#he really said ‘this would be so much better if it was just a funny little guy’

[loafysainz]

the parent trap (remake) | CS 55

cast: carlos sainz x fem!reader

warn: 100% fiction & remake

chap 1, chap 2, chap 3, chap 4, chap 5, chap 6, chap 7, chap 8

PART 7 A DAY WITH MOM

The phone rang sharply, breaking the calm. Y/N sighed dramatically, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, for goodness’ sake, who could it be now? I told everyone not to bother me today,” she muttered, heading toward the ringing phone.

Matheo, perched on the edge of the sofa, watched her walk away before letting his curiosity take over. He wandered around the living room, his eyes lighting up at every detail. The walls were lined with photographs of dazzling events, one from the Paris Fashion Week, another from a glamorous runway show. Next to those were sketches pinned carefully, showcasing elegant dresses, bold hats, and intricate designs.

On a small side table, Matheo found a delicate glass figurine. He picked it up gingerly, tilting it in the sunlight and grinning as the light broke into tiny rainbows.

“Mattia, sweetheart,” his mom called from across the room, holding the phone in one hand. She looked amused. “Would you mind coming with me to the workshop? Apparently, there’s a little fashion emergency.” Mattia couldn't have been happier.

****

Y/N, his mother, was so funny and sweet. How could he not have had the chance to be with her? They passed by a very beautiful shop and the first thing Matheo saw in the window was a beautiful white dress full of shiny rhinestones and white gold details. When he looked up from the window he was surprised by the illuminated sign that adorned the wall “Y/N Y/LN”

Matheo tugged on his Mom’s sleeve, unable to contain his excitement. “Did you design that, Mom?”

Y/N turned, her usual amused smile spreading across his face. “Well, I had to do something while you were away at camp, baby.” she winked, making it sound like crafting the gown was as casual as making toast.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” Matheo said, Y/N laughed softly “Thanks, little man. But tell me, did you try designing anything while you were at camp?”

“I wanted to,” Matheo admitted, “but there was just so much going on. I barely had time to think!”

Y/N nodded, understanding as always. “Ah, at your age, I was the same. Always running around.”

Matheo smiled at his mother's understanding. His mother pulled him to go inside the boutique, but Matheo resisted her hand, smiling mischievously at his reflection in the mirror. His mother, who stood close by with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised, couldn't help but giggle at his act. “You know who would look really beautiful in this dress?” he said, tilting her head dramatically.

“Who?” Y/N asked, playing along, even though she already knew where this was going.

“You,” Matheo said with a victorious smile, turning to face her. “Me?” Y/N asked, pretending to be surprised.

“Yup! Really, really beautiful,” he said, his big brown eyes twinkling with sincerity.

Y/N shook her head, laughing softly. “I guess the time change has left you a little loopy.”

Matheo just shrugged, still clutching the dress. “Maybe. But I'm still right.”

****

The workshop was alive with movement, fabric swatches, and the hum of sewing machines. Models strutted back and forth in stunning outfits, while designers fussed over last-minute details.

Y/N immediately took charge, shrugging off his jacket with flair. “Alright, what’s going on here? Interrupting my time with my baby better be worth it!”

A woman with sleek brown hair appeared, flanked by two models. Her eyes sparkled when she spotted me. “Mattia! Look at you so grown up and handsome. Where did you get all this charm?”

Y/N rolled his eyes. “You can look at me, Kimi.”

Matheo couldn’t help but smile sheepishly. The energy in the room was infectious. Matheo watched his Mom gave directions, adjusting veils, critiquing hems, and encouraging her team. “Remember,” she said, her voice commanding yet warm, “every piece is a work of art. Tonight isn’t just about my designs, it’s about ours.”

As Matheo stood there, taking it all in, he realized something. Y/N wasn’t just a fashion designer, she was a storyteller, crafting magic with every thread.

“Mom, you’re amazing,” Matheo blurted out, his cheeks heating up when he realized he said it out loud.

Y/N turned to her son, her eyes softening. “It’s in your blood, baby.”

*****

As they walked through the shopping center, Mom ordered some tea for the road. Matheo knew this was his moment. “Hey, Mom, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Mattia. What’s on your mind?”

Matheo took a deep breath. “Did you ever want to get married again?”

Y/N nearly choked on her tea, her eyes wide with surprise. “What kind of question is that, Mattia?”

“I’m just curious,” Matheo said, trying to sound casual. “You never really talk about it or about the D word.”

Y/N smile faltered slightly as she set her tea down. “The D-word?” she echoed. “Baby, what on earth do you mean?”

“You know,” Matheo said, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. “Dad.”

For a brief second, Y/N was caught off guard and nearly laughed. “Oh,” she said, composing herself. “That D-word.”

“Yes!” Matheo straightened, crossing his arms like a pint-sized detective. “Why don’t we ever talk about him? Was he a bad person or something”

She exhaled softly, her gaze drifting toward the horizon. “No, not a bad person. Let’s just say… he was complicated.”

Matheo tilted his head, his curiosity growing. “Complicated? Like a crossword puzzle? Did you like him at least?”

A faint smile tugged at Y/N lips as she looked back at her son. “Oh, I liked him very much. When I first met him, he was the most charming man I’d ever seen.”

His eyes widened with excitement. “Really? Where did you meet him?”

Y/N chuckled. “As a matter of fact, yes. It was on a cruise, years ago. Your grandpa had just surprised me with tickets to celebrate my graduation. The route was from London to Spain. And there he was… a handsome Spaniard with a smile that could light up the ocean.”

“Wow,” Matheo whispered, enchanted by the story. “Was it love at first sight?”

Y/N laughed, ruffling Matheo hair. “You’re as nosy as I was at your age. Come on, let’s head home. I think Grandpa’s waiting for us.”

As they walked back, Matheo heart swelled with excitement. Matheo think he was probably working on his plan. And if everything went right, he’d finally bring their family back together.

[hannahssimblr]

Odd sensation, the tattoo gun. On the internet, they said the forearm wasn’t bad. One of the least painful spots, which is why I try to suppress my wince as the needle buzzes over my skin. 

“It’s more painful when you’re tired or dehydrated, by the way,” says Kwan, the artist, her chewing gum smacking in her mouth over the sound of thrash metal. 

“Right, right. I guess I’m always dehydrated a bit.”

“He never drinks water,” Jonas pipes up from the sofa. “I remind him of it all the time, but he won’t.”

“Everything wrong with my life probably comes back to that,” I grin at Kwan, and the corner of her mouth ticks up. 

“You’re cute,” she says. “Pretty little face. How old are you guys?”

“Twenty,” Jonas says. “At least me. Jude is still nineteen.”

“Wow. Little babies,” Kwan wipes pooling black ink with a tissue, revealing a thin curved line along my forearm. Weird, I think, looking at it. That’s there forever now. Every day until I’m dead, I’ll look down and there’ll be something on my arm. 

“And what brings you to Phuket?” 

“Well, to be honest, Kwan, we came here just for you,” I say. Her eyes flick to my face, and she sighs with resignation. “You’re good, you know that? You’re going to go far. Going to break some hearts.” 

“We’re backpacking,” Jonas clarifies. “Bangkok for a week, Phuket for another, then we’re going to the Phi Phi Islands and Koh Samui. Jude is acting on complete impulse with this tattoo. I think he is probably trying to flirt so that you like him.”

“And the mango,” she says, now delicately inking the leaves. “Is it personally significant?”

“No, I just liked it. Your art is nice. Never thought I’d get a tattoo because I thought they were all, you know, big thick lines and shit, but yours…”

“Thank you.”

“And like, I guess the mangoes here taste really good, so I could say it’s a memento of my time in Thailand.”

Kwan exhales a laugh. “And not too much between your ears, I see, which is good. Otherwise I think you would doom womankind.”

I grin. “God, Kwan, I love when women insult me. It’s my bread and butter.”

The tattoo gun hits a nervy patch of skin near my inner elbow and I hiss through my teeth. “Ah!”

“Too much?” 

Then I laugh. “Yes. No. Maybe it depends, doesn’t it? I hope this is worth it.”

Later, strolling the beach, I take a photograph of my arm wrapped in plastic and send it to my mother. 

Look what I did.  Why would you do that to your body???? 

She gets back. 

Is that permanent??? 

I cackle. 

“What are you laughing at? Did you send that to Astrid?”

“No, to my mom. She doesn’t approve.”

“Oh,” Jonas frowns, as though this is of deep concern. “Doesn’t her reaction disappoint you?”

“No, I knew she’d hate it, and now she’s going to show my dad and he’ll hate it even more. It was the same when I pierced my ears on holidays. He doesn’t think men should do things like that, and whatever.”

“And you like that he is outraged?”

“Yeah, it’s funny. He hates everything I do regardless, so like, might as well lean the whole way in, you know?”

“You should send the picture to your dad.”

“Nah, I don’t really… I don’t, like, text him… or anything like that.”

“Never?”

“Nah. He wouldn’t respond, anyway. It’s better to get a reaction from my mom.”

He hesitates, getting ready to attempt some conversation, no doubt, that I haven’t much interest in having. I feel my defences rise before he opens his mouth. A blanket of emotional exhaustion settling over me. “You haven’t spoken too much about your father before,” he says. “I assumed you are not close, but—” 

“Please,” I say. “Let’s not.”

“But I am just thinking about how—”

“Jonas, it really doesn’t have to be like this. It’s really not a fun conversation to have.”

“Right. It’s just that you’ve even had dinner with my stepfather when he came to visit, and you know all about my father and my half brother and–”

“Yeah, I know. Max was a nice man. It was a nice dinner, but just because you’ve shared stuff with me doesn’t mean I have to share back.”

“But don’t you think since we’ve known each other for months now, and we are friends, that you should tell me something about your family?”

“You telling me personal things doesn’t make you entitled to know things about me.”

“Yes, but just some basic facts. What is your father’s name?” 

