#hey if this sounds like projection mind your own business

[wrathofrats]

Ugh sweetheart softie alpha

Warnings for grief, I just wanna talk about deltas passing/decline and alpha helping pebble through it man ):

Pebble never knew how to deal with his emotions as delta declined. Whether to ignore them and hope things would get better, or at least he would grow numb to the bad. Or if he should say something, even if when he did it was usually volatile and hurt, especially towards omega. Alpha always found him, could sense when things were starting to get bad. Pebble jokes and jabs would start to sting more, be more malicious with an undertone of something desperate, as if he craved people to be mad at him.

But alpha never was. Never truly mad at least. When the insults got more sharp and pointed, he knew it meant something was wrong. Pebble was dealing with something that alpha knows he would’ve burnt the abbey down over if it had happened to him, so it’s hard to blame the little earth ghoul for being combative at times.

Would find him after he ran away each time. Small hidden gardens meant for the papas or secret rooms in the chapels. Pebble was somewhat predictable, or he just wanted to be found. And everytime alpha would sit with him even if pebble begged him to leave, said he was ok and just needed time. It was never fully the truth. Pebble would never accept comfort unless it was forced upon him. And luckily alpha was good at doing just that.

Holds him to his chest even if he fights. Claws and sobs that he doesn’t need him that he’s making things worse that alpha is complicit in deltas death so why does he care. And it stings, but he does it anyways. Pebble needs the release. And in time he calms down, sobs racking his small frame in alphas arms, incoherently wailing for his friend back. And alpha stays silent besides some hushing and comforting sounds because he truthfully doesn’t know what to say.

And pebble won’t say thank you. Doesn’t know how to about this yet. But the fact that he relaxes at all after a while is enough for alpha.

And he will do it again. And again.

[leaderwonim]

MR. FUCKING BRIGHTSIDE

pairing. slytherin!jake x hufflepuff!fem!reader

summary. although sim jaeyun constantly surrounds himself with douchebags and looks like he could stomp all over a girl’s heart; you knew the real him that was deep inside. but did you really?

genre. hogwarts!au, ANGST, bits of fluff, right person wrong circumstances, forbidden/secret love

warnings. jake can be a bit of an asshole, the insult “mudblood” is used, slytherin gets shitted on as a house (dw, i’m a slytherin 😭)

Sim Jaeyun, or everybody knew him as Jake, the sixth year Slytherin, seeker of his house’s Quidditch team, and nevertheless, charming to every girl that has stepped foot in his proximity.

Half of your friends would disagree—that he was not charming but rather just another slithering snake in the worst possible house at Hogwarts.

Jake’s friend group consisted of three people: Draco Malfoy, Blaise, and Pansy Parkinson. They just so happen to be an insufferable lot, maybe except Blaise who minded his own business half of the time.

“Today you will be working in pairs.” Professor McGonagall states, fixing her glasses as she holds a stroll of paper. “I’ve already decided them, absolutely no changes.”

There’s groans that fill the room, one of whom you recognize as no other than Jake.

“Seriously? I wanted to pair up with Blaise!” He whines, earning a glare from Draco. “What? C’mon Dray, we both know you and I don’t get anything done.”

“Alright,” Professor McGonagall clears her throat. “Blaise Zabini with Nancy Drumswell, Aidan Callaghan with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter with Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson, and finally, Jaeyun Sim with Y/N L/N.”

You don’t blink when you realize who your partner is. Rather, you just sigh a bit in defeat, coming to the conclusion that you cannot do anything to convince McGonagall to change partners.

“Hey.” Jake plops himself down on the seat next to you, laughing as Draco gives him a shove on the way to his own table.

“Hi.” You murmur, suddenly finding your yellow robe more interesting than him.

“I’ve never been paired with a Hufflepuff before.” He grins, the shit eating grin that weirdly captives your senses. “Are you guys as nice as you claim to be?”

“I don’t know Jaeyun, you tell me.”

Jake’s eyes widen before he lets out a giggle. “Jaeyun? No one ever calls me that anymore.”

You shrug, sliding him the piece of paper with the instructions to your project. “You can stop by the Hufflepuff dormitories at 8, I’ll be done with dinner by then and I’ll open it for you.”

“Sounds like a plan sweetheart.”

You cringe at his words, the obvious disdain on your face makes him laugh even harder.

“I’ll see you then.” He whispers, and just like a movie, stands up as soon as McGonagall dismisses the class, merging into one with his friends.

♡;

Just as the clock struck eight, you heard a knock. Your books, pens, and parchment were spread out in front of you, eagerly waiting to be used.

As you slowly get up to open the door, you’re met face to face with Jake, who entered the room with a confident stride

"Hey there, Y/N," Jake greeted, flashing you a charming smile as he took a seat across from your side of the table.

"Hey," you politely turn his smile. "Ready to tackle this project?"

"Absolutely," he affirmed, pulling out his own notes and spreading them out on the table. "I've got some ideas already. How about you?"

You nodded, slightly impressed by Jake's readiness to dive into the work. "I've been brainstorming as well. Maybe we can combine our ideas and come up with something great."

As the two of you began discussing your approaches to the project, youcouldn't help but notice how articulate and intelligent Jake was when he wasn't surrounded by his usual group of friends. His confidence shone through, but it was paired with a genuine interest in the subject matter that caught you off guard.

"You sure sound different when you’re not around Draco," You remarked.

Jake only chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. "Yeah, well, I guess I don't always show this side of me around my friends. They have a different idea of what's cool."

You can only nod in understanding, realizing that Jake was more complex than you had initially assumed.

As you continued working, you couldn’t help but find yourself paying closer attention to the small details about him—the way his brow furrowed in concentration, the soft lilt in his voice when he explained a concept, the way his eyes sparkled with passion for the project.

"Thanks for coming, Jake," you say, offering him a genuine smile. "I really enjoyed working with you."

Jake returned your smile, his eyes meeting yours with a warmth that sent a sudden flutter through your heart. "Anytime, Y/N. I had a great time too."

As you bid each other goodnight, you couldn’t help but suddenly miss his presence, something you didn’t expect to happen with just one session with him.

♡;

In your second studying session, you and Jake found yourselves engrossed in their project once again. This time, you two decided to move to a quiet corner of the library, away from prying eyes and distractions. The Hufflepuff dorms were too crowded, and you knew you’d rather die than step into the Slytherin dormitory as a Hufflepuff.

As you discussed your research findings, you couldn't help but notice how Jake's demeanor had softened since your last meeting. He seemed more relaxed, more open, as if he felt comfortable letting his guard down around you.

Jake suddenly reached across the table to grab a book, his hand brushing against yours in the process. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a jolt of electricity coursing through your veins, leaving you quite literally breathless for a moment. “Here Y/N, I heard this book was good for this particular topic.”

Your eyes met briefly, and you felt your cheeks flush with warmth.

“Thanks,” you murmur, looking down slightly.

Jake smiled back at you, seemingly oblivious to the effect his touch had on you. For a person who charms so much girls, you’d think he know how much his advances affected others.

“No problem, seems like we got a lot done within these 2 days huh?”

"Yeah, it seems so," you reply softly.

Even though it had only been 2 nights, in those quiet moments, away from the prying eyes of their classmates, you had realized just how much you actually enjoyed Jake's company. He wasn't just the annoying Slytherin she had initially pegged him to be—he was kind, intelligent, and surprisingly easy to talk to.

"I guess that's it for tonight," Jake said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “Can’t believe they only allow Prefects in the library past ten.”

"Yeah," you groan, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought of saying goodbye. "But we'll see each other again soon, right?"

Jake nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Definitely. Let’s just hope Malfoy doesn’t ruin it.”

♡;

As you made your way through the corridors of Hogwarts with Hermione, you spotted Jake surrounded by his Slytherin friends, including Draco and Pansy. Suddenly feeling the wave of confidence at the sight of him, you decided to muster up the courage to approach him.

But as you drew nearer, you noticed a subtle shift in Jake's demeanor. His usual friendly expression hardened, and a smirk spread across his lips as he turned to face you and Hermione.

"Look who it is, boys," Draco says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Little Miss Hufflepuff herself."

Jake and Pansy chuckled, exchanging knowing glances with Draco as if they were in on some inside joke. Your smile faltered, confusion and hurt swirling in your chest as you struggled to make sense of Jake's sudden change in attitude.

"Um, hi, Jaeyun," you replied, voice barely above a whisper as you fought to keep her composure.

"Seriously? Jaeyun? That’s hysterical.” Pansy laughs, as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

“What's the matter, Y/N? Can't find anyone from your own house so you bother our Jake here?” Draco continues to taunt you, his words like daggers aimed straight at your heart. “Or should I say Jaeyun?”

You felt your cheeks burn with embarrassment as the laughter of Jake's friends echoed in your ears. You had never felt so small, so insignificant to the group in front of you.

“I was hoping to discuss our project.” You say quietly, looking at anyone but Jake.

Hermione could sense your hostility, pulling you close to her side as she gave Draco a snarl.

“Listen Y/N,” Jake says, “all that crap you Hufflepuffs preach about loving each other and expressing feelings is a lie. No one really cares about what you have to say.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Hermione says, shielding you by putting herself in front of your frame. “What has gotten into you?”

But Jake just shrugged her off, his smirk widening into a sneer. "Mind your own business, mudblood. This doesn't concern you."

Feeling the sting of tears threatening to spill from your eyes, you quickly turn on your heel and fled down the corridor, desperate to escape the humiliation of Jake's cruel words.

Had you really been so stupid to place your trust in Sim Jaeyun knowing full well his reputation? By the looks of it, all answers pointed to yes.

♡;

By 7pm, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the surface of the Black Lake just in front of the Slytherin Common Rooms.

“Y/N?” Almost as if he knew exactly where you were, Jake shows up in front of you, making you give him a glare.

"I'm so sorry, Y/N," he murmured, his voice tinged with remorse as he avoided your gaze. He takes a seat next to you on the grass, his fingers tracing patterns across them in nervousness. "I messed up back there. I let my pride get the best of me, and I hurt you in the process. I should have stood up for you."

You sighed, your heart heavy with disappointment but softened by Jake's sincerity.

“I don’t get it,” you say. “One moment you’re all kind and sincere around me, and the next, you say all these things like I’m worth nothing.”

The two of you sat in silence for a moment, the air filled with the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant calls of birds. Then, Jake spoke again, his voice hesitant but earnest. "I guess my friends just have an influence on me that I can’t control. I’m sorry for what I said earlier, you’re one of the kindest people I've ever met, Y/N. I admire that about you."

You slightly smiled, a warm flush spreading across your cheeks. "Thank you, Jake. That means a lot to me."

As the sky darkened and stars began to twinkle overhead, the two of you continued to talk, laughter mingling with the night air.

♡;

The next night was one of the more important nights at Hogwarts. Everybody had finished their exams—and the Ravenclaws decided to throw a party at their Commons.

The music throbbed as you entered with Ron Weasley, who, at the sight of his twin brothers, ran towards them. You roll your eyes at his behavior, and start pulsing through the crowded room, a plastic smile plastered on your face.

You notice Jake in the corner, sipping on what looked like a bottle of beer. He exchanged nods and greetings with those around him, his eyes scanning the room for something—someone.

But before you could gawk at him any longer, Draco cut in smoothly, his tone laced with mockery. "Oh, look who decided to show up. Did you bring your Hufflepuff friend to the party, Jake? How charming."

Pansy giggled, her eyes glittering with malice as she looked at you up and down. "I didn't know us Slytherins were into charity work."

“Guys, seriously? Cut it out,” Jake gulps, eyes directly meeting yours.

“He’s right,” Blaise says, and you swear it’s the most you’ve ever heard out of him. “Don’t ruin the party.”

“Whatever.” Pansy throws her hand in mock surrender. “Wouldn’t want to make the Hufflepuff cry.”

Hermione comes to your rescue right after Pansy throws you a glare.

“Piss off.” She says, interlocking her arms with yours.

“Thanks ‘Mione.” You thank her softly as you’re lead away from the lot. “For saving me back there.”

“Always,” she smiles. “Now cmon, I heard Ron’s already drunk!”

You two giggle at that, you letting Hermione lead the way into the crowd of people.

♡;

It’s about 2 hours later and the Ravenclaw party is still loud as ever, filled with with laughter and music.

Despite the Weasley twins making a full ruckus of themselves, your eyes were drawn to a figure slumped in a corner. It was Jake, only this time, he looked uncharacteristically vulnerable, his face pale and contorted with some type of emotion you hadn’t seen before.

Concern etched onto your features, and your body felt itself navigating through the crowd of people until you’re knelt beside him. "Jake? Are you alright? Where’s Draco?”

He lifted his head, and you swore you felt your heart clenched at the sight of his glassy eyes and trembling lips. "I'm fine," he mumbled, but his voice betrayed the lie.

"No, you're not," you reply softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Jake swallowed hard, his gaze flickering with a mix of emotions. "It's... it's nothing," he slurred, but his words lacked conviction.

You stayed silent, sensing he needed to unburden himself. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice raw with emotion. "Do you think I’m good for nothing?”

"What?" You asked gently, your heart sinking as you watched him struggle to form his thoughts.

"I mean look at this, look at me," Jake gestured vaguely, gesturing to the party around the two of you. "This charade I constantly put on. Pretending to be someone I'm not."

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Jake trailed off, his breath hitching. "Was it all worth the six years of be pretending to be who I wasn’t? Pretending to be the egoistic charming Slytherin everyone claims to know so well?”

Jake pauses before looking up at you, his eyes swimming with unshed tears. "You know I care about you a lot, right? I like you, a lot.”

“You do?” You say quietly, brushing a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes.

“But we just can’t.”

“What?”

“Why not?”

"Because,” Jake's voice cracked, and he looked away. "Because I wish you were in Slytherin."

You felt your heart shatter into a million pieces at his words. You almost knew it then, with a painful realization that you could never compete with the loyalty he felt towards his house and the expectations placed upon him by his housemates.

Tears stung your eyes as you realized there was nothing she could do to change his mind. With a heavy heart, you rose to your feet.

“Well I’m sorry then, Jake.” You say, turning around so he wouldn’t see your tears.

And as you walked away, the echoes of his confession lingered in your mind, haunting your thoughts with the bitter realization that sometimes, love simply wasn't enough.

[angelwings-crossbowstrings]

And It’s Like the Sky is New

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader (pre-relationship)

Warnings: None

Summary: “All at once, everything looks different.”

A/N: Just needed to get something out. I feel like I’m falling behind and letting people down. Dedicated to @shadowcitrine who always lets me know when I’m doing too much. 🩵

gif by @daryl-dixon-daydreams

“Doin’ too much.”

You looked over your shoulder to find Daryl in the doorway, fingers busy fiddling with the tip of a bolt. You were so tired that you hadn’t even heard him come inside. “No. No, I’m not doing enough.” You disputed quietly, blowing your hair out of your face before turning back to your project, pulling the thread taut and pushing the needle through again. The prison community had grown tenfold and the kids outgrew clothes so fast. Hand-me-downs were necessary. The least you could do is hand them down with less holes.

“Not what I mean.” You heard him push himself off the frame and then his boots as he approached. His knees protested the descent to the concrete floor, but if it bothered him, he never said. “Not all this.”

You narrowed your eyes at the hand that gestured toward the projects you had scattered about: sewing, medical journals, dirty laundry for washing, and the list went on. “If you’ve got a point, Daryl, make it.” You didn’t snap at him. You were too weary for the energy that would require.

