#however that's so tiring. to me. it's almost like second-guessing the relationship

[shiraishi--kanade]

polysquad for ship bingo?

Love platonically and as a unit they are absolutely bonkers; they're not my favourite unit for nothing. Romantically I think it gets too crowded in my head to have fun shipping them in that way, so... Sorry lmao.

[chantiepie]

💞ESPRESSO💞 Yoongi +18

Yoongi x Reader

Synopsis: You are the complete opposite of Yoongi... And he can't get you out of his head.

Warnings: Unprotected sex, masturbation.

Words: 5k.

ko-fi ☕

Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh Is it that sweet? I guess so

You liked pink, feeling the morning sun caress your skin as you went for your morning run. Your favorite coffee was with milk, you enjoyed pop music, your shoes were always soft and colorful, perfectly matching the delicate bows adorning your wavy hair.

Yoongi was the complete opposite. He preferred black. At night, he went out to drink whiskey, finding comfort in the smooth burn of the drink. In the mornings, it was pure coffee, without the addition of milk or sugar, just the invigorating bitterness to awaken his senses. Ink stained his skin, almost covering it completely, each drawing telling a story he kept to himself.

He couldn't understand where that attraction to You came from. He spent hours thinking about pink bows, something he had never done before. It all started three months ago, when you walked into the bar accompanied by some people he already knew. The moment your eyes met his, it was as if a magnet drew him to you. Throughout the night, even as he tried to disguise it, it was difficult for Yoongi to look away.

He mentally thanked his friend when he called his group to join them, even though there was no direct interaction between you.

After 10 minutes, he watched you, laughing at everything that was happening, engaging in lively conversations with the group.

After that encounter, things went from bad to worse for Yoongi. He was never one to get emotionally involved with anyone, preferring casual or no-strings-attached relationships. However, your presence stirred something within him in a way he couldn't understand. You were everything he avoided: outgoing, funny, sweet, the type of girl who seemed destined for a conventional life, marrying some heir who majored in business at Harvard and now works at a major Wall Street investment firm.

In that regard, he wasn't wrong. Yoongi, after that night, didn't make any advances since he discovered during the conversation that you were committed and that your boyfriend couldn't attend because he was tired, having recently been promoted. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but think about you, even when he tried to keep his distance.

Say you can't sleep, baby, I know That's that me, espresso

The second time you guys met, during a game night, or as they call it when the real goal is just to drink, Taehyung asks about your boyfriend. Yoongi continues to pour whiskey pretending not to hear..You respond that he's not coming because he's been really busy lately and quickly try to change the subject by letting out your classic laughs. 'What a surprise,' Tae whispers while sending only an eye roll. You listen, ignoring afterwards. However, Yoongi realizes that something isn't right in your reaction.

During the small party, as he scans the room, most people are standing around smoking or chatting, and the lights are partially dimmed, emitting only a kind of light that slowly changes colors. He notices two shadows in a corner near the kitchen and quickly realizes it's you and Jimin talking. From the movements and body language, he can see your expression of disappointment, with a look of indignation that he can't ignore. It's not sadness, but rather a clear disappointment that hangs over you.

Min rises from the couch, deliberately ignoring the tempting gestures of the redhead seeking his attention. With determined steps, he crosses the room, passing by everyone without exchanging a word, and ascends the stairs towards the balcony on the upper floor of the house. His steps echo softly through the hallway as he approaches the open area of the balcony, where the night breeze welcomes him.

Upon reaching the balcony, Min takes a deep breath of the cool night air before reaching for his pack of cigarettes and lighter. He eagerly seeks nicotine, longing to find brief relief from the tensions surrounding him.

The glass door is open, inviting him to enter. He settles into one of the chairs, immersing himself in his own thoughts, when he notices someone approaching and sitting beside him. He recognizes the presence without needing to check.

"Can I have one?" The question is simple but loaded with meaning. Min needs no more than that to understand. Without uttering a word, he extends the cigarette along with the lighter, sharing the gesture in silent understanding

"Someone asked about you yesterday," Jungkook, a guy who recently started working at the same bar as Yoongi, said casually as the two of them organized the glasses to open the establishment.

Jungkook, the youngest among the staff, was still attending university, carving out his path for the future. The guy had moved to the capital in a rush, without having had time to plan properly. Now, he found himself dependent on his parents for expenses, which made him feel like a burden on his shoulders. Determined to become more independent and relieve the financial burden on his family, Jungkook began looking for part-time jobs or ones that were only on weekends, which led him to Hoseok, who introduced him to the opportunity to work at the bar.

The next morning was just another ordinary workday for Yoongi. As he organized the glasses, his mind wandered among the bar's tasks.

"Someone asked about me?" Yoongi asked, trying to disguise his interest, but his curiosity was evident in his tone of voice.

"Yes, it was a girl," Jungkook replied, grabbing more glasses to organize. "She seemed interested in getting to know you better."

A shiver ran down Yoongi's spine. Was it her? Was she finally showing some interest? He couldn't help but feel a mixture of hope and anxiety.

"Do you know her name?" Yoongi asked, trying to sound casual.

Jungkook thought for a moment before responding. "I think it was... Yuna? Yeah, I think that was it."

The excitement on his face quickly faded, turning into a bored expression. He remembered her, the redhead, she was very pretty, but his mind was already made up.

Jungkook noticed, but chose to stay silent about it, quickly changing the subject and focusing on Hoseok's birthday that would take place at the bar in a month.

I can't relate to desperation My "give a fucks" are on vacation And I got this one boy and he won't stop calling When they act this way, I know I got 'em

The third time he saw you... Well... He wasn't sure if he really saw you or if it was just his mind conjuring up your image. It was late at night, during his off-duty hours, and Yoongi was outside a liquor store, along with some customers who had become closer to him. The night was too hot to stay indoors, so he decided to accept one of their invitations to hang out. Let's just say it was just for drinking and smoking outside some liquor store downtown.

After many bottles, including one being accidentally dropped on the ground, he looked at a corner and there you were, or at least he thought it was you. You were wearing a blue dress that reached mid-thigh, adorned with a large bow of the same color adorning your hair from behind.

Suddenly, everything flooded back into his mind, as if a wave of memories hit him, turning into a tangled mess of soft colors, filled with smiles and shared moments, as if he were reliving a scene from a romantic movie. Among the flashes of memory, images of cute teddy bears and affectionate gestures emerged.

It seemed incredibly real, but it all happened so fast. He began to doubt his own sanity, something he had been doing for some time, and the idea of ​​going after to find out who that person was came to his mind. Under the influence of the adrenaline that alcohol provided, he began to seriously consider the possibility of acting, taking advantage of the fact that nobody he was with knew you. This propelled him to overcome his shyness and hesitation, especially in front of the common circle of friends you shared.

One of the friends, probably taller and louder, nudged him on the shoulder with a wide smile. "Hey, Min! What are you staring at so intently? If you keep frowning like that, you'll get more wrinkles."

Yoongi shook his head, trying to play it off. "No, it's nothing. Just... I think I saw someone familiar over there on the corner."

The friend laughed, patting the pale man's back. "Ah, okay, we get it. Let's focus on the bottles, alright?"

Yoongi just nodded, but deep down, the glimpse he had of the figure on the corner continued to echo in his mind, like a soft melody he couldn't forget.

Walked in and dream came trued it for ya Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya

"Please, Madonna is a queen," you declare to Jimin with conviction as you both enter the venue, amidst a lively debate about pop divas worthy of a Twitter thread.

"Not just a queen, she's a goddess, along with Cher, baby," Jimin backs up his argument.

The bar belonged to Yoongi, and it was a cozy yet stylish establishment tucked away in a trendy corner of the city. The entrance greeted patrons with a neon sign flickering with warm hues, drawing them into a world where music and conversation flowed freely. Inside, dim lighting cast a soft glow over plush velvet couches and rustic wooden tables, creating an atmosphere that was both inviting and intimate. The walls were adorned with vintage posters of iconic musicians and artists, adding a touch of nostalgia to the modern ambiance. Behind the sleek bar counter, shelves lined with an impressive array of spirits and liquors glimmered under the spotlights, inviting guests to indulge in their favorite drinks. As you and Jimin settled into your seats, the sound of laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air.

The noise of the music in the bar was loud, but not loud enough to prevent Yoongi from hearing your voice as you entered the establishment. His eyes locked onto you, dressed in a pink dress that hugged your curves irresistibly, outlining each contour with elegance. The suggestive neckline added a touch of boldness, leaving anyone who looked at you drooling with admiration. Your hair cascaded over your shoulders, framing a delicately made-up face that exuded confidence and charm. You seemed like a vision of pure sophistication and sensuality, and a subtle hint of jealousy struck Yoongi, though it was something he would never admit out loud.

Finally, it was Hoseok's birthday party, and the bar was packed, considering he was so sociable, seemingly friends with half the city. Yoongi didn't know even 20% of the people there, but he had let his friend invite whoever he wanted as a gift.

As a way to not make it too obvious that he had a crush on you, Yoongi kept himself busy with party duties. He served drinks, helped set up with Jungkook and Taehyung, who, by some miracles, actually started to pitch in... More often than not, they ended up hindering rather than helping.

As they worked on the preparations, Yoongi occasionally cast furtive glances in your direction, observing your movements and conversations with the other guests.

He found himself looking at you again, chatting animatedly with Jimin. You whispered to each other and glanced around, seemingly engaged in a private conversation that no one else could hear. His attention was soon taken when the music stopped, and he saw the guest of honor for the night on the small stage used for live music nights.

"I'm glad everyone's here and I want to thank you all, but especially Yoongi," Hoseok pointed to the dark corner of the bar where his friend was busy making drinks. When Yoongi realized that all eyes were on him, he felt a warmth creeping up his cheeks. But what really embarrassed him was noticing that you were watching him with your big eyes and a smile that made your face glow. "He provided this exclusive space for us. This party would have been impossible without you, brother."

He definitely wasn't used to being the center of attention, and the sensation made him uncomfortable.

As the party was in full swing, a sweet pop song started playing, and that's when he noticed the commotion around him. You were closer to him, and he didn't know how that happened, but something slipped from your lips as you stared into his eyes:

"Oh, he looks so cute wrapped 'round my finger."

You put the straw to your lips and gave him a slight smile. Before he realized it, you had vanished into the crowd.

But this empty space didn't remain so for long. Jimin, the guy he always saw you with everywhere. Something Yoongi suspected at first until he realized, through social media, that besides you being really friends, the guy with the big lips and cute smile had a girlfriend who strangely looked a lot like him. Jimin also got closer to Yoongi a bit before you showed up. He was friendly, not always, but had an aura of a playful boy.

"You got the message, right?" Jimin stopped in front of Yoongi and said this with a somewhat arrogant smile on his face as he nodded toward the upstairs, which not ironically was where Yoongi kept a second home when he wanted to escape from the world or felt too tired to go to his luxury apartment. The older man returned the smile, not wanting to show that he was lost.

"What are you two up to?"

"Why would we be up to anything?"

"You know you're always involved in something, right?" Yoongi raised his left eyebrow slightly as he questioned.

"Are we communicating in questions now?" Jimin repeated the act.

Yoongi remained silent, just waiting for the next response.

"Uh, I'm just getting things done here," he spoke again, pointing to Yoongi's house with his head. Jimin was already pushing him towards the stairs, not allowing Yoongi to think things through. "I need you to grab JK's bag, he left it there."

"Why is his bag in my house?"

"I don't know, just go already."

Yoongi climbed the stairs, trying to go unnoticed, a bit suspicious about what was going on. As he entered through the wooden door, he found the place completely silent and everything in place, the small living room and kitchen were in perfect order, with no sign of anything suspicious. He decided to turn back and return, but before he could do that, a loud noise coming from the bathroom made him freeze in place.

"That's a heavy door," the unmistakable female voice reached his ears, and in seconds, he understood all the strangeness that had occurred downstairs. You appeared in the hallway leading to the bedroom, perfect as always, but stumbling a bit with your tall white boots, most likely due to the force of the door.

Yoongi quickly turned around trying to leave the place unnoticed, but when he tried to open the door, it was locked from the outside. He mentally cursed Jimin for whatever the hell he was trying to do. He turned his gaze to you.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, trying to get your attention. Your surprised expression gave away that something was wrong, but he could see a hint of shyness glimmering in your eyes.

"Yoo-o-ngi?" You cleared your throat, still a bit incredulous. "Is something wrong? I needed to wash my hands. You know? Drinks, dancing, spilled... Jungkook told Jimin and that you authorized me to come here because of the bathroom line... Um, that's it, I guess?" It was like a meltdown, you spoke hurriedly in seconds, Yoongi barely caught on. That nervousness had an explanation.

What Yoongi didn't know was that you were enchanted by his figure, the way he remained mysterious, his large and firm hands holding the whiskey glass... Yoongi was far from the type of guy you were used to dating and attracting, but people like him were your ideal type of guy, the one you imagined before falling asleep or when watching a romantic comedy. It wasn't just a crush, you genuinely had developed an admiration for him in this short period of time. His organization and the way he fought for his goals were like a moment of silence in the daily chaos.

