#his response and his Father’s reaction is… ow | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

joemama-2 · 5 days ago

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velvet lies

pairing: gojo x fem reader synopsis: crippling debt and possible evictions have ruined you. working two jobs with no downtime, and a five-year-old son, you really don't know the meaning of taking a break. after continuous questions about his father, you have decided to finally let your son meet his dad. only thing is, he has no idea said son exists. and to top it off, you have not a single clue about what kinds of things will transpire from this sudden revelation. wc: 10.6k tags/warnings: 18+ MDNI, smut, fluff, romance, alcohol, classism, mom! reader, lying, abuse, MAJOR angst, slow burn, exes to lovers, (mentions of) cheating, scandals, death, blood, drugs, drama, family drama, miscommunication, blackmail, unhealthy coping mechanisms , depression, manipulation a/n: pls ignore any grammar/spelling errors if so, I wrote some of this on my phone series masterlist < previous chapter < next chapter

You’re silent for a moment. Firstly, caught off guard by this woman stopping you from your responsibilities, but also the fact that she seems to be regarding you with such disgust. Do you know who I am? That question pisses you off. Should you say yes? Or no? Instead, you straighten up, scrutinizing her right back. Long, pretty brown hair. Hazel eyes. Pink lips. Expensive clothing. Damn it, she’s pretty.

“Should I?” Perfect balance between the two options.

Her lip curves up into a bitter smile, pushing past you into the penthouse with no apologies. This causes you to stumble back slightly before finding your stance again, turning around to face the woman as she paces Satoru’s apartment with a wave of confidence. Almost more than the man himself. “Where is he?”

“Satoru is at work,” you respond, crossing your arms over your chest.

Himari pauses mid-step, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor as she turns to face you. Her eyes scan the apartment briefly before landing back on you, sharp and assessing. She raises an eyebrow, her expression one of disbelief, as if your answer isn’t good enough for her. "At work?" she echoes, her tone laced with skepticism. "And you’re here, what, playing house in his absence?"

Your jaw tightens, her words cutting deeper than you’d like to admit. "I’m here because of my son," you snap, arms still crossed as you try to maintain your composure. "I don’t owe you an explanation."

Himari’s lips curl into a now mocking smile as she slowly approaches you, her expensive perfume wafting in the air between you. "You’re right. You don’t owe me an explanation. But you do owe it to yourself to figure out where you stand in all of this. Because trust me," her voice lowers, dripping with condescension, "whatever this is? It’s temporary."

You feel your anger rising, but you swallow it down, unwilling to let her see that she’s getting under your skin. "I think you’re confused," you say, keeping your voice steady despite the fire in your chest. "This isn’t about me or you—it’s about Koji spending time with his father. And I’m not going to stand here and let you try to turn it into something else."

Her expression hardens, and for a brief moment, the mask of superiority slips, revealing a flash of something you can’t quite place. Jealousy? Fear? "Koji," she repeats, almost spitting the name out like it leaves a bad taste in her mouth. "Is that the name of the little brat that’s ruining everything?"

“Watch your mouth,” a motherly wave of protection instantly befalls you at her choice of words.

“Why should I? That kid is nothing but a—”

Your hands tighten into fists at your sides, and your voice hardens. “I said, watch your mouth. I won’t let you badmouth my child.”

Himari’s eyes widen slightly, the mask of composure slipping even further as she takes in your reaction. For a moment, she looks almost startled, as if she hadn’t expected you to bite back. But just as quickly, she recovers, crossing her arms and tilting her head with a sneer. “Touchy, aren’t we?” she says, her tone sharp. “I’m just calling it how I see it. Satoru and I had plans, a life we were building, and then you come waltzing back in, dragging some kid into the picture. Don’t act like this hasn’t complicated everything.”

Your jaw clenches, and it takes everything in you to keep from shouting. “Koji is Satoru’s son,” you say firmly, your voice low but cutting. “If you think for one second that I’m going to apologize for that, you’re delusional. Whatever plans you think you had with him, they don’t erase his responsibilities as a father.”

Himari scoffs, her eyes narrowing. “Responsibilities? Don’t make me laugh. Do you think I don’t see what you’re doing? Using that child as leverage to worm your way back into his life? Everyone can see through this little game of yours. You seem like a poverty-stricken nobody who probably has nothing better to do with her life than go back to a man you never had just for that security. Let me guess, you’re blackmailing him that if he doesn’t help you out, he’ll never see his son again. People like you are pathetic and you leech off the important people like us—like my boyfriend. ”

Your blood runs cold at her words, and your chest tightens with a mixture of fury and disbelief. For a moment, you’re too stunned to respond, the sheer audacity of her accusations stealing the breath from your lungs. But then the weight of her words sinks in, and a protective fire ignites inside you. You take a step closer to her, your eyes locked onto hers with unwavering intensity. “Say whatever you want about me,” you begin, your voice low and steady, though it trembles slightly with suppressed anger. “Insult me, make your assumptions, spin whatever narrative helps you sleep at night—but leave my son out of it.”

Himari raises an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance, but you see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “Oh,” she says, her tone dripping with condescension. “I hit a nerve, didn’t I?”

“Damn right you did,” you snap, your voice rising. “You don’t know a damn thing about me or my life. You don’t know what I’ve been through, what I’ve sacrificed, or what I’d do to protect my child. Koji has nothing to do with whatever petty insecurities you have, so don’t you dare use him as a weapon to take cheap shots at me.”

Himari’s smirk falters, and she takes a slight step back, though she tries to mask it with a scoff. “Oh, please. Spare me the sob story. You can play the victim all you want, but it’s obvious what this is. You’re desperate, and you’re using that boy to sink your claws back into Satoru. You have no idea how much this ruins everything.”

You shake your head, a bitter laugh escaping your lips. “You really don’t get it, do you?” you say, your voice softer now, but no less cutting. “This isn’t about Satoru. It’s not about you, either. It’s about giving Koji what he deserves—a chance to know his father, to have someone who loves him unconditionally. If you can’t see that, then maybe you’re the one who doesn’t belong in his life.”

Himari glares at you, her lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, neither of you speaks, the tension in the air crackling like static. Finally, she lets out a derisive huff, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “We’ll see,” she says, her voice icy. “We’ll see how long this little charade lasts. But don’t get too comfortable—you won’t win. People like you never do.”

“And people like you…” you start, biting the inside of your cheek; debating whether it’s worth stooping down to this woman’s level.

Himari freezes in place, her lips curling into a sneer. “And people like me?” she asks, her voice sharp and challenging.

“People like you,” you say, stepping forward again, close enough to reach out and slap her, your voice unwavering, “think the world owes them something just for existing. You walk around acting superior, but all you’re doing is hiding how insecure you really are. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it? Because deep down, you know Satoru isn’t yours to keep.”

Her eyes narrow, and for a moment, you think you’ve hit a nerve. She clenches her fists, but her laugh is bitter and hollow. “Insecure? Please. I have everything I need, and I definitely don’t need to play house with some random ex to prove my worth. Satoru’s with me because he wants to be, not because he feels sorry for me like he does for you.”

You take a deep breath, steadying the anger bubbling beneath the surface. “Believe whatever helps you sleep at night. But let me make one thing clear—you don’t get to stand here and insult my son or me. Koji is Satoru’s priority, not some trophy you can use to boost your own ego. So if you’ve got something to say, make sure it’s worth my time.”

Himari’s face twists in frustration, but she doesn’t say anything else. Instead, she straightens her posture, her mask of composure slipping back into place. “You have no idea what you’re saying, do you?” she says coolly, her tone a forced calm. “Someone should really teach you what happens when you fuck with the wrong people.”

“Then teach me.”

You don’t want to egg her on, you didn’t even want to see this girl in the first place. But nonetheless, the things she’s saying—how she’s acting, it’s bringing out a side of you that you try to keep hidden. Composed under years of self-calming techniques and resilience. Maybe it’s just adding onto the extra shit going on right now, but the fact that she’s managed to anger you this much in such little time is infuriating in itself. You don’t want to give her the energy or time of day. But, you also don’t want her to think she can get away with speaking about Koji like this—about you like this.

You two are engaged in a heavy staring contest, neither one of you seeming to want to back down. Facing each other with an equal stance of hostility. The air between you is thick with tension, every second stretching like an eternity as neither of you breaks eye contact. Himari’s jaw tightens, her polished exterior beginning to crack. It’s subtle, but you catch it—the slight twitch of her lip, the faint waver in her composed demeanor. For all her bravado, she didn’t expect you to stand your ground.

“What’s going on?” Satoru’s worried, but quick and abrupt voice interrupts the moment. Coming in through the still-open door, closing it behind him, and meticulously placing himself between you two. He looks at you, checking to make sure you’re okay but focusing on his girlfriend. “Himari, what are you—”

The sound of a palm smacking hard against his skin reverberates throughout the place, cutting him off with such force that it leaves a stunned silence in its wake. Your eyes widen, watching as Satoru doesn’t move his head for a moment from the side it has just been slapped to. Looking closer, red already begins to break out on his pale cheek. Your jaw clenches.

He slowly looks back at Himari, who faces him with an angry look. Satoru’s face hardens as he does so, his eyes narrowing slightly. There’s a flicker of something dangerous in his gaze, a sharp edge that doesn’t appear often but sends a chill down your spine when it does. His voice is low and measured, a stark contrast to the tension radiating off him. “What the hell was that for?” he asks, his tone deceptively calm but laced with steel.

Himari doesn’t flinch, her fury unabated. “For letting this—this circus go on!” she snaps, gesturing between you and him. “For embarrassing me, for letting her waltz in and ruin everything we’ve built! How can you stand there and not see what she’s doing to us?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” He huffs out, straightening his jaw out.

“You lie to me, you dodge my questions, and now I find out you have a fucking son? And with a woman like her?” She points to you, scoffing at the idea.

Satoru’s jaw tightens, his hands clenching at his sides as he takes a deep breath to steady himself. His eyes, usually so vibrant and full of levity, are clouded with frustration now. “Himari, stop,” he says firmly, his voice low but commanding. “You’re crossing a line.”

Himari laughs bitterly, her voice dripping with disdain. “Oh, I’m crossing a line? You’ve been lying to me for who knows how long, and I’m the one in the wrong? I think I have every right to be angry, Satoru!”

He pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “You’re angry, fine. But don’t you dare talk about her like that,” he snaps, nodding toward you. “This isn’t her fault. If you want to blame someone, blame me.”

You’re the last one to blame, Satoru. Your heart pounds in your chest, and you can feel the heat of the moment radiating off them both. Himari’s sharp gaze darts to you, her lips curling in disdain. “Of course, you’d defend her. She’s nothing but a leech, clinging to you because she has no other options. And now you’re letting her use that kid to worm her way into your life.”

“Enough!” Satoru’s voice booms, startling both you and Himari. He steps forward, his towering presence imposing as his icy glare fixes on her. “You don’t get to talk about her—or my son—like that. Ever. Do you hear me?”

Himari’s eyes widen, a flicker of shock passing through her anger. But she recovers quickly, her voice lowering to a venomous hiss. “Do you even hear yourself? You’re ruining everything for someone who’s nothing to you. Do you really think she’s here for you? She’s here for your money, your status. Wake up, Satoru.”

“Himari, you should go now.” “Oh, I will,” She tilts her chin up at him. “My parents have a lot to say to you and your own. So be ready for that. If you think I’m bailing out on this relationship, I’m not. I am not letting you ruin this—ruin us.”

She speaks with finality, practically pushing into him as she heads for the door. Not even sparing another glance back before exiting, the door slamming after her. All that’s left behind is an uneasy silence. Satoru stays frozen in place for a moment, his jaw clenched and hands balled into fists at his sides. You can see the conflict in his eyes—the frustration, the exhaustion, the lingering anger. He exhales sharply, running a hand through his snowy hair before turning to face you. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice low, almost defeated. “You shouldn’t have had to deal with that.”

Your lips form a faint grimace, your head slowly shaking. “No, don’t apologize. I–I’m sorry.” You pause again before carefully asking, “Are you okay?”

He closes his eyes momentarily with a sigh, nodding. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”

“Does she…slap you like that, like—usually?” The question feels nasty to ask, but you can’t shake the uncomfortable feeling of seeing your ex and father of your son being so carelessly and almost nonchalantly hit like that. No matter who did it.

“Well, no,” he says. “But when she gets really pissed at me, well—she lashes out.”

Your stomach churns at his words, and despite the tension that still hangs between you two, your heart feels heavy with a mix of concern and unease. You want to reach out, but you’re not sure how, not after everything that’s happened. “That’s not okay,” you murmur, more to yourself than to him. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that. No one should. I don’t…like seeing you get treated like that, Satoru.”

Satoru’s gaze softens, though he quickly brushes it off with a wave of his hand, as if he’s trying to convince himself more than you. “It’s fine, really. It’s just how she is when she’s angry. I’m used to it.” The way he says it, so matter-of-factly, makes your chest tighten. You want to argue, to tell him that being used to it doesn’t make it right, but you hold back. He’s not a child; he doesn’t need to be coddled. But the way he brushes off the situation, like it’s no big deal, makes it hard to ignore that maybe he’s been through this for far too long. You almost start wishing you could go back in time and slap her instead.

“Still,” you say, taking a cautious step closer. “It’s not right. You don’t deserve that.”

Satoru finally meets your gaze, his eyes flickering with something you can’t quite place. He seems grateful, but there’s also a wall behind his expression, a part of him that refuses to acknowledge the pain beneath the surface. “Thanks,” he says quietly. “But I’m okay. Really. I just…I know how to deal with her.”

The words seem rehearsed, like he’s convincing himself as much as anyone else. You can tell he’s not fully okay. And, despite the atmosphere between you two, you know he’s not asking for your sympathy. But you can’t help but feel like there’s more beneath it all that he’s not saying, things he’s kept hidden far too long. “It looks a little swollen, do you want to ice it?”

“Yeah, sure.” He agrees, walking to his freezer and getting out a small icepack. You hover awkwardly, unsure if you should leave him be or offer some strange sense of comfort. But it feels wrong to just leave like that. Sure, there’s a certain line marked between you two, but you still have empathy. Morality. You’re still a good person, and so is Satoru. So, you step forward slowly, still leaving enough room for him to deny you.

Satoru doesn’t protest as you move closer, but you notice the way his body tenses just slightly, a subtle indication that he’s still not entirely comfortable. He continues to press the icepack to his cheek with a quiet sigh, and for a moment, neither of you says anything. The sound of the ice against his skin is the only noise filling the silence between you. You can’t help but feel the weight of it all—the tension, the unresolved emotions, the hurt. You know he’s not the type to open up easily, but something about the way he’s holding himself, the guarded look in his eyes, tells you he’s struggling with more than just the immediate confrontation with Himari.

Your hand reaches up and tentatively replaces his own on the pack.

Satoru tenses again for a moment at the touch, but doesn’t pull away. He lets you take the icepack from him, your fingers brushing against his for a brief moment. The warmth of his skin against yours lingers, and you feel a shift in the air between you, something unspoken, yet palpable. You keep the ice gently on his swollen cheek, careful not to apply too much pressure. Your eyes meet his, the proximity somehow making everything feel more intimate than it should be, and yet, in that moment, it feels right—like you’re not just helping him physically, but in some quiet, emotional way too. His gaze softens, a flicker of vulnerability passing through his usually guarded expression. The situation reminds you of the past.

Nights when he was too sleep-deprived to function, the times when he accidentally cut himself with a knife while making dinner, or the times you used to apply face masks together during your sleepovers. It all feels like how it used to.

"Let me," you say softly, a quiet reassurance in your voice, though you’re unsure why you feel the need to offer it. Maybe it’s because, despite the complicated history between you two, in this moment, it feels like you’re more than just the roles you’ve played—more than the messy entanglements that surround you both.

Satoru doesn’t speak for a few seconds, his eyes focusing on the ice as you hold it against his cheek. The silence between you is no longer uncomfortable, but rather, it feels like a rare kind of peace, a brief respite from the chaos. "Thanks for doing this," he says eventually, his voice softer than usual. "I know it’s not easy, dealing with all the shit going on, but... I appreciate it."

You nod, unsure of how to respond to that. It’s strange, helping him like this, especially considering how much tension has been between you two recently. But the act itself, simple as it is, feels like a small moment of clarity amidst all the confusion. "You don’t have to thank me," you say quietly, looking up at him. “I’m here. For whatever you need. Just…don’t blame yourself. It’s all my fault.”

You both stand there for a long moment, neither of you moving, just sharing the space. No words are needed, the action itself speaking volumes more than anything you could say aloud. He looks like he wants to protest, to say that you’re wrong and that he has some blame in this giant mess too. But he stays silent, enjoying the comfortability of a life that seems to offer none of that so far. It’s like he still—after all this time—finds his peace with you.

That thought makes him feel put off.

Because while he can’t stop how his heart feels and force it to feel the opposite, there are still lingering emotions of annoyance. Of how this all could’ve been avoided. Of how he still hasn’t completely forgiven you. Of how that small part of him hates you. Hate? Does he hate you? It seems like he has an answer to that question when you place a hand on his chest. Head leaning up like it’s ready for something, your eyes flickering down to his lips. He sees it; knows it’s coming. But he doesn’t move, for some reason.

Your hand freezes the moment you realize what you’re doing, quickly stopping yourself from leaning up anymore. Though it’s a little too late for that, considering you’re this close to his lips. You hadn't even noticed it at first, your body moving on instinct, closing the distance between you two. But now that his chest rises and falls steadily under your palm, the weight of your action feels impossibly heavy.

“I…” you stammer, the words getting caught in your throat. You glance up at him, your wide eyes meeting his, searching for some kind of response. But his expression is unreadable, his pale lashes half-lowered as he looks at you with something in between confusion and guarded curiosity.

Satoru’s jaw tightens, and you can tell he’s trying to process what just happened—what’s happening now. His lips open like he’s about to say something, but the silence stretches between you both instead. Finally, his hand moves, brushing lightly over your wrist, a cautious touch, testing your reaction. “Why did you do that?” he asks, his voice quieter than usual, yet laced with an edge of something you can’t quite place. It’s not anger, but it’s not entirely calm either.

“I don’t know,” you admit softly, your voice barely above a whisper. You pull your hand back quickly, as if you’ve burned yourself, clutching it against your chest like it might shield you from the tension. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m really sorry”

“No,” he says, his eyes locking onto yours. “You were.”

His words send a jolt through you, and for a moment, you feel exposed, like he’s peeled back a layer of your defenses you weren’t ready to give up. He doesn’t break eye contact, but there’s a shift in his gaze, a flicker of something deeper—conflict, maybe.

“Satoru,” you start, but the name sounds so small, so uncertain, even to you. “I didn’t mean—”

“You’re making this complicated,” he cuts in, his tone sharper now, like he’s trying to create a barrier between you again. “I’m trying to figure this out. Everything. And you…you can’t just—” He stops himself, exhaling harshly, his hand running through his hair in frustration. “You can’t just do things like that and expect me to know what the hell you’re thinking.”

You flinch slightly at the bite in his words, but you don’t back down. “I’m not trying to complicate anything,” you reply, more firmly this time. “I just—I don’t know how to act around you anymore. It’s like I can’t get it right.”

Satoru takes a step back, putting more distance between you, but his eyes never leave yours. “Yeah, well, join the club.”

A silence befalls you two. One that threatens you to curse yourself for ruining something so small and tender because of your own selfish desires. What reason was it for? Why did you do that? Maybe it was just a small moment of hallucination. You weren’t thinking right, only your body was. Or maybe it was the peacefulness that tiny moment brought you, or it felt right and nostalgic. Your feelings are already all jumbled up, this situation didn’t make it any better.

The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating, as you both stand there, neither daring to speak or move. You feel the weight of your own actions crashing down on you, each second of quiet like an accusation. What were you thinking? The question echoes in your mind, louder and louder. Was it a lapse in judgment? A selfish impulse? Or something else entirely—a longing for something that no longer exists?

You glance at Satoru, his expression unreadable, the cool mask he wears so well firmly in place. You wish he’d say something, anything, even if it was to scold you or tell you to leave. But he doesn’t. He just stares, and the silence twists deeper into your chest.

Why did you do that? you wonder again, your thoughts spiraling. Maybe it was the way his presence felt familiar, and comforting, even after everything. Or maybe it was the way the tension between you two softened for just a fleeting second when you held that ice pack for him. Or, it could’ve been just the nostalgia—a memory of a time when things were less complicated when you didn’t feel so distant, so broken.

