#i WAS expecting to be crying by the end though

[ylangelegy]

After MAMA awards I'M VERY PROUD OF MY BOYS and seeing Woozi crying, nooooo my mannnnn

So can I request Woozi or anyone after awards, all members celebrating with their partners hehe LOVE YOUUU!!!

PLEASE PLEASE 🛐���

🍑 i will really live the rest of my life repaying you.

you don't see seungcheol until the next day. such is the life of the general leader, it seems— the never-ending heralding, the non-stop worrying. he deals with his boys, first, then the fans, then the staff. but once that's all done, he's at your front door, collapsing into your arms before he's even past through the entryway. it doesn't matter how many awards its been. he is still overwhelmed by it every single time, and you are a soft place to land. he comes home to you and whispers the sweetest nothings in your hair. i'm so proud of them and they did so well and they're so happy. as he holds you tight— like you're the only thing keeping him upright— it's your turn to let him hear those words. i'm so proud of you. you did so well. you get to be happy, too.

the jeonghan on the other end of the video call has been quiet for the most part of the past half-hour. you'd be more worried if you hadn't already predicted where his solemness was coming from. "hannie? still with me?" you prompt gently, and he finally tears his gaze away from the ceiling to look back at you. "yeah. yeah, i'm with you," he answers. a beat. there are some things you no longer have to say out loud. how he wishes he was there. how he misses them and tries not to let it show. instead, you give him a reminder that's quiet and firm. "this is yours, too," you say. this award. this moment. these boys. all still his. there's a ghost of a smile on his face as he mumbles, "right. of course. how could i forget."

joshua likes keeping lists. a running one he has with you is that of gratitude, where the two of you try to end each day with acknowledgements of what you're grateful for. you're expecting a whole essay for him after tonight. he surprises you by keeping it short, sweet, and straight to the point. in no particular order, he types out into your shared note. music, the boys, you. hours later, he adds a footnote like it'd occurred to him as an afterthought: i'm always grateful for those three, but especially so today.

"look at them!" jun shrieks. his video call pixelates, either from spotty connection or his sudden burst of enthusiasm. you have half a mind to warn him that he may get a noise complaint again, but this time it'd be completely warranted. he's positively vibrating with excitement, his eyes glued to the livestream of his twelve brothers ascending the stage for their second award of the night. "look at them," he repeats, and this time his voice is more reverent than anything. you could comply, could do as he's asking, but your eyes are trained elsewhere. and look at you, too, you want to say. look at you and all that you've done to get this far.

even though it's been an exceptionally long day, soonyoung comes home brimming with adrenaline. he does dance routines in your living room. he jogs around your block until you beg him to just come back. he sings in the shower before collapsing onto the bed next to you, where he suddenly becomes boneless. the glow of pride stays even as the exhaustion hits. he pulls you against him and cuddles right into you. to soonyoung, this is as good as any trophy: the peace that comes with falling asleep next to you.

wonwoo has no destination in mind. he has a car with a full tank, and a playlist of all his favorite songs, and you in the passenger seat. that's more than enough. you pass through tunnels with warm lighting; expressways where he keeps the windows down so the wind will whip at your hair. occasionally, you'll stop to grab a snack or take a photo of something interesting on the side of the street. after hours of just going in circles, he'll ask, "should we keep driving?" even though he knows you'd never deny him this. this. his little celebration in the form of getting 'lost' with you.

nobody hears from jihoon for the next couple of days. the managers are worried, but the boys all just shake their heads and say that he's in good hands. which means: he's wherever you are. the two of you don't talk about his speech, about his public breakdown, because both things make him want to hide forever. instead— he sleeps in. he watches movies from months ago that he promised he'd get to. the two of you go on walks at night, and have breakfast at lunch time. the vicious cycle will soon have to begin again. jihoon knows that. but for a few, precious moments, his heart is not a heavy burden because it's safe and sound in your capable hands.

seokmin takes you on the textbook definition of your perfect date. a shopping spree? here's his black card. an amusement park? he'll rent out lotte world for the day, if he must. you're understandably baffled. he's the one who just won big, and yet you're the one being treated like royalty. try to resist and he'll only push back on you. seokmin already spoils you enough as is, but this is just a little more over-the-top than the day-to-day stuff. at the end of it all, his rationale is as sweet as it gets. "you keep me going," he tells you. "and so you deserve just as much credit as i do."

mingyu has always liked to celebrate with a meal. you'd expected his usual fare of some swanky restaurant or high-end café, but, this time, he asks for only free reign of your kitchen. he props his phone up against the salt shaker and pulls up a youtube video before flashing you his best 'just-trust-me' grin. your trust is not misplaced; the two of you do manage to bake the celebratory cake, though whether it's any good is an entirely different story. the end result doesn't matter as much as the process. mingyu is happiest about the flour marks on your cheeks, about the kisses he steals while you whisk eggs. it's not a birthday cake, but you light up a candle for him anyway. just for the hell of it. "make a wish," you tease. he's looking straight at you as he blows at the flame.

minghao asks for a beach day. the two of you set out for the nearest one. maybe the sand is a bit rocky; the shore, lacking in shells. he doesn't care. he only seeks out the sun beating on his back, the saltwater clinging to his skin, the first punch of air after emerging from the water. as the stolen weekend winds to a close, the two of you sit at the point where the water lap at your toes. neither of you have to speak. here, minghao lets the tide wash away the ache of homesickness. here, minghao redefines 'home' as a future with the boys of his youth, with the music that is as constant as the waves— and with you, of course.

the ferry ride to jeju is about four or so hours long, but seungkwan doesn't mind. there's just something so right about getting on the first vessel that will take him back where he has family waiting with a homecooked meal and a play-by-play of the award show. besides, the ferry means having four hours of uninterrupted leisure time with you. the pair of you literally have nowhere else to be except this boat and this point in time, which seungkwan is a little guilty to be so happy about. he's a glutton for your time and attention, and these ferry rides— these trips home— remind him just how much he likes taking the scenic route.

vernon treats it almost like it's just another day. almost. you're thrown off by his initial nonchalance, by the lack of utter fanfare in the way he asks you out to lunch and the two of you barely discuss the recent accolades. when you prompt him about it, you realize it's not because of arrogance or ignorance. "we're just doing what we always do," he says with an expression of mild confusion. winning?, you almost inquire half-jokingly, but that's only part of it. he elaborates, "we were just ourselves, y'know?"

when chan suggests a rage room, you're understandably confused. the wrath-based activity doesn't seem like the most optimal celebration, but you're not about to cramp his style. the two of you queue the angriest songs known to man before smashing some defunct appliances and throwing empty bottles against a wall. once your time is up, chan looks at you with that familiar spark of fire in his eyes. that dedication you fell in love with, that passion that has always burned bright. "again?" he asks, and you know it's not just the rage room that he's asking for.

[2amriize]

.ᐟ RIIZE scenario: babysitting ༉‧₊˚.

req: can u do babysitting with riize members? like babysitting a little cousin or something along the lines of that i guess? anton and eunseok with those kids makes me ☹️ it’s so cute!!!!!

pairing: bf!riize x reader —masterlist

⭑.ᐟ shotaro

Shotaro had never taken care of such a small child before. At first, he wouldn’t really know what to do and would get a little (okay, very) nervous, letting out constant nervous laughs while asking every five seconds: “What should we do now?” After watching you struggle for a while trying to get the child to stop crying, he’d step in to help. He’d start making funny faces, quickly getting the child to laugh. You were surprised by how fast he managed it and how well they seemed to get along.

⭑.ᐟ eunseok

Even though you didn’t expect it from him, Eunseok is actually really good at babysitting. It’s probably because he has a younger sibling and a lot of experience with them. You couldn’t stop staring at him every time he played with the child, carried them, or soothed them—which, for some reason, he was particularly good at.

"I thought you already knew I’m good at everything."

⭑.ᐟ sungchan

He wouldn’t stop smiling and watching the child. Every little thing the kid did would make him grin. To keep everyone entertained, you decided to bake cookies together, but Sungchan got distracted for a moment and spilled the entire mixture on the floor. You didn’t expect that, seconds later, after a brief silence, the three of you would be starting a food fight, laughing uncontrollably.

"Just so you know, you’re cleaning this up, babe," you’d whisper in Sungchan’s ear once the chaos was over.

⭑.ᐟ wonbin

It would be pure chaos. Even though Wonbin finds little kids adorable, he has no idea how to interact with them. He wouldn’t know what to talk about or how to keep them entertained, but he’d keep trying new things to grab their attention, even attempting to teach them how to dance. That said, if the child started crying, you wouldn’t find him anywhere near.

"That’s all you," he’d say, pointing at you.

⭑.ᐟ seunghan

Things would start off pretty smoothly, but you knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to leave them alone. You’d only be gone for three minutes to use the bathroom, but when you returned, Seunghan and the child would have completely turned the living room upside down. Cushions and blankets would be scattered everywhere. According to Seunghan, he’d built an obstacle course to see who could complete it faster (and of course, he’d let the kid win).

⭑.ᐟ sohee

You’d spent the entire afternoon playing with the child, and it had been challenging for both of you since it was your first time babysitting. When bedtime rolled around, the child refused to go to bed no matter how much you insisted. That’s when Sohee came up with the idea to tell them a story and sing a lullaby. You were amazed at how quickly Sohee invented a tale about a princess named “y/n,” who needed to be rescued by the great knight “Sohee.”

