#i hope these shows go smoothly for everyone involved

[stillgotscars]

sorry to be parasocial, but it’s really comforting to see taylor back in her element on the eras tour stage with the biggest smile plastered on her face after what transpired last week

[solxamber]

Hi! Loved your villainess series and i can't wait for a Jamil chapter! In the meantime, do you mind if I request Jamil x a reader whom the Asims are absolutely terrified of? As in they're one of the most genuinely kind people out there but they could eradicate you with a snap of their fingers when pissed (though they only do that in extreme situations and are pretty reasonable). So as soon as Jamil starts dating them, everyone in the Asim household starts walking on eggshells around him cause they don't want to be eradicated off the face of the earth. He still has to do his job but the more dangerous aspects or any extra work is delegated to somebody else. Basically, Jamil can now be as overachieving as he wants since nobody has enough of a death wish to risk pissing off his lover.

Jamil Viper x Intimidating! reader

thank you for waiting <3 i hope you like it

The moment Jamil starts dating you, the entire Asim household becomes a drastically different place. It’s not like you’re a tyrant or anything—you’re the sweetest, kindest person they’ve ever met.

You’re always smiling, polite, and helpful. But everyone knows about that side of you. The side that only shows when something pushes too far, and you go from warm and gentle to terrifying in the blink of an eye.

It doesn’t happen often—really, it only ever happens in extreme situations—but one close encounter was more than enough to put the fear of you into the entire Asim household.

The first time it happened, one of the servants had accidentally endangered Jamil by not paying attention. Nothing too serious in hindsight, but in the heat of the moment, you had stepped in, voice cold and eyes sharp as you reprimanded the poor servant with an intensity no one expected from you.

You didn’t yell or make a huge scene, but the weight of your words and the terrifying calm in your expression was more than enough to send everyone scattering. And now, that incident has taken on a life of its own, becoming a whispered legend among the staff.

Jamil, however, is a little too amused by the whole situation. He’s never seen you lose your temper with him, and he finds it kind of satisfying watching everyone tiptoe around, desperate not to cross you.

Not to mention, it’s made his life a whole lot easier. Suddenly, all the extra dangerous or exhausting tasks that used to be piled on him are conveniently handled by someone else. No one dares to risk upsetting you by overworking him.

As you walk into the Asim estate one day, the staff noticeably scatter, heads ducked as they try not to make any mistakes in your presence. You exchange an amused look with Jamil as he walks beside you.

"Did I do something to terrify them today?" you whisper, half-joking.

Jamil smirks, clearly enjoying this more than he should. "No, they're just smart. Nobody wants to be the one responsible for angering you."

You roll your eyes, nudging him with your elbow. "I’m not that bad."

"Tell that to the servant who accidentally put me in danger last month. I think he’s still recovering," Jamil replies, his voice teasing.

You blush, feeling a little guilty. "I didn’t mean to scare him. He just needed to be more careful."

"Oh, you didn’t scare him. You petrified him," Jamil says, his smug grin growing wider. “Now, everyone’s scrambling to make sure I don’t get stuck with anything that could stress me out, all because they don’t want you to get upset on my behalf."

He’s not wrong. It’s like there’s an unspoken agreement among the staff that keeping Jamil stress-free is the key to survival.

Tasks that used to involve risky magic, late nights, or heavy lifting are reassigned before they even reach Jamil’s to-do list. And it’s not just because Jamil’s Kalim’s right-hand man; it’s because of you.

The thought of you unleashing your wrath is enough to keep the household running smoothly, with no one willing to take chances.

Jamil stretches, looking relaxed for the first time in what feels like years. “I could get used to this,” he mutters, clearly reveling in his newfound freedom from extra work.

You shoot him a playful glare. "You’re enjoying this too much."

"Can you blame me?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve got more free time, no one’s shoving dangerous tasks my way, and I have the best motivation to keep it that way.” He leans closer, his voice dropping to a soft murmur, “That motivation being you.”

Your heart skips a beat at his words, warmth flooding your chest. Jamil isn’t always one for open displays of affection, but when he does say things like this, they hit hard. You can’t help but smile, reaching out to take his hand as you walk together.

"I didn’t mean to turn the whole household into a bunch of scaredy-cats," you admit, squeezing his hand.

Jamil chuckles softly, pulling you a little closer. “It’s not your fault they’re terrified. You just have... a certain presence when you’re angry.”

You snort, shaking your head. "I’m sure you’re not complaining, considering all the benefits."

"Not one bit," he says, his voice smooth and teasing. “Though I’ll admit, I don’t need them to be scared of you. I can handle my own problems.”

"Uh-huh, sure," you reply, narrowing your eyes at him. “And here I thought you were just enjoying the luxury of not being overworked.”

Jamil leans in, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers, “I enjoy being with you more.”

Your heart flips, and before you know it, you’re turning your head and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, unable to resist the moment. He seems a little taken aback, his smug exterior cracking for a second as he blinks in surprise. Then, a slow, satisfied smile spreads across his face.

"Keep that up, and I might start making excuses to slack off even more," he teases.

You laugh, shaking your head. "I can’t believe you. I’m not your excuse to get out of work."

Jamil grins, his eyes softening as he looks at you. “Maybe not. But you’re definitely the reason I’m a lot happier these days.”

He says it so casually, but the sincerity in his voice makes your chest feel tight with affection. You glance up at him, your hand still in his, and you realize just how much he’s changed since you started dating.

He’s still the same hardworking, overachieving Jamil, but now he’s more relaxed, more at ease. And you’re glad you can be a part of that.

Meanwhile, the staff is still scattering like leaves in the wind as you and Jamil stroll through the estate. Kalim, of course, is the only one who remains blissfully oblivious to the atmosphere.

"Hey, guys!" Kalim shouts, bounding over with a bright smile. “I just heard about a new event happening tonight! You two are coming, right?”

Jamil exchanges a glance with you, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You know, Kalim, I think I’m going to take the night off. We have plans,” he says smoothly, pulling you a little closer.

Kalim grins, not missing a beat. “Oh! That’s awesome! Have fun!”

You can’t help but chuckle at Kalim’s eternal optimism, but as you walk away, you notice a few of the servants letting out relieved sighs. They clearly appreciate that Jamil is taking a break, but you’re well aware of what they’re really relieved about: keeping you happy.

Jamil’s smirk returns as you head back to your shared quarters. “I think I owe you for this.”

You raise an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For making my life a whole lot easier," he says, his voice low and teasing.

You roll your eyes, but there’s a smile on your lips as you lean into him. "Just don’t get too cocky."

Jamil grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Too late.”