“Chris.”

“Christian?”

“Topher. Christopher.”

“And he is American.”

“Yes.”

Jonas leaves space for me to elaborate, and I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. How old I do feel when people ask me about my dad? Twelve, every single time. Twelve, and destroying his stupid rare collector’s book purely for attention. He lost his mind and whacked my face with the back of his hand. Wedding ring rapped across a cheekbone. Was exhilarating to see him display an emotion. I remember laughing on the floor with hysterical glee among the shredded pages. A vindictive little winner. 

“He was born in California. He has four brothers. He studied dental medicine at the University of New Mexico, then he got my mom pregnant and married her.”

Another pause. “I see it was difficult for you to say that.”

“It was fine.”

“He was in university when you were born?”

“Yeah. He was twenty-one.”

“And your mother?”

“Nineteen.” 

“Your age.”

“Yes, my age. Terrible for her, I suppose. I don’t know. She’s fine. They’re both fine.”

He nods. “So you are determined to remain a mystery.”

“I’m determined to enjoy my trip, to be honest.”

“Well, thank you for sharing facts about your father.”

My arm is already sweating under the layers of plastic, beaten by the sun. Kwan said I shouldn’t expose the tattoo to sunlight. Then why did I get this thing? On holidays by the beach, about to spend another two weeks island hopping, and how hot is it? Thirty-seven? Forty? Sometimes my own reasonings are mysterious to me. 

“Let’s do something else,” I say, agitated by myself and everything around me. “What’s next?”

“You just got a tattoo, and now you are already looking for more excitement?”

“Yes, come on, I’m bored.”

“Okay, okay, let’s think of something.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

[adoresia]

contains ★ fluff ft Bachira Meguru :: cuddling, playful physical affection , light teasing / banter with romantic undertones , exaggerated humor . W/C ★ 0.7k

You were stood in the shower with water running into your hair and down your back, staring at the questionably empty bottle of shampoo in your hand that was only bought a few days ago. And of course — today had to be the day it ran out, you’re hair already soaked and dripping. How did it run out this quickly? Surely you don’t use that much shampoo, or so you thought. You sighed opening the curtain and aiming the bottle for the trash. Great. Now what?

Your eyes desperately scanned the shower area before landing on a bright, obnoxiously colorful bottle sitting lazily on the hanger, with Bachira’s shampoo drawn in bold sharpee. Your eyebrows furrowed unconsciously. “Couldn’t have been anymore obvious” You thought before grabbing the weirdly shaped bottle and bringing it up to your line of vision, blurred by the steaming water.

You already knew what was going to happen if you used it ; he’d figure it out somehow and he definitely wouldn’t let you go. Still, it was your only option. Defeated, you opened the bottle and lathered it into your hair, hanging onto the 1 percent possibility that he wouldn’t.

Who were you kidding?

The moment you stepped out of the tub and walked towards the door, towel still wrapped around you soaking up the left over droplets of water, his head snapped up. Nose twitching slightly, the same way it always did when it caught a familiar scent. He blinked and sniffed the air dramatically, and then his eyes lit up signaling that he had already caught on. Though the steam from your shower leaking into the room wasn’t doing you any justice, You hadn’t even got to walk out of the bathroom yet.

“Hey…” Bachira got up and practically floated toward you, leaning uncomfortably close to your face. “You smell like me!”

You backed away, trying to hide your deadpanned expression, you weren’t in the mood for his antics on this cold Tuesday night. “Really? I don’t think so.” Bachira squinted, his amber eyes narrowing suspiciously, but then his grin widened, playful and mischievous. “You totally do! Did you use my shampoo? You did, didn’t you?” You opened your mouth to deny it, but your face betrayed you. The way your eyes darted gave you away instantly.

“I knew it!” He tilted his head closer, his grin somehow becoming even more ridiculous. “Look at you being obsessed with me.” You groaned while rubbing your temples. “You’re so annoying. I just ran out of mine.” He raised an eyebrow, still grinning stupidly. “Are you sure? Didn’t you buy a new bottle like… two days ago perchance?” Your brow furrowed as you thought back. “That’s what I thought! I’ve only washed my hair once since then.” He didn’t reply, but the grin plastered on his face grew even more absurd. You squinted at him, trying to figure out what he found so funny. Then it hit you.

“You finished my shampoo didn’t you.”

“Me? Why would I do that?” he replied, feigning innocence, his hand rubbing the nape of his neck as if he were blameless. “This is the second time Bachira. You can’t keep doing that just so I can smell like you, I’m tired of having to use your 5 in 1 head and shoulders shampoo.” He blinked once, twice, and then burst out laughing, his voice bubbling with unrestrained delight. “Okay fine, You caught me. But…” he said, inching closer, “It smells so much better on you.” You opened your mouth to retort, but before you could, he wrapped his arms around you and buried his face in your freshly washed hair, taking a deep exaggerated whiff. “You just want us to smell the same. Now everyone’s gonna think I’m a sweaty football player.” you protested, trying to escape from his grasp. “Mmmmmmm, I don’t mind.” he hummed into your hair, his voice muffled but full of satisfaction. “I can feel you smiling,” he teased. “Shut up,” you groaned, but the warmth in your tone gave you away.

For the rest of the night, you found yourself curled up with Bachira on the sofa. His head rested against yours, nose buried in your roots as if he couldn’t get enough of the scent he used everyday. Every now and then, he’d hum in satisfaction or press a quick kiss to the top of your head, his arms snug around your waist. You rolled your eyes playfully, but you didn’t push him away. Because, despite his antics, being wrapped up with him like this was the kind of warmth you didn’t really mind.

© ⋆ Please do not copy / translate any of my writing onto different platforms or in general !

— I appreciate reblogs more than likes !!! <3

[yeonniesblog]

Kuroo x reader x oikawa

Synopsis : After years spent by a certain setter along with a small toddler mending you heart, your life was a just like a blissful movie with a happy ending. But little did you know the person who gave you not only the worst years of your life but also the small ball of sunshine, decided to suddenly make a appearance in your fairytale when fate played a wild

reader's note : this is the last chapter, make sure to read it in order! Sorry for the angst hehe.

Part 1 : meeting you again | Part 2 : wouldn't you | Part 3 : broken promises | Part 4 : where it all went wrong | Part 5 : enough for now (current one)

“she is a fucking psycopath” kenma sighs, putting the car in reverse as he pulls up in his driveway, eyes fixated on the rear view as kuroo watches the irriated expression on his face.

“dude, chill I know you hate kizumi, but I might marry her” kuroo sips his coffee as he lets out a shallow grunt in annoyance too, what was he doing in life.

“no, just think about it, she specifically asked for the ring you bought to propose to y/n, when she knows you could afford to give her much expensive one right now, but, again I repeat. she asked specifically for that ring, only”

the black hair man groans at the explanation, he knows his friend has a point, but he is trying to gaslight himself into believing whatever kizumi explained to him. “i think she just likes it, she was the one who chose it too, all those years ago—” and before kuroo could finish his sentence, the half blonde cuts him off, swiftly taking out his phone from his pocket and muttering something to it “siri, how do you block people in real life”

“yeah, okay, this is a kuroo hate club, I get it” the man sighs, propping his head back on the headrest, closing his eyes. “honestly I know her behavior is weird, but I’m in a tight spot, my only left family is nagging me to marry her, and you know I could care less about marriage” he pauses taking a deep breath. “dad is legit emotionally blackmailing me, sitting at his stupid hospital bed probably faking his disease”

“they want you to marry, doesn't necessarily have to be her” kenma suggests, opening the seatbelt around him. “i cannot marry a stranger, kizumi is a better option, we have been dating on and off for one year” the rooster haired man replies, honestly he really wants to jump off a cliff, but he will suppress the impulsive urges.

“as a rebutal to that, one thing you said was right” kenma sighs finally looking at his friend, kuroo looks tired, or is aged that appropriate word. “her behavior is weird, it's like she has more attachment to y/n than you, she is insecure as fuck of her. you, me and her, we all know she won't ever level up to the place y/n has in your heart, so she trying to become her, its giving me chills” kenma shudders at that thought, physically gagging.

“do you think it's too late for me to get a therapist?” with that kuroo tetsuro groans one more time.

kuroo sits quietly, hands clasped, looking up with hesitant eyes as he watches you put your purse on the table, stoice face, yet so pretty.

he really meant it when he said you got more gorgeous over the years, there were few lines now adorning your face, mature and elegant glow.

even if he sometimes wonders if it would have been better if you both never met at all, if it would have been better if neither of you had to go through the heartbreak, but he knows,

if there was a spell to go back in time, to where he met you, he would do the same thing. he would make a silly chemistry joke and wait for you to laugh at it, not because it was funny, no it was because it was so bad you laughed at it, it was his fault wasn’t it?

to loose the most precious thing in his life, did you feel worse than him, it wasn't a question, nor a comparison, he wanted to know because he will never forget or forgive himself to give you so much pain over the year.

what did you name the kid? did oikawa tooru’ see how your son took the first steps, was he the one who got called father first, what's his favorite food, does he have a birth mark, does he like volleyball? is your son’ tastes similar to what is his? Just like how he saw the little kid adorning your homely baked goods, similar to what he himself used to do.

it pains him, physically pains him to know he wasn't there for anything, he wasn't there to make you food, hold your hair while you threw up during you morning sickness, not hold your hand while you went into labour, he wasn't part of any of it, six years sometimes means nothing and yet to him, now, it means everything, it means every important thing he lost.

“you don't know how much draining this is for me, to be talking to you, or as a matter of fact to talk about what happened, cause honestly you deserve nothing, not the explanation, not to meet me or ruko” you break the silence first, firmly sitting at your place.

and kuroo wishes he could repent on all the thing you said but the only thought in his mind is what you named your son “his name is ruko?”

