#heh. disarm.

[sadisthetic]

disarm. dismantle. disable.

[suguru-getos]

not to brag literally not to brag at all, but the pretty privilege i have is INSANE ok? like literally INSANE

[slowbison]

Could you write reader Fucking Miguel and leaving him full of cum and desperate while having a cage on getting so desperate and needy and then making him go to meetings and patrols

And could it be villain reader

a/n: your mind is yummyyyy, never thought of villain reader. well i kinda did, but ur's activated a deep part of my brain that was like yeahh this one. anyway, hope ya like :]

Bottom! Miguel O'Hara x Villain! Male Reader

words: 2.6k

warnings: humiliation, anal sex, butt plug, chastity device (cock cage), smut

“We really should go out on a date sometime, hm?” You said, rolling your hips with a particularly sharp thrust into the trembling man. The man was bent over a desk, claws gripping the desk and kept spewing out broken cries as you fucked him.

“Please let me cum, I-I can’t take it anymore.. please!” He begged, wailing as you continued to rock in him.

Your eyes darkened and grabbed the back of his head, rubbing his head into the desk. “I warned you Spidey not to be late or I’ll blow up everyone in that damned bank,” You leaned down, snarling in his ear and picked up the pace, fucking him harder into the desk.

Miguel arched his back and a silent cry escaped his mouth, clenching around your cock harder. He could feel his eyes roll to the back of his head as you continued your relentless pace, digging your hand into his head and hips. You groaned at the feeling of his tight ass, sucking you in deeper. “Haha, it’s a good thing that Nueva’s number one whore will do anything to protect them, right darling?”

Shame and arousal coursed within Miguel as you reminded the man how he got to this predicament.

It had been another night of patrolling Nueva York, he was alone this time around which meant his pace of dealing with criminals slowed. During one of his fights, he forgot the arrangement made between you and him on meeting at a specific location. He only realized after the fight, hearing a loud explosion in the distance that you were upset at his delayed arrival. Making his way as fast as he could, he found you standing at the top of a bank, detonator in hand. Spider-Man knew that only the left side of the bank that had no civilian’s was blown and he revealed himself, carefully walking closer to you and the tied up woman at his feet.

“Oh! Spider-Man, so good of you to finally join us,” You sneered at him, stepping over the hostage under your foot.

“V/n, let the girl go. It’s me that you want, not her.”

You huffed at the man and picked up the woman off the floor by her hair, shoving the detonator in her face. She cried harder and screamed every time the button was slightly pressed up against her cheek, desperately staring at the hero. “Unfortunately, I’m not interested in pets that refuse orders” You spoke plainly, moving your hand to the woman’s face, gripping it in your palm. “Maybe I should take this one and train it properly, hm? She’d make a fine slut don’t you think?” You purred, wiping the woman’s tears away with your thumb as she cried harder.

Miguel was about to take another step before you angrily jabbed the detonator in his direction.

“One more fucking step and everyone blows up right now, stay back.” You hissed, the woman began to tremble more and pleaded to be let go. “Look what you’ve done Spidey! The poor lamb is so scared”

“You can do anything you want with me, just let her go V/n.”

“Anything?” You mused.

“Heh, fine then. Catch,” You laughed, shoving the detonator in the woman's mouth and throwing her off the building. Miguel jumped to save her, wrapping his arms around her and landed on the floor. Taking the device out of her mouth, quickly disarming it before looking back up, only to find you had disappeared.

Gritting his teeth, Miguel went to chase after you, leaving the woman and the police force to handle the rest of the situation. He caught up to you, jumping from rooftops and hovering cars before slipping through an alleyway.

Still hot on your tail, Miguel clawed on the walls of the alley, but felt a strong tug on his foot that slammed him into an old abandoned office, a dark snicker coming from above him. Miguel felt his anger rising and began trading blows with you. Punching you square on the face while you kicked at his side, watching as he tumbled into a corner. He growled, claws protruding as he pounced at you once more, blocking his claws with your knife.

The fight continued for some time, both of men bleeding from cuts and bruised from the battle. You had the hero’s chest pinned against the desk and arms clasped in your grip, rutting against his ass, groaning at the feeling. Miguel returning your grinding with his own, stifled a low whine behind his clenched teeth hoping to stop any noises from escaping. You laughed at his attempt to stop himself from giving you the pleasure that he enjoyed your toying.

“Why hide that you’re enjoying this slut? If you give me your ass, I could do much more than just this, darling” You cooed, giving him a particular strong thrust, a small whine slipping past his lips.

“Or should I disable it for you?”

Miguel craned his neck to look at you and tensed, before the pixels covering his ass dissipated, revealing that he had nothing on underneath. You grinned, slithering your hand from his arms to grab a handful of his cheeks. “Not even wearing anything decent underneath, you really love to give easy access to anyone that promises to fuck you” You said, kneading the mound in your hands then slapping it, repeating the action a few more times. Each slap eliciting a small groan or moan that got progressively louder as you hit harder.

“Don’t mind if I do then, doll.”

Was all Miguel remembered as for the next few minutes you began your assault on him. Eating and pounding his ass into the hard desks while he tried, but failed to maintain some dignity as if he wasn’t just some shameless whore moaning and begging for one of the city's notorious villains. Leading to the current situation where he’s been begging to cum after you’ve denied his requests multiple times, citing that he should just be a good whore and take what he gets.

Your breath hitched as you mercilessly pounded into him, soon to reach your own pleasure. Miguel let out a wanton cry as his vision turned white, body trembling, trying to contain his desire to cum all over the desk. The sight of how the man squirms underneath you spurs you on, balls tighten as you fucked into him as roughly as you could.

Miguel begging slurred as he barely managed any coherent word. Leading to the quivering man’s orgasm wrenched from him with a drawled moan, spilling all over the desk with some dripping to the floor. Realizing that he failed to adhere to your command, he clenched around your shaft in hopes for your forgiveness.

You grit your teeth at the action and thrusted harder, slamming into the man continuously then stilled as your cum coated his walls. Letting out a deep groan as emptied inside, determined to fill him full. Miguel pitifully whined at the feeling, even more so when you left. You returned with a plug in your hand and eased it into him, hearing him softly groan at the intrusion.

Miguel began to catch his breath, loosening his grip on the desk now that he no longer needed to hold on for life at the force of your thrusts.

“Oh don’t relax just yet doll, we’re not done here” You grinned, flipping him on his back. Miguel didn’t put up a fight as you manhandled him, only getting curious when he felt cold metal encase his flaccid cock.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Miguel hissed at the cold feeling, lifting his body off the desk to get a better look.

“I’ve decided to extend our little session together Spidey, extending your punishment” You muttered, adjusting the chastity device around his cock, a pleased hum as it fit perfectly. The man grabbed your other hand that held the key and met his gaze.

“I have no use for a pet that doesn’t listen to orders, much less one that disobeys” You stated, grabbing the man’s face. His mask hid his expression, but you could feel his conviction from your words. Releasing your hand from his grasp and over his caged dick, aligning the key at the top with the lock. “So then, will you accept your punishment and wait for orders or do I have to use extreme measures?” You spoke lowly, bored eyes staring into the hero.

Miguel bit his lip in thought, “If I wear that, don’t terrorize the city for the week, promise that.”

“Trying to set demands with me? You really need to know your place” You tutted, giving him a sly smile before continuing, “Fine, since you’re the best free slut in this city.” You chuckled darkly and slipped the key into the lock, pocketing the key.

“Clean yourself up, your little spider friends should be arriving soon. Be good until then, pet.” You warned, escaping through a door, leaving the man to make himself presentable before he could be caught. Just as he was about finished, the wall busted open as the Scarlet Spider and Spider Woman arrived.

“That was a perfect dramatic entrance, now where’s the V/n.  I’ll trap him with my amazing biceps, maybe get some work in with my quads, while you back me up.” Ben rasped, flexing his arms and scanned around the room.

“He got away,” Miguel snapped, turning to leave, a slight limp noticeable as he walked.

“You alright there? Seems like he had you good if you're walking like that” Jess asked, watching as the man tensed and straightened his back. “You can ride with me if you want.”

“No thanks, I’m fine. Let’s just get back to HQ and finish up the meeting for today” Miguel said, jumping out of the wall. He groaned as he could feel the plug nested so deeply inside and grit his teeth to stop himself from moaning.

Ben huffed, upset that there wasn’t going to be any action and followed behind, Jess riding along besides him.

Once at headquarters, Miguel could barely think straight as he desperately tried not to think about how full he felt with your cum still warm. He bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to let out a needy whine in front of everyone. Worse when he felt his dick twitching at the thought yet was confined in its cage. It served to remind him of how he was under your mercy and only you could decide to give him relief. Miguel pinched the bridge of his nose, helplessly trying to will his boner away while a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder.

“You alright Miguel? If it’s about V/n, we’re sure to catch him next time buddy.” Peter softly spoke, Mayday tilting her head at the anguished expression on his face. Not wanting to draw more attention to himself, he calmly stated to the father, “I’m fine Peter, I’ll handle it on my own.”

Peter wanted to say more, but Miguel stood and walked to the front of the office to give an overview of the current state of the multiverse. He had hoped it would distract him from any thoughts surrounding V/n and how he wanted nothing more than to track down the man, kneeling at his feet.

The sentiment continued as he returned back to the city on patrol, hoping to find the villain as he could feel his cock stirred in its cage. He wasn’t alone this time and was joined by the Spectacular Spider-Man much to his chagrin. They had heard a man’s terrified screams that led them to a group of thugs giving him a beat down.

Miguel and the young Peter Parker had assumed that it would be a relatively simple job as they were just average thugs. But as the fight continued with only two down and three more to go, they realized they were much tougher than anticipated. Still, nothing they can’t handle. Then they heard a deep, menacingly laugh coming from above, one that Miguel knew all too well.

“V/n!” Miguel and Peter yelled. Watching the man smile and bowed to greet his audience.

“Pleasure to be of service, though I’m only interested in one of you spiders yelling my name.” You purred, eyes locking onto Miguel’s, even if you couldn’t see his eyes.

“Boss! Don’t worry about these guys, I’ll take care of them” Peter said as he threw one of the henchmen into the wall. “You chase after him! I’ll take care of the guy who's hurt too.”

Miguel nodded and crawled up to the roof, chasing after the man once more. A mixture of anger that his heroic side wanted to capture you and put you in prison where you belong, but an overwhelming desire to continue where they left off.

He watched as you turned the corner and slipped into an opened window. Carefully coming up to the small entrance, he squeezed in and stood inside the apartment. There was rustling coming from a door down the hall and silently crept towards the noise. Peering into the door was V/n lighting a candle with a match and flicking the dead stick into a corner, a pleasant aroma filling the air.

“It’s good that it’s just you here, I’d hate for us to be rudely interrupted” You said, turning the lamp on the dresser on before sitting on the chair across from the bed. Miguel disabled his location and sent a quick message to young Peter not to worry about him. He was about to walk into the room when you shook your head, tutting your lips at him.

“Crawl,” You demanded.

Miguel was apprehensive about doing such a degrading act, but with his cock starting to beg for the man’s attention, the pain and arousal of being trapped in a cage swept over him. You pat your thigh as he slowly get's down on his hands and knees, crawling to you. He felt so humiliated even if there was no one around, making him clench around the plug.

Once he was nestled between your legs, you murmured a gentle “Good boy” and softly petted his head, as if he was your loving pet, a dog begging for attention. Clasping your hand at the back of his head, you shoved his face into your dick bulging in your pants. Miguel felt part of his anger reignite, wanting to curse you out in Spanish, but his body betrayed him and a low whine emerged from his throat.

Pixels dissipated from his mask, allowing only his mouth available and began to mouth at your cock, hoping to please you. It only fueled his embarrassment and shame as he kept letting out needy moans, acting like some cheap whore for a man who should be put behind bars.

You chuckled at his pathetic state and watched as the man who denied that he enjoys being treated as such, didn’t even realize he began to hump your leg. Moving his head away, you unbuckle your belt and pull your cock free from his restraints, something the man longed for as well.

“C’mon then” you paused, watching Miguel look up at you. Behind the mask covering his eyes, you could feel his lustful gaze through it and grinned, licking your lips.

“Get back to work, whore.”

You were going to have fun breaking him.

a/n: not all that sure if anyone would be exactly interested, but part of V/n was inspired by the Joker. but like fanfiction joker, if that makes sense which prolly doesn’t. the types where he’s like crazy but like doing just enough to keep the villain title going so Batman keeps going for him. well at least from the ones I’ve read, heheh.

up next: reader request! leon s kennedy x top male reader. leon and reader, top of the academy students and fierce rivals. must learn to work together to rescue ashley from the insane cult. god bless her soul if she's got to deal with those angry horny dogs.

[augustinewrites]

cw: jjk manga spoilers (up to 221), blood, sword fights heh + note: it's finally here, and somehow it's worse than shibuya!

