#i fell behind both on writing and cross posting here

[florencemtrash]

The Shadowsinger & The Inkbird: Chapter Twenty-Five

Summary: Y/n's clairvoyance is a gift from the Mother, but it feels more like a curse. With the power to gain knowledge through touch alone, Y/n holes herself up in The Alcove and hopes her powers and parentage will remain a secret. But things will change after the Summer Solstice ball and a chance encounter with a certain Shadowsinger.

Warnings: Physical injury (i.e., Rhys and Cassian recovering post-Koschei), fluff, mating ceremonyyyyyyyyy (y'all I'm so excited I got so emotional writing this one)

The Shadowsinger & The Inkbird: Masterlist

Masterlist of Masterlists

It was strange how the absence of things could be so obvious. How silence could be more obnoxious than a crowded room. 

Three weeks had passed since Koschei’s death, and everyone was afraid to bring attention to the glaring absence of Cassian’s arm and Rhysand’s wings. 

At every meal, Nesta carefully cut up the Lord of Bloodshed’s food, and every night, Rhysand winnowed up to his bedroom. He no longer needed a wheelchair to move around, but walking up the stairs was a battle he won only half the time.

Azriel’s shadows were still missing. Gone to the wind. But their whispers grew in strength each day and Azriel would strain his ear to hear them. It gave you both hope that they’d return in time. 

“Daddy.” 

Rhysand froze halfway up the stairs, leaning against the wall with his legs crossed at the ankles. He subtly hid his hand behind his back, concealing the cane he relied on to walk around his own home. 

“Yes, Nyx.” 

The boy stood with his mother, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. Her wings were on full display, as were Nyx’s, in preparation for their daily flying lessons. For the first time, Rhysand would be unable to join them.

“We’re going flying. Do you… do you want to watch?” Nyx smiled shyly, one arm wrapped around his mother’s leg as he stared at the ground. “I can finally summon my wings during free fall. Just like we practiced.”

Rhysand strained to smile. “Go ahead with your mother. I’ll join you on the balcony soon.” 

“Ok,” the boy murmured and walked down the hall towards his parents’ bedroom. 

Feyre moved to be with her husband, her wings disappearing in a melting of light. She gently cupped his face in her hands. 

“It’s ok, my love,” Rhysand whispered, kissing her palms. Feyre smoothed back the swoop of hair that fell over his forehead. The strands were damp with sweat. “I don’t want you to keep Nyx waiting.” 

“Nyx is a patient boy. More patient than his father.” 

Rhys chuckled, blinking away tears. It was silly to hide these emotions from Feyre — she felt everything he did — but he wanted to at least try to be strong. To be her equal. Her High Lord. 

“Take your time, Rhys.” Her lips brushed against his and a piece of that ache in his chest fizzled out. It was incredible how his mate and wife could ease his burden with such a small touch. “I’ll be waiting with our son.” 

The moment Feyre disappeared into their bedroom and shut the door, Rhysand snapped his cane in half. Wood splinters flew out, embedding themselves in the wall and in the staircase, and he threw what remained down the stairs. 

Feyre, with all her love and patience, gave him the space to be angry. To grieve. But it helped her to know that Cassian, Azriel, and Emerie were already on their way. 

Rhysand made it to the third floor landing without his cane before the pain in his back became impossible to ignore. He sank to the floor. 

“Rhys—” The trio crowded around him. 

“Don’t say a fucking word, Cass.” They froze beside him, tucking their wings in tight. “I used to think the steps to the House of Wind were hard. Now I can’t even climb the stairs in my own fucking house.”

He hated this. He hated this with a burning passion. He was meant to be High Lord. He should have been at Feyre’s side, shaking out his wings and getting ready to taste the wind with his son. Instead here he was, sweat-soaked and shaking in front of his brothers and Emerie. 

After his mother and Selene’s death, he’d promised himself he would never lose his wings. They were a physical reminder of his Illyrian heritage. A heritage which so often went unseen beneath the veneer of a High Lord. Decades spent Under the Mountain had only cemented that promise in blood and salt. 

Amarantha may have stolen many things from him, but she’d never taken his wings. She’d never touched them. She’d never even seen them. 

Poison-laced calls of Amarantha’s whore and half-breed had always paled in comparison to the freedom of flying. A freedom he no longer had. 

“I’m not an Illyrian anymore,” Rhysand whispered grimly. The muscles in his back rolled, and even that small movement sent a thread of pain down his spine.  

Cassian and Azriel were stunned into silence. But not Emerie. Her gaze was too piercing, her tone too frank and unrelenting as she said, “My mother died without her wings.” 

Rhysand looked up at the female, slender and sharp as a blade. 

“At thirty-seven years old her father took a butcher’s knife and hacked them off before burying them in the snow just outside Windhaven.” She cocked her head to the side. “Tell me, was she not an Illyrian then?” 

“That’s not what I meant,” Rhysand said pathetically. 

“It’s exactly what you meant. But you’re wrong. Your wings don’t make you an Illyrian, Rhys. If they did, myself and over half the females in those camps would have been banished from Illyria a long time ago.” 

There was a silence that followed, tense and filled with guilt until Emerie spoke again. 

“Do you know what they say about you in the camps? And I’m not talking about the males who whisper half-breed behind your back.” 

Rhysand took his head. 

“The young females whisper about the day you’ll find them worthy enough to steal away to Velaris — to your precious city you’d never let come to harm. They talk about the shops they’d get to see with the frosted cakes in the windows and the enchanted houses where they wouldn’t have to slave away over a stove or wring towels until their hands bled. That one day, you’ll recognize that they’re dreamers too who’ve only had their worst nightmares come true. The older ones are wiser than that. They don’t talk about escaping to a city they don’t know and don’t love, surrounded by strangers who might call them lesser-fae. They build their lives in the cold, and when the males come to burn it down, they either endure and build it up again, or they fight back however they can.” 

Emerie regarded him carefully, eyes halting on his violet eyes and the sharpness of his ears. 

“Wings don’t make you an Illyrian,” she repeated, “It’s in your blood. It’s what you're born into and the hands that raise you. Never say “I’m not an Illyrian” again, do you understand me?”

Rhysand swallowed the burning lump in his throat. Touched the short tips of his ears and wiped the tears gathering in his violet eyes. 

“Azriel, could you—could you bring me my cane? Please?” 

His brother walked down the steps without hesitation and retrieved the broken halves. 

It was a thing of beauty and strength, carved from ironwood and stained so dark it may as well have been sliced from a night sky. Rhysand put the two pieces together and closed his eyes. 

It was easy, miniscule magic to put the cane back together and far more difficult a feat to stand upright once again. He might have toppled backwards if not for Emerie. She gave him her shoulder to lean against.

“Still an Illyrian,” he murmured. 

It was a promise to himself and to his family. To the three Illyrian warriors who had found him. 

“Still an Illyrian.” Emerie patted his arm. “I understand you’ll still feel some self-pity for a while. It’s natural, but… try not to do it in a room I’m in.” 

“I can do that.” Rhysand leaned against his cane, limping towards his bedroom where his mate and son were waiting. “Oh and Emerie.” She turned her head towards him. “Thank you.” 

“Do you want me to just cut it for you?” 

“No, I like the way Nesta does it.” 

“Since when did you get so picky?” 

“Since I lost my fucking arm, Mor.” 

You snorted into your glass of wine and Azriel smiled as the pair continued bickering. He kept one hand under the table, rubbing small circles into your thigh. It wasn’t until Nesta decided to grace the early morning with her presence that Cassian turned his attention away from Mor, drawing Nesta down for a kiss. 

A fresh bruise painted his cheekbone purple, pink, and blue. 

Nesta gripped Cassian’s chin, turning his face to the side for a better look. “Who did this?”

“Emerie,” he said cheerfully. His grin was brighter than the sun. 

Today was the first time he’d sparred with anyone since he lost his arm and Emerie hadn’t gone easy on him. On the contrary, she’d taken every advantage her two arms afforded her until Cassian felt more tender than a steak on a butcher’s board. He hadn’t been thrown on his back so many times since the mating frenzy. 

It was a dirty, cunning way of fighting and he’d never appreciated the Illyrian female more. 

Nesta smirked at her friend with a glint in her eye that looked suspiciously like gratitude. 

Emerie only shrugged. She hadn’t experienced the same kind of loss that Cassian and Rhysand had, but she’d learned a great deal after her wing clipping. Carrying limbs that no longer worked was not so different from losing them entirely. It was all about a shifting of control and weight — about finding a new center of gravity and using weakness to your advantage. 

“Did you go easy on him?” Nesta asked. 

Emerie snorted. “Obviously not.”

“She fractured three ribs, but they’re healed now.” 

“Very nice.” 

Nesta settled down at her rightful seat beside Cassian and wordlessly cut up his breakfast. 

“Thanks, Nes.” 

“It’s the least I could do.” 

Cassian chuckled and pulled her close until she was nearly in his lap. “Don’t give me so much power, darling.” 

She huffed. “What power?”

“The power to win any argument in the future.” He stuck what remained of his right arm into the air and gave it a shake. It was a gentle, teasing reminder of who had cut it off in the first place. 

Nesta narrowed her eyes until they were two clips of ice. “Don’t make me regret letting you live.” 

“That’s much better.” 

Some people needed a gentle touch after horrible events, but there was nothing gentle about Cassian. He’d been born with the wild in his blood. He knew how to adapt and survive, and if surviving meant he would lose his arm and get more time with his mate, it was a trade he was more than happy to make.

Azriel seemed to be in agreement. He never took his eyes off you. More interested in seeing your reaction than hearing which comment had brought it to life.

Feyre nudged Rhys, eyes wide and eyebrows raised as she looked back and forth from her mate to you and Azriel. 

Now? Rhys asked. 

Yes, now! They’ve been staring at each other for the last thirty minutes. It’s honestly unnerving... Do you think they’ve already accepted the bond?

There’s no way in hell. We would have known. 

Azriel’s terribly good at keeping secrets. 

The fact that they haven’t been missing the last few months is proof enough. 

All the more reason to bring this up now so we can finally put them out of their misery. 

Feyre shot to her feet at the head of the table and Rhysand scrambled to attention after  her. 

“It has come to our attention that we never did say congratulations to a special couple in this room.”

“Oh gods,” Azriel muttered. 

Your face turned warm as everyone’s eyes and grins fell upon you and your mate.

“You didn’t think we forgot about your mating bond, did you?” Gwyn teased. 

“We were kind of hoping you had,” you said. “Not that we aren’t happy or—” You glanced over at Azriel. 

The first night you’d woken up in the Dawn Court you’d tried to crawl into his bones — an odd mixture of desperation and longing urging you to have your way with one other. Now, you were embarrassed to think that the first thing you’d tried to do after nearly dying, was sleep with your mate. 

Azriel smiled, bending towards you like a flower seeking sunlight in silent encouragement. It was such a small, natural gesture, and one that everyone noticed. Which also meant they clocked the blush on your cheeks as you gripped Azriel’s hand under the table. 

You cleared your throat. “We weren’t sure it was a good time with everything going on. We thought it might be wise to wait before—” 

“No more waiting!” Cassian declared, slamming his fist against the table so hard the silverware bounced. “I swear to the fucking gods, if you’re not in the frenzy by the end of the week, Y/n, I’ll have you force feed Azriel myself.” 

“We agreed we’d be gentle in our approach,” Elain reminded him. 

“There was a plan in place for this?” Lucien sputtered. “And you were a part of it?” 

She scoffed and lightly slapped his arm. Elain was a gentle, lovely creature when she wanted to be, and nothing melted her heart more than a good love story. 

“I think we are in need of a celebration,” Vassa whispered. It was the first collection of words the firebird had spoken in months. 

She’d sat for every meal at Lucien’s side completely silent. But this time, she reached a hand across the table and slid it into yours, squeezing tightly. Flashes of memory passed behind her eyes — memories of Jurian.

They weren’t fae. A mating bond was never in the cards for them. Which was why she felt strongly that you should be greedy with the time you had together. For there was no telling when it would end.

You sucked in a breath. You’d spoken at length about this with Azriel, tossing ideas back and forth during the night when the bond made your blood sing for more contact with the Shadowsinger. More touches.  

But you’d agreed that it was inappropriate to have even a private mating ceremony when everyone was hurting. To abandon them and disappear into the frenzy. 

Perhaps you’d both been wrong. 

Given how quick everyone was to swarm you and Azriel, you were definitely wrong. 

Rhysand hobbled over with his cane, kissing your cheek with a loud, obnoxious smack before aggressively disheveling Azriel’s hair. 

“The cottage—” Azriel began.

“I’ll have it finished by tonight.” Rhysand promised. 

Cassian threw his one good arm around Azriel’s shoulder, tugging him out of his chair and towards the door on a mission. Poor Lucien was also coerced into joining whatever debauchery Cassian had planned for their afternoon. He sulked after the pair with Rhysand. 

Nesta, Feyre, and Mor crowded around you, already deliberating which of the many-frequented boutiques in Velaris they would need to visit for your mating ceremony attire. 

You were positively overwhelmed by the attention and the realization that this was all happening. 

By midnight, you would be mated to the love of your life. 

Azriel slipped out from under Cassian’s arm, racing back across the room and falling to his knees. “I need a moment with you.” He breathed, thinly-veiled hunger in his eyes. 

One nod was all it took before he was guiding you to the kitchen and slamming the door on everyone’s whistling. 

Azriel pressed you against the kitchen door, chest heaving so hard you could feel every beat of his heart against your chest. 

You’d both been holding back with each other ever since returning to the Night Court. Propriety and respect for his brothers had demanded you wait to express your love and wanting. You didn’t want to slap them in the face with joy. 

But now that you had everyone’s overwhelming approval, well… Azriel was finding it nearly impossible to wait even a moment longer. 

He pressed his lips to yours and didn’t let go of his soft grip on your waist until you were both gasping for breath. But then you kissed him back, swallowing his sighs and gentle groans like there was honey on his tongue. Sweet and addictive and—

Rhysand rudely knocked on the door, his sultry voice a purr. “In the kitchen, Azriel? Really? I would have expected more from a gentleman like you.” 

“Fuck off, Rhys.” 

The High Lord chuckled, but slipped away all the same. 

Azriel grinned against your lips, your hands clasped together between your bodies. “I just wanted one last kiss before tonight.” 

“Tonight.” You nodded frantically. 

Tonight. 

You were doing this. You were really doing this. 

Then you realized what he’d said. “I won’t see you before then?”

“I don’t think the others will let us.” 

Your laughs rang in the air, bouncing off the kitchen cabinets like wedding bells. 

On the other side of your door you could feel everyone’s anticipation. And you couldn't keep them waiting much longer. They might just break down the door. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” You whispered before stealing one last kiss. 

“Tonight.” Azriel agreed. His breath curled around your ear, lips brushing against the tip as he promised, “Until then.”

Feyre, Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie, Elain, and Mor descended upon the Palace of Thread and Jewels, all too eager to heap your arms full of the most expensive lace money could buy. 

You were about to marry into the Night Court and had a High Lord father who needed to make up for centuries of fatherly absence. There was more than enough gold to throw around.

“What do you think of this?” Feyre asked, draping the pale blue silk over your shoulder.

The clothier’s shop was bustling in the late morning, but no one dared step foot into the private room your family was set up in. The enchanted curtain blocked out all noise — tthe pinnacle of privacy.

You stood alone on a low platform, swishing the skirts of your dress and imagining what the finished product might look like. 

Farron, the clothier, had been quick to stitch a muslin mock up of the design you’d chosen, knotted fingers shocking in their dexterity as needle and thread disappeared and reappeared in her hand like some trick of the eye. She hadn’t even taken your measurements. One spin with your arms outstretched and she’d set about cutting the exact length of material needed for your mating ceremony gown. 

It was no wonder that she was Rhysand’s preferred clothier.

It still felt like a dream. Some wonderful, impossible dream as you took in the sight of the fabric over your chest. 

It glistened like moonlight and flowed like river water.

“Feyre, it’s perfect,” You breathed, touching the silken threads beneath your fingertips. 

“An excellent choice,” Farron said with a smile. She stood dutifully off to the side, tortoise-rimmed glasses growing her eyes to bug-like proportions.

You were a lovely thing in her eyes. A fine match for the Shadowsinger, indeed. 

Now, no one had told her that that was the cause for celebration. But she’d been clothing the Night Court males for a long while and knew them like the back of her hand. And you? You were made for the Shadowsinger. That much was clear. 

It was from centuries of experience that she classified the soft parting of your mouth and wide eyes. It was the look mates and brides alike adopted when they’d found the perfect dress. The one that would make them feel as perfect and precious as a pearl.

Your brows furrowed in concern. “My mating ceremony is tonight. Will it be ready by then?”

“Pfffft.” The clothier slapped her chest indignantly. “It will be ready in three hours time. You can return once after you’ve finished your shopping and we’ll have a final ceremony look ready for you, my dear.” 

With a dress being sewn together at Farron’s, Mor hurried you along to what she believed was the most critical part of any mating ceremony dress — the lingerie. The ordeal left a permanent blush on your cheeks as you quickly moved on to the shoemaker and then the jeweler. 

“Which one did you decide on?” Mor asked once again. She trailed at your heels, resting her chin on your shoulder as you kept your wares clutched to your chest. 

“I’m not telling you.” 

“Why not?” She whined. Red fingernails grazed the tissue paper that peaked out from the edges of the lingerie box. 

“Because that is for Azriel to know, and only Azriel,” you said, snatching the box out of her grasp. 

Nesta laughed. “What does it matter which pair she’s picked? It’s not like it will survive the first night of the frenzy.” 

Your cheeks burned with color. 

Mor giggled at your shyness. “Don’t act coy now, Y//n. We all know what you four read in your free time.” 

“Don’t act like you don’t benefit, love.” Emerie teased, squeezing Mor’s hip. 

“I never suggested such a thing.” 

Gwyn gagged when they kissed and everyone broke apart into fits of laughter in the streets, leaning against shoulders and stumbling on the cobblestones as they caught their breath. 

You were pressed in on all sides by familiar bodies, a comforting mixture of perfumes, and the sounds of laughter.

It’s happening. It’s really happening. 

Your grin could have put the sun to shame as you bounced on your heels in front of the mirror. 

Pale blue silk dipped down to the center of your chest and fell off your shoulders like mist. Wide, airy sleeves hovered at your elbows, ending in curls of hand-woven lace. A pair of ribbon-tie shoes and ear-tip cuffs completed the ensemble. 

They were both blue for Azriel — for your mate — who currently stood awestruck by the door. 

You didn’t startle when you caught a sliver of his reflection in the mirror. In fact, you were rather pleased to see his slack jaw and glistening eyes. 

“What do you think?” You asked as Azriel slipped out from the darkness and into your old bedroom. 

You hardly stepped foot in here anymore. Azriel’s bedroom had solidly become yours. Your clothes were mixed in with his. Your perfume bottles and soaps lined his bathroom. Your scent was tied to his bed, or rather your bed. 

“I think… I think you’re a dream, Y/n.” He spoke with a sigh. 

He melted into the curve of your neck, hands ghosting over your shoulders with a feather-light touch. 

He shook his head, as if disappointed. 

“No,” he corrected himself, “You’re far better than a dream because you’re real, and I can’t believe you’re mine.” 

“I could say the same about you,” you whispered. 

You leaned back against his chest and breathed deeply, feeling your heart soothe itself to the rhythm of his breathing and the scent of mountain air and cedar trees. 

He was beautiful. Black velvet encased his broad shoulders, cutting out a silhouette of pitch black night and highlighting the glow of his hazel eyes — like two chips of amber aglow in a dark wood. 

You couldn’t stop yourself from staring and threading your fingers into his soft, black curls, eliciting a soft groan from his lips that had your blood stirring to life. 

“I thought we were supposed to meet downstairs.” 

Azriel smiled. “I selfishly wanted to be the first to see you.” 

“That’s not selfish at all,” You hummed. You began tracing the gold cuffs that spanned the length of his ears and the subtle embroidery at the wrists and front of his shirt. They were distinctly Day Court fashions, and he wore them well. “These are new.” 

“I may or may not have reached out to your father for advice when picking out my clothes.” 

“I like them. Day Court colors suit you. They bring out the gold flecks in your eyes.” 

Azriel smiled, kissing the curve of your ears and playing with the sapphire necklace clasped around your neck. The drag of metal and fingertips over your chest had you shivering.  

You gently tugged at his hair and he obeyed the unspoken command to lean down and capture your lips in a kiss. Soft sounds spilled from both of you as he walked you back towards the wall and gently pressed you against it, flatting his hands by the sides of your head. 

Azriel got lost in the taste of you. Your hands in his hair. The feeling of your hips flush against his. Every movement was subtle, but eager, in its wanting and Azriel knew that when he finally had you beneath him, he’d be ruined… If he wasn’t ruined already. 

There was another reason he’d wanted to see you first before relinquishing you to the formalities of a mating ceremony. 

He’d been on edge all day, unused to being the unbridled center of attention among his brothers. Cassian was brash and loud, Rhysand flirtatious and passionate. Even Lucien radiated an undeniable charisma that made him popular within crowds. 

But Azriel had always prized quiet and peace above all else. He wanted to feel that peace again. 

The bond rose within him like high tide, spilling color and light into his chest as you pressed your forehead against his and cradled the curve of his neck. 

He breathed deep and he breathed freely, feeling something in his soul mend itself with a roll of anticipation. A tendril of cold wrapped around his ear and whispered in a language only Azriel could understand.

Too long, master. It’s been too long.

Azriel’s eyes flew open. He’d nearly forgotten the shape of their words — the language that he’d been taught to speak after years spent in the dark. Months of soft spoken words he could barely make out became a chorus of congratulations as they sensed the connection that now bound you and Azriel together. 

They’d known about it since the beginning, but now that you were also aware, they were ecstatic.

Black shadows spilled out from his skin, eagerly wrapping you up in a shell of twisting darkness. They embraced you, kissing your cheeks with cool, feathery touches. 

Azriel swallowed your laughter, hands diving down and lifting up your dress so he could squeeze your thighs and wrap your legs around him. 

It was a kiss made of teeth and longing and relief. With his shadows having returned and a mating bond ready to be accepted, Azriel felt invincible. Like he was cradling the world in his arms. 

But it was ended all too soon by a shadow in his ear that warned, They’re almost at the door. 

Gods he missed having them around. 

You gasped, picking up on the sound of Lucien and Helion’s strong footsteps coming towards the door. They were supposed to walk you downstairs before handing you off to your mate, and although Azriel had made leaps and bounds in earning their blessing you didn’t think they’d take kindly to seeing the Shadowsinger flush between your legs just before your mating ceremony. 

“Shit.” You hissed, untangling yourself from Azriel as he fixed your dress and struggled to hide his laughter. 

You pushed him backwards, masking both your scents and shoving him inside the wardrobe. 

“My Y/n, what are you doing?” Azriel asked. He needed to bend just to fit inside the empty wardrobe. His eyes glittered with amusement, shadows pooling around his wings. 

“I-I was going to try and hide you before my father and brother come inside but” — a handful of shadows curled around your wrists and ankles, intent on becoming permanent fixtures for as long as you were separated from your mate —  “I see that’s not necessary anymore.” 

Azriel grinned and pulled you in for one last kiss. “I’ll see you downstairs,” he whispered just as Lucien’s polite knock came at the door.  

“I’ll see you downstairs.” 

His shadows swirled around him and he melted into the darkness. 

Mating ceremonies were fluid, adaptable affairs. They could be as extravagant and public or as humble and private as one desired. It made no difference. You were his, and he was yours. Now and forever. 

You would have accepted the bond with Azriel in your father’s palace or in a desert wasteland. Still, you had to agree that home was best. 

The largest room in the River House — the dining room — had been cleared out for the purpose of your mating ceremony. Candlelight flickered atop the fireplace mantle where you, Azriel, and the priestess stood, and within sconces dripping with wisteria and baby’s breath along the wall. The light of a thousand lanterns, gauzy and warm, lit up the gardens outside the House.

“All kneel,” the priestess said, holding out two crowns of lavender and lilies of the valley. 

Everyone kneeled in a loose half-circle. 

