#i couldn't get past the intro

[ferrouswheel11]

I was chill with the wasian tim headcanon until I saw a tik tok that claimed tim was a canonically half asian and it killed the vibe of my entire day. was forced to put my phone down and start examining the implications on the spot. it was one thing when i could dismiss it as just a headcanon but realizing that it had become so prevalent that people believed it was canon and were taking it seriously without acknowledging the stereotypes?? ruined for me.

[melody-everbelle]

Anyone who thinks that Tiptoe Through The Tulips by Tiny Tim is creepy hasn't heard this song.

[trapper-faggot]

Feeling melancholy this Christmas Eve

It's my first Christmas without visiting family, and my siblings coming up on Tuesday but still spending Christmas alone

And like. Idk Christmas used to be Santa and church and family and presents and doing things

And all I have left is family video calls and presents

[takes1]

final part asahi x feral reader w/ a size k!nk

skip the intro if you want again, (i marked the beginning of actual smut for ease of navigating) couldn't resist adding some kuroo stuff bc i love writing him even if its not sexual/thirst. this has turned a bit more into porn with plot forgive me i'm simple

warnings. heavy nsfw. minors DNI

info. nsfw / soft+rough kissy missionary sex / mentions of personal restraint / multiple orgasms / mentions of masturbation / gentle giant!asahi / asahi keeping your mouth shut / mutual size kink / sweet asahi / dacryphilia if you squint / sex toys (vibrator) / kuroo's sister!reader / kuroo cockblocking / kuroo being protective / 3.6k words / thanks for reading this asahi series!! it's been a delight!

haikyuu collection. more hq here! part one here. part two here. part three here.

more links. my ao3. masterlist. requests open!

You chose some giant clothes to cover the fact that you weren't wearing anything underneath.

Then, with your security chair out of the way, you quietly slipped into the hall.

The familiar sound of Helldivers 2 on the entertainment speakers assaulted your ears. Of course, he got to invite friends over for the weekend.

You padded downstairs, the ache between your legs nearly unmanageable. You clenched your fists at the sight of his lazy ass as you walked behind the couch to get to the front door.

It was funny how quickly he zapped all desire from your body. You did not enjoy sobering up so quickly.

"I thought you said you were staying home!" Tetsurou called as soon as you grabbed the leash off of the rack.

You nearly pulled a muscle rolling your eyes so far back. You shook the thing violently from the doorway so he'd get it through his thick skull that you were literally doing what he texted you to do.

A couple voices muttered something, but your brother spoke volumes above it--

"Wait two seconds, shit-head!"

You clipped the hook into your dog's collar. To Hell with whatever he wanted. You unlocked the door and slipped on a pair of giant, black crocs.

That garbage pile gave you enough grief about your no-plans-plan in the past 12 hours to deserve being stranded on a barrel in the middle of the ocean. He could handle playing games with his friends while you went to walk the dog.

"C'mon, baby," You cooed and closed the door behind you.

It was, thankfully, nice and cold outside. You were glad you opted for some warm clothes.

"Where are my shoes?!" He yelled through the crack in the door. Almost to the end of the driveway, you didn't figure he had the gumption to follow you without them.

You pushed your hood up and pulled the strings.

A stop at the other side of the gate, and you waited for Maru to finish pissing in order to continue the walk. The big, empty street looked a little creepy in the dark.

flip!-flip!-flip!-flip!-flip!

You were glad to not be alone, but still threw your head back when he rounded the corner. His hands were shoved into his basketball shorts and he was shivering.

You both looked down to each other's feet at the same time. He had to put on your flip-flops, so his heels were hanging out the back and his grippers were on the pavement.

A silent exchange went down, one shoe at a time.

Now walking again, you returned to your baseline agitation.

"I don't need a bodyguard to walk the dog."

"Try being a little less stupid, and I'll trust you to not run off with the first guy you see."

You stopped dead in your tracks. "You think this is me sneaking out?"

He didn't respond quickly enough.

You kept walking, glad he was so cold that his teeth were chattering, "You're an idiot--."

He pushed you, unable or unwilling to argue.

"Why would I sneak out with the dog?" You muttered.

Another stop for Maru. It was silent, again, and you were wishing he would just go back by himself already.

"What's that smell?" He sounded ridiculously close to your head.

You looked up and realized that was because he was sniffing your hood. A sudden insecurity of smelling like sex flashed through you.

Pushing hard on his chest, you declared, "Fuck off."

It didn't send him flying the way you wanted it to. It only pissed him off, especially because he knew that smell from somewhere. He just couldn't recall exactly how right now.

You expected him to push or slap you back, so you tensed, but no such move was made.

"One day you'll thank me," He muttered with a grumpy chuckle.

A glance didn't do you any good. It was too dark to see his face.

"For what?" You rolled your eyes again.

It was quiet for so long that you were certain he had just been joking. As if he did anything to help you out, anyway. All he did was piss you off and get in your way.

"For making sure you don't get hurt."

Frustration on the tip of your tongue, you began to retort, "I--," but fell short of the will to say anything back for a minute.

Your glancing around in the dark didn't help you form any thoughts.

Maybe Asahi being so kind was just luck. Not the wise intuition you claimed to be guided by. There were already many times tonight that could've made a turn for the worse, and you hadn't realized until after the fact.

That didn't change how you felt, though, other than some newfound patience for Tetsurou's difficult, demanding nature.

Maru didn't want to go much further than the fifth lamp post, so your small party turned around before you could cross the street.

It was quiet on the way back. Just the jingle of your dog's collar and the flip-flip of these shoes you hated.

You rounded the corner and closed the gate behind you, Tetsurou opting to walk ahead since it was evident to him that there was no danger anymore.

It was just getting to be a comfortable silence when he had to speak up one last time.

"Has this tree always been sideways?"

You genuinely thought it was a joke, so you didn't spare a look when you crossed behind him to get inside. He caught you shoulder the way you hated so much and you swiped your hand to hit him, but saw what he was talking about and froze.

The both of you took a moment, dumbfounded, to stare at your lawn tree. It looked nearly snapped, like a hurricane had come through, but it hadn't rained in weeks. Nothing else was wrecked. Just the tree.

You felt guilty about it for just a second, but rationalized that it had nothing to do with you. You weren't sure what that was from.

"Maybe it was rotted from the inside?" You thought out loud.

He glanced around, suspicion at its full peak, and guided you inside swiftly by your upper back.

Tetsurou locked the door behind you and stayed stock-still, staring through the peephole for so long you didn't bother saying anything to him before heading back upstairs.

At your door, you heard him call to Kenma and Bokuto.

"Did one of you kick that tree in the yard?"

You collapsed against the door with a soft shut and an even softer sigh.

There was no time to deconstruct everything that was discussed, because your eyes followed a sound that nearly made you jump out of your skin.

The man took up so much of your bed. He was on his back, scarred knuckles brushed slowly up and down, a casual pump to quell his impatient cock.

His hand fit much better around it than yours. In his other hand, held closer to his face, he was clicking a small device- the familiar buzz of which inspired a complete takeover of tension between your legs.

Your embarrassment was no secret, and neither was his curiosity.

"I'd love to use this," He grinned and looked you up and down, undressing you with his eyes.

It took some effort to find the lock on the door and make your shaky way over to the bed. Like last time, he met you at the side.

However, you noticed that before you left, he didn't have the same edge in his brow, or the eagerness that defined the way he pulled you into him.

When you stumbled, he caught you and tilted your head for a restless kiss. He was shoving his hands under the waistband of your pants and humming a sort of approval against your cool lips. It sent your stomach back into those fluttery waves of excitement all over again.

"You should take your clothes off," He muttered, fully immersed in his desire since he never had to sober off of it.

"Yeah- I should," You breathed against his rough, needy lips.

You were slipping back in quickly, though, when he took your lips in a chaste, passionate kiss all over again. His hands were slipping over your skin, discarding your hoodie before you could do it yourself.

His whole body was warm, it felt like he was burning through you when you stepped out of your pants and fell against his front. Like a melting ice cube.

When he picked you up this time and set you down, it was less premeditated, more animalistic. You gave a giggling smile when he parted your legs for him.

Any shyness he had before was long-gone after 10 minutes of imagining what he was going to do to you- you squirmed at his spit-slick fingers slipping over your soaking cunt.

"Still so wet for me," He muttered, pleased, into your hair, while his massive body settled over you.

That intense, near-evolutionary drive kicked in again where you believed you could take whatever he wanted to give you all night. It may have been the smell of his sweat, it may have been his grumbly voice.

"Obviously," You smirked. He grinned at your confidence.

"We can take this slow," He rolled a condom on without wasting any extra time, "I don't wanna hurt you."

The statement floored you for a moment. He didn't notice as he lined himself up with your tightness.

It echoed in your brain during the most contradictory part possible.

He sank into you- it wasn't easy, but after hours of build-up -more if you counted the self-pleasure you couldn't resist before he arrived- it was beyond rewarding to watch all of the stress and worry on his brow melt away in one smooth, slow stroke.

"Fuck- fuck, fuck," You whined, his grasp on your hip reassuring, but still a pen in which you couldn't wriggle from or adjust against, "God-!"

Your thighs twitched on either side of him, forcibly relaxed- you tried to catch your breath, but felt like your lungs were too constricted to do so.

His thumb brushed your cheek.

Patience and gentleness in the midst of it all allowed you to breathe a little easier.

Only kindness, with a hint of pity, remained in his expression as you gasped and struggled to ease up around his cock.

He looked away for a moment, his hand leaving the side of your face, and you heard a saving grace.

Asahi did you the liberty of placing it against your clit. His face lit up at the sight and sound of your newfound gratification.

"I bet that feels better, huh?" He smiled against your parted lips, stealing a few of your moans with an excited kiss.

There was a hard-to-pin inquisitiveness about his attitude surrounding your vibrator. Like he was dying to use it on you, feel you writhe around his still cock.

"Ohh my god-! Ah-Mn!" You cried against his lips.

It was met with chuckle and the slow pump of his hips sinking deeper into you.

It dulled the discomfort of his size, leaving only a feeling of fullness between your legs, a satisfied craving, and the intense waves of pleasure from your clit.

His pretty face and perfect body over you- how could you not just announce your paradise to everyone in the city?

One hand laced in yours, and you took control of your vibrator to swirl it the way you preferred while he picked up his leisurely pace.

He barely caught your high-pitched tone at the combination with an alarmed kiss.

Stalling, he warned, "You gotta be quiet," and leaned to press further kisses against your neck.

He quickly learned that you weren't going to stay that way for him, even if his balls were allegedly on the line.

The feeling of him going deeper, your thighs bouncing from his weight that shifted your entire body, and the building waves over your clit.

"Asahi," Came out in a needy moan.

"Shhh," He cooed, gripping the bottom half of your face to get your focus on him.

The beat of his thighs against the back of yours stole your attention instead- you squeezed against his palm with furrowed brows.

Another noisy cry at his size splitting through you, and he instinctively covered your mouth to shut you up.

He thrust hard into you and stayed there, earning a pitiful whimper, and leaned in close to catch your avoidant eyes.

A mutter against your heated skin, "Do I need to keep you quiet?"

His cock was stretching you beyond your limits- that steely look in his pretty brown eyes was so layered.

You clenched around him, butterflies attacking you now, of all times, at his stern tone, but genuine concern.

A gorgeous smile spread across his features when you nodded, helpless, but honest.

He felt too good- he filled you up better than you had imagined. You were stunned to feel that you were already close. There was just no possible way.

This wasn't how you wanted it to go.

It was too soon- you didn't want it to be over so quickly. But now, of course, you realized you didn't have the physical capacity to take him all night.

You tried moving the overwhelming buzz away from your needy clit, but met the resistance of his hand instead.

He pressed just enough to guide you right to an edge you couldn't pull back from. You whimpered against his palm.

You couldn't tell him you were about to cum. You couldn't move away, or speak, nor did you possess the will to push against him. All you did was claw, weak, across his back.

The look in his eyes responded to your subtle panic-pleasure without a word. A gentle fondness that he shouldn't have been capable of while he gave you his rougher strokes.

He removed his hand from your mouth just to swallow your sounds with a starved kiss, an avid grumble at the back of his throat when you took his tongue so well.

"Mm-!" You squeaked, nails digging deep red trenches into his shoulder.

It was an ultimate submission you never had the insurance to safely experience before.

You got the chance for a gasp before getting cut off -half a second before you could alert the entire house- by his huge palm again.

Asahi groaned as you tightened around him. He quickly shut himself up by flexing away the pleasure and leaning down to pant, warm breath spilling against your ear.

"Shh- I got you," His kindhearted whisper strung you along, crushing you underneath his weight, while he repeated that sweet promise, "I got you, baby."

All your worry of it being too soon dissipated as your orgasm wracked through your entire body and filled you with pure bliss. He fucked you hard and steady through it and didn't even grant you the dignity of looking away from him.

Your chest was tight at the end of it, eyes stinging, and you would've sobbed if he wasn't still keeping you quiet.

He watched your journey the whole time through your eyes, wholly captivated by your big, glossy fixation on him. When you blinked away the burn, he took no time to kiss them away.

Your body naturally relaxed, a twitchy and overstimulating process.

He slowed for you after he sucked the rest of your complicated tears up.

He was so heavy, so adamant on keeping your noise down that you couldn't tell him to stop. You weren't sure that you would try, even if he wasn't hindering your communication. The fact that you trusted him so much right now wasn't necessarily wise, but it felt right.

His growing intensity didn't hurt, but it didn't start to feel good until a raspy voice told you:

"Feels so good," He swallowed the spit gathered in his mouth and seethed, a light chuckle breezing past his lips, "You got no fuckin' clue."

That was just kind of sinful confession that gave you nervous chills even though he was already fucking you senseless.

He studied how your eyes clouded over at his words. A restrained, toothy smile nudged your jaw in a sugary kiss.

"I'm not gonna be able to get enough of you," He finally took his hand off of your lips and you were able to gasp at the impact of his words.

When he readjusted, he swept your legs up to his shoulders and dipped back down.

"A-Ah!" You barely choked out before he moved his hand back to its diligent place over your loud mouth.

He was so deep- you felt like he'd split right through you. Yet, you welcomed the possibility with the blessing of another steady-growing climax.

Yet, only one of you was so careless. He was so tender, so considerate because he could feel it, too. How fragile you really were in this position in regards to his size.

"God," He sighed at your loving stare.

"Gonna- ah, make me cum, lookin' at me like that," He groaned, a bit strained.

He finally dipped his head with closed eyes at the sweet, slick heat he just wanted to bury himself in. He couldn't get too carried away, now that it was starting to get difficult.

Your shitty stamina stroked his ego so much that he forgot he wouldn't be too far behind for a while. He got a bit ahead of himself and was paying for it with the climbing pressure in his stomach.

Your pussy was reason enough to fuck you harder, but that face was what really tested him.

His hand twitched at the compelling desire to hear you scream for him, but again, had to keep his sanity for the two of you. Next time he would make sure that brother of yours wouldn't be in the way.

He tried to keep an edge going, but found it laughably difficult to settle down.

If it wasn't your Fuck-me-harder eyes building up the needing to cum, it was your cute tits squished against your soft, scratched-up thighs, right under his chest.

It was impossible to keep himself from riding that high in the end.

As if to spite him, to completely spend all of his restraint, your watery eyes rolled back again. Your muffled whines filled his ears as you tightened once more around him, weaker this time but still more than enough to send him over the edge.

"G-od,fu-ck," He groaned, hitting just the right spot to fuck out both of your orgasms.

You felt him swell inside of you, his grip on your hand crushed yours back to the point that you couldn't claw him, his hips stuttered to a slow stop, deep inside of you.

A sense of satisfaction beyond the physical softened your face, your resistance between his fingers, and all your aching muscles. You weren't quite sure what it was, but didn't feel rushed to figure it out.

He was trembling when he released the lower half of your face, a beautiful sweaty and out of breath mess on top of you.

Once again, you gasped at the opportunity to breathe better.

He tensed up immediately and you flinched at the twitch of his cock inside of you.

"Shit- was I choking you?" He managed to stay worried right after he came.

You grinned, carefree on the backend of your own, and shook your head, "Mm-mm."

The look of unmatched relief that washed over him was supremely attractive.

He pulled himself out, slowly, and made a face at how much he came before turning to discard the tied-up thing into the trash with a solid toss.

