#i had so many fever dreams about making sure i called the store on time to tell them i wasn’t coming in

[captainhongjoong]

i got my wish i am in bed with a fever on a work day ❤️

[kimberly-spirits13]

Jason Todd During Your Period

Sweetest thing

Feels so bad that you feel bad and does anything humanly possible to alleviate the pain

He knows how to handle periods since he has all the batgirls and he had to take care of his mom when he was younger

He’s the kind of boyfriend where you can just be like “hey when is my next period?” And he’d know off the top of his head

Won’t blame you for any outbursts or anything and he tries his best to not annoy you

If you get nightmares or really funky dreams on your period that wake you up, he always wakes up to make sure you’re okay

Becomes a light sleeper during your period in anticipation that you wake up and need something or are basically dying

Specifically ordered you two of those massive heating pads and let’s you lay on top of him with them

One heating pad for the back and one stomach

It’s a miracle tool yall

It’s the kind of thing where you finally get settled and you cry because it’s so amazing

NOT BEING IN PAIN AND BEING ABLE TO SLEEP IS WONDERFUL

He’d feel so bad if that happened though because he’d realize how bad you really felt in the moment

He knew you were struggling but it always hurts him to see you in pain

Stocks up on pain killers

Makes you your favorite food and brings your favorite food home from patrol because let’s be honest

No girl is sleeping on her period without her comfort 🤚

He’ll take as many naps with you as you want and do a spa day

*face mask on and hair mask in* “no Dick I’m not on patrol tonight, I’m busy.” “

Knows exactly what to get at the store if you ask him since he had to get stuff for his mom

Will bring back chocolate or whatever your favorite snack is

Let’s be honest, chocolate gets boring after about a day

Holds you while you’re in pain

Makes sure to call you often when he’s on patrol go check in, especially if you’re benched from patrol for the week because of it

Is mostly calling for himself to make sure you’re not dying or anything

Gets medical advice from Alfred

Is genuinely afraid you’ll become anemic or something if he thinks you’re losing too much blood

You two are experts at getting blood out of things so don’t even worry about it

Let’s you wear all of his clothes and takes up doing the chores since you’re probably bloated and swelling

Kisses your cheek and forehead a lot if you’re not feeling well

Does anything you need to feel better

His guilty pleasure is when you’re on your period and are craving carbs because he really really loves carb loading but can’t do it often

Bagels, pasta, pizza, crackers, cinnamon rolls, anything carb

If you start running a fever he freaks out a bit but has enough experience to know you’re not dying

Puts an ice pack on your forehead and gets advil for you

Stocks up on ice cream if that’s your thing

Excuses himself and you from any galas and makes sure the paparazzi isn’t around

Probably threatens them or something who knows

Has one of his sisters come over to give you company if you need some girl time

If you want to you’ll 100% be welcomed to just sit in the bat cave during patrol and help monitor

The entire week or two is just Jason doting on you more than usual

He’d wrap you in a blanket burrito and carry you everywhere

Is very touchy when you don’t feel well so he latches himself onto you

Movie marathons

I watch Law and Order and lots of crime documentaries when I’m on my period for some reason and he’d 100% binge those

Has fuzzy socks for you

They’re probably funky colorful ones that he thought were funny and got them for you one day to cheer you up

Won’t let you talk bad about yourself

If you call yourself yuck or gross or fat or anything he’d smother you with his entire body

Not today Satan

Praises from him are the best let’s just keep it at that

[oldguardleatherdog]

"How now shall we live?"

First steps towards an effective resistance.

What was good and true and right the day before the election remains good and true and right today, and no mass delusion or wrong choice by a misguided and ill-informed majority changes that truth.

A revival of the Resistance movement is starting to stir online and in the real world; resolve is beginning to coalesce among people of goodwill. I would favor an approach designed to prevent the POS from taking office at all, but since Kamala's come out in favor of a boring old peaceful transition (dang it!), a different strategy is called for.

The best ideas I've seen are variations on finding ways to thwart the POS and his gang of idiots at every turn using every tool we have available to us, and I think that’s going to be our way forward.

But for us to have a chance at effective resistance at scale, resolve and energy and a united effort on the LGBTQ+ side and other parts of our “coalition of the good” will be required in abundance to sustain long-term resistance and disruption of the plans and actions of this Administration that are clearly designed to injure and harm us in a multitude of ways; many of us have been put on notice that we’re targets, and the level of fear and uncertainty of our safety is off the charts – something America has not had to contend with in hundreds of years.

What could an effective, robust, muscular resistance look like in our current moment? Well, I have thoughts. Stay with me here, I have specifics to lay out for you, but there are some words to climb - beautiful words, all the best words, strong men with tears in their eyes come to me and say - (continued after the jump)

It begins with individual resolve, and continues by engaging with others. This is not the time to isolate, to stay solo: we need to connect. No self-lockdowns or heads in the sand or hiding under the covers!

It's not important to have a fully fleshed-out game plan at this point. It's important that we view things as they are and discern the next right thing to do. We need to make sure that we walk in the light, that we stay aligned with what we know is right. If we allow darkness or corrupt motives into what we do, we will fail. (This is getting slightly on the woo-woo side of things, but I view it as fundamental to our success.)

Light is a funny thing: it dispels darkness, it provides safety, it guides us through rough waters and difficult pathways, but in concentrated form it can be a laser that slices someone's arm off, and it can give you skin cancer if you're outdoors without sunscreen.

Lucifer, after all, is the Angel of Light, as his name in Latin will tell you - and this activist and spiritual warrior of four decades will tell you that each step we take needs to be effective, morally justifiable, and targeted so that collateral damage is minimized. MAGAs bludgeon with indiscriminate blunderbusses and misshapen cudgels; we wield stilettos, trip wires, keenly aimed photon grenades into unprotected garbage vents.

I am convinced that we will endure, survive, even thrive, and in the end prevail.

This will be the most difficult effort of our lives to date, individually and collectively, and the stakes could not be higher.

We do not yet know the shape and form of the perils in store. What is already apparent, though, is the wanton cruelty and brazen sadism of our enemies now unfurled at full mast, as the vile stench of the devious, depraved methods they’re devising to inflict maximum misery wafts towards us.

They have not been shy or coy in communicating their plans and intentions, and they’ve been gleefully bragging about the methods, implements, tools, and techniques they intend to employ to bring their dark and nihilistic vision into reality.

They are, almost literally, and with the full-throated exhortations of their Christian Nationalist religious auxiliaries and avatars and “prophets,” bringing Armageddon from the fever dreams of St. John out of antiquity and into our real world. For the first time since September 11th, humanity will encounter pure unadulterated evil in ways we can see, hear, feel, taste, smell, made corporeal, physical, inescapable, and we will have to contend with it face to face.

Right now, I'm not advocating leaving the country, but our trans friends in particular will need to have resources and safe pathways to move to sanctuary cities and states. We need to throw our support behind organizations that can effectively and responsibly move people out of danger, and if those orgs don't exist, we need to create them.

I'd intended to retire from activism post-election, but I've changed my plans. I'm here for the long haul.

We are not fools. We know what we see. We know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, what destroys and what uplifts.

And when we behave accordingly, with smarts and courage and clarity of intent and spirit, we can from time to time do some real good in this world.

Of course, progress comes in fits and starts, and this is a scary time no matter how grown-up we are, but we've got to be brave enough to live and to fight for what’s right, even when all we can see is darkness.

Remember, you are not alone, and we are finding ways to support you when you reach out.

~~~

All these words, Animal, I hear you saying. All these lofty thoughts, all this cheerleading, and you haven’t given us one damn thing to do about this. Do you actually have a plan? Or even a concept of a plan?

Well…the first thing to do is engage.

Staying solo won't help. Human contact is key right now, for the cause, and for our own spirits. Do not isolate.

There are already gatherings and organizations ramping up and calls for zoom meetups and in-person actions. Monitor your socials, keep your eyes and ears open, and you will find a place or places where your help will be uniquely well fitted.

Look at your communities, the people and places that make up the fabric of your daily life and walk, and you will find many dynamic and determined people from all backgrounds and age groups who are ready to do something now.

You may want to consider starting something yourself, first as a mutual encouragement effort among friends, and then as the weeks go by and you see what's coming down the pike, develop counter-actions with the group you've got. Feel free to reach out to me for ideas and advice and encouragement and shoulder to cry on and everything and anything you can imagine. I'm not going anywhere.

~~~

I’ve been thinking about a time many years ago, when I was a young hotheaded activist in local politics here in San Francisco, and a friend said something that rewrote my world:

I was pissed off after our election for Mayor went the wrong way - the former police chief beat the progressive incumbent after running on an anti-gay platform during the height of AIDS.

I was riding with a friend of mine, older than me and definitely wiser, who was a longtime student at the San Francisco Zen Center (perhaps an aspirant or acolyte? He lived there and was more than a novice for sure).

As I growled and seethed in the passenger seat, my friend said to me, quietly and calmly,

“Ram Dass had an expression for moments like these: ‘How now shall we live?’”

I was dumbstruck. Just like that, the scales fell and I got it.

To answer the challenge of “How now shall we live?” is to open our eyes with maximum clarity, in the light of day, and see with truth and courage the reality we see around us in this moment, unvarnished, unobstructed, uncompromising, to take a comprehensive and authentic look at and accounting of our world as it is -

and based on the truth of what we see, do the next right thing – it could be a small act or a large task, affecting just one person or situation or many, to make contact with someone or to repair a broken hinge or to run for office, it will have a million variations but as you think on this and give it focus your next right task will present itself to you, unique to you.

And when that task is done, that thing accomplished, repeat the process and do the next right thing, and the next one, and the next right thing after that, until it becomes second nature, it becomes part of your daily walk through life.

I have seen the positive effects of this approach in my own life and in the lives of others, and I’m not here to lie to you. It’s simple, it’s clear, it’s grounded in our true nature, and it yields positive results that make a tangible difference soon enough that you can begin to trust the process and build on your results.

I intend to make this approach my primary tool for effective resistance and sustained activism against this rotten, misbegotten Administration, and I hope that others will take all or part of this approach and integrate it into their own work as individuals and in their group efforts as well. It’s effective, it’s not complicated, and it gets results.

In this way, we can begin to make things right, and I am convinced that by doing the next right thing, consistently, with focus and intention, with care and clear intent, with enough of us using this approach and taking it to heart, we will drive back, disrupt, thwart, spoil, deflect, defang and defeat the plans and intentions of The Liar Donald Trump and his pack of slavering billionaires, enablers, enforcers, worshippers, and followers.

This fight is worth fighting. They do not have the right to disrupt our lives and our families and our freedom to live as we see fit, and there is nothing about supporting a victorious politician that grants them that power or the license to come waltzing in, order us around, and haul us off to some internment camp built by their construction cronies for kickbacks. ~~~ How now shall we live?

We shall live in ways and acts that reflect our true nature, which rise from the best in each of us.

We shall live in ways and acts that bring positive effects to our lives and the lives of others, that protect the vulnerable, the sick and the disabled,

that rebuke and repel the presence and actions of those who want to injure us, imprison us, strip us of our rights and dignity and humanity,

that renew and restore the basic decency and goodness of heart that has been missing from too many of us for too long.

We shall live with our heads held high, with strength and purpose and focus, with clear intent and forward motion and love for ourselves and for each other and for our world,

We shall live with joy in the present and real hope for the future.

And here, and now, we shall not lose heart.

We are brave enough and strong enough to fight for what we treasure in this world.

We know what matters. We know what to do.

We will fight, and we will win.

Don’t forget to breathe!

[aeolianblues]

as much as going home is my holiday, the fact that it is home after all, for someone who left home for uni and hasn’t really been back much since (not bc I don’t love my family, I miss them terribly but that city is not really for me), feels almost like the end of a holiday. It feels like I’m going back to something I’d been on a long, fever-dreamed, endlessly long holiday from.

I go about my day to day life, charmed by the world around me. I immerse myself in music, in art; people say I have endless energy for all those gigs I go to and have admired my enthusiasm for music, but I sometimes catch glimpses of the gaping-mouthed fool being exposed to something they could never have for years: I’m hungry, I’m making up for lost time, I have to see all those shows that never came by mine before. I’m light-headed from possibility. I’m drunk on the power of accessibility, the way things are in reach, the yeses I hear, the ability to be an insider in places that were always shut out to us, that we were seemingly invisible to. I pace myself but I find myself making up for lost teens: all those ‘world tours’ that would skip an entire continent. All those searches for something local that was happening and was truly ours, not propped up by a film industry, not bowing to the political opinions of a ruling party in fear of being mobbed, something that was by us, about us and for us, uncensored. The joys of community.

I immerse myself in people I would never have talked to before, in all those places I was either afraid to or told not to reach for (safety reasons). I am a child inserting my fingers into a socket. Now, that has happened to me when I was a kid and I got shocked so bad that I had to have electrical tape wrapped on my burned fingers for a bit and had to lie down flat on the floor (earthing) for a few minutes. I am a child plugging my fingers in a feverish dream where nothing goes wrong. Somehow, I have wandered and wandered and I am alive. I don’t always know what’s going on, but somehow, I am on the road. I am on some path. To somewhere.

And now I’m going home. It’s been ages since I’ve been, and I feel like I’ll have my feet grounded again. It feels like a punctuation mark, more of a comma, some sort of pause. It’s not a full stop. I have my whole life ahead of me. I’m sure I’m not alone, I’m sure there’s a whole world of people out there that have similarly mixed feelings about going home. You go to visit, but you can never truly return. Some people get homesick and realise they really do belong where they come from, some others have always known they were meant to leave and never come back. These sentiments are not something you can ever explain to an immigration officer, but they are unspoken truth that so many must feel in their very bodies, in their expression, in the way they carry themselves, their outlooks on life, the way they dress, the way they speak (oh, how much of a world is contained within how much you hide and how much you let on! How much you retain and how much you let go.)