His expression remained neutral. “Doin’ plenty out here.” When he leaned in, you nearly reeled, but found you neither had the energy nor the true desire. His hand raised, his index finger tapping the middle of your forehead. “Doin’ too much in here.”

Your eyes followed his hand as he retracted it, letting it drop onto his thigh. He was right, of course. You had been thinking of everyone else for so long that you had forgotten what it even felt like to think of yourself. “Oh? What do you suggest?” You finally replied, placing the sewing on top of the pile.

One side of Daryl’s mouth lifted. “C’mon with me.”

The weather was cool, summer shifting into fall with all of its quiet and colors. The night air felt refreshing on your skin, having been cooped up for days with your projects. Your mind needed to be constantly occupied, lest you fall into the what ifs that consistently hung in the air. You’d be consumed by them, forgetting that you could be more than alive but actually still live.

The night sky was clear, stars twinkling. An entire universe was beyond the hell on earth and you couldn’t help but wonder if somewhere out there, there were other people; another planet where lives were happily moving forward. It was odd to feel jealousy toward something that may not even exist.

“Hey.”

“Hmm?” You answered a little too quickly, rolling your head toward the sound of Daryl’s voice. His gaze remained on the sky.

He inhaled deeply, folding his arms behind his head. “Where’d ya go?”

“Nowhere bad.” The stars acted as sparkling magnets and pulled your eyes back toward the sky. “Mostly.” A hum resonated beside you, so deep that you could almost feel it in your own chest. “Do you ever wonder what else is out there?” Your hand came up in a lazy gesture toward the incomplete darkness with its pinpricks of celestial light.

“Nah.” He answered immediately. It was almost insulting how little care he gave the reply. “Ain’t no need when there’s still so much—good right here.”

You laughed at this, turning your head to meet his indignant glare. “What’s so good about here? There’s the threat of—of death around every corner.” Daryl’s expression never wavered, his eyes searching your face. “What’s so good, Daryl?”

His eyes narrowed before he blinked and looked upward. “Them stars. They’re good.” You choked down another laugh. “Nights like this’un. They’re good.” He continued. “Family. That’s good.” Then there was silence. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable; simply unexpected.

“I guess you’re—”

“You.” His head lolled back toward you. “You’re a good thing.” You only managed the first chuckle of a laugh before realizing there was not even a single hint of humor in the way he gazed at you. The expression may have appeared stoic to anyone else but you—you could see the fondness just below the surface, the sincerity, the truth. Your heart leapt into a somersault when you felt his finger graze the side of your hand.

“You, uh—” You swallowed hard, bearing witness to the moonlight catching in his eyes, making them almost silver under its influence. “You’re a good thing too.” Daryl stared at you a little longer before returning his attention to the sky, simultaneously lacing his fingers through yours. You, however, couldn’t seem to look away.

You’re not a good thing, Daryl. You’re the best thing.

[writingbuckets]

𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬: 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐢

paige bueckers x reader

wc: 2.4k

a/n: thank you so much for all the love on part 1. i'm already editing part 3, so stay tuned <3

The library was quiet, the muffled sounds of pages turning and keyboards clicking creating a steady background hum. You sat at a large wooden table, your laptop open in front of you and a half-empty iced coffee to your right. It was mid-afternoon, the time when most students were either in class or still recovering from the night before. You’d managed to carve out a peaceful corner for yourself, though that tranquility was soon interrupted when two familiar figures plopped down across from you.

“Yo, hope you don’t mind us crashing your study sesh,” a voice said, drawing your attention away from the screen.

It was Jana and Azzi, two of Paige’s teammates and your classmates in one of the upper-level business courses. The three of you had been grouped together for a project, which was how you’d come to know them better outside of the occasional party or casual interaction.

“Not at all,” youreplied with a faint smile. Jana and Azzi were easygoing, funny, and completely unaware of the complicated mess that was your history with Paige. You liked them for that—they didn’t pry or push, and for the most part, they were blissfully unaware of the tension lurking beneath the surface.

Jana grinned, dropping her backpack onto the table. “Good, because we brought snacks.” She pulled out a bag of chips and offered some to Azzi, who immediately grabbed a handful.

You chuckled, relaxing slightly. “I see you’re taking this study session very seriously.”

“Hey, brain food is important,” Jana said with a mock-serious tone, popping a chip into her mouth. “Plus, we’ve got like an hour before we have to actually be productive, right?”

“Sure,” you said, taking a sip of your coffee. “We’ll go with that.”

For the next few minutes, the three of you fell into easy conversation, mostly about your project and a few upcoming assignments. You found yourself enjoying the banter, grateful for the distraction. But as much as you tried to focus on the conversation, there was an undercurrent of anxiety you couldn’t quite shake.

You hadn’t seen Paige since the party a few weeks ago, but that didn’t mean you hadn’t been thinking about her. It was impossible not to. After your last encounter—the cold, awkward tension, the almost-conversation in the kitchen—you had been left feeling raw, like an open wound that wouldn’t heal. No matter how much distance you tried to put between you two, Paige always seemed to find a way to slip back into you life, even if it was just through mutual friends like Jana and Azzi.

The worst part was, you knew you weren’t over her. Not really. As much as you tried to act like you didn’t care anymore, that Paige’s rejection hadn’t cut you deep, there was a part of you that still held on to the memory of what you’d had. Or what you’d thought you had.

Your relationship—or whatever it had been—had started off light, fun, and uncomplicated. You’d met through mutual friends, and it hadn’t taken long for the chemistry between you to spark. It was supposed to be casual, just a few late-night hookups, no expectations, no strings attached. At first, it was exactly that. Paige was charming, confident, and frustratingly attractive, and you had been content to keep things simple. You weren’t looking for anything serious either, and Paige made it clear from the beginning that she wasn’t the type to settle down.

But somewhere along the way, you had broken your own rules. You’d started to fall. Hard. It wasn’t just the sex—though that had been great—it was everything else. The stolen moments in between, the late-night texts, the way Paige had looked at you like you were the only person in the room. It had felt real, even if neither of you had said the words.

Then, just when you had been on the verge of confessing how you felt, Paige had pulled away. Suddenly, the texts were fewer and farther between. The casual meetups became rare, then nonexistent. Paige had distanced herself without explanation, leaving you feeling like you’d been tossed aside the moment things started to get serious.

You’d tried to play it cool, act like it didn’t bother you, but inside, it hurt more than you wanted to admit. Eventually, you’d made the decision to walk away, cutting things off before Paige could hurt you even more. You’d told yourself it was for the best, that you deserved better than someone who couldn’t commit. But knowing that hadn’t made it any easier.

And now, here you were, sitting with Paige’s teammates, trying to pretend like the past wasn’t constantly nipping at your heels.

“So, what’s the plan for this project?” Jana asked, snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Right,” you said, refocusing. “I was thinking we could split up the research into sections. I’ll take the first part, and you two can divide the second and third.”

“Works for me,” Azzi said, typing something into her laptop.

As you settled into a rhythm, you let yourself relax a bit, pushing thoughts of Paige to the back of your mind. But that peace didn’t last long. Just as you were getting into a groove, you heard a voice behind you, one that made your heart sink into your stomach.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Paige.

Your spine stiffened, but you didn’t turn around. You didn’t need to. You could feel Paige’s presence, could sense her standing just a few feet away. Your throat tightened, and you forced yourself to keep your eyes on your laptop, pretending to be engrossed in whatever was on the screen.

Jana and Azzi didn’t seem to notice the shift in your demeanor. They both smiled at Paige as she approached the table, casually pulling out a chair.

“Bueckers, what are you doing here?” Jana asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you had a meeting with coach.”

Paige shrugged, her voice light. “He let me out early. Figured I’d come see what you guys were up to.”

You could hear the smile in her voice, that easy charm you knew all too well. It made your chest tighten with a mix of frustration and something you didn’t want to name.

“Studying for our project,” Azzi said, gesturing to the mess of papers and laptops in front of you all. “Or trying to, anyway.”

Paige’s gaze flicked briefly to you, and for a moment, the air between you crackled with tension. You could feel Paige’s eyes on you, but you refused to look up. You weren’t going to give her the satisfaction.

“Cool, cool,” Paige said casually, though there was an edge to her tone that hadn’t been there before. “Mind if I hang out for a bit?”

Your fingers tightened around the edge of your laptop. Great. Just what you needed.

“Yeah, sure, grab a seat,” Jana said, oblivious to the silent war raging across the table.

Paige pulled out a chair and sat down, her presence an unwelcome weight in your periphery. You could feel Paige’s gaze lingering on you, but you didn’t dare meet it. You wouldn’t give her the power. Not this time.

For the next few minutes, the conversation flowed easily between Paige, Jana, and Azzi, with you contributing only when absolutely necessary. You could tell Paige was trying to act normal, but there was a subtle tension in her voice, like she was holding back. It was as if Paige was testing the waters, gauging how much you were willing to engage. But you weren’t going to give her anything. Not after everything.

Eventually, the conversation shifted back to the project, and Paige leaned back in her chair, watching you all work. You kept your head down, focused on your laptop, but every so often, you could feel Paige’s gaze flit in your direction.

It was maddening, how just being near Paige could stir up so many conflicting emotions. Frustration, anger, longing—everything you’d been trying to bury for months came bubbling back to the surface. But you couldn’t let it show. Not here, not in front of Jana and Azzi.

The longer Paige sat at the table, the more the tension thickened. You could feel it pressing down on you, coiling around your chest. Every time Paige shifted in her chair or made a casual remark, it was like a reminder of the mess you’d left unresolved. You didn’t want to think about it—about the way things had ended, or how Paige had brushed you off like you were nothing. But sitting here, in such close proximity to her, made it impossible to avoid the memories that came flooding back.

You hated how easy it was for Paige to act normal, like nothing had ever happened between you two. Paige was good at that—at pretending, at pushing things aside and focusing on the present. It was part of what had drawn you to her in the first place. You admired Paige’s ability to compartmentalize, to separate her feelings from her actions. But now, that same trait was infuriating. Paige could sit here, joking around with her teammates, while you were left to choke down the bitterness of unresolved emotions.

“Alright, I think we’ve got enough to get started on the research,” Jana announced, breaking the silence. “We’ll meet up again on Wednesday to go over what we’ve found?”

“Sounds good,” Azzi agreed, already packing up her things.

You nodded absently, your mind still swirling. You didn’t want to linger here any longer than necessary, especially with Paige hanging around. You could feel the edge of a headache forming, a dull throb at the base of your skull. You needed space—away from the lingering memories, away from the unresolved tension that seemed to cling to you like a second skin.

As everyone began to gather their belongings, Paige stretched her arms over her head, letting out a low sigh. “I’m heading to the gym later if anyone wants to come,” she said casually, though the offer wasn’t directed at anyone in particular.

You tensed but kept your eyes glued to your laptop screen, pretending not to hear.

Jana grinned. “I might take you up on that. Gotta work off all the junk food I’ve been eating.”

Azzi laughed. “Same. I’ll catch you later, though. I’ve got class in like fifteen.”

You made a quick decision to leave before you could be drawn into any more awkward small talk. You packed up your laptop, grabbing your bag, and pushed your chair back.

“I’ve got to run too,” you muttered, standing abruptly. “See you guys later.”

Before anyone could respond, you turned on your heel and made your way toward the exit, your pulse hammering in your ears. You didn’t look back to see Paige’s reaction—you didn’t need to. The suffocating weight on your chest told you everything you needed to know.

**********

After spending most of the afternoon buried in work at a local café on campus, you finally decided to take a break. You weren’t one to spend your weekends cooped up inside, and besides, you’d agreed to meet someone for a casual dinner. It wasn’t anything serious—just a low-key date with a girl you’d been chatting with online for a few weeks. Her name was Emily, and while you hadn’t met in person before, she seemed cool—funny, smart, and down-to-earth.

You figured it was time to get back out there, to try and move on from the lingering feelings you had for Paige. You deserved to be with someone who didn’t leave you hanging, who didn’t pull away the moment things started to get real.

Emily was waiting at a small, trendy café downtown, dressed in a casual denim jacket and black jeans. She had short, tousled brown hair and a warm smile that immediately put you at ease.

“Hey!” Emily greeted you with a grin as you walked up. “You made it!”

“Yeah, sorry if I’m a little late,” you replied with a smile, feeling a sense of relief at how easy it was to slip into casual conversation. “Lost track of time at the library.”

“No worries. I just got here too,” Emily said, leading the way toward a table outside. The evening was cool, the sky fading into hues of purple and orange as the sun began to set. It was the perfect setting for a laid-back, no-pressure date.

You settled into your seats, ordering drinks and appetizers. The conversation flowed easily, with Emily talking about her recent travels and her love for indie music. You found yourself laughing at Emily’s stories, feeling more relaxed than you had in weeks. Maybe this was exactly what you needed—a fresh start with someone new.

As you waited for your food, you glanced around, taking in the bustling energy of the café. But your light mood quickly soured when you spotted a familiar figure across the street.

Paige. Again.

She was walking with her roommate, Lily, a protein shake in hand, looking as casual and effortlessly cool as ever. Your stomach dropped, your heart racing in your chest as Paige’s eyes landed on you. For a split second, you locked eyes, and the tension between you flared to life once again.

Paige’s expression shifted—her casual smile fading into something darker, something that looked an awful lot like jealousy. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flicking between you and Emily, before turning back to her roommate, muttering something under her breath.

Your pulse quickened, your throat tightening. You hadn’t expected to see Paige tonight, much less in the middle of what was supposed to be a relaxing date. And from the way Paige was looking at you, it was clear that she wasn’t thrilled about it either.

“Everything okay?” Emily asked, her voice pulling you back to the present.

You forced a smile, shaking off the unsettling feeling creeping up your spine. “Yeah, sorry. Just… thought I saw someone I knew.”

“Oh?” Emily raised an eyebrow, clearly curious, but didn’t press the issue. “No biggie. So, what about you? Been anywhere cool recently?”

You tried to refocus, but your mind kept drifting back to Paige, to the look on her face when she’d seen you with Emily. It was ridiculous—Paige had no right to be jealous, not after everything that had happened. But the memory of that fleeting expression stuck with you, gnawing at the back of your mind.

By the time you’d finished dinner, you felt drained, the weight of your unresolved feelings for Paige dragging you down. Emily was nice—sweet, funny, and kind. But even as you said your goodbyes, you couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.

As Emily leaned in to give you a quick hug, you offered a polite smile, but your mind was already elsewhere. Paige had been an uninvited guest in your thoughts all night, and as much as you hated it, you knew it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

[dissapointu]

“Chaos and Comfort”

The flickering lights of the makeshift hideout cast strange shadows across the walls, dancing and warping in time with the constant hum of the machines around you. It’s a familiar setting—too familiar, in fact. The thrill of a job well done has long faded, and now it’s just the two of you.

Jinx. Or Powder. You never quite know which name to call her these days. There are moments when the spark of her chaotic, unpredictable self bursts out, and then others when she retreats, becoming the girl you once knew—the girl who hid behind her wild blue hair and manic grin.

Tonight, however, she’s somewhere in between.

You sit on the couch, the silence between you punctuated only by the distant sounds of Zaun. The atmosphere is thick, heavy, as Jinx hovers near a table full of half-finished projects—scraps of metal, old guns, and broken gadgets. Her fingers twitch restlessly as she rearranges the pieces, but her mind is elsewhere, caught up in something she can’t quite articulate.

For a moment, you just watch her. The way her wild, electric-blue hair falls in a messy curtain around her face, the way her eyes glint with that ever-present hint of mischief and mania. You’ve come to understand her—at least, in your own way. But even after all this time, there’s still so much you don’t know about the girl behind the explosions and the madness.