You welcomed his cuddly shuffle up to your side by burrowing into his slippery chest, and sighed at last, "Cute butt."

That, of all things, made him uncomfortable. He cringed when you spared a glance up to his face from his chin. You rolled your eyes at his overthinking.

"You must be an athlete, or something--," You rubbed your face harder into his chest and felt his laugh resonate throughout your body.

It all felt natural. The joking, the cuddling, the winding down. You both forgot that you weren't together, let alone that you had only known each other for less than a week.

It was already warm with him next to you, but you were happy to be under the soft throw he found and pulled over.

"I can't believe you came twice," His soft laugh invited an embarrassed, but sharp look from you.

He clarified, "It's really hot, don't get me wrong--,"

"I'm not usually so easy," You half-joked.

A big, handsome guy that knew how to use his dick, went down on you, listened to you, and didn't shy away from a vibrator? It'd be a challenge to find a girl who wouldn't cum that quick.

You blushed under the cover of darkness at his gentle, comforting hold on your breast and reassuring kiss to the side of your neck.

The ache in your belly was evident when you were flipped over to be little spoon. It burned pretty bad and you couldn't exactly hide it.

"Did I hurt you--?"

"No," You muttered, clearing your throat, "No, I wouldn't say that."

He placed a big hand on your tummy, feather-light, and you looked over your shoulder to meet his perceptive gaze.

You sure as hell couldn't lie to this guy. He saw right through you.

You pouted and gripped your pillow. Of course you couldn't handle his dick the way you wanted to, the way you bragged about or even genuinely thought you could.

"You were so good," You admitted, a little sad in tone.

A warm kiss to the back of your head. He took the weight of his arm off of your sore body, sighing into your hair.

"You were, too."

He decided to drop the subject, since you both had strong opinions that seemed to clash.

You smiled.

You talked about a range of topics for the rest of the night. General information, first, then personal interests that turned into a long conversation about volleyball, then family history, then academics, then personality, goals, and attraction.

Soon it was 4 in the morning. You were eating popsicles from your freezer and discussing the adventure he had to get up to your window.

You both watched, trying your best to stay quiet, a minutes-long video one of his friends sent in the Karasuno volleyball group chat of him falling out of the tree outside.

A hand flew up to your mouth to silence your intense giggle-fit. You had no idea how you were going to keep something like this a secret from Tetsurou.

Before too long, the pain in your tummy was just an ache and the stranger in your bed turned into a lover overnight.

taglist:

ty for all the replies and reblogs and likes!! it means so much. it's really nice seeing all the other asahi appreciators out here!!

@valiantqueengarden @rinheartshyunlix @alpha-mommy69 @yuyunhoo @insertamazingnamehere

@kreishin

@ruu-https @kasai-https

@40unung @deluluforcarlos55 @lili-harg @beyond-your-stars @noyaskneepad

@rinheartshyunlix @vintagevict0ria @am-3-thyst

<3 u are literally asahi mvp @screamin-abt-haikyuu

masterlist.

requests open!

[keerysfreckles]

lando norris x albon!reader (younger sister) inspired by the content of him alex and george where they answer questions or went karting again was so cute

no shame — LN4

pairing: lando norris x albon!reader

summary: y/n albon goes karting with the 2019 rookies, but lando has to help her during the short race.

warnings: none, just really short :/ not proofread!

a/n: i actually hate this, im just trying to clear out my inbox

masterlist !

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚

y/n albon was always close with her older brother. despite them being almost four years apart, they got along quite well through childhood and after their school years.

when alex started karting y/n couldn't help but feel left out. she was always excited to attend the karting events, but was upset she couldn't get behind the wheel herself. her parents barely had enough money to support their son, so y/n's small dreams of racing had to be put on the back burner.

y/n wonders how her life would've turned out if she had karted with alex. would she still be racing?

well, to put it shortly, y/n was racing again.

she got a call that morning from her brother, asking if she wanted to join a karting video with himself, lando and george. how could she say no?

so the girl was quick to change into the plain racing suit after she met up with the three friends at the circuit.

with her bright pink helmet in hand (one she designed years ago), she ran towards the rookies, who were in the middle of filming the intro to the video. crofty kept explaining how the events would go, while y/n squeezed herself between george and lando.

"ah! here's the other albon," crofty smiles, pointing to y/n.

she waves and smiles, not used to being filmed.

crofty finished explaining the rules, and the four were getting settled in their karts.

as y/n was strapping herself in, lando came up next to her.

"you seemed pretty excited when alex called you earlier," he smiles, picking up the helmet on the floor beside the kart.

y/n nods, "i can't remember the last time i've been in a kart. of course i had to say yes."

"be careful out there, yeah?"

y/n nods again, watching lando tighten the strap above her shoulder before he leaves to go to his own kart.

y/n pushes the helmet onto her head as she hears crofty speak into his microphone. soon enough, crofty and the two cameramen were up above the lights, and y/n was just patiently waiting for them to go out.

y/n couldn't help but laugh as lando jumped the start, and she followed behind the three of them going into the first turn.

she was able to pass george and alex on the inside, but had trouble getting past lando. they stayed in those positions for the next lap, until she finally passed lando going down the straight.

she laughed before turning her head to see the three behind her. at one point she saw alex go into the dirt after hitting a barricade, but she was too busy focusing on beating the trio.

just as the group turned into a small corner, the edge of george's kart hit the side of y/n's. the action caused her to turn involuntary, making her engine stop as she pulled off into the dirt.

she groaned and hit the steering wheel.

"really george!" she yelled as the three crossed the finish line.

she tried turning the kart on again, but had no luck as the engine sputtered out uneven sounds as the kart shook.

she turned, more confused than anything as she watched lando run towards her kart.

"you okay over here love?" lando calls out, a nickname he's used more recently with the girl.

"yeah, some idiot just hit the side of my kart," she laughs, pointing to george who's simply waving from the finish line.

"steer for me, will you?" lando asks once he starts pushing the back of y/n's kart.

y/n does as ordered and helps lando get her kart over the finish line. both herself and the kart were covered in dirt.

"oops?" goerge mumbles as y/n walks over to him.

she simply punches his shoulder, and he can't help but hold his hand over the area.

"that's what you deserve for shoving my sister into the dirt!" alex lsughs.

"you didn't do anything to help her!" george defends.

the three continue to bicker until crofty steps between them, officially announcing lando as the winner. y/n gives him a side hug, him reciprocating while keeping his hand on her back afterwards.

"oh, and for george, a five second time penalty for hitting y/n's kart," crofty states, earning laughs from everyone but the tallest driver.

[sourlove]

YANDERE ROCKSTAR 🎸 INTRO FIC (200 Follower Special!)

TW: HE GETS YANDERE LATER ON. NOTHING REALLY IN THIS ONE, CARRY ON

THANKS SO MUCH FOR 200+ FOLLOWERS! ENJOY!

(FEMALE GROUPIE READER)

Smoke billowed from Axel's parted lips as he ran a hand down his face. The club was hazy and jampacked with drunk people grinding on each other. It would have been too much if he had been a part of the sweaty throng, but Axel had the luxury of watching them from the balcony of the VIP section.

He sighed and took another drag of his cigarette, dropping his head back against the seat. He shouldn't have come here.

"Axe! My man!" An arm slung over Axel's shoulder and he was greeted with the unwelcome face of the Jailbird drummer, Max. The man grinned at the distaste on Axel's face. "Jeez, man, you've been so uptight lately. Should I get some girls?"

"Get off me," Axel grumbled. He couldn't even be bothered to shake him off. "You know why I'm fucking stressed."

Max hummed in understanding and handed him a bottle of beer. For the past few days, Axel couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. Jailbird's new album was supposed to come out in a few months and for the life of, him, he couldn't stop mulling over the title track. It was the most important song in the album, one that should be guaranteed to make headlines. One that he hadn't written yet.

"Would you look at that?" Max mumbled, causing Axel to glance towards the entrance of the VIP lounge. The bass guitarist, Eli and the pianist, Maryanne, came in laughing. But they weren't alone. They were followed by a gaggle of girls, all awe-struck and giggling at whatever story Elijah was telling. Max immediately gravitated towards the group, followed by the other guitarist Riley.

Axel stayed seated and sipped his drink, ignoring them when Max tried to pull him into the conversation. He didn't have time for this. Normally, he would be working his charm on some poor girl, using her to blow of some steam and slip away once he was done.

But there was an itch he couldn't scratch tonight. One that had him snapping at the only girl who dared to try her luck with the lead singer and guitarist of the band. Everyone steered clear after that. He needed some kind of inspiration for the fucking song and nothing in this club was helping.

Axel was nearly done with his third cigarette when his eyes drifted and suddenly met yours. E/C eyes widened and immediately darted away. He would have thought nothing of it if you didn't glance back after a few seconds, looking embarrassed when you made eye contact once again. He smirked and took you in for the first time that night. Now there was a surprise. There was something striking to you. You were dressed the same as the other girls and seemed starstruck by everything, just like them, but there was a freshness to you that intrigued Axel.

Before he could register his thoughts, he beckoned you over. You blinked and looked around. He shook his head and pointed directly at you, grinning. You stood up shakily and walked to him, looking like a newborn fawn in your precariously high heels.

"H-hi," you said, standing next to the couch.

"Hi. Come sit." Axel made room for you, just enough that your thighs still touched. You twisted your hands nervously as he drank in the sight of you.

"Um, i-it's nice to meet you. I'm a huge fan."

"You like Jailbird?" he asked. "What's your favorite song, then?"

You jumped when his hand played with the collar of your blouse. It was cute, like you. A bit revealing, Axel noted, as his eyes drifted over your cleavage, but nice. Simple.

"Oh no. I mean the band is awesome, but I'm really just a fan of you." You ducked your head shyly. "I like 'Starlight'."

He laughed loudly, surprised. "You know Starlight? Fuck, that's an old song. I don't believe you."

'Starlight' was one of the few songs he performed alone, when Jailbird was just a dream that only he and Max believed in. Axel only ever sang it once, at a random talent show and he didn't even place on the board. It had been a blight in his career, one he buried with new albums and songs that topped the charts. So he was genuinely surprised to see you reach into your bag and unfold a creased flyer for the talent show, dated years ago. On the back, was his old signature, a rough scrawl that he hated but remembered.

"Shit." Axel squinted at the paper, suddenly sober. "You-you really were there..."

"I don't think you would remember me," you babbled on, oblivious to his internal thoughts. "I wanted to ask for a picture, but you didn't look so good, which I understand because you were robbed! I-I mean, you obviously deserved first place, Starlight was-is amazing!"

Axel didn't like to be reminded of the time when he was nobody, when nothing he ever wrote was good enough, especially not Starlight. It was his first song, his favorite song, until all he got for it was scattered applause and a participation slip. The band was formed and Axel had a new sound, a new meaning to his songs. Starlight did not cut it anymore.

And now, here you were, digging up his dirty past, holding it to his face. And showing him how much you loved it. It was humbling. Axel didn't like to be humbled. But he liked you. He liked you very, very much.

"Ever had a shotgun kiss?" He asked, interrupting your rant. You blinked again and shook your head.

"Oh no, I don't smoke, sorry."

"You could start," Axel said, holding his cigarette up. He took a long drag and grabbed you face, squishing your cheeks to part your lips. He smirked when your breath hitched as your mouths met and chuckled when you coughed, pulling away from him. "Not bad, starlight. Just needs some practice." He held out his bottle and you took a tentative sip, smiling shyly. Cute.

"You're much nicer than you look," you commented. Only to immediately backtrack. "N-not that you look mean or anything! It just seems like you prefer being alone..."

Axel hummed, lighting another stick. He held it up to you and stared at you with an eyebrow raised. You grimaced but wrapped your lips around it anyway. When you stopped coughing, he said, "You should listen to your instincts. I'm not so nice, starlight."

He watched you fiddle with the hem of your skirt for a moment, before glancing up at him through your lashes. "Well...what if I don't want to listen to them?"

Suddenly, Axel wanted nothing more than to leave the club with you on his arm. He grinned and stood up, offering his hand to you. "Oi, Max! I'm heading back so don't wait up!"

You blushed as your friends cheered, and Max gave Axel a thumbs up. "Where are we going?" Were you really that clueless? Axel would have a lot of fun ruining that innocence.

"Just you wait, starlight," he purred into your ear, nipping at the soft shell as you shivered. "I'm going to change your life."

Hours later, in his hotel suite, as his sweat cooled and his heartbeat slowed, Axel's mind buzzed with ideas. The inspiration he had been desperately searching for rushed to him as you nuzzled into his neck, sleepily.

"What did you say your name was again, starlight?"

"Hmmm? Y/N."

"Fuck that's a pretty name," he breathed.

Y/N, Y/N, Y/N...it looked like he had a title for the song. All he had to do was start writing down and tweaking the lyrics. But that would have to come later. Axel pulled you closer and drifted to the first peaceful rest he'd had in weeks, with your name still on his tongue.

Y/N...

READ PART 2 HERE

FIND MY MASTERPOST AND ALL OTHER LINKS HERE

A/N: Hope you guys love Axel as much as you love Lucas! If you enjoyed, leave a like, comment and reblog. Or drop and ask for anything you had in mind. Loves ya xxx

[chososdiscordkitten]

JJK Men Slow Dancing + Songs!

Choso, Hiromi, Nanami, Gojo, Toji, Geto

tw: none! SFW, Gn reader, no gendered pronouns, honey used once:P word count: 3.5k (a.n) Tumblr ate the ask, sorry anon who requested this :( I know anon asked for reader asking them to dance but I did my own thing sowy

Choso

Unchained Melody- The Righteous Brothers

You were cooking dinner for him, it was a lazy sunday evening. You were playing music from your phone while mincing vegetables, and Choso was sitting on the island watching you.

The song that he had deemed was yours and his started, hearing you hum the intro while cutting up some potatoes. Standing up quietly, walking up behind you. Wrapping his arms around your waist, his chin resting on the crook of your neck as he hummed the song in your ear. Hips slowly swaying back and forth in his grasp.

“Dance with me.” he whispered, making you halt your movements and place the knife onto the cutting board. Turning around to face him. Blushed cheeks and hazy eyes looking back at you. 

Trailing your hand up his arm and past his shoulder. Landing it flat against the back of his neck, the other held his hand softly. His free hand holding you close to him by your waist.

Eye to eye as you kept swaying back and forth, his eyes looking at you with pupils in the shape of hearts. Smile of content on his lips as he stepped back, pulling you with him. Sloppy steps back and forth as he tried to let you lead.

Love sick eyes staring into yours as the song played, even if it wasn't precise or uniform, his movements were full of adoration and love. Knowing he found it endearing when you'd do what he asked, even if it was inconvenient.

Pressing his head to the side of yours, hearing him murmur the lyrics. Bodies pressed to one another as you closed your eyes, swaying slowly. His fingertips firm against your back, slowly pulling away from you and guiding you to do a slow spin before he held onto you once more.

So tight to make sure you couldn't evade him. Feeling time came to a halt, “Just you and me.” you mumbled, feeling him let out a small sigh of content. 

Not being able to see it, but you knew there was a warm smile on his face. Pulling away from the crook of his neck, looking at his soft expression. Taking the hand that was on his nape and brushing away stray hairs from his face.

Tucking them behind his ear, “I knew watching those old films was a good idea.” you murmured, seeing him let out a stifled laugh. Clumsy feet trying to follow yours.

“All your ideas are good ideas.” he hummed, cheeks pink as you looked at him adoringly. Resting your hand on the side of his face, your fingers on his neck as your thumb made small circles on his cheek.

“Hungry?” you asked, tone low and almost a hum. Hearing him let out a small ‘mhm’, you leaned in to plant a soft kiss to his lips.

Pulling away and looking into his eyes, “I love you.” he whispered, placing another onto his parted lips.

“I love you too.” you hummed back. Feeling all the tenderness the world had formed between him and you in that moment. 

‘Practicing for our wedding’ he told you the first time he asked you to dance with him. But when he realized he truly had no sense of how to waltz- he found himself asking you to help him frequently.

Because not only did he get to learn from you- but also those tender soft moments made te world taste sweeter to him. It was true, those old timey movies helped him in the flirting department. Making mental notes while watching them for the first time. 

Higuruma

La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong

You were on a date with him, somehow leaving the restaurant he had invited you to and ending up at a bar. 10- maybe 11 at night, when the barkeep told both of you it was time to clear out, knowing it was a week day. Walking on the sidewalk as you held onto him for balance.