I am who I am because of where I come from. I will always carry that with me, and with pride too. I don’t hide it (unless I’m tired and making a quick, anonymous trip to the grocery store in which case yeah, sometimes I do have a generic grocery store pleasantries accent for when I don’t want to explain my entire background, or give it away in my speech and accent. Yes this applies to taxis too, call it the cab pleasantries accent if you like).

But I am also who I am because I left, because there are certain things I cannot take for granted, because there are things I know are different in different parts of the world. You need both those things to make a whole me, and as much as sometimes I do wish I didn’t have to carry two halves on my back, two disjointed halves that could almost never be glued together, I also know I wouldn’t be me without them both.

And so, going back to the first is an interesting moment to look back, for sure. Do people expect you to have changed? Many people don’t get to see the second half of you, and it surprises them. You feel the need to be cautious about showing too much of your change: not yet, watch out. Don’t betray your roots. They feel strong to point out your bends and turns: I am an unbroken bone. You are healing. You will never be as strong as a bone that has never broken. But we are not bones. They too have these pieces they carry on their back that have been glued together. No one ever has a straight path in life. If there was ever a bone analogy, they have patellas (kneecaps, as I now will remember until the end of my life because of the first search result from having googled the band many times). These bones that join other bones. Covered in muscle and ligaments and stuff. Joints that bend and carry (some) weight and move. To have joints is not to be broken. But who is to explain that to someone who will never see you as theirs again. Neither here, neither there.

Anyway, it’s been an interesting six years, and now I’m going home. Tomorrow’s the last day. I vaguely remember writing a shitty poem on the toilet the night before I got on a plane to leave home the first time, it was probably bad and I don’t remember the contents anymore, but it kept coming back to the line ‘last night on earth’. I can’t remember if for better or worse. This time, I’m writing a shitty emo essay that is going to cause a lot of people mild scrolling annoyance (sorry). Which is still more of an impact than writing in a notebook on the toilet ever had. Guess these are just moments that cause you to sit back and think about what you’ve done for a little bit.

This post wasn’t meant to get this long. This was just meant to be a little observation on the fact that you have the luxury of space at home, and that means I’m probably going to be reading paperback books again. I’ve just bought Jarvis Cocker’s Good Pop, Bad Pop for my flight. I’m probably going to luxuriously buy myself a few paperback poetry anthologies. What a life. I’m obviously looking forward to seeing mum and dad and my sister again.

Should the poetry books not fit in my suitcase, I can always leave them at home. Motorcycle Boy*, maybe my sister might even read them. I don’t have to worry about donating them or binning them, or feeling guilty as people look at me exasperatedly while helping me move into my next independent apartment (modest, naturally…): why do you make your own life so hard?? Why did you need to carry so many books when you know you’re going to move?? But those are the small indulgences of going home. Also (and this one’s v specific to my situation) books are so much cheaper at mine. Holy fuck, I’d be out of money instantly if I was spending $24 per book I bought, that is absolutely insane.

*Motorcycle Boy is a song by Fontaines D.C., where singer Grian Chatten is sort of indirectly talking to his little brother who was nowhere near as into literature and poetry as Grian, but after Grian left home, his brother was left to discover it on his own, and Grian sees his brother’s growing connection with literature as almost his way of connecting with his older brother in his absence.

[manias-wordcount]

Hello!! I hope you’re doing well. Can I request a spike x reader where spike finally takes reader to mars. Thank you

After Take Off (Spike Spiegel x Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 :) 

𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳 (𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭!)

𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: @dogsandrocketsocks @pittbull-enthusiast @asuperconfusedgirl

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

He’s never seen you this happy before. 

  “Spike! Spike, look at that one!” 

  You’re pointing. Arm up high over what seems like thousands of heads and shoulders, picking out something in the sky for him to see. And something about that bright smile of yours- something about the way your whole face lights up. It reminds him again and again of all that he swears he’ll do to you. To protect you. To cherish you. To love you. 

  “You know…I think that’s a new balloon in the parade this year.”

  Even if it means eventually taking you to Mars.

  To him, it’s just an offhand remark. Something to continue the little conversation you started since he’s never been one to deny you of anything. But then your eyes go wide at his revelation, and suddenly, it’s not so simple anymore. Your mouth parts in awe, and you made a small sound of surprise before that big grin of yours takes over your face once more. It’s practically on instinct alone when he returns your smile with a half-smirk of his own as he peers at you over his sunglasses. It’s as natural as the way he’ll squeeze your hand every couple of minutes to get your attention while reminding himself that he finally got the chance to take you here. Despite all the obstacles. The problems. The close calls. The bad days and the days somehow worse than those. But that doesn’t matter now.

  Because he finally got to take you to Mars.

  Alba City on Halloween was an easy choice. In fact, the hardest part was just ensuring that his schedule lined up perfectly so you could have this chance. There were already so many things he could show you in the city alone. So many streets the two of you could walk down. So many little stores the two of you could poke your heads into. So many places he could take out to eat after saving like a madman for this trip. But making sure you were here to see a parade was a given. You just had to. 

  Even when the trip was nothing but a fever dream, just barely uttered on the nights where he’s trying to convince you to fall asleep and wake up back up to the scary world of bounty hunting with him, he knew that you had to see the parade. And that first night onwards, after he had finally spoken the promise out loud- he could imagine it. The look that would spread across your face as giants balloon pumpkins, witches, ghouls, and ghosts floated by. The laughter you would let out as the dancers danced by, trying to pull unsuspecting parade watchers into their little song and dance. The warmth you would emit as you stood there, hand and hand with him, finally experiencing a slice of normalcy under the sun. 

  But he doesn’t have to imagine it anymore. He just has to turn his head to the side and look down at you. He just has to open his eyes and his ears to hear and see the festivities for himself. He just has to exist- right here and right now- and commit this moment to memory. Burn it into his brain for all of the obstacles he may face in the future. The problems. The close calls. The bad days and the days somehow worse than those. But he doesn’t have to think about those right now. Because after all this time? 

  He finally got to take you to Mars.

  “Spike.”

  There’s a tug at his arm and it’s enough to rouse him awake from his wandering mind. It’s quickly followed by the sound of his voice being called from your sweet voice close to his ear. His attention snapped back to you quicker than he thought possible. All you’re doing is staring up at him once his interrupted gaze lands back on you. A small pout plays on your lips and the hand of yours that doesn’t have its fingers interlocked with his is gripping at the fabric of his suit jacket. It’s out of old habits that won’t come close to dying anytime soon does he start by scanning your body for any signs of harm or distress. 

  But it’s in the midst of all that when you pull him a little closer. He stumbles, just a little bit. It’s unlike him to make a move so careless, but then again- it’s all because of you, and that’s good enough of a reason as any. Still, your action is just enough to get him off balance and move ever so slightly in the direction you wanted him to. That’s when you try to turn away and step forward into the growing crowd of people that are all but suffocating you both. But his grip on you is too tight for things to happen so easily. 

  “Woah! Slow down…” His tone is firm when he speaks to you, tugging you back to stand next to him. It’s easy to tell from the expression on your face that you’re growing both more restless and more excited as the seconds pass by. You don’t look nervous, and he hasn’t sensed anything or heard on his radio about any potential threats in the area. You’re fine, but only for now. Alba City is still a city. And while there may be families and children out, that’s not enough to guarantee that you’re safe. For both your sake and his. “I need to you stay where I can see you, okay sweetheart?”

  The nickname he has for you slips out of his lips as easily as his command for you does. But you don’t pick up on it. Instead, you stand there, eyes growing wider and wider as his words finally process for you. And they do, he can tell within seconds based on the guilty expression that covers your face. It’s a cute look for you. Too cute to go unrewarded as he leans down and places a kiss on your forehead as a silent promise that he’s not upset, just a little worried. And when he pulls back, there’s a flustered look spreading across your face that causes him to laugh like he’s never known the word trouble in his life. 

  “You’re fine, you’re fine. I just wanted to make sure you’re being safe for me.” He keeps his voice low and gentle when he addresses you. It’s not like you did anything wrong, really. In fact, your being overzealous is just another sign of you enjoying the trip. And he’d do anything to make you keep smiling like this, even when your day together in Alba City is over. Though now he’ll have to focus on making you smile later. Sometime later when he doesn’t see a question just itching to fall from your lips. “Did you need something?”

  “Um…” You start off slow, eyes darting from his face back to where to parade was going on. It was starting to get more crowded than he realized. Even as he bends down to match your height, he can tell that there are more people than he originally thought present. But once his attention is back on you, it’s hard for him to focus on anything else. The people melt away. The voices disappear. And the sun feels like it’s shining. Shining just for you. “I couldn’t see from back here so I was wondering…”

  “Yeah?” He prompts you, leaning down to speak directly in your ear when you start to trail off again to prove that his attention is completely and solely onto you. “Tell me what you want. You know today is all about you, right?”

  He thinks you know it. That deep down in his heart, he’d do anything for you. Anything you want. Anything you needed. Anything for you. He’s just that smitten. And it feels like he could watch you giggle and laugh and sing along to the never-ending Halloween Parade for the rest of his life. It feels like he could spend every day, his fingers laced through yours as the two of you stand closer than close together. It feels like this is the life he always wanted for himself. For you. For both of you. A life without obstacles or problems or close calls. Without the bad days. And especially without the days somehow worse than those.

  And maybe he’ll get that. Maybe the silly promise he made so long ago that he’s finally bringing to light- maybe this is the start of something new. Something great. For the both of you. Or maybe, he won’t. This is could be the beginning of the end. His last chance to smile. His last chance to just feel happy. To hold your hand. To protect you. To cherish you. To love you. But for now…for now, he likes to think that no matter what happens he’ll be satisfied. Life or death. Love or war. He’ll be fine with whatever. 

  Because at least in the end…

  “I was wondering…I was wondering if I could get on your shoulders?”

  He finally got to take you to Mars.

[starpros-sunshine]

Favorite wataei moments? <3

I'm sorry this must be the worst possible answer but I'm gonna have to say all of them because just. They're such a duo (affectionate)

I think a really big part of the beauty of wataei is that they're so. Uhm. How to word this. They're very...rich? In a way?? Like there's just so many things about them that really wanna make you go and swallow drain cleaner before you start screaming and there's just something abot every moment of theirs that really brings that out??? I hope this made sense???

But if I'd have to pick a specific favourite it's probably the Tempest waltz because that one's very sweet and I'm weak for sappy romance stuff and there's something about Eichi being what I'm gonna call self indulgent (for lack of better wording) that just. Gets me every time <3 (all of the Tempest wataei moments actually I love that event so much fine my beloveds and the cgs mwah mwah mwah)

(Close second must be either the ep:link mask scene or that one time in elements when Wataru was practicing his lines on the school rooftop and Eichi was watching him and pining so hard he partially turned into a forest)

(or that one time in Fist of the Shangri-la Idol where Wataru was like "That filth precisely is one of Eichis, dare I say all of humanities charm point!" And Eichi just answered with "Thanks I love you too Wataru" I thought that was really fun same with Sanctuary during the helicopter ride when Wataru basically said the same thing to him ("It is precisely because you are so deranged that I take such interest in you! <3") or when Eichi just left Tomoya in the middle of nowhere to dramatically make his exit with Wataru although I'm not sure if that really counts as a Wataei moment I just think that one's hilarious AND OH MY GOD HOW COULD I FORGET EICHIS FEVER DREAM FROM JINGLE BELLS That one also just </3 so bittersweet </3 or literally every time everyone mentions how Eichi would buy Wataru the world if he asked for it or in the Milky Way story the soba(??) which Eichi said reminded him of Watarus hair and then immediately went "actually, where is Wataru?" and the counter piece from Neverland where Nagisa made a pun on Ibaras name and Wataru went "oh you made a pun! Our Eichi is quite fond of those too! <33" (living in each others minds rent free lomve) and also that time in the summer vacation (I think it was called?) where Kaoru was calling for help because Wataru wouldn't leave him alone and Eichi just "Why, are you cheating on me Wataru?" I just thought that was really amusing they did not hold back on the wataei in that story though chapter one I think it was they already had them with the "Just for being yourself you've already earned 100 points!" "Well then I shall continue to aim for 120." And Watarus grandiously announcing Eichis arrival and Eichi answering with "oh you're making me blush" and NOT TO FORGET THE MILKY WAY SCENE AFTER THE LIVE WHEN THEY WERE SITTING AND EICHI WAS IN AWE ABOUT VALKYRIES PERFORMANCE AND THE "after all, the one who taught me that this world could be more beautiful than anything else was you." (I think it was something along those lines) which. Biting through a wall. And in daydream the way Eichi described Wataru was also *chefs kiss* I really liked that scene it was also very bittersweet (mainly bitter but that has it's appeal too no?) And aaah gosh the ending chapters of ep:link too those were sooooooo ("You could be Momotarou born from a peach. You could be a nameless extra of unknown origin. It all wouldn't matter because the one standing right in front of me is the Hibiki Wataru I love and admire." Dying deceased dead.) Just the way they are the reason we even have this entire store just the way they shaped the narrative I am soooooo normal about them AND DINER LIVE THE LAST CHAPTER when he said he wanted to stand on the same stage as Eichi not as a member of fine or as one of the five oddballs but as just Wataru that was also very <33 :)))) and all of Magnolia chapter 6/7/8 the bet to play a game and then the loser has to buy the winner lunch and the doll (that doll I am still not over that) and the way there's multiple dolls and "You're a genius I have taken quite a liking to" and the way Wataru wanted to hand those dolls up by the neck outside of the window for good weather and when Eichi had the Wataru doll sit in his chair so it wouldn't get dirtied I think was the reason and Tori was very weirded out by the situation I lomved that a lot they're very neat I love them a lot I love them so much they're so dear to me <3333)

[professional-benaddict]

You can always think more about our Heat Facilities AU 😏

+1k brainstormings between me and @starkeristheendgame 🤤🤤💗💗

~ heat clinic au ~

A/B/O verse, heats, smut, medical settings

Peter is an omega, and as an omega he has heats once a month. However, his heats are more painful and intense than the average omega’s. His family doctor refers him to a heat clinic for a consultation.