⭑.ᐟ anton

He loves kids. In fact, he adores them, and he knows exactly how to take care of them. You, on the other hand, would feel completely lost. Even though you wanted to help out or spend some time playing with the child, they always ended up gravitating toward Anton. It wasn’t intentional, and you found it sweet to watch the two of them together, but deep down, you felt a little bad that the child kept choosing him over you. Anton noticed and told the child to go hug you and plant a kiss on your cheek while you were sitting on the couch, which completely made your night.

masterlist // taglist: @regularsuh @gacktsa @totheseok @kkumistars @taroddori @enhacolor @ladylilith @electric-hearts @astrobymarwa @layluv123 @sunflowers1610 @nctrawberries @synkjellies @ramyeonzprincess

[revelboo]

Even If It Kills Me Pt 2

TF Armada Starscream x Reader

• Primus, help him, because the sound you make when he does finally manage to catch you almost makes him immediately drop you. Screaming your little head off as the Mini-Cons flinch away, chirping and upset by the noise. But as he lifts you to optic level, you give up and fall silent. Those eyes are defiant when they meet his glare head on. “So is this where you crush me like a bug?” You ask, and venting raggedly, he doesn’t know what to make of you. Afraid of him, but so blunt. Almost like you fully expect him to hurt you. Like you’re used to it and resigned that it’s your lot. And staring at that discoloration around your eye, it clicks. He’s seen that on the human kids before. A bruise.

• That uncannily human face is frowning at you, huge servos warm where they’re wrapped around you. But not gripping you so tight you can’t breathe. Not breaking ribs even though he easily could. Which means you might get out of this unscathed, though given your track record, you doubt it. Hope is something for other people. “Humans aren’t supposed to know we’re here,” he says before looking down at the little robot that had wandered up to you first and his servos flex against you. You’re not sure if he can understand the little guy’s beeping, but he suddenly vents hard enough warm air stirs your hair. Laying your palms on his hand, you wonder what he’ll do to keep his existence secret.

• “Will it be quick?” You ask and he freezes, because you’re staring at him, expression oddly blank. And he understands that emptiness, of knowing that pain is coming for you no matter what you do. You took his words and assumed he’d end you to protect himself. No arguing or pleading, just tired acceptance, too broken to resist. Too beaten to even think about fighting.

• Optics narrowing at you, you wait for it to come. Honestly it’s kind of funny, you’d just assumed he would be the one to put in the ground eventually. Never expected this, though. If there’s any justice in the world, your death will still get pinned on him. He can spend the rest of his life sober and caged like an animal. One last act of spiteful rebellion against him. And you are laughing now, crying and coming apart all at once. “Primus,” the monster growls.

• Completely at a loss, he looks down at the Mini-Cons then at the human wheezing and sobbing and laughing like a mad thing in his grip. Much more broken than he’d thought. How much further could Megatron have pushed him until this was him? Cautiously, he runs a servo against your hair. Reaching out to you like the kids had reached out to him. And when you touch his servo with a trembling hand, you’re still crying as you look up at him and he knows he can’t just leave you here even if he wasn’t under orders to not be seen.

Previous

I caved and finally replaced my old Wacom tablet so I can remind myself that no, I cannot in fact draw

[ghoulangerlee]

HERE WE GO. dewther phone sex that probably could have gone on for another six thousand words if I'd continued writing instead of forcing myself to end it :)

there is some lore-y stuff in here because I am not me if I don't include my own personal lore, and at the end there's mentions of heats and knotting but neither of those actually happen :)

Dew is a lil mean in this but as it turns out, Aether really likes em mean.

-

The phone rings, pulling him from the inventory reports in front of him��it's the desk phone of all things, not his cell that sits face down a little further away and for a moment, he thinks to ignore it, to continue his work so he can finish quicker and get to bed sooner, but at the late hour it could be some kind of emergency— 

He picks it up, balancing his pen in his other hand as he cradles the desk phone between his ear and shoulder, “Infirmary, this is Aether speaking, how can I help you?”  

There’s silence on the line for a moment and Aether tilts his head, “Hello? Is someone there?”  

A sigh, familiar in its tone echoes across the line, “Hey Aeth,” Dew mumbles, sounding tired, “Didn’t know if you’d still be awake.”  

Aether glances up at the clock across the room, the hands ticking by slowly, it’s late, much later than he’d expected, “Ah,” he says, “I was finishing up some inventory reports in the infirmary, some new guy decided to double the amount of gauze we need so now we’re swimming in it but don’t have any more antibiotics,” he glances down at the papers in front of him, red lines crossed through black numbers, “Been down here most of the day counting things to get everything right again.”  

Dew hums, a pleased little sound, “I like hearing you talk about the work you do,” he says, tone bordering on that sappy-tired one he gets whenever he’s worked to the bone and sleepy, “I miss you.”  

“I miss you too,” Aether murmurs with a small smile, leaning back in his chair and focusing all of his attention on Dew, “How is guard duty with Frater Imperator?” he asks, a brief flash of worry catching him.  

“He’s safe,” Dew says, yawns widely over the line, “A little annoyed by the travel, a lot annoyed that there may still be something or someone after him despite everything,” he’s candid about it, and if Aether closes his eyes, he can almost see Dew sitting in front of him, waving a lazy hand in emphasis as he speaks. “Of course, we’re doing fine, this other church is okay, a little drafty and the ghouls here don’t really speak, but I guess it’s fine for a little while. The elders keep giving me dirty looks when they think Copia isn’t watching though.”  

A pang of regret goes through him, he’d almost went with Dew and Copia, but something had come up in the infirmary, someone had fallen ill and he’d been the best person to fill in, he wishes he were there with Dew right now. “Sounds exciting,” he says, “A little draft isn’t too much for a fire ghoul, right?” he asks teasingly, feeling the tension of the day fade the longer he speaks to Dew.  

“Cold day in Hell that a puny little church with an annoying clergy bothers me enough to make me leave early,” Dew says with a snort, “I wanted to talk to you though, time differences suck. We’re on different continents and everything so I can’t even really feel you right now either.”  

Aether gets it, he can feel the way his bond with Dew is weakened, barely there, dormant in the distance between them—in the back of his mind he can still feel him, but it’s a far cry from the usual. “I know, wisp,” he murmurs, “I wish we were closer too,” he admits, “Church is quiet without you here.”  

“Copia was giving me shit earlier,” Dew admits after a few moments of silence, “Said I looked sad, like someone stole something from me,” he pauses, clears his throat, “Told me to come call you, that you’d probably be up working still even at the late hour.”  

“He was right,” Aether says with a little laugh, “Not that he has any room to talk about what is and isn’t late,” he continues, and then glances up at the ceiling, “Are you still sad?” he asks cheekily, lazily spinning his chair to the side, “Do you need me to talk to you so you can fall asleep?”  

He means it as a joke, but there’s a serious undercurrent there, something they’d discovered before Copia’s lateral move, when Dew had toured but Aether stayed behind—sometimes, sometimes his brain wouldn’t let him sleep, not alone, and he’d call Aether, listen to the quintessence ghoul talk until his eyes grew heavy and he fell into a comfortable sleep—imagining his mate right there beside him.  

Dew hums lazily, “Maybe,” he starts, but this time, there’s something of a breathless quality to his voice, “Or maybe I want to talk to you about other things.”  

It takes Aether a moment, if he focuses hard enough, he can hear something on the other line, a slick sound, a hitch in Dew’s breathing, “Is this a booty call?” he can’t help but ask, the words spilling out before he can stop it, “Dew are you—” he cuts himself off, presses his palm against the bottom of the phone and glances around the office.  

It’s late, of course, and the door isn’t locked, but he’s the only one down here right now, having sent the rest of the staff off, only keeping a bare bones support staff in case of emergencies, but he can’t sense anyone else.  

“I am working,” Aether finally says, lowering his hand, feeling a flush come up the sides of his neck, “If someone were to walk into my office, they’d—”  

“They’d what?” Dew asks sharply, the hitch in his voice making it obvious what he’s doing, “They’d think you were on the phone, right, baby? That you’re working late, working so hard for everyone, making sure the inventory reports are all correct. You’re not doing something silly like touch yourself, are you? You’re on the phone and you’re working diligently.”  

Aether grits his teeth, pressing a fist hard into his thigh, “I’m not touching myself,” he says, and looks down at his desk again, numbers taunting him on the page, “I’ve stopped working for the moment to talk to you,” he inhales deeply, bites his lip when he hears Dew moan quietly over the line.  

“You’re being such a good boy,” Dew murmurs the praise, praise that shoots right down to Aether’s core, “I’m going to touch myself and you’re going to listen to me and keep working, aren’t you?”  

Aether bites harder at his lower lip, tilting his head back against the chair, “I am,” he finally agrees, after a long moment of listening to Dew breathe heavily, the slick sounds of his hand.  

Dew waits for a moment, almost as if he’s aware that Aether’s not working, waits for minutes until Aether sits up, scoots his chair forward and picks his pen back up, “If I were there with you, I’d situate myself under your desk,” he purrs, words going a bit high on the end. “You’d be a busy body about it, complain about me distracting you but we both know you want me to.”  

