#holding these in my hands and treating it with care

[misayani]

MAGNETIC — SQUID GAME WOMEN + THANOS AND YOU BEING THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF THEM HCS

◜ featuring ... kang mi-na (player 196), no eul (guard 011), se-mi (player 380), jun-hee (player 222), hyun-ju (player 120), young-mi (player 195), + thanos (player 230)

𔗨 author's note — IM FUCKING BAAAAAAAAACKKKK RAWGHHRRR !!!!!! writing this had me SWEATING considering the lack of information of them in the show. anddd im closing the requests for now. id like to work on the current requests in my inbox before i open it again ♡ [lowercase intended]

mi na —

- at first you were hesitant to confess your feelings to her because why  would she want to be with someone like you?

- and then you kept avoiding her and denying your feelings to avoid getting hurt 

- then, life surprises you, she kissed you on the night she took you out for a 'girlFRIEND date'

- AND THEN BAM !!! dating

- she's feisty and confident, you're gentle and shy

- mi-na is the type to be sassy and bitchy to everyone and then when it comes to you she turns into a total softie

- "thanos, i swear if you don't shut the fuck up—" "mi-na?" "yes honey?"

- SHE LOVES CALLING YOU SWEET NICKNAMES JUST TO SEE YOU MELT

- you'd think mi-na likes to be treated like a princess and then it turns out that she's the one treating YOU like a princess

- when you're speaking and someone completely cuts you off, without a second thought, she'll speak up

- "my girlfriend is speaking??"

- when someone's rude to you, she'll handle it for you

- "excuse me? watch your words when you're talking to her."

- she doesn't do this all the time though

- she wants you to learn how to speak up for yourself 

- but she definitely doesn't let it pass when someone crosses the line

- there was this one time where mi-na legit got into a catfight after someone humiliated you in front of many people

- she got humiliated in front of the people too but she DIDNT feel humiliated at all

- the bitch just messed with her girlfriend, and she just stepped up for you. what's humiliating about that?

- (outside squid game) let's say thanos is a mutual close friend you both have

- whenever he pisses her off, he immediately runs to you for defense since mi-na has a soft spot for you

- overall, mi-na likes taking care of you and you're gentle to her sooo it's a win-win for the both of you !!!

- she loves her shy gf so much, it makes her all mushy and softie

no eul —

- she's hard, you're soft

- oops i may have worded that wrong

- GRUMPY X SUNSHINE 

- you always wake her up with kisses and she'll open her eyes to the sight of you smiling at her

- then she'll complain, grumbling about your "unreasonable" optimism. but she literally lets you kiss her the whole time anyways !!

- no-eul constantly furrows her eyebrows at your cheery attitude as if she was judging you. BUT DEEP DEEP DOWN, her heart swells for you

- she might be grumpy through words, but it's the actions that speak louder

- if someone's mean to HER sunshine, expect their face to get fucked up

- her love language is acts of service btw!!!!

- you will never ever get to hold a door ever again when you're with her cs she'll always open them for you

- AND SHE LOVES GIVING YOU 'JUST BECAUSE' GIFTS

- "here." she hands you a boquet of sunflowers with A CUTE LITTLE NOTE ON THE SIDE THAT SAYS I LOVE YOU, "awhh thank you! but, what's the occasion?" and then she just shrugs

- back then, whenever the two of you got into an argument, a bad trait she used to do is to shut you out. while you, on the other hand, always wanted to talk things through and find solutions 

- after a few attempts, you eventually break her walls down and then she finally lets you in

- "...i'm sorry" "it's okay! we're in this together, 'kay?" 

- she feels so bad because what if you're just trying to put up with her 

- and then that worry completely washes away when she feels that you're actually genuine. 

- you don't just say sweet shit, you act them out.

- and she'll forever be thankful for you

- you're the reason why she wakes up everyday, you're the reason why she takes care of herself, you're the reason why she learned to love herself

se mi —

- this woman has a sharp tongue

- which can definitely be used in multiple ways but mostly for saying sarcastic remarks

- (in the games) she's expressive but then she's emotionally guarded at the same time. she won't be scared to speak her mind but she rarely shows her expressions physically

- oh gosh. her and her fucked up humor

- others may think she never takes shit seriously, but it's actually THEM she's not taking seriously

- she absolutely doesn't like openly-vulnerable people. it's not anything personal, she just thinks that it's stupid to show emotions like that in a death game like this where anyone could literally take advantage of you.

- and then here comes you, kind and empathetic

- you're the type to put others first before you, and she hates that fact, but not you

- you're expressive with your feelings also, but instead of being like her, who masks it perfectly with her sarcastic exterior, you're genuine.

- you believe that showing real emotions is a way to connect with people

- se-mi had observed you during the six-legged pentathlon. it amuses her seeing you work well with your team.

- she fucking hates the fact that you're just so kind and open to every one, not even thinking twice to help others.

- (outside squid game) while se-mi sees the world as harsh and unforgiving, you always tell her about the bright side and hope and some happy shit. and she didn't like that

- she didn't like how you're actually starting to make her see even just the tad bit good in some things

- and then the next thing she knows is that she literally starts to think about you in every single fucking thing

- she sees sunlight, she thinks of you. she sees flowers, she thinks of you. she sees butterflies, she thinks of you. man, even whenever she buys her favourite cherry ice cream, somehow the ice cream legit reminds her of you. because apparently, to her, ice cream gives off positive vibes ????? 

- and positive vibes are YOU !!

- over time, she may not admit it but she definitely cannot deny that she's starting to soften under your influence

- and who knows? maybe she's starting to see that kindness isn't always a weakness. 

jun hee —

- she's an introvert, you're an extrovert. need i say more

- junhee mostly keeps to herself, but unlike no-eul, she isn't totally closed-off

- she's quiet and won't react unless needed

- you on the other hand, reacts to everyfuckingthing

- somebody's hand gets too close to her belly? "GET AWAY!"

- you even audibly gasp when someone gives her a dirty stare

- (outside squid game) when jun-hee gets excited about something, she'll just smile. but it immediately drops as soon as she turns her head to look at you who almost fell on the floor, face first, because of jumping around like crazy.

- it amazes her a lot how you make it look easy to just start a conversation with a complete stranger

- now whenever you make friends, she also makes new friends, because you always introduce your girlfriend to them !! <3

- between the two of you, you're the one who usually initiates physical touch

- just simple and cute hugs here and there, sometimes kisses, sometimes more than kisses

- she's the type to show her love to you through simple gestures like making you your favorite tea, playing your favorite song on the TV, writing you notes before she goes out while you're still sleeping (awwhdjsjssk)

- and then you're the type to express your feelings VERY LOUDLY

- telling her "i love yous" whenever you always get the chance to which is like every minute—but you mean every single one everytime—, giving her tight hugs, prepping soft kisses on her face, demanding her to give you cuddles.

- everything needs balance, so jun-hee learned to socialize more and have fun while you learned to be more mindful whenever she needs her own quiet time

hyun ju —

- hyun-ju tends to be cool-headed and calm in most scenarios, while you are always on your toes and stressed and just so energetic overall

- hyun-ju shows love in subtle ways, like doing your hair or giving you quick pecks on the cheek ♡

- she never fails to notice it when you're stressed. she'd grab your hand and start massaging it softly

- whenever your friends invite you to a night out, you always ask them if you could bring hyun-ju !!!!