“is he gonna be mad?”

“satoru?” you snort lightly, taking another bite of your frozen yogurt. “he’s just going to ask if you won. he might try to take the sequel of that new book set you got as punishment— but i’ll see what i can do.” 

across the table, megumi huffs, leaning back into the plush booth. you’d picked him up early from school today, the reason being yet another suspension. his second since he’d started the school year. you suppose that’s the reason for his sullen disposition and existential crisis. 

“am i a bad person?”

you glance up at him in acknowledgement, but take a moment before answering. he stirs the frozen yogurt around in its cup, looking rather glum.

there’s a delicate way of going about these types of things. children (especially teenagers) are complicated creatures. they’re still at their most malleable, your words and actions shaping their very future.

“i don’t think you’re a bad person, megumi,” you answer softly, setting your spoon down. 

“but i…i keep doing bad stuff,” he argues dejectedly. “and— and i was mean to tsumiki—”

“hey. no one’s born wanting to do bad things,” you tell him. “and when they do…it’s usually more complicated than we think. there are bad situations where sometimes we have to do bad things. even if we don’t want to. even if we’re not proud of them.” 

“but how do you know that i’m not?” he asks again, and your heart aches. 

“because i know you,” you smile. “i’ve known you for eight years, megumi. yeah, i think you could afford to try using your words instead of your fists once in a while, and be a little nicer to your sister…but i know everything you do comes from a good place.”

megumi doesn’t reply, staring out the window with that pensive frown of his. all you can do is wonder if you and satoru have done right by him. if you’re doing right by him now. (such is the life of a parent, you suppose.)

all you can do is hope. 

“hey,” you grin, holding your hand out to him. “promise me something?”

_____

you stumble backwards, narrowly avoiding being gutted by a sword. gasping, your fingers fumble with the hem of your shirt, the material sliced right above the small, almost imperceptible bump of your stomach. 

your megumi would never hurt you. your megumi, your sweet, gentle boy who still muttered the song about bunny ears as he tied his shoes. who always offered his sister the last bite of cake, even though you knew he wanted it for himself. who cried the first time his shikigami were injured in battle. 

but this isn’t megumi.

you barely dodge the blade again, ducking and sending your demon dogs out to slow him down as you sprint down the alley. your heart shatters at the sound of a high-pitched whine, but you can’t stop, you can’t look back—

“going somewhere?”

you skid to a stop in front of him, staggering back as quickly as you can. 

megumi— no, sukuna stands in front of you now, holding a sword you’d taught his vessel how to make, how to use. 

“please,” you beg, thinking of tsumiki’s body a few blocks away. thinking of gojo in the prison realm. you can’t lose anyone else today. “please let him go.”

“i don’t think so,” he grins, sick and twisted as he slowly makes his way towards you. “if only he’d unlocked his full potential sooner. if only you had.” 

“he’s just a child.” you say, voice trembling. you look around. there’s no use in running. he’s gotten much too strong.

but you’re not ready to die either.

he wasn’t patient, lunging first and taking the offense. it’s a struggle to meet him at every swing, deflecting blows that send tremors down the sword’s point of impact and reverberate through your arms. 

playing defence is the smart move. you’d wait for an opening or a drop in his own defence. then your goal would be to disarm him and attempt to grant yourself an advantage. 

(in theory, at least.)

when your swords lock once more, he forces them to the side, kicking you square in the chest. the impact knocks you onto your back. before you can get up, he’s on top of you, driving his sword into your shoulder.

the pain is so blinding, so white-hot and tortuous that you almost immediately pass out when he pulls it free and tosses it out of your reach. 

sukuna is in your face now, lips peeled back into a smirk as he laughs, the top of his finger slowly dragging down your face.

“putting you down now would be letting this brat off too easy. doing it slowly, however—”

“get off her.”

your heart skips a beat. that voice. 

there’s a flash of recognition in megumi’s eyes. just a for a second. 

“satoru?” 

“is that any way to treat the person who washed your underwear for almost ten years?” he tsks, hands in his pockets as he steps into the alley, quite literally kicking the king of curses off of you.

he sweeps you off the floor as gently as possible, your stomach flipping at the familiar sensation of being teleported.

you’re not in the alley anymore, you’re up on the roof of a building. as soon as satoru sets you on your feet, you look up, studying his face. the eyes you love so much stare back at you. 

the emotions you’d kept bottled up since he’d been gone pour out at once. proof of your heartache, anger, pain, and loneliness spilling over your lash line.

suddenly there’s too much space between you and you tentatively take a step forward. 

“it’s you,” you breathe. “it’s really you.” 

he says your name softly, and arms you’d longed for envelop you. you feel safe, if only for a moment.

“you need to get to ieiri,” he whispers, a hand cupping your cheek gently. “go. i’ll stop him.”

you both close your eyes, as if the words hurt.

_____

“promise me you’ll always be good.” 

megumi sighs, but places his hand in yours, squeezing it tightly.

“i’ll see what i can do.”

[genericpuff]

i find it funny that one of rachel’s drawings of herself in the afterword that just went up is just fully persephone. is that something she does a lot?

Alright so I've been making it a general rule for myself to like, not harp on Rachel in any way outside of LO as much because frankly the horse is dead now and there's not much left to say outside of what can be analyzed in hindsight. I think despite everything I have to say about her and her work, she still deserves to get away from this nonsense and I don't wanna spend eternity hovering over her shoulder.

But the afterword was posted within the LO series and is clearly meant for readers of LO in the functioning of being an afterword so let's just call it fair game LOL

I will say, on the whole, it does feel very honest and sentimental and I can respect Rachel for taking the time to write out and illustrate her afterword in a way that was personal to both her and her fans. I can understand why she went at it from the angle that she did and I'm not gonna fault her for that.

But there's also something that feels deeply... disingenuous about her approach right from the starting gun. I will say, before I continue, that I'm well aware I am biased towards Rachel as a creator, and I fully acknowledge that I could very well be reading too much into things. This is just my opinion, take it with mountains of salt.

I can get looking back on your own childhood, your past self, whatever, and going "see! it all got better!" because sure! For a lot of creators like Rachel, it must be wild to look back on where they came from and there's a lot of sentimentality on expressing that through an afterword like this where she reflects on where she came from. Though she STILL didn't acknowledge her other comics outside of LO, I can understand if she wants to leave those skeletons in the closet.

But I feel like her drawing herself as a child who's being given an Eisner by her adult self and all that just feels like some gross attempt to disarm any criticism of her because "don't make fun of me, I'm just a sad lonely baby girl!"

She's not a child. Child Rachel didn't grossly misappropriate Greek myth into their own self-indulged vanity project. Child Rachel didn't claim herself a folklorist of a culture's works only to bastardize them completely. Child Rachel didn't create a hostile environment within her fanbase by bullying anyone who she perceived as a threat, sneaking into critical spaces to try and cause trouble, and writing her own clapbacks into her comic. Child Rachel didn't claim to be challenging misogyny and purity culture only to reinforce misogyny and purity culture through her own self-insert baby-virgin-gets-rescued-by-rich-tycoon power fantasy that regularly glorified abuse towards women and the lower class.

30-almost-40-year-old Rachel did though.

At best it comes across as really cringe sentimentality from a Greek-weeb (heh, greeboo) and goes to show how much Rachel inserted herself into Greek myth without ever absorbing its messages or cultural contexts, it was all about her and her feelings as a sad New Zealand girl with dyslexia who thought Persephone's story was about another sad girl being rescued from her "horrible childhood".

At worst it's an active attempt to play on people's heartstrings by drawing herself as a child who people will naturally not want to criticize. I don't want to assume she's doing it intentionally, I really don't want to leave her afterword on a bad foot, as I can definitely understand as both a creator and a person who struggled with learning disabilities in their own childhood how and why she wants to pay homage to her past and where she came from... but let's just say, as someone who's also gotten way too "lost in the sauce" concerning personal self-reflective projects, I think there's a lot to say about how this confirms that Rachel made LO entirely for herself, about herself, without any actual intention to respect the original myths, because she never truly separated them from herself when she was a child. And, in my humble opinion as someone who has Been There with the self-insert OC's and self-reflective angsty plotlines, I can fully attest to the fact that that's not fucking healthy. Even with personal projects, you NEED to learn to get your head out of the sauce, you NEED to learn to objectively separate yourself from the narrative so the story doesn't fall apart under your own hubris and ego, you NEED to learn to draw a line if you want to have any sort of identity as a human being outside of what you make for people. And that's with just normal original stories, this was a story based on Greek myth which doesn't belong to her.

And this goes for a lot of the things she's said and done in the past, so much of her own "sources" even are tethered to things that she read / watched in her childhood and only vaguely remembers, as if she never mentally left her childhood at all, which just... if the point was to highlight her past and the traumas she went through and how they contributed to her present, an Eisner isn't going to validate those experiences. And drawing attention to her past through the lens of her childhood self absolutely 100% does not absolve her of the negative effect her work has had on the modern Greek myth zeitgeist nor the things she's said and done as a 38 year old woman who should absolutely know better.

The community she entered and took from will forever remain changed by her influence and taking, in many ways not for the better. She has the privilege of walking away and never having to think about it again, with all the awards and accolades that were bought for her, the bravado that she built around being a "folklorist" with zero credentials, and the platform she was given over many other creators struggling to even be heard.

That "place" she claims to have now was built entirely on inserting herself into another culture's works and doing nothing but taking, taking, taking, while offering nothing in return but vanity and lip service. That "place" was paid for and brought to you by Webtoons.

[melonisopod]

Canto I: Abnos have a theme of "transformation," where they act in stages you need to disarm (heh) to fully get through (the Calendar's 'dormant' phase where you can only attack the Masked Dolls, Ebony Queen's vines you have to detangle, the Golden Apple's first phase before it unleashes its mass of maggots)

Canto II: Abnos are never fought directly, instead have a theme of enslavement/possession. What you fight instead are its 'minions' (Become Strong has the augmented robots, Pink Shoes has possessed corpses and robots, Baba Yaga has the frozen neighbors), only Pink Shoes is properly "neutralized"

Canto III: We technically never see a "straight" Abnormality, instead what are fought are human Inquisitors using EGO suits often Corroded. Kromer is a *weird* case as she is (probably) a human who behaves mechanically like an Abnormality (her lack of SP gauge and what *should* be either manifesting EGO or Distorting, while giving indication of neither)

Canto IV: Abnos all have a theme around tears/sadness/water; So That No One Will Cry is an obvious one just from its name; Brazen Bull who is always seeking water to relieve its suffering; Fairy Gentleman who offers you a glass of Fairy Wine; Shock Centipede, who is either given electric shocks or dropped in a tank of water; and Drifting Fox, the abandoned mutt caught in the rain, with only ragged umbrellas that can't keep it dry.

Canto V: Abnos have a theme around "miniboss sidequests," the main entity being surrounded by targets you have to kill first before you can properly fight the main target. Ambling Pearl has the Slime you have to attack so it can't 'eat' to boost its strength; Skin Prophet has its candles you have to light so that it can see you; Dream-Devouring Siltcurrent has the Flotsam you have to break both to breathe and to have it charge into.

Canto VI: There are no Abnormalities here this is just Heathcliff working out his childhood trauma and relationship problems.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Vil, Jack: a Strength that Shines

Ayyy, it’s the childhood friends (?) from the Shaftlands!! It feels like forever since we last got any significant interactions between Vil and Jack. Nice to see them chatting again~

bdjwvsjsGuabs THAT GROOVY THOUGH… Vil looks so judgmental and dismissive 😭 Channeling all his Mean Girl energy to diss Neige Snow White, lol

A Tale as Old as Time.

Four sides drew together to form a glittering box. A lovely maiden rested within the coffin-like casing of the photo frame. Her lips as red as blood, her hair as dark as ebony, and her skin as fair as snow.

She was circled by foliage, her sun-dappled face tilting up, disarmed by some distant call. The girl cupped her dainty hands together, housing a small baby blue bird in her palms. Kindness, goodness, grace—she exuded all of them.

Vil scoffed, tossing golden hair over his shoulder. Her smile was reminiscent of a rival celebrity, one pure as a dove's feathers.

So carefree, so cheery.

How irritating, he sighed.

"One ought to be more cautious in the woods. Who knows what dangers might lurk nearby, wishing to enact harm upon her.

"For a glamour shot though... Hmm, yes. This composition is acceptable. The sunlight is angled upon her face in a pleasing way—it casts a golden glow on her pale visage and highlights the highest points: cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. The impression is one of total innocence.”

A soft grunt sounded from beside him.

"She's... shining," Jack commented plainly. His critique, clipped. “Didn’t you do a photo shoot like this recently? Similar place and everything.”

Vil’s beauty was momentarily marred by a grimace. “Yes, as promotional material for an upcoming film. However, the feel of it was completely different than what you see here.”