It was difficult for you to find a moment to talk to him because it seemed like the only thing he knew how to do was work. Besides, it would be strange to show up alone at his bar, right?

But it was becoming complicated to hide when you two met. Most of your friends had already noticed your glances, you weren't someone who could pretend. Now, in front of him, alone in a place illuminated only by the moonlight, it was difficult to hide.

"Jungkook didn't warn you, did he? I'm sorry, I-I..."

"Y/N," Yoongi's voice echoed through the hallway, sending a shiver down your spine. Your eyes met in the dim light, sparking with palpable tension. You held your breath, feeling a wave of desire course through your body. Yoongi's intense gaze pinned you in place, as if you were ensnared in a spell. You could feel the electricity in the air, the attraction pulsing between them like an invisible current. Your lips parted, ready to form words that were never spoken, but the sound died in your throat. You couldn't decipher what he was feeling.

"Just shut up," that wasn't what you expected. "I think I know exactly what's going on."

The tone of voice used left you feeling flushed, it was embarrassing. You tried to ignore all the reactions of your body and began to think about the events. And when you realized the plot, all your eyebrows raised and your cheeks violently reddened in understanding.

Jimin had convinced you to make a move today.

"The plan is easy." He spoke with calculated confidence, as if conducting a masterclass. The images on the TV screen flickered, displaying a variety of suggestive outfits. "You throw him some charm, something subtle but not too subtle, it needs to be teasing but not overly, something like a discreet invitation," Jimin explained, sliding the slides skillfully.

"I'll choose the clothes that please me," you retorted, with a tone of disapproval.

"Your clothes already have a vibe of another reserved, so it's all right," he replied with a mischievous smile. "Continuing, second step: you'll touch up your makeup in the bathroom upstairs. You know how it is, at these parties the main bathroom always gets crowded. Are you understanding?"

"Yes, Professor Park," you replied, feeling somewhat frustrated. "But why do I need to touch up my makeup?"

"Think with me, Y/N," Jimin said, adopting a persuasive tone. "That will probably happen after a while. I want to make sure that, by the time he sees you and you talk, you look absolutely stunning." You trusted Jimin's guidance, even if the reasoning behind it didn't make much sense.

"So, I'll lead the conversation with him and keep him around. When you come back, you'll be ready. You'll throw the charm, disappear, and then come back triumphant," Jimin concluded, outlining the plan with unwavering confidence.

Your hand automatically hits your forehead. You felt a little humiliated, especially considering his strange reaction.

"Yoongi, what did he tell you to come up here?" You don't look at him, avoiding any proximity.

"Does that really matter?" He was in front of you, making it impossible to look away. He saw you biting your lips in a moment of pure impulsivity, and that aroused him to the true Yoongi, the guy who doesn't need to woo someone, he fucks without a care.

He leans towards you, his lips meeting yours. His lips were soft, but you could hardly feel them, due to the force with which he grabbed your waist with one hand and the other behind your head, pulling your hair slightly. Their bodies pressed against each other, seeking relief for the tension that had built up between them.

You moaned in the form of a sigh, and he let out a arrogant chuckle in the middle of the kiss.

"Y/N... We haven't even started and you're already moaning like this?" Yoongi didn't want an answer, but he leaned back slightly from your face, pulling your hair again, this time with force, forcing you to look at him. He took advantage of your stretched neck to lick it up to your ear.

"So needy," he put his tongue back into your mouth.

Suddenly, Yoongi returned to what he was before he met you. The arrogance was in the air. You could only moan and murmur.

When one of his hands slipped between your legs, you choked in the middle of the kiss, stopping in alarm, but that didn't discourage Yoongi, who continued to move his fingers lightly over your panties.

Your mouths were close to each other, but remained separated, so close that Yoongi could feel your breath hitting his lips. Some strands of saliva still connected you. The older man's movements began to get faster, his reactions were making you embarrassed, you were about to climax without him even having touched you properly. A finger slipped into your wet hole.

"Yoongi," you were in ecstasy, broken, looking at his face, eyebrows furrowed, eyes closed, and mouth slightly open. You felt his breath close to yours, sighing, but without touching, it was a tease. Yoongi's hand slid to your jaw and held it firmly. He knew you were close by the pulsation of your pussy and the grip on his fingers.

"Yoongi... I'm going to cum, please don't stop, please," you whimpered as the tingling began from inside your belly, he kept up the pace; it was so wet there.

"Yes, fuck, cum on my fingers," that was enough.

And so you did, in small gasps and with tightly closed eyes, you melted over him, almost falling to the ground.

You barely noticed when he put you on top of the kitchen table and, with a gentle push, laid you down, pulling up your dress to your waist. Yoongi's large rings made contact with the warm skin of your belly, bringing more sighs.

Yoongi looked into your eyes asking for permission, receiving only a pleading look to continue. You threw your head back, completely lying down. It was only possible to hear the metallic sound of the belt being opened and a light sound of his pants falling to his ankles. Peeking, you came across the most promiscuous scene you had ever seen. Yoongi looking directly at your pussy still covered by panties, with his lips between his teeth, while he masturbated lightly. He grunted like an animal before approaching.

He pushes the panties aside and slowly slides into you, earning a dragged moan from you. He takes advantage of his position and, running his hand over the outside of your thighs, he pulls you closer, returning to vigorously swinging his hips towards you.

His breathing becomes heavier as Yoongi's gaze fixates on the action that is taking place. He is ignoring everything as if that were the only thing that mattered, just listening to the sound of their skins colliding.

"Don't stop," your voice comes out in a whisper, knowing that he is close to climaxing. The movements accelerate more than possible, and Yoongi's voice becomes a tangle of grunts and sighs until he buries himself deep inside you.

You feel every movement of his, every part of him inside you, an overwhelming sensation that makes your whole body tremble. Your breathing becomes heavy, your heart beats irregularly, and the heat between you is palpable, enveloping you in an intense aura of desire and passion.

The last thing you remember is him with you in the shower, bathing you while you played around like two idiots. The hot water running down your naked bodies, the laughter echoing in the small space of the bathroom. Shortly after, without even bothering to dry off, you both fall onto the bed, your bodies still wet, but your hearts filled with an intense and profound connection.

Jimin would be punished for lying.

Is it that sweet? I guess so That's that me, espresso

Two men were inside a large black car parked in front of the bar across the street. The party had ended an hour ago, nearly 7 a.m., but they remained there for an important reason.

"Did it work?" The man with large eyes asks.

"Believe me, I don't give it five months for Y/N to show up with a grumpy mini-Min ready to cry on my shoulder," he says, taking another sip from the cold beer can, taken from Yoongi's special stock, but he knew he deserved it, as they had taken care of the place and closed after the party.

"Anyway, I hadn't even noticed... This... um... thing they have... Jimin, when you wanted to talk to me, I thought it was about Yuna," the other comments.

"Haha, that was a lie. She's obviously attractive. I just wanted to test him a little before leaving my best friend in his hands," Jimin says naturally, gesturing with his hand to support his own plan.

"Lie?" Jungkook turns his body fully towards Jimin, with his eyebrows deeply furrowed and his arms open in indignation.

Jimin puts his hand on his shoulder and follows his gaze to the second floor of the establishment.

"You know, a good cupid needs to ensure all possibilities." Jimin checks his phone one last time before leaving, and only one notification catches his attention.

"Your NETFLIX login is no longer available. Would you like to sign in with another account?"

A scream was heard throughout the neighborhood.

Hello everyone. Just popping in to let you know that next week I'll be posting the second chapter of Get This Man <3.

[padfootagain]

Only An Almost (VI)

Chapter 6: Hiding

Hello!! Here is a new chapter!

I hope you’ll like this chapter! Please, tell me what you think!

*************************************

Pairing: Hozier x fem!reader, friends with benefits AU

Warning: No explicit smut or nsfw content, but there are sexual themes and heavy make-out sessions (it’s a friends with benefits AU, I can’t really escape it), so 18+ only!

Summary: Andrew has been in love with you for years, and yet he has never confessed his feelings. But a night out celebrating the engagement of his best friend changes everything. However, you don't seem ready to be with him just yet. You make him an offer that he can't refuse... but will certainly regret.

Word Count : 2387

Masterlist for the series – Hozier’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist

Andrew needed to talk to you.

After his conversation with Sam, there was no doubt left in his mind that he needed to tell you how he truly felt. This… situation, this… arrangement… it couldn’t go on. It was hurting him too much. Having you for a moment, and then being back to square one, holding himself back all the time, and this fool’s hope that you could feel the same if he waited…

He couldn’t keep on doing this. Another week and two nights with you had passed, and Andrew was now resolute. As he was knocking on your front door and then digging his hands in his pockets, he kept on repeating the words he had prepared beforehand. It was so much easier to write things down, he had sketched his speech this morning.

I know you don’t want a relationship at the moment, I understand that.

He knocked a second time as you weren’t opening the door.

But I’m not sure this… arrangement of ours is a good idea. I see you as more than just a friend. Way more than that. And I don’t think that I can keep on being casual with you.

At long last, the keys turned in the lock, and he stood a little straighter, taking a deep breath.

I get it that this is not the right time for you, and that’s alright. I’ll wait. I’ll wait all the time you need to have a proper date and a proper relationship with you. I’ll wait for you.

You opened the door.

I’ll wait for you, Y/N, if you want to give me a chance…

“Andy? Were we… had we something planned for today?”

“Hi! Erm… not exactly, but like… I haven’t seen you in a few days, I was getting worried you might have been eaten by some roaming spirit or the monster under your bed or something…”

He mentally slapped himself for such a weird and stupid joke.

You granted him an amused smile nonetheless, he was even ready to believe that you were struggling not to laugh.

“I’m alright, I’m just super busy with work.”

“You look tired.”

You looked exhausted, actually, with bags under your eyes, dishevelled hair…

“Thanks, I guess…”

He rolled his eyes.

“It’s not what I meant. You are always stunning. But you do look like you haven’t had a proper rest in a few days.”

“I have so many things to do…”

You heaved a sigh, and it was easy to see that you were buzzing with anxiety.

“Can I come in?” Andrew finally asked, but he was surprised when you hesitated.

“I have some work to do…”

“It’s Sunday afternoon, you’re not supposed to be working on Sunday.”

“Andy…”

“Do I really need to beg?”

He gave you a crooked smile, the ones he thought were almost cocky but behind which he badly hid that he was worried. You heaved a sigh and let him in.

“Tea?” you asked, although you were already grabbing the kettle by the time Andrew had rid himself of his coat.

“Thanks,” he smiled as he sat down by your table.

He waited until you were sitting with him before speaking again. He reckoned that you needed to be eased into the conversation he was aiming for, so he started with niceties.

“What has you so busy then?”

“Work. Important projects.”

“What kind?”

“Look, Andy… I appreciate the thought, but I don’t have time for this…”

“You can’t keep on working without taking a break… it’s Sunday.”

“Like you’re never working on Sundays.”

“I’m a musician, not an office employee. If I want to, I can decide not to work for an entire month, and no one is going to say a thing about it.”

“Touché…”

“Seriously, though… I’m just worried. Why don’t you take a small break with me, huh?”

“Andy, if you came to get laid, I’m not in the mood…”

“I didn’t…”

He frowned as he stared at you, offended by the thought. Your expression softened.

“Sorry. I’m a little on edge.”

“I haven’t heard from you in several days, I was just stopping by to check up on you.”

“I know… I’m sorry, that’s very nice of you, actually. I’m just so…”

“Stressed? Tired? On the verge of a nervous breakdown?”

“All of the above…”

Andrew drank a gulp of tea or two, before standing up in a jolt.

“Come on, go get changed.”

“What?”

“You need some fresh air. Some fresh air, and a nice walk. Come on. Get properly dressed, we’re leaving.”

“Andy…”

“You look like a zombie, you need a break.”

“I thought I was still stunning.”

“You are. Don’t ask me how you do it. Come on!”

You smiled, and seemed to hesitate one last time before getting up as well. You went to your tiptoes to kiss his cheek, and he bent to meet you halfway.

“Thank you, Andy. Where are we going?”

“I’ll find a nice spot, I promise.”

How could Andrew bring up this conversation?

He kept his words light and playful during the short drive to the spot he knew you would like. Some quiet path winding through the Wicklow hills, one that you knew already, but didn’t go there often. It was an easy, peaceful walk. Perfect to focus on nature, and get out of your head. It would do you good.

You were finally starting to relax, and Andrew didn’t dare to bring up the subject he so desperately needed to discuss. Partly because he didn’t want to stress you out again, partly because he was too afraid.

You joked around and spoke of unimportant but lovely things while you walked, his fingers brushing yours every once in a while, blaming the uneven terrain for the ghostly touch. But he didn’t reach out, didn’t hold onto you. He didn’t dare to.

You had brought some snacks with you, prepared while Andrew was pestering you to hurry. He decided that he would talk to you while you took a break to eat them. Yes, that sounded good…

“How often do you come here?” you asked him after a short silence.

“To this spot you mean? I don’t know… Haven’t come in a few weeks, that’s for sure.”