You laugh, shaking your head. Maybe the Asim household will always be a little terrified of you, but if it means keeping Jamil happy and safe, you can live with that.

Masterlist

[joanquill]

How Touching

How Albert would react to a reader who doesn't like physical intimacy at first in the modern era.

Albert James Moriarty

A/N: Sorry for the long absence, a lot has happened and writer's block has made a home in my head rent-free at this point it's almost homophobic :) (as you can probably tell with this one so advanced apologies!) late happy pride month! 💕🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Tag/s: One-Shot with Headcanons, Modern!AU, Long (2.2k words)

Warning/s: Slightly Suggestive(???)

When you first joined the Moriartys with their plan to abolish the class system, the group welcomed you with open arms.

Quite literally with how Bonde tried to hug you as a greeting.

You evaded him smoothly, surprising the man and the others.

But you explained how you were uncomfortable with physical touch, and everyone respected your boundaries.

Despite the awkward start, everyone still welcomed you.

And as time passed, you slowly grew closer to everyone in the group.

But especially with the oldest Moriarty, seeing as your job usually involved assisting him.

Whether being his partner on missions or attending parties with the rich, you two are usually seen together.

It also doesn't help that you were mostly in charge of maintaining the manor in London when Louis and Master Jack were away.

Because of this, you also tend to stay with him in London while William and the others are back in Durham.

This leads to you and Albert sharing chores in London.

While Albert is a master when it comes to cleaning, you always make sure he's nowhere near the kitchen or at least have you there to supervise.

The first time you tried his cooking, you were out of commission for three days.

Because of how much time you spend together, you two started to get closer.

And this didn't go unnoticed by your housemates.

"(Y/N), have you seen my-?"

"-It's in your coat pocket," 

"And the-?"

"-It's already in your suitcase,"

"And did you already inform-?"

"-Yes, Director Holmes is aware of your return to London tonight," you answered as you showed him the email you sent to the director.

Albert chuckled as he loosened his collar, "What would I do without you?"

You smirked at his remark as you fixed his loosened collar and necktie.

"Well, aren't you just a perfect match," Sebastian commented from the couch, watching you two blankly.

You froze at his words as you turned away, making sure your expression remained neutral. 

"It's almost freaky, to be honest..." he shuddered, making you chuckle.

"Don't you have a chimney to sweep, colonel?" Albert reminded, earning a glare from Sebastian as the doors burst open, Bonde running inside the room.

"You're really leaving already? We planned to go to that new restaurant this afternoon," Bonde asked as he walked in, seeing you and Albert grabbing your coats.

"Yes... The director suddenly called saying it was an urgent matter, so our plans will have to be rescheduled," you explained, much to Bonde's disappointment.

You smiled softly at him as you gave him a gentle hug.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can go there some other time," you reassured as you pulled away, seeing a shocked expression from the three men.

"...What?"

"You hugged him..." Sebastian pointed out, making you raise a brow and smile.

"Yes, and what about it?" you teased, hugging Bonde again, surprising them for a second time.

"What the-?!"

"Awww, (N/N)!" Bonde smiled as he hugged you back tightly, cherishing the moment as you laughed.

"No way..." Sebastian breathed out a smile, "To think Bonde would be the first..." he smirked, looking over to Albert, who held a faux smile as he walked up to you and Bonde.

"(Y/N), I believe it is about time for us to leave?" he reminded, making you gasp.

"Right! I'll go call a cab," you hurriedly walked out of the manor, hoping you wouldn't miss the last train back to London.

Sebastian laughed wholeheartedly as the door behind you closed, hitting Albert's back while Bonde kept a hand over his mouth, hiding a proud smile from the oldest Moriarty.

"Didn't expect you to be the possessive type!" Sebastian snickered, making Albert lightly scoff and swatted Sebastian's hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Albert denied as he grabbed the bags.

"(Y/N) is a reliable comrade to all of us,"

"Then why don't you let them stay in Durham with us?"

"Because their skills are needed in London,"

"But what if William asks them to stay with us?"

"Then there's no helping it, I suppose,"

"Oh?" William's voice cut through, catching everyone's attention.

"Then you finally agree to have (Y/N) stay with us for this weekend?" he asked, but Albert stayed silent as he kept facing away from the group.

"You seemed quite adamant about having them join you back to London mere moments ago when we were discussing in my office," William added, making Albert sigh as Sebastian and Bonde grinned from ear to ear.

"My, my, Al. How unprofessional," Bonde teased as he tried to see Albert's face, now contorted in irritation as he kept his smile.

"It seems (Y/N)'s skills are needed here in Durham more than in London," Sebastian added, wrapping an arm around Albert's shoulders,

"Such a shame..."

William chuckled as he walked up to the group, giving Albert a piece of paper.

"Here are the details for your and (Y/N)'s next mission in London. It seems (Y/N) is more needed in London after all," William innocently smiled, making Albert sigh.

"...I will make sure to visit again next week with them,"

"Thank you, Nii-san. And do not worry about (Y/N)'s affections," William commented, perking Albert's ears.

"I'm certain they also consider you one of their closest companions. But you must be more proactive if you wish for them to see you as something more," he reassured the oldest Moriarty, catching everyone's attention.

"That is not-"

"-The cab's here!" you announced as you hurried back inside, seeing everyone gathering around Albert.

"...What? Do we have another meeting before leaving?" you questioned, making the others share a look as they left, saying their goodbyes as Albert walked up to you with your bags and coats.

"What were you discussing while I was gone?" you questioned as Albert gave you your coat and scarf.

"Just..." Albert replied, looking down at the paper William gave him,  "Have courage"  written on it, "... Just the details for our next mission," he smiled, pocketing the piece of paper as he helped you with your scarf, careful not to touch you.

"...I shall tell you later,"

During the trip back to London, you noticed Albert has grown quiet, deep in his thoughts.

As you tried to ignore the man's change of behavior, he suddenly called your name and asked what you thought of everyone in the group.

Confused by the sudden question, you shrugged it off and answered honestly, seeing everyone as a trusted companion, possibly even family.

"Really?"

"Yes. Don't you see me as one?" you jokingly asked, making Albert smile widely.

"...No, I cannot say the same," he answered, shocking you. You quickly turned to him and saw him looking at you with straightforward eyes.

"You may have started as one of my most trusted companions, but I never saw you as family," he explained, straightening himself up as he grabbed the end of your scarf.

"But as a lover," he clarified, gingerly kissing the end of your scarf as he kept his eyes on you.

After his declaration of love, the trip back to London felt excruciatingly long.

Nonetheless, you admitted you felt the same you both agreed to take it slow.

Albert was a true gentleman in the whole relationship, making sure you were comfortable with everything.