“Hey,” you say softly, your voice breaking the stillness in the room. “You okay?”

Jinx doesn’t answer at first. She just looks up at you, her lips curling into a smirk. But there’s something different in her eyes. Something that feels more like vulnerability than her usual manic energy.

“Of course I’m okay,” she says with a sharp laugh, though it’s not entirely convincing. “I’m always okay!”

But you can see through the act. You’ve known her long enough to read the signs. The way her hands fidget, the way her breath catches every now and then, the way her eyes flicker between the chaos of her world and the quiet comfort of yours.

You stand up from the couch, crossing the room slowly. Jinx watches you the whole time, her expression unreadable. When you reach her, you gently take her hand, pulling her away from the mess of metal on the table.

She tenses for a second, but then she sighs, her shoulders slumping in a rare moment of tiredness. You guide her back to the couch, your movements slow and steady, as if you’re trying to make her understand she can just relax for once. That there’s no rush. No danger.

“Come on,” you coax, settling next to her and pulling her against your side. “Just… for a minute, let yourself rest.”

Jinx’s breath hitches for a second, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she leans into you, her head resting on your shoulder, her messy hair brushing against your neck.

“Yeah, I guess I could use a break,” she admits in a quieter voice. For a moment, her usual cocky demeanor falters, replaced by something softer, more fragile. “I’m always so… busy, you know? Trying to keep everything from falling apart.”

You rub small circles on her back, your thumb brushing over the familiar scars from her past, a past that you know is too painful for her to fully face. You know Jinx carries the weight of her actions and the mistakes she’s made. It’s something she doesn’t talk about much—if at all—but you can feel it in the way she holds herself, in the way she hides behind her laughter and chaos.

“You don’t have to do it all alone,” you say gently, your words wrapped in tenderness, hoping she hears them. “I’m here.”

Jinx doesn’t respond immediately, but you feel her relax a little more, her body sinking further into your embrace. You’re not sure how long you stay like that, the world outside slowly fading into the background as the two of you simply exist together. It’s a rare moment of peace in a world that is anything but.

Her hand shifts to grip your shirt, just lightly, as if grounding herself in this moment of calm. The hint of a smile tugs at the corner of her lips, and she tilts her head to meet your gaze, her eyes softer than you’ve seen in a long time.

“I know, I know,” she says, her voice muffled against your shoulder, but you hear the sincerity in it. “I just… forget sometimes. Thanks for reminding me.”

You smile back, your hand brushing through her hair.

“You don’t have to thank me, Jinx,” you reply softly. “I’m always here, alright?”

She looks up at you then, her wild eyes still a little guarded, but there’s a flicker of something in them that makes your heart tighten. Maybe it’s hope. Or trust. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s a moment of genuine connection, buried beneath all the chaos she’s built around herself.

The smile she gives you this time is real. It’s small but warm, and in that moment, the madness of Zaun feels just a little farther away.

And for once, everything feels alright.

[sgiandubh]

David is arse in real life. Ask his ex wife. And probably Sophie.

Dear Arse Anon,

As far as I know, there has been NO public scandal surrounding David Berry's couple and FWIW he is still married, if only on paper, to Kristina Tesic, with strong rumors of separation running amok. It is also true that an Instagram pic of DB and a woman named Vera Lobik, a Senior Brand Manager for Viktor & Rolf based in Amsterdam, who just turned 30 last month, was first circulated by *urv about one year and a half ago.

But I have seen absolutely nothing about this very telling couple pic of Berry and Lobik, taken in GLA in August. And commented by Sammie Russell, Rik's girlfriend:

Trying to find out more about the real sitch at play, I found however this clickbait gem, which made me laugh at 3:45 AM, local time:

[Source, ROFLMAO: https://celebwikicorner.com/biography/david-berry]

'Very supportive'...'private person who is not active on social media'...'they have not revealed any details about their wedding'. It surely rang some bells, Anon, as to the lengths a collective narrative would go, in order to project a consensual image for the casual viewers of the show. Also, take into account the fact that Berry and his soon to be (?) ex-wife have never been under the spotlight of a rabidly invested fanbase, as some other model/actress and her Night Media Manager whatever. Nowhere near - that allows more leeway, I think. And less hypocrisy, for sure. But the narrative for public consumption surely sounds eerily similar, even if we can reasonably think DB's former couple was anything but a convenient arrangement of sorts.

Vera Lobik doesn't hide anything about their new-ish couple and I have to say I like this quiet, organic honesty. After all, if the guy is separated, this is only their own business to mind - what are you, the Spanish Inquisition, to judge? No fan wars have been ignited over the obvious failure of his marriage. Nobody brought a paper as supreme argument of a happily shared life, when that was clearly not the case. And in the meanwhile, despite the very strong and LOUD evidence things are absolutely not so, Hello Magazine is still touting the marriage narrative, in this very recent copy/paste BS article (also featuring Tracula, go figure):

[Source: https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/717391/outlander-meet-the-cast-real-life-partners/ - published September 10, 2024)

So, tell me, Anon, how is David Berry a jerk, irl? These kind of things happen all the time, and not only in Hollywood, so your judgmental approach shows the same toxic, selfish and ultimately destructive bigotry and narrow-mindedness you folks have always displayed when it came to S&C. I would have many strong words for you, but I will stop here.

And about Skeleton, Anon... other than rumors, what else can you bring to this table, as evidence for your cheap insinuations?

But hey, thank you for sending an involuntary flare of sorts, shedding light on something that was totally under my radar. I have thoughts and many of my readers will, too. Sorry if your idiot comment backfired so unexpectedly.

Nah. Not even sorry, in fact.

PS: in a nutshell - DB doesn't have any backyard troll to monitor his every move, nor call his attributes golden and magical. Just sayin' and good for him!

[97linelover]

Fatal Desires - Lee Seokmin

18+ / mdi

summary: 5 Years of Marriage should mean something, right? Well your Husband did not seem to think so.

content: Husband Seokmin x reader, cheating, marriage, fights, mentions of sex, heartbreak

wc: 2.9k

a/n: angst is my second name, I love drama and I love heartbreak..

As her petite Hand held on to the Sink, she took a deep breath. She felt slightly dizzy; her mind had been clouded for the last few days. She took the pot off the Stove and put the Stew she freshly made into a container.

The steaming stew made the entire house smell like it.

She grabbed the Blue Lunch bag she always packed for him, that he forgot this morning and scribbled down some cute Lines on to the Sanrio-themed paper.

She was a sucker for cute Stationary.

When she got down to their shared Garage, she spotted her Black Audi, the one he gifted her one year ago, as a Birthday gift. She buckled up and drove to the Company Building, She drove towards the security gates, and the Man smiled "Good Afternoon Mrs., are you here to see the Husband?" he smiled sheepishly, and a giggle escaped her glossy pink lips "He forgot his food so I made some fresh Lunch"

"What a Lucky man he is," the elder man grinned. "Enjoy!" he said, opening the gate, and she drove inside, parking in her own spot. Above the parking lot, there was a sign with the letters "reserved for Mrs. Lee".

After their Marriage it was the first thing he did, he wanted to show the world he was taken, and he was proud of it. She remembered exactly how proudly he presented it to her with a red little silk curtain pulling it away with the biggest grin.

Walking along the marble floor was her routine now; she did know the company like the back of her hand. She greeted everyone while walking towards the elevator, and she then drove up to his floor. When the doors opened, she was greeted by the gray and Black Interior, the signature style of her Husband, Everything needed to be clean.

He was a little organize freak.

"Y/N! What brings you here?" She turned around and was faced by none other than Kim Mingyu, the best friend of her husband. "Hey Gyu, he forgot his food, so I cooked some Stew and decided to bring it over," she smiled softly. "He just finished a meeting, so you can go in."She nodded and thanked him.

When her small fist was knocking, his deep voice let her inside, her shoes clicked against the marble floor, and he looked up from the papers in front of him "Y/N" he smiled slightly.

He looked breathtaking, he was dressed in some beige slacks and a white blue striped shirt.

"You forgot your food and I thought maybe we can spend your time together" She walked behind the table, and he looked up at her, with a smile she pecked his lips "you look good today" she whispered, does not remember the last time they were intimate.

"I really need to finish those papers, so I can't join you!" he said while writing down some terms.

She sighed and nodded "I made Kimchi Jjigae your favorite with some rice, so please enjoy, I will wait at home for you" she tried her best not to sound hurt.

"I have several meetings, so please don't stay up," he said, and she nodded, leaving his office.

"Already leaving?" Mingyu asked, and she nodded "He is busy" She tried to smile, and he sighed "You know how he is".

"Yes work always comes first," she whispered, then left.

The next few weeks, nothing changed; she always did the tasks at home while working, she held meetings and combined everything to be the best wife she could be; after all, that's what she promised at the altar.

She was sitting behind her computer, editing the details on the new Design for the Lotte Tower renovation flyer. It was her biggest achievement by now; she worked so hard for this one project, and in one week there would be a big Party celebrating the new building.

The ribbon would be cut by her opening the doors for the new building.

All of her friends would be there, her Husband watching her with proud eyes, and she would feel the happiness through her entire body.

She got ready to announce the event to Seokmin, and she put on some Lingerie covered with a Satin robe. His favorite Color, red covered her body and she felt Sexy with her hair in curls. And then she heard the door open, She heard how Seokmin was taking off his shoes and then walked inside the bedroom. He opened the Wardrobe and grabbed some Pajama pants. When he took off his coat she walked outside, twirling her hair around her finger, and his eyes found hers "I thought you went out," he chuckled slightly "No, I wanted to surprise you" She took some steps towards him, saying, "I missed you and I missed spending time with you" Her slender fingers traced the buttons of his black dress shirt. 

"I missed feeling you" she whispered while slowly unbuttoning his shirt, but he grabbed her hand "I am tired" he took her hand off and her heart felt like breaking apart "I can make you feel awake" she glided her hand along his pants and grabbed the outline off him but when he sighed she felt that nothing was happening.

She let go off him and took a step back "Then, uh, I will take a shower and let you alone" she whispered and walked inside the bathroom, she took the makeup off and brushed her teeth when he walked inside "next week Friday, I have an event, will you accompany me?" she asked him while watching him through the mirror "Yes, of course, I'll be there" he kissed her head, and they went to bed.

When the night of her Event came, she got styled and then got inside the Red dress she bought, she looked fabulous, and she felt beautiful. She could not wait to meet her friends and family there.

When she arrived at the location, she walked around, looked at everything and smiled at how good it turned out.

"Y/N you look breathtaking" Chan said with the biggest grin and a blush crept on her face "Thank you" she then saw all of her friends, Chan, Jihoon, his girlfriend Luna, Wonwoo with his girlfriend Daisy and Joshua with Minghao.

Mingyu came closer with some Champagne in his hand, and she looked around to see if Seokmin was here.. Where was her Husband?

"We are all so proud of you," Joshua exclaimed and hugged her thight "Thank you all so much," she bowed, and then It was her part where she needed to go up to cut the robe.

She quickly typed a message to her Husband.

'Y/N: Where are you?'

And she quickly gathered all her strength and went up, she took a hold of the mic and smiled "thank you all for coming, today is a beautiful evening with the best people, I can't believe the day has finally come ever since I started working with Lotte Tower my Goal as a young woman was to design the best Business area for Lotte tower, but now after all those years they trusted me and my team to design the entire renovation for the new Lotte Tower, I remember years ago when I signed my contract that I looked at my Boyfriend telling him that one day I'll stand exactly here, and he kissed my forehead telling me that he is sure that this will come true. 4 Years later I am standing here happily married, having an amazing time, and being just thankful for everything" I bowed when everyone clapped.

Her friends in the first row cheered the loudest, and she grinned slightly, looking around with no trace of her Husband, She buried those feelings deep down inside her.

This was her night, she needed to enjoy this.

When she cut the robe up she forgot about this and tried to enjoy her night.

And when she came to her small friend group, they all noticed her slumped shoulders, and she tried to put on the best fake smile she could "I'll go home" she announced when nearly everyone was gone.

"I'll bring you" Chan said, and She nodded "Thank you," but on their way, she decided she would go to his office first.

"Should I come inside with you?" he asked her, and she sighed "No, I'll be good. Thank you, thank you Chan" she smiled and went inside.

She did not smile anymore; her heart felt heavy and she just wanted to see why Seokmin had not come.

Her hands were holding her heels,her naked feet were sore from all the walking; she went upstairs with the elevator and was not surprised to see the lights on in his office, her heart was beating faster, and she felt devastated.

He really chose work over her once again.

Her feet carried her towards the door, and she could hear her faint voices. She halted in her steps and her breath hitched.

"Seok that tickles" a feminine voice stated with his deep voice followed "then I would need you to stay still" he groaned, and Y/N knew this groan, her heart felt like breaking in to a thousand pieces.

She then saw the shadows, she heard the smacking sounds, and she heard her heart, the one he once carried in his hands get thrown on to the ground by him.

"fuck you feel so good" he moaned, followed by her high-pitched moans.

Her feet carried her downstairs, she ran down the stairs, could not wait for the elevator, she felt like suffocating. She did not remember how she got home , everything was a blur from the moment she walked outside, and she just remembers falling asleep inside the bedroom.

The next morning she felt her head pounding from all the crying, she woke up by his alarm, and she heard him stirring, she squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to cry. She felt like she was just a corpse, completely empty inside.

She thought the love between them was one of a kind, a rare gem, but it turned out it was all just a joke.

When he went into the bathroom she quickly got up putting on some dress pants and her blouse, she ran downstairs grabbing a cereal bar and putting on her loafers "you're already going?" his deep morning voice made her tense and she grabbed her bag "yes uhm I need to be in the office today" she grabbed the car keys and Seokmin hugged her from behind "and you don't tell me goodbye anymore?" he turned her around, just the look at him made her heart hurt so bad "I thought you would shower longer" she whispered and he smiled slightly "have a fun day at work" he kissed her temple and she hurried outside.

And when she was at work she realized that she promised him forever, in good times and bad times she knew she still loved him so much, their time could not be over and she will not give up, maybe this was a misunderstanding, maybe she was to drunk maybe it was a mistake.

But the next two months Seokmin blocked everything, he was only in the office and so Y/N decided it was time for her to visit him. She knew it was real and that this needs to end.

She went to the office but to her surprise her parking spot was not free, there was a Pink Lamborgini standing there and she sighed, she tried to calm her heart while she was riding the elevator upstairs.

Mingyu looked at her "Y/N, did he forget his lunch again today?" he joked, but she shook her head "It's a little more serious this time" she had a sad smile on her face, and he sighed "he's inside the office, Lee Jia is with him signing her Model Contract"

"I think for this he needs to send her out" and without hesitation and without a knock she walked inside, Lee Jia was standing next to him, she was basically pushing her cleavage into his face while reading the contract and Seokmin looked up his eyes widened slightly.

"Y/N" he whispered, Jia took a step back the diamond necklace around her neck catching your eyes, remembering the scenario two days ago.

As she cleaned the bedroom she grabbed his dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine, she grabbed the basket full of folded laundry and put everything inside when she found a little velvet box she smiled opening it she was greeted by this beautiful diamond necklace.

And maybe after all, Seokmin still would remember their 5th Anniversary.

Reality hit her harder than she would've thought "what brings you here love?" he smiled, and she gulped "can we maybe talk alone?" he furrowed his eyebrows "no it's alright I know her, she can stay" and now you knew, she is the new woman in his life. 