Aether digs the pen into the paper in front of him, keeping his gaze trained on the numbers on the page and he hums a little, “You are good at being a little shit sometimes,” he says, trying to keep his tone casual.  

A laugh, breathless and the slick sounds seem to get louder, “Uh huh,” he agrees, “I am, but you love me like that, you love when I push your buttons. Take you down a peg, big guy.” Dew grunts a little and Aether can only imagine that he’s fucking up into his fist, “You turn to putty in my hands the second I get my mouth on you,” he breathes.  

“Lies,” Aether says, trying to keep his voice firm as he presses his legs together, “You’re just running your mouth.”  

Dew swears softly, “Aether,” he moans out, “Strong words for the guy who begged me to fuck him right before I left,” he teases, and Aether feels hot under the collar when he thinks about it, how desperate he had been for Dew’s dick. “It’s okay big guy, I love when you fall apart for me, when you can barely speak because you’re so dick drunk,” he coos, “Thinking about how your skin’s so cold, but every time I get inside you, you heat up like a fire ghoul,” he teases, “Like I’m branding you from the inside out, isn’t that right baby, you’re all mine and no one can fuck you as good as I can.”  

Aether squeezes the pen in his hand tight enough that he can hear the plastic creaking, “Dew,” he says sharply, but doesn’t speak beyond that, knows if he says anything else he’s going to make a fool of himself, he’s going to start babbling about how much he wishes Dew were here now, down under his desk, mouth on him, making him come.  

As the silence stretches between them, Dew moans again, this time higher, another swear, the steady creak of bedsprings, little ah, ah, ahs falling from his lips as he does, “Say something sweet for me baby,” he finally says, breathless and oh so close. “Let me hear your gorgeous voice, tell me what you want me to do for you, baby.”  

And oh Dew’s begging now, desperate in the same way he gets when they’re together, even when he’s being mean and teasing Aether—when he’s close, when he just needs a bit more to come.  

The pen clatters to the desk and Aether’s quick to shove his hand down the front of his scrubs, so glad he’d opted for them instead of the stuffy slacks he normally wore when on administration duties, “I want your mouth on me,” he finally admits, “Wanna fuck your face while you wait under the desk for me to finish working,” he manages to get out, moans when his fingers meet his dick, stroking over it quickly. “Want you to put a couple of fingers inside me, something for me to squeeze around,” he swallows heavily, tilts his head back against the chair as he arches his hips up into his own touch, imagining the heat of Dew’s mouth around him, “I feel so empty, firelight,” he admits, voice breaking a little as he does, pants out in the open, “Feels so empty when you’re away, want you to carve a place inside me and never leave.”  

Dew swears again, louder, a litany of fucks falling from his lips and Aether thinks he comes, thinks if he focuses hard enough he can feel it, the heat of it inside him, that maybe their distance is driving him a bit mad with how much he misses him.  

“Come for me baby,” Dew’s voice, rough with his orgasm, fills Aether’s ears, draws a sharp gasp out of him as he clenches around nothing and comes, goes completely breathless with it as he continues to touch himself until he’s too sensitive and he has to pull his hand away though it doesn’t go far, arm falling limp between his thighs once his hand is free from his scrub pants.  

It takes a while for his heart to settle down, for his breathing to fall under control again and he allows it, floats there as he wishes that Dew were here with him right now, a warm weight between his legs, fire all down his chest and stomach as he cradles him close, chasing away the chill that always falls over Aether after coming.  

“—ay we’re going to be back tomorrow, we’ve done all the ground work here, anyway, the rest is just boring admin work that can be done over Doom meetings.” Dew’s murmuring when he comes back into focus, “As soon as I see you baby, I’m going to get my hands all over you just like you deserve,” he promises, filthy and low in his ear, “Gonna have you coming so much you’ll be satisfied for days.”  

Aether hums, interested when his brain catches on the first part, still mostly focused on the second half of Dew’s words, “Tomorrow?” he asks, hating the way his voice sounds so hopeful.  

Fuck, it’d been weeks though, since he’d last seen Dew. Since they’d been together. He misses him.  

“Yeah, baby,” Dew murmurs, “Our plane landed a bit ago, we’re at a hotel for the night, but Copia’s got a car coming to get us in the morning. We’ll be home before you know it.”  

Aether makes another noise, something choked, “Oh,” he says, looks down at the paper on the desk in front of him, half-finished inventory reports, “I’ve got to—”  

“Whatever it is, it can wait,” Dew says firmly, “You’ve got tomorrow off and maybe the day after, Copia’s feeling a bit benevolent,” he says that with a bit of a grin in his voice, “Inventory will be fine for a couple of days, besides, Copia said he’d work on whatever you didn’t finish, just leave it where you’ve got it and he’ll take over. No arguing with me, alright?”  

And well, Aether can’t argue, because he’s feeling a bit selfish, a bit like he wants to shirk his duties for a few days so he can spend time with Dew instead, something warm settling in the pit of his stomach. “Okay,” he settles on, feels the weight lifted off of his shoulders at the word as he leans back in the chair, making it squeak a bit under his weight.  

“Good boy,” Dew says sweetly, “Now, listen, I want you to hang up the phone and go get cleaned up, settle in our bed and before you know it, I’ll be there, waking you up with a kiss.”  

Aether thinks about his nest, the one he’d been working on since Dew had left, how it still smells like the two of them and how much he wants to be there now, “Okay, yeah,” he says, “I can do that.” He swallows, bites his lip, “I love you, Dew.”  

Dew hums softly, “I love you too, big guy, I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”  

When he hangs up the phone, it’s with warm feelings, and as he levers himself up out of the chair, he feels like he’s floating.  

He grabs his phone, scrolling through the few notifications that he has, there’s a couple of text messages that he’s not too concerned with answering tonight, another text from Dew that’s just a heart emoji and then a singular calendar notification.  

Aether raises an eyebrow but thinks nothing of it at first, locks up the office and deposits the key in the safe box for another staff member to find before he heads up from the infirmary and to his and Dew’s bedroom.  

Once he’s showered and settled into bed, wearing only his underwear and a thin t-shirt that used to be Dew’s at one point and is entirely too short on Aether and stretched out the from the number of times he’s squeezed into it, he picks his phone up again.  

Taps the calendar notification and blinks at the entry that had been added recently.  

Mandatory Leave 10.26 - 11.3 – Accepted by F. Imperator  

There’s a text, one that had come in while he was in the shower, from Copia this time.  

Dew may be a little grumpy in the morning, our car arrives in three hours to pick us up, we’ll be back before your heat starts. The others have stocked your room while you were working and I’ve taken the opportunity to clear your schedule for the next week just in case. Let me know if there’s anything you need <3  

He feels a surge of affection, sends back a heart in response and takes a moment to take stock of himself, feels the low simmer of something that had been bothering him for a while, something gnawing at him the entire time he’d been without Dew—and he didn’t think that it was heat, thought it was just something happening because Dew had been away for so long. His mind races a bit, wonders why his heat had decided to show now of all times—  

His phone buzzes again, a text from Dew.  

Go to sleep, Aeth. I can feel you thinking from all the way out here. We’ll talk about it tomorrow.  

He huffs quietly, sends back a fuck you and a heart a moment later, almost immediately, another text comes through.  

Of course, big boy, anything you need. I’ll even let you knot me if you want <3  

[nijigasakilove]

Ahhhhh we were so freaking close to a kiss goddamn it 😭 it’s so nice having an MC who actually realises what he got in front of him and you can see him growing to like the female lead more and more every ep. Total departure from how frustrating Ataru was. Loved this episode from start to finish.

Shiratori was great and I hope we see more of her going forward. That doubles skating contest did not go how she expected at all tho. Ranma beat buddy so bad he passed out standing up lmao. Actually sucks that Ranma got his first kiss stolen though because that’s such an intimate and important moment!

Was hoping we’d get a Ranma and akane kiss there at the end especially since they emphasised her lips in the scene, but nope just a tease. They’re getting there though! Such a cute end to the episode, I love these two lovebirds sm. they’re so in love already they just don’t know it. Like how Ranma got jealous when dude was flirting with her in the ramen shop lol. He just gotta stop making her cry!!

[0omillo0]

Jeongin x reader | (feat. Minsung) ;༊๋࣭

warnings: mature language in the texts at the end

@hannamoon143 @intartaruginha

synopsis: You had always thought that being roommates with Lee Know would be easy. He was clean, organized, and surprisingly good at keeping the peace. But what you didn’t expect was that both of you would develop massive, inconvenient crushes on each other’s best friends.

It started small—quiet glances, nervous laughter, and making excuses to be around them. For Lee Know, it was Han’s bright energy, his contagious laughter, and the way he could make anything—even the most mundane tasks—fun. For you, it was Jeongin’s quiet charm, his thoughtful words, and the way his eyes seemed to light up every time you were near.

Neither of you had admitted these feelings out loud. Not until today.

♡

The late afternoon sun poured through the windows as you walked into the dorm, kicking off your shoes and dropping your bag by the counter. The place was unusually quiet, and you spotted Lee Know sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the floor.

“Minho?” you called, concern lacing your voice.

He looked up, startled, then quickly turned away. “Oh. Hi.”

“What’s wrong?” you asked, crossing the room to sit beside him. His usual sharp demeanor was nowhere to be seen, and it worried you.