Heat clinics are medical facilities where omegas can receive Alpha care and medical assistance through their heats. The staff members can be Alphas and betas, and they work as doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. However, the heat therapists do most of the heavy work. And they have to be Alphas. How else can they satisfy an omega?

During his first consultation, Peter meets his doctor Stephen Strange. The doctor is an Alpha, and at first Peter was under the impression that the doctor would be helping him through his heat. However, then the doctor calls in another Alpha, who he refers to as a heat specialist.

“How- how...? He’s huge!” Peter is dumbfounded by just how huge the heat specialist, Thor, is and how Stephen thought he would be a good fit.

“He’s just perfect for you. You’re not as tight as you think, Peter. You’ll losen up quickly. Come on, hop on the table. I’ll make sure you’re well lubricated and ready for him.”

“I-”

And Peter is so goddamn nervous that Thor starts asking him about random things to get him to relax while Stephen stretches Peter out to prepare him for Thor.

Peter had no idea being fucked could feel this good. There is no pain, and all his needs are being fulfilled, even the ones he did not know he had. Stephen and Thor know what they are doing.

“Excellent, Peter. Based on your hormone levels, your heat should begin in ten days. Come back here then, and we will get you sorted out.”

Peter nods meekly, already dripping at the idea of being fucked by Thor again.

Ten days later, Peter’s heat begins, just like Stephen had said. Unlike last time, Stephen has brought in four heat specialists. Thor is there, along with three other Alphas called Bucky, Steve and Tony. They each have their go at Peter, and Stephen makes clinical notes throughout of how much slick Peter is making, how many knots he is taking and much more.

Towards the end of his heat, the doctor uses a speculum to keep Peter’s sloppy hole open so he can examine it and see how much cum is still inside the boy. He can see the knot bruising inside, and fingers at the boy’s swollen cervix. Stephen congratulates his team on a job well done. Then, he hands the fucked out Omega to his beta staff members Wanda, Natasha and Pepper so he can be cleaned up, fed, dressed and sent home.

A week later, Peter is still having wet dreams of his latest heat and all the care he received at the heat clinic. He used to dread his heats, but now he cannot think of anything else but those incredibly hot Alphas fucking him. As if his dreams were becoming reality, he runs into Bucky at the grocery store while daydreaming. Peter instantly starts dripping slick at the sight of the Alpha heat specialist as he is stood there clutching his basket. If only he had known that Bucky could smell him even from a distance.

However, before Peter can get to his next heat, something odd starts happening. He is bleeding, a lot, and the omega rushes to the heat clinic, crying for help at the reception. Stephen takes him in right away for an exam and quickly comes to the conclusion that Peter needs surgery to stop the bleed in his uterus. Thor and Steve sit with him and help him calm down till it is time to go in for surgery.

It is a minor surgery, so Peter is getting local anaesthesia and can stay awake during the procedure. While working between his legs, Stephen asks Peter what happened and what could have made him bleed so much. The poor omega does not know, and he cries a bit during the procedure. Luckily, Steve and Thor are with him, comforting him.

Upon further examination, Stephen deduces that Peter got a minor tear during his last heat from all the knots he took. And when the omega had masturbated at home with large toys, he had ripped the healing wound. However, it is easy enough to sow together with a few stitches with a surgical speculum holding Peter open. At this point, all four Alphas have crowded into the procedure room to debate who’s knot had torn their sweet omega.

Peter ends up all blushy and giggly, being cooed at by all these hot Alphas while Stephen is wrist deep in his ass. They all love drugged and high Peter, and Stephen is begging them to stop exciting Peter because he needs to keep still. One of them even offers their cock to Peter as a pacifier to keep him still. Peter’s eyes immediately light up and Stephen, who is between his legs sewing him up, says simply ‘no’.

After the medical emergency, Stephen recommends that Peter come back to the clinic for all his heats for close monitoring and assistance. Peter agrees easily with a shy smile on his lips. If only he knew Steve, Thor, Bucky and Tony are as eager as he is for his next heat.

A month later, Peter is back at the clinic. Steve, Thor, Bucky and Tony are all gathered outside the exam room where Stephen is with Peter, like huge excited and horny puppies.

“Is he in heat?”

“Is he ready?”

“Choose me this time! I know him the most, so I’ll take care of him.”

“Bull! I’ve had him three times, and he said you hurt him last time.”

“Stop!” Stephen barks. “He’s in heat, all right. But, he’s having a hard time, so I’m doing an IV treatment with hormones to help. So, none of you get to touch him yet. Is that clear?”

And when Stephen comes back, they are all in Peter’s room drooling over him. Peter has an excuse, however.

“I heard them outside and I couldn’t help myself! It’s okay that they just sit here, right?” Peter says from his bed where he lays with an IV and a low grade fever, smelling so delicious.

The four Alphas make Peter’s heats into a competition. Who can make him cum quicker, who can fill him up the most, who’s knot lasts longest, who can make him scream the loudest… When Stephen finds out, he is not pleased.

“This is a professional establishment and you’re acting like colts put to pasture with a ripe filly. Must I pull you all from the roster and have you re-trained in professionalism?”

However, even Stephen reaches his breaking point thanks to Peter. One day, the clinic is overbooked, and Peter comes in early due to his heat starting five days before it was supposed to. And Stephen is the only available Alpha when Peter arrives.

Stephen refuses to sink down to the level of fucking a patient, when that is specifically the heat specialists’ job. He is too professional to give in, and so he tries his hardest to please Peter by using toys on him. Nothing seems to work, and Peter is left unsatisfied and in a great deal of distress. Luckily, the emergency heat specialist on call arrives, and takes care of Peter.

Once out of the room, Stephen groans lowly and hurries to a staff room. He shoves his hand into his hands. He has to get off right away, and it only takes him a few short moments to do so. Peter’s scent is still lingering on his scrubs, fuelling his own orgasm. The doctor normally uses heavy suppressants to get through his work days, but this time Peter, this one omega, has pushed him over the edge.

The heat clinic is the best thing that happened to Peter, and Peter is the best thing that happened to the heat clinic.

[justnerdthings]

Frigid Heart Ch. 6

F!Reader x Bi-Han

Bi-Han finally gives you a name! Also, drama!

@poor-unfortunate-soul-85 @whitelotusfighter @icy-spicy @crazytxgradstudent @d-taslim @bihansthot @legends-of-apex @lilliannmac @missroro @shang-hung

Bi-Han’s eyes slowly opened. Vision blurred again. But this time he recognized his surroundings and the ceiling he stared at. Stone masonry. He was in the Lin Kuei palace.

And he could breathe. Air, real air, felt so good. And his heart… he could feel it beating in his chest. It must have been a dream. It had to have been. He drew in a deep breath--as deep as he could before a sharp pain stung his side.

Hushed voices were all around him. The lanterns were low. What time was it? He moved to sit up, but immediately regretted it as pain shot through his chest. He grunted and let himself back down.

You had been sleeping only a few feet away, curled up on the bare stone floor when a gruff noise woke you. Your tired eyes opened to see your Master stirring. Your heart skipped a beat and you quickly sat up and moved to his side. “Master?”

His eyes opened again and shifted to your face. His brows knotted. You were there… Good. Then it really must have been a dream. He lifted a hand, surprised how much effort it actually took, and was secretly grateful when you took hold of it, allowing him to relax his arm. You frowned at him, at how weak he was. But he was alive. He would recover. You squeezed his hand gently. “You’re alright, Master,” you told him softly, watching his eyes close again. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. They said you’ll recover.” You lifted your free hand to brush it against his cheek gently… He was soaked in sweat and you wondered if that was normal for him. You hadn’t seen him sweat since you’d met him. Did cryomancers sweat? He didn’t even feel all that cold… Did… Did he have a fever? You frowned.

“Where is Kuai?” He rasped. His throat was so dry.

Your brows knotted. “Kuai?”

He was silent for a moment before sighing. Right, you didn’t know Tundra’s real name. Bi-Han was sure that you hadn't even known his own name. “Tundra,” he answered slowly.

Tundra. His real name was Kuai? You nodded, storing that bit of information deep in your memory. “He’s gone to help the others repair the village. He’s safe.”

Bi-Han seemed to relax further at the news, as if relieved. You watched him quietly before letting go of his hand. Eyes were on you. Servants and assassins were watching you. You felt your face grow hot.

Bi-Han's eyes had opened and shifted to your red face. A small grin tugged his lips. It only made your face redder and he chuckled weakly. "Interesting," he whispered, which made your brows knot in confusion. "For someone who runs so boldly into battle, you are quite timid."

Your jaw hardened. "This… I am not used to this, Master."

He grunted and shifted uncomfortably. "Stop calling me that."

You opened your mouth to protest, but decided against it. "What should I call you?"

"Anything else," he answered.

You frowned. That was unbelievably vague. Anything else? That could be… anything.

"Everyone calls you Sub-Zero," you said.

He nodded weakly. "My name is Bi-Han," he whispered.

You smiled. Somehow learning his name seemed a privilege. You bowed your head respectfully.

"What was your name in the Snow Ninja clan?" He asked.

You lifted your head to look at him curiously. "Y/N," you answered.

His eyes shifted from your face as he stared at the ceiling. "Do you like that name?" He asked.

Your brows knotted. That was an odd question. Did you like your name? How could you answer that? It was your name. It was the only name you've had. "I don't understand," you told him.

"Do you want to keep that name, or would you like a new one?" He asked, looking back to your face.

Oh… You had assumed he would just give you one. But here he was, asking if you wanted one…

“What would you have named me?” you asked curiously. If you liked it better than your name, you’d probably take it.

Bi-Han closed his eyes as he pondered for a moment. “Bao-Zhong,” He’d finally decided.

Your cheeks turned red at the name. You supposed the last bit was accurate… But that first part? Did he really feel that way?

His eyes had opened and looked to you. He grew amused at your red cheeks again. “Do you not like it?”

“Oh,” You straightened, then bowed your head again to him. “Yes, Master—” You stopped yourself. “Bi-Han,” you corrected yourself. “I do.”

“Will you take it?” He asked.

“Yes.” You nodded. “Thank you.”

He gave another tired nod and a sigh left him as he relaxed. It suddenly hit you that the Grandmaster had wanted to know when Bi-Han woke. Your eyes widened. You’d nearly forgotten.

You signaled for a palace guard. He’d made his way over to you curiously. His arrival had caught Bi-Han’s attention.

“The Grandmaster wished to be notified when Sub-Zero woke,” you told the guard.

The guard nodded and looked to Sub-Zero. Bi-Han simply closed his eyes again as he rested. The guard looked back to you. “I will send word to The Grandmaster.”

“Thank you,” you said gratefully with a small bow. The guard returned the gesture with a bow of his head and took his leave.

You sat with content at Bi-Han’s side as you waited for the Grandmaster. You watched Bi-Han’s chest rise and fall slowly with each breath he took. He looked so peaceful as he rested there. You wondered if he had fallen asleep again. What did he dream about? Were his dreams full of glorious battles? Or were they uneventful and mediocre? Did he dream about you? Is that why he thought you were valuable?

It wasn’t a long wait. The Grandmaster came and acknowledged you with a smile. You bowed your head to him. Lily hadn’t come along and you were grateful. You breathed in relief.

“Sub-Zero has woken?” He asked.

Before you could answer, his attention had shifted to Bi-Han, who had opened his eyes weakly.

“Ah. Good,” The Grandmaster nodded and stepped closer.

You moved to give them space, but Bi-Han’s hand reached for you. Your brows knotted, but you obeyed. You sat there with your head bowed as the Grandmaster looked between the two of you. A small smirk pulled at his lips, but he didn’t bring attention to you or Bi-Han’s seemingly growing feelings for you. He only turned his attention back to Bi-Han.

“Once again, Sub-Zero, your will to survive surprises me. How many close calls has it been now?” The Grandmaster said with a playful tone.

“Too many,” Bi-Han breathed, before succumbing to a small coughing fit. The Grandmaster didn’t seem concerned with it.

“As I understand, it seems your servant here was the one to save you this time.”

Bi-Han’s brows knotted as he looked over to you. You were glancing at him out the corner of your eye, but quickly looked away as you noticed his gaze shift to you.

“Ah, a modest one. How refreshing,” the Grandmaster said. “Do you not remember, Sub-Zero?”

“I do not… the last thing I remember—” He paused. Bi-Han couldn’t remember much of anything other than that dream. He frowned in his own defeat.

“I’m sure it will come back to you,” The Grandmaster assured him. “Your house has been repaired. Though, I understand your dinner has been ruined.” The Grandmaster looked back to you. “I will send a replacement when you are ready.”

Your cheeks flushed as you nodded and bowed gratefully.

“Can you walk?” The Grandmaster asked, looking back to Bi-Han.

Bi-Han sighed, as if dreading the thought of it, but began to push himself to sit up. His face showed his discomfort. You could see just how much he was struggling. You thought of offering to help him, but something told you not to. As if to save Bi-Han some face, you averted your eyes as he grunted through his pain as he finally managed to sit up. A shallow breath escaped him. He was already exhausted.

You peeked back to him. His eyes were on you as he tried not to take too deep a breath. You could see now, as the sheet covering him had fallen from his chest, that he was wrapped tight in bandages. Glancing back to his eyes, he nodded towards the clean robe which had been dropped off earlier. You quickly grabbed it and carefully helped him slip into the long robe.