“his name is oikawa saruko” you firmly state, a small smile tugging at you lips, you were proud your kid had a father like oikawa, cause you can't imagine anyone else being a better father than him.

tetsuro has never wanted to be in someone else's place as much as he wants to be oikawa now, he sighs at your words. “why didn't you tell me, I would get it if you wanted to get away from me, but don't you think I deserved to know the kid was mine?” his voice quivering as he asks you the question, a weird pang in his chest.

“i tried, I tried so many times” your voice quivers slightly “why do you think I asked for your opinion to have a kid?” that silents the man infront of you, his pupil dilated as he realizes how he explained it, and how it sounded like a definite ‘no” from his side.

“not to mention, even after that I was going to tell you, with my parents kuroo and you didn't show up” he relishes at how defeated he feels when you don't even call him by his first name, so the announcement when you called him was with your parents? his legs tenses up and he stops shaking them.

“i know I don't have any excuse but you know there was a storm that night—”

“yet you left me all alone in that storm, tetsuro” his heart breaks into million pieces, do you even know how much he just wants to pull you close and cry, stain your shirt with his tears of sorrow that he made a mistake and couldn't be in your presence and of joy because after years he was able to see you.

“i—y/n” he tries to put his hands over yours but you are swift to pull away, he knows a million reasons of why your reflex action was right, yet he can't help but feel his throat becoming dry “i’m sorry, I assumed you were with your parents, I had no idea, my phone was dead”

“how can you still lie to me?” your voice croaks, finally looking straight into his eyes, you really don't want to care for whatever his action was or what he did but you can't help but feel wronged.

“what do you mean lie?”

“so your phone was dead enough to not respond to my texts but it was working when you reposted on social media with your now girlfriend, her friends commenting how cute you both looked” you scoff pausing in disbelief “or should I say fiance”

“whatever are you sayi-” then it clicks, it suddenly clicks how kizumi’s friend has always shipped him with her, despite knowing he has a girlfriend, despite him saying he doesn't appreciate it, that it straight up makes him uncomfortable.

how kizumi knew, that your birthdate was his password to Instagram, he remembers her saying it was so cute, its laughable to think how dumb he has been, how could he not notice her intention. but he wishes you told him, he wishes he could have cleared off the last misunderstanding and if he could take it all back he would.

hell, he would never breath the same air as kizumi if he could go back in time and fix things. but he cannot, all he has is regret and all he can do his atone for his mistake, he was hoping you'd be kind enough to let him see his son, he hasn't been a great partner but he sure as heck wants to have some influence in your son’s life—

after all, it was a part of you and him, back then if he actually heard you were pregnant he'd probably be scared as shit, but he would still fight every odds to raise the kid you made, how could he ever resent a mini you, kuroo knows he has no right to feel wronged but all those years without the little guy or even acknowledgment of his existence makes feel burnt.

his lips shaky and he doesn't know if a explanation would even help at this point, nothing would change and even if kizumi was in wrong– so was he though. his mouth ran before he could know.

he looks up at her. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but there’s something you need to hear" your eyes held anger and he was scared of that, he wanted to scream please forgive me, over and over again in a chant but he knew he didn't deserve your forgiveness.

you crossed your arms, wary but patient. you had no idea how you still held on. but they say but they say old habits die hard, and even after six year you had the same patience for him, you wanted to laugh at yourself “Go on.”

“It was Kizumi,” he begins, voice low but firm. “She… she’s the reason things fell apart. She was jealous of you, of what we had. She deleted your texts that night—the ones you sent me about the announcement. She posted on my social media to make it look like I was with her. And she—”

"You didn't know?" your eyes widened and you had no idea how to feel after hearing that, conflicted feeling filled your lungs and the wall of resolve you have solidified getting cracks of doubt in them, but you remained firm.

“No,” Kuroo says quickly, his voice thick with regret. “I was blind, stupid, and I didn’t see what was happening. I let her control too much. I thought I could trust her. But I swear, if I’d known—” He stops, realizing that no matter what he says, it won’t erase the past.

you stare at him, your face unreadable, but there was turmoil behind your eyes “So, you’re saying it was all her fault?”

“No. No..no.” Kuroo says firmly, shaking his head. “It was my fault too. I let her into my life, I didn’t listen to you, and I didn’t fight for you when it mattered. That’s on me. I just… I need you to know that I didn’t abandon you on purpose.”

you exhale slowly, looking down at you cup, a closure huh? but what does that change ? you know oikawa is much more important to you now, nothing could change that, nothing could make you ever abandon the perfect family you have right now. “I believe you, Tetsuro. But that doesn’t change what happened. You weren’t there when I needed you, and I had to pick up the pieces alone. Oikawa was there. He’s been there for me and for Ruko.”

even if there is a shaky heartbeat you feel around your past lover you know it was not meant to be. there are so many things unsaid and there will be so many things which will be, you are a mom now and you could never be an careless one. and as much as tears were welling up in your eyes for what could have been, you won't risk anything for what it is now.

Kuroo swallows the lump in his throat. “I know. And I’m glad he’s been good to you both. I just… I missed so much, Y/N. I want to know him. I know I don’t deserve it, but I want to try.”

bonus scene

Kuroo sits on a bench, watching from a distance as you and Oikawa playing with your son, Ruko. The boy—his son, biologically—has Oikawa’s mannerisms but your smile. Kuroo’s chest tightens as he watches the little boy stumble, only for Oikawa to sweep him up, spinning him around while you laugh.

They look like a family. They are a family

Kuroo thinks to himself, maybe this could have been you both if he wasn't consumed by the thought that you both would also be horrible parents much like your families.

you notice him then, your gaze meeting his. There’s no anger in your eyes anymore, just a quiet understanding. you approach him cautiously, arms crossed. “You’re here,” you speak, trying to keep your tone neutral.

“I just wanted to see him,” Kuroo admits. “I won’t interfere much. I just… needed to see him.”

You sit beside him, keeping a respectful distance. “He’s happy, you know. Oikawa’s a good father. He loves Ruko like he’s his own.” and that breaks kuroo's heart, as much as he tries to look positively at this. He can't help but feel his heart become empty, can't help but wish to be where oikawa is right now in your life.

Kuroo nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I can see that. He’s a lucky kid.” you glance at him, your expression softening. “I know the truth now, about Kizumi. About what happened. I’m… sorry you were caught in that.”

“I’m sorry too,” Kuroo says, his voice breaking. He knows it's not enough but all he can do is regret it over and over again. “For everything. For not being there, for letting you down. I should’ve fought harder for us.” you look away, your gaze fixed on Oikawa and Ruko. “Maybe. But it’s too late now, Tetsuro. We’ve both moved on.” and he feels a bit happy, you used his first name, God he is so pathetic

“I know,” he whispers, his heart breaking all over again. “But I’ll never stop wishing I could go back and do it right.” and before you are able to say anything you notice a small figure approaching you, you feel at ease when you notice it's your son, oikawa stood a bit away, he felt protective over you both but he doesn't want to snatch away the closure you deserve, and he can't snatch away ruko from his biological dad. so he stays silent cause he knows ruko would pick him for sure, he loves the little guy to death after all.

“Ruko, this is… this is Tetsuro,” you say gently, getting up from the bench only to kneel beside your son.

The boy looks up, curious but cautious. “Hi,” he says softly, clutching his toy dinosaur.

Kuroo crouches down, his heart aching as he gets his first close look at his son. Ruko has Y/N’s eyes and his messy black hair. He smiles faintly. “Hey, buddy. That’s a cool dinosaur you’ve got there. What’s his name?”

“Cupcake,” Ruko replies, holding it up proudly.For a moment, Kuroo wants to giggle, pondering why a dinosaur would be named Cupcake, but he holds back, his lips twitching into a soft smile. “Cupcake, huh? That’s a pretty unique name. Why’d you pick it?”

Ruko beams, his small chest puffing up with excitement. “Well—it’s not weird, okay? It’s ’cause I love dinosaurs and I love Mom’s handmade cupcakes, so I mixed two favorite things at once!”

Kuroo freezes for a moment, his breath catching in his throat. Cupcakes. His gaze flickers briefly to you, you who look away, your expression unreadable. He remembers countless nights when he’d come over to your place, exhausted from work or practice, and the smell of your freshly baked cupcakes would make him feel like he was home. They were his favorite—a sweet, simple treat that reminded him of your warmth.

And now, their son shares that same love.“That’s… that’s actually genius,” Kuroo finally says, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Cupcake is the perfect name for a dinosaur. You’ve got great taste.”

Ruko grins proudly, going on to describe Cupcake’s many adventures and how he takes the toy everywhere. Kuroo listens intently, his heart clenching. There’s an ache beneath his chest—a mix of pride, love, and regret. He and Ruko have so much in common, and yet, this is the first time he’s learning it.

The realization stings, and he resents you a bit for that but it also fills him with a bittersweet joy. Ruko is bright, imaginative, and full of life. He’s a part of you and him—a reminder of what you both once had. And kuroo decides he can live with that. That's enough for now isn't it?

Finally ending this series, I get embarrassed whenever I reread it but it was my first series and it has been in my drafts for years. But here I ending, thank you for everyone who waited for this.

Here is the taglist (it's based on people who were waiting for it) : @reikashe @mikaela26sstuff @chita318 @mxrice @freddiemylovelg @glxar @amarinthe @rinsangel @captainchrisstan @gamacha @cheeseriz @pluviophilefangirl @bnha-bakusquad @asaitashi @lordmomourmomoness @missyasmim @macky-attoh @belle643 @on-crows-wings

[pencil-n-pen]

hii! i hope you are doing well. i love your overworked series so much. it's very relatable to me on what the circumstances the reader is in and all i do eat the series all up(munch munch) how about like a study date for them? that would be cute

Hello honey !! Thank you so much for this request, I was so excited to write it <3 Hope you enjoy!

