Hashira.

“Kyojuro, why…” Akaza watched in astonishment.

“I…”Kyojuro raised his weapon and assumed his stance.

“I will fulfill my duty! I will not allow anyone here to die!” His words were stone and his blade the law. Then and there he made a promise to himself that he would protect the innocent and return home. No one was going to stand in his way.

‘I’ll damage his body as much as I can in an instant!’

“Flame Breathing…” He lowered his stance.

“Esoteric Art!”

The raging fire around him spread to the far corners of the clearing. Akaza shivered as he saw Kyojuro’s true power.

“What a tremendous fighting spirit! Amazing aura despite all those injuries! That mental strength!” A sinister grin spread across Akaza’s face.

“That airtight stance! You have to become a demon, after all, Kyojuro! Let’s fight each other for all eternity!” Akaza could no longer contain his excitement, smiled enthusiastically as he watched in awe, marveling at Kyojuro’s strength.

Still encompassed in fire, using every fiber of his being he remembered your words.

“Set your heart ablaze. Go beyond your limits! I’m am the Flame Hashira…Kyojuro Rengoku!” Inside him fire rushed through his veins into nerves and throughout his muscles.

“Ninth Form…Rengoku!”

“Destructive Death…Annihilation Type!”

Kyojuro engaged his final form, his feet planted into the ground causing it crumble beneath him, a rising ball of fire surrounded his body. He surged forward with all his power, the most tremendous flaming trail followed him. His strength, combined with his spirit made him appear like a meteor making its way to the Earth. The tip of this rushing attack turned into the head of a mighty dragon, it screeched and took flight towards Akaza. Together they collided into an explosion of white light that caused the surrounding area to crumple and burn. Then a roaring tornado of flame and light erupted around them, inside Kyojuro sliced through Akaza’s arm all the way to the shoulder. He removed his sword and swung it down for the final blow. It cut through his neck before Akaza slammed his fist into the blade causing it to change courses and slice through his body. But as he held it inside of him, Kyojuro twisted the blade and drug it back through Akaza. As he did the flames grew stronger, Akaza’s face turned from ecstatic to terrified in the matter of milliseconds. He titled his blade up and sliced through his head, before it could regenerate he swung it back down again this time into the his throat.

He was spent, he no longer had any strength left to use. Pushed and the blade inched through, slowly cutting through Akaza’s flesh. Flashes of you, his future children, the peaceful life you two would once live. He pushed further, now he pushed with all that he had left. With one more intense howl, he severed Akaza’s head from his body.

The bellowing storm of fire dissipated, Akaza lay on the ground, his skin beginning to whither and turn into ash. Kyojuro stood motionless as he breathlessly watched Akaza decay, blood poured from his wounds and with each breath, splintered bones shredded his insides.

He had done it. He had won.

But now as he stood amongst the smoke in an empty battlefield, he could feel his body failing. The sounds of voices became muffled, his vision faded, and his muscles gave in. Kyojuro dropped to his knees, the early rays of sunlight shone across him.

“Rengokusan!” He heard called, the sound muffled and seemed far, far, away.

“Rengokusan!” His vision worse now, all he could see was the blurry landscape ahead of him.

“Rengokusan!” Skin drenched in blood, it pooled by his knees.

His last sight, before all had disappeared was a silhouette in the distance. Kyojuro reached his hand out, as if maybe he could touch them.

His breathing slowed even more now, the gushing of his injuries continued.

The sounds of approaching footsteps became louder and desperate calls for increased.

He extended his hand even further; darkness surrounded him.

“(Y/n)…”

————————————————————————-

A day had passed since Kyojuro’s mission. You received word that morning that although, there had not been a single casualty, Kyojuro was nearly killed. The news of this stunned you, so much so you almost fainted. The idea of Kyojuro being on death’s door sent shock throughout your body. He had fought an upper rank demon, but he just narrowly defeated them, was this the true power of an upper rank? What would have happened if you had been the one to cross path with them? You knew the answer, and it terrified you. Kyojuro was the strongest person you knew, aside from Gyomie, but still if an upper rank could be so ferocious that they almost killed Kyojuro surely you would have never stood a chance.

Immediately you gathered your things and made your way the butterfly estate. All the while you worried that when you arrived you’d be informed that he had passed. Once there you were meet with the nurses, they denied your request to see him, much like they had done to Kyojuro when he came to see you. And though their refusal angered you, you remained calm.

“I’ll wait here all month if I have to, but I’m not leaving. If Kyojuro doesn’t recover, I’d at least like to say goodbye.” You said, your voice serious and unwavering. Just as you had Shinobu appeared from one of the rooms, once she caught sight of you she came and grabbed your hand. Her grip was strong and grave, she knew the full extent of his injuries and she knew that his death was a very real possibility. Together, she led you to his room, but before she opened the door, she embraced you. Her hug was sincere, as she knew what it was like to lose someone so close. She pulled away and left you alone outside the door, calmly you opened it and stepped inside.

His condition was far worse than you could have ever imagined. If weren’t for the fact you could hear the weak thumping of his heart and his frail breaths, you would have thought a dead man laid in front of you. You observed his body, it was mangled beyond repair. Slashes, open wounds, burns, bruises, tears, all littered his body. The worst of all was his abdomen, so terribly battered his skin was entirely black and blue. Dried streams of blood caked his fingers and hair, his poor face swollen; held together by virtually a hundred staples and sutures. He did not look like Kyojuro, but you knew he was.

Tears welled in your eyes as you stepped near him and gazed upon his face once more. Wrapped almost in entirely in bandages, you took notice of his left eye. The skin around it was sunken, the bandages seemed to sink into the socket itself, it was then you realized it was no longer there. He would never be the same but he was still your friend, and you promised him there that you would stay by his side, just as he did for you. Before now you had been nervous, possibly scared of Kyojuro because of the thoughts you had of him. But all those concerns and fears disappeared as you looked upon him now.

You leaned down and combed his wild hair back that exposed the top of his forehead, gently you placed a small kiss on him and whispered.

“Rest well Kyo, I’ll be here.”

————————————————————————-

Several days passed before Kyojuro gave any sign of recovery. Only the sounds of his shallow breathing and the occasional nurse to kept you company. Though one morning, after you had awoken and returned from a run did you notice the first sign. You entered the room much like you had the previous days, you’d wake and take Kyojuro’s vitals, then once you were sure he’d be alright you’d leave his room and spend an hour or two running. This gave him privacy as the nurse would come in to change his bandages and wash him. Once you returned you walked in and set your stuff on the floor next to your mat that laid folded up. When you did a small groan escaped Kyojuro’s lips. Quickly you turned and rushed towards him and watched. Then to your amazement another groan was heard.

“Kyojuro?” You asked, anticipating the sound of his voice. But nothing came.

You took your spot next to him and held his hand as you usually did. You never realized how often you would spend chasing the sound of his laughter. Once again the tears arose in your eyes, and you gripped his hand lightly as you leaned your head against the wall.

“I never knew how much I’d miss your voice.” You said just above a whisper. Quietly you waited for a response, and you did you felt his hand in your constrict. He had squeezed your hand, but only for second till it returned to its limp state.

You gasped and smiled, hastily you ran to Shinobu to tell her. Outside his door you jumped and talked to her excitedly.

“I’m serious, first he groaned and then he squeezed my hand, I felt It, I felt it!” You exclaimed all without realizing that inside Kyojuro heard every word. A very frail grin graced his lips.

Kyojuro had heard you this entire time, even if it were only fragments of conversations he caught as he faded in and out of consciousness. But now he heard you clearly and lingered on your every word. He felt the gentle touches you gifted him, the way you so carefully took his pulse, the way you changed his bandages and dressed his wounds. Even more so, the way you held his hand so often and the kiss you planted on his head. He was in terrible, immense pain, but not that of his wounds, it was because he couldn’t return the favor. Night after night and day after day he listened patiently and took in everything. You talked of many things and asked him questions, one night you were even so brave as to mention the ghost that resides in your home. If Kyojuro could he would have chuckled as he knew then that you had heard him inside your home. Somehow though, this made him love you even more, your naivety was adorable.

He knew soon he would be strong enough to speak, and when he was able to he’d tell what has weighed heavy on his mind for so long. But things had changed, since his battle against Akaza and the train his mind had opened. The visions of you, the dream of the future you’d share together, it all brought him to an amazing epiphany.

When he awoke he’d ask your hand in marriage, and when he fully recovered the two of you could share a small ceremony to commemorate your bonding. Then you’d move in together and you could retire from the slayer corps. You could then spend your days alongside Senjuro, perhaps then you would learn some of the nurturing skills that were required of a mother. Of course, it wouldn’t be long before you became one after the two of you wed. Kyojuro would make sure of that.

The life he only experienced for such a brief moment while under the spell of a demon was that of what he truly desired. He now felt that it was his destiny, and he knew that you felt the same. Why else would you spend your days by his side caring for him, talking with him, wishing him well every chance you got. This was surely love, and the most rarest of all, true love.

He lay there peacefully waiting for your return, he wanted nothing more than to hear the excitement in your voice when you regaled to him the events of your morning workout.

————————————————————————-

Day after day, Kyojuro slowly but surely started to recover. The groans grew into muttered words, and then fragments of sentences. Soon he was talking clearly although his voice was rather raspy. His squeezing of your hand changed to the movement of all four limbs, now he could sit up and help with his bandage changes.

His progress was awe-inspiring, he had come so far in such a little time it made your fill with joy.

Now that he was doing better, you were gone for longer. You’d spend hours everyday training on the grounds of the estate, and when you finished in the evening you’d return to Kyojuro.

The sun had begun to set and once again you gazed into the endless sky of orange and pink. Each time you couldn’t help but think how lucky you were to be alive in a place so beautiful, incredibly blessed to observe the raw power and gloriousness of the world. You watched the horizon for just a bit long before sheathing your sword and stepping back inside of the facilities.

The nurses had grown accustomed to your presence, in fact you had made several new friends. One of which being a young girl named Aoi. She was blunt and feisty, but you enjoyed that as her personality reminded you a bit of someone you knew in the past. Oftentimes the two of could be found talking outside or in the halls about Kyojuro’s condition. More recently you had begun talking about regular things such as life and plans for the future. Aoi seemed somewhat content working as a nurse, but deep down you could see that heart weighed heavy with the thoughts of her final selection. She was scared and she believed that she only managed to survive by luck alone. Then again something about her yearned for battle, to prove herself wrong. Internally you decided that once you became a Hashira, you would ask if she would like to be your Tsugoku. You’d hope that she would, therefore you could help overcome her fears and be a person she was proud of. If she didn’t you would understand because at one time, you had been in the same position as she.

You walked through the corridors, waving at the girls as you passed by. Some of which spoke to you, while others simply smiled and waved. You arrived to the door of Kyojuro’s room, carefully you listened in and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Kyojuro’s voice rang from the other side, it was gruff but you knew his words were filled with kindness.

You slid the door open and stepped inside, you felt it polite to knock before you entered as Kyojuro was now more than capable of changing his clothes and you thought it would be best that you gave him his privacy.

“How are you feeling?” You asked setting your things on the floor.

“Much better now that you are back.” He chimed as he sat up in bed reading one of the books you had brought him. You couldn’t help but smile at his words, always so cheerful and happy. You envied his positive disposition.

“How was your training?” He asked, closing his book and turning his attention towards you. You walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

“It went well, I can tell I’m getting faster. Maybe I’ll be fast enough to beat you one day, huh?” You asked playfully patting his leg. Kyojuro smiled and laughed a bit.

“You could beat me now!” He yelled, his voice full of joy and laughter. His personal jeer made you giggle as although he had come very close to death, he acted like nothing happened at all.

After a short time of laughing and joking, the sound of your stomach rumbling caused you to stop.