But now? Now it feels like you’ve ruined even that small, fragile thread of peace. The silence between you isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s damning. You’ve crossed a line, one you didn’t even realize was still there.

You open your mouth to say something, to explain yourself, to apologize again, but no words come out. Because what could you possibly say? That it was a mistake? That you weren’t thinking? That for just one moment, you wanted to feel close to him again, even if it wasn’t real? Satoru finally exhales, breaking the quiet. His gaze flickers down, then away, like he can’t look at you anymore. “I think…” He trails off, his voice quieter than before. “Maybe it’s best if we don’t… overthink this.”

You blink at him, unsure if he’s trying to offer you an out or protect himself. “Overthink what?” you manage to ask, though your voice is barely above a whisper.

He looks at you then, his expression softening just slightly, but there’s still a wall between you. “Whatever this is,” he says, gesturing vaguely between you two. “I’m trying to figure things out, and this...it just complicates everything.”

Your chest tightens at his words, but you nod, forcing yourself to swallow the lump in your throat. “Yeah,” you murmur, your voice hollow. “I get it.” But do you? Or are you just agreeing because it’s easier than admitting that you don’t know where the lines are anymore? Or if they still exist. Or that you don’t even know how you feel—let alone how he feels.

“I should go,” you say finally, your voice steadier now. You grab your bag again that you set on the table haphazardly after the girlfriend run-in, avoiding his gaze, and head for the door. But just as you’re about to leave, you pause, turning back to him. “Satoru… I’m sorry.” I really didn’t mean it.

He doesn’t respond immediately, his hand lifting briefly as if he’s going to reach for you but dropping back to his side. “Yeah,” he says softly, almost to himself. “Me too.”

You don’t waste time in making your departure after hearing his words. The door closes behind you as you briskly make your way to the elevator. Letting out a breath you must’ve been holding the whole time once you’re in. Watching yourself drop floor by floor, each thought sounding louder than the previous one. Questions of why bouncing off the walls of your brain. You don’t know why; or maybe you do, you just can’t face it yet.

You’re not sure you want to face it.

You can only hope Satoru is right about all this and he stays true to his word. Don’t overthink it, pretend it didn’t happen. That should be easy, right? It should be simple, just forget it.

The elevator doors slide open, and the cold air from the lobby greets you as you step out. The stillness of the afternoon settles around you like a blanket, thick and suffocating. You pause just outside the building, inhaling deeply as if the fresh air will help clear your head. But it doesn’t. The questions still echo, louder now in the quiet of the world around you. Maybe the answer, it’s been there all along, waiting for the cracks in your armor to show. But facing it means confronting feelings you’ve kept locked away for years—feelings you’re not sure you’re ready to admit exist.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket, breaking the silence. You pull it out, and Hana’s name lights up the screen. Guilt instantly knots in your stomach. You’ve been so caught up in your own whirlwind of emotions that you completely forgot about your shift. “Hey,” you answer, your voice tight but steady.

“Y/N? Where the hell have you been?” Hana’s voice is sharp but concerned. “I’ve been calling you for hours. Are you okay?”

“I—I’m fine,” you stammer, forcing a calm tone. “Just… had some things to take care of. I’m sorry for being late, I’m coming right now.”

There’s a pause on her end, and then she sighs. “Look, just get here when you can, alright? We’ll talk about this later.”

“Yeah,” you say softly, already walking toward the nearest bus stop. “I’ll be there soon.”

As the line disconnects, you tuck your phone back into your pocket and quicken your pace. Hopefully, work will be a distraction, something to keep your mind from circling back to Satoru, to what happened, to everything it could and couldn’t mean. Because right now, pretending it didn’t happen feels safer than admitting that it did. And you can only hope—pray, even that Satoru is doing the same.

Satoru had barely even eaten the lunch he grabbed from his fridge. Driving back to the office in complete silence, not even putting the radio on as background noise. Now, he’s just staring down at his food on his desk, finger tapping against the armrest of his chair. The food sits untouched in front of him, its aroma barely registering as Satoru leans back in his chair. His finger taps rhythmically against the armrest, an unconscious outlet for the storm of thoughts swirling in his head—an unusual quietness for someone who usually thrives on noise.

But now, the silence feels deafening.

His jaw tightens as he replays the scene in his apartment, your expression when you left, and the weight of your hand on his chest, the way you leaned in so casually, so instinctively. He lets out a sharp exhale, raking a hand through his hair. “Get it together,” he mutters under his breath, glaring at the half-eaten sandwich sitting before him like it’s the cause of his current turmoil.

He’s angry—not just at you, but at himself. At the way his heart reacted in that split second, betraying him when he was supposed to have control. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He wasn’t supposed to feel anything, not after everything that had happened between you two. But that small moment—the fleeting touch, the look in your eyes—it’s left him shaken in a way he can’t quite articulate.

The sharp knock at his office door jolts him out of his thoughts. He straightens, hastily pushing the food aside and clearing his throat. “Yeah, come in,” he calls, his voice a little rougher than intended.

A junior colleague pokes their head in, a stack of files in their hands. “Sorry to bother you, sir, but these need your signature before the end of the day.”

“Just leave them on the desk,” he replies, barely sparing a glance.

The younger employee hesitates, sensing the tension in the room, before quickly placing the files down and retreating. Satoru leans forward, elbows resting on his desk as he buries his face in his hands. He knows he won’t get anything done like this, but his thoughts are relentless. And no matter how much he tells himself to let it go, he can’t shake the memory of your hand, your eyes, the way you looked at him as if you were searching for something he’s not sure he can give. “Damn it,” he mutters under his breath, shoving his chair back and standing abruptly. Maybe he needs to walk it off, clear his head, do something—anything—to stop thinking about you.

A few minutes pass, busying himself with the signatures before the doors open again, this time with no warning knock. “I’ve had people look into the leak, it was an anonymous source. There’s a group of men your father sent to scout out the possible places the picture was taken from.”

His mother’s voice is a small distraction from his inner turmoil. Of course it’s not the exact thing he’d like to hear and discuss right now, but anything to take his mind off today's earlier events. “Any luck?”

She sighs, rubbing a hand through her greying hair. “As of now, no. But we’re narrowing it down. Your father believes the leak came from a possible rival.”

Satoru sits up straight. “Like the Zenins?”

Grimacing at the mere mention of that family, Akane frowns but shakes her head. “No, surprisingly. They were out on a family vacation to Italy. I got word they landed back last night.”

“Still, it could’ve been from them. Maybe they hired someone.”

The Zenins and the Gojo Group have been rivals for a long time now. Though most would probably consider them to have a “frenemies” sort of relationship, some of the people in that family are just…horrible. Not all, but almost all. Satoru lets out a low breath, leaning back in his chair as memories of past encounters with the Zenins flash through his mind. He’s been forced to deal with them more times than he can count—at corporate events, business dealings, even unfortunate leisure events—and each time, their games get more infuriating.

The Zenins own a massive real estate and infrastructure business called the Zenin Development Group, or ZDP for short. The ZDP hasn’t shied away from the use of rumors in the past that attempted to damage the Gojo Group’s image. Satoru remembers one incident where word had been flying around about the Gojo Group “losing its footing in certain markets”. A sorry try at weakening their investor confidence. The head of the Zenins, Toji, is usually the more critical and logical man. His cousin however, the man who was supposed to be in Toji’s spot, isn’t. That cousin, lacking Toji’s cunning and restraint filled nature, remains a wildcard Satoru would rather not deal with.

Still, their family name alone is enough to make Satoru’s jaw clench.

Akane pinches the bridge of her nose, clearly exasperated. “It’s a possibility, but your father’s men are thorough. If the Zenins hired someone, we’d have a trail by now. And honestly, Satoru, with the way that family operates, they’d have made sure you knew it was them. Subtlety isn’t exactly their strong suit.”

Satoru lets out a dry huff, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, you’re right. They love to flaunt their chaos.”

“Exactly,” Akane replies, crossing her arms as she paces. “This is different. It feels… personal. Whoever leaked that photo isn’t trying to start a war—they’re trying to cause damage. To you specifically or the company name, either or.”

He tilts his head, processing her words. “Why would it be specifically me? And not the family, not the company?”

“Well right now, it’s focused on you. It’s not the usual business sabotage we see with rivals.” Akane’s tone is pointed as she stops pacing, fixing him with a meaningful look. “They knew about Koji. This wasn’t some random slip. Someone wanted that information out in the open.”

Satoru’s chest tightens, his mind flickering to you and Koji. It hadn’t been long since his son came into his life, and now—now everything felt like it was spiraling faster than he could keep up.

“You think it’s someone close,” he mutters, not quite phrasing it as a question. “A partner?”

Akane’s silence is enough of an answer.

Satoru pushes a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “If it’s personal, then who the hell has it out for me like this? Himari’s pissed, but she’s not stupid enough to—”

Akane cuts him off with a sharp look. “Don’t rule her out just yet.”

Satoru scowls. “Come on, you really think—”

“I think people do crazy things, no matter if we think they will or not,” Akane interrupts firmly. “And she’s been in your life for years now, Satoru. She’s close enough to pull something like this without you suspecting it.”

Satoru is quiet for a beat, his mind whirring. “And if it’s not her?”

“Then it’s someone else in our circle,” Akane says, her voice cool and confident. “Someone with access. Someone who knows where to hit.”

The thought leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. His world already feels like it’s splitting at the seams, and now someone is actively trying to make it worse.

“What do we do now?” he asks finally, his tone subdued.

Akane straightens, her expression hardening with resolve. “We tighten security, keep this contained as best as we can. Your father will expect you to do damage control. In the meantime, I’ll keep digging to find out who’s behind this.”

“And what’s his plan if we find the source?” he asks, though he already knows the answer.

Her lips thin into a straight line. “We’ll handle it as we always do. Quietly. Efficiently.”

Satoru nods, his jaw set. “Good. Do whatever you have to. I want answers.”

Akane turns to leave but pauses at the door. “And Satoru—be careful who you trust.”

The door clicks shut behind her, leaving Satoru alone once more, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the silence.

Someone close to him betrayed him. Someone knew about Koji. Was he getting followed again? It couldn’t have been the informant his parents sent after him when he was gone, they already checked in with him and scared him to keep his mouth shut about anything.

Satoru swivels the mouse to his computer, lighting up the screen once more. An article he had stopped reading a few minutes prior appears. The Zenin Development Group, of course, had been the first to make a comment. Within hours of the news breaking, they released a veiled statement—dressed up as “a comment on modern family values”—that clearly took aim at the Gojo Group. The implication had been clear: Satoru Gojo, the golden heir, had secrets. Unpredictability. For a family like the Gojos, where control was everything, it was a calculated jab. The Zenins would never miss an opportunity to capitalize on a weakness. He laced his fingers together as his mind runs.

The real estate moguls weren’t the only ones circling, though. Smaller partnerships had already started asking questions. He was hoping that deals that were already set in stone wouldn’t suddenly slow to a crawl with poor excuses of “we’re just waiting to finalize a few details” piling up. However, investors did send cautious emails, politely “checking in” to ensure the Gojo Group was still on track.

And the last thing the Gojo Group needed were foreign partners—companies Satoru and his father had worked years to solidify relationships with—showing even hints of hesitation. People wanted answers, of course, clarity. How does the man who’s heir to one of the country’s largest conglomerates have a child hidden away? And more importantly, what else don’t they know?

Satoru exhales sharply, his fingers pressing harder into each other. It had taken everything in him not to lose his temper in the initial meetings of this morning. The entire damn building practically gawked at him more than usual when he strutted in. He felt their silent questions, their shock and confusion. None of them voiced anything, but that didn’t stop them from secretly whispering to each other when they thought he couldn’t hear. He kept his voice steady, his demeanor calm—like none of this mattered, like he wasn’t feeling the weight of it all pressing against his ribs. To his credit, most of the major deals were still holding. The Gojo name was far too powerful to be shaken by one scandal, but that didn’t mean cracks hadn’t appeared.

There were still murmurs, even within his own company. Executives muttering over coffee, wondering if the family would take action to “correct the situation.” His parents had already made their stance clear—they wanted this “mess” cleaned up quickly. A statement. A press release. Something that would sweep the story under the rug.

But Satoru couldn’t bring himself to do it. How could he? What would he even say? That he’s sorry?

His son wasn’t a mistake.

He glances over to the untouched lunch on his desk, appetite long gone. Koji hadn’t asked to be born into this family, into this life of scrutiny and power plays. And yet here he was—thrust into the spotlight because of some unruly person who doesn’t give a damn about anything. The Gojo Group would weather this storm—he’d have to make sure of it.

Still, it’s the moments between all the business calls and the carefully crafted emails that gnaw at him the most. When he catches a glimpse of Koji’s face in the news coverage, or sees your name being dragged into articles alongside his. If he wasn’t so pissed, he’d be shocked at how quickly the public found that out.

It’s just business, he reminds himself.

But Satoru knows better than anyone—nothing about this has ever just been business.

He rubs his face again this time harder, checking the time.

Distraction, distraction, distraction. He takes his phone out, going to his messages. Hovering his thumb over your name, before biting the bullet and sending you a text.

I’m picking up Koji today.

A few minutes later…

Y/N:

Are you sure? I can

Already decided, don’t worry about it

Satoru pauses again, his thumbs doing circles over the bright screen as he thinks of the correct way to articulate his next text.

You should probably stay over again. I’ll watch Koji but if you’re working late, he’ll end up falling asleep. I don’t want you guys out alone at night.

Is that too forward of him to say? Truly, he does mean it for your protection and safety. He’s willing to look past whatever it was earlier today, just as long as you and his son don’t accidentally get ambushed by reporters or strangers. Besides, he’s making up for lost time, remember?

Another few minutes passed with no reply. Assuming you’re busy at work right now, he’s about to shut his phone off and stand up when you say…

Y/N:

Oh, okay. Just one more night

He wishes he can read your tone better through text.

“Papa.”

“Yeah, buddy?” Satoru wipes a small stream of chocolate ice cream from his son’s mouth. He wonders if you’d scold him for giving him ice cream on a cold day. But hey, his son did ask. And who is he to say no?

“On January 5th, it’s a special day.” Koji grins, little legs swinging back and forth over the bed, watching his father clean up the room his son will be sleeping in again tonight. Another reason you’d probably be mad at him for eating ice cream, it’s night time and he’s about to go to sleep.

Satoru had gone to the store after picking up Koji from school to buy a quick set of pajamas and tiny underwear for the boy after realizing he had absolutely no spare children’s clothes laying around.

Why would he?

“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”

Koji’s grin widens, his little hands clutching the edge of the bed as if he’s holding onto the excitement bubbling inside him. “It’s Dad Appreciation Day at school!”

Satoru freezes mid-motion, Dad Appreciation Day. He turns slowly, trying to keep his voice light and teasing even as something twists in his chest. “Oh, is that so? And what happens on Dad Appreciation Day?”

Koji beams up at him, oblivious to the subtle tension in his father’s stance. “It’s a day where we get to bring our dads to school and show them all the cool stuff we made! Mr. Ito says we’re gonna draw pictures and talk about how awesome they are!” He pauses for a second, as if gathering his thoughts. “And I already told everyone my dad is the coolest of them all.”

Satoru swallows, his throat suddenly dry. “You did, huh?”

Koji nods enthusiastically, his little legs still swinging. “Yeah! ‘Cause you are the coolest, Papa.” He says it like it’s the simplest truth in the world, his voice full of innocence and pride.

Satoru stares at him for a beat too long, that twisting feeling growing stronger. He crouches down in front of Koji, meeting his son’s wide, expectant eyes. But he can’t hold back the warmth that blooms in his being. “So, you want me to come to this Dad Appreciation Day?”

Koji nods again, so quickly it looks like his head might fall off. “Yep! And I want you to meet my friends! And—” he pauses suddenly, glancing down at his hands as if shy about what he’s about to say. “And I want them to know you’re real.”

The words hit Satoru harder than he expects. He blinks, his heart stuttering in his chest. “What do you mean, buddy? Of course I’m real.”

Koji fidgets, his fingers tugging at the edge of the blanket. “Sometimes the other kids say I’m making stuff up. That I don’t really have a dad ‘cause they’ve never seen you. But I told them you’re real! And you’re awesome and tall and can do anything. I don’t have pictures of you either to show them.” He lifts his head again, his little face hopeful. “So…you’ll come, right?”

Satoru feels something ache deep in his chest—a mix of guilt, pride, and something he can’t quite name. This is what he’s been afraid of. The impact his absence might have on Koji, the doubts his son has had to defend himself against. Although it’s not his fault, he still feels awful over the fact that his son is getting criticized by other little shitheads for “lying about his dad”.

Again, who is he to say no?

Satoru musters a soft smile, reaching out to ruffle Koji’s hair. “Of course I’ll come, buddy. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Koji’s face lights up, a pure, unfiltered joy spreading across his features. “Really?! You promise?”

“I promise.” Satoru’s voice is steady, despite the weight of the promise he’s just made. Because for once, he isn’t thinking about the scandal, the headlines, or what his family might say. Right now, all he sees is his son’s smile—the only thing that matters.

Koji throws his arms around Satoru’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Thanks, Papa. You’re the best.”

Satoru wraps his arms around the little boy, holding him close as he presses a kiss to the top of his head. “No, Koji. You’re the best.”

At this moment, Satoru feels like he’s doing something right.

Satoru sits back, still holding Koji close as the boy relaxes in his arms, content and unaware of the complexities that hang over his father. For a few moments, the weight of the world feels light, and the chaos of his personal and professional life fades into the background. He can’t help but wish he could bottle up this peace and take it with him everywhere.

Koji yawns, his little body starting to slump against Satoru’s chest, the exhaustion of the day catching up with him. Satoru gently shifts him back onto the bed, tucking the covers around him. Taking his ice cream from him, the room is quiet, save for the soft hum of the city outside. He watches as Koji’s eyes flutter closed, a faint smile still playing at the corners of his lips.

Satoru stands up slowly, lingering for a moment to make sure Koji is comfortable. He reaches for the nightlight switch, casting the room in a soft glow, then turns back to the door. His thoughts are no longer on the promises made to the company or the looming questions about his future with his family. It’s all about Koji, about being the father his son deserves.

As he steps out into the hallway, Satoru feels the familiar weight of the world returning, just a little. There are meetings tomorrow, more calls to take, and a whole slew of problems waiting for him. But tonight, for the first time in what feels like forever, he has something to look forward to. A chance to be present, to be the kind of parent he knows he can be. And that’s enough for now.

He takes a deep breath, letting the silence settle around him as he heads to the kitchen to grab a drink. Tomorrow will come with its own challenges, but tonight, he can rest easy knowing that for once, he has what he wants within his grasp.

Despite his long day, Satoru feels a small obligation to stay up for you. Ensuring you make it back safe and all. You had insisted on using the bus back home, but he sent you money for a cab instead. Sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a mug of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows floating atop. Still in his white button up and black slacks, white socks on. Once you knock on the door, he’s answering. “Hey, how was work?”

“Okay,” you mumble, walking past him inside. From your demeanor, you look tired. Maybe even still awkward. He locks the door shut and walks over, hovering next to you as you did your body of your coat and shoes.

“Koji’s asleep.”

You nod. “Okay, thank you.”

“No problem ,” he lightly shrugs. “Um…are you hu—“

“No, no. Not really. I think I just want to shower and sleep.”

Satoru watches as you slip off your shoes, your shoulders heavy, and your movements slower than usual. He can tell you’re not in the mood for any more conversation, and he doesn’t want to push. The tension between you both is still there, unspoken but present in every glance, every word. But he’s trying to keep the peace, trying to respect the distance you’ve put between the two of you.

“Alright, well, if you need anything...” he trails off, not sure what else to say. He knows he could offer more, but right now, he’s unsure what would make you feel more at ease. The last thing he wants is to make you feel like he’s prying.

You glance over at him for a brief moment, your face unreadable. “Thanks,” you mutter, the words soft but genuine.

He hums back, putting his hands in his pockets. “And he told me about the Dad day. I’ll clear my schedule and go.”

You glance up at him, a surprised but relieved expression flickering across your face. You hadn’t expected him to follow through so easily, but the way he says it so matter-of-factly makes you believe him. “That’s… that’s really great, Satoru,” you say quietly, trying not to let your gratitude sound too heavy. You didn’t want to make it more awkward than it already is. But deep down, you’re thankful. For Koji’s sake, for his happiness, and maybe for yours too.