Shadows instead of sunlight. Temptation in the place of innocence.

He, poised amid the creeping branches and dark leaves, a tatter cloak clinging to his curves. A single, crimson apple in his grasp, a sultry look directed at the camera.

He tried to picture himself like the girl in the frame countless times over. Kneeling among the woodland creatures, smiling so serenely. Any pro could pull it off—he included.

But the image never turned out right in his mind.

Not the right amount of sweetness, not natural enough.

Not quite the same.

Not at all.

Blood, sweat, tears. Sacrifices made at the altar. Yet still, the world yielded nothing but broken promises and shattered dreams. The splintered parts and shambles of them, he gathered, forming his own makeshift hope and determination.

He couldn’t give in here.

Vil’s perfectly groomed brows scrunched up.

“I shall have to endeavor to work even harder. I’m not satisfied with things as they are now.”

“Heh.” Jack cocked a small, lopsided grin. “Keeping on the grind… That’s just like you. You've got this."

“Obviously. Nothing will get accomplished otherwise.” Vil’s eyes passed over to the beastmen. “Presumably, you are doing the same."

"Yeah. Haven't skipped a day of my training regimen." Jack slapped a hand on his bicep, which fit snuggly in his glittering white sleeve. "We'll take out RSA next track and field meet!"

"I'd certainly hope so. If I am to taste sweet revenge, I'd prefer it be by my own hand... but I trust you to deliver in my place. I expect good news when next we speak. Do not disappoint me."

"Yessir!" Jack's tail wagged enthusiastically. He stood alert, saluting like a loyal knight. “I'll do my best!"

“Then it looks as though we both have our long-term goals set.” The dorm leader planted his hands on his waist—slim, cinched.

"Yours is...?"

"To surpass myself." Vil jerked his chin toward the girl in the painting. "To shine so brightly that my name not only goes down in history, but overshadows that which was written before."

"That's some big dream you have." Jack shook his head. "The scale's beyond what I can imagine. But knowing how stubborn you are, Vil-senpai... You seriously won't quit until you make that dream come true."

"My, my. Stubborn, am I?" He smirked, arms crossed. "I do believe it takes one to know one.

"You stand back and watch. I'll show you just how dazzling I can be."

His eyes held a steeliness to them. It was matched only by the same in Jack’s. Two strong men and their wills, meeting on equal grounds.

Jack simply nodded—an acknowledgment, an acceptance, of his upperclassman’s confidence. Overwhelming, like a powerful wave, a strong storm, a blazing inferno. He almost felt compelled to drop to one knee, to kneel before such a presence.

Vil turned away from the painting, his arms unraveling from one another. His movements were graceful, nearly ballet-like. And his expression—

Jack caught him mid-laugh. The snooty, airy kind, half-sincere, half-sarcastic. Brows upturned, mouth twisted in a faux sympathetic smile. Flaxen waves framing his lovely features.

His lips moved.

“I’ll topple you from your throne,” Vil vowed.

It was then that Jack noticed.

Vil-senpai's shining like the fair maiden.

[hedwig221b]

hiii hope you're doing well ! can we be gifted with a sneak peek of what you're working on right now ? love ya !

Hi, anon! The Midsommar au stubbornly doesn't want to be written, so here's a piece of an Outsider POV au (yes, again, yes, it's gonna be amazing) on a weird hermit witch Stiles (partially inspired by this post and also a very old bloody witchy plot bunny).

Her eyelashes stuck together as she blinked. Bit by bit, the haze lifted off her fever-stricken mind enough for her to take in the surroundings. She lay on an overly warm but surprisingly soft bed, soaking the covers under her with her sweat. The flames that danced upon the ceiling turned out to be just shadows from the roaring fireplace.

She stared at her clothes drying on the racks not far from it. Slowly, with her stomach sinking, she glanced at the man again.

He was no older than her, his pale skin splattered with moles and four ugly scars going down his cheek to his neck. Deep honey eyes and eyebrows hunched together.

He stood in front of the large dinner table, casting sharp shadows on the walls, and was busy grinding something in a mortar. The table was heavy with jars, vials, and sacks upon sacks of dried herbs. The reflection of the flames tinkled upon the glass. Everything inside seemed dark of a color.

Allison swallowed thickly.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

The man didn’t answer. He flipped pages of a book without any care and muttered something under his breath before hurrying to the right corner of the room. There, multiple feathers hung in a tight bundle; behind it, swung a single thick thread with a row of claws strapped to it by the fishing hooks.

Allison shifted her gaze, dread filling her stomach along with nausea.

Claws, feathers, eyeballs stuck together in a jar like pickled tomatoes. A deer skull in the corner with mittens hanging from its horns to dry. Jars upon jars of sealed violet flowers and a couple of cauldrons stacked together near the fireplace.

This cozy house lit with warmth and the cloying scent of drying herbs, belonged to a witch.

It would’ve been better if she died.

Allison didn’t have time to scream as the man leaned over her again.

Now that he had shed his winter coat, he looked slender but strong. He had to be fit to keep a house like this going, of course, but he also had to eat well. Was she his next meal? Was that fire for her?

A cry left her lips when the stranger grabbed her hand wrist up. She yanked it back with every bit of strength she had in her, only to yelp as his fingers gripped her wrist.

The man harrumphed as if her struggle for life was so annoying, and, to Allison’s horror, pulled out a dagger.

The diamonds glinted in the low light for a second before the blade pressed to her cheek, stilling her to death.

“We can do it two ways,” the man said quietly. “You can either stop wiggling and lose a bit of blood, or you can fight and lose it all. The choice is in your hands.”

A pearl of tear rolled off her eyes and onto the glinting blade.

The man smiled. His scars scrunched together.

God, how atrocious he was.

“Some brain left in you, heh?” he chuckled and swiped across her cheek.

Sharp pain burst through it, but then, all pressure was off her.

“See?” the man took the mortar off the floor and shook the droplet of her blood off the dagger’s tip into the mixture. “Nothing bad happened. Again, if you hadn’t fought, the cut would’ve been on your arm and not right there on your face, but…” he shrugged.

“Why?” Allison asked.

Why did you save me? Why are you doing this?

The man pretended to not hear her. He stuck his finger in the mixture, scooped up the gloopy bit, and put it in his mouth. With his eyes shut tightly, he hummed at the taste.

If only Allison wasn’t so weak, she would’ve disarmed him right there. Naked and with nothing but her hands for weapons, she would’ve won the fight, she was sure of it. Her father taught her to kill, and she learned it well.

The man’s eyes opened slowly. He swallowed and looked down at Allison, his gaze cold and calculating.

“Want soup?” he asked and jumped from the bed.

What?..

“I’ve just finished making it when I sensed you wandering around.” The man puttered around the table, closing the vials and screwing the jars shut. “I’m not giving you any meat, but the stock is delicious. Delicious!” He grinned to himself, though his smile wilted as he noticed her wide terrified eyes. “You get to live, okay? Don’t look at me like that. God!” He rolled his eyes and took out a bowl, which he promptly filled with a ladle-worth of steaming broth. “You are not a heroine in a romance novel, stop suffering.”

“I was ready to meet my death in the forest,” Allison insisted hoarsely, lifting herself on trembling elbows only to quickly fall back onto the pillows. Even that tiny bit of anger took everything from her.

“I’m not your chaperone!” the man bit out as he sat on the bed. He glanced at her weak body and, with a huff, put the bowl on the floor. Then, he took her under the armpits and pushed her into a sitting position.

Even with her head spinning, Allison tried to cover her suddenly naked breasts. A moment later, hands pushed covers up her shoulders and tucked them behind her back.

“Don’t try that with me,” the man grumbled, unfazed, and picked up the bowl from the floor. He swirled the spoon in the rich broth. “I have a mate.”

What a weird man. A mate? Like the one animals had?

She glanced at the lone pair of boots near the heavy door. One fur coat drying on the stand. One hat.

The man didn’t have anyone, did he?

Either he drove himself mad from loneliness, or his “mate” wasn’t… human.

Her gaze fell on his scars all by itself. It was the first thing one would notice about him, and then would stare at it forever, unable to tear their eyes away. They barely missed his eye, but that was a small consolation, considering how deep and white they were, how the skin pulled together and froze in place for the rest of his life.

Perhaps, Allison would’ve considered him handsome if it weren’t for the scars. His eyes were striking even with their coldness, and his nose was pushed slightly up. Despite living alone in the woods, he kept himself clean and shaven, although a beard would’ve hidden some of the scars.

“Say ‘aah’,” the man opened his mouth in example and pressed a spoonful of oily broth to her lips.

It was surprisingly nice, though very gamey. She didn’t dare purse her nose, though, as the liquid coated her tongue and soother her parched throat. By the end of the meal, her stomach was full, though unpleasantly warm, and her lips shined with the thin layer of fat.

“Who are you?” Allison tried again, her blinks slow.

“Stiles.”

She frowned. “What?”

“What?” the man mocked her in a high-pitched voice. “That’s my name, you idiot. I’m gonna call you Idiot.”

“I’m Allison.”

“And I don’t care.” With an inexistent grace of a newborn fawn, the man rose from the edge of the bed, glanced at it wistfully, and went to the kitchen area to stack up her bowl on top of the others. “Why are there always dishes?”

With her eyes closing more and more, Allison watched as the man loaded the dirty dishes into the basin, lifted it up, and walked to the door.

At the last moment, as if he just remembered Allison was there, Stiles stopped and glanced at her.

“Oh, yeah, stay here,” he said. “If you try to run, I am going to break your legs. If I break your legs, my mate is going to think I am giving him a prey to chase.” He cringed his nose in thought. “Nice idea, by the way. Nice, nice, nice…” he shoved his feet in the boots and shuffled outside, cursing at the cold.

Yes, thought Allison as the sleep forced her eyes closed, death would’ve been a mercy.

[divider source]

[seoulzie]

sleepless encounters

───── CAPELLA ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 1 the brightest star in the northern constellation, auriga

synopsis: beomgyu, a high school insomniac, finds a hidden observatory tower - only to discover another sleepless soul, y/n, already there. trapped together, initial awkwardness gives way to connection as they share their struggles.

彡★ pairing: beomgyu x f!reader 彡★ genre: fluff, angst, strangers to lovers au, university au 彡★ warnings: sleep disorders, mental health issues, physical violence, emotional distress, mild language, family dynamics (i swear its not that serious i just tag a lot)

( this is part of a longer work ) ⤷ read whispers of the unsleeping here!

SEUL SPEAKS! first chapter!! woooo!! aur alps means "alpha auriga" which is another name for the star capella heh i wrote this in the span of two days & it is very much proofread but as always, if i missed anything, pls let me know~!

CHAPTER 1: AUR ALPS word count: 7.5K

the first light of dawn barely peeked through the curtains, rousing you from another restless night. insomnia had been a constant companion for as long as you could remember. frustration gnawed at you with each tick of the clock as minutes bled into an hour.

finally, defeated, you threw off the covers. no point in lying there anymore. you rolled out of bed, rubbed your eyes gritty with fatigue, and began your morning routine.

the routine of getting ready for school felt both familiar and exhausting. each step, from washing your face that felt heavy with sleep to pulling on your uniform, was a battle against fatigue clinging to you like a physical weight. as you slipped on your skirt, your fingers brushed against something unexpected – a crumpled wad of bills tucked into the pocket. a small smile played on your lips. "well, that's a welcome surprise," you thought, tucking the money into your wallet.

descending the stairs, you called out, "mom? are you still here?" but there was no response. you noticed a plate of food on the kitchen table, neatly covered with a note: "have a great day at school! love, mom."

you smiled. your mom always found a way to care for you, even with your busy schedule. you ate your breakfast quickly, savoring the homemade meal, before grabbing your bag and heading out the door.

as you stepped outside, you were greeted by the crisp morning air. a few houses down the street, mr. yu, your neighbor with a permanent scowl etched onto his face, was watering his prized petunias. his eyes inevitably landed on you, his lips pursing in disapproval.

"going to school so early, young lady? wouldn't have thought you were such a studious one," he remarked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

you just smiled. "good morning, mr. yu. early bird gets the worm, right?" you countered, dodging his veiled criticism. dealing with mr. yu’s daily commentary was an art form you had mastered. a quick joke, a disarming smile, and the grumpy neighbor's negativity usually dissipated. today, however, mr. yu seemed particularly disgruntled. 

mr. yu huffed but said nothing more as you walked past him, a playful grin on your face.

you hurried down the street, your pace quickening under mr. yu’s scrutiny. you reached the corner and took a deep breath, the fresh air filling your lungs. the walk to school was unusually quiet. the early hour meant most students were still nestled in their beds, blissfully unaware of your daily struggle to stay awake.

because you had woken up earlier than usual, you realized you had enough time to stop by your favorite café. this was a rare treat since you typically only visited after school. the café was a cozy little spot, with a warm and inviting atmosphere. when you entered, the familiar sound of the door chime welcomed you.