STUDY OR DATE

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄ ౨ৎ ⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠄⠂

summary: you ask Leon to go on a study date with you at a coffee shop. Things don’t go as planned, but work out just fine in the end.

cw: i think this qualifies as a drabble not a oneshot it’s short :( but sweet :) sorry some angst slipped in there, one of Leon’s ex friends says some kind of mean things about you but Leon comes to your defense, honestly that’s it this is pretty fluffy

a/n: i just know leon absolutley slams those frou frou coffee drinks. i say this as a frou frou coffee drink enjoyer

no the Baby I'm Yours reference was not intentional

masterlist | previous (not actually a SERIES series, just takes place in the same universe)

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

It was you who proposed the idea of a study date.

"I think it might be nice," You'd said, staring at your shoes and shuffling in place as people file out of the last class of your day- the one you share with Leon. "I usually study by myself, but I think it would be good to... get out of my room, for a bit. Um. And then we could study together?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

This is one of his current favorite sentences. "Training you to stand your ground, princess. Nothing bad is gonna happen when you do."

You squeeze the strap of your backpack. "Telling...? But also asking, because I don't know if you're free."

"Even if I did have plans I would cancel them. Where were thinking of going?"

A burst of heat rises to your face. "That cafe? Near the east side of campus?"

He leans down, giving you a quick peck on the nose. "I think that's a great idea."

The walk to the cozy cafe isn't too long, but it is cold. You shamelessly use the winter chill as an excuse to cuddle up to Leon.

"As if you need one," He mumbles, squeezing you close to him.

When you arrive to the shop, the bell dinging signifying your entrance, Leon tugs at the backpack on your shoulder.

"Gimme that. I'll snag us a table that has outlets. Order something for me?"

You don’t have to look to know the hand in front of you has his credit card in it. And you know better than to refuse. He likes spending money on you, for whatever reason. You’re not complaining, really, it just eats at you a little bit. Just a little.

But it’s also really, really, really sweet. The kindness tends to override the guilt, in his case.

For yourself, you order exactly what you want- Leon has a second sense for when you order something that's for the sake of preserving money rather than what you actually want. You'd asked him once where his seemingly never-ending supply of money came from, but he'd just kissed you on the forehead and told you not to worry about it. You kind of still worry about it, but never enough for him to notice.

For Leon, you order exactly what he wants but will never admit to liking- an iced caramel macchiato. The way coffee shops like Starbucks make them, not the traditional way. More milk and sugar than coffee. It's funny watching him slug his way through black coffee with a splash of milk when you know for a fact the milky, sugary coffee drinks never last longer than about five minutes when they're in front of him.

The cafe isn't that crowded, so it doesn't take long for your drinks to be ready. You take them from the bar with a thanks, then slide into the table Leon snagged for you.

His eyes catch on the drink.

"What is that?"

"An iced caramel macchiato."

"And why, exactly, did you order that for me?"

"Because you like them."

"No I-"

"Don't even pretend."

He takes the drink with a grumble, but reaches across the table and squeezes your hand once, a quiet thank you.

You take a sip of your own drink, then take your supplies out of your backpack and get to work.

You work fairly quietly, Leon occasionally sliding random snacks he, apparently, just keeps with him across the table to you. At one point, he gets up and returns with a plate that has a few of the pastries you were eyeing earlier on it. How he even knew exactly which ones you wanted is a mystery to you.

An hour or so after he gets the pastries, the bell dings, signifying someone's entrance.

"No way! Leon, is that you?"

Leon's face twists into something sour and angry, and a small stab of apprehension slices through your chest as the voice is accompanied by approaching feet.

"Josh," Leon says evenly, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "Haven't seen you in awhile. On purpose."

You turn, eyeing the man that's standing behind you, a few other guys standing a little ways behind him, all leering for a glance.

The Josh in question just laughs. "Oh, whatever Leon," His gaze catches on your face and his eyes widen.

"No way. Are you seriously here with the pretentious--"

"You mean my girlfriend?" Leon leans forward in his seat, his jaw set and his fists clenched where they rest on the table. "Be very careful about your next words."

Girlfriend?

Josh blinks. "I meant nothing by it, man. I'm just surprised to see you here with her, is all."

Leon looks absolutely murderous. "And why would that be?"

"Just because, you know. We always talked about how annoying her attitude was. And that rivalry thing you guys had."

"I remember ditching you guys when you started ragging on her, yeah. Fuck off, Josh."

Josh raises his hands. "Jeez, okay man. I was just surprised. You're seriously choosing that girl over us?"

"This woman, yes. We were never friends like that. Forgive me if I prefer being with someone who doesn't make me consider the legality of finishing a college degree in prison."

Josh seems upset by Leon's statement, but Leon holds his ground. He jerks his head towards the rest of the gaggle. "Go."

Josh scampers away, metaphorical tail between his legs.

Leon immediately turns to you, brows furrowed in concern and body un-tensing. "Are you okay? Did he upset you? Do I need to kill him?"

You blurt out the first and only thing you got from that entire exchange.

"I'm your girlfriend?"

He re-tenses.

"Do you... not want to be?"

"No!" You shout, a little too loudly, because Josh and his friends look back over, but the ensuing glare from you and Leon is enough for them to look away so quickly you think you hear Josh’s neck pop.

"No," you say quietly, "I um. I'd really like to be your girlfriend. I just. I didn't know what we were."

He gets that fond look in his eyes again. The one he gets before he says something sappy.

"Baby," He says, reaching across the table and grabbing your hand. "I"m yours. I mean that. I didn't formally ask you out because I figured you wanted to take things slow."

"I did. At first."

He smiles. "Then princess, my princess, may I please be your boyfriend?"

You can't help the giddy giggle the escapes your mouth. "Yes."

"Oh thank god," He says, wiping fake sweat off his brow. "It would've been awkward to have a heart attack and die in this cafe."

"That seems a bit extreme."

"Not really. Have you seen my girlfriend? Cardiac events are a normal reaction, I assure you."

You don't get much studying done for the rest of the day.

--

After that, there is a noticeable increase in study dates and date-dates. Leon is weirdly good at picking date spots and ideas.

The first time he introduces you as his girlfriend at a party, Ada shouts so loudly you think she might burst someone's eardrum. Your roommates all squeal with excitement when you tell them.

Chris, being Chris, says "Weren't you already dating?" when Leon tells him the news. That seems to be the general consensus.

You're on another study date right now, Leon's face doing that cute little scrunch thing when he's thinking about a math problem, and you set your pencil down just to stare at him.

He's your boyfriend.

You're his girlfriend.

He looks up at you, chewing on the end of his pencil. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"No," You say, a little breathless. "M' just looking at my boyfriend."

He grins, leaning across the table to give you a kiss, soft and slow.

You're normally not one for PDA.

But maybe you'll allow it. For your boyfriend.

ᯓ✦

[1ris5starlight]

Uhh~☆☆

(4:57) the way I laughed when I saw "FEMBOY HOOTERS"- like-

(Welll, they're not wrong on this, in fact I personally think Sun is a femboy! But still, I think Sun is already done-)

(5:06) Lunar- I know it is funny, I know- but pls don't laugh at poor Sun!🤭

(4:45) Ptffff- no way-!🤣

(5:48) Then why you didn't recruit Solar?!🤔

(6:02) ptf- I feel bad for Sun-

(6:15) Moonnnn, not you too!!🤭

(6:48) Moon, pls stop- I can't- OMG🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

(7:05) Nooo, Sun. Don't.

(7:36)

Moon: this is the best day! Sun: MOON. STFU.

(8:15) Geez- Sun doesn't like it that much, I guess-

(8:54) Ok, no, that's a clearly treat. I did not like that.

(9:43) God- I feel embarrassed for Sun- I would be uncomfortable too to do something like this-

(10:25) 😧 HUH?!?! WHAT?!

(11:14) ptf- Is it really that big your ego Sun? (Not hating)

(11:22) WHAT?!?! NO, EW-😨

(11:37) Moon pls- just get him out of here-

(12:07) Geez- Sun really get that out of his chest-

(12:14) MOON!!! FOR GOD SAKE!

(12:44) poor Sun-

(13:08) Oh god- Sun's serious now.

(13:38) THAT is too far?! And not the other things?!

(13:43) THANK GOD!

(14:10) oh. OH. That's explains a bit-

(14:13) poor Sun- I feel so bad for him right now-

(14:37) ehhh, not really-

(14:54) You two better run now!

Well, Moon and Lunar are f*cked up.

But I wonder what that man meant when he said that who refused to attend the test would have had a part of themselves changed forever, considering that this agency's occupation is "dealing" with single people to get with someone... and I didn't really like how he said that, it sounded like something really serious and obscure...

[izvmimi]

cw: platonic!zoro x reader. established romantic relationship with luffy. selfship-coded, reader has a devil fruit.

It’s not often that you and Zoro end up alone together, but today it really is just the two of you, him carrying the majority of the provisions you’d gone into town to collect for the next leg of your trip, and the remainder in the safekeeping of your internal storage. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to just stow away the rest?” you ask for the third time and by this time, Zoro decides to pretend he can’t hear you. In any other scenario, you’d make a comment about him needing to get over that silly fear of being emasculated, but for now you allow it, shoving your free hands in your pockets as you continue on on your stroll.

Even if when you’re around the rest of the crew there’s a huge and frequent show of you generally disliking each other, it’s hard to bicker when it’s just the two of you, because the truth is that you appreciate him tremendously. Zoro doesn’t always talk much, but he’s honest, and that is particularly important to you, making it easy to pour out your heart to him.

Perhaps that’s why today, you feel compelled to tell him exactly how you’ve been feeling these days since your return from the last island. Luffy has been asleep for days, recovering from injury that would probably have killed you on the spot, and while he apologized upon waking up two days ago to see you saddled with huge undereye circles and an open book with tear-staged pages at the foot of his bed, the fact of the matter is that you’re not sure how much longer you can handle this.