“Have you eaten yet? I’m starting to get hungry.” You said and Kyojuro replied,

“Not yet, I was waiting to eat with you.”

You smiled and stood up from the bed, his kind words melted your heart. Your mind pondered how someone could be so incredibly caring, in the same moment Kyojuro thought the same of you.

“I’ll go grab us something, anything in particu-” Your words were stopped as the door was opened. It was Aoi and she seemed rather frantic.

“Aoi,is everything alright?” You asked growing more concerned.

“Your crow, it’s outside calling for you, it’s an urgent.”

Without thinking, you pulled on your haori and took up your katana. You turned to Kyojuro and walked towards him.

“I’m sorry, Kyojuro. I’ll be back soon, don’t over do it, okay?” You said as you wrapped your arms around his neck. He remained silent as he rested his head on your shoulder. You knew this had hurt him, you could feel the disappointment hanging in the air. You broke away from and started towards the door, as you did you turned and looked at him one last time. Sadness filled his eye, and his posture slouched, it did break your heart seeing him upset. He appeared even more pitiful as his arms, face, and torso were still wrapped in bandages, his wounds not completely healed. You smiled at him and sighed, swiftly you closed the door behind you and followed Aoi outside.

“Northeast-head northeast!” Your crow squawked as he circled above.

You turned to Aoi who stood not far from you.

“Thank you, I’ll be back soon, keep an eye on Kyojuro and make sure he doesn’t get into too much trouble.” You said jokingly, but the look on Aoi’s face was serious. She had taken what you said to heart and intended to follow through with your orders. She nodded in reply and watched as you began to start your mission.

The sudden sound of thuds and yells stopped you in your tracks, quickly you turned back. In the shadows against the paper doors you saw a figure walking through the halls of the estate trailed by the sound of frantic voices.

Pieces of words were caught by your ears, they seemed to be of concerned cries.

“Rengokusan! Not yet you are still injured!” The voices called from inside. Realizing that Kyojuro had risen out of bed and was making his way outside, you ran to greet him and usher him back into bed. That was until he stepped out onto the engawa, and what you saw frightened you beyond compare.

Three young nurses followed him, they desperately pleaded that he returned to bed but Kyojuro didn’t respond, he only stepped closer to you. As he did the wrappings around his abdomen began to slip and fall, revealing horrible wounds. As they were not healed entirely, each step he made caused the scars to rip open once more. His blood poured from the tears, his bandages fell from him and landed on the ground beside him. The skin underneath remained just as bruised and grotesque as it did when first arrived, the scene was gut wrenching; your hands covered your mouth as you watched in horror as your mangled friend approached you.

He stopped some distance away, his chest heaved and his breathing was struggled.

“Kyo..” You said still in shock by his performance, it left you scrambling as what to do next. Never had you thought he would have followed, not in this condition.

“You aren’t…going…anywhere.” He muttered, his face serious and awful. Blood continued to leak from his wounds, it dripped down his pale skin and onto the soft grass below.

All was quiet, neither you, the nurses, or Aoi spoke, instead every eye was in Kyojuro as he breathless stood waiting for your next move.

Your mind had frozen, this all seemed like a dream, not real, not happening, not at all. You thought maybe you’d awake leaned against Kyojuro’s bed in a cold sweat. Surely this wasn’t reality, surely he wasn’t demanding that you stay regardless of the mission.

“Kyojuro, what are you saying?” You asked, but Kyojuro did not answer instead he stepped towards you again, but before he got any closer Aoi stepped in-between the two of you. She stood in front of you, arms extended out to her side to shield you.

“Rengokusan, you have to get back inside now!” She demanded, her voice full of anger and her hands trembling.

Very calmly Kyojuro removed the last of his bandages, his upper half naked and saturated in blood. Lastly he removed the ones covering his eye, underneath showed his shredded face. The socket swollen and dripping. He threw the wrappings on the ground and looked at you. The horror of it all made you audibly gasp. Confusion, disgust, sympathy, and rage all boiled inside you.

‘What on Earth is he doing?!’ You questioned yourself.

Your hand rested on the handle of your katana, a terrible decision would have to be made if he continued even further.

Not a second later, did he surge forward. In a flash he grabbed Aoi by the arm and threw her to the side, the nurses screamed and ran towards her. You saw that he was coming for you next, instinctively you unsheathed your sword and held it in front of you. He was upon you before you had time to negotiate, you hesitated because as he ran towards you couldn’t dare stab the blade in him. You watched as it seemed to unfold in front of you in slow motion, Aoi struggling off the ground, the young girls running to her side, and Kyojuro towering above you. Only a few inches apart, he stared down at you while you shook in fear. He raised his arm and struck your sword from your hands with a hard hit of his forearm against it. You started to back away from him but he stayed right on top of you. Fear turned your veins into ice and you began to remember the all too familiar feeling dread that washed over you when you thought of him before.

“Kyojuro…” You said as you looked at him in terror, his face drenched in crimson, his remaining eye wide open and vicious grin spread across his lips. His hands grabbed the sides of your arms, the gripped tightly and feeling of welts developed where his fingers sunk into your skin.

“You aren’t leaving, I can’t afford to lose you. You need to be protected, you are careless and clumsy. Someone could easily hurt you, but I won’t allow that. No you will stay by my side forever. Until death do us part.” Kyojuro spoke, although he smiled the sound of his voice was sincere. He meant the words he said and there would be no way of escaping him, not now as he watched your every move and held you so tightly. He let go of your arms and wrapped them around your body, his embrace suffocating. He rested his chin on your head and his hand gently stroked your hair as he held your face into his chest. He sighed deeply and you could feel his blood soaking into your clothes. Quivering and shuttering you took in shaky breaths, your wide eyes searched around for a way of escape. Kyojuro shushed you as he felt your tremors, yet his calm voice did nothing to reassure you. Kyojuro’s hands moved from back and onto your arms once again, he held you away from him and he started deeply into your eyes.

“(Y/n), don’t you get it? We were meant for each other. You love me just as much as I love you, together we will have such a beautiful life, can’t you see that? No maybe you don’t understand right now, but you will. I saw it, you were happy, we were happy. In my dream on the train, we were married and had two wonderful sons! But most of all you were there, you were there on the train. You helped me save the passengers and defeat Akaza. Your love protected me during the mission, and when I came here, you stayed with me all this time! You do love me, I knew you always had! Together we will leave and we will go back to my father’s estate, I know it’s very soon but we will get married and start our life together! Doesn’t that sound wonderful? There you will be safe and I can protect you. You won’t ever have to worry about anything again! No more slaying demons or trying to become a Hashira. Not when you have me.” Kyojuro said, the words from his mouth held desperation. It seemed as if he was trying to convince himself more than he was you. You watched him and saw the strained look upon his face, he searched you for any type of positive reaction. He wanted you to agree, he wanted you to jump in his arms and run away with him into the moonlight but instead all he found was terror. He could feel how fast your blood was pumping, he knew he scared you, but he couldn’t give up now. You’d learn to accept him, learn to love him and cherish him. He knew that you already did, it was only a matter of getting your forgiveness for frightening you so bad that would be tricky. Perhaps, cuddling together would help, or maybe going out on a date. Surely you would forgive him then, especially when you saw how utterly loving he could be.

‘Yes, I’ll just have to earn her forgiveness and trust again.’ He thought to himself as he looked down at you. A stream of tears began to roll down your cheeks.

Carefully, he brought you back into his chest. This evening he knew would be the worst, as you would reject him at first but he hoped later you would find comfort in him. It would be a long and strenuous journey but eventually you would be his entirely; heart and soul.

While Kyojuro hugged you so tightly, you sought out a way to escape. If you were quick enough, you could knock him unconscious and bring him back into his room. There he could be examined once again as you were sure he was having a psychotic break. The strain of battle had put him under tremendous pressure, not to mention faced with your own mortality can cause someone to go over the edge. And that’s just what you thought had happened, he was just confused and needed to lie down. He needed rest, his physical wounds along with his apparent mental wounds had not quite healed. Your best chance now was too agree with him, from there you could determine your next plan of action.

You embraced him back, and he melted into your touch. The heaviest of sighs escaped his lips and leaned in you for more, you had not the slightest clue as to how long he truly had waited for this. As you held him, your next goal was to inform the nurses as to what you were doing.

Over his shoulder you caught glimpse of Aoi, and when you saw what it was that she was doing your heart began to race.

Stealthily, she crept across the lawn and retrieved your sword. Kyojuro had not noticed as he had been focused on you. You watched wide eyed as she slowly stood from the ground, katana in hand. You wanted so badly to stop her, but she raised the sword above her head and began to run towards Kyojuro.

Quickly you broke from Kyojuro’s grasp, pushing him back with your palms. His face was distraught till he realized what you were doing. As you shoved him out of the way your ran before Aoi and held your hands up to block her attack.

“Wait!” You screamed, standing in between the two of them. Kyojuro walked up behind you but you stopped him with your arm.

“Just wait a second, okay?” You said Aoi, she stared at you confused as you turned back towards Kyojuro.

“Yes, Kyojuro let’s go back home, and when we get there we will discuss getting married, okay?” You asked him, at first he had not reacted and only looked at you. But before anything else could be said, his hands hastily gripped your face and smashed his lips into yours. The kiss was passionate and hungry, he groaned as he felt your hand reach up and cup his face. You broke away from the kiss but still held his face close to yours.

“Before we leave, I need to get your stuff and talk with the nurse, alright?” You asked, your voice gentle and calm. He shook his head and his eye never left you. You smiled and placed a small kiss on his forehead before saying,

“Can you stay here for just a second, I’ll go grab your stuff and then we can leave.” And he quietly obliged, he now acted as if he were a small child and not the strongest person in the entire estate. If he wanted he could slaughter everyone and take you hostage, but instead he agreed. He stood calmly and seem to almost sway with excitement, his face bore a cheerful grin that indeed lifted your spirits.

‘He just struggling, right now, soon he will be back to normal. In fact I doubt he will remember any of this tomorrow.’ You thought to yourself as you smiled at him once again and walked to Aoi. Once next to her you pulled her beside you and whispered,

“Kyojuro, isn’t doing well right now. I think the stress along with how traumatic the fight was is causing him some serious distress. I’m going to take him home for this evening and maybe tomorrow he will be willing to come back. He far too strong to be taken by force, none of would ever be able to get a sedative in him. Tell Shinobu what is going on and tell her to meet me at the Rengoku estate tomorrow, there we see what we can do. As of now, I’ll go back inside and grab a couple of our things, maybe some supplies to dress his wounds as well. Watch him and if he tries anything call me and I’ll be out here to handle it.” You said to her and she nodded, as you walked from her, past the nurse, and inside she watched as you cautiously walked in and gave a small glance towards Kyojuro. He stood facing the wind, enjoying the cool night summer breeze. Aoi turned to him and observed him carefully, she wasn’t aware of his strength but she knew better than to confront him. Nervously she payed close attention to his every move, Kyojuro hadn’t really seemed care. His mind was occupied with the realization that everything had gone according to plan, you accepted his proposal, and now the two of you were going home. He was easily the happiest he had ever been.

Not long after, you appeared from inside the building. In your hands you carried his clothes, his personal belongings, both of your katanas, and a bag filled with medical supplies. You made you way to him and he held out his elbow. You interlocked arms and started to walk towards the front gates. You turned to Aoi, and nodded. She returned the gesture, you watched he and saw that as you cleared the gates she began to search for Shinobu. The three nurses followed suit and split up. You smiled and held Kyojuro arm close to you, he looked down at you smiled. Together the two of you walked out the gates and onto the dirt road, soon you would be home. There you hoped that he calm and fall asleep. The next morning you would explain what had happened, and then he would return to the estate to continue his recovery.

‘He just needs time.’ You thought to yourself.

“Tomorrow will be better.”