“It’s nothing,” he said, brushing you off.

You narrowed your eyes. “Liar.”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, though his voice cracked slightly.

You folded your arms and tilted your head. “You do realize I’m not going to let this go, right? Come on, Minho. What’s going on?”

He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. “It’s… complicated.”

“I like complicated,” you said, offering him a small smile.

For a moment, he hesitated, his gaze darting between you and the floor. Finally, he muttered, “I like someone.”

Your eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Someone I know?”

His ears turned red as he nodded.

“Who?”

He took a deep breath, then whispered, “Han.”

The name hit you like a ton of bricks. Your best friend? You blinked, trying to process the information.

“Han?” you repeated, just to make sure you heard correctly.

“Yes, Han,” he said, a little louder this time, though he still wouldn’t meet your eyes. “I know it’s stupid, okay? He’s your best friend, and he probably doesn’t even think about me like that, but I can’t help it.”

Your lips twitched, and before you could stop yourself, you let out a small laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he snapped, glaring at you.

“Nothing, nothing,” you said, raising your hands in defense. “It’s just… this is ironic.”

“Ironic?”

You hesitated for a moment, then decided to come clean. “Because I like Jeongin.”

Lee Know’s eyes widened. “My best friend?”

You nodded.

He stared at you in disbelief for a moment before slumping back against the couch. “This is ridiculous.”

“Tell me about it,” you said, leaning back beside him.

For a while, the two of you sat in silence, the only sound coming from the faint hum of the refrigerator. Then, out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Lee Know wiping at his face.

“Are you crying?” you asked softly.

“No,” he said, his voice muffled.

“Minho.”

He let out a shaky breath, and you immediately scooted closer, wrapping your arms around him. “Hey, it’s okay,” you murmured.

He leaned into your embrace, his head resting on your shoulder. His body trembled slightly, and you held him tighter.

After a while, he mumbled, “This sucks.”

“Yeah, it does,” you agreed. Then, a thought struck you, and a sly grin spread across your face. “But maybe we can do something about it.”

He pulled back just enough to look at you. “What do you mean?”

“I have a plan,” you said, your grin widening.

♡

The next day, you put your plan into motion. You texted Han, asking if he wanted to come over and work on homework together. He agreed without hesitation, completely unaware of your ulterior motives.

When Han arrived, Lee Know looked like he wanted to bolt.

“Hey!” you greeted Han, ushering him inside. “Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” he said with a grin. “Where should we set up?”

“The living room’s fine,” you said, glancing at Lee Know, who was sitting stiffly on the couch. “Minho can keep you company while I get some things ready.”

Lee Know shot you a panicked look, but you just winked at him before disappearing into your room.

About 15 minutes later, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” you called out, already halfway to the door.

When you opened it, Jeongin was standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers.

“Hi,” he said, his cheeks tinged pink.

“Hey,” you said, smiling. “You look nice.”

“So do you,” he said, his gaze lingering on your outfit.

“Ready to go?” you asked, grabbing your coat.

“Wait, you’re going out?” Han asked, looking up from his notebook.

“Yep!” you said cheerfully. “You two have fun!”

Before either of them could protest, you slipped out the door with Jeongin.

Back inside, Lee Know and Han sat in awkward silence.

“So…” Han said after a while. “Wanna watch a movie?”

“Sure,” Lee Know said, trying not to sound too eager.

They picked a random rom-com and sat on opposite ends of the couch. As the movie went on, though, Han started scooting closer.

By the time the credits were rolling, Han’s head was resting on Lee Know’s shoulder.

Lee Know’s heart raced, his mind screaming at him to say something, do something.

Finally,

he blurted.

“I like you.”

…

Han sat up, staring at him. “What?”

“I like you,” Lee Know repeated, his voice shaking. “I’ve liked you for a while, but I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Han’s face turned red, but instead of saying anything, he leaned in and kissed him.

Lee Know froze for a moment before kissing him back. When they pulled away, Han smiled.

“Took you long enough,” he teased, grabbing Lee Know’s hand and pulling him toward the bedroom.

♡

Meanwhile, at a sushi restaurant across town, Jeongin was holding your hand across the table, a soft smile on his face.

Suddenly you huffed.

“You’ve been on your phone a lot,” he teased. “What’s going on?”

You quickly put your phone down, laughing nervously. “Just checking on Minho and Han. They’re… having a moment.”

Jeongin chuckled. “You really planned all this, didn’t you?”

“Maybe,” you said, grinning.

As the evening went on, the conversation flowed easily, and by the time the check arrived, you found yourself wishing the night didn’t have to end.

“Jeongin?” you said hesitantly as you walked out of the restaurant.

“Yeah?”

“Would it be okay if I stayed over at your dorm tonight?”

His eyes widened briefly, but he quickly nodded. “Of course.”

That night, as you lay in his bed with his arms wrapped around you, you couldn’t help but smile. Everything was falling into place.

[thedeadstoryteller1]

𝓢𝓾𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓗𝓲𝓰𝓱 | 𝓩𝓪𝔂𝓷𝓮 𝔁 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻

𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺: 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘬𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘡𝘢𝘺𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦.

𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘴: Oral Sex, Established Realationship, Fluff, Breeding Kink, Vaginal Sex, Crempie, Praise, My love.

Artist: Please help me find the artist

“Yvonne.. Tell me how much longer my shift is.” She chuckles slightly at my child like whine.

“You’re like this because Dr. Zayne has been in surgery all day.” She retorts. If she didn't have a mask on I could see her big grin. Her eyes shut slightly when she smiles like that.

“Okay you don’t have to call me out like that.” I snort.

She’s right though. I get moody when Zayne is busy, it gets so boring sometimes transporting patients to different areas of the hospital. For the past few weeks I’ve been working at Asko Hospital. The decrease in wanderer activity caused me to look for a part-time job. Zayne offered to help me with my expenses but I refused, so as a solution he was able to find me a job here. Of course I was mortified and refused again, but when no other job was calling I ended up taking him up on the offer. For three days out of the week I’m transporting patients to different areas of the hospital. Who knew this was an actual thing that people get paid to do. It’s not a hard job, however it gets so boring having to wait for an assignment. On the bright side, wearing scrubs is so comfy.

“Dr. Zayne should be getting out soon from his surgery in 15 minutes, if all went well. You can transport his patient to the ICU once closing is done.” Yvonne winks at me, still keeping that same big grin. I can’t help my face turning bright red, she lets out a big laugh causing the nurses station to grow silent. We both can’t help but giggle at the awkward stares from our peers.

“Operating room five?” I say staring at the OR board, “I’m getting kinda good at reading medical lingo.”

‘‘Mhmm.” Yvonne mutters, as she hands me the patient pickup report. “Don’t get lost again.” She says as I’m heading away. Once again she calls me out, I can’t help but to get flustered all over again. There is a hard fact about me working here, I get lost all the time.

It’s been longer than 15 minutes, I made it everywhere but OR five. How did I even manage to make it to the morgue? This is going to be my second write up for patient tardiness. Another one and I’m kissing this job goodbye. I punch the elevator button rapidly so it can open. My stomach is in knots, the overwhelming anxiety is causing me to sweat. I’m a hunter for crying out loud. I can read a map, but I can’t understand the hospital layout. Ridiculous. Consumed by my thoughts, I rush into the elevator as soon as it opens. A loud HUMPH is heard as I collide into a body.

Oh shit. I know this cologne.

“Lost again are we?” His sarcastic tone makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I can’t bring myself to look up at him. I know he has that stupid smirk on his face.

Zayne chuckles. As I try to back away to create some space between us, he takes his hand and holds my waist all while resting his chin on my head.

“I got lost trying to find OR five.” I mutter in his chest. Having Zayne so close to me and feeling his hand on my waist makes my already knotted stomach do back flips.

“Hmmm. Ms. Hunter, it seems as If I need to show you the hospital again.” He starts swaying us softly side to side, as if we were dancing. The elevator doors close and we start to ascend.

“Did the surgery go well?” I whisper trying not to ruin our moment.

“As expected, the patient will make full recovery.” He lifts his head up, still looking down into his chest. I take my arms and wrap them around him. If I could, I would freeze us in this movement forever. All of my worries, all of my doubts fade when I’m with him like this. His calmness soothes me in ways I can’t explain. I am truly in love with him.

He places his free hand under my chin, cupping it softly causing me to lift my head and meet his gaze. Before I can even react, he leans in and kisses me. His soft lips collide into mine. Slow and sweet, I kiss him back. But the knot that was in my stomach turns into a fire, a hunger for his touch and skin. As the anxiety leaves my body, my hands find their way to his hair, I tug on it slightly causing a small whimper escape his lips. I stand on my tippy toes and make our kiss more passionate, sliding my tongue in his mouth. His hands move from their previous positions and without hesitation he lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, his hands hold my ass for support. There is no struggle from Zayne, he lifts me up and pushes my back against the wall with ease. We break away from our kiss and gasp for air, looking into his eyes again I see his hunger and wanting. The feeling in my pants makes me bite on my lip, his lips curiver in response. A small smirk appears on his face as he catches his breath.

“Naughty girl.” He pants.