- it's simple: they refuse, you aren't going. if they say yes, then be prepared to have one of the best nights out in your lives BECAUSE hyun-ju is fun!!!! hello ? being an introvert does not mean you're not any fun

- hyun-ju would literally chug up every drink your friends give her

- and then theres you who's worried as fuck because what if she vomits???? and you HATE vomit, eugh !!

- the next morning comes and then hangover finally hits her

- you, being a good girlfriend, always brings her water and some pills to help her with the headache

- 'hyun-ju drink this' 'hyun-ju drink that' which results to her needing to pee like every 5 minutes

- she calms you down, telling you that she's fine and all she needs is you beside her

- literally just your presence

- and then despite having a headache, she would ask you to yap for her, she just loves hearing your voice

- overall, hyun-ju is forever thankful for you. she appreciates the fact that you're always alert about things but she also reminds you to let loose sometimes.

young mi —

- she's shy, you're not

- you're so mean for always teasing the poor girl

- but you can't help it, not when you always catch her staring at you

- "do you need anything? or do you just need me?" 

- give her a damn break

- not a day goes by without you hugging the hell out of her

- "you're so flufffyyyyyy babyy" "...thank you?.." 

- she always seeks comfort in you, since you're the one who keeps things exciting

- in public, young-mi doesn't speak up much, so you speak for her when needed

- "excuse me, you got her food wrong." "it's fine i swear!!"

- it's surprising but she's actually the one who initiates affection most of the time, she'd just shyly do it

- during arguments, she might struggle to express her feelings sometimes through words, and even when you're supposed to be mad at her, you still try to keep your calm and help her speak for herself

- it always ends up with the both of you apologizing to each other. you would never let your girlfriend sleep with a heavy heart, never.

- sometimes you'd surprise her with cute gifts like small trinkets or cute plushies !!! 

- as time goes by, young-mi slowly learns to speak up for herself, because, of course, you're not always going to be by her side. 

thanos — 

- PLAYFUL BF + SERIOUS GF

- he thinks you have such a hot resting bitch face

- LIKE HE'D LITERALLY INTERNALLY SQUEAL LIKE A HIGH SCHOOLER

- babygirl bf + girlboss gf <3

- you're never scared to speak up for yourself. thanos insists on punching anyone who does you wrong but you assure him that you're fully capable of doing that yourself

- "THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND BRO!!"

- literally brags you to nam-gyu and talks about you almost all the time

- nam-gyu's fucking tired of it.

- people thinks this man fears no one?? he's fucking scared of YOU

- FOLDS WHEN U CALL HIM BY HIS FULL GOVERNMENT NAME

- "cmon baby, give thanos a kiss." "choi su-bong." "what:(("

- but when nam-gyu learns about his full name and starts teasing him about it and calling him that:

- "hey, only she's allowed to call me that. mind your business." "dang okay bro" 

- literally goes crazy when he texts you something and you reply with an "ok."

- "the fuck did i do nowww"

- he internally cheers when you're on your period because that'll mean you'll ask him for kisses and hugs

- "baby, let's cuddle please" "oh look at what we have here now—" "nevermind." "NO! yes, yes, let's cuddle"

- to others, he's tough and mighty but when it comes to you, he submits

- LMAO when he tries to call you by your full name to try and reverse the roles, you just give him a weird look and that made him want to bury himself 6 feet under.

- he's very very clingy, would literally sulk when you don't give him a goodbye kiss before you leave the house 

- when you're in a bad mood, he tries his best to cheer you up, like rapping random sweet shit to you or attempting to dance in front of you. keyword: attempting

- and as soon as he saw that small smile form on your face, he almost felt like everything went slow motion

- you're so gorgeous, he's down bad for you

- but he genuinely feels happy once he knows that you're fine now because of him !!

- he's so silly :3

@misayani

𝓜isa mentions — @joc3lynx @mymel1008 @justredsw @wlvlurvsfimmia @azansstuff @dvrk-hoon @yersang-dreams

[arcanarix]

f!sorcerer reader, dubcon, stalking, possessiveness, harassment (there will be a non sorcerer reader version)

bully!satosugu aren’t your average bullies. they aren’t bogged down each time you ignore their attempts at getting under your skin. they know you’re smart and know better… but so are they and they do too. and maybe they’re less interested in breaking you down more than simply getting to know you :)

(but they need to understand you aren’t your average target. you can and will stand up for yourself. you don’t show much interest in general and that just baffles them.)

bully!satosugu…who aren’t the kind to dominate the small world of jujutsu tech one because there’s no reason for that or anything to gain from it either but they are instead viewed as just two boys sharing the same brain cell. shoko and utahime tell you not to pay them any mind; they’re just two dumbasses with an overinflated sense of importance being speshul grades. nanami even reiterates the fact. plus they annoy everyone, so it’s not like you’re a special case here.

bully!satosugu who get all up in your space and in your business, ignoring your protests when they snatch your books and notes out of your hands and lap and geto’s scooping you into his strong hold instead.

“why’s a grade 3 sorcerer wasting her time? trust me, we have better things in mind for a pretty thing like you,” geto purrs.

“and besides, what use is a grade 3 in the field when the two strongest can just take care of everything? hmmmm?” gojo taunts while fiddling with a stray strand of your hair.

instead of seeming intimidated, you’re just annoyed that your work has been disrupted. you don’t give them an outward reaction, just a deadpan, “if you don’t let me go i’ll use my curse technique to castrate the two of you.”

that seems to work for now!

bully!satosugu who…for some reason hover over you like they’re your bodyguards yet you treat them as if they’re not there the entire time. even if gojo can usually annoy someone to the point of tears, you don’t react, instead you’re able to completely tune him AND geto out.

how… Unnerving! Perplexing?

bully!satosugu who HATE to see you divert your attention to anyone else be it nanami or haibara or even shoko and utahime. something sets them off when you giggle a little too hard at some off hand deadpan remark nanami makes, you keep making eyes at him like you like him and not them. what’s up with that? and then they see nanami resting his hand on your thigh……….

and shooting a glare their way, as if to ward them off of you or else? wha?

bully!satosugu who aren’t keen on the idea of you trying to have a life outside of them (you never wanted a life with them from the start, but you digress) so they corner you in one of the empty lecture halls. you tell them you don’t know what they mean. in fact you insist, because you really don’t understand (or really care either). you have no regard for them, but they seem to hold so much interest in you and they don’t like that you don’t appreciate their attention so you had to get it instead from fucking NANAMI.

setting your book on your lap, you meet their accusatory gazes with disinterest.

“i don’t have to entertain any of this,” you remark, “i’m not interested in engaging in something like this when we’re in an environment where we’re forced to coexist. i will acknowledge you as my peers but nothing more.”

thinking you have the last word, you get up and brush past them, but geto grabs your wrist and twists you around. you grunt.

“maybe we have to show her why she should want us by her side, satoru,” he suggests in a low, dangerous tone.

“will she actually learn this time, though?”

“oh, it doesn’t matter. we can always repeat the lesson until she understands,” geto yanks you toward him until your back hits his front, your breath hitching as you feel a growing erection through his baggy uniform.