[i9eto]

hello i love your works sm and i was thinking maybe u could write ab fwb with xiao? :^0 feel free to ignore tho, have a great day/night ;^}

devotion

hello im back who missed me (*crowd cheers*) anyways college has sucked for me so far and then i fell into depression for like 389434973 months but im ok again now life is really crazy guys stay safe out there. UMM also idk if anon wanted it sfw or nsfw but i was in the mood to write SMUT. let me know if you want me to redo my darling <3

warning(s): nsfw (minors dni), xiao x fem!reader, dom!xiao, fem petnames (good girl, princess), praise kink, just a teeny bit of degrading kink, hair pulling, hints of exhibition kink, mentions of blood, mentions of alcohol, drunk!reader, drunk!xiao

masterlist + ko-fi

“well, you two have fun! i’ll send this guy home, don’t worry.” kazuha waved at you in an overly cheery manner to the two of you whilst a completely blacked out venti hung onto kazuha for dear life. you could still hear the man softly whine to his friend to wait a little longer, and that he could definitely handle one last glass of wine. all of which kazuha ignored, reminding him that he had an important presentation the next day.

you chuckled a little at their antics, waving cheerfully at kazuha. you had also planned on going home in a few minutes. you decided on finishing the leftover drinks first before letting xiao know. with the drink in your cup, you easily dunked it down your throat – you weren’t exactly a heavy drinker like venti, but you do enjoy indulging yourself in them.

a sigh left your lips as you put the glass down. you turned to look at xiao, who in return was looking at you. your eyes widened a little from the sudden eye contact, and how intense his gaze was. you could tell from the way he looked that he, too, was as drunk as you were. “you good?” you asked him, as a way to break the deafening silence that surrounded the both of you. xiao blinked a few times, before darting his eyes back to his glass, mumbling something as he shook his head.

curious, you placed your hand on his arm, “what’d you say?” you asked, raising your voice a little to fight the loud music that the bar was playing. xiao sighed, his face a little red – but you didn’t think anything of it – he was drunk, after all. he looked like he was straining, eyebrows furrowed slightly when his gaze returned back onto you. “i was saying that you look extremely fuckable tonight, y/n.”

now, you and xiao have been friends for quite some time now, maybe around 3-4 years, and you’ve been fucking each other for almost a year now, or was it a year and a half? – you couldn’t exactly recall the specifics. but to be fair, you couldn’t recall anything. not when xiao had latched his lips onto yours, almost roughly at that. you were taken aback from how bold he was, it was a big contrast to how reserved he usually is.

although this was nothing new to you, nor him, and that you’ve been having sex with him since last year, none of your mutual friends knew about your relationship. xiao had told you before that what you both shared were purely sexual; and you were totally okay with it, you weren’t exactly looking for a relationship, but xiao is extremely good at eating pussy — so why not?

you whined into xiao’s mouth as he bit down on your lower lip harshly, the sudden pain that gushed through you making your eyes water. xiao didn’t seem to care for your discomfort as he continued kissing you in a sloppy manner, hands sliding up your body to keep you in place.

you were the one that had to pull away from him to catch your breath. when your lips parted, xiao was able to notice the slight blood forming on your bottom lip, and your teary eyes. a low chuckle bubbled from the back of his throat. he brought his hand to cup your chin. xiao wiped the blood off of your lip almost lovingly, you swore you felt your heart skipping a beat. “was it too much for you?” he asked. no answer came out of you as you knew the concern he was voicing out was nothing but fraudulent, he was always like that.

you blinked the tears from earlier away, as it wasn’t enough to roll down your cheek, but it was still blurring your vision a tenfold when combined with how drunk you already were. xiao pushed the thumb on your lip inside your mouth, he really didn’t seem to mind the crowd around him – he wasn’t usually like this, always too shy to do anything like this in public. deep down you were enjoying this drunk version of xiao.

out of instinct, you swirled your tongue around his finger, slowly sucking on it and putting on a show for xiao to watch. his breath hitched only a little, barely enough for you to notice it. “if you keep staring at me like that, i can’t promise i’ll be nice later,” he muttered, removing his finger from your mouth. the emptiness in your mouth made you realised how impatient you’ve gotten, you wanted nothing more than to just get out of the place and have xiao fill you to the brim like he always does.

xiao looked around for a second, his mind thinking of something, “come here.” he whispered, taking you by the hand as you left the bar through the back door. you were met by the cold gust of wind as soon as you stepped out, the dress you had on felt way too short for your comfort now. the alleyway was empty, to your luck – but you honestly didn’t expect xiao to be this bold.

he wasted no time, immediately having your face pushed against the wall at the same time the door closed on its own. the impact to your body making you gasp in shock. “now, be a good girl and stay quiet, yeah?” he ordered, which you eagerly nodded to, so quick to melt into his touches. “let me hear you say it, will you be good for me?” xiao was excited; he hadn't done anything as thrilling as this before. normally, he wouldn’t have taken the risk. but at that moment? his brain was far too scrambled for him to care.

“yes! yes, xiao, i’ll be good.” you answered, just as excited as he was. he planted a soft kiss on your cheek, and you could hear him humming in approval of your answer. you felt his hand slowly rubbing your cunt, your body jolting slightly. it was no doubt that you were already so wet from the entire makeout session you two just had. he scoffed slightly from how typical this was for you. “you slut,” he whispered, making you whine. “what’d i just told you? shut your mouth, little whore.” he barked.

xiao pushed your panties aside in one rough movement, once again forcing a gasp out of you with how impatient he was, and how rough he was handling you. he thrusted his knee in between your thigh, purposely grazing your cunt ever so slightly, enough for you to let out a soft mewl. for a brief moment, he released you from his grip, letting you grind against him quietly as he took the time to take his undergarments off.

his cock was already hard by the time he pulled it out. he gave himself a few strokes before coming back to you, familiar hands holding you by your hip as you felt his body pushing against yours – the tip of his cock slightly kissing your entrance. “you feel that?” he asked, his voice so quiet and low. you nodded your head, “i do,” you replied, breathless from the adrenaline. if it wasn’t for how firm he was holding you, you would’ve fucked him yourself.

“you’re dripping, you know that? i’m barely touching you.” he chuckled mockingly, you could feel his breath fanning against your exposed skin. “xiao, p-please, quit the teasing…” your voice was soft as you pleaded, desperately trying to move your hips for some friction, “patience, princess. i’ll give you everything you want,” he responded, his mouth finding its way on your exposed shoulder, softly biting into it.

you finally feel him pushing himself into your cunt, the lack of foreplay beforehand made you cunt squeeze so much tighter around him. you let out a high pitched squeal when you realised how sensitive you were. xiao was aware he hadn’t prepared you beforehand, and was nice enough to go slowly, although it was torturous for both you and him, as you were forced to feel the way every single vein he had on his cock stretching you out in a slow, slow pace.

your gasps and squeals turned into moans shortly after whilst your hands desperately flailed around in an attempt to find something to grip onto for support. “x-xiao…” you moaned, helpless from his size and how big he was stretching your walls. his bite on your shoulder became harder as he was close to bottoming out; which resulted in you biting your own lip in an attempt to distract yourself from the pain — both from being stretched out and from the bite.

xiao bottomed out eventually, leaving you breathless as you try your hardest to adjust to the size of his cock. xiao let you get accustomed first, he didn’t have any intention to hurt you, after all. one of his hands reached out to hold yours as a form of comfort for you as he waited patiently, observing your body from behind.

his mouth found its way to your neck, leaving trails of kisses onto it for the meantime, your perfume mixed with the smell of alcohol turning him on even more. the sound of his sloppy kisses did wonders to you, “you always smell so nice,” he mumbled through kisses, nibbling onto one spot. “were you trying to get me to fuck you, you fucking slut?” you feel his breath getting heavier the more he left marks around your neck and shoulders, annoyed with the lack of response from you, he thrusted once into you. the sudden motion making you moan. “not answering me? fine. i’ll fuck the answers out of you.” he grunted, he pulled out almost entirely before thrusting his entire length back into you.

xiao’s thrusts at first were bearable – slow and sensual, he made sure you felt him moving inside you. it gradually became faster as he started to lose his patience. you couldn’t blame him; your cunt was clenching hard around him, sucking him in greedily, he couldn’t get enough of it.

the empty alleyway was filled with the sounds of skin slapping onto each other, and the sound of your moans. you knew you should be more cautious with the sounds you were making, but xiao made it hard for you to even come up with any coherent thought. all you cared about was how full his cock made you, and the only thing you seem to be able to mutter was his name.

xiao loved the way you were helplessly calling out his name, knowing that he was the only thing in your mind as he fucked you stupid — but it’d be a shame if somebody found you two like this. “shh,” he whispered, one hand softly caressing your hair to help you calm down, you managed to come back to your senses — albeit a little. you brought a hand to your mouth, cupping it so you wouldn’t make any more loud noises.

a smile crept onto xiao’s face as he watched how obedient you were, “just like that, so obedient for me,” he cooed, giving you one rough thrust as a reward. your eyes rolled back from how good it felt. “you like that?” he asked, which you nodded to very eagerly. xiao let out a soft sigh, bending you down before he continued to fuck you as hard as you want, taking note of the way you moan and grunt. the new angle making you see stars with how deep xiao was fucking you.

his free hand made its way to your cunt, rubbing onto it as he looked for your sensitive bud to throw you over the edge. he could tell you were drawing close to your orgasm from how hard you were clenching around him. xiao was growing close too, his thrusts becoming sloppier as the time passed.

he gave your clit a hard pinch as soon as he found it, which earned him a muffled scream from you. the way your pussy clenched harder around him for a split second made him smirk. with his index finger, he started rubbing harsh circles onto your clit, your body jumped slightly from how overstimulated your clit felt.

your hands fell to your thighs to grip on it to make sure it doesn’t give up on you. “xiao– please…! hah! xiao, i’m cumming!” you squealed, tears rolling down your cheek as you desperately wanted to reach your high. xiao could feel himself cumming too, out of habit he gripped your hair, pulling it towards him, making your back arch.

the slight change of angle hit you right where you needed him most, your mouth falling open as you moaned for his name, cumming all over his cock. the tightness around his cock as you gushed all over him managed to send him over the edge. “fuck!” he grunted, his mouth once again latching onto your neck, biting down hard to muffle his moans. you could feel his cock twitching in you, before finally releasing his cum deep inside your cunt.

the grip on your hair was released, which made you stumble forward while xiao gave you a few more deep and slow thrusts as he tried calming down from the high he just experienced before eventually stopping. his cock remained in you for a moment while he was catching his breath.

you started to whine as he removed himself from you, your cunt clenching on nothing. xiao could tell you were still in a subspace. he turned you around slowly, kissing your cheek once again as he helped you calm down. “it’s alright, y/n. you did great, good job,” his voice soft as his fingers removed strands of hair from your face.

for a split second, he thought of how stunning you looked — that was the first time he had ever perceived you as such — only ever looking for you for sex. he was surprised himself. sighing softly, he whispered to you – almost lovingly, “let’s get you home.”

[mackenzielovee]

parenthood part fifteen: real life

a/n: hello! happy sunday <3 and happy birthday to my anon!! hope you have a wonderful day. enjoy and leave me some love if you can! xoxo

warnings: swearing, kissing

ambivalence masterlist , parenthood masterlist

     All day, you’ve been juggling taking care of Rafe and simultaneously taking care of Josie — while also trying to keep Josie away from Rafe. It makes you feel mean, cruel and awful, but it is at Rafe’s request. He’d awakened this morning with a terrible cold and practically every symptom that comes with it, and with no desire to pass it off to either of the kids, he told you he needed to stay away from them. He had asked the same of you, but you immediately refused and told him you’d get it anyway if he’s contagious, given that you two share a bed. Josie had been brutal — demanding to know why she couldn’t see Rafe, not understanding that she’d get sick, and doing her best to avoid your eye so she could bolt into the master bedroom and tell him how mean you’re being. 