You giggled, and he slowed down to walk next to you again.

“You and your long legs. Wait for us mortals, would you?”

“Only if you’re nice to me.”

“I’ll give you a snack.”

“Hmm… that could work.”

“Or actually, never mind that. Go ahead and play the lure. So the beasts will attack you and spare me.”

“The beasts? What beasts? The squirrels? A bird?”

“There are badgers everywhere around here.”

“True, but I’m too skinny for their taste, I’m sure.”

“A bite-size ankle.”

“Nothing but bone, I’m afraid. Not enough sustenance. They’ll have to get to you, eventually.”

“Naughty.”

You walked further along the quiet path, laughing and joking and talking nonsense. And this was nice, unbelievably nice. There was just something about you that made Andrew’s shoulders lighter, his world brighter.

Love. It’s love.

You took a turn, came to particularly nice spot, breaking free from the trees of the forest trail. There was a clear view of the hills from there, and the valleys below.

“This is so nice. You were right, I was cooked up at home, and then at the office… I needed this. I needed some time outside, to clear my head.”

The Wicklow hills rolled before you, in various shades of green, the bluish grey of a stream running between them. You sat down together on an old stone wall, and you shared your snack with him: some slices of apple and a few biscuits.

“It’s so nice out here. We had not done that in a while, had we?” you went on, before taking a bite at the piece of apple in your hand.

The fruits were sweet and sticky with juice and sugar. The flesh had turned a little brown, oxidized by the air. Andrew hummed in agreement as he took another piece.

“Yeah, a few months, I’d say.”

“Longer than that. I don’t think we’ve done this since you’ve been back.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

He saw your gaze softening with sadness, something close to melancholy.

“How do you do it?”

Andrew frowned in response, silently asking what you meant. You looked at the landscape again as you answered.

“The touring. The constant travelling. Always being away from home. How do you do it?”

Andrew shrugged.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds. I get to do what I love, I can’t complain about it, I reckon. I’m so lucky people across the world love my music, that… total strangers on another continent can find something to relate to in my songs… It’s more than I’ve ever hoped for concerning my career. I’m very grateful for that.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

He couldn’t refrain a small smile at that. You were always so stubborn, never letting him get away with things. He loved that about you, it was endearing.

He set his gaze on the landscape too, tracked some clouds drifting in the blue sky. The weather was so lovely this afternoon… he wondered when it would turn to rain.

“It’s tough,” he admitted. “On one hand I’m unbearably lucky. I love travelling, I’m going to places I would never have dreamt of visiting. I meet amazing people. I get to perform my songs, and people come to see me. And I would lie if I pretended that I don’t love touring. But it’s… it’s hard to be away for so long. You live out of a suitcase. You don’t have a proper bed, not to mention your own. You never sleep twice in the same place, you’re always busy, always torn in a thousand directions at once… you’re never on your own, there are constantly at least five people in the same room as you. Sleeping in a bus is hell. You’re… exhausted, all the time. Stressed because of all the things to do, stressed about the schedule, the interviews, the nerves before a show… And I miss home. I miss my parents, and my brother. I miss my friends. I miss my house, and my dog, and my bees, and just… this. I miss this place. And I miss you…”

He heaved a sigh, forcing himself to look at you again, feeling your stare upon him.

“But in the end, I love it. There’s nothing as rewarding as hearing someone else singing something I have written. There’s nothing as exhilarating as being on stage, and performing and… It feels like I was born to do that. It just feels so right. It’s the same when I write music. It just feels right.”

Slowly, you nodded, a gentle smile on your lips.

“I understand. But it sounds lonely.”

“I’m literally never on my own, that’s an issue, actually… to me it is, at least.”

“But you’re not with your family. Can you say that you’re with the people who matter most to you?”

“Some of them are.”

“What about most of us?”

He granted you a sad smile.

“Yeah… yeah, I miss all of you.”

You looked away again, and he was surprised to catch a glimpse at tears in your eyes.

“I don’t think I could do it. Not just travelling but… just… how can you be with someone if you’re never here?”

It was his turn to look away to hide rising tears. His throat tightened, his heart dropped, his chest was collapsing…

Was that why you didn’t want to be with him? Why you kept him at arm’s length?

“It can be difficult,” he nodded.

“Is that why you broke up with your ex?”

“There were a bunch of reasons. But it was one of them, yeah.”

“I… I don’t think I could handle it. Waiting for you to come back…”

“I understand.”

“Don’t get me wrong, when I proposed our… arrangement… it wasn’t because it was you. I… I genuinely don’t want to date anyone at the moment. My job is a lot. And I… I’m a little lost these days. What I’m trying to say is that… I feel lonely, sometimes. But I can’t be in a relationship right now. But if I proposed for us to remain friends, it wasn’t because I was rejecting you specifically. Do you see what I mean?”

“I think so… but I… I mean like… my career means that… if you were in a position that allowed you time and space for a relationship, you would still not choose me, right? That’s what it means.”

“I…”

But you grew quiet, and he wasn’t stupid. His vision was blurred with tears: a mix of several shades of green, a splash of blue and some grey and white. A cloud was passing.

He had come all the way here with you to talk, and he had his answer.

“You’re… you’re still okay with what we agreed on, right?”

What could he answer?

No… no, it hurts more than anything I’ve ever experienced. But I can’t lose you for good. I’m not strong enough to survive it…

“Had I been anything else but a touring musician… would you have wanted to date me?” he asked, voice deeper than usual, unbearably fragile.

You didn’t say anything; he took your answer for a no.

He was being a fool…

“I can’t think like that, Andy.”

“Why not?”

“For the same reason you can’t stay for the entire night. That we can’t have pet names. That you can’t kiss me now.”

He blinked his tears away to look at you, frowning, silently encouraging you to keep going.

“I can’t let you break my heart, Andrew.”

His lips parted at your words, he tried to wrap his mind around their meaning, blinked a few times.

It was… It was him. He was the problem. Him, and his job. The same pattern it had always been, all over again, but with you this time around.

You cleared your throat, stood up in a hurry.

“Come on, let’s finish this hike!”

He looked at you as you started to walk away, but didn’t move a muscle.

You could have loved him, and he would still stand no chance at all…

[ughgoaway]

19 with Matty as like a comfort thing 🥺

Maybe girlie is feeling a little insecure that day

love this!! I answered this prompt earlier as a teacher au thing, but I liked the idea of girlie being insecure so I wrote it again but a little diff! hope you enjoy :)

19- character A holding character B’s hands as character B eats them out, fingers intertwined.

18+ pls!! includes female receiving oral and body insecurity/general insecurity. 1.4k-ish

✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿✿❀✿

You pull at your skin in the mirror, the reflection staring back at you wasn't one you recognised. Your eyes look sunken and tired, and your skin is dull when it used to be full of life.

You could stand for hours critiquing every inch of you, what part of you is too small, too big, too harsh or too soft. And you did. After every shower, you stood in front of the mirror, assessing every inch of yourself.

Matty hated it. of course, he did. You were perfect in his eyes, beyond perfect. but he couldn't stop you.

It happened like clockwork every few weeks. However, today, it seemed especially bad. The usual 10-minute assessment dragged on, becoming longer and longer with every tug and prod. He could almost hear your inner voice screaming about how you're not good enough for him and that he deserved better.

Eventually, you came to bed. Flopping on the mattress and immediately trying to burrow yourself under the blanket. but before you can, Matty grips the blanket and pulls it from your hands, forcing you to flip over and face him.

“I know what you're doing,” he says bluntly, eyeing you suspiciously.

“M’okay. I'm just tired. Long week.” you say softly, throwing matty a half-hearted smile.

You're lying. You both know that for a fact, but you pray that just this once Matty lets it go.

He doesn't, of course.

“Baby, I can see right through you. Standing in the mirror for half an hour and mumbling to yourself angrily doesn't exactly scream “im okay”” he pouts teasingly at you, and you can't help but giggle at his pufferfish face (a term you coined for that exact look early on in your relationship)

You sigh heavily before answering, “Yeah, im just - I don't even know. Feeling shitty I guess. Ugly, insecure, unloveable. You know, all the usual Friday night emotions” You try to lighten the mood with a joke, but everyone who knows you knows you joking is a sign something is really bothering you.

“You are none of those things, my love. Let me prove it to you, yeah?” Matty asks, moving to hover over your body.

You can already feel an ache between your thighs at the sight of your boyfriend above you, but you still can't shake how you're feeling.

“You don't have to, matty. I know I don't look great right now. Don't feel pressured or anything, I'm sure I'll just sleep it off.” 

“Never feel pressured with you, I just want to show you how beautiful you are to me, will you let me?” Matty looks down at you with soft eyes, and you can't pretend you don't want him between your legs for a second longer, giving him an assured nod.

“Gotta use your words for me, baby,” Matty lightly demands, dropping his mouth to your neck and pressing kisses to your skin.

“Mmm yes. Make me feel good, please,” you beg, gasping as Matty nips your neck playfully, soothing each patch of skin with his tongue.

“Thats my girl. Gonna make you feel so good, sweetheart.” Matty whispers in your ear, pulling back with a Cheshire-cat-like grin that has you blushing.

You try to turn away from him, the weight of his eye contact feeling like too much. But Matty places a hand on your jaw, dragging your face back to his and connecting your eyes once more.

Matty holds eye contact as he drops between your thighs, peppering them with kisses and hushed compliments as he moves to where you need him most. His fingers fall between your legs, parting your thighs and spreading you open for him.

“so pretty” he whispers, pressing a chaste kiss to your clit that rips a gasp from your chest. you can already feel your nerves thrumming with desire.

“Please Matty just- I can't take any teasing, please,” you beg, closing your eyes and trying to catch your breath.

“Anything you want, princess, take my hand, yeah?” Matty’s hand moves from between your legs up to grab your own, lightly gripping your hand to ground you and remind you that he wants you. He wants to make you feel good.

You smile softly down at him, looking into his eyes and memorising the exact way he looks right now, to live in your head for as long as it can.

With his hand in yours, he starts mouthing your cunt, moaning and licking your slick like he's devouring a sweet peach, juices running down his chin as he consumes you.

He’s practically making out with your cunt, burrowing himself between your legs and doing everything he can to make you feel good. Every few minutes you can feel a mumbled complement vibrate against you.

“Tastes so good angel.”

“So beautiful for me.”

“Good girl.”

Every vibration of his words against you pulls you closer to the edge. You can feel your skin growing pinker as matty continues between your thighs, a thin sheen of sweat covering your body. Matty is grinding against the mattress below him at the sight of you, but you're too lost in the haze to notice anything right now.

You roll your hips needily against Matty's face, and he immediately understands your silent pleading, moving faster against you and making the fire inside you grow even brighter.

Matty flicks his eyes up to you as he works his mouth over you, slick covering his cheeks as slips a finger inside you, smirking at the broken moan that falls from your lips. Every time his nose brushes your clit you feel a bolt of lightning strike you, your pulse quickens with every touch.

the tension in your gut is growing, and you squeeze mattys hand to warn him, whimpering “close” as best you can between the needy moans and whines.

Matty pulls away briefly, “Cum whenever you need to princess, so good for me.” As soon as he finishes he's diving back between your thighs with a new fervour, fucking you with his tongue and purposefully using his nose to stimulate your clit.

The mix of his tongue and his finger burrowed inside you is dizzying. The air is thickening around you with each passing second, and the only noises filling the room are a mix of your lewd groans and the sticky noises of matty worshipping you.

The neverending streams of compliments and his unrelenting pace against you soon push you to breaking point, coming undone with a whimpered “thank you” and shaking thighs.

Your legs grip around mattys head like a vice, keeping him buried between your legs. And he honestly couldn't be happier with that arrangement, squeezing your hand as you cum to remind you why he's doing this, to remind you how absolutely obsessed he is with every part of you.

Eventually, your legs loosen as the aftershocks stop rattling through your body. The goosebumps over your skin begin to fade, and you start falling back to earth.

Matty quickly moves from between your legs, hovering over you before leaning forward and desperately kissing you, pressing his tongue into your mouth so you can taste yourself. You groan at the taste, moving your hands to grip Matty's hair, grabbing his curls and pulling him closer against you.

You only break apart when your need for oxygen demands it, Matty panting above you with an overjoyed smile on his face. You smirk back at him, planning to repay him in the best way you know how.

But as you move your hand to grip his boxers, you feel the distinct lack of a boner and the presence of a damp spot sitting on the front of them. Your eyes flick down and study the dark grey patch on his underwear. You scrunch your face in confusion for a few seconds until it dawns on you.

He came. Untouched. Just from eating you out.

Matty sees the realisation on your face and groans, dropping down and burrowing his face in your neck. You can feel his cheeks growing hot as you giggle at his reaction, matty brings his mouth up to your cheek, pressing a kiss to it before he speaks.

“You're just really hot when you cum, im kind of obsessed with it. and you.” he whispers, pulling back to look at you with a cheesy grin. His eyes trace over your face, memorising every aspect of how you look.

Even if one day you become a stranger, if this all ends, he wants to remember exactly how you look right now.