“you both might find better payoff deepthroating each other,” you scoff.

geto’s nostrils flare at that.

“such a foul mouth,” he snarls, "better watch that tone with us."

“yeah,” satoru pitches in, inching closer with a little smirk. “maybe we ought to plug it up.”

TBC???

[dollfacefantasy]

How’d you think frank would react to reader in subspace! You’re literally one of the only people writing for frank and your writing is so so brilliant!🙂‍↕️

frank castle x fem!reader cw: mdni (18+), smut at the beginning but after that it's just fluff, brief daddy kink a/n: thank you so much angel <33 i gotta keep my fellow frank freaks fed 😤

frank knows you're dropping from the broken whine you let out and the way your hands become grabby, pulling at his shoulders to try and get him as close as physically possible. you always get that way when you start to sink.

he has you on your back beneath his muscular frame, your knees hooked over his shoulders while his cock batters your pussy. his pelvis slams against your center over and over in rough thrusts. he's just pounding you in search of his release.

you'd already cum twice. once on his tongue and once on his cock. the static of overstimulation chipped away at your sensibilities and made you vulnerable. it left you needing him. depending on him.

"just one more for me, baby. c'mon. i know you got it in you," he grunts as his eyes flutter.

"mmm... frankie," you whine. your glossy eyes search to connect with him amidst the haze of lust surrounding you. you babble out the next word while blinking slowly. "daddy..."

he groans at the slurred quality of it. "i'm right here, sweetheart. just gotta cum for me. squeeze me nice and tight."

in this state of mind, defiance isn't an option. you feel your belly starting to flutter along with your legs beginning to flex. the orgasmic spool inside you unravels as though his words work as a direct physical command.

you cry out and arch your back. your arms loop around his neck to cling to him like you're at risk of losing him. your teeth dig into your bottom lip as more choked, pitiful sounds explode out of you. he can feel tears leak from your eyes against his shoulder. you're so close to his ear that he can hear the soft sniffles.

"that's my baby. that's my girl. my good fuckin' girl. so fuckin' good for me, fuck," he grumbles against your skin, his own words trailing off and becoming incoherent.

he presses down on you harder to the point that you're completely squished against the mattress under his weight. his cock is so deep inside you that it'd probably hurt if you were more lucid.

most of the time, he was more gentle with you. everywhere but the bedroom, he treated you as though you were a tiny doll made of glass. when he was close like this though, on the brink draining his balls inside you, being careful felt like something only possible in dreams.

he crashes over the edge hard, growling against your neck and clutching the sheets. his breath comes out in ragged pants as pure euphoria washes through him. you let out tiny squeaks below him, but they're not of much concern right now.

it's after the blissful fog settles that he tends to you.

he rolls off of you once he's almost all the way down. his back hits the bed, and cool air flows between both of your bodies. you lie there for a few moments as if you're dead. if not for the quick rise and fall of your chest, that's what someone may think. your eyes stare at the ceiling, blank and unthinking. tears trail down your temples.

after a few seconds, you start to turn onto your side. you curl up, pupils still cloudy and face void of any specific emotion. in these brief eclipses after sex and before totally settling down, your mind gets stuck in a weird limbo. all you can think about is him. you want him holding you, touching you, taking care of you. but you can't ask for it. can't verbalize the desire for any of that. in the beginning stages of your relationship, he thought you were trying to forget he was beside you.

but now he knows better.

he places a hand on the divot in your waist and pulls you back to him, not letting you draw in on yourself. his nose brushes behind your ear while his lips plant soft kisses on your throat.

"no hiding from me, babydoll. you did so good," he whispers. his hand caress your warm skin, trying to reel you back to him.

you still don't have any words, but your muscles relax for him in an instant. he can feel it under his fingers.

"that's right. i got you, daddy's got you," he mumbles, "let's get you cleaned up."

he rises to his feet on his side of your bed and drags your limp body across it so he can hoist you up into his arms. in your more playful moments, he might throw you over his shoulder, tease you about how he used to have to carry guys like this when he was in the marines. but you're not giggling or squirming right now, so he doesn't.

he scoops you up like a bride and walks over to the bathroom in your apartment. that's when you start coming back a little. you nuzzle at his chest, your warm breath fanning across his muscle.

"there she is," he mumbles.

inside the bathroom, he sits you on the countertop. you lean back against the mirror while he goes to turn on the shower. the surface is cool on your skin. your eyes flutter shut as you relax a bit more.

only seconds later, he's back in front of you. he stands between your thighs and cups your face in one large hand. as quickly as they shut, your eyes pop back open to look at him.

"how're you feeling, pretty girl?" he asks, voice quiet and rough.

you nod in response as if it's a yes or no question. pushing off the mirror, you drape your arms around his shoulders again and press your face to his skin.

"'m ok," you sigh, "just a little sleepy."

"yeah, you are," he says with the hint of a smile gracing his features, "you can knock out as soon as we're done, ok? just let me take care of you."

again, you nod. you never had any objections to handing control over to frank. he lifts you from the counter again and walks into the shower with you.

the hot water streams down onto your bodies below. it trickles from his skin to yours, relaxing both of your muscles. you shut your eyes and keep your head on his shoulder. his fingers twirl in small patterns on your back as he sets you down. the tile is cold on the soles of your feet. you still have to lean against him for balance.

vaguely, you feel his hands running over your body. they’re slippery, slicked up with your sweet-smelling body wash. you swear you hear his deep voice humming, vibrating in his chest beneath your ear, but it could be your imagination.

in total, it feels like the shower is only seconds long. you know you’ve been in there for longer, you felt him run through your whole routine. but time melts away in your mind when you're in this state.

as soon as you’ve acclimated to the smooth surface underfoot, he’s guiding you off of it and onto the cushioned mat outside the shower. you stand there, managing a few lazy blinks.

he laughs softly at that. “few more minutes, sleepy girl.”

with an old towel from the rack, he dries you off. he’s quick but thorough, getting every last little bead of water off of you without being tedious about it.

he scoops you back up after that. your arms and legs latch around him, holding on as he carries you to the bedroom and plops you down on the bed.

“time for sleep?” you yawn, stretching your limbs a bit.

"nice try but you gotta put on some clothes, baby. don't want you catching a cold," he says before heading over to the dresser and grabbing a top for you along with some panties.

"that's not how it works, y'know," you correct while lazily watching him return to you. he tosses the scraps of fabric next to your body on the mattress.

"oh you're a doctor now, huh?" he mutters before tapping your ankle, "put your legs up."

you do as he says without complaint, lifting your legs high into the air so he can pull your panties over them.

"i'm just saying, i wouldn't get sick from sleeping naked," you yawn.

shaking his head, he grabs one of your outstretched arms to pull you up right. despite regaining your ability to speak, you still looked at him with that same dreamy smile you got when you were blissed out.

he tugs the sweatshirt over your head. it was one of his, one of the newer, softer ones you'd bought for him. he'd owned it just long enough and worn it the right amount of times needed for it to smell like him.

"there you go," he says softly and pulls you to his chest for a few seconds. he just feels you in his arms for a moment, pressed against him, safe and sound. as much as you loved being babied, part of the reason he took care of you was for himself too.

he kisses your forehead and then lets you lie down.