He makes sure to spend time with you, whether it's just at home or out on a date, giving you gifts, and words of reassurance.

He would never make you feel you were lacking or guilty about taking the relationship slow.

He also never tried to touch you or force himself on you.

He might feel jealous whenever you and others hug, such as Bonde, Fred, or your close friends, but he won't force you to do the same to him.

"You will be gone for three weeks?" you repeated in disbelief as Albert nodded dejectedly.

"Yes, which is why we discussed that you should stay in Durham with the others in the meantime,"

"I see... If that's the case, I need to see some things before I leave," you muttered, trying to plan your sudden leave as you looked around the manor.

Albert breathed out a laugh as he let out a dramatic sigh, catching your attention.

"How cold... And I thought you would miss me more," he teased, opening one eye at you with a playful smile.

You scoffed as you walked up to him, cradling his cheek.

"You will be coming back home to me after, are you not?" you questioned, making him smirk.

"Always," he reassured, taking your gloved hand and kissing your knuckles.

You smiled as you interlocked your fingers with his, clasping it.

"Then I have nothing to worry about,"

"(N/N)!" Bonde beamed as he ran up to you, giving you a hug as he squeezed you tightly.

You giggled as you hugged him back, returning the same affection.

"You should go on more overnight trips, Al," Bonde joked, making Albert roll his eyes with a smile as he put on his hat.

"Next time, I shall bring (Y/N) with me," Albert mused, kissing your gloved hand again.

"Take care, Albert-nii-san," Louis smiled as Albert waved goodbye to everyone.

"Goodbye,"

"Take your time~,"

"Be careful...!" you warned, sighing at the memory of Albert returning home in a bloody uniform.

"Aww... Miss him already?" Bonde teased with a toothy grin, making you scoff and lightly push him off.

"Come on... I remember Louis saying we're doing some spring cleaning in the manor?" you reminded, making Bonde and Sebastian freeze. 

"Oi! Keep your mouth shut...!" Sebastian shouted in a whisper as he grabbed your head, making you grin.

"That's right..." Louis started, a dark glimmer shining from his glasses, "I hope you two are done with your portions?"

It's been two weeks since Albert's trip, and he has been calling you every night and leaving short, sweet texts throughout the day.

But, you couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Hey, (Y/N)!" Sebastian called out, snapping you out of it.

"Y-Yes?"

"William's calling everyone for a meeting," he reminded, raising a brow at you.

"What's wrong with you?" he questioned, making you shake your head.

"It's nothing," you faked a smile as you walked ahead, unsure if it was a topic you could bring up to the man.

As you walked ahead, Sebastian couldn't help but let out a sigh as he followed you along.

"Lovebirds... What a pain,"

"Well! This is new," Bonde smiled as he swirled his martini while Sebastian downed his third whiskey for the night.

"I didn't think you would be the type to offer free drinks, (N/N),"

"I'm not," you sighed, nursing your cup of water, "But I would like to talk to you both in private..." you muttered, looking around your booth for any familiar faces or peeking heads.

"Since you two seem the most... acquainted with this subject..." you added, fiddling your fingers as you stared down at your drink.

Sebastian raised a brow while Bonde furrowed his brows, looking at each other as if trying to figure out what you were alluding to.

"So... What is it?" Bonde asked, taking a sip of his drink while Sebastian tried to catch the attention of a nearby server.

You felt your face burn as you took a deep breath, gathering up all of the courage you had.

"How do you know when's the right time to be physical with your partner?" you asked in one quick breath with your eyes shut.

Sebastian froze while Bonde choked on his drink, making him cough.

"A-Are you all right, sir?" the server Sebastian called asked Bonde, who dismissed him.

"Y-Yes... I'm fine," Bonde coughed as you tried to give him your drink while Sebastian asked the server to just bring more whiskey.

"Thanks..." Bonde sighed, clearing his throat as he looked at you.

"(Y/N), by... physical, you mean...?" Sebastian asked in a hushed tone as he and Bonde leaned to you across the table.

You felt your face flush as you looked away, hiding behind your hands.

"L-Like kissing, and such..." you clarified, stunning the two men.

They both sighed as Sebastian leaned back in his seat with a hand over his eyes while Bonde had his face in his hands.

"That's what you meant..."

'It'll come naturally, huh...'  you thought, remembering your conversation with Bonde and Sebastian.

You sighed as you focused on your chores and hoped for the best, just as they advised.

As you fixed the dinner table, you heard the front doors open, making you gasp and look back.

"I'm back," Albert announced, wearily putting away his coat.

You instinctively ran out of the dining room and to the entrance.

As Albert caught sight of you, he immediately smiled as you kept running up to him.

"(Y/N), I found-" you wrapped your arms around him tightly, sighing as your body eased up at his warmth.

Albert, on the other hand, was stunned as you kept hugging him.

"(Y/N)...?" he called out as he hovered an arm around you.

You breathed out a smile as you looked up at him, squeezing him lightly,

"Welcome back," you greeted as you cupped his cheeks, kissing his lips.

Albert blinked in surprise before wrapping his arms around you, deepening the kiss.

When you pulled back, you felt Albert leaning to you before opening his eyes, and smiling at you.

"I missed you too,"

[in1-nutshell]

Hello!! I hope you're doing alright. I was wondering if I could request for cubertronian! Buddy whos a fox and has a sly personality, and wondering if you can make it as a one-shot in TfMtmte with drift, ratchet, and rodimus! Thankyou

I was slightly picturing The Pet wen I saw the fox alt mode.

Hope you enjoy!

Bot Buddy with a fox alt mode with Ratchet, Drift and Rodimus

SFW, Platonic, Cybertronain reader

MTMTE

To be fair, Rodimus did tell them that there was going to be running involved.

But he never told them how much running.

Earlier that day…

Rodimus had recruited Buddy to help prank Drift.

Why them?

Easy, because they could get out of the splash zone quicker than he could.

And he needed someone who would play bait for a couple of shanix.

Rodimus sets up the bucket of oil and rope.

“Rodimus, why are you doing this again?”--Buddy

“Drift bailed out on our hang out to go be with Ratchet. We had planned this hang out for cycles! He needs to know that there are consequences to his action.”--Rodimus

“Just putting that out there Captain, but aren’t there going to be consequence to your actions?”--Buddy

“Not if I run fast enough.”--Rodimus

“…Fair enough.”--Buddy

The plan was simple.

Lure Drift to the door, Rodimus would see him and let the giant bucket of oil land on his helm.

Get a few laughs out of it and maybe go to Swerve’s when this is done.

So far, the plan has been going smoothly.

Until someone new came into the mix.