Her dusty blue robes brushed against the floor as she placed the crown atop Azriel’s head and then yours. At her instruction, you shifted on the floor, facing each other with smiles that couldn’t be contained.

Azriel’s eyes burned bright, as if all the gold in the world had been distilled and dropped into them. 

You took the candles the priestess held out, holding them in your left hand and clasping together your right. 

Azriel snuck a quick kiss to your palm before the priestess could wrap your wrists and hands together with ribbons of blue and gold. She drifted her fingers over the candles and lit them with a flourish. 

Before the Mother, the priestess, and your family, you exchanged your vows. 

Secret glances passed between you and the Shadowsinger. Brief smiles tugged at the corners of your lips. Squeezing hands soothed your soul and grounded you in the present as you spoke the words together:

I give to you the hands of a warrior, lover, friend, and mate, till the darkness comes and our endings wake. 

I give to you my name, to hold on your lips and to pass on your years in hope and longing, in joy and tears.

Blood of blood. Bone of bone. I shall be yours, and you shall be mine. 

Until we return to the earth and hear the Mother’s song. Until the end of our days—

“Until death and beyond,” Azriel whispered the final vows. 

“Until death and beyond,” you replied. 

“Who the hell spilled the champagne!” 

The floor was already sticky with it, grabbing onto Rhysand’s shoes as he stepped out of the puddle. A guilty Feyre chugged the last dregs in the bottle, magicking away the spill with a snap of her fingers and a sultry wink towards her mate. She shrieked with laughter when Rhys limped over to her, collapsing around her shoulders and blowing kisses against her neck. 

Nyx sat at Amren’s feet on the floor, struggling to hold his violet eyes open as she scratched his head with her silver-tipped nails. Amren was not one for parties and regarded the room with bored eyes. 

Mor sat in the seat of honor — Emerie’s lap — whispering gossip in the Illyrian’s ear as you and Azriel tried to make yourselves sparse in the corner. 

You were half-hidden behind Azriel’s wings as he leaned his head against your shoulder. Leave it to you two to hide at your own mating ceremony. 

Lucien and Elain drank wine by the kitchen. She left her hand comfortably on his upper arm and smiled when he tucked a strand of wavy brown hair behind her ear. They were a handsome couple — all pale colors and golden gazes, like sunshine spilling over a new day. 

Helion, entertaining as always, dazzled the group that had assembled around him composed of Gwyn, Feyre, Rhysand, Cassian, and Nesta. Every so often his bright eyes would land on you and he’d wink before pointing threateningly in Azriel’s direction. 

Azriel’s shoulders shook with silent laughter and he dipped his lips to your ears and asked, “Do you think he’ll ever approve of me?”

“He already approves of you, he just doesn’t want you to know.” 

“He’s a smart male for keeping such a secret. My ego may grow too big for you to handle if he compliments me outright.” 

“Didn’t he once invite you to his bed?”

“That’s not very special coming from Helion.” 

You burst out laughing, attracting everyone’s attention as you buried your face in Azriel’s chest to stifle the noise. He laughed aloud as well. Head thrown back, chest and shoulders shaking. It was a full-bodied laugh that harmonized with yours as he wrapped his arms around you and rubbed your back. 

Azriel’s laughter had once been a rare sound, but you drew it out of him so easily, like a musician with their instrument. 

Feyre grinned and clapped her hands together. All at once the dining room rearranged itself. The candle flames grew brighter. A table laden with food and chairs popped into existence. 

For such a special occasion, you and Azriel sat at the head of the table, subtly leaning against one another with your legs tangled beneath the tablecloth as you ate.

There was a cake still waiting to be cut in the kitchen — a cake that you’d baked with Azriel’s name written all over it in invisible ink. 

Nyx twisted around in his chair, eyes utterly fixated on the seemingly endless rows of lanterns glowing in the garden. 

“Mom.” Nyx tugged on Feyre’s wrist as she cleaned his cheek. “When will I get to float the lanterns?” 

Feyre looked to you and Azriel. 

The lanterns were an old Day Court tradition. On the longest night of the year, Day Court citizens dared to step outside into the dark and light up the sky with their own sun-painted lanterns. It was a way to keep the darkness at bay for a little while longer. A time to add your own light to the night sky. 

“Now,” you smiled. “Let’s do it now.” 

You all spilled out into the gardens, cheering Nyx on as he raced ahead of everyone else with short, energetic strides. His wings flared out behind him, catching the name of the wind as it whispered against the velvety membrane. 

“Not yet!” Rhys reminded him. “You need to let your aunt and uncle go first.” 

You and Azriel picked up the largest lantern of them all, delicate rice paper crinkling as you held it up. The starburst-shaped lantern glowed faintly. A burning sun. A fallen star.

Everyone bent over in the flowers and grasses, hunting to find the second-best lantern for themselves. 

“This one’s for Velaria,” Nyx said, holding up a small, round orb. “This one’s for you, Daddy.” A pale lavender lantern was placed carefully in his father’s hand. “And this one’s for Mommy.” 

“Why thank you, honey.” Feyre bent low, kissing her son’s velvety black hair as she held Velaria in her arms. 

“Is everyone ready?” You called out. 

Cheers sounded from all around. Particularly energetic whoops came from Cassian and Mor, who tipped back their heads and howled like wolves, ready to throw their lanterns to the sky. 

Azriel tucked you beneath the curve of his wings and pressed a gentle kiss against your temple before you both let your magic seep into the lantern and sent it skywards. 

There was chatter from all sides. Soft gasps leaving open-mouth stares as a dozen lanterns started drifting upwards like miniature suns. 

“It’s all you, Nyx!” Azriel shouted. 

The boy leapt into action, finding the tallest patch of ground in the garden to make his directorial debut. He fixed the tilt of his bowtie and bent his knees. Slowly and dramatically he curled his fingers, raising his hands upwards like he meant to pull water out of the ground. 

He looked like an orchestra conductor leading his players in a great crescendo as the remaining one-thousand lanterns took off into the night sky. 

You gasped and flung your hands up to your lips. Three hundred and forty-three years you’d been alive, and this was the most beautiful sight you’d ever seen. 

You turned to Azriel only to find that he was already staring at you — at the light of a thousand suns reflected in your eyes. 

You found yourself proven wrong, and not for the first time. The lanterns were only the second most beautiful sight… and you wanted to see more.

Azriel read the idea forming in your mind and nodded. 

Without hesitation, you took his hand, slinking through the now darkening garden as everyone else’s attention was directed towards the sky. 

Lanterns arced through the darkness, staining the sky warm orange as if a painter had swept her brush over the black canvas. 

Shadows nipped at your heels and covered your tracks, urging you onward as you slipped back into the House and then the kitchen. 

You didn’t even bother cutting the cake. After rummaging around in the kitchen drawers for a spoon, you carved out a spoonful of chocolate cake with strawberries and a healthy dollop of whipped cream frosting — Azriel’s favorite. 

The Shadowsinger froze, eyes darting back and forth between the cake and your flushed face. Your eyes glowed in the dim light, marked by a quiet, otherworldly beauty Azriel had never been able to resist. 

“Don’t tell me you’re second guessing this now?” You breathed, moving the spoon closer to his lips. 

“I just… I just want to make sure I remember everything about tonight,” he whispered. 

He adjusted the crown of lavender and lilies on your head, picking up a loose flower petal that had drifted onto your bare shoulders. His touch was soft. Gentle. Reverent as he trailed his fingers up your neck and brushed his thumb along your jaw. 

His lips closed around the spoon, dragging off every crumb and lick of frosting while never taking his eyes off of you. 

It was probably a delicious cake, but all Azriel would remember was the taste of your lips that followed as he drew you to his body. 

When the bond had first snapped for him, he thought the world had cracked in two. Like the sharp clap of lightning across the sky. 

What followed after the sugar and chocolate melted on his tongue was the thunder — a resounding tremor as the bond glowed hot as iron before cooling into something permanent and unbreakable. 

Azriel let out a breathless noise. Something between a sigh and a shudder. He clutched your back, nails dragging lightly along your exposed skin in a way that had you melting. 

“I want to go. Now.” You rasped. 

You wanted him desperately. More than words could describe. 

Azriel scooped you up into his arms, and together you vanished into the shadows before anyone even realized you were missing.

<- Previous Chapter Next Chapter ->

______________

Author's Note:

Y'all, I just love Y/n and Azriel so much...

THEY FUCKING DESERVE A PROPER MATING CEREMONY LIKE DAMNIT THEY BOTH NEARLY DIED LIKE 3X AND YES I'M GOING TO WRITE A SEX SCENE NEXT CHAPTER, I DON'T CARE, THEY DESERVE THIS, Y'ALL DESERVE THIS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND OVER 100K WORDS LIKE YOU ARE THE TRUE MVPs AND I APPRECIATE YOU IMMENSELY!!! (*but also, if you're not into reading smut scenes, I'll write the next chapter in such a way that you can just skip over it and not miss anything continuity-wise)

THANK YOU FOR READING!

We're almost at the end I've got like two chapters left, one of which is already mostly written, and maybe the epilogue will be it's own thing or part of the last chapter i don't know and just UGH it's almost over... ok i'm going to end this author's note here because I'm getting sad just thinking about this fic ending

^^ my reaction when I realize I've almost finished the longest/most intensive writing project in my life born out of love for the romantasy genre

^^ my reaction when I realize I've almost finished the longest/most intensive writing project in my life born out of love for the romantasy genre

[cokou]

𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊 𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚘 + 𝙰𝚌𝚎 × 𝙵𝚎𝚖!𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

sum. Forcing your boyfriend to adopt a new fuzzy friend into the household, maybe you've spent too much time with the fuzzy. ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ tw. Fluff. Jealousy. Law's and Ace's a bit longer cause, favoritism. ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ a/n. New writing style! We could never go wrong with loving fuzzy and cute animals!! Dont transfer or translate in any platforms,this is my only account, will not be cross posted anywhere! masterlist♡

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙻𝚊𝚠

After joining the Heart Pirates and dating their captain, your number one entertainment is to soend time with Bepo and Law. While Bepo does feel embarrassed for your acts to him, you absolutely felt like he's a huge cuddly bear more than a scary one.

He even complained to Law himself that he should get you your very own fuzzy friend since you've bothered Bepo so much he couldn't face you anymore without getting embarrassed! Law, the asshole he is, refused to get you one.

You very much enjoyed the idea and pestered Law into getting you one yourself and have some dignity for Bepo, then, he finally agreed. You both visited a pet shop, and just with it's entrance you couldn't leave anymore. Inside were full of cute animals waiting to be adopted, you just wanted to take them all.

"(Name)-Ya, what about this guy?" He pointed and peeked into the small cage, and there, was a white fluffy kitty who has just woken up from its slumber. Yes, perfect! It looked so cute and cuddly! You already fell inlove with it just by looking! "Awh, look at how much she resembles Bepo!"

You both took her back, and upon your arrival you set her free in her new home, the sub.

For the past few weeks, your attention had been glued to your new friend, not wanting anything on your path. It was so bad you had more pictures of her than you and Law combined! And the way you trip because you watch her instead of where you were going.

Law on the other hand, was definitely not feeling it, he felt like the white furball just replaced him with everything! You shared a bed with her, she gets your attention, she gets to be with you all day! If he were honest, he would blurt out how jealous he was for the furball.

In which, you suspected him for. "Law, are you really okay? You've been quiet and only staring since you sat down."

"I told you I am okay, don't worry." He finally let out a sigh after realizing you weren't with the kitten anymore, that was until he heard meow, and behind you was the kitten. You picked her up and setted her into your lap, receiving a piercing glance from Law.

"Are you okay? You're doing the stare aga— ohhhh..." You had finally realized that he was jealous, not by anyone, but the kitty that you've been giving attention to.

"What?" "Don't tell me you're jealous of our little furball!" You laugh at him. "What?! W-why the hell would you think that?"

"Law, it's quite obvious...come here, lay with us." You invited him with open arms and he jumped right into you.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙻𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚢

Ever since Chopper had joined the Straw Hats, you couldn't take your hands off his cheeks and head, continuesly patting and hugging him from his cuteness. Even your boyfriend, Luffy had agreed!

Chopper was definitely nice to have around, when you're stressed? You pat him. When you need to let it out? Hug him. He's just so cute and fuzzy! The way you'd kill people when you hear them talk bad about Chopper, because you refuse to let people think that he was a monster.

Eventually Luffy thought that you and Chopper became best friends of how you two always chatter about everything, at first he taught it's what makes the crew more unique.

But eventually, after a month, he noticed how you'd been glued with the reindeer all the time. He taught it was normal since you two were best friends but, this time you might have crossed the line.

"(Name)!! I'm hungry, can you cook meat?" He asked you with the usual big smile on his face. "Oh no Luffy, could you ask Sanji? I'm hanging out with Chopper today.." Bad Idea, you never refused to cook him meat even if you were busy. He knew you enough to just refuse to cook meat for him. The way he frowned as you waved him and went into the dock with Chopper.

Later that night, when everyone was asleep, you felt someone tugging your clothes. "Pst, (Name)." It was Luffy.

"Eh? Luffy? Why are you awake at a time like this.." you groggily whispered. "Just come here" You spproach his area and he pulled you with him.

"Finally some peace between us" He gave you a big grin and placed his hand on your back. "It's been a while you know— you've always been with Chopper."

"Luffy, wh— are you jealous of Chopper?" You came with a conclusion that maybe, just maybe he got jealous of your constant hanging out eith Chopper.

"Hmm...is that how you name it, (Name)? If so then yes!" You plopped your hands on his chest and gave him a giggle. "You could've said so earlier, i would've spent more time with you, Lu"

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙺𝚒𝚍𝚍

It was 100% your idea, you had convinced Eustass to bring company of an animal into the Victoria Punk. Not only because you had no one to talk to other than Killer or Kidd himself, but simply because it was boring out in the ship.

Lucky for you, Kidd agreed to get you one of your choice, in exchange of...things. So you decided to get a Cat of your choice, simply after declaring it's recruitment into the Kidd Pirates. You gave every ounce of your attention to it, even if it means opening the door of the bathroom when you take a shower just incase the furball could come inside and pet itself across your legs.

Well that only happened twice, what DID happen was Eustass peeking at you while taking a shower, which happened about 90% of the time. You didn't mind though.

Back to our fur friend, it bothered the cleaners of the ship on how they'd find furry hair on every furniture they clean. Kidd even complained that your shared bed was full of cat fur and that it was sticking onto his skin! But you couldn't careless.

Everytime you had a chance to sit, the cat eould latch itself into your lap, preventing you from standing up and doing business. Because standing would mean disrespectful!

Now we have an angry Eustass, whenever he wants you to be around him your excuse would always be 'But theyre on my lap' and 'im playing with them give me a while' He was getting fed up with both you and the cat itself.

So you're at the comfort place in the ship, with Kidd having a staring contest with the animal on your lap, whilst you read a book a chill. Then suddenly he spoke up, "Okay that's enough." He stood up, took the cat and placed it outside the room.

"Why'd you do that for?!"

"Oh please, you have all your attention on that animal since it stepped foot into the ship, give it a break." He scoffed.

"Or you're just jealous because i give it more attention than you?" Oh, NOW you're dead. "JEALOUS?? Why would i be jealous over a stupid furry?!" He was. He was 100% jealous.

"Okay first of all, it's not a stupid furry! And second of all, you seem pretty defensive, if you're jealous just say it."

"WHAT?! No im n—"

"—Which, you definitely are, come here you big baby. I'll give you the attention you deserve." You cutted him off, now you're gonna be in big trouble.

"And i expect the attention to be filled, get on the bed fucker." It would definitely be a longggg night.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷𝙰𝚌𝚎

He IS the one who suggested to get a furry friend. He'd definitely be the type to adopt a puppy, and then proceed to name it one of the most basic names ever. You could see the disappointment in Marco's face when he found out he named the precious puppy 'Oreo' because it's fur was Black AND White.

He had gotten you the precious puppy as a gift for your birthday as he found out you're into having pets, and your reason? They were CUTE as hell. He had gotten you a puppy who's fur is at the brownish side.

"Hmm, what should we name him?!" "OH! OH! I know! Brownie!"..."Are you being serious, Ace?" You looked at him, praying that the name he suggested was only for sarcasm, but you were taken aback from his response. "What do you mean babe? Of course i am! It's such a perfect name for him!"

"It's... one of the most basic names I've ever heard. " You spared him a straight face, sending shivers down his spine. "Okay, okay I'll think of another name! Hm..how about Cookie?" Yeah he doesn't have naming privileges anymore.

In the end you both sticked into the name you had chosen for the puppy. Everything was going great for the first week, you buying him all the stuff he needed, the most high qualited dog food, and even his own supplies had beaten yours! With an average of spending atleast thoudands of Berries a week.

The second week hadn't been different at all, except for the fact that now that the puppy was growing, it became even more plsyful towards you. Meaning you, had soent almost all your time with it. On the other hand, your boyfriend Ace, ended up getting bitten at the hand for trying to take away it's toy that you gave.

"Babe! Do you see those eyes that's looking at me right now?! It looks like it's gonna KILL me!" Ace climbed up on a chair when he entered the house unannounced and the dog had decided to chase him for dear life.

"Come one Bae, he won't hurt you like at all! He's an angel!" You petted the dog, causing him to sit. "Yeah if it was opposite day I would've believed you! look at him, it looks like it's gonna bite my limbs of one by one!"

"Come on Ace! He won't bite you!" As soon as you reassured Ace thst nothing eould happen if he stepped down, he tried lowering his left foot down, causing the dog the fully bark at him. "SEE?!" Ace's voice was almost crying.

"Bad dog! You know he's the one who brought you to me right?! He's basically your dad! Go to your bed!" The dog whimpers then climbs it's bed.

"You know, after this i expect a full week of attention all mine! Okay?!" Ace pouts and settles himself down from the chair. You gave him a reassuring kiss, "I promise,"

©Cokou 2024, all works made by me.

[i-only-ever-asked-questions]

Map of Soho Good Omens Season 2 - Part 3 (the intersecting street)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 Update: Map and pictures further down now have Lucky Snake, and the description of both the Lucky Snake and The Chinese Buffet Restaurant have been updated too.

We don't know the name of the street that crosses Whickber Street. It starts between the market and the furniture store, and after a crooked crossing of Whickber St., it continues between the bookshop and the Dirty Donkey Pub until it ends on Wardour Street. On that upper block we have: -A. Z. Fell & Co. The bookshop has a backdoor that leads to this street. -Bilton Scaggs Hats and Caps This shop has been here for centuries. Originally Bilton and Scaggs was a publishing firm that printed among other things "The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, witch." Neil believes they went out of business in the late 19th century and the hat makers took over. Their shop was called Bilton and Scaggs Milliner & Haberdasher for a while and eventually they changed to Bilton Scaggs Hats and Caps. But honestly, only Aziraphale knows the whole story.

On the other side of the street we have: -The Dirty Donkey We don't know how long this pub has been in business, but we know that it was already there in the 40's when the zombies used it to hide and spy on the heroes. And then in 1967 Crowley used a private room to set up the caper to steal holy water from a church. The set was also used to set up two of the pubs where Gabriel and Beelzebub met. Both scenes were filmed on the same day! After the tour, the first episode of Season 2 was screened inside the pub for those lucky enough to win spots. The Dirty Donkey Pub has also appeared in Neil's "We Can Get Them for You Wholesale" and "Sandman: Overture." In the show, one of the elevators to Heaven and Hell opens inside the Dirty Donkey, maybe this supernatural ability allows it to show up in many different Neilverses ;) -"Model" This is Mrs. Sandwich mysterious establishment. Nobody really knows what happens there. We know the upper floor has lovely pink curtains, presumably for her girls who also love coffee. -Will Goldstone's Magic Shop Named after Will Goldston (not sure why an extra "e"), a stage magician who wrote many books on magic. The store existed in 1941 when it was run by Pat (who met a gruesome end at the hands of zombie nazis). Will Goldston himself died in 1948. So, was he the owner of the store and Pat just an employee? Did someone use his name? Or is that the reason behind the additional "e", to claim it wasn't him? We don't know. In current times it is operated by Mutt.

This street ends on Waldour Street and because we don't see much of it, I included those shops in this post: -Chinese Buffet Restaurant (updated) The English sign just says "Chinese Restaurant", Google translate gave me "Chinese Buffet Restaurant" for the sign on either side (if you look closely both sides say the same thing). There is no other writing that I could see so I would say that we don't know if it has another name or where is it written (inside maybe?). @embracing-the-ineffable raised the question of how do we know Mr. and Ms. Cheng own the restaurant. The truth is that we don't know for sure. We have assumed it probably because Aziraphale and Ms. Cheng are in front of the restaurant when he invites her to the meeting, but for all we know she was just walking on the street when they met. The Chengs could easily own the Herbal Pharmacy or the Grocery Store. We just don't know for sure -Lucky Snake (updated) To the right of the restaurant (our left) there is another store with yellow walls and red lanterns. It was brought to my attention (thank you!) that this is the infamous Lucky Snake we see in Aziraphale's typed list of shops. In Season 1 it was called "Oriental Delights" but this season it is a grocery store. -Herbal Medicine and Pharmacy - Traditional Chinese medicine appointments To the left of the restaurant (our right) we have the herbalist/pharmacy. This is written in English while "traditional medicine appointments" is written in Chinese. There is no other name outside either.

Turning around and looking towards Whickber Street, we can get a peek all the way to Great Windmill Street, between the news agency and the market. -Windmill Theatre Today it is called Windmill Soho but the name Windmill Theatre is equally recognizable. In 1941 it was owned by Mrs. Laura Henderson. The theatre was famous for 1)not closing at all, even during the heaviest of bombings and 2)its motionless nude girls (tableaux vivants) called the "Windmill Girls". Because of this, it used the motto "We Never Closed" (although people modified to "We Never Clothed"). In the set, the doors are not props, they are the real doors to the internal docks of the studio, which honestly it is very clever.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

[xxlady-lunaxx]

Room for two | {ObaMitsu}

Theme: Fluff

Note: apparently I've been lax in writing fluff so ive been demanded to write it to pay back for all the angst

Spoilers! post-muzan's death

begins in reg.AU and then switches to modern 

×××

They were buried together. Sanemi saw it with his own eyes. He was allowed out of bed for the funeral, though supported by Tengen's sturdy arm. Apparently, Obanai had been holding onto Mitsuri for dear life—rather, death—and they had been unable to be seperated. The thought made Sanemi's heart ache for them and he wondered what had happened in the moments before their death. Had Obanai been able to tell her finally? If so, Sanemi was glad of it. At least he'd have some sort of final rest before he drew his last breath. Nevertheless, it hurt him to watch as the coffin was lowered into the ground and the stone engraved with their names was placed upon the freshly packed earth.

The coffin was large and specifically adorned beautifully. The Ubuyashiki's had left money to the side to buy the gravestones and coffins to be gorgeously made for each and every Demon Slayer who had deceased in the past thousand years. Kiriya and the others had made sure that the same money was used to buy coffins for the Demon Slayers who had died fighting Muzan as well, keeping the tradition.

This particular coffin was built large enough to have room for two as both Obanai and Mitsuri were tucked inside. It looked pecuiliar, two stones over one grave. But it fit. They had always been close to one another, despite their obvious differences and neither wanting to tell the other how they felt. They had been close. And they would be even through death.

Sanemi leaned against Tengen, letting himself relax slightly. 

"Are you tired?" Tengen asked, shifting their position.

"I'm fine. I want to stay here, still," Sanemi murmured.

"Alright. Tell me if you want to go."

"I will."

Words were spoken for the two Hashira and Sanemi watched as bundles of flowers piled up all around the grave, decorating it and making it look as alive and colorful as the two had been. As they were. People started leaving as the sun slowly made its descent down the sky and still Sanemi stood, watching the grave with a melancholy smile. Finally, he stood up, almost tipping over from the sudden movement.

Tengen, startled, quickly held onto him before he fell.

"I'm ready to go," Sanemi told him.

"M'kay," Tengen replied, taking his arm and guiding him out and down the path, back home.

×××

"There won't be any room!" Obanai whined as he eyed the ferris wheel.