Hearing someone playing music across the street, you looked over and saw a crowd huddled around where the music was coming from. “Look-” you halted your steps, looking across the street. You were about to take a step down from the sidewalk to go see the musicians- but a speeding car made you retract your foot.

Earning a smiley “Careful-” from him as he pulled you from your elbow back to the sidewalk. “How bout you watch from a distance?” he smiled, looking into your eyes, trailing his hand down to hold onto yours. 

Pulling you close to his chest, his other hand pressed against your back. Grasping your hand softly, a smile forming on your lips from his actions.

Taking a step forward, guiding you to take a step back. “I don't know how to dance-” you laughed, looking down to your feet to make sure not to step on his shoes. Looking back up at him, a loving stare looking back at you.

Hearing the song playing end, only to hear the soft intro to the song you always heard in the black and white films Hiromi liked to watch with you. Taking a step to the side, guiding you to move with him.

“It's a good idea not to look down.” he mocked with a smug smile, trying to contain the laugh that was forming in his chest. You raised your eyebrows sarcastically, all but saying ‘Oh?’ mockingly.

You kept flashing your eyes down to your feet as he leads you, the soft lyrics start to ring in your ears. Making your feet hesitate to move anytime you looked.

“Don't look down-” he huffed with a smile, making you snap your head back up to him. Swaying in a small circle slowly.

“I don’t wanna step on your shoes-” you grinned, an endearing smile on his lips.

Making a half laugh leave his chest, “Don't worry ‘bout that.” he hummed, making sure you kept your eyes on him.

“They don't matter to me.” he murmured. Eyes locked onto another as your feet finally stopped hesitating, trusting him enough to guide you. “There you go-” he praised, his tone making you smile, not feeling any more hesitation from you as he stepped back.

Earning a gratifying hum from you as he looked over your features. 

With a smile you pressed the side of your face to his chest, hearing his heartbeat ring in your ears as you let out a content sigh.

Closing your eyes as your feet moved without thinking. His hand pressing you close to him. Swaying in a small circle in the middle of the sidewalk, hearing cars muddy the music anytime they passed. Feeling Hiromi’s hums vibrate through his chest as the song came to its end. Feeling his feet continue to move, long after the song had ended. 

“There's no more music Hiromi-” you smiled, pulling away from his chest and looking back up at him. Seeing him look over and see the crowd of people had gone, and the musicians were packing up.

Looking back to you with furrowed eyebrows. “Let's just stay like this for a while longer, hm?” he asked, already knowing your answer. Placing your ear back to his chest, feeling him press you closer to his heavy beating heart. 

Nanami 

Only You (And You Alone) - The Platters + I'm In The Mood For Love - Julie London

You were making dinner for him, a vinyl record of his favorite songs you had gifted him playing in the living room. Knowing he'd be home in a few minutes. You looked in the mirror, making sure your hair looked perfect.

Knowing how much he liked when you greeted him at the door. Hearing the door knob start to move- taking a big step to the counter and picking up the glass of scotch you had poured for him. Walking to the door and seeing him pull it open. Smile forming the second he saw you.

“Welcome home.” you hummed, taking his briefcase from his hand and replacing it with the glass in yours.

“Aren't you a dream?” he hummed, pressing a kiss to your forehead. Grabbing onto your hand as you led him to the kitchen, hearing him place the glass down on the counter while you passed it.

Turning around and looking at him, placing his briefcase on the couch. Feeling him pull you closer, hearing the start of one of his favorite songs start. “Dance with me.” you mumbled, feeling his hand on your waist.

Furrowing his eyebrows and feeling your hand roam up to his broad shoulder, “What for, hm?” he cooed, feeling you start to sway.

“Food isn't done yet.” you murmured, feeling him start to sway with you. Warm smile forming on his face, precise movements as he led you to step back, just tired enough to play into your ideas.

Feeling his hand hold you close, looking into his eyes as he stepped back softly. “What’d you make?” he murmured, making you smile,

“Your favorite-” you hummed, making him give a small smile.

“You really are a dream.” he praised, lips parted as you looked at him. “Thank you honey.” you hummed, making him look at you lovingly.

 “How was your day?” you hummed, seeing him sigh softly.

“Better now.” his voice vibrated through your ears feeling warmth flood your cheeks. Leaning up and placing a soft kiss to his lips, pulling away as the song rang through your ears.

“And you? How was your day?” he hummed noses brushing against each other, breathing the same air. Y

ou smiled with a hum, “Better now-” feeling him press his lips to yours softly. Being able to see his tiredness in his eyes. Feeling your touch charge him with energy, the song making this moment feel straight out of a movie. Thinking that it is truly only you, half lidded eyes admiring your features. 

Suddenly very aware of how your hand felt against his, smiling before pressing himself closer to you. His head on the crook of your neck as he slowly swayed, “My one and only you-” he hummed along with the song. H

earing it come to its end, the next song starting to play. “The food should be done now-” you hummed, feeling his hands go unmoved.

“Just a while longer.” he whispered, looking at him softly before murmuring a small ‘okay.’ Placing your head on his chest, hearing him hum the tune.

Closing your eyes in content as he swayed you. The hand on your back caressing small circles as his shoes clacked against the hardwood floor. 

The distant feeling of exhaustion forgotten as you healed him with your touch. Closing his eyes, his humming vibrating against your face. 

Gojo

Dream a Little Dream of Me - Elle fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

Gojo had been out of town on a mission for a few days. You weren't expecting him to come home till tomorrow, you were making lunch for one. Music played lowly from the tv as you swayed in your pj’s, heavy rain hitting the floor to ceiling windows.

Cloudy weather making you feel somewhat melancholy. Standing there making eye contact with the sad grilled cheese on the stove. Hearing the door knob jiggle, you looked over. Seeing it violently moving, taking a step away from the stove. Hearing the lock turn and the door burst open, eyes going wide when you saw a white haired surprise.

“I’m homee-” he sighed. Making you speed walk over, wrapping your arms around him. Inhaling the light hint of his cologne.

The minute he stepped in, the next song played. Making him let out a small laugh, his arms wrapping around you. The rain easing up as the droplets slid down the windows. “I missed you-” you mumbled into his chest.

“I can tell-” he laughed, hearing the lyrics from the television. “Don't tell me you were dreaming about me?” he teased, making you look up at him with a bugged expression.

“Fine- I won't miss you from now on.” you joked, pulling away from him. The sun peaking through the clouds as you felt his hand pull you back to him, looking into your eyes.

“Miss me everytime i'm gone, okay?” he hummed, holding your hand up and wrapping his other hand behind your back. Resting your hand on his bicep as he took a step forward, following his steps as the song played.

Precise movements as he leaned down to press a soft his to your forehead, whispering the lyrics. ‘Dream a little dream of me-’ as you pressed your head to his collar.

Swaying back and forth, “I know it's serious when you're listening to your old people music.” he mumbled, making vibrations rumble to your head. Knowing him he said that with a stupid smile on his face.

“Toru?” you asked, pulling from his chest and looking into his picturesque eyes that looked back at you with so much love. Sun beaming through the damp windows as you scanned his soft features. Hearing him let out a hum in response.

“You miss me too?” you grinned, almost teasingly. Seeing him nod his head with a stupid smile, pulling you back to his chest.

Swaying back and forth as he let out a small laugh, “Sometimes-” he teased, hearing the end of the song ring through his ears as you smelled burning. 

Pulling away from him and gasping. “My grilled cheese!” you cried out, walking towards the smoking stove. Flipping the sandwich and seeing it was charred.

Mouth slack jawed as you mourned the loss. “C’mon don't sulk-” he laughed, turning off the stove. “I'll get you some real food.” he smiled, patting your back as the sun made your pout even more evident.

“This was real food.” you retorted. Tossing the burnt sandwich in the trash.

“Two pieces of bread and a single slice of cheese is not food.” he argued, tone a little too sassy for your tastes.

“Don’t sass me, sir.” you hummed, seeing him take a step closer to you. His hand trailing up the side of your face. Leaning down and blinking his eyes shut, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips.

“I missed you too.” he hummed, looking into your eyes with a sweet smile.

Toji 

You mean everything to me - Neil Sedaka

You were on the couch, reading a book on one end and Toji sitting beneath your calves on the other end. You were so distracted by the book in your hands you hadn't noticed Toji’s head was thrown back, eyes closed as his thumb caressed your shin.

Your phone connected to the tv playing quiet music so you could read with something in the background. You furrowed your eyebrows and peaked above the top of the book. Not knowing why he was just sitting there, he was awake too.

“Toji-” you called out, seeing him snap his head back upwards and look over to you. Raising his eyebrows asking you ‘What?’ a small smile appears on your lips, “You bored or something?” you huffed, seeing his droopy eyes. 

Toji nodded his head no, dismissing your curiosity and closing his eyes once more.

“Just thinkin.” he stated, the corner of his mouth rising slowly. You shook your head, looking back down to your book, but you couldn't keep from flashing your eyes back up to look at him.

Wondering what he could be thinking about, “I can feel you staring at me-” he huffed, making you look back down to your book. Mumbling a quiet apology.

Looking down to the pages, not reading them. Just pondering what on earth he could be thinking about, knowing he wasn't usually shy about sharing his thoughts or opinions.

Looking up from your book and seeing now he was staring at you, furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips. Now he was wondering what you could be thinking of. The beginning of the song making a small smirk form on your lips.

Irking his head, all but asking you what you were thinking of. You shrugged “This song reminds me of you.” you mumbled, looking down to your book and changing the conversation.

He peaked a brow, listening to the lyrics. You put your book down and pulled your legs from his lap, standing up and looking down at him, holding a hand out.

“Dance with me.” you smiled, seeing him look up at you with a sour expression.

“Why?” he grumbled, crossing his arms across his chest. You huffed with a smile, reaching for his hand and guiding him to stand. Slumped shoulders and heavy hands as he looked at you with a pout.

“Don't be a brat- doesn't look good for someone of your age.” you teased, grabbing his hands and guiding one onto your hip. Seeing him roll his eyes with a huff, holding his hands in place. 

So hesitant that he left a space between you, almost like you were in a middle school dance ‘leave enough room for god’ as the teachers would say. Y

ou straightened your back, taking a step back as he reluctantly followed. Feeling his shoulder tense below your palm as you smiled.

“Don't be so tense-” you demanded, his face trying to suppress a small smile. His feet finally got the hang of the slow steps you took. Mumbling small praises as you felt him ease up.

The corners of his mouth threatening to peak, you rested your head to his chest, being able to hear how fast his heart was beating. Toji’s feigned stoic demeanor he tried to show you crumbling, his calloused hand holding yours gently.

“Toji?” you mumbled, feeling his heart pound at your voice. “

What?” he tried to sound annoyed, making small circles back and forth as the song played quietly. Pulling from his chest and looking to his face, pouty lips and furrowed brows looking back at you. With a small hint of pink forming on his cheeks.

“You're blushing.” you whispered, seeing him squint his eyes.

“M’not.”

“And your hearts beating awfully fast.” you hummed, trailing your hand to the side of his face.

Thumb trailing beneath his jawline, Toji scoffed, “Creep.” he murmered, making you let out a small giggle before placing your head back to his chest.

Feeling the hand on your back press you closer to him, uncaring if you could see through his feigned annoyance. 

Geto

Anyone Who Knows What Love Is - Irma Thomas

You were finishing a film you had started yesterday with him before bed. He was reading while claiming he was watching it. Head on your lap as you sit on the couch. Running your fingers through his hair. The end scene made you smile, two old people slow dancing in their bedroom.

“Look Suguru-” you smiled, making him look over his book to the film. “It's us in 30 years.” you grinned, making him look up at you with a soft smile.

"And why can't that be us now?” he hummed, making you perk a brow. 

He sat up, shuffling on the couch before standing up, pulling you up with him. “For starters- we aren't 75.” you smiled, taking his hand into yours.

Straightening his back with a huff from his nose in amusement. “Let's pretend we are.” he retorted, the song playing while the credits to the music panned on the tv. He took a step back, stiff and in an attempt to be precise.

Stumbling on your feet as he tried mimicking what the film showed.

“Your dancing is off, mister.” You teased, being able to tell he was stumbling on his steps as he tried to find the rhythm.

“That's why we’re practicing for when we are 75.” he hummed, trying to focus on his steps without looking down to his feet. Coming close to his face, noses almost brushing against each other, “By 75 I'll be perfect.” he muttered, eyes staring into yours as you smiled.

His feet finally found a steady motion, whisking you in slow circles around the couch as you hummed praises, “Looks like you got it down now.” you whirred, his hand on your back holding you close to him. 

Your hand on his lower bicep as his delicate fingers laced with yours. Mouthing the lyrics while looking into your eyes, leaning down and pressing his forehead to yours, closing his eyes and focusing on your warmth. Following him and closing your eyes, small smile on your lips as the song played.

A sigh falling from your lips as he eased up, “I told you I'd have it down by 75.” he mumbled, making you let out a small laugh. 

Pulling from him, extending yourself with his hand in yours. Twirling back to him, his chest pressed against your back as his hands wrapped around you. Humming lowly in your ear, as he swayed you both back and forth.

Being able to feel his breathing cross against your ear. Feeling him pull away from your shoulder, and press a soft kiss to your ear. Undoing you from his arms as you faced him, light from the tv illuminating his soft features.

Smile on his lips as you found the rhythm again, his hand splayed against your back softly as you scanned his face.

-

I restrained myself a bit on Choso's, If I didn't it would end up being 3k words bruh. my favorite was hiromis hehehehe

[respectthepetty]

Pride Petty Watch (The Untamed) 1/?

I let the crowd pick which two blacklisted shows I would watch from my Petty List, so I flew through the first one knowing I had this 50-episode beast waiting for me. People have warned me that the first two episodes wouldn't make sense, there are a ton of characters to keep track of, I need to watch it at normal speed, and I need to keep the sound on. Therefore, I was already mad before I hit play, yet somehow I started the first episode, blacked out, and emerged five episodes later.

Which means I like it so far, and here's some quick reasons why:

Before I start, these two better be an item because they are my favorite BTS song aka "🔥" and since I haven't seen them in the present yet, I'm fearing something happened to them in that great battle in the past, and if so, I'M GOING TO BE BE LIVID! I've had them for three whole minutes, and they are everything to me, so I feel this story is going to fuck me over.

Everyone is chasing after this golden black snitch, yet nobody is catching it, so although there is a lot of death happening, I'm laughing.

If you squint, My Stand-In and The Untamed are the same. Boys who fell off a cliff come back in another body only to live the same life with the same people and make the same bad decisions. Cool cool cool.

This current lecturer is stating nobody could find the body but he fell into fire/lava, so what body were they thinking they would find?! Also, don't think I didn't catch homeboy getting in trouble in the past for asking in class what happens when a spirit demands revenge and the instructor got upset because look where we are now! Possession of a body for the sake of revenge. Should've entertained the question, professor, because sixteen years later, it will come back to haunt you, literally.

And homeboy applied his own theory of making the possessed bodies work for him to fight the other body. He is a smart cookie, and that's why the original Moo Moo person gave his body up to him.

@dribs-and-drabbles, if this is why you told me I needed the sound on, I'm confident I'm not going to remember this melody. And how is he playing a leaf right now?

I can't take this seriously. This feels like an 80s music video, and he is about to hit me with the hottest synthesizer intro.

And the sword has the golden black snitch in it. *Pikachu face*

I can't play an instrument but for a DIY flute made out of bamboo on the spot, I thought his playing was excellent. For people being saved from being squashed, they are some haters, and I would have stopped playing just so they could suffer.

I picked up that sister is dead in the future, but her kid is a brat, and I would've been mean to him too.

And did the brother really kill him in that battle on the hill because when the entire crowd was like "you killed him, right?", he was looking like . . .

So this is the brat's daddy? It would make sense that a man who shut down an entire hotel for his party would have a son who sets 400 traps so nobody else can catch anything. The privilege is genetic.

I like him AND I respect him. He has priorities and they are to drink and party because even when he came back in that other body, he snatched the liquor. As the opening showed, he's here for a good time, not a long time.

I don't like Fuddy Duddy. He can remember 3,500 rules (this place is where fun goes to die), but couldn't remember to tell my party bro that his sister and brother were inside? Everybody just left homeboy without a note saying where they are, and Fuddy Duddy had the information, yet was too busy lecturing about rules. AND committed the ultimate party foul and wasted the liquor. Make that the 3,501th rule! He's lucky he can lay the synthesizer so well.