Now, with three year-old Josie having been picked up by Topper and you off of work, you heat up some soup and grab a water bottle, then very quietly make your way into your bedroom. 

Rafe is propped up and watching TV, but he looks miserable. His nose is red, his eyes are watery, and used tissues line his nightstand. Despite this, he gives you an attempted smile when he sees you enter and promptly pauses his show.

“How are you feeling?” you ask him as you cross the room. 

“I’m okay, but — sweetheart.”

He protests when you cross into his space, setting the soup down on the nightstand and then sitting down on his side of the bed. 

“Drink,” you command, handing him the bottle of water. 

“You’re going to get sick.”

“Then I’ll be sick,” you shrug, then pick up his soup, “But I’m going to take care of you. That’s final.”

He smirks, “Yes ma’am.”

You smile and nod victoriously, then shift your body closer to him and hold out a spoonful of soup. He leans forward and eats it without protest, making you smile. 

“Is it good?” you ask. 

“It’s fantastic, sweetheart,” he replies, placing a hand on your thigh. 

You roll your eyes teasingly, watching as that familiar pout forms on his lips and his hand travels up and down the length of your leg. You feed him another mouthful, then place the spoon back in the bowl when he reaches for your hand in his free one. 

You know this look; you’ve seen it hundreds of times. When he’s needy, when he’s had a few drinks, or when he’s sick. All he wants to do is hold you and sleep with you tucked neatly into his chest, knowing you’re safe and relaxed. 

“You sure you’re not worried about getting sick?” he asks weakly. 

You nod, “I’m sure.”

“Lay with me, then. Please.”

You smile, removing your hand from his and combing it through his hair. His lips tip up under the touch and he closes his eyes, opening them only when you extract your hand from him. 

“You need to eat,” you say.

“Just for a minute,” he pushes. 

You sigh but give in, which he knew you would, and place the bowl down on his nightstand. He grins when you shift and tuck yourself into him, laying your head on his chest and pressing your face into his neck. 

“You feel a little warm. I’m gonna take your temperature—”

“Later,” he declares, pulling you back down. 

You settle back into him and press little kisses into his neck, doing your best to comfort him and draw attention away from how he feels. 

“Rose is picking up Connor from school,” you tell him, “And Topper’s dropping Jo off at their house later this evening.”

“And you’re staying here with me?” he asks teasingly. 

You nod, “Of course.”

His smile grows mischievous as he tips your chin up and then brushes his lips over yours. You feel his hands start to roam your body, but you don’t even consider objecting. 

“All night?”

“All night,” you whisper. 

He chuckles, his mouth one inch from your own, “You know what that means?”

You let your hand travel up his chest and settle in his hair, pulling lightly in the way you know he loves. You smirk then, figuring you have him right where you want him. 

“You’ll take Tylenol every six hours and drink lots of fluids?” you ask, “And you’ll watch The Vampire Diaries with me?”

He groans and throws his head back, pinching your side lightly when he hears you snicker. You sit up again and reach for his soup bowl, wanting him to eat more before it gets cold. 

“Fine,” he caves, “But I’m Team Stefan. You can’t change my mind.”

You laugh, “I won’t. Now, finish this so we can watch.”

“Yes ma’am,” he teases. 

He takes the soup bowl from you, then gestures for you to settle in beside him. You do as instructed, and when he hands you the remote, you start the show completely over so he can see everything from the very beginning. 

He falls asleep by the middle of the second episode. You fall asleep shortly after, waking up an hour later to feed Rafe some Tylenol and water before cuddling back into him, ready to remain there for the rest of the night. 

     “Are you sure I have to give her back?” Topper whines, clutching Josie closer.

“She’s our child,” you remind him, then point to the group of stains on the front of her shirt, looking mysteriously similar to chocolate, “What’s this?”

“Nothing,” he says quickly, “Right, angel? We didn’t go get ice cream after Mommy told us not to, did we?”

“Yes, we did,” she grins, her hand tugging at his chain the same way she does with Rafe’s. 

“She can’t lie, that’s good,” Topper says to you. 

You roll your eyes, “She was supposed to stay with Ward and Rose last night, Top. I don’t like finding out that only one of my children slept where I think they are.”

He sighs and nods as if he understands, but glances back at Sarah, who remained in the car after telling Topper that you’d be upset.

“I know, I know. But Y/N, she just looked so cute when she fell asleep on me, and I couldn’t move her, so—”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that one before,” you wave him off, “You’re gonna be just like Rafe when you have a kid.”

“He’s a stand up dad, I don’t mind,” Topper fires back. 

“Thorton,” Rafe calls from the porch, emerging from the house even after you told him to stay in bed, “Give me my girls back.”

“Fine,” Topper snaps, then looks at you with wide eyes, “A little privacy to say goodbye, please?”

You roll your eyes, “One minute.”

“Daddy,” Josie breathes from Topper’s arms, her gaze now totally fixated on Rafe, “Daddy!”

“Hi, princess,” Rafe calls. 

You cover your mouth to hide a smile when Josie squirms in Topper’s arms, desperately wanting away from him. He frowns but sets her down as she wishes, watching as she takes off the second her feet hit the sidewalk. 

Rafe steps off the porch and grins at her, wasting no time in picking her up and holding her close. 

“Daddy,” she says, “Feelin’ better?”

“Yes, baby, I am,” he replies. 

She smiles in his arms and lets her little hand wrap itself around his chain the same way she’d been doing to Topper. 

“Better enough to give kisses?” she asks. 

“Hmm,” Rafe teases, “I’m not sure. Maybe if I just—”

Josie squeals when he starts to tickle her, earning himself all of her sweet giggles. 

“Stop,” she gasps, and he does. 

She continues to giggle as she settles into his arms, her little hands coming up around his neck. Rafe still looks tired to you, but he looks happier. You know he still feels a piece missing, looking up to see if you feel the same. You do, and you let it show, just as Rose’s car pulls into your driveway. 

“I can’t believe Jo just ditched me like that,” Topper frowns, “I got her ice cream.”

You laugh and pat his arm, already moving to step toward Rose’s car, “Doesn’t compare to her dad.”

Rose hops out of the driver’s seat and gives you a wide smile, “Hey, hun. Let me grab him.”

You nod, “How’d he do?”

“He’s an angel,” Rose grins, “He and Ward played until all hours of the night.”

You laugh, and as soon as she opens the door of the backseat, you catch a glimpse of Connor in his carseat, clutching Blue tightly. 

“Mama!” he cheers.

“Hi, baby,” you smile, “How are you?”

Rose lifts him from his car seat and hands him off, smiling widely to herself when Connor’s hands lock themselves around your neck. 

“Papa and I made a fort with blankets and pillows,” he tells you, his eyes wide as he recalls all of the excitement, “And we even slept in it. I didn’t even get scared or want to come home.”

You grin and kiss his cheek, unable to help yourself, “I’m so proud of you. I want to see this fort you made.”

Connor nods, “Daddy and I could try to recreate it. We could all have a sleepover together.”

“Sounds great, buddy,” you nod. 

His eyes scan down your face, and when he smiles to himself, your grin widens. 

“I missed you, though,” he confesses. 

“I missed you more, handsome,” you say, “But I’m glad you had fun.”

“Is Daddy—” Connor glances over your shoulder and finds Rafe on the porch, holding Josie’s hand and waving at him, “He’s better!”

Immediately, he starts to squirm in your arms, and you set him down. Without a doubt, Connor takes off, running right past Topper, who tosses his hands up in the air at the lack of attention being paid to him. 

You turn back to Rose and give her a hug, “Thank you so much.”

“Oh, anytime. He’s such a sweet kid, Y/N, seriously. He’s so easy to have around, and it’s so nice to get one-on-one time every once in a while, you know?” 

You nod, “Yeah, definitely. A lot of time for fort building.”

You grin knowingly and Rose chuckles, shaking her head and placing her hand on her hips. 

“Yeah, Ward’s back is definitely not doing very well,” she laughs, “Our floors are not meant for sleeping on.”

You frown playfully, “He’s an amazing grandpa for doing that.”

“I will tell him you said so,” she smiles, “I should get back to him, though.”

You give her a hug and thank her again, then start up the driveway. Topper managed to find his way to the porch, where he sits on the ground as Josie stands, talking to him. Connor and Rafe are wrapped up in their own conversation — planning an elaborate fort, you’re sure. 

“Well, we have to ask Mom,” Rafe says, looking over at you teasingly, “She’s the one who would know how to make a fort for four.”

You laugh, “I’m sure we can figure it out.”

Topper clears his throat, “Five.”

Josie giggles and collapses into Topper’s lap, inevitably warming up to him under a promise for ice cream, you’re sure. 

“You’re gonna help with the fort, Uncle Top?” Connor questions. 

“Can I?”

“Yes!” Josie exclaims, “But, you have to share your blanket with me.”

He grins, pressing a kiss to her cheek and watching her squirm against his stubble. 

“You got it, angel.”

Rafe looks over at you and sees your pursed lips, immediately raising an eyebrow. 

“What is it, sweetheart?”

You shrug nonchalantly, teasing them, “Nothing. I was just thinking, well, maybe we could move fort-building to tonight.”

“What did you have in mind for the day?”

You smile, glancing down at Josie in anticipation of her smile, “Maybe we could spend a few hours at the beach.”

Her eyes widen, “The beach!” 

Rafe and Topper both agree, and when Connor nods too, seeing the enthusiasm from his sister, you smile victoriously. 

Josie stands from Topper’s lap and tugs on his hand, trying to get him to stand up so everyone can get moving. 

“Up, Uncle Top,” she demands, “Gotta get my bathing suit on!”

“All right, baby, hold on,” he chuckles, standing and scooping her up in one swift motion, “We’ll get you dressed and then put sunscreen on that cute nose of yours so it doesn’t get burned.”

She nods in approval, “I’ll put sunscreen on your nose, too.”

Topper laughs and takes Josie inside to help her get ready while Rafe hangs onto Connor, preparing to do the same. You step forward and hold your hands out, silently offering to do it for him. 

“You go get ready,” Rafe says, “I’ll handle him. Connor and I will do the cooler too, right, dude?”

Connor nods, “Right.”

You do as instructed, and all too soon, you find yourself sitting in the passenger seat of your car, looking back over your shoulder to give the three backseat riders a smile. 

Topper had loaded Josie up on sunscreen before you’d left, and the rim of white streaks around her face tells you that he’s going to need more practice before he has kids of his own. Regardless, he seems perfectly content talking to both kids for the entire ride, not once letting the conversation falter or the silence fill the car. Rafe reaches for your hand and squeezes it as he drives, glancing over at you every now and then to give you a smile. 

“You look beautiful,” he murmurs. 

You pout, “Thank you.”

“Easy, Cameron,” Topper calls from the backseat, “Let’s keep it PG.”

Rafe glares at his best friend through the rear view mirror, “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve seen that look on you before,” Topper says, widening his eyes, “Usually results in one of these.”

You snort when Topper points between the kids, earning a low laugh and a shake of the head from Rafe. He squeezes your hand only tighter, then lets out a long breath and turns the radio up. Faintly, he hears Josie question Topper on what he means, to which Topper purses his lips and looks up to you for help.

“Uncle Topper’s just teasing Daddy, Jo,” you explain.

“Not nice,” she scolds him, narrowing her eyes. 

Topper chuckles, but when Connor leans forward in his car seat and gives him the same glare Josie is, he frowns. 

“It was a joke,” he defends. 

“Apologize,” Connor demands. 

Rafe raises a cocky brow in the mirror, trying his best not to laugh when Topper’s jaw falls open at the insistence. After a moment, and with a frown, Topper glares at Rafe as he speaks. 

“Sorry, Cameron,” he mumbles. 

“I forgive you, Top,” Rafe replies, his words condescending. 