"Oh, don't be a pussy," Sanemi groaned, rolling his eyes. "Kanroji's going to be back from the bathroom any second now, you have to ask her to go with you before the place closes."

"Why are we even going at night, then?" Obanai protested.

"Because the lights of the city will be turning on and it'll be more romantic so you can ask her out," Sanemi explained, crossing his arms. "She's coming, now. If you don't ask her now, I'm going to set her up with Tomioka."

"He doesn't even—does he like her?" Obanai asked with a sudden panic. 

Sanemi laughed. "No. But he's like you in some ways. While you're too scared to ask to be her boyfriend, he's too scared to turn down someone's offer to date him. Honestly, you two should be best friends with all your similarities. Now, go ask her out because Tomioka is right there and I'm not afraid to get him."

Mitsuri walked up to them, giving Obanai no time to snap at Sanemi before he seemingly disappeared, leaving the two alone.

"Eh? Wasn't Shinazugawa here?" Mitsuri asked, confused as she looked around. 

Obanai blinked. "Oh- Uhm, he went to go on a ride with Tomioka," he said. That's what you get. Now Mitsuri will think Sanemi and Giyuu are being all lovey-dovey.

Through his peripheral vision, he saw Sanemi roll his eyes from behind a random tree. He smiled contently to himself, then gathered up as much courage as he could to deliver the question.

"Oh! Okay!" Mitsuri said. "Will we be leaving soon? I think it's going to close in a bit."

"Uh... Do you wanna go on the ferris wheel together?" Obanai mumbled, his cheeks burning red already as he awaited rejection.

"Just us?!"

Obanai nodded.

"Eeehhh?! Really?!" Mitsuri squealed.

Obanai's gaze was set on the ground and he was unsure if this was a good or bad reaction.

"Of course!! I would love to!!" Mitsuri responded, practically vibrating with excitement.

From surprise, Obanai's head snapped up. "Really?"

"Yeahh!! Oh, we should go now before they close up, hurry!" Mitsuri urged excitedly, taking his hand in her own and running off towards the ferris wheel. She all but dragged him there as they gave their tickets over.

"Are the two of you going in together?" the person handling the tickets asked.

Mitsuri nodded. "Yep!" 

"Right. It might be small but it's the last round we're going tonight and there isn't enough time to wait for the two-person ones to be open, if that's alright."

"Yes, it's fine," Obanai spoke up, deciding that they would go now or he would die.

"Very well."

The door was opened and they both clambered inside. There were seats on either side of it but it was, as informed, tightly spaced. For a moment, Obanai had a sense of claustrophobia. Then he remembered Mitsuri was only a foot or less away from him and his panic turned into a flustered one as he remembered that Sanemi was forcing him to ask her out.

The wheel started to move and Mitsuri smiled at Obanai.

"I'm happy to go on this with you. I wanted to go earlier but I thought it wouldn't be as fun by myself and I forgot," she explained. 

"Oh. I'm happy to go with you, too," Obanai said. Then realized that was probably stupid to say since he was the one who asked her in the first place and corrected himself. "I mean, I'm happy you acepted my offer."

Mitsuri beamed.

They waited a bit as they were slowly moved up. As they started to reach the top, Obanai drew in a breath deciding he would tell her now. At least she couldn't run away from him in here. 

Mitsuri was gazing out of the window, eyes wide in awe. The sun was setting and, as Sanemi had said, lights were flickering on all over the city. From up here you could see the whole city stretching out before them. The lights from the buildings and cars were scattered about and it looked as if they were stars, a whole sky waiting for him to tell her. 

"It's sooo pretty," Mitsuri murmured, her breath fogging up the glass.

Obanai nodded but, in his mind, Mitsuri was far more beautiful than the view. 

They reached the peak of the wheel, sitting above what seemed like everything. A burst of ecstasy of being here with Mitsuri, of being up here, hit Obanai and he let the words flow from him as quickly as he could, before he freaked out. The wheel would round back up again since it went around twice, but the first time was the best and he wanted her to know now.

"Mitsuri?"

"Yes?"

"I... like you. Like... romantically. A lot. And I wanted to know if you would maybe consider... being my girlfriend?" Obanai asked. He was sure his voice was too quiet to be heard, especially through his mask. Yet Mitsuri's eyes widened at the question and for a moment she said nothing.

They were already making their way back down, half way there. That was fine. At least he'd told her at the top.

Then Mitsuri all but fell onto him in her excitement, forgetting they were in such closed quarters. She squeaked, ended up bonking her head twice as she tried to get up until she managed to sit across from Obanai again, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 

"I'm sorry," she hurried to say, averting her eyes.

"It's fine," Obanai said, resisting the urge to smile. She was adorable. Oh god. "Ah... So your answer? Also—please don't feel obligated to say yes or whatever," he said quickly, remembering what Sanemi had said about Giyuu. "You can say no if you don't want it."

"Oh! Oh, no, no," Mitsuri said, shaking her head.

For a moment, Obanai figured she meant about his question and his heart sank. And then she said, "Uhm, uhm, I would love to be with you! As your girlfriend! I really would! If you would take me as... as yours, then I would definitely date you."

Obanai's eyes widened as he struggled to process this. "Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically, face dusted pink as she caught his gaze. "I lov- I mean, I like you too, and I have for a bit... It's embarrassing, but I've admired you for a while now and I didn't know if you would see me as anything but a friend, so I didn't ask," she said.

The ferris wheel was going up again and Obanai took her hands in his own. 

"That's... how I've felt about you," he admitted. "But I'm happy you feel the same..."

Mitsuri nodded again, her embarrassed smile turning sweet. "Of course I do! You're so cool, Iguro-San, I don't know how I wouldn't like you!"

Obanai's face turned pink at the praised and he glanced down. "I thought myself unworthy of being with someone as amazing as you, really."

"Eh? Really?!" Mitsuri exclaimed. "Ah- I'm so flattered right now, I think I'm going to melt the ride..."

Obanai laughed gently, looking back up at her. "I think we both will, then," he said quietly.

"Iguro-san?"

"Yes?"

"Ehm... Can I kiss you?" she asked nervously.

Obanai took a moment to process this. Then he nodded, tugging his mask off.

Mitsuri smiled nervously before she leaned closer, her eyes fluttering close. Obanai copied her movements and then—

Then he felt the plush of her lips on his own and the slippery feeling of her lip gloss. His hands moved blindly, cupping her face. His heart felt afire, as if it was burning for the endless affection he wished he could communicate to her as they pulled apart.

They seemed to mirror each other with their mouths slightly ajar, eyes wide and cheeks red. Then Mitsuri laughed softly, happily and Obanai followed her example, feeling exhilerated. He glanced to his side and realized they were already almost all the way down. Mitsuri noticed too and pouted for a moment, then smiled again.

"Well, we already saw it once. And it was fine we didn't get to see it again," she said, handing him his mask. 

Obanai agreed. "It was better the second time around," he teased, putting his mask back on. The ferris wheel was stopping slowly, letting off each passenger.

Eventually, it stopped at theirs and Obanai stepped out. He held out a hand for Mitsuri and she took it. They walked away to where Sanemi and Giyuu were talking by, neither letting go of the other's hand.

Sanemi grinned when they arrived and Mitsuri parted from Obanai to go talk to Giyuu while Sanemi confronted him.

"I saw you two kiss," Sanemi said, waving his phone to show a picture of the ferris wheel. He zoomed into the part where Obanai and Mitsuri sat and Obanai flushed, realizing that Sanemi had somehow gotten exactly where they had kiss. They had been at the very top, then, and Obanai decided that he had been wrong about being at the top the first time was better. The second time was definitely best.

"Shut up," Obanai huffed. "And delete that picture."

Sanemi hummed. "No."

"Then send it to me."

"I can do that," Sanemi said, tapping on his phone to send it. "Anyway, I'm assuming you two are dating now?"

Obanai nodded, a smile curving his lips without him realizing. "Mhm. Also I told you there wasn't enough room. The one we went in was supposed to be for one person but they ran out."

Sanemi shrugged. "Looked like there was just enough room for two. Especially with you both just getting all on top of each other and kissing."

"I- We only kissed once!" Obanai whined, pushing Sanemi lightly.

"Mhm. Well, count on me not being around when you two kiss more. I can't handle that." 

"SHUT UP!!!"

×××

« Word count: 2024 »

HELP THE WORD COUNT WASNT ACTUALLY ON PURPOSE 😭🙏

also y'all can ignore the fact that the first part was technically a lil angsty, I don't wanna talk about my inability to write only fluff

[mushiewrites]

Say Aaaah!

so about a year ago, @fluffallamaful + I talked about one of the weirdest ideas I think I've ever brainrotted. we told @wishitweresummer, and since then, she has been begging me to write it. and now here we are, a year later and deep into lee!George week, and I decided to finally write the idea for her! this is 100% for summer, and I'm so excited for everyone to read the silliest and most ridiculous fic I've ever written! (and thank you to @awkwardtickleetoo for helping me with the title and reading it as always)

don't forget to check out this tag to see all of the amazing additions to lee!GeorgeSummer, and you can find out more about the prompts in this post!

anyway, enjoy Day 6 of lee!George week! :3

(lee!George / ler!Sapnap / ler!Dream : 4.2K words)

“George, you’ve been here for like, two years now, right?” 

The question cut through the quiet atmosphere of the living room, only being previously filled by random videos that Dream and George kept showing each other as they sat practically in each other’s laps on the L-shaped couch. George turned his attention to Sapnap, who was sitting on the opposite side of the couch with Patches propped up against his thigh, his hand dragging lightly over her head as she purred happily. 

“Yeah, you know this…why? You want me to go back already?” George huffed out a laugh, raising an eyebrow as Sapnap snorted at his question. 

“Well yes, but that’s not what I was gonna say.” 

“Okay, then what?” George asked suspiciously, never fully trusting Sapnap when he’s asking for information. There was always an underlying purpose, never questioning things just for the hell of it. George knew he had some kind of angle behind his curiosity, he just didn’t know where Sapnap was going with it. 

“You haven’t been to any doctors since you’ve been here, have you?” Sapnap leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his fingers together, careful not to disturb Patches as he did so.

“Wait, really?” Dream questioned from beside him, watching as George shrugged at the two with little care.

“Yeah, I guess I haven’t,” George looked between the two, confused at the way they were both staring at him. “What’s the big deal? I’m fine, there hasn’t been anything wrong.” 

“Well yeah, but normally you’re supposed to go for a check-up at least once a year to make sure everything is working okay.” Dream commented, turning his body towards Sapnap as he turned to him for validation in his words.

“Mhm! Or…at least to the dentist for a cleaning, you know?” Sapnap added, nodding his head to let Dream know he agreed. Dream nodded along with Sapnap, looking to George to see if he was even still paying attention. To his surprise he was, nodding slightly before looking down at his own hands, playing with his fingers as a distraction. 

“I guess so, but like, it’s fine! I don’t need to go right now,” George continued to fidget with his fingers, waiting for one of the other two to speak, but he was met with a silence that felt too awkward for him to not continue. “I mean, if somethings wrong I’ll go, but like…it’s fine for now. Let’s just drop it.” 

“George,” He heard Dream start, almost wincing at how gentle his voice was. “You aren’t scared of the doctors, are you?” George stayed quiet, refusing to make eye contact with either of them as he kept his mouth shut in a tight line. After a few more seconds of silence, Sapnap cackled from across the room. 

“Are you serious?! Georgie is scared of the big bad doctor? Of the mean, evil dentist? No way!” 

“Sapnap-” Dream tried to stop the teasing before it went any further, but Sapnap continued to yell out comments in disbelief. 

“This is too good! Little baby George is scawed!” Sapnap fell back into the couch, his arms crossing over his stomach as he did and scaring Patches in the process. She jumped down onto the floor, quickly sprinting out of the room as Sapnap’s laugh grew louder. George rolled his eyes at the sound, letting out an annoyed grunt as he too flopped back against the couch cushions. Dream reached a hand out and placed it gently on his knee, rubbing his thumb soothingly as he looked down at him. 

“It’s okay, George, don’t listen to him. Everyone’s scared of something.” George rolled his eyes again at how supportive Dream was, almost more annoyed with him just accepting that George was scared of something so silly. 

“I’m not scared!” He exclaimed suddenly, standing up from the couch and pacing around the living room with a hand flinging roughly through his hair. He turned towards Sapnap, throwing his arms up in the air as he shrugged. “It's just…I get nervous going to new people, okay? It’s just like, an anxiety thing, I don’t know! But I’m not! Scared!”

Dream stood up and walked to where George was standing, placing his hands on either shoulder and leading George back to the couch to sit down. George was blushing profusely, embarrassed at the way the conversation was going as Sapnap continued to laugh and make snide comments about how scared he was. While he was deep in thought, Sapnap suddenly gasped, shooting up to a standing position and marching himself over to where George was sitting on the edge of the couch. 

“Wait. I have an amazing idea.” 

“Oh no.” George sighed, leaning his elbows on his knees and letting his head fall into his hands, shaking his head in disapproval as he waited for Sapnap to continue. It was clear Sapnap was waiting for someone to ask, but George wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.

“What?” Dream pressed further for him, equally as curious as George was.

“So, it’s kind of like-” Sapnap began, suddenly grabbing onto George’s arms and pulling him from the couch. He wrestled the older boy onto the floor, giggling maniacally as it took virtually no effort to take him down. George let out a shriek as Sapnap got him onto his back, straddling his waist quickly and pressing his wrists into the carpet below him. 

“Get off me, idiot!” George choked out, trying to fling himself forward as he kicked his feet against the ground. Sapnap continued to laugh at his struggle, shaking his head as he kept George down easily. 

“George, we’re gonna help you get over your fears! We’re gonna play doctor!” Sapnap exclaimed, looking up at Dream and giggling when he was met with a bright smile. George let out a strained grunt as he tried to buck his hips up, gaining leverage as he pressed his heels into the carpet to assist in his efforts. It failed, naturally, and Sapnap laughed in his face at his pathetic attempt.

“Stohop!” George couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, letting his head fall back against the carpet with a hard thud. He pulled his arms as much as he could, continuing to kick and push up with his legs to try and buck Sapnap off, but he was getting nowhere.

“Dream, I’m gonna need a hand holding down our patient, here. He’s very nervous and needs all the help he can get to make sure he’s relaxed!” Sapnap spoke over George’s protests, giggling as he thrashed around on the carpet like a fish out of water.

“Sure thing, doctor!” Dream responded as a soldier would, giving Sapnap a quick salute with his hand to his forehead before jumping into action. Before George could process what was happening, Sapnap’s weight was replaced with Dream’s, effectively halting his bottom half from squirming. He lifted himself up onto his elbows and was met with the sight of Dream’s back, staring daggers into the blonde curls through his panicked laughter as much as he could. It was then that he saw Sapnap peek around from behind Dream, clearly kneeling in front of George’s feet and giving him a wink before he hid back behind the wall that Dream’s body created between the two. He watched as Dream leaned forward, feeling a strong grip around both of his ankles that pressed them into the ground enough that he could barely wiggle them. This only intensified the building butterflies that were swirling around George’s stomach, and a new wave of nervous giggles began pouring out of him before he could hold them back. 

“S-Stop! You’re both being ridiculous!” George yelled at them both, not knowing if they were even listening over the two speaking to each other in hushed tones, careful to not let him hear what they were saying. 

“Oh wait!” Sapnap exclaimed suddenly, pouncing up from the ground and sprinting towards the steps. “I need to grab…things!” 

Dream shook his head slowly as he giggled, watching Sapnap use all fours to crawl up the steps quickly, as if he were an excited puppy going to fetch a toy. George watched Sapnap too, but kept his peripherals glued on Dream, carefully watching him to make sure he wasn’t going to do anything to catch him off guard. The two sat and listened to Sapnap rummaging through things upstairs, hearing the thud of his footsteps as he ran in and out of rooms to collect the items he was looking for. The longer it took, the more nervous George got.

“What is he even doing up there?” George mumbled quietly to himself, not expecting an answer from Dream. He was pleasantly surprised when the blonde spoke up.

“To be honest, I’m actually not sure. He didn’t tell me anything before he ran up the steps like a gremlin,” He chuckled, craning his neck to look back at George, temporarily releasing his ankles so he could shake them out if he needed to. “You doin’ okay back there?” 

“Just dandy.” George replied flatly, fighting a smile when his wording made Dream giggle. He brought both hands up to card through his hair, attempting to settle his nerves, when he heard quick footsteps approaching closer. The two turned their attention to the upstairs hallway once more, watching as Sapnap appeared at the top of the steps, not even stopping to slow his momentum as he practically flew down the steps. 

“Okay! I have my tool kit ready!” Sapnap spoke through his heavy breathing, winded from the speed he had been running around. George observed a black drawstring bag before it was quickly hidden from his view, letting out a sigh of relief when he noticed how empty it looked. He still had no clue what the two were planning, but he knew whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good. 

“So change of plans,” He leaned to the side so George could see him once he knelt down onto the ground again, smirking wickedly as he spoke. “I couldn’t find anything that really screamed out ‘doctor’ to me-“ 

“Good.” George interrupted, earning a hard flick to the side of his right ankle before they were engulfed in large hands once more. Dream pushed them down with a little more pressure, leaning more of his weight into the hold to assure George wouldn’t budge.

“Buuuuut, I did find things to make us dentists!” He exclaimed happily, watching as George’s expression dropped and eyes widened. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” George let his head thump back against the carpet, bringing the heels of his hands up to rub harshly at his eyes when Sapnap snuck back around to hide in front of Dream. 

“Nope! This is no joke, Georgie. We’re gonna help you face your fears!” Sapnap replied as he emptied the contents of the bag, a few things clanging together as he did so. George heard Dream gasp quietly and watched his shoulders scrunch up, seeing his bouncy curls move from side to side as Dream silently reprimanded the younger boy.

“What? What is it?!” George blurted out in a panic at Dream’s reaction, his stomach doing somersaults at all the possibilities of what Sapnap could’ve put in the so called “tool kit”. 

“Nothing to be afraid of!” Dream quickly assured him, hearing the frantic tone of George’s voice and wanting to comfort him before his mind could run rampant. 

“Well…” George heard Sapnap scoff quietly, sending his thoughts spiraling once again. 

“Wh- HEY!” George squealed when he felt a finger flick the bottom of his socked foot, moving to pull it away. He felt a deep dread spread throughout his body when he realized that his feet wouldn’t budge at all, and panicked giggles began to flow from him before he was even touched again. 

“Gosh, you are nervy, aren’t you, kitten?” Sapnap wondered out loud, tracing his pointer finger down both feet slowly to make George squirm. He applied more pressure as he traced back up to his toes, pinching each one lightly and smirking when George hollered out at the feeling.

“Plehease! Don’t do this!” He pleaded with the two, but was met with no response. George jolted his body upwards when Sapnap added a finger to each foot, now tracing up and down with two fingers and using more of his nails on the down strokes to make George’s laughter jump in pitch.

“It’s okay, we’re just helping!” Dream tried to comfort him through his squeals, giggling himself when Sapnap’s fingers traced under George’s toes, making him shriek. Just when it was starting to become bearable, his stomach dropped when he felt a finger dip into the top of each sock, slowly prying them off. 

“NO! Nononono, no! Please! Plehehease don’t!” George begged, curling his toes to try and grip onto the fabric of his socks as they were pulled off at an agonizingly slow pace. He could feel the air hit his heels, then his arches, and finally over the pads of his feet. George panicked, sitting up and gripping onto Dream’s sides, kneading into them like his life depended on it.

“GEORGE!” Dream cried out, letting go of his ankles in favor of gripping George’s wrists, pulling them away from his body as he caught his breath from the sudden tickle attack. Sapnap appeared next to George, taking his wrists from Dream so he could go back to securing his ankles before he caused too much of a mess. 

“Tsk tsk tsk. Naughty boy,” Sapnap shook his head in disappointment, pushing George’s hands against his own chest to make him fall back against the carpet before pressing them down against the ground on either side of his hips. “Dream, lift your shins for me, will you?” Dream looked back at Sapnap with slight confusion, leaning forward a bit more until he was able to angle his shins up off the ground. When Sapnap placed George’s hands directly under them, Dream suddenly understood. He dropped his legs quickly, making sure to sit back on his shins to keep George’s wrists secure. 

“This isn’t fair! Stohohop!” George whined as Sapnap crawled back in front of his feet, disappearing behind Dream once again. “Come on! I told you, I’m not scared! We don’t have to dohoho this!” His pleas were ignored, and the plan continued. 

“So what do we have here, mister dentist?” Dream asked Sapnap playfully, looking down at the tools displayed between George’s spread ankles. 

“Well, first, let’s get a good look at these teeth!” Sapnap responded with the same amount of enthusiasm, quickly ripping off George’s socks and flinging them behind him somewhere across the room. George immediately curled his toes when he felt the air hit them, high pitched giggles bubbling out of him as he tried to control his reactions. He felt Sapnap pinch each one again, this time wiggling them as he went and making George squeak every time his nail scraped the pads of them.

“Plehehease! This is soho dumb!” George pulled at his arms, trying to yank them free, but Dream’s weight kept them pressed into the floor. Frustratingly, all he could really do was twist his upper body and move his head; not nearly enough give to expel any of his anxiety. 

“Hm…seems like they’re in good shape. Could use a cleaning though.” He heard Dream comment, making his stomach flip as his brain tried to figure out what they could possibly do to him. 

“Great idea, my beautiful assistant!” George could hear the smile in his voice, squeezing his eyes shut at how excited he sounded. Suddenly he heard a click, followed by a loud buzzing, and he immediately knew what it was. He curled his toes even tighter as he began spurting out pleas, saying anything to get their attention to make them stop. Sapnap peaked over Dream’s shoulder and gave George a wink before going back to work, bringing the toothbrush down closer to the practically immobile feet in front of him.

“The patient seems ready for the cleaning, so we’re going to proceed!” 

George let out a blood curdling scream when a vibrating toothbrush touched down on both of his pinky toes, not expecting two of them at the same time and sending him into a frenzy. He squeezed his eyes shut as his head flung back, cackling as Sapnap moved the brushes over to the next toe on each foot. Despite curling them as hard as he could, Sapnap managed to wedge them under his toes anyway, making sure to get the tops and the bottoms of each toe as he went. 

“FUHUCK, PLEHEASE!” George managed to cry out between his panic, shaking his head back and forth as he laughed himself silly. Sapnap didn’t respond, simply commenting on how clean his ‘teeth’ looked as he made his way over George’s middle toe on either foot. The toothbrushes moved to the second toes and George screeched, high pitched and loud, begging them to stop, to not go to his big toes, that he’d do anything they wanted as long as they left them alone. But to his dismay, Sapnap moved the dreaded toothbrushes over each big toe, swirling them in slow circles and sending George into hysterics.

“Holy shit.” Dream spoke lowly as he watched the torture Sapnap was forcing George to endure. Sapnap looked up at Dream and chuckled when he noticed the faint blush appearing on his cheeks, and Dream huffed in annoyance at the smirk he received in response. 

“Almost done with the cleaning! Just a little more, I promise!” Sapnap peeked around Dream again, taking in George’s panicked thrashing and screams at the simple tickling on the tiny toes. He leaned back to sit on his shins as he turned the toothbrushes off, allowing George a moment to collect himself and steady his breathing. 

“P-Plehehease…” George was delirious with laughter at this point, still in near hysterics even though the tickling had stopped. Sapnap rubbed his thumbs over the tingly toes, making sure to rub with enough pressure to help rub the ghost tickles away. Once George’s laughter had settled down to quiet giggles, Sapnap let his fingers wander, gently pressing them in the spaces between his toes. George let out a squawk at the feeling, and immediately he was begging again.

“NONONO nohoho! No more! Nohoho more!” George pleaded, trying to bend his knees under Dream to knock him off and whining through his laughter when he didn’t budge at all. He was yanking at his arms so hard he thought he might dislocate them, and he cursed both boys for keeping him down like this while they played with him like a doll. 

“I’m just checking for cavities! Hold still!” Sapnap explained, using one hand to steady George’s left foot as he pushed his finger between each toe, twisting it as he did. George was beside himself with laughter, feeling tears well as Sapnap continued his search for whatever he was looking for. He finished with the left foot, skittering fingers over the top of it to make George squeal. 