"you get comfy, babydoll. i'm gonna put some clothes on, and then i'll be right back," he says before departing to tend to himself for a few minutes.

when he does come back, he's surprised you haven't passed out already. instead, you're tucked under the blankets and curled up to a pillow, waiting for him. you reach out with another grabby hand to signal your desire for him.

"i'm coming," he mutters as he rolls onto the mattress beside you and loops his muscular arm behind your head.

you nuzzle right up to his chest, draping your own limbs over his body. he feels your lips lay a small kiss on his chest.

"get some sleep, baby. don't want you to be all cranky in the morning," he murmurs and shifts a little to engulf you with his frame.

"you're the one who gets cranky..." you reply. but you follow along anyways and shut your eyes. his body heat combined with your soft bedding has you drifting off in no time.

[icarusredwings]

Yall ever think about how Logan has *nothing* from his universe? I can't imagine he had a big collection of things, but it makes me wonder about his very little amount of pictures, his Veteran hats, his badges, his devils bergade hat, honorary medals. No, he wouldn't have kept all of it. Not even half of it. But I just know that he sometimes sees someone with a matching badge from a specifc group and wants to flash them his own but can't. He hates the things he's done with his life, hates himself just as much. But he hates the way he has nothing to show for it even more.

Hates the way Jean turned Logan's old room into a memorial and hung up every award he kept, every badge, every medal, every hat, anything that showed significance of the time Logan spent protecting people.

At least that's what she claimed it's meant for but this Logan knows. He knows just how bloody these badges were before cleaned. He knew what it took to get that medal and reconized the stitching in one of the uniforms because his has to be fixed the same way.

But do you know what he really hates?

That almost everything in this room is from a time in which he was owned. Treated like an animal to be caged. Leashed. Chained.

It becomes very clear to him that the reason this Logan was liked so much is because he stayed, sure, but also he let himself be controlled. Be the property of someone else. Whether that be the X Men or the government, the military, didn't matter. He hated it all.

And yet... he's still envious. Because Logan STAYED. He fought when things got gritty.

Something he was too much of a coward to do.

When things got rough, he wouldn't fight like this Logan, No. He'd leave. Like a pathetic wuss.

Still to this day it confuses him. Why did he hold such an anger for him? Why did he let himself get chained down? Why did he care about people who just wanted to use him? Wouldn't it be better to leave? Who did he stay for?

"...He would have hated this."

Turning, He sees Kitty standing there beside him. He didn't even see her come in.

"Mmh.."

".. He would have said that too... I told her it was dumb. That you hated everything she makes you out to be... " She says, not looking at him but the picture on the wall.

"I'm not hi-"

"I'm not talking to you." The statment is sharp, glancing at him for just a moment. "But clearly, you hate it too.. I wonder..Do you hate it for the same reason?"

"...She made him out to be some kinda caged animal."

"She made you out to be some kinda war hero."

The parallels were said at the same time.

Kitty looks at him, brow raised. "He spent his entire life trying not to be that-"

"And I've been trying my entire life to be a hero. Look where that got me." Logan tells her, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Kitty turns, flicking him in the nose.

"Ow, Hey!" He growls, trying to grab her hand, but she only phases through.

"You saved an entire universe. How are you not a hero?"

"Yeah! By killing my entire universe. One in which I've killed far more than you could probably count!"

Kitty gives him a look, crossing her arms and tilting her head. "...I'm a comp sci professor... try me. I bet more numbers have came out since you were in school, gramps."

Rolling his eyes, Logan grumbled. "Sure. Like im afraid of you, half pint."

Katherine's eyes widden and frowns, now looking away, hugging herself. He could smell how much this upset her, smelling the tears whelling up and the sadness within her.

"... Look I'm sorry. I don't know what you and him had but-"

She punches him square in the nose. Blinking, the pain floods the broken cartilage that had snapped. Blood trickles down his lip. For being so little, she sure packed a punch... wonder where she learned that.

His hand comes up, feeling it, then glared, snarling. "You little b-!"

"Ha ha! Can't touch me!" She says, wiping tears as his hand phases through her stomach.

"Rule number one! Never let your guard down." She tells him, now running off, completely morphing through the door as if it wasn't even there. "Can't catch me old man!"

Standing here, Logan blinks, his hands itching and eyes thinning. He wants to chase her. He's not sure why, but... he has a feeling that this isn't a fight. It feels more like a game of tag.. a dangerous game. But a game.

The smallest of smiles come to his face, unseathing his claws. Ripping open the door, he starts sniffing, trying to track her through the mansion.

A feeling of home fills his chest. It's foreign but...nice.

And just for a second? Logan thinks he knows why the dead fucker stayed..

[hotteststar]

- SCARS - jegulus microfic

"Can I..?" James had felt inadequate the moment he'd said those two words.

He'd felt wrong, he'd felt like he was forcing his hand too much. And he didn't want to force anything, especially with his Regulus. Because James knew how many times Regulus had felt forced, and he didn't want to add even one to the count. However, when Regulus' shirt had slipped off his body during one of their secret dates, revealing his arms covered in thick red and white cuts, James had to ask. He couldn't act like it was nothing, cause it wasn't.

And now, now that he'd asked, now that he was still holding his hand in mid-air to touch his boyfriend's violated wrists, James felt disgusted for not having helped him sooner, for not having noticed.

The cuts were many. Thick, he could barely see the pristine skin underneath. Some were old, healed for months now, others were new, James could tell by the fiery red color that made them look like burning flames.

After some moments Regulus had nodded very slowly, and James, almost as if he didn't want to make too much noise, had held his breath as he ran his light fingers over Regulus' pale skin.

James had caressed those cuts, had touched them softly and treated them with care. And when he had looked up, his eyes had met the other's grey ones, who could barely hold back his tears.

"It's okay, my starlight.." James had whispered softly, continuing to caress the other and pulling him closer "I love you, you know that, right?"

At that point Reg couldn't take it anymore, so he had just cried. He had cried like a little kid, sobbing, and he had thrown himself against his boyfriend's arms, and James had held him tight.

"I hate you." Regulus had muttered amidst that river of tears "I really do, i swear Potter. You're too perfect, it gets on my nerves."

And James had laughed, with that laugh of his so similar to the rays of the sun, and Regulus had smiled amidst the tears, because the sunlight had always been his favorite.

tbh i don't know what this is i just felt like writing ig

also help me is this good?? i fear i may have impostor syndrome

[ozzgin]

Hello, Mr./Ms./Mx. Ozzgin! May I ask a really dumb question? Which one of your yanderes would accept a transmasc darling? Because I am a trans man and am kind of insecure about it, so I wanted to know who I could fantasize about to help me feel better about my body! Of course, you don't have to answer this and I am so incredibly sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable or if I'm not making any sense! Either way, I'm wishing you a very nice day! Thank you for everything that you're doing! Goodbye!

First, I'll mention that I imagine most of my characters somewhere along the demisexual spectrum. In the sense that sure, they find you cute at first sight, but they love you for who you are, irrespective of your appearance or gender. It doesn't make a difference.

That being said, I do think some relationship dynamics are more interesting than others depending on the character.

Yan!Swordsman with a transmasc Reader holds a lot of complexity in my opinion. There's a lot of historical baggage, as well as outdated views that may come into play. He would struggle a lot, especially once he falls for you.