This is where the big battle is/was (Nightvale, Nightshade, NightWhatever), and I hope this man died in it because he is doing TOO MUCH! "I don't fear death; I fear boredom" YOU'RE boring! Shut up and go collect the pieces of that dumb rock, Thanos Jr., so we can get this battle going.

HE BROUGHT A BIRD INTO CLASS! This is the everyday American high school class.

Why is everyone in the Fire Nation so pissed? Is it because it's hot there? All of y'all are doing too much except for that sister and her brother. I know that brother was the zombie guy from the statue fight, so that means the main homeboy was talking to Fire Nation sister at the graves. That was her family's grave, and she must be a good person, who is probably dead now too.

So they can all play magical instruments? They're like Josie and the Pussycats, playing gigs between fighting crime.

The brat's dad is gold, the Cloud Recesses (what is this name about because they should be a lot more fun with a name like that?) are white and blue, and the Fire Nation is red, so it's odd that homeboy had the dark blue robes with red underneath before coming to school, and keeps getting really friendly with the fire people. Plus the cloud people's power is blue, but his comes out in bursts of red. Is his daddy really Fire Nation? Get Maury on the line.

So his bird buddy gave him porn, which he gave to Fuddy Duddy, who then ripped it up. No wonder why he is so good at school and remembers 3,500 rules. Got nothing but time on his hands since he isn't using his hands doing anything else by being so repressed.

Fuddy Duddy just said he doesn't touch people, yet in the very beginning he snatched homeboy's hand without hesitation, so he wouldn't fall to his death. Then, he snatched that premium liquor for him. I see you and your heart on your sleeve, my man! Just like this water demon, the feelings are sneaking up on you and snatching you up!

Should've bought her the comb, bro, because she's going to be dead after that big battle since she was sent to snoop for the Fire Nation. Even though she is trying to help her brother, I feel this will be y'alls Romeo and Juliet moment.

So the brother was always going to come back from the dead since he already was cursed(?), and my homeboy is once again proving to be a friend to all. I like you, and I will learn your name, hopefully by episode 28.

Only three marks healed in the present, so whoever is the last mark has to be one of these hoochies, and the more backstory I get, the more I think it's going to hurt when I find out who the last mark is.

Half these people have already died leading up to that big battle and the other half will die as homeboy sets out on his Kill Bill journey, so like . . .

"You and I have unfinished business"

*slams on the 'next' button*

[slasherx]

Can you write a thing where the reader is meeting Thomas Hewitt's family for the first time(can be like a victim he liked and decided not to kill or like the reader was met somewhere else), please?

Gender neutral reader, please!

This might be repetitive to other fanficitions, but okay!

Content: Thomas Hewitt x gn!Reader

Warnings: None

Notes: 98% intro, 2% Thomas LMAO also I wanted the reader to actually like her friends rather than just "I hate these people why did I come here ugh"

• ───────────────── •

Cramped in a van with four other people was not how you wanted to spend your summer. Your group had driven all the way from home and planned to go to Mexico for a vacation. As poor college students, none of you could really afford plane tickets, so this was the only other option. You just couldn't wait to get out of this van and start enjoying your summer break.

You were currently driving on a long stretch of road in bumfuck nowhere, Texas. The rest of your group was asleep behind you, draped over each other. Keeping an eye on the gas gauge, you realized you were low on gas. Internally panicking, you start searching for signs about gas stations, but you quickly realize that that probably wont happen.

But, as if something answered your prayers, an establishment began to make itself known in the distance. The closer you got the more you realized it was a gas station. A really old one, but a gas station nonetheless. Pulling into it and parking next to a pump, the sudden stop of the van made your friends wake up.

One of the girls, Laura, looked around and began to speak. "Where are we, (Y/n)?"

"Somewhere in Texas. I'm just going to get us some gas and then we'll be off." You answered, moving to get out of the car.

One of the guys, Todd, moved Laura's arm off of him. "I'll go with you, this seems like a shady place."

Appreciating your friends' precaution, you waited for him to get out first before heading inside the gas station with him. It was run down, and clearly had a lot of outdated knick knacks like newspapers. It smelled entirely of cigarette smoke and old wood.

"How many snacks are left in the bag?" Todd asked you quietly.

"Enough." You answered back, just as quiet.

"Go find some candy, I'll pay for the gas." Todd offered.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Let's just get out of here asap. I have a bad feeling." Todd moved towards the counter, where you noticed an old woman smoking a cigarette behind the register.

You moved through the different shelves, deciding what Laura, Todd, Evan and Terry would want. You weren't paying attention though and bumped into something massive. It felt like a brick wall and you moved back some before looking at what - or who - you bumped into.

It was a behemoth of a man, with dark wavy hair, dark eyes, and a dark mask over the lower half of his face. His shoulders broad - no, everything about him was broad. Everything sure was bigger in Texas.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." You spoke to the man. "I won't bump into you again, my bad."

The man, Thomas, was not used to this behavior. If it were anyone else, they would have told him to watch where he was going. As he watched you survey the shelves past him, he decided to be nice back to you. He tapped your shoulder and expected you to slap him, but you just turned and looked at him.

Even your gaze was kind, albeit a bit wary. He held out his hand, in which was a couple candy bars. They were the last ones that hadn't gone bad, but you didn't need to know that.

"Oh! Thank you." You smiled and took them from his hand. "I don't think I caught your name, kind stranger."

Thomas tapped his throat and shook his head. You were confused for a second but got the hint. "Oh...you can't speak?"

Thomas nodded, but then remembered he had a notepad in his pocket. Pulling that out, he scribbled his name and shoved it in your face. You read it, and smiled. "My name is (Y/n)."

"(Y/n), c'mon, we're leaving." Todd yelled from the register, peeking around one of the shelves. "Who is that?"

"This is Thomas, I just met him." You smiled, walking over to Todd.

"Hi Thomas." Todd waved halfheartedly. "Well, c'mon, gas is paid for. We gotta go."

"Alright." You nodded, then turned to the behemoth of a man, knowing you'd likely never see him again. "It was nice meeting you, Thomas."

The old lady behind the register, Luda Mae, was going to be damned if you weren't part of Thomas' life. She would make sure you and Thomas meet again, even if by nefarious means.

• ───────────────── •

Here's my masterlist, in case you like what you see and want to request more!

[iiotic]

How about a fem!reader finding a injured exterminator and wanting to help them out with Charlie,Vaggie and Alastor (Seperated ofc)

(A/N) - Sorry it took so long!! Anyways hope you enjoy <3

Charlie, Vaggie & Alastor with Fem! Reader who wants to help an exterminator

TW - Ep 6 Spoilers, mentions of death and blood, swearing.

༻༉Alastor:

You and Alastor were taking your daily stroll around town however today was different. The extermination ended about 30 minutes ago.

Alastor noticed your change in mood as you sensed that something was wrong. He asked you, multiple times if you were okay but you just didn't know what was causing you this feeling??

After 10 minutes of your walk you both decided to go back to the hotel. But something catched your eye; Exterminators mask. You informed Alastor about your newest discovery, walking up to it.

You suddenly tripped over something or rather someone tripped you. As Alastor was helping you get up, you turned your head in the direction of the mask. You were truly shocked seeing what was laying before you.

An exterminator.

You told Alastor that you didn't want it to lay alone here and suffer. You told him that you want to take care of it and he surprisingly supported your idea. But little did you know that he didn't care about helping them at all.

After the exterminator was transported intro the hotel, more specifically to his radio station. No one must know about this. You bandaged it's wounds as it was heavely injured during the extermination or the fall? You couldn't tell.

You left the hotel shortly after, having to continue on your daily activities leaving Alastor and the sleeping exterminator all alone. You really thought that you left them in good hands but you were just oh so wrong.

Alastor always craved to know how that kind of meat tasted like. He absolutely devoured them, leaving nothing behind. He finally fulfilled one of his destinys.

When you came back he just told you they ran away upon seeing him! And you believed him because why would be be lying about something like that?

‧꒰ა Charlie:

She totally supports the idea!! I think that she would be the first one to suggest taking care of them. Of course you first had the thought of doing it but she beat you to it.

Cares, helps and supports the exterminator like they were her child. She would bring them breakfast to one of the hotel rooms she gave them everyday.

When you say you want to do something for the exterminator she already did it.

Charlie wants to get some of the informations out of them. Is redemption actually possible? What does a sinner have to do to get into heaven? Is heaven filled with cotton candy and love and care and..????

She was quite disappointed when the exterminator said that they didn't know any of that crap.

She was also surprised when they started swearing at her face at first. Like I didn't know you could do that?? Doesn't heaven have strict rules?

She prolly got bored of the exterminator after it didn't do anything to help her and her hotel but no one must know that!!

༉‧ა°.Vaggie:

The extermination ended one hour ago. You and Vaggie decided to take a walk to see if the city was really looking that bad and if there's anything left behind the exterminations.

You could see the surprise in her eyes when you yelled her name to show her what or rather who you found in the alley.

An exterminator; Wings cut off and one arm missing. That moment reminded Vaggie of her past. When Charlie decided to take care of her just like you want to take care of the exterminator laying beside you.

She decided to support your idea and take care of the exterminator though she didn't think it was the best. She would feel guilty if you'd left it there to suffer. Pheraps she could have a little bond moment with them? Get it because she was an exterminator too? Get it? Get it?

You both took the exterminator to the hotel. Everyone was shocked upon seeing what the fuck y'all were doing. Some thought that this was a terrible others not.

Vaggie took care of the exterminator whose name was "Cassie" as you learned. She bandaged her back and her arm. Or at least the spot where the arm suppose to be.

She had a little trauma bonding with the exterminator in private.

After a week of the exterminator or rather Cassie staying at the hotel Vaggie admitted that maybe it was a good idea to take care of them.

[jikookuntold]

What Is Like Crazy About?

Since the day "Like Crazy" was released, I wanted to post about it, but couldn't get the time to focus and do a comprehensive analysis. Finally, right before the first anniversary of this masterpiece, I got the time, and the post is ready now. Before starting off, I have to remind you of the fact that a work of art can be interpreted in many different ways, and none of those interpretations are necessarily right or wrong. Every work of art contains a message that is the artist’s main intention from that creation, but the artist doesn’t have to explain it to the audience because a true work of art speaks for itself, even though not all audiences can receive it thoroughly.

I know that in the past year, so many different types of analyses and theories were made by fans to explain this song, and most definitely, I couldn’t keep up with all of them. Therefore, I’m not claiming my analysis to be a breakthrough, and you might have read most parts of it somewhere else. In this post, we are going to discuss “Like Crazy” from a lyrical and conceptual point of view, trying to find out what message or messages Jimin wanted to convey by creating it.

About “Like Crazy”

“Like Crazy” as the title track for Jimin's first solo album, "FACE", stole the hearts of millions of fans and locals around the world, and inarguably became one of the most successful pop songs of the year 2023. I can talk for hours about how beautiful and successful “Like Crazy” is, and how it broke KPop boundaries and countless records. But, in this post, we are going to break to the surface and talk about the meanings and motivations behind this song and answer the questions like “How this song was made?” “What was Jimin's intention in writing these romantic lyrics?”

As I mentioned earlier, artists usually don’t directly address their main message and their intention in creating a form of art, but many of them speak about the motivations and inspirations that led them to the creation. Jimin hasn’t talked much about the sources of inspiration behind individual tracks of “FACE”, but I guess “Like Crazy” was an exception for him because he revealed on several occasions that he was inspired by “Like Crazy”, the movie. And this piece of information is the key to our analysis:

"I tried to express the feelings of that movie. You know, the somewhat complex, somewhat lonely, somewhat happy emotions. I tried to express all these ambiguous and subtle emotions in a slightly sexy way, but I’m not sure how it’ll end up being received by people.”

Like Crazy, The Movie

First of all, we need to keep in mind that “Like Crazy” is a completely original song, and Jimin has not used or sampled any songs, lines, or dialogues from the movie in his lyrical or visual concepts (even the intro and outro dialogues in the song were original and not from the movie). If Jimin had not stated his source of inspiration directly, the only hint that could have led us to it would be the title of the song, which duplicates the title of the movie since the title never appears in the lyrics.

So, Jimin chose this specific name for his song and announced his source of inspiration to make it clear that there is a straight and strong connection between the song and the movie. He made it clear that this connection is 100% conceptual and emotional, and if we want to know what “Like Crazy” is about, and what ambiguous and subtle feelings Jimin is talking about, we have to redirect the analysis to the concept of the movie, “Like Crazy”.

As we all know, “Like Crazy” is a romantic movie, and Drake Doremus directed it casting "Felicity Jones" and the late "Anton Yelchin" as the main characters, Anna and Jacob. Doremus based the storyline of this low-budget movie on his experience being in a long-distance relationship with his partner and developed it into a 90-minute-long movie, which was released in 2011 and became relatively successful.

Anna and Jacob

A few days before the release of “FACE”, I was informed that the title track, “Like Crazy” is based on a movie of the same name. After learning this fact, I had to re-watch it because I couldn’t remember anything after a decade, and I had some questions like: “What was in this movie that made it so special for Jimin?” “How would Jimin feel watching this?”. Having this mindset helped me to see the movie differently, but before explaining those new insights we need a short storyline of the movie:

Anna is a British exchange student in LA, where she falls in love with Jacob, an American student, and they start dating. Anna, blinded by her love for Jacob, overstays her student visa and consequently gets banned from re-entering the United States. After experiencing a forced LDR, Jacob flies to London to visit Anna, and her father suggests that getting married might resolve the issue, but they are not ready for this big step. Jacob goes back to LA and basically chooses his job over Anna, but after some time, they realize that they can’t be apart, and they decide to get married. Six months after the marriage, when the time for the appeal of Anna’s ban comes, it gets rejected, and they lose their last hope of being together. Again, they go back to their sad lives, but after some time, Anna is finally offered a visa, and she leaves everything behind to reunite with Jacob. The ending scene shows how this separation has damaged their relationship, and things will never be the same.

The movie portrays the hardships of a long-distance relationship and the damage the separation can do to two souls and their connection. I think the recent movie by "Celine Song" named "Past Lives" was partially similar to like crazy, but also there was a big difference; unlike Nora and Haesung in “Past Lives”, Anna and Jacob don’t leave it to fate, they don’t forget about each other and don’t settle down with others just because their love seemed difficult or impossible.

They found true happiness only next to each other and did everything against all odds (especially Anna) to take that back. Maybe if Anna and Jacob weren’t in love like crazy and were more mature and realistic, they would end up like Nora and Haesung (Sorry if this spoiled that movie for you), but they didn’t and made their own bittersweet ending.

Many people claim that “Like Crazy” is a breakup movie with a sad ending, therefore, Jimin’s song also must be a breakup song. But, first of all, the ending can somehow be considered an open ending. We don’t know what happens after the shower scene, but we see them together, in each other’s arms, and this is not a totally sad ending by any movie standards. Other than that, Anna and Jacob became separated a few times, but they don't officially break up by choice, their separation is the result of contractual rules and laws, made by society.

This movie, as its director explained, might be originally about a long-distance relationship, but also the main relationship in this movie can be seen as a relationship that gets strained by laws and regulations, it’s about the rules and imaginary borders that decide if two people can be together or ban them from it. It’s a story of the “love against law”.

A Heterosexual Love Story?

When “Like Crazy” was released in theatres back in 2011, it got positive reviews for good acting that made the movie feel sweet and intimate with mostly improvised dialogues. Meanwhile, the negative reviews were focused on the plotline of this drama, calling it far from reality. Other than the fact that Jacob could have easily resolved this issue by taking his job from LA to London, in reality, the couple wouldn’t have faced this much difficulty over the legal complications, especially after getting married.

The fact is, straight couples usually never face this kind of hardship, and governments take that easy on them otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many sham marriages around the world just to get citizenship. So, the idea of a couple getting separated by law is not common, and that’s why many people called this movie implausible. But, a queer person can familiarly receive this implausibility, like when they want to be with someone forever, but the laws don’t let them.

Could it be this feeling that made “Like Crazy” special and a source of inspiration for Jimin? Or was it something smaller like the Santa Monica beach scene? I have no answer, I only make theories, and I think it’s better to leave the movie here and start the lyrical interpretation to see how these words and feelings can get connected.