Buddy walking with Drift in their alt mode in the hallway.

“Hey Drift, do you mind standing there for a second? I have a trick I want to show you. You’ll see it better from there.”--Buddy

“Okay.”--Drift

Drift happily stands in the splash zone as Buddy does some flips waiting for Rodimus to pull the rope.

Rodimus meanwhile had gotten distracted by the rope fibers.

Ratchet walks up to Drift.

“Move a bit, I have to get some equipment in the room.”

Drift smiles and moves to the side letting Ratchet get into the splash zone.

Buddy mid flip looking in horror.

“WAIT!”--Buddy

Rodimus flinches and pulls the rope letting the bucket fall down on Ratchet.

Drift tackles Ratchet down, and they both get covered in oil.

“…”--Everyone

Rodimus comes around the corner with a huge grin on his face.

“That’s what you get—oh.”—Rodimus

Rodimus takes a step back.

Buddy hightails it out of there.

“…Rodimus… did you do this…?”--Drift

“To be fair I had help from Bud—and their gone.”--Rodimus

“Drift if you catch him in the next 5 minutes I will take the next 2 cycle off.”--Ratchet

Drift already on his pedes ready to start sprinting.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”--Drift

And that’s how Rodimus ended up taking a dip in the oil reservoirs and Buddy paying for the pair’s drinks for a full month.

And they still didn’t get their shanix!

What a rip off…

From now on, if anyone was going to ask them to be the bait, they were going to take payments first then the work.

[patrophthia]

cruel summer | regulus black

pairing: regulus black x reader

genre: fluff, song fic, love confessions (?), regulus is a attention seeking piece of shit (affectionate), clingy reg, not beta read

wc: 1.1k

this is request ! i’m sorry it took so long, i hope you liked it!!

tag: @tr4ppola

Your favourite pastime activity was lying. Little white lies, that is, lies that were so obvious that everyone knew not to take them seriously. Like saying you were a muggle whilst you cast a complicated spell, or saying that you had once dyed your hair a colour that you swore to never do, or saying that you were —in no ways, involved with Regulus Black whatsoever.

Sneaking around though, was on the other end of your favourite things to do. You like Regulus too much so you let that factor slide through.

It's as if you only ever see him during the quiet nights where no one could ever spot you. You know that that isn't how a normal relationship should function but the red flag tends to look white when you look at it through rose tinted glasses.

More often than not you feel like you earned him, a (semi) bad boy who was wanted by everyone in school. He was a shiny toy with a price and you know damn well you bought it.

The meeting spot is different this time, a room within a room in the room of requirement. He'd only told you to meet him at the room of requirement at ten and you showed up right on time only to be met with confusion.

In front of you were a set of doors, circling around you as you stood over stained glass rings, blue merged with pink then pink into purple where the centre of the room was. Instead of figuring out how to find him on your own, you call out to him, "Regulus?"

"Down here," he replies, you look down onto the glass pane and furrow your brows when he is nowhere to be found. "Stand at the centre, sweetheart."

You do as you were told, watching as the glass dips under your weight; you can hear the mechanics working, it unlocking steps for you to take. Once you finally meet Regulus, you cock your head to the side with a teasing smile. "An oddly complicated way for just a booty call."

Regulus frowns, "this isn't a booty call, ma chérie." He moves towards you, and you let him place his hands on your hips. "I just missed you."

You roll your eyes and Regulus thinks that while the devils may roll their dice, he was sure angels spend their time rolling their eyes at him and his behaviour. But then again, what doesn't kill him makes him want it more. And you were just that.

Opposite does attract after all.

"You shouldn't miss me so often," you fixed him a look. "My friends are starting to suspect where I go so often."

It's his turn for Regulus to roll his eyes, albeit more elegant and poise then you ever did. "This is your fault," he groans, burying his head in the crook of your neck. "We wouldn't have to be doing this if you just told everyone about us."

Regulus had decided to keep your relationship a secret at first, wanting to test the waters and after the first few months went smoothly. So smoothly that he'd found himself smitten with you. He wanted everyone to know, he knew that it was weird for him to claim you but he'd like people to know that he wasn't willing to share.

But you think a lot, way too much at times, and decided that no, you do not want people to know about the two of you. Because, you wanted him all to yourself, you liked him too much for other people to know.

"I'm sorry, my love," you say first, a hand reaching up to brush back his outgrown curls. "I promise it won't be for much longer."

Contrary to popular belief, Regulus Black was a clingy person, so touch starved and clingy that you pressed a kiss on the top of his head for good measure.

He stills for a moment, obviously planning something before he presses a kiss to your neck and pulls away. "Would you still love me tomorrow?"

"What?" You splutter, confused on why he decided to bring tomorrow up. "Of course, I do."

"Thank you, mon amour. I love you too." He says before asking. "My game's tomorrow, you're coming to see me right?"

"I always do," you tell him and he smiles. "Why are you asking me this?"

He makes a face. "Just trying to make sure my girlfriend won't run away before my plan unfolds."

Slytherin were losing, and the longer you watched Regulus not even trying to seek out the snitch the more you realised that he was throwing the game on purpose.

You stood up from your seat in the stands and found your way to the railings. "OI! BLACK!" You call out and he turns to you distractedly. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THE SNITCH IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU."

He turns away, looking uninterested. "I can't see a thing, sorry."

You were starting to get annoyed now, confused on when Regulus had gotten this kind of attitude but you chopped it up to how being dramatic more often than not runs in the Black family.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" You yell, your voice loud despite the hundreds of others also yelling the same thing at him —albeit with a little more colourful words than you were using. "WHY AREN'T YOU PLAYING?"

"I want you to tell them," he says instead of answering your questions. You're a bit confused on how you can still hear him over the sound of support from the other where their Seeker was actually doing the job. "I want them to know."

"KNOW WHAT." You began to yell when it dawned on you. He wants you to tell everyone about your relationship. "ARE YOU CRAZY?"

He shrugs. "Do you want me to win?"

Knowing how pouty he could be if he didn't, you steel yourself for what's to come next. "REGULUS BLACK." You yell and you can see the other team's seeker dive towards the snitch. "I DON'T WANT TO KEEP SECRETS JUST TO KEEP YOU FOR MYSELF ANYMORE."

The crowd goes quiet, waiting to see the scene unfolding before them. Of course it was another Black brother hoarding the attention all to themself, creating a scene as they stole the spotlight from everyone else.

So you prepare yourself, screaming for what it's worth. "I LOVE YOU. AIN'T THAT THE WORST THING YOU HEARD DURING A GAME?"

The other team's seeker loses sight of the snitch, audibly gasping at your confession towards his rival. The snitch continues its way around the pitch.