“Teach me a lesson.” I smirk

The elevator doors open, and my heart stops working. We quickly let go of each other creating some sort of distance. Zayne shuffles his hair and clears his throat, however there is no hiding the bulge in his scrub pants. Oh how I know he wishes he had his lab coat on. I quickly adjusted my scrub top and hair. Looking at the floor number and realizing we are at the main lobby, Zayne gives a friendly nod at the elderly couple who just walked in, and quickly exits out of the elevator.

“My office after your shift, we need to discuss our conversation further.” He says as before the doors close.

Zayne the man that you are.

The couple gives me a sassy smile and my face grows red. The awkward tension in the room almost makes me throw up. The next stop, I quickly exit the elevator. Now to find the nurses station.

After receiving my second write up, I glance at the clock and see it’s time for me to leave. Midnight. Remembering Zayne’s words I make my way to his office. Knowing that route like the back of my hand, my thoughts take me to the moment in the elevator. The way his eyes looked, like he was going to lose control. His hands on my ass gripping me tightly, the way my cunt was burning for him. He was so confident, so ready to devour me. Surgeons high. I’ve heard of the nurses talking about it before, it’s when after performing a risky surgery the doctor feels a sense of adrenaline and a boost to their ego causes the blood to flow. The thought of cool, calm, collected Zayne disappeared to the man in the elevator.

When I arrive at his office door, I hesitate before knocking. What are you feeling now, Zayne? Pushing my anxiety aside, I place two knocks before I hear his voice telling me to enter. He is sitting at his desk, still wearing his dark navy blue scrubs, the lab coat is hanging perfectly on the coat rack. In the dim office the moonlight illuminates his soft face. He's on the computer typing away.

“Lock it.” He demands, not taking his eyes off the screen. The directness causes me to react instantly. Oh so it’s going to be like that … fine. Let's play Dr. Zayne.

I make my way to his desk and perfectly sit on the corner, crossing my legs like a perfect school girl. He is still typing, not looking away from the screen.

“Finishing the report ?” I glance over.

He closes the computer quickly and rotates his chair to face me, leaning back as he stares me down. His eyes scan my body, there is a hint of lust but they mostly scream admiration.

“Have I ever told you how great you look in scrubs?” he smirks. My dark violet scrubs look almost black with this lighting. I chuckle at his comment.

“They are rather nice but I do miss my hunter uniform.” We both smile.

He scoots his chair in front of me.

“I like you more without clothes.” His low raspy whisper catches me off guard, he takes his hands and parts my legs open. The unexpected move catches me off guard and I jump at his touch. His eyes look at me again, asking for permission. Do your worst. I nodded at his permission.

“Lay down.” He demands as his hands proceeds to take off my scrub pants and panties. I kick my shoes off quickly.

“Close your eyes and don’t make a sound, my love.” His tongue takes no time in finding my clit, rubbing sweet circles around it. Unable to control my movements, my legs close in on his face, I quickly cover my mouth with my hands and thankfully so because his tongue is doing wonders. With each flick and rub, my body trembles sending shockwaves. He goes faster with each squirm. Putting my legs over his shoulders, he grips onto my thighs making me unable to leave. I feel myself coming close to climax.

“Z-Z-Zayne I-I-I’m g-gonna cum.” I moan as quietly as possible. His tongue movements become faster. I bite the inside of my cheeks, in a few seconds my back arches at the feeling of release. Moaning quietly but wanting to scream is torture. He slows down and my muscles relax. I’m gasping for breath, flustered and hot. He gets up from his seat, locking eyes with me once more. His ears are red and he licks his lips.

“You taste sweet.” We chuckle

“I want you please.” I beg him. His eyes darken again and no second is wasted. He lowers his scrub pants a bit, taking my legs over his shoulders; he teases me with his cock. Rubbing the tip up and down my throbbing cunt. Zayne please my eyes beg him.

With no warning he shoves his dick deep into my pussy hitting my cervix, giving me no time to adjust to his big dick. I don’t contain my moan and he quickly covers my mouth.

“Fuck you’re tight.” He whispers almost enough so I don’t hear him. I can’t help but to smile at the sound of him cursing. He notices my smile and starters thrusting faster and harder, the desk moves slightly. “Turn around.” he demands. Obeying his order, I lower my legs and 180 spin onto my stomach, all while Zayne is still inside me. With my feet planted onto the ground for support, he grabs onto my waist and starts to pound me.

Low moans from the both of us fill the room. His thrusting is fast and deep, causing my legs to shake with each clap. A few tears fall from my eyes, I want to scream, to moan his name loudly but I restrain myself. I know he’s trying hard as well, sometimes a small grunt escapes but he followers it with a thrust. He thrust so hard that it causes the things on his desk to fall over, the neat and tidy office soon turns into a mess with papers and pens on the ground. A loud bang is heard when a metal cup falls and hits the floor.

A knock on the door causes my heart to drop. Zayne doesn't stop.

“Dr. Zayne, are you alright in there?” A muffled voice is heard from the other side.

“Yes (grunt) Dr. Greyson I (huff) just dropped a few things.” I’m biting my lip so hard it bleeds a little bit. Zayne pulls me closer, putting his hand over my mouth. I moan a little at the feeling of his cock shifting.

“I finished the report sir, shall I come in and bring it to you.” The door handle shakes a bit but with no success of opening it stops.

Zayne leans in and whispers in my ear “Let me cum inside you.” I shake my head yes, closing my eyes.

“Slide it under the door, I’m changing.” With no questions the folder slides in perfectly.

“You’re a good girl.” He purrs resting his head on mine. With that Zayn’s hot cum fills my insides. My legs shake at my release as well. We both pant heavily like feral dogs trying to catch a breath. His dick twitches inside of me, making sure I take all of his fill. Fuck. Zayne hugs me tightly from behind. I feel his chest rise up and down quickly. He places a kiss on the back of my head. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I say trying to hold myself up, but my legs are so shaky that I turn into mush in his arms. He holds my weight making sure I don’t fall on the floor. Gently he takes me to his office chair and sits me on it slowly. Small drops of sweat trickle down from his face, he is still gorgeous though. A gorgeous, hot and sweaty mess. My mess.

“I wasn’t too rough was I?” His eyes show concern and remorse as he wipes the tears from my eyes cupping my cheek in the process.

“No, absolutely not.” I hold his hand with mine, smiling softly. “I need to start making my way over here after your surgeries if this is what your high makes you do.”

He laughs, his sweet velvet laugh is music to my ears. It’s so rare to hear. Once again I freeze this moment into my brain. The rarity of hearing his laugh, his green eyes glowing in the moonlight, his hand on my cheek. I make sure to lock it so it can never leave my memories.

“My high?” he questions, still slightly chickling in the process.

“You know .. the high that every surgeon gets after succeeding a risky operation.” I tease.

“My love, I never thought I would say this but I miss you fighting wanderers. The hospital lingo is catching up to you.” He smiles.

“Expect the layout apparently.” I huff.

He shakes his head slightly before placing a soft kiss on my lips. “Let's go home.”

[dsireland86]

Requesting Noah x reader where the reader experiences post partum depression after giving birth to their newborn baby girl.

Post partum depression is no joke and something so many women, including myself, have had to deal with. I wish it on no new mom. But, when you have a good partner who supports you entirely, it makes all the difference🥰

Post-Partum

Tag list:

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I held her in my arms like she was the most valuable thing in the world. To me she was. She was my daughter. She was the best part of me and her mother put together, a treasure created out of pure love. I looked over at my wife, watching as she delivered the remaining proof of her pregnancy, feeling nothing but pride and respect for her. What I had just witnessed in the last thirteen hours was nothing short of an absolute miracle. I had no idea how difficult it was for a woman to give birth until now. The strength and resilience I saw in her made me see her and all women in a whole new light. It was an indescribable yet incredible feeling. She looked up at me, smiling her beautiful yet exhausted smile. She looked completely different now; she was a mother. I grinned back, offering her our daughter and gently laid her on her chest when she said yes. "Noah, she has your nose and your eyes," my wife gushed, kissing our little girl's rosy forehead. "She really does, doesn't she?" I marveled, unable to hide my grin. I kissed my wife's forehead, praising her over and over for what she went through for us. I had what I'd always wanted. I had my family.

Days after we came home were a struggle. The nights were sleepless, the days exhausting. The constant feeding and changing diapers was a lot of work I wasn't prepared for. But neither was my wife. She started crying more than usual. At first, it was simple little tears, but then there were days where those tears lingered all day and sometimes into the night, too. They would lead into spurts of her doubting her ability to be a mother and caring for our baby the way she needed to be cared for. That's when she would say things like, "Our daughter does better when I'm not around. Maybe it's for the best", or "I just want to disappear. All of this is too much." I knew she was exhausted, not mentally prepared for any of this, so I did my best to help take the burden off her shoulders, hoping it would help. Sometimes it did, but most of the time I think it only made things worse.

A few weeks went by, and things began to mellow out some; with our daughter at least. We got into a routine and a schedule of sleep, making the nights more bearable. But my wife would still have her spouts of irritability, sometimes waking up and starting things for no reason. It was usually over little things like dishes or clothes, but then it started to become bigger. She accused me of not being home enough and not helping out enough which would always end with her falling apart and crying again. It broke me. I didn't know what to do, except hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay, even though I wasn't so sure. I would watch her during feedings and how she seemed distant from our baby, looking away, never making that mother to baby eye contact I read about in the "What to Expect When Your Wife is Expanding" book Jolly bought me for my first "father's day". She was physically there, but not mentally.