“Great,” Topper mutters, then turns to the two kids, “Do you guys forgive me, too?”

Connor nods while Josie looks up at Rafe through the mirror, giving him a hesitant stare. It’s not until Rafe nods that Josie turns her head and looks at Topper, holding her hand out. 

“I forgive you,” she says. 

Topper takes her hand in his and kisses it, giving her a smile, “Thank goodness.”

     Topper barely manages to get Josie out of her car seat before she’s taking off toward the water, only to be chased down by him. He grabs her about halfway down to the water and tosses her over his shoulder, listening to her squeal and giggle as he clutches her. You retrieve Connor, who holds tightly onto your hand as you both near the waves.You catch sight of his hesitancy and squeeze his hand, watching his wide eyes come up to meet yours.

“We don’t have to swim if you don’t want to,” you promise him, knowing he’s anxious about the waves and the sharks, “We can just play in the sand and put our feet in when we get warm.”

His lips tip up, “Okay, Mama.”

     The sun beats down on the five of you as you all spend time soaking up the time with the kids. Rafe and Topper take Josie into the water and hold her up as each wave comes crashing down on the surface. You hang back with Connor as you said you would, trying your best to make sure he has fun even when he looks longingly at the three in the water. 

You’re halfway through your sand castle when Connor speaks; his emotions are heavier than they had been when he talked about how he wanted to spend his time in the sand. 

“Hey, Mama?”

You look up at him, “Yes?”

“Will you go in the water with me?”

He keeps his eyes down in the sand, looking up only when you reach for his hand and cover it with your own. 

“Of course I will,” you answer, “Are you sure?”

Slowly, Connor shakes his head, “No. But you’ll be there.”

“I always will be,” you promise him, watching him give you a grateful smile. 

He stands and so do you, never letting go of his hand as both of you start toward the water. Topper holds Josie above a wave and listens to her squeal as it breaks across her, splashing her with salt water. Rafe turns around just in time to find the two of you making your way to the water, and a goofy grin breaks out across his face. 

“You guys coming in?” he asks.

“I think so,” you reply, “Ready, buddy?”

“Mhm,” he hums weakly, sticking a hesitant foot out into the water. 

Rafe comes over and squats down in front of his son, licking his lips and adjusting his hat before he speaks. 

“Hey,” he says calmly, “I promise I’m not going to let anything hurt you. Do you trust me?”

Connor nods, his bottom lip jutting out slightly, “Yeah, Daddy.”

“Good,” Rafe smiles, “Take my hand and we’ll walk out together.”

Connor’s free hand comes up and tucks itself into Rafe’s, and with a deep breath, he steps out into the water. You smile as you watch him conquer his fear, and soon, he’s up to his knees and Josie has spotted him from her place over Topper’s shoulder. 

“Bubby!” she exclaims, squirming around and silently demanding to be let down. 

Topper guides Josie back until she can stand on her own without falling, then lets her run to Connor. Without even a moment of hesitation, Connor releases both your hand and Rafe’s, and instead, grabs onto Josie’s. 

“Careful,” Connor says, gripping her tightly to keep her upright against a wave. 

She smiles, “You came in the water.”

Shyly, Connor nods, “Yeah. Wanna play?”

“Yeah!”

Rafe wraps an arm around your waist and tucks you into his side, letting his lips meet your temple. You lean your head on his shoulder, looking up at him through your eyelashes. 

“Do me a favor?” you ask.

“‘Course. Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“No,” you chuckle, “I need to talk to Top. Can you corral them for a second?”

“Of course. Give me a kiss.”

You smile and tip your head up, lips meeting his briefly before he pulls back and smiles. With a squeeze of your hip, Rafe steps toward the kids and then pats Topper’s shoulder, nodding his head toward you. As Topper glances over, you can tell he’s hesitant — that he knows you can tell something’s up, and you’re ready to get to the bottom of it. 

With a sigh, he steps over, letting his ankles drag in the water as he nears you. You give him a knowing smile, one that makes him roll his eyes. 

“How’d I get caught?” he mumbles as he nears you. 

“Numerous reasons,” you chuckle, “Having Josie stay over last night really clued me in.”

He furrows his brows, “How?”

“She’s a little ball of energy. No way she just fell asleep on you. You kept her on purpose, and that’s okay, but now you’re here, with us, and I’m just asking why you don’t want to go home.”

He closes his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, the stress of re-living whatever he’s avoiding clearly getting to him. You wait patiently, watching him shift as he prepares how to word what he wants to say. 

“We got in a fight,” he blurts, “Sarah and I. And we don’t really fight, so I’m concerned. She hasn’t texted or called, and she stayed at Ward and Rose’s last night. I’m just trying not to think about it.”

Your heart sinks at the idea of the two of them not being honest with each other — or themselves. You feel sad for them, guilty for telling Topper he shouldn’t have kept her overnight without telling you, and a part of you just wants to fix it for them. Out of the corner of your eye, you glance at Rafe, who is somehow managing to control both kids in the waves. 

“God, I’m really sorry, Top,” you sigh, “Is there anything I can do?”

“No. I guess I just have to go home and face the music. This is just easier.”

You nod, “She loves you. I know you guys can work it out.”

He chuckles, but it’s laced with sarcasm and even a little bit of pain. You scan his face, taking note of the heavy, complex emotions he’s dealing with. 

“I just don’t know if that’s what she wants,” he confesses, “If I’m what she wants.”

You shake your head immediately, knowing Sarah better than that to think she’d ever give up on him, “Topper—”

“If she breaks my heart again, I don’t think I’d survive it,” he says, stunning you into silence, “We were teenagers back then, yeah, but she hurt me. I know things are different now, Y/N, I do, but there’s this little part of me that just wants to get on my hands and knees and beg her not to leave me again. And then I think, well, if she wants to leave me, she should. I won’t force her to stay. But, I love her. I’m stuck. Going home to find out whatever decision she’s made will impact the rest of my life, one way or another. I’m not ready to face it yet.”

You nod and reach for his hand, squeezing it once his palm is wrapped around your own. Refusing to pry, you don’t ask what the fight was about or what could’ve possibly happened between them that forced such words to come out of his mouth. Instead, you offer him a smile and a few words, hoping they ease whatever is going on in his chest. 

“Whatever happens,” you say quietly, “You’ve got a girl over there that will love you forever.”

He looks over to Josie and grins, watching as she tries to run from a wave, only to be scooped up by Rafe so she doesn’t go down. She’s all smiles, and you can see all over Topper’s face how much he adores her. 

“You’re lucky, you know,” he tells you, “You’ve got all this. Who knew, out of me, Kelce, and Rafe, that I’d be the one who wouldn’t have it all figured out by now. Both of those idiots were too busy flirting with you to have a solid plan.”

You laugh and roll your eyes, “Yeah, well. There’s no timeline here, Topper. You do this whole thing at your own pace, and everything will fall into place from there. You’re not behind in any way.”

“We’ll see about that,” he mumbles. 

You squeeze his hand again, earning his eyes and giving him a smile that you wish he would return. 

“I’m always here for you, okay?”

He nods, his jaw clenching under his emotions, “I know.”

“Uncle Top!” Josie yells from her place in Rafe’s arms, “Come play!”

He smiles a real smile and then looks over at you, pecking your cheek. 

“Thanks,” he says quietly, “For checking in.”

You nod and smile, “Have fun.”

Rafe sets Josie down once Topper starts over, and it isn’t long until she launches herself at him. He catches her and requests a kiss, smiling when she obliges. While Topper’s distracted, Rafe grabs Connor and makes his way over to you, wrapping an arm around your waist once he’s close enough.

“Everything okay?” he asks. 

You smile and run your fingers across Connor’s cheek, making him smile. 

“Everything’s great,” you reply, “Have you been swimming with Daddy?”

“Yes,” he replies proudly, “Let’s show Mama.”

Rafe nods and sets Connor down in the water, holding onto Connor’s hands. You watch as they show you the routine they’d settled into, all the while replaying Topper’s words in your head. You really are lucky, and you know that, but today, you feel it, too.

     Josie and Connor both fall asleep on the drive home, and you don’t feel very far behind by the time you sit down in the passenger seat. Rafe’s hand finds yours, as it usually does, and you grasp onto him. 

By the time you make it home, Topper’s mood has shifted. It has become time for him to go home, to face whatever is going to happen and deal with it accordingly. He carries Josie inside and sets her on the couch, where she and Connor lay together under the same blanket to continue their nap. Rafe unpacks the truck while you walk Topper to his car, watching how he hangs his head and fumbles with his keys. 

“Call me if you need anything,” you say. 

He nods, “I will.”

You pull him into a hug, hoping to alleviate some of his anxiety and make him smile instead. When you pull back, he gives you a small one, but it’s enough. He nods his head, and with the constriction of his throat as he swallows, you know he won’t say anything else. You stand still as he climbs into his car and backs out of the driveway, all while you pray that it will all work out in his favor. 

In search of comfort, you wander inside and find the kids curled up together on the couch. Connor stirs, and his eyes open halfway, but it’s enough that he gives you a smile. 

“Hey, Mama,” he mumbles, “Wanna snuggle?”

You grin, wasting no time sliding onto the couch beside the two of them. Josie rolls over, intent on continuing her nap, while Connor sets his head on your chest and wraps his arm around your stomach. 

“Did you have fun today?” you ask him. 

“Mhm,” he hums. 

“Good,” you answer. 

Soon, both of you fall asleep, letting the faint hum of the ceiling fan provide enough white noise for you to relax. Rafe walks into the living room, ready for a shower, when he sees his family cuddled up on the couch together. He grins and sits himself down in the armchair, forgetting all about the shower and realizing that all he wants to do is stare.

Tags:

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[frostedfaves]

Naive (1)

Masterlist

Pairing: demon!Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Summary: Of all the humans Wanda has met, you’re suddenly her favorite.

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, dark!fic, demon things™️ (be warned that this shit will get much darker in the future), subtle hand kink (don’t @ me)

A/N: special shoutout to the anon that inspired this fic series, I hope you enjoy this weird combo of AOU x IW Wanda. also if you have any previous knowledge of demons, throw it out the window before you read this because I guarantee that things will not add up here lmao

-

Wanda’s favorite thing about interacting with humans is her effect on them.

Walking through a crowd is fine. She’ll brush a few shoulders and rattle a few unsuspecting adults, flash solid black eyes at kids that either stare or scream. It’s temporary and brings a bit of fun to an otherwise dull day.

The real joy comes from direct contact. Wanda travels miles away from her apartment building, choosing different stores, restaurants and cafés just to keep things interesting. A new cashier each time. She’ll have an air of friendliness about her that isn’t exactly fake; she finds most humans to be charming, despite their fragile minds.

“Will that be all?” Roy--according to his name tag--asks with a grin and Wanda nods in response. “Okay, your total is $21.14. You can just swipe or insert your card in the machine there.”

Wanda inserts her card carefully, complimenting the decor as she waits for the transaction to be completed. After returning it to her wallet, she flashes a soft smile at Roy as he hands her the receipt, purposefully brushing her fingers with his. As his skin makes contact with one of her rings, she notices the goosebumps rising along his arm and hears his breathing pattern change.

“Roy? Everything alright?”

She hears the concerned voice of a coworker as she makes her way to a table to wait for her meal, already seated by the time Roy coughs in an effort to collect himself.

“Yeah, just feeling off I guess. I’ll be fine.”

A chuckle falls from her lips as she watches the poor cashier attempt to return to his previous state of mind, finding the urge to smile and wave when his eyes cut over to her. His voice trembles when he calls her name and he stands as far away as possible when she approaches the counter to grab her order.

“Thanks for everything, Roy.”

Sensing that he’s startled enough without it, she keeps her other tricks hidden in her sleeves and simply walks away, holding her laughter until the doors close behind her. A good meal with a side of human interaction, her absolute favorite.