The Lyrics

[Intro]

(I think we could last forever (I'm afraid that everything will disappear Just trust me)

As I said earlier, this intro is not a dialogue from the movie, but the narrators were told to do it based on the audio from the movie that was sent to them. So, hypothetically, it’s Anna and Jacob having this conversation. He is afraid of losing everything, but Anna assures him that if he trusts her, they can last forever. In the MV, we see Jimin standing in the crowd, but the time goes in reverse, and through a transition into his eyes, we see him sitting alone. Weirdly, the outro of the song is playing in the background here, but we will figure out the reason later.

[Verse 1]

Korean Version, Translated

She's saying Baby, don't think about it There's not a bad thing here tonight Baby, it's fine if you leave Stay with me, just for today

English Version

She's saying, Baby, come and follow me There's not a bad thing here tonight Save your reasons all for later Stay with me a little while

Anna asks him to follow her and assures him that everything is fine, it’s fine if this is not going to last long. It’s not the time for reason and overthinking. The gendered pronoun here refers to Anna, but we will know more about her in the next verses. It is worth mentioning that in the primary handwritten lyrics by Jimin, there was no “She” and it was modified later considering the dialogues added to the intro. Anyway, we know Jimin didn’t release these drafts in his album for no reason.

In this part of the MV, we see Jimin sitting alone in a room, and with a flicker of lights, the room is filled with mud. Suddenly, a muddy hand of a girl grabs Jimin’s hand and leads him to a party. There are several symbols in this part, the lonely room is Jimin’s reality, and the party is his dream. The mud symbolizes dreams and desires that leave their trace on your life and soul.

[Verse 2]

Korean Version, Translated

Watch me go Drenching myself all night (Away) So that even the morning Gets drunk and doesn't arrive

English Version

Watch me go Now, I sink down, all alone away Where am I? A dark haze clouding up my eyes

From here, we don’t see the girl because Jimin and the girl became one. She was her reflection from the beginning, the side that leads him out of his loneliness, and allures him to his dreams and desires, tempts him to be careless and stop thinking too much. Some say she is Jimin’s Anima, but these lyrics never go to the deep levels of the subconscious to reach the Anima. She is his feminine side that is a tangible side of him, and Jimin’s asymmetric makeup gives it away. Also, the mirrored moves between Jimin and the female dancer in “Like Crazy’s” choreography made it clear that the feminine presence in this song is Jimin’s reflection.

[Pre-Chorus]

Korean Version, Translated

As the loud music I get faded out A cliché story like a drama I get used to it Have I come too far to find the me that you used to know Yeah, I know You know I know (Ooh)

English Version

I can hear the voices listening Don't know who they are Trying to take the pressure off Been reaching for the stars Tell me, will I find myself again? When I go too far? Yeah, I know You know, I know (Ooh)

Jimin enters the party and starts drinking, dancing, and having fun with the others. He laughs and enjoys himself in the crowd and trusts the supposed strangers, but the confusion doesn’t leave him alone. He feels lost, and as the lyrics say, he is worried about going too far and not finding himself again. The two opposite sides of him are conflicting. It’s the contradiction between "fear and desire", between "pain and numbness", between "loneliness and losing yourself", and between "reason and dream" that leaves him confused.

[Chorus and Post Chorus]

Korean Version, Translated

I'd rather be Lost in the lights, Lost in the lights I'm outta my mind Hold onto the end of the night Every night You spin me up high The moon with you in its arms Let me have a taste Give me a good ride (Oh, I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin') Oh, it's gon' be a good night (Oh, I'm fallin') Forever, you and I

English Version

I'd rather be Lost in the lights, lost in the lights I'm outta my mind Can you help me numb the pain? Each night, you spin me up high Emotions on ice Let me have a taste Give me a good ride (Oh, I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin') Oh, it's gon' be a good night (Oh, I'm fallin') Forever, you and I

In this part, he confesses which side he really wants to follow. He wants to go out of his mind, lose himself to the desire, and leave the reason behind. It’s the escapism that saves him from loneliness and the pain of real life. The chorus is the sexy and at the same time, the most poetic part of this song, especially where he is spinning up high in the arms of the moon.

The last line of the post-chorus, “Forever you and I” which also repeats in the last part of the interlude, is crucial because it declares that Jimin is not talking about vagrancy or promiscuity. He wants it all with his significant other, the only one who can help him numb the pain of real life and escape it. But this escapism has its consequences, and we see all that mud flush out of every corner symbolizing it. This scene artistically ends with Jimin facing his reflection in the crowd. The question is, is this reflection the same significant other, or is it Jimin himself? We will get the answer in the next part.

[Verse 3]

Korean Version, Translated

The me, reflected in the mirror Is going crazy endlessly I'm feelin' so alive, wasting time

English Version

All my reflections, I Can't even recognize I'm feelin' so alive, wasting time

His fear of losing himself was true, and it's happening now. This duality confuses him and makes him question his reality. Which side is the true Jimin? He doesn't care anymore because this escapism makes him feel alive.

Here in the MV, we see Jimin facing the reflection, and it immediately cuts to the restroom scene where he faces his literal reflection in the mirror and talks to him about not recognizing him anymore. Then, the restroom being dismantled symbolizes his state of mind. "The reflection of myself in an unfamiliar appearance" was the concept of "his "FACE" which was a whole album about Jimin himself.

[Outro]

This will break me This is gonna break me (Break me) No, don't you wake me (Wake me) I wanna stay in this dream, don't save me Don't you try to save me (Save me) I need a way we (Way we) I need a way we can dream on (On, on, on) (Alone again What's the point?)

Jimin knows the consequences of losing himself but embraces it. He knows it's gonna break him but doesn't want to wake up from his dream. He knows everything will collapse but doesn't need a savior. He wants to stay in that dream, but he knows it's impossible, and sooner or later, he will be dragged out of it.

Is there a way to cut all the connections to the real world of loneliness and stay in this dream forever? We get the answer in the MV, and it's not positive because suddenly, everything goes backward in speed, to where we started (remember the outro being played in the beginning? That was the clue).

He goes back to his lonely room with a muddy hand. Did his hand get dirty from a touch of his reflection, or was the muddy hand in the beginning his own hand? Is he trapped in a loop? Maybe. Maybe this wasn't his first or the last time coming back from that dreamland, and it was the reason for so much mud accumulated in his room. He is a regular in that dreamland and he can't quit.

Conclusion

It's understandable if this analysis of the movie, lyrics, and the MV didn't guide you in any direction, and maybe you are even more confused after reading it all. But don't blame yourself because Jimin already told us that, his emotions for this movie are complex. So, don't look for just one answer, maybe we are not supposed to end up with one conclusion, and this song also can have multiple interpretations and meanings. But what are these meanings?

If you pay attention to the lyrics and the MV you will realize that despite them being aligned and in sync, the lyrics have more connection to the movie. While filming the MV, Jimin mentioned that things (scenes of the MV) didn't happen like this in real life, which was an obvious fact, because this song is clearly not about being the life of the party and stuff like that, and has more internal meanings.

In "Like Crazy", Jimin talks about the loneliness of his real life, the isolation and limitations he experienced during the pandemic, and maybe other times. But Jimin finds an alternate reality, where he can be himself, be free and careless, and forget about the future. This alternate reality is rooted in two possibilities: The feminine side, and the significant other. The feminine side is what we face in the MV, and there are not many signs of it in the lyrics.

The feminine side appears as a muddy hand and a presence at the part that faces Jimin and becomes one with him as his reflection. The idea of "bigender" is nothing new in the concepts that Jimin has offered on different occasions, from his fake tattoos in ARMY-Zip 2019 to the performance of "Filter" in 2020 and his photopholio in 2022, he has expressed this fluidity in his work, and I think the visual concept of "Like Crazy" with his different makeup in the MV and the choreography was the epitome of it.

What about the significant other? As I mentioned in the analysis of chorus parts, "Forever You and I" Can only be interpreted as his exclusiveness to someone who is his significant other. This person is the one who saves Jimin from his loneliness and assures him about their happy ending. This person has no doubt in them lasting forever and only wants Jimin to trust him to take the lead and let that happen.

He keeps saying to his significant other that there is no future. They can't be together forever, this is just a temporary situation, and despite finding comfort in each other, they should not get attached because they will forced to be separated. It's not like Jimin doesn't believe in this love, he does and has the same wishes and dreams, but he keeps getting dragged to the real world where the rules govern.

This part is just a personal opinion as a Jikooker, but I did this analysis in my head last year when "Like Crazy" was newly released and had no intention of making a connection between this and Jikook, until "Seven" came out. We all know JK had no hand in making the sexy lyrics of "Seven", but after watching the MV (which had nothing to do with the lyrics), I couldn't unsee the fact that the concept of Seven's MV looked so much like a response to "Like Crazy's" lyrics. Still, we don't know if JK gave any ideas for the concept of the MV, but considering his record of working as an MV director, it's not impossible.

The End.

This is all I could say about "Like Crazy", a masterpiece that is still thriving in the charts and still touches people's hearts because it comes from real and deep emotions that Jimin had in his heart. That emotion got us the moment we listened to it for the first time, even though verbalizing it, is never easy, no matter how many analyses and reviews we write.

[raayllum]

Today on crackpot theories: Aaravos' making the world's worst grocery list of items for his Cosmic Council takeover, re: Claudia and the Sunforge staff

I was thinking about how both Claudia and the Sunforge staff are included in her intro, despite not really needing the staff to be (as far as we know, but bear with me for a moment).

Viren, for example, doesn't have any item in his intro, despite the fact that Aaravos clocked that he had the relic staff Immediately. This was one of the biggest indicators at the time that Ziard's staff was related to Aaravos (since we didn't know he was a 'great one' yet).

Callum has the cube (which we'll circle back to) in his intro, yes, but again that makes a bit more sense with the context we have. It's called the Key of Aaravos, of course it was going to be something in relation to Aaravos in the Startouch elf's head of "hehe play into my hands".

It does show a pattern, though, of Aaravos not just going after mages, but mages who specifically have the 'gifts'/objects he's left behind that he needs. He needs the Relic staff, at the very least, because it has the quasar diamond he left inside as a contingency plan seemingly just in case he was ever imprisoned since murder only temporarily delays him. The cube may be something he's been looking for for a while now.

So he adds Viren and Callum to his little collection, convenient pawns pulled in by lures, and then constructs two more grocery list items together in quick succession in S3:

I've pondered before about why have Luna Tenebris and Queen Aditi go missing at all, in terms of being part of his plan. On the one hand, it makes sense without really trying: taking out Luna de-stabilized the archdragons (who seem like the only real threat to his power) and he couldn't let Aditi stabilize them. That doesn't explain why he'd eat her, though, unless it was just for fun.

It also never entirely sat right to me that getting the Sun staff / orb from Lux Aurea was just about protecting the soldiers from dragon fire. It felt too short sighted, not for Viren maybe but for Aaravos, given that if the Sunfire elves hadn't gotten involved, the assault on the Storm Spire probably would've gone on without a hitch.

Season six did provide more context, though! If Aaravos knew there was a good chance that taking out Lux Aurea and de-stabilizing the royal family again would make it easier to manipulate and kill Sol Regem, I could see that being incentive enough. If he's waited a 1000+ years for his revenge on that dragon, what's a couple more?

But like I said... if Aaravos ate Aditi for a reason, which was nullified maybe by his 300 year imprisonment... Does he need to eventually eat the Sun orb too? (Or Claudia, as she's consumed by the corrupted light for a beautifully on the nose metaphor?)

The relic staff has seemingly served at least one of its main purposes for now, though perhaps the quasar diamond can continue to be used past the point of giving Aaravos a new body? And we know the cube is related to Aaravos' book, so he'll want both of those within his possession and likely, like Viren in Lux Aurea and in Katolis with Claudia, be brought right to him. But I wonder about the corrupted Sun staff

The simplest reasoning I could see is the Staff just symbolizing Claudia's attachment to Aaravos and dark magic, but given its inclusion in the pawn intro, I can't help but think there's more to it, anyway. Why have it specifically on Aaravos' grocery list of items to get if all he wanted to do was corrupt the Sun forge, after all?

[lala-blahblah]

I absolutely cannot sit down and write a nice version of this bc my brain says no, but i would like to let you all know I'm thinking of a fanfic where older Edgeworth is moving back to the US (or japan, whichever universe you subscribe to) and runs into Nick in the store while buying mass produced art to hang on the walls of his new house.

And Nick is like "dear god do you want your house to look like a dentist's office. Please do better" (in a friendly way, they are too old for rivalry at this point) and so Nick invites Edgeworth to come over and take any of his old artwork from college, since it is just sitting in a portfolio in a closet somewhere. And Edgeworth agrees to come over and look through Nick's old stuff together. There are themes of 1) growing older and like reflecting on the past and 2) Nick's character trait of finding meaning in challenges vs Edgeworth's tendency to stick with what he does well. In my head I imagine that Nick was good at art and it came somewhat easily to him and that bored him, and he was drawn to law in part because it was hard and it excited him and made him want to try harder. And i think tying that in with fatherhood, like it being unexpected and hard but something he thrives at because he feels good when there's a challenge. Potentially also touching on how like, when he lost his badge he felt very listless and depressed because he wasn't being challenged anymore, there wasn't anything to drive him and motivate him. And I think Edgeworth would be impressed by seeing Nick's old pieces (I assume he hasn't seen much of his art before) and wondering why he didn't choose to pursue art further. He also thinks about how art had always put him off personally because he couldn't get it "right" right away, and on the other hand how the structure and logic of law came easily to him, which led him to become a lawyer. I think he measures his self worth by his success in his field because he never had the support to believe he had intrinsic value as a person and maybe wasn't so good at making emotional connections with people. So that big contrast between them is so interesting... I think Edgeworth would be jealous of Nick's bravery in pursuing something he was bad at without giving up and Nick would be jealous of Edgeworth's success in law, but in a subdued way as they've grown older.

A far as actual scenes in the fic, I think I would use Nick's art as a conduit for my own agenda to have them talk about topics that are of interest to me... I would like Edgeworth to feel out of his depth for once and for nick to be the confident one as he talks about something he is well versed in, and for edgeworth to have to face that discomfort and also be a little impressed intellectually with Nick. I think I would do that by having them look through some abstract art Nick did (my intro painting classes were all abstract so we could focus on color mixing and getting comfortable with the medium). Edgeworth compliments Nick on a painting with a bunch of colored squares in gradient clusters and then gets embarrassed when Nick tells him those were just color mixing swatches. Alternatively, in my mind they are both asexual and I think even though this feels like a hallmark cliche I would have Edgeworth flounder and be very embarrassed over Nick's old figure drawing piece. I feel like Nick would be like "no you don't understand it's all very professional and normal when we draw them, like it's just about learning the shape language" and Edgeworth would be like "this is very improper and I don't know how to react can we please not look at naked people!". I don't think i would do both, but something to upset the power dynamic for a moment would be interesting! Nick is always the awkward one I want to see him shine for just a moment enough for edgeworth to go "wait what... i've known him for so long but perhaps i don't really know him at all..."

I would want Edgeworth to end up taking a series of 3 canvases Nick did in an oil painting class that were still lifes of objects the teacher had set up around the classroom. I headcanon that Nick actually far preferred drawing people to objects and rebelled against the assignment by hiding his reflection in one of the objects in each drawing- the top of his head is hidden in an ornament on a christmas tree, his eye is reflected in the shine of a china vase, etc. So it's a little secret, and Edgeworth kind of likes that... it is sweet in a way to see a much younger Phoenix captured in time like that. Something Edgeworth will be reminded of when he sees the paintings but nobody else will catch onto

I would want to layer this with a fatherhood storyline... I think i would frame it as nick inviting edgeworth over to dinner with him and Trucy and Edgeworth stepping into this domestic family life as a visitor and witnessing how its transformed Nick, like seeing him from a different lens. I think after they pick out paintings and have dinner they sit around talking. Trucy had been sitting with them, earlier she showed off some magic tricks and gave Edgeworth a picture of hers from the fridge to add to his new art collection (it's a rainbow dolphin and a sea turtle wearing top hats. Nick says she's in her Lisa Frank era). But she's been quiet for awhile and Nick realizes she's fallen asleep and it's like 11. He's like, crap, i screwed up i should've paid attention and gotten her put to bed, I'm a bad father and I have an audience for this failure. And on top of that, I already failed at being a lawyer, no matter what I try I always disappoint everyone. It's an unexpected moment of vulnerability there... like he's seemed so put together and grown up to Edgeworth this whole time like a whole different person, but he's not a different person he just has different sides to him. And this moment is one where edgeworth can be like hey, no, you're a great dad, and I'm impressed by you and everything you achieved. And I think that could lead into vulnerability from Edgeworth about his relationship with his dad and how he misses him/how he feels like he hasn't really been loved by anyone since his dad died, and how Trucy is lucky to have someone like Nick in her life.