Satoru gives you a small smile, almost like a silent reassurance, though his eyes betray a flicker of uncertainty, as if he’s still unsure of how to navigate all the unspoken words hanging between you two. “It’s nothing. He’s my son, after all. I wouldn’t miss it.”

You nod, giving him a small smile back, and you can’t help but feel a little more at ease.

“I should let you get some rest,” he adds, his voice softening, almost like he’s giving you an out. “I know you’ve had a long day. I left some of my clothes out in the bathroom for you, if that’s okay.”

You nod again, appreciative of his understanding. It’s strange how he can act so distant and yet, in moments like these, he can be so… present. For once, you don’t feel the weight of everything crashing down on you. Maybe it’s because of Koji, or maybe it’s because Satoru’s actually trying. “That’s okay, thank you again.”

“Stop thanking me so much,” he shakes you off, walking over to the sink to begin washing the dishes. For a second, you watch his back, seeing the muscles of his firm skin through the almost dangerously thin material of his shirt. You look away, realizing you’ve been staring for too long and head over to the bathroom to begin your shower.

Once again, the water feels warm and comforting against your skin. It’s what you look forward to after your days. Relaxing and letting loose, letting your shower ease your tension in your shoulders. Freeing your body of the day’s dirt and oil, feeling an ungodly amount of clean. Maybe it’s Satoru’s detachment shower head, or his lovely smelling shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, but it makes you sight wistfully.

You allow yourself to bask in it, longer than you would back at your place because it’s not your water bill. As you step out and dry yourself off, the clothes that are left are a simple white t-shirt with boxers. Probably the only thing he has that can semi-fit you.

However, you can’t resist the urge to bring the soft material up to your nostrils, eyes closing as you inhale deeply. It fills your senses with a strange, but familiar twist. Oh god, how you love his smell.

That’s okay to admit still, right?

It’s not even just his cologne, but him. You’ve always loved it, always sniffed him and his clothes randomly. He’d make fun of you sometimes for it, just light teasing. Of course, he also was in love with the idea that just his scent alone can get you going.

Inhale after inhale, practically stuffing the clothing in your face before taking the moment to actually put them on. Still big, but manageable. Besides, it’s just one more night. You and Koji will be back to the apartment tomorrow.

After a good 45 minutes in the bathroom, you step out and walk in the direction of the room Koji’s in. But, you bump right into Satoru as you do so. He’s holding his own pair of pajamas in his arm. “Oh, sorry,” you quickly apologize and step back, voice low in effort to keep your son asleep. The dim lighting of the hallway almost makes his features even more pretty. “Did I take a long time? I thought you showered already.”

“No, it’s okay,” he replies, the bright hue of his eyes moving up and down. “You look…” He pauses, and there’s something in his gaze that’s hard to place, but you can feel the weight of it. “Comfortable.”

You feel your cheeks warm under his attention, but you don’t say anything in response. “Yeah, I am.”

He nods briefly and in silence. Once again, it’s like that moment from earlier today is making an appearance again. But this time it feels a little more electrified. Maybe it’s from the way his Adam’s Apple visibly bobs up and down like he’s gulping hard. Or the way his mouth has suddenly dried out. Or the way he has sudden invading memories of you wearing his shirt with nothing else after a passionate moment. Suddenly, he feels a problem.

“Goodnight,” he swiftly utters, walking past you into the bathroom. His movements are hurried, turning the shower back on, putting his clothes down onto the sink and ridding his current wear. By the second, a knowing throb is taking place, one that almost causes him to groan out when his hand accidentally brushes against it.

The water’s still cold as he gets in—he figures that’s a good thing.

As the water splashes over his skin, Satoru tries to focus on the cold, the sting of it against his flushed skin, to fight off the growing tension that is so hard to ignore. His thoughts are a blur—memories of moments with you, your laughter, the way you’ve always looked at him, the touch of your skin, your smell. They all collide inside his head, each one triggering the next, until it’s impossible to escape the warmth of his desire. He tries to shake it off, tilting his face up to splash cold water onto it, breathing heavily as the icy droplets hit his skin. But the image of you wearing his shirt, the softness of the fabric against your bare skin, refuses to leave his mind. It’s maddening. There’s a part of him that feels guilty, like he’s crossing some boundary, but another part, the part that craves the connection with you, is too strong.

The tension in his body, the way his muscles tighten, feels like it’s pulling him in two different directions. The man he’s supposed to be—focused, disciplined, in control—and the man who craves more than just physical closeness.

“Get it together, idiot,” he mutters under his breath, the words coming out as a sharp reprimand, though he knows it’s easier said than done.

The water begins to warm, slowly, but he doesn’t notice, his thoughts swirling like a storm. What the hell are you doing to him?

He takes a deep breath and turns the temperature up, letting the water envelop him, hoping that it will cool the fire inside of him. But somehow, it just feels like the heat of the moment is following him everywhere.

What was he thinking letting you wear his clothes again? He’s practically asking for it. He should’ve thought more about his decision. But at the time, he was thinking with his brain, not his hard cock.

Sparing a small glance down, his lips downturn. The tip is already an angry red and he’s barely touched himself, his veins becoming more prominent by the second as the blood rushes up and up. It’s practically begging to be felt, begging to be released.

He feels like such an idiot. A perverted idiot.

But with each blink, he’s getting flashbanged of past memories. The way your moans sounded heavenly in his ear, the way you squeezed around him that had his eyes rolling back. When you’d make that cute little noise when he’d circle a thumb on your pussy clif, simultaneously bullying your hole with his cock. The way you’d hold onto him. The way you—oh god.

His body has such a mind of its own.

He’s twitching in his hand, achingly so. Forcing down the surge of sudden need and focusing on the now. Willing his body to stop reacting so…blatant. It’s hard. In both ways. Satoru’s a grown man. He’s not used to such childish behaviors like this anymore. Keeping the lewd noises that threaten to leave his lips down like he’s a teenager all over again, scared of getting caught jacking off in his bedroom while his parents were down the hall. And he especially didn’t think he’d react like this all over again, and so damn easily too.

That’s what pisses him off most. Aside from the fact that you seemed so nonchalant. As if you didn’t know what was happening. That, or you’ve just become a good actress.

The water pellets down on him, hoping that the sound of his warm shower is enough to drown out the noise of the shaky moan that accidentally slips from his lips. This is bad; you and his son are sleeping peacefully in the other room and he’s here doing this.

But he just can’t help himself. His cheeks are flushed red, not just from the water. Head tilting back as he lays his left palm flat on the shower wall. For a second, he lets himself indulge in his selfish desires. And for a second, he doesn’t mind the fact that he just came to the thought of another woman and not his current girlfriend.

Jesus, he’s fucked up, isn’t he?

The next day proves to be busy. With the sudden influx of customers, everyone has been practically busting their ass off. You’re happy to go home, no longer dealing with that hustle and bustle.

Hana stays for another couple hours until she too will be saved. She can’t even count on her hands how many times a customer or customers have asked for you. She feels bad, of course. You seem to be handling it, but at the same time, you’re not.

She’s learned her lesson not to pry anymore when you seem close to the edge, that doesn’t diminish her worry as your friend.

It’s slower as the day continues, the sun beginning to set and paint the sky with pretty shades of orange. She’s cleaning the tables, humming a small tune when the ding from above the door sounds.

Like clockwork, she stops her cleaning and goes behind the register, planting a customer service smile. “Hello, welcome in.”

The man smiles back, though his seems more fake. Stepping upfront in front of her, looking over the menu placed above. He hums and talks his chin with his pointer finger. “What do you recommend?”

“The cookie butter latte is our best seller,” Hana replies.

He nods again, his feline eyes flickering back down to her own brown pair. “That sounds wonderful, can I have that?”

“Of course.” Hana taps the order into the screen of the register, looking back up. “Anything else?”

“You’re a very beautiful woman,” He smoothly says.

Hana blinks in surprise, momentarily thrown off guard by the man's sudden compliment. She forces a smile, not quite sure how to respond. Compliments were part of the job, but this one felt a little too close for comfort. She can feel the warmth creeping up her neck as she tries to keep the conversation professional. "Thank you," she says, voice even and polite. "Anything else I can get for you today?"

The man tilts his head slightly, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Maybe just your name?"

She offers a small, practiced smile, hoping to keep things casual. "Hana," she replies, maintaining eye contact but not giving away too much. "Now, would you like anything to go with your latte?"

He hesitates for a moment, his eyes scanning the pastries behind the counter. "A chocolate croissant, please."

"Great choice," she says, quickly adding it to the order. "That'll be all?"

"For now," he says with a slight nod, but there's something in his tone that makes her wonder if it's really the last time she'll hear from him today.

Hana nods. “And a name for the order?”

He pulls out a crisp total of three thousand yen. “Naoya.”

a/n: writing the "kiss" scene made me think back to a time I dodged my ex's kiss b4 we started dating and I felt so embarrassed for him

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anghraine · 7 months ago

Note

Ok, I've been thinking about this question a lot and there's not enough evidence in P&P to fully support any answer, but I wanted to hear yours: What is the Gardiners' economic status/How rich are the Gardiners?

Obviously, Mr. Gardiner is a tradesman, but I'm desperately curious to know the extent of his wealth. Does he have a similar income to Mr. Bennet but is just more frugal? Would he have been able to take in his niece(s)/sister when Mr. Bennet died? Does he have Bingley-level tradesman wealth without the massive lump sum Bingley inherited from his father? Darcy assumes that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are gentry - but like, Bennet gentry or Woodhouse gentry or Lucas gentry. JANE SKIMPED ON THE GARDINER INFORMATION AND NOW WE'LL NEVER KNOW. So what are your headcanons surrounding the Gardiners' wealth?

Really, the most important Gardiner headcanon that the Gardiner children are immediately charmed by Darcy and think he's like ~the coolest~

thanks queen <3

Six months later: hi!

My opinion is that the Gardiners are very well-off in terms of the usual incomes of the gentry. It's difficult to pin down an exact income range because I'm not a historian or economist, but the literary evidence is pretty suggestive IMO.

For one, Mr Bennet has no trouble believing that Mr Gardiner could have shelled out ten thousand pounds for Lydia; the problem is the struggle of repaying him, as Mr Bennet would feel morally obligated to do. The impression I get is that this would be a lot of money for Mr Gardiner to come up with, but everyone accepts that he could quickly do it, where Mr Bennet could not. And Mrs Gardiner does insist that Mr Gardiner would have paid the money if Darcy had let him, which again suggests that it was reasonably doable for him.

When Elizabeth and Jane first pass the news to Mrs Bennet and try to express the debt of gratitude they all owe Mr Gardiner, Mrs Bennet's response is a bitter remark about how if her brother had not married and had children of his own, "I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him except a few presents."

Aside from what this reveals about her character (especially given the remarkable understatement of "a few presents" given everything they've done for Jane and Elizabeth), I think "all his money" suggests an awareness that there would have been quite a bit to inherit if Mr Gardiner hadn't had the temerity to, uh, have children.

The summer tourism journey also doesn't seem to represent a severe expense for the Gardiners, though it would be outside the realm of possibility for some. They're not super frugal, but they're also not going to pull a Sir William Lucas and abandon the source of their income, or take an estate or something to distance themselves from trade, and end up unable to provide security for their children or any significant luxuries for their loved ones and themselves. So the Gardiners do make practical decisions like living near Mr Gardiner's warehouses and continuing his business in town.

Darcy (in Elizabeth's opinion) mistakes the Gardiners for "people of fashion" rather than gentry per se. This is interesting because Darcy originally considered the entire Meryton neighborhood, including the local gentry, as people noticeably not of fashion. This concept of people of fashion is typically more about fashionable high society than trade vs gentry IMO.

For instance, Mr Hurst is described as "a man of more fashion than fortune"—i.e. someone with high society credentials from his family, but not a lot of money, though he has enough to maintain a house in Grosvenor Street. (I think the implication is that the Hursts considered their status and Louisa Bingley's 20,000 l. from trade a fair exchange.) So likely, Darcy is not confusing the Gardiners for minor rural gentry, but even higher-status people if Elizabeth is analyzing his reaction correctly, based on their appearance, apparel, demeanor, etc.

This is definitely a time when wealthy people in trade could pass for people of fashion, but I think it would ordinarily take some doing, and though the Gardiners are stylish and relatively young, they aren't trying hard in the way that the Bingleys are. Yet Darcy, who went on a whole tangent about trade cooties during his proposal, can't even identify the Gardiners as people in trade upon meeting them—that's important.

(It's also significant, of course, that he's surprised to discover their exact connection aka that they're Mrs Bennet's relatives, which is honestly pretty fair. In any case, he evaluates Mr and Mrs Gardiner on their own considerable merits by this point.)

So again, I get the sense that the Gardiners are quite well-off people who spend their money on nice enough things that they can be mistaken for a completely different class than their own, but are not specifically aiming for that or super extravagant, either. Their habits seem rather similar to Darcy's, actually—I don't think they're anywhere near as wealthy, but they're wealthy enough that they can approach major expenditures fairly casually, as he does. But unlike Darcy, it will always be contingent on Mr Gardiner's business success and they have to plan around his work and the possibility of sudden changes in terms of his work.

I personally think that Mr Gardiner would undoubtedly have been able to take care of his sister and nieces in the worst case scenario. Six women used to a high standard of living (we know Mrs Bennet is extravagant; it's only Mr Bennet's frugality that keeps the Bennets out of debt as it is) would probably be a strain, but I don't think beyond the income level indicated, even accounting for the needs of his immediate family.

When Mrs Bennet is dramatizing herself during the Lydia disaster, she tells Mr Gardiner, "if you are not kind to us, brother, I do not know what we shall do," and he assures her of his affection for both her and her entire family. This could be seen as a sort of empty redirection that avoids promising anything, especially given that her catastrophizing fantasy scenarios are extremely unlikely, but I think that's a misread of his character.

I see his reply as a tactful assurance that, in the (improbable) event of Mr Bennet dying in a duel, his affection for her and her daughters would indeed ensure his protection of her and her daughters. There's no doubt from anyone that he's capable of doing this, though it would certainly mean a change in their style of living that Mrs Bennet would vocally resent.

So while this isn't super-specific, I hope it helped!

Normally I don't need to do this, but I would like to add a sort of credit/disclaimer: I didn't initially notice all these signs and my understanding of the Gardiners' standard of living and general circumstances was, I believe, strongly influenced by JulieW of the Life and Times board at Republic of Pemberley back in the earlyish 2000s (maybe about 2006?).

The L&T board is sadly gone (or was the last few times I checked), though ROP clings to life, but she knew a lot more about Georgian history and culture than I ever will, and these references to the Gardiners' prosperity seemed really glaring once she pointed them out.

(Her analysis of Pemberley's age, architecture, and general class significance was also really influential and I'm still really sad that I have to rely on the perfidy of memory about it.)

#rop was not really a natural home for me but l&t was SO good ;_;#treesthatarepeachy #respuestas #edward gardiner #m gardiner #mr bennet #mrs bennet #pride and prejudice #jane austen #anghraine's meta #long post #nice things people say to me #fitzwilliam darcy

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shanastoryteller · 1 year ago

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Happy Halloween!!! More Lady Mo? I love your writings!!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Lan Zhan doesn’t want their baby.

Not their baby, he forces himself to think through the blood pounding in his ears. This body doesn’t belong to him. He’s just borrowing it, and the child he’s carrying no more belongs to him than the body he’s wearing. It’s Lan Zhan’s baby. And he doesn’t want it.

For the first time, he’s grateful that Mo Xuanyu didn’t stick around. It’s breaking his heart, and the baby isn’t even his. This would have killed her.

Or maybe it wouldn’t have. She didn’t want to be a bride, maybe she didn’t want to be a mother either, and she and Lan Zhan would have just been in perfect agreement about any child they would have created, and what had to be done about it.

I’m sorry.

I never intended –

This is for the best.

He can complete the mission that Mo Xuanyu died to give him. He doesn’t have to try and stretch it out or leave Lan Zhan behind to raise a child alone. What a mess that would have been, for him to have the kid and leave it behind with a father that didn’t want him. He wouldn’t wish that on any child, especially his ow – especially any child he helped create. It would have just been another terrible, bitter legacy of his to leave behind, an unloved child and a disinterested father.

This is better. This is a good thing.

“Oh, Meimei.”

Wei Wuxian blinks and sees Jiang Yanli kneeling in front of him, rubbing her sleeve over his cheeks for some reason. They come away damp and it takes him raising a hand to his own face to realize he’s crying.

Stupid. There’s nothing to cry over. This is the best thing that could have happened. A baby makes things complicated. Now they can be simple.

“We’ll take care of you,” Jiang Yanli says, pulling him into her arms, and he lets her, because he’s weak and she’s his sister and he feels that familiar roll of nausea even though there’s nothing in his stomach to upset it. “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything. You won’t have to – you know, you barely got a chance to see Jin Tower the first time, you should stay past the cultivation conference. Or, hm, I know there’s, well there’s also Lotus Pier. You’ve never been have you? A-Cheng could escort you there and you could see the ponds. We can think of a reason. A-Yao will help.”

Most of what she’s saying doesn’t make any sense, but it’s so comforting to be held by her that he just goes with it. He looks over her shoulder, expecting to see Jiang Cheng awkwardly hovering in the doorway, but it’s empty.

It’s. Empty.

“Where’s Jiang Cheng?” he rasps, even though he thinks he already knows.

She stiffens, her voice taking on a tone that reminds him of Madame Yu. “He went to talk to Lan Wangji. He’ll be back.”

He remembers Jiang Cheng’s reaction when he thought that Lan Zhan had hurt him, and now here he is, crying, and even though it’s stupid, he’s, well, it’s easy to see how Jiang Cheng could look at him and think him hurt, even though it’s not his baby and it’s for the best. But he doesn’t know that.

“Shit,” he curses, pushing himself away and stumbling to his feet. “Oh, no, he’ll kill him.”

He’s spared against Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng has his core in his chest. Maybe he can’t actually kill him, but blood will be spilled, and both of them are stubborn enough to keep at it until someone does die. Fuck.

Jiang Yanli shrugs, then winces, like she knows that wasn’t the appropriate response. In other circumstances, that would be enough to goad him to laughter, but now he just rushes for the door.

“Meimei!” she calls out, but Wei Wuxian ignores her.

He doesn’t get far, running into Jin Guangyao almost as soon as he steps into the hallway. His eyes flicker to Jiang Yanli behind him, his frown deepens, and then he looks Wei Wuxian up and down once, then does it again, except this time he stops at his stomach. “Ah.”

How does he do that? He’s so lucky they didn’t know each other during the war and that he didn’t know his sister at all, otherwise he would have been made the first time the two of them had a conversation. “Where’d they go?”

“Perhaps it’s best if we leave them to it,” he suggests.

Wei Wuxian stares. “Have you lost it? Jiang Cheng is pissed and he’s going to take that anger out on Wangji. How many more whip scars do you want him to have?”

Jin Guangyao presses his lips together. “He is A-Huan’s brother. In different circumstances, that would entitle him to my protection. But you’re my sister.”

The warmth rushes through him and causes his eyes to sting. It’s all borrowed, all a lie, because he’s not Mo Xuanyu, but his stupid heart is really doing a terrible job of remember that right now. “A-Yao, please.”

He sighs. “All right. Follow me.”