-

The next day brings Wanda to a bookstore around lunchtime. She takes a minute to browse the aisles, taking an exceptionally long time lingering in the section harboring books on angels and demons. The stereotypes amuse more than upset her like they used to in the beginning.

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

Wanda turns to make eye contact with the employee behind her, about to ask a question for the fun of it when a laugh catches her attention. Her gaze redirects to the café counter straight ahead, and a warm feeling washes over her when she hears the laugh again.

You’re genuinely entertained by the elderly woman purchasing a bagel with exact change, and Wanda manages to catch the end of the conversation as she draws near.

“Safe to say, I haven’t worn the blouse since that day.” She bids you farewell with her bagel and receipt in hand, eyes twinkling as she observes Wanda on her way past. “You have such bright and beautiful hair, dear.”

“Thank you,” Wanda responds with sincerity, attention locked on you while approaching the counter. “Hi.”

“Hey,” you greet her with a voice much calmer than the one you use with most of your other customers. “What can I get you today?”

You watch the orange haired woman turn her head to study the items behind the glass, taking the time to do your own inspection. You admire the dark red jacket that covers most of her torso, gaze lingering on the multiple rings hugging her fingers that seem to be smoothing nonexistent wrinkles in her dress, almost in a nervous fashion. It brought you a bit of comfort, assuming that she was affected in the same way.

“What do you recommend?”

“Oh, well…” You walk over to open the glass case from your side of the counter, naming each item as you grab it. “I usually have this pretzel that’s stuffed with spinach and cheese and this brownie. I can heat both of them for you, if you’d like.”

“I would love that,” Wanda responds in a grateful tone, placing a bottle of water on the counter after taking it from the fridge. “And I’ll also have one of these incredibly overpriced waters.”

You begin her order with a laugh, and she watches you ring everything up with the speed and expertise of a seasoned employee, wondering how she’d gone this long without running into you. The total price is brought to the digital screen just before her card is inserted, and she takes the time to quickly slip her rings into her pockets while you’re taking the pretzel and brownie over to the miniature oven. The last thing she wants to do is scramble your brain before she even gets the chance to explore it.

“Here’s your receipt,” you announce while giving Wanda the slip of paper, your eyes lingering on her hand for a moment before looking at her again. “Your food should be ready soon.”

“Okay, thank you…” Her sentence trails off as she searches for your name, the letters rolling off her tongue with ease when she finally locates it on the apron covering your chest.

“You’re welcome…” You trail off in the same fashion and she catches on quickly.

“Wanda.”

“You’re welcome, Wanda,” you repeat as you hand her the water bottle before she can walk away.

Less than two minutes later, you approach the table she’s taken over with two small ceramic plates and a sheepish grin.

“I should’ve asked if you were going to stay a while, but I can grab some bags if you need to go.”

Wanda shakes her head with a laugh as she takes them from you, startling you when she doesn’t react to the excessive heat radiating from the dishes.

“This is perfect.”

She takes her time with eating, and your attention is drawn to her between customers, grateful that she’s too busy with her phone to notice your stares. On the other hand, Wanda’s mind is filled with thoughts of you. What you look like when you think she can’t see you glancing over, what you smelled like when you were close. The nerves, the kindness, the desire to learn her name despite her being just another customer to you. She knows that you noticed her missing rings, but she’s already prepared with a cover story. A two minute conversation has her dying to pick your brain more, learn your habits and become more familiar with your body, beyond a simple brush of your fingertips. She already wants you to herself, just the way you came, without her interference for now; that’ll come later.

A good meal with a side of human interaction, her absolute favorite.

-

Despite Wanda leaving an hour before your shift ended, she lingers in your thoughts on the bus ride and walk home. You find yourself recalling her kind smile, fidgeting fingers and the scent of her perfume when she passed you on her way out, and you’re so deep in your memories that you end up colliding with your apartment door.

“That’s not going to get you inside any faster, dear.”

Your cheeks burn as you face Ruth for the second time today, the first time being earlier when you sold her a bagel.

“I know, Ruthie,” you respond sheepishly as you pull your keys from your pocket. “Is everything okay? You’re usually in bed watching a cowboy show by now.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to come home so I could talk to you.” She checks to see if the hallway is empty before opening her door and waving you over. “Come on, quickly.”

You scurry into the apartment behind her, taking in the scene before you while she locks the door. Having visited her before, you know she keeps the television at a higher volume, but it seems louder than normal.

“I know I might seem like I’ve lost my marbles, but I wanted to warn you about that woman you saw today....The one with the bright hair.”

“You mean Wanda?” you question, eyes widening when she nods. “Warn me about what?”

“There’s something off about that Wanda, if that even is her real name.” She snatches her arm out of her robe and brings it closer for you to see. “I’ve had these chills since I brushed against her earlier. Something’s not right with her. How do you even know her name? I’ve never seen her before.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” you assure her as you help her slip her arm back in the sleeve. “I only know her name because we were having a friendly conversation and she used mine. I was just being polite to someone I’ll probably never even see again.”

“Just be careful,” she pleads as you head toward her door again, and you offer your best attempt at a relaxed smile.

“I’ll be fine, Ruthie. Get some rest, okay?”

You hear her lock the door behind you as you make your way back to your own apartment, rushing through the process of unlocking the door and securing it once you’re inside. As much as you don’t want to let Ruth get you worked up over a stranger, you can’t help thinking about the odd little things you noticed earlier. 

It isn’t unusual for someone to linger after buying food or drinks from your counter, whether they have homework or even just a phone to keep them busy. Wanda seemed to be waiting for someone the entire time, and you remember hoping that she wasn’t on a date, despite not wanting her to be stood up. But she simply slid her phone in her pocket and departed with a friendly wave as if nothing had happened.

You especially remember her waving at you with those ringless fingers, and wondering silently where the intricate jewelry had disappeared to. Obviously you just assumed that the rings were tucked away on her person and not dumped in the trash, but she doesn’t seem like the type of person to give up on her accessories in the middle of the day. Part of you--a part that you didn’t dare to address--wondered if she’d emptied her hands to send you a subtle sign. No, that can’t possibly be it.

Sleeping proves to be difficult with so many unanswered questions floating about, but you eventually give into the act. A few hours later, you peel open your eyes when you think you hear something in the room. The digital clock that sits on your bedside and serves as an alarm and occasional radio reads 3:34am, and you’re just about to close your eyes again when you hear another sound. You raise your head to turn toward your closet, and a scream is trapped in your throat as you catch sight of a figure in the shadows.

The next time you wake, the sun is out and your alarm is blaring on the nightstand beside you. Your gaze flickers over to the closet as you reach out to silence it, your heartbeat dropping slightly when you don’t see anything other than clothes. Deciding that you must’ve been dreaming, you shake away the fearful thoughts and head to the bathroom to start getting ready for another day of work.

The only thing you haven’t decided on yet is whether you want to see Wanda again.

[adashofniallandasprinkleoflunacy]

A/N: If there’s anything I learned from doing this, it’s that vampirerry is an utter WHORE. Good for him!!!! As for myself, I’m done with the semester and my term projects and finals left my singular brain cell fried, so this was a nice way to get back into writing again. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you to the anon that suggested it, this was super fun to do! :D

read you’re someone i just want around here

word count: 6k

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Harry is very attentive when it comes to aftercare with Y/N. The sex they have is often rough and includes toys, degradation, and multiple rounds, so he believes aftercare is non-negotiable. Rough sex can be fun, but if it’s not followed by a lot of communication and post-performance support, it can take a hard emotional toll on a person. Even when intimacy isn’t meant to be inherently sentimental, there has to be a certain level of connection and etiquette surrounding it, or it could end badly for both parties involved. He always checks on her immediately after they finish, simply to gauge her headspace and how her body is responding, and after he’s made sure she’s alright, he goes into his usual routine of skin-to-skin contact and gentle coddling. Reassurance and praise is just as important afterwards as it is during, because it’s good to let a partner know that your appreciation runs deeper than just the physical need felt in the heat of the moment; everyone deserves to feel valued beyond their body. 

Harry proceeds to clean Y/N up after every session, because it’s the least he can do since she’s usually the one getting the brunt of the work. He’ll fetch a clean towel dampened under warm water to wipe her clean, or he’ll offer to help give her a bath or a shower— whichever route she prefers. Harry dresses her, and changes the sheets if need be, and tucks her into bed to ensure she’s nice and comfortable. If it’s been a particularly intense session, he’ll go the kitchen and bring back a snack and a drink— a granola bar and a Gatorade, or some chips and her favorite juice, or if she’s feeling especially hungry, he’ll happily go out of his way to prepare her an actual meal— and he insists on feeding it to her bit by bit until she’s come to enough to handle it on her own. If she’s not hungry, he at least brings her a glass of water and urges her to drink it; better to be safe than sorry. After that, more cuddling is the status quo, which normally ends in Y/N falling asleep in his arms, and Harry has absolutely no problem with that at all.  

B = Body Part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Harry’s favorite body part of Y/N’s is probably her chest. Yes, he likes it for sexual reasons— obviously— but there are innocent reasons for his fascination, as well. He likes how responsive she gets when he touches her there— how he can get her going just by groping her the way she likes it, or by using his mouth to tongue across her nipples until she’s writhing in pleasure and whining for more. He loves leaving hickies all over her tits, probably more than she likes receiving them. It’s just so fucking hot seeing himself marked all over her, especially when she’s putting on a bra and he can see all of the dark bruises scattered across the cleavage spilling from the undergarment. Filth aside, he also enjoys loving all over her chest. Absentmindedly cupping them while they’re snuggling, nuzzling his head between them while they’re watching television, massaging them under her shirt with his large palms as she sits back against his chest, sipping a glass of wine and chatting away, unwinding after a long day. It’s a form of intimacy; it provides a type of closeness nothing else can. 

As for his own favorite body part, it’s a tie between two different areas. He loves his thighs— they’re one of his most prominent features. They’re thick and meaty and sensitive, so they’re the perfect sweet spot to touch when he wants to get riled up. Given his previous response, it can be easily deduced that he likes to get hickies there, as well. The marks look great peeking out from under his briefs (for the short amount of time they last, anyways) and they make a great accessory to the large tigerhead tattoo along his left thigh. It’s artwork, really; a proper Picasso. 

His other favorite body part...well, take a lucky guess. It’s likely not that far off— literally, considering it hangs right between his thighs. 

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Harry’s personal preference is cumming inside. He adores feeling the way Y/N tightens around him when he finally orgasms (she’s just so warm and soft and unbelievably tight; it’s like she was made for him), almost as much as he loves seeing her reaction. Her body will immediately start to wriggle and her back will arch as she releases broken little whimpers, clinging to his shoulders with her nails and begging him to fill her until he’s milked his worth. Hearing her ragged breathing and feeling her sweaty chest stutter against his is enough to do him in, but when she goes as far as to gnaw on his ear and whine a soft little, “Want it all, baby. Want you dripping out of me when we’re done.” Well, that’s enough to kill him all over again. 

Of course, there are times when Harry likes seeing himself all over her, too. On her outstretched tongue, or smeared across her pretty face and plush lips (she looks particularly cute when it ends up all over her eyelashes), or streaked over the valley of her tits, or pooled at the center of her tummy. If he’d been taking her from behind, then he likes seeing it run down the backs of her thighs, or splattered across the dip of her spine. And if she’d been giving him a handjob, then seeing himself dribbling down her fingers is just as good. Why? Because those fingers usually end up in her mouth, which means he ends up all over her tongue, and so the cycle comes full circle. How poetic. 

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Did Harry suggest wearing a matching set of a vibrating cock ring and buzzing bullet to do grocery shopping once? Yes. Did he drop three glass jars of peach preserves by accident as a result, causing them to have to book it out of the bread aisle while trying to look as unsuspicious as possible, which failed horribly because they were literally hobbling like a crippled elderly couple? Also yes. Did they end up fucking in a Target fitting room? Definitely. 