"Did you park on my spot?" I turned towards her and she gulped and nodded "But kook.. I mean, Seokmin told me it was okay because you never come here" and in those five years, he never cared.. She thought "It's my spot, there is a sign that says that this is mine" she muttered "Y/N enough, I did not thought you would come here today. So why are you here"

She blinked the tears away "I just wanted to remember you that our friends will be at our place tonight" you simply decided that and he nodded "okay I'll try to come home earlier" he mumbled.

"You will be home early Seokmin, I don't ask for much so please be home tonight, this will decide everything" and with that she rushed out.

She rushed past Mingyu and just hurried home. She laid in her bed crying, praying for the time to turn back to the moment where he changed, to the moment where she fucked up where she did go wrong.

It must be her fault, right?

And when Chan and Jihoon arrived, she felt the mood lighten a bit. She talked to them, and then the others arrived, even Mingyu arrived, telling her that Seokmin was once again in a meeting. She just smiled.

She was no longer strong enough; she let her guards down.

The liquor was burning her throat but she could not care less, and when two hours later only Chan and Mingyu were left the door opened and Seokmin strolled inside. He took his Suit Jacket off and she directly spotted the fresh red patches on his neck.

"I'm sorry the meeting was longer than expected" he said while sitting down and she just scoffed "of course" Seokmin furrowed his eyebrows and shrugged it off "so is there something to celebrate tonight?" Chan coughed his eyes widened. He could not believe that his best friend was asking this right now.

He knew that you were suffering, but he would never think Seokmin was the reason for it.

"Nope, nothing" she spat dryly and got up. Chan winced "Y/N, Please" he whispered but she shook her head and looked at Mingyu "did you know?" she asked while balling her hand to fists "what?" confused Gyu looked around.

"That he fucks Lee Jia" she stated dryly, and Seokmins eyes widened. He felt his heart ready to burst at any moment.

"No, he would never, Y/N he is married?" Mingyu said shocked and she laughed "Yes, you would think that. I thought that too. I thought maybe I meant enough to him that he would tell me the mistakes, that he loves and cares about me" the tears were now rolling down her cheek

"Do you know how long I know?" she asked before continuing, "since my Lotte Tower event, where he never went to, where I wanted my Husband, where I talked about him like he was my biggest supporter because I thought he was my biggest supporter, but in reality he fucked another woman in that time, and when I looked for him, I had to witness him fucking her," her voice was full of venom.

She wiped some tears away but they continued streaming down her face "and whenever I tried to approach him he pushed me away; he was busy he was tired, and I always knew It's because he did not want me anymore" she hiccuped. "I always spotted those dumb Hickeys combined with her perfume"

Seokmin still could not find his words.

"And when I continued being a good wife, I thought maybe he would realize how much I love him. I found a necklace in his underwear drawer and thought, Wow, maybe he still remembers our anniversary, but guess who was wearing the necklace when I came to his office and guess who just fucking asked why we are celebrating" she was now furious.

"I FUCKING LOVED YOU WITH EVERY FIBER IN MY BODY" she sobbed, and Seokmin felt his heartbreak. "It's alright that you don't love me anymore; it's alright that you stood me up, but it's not okay to cheat; you could've told me you want to break up, and I know it's hard, but you broke me" she whispered, pulling out the papers she had for months now.

"I want a divorce" and with that, she walked to the door "Chan can you please take me away" she whispered and Seokmin felt the wet tears rolling down his cheek.

Within seconds, his marriage fell down the drain. 

[hotchsreader]

For the Rest of My Life

Words: 1.5k

Reader has an anxiety attack at work, and Hotch helps her through it. Very soft Hotch.

You knew today was going to be a hard day. You woke up, hair caked to your forehead and your legs felt like jelly, like you were not meant to be walking on them. As you sat up, your entire room spun around and it took more than a couple minutes to ground yourself. You knew what to do in times like this, you had your useful skills learned over the years tucked away in the folder in your brain, but today it felt like the cabinet holding them was locked.

You walked into the bullpen, eyes foggy and head down. Usually, you greeted everyone with a happy and hopeful smile, but today that felt too hard. The muscles in your face felt like they would snap if you tried even to talk. Derek looked up at you, and over at Emily trying to gauge the problem, but Emily just shook her head no and let you sit at your desk, forget about all that was going on in your brain, and throw yourself into the reports that were due. You sat there for a few hours, with no one bothering you and your focused workspace. It was very easy when everything felt like this to throw yourself into work or a project because it makes the mind stay busy. It’s when you have nothing to do that everything feels like it's going to come crashing down around you. It’s when you have nothing to do that it creeps up to the surface and begins to slip out, mostly without your control.

You were so focused you didn't hear the familiar sound of steps creep up behind you until an arm was placed gently on your shoulder.

“Hey, I know what you’re doing, and I would like to see you in my office ASAP,” Hotch said to you, he leaned down to say it in your ear so no one else could hear. He knew that allowing everyone to hear what he said would make this all worse on your end.

You didn’t think twice, you got up from your workspace, pushed the chair in behind you, and followed closely behind him. You realized as you walked behind him how tall he was, and how well fitted his suits always are. You start to wonder where he buys them before you realize how far your mind has wandered in the minute it takes to get to his office.

“Have a seat, and tell me what's on your mind.” He sits in his chair and motions for you to sit down in the chair across from him. You feel the tears slip out before you even hit the chair. You knew this would happen at some point today, but Hotch actually taking the time to pay attention to you, to realize something was wrong enough to come out of his office and grab you, made the tears sting just a little bit more.

“Oh no, sweetheart what is going on?” He immediately jumped up and rushed around his desk to you the minute he saw the tears falling from your eyes.

“It's just… it's just a hard day for me is all.” You sniffled and tried to wipe your tears but he brushed your hand aside and wiped them for you. He placed his hand on your knee as he bent down beside you, looking up into your eyes.

“Is it your anxiety?” He asked, you could tell his voice was laced with concern. He would do anything to protect you, but it is hard to protect a person from their own mind. No matter how much he had tried to.

Your palms had started to become clammy, and you were shaking. The entire time you were trying to throw yourself into your work you had ignored what was going on inside your brain. In hindsight, that was a bad idea because now every little thing that happened alongside your anxiety was fighting its way out. You started to cry a little harder, your shoulder bobbing up and down as the sobs tormented you.

“What can I do honey? I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” Hotch was speaking in a soft, gentle tone. This was not the first time he had helped you through an anxiety attack. The second night you spent with him you realized you had forgotten to submit a report on the case you all had handled that week and started to panic. He calmed you down then by reassuring you that he was in charge of when they were due, and he absolutely believed you that it had been done you had just forgotten to submit it. You have never been one to turn something in late, even at work. The only thing about now, this was the first time you had an anxiety attack at work, and you have no idea why it was happening.

“Just stay with me, hold me.” Hotch grabs you, lifts you up, and takes you over to the couch in his office. He sits you down and runs over to his desk where he grabs tissues. He sits down in front of you on his knees, takes the tissue, wipes your eyes, under your eyes, and gives you a new one to blow your nose with. After you do this, he takes them all to the trashcan, returns to you sits down, and guides you where your head is on his lap and he is stroking your hair. He knows that laying down and having your hair stroked is one way to easily ground you, so you can return back to your normal state and are able to function again.

You clear your throat and ask, “How did you know something was up?”

He lets out a small laugh, “When you walked in. You didn’t look at anyone, you didn’t wave, and you didn’t even lift your head up to check if I was in my office like you always do. I let you have a little while, hoping you’d be able to pull yourself out of the trance you were in, but once I realized you couldn’t, I intervened.”

You shift, rolling yourself over, so you can get a solid look at the man. His forehead is creased, meaning he’s worried about you, and his hand hasn’t moved from your hair. He uses his other hand to rub your cheeks with his thumb and he hums your favorite song.

“Do you know what caused this anxiety attack?” He looks down at you with a half smile as you smile back at him, letting him know everything is getting easier. The pounding in your chest has started to ease up, but you can still feel your heart rate is pretty fast. If you got up now, you’d probably either pass out or your eyes would go blurry for a minute, preventing you from moving.

“Honestly, no. I woke up and felt very groggy and focusing to even get myself out of bed was tough. I haven’t had one of these episodes in a while, so I thought if I just worked through it, I could ignore it enough that it’d go away.” You now, roll your eyes at the thought. You had been dealing with anxiety since you were eleven years old. You had dealt with these types of episodes before, you had to face it head-on or it would just get worse. You learned your lesson this time.

“You could’ve just come to my office. You know I am always here for you. Always. I would have helped you get through this. You didn’t have to let it build up this badly.” He jokingly waved a finger in your face to symbolize you had been bad. This brought a hearty chuckle out of you, which in turn made him smile. Seeing Hotch smile could cure most things for you. He was a great man, a great dad, and a great boyfriend. He would do anything if it meant that you would be okay. You had just thought this one wouldn’t be as bad.

“I know, it’s just embarrassing to have to deal with this. I wish, I just wish I could be normal.” You let out a heavy sigh, as he looks at you.

“Hey, if having anxiety makes you not normal, what does having nightmares related to the things I’ve been through make me? We all have our demons, and we all have things that make us different from the people around us. There is absolutely no such thing as normal. Who you are, and I mean this, and everything about you makes you perfect to me. Anxiety included.” He says, completely serious.

You look up at him, sit yourself up, and place a soft kiss on his lips. He returns it, grabbing the back of your head to emphasize how much he means it.

“I wouldn’t have made it through this without you, Aaron Hotchner.” You smile, your mouth inches from his. He kisses you again, and bites your lower lip. You laugh.

“I wouldn’t have made it through a lot without you, if this is the way I can repay all you’ve done for me, I’ll do it for the rest of my life.”

[enviedear]

anakin being touch starved baby boy that he is. just listen to me. he comes back from whatever activities of the day he had and just wants to snuggle with the reader and never let them go but he finds the reader still finishing her (theirs if u prefer gn) work stuff so he gets very pouty and touchy and starts snuggling to her like a little stray cat/ following her everywhere she goes just to stay close to her. (u can make it spicy at the end if u want to but it is not necessary) ❤️‍🩹🤌🏼 i am hungry for some fluff as i am drowning in my own work + hormones are killing me

love u xo

no this is so real and this fueled me into a spiral abt anakin being with a student girlie— like yeah he totally would go for a hottie with brains from the ISE. like yeah he no doubt can pull someone capable of making a starship out of nothing.

wc— 1.5k | tw— nsfw minors dni i will block you, fingering, piv, unprotected sex, anakin finishing inside of you, mentions of food and eating

you're trying your hardest to study for your upcoming exam, cups upon cups of finished caff's litter your desk. you're only halfway finished with your newest battleship render when anakin comes home.

his eyes are tired but when they meet yours he smiles, "hi baby, i missed you." he's quick to walk over to where you're seated, strong arms coming to wrap around your shoulders.

you lean back, inhaling his smell, "i missed you too, ani," you give him a pout, "but i really need to finish this before tomorrow."

he looks down at your holopad, "i could make dinner, do you think you'll be done by then?"

you smile, "i'll try my hardest."

he lingers for a moment, letting his head drop down to your neck. he leaves a trail of soft kisses in his wake, stopping at the side of your face before placing one finger under your chin and drawing you in.

his kiss is hungry, wanting— and you so badly want to indulge him, but before he can take it any further you break away.

"i'm serious, anakin. if i don't get this done i'm going to feel the wrath of every single one of my professors." your voice is stern, but the way he looks at you illicts a small smile.

he groans, pulling away, "okay, okay. but please try to be done in time for dinner. i've missed you so bad all day."

you nod and watch as he heads into the kitchen, the sound of pots and pans clattering filling the air. letting out a sigh, you go back to your work, but you can't help the thoughts that linger in your mind.

as you try to focus on your work, thoughts of him keep creeping into your mind. the way his lips feel on yours and the way he holds you close, making you feel safe and loved.

you shake your head, trying to clear your mind, but the more you try to push it away, the stronger the desire becomes. your project floats into the background of your mind as you work on it, fueled now by thoughts of your beautiful boyfriend.

glancing at the clock, you realize that an hour has already passed. you rub your eyes and stretch your arms before looking over your nearly finished work. as if on cue, anakin walks in with two plates of food.

"hey," he says, placing the plate in front of you. "i made your favorite."

you look up at him and smile. "thank you, ani. it smells amazing."

he leans down to give you a quick kiss on top of your head before grabbing his own plate and sitting across from you.

as you eat, small talk fills the air. you rant about your looming deadlines, while anakin shares stories about recent council meetings at the temple.

however, he's mostly relegated to mentioning how much he's missed you, "i thought about stopping by for lunch, but then master yoda asked me to step in for one of the youngling classes."

you give him a sorry look, "i wouldn't have been very good company anyway— i've been working on this since you left this morning." you can't help but feel guilty about being so busy lately, but with exams just around the corner, it's been hard for you.

anakin reaches out, massaging your tense shoulders, "i'm sorry baby, why don't you take a break?"

you bite your lip, "ani… i can't. i'm almost done though, i promise," you turn in your seat to face him, hands cupping his cheeks, "and then i'll be all yours for the rest of the night."

he has a challenging expression on his face, "i think a break would help," he leans in so that your lips brush, "let me ease up some of your stress, baby."

you groan, "ani, i don't know, i really need to—"

he cuts you off, leaving a lingering kiss on your lips before pulling away, "ise gets all of your time now, i'm getting jealous."

you laugh, "oh, don't be jealous, ani. you know i love you more than anything."

he smirks and begins to massage your shoulders again. you close your eyes and let out a sigh of relief. the tension starts to melt away under his strong hands.

"you're too good at this," you say, leaning back into him.

"i have my ways of making my you feel better," he says, lips brushing against your neck.

you try and stifle a moan as he nibbles at your earlobe. his hands starting to wander down your back and you can feel his body heat beaming off of him.

"ani, i really need to finish this," you say, but your tone is starting to sound less convincing.

he pulls back, cupping your face and forcing you to look into his eyes. "i know you do, baby. but can't it wait for a little bit, hm?"

you nod slowly, feeling yourself giving in to his touch. he leans in again and kisses you deeply. his tongue brushes against yours and you feel a surge of desire wash over you.

he's quick to lift you from your seat, and you instinctively wrap your legs around him. he groans into the kiss, laying you down on the bed, hands exploring your body needily.

before you know it, your clothes are off and anakin is lying on top of you. he has a way of being able to get what he wants, most of the time that being you.

it was hard not to indulge him though, not when he felt so good.

he kisses you all over your body, igniting every inch of skin that he touches.

"ani," you moan his name as his hand drifts lower, toying with your sex.

you can't help but grind your hips against his hand, desperately trying to elicit more pleasure from him. you're greedy for touch.

he teases you lightly with his fingers before parting your lips, only to thrust a single digit into your slickness. your hands grip at his free arm, feeling his veins.

he teases you relentlessly, sending you into a spiral of pure bliss, until all at once, you're writhing beneath his touch, "ah! oh ani!"

he continues on, not stopping as you draw closer to yout climax. your body quivers, and you look down at him wantonly, wanting him more than ever. he smirks at the sight of you trying to regain some semblance of control.

"what do you want, pretty girl?" his questions drips with lust, eyes dark and enticing.

you choke back a moan at his words, "you, ani. i want you."

he presses his lips against yours once more before positioning himself between your legs. pressing his bulge against your opening, groaning as he sinks himself slowly into you.

you close your eyes, focusing on how good it feels— how perfectly he fits inside of you.

as he sets a steady pace with his hips, fucking you deeper and deeper with each stroke, the familiar tug building inside of you once again.