He wants to remember the flush on your cheeks, the way the tip of your nose scrunches when you giggle, and the distinct glow of love in your eyes. 

“Love you,” you whisper, leaning forward until you are a few centimetres from Matty's lips.

“I love you too” he whispers back, surging forward and catching your lips in a kiss he hopes conveys every bit of love that his words couldn't.

[wildfloweroutlaw]

Long Kept Secrets

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

pairing: Arthur Morgan X Female Reader

drabble: fluff, mutual pining, something sweet and simple.

summary: Arthur invites you along on one of his adventures, and it becomes harder and harder for him to keep his feelings to himself.

a/n: this is just a little something to dip my toes back into writing. I have nitpicked tf out of this and i still don’t really like it, but here it is!

word count: 3k

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

You found yourself standing on the edge of Clemens Point, staring out over the peaceful water, and sipping your morning coffee slowly. The heat and humidity were actually tolerable this early, making this your favorite time of the day. Behind you, the rest of camp was beginning to come alive, some strolling from their tents groggily, some gathered around the coffee pot. However, you noticed one individual was missing.

Arthur was always up before you were, and on days that he was in camp, he was the first person you said good morning to. You and Arthur had been friends for years and if you were truthful with yourself, you wouldn’t mind being more than that. You had always found him incredibly handsome, and once you had broke through the tough guy act, you discovered the man was incredibly kind hearted and sensitive. Arthur also possessed a dry sense of humor that was very funny, given you could tell when he was joking. He was even charming in a strange way. Despite this, you never let yourself dream too long about a relationship with Arthur, he he always seemed to be romantically unavailable at best.

Your eyes combed the camp once more, searching for Arthur’s familiar form. You spied his horse at the hitching post, so you knew he couldn’t be far. Your eyes finally fell on his tent, the flaps closed. How odd. You gulped down the rest of your coffee, and began to make your way across camp, offering polite good mornings to those who had just awoken. As you approached Arthur’s tent you began to second guess yourself. If he’s tired maybe I should let him sleep… or maybe he just wants alone time.

Still, you wanted to make sure he was feeling okay and you raised your hand to knock on the wooden post, standing just in front of the tent flaps. Before your knuckles could ever make contact with the wood, Arthur emerged from the tent, careening into you.

Startled, he muttered curses and grabbed your waist to steady you. Instinctively your hands found his chest. For an instant the two of you were pressed close. “I’m so sorry Arthur!”

Suddenly realizing it was you, and where his hands were, he released his grip on your waist quickly and backed away a bit. “Christ woman… you stalkin’ me?”

“I was just coming to check on you, you’re normally the first one up.” How quickly he had put distance between the two of you was not lost on you and was almost enough to make you roll your eyes.

“You were comin’ to disturb my peace and quiet, you mean?” His hands found his gun belt out of habit.

“More or less.” You shot him a big grin, which earned you a soft chuckle from Arthur.

That damn smile. It was enough to drive him crazy. He drove his thoughts away as quickly as they appeared. “Well I was comin’ to find ya anyways. Want to go somewhere with me today?” He shifted from one foot to the other and found himself praying you’d say yes.

You would go with him anywhere he asked, but of course you didn’t want to seem too eager. “Where to?” You placed your hands firmly on your hips.

“Up to Roanoke Ridge. Got something to do up there.” Arthur toed at the dirt to calm his anxiousness.

You crossed your arms, a smirk playing on your lips. “Hmm… well I’ll have to check my schedule.” You couldn’t help but let out a giggle at the eye roll Arthur gave you. “I guess I could make time for you Arthur”. Your words oozed with sarcastic sweetness, or was it really sarcastic?

“Well don’t I just feel special! Go get dressed woman, I’ll get the horses ready.” Arthur felt an almost childlike excitement in his chest. He always enjoyed your company and looked forward to when the two of you got to spend time together.

You nodded and began to scurry back to your tent, calling over your shoulder, “don’t forget to eat breakfast!”

Arthur was pretty sure you were the only person who cared about his well being, always chasing him down making sure he had gotten enough to eat and lecturing him on taking better care of himself. He ran a hand down his face and shook his head before stalking off to ready your horses.

You went and put on your favorite outfit, the one that fit you just right, and went to meet Arthur at the hitching post. You found him brushing down your horse, talking to her in a low and gentle voice. Your horse didn’t like many people, men especially, but she was quite smitten with Arthur. She’s not the only one, you thought to yourself.

When Arthur heard your approach he slid the brush back into your saddle bag and turned to greet you. He nearly choked when he saw you were wearing that outfit he loved so much. Steering his eyes down to the ground as quickly as he could, he cleared his throat, “You ready?”

You flicked the brim of his hat as you walked by him, “yep, if you are.” You started to get on your horse and as usual, Arthur assisted you. He was painfully modest with his hand placement and kept his eyes hidden below his hat.

Arthur mounted up and pushed his horse into a trot out of camp with you following closely behind. “I’ll lead the way… I don’t think I trust your navigational skills.”

You feigned offense and fell in beside Arthur once the two of you were clear of camp. Arthur began to tell you what exactly the two of you would be doing in Roanoke Ridge, saying there was some sort of rock carving. You didn’t much care what business he had, you were just happy to be along for the ride.

At first, the two of you fell into easy conversation accompanied by your usual banter. But the further you got away from camp, the quieter Arthur got. Some might think that was normal, but you knew him better than that. Yes, Arthur was generally a quiet man, but once it was just the two of you together he was normally chomping at the bit to catch up with you. He might just want some silence. So you settled in for the ride, taking in the views and making the occasional comment, usually met with a short response. It seemed Arthur was a million miles away.

When the two of you rode through Butcher’s Creek, you garnered some less than friendly stares from the locals. “Feelin’ at home yet?” Arthur asked you, taking in the little ragtag village.

You let out a giggle, happy to finally have some of Arthur’s normal personality back. “They must have just forgot to roll out the welcome wagon.”

Arthur let out a soft chuckle, turning to look at you for the first time in a while. He hoped you hadn’t noticed how deep in his own mind he was, but you know him too well. He hoped you were at least still having a decent time, despite his poor company. He allowed himself to study your face, spending a moment to take in all your beautiful features before breaking the silence, “We’re headed up towards Elysian Pool. Ya know it?”

You nodded, “yeah, sorta.” You could feel his eyes burning holes in you, and you attempted to shoo away the bumps that pricked your skin in response.

“Good. I heard the Murfree Brood has gotten real bad around here lately, so stay near me and don’t go wandering off or nothin’.” Arthur pointed his finger at you as a warning, knowing your habits.

“Yes sir.” You let out an exaggerated sigh at the man’s gruff protectiveness. Not that you had planned on straying far from Arthur, you wanted to soak up every minute of alone time with him, even as strange as he was acting.

“See, now that’s more like it.” Arthur flashed you a smug smirk, which only made you roll your eyes, put your heels to your horse and ride past him.

Once you arrived at Elysian Pool, you both dismounted and Arthur began to survey the cliff side. You stared out over the water, studying the lovely waterfall. When you looked back over your shoulder, Arthur was quickly writing something in his journal. You crept up behind him trying to get a peek at the contents of the pages. You would consider you and Arthur to be close friends, but you had only ever gotten to see inside his journal a handful of times. You wanted nothing more than to just flip through the pages to get a glimpse into Arthur’s mind.

Without ever turning around, Arthur finished his writing quickly and snapped the journal closed, shoving it back into his satchel. “C’mere and look darlin’.” He reached behind him and placed his hand on the small of your back, guiding you to his side.

That nickname, It was enough to set the butterflies in your ribs to fluttering. Arthur didn’t use it often but oh how you loved it when he did. You quickly shooed your thoughts away and commanded the butterflies to be still. You followed Arthur’s gaze up to the side of the cliff where an incredible carving resided. “Arthur, how’d you know this was here?”

He gave a shrug, “Asked around. Apparently they’re all over the country. This weird ginger headed fella wants me to send him the coordinates to them. I’ve found a couple already, I uh…. thought you might like to see too.” He made no move to pull away, letting his hand linger on your back as he watched your face light up. He knew he would do anything it took to see that look on your face.

You marveled at the carving, briefly wondering how long it had been there and who had done it. “Arthur, I’ve never seen anything like it!” You turned to face him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Thanks for bringing me along, it’s been a while since just the two of us to do anything together.” You suddenly noticed how close you both were, just a few more inches and you would be pressed flush together. The thought alone made your heart pick up a bit. Beside you, the sun was beginning to sink low on the ridge line, reflecting off the water to cast beautiful red-orange rays across Arthur’s face.

Arthur cleared his throat, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Course…It’s getting’ late. You want to ride up to Annesburg and get a couple of hotel rooms?”

A couple? “Or… we could just camp out here.” Truthfully you were just looking for an excuse to share a tent with the man, but you also genuinely enjoyed your camping trips together. You both always had so much fun, and it was nice to be away from everyone else.

“I-I don’t know about that y/n. You did hear what I said about the Murfree Brood right?” He studied the landscape, kicking at the dirt anxiously, hands still deep in his pockets.

He’s nervous, you suddenly realized. “It ain’t like you to be scared Arthur.” You placed your hands on your hips and studied his face intently. You couldn’t quite figure out what he was so antsy about, but you were going to.

“I wouldn’t be if I was alone…” He finally looked back to you, “I don’t want nothin’ happenin’ to ya is all.”

“And nothing is going to happen to me. Not when I have my very own big tough gunslinger to protect me!” You playfully poked at his side, earning your hands a gentle swat which only served to make you laugh. “Please, Arthur?” You gave him your best puppy dog eyes.

He scratched at his beard and sighed softly. If you asked him to sell his soul to the devil with that look on your face, he knew he’d agree happily. “Fine. But when the Murfrees come callin’ I don’t want to hear no cryin’.” He warned you with mock sternness.

After some mild arguing on where to set up, the two of you finally settled on a secluded spot just on the other side of the Kamass river. Arthur pitched the tent and got the fire going while you retrieved both your bedrolls from your horses. Arthur’s tent was really only made for one person, but the two of you could squeeze, and you’ve done it before. Once you got them situated you went and plopped down at the fire beside Arthur, who was cooking some meat on the end of his knife.

“Here.” He took his knife and held it to your mouth, watching as you gingerly took the meat between your teeth, sliding it off his blade. He felt his face heat up and cursed himself for the thoughts that entered his mind. He sheathed his knife and began to rise, turning to hide the blush creepin up on his face. “I’m gonna go lay down, alright? Get me if ya need me. Unless it’s the Murfrees, you’re on your own with them.”

You simply nodded, watched him enter the tent, and waited a little while. After mulling over the idea for a moment, you decided it was best if you just asked Arthur straight up what was going on with him. You were friends weren’t you? That’s what friends did. You dusted yourself off and made for the tent. You ducked to crawl inside the small structure, finding Arthur sitting up, reading his journal on one side. He snapped it closed and set it aside. He was just about to ask if you were turning in already when you sat yourself practically on top of him. “Is everything okay? With you I mean… you’ve just been acting like something’s been on your mind all day.” You placed your hand on his knee softly.

Arthur looked down at your hand, then back to you, then decided his lap was suddenly very interesting. “Yeah… yeah ’m fine darlin’.”

You reached up and grasped his jaw, directing his eyes to yours. “Arthur, you know you can tell me anything… right? I know something is bothering you so if you want to talk about, I’ll listen.” Even in the dim lighting of the tent, he looked so very handsome, his sea green eyes staring back at you.

Arthur quietly studied you for a moment before he took your hand from his jaw and held it in his own. He stared down at both of your hands before he intertwined his fingers with yours. “Actually… there is somethin’ I’ve been hopin’- well… meanin’ to talk to you about…”

You tried your very best to focus on his words and not his big gloved hand cradling yours while you waited patiently for him to go on.

Arthur scratched at his beard with his spare hand, eyes glued to his lap where both of your hands lay. “I was thinkin’ that uh- Well I thought that maybe… I uh- I don’t really know how to say it. Darlin’ I-“

You leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lips for a few heartbeats before pulling away again. “Is that what you were trying to say?” Arthur stared back at you, speechless. For one horrible moment you thought you had really misread the situation.

A bright red blush had crept up Arthur’s neck and painted his cheeks. Speak you damn idiot, he cursed himself and cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking, “yeah… more or less.” He let out a soft chuckle. “Y’know I practiced what to say the entire ride up here and still couldn’t get it right somehow… sweetheart I am a fool. But I care about ya more than you know… here.” He opened his journal to a filled page. It was a beautiful sketch of you, he had been working on it for a few days now, his favorite yet. Beside it was something he had written just this morning in his tent.

I know I’m sure I want to ask her to be mine… I just ain’t real sure how. How could I ever put into words what she means to me? How could I ever explain that she’s what keeps me going most days? If I do tell her how I feel- which I fear I must, it grows harder to hide each day- I do not know what she would think. She is beautiful and lovely and everything I’m not. Most of all, she has been my constant friend for years. I know if I confess my feelings to her, it will jeopardize our friendship. I pray to whatever God there might be that I don’t scare her off, whatever happens. Not sure I could bear that. I don’t dare dream that she will return my feelings, or else I am a bigger fool than I thought.