"NOW PLAY THE DAMN GAME SO PEOPLE CAN KNOW HOW COOL MY BOYFRIEND IS."

The snitch finds it way a few feet above Regulus' head, you want to laugh at how this was playing out. The snitch was just invested in this as everyone else.

The snitch holds his spot and everyone watches with bated breath because, one, the game seems like it was nearing the end, and two (the much important reason they were watching) was that they wanted to see how Regulus would react.

His eyes look up from his broom and meets yours, it took him a few seconds before he broke away. Looking up, grinning like a devil at his now second prized possession (with the first being his chérie of course).

He reaches his hand up, easily snatching the snitch with a breath-taking grin. He clutched onto the snitch tightly, and a second wave of anxiety hit. What if he'd mistaken something else for the snitch amongst everything that had just happened?

Finally, Regulus unclasped his fist, letting the snitch hover above his palm. And as the game officially reaches its natural ending. The announcer's voice started up.

"It looks like Black has gotten the win this round," the announcer says first, their tone playful. "And would he be a black brother if he didn't get the girl as well?"

And then, since you had always been outgoing, so outgoing in fact, that everyone in the castle knew of you and your habits. So just to be sure, the announcer adds, “this isn’t one of your lies right?” 

You can’t help but smile at that, Regulus had always found your smile infectious so, naturally, he found that it was useless to even try hiding his smile from you as he awaited your answer. 

“Why would I lie to you about this?” 

— from bee: i hope you liked this! and is what you’d imagine when you’d sent in the request! feed backs/reblog/notes are appreciated!! :]

[meiiuka]

hi Mod Toko!! <3 can I request rantaro and nagito finding out that the reader has a crush on them and how they both would react??

of course, that's such a cute idea!!

rantaro amami and nagito komaeda finding out that you have feelings for them:

category: headcanons, fluff

notes: i hope i didn’t stray from the prompt too much, i tried my best to make the scenarios entertaining lol

Rantaro Amami:

• you, rantaro, and your mutual friend were having a conversation with just the three of you in a casual group setting

• the third party had accidentally mentioned that you had feelings for him while telling a “funny story” 💀 • rantaro’s first reaction is to chuckle at the news but he doesn’t really fully process what’s being said until he notices the flustered reaction on your face

• he has this moment where his eyes just kind of go out of focus and he thinks about the fact that your mutual friend just said it aloud without thinking

• he’s normally a very composed guy but this time, he can’t help but react by widely grinning and letting his excitement show in his face 😭

• the normally chill, sociable guy that you fell for is bubbling with excitement and is struggling to think of how to phrase what he wants to say smoothly

• “can the two of us have a minute to ourselves? i uh… might need a second”

• “hey y/n, so about that. when were you gonna tell me you had feelings for me?”

as you held your breath in anticipation, he completed his thought

“i wasn’t sure how i was going to tell you about my feelings, so i take this as a good way to break it to you”

• you two are both laughing at the situation (and at your mutual friend who has zero idea what they just revealed), rantaro putting his hand on your shoulder for leverage as he struggles to compose himself

• “what do you say a date for tomorrow night? it’s my turn to take initiative and put effort into this”

Nagito Komaeda:

• it started when you wrote a message to your friend about nagito: “i just don’t know what to do… i like him, but what if he doesn’t like me?”

… and accidentally sent it to nagito 💀

• the first reaction you get from him is “?” (that is, the first reaction you can see)

• on the other side of the phone he is freaking out, wishfully thinking that it might be about him, blushing PROFUSELY, pacing around, and is unsure of what the hell is going on

• you immediately send him a follow up message trying to cover your tracks but you get the feeling that he already knows

• in a way, you also want him to know so that you could just get it out there, but it’s extremely nerve racking for everyone involved

• meanwhile every single fiber of his soul is hoping that the message was about him, and that somehow you’d reveal it to be

• “not to pry but could i ask you something y/n? who is this person you have feelings for? we’re friends and i want to help you, if i can”

• this evolves into a conversation about you practically describing the aspects of nagito without actually naming anyone— but it’s exactly what he needs to deduce that you’re talking about him

• you two have the same moment of realization where the tension is so high that you just can’t ignore what you both already know

• “i think i’ll just be honest at this point,,

i’ve been talking about you, nagito. you’re the one i have feelings for.”

• he literally cannot type words. he’s paralyzed by the fact that you of all people??? liking him? no way. he must be dreaming

• his reply reads:

“if i wasn’t already obvious, i have feelings for you too… sorry if it was awkward for me to ask you that. i want to go further but i think i’m worried about ruining our friendship. i want to watch movies with you and maybe even hold hands, i wanna be closer with you. agh. i can’t even think… what am i saying??? just ignore this”

• you reassure him that it’s okay and that these are things you’ll figure out with him along the way. he buries his face into a pillow and sighs with a mixed feeling of excitement, joy, relief, and nervousness. but above all, he’s happy to know his feelings are reciprocated

[dalilacherie]

The gang baking all together with the Curtis brothers before the book scenario pls?? 🎂🍰🧁

If u r okay with that ofc ☺️☺️

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐎𝐟𝐟

[𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐱 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠]

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: I love this so much! I really had a lot of fun writing this so I hope you like it too.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬: 1,149

The sun shone brightly through the kitchen windows of the Curtis house, casting a warm glow over the bustling activity inside. Mrs. Curtis had taken on the task of organizing the bake sale for the school, and with the bake sale fast approaching, she thought it would be a wonderful idea to get the whole gang involved in baking cookies. After all, with so many hands to help, what could go wrong?

The Curtis kitchen, normally a place of quiet family dinners and quick breakfasts, had been transformed into a chaotic but cheerful hub of activity. Flour and sugar bags lined the counter, mixing bowls and measuring cups were scattered about, and the air was thick with the sweet smell of vanilla and chocolate.

Mrs. Curtis and Ms. Mathews, Two-Bit's mom, were stationed at the kitchen island, reading out the recipe and overseeing the operation with practiced ease. Mrs. Curtis was a natural at keeping things running smoothly, while Ms. Mathews provided comic relief with her witty remarks and easy laughter.

"Alright, boys," Mrs. Curtis called, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "We need ten dozen cookies for the bake sale tomorrow, so let's get to work."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Curtis," Steve replied with a grin, but his eyes were already on the bowl of cookie dough sitting temptingly on the counter. Beside him, Soda was having the same thoughts.

"You two stay away from that dough until it's ready," Darry warned, giving them both a stern look. He was trying his best to keep things on track, but with this group, it was no easy feat.

Ponyboy was carefully measuring out the flour, his tongue poking out in concentration. He enjoyed baking, and this was a nice break for him.