The Grandmaster watched, hiding his amusement behind a stone face. Sub-Zero had always been a fighter. He’d fight death itself it seemed. That was precisely why The Grandmaster was so concerned with him. Sub-Zero reminded him so much of himself.

Despite his stubbornness, Bi-Han knew he wasn’t going to be able to get up on his own. He sighed in his defeat. He looked back to you. He didn’t have to ask, the look on his face was enough. Shifting behind him, you gently wrapped your arms under his. After making sure you weren’t hurting him, you gave him a small count off before pushing yourself up with your legs, doing your best to support Bi-Han’s weight as well as you pulled him up with you. Once about half-way up, Bi-Han managed to get his feet under him and help take most of his weight off you.

Once he was up, you kept your eyes averted as he put a hand on your shoulder to steady himself and straighten out. You caught glance of the Grandmaster, smirking at you, before he looked back to Bi-Han. “Do you require a walking stick?” The Grandmaster offered, but even you could hear the teasing that lurked in his tone.

Bi-Han let go of your shoulder with a grunt and made to take a step. You felt your heart skip a beat as he stumbled, but managed to catch himself. The scowl on Bi-Han’s face made the Grandmaster chuckle and nod. The Grandmaster gestured for the door with an outstretched arm. Bi-Han looked in the direction.

The door was on the other side of the large room. And before you could offer to help him, Bi-Han had started to shuffle his way towards it, refusing any more help. That didn’t stop you from staying close behind him. You watched him carefully. Your body was tense, heart pounding in anticipation of him misstepping and falling.

But he didn’t. He’d made it to the door. A guard had opened it for the both of you. You gave the guard a bow of your head. Once in the hall, and the door shut behind you, you heard a heavy breath escape from Bi-han before he put a hand on the stone wall and leaned against it.

You moved to his side. “Don’t push yourself,” you said just loud enough for him to hear.

He shook his head. “I can’t let him see me weak.”

“You almost died,” you reasoned. “I’m sure he—” You stopped when you caught his stern eyes. You straightened. You gave him a single nod. “Take your time,” you said then, and he seemed to relax with your words.

After a few moments, he began walking again, using the wall for support. You didn’t leave his side.

Outside however, Bi-Han was without a wall to support himself. He put a hand on your shoulder again. You let him use you to support himself as you both made your way back to his house. You didn’t notice anything new about it, the repairs had been seamless. The Lin Kuei must have had some remarkable builders.

Helping Bi-Han inside, he let go of your shoulder to use the walls again. Once you shut the door and locked it, you followed him as he made his way to his room. You helped him lower himself to his bed.

“Thank you,” He said, barely above a whisper. Your eyes shifted up to his. You weren’t sure he’d ever said those words before, they sounded so strange coming from his mouth. But you didn’t mention it. You just nodded to him.

“Rest for now,” You told him. You helped him lay back and pull over his covers. You sat on the edge of his bed. He didn’t protest in the least and closed his eyes.

It didn’t take long for Bi-Han to drift back to sleep. You had sat on the edge of his bed for a moment longer before moving to the kitchen. There was black markings all over the place. Apparently a fire had broken out in the chaos. Thankfully, it didn’t spread to the rest of the house. You sighed at the mess however. This would take hours to clean.

A knock had pulled your attention. You looked up from scrubbing the floor. Who could that possibly be at this hour? You could have sworn most of the assassins had turned in for the night and would get back to work in the morning. You pushed yourself up and wiped your hands on a towel. Knocks came again before you could get to the door. Hopefully they weren’t loud enough to wake Bi-Han.

You opened the door a crack and peeked out. The dirt covered face of Kuai stared back at you. Your brows bunched as you opened the door for him. He stepped in, covered from head to toe in dirt. “What have you been doing…” You mused as you shut the door behind him.

“Where is he?” Kuai asked, voice rough.

“Resting. Do not disturb him,” You told him.

Kuai’s brows rose. “Are you ordering me?”

You gave him a stern look. He grinned and headed for the kitchen, trailing dirt through the house. You sighed. More cleaning. You followed him.

“Why are you here?” You asked Kuai as he sat at the table, taking note of the burned marks. “Don’t lean on that. It’s unstable,” you warned him.

“I was burying our dead,” he answered. Your brows knotted again. “Did you not ask what I was doing?” He asked. Oh, right. You nodded with a sigh. “My house had burned down,” he’d then added, answering your other question. “I would have stayed in the palace, but I never liked staying there… Too many eyes.”

You nodded and moved to the sink. A basin of clean water was in it. You took a clean cloth and wet it. You moved to Kuai and offered it to him. He took it and wiped his hands clean. “Should I set out a couple bed rolls for you and Snowflake?” You offered.

Kuai shook his head. “Just one,” he said and used the rag to wipe the dirt from his face. You looked to him with confusion, but as he looked back to you, you suddenly understood… One bed roll… all the dirt… ‘burying our dead…’ You frowned and bowed your head respectfully.

“My condolences,” you said gently.

Kuai sucked in a breath. “Do not concern yourself with her. There’s nothing you can do.”

But guilt had already taken hold of you. Maybe if you had just stayed at the bath house, you would have been able to save Snowflake. Maybe the others? You hadn’t seen any of them since that morning. “If I had stayed at the bath house—”

“If you had stayed at the bath house, then my brother may have perished instead.”

You fell silent. You supposed he was right. You sighed heavily in your defeat.

“How did you command the beast?” Kuai asked, looking into your eyes, as if trying to find some secret. You’d turned your head away and he reached out to grip your arm tightly, almost threateningly. “What did you do?!” He demanded.

You gasped and tried to pull away from him, but his entire hand was big enough to completely close around your arm and he wasn’t letting go. “Please, Tundra… Let me go,” you plead as fear began pumping through your veins.

“What did you do?” He demanded again and easily yanked you back towards him.

“I didn’t!-- Please!”

Kuai wasn’t having it. He knew you had done something. He didn’t know what, but he’d been suspicious the moment you’d stood up to that ice beast and didn’t have so much as a scratch from the encounter. How had you gotten out without being harmed? How had everyone else gotten harmed or killed. But not you?

“Kuai!”

Kuai’s eye shifted up to look beyond you. You turned your head to look back. Bi-Han was leaning against the wall, pain covering his face under the glare he was giving his brother. Kuai looked to you, then practically threw your arm back at you. You quickly backed away from him, well out of his reach.

“She did something,” Kuai said, looking back to his brother.

Bi-Han kept his eyes on Kuai, but spoke to you. “Did you do something, Bao-Zhong?”

Kuai shifted uncomfortably hearing your new name, he looked back to you.

You shook your head, “No… I… I just spoke to it.”

Kuai scoffed. “You commanded it!”

“No--I…” You frowned and caught Bi-Han’s curious eyes now locked on you. “I… I just told it to stop…”

“And it listened,” Kuai added.

Bi-Han was looking back and forth between you two. He knew what Kuai was accusing you of.

“I’ve never known Ice Beasts to be that violent,” you told them.

“So you communicate with them regularly?” Kuai interrogated.

You were panicking. Now you were catching on to the accusation. “I didn’t do this. I swear!”

“You’re the only one unscathed!” Kuai shouted.

“No! No! That’s not true! It was attacking me too!” You plead.

“And yet there is not a scratch on you!” Kuai countered.

“I just…” Tears were starting to roll down your cheeks now. “I didn’t cause this!”

“What happened?” Bi-Han asked, trying to keep his voice clear and calm. “Why would an Ice Beast listen to you?”

“Do… Do they not listen to you?” You asked them, but they just gave you bewildered expressions. “They… We…” You swallowed the lump in your throat. “In the Snow Ninja clan, they help us. We have them do the work that would take several of us to do… They protect us…”

“You enslaved them?” Kuai asked in disbelief.

“They made life easier…”

“Like horses?” Bi-Han asked.

“Yes.”

Bi-Han and Kuai exchanged looks before looking back at you. “Did you know the one who attacked us?” Kuai asked.

You shook your head.

“And you did not command these Ice Beasts to attack the village?”

“No.”

“Then why did they attack?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I thought the Lin Kuei had killed all the Ice Beasts in my old village. The one that attacked us… There was something in its eyes… Something unnatural… Like it wasn’t in control.”

“What are you saying?” Bi-Han asked.

“It was as if… it was under a spell,” you answered.

“A spell?” Kuai said, looking back to his brother. Bi-Han looked just as confused. “Who would put a spell on an Ice Beast to destroy our village?”

“We have no shortage of enemies, Kuai,” Bi-Han reminded him.

“Please. Believe me. I did not bring them here,” You plead again.

Kuai had side-eyed you, not entirely convinced.

“I do believe you,” Bi-Han reassured you. Kuai stared back to his brother in disbelief. “You would not have saved me if you had sent them to destroy us. You would have ran in the chaos,” Bi-Han reasoned.

The tension that was building in your shoulders had melted away. Bi-Han believed you. And he had been right. If you had gotten the Ice Beasts to attack the village, you certainly would have run. And you certainly wouldn’t have saved Bi-Han or Kuai.

[teenyweenynightghost]

@superchrystaldrug

“Enjoying the view, beautiful?” X Damiano

Dream View

Y/n looked out the balcony and took in her surroundings. Right in front of their house was a long alley leading to a meadow, hidden deep in the woods. There were trees, plants and flowers everywhere and y/n thought she could never be more in love with a place.

What made it truly special is that it was hers. Hers and Damiano’s.

Their relationship had been long and rocky. To say the least.

With Damiano being an international rockstar and Y/n an achieved medic, work and stress brought them apart more often than they would have liked.

Oh how many nights could y/n think of in which she would cry herself to sleep, praying she hadn’t lost Damiano forever.

All her prayers must have been answered, because just today they had moved into their new house.

It was a large villa in the countryside. They both loved every single thing about it, especially the privacy and intimacy it offered them.

One month ago, when they had come to visit the house for the first time, both of them pointed out how large it was. Because of that single thought on their head, they brushed past it.

Once they went upstairs, the agent mentioned that there were plenty rooms for more than two people, a soft smile on his face. Damiano immediately dragged Y/n to a spare room and hugged her from behind, resting his hands on her stomach.

“Love, I think I want to spend the rest of our lives here.”

They were both grinning like love-struck teenagers when they exited the room, exploring the house once more, with a new-found interest.

The way y/n was currently prompted against the fence made it easy for Damiano to embrace her just as he did one month ago.

“Enjoying the view, beautiful?”

She hummed, her eyes lighting up at his presence.

“What are you thinking about?” He whispered in her ear, leaving countless kisses on her neck.

“You..” she purred, pleased at the contact. Damiano chuckled a little and turned her around, pushing her against the fence.

“Aren’t you always.” He said smiling, brushing a few strands of hair from her face.

“Im bored.” Y/n sighed, looking around the balcony.

A devilish grin appeared on Damiano’s face as he led her back inside.

“You know what we haven’t done yet?”

Y/n raised a quizzical eyebrow and hummed.

“Ikea. Furniture. Chaos. Let’s go babe!” He turned around, still holding her hand so she would follow him, a hand raised in the air as he gestured widely.

“Oh gods have mercy.” Y/n giggled, before she grabbed her purse and a water bottle.

***

“FOR FUCK’S SAKE Damiano! WE are NOT getting a NEON PINK glow in the dark couch!” She exaggerated each of her words, making sure all of them reached her incredibly stubborn boyfriend.

“Fuck yeah we are.” He said calmly, checking the price tag.

“I swear to fucking god, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT?”

“FUCK ON IT!” He screamed out so loudly, the whole store heard.

Y/n closed her eyes tightly and pursed her lips, hoping the ground would open and swallow her whole.

“Please tell me I had a hallucination and you did not scream that out.” She whispered, embarrassment creeping up her cheeks.

“You told me that honesty is key. Are you saying you were wrong?” He asked loud enough for the people around to hear, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“No fucking kisses for you, motherfucker.” She deadpanned, while brushing past a pouty, devastated, mess of a man.

***

“Y/n look!” He whispered excitedly in her ear, pointing to the baby section.

“I can see that, darling.” She answered softly, already grinning like a fool.

They made their way towards a small cradle, which was decorated with white stars and dark blue sheets.

“This one is so beautiful.” Damiano breathed out, brushing a finger along the wooden structure.

“It actually is!” Y/n responded, surprises at the creative decorations.

“Until now I think I’ve only seen clouds and princesses or bows. But not galaxies.” He commented, his gaze now fixated on the lamp above.

“So were you serious about wanting a baby?” Y/n asked reluctantly, afraid to hear his response.

“Are you kidding me? Did we really buy a fucking mansion for two people and two cats?” He faked an emotionless expression, but Y/n could tell he was amused.

“Okay, okay, I just wanted to make sure.” She blushed at the whole conversation and continued to look at the furniture.

“What would you want to call the baby?” He peeped in, magically appearing next to her.

Y/n hummed and thought of an answer, before speaking again.

“Well, If it’s a girl, I really like Calliope, we could call her Alia, and if it’s a boy, I’m kinda obsessed with Sebastian or Matteo.”

“Ew.”

Y/n frowned, confused, and turned to him.

“What?”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I have two names being repeated in my music and you don’t even bring them up. Rude.”

Y/n snorted and gave him a quick kiss.

“Oh, you baby. Of course I like Marlena and Coraline but I don’t want our child to be named after someone who keeps leaving or someone who always cries and has anxiety.” She joked, earning a dazzling laugh from Damiano.

“Fair enough. I really did like Alia though!” He commented, picking up a pair of baby shoes.

“Y/N!!!” He exclaimed, holding the little shoes in his large hands, while jumping up and down.