For a moment, it was your turn to be speechless and you hoped the dim lighting was hiding your blush better than it was Arthur’s. “Arthur… This is… I’ve wanted that-you… for years if I’m being honest.”

Arthur wanted to kick himself. He could have done this years ago? “Why didn’t you ever say nothin’?”

“Why didn’t you?” You deflected the question right back to him.

“Like I said… I am a fool sweetheart.” He placed his calloused hand on the back of your neck, searching your eyes for any sign of discomfort. When he found none, he leaned in and placed a deeper, more passionate kiss than the one you had given him earlier, and you returned it tenfold.

You were the first to break the kiss, “looks like we are just a pair of fools then.” You pressed your forehead against his, eyes fluttering closed. “I’d like that… to be yours Arthur.”

Arthur smiled, really smiled, for the first time in a while. You always made him feel like a real person, not a weapon nor a tool, that’s why he took to you so quickly to begin with. But now he felt it more than ever, it was like he was smiling deep within as well. He guided your back down to your bedroll, laying down by your side. “I’d love to be yours too sweetheart, if you’ll have me of course.”

You cradled his jaw before placing a kiss to his nose. You snuggled deeper into Arthur’s large frame, exhaling softly.

Arthur held you close, held you like he had always dreamed of. He wrapped his strong arms around your frame, loving the feeling of keeping you safe. “Goodnight darlin’.” He kissed your temple softly.

“Arthur… you really think the Murfrees will bother us here?” You murmured sleepily against your cowboy.

He chuckled softly, “they better pray they don’t. You just worry about sleepin’ sweetheart, I gotcha.”

You smiled, feeling safer than you have in years. You let yourself drift off to a sound slumber.

[sophswritingthings]

so what — blue eyed samurai

pairing: mizu x f!oc

warning(s): a bit of a steamy scene at the beginning but technically no smut; sex/sexual mentionssss. swearing!!

tropes: protective!mizu, canon divergent, just some good old fluff, a little bit of angst; I guess? cuddling, mizu with ✨feelings✨

a/n: writing these fics have become my life and I’m way too invested and also flustered writing these things so bare with me

summary: after their kiss at the brothel, they find themselves staying with a swordsman and his workers before traveling again. mizu wants to keep their new found relationship to themselves. mio, however, does not feel the same way. 

word count: 1,476 words / 8,122 characters

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mio's chest heaved up and down, her breath came out in puffs, almost like smoke. her kimono was half pushed off her top half, exposing the sensitive skin of her neck and shoulder. 

meanwhile, there was mizu—sitting behind her, bent into the crook of her neck, kissing and sucking on her neck and shoulder. leaving red marks up and down her skin…

footsteps pounded outside the bedrooms door.

mio stayed relaxed, her muscles never tensing. sure, it made her a bit embarrassed someone could catch them like this, specifically, but she didn’t care if someone saw them together.

on the other hand, she felt mizu’s arms around her waist tense. her head shot up from mio’s neck, pulling up the girls kimono, making her look as presentable as possible.

“.. no-ones coming in here, mizu,” mio murmured, glancing at the samurai over her shoulder. “It’s probably only ringo… he knows not to bother you.”

“I’m not taking my chances, mio,” mizu’s eyes narrow, “besides. you should get to sleep—we have a long day tomorrow and I don’t want to listen to you complain.”

there was a hint of kindness in her tone—a hint of empathy, despite her actual words. mio sighed flopping down to rest her head on the pillow of the mattress.

“I suppose your not going to stay with me, can’t risk it, can you? so scandalous to be seen with a woman you like, isn’t it?” mio hissed, burying her face into the soft pillow.

“I- mio,” mizu choked out. it wasn’t that she was—embarrassed by mio, not at all—mio was a courteous, beautiful woman to which she liked. she didn’t want to admit to herself how nervous she was. how nervous she was to be seen with someone; being a samurai of her reputation.

“no, no—go. go ahead,” mio sighed. “If that’s what you want, mizu, it’s fine.”

was it fine, though? was she fine with this? being hidden away like she was some dirty secret?

mizu stopped in her tracks. she quickly sat back down, gazing at mio with somewhat of an unimpressed expression. 

“happy?”

mio gazed at her for a moment, somewhat of a flustered smile coming over her lips.

“I won’t be truly happy until you come over here,” mio murmured, chuckling a little. 

mizu rolled her eyes, climbing up to the top of the mattress. she settled behind mio, wrapping her arms tight around the woman’s waist—as if something was going to come out and hurt her. her head tucked into mio’s neck.

mizu practically raised warmth; compared to mio’s small body. 

“you crack so easily,” mio murmured, her voice slipping off into sleep.

mizu rolled her eyes, “no. I don’t think I do,” her voice was raspy, growing more tired by the second. 

mio slipped fully into sleep. mizu’s arms around her waist, her head tucked into the crook of her neck—their legs intertwined as warmth radiated from their bodies. the closeness of someone you liked so much could warm a heart in seconds.

snow sprinkled on her silky black locks; the snow riding up her ripped kimono. she’d probably be able to get a new one, at some point—but as of now she’d have to deal with it. 

they trudged through the snow, the cold wind nipping at her exposed skin. the weather was turning her naturally light skin bright red.

a hand brushed against her cheek, making her look up unexpectedly. 

when she did, there was a somewhat kind expression in front of her—partially hidden by a hat and glasses.

“.. you’re freezing,” mizu murmured, pushing her glasses up her nose with two fingers. 

“what did you expect,” mio chuckled nervously. “It a fucking blizzard, out here.” her tone was somewhat rough, eyes narrowed. 

was she still a little upset about the keeping them a secret, thing? sure.

but she felt that it was petty; so she didn’t bring it up. she should understand, right?

“we’ll be inside soon,” mizu shifted her gaze away from mio. she had quickly caught onto the woman’s tone. she glanced at her, “you’re upset with me. for what I said, aren’t you.”

mio folded her arms across her chest. partly because she was upset, yes; but partly to keep herself warm.

“maybe I am,” mio murmured, her dark brown eyes locked on mizu's blue eyes, hidden by those glasses she wore. “Is that not allowed?”

“don’t say things I didn’t,” mizu narrowed her eyes. “you’re allowed to be upset with me, mio, it’s fair. have your own opinion.”

mio glanced at mizu, raising an eyebrow, “okay,” she whispered. “so—what? what do you have to say about it?”

“you do have to understand this from my view, mio,” she pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated by the situation. she let her hands than fall under her cover up. “.. you act as if this is completely common for us to do. you act as if someone saw us together; they would not hesitate to kill either me or you in mere minutes.”

mio huffed. it wasn’t like mizu was wrong. she let her eyes rest on mizu's again, “I do understand that,” she sighed. “but you have to get that I have enough trust in you that you would not simply let that happen.”

mizu paused for a moment, listening to mio's words. she had an expression of surprise over her face; as if she couldn’t believe a lick of what mio had just said.

she let out a breath in a little huff, seemingly now not wanting to accept her words as truth. “I suppose.. you are not wrong, princess.” her eyes narrowed a little, “I wouldn’t let anyone lay a hand on you.”

mio couldn’t suppress a smile, her hand ruffling under mizu's over-coat, looking for the samurai’s hand. when she finally found it, her hand clasped around mizu's. they were rough, war torn. scratched and practically ripped to shreds from her years as a samurai.

but they were just right for mio.

mizu took a moment to adjust to the new feeling; but when she did, her grip was incredibly tight. she didn’t want to let her go; she didn’t want mio to go even an inch out of her sight.

mio was slightly surprised—they were walking along with ringo, to their next destination. and yet it was as if her words made any shred of doubt mizu had about their safety, about their relationship, was whisked away with a flick of her hand.

a warm, inviting light was up ahead. mizu pulled her forward with no hesitation, slipping inside. she seemed to know the swordsman and his men settled inside; and quickly pulled her little group into an empty room. lit by a fireplace and two mattresses lain about the floor. one for ringo, one for them.

“ringo?” mizu glanced over her shoulder with those piercing eyes, “go and shadow the swordsman for an hour or two; think of it as part of your training.”

mizu than glanced at mio, the slightest hint of a smirk on her samurai’s face. mio's eyes met hers, looking a little anxious. yet excited nonetheless—anytime she had with mizu was always good.

when ringo disappeared, mio cleared her throat.

“why do I have the feeling you're thinking something you shouldn’t be,” mio raised an eyebrow. “we are guests, here, mizu.. I’m sure we do not wish to.. bother the others here, yes?”

mizu was already busy, pulling off her glasses and hat. she placed them tenderly to the side, as well as her sword, hidden in the scabbard. when that was all said and done, she turned to mio. her footsteps came closer and close, til they were inches apart. 

the samurai’s fingers pricked at mio's waist, drawing her in. she tugged her into her body by the hips. her face sat inches from mio's painted red lips.

“someone is bound to hear us,” mio practically murmured against mizu's lips, her eyes flickering from the woman's lips to her eyes ever few seconds.

“so what,” she hissed, her eyebrows creasing for a moment. “does it seem as if I care at the moment?”

mizu's earlier anxiety had washed away; washed back by comforting waves of mio’s presence. her trust. her touch, her love, her security. there was no need to be secretive; to beat around the bush when it came to them. she didn’t give a shit what anyone thought anymore; she was strong enough to take down any asshole who dared look wrong at her princess. 

“no… it doesn’t,” mio muttered, closing the gap between them. she had one hand rested on mizu's chest, the other curling up around her samurai’s neck. 

mizu pulled back for a moment, taking mio's hand and leading her to the mattress. Mio gave a breathy laugh; she was in for a night.

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

a/n: mizu sending her fucking apprentice away to fuck her girlfriend canon

tags: @jspidey5

[graciegoeskrazy]

If you’re living and you’re 17

Pairings: Matty Healy x Teen!Daughter!reader, George Daniel x Teen!Niece!reader

Warnings, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND SELF HARM, lots of cursing lmao, yelling, so much fucking angst, mentions of losing friends, shitty fathers for a second, lil cliffhanger (?),

A/N: Requested by a super sweet anon! I ended up adding to the original idea so sorry if it’s not how u invisioned it but the creative juices kept flowing and my fingers just kept on typing. Seeing the 1975 in ONE WEEK! Thx for all the love!

You walked inside the tour bus and was greeted with an overwhelming fume of drugs and laughter. Adam was the first to acknowledge you. “Y/n, you want some food? I’m ordering Chinese.”

“No, Thank you. I’m good.” You said, on your way to your bunk.

“What’s up with y/n? She seems off.” Adam said.

“I don’t know. Teenage hormones I guess.” You heard your father say, laughing.

Just then, Ross came bursting through the doors with a huge grin on his face. “It’s official mates! A 3rd leg is completely booked. 40 cites, almost every continent, and we’re ending it in Madison Square Garden!” Everyone cheered and smiled. All except you.

“God!? For how long?” You asked. A look of panic on your face.

“About a year?” Your mouth dropped in shock. You just turned to your dad and whispered a simple, yet strong, “Fuck you.”

You stormed off into to bunk room. Your dad rolled his eyes and said, “I hate teenagers.” causing the others to laugh. He followed you into the other room.

“Hey! What is going on with you lately?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry I said anything. I’m happy for you.”

“Really? Because that didn’t look like fucking happiness over there!” He was fuming. “Stop fucking lying to me, ok? Now, tell me what the fuck has gotten into you.”

You dropped everything and put your hands over your eyes. “I can’t keep doing this.”

Your father's anger continued. “What? Doing what?”

You suddenly stood up facing your father and letting it all go. “THIS! This! Living this crazy life with you and putting on a smile like everything is fucking fine, but nothing feels fucking fine! However many times I try to talk to you, Tell you how I’m feeling, tell you that I’m having thoughts of ending my life every single God damn day, tell you how much I hate my life with you, it never works because you never listen!”

Matty’s face contorted into confusion, his anger mostly dropping. “What do you mean?”

“God, it’s like I’m talking to a brick wall all the time. Are you even listening? Have you ever thought about listening to what I have to say? Or how I’m feeling? No. Because you never care for anything other than yourself.”

“I…I don’t understand.”

“I’m tired, Dad. I’m tired of spending every waking hour of my life in a tour bus, or hotel room, a plane, or any bed that isn’t my own. I’m tired of your bullshit and you getting drunk every night partying with 40,000 people. I’m tired of getting blamed for the stupid shit that you say or do. I used to think that this whole tour thing would be fine. I would enjoy online school and maintain my relationships - and I did. Until you came along and did something that scared them away! Now all my friends are weird 30-year-olds and I’m failing in every class I take but I don’t even get the chance to tell you that I’m struggling! I’m tired of seeing you all over social media skipping from woman to woman who eventually gets tired of your bull shit or then find out you have a daughter and run scared. I wish I could be like them and run from Matty Healy the first chance I get, but I can’t because I’m stuck here. In this fucking smelly tour bus, letting you live your dream while I watch my entire life fade away.”

To say the least, Matty felt awful. How could he have been this blind? Had he really not noticed at all how much his own daughter was suffering? He was at a loss for words, and yet still tried to find the right ones. “I’m sorry.” He said.