#prompt answers #prompts are closed #asks #goolsbygirl25 #untamed

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sassy-cass-16 · 7 months ago

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Oh god I promised myself no bell’s hells meta until c3 ends but my brain is turning the “can she be trusted?” line over and over like chicken at the shawarma shop. because there are layers to that.

more under the cut because i let this run away from me:

so first off, there's the obvious: dorian initially seems to start to address the whole group, everyone who's left in the inn room, but turns and just locks eyes with orym when he asks. orym, who of everyone has the most reason to be biased against laudna right now. orym, who just got into a fight with laudna over the sword that killed both of them and orym's husband and father-in-law. that's who dorian thinks to ask, because he trusts orym not to let his judgment be clouded.

dorian first saw orym again after months of being separated, like, three days ago, and despite how much orym has visibly changed in those months, dorian doesn't hesitate to believe that orym will still be objective. he trusts that orym will be the one to look at this situation and tell him the truth.

because dorian has experience with orym telling him the truth. dorian knows firsthand how willing orym is to shuck his personal feelings in favour of what's true. dorian just saw what he could have become, had orym not stepped in to stop him taking the circlet of barbed vision. he owes the fact that he's alive and beholden to no gods to orym's willingness to be rational and objective in a situation involving a powerful magical item. by his own admission, "i wouldn't be here without you."

so of course dorian trusts him right now.

and there's something to the exclusion of the others, with that. dorian doesn't look to fearne and orym, although that would make sense because he's known the two of them the longest. he doesn't look to chetney, who's proven to be able to get a handle on this with the scream needle compromise. he doesn't look to ashton, who's been extremely levelheaded through this whole mess. he looks at orym, exclusively. he is asking orym, exclusively. not the group, although everyone decides to jump in to answer and then imogen comes through the window to complicate the matter. just orym.

dorian is the kind of person with a lot of potential for darkness in him. he hides it well because he's also deeply kind and friendly, but it's always been there. he's just been through something massively traumatic, and that was after the original circlet conflict back in exu prime. he had his alignment forcibly changed from good to neutral. but even after all he's gone though, orym's alignment is still good.

as much as orym doesn't want to be a leader and prefers to be a protector and follower, he does very well in situations where he takes on an amount of responsibility. when he's in some level of control over a situation, he takes to it naturally. he's a very good babysitter to his gaggle of weirdos. the "can she be trusted?" might have been an attempt on dorian's part to give orym a bit more control here. to reassure him that regardless of anyone else's feelings—regardless of how laudna's reaction might have affected him—orym deserves to be trusted, and he can make a decision that dorian will trust.

back in exu and all the way into early c3, dorian and orym slotted into a sort of parental position in their groups. watching over the crownkeepers' clothes when they went skinny dipping in exu. orym repeatedly steering everybody away from bad ideas. matt even described dorian leaving dariax in zephrah in 4sd as "dad just going out to get cigarettes." there's always been that underlying sense of "we are two of a pair" with dorian and orym. not to say that either of them don't see the others as adults, but they do have that rapport of being the babysitters in the gaggle of weirdos.

that kind of bond is just part of their dynamic. but especially in light of what's been happening while they were separated, and then what happened between them earlier that evening, "can she be trusted?" is a reminder of that bond. orym's been lonely, by his own admission, and one of the secrets he divulged at nana morri's was "i really miss dorian." he broke down crying during his last message through the sending stone, and then again on the bench not a few hours before this whole incident went down.

dorian came to comfort him. he flat-out said to orym's face "i'm here now." he reminded orym that he needs to rely on other people, that he can't always be the one saving everybody else. he gave orym the room to not be the strong one, and told him he has that room because dorian's there to support him. they can be two of a pair again.

he knows orym's been feeling like he can't do anything, like he had to resort to what he stopped dorian from doing with the circlet. and so dorian both gives him a choice to make, something to do, and shows him that he still trusts him unconditionally. "can she be trusted?" also means "i trust you" and "i'm here with you" and "this is how we've always been."

we know from liam in 4sd that orym has feelings for dorian that he's not sure are reciprocated. but even regardless of the romantic element here, dorian and orym have always had a partnership. they have always been two of a pair. the sequence of events leading to "can she be trusted?" is a perfect microcosm of he relationship between the two of them. it's just incredible.

#critical role #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #campaign 3 #dorian storm #orym of the air ashari #dorym #bells hells #cr meta

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jeonggukookies · 9 months ago

Text

crown's kingdom || two

summary: now engaged to prince jungkook, you both must figure a way to make this alliance work while your enemies try to tear it apart.

– genre: royalty!au, enemies to lovers!au, prince!jungkook, queen!reader, arranged marriage - fluff/angst

– word count 4637

– warnings: please read note if you haven't read changes

index || one

“Look what we have here.” Despite your eyes being completely shut, you knew who took a seat next to you on the bench by recognizing his voice. “I want to say what a beautiful dress you have on there, but I’m afraid I have to tell you the truth. Your morning dress looks like a tablecloth for afternoon lunch.”

To start off your mornings, you woke up before the sun, craving to have at least an hour alone in the chapel, free from anyone to interrupt your morning meditation and prayers. It was one of the few times when you were alone, not surrounded by any servants or guards. You were able to find solace—until Jungkook came.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of having your presence near me at this time?” You asked politely, still with your eyes closed and your hands pressed together, fingers pointed upwards, deep in prayer.

For the last week, you and Jungkook had been doing an excellent job avoiding each other despite the public announcement of the engagement. You always tried to make your schedule as busy as it could be, not wanting to spend a second alone with him. You filled your time up with more violin lessons and analyzing war strategies and patterns from your father’s old journal. Eventually, you were going to have to interact with Jungkook and fool everyone that the two of you were in love, but you didn’t expect him to find out about your schedule, taking the time to wake up early to come find you in the prayer room.

“Perhaps the dress would be better as a tablecloth,” he suggested, pulling at the puffy sleeves, attempting to get a rise out of you. “And perhaps, you on that particular table.”

“To the Divine Spirit, please forgive me for all I have sinned and will sin.” Opening your eyes, you smacked Jungkook’s arm, annoyed by his antics. With a smirk on his face, he’s chuckling, satisfied to get a reaction out of you.

“It’s almost six in the morning, and you really want to start off the day by pissing me off?” You gritted through your teeth, trying not to raise your voice. “Can you be a pain in the ass somewhere else? And not in this sacred space? A place where I find peace?”

“I quite believe this is the perfect time and place to do it,” he remarked, trying to hide the mischievous smile on his face. “You have to get used to it if we are to be wed soon.”

“Do not remind me of this terrible tragedy.” You groaned. “May we pray that the fates decree our union not come to pass."

He rolled his eyes, annoyed with your response. “Why do you act like a grandma? No one our age speaks like that or wakes up this early to pray! Just say, ‘God, I hope we don’t marry.’”

“Are the words too big for you to understand?” You pushed your lower lip out, pretending to feel bad for him. “Is that why you were engaged to Comet? The girl whose named after her own country but can’t spell her name without help from her tutors? You know stupid plus stupid doesn’t cancel each other out, right?”

“And you know praying every day isn’t going to erase any of the sins you’ve committed in the past, right?” He mocked. “I’ve been wondering where you’ve been the last couple of days, and now I realize that I shouldn’t have gone through so many people to find out that you wake up so early to pray. I should have remembered you were so boring.”

You scoffed. “Wow, you must be really thinking about me all the time? To be asking others about my schedule? To be wondering where I am at? You must not have a life, huh?”

“Alright, it’s already been one week, and I’ve had enough. I don’t think I can handle you for the rest of my life.”

“Then do something about it,” you snapped.

“You don’t think I haven’t?” He snapped back, looking at you with the same amount of anger in his eyes. “What do you think I was trying to do for the last week? While you were hiding away in your room, I was trying to secretly change this alliance. Maybe with your help, I can easily break off the engagement and toss you like a pebble in the lake.”

For a moment, you were offended that you were disposable to him, making it seem like you desperately needed him and his country more than he needed you.

You can play this game too, you thought to yourself.

With your index finger, you gestured for him to come closer to you, leaning over to whisper in his ear. “And if you shall give up the position of ruling two countries, maybe even three one day, would the current King of Aurum be happy with that? Could he let you live in peace if you were to ruin the alliance without his permission?”

Jungkook learned his lesson for the day and finally shut his mouth, letting the devotion area be peaceful for the rest of the morning. He put his hands together, silently mouthing along to some basic scriptures.

“Amen,” you whispered, putting your hands together, ready to medicate and pray next to Jungkook.

_________

Dasher, the new Prince of Cometes, could have gone to command his new military forces, started imposing taxes, or simply have done absolutely nothing as his first task as a royal. Instead, he decided the first thing to do was to go to Aurum to renegotiate their alliance as their circumstances had now changed.

After eating breakfast, you were asked to accompany Jungkook to greet the new prince. His parents thought it was a perfect opportunity to showcase the new alliance between the two countries.

“I’m glad you changed out of that old curtain you had earlier,” Jungkook said when you arrived next to his side. The two of you were outside the palace, waiting for the Cometes’s carriage. “You would have made it seem like I downgraded.”

“Well, I sure did.” You forced a smile, looking straight ahead where the horses were coming at a steady pace a few meters away from you. “Don’t understand why I have to be here like I’m you’re fucking babysitter.”

“Here he comes.” You turned your head to look at Jungkook, and you find him already staring back at you. He was holding his breath, having a tense look on his face. It had been a while since you’ve seen Jungkook look this apprehensive. “Can you do this?”

When the two of you were learning all the types of ballroom dances, Jungkook’s face was always pale before he had to perform and get evaluated by our instructor. You knew it wasn’t because he was ten years old, dancing with a girl; he was a perfectionist, afraid to take the wrong step and embarrass himself in front of everyone.

As he had gotten older, he had done a better job at hiding his anxiety, trying to look like the Golden Prince everyone saw him to be. He’s been doing such a great job, that even you forgot he had the capability to be nervous. He wasn’t just a snarky and egomaniacal prince; Jungkook, too, was a human with fears and imperfections.

“Absolutely.” Without giving you any context, you knew what he was asking. He needed your reassurance—that the two of you could convince the future King of Cometes, that your shared hatred will be hidden by the love of your countries. “Don’t be afraid.”

Before the horses came to a complete stop, Jungkook straightened his posture, taking a deep breath. No longer looking nervous, he looked like he was ready to stand his ground, determined to become one of the best kings.

Stepping out of the carriage, a silver-haired man as tall as Jungkook appeared. The man was wearing a close-fitting gray velvet doublet, embellished with white pearls along the seams. With a black linen shirt underneath, the pearls were able to stand out more, showing everyone his new power.

“Prince Jungkook,” the man greeted. “Well isn't it quite lovely to see you again?”

“And now as equals this time, Prince Dasher,” Jungkook slyly commented. “I hope the ride here wasn’t too terrible with all the rain and mud this season.”

“Not at all.” The man turned his focus on you, looking up and down, trying to analyze who you were to stand so close to the Prince of Aurum. “You must be Queen of Caelestia.”

“Please address me as Y/N,” you said politely. “It’s an honor to meet you, Prince Dasher.”

“As to you, Your Grace.” He took a bow, showing his respects. “The rumors must be true then,” he said. “The two of you are going to wed.”

“Unless you’re here to propose to me, then plans can always be altered and rearranged,” Jungkook joked lightly, trying to ease the mood. You bit your lower lip to hold yourself back from laughing at his attempt. The joke itself wasn’t that funny, but the fact that Jungkook thought it was appropriate to say.

“I can assure you that I will not bore you with a proposal of mine.” Dasher took another look at you and Jungkook. He was trying to read the two of you. “And is your bride joining us for our negotiation?”

“She will not,” Jungkook answered right away, not giving you a second to react. There was some hostility in his voice. “Do you request her presence at our meeting between our two countries?”

“Just interesting that the future queen of Aurum will not be there.” Dasher raised his eyebrows. “Unless…”

“Well, we haven’t even decided on invitations! But I promise you that you’ll be one of the first to receive them.” You paused to look at Jungkook, linking your arm to his. “Isn’t that right, Darling?”

He stared back at your eyes, deeply as if he were trying to your deepest, darkest secrets. Letting a small scoff, he smiled and looked back at Dasher. “Well, now that we got introductions out of the way, why don’t we head towards the affairs room to discuss the future of our people?”

________

With the arrival of Prince Dasher, you were expected to attend the evening activities. Typically, the evening activities were full of entertainment like live music, dancing, theater, and more. They were loud and socially draining at times, but you loved going, seeing it as an opportunity to enrich life and cultivate an appreciation for arts and culture.

When walking into the courtiers’ hall, you can tell the King and Queen of Aurum went the extra mile in making tonight’s activities more lavish than usual, catering to their guests. You noticed how there were more servants around, refilling drinks and replacing empty food trays as quickly as they could. They were even using the fancy china that the Queen rarely used, wanting to keep it in mint condition. There were more musicians hired as well. With more musicians, they were able to proudly and loudly play traditional Cometes music, hoping to make the Cometes people feel at home.

There were more people today, all participating in the elegant court dances, and board games and many were socializing, especially the women, probably hoping to find a suitor among the new guests.

“Queen Y/N.” You turned your head to see Kim Taehyung, a Luxuria ambassador who resided in Aurum Court. “It’s a blessing to see you entertained by tonight’s festivities.”

“Well, that can’t be right.” You took a few steps to be face-to-face with him. “Aren’t you always praying for my downfall?”

For the last two years, Kim Taehyung has been a cunning diplomat. On paper, his presence at court might be to handle situations between his country and Aurum, but really, his true mission was to antagonize you at court. Despite his constant terrorizing, you’ve kept your eye on him, following the rule: Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer.

He chuckled, putting his hands in his pockets. “I haven’t seen you around court to give you my congratulations on your engagement to Jungkook.”

“Thank you, Taehyung.” You forced a smile, and he smiled back.

“And how has this engagement been so far?”

“Quite amazing,” you lied. “Thank you for asking.”

“Is that why everyone is talking about Jungkook and your reluctance to marry each other?” He asked. “You know, Luxuria intelligence predicted this happening years ago. That somehow you would find a way to marry the next King of Aurum. That somehow the alliance between Aurum and Cometes would fall through.”

“If you want to take your anger or frustration out on someone for the sudden change, Prince Dasher is present at court today as well.” You pointed in the direction where Dasher was. “Shall I introduce the two of you and be on my way?”

He took a step closer, trying to intimidate you. “How about instead you go on your way back to Caelestia and abandon this alliance with Aurum?”

“Is that a threat?” You asked, raising your eyebrows and letting out a humorless laugh. “Are you seriously threatening me?”

“Not a threat,” he insisted. “Consider this as….a chance to save your country and people.”

The smile disappeared from your face. You gritted through your teeth, “To save my country and my people, I need to take the chance and marry Jungkook for his armies against YOUR people!”

“Then take the first step and go back home,” he suggested.

“And then how long would Luxuria come after my throne?”

He refused to answer your question, changing the subject immediately. “Do not beg for mercy when I have given you the chance to correct yourself.”

“And have you and your queen considered that mercy doesn’t need to be begged if Luxuria would stop sending its forces to my border?”

He looked around, seeing if anyone was watching your interaction with him. He then smiled. “You may have been safe and across the sea all this time, but do not forget, Queen Y/N, even monarchs cannot escape death.”

For a moment, you froze in place, feeling the anger grow inside your body. From a young age, you were taught that monarchs cannot show their emotions, and they shouldn’t especially show it to their enemies.

Before you could react, Jungkook appeared by your side, putting his arm around you, hand on your shoulder. “Darling! Did you see that the servants made pavlova? We have to go get some before it all runs out, especially since these fruits aren’t even in season!”

“Excuse us,” you mumbled under your breath, directed to Taehyung.

Moving his arm, Jungkook then had his hand gently wrapped around your right wrist, pulling you into a private corner away from all the guests. As your back leaned against the wall, Jungkook let go of your wrist and stood directly in front of you, so you were face to face.

“Don’t push me away,” he said in a low voice. “Are you okay?”

“He-he.” Out of nowhere, you started heavily breathing as if there was a limited amount of air in the room. You were unable to finish your thoughts, interrupted by every scenario going through your head. Tears were about to flood your eyes, ready to leave wet trails on your face.

“Look at me,” Jungkook instructed, cupping your face with his hands, his eyes directly piercing into your soul once again. “Repeat after me. You are a queen.”

“Threat-threatened my-“ Jungkook cut you off.

“I am a queen,” he emphasized, repeating himself slowly this time. “Say it with me. I am a queen.”

“I am a queen,” you repeated, trying to believe the truth in those words. A couple more times, you repeated in a hushed tone, “I am a queen.”

“Don’t let anyone see that you’re afraid,” he said after it seemed like you were finally calming down. “Let me be the only person to see you shaking like a small useless chihuahua.”

“Are you calling me—“ He cut you off again, not letting you finish his sentence.

“I know you’re not useless.” His hands held your face a little tighter, still refusing to break eye contact with you. “You’re a queen. You will be remembered as the benevolent queen of three countries one day. And while all of everyone’s great great great grandchildren are learning about you in history books, no one will remember his name. Don’t let him get to you now and let him become a footnote in the future.”

Nodding, a tear slipped, and you quickly felt Jungkook wiping the tear with his thumb, not letting anyone else see a Queen in a vulnerable state. Your breathing was almost back to normal, feeling some comfort from his words.

“Can you do this?” He asked, repeating his question from earlier.

Despite growing up together all these years, you and Jungkook had never been this up close and personal. Even when paired up for ballroom dancing, the two of you danced awkwardly together, barely touching his fingertips. It felt unreal that you and Jungkook were now alone, staring at each other, ignoring the rest of the world around you. “Yes.”

Jungkook stared at you for another two seconds before he realized the position the two of you were in. His grip became stiff and rigid for a moment before he finally removed his hands from your face and cleared his throat, pretending as if he wasn’t trying to protect you in his arms.

“Thanks.” You coughed awkwardly, still standing in front of him. The two of you never shared an intense moment like that before, a moment filled with insecurity, vulnerability, and comfort.

Jungkook sighed and looked back at you. Without any verbal confirmation, you knew that he silently agreed that everything would go back to normal, that the two of you would go back to pushing each other’s buttons. “I should get going.”

Before you could say anything, Jungkook started to walk away. He was probably already erasing the moment out of his head.

You had to remind yourself that the two of you will wed for your countries, that it won’t be for true love or happily ever after. It'll be a marriage full of moments like these that will mean nothing to him. And you hoped they would mean nothing to you.

__________

By the next morning, Luxuria went through with their warning and sent their troops to your border, threatening your people.

“Once we received word this morning from your mother, we sent supplies to your troops.” You had barged into the room of affairs, surprising Jungkook and the Queen by your sudden appearance. “They will be there as soon as they can. We sent our fastest rider.”

The King didn’t take his eyes off the document he was reading. It seemed like the King had expected you to come in urgently while the Queen, sitting next to him, was visibly annoyed with your sudden intrusion. Jungkook, standing to the side of the room, looked baffled, unsure if he should laugh at your courage or be displeased.

“Thank you,” you said, bowing your head. “These supplies will go a long way, but supplies aren’t the only thing we need.”

“Let me guess..You want soldiers?” The King asked, still not looking at you. “I am afraid that I cannot give you men, but you have my deepest sympathy.”

“I am asking for more than sympathy. I need men, or else these supplies are useless.”

“The men that you need are the same men that we cannot give you.” He finally looked up and shrugged his shoulders.

“As Queen, I have the responsibility to find solutions, and that was through our alliance with your country, which you are not honoring.”

“Keep in mind that you are not the only one with a country to think about,” the King replied. “I am putting my country and its people first.”

“I will not forget this when I am both Queen of Caelestia and Aurum,” you challenged. “I will always put my country first. Do not hold me hostage and fulfill this alliance, or let me go.”

“The two of you need to learn this.” The King paused to point at you and Jungkook. “You are royals. You DO NOT have the luxury of doing what you want. You do what is best for your country. Perhaps, the two of you should stop wasting time. Instead of trying to think of ways to get out of your marriage, start taking action.”

“Father, I think we should help.” You took a quick look at Jungkook, surprised by his answer. “If Caelestia loses, that’ll only make Luxuria a bigger threat to our country.”

“Get out. The two of you, out now,” the King firmly demanded.

The sound of the doors slamming behind you echoed throughout the whole castle. You took a deep breath and started walking to your chambers until Jungkook caught up, walking next to you.

“Hey, I think you’re right. I am on your side.”

“You are?” You were taken back from his statement, not expecting him to be on your side for politics. “Why?”

“Because after your country, mine will be next,” Jungkook explained. “By working together, we can slowly defeat the Luxurian military. I just need some time to convince my father.”

Caught up in a moment of joy, you wrapped your arms around Jungkook, pulling him into a tight hug. Your happiness must have overcome the supposed feelings of animosity you had towards him. “Thank you!”

Jungkook hesitantly and slowly embraced you back.

__________

“This must be the day pigs are going to grow wings and fly,” Lady Adoree exaggerated.

Ladies-in-waiting were the Queen’s female companions, typically wealthy noblewomen. They accompanied you, staying by your side for most events. Not only were they your attendants, but they were also your closest friends. And you were the closest to Lady Adoree.

“Trust me, you’re not the only one who’s surprised by all of this,” you mumbled under your breath.

“I’ve been gone for seven days, and somehow, you and Jungkook are engaged to each other.” She had traveled to Aureus, the capital of Aurum, for the last week to meet with her a suitor, which did not end up well. “Then, he’s willingly trying to help you as if he didn’t try to sabotage this alliance or even your whole life here.”