"oh god! you feel so good ani," you moan loudly, unabashed as her ruts deeper into you.

his head drops down to your neck, lips brushing against your ear, "that's my girl, just letting me make her feel good."

with each thrust now comes an increasing sense of euphoria that plagues your mind and body with waves of pleasure that wash over every inch of flesh; sensitizing everything around it. all at once it becomes too much.

you're nails drill deep into his back, and he grunts at the feeling. his hands dig into your hips, pulling you into him even closer.

"fuck, sweetheart—" he cuts off as you bite down onto his shoulder desperately, groaning loudly as you come in pulses around him.

your breaths are short and your head is swimming, the need for oxygen becoming a necessity.

your fingers finally begin to relax as your breathe evens out. "dammit," you exhale, exhausted from the sudden rush of pleasure flowing through every fiber of your body. anakin lets out a grunt of his own as your walls tightly clamp around him. you can barely keep up with his erratic thrusts, and he leans down to kiss you before finishing inside of you.

you moan loudly into his mouth as he cums, a stream of warmth flowing into you as your inner walls clamp tight around his cock. you feel him twitch and spasm inside of you, and his muscles momentarily lock up before you both relax into each other's arms.

you run your hands through his hair lightly before pulling apart from him. "i love you so much."

he turns to press a soft kiss against your cheek, before rolling off of you, grabbing for a towel, "and i love you."

you watch as he cleans you up, his face still reddened from his work, "you're such a good distraction."

he hums, looking at you, "you like it,"

you roll your eyes, "i know and it's a problem, i let you do it every time."

he grins in response. "it's not my fault you enjoy my distractions so much." and before another retort is made, he presses his lips onto yours momentarily before sliding into bed beside you.

[the-whitching-hour]

First Night (Asher/Babe)

first and foremost, sorry for being a liar lol. it's almost been a year since I posted the draft which is crazy to think about. idk if this is worth that long of a wait but I still hope you enjoy it <3

Summery:

“Well I’m sorry I can’t roam around with you tonight, but we can still hang out.” “…We can?” “If you aren’t gonna stay at your place just come to mine. Sorry, it’s not as fun as an adventurous night on the town.” Asher has seen their place. Glimpses of it as they open the door to leave with him for a date of quick flashes behind them as they walk around their apartment on video call. But, This was something different. They’re asking him to stay. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna impose plus I don’t wanna keep you busy tonight if you have something import-“ “I want you to be here. I'm sure Asher.” “Oh-okay. Then yeah I-I’ll be there. See you soon Babe.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Asher sleeps over at Babe's place for the first time.

Word count: 3.2K

Asher drummed his fingers on the steering wheel of his car as he sat in the parking lot of his apartment building. Subconsciously biting his bottom lip softly as he pressed his phone against his ear. Waiting for his favorite sound to replace the phone’s ringing. 

“Hey.” 

A smile spread across his face as he heard their voice. Over the course of a few weeks, they had become such a pillar in his day-to-day life. Sometimes Asher can’t even believe that he hasn’t known them for half a year yet. Everything about them just pulled him in immediately. The soft sound of their voice was enough to make him feel a little flustered.

“Hi.”

 Asher was used to noise, especially his own. He knew how to keep the energy up even in the most awkward situations. It was probably the only skill he was fully confident in when he became his best friend’s beta. Ever since he was a kid he’s been filling up the room with noise. It’s not a good or bad thing, just the way he’s always been. 

He was a bit scared during those first few dates. They were almost exact opposites. They were so quiet. present, he could see the way their eyes followed him, how their face would react to his words, the occasional soft smile that made his head feel like he needed to pass out and run a marathon simultaneously. It was like they thought every word through, only speaking when they had the answers. They felt no need to fill the room as they thought. It was so foreign at first, to sit there in silence next to them. 

That fear faded into comfort. They were like a safe haven away from the usual expectations of his persona. He loved his friends and family more than anything, but it was nice to have a place where he didn’t need to “perform” anything, he could just sit there and show another part of himself. Or he could be as noisy as he wanted to be for as long as he wanted. They didn’t seem to mind; their eyes were always on him, and they had the same comforting and exposing look. No matter what version of himself he was, they always looked at him the same.

The sound of their quiet breaths static on the phone was soon replaced. The two are overtaken by childish giggles. It was almost embarrassing the way they made him feel. Asher felt like some middle schooler who was talking to their first partner ever over the phone. Nervous and giddy by every moment between them. 

“So, what’s up with you?” It was so unfair how they made words sound. Like every syllable was made to naturally flow out their mouth. It sounds ridiculous but nothing else can explain the 

“Nothing now but, hopefully, you could change that!” Asher couldn’t hold in the excitement of his voice. His cheeks were a bit sore from smiling but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. “Are you free tonight?”   

They made a small hum. Dragging it out, almost teasing him by holding back the answer. 

“That depends, free to do what?”

“Restaurant, club, midnight movie, whatever. I’m trying to avoid my apartment tonight so I'm down to go anywhere!”

Asher felt their slight hesitation. The pause wasn’t their usual quiet. He heard a faint sigh of disappointment come from them. “I mean… we don’t have to do anything tonight if you don’t want to. Sorry, I know it’s like super short notice. It’s cool if you don’t wanna do any of that stuff or if you don’t wanna hang out at all, trust me I understand.”

“No, that’s not the problem. I like hanging out with you, I’d do it all the time if I could Asher-“ he could feel a warmth spreading through his chest. “But I can’t be out all night. I have an early meeting tomorrow and I gotta tell my boss about the progress of this stupid project I’ve been put on to. Is everything ok at your place? Don’t tell me David finally kicked you out.”

“I told you that softy would never, no matter how many kitchen fires I start. I’m actually doing him a favor. The big guy actually has a date tonight with this mystery person he’s been seeing. Apparently, they eat like shit so he’s gonna cook for them. Maybe they’ll even have a little desert if you know what I mean.” Asher couldn’t help but laugh at his own joke, good thing it was funny enough to make them laugh too.

“Well I’m sorry I can’t roam around with you tonight, but we can still hang out.” 

“…We can?”

“If you aren’t gonna stay at your place just come to mine. Sorry, it’s not as fun as an adventurous night on the town.” 

Asher has seen their place. Glimpses of it as they open the door to leave with him for a date of quick flashes behind them as they walk around their apartment on video call. But, This was something different. They’re asking him to stay. 

“Are you sure? I don’t wanna impose plus I don’t wanna keep you busy tonight if you have something import-“

“I want you to be here. I'm sure Asher.” 

“Oh-okay. Then yeah I-I’ll be there. See you soon Babe.”

***

After trying not to die of embarrassment when he ended the phone call Asher drove over to their apartment. He walked up to their place, constantly wiping his palms on his jeans to keep them dry. 

He made his way up to their place and knocked on their door. Barely a second after he knocked Asher was met with a smiling face. They were dressed casually with some loose-fitting pants and an old comfy shirt he had seen them wear a couple of times when they video-called each other. They leaned against the door frame, looking back at him with an unwavering smile. Asher could feel a similar one on his face.

They reach out their hand to hold his, gently pulling him through the door into their living room. Closing the door behind him, the two stood together in their living room. Only a few inches from each other, just standing there looking into each other’s eyes. With their hands still clasped together Asher was debating between holding their hand tighter or finding a discreet way to pull his hand away and wipe it dry again.

“Hi,” he said quieter this time. Barely above a whisper. “...again”

Their lips muffled the chuckle on his. His mind went blank instantly, focusing on the sensation of their soft lips pressed onto his. Asher wrapped his arms around their body, pulling them closer and deepening the kiss.

“Hey,” By the time Asher noticed they pulled away, their lips came right back. Feeling a bit bold, Asher let his hands trail down their sides till he got down to their hips, his thumb massaging small circles through their pants. Their hands made their way up his body to his head. They tangled their hands in his hair. 

He genuinely tried to keep his voice down, but Asher wasn't used to being quiet. A breathy whimper came out of his mouth when he felt them slightly tug on his hair. With his head tilted back Asher could see the knowing smile on their face. “…Again.”

They leaned back into his space. Their lips grazed against his. He was about to lean back in when a loud sound made him pause. 

Asher’s face burned from embarrassment as the loud rumbling of his stomach reached his ears. Their hand moved from Asher’s hair to his shoulder, giving a comforting rub as they tried to hold in their obvious laughter. 

“Get comfortable and I’ll be right back.” Asher felt a small kiss press against his cheek before watching them walk away. He could still see that foxy grin on their face that they tried to hide from him.

Asher lugged his body over to their couch and threw himself on it. The one day he skips lunch just cause he was too lazy to cook just had to be today? Fuck, why didn’t he just ask David, or grab a cheap snack, or eat one of those nasty healthy granola bars David’s always carrying around?

Staring up at the ceiling, he let out a long sigh and mumbled to himself. “Great job Ash, way to kill the mood.”

***

“Lucky you, I ordered some food earlier. Just enough left for two.” They walked back into their living room with two paper plates. 

They sat down next to him, their thighs grazing against each other. Asher sat up on the couch, he pressed a quick kiss on their cheek while taking the plate from their hand. “Thank you, Babe.”

The night came before Asher could even think. They ate, laughed, and rolled around on the couch for hours. Asher was laying down with his head propped up with a pillow, they were on top of him. Their head was resting on his shoulder as had a movie playing in the background that he basically tuned out as he looked at them in such a relaxed state. The sun had set a while ago, the natural light left the room leaving the two in the dark with only the tv screen in the dim room.

Asher’s arms were loosely around their torso, mindlessly stroking their back. With their chest against his he could feel the subtle beating of their heart, his own matched the rhythm. It’s almost scary how addicting this is, how addicting they are. Ever since they met Asher has felt like he’s just been living on some weird high, he doesn’t want to admit it but he’s almost been waiting to crash. It’s not because of them, they're great, really great, but there’s no way this could last forever like statistically, right? It’s almost too good to be true. It’s getting to the point where he just wants to see them everyday; Texting every day, calling each other all the time, David had a small grin their whole gig the night after they fell asleep on the phone together like some puppy love teenagers. he could’ve crashed at Milo’s, or maybe bug Christian for a few hours if he wanted a good laugh, but he barely even considered it. He just called them.

Is this too fast? Maybe he’s too pushy, did they feel like they had to say yes to him coming over today? 

But they invited him. He didn’t mention staying the night, they’re the one who insist that they wanted him here. They're in his arms right now so he can’t be that bad.

This is a good thing, just focus on the good thing.

Why can he never just focus on a good thing? Nothing bad is going to happen. This is good, they are good, everything is good. 

Am I good?

The silence is starting to get to him. His foot rapidly tapped against the opposite arm of the couch. He feels like there's cotton shoved down his throat, every time he swallows the feeling only gets worse.

Maybe he can slip away, just lock himself in their bathroom for a few minutes and slap some sense into himself. 

He can’t slip away; they're literally on top of him.

This is so stupid. Everything was good, everything was great. He literally just ruined it for himself, nothing was wrong but just couldn’t let himself relax. His stupid brain just had to fill the quiet in his mind, now he’s spiraling like an idiot as they just cuddle with him.

“-Ash?”

He blinked and pulled his eyes from the ceiling to them. The static in his mind quiets down to hear their voice.

“Hmm, what was that babe?”

“The movie’s over, you wanna go to sleep yet?” They mumbled, a hint of drowsiness in their voice.

Asher didn’t even realize how dark the room was, the tv showing the faint white text of names as the music faded out. He could only see the faintest outline of their features as they shifted on his chest to look at him. 

“…yeah,” he said slowly as he sat up with them still in his arms, setting them down on his lap. “Sounds good to me.” 

They leaned in for a kiss, he had a brief moment of bliss as their soft lips touched his. The two pulled apart, looking at each other, it was mostly pointless in the dark but it still felt nice to do.

“You good, Ash?” Their hand reached up, pushing back his messy hair out of his face. He could hear the slight concern in their voice, even in the dark they could see him.

Good thing you’re not a telepath, I don’t think I could handle it. I can barely handle you now.

“I'm good babe, just tired.” It wasn’t a lie, probably. 

They held their position for a few more moments before planting a small kiss on his bare forehead. They stood up and grasped his hand, leading him from the dark apartment into the lowlights of their bedroom.

“I got some stuff lying around that should be able to fit you decently unless you rather sleep in your usual pajamas?” Asher could hear the small teasing in their voice.

He’s been sleeping in nothing but his boxers since he was a teenager, maybe throwing on some sweatpants on a cold night. 

It would probably be really nice, almost too nice. To just hold them against his chest in their bed, his senses just filled with them. Obviously the scent of them was strong in their own place but it was even better in their room. If he could shift right now he’d probably do it in a heartbeat just to commit it to memory, the rest of the pack could already smell traces of it when they shifted. He couldn’t wait to enjoy it himself straight from the source.

That sounds so creepy. 

It’s not creepy, it’s a wolf thing. They all do it so it’s not weird.

I should probably tell them I'm a wolf...

“Just toss me a shirt, I’ll be good.” 

Later.

He hands them a shirt. An old one that’s probably been tucked in their closet for a while.

“I’m gonna run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back, go ahead and get comfortable.” 

His eyes lingered on them as they walked out, finally pulling away once they closed the door behind them. He took off his shirt and pants. Good thing they could see him look around their room in his underwear as he looked for somewhere normal to put his clothes instead of just throwing it on the floor like he would. He placed his somewhat folded clothes on a chair nearby. He picked up the shirt, their shirt, and slipped it on. He let out a soft sigh as he felt the fabric against his skin.

He made his way to the bed and lifted their blanket.

Shit! Which side of the bed do they sleep on?

He was saved from another spiral by their small yawn. They walked back into the room. They turned off the lights and walked up to him.

Asher pulled them into his side to give them a sweet kiss. Luckily they were drowsy enough to not notice him gently nudging them into bed first.

He climbed in after them. They pulled him in closer to them, he wrapped his arms around them and nuzzled into their side. They fit together well, holding onto each other naturally like it was second nature. It was hard for Asher to imagine how he ever slept without them, maybe one day he could do it every night.

“…Babe?” He mumbled against their skin.

“…Asher.”

“Thanks for letting me come over, I had a great time just relaxing all afternoon with you.” 

They let out a breathy chuckle as he felt their hold on him get a bit tighter.

“Anytime Asher.” They whispered back to him, any tension left from his mind as their light giggle reached his ears. The two lay together for the rest of the night, trading small laughs and whispers before falling asleep together.

(extra)

“Why,” he dragged out his whine as he laid on their bed. Enjoying the view of them getting dressed but still a bit upset to have to watch them leave. “You can’t just take the day off? Just this once, for me?” he continued to whine, borderline begging.

“I told you yesterday Ash, I gotta go.” they leaned down and pressed a kiss on his pouty lips before reaching past them to grab the shirt they laid out on the bed. “It’s just for the meeting and probably some busy work after. I'll be back before you notice.”

Asher followed them into the living room and leaned against the door frame, his sleep heavy eyes still following them as they went through the last few steps of their routine.

Everything felt so right. Talking, sleeping, doing nothing, doing everything, with them it was just so right.

Is this a spark or am i just weird? I haven't been this weird with my other partners. I just want to do everything with them. I wanna tell them everything… I should tell them everything. 

“Bye Asher, promise I'll come back as fast as i can.” He hummed in acknowledgment, leaning in to place one quick kiss before they left. Hopefully it can hold him over while they're gone. 

They grabbed their stuff and walked to the door.

“Babe,” they turned back in the doorway to look at him. His face felt hot as the words left his mouth but his heart was too far gone to stop himself. 

“I wanna talk when you get back… got a little surprise for you.” He gave them a small smile, not wanting to stress them out while they were at work.