“Thanks, Dad.” You said, Walking away and into the main space.

Everybody that was in there before had left except for Jamie, Ross, and George. When you walked in you immediately went up to George.

“Can I spend the night at your place?”

He gave you a weak smile and put his hand on your shoulder. “Yeah, of course.” He said.

_ _ _

Nearing showtime, you avoided your dad. Instead of hanging is his dressing room or the green room, watching him do his prep or play music together like you used to, you were in George’s. You told him that you would be fine if he went into the green room to hang out, but he wanted to leave you alone for as little as possible. You were thankful for George and all he did throughout your life. Sure, he was technically your official unofficial godfather, (official because your father deemed him that the day you were born and unofficial because your father also doesn’t believe in God so you never went through with the baptism) but ever since you were young he has always been a second parent to you.

After the show, George drove you back to his hotel room as promised and told you to get ready for bed. At one point he heard a loud thump of some sort come from the bathroom. You knocked over the soap dispenser on accident and picked it up with no problem. When George came around to check in on you and see what had happened, he noticed your arm.

Red and littered with marks all over.

His first reaction was to run to you, grab you, tell you to never do that again, slightly scream at you, and then make sure you were okay, but he knew this needed to be handled differently. He went back to the bed and waited.

You came back just a few minutes later and to no surprise, your sweatshirt was back on. “Ready for bed?” He asked. You nodded in response. He pulled back the covers to let you get in and stood up. He planted a kiss on your forehead before continuing. “I’ll be back, I gotta make a call.”

“Uhhhh, You’re not gonna tuck me in?”

“I just did!”

“That was a bad tuck. Plus you're not gonna stay with me?”

“It’s a work call. It’ll be fast.”

“Dude, it’s midnight,. Nobody you talk to at work is gonna answer. Especially my dad if you’re trying to call him. He’s probably black out drunk already.”

He let out a slight laugh. “Okay fine.” He agreed.

He got in on the other side and pulled you close - your head leaning on his chest. After a few minutes of going back and forth, he finally gave in and played the movie you wanted to play instead of what he wanted. It backfired on you though because within 20 minutes, you passed out. He chuckled at your quite, delicate snores and pulled out his phone, dialing your dad.

He answered right away. “How is she?”

“Well, given the circumstances i’d say she’s good. Calmed down a lot. She sound asleep right next to me.”

“Ok. Ok, that’s good.”

After a brief pause, George continued. “Listen, Matty, I gotta tell you something…about y/n.”

“OK?”

He cleared his throat before speaking. “She was getting ready for bed, brushing her teeth and stuff and I came in to check on her.”

“OK?”

“She had her sweatshirt off. She was in a tanktop, and there were red marks all up and down her arms.”

Matty couldn't believe what he was hearing. “Do you mean that she-”

“She selfharmed, mate.”

Matty wanted to burst into instant tears. “Jesus Christ.” He said.

“I didn't bring it up. She didn't even notice I was standing there. I just figured that even though you shouldn’t be having that conversation alone with her, it wasn’t right for just her and I to have it.”

“Yeah. You’re right. What happened after?”

“Nothing, She came out with the sweatshirt back on, I tucked her into bed, sat next to her and she fell asleep watching a movie.”

“Ok,” he said hesitantly.

“Listen, I’ll keep my eye on her tomorrow before the flight we’ve got to have a conversation with her.

“Alright.” Your father said.

All the while, you were fast asleep.

PART 2

[sweet-3-whispers]

˚₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳❥ ꒰ ⌨ ✰ 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠 ⁱˢ ᵗʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ··· ꒱ | ೃ࿔₊•

______________________________________________________________

Word Count: abt 800 or so

Pairing: Miles Morales x Reader

Reader: GN Reader

Genre: fluff, established friendship(relationship??)

Warnings: None

Late nights are something you always enjoyed. The feeling of the cold air coming from the air vent, the sound of Brooklyn late at night, all so peaceful… sorta.

Some nights you would be on your phone, scrolling through social media, on others you would do skincare or working on missing work cuz why not. However, tonight was going to be a little different.

BZZZ

You felt a buzzing sound come from your phone, assuming it was just a notification from a social media app, you left it untouched.

BZZZZ

Another buzzing sound came from your phone only a few seconds after the first. Now thinking someone might be texting you, you grabbed your phone and unlocked it, checking who it is.

𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠♡ sent a message

‘This late at night?’

It was kinda strange to see a message from him, especially this late at night but considering he was Spider-Man, he does have some nights where hewould stay up late.

You opened the message, your eyes slightly squinting from the bright light of your phone.

𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠♡: do u think i can come over

You: this late??? Hell nah my parents would kill me if they see u

𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠♡: i promise i'll be quite

You: nah man no can do

𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠♡: well wtv im omw anyways

You: BRUH WAT WAS THE POINT ON ASKING ME THEN??

𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠♡: just to worn you so u dont scream like last time😋

You: 😒

seen

‘The nerve of this boy’

You laughed a little remembering the last time Miles came over, almost scaring you to death causing you to scream and wake up your parents, thankfully you covered it up by saying it was nothing and only a nightmare.

You heard a thud at the balcony of your window, removing yourself from you thoughts and walking towards to window when you saw the loveable boy who texted you not to long ago

Opening the window to get a clear view of the boy, you saw him panting slightly, guess swinging around Brooklyn still tires him at times.

“H-hi” he turned around to face you, a cheeky smile forming on his face showing off his dimples and his freckles from the city lights.

“Hey, come on, you'll get cold” You softly tug on his jacket so he’ll get inside.

Taking off his shoes and removing his jacket, he moved to your bed and face planted on it as he wrapped himself in your blankets.

You laughed a little at his actions and moved towards your desk after closing the window. While you finish working on what you were doing, Miles was looking around your room trying to find something entertaining to do while he was here.

No matter how many times he’s been at your apartment or your room, he always stares in wonder, always seeing something new every time. Whether it be a new poster, lego set, a figure from your favourite show/anime, he always finds something to entertain himself with.

He turns to look at you… the light from your lamp makes your skin glow, showing every detail on your face to him. He couldn't help it, I mean how could he? His best friend(other than Ganke) right in front of him looking like an absolute goddess to him is breathtaking. He felt his face getting hot and his heartbeat quickening.

You turn around on your chair facing him once you felt the awkard tension, and instantly you notice him getting flustered, cheeks and ears slights red. He was caught off guard and quickly straightened his posture.

It was like the both of you were having a staring contest…

“So”

“So..?”

Miles tilted his head to the side with slight confusion, making an adorable face you couldn't resist, puppy eyes were your weakness and the fact that he is still yet to figure this out makes it even worse.

“Why’d you come over so late?” You crossed your arms and coped the same head movement Miles did, looking him in the eyes, continuing the staring ‘contest’.

“I guess I just missed you… I haven't seen you in awhile because of school and stuff. Aanndddd I missed when we used to hang out ‘n stuff yk?” He looked down towards his lap and started to play with his fingers nervously, unable to make eye contact with you, too embarrassed with what he just said and for your reaction.

You frowned your eyebrows a bit, replaying his words in your head.

Getting up from your seat, you walked towards Miles, sitting down next to him and gently putting your hand on top of his.

“To be honest, I missed you too. I guess being Spider-Man can really fill up those spaces in your schedule huh?”

Miles looked back at you with a small smile forming on his face. He wraps his hand around yours, joining your hands together.

“Yeah it sure does, but i'm here now”

🌸 ∴ ｡ * ✨ ･ﾟ * ｡ 🌸 ･ ✨ ° * .* 💖 ･ ﾟ* ｡ ･ﾟ ✿

OMGGGGG my fist posttttttt

i hope yall enjoyedddd and if you would like to see more similar to this, plz give me some recommendations for future pieces

hope you have a goodnight/morning/evening!

BYEEEE

　　　

[wildissylupus]

hi idk how much you analyze on hanzo but something thats been on my mind is the progression of his character through non-canonical events/interactions. I am aware there isn’t a lot of canon Hanzo content so take this thought with a grain of salt.

In Overwatch 1 hanzo’s personality was more stand-offish and maybe even rude. Now in Overwatch 2 he’s more approachable in a weird way? He’s still the same brooding guy but it’s almost like we see this “healed” version of his in overwatch 2. Not just from interactions but also from his character design aka the underbags being less prominent, him looking physically more healthy, the lack of bottle that has his sake (ofc this could just be them upgrading his look in the game).

While this is amazing and something I have always hoped to see from hanzo, part of me hopes that the developers/writers still remember hanzo from Overwatch 1. There hasn’t been a lot happening canonically with hanzo since the confrontation with Genji and if they were to skip from the last we saw of hanzo to the hanzo in overwatch 2 it feels like a lack of potential and even story telling?

Don’t get me wrong I love that hanzo is being given more personality and depth. It’s so refreshing that he gets to be something other than the ex-yakuza that murdered his brother lmao.

I guess I’m afraid that his development will feel rushed or like there’s gaps in it. I want to be able to see the rugged, tired bitter hanzo turn into the hanzo that literally contemplates the idea of settling down and adopting a dog, you know what I mean? I don’t just want it to be a thing that is skimmed over. I hope Overwatch touches on the more difficult situations in regards to mental health. And this isn’t just for hanzo, it’s for the whole roster.

I hope that each characters gets to grow and learn even if it’s unpleasant and “ugly” and that we actually get to SEE it in progression. Not just time skips and flashbacks or whatever.

Maybe it’s too early in canon mission events content to judge but it is something that has been in the back of my mind. I may be proven wrong later or be completely off but thoughts???

I do agree with this, though I don't think he should still be standoffish when he joins Overwatch, I do want there to be this awkward period where everyone adjusts to having him around. I also think that the reason for his character progression is going to be explored in his short story with Kiriko. It seems from the description that he's going to be getting some closure with his father, which would explain his change from OW1 to OW2.

However I think there is a different thing that could explain his change. Kiriko. I've explained this in passing but I think that both Genji and Hanzo are going to be given a second chance to be siblings, not to each other, but the people they have found on their own respective journeys.

Genji has stated that he sees Cassidy as a brother, which is interesting considering so far, other then Angela, since even OW1, he's shown the most concern about Cassidy's well being. Specifically his mental state. Unlike with Hanzo where is has been shown that Genji wasn't really knowledgeable of what Hanzo was going through with being the eldest son. Genji shows a lot more observation with Cassidy.

(Honestly I could write a whole essay about those two and how Genji is given a second chance to be there for who he views as an older brother BUT THIS POST AIN'T ABOUT HIM!)

I believe this is going to be the same with Kiriko and Hanzo but in reverse, while Genji gets the opportunity to look out for his older sibling, Hanzo actually gets to be an older sibling. He finally gets to relax and joke around, contemplate something other than Genji's death and how he can atone for that.

It would also be a nice parallel to Genji with instead of staying hang up on a previous relationship, he ends up creating a new one that is overall better for him.

It's also the matter of Kiriko and Hanzo's relationship is a lot more salvageable then Hanzo and Genji's. Listen, as much as I love those two, there is no way in hell they're going to get the normal sibling bond the fandom likes to give them. Even if that is the end goal for the writers, they would need to write a whole other novel for that kind of relationship between the two to not feel rushed.

Now I do want to point something out about his OW2 redesign because there's more then just the lack of Sake. It that fact that he's now covering his chest. This might not seem like a lot but in his first design he isn't protecting any part or any organ that is slightly to the right, in the middle, or the the left of his chest, meaning his left lung is exposed, his heart is exposed, his spine is exposed, basically a lot of stuff you would want shot at is exposed.

Combing this with and interaction with Genji from OW1, that is alluding to the fact that Hanzo "finds living challenging", then Hanzo covering his chest is a big step.

Anyway the fact that Hanzo is now on his way to being added to the list of characters who are practicing selfcare is so funny, cause out of all the characters to end up on that very short list at the beginning of Story Mode, I did not expect it to be Hanzo.

[ren1327]

A Look Back at my Benji Fics 1: Kenji's Family

So the first fanfiction I wrote was called Sweet Survivor. This was right after season one and before we knew when season two was coming out.

I had written it as a gift to my sister, as we both fell in love with one Benjamin Fitzgerald Pincus.

However...all I had was my knowledge from the books and movies. I had no idea where the story would go. So like those Pteranodons...I winged it.

But seriously. It led to my own lore when it came to the campers. If I was going to write my own ending, I had to make some guesses and choices how I saw characters. And I would reuse these characters again and again.

So first: The Kons

(Btw, this was pre-Daniel Kon. And I will collapse as not to cause endless scrolling for passers by)

Kosei Kon

Kosei was what I hoped Daniel could’ve been.

I had created him between Season 1 and 2 of Camp Cretaceous when writing Sweet Survivor and kept him as “Kenji’s Dad” in every one of my fics since.

Kosei was someone who was selfish and needed a reality check. Someone who pushed his son to the side, but would do anything to keep him safe and sound. Who would be able to look at himself and do anything for Kenji’s safety.

Daniel Kon, he is not.