“THESE BARELY FIT ON MY FINGERS!!” His eyes were full of adoration and longing as he looked at them, a million possibilities speeding around through his mind.

“Can you imagine? Having a little munchkin who looks just like us and is this small?” Y/n giggled, holding one of the shoes delicately.

“Honey I think we should have children with separate people.”

Y/n was shocked at his words and pulled away instantly, insulted at his words as regret flashed over his face.

“WHAT?!” She all but screamed, already feeing a dreadful sensation in her stomach.

“Chill. I meant that we are both so hot out future child will probably anger Venus herself with their looks.” He replied wide eyed, mimicking his version of a goddess.

Y/n bursted out laughing as Damiano joined her, the couple becoming the centre of attention once more.

“We should really be more quiet.” Y/n whispered through giggles, as she pulled Damiano behind a wall.

He nodded and kissed her gently, before pulling away and continuing to look at clothing.

The couple spent hours at the shop, proud with their purchases, and returned home on the dark streets.

They were both seated on a swinging chair, y/n in Damiano’s lap, overlooking the woods.

“We’re gonna make great parents some day.” Damiano whispered, breaking the silence, as his hand wandered over her stomach.

Y/n had never felt happier, her heart filled with love and certainty, as she nodded and nuzzled further into Damiano.

Author’s note: I have baby fever part two (?) or maybe three. Anyway. I think it’s cute👏🥺😩

Taglist: @fuckim-so-gay @ginny-lily @messyhairday-me @cheese-toastie-11 @wannabemarlenabutiscoraline @simp-per-ethan @maneskinrollercoaster @juststalking @superchrystaldrug @immrbrightsideeee @shehaddreamstoo

[musekicker]

If you’re still doing prompts, maybe Diane trying to take care of the Bad Guys during a day where they’re all sick, with Wolf trying to help her despite the fact that he himself is practically coughing up his lungs and running a 101.5 fever?

Colds had a way of spreading. Especially if a number of people lived in the same place. And a cold had very much spread through out the ex bad guys home. Wolf was the only one out of the sick that could actually do more then lay in bed and suffer. Not that he was really doing all that much better himself. Call it him still being the caring leader type when it came to his friends and loved one. He just was not going to let this cold take him down so easily that he couldn't help the others. Even if all he wanted to do was crawl into bed himself.

Thankfully Diane did not leave Wolf to handle sick care on his own. She was already worried about Wolf and the rest of the crew.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Diane asked. "You don't exactly look like you're up to helping out."

Wolf just laughed a little and picked up the kettle to fill with the water needed to make the tea.

"I downed a lot of day time cold medicine. So I'm good to go." Wolf said.

"Cold medicine doesn't exactly work that way. Also how much of it did you "down" exactly?" Diane asked.

"So we should check on Tarantula first? I guarantee she's the quickest to check on." Wolf said, not addressing Diane's question at all.

Tarantula was fairly simple to care for when sick. Stick her in front of her laptop with so many streaming options and she would fall in and out of sleep, somewhat binging shows.

Next was Snake would, who would grumble and complain a lot. But he also would sleep a lot when he wasn't feeling well. And this seemed to be the case for this cold too. He was pretty deep in sleep when Diane and Wolf went in and checked on him. A pillow was being loosely squeezed by his coils as if hugging a stuffed animal.

"Aw, how sweet." Wolf said.

Then Snake let out a gross, hacking noise in his sleep.

"And gross." Diane added in.

"Yeah." Wolf agreed.

It was Shark and Piranha who were the absolute worst when sick. Piranha had this thing where he would sneeze and cough so hard that he would almost fall off the couch. More then once, he actually had. In fact, when Wolf and Diane went to check on him he was laying on the floor.

"Want the couch...but too weak to get back on couch." Piranha whined.

Wolf and Diane helped Piranha back onto the couch. 

"You okay, bud?" Wolf asked.

"Blah." was all Piranha said.

"Well... you're going to hate me for even suggesting this but... time for the cold medicine." Wolf said.

Piranha's tired eyes grew wide.

"Oh no. Nope. I'm not taking that nasty stuff. And you can't-" Piranha ranted.

Diane moved before either Wolf of Piranha could realize she had moved. In her hand, the measuring cup lid of the cold medicine, full of said medicine. With quick and precise movements and strength that she did not look like she had but they all knew she did, Diane got the cold medicine down Piranha's throat.

Both Wolf and Piranha's stared.

"Well that's done." Diane said. "Shark's next then."

The thing about  Shark when sick... Shark would crave the weirdest things to eat when sick. Things beyond chicken soup. This somewhat made sense for a animal that could and would eat various things others wouldn't dream of eating.

"I want some clam chowder." Shark said.

Wolf shook his head.

"Shark, come on-" Wolf said.

"Come onnnn!" Shark whined. "I'm sick. You have to."

"That's not a strict rule." Wolf said.

Shark was not ready to admit defeat.

"Pleassseee?" Shark said, a sniffle following his whine. 

Wolf sighed.

"Do we even have-" Wolf said.

"I'll go to the store. If you go you'll just spread your cold to everyone else." Diane said.

"Good point." Wolf agreed. "In the mean time I'll just keep a eye on everyone else."

Diane frowned.

"Still think you should rest." she said.

Wolf gave one of those grins he would give when he was trying to be charming enough to convince someone else nothing was wrong.

"I'm fine. I promise you I'm fine." Wolf said.

Diane came back from the store to find that Wolf's condition was getting worse. He was standing at the fridge, freezer open and his head partly sticking into the freezer. To say that concerned Diane was a bit of a understatement. She put the groceries on the kitchen counter and spoke.

"Wolf... what are you doing?" Diane asked.

Wolf didn't move away from the freezer at first. And when he did he gave a disappointed groan.

"I was feeling a little warm so I thought-" Wolf started to explain.

Giving him no more time to explain, Diane was quick to feel Wolf's forehead. Even though his face had been stuck in the freezer, it still felt hot.

"I'm going to get a thermometer and get your temperature." Diane said.

The thermometer gave a high reading. Not high enough to require a hospital visit but enough to signal that Wolf was really sick.

"Okay, that's it. You are going to get some rest too." Diane said.

Wolf tried to protest. But then the coughing fit set in. A violent one that had Wolf looking down to the floor, as if he expected to see a lung there. 

"Now will you rest?" Diane asked.

"You might have a point." Wolf said.

Diane watched Wolf head to his bedroom and then climb into the bed. The moment Wolf got settled into his bed he just fell asleep. And Diane went to make the clam chowder that was promised to Shark.

It took a few days for the worst of the colds to subside. And then a few more days for the colds to get through their systems for good. By then Diane had made a important discovery. That she had caught the cold. She sat on the couch, blanket over her shoulders, nose stuffed up and coughing.

"Germ warfare! I hate you all!" Diane cried.

Shark arrived with more pillows.

"I'm sure you'll forgive us when Piranha finishes his famous Got a Cold soup." Shark said.

"We just have to find a lot more bottles of cold medicine." Snake said.

Diane stared.

"He's kidding!" Wolf said. "Snake, tell her you're kidding."

Snake just laughed and slithered away.

[infinitefandomimagines]

Things the hq boys secretly love pt. 2

WARNINGS: language

—

CHARACTERS: Oikawa Tooru, Kita Shinsuke, Tendou Satori, and Terushima Yuuji

—

part 1 , part 2

OIKAWA TOORU

• when you put makeup on him / use him as a canvas to practice looks.

• you would do it on yourself, but it's easier to follow along with the tutorials when doing it on someone else. plus it gives you an excuse to spend time with and be close to your boyfriend.

• oikawa will literally complain non-stop about how he doesn't want you prodding at his face with brushes and how all the products will make him break out. but the second you do a new look without practicing on him first he's offended.

• because no matter how much he claims to hate it, he secretly loves it. the brushes feel so soft and ticklish against his skin, and your touch is always so gentle and warm. plus, he's more than happy with the proximity between the two of you.

• as a comprise for letting you do this, you let him lay on his back on your shared bed (the lighting isn't great but at least he's comfy). you'll splay out your products around the empty bed space and then perch yourself on top of him, straddling his hips. you'll get super close to his face, bending down to hover over him, the palm of your non dominant hand pressed against his chest to steady yourself

• he's lowkey scared you'll feel how fast his heart is beating, but you never mention it.

• your face is mere inches away from his and he takes full advantage of this, stealing little kisses from you when you're least expecting it.

• also loves to rest his hands on your hips, playing with the hem of your shirt, finger tips lightly grazing the skin beneath.

• mf thinks its funny to poke your sides randomly to make you jump

• "tooru– keep doing that and i'll actually stab you in the eye."

• spoiler alert: he keeps doing it and you do end up stabbing him in the eye (accidently ofc)

• after you're done, he'll let you take as many photos of the look as you want. he even takes a few for himself because he's proud of your work and wants to show it off to iwa later.

• lowkey feeling himself

• if you thought this man's ego was big before hand...

• "i look pretty hot, don't i y/n–chan? i think blue is really my color."

—

KITA SHINSUKE

• when you take care of and baby him, especially if he's sick.

• he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself, and both of you know that. mf is literally one of the most responsible people ever.

• but something inside of him just … melts when you dote over him.

• this usually happens when you can tell he's had a long and tiring day, or on he rare occasion he gets sick.

• you'll cook for him, give him a little massage, cuddle him, help him bathe, do his chores, anything to alleviate some of the stress weighing on him.

• his favorite thing ever is when you let him lay his head in your lap. will fall asleep in five minutes flat when you start playing with his hair.

• literally the second he tries to do anything you're glaring at him with your arms crossed over your chest, telling him to get back to bed before he makes his fever any worse.

• he'll insist that he's fine and can make his own soup / do his own chore work but will cave so quickly when you don't give up.

• man barely puts up a fight anymore, just let's you do your thing and accepts his fate.

• almost like he wants to be taken care of … suspicious.

• kita is a pretty self sufficient person, but he has to admit, it just feels nice to have someone care for him so tenderly. it shows how much you care for him.

• he likes to act all put together and stoic but his insides are complete mush when it comes to you.

• won't admit how much he secretly loves it, but he's sure to let you know how appreciative he is of you taking care of him. will never let your efforts go unnoticed or without praise.

• (but maybe don't baby him in public, poor boy gets so flustered and embarrassed)

• and don't think for one second that when the roles are reversed, and you're the one who's sick or tired, that he's gonna let you lift a single finger.

—

TENDOU SATORI

• when you show him off in public or to your friends.

• the first time tendou met your friends was when you unexpectedly ran into them at a coffee shop while the two of you were on a date. you ran up and greeted them while tendou kept his distance, not sure if you'd want to introduce him.

• poor baby still has some insecurities left over from his childhood and thinks you wouldn't want to be seen with a "freak" or that somehow you'd be ashamed of dating him.

• baby boy could not be more wrong, you are so proud to be dating him.

• one second you're talking to your friends and the next you're dragging him over by his wrist to meet them.

• literally stands there like he's suddenly ushijima, just: 🧍‍♂️

• but then you lace your fingers with his and press and soft kiss to his cheek before you say, "guys this is who i was telling you about, my boyfriend, tendou!"

• now tendou has never been one to get flustered easily, but right now he's blushing like a madman. his heart swelling when you so eagerly introduced him as your boyfriend.

• and then your friends start saying things like "we've heard so many things about you" and "y/n talks about you a lot"

• he can feel his confidence growing by the second. even after your friends walk away, he's still riding the high of being bragged about.

• "you talk about me?"

• "duh, why wouldn't i? you're the best boyfriend anyone could ever ask for, 'tori."

• he swears he falls in love all over again right then and there.

• please continue to show him off, it makes him so unbelievably happy, even more so when you're not afraid to use pda with him.

• i just know this man loves pda

• used to be really hesitate when it came to pda in the beginning of your relationship. but, once he saw how unbothered you were when it came to being affectionate in public he started to get bolder.

• he loves having his arm wrapped around your waist or his hand in your back pocket at all times.

• he's never told you, but you've helped him gain a lot of confidence and see himself as more than a "monster" or "freak."

—

TERUSHIMA YUUJI

• when you call or text him at 2am to go get food with you.

• it's become a common occurrence and at this point he expects to hear from you at least three nights out of the week. he's even started leaving his phone on full volume to make sure hears your call or text.

• will always respond.

• literally the second he gets that "you up? i'm hungry." text he's already grabbed his keys and is out the door.

• sometimes you feel guilty for waking him up, but he always says something like "i was awake anyways" or "i'm kinda hungry too, perfect timing."

• terushima yuuji was in fact neither awake nor hungry. 

• but he'll be damned if you ask someone else

• one time you went a week without asking him to go and mf got so butthurt. was all like: "babe are you cheating on me? are you asking other people to take you to get food? i thought you loved me." (doesn't actually think you're cheating, he just likes being dramatic).

• he loves blasting music while you both sing at the top of your lungs with the windows down on your little convince store trips.

• it's just a miniscule little moment but it's makes his heart happy every time.

• 2am chats with terushima yuuji are next level, you can't convince me otherwise.

• sometimes when the two of you are too riled up from your trip to go back to bed, you'll find a park to eat and mess around at.

• the cops may or may not have been called once for a noise complaint.

• after your little night trips he'll usually bring you back to his place and you'll end up staying the night, giving him cuddles as a sort of thank you.

• even though he teasingly complains about you dragging him out, claiming "you owe me." he loves going out with you and would never even dream of making you pay him back.