“Okay, that one looks great! Now we have to check the other one, and then we’re all done!” Sapnap reassured George, gripping the right foot the same way he did the left, shoving his finger between the last two toes and giggling when George let out a squeak in response. It went smoothly between the next two toes, and the next, until Sapnap shoved his finger between the first and second toes. He stopped twisting his fingers, and instead used both hands to spread them apart. 

“STOP!” George shrieked out in embarrassment, knowing how intensely Sapnap and Dream must be looking at his foot right now. The two laughed at his outburst, but changed nothing about what they were doing. 

“No can do, Georgie,” Sapnap pretended to speak with fake sympathy, sighing before he continued. “I’m afraid we’ve found a cavity.” The comment sent George into a further panic, now struggling even harder than before, nearly lifting Dream with the ticklish adrenaline that was coursing through him. 

“What do we do for that, mister dentist?” Dream asked over George’s screaming, looking back briefly to see how hard he was blushing. He knew this kind of play always got to George, never knowing how to handle all the attention. 

“Well, there’s really only one thing we can do,” Sapnap explained, rustling around with something that George couldn’t see. “We have to floss.” 

“WHAT?!” 

Before George could question any further, he felt Sapnap weaving something between all of the toes on his right foot, even between the toes that Sapnap deemed to be okay not even a moment before. The feeling of whatever the weird string was just sitting between them was enough to make George laugh even harder, not being used to having something in such a sensitive area. George was babbling out pleas but nothing was coherent. His words were slurred together through his laughter despite him trying to articulate the best he could. Sapnap and Dream only laughed at him before turning back to the task at hand. 

“Don’t worry, patient! Your cavity will be fixed soon enough!” Dream called over his shoulder, not even sure if George was able to hear him, but deciding to continue playing his role anyway. George didn’t respond, not sure he was even able if he wanted. When he was finally getting used to the sensation, his whole body shook with ticklish electricity as the material started to move.

“NAHAHAHA!” George was full on screaming through his hysterics, taking in quick gulps of air as his lungs harshly pushed out laugh after laugh. He was lightheaded; so much so, it was as if he would float away. George continued to shake, squirming back and forth on the carpet at the overwhelming ticklish feeling. Sapnap continued to saw the material back and forth between his toes, laughing along at how insane George’s reactions were. Neither boy had ever heard George laugh this hard or loud, and they exchanged surprised glances every few seconds, especially whenever a new noise or high pitched squeak would present itself through the hysterics. 

“Almost done, it’ll be over soon, George!” Dream assured him as he continued to struggle, his throat becoming more and more dry the harder he laughed. George eventually fell silent, only producing high pitched squeals and squeaks whenever he was able to get a full breath in. His face was burning, his cheeks bright red with tears covering them from how hard he was laughing. After a few seconds, the feeling finally stopped, and Sapnap quickly removed the tickly material from between George’s toes to finally relieve him of the torture.

“Plehehease!” George was unable to stop the word from tumbling out despite the tickling having stopped, completely out of his mind at the intense tickling feeling he just endured. Dream sat forward to free George’s wrists and moved his hands from George’s ankles to his feet, opting to rub over his toes as Sapnap began to put the items back into the bag. Dream continued to rub soothingly over both feet, making sure to help the ticklish feeling pass as quickly as it could.

“W-What…the fuhuhuck…was that?” George forced the question through his shallow breathing, bringing his hands up to rub his tear stained cheeks and free the stray tears that clung to his long eyelashes. He opened his eyes briefly when he felt something glide over his right hand, looking down to see Sapnap holding a long, white string.

“Shoelace!” He beamed, a huge smile spreading over his face as he showed George what he just tormented him with. George groaned through the left over giggles, covering his face in embarrassment as his mind replayed the last few minutes over and over again. Dream moved off of George’s waist, turning to face him before sitting by his side. He gently grabbed both of George’s wrists and gave them each a kiss before placing them in his lap, tracing over them to make sure they were okay after being restrained, and also from how hard George had been pulling at them. 

“You okay, baby?” Dream asked softly, letting his hands run down over George’s forearms and back up to his wrists. George closed his eyes again, turning on his side and curling his body towards Dream’s, letting his forehead connect with his thigh before nodding slowly. The blonde moved one of his hands to scratch lightly over his bicep, letting the other run through his hair to help bring him back down to reality. Sapnap pulled the string of the bag tightly, closing it and slinging it over his shoulder, getting ready to stand up from his place opposite Dream, on the other side of George. But before he could, he felt a tight grip on his wrist, keeping him down on the ground with the other two.  “So,” George began after finally getting his breathing under control, sitting up slowly and turning his attention to Sapnap. “When’s the last time you were at the dentist?”

[bonebreakz]

Falling asleep on their lap - JJBA Villians x Reader headcannons.

Oh hey! My first post on this blog! Keep in mind this is my first time writing here and im kind of new to doing headcannons as well, i also dont know how to write for Diavolo (and im kind of still getting my way through SBR-) so bear with me a little. Ill put Doppio on his place though!

Warnings: None! Just SFW wholesome content. :)

DIO (Dio Brando):

You both were reading a book together in the living room of his mansion, you squinted your eyes trying to read the text on the pages, but it was harder than usual as you got sleepier and sleepier by the minute.

After some minutes, DIO felt a weight over his legs and his gaze got off the book, he looked down and saw you fell asleep with your head on his lap.

He shook your head with his free hand, a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Get up, mortal." He orders, but its no use as he sees you defintely fell asleep. He sighed, going back to his book, not taking his hand off your head. He doesnt want to admit it, but he secretly enjoys this moment of you sleeping soundly in his lap.

Kars:

He was sat down while you were sat behind him, braiding his hair as you did every day. After some minutes, you eyelids started to fall and soon, you fell asleep. You had fallen forward and your face was right on his luscious purple hair.

Kars noticed it of course as he didnt feel your hands going through his hair, he looked back and saw your sleeping face. He sighed.

"If you're going to sleep on me then do it properly, foolish human." He placed you down, your head layed on his lap. His signature smug appeard on his face as he watched you sleep comfortably.

Yoshikage Kira:

You and him were sat on the couch on the living room, watching tv quietly. You soon felt yourself loosing interest in what was in screen as you felt yourself getting heavier, after a moment, you closed your eyes and gave up to the feeling.

Kira had quickly taken notice of your sleepiness before you did, so when you fell with your head on his lap he already knew you would stay there for a while.

He simply smiled, placing his hand on your head as he burried his fingers on your hair, running them between your locks.

"Have nice dreams, my dear." He spoke quietly as he watched you finally get your much needed rest.

Doppio:

You were sat besides him while he was on the phone, waiting for him to finish whatever he was discussing about so you could go sleep next to him. You decided to close your eyes only for a bit until you dozed off hearing his sweet voice.

Doppio didnt really realise that until he finished his call, looking down and seeing your head resting over his lap. He felt guilty of being so unnatentive to your needs but he figured out if you didnt tell him you were tired then it was fine.

"I should bring you to bed but i cant get up, and you're so peaceful...I dont want to interrupt.."

He started feeling calmer as he looked at your sleeping expression, and soon he drove off to sleep aswell.

Enrico Pucci:

You were both talking while sat with eachother, having a pretty long conversation about whatever crossed your minds was what you'd usually do when having free time to do so. Pucci was in the middle of a sentence when he noticed your tired expression, after he finished talking his hand went to caress your cheek.

"Are you tired dear?" He asked with a calm tone in his voice, you nodded and he allowed you to lean closer, laying your head on his lap comfortably.

You fell asleep rather quickly after he had done that, he smiled as his hand rubbed your back soothingly.

[rosesloveletters]

teddy bear hugs.

Pairing: 1971 Willy Wonka x Reader

Word Count: 1,497

Warnings: No major content warnings apply.

Summary: A part two of my Wonka Valentine's Day fic.

Author's Note: Sorry it's been such a long time since I wrote! I've been very busy since I'm currently working two jobs, but I've been writing a lot more recently, so I have some new fics to post. This was obviously supposed to have been posted a long time ago, but I hope you enjoy regardless. Also, the photo of the bear is mine.

Edited.

divider created by @/saradika on Tumblr.

A gentle breeze stirred the curtains and the soft light shining in through the open window fell upon your body; you were lost in a sweet, peaceful slumber, your eyelids fluttering like butterfly wings as you dreamt. 

Your gentle snores were interrupted by the bedroom door creaking open as Wonka stepped inside and quietly shut the door behind himself.

You were still lying in the same position you had been when he left to get dressed and as he crossed the room to your side of the bed, he fondly noticed you were still unaware of the teddy bear he had placed in your arms the night before. 

A smile appeared on his face as he sat on the edge of the mattress and placed a hand on your knee, above the duvet. 

You cooed and mumbled, nuzzling into your teddy bear’s fur the same way, Wonka noted, you so often did with his hair. 

He could not take his eyes off you as you slept, knowing that any moment you would wake up and be delighted to find the little bear he had given you to snuggle with when he was busy and could not give himself to that same physical affection you both craved so much. It bothered him that he could not stop to hold you as often as he would have liked. His success could not hold a candle to your importance in his life, yet he knew that neither you nor he were ready to settle down in a way that erased who he was. His factory was as much of a blessing as it was a curse, though now was he beginning to view the downfalls a bit more prominently than he did in the past when he was the sole owner and caretaker of the facility. 

Wonka had never truly been free.

It was somewhat ironic that his own imagination was what kept him imprisoned, a complex that felt more like a Shakespearian tragedy than one he had chosen for himself. 

He kept himself as closed off as his factory gates and very few people had a key. 

At first it was to protect his life’s work, but it had slowly become much more than that. 

Trust never came that easily to him; most of his eccentricity was a mere guise to keep his much truer self detached from the world. 

No one ever knew what he was thinking and he liked it that way. 

He felt comfortable playing the role of the reclusive and whimsical chocolatier. It was fun to spread joy and create wonder; he had always enjoyed that aspect of his career. 

There was only one person he trusted with his entire self and he wondered if you knew how great of an honor he had bestowed upon you. 

Wonka had the feeling that you did, considering how similar you both were in this regard. 

Two closed off individuals who had found solace and connection, learning to trust and find comfort in one another; it almost sounded too good to be true, but in a place that seemed to defy any kind of logic, fairytales were the least surprising thing one might find here. 

Wonka was lost in his thoughts when you finally began to stir, emitting a high-pitched moan as you gave a full-bodied stretch and opened your eyes, blinking dazedly in the early morning light. 

“Good morning, my dear,” Wonka’s smile, even brighter than the sun, greeted your open eyes, “sleep well?”

You nodded, your acknowledgement followed by a yawn. 

He knew the moment you became aware of the plush bear in your arms. 

Your tired eyes took on an alertness he only saw after you had had a chance to let your body naturally awaken and your arms seized the bear, yanking it to your chest for a tight hug. When you finally relaxed, you held it up so that you could admire it, taking in the little details which made it such a unique and special gift—the best gift he could have given you, aside from all his love. 

“Willy, what is this?” you gasped in surprise as you turned the bear around, taking in its appearance from all angles, “how did you…?”

“You like it?” he asked, though he did not need to; the answer was clear in the way you were grinning like a small child opening their presents on Christmas morning. 

“Of course!” you exclaimed, “I love it!”

You were still admiring your present, your fingers delicately smoothing out the little outfit it was wearing: a perfect replica of the one your beloved proudly wore. 

“He even has a little bowtie like yours! And look, his own golden ticket! Oh, my goodness, how on earth were you able to get this for me?!”

Willy tilted his head, a smug grin tugged his lips into a crescent smile as he took on an air of mystery, “I’ve been sworn to secrecy,” his cryptic reply made you giggle, “but, trust me, it was money well spent.”

“I love it so much my oh my gosh it’s the most perfect gift ever thank you, Willy!” 

He chuckled as he listened to you babbling in appreciation, a fond smile on his face as you clung to your teddy bear, hugging and cuddling it as he had intended, “you are very welcome, my dear. Now, you shall have someone to hold when I am away.”

You kissed your bear’s fuzzy little head, “thank you, Willy. I truly appreciate this much more than I could ever put into words.”

You wanted him to know how grateful you were, to not make him question whether he was taken for granted, but Wonka never had those concerns with you. 

Your gracious nature was never lost on him and you did your best to reciprocate as often as you could, yet Wonka did not want anything in return; the only thing he wanted, exceedingly more than any material gift, was you.

“I can tell,” he laughed lightheartedly, “you’re squeezing him tight enough that I can feel it.”

His little joke made you laugh in response. 

You set the bear aside and sat up, putting your arms around him. 

He accepted your embrace with his own, gently scooping you into his arms like you were precious glass and would shatter if he wasn’t careful, which had proven could be true if he was not even gentler with you than he was with himself. 

 To him, even if you could hold your own in this world, you were delicate and he at least hoped to make you feel that way while you were with him. 

He desired that you felt your emotions in his company and not bottle them up like his fizzy lifting drinks because a person could often forget the tremendous power behind restrained emotion until being shaken up and then it all would burst forth in a frenzied, bubbling mess... 

Wonka wanted you to be free in ways he never had been.

You were unabashedly yourself in front of him now and though it may have taken some time for you to feel comfortable being so vulnerable and exposed, you were eternally grateful to be loved by someone so determined to show you that you were safe with him and would never be judged, ridiculed, harmed or mocked for being nothing but your beautiful, loving self. 

You deserved the same kindness that you put into the world and Wonka would give it to you tenfold. 

“Thank you for my teddy,” you whispered into his ear and Wonka had to suppress the pleasant shudder that went down his spine at the sound of your voice, “but nothing could ever compare to the gift of being able to hug and to hold you.”

Wonka was so overcome by emotion that all he could do in response was hold you a little closer, his arms tightening just enough to convey all he longed for you to know. 

He had given you a safe space; he was someone you could rely on no matter what, even when he wasn’t physically around, because you could feel his love like it was a part of you and carried it everywhere you went. 

The teddy bear was not a replacement—nothing could ever take his place in your heart, but he was about to learn that you had every intention of cuddling that bear as often as time would allow. 

It would see many tears, of sadness and of joy, as you and Wonka embarked on many new adventures and chapters of your shared lives. 

It would carry the weight of every memory attached to it and of all the love built up from every hug you gave it and if it was to set any example for Wonka, it was to show him, through an outside perspective, how much you truly loved and cared for him. 

Willy Wonka had never been more honored. 

[tomatoswup]

Maybe... ☼ 3

summary: a meeting with the priest reveals a bit more information about a certain individual that has you distraught. Vash plushie here to defend!

warnings/tags: reader and wolfwood sibling dynamic, mischevious plushie (biTE HIS ANKLES BESTIE!!!),, wolfwood is giving concussions with the way he rides a motorcycle.

A/N: ....hi? :'D sorry for the late updates hehehe,, i usually write late nights but i've been late night gaming with friends these last few weeks hehe,,, i'VE COME TO DELIVER ANOTHER PLUSH FIC THO☝️☝️

p.s yes this was a scheduled post :p

<previous

Encounters with the priest were those you weren't really that big a fan of.

Although he bullied you like a close sibling, he often got on your nerves with the slick remarks he would shoot at you. But how long has it been? Two years?

Has it really been that long?

It just felt like yesterday when you told him that his grey button up looked like shit and you two wrestled in the sand dunes.

Lovely memories!

"Woah! Look at this!" The Vash plushie gasped out in awe as he ran circles around the modified motorcycle, peeking at the shiny surface of the hot metal.

"Hey be careful!" You called out to the plush as you took slow steps towards Wolfwood as he pushed himself off the ground and brushed the sand off his clothes. Oh look! He changed the grey to white!

...hehehe...

"Well aren't I glad to see you! How long had it been since we last saw each other? Two years now?"

You couldn't help but chuckle, crossing your arms around your chest "Now why is it always whenever we meet you're stranded in the desert? Seems like a memory."

"You know God's timing is sadly always right haha!"

Yikes! You heard the tinge of pain in that one!

"I was making my way to town just a few ways from here. Need help from an old friend of ours." He smirked, putting those shades of his up from his nose and to the top of his head as you gave him a hard stare.

"Alright now enough with the bluffing.." You sighed, putting a hand on your hip.

"Bluffing? What makes you think I'm bluffing?"

...

...

...

"Okay yeah maybe I lied to you the last time about not being a part of the Gung-ho guns but it wasn't that bad-"

"Maybe?! Leaving a PRETTY important piece of information out there buddy! Why should I even still be talking to you, ya know what!-"

"Maybe if you listen to me, you bet your ass you're gonna wanna hear this." You watched as Wolfwood straightened his back and looked out into the desert plains.

"I heard from a few townsfolk around that a certain someones in town."

No.

"You're playing with me Wolfwood, there's no way-"

"He's alive." He breathed out, scratching the side of his neck "The idiot's just hiding."

Hiding.

He's...Hiding?"

HIDING!?! AFTER THINKING HE WAS DEAD FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS!?

You really were gonna kick his ass when you saw him.

You scoffed, putting a hand up to your forehead "Hiding? Got any evidence?"

"HEY!" The squeak of the plush rang out from behind Wolfwood, making the both of you turn your attention to him.

And with that, you met with the sight of the small plushie trying to lift the pistol above his head, fumbling as the gun was clearly too heavy for him "LOOK!" The little nibs of his feet stumbling around the bike seat.

It was Vash's pistol.

Your mouth fell agape "Y-you-"

"This is the only evidence I could give ya' right now." Wolfwood said from behind you as you marched over to the bike past him, softly padding the top of the plushie's head before grabbing the gun.

"Thanks lil' guy..."

You couldn't help but just observe the weapon he always held. Moving it around in your grasp as the sun shined down on it, you saw the dents and cuts of the metal on the surface of the gun. Not too much damage and in honesty, it was in pretty good condition.

The dirt, and sand it had been dusted with had given it a rusted look sure, but with some cleaning, it'll look good as new. Tilting it to the side, you caught sight of the bullets still in the gun's barrel.

Seriously...

Your mouth felt dry and as if they were shut with glue as you tried to push back the growing pressure in your throat. No need to cry now, you can't cry here.

The gun felt hot in your hands, each waking moment you held it felt as if it held the world, and maybe his own.

"Hey you!" Wolfwood's eyebrow rose in wonder as he turned his head to the little thing of a plushie on the seat of his motorcycle, giving him a stern eye and an angry hop. "Don't make them cry!"

Aw he was trying to protect you! Such a cutie~

Wolfwood held back the urge to laugh out loud lol "Now this thing was gonna be my next question!"

He leaned down towards the seat and grabbed the plushie by the hoodie of his poncho, the discontent on the plushie's furrowed brows made the scene more funnier.

"Looks like you've come a long way! I'm surprised you don't have a loose stitch if you're traveling with sunshine over there!" He pointed a thumb in your direction and just maybe you said an unflattering word back.

maybe~

"No offense!"

"All taken!"

"Well! It's nice to meet you! I'm Vash!" The plushie chirped out, swinging his little legs forwards to hug Wolfwood's forearm, before sliding down his arm and up his chest to reach his shoulders.

"Woah there! He's a happy one alright!"

Putting Vash's gun away in your bag for safe-keeping, you watched on as the plush messed around with the priest. Ultimately climbing and just standing on top of his head, he gave you a cute ":P" before jumping up and down.

Pft...

"But who would make plushies of him?" Wolfwood snapped his head towards you with a raised eyebrow "Was it yo-"

"No!"

You leaned on his bike, staring at the plush's shenanigans "I found him while I was traveling. Apparently someones' making them and he was the only one that was um..alive per say."

The plushie now hung off Wolfwood's necklace as you saw the practical 'irk' mark of annoyance on his forehead "Well if god decided to send a little angel down, I'll say you're lucky to have a good companion!"

He shot you a soft smile, one you really rarely saw besides of his usual smirk "You needed one, didn't you?"

You didn't respond, and just watched on as the plushie hung off his ear.

"Ow ow ow-"

Maybe you did...

Time passed and before you knew it, the priest offered you a ride to town on the bike, to save time and as a "team-up" in his own words.

And who were you to decline?

Bag secured on the back of the bike alongside Wolfwood's cross that you had gracefully booted out of the seat, you sat in the little sidecar holding down your cowboy hat with your hand.

"Could you drive any faster!?" You shouted over the sound of the engine roaring, your hair messily getting blown back.

"YOU WANNA DRIVE? BE MY GUEST!" Wolfwood retorted, keeping his eyes forward and his hands on the handles.

Resting your back into the seat, you kept your free hand cupped over the plushie that was sitting on your lap.

"This is so fun!!!" He wiggled around excitedly, having used a scrap of cloth he found as a small scarf that flowed backwards with the wind.

"Careful! I don't want you flying out!" You cried as the two of you almost jumped out of your seats as Wolfwood ran over a large rock.

God please let the both of you live and get to town in one piece, okay maybe you'll have a few scratches here and there but you still had a tall blonde to beat half to death!

You exhaled at the thought. You didn't know how you'd react if you saw him. Mad? Relieved that your lover was still alive? Maybe you'll pop a vein and faint.

Who knows?

Only time could tell...

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Before I Love You - 2: Broken Lens (Gojo Satoru)

It's finally happening. I'm finally posting it. It's part 2 of Before I Love You. In all honesty, I've been writing this since I posted the first part, but I finally nailed it down. But, same as part 1, this is angst with a hopeful ending.

Summary:

“You were a shitty boyfriend.” A frown began to form on his face, but he stayed silent as she continued, “But you were always a good friend. Not surprised you’re a good teacher, too.” He had always been a good friend. Admittedly, he’d been a decent boyfriend before he cheated on her because he was supposedly afraid she was going to break up with him. But that wasn’t really the point. Despite everything, she knew for a fact he was never a bad person. Him caring about his students and their success didn’t surprise her at all, especially after finding out that he’d taken Megumi’s friend under his wing. His being shit at a relationship didn’t make him an inherently bad person. Even at her angriest, she’d never thought that about him. It was one reason she’d missed him so much after everything fell apart. *Also posted on AO3

Part 1 | Kiko's Masterlist

Broken Lens

2017

Her cousin fidgeted in her seat while they watched the game unfold.

“I feel fine,” the teen grumbled petulantly. “I could’ve played–”

“One more game isn’t the end of the world,” Rinko reminded, patting Mai’s knee. “Quit sulking, or I’m not buying you kakigōri after.”

Megumi snorted, rolling his eyes when Mai punched his shoulder.

“Maki’s doing fine,” he pointed out. “If you were out there, it wouldn’t be fair.”

A light tap on her shoulder caused her to turn, her eyebrows rising at the sight of Gojo smiling at her hesitantly. She hadn’t seen him in weeks, not since the day she’d agreed to hear him out. Even though he’d asked if he could sit with her at the soccer game, she hadn’t been surprised when he didn’t show. Part of her assumed she wouldn’t see him again once he realized his apology hadn’t worked like he thought.

“Hey,” he greeted, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I, uh, had a few things come up for the last couple games. I know– we didn’t make plans or anything, but I– still felt bad because I said I might– but yeah. I– I heard they were good games?”

Mai crossed her arms as she released a frustrated puff of air. They’d both been losses, but closer than they would have been without Maki as the goalie. Rinko flicked her ear.

“Last warning about that pout,” she informed her. Turning back to Gojo, she shrugged. “We didn’t make any plans to meet. You have a life.”

“I also didn’t wanna seem like I’m stalking you,” he joked, rubbing the back of his neck. He pointed to the seat next to her, the question clear in his eyes. “Is it okay if–?”

She shrugged again, scooting closer to Mai to give him room to sit without being too close.

“Hi, Gojo-sensei,” the teen greeted, leaning around Rinko.

“Hey,” he replied, giving her a giant grin. “How’s the ankle?”

His question brought the pout back to her face, her nose scrunching petulantly.

“It’s fine,” she claimed, rolling it a few times. “But–”

“Still tender.” Rinko tucked a stray hair behind her cousin’s ear. “She still has a limp when she tries to run, so she’s sitting one last game out to be safe.”