“Excuse me, Lady Adoree.” The two of you were still at the dining table after finishing lunch, catching up. You looked up and saw Prince Dasher waiting behind Lady Adoree’s chair. “Can I please have a moment with your queen?”

“Prince Dasher,” you greeted as Lady Adoree stood up from her chair, allowing Dasher to take her seat. “I thought you were on your way home.”

“Well, it turns out we still have more negotiations with Aurum to discuss, which is delaying our departure,” he said. “It is not a total disaster as I am blessed to spend another second with a beautiful queen.”

“Are these sweet words repeated to every other queen?” You quipped.

“Just you,” he claimed. “No one else can hear those words from me.”

In the corner of your eye, you could see a vein popping out of Lady Adoree’s forehead. She was frowning, not happy that she had given up her seat just for him to be flirty. Lady Adoree hated talking to guys and drove them away just as much as you did.

“I’m not new to this game,” you reminded him. “What is desired from me?”

Prince Dasher leaned into your ear, whispering, “I heard Prince Jungkook cannot give you the help you need for the Luxuria Troops.”

You pressed your lips together, trying to dull up any emotions on your face. “I’m still not hearing what you want from me.”

Instead of verbally answering, Prince Dasher cleared his throat and pushed his chair back, almost hitting Lady Adoree. He then kneeled on his right knee, causing Lady Adoree to gasp loudly.

“What are you doing?!” You growled. “Get up.”

“My desire is you,” he said. “Now I am no longer the King’s Bastard and am finally the legitimate Prince of Cometes. I am here to seek out the best deal and I believe Caelestia is that.”

“To my knowledge, everyone including yourself knows that I am already betrothed!” You looked around, hoping no one else was in the room witnessing this act.

“I can give you the men you need to fight Luxuria,” he promised.

You sighed. “My attention is yours.”

He beamed at your defeat. “Perhaps the dissolution of your alliance with Aurum will help your country, Queen Y/N.”

Your jaw clenched. “And if we were to wed, do you really think Luxuria will just stop?”

“I think you’ve forgotten,” he stressed. “Luxuria and Cometes have been allies for centuries. I hope you consider this offer.”

__________

Jungkook stayed silent.

It was after midnight, and the two of you met in a private room on the other side of the castle, away from everyone else. No one really came to this side of the castle. It was mainly used to have secret meetings, not wanting to be seen by anyone else.

You were pacing around the room, playing with your hands, anxious to hear his thoughts after telling him Prince Dasher’s offer as he sat down on the bench and had his chin resting on his cupped hands together.

“Are you going to say something?” You stopped walking back and forth and came to a stop. “What are you thinking about?”

He sighed before standing back up to face you. “I-I think you should do it.”

“What?” Your heart sank, pain settling in your chest. Despite being the Queen of Caelestia, you viewed Aurum as if it were your home to you. Even though you had no intention of ruling Aurum and this alliance came out of nowhere, you felt a sense of happiness that you could finally give back to the country that gave you everything.

Aurum was a part of you whether you liked it or not, and with Jungkook’s answer, it seemed like Aurum didn’t want you. And that he didn’t want you. There were a bunch of conflicting emotions going through your mind, but you pushed them away, needing to think about your country. “Are you serious?”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Think about it, Y/N. How could you pass this up?”

“What happened to being on my side?!” You exclaimed. “And you’re just going to let it go? Just like that.”

“I don’t want to,” he admitted, quickly taking your hands and holding them. “But there’s nothing I can do to change my father’s mind…to help your country. I’ve tried and tried. We are just in this alliance, and you are getting nothing..”

“You don’t want to marry me,” you said bitterly, letting go of his hold. “That’s the real reason, isn’t it?”.

“It’s not that,” Jungkook denied. There was a sense of desperation in his voice. “Believe me, I know I’ve been trying to get out of this alliance. But I’m not telling you to do it because of that. I’m telling you to do this, because this is what is best for your country.”

“Is that really it?”

“You’ve been Queen your whole life. You should have known that alliances can easily shift,” Jungkook quickly snapped, changing his demeanor suddenly. “Your country gets the help it needs, and my country will not be ruled by an Ice Queen.”

And Jungkook walked away like it was the easiest thing in the world to do.

#bts fanfic #bangtanwriters-net #bts scenarios #jeon jungkook scenarios #jeon jungkook #jungkook imagine #jungkook fluff #jungkook fanfic #crown kingdom #royalty au #jungkook royalty #enemies to lovers #jungkook angst #mine #jungkook x reader

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devilevlls · 8 months ago

Text

"In the depths of my soul, you reside."

3,259 words - Minors do not interact

TW 📌: "Satanic" rituals, abuse, explicit language, pornographic content, mentions of sexual abuse, hateful language directed at religious groups, blasphemy, corruption kink, demons being demons, unprotected sex, creampie, gay sex, MC is the bottom, MC trusts him to consume a piece of their soul.

MC is AMAB, I use they/them pronouns to refer to them because that's the way I feel comfortable in describing the character. They are called "boy, young man, son" and so. If you are uncomfortable with any of the warnings, please, do not read. Sumary:

After the former priest was removed due to accusations of sexual abuse, the authority place had to be filled by someone else and Lucifer, who owed a favor to his friend Simeon, took the spot, ministering that Saturday to fulfill his obligation.

He ends up finding a new motivation when he encounters MC, who is in conflict with themselves about their dark thoughts. Their desires and duty are fighting to see who would take the young human and the demon would like to help, with a price.

The sound of the chapel's heavy doors echoed, interrupting the stillness of the afternoon, as the man dressed entirely in black entered, moving with determination and agility, casting furtive glances around to ensure he was not being followed. His long, purposeful steps led him until he stopped in front of a cowering, sobbing, fearful figure.

The young human was kneeling before the bench, hands clasped in prayer, tears flowing freely.

"Why are you crying, son?" The newcomer's hoarse voice cuts through the silence, his imposing red eyes penetrating deep into the boy's soul.

They were startled, interrupting their prayer to look at the one who was getting in the way of their sacred moment.

"Forgive me, sir." They bowed gently, voice trembling.

The elder gentleman stood majestically, dressed in the attire befitting his vocation, exuding an aura of divine elegance.

With a subtle clearing of the throat, they signaled their intention to speak further. “I believe you are the new priest responsible for our humble chapel this saturday. I am your assistant, aspiring priest, a... Deacon.” The human struggle with their words.

"It's nice to meet you, MC." The older man's husky voice delivered a playful tone.

"How do you know my name? I haven't introduced myself yet," MC replied, somewhat intrigued.

"Do not worry. I know everything," the man replied, his enigmatic smile seeming to widen even further. "My name is Lucifer." He took a few steps towards MC, his confident posture and penetrating gaze causing slight discomfort.

A frightening shiver ran down MC's spine, but they forced themselves to maintain composure, standing up and trying to appear receptive, although the nervousness was still evident.

"That's a pretty unusual name for a priest," MC commented, their voice a little shaky as the younger one tried to hide the fear that was beginning to settle inside.

"Do not be scared. I will only stay here while the other priest is being investigated for the rape of the young people in this chapel.”

The mention of the accusation made the boy take a step back, feeling their stomach twist with tension.

"Oh... yes."

"Did he touch you?", Lucifer asked, taking a step forward and reaching for MC's chin, forcing them to maintain eye contact, his imposing presence dominating the surrounding space.

"No, sir. Father Kahleus has always been very kind to me," MC responded quickly, feeling uncomfortable with the unexpected physical contact.

"Humans are so hypocritical, don't you think?", Lucifer continued, his voice filled with cynicism, as he watched MC's reaction with interest.

MC gave a nervous laugh, confused by the direction the conversation was going. "Humans...?", he began, before being interrupted by the tall demon.

"Please, refrain yourself from acting like you don't understand," Lucifer said, his gaze making them uneasy.

Swallowing hard, they turned away from Lucifer, looking down at the ground for a moment before taking a deep breath and gathering the courage to respond.

"Sir, we shouldn't make that kind of analogy in a sacred place like this. Would you like to accompany me, so I can show you your private room next to the tabernacle?"

"Show me the way," Lucifer replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes, watching as MC chose to ignore the reality unfolding before them.

— *

Once inside the room, MC presented all the important documents, financial notes and accessories for the masses that would begin the next day.

"Do you have any questions, sir?" The human asked, briefly meeting Lucifer's gaze before looking away again, feeling uncomfortable under the intensity of those piercing eyes.

"Why were you crying earlier?", Lucifer asked suddenly, breaking the brief silence that hung in the room.

A shiver ran down MC's spine before he could respond. "Father Kahleus was never like that. I feel like the devil tempted him," MC confessed, voice thick with worry and confusion.

Lucifer held back an ironic laugh and sighed, shaking his head. "Are you that naive? People are bad and blaming the devil doesn't make them better," he replied with disarming directness.

"Don't you understand? We have oaths. We all do, and I'm sure you did too," MC insisted, struggling to comprehend the complexity of the situation.

"Many centuries ago, when my wings were still white as snow and my mind corrupted by the ideals of a cowardly creator," Lucifer murmured, a trace of melancholy passing through his eyes.

MC sighed, feeling scared and confused, taking a step back and inadvertently bumping into the coffee table.

"Don't be scared, but I must admit that the more time we spend together, the hungrier I get," Lucifer said, voice filled with a strange sadistic energy, he enjoyed watching his prey connecting the dots and becoming alarmed.

"You... You did this to him?", MC asked, voice cracking at the terrifying possibility.

“Ah… Now you have become aware of who I really am.” He smiled slightly and concentrated for a moment, making his demonic form apparent. “No, I didn’t do anything.”

MC tried to scream, but before they could make any sound, their mouth was immediately silenced by Lucifer's firm, gloved touch, which covered their lips with firm pressure. The demon's gaze conveyed a silent warning, a contained threat that echoed beyond the simple physical gesture. The air around them felt heavy, thick with palpable tension between the two, as MC fought the panic that threatened to wash over. The young human’s eyes widened in despair, but the words were suffocated before they could even come out.

“Let's not make a fuss, okay? You're safer with me than you were with that creep. Unlike him, I know how to keep my dick in my pants instead of molesting innocent young boys and girls.”

MC's eyes widened at Lucifer's explicit language, feeling uncomfortable with the description and lack of shame.

Stopping for a moment, Lucifer was truly stunning, almost mesmerizing, and he was so close already... It made the human's heart race.

The demon sighed and removed his hand from the boy's mouth, looking around before moving away, breaking the physical contact that had left MC so tense. “You don’t look very old, how old are you? Why are you so naive?” “I’m 23 and not a child to be naive.” MC hisses a little offended “I’m aware of what happened, but I can’t believe he would do such a thing.” “Then you are just stupid, young man," He says agressively before changing the subject. "Well, I believe your work is finished for today. I'll see you at mass tomorrow", Lucifer declared, his voice filled with indifference, as if the previous meeting had never happened.

"Why...", MC started to ask, before being interrupted by Lucifer.

"Why, you say? I'm just following orders, nothing more," Lucifer explained as he settled into the office chair, crossing his long legs with an air of nonchalance. "Please leave. You're making me agitated with all this excitement between your legs." Lucifer's final remark made MC feel heat flush their cheeks. “I’m not excited!” They complained.

“I can see your erection from here.” The demon states dismissively, opening one of the reports to analyze.

MC quickly walked away and left the room without saying another word, feeling embarrassed. The encounter with Lucifer left them shaken and confused, questioning how all this could happen in such a sacred environment.

Why didn't the demon attack him or do terrible things to them? These questions echoed in their mind as the panicked figure hurriedly walked to the quarters.

Once there, MC threw themselves on the floor and closed their eyes, trying to banish the disturbing thoughts. The human wondered if it was all just a nightmare or a bad joke, but the firm feeling of Lucifer's hand still hovered over their skin, making them feel indecently warm.

"I wonder if he's really going to minister tomorrow…", MC muttered to themselves, voice filled with uncertainty and apprehension.

They feared what the next day might bring.

—*

The other day, in the morning as promised, MC entered the private room before mass to organize all the accessories, but was surprised to find Lucifer dressed for the celebration, his attire highlighting his magnetic beauty even more. So handsome... So tempting.

"What...?", MC began, their shaky voice reflecting the confusion at seeing the demon there.

Lucifer turned and sighed, recognizing the human's presence. "You again…", he murmured.

"I'm your assistant. I-I mean... I'm the substitute priest's assistant!", MC hurried to explain, reeling in their own troubled thoughts as they watched the demon button his shirt and put on his chasuble with a disconcerting naturalness.

"So nervous early on. This way you won't make it through the rest of the day," Lucifer teased, approaching the young man with an intimidating presence. "Can we go or are you going to keep devouring me with your eyes? I thought you had a vow of chastity to keep."

MC stepped back looking away to avoid the temptations Lucifer offered. "We may proceed. The faithful are arriving," they replied quickly, trying to maintain the composure.

—*

It was truly surprising to watch Lucifer lead the mass. He delivered speeches and read bible verses as if had memorized them in his mind centuries ago. Well, in a way, he actually had them. After all, he was once an angel before becoming that.... Thing.

MC found themselves staring at him as he continued with the ministration, unable to look away. Lucifer's beauty was mesmerizing, every movement elegant, every word spoken with authority. Even though they knew who he really was, MC couldn't help but admire, getting lost in the details of his sculpted body and magnetic aura.

They tried to push away the conflicting thoughts, focusing on the church service that was taking place in front of them. But despite the efforts, the demon's presence continued to exert an undeniable fascination over them.

After concluding the morning mass, they both retreated to the private room once more, where Lucifer intended to change.

"And with that, I'm free from this stupidity," Lucifer remarked with disdain.

"But there's still Sunday mass," the other replied.

"I couldn't care less. Saturday was my agreement, and I've fulfilled my part," Lucifer retorted coldly.

"Please, I don't know how I'll find another priest!" they pleaded, their voice tinged with desperation before clearing their throat. "Not that you're truly a priest, but..."

"Perhaps I could assist... for a price," Lucifer interjected.

The human sighed disapprovingly. "And what do you want, demon?"

"Fear not, nothing of a carnal nature unless that's what you desire. Just a small sampling of your soul. It won't be painful..." Lucifer's voice dripped with mockery, knowing full well it would inflict torment.

"Okay... but..." They fidgeted nervously. "What if I desire... to explore something more?" The young man struggled to articulate their thoughts, aware that the words might inadvertently reveal the weight of something deeply personal. Despite the embarrassment that lingered, they saw this moment as an opportunity to confront a long-standing question that had lingered since their teenage years: exploring intimacy with someone of the same sex.

"More...? Pray, enlighten me," Lucifer responded, already aware of the human's desires but relishing in their embarrassment nonetheless.

"What if I desire... to be intimate with you?" they whispered, their cheeks flushing crimson.

"Ah, you are a naughty one," Lucifer chuckled, crossing his arms. "Very well, then. You've piqued my interest enough to indulge your curiosity."

Lucifer drew nearer, enveloping them in his embrace, arms around their waist, and swiftly initiated a fervent kiss, his tongue forcing the other to yield while they squirm, their kisses growing sloppy.

"Ngh..." the human moaned softly.

"Hush," Lucifer whispered, pulling them closer until their backs met the desk, eliciting a startled squeak. "We wouldn't want anyone overhearing, would we?"

The boy felt his heart thundering as they attempted to match Lucifer's fervor, but this was, indeed, their first kiss. Delicate hands roamed frantically over the demon's back, grasping at his clothes, while their legs trembled, on the verge of collapsing.

Observing the human's struggle, the avatar of pride seized their waist and gently positioned them on the table, slipping his hands beneath the fabric of the shirt to caress the delicate skin underneath.

The young assistant was already swept up in excitement, their cheeks ablaze as they breathed heavily. Their eyes darkened with lust, body craving more with every heartbeat. There was a slight twitching inside their pants and Lucifer noticed right away, brushing his long finger on top of it.

Lucifer leaned in closer, their lips grazing the human's ear as they whispered in a low, sultry tone, "You're quite eager, aren't you?"

They shivered at the sensation, their whole body tingling with anticipation. "I... I want..." stuttered the assistant, their voice barely a whisper as desire flooded their senses.

With a smirk, the demon gently lifted their chin, his gaze locking with the assistant's as he whispered, "Tell me exactly what you want." Swallowing hard, their heart race in their chest. "I want... I want to feel you," they confessed, voice trembling with a mix of nerves and longing.

A predatory gleam sparked in Lucifer's eyes as he leaned in, capturing the assistant's lips in a searing kiss. They melted into each other again, the heat of their desire igniting a flame that consumed them both.

The demon quickly starts undressing, taking off his clothes and tossing around before doing the same with them, until they are only with their underwear. Feeling both exposed and exhilarated, the human experienced a rush of courage as they reached out, their finger tracing along Lucifer's firm chest and abdomen. His physique wasn't overly sculpted, but it was undeniably defined in a way that stirred desire within them. It was fucking sexy.

Biting their lip, they chastised themselves for entertaining such thoughts about him. Yet, with every movement, their mind spun with vivid imaginings of what lay beneath his clothing, igniting a wild frenzy of desire that threatened to consume them completely.

“Now let's begin…” Lucifer cast a spell, conjuring a bright red light that momentarily dazzled the priest assistant. As their vision cleared, they blinked in surprise to find Lucifer holding a bottle of lube in his hand.

MC's cheeks flushed crimson with a mixture of arousal and astonishment. "What... what did you just do?" they stammered, their voice betraying a blend of curiosity and anticipation.

“I just got something to assist you.” He spreads some of the liquid on his hand and comes closer, sliding their underwear down. “Now, be a good boy and spread your legs for me.” As they opened their legs, Lucifer adjusts himself in between, sliding the underwear off his body, making the hardened shaft plop against his abs. The human widened their eyes, admiring how thick and perfect it looked. It was way better than they could ever imagine. Taking a deep breath to steady themselves for what would come next, they fix their gaze on Lucifer as he spread the lube over himself with deliberate care.

Anticipation coiled in the air between them as he stepped closer, now caressing their thighs. “Hold into me and enjoy your ride.” His low voice echos into their mind.

As Lucifer aligned himself and pushed into their entrance, MC gave a sharp intake of breath, instinctively clinging to the demon as a wave of intense pain surged through them. Tears welled in their eyes, and a soft sob escaped their lips, the sensation overwhelming and unexpected.

"Oh, do not cry," Lucifer murmured with a smirk, his voice a blend of amusement and a hint of something more complex. Despite his earlier taunt, there was a surprising gentleness in his actions as he continued to push himself deeper,the movements careful and deliberate, attuned to the human's sensations.“I almost feel pity of you.”

As the older man's hips pressed against theirs, the human's moans and pants grew louder, caught in a mix of pain and pleasure unlike anything they had ever experienced before.

With each thrust, MC's member pulsed with desire, coating their belly with slick pre-cum, a testament to the overwhelming arousal that coursed through them both.

"L-Lucifer... I..."

“Already?” Lucifer teases, moving faster and pushing forcefully inside them. They didn’t answer, only digging their nails into Lucifer’s back, nodding while moaning desperately.

Seeing the opportunity, the demon smiles sadistically and turns into his demon form, dark wings spread, growling like a wild animal. His tone was demonic, it had something almost disturbing in it. Without a word, he sinks his fangs into the boy's shoulder, the sudden surge of pain and pleasure caused the boy to gasp and squirm uncontrollably, their body convulsing with ecstasy as they release their load, splattering a mess across both of them in a wild climax of desire and darkness. As Lucifer indulged in consuming the ecstatic piece of soul, relishing its delectable taste, he exercised restraint, ensuring not to take too much.

It was a corruption that came so natural, so enticing, it only fueled his insatiable hunger further. With each taste, he felt himself sinking deeper into them, reveling in the delicious sensation of it all.

He couldn’t hold himself anymore.

He grips into their hips, his nails digging into their skin as he thrust himself deeper with a primal ferocity, ignoring the human's pleas for respite as they get overstimulated, he moved with an unrestrained urgency, becoming increasingly feral as he relentlessly massaged their prostate with his tip. With a primal roar of release, the avatar of pride surrendered to the overwhelming intensity, emptying his pent-up load deep inside them. Groaning and trembling from the sheer magnitude of the moment, he gasped desperately, seeking solace in the warmth of the human's neck as he nuzzled against it. That was the most vulnerable moment of Lucifer, the afterglow. Holding their body tightly, Lucifer ensured they couldn't escape from his corruption, his embrace a mixture of possessiveness and longing, binding them together in the aftermath of their shared descent into darkness. "Hells..." he murmured, his voice heavy with satisfaction. He threatens backing away but gets pulled back into the embrace.