[stopeatingwhales]

pregnant x damon albarn

MORE DILF DAMON. this made me want to slowly die I cant it was so cute to write

Pairing: 2014 damon albarn x reader

Warnings: none :D

Word count: 1.341

Requested by anon <3

༉‧₊˚✧

The world around me seemed as if it was spinning at a pace more sporadic than lightwaves as I attempted to focus my gaze on the two faint red lines, which had begun to illustrate themselves on the plastic stick, increasing it’s coloured prominence after each second had passed. Those same two lines, coincidentally, provided me the answer to all the dilemmas that had been enthralled and cultivated over the past week: the consistent queasy feeling that encompassed my limbs every moment I tried to fix my body in a standing position, my guts instantly being triggered by the sudden movement that I would go and throw up - said to be morning sickness, the irritable craving for any little thing that cropped up into my brain for less than the sum of a minute, resulting in me forcing my boyfriend to journey to the corner store, purchasing the specific one that I had wanted, otherwise I would’ve gotten all fussy and made him return back to get it; as well as the horrible mood swings that would occur, provoked by the sudden increase in hormone levels displacing my demeanour constantly, remaining me a mopey mess… It was simply a fever, a cold, a horrible catch of influenza, though as soon as the realisation washed over me that I had skipped the supposed due date for my period, the ideation dawned on me, which was answered in the only way possible - a pregnancy test. Managing to get my friend to purchase one for me as I was bedridden for days on end, proving my physical inability to do simple household tasks myself due to the morning sickness that I had developed, I avoided telling Damon about my speculations, merely because I didn’t want to get his hopes up. The talk of bearing another child had been levitating in the empyrean of our conversations for a short while, mainly beginning as simple jokes, which would then mature into the statement ‘Imagine raising a child…’, though no conversations had ever progressed into concluding such dreams of doing so.

“Hiya love,” Damon said, instantly turning his head to the door as he set his eyes upon the sight of me strutting into the living room, managing to walk around without the nauseating feeling erupting in my throat for the first time in hours. He thought that I was asleep, the only times the sounds of my shuffling around audible was when I had headed to the bathroom - the place in which I had found out the newfound news that had been growing inside my lower stomach. He stood up slowly, reaching my side as he provided assistance to make my way over to sit on the sofa, beside where he was sitting, engulfed in whatever was shown on the television. Once we sat down, and he was fully sure that I was comfortable, he sat down beside me, where he had previously sat before I entered the living space. Admiring his features, I noticed that he looked tired, exhausted even; he was working extremely long, tiring hours at the studio as the release date for his upcoming solo album - tonight being his only free evening. My heart panged in my chest for the short period that my eyes laid on him, exhaling slightly as I realised that returning home to his partner being in such a temperamental state perpetually, would affect him more than he would care to admit, at all; he would be adamant that I hadn’t been making him feel worse, though by the look of his drained features, I might just have. “You alright?”

Nodding my head, I directed my vision to stare at the random episode of some antique show that had been displayed on the television. “Why on earth are you watching this?” I laughed, grabbing the remote to switch channels to something more interesting.

“There’s nothing to watch!” he groaned, though it sounded more like a chuckle laced with slight annoyance towards how bland the channels had been today. Deciding upon leaving the television on the news, not caring excessively over what was playing, I turned my head to fixate my stare on Damon, our gazes meeting. His piercing blue eyes burned straight through mine as if to telepathically question upon why I hadn’t simply called him over to our bedroom, the fatigue embraced on my features almost foreshadowing the thought that from my projected abnormalities, another thing had been plaguing my mind; something else was going on.

Stretching my arms out in the air, I filled the silence that had collapsed between the pair of us, the only sounds audible echoing out from the television speakers. “I think I know why I’ve been feeling so sickly.” I mumbled, my body relishing in the sensation of my limbs, once aching in outright pain from being stuck in one position under my duvet for many hours on end, finally fulfilling its use in movement.

“Because of your fever?” he replied, a small laugh escaping his throat at what had seemed to be such an obvious answer to the question that had been floating in the atmosphere of our minds. For all Damon knew right now, was that I was poorly with what could only be concluded as a monstrosity of a fever, and was being far too dramatic at the thought that I was going to die constantly from the overwhelming waves of heat that had kept flushing over my skin.

As I shook my head slightly, a miniscule grin casted on my lips as I set my mind on speculating his reaction to me mentioning the ultimating news that I had come across simply a couple of minutes ago. “It’s not that…” I trailed off, my voice shrinking in volume as I allowed my right hand to rest on my lower stomach, patting it lightly, giving the notion that it had something to do with my stomach. My eyes stayed focused on Damon’s expression as I watched his eyes squint together for a short while, confusion outcased across his features, my smile widening at how oblivious he was being.

The beam that perched on my lips simply grew Damon’s puzzled state even more, until realisation washed over him, to which his eyes widened, his head merely cocking to the side as he wondered whether it was appropriate to ask or not. “You’re not…”

Water began to softly brim my eyelids as my smile enlarged, exposing my teeth as I managed to lift my body and straddle Damon’s lap, taking ahold of one of his hands, so soft to the touch, lifting my shirt up slightly as I placed his hand on my lower stomach - the place in which our future child was inhabited. Disbelief poured over his expression; he was left speechless as he awaited such confirmation toward his suspicions. Placing my lips gently onto his, I held our bodies in a warm, slow, passionate kiss, goosebumps coming alive on my forearms as I allowed the salty liquid to escape from my eyes as they were closed shut. “I’m pregnant.” I said, detaching my lips away from his as I marvelled at his face lighting up with joy, his arms embracing me in another hug. Upon finding out that the option was attained, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. There was a life growing inside my belly, a life that had been formed from such passion and affection shared between the person that I had loved most, somebody that had provided me the knowledge that you can never stop loving somebody, and the love that you have for them, grows every single day.

Both his hands began tucking fallen strands of my hair behind both my ears, eventually holding my face in his hands as I melted into his touch, his thumbs softly swiping against my now tear-stained cheeks as he brought my forehead forward to brush against his. “You are going to be the best mother in the world.” he stated, his lips connecting with mine once again.

[farmnap]

Fluff Alphabet-Sapnap

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?) 

He likes your humor. He likes your beauty. He loves everything about you. Mostly, though, he loves your kindness. You are just so nice to him. You hold him, whisper sweet things to him, and make him feel like its all alright.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?) 

He definitely wants a family, obviously not anytime soon though. He believes that he’d be a good father and that you’d be a good parent as well. He doesn’t tell you this, but sometimes he dreams about having a child, their little hands and feet. He goes through baby fever like every two months. 

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?) 

He prefers to hold you most of the time, it makes him feel like he’s protecting you. He will spoon you most nights or hold your head to his chest and wrap his other arm around your body. Sometimes tho he lets you lay on top of him and just sleep. He likes your weight on him, thin or not. 

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

i assume they'd be chill or more just hangouts. Like going to an arcade or an escape room. If it was a special occasion, birthday or anniversary, he’d take you to a fancy restaurant. He’d hate getting dressed up and eating food that isn’t worth the money, but he’d do it forever if it meant he got to see you happy. 

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

My lifeline. You make his world turn and his heart keep beating. Everything he does is for you (In a non weird obsession way) he just wants you to be happy

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?) 

He knew he was in love when you showed up at his house to hold him after he sounded upset on a call. that's it, no questions asked, you were just there.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?) 

He’s so gentle it’s almost infuriating to you because sometimes he wont even touch you. Like when y’all first started dating, he wouldn't hold your hand because he didn’t want to squeeze to much. He wouldn’t cuddle you because he didn’t want to suffocate you. He treats you like a doll

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

after he got over the hand holding fear stated previously, he holds your hand tightly, almost afraid to let go. He holds your hand whenever he can: in the store, in bed, on walks, in the car, on dates. He always has his hand in yours.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

His first impression of you was probably about your appearance. He’s only a 20 okay so he probably looked at your butt or chest first. Obviously when he actually talked to you, he would realize you were funny and nice. But yeah, purely physical at first.

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

omfg yes. He gets so jealous. Sapnap’s not the kind of bf to get like toxic or rude when jealous tho. He just gets insecure and sad. 

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

You kissed him first, he was way too nervous to make the first move. He kisses you softly and with his hands on your cheeks. He loves holding you when you kiss, holding you close. Once Y’all are more comfortable with each other he may even put his hand on your neck while kissing you. It makes him all giddy.

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

He would say it first, on accident. probably after being intimate and having you on his chest. Too lost in his mind, it just comes out.

“I love you”

“What?”

It scared both of you at first but then you smile and cuddled closer. It didn’t matter to him if you said it back right then or not, he knew you cared for him.

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

When you guys stayed in on your 6 month anniversary. The plan was to go out and eat at this super fancy place but you guys missed the reservation. Instead of being sad, you guys stayed home and watched a bunch if princess movies and cuddled. It was sweet and the first time y’all actually just hung out.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

He doesn’t spoil you too much actually. He knows you can buy your own stuff and doesn’t try to take over if you don't ask him too. BUT on special occasions you are getting everything you even look at. he once dropped about 2,000 dollars on jewelry as a gift on your birthday.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Pastel yellow. Its a color of friendship and trust, which is what your relationship is built on. 

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

He uses the usual babe a lot, i cant see him using darling im sorry. He also 100% uses baby and sweetheart. Honey is also used. But mostly he would use variations of your name. 

Q = Quaint (What is their favourite non-modern thing?)

He likes castles and royalty. Obviously there is still queens and stuff but he loves the whole castle fantasy. He thinks about being a knight in shining armor to save you.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

He uses this as an excuse to stay in bed and cuddle. Like that’s all he would want to do. No food, no responsibilities, just snuggling.

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

When he was single he would just sleep or eat. We’ve all been there and there's nothing wrong with it. But now that he has you he would rant to you or cry. If you were upset he would listen to any and all problems you had without comment. He would just be there for what ever you needed.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

he talks about school, his family, his friends, and a shit ton of random Minecraft. Even if you got sick of it, you stick around bc he’s cute when passionate.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

in the most respectful way, he likes to have sex. it makes him happy and calms him down. Obviously if you weren’t feeling it, he wouldn’t make you and would go for just kisses and cuddles, also watching Moana bc he loves that movie. 

V = Vaunt (What do they like to show off? What are they proud of?)

he shows off his set up and shoes. He splurges on those things and will be damned if the whole world doesn't know. 

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

He wouldn't propose for a while and surely not until y’all are both out of college and stuff but when he does its a whole thing. He takes you to a beach saying something like, “I heard the boardwalk food is amazing” or something like that. He would probably invite dream along to record and also being there for the biggest moment of his life. Obviously, you say yes and its so cute.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

(I’m sorry about this one I’m not a big music person)

"I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride is what i picked bc he would always be there no matter what, he just loves so much

Y = Yikes (Do they ever mess up in the relationship?)

Sapnap has made many many mistakes. He can be rude sometimes without even realizing it, he can spend more time with George than you, he can ignore you for a week for something petty. Thankfully, he comes to his senses after a while and talks to you about it. He tries to be as good as he can and communicate to you but he’s not perfect.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

oml he would beg you for a dog everyday! he just wants a German Shepard named Bently is that too much to ask?

[petri808]

Quarantine memories fic hoarding craze for @thenaluarchive

— thank you to @phoenix-before-the-flame for helping jump start this fic 💜

It was Natsu Dragneel’s absolute favorite time of the day. 1 pm for him, and 8 am for Lucy, his… well, right now they were just online friends separated by distance and priorities. But judging by how he talked about her to friends, you’d never know it. They’d met three years ago on Twitch through a random chat stream about an anime series, and he continued following Lucy on her writing streams. Three years ago, she was a sophomore in college while he was in his senior year. Lucy later moved on to a graduate program, but they stayed in touch, growing close. To Natsu, she wasn’t just some girl online but a real friend he cared very much about. His friends called Lucy his online girlfriend. Pfft. He wished he could call her that.

Roughly two thousand miles away, Lucy Heartfilia was hating life. Her curtains were drawn, and a blanket was pulled over her head to drown out the light. The air conditioner was down to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, working against the low-grade fever and pounding migraine born yesterday. Migraines… the bane of her otherwise healthy existence. It was her fault after all, the temptation of a chocolate dessert knowing full well it was one of her triggers brought on said migraine and all she could do was bear it.

Why?

“Stupid hoarders!” Lucy groaned to herself.

As if dealing with a pandemic wasn’t bad enough, people’s selfish reactions to it were worse. A government agency had claimed that acetaminophen products could help with the virus’s symptoms, so what did people do? Panic buying anything and everything they could find containing that drug! The problem for people like Lucy, is the one over the counter medication that helped with her migraines was Excedrine… an acetaminophen product! And she’d just. run. out.

Lucy’s phone rang and she knew exactly who it could be based on the time. So, she clicked the answer button without opening her eyes.

“Hey, Natsu,” she groaned out.

“Morning Lucy! Oh geez, you sound like a frog.”

“Thanks,” she retorted sarcastically. “I’ve got a migraine.”

“Ouch.” Natsu genuinely flinched. He rarely got headaches, but this wasn’t the first time he’d talked to Lucy when she was going through one, so he knew what she was going through. “The meds aren’t helping?”

Lucy sighed. “I ran out. And did you see the news about all the hoarding? Every store here is bought out. It… sucks.”

“I could check around here and send you any I find,” he offered.

“Aww, that’s sweet of you Natsu, but I don’t wanna trouble you.”

“Pfft. Nonsense. I’m sure you’d do the same for me.”

“Thanks, Natsu. I appreciate it.” Lucy smiled through the pain. There’s a good reason her feelings for the man had grown over the years. His sweet and caring, yet fun and goofy, positive personality was an easy drug to get hooked to.

“Anyway, I gotta get back to work.” Natsu whined. “Good morning again, stay hydrated, and I’ll check on you again when I’m finished for the day, okay Lucy? Get some rest.”

“Have a good day at work Natsu.”

“Will now, after hearing your voice. Talk to you later Luce.”

She giggled softly. “Bye, Natsu.”