“I’m fine,” Mai denied, dropping her head back and sighing dramatically. “Doesn’t even hurt–”

“Because you totally weren’t hobbling like a penguin after you tried practicing last week,” Megumi interjected, snickering.

“Shut it!” Mai hissed, elbowing him. “You’re such a jerk. Why are you even here?”

“Because I’m not leaving him alone at my apartment just so you don’t have to deal with him,” Rinko stated drily, sighing at the teens’ bickering.

She’d agreed to let Megumi stay with her while his parents were out of town on an anniversary trip to celebrate their first year of marriage. His step-sister had opted to stay with a friend instead, which she understood since the girl still didn’t really know her yet.

At least Toji and his wife seemed happy. She never thought she’d see him find someone after how devastated he’d been after Megumi’s mom died. Even he had said he couldn’t see himself with anyone else and that his one-year-old son was more than enough to keep his schedule and heart full. But when he’d met his current wife, his tune had slowly begun to change, and Rinko had cackled at the heart-eyed looks he sent in the pretty woman’s direction whenever he saw her.

So, listening to the teenagers argue was a small price to see her broody cousin so happy for the first time in almost thirteen years.

But that didn’t stop her from leveling both of them with a warning glare. They shrank away, and she raised her eyebrows when they each mumbled that the other started it. Sometimes she could swear that Mai and Megumi were siblings with how much they fought.

“They act like siblings,” Gojo mused, practically echoing her own thoughts, and she turned her head to see him watching the exchange in amusement.

“Hardly,” Megumi snapped, rolling his eyes. “She wishes she had a brother as great as me–”

He yelped when Rinko reached around Mai and grabbed his ear, yanking on it.

“Last warning,” she warned firmly before looking back at Gojo. “Cousin’s kid. Toji’s.”

She doubted he remembered Toji since he’d only met him once, very briefly, before they even dated, but she was surprised when he nodded in understanding.

“Big guy, yeah?” he asked. “Paramedic?”

She blinked at him slowly as she wondered how the hell he remembered that.

“Yeah,” she confirmed, clearing her throat.

Their attention moved back to the field when they heard yelling, watching as the ball flew just past Maki’s fingertips.

“Shit!”

Her eyes snapped to Mai’s face as the girl swore, narrowing when she rolled her own.

“It’s normal, Rinko,” she argued. “You can’t tell me you never swore when you were my age.”

“Have you met my mom?” she asked incredulously. “Try that in front of your Aunt Yuzuki next time you see her and see what happens.”

The woman almost never failed to flick her nose or ear hard if she heard her swear. Especially if the words slipped in the bakery.

“Aunt Yuzu would never be upset with me,” Mai stated smugly, and Rinko had to admit that, in most cases, the girl was right. “Or Maki. She loves us too much.”

“She loves my dad, too,” Megumi said, frowning as he watched the ball change possession over and over. “But he says Aunt Yuzu can be pretty scary. He tries not to swear around her.”

True. The first time he had in front of her mother had resulted in the mountain of a man yelping like a small child as the small woman pinched his ear.

“You won’t use that language in my bakery,” she’d ordered, yanking him down to her height so she could glare into his eyes. “Do you hear me, Toji? Absolutely not.”

Her mother was truly a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to be.

“Always liked your mom,” Gojo murmured, giving her a sad smile. “Guessing she’s probably not my biggest fan anymore, though.”

Not exactly, especially since Rinko had burst into the bakery through the back entrance with tears streaming down her face just hours after she and Gojo broke up. The questions of why she wasn’t enough had spilled out before she could stop them, a broken record of grief finally consuming her at the loss of not only her relationship, but also one of her best friends. Her mother had closed the shop early and sat with her, holding her tight as she let herself fall apart.

No, admittedly, Gojo Satoru was one of Kurisaki Yuzuki’s least favorite people.

“You rank higher than Naoya,” she offered quietly, watching him grimace at the mention of her half-brother. There was no point in lying to spare his feelings. “But- that’s probably about it.”

“Fair,” he muttered, running his hand through his hair. “Much as I hate it. Fair.”

2011

“Mom!” she croaked as she slammed the door open, unable to force herself to care about making a scene. It couldn’t be too busy. The holiday rush was over.

“Mom, I need you!”

Yuzuki’s concerned face peeked around the corner from the front, her expression dropping at the sight of her.

“Darling?” she asked, her eyes filling with concern. “Sweetheart, I thought you were in Tokyo–”

She shook her head, the sobs breaking free as she collapsed forward.

“He– Mom, I–”

She felt her mother’s arms around her, pulling her up and ushering her into the small office. Gentle hands pushed her to sit down in the old chair behind the desk.

“I’ll be right back, darling,” Yuzuki murmured, squeezing her. “Just let me close the shop.”

The familiar sense of guilt clawed up her throat, but for once, she found it easy to shove away. She just wanted her mom to hold her and tell her she would be okay. She wanted someone to choose her for once. Even if her mother was the only person who ever would.

Lost in her own mind, she barely noticed her mother slip back into the room. She stood when prompted before crawling onto the woman’s lap, curling in on herself. Burrowing into the comforting embrace, she made no effort to stifle the guttural sobs. A sharp ache had spread through her body, starting in her chest, and she gasped for breath. She swore her lungs would give out.

“Tell me what happened,” her mother whispered, her hand rubbing her back. “What happened, my gem?”

Her jaw trembled as she lifted her head, the words spilling from her as she explained in broken whispers. Forcing herself to vocalize the harsh reality that had all but slapped her in the face the previous evening—to admit that she’d been a fool. The fact that she’d allowed herself to be lied to. That she’d been stupid enough to believe he wanted her.

“Mom,” she choked, her chest aching. “I wanted to believe– I thought that I– why am I not enough?”

The question that sat in the back of her mind her entire life. The question of why she’d never been enough. Why her father chose to discard her before she was even born. Why he had spent the entirety of her adolescence calling her a mistake.

She’d been able to shove the questions down. Ignore them. Pretend that it didn’t matter because things were going well. Because her father had decided she was worth his time. Because she had a boyfriend who cared about her. Had chosen her.

She’d let herself believe she was enough.

Life was quick to remind her that despite what she might think, she would always just be an unwanted mistake. To remind her that in the end, she would be discarded and forgotten.

“You are enough, my gem,” Yuzuki murmured, running her fingers through her hair. “More than enough. You are my most wonderful blessing. And just because someone else doesn’t see your worth does not mean that you are any less.” She wiped her tears, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Do not let someone else’s broken lens distort your view of yourself.”

“It hurts, Mom,” she cried. She clutched her chest, desperately wishing she could reach inside and rip out whatever was causing the excruciating pain. “Why does it hurt so much? Why won’t it go away?”

“Because you’re heartbroken, darling,” her mother replied sadly. “I know it hurts. I know it does. And I wish I could take it away from you so you didn’t have to feel this way. But it will go away. Just give yourself time.”

2017

They watched as Maki dove to stop the ball, her fingertips catching it just in time to stop it from going in. As she threw it back into play, Mai’s breath hitched, stress clear on her face as she watched her twin play.

“Deep breaths,” Rinko urged, rubbing her back. “I know you want to be out there.”

Maki wanted her there, too. They both played better when the other was on the field with them. The pouts she received that morning as they complained were more evidence of how much they relied on each other.

“If we lose, Maki’s gonna blame herself,” Mai mumbled, a deep frown causing her forehead to crease. “And it’s not her fault–”

“Not yours, either,” Megumi cut her off. “The team’s gotta be able to win without you sometimes.”

There was the almost scarily mature kid Rinko knew and absolutely adored.

“Plus,” he continued, shrugging, “you wouldn’t play well with a limp, anyway. Then you’d both be blaming yourselves, and you’d probably get hurt again, too.”

“Smart kid,” Gojo noted quietly as Mai let out a reluctant sigh and leaned her head on Megumi’s shoulder. The latter flinched but said nothing else. “How much time has he spent with you?”

A lot, especially since the twins had basically moved in. She hadn’t realized when she moved to Tokyo that she’d end up being the twins’ safe haven, too.  It started when the twins begged her to come to their soccer games. Then, they begged her to let them stay the night with her after. From there, they just started showing up any time their parents fought, or they didn’t want to go home.

At this point, they spent more time at her apartment than with their own parents. She kept them safe, fed, and made sure they did their homework, so Ogi stayed off her back. It helped that her father had had a talk with his younger brother.

She’d already spent a lot of time with Megumi and Toji. He’d needed someone to keep an eye on the kid occasionally while he worked, which had been a small motivator for her moving in the first place. He couldn’t take the kid in the ambulance with him, but Rinko’s manager didn’t care if he sat in the breakroom and read a book.

And ate her damn cookies.

Either way, the twins showing up on her doorstep often meant that they spent more time with Megumi and Toji than their father ever intended. It also meant they got to have a cousin closer to their age.

They’d grown close, even if they wouldn’t admit it aloud. The kind of cousins Rinko had wished for when she was their age. While she and Toji had gotten along, their age gap had prevented them from being too close since he’d been married and had Megumi by the time she reached her teens. But he and his first wife had been safe people for her when she had to spend time with her father’s family growing up, and now, she could do the same for the twins. At the very least, she was someone who supported them when it came to chasing their passion.

Mai screamed, startling Rinko from her thoughts in time to see Miwa Kasumi score.

“Let’s fu– GO!” Mai screeched wildly, startling a few people around them. “MIWAA!”

Her heart swelled, watching the teen’s eyes light up excitedly while she cheered for her friend. She needed to see that the entire team didn’t rest on her and Maki’s shoulders.

“Looks like we might have a game on our hands,” Gojo noted. “Miwa is one of the students who asked me to come to that game a few weeks ago. Good kid. Seems a bit ditzy sometimes, but she’s actually really smart.”

Rinko turned to see him grinning at the field, pride clear in his expression. He waved back when the teen acknowledged him after she’d waved at Mai, a clear blush creeping up her neck as she quickly sprinted to rejoin the game.

“Miwa has a crush on Gojo-sensei,” Mai whispered loudly, smirking.

Not surprising. She imagined that most of his students probably had a crush on him. He’d always been one to attract that kind of attention. All he had to do was flash a smile and bat his pretty eyes, and people would turn into mush before him.

She hadn’t been immune to it, either.

“That’s not–” Gojo’s ears turned pink, and he pushed his shades up. “I mean, I don’t encourage– I just wanna support–”

“We know, sensei,” Mai snickered. “Miwa only asked you to come because we’d heard you went to the baseball game to support Muta-senpai and Kamo-senpai. You’re one of the only teachers who will show up. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

His ears went a shade darker as he cleared his throat uncomfortably. He gave Rinko a sheepish smile when Mai’s attention moved back to the game.

“I– I didn’t ask her to– say any of that.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he muttered. “I promise I’m not–”

“You were a shitty boyfriend,” she cut him off, speaking quietly so the kids wouldn’t hear. A frown began to form on his face, but he stayed silent as she continued, “But you were always a good friend. Not surprised you’re a good teacher, too.”

He had always been a good friend. Admittedly, he’d been a decent boyfriend before he cheated on her because he was supposedly afraid she was going to break up with him. But that wasn’t really the point. Despite everything, she knew for a fact he was never a bad person. Him caring about his students and their success didn’t surprise her at all, especially after finding out that he’d taken Megumi’s friend under his wing.

His being shit at a relationship didn’t make him an inherently bad person. Even at her angriest, she’d never thought that about him. It was one reason she’d missed him so much after everything fell apart.

A small, hesitant smile overtook the frown, and he nodded slightly.

“I– I try to be,” he murmured, moving his gaze back to the field. “Just– wanna be a good influence for ‘em. And I– yeah. I try to be a good teacher. Worked on– a few things over the years. For– me. Like to think I’m better than I was in college.”

2011

“You need to sleep.”

She nodded absently as she stared down at her notes, her bottom lip firmly between her teeth while she tried to commit the definitions for endomysium and perimysium and epimysium to heart.

“Rinko-chan.” Gojo’s upside-down face crowded her vision when he leaned over her from behind, his eyes boring into hers. “I saw you sitting here twelve hours ago and you look like you haven’t moved once. Have you eaten today?”

She blinked slowly, letting his words sink in. Twelve hours? Impossible. She’d sat down in the little study nook maybe an hour ago. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she scowled when she saw he was right, she’d been there all day.

Finals were going to kill her.

“Take that look as a ‘no,’” Gojo concluded, closing her books and pulling her to her feet. “You’re not gonna learn that shit by staring at it until you go blind.”

“Not how that works,” she countered, rolling her tired eyes. “Gojo, I need to–”

“When was the last time you ate?” he asked sternly, his eyes narrowing at her when she shrugged. “Thought so.”

“I need to–”

“Eat,” he snapped, shoving her things in her backpack and heaving it over his shoulder. “And sleep.” He grabbed her wrist and began dragging her out of the library. “You’re as hopeless as Shoko sometimes. You won’t pass except out during your exams if you keep this up.”

While he had a point, it seemed rich coming from someone who had a near-photographic memory.

“You don’t even have to study,” she whined petulantly, leaning onto him as his arm wrapped around her waist. “S’not fair, ya know. The rest of us have to cram–”

“You’re smarter than you think,” he argued, rolling his eyes. “You’re gonna be fine. But only if you don’t starve yourself first. Crazy to me that someone who loves food so fuckin much would go so long without it like this.”

As they exited the library into the cool night air, her stomach growled.

“Can we–”

“Ramen, yeah,” he cut her off, grinning when she perked up. “That place you love so much that’s open late? The others said they’d meet us there once I dragged you outta your little study cave.”

2017

Warmth and excitement swirled in Rinko’s chest as she stood on the platform, the twins bouncing excitedly beside her.

Right on time, the train came to a stop, passengers slowly exiting to the sound of the monotone automated voice thanking them for trusting them with their travels.

“I see her!” Maki exclaimed.

Her mother emerged swiftly, a grin on her face, her bag over her shoulder, and her eyes searching for them through the crowd of people.

“Aunt Yuzu!”

The twins darted forward, almost tackling her to the ground.

“My sweet girls!” Yuzuki cried happily. “It’s so good to see you, dears.”

Rinko couldn’t keep the smile from her own face as they approached.

“How was the trip?” she asked, taking her mother’s bag and slinging it over her own shoulder. “No issues?”

“None at all,” the woman replied, releasing the twins and enveloping her in a tight hug. “Hi, my gem.”

“Hi, Mom,” she murmured, relaxing into her embrace. No matter how much time passed, her mother would always be home for her. “It’s good to see you.”

Yuzuki tucked a strand of hair behind Rinko’s ear as she leaned away, her hand resting on her cheek while her sharp eyes assessed her.

“It’s good to see you, too, my gem. You look well.”

“Thanks for coming all this way.”

“Anything for my most wonderful blessing,” her mother hummed, turning back to the twins. “And my favorite girls!” She squeezed them tightly. “Are my little bakers ready for this weekend?”

“Of course,” Maki replied as they led the way out of the station.

“Thanks to you, the soccer team’s booth will be everyone’s favorite!” Mai gushed. “No one else stands a chance.” 

“It’s not actually a competition,” Rinko called. “And this isn’t an excuse for the two of you to just eat your weight in cookies, either.”

“Don’t worry,” Maki replied, turning to walk backward. “We’ll only eat half our weight!”

Yuzuki snickered, meeting Rinko’s eyes briefly.

“Oh, my gem, you’ve taught them so well.”

-

The twins flit around her kitchen, following her mother’s instructions while they prepared enough cookies to feed armies.

“You’re doing wonderful,” Yuzuki praised, watching Mai mix the dough for the matcha cookies.

Maki retrieved a pan from the oven, an excited grin on her face as she picked up a miso peanut butter cookie from the tray and took a large bite.

“At least wait until after dinner,” Rinko scolded lightly, sighing when Mai grabbed a cookie as well. “Or not.”

“They’re too good not to eat at least one while they’re fresh,” Maki argued, huffing slightly when she burned her tongue. “You’re coming by tomorrow, right? Both of you?”

“Of course,” Yuzuki replied. “I wouldn’t miss getting to see you celebrating all this hard work.”

“Before I go to work,” Rinko confirmed. She couldn’t take another day off after she’d taken the entire weekend so she could be home to help with the baking. “I’ll be there.”

“You should give Gojo-sensei some cookies!” Mai exclaimed with her mouth full. “Miwa says he’s got a pretty big sweet tooth.”

Rinko tensed, avoiding her mother’s questioning eyes as she narrowed her own at Mai. She hadn’t mentioned Gojo to her mother, and she’d hoped that he would never come up in the conversation, but she knew better. The chances of her mother not running into him at the festival tomorrow were slim, especially since he would check the twins’ booth at Miwa’s request.

“I don’t see why I would–”

“Because he always sits with you at our soccer games,” Maki interjected, grinning widely as she addressed Yuzuki. “One of the teachers at our school has a huge crush on Rinko.”

“Huge,” Mai agreed dramatically. “You should see the way he looks at her–”

“That’s enough,” Rinko ordered. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “We’re not talking about this.”

The twins didn’t know the extent of her history with Gojo, and she had no intention of telling them, either. They didn’t need their image of him shattered. But they noticed that Gojo had started attending their games more often and always chose to sit with her, and they refused to let it go.

“But–”

“I’m not giving your teacher cookies,” Rinko snapped, clenching her jaw. The twins deflated slightly at her tone, and she released a heavy sigh. “I can’t be there long, anyway. I’ll only have time to drop by your booth before I have to get to work.”

-

Her mother hummed quietly while they cleaned her kitchen after their baking marathon.

The twins were fast asleep on their futons in the living room, their quiet snores telling Rinko how exhausted they truly were.

“So,” Yuzuki began, side-eyeing her carefully, “Gojo Satoru is a teacher now, hm?”

Rinko sighed, she knew this was coming.

“Apparently,” she replied hesitantly. “Ran into him at one of their games a few months ago.” She waited for her mother to speak, fidgeting uncomfortably with the sponge in her hands. “Look, I know what you’re gonna say–”

“I don’t tell you how to live your life,” Yuzuki stated calmly. “Or who to spend your time with. You’re an adult–”

“I’m not getting back together with him.” Finally meeting her mother’s eyes, Rinko silently pleaded with her to understand. “I’m not. This isn’t– he wanted to apologize when he saw me, but he knows that it doesn’t erase what happened. He sits beside me sometimes at their soccer games, but it’s nothing more than that. I just–”

“You’ve missed your friend,” her mother whispered, giving her a sad smile. “I know, sweetheart. He was your friend first before everything happened. Just– I’m so proud of the woman you’ve grown into over the years, and I just– I worry about you spending time with someone who hurt you so deeply. I don’t ever want anyone to make you question your worth like that ever again.”

Rinko couldn’t blame her mother for her concern. Not after the countless quiet mornings they’d spent in the bakery together, where her mother helped her learn how to mend her broken heart. The too-early hours when they giggled and joked as they prepared to open the bakery, the late nights where she sobbed uncontrollably in her mother’s arms when it became too much. When she slowly began finding herself and who she wanted to be. Those moments that had cemented themselves as some of her most favorite memories. Some of the best and worst times of her life. She learned about herself, learned about her mother, and they’d grown so much closer because of it.

Yuzuki released a deep sigh, wrapping her arms around her and tucking her hair behind her ear.

“It would make me a hypocrite to tell you that you’re wrong for allowing him a chance to apologize,” she mused. “Since I convinced you to give your father a chance to make things right, and that ended up being for the better. Just– just make sure that your lens stays intact, my gem.”

“I will, Mom,” she promised, leaning her head on her shoulder. “I know who I am now. I won’t let someone else change that again.”

It had taken her a long time, but she’d finally realized that the way others treated her wasn’t her fault. The way her father discarded her when she was a child wasn’t on her. The fact that Gojo had been too much of a coward to talk to her instead of seeking out someone else to boost his own ego hadn’t been on her.

Not only that, but if she really thought about it, she hadn’t been ready for that relationship, either—not really. They’d both still had so much growing up left to do.

She could almost say she was grateful because she’d been forced to dig deep and, in her mother’s words, repair her lens.

The trouble now was making sure she didn’t let someone else crack it again.

2012

“Pass me the bench scraper, darling.”

She pursed her lips and handed her mother the tool, watching as she expertly sliced the cookies from the cold log of dough.

Working in the bakery more often had served as a great distraction. Helping out during a rush was never the same as the relaxed early mornings they had before they opened. She’d come to look forward to the quiet moments again. The pot of hot tea soothed her mind as she sipped idly, listening to the consistent thud of her mother cutting the cookie dough.

“How was dinner with your father?” Yuzuki asked, her gentle voice melding with the methodical tapping as she cut the butter cookies.

Dinner with her father had become a monthly occurrence. He’d agreed to take turns between Tokyo and Kyoto, and the previous weekend had once again been her turn to travel. She’d finally reached the point where the train ride didn’t feel like she was ripping her chest open with the memory of that first dinner months ago.

“Not so bad,” she admitted reluctantly. “Naoya’s still a little shit — I won’t change my opinion on that — but Naobito can be… tolerable, I guess.”

“Well,” Yuzuki grinned mischievously as she spoke, wiping a bit of flour on her nose. “Noaya has always been a little shit, darling.”

“Mom,” she gasped dramatically, grabbing a towel and cleaning her face. “I can’t believe you’d use that language in your bakery!”

They dissolved into giggles, completely ignoring that she had sworn first.

When they finally calmed down, their chests heaving as they caught their breath, she leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder. An overwhelming warmth filled her chest when her mother’s arms wrapped around her, squeezing lightly.

It was almost five in the morning. They would be opening in a little over an hour, and the scent of fresh bread had already begun to fill the air. Her stomach growled at the thought of the croissants her mother would half-heartedly scold her for swiping. She couldn’t think of anywhere she’d rather be than right here.

“Hey, Mom?”

“Hm?” Yuzuki ran her fingers through Rinko’s hair, giggling again when her face scrunched at the streaks of flour left behind. “Yes, my gem?”

“I love you,” Rinko replied quietly, hugging her tight. “I dunno what I’d do without you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart,” her mother hummed in response, her grin softening. “And I hope you never have to find out.”

2017

Satoru took a deep breath, forcing his legs to keep walking as he approached the booth set up by the girl’s soccer team.

His students mentioned that the Zenin twins brought enough cookies to feed the entire school, and he knew that likely meant that they’d gotten some help. With how close the two were to Rinko, there was only one person who made sense to help them make upwards of ten dozen cookies. A familiar scent filled his nose, and his chest tightened at the sight of a woman he hadn’t seen in almost six years.

“Gojo-sensei!” Miwa Kasumi exclaimed. “You made it! What do you think of our booth?”

“Looks great,” he replied honestly, nodding toward the decorations. His eyes didn’t stray from the woman who turned slowly to give him a skeptical look. “Did a great job. And everyone’s talkin’ about the sweets you’ve got, too.”

“Gojo Satoru.” Kurisaki Yuzuki stared at him, a strained smile on her face as her eyes seemed to stare straight through him.

He saw no sign of Rinko, which likely meant she was at work. She wouldn’t miss something like this for the twins.

“Kurisaki-sama,” he greeted, shoving his hands in his pockets. “When my students said that the Zenin twins brought cookies, I figured you had to have something to do with it.”

“Oh, they did all the hard work,” Yuzuki replied. She crossed her arms. “My daughter, too. I assume you’ll want some of the caramel miso butter cookies? Those were your favorite if I remember correctly.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “It’s, uh, it’s good to see you–”

“Gojo-sensei,” Mai interjected, holding a bag of cookies out for him. “My cousin asked me to–”

“Mai,” Yuzuki cut her off, her gaze turning sharp. “Don’t lie to your teacher.”

The girl flinched, pouting at the woman dramatically.

“Fine,” she mumbled, shoving the cookies toward him anyway. “Here are your cookies, Gojo-sensei.”

He picked them up awkwardly, clearing his throat as he summoned the courage to speak again. 

“Thanks,” he managed, meeting Yuzuki’s eyes again. “I– how’s the bakery doing?”

“You know about the bakery, Gojo-sensei?” Miwa asked, her eyes widening.