"Please... Don't go yet," the human pleaded, their breath still coming in ragged pants as they hugged him back.

"Listen... I'm just here because I was in debt with a friend of mine, so I had to hold a stupid mass, now that I'm done with it, I will go back to Devildom. I'm just catching my breath," Lucifer explained matter-of-factly.

"Oh... So I'm not going to see you again?" There was a slight hint of sadness in their tone.

"What? Are you switching sides now? Want me to take you to hell with me?" Lucifer smirked, nuzzling against the MC's neck once more, inhaling their sweet scent mingled with salty sweat.

"No! Of course not. How could I...?" they replied, their tone falsely offended.

"Don't deny me like we didn't just... you know, fucked" Lucifer teased, his smirk widening as the human blushed and caressed the back of his neck.

“D-Don’t say such a thing.”

"Since you are so inspired… Maybe I could indulge you in a second round, but I don't think your human body will handle me again," Lucifer suggested, his voice laced with amusement.

"Please... Again," they whispered eagerly, desire evident in their eyes.

"Guess I will visit you more, human," Lucifer agreed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

With smiles exchanged between them, they resumed their passionate embrace, forgetting the world outside the private room as they risked getting caught in the most sinful act they could ever do.

Ok, this took me too long... I really really really hope you guys liked it. ＞﹏＜ AO3 version OH! And thanks for the 300 followers! You guys are amazing, thanks for the support, for rebloging my stuff and interacting in the posts, I'm loving every part of it.

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amethystia1208 · 9 months ago

Note

Loved your OP men as fathers posts. What would they be like as partners during the pregnancy? Specifically Buggy? I love him best...

I can definitely write this for you. Here we go!

One Piece Men during The Pregnancy

Buggy The Clown

• You can probably bet that this goofy goober in all his glory would go through like seven different reactions when his s/o tells him they’re pregnant.

• “Are you sure it’s yours- OW WHAT?!”

• “How is this even possible, well I know how it’s possible but- OW!”

• “Can we name it Buggy jr? OW, WILL YOU STOP HITTING ME, Y/N?!”

• But you can bet that as soon as the initial shock wears off, he will be cocky as hell, bragging to anyone who will listen that he’s gonna be a father.

• And does this newfound revelation make his beloved Cross Guild members go easier on him for a while?

• Absolutely not.

• If anything they’ll be on his ass even more, telling him he needs to man up if he’s going to be a dad.

• Expect this one to HOVER! He is so protective, he treats you like you’re actually made of glass.

• He also tries your cravings when you get super weird cravings. But only the weird ones, ie pickles and peanut butter, chocolate and bacon (I’ve actually had that before it’s really good), or tuna fish and mustard.

Red Haired Shanks

• Oh great heavens this one.

• When you tell him that you’re pregnant, he thinks you’re joking

• Like he actually laughs. Full on belly laughs until one of his crew members (probably Benn) tells him to shut up and that you’re likely not joking

• He won’t really know what to do at first, because the sea is not the safest place to raise a baby, and he’s not exactly the most responsible person

• Eventually he does come around to the idea of having a kid, mainly because he wants to be able to say he has a mini him.

• Until you start showing, he will forget that you are pregnant. Offers you drinks and you have to remind him that you can’t. He feels bad for forgetting, but he’ll do it again in a few days.

• He gets really into picking out names for the baby, like he buys whatever books he can find, looks at family names, briefly considers naming the kid Roger, is shut down in that, and starts all over.

Roronoa Zoro

• “what.”

• Seriously. That’s the only reaction you get. He most likely gets told after everyone else, and likely right when he wakes up, also probably when he’s hungover.

• Doesn’t really register until about the second trimester that you’re actually going to have his baby. He’ll just be walking around and it’ll just dawn on him.

• He gets super protective, but like silently. He never openly expresses that he’s nervous about you and the baby’s safety, but you can tell. Everyone can tell.

• When he stands next to you, his hand goes around your waist. When he sits with you, his hand is on your stomach. He has to have some kind of physical contact as a way to reassure himself that you’re safe.

• No stairs. He’ll carry you.

Black Leg Sanji

• Okay first of all, he is actually so ecstatic, he makes like three laps around the Sunny just cheering about how he’s gonna be a dad, before returning to carefully lift you into a hug and kiss you all over.

• He is so happy to be a father, but a small part of him is so nervous about starting a family because of his previous upbringing.

• He makes all of your cravings from scratch, no matter how weird they are. Doesn’t object, just cooks.

• When the baby bump starts showing, he gets almost territorial? Not in a weird way, he just gets really nervous when anyone gets too close to you. He’ll even find some way to get you away from some people. *cough* Zoro *cough*

• When you get super far along, he never lets you do anything for yourself. You’re thirsty? Don’t move, he already has it. Hungry? He has a whole tray of food prepared. He won’t even let you walk, that’s how insistent he is.

• He rubs your stomach and talks to the baby, telling him/her about the day, the Straw Hats, you, and just everything else he can think of.

That was actually really fun to write. Thanks for the request! Can you guys guess which one is my favorite?

#one piece #vinsmoke sanji x reader #buggy the clown #zoro roronoa x reader #red haired shanks

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janananarei · 2 months ago

Text

Moonrise

Gojo x reader

cw: SFW, Fluff to Angst, bittersweet ending, teenager satoru and reader, use of (Y/N), fem!reader

a/n: Sorry for the wait! Decided to scratch the plan in making this a series so I just made it into a oneshot. I hope you enjoy, cuz I spent way too much time on this.

Word count: 7.4k

Synopsis:

Satoru returns to his childhood hometown for the summer. Although, he shows no interest in rekindling with his home. That is until he met you, who he only ever sees when the moon is up. You and Satoru enjoy each other's presence, until time runs out and secrets are unraveled.

Divider by @/saradika

A box was dropped on the floor making a small thud. "That should be the last one." The man says, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he looks at the pile of boxes that is to be unpacked. "What do you think Satoru? Don't you miss this place?" The man turns his head to look at his son. Satoru looks out the window, not responding to his father, admiring the waves of the sea.

His mood still sour due to the abrupt move of places. His family decided to have a short vacation by the seaside. The place where he grew up in but unfortunately had to leave due to his family's company relocating in the city. Satoru was against a vacation in his childhood town, he'd rather spend the summer in the city with his big estate and his friends, attending parties and doing whatever he wanted. But alas, he's now here in the quiet coastal town that he hadn't seen for 5 years.

"Oh come on Satoru, this place isn't that bad. Now we don't have to hear car honks or people screaming every two minutes. Besides it's about time you experience something new." His father said, although he only gave an annoyed huff in response. He hears his father sigh, giving up on getting a reaction from him. "How about this, your mother and I will unpack everything while you go outside and explore a bit. Get to know the people around, catch up with old friends, or better yet, make new ones." His father encourages him, as goes up to Satoru and pulls him up. He practically drags him to the door, with Satoru protesting, before pushing him outside and closing the door on his face.

Satoru sighs and decides to take his father's advice, because what else can he do than die of boredom? He starts to walk in whatever direction, he really didn't care where he'd end up. Kicking stones along the way as he hears the waves from ashore. He thought about where he would be right now if he had stayed in the city-- Probably out spending all his money with a bunch of nick nacks that caught his eye, or skating with his friends with them planning to go on a party later night. But he was abruptly awoken from his thoughts when a ball hit him straight on the head.

"Ow!" Satoru yelped in pain as he rubs the area of his forehead that was starting to turn red. "Sorry about that!" he heard footsteps come running at him. He looks up to be met by a boy with black long hair and weird bangs aswell as a short brunette girl with a bob cut running up to him. "I was just practicing to shoot a ball. You're not hurt are you?" Mr. Weird bangs asked, crouching down to pick up the ball. "Tch, no not at all. Not like a ball hitting you straight on the head hurts or anything." Satoru says with sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Next time, you should try aiming for the hoop rather than an unsuspecting passerby." He adds on with a huff, quite frustrated with the bruise starting to form on his forehead. "Hah, this guy is eating your ass right now, Suguru. I'd quit basketball by now before my ego continues to be bruised." The brunette said, chuckling at her friend's agitated face. "Geez, I get it Shoko, I'm a bad player. No need to rub more salt in the wound." The so-called Suguru sulked, rubbing the back of his head.

He looks at Satoru before realizing something. "Hey, you must be the newbie! No wonder you don't look familiar. I'm Suguru, and she is Shoko! We're your new neighbors!" Suguru outstretched his hand for a handshake. Satoru looks at it with hesitance before reluctantly accepting it, "I'm Satoru. And I'm not staying here for good, I'm just here for the summer."

"Why don't you let us show you around? So you won't look like a lost chicken when going around." Shoko suggests, looking at him all laid-back. Satoru opens his mouth to decline the offer before he feels an arm rap around his shoulders. "Good idea Shoko, let's show this newbie around." Suguru starts to drag Satoru with them both, making sure to have a hard grip on him. How did it end up like this? He just wanted to be left alone. Satoru huffs and decides to go with them, since he doesn't really have a choice when Suguru practically has him in a chokehold.

The duo proceeds to drag Satoru around the town, showing him everything it has to offer. He sees familiar building and people around, giving them a curt greeting. While there are also some new things that he hasn't seen. The last area the duo decided to bring him to was a house near a cliff. It looked quite old with plants starting to overgrow and no lights inside turned on, leading Satoru to a conclusion that it was abandoned. Weirdly enough though, he felt a tug on his heart when he first caught sight of the house. It was like he knew the house before, but he couldn't recount any memories in it.

"Are we gonna go ghost hunting?" Satoru asks as he looks at both of his "captors". "Nah, we just wanted to show you this house. Its a big mystery as to who were the pervious owners of it and what happened to them." Shoko says continuing to look at the abandoned home. Seagulls can be heard flying from above as the waves hit the rocks from below the cliff. The sky starting to turn into a shade of orange and purple as the sun sets at the distance. "We should start heading back, it's starting to get cold." Suguru chimes in and the two agrees.

Satoru makes his way back to the villa, drained from his little adventure. His mom greets him by the entrance carrying a plate of food, "Satoru! You're just in time for dinner. Come sit by the table". He enters the dining room, seeing his dad ready to eat. "There's my boy! How was your walk? Did you meet anyone new?" His dad greets him, inviting him to side down and tell him everything that happened.

Dinner goes by smoothly, with laughter coming from his mother and father while they recount stories. Fork and spoons clanking as Satoru eats his portion in silence, before his father gets his attention. "On another note. Satoru, we'll be having a feast tomorrow night prepared by the townsfolk. It's a welcome back feast, so I expect great behavior from you." Satoru can only contain his annoyance, finding out that he would be surrounded by adults tomorrow. He dismisses himself early, wanting to go to bed.

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Tomorrow night quickly arrives as guests flocked into the villa, bringing gifts and meals for the table. Satoru's parents were busy greeting the guests, chatter quickly filling up the room as music plays in the background. Satoru stays in the corner, having no interest in entertaining the guests. The noisiness starting to bother him as he tightens his grip on his suit, which he was forced to wear for the occasion. All he can hear are varying voices, multiple footsteps, and the annoying background music that plays on loop. Staying in the room would only further make him feel cramped so he decided to sneak his way to the backdoor.

Fresh breeze hits his face, he sighs in satisfaction and relief from escaping the stuffy house. Seeing that the party will be going on for a while, he decided to take a walk on his own, meaning to pass the time. Now as he walks the familiar path by himself, letting his feet carry him wherever, he is left to truly appreciate the soothing sounds nature has to offer. Wind blowing on his hair, the waves hitting the shore as high tides come in, the moon shining bright beating all the twinkling stars. Although he much prefers the city life, he does like the silence from time to time with nature the only thing accompanying him.

He doesn't know how it happened but by the time Satoru notices where he's at, he is once again near the abandoned house by the cliff. But only this time, there were lights turned on inside and people talking can be heard from a distance.

Was he wrong? Did Shoko lie to him? Why were there people in the house when it was supposed to be abandoned?

He decides to investigate, taking caution and trying to be as stealthy as possible. He goes around the house and reaches its backyard. The chatter becomes louder as he jumps over the fence and crouches down. He crawls his way to the nearest window and peeks inside. He saw a ton of people inside chatting with one another as music plays in the background aswell, it was just like the feast in the villa. Old rich people conversing with one another as waiters go around serving drinks to the guests. His eyes catch a woman who has flaunting outfit that outshines the others as she converses with the guests surrounding her, Satoru guesses that she's the host of the party. While peaking, he fails to hear footsteps behind him. "Hey! Who are you and why are here?!" A voice shrieks, and Satoru jumps from and looks back in a frantic coming face-to-face of the culprit of where the voice came from.

"Woah, woah, woah- Quiet down! I don't mean any harm, promise! I was just curious on what was happening here!" Satoru said in a panic, putting his hands infront of his face in defense. The mysterious girl calms down and lowers their defense, "You know it's rude to sneak into someone's backyard. And it's even ruder to peek in people's houses!" huffing as she cross their arms. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new here?". Satoru nods, "I'm Satoru, I just came to this town yesterday." He starts to stand up and dust away the dirt on his clothes. "Oh! Well it's nice to meet you Satoru! I'm (Y/N), the daughter of the (L/N)s, AKA an owner of this house. What brings you here?". After you introduce yourself, Satoru once again feels a tug on his heart.

'(Y/N)', why does that sound so familiar?

He questions himself before responding to you, "My home is having a party aswell, unfortunately I don't do well interacting with old geezers, so I came here to get away from it." You only look at him in amusement as you give a little chuckle, "Well then it seems we're in the same situation, I am also escaping from a stuffy party. I usually come here in the backyard during these kinds of situations, the silence calms me down and leaves me to my own thoughts, it's like my own safe space. Since your here, I don't mind sharing it with you." You look at Satoru with soft eyes and a small smile.

"Gee, how generous." Satoru says with a small chuckle. You sit down on the grass, patting the spot beside you inviting Satoru to sit aswell. He takes your invitation and sits down, he looks at you as you start to bask in the sea breeze. He's gotta admit, you look majestic when the breeze blows your hair and your eyes reflects the twinkles of the stars. He can't look away, it was like you put him in a trance that keeps pulling him to you.

You catch his eyes staring at you, Don't you have manners? It's rude to stare, and you have already snuck in my backyard and peaked in my house!" You tease him with a smirk on your face. Satoru face goes red, quick to defend himself, "I-I was not! I was simply... distracted by the crumbs on your cheeks! And you talk about manners!" He sputters, making up an excuse in which you quickly bought. Your eyes widen in embarrassment, hiding your cheeks as you try to remove the "crumbs" on your face. Satoru looks at you as you turn your back on him, wiping your cheeks before your shoulders start to shake before his hears you laughing. The way your eyes crinkle to the way your laugh is like music to his ears, He can't seem to stop looking at you as if you have put him in a trance. It seems your laugh is also infectious as he can't help himself but let out his own.

You are both idiots

The music inside the house suddenly changes for slow dances. Satoru stands up, reaching out his hand to you-- inviting you to a dance, "Your a host aren't you? Entertain me for just a bit". Surprise can be seen in your face but you decide to play along, accepting his hand. He places one hand on your waist and the other holding yours. You follow him and place one hand on his shoulder while the other is holding his, as the music starts giving you both a que to start dancing aswell.

Your bodies follow the rhythm of the music-- steps following each other's flow while also being cautious to not step on each other. Your bodies swaying like the grass, and the breeze further enhancing the moment by blowing your hair. Satoru looks at you with stars in his eyes, as you look back with the ray of the moon reflecting on yours. Step by step, swaying with the wind, eye contact never lost. As the music slowly comes to an end, you both also separate from each other, bending down and ending the dance with a bow.

You look up, smiling at Satoru. He looks back with his eyes sparkling, he once again feels that tug on his heart. You walk up to him, wanting to take in the dance you both did before you hear your name being called from inside the house.

Times up

You sigh in disappointment before looking at him again. "Sorry Satoru, it looks like our time is cut short. You should probably head back aswell. Oh but- you're free to come here anytime!" You say, looking at Satoru with gleam in your eyes. You hear your name being called again, and you decide to return before you get in trouble. Before entering the house, you look back and smile at Satoru, "I hope to see you again."

The door shuts and Satoru is left by himself. He smiles in adoration, "I hope to see you again too." He says, hoping the wind carries it to you, before turning and leaving the house.

The sea calms down and Satoru is left to wonder what happened this night.

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The sun rises in the horizon, the sound of waves and a chicken crowing wakes Satoru up from dreamland. He groans as he sits up from bed, stretching his arms while yawning. His eyes lay on the suit that he wore yesterday night, and was immediately reminded of the girl from last night.

Satoru suddenly awake, his body fired up for the day, as he sets his first goal in mind.

He must see her again

Quickly getting out of bed and dressing up to something more comfortable, Satoru eagerly gets ready to see you. Sprinting out of the house, barely giving a greeting to his parents, he skips his way to the house by the cliff until he was interrupted.

"Yo Satoru! What's got you all happy?" He hears Suguru's voice behind him, and he turns around to be met with his new 'acquaintances'. He huffed, crossing his arms before pointing an accusatory finger to them. "You liars! There are people living in the 'abandoned' house, they even threw a party yesterday!"

Suguru and shoko looks at each other confused-- they've never seen anyone inside the house, nor any light turned on. Shoko looks back with confusion, "We didn't hear about any party happening there last night...?". Hearing what she said, Satoru also became confused himself but is quick to dismiss it because they both didn't come to his villa to the party as well --Which he was disappointed at, but he won't admit it-- and figured that they're both just losers that are out of the loop from what's happening.

"Whatever. Come with me, there's this girl I want you guys to meet." Satoru starts to walk once more. Suguru just shrugs at shoko and starts to follow him aswell, and the brunette can only sigh before towing behind them.

The three make it to the house once more, and just like the first time, the house was empty. Satoru kept knocking on the door waiting for a response, he even went back to the backyard to check if you were there. But alas, it seems that no one was home. Satoru looks through the window, he was only met with an empty living room that had started to grow old with how the wallpapers were ripping off and holes found on the wall-- weird, was your house always this unkept?

Satoru looks back at his two companions who were just at the side waiting for him, wondering if Satoru had gone crazy. "Uh- maybe they went on a trip...? Let's just go back tomorrow." The duo still looks at Satoru like he's insane, but nodded in hesitance.

On their way to leave the area, the both see Satoru looking dejected. Disappointment taking over him as his companions didn't get to meet you, and now they probably think he's crazy. To lighten the mood, shoko changes the topic, "Did you hear that there is gonna be a festival 4 months from now? It's gonna be a big celebration with a bunch of food stalls, fire crackers, and performances-- and the best of it all, a firework show!"

"You should come there Satoru. A festival just before you leave the town." Suguru nudges him. Satoru wonders if he could bring you along, your sure to love the fireworks.

Later that night, he comes back to your house, checking to see if you've arrived home. Sneaking to the back, he is met by the strong breeze hitting his face and soft humming reaches his ears. The first thing his cerulean eyes see is your silhouette highlighted by the glow of the moon as grass sway around you. You turn your head once you hear footsteps behind you, and your face lights up when you see Satoru, "You came back!" Glee seen all throughout your face.

"Well I got nothing better to do." Satoru walks over to you, returning a smile-- glad to see you once more. "I actually came here this morning with my acquaintances, but you weren't here so we figured you left for a trip." He scratches the back of his head, not noticing your smile falling just a bit. "Oh, I have private lessons everyday so I'm out of the house every morning and afternoon." You look down to the ground, "Satoru, you can't bring anyone with you here. My parents don't just allow anyone in. Sneaking you in here was risky enough, bringing more people in will only get you caught faster. And I can't lose you so soon when your the only friend I have." You say somberly, hating to break the truth to him.

"Oh...okay, I won't. I wouldn't want to be kicked out so soon as well when I found the best view of the sea here." he says, trying to light up the mood. You chuckle, but the feeling of sadness still remains in you. Your parents were out of the house most of the time, leaving you with your nannies. Although, they weren't the best at taking care of you-- sometimes neglecting you and leaving you to take care of yourself, they put up a face whenever your parents are around but they show their true colors when your left alone. You still remember that time when you were a child, where they threatened to push you off the cliff-- pulling your arm as you try to hold back, tears falling from your eyes as their grip only hardens.