Nick excuses himself to carry Trucy to bed and Miles starts cleaning up the kitchen. I would give a moments pause here to talk about the strange intimacy of going through someone else's kitchen cabinets and drawers, you feel like a stranger there trying to put yourself into someone else's shoes to understand how they live in this space. Maybe he guesses the right drawer for the silverware first try and he feels a little spark of connection. like "we are different in many ways but we are alike enough that we look in the same place for our spoons". Details on the kitchen too about the kid safe plastic bowls and knives that indicate a child is part of the household, that the household has been built around the child, in fact. Edgeworth lives alone and I imagine things are kind of fancy for him (he's a man who wears a cravat so he probably has fine china right). It's completely different from this shabby mismatched cutlery that Nick has, but this kitchen has personality. Maybe he wouldn't mind having a kitchen like this so much. This is a hint at him being lonely, being included in this family unit just for a day has given him this curious sense of longing, for what he isn't sure... does he want kids? Does he want Nick? Does he just want to be part of a family? These are confusing questions and he would much rather not feel anything at all, but unfortunately it is late and he did have a glass of wine with dinner so emotions are Happening.

He hears Nick sigh tiredly as he comes into the kitchen, and Edgeworth starts to ask him where his tupperware is when suddenly Nick is wrapping his arms around him and Edgeworth is Very Tense because he's never good at knowing how to act in situations like this and he and Nick have never been on a hugging level before and he's not sure what this is even for. Then Nick is like "I keep thinking about what you said earlier, about feeling alone ever since your dad passed away. I didn't know, that's such a long time to feel alone. I don't want you to think you're on your own". Edgeworth relaxes a little bit because now he knows what the hug is for and what he's supposed to feel from it. Its very kind of Nick to worry but its unnecessary and he says so. He has colleagues he's friendly with and people from law school he keeps in touch with, he's alright. And Nick says he knows but he also knows it's difficult living the way they do, and what he means is single and in your thirties. Because everyone else is getting married or living with a long term partner or at the very least dating and their lives are focused on that relationship as the center of their being. And when you don't have that, not only is it harder to relate to the people around you but it is harder to feel like you matter in people's lives, because they all prioritize their partner before their friends. And maybe their situations aren't exactly the same (Nick has a daughter while Edgeworth lives alone) and maybe their choices were made for different reasons (Nick used to date and didn't mind it but didn't see a need to prioritize it. Edgeworth found himself unable to distinguish with certainty whether or not he was actually romantically interested in people, and rather than make the wrong choice he decided he would rule out error by choosing no one at all). But regardless, they both know first hand the isolation that comes with trying to carve a path for themselves that does not include a life partner in a world where everyone else comes in pairs. And Nick is reaching out across that emptiness saying hey, we might both be building different lives, but there's room for you to be a part of mine if you want.

Outloud, Nick says "Really, Miles. You aren't alone in this." and Edgeworth says "Well, Phoenix, neither are you". And he stands there and lets his friend hug him, and it doesn't feel like butterflies but it does feel solid and warm and good. And he doesn't even worry about whether he's supposed to let go by now or not, because it's nice, not being alone.

They stand there in comfortable silence for a long moment before Nick speaks again. "hey, remember when you used to hate me? And look at us now." Edgeworth turns his head sharply. "I never HATED you, Wright. I simply thought you were foolish and a waste of my time." He realizes a little too late that this is probably a rude thing to say to the person that just gave you a pep talk, but Nick just laughs, his head still resting on Edgeworth's shoulder. Looking at him from this angle, face almost fully hidden, Nick could be any age at all. It's easy to imagine for a moment that he's the same nervous version of himself that stood across from him in the courtroom for the first time all those years ago. The only thing breaking the illusion is the subtle streaks of silver that cross his temples. Not entirely sure why he does it, Edgeworth kisses the top of Nick's head. He feels odd about it the moment he does so, realizing it comes across not as a platonic or romantic action but as a gesture suited for a dog or pet of some kind. Nick looks up, looking confused but not displeased. "What was that for?" "It was a thank you I suppose". Miles steps away now, still uncomfortable with perceived failures even if those failures are just in social interactions, and begins to gather his things while Nick gets down a tupperware from a cabinet. "Thank you, for the dinner and for the paintings." Edgeworth continues. "I'd like to repay the favor once I get settled into the new house. Trucy's invited too, of course". As he says it, he realizes he genuinely is looking forward to seeing them again. Nick walks him to the apartment door and they say their goodbyes while Edgeworth tucks the paintings (and Trucy's dolphin drawing) under his arm.

He gets halfway down the hallway when he hears Nick calling after him. "Hey! Miles! Take an art class with me sometime" Newfound friendship or not, Edgeworth just looks at him in disdain. "what, so you can show off your superior art skills? No thank you, Wright" "No, for fun. You can make things of your own to hang on your walls. We can do something I've never done before so we're evenly matched. Like printmaking? Origami? Um, pottery?" Edgeworth bristles at the suggestions but takes a moment to acknowledge why he's feeling that way; again, it's that fear of failure. But he's enjoyed himself today and deep down he thinks it could be fun to try something new, not with the goal of being perfect at it but with the goal of spending time together. Nick surprised him today. Maybe he can surprise himself. "... I would consider pottery" Edgeworth admits. And Nick looks really happy about it. "Great. I'll book us a session then. It'll be fun, you'll see. Edgeworth shakes his head, but there's no malice behind it. "Have a good night, Phoenix" "You too. Get home safe Miles".

Edgeworth gets home a little before midnight and props the three canvases against the moving boxes still stacked up in the foyer. Tomorrow, he'll figure out where he wants to hang them. Right now though, he walks over to the bare fridge and carefully pins up Tracy's dolphin drawing. There's a lot more work to do, but it's already starting to feel like home.

[tallyica]

hihi!!

ive tried posting this probably 100+ times but tumblr wont let me so ima make this intro short

THANK YOU @kay-random FOR HACKING ME TO POST THIS ILY

thanks @hetfeildsslut for this idea (black album james dating reader with child from past relationship and meeting the child)

word count:: 2,342

warning: none just fluff

NEW AND OLD ADDITIONS (1992)

I took a deep breath as I removed the key from the car's ignition, my three-year-old son, Tyler sitting in the back, babbling to himself a bit as he sat in his car seat, mindlessly looking out the window.

Today would be the day that my current boyfriend, James, would meet my son.

I was both excited and also horridly nervous. 

I knew that James would be an excellent father figure to him, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of worry. Maybe rockstar and family-man don't blend well in lifestyles.

Things didn't go well with my ex for a long time, and things only got worse after I found out I was pregnant.

I undid my seatbelt, stood up, and stepping out of the car, going to the backseat door to grab Tyler, his wiggly limbs, and smiling looking straight at me.

His joy brought me slight relief, making me calm slightly. I smiled back at him, undoing his car seat as I scooped him up,

“You ready, bud?” I asked him, holding him close to me as we began to walk into the house.

He just smiled and held onto me, “Yeah!” 

His joy always brought me joy, unlocking the front door as I walked in, and setting him down to go find somewhere to sit.

He waddled away, going towards the couch and staring at the TV, giving me some time to prepare for James’ arrival.

I didn't know what we were going to do, I hadn't necessarily planned anything other than to meet at my home. I didn't know what he was expecting us to do.

Maybe we should eat? I could cook something quickly, or call someplace and order for delivery.

I have no reason to be so... distressed, about all this. I just want to make sure everything goes well.

Food seems like too much work, what if he isn't hungry? Maybe we can just sit here and talk instead.

Before I could plan an alternative, a knock was at my door.

It had to be James.

I was so, so nervous as I walked up to the door, my thoughts a mess. He told me that he would come after his practice with the band, which made me think more.

I didn't want the only men and fathers in my son's life to be temporary and fly in and out the door constantly, I needed someone who could help parent him, show him how to be a man, comfort him, and just love him.

I knew Tyler didn't understand or probably cared he lacked a dad, as he didn't understand what a dad was, or what it was like without one.

However, I also knew it was only a matter of time until he got older and kids found out he didn't have a dad, oh how he'd get teased. I couldn't let that happen to my baby.

I trust James, and I love him, and I know he’ll be a great co-parent or dad for Tyler. I was just so worried, about rockstar life, touring and partying, practicing and recording, and having to make a slither for being a family man, to love and care for me and him.

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of the door, opening it to see James with a smile on his face, which relieved me slightly, at least he was excited about this, probably more than me.

“Hey, beautiful, is now a good time?” He asked, glancing in, his eyes searching for my son.

I nodded, “Yeah, we just came back from the store.” I answered with a small smile, looking up at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek as I looked down, seeing a little box in his hand.

“What's that?” I asked, glancing down at the messily, yet colorfully wrapped box.

“Oh, it's a toy for the kid, I thought it'd be nice, y’know?” James informed me with a smile.

I nodded, smiling sweetly at him, “You didn't have to, that's so sweet. He’ll love it, whatever it is.”

He nodded, “Mhm, just hope he’ll love me.” He said, looking down at me. His words made my heart melt.

I stepped aside so he could walk into my home, glancing around the kitchen and living room in search of my son, which I noticed. “He's probably in his room playing, do you want me to go get him or just come to him?” I asked, standing beside him.

James shrugged, “I mean, I think it’d be easier if I just g to him, maybe less intimidating than dragging him out, y’know?” He responded, and I nodded, walking him to Tyler's bedroom, which was right down the hall.

I stopped in first, James standing in the door frame as I walked closer to Tyler, who was just driving his toy cars around on the floor.

“Hey sweetie,” I said to him as I sat down next to him, grabbing his attention.

He noticed James's figure as he walked further into the room, still standing near the door.

“Mommy, who is that?” He asked me, slightly shy about James’ presence.

“That mommy’s friend, James. Can you say ‘hi’ to James, buddy?” I asked Tyler softly, and he shied away from James a bit, moving closer towards me. Even though it was a negative response, James wasn't hurt, still smiling softly. He walked a bit closer to us, sitting down on the floor near me, putting down the box and pushing it towards him a bit.

“Hey buddy, I got you something,” James said gently with a smile, lightly tapping the box. Tyler looked up at me, basically asking if he could go grab it, especially since James was still probably considered a stranger in his mind. I nodded, and he slowly unhid himself, walking towards James and sitting in front of the box, tearing away the poorly wrapped paper and revealing a toy dinosaur.

Tyler's face instantly lit up, “Dino! Dino!” He cheered, anxiously tearing the toy out of the packaging so he could play with it, earning a light chuckle from James. It was a green T-Rex toy, which is his favorite dinosaur.

The moment made my heart melt, a smile on my face as I watched Tyler gleefully play with his new toy dino, still sitting in front of James.

“What do you say to James, sweetie?” I asked, hoping he could learn manners even at a young age.

Tyler smiled, finally looking at James. “Thank you, James!” He said with a smile, going back to play with his new toy.

“You're welcome, bud,” James said, continuing to watch him with a smile before Tyler got up and quickly scurried to his toy bin, bringing out a blue triceratops toy as well, bringing it to James.

“Play, James! Play!” He said excitedly, handing him the toy, and James nodded, joining in playing with the dinosaurs, both of them rawring at each other as they pretended to fight the dinosaurs, making Tyler giggle and smile.

I just watched, the sight bringing me the greatest joy I had experienced in a while, seeing my son so happy with a man that I hoped one day he may call ‘dad’. I never had any luck with dating, especially after people found out I wasn't just single, but a single mother. And I never expected, of all men, James Hetfield, widely known rocker, and partier, now my boyfriend and the potential father figure of my son.

They played with their dinosaurs for another 20 minutes, Tyler sometimes making his climb up James’ body, the toy stomping around on his arms and shoulder.

After a few more minutes, Tyler was starting to get a bit hungry, and I assumed James could eat something, especially after band practice and playing with a three-year-old.

We all moved out to the kitchen, I gave Tyler a bowl of carrots and some hummus, making James a quick meal as he was starving, watching the two of them eat together as Tyler rambled about random and silly things, asking him goofy questions as children do.

I didn't say anything, I was just happy to listen to them as I cleaned up the kitchen, washing the dishes as I eavesdropped on their conversation.

A few weeks later

As the weeks went on, the three of us spent more time together, almost like family playdates. Tyler would beg and ask when he'd get to see James again, which made the both of us so happy that Tyler enjoyed being around him, even if he was timid in the first moments.

We had gone to the beach, the park, restaurants, out for ice cream, to the movies, and even to James’ place, where Tyler got to admire and watch him play all of his guitars, which he loved.

“I wanna play! I wanna play!” Tyler said, reaching his hands out towards James’ guitar, which was the black Explorer he used pretty frequently on the road.

James gave a light chuckle to Tyler begging, “Sorry bud, but not this one. I’ll find you one to play on, ok?” James said, standing up and walking to grab one he had less of a sentimental value to.

Tyler grumbled, whining, “But I wanna play that one!” He complained to James, who was already looking for a different guitar for him to play on.

James had to use his patience, which he had with kids, but today was a day where his patience may have been a bit thinner, sighing, “Look, I'm sorry, but you can't use that one. What about this one, hm?” He asked, holding up a regular, run-of-the-mill strat.

Even though with a more simple appearance, Tyler had forgotten all about the explorer guitar, wanting only the one James now held.

“That one! That one!” He cheered to James with a smile, James already headed over to him, setting down the guitar and picking up Tyler before sitting in a chair and putting him in his lap as he positioned the large guitar for Tyler's small form.

It was a precious sight, watching Tyler mindlessly ignore James’ actual playing instructions, using his fingers to strum the chords, not understanding the fretboards or anything else other than moving the strings and the cool sounds that came from the amp after.

Though, as young children do, he was later bored by the guitar, wanting to do something else. I was in the living room, the two of them still in James’ music room.

I decided that James could use a break from a three-year-old, walking to the door as I heard them talking again.

“James, can I ask you a question..?” Tyler asked him shyly.

James nodded, “Of course, little man. What's up?”

Tyler shied for a moment, looking down before looking back up at him, “Are you gonna be my daddy?” He asked with a soft voice, embarrassed to ask.

James was slightly shocked, not knowing how to answer the question, though there was a small smile on his face, “Mmm, I don't know if that's a question I can really answer, buddy. But, I want to be, but ask momma, ok?” He said with a smile, kissing him gently on the head.

Neither of them knew or had noticed me, standing in the doorway as I watched the two of them interact, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. I didn't wanna ruin their moment, walking away before they could see me, sitting back in the living room.

It had begun to get late, nearing 9 pm, which was past Tyler's bedtime, so I decided it would be best for the two of us to go. I walked into the music room, seeing Tyler half asleep on James as he gently held him and watched over him.

“Is he asleep?” I asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake him if he was.

James nodded, “Mhm, out like a light.” He responded with a light chuckle, standing up and walking towards me, handing him to me as we walked together to his front door. Once we reached it, he opened it for me, and I stood in the doorway.

“Thank you, for all of this, Tyler really appreciates you, and, well, I do too. It means a lot, for the both of us.” I said with a soft smile, looking at James’ grin.

“Well, I appreciate you guys too. He's a sweet kid, and you're a wonderful girl.” He said to me sweetly, which made me smile more.

“Thank you, love, that's sweet of you,” I said with a loving tone, our eyes meeting and holding contact.

“I heard you and Tyler talking, how he asked if you're gonna be his daddy,” I started, taking in a breath and looking down, making James worry slightly before I looked back up to him, “And I hope you do, if that's something you wanna be, or wanna do. He really, really loves you. He talks about you all the time, you're like, his favorite person.” I said with a soft chuckle, watching as he nodded with a smile.

“I'm glad. That is something I’d love to be, a father. Even if we aren't genetically together, he's still gonna be my kid.” He added sweetly, which made me melt.