He'd be overly protective, interrupting your sparing sessions, or hesitantly postponing your city patrols because you might get hurt. Mind you, he's particularly caring with all his underlings, but you being his partner truly exacerbates his instincts.

You may be tempted to point a finger and accuse him of not seeing you as an actual man. It's not the case. On the contrary, you being a man makes matters even less complicated: bringing a wife to the headquarters would spark outrage. Having a male partner, on the other hand, is common practice among the samurai.

Regardless of what you are, he needs to know you're safe. It keeps him awake at night. Maybe a compromise can eventually be reached; while he can't forfeit his watchful gaze on you, he can be a little rougher when you're around everyone else. Thus, your bad posture is no longer reprimanded with a scold, but with the sharp sting of a bamboo pole against your feet. At last, you're part of the family, treated like all the other swordsmen who warned you about the Captain's ruthless discipline. For the better or the worse, you think to yourself, massaging the red spots. "Are you alright," he questions with a faint smirk. "What? I didn't even feel anything," you retort, determined to prove him wrong. Don't worry, he'll make sure to spoil you later.

[regency-monster-love]

Bull in a china shop (@janeuary-month day 6: restraint)

Restraint is so delicious in Regency romances, and one of my favorite things about sticking monsters into Regency society is the contrast between the restraint it dictates and their inherent wildness—the tension between the two, and what happens when that tension snaps. This little ficlet is about just that!

Male minotaur x female reader | Regency era | mild NSFW: oral (f receiving), p in v

~ 😈🎩 ~

Sometimes, it seems as though his entire life is about restraint. Don't use your full strength when shaking a human's hand. Don’t swat your tail, especially at a ball. Don't snort; it isn't what a gentleman would do (never mind that it's what a minotaur would do).

He always has to be so careful, never to break anything, never to offend, never to disturb the humans’ world of manners and delicacy. He wears fine clothes and stands up straight and looks the gentleman—as much as a 7-foot tall minotaur wider than a door can look the gentleman—but he feels like an imposter, constantly struggling to conceal his monstrous nature.

When he meets you, it almost becomes easier, because for the first time in his life, the manners and rules matter to him. For you, he wants to be the perfect gentleman, to show you he's deserving of your sweet affection, to fit in amongst the high society you associate with as the daughter of a wealthy gentleman. He wants to treat you with tenderness and chivalry.

Yet, he wants the opposite, too. He wants to let all the restraint go, to show you his raw power, to make you his in the darkest sense of the phrase. You make him feel savage with need.

So he succumbs to the savagery at last.

And suddenly he has all of you, your slick coating his muzzle, your pleasured cries in his ears, your hands jerking on his horns, your release clenching around his tongue. He rises up and drives into you with the bellow of a bull, for that is what he is, a minotaur bull, primal and unrestrained as he fucks your willing body. 

It’s more pleasure than he’s ever felt before, a wild, roaring thing, and not just because he’s sheathed in your tight heat and watching your own pleasure consume you—but because he’s free. You hold onto the collar of his elegant coat as he thrusts into you, clutching to the shreds of his gentility, but he clutches to none of it. He's let it all go. At that moment, all he is is a monster, and it's glorious.

Fuck restraint. All he wants is you.

~ 😈🎩 ~

That’s the first time I’ve written reader/2nd person POV!

If you like Disney's Beauty and the Beast, you can read this same fic adapted to Beast/Belle on my AO3.

Read all of my Regency monster ficlets and snippets at the tag #my writing.

[pr0blematic-h0unds]

You are disgusting. Do you have any idea how harmful this is?? Do you have any idea how damaging this is?? You're targeting minors with this kind of content, and your damaging their minds! They'll grow up thinking that this kind of behavior is okay! And the world will be full of incestuous freaks like you! That is not a world I want to live in. I can't believe you people are okay with this. How many people. How many people are like you? How many people think this is okay? Be a normal person and go outside. I can't believe it. What would your parents think?? Would they be okay with you saying this is okay? Why do you even think this is okay? Don't fucking say the "Fiction doesn't affect reality." bullshit. You aren't using this to cope. You aren't using this to have fun. Your using this because your disgusting and want to do bad things to innocent people! Fuck you, unkindly.

Awhh guys look!!! Hosts first hate comment!!!! Lol, funny you think were gonna get affected by a coward who hides behind anon <33333333333

We know were disgusting lolllll, were a lil sociopathic rainbow fag dog who has thoughts that belong in the psych ward on the daily but wdc <3333333333

Also lol we are using this to cope??? Who are you to tell us how we cope with the absolute horrible shit we endured for fucking years. If it doesn't fit your morals womp fucking womp we literally could care less.

Yall think by sending us hate that were magically gonna 'see' how us abusing PIXELS is more wrong than REAL FUCKING VICTIMS LIKE US who survived literal hell when they were at their most vulnerable and unable to do shit but take it.

Yall say you're trying to protect real victims of this shit? Well guess what, most of yall are nothing but double standard assholes who are so stuck up your ass that you ignore the fact that you unapologetically treat us like we deserved that shit. NO ONE, DESERVES THAT SHIT. No matter what they are.

Also, the whole 'targeting kids' thing, im sorry but people tend to forget that fandom space was never intended to take care of kids and be their little safety haven to watch their stupid little pixels waddle around. That is up to their parents, we are not the kids babysitters here to watch them and cater to their young minds.

"It'll damage their minds!!!" Okay?????? Not my problem the fuck?? I could care less because again, NOT MY PLACE TO CATER TO KIDS!!! I'm not gonna drop to my knees infront of a fucking 12 year old and be all:* "OH MY GOD1!1!1 IM SOO SOWWY THAT I POSTED TWO SIBLING CHARACTERS HOLDING HANDS YOUR POOR MIND IS RUINED FORGIVE ME PLZZZZ!!!!!!!!" lmaooo yeah no id rather punch myself in the balls then do that xD

Suck my fat cock and choke on it babe because we cope how we want and little wimps like you are stuck behind your computer heaving and foaming at the mouth because were over here happy and alive just posting little doodles.

Come say this shit off of anon, you won't. If anything you wouldn't even have the balls to say this stuff to our face.

-

Also, we know that you're just copy pasting to other proship blogs ;)

You're not creative, hop off our dicks and take your own advice to touch some grass because it reallllly isn't a good look for you <3

[joeyspuckbunny]

୨୧ ‧₊˚ joseph's love languages ˚₊‧ ୨୧

pairing: j. woll x fem!reader summary: how does joe show his love ?? hmmmmm... i wonder.... word count: 620 warning(s): FLUFF, briefly hinting at 18+ content, not proof read notes: i'm a firm believer that some people have all the love languages and i think joe is one of those people !! i hope you enjoy baby !! xoxo

gift giving / acts of service (since they are very similar to me)

⟡ joe comes from a big family with many siblings and cousins

⟡ he is very used to everyone always giving everyone else something when they come for holidays, parties, and reunions

⟡ joe takes that into your relationship

⟡ less in a "here's a present" way and more in a "i'll take care of you way"

⟡ never lets you pay. for anything. ever.