Meanwhile, Dallas and Two-Bit had other ideas. Two-Bit, ever the joker, had found a carton of eggs and was trying to juggle them. Dallas, surprisingly good at it, had joined in, his concentration only breaking when he saw Two-Bit drop an egg, splattering it on the floor.

"Watch and learn, Keith," Dallas said, effortlessly juggling three eggs with a smirk on his face. Two-Bit, undeterred, tried again, only to create another mess.

"Two-Bit, you're gonna end up with scrambled eggs on the floor if you keep that up," Johnny warned from his spot by the oven. He was carefully monitoring the temperature, making sure everything was set just right. The last thing he wanted was to get burned.

"Aw, come on, Johnnycake, where's your sense of fun?" Two-Bit laughed, but he did put the eggs back down, realizing that maybe juggling wasn't his strong suit.

"Hey, Soda, Steve, hands off the dough!" Mrs. Curtis exclaimed as she caught the two boys sneaking bites of the cookie dough. Both boys flashed innocent grins, but the evidence was clear on their faces.

"Sorry, Mrs. Curtis, it's just too good to resist," Steve said, wiping a bit of dough off his chin.

"Why don't you guys help Pony with the measuring instead?" Ms. Mathews suggested, handing them each a measuring cup.

"Yeah, come on, guys. We gotta make these cookies perfect," Ponyboy added, grateful for the extra help.

Darry was at the mixer, combining the butter and sugar into a creamy mixture. His focus was intense, and it was clear he was determined to get this right. Despite the craziness around him, he found some peace in the methodical process of baking.

Mrs. Curtis moved to help Johnny with the oven, showing him how to adjust the racks and making sure the temperature was just right. "You’re doing great, Johnny. Just keep an eye on that timer."

"Thanks, Mrs. Curtis," Johnny said quietly. He appreciated the attention and care she always showed him.

Two-Bit, having given up on his juggling act, started cracking the eggs into a bowl, one by one, under Ms. Mathews' watchful eye. "Easy, Keith, don’t get any shells in there."

"Yes, ma’am," Two-Bit replied, unusually compliant. He knew better than to push his luck with his mom around.

Dallas, seeing the juggling act was over, leaned against the counter, watching everyone with an amused look. "You guys are taking this way too seriously."

"Dallas, if you're not going to help, at least stay out of the way," Darry said, not looking up from his mixing.

"Who says I'm not helping?" Dallas grinned, reaching over to snatch a piece of dough. Mrs. Curtis swatted his hand away just in time.

"No more dough until the cookies are done," she said firmly. "If you want to help, grab the chocolate chips and start adding them to the batter."

Dallas shrugged and did as he was told, though he made sure to sneak a few chips into his mouth when no one was looking.

With everyone finally working together, the process started to smooth out. Soda and Steve took turns measuring ingredients and adding them to the bowl, while Ponyboy mixed everything together. Two-Bit, under his mom’s supervision, cracked the eggs without incident, and Dallas added the chocolate chips with surprising precision.

Mrs. Curtis and Ms. Mathews moved between the boys, offering guidance and keeping things on track. Despite the occasional mishap���like when Soda accidentally knocked over the flour or when Steve tried to start a flour fight—they managed to keep the chaos to a minimum.

"Alright, time to get these on the trays," Mrs. Curtis announced. "Ponyboy, show them how it's done."

Ponyboy carefully scooped out portions of dough onto the baking trays, making sure they were evenly spaced. The others followed his lead, some more successfully than others. Two-Bit's cookies were a bit uneven, and Dallas's were a bit too close together, but Mrs. Curtis fixed them with a smile.

"Now, into the oven they go," she said, helping Johnny carefully place the trays inside. "And we wait."

As the cookies baked, the kitchen settled into a comfortable rhythm. The boys cleaned up the mess they’d made, with Dallas and Two-Bit even taking turns sweeping up the flour from the floor. Mrs. Curtis and Ms. Mathews chatted about the upcoming bake sale, while Darry and Ponyboy washed the dishes.

When the timer finally went off, the smell of freshly baked cookies filled the kitchen, and everyone gathered around to see the results. Mrs. Curtis and Johnny carefully pulled the trays out of the oven, and the golden-brown cookies looked perfect.

"Good job, everyone," Mrs. Curtis said proudly. "These are going to be a hit at the bake sale."

"Yeah, we did alright," Darry agreed, a rare smile on his face.

"Can we eat them now?" Soda asked, eyeing the cookies eagerly.

Mrs. Curtis laughed. "We'll save some for the bake sale, but you can each have one now."

The boys didn't need to be told twice. They each grabbed a cookie, savoring the sweet, warm treat. Even Dallas, usually too cool to show much enthusiasm, looked pleased.

If you made it this far you get a free cookie 🍪

[deathbxnny]

🎀💮 Hello, I was wondering if you could do a Jing Yuan × female reader where the reader is pregnant with twin boys but wants to continue to go on missions and won't rest or sit down. How would Yuan react? Would he force her to rest or would he keep her in their shared room? The reader and Yuan are both married, and she is also a general. Reader is stubborn and a skilled fighter once she sets her mind on something she wont stop till she completes it take your time. 🎀💮

-----♡

A/N: I love this idea alot, so thank you for the request, Anon!<33

Content: Mentions of pregnancy, fluff, established relationship, Jing Yuan lowkey being a little manipulative??, angst if you squint, sfw

Reader is female here!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

Jing Yuan knew right away, that the pregnancy would not go smoothly, mainly due to how you were like. You were always such a hard worker, that not even the news of it stopped you from doing missions and overworking yourself. You were determined and stubborn, much to your husband's dismay and worry.

He was fine with you continuing work at first, as you weren't that far along yet and were just doing work in the office anyways. But when you started showing and it was confirmed that you were having twins, he quickly changed his stance on that. He became a little too overprotective and out right forbade you from doing any missions involving battle.

He knew you'd protest against his decision, which he knew would result in you getting angry with him, but everyone knew it was the right choice. Yanqing and Fu Xuan agreed, just like all the other generals, so surely you had to see and understand his view on this? Besides, he could just finish your missions easily on his own anyways, so there is no need for you to endanger yourself.