Days after our daughter turned a month old, I came home to find her sitting on the couch in the living room, staring into nothing. She had the most distant spaced out look on her face, her eyes completely void of anything. "Baby, are you alright?" I gently shook her. She finally snapped out of whatever daze she was in, shaking her head. "Noah," smiling weakly at me. "Baby, I'm really worried about you. You're not looking or acting like yourself," I finally admitted to her. "I feel okay," she said weakly. "When was the last time you ate?" I brushed some loose hair out of her eyes, running my hand down her cheek. She thought for a moment then shrugged. "Come on, I sighed, taking her hand and pulling her towards the kitchen. That's when the baby monitor went off, signaling our little girl was awake. "Why don't you go get her, and I'll make us something to eat." My wife shook her head. "No, you get her. She wants her daddy." Letting go of my hand she made her way into the kitchen, leaving me in a bit of shock. I thought this was the worst of it, but I didn't know how much worse it could get.

Sex was out of the question. Not just for the first six weeks of course, but even past that. She closed herself off to me, not wanting me to touch her or be around her. It got to the point that she was sleeping on the couch and whenever I came into the room she would leave. I didn't understand any of it. I eventually had to stay home from the studio and recording with the guys, having everyone bring everything to my house because I was too scared to leave her and the baby alone. Something was off with my wife, and I couldn't figure it out. I was taking it personally, thinking that the end of us had come and what was meant to be the happiest time in our lives was now becoming the hardest and most hurtful. I was done. I couldn't go through with it anymore.

One night, after our little one fell asleep after her feeding, my wife laid her in her bassinet then turned to leave the room. "Don't leave. Please. Just stay with me for a minute," I asked, trying not to sound too desperate. She turned and looked at me with tears in her eyes. All the color was gone from her beautiful face, her complexion dull. Her hair, normally shiny and in her wavy ponytail, was unkept, piled high on the top of her head in a messy bun. Her sleep clothes were the same ones she'd worn for almost a week. This was nothing but a shell of my wife and it killed me seeing her this way. "Come sit with me, baby, please," patting the bed next to me. At first she hesitated, but then, surprisingly, she came and partially sat on the bed. I tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling at her when she looked at me so sadly. I leaned in to kiss her, slowly so as to not startle her, and felt relieved when she kissed me back. Her hands found the back of my neck, twisting the longer pieces of hair at the nape of it. Her touch sent shivers down my spine. I was longing for her in ways I didn't even realize. "I miss you," I confessed, placing my forehead to hers and holding her head between my hands. "I know," she sniffed and I wiped away the tears that slid down her cheeks with the pads of my thumbs. "I miss you, too, Noah." "Then talk to me," I whispered, "tell me what you're feeling. Even if you can't make sense out of it. Just tell me anyway. I'll listen." And she did. I ran a hot bubble bath and for the first time in months I held my wife's beautiful naked body against mine, listening as she told me everything she had been going through. I washed her hair, scrubbed her back, and helped her shave her legs, and in return, she gave me the best sex I'd had in a while. Watching her face as she came on my cock buried up inside her made me cum, the feeling taking us both to a higher place we hadn't been in a while. It was euphoric. Once out of the bath and fully dressed, she checked on our little angel still fast asleep, and for the first time since we brought her home, I watched the brightest, sweetest smile grace my wife's face as she looked down on her. It made my heart swell with joy. We discovered that night, after some slight research that what she was experiencing was called postpartum depression. It's something most new mother's get, some more extreme than others. We weren't throwing all our eggs into the basket of self diagnosis, but she promised to call her doctor the next morning and schedule an appointment.

Seven months old. Time flies when you're having fun. I watched my wife as she attempted to feed our angel sweet potatoes for the first time. Surprisingly, she liked them. A quarter of the jar later and we had a happy, sleepy little baby. I cleaned her up and handed her to mama as she willingly and lovingly took her and cradled her just the way she liked it. With some warm milk, a soft blanket, and mama's arms, our little girl was out like a light. My wife looked up at me, smiling brightly. She was herself again and there was no better feeling than to see her return. With a mild medication and a little therapy, postpartum depression slowly made its way out of our lives, restoring to me the woman I loved. She apologized, over and over, time and time again, but I always reminded her there was nothing to apologize for. None of it was ever her fault. "Thank you for sticking it out with me, Noah. Thank you for not running away." I took her hand and kissed it, rubbing her growing belly carrying baby Davis number two. Now that we knew what to mostly expect, this little gem would be easier to handle. "For better or for worse, Princess. You've got me and them, forever."

[the-music-maniac]

You know what confuses me about Crisis Core.

So, we learn when Zack is dispatched with Tseng to Banora that Genesis murdered most of the townfolk, his own parents, a bunch of Shinra soldiers, and then started bombing the place with the arsenal he took. I mean, he fails because of Zack and then Shinra like. Sends an airstrike anyways to destroy evidence of company involvement, rendering that attempt moot. Then he like. Sends another summon after Zack.

In the course of the entirety of Genesis' rampage, it's implied that he killed probably a shit ton more people in cold blood and for his own ends, he turns a bunch of them into Genesis copies for crying out loud, which is quite horrific.

When Genesis is doing his rambling thing in front of the damn statue at the end of the game, Zack tells him he's here to help Genesis. And when he goes to contact the statue, Zack yells, "Don't let it take over, you're not a monster, you're one of us." Keep in mind Zack is aware of the atrocities Genesis committed of his own volition, even if he wasn't necessarily sound of mind because of the degeneration.

In contrast, during the Nibelheim incident, after Sephiroth locked himself inside the library for like a week without eating or sleeping, joined Jenova and then burned down the village, Zack finds him and demands answers. Sephiroth is clearly...not himself. His speech patterns are entirely different (creepy), he can't take his eyes off the containment unit, he ignores Zack's demands. Zack realizes Sephiroth isn't being himself, I recognize that, but it confuses me, that he didn't attempt to get through to Sephiroth harder, when he at least showed signs of doing so with Genesis and Angeal. Angeal I get, that was his mentor. Genesis though? Like even while Zack and Sephiroth were fighting, I expected at least some dialogue of Zack attempting to reason with him.

We know as players that Sephiroth goes on to do more heinous shit, but until then, his crimes are about the same as all those that Genesis committed. Genesis destroyed an entire village. Sephiroth destroyed an entire village. Genesis destroyed more than a village, so I'd argue the shit (outside of Shinra's orders of course) he did was worse.

Was it because Zack was too angry at the time? Nibelheim was still burning, Tifa was hurt, while the atrocities Genesis committed were distanced - Zack didn't see a majority of them. Maybe the whole "take over the planet" thing? Was it because Sephiroth was attacking him, and so Zack had to concentrate on surviving? Why was Genesis given grace, when Sephiroth wasn't? Yes, I understand Cloud and Tifa watched their parents get murdered in cold blood, so they're understandably furious, but what of all those families Genesis had destroyed? Even while Zack was at Shinra, he still intended to get Genesis back alive.

The entire theme of the game had been posing a question - are the SOLDIERS monsters. Zack had been adamant that they aren't at the beginning, while the three that were affected, Angeal, Sephiroth and Genesis hadn't been sure. Sephiroth was the only one who hadn't received any sort of contradiction to his own beliefs. Angeal did. Genesis did. And Zack fully WITNESSED the breakdown Sephiroth had in the reactor. I can't be certain if he witnessed the awful shit that Genesis had said to Seph, I know he was knocked down - but was he unconscious? Even if he didn't hear it all, he had to have heard the "no such luck, you are a monster." because Genesis said it BEFORE Zack was knocked over. Did he not see the pattern? I don't understand how it could be possible that he didn't see it.

And I get that Zack himself was starting to lose conviction on the idea that SOLDIERS aren't monsters, but if you knew what Angeal and Genesis had been feeling - their bitterness over being turned into monsters coinciding with Sephiroth's own breakdown and questioning of his humanity - then why did Zack let Sephiroth go through that mental breakdown on his own? Yeah, so he told him to leave him be - Zack thought Angeal had killed his own mother in cold blood and yet he still went after him. Zack said Sephiroth was like a man possessed, so he KNEW this was unusual behaviour too. Also, isn't it weird to just be stuck somewhere for seven days with no further orders? Did Zack try to get through to him repeatedly and fail? The game didn't show that to be the case, Sephiroth was alone the entire time he was reading in that library.

Or did he assume that the Silver General could've handled it on his own, once again holding Sephiroth to a different standard than everyone else?

I don't know, I just find it hypocritical. I know the Final Fantasy games are a series that only really shows you glimpses of the main villain, in an attempt to get a player to question what it means to be a hero - they did it well, the entire thing reaps of hypocrisy.

Shinra does what it wants, sends airstrikes to cover up their tracks, maintains the image it wants to via control of the news, holds a monopoly on everything, destroys a different lands for resources, and while Zack begins to question what he's doing because of Angeal and Genesis, the questioning has nothing to do with Shinra as an entity, only the soldiers within. Why didn't he question Shinra, for inflicting this onto Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth? Why didn't he question that apparently Shinra has fucking cloning technology that can be used on the SOLDIERS? He picks up Angeal's blade while he was talking to Cloud, and is reminded of his SOLDIER honour. What honour? How did Angeal and Zack go for so long in Shinra while being "good people" without being disillusioned sooner by everything else they were doing? I understand the general population being fooled, but Angeal was one of the freaking firsts. They didn't question anything until Angeal and Genesis began to degrade? They weren't quite like Sephiroth, I'm assuming they weren't physically unable to leave if they wanted to be discharged. None of them were raised in a place where this was all they've ever known. None of them were raised to be disillusioned with death, to believe any empathy and compassion was weakness. Unlike Sephiroth, they had options.