⟡ kinda insulted when you suggest it early in the relationship

⟡ he plays pro sports. believe it or not, he can afford to pay for your taylor swift tickets and your vanilla cashmere lotion

⟡ he insists on it so much that you have his card in your phone

⟡ "joe, i really want this-" "put it on my card" "joe, can we get-" "on my card" "joe, i'm gonna ord-" "card, baby, just put it on my card"

⟡ he also buys you a personalized jersey from every new place he plays in

⟡ when he plays in NYC or LA and you are there, its shopping day for you

⟡ you buy absolutely anything you want and then. give him hauls

⟡ he calls them "shopping haul with joseph woll"

⟡ two dozen flowers every week and they are always your favorite while also matching the vibe of the season (red for christmas, pink for spring, yellow and blue for summer, etc.)

words of affirmation

⟡ believe it or not, joe is vocal as hell abt his love for you

⟡ talks about you non stop with the guys on his team

⟡ texts you as much as he can

⟡ "miss you like hell" "love you more than hockey" "gonna win for you, sweetheart"

⟡ he lovesssss pet names

⟡ his favs he calls you: baby, doll, sweetheart, princess, honey

⟡ might add babygirl into the mix when things get... heated

⟡ he likes to change it up and those are the most common ones

⟡ his favs you call him: joey, joe, babe

⟡ he loves how simple and personal they are

⟡ joe ends every phone call with an i love you because he wants it to be the thing you remember the most

⟡ loves the intimacy of whispers

physical touch

⟡ loves touching you but it's never pushy

⟡ hand holding is his favourite

⟡ have you seen this man's hands ?????? they are MASSIVE

⟡ he loves how delicate your hand feels in his

⟡ HUGS. FROM. BEHIND.

⟡ rests his chin on your head and watches what you are doing

⟡ forehead kisses and kisses on the cheek !!

⟡ thinks those are good for group settings

⟡ maybe a quick peck on the lips in public

⟡ has no problem with small amounts of PDA but he is a modest man

⟡ at home/in private, he loves long kisses and cuddling

quality time

⟡ toronto has lots to do. trust me.

⟡ joe is always planning fun little dates for you

⟡ often they include a sweet treat or a full meal and lots of walking

⟡ traffic in the city is bad and you both live downtown

⟡ walking anywhere takes max 20 minutes

⟡ even when you two stay at home, joe is doing what he can to make it feel special

⟡ loves slow dancing in the kitchen with you

⟡ one of his earliest memories is coming downstairs early one morning to jazz playing and his parents dancing in the kitchen

⟡ sits with you while you do work

⟡ enjoys watching you concentrate and the peace and quiet in the house

[greenleaf4stuff]

Of Convenience

(Adar x Celebrimbor, some hinted Annatar/Celebrimbor in the background. Celebrimbor is in Adar's camp but the uruk have not started attacking Eregion yet - he discovered Anntar's deception early and got out of the city. And straight into Adar's arms, er, camp.)

Welp, got inspired by my own "marriage of convenience/political marriage" idea and silverscars edit and wrote a short snippet. Enjoy everyone!

“Give me your city,” Adar proposed – or rather, demanded. Celebrimbor felt himself freeze up at the other’s intent gaze. “Surrender it. Put your city into my hands, and I will spare your subjects.”

Celebrimbor swallowed. He felt as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Every minute he hesitated, the orcs were readying their weapons and advancing on his beloved Ost-In-Edhil, bringing with them the promise of death and destruction.

And on the other hand, there was he, and the danger he posed to everything the smith loved and held dear.

But he couldn’t just lay the keys to the city at Adar’s feet, could he?

“What guarantee do I have?” Celebrimbor replied, refusing to be cowed. “That you will not just take my surrender and do with it as you please?”

Adar stepped closer towards him – the smith tried to hold himself up straight, shoulders squared back, the very picture of the lord of Eregion, but he knew his own worry and desperation must show on his face clear as day.

He swallowed as Adar came to a stop directly in front of him.

“I have a proposition,” the orc stated, as if that were an answer to Celebrimbor’s question. The smith was about to ask what one had to do with the other, but Adar continued to speak and almost made Celebrimbor choke on his own spit. “A marriage.”

The smith blinked in disbelief. He must have misheard that. “What?”

“I propose a marriage – purely political, of course,” the orc stated, and began to round Celebrimbor, like a hunter circling its prey. “It’s an unconventional but sound solution – it would guarantee both our safety, and that of our people. A foundation for a peace, if we are lucky enough.”

Celebrimbor felt blood rush in his ears and he desperately wanted to grab something to steady himself. His day had gotten progressively more strange and distressing, and the marriage proposal he’d just heard was just the cherry on top of everything; of having discovered the enemy he’d invited into his own city, fleeing it, and then landing himself in the midst of an approaching army that was set on a path of destruction.

Destruction of a mutual enemy, but at the expense of all that Celebrimbor had ever built and worked towards.

“You cannot be serious,” Celebrimbor tried to declare. To his own ears, it came out as a question instead.

“Is the thought really so absurd?” Adar asked. He had now circled behind Celebrimbor’s back, which caused the smith to shiver and look over his shoulder cautiously. The orc soon stepped into his line of sight again. He seemed more curious than intimidating, despite how he stalked around the smith. “Think it through to the end. You will find there is nothing better I can offer as reassurance. Nothing that you would believe to be true, anyways.”

The smith sucked in a breath and just about kept himself from wringing his hands. He really just wanted to be petulant, to scream and angrily throw Adar’s offer back in his face, but-

But he had to think of his people. Who were in danger from not one, but two threats at the moment. If he could take care of one for certain, and use that chance to eliminate the other as well…

There was a long sigh, and the smith visibly deflated. He hated to admit it, but the other was right. They had few options, especially since there was scarcely any trust between them.

Sure, Adar had been treating him rather well as of now, all things considered – he’d told the orcs to handle the elf with care, had given him food and water, had not even chained the smith (though that could be because he didn’t consider Celebrimbor a serious threat, the smith thought bitterly).

The...foundation was there. And the reasoning.

As if he’d heard his thoughts, Adar stepped closer to Celebrimbor. This time, his look was not one of a hunter, but one of sincerity. “I promise you, I’d not make any demands of you safe for upholding the marriage and the peace. I would not separate you from your people, I will not demand rulership over your city, and-” and he paused for additional emphasis at that point. “I will not ever force you into anything but civil, honest conversation with me.”

It was clear what he meant. It was a...strange thought. Celebrimbor had not even considered it but- well. He had to admit that aside from the company he kept, Adar was...almost beautiful. Despite the pale skin and the scars and the darkness he lived in, he cut a striking figure.

Where before, the thought had not even crossed his mind, he now found his belly quivering with it. Not in a fearful way, but instead with...intrigue?

He mentally shook himself. Gil-Galad was right, he did have terrible taste in what – who – he found desirable. (He did not think of the fiend that was hiding in his forge. He would not. He’d been tricked, deliberately tempted. It was hard to remind himself of that, but it was true.)

The smith exhaled a shaky breath. He should probably demand more time to think on this, but time was something he did not have – ironic that as an elf, he was running out of time now, he thought sardonically.

Instead, he rose up to his full height again, and faced Adar with a steady gaze. With a small start, he realized he was actually taller than the orc. (‚Uruk‘, the other had called himself, hadn’t he?)