"y/n! an early bird, aren't you?" a friendly voice greeted you as you pushed open the door. it was minho, the barista with a perpetually tired smile.

"couldn't sleep," you confessed sheepishly. "usual?"

minho chuckled, already reaching for your favorite iced caramel latte. "have it right here."

"you know me too well," you grinned, adding, "make it a takeout, please."

minho winked. "coming right up," he said, expertly adding a swirl of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

the coffee was a secret weapon you deployed on these mornings. the cool sweetness was a welcome shock to your system, a temporary antidote to the fatigue clinging to you like cobwebs. while minho finished preparing your order, you whipped out your phone, pretending to be engrossed in a text message.

"here you go, sleepyhead," minho said, sliding the coffee across the counter. "on the house, consider it a pre-dawn pick-me-up."

your eyes widened in surprise. "you don't have to—"

"think of it as an investment in future caffeine sales," minho chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "besides, you always brighten this place up, even at this ungodly hour."

a genuine smile bloomed on your face. grabbing the coffee, you mumbled a thank you before slipping out into the quiet morning.

by the time you reached school, the hallways were still relatively empty. not many students had arrived yet. you wandered through the corridors, enjoying the calm before the storm of a typical school day. eventually, you made your way to your first class. the room was mostly empty except for a few students napping at their desks. you envied how easily they could fall asleep.

settling into your seat, you began organizing your supplies. a few minutes later, your friend jihye walked in, looking surprised to see you.

"morning! you're here early. what's the occasion?" jihye teased, and you just smiled. "just wanted to get a head start today."

jihye, oblivious to your secret, merely shrugged. you settled into your seats, exchanging hushed whispers as the first few students trickled into the classroom.

your conversation was cut short as the teacher walked in and started the lesson. you focused on your work, diligently taking notes and solving problems. despite your lack of sleep, you managed to stay alert.

lunchtime arrived, and the cafeteria buzzed with activity. you sat with jihye and a few other friends, enjoying their usual banter and laughter.

"hey, y/n!," jihye said between bites of her sandwich. "do you want to hang out during free period today? we could go to the library or something."

"actually," you started, your voice soft, "i think i might have to pass on that today. i promised ms. lee i'd help her out with something in the astronomy club during the free period."

jihye's brows furrowed in confusion. "astronomy club? but isn't that, like, completely dead? remember the fire last year?"

you flinched at the memory. the fire that ravaged the observatory tower at the edge of the schoolyard had indeed put a damper on the astronomy club's activities. most students, spooked by the incident, had abandoned the club altogether.

"technically, it still exists," you mumbled, avoiding jihye's gaze. "and technically, i'm still the president." a small, defiant part of you swelled with pride. just because everyone else gave up, didn't mean you had to.

jihye's eyes widened. "woah, you serious? you're the sole member of the astronomy club?"

you forced a small smile. "something like that." jihye, bless her heart, could be a tad nosy sometimes. but you couldn't tell her the real reason why you spent your free periods in the observatory. it wasn't about dusty telescopes or gazing at the stars. it was about the only place you could steal a few precious moments of sleep, hidden from the world.

"well," jihye said, her voice softening. "if you're sure about the astronomy club…"

"positive," you chimed in a little too brightly. "rain or shine, duty calls right?"

jihye chuckled, a hint of suspicion lingering in her eyes. "alright, alright. don't overdo it, you. rest is important, even for presidents of dead clubs."

your smile faltered slightly. rest. the very word felt like a cruel joke. "i'll keep that in mind," you managed, forcing a light tone.

the rest of the day passed in a blur of classes, notes, and forced smiles. every stolen glance at the clock felt like an eternity. finally, the sweet chime of the bell at the end of the day signaled freedom, or at least a temporary escape from watchful eyes.

with a mumbled goodbye to jihye, you dashed out of the classroom, your heart pounding in your chest. the observatory stood alone on the edge of the schoolyard, a stark silhouette against the setting sun. it looked forlorn, a forgotten relic of a bygone era. yet, to you, it was a sanctuary, a place where you could finally shed the mask of forced normalcy and surrender to the exhaustion that gnawed inside.

you quickened your pace, reaching the observatory and pushing open the heavy wooden door with a sigh of relief. the musty scent of old books and dust greeted you, a familiar and strangely comforting aroma. you slipped through the door and up a rickety staircase to the top floor with practiced ease.

there, under the expansive dome roof, lay your makeshift haven – a bed of thick comforters and pillows positioned right beneath the open skylight. it wasn't much, but for you, it was peace amidst the relentless war with sleep. 

you settled onto your bed, pulling the comforter around you. the warmth and the gentle light filtering through the observatory’s domed roof created a cocoon of comfort. as you lay there, you felt your eyelids grow heavy, the exhaustion from countless sleepless nights finally catching up to her. you took a deep breath, letting the peaceful silence of the observatory lull you into a rare and much-needed sleep.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

today was the day. the day choi beomgyu finally gets some sleep. not the kind you get after cramming for exams or the fitful kind after practice – no, this was pure, uninterrupted shut-eye.

he bolted out of the classroom the second the bell for his free period chimed, ignoring soobin's shouts about lunch "yah, beomgyu! aren't you hungry?" yeah, hungry for sleep, maybe! he weaved through the halls, walking towards the astronomy tower.

of course, fate had other plans. right as he rounded a corner, he practically collided with the bane of his existence – student council president kim jinhyun. now, jinhyun loved to preach about school rules, yet here he was, sprinting down the hallway with a stack of papers clutched in his sweaty hand. hypocrite much?

"watch where you're going!" jinhyun's voice called out. you know you're not supposed to run in the halls," he scolded.

"i wasn't running, i was speed walking," beomgyu protested, keeping his voice carefully neutral. he knew better than to antagonize jinhyun further, especially when the student council president looked like he was about to combust. but he couldn't resist a small jab. "seems a bit hypocritical coming from someone who appears to be auditioning for the track team."

jinhyun's face flushed a deeper shade of red, the color creeping not just up his neck but even to the tips of his perfectly styled hair. "that's not the point," he sputtered, his voice hitching slightly. "there are rules, beomgyu, and they apply to everyone."

beomgyu raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "of course, president kim. rules are sacred. though, perhaps there should be an amendment for extenuating circumstances? like, say, if someone was tremendously behind schedule due to, i don't know, maybe spilling their precious student council paperwork all over the floor?"

jinhyun's eyes darted down to the stack of papers clutched precariously in his hand. beomgyu couldn't miss the way his grip tightened, his knuckles turning white.

"that's none of your concern," jinhyun snapped, his voice strained. he took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "just move aside. i need to get to the faculty lounge… now.”

finally, after navigating the labyrinthine hallways and avoiding further-ins with authority figures, beomgyu arrived at the old astronomical observatory. the door creaked loudly as he pushed it open, and a shaft of dusty sunlight sliced through the gloom, revealing a spiral staircase that corkscrewed upwards, leading him towards the astronomy tower. he hesitated for a moment, peering inside, a mixture of curiosity and trepidation pulling at him.

the observatory was a large, circular room with a domed roof that let in streams of natural light. dust motes floated in the air, and old telescopes and equipment were scattered about. despite the layer of dust and the slightly musty smell, the place had a certain charm. beomgyu took a deep breath, feeling a sense of awe and appreciation for the space.

as he slowly stepped inside, his eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene. but then he noticed something in the corner—a figure laid out on a makeshift bed of thick comforters and pillows. his heart skipped a beat as the realization dawned on him.

why the fuck is there a girl here?

his mind raced as he tried to process the unexpected sight. he had come here to find a quiet place to sleep, not to stumble upon someone else's secret hideout. beomgyu stood there, frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.

would she wake up if he moved closer? should he just leave and find another spot? but where else could he go?

he tiptoed closer, the floorboards groaning under his weight. "hello?" he called out hesitantly. the figure didn't move. he cleared his throat, the sound echoing eerily in the dusty room. "is someone there?"

a disgruntled groan rumbled from the darkness, punctuated by a grumble that sounded suspiciously like, "leave me alone…" beomgyu couldn't help but stifle a grin.

this wasn't some horror movie, was it? maybe he should just bolt. but then, the figure shifted slightly, the sheet slipping down to reveal a mess of hair and a sliver of a cheek. hesitantly, beomgyu inched closer.

beomgyu debated turning around and leaving. maybe this whole tower idea was a bad one. but curiosity, that pesky little gremlin, wouldn't let him. he wasn't one to back down from a challenge, especially not a challenge shrouded in a sheet.

with a newfound resolve, he tapped the figure lightly on the shoulder. the groan this time was more pronounced, followed by a muffled curse. 

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

your eyes snapped open, heart hammering against your ribs. a figure loomed over you, shrouded in the dim light filtering through the dusty window. 

you scrambled back, grabbing your bag that lay beside the makeshift bed. "uhm… hi?" your voice came out a squeak, barely audible. "what are you doing here?"

the person chuckled, a low, almost amused sound. "i could ask you the same thing"

panic surged through you as you scrambled to your feet, slinging your bag over your shoulder. "i was just… taking a nap. i didn't think anyone would come here," you said quickly, trying to think of an escape plan.

you darted toward the door, yanking on the handle, but it wouldn't budge. you pulled harder, desperation creeping into your movements. you turned to face the boy, your face pale. "did you shut the door?"

the figure stepped closer, the faint sunlight revealing a mop of dark hair. "relax," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "i didn't lock you in."

you whirled around, fear giving way to a flicker of anger. "then why won't it open?" your eyes darted to the doorknob, a sick feeling settling in your stomach. the lock was busted, hanging crookedly from the frame. this door could only be opened from the outside.

"oh," he said, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "didn't notice that."

your heart plummeted. trapped in a dusty abandoned tower with a stranger? today couldn't get any worse.

"who are you?" you demanded, voice trembling. "how did you get in here?

he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "look, i'm not some kind of creep, okay? my name's beomgyu. and i was just about to settle in for a nap when i saw you here."

slowly, hesitantly, you lowered the bag clutched protectively to your chest. this beomgyu didn't seem dangerous, more… confused.

"you… you were going to sleep here?" you asked, disbelief coloring your voice.

beomgyu shrugged. "trying to find a place to nap. i've got insomnia, and it's been a real bitch lately. thought this place would be perfect, but looks like someone beat me to it."

you couldn't help but scoff. "clearly."

beomgyu's brow furrowed in frustration. "don't you have your phone?" he asked, his voice laced with a growing edge of impatience. "just call someone for help."

the simple suggestion felt like a punch to the gut. you clutched your bag tighter, an instinctive protectiveness rising within you. you didn't want anyone to see what was inside, especially not the stranger trapped here with you.

"i… i do," you mumbled, your voice barely a whisper. the lie tasted bitter on your tongue, but the idea of handing over your phone, your only lifeline to some semblance of normalcy, was unbearable.

beomgyu's frustration boiled over. "then call whoever you need to get us out of here!" he demanded, his voice sharp.

you flinched at the harsh tone, the urge to lash back rising. but you knew it wasn't his fault. he simply wanted to get out, and your hesitation was making everything more difficult.

taking a deep breath, you forced yourself to explain, surprised by the words tumbling out of your mouth. "it's not that simple," you blurted, the quiet desperation finally bubbling to the surface.

beomgyu blinked, taken aback by your outburst. he stared at you for a long moment, waiting for you to continue.

swallowing the lump in your throat, you spoke again, your voice trembling slightly. "i can't sleep at night," you confessed, the words heavy with a secret you'd held close for so long. "it drives me crazy! i get headaches all day and feel so exhausted, but i can't seem to fall asleep. so, i come here to rest."

a flicker of surprise crossed beomgyu's face, quickly followed by something that looked suspiciously like understanding. the realization seemed to dawn on him slowly, a connection forming between you despite the strange circumstances.

suddenly, a strange sense of vulnerability washed over you. you hadn't meant to reveal your secret, but the words had escaped before you could stop them. here you were, trapped in a dusty room with a stranger, yet you'd opened up a part of yourself you'd kept hidden for so long.

"look," beomgyu said, his voice softer now, the harshness gone. "i get it. i have a friend named soobin. he's one of the few people who knows i have insomnia too. we can call him. he'd be able to help us."

he held out your phone towards you, his eyes searching yours for a flicker of consent. relief washed over you, a wave that calmed the storm of emotions churning within.

maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be so bad after all.

with a silent nod, you allowed beomgyu to take your phone. as he dialed a number and started explaining your predicament to soobin, you couldn't help but steal a glance at him. 

the afternoon sun slanted through the dusty window, painting golden stripes across the floor. beomgyu's voice, low and calming as he spoke with his friend, was a soothing counterpoint to the frantic drumming of your heart. realizing how tense you'd been, you sank back onto the thing you call a bed, the worn blankets offering a surprising sense of comfort.

he finished the call with a sigh of relief. "soobin has class but he'll come get us soon. he should be here in about twenty minutes."

he shuffled closer, settling down beside me on the dusty floor. the proximity sent a jolt through you, but it wasn't the same fear as before. now, it was laced with a strange curiosity.