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

A lot of experience. Tons. Immense amounts. Insane amounts. Two hundred years of the same seven continents just means two hundred years worth of sex across every single one. And it gives you plenty of time to find the clitoris, as well as giving you a chance to learn the female anatomy like the back of your hand. That being said, Harry doesn’t doubt he could make Y/N cum with his wrists tied behind his back and a blindfold strapped to his face. In fact, he’s made her cum just by using his thigh, so that in itself is enough credibility to last him several more lifetimes. The toy chest in his closet and the fact that he’s well-endowed are bonuses— he knows more than enough tricks to keep her satisfied with just his tongue. Not to mention his fingers— they’re long for a reason.

F = Favorite position  

Funny enough, Harry doesn’t have one. He’s spent so many decades cycling through every possible position in existence, it’s gotten to where he can’t pin-point a preference; all positions are unique, and they each have their own appeal. Reverse cowgirl is nice because he likes watching the way he stretches Y/N open with every plunge of her hips, and it also gives him the luxury of marking his rings across her ass in the process. Regular cowgirl is nice, too— having her chest bouncing in his face is nothing short of a divine miracle, in his opinion. Doggy style is a staple, and there’s always different add-ons he can apply to spice it up; for example, taking her from behind with her wrists tied to her ankles, or bending her over the kitchen counter with her face pressed into the marble, or fucking her against his glass wall with her hands and chest flushed to the cool surface as their breaths fog the floor-to-ceiling window. 

Missionary is a tried and true option, and just like it’s prior counterpart, it can be enhanced with a variety of extra tricks. Bondage is a good condiment, against the wall is always a nice touch, spread-eagle never goes wrong, and just having her legs wrapped around his lower back is more than enough. However, he does have two favorite variations of the position. The first is when he mounts her legs onto his shoulders or along the inside of his elbows to open her up more, and then just ramming his hips down at a very specific angle that hits her g-spot just right, pounding her into the bed so hard she tears the sheets off the mattress. The second is a cowgirl-missionary hybrid: he sits back on his heels and uses the steep downward slope created by his thighs as elevation, pulling her ass onto his tilted lap and swinging her legs over either side of his hips. He gropes her waist with his palms and yanks her forward, bouncing her against his cock and watching her completely dismantle as he nudges all the right places with as much speed and force as she deems fit. 

And then there’s fucking from the side, but that’s a whole other extensive conversation he doesn’t have time for. 

Actually, maybe Harry will entertain it for a minute or so. He usually throws one of Y/N’s legs over his neck to get a deeper range, manhandling her roughly onto her side and yanking her closer to his body by her waist, grasping it with stern vigor and holding her down against the mattress, grunting out a gravelly, strict command along the lines of, “Stay fucking still.” He’ll drill into her at a brutal, consistent pace, staining his fingerprints along the curves of her torso and sponging damp kisses onto her ankle, smirking into her skin as he watches her fist at the duvet in a futile attempt at maintaining her bearings. It’s pretty evident that she can’t, though; the way her eyes lull around their sockets from his harsh stride does a terrible job at hiding her lack of self-control, alongside the fragmented curses she gasps out whenever he nudges her g-spot with the head of his cock. 

“Oh, that was such a pretty noise. Did I hit that little spot you like?”

Her response will be begrudging, as always, which he thinks is ridiculously useless considering he can see her burying her face into the pillow to hide how her jaw drops open in sheer rapture. “No.”

“No?” The vampire leans forward, stretching her leg towards the headboard and preening at the garbled squeak that escapes her gritted teeth, plunging deeper as he lowers himself to her level. He knots her hair around his knuckles, tugging sharply until her face is tilted back enough to meet his fiery gaze. “Then why are you starting to shake?

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

It depends on the mood, honestly. There are definitely serious moments, but Harry enjoys the humorous ones just as much. He already adores making Y/N laugh and smile on a regular basis, and that desire only grows when he’s buried between her thighs, simply because she just looks so fucking cute laughing with her hair splayed around the pillows in a messy halo, her sounds of glee stuttering due to how sharply she’s jolting against the bed. He loves feeling her giggle into his mouth as he cracks sarcastic jokes and makes stupid witty comments that break the intensity in the air, especially because she’s usually clever enough to return them with some of her own. Then they both end up snickering like idiots as he tries to keep a solid pace, which eventually tapers to a messy, haphazard stride as their laughter drowns out their goal to the point where he has to take a genuine break to collect himself. There’s tons of examples— how could there not be? Sex is hardly ever perfect, so awkward moments are not only expected, but guaranteed. What better way to handle them than with a bit of humor?

There was an incident once where Harry accidentally knocked their foreheads together so hard, they both bruised (which he responded to with, “I’m pretty sure this isn’t what Cosmopolitan meant when they suggested matching couples tattoos.”). Another time, he got so into the moment he didn’t realize he was jack-hammering the top of her head into the backboard until she brought it to his attention (and made a comment saying it sounded like a sped up version of the beat to We Will Rock You). A bad case of the hiccups. Y/N burping right in his face halfway through his orgasm. A random leg cramp that made him think he was going to need amputation to survive. Accidentally rolling off the bed or couch onto the ground and nearly dislocating both of their spines in the process, getting his cross earring tangled in her hair and nearly ripping off his ear trying to get it out, and the unfortunate collapse of a pillow fort he’d spent over an hour building. He even sneezed in her face once, and when she instinctively went to shove him back, she wound up slamming her palm into his nose so hard he nearly passed out. Nose bleeds aren’t necessarily sexy, per se, but he just dug blindly through her nightstand until he found two new tampons somewhere in that black hole she calls a drawer, shoved them in his nostrils, and kept going. No one can ever accuse him of being unresourceful. 

Queefing. Lots and lots of queefing, which he usually starts mimicking with his mouth, and then she responds to that by whining and telling him to cut it out, and then he takes to mocking her whining instead. It normally finishes with them laughing so hard that Harry’s cheeks hurt from smiling so big, but it’s a good type of pain. The best type of pain. 

H = Hair (how do they groom?)

Harry likes keeping himself neat and orderly, but he doesn’t enjoy going bare, so trimming is his grooming preference. There’s just something so unappealing about a completely smooth dick— it looks like raw chicken and it’s fucking disgusting. He doesn’t have anything against a good bush, but it tends to get unruly and he’d rather not have to overcomplicate his shower routine. And honestly, he can’t trust himself because last time he had a full front yard going, he got shitfaced and tried to braid it on a dare. Keeping the hedges trimmed is the ideal landscaping option, and it just looks way hotter— a uniform dusting of hair is a good accessory and it just makes everything look more cohesive, given that he also fancies keeping his happy trail thick. It’s all about aesthetics, isn’t it? 

I = Intimacy (the romantic aspect)

It’s no secret that Harry’s been somewhat detached from intimacy for the last two hundred years or so. Intimacy is reserved for genuine romance, and that’s something he hadn’t entertained since before the lightbulb was invented. But now that he has Y/N, intimacy has crawled its way back out from the deepest recesses of his subconscious, where it had been shoved into a bottomless pit with the rest of his trauma. He likes it— he likes opening up to her in any way he can, because sharing those obsolete parts of himself with someone again is more fulfilling than he ever imagined. He likes kissing her randomly when she’s halfway through a sentence, just to feel her words die off abruptly in her throat as she gives into his gentle gesture, a delicate smile spreading across her satin lips. He likes whispering sweet phrases of encouragement into her hair when they’re tangled amidst sweaty limbs and rumpled sheets, reminding her of how much he cares for her and how beautiful she looks when she’s so far gone and how she makes him feel like his entire body has been set alight. He likes sponging soft pecks across the stretch marks along her thighs and across the dimples on her belly, her skin candy and velvet on his tongue as she releases a watery sigh that lets him know he’s doing all the right things in all the right places. He just likes letting her know she's special to him, in any and every way he can. 

Intimacy forges timeless bonds, and he reckons that assumption is unarguable, considering he knows a thing or two about eternity. 

J = Jack Off (masturbation headcanon)

Harry likes to jack off, obviously. Who doesn’t? It’s why he has an entire section of his toy chest dedicated to self-pleasuring tools. Vibrating cock rings, an array of lubes that range from temperature-changing to sensation sensitivity, and a few pocket vags that get the job done whenever Y/N is out of commission (usually because of work). His favorite one is an electronic sleek black model that is made of a premium silicone material and has a variety of massage settings, suction strengths, and internal textures. It’s designed to make the session feel more real, and yes, it was expensive, but self-love is always worth the splurge. 

The beauty of living on his own is that he can get off wherever and whenever he wants, without having to stress about someone interrupting an important step in his pampering routine. He usually does it in his room and on his bed, simply because Y/N’s pillow is close by and the experience is heightened when her scent is swimming around his hazy, bliss-drunken mind. If Harry is feeling particularly needy, he’ll ditch the toy all together and just hump one out against the mattress or cushion. If it’s a particularly restless day, he’ll take a toy downstairs and lazily play within himself on the couch while browsing through Netflix. Those instances usually average a few tamer orgasms rather than a single large one, but he’s not complaining; his stamina comes in unapologetic waves that stem from a never-ending supply, and he certainly has the time to kill. If Harry gets the sudden urge in the shower or while he’s relaxing in his jacuzzi, he won’t bother fetching a trinket; he’ll just stroke one out with his hand, using the cool metal of his trusty lionhead ring to tease the tip until he brings himself to orgasm. It turns out daylight crystals have more than one use. 

There is one common factor amongst all these different choices, though: Y/N is present in every fantasy. And if the vampire is feeling especially bold, he’ll grab his phone and take a video of whatever he’s doing to himself, and then she’ll have a nice little gift waiting for her once she gets out of the café for the day. That usually leads to him receiving a present in return later that evening, and then he’s dialing her contact before the clip is even done playing, and then what he does during his alone time doesn’t require him being so alone anymore. 

K = Kinks 

Harry has tons— in fact, he has so many, he can’t really keep track. And he also has the sneaking suspicion that if he were to ever jot all of them down, he’d end up locked in some type of sex addict rehabilitation center. Bondage is a big one, so he’ll start there. He’s great with ropes, given that he learned his way around them ages ago. Chains are nice, but they can be a pain to set up without the right equipment; he’s thinking of getting a reinforced metal hook installed into his ceiling, like the one in his storage closet, which he uses to keep his punching bag secure. Handcuffs, obviously— velvet-lined, straight metal, fuzzy coverings, he’s got it all. Dominance, degradation, Daddy, Sir, choking, brat-taming, spanking, flogging, slapping— impact play in general, to be honest— spitting, wax, praise, begging, masochism, branding (mild stuff, no molten metal shit), collaring, discipline, dirty talk, edging, exhibitionism, face-fucking, face-sitting (with him on the receiving end), giving oral (is that a kink? It is now.) gagging (both the action and using the actual object itself), breeding (he hates that term but that’s the official name, unfortunately), teasing, voyeurism, role play, and… he thinks that’s it. Oh, and blood, but that doesn’t really count for apparent reasons. 

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Y/N’s couch is sacred, at this point. Their entire relationship started on that lumpy, worn excuse of a sofa, and it’s seen them through their progression from strangers to friends with benefits to lovers to more. It’s comfortable enough, the dark color hides any explicit stains, and the cushions always smell of her signature mixture of honey and lavender combined with Snuggle fabric softener. It’s finicky, but irreplaceable. His kitchen counter is a close second. It’s provided a lot, taken a lot, been through a lot— through a lot of Lysol wipes, to be specific. If it wasn’t marble, it likely would have been reduced to chunks and rubble by now, courtesy of his enhanced strength gripping the edges as he slams her against the smooth surface. The backseat of his Cadillac is consecrated, as well; there’s just so much erotic appeal to fucking in a car with rock music blaring in the background, muffling the obscene sounds of bodies connecting and a mixture of fever-pitch moans. The couch, the counter, and the Cadillac— the Unholy Trinity. 