They smiled back at him, nodding their heads before closing the door. Asher left in their apartment, in their shirt, with only a few hours to make a decent plan before they got home. 

He sighed to himself, his hands brushing through his hair. It’s a tough spot he put himself in, he had enough time to think of a way out but that would make him a quitter and if years of doing stupid (and borderline dangerous) dares from his pack mates proved he was anything like that.

He couldn't help himself. Desperate to just rip his heart open and let everything about him spill out on the floor. And, to do that he’d have to explain the entire secret world under their noise and completely change their entire view on their life. No big deal.

“...shit.”

  (extra extra)

Text message from: ShortStack

>don’t know what you did but you’re fucked. U want roses or daisies at the funeral?

Text message from: Sherlock

>you can barely get through secret santa but you thought you could keep this a secret??? 💀

You have one new voice mail from: Davey

“Ash, why the fuck is the department calling me about a breach in covert?”

[keysorsomething]

Unprofessional

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 Hey! Here's part five! Sorry it took so long, I was busy and got sidetracked with another project.

Cross-posted on Ao3

You felt like you were going to puke, listening to the pen scrape on the paper as König wrote you up. You and Nikto had been interviewed, and though you insisted nothing “bad” had happened, you were still being written up. Like you were too rowdy on the school bus.

You could swear you feel the stinging of tears meeting your eyes, but that’s stupid. You’re a soldier. You kill people. You don’t cry because of a piece of paper. Still, your hands shake and your eyes sting and you just want to reach out to Nikto, but he isn’t there.

You were both interviewed separately, both written up separately, and you’d likely be going on missions separately from now on. And you hated it. You just hoped he did too. He had to - with the way that he laid on your chest and hummed as you slept in his bed. In the way that he looked at you, the way that he leaned into your touch. He had to hate it, just as much as you. If not more.

“You will not interact with him in such ways again,” König looks up at you, putting the paper into the copy machine by his desk. It beeps slowly as it scans the writing, and each beep hits your ears like a chisel to your skull. It pounds against your head, almost being physically painful.

Beep, beep, beep!

And then that awful crunching noise of the paper printing. It feels like scraping metal against your mind, just like the metal of knives scrapping against the skin on the battlefield.

…Maybe you shouldn’t think about that while looking at your boss.

He huffs, pulling out the freshly printed copy of the paper and holding it out to you, “You are… a good asset,” He starts, eyes flitting under his mask. “Do not make me fire you. It would be… unbeneficial. Harmful, even. To the team.”

You look miserably at the paper in his hands, biting the inside of your cheek. You nod, taking the paper from him.

“Thank you, sir,” You mumble, looking down at the stark white paper that’s now in your hands. His writing is thick and bold in an eye-burning black ink against the almost luminescence of the paper. This is the weirdest shade of white you’ve ever seen, and it’s almost memorizing. It would be if you weren’t absolutely destroyed emotionally. You all but sniffle. “I’ll… see you tomorrow, sir,” You mumble, rushing out of the room before he can respond.

This is so stupid. It makes no sense for you to cry. It makes no sense for you to be so upset. It’s not like you’ve been in a deeply romantic relationship with him for years. You were fucking around for like, two weeks. There is no reason for a trained killer like you to be acting like a schoolchild whose dad told them he didn’t like their partner.

You rush through the halls, power walking to avoid anyone seeing you like this. That’s something you don’t need any more of. You mean, the last time someone saw you, you’re entire life was ruined.

Oh, God, you sound like an absolutely smitten teenager. That’s so embarrassing.

Your emotions are fluctuating so much right now. Sadness, embarrassment, anger, embarrassment. Now you were curious. Who told? Did they let it slip on accident or was it malicious? Did he just figure it out on his own? Maybe he was trying to talk to Nikto about something else and you were just there. Wrong place wrong time, y’know?

You get to your room. Your own room, not Nikto’s, not that stupid little fantasy cabin you could have with him. Your room. Your empty, cold room with no one to cuddle up to.

You should retire. Out of spite. You should draft a statement and march right back up there and slam it down on that Austrian fuck’s desk. Or maybe not retire, but quit and find an opposing company so maybe one day you could-

Okay, too far. You don’t have to get violent. Oh, fuck, violent.

Nikto was probably off his rocker.

You have to stop him. But you can’t see him, that wouldn’t be a good look, would it? You huff, looking around. Who the hell can you trust? Both not to talk, but also with Nikto. He was very particular about who he liked. You rack your brain for a moment, going over everyone you could.

And that is how you end up outside of the door of the one man you can trust in this situation. The ever-silent, ever-familiar to Nikto….

Velikan.

You start scrambling for an explanation, cringing at how badly you were stammering for the words. He crosses his arms, leaning against the door frame impatiently. Your words take a moment for you to find, but you find them.

“I’m in trouble for fraternizing with Nikto and you’re the only one who I know that I can trust who Nikto’s familiar with - I mean, actually he worked with Mace, right? And Mace is a nice guy, I’m sure Nikto and he get along fine - but I just,” Your hands find your face. “Can you make sure Nikto’s okay? I just… don’t want him to try and beat the fuck out of König, that’d be the worst thing-”

Velikan’s hand meets your shoulder, gently shaking you to make sure you look up at his covered eyes. He lets out a low, growling sound, reassuring you. You’re really not sure why exactly you went to him now that you’re thinking about it. You have no clue what’s wrong with him, but you’ve never heard him speak. He just…. makes weird growling laughs. You aren’t sure if that’s all he can do, or if it’s just some dumb prank he’s playing on everyone else.

It doesn’t matter, you’re already grabbing for him to pull him in for a hug. He nods, making some more low grunting sounds. Oh, maybe it’s the mask?

“I’m sorry,” You mumble into the stiff material of his suit. He shakes his head.

“No, no,” The grunts sound like words now, “It’s okay,” he shushes you. He pats your shoulder, before pushing you off him. He uses one hand to hold your shoulder and the other to pull his goggles up.

His face is smudged with eye-black, but the signal is there. He’s trying to get you to see his sincerity. You nod, taking a deep breath. You are not going to cry. You aren’t crying.

He lets out a new grunt, patting his chest, the grunt sounds something like “Nikto.” You look into his eyes, breathing shuttering.

“You’ll look after Nikto?” You ask, and he nods. Then, he shakes his head, patting your shoulder. “And you won’t let him fight the colonel?” You ask. He nods one more. You back away, but before you can leave, he stops you.

He thwaps you on the shoulder, “You find support, too,” He grumbles out. Yup, it’s the mask making it hard to understand him. You nod again, and he gives you a thumbs up.

He then steps out of his room, once more patting your shoulder as he walks off. Possible to find Nikto.

Oh, you hope it’s to find Nikto.

You hope Nikto is going to be okay.

You hope you’re going to be okay.

[genderqueerdykes]

; I wanted to ask how you deal with all the hate you receive ?? like, scrolling through reblogs && comments ( like a fool ) on your honestly amazing posts, usually over half is simply negativity an js really obviously uneducated people being shitty .. And I was wondering how you js, deal with all that ? /gq /nf ( && maybe tips, bc fuck are people assholes )

hey good question! and first of all thank you for taking the time to read through my posts, i appreciate it!

this may sound slightly rude, but i don't look through my activity feed! like at all, occasionally i'll take a peek to make sure nothing insane is going on in my notes, but i generally do not read the notes on a post unless it's something that i'm curious to hear what other people have to respond to

a lot of the time my posts aren't an open conversation, so i don't really care what kind of discussions people have in the notes because that's between them and themselves, it's not my problem at that stage. i'm not on here to fight with every single person who has a differing opinion with me, you know? it's literally impossible to change that many peoples' minds

i've had to internalize the idea that there are always going to be people who are determined to misinterpret you no matter what you say. there are always going to be people who don't like you, no matter what your beliefs are, no matter how "good" of a person you are, there will always be someone who just absolutely hates what you're doing, and that's honestly fine. that's not my business. i don't really care. if they want to hate me, they can, i'm not placed on this earth to gain approval from every other single person who walks it with me

if it comes in the form of an ask i just delete it. i know bait when i see it and i just don't have the time or the energy. i'm here for a purpose: to help people. if people don't want to learn or don't want to ask genuine questions then i simply just don't have the time for it. i don't really care what a total stranger who refuses to come off anon things about me. i don't really care if people think i should die or have shitty things happen to me- that doesn't mean i share their opinion

i guess the way i see it is you can't control people, and other people's actions do not reflect mine, or yours, or anyone else's. just because someone wants to tell me something doesn't make them right and doesn't mean i have to listen to or believe them. usually whenever people have a problem with me, it's a reflection of something they dislike in themselves and want to project it on to me, and i don't have the time to fight with an artificial version of me that lives in someone else's head

i think staying focused on the task at hand (providing resources to other queer people) helps a lot, and generally speaking just not really paying attention to the comments sections is helpful too. people are going to want to have their own conversations. i'm not really going to get that upset if they want to derail on their own blog because that doesn't reflect what i said in the original post. if people want to misinterpret me, they're going to whether or not i say or do anything

generally speaking when people behave this way, they crave attention from the person they're harassing, and i'm not giving that to anyone who tries to rile up others for kicks. i literally just have other things to do. i have a house to clean, meals to cook, neighbors to talk to, a garden to tend to, library books to read, and so on. whenever you find yourself trapped in a hate reading spiral like that maybe remind yourself that you have other things to do, especially things that bring you joy

i hope that made sense, thanks for such a kind ask! hope that helps some, take care!

[zzoomacroom]

Hey guys, soooo I have never written fanfiction in my life, but this just fell out of my brain for some reason. I don't know what came over me, but here's a little crackfic drabble for ya. Just a thousand words of Matthew being a complete idiot. Enjoy! (Yes, I know this premise has been done to death, but I'm having fun so shhhh)

Edit: now on ao3!

.......

So there Matthew was, just minding his own business, catching up with Merv in the gardens outside the palace, when a goddamned nuclear bomb went off.

"JEEZUS FUCK!" Mervyn bellowed, his cigarette dropping from his open mouth and into the pile of leaves he'd been raking. Matthew squawked and catapulted himself ungracefully to the top of the nearest tree.

Oh, so not a bomb then, thought Matthew as he watched the stunning display of fireworks that had erupted above the palace, gold and crimson embers now drifting lazily towards the ground. Still, what the hell was that all about? He would have to ask the boss--if there was some kind of celebration happening in the Dreaming, he wanted to join the party! Hopefully he'd be off his feathery tits on dream champagne before the day was over.

Matthew launched himself from the tree branch, ears still ringing as he made his way up to the palace. He soared through an open window to the throne room. Hmm, empty. So where was the party? He made his way to the library--Lucienne would know what was up.

"Heya, Loosh," he called as he circled down to the table where Lucienne was occupied with cleaning up a puddle of ink that was spilled all over the yellowed scroll she had been writing on. "What was up with the fireworks?"

"Hmm?" she glanced over to him, preoccupied. "Ah. That sometimes happens when...actually, it's probably better if you don't know. For your own sake," she adds pointedly, peering over her glasses at him.

Uh, wow. Ouch. "What? Aw, come on, don't leave me out of the loop. Ravens aren't invited to the party? Wait, why aren't you at the party?"

Lucienne stared at the raven, confusion and irritation mingling on her face. "What party? Lord Morpheus is in his private chambers, there is no--"

But Matthew was already hopping off the table and flying towards the nearest window. So it was a private, VIP kinda thing, then. He was a little hurt that he wasn't invited, but no matter. He would slip in and infiltrate the event, just in case the boss needed protecting from a disgruntled fae or something. And if he managed to dip his beak into some unattended booze, he felt he was sneaky enough that no one would be the wiser.

"You really don't want to know!" Lucienne called out exasperatedly as he flitted away, not looking up from her work. "Don’t say I didn't warn you!"

Yeah, yeah, he'd been to parties full of snooty elites before. Whatever weird shit they were into couldn't be any worse than what he'd seen during his recent trip to Hell. He circled upwards towards the highest tower and perched on the balcony outside the boss's private chamber. There was definitely something happening in there, judging by the noises coming from inside. It sounded like things were getting crazy--a shout, glass breaking, a thud like a body hitting the ground, a screech that may or may not have been human. Shit, the boss man might be in trouble! Good thing Matthew was here to...well, he wasn't really sure how he could help, but he'd figure something out. And he just really, really wanted to know what was going on! Curiosity may kill the cat, but the raven should be fine, right?

He darted into the darkened room and blinked as his eyes adjusted. Oh. No party, then. The boss was standing in the middle of the room, looking even more like he'd just sucked on a lemon than usual. His robe flicked around him and drooped off one shoulder, like he'd just hastily pulled it on (was that...a tentacle peeking out from under the hem?). And was he sweating? He didn't normally sweat, did he? And hold on--did he have cat ears?? Matthew stared, and just as he noticed the ears they receded down into his disheveled mop of hair and disappeared.

"What is it, Matthew?" the Dreamlord demanded icily.

"Uh...sorry to interrupt whatever...this...is, but I thought maybe you were in trouble. And I was just wondering what was up with the fireworks. Scared the bejeesus outta me and Merv," Matthew explained.

The boss looked confused for a moment before answering. "Ah. My apologies for the disruption," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm even as Matthew failed to get the hint. "The matter has been handled. You need not come to my defense."

At that, a poorly-stifled chuckle sounded from behind a marble pillar. "Sorry," the pillar mumbled sheepishly. The boss shot a withering glare at it and the pillar instantly dissolved into a pile of sand, revealing...

Ohhhh. "Um...hi, Hob," Matthew said with an awkward wave of his wing, wishing very much that he could dissolve into sand right about now. Hell, that may very well be his fate soon enough, based on the way the boss was glaring at him.

"Hey Matt," Hob replied with a bashful smirk. He was mostly naked except for an Elizabethan ruff, white knee-high stockings and a pair of 18th century shoes with little bows on them. And he was wearing the boss's helm. But not on his head (cool, cool, not like Matthew had followed the boss to Hell to get it back or anything). Oh, and he also had cat ears. Wonderful.

"Ya know, I better get going, I think Merv may need some help with--oh, yep, he set the garden on fire." Matthew peered out the window down to where Mervyn was currently shouting at no one and flailing around a steadily growing conflagration. "So I should go deal with that. Just wanted to check in, glad everything's good here. Uhhh nice to see you Hob, Boss. Not that I, uh, saw anything. Okay bye!" Matthew zoomed out the window before either of them could say anything else. God, he really needed a drink now.

.......

Morpheus continued to glare at the spot where Matthew had been perched as Hob came up and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Right. So where were we?" asked Hob, apparently unphased by the whole incident.

"I think we should take this to the Waking if we wish to avoid any further interruptions," Dream replied through gritted teeth.

Hob chuckled and started to massage the knots out of his lover's shoulders. "Yeah, probably. Kids, right?" he sighed.

Morpheus raised an eyebrow at him. "Matthew is not my child."

"Isn't he, though?" Hob replied with a grin, peering over Dream's shoulder to watch Matthew and Mervyn frantically darting around the flaming pile of leaves, making no progress whatsoever in putting out the blaze. Morpheus merely sighed in exasperation.

[starwarsmum]

Chapter 2 of Introducing: Mousinette 🥰

Chapter 2: Marinette Moves On

The release of her new website, combined with Jagged raving on social media, meant that Marinette was extremely busy after Christmas. Her parents were very supportive of her stepping back from the bakery so that she could keep on top of her schoolwork and her commissions. 