"you know, i've always been under the impression that you were just a popular stoner, beomgyu," you confessed after he hung up, a wry smile playing on your lips.

he chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "well," he said, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "i am always sleepy and irritable, so i guess that tracks."

"but man," beomgyu sighed, leaning back against the dusty wall, "is this the perfect place to sleep, or what?"

you glanced around the room, taking in the chipped paint, the cobwebs clinging to the corners, and the single, flickering lightbulb hanging precariously from the ceiling. "perfect might be a strong word," you admitted with a smile.

"okay, okay," he conceded, raising his hands in mock surrender. "maybe 'peaceful' is a better description."

there was a moment of silence as you both processed this unexpected connection. you studied beomgyu, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and the tension in his shoulders. you knew all too well the toll insomnia could take.

beomgyu glanced at you, looking thoughtful. "so, how long have you been using this place?"

"a few months," you admitted, your voice barely a whisper. "ever since the fire."

beomgyu's brow furrowed. "the fire?"

you nodded, a flicker of sadness crossing your features. "yeah, the one that ripped through the old science wing last year. remember? they condemned this whole tower as a safety hazard."

a wave of realization washed over beomgyu. the faint smell of smoke that lingered in the air, the boarded-up windows on the lower floors – it all clicked into place.

"so, this has been your secret ever since?" he asked a hint of awe in his voice.

you gave a small smile. "yeah. helps me get through the day without falling apart."

beomgyu nodded, understanding clear in his eyes. "guess we have more in common than i thought."

you fell into an easy conversation, talking about the things that kept you awake at night – the pressure of school, the nagging feeling of never doing enough, the weight of unsaid words hanging heavy in the air. as you were speaking, a heavy silence fell upon the room.

glancing over at beomgyu, you found him slumped against the wall, eyes closed. his normally messy hair seemed even more tousled, and a faint line creased his brow. a small, surprised laugh escaped your lips. here he was, the infamous beomgyu, the guy who seemed to effortlessly glide through life, sound asleep beside you.

a pang of sympathy stabbed at you. maybe his effortless facade wasn't so effortless after all.

shifting carefully, you made yourself a little more comfortable on the makeshift bed. your movements were limited, but you managed to prop yourself up with a pillow. stealing another glance at beomgyu, you noticed the slight rise and fall of his chest, a testament to his deep sleep.

hesitantly, you reached out a hand, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. the gesture felt oddly intimate, yet strangely comforting.

suddenly, beomgyu's head bobbed forward, landing with a soft thud on your shoulder. your breath hitched. in all the years you'd dreamt of sharing this place, a moment of vulnerability, you hadn't imagined it playing out like this.

a blush crept up your cheeks, but before you could react, a tired sigh escaped beomgyu's lips. your options were limited. you could wake him, but he looked so peaceful, so utterly exhausted.

with a resigned sigh, you carefully adjusted yourself, trying to find a comfortable position with his head on your shoulder. the dust motes danced in the afternoon sunbeams, casting playful shadows around the room. despite the unconventional situation, a sense of drowsiness washed over you.

perhaps, just for a little while, getting some sleep wasn't such a bad idea.

soon, your own head was lying atop beomgyu's, and for the first time in a long while, you felt the edges of sleep pulling you in

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

the rusty lock creaked open, jolting you and beomgyu awake. a wave of relief washed over you as soobin, his face etched with amusement, stepped inside.

"looks like i got here just in time," soobin said, his grin widening.

a blush crept up your neck, mirroring the one blooming on beomgyu’s face. relief and a touch of sheepishness washed over you both as you scrambled to your feet, disentangling yourselves in a flurry of fumbled apologies. 

stepping out of the dusty observatory and back into the sunlight, your eyes landed on a glint of silver of a pen peeking out from soobin's id holder. a playful idea sparked in your mind.

"hey soobin," you said, "can i borrow that pen for a second?"

without a second thought, soobin unclipped the pen and handed it over. you quickly scribbled something on your palm.

"high five?" you asked beomgyu, extending your hand.

beomgyu, still dazed from his unexpected nap, met your hand with a puzzled slap. the wet ink transferred, and as his eyes landed on his palm, his eyes widened curiously, your number, neatly written, stared back at him.

"only for you!" you called out, a rush of excitement propelling you down the stairs.

soobin watched you go, then glanced at his now empty hand. "she didn't give me back my pen," he remarked, shaking his head with a smile.

beomgyu chuckled, a warm feeling blossoming in his chest. he stared at the number on his hand, the day's events replaying in his mind. maybe the nap hadn't been so bad after all.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

a few days later

beomgyu sat in the nurse’s office, his gaze fixed on the floor. a fresh bandage felt stiff and itchy against his cheek, a reminder of the throbbing ache beneath. he barely acknowledged the nurse as she tended to his wound, too tired and frustrated to engage in conversation.

"looks like someone walked face-first into a door," the nurse remarked, her voice laced with a knowing amusement that made beomgyu clench his jaw. he mumbled a noncommittal reply, his eyes darting to the chipped paint on the wall opposite him, anywhere but the concern etched on the nurse's face.

"you must have some bad luck to end up at the clinic right before the school festival, huh?" the nurse remarked, her tone light and conversational.

"yeah, i guess so," beomgyu replied dully, still not looking up.

the nurse, ms. yura, noticed the tired bags under his eyes as she swirled her coffee in her cup. "you know, they say 1 out of 3 people in korea struggle with some kind of sleeping disorder," she commented, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "they know sleep is important and feel pressured to get some, which leads to stress building up. it's a vicious cycle."

beomgyu finally looked up, his expression guarded. "i never said i had trouble sleeping and isn't stress just... i don't know... part of life?"

ms. yura sipped her coffee, considering his words. "there's a 6-second period where your anger peaks when triggered by stress. if you can shut it down in that moment, your anger will subside. you know, sometimes taking a deep breath and counting to ten can really help." her voice held a knowing quality that made beomgyu squirm in his seat

just then, the clinic door swung open, and you strode in, groaning dramatically. "ms. yura~, i got hit by a ball," you whined, rubbing your arm with an exaggerated pout. you stopped short when you saw beomgyu sitting there, and they stared at each other in surprise.

the nurse chuckled awkwardly, glancing between you. "so, you two know each other, huh?"

you quickly looked away, feeling a flush of embarrassment. beomgyu, on the other hand, just sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and oddity about this unexpected encounter. 

after ms. yura tended to your minor injury, the two of you left the clinic together, an unusual silence hanging between you.

you walked ahead, happily skipping along. beomgyu trailed behind, his shoulders slumped and a faint grimace playing on his lips, a stark contrast to your sunny mood. you turned back to face him, walking backward with a bright smile. "soo... what happened to your face?" you asked, concern flickering in your eyes.

beomgyu mumbled something inaudible, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground. you tilted your head, urging him to explain further.

"ugh, fine," he sighed, resignation flickering across his features. "some jerk accidentally hit me with a ball," beomgyu replied, his tone flat.

your eyes widened in surprise. "so you hit him back?" the question tumbled out before you could filter it, curiosity bubbling over.

beomgyu shrugged, his expression hardening. "he refused to apologize then i hit him," he muttered, scuffing his shoe against the ground.

you let out a small laugh, shaking your head. "uh, okay then." you decided to switch the topic. "i haven't seen you since that one time. did you get over your sleeplessness?"

beomgyu let out a tired sigh. "no. i was in the middle of a yawn when the ball hit me."

you nodded in understanding. "same here. i haven't slept well in a week. you wanna come to the observatory today?"

beomgyu hesitated, his mind racing. the observatory was a great spot to sleep, but he wasn't sure how to handle... well, you. you were so open and cheerful, the complete opposite of his introverted nature. on top of that, there was the added complication of your smile. it had a way of disarming him, making him feel things he wasn't quite ready to unpack. "well... i'm not sure," he admitted.

you stopped in your tracks, turning to face him with a serious expression. "i need you, beomgyu. because i can't sleep." 

the silence stretched, thick with unspoken urgency and beomgyu felt a strange mix of emotions. it was a feeling he wasn't used to. that strange fluttering in his chest? probably just the adrenaline of a near heart attack.

"alright," he said finally, nodding. "i'll come."

your face lit up with a grateful smile, and you continued skipping ahead, humming a cheerful tune. beomgyu followed behind, what did he get himself into?

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

beomgyu made his way to the observatory, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and exhaustion. as he climbed the twirly staircase, he was greeted by your head peeping at the top of the staircase.

"oh! you're here!" you called out, a bright smile lighting up your face.

beomgyu nodded, trying to muster a smile in return. "yeah, i'm here."

you made your way to one of the old cabinets in the corner of the room, patting its side with a determined look. "alright! down to business!"

beomgyu got the memo and dropped his bag on the floor, rolling up his sleeves. he walked over to the cabinet, glancing at you. "you want me to help move this?"

"yup," you said cheerfully. "we need to get it down the stairs and out of the way."

beomgyu sighed inwardly. 'damnit, she only asked me to come to help with the labor,' he thought, but he didn't voice his complaint. 'come on, beomgyu,' he scolded himself. 'heavy furniture, not heavy flirting.'

instead, he straightened his back and focused on the practicalities. ducking under the bulky cabinet, he grabbed a side, silently vowing to channel his nervous energy into pure muscle power. across from him, you mirrored his stance.

you grunted with effort, inching the heavy cabinet down the first step. "be careful of the stairs, okay?" you reminded beomgyu, whose back was straining under the weight on his end.

"yeah, yeah," he muttered, eyes narrowed in concentration as he walked backward down the steps. the old wood creaked ominously beneath their combined weight.

you struggled with the weight of the cabinet, both of you straining against the heavy wood. beomgyu felt his arms beginning to shake, the strain quickly becoming too much.

"wait, wait!!" he suddenly yelled, panic rising in his voice. "too heavy, put it down! down!"

"no! it's okay! we can make it!" you responded, your voice strained but determined.

"no, no!" beomgyu insisted, his voice breaking with urgency. "i seriously can't!"

despite your best efforts, the weight of the cabinet became unbearable. you both let go at the same time, the cabinet crashing down the stairs with a thunderous bang, echoing through the empty observatory. both of you stumbled back, breathing heavily and looking at each other with wide eyes.

"well," you said, trying to catch your breath. "that didn't go as planned."

beomgyu shook his head, letting out a half-hearted laugh. "yeah, no kidding."

you stood there for a moment, both of you panting and staring at the now slightly damaged cabinet lying at the bottom of the stairs. 

"i don't know why you wanted to clean up so much, all you're gonna do here is sleep," beomgyu remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

"but we have to make enough space for the both of us, no?" you replied with a teasing smile. "plus, if you manage to get some rest here from time to time, then you might spend less time being a grouch."

beomgyu let out a chuckle. "i guess so."

your expression softened as you looked at him. "say, beomgyu, how did you spend your long and boring nights?"

"i used to kill time by looking at stuff on my phone, but i quit after reading that led displays can mess with your sleep," beomgyu said, pausing for a moment. "so i started doing stuff like reading books and listening to the radio... but even when i got to bed, my mind would just wander for hours until morning eventually came."

suddenly, you perked up. "getting depressed about lack of sleep and worrying about a bunch of problems we can't solve..."

you pushed yourself to your feet, the gentle creak of the floorboards chipping. walking towards a seemingly innocuous lever near the observatory deck, you gestured for beomgyu to follow. "let’s make things fun" your voice tinged with enthusiasm. "whether we have a good time or a bad one, the morning sun's still gonna be the same,"

turning your back on him, you reached for the lever. with a satisfying whirring sound, the entire roof dome of the observatory groaned into motion, slowly peeling back to reveal a breathtaking vista. the sky, once tinged with the remnants of sunset, was now a breathtaking tapestry woven with a million stars. the vast expanse, sprinkled with celestial diamonds, stretched out before you, an invitation to lose yourself in its infinite depths.

you turned your back, looking up at the sky of twinkling hues. "let's revive the astronomy club."

beomgyu stared at you, the beauty of the sunset mirrored in his eyes. the sense of purpose and camaraderie he felt in that moment was something he hadn't experienced in a long time. he nodded slowly, a smile forming on his lips. "yeah, let's do it."

you beamed at him, your liveliness infectious. "great! we'll start by cleaning up this place and making it a proper clubroom again."

beomgyu sighed, glancing back at the cabinet. "but let's take a break before we move that thing again."

you laughed. "agreed. come on, let's take a seat and enjoy the view for a bit."

you sat down side by side, looking up at the sky through the open dome. the sense of peace and companionship you shared in that moment was a welcome respite from your usual sleepless nights.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

the city of yeosu had transformed into a canvas bathed in the cool hues of twilight. the once vibrant streets, normally teeming with daytime energy, had surrendered to a quiet languor. the only sounds that dared to pierce the stillness were the soft hum of distant traffic lights and the occasional rustle of a breeze whispering secrets through the trees. streetlights cast long, dramatic shadows, their gentle glow illuminating a city settling into a peaceful slumber. even the usual neon signs, usually vying for attention, seemed to have dimmed their vibrancy, creating a scene painted in shades of twilight blues and inky blacks.

high-rise buildings, once bastions of bustling activity, now stood as silent sentinels, their windows like scattered stars, each holding a story of its own. some windows remained dark, reflecting the serenity of the night, while others, adorned with a warm glow, hinted at pockets of life within. these illuminated windows paint a picture of solitude, each one a portal into a private world where dreams danced, or perhaps anxieties kept sleepless company.

you and beomgyu had agreed to meet on the bridge after the city curfew, but both of you were still wide awake and had nothing better to do. the bridge, a favorite local spot, offered a picturesque view of the canal flowing underneath and the moonlight reflecting off the water’s surface. as beomgyu approached the meeting point, he saw you already there, skipping along the bridge's edge, your movements carefree and light.

 a nervous chuckle escaped beomgyu's lips. "i can't believe we're actually doing this," he confessed, his voice a low rumble that barely carried over the gentle lapping of water against the bridge's pilings. a mix of excitement and apprehension warred within him, a knot of butterflies churning in his stomach.