A lot of the background with Kosei was he was in construction and/or finance. I also put in a few fics he and Simon were best friends in their twenties and while Simon got more whimsical, Kosei got more serious. He was also from a traditional family who valued hard work, but not really family ties.

A very "I bust my ass, so you don't have to" mentality that backfires tremendously.

This would change during his second marriage and the Jurassic World incident.

I’ll go into Candy later, but she was the fuse that started the fire under his ass when it came to not only finding his son, but repairing their relationship. Most fics also had him a little awkward with his younger daughter, another OC,  since I had a theory Kenji was only raised by nannies and saw his dad once a day in person or on facetime. So he being around for nightly feedings and the terrible twos and first everythings were something he had yet to experience.

 Another funny quirk is he tries to learn about things he doesn’t understand, like phrases or other sexualities, hence why he’s a little overenthusiastic about Kenji being bisexual because “You’ve trained for this possibility, Kosei!”

A big part of making Kosei was making him terrible at poor communication and posturing instead of comforting his obviously emotionally neglected son. He would find it hard and way too new, but he was always written to, despite being a bit aloof and closed off, ready to finally step up when his son needed him for life advice or just to pass the time.

He’s also not afraid to put his career and reputation on the line when it comes to his children.

Candela "Candy" Kon

Candy was kinda a throw away line from Kenji and never mentioned again.

We didn’t know back then if she was his dad’s girlfriend, his stepmom or just an assistant for Mr. Kon. I went to the stepmom angle cause it almost felt like the scene from “Up” when Russel talked about his dad.

I really really reeeeeeally am tired of the evil stepmother trope.

So I created Candela Kon, Kosei’s wife.  (I will be referring to my OC Kosei Kon rather than Daniel Kon as Kenji’s father.)

I wanted her and Kenji to have an awkward relationship rather than a hostile one. It was more important to me that she was trying, and it just was…awkward. I 100% believe Kenji’s Dad, Daniel or Kosei, would marry without informing Kenji or Candy. And she would ream him out and immediately try to bond with Kenji, cause her husband may be a clueless dolt, but there’s a child now and his feelings are the most important thing right now.

Since Jurassic Park is located on Isla Nublar set in Costa Rica, I wanted her to be an orphan who grew up there and later immigrated to America before returning to work at Jurassic World.

Her being an orphan was never really touched on, but it would help her connect with Kenji, as she knows how it is to want parents and they're not there.

On top of that, she often had the stereotypical health crazes, though toned enough that it was more a pursuit of knowledge to see what was good or beneficial to her family. Hence why she would like Ben so much, as I wrote him not only as food conscious, but also with an interest in herbology for medical purposes. (More about that later.)

Before the series, she and Kosei would meet and start their romance because of a pregnancy that unfortunately didn’t make it to term. Candy would have built a relationship with Kosei, and both agree to stay married as they make each other happy and both love Kenji.

Carmen Kon

Carmen was the daughter of Kosei and Candy, and Kenji’s baby sister. In most stories, she is Candy's rainbow baby.

Most of the time she’s between the ages of yet to be born and 15. At any age, she’s a pretty chill little kid who loves games, her babysitter/nanny Dave and Kenji.

As a kid under 6, she’s obsessed with Kenji and later Ben. Usually getting very excited any time Kenji enters a room, she’s often corralled by Dave, who I love too much not to come back in every fic.

As a teen in Sweater Weather, she is very self-conscious, as she’s being bullied for not being like her brother by other schoolmates. She keeps to her games and loves the mall, but will have bad days where she shuts off her phone and walks around the properties. She bonds with Ben over being bullied and shares her interests in video games and gender studies.

So that's the Kons.

Thank you guys for dealing with my breaks. I am trying to write when I can. Have a good summer.

[yoonmeowzz]

vigilante sh1t — xiaojun x yuta

a/n: this is inspired by a tiktok video i saw and it's the first time i write something so long 😭 tiktok cr.

contents: human!xiaojun x demon!yuta, angst, paranormal(?, romance

warnings: mentions of death, no proofread

word count: 1,9k

the light went off for the nth time that night. xiaojun would like to say he was scared but, being honest, at this point he was more than used to things moving on their own and lights turning on and off constantly. however, trying to study with his lamp turning off every two seconds was getting on his nerves.

"can't you stop for a damn minute!?" xiaojun slammed his pen on the table. "i don't care if you're a ghost or whatever, just let me study please" a tired sigh left his mouth before continuing writing on his notebook. luckily for him, the lamp stayed lit for more than an hour and he could copy one of his classmates' notes of what they had explained in class that day since he stayed sick at home.

meanwhile, someone was fuming because he couldn't do what he wanted. "i didn't rise from hell for this" yuta sat on the couch while boring holes on the back of xiaojun's head, knowing damn well that the human couldn't see him. he lied down completely without taking his eyes off of xiaojun "maybe i should give up".

yuta came to earth some months ago to have fun scaring some humans. demons are invisible to humans who are alive, so he thought it'd be easy to mess around with them. however, he didn't expect falling in love with a human.

xiaojun was fun to play with at first, he was very jumpy and he would sleep with a little lamp every night to keep the "ghost" that was annoying him away. as weeks passed by, xiaojun started to get braver and he even yelled at him —without knowing he was a demon, not a ghost—. that only made yuta's feelings grow faster. he loved how xiaojun was so cheerful, sociable in his own way and how he took care of his friends. he also had a soft spot for dogs and yuta found that utterly adorable.

for yuta's disgrace, not only xiaojun couldn't see him, they would never end up together. there was an important rule for humans and demons relationships: demons can only own a human's heart and soul once they are dead. and xiaojun was clearly alive.

even though yuta had grown to love him, he would never want him dead. his friends, his family and his dog bella would be sorrowful, the world would lose its color and xiaojun would probably hate him. yuta knew the younger male wanted to do lots of things in the future, one of them being falling in love. but not with a demon he guessed. to make things even worse for his feelings, he had noticed that xiaojun was getting especially closer with one of his friends and he didn't want to jump in conclusions but looking at your friend with heart eyes didn't sound friendly at all.

yuta came back from his thoughts and looked at xiaojun only to see him peacefully resting his head on his desk with his eyes closed. a slight smile appeared on the demon's lips "i told you to rest but guess who only listens to me in his dreams" he admired the beautiful sight of a sleeping xiaojun, unconsciously approaching his own face to the other's until their noses almost touched. yuta decided to put the male in bed and protect him from nightmares as he had been doing every night since he met xiaojun.

that's the only thing he was grateful for as a demon, he could get into people's dreams and there they could see him. that's why every night he stayed close to xiaojun to appear in his dreams and experience the relationship they'd never have. however, yuta had decided to do what he thought the right thing: letting xiaojun go. he didn't want him to die only to be together but he couldn't handle the pain of seeing him falling in love with someone else. it sounded selfish and maybe it was. "you're a demon, nakamoto, of course you're selfish" he thought.

taking a deep breath, he covered xiaojun with the sheets and stayed looking at him, admiring him, for a while. for the first time in thousands of years he felt a single tear flowing down his cheek, he wiped it before it could fall on the sleeping male's skin and he left a soft sweet kiss on his forehead, being careful not to wake him up. "i'm supposed to be the bad heartless guy here, what did you do to me, darling?". and the demon closed his eyes, hoping for the pain on his chest to go away.

    ⠀ ⠀⠀

"yuta? where are you?" xiaojun woke up alone and worried on his couch, there was no one at home with him apparently. it had been four months already since he met yuta nakamoto in his dreams and every single day since then they would spend the night together. xiaojun got up and went to the kitchen to make something for breakfast, still waiting for yuta to show up. his head had been full of questions about yuta for the last two weeks but the one that worried him the most was: is he real? a goosebump went down his spine just by thinking that. he was planning to interrogate him —and maybe ask him to meet in real life— that night but yuta was nowhere to be found.

soon enough a pair of arms wound around his waist and he felt a weight on his shoulder. "did you miss me, darling?" the second the shooting voice of yuta rang through his ears he turned around to hug him tightly and he hid his head on the crook of the older male's neck. "where were you?" he whispered "i've been right here the whole time, and i'll always be". yuta pressed a chaste kiss on the younger's cheek before holding his face with both of his hands "wanna make pancakes?" a wide bright smile emerged on xiaojun's lips while he nodded happily with his head.

both males started cooking between sweet words and giggles and some soft kisses that yuta stole from xiaojun. as yuta promised, he never left the younger's side, hugging him from behind, staying next to him while he flipped the pancakes and stroking his chocolate hair every now and then. after more than half an hour —that felt like two minutes for the lovebirds— they sat down at the table and ate what they had cooked with the same lovely atmosphere surrounding them.

"yuta, can i ask-" "jun, i need to tell-" both males interrupted the comforting silence that had settled between them while they were having breakfast "you go first, darling" yuta assured with a smile. xiaojun moved fidgeting with his fingers while looking everywhere except for yuta's eyes "i mean... it's a dumb question but you know what Descartes said, right? that only our own mind exists and nothing else does?" yuta frowned his eyebrows completely confused but he answered nonetheless "yes, i know" xiaojun took a deep breath to calm himself "are you real, yuta? i know it's a stupid question but i need to know. did my mind make you up? that's why we only meet in my dreams?"

at this point, xiaojun could feel tears gathering in the corner of his eyes, ready to fall down. yuta bit his bottom lip, searching the right words to say "i am real, jun, it's just that... i'm not human, at all" he looked up at xiaojun, expecting a reaction from him and he obviously got it. the boy was speechless, pale, in awe. "then what are you?" he asked underneath his breath, holding tight onto the table. "i'm a demon, xiaojun" yuta sighed "you can't see me in real life, that's why i always show up in your dreams"

tears flowed down xiaojun's cheeks uncontrollably but he was still frozen in place. yuta got up and crouched down by his side to hold one of his hands, stroking it ever so softly. "i know it's hard to process, take your time, darling" xiaojun seemed to come back from his thoughts only to look yuta in the eye "why did you pick me? there are lots of humans out there... are you- are you going to kill me?". yuta widened his eyes at the thought of hurting the younger male "NO! no, no, no. i would never hurt you, my darling, you're too precious" his other hand reached the other's cheek to wipe the tears that were still falling down and he left a sigh leave his lips "there's no point in hiding it anymore so... i fell in love with you, jun, that's why i picked you"

xiaojun opened his mouth in surprise "every time something weird happened in your house, it was me. every time you almost fall down or hurt yourself, it's me who avoids it. every time you feel warm when you're blue, it's me who's hugging you." it didn't matter how much yuta tried to wipe the tears away, they just kept flowing from xiaojun's eyes, and his own as well. "i love you, darling".

"and i love you too, yuta" the demon felt his heart sink when he heard the other's desperate voice. "you're a demon, you can do something to stop being invisible, right?" yuta just looked at him sadly and feeling guilty. "i can't, jun. demons can only be visible for humans who have passed away and then we can own their heart and soul." the older male gently kissed the back of his hand, then his wet eyelids and finally the tip of his nose "you need to live a long happy life, find someone to love and have fun with your beloved ones. do it for me and especially for yourself, can you do that, darling?"

"i don't want to lose you, yuta" xiaojun held the demon's face in his hands "and i promised you i would always be by your side, darling, because i love you" yuta put both of his hands on top of the younger male's ones before closing the small gap between their lips, melting in a soft and long awaited kiss.

    ⠀ ⠀⠀

xiaojun woke up abruptly, feeling his heart racing inside his chest. he looked around only to find out that he was alone in his apartment as he always had been. "YUTA?! YUTA, WHERE ARE YOU?!" he got up from his bead, not even wondering how he ended up there, and ran all over his home to look for the charming demon. however, after looking in every single room he gave up and dropped himself on the floor, hugging his own legs searching some comfort.

"w-where are you?" and in that exact moment he felt the warmth that he had felt in his dream every time yuta hugged him. he raised his head immediately, only to find out that there was nobody next to him. but he noticed a small piece of paper on the coffee table in front of him.

"don't hate me, my darling, i'm still close to you. i need to let you go. maybe some day, in some years, we'll meet again. but until that happens, live happily, please. — nakamoto yuta"

xiaojun pressed the piece of paper close to his chest and once again he started sobbing quietly, but this time with a tiny smile on his lips.

"i'm gonna be happy, and you should too, yuta. just don't break your promise, love".

    ⠀ ⠀⠀

    ⠀ ⠀⠀

[linguiniroll]

October 23rd 2024

this might accidentally sound conceited or big headed which I don’t intend it to be, but being hit on when in a relationship is one thing, being hit on when single is another however being hit on when you’re in the healing stages of a breakup? Sincerely feels like a soft punch to the gut.

A man got off the train earlier than his stop to tell me he noticed me reading and would love to hear my thoughts on it over a coffee sometime? A handsome tall man with beautiful curls, a muscle build, smartly dressed, holding an issue from The Economist, also on the way home from work (I assume). He inconvenienced himself to tell me I caught his eye and that he couldn’t help looking at me? He also had a sense of humour. Not cheap humour, actual wit. Mind you, this was 19:00. I had woke up at 5:30am, I looked a little tired, my makeup was pretty much all gone and my waves looked unkept.