The crew is familiar with his wanton disregard for his own life, and perhaps you should know better by now, but it’s just too hard sometimes, and you can feel your heart starting to fill with resentment, and even that adds to your guilt.

Luffy is free, and freedom means choosing to live your life however dangerously you want.

“You know I hate complaining about him, and I know you’ll just tell me that I shouldn’t expect otherwise from Luffy, but just once, I wish he would take better care of himself.”

The thought slips out in a small voice, and Zoro lets it marinate in the quiet afternoon air. Discomfort rises like bile in your throat.

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” you immediately backtrack, but Zoro looks at you and shrugs.

“I get it. It’s fine.”

You bite your lower lip, keeping the gaze at the ground before you. Zoro should know that you’re only frustrated, that you love Luffy more than anything, and don’t mean to speak ill of him, right? It’s just eating at you, the idea that only one of you is preoccupied with the idea of separating for good.

Luffy would be fine without you even in death. You, on the other hand…

You take in a deep breath.

“I trust him,” you say out loud, to which Zoro chuckles to himself for a moment, which makes your cheeks warm in embarrassment.

“What’s so funny?!”

“That you’re this worried about him.” Zoro shoots you a glance, and mercilessly adds - 

“Realistically, you’d probably croak before he does.”

“Wow!” you exclaim in dramatized offense. 

Zoro shrugs. “I mean, I guess he probably cares enough about you that he wouldn’t allow that to happen, but still, I don’t think much can put that guy down for good.”

You pout, but something about that is reassuring, and that heaviness in your chest seems to alleviate just so.

“I guess that’s a relief.”

Zoro snorts again, which has you frowning at him again.

“Is it really this funny?” you ask, indignantly, but when he finally speaks again, his tone is serious.

“I think you’re misunderstanding him a bit,” he finally adds. Stopping for a moment, he gives you his full attention, and suddenly your heart starts to thump at the change in mood. He sizes you up for a moment, as if he’s trying to decide if what he has to tell you is worth it in any way, then lets out a sigh.

“He told me if something ever happened to him, there are a few things he wants to make sure happen for you, so that you’re okay.”

Your eyes widen for a moment, incredulous.

“What?”

Zoro resumes his stride.

“Can’t tell you what they are, though.”

You find yourself running to catch up to him, your heart pounding in your chest. The idea that Luffy has thought ahead, considering you even in the process, is almost too good to be true. 

“So what was the point of even telling me?!” you hiss.

“So you don’t make up some narrative about not being cared for in your head, dumbass.” Zoro says. You stick your tongue out at him which has him scoff and look away, but you’re thankful.

The ship starts to reappear along the horizon and your outlook has changed a bit.

…

By the time you make it back on the ship again, Luffy has woken up from his restorative slumber and is already asking you if you brought any meat amongst your groceries, an arm looping around your shoulders and your waist. But instead of pushing him off of you for grabbing you too quickly, you look at him for a moment, and the sudden affection in your eyes is enough that it actually catches him by surprise.

“Hey, ___, what’s up?” he asks as you really take him in, but you just smile and plant a kiss on his cheek.

“Nothing. I’m just glad you’re back.”

He grins widely. 

“Can’t get rid of me if you tried.”

[randomperson0k]

jekyll andh yde jjekyln and yyde hdye hyde jelyl and hyde jekyll hyde

info below wwww

every comment i get about these not being accurate to the og characters ill draw jekyll in a pink dress and cat ears dancing to taylor swift . i dont like taylor swift no not really i just find it funny to think that jekyll listens to taylor swift and britney spears . yeah. and lady gaga too. that evil 43 year old man would totally love that type of stuff

uh yes this was my old tgs headcanon world if you recognise these from that hi. but i kind of got out of tgs a bit due to personal reasons so i grabbed the previous headcanonned characters and flipped them upside down and made them into their own thing outside of tgs. i think i did a good job? i didnt really want to associate them with tgs anymore so i just took every creative turn that squirmed itself into my head. and it helped that my previous tgs headcanon world strayed really far from the og in the first place and was kind of already its own thing. so yeah i kind of like what i have so far im pretty happy with it . i really like uttersons character so far and im excited to start on emma and lucy [my hatred for the j&h musical has fuelled me to make my own version of them] im especially excited for emma i have so many ideas for her character and just. ideas to actually make her even a character and not just a plot role for jekyll. i love you emma you deserved so much better ill give you a gun and make you a werewolf and everything you deserve everything cool and awesome babygirl !!!! ill even give you a cool spiked jacket that your girlfriend gave you!!!! everything for you !!!!

basic story plot for this side of the story [since the story is split across multiple perspectives and these are just some of the many] uhhh jekyll goes crazy and fully stays transformed as hyde and falls into really bad habits and addiction as hyde . it starts small at first but when lanyon dies it hits the tipping point and they fully give up on trying. jekyll is considered dead due to being missing for a good chunk of months and hyde inherits the stuff from the will and takes over the life their previous persona had [very messily though since hyde is a complete wreck right now]

meanwhile utterson in the background is fully loosing her mind in depression [thinks he lost her two only friends. fair enough] but one day sees jekyll in the street running even though jekyll has been considered dead for like months by then. utterson then gets real bad tunnel vision on finding jekyll and dedicates everything to finding jekyll. spends all her time locked in her room just looking for leads. drops her job and everything to dedicate herself to this. his main lead and who he has to team up with to find jekyll?: hyde [said person very much so not wanting to team up with utterson due to who theyre hunting but only does it because theyre still clinging to and missing some of the old parts of their previous identity as jekyll with one of those parts being their old friendship with utterson] anyways they basically go on a big little detective goose chase until utterson gets pissed at hyde after figuring out some stuff and they fight and split off from eachother and hyde like gets kidnapped immediately after that because lets be real nobody really likes that guy they have so many enemys. what a loser

oh and yeah uh lanyon gets brought back to life frankie style and just becomes a minion for this guy kind of. im still developing them. basically theyre hunting hyde though because same as everybody they think hyde killed jekyll . and lanyon kind of lost their marbles from the whole getting brought back process and lost a lot of their memorys. ok guys cmon literally all my lanyons are sweethearts who just so happen to be friends with insane people [utterson and hyde] i deserve to make a adaptation where all 3 of them are equally insane. ok. i deserve it for all the normal lanyons ive made.

i wanted to make jekyll really creepy and also affected by the soul split thing and not just hyde so jekyll is kinda weird in this one. he looks younger in some images and thats done on purpose . when hes being creepy he looks younger. uh i have a doodle of what he looks like when hes getting 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 and being very not normal . im not adding it. to the main post because i dont like the art it looks STINKY !!!

you can see all my design notes on the side lol i like to yell at myself in my notes

feeling cute so ill probably kill them all as the storys ending yeah somebodys gotta humble jekyll and beat his head on the curve im just doing gods work yknow

kidding maybe

still deciding. vote to decide if jekyll gets beat in the street or not !!!

ok im ending this i gotta stop talking or ill never stop

im VERY tired right now. hit like and subscribe for more epic bangers from yours truely!!!!

[sixthrock]

reminder

[drpicklesart]

they are going to mehnahnaroo

[longagoitwastuesday]

Every day I am haunted by the fact JJK could be amazing but it will be just idk Bleach or something

[spotaus]

Okay going to be a bit quicker on this one for my own focus' sake!

We love figuring out Lore hehehe :]

Okay, so I love love love ur Reaper + Geno + Dust situation stuff. So so dearly! (And gods, yeah, here Reaper gets to be a lot more freaky and funky in how he acts (and he's definitely a possessive and pushy god) while Geno is the sensible one because he only had his au's genocide, then Reaper. He's got a much better head on his shoulders than New Age Geno lol!)

Smth I wanna focus on lore wise for this bit is! Yeah! Nightmare reached out to the other gods he knew might align with his magic a *while* ago! And honestly, in the long run, he's really glad that Reaper didn't agree to work with him. Reaper kills too quickly and with too much efficiency, and he wouldn't have benefitted in the long run.

However that does NOT mean he should get to just waltz in and start messing with *his* men! Especially the (in comparison) fragile Dust! He's worked hard to keep these guys alive! Don't spoil it!

(I do think Night would like having Geno around, he's sensible, usually in pain so he gives off a dull but constant negativity, and seems to calm a lot of emotions. Reaper.... mmmm. Not sure on that one.)

Oh! And I agree, I prefer the idea that this Dust is the first Geno and Reaper actually spoke to haha!

And regarding the thing from the top about Night overcorrecting and basically parenting and the realizations? Killer would HAVE to give Horror crap about it! It'd be so so funny to him and ultimately harmless! Thr other two staying out of the crossfire too lmao-

And then the rooms!!

I adore the thought that Night would go seeking more trinkets. He'd regret not learning more about them before their deaths, and would totally go sear hing for items with traces of magic left behind. That shelf with the hourglass gets a few new, familiar to some like Killer, additions. He doesn't like to admit his mistakes out loud, but he will pay homage.

And regarding Killer's room. Up to time as I work on it I think, but the idea that Killer would be thrilled to even get the offer. My first instinct is to stay in the room he got. He kinda wears it like a twisted badge of honor, that he was the last monster he considered expendable and the first to survive long enough to change Night's mind. And like you said, the room itself is something he had like a hidden knowledge. His presence in the room + objects is a good sign that each version was individual. That each had their own interests and personalities! Killer is just one more, and he likes it. (Something something Killer seeks individuality after his au and it comforts him.) And on this same topic, Killer wouldn't really want to start over. He'd feel weird about making it a big deal and suddenly having a brand new clean room. He's touched, but it would just feel strange to him. (Idk how to explain it but... like... Night's room is on the same side as the old rooms, everyone else is across the hall. Killer was there for the messy learning stage, he's both the old and the new, and moving and leaving Night's room as the only one over there? It'd feel weird to him. And symbolically that'd be leaving Night alone w/ his grief lol-)

Idea-dumping under the cut ig as a distraction!