“Good, it's kinda hot, seeing you all sweet and fathery, I really like it,” I said with a wide grin, to which he laughed softly so he wouldn't wake up Tyler, shrugging as he rolled his eyes.

“Alright, thanks. I'll keep that in mind.” He said before giving me a soft and sweet peck on my lips.

I smiled softly, “Well, guess we'll be seeing you soon. I love you.” I said before walking out with Tyler, having had a successful day, and an amazing one, at that.

[scoobyrooster1]

"But to Qimir it also unearthed how little he truly knew you. And something he couldn't predict or control... that probably terrified him."

Their relationship is so realistically tense and terrible i LoVe it. Because YEAH Qimir having 'killed my last teacher <3 ' in their resume doesn't really mean anything good for YOU does it.

I agree! Thats something that Qimir might want to consider haha! Glad you like it!

She's Mine [Part 2]

Qimir x (she/her)!reader

Summary: You and Qimir travel with the crew to Corinth where you pose as a high class bidder at a black market auction. However, a few unexpected events complicates your mission leaving you wounded and with more questions than answers about the nature of the job. Warnings: Angst, cursing, violence Notes: This is a slow burn story between you and Qimir. I've been researching high republic history and I'm really excited for the next chapters!

*Im trying my best to use canon history but high republic era is a little difficult so there will be discrepancies and times where I have to improvise... bear with me!

She's Mine Masterlist

She's Mine [Intro] She's Mine [Part 1]

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

One month ago...

Under the thick canopy of trees, the clearing was small, just enough space for the two of you to move without constraint.

You and Qimir had stopped on this planet for a brief respite, also provding one of the few places you could train without drawing unwanted attention.

"Again," Qimir instructed, his voice steady and commanding.

You tightened your grip on the wooden stick in your hand. The makeshift training weapon was a far cry from a lightsaber, but it would have to do. You squared your stance, bringing the stick up in a defensive position.

Qimir moved fluidly as he swung his own stick toward you. You managed to block the first strike, the wood clashing with a sharp crack. But Qimir was relentless. His next move was faster, a low sweep aimed at your legs. You jumped back just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike. You were able to catch your breath if only for a moment as he spoke.

“Keep your elbow up,” he reminded you. “Or else I'll catch you before you can block.”

You nodded, trying to focus on his advice even as your muscles burned from the exertion. It had been a long time since you trained like this. Your heart beat inside your chest so rapidly and with such force that you thought it would burst. You had to remember to control you breathing, only letting air pass through your nose, and conserve what little stamina you had left.

Qimir lunged again. You lifted your arm to block, but your elbow dropped just a fraction of an inch too low. His stick slipped past your defense, tapping your ribs with just enough force to sting. Your torso buckled over in response.

Stepping back to give you a moment to recover, he didn't need to tell you what you had done wrong.

"I get it." You said sternly.

"You need to anticipate the next move. Don't just react—predict."

You clenched your jaw in frustration, wiping the sweat from your face with the back of your hand.

You took a deep breath and adjusted your stance, raising your arm higher this time. Qimir watched you carefully, nodding in approval before launching into another series of attacks. You parried each one, your movements more precise now, more controlled.

The two of you moved in a deadly dance, sticks clashing and feet shifting on the soft earth. You began to lose yourself in the rhythm of it, your mind clearing as your body took over.

It was just you and Qimir, the world narrowed down to the space between your bodies.

Until his stick found your ribs again.

Qimir stepped back, lowering his weapon. "Better," he said, his voice softer now, less harsh. "Still a lot to learn."

You made a face about to mock him for saying a high and mighty master line.

He caught you before you could. "Don't start."

You just laughed, then nodded, panting from the effort. Your arms felt like lead, but there was a sense of satisfaction in knowing you had improved, even if just a little.

"Thats enough for today," he said, tucking his stick under his arm.

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

You jolted awake shaking off the memory that overcame your senses.

You had been traveling for a few hours and had fallen asleep regret-tingly straining your neck in the process. Qimir sat on the other side of the cargo hold.

After the heated discussion you both had… yeah it was probably for the best.

You had both taken precautions to hide any personal items that wouldn’t classify as civilian.

I.E. one cortosis helmet, vambrace, and lightsaber.

You remembered tracing your fingers over the embedded scars of the metal. It was terrifyingly beautiful.

Try it on.

Those words sent shivers through your entire body.

You wondered if when you returned to Qimirs little backwater planet, you too would craft something made of the precious metal.

Would we ever be able to return?

"Put these on"

Ian had thrown a duffle at your feet. You unzipped the bag to find far nicer clothes than the ones you were wearing.

"What happened to drawing less attention?"

“You’ll be bidding with some serious credits, you need to look as though you didn’t just crawl out of a bantha pit.”

You didn’t bother to scowl at Ian for his cruel joke.

“And who will I be today?”

“Bidder 79.”

“Lovely.”

The outfit was formal, modest, a suit-like ensemble made from breathable fabric in dark hues of blue and gray. You took one of the scarves from the bag and wrapped it around your head and hair. The less recognizable you were, the better.

“Don’t look at anyone, don’t talk to anyone, don’t answer any questions you don’t have to—”

“I think she gets it” Qimir interrupted, his voice curt.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” Ian finished.

You gave Ian all the confirmation he deserved. "Don't do anything you would do... got it."

You were dropped at the nearest corner with Rod following closely behind.

The coordinates Ian had provided led you to a rough, gritty part of the city, where the streets were narrow and the air thick with the scent of smoke and decay. The towering buildings around you were a patchwork of cracked concrete, rusted metal, and flickering neon signs, casting eerie glows onto the damp pavement. You approached the entrance of a large, nondescript building, its facade faded and crumbling, blending seamlessly into its surroundings.

Pushing through the heavy, rusted door, you stepped into a dimly lit lobby. The few figures loitering in the shadows eyed you with suspicion. You made your way to an elevator at the far end of the room, its grated door screeching as you pulled it open.

The elevator groaned to life, descending into the depths below the city. As you felt the air grow cooler and the hum of the city above fade into silence, your pulse quickened. When the doors finally slid open, you were greeted by a stark contrast.

Before you lay the Corinth black market, a sprawling underground bazaar hidden beneath the city. The space was vast, its ceiling arched and lined with cables and dim, industrial lights casting a dull glow over the scene. The market was alive with activity—merchants hawking their illicit wares from makeshift stalls, the air buzzing with whispered deals and low, guttural conversations in a dozen different languages. The scent of exotic spices, machinery, and lawlessness filled your nose.

The Corinth black market was a place where laws were only mere suggestions.

Rules, Rules, Rules... If you don't follow them, you never have to break them.

Minutes later, you found yourself seated in an uncomfortable chair, dark lenses shielding your eyes as you scanned the stage ahead. You were in a small room dimly lit but far richer than the bazaar outside. The items up for auction you guessed based on size and weight was a mix of trinkets and far more dangerous contraband, all locked away in secure containers.

Your client had provided you with only a number, leaving you in the dark about what you were actually bidding on. Your job was to outbid everyone else. Rod, as Ian assured you, would make sure you had the funds to back up whatever figure you landed on. How they’d managed that was another mystery, but one you didn’t need to solve.

“Item number XN2187”

Your eyes tracked the stage.

This was it.

What the staff placed on the table next made absolutely no sense to you.

It was a book... or... a journal?

"Let’s start the bid at 100,000 credits."

Maker.

You had to withhold your gasp.

Two people had already called out raising the bid to 250,000 within 3 seconds.

You threw your card up.

“300,000.”

You saw another card go up near the front.

“350,000”

Maker how could a journal be worth this much.

You raised your card again with no hesitation.

“400,000.”

They matched it again. "4500,000."

“500,000”

It was all fake credits and Ian had given you your instructions... attain that item at whatever price... better to end it right here.

You waited for their response, but there was none.

Got it.

“Sold...to number 79.”

Small claps ensued.

You headed to the back of the stage where the transactions were being held.

Suddenly your path was blocked, now inches away from a hooded figure.

"Whatever your being paid, we can double it." They hissed in your ear.

Rod glanced at the human stranger with his fixed glowing pinpoint eyes that seemed to show concern even for a droid.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." You continued to walk past them.

They grabbed your forearm. Their grip was strong.

“You take it and you’re a dead woman walking.”

You could now see their face. A male human with rusty brown hair and dark eyes.

You shook off the strangers hand and stated with cold indifference, "I already am."

Your response seemed to catch him off guard.

You shrugged him off turning away, finally reaching the desk behind the curtains.

"Bidder 79?" the attendant confirmed.

"That's right. Item XN2187."

"Please have your droid exchange the credits for your purchase."

Rod stepped forward, inserting his chip into the computer. A moment later, a man presented the box.

The attendee looked at the screen, seeming pleased. "Thank you madam. Have a wonderful evening."

Your breath resumed as you smoothly took the box and gave the courtier a smile. What ever Rod had done it had worked. You cracked it open checking that the item was inside.

Rodney turned in the other direction taking a different route to meet back up at the rendezvous.

That had been surprisingly easy.

"See you back at the ship." You whistled as you turned into the crowd behind.

Something struck your mind. The force had shifted near you and you could feel it. You started scanning your surroundings more carefully.

Watch out.

You unholstered your gun but it was too late.

It was all of 2 seconds before you felt the box knocked out from under your forearm. The force of a back kick to your chest sent you crashing to the ground. Dirt filled your mouth as you hit the earth, the impact reverberating through your body. Your blaster had been sent flying across the ground.

Damn it had been a while since you were hit that hard.

Gritting your teeth, you turned to face your assailant— female Twi'lek with green skin, her imposing figure casting a shadow over you. Her face sheathed in fabric and some manner of breathing apparatuses. Time seemed to slow, the sounds of the chaotic crowd fading into the background.

The journal had fallen out of the box now laying between you and your attacker.

It was too valuable to lose. You couldn't just run.

You pushed yourself off the ground, moving faster than you had fallen. As the warrior lunged for the book, you reacted instinctively, snapping your leg out to kick their hand away. The clash of metal and bone echoed in your ears as you simultaneously snatched journal, pulling it close to your chest. The adrenaline surged through your veins as you regained your footing, your breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

She charged at you closing the distance swiftly. You dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding her grasp. She swung her arm in a wide arc that forced you to duck, the wind from her strike grazing the top of your head.

With the book still clutched tightly to your chest, you spun around, using your momentum to drive your elbow into the Twi'leks side. The impact caused her to stagger.

She recovered swiftly, raising her arm to strike again this time brandishing a small blade. You heaved your body from left to right to dodge, the knife dancing centimeters away from your chest.

You dodged another stab. But she was smart. The Twi'lek flipped the blade through the air catching it with her left hand. You felt a sharp pain spread in your chest. Too distracted with the wound in your right side, you failed to notice her right hand swinging towards you head.

Your brain rattled inside your skull as you hit the earth. Applying pressure to the bleed you turned your pounding head upwards. She picked up the journal from the floor, her other hand now brandishing a blaster pointed directly at your forehead.

"Should've taken the deal"

You only stared down the barrel of her gun. This couldn't be the end.

You wouldn't let it be the end. You blinked. She pulled the trigger. A shot rang out.

You weren't dead.

You stared at the gun.

The blaster shot hung suspended in mid-air, glowing red just inches from your nose.

It floated there, trembling as if struggling against an invisible force, caught between you and the barrel.

Qimir.

You almost couldn't breathe and realized it could only last for so long. You ducked your head before the shot could continue its intended path, piercing the dirt behind you, leaving a small scorched black hole in its wake.

Your breathing was rapid and deep as stared at the hole in the ground that was intended for your head.

The Twi'leks eyes widened. Baffled by what she had just witnessed.

"You... you're a jedi." She sounded as disgusted as she was surprised.

“Not quite.”

In a fluid motion, you kicked a cloud of dust up towards her face. She loosen her grip on the journal stumbling back. Sprinting past her you grabbed the book, the pain of the stab wound luckily numbed by the adrenaline coursing through you. She roared in frustration, but you were already several paces ahead.

You could hear her quick footsteps behind you, but you didn't look back. Your only thought was to put as much distance between you and her as possible.

You ducked into an alleyway once you thought it was safe to stop, determined to sacrifice just a moment to see what you were truly risking your life for.

You opened the book.

Scribbles you couldn't understand filled page after page. Flipping through it all you couldn't make any sense of it.

You stopped at the back of the last page.

Written then carved delicately into the leather near the binding was a name.

Mari San Tekka.

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

The plan had gone off without a hitch... if you hadn't included the unknown assailant that almost put a blaster hole through your skull.

Closing the blast doors, you buckled over, heart still racing. You ran your fingers over your cheek which was tender to the touch. It had to be badly bruised and you could better feel the one developing across your chest now that the adrenaline was wearing off. Not to mention the blood dribbling down your side.

"That went well."

Qimir had caught you off guard. You didn't think he'd be back to the ship by now with how much of a crowd that stood between you and the ship.

You inhaled deeply resting against the cold metal wall your right hand still pressing the right side of your ribs.

“You had me worried.”

You paused for a moment. You had him… worried?

"I thought I'd have to find a new acolyte after today."

You relaxed your shoulders dropping your hands into fists.

"You son of a bitch."

He smiled with his teeth, his eyes taunting, but his smile faltered when he saw your now exposed lower chest wound.

"That looks serious." You couldn't tell if he was still joking or being earnest. "And what a foul name to call with your mas--"

The ship doors hissed open.

In walked Ian and Rod.

Qimir went quiet not daring to finish his sentence. They didn't need to know what you and Qimir were. If they did, they'd all be dead.

The Jedi say I can't exist. They see my face... They all die.

If that's what it took for Qimir to shut his mouth then fine.

You snapped back to reality reapplying pressure to your side and took the opportunity to interrogate Ian.

"What the hell was that." You yelled.

Ian look disgruntled. "Seems like this cargo is more high priority than I thought."

"Ya think?" You only gave him a pleading look in response.

"Look nothing has changed. You knew what you signed up for."

"I didn't sign up for this... remember?"

"Rod, signal Shaun and Kiro. Prep the hyperdrive, set a course for Canto Bight... You might wanna take care of that." He motioned to the wound that was still leaking blood at your side. "Theres a med bay. Two rights and left."

"Thanks." You started walking towards the doors slightly lightheaded from the blood loss.

He extended a hand. "Here let me help. That looks bad."

You waved him off. "I've got it." Before disappearing down the hall to the med bay.

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

Luckily, Ian had the sense to keep a decent med droid on board. With how sketchy most of his jobs were, it would be foolish not to. The droid had effectively stopped the bleeding, stitched it close, applied bacta fluid, and recommended a pressure dressing before shutting down.

Okay, so not a fully functional droid.

You pulled out the rolls of gauze and compression wraps. The droid had cut through your bloody shirt to access the wound, leaving the tattered fabric hanging from your shoulders. In the mirror, you could see the damage--your chest was mildly bruised, the skin slowly turning a deep purple, especially closer to the wound. You applied a generous amount of gauze and began wrapping the bandage around your chest.

You managed 6 tight loops before a sharp pain made you wince, the movement of extending your torso and raising your arms too much to bear. Breathing deeply, you tried to steady both your head and your heart.

Then, a sudden movement caught your eye, and you nearly reopened the wound as you jumped—Qimir was standing in the now open doorway, silently watching you.

"Maker, you scared me... How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long enough."

"Ha. Ha." You mocked, still guarding your chest, covered but only by a sheer wrap.

"Need help?"

"I got it."

He gave you a look that said, Yeah, sure you do.

You sighed deeply. Every breath was painful. "Fine."

He walked up to where you sat on the med table, glancing at the now deactivated med droid.

"The droid couldn’t do it?"

You tilted your head in response.

"I can call Ian to wrap the rest. He seemed pretty eager," you teased.

Qimir clenched his jaw, clearly not amused, and quickly seized the large roll of gauze from your hand.

"Put your arms around me."

You shot him an incredulous look.

"Maker, you're difficult," he muttered, rolling his eyes dramatically. With a gentle touch, he grabbed your hands and placed them on his shoulders. Then, he took the roll and began wrapping it around the rest of your chest.

You let your hands move closer to his neck, lacing your fingers together and allowing your arms to sag, finding a small amount of relief.

"It's a faulty piece of equipment," you continued. "Leave it to Ian to have a semi-working med droid on a risky job."

Qimir's eyes were only focused on his hands, meticulously layering the bandaging over your wound, making sure it was secure.

"Hey, my eyes are up here," you quipped.