“I went to school in Kyoto,” he informed the teen, knowing he was digging a hole for himself. He doubted the twins knew he and Rinko had dated, and he hoped they didn’t know that he’d fucked up so catastrophically with her. “Kurisaki-sama’s bakery is close to campus, and–”

“And his friend group overlapped with my daughter’s,” Yuzuki finished lightly. “My bakery is doing great, Satoru. Thank you for asking. I heard that you’ve been attending my girls’ soccer games lately.”

It was entirely possible that he imagined the threat in her tone, but he knew better.

“Yeah,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “It’s been nice getting to catch up with Rinko, too. Great getting to see an old friend.”

Yuzuki’s eyes narrowed, and he took a deep breath.

“I, uh, you really like tea, right?” he asked. “The volleyball team set up a tea shop as their booth. I could show you?”

Part of him hoped she’d refuse, but he knew that would be the coward’s way out. He had to face her and let her know that he understood the weight of his mistakes. Even though he knew that she would likely never forgive him, he needed to do the right thing. On top of that, he needed to quit deluding himself with the hope that apologizing to Rinko —and her mother— would somehow earn him a second chance he knew he didn’t deserve. But that didn’t change that he needed to apologize because it was the right thing to do. Face his fears and own up to his actions.

“That’d be lovely,” Yuzuki agreed. “I’ll be back in a bit, girls.”

She didn’t speak again as they sat down, her mouth set in a frown while she watched him carefully. The silence unnerved him, and he ran his hand through his hair as their tea was placed in front of them.

“I can’t imagine what you think I might want to hear from you, Satoru,” she remarked after she’d taken a sip.

“For one, I thought you might want to– I could tell you were holding back in front of the twins, so I wanted to give you the chance to– I know you probably have some choice words for me–”

“‘Choice words’ would be an understatement,” Yuzuki cut him off. Her glare felt like it would burn him alive. “You deserve much worse than choice words after what you did. The fact that you have the audacity to sit across from me so casually is truly astounding.”

He felt anything but casual while he fought the instinct to get out as fast as possible.

“You were one of her best friends,” Yuzuki continued. “Do you understand what that meant? Do you understand how badly you hurt her? You didn’t just break her heart, you betrayed her trust as her friend, too. She trusted you, Satoru. She let herself believe in you, and you proved yourself completely unworthy of that trust.”

Of course he knew. He’d lost one of his best friends. His selfishness had cost him one of his favorite people in the world, something he’d felt in his soul the moment he’d seen her with her father that night in the restaurant. When he’d felt his chest ache at the sight of her the next morning, clearly trying not to let him see her cry and his world really crashed down around him.

“-or was that the mistake? Me?”

No, she wasn’t the mistake. The mistake had been doubting her for even a second, and he’d regretted it from the moment he’d realized what he’d done. He’d thought that her visiting Tokyo without telling him had confirmed his fears. Thought that it proved she was going to break up with him until he got home to find her bag in his room. He still remembered the guilt choking him when his mother told him she’d been planning on surprising him until something came up.

He’d been too much of a coward to admit to his mother that the something was him being a fucking idiot and ruining everything.

“I– I know that words will never make up for what I did,” he finally whispered, staring at the table. “But I am sorry that I hurt her, for how I hurt her. It’s still one of my biggest regrets.”

Yuzuki said nothing, and he took a slow sip of his tea while he waited for her to speak. He didn’t expect her to believe him, but at least he’d said his peace.

She set her tea back down, her quiet sigh reaching his ears.

“You’ve obviously grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you,” she began carefully. “I can tell that you’re sincere in your apology, too.” She took a deep breath. “But I don’t forgive you, Satoru.”

He nodded, lifting his eyes to hers again.

“I know,” he admitted, still feeling his heart sink in his chest at her words. He did know she wouldn’t forgive him, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. “I just– I wanted to do the right thing, even if it’s too late. She– both of you– deserve that much after what I did.”

“I don’t need anything from you,” she replied evenly, crossing her arms. “But I can appreciate the effort, I suppose.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “What is it that you want from me?”

“You’ve already given it,” he told her, letting his shoulders sag. “You listened. I don’t– you’ve already given more than I expected, honestly. I’m– I can be content just knowing that I at least apologized and took responsibility for what I did.”

He wanted another chance with Rinko, but he knew that wasn’t something Yuzuki could even offer. He also knew that he didn’t deserve it anyway. He had to be okay with knowing there were some mistakes that couldn’t be fixed.

“I can’t control my daughter, nor do I try to.” Yuzuki released a heavy sigh. “She’s capable of making her own decisions and knowing how to take care of herself. I can respect that she’s allowed you to have a small space in her life again. But know this, Satoru-” she leaned forward, her eyes boring into his- “if you ever break her heart again in any way, I will send Toji after you.”

From the look in her eye, he knew that Toji would be the least of his worries.

AN: I hope this sheds just a bit of light on Gojo's mindset, how Rinko dealt with things, and how much she's grown as a person. While Gojo fucked up BIG TIME, his mistake years ago doesn't mean he's a bad person, and it also doesn't mean he was a bad person then, either. People make mistakes. They do things they shouldn't, and sometimes those things are worse than others. But it's how they react afterward that matters. It's important that he's facing his mistakes and owning up to them, even though he knows that doesn't mean he'll have another chance with Rinko.

I might post an author discussion about this story because I have so many thoughts about how I want it to develop if I continue it. I'd also kinda like to discuss the overall theme of the story, which is really self-discovery and healing. We'd be following Rinko's journey to learning to love herself no matter what happens.

[serenefreakgeekao3]

Chocolate and Pining

Jim Halpert x GN!Reader

PART ONE

[TABLE OF CONTENTS]

Check Table of Contents for entire fic summary and Key!

Summary: The cameras arrive and begin their rotation through the office. What will their shiny lens and intrusive questions uncover?

Warnings: canon-compliant cheating (if you count Pam flirting while engaged)

Author's Note: First post of the new rewrite, and Im kinda glad I only post two chapters of this previously because I went through and changed the entire thing from third person pov to first, to match along with the rest of the xReaders i’ve been writing.

[ ֎” ]

"Alright," You begin, your legs crossed while you tap one hand on your thigh. "What do I even say?" You huff a little laugh, shaking your head. You sat on an uncomfortable grey plastic chair, blinds slightly drawn behind you to block the view of the rest of the office working. You turn around and glance back, looking through the small opening available and noting three different cameras roaming the office and zooming in on people.

"What do we do here?" You repeat the question you're given, turning back toward your own interview camera. "Well, this is Dunder Mifflin, Scranton branch. We're a paper-pushing company." You stop for a moment before the producer behind the camera does a sort of wave as if urging you on. "Uh- well, I'm the receptionist here. I took the job almost a year ago. I transfer calls to the department they need to go to, write notes during our meetings- I'm basically Michael's secretary." You awkwardly laugh, glancing at the wall of the conference room shared with Michael's office as if he could hear through it. You wouldn’t doubt it if someone told you he stood there with his ear pressed to the wall.

"What's the most interesting thing about this job?" You furrow your brows in concern, uncrossing your legs and sitting forward. "Look, I don't know what you guys were expecting when you came here with a whole film crew, but we're a paper company. There's literally nothing interesting about working here."

[ ֎” ]

"What's interesting about working here?" Oscar asks, glancing through the blinds before leaning closer to the camera, waving his hand as he speaks quieter, "Now I'm not one to gossip, but the big thing going around is the office romance right now. And I'm not talking about Kelly and Ryan getting back together for the fifth time." He laughs shortly at his own joke before continuing. "See, Pam is engaged to Roy, he works here in the shipping warehouse downstairs. They've been together for years and they finally have a wedding date set for about a month or so from now.

"However, Jim has the biggest crush on her, everyone can tell. Before Y/N got here, Pam was the receptionist and Jim was always jumping up and going over to her to flirt constantly. Now, some believe the flirting is still going on while their desks are right next to each other, but I think it's gotten tamped down a bit since Pam scheduled a date for the wedding.

"And then there's Y/N. They started here when Pam was finally transferred to sales, and the position opened. They actually became quite close to both Pam and Jim pretty quickly, which makes some sense considering Dwight and Michael basically attacked them their first day here." —

[ ֎” ]

"Attacked Y/N? Please," Dwight scoffed, shaking his head, "I was merely preparing the new employee. If you’re not ready for a surprise stab from a ninja on your first day on the job, then I really don’t think you’re ready for work at all.” Dwight huffs out a breath, crossing his arms. “Besides, Jim made me use the dull blade.” He looks away from the camera in a strop, shrugging his shoulders. “If he hadn’t taken my sharp one I wouldn’t have had to pull out the dull one. I had to put extra force behind the attack for it to do anything, so really it’s Jim’s fault for the bruises.

“Michael? He couldn’t hurt a fly.” Dwight scoffs, then scoffs again for emphasis. “The fact that he tripped and fell that day means nothing, he was merely catching himself from falling with the closest available thing to grab. Which happened to be Y/N’s body, which he then happened to pull down with him. An honest mistake, that.”

[ ֎” ]

— "Now," Oscar continued where he left off with a smirk, "You'd think Jim flirting with Pam, and her egging it on while engaged, should be drama enough for you. But, then you have to figure into the equation that Y/N also likes Jim. I have a pretty good view of the receptionist area when Y/N sits in a certain spot, and I can hear whenever they talk to each other... Sometimes.

"Now I don't know if Jim realized he's a little flirty," Oscar wiggles his fingers with this, "But certainly not as much with them as with Pam. But- man, it's almost painful how hopeful Y/N's voice gets when they talk with Jim. Almost, but mostly just entertaining. And of course, none of the three know about this. It's basically the office soap opera at this point, and no one wants to say anything to disrupt the saga."

Oscar leans back, chuckling to himself before glancing at the camera, "Oh, almost everyone. Don't tell Dwight or Michael either, they're sure to give it away." He pats his leg for a second before smirking, "I'm team Pam. Now don’t look at me that way! I would love for Y/N and Jim to get together, but he’s just too obsessed with Pam! And that woman really needs to get herself a new man, that Roy is a real piece. of. work."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam or Y/N?" Phyllis asks, her smile soft as she raises a hand to cover a giggle, "Now I don't like drama, but absolutely team Y/N. Pam is engaged, it's inappropriate."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam, all the way." Meredith nods, smirking to the camera. "She was here first. Gotta be loyal to the branch."

[ ֎” ]

"Oh! Team Y/N!" Kelly squeals, wiggling her body in excitement.

[ ֎” ]

Jim sits in the seat, smoothing his pant legs down and sighing. "So, uh, what exactly do I say?" He places his chin in his hand, his fingers tapping restlessly against his bottom lip.

"Anything interesting?" Jim repeats, glancing out the window in the general direction of Pam and Y/N before looking back. "I mean, there's nothing really interesting about this job. Toner prices, how much each piece of paper weighs or costs-" Jim sighs, shaking his head and dropping his hand, "Honestly, the only reason I'm still here at this point is probably my friends. Pam, my desk-mate over there, we've been here for a while together. And then there's Y/N, the relatively new hire. Or, are they new?" Jim tilts his head to think about it, squinting his eyes toward the ceiling. "Has it almost been a year already?"

Jim shrugs, smirking before tapping his leg, "Oh, and also pranking Dwight. Gotta make your own fun here."

"What the- Jim!" Dwight suddenly yells, drawing half the office's attention. The other half continued blandly on with their work, used to their antics it would seem. Jim glances wearily over toward Dwight as he lugs something up from his bottom drawer, placing a plate with yellow jello and a stapler floating inside onto his desk. "What did you do?"

Jim struggles to hold back a laugh, his hand curled in front of his face and chin resting on his palm. Instead, he shrugs, leans back and crosses his arms while trying to maintain a poker face. "Nothing, Dwight. By the way, what happened to your stapler there?"

"You should know, you did it!" He sits there for a moment, glaring at Jim before bounding up, running and calling out, "Michael!"

You were half standing behind your reception desk to get a good look, sniggering to yourself about this prank- it was a good one. You look over to Jim and see him give Pam a high-five, mumbling something to each other before Jim looks in your direction and shoots you a full smile instead of the smirk he had been wearing. You smile back, sitting back down in your chair and scooting up closer to your computer.

The camera swings around closer to Jim, listening more in on their conversation. "How did you even do it?" Pam asks and snickers quietly before straightening up suddenly, grabbing her phone to press to her ear in an attempt to look as if she was doing her work as their boss exits his office.

"Let me see, let me see-" Michael finally lays eyes on the prank, laughing loudly. "Wow, just- wow!" He laughs some more, patting Jim on the back. "This is a creative one, good job Jimbo!" Dwight scoffs, moving to be in Michael's line of sight. Michael jumps slightly as if remembering he's the boss before clearing his throat and looking at Jim. "Oh, but don't do it again."

"Do what again?" Jim asks, playing dumb still and raising his eyebrows at Michael. Michael barks a laugh in return and pats his back again before wandering back into his office, mumbling about jello under his breath. Jim turns toward Dwight with a victorious grin while you stand, carrying your lunch box toward the kitchen. You tap Jim's shoulder twice in passing as if to say good job, and Jim barely has enough time to lift a hand to yours as you gently pull away to continue to your destination.

"Get it out," Dwight demands, standing near Jim and glaring at him.

"Get what out?"

"My stapler!"

"Well, it is your stapler, Dwight." Jim turns back toward his computer, chuckling under his breath.

"Oh, and how am I supposed to get it out?"

"I don't know, eat the jello?" Jim suggests, causing Dwight to scoff loudly as he plops in his chair.

"I can't just eat the jello, Jim. I wrote my name in whiteout on the stapler so everyone would know it's mine." Dwight pauses for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "Unless you knew that, and you'd assume I'd eat this. You're trying to poison me!" Jim sighs loudly, widening his eyes toward the camera before shaking his head.

"Ok, and with that, I'm going to take my lunch." He stands, turning to make his way toward the kitchen.

"If you need something to eat, I have a whole plate of jello right here for you Jim!"

Jim enters the kitchen, watching you press a few buttons on the microwave to heat your lunch. He dons a small private smile before sneaking closer behind you, reaching out and grabbing your sides while calling out a quick, "Boo!"

You jump heavily and yelp, turning around quickly with a hand pressed to your chest, panting out your breaths. "Fuckin- Halpert!" You yell out, smacking his arm before slumping against the counter behind you. Taking a few more breaths as Jim bends over laughing, you call out, "Unfair!"

"Oh? Unfair?" Jim replies, grinning toward you, "This is just payback for that email!"

"Hey, I sent that yesterday!"

"And I just opened it today." Jim grinned, not at all sorry, as you remember the jumpscare chain email you had forwarded to him, hoping to see his reaction.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I wanted to see you jump, I must've missed it." You pouted slightly and Jim's face did a small change, becoming softer and crinkling slightly at the eyes. You don’t seem to notice as you turn toward your food once the microwave beeps.

"Yeah, you were being harried by Michael, something about new shoes?" At which you groan loudly, holding up a finger with an eye roll.

"Don't even get me started on that." You thought back to that same morning when Michael came in with muddy shoes, whining about how he had just bought them even though you could’ve sworn you had seen Michael wearing them for the last half a year. How exactly did time pass in Michael's world, you wondered? And how had they gotten muddied? It wasn’t even raining outside!

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here," Jim said, sounding oddly sincere, but then continued quickly, "Although if the opposite is true I'm also very willing to go into detail about the newest book I just finished of my series."

"Oh? You mean your nerdy novels about swords and dragons?" You reply, raising your eyebrows and smirking at Jim as you stirred your lunch. “Aren’t you supposed to be a jock or something?”

"Don't pretend like you don't love the series, you listen to me ramble about it every week," Jim replied, never losing his smile and never looking away from you. His focus felt like fire on you, and there was nothing you could do to put it out. You weren’t even sure you wanted to. “And it is possible for someone to like sports and reading at the same time.”

"Hmm." You hum, pretending to think about it. It really wasn't a hard choice- while the stories sounded interesting enough by themselves, it was Jim telling them to you that made the whole week worth it. Listening to Jim become so passionate about something he found interesting was almost infectious, you practically waited for these days just to gain inspiration for your own writing. And if you happen to write fanfiction about the stories you've never actually read- well, Jim didn't need to know about that. "Alright, fine, if you insist. So what's new with Salamander and Patterson?"

"It's Sally and Parker," Jim began in disbelief, rolling his eyes fondly as you pick up your lunch, the both of you moving to the break room. You had known that, of course, but watching Jim try to explain for the seventh time why Sally is absolutely not a salamander and is, in fact, more like a snake than anything else just brings a smile to your face and a warm feeling to fill your chest.

You sat down at a chair, thankful for the empty break room as Jim wandered over to the vending machines. He put in some money and roughly pushed a few buttons, complaining all the while about his book characters. He ends up chuckling and shaking his head as he states that he needed to 'start from the beginning.'

A packet of double chocolate chip cookies lands in front of you, and you grin brightly while reaching for the gift. "My favourite, how did you know?" You look up to see Jim looking quickly away, not noticing the red starting to stain his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

"You eat it every week," Jim replies quietly as if that explains it, fetching his own lunch. "Anyway so then Parker-"

It was later in the day, and you sat bored at your desk, a word document pulled up on your computer that was half written with a personal story. Though you weren't actively typing it, instead spinning a pen in your hand as you stare in the direction of the sales associates.

"I honestly don't know what I'm looking for here," Jim speaks lowly, chuckling as he held Pam's hand in both of his, her palm facing upward. He looks up into her eyes as she giggles, shaking her head.

"No, look closer, here," Pam takes one of his hands, taking a finger and tracing a line on her palm as if this would help him read it, "This is the life line. Or- wait, maybe it's the heart line?" Pam giggles again, though misses Jim's almost yearning gaze as he holds her hand a little tighter.

"I don't know what either of those mean, Beesly," Jim replied, his voice low, and Pam finally looked up. Their eyes met and you finally had to look away, the pain in your chest becoming almost too much to bear.

And, almost as if on cue, Roy pushes in the door to the office, walking forward with his hand holding a leather jacket over his shoulder. You glance up quickly, about to start your usual introduction before realizing who it is and clearing your throat loudly, throwing a worried glance toward Jim. He glances over in time, thankfully, yanking his hands back as if burned when spotting Roy turning the corner. It seemed as though Roy hadn't noticed, smiling at his fiance as he approached before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

You watched the pained expression cross Jim's face for just a moment before he managed to school his features into a poker face. You felt for him, honestly. You knew how it felt when the person you liked, well, liked someone else. You just wanted him to be happy above all else, and you knew pining after Pam was not it. If only Pam wouldn't egg it on constantly, maybe he'd have a chance to get over her.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just pack my things and print out one more file, I'll meet you down there," Pam replied to her fiance, smiling blindingly bright at him before they kiss once more. Roy turned around, passing the reception desk before grabbing a few pieces of candy that you kept out on the top of the desk. He popped one in his mouth before choking dramatically, turning around and coughing a few times before looking directly at you.

"M&Ms? Really? I liked it better when it was Skittles."

"I've never put out Skittles, I like chocolate."

"It doesn't matter what you like, it's for the guests, isn't it? Pam used to put out Skittles and no one complained." He tossed the remaining few pieces onto the floor beside him before walking out of the office. Pam ran up quickly, a worried look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, he must've had a bad day-"

"It's fine, Pam, really." You paste on a smile, annoyed not just at Roy but at Pam for earlier. Pam nodded slowly, her smile regretful as if knowing how you felt before turning around and pressing the last few clicks on her computer to shut it down. She gathered her things in silence, sliding her newly printed paper into a file on her desk. Meanwhile, you stared at your computer screen, not really reading what was there.

"Bye Jim. Bye Y/N, see you tomorrow!" Pam called out, and you replied with a little wave before pressing save on your word document, downloading it to your flash drive. The door to the office hadn't even closed before a new presence was at your desk, leaning over to try and spy on their computer. You looked up to see Jim smirking, looking directly into your eyes.

"Did you close that document just 'cause I came over? Hiding something from me, Y/L/N?" His teasing tone had you smiling against your better judgement, leaning back and crossing your arms.

"Well, I wouldn't want you discovering my master plan. It's a secret for a reason, you know." Jim laughed at your joke, leaning back and taking a handful of M&Ms to pop into his mouth. Watching this, you felt their face deflate just slightly before you hear Jim’s whispers.

"You know, I think I prefer the M&Ms over Skittles any day." He winks, then dumps more from his handful into his mouth, walking back to his desk to finish up his day. You once again couldn't help the small smile that adorned your face in response.

[ ֎” ]

"I've always had a thing for chocolate," You said, shrugging, "I'm the one who sits there all day anyway." You bite your lip for a moment, trying to suppress a smile. "Besides, who cares what Roy thinks? Other people in the office like them, that's all that matters."

[ ֎” ]

"What kind of person do I like?" Jim makes a baffled face, blinking a few times before resituating in his seat. "I don't know why that's relevant, but if I had to choose..." He trails off, his eyes taking on a far-off look, "Someone sweet, smart- someone who laughs at my jokes while also making me laugh. Someone who will help me with my pranks and listen to my ramblings." He looks back up to the camera with a small smile, "Someone with a sweet tooth that I could spoil."

"You coming, Y/L/N?" Jim calls out, the office dark. You're the last two in the building now, it seems, and you glance up from your desk where you're standing to smile at him.

"Oh, I just have a few more papers to print, you go on ahead."

"Don't work too hard, Y/L/N. The effort isn't worth it." You laugh in response, waving him off. You both exchange a quiet goodbye before you wander over to the copier, which was printing multiple copies of what looked like Dwight's face on the 'Scranton Strangler' wanted poster. The camera swings between the pages and back to you, where you only shrug and smirk.

"It'll be funny," Is your only excuse as you take the pages and start hanging them on the pillars of the building around the office, sliding an extra copy into Jim's desk as a memento.

[sailor-aviator]

Meet Me at the Sea Teaser

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's summer home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.

Series CW: Supernatural elements, Siren songs, Death, Accidental drownings, Near death experiences, Swearing, Violence, Mermaid/Sirens, Hypnosis, Attempted murder, Eventual smut, Fluff, Angst, Jake Seresin. Think that's pretty much it. Chapters will have individual warnings.

A/N: As with Fool's Fare, this is the teaser! Some elements of the story are subject to change as I write this, but I wanted to give you guys a sneak peak! As always, reblogs, comments, and likes are greatly appreciated. 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under sailor_aviator where I post all of my updates as well!

"You've heard the stories from the locals."

It was more of a statement than a question. The cool, sea air caressed the warmth of your skin, and you shivered. You could see the lightning off in the distance as the storm rolled in from the sea behind him.

"I have," you replied, arms crossing to maintain some warmth. He watched you, studied you, like you might run away at any moment. His eyes were like sea glass, a frosted green that seemed to shine in the near pitch black of the night. "What about them?"

"What if I told you they weren't just stories?"

You scoffed, shooting him a glare. "You dragged me down here to ask me about those dumb stories about mermaids and sea monsters? You going to tell me that Davy Jones is real next, Jake?"

"I'm serious, Skipper," he frowned. You rolled your eyes at the nickname. He had called you that when you first met out on the docks after the accident, and it had stuck much to your annoyance. "Haven't you been wondering how you made it back to shore without more than a few bumps and scratches? Haven't you been wondering how you survived?"

"Yes," you murmured, feeling a sense of unease. "But I don't-"

"It was me," he stated, eyes clouded with a haze of desperation and desire. You could have sworn his eyes began to glow as he started taking slow, deliberate steps towards you. You felt a warm hum roll through your body as he maintained eye contact with you, seeming to almost pull you in. "I was the one that grabbed you when you fell overboard. I was the one who brought you to shore, watched over you until I knew you were okay. I was the one leaving pearls and seashells on the sides of the ship for you to find."

He was standing in front of you now, hands moving to cup both sides of your face as he stared down at you. You thought you heard shouting from up by the wooden ramp that led off the beach, but all you could focus on was the glowing green of his eyes and gentle caress of his words on your mind.

"Why?" you asked breathlessly. He chuckled, leaning his forehead against yours. The voices grew louder in the distance, and you faintly felt the lapping of the water at your calves. Were you moving deeper into the ocean?

"Because," he whispered, nuzzling his nose against yours. "I want you."