“Promise me you will do everything in your power to protect my people. I do not care what happens to me, it is my fault this-” he stopped himself and felt his face pull into a grimace, but he pushed on. “As the lord of Eregion, I will take responsibility. Promise me you will help me fulfill my responsibility to my people, and I will...I will give myself to you. And my city into your hands, until it is freed.”

The look in Adar’s eyes was intense, as if he was trying to find any hidden loophole, any flaw, any lie in Celebrimbor’s words. After a moment that felt near suffocating, the other nodded.

“Very well. I will find someone to officiate,” he said, and made to turn to the entrance of his tent, undoubtably to give his men orders. He paused, however, and looked back at Celebrimbor.

The look in his eyes was softer than the smith had expected. “And I accept your demands. The city will be yours again, once I have rid it of our foe.”

A pause. “And while you would give yourself and your life away with no regards to your own safety, I will not demand you to do so. I will not touch you or mistreat you – you have my word.” And with that, the orc went outside as he gave orders while leaving Celebrimbor alone, his head spinning.

Why was this so important for the other?

Why did it put Celebrimbor at such ease?

And though Celebrimbor barely dared to even acknowledge it – why did the thought of Adar touching him not fill him with fear, but curiosity, instead?

[prettybaby-slut]

Boys my age are so boring. Want an older man to have a deep connection with. A mature, loving man who will treat me like his princess, teach me things and take care of me like a daddy would 🎀

Hold my hand, whisper sweet things in my ear, kiss my face, tell me your proud of your little girl <3

[franciscrozierofficial]

*Something about the sight of the lieutenant hovering in the doorway, casual, leaning, while he tells Crozier and @thomas-jopson that Hodgson rejected him, that he is not a marrying man— something about it strikes Crozier and his face crumbles into a compassionate grimace. He breaks away from Jopson, strides forward, and sweeps Lieutenant Le Vesconte into a hug.*

*He holds Dundy tight (though with his hips set awkwardly to the side, still aware of his (very confused now) erection) and claps him on the shoulder, careful to avoid the area where he was lashed.*

You're a good man, Henry.

*Crozier pulls away, pausing for a moment to cup Dundy's cheek in one hand. He brushes a thumb under his eye. Smiles gently.*

Don't be a stranger, lad. And—

*What he wants to say is "Give my best to Lieutenant Hodgson," but he doesn't say that. Even if he's now forgiven Dundy, Hodgson's sin is worse in his mind. He lied to Crozier's face. Dundy, at least, he had known him to play games with love and bedmates— Hodgson's betrayal had been a complete surprise, and so hurt all the more. Even after the lashing... Crozier isn't sure he's quite ready to welcome the other lieutenant back with open arms. ...Civility. He'll treat him with civility.* *Crozier affects as proper and as commanding a look as one can while middle-aged, naked, and erect, and pats Le Vesconte on the shoulder again.*

Well. You have a good night there, Hen.

*He opens the door and quickly stands behind it, shielding himself from outside view. Crozier, aware that he must look rather silly, looses his commanding expression for a minute to grin sheepishly at Thomas. He is very pink in the cheeks.*

Thomas, do you… still want me to bathe you?

*he’s rolled up his shirtsleeves and is awkwardly holding a dripping sponge. He looks younger in this hesitation. Open and vulnerable, mouth twitching, uncertain if he should smile.*

*he offers an… incredibly exhausted smile*

Yes…

*his head lolls back unconsciously— from a lack of motor awareness… to look at his captain*

Wash me… Francis,

…

my love. Wash me… clean me…

I feel so dirty…

*he feels a bone deep tiredness within him, everything lax.

everything attuned to Crozier.*

[perenians]

oh merrill...

[deadbaguette]

And if I said this is Zagreus and Hades?

[silent-sentinels]

faucet, figuratively swatting whimsy away from our mutuals ask boxes: [can you fucking ask normal questions.]

[fortytworedvines]

And the sequel, specially for @owlsie-hoot set post 5x07

Tristan sat next to Mrs Hall on the stairs, his hand on her, protectively, as she cried out weeks of fear and hopelessness, cried tears of happiness that her boy was safe. James and Helen were behind him, all of them with a hand on the woman they loved, supporting her.

Only one person was conspicuous by their absence. Tristan turned to find his brother. And there he was standing, holding on to the bannister as though it was the only thing keeping him upright, tears in his eyes, gazing at his housekeeper.

Oh, Tristan thought as he turned back to her. Oh, I understand.

He did nothing with the knowledge for a little while. The household regained its equilibrium. Mrs Hall was no longer a shadowy, sad presence but once again the beating heart of the house. A letter arrived from Edward – he was on his way back to England. He would be convalescing in Yorkshire. Mrs Hall would be able to visit him easily. She cried again, and Tristan hugged her, and thought maybe it was time.

“I’m coming with you,” he announced cheerily, as his brother set off to tackle his list.

“What? Why?” Siegfried looked at him suspiciously.

“Got to keep my hand in, old thing. Getting rusty.”

Siegfried looked no less suspicious, but did not toss him out of the car.

Tristan took the dirtier jobs, wading through mud that, secretly, he’d missed a little when he was in Egypt.

Siegfried grew more suspicious, but Tris just smiled and got on with the job, holding his tongue until the right moment.

The moment came when they stopped for lunch. They’d taken sandwiches out with them – there was less popping back to Skeldale for meals these days, now they had to be so careful of petrol. Tris waited until Siegfried had eaten, and opened the bottle of beer that Mrs Hall had packed as a treat for them.

He cleared his throat.

“Ah – now we come to it,” Siegfried declared. “The reason that you’ve tagged along today. What is it? Money?”

“You wound me,” Tris said indignantly. “No. I wanted to talk about…” he looked around. There didn’t seem to be anything that Siegfried could throw at him aside from the beer bottle, and he wouldn’t want to waste the beer. “I wanted to talk about Mrs H.”

Siegfried’s face went carefully blank. “What about her?”

“About your feelings for her.”

“My-” Siegfried cut off and growled, a proper growl that made Tristan want to laugh.

“You care for her, a lot. I saw it, at Christmas.”

“Of course I do! She’s my housekeeper. My friend.”

The exact repeat of her words, all those months ago. Tristan smiled to himself. “I think she means more to you than that, big brother.” He glanced at Siegfried, whose jaw was working furiously. “Anything you might want to say will go no further than this car,” he promised.

“Might want to say!” Siegfried cried. “What might I want to say?!”

Tristan shrugged. “I don’t know. You tell me.” He waited, hopefully.

Siegfried turned away to glare out of the window. Eventually, he spoke. “I have no right to care for her more than I do,” he said quietly. “I-” he swallowed. Tris barely dared to breathe. “I want only good things for her. I want only her happiness. When Edward – when the ship sank. I felt her pain.” He pressed his hand to his chest and finally turned to face his brother. “She was hurting and I could do nothing, nothing for her. I love her, little brother. I’ve found love again, like you told me to all those years ago. And it’s my housekeeper. The unimpeachable woman who lives under my roof. Who has tolerated my – my -”

“Rages?” Tristan suggested, with a heart full of happiness.

Siegfried glared at him. “Rages, if you must.” He sagged. “I would so like to be the man who could make her happy.”

“You saved the fox, for her,” Tristan reminded him.

Siegfried waved a hand. “A fox. Because she was furious and despairing and so, so sad. Saving the fox was the only, tiny thing I could offer her. Scant comfort.”