Marinette's friends, on the other hand, were growing increasingly vocal about how they felt neglected. Alya in particular had messaged her several times, asking to hang out with the ‘whole gang’, which Marinette politely declined. Every time she did that, Lila would lay it on thick, asking if it was because she would be going, and apologising for making Marinette uncomfortable, which made Alya slightly harsher with Marinette.

Marinette neither confirmed nor denied that Lila was the reason she didn't want to hang out, but Alya was hotheaded and tended to assume Marinette was still jealous of the other girl. Marinette had lost count of the number of times she had been lectured for not being ‘more open-minded’, which made her temper flare. 

And so Marinette found herself spending even more time with Kagami or Luka. She carved out time in her schedule to spar with them, especially Kagami who would use a bokken while Marinette went barehanded. It was fun and challenging, and helped her to keep her skills fresh. 

In addition, even though the website was finished, Marinette kept up with her weekly calls with Barbara. She had found that the woman was friendly, smart and could be witty. Plus, they had a shared disdain of puns from ex-boyfriends turned friends. When the older woman had told her about her first boyfriend, Dick, Marinette had been horrified to find out there were other nerds who made puns constantly.

It was nearly Valentine's day when Barbara called Marinette outside of their agreed times, which made Marinette worry. She picked up hastily, sending an apologetic look to Chloe who only huffed in annoyance.

“Hey Babs, is everything okay?” She put down the needle she had been threading and peered into her screen. “It's not like you to call out of the blue like this.”

“Well, it's also not like me to receive a mystery package, Mari,” came Barbara's dry reply. “After checking it for…problems…imagine my surprise when I find a gorgeous, hand-knitted blanket, with little glasses and computers designed into it. Care to explain?”

“Oh, um,” Marinette fumbled, glancing at Chloe before shrugging sheepishly. “You're my friend, Babs. You helped me out more than I can say, and I wanted to make something for you.”

“Mari, sweetheart, this must have taken hours,” Babs said, sounding mildly horrified. “I did the site because Penny asked, not because I needed you to pay me back.”

“Don't you like it?” Marinette pouted, cocking a hand to her hip. She fought back a grin when Barbara sighed and pinched her nose. When no denial seemed forthcoming, Marinette shrugged and smirked at her. “Well then, I don't see the problem. Besides, you mentioned that your ex was complaining about, you know, and now you can rub it in his face.”

“Oh my god, you're so right! Actually, can I commission you to make something else for me as well, then? Because whilst this is practical and I adore it, I want to be able to really rub it in.”

Marinette laughed goodnaturedly, agreeing easily, before admitting that she was in the middle of a different order. They agreed to chat about things when they had their usual catch up that weekend. Chloe raised a brow at Marinette when she picked the needle and thread back up, and continued as though there had been no interruption.

“So who was that, Dupain-Cheng?” Chloe said when it became clear that Marinette wouldn't speak without prompting. When she only received a noncommittal shrug in return, she harrumphed. “How is it you always make mysterious connections and refuse to explain anything?”

“Just lucky, I guess,” Marinette replied, smirking at her little inside joke. “Besides, do you want to talk about my social life, or let me finish Kagami’s Valentine's present? That's what I thought,” she added smugly when Chloe grumbled and waved a regal hand.

An hour later, Chloe inspected the completed product - a delicate kimono with tiny dragon and bee embroidery along the folds. It was red and black, with gold detailing and Chloe cooed over it, before assuring Marinette that her fee would be in the account within the next day.

Tikki buzzed around Marinette's head, showering her with praise for how well she had done completing the kimono. She suppressed a smile as she thought about the black and yellow dress that Kagami had commissioned for Chloe's Valentine's gift. She was pleased that her friends were happy together, even if she had been wary of Chloe when they had started dating.

But Chloe had apologised for her behaviour, going so far as to buy some rare threads as an apology gift, even though that hadn't been necessary. Chloe had been spirited away by her mother at the beginning of lycée and, upon returning at the beginning of this academic year, had kept to herself mostly. She no longer tried to antagonise Marinette and had gone out of her way to assist others when she could. 

So, whilst they weren't the best of friends, Marinette and Chloe had agreed for Kagami's sake to get along. And it had worked out in the past few months, Chloe's biting sarcasm softening to friendlier teasing. Alya still wouldn't spend time with her, but she no longer cautioned doom every time Marinette said that she was going to, so Marinette counted that as a win.

When Valentine's day finally arrived, Marinette dreaded going to school. Even though she knew there would be no akumas, thanks to her single-handedly bringing down Hawkmoth 2 years ago, she still had to deal with average teenage drama - usually in the form of Lila preening over a large bouquet of flowers that a ‘mysterious admirer’ had sent for her. Which would lead the girls in even Marinette's classroom to speculate whether they were from Adrien and, if so, when he would finally ask her out.

So when she walked into the classroom to see a giant bouquet sitting on her desk, she immediately assumed that someone had mixed up the seats. They weren't the usual mix of roses and tulips that she was accustomed to seeing Lila receive, but it was definitely an expensive bouquet. 

So she was very surprised to see her name on the tag. She gulped, mind whirring into overdrive as she tried to work out who could have sent her such an ostentatious gift. She blushed as the other girls made noises of appreciation, Alya nudging her in the ribs excitedly, before flipping the card over in search of more. She was not disappointed as she read:

To an amazing girl, who does so much for those around her. We haven't known each other long but I wouldn't trade what we have for the world. Lots of love, the girl behind the screen.

The blush deepened as she realised that Babs had sent such an impressive bunch of flowers, all because Marinette had mentioned that her friends made a big deal about her being single on Valentine's day. She was touched, but also mortified by the attention she was gaining. How on earth was she going to explain this away?! 

She remained tight-lipped until another flower delivery, this time the anticipated one for Lila, interrupted the class. Lila came in a few minutes later and cooed over the arrangement. She couldn't hide the surprise in her face when she saw the class gathered around Marinette and immediately tried to work it to her favour.

“Oh, Marinette, I didn't realise you were dating again already! Unless…but no, I'm sure you're very happy,” she assured, letting the doubt in her voice do the work for her. The people who knew Marinette less well began to look at her speculatively, making her hackles raise. Fortunately, she was saved answering by a loud laugh from the front of the classroom.

“Oh, now I see why you were so secretive about your phone call, Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe smirked, flouncing over to her. “It looks as though she knows how to treat you right, at least. You'd better introduce Gami and me when you go public though, it is ridiculous to think you hadn't mentioned her before.”

Which sent the class into uproar - Marinette remained quiet, lowering her head to her arms to hide her relief. Chloe had successfully diverted the class and Lila hadn't managed to twist it any further. Not long after, the class was called to order by their teacher and Marinette was even more relieved that she sat at the back so that she didn't feel like someone was behind her, staring.

She would have to have a word with Barbara about the over-the-top display when they chatted that weekend, though she was touched by the thought that had gone into it. The bouquet held her favourite hues and flowers, and she knew she would be pressing several of them. 

_ _ _

“Babs, I swear to god, what the heck?” Marinette deadpanned as soon as the woman had joined the chat. She was greeted by laughter and a bright smile. She tried her best to keep her scowl, but the laughter was infectious and she giggled back. “Okay, fine, I deserved it after the whole blanket thing. But you have no clue how stressful the class was about this.”

“Please, you probably handled it like a pro, Mari,” Barbara said shrewdly. “And I assume it all worked out, or you would have called me.”

“Okay, number one, rude. Two, I hate how insufferably smart you are,” Marinette shook her head, clearing the light blush that was forming across her cheeks. She was trying her best to stamp out the burgeoning crush on her new friend but it was hard when she did things like that. “Anyway, I had another idea for your commission…”

They passed the next couple of hours chatting about the commission and general things that had happened in their week. When it was time to say goodnight, Marinette felt more grounded again, and she signed off cheerfully. 

The following two weeks were a little easier, Barbara chattering about her family in the background while Marinette worked during their weekly catch ups. During getting to know each other, Marinette had mentioned wanting to attend university in America, and Barbara had been working hard to convince her that Gotham University was the best for the business course she wanted to take.

In trying to convince Marinette what a good idea it was to choose GU, she had started talking about the people she spent her time with. When she talked about Dick, Marinette could see the affection and weathered annoyance she had for the man. She was cautionary when talking about Jason, who she knew fairly well, but warned had a temper.

“Oh, Tim is the one who is obsessed with your work, by the way,” she said casually, on the third catch up since Valentine's day. “He is a huge Jagged Stone fan, but he also follows fashion pretty religiously, so he keeps trying to find out who you are. Luckily, he can't crack my encryption because he doesn't have as much experience as me.”

“I take it he's really annoyed with you for having those commissions then,” Marinette mused, pinning a section of the skirt she was working on back before shooting a grin at the woman. “What about the one that's my age, David was it? You haven't told me much about him.”

“That's because I don't know much about Damian,” Barbara admitted. “He's not exactly easy to get along with, and he doesn't want to get to know anyone as far as I'm aware. The main thing I know about him is that he likes animals more than people. Now Steph, she's a riot! Used to date Tim, but they're friends now, which is starting to feel like a club, with three of us.”

“Ha, well I'd love to meet all these people you keep talking about,” Marinette said cheerfully, focusing on the hem of the skirt for a second. “And, honestly, Gotham U is my first choice, it just depends on if I can get the grades. But I'm not too worried, I'll get in somewhere, and then I'll plot my takeover of the fashion world.”

“Well we'd love to have you in Gotham. Plus, it's Penny's alma mater too, so you'd be part of this club too!” They were interrupted by Marinette's phone ringing abruptly, and she apologised, putting down the needle she was using to answer.

“Hey Als, what's up?” She wedged the phone between her ear and shoulder, squinting critically at the finished waistband of her design before deciding it was perfect. She frowned and gave the phone her full attention after a moment. “I'm sorry, what?”

“Girl, you know how there's that new designer that, no offense, is revolutionising the fashion world? The one that makes all of Jagged Stone's outfits, MDC,” Alya was saying excitedly, her words coming out in a rush. Marinette's eye twitched, worried that she'd been found out, so she put the phone on speaker and confirmed that, yes, obviously she knew about all major fashion designers, including breakthrough ones like MDC. She saw Barbara's mouth twitch and silenced her laptop, leaving the microphone alone. “Right, so you know how Lila saved Jagged Stone's kitten years ago? And so she's, like, super tight with him?”

“Alya, you know I don't-” Marinette began, trying to cut the other girl off, but she was overridden.

“No, don't start with the disbelief thing, I've told you that green is not your colour,” Alya said, and Marinette could almost see the scowl the aspiring reporter must be sporting. Barbara's mouth dropped open, before she started to say something Marinette couldn't hear. “Listen, because she's so close to Jagged, she's met MDC! And she said she could get me a telephone interview with him,because he's not ready to let his anonymity go, so I can't do a vlog on it.”

“Oh, so when is that happening?” Marinette tried to relax her jaw and sound upbeat but she was fuming. She could hear the scepticism in her voice though, and knew that Alya had picked up on it too.

“Marinette, I know what you're going to say, but can't you just be happy for me? It'll be huge when I get to do this interview. And Lila already told me that he's not quite ready for any interviews, but as soon as he is I'm first on the list!”

“Alya, please, I know you're excited,” Marinette said, exasperated. “But can you just see it from a different angle? She hasn't given you a shred of proof that she actually knows MDC, and you don't even have a date for the interview! It is so far from a guaranteed thing, and I just don't want you to hurt your chances moving forward-”

“I should have known you would be like this,” Alya said, sounding every bit as exasperated as Marinette. “I only wanted to tell you so that I could offer to hook you up when I did get the interview - can you imagine collaborating with someone like that? - and I'm still totally going to do it, but now you're going to have to apologise to Lila as soon as it goes through. Also, you have no proof she's lying, whereas I know that Lila knows Jagged Stone, which is what makes it plausible!”

“She's never proven that she knows Jagged either!” Marinette hated arguing with Alya, but she hated liars more. Especially when she knew they were lying. Barbara was looking concerned but Marinette focused purely on Alya for a moment. “And the only reason you think I'm wrong is because you decided I was jealous of her, which I'm not-”

“Yeah, right,” Alya laughed, though she sounded fed up. “Forget it, I know you're busy right now, I'll see you at school on Monday, okay? And maybe try to be more open minded.”

Marinette stared speechlessly at her phone for two full minutes. She was so frustrated with Alya, who refused to believe that she didn't still have feelings for Adrien and therefore had to be jealous of Lila. Eventually she shook it off and turned the sound back on for her laptop.

“Okay, no, seriously, what the hell was that?” Barbara said incredulously. “Did she just say she was going to get an interview with MDC? Has she been sniffing paint fumes? And who on earth is Lila?”

“Ugh, Lila is the reason I needed a new website. I can't prove it, but she spread a rumour that I stole all of my designs. She has a knack for telling almost believable stories and the internet is a hellhole, so I had to take it down and go anonymous, which you knew. But Lila's been lying since I met her when we were fourteen, and my friends seem to just believe her.”

“Well, that sucks! How has she not been caught?”

“It beats me, I've tried reasoning with everyone, I've tried to prove she's lying and I've tried to ignore her and take the ‘high road’ but nothing works,” Marinette said, shrugging as she turned back to the skirt. “At this point, I'm just trying to outlast this and make it to university.”

“But why don't they believe you? I've known you for a couple of months but I can tell you're not the type to get jealous of some girl for whatever reason. Plus, you actually know at least one famous person? And you're literally the person this girl is pretending to know this time.”

“Oh, they think I'm jealous because of my ex. When she first showed up, I maybe let her tactics get to me and tried super hard to prove she was a liar with no evidence. But then I dated the guy they think I'm jealous over, and things ended mutually, so I don't really know what they're thinking. But anyway,” she said, waving her scissors around dismissively. “Let's get back to talking about all the reasons I should attend GU.”

[eeveebitches]

hot recognizes hot || Roman Roy

Pairing: Roman Roy x F!Reader

Summary: Bored in a fancy bar your friend dragged you to, you see a man by himself nursing a drink and decide to start up a conversation

Word count: 1.806

You nurse the mocktail you have with a light frown. The thing cost 17 dollars, and you're pretty sure most of that money is simply for the fancy glass it's in.

The bar you're at is a fancy, high-end breeding spot for nepo babies. A place you wouldn't frequent if it wasn't for your friend, who got free entry for the both of you because she slept with the owner's niece or some shit like that. You don't remember it well, and she's already disappeared into the designer-clad crowd. Asking her about the lore of how and why you're here isn't an option anymore.

You're painfully bored, stuck in a 1-percenter hell-hole by yourself. So when you see a guy nursing a drink with an expression you're sure is the same as your own, you can't help but make your way over to him.

His eyes, which you can't help but find sad looking, remove themselves from his drink and instead take your presence in. You can visibly see the cogs in his head turn as his brows furrow and his bottom lip stutters in initial confusion. And then finally, with a slight raise of his eyebrows, he scoffs. You catch a quiet 'fuck off' he seemingly mumbles more to himself than to you, right before he lets his line of sight drop back down into his untouched drink.

Rough start, but whatever. You won't let a sour attitude stop you from, at the very least, getting a fun story out of tonight that you can tell your friends tomorrow. "Hey so, not to be a weirdo or anything, but I noticed you're here by yourself too, and also seem pretty miserable."

This time he fully moves his head to face you, carrying an incredulous look in his eyes. As you watch his eyes slowly move down, and then back up again from your figure, you notice how antsy he seems.

The tips of his fingers are nervously tapping against the marble of the bar's counter, and his sleeves are crumpled up from what you can only assume is constant fidgeting with them. There's also a shine of sweat on his neck that you're only seeing now that you're closer in proximity.