[thatsthewrongwallcraig]

What if the reader has been bugging Craig to trim his facial hair and he finally says that if she wants it done, she has to do it. So they go into the bathroom and she makes him sit down so she can reach his face (activate size kink). She straddles his lap to trim his beard and when she's done he ends up playfully picking her up and manhandling her into the shower (no points for guessing where I got that from 😏).

Viking

Summary: That monstrosity of a beard has to go!!

Pairing: Craig Cody x fem!Reader

Word Count: -1.7k

Content Warnings: Domestic Smut 18+!, Mentions Of Covid-Lockdowns (Ugh..), Pet Names, Sloppy Shower Sex, Unprotected P In V, Creampie

A/N: This request has been collecting dust in my inbox for over a year now… Gemma, I’m so so so sorry but still: SURPRISE!!! (Please no one talk to me about Ben’s current short haircut, okay?! I’m still in active denial about it…)

I'm low-key embarrassed to post this bcs I'm so terribly rusty crusty in writing Craig...

Tagging:

@hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @ysmmsy

Out of the corner of your eye, you shot Craig next to you a glance. Both of you were busy brushing your teeth and the only sound present was the scrubbing of plastic bristles between your jaws.

“What?” He huffed, pausing in his movement for a moment whilst meeting your assessing gaze.

“Your beard.” You stated bluntly, pulling the toothbrush from your mouth, ready to spit the amalgamation of liquified toothpaste and saliva into the sink below.

“What’s with that?” His eyebrows knit together in a slight wave of confusion as he watched you emptying your mouth before flushing it with a cap of mouthwash right after.

“It’s…uhm, it’s kinda grown a bit, don’t you think?” You turned your head to look at him again, dollops of frothed-up, minty toothpaste splattered all throughout that hairy monstrosity covering the lower half of his face.

“And?” Craig pushed, still not really getting the notion of what you were on about.

“It looks dirty…it’s giving a little homeless, Craig.” A grin formed around your lips as you watched his facial expression render into a small pout.

Following you, he cleared his mouth from the toothpaste and placed the brush back into a cup, where it awaited its next use right next to yours.

“Just a little homeless, yeah?” Craig playfully nudged your side with his elbow.

“No actually, it’s giving full-on caveman style… Viking wildman unkempt.” It fell from your mouth in a chuckle although you meant every word of it.

“Uh-huh..”, He gathered some water from the faucet in the curved palm of his broad hand to wash the leftover toothpaste residue out of his beard, “And you are so incredibly bothered by that, yeah? Am I getting that right?”

With a soft smile ghosting over his lips, Craig cocked an eyebrow at you whilst still leaning over the sink, droplets of water cascading through the scruffy mess of chestnut-brown facial hair.

“Yes, in fact, you are getting that right.” You stated, reciprocating that little pout and crossing your arms in front of your chest.

“Well, if you feel so unspeakably distressed by the pure manliness in my face you better be the one to trim it because I, for sure, won’t.” He shut the faucet off, throwing you a teasing glance.

“Be my guest, Craig!”, He didn’t need to hand you that invitation twice, “Let me grab them scissors while you sit down right here.”

You pointed your head toward the wide edge of the bathtub behind you before you leaned down to fish for a pair of barber-grade scissors from the drawer below the sink. On occasion, you used them to cut your own hair, a little thing you’d taught yourself during the seemingly endless lockdowns not so long ago.

“Okay, okay, Miss Beard-Police.” In an amicable mocking manner, Craig threw his hands up a little whilst walking past you to take a seat on the edge of the bathtub. 

Even in a sitting posture, Craig was tall. Stupidly tall as you liked to call it at times. His broad shoulders easily cupped your frame when he hugged you and getting on your toes for a kiss barely helped. 

“Don’t be such a pussy about it, Craig, it just needs a good trim and some shape to it. It’s not like I wanna cut it all off.” You stated in a gentle chuckle, your brows furrowing at the thought of where to start with this eyesore.

“I’m not a pussy about it.”, He taunted you playfully, “May I remind you that you never, not once complained about this piece of art in my face when you sat on it, huh?”

“Uh…hearsay! Dismissed!” You shot right back, leaning in to twirl the chin section of his beard together to separate it from the rest.

“Pfft, dismissed…” Craig scoffed in amusement, rolling his eyes a little as he watched you doing your work. 

As soon as the middle part was sectioned off, you trimmed the outer sides first for a good few parts, cut-off bristles raining down all over his chest and collarbone. 

“Oh no…that feels like a lot..” He sighed play-pretend melodramatically, letting his shoulders hang loose.

“You sound like me at the hairdresser’s…pussy.” It rolled over your tongue in a quiet cackle.

“Daring today are we, hm?” Craig arched his brows at you whilst you straightened the middle part out again to match it in its length and form, acknowledging how much he treasured that grown-out goatee situation.

“Oh, are we feeling a lil’ triggered by your woman being in the right here, huh?” You pushed it further, administering some final snips to bring the whole thing together.

“There we go. All done and presentable again.” Satisfied with your work, you took a step back and placed the scissors on the sink.

With an uncertain expression on his face, Craig got up from the edge of the bathtub to take a look at himself in the mirror. For a moment, he studied his face, taking in the freshly cut and finely shaped form of his beard.

“It’s…hmhmm, it’s not too bad.” He concluded after a moment, turning his head towards you again. 

“See?” You nodded in agreement.

“But now…”, Craig started out before taking a wide step towards you to simply pick you from the tiles underneath your bare feet, “I got all those flimsy, cut-off hairs on me and that calls for a shower now, no?”

A halfway laughed-out shriek fell from your lips as you recognized his buff arms raising you off the floor, heaving you right into the tub before he stepped in himself. 

“Come here..” He pulled you right under the showerhead with him, opening up the faucet for a stream of comfortably cool water to wash over your bodies. 

Although the days neared the end of summer, the humid Californian heat was still rather unbearable hence the cold wetness running over your skin came as a welcome refreshment. You sighed out in relief before you felt Craig’s lips latching onto yours in a hungry kiss.

With eyes closed, you reciprocated it, allowing him to pull you even closer into his tall statue.

“Was kinda hard to sit still with you all naked in front of me, babe..” He groaned into your mouth, his hands wandering down your back to trace the curve of your behind with his fingertips.

“Oh, poor boy…” You chuckled back, a quiet moan escaping from your lips as you felt his palms cupping your ass. 

“It’s time for payback, hun.” Craig warned you before he tightened his grasp around your thighs, hoisting your legs up to wrap around his waist like it was nothing.

“Is that so?” You aimed to mock him a little, but instead, you nearly choked on your own words as Craig rocked his waist into your lap, letting you sink down on his hard-on inch by inch. 

“Fuck…” You mewled out, hiding your face in his chest whilst your hands clawed at his shoulders, nails drilling into his skin.

You felt Craig’s cock drilling into you slowly, spreading you open to accommodate his size until he was filling you all up to the brim. No matter how many times you’d already experienced this sensation, it still sent a shiver of goosebumps all over your body. 

“Not so bratty anymore now, huh?” Craig groaned, his lips brushing over your forehead before he started thrusting into you under the stream of water.

“J-just because I called you out as a pussy?” You murmured into the skin of his chest, trying to catch the breaths that he was set on knocking out of your lungs. 

“Yeah..”, He huffed back, rolling his hips against your crotch in a firm pace, “Exactly because of that, missy.” 

Your brain rattled, the gears inside turning, trying to come up with some sort of snarky remark but every stroke of his girth against your insides rendered you plain dumb on his cock, leaving you to whine and mewl into the curve of his neck. You sensed your brain converting into a big pile of fucked-out mush and you didn’t resist. With all your senses trained inwards to savor every thrust of his, you felt that tell-tale coil in your lower abdomen tightening up, getting ready to simply snap with the next, well-angled roll of his hips against yours.

“Oh, so needy all of a sudden…” Craig cooed into the crown of your head, still holding you close to his body whilst feeling your cunt clenching down around his cock in irregular contractions indicating your rapidly approaching orgasm. 

“Hmhm…” You haphazardly managed to moan out as your whole body turned rigid, your legs clasping around his hips as the first waves of your climax rippled through your system.

Nerve endings set ablaze, the sensation went straight to your brain, leaving it short-circuiting for a blissful split second and wiping every leftover thought from your mind. For all you knew, Craig fucked you right through your climax, your contracting and pulsing cunt pulling him in deeper until he spilled his load deep inside of you with one last deep rut into you.

“Goddamnit, fuck…” It rolled over his tongue in a guttural groan drawn right from the depths of his lungs before he pulled out of you, placing your shaky legs back into the tub as gently as his trembling arms allowed him to.

The mixture of your own arousal, his cum and the water from the shower head above trickled down between your thighs in a tacky avalanche only to vanish down the drain seconds later.

Whilst taking a few, much-needed deep breaths, you looked at each other with a stupidly wide grin smiling.

“Maybe…”; Craig muttered through the wash of water, “Maybe I should let you cut my beard more often.”

[valkeakuulas]

14, post-o66 echo/rex 👁👄👁

Y'know, I don't recall writing about this ship before. Especially when it comes to the Bad Batch timeline. 🤔 So here goes nothing! This also grew legs and skittered out of my hands, turning into a lot longer before I managed to pin it down and finish it. Whoops?

Mistletoe: Mutual Pining

Echo stood in the shadows of the repair shop's massive doors, watching the traffic going up and down the underworld portal. Behind him, he could hear the music flowing from the floating speakers as well as the low conversation between the freed troopers and the Martez sisters.

Sighing, Echo closed his eyes and listened.

Just like their mutations, the Batch sounded different compared to the rest of the troopers, and while Echo had grown used to them, hearing more than one vod speak with that same, familiar voice soothed something deep inside him. It reminded Echo of his life in the not-so-distant (depending on how one looked at it) past when he'd been wearing white and blue.

"I was wondering where you'd go," one of those voices spoke behind Echo, making him shiver involuntarily as it had so many times before, ever since that cold, desolate moon.

Maybe not that same after all, Echo corrected himself as he turned slightly. Natborns might mix them up but vod could always recognize another one vod from voice alone.

He saw the smile first, small but sincere, before meeting Rex's eyes.

"Just needed a moment, it's been a while since was surrounded by this many people," Echo replied with a small smile of his own.

Rex hummed, thoughtful as he came to stand next to Echo, their shoulders almost touching. He looked at the never-ending traffic as well and it took Echo everything not to lean against Rex as he waited for his Captain Rex to speak again.

"It's been a while for me too," Rex said eventually, "I was on my own quite a while before Rafa and Trace helped me to free more clones." His brows drew together, the smile turning into a mild frown. "Never crossed my mind that I'd end up in a situation where I wouldn't be surrounded by vode. We clones aren't really meant to be alone."

He glanced at Echo. "I'm glad you had the Batch, Echo" Rex said, serious.

"And Omega," Echo had to add, witnessing how Rex's lips twisted, fighting a smile.

"And Omega," Rex amended, "she's different, that's for sure, but very brave as well as smart."

They both couldn't stop their grins as they recalled how the tiny girl had clocked Rex's age with one glance, effectively calling him an old man.

They fell silent again and another piece dedicated to the Life Day started in the background, the velvet-like voice of the singer crooning about curling together with their loved one under the Life Tree.

Echo felt his face warm up a little as he recalled another memory or, more accurately, a dream from the past. One that he hadn't dared to speak to anyone besides Fives and even that had been when he'd been drunk off his ass. Both of them had been drunk offf their asses.

Just like the singer, Echo had once dreamed of closing the distance between him and the man standing next to him, to hold Rex close and whisper words of love into his ear.

But that had been before Lola Sayu, before Echo had been blown to bits. Before the galaxy Echo had known and trained to fight for had turned upside down.

"So what do you think of this whole Life Day thing?" Echo heard Rex ask, the question effectively stopping Echo's thoughts before they spiraled further.

Echo shrugged. "I faintly recall Commander Tano telling something about it but not much. At least nothing like this."

He used his thumb to point back inside the repair shop and the colored lights, the fake tree, and the sparkly decorations the sisters had pulled out from some crates. The repair shop was too large to decorate completely but one corner of it had turned into a glittering, colorful nook like Echo had never seen before.

Omega and Wrecker would love it, Echo mused with a grin.

He turned to Rex to say that, only to freeze when he found the other staring right at him. Those gold-brown eyes were intense, scanning Echo's face almost as if it was a map that Rex needed to memorize.

"You miss them? The Batch?" Rex asked suddenly, jarring Echo once again.

"I do? Kind of hard not to after what we've been through," he replied, slow, uncertain what Rex was aiming at.

Whatever it had been, Echo's answer made him turn away again, and Echo got the sense that Rex wasn't all that pleased with it.

"I miss you, too," Echo blurted, eyes widening when he realised his mistake. "The 501st, I mean," he hurried to add when Rex turned towards him again, "the General and Commander, Jesse and Kix, Axe and Denal. Fives. I miss all of you."

The look Rex gave him wasn't as intense as it had been before but it still had Echo holding back a shiver.

"I miss them, too, Echo," Rex admitted quietly, "and I miss you as well."

Something twinged in Echo's chest and it had nothing to do with the tech embedded in his body. He opened his mouth to say, well, Echo didn't know what he was going to say but before he could, a light movement in the corner of their eyes caught Echo and Rex's attention.

Both of them turned sharply towards the repair shop, only stopping when they saw a branch of something green floating in the air before them.

Except that it wasn't floating; a closer look revealed a cord wrapped around the plant that was slowly moving closer.

Confused, Echo followed the cord and blinked in surprise when he spotted Gregor standing on the stack of crates next to the repair shop doors and, as it happened, next to Echo and Rex as well.

"What the - ?" Echo started just as Rex groaned, suffering.

"Gregor..."

"Nuh-uh, you know the rules, Rex," Gregor informed with a grin as he angled the plant right above them, "if you find yourself under a mistletoe, you need to kiss, otherwise you'll be hit with bad luck."

Echo felt his face heat up at that, his heart twinging again at the idea of Rex kissing him. He didn't know what kind of expression he was wearing but Echo feared it looked too close to a hopeful one.

Trying his best to push it away, Echo glanced at Rex, finding him once again staring at him. And, as Echo watched Rex, his gaze flickered down to Echo's mouth and oh, the flash of teeth as Rex bit his bottom lip nearly had Echo losing control of his knees.

The mistletoe swayed as Gregor shook it. "C'mon, you two have been mooning over each other long enough."

"There's been no such thing," Rex informed Gregor sharply but he didn't look away from Echo, who felt his jaw drop when a light blush dusted Rex's face.

Clearing his throat, Echo gave another look at the mistletoe. "Bad luck, you say? Think it'll hit me double hard since I'm already part of the Bad Batch?" he drawled.

The surprised snort Rex let out eased some of the tension in the air. "Don't think it would be a good idea to find out," he said, aiming for nonchalance but, just like Fives once upon a time, Rex had no sabacc face and he failed rather miserably.

That, and the look Rex was giving at him felt very similar to the one Echo was giving to him.

"Echo...," Rex started, hesitant.

For a second Echo thought about all the times he had wanted to confess his feelings to his Captain, to tell Rex just how much he meant to him.

Echo had survived against all the odds that had been stacked against him since Kamino. Maybe it was time to test if this was just another odd he was meant to win.

Swallowing, Echo stepped forward, closing the distance between him and Rex. He saw Rex's eyes widen in surprise when their chests touched. But instead of moving away, Rex's hands came to rest on Echo's hips, warm and gentle.

"I don't know about you, Rex, but I'd rather kiss you than tempt fate," Echo murmured as he wrapped his arm around Rex's shoulders. "If that's alright with you?"

Breathing shakily, Rex closed his eyes for a second, visibly gathering himself, before opening them again. "I'm more than alright with that, Echo. More than you can ever imagine."

Echo didn't know which one of them moved first but it didn't matter because they were kissing. After so many years, Echo finally got to kiss his Captain.

Above them, Gregor let out a loud hoot, one was nothing but pure glee:

"I told you that it would work, Nemec! You owe me ten credits!"

[canirove]

Broken Hearts Football Club | Chapter 7

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"That was…" Ben whispered against June's lips, both of them trying to catch their breaths.

"A mistake."

"A big mistake, yes. We shouldn't do it again."

"We shouldn't, no" she said. "Imagine that someone sees us and tells the press."

"June Maxwell fell for Ben Chilwell's charm, they’ll write" he smiled.

"Charm? What charm?"

"The one that makes you keep your body this close to mine, your eyes fixed on me, your lips asking for more."

"You have me pinned against a wall, Chilwell. I can't do anything or go anywhere."

"You can, Maxwell. You just don't want to."

"Shut up."

"Make me" he smirked.

"You asked for it" June said before kissing him again, Ben pushing her against the wall once again, the little space that had been between them gone. 

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"There you are! I was starting to worry and… June, are you ok?"

"I am, yeah. Why?"

"You look… flushed" Leah said. "What happened in the bathroom?"

"Nothing" she shrugged.

"And why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know."

"June? Leah? No way!" someone said behind them.

"Mason?" both of them said as they turned around.

"I can't believe you girls are here! Earlier when I saw the photo you posted on Instagram I told Chilly that we may cross paths, and look" he chuckled.

"Chilly is here?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, somewhere. He went to the bathroom and I haven't been able to find him yet."

"The bathroom, uh?" Leah said, looking at June.

"We were joking about finding our New Year's kiss, so maybe he did."

"Maybe he did" Leah repeated, still looking at her friend.

"What about you, girls? Are you looking for a New Year's kiss?" Mason asked, his eyes fixed on June. 

"I don't believe in those things. You?"

"Me neither" June said, feeling her cheeks burn. Leah knew. She definitely knew about what had happened in the bathroom. She knew her too well.

"What a shame…" Mason sighed. "Oh, Chilly, here!" he called.

"Fuck" June said under her breath. 

"Where were you, man?"

"The queue for the bathroom was too… long" Ben said when he realized who Mason was with. Fuck.

"Hello, Chilwell" Leah smiled. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, Williamson. Maxwell."

"Hi" she muttered, her eyes fixed on her hands.

"Since we have found each other, why don't we have a drink the four of us together?" Mason asked.

"I think I'm going home" June said.

"What? Why?"

"I have a game in two days, I need to rest."

"As if resting would make you play better" Ben chuckled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Going to bed early won't improve your performance, Maxwell."

"Well, unlike others, I still am playing."

"June…" Leah warned her.

"What? He is allowed to insult me and bully me but I can't do the same to him?"

"I don't bully you. I just…"

"Don't you dare saying that you are just stating facts!" she replied, raising her voice.

"If I wasn't right it wouldn't bother you so much" Ben shrugged.

"Fuck you, Chilwell!" she said, pushing him and walking away.

"Yes, run away like the coward that you are!"

"I'm not a coward!"

"Sure" Ben laughed.

"I am not" she said, walking back and punching him in the face.

"June!" Leah said, grabbing her friend and pulling her away from him.

"Are you ok, bro?" Mason asked Ben.

"I'm fine" he replied, touching his lip. He was bleeding.

"I think it's time we leave" Leah said.

"Yes, take her back to her cage. But make sure you close it properly, she bites" Ben smirked. Though maybe he shouldn't have done it, it hurt as hell.

"I'm gonna bite your head off, that's what I'm going to do, you moron!" June yelled, ready to hit him again. 

"Ok, that's enough" Leah said, struggling to stop her. 

"Happy New Year, Maxwell" Ben laughed as he watched them walk away.

"Happy… fuck you!" June yelled again, Leah barely managing to drag her to the exit.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Let go of me, Leah. Let go!" June said once they were outside.

"Do you promise me you won't go back inside and do something stupid? Again?"

"I promise. Now let me go."

"Ok, fine" she replied. "What the fuck was that?"

"What was what?" June said.

"All that with Chilwell."

"Don't say that name ever again."

"June, you punched him."

"I did. And I should have done it earlier, to be honest. It felt so good…" Though her hand was starting to hurt.

"How did that happen? How did you go from making out to arguing like that?"

"We didn't make out" she snorted.

"June…"

"We didn't. I would never make out with Ben Chilwell. Never, Leah. Did you hear me? Never."

"Ok, fine. I imagined it all."

"Yes, you did. Can we now please go home? My shoes are killing me."

"Yes, we can" Leah sighed. “But we have an unfinished conversation.”

[ryuukeymir]

Posted on August 13th, 2024

` Bandages `

— m!reader

— Pairing: Reader x Draken

— Info: Fluff

— A/N: Something short with little plot to get my mind back into writing.

— CW: None

You heard a knock at your door. "i got it!" You called out. Getting up from your bed, you left your room and headed to the front door. You opened it to reveal a battered Draken with bruises and a few bleeding cuts. You felt yourself stiffen. "Draken? What happened?"

"I got into a fight with a gang and their leader pulled out a knife when I won. He wasn't fast enough to actually stab me, though," the tall boy said. You sighed in relief, eyeing his injuries. "You should get those treated. Here, let me— "

"I probably shouldn't stay since your parents are here." He cut across your words with a glance inside. As if on cue, your father called out, "Y/N, who's at the door?"

"Just a friend stopping by!" You answered, which seemed to mollify him and he didn't question further. Your dad was a cop, so you had avoided introducing him to any of your gang-affiliated friends, and you knew he'd be pissed if he found out you were dating one of them.

"I'll go stop by—" Draken started, but you grabbed his wrist and, with surprising strength, pulled him into your house and shut the door behind him. "I have homework to do, so I'll be in my room," you said as you poked your head around the corner of the dining room. Your mom was busy cooking, her back to you, and your father was writing up a report before dinner. Your mother gave a noise of acknowledgement to your words, and seeing that your parents weren't paying attention, you led draken quickly down the hall to your room, shutting and locking the door.

"Why did you do that? If we're caught, we'd both get in trouble." Draken stated, crossing his arms and probably thinking about how reckless you are. You shushed him. "Those cuts could get infected, better to treat them sooner rather than later."

You slipped out of your room and returned a few moments later with a first aid kit from your bathroom. You opened it and directed Draken to sit down while you rifled through the contents of the box. Your boyfriend complied and sat down on your floor, though he still was frowning. You retrieved a small cloth and started to remove the blood. After that, you pulled out a few antiseptic wipes and rubbed them on the small cuts. Draken winced but he didn't make a sound.

After the cuts were clean, you applied bandages where needed. "I'll get you an ice pack for those bruises," you said, getting to your feet and heading out of the room. You successfully grabbed one without suspicion, telling your parents that you hit your head on your desk when grabbing a pencil that fell. You returned to your room again and handed the ice pack to Draken while you replaced the first aid kit. Now that your boyfriend was properly treated, you sat down beside him.

"Thanks." Draken wrapped an arm around your waist while holding the ice pack up to a bruise on his face with the other. You smiled. "No problem. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you leave while you were injured?"

Draken chuckled and leaned his head on your shoulder. Given his taller frame, he ended up knocking shoulders with you and you both ended up leaning to the left. He straightened up while you fixed your position, pouting at him. "Well don't crush me to death. Otherwise, who will treat your sorry ass when you get hurt again?"

His only response was a sigh. You draped yourself across his legs, your back resting in his lap. "Do you want to stick around 'til after dinner, then we can go to your place?" you asked. You knew he was a bit iffy about bringing you to the brothel, but you'd convinced him to before once or twice and nothing bad had happened. As expected, he took a minute to decide, but eventually relented. "Fine, but after your parents go to sleep."

You grinned and leaned up, snagging a quick kiss from the blonde. Draken wasn't altogether used to such blatant affection, but you did this so often that he wasn't surprised anymore when you did it. Unfortunately the moment was ruined as your mother knocked on your door. You both scrambled to get up as quietly as you could. "Y/N, dinner's ready."

"Alright, I'll be out in a second," you answered and you heard her footsteps retreat down the hall. You left draken in your room and you hurried out to the dining room to eat. You ate quickly, so fast that your mother had you slow down and even asked what the rush was about. "I'm only halfway done with my homework and I don't want to be too tired to finish it," you lied.

Your father grunted. "You wouldn't be in that situation if you learned to manage your time more wisely." Your mother frowned at him but didn't say anything. Luckily, your father went back to his food and didn't comment further. You finished what was left on your plate and went to the kitchen to wash the plate. After putting it in the cupboard, you went back to your room.