And Sephiroth STILL had the mind to not only be compassionate with his own soldiers, but to want to defect. Because that was the only way he could've ever left Shinra.

I'm more convinced now then ever that Sephiroth was done dirty.

[brave-and-gentle]

Whatever you do, don't think about Jean and Connie's friendship post-rumbling.

They each lost the person closest to them, Marco and Sasha, respectively. Even though the brain cell trio was *strong,* Jean always felt a piece was missing - and we know S4 Connie was never the same after Sasha died.

Don't think about how Connie also lost everyone in his family.

Don't think about how Jean is terrified to see his parents again and wonders if they'll think he's a monster now (they won't ofc but still).

For these reasons, I can see Jean and Connie clinging to each other *so much stronger* post-rumbling. I see them finding a place to live together and comforting each other after one of them wakes up in the dead of the night, screaming and crying from a nightmare. I see them dedicating a table of little things that remind them of Marco and Sasha.

They go everywhere together and get nervous without each other for more than a few hours - especially if one of them comes home later than expected. They eat every meal together. They hold birthday parties for Marco and Sasha every year. Connie comes with Jean to see his parents in the first time in over three years, and the Kirsteins end up essentially adopting Connie as their second son.

When Connie and Jean find loved ones to settle down with, they insist and living next door. Their children spend nearly all their time together.

They are everything to each other. They are terrified to lose each other.

[blisteryfingers]

Thoughts about Les Mis Châtelet, in no particular order. Pic dump included.

Things I loved:

- The production design and staging were absolutely breathtaking. Even though it was minimalistic set, they really did some phenomenal job with the projections, lighting, and clever juxtaposition. It really felt you missed nothing from the more elaborate set at all. The official pics really don’t do it justice. You just have to see it in person.

- Eponine was one of the best I’ve seen. I also enjoyed the Thénardiers.

- The costumes were so well-thought out! Apparently there were more than 220 costumes created for 40 characters. Being a Javert girlie (gender neutral), my absolute favourite was Javert. He nailed this look (even with the hands behind his back thing!)

- Javert joined the finale! He even approached Valjean and gave him a handshake.

- Stars was beautiful and magical especially the staging effects. Javert walked up one of the raised sets that was made to look like a balcony. As the song progressed, the lights dimmed, plunging him into darkness, while projections in front and behind him began to glitter. It was a dazzling sight, as though he was floating in space, among the stars. I would want to watch the show again just for that.

Things I didn’t like/on the fence about:

- I’m not too invested in any of the singers, even though on a technical level they were amazing. But apart from Éponine, I wasn’t really feeling as emotional as I expected to from a Les Mis production. To be fair, I was also distracted because my seat had a huge column that blocked a fair part of my line of sight.

- The choice to have both Javert and Valjean be bald…..they frankly looked like twins up there on the stage. Not sure if I like it. I appreciate the whole idea of them being two sides of the same coin, both representing Vidocq, etc…..still. Kinda took me out of it especially in the Confrontation.

- Another side effect of the baldness: it makes Valjean looking approximately the same age throughout the whole story, and it took real strength of willpower to believe this virile looking man was on his deathbed at the end. Also makes Bring Him Home less poignant as well. (ps this was called Comme Un Homme/Like A Man in the French, which I have a lot of thoughts about but…well, it’s the original lyrics so I’ll refrain from commenting)

Then, again, as a Valvert girlie (gender neutral) I just have a very high expectation out of the portrayals of these characters. I do appreciate and like a lot of what they achieved, however!

Fun fact the woman next to me was crying throughout the show, so maybe I would’ve felt more emotional if I was French 😆

Here are a few behind the scenes pictures.

[brookaboo]

Fragments of Us

Shigaraki x hero!reader

this made me cry while I wrote this

summary: A hero and Shigaraki, former childhood best friends, face off in a rooftop battle. Amongst their fight the weight of their shared past lingers, and an unexpected event forces them to confront their bond in a profound and emotional way.

The wind howled as you stood face-to-face with him on the rooftop, your chest heaving from the fight. Shigaraki’s red eyes, once familiar and full of innocence, now glinted with something darker. Yet, there was a flicker—just a flicker—of the boy you once knew.

“Still fighting for the wrong side, huh?” he sneered, his lips curling into a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“And you’re still destroying everything you touch,” you shot back, though your voice wavered.

This wasn’t the first time you’d crossed paths as hero and villain, but this time felt different. The weight of your shared past pressed down on you as heavily as the tension in the air.

“You should’ve come with me back then,” he said, taking a step closer. “We could’ve changed everything together.”

You shook your head, your heart aching. “And you should’ve stayed. You didn’t have to become this.”

The fight resumed, both of you unleashing everything you had. The rooftop cracked and crumbled beneath your feet as blows landed and powers clashed. But you couldn’t ignore the way he hesitated sometimes, pulling back just slightly, as if he couldn’t bring himself to truly hurt you.

Then the unthinkable happened.

A particularly powerful strike from Shigaraki shattered the edge of the rooftop, sending debris flying. The structure groaned under the pressure, and suddenly the ground beneath you gave way.

You were falling.

The city lights blurred around you as the air rushed past. Panic surged through you, but before you could even react, strong arms wrapped around you.

“Shigaraki—?!”

He pulled you close, his body shielding yours as the ground approached far too quickly. You could feel his heart pounding against yours, his grip unrelenting.

“Why—why are you—”

“I’m not letting you die,” he muttered, his voice softer than you’d ever heard it. “Not you.”

The impact came, jarring and brutal, but the pain you expected never arrived. Instead, you felt his body absorb the full force of the fall, protecting you completely.

When you opened your eyes, you found him beneath you, blood pooling around him. His breaths were shallow, his once-vivid red eyes now dimming.

“No, no, no,” you whispered, your hands shaking as you cradled his face. “Why would you do this?”

He gave you a weak smile, one that reminded you so much of the boy you used to know. “Because you… were the only good thing I ever had.”

Tears streamed down your face as you shook your head, refusing to accept what was happening. “You can’t do this. You can’t leave me.”

His hand, trembling and weak, reached up to touch your cheek. His touch was gentle, so unlike the destruction he was known for.

“Keep fighting,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Fight with your heart… like you always have. Don’t… don’t forget me.”

And then he was gone.

You sat there, clutching him, your sobs echoing into the night. The boy you had loved, the man you had fought against, had saved you in the end. And though the world would remember him as a villain, you would always remember him as the boy who once dreamed with you.

[crimson-constellations]

Ok so no one could have prepared me for that last jayvik scene.

I predicted a big bunch of what would happen to them in act three, like a bit of what happened to Jayce in the arcane, Viktor’s (2) resurrection, their fight in the council room n shit too. But mostly the scene into Viktor’s hive mind (??) just Jayce last hope as he tries to find what’s left of Viktor in there. What I’m trying to say is: I thought I was prepared, key word Thought bc I did NOT expect him to actually succeed.

I was expecting him to maybe shear a tear or two then go back on his mission to kill him, maybe just anger, some yelling or whatever. I had no fucking faith in him actually getting Viktor back and that ended me right there.

It was beautiful and I loved every minute of it, I don’t have the artistic skill to draw any of it but who cares!!?! Anyway I’m going crazy they’re so fucking soft even when they’re being absorbed by void, I don’t give a shit they didn’t kiss on screen (which btw was never happening like ever) that was gayer than anything else that could’ve happened let’s be honest.

I think that last conversation was everything that Jayce wanted to say when he asked trapped in that cave or wtv prob thinking about the way things could’ve gone differently. He spent all that time reflecting and in the end he got a chance to get it out for te one person that needed to hear it. Telling Vitor that he want broken, what he though were his weaknesses where just, life. There could be other ways, to cure his illness, live better even with his leg, but in this end there was no time left for them so I think it was the best way to end everything.

I’m not gonna talk abt their arcs an how undeniably intertwined they are to each other but just know it’s true, and that’s why beyond a the crying I actually liked their ending. They’ve been so inherently tied together since the very beginning there’s o other way to go.

(Yall have no idea how much I cried fr)

[engiebabey]

Sending in another ask bc I love ur writing style!!

I yearn for a babysitter scout

Anything you wanna do for him is fine!