(Actually this got like... long, so here's some bonus design visuals!)

So, this is mostly me thinking out-loud about those alt/personal versions of Nightmare's gang.

First establishment: in this version, Nightmare follows the *was* evil but does so poorly with several versions of the group that he decides he's probably the problem and goes searching for answers before finally settling on a few and keeping them alive. (Yes, Nightmare keeps the original 3 sets dust. Most of it was scattered, but the bits he kept all went into an hourglass. He keeps it on a shelf high in his office so no one can turn it over again.)

In this same vein, Dream and Nightmare are battling because Dream believes Nightmare is no longer his younger self and an entirely separate entity. (Is this true? Probably this time? We'll see.) So, Dream has Ink usually on-hand, and has lost a few comrades over the years, Blue being the only one who'd survived to this point. (I think he might've managed to recruit a Color at some point, Night killed both the Color and Killer. Maybe he also recruited a horror of his own, who was executed by the 2nd Dust. Point is, Blue has been around to see these monsters be cycled out and behave different and all die expendable on Night's side, and has lost friends on Dream's side.) Dream nowadays tries to stick to only himself, Ink, and Blue.

So, establishing that, there's the trouble of Nightmare and his mortals.

Nightmare lives in an older Victorian mansion rather than a castle, his domain is an abandoned au set in that time period, where him and his crew have free-reign. (Basically think the streets of London but entirely unoccupied and almost constantly night-time or rainy/dreary/foggy.)

Initially, he used this landscape to torment those he brought to his domain, whether that be chasing a new killer/horror/dust until they were exhausted or bringing au inhabitants back for his men to hunt down and torment for him. It was useful, a lot of left-over objects and items from inhabitants long since dead, and a lot of interesting hiding places. The edges of the au are just a blackness. Eventually there is an invisible wall, and if you reach that, You're easy pickings for Nightmare. he knows.

I think that the way Nightmare finally decides on his henchmen needing better treatment is when the 3rd Horror, the very last surviving one, *let* Dream get a lethal hit in on him. There was no chance for Dream or Nightmare to act, and they'd both retreated in the aftermath. Normally this wouldn't have bothered Nightmare, but that Horror had been his most obedient and resourceful one yet, and he'd actually grown to like his presence. So. The silence in the castle while he recovered from injuries and prepared for the next batch? It was particularly striking for him. It felt *icky* to not have another person there, and it felt icky to have lost that Horror in the way that he had. Not even an honorable death. He decided he needed to figure out how to keep a monster similar, if not *better than* how he'd kept horror.

After about a month of debating, he finally settled on visiting a Ccino. And no, this isn't just because Ccino's been growing on me lately. He knew one of the Killer's he had, the 2nd, enjoyed sneaking off to the fluffytale aus and he figured there must have been a reason. So. Nightmare takes advantage of his shape-shifting and what little sense he has, and finds himself in an inaccurate replication of a passive Nightmare. He goes to a Ccino, though it might as well be one involved in the multiverse, since Night is now shattering that view. He makes several trips, regularly over the course of a few months. Biding his time. The balance isn't tipping yet. Until he can become at least slightly familiar enough with this Ccino to ask the burning question. How does one care for another living being?

Ccino, at this point, is used to his weird British customer and his odd way of asking questions. Asks if he means a pet, like a cat. Nightmare clarifies that, no, he means monsters. And Ccino has to try and figure out what he means by that. Is he expecting? Is he... adopting? He asks the second one, and Nightmare nods. Ccino breathes a sigh of relief, and realizes it must be because Nightmare is a boss monster. They live much different lives from a normal monster, require less to eat, less sleep, rely on their magic a lot more heavily. He suggests Nightmare come by again the next day and by then he might have some advice.

And while Ccino mostly gives him information on how to raise kids, from babies to teens, Nightmare takes in the information. He's still convinced he's learning all this because he wants to make perfect soldiers. Monsters who will obey him through whatever means that last Horror had. So he takes in all the information he can. He focuses a lot on the suggestions for teenagers. Even though the ones he had before were certainly adults, they often had outbursts and these solutions seemed reasonable. And Ccino was kind enough to stay after closing to talk with him on multiple occasions. It became a little club, between the two of them, almost.

And then Nightmare finally went out to find new replacements. 4th time's the charm.

The first one he collected this time was a Killer. The most volatile usually, but also the easiest to coerce into cooperating with his goals. Normally, his first act would be to let the Killer run loose in the streets and hunt him down. A show of dominance and control. This time, he decided he'd show patience. He stole away the Killer like he normally would, and left him out on a street, but with a note in his pocket. Detailing exactly what Nightmare was offering and why, along with the address of the mansion incase he wanted to discuss more.

It only took two days before Killer arrived at Nightmare's doorstep. He was cautious, but Nightmare was cordial. Not subtle, no, he acknowledged that he was actively kidnapping him. That if he made a misstep Nightmare would kill him. That he was replaceable. But, he also explained exactly what he was looking for from Killer, and *offered* work to him. Killer wandered away for a few more days, before coming back and accepting.

The trial runs with Killer were rough the first few months. Nightmare visited Ccino less, and found himself trying very hard to balance authority, Killer's loyalty, and the fragile trust growing between them. Sometimes he'd catch Killer doing something and he'd physically refrain from lashing out and punishing. Other times, though strangely only when Killer was making choices poor for his own health, Nightmare lashed out. Corrective behavior was not kind, but it was for the best in Nightmare's mind.

One thing he had a lot of trouble with was letting Killer explore the domain. He used to restrict all his henchmen inside unless they were hunting or on missions. Killer had an insatiable urge to explore, and several times Nightmare saw it as escape attempts. Dragging Killer back inside with threats of retaliation. Only once he let Killer escape and *watch* what he did, he realized he was literally just looking around, picking up trinkets, once he stole a shirt and brought it back with him. Then he returned, willingly, to the mansion. It was no trick, no escape, just simple curiosity. Nightmare took a page out of the book of the advice from Ccino and actually complimented Killer's shirt when he finally wore it one day. Killer's hackles were raised about it, obviously afraid of punishment, but Nightmare waved it off. As long as he wasn't bringing harm to himself or running away, Nightmare didn't mind.

It was only after Killer proved himself capable of hunting down captives in the city maze that Nightmare went out to find another. The 4th Dust.

Dust was a bit more of a handful than usual. Maybe it was because Nightmare wasn't stern enough. Or maybe it was because this Killer was a lot more friendly than his others had been. This Dust immediately attacked. Instead of aiming at Nightmare, it was aimed at Killer. Normally, it the past, he would've let Killer get hurt. Learn a lesson. This time he tugged his Killer out of the line of fire and forced Dust to listen to him. Held him in place.

Dust did not wander into the city like Night had let Killer do. He was confined to the mansion, mainly because Nightmare knew the previous Dusts had a tendency to curl up and let themselves rot if given the chance. So, Nightmare made sure he was fed, and would dunk him in the pond if he refused to bathe, and was always on the watch for hostile attacks, all while Killer was usually playing antagonist.

Nightmare's actually not sure what it was, but one day Dust simply... stopped disobeying his orders. He was up for breakfast, and didn't make Nightmare drag him out to see Killer chase down a victim. Nightmare did his best to be genuine when he told Dust he was pleased to see him up and about.

(Killer had been part of the change in attitude. He would sit outside Dust's door when Night was out and tell him how good of a gig it was. Nightmare wasn't perfect, but the place was cool and it was better than an empty underground. Killer was right, it was better than an empty underground. He gave it a shot and found he didn't feel awful.)

Dust still had his days ofc. Days where he'd get overwhelmed during a mission and overwhelm his magic. Days where he'd be too exhausted or depressed to get out of bed. Days where he hated being there and wanted to go back to his old au. But, on those days Nightmare would check in on him verbally, and visit with meals, or a small gift, or answer a question. Dust liked it when Nightmare answered his questions. And Nightmare, sometimes, would twitch his tendrils and throw something around when Dust was out of commission... but never infront of him. In front of Killer? Yes. Infront of Dust? No. That was not for Dust to worry about.

Sometime after Dust warmed up to him, he resolved to let them visit Ccino. Ccino had been asking about how things were going, and Nightmare wasn't sure how to express the extent of his frustrations a lot of the time. Ccino had suggested a visit might help if they were antsy. Nightmare had agreed.

After a particularly hard day, Nightmare having run into Dream, Blue, and Ink while on a supply run with the two he had, he decided they deserved a break. He prefaced that they were not to torment. Not to harm. Not to do any damages or there would be consequences. When both had agreed, thinly veiled curiosity, Nightmare took them to the au. Just around closing time. He adopted his shapeshifted passive form and brought the two of them along.

Ccino has been... visibly shocked. These were obviously two full-grown, or at least in they 20s-30s, monsters. They didn't look like they were in the best states either. But he'd held himself strong as Nightmare guided them to sit at his and Ccino's usual rounded table, the two extra chairs now being used up. Nightmare handed them the menu, and it seemed he got hesitant orders from both of them before approaching Ccino at the counter. He ordered. Ccino got to work.

When the drinks were brought out, Ccino was almost pleasantly relieved to find that the two additional monsters had cats swarming them. Nightmare introduced them, and Ccino saw how Killer had one cat cradled in each arm, both purring up a storm. Dust had one in his lap, asleep, with one of his hoodie-strings trapped by the cat's jaws. Night didn't bother with a made-up story. Just vaguely explained that they had come from toxic and unhealthy environments and were staying with him for the time being. Like... roommates. Ccino just kinda has to accept that the other two don't seem to be in any immediate distress and minds his own business.

I think it'd be at least a year or two, Nightmare ensuring he's made Killer and Dust comfortable and loyal. Making sure he knows just how to keep them alive properly, and establishing silently to his enemies (the stars) that he's done using expendable pawns. That's when he finally collects the 4th Horror.