Lucy shifted under her blanket as she clicked off the phone to lie on her back. His sexy voice did wonders for her mood despite the pain still ravaging it. Now all she had to do was drag herself out of bed to eat something and drink water. She never had an appetite when she got these migraines, but it was a necessary fuel to fight it. All Lucy had left were extra strength Tylenol, so she could only hope it would at least take the edge off until the migraine ran its course.

Like so many others, this pandemic had really taken a toll on Lucy’s psyche. It’s not as if she went out a lot before it took hold, but just the fact it made going out dangerous brought different emotions to the situation. School had moved online which sucked all its own, she missed casually hanging out with friends on campus, and simply longed for the freedom of leaving her apartment as she pleased. But she understood the precautions of a quarantine. Frankly, she agreed with the city’s efforts to keep them as safe as possible no matter how many grumbled about it. Did it make it easier? No. But it was a necessary evil.

They weren’t completely trapped, could shop for necessities, visit family or friends, just encouraged to limit such gatherings as a safety precaution. If you went out, wear a mask, and just don’t stand too close to other people. Well, unless Lucy knew the person, why would she want strangers in her personal bubble anyway? And the mask thing? Have you ever been out shopping, and someone just sneezes without covering their mouth? Yeah— seriously, would it kill people to use one?! Why were people so selfish during times like this? Not everyone, but too many. Just like with all the hoarding frenzies that swept through cities, it was frustrating and— “Ugh…” being in a pain-driven bad mood was sure bringing her down today.

But despite all the external frustrations, the feelings of isolation from being in a quarantine for months were probably the most mentally exhausting part. It was lonely being so far away from home during a pandemic. Lucy’s been in college for five years and while she’s made friends in the new city, she was starting to crave comfort instead of an empty apartment. Her life online was one of the few things that made her happy, like Natsu’s daily calls, and kept her sane.

Natsu… her face heated up every time she thought about the man. They didn’t have a lot of hobbies in common, but he was always so supportive and made her laugh like no other could. Where they lacked in commonality, was made up in ease of conversation. It hadn’t taken very long for their online chats to feel more like an old friend and less like a faceless stranger. Over the years they’d talked about meeting in person one day after she finished school. It also helped that he was from a city not too far from where she came from, so if she chose to move back it would be convenient. But she also loved the new city she called home. Oh well, Lucy sighed. It was a decision still a couple of years away to make.

The next morning, Lucy woke up to find her migraine had finally given up. She could still feel the little bastard hiding, simmering somewhere ready to strike, but if it stayed mellow, it was something she could tolerate. Throughout the day, Lucy wasted no time in catching up on the homework she couldn’t finish the day before and making sure to stay hydrated with food in her stomach.

Lucy’s phone rang around 2pm.

“Hi Natsu, how was work?”

“Same ole, same ole,” he chuckled. “And how are you? Still feeling, okay?”

“Yeah, it hasn’t come back.”

“That’s great!”

Lucy could hear a lot of background noise, so she asked about it. “Oh, you’re not home yet?”

“Nah, and the commuters are being extra noisy today,” he responded benignly. “Anyway, tonight I won’t have time to talk cause I got a project due for work I need to finish.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Yeah, I’m still catching up from yesterday too and Levy’s dropping by for dinner.”

They chat for a few minutes about their day as Natsu waited for transportation. Lucy knew he used the subway to and from work, but today it sounded a little different, noisier and she swore there were engines instead of the normal train sounds. Maybe it was static. Finally, Lucy caught the muffled words now boarding.

“Shucks, time for me to go,” Natsu cut through. “Sweet dreams Lucy! I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Natsu!”

Lucy spent the afternoon relaxing online, chatting with friends and gaming. Her friend Levy McGarden later dropped by with take-out food for dinner and the two women caught up on random topics while movies droned on the television. They were both in grad school, so during the semester there wasn’t a lot of time to hang out, but they made do. Lucy was also doing a paid internship at a local magazine 4 days out of the week as part of her master’s program. She really enjoyed working there under one of the senior editors. He made it a fun learning experience.

Life was almost perfect except for the background isolation of the pandemic. Lucy was glad she wasn’t one of the individuals affected by jobs cuts, but it still got under her skin to feel trapped in a way. It was nice with her friend over... ‘Maybe I should see if Levy wants to become roommates?’ She wondered as she drifted off to sleep. The apartment would sure feel a lot less empty.

A knock at the door roused Lucy from her sleep. She blinked and yawned, looking at the alarm clock and that said 9 am the next morning. ‘Natsu didn’t call,’ she thought how odd. Maybe he slept in after working late.

Lucy dragged herself out of bed, throwing on a robe to answer the front door. “Gimme a sec,” she called out as she neared it.

“UPS delivery, ma’am.” The male voice responded.

‘UPS?’ Lucy grew confused. She didn’t remember ordering anything through them, but maybe she’d forgotten?

She peaked out of the peep hole, but all she could see was the box being held up. Okay a little weird, but some of the delivery people did that to show they were legitimate service people. Lucy slowly opened the door but kept the chain lock on while peering through the gap. But what she saw next brought on instant tears.

“H-How?” Her voice stammered out as her fingers quickly undid the lock and opened the door wide.

There Natsu stood holding a small brown box, dressed in a uniform of sorts, with a mask hanging under his chin, and wearing a goofy grin.

Lucy snorted a laugh as her eyes crinkled in happiness. “Is that a Halloween costume?”

“Yeah,” his smile widened, and hand scratched his head. “Surprise delivery,” Natsu held out the box, “for Lucy Heartfilia.”

“What is it?” She asked as she took it from him.

“Oh, I um found you Excedrine.”

Lucy opened the box to find 4 bottles. “You certainly did,” she laughed. “But why’d you bring it yourself?”

“It was quicker than the mail and… I hoped…” Natsu’s mannerism grew sheepish and tentative, “it was about time we finally met in person?”

Her face softened with a smile. “It truly is.” Lucy gestured into the apartment. “Please, make yourself at home.”

[ivy-goldrush]

Wednesdays Are The Worst

A Whole Fucking Box of Peaches

Warnings: Grumpy!Bucky, Bucky being a dick, Angst, Eventual Smut? Slow Burn fic, Maybe a touch of Jealous!Bucky, 18+ cause ✨swearing✨

Word Count: 1153

~

Your morning shift at the café was going well. The early hours were filled with the normal typical bustle of workers getting their caffeine fix, with the late morning customers looking for comfort in a warm drink and cosy atmosphere. You and Mary had handled the Friday crowds with ease, and you were now hitting a slow spot just before the lunchtime rush. You were tidying up behind the counter, back faced towards the door as Mary was seeping the shop floor of any dirt. You worked your way to the back end of the counter, organising the array of drink syrups there when the bell of the door tinkled. From where you were you could hear that Mary had already engaged in a conversation with the customer which allowed you to finish the task at hand. When you finally turned to face the front of the shop, your eyes widened on who Mary was talking to. In the entranceway stood the one and only Bucky with a huge smile plastered on his. It was one of those smiles that not only made the corner of his eyes crinkle but his actual eyes gleam with passion and love if you dare say so. Your eyes widened at the sight of him, but your surprised expression wasn’t just from seeing him in the café, it was also at what he had tucked under his arm. There he stood so naturally with a whole box of peaches. 

Making your way over to the two of them, you caught onto their conversation. “Did they run out of plums or something, Mr. Barnes?” The teasing was evident in Mary’s voice. Bucky only chuckled as a response before moving his gaze to you behind the counter. His smile faltered, brows furrowed and you were sure it was because of the disliking he has to you. 

Bucky knew from Steve that you worked in a little independent coffee shop, but he didn’t think that it was this coffee shop. When Bucky and Steve first decided to move to the city, Steve had already sorted out living arrangements and that left Bucky to scurry around trying to find a place to live before finding something more permanent. He had found an ad online for a small studio apartment. The rent was cheap and was in a good area. The apartment was one of two above a small ‘to let’ space. In his time living there, he found that the lady living in the other apartment was not only the owner of the two living spaces but also owned the shop space below. Not long after he had moved in, the space below became occupied as a florist, meaning that he had to remember to take his hay fever meds to avoid puffy eyes and a runny nose. He and Mary had a close relationship and were easily friends, she even told him how she dreamed of turning the space below into an independent coffee shop, but the money was too tight to do so. Bucky stayed in that apartment for 18 months before moving into his current one that he shared with Sam. He had heard the news that Mary had opened the coffee shop about 6 months ago and had been meaning to drop by and scope the place out.

He was shocked to see you stood behind the counter, with your long hair in waves framing your delicate face. A cute floral apron clung to your waist to protect the soft white blouse you had worn that day. Bucky was in awe of how serene you were. There was no denying that the man found you attractive when you first met him but for some reason that night, the way Steve spoke about you and to you, and how you fitted into the group so naturally pissed him off. He didn't know why because in this setting he felt as though he would never get enough of you and he hated that.

You had noticed that Bucky had been staring at you with a slight glare for a bit longer than he had probably meant to. You broke the trance he was in with a simple cheery “Hi!”. It was as if someone had just paused and then pressed play on him as he was blinking rapidly, bringing himself back to the moment. His smile was tight-lipped as he let out a breathy “Hey” and then slightly shaking his head at himself. 

“So, erm, what’s with the peaches?” You leaned yourself onto the counter and allowed a smirk to form on your lips, trying to not let his mood get to you. “Oh these?” he gestured to the box he was holding, “I just fancied some peaches.” You called bullshit. No one went to the store to buy that many peaches. You cocked an eyebrow at the tall man in front of you, sneakily taking in his appearance. You hadn’t noticed it when you first met him, but you were now and boy, were his shoulders broad and his thighs were very large. You were certain that under the light grey sweater hanging loosely on his frame, were muscles sculpted by the finest sculptures. His tight black jeans clung to his thighs and you had to physically stop yourself from ogling at them. You brought your attention back to the conversation. “That’s bullshit! No one buys that many peaches at once unless they are feeding a small army! So, tell me Bucky, are you feeding a small army?” The airiness of your voice allowed for the conversation to still be light-hearted if he wanted it to be, but you couldn’t help but notice the way he slightly shifted on the spot as if the comment made him uncomfortable. He maintained his composure pursing his lips faintly. He let out a small hmph before responding. “No, I’m not. I panic bought them…” There was a pregnant pause before he continued. “I bumped into someone I knew and picked up the first thing I could to get away.” Bucky’s annoyance was heavy in his voice as he brought his free hand to rub the back of his neck. You smiled politely, eyes creasing as you looked at him. “I see what you mean, I’ve been in that situation. You just gotta get outta there.” This earned you a puzzled yet inquisitive look from him, you smiled small and adverted your eyes.

“What did you panic buy then, please enlighten me.” Sarcasm dripped from Bucky’s voice, with a heavy enfaces on the please as if he didn’t believe you.

You smirked at him before replying “That’s something you’ll have to find out later as it's officially the end of my shift!”. Not wanting to give in to what he wanted. Turning your heels, you made your way into the staff room, leaving Bucky and Mary in the front of the shop.

~

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[pixieungerstories]

Quarentine - 1

They always say ‘buy the worst house on the best block that you can afford’ and god knows this place was a total shit hole.  1200 square feet on an overgrown lot surrounded by McMansions.  Hell, I paid less for the place that the land was worth.  I’m amazed someone hadn’t bulldozed the place years ago.

To make a long story short, I did not look a gift house horse in the mouth.

I mean, it wasn’t a total write off.  None of the windows were smashed.  There were mature fruit trees in the backyard.  If you ignored the weeds and rotting fruit, there was a lot of potential.  The plumbing was lead pipes and the electrical was knob and tube, but I know people and I could trade favours to get that replaced.  The foundations were good and the roof barely leaked.

I spent the summer camping in a tent in the back yard and slowly getting the place winterized enough that I could move it.

It was still a creepy ass house when I did.  It had a boiler.  I had no idea how to deal with that, but I was learning.  And I learned how to ignore the whistles, hissing and banging sounds that went with having a boiler.  The old rads were cast iron with pretty little details in the corners.

There were holes in the plaster, but I just ignored them.  It wasn’t worth fixing when I was going to gut the place and put up drywall eventually.  It just made it easier to get at the plumbing.

I started just living in the kitchen and ignoring the rest of the house.  I had disconnected the rest of the electrical and plumbing and was using that as a home base while I renovated outwards from there.

There is nothing quite as creepy as sleeping in a sleeping bag on what were probably asbestos tiles in an old house that makes the weird noises that old houses make.  I kept reminding myself that they only seemed louder than normal because the place was empty and there was nothing to muffle the sound.  The shrieking had to be the upstairs window that didn’t quite shut properly.

I had the feeling that something was watching me and prayed to god it wasn’t rats.

I was in this for the long haul.  Get up, shower at the gym, go to work, come home, renovate until it gets dark, shower at the gym, camp out in the kitchen.  Not exciting, but satisfying.  Let’s face it, this was the only way I was ever going to be able to afford a house.

When the work from home order came, I had to actually get a phone line installed so I could have internet access.  Me, my laptop and a kitchen table I rescued from the curbside a while back.

The creepy feeling was worse.  I told myself it had to be the isolation kicking in.  I skyped with my best friends at night to make up for it.  The power was still a bit dodgy and kept going out, but that’s what laptop batteries and cell phones are for, right?

I was sure the cough was from the dust.

The guy delivering groceries left them on the sidewalk instead of the porch.  It was fine.  I understood completely.  I hadn’t done much work on the outside of the building at all. 

I realized I was sneezing a bit when I started having to use toilet paper as kleenex.

I was fine.  I was young and healthy.  I didn’t have any sick days at work so I was determined to just push through.

I tried to get more rest.

I dreamed about something laying a cool hand on my forehead.

The grocery store was out of thermometers.