"ohh?" you teased, turning to face him with a playful grin. "i had a nervous fit when i snuck out of my house, but i've always wanted to do this! just walking around town at night." you gestured towards the city sprawled out before you "just imagine," you continued, your voice hushed with a thrill, "the entire city practically to ourselves!"

as you admire the buildings, their outlines softened by the dim glow of the streetlights. "so! where do you wanna go? should we just follow the canal down the river?"

beomgyu shook his head, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips despite his nerves.  "no, it's safer to walk through the districts since it would give us more places to hide if someone spots us."

"good point," y/n agreed, and they started walking through the quiet districts of yeosu.

the night unfolded like a storybook, each page filled with unexpected delights. you were a whirlwind, your contagious energy propelling you forward with an almost reckless abandon. you’d dart ahead, your laughter echoing through the quiet streets, only to abruptly halt, your figure framed by a splash of moonlight, as you realized you’d outpaced your companion.

beomgyu would smile, shaking his head fondly as he caught up. the rhythmic tap of his shoes on the pavement provided a steady counterpoint to the city's hushed symphony. you navigated the labyrinth of alleyways and backstreets, your footsteps echoing softly, each reverberation of the sleeping city.

along your journey, you stumbled upon hidden gems: a quaint bookstore with its windows a mosaic of forgotten stories, a tiny park where a lone bench offered a serene respite from the urban hustle, and a charming café that seemed to defy the night's slumber with its inviting glow. it was in front of one such café that you found yourselves captivated. through the large glass windows, a tantalizing display of pastries beckoned, a masterpiece of sugary artistry. each treat was a miniature work of edible art, its perfect form and vibrant colors a testament to the baker's skill. your mouths watered as they imagined the taste of those flaky croissants and creamy éclairs.

at a vending machine, you decided to treat beomgyu to some drinks, a small gesture of thanks for his company on this impromptu adventure.

with coins slotted in, you selected two cans, the machine's gears whirring to life. a tense silence filled the air as you waited for the coveted drop. then, with a jarring clang, two aluminum cans tumbled down the chute, their impact echoing through the narrow space.

you both jumped, your hearts pounding in your chests. a wave of embarrassment washed over you, your eyes darting around to ensure no one had witnessed your clumsy moment. thankfully, the alley remained deserted, the only sound of your rapid breathing.

as you continued walking, you noticed beomgyu's bag. it hung awkwardly from his shoulder, its contents seemingly heavy. “hey, what’s in the bag? it looks full,” you asked, curiosity piqued.

"oh, my bag?" beomgyu replied. "it's just a camera with a tripod."

"a camera? why?" you asked, curious.

a sheepish grin spread across beomgyu’s face. “well, you know, just in case we get caught,” he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “we can say we’re part of the photography club or something. maybe they’ll let us off with a warning." beomgyu explained, taking the camera out of the bag.

"but wouldn't taking pictures at night makes us seem like some kind of creepers?" y/n teased, making beomgyu freeze up.

he hadn't thought of it that way. "oh, i didn't consider that..."

“so, is photography your hobby or something?” y/n asked, her curiosity reignited.

"no, it's just a present my dad randomly gave me for christmas," beomgyu said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "back when i was in 5th grade, i really wanted this one game console, so i cried and made a big deal out of it when he gave me this instead."

y/n giggled again, making beomgyu crack a smile. "what's so funny?" he asked.

"nothing, just... you crying over gifts is hilarious," y/n replied. 

beomgyu grinned. “hey, i was just a kid,” he defended himself playfully. “what about you? what were you like?”

a thoughtful expression crossed your face. “i was pretty frail as a kid,” you began, your voice soft. “spent a lot of time in the hospital. had to learn how to build up my stamina.” your tone was light, but the words carried a weight that surprised beomgyu.

"hospitalized?" beomgyu said, concern in his voice.

"mhm," y/n replied

just then, beomgyu stopped in his tracks, making y/n look back. a distant metallic click echoed in the night, followed by the rhythmic cadence of rubber against the pavement. heart pounding, beomgyu turned to see the source of the noise: a lone police officer, his bicycle casting a long, ominous shadow as he pedaled toward them.

quickly, beomgyu and y/n found shelter at a bus stop, ducking to avoid being spotted. the officer, as if sensing their presence, slowed his pace. the beam of his flashlight swept the area, its light growing brighter with each passing second. y/n's breath caught in her throat as the light drew closer, inching dangerously close to their hiding spot. beomgyu's grip on her hand tightened, his body shielding her as much as possible.

then, as suddenly as it had begun, the ordeal ended. the flashlight passed over their heads, its beam disappearing into the darkness. a sigh of relief escaped beomgyu's lips, his body relaxing slightly. y/n's grip on his shirt loosened, but she remained frozen in place, her mind racing. 

"he's gone," beomgyu whispered, his voice hoarse with relief. his eyes, wide with fear just moments ago, now held a flicker of resolve. "we have to move."

back on their way to the riverside, y/n picked up their previous conversation. "back to our conversation, i'm totally okay now!" she said with a grin. "i did gymnastics which made me super flexible, but since i was so frail as a kid, i was averse to being a burden. that's why i really don't want anyone to know about my lack of sleep."

beomgyu stared at her, admiration in his eyes as she looked over the river. when she lifted her gaze from the water to the stars, beomgyu followed her gaze.

"you know, maybe being sleepless isn't so bad if you get to see beautiful scenes like this," y/n said softly.

beomgyu nodded, wishing he could capture the moment forever. then he realized he could. he pulled out his camera from its bag. first, he focused his lens on the celestial canvas above. the camera captured the myriad of stars, each one a tiny diamond scattered across the velvet expanse. 

next, he turned his attention to the moon, its ethereal glow casting an enchanting spell over the world below. then, the river, a shimmering silver serpent winding its way through the night, became the subject of his lens.

as he took photos, his lens suddenly caught you in the frame. your silhouette is outlined by the soft moonlight. without thinking, he pressed the shutter, capturing you in a moment of grace. it was a candid shot, but when the camera clicked, you noticed and struck a pose, making beomgyu chuckle as he continued taking photos of you.

the night slowly gave way to dawn, and the first light of sunrise painted the sky in hues of gold and pink. you now sat on the edge of the bridge, your feet dangling over the side.

"morning is here," you chirped.

"that figures. now i'm sleepy," beomgyu replied, yawning. you both yawned in unison, then shared a giggle.

up until recently, you hadn't talked to each other at all. but now, here you were exploring the town at night together. when you were around, all the boring and sleepless nights became exciting and beomgyu couldn't help but wonder what kind of relationship this was becoming.

as the sun's shine glared on them, you skipped ahead and called out, "this is my house! thanks for walking me home."

beomgyu nodded, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. instead of the usual goodbye, he offered a playful grin. "see you today," he said, his voice filled with a newfound lightness. you returned his smile, your eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and something deeper.

you both laughed, knowing you had class in just a few hours. despite the lack of sleep, the night had brought them closer, and for the first time in a long time, they felt a sense of companionship that made their sleepless nights a little less lonely.

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© 2024 seoulzie

[sparkles-and-trash]

dabihawks silly, birdy fluff!

"Next week we're moving into the PLF mansion," Dabi said drowsily.

"The PLF mansion," Hawks repeated.

At first, Dabi figured Hawks' little habit was just a way to confirm intel. It was quite annoying, but the intel he got in return was good, so Dabi ignored it for the time being.

But then, as they moved into the PLF house and Hawks started being around more, Dabi realized it definitely wasn't an intel thing, and worse so, it seemed like he only did it with Dabi.

Dabi would say something like;

"Move over Pigeon, big ass wings don't give you the right to take up the entire couch."

And Hawks would chuckle and repeat;

"Big ass wings."

Dabi just rolled his eyes. It was just banter, after all, which was sort of their whole thing.

Until it wasn't.

The night had started out normal enough, just Dabi and Hawks being the last two to sit around the in one of the lounge rooms in the LOV part of the mansion, the casual vibe oddly disarming.

They're watching some stupid reality show on Sceptic's account (that he has no idea they have the password to), and Dabi, as usual, could not keep his mouth shut.

"You cannot tell me you think that guy is there to find someone to marry?!" Dabi exclaimed loudly as he gestured to the TV, and Hawks chuckled.

"Why else would he be there?" the hero asked,

and Dabi rolled his eyes.

"Fame and attention, obviously," he replied.

"Obviously," Hawks repeated and Dabi huffed.

They're quiet for a few moments again, just watching the show, before Hawks speaks up again.

"Why would people want fame and attention, anyways? It kinda really sucks, no?"

Dabi looks over at the hero for a while, trying to decipher if this is genuine or not.

"Thought you love your fans," Dabi says with a side eye, and Hawks shrugs.

"Most of them are nice, but I'd love to just be..." the hero trails off for a second.

"Just be?" Dabi asks, and Hawks nods.

"Just be."

Dabi cleared his throat to buy him some time before he figured out how to pry a little further.

"Maybe when we're all done here, you can," he finally says, and Hawks lights up at that.

"Maybe when we're done!" he repeats, and Dabi looks at him for an extra beat.

"Okay, what gives dude?" he finally asked.

Hawks just looked at him with those stupid, wide eyes.

"What gives?" he asked, and Dabi threw his hands out in frustration.

"Why the fuck do you always repeat something I say back to me?!"

The realization hit Hawks' face so suddenly it almost made Dabi feel bad.

Golden eyes widened, freckled cheeks blushed, and his pretty mouth fell open slightly, before he somewhat got himself together and and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously.

"You've noticed that,

heh?" the blond awkwardly asked, and Dabi rolled his eyes.

"Kinda hard not to."

Hawks hummed, but didn't elaborate right away.

"It's... it's a bird thing, alright?" the hero finally admitted, and now it was Dabi's turn to be taken by surprise.

"A bird.. thing?" he asked.

Hawks nodded and chuckled awkwardly.

"Mimicking is like, a natural part of my brain?"

Dabi huffed.

"Then why do you only do it with me?" he asked, and Hawks sighed.

"Dude, I don't know, okay? It just happens."

Dabi looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm gonna google it," he finally decided, and Hawks laughed.

"Sure, do that Hot Stuff."

Hawks went back to watching their show, and Dabi googled. It was quiet for a while, before a smirk started growing on Dabi's face.

"Birdie," he said, getting the hero's attention.

"Hm?" the blond said, not looking away from the tv.

"Are you like... courting me?" Dabi asked with a grin, and Hawks whipped his head around to look at him.

"What?!" he squawked, and Dabi laughed.

"Mimicing is a way for birds show their potential mate that they find them interesting and -"

"It does NOT fucking say that!" Hawks gasped as he threw himself towards Dabi to grab his phone, but Dabi was quicker and moved away in time.

"Yes it fucking does!" Dabi laughed, not missing the way Hawks' face was turning very pink again where he was laying half way over Dabi's lap in his failed attempted at grabbing the phone.

"Well I am NOT courting you!" Hawks huffed as he sat up and pouted slightly, face growing redder by the second.

Dabi felt a weird warmth in his chest that he wasn't quite ready to decipher.

"That's a shame then, pretty bird," he said with a slightly softer smirk, and Hawks looked over at him with a mix of embarrassment and curiosity.

"Why?" he asked, still slightly pouting.

Dabi smiled.