It was a hard choice for him. Something about seeing another Horror's face, especially after he'd finally been making an effort to provide better support and care to this Killer and Dust? He figured it out. His last Horror was only so obedient and relaxed because if he was, Nightmare went softer on the others. When the others were both gone, he lost hope. Nightmare, some part of him, was scared he'd do it all over again. Somehow lose Killer and Dust and be left with just Horror. That was why he focused so heavily on Killer and Dust's wellbeing this time. So this Horror wouldn't have to worry. Would turn out the same.

And the plan worked out. Nightmare brought himself to go find a Horror. One from a collapsing timeline, right in the cross heirs of Error's attacks. He was basically a scrap of code, and Nightmare tugged him to safety at the last second. This Horror was confused, but grateful, until he noticed Killer and Dust. Horror was entirely avoidant of the two for the longest time, willing to do as Nightmare said once he heard him out, saw what was happening, but he did NOT like Dust or Killer. He was cagey, kept to himself, only showing weakness if he was injured in battle or had fallen ill. Night tried to watch out for him, but that wedge between the three of them was troublesome. Night hoped it'd work itself out. It never quite did.

Night doesn't have a favorite. He'll refer to Killer for important tasks, he's been there the longest. He'll let Dust fall asleep on the couch near to him and curl tendrils around him while he haps. He'll find recipe books and new supplies from aus for Horror to try out. He'd willingly get in the way of any attack to improve their chances of survival. Having said this, he pays an extra attention to Horror. Everyone notices it, Horror finds it unsettling sometimes but can mostly ignore it. It isn't until a fight with Dream where Horror chases Ink off to the side and Ink reveals to him the fate of the last Horror that any of them know *why*. Horror takes time to process it, before bringing it up to Nightmare very very nervously.

Nightmare, pained, admits his previous faults. He's not proud of his methodologies back then. He doesn't admit how much he cares about this 4th round of them. He doesn't need to.

Fun bonus! There's a year where Cross comes into the picture. At first he seeks out Nightmare for his help. Like in Underverse, he wants to rebuilt his au. But Nightmare denies him. It wouldn't benefit him or the others, it wouldn't benefit the balance, find someone else. But Cross can't. When he tries to work alone, Cross finds that Dream and the stars intercept him. They assume he'd working for Nightmare, which he denies, and they try to talk with him. Ask what he's doing. Ink and Dream can't allow Cross to keep going, even if he's trying to make himself a new home. They ask if he wants to join them. Defend against evil in the multiverse. And as it is, he has to agree.

So Cross teams up with the stars for a while. But as he's working with them, things don't seem to be lining up. Dream claims Nightmare tortures his followers, trades them out like cheap toys. But... Cross never sees these ones change. And if one gets too injured, Nightmare calls a retreat. The same ones come back each time. Even in the midst of battle Nightmare seemed to keep tabs on all of his players.

Once, Cross isolated Dust from the rest of the fighting. He was wounded and clearly getting more exhausted by the second. When Cross pinned him finally, he asked if he wanted to stop fighting. To go somewhere safe. Away from Nightmare. Dust had always seemed like the most actively dis-engaged fighter of the three. Cross thought he could convince him. But Dust just stares at him and says "Nah." Before getting a second wind and summoning an attack again. Cross tried to knock him out, take him by force, but the hit just dazed him rather than knocking him out, and by then Nightmare had figured out where they were. Seeing, or sensing, Dust's state, he signals for retreat instantly. Cross is forced to move or get skewered by darkness, and he's shocked by how gently Nightmare scoops up the dazed Dust, and how willingly Dust let's it happen. Horror and Killer are right on Nightmare's tail and hop through the portal first. Night through very last.

Cross had never seen Nightmare pick up his men so carefully before. Usually they'd walk through on their own, or he'd lift with tendrils. This time he carried Dust in his own arms. That was... weird.

Cross, eventually, comes to terms with not rebuilding his AU, just being barred from it for so long. But it takes *ages* before he goes to Nightmare. For one reason or another, Cross realizes that the state of his friendship with Dream is unhealthy. I mean, Dream cares for him, but it feels overbearing. And when he asked to visit the omega timeline once, Dream advised against it. Basically placed him on house-arrest unless everyone was going out to fight. He had to stay inside Dream's au, since he was an outcode. A fragile one. (Dream was afraid of losing Cross, like he'd lost many others.)

During a fight, Cross decides he's going to try something new. He's going to get as close as physically possible to the portal at the end of the fight, and lunge inside at the last second. No weapons, no hostility, nothing. That Domain of Nightmare's is untraceable. He needs in there.

And when he enacts the plan? Nightmare actually allows it. On his end, acting like he didn't notice a thing until he steps through.

Ofc, Cross immediately got tackled and pinned by Killer, but Cross doesn't fight back. Night demands he explain himself, abd Cross takes one more hesitant look at the surrounding enemies before admitting. Dream's kept him on a short leash since he joined. No exploring, no harsh training, no visiting friends, nothing. He needed to get somewhere Dream couldn't follow him. Even though it was a suicide mission, Night's domain was the safest choice.

And Nightmare was frankly baffled. Someone had willingly chose his domain over his brother's? It was a bit of an honor. But I'm the sane breath, he couldn't just let Cross leave. If he did, then that wouldn't be just to his three loyal wards.

So, Nightmare gave him an ultimatum. Either he stayed and acted as a teammate, eventually earning privileges just like the others had, or they could kill him. No one can just freely enter the au and expect Sanctuary. Cross knew as much, and as much as it seemed to pain him, he agreed he'd work for Nightmare.

And for Cross? Nightmare decided to reach back into the old days. He told Cross he had ten minutes to go somewhere in the city. Evade for as long as he could. Told him to get running. Only when Cross had confusedly left the mansion did Nightmare tell the group that whoever could scare Cross the most, without intentionally wounding him, would get to choose the next big leisure item he brought back from supply-running.

Boy did the guys torment him! Nightmare kept an eye on it, and there was some excellent restraint from all three of them. It went on for several hours, and Nightmare only cut it short because he'd noticed Cross had developed a limp. Some sort of twisted ankle maybe? (For the record, Dust managed to win. He suggested a projector for movies and stuff.) Back at the castle they all sat at the table, including Cross (though he was wary) and ate. Then they had leisure time. Then curfew. The next morning, when Cross was still limping, he postponed further 'training' to check how truly hurt Cross was.

Basically, Cross figures out Nightmare only does fucked-up stuff because it's part of his nature. He needs to to survive. Outside of that? He's learned to be amicable and borderline kind to those he cares about. Cross is there to witness Killer getting his first cat, he's there to witness the three of them get into intense debates about high-level science and scribble all over a whiteboard, he's there to witness a lot of good moments. Including Nightmare bringing a Ccino for a visit to the house.

This Ccino visit is prompted by him noticing the boys haven't been by with Night lately. Nightmare assures him that they're fine, but also suggests Ccino could come by for a visit? And Ccino, friendly and optimistic Ccino, agrees. Nightmare, upon portalling them, walks a bit with Ccino. Explaining the nature of the realm and why he lives there. Ccino listens and accepts it, even if he is a little spooked. Nightmare then guides him to the mansion and shows him around. The guys are all screwing around in the kitchen, trying to make cookies with Horror. The three are excited to see Ccino and greet him. Cross, who was sitting in the corner trying nit to make things worse with the batter, was confused to find a normal Ccino visiting the domain. A part of him was angry, another was hurt, but he kept quiet. The Ccino was nice and greeted the others, then introduced himself to Cross. Cross did the same.

Ccino, at this point, officially became knowledgeable of the multiverse and unintentionally/intentionally aligned himself with Nightmare. Night seemed to be doing very well despite all the worries he'd had, and also, Ccino considers Night to be a friend. They discuss books together, play newspaper games, etc etc.

After Ccino leaves he starts getting more multiversal visitors, he can always tell, but he has his favorites.

...

Hard cut, day 2 of adding to this ramble post and now I have drawn designs with extra lore!!

Nightmare and Dream's magic from the apple incident has condensed around their skulls like halos! They can't be touched nir damaged by attacks, but they do glow when either is feeding/exerting their magic.

Nightmare did his best to keep the 4th round of the mtt in top shape, but it wouldn't last forever. Dust was the first one to get a major injury, though it wasn't very prominent visually. Shortly after they got Horror, Dust was slashed in the socket by one of Ink's corrosive paints. He fought through the pain, but upon getting back to the base, Nightmare discovered Dust's state. Nightmare's first instinct was to clean the wound like he'd been taught by Ccino, then to ask if Dust could still use the magic in that eye. As it stands, he still can't reconnect to the mana there. Night fought against every instinct telling him that Dust was broken, and to get a new one, and just told him to go rest and recover. Dust has a scar on his bone and his eyelight is missing in that socket. But he's alive, which is a testament to Nightmare's improvement.

Killer lost his leg shortly after they took in Cross. It was a combative fight where Dream wouldn't let up, hunting them down to any au they moved to, not allowing them to make the supply run they'd been on (it was after a period of quiet after Cross ran and was taken in by Night. Dream + the others believe Nightmare killed him.). It was Blue who almost got a solid hit in on Dust, but Killer got in the way to block. Only, he wasn't sturdy enough and his leg-bone practically shattered when he tried to stop Blue's swing. Horror scooped Killer up, and in the wave of negativity and Dust's cursing that followed, Nightmare signaled a retreat.

Under normal circumstances, such a substantial, mobility-altering, injury would prompt Nightmare to just put a follower out of their misery and claim a new one. But. Not anymore. He had to act fast because Killer was fading in consciousness abd Nightmare was never one for major wounds like limb loss. Luckily, Horror was familiar, and him and Night managed to stop Killer's limb from dusting any further up his body. (Dust was furious with Killer for taking that hit. Horror was shocked. Nightmare regretted not taking up the rear in the first place. Cross was mortified to see Killer in such a state and was 1000% sure Night was going to off him.)