It eventually ends up with him persuading you to just stay at home and rest, until the twins were born. All your needs are taken care of by him and your maids. Your protests and complaints are gently hushed by his sweet words, as he showers you with love and affection to distract your stubborn self from realising that he finally won and got his way.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was okay! Thank you again for the request!<33

[httpiastri]

devil in disguise – cn21

clement got into a fight.

genre: angsty??

pairing: female reader x boyfriend!clement novalak

warnings: mentions of blood, alcohol, fighting. basically describing an anxiety/panic attack so stay away if that might trigger you!

requested?: no

author's note: two pieces of writing in one day? who am i??? 😵 jk jk, this has just been sitting in my drafts for so long (since halloween-) and i just got tired of not posting it, so i just wrote an ending and here we are. welp. not super happy with this one, esp not the end, and im not sure how accurately i described the panic/anxiety (like. i just experience, i don't remember it after it happens. 😐), but i hope u enjoy!!

f2/f3 masterlist

"i can't believe you, clem."

the anger is still bubbling inside of you, yet your actions tell a different story. you've got one of his hands in yours, pressing an ice pack against the back of it gently to hopefully stop some of the swelling and bleeding.

"hey, baby-"

"no, don't you 'baby' me right now. bloody hell, what were you thinking?!"

to say that clement's halloween party had been a failure would be an understatement. you aren't exactly an avid party-goer, most often preferring to stay at home with a good book or a favorite show playing on the tv. in fact, you couldn't even recall when you last attended a party before this one. but, knowing that you're a big fan of halloween, clement invited you to his theme party. your boyfriend had promised to stay by your side and make sure you were comfortable, knowing how you sometimes get intimidated by large crowds, and it all went smoothly for most of the night. until it didn't anymore.

it all happened so quickly. one moment, there was a hand on your waist – one you assumed belonged to your boyfriend – and you leaned into his touch. the next, the hand was ripped off you and you spun around to see what was going on. and then, all you could see was clement's fist flying towards the stranger's face.

silence washed over the apartment momentarily, only to soon be shattered as screams and the thuds of fists against skin consumed the room.

but to you, it all went quiet. it felt like the world slowed down, and you were stuck watching as your boyfriend punched some dude you'd never seen before. you couldn't move, frozen in place as more people started getting involved, pulling the two apart or throwing punches of their own.

you felt yet another hand land on your shoulder, but this time it belonged to marcus. he pulled you back, away from the commotion, tucking your face into his chest to hide you from the ongoing fight. your lungs felt tight, your vision growing blurry.

the crowd scattered moments later, everyone but clement's closest friends leaving hurriedly. marcus guided you to the bedroom, ensuring that you weren't panicking completely before going out again to help out.

your relationship with clement is still relatively new, and you're both experimenting to find your dynamics and get to know each other. you know that you have a lot to learn about him – you just never thought that this was what was hiding behind his cheerful exterior.

clement's apartment is completely empty by now, with scattered plastic cups filling the floor and the pop music turned off. you make it out of his room once you know the coast is clear, tiptoeing into the living room to find him sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. his knuckles are still bleeding, just like a few bruises on his face.

"i wasn't thinking, i guess," he mumbles, eyes strictly focused down on his lap. he leans back slightly against the couch cushions. "i know you're too innocent for these kinds of things... i shouldn't have told you to come here in the first place."

you shake your head lightly, removing the ice pack and instead reaching for the box of wound cleansing wipes you'd gotten from his bathroom. "it's my own fault for asking if i could come."

clement smiles as he looks at you. he's come to learn how soft-spoken, shy, and timid you are; how you have a way of calming those around you. it's one of the many things making him fall for you. he's never been with anyone like you before, and it's different in such a refreshing way. "don't be sorry," he hums. "you had no idea what was going to happen."

"does this happen often?" you ask, beginning to rub a wipe against the bruises on his knuckles. "do you get into a lot of fights at parties?"

he pauses for a moment. "well... stuff like this does happen at times." he sighs. "i know it's bad, but... sometimes, you can't control it. i'm just sorry you got caught in the middle of it." your wipe is quickly filled up with dried blood and other dirt, and when you bend over to the couch table to put it away, clement's free hand reaches your hip. his gaze is on you when you lean back, his hand giving you a quick squeeze as a slight grin makes its way onto his lips. "do you find it attractive?" he raises his eyebrows teasingly. "having a guy who knows how to throw a punch?"

"honestly?" your eyes meet his for a quick moment before you stare at his wounded hand again. your voice is lower than before when you start speaking again. "you're... it's a bit... scary..."

clement is shocked. he hasn't realized the effect this has on you – surely, he understands that you could be afraid of a fight, but being scared of him? it breaks his heart. the novelty of your relationship makes him a bit unsure of how to act around you, but he's worked so hard to build up your trust and to make you feel comfortable around him. to have it all be broken down in just one night makes his heart drop.

"oh, love..." he says. "you have nothing to fear. you mean too much to me," his hand moves from your hip to your cheek. "and i would never ever lay a finger on you."

you can't find it in yourself to look at him or say anything, but you manage to nod your head and take a breath before you start cleaning his hand again. he leans forward to press a sweet kiss to your cheek, your skin heating up where his lips had touched you. he smiles at you – until he looks down at your hands again.

"hey, you're shaking." a frown reaches his face, eyes flickering up and down between your hands and your face.

"oh, i am?" you ask, trying to focus on continuing to wipe his knuckles so you don't have to think too much about your feelings and the reality of the situation. "i didn't realize..."

"darling, you need to relax. it's been a long night." his hands wrap around yours, thumbs grazing over the skin of the back of your hands. "you don't need to clean my hands, i'll be fine."

"but-"

"no buts. i'm sorry for..." he stops for a moment, eyes studying you closely. "hey hey hey, you need to breathe properly. take a deep breath."

you hear his words, but you can't do what he tells you to do. your throat feels like it's closing up and your breaths get shorter as your head grows dizzy. it's all a downward spiral; your anxiety increases when you can't breathe, and breathing gets even more challenging as you get more stressed.

clement almost panics himself when he sees your state, but he must stay calm for you at this moment. he places a hand right below your collarbone while you shut your eyes. "big breaths, lift my hand," he says, voice low and tone soothing. his other hand reaches for the back of your neck, tilting your head back slightly to free your airways.

you concentrate on his touch, your short breaths through your nose only making your chest rise slightly. his thumb strokes the side of your neck as he breathes with you, demonstrating and guiding you in the hope you'll copy him.

"good girl," he whispers. his hand lifts and lowers with your breaths, quickly at first but the speed decreases as you calm down bit for bit. "you're doing so good. just a little more now..."

your thoughts are still clouded with anxiety but as more oxygen enters your system, your body relaxes a little. you focus on your breathing as clement's hand leaves your chest and moves down to your side again, moving up and down your ribs. the tears have been rolling down your cheeks for a while, though you haven't noticed until now, and the coldness of the tears brings you back to reality somehow, and you realize;

you're crying in front of clement for the first time ever.

you feel so exposed, naked, vulnerable. sobs begin to escape past your lips once you lean forward to hide your face in the crook of his neck, and he wraps his arms around you. "hey, it's okay," he starts. "everything is going to be okay. i'm here."

he presses a soft peck to your temple as a hand strokes the back of your head. your hair is still bundled up in your fancy hairdo but the halo headband you'd worn for the party is removed, the rest of your cute little white outfit covered up by the oversized hoodie you'd picked up from clement's bedroom floor. his devil's horns, ironic, are a bit crooked but still clipped to his locks.