I mean, did it really matter if I had a fever?  I wasn’t leaving the house to share with anyone.

My cough got worse overnight.  I was vaguely aware of someone lifting me up and holding a cup of cool water to my lips.  I was so fucking thirsty. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” I mumbled.  “I don’t want you to get sick.”

“I won’t,” a rumbling voice assured me.

I didn’t remember making soup, but I jolted into awareness sitting at the table with a steaming bowl in front of me.  Chicken noodle out of a can.  It’s not that hard to make.  I’m sure I could add water and heat in my sleep.  Apparently, I just did.

I was so cold that night.  I don’t know where the extra blankets came from, but they were there in the morning.

I don’t know how I ordered a bed while I was sick, but it was there and on my credit card.  So was the mattress and sheets.  It must have been the fever talking when I ordered them.  I would not have picked out anything that old fashioned looking.

How did I get all this stuff up to the second floor bedroom?  I’m sure I don’t remember stripping the paint off the closet doors.   I must be losing my mind.  I slept, I ate, I stopped logging in at work.  I just needed to concentrate on getting better.

By the time I was able to stay awake for more than an hour at a time, the city was shut down.  I was confined to my house whether I liked it or not.  I was suddenly glad my fever addled brain had ordered a bed while I still could.  

The watched feeling was worse.  I ordered some rat traps with my groceries.  I didn’t catch anything.  They didn’t take the bait.  I swear I heard snickering when I checked them in the morning.  That was a new sound for the boiler to make.

“I am losing my mind,” I repeated to myself.  Then blushed when I realized I had said it aloud.  “And yes, I also talk to myself,” I added for good measure.  “At least it is some sound,” I muttered.  “I should turn on some music or something.”

Work was officially shut down but I still had the dumpster outback.  I spend my awake time cleaning out the other rooms.  The advantage of living in a construction zore was all the dust masks.  When I needed to actually go out, that might help.  In the meantime, I carefully sorted through the things the previous owners had left behind.  Some of it was just trash, but there were some old photographs, lost buttons, even a single antique earring.

“No chance of finding a pair, I bet.  Still this could be made over into a necklace or something.”  Shit.  I was talking to myself again, wasn’t I?

I still got tired easily.  I dreamed about my mom stroking my hair as I slept.

The footprints I couldn’t explain away.

I had taken down a section of wall and spent the day carrying out the chunks of plaster before microwaving a pizza pop and tucking in early.  In the morning there were footprints in the dust.  They weren’t mine.  They were huge and it was hard to believe they were human.  Weird long toes, with the claw tips a little in front were not what I was expecting.

That was the first time I had wanted to leave the house.

I grabbed my stuff and made it to the front yard before I was spotted by a passing patrol car and ordered back inside.  I had no idea how to explain that I thought there was some sort of monster living in my house.  I was shaking as I went back inside.

“Hello?”  I called from the doorway, ready to run.  I had no idea where I could even run to.  “Um…  Is anyone there?”  I don’t know what I was expecting.  “Hi?  Um ….  I bought the house, I didn’t know there was any … thing living here.  I have been trying to fix it up.”

“I know.”

Fuck.  The scratchy, rasping bass voice was not what I was expecting.  “I … uh…  I can go back to camping in the yard,” I suggested.

“No.”

I waited to hear if he (?) was going to say anything else.

Apparently not.

“Uh … no I can’t stay here?  Or no, you don’t even want me camping in the backyard?”

“If I didn’t want you here, I would have had many opportunities to get rid of you.”

Shit.  That wasn’t ominous or threatening at all.

With a low chuckle the voice asked, “Did you mean to say that out loud?”

I froze and tried to remember what I had said.  Oh.  “No, that was an accident.  I’m not used to having anyone around to hear me.”

“I always hear you.”

I closed the door and went out to sit in the garden for a moment to think about that.  I ended up pacing, swearing and wishing for a cigarette.  I hadn’t smoked in years.    The sun started to go down and the bugs came out.  I was being eaten alive outside.  Going inside was scary but he was right.  He had lots of time to …

I flung open the door.  “Did you order furniture on my credit card?”  I demanded.

The laughter that rang out was a whole other level of creepy.  I shivered and thought about going back outside.  The door pulled itself closed behind me.  I spun to look at it and didn’t see anything.  I could hear something breathing. I turned again.  Nothing.

“If we are both going to live here, can we at least agree on some ground rules?”

“Like what?” was almost purred in my ear.  Looking around wildly, I still couldn’t see anything.

I was shaking now.  “Is there a way for you to be less scary so I don’t have a heart attack?” I squeaked.

There was nothing but silence.  Still my sense of the presence suggested it was gone.

I didn’t sleep that night.  I would just start to nod off then jerk myself awake and look wildly around the room.  I never saw anything.

Six am, my alarm went off and I could smell coffee.

All the dust had been swept up.

“Hello?” I whispered.

Nothing.  I had coffee and cereal and tried not to think about my surprise roommate.  I was so tired, I passed out at my computer in the kitchen at some point that morning, only to wake in bed upstairs in the afternoon.  “I don’t want you to touch me while I’m sleeping,” I mumbled, painfully aware that there was dick all I could do to stop it.

“Alright,” the voice said, coming from somewhere in the direction of the closet.  “But don’t fall asleep at the table then.”

I breathed a faint sigh of relief.  I wasn’t expecting the next part.

“You need to eat something now.  You are still recovering.”

There was a can of soup heating on the stove.  My breakfast dishes were gone.  I found them clean and dry in the cupboard.  “Thank you,” I whispered.  He didn’t reply.  As I ate lunch, I was psyching myself into going upstairs to look in the closet.  The door had been painted shut when I got the house, but at some point had been stripped down to the bare wood.

I hadn’t worked up the nerve by the time I was done eating.  Or washing and drying the dishes.  I found myself at the bottom of the stairs staring up at the second floor.  Did I really want to see what was in that closet?

No.

But it would be better to look during the light of day.

Eventually, I made it up there.  I put my hand on the knob and tried to turn it.  It didn’t budge.

“You want rules?” the voice growled behind me.  I spun, there was nothing there.  “Do not open that door.  Do not come into my space.”

I went from trembling from nerves to bolting down the stairs in an instant.  I nearly tripped, but felt something - him? - catch me and set me on my feet.

“Careful,” he purred.

I spent the rest of the day in the garden again.  I was still out there when the sun went down and the back light turned on.  Then the kitchen light and for a moment I could see something outlined against the antique curtains I hadn’t replaced in the kitchen.  I tried to remind myself that he wasn’t necessarily that big.  He might just be closer to the light and casting a bigger shadow.

I didn’t believe it, but I tried.

I crept back into the house like a scared child who wasn’t sure how angry their parents were going to be after they had done something wrong.  I turned on all the lights on the main floor and stayed in the kitchen away from the stairs.

“Planning on staying up all night?”

I jumped.  “How are you always behind me?”

“I live in the shadows.  Go to bed.”

“Um…  I was thinking, that should be your room, really.  Your closet.  You picked out the bed.  I can just camp down -”

“No.  Go to bed.”

“Do you really think I’m going to be able to sleep in a room with a closet that must not be opened?  I have read Blue Beard, you know.”

“So have I.  The wife gets the house and lives happily ever after.”

“The last wife does,” I pointed out.  “The first dozen or so didn’t.”

He chuckled at that.  “We made a deal, remember?”

“Are you teasing me?  What deal?”

“I don’t touch you in your sleep.  You don’t sleep in the kitchen anymore.”

“How big are you?”

The lights flickered and went off.

“Do you want to see me?”  he purred, so close that I could feel his breath on my neck.

“Not in the dark,” I squeaked.

“Go to bed.”  

The light snapped back on, leaving me blinking.

I spent the night sitting on the bed with my back pressed against the headboard trying to see the whole room at one.  Eventually, I fell asleep.

My alarm did not go off at six.  It had been turned off.  The coffee was ready but not turned on when I went down stairs.  The air smelled faintly of solder.  There was a post-it stuck to the coffee maker.  Fine copperplate handwriting told me:

I have replaced the plumbing

I stared at it dumbly.  I had replaced the plumbing to the kitchen sink and the downstairs powder room and had been washing out of the sink since I had been forced to stay home.  The only other plumbing was down to the washing machine in the cellar and the upstairs bathroom.  I pushed the button on the coffee maker and slowly crept upstairs.

Sure enough the stack of copper pipe waiting in the other bedroom was gone. 

Well, not gone.  I could see it installed through the holes in the walls.  I turned on the tap to the sink and sure enough, I had water.  I now had an upstairs, working bathroom with a clawfoot tub.

And no walls.

“I don’t like the idea of you watching me bathe,” I called out.  Then I felt like an idiot because if whatever it was had voyeur tendencies, it could have been watching me for months.  I tried all the taps and the toilet.  Everything worked.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, unsure if I was talking to myself.

“You’re welcome.”  It was the least creepy, most normal thing I had heard from him.

----

When I got back downstairs, there still wasn’t coffee but there was a new note:

Humans who do not sleep start to hallucinate

I crumbled it up, threw it across the room and jabbed the on switch on the coffee maker.  Nothing happened.  I growled as I plugged it in.  The power went out.

“Oh come on!  Withholding coffee is cruel and unusual punishment!”

“Sleep.”  It sounded like the whole house had murmured that last bit.

I wish I could say I handled it gracefully, but I didn’t.  I stomped back up to the bedroom like a petulant child.

I woke to bright sunlight streaming in through the window.  The house was quiet and it felt empty for the first time in days.  I had a bath and washed my hair and I felt better than I had in days too.  Clean and dry and dressed, I bounced into the kitchen to try and turn on the coffee again only to see my laptop snap shut.

It was with a lot of trepidation that I opened it.  I was expecting a ridiculous online purchase which is why I stared dumbly at the screen unable to process what I was seeing.

It was a CGI woman with her hands tied to something over her head being railed by a monster who was fingering her clit with one hand and fondling her breasts with the other while her belly distended in rhythm with his thrusts.

“Ugh!  Dude!  You can NOT watch porn on my laptop!” I shrieked as I frantically tried to close the window.

“Would you rather I watch you?” he asked calmly from somewhere to the left of me.

I breathed out a shaky breath.  “OK.  Let’s talk about private browser windows and how not to get a computer virus.”

When I got to the end of my tentative explanation, I asked, “Do you need … some alone time?”

There was another house shaking howling laugh.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

“You need to eat.”

That brought up a whole other issue.  “Do you?  Eat I mean.  Do you eat?  What do you eat?”

“Don’t worry about me.  I am not going to eat you.  Unless you ask nicely.”

I blushed even further but got out a pan and a skillet meal from the fridge.

I spend the rest of the afternoon weeding the garden.  I came in when it got dark, heated up my leftovers from lunch and tried to figure out what to do with myself.  The nap had meant that I wasn’t tired for the first time in days.

I wondered what he would do if I watched a movie.  I hunted through the cupboards and found a bag of microwave popcorn from before the virus started.  Right! I thought.  Bowl of popcorn, a movie, skype with a few friends.  Pretend none of this was happening.

I wasn’t surprised when the lights went out.  That was just a thing now.  My computer was still illuminating a bubble around me and B99 was still hilarious.

I wasn’t expecting the bed to dip next to me.  That once again raised the question of how to deal with him around others.  I hit the mute button.  “What are you doing?” I asked icily.

“Not touching you.  What are you eating?”

“Human food.”

“Hmmm.”

I unmuted my computer to answer Penny’s question about how stir crazy I was going.

“12/10 on the looney toons scale,” I offered.

She just laughed.

All of the popcorn was gone.

“Ah hell.”

“What’s wrong?” Penny asked.

“All my popcorn is gone,” I grumbled.  I didn’t add that I had more than half a bowl left a moment ago.  Not eating me, I reminded myself.

“That sucks.  Need to pause and get more?”

“I don’t have anymore.”

She just laughed, “But do you still have toilet paper and hand sanitizer?”

I chuckled, “Toilet paper, at least.”

“I should go.  It’s getting late,” she said with a yawn.

“Yeah.  Good night.”  After Penny signed off, I just let Netflix autoplay the next episode.

“Do you need to sleep?” The whisper seemed to come from the direction of the closet but the bed was still dipped under his weight on my other side.

My heart leapt to my throat.  “How many of you are there?”

“Just me,” he purred too close to my ear.  I flung myself away from him and toppled out of bed.  Two hands caught me.

Two other hands caught my laptop.

I stared as it was placed back on the bed a little way in front of me.  The hands on my arms were cool and smooth.  “What are you?”

“I am me.  I have not asked your name.  You will not ask mine.”

“My name is on the mail.  And my credit card.  You know my name,”  I pointed out keeping my eyes locked on the screen, fighting the urge to look around.

“Nonetheless.”

This wasn’t going to work, but I had to try.  “I would like to be alone now.”

The bed shifted as the weight was removed from the side.  The black shadows that could be fingers moved from my computer.  The voice said, “Good night” from the direction of the closet.  

I sat frozen.  “In the morning, I’m moving the bed to another room.”

“Why?”

“Because the closet is yours and it’s scary being here with you,” I admitted.

“I have never done anything to harm you.”

“You scare the shit out of me multiple times a day.”

There was a long pause before he replied, “And yet you haven’t left.”

“The city is on lock down.  I can’t leave.”

“Hmm.”  

I jumped as my laptop snapped shut.  I fumbled in the dark trying to find it on my bed, “What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Taking this downstairs.  I will not bother you tonight.”

“What-” I started to say, then snapped my mouth shut as the realization that this may be his ‘alone time’.

This time the “Good night,” came from the bedroom door.

In the morning the only thing in my browsing history was netflix.  This was less comforting since I had shown him how to clear the cache.  I told myself at least the keyboard wasn’t sticky.