“I’m sorry, I’m not interested. I respect your efforts though”

“That’s totally fine. Not all women are into the 1/4 zips. That, or you’re in a relationship?”

“Neither, it’s just not a good time for me. 1/4 zips can be tasteful. Anyway, I hope you find her soon”

“And what if ‘her’ is you. How will I solve that chance?”

Annoyed bc I smiled at how stupid yet romantic that comment was tying it to chance aka timing aka universe? He continued.

“Well how about I propose this. I take your number, I’ll message you, and if you think my 1/4 zip is commendable, you let me take you for coffee”

“I have a better proposition. Since you believe in chances, how about if you catch me again on a commute, we’ll exchange numbers and you can get the pleasure of taking me out then.”

“Sounds like a gamble I don’t want to take, but alright Miss…?”

“Davina”

“Alright Miss Davina, here’s to hopefully bumping into you again”

“Good luck”

And that was that. That silly dreamy London TFL romance nonsense and it felt like a punch.

Whether or not I see him again I’m not bothered. I’m not interested. I’m happily interested in focusing on myself, growing my skills, my bank and all other areas. The reason it stung is I understand that wounds, especially deep ones, can take a little while to heal and learn from.

Getting hit on in the healing stage of a separation is a reminder of that hurt. Even if I’ve had a beautiful day being productive and laughing, it can be poked. I know it’s important to not avoid healing and distracting from lessons by sugarcoating it with other people/hobbies/etc. Introspection without outside influence is vital to me.

But being reminded that someone can want me romantically?? Stings. Sometimes I forget how soon the breakup actually was.

It feels like it’s been years. I hardly even remember him or his features anymore. They seem all contorted. Which is odd, because I remember things like him sleeping on me while I played with his hair and feeling so at peace seeing the calmness of how safe he looked resting ontop of me. It’s just as a visual or forcing myself to remember, doesn’t feel real? Almost like I’ve made it up or that man in my head I’m remembering isn’t him at all? Weird to think our paths first crossed when I was 22 and he was 23 now about to turn 29 with me newly 28, yet as of 3 months ago, he’s now a blurry memory that I’m second guessing was ever even my friend let alone the person who claimed he’d love me forever. I guess we’re both liars.

Anyway, I’m sure this ‘sting’ is a temporary consequence. I know I’m not ready and almost don’t want to be. I’m quite happy and at peace. I feel so immensely grateful for life and the beauty of everything. And I mean everything.

Romantically? I’m no longer worried. In the past 3 months I know there’s been a massive energy shift and the level in which I’m operating is attracting so much abundance in knowledge, wealth and love. Love is the highest frequency.

Whatever God has for me will always find its way to me, however it’s meant for me, all in divine timing.

[zakmarcin]

Hey Zak, I’ll like your advice if you have time to give. I took my ex back last year April. He told me yesterday he doesn’t want his mind to wander and I know he’s talking about his ex b/c he went back to her earlier next year. He was honest with me about how tired he was waiting for me to move in with him. He said he didn’t cheat on me. Almost been a year and I still haven’t been able to move in with him because I’m talking care of my mom. He took his ex back because I wasn’t able to move near him. I didn’t cry but I was hurt.

However I’ve been taking my stuff to his home in these past few months cause my mom is ready to head back to her homeland.

One day while on FT, he was playing video games and overheard him talking this his brother and he was talking about other how hard it is to find a woman with the whole package such as intelligence and body. That kind of hurt my feelings because I don’t fit the description he really want.

I feel like I should leave but he’s my first bf I had. I never had someone have so much patience with me. I grew up neglected and never had a man take their time with me been all alone these years because I’ve been losing my immediate family. I’m almost 30 years old and have been sad, stressed and overwhelmed for a long time. All I have is my mother left and she’s been going senile for about two years now so in reality she’s not really here, just physically. I have a few best friends but they are mothers now and I don’t want to bother them.

He tells me he loves me and once told me tolerates me and wants to start a family but something about it feels off. I feel like if his ex was not hard to deal with he’ll be her and not me. I’m scared to start over honestly.

I think that if you still have any concerns about his ex and he JUST told you about his mind wandering, you shouldn’t be with him. I’m very big on not tolerating anything ex related.

Also, if someone is gonna push you to move in like that, the bare minimum is they should definitely be 100% sure of you. It’s also a huge red flag that he was that pushy about it and even left for an EX because you were staying to take care of your mother. I understand wanting to advance the relationship and take those steps, but that’s very inconsiderate and telling. That combined with the “tolerate” comment and the conversation you overheard, makes it sound like comfort and attachment more than love.

My overall advice - trust your intuition. I know life has been hard for you, but it will get even harder if you choose the wrong partner, one who is not certain of you. You don’t want a lifetime of those sad, overwhelming feelings, and a partner is a very pivotal decision. It’s also very important to distinguish patience vs. tolerance. How patient is a guy who left you because you couldn’t move in because your mom was sick?

Starting over sucks, it really does, and it’s especially hard for everyone when it’s their first, but it’s important to realize that the concept of the “first” is just something we romanticize. I was completely daunted by the idea of it not working out with my first, and fast forward all these years, I don’t think about her at all, and never in any positive light.

Once I truly let that go, with more maturity/wisdom and no concept of a “first” to cloud my vision, I met someone I feel even stronger about, (which back then I didn’t think was possible) someone that I want to spend my life with. Whether I get to do that or not, it taught me what matters is who becomes the last. And if I can do it, I know you can. 30 is not too late for anything. You deserve someone you don’t have to second guess.

It *could* be worth a conversation with him if you haven’t voiced your concerns in depth to see what he has to say. But overall I think we both may know enough to know what the best thing to do is. I hope this helps. Wishing you blessings and discernment through this time.

[iwannabeskiinniiii]

Weight update and how I feel

So I've been tracking my calories, dieting and measuring myself almost every day since Feb 6th. Then I weighed 77,5kg and precisely one month later I weight 71,9kg. That's like 5,5kg (about 11 lbs). I feel very proud of myself and I am happy that I made the decision on going back to my ED. I just missed not eating and seeing the numbers on the scale get lower. However, I do not hate myself if I weigh a bit more one day. I KNOW all that weight is not fat, it's most likely water and the food in my stomach. And remember, the scale only tells you what something weighs, whether you have some water weight or not. Your weight will fluctuate, especially if you have a menstrual cycle you will feel different ways during that time and your body will hold onto more or less water.

I am also entering the second week of A.I.T. I feel great so far. During the weekend I didn't go over my calories, the only negative is that my energy drains fast. Saturday and Sunday I felt so tired and almost sleepy like I needed a nap. Yesterday I did a cardio test to see how good my cardio is. The test is that you run 2,4km as fast as you can and then calculate sort of. I have a goal that in 10 weeks I will run this in 12 minutes, yesterday I did it in 14.34 minutes.

I guess that was my update. I feel kind of safe here and "welcome" to open up about my relationship with food and my weight. I do not really feel like talking about that with my friends or my boyfriend. Just when I relapsed I talked to him but I know he has a history with it and I do not want to be the reason IF he falls back into that. I know he's healthy and wouldn't do that, but you IF. I also do not want to talk about it to my friends because I feel like they've already dealt with me and my ED before.

[pvremichigan]

Oh, God… Autumn stopped his car in the middle of the traffic after noticing a small clumsy dog was about to cross the street, turning his little paws back and forth. Probably, the little creature was overwhelmed by all the honking and lights, which intensified when Autumn made such an abrupt movement.

But, at least he had done something. Even the cop agreed with him and let them both go, shaking the puppy’s paw as a goodbye.

“Alright, my little friend, you gave me a good scare over there, but your owner must be petrified by now. Let’s see who you belong to.”

Autumn drove to the address on the dog’s collar plate, but he first stopped at an apple store for the sake of the tiny little creature biting on the seat belt socket like there was no tomorrow, trying to jump on it, and then hitting his head with the handbrake.

With the puppy in his arms, Autumn knocked at the door. But the answer came from behind. It was rude at first, expected, but then there was relief all over the woman’s face. Riley wagged his tail like he was about to fly from his arms like a helicopter.

“You’re a terrible owner.” Autumn began but stopped. He knew that regardless of the nature of their relationship, Mich must have been scared to death about losing her puppy. Besides judging the dog’s behavior, it might not have been her fault. In the end, she can be mean and impulsive, but she doesn’t seem the type to put her beloved in danger for fun.

“But accidents do happen. Please, don’t take it on yourself. All it matters, Riley is fine.” Autumn offered a smile and let them have their little reunion. 

“Oh, here.” He threw the apple box at her in a casual swing. “He seems a bit of a rebel. This is an airtag, so you can track him if it ever happens again.”

Hearing a knock at the door, she set down the dish she was rinsing off - after a moment of hesitation to avoid socialization - and made her way towards the door. Beaux seemed to sniff at the door with a wagging tail and nervous composure. Almost anticipating something.

Opening the door, she looked tired as ever. However, that fatigue quickly formed into confusion as she saw the boy holding up a now very excited and wiggling Riley. She looked back in the house to assure herself that he was, in fact, not there. Her confusion now stemmed from the forming question of how the fuck he managed to get out.

No joke, she saw him about 10 minutes ago.

“How the fuck did you manage that, dumbass?”

She directed the question to her pup, leaning in to look him in the eyes with a squint. It was like there was no thoughts behind his own eyes. Which she was... Entirely correct on.

“This ain’t the first time. Usually his brother watches him but I guess he managed to sneak out somehow. Thanks for returning him. Surprised you didn’t try to sell him or somethin’.”

Glancing up at Autumn with accusing eyes, it was more a ‘playful’ jab than an actual belief.

Mich reached out to take the pup from his arms. She managed to hold him for about half a second before he flailed about, causing her to drop him from his obsessive wiggling. Once he hit the floor, he ran circles around the living room with a burst of energy. The pup spun rapidly, unfortunately knocking his skull on the corner of the wall to the kitchen. Mich just looked at him with tired, disappointed eyes and sighed out. The movement of Autumn’s toss caught her attention, raising her hand up to catch what was thrown before she even got a chance to turn and look. Upon inspection, she noticed it was some tech shit.

Oh great, don’t let IJ touch this...

“I’ll see what I can do about activating this thing. He usually finds his way home. Today must’ve been a particularly stupid day for him.”

She turned to shut the door, shutting it halfway before opening it partially again for a moment.

“Thanks, though.”

“I mean it.”

“You’re not terrible.”

And thus... She shuts the door.

What ensues beyond the door is some crashing, barking, and Mich yelling. Oh Riley...

What a dumb, dumb dog.

[draslihanxfahri-bailey]

Carefully, she took the tissue and used it to wipe away her tears. "Thanks," Asli whispered with a soft smile. With her lips pressed together, she shook her head at his question. "I... I-I haven't seen my old therapist in almost a year and I'm not sure if they'll be able to take me as a client again after it's been so long. But... I am searching. It's just... daunting, you know? Having to recount everything..." Admittedly? She wasn't sure she could do it. So many times she's had to tell her story and each time, she felt herself growing more and more tired. Asli wasn't sure if she had it in her to meet a stranger and open her life up like a book for them again.

She nearly stopped breathing for a moment at his question. God, how can she explain this to him without giving everything away? If Nate had been willing to shove Eli's face into a desk simply because he found him in her office, she had no idea what he would do if he found out Eli's been separated from her for ninety-nine percent of this past month since finding out about the baby. "Shocked is too small of a word to describe him," she started, feeling like that was neutral enough without giving anything away. "I mean, we... we never discussed having children. Things had moved so fast with Atlas and Ray that I had wanted us to take our time and go at a slower pace with our relationship, and he supported that. So this happening... it's rather a surprise, frankly." The professor quietly looked down. She lifted her hand up and placed it over the small bump, going from completely hidden to now noticeable against the outline of her shirt. In spite of everything, she smiled gently. "You're the second person I've told about the baby," she admitted, glancing over at Nate. "After Theodora... I guess I didn't want to give anyone false hope again. Maybe be further along in my pregnancy, however far I am currently, before spreading the news more."

Nathan fought back a roll of his eyes at her hesitation. As much as he disliked hearing about Elijah's involvement, he'd long since grown used to hearing his siblings talk about their sex lives—the Cranes had never much cared about keeping such things secret, not with the rate at which they popped out children—and he regarded Asli much the same way, if not a little more protectively knowing she was unlikely to be able to handle herself in exactly the same way he knew his sister was. She wasn't fragile by any means, but she was a gentler soul. Her blush was just another reminder of that.

From his pocket, he tugged out a tissue and offered it to her silently. He didn't want to imagine a world like that either, and it seemed particularly cruel that she should have to confront such a possible reality. Throwing money at the problem would be his usual go to, flying in the best doctors and midwives they could get their hands on, but that was unlikely to be much help from the sounds of it. “Have you spoken to anybody about this? A professional, I mean.” He was out of suggestions and, at this point, it wasn't as though a therapist could do more damage. Emotional distress wasn't going to do any good, he thought. Aslihan needed someone qualified to hold her hand through it all. “What did Falvey have to say about it?”