"sweets, what happened here?" he asks, shuffling around to pull you onto his lap so that it's easier for you to hug him.

your head is still buried in his skin, his mild scent soothing as you sniffle. "i- i-" you groan at the way you aren't able to get any proper words out, the frustration blending with the panic and mixing into one big soup of despair. "i don't know-"

he rubs up and down your back, sighing. "okay, we don't need to talk about this right now. but," clement leans back slightly, taking your face into his hands and tilting your head up towards his. "if my fighting affects you like this, i'll stop it." his eyes are staring straight into your soul, and it feels like he's trying to prove that he really means his words. "you're the most important thing for me right now, i'm not going to lose you over something like this."

clement is shocked by not only his own words, but also his feelings. the two of you haven't been a couple for a long time, and yet, his heart aches at the mere thought of you ever feeling this bad again. he knows he can't let this happen again.

"i promise you that. okay?"

you nod, unable to get any words out, but it's more than enough for clement. he gives your forehead a kiss, and one on your nose, and one on both of your cheeks. then, he makes sure to press a quick one to your mouth so it doesn't feel jealous.

"how about this," he starts and you raise your eyebrows. "i go make us some tea, we drink it, and then we go get some sleep. how does that sound?"

"perfect."

he picks you up and puts you down on the sofa, tucking you in with a blanket before giving you one last peck and disappearing into the kitchen. you can hear his soft humming of a song you'd danced to earlier today, and you relax into the soft cushions.

clement's awareness of his actions, along with his promise to get better, makes a sense of calm wash over you; you allow yourself to believe that maybe, just maybe, everything will turn out alright after all.

[russellsppttemplates]

You have me (Charles Leclerc)

Note: english is not my first language. This is, again, particularly special because this is a topic that I feel huge responsibility writing about and I feel grateful that I'm trusted enough to have it be requested. This is a neurodivergent!reader piece and while I, like I said in the other one I wrote, like to see everything as we are all the same and I hate the idea of labelling, I tried to do this is the most respectful way with help and knowledge that I gathered over the years. These are a few little moments but they are in no way representative of the whole spectrum! And please remember, there are 5 fingers in a hand and they're all different and we need them all, there's no need to spread hatred or mean words to someone just because they're "different" than what is socially expected as the norm 🩶

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm not taking requests, but I am writing some blurbs when I can (usually at nighttime when I can) so if you have any ideas or concepts that can be written in a small amount of sentences and you want to share, feel free to do so!

If things had been going smoothly with Charles, right now they had taken a bad turn. You did not usually get that bothered about people commenting on how you sometimes behaved differently when compared to other people, but when you noticed a few more accounts that supported your boyfriend and his racing team point out how you usually stayed back and did not get involved directly in the celebrations, how all the other drivers had gone to an after party and you and Charles had stayed behind in the hotel and how apparently you had been keeping him from the world, nastier words flying around about you like they weren't directed at a human. Sure, there had been the odd comment here and there but usually people had been very respectful about it, even when it came to people approaching you and Charles on the street during your walks around the city, they respected your space while still being kind and understanding, but it seemed that online they had taken their thumbs to a new level, the posts even so much as going to make fun of things like how you tended to tap your fingers on top of the counter in the Ferrari garage or how you rarely ever took off rhe headphones as the noises around you bothered you a lot. Deciding that it wouldn't do you any good to keep looking at what other people thought about you, you locked your phone when you heard the front door unlock, youe boyfriend coming in as he dropped his training bag in its usual place, "Mon coeur, I'm home! I showered at the gym too, so I don't smell bad. Are you up for a hug?", he said as he crossed the corner and sat next to you on the sofa, already noticing your nervous stance, "is everything alright?", he asked worriedly, "is something bothering you that I can help with?", he finished carefully as he tried not to approach you too much, knowing you liked your personal space if you were feeling particularly sensory overwhelmed, "it's not what you think it is, everything is fine on that", you said simply, "but people online have been really mean. And without any reason for it. It's not my fault", you said as you felt your lip tremble slightly, hearing a sigh on Charles' part, "I also saw it this morning, I was genuinely hoping you wouldn't see it. I never meant to hide it from you", he apologised as he tentatively reached for your hand, your own hesitating before latching into his, "I know you didn't. And I don't want to hide from it either. But it also doesn't make sense as to why they're doing it, because it really isn't nice", you admitted as you seeked for more comfort in the for of running the zipper up and down on your boyfriend's sweatshirt jacket material, your head snuggling into his chest, "I was thinking, with your permission obviously, about posting something. Doesn't need to be very structured but I want to show them that I do not support that whatsoever. I love you so much beyond whatever they are pointing out. All of it is part of you and I am madly in love with every single part of you and will not tolerate this behaviour towards you", he said as he kissed the top of your head, "that'd be good, yes", you admitted, "I love you too, handsome".

.

"I'm going to play some games with the guys, okay?", Charles said as he placed his hand on your shoulder, pressing a kiss to the top of your head as he excused himself from the living room where you stayed in reading your book. You flicked through the pages quite quickly, the plot holding your attention until you decided you wanted to take a bath, the position you had been in from working on your laptop for university making your muscles tense and a bit painful. Grabbing the usual products you use, you carefully let them soak in the water for a bit before it was at the perfect level for you to get inside, your muscles welcoming the warmth while you got the rest of your body submerged, just enjoying the peace and quiet as only the water swooshing around was heard.

Charles had lost yet another battle with George as they raced on the game, "honestly, Charles, will you ever win?", Alex asked as Pierre could only laugh, "I'm trying, I really am", he said as he managed to restart the game, racing eachother like they did on track until he heard a rhythmic noise, almost sounding like a bang, and he was up before the gears fully turned in their head, "I have to go, guys, bye!", he said as he followed the noise, the inkling he had that it came from your shared bathroom proving to be true as he heard you inside, opening the door as he announced his presence, "mon coeur, I'm coming in!", he said as he walked inside, his hand coming to the edge of the bath where your head had been banging on, "Hey, gentle, gentle", he urged you to stop, "all good now?", he said as he grabbed a towell, with his other hand, ready if you wanted to leave, "sorry, got