You only wanted to explore the town more, so you sneaked out. Once your nannies found out about it, they were quick to grab you once you came back. That's when your fear of heights started, which is ironic when you live by a cliff. You tried to tell your parents, but they dismissed you, saying that it is a form of discipline so that you wouldn't sneak off again. That was when you realized you couldn't trust anyone in your house, when all they do is hurt you and leave you alone. Trusting someone will only leave more broken, so you hadn't opened to someone since.

"Hey, I didn't know you have a swing here!" You're snapped out by Satoru's voice, you find him by the old swing that was near the edge of the cliff. "Oh yeah, I use to play on that swing until my fear of heights got the best of me." You say, embarrassed to admit your silly fear.

"Well, why don't you conquer your fear? And if you fall, I'll catch you. Trust me" Satoru looks at you, and you feel your heart flutter. You come up to him, and hesitantly sit on the swing, feeling it creak as you sit down. "Ready?" Satoru looks at you, reassuring you that you won't fall, and you nod in hesitance as you hold on tightly. He pushes your back and the swing starts to gain momentum, it speeds up until your up high in the air. You thought you would be shaking from now as you see the sea from above, but you only felt at peace. The breeze hitting your face as it blows your hair, and the waves clashing with the rocks below you-- It felt like you were flying. You close your eyes and let out a laugh, as the swing takes you as high as it can reach, and you felt like you were a child again.

You look back at Satoru, giving him the biggest smile you can muster, and you think your ready to lay your trust onto someone again.

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"Satoru, are you sure about this?"

Satoru holds your hand as he leads you to the shore, your house seen from the distance.

"What if my nannies see me?"

"They won't, I promise."

It had already been 2 months since your first meeting, and 3 more months until summer ends and Satoru has to inevitably go back to the city. Satoru felt despair once he noticed how time flies by, and how soon he'd have to leave this town-- he wishes to spend more time with you. So in a whim, he pulled you out of your house in the middle of the night, and onto the shore.

You have decided to follow him by his insistence, saying that you deserve to take a breather away from your stuffy house. The waves are calm, all sorts of shells laid out on the sand, and small crabs peaking out their hole. "Ever made a bracelet made out of puka shells?" Satoru asked, starting to pick out the shells from the ground. You shake your head and follow him in collecting shells. "I'll teach you once we go back. For now let's find those puka shells!" He said with enthusiasm, more determined than ever to find those shells. A chuckle left your mouth, and you turn your focus on find puka shells.

Peaceful silence fills the atmosphere as only the sound of the sea water can be heard. You gaze at Satoru as he keeps on picking shells off the ground, and you realize that after all the time you spent with him, you hadn't ever get to know him more.

"Satoru"

"Yeah, Moon?"

Ah that nickname. The nickname that he had started to call you since. It started out as a joke since he only ever sees you at night when the moon is fully up, but it slowly turned into a term of endearment. With him saying that you looked just as beautiful as the moon, outshining any other star.

"What's life in the city like?" You ask in curiosity, wanting to know more of him. Satoru looks at you surprised by your answer, but decides to entertain your question. "A lot of things happens there. People bustling outside all day, cars honking as they make their way to work. Your surrounded by tall buildings everywhere you look, and there's people talking everywhere you turn. During the night, there's a bunch of parties happening, music blaring in the whole sky with people dancing around. It sounds fun and all, but it eventually gets boring."

"Well at least it's not as boring as having private lessons all afternoon, and just staying in the house all night." You say jokingly, but Satoru only looks at you-- feeling sorrowful with the faith you have. You hated it, you hated people looking at you with empathy when they hear your story. This is how you grew up as, this is the only thing you know, you had gotten used to living in isolation.

"Don't look at me like that, there's nothing you could've done." You say, trailing off at the end. Satoru let's go of the shells and runs into the water, you feel guilt forming in you-- thinking that you have somehow soured his mood. But you were suddenly splashed with water, hitting you right in your face. You stand in shock as you hear Satoru laugh from a distance.

"Why you-!"

You run after him, not caring that your clothes are getting wet. The water flowing under you, as your feet steps on the soft sand of the sea. You keep trying to catch Satoru, flinging water to him. And he laughs as he runs away from you, taking humor in the way you try and fail to get him.

Once the both of you tired yourselves out. You lay on the sand of the shore, as the water tries to reach you both. Heaving and panting out of exhaustion, you look at your clothes that are drenched. You huff and look at Satoru with annoyance-- but you really enjoyed that chase--, and he can only shrug and whisper an apology.

"Oh Moon! There's this festival that's happening 2 months from now. I was hoping if you'd enjoy it with me?" Satoru looks at you, anticipating for your answer. You hesitated, you're sure your nannies would forbid you from going. Before you can sadly decline his offer, Satoru interrupts-- "Don't worry, we're not actually gonna go there. I'll buy stuff from the festival and bring it to you. Then we can enjoy the view from your house." You stare at Satoru, feeling your heart flutter. You nod your head with exhilaration, can't believing that someone would do all of this just to be with you.

Satoru gives you the biggest smile ever, overjoyed with your decision. He stood up, helping you stand up aswell, as you both collect the shells you found today.

"Come on, let's go back. I still gotta teach you how to make a bracelet"

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Another 2 months quickly goes by, and the day of the festival arrives faster than ever. Satoru makes a quick trip to the festival, intending to buy snack for you and him.

The town was livelier than it's ever been with the streets are filled with food stands, banners, and light as kids run around with sparklers. "Satoru, You came!" He hears the familiar voice of Suguru, and before he can turn, an arm suddenly wraps around his shoulders while he was holding some dangos. "Ah-! Suguru! You almost made me drop my dangos!" Satoru looks at Suguru with irritation and the boy responds with a snicker. Suguru takes notice of the backpack Satoru carries and the camera sling he has around him, "What's with all the stuff? You running away?" His voice filled with curiosity. "Don't pry into people's business Suguru. Satoru wouldn't want us to find out about his secret girlfriend." Shoko's voice barges in, and the two boys turns their attention to the the brunette. Satoru huffed, removing Suguru's arm around him, "I am not running away and I do not have a 'secret girlfriend'! Now if you'd excuse me, I have somewhere to be!". Satoru quickly leaves the duo behind, not letting them have another word in. Shoko looks at Suguru with a smirk.

"I told ya he has a girlfriend."

Satoru makes it to your house, going to your usual meeting spot. You see him walk out of the bushes, and run to him surprising him with a hug.

"Woah- easy there moon. I could've dropped our food." Satoru steadies himself, making sure you both won't fall to the ground. "My nannies left to go to the festival, so we have the whole house to ourself!" You say with excitement. Satoru chuckles, picking a spot to set the food down.

"Ever tried dangos before?" Satoru holds up the dangos he save for you and you take it, giving him a small thanks. You both sit down on the ground waiting for the firework show to start.

"Look, I brought my camera with me. Now we can take a picture and have a memory of this special night!" Satoru pulls out his Instax camera showing it to you. You stare back in curiosity and confusion, never having seen a camera such as Satoru's. Satoru sets the camera farther away from you two, and sets up a timer--which the camera conveniently has-- before rushing back to your side.

"Hit a pose with me!" Satoru tells you as you follow what he says. Both of you holding your smile and poses, as the camera click. Satoru gets his camera back and snatches the film starting to come out from it. He shakes it around, settling next to you, before blowing it and showing you the picture. You stare in admiration at the still image, a warm smile showing at your face. And you both soon go back to eating and taking more pictures.

Everything felt like a dream. The full moon shining brighter than normal, the stars twinkling in the sky, and the waves as calm as the night. You can see the festival from the cliff, and it looked beautiful with all the lights and color-- you wished you could actually go there to see it yourself.

You look at Satoru, and you feel like your hearts gonna explode. The glow from the moon encapsulates his beauty as his vibrant blue eyes stare at the festival below. You're glad this night became possible with just you and Satoru alone.

"Satoru" he heard you call him and he turns his head to look at you, your eyes meets his and he almost thought that he was looking at the stars with how you look at him. "I'm really glad to have met you." you say, speaking out with your emotions. Satoru smiles at you, "I'm glad to have met you aswell."

"When summer ends, and you go back to the city. Promise that you'll remember me?" You say, trailing off at the end. Satoru looks at you, feeling sadness creep up to him now that he's realized that summer is ending soon. He'll have to face the reality of leaving you, and leaving the joy he experiences with your presence. He's not ready to leave yet, not when he hasn't been honest with his feelings for you.

"Moon, I-"

The first firework explodes in the sky, and comes more fireworks, filling the dark sky with colors. You turn your attention to the fireworks, awestruck by the beauty of the splashes of color. While you enjoy the fireworks, Satoru looks at you like you hung the stars yourself.

No, he can't say it now. Not tonight.

He looks at the fireworks, enjoying the show with you. As booms can be heard all throughout, with the fireworks lights going everywhere. And once it had ended, you look back at Satoru with satisfaction on your face.

"What was it you were gonna say, Satoru?"

"Nothing."

And the night continues on, basking in each other's presence.

≿━━༺❀༻━━≾ ༻✧༺ ≿━━༺❀༻━━≾

Early in the morning and Satoru is on an errand. Being tasked by his mother to bring a snack to Mr. Haruto after he helped with their garden yesterday.

Apparently, he lives farther away from the town, living by a hill. On his trek to Mr. Haruto's house, he stumbles upon a graveyard hidden within trees, secluded from the town. Rows of gravetones line up, as monuments of the long gone lie here forever to be remembered.

He didn't know what compelled him to, but he walked inside looking at the names of the deceased. His eyes catch a particular gravestone in the corner, as if it's calling him-- and like a moth to a flame, he approaches it.

A container drops to the floor as the snacks inside fly out, leaving a mess on the ground. Satoru had dropped it, as his eyes widen on the name etched onto the stone.

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

(Y/N) (L/N)

1989-2001

"Loved and missed by many."

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

Satoru feels his heart drop as he stops breathing for a second. He doesn't understand, how are you dead when he just saw you yesterday? Why is your name written in a gravestone when he sees you every night? Satoru stumbles backward, falling onto the floor. He can't think straight, and everything is starting to get fuzzy.

His breathing quickens, starting to lose his mind before he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"You alright there, boy?"

Satoru looks behind him to be met by Mr. Haruto. The old man helps him up, dusting away the dirt caught onto his shirt as Satoru is still left speechless. "What are you doing here by yourself?" The old man asked, worried about Satoru's current state.

"Mr. Haruto... Is this gravestone real?" Satoru asked, still out of breath, as he points onto your supposed gravestone. Mr. Haruto glances onto your gravestone and looks back at Satoru, "It is. The incident had been a tragic one and I continue to pray for the little girl's family."

"What happened to the girl?" Satoru asked hesitantly, his hands shaking as he feels like his body is freezing from inside and out. "It's best you ask that to Mrs. Saito, she had been a close friend to the girl's parents. She lives in the town's bakery." Satoru nods, thanking him before sprinting back to the town.

The bell chimes as the door of the bakery slams open. Mrs. Saito startled by the sudden interruption, as she peeks at the culprit. "Satoru?! What brings you here? Oh look how grown up you are!" Mrs. Saito's face brightens up once she sees the familiar face of the boy who always goes to her bakery before.

"Mrs. Saito I need to talk to you.. It's about (Y/N)" he mutters, devoid of any emotion. Mrs. Saito immediately sees Satoru's state, knowing that this was serious, leading him to the back of the bakery.

"Mrs. Saito, what happened to (Y/N)" Satoru asks, despair tinged in his voice. Mrs. Saito looks down as she recalls the tragic memory of losing you, "It was an accident, and it still pains me to remember it. It was a year after you left the town, and (Y/N) had been playing to close to the edge of the cliff. We don't exactly know how it happened but she slipped off the edge and hit the rocks below. Her death took a toll to her parents, deciding to move out of the town." Mrs. Saito grips her dress, remembering the day when the sky was covered with grey clouds as the news of your death spread around the town. "That sweet girl has been all alone in her life, just staying in the house rather than playing with friends. I visit her grave from time to time, hoping that she won't feel lonely even in her eternal resting place."

Satoru's hands starts shaking again, not being able to process the story. "B-but, she's alive! I see her every night! I even have a photo with her during the festival!" Satoru pulls out the picture he took of you both, showing it to Mrs. Saito, but she only looks at him confused and concerned, "Satoru.. What are you talking about?" Concern tailing in her voice. He looks at the photo himself, shocked that he's the only one seen in the photo-- it was like you never existed at all. "I-I swear- She's alive! She has to be!" Satoru shouts in desperation, his mind starting to spiral and tears starts build up in his eyes.

Mrs. Saito helps him calm down, ushering him to sit and waiting for his mind to clear. She brings in some water for him to cool down, and waits until he's ready to talk again. Mrs. Saito holds Satoru's shoulder as she keeps her gaze on him, "Satoru, she's your childhood friend. I'm sure your parents heard the news of what happened to her, and I'm sure you heard it yourself as well. But you couldn't accept her death, so you pushed it at the back of your head, creating a world where she's still alive. I know how hard it is to lose someone, but you need to face reality. You need to let her go."

And suddenly, like waking up from a dream, his mind remembers the reality of what truly happened. All the moments he had with you these past few months, were in reality his memories of him and you during his childhood. He had been replaying his childhood memories, from the moment he met you when he escaped from the party, to the festival you both enjoyed from your backyard. It was all fake, you weren't ever real.

Satoru feels his heart breaking. The truth leaving him in shambles as he goes back home, locking himself in his room.

This isn't right-- Satoru knows he has to face reality. He can't keep living in a false world where you are still alive. He needs to confront you in order to accept that your really gone.

That night, Satoru walks on the path to your house. The breeze blowing harder than the normal, and the tides had become harsher than ever. He sees your silhouette by the window of your bedroom, before you come out of the balcony in a rush and hold onto the railing. His eyes starts to brim with tears as he looks at you like you have betrayed him.

"Satoru! I didn't mean to be a lie to you! I didn't mean to leave you alone!" You shout to him in desperation, tears of your own starting to fall down.

"How could you do this to me? How could you make me such a fool?!" Satoru stares at you with his tear filled eyes as he keeps marching his way to your house, until he felt like he was sinking. Looking down, he saw his feet sinking onto the soil like it was quick sand.

"Please, Satoru-! I didn't want you to forget me!" The breeze starts howling and the tides become higher. Hair blows on your face as you continue to grip on the railings, looking at Satoru as tears blind your sight

He doesn't respond, continuing to stare at you like his curelean eyes were burning through you. The ground continues to slowly eat him up until he's fully stuck onto the ground, not being able to make his way to you.

"My feelings for your were real, and yet-! I gave it to a fake!" Satoru can't let you go when you were the color to his bleak life. But he had to come back to reality. He looks around-- The tides clashing with the rocks, the soil eating him up, the wind unforgiving, and the moon starting to set.

"Please forgive me!" You shout as the wind starts carrying your tears. Time was ticking, and soon you'd be gone. And with his tears flying with the wind, despair in his heart, he lets you go.

"Of course I forgive you! I love you, Moon!" He says with all his heart, pouring all that he kept to you. He looks at you and sees you smile-- out of relief, satisfaction, or sadness? Satoru couldn't tell, but staring at your eyes tells him all that he needs to know. You love him too, but it was never meant to be.

The moon sets in the horizon and you close your eyes continuing to smile at him. The wind and the waves was all he could hear before the ground opens up, and he was sucked into the hole. His last glimpse of you was you feeling at peace as you reach your conclusion.

He shouts your name one last time before the world goes dark.

Satoru wakes up in a cold sweat, sitting up and breathing heavily. He looks around and he was back in his room. He's done it-- you were truly gone now, and although Satoru should've felt relief in letting you go, he can't help himself when tears start to run down from his eyes.

He hears his bedroom door slide open and his father come in. "Satoru, breakfast is-" his old man trails off as he stands stunned at what he was witnessing. He goes up to him, sitting on his bed beside Satoru.

"You alright champ?" His father's voice tinged with worry. Satoru doesn't respond, but instead hugs his father tightly, covering his face on his shoulder.His old man surprised by the sudden hug, but soon returns it as well.

The father and son stays in the room with no words uttered, as Satoru's silent cries continues on.

≿━━༺❀༻━━≾ ༻✧༺ ≿━━༺❀༻━━≾

The trunk of the car slams close as every box and luggage are packed inside.

Summer is coming to an end and so is the Gojo families time in the town. Just before Satoru gets in the car, he hears two sets of footsteps approach him and the call of his name. He turns around to be met with his friends waving at him.

"Going so soon? Without a goodbye, how cruel." Shoko teased as they both reach him. Satoru gives a boisterous laugh, "Well don't miss me too much".

Suguru reaches into his pocket and brings out a small pouch, handing it to Satoru. "It's a souvenir, so you won't forget about us, which you better not". Satoru looks down and opens the pouch, revealing a bracelet made out of blue beads and the initials of the trio. He feels a smile creep up on his face as he holds the bracelet close. Suddenly, he attacks the two with a surprise hug, giving them a squeeze. Shoko kept pushing him, complaining that she was squeezing him too hard, and Suguru looks like he couldn't even breath.

He hears his father call for him, and gives his final goodbyes to his friends before getting in the car. As the engine starts, and the car starts to move, he sees Suguru and Shoko continue to wave at him until their figures were too small to see.

Looking down at the bracelet once more, he wears it along with the puka bracelet he had made with you. He slides the car window open, letting the fresh sea breeze hit his face as he admires the view one last time.

From the distance, the house by the cliff can be seen. And Satoru's eyes widen when he sees an image of you by the window waving a goodbye to him. He puts his head out the window and waves back, happy to have seen you before he leaves.

Your mirage continue to wave at him until he goes back in the car and rests on his seat, a warm smile on his face. He gazes at the color blue sky of the morning.

The moon has set and the sun has risen.

a/n: I just had to make a story inspired by 'When Marnie was There' bcs I really love that film^^ Thank you so much for sticking until the end, and I hope you enjoyed this oneshot!

#gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru x you #gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo fluff #gojo angst #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen x you #jjk x reader #jjk x you #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu gojo #gojo satoru fluff #jjk gojo #jjk fluff #jjk angst

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keischreiber · 11 months ago

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Okay, okay. So, I think the fandom agrees that eventually, Reiner's gonna be trading his Herculean physique for a dad bod. Which makes sense given... y'all have seen his shitty father's body, right? According to Isayama, Reiner's fantastic build isn't because of his workout routine or training, but it's more because he's genetically meant to look that way.

So like... imagine how, he's trying to keep himself in good shape because he always finds it adorable and endearing how your stare chases after him.

Post Rumbling he gets into the more domestic life. While he does work, you make sure that he's well pampered. That includes him just indulging in your cooking. At first, he's very reserved about the eating. But he likes it when you cook, even if the food doesn't always come out the way that you want it too. He'd always be there to have the last piece, or the last slice, even when you tell him that he doesn't need to force himself to eat a "failed experiment". Instead of doing what you say, he instead gives you feedback on what he thinks of it, and encourages you to cook more because he enjoyed coming home to your home-cooked meals.

"I think I'm getting out of shape..." He mutters to himself after coming out of the shower and checking himself in the mirror. Pinching a good layer of fat.

There was an obvious layer of flab that wasn't there a month or two ago. With how taxing work had been, he hardly has the time to go over his workout routine due to being tired and would rather just cozy up with you and a good bowl of whatever it is that you made for the day than spend any more time away from you than he already does.

"What do you mean? You look fine." Was your only response as you looked at him.

"But don't you like the muscles... this thing right here?"

Reiner takes your hand and places it on his torso, letting you feel the abs that were at the early stages of its disappearance.

You of course blushed when he did this. Not because he called you out, but more because, he now feels more comfortable with your touch when... back then, he would flinch, not wanting you to touch the body of a murderer.

"Reiner, it's not about the muscles." You tell him, letting your hands wonder to his side so you can pinch his current dilemma. While the nice hard abs were tantalizing... the squishiness of his sides and getting a reaction from him... the small grunt, the whispered whine, the withheld moan that he just did when you gave him a squeeze or two... really did something to you. Not, forgetting of course, how his face looked when you did.

"I-it's not?" He tried confirming, a soft blush dusting his cheeks.

"It's always just been about you. Regardless of whether you've got Helos' physique or the newly installed Reiner love handles—" You were cut short for a moment, a small 'Ow' leaving your lips when he smacked your behind, mouthing off not to call it that. But you just giggled. "As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me..." You continued.

"This? All of this is you. And that's all that matters to me. Besides, gives me more to love on."