Recovery for Killer was... rocky. About 50/50 good/bad days, but he pulled through and learned to use a prosthetic. In the meantime, Cross offered to cover for Killer on runs if he was needed, a good step for Cross and for Nightmare. But, instead, Nightmare asked Cross to focus on making sure Killer didn't hurt himself while the others were out on runs. He couldn't risk revealing Cross' being alive just yet. This leads to plenty of Killer Cross bonding time, and Killer gets to tell all sorts of stories about how much the Boss has been improving. Killer knows he was the pet project, the test dummy to this 'new him'. Nightmare hasn't laid much of a finger on Horror, abd only let them spook Cross, while Killer was tossed around like a ragdoll. And now look! Night was going through the trouble of replacing his limb and nursing him back to health! For Killer it's like watching someone take their first steps. Cross realizes then that Nightmare hasn't always been like this. He used to be worse. He's taking steps on his own to improve. And for what? The sakes of Killer, Dust, and Horror?

Meanwhile, Dream has Blue and Ink, both of whom he extends his positive magic to. Even when they're in their own domains, they can spread his aura to those they interact with and call upon his power.

Unlike those two, he's also allied with Outer and Lust! Those two are from the omega timeline, and they work to help anyone fleeing from destroyed, corrupted, or otherwise uninhabitable aus. They had their own little thing going before Dream entered the picture, but when he approached them about seeing anyone from a destroyed au, they kept in contact. Now they act as a little home-base, keeping track of the battles and the conflicts and making sure the main three fighters don't work themselves into the ground. And! Because the main 3 are always out and about? If you need help with smaller tasks, Lust and Outer are on it. Lust finds it a nice distraction from his past and anxieties, and Outer does it as repayment to Dream (who saved his life from the 3rd Killer once).

Uhhh, one last note I think? Horror is the favorite child from an outsider + inside pov. Night doesn't think that way, but he is actively more careful with Horror than the others. He feels like he failed the last one (he failed all of them but y'know) and he can fix it with this one. This one doesn't understand the treatment and often resents it, but decides not to say anything lest he offset whatever kindness Nightmare is doing for the others. The others don't mind that Horror is effectively the favorite. They know Nightmare was fucked up long before they arrived, and it was just one of his many quirks.

[catherine-sketches]

Arcane x Game of Thrones crossover where Viktor is isekaied into Viserys, brother of Daenerys, Mother of Dragons, body

He wakes up on a house in Bravos with these memories that make zero sense to him but the euphoria of functioning lungs are distracting him from analyzing it to much

There is an old man there. He calls him prince. The old man is dying and the servants have a greed in their eyes that Viktor knows well, he was seen it enough on the streets of Zaun

A hunger for more after years of scraps while in the shadows of prosperity

He could fight them, poison them even. The trouble such actions may bring to him would be worth for his sole survival in the long run. But he is not alone in here.

There is a girl. Not older than a toddler.

Dany. His new sister.

The choice is easy really. So there he goes, a staff made from one of the thicker branches of the lemon tree in the front yard (he misses his cane turned staff. Even with both legs functioning, he missed the weight in his hand. And, as the undercity had shown him, having something that you could use as a range weapon was always a good thing) in the dead of the night to steal as much food and coin he can carry with him

He takes one of the fabrics with him so he can wrap it around the tiny girl that is now his responsibility. He wraps her to his back, her tiny body flush against him. Alive, close, protected.

She nuzzles closer to his neck, her tiny hands on his shoulders.

He knows her for only a day and he would destroy the world for her

When he goes back to his world (because he would find a way back) he would be taking her with him

A staff, a purse of coins, a bag with food and a toddler on his back

That’s how the first assassin sent by King Robert finds them

That’s the last thing said assassin sees before the young prince stabs him, hits him in the head with the staff and drops him in the river

Viktor grew up in Zaun. An assassin had to do way better than that if they wanted to off him. Especially because he was fighting for someone besides himself

For himself ? He would survive.

For Dany? He would thrive!

[honeyconez]

guys hear me out would painis cupcake pay taxes? Because he’s not like mega insane like ass pancakes I think he’d pay his taxes in my professional opinion.

[man-destroyer]

tell us about ancient spanish?

Yeah!

so. In the beginning of my comic (I'm assuming you havent read it, if you have I'm sorry) the main character is getting established as sort of a "master bullshitter" and very lucky. He's not stupid, the reason he's alive is because he reads situations quickly and lies very well... and at this point my editor had been repeatedly treating him with this sort of bumbling idiot trope, so I was already a bit frustrated.

He's caught as a stowaway on a pirate ship, and is bullshitting a treasure hunt so the pirates keep him alive long enough that he could escape. So, he makes a fake treasure map in Spanish, hoping that the pirates won't know any... because if they can just kill him and take the map, they will. And one of them knows Spanish!

So, the joke I put in to resolve the situation (which I kept) was "but can you READ Spanish?" where he's banking on the pirate's illiteracy, and he lucks out because she can't read.

but my editor wanted him to say "but do you know... ancient spanish?" which makes no sense and isnt funny LMAO to me.

There were a lot of instances like this, but this is the one I remember the most because my editor like. argued with me on putting ancient spanish in there... It was a back and forth for a good bit.

[impinged]

You would snort if you didn't have a certain image to upload, not that you really care about that in the present moment. "Fair enough," you relent, "Can't be Isabeau without some beau-ty sleep, right?" Okay, you snorted anyway. A victim to your own joke!!

And your reward? No, no reward for you... Just a tomato thrown at you. A fluffy white tomato that strikes at your poor, innocent arm. Ohhh, the humanity!

How could you expect such reper-cushions?! Your arm didn't stand a chance!! You weakly raise it, shakily grasping at air until you flop down on the bed and let it dangle off the side as if you've lost all feeling in it. Nooo, you quietly protest. My good arm, Isa... You got my good arm... You'd root around in your pockets for a handkerchief to mimic the blood that would spur from such a wound, but that would be excessive. So instead you bring your other hand, and with a small pshew noise, flick your fingers around where the contact was made. It's still a weird thing to commit to. It doesn't strike you as all that funny now that you've done it, really. In your opinion at least. You're not going to think about Isabeaus, this one or otherwise, who might agree with you on that.

Jokes aside. Your lackluster performance's curtain call. You lift your head to get a better look at him. Was it too much after all? You can't tell, and he's rambling, and he says you're keeping him up, that he should leave.

"I want you to stay." Eugh. That sounds needy. You don't correct yourself. You just don’t like how that was your takeaway, out of all the muttering he was doing, that was what you had to call attention to.

"Besides, I..." You...? It doesn't click right away, what you're caught up on. And then it does, and you instantly regret implying it. "I said we could talk here, didn't I?" And you hated that you did that. Hate that you're doing it again.

Feeling returns to your arm. If you were still joking around, you'd hum a little fanfare and proclaim I'm cured! But you're not, in both senses, so you just grab the pillow you smacked him with and lay back down. Curl into it. Hide yourself just enough to feel not so exposed despite your offer making that impossible. So then. In an effort of, uh, good will? A treaty for peace between the feather-down weapons you wield? You want to make good on what you offered.

You glance away. It's hard. You still do not want to talk, and it's getting increasingly obvious that you yourself are, well, obvious about that. But you dug this hole, this comfy, cushion-y hole, and now you must lie in it, adorned with blankets and your head atop a pillow... eventually. Right. Well...

"I... I'll answer one question. For now. Is that okay?" More like, is that enough? You promise you'll answer it even if you don't want to, and you can practically guarantee you won't want to. But the rest can come later. Has to come later. After some sleep, maybe over breakfast. Okay, maybe not that soon. Definitely not that soon. A different breakfast maybe. Or anything. Sometime later. That's all that matters.

"y-yeah? i mean, yeah! it... it is! nice."

it really is. he'd been running on pure adrenaline since he was kidnapped (barely got any rest at the clocktower, either), so to just... lie down? with the person he'd been begging the change god to find? 'nice' doesn't cover it! in the silence that follows, his eyelids only grow heavier--

drooping... drifting... "MMPH!?" pillow attack??? siffrin betrayal!?!?

isabeau draws out a whine, "whaaaat. did our nights together mean nothing, sif? so mean! so cruel..." a fake tear wiped from his cheek; pout pathetic, "takes lots of energy to be a big, strong man, you know! i need my nappies..."

their teasing, giddy as it instinctively makes him, brings a shred of doubt along with it. it should be exciting! usually is! but he can't make heads or tails of it, and it's taking a serious amount of self-control to keep his cheery face from falling.

it just-- it's probably forced, isn't it? like a picture-perfect, playful mask they're maintaining. the harsh reality of it snags, if only because he wishes he could be someone they'd confide in, now that he knows. they don't have to pretend anymore!

sif isn't okay. he hasn't slept in his bed in who-knows-how long. he doesn't want to talk about it. and isabeau? he's a coward who gives up at the first sign of distress.

it doesn't deter him, though! he's hesitant to back off, and not for the want of staying close (that's a reason, not the reason). they looked so peaceful earlier-- if nothing else, could he bring them there again? it's not much, but what else can he do...?

"on second thought, if anyone should fill out a napplication, it's you. i mean, could you even withstand... my countera-thwack!?" he yoinks the other pillow -- stiff and cold from disuse -- and smacks it against their arm! (smacks, pats, same difference).

whew, alright. ask, isabeau! don't be presumptuous.

"...um. jokes aside," he sits up to clear some of the fog, hugging the feathery cushion to his stomach, "would you approve? i'll try extra hard to stay up, of course! i still wanna hang! but i won't lie, i miiight pass out eventually. or-- or not! who knows! i could just leave, if that's easier?" stop! rambling! "sorry... got too swept up in the reunion feelies to notice how sleepy i've been."