Draken was sitting down on your bed, holding the ice pack to a bruise on his arm. He seemed to be feeling better now. "So," you plopped down next to him once more. "How'd the fight happen?"

"A punk in a gang started throwing punches, then got his buddies to back him up when he got thrashed," draken said, almost boastfully, as he described the fight and that he won. You nodded thoughtfully, imagining the scene. Draken suddenly grabbed you by the waist and laid down, dragging you with him. Your noise of surprise was cut short as he put a finger to your lips.

"Sorry, sorry," you said sheepishly. You placed a kiss on the bruise on his face, which caused him to blush slightly. "Aren't you worried my parents might walk in?" you teased. Draken must have been more tired than he let on, because his response was drowsy and slow. "Whatever..."

You couldn't help but giggle, seeing that the boy was struggling to stay awake. "Just go to sleep, Ken."

The effect was almost instantaneous. As soon as the words were out of your mouth, his eyes closed and you could hear and feel his soft breathing. His breath was tinged with the scent of copper, which you realized was actually the smell of blood. It was likely from the fight. feeling tired yourself, you turned over. You heard your parents muffled talking from the dining room, but their words were unintelligible from where you lay.

You woke up to find that the two of you had shifted dueing the night. Draken's chest pressed up against your back, and his arm was slung haphazardly over you.

"Are you awake?" Draken asked. A tired groan was your reply. Yours and his legs had tangled together at some point during the night, but neither of you bothered to untangle them. You were plenty cozy snuggled up against your lover.

About ten minutes later, your mom knocked on the door to make sure you were up. Luckily, she valued privacy in her home, so she didn't open the door or enter your room. "I'm awake!" you told her.

"Alright, just make sure not to fall back asleep. You'll be walking to school, right?"

"Yep." You got up and strode over to your closet. Draken closed his eyes as you quickly got dressed in your school uniform. You went around the room, gathering the things that you'd taken out of your bag the night before and stuffing them back in. When you were done, you dropped your bag next to your door and returned to Draken, who was now standing by your desk.

"Man, we didn't go to your place," you remembered.

"My room's nothing special," Draken said, then added, "but if you're so set on it, you can come over after school."

"Alright!" You said cheerfully. You pointed to the window above your desk. "You should probably leave through there so my parents don't see you trying to sneak out through the front." Draken nodded and opened the window. Your house was only one story, so there wasn't much of a drop.

Before he left, you directed his face toward you and gave him another kiss on the lips. "See you later!" You grinned and went to close the window, forcing him off of the windowsill and onto the grass. He didn't waste any time getting off of the front lawn and onto the sidewalk, acting as though he was just passing through. Before he turned the corner, he gave you a small wave, then disappeared.

Do not copy, steal, or repost any of my works.

[keep-the-wolves-close]

Movin’ Mountains

Chapter 1: cowboy take me away

* Pairing: Kayce Dutton x OFC Stella Daniels

* Rating: M

* Warnings: language, healing, dealing with some post trauma, fairly tame tbh

* Word count: 4,198ish

I would love to give credits to @dameronscopilot and @deanscroissant and @lexixstewart for being sounding boards for me during this whole process, giving outsider insight, being cheerleaders, and allowing me to screech at them about things that have happened during the writing process. I seriously couldn't have gotten this far without y'all.

Author's note: Hey everyone! We’re back at it again at the Krispy Kreme ✌🏻😝 (💀 I cannot believe I just did that along with a vine reference lmao.) (Please don't run in the other direction lol.)

Welcome to the continuation of Steady Heart! Thank you for coming along and continuing the journey with me! Here we are at the beginning of season 3! I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for our favorite, as Rip calls them, “merry band of misfits”. I hope everyone enjoys our soft start into the season, and the adventure ahead!

The door to the foreman’s lodge opened. It pulled Stella’s attention from the book she was reading, her heart dropped and her hand fell to her gun. She'd been jumpy ever since the night she got attacked. She glanced up and saw it was Kayce who greeted her from the doorway. Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled softly to avoid pulling the gash on her face and folded her book closed, placing it on the coffee table.

“Hey, you.” She welcomed and started to stiffly rise from the couch to be gentle on her ribs, but Kayce met her at the couch stopping her motion.

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss. “Hey back.”

She closed her eyes and hummed. “I still gotta get used to that.”

Kayce chuckled and sat next to her. “Me too. How’re you feelin’ today?” He gave a quick glance at her pistol.

Stella leaned back into the couch slow and steady and crossed him with a look of her own to stop any argument about being skittish. “I think I’m alright.”

“You think?” He placed his arm behind her on the back of the couch.

“Well I mean my ribs are probably gonna hurt for a while no matter how healed they are. My bruises don’t hurt anymore though.”

“What about,” he motioned to his eyebrow.

She grabbed the side of her bottom lip between her teeth and contemplated the change to her face. “I just gotta be careful to not stretch the skin too much, which is ass.” She laughed. “I never realized how much I actually used my eyebrows.”

“I coulda told you that, sugar.”

She flattened her face and gave him a side-eye. “Ha ha, you’re hilarious,” she quipped sarcastically. “Anyway, how’s Tate?”

Kayce blew out a heavy breath. “He’s okay, sleeping a little better, but still waking up scared.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? I understand being scared at the moment.”

Kayce stared down at her in the crook of his arm and shook his head. Of course she was worried about everyone but herself. “No, Monica is still with him. When she isn’t, I am.”

“Yeah, it probably wouldn’t be good for him to see me still so busted up right now. It would do more harm than good. How’s Monica?”

“Very happy that our son is alive. Grateful to you for trying to stop them.”

“I wish he would have kept running to the big house.” Stella placed her head back against Kayce’s arm and closed her eyes. She had to turn her brain off from thinking about everything she should have done versus what she did. It wouldn’t get her anywhere. “I’m still exhausted from all that mess.”

“I don’t doubt you are, but him coming back might have been the only thing that saved you.”

“I still wish he wouldn’t have come back. I would have been fine, eventually, and he wouldn’t have gotten kidnapped.”

“We’ll make it through, Stell. I’m just glad you both are still here.” Kayce draped his hand on her shoulder.

For a few moments, Stella pretended like everything was okay, that she and Kayce just got back from a long day. It was peaceful in his presence. She was grateful that he and Ryan found her when they did. She shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if she went untreated for longer. She opened her eyes thinking about her brother. “Oh, Ryan told me you guys are building a new barn further out?”

“When we’re out in the farther pastures, it would be nice to have a spot to go to that has extra supplies and things.” He faced her. “Speaking of which, we’re settin' up a spike camp until July.”

“Why?”

“Rip and I wanna be sure the clover isn’t gonna come back. We checked the fields this mornin’, and it didn’t look like there was any growing back, but we can’t be too careful. So we’re gonna babysit the herd. You wanna come with us?” He knew she would love the change of pace. He decided to not mention Tate coming along just yet. He didn’t want her to worry about him seeing her.

“I would be kinda useless for a little while yet. I shouldn’t even technically ride, as much as that fact pisses me off.”

“I’m not bringin’ ya up there to work, Stell. I just want you to have a change of scenery. But if you get to feelin’ right, you’re more than welcome to join the guys.” Kayce cringed. “If your brother doesn’t have a heart attack about it.”

She smiled at him. “C’mere.” He scooted closer for her. She leaned into him and whispered, “thank you,” on his lips as she kissed him.

Kayce carefully leaned his forehead against Stella’s. “I should go back up to the main house to be with Tate, but either myself or your brother will come get you in the mornin’.”

Stella nodded and stiffly stood with him. “What time?”

“Early. Probably 4:30 quarter of five.”

She groaned, “ugh, fuckin’ ranch hours,” and followed him to the door. Reaching out to grab his hand, she pulled him into a hug. “I mean it.” Stella didn’t know how else to say thank you anymore.

He pulled back just enough to gaze affectionately down at her. “You’re welcome, sugar.” He closed the gap and placed a gentle kiss on her lips as she brought her hand to his chest.

There was a groan that sounded behind the couple. “That’s the last thing I needed to see tonight,” Ryan grouched.

Stella faced down at the ground, with her eyes closed. Nervous about being caught so soon. “Hey, Ry.” Her face and neck heated up.

Kayce laced his fingers through hers as he stepped back, avoiding Ryan’s gaze. “I’m gonna go let Monica have a break.”

“See ya later, cowboy.” Their fingers squeezed each other and then slipped apart as he stepped away.

While Kayce walked off, the siblings stared at one another. Both of them had their lips pressed together and arms crossed. Stella’s face felt like it was on the sun with how red it must have been. The pair dissolved into laughter.

Stella cleared her throat. “You wanna come in?”

“It doesn’t smell like sex in there, does it?”

Stella rolled her eyes. “Oh my fuckin’ god, Ryan. No.”

Ryan nodded and stepped up to the door, trailing behind his sister. He watched while she made her way to the refrigerator.

“You want anything to drink?” She grabbed a Sprite from the fridge.

He stepped up to a kitchen chair, pulling it out and taking a seat. “Nah, we’re gonna be drinking later. I just wanted to check on you for the night before we did.” He took notice of her gun on her hip, but made no mention of it. He’d been keeping an eye on her, everyone had, especially with how edgy she’d been.

She cracked open her soda and leaned back against the sink to face Ryan. “I’m doing alright for the most part. Just starting to get bored,” she complained as she took a sip of her soda. “Very bored,” she sighed.

“I understand, but we need you 100%. Don’t need you hurting yourself more.”

“Yeah, I know,” she grumbled. Just because it was true didn’t make it suck any less. “Kayce invited me to come to the spike camp with y’all.”

Her brother's eyebrows shot up. “Oh he did, did he?”

“Yeah. Figured I would like a change of scenery. Which I would. Very much.” Stella stared at him, hoping to make her point. “Also, most likely so both you and himself could still keep an eye on me and keep me out of trouble.” She grinned.

Ryan leaned in the chair and propped his elbow on the backrest. “It’s irritating how smart he is.”

Her grin widened. “You’re just mad he thought of it first. He’s always been that smart.” She sat her soda on the counter and crossed her arms. “Is it okay if I go? I don’t wanna be stuck here by myself.”

“You wouldn’t be by yourself.”

“I know.” She shrugged. “But I wanna be with you and Kayce because y’all don’t treat me like I’m fragile like everyone else has been.”

“As long as you follow through with not working.” He fixed her with a look.

“Okay, okay.” She held up her hands in surrender. “I promise. I’ll sit with John and give everyone shit.” She smiled. “Now you go have fun. I’ll see y’all in the mornin’.”

Stella wandered around the foreman’s lodge aimlessly. She thought about going to hang out with the wranglers while they cut up, but she didn’t have the energy to be around the rambunctious bunch. She loved them, but she needed quiet. Reaching to grab her soda, she made her way to the little front porch area of the lodge. As she strode across the room, she made sure her gun was still on her hip.

She dropped into the single chair and fixed her glasses. Her feet swung up to cross at the ankles on the small table in front of her. The fizzy carbonation of her soda tickled her nose as she took a swig and swallowed. Stella surveyed the landscape carefully.

She could see the round pen, the cow pen, the barn, and the bunkhouse from where she sat. The lights were on in the house, so that gave her some comfort that her brother was close by if she needed him.

A breath pushed past Stella’s lips as she forced herself to calm down. The guys who were responsible for kidnapping Tate and beating the shit out of her were taken care of. She had to convince herself no one was going to sneak up on her.

“Everything is okay. We’re okay. We’re alive. Just breathe. You’re safe.” Stella encouraged herself, taking a few deep breaths in between her affirmations.

She’d been telling herself that a lot lately. That’s why her gun was glued to her hip. She had made the grave mistake of being caught without it, and it almost cost her her life. Stella vowed to never get found without it again.

The sounds of the ranch made her startle every once and a while, but eventually she settled and allowed herself to relax back in the chair. The thought of Rip probably wandering around somewhere nearby like a prowling bear made her fully sit back. Yes Kayce and her brother were nearby, but Rip was closer. She knew he wouldn’t be done with making sure everything was closed up for the night yet.

The longer she sat there, the calmer she became and the sounds of the ranch finally convinced her eyes to shut. Stella could still hear the horses in the pasture nearby, and the settling of the farm equipment, so she wasn’t fully asleep. It was a catnap state. She hadn’t been getting the fittest sleep since she came home from the hospital, so whatever rest her body would allow, she’d take it.

The crunch of the gravel that led up to the foreman’s lodge in between the stepping stones, startled Stella awake. “Stella-belle?” A gravelly voice intoned softly from her side. A warm calloused hand draped around her forearm and her eyes shot open. Without thought, she whipped her arm out to the side and hit the offender away from her. She scrambled to stand and back away from the intruder. Her hand dropped to her holster.

Rip stood back quickly and held his hands out like he would to a frightened horse. “Woah woah! Stella it’s me!”

Her eyes focused and her brain finally came out of its sleepy haze. “Oh my fucking god,” she wheezed out. From her quick movements her ribs smarted at her angrily. She moved her hand to her right side and hissed at the pain.

Rip wanted to help her, but knew she didn’t like being touched when she was in pain. He felt helpless as he watched her pant, trying to get her breath back. She paced back and forth, regulating her way through the discomfort. Slowly, it backed down to a throbbing versus a stabbing sting.

“Damn, Wheelie.”

“I’m sorry. I should have made more noise.”

Stella pursed her lips. She knew he didn’t mean to do it, and her anger was misplaced because of the pain of her own doing. She shouldn’t take it out on him. “It’s alright. What’s up?”

“I just got done laying into the wranglers because their asses are still awake and we got shit to do this morning. I saw you out here and wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess I actually fell asleep after a while.” She yawned and scratched her head. “What time is it?”

“3:45. You should head to an actual bed, Stella-belle.”

“I should probably just stay up and get packed.”

Rip frowned. “Packed?” He pushed open the lodge door and motioned her inside. “For what?”

Stella grabbed her empty soda bottle and followed his direction, stepping into the house. She tossed the bottle into the little recycling bin next to the fridge. “I’m going to the spike camp with ya.” She smirked over her shoulder while she went to grab one of Kayce’s duffelbags.

“You’re what?”

“You heard me. And my brother and Kayce agreed. So I’m coming with y’all.” Stella opened Kayce’s closet and made a small “ha,” when she found the medium-sized bag on the floor. Heavy boots hit the ground behind her and she spun around to face the angry bear of a man she’d become so fond of.

She grinned up at him. “I already promised that I would sit with John and give everyone shit while y’all worked.”

The corners of Rip’s mouth turned further downward in a frown. “Stella…,” he let her name hang in the air.

“Riiip,” she dragged out his small name. Stella gently weaved around him to the dresser Kayce was letting her use for her clothes. Rip sighed behind her and she ignored him. She went about pulling out her clothes for at least a week, more than sure she’d have to come back down and get more. She decided she would cross that bridge when she got there.

“You love running us ragged, don’t you?”

Stella placed the pile of clothes she had in her hand in the bag and turned to look at him. His shoulders sagged, he looked exhausted. Not only did he have everything else going on, but he had become her unofficial babysitter. Kayce and Ryan were smart for that because they knew if she didn’t listen to them, she would listen to Rip. Her lips pulled together in an affectionate smile. She adjusted the frames on her nose, opened her arms and waved him over. “C’mere.”

When he didn’t step toward her fast enough, she met him halfway and engulfed him in a hug. “I’m sorry, Rip.” He placed his arms around her shoulders to keep away from her ribs. Stella took as deep a breath as she could and settled into the curve of his arm. “I know you worry and don’t tell anyone. Think of it this way,” she leaned back and Rip slowly let her go. “You’ll have me within eyesight, uninterrupted, unless my brother or Kayce steal me away.”

Stella backed up and brushed her shirt off nervously. “Plus, I need to do something about being this edgy. I think nature will help me reset that.” She shrugged. “Help me trust myself again.”

Rip gave a quick look down at her holster, thankful that she hadn’t pulled it on him outside. He knew she was having a hard time adjusting to being back on the ranch, the same place that the awful event occurred. He’d observed her jump at sounds and people she’d known for years over the last few weeks. It definitely wasn’t like her to spook that easy. He reached out and ruffled her hair quickly. “Alright, you heathen. I suppose that’s a good deal.”

“Hey!” Stella backed away from his hand giggling. “That’s hurtful.”

“Where’s the lie? Can’t be a lie if it’s the truth, now can it?” Rip crossed his arms and leaned back against the door jamb and smirked.

“I am not a heathen, I’m a lady.”

“Bullshit, you and this merry band of misfits are all heathens. You and your brother are at the top of that list.”

Stella clutched at her nonexistent pearls. “Rip Wheeler! I thought you knew me better than that.”

He chuckled deeply. The warmth from seeing her smile spreading throughout his chest, even if it was just for a minute. He stole a glance at the alarm clock he had set up on the bedside table and read that it was pushing on 4:00 am. “Alright, Stella-belle. I’ll leave you be to finish getting ready. Is anyone coming to get you?”

Stella smiled at him, not as wide as she would have liked, but wider than a few weeks ago. “Yeah, my brother or Kayce. Which from the sounds of it, it’ll be me getting him instead.” She huffed out a laugh through her nose. “So I’ll finish up here and see you soon, Wheelie. You go wrangle those boys into shape.” They shared a smirk, as Rip nodded and quietly made his way out of the lodge to agitate the guys.

Stella waited about 20 minutes before she started getting antsy. She knew that Kayce had other things to worry about, he shouldn’t have to worry about being responsible for her too. She hurried into the bedroom, gripped up the duffel bag, and rushed to the door. She slipped on her boots and threw her hair up in a messy bun that looked slept in. Making her way out the door, she made sure her hand gun was on her hip still and her knife on the other and made sure to close the door behind her.

She looked out by the barn and saw everyone mostly ready. Lloyd had been dubbed the driver of the wagon. Tate climbed up into the cart next to the older man and settled himself in. The little boy looked as if he was vibrating with excitement for this new adventure. Stella’s stomach dropped at the thought of him seeing what had happened to her. She didn’t want him to blame himself. Rip was off to the side holding John’s horse, Red, and Tate’s horse, Lucky. She watched as everyone milled about. Ryan worked on setting up Blue Jeans, exhausted, and quite honestly still looked drunk to Stella. Kayce was on top of Tank, making sure everything was ready to go for their ride. Abigail was tacked up next to him. He must have felt her staring at him because when he looked up they locked eyes.

He noticed she had one of his duffelbags slung on her shoulder, and one of his larger flannels overtop of her t-shirt. His eyes twinkled with affection at her display, and he dismounted from Tank, cutting a path directly to her.

Stella met Kayce and welcomed the soft hug he offered. He carefully transferred the bag to his hand from her shoulder and gave it to Jake to put in the wagon. He looked around to make sure no one was gawking, and scanned his gaze back down to Stella, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead to the left of the healing gash. “I was gonna come get you in a few minutes, I was hoping to give you more time to sleep.”

“Well, luckily for you, I’ve been awake since like quarter of four.” She laughed inwardly.

Kayce made a disapproving face. “Did you sleep at all?”

Stella withdrew from the comfort of his hug and sighed. “Yes, Kayce. I did. On the porch ironically enough. Rip already yelled at me,” she smirked over at Rip who’d been listening in this whole time. “Didn’t you?” He dipped his head in confirmation. She turned back to face Kayce. “And I slept pretty well for the first time in a while. I’m ready to rock and roll. Thank you for getting Abs ready for me.”

Her gaze landed on the mare that she’d only been able to walk around, lunge, and pet due to her restrictions recently. She moved over to her and brushed her hand along the roan’s nose softly. “Hey baby. You ready for an adventure?” Abigail blew a sigh into Stella’s hand.

A throat cleared from behind Stella. John came up beside her. “You sure you’re good to go on the trek?”

Stella bobbed her head. “Yessir. I should be right as rain in no time. I’ll be your buddy for giving everyone else hell.” She giggled quietly. “Besides, I gotta get away from here for a while.” They shared a look because John knew exactly what she meant. She almost died not too far from where they were standing. A little vacation would do her well. John nodded to her and stepped back to let her mount up. He didn’t go too far just in case she fell. Kayce took a few steps closer, joining his father if Stella needed a hand.

Stella stepped forward and placed her left foot in her stirrup. She reached for the horn and tried her best to step up into her saddle without showing the mild discomfort it caused. A quiet groan escaped her barely parted lips. She bent forward to pat Abigail’s neck. “See, girl?” Stella huffed, trying to catch her breath. “Wasn’t so bad, was it?” The large mare grunted back at her as if to say, ‘not for me, but it was awful for you.’

John spotted Jamie as he trotted up to the group. John instantly moved to give him directions. He had other plans for his son in mind. “Stick that horse back in the barn.” He pointed in the building’s general direction. “Move your gear outta the bunkhouse.”

Jamie halted his horse, and his stomach twisted into knots. “Move it where?”

“The lodge.” John explained simply.

Jamie dismounted, ready for an argument. “Why?”

Stella piped up from on top of Abigail. “Uh, sir? That’s where I’m staying.”

John eyeballed his son for questioning him instead of just going with his plan. “Cause I can’t have the Livestock Commissioner living in the bunkhouse.” Jamie took off his hat and shot his dad a questioning glance. “I’ll make the appointment official tomorrow.” John panned his gaze to Stella and continued. “And I’m moving you up to the big house with Kayce.”

Stella’s jaw dropped so fast it almost came unhinged. The tightness in her chest bubbled as she gave a panicked look to Kayce, who looked just as stunned as her, if not more. “Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea, sir?”

“Damn it, how many times do I have to tell you to call me John?” He scolded her. “And god damnit why doesn’t anybody just follow my directions?”

“John, you’d kill over if any of us followed your direction blindly.” Stella’s face flattened as she pointed to Rip. “Even Rip questions you from time to time. You’re pissed about something you taught all of us to do.”

“No, it’s what Kayce has taught you to do.” John grumbled.

“Now c’mon, dad.” Kayce tried to interject, but his dad was having none of it this morning.

He pinned Stella to her spot with a look that dared her to defy him any further. “I’m moving you up to the house with Kayce. Gator will move your things before Jamie gets settled in.” John strode over to Jamie and leaned in close. “And if you betray me again? You’re dead to me son, you understand?”

Jamie nodded. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” John pivoted to go get his horse, but Jamie reached out and stopped him. “Dad. I won’t betray you. You have my word.”

“Well,” John cleared his throat. “We’re about to find out what that’s worth.” The air hung heavy between the father and son as John turned back around. Stella shifted in her saddle at the unspoken threat.

The patriarch started doling out orders. “Kayce!” The aforementioned son was stepping up into his saddle. “You and Rip take the wranglers, start pushin’ the herd. We’ll be right behind. Stella, you stay with me and Lloyd.”

“Alright, let’s go,” Rip directed the wranglers.

“Keep an eye on him.” Kayce instructed his dad.

John climbed up onto Red. “You know I will.”

Kayce glanced down at his saddle and tapped the horn. “I’m uh, I’m sorry about the Commission. It’s just not me.”

John rearranged in his saddle. “You’re my son. I know exactly who you are and don’t you ever be sorry for it.” Kayce looked around and walked Tank on. Lloyd and Tate watched as the prodigal son marched away. The little boy stared at Stella with big, sad eyes.

“Are you okay, Aunt Stell?”

Stella took a breath, as deep as she could, and smiled at the youngin’. “Yeah, buddy. I’m okay.” It looked as though Tate’s shoulders dropped in relief. “You should see the other guys.” She winked at him and he smiled at her. He was comforted by the fact that she seemed like her normal self.

Lloyd peeped over Tate’s head to spot John. “We’re ready here, boss.” They observed John taking in the herd and the surrounding nature. “Nothin’ prettier on this earth.”

“It’s as free as a man can be.”

“Makes you wonder,” Lloyd moved the reins around in his hands to have a better grip. “Who’s gonna feed this world when there’s none of us left.”

John laughed. “Nobody, Lloyd. This world’s just gonna go hungry.” He spurred Red into motion. Stella would have galloped off with him but decided against it. She followed beside the cart with Abigail at a fast walk.