:3

doing some hcs! i divided it into three parts bc i think he acts differently with different age groups of littles

warnings: talks of crying/tantrums, one mention of death, one mention of fighting, use of "big brother"

(0-2) babyspace

literally the definition of "fake it till you make it", since scout's usually the youngest of whatever group he's in (whether that be the mercs or his family), he's never had to take care of a baby before

holds you pretty awkwardly but surprisingly safe because he's scared of dropping you

will try to talk to you and expect answers until he remembers you're a baby

"so, uh, what kinda games you wanna play?" "ah?" "oh, yeah, nevermind."

gives you random objects to teeth/drool on like clean socks and spoons from the kitchen

usually doesn't like to ask for help, but if you wear diaps, he will 100% go to spy or engie and hold you up like a wet little cat and ask "help how do i change this thing"

weirdly likes making bottles. thinks it's relaxing to fill it up and feed you

favorite thing is to make you laugh. he'll do the thingy wear he tears paper to make you squeal and giggle. hearing you laugh makes him laugh

literally the only time scout has any patience is when he's taking care of you

tries putting you down for a nap and ends up sleeping with you because he doesn't want to leave you

good at calming you down when you cry

"shh, kid, it's okay, big brother's right here"

(3-4) toddlers

he enjoys that you're able to talk with him because all he does is talk

will tell you jokes and you usually don't get the punchline because it's something tom jones or death related

eats your snacks with you. like straight up steals handfuls of cheerios and yogurt bites off your table, he thinks they're delicious

tries to sneak bonk! into your sippy cup and gets yelled at by the other mercs later when you won't take a nap

tries to pay attention to you but always gets distracted, loses you very easily. by the time scout turns around, you're halfway down the other side of the hallway

makes a very poor attempt to teach you baseball, but it usually just devolves into a clumsy game of catch instead

if you won't eat, he either does "here comes the airplane!" or pretends to eat your food to make you jealous

calls his mom when you won't behave, "hey ma, how did ya deal with me when i was a kid?"

thinks it's hilarious to tickle you, will bring out the tickle monster

has a hard time trying to deal with tantrums, usually tries the distraction method of presenting toys to you. if you're really sobbing, he'll wait it out because he doesn't want to upset you further

(5+) kiddos

he's weirdly a lot more chill the older you are in regression, he feels he needs to have rules and guidelines for the littles, but if you're more of a kid, then he is laidback

huge arts and crafts kinda guy, since he likes doodling himself, it's very easy for the two of you to spend an afternoon just scribbling and coloring

you will probably spend more time outside than inside, tbh. he'll bring out balls and chalk and bubbles, anything you want to keep you entertained

will come up with a secret handshake with you (that both of you will forget within the hour and make up a new one)

so many cartoons. he likes watching them anyways so it's a no-brainer for babysitting

if you play with dolls, scout will make them fight each other

loves loves loves games, from hide and seek to the floor is lava to even just counting, he will make everything into a competition

he'll let you win on purpose though because it makes him happy to see you happy

"i can't believe you beat me again, toots! you gotta give your big brother a chance next time, yeah?"

will let you give him a makeover! if you have makeup, he'll use it, but usually it's just acrylic paint or washable markers because no one else at the base owns makeup

lets you stay up way past your bedtime, especially when it's movie night

holds dance parties in the common area oh yeah !!! they typically end up in scout trying to dance battle

banner by me :)

[ramblingautisticman]

Recently read All New Wolverine #6 and found out Gabby has kids.

And she named them Logan and Wade.

Our boys' legacy will live on forever. She admits that they are huge handfuls and Laura bassically says "what did you expect?"

And I can't stop thinking about how from the day Wade met Gabs, They were quote "Best friends" end quote.

Like this girl is somehow this mans daughter. "Oh because adoption?" Literally no. And this can be taken as "Wade acts childish" OR Iykyk-

Gabby is exactly how Logan would have behaved minus the truama and if he was raised/ accepted with the knowledge of his claws.

Our boy Logan fits with Wade so much because they are so similar it is unreal. So to see Wade so quick to help Gabby and support her through the craziest of ideas (COUGH "dont tell your sister" COUGH) Not because hes "her friend" but because he knows that Logan is stubborn ASF and if someone dosn't go with this little murder munchkin- someones gonna get hurt. And he'll be damned if its her.

This is actually so beautiful too because while they both can heal, you have "Im in pain 24/7 so this is nothing to me." and "I CAN'T feel pain so I need someone to make sure I dont push myself too far"

Everyone says how Laura is copy and paste of Logan (no duh, they were both extremely abused, experimented on, and were raised to be tough) but no one talks about how Gabby literally has Wade's batshit crazy smile. How Wade HANDS her matches and sits to watch the fire with her. How Wade doesn't tattle on her because he wants her to trust him, and he knows he won't let anything happen to her. How Wade GIVES her chloroform(!??) And tells her it would be irresponsible to NOT give her something to knock someone out if she feels introuble?

Logan can have Laura. He can argue with her all he wants. Wade and Gabs are gonna go play paintball and then get ice cream. WITH sprinkles.

This being said, I think Laura struggles to connect with Wade the same way Gabby does. I think Gabby doesn't struggle to connect with Logan, though, because of how instictivly paternal he is and the fact that he can see tiny innocent James inside Gabrielle.

They are all so over protective of Gabby and it makes me feel sorry for when she gets a boyfriend.... can you imagine trying to have a study date with a girl when both her father AND her sister is the fucking Wolverine? And on top of that her other papa is a phycopathic maniac that will infact throw you off a 10 story building if you make his little girl cry, scrape you off the concrete and throw you in a blender, bake you into a pie, and feed you to your parents...

IM SORRY SHE NAMES THEM WADE AND LOGAN!? THATS SO FUCKING ADORABLE!? MY HEART CANT TAKE IT! Also, no idea if they are in the comic or if it shows how they act, but headcannoning that Logan is the batshit crazy one this time and Wade is the more chilled one, purely because that is really funny in my head?

And Wade is like- so good with kids? Noone ever mentions it, but he really is. Yeah, okay, in his own insane Wade Way (that should be a trademark), but Deadpool 2 is literally him helping a kid because he sees this traumatised abused boy that he NEEDS to help. Someone no one else wants to give a chance, and here Wade is, literally taking him under his wing and protecting him every second.

I've seen some of the panels with him and Gabby (I need to actually read the comics but jesus, there are so many?), and he is so so adorable. The fact he just instantly (similar to Russel in the movie, not exactly the same obviously, but ya know) decides "this is my kid now. I will protect them with everything I can. No one will ever hurt them again." is just- so heartwarming and people don't appreciate it enough!!

I think the girls would definitely struggle to connect to Wade alot because I feel like Wade is ALWAYS the funny, happy dad? He wouldn't want his girls to see him hurt or upset or anything else, so he's always making jokes and bring dramatic, while Logan is the more serious one who you can talk to about anything.

Also, Wade being the overly supportive dad is so fitting. He's stood there filming Gabby just doing something EXTREMELY illegal like "you're doing great sweetie!" and after he is getting her any snack she wants to treat her for doing a good job.

[awwsd]

It can’t be death because neither of the souls are men anymore

Read on ao3 here

As the light of the arcane grows brighter around him, Jayce begins to accept the reality of what he's done. Not that he's about to die, that his body will be obliterated into ash. He's actually fine with that, had accepted it months ago, had fully expected to die months ago at the bottom of a pit with a shattered leg, and this is an infinitely better way to go.

No, here at the end of it all, what really gives him pause is the things he said, things he confessed really, to Viktor. He doesn't regret them, but baring his heart...he would laugh in any other situation, that as their literal souls entwine, he's worried still that Viktor will reject him.

Hesitantly, he meets his partner's eyes, those beloved twin suns that had been so dimmed as of late. Viktor is crying, he realizes, starlit streaks that dissipate as fast as they fall from his eyes. Somehow, this distresses him all the more. He wants to speak, to reassure Viktor, but even as he forms his lips around the words, the thing that was his throat has frayed and vanished into nothingness. There is nothing he can do but clutch Viktor's shoulder, praying he can communicate all the love and desperation in one touch. Viktor reaches back, and they cling to each other, foreheads pressed together so hard that if Jayce still had a physical body he imagines he'd be in quite a lot of pain.

His body is gone, though. He's not sure how he knows that, but he does. There is only him, only him and Viktor. He thinks, distantly, he really would have liked to say goodbye to Cait. To Mel, to his mother. While he's on the subject of regrets, he really would have liked to kiss Viktor.

The light is blinding now, and the last thing Jayce Talis sees as himself is Viktor's hesitant smile. And suddenly, none of it hurts so bad anymore.

(It's not death exactly.

It can't be death, because neither of the souls are men anymore. They are the distant light of inspiration, they are the twinkle in the eye of the child that dreams, they fall to the earth as rain and drift through the heavens as stars. So indistinguishable, it really wouldn't be worth it for you to find where one ends and the other begins.)

Somewhere on the promenade level, a Zaunite child sits near a stream of runoff (this child could be any child. It could be all of them.) They fiddle with the small machine in their hands. It's meant to spin, but they can't get it right.

A sudden gust of wind wrests the machine from their clutches. They cry out, scrambling after it, so single minded they do not notice the person they crash into. Stumbling back, they look up at the other child. They are from Piltover, the Zaunite child knows immediately, as they bend down to pick up the machine.

"Did you make that?" The child from Piltover asks. The child from Zaun hesitates, the wind whips at their clothes, they remember the days when children from Piltover would mock them, would point out their ragged clothes and cracked fingers. The eyes of this child from Piltover are not cruel, though. They are warm. (They sparkle with starlight.)

"I did. But it's not working," they admit, turning the thing over in their hands. The child from Piltover frowns, their face contorting in concentration (and the expression is oh-so-familiar). They reach for the machine, small hand on smooth metal.

"Can I help?"

The wind dies suddenly. The Zaunite child smiles.

"Sure."