“It meant the world to her.”

Siegfried sighed. “She means the world to me.”

There was a silence as they both digested those words.

“I’m going to break a confidence,” Tris said, when he’d recovered.

“Extremely dishonourable of you.”

Tristan ignored him. “I spoke with Mrs H a few months ago. When you were seeing – what was her name – Mrs Grantley.”

“We barely reached seeing,” Siegfried muttered.

“We talked about Gerald, about how she nearly left but then stayed. About the reason she made that decision.”

Tristan watched his brother, wavering between curiosity and hope and irritation that Tris was breaking a confidence.

“And what did she tell you?” Siegfried’s voice barely quivered.

Tristan took a breath. “She stayed because she loves you. And all of us. But mainly you.”

Siegfried looked away. “As a friend, perhaps.”

“She said you have her heart. She said she’d hoped that when she stayed – after Gerald – that things would change between you. But-”

Siegfried hung his head. “What in God’s name was I doing, chasing that Grantley woman?” Then he raised it again. “She – she loves me? As a – a man?”

Tristan shuddered. “God knows why, but she does. I told her she was far to good for you. But she wouldn’t be dissuaded.”

Tristan expected a glare, or a cuff, but instead he watched his brother’s face light up. He thrust the beer bottle into Tris’s hands and started the engine. “Come on, little brother. We have a list to finish. I need to get home!”

--

They went in the back door, as usual. “Mrs Hall!” Siegfried roared as he kicked off his boots. “Mrs Hall!”

As an overture to a pronouncement of love, it was a little odd, Tristan thought as he pulled off his own boots and lined the two pairs up neatly.

He followed his brother, who was charging through the house looking for his housekeeper. The commotion drew James from surgery and Helen down the stairs, looking put out.

“I’d just got Jimmy to sleep! What’s going on?”

“Siegfried’s looking for Mrs H,” Tris explained.

“Well, he won’t find her here. She’s gone over to the church to do the flower arranging.”

Siegfried emerged from the living room in time to hear this. “The church!” He cried. “I’ll be back later!”

They watched him run to the door, pull on his shoes and hasten off.

“What on earth?” Helen asked.

Tris chuckled. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

And they did find out, an hour or so later. In the living room, where Siegfried and Mrs Hall – Audrey he said – were smiling, sheepishly, happily, holding each other’s hands as though they never wanted to let them go.

Tristan poured them all a whisky. “To Siegfried and Audrey,” he said, raising his glass.

James and Helen echoed him, and the happy couple turned to each other with a smile and a kiss.

“Oh, no. Oh, I don’t want to see that,” Tristan said with a grimace.

“Tough,” his brother said. Then he turned to the woman in his arms. “I love you, Audrey.”

She smiled up at him. “And I love you.”

I'd love no. 1 for the drabble prompts

Have a good day (despite having to work) 😊

Urgh, work. Thanks for the prompt!

Drabble list - send me a number!

1. “I know you're hurt."

Set sometime in 5.5 or before 5.6

“I’m going to visit Miss Grantley,” Siegfried announced over breakfast. “I’m staying to lunch, no need to prepare anything for me, Mrs Hall.”

Mrs Hall nodded. “Will you be home for dinner?”

“Probably,” Siegfried said cheerfully.

Tristan watched the exchange while he munched on his toast. Siegfried was bouncy – always chirpy when there was a new lady love on the scene. Mrs Hall though – Tristan had spotted the shuttered, blank look that had flickered over her face when Siegfried said where he was going. He noted the way her lips were pressed together, just a fraction. The careful steadiness of her voice when she asked if he’d be home for dinner.

Siegfried departed, whistling.

Mrs Hall cleared the table around Tristan, shooting him an amused glance as he continued to eat as the plates disappeared.

A little while later, washed and dressed and ready for the day, Tristan looked for their housekeeper. The breakfast conversation was playing on his mind and he was tallying it with other things he’d seen and been told of over the past year. He was almost certain he’d come to the right conclusion.

She wasn’t in the house. Eventually, he found her in the yard, beating a carpet ferociously.

Her eyes darted towards him but she didn’t say anything, just continued hitting the carpet with a strength that made him wonder.

Finally, he spoke. “I know you’re hurt.”

“Hurt?” her voice was breathy. “Why should I be hurt?”

“Because of my brother, and Miss Grantley.”

She lowered the carpet beater and turned to face him, expressionless. “What your brother does is really no business of mine, Tris.”

“You care for him,” Tris said.

“Of course. I’m his housekeeper. His friend.”

“I think you care for him in more than those ways.”

Now the carpet beater fell to the floor. “What do you want me to say, Tris?” she demanded.

“The truth?” he pushed.

“That I love him? That I gave up the chance of a life, a family of my own, with a good man, because I love your brother and could never love Gerald in the way that he deserves? That seeing him go after Miss Grantley is tearing me apart? Is that what you want me to say?”

The torrent of words left her panting and Tris could see tears in her eyes. He hated himself for putting them there. What had possessed him? A desire to know that he was right?

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

His apology seemed to bring her back to herself and she stared at him, horrified. “Tris – you mustn’t – you mustn’t say anything. To anybody.” She pressed her hands to her face. “It’s…” She trailed off.

Tris fell back to the old standby. “I’ll put the kettle on, shall I?”

He made them both a cup of tea and, seated at their kitchen table, her hands around her cup, Mrs Hall seemed more herself.

“I’m sorry for putting that all on you,” she said.

“I’m sorry for asking.”

“It’s just – you’re right.” She ran a hand over her hair. “It’s – hard. I am hurting. After Gerald…” She sighed.

“What happened there?” Tris asked curiously. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to say. I heard a few things from the others.”

“I nearly left,” Mrs Hall mused. “I handed in my notice. I hurt your brother terribly and doing that hurt me too.”

“Why didn’t you?”

She sipped her tea. “Because – what I put him through, your brother, I mean, I hated doing it. I love him,” she said simply. “I love all of you. He has half my heart and you all, Skeldale, Darrowby, you have the other half.”

“Charming,” Tris muttered.

She laughed then, the first brightness he’d seen in her eyes all day. “You are an awful boy,” she said fondly. “All of you, together, and Gerald on the other side. He’s a good man, a kind man.” She sighed again. “I could have been happy with him. But he loved me, and I – I love Siegfried.”

The way his brother’s given name fell from her lips made Tristan’s hurt turn over. “I stayed because I wanted to, because giving Gerald the tiny portion of my heart I have spare would have hurt him more in the end. I stayed because I love Siegfried and being in his life in any way at all is better than nothing.”

Tristan gazed at her, wondering how much of herself she hid from all of them.

“I’m not unhappy,” she added sharply. “I love my life here, I love you all. Seeing little Jimmy grow up is a precious gift.”

“But?” he sensed it coming.

“I thought… maybe things would change. Between Siegfried and me, when I stayed.”

Tris could feel every ounce of longing from her. With a lump in his throat, he stretched his hand over the table and held it firmly. “I know it’s no consolation, Mrs H,” he said, “but he’s a mad bastard and you’re far too good for him.”

She smiled at him through watery eyes. “As I said, you’re an awful boy, Tris. And thank you. For this.” She gripped his hand. “It was good to talk about it.”