"Maybe I'd be a little flattered by a traditional bird courting," he said with a shrug.

Hawks finally looked over at him properly again.

"Are you making fun of me?" he asked with a small smile.

Dabi laughed softly.

"Oh definetly," he said with a grin, and Hawks rolled his eyes.

"But... I also kinda mean it," Dabi added, and Hawks's face lit up slightly again.

"Good to know," he said in a failed attempt to sound chill, and Dabi chuckled as he moved a little close to the hero and brushed his hand up against his wing gently.

"Good to know," Hawks chirped back, and for once Dabi didn't find It annoying at all.

[elusivecagedmockingbird]

Lights Out, Words Gone

[yoongi x reader] [1.4k+ friends to lovers, light angst]

A/N: So, there was an attempt, by me. Heh. I'm just really trying to get back into creative writing. I used to enjoy writing, but no one told me that turning that into a career and years of writing newsletters and articles for corporate dulls the mind and at this point, even journaling feels like a chore. But if you found this fic and somewhat enjoyed it, I'm grateful.

-

It's ridiculous, you think to yourself. How can someone be easily disarmed by a smile?

One minute, you're furiously driving at 2 a.m. to fetch Yoongi from a dive bar—miles and hours from where you live so you're well within reason to cuss him out; the next, you're giggling next to him after he told you the lamest joke you've ever heard.

"Y/N, what did the full glass of water say to the empty glass of water?"

In no mood for his shenanigans, you slide the bottle of water you bought during the drive over, closer to him. Unperturbed, he continues with a grin, "You look drunk."

You let out an annoyed sigh. The joke doesn't even make sense, and yet, because it's Yoongi's gummy smile and his contagious giggles that echo across the empty chairs and fills the bar, your mood shifts.

Suddenly, you snort a laugh. Hearing your amusement, his giggles turn into hearty laughs, and you follow.

Yoongi catches his breath after a minute and fluffs his hair. Suddenly, he looks so soft and cuddly. You feel your breath winded.

Feeling compelled to break the silence, you tease, "Did you steal that joke from Jin?" You don't wait for an answer. You usher Yoongi out of the corner of the bar he hid himself in and he lets you push him out as he weakly argues, "Did not. I thought of it myself. I can make funny jokes too, you know." You hum in response, amused by the pout forming on his face.

-

Yoongi trudges straight to his bedroom as soon as you arrive in his place. You follow, wanting to at least make sure he's tucked in with a bucket on his side of the bed—a precaution, lest he hurls his guts in bed, which rarely happens. But better to be safe than sorry.

You eye Yoongi as he grabs a shirt from his drawer and take that as your cue to leave.

"Stay the night," his voice gravelly. You stop mid-journey out the door.

What.

"Uh, Yoongi—"

"It's too late to drive," he crosses the room and pulls your hand to take his shirt. "And if you think I'm letting you take the couch, I'm offended. Sleep here."

A beat passes. "It's not like we haven't shared a bed before," he winks.

Right. As if you'd forget. You remember all too well how Yoongi gets needy and cheesy when drunk—which is why you hesitate. You need to distance yourself before your feeling overwhelms you and make you do something you would regret.

"Remember hell weeks shared in Jin's fancy dorm room? You snored like a fucking berserk honking truck," he chuckles, probably remembering those younger versions of you whose only problems were exams and thesis defense.

The nostalgia hits you, and you quip, "Ya! I remember Jungkook and I pulling an all-nighter for all those times. It was actually you who loudly snored."

Yoongi erupts in soft gummy giggles as you playfully give him the stink eye.

-

Laying stiff beside him, you almost succeed in willing your mind to slip into dreamland when you hear comforters shuffling until you feel him closer to you.

"You awake?" he faces you. "I am now," you huff. You open your eyes to adjust to the dim room, the only light source coming from the street lamp post outside his bedroom window and the tiny static light of your charging phone on the bedside table.

"I just…" he starts, "I wanted to thank you for picking me up. The guys were either out of town or probably too deep in their sleep to hear their phones ring."

"Yes, well… I was on the other side of the town and deep in sleep when you called." You weren't sure what your point was. Probably wanted him to know that you know he definitely did not call anyone else but you tonight.

But of course, he knows that you know. He knows he can't bullshit you. Not when you used to spend every waking moment since you met in college, which was almost 24/7, since you barely slept then. Years of friendship synced you together—getting used to one's idiosyncrasies, being able to read each other across the room, and sharing the same opinion on all things you deemed important.

"And yet you still came. I'm surprised you actually picked up after weeks of radio silence."

Yoongi starts to pick at his nails, his anxiety peaking. Atuned to even his habits, your hands reach to envelop his and you rest your cheeks atop.

"I actually thought it was one of my booty calls," you joke. He doesn't laugh or react, so you turn serious, "I'm your friend, of course, I'll come get you."

Always.

You smile at him, "It actually wasn't a bother. Get some rest, Yoongi." Thinking you ended the conversation, he suddenly confronts you, "You say that but you suddenly cut me off. Why?"

Ah.

Now, you consider if he orchestrated the whole thing. Trying to corner you so he could finally confront you. It wouldn't be out of his character.

You unclasp your hands.

"I didn't cut you off," you lamely defend yourself and hope he lets it go.

Again, this is Yoongi who's calling you out. You can't evade him just like he can't bullshit you. So he holds out.

"Right. So you suddenly dodging my calls and missing weekly hangouts when I'm available to join, is what? Coincidence?" His voice remains calm, but you would miss how it sounds heavier if you hadn't known him for years. Each word is weighed down with pent-up emotion, and now those fueled words hit you like bricks.

"I've gotten busy. Everyone did after graduation." A half lie, half truth.

He shifts a bit closer to you. "You know, even in the dark, I can tell when you're lying, right? I may not see how your eyes get shifty, but your voice has that lilt at the end when you speak. Almost as if you're also trying to make yourself believe in your lie."

You can already feel the onset of a headache from your lack of sleep, but what's more pressing is how your heart dreads being this close to him again, even more so now that you're being called out and you have no excuse. At least nothing good enough to pass Yoongi.

As the minute passes, the silence thickens, and you feel yourself growing even more tired. It could be from the drive, lack of sleep, or that you just fucking had the most mentally-draining shift just hours before that you finally resigned with honesty. Besides, now that you take a glance at his curled-up form beside you, you admit that he, at least, deserves to know why you distanced yourself.

Yoongi has been your best friend for years—the one who made sure to look into your eyes as he encouraged you to take the extra classes because if you thought it would help you secure the job of your dreams, then he believed it would pay off in the end, and you needed to believe that, too.

Yoongi, who held your hand when you went through mental and emotional hurdles. You honestly believe you wouldn't be here now, living and breathing, had it not been for him.

If only the way you looked at him stayed the same, and how his hands felt in yours remained unnoticed, like those days when he held you as you hurled your guts at bar restrooms after chugging down cheap vodka and beers.

If only your affection towards Yoongi didn't root themselves in what you thought was your uninhabitable heart and grow its tendrils over the years of laughing, crying, and sharing even the most mundane moments with him.

And so you will be honest, but you don't know where to start other than offering an apology.

"I'm sorry, Yoongi. I fucked up," tears brim your eyes but you look at him. You let your repressed emotions out and they're coming out all at once, and you're getting overwhelmed. But you need him to know.

He has to know.

Yoongi doesn't respond but motions for you to continue. It's his turn to take your cold hand and warms it between his calloused palms.

You glance at your hands, then at him in the dark and it is during this delicate moment that you let it out, "I seem to have fallen in love with you."

How cliche, you rebuke yourself. Cringing a bit at how you phrased your confession.

You hear him let out a — was it out of relief or disappointment, you're unsure.

You shift your eyes to the window behind him and get a glimpse of the rising sun. The aura of the sunrise breaking the dark blue night sky.

You don't know how many seconds, minutes passed. Yoongi remains silent.

Oh god. Surely this can't be a good thing.

You should leave now.

Unwillingly, you pry your hands away, but before you could even move another muscle, Yoongi finally breaks his silence,

"Then I fucked up, too."

-

>> Read Lights Out, Words Spill

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.166 Best fraaaand

Sophia is still high on our late night shenanigans, just as I planned. I mean, she isn't the type of woman who often wakes up in bad moods, but I couldn't chance it for what I am about to ask. Just as she's heading to the bathroom, I bring it up casually, as if I have just remembered it. No dirty looks so far, so I continue, putting special emphasis on Yasmine being concerned about her children. That part disarms her, like it did to me last night, even though she isn't very guarded anyway. She is low key nosy like me, so she agrees we can go see her later that evening.

She goes to the bathroom, and I scoop up Desiree and head downstairs for breakfast. I have to pee too, so I set her on the play mat because the pooping together era is over. Twenty-ish seconds later, I go back to put her in the high chair but she isn't there! I stare at the empty play mat for a few seconds, trapped in a vortex of terror. I lost my child! How in the world could I lose my child in the house? Where did she go that fast?? This house isn't that big, and she can't climb stairs or open doors, so I shake myself out of that brief paralysis and look for her. That's when I hear cute little grunts steps just a few steps from me. She's trying to pull herself up on the couch! Wait...she's crawling?! This little lady has been full of surprises, and I'm so proud that she is figuring things out on her own and exploring what she can do with these new skills she's learned, but I can't fully shake myself out of that panic mode and keep beating myself up for leaving her alone in the first place.

Pulling up is relatively safe, but I don't want her hitting her head on the coffee table if she falls back the wrong way. But she's having so much fun, and I don't want to impede her adventures, so I pick her up and put her some place more safe to crawl around. We really need to baby proof this place now.

I watch her for a few moments, in awe that we didn't have to teach her how to crawl. The dogs ran in from outside and saw Desiree crawling around, so Kooper came to meet her, officially. Honestly, I was surprised it was him and not Rosie considering her curiosity. He sat right next to her, and Desi's eyes lit up like she had just discovered something magical. She reached out and touched him, and Kooper, my little Lothario, gave her a big kiss right on the nose. Desi did not know what to do with that.

She seemed put off by it at first, but then he went in for another and she giggled and tried to block him. He and I are gonna have a chat later about boundaries and respecting women, tee hee hee.

If I didn't know what infant joy looked like before, I know now. Desi's world has been completely changed for she's now experienced puppy love, heh. I am sooooo glad I got them those age down treats. Desi has a friend now, and her life will never be the same.

[giggly-squiggily]

Ueheueheuheeeuh 💙 XOXO: “Hey, do you like raspberries?” with Megumi and Itadori pls?

{Candy Heart Prompts: OFFICIALLY CLOSED!}

Eheheehhehehhee I love this so MUCH! I've gotcha covered, anon!

XOXO- "Hey, do you like raspberries?"

“Hey, Gooms- I got a question for you!” Itadori’s chin rested on his shoulder from behind, something dangerously giggly in his voice. Megumi closed his eyes, readying himself for chaos.

“What is it, Itadori?”

“Heh..heh, you ready?” Itadori paused for dramatic effect, sending shivers up the other’s spine. “Do you…like raspberries?”

Well shit.

“Ita- '' Megumi went to get away, but Itadori already had him in his domain. Arms tightened around his torso as Itadori weasled his face into his neck, taking the huge breath. Seconds later, he blew.

“Gehahahahaha!” Megumi practically flailed, face warming at the noise he let out. “Gehehehhet ohohohohof, you ahhahahahss!” With a shove and a twist, he sent a cackling Itadori backwards. “Why’d you do that?”

“Pfft- geahhahahahaha! Gohohohohooms, oh my gohohod that was ihihincrehehehdible!” The pink haired teen cheered, feet kicking against the bed as he held his belly. “Whahaht was thaahat noihihiise?”

“The last thing you ever hear before I kick your ass!” Recovering, Megumi lunged at the other, wrestling him down into the bed with ten tickling fingers. “Let me ask you- do you like raspberries?

“Sohohohometihihihihimes? Whahahit wahahhait hahahahhang ohohohoho-AHH!” The other boy all but spasmed when Megumi ducked his head down, blowing a massive one against his stomach. “AHEHAHAH GOHOOHOHOHMS WHAHAHIT!”

“Wow, talk about a strong reaction. Let’s do it again.” Megumi let out a rare laugh as he took another breath, blowing in the same spot and leaving Itadori a mess of flailing limbs and giggles. “If this is all it takes to disarm you, it’s a good thing there’s no tickle curses out there!”

Suddenly, Itadori’s laugh cut off. His limbs, once flailing, came to an eerie stop. Megumi blinked, noticing the sudden change in the air. “Ita-”

Something grabbed him, tossing him onto his back and quickly switching their positions. When he found the culprit’s face, he felt his heart drop.

“No tickling curses, huh?” Sukuna grinned down at him, eyes gleaming as he raised his wiggling fingers. “Let’s fix that, shall we?”