His focus remained unwavering, but you noticed a small smile tug at the corners of his lips.

You allowed yourself to dissolve into this moment. It was innocent, and it was yours.

He finished the last length of the bandage, gently tucking it into the top wrap. His fingers brushed against your skin, and your breath hitched slightly. If he noticed, he pretended not to. Both his hands now rested softly against your ribs, checking the stability of his work. Your hands remained on his shoulders.

He looked up at you.

You met his gaze.

"If you let someone get that close, you must make every decision with confidence and conviction. Remember—"

"Don't react, predict," you repeated the mantra.

"There's no room for error in a fight that close."

"Yes, master," you added with a touch of sarcasm.

He only nodded, still getting accustomed to your use of the title.

"Thank you," you said, recalling what had happened only hours ago.

"For the wrap?"

"No. For saving me."

"Saving you?"

"The blaster shot."

"... You're welcome."

He released you, making you remove your arms from his shoulders.

The moment was gone... and something in you would've done anything to get it back.

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

The sound of the ship rattling against the void of space ripped you from sleep. The walls trembled, and a deep, ominous roar echoed from the rear of the ship, filling you with an immediate sense of dread. You ducked out of your cot.

Qimir was already on his feet.

Before you could fully grasp what was happening, he was out the door, and you were right behind him. The cold, metallic floor vibrated beneath your bare feet as you both sprinted down the dimly lit corridor.

Suddenly, the ship lurched violently, a brutal force that sent both of you stumbling. You felt yourself losing balance, your body careening toward the metal wall. But before you could brace for impact, Qimir’s hand shot out, grabbing you by the waist. He swiftly twisted his body, pulling you against him, sending himself backwards.

His back slammed into the wall with a sickening thud. You felt the force of it reverberate through him as he grunted, but his grip on you remained firm.

For a second your chin rested on his collar bone. His mouth grazing your forehead and hair. The heat of his body was a stark contrast to the cold metal wall you were expecting moments ago. You were pressed against his chest, your breath catching as you looked up at him. His expression unreadable.

"Your stitches." He questioned.

"Fine." You assured him.

He only scanned you for a moment then let go of you continuing to walk down the corridor. You hesitated for one second, your heart still racing, before following him.

When you had finally reached the cockpit you found Ian walking toward you and through the doorway before grunting. "Might be a problem with the hyperdrive. We have to make a pit stop."

Any thoughts of Qimirs skin against yours was gone.

You followed him back down the hall.

"Qimir."

He stopped.

You gave him a look.

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

"Mari San Tekka” he repeated the name you had given.

“Do you know that name?”

“Not the person, but the San Tekkas were a great dynasty, closely affiliated with the Republic as hypersurveyors”

"Hypersurveyors?"

"Mappers who worked for the clan, charting new hyperspace routes."

"The writing, I didn't see it at first but they could've been notes or calculations."

"Could you read any of it."

"I've seen hyperspace calculations before, but I didn't recognize the figures in this book. Why would someone risk so much to retrieve it?"

Qimir took a long pause. "I don't know."

The uncertainty laced in Qimirs voice irked you more than you'd like to admit.

———————————————

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

[recycledraccoon]

Quick! I'm from the future!! I need your inkblade headcanons or scenarios or the universe will implode!

Ok ok, I can do this. I can answer this ask without going out of control. I can be normal about this, I can.

I don't have very many hardset headcanons, but more vibes that rise and fall like the tide. Oisin's fins/head-crest flare out ramrod straight and the spines turn as purple as his face if he's blushing hard enough. I will die on this hill. Oisin's non-verbal emotions are actually really easy to pick up on if he's too distracted to keep them tightly in control. A thick dragonborn tail lashing back and forth like an outlet for Emotions That Are Too Big can be really inconvenient in a highschool hallway. The rise and fall of his fins/head-crest are MUCH harder to hide however. Oisin also smells perpetually of petrichor, and it drives Adaine insane.

1. I think Oisin's crush started softly, and with indescribable longing, probably before he ever knew who she was. Freshman year, a Thursday Intro To Glyphs class. He doesn't know or talk to her at all, just a face in a class he has that he barely notices. So he's not falling for her quite yet.

I think he first fell in love in the way one does when you see a stranger sitting across from you on the public bus or train. The sunlight hit her hair and he couldn't take his eyes off suddenly. Maybe he saw her smiling and laughing with her friends, maybe she was rolling her eyes at them with her nose scrunched up just a little in faint judgement, maybe he can't even remember because while walking past in the hallway he had been so dumb-struck for a second he walked face first into an open locker door to Ivy's absolute confusion. (She does laugh at him mercilessly, even if he won't say why he walked into it.)

It's a moment of "I don't know you, you don't know me, but for one unfathomably long moment I wanted nothing more than to imagine a life lived that included basking near you and your smile every day until I die."

Unrealistic right? Just a passing stranger, this isn't a love story, it's an average Tuesday and Oisin has homework and an appointment with his party in the forest after school.

He gathers his bearings and moves on, and if his mind wanders back to the girl in the hall who had captivated him to lethal effect? Well it's a pleasant memory for him and he thinks that's allowed, right?

Except she's in his Glyph class two days later, he realizes, and suddenly that hallway moment of longing rushes back until his entire face is purple and he's trying not to stare at the occasionally stuttering but brilliant wizard girl two rows ahead in class.

1a. I think Oisin continued to take Glyph classes at first because he hoped she would too. Adaine doesn't, but Oisin continues because he is good at them and enjoys it and it's certainly easier to learn when he's not distracted in class 70% of the time.

2. As Oisin gets older, more and more of his dragonic nature becomes apparent. It's like a second puberty happening concurrently with normal puberty, which means it's a rollercoaster nightmare for him and the High Five Heroes/Rat Grinders.

2a. Dragons have hoards, but not all dragons hoard the same things, even within their own subclasses. Still, Oisin has quite a few gems and jewels in his fledgling hoard, despite not knowing what he most wants to hoard, and if his favorite gem just so happens to be one that reminds him of the shade of blue in a particular elven girl's eyes then-

2b. Oisin also has a deep fondness for rain and storms. He always knows if it's incoming even if it's not in the forecast. Something primal in him connects to the raging skies, for good or ill. It makes him feel confident and powerful. He also considers it very romantic. Unfortunately, Adaine gets so cross with him anytime she hears him predict a storm coming, even if he's talking to literally anyone else. (Adaine thinks Oisin is a storm himself, and if she is not careful she will be like the last Oracle and have forgotten to stock up on water breathing spells and drown in him amidst the storm of his being.)

2c. Dragons also hold great respect for power and prowess. Physical fights for hierarchy, play, or even courtship are very normal. For all that they are sentient brilliant beings, Dragons are still wild, untameable, primal things. This lurks underneath all of them, good or evil. Some are just more adept at hiding it. For courtship, this comes into play as sizing the other up. Both sides are looking to find out whether or not the other has any worth as a long term partner who would need to help guard the nest. Protecting eggs and hoards from greedy adventurers is serious business. There are reasons there aren't many truly ancient dragons. Too large a discrepancy in strength can sometimes be a turn off for the stronger one, so the most successful courtships are usually of similarly strong dragons, or at least, ones that put up enough of a fight despite the gap.

c1. Oisin, seeing the great accomplishments and prowess of Adaine Abernant over the course of Freshman year, feels a deep stirring even before he's rage-starred. He wants to fight her so badly, to sling magic and bloody teeth until the raging beast inside is sated. Naturally this scares him at first, and Oisin REFUSES to seek Adaine out to talk because of it, because the teen boy part of himself wants something kind, soft and tender between them, while the dragon making itself known as he ages wants to prove itself strong to her.

Later, he will tell himself this urge was ENTIRELY because he'd been on the path towards being contaminated-then-consumed with rage and wanted the Bad Kids dead. Absolutely not because it's the first step in traditional dragon courtship. He just wants to prove himself to her. He wants to feel for himself the confirmation of her renowned battle prowess. This is all for purely rival-related reasons, he tells himself. He is, perhaps, a bit of a liar.

3. Adaine's crush, not just her thinking he's cute but her actual legitimate crush on him, actually starts when the Rat Grinders are being redeemed post-Junior Year.

Like, she hates his GUTS. He made her feel belittled and stupid during Junior year, and yes they kicked his and his friends asses, but also now they just have to deal with them still being around. (Yes this is how they made friends with Ragh too, but they're petty.)

Except...so now they have to spend time together, maybe in classes maybe because Lucy loves her friends despite everything but is also now a friend of The Bad Kids. The former Rat Grinders are CLEARLY trying so hard to be better and kinder, but still the parties are mingling and there is tension but its also so fucking funny.

So Adaine and Oisin's interactions is just a montage of them being assholes to each other. Oisin can be polite and respectable, funny even, with everyone BUT Adaine apparently. Bickering about wizard things, taunting cutting words, and Adaine repeatedly trying to punch his smug face whenever he gets too close while gloating if he's right about something.

3a. Adaine literally tells Aelwyn that while she wants and needs kindness, she does acknowledge that it's messed up that she wishes someone was a little mean to her sometimes. This rivalry with Oisin is NOT WHAT SHE MEANT!!!!!! (the monkey paw curls)

3b. The worst part, is no matter how much Adaine hates Oisin, is that it doesn't stop him from being attractive. Oh sure, she thinks he's an absolute asshole when he's sitting across from her in the library, but......

He's still absurdly tall, with large arms that are for more than just show. The conjuration tattoos are both practical and very pleasing to the eye, the almost electric blue of them a pleasing contrast to the softer blue shade of his scales.

The contradiction of those large round spectacles resting on his snout makes him look just dorky enough to go from being just another buff guy to being....well. Unfortunately, the glasses also do nothing to shield Adaine from the weight of his gaze.

When he looks at her with his full attention, behind those glasses are eyes of molten gold, and trained solely on her that gaze feels searing hot wherever it lands.

3c. Or perhaps, the worst part is she despises how he laughs. Sometimes, when she says something as clever as it is cutting, Oisin throws his head back just a little to laugh, bright and warm, all while his throat rumbles. It must be something draconic in nature, like a strong purr or distant rain clouds. It's much harder to get him to make that particular sound when he laughs, and the rumble feels unfairly like victory. Like she cracked the careful fascade he puts up to pretend like he's not a dragon.

The rumble also feels particularly reminiscent of butterflies in her stomach. (She elects to ignore this part.)

4. Oisin is a dragon, and he is a little obsessed with Adaine even if he doesn't dare to dream of going on an actual date with her after everything from the previous year. He cannot imagine a world where she would ever again believe him to be genuine in affection or intention towards romantic feelings. No instance of genuine fluster could ever be seen as anything but a clever ruse, he tells himself, he certainly wouldn't believe it if it was him.

But he's got her attention now, and he is possessive of that, of what he CAN get. Even if she hates his guts and pointblank threatens to kill him if he steps out of line-

Even if it's because she hates him, Oisin still has her eyes on him. Eyes like clear skies before the rolling storm, like they can pierce through everything he is and will ever be and know the truth of it.

Every conversation is like a battle, a verbal sparring that he TELLS himself is nothing at all like the courtship fights, but oh how sweet does it sound to his inner dragon. She could be cussing him out and he could feel like his heart would burst from his chest from the affection he feels, even as he riles her up further, until she slips into saccharine elven curses that he can practically taste on his forked tongue.

4a. Once he tosses back a clever jape in draconic at her. When she immediately starts in on him with the gutteral words of his native tongue, perfectly fluent but lilted ever so slightly like a refined melody, his tail accidentally knocks over a chair and his crest flares so strongly that he KNOWS his face must be more purple than a ripe plum. He's lost a battle and her laughter at the way he flees claiming he forgot something haunts him for days. He tries to get revenge by whispering things under his breath at her in Elvish, and her glare is divine, but it's so risky because she might just start talking to him draconic again and Oisin fears he could live a thousand years and still not be able to handle the sound of it when it falls from her lips.

a1. It's a lost cause. Adaine has a weakness now, and she wields it with all the precision she's developed on a battlefield. It's the cutest surest way to put him in his place, rile him up with the same burning fire that he seems so expert in stirring up in her. Oh he might try to argue back in draconic, or even throw a taunt out in Elvish, but he always stalks off first. (He makes the refined, posh but ancient language of Elvish sound like something Tracker would appreciate. He makes it sound ever so slightly wild, like something else is lurking behind all the refinery. Adaine is well practiced in steadying her breathing, and Oisin always cracks first.)

5. Everyone has seen these two bicker back and forth, and everyone knows trying to get them to stop or get between them means the two turn as a united front against whoever interrupted, and that's honestly worse.

5a. The Bad Kids and High Five Heroes/Rat Grinders have an ongoing bet amongst themselves on on if the two will snap and legitimately murder each other, or snap and start making out in the library. It's honestly way too elaborate of a betting system with odds changing all the time, but it is actually probably the most fun, non-tense bonding the two groups have together. They have also gone to GREAT LENGTHS to keep it secret from the two wizards, especially when one of them is the fucking ORACLE.

6. It's not all bickering and scathing words. Sometimes, when nobody else is around to see behind this precarious curtain...its soft and tender too.

6a. Sometimes, when Adaine is genuinely having a bad day and feels one wrong moment from truly snapping, she feels the magic of a conjured summon passing by whatever table or nook she stowed herself away to hide in. The smell of arcane-tinted petrichor lingers afterwards, and settled nearby is a warm drink that hadn't been there before. Sometimes its tea's she's fond of, sometimes a warm peppermint mocha from her favorite coffee place downtown. Against her better judgement, she is increasingly fond of the smell of rain. 6b. Sometimes, the rage feels like it never left Oisin's body. It burns him inside and out, and he's so exhausted fighting back these aftershocks. He is trying every day to make up for what he's done, but the feeling of unbridled rage haunts him. To indulge is to fail, fall off the wagon, and he will not falter, even if he squeezes his hands so tightly they bleed beneath his claws. A message cantrip blooms to life in his mind. Melodic, lilted draconic, giving not words of comfort, but familiar unafraid taunts. It's a challenge, he knows it, and somehow that makes it easier, rage giving way to fondness and the desire to prove himself. 6c. There are more late nights in libraries and sitting close at tables in out of the way restaurants working on difficult projects then either would ever let anyone know, not that they let anyone know of them at all. It's quiet honest conversations over dusty tomes and scattered papers. (They couldn't know how to make the most cutting of remarks if they knew nothing about each other, after all.) a1. Its Oisin, laying his head down in his arms over the library table, eyes watching her sitting next to him with hair falling in her face like it always does when shes bent forward focusing intently on her work. There are many, many times when Oisin does nothing but watch in silence. Sometimes, rarely, when its late and nobody will come by except to kick them out- He reaches a claw to gingerly tuck the silken gold hair behind the bright red ear of a girl who doesn't say anything about it, before he looks away entirely, trying to ignore the way he can feel his crest fluttering up and down as it seemingly contemplates flaring out.

a2. It's Adaine, rolling her eyes with no heat, as she steps into his personal space and is enveloped in the smell of petrichor. Calloused fingers lingering on rough scales as she ever so gently corrects a stance or spell casting motion that the unfairly tall dragonborn boy next to her had been working on perfecting.

The both know she doesn't have to be so close for this, that another demonstration from beside him would work just fine. He doesn't have to bend ever so slightly, dip his long draconian neck down so he can better hear her murmured words either, so close they can feel the heat of the others breath. He casts the spell perfectly, and Adaine steps back out to a respectable distance, and neither of them say anything about it.

7. Neither of them ever mention any of it. It feels taboo, like the triggering of a spell that will destroy both of them. The fighting, the bickering, the cutting words and sharp swords aimed at jugulars? That's easy, that's familiar and safe. It's what's supposed to happen between them, safe territory they can walk with eyes closed. It's the tenderness that's hard. It's the yearning and soft touches aborted at the last moment-

This is what would be their ruin, and the threat of it lingers above them, rolling clouds heavy with rain that just wont fall. Days, weeks, months pass by and they do not mention it.

8. Adaine, flush with Oracle-sure certainty, gestures for Oisin to slow down, to bend down low so she can tell him something. He protests, its about to rain any second and really Abernant, they're going to be late- Adaine kisses Oisin first, soft and sure as her hands cradle his scaled jaw, just as the dark clouds above them break open.

The kiss tastes like rain, and the loud, pleased rumble in her ears certainly isn't from the storm coming down on them.