"You want... more of me to love?"

"Of course I do. Why does that even sound like a surprise to you?"

He could cry right then and there. Reiner just ends up pulling you in a tight embrace, happily smiling to himself as he smothers you with affection. To be honest, he's still having a hard time feeling that he deserved love and acceptance, but thanks to being with you everyday... he was learning to do so more and more.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

#◆ musings.#◆ imagines.#reiner braun #reiner #reiner x reader #reiner x you #aot #attack on titan #fluff #body posititivity #I often see Reiner being supportive whenever his SO has body insecurities.#So I thought it'd be nice to show the same in the event that he would feel insecure or anxious about his.

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rosie-read-that · 13 days ago

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jamie dutton hot takes as someone watching yellowstone five seasons late*

*and having only seen 1.5 seasons

beth's s1 "you're only care about yourself" and s2 "you have no morality" speeches are more revealing about beth than jamie, and that is a hill i will die on as a beth and jamie enjoyer. he gets called out as someone with zero sense of self, but beth also has no idea who she is outside of "i killed my mom/i can't have children/i must live for my father until he dies." all of the duttons exhibit antisocial personality traits, actually, so beth bringing up jamie's selfishness and lack of morality is very pot calling kettle, and in fact, i would posit that beth hinges a lot of her identity on jamie and vice versa. that said, as much as they function as walking rorschach tests for each other and voids they can stare into and project the worst parts of themselves, i don't think beth has a single clue who jamie is as a person, neither does jamie know beth deep-down (the way rip does). they're too busy seeing themselves to see each other - therefore everything beth says about jamie and jamie says about beth is unreliable narration and i ain't no dummy, so i believe none of it.

i don't think taylor sheridan is this nuanced, but a lot of the fandom reaction to jamie and the response to him in-universe is because the world and also "the world of yellowstone" doesn't take kindly to weak men. jamie is incapable of pulling himself up by his bootstraps, he is the most emotional man on the show, he doesn't lose his shit in the rip way or the kayce way, the macho-adjacent "acceptable" way. he stares at himself in the mirror and ugly cries. he blubbers as he does a murder, then cowers when he has to tell his dad what he's done. he gets called a coward and a bitch and all sorts of emasculation-coded words, beth makes a lot of comments about him not having balls. in neo-western society, men like jamie are inferior, and actually the "acceptable" way to be a man is as narrow as evelyn dutton's "acceptable" way for beth to be a woman. sheridan isn't gonna do it, but i'm sure as hell looking those gender roles in the face and saying "not today, satan!"

kayce got to kill like half a dozen people in s1, he strung a man up from a tree, "disappearing" ranch hands is common practice at the yellowstone, so john saying he draws the line at jamie's one (1) murder makes absolutely no sense. if beth had been the one to strangle that reporter and yeet her into the river, john would've patted her on the back, handed her a drink, and said, "thank you, sweetheart."

knowing as i know that jamie is adopted kiiiinda gives me a lil bit of the ick in the way that some of the show's messaging is obviously conservative, and so john hating his adopted son puts a lot of emphasis on him not being a "real" dutton, not part of the bloodline, not pure. he's basically framed as another interloper, a changeling, someone who shouldn't be there and who the family would be better off without. this being taken off the table entirely when jamie is discussed is sus af. like, what loyalty does he owe john and beth (shhhh, lee and kayce, you don't come into this) when they've done nothing but heap on abuse? he didn't ask john and evelyn to adopt him. his education was paid for because john wanted a lawyer in his arsenal. so ?????

added to above: forget about being an accessory to the crime, if jamie dutton had decided to send john into the afterlife with his own two hands and a meat cleaver, it's what john would've deserved!!!!!

i'm obviously not excusing what jamie did to beth - being forcibly sterilized is horrific - but some of y'all act like he was a middle aged man when everything happened. i've seen age debates like "he was 17! probably 18!" and it makes me want to ben-affleck-smoke-a-cigarette if you think a 17-18 year old knows what the hell they're doing in a high-pressure, high-stress situation where you can't confide in a real adult, and also you're terrified of doing something that would create a headache for your abusive parent. beth shouldn't "be over" what he allowed to happen to her, but she deflects a lot of her feelings onto him because, mentally, she can't handle seeing her parents' faults. evelyn bears a lot of the blame here because using your last breaths to tell your daughter that she's at fault for your death is some fucked up shit, and also where was john????? where was the parent??? why was he not aware of his daughter's risky behavior!!! did he even bother giving her the sex talk? i think not!

take a shot every time someone snidely mentions that jamie cares soooo much what people think of him.... at john. take a shot at john, because there's a man upset that he's sliding into irrelevance and that his name doesn't open all the magic doors anymore, so if you think jamie is a big baby, well, he learned how to be a big baby from his dad.

i don't actually have an issue with jamie's emotionality or failson tendencies. moral failure? name one moral person on this show. i wish he had the strength of will to disown his family, gtfo of montana and be a lawyer somewhere else. my dream would be for beth, kayce, and jamie (and rip!) to realize what a bag of dicks their dad was and to burn the yellowstone to the ground before cashing in their land checks, but that's obviously not gonna happen, so i'll settle for none of the siblings dying, because having john and evelyn as parents was punishment enough, and in terms of crimes, i think they're all pretty much even.

yeah.... i guess it all boils down to "i hate john dutton." all the people who said "but i watched for him!" YOU WATCHED FOR WHO???? FOR HIM???? as a how-not-to-be-a-dad manual, right? ........right??

#yellowstone #yellowstone tv #jamie dutton #beth dutton #john dutton #kayce dutton #rosie.txt

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romadine · 1 month ago

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black clover recent chapters: my thoughts, a post 🍀🍁

Spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk. I first posted this at Twitter, so it might be more organized there 🥺

I want to view these chapters more of a show rather than tell, hence probably why there's not much lore.

It depicts the responsibility eldest siblings bear and how they decide to act on it depending on their situation.

Honorable mention: Nozel.

Starting with Yami.

I don't know if it's common in other cultures, but the eldest being the first one to leave their toxic household is quite a trend in Asian families.

Granted, Yami's circumstances were a special case caused by a massacre but even he follows this pattern.

He harbors this subconscious guilt for not being strong enough to protect his defenseless sister.

He may have started anew in a foreign land but this silent regret was reflected with the way he treated the Black Bulls, from helping Gauche to adopting Noelle and so on.

The path he took were indicative of the past he'd once run away from, the promise he kept. Hence, this further proves Morgen's statement.

He understood the mistakes Nacht took as the oldest, that he was young and there was nothing he could do esp when toxic parents get involved.

Which is why this panel holds so much value, the build up was there since the beginning.

He got to live the life he wanted, meeting all sorts of people, and he owed it to Ryu, his friend who readily supported him and Ichika.

All of these buried emotions boiled down right to this moment.

As if poetically embracing change and maturity.

His instinctive reaction to protect Ichika at the sudden sign of danger and his admission to finally having the strength to do so flowed naturally in the narrative.

Assuming that he indeed told no one of his past, the fact that he hallucinated his only family member and still remembered what her ki felt like in his almost-dying state reinforced the regret he silently carried all along.

Yami is the eldest sibling who left not just to protect his sister but to better himself to be able to repay those who helped him (especially Ryu) and make it up to Ichika whom he left behind to another person.

He is that brother who breaks the cycle of abuse, pain, and trauma.

Yami's situation contrasted with Nacht's. The latter opted to live behind the light of his twin and sank deeper into the shadows he and his family led him to believe he belonged to.

While Nacht's choice parallels Yami's decision to leave, it would also be his greatest mistake.

Even without Yami's extremely detailed backstory, it is implied that his crime was born out of desperation to save Ichika from the malice of their father and the judgment of others.

Nacht, however, sinned for the sense of belongingness while not intending to drag Morgen down.

Nacht felt his responsibility was to at least preserve Morgen's innocence & reputation by staying away AND indulging in his malice.

Like Yami's responsibility to protect Ichika from their father & whatever laws may incur upon her berserk by leaving AND killing their father.

Their differences in how they acted as the eldest highlighted the brief yet pivotal moment Nacht had with Ichika.

If Morgen's sin was being a bystander, Ichika's was definitely ignorance. And by all means, ignorance exempts no one.

While Ichika didn't outright called out Nacht, her resolution to fight and make amends hits deep.

Yami was right. Nacht should be the one to end Morgen from doing things he'd regret.

The other Yami was correct as well. Nacht isn't the victim here. Morgen is and so many others.

He still got the Black Bulls but most importantly, he still have his bestfriend and partner in crime–𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚.

He'd be a fool to commit another mistake twice. It is now his responsibility to finish Morgen, to put an end to his suffering, and to free him from Lucius' control.

Notice that Ichika was holding back her tears. Whatever reason was that, be it pride, lack of time, or inappropriate location, Ichika didn't waste the opportunity to apologize and jump right into action.

Afterall, the battlefield is a place where hesitance costs lives.

Her resolve parallels Nacht's realization.

Tears don't mark the end of a sin.

The past cannot be undone by mere words or mourning. What matters is the actions one takes in the present.

At the end of these chapters, it is indeed time to reap what they sow even after growing apart from one another.

–end of review–

#black clover #bcspoilers #yami ichika #ichika yami #yami sukehiro #nacht faust #morgen faust #yami siblings

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shiinata-library · 2 years ago

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Imagine: Being too focused

Thorin, Fíli, Kíli, Bilbo's reactions when they understand you're just very focused on your job.

[ 📚 Main Imagines Masterlist 📚 ]

You joined Thorin's company in Bree when they stayed at The Prancing Pony. Gandalf recommended you as a guide throughout Middle earth because he knew he won't always be with them. After a long, complicated discussion between him and Thorin, he finally accepted you, but not as a company member, rather as an optional person like Gandalf. So no contract, no part of treasure, and no responsibility for him.

As you just owed a big favour to Gandalf, you were okay with that. As a Ranger of the North, you know Middle earth by heart, so leading them to Erebor will be easy, right?

Thorin

From the start, you ride on a horse, always before everyone, alone staring at the horizon to be sure of the way.

As you're alone, you never talk to anyone. Gandalf is the only one to talk to you sometimes during the day.

Focused on your task to guide them, you don't realise the dwarves are suspicious about you, and you don't try to talk to you either.

You used to eat with Gandalf and Bilbo.

Thorin is the only dwarf who talks to you when he needs it. Only to be sure you took the right way, to tell the truth.

It's hard to believe it but Thorin finds your quiet, cold attitude a little intimidating. Just a little bit.

The first time he sees you laugh is in Rivendell, with Lord Elrond and his two sons after the dinner. Something inside him makes him angry, but he prefers focusing on the map of his father rather than thinking of you.

The second time he sees your serious face broken is when he hugs the hobbit, on the Carrock. But a second later, he is looking at Erebor. He has no time to waste on a woman. He has to stay focused on the quest.

In Laketown, you should be on your guard when the Master of the town offers you to stay freely in an inn for the last night before going to Erebor, but Bilbo makes you taste a glass of wine, then another, then another…

How much wine did you drink? 🤷 What did you do after? Dancing with Bofur? Laughing with Fíli and Kíli? An arm-wrestling match with Dwalin? 🤷 The only thing you know was that you need to cool your head, so you take your coat and get out.

“We’re starting to think you left,” Thorin says as he walks toward you after closing the inn’s door. “Well, now you all are here, you don’t need me anymore. But, no. I just needed to cool my head.”

Thorin stops next to you, so close that you feel his warmth. His coat looks much warmer than yours, but you should stop fixing it. The both of you chat for a while until you realise it’s the first time you really chat with him, and it’s quite pleasant. Plus, he seems as relaxed as you, maybe because of the wine.

Even if you friendly chat with him, you don’t realise you keep your serious face while he smiles at you. He is the future King under the mountain, you can’t laugh with him like any friend, right? At some point, the winter wind makes you shiver, but you’re not cold for long. With the thick coat of Thorin on your shoulders, you are very warm. “Oh, hm, thanks, but you should keep it,” you say, very embarrassed but truly glad to be warm. Even if you smile, you try to hide your embarrassment by tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.

This gesture and your embarrassing face changes something in Thorin’s heart. He never saw you embarrassed and he can’t help but find you very cute and attractive. If you were closer, he would try to do more things to see your shyness tonight. Maybe later, in Erebor, once he will have his mountain back.

Fíli

He and his brothers try to make you laugh more than once with jokes or tricks, but they never succeed.

Yet, Fíli is often quiet and more observant than you think. He sees you smile sometimes, but mostly at the moments he doesn’t expect it.

The first time he sees you beam is just after the trolls. You find a good, light elvish sword and try it alone. A very good sword!

You don’t realise it either, but you smile every day when you eat, sitting before a pretty landscape. Some old ruins coloured by the sunset, for example.

But the moment he sees your most radiant smile is in a small town, in the middle of nowhere. Thorin had decided to stay in a town, leaving everyone else to disperse for their own purchase. A man joins you and hugs you for a long time. Too long to his liking, to tell the truth. You’re also smiling too much for a man who isn’t him.

The night you stay in the town, in the same inn as everyone. In a town, they don’t need you to guide them, so you can rest. You eat your dinner at the inn with the man you met in the afternoon, a friend you haven't seen for a long time.

After finishing your dinner together, your friend leaves on an overnight mission to the region. No sooner has he left than Fíli joins you at your table as you drink your wine.

“Are you bored with us, or do you dislike us?” he asks as he sits on a chair next to you. “I mean, is it boring to join a company of dwarfs?”

You frown. It’s not the first time you talk to him, but it’s the first time you’re alone with him, and you’re surprised by his question. “No, absolutely not. Why do you think that?”

“You never smile or join us in the evening over the fire,” he says as he looks you in the eye, waiting for your answer.

“Oh, I’m sorry. During the day I’m focused on the road and in the evening, I plan the way for the next day according to the stars, and it takes time. I would feel bad if I took the wrong way and delayed your journey,” you reply with a smile before sipping your wine.

Surprised by your smile, he accidentally spills his ale on your trousers and his. He immediately stands up, apologising endlessly.

You burst out laughing, telling him it’s alright, you have another one clean in your bag. His clumsiness is so out of character that you laugh for a while.

After this night, he knows the sound of you laughing is the most melodious sound he has ever heard, and he knows he wants to hear it every day for the rest of his life.

Kíli

From the start, you ride on a horse always before everyone, alone staring at the horizon to be sure of the way.

As you're alone, you never talk to anyone, except maybe Gandalf. He is the only one to talk to you sometimes during the day, or Bilbo because he is never far from Gandalf.

The two young brothers are always trying to make you laugh or get your attention, but it doesn’t work. You don't even do it on purpose. You’re too focused on your job to notice them.

One afternoon, you open your map to be sure to go through the right place but a small rock goes through your map and makes a hole in it. First, you’re surprised, then when you’re about to look around you, you hear, “Kíli! What have you done again? Can’t you behave for one day?” Thorin shouts to his nephew as you look back to your map. Luckily, the rock made a hole in the sea and the rest of the paper wasn't damaged.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t want to pierce the map! Is it damaged? I’m sorry!” he says, riding closer in the front, with you and Thorin. “It was just a joke!” You sigh and turn back to do your job without a word while Thorin continues to reprimand him like a child.

After some ups and downs, you arrive in Rivendell. If the first time he sees you smile isn’t with two elves, Kíli would be happy to see it, but when Elladan and Elrohir find you, they welcome you so warmly that you forget almost everything you've been through. Arwen joins you too and you spend more time with them than the dwarves. He sees you smiling during the whole stay in Rivendell, and from the moment you all flee in the Misty mountains, you put on your serious face again, focused on the road.

One very cold night, Thorin decided to stop in a cave, with a small fire just to make dinner. It’s really because you owe a debt to Gandalf that you’re still with them. He is not even coming with you in the Misty Mountains’ snow! You’re within a hair's breadth of return to Rivendell, but when you see the Hobbit is still here, you can make an effort. Are you a ranger or not?

Focused on blowing on your hands to keep your warm, you startle when Kíli kneels before you and hands you a bowl of soup. “Here, it’ll warm you a little,” he says with a light smile. You’re surprised it’s not Bilbo who gives your meal as usual, even more when Kíli sits next to you with his own bowl, but you don't pay attention. A warm soup is just what you need to think about right now.

When Kíli sees you smile as you eat your bowl, he loses his words. It’s the first time you smile for him. Well, technically not for him, but thanks to him, right? Then, he realises the soup is not the only thing that warms him up.

Once you finish your soup, your hands are quickly cold and you restart blowing on it. When Kíli sees that, he removes his coat and slips it on your back. It’s too big for you and so warm. For some seconds, you beam and close the coat on you, until you notice Kíli is now in a tunic. “Are you crazy? You will catch a cold like that! Take it back!” you exclaim, losing your smile. “It takes more than that for a dwarf to get sick,” he laughs as he takes his blanket from his bed. “And I have a blanket!”

His smile and attention make you blush, so you close his coat even more on you to hide your face. But it doesn’t escape Kíli's notice. If giving you soup makes you smile and giving you a coat makes you blush, he already starts to think about all the things he could give you to see all your expressions.

Bilbo

Bilbo is a curious hobbit, so when Gandalf talks to you, he often joins him. On the road, at dinners, at breaks, …

Always riding at the front of the company, you intrigue him from the beginning. You’re very quiet compared to the dwarves. You never complain and speak only to indicate the way.

When Fíli and Kíli come to the front to talk to you, you answer vaguely, even when they make jokes.

One evening you all rest in an inn in a small town, you join Gandalf and Bilbo for dinner. A waitress finds you and serves you the meal you ordered. Bilbo notices your smile at the view of the warm dinner while they are also waiting for theirs. Something in his heart warms him up, but he doesn’t know if it’s because of the view of the meal or your smile. He tries to forget it when his meal comes.

During that very dinner, you couldn’t decide on the meal to order, so you ask Bilbo if you can taste his meal. He looks surprised by your request but lets you do it. Oh, his meat pie is as good as your roast pork!

As Bilbo prefers staying with you in each town the company passes or rests, you often share a meal with him, and your love for good food makes you want to try as many dishes as possible. One day, you meet a friend in a new town. A childhood ranger friend. Everyone is surprised when you call him. He runs to you and hugs you with all the strength he has. Your laugh echoes for so long that the dwarves go back to their business.

But not Bilbo. He stays with you and you introduce him to your friend. The three of you end up dinner together in the town’s inn. After they bring your meals, you taste yours, then the one of Bilbo like you used to. Your friend ordered the same as you.

“Y/n?” he asks you, wincing. “It’s me,” you reply, your head still leaning on your plate. “Tell me you know what it means to share a meal like this with a hobbit.”

You shrug, continuing to eat. You don’t see Bilbo blushing and finishing his meal quickly. The silence makes you raise your head. Your friend is smiling, and Bilbo seems trying to say something but he stammers, “I. Well. You. Well.”

“Wait, it means something?” you finally ask, putting your fork and knife on the table. Your friend sighs. You’ve never been interested in Hobbits before, but you know your friend used to watch their lands for years. “It’s a courting thing, or for married ones,” he eventually laughs.

“What? But nobody told me! Either Gandalf, or even Bilbo! Hey Bilbo, why didn't you ever tell me?” you ask as he stammers some words about some things he has to do, and leaves you.

Oh. So, your friend is right.

Bilbo avoids you since then, and you’re too focused to do your job to speak with him. Well, in truth, you try to stay focused but when you notice you made a mistake, turning at the wrong path, you’re so embarrassed that you spend your day apologising to Thorin. “Don’t worry, lass, mistakes happen,” Balin tells you the night of the incident with a comforting smile.

You feel so stupid that you isolate yourself behind a rock to avoid Thorin’s look. At some point, you hear steps toward you and eventually see Bilbo. He stops in front of you with a bowl of Bombur’s stew.

“Can I sit next to you?” he asks. It’s the first time he has spoken to you since he ran away. You nod and take the bowl. You finally talk both of you like you used to until you search in your bag and get out a cookie.

“Will you share it with me?” you ask as you cut the cookie in half. “Y-you’re sure?” he asks as he is about to take half of the cookie you hand him. “I’m sure,” you say with the first smile of your day. Then Bilbo realises he missed your smile more than he thought. But when you eat your piece of cookie, he understands how much more he missed your smile when you were eating. Luckily for him, he has some food in his bag waiting to share with you.

#the hobbit fanfic #imagine #thorin #fili #bilbo #thorin x reader #fili x reader #kili x reader #bilbo x reader #fluff

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