The jacuzzi is nice, too, but for the sake of his clever little “c” alliteration, he’ll leave that one as an implied token. 

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

As much as Harry claims he likes full submission in bed, he can’t deny that he loves being challenged. Delivering punishment and coaxing out an orgasm is so much more satisfying when he has to fight for it; it’s so fucking hot watching his girlfriend try to best him in a power struggle, especially when she finally— and undeniably, since he always wins— caves under his will and winds up begging him for what he otherwise would have gifted her freely. That’s where the brat-taming kink comes into play. He likes it when she mouths off and makes snarky digs, and he enjoys it even more when he tries to set her in place and she amps her disobedience as a result. There’s nothing more attractive than a battle of wits with someone who is a perfect match in every way. And when she channels her attitude into physical gestures, it riles him up beyond compare. For example, when she smirks and rolls her eyes, despite the fact that there’s trails of tears staining her cheeks and mascara smeared all over her waterline? Christ, he could go feral. 

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

No feet, no feces, no beastiality. There’s probably more, but those are the ones off the top of his head.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Receiving oral is great— he highly recommends it, solid ten out of ten— but giving it is so much better. Harry’s always been a giver, even when he was young and barely knew his way around a woman’s undergarments. The stereotypical expectation for a person who is beginning to explore their sexuality is that everything they do, they do for their own gain. It’s a selfish realization, yes, but it’s a primal type of selfishness that no one can truly be blamed for. It’s a simple concept: when you start having sex, you want as much personal benefit as possible. It’s only natural. But from the second Harry became sexually active, he came to find that providing release to his partner outweighed the bliss he could get from letting them pleasure him instead. It’s not direct pleasure, but rather cognitive, which more often than not translates itself physically. And when it comes to Y/N, that euphoria manifests tenfold. 

Nothing compares to having his face buried between her legs as she tugs and yanks at his hair desperately, her chest heaving and jaw falling open as he uses his tongue to unravel her from the inside out. Spitting sloppily onto her folds and hearing the raw gasp of aroused shock that escapes her sore throat, which causes his swollen lips to spread into a dirty grin as he latches onto the sensitive bud at the thick of her core, fiddling with it until her legs are trembling uncontrollably around his sturdy shoulders. Watching her features go slack as he bobs his neck fervently between her thighs, swiping the bridge of his nose across her clit over and over until the entire bottom half of his face is drenched in her excitement. Fucking his tongue into her and feeling her buck against his jaw as she holds him in place with her fingers tangled in his curls, whimpering his name repeatedly in a voice so shattered, he could probably build a mosaic with the fractures. Feeling her drip down his chin and into the collar of his shirt, savoring how sweet she tastes as he pins her hips down against the bed and groans feverishly into her cunt, his ego idolizing the image of her so disheveled under his influence. 

A measly blowjob is hardly any competition to that. Harry could very well cum just from eating Y/N out. In fact, he has, and that in itself is all the proof he needs. 

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

This is one of those other factors that depends on the mood. If Harry has been waiting all day for it, his impatience bleeds into his rhythm, which means he settles for fast and hard. It means he settles for bending her over the back of his couch with one palm around her throat and his other fingers in her mouth, pounding into her with so much force, the sofa starts shifting across the ground. If Y/N has been teasing him endlessly for a decent amount of time, it’ll be rough and deep, but not fast; he’ll drag it out for as long as possible, just to make her regret acting like such a spoiled brat. That’s when he brings out the paddle, or the crop, or just manhandles her across his lap and spanks her until she’s apologizing profusely through her whines. If he’s in a soft, romantic headspace, it’ll be slow and sensual, with lots of gentle caresses, giggly kisses dusted across eager lips and droopy eyelids, and penetrating strokes that make his toes curl and tummy clench. 

Pace is relative, but the message behind it is all the same: I want you more than anything, and I’m going to show you just how deeply I mean it. 

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Quickies are fun, Harry will admit. They’re filthy and messy, and they show just how far gone two people are for each other to the point where they can’t wait to feel one another at a later time; that they need to be together now, or they’ll go absolutely insane. Quickies are saved for when the urge strikes at random times. For when he’s out with Y/N at a park, sitting under the shade with his head in her lap as she combs his curls out of his eyes and thumbs over his chin affectionately, and the sun filters through the tree canopy just right to where it illuminates her lashes and the suppleness of her cheeks in a manner he deems ethereal. For when they’re at the mall, walking hand in hand and licking at ice cream cones as they survey the shops, and she reaches over to wipe a bit of Rocky Road off the corner of his mouth, replacing the stain with a soft stipple of her lips instead. For when they’re out eating dinner and playing footsie under the table like immature teenagers, and she’s trying to steal a French fry from his plate but he keeps fighting her off with his fork because, “I told you to order your own, but you wanted those disgusting potato skins instead!” And she’s laughing so brightly and unapologetically, giving him a look that so obviously tells him she can’t wait to get him alone, and nothing seems quite as flawless as that fraction in time, then and there and nowhere else.

These simple but memorable moments cause him to get love boners, which he jokingly refers to as “sniffy stiffies,” where “sniffy” has to do with being sentimental, and “stiffy”...well, that one is pretty self-explanatory, no? It always ends with them shagging in the car, or in the family bathroom of a diner, and in the case of the park, in an obscure area of the forest that lines the jogging trail. 

Quickies are just that— fast, but meaningful nonetheless, because they come from a place of genuine emotion. They’re fleeting, but unforgettable. Sniffy stiffy quickies, if you will. 

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Taking risks is the norm in Harry’s life, especially when it comes to his sex habits. He’s proven time and time again that he has no problem riding along the seams of a dare and just barely making it out unscathed, so experimenting outside of the bedroom is just another day in the life. Fingering Y/N in a music room in an antique shop, getting road head during a two hour drive back to Los Angeles, ripping his girlfriend’s panties out from beneath her dress at one of California’s most prestigious restaurants— the list is endless, really. Harry likes to think he has a gift for coming up with inspirational quotes on the spot, so he’ll lend his expertise here and now: “A life without risks is a life that isn’t worth shit.” It even rhymes, so he knows sorority pledges will have a ball putting it in their Instagram bios. A bit of charity work for the bird-brained. 

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Endless stamina. Literally. Vampires don’t stay tired for long, so he could be ready to go again within seconds. And he can last long, as well; his stubbornness and pride depend on it, and he likes making his partner cum first as an ego boost. He can go as many rounds as Y/N can and more, though he won’t push it. He doesn’t want her to end up in the ER with a bruised cervix. 

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Harry could run a sex shop from his closet; Y/N doesn’t take the piss by calling him “Fifty Shades” for no reason. He uses them on himself, he uses them on her, and he got high once and tried to sword fight Y/N with a dildo, so it’s safe to say he definitely uses them quite a bit. If his Lovesense Lush 3 vibrator could talk, he’d be drawn and quartered for excessive debauchery. 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Harry loves teasing, that’s no mystery. Winding people up is one of his most practiced skills, so of course that would channel into his intimate life. He’s mastered it, though it’s not like it’s hard. A drawn out blink here, or a feathery touch there. An inch of space between his and Y/N’s lips to establish some tension, or squeezing her inner thigh with his palm hard enough to draw a tiny squeak from her chest. Touching her through her clothes, or leaving a trail of wet kisses down her throat and stopping right at her cleavage. Biting the sensitive skin along the inside of her knee, or dragging the tip of his cold nose down the center of her twitching tummy. Lapping slowly at her nipples until they perk up, or sinking a single long digit inside her and keeping it there just to feel her clench around it needily. And once he gets a pattern going, teasing molds into edging, edging molds into begging, begging molds into praise, and before he knows it, he’s hit four of his kinks with one roll of the dice. 

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Harry is very vocal in bed, and he’s not ashamed of it. He knows for a fact that Y/N loves it, and if him being loud gets her worked up, then he’ll let his throat go out in the process. He’s noticed that in different situations, he has an arsenal of sounds for each. If he’s being rough and dominant, he tends to groan, grunt, and growl. If he’s being desperate and needy, he turns to whines and whimpers to communicate how he feels. If he’s too zoned into the moment to distinguish all his emotions, broken moans and stuttered mewls are his default. No matter the circumstance, they all take the same route: they start low and soft, and escalate in volume proportional to the intensity of the moment. So what if half the building is hearing him orgasm for the third time as he mocks his girlfriends sobbing pleads and calls her his “dirty fucking whore”? Let’s be honest, it’s probably the highlight of their week. He has a great voice— a sultry, deep baritone that compliments his English accent nicely— and anyone would be lucky to hear it spew the filth it does. He’s yet to get many complaints, so he doesn’t intend on stopping. 

W = Wildcard (random headcanon)

An honesty hour moment seems interesting, so he’ll confess a few tales from his past. The first time Harry ever went down on a girl, it was against a tree in a garden and he nearly asphyxiated under all the layers of her gown. A couple of years later, he ended up getting oral from a reverend’s daughter against a tree, too, for the morbid irony and associated religious revenge. And to drive the point home, oral was only the beginning of what she gave him. His first decade as a vampire was definitely his pettiest. 

X = X-Ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

It’s not uncommon knowledge that Harry’s well-endowed. He remembers how insecure he was the first time he had sex— a shocker, he knows; he was insecure?— and how he knew barely anything regarding sizing and how to use his assets accordingly. But it’s been ages since then, and now he definitely knows his way around his own body (let alone his partner’s), and he most certainly knows that he’s above average not only as a person in general, but when it comes to what’s in his trousers, as well. Harry won’t specify inches— he loves how speculation drives others mad— but it was big enough to give Y/N a decent pause the first time she pulled down his pants, and it’s big enough to leave her absolutely fucked every single time, without a single miss. If that’s not credibility at its finest, then he doesn’t know what is.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Harry’s sex drive is insatiable, to say the least. His vampirism combined with his narcissistic tendencies makes the ideal cocktail— cocktail— for the constant fuse that’s always burning under his skin. He’s ready to go at all times; Y/N just has to say the word and he’s pulling on a pair of sweatpants as he grabs his keys, hopping down his complex’s corridor toward the elevator on one foot as he tries to get his last shoe on the other. Lazy morning sex is probably his favorite; he’s come to find it’s when he’s most pent up, usually after a sleepless night of feeling Y/N’s body heat radiating through all of his cold limbs. It also sets a great tone for the rest of the day, and he just loves seeing Y/N wake up to him lying on his side with his temple resting on his fist, his elbow propped against the mattress as he poses the other on his hip in a theatrical diva stance. He’ll smile at her giddily with all his pearly teeth, dimples twitching as his lashes flutter dramatically, dirty intentions written clear all over his face (“Good morning, hon—” “Wanna have sex?” “Harry, it’s ten in the morning.” “Is that a yes? Because it’s not a no.” “I haven’t even brushed my teeth!” “That’s fine, I’m gonna stick my dick in there anyways.”) 

All in all, his libido is insane, and he’s lucky that Y/N’s is up to par or else he would have worked her into an exhaustion-induced coma by now. 

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Harry just...doesn't. Maybe once every few weeks, but definitely more often now than before he had his girlfriend. Sleeping just comes way easier when he has someone he cares about resting beside him, their inherent warmth thawing the stiffness from his muscles and putting his racing mind at ease. He feels safe enough around Y/N to let his guard down— both literally and metaphorically— and that seems to help with his supernatural insomnia; it sedates that nocturnal hyper-instinct in his brain that demands he be aware at all times, muffling the animalistic part of him that has been manning the reins for the better half of the last two hundred years. He doesn’t need to be so on edge anymore when everything he needs is just an arm-length away. Especially when she’s usually willing to lend her chest as a pillow, and who is he to neglect her wishes.