"I don't wanna get my cock sucked, thanks and fuck off," he quickly mutters as he busies himself by clasping and unclasping his drink. Now it's your turn to scoff, because who even is this guy? He's dressed like he's about to enter an important business meeting, as if the bar's bathrooms aren't most probably occupied by D-list celebrities getting their rocks off.

You settle down into the seat next to his, the need to win this verbal battle now in the forefront of your mind. "Dude, I don't wanna suck your shriveled up witch's finger dick. I'm just bored and thought you'd be good enough company for now."

He lets out a huffed chuckle. A brief, barely audible one, but you caught it. "And I don't want your mouth near my dick, either. Don't wanna catch whatever diseases you're carrying- bird flu or some shit, I don't know."

"Is that why you haven't touched your drink? Too scared of bird flu, pussy?" His posture visibly straightens up at that, body slightly turning to face you. "Who the fuck wants bird flu? You sound like you fucking enjoy the idea of having the same disease as pigeons. Is it a kink thing? A hot and heavy pigeon sex kink thing?"

You don't hide your amusement, nor the way you check him out the same way he did to you. His hair is clearly messed up, remnants of intact gel shining in the bar's lighting. He has slight facial hair, which you could only describe as an overgrown stubble, as well as strangely pretty downturned lashes that flutter with each blink.

Vaguely, you remember thinking about how sad his eyes looked. Now that you're closer, and can see the semi-permanent crease between his brows, he reminds you a bit of an overgrown, overworked puppy. "I think you're projecting your bird kink onto me."

The corner of his mouth quirks up. "And I think you're getting your panties soaked just thinking about me being into pigeon sex. You're probably g'na ask me to follow you to a random closet and coo in your ear as you jerk me off."

You shift your weight around a bit, taking a glance at your own drink as you realize you should probably start drinking it again. "You wish I would, freak," you quip before taking a sip from the metal straw currently swimming in your drink. For a moment you catch a flash of something- a slightly creased brow, and a stutter in his breathing. Something with an implication you can't help but find intriguing.

"So what's your deal, then, if it's not kinky pigeon role-play?" Now it's your turn to quirk a brow at him. "My 'deal'?"

The man shrugs, lips pouted as he carelessly picks up his drink and swivels its content around. "Y'know, why did you fuckin', walk up to me and try to plow my ass knuckles dip? What's up with that?"

You scoff. Whoever this overgrown teenager was, he could not let go of the constant quips. "What's up with the jokes? Don't tell me it's a coping mechanism," you ask him before you can stop yourself. He makes a face of faux disgust, failing to hide how his lips genuinely twitch downwards. "Why are you dodging my question with another question?"

"Why do you not let yourself be open and vulnerable?" You don't bother looking up from your drink as you take a sip. Whatever his expression was, you were sure it wouldn't surprise you all that much. The man sputters, uncharacteristically not knowing what to say in reply. "The fuck are you, my therapist?"

"Is your therapist hot, and incredibly charming?" His eyes sparkle as he looks at you. He's clearly amused, which you wish you could say didn't tickle you. "She's an ugly hag," he says, clearly only partially joking. "I'd turn into an ugly hag, too, if I had to listen to you whine about, I don't know, your Rolex being dirty."

His frown deepens at that, eyes looking away from you, like he's shielding himself from your financial judgement. "Whatever, then fuckin' leave since you're so hot and charming," he mumbles, and suddenly he takes a swig from his drink. He's a bit of a drama queen.

"But talking to you is soooo much fun, why would I leave?" You make sure to have the sarcasm drip off of your words. Just as suddenly as he took a swig, he suddenly turns his whole body to you. "Seriously, what the fuck is your deal? If it's about my dad, fuck off and die," he hisses out, finger pointing at you.

You point your finger back, and even go as far as to let the tip of your index finger touch his. "I have no idea who your dad is, so I'm not gonna do that. Now order me a snack as an apology," you retort with a straight face.

His eyes dart all over your face, trying to deduce your truth and lies or something like that. With a deep sigh he turns away from you, putting his finger down and instead calling over the bartender. "D'you guys have, like, peanuts, or cookies, or some stupid bar snack shit like that?"

Quickly, the bartender nods, busying himself in making what seems to be a miniature charcuterie board. Seriously, what kind of bar is this? "I swear to god, if you're a reporter, I'm sicking my lawyers on you and having them raid your villages, burn your crops and devour your women," he mumbles as he returns to staring at his drink.

"What, are you famous? Like a knock-off DiCaprio?" He chuckles at that, so apparently he finds you funny. "You seriously don't know who I am?" You shrug in reply, to which he suddenly grabs your phone from the bar you had placed it on. He shoves it towards you, eyebrows raised. "Unlock it."

Usually you wouldn't let some random wet puppy dog of a man demand something like that of you, but the small possibility that he's actually famous intrigues you. Awkwardly, you grab your phone and unlock it, handing it back to him. "If this is your way of giving me your number, I'm gonna strangle you, just so you know."

The bartender places the charcuterie board for mice in front of you. It looks good, also more expensive than two years of your rent. Meanwhile, mystery man types something on your phone, not paying you any mind. "Here, you don't know this?"

Your eyes squint as he shoves the screen in your face.

'The Waystar Royco Legacy, And The Oil They Spill Into The Ocean Of News.'

Wait,

"You're Logan Roy's son?"

He nods, grabbing the one of the tiny forks given with the board and popping an olive in his mouth, humming in confirmation. "Isn't your brother, like... Kendall?"

"Yeah, what about him?" It takes you a moment to collect your thoughts, but when you do, you grin as you tell him. "His tweets are really funny in like, an ironic way. He's also kinda hot." The face he makes is one of pure disgust, but there's a twang of something bitter. "Ew, Kendall? Seriously? That's what you find hot? He looks like a fucking Playmobil figurine on ketamine, your taste in men is horrible," he groans out, popping another olive in his mouth as he keeps frowning at you.

For a second you wanna ask 'well, wouldn't he actually do ketamine?', but you stop yourself from being an insensitive asshole and instead grab the other fork, plopping the food in your mouth. "Well, I find you kinda hot, too. So you calling my taste horrible is just insulting yourself," you say as casually as one can when shooting their shot. 

The shot seems successful enough, since he starts choking on his olive, face immediately growing three shades redder. "H-oly fuck, don't just fuckin', say that, god," he wheezes out. You shrug, fighting back a proud smile. "Hot recognizes hot, that's all."

You grab your phone from his hand and glance at the time and oh shit, it's late as hell. "Hey, you're hot and fun to talk to and all, but I start my first day at work in like, four hours, so I gotta go." You shove a few of the charcuterie pieces into your mouth, not waiting for his response as you rush outside.

Roman scoffs as he watches you scurry off, taking a final, large sip of his drink, frowning at the burn of it.

"Hot recognizes hot, I guess."

[iguessthisisanewobsession]

It takes a mob pt. 9

First

Prev

Ao3

“So what color flowers do you think Marv would like to be buried with?”

Bill glanced to Ken as the kid made a loud squeal from his place on the counter.  The diaper incident was still fresh in mind but for the moment the kid looked content to stay solid.

Ken played with Danny’s legs before continuing his musings,

“We could go traditional roses, but carnations might have a better meaning and shit.”

“I don’t know shit ‘bout flowers.” Bill grunted as he dumped a large mixing bowl of dough on to the table. “But I want his ass cremated, going to put him in an hourglass. Maybe he’ll finally will learn time and place.”

Me-Mah tutted as she measured and cut the portions.

“That child was never one to think things through.”

“It kept Danny out of the limelight, didn’t it?”

Me-mah snorted as she glanced over,

“But, at what cost boy?”

“A hell of an ass whoopin for the most part.”

A voice chimed in, and Bill felt some color leech from his face.

“Ayyyye, didn’t know you were scheduled to hop in Jay! What are you doin’ on this side of the front?”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Ken take a sudden dive to the floor with a loud thump.

Everyone paused for a second to look at the space the man once inhabited.

“…you good there Ken?”

Ken let out a wheeze as his head popped back into view.

“..Just some fractured dignity.”

“Riiight.. So, I heard you guys had quite a busy weekend, mind catching me up?”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it busy per se, but you know how- hey hey! Why don’t you not come over! you know what I’ll come over to you!”

Scrambling past the table tops Bill steered Jason back out the door onto the streets.

“You know I was actually going to ask Me-mah about a possible change in meal prep for next week, right?”

“And I can make sure she’s up to date and everything! No need for the higher ups to need to hand around you got your own projects to worry about!”

“Like the project you three have decided to take?”

“..I have no idea what you are talking about boss.”

Bill stumbled as Jason finally dug his heel as they came close to an alleyway opening.

“Now we can do this the easy way of the hard way Bill, and my night’s been headache inducing enough.”

With a gritted teeth, Bill trudged into the ally with little fanfare.

“So,”

Jason started through a puff of a cigarette,

“I would like to preface this talk with the fact that Marv will be fine. Some bruising and a concussion to match but no lasting damage as far as the doc is concerned.”

“Oh. That’s, good.”

“You don’t sound so sure of that.”

“No! It’s- it’s great that Marv is good an’ all but, this is the boss we’re talking about! That ain’t his usual M.O.”

Bill took off his hat and rubbed at his temple,

“I mean, I’ve seen the dude do a lot more for way less. No scarring? No disfigurement? Not even a broken nose??”

“And it was anyone else than it would’ve been so, but it’s Marv we’re talking about. The dumbass is the equivalent of a pittie in a sweater. Besides-“

Jay made a show of flicking the used bud into a puddle before shifting to face Bill and leaning a hip against the grimy wall.

“He had his gun in his holster, if he was trying shit, he would’ve went with that instead of a steel chair.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Home couldn’t come into view quick enough.

Unlocking the door, Bill dumped the bag in his arm before he made a b-line to the kitchen.

The kid had a set of lungs and was making it quite clear that he did not appreciate being hungry.

“It’s okay kid, let it out, good for the soul and all that.”

Bill started to bounce as the microwave warmed the key to his ears’ bliss. His mind couldn’t help but go back to his conversation with Jay in between Danny’s gasps of air.

“What’s the plan? Fling the kid from person to person? Playhouse until gets annoying and pass the kid around like a hot potato? I don’t think there’s a single person who went through foster that wouldn’t be able to tell you how that would work out.”

Gently, Bill removed the tot from his imprisonment before quickly scooping up the bottle and testing the heat on his wrist.

“Do you even know the first thing about babies? How to test their bottles temp and clean them? How about burping? What about Immunizations?  Or are you flying by your coat tails? They need commitment!”

It didn’t take as second for Danny to latch on with a content hum.

The quiet bliss could’ve been heroin as far as Bill was concerned.

Making his way back to the fallen bags, he got a glance at the small library that had made its home on his floor.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?”

He could do this, he got his GED last year, so Bill was used to studying. He just had a bit of a time crunch to catch up is all.

“I don’t know shit about kids..”

One of the first things Jay did as soon as they properly introduced him to Danny was drag both of them to Dr. Leslie for an evaluation.

Bill’s original estimate was quite off.

The kid was about four months old.

Reaching over for a dirty towel, Bill shifted Danny to his shoulder and gave him some pats.

He wasn’t above admitting that a lot of what he was told went over his head, but a relative bill of good health was good news as any.

He couldn’t help but let out a huff of laughter when he noticed the kid’s face.

“What? What’s with dat look? Am I really doing this wrong Al-“

The sound that came out of the kid had no right being that grotesque.

Danny face smoothed as Bill looked down in mild horror as he felt new weight on the back of the onesie.

“..that wasn’t a fart, was it?”

The beginning of another spell of crying kicked the henchmen into gear.

“Right! Bath! Shit, don’t got one those bath thingies- uuhhh… right! Sink time Dano.”

Slinging the bag onto his shoulder, Bill went back to the kitchen and turned on the faucet sending a silent thank you to the two idiots who finally went home.

There was a bit of hesitation before he snapped the kid’s buttons off.

“Babies are messy Bill; they piss and shit and throw up to hell and back because it’s the only thing they can really do. If you can’t handle that then you have no right-“

With a quick shake of his hand, Bill made quick work of the kid’s clothes and diaper before turning his head to the side letting out a small gag.

He’s handled men’s entrails falling out of their bodies better than this.

Checking the temperature, Bill held Danny so that his back was to the faucet and started to splashing handfuls onto the mess.

“I know I know, not the most conventual cleaning but we’re going to have to sort that out tomorrow.”

Steeling his nerves, Bill fished out the baby soap from the bag and got to work.

“The things I do for yah…”

One freshly scrubbed Danny looked up with a giggle as Bill meticulously worked to keep the soup from his eyes.

A new problem emerged as the impromptu bath was over. There wasn’t a clean towel nearby much to Bill’s dismay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sudden clearing of his work schedule via text made Bill pause before he tossed his phone within reach.

Letting out a huff he placed Danny onto the makeshift changing table.

“‘You need an adjustment period’ and ‘Can’t have you working in the high risk now and blah blah-‘ The bosses are acting like I’m some transplant now because of you.”

His complaints were unanswered by his audience though a small squeal of laughter did tug a smile onto his face as he plopped the kid’s rump back onto the clean diaper.

“Yeah.. yeah, yuck it up. Just so you know, this is a once in a lifetime thing goin’ on, so don’t expect me to pull a Wayne an’ bring you back any siblings.”

Dawn was breaking as close is ever did in the city.  The early commuters were starting their day and he bit back a yawn as he continued his work.

The two of them didn’t get to go back home until well past three. Both Jason and Dr. Leslie felt it consequential to give Bill a crash course in baby 101 and enough homework to reach his gills to boot.

Something that he was beginning to notice is that plans tend to not hold up when dealing with children.

Sure, Bill hasn’t got much range in experience with kids, but what plans he has made around Danny got shot through like a diamond store on a Saturday.

He planned to never have kids, and now that had one to take care of, he just planned to keep him clean and worry about everything else tomorrow but-

“Shit!”

Waving away the sudden cloud in his Face with a cough, Bill looked down at the scene in dismay.

What was once a perfectly clean skin was now powdered white up to a confused little chin.

“Come one Kid, up, up-“

Bill gently pulled them to a sitting position by the arms with snicker.

“We got the rest of our lives together kid.”

He started to try brush down the excess with a towel as he continued,

“Yeah, this ain’t goin’ to be easy, but hey, I’m in your corner for better or for worst.”

Scooping and wrapping up Danny in a bundle Bill took another glance around his apartment and tried not to grimace.

The kitchen window was patched over with some newspaper and tape and the carpet still had some questionable stains from the past.

As much as it sucked to admit, Bill knew his time here was limited.

A one-bedroom apartment was not good enough for a kid to grow up in.

The feeling a small hand brought him out of his musings.

“Bab bah.”

“You know that's very cute, but I just swaddled you for a reason. Phase you hand back under your blanket.”

With a gently poke Danny was once again fully engulfed.

“I’m going to have gray hairs by the time you learn to crawl, I can just feel it.”

That was another day’s concern, as for today.

“I think it’s time we go lay down for a bit. How’s that sound?”

With a small yawn from his companion, Bill eased into the couch and turned on the tv low with a sense of déjà vu.

‘If dad could see him now…’

And as he started to lose the battle with sleep a passing thought made him let out a small huff.

Maybe he’d give his old man a call, it’s not every day the family expands after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~

This has been an adventure. I started my tumblr page as a place to throw away my prompts so that someone else could get inspired and my brain wouldn’t hold onto them. I didn’t actually expect to not only use but finish one!

For all of you guys who’ve been following along on both tumblr and ao3, thank you.

Here’s to more stories to come!