[21wanderer]

MacGyver and son

This story is a fanfic of a show, I've never actually watched, apart from a very few scenes. Nevertheless I think, that viewed in the right context, it would be a very interesting plot twist.

Body a day - #19: Dad

“I still can’t believe he fell for it,” laughed ‘Sam’, whilst Murdoc began to take off all of MacGyver’s clothes.

“Tell me how you managed to achieve this, whatsyourname?” Murdoc asked his partner as he was stripping the former agent and sworn enemy.

“It’s Sam now, and you better not forget it, dad,” said his partner in the guise of a nice young man firmly, “Sean Angus Malloy, but everyone just call me Sam.”

“All right then, Sam... Tell me...”

“Oh, Old MacGyver was a real heartthrob, when he was young, not difficult to imagine with that face and that body, I managed to track down one Kate Malloy, who he had a loving relation with, she was an excellent source of information…”

“How did you get her tell you all this?” Murdoc asked now standing with the naked husk of MacGyver.

“It was easy, really,” Sam replied, “I told her, I was interviewing her for a book. She was apparently very fond of him, so she spent a long time telling me all sorts of stuff about him, and I also got her to tell me about herself. And with your help, I had all that I needed to successfully play his 'long-lost son'. And he believed every single word I told him, I even managed to get him to quit, just to spend time with me.” Sam laughed again at the last remark, then got up from his chair to help Murdoc with the MacGyver-suit.

“Heh, now you’ll certainly live up to your title as ‘master of disguise’, you couldn’t have asked for a better disguise,” Sam grinned.

“You are absolutely right,” gloated Murdoc, having stripped himself naked. He held the hollowed out skin of MacGyver up in front of him, “let’s get to it then.”

Stretching out MacGyver’s mouth ludicrously wide, Murdoc slid his legs one at a time into the warm and squishy skinsuit. Sam pushed the toes into place one by one, as Murdoc pulled MacGyver further up his body. MacGyver’s strong legs were now in place. Murdoc continued, pulling the skin up further, covering his torso, he forced down his arms down MacGyver’s mouth and guided his upper limbs into the empty husk's. He flexed his new hands. Murdoc caressed the rest of his new body, still with MacGyver’s hollow head hanging off his shoulders like a hood. Sam rubbed him on the back, helping him smooth out any creases or flaws.

“Now put on the face, dad” urged Sam, “Heh, all right,” grinned Murdoc and pulled MacGyver’s face over his own, he pushed the facial features into place and opened his eyes. “How do I look, son?”

“You look amazing, dad,” came the reply.

“Yes, this guy is fit,” the new MacGyver said, rubbing his hands across his bare chest and arms, "and pretty handsome too - now the way is open for us, Sam, nothing is going to stop us,” MacGyver laughed, replicated the voice of his enemy perfectly. He paused, looking pensive, then asked; “but if Sam isn’t the son of Malloy and MacGyver, then who is he?”

“I don’t know,” said Sam indifferently, “just some random pretty young man, that kinda looks like MacGyver, I don’t think there’s any relation between them. But hey, I’m not complaining, and the idiot believed me.” Sam’s boyish demeanour was incredibly convincing and effective at hiding the evil within, and he played the role of easygoing young man with an innocent smile and disarming laughter perfectly.

“I’m ready,” said the MacGyver imposter, having pulled on his victim’s t-shirt, jeans, socks and boots, “get the biker jackets and the rest of the gear, and let’s get going.”

“Sure thing, dad,” laughed Sam. Now they only had one final little role play to wrap up, then they’d be on their way. Murdoc had big plans for using MacGyver’s body, and Sam was the perfect partner. The two imposters went outside to get on their bikes.

‘MacGyver’ and ‘Sam’ arrived on their motorcycles, in their matching leather biker jackets. ‘Sam’ was quickly of the bike to greet MacGyver’s boss and best friend, Pete Thornton. “Hi Mr. Thornton.”

Mr. Thornton shook his hand, “Sam. What, are you guys all packed for your trip?”

“Just finished,” MacGyver replied. “Oh, MacCyver, the Phoenix Board asked me to give you this,” Thornton said pulling out an envelope from his inner pocket.

“Pete-” said MacGyver trying to cut him off. “It’s an offer of a new contract, and it’s very generous, and I think you oughta look at it.”

“We’ve been through this before,” MacGyver said impatiently, silently pleased with how easy he could deceive even MacGyver's closest friend. “Sam, and I got a little catching up to do,” he continued and padded Sam’s face, Sam laughed.

Accepting defeat, Thornton put the envelope back in his pocket. “Well I – I told them that you wouldn’t go for it,” he paused, “You know… I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like without you around here.” That statement had the most delicious irony, thought MacGyver to himself, trying to look just a little sad. “Well, it was bound to happen – things change.”

“Not always,” replied Thornton, “good things don’t.” MacGyver and Sam both suppressed the urge to laugh. “Don’t you ever change, MacGyver” Thornton continued, clearly being moved by this ‘sad goodbye’, that both MacGyver and Sam played through. “Don’t you either,” replied MacGyver. Thornton opened his arms, and the imposter gave him a hug.

“Well, can I expect to drop in once in a while anyway?”

MacGyver placed a hand on Thornton’s shoulder, “Count on it, my friend.” “Sam,” Thornton said and stretched out his hand to the young man again, “take care of your old man, will ya?” “You can count on it,” Sam replied delightfully, shaking Thornton’s hand a final time.

'MacGyver and son' mounted their bikes. “So – where to?” asked Sam rhetorically as he grabbed his helmet. “Somewhere else,” replied MacGyver rehearsed. Sam sent him one of his boyish smiles, after which they both put on their helmets. They started their engines and headed off. That was the end of the old MacGyver and the beginning of a new.

[mintytealfox]

Do you have any hcs about genderswap nortalice? I feel like female norton can lift male alice if she really wanted to 💝

-WHEEEEZZEEEEEEEEE- YOU KNOW I DO 🤣👏👏👏👏

AND THAT IS LITERALLY ONE OF THEM I AM HOLLERIN HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

She would absolutely YEEEEET male!Alice HAHAHAHAHA

male!Alice: "I wish there was a way up to that window..." -starts pondering to himself and not realized he is being lifted like heavy lance- fem!Norton: "3......2.......................................1" male!Alice: "huh?" fem!Norton: "UP" -male!Alice is absolutely LAUNCHED-

---- Now here's MOAR: (and some of these also apply to their OG genders as well heh but not all of them)

-I like to think that male!Alice is particularly corny and puny and that makes fem!Norton look into the camera like in the office 🤣🤣

-I think fem!norton wasn't overly fond of people before male!Alice comes along. She came from a rough place with rough people and has a rough outlook on everything and everyone because of it. But then here is this guy who is like 'wow truffle cake is brilliant, I'd wager its the best thing in existence' and that making fem!norton like 'HUH???' the absolute state of confusion she would be in that there isn't some ulterior meaning or motive behind such a pure comment.

-and I imagine male!Alice wasn't overly fond of people either before meeting fem!norton, simply cause of how exhausting it all is for him. I can see him enjoying observing people from afar but if he doesn't have any information on who he is talking to or anyone that is in the room, he can be stressed and watching each and every movement, making him naturally overwhelmed and looking ill. An old survival skill that now infects his daily life, unable to relax and just enjoy an outing or conversation for what it is. He wants to relax and just be with people but the stress and lack of control makes being with random people not at all enjoyable.

-I think the way fem!norton eats completely disarmed male!alice lol just staring at her wide eyed 'she is like a chipmunk, a gross chipmunk, adorable~' He thinks she is so odd that he wants to know more than just the mining accident lol

-I can see Male!Alice being completely unable to get drunk no matter how hard he tries (due to the experiments that happened to him). While Fem!Norton can drink A LOT but can get drunk and when she does she can't stop talking lol

-Just imagine fem!norton bridal carrying male!alice aahhhh so cute

I will stop here but THERE IS MORE LOL

[im-not-buying-it-ether]

First meetings between the Chief and the Drake

Tim honesty doesn’t know why he has to work with The Chief (or whatever the hell he’s called back in good ol’ Fawcett)

Why does an entire pseudo family of magic users even have a tech guy??

“They have useful information on the group were dealing with Tim,” rang-out Oracle’s heavily disguised voice. Ready for further hide her identity behind the screen to his left for when the expected Marvel finds his way to the Bat-cave. “With all the magic issues we already have to power through without outside assistance I think its nice we have more to rely on than just Zatanna or Jason whenever they’re in town.”

Tim fidgeted in the Bat-chair, swishing the tea Alfred made for him earlier in his mug. “I know but the whole family is a deck of wild cards, how do six people capable of taking on Superman on an off day just pop out of the woodwork with no history other than ancient the kind Babs?” Tim took another once over of the cave security cams and aerial footage of the manor’s surroundings, “We only found out about the rest of the family two weeks ago because of that shitty Luthor-Sivanna team up, Cap has a whole team hidden away in his city or that Rock place he mentions once in a blue moon and he never mentioned there being more of him.” Tim flew his empty hand up in the air, “and now Bruce is pulling his hair out trying to research what his now a minor pantheon of ‘heroes that are probably weird ass new gods’ and is going grey-er than normal finding nothing!”

At the end of that mini rant Tim could feel the disinterested, patient look from behind Barbra’s monitor, “Got the bats out of the cave now?”

“Is that some kind of family saying?” Questioned a voice from the nearby medical platform, The Chief had bypassed cave security at some point unknown to Tim.

Good god Bruce needs some anti magic runes or something…

“Oh!” The man startled when Tim head snapped to his direction, hovering in front of the door of a containment room or when they need to hold someone infected with anything from new fear gas to a zombie virus.

Why is he just floating there? Shouldn’t he be by the elevator or the Zetta tube if he just got here?

“Sorry, I’m uh- heh,” he hovered down closer to the Bat-computer, one hand rubbing his neck nervously and the other in mock surrender. “Cap said I needed to pop by to pass on what we know on Dionysian cult practices and what the stuff you guys found exactly does?”

There was a tense moment, one normally shared between vaguely Batman like heroes and vaguely Superman like heroes. Where one looks the other over studying for the slightest hint of evidence to their theories in everything about them, their form, the choice in costume design, the body language, to even the slightest hair out of place. All done in a fraction of a second to not force the subject of the inspection into trying to hide anything after the fact, all while the other acts so painfully normal and human that it throws every speculation out the window. Too nervous in the face of a mortal man to be anything approximating an immortal being or god, but proven to be far too strong to be anything but.

His proclaimed older brother wiped the floor with a Superman infected by red kryptonite. He broke the man of steels arm and bruised multiple ribs subduing him so that he wouldn’t knock down another building. The Captain had been able to catch up to and outrun Wally when a bomb got strapped to his wrist and disarmed it while still flying faster than the man could run. None of the Marvels have documented limits in all the battles they’ve joined the league on, short of the minor annoyance of a magical attack. One of them is the dictator of a small country. They pop in and out of existence for superhero duties on a whim. Good god Bruce why did you have to rub this specific paranoia onto me?

“I’m going to hazard a guess and say our magic friend has arrived?” Oracles distorted voice snapped him from staring the lanky hero down, just now noticing the outstretched hand waiting to shake his. Turning back to the monitor Tim replied a curt, “He’s here.” Ignoring the childishly dejected look of the possibly thousands years old or freshly spawned being of magic to his right.

“So,” the hero in grey clapped his hands, “I can just upload the data we’ve got on them to the Bat-Computer here and just head out for you guys to do your, uh, Bat…thing?”

“That would be be-”

“Do you have the files physically on hand, on a drive, or on another device we’ll have to link to the computer?” Oracle interjected, startling both men.

“Oh, uh, well…” he began flexing and un-flexing his fingers, “I can literally kinda just, well I can basically upload everything I know in my head to what you’ve got here?” Probably realizing how odd even that sounded he rushed to clarify, “I-I’m basically like a magic technopath or whatever it's called, I can talk to machines and control them to a degree. Not like flinging keyboards with my mind or talking politics with a toaster levels of talk but I can just y’know,” he gestured between his head and the many screens, “Take what's up here that you need and put it in here?”

The man gave a unsure and lopsided grin, as if hearing how near absurd it sounded to have the ability to mix two polar systems together so seamlessly to be as simple as a data transfer between a computer and a human maybe human mind with magic. A force that has famously never worked well with modern machines or technology without major repercussions or those machines fusing with the person trying to mix them, the closest they’ve gotten that doesn’t instantly mutate the user or straight up explode is when Cyborg connects to New Gods Tech and even then its a gamble of if he can do anything with it or if it will infect him with some kind of virus.

He’s nervous mentioning it but he has an air of confidence like hes done this before, but also as if its common knowledge for him but something to withhold from Red Robin. Tim wonders if this is a universal power for his “family” but replays how he phrased it in his mind, he only said “I” and not “we”, it’s most likely a power specific to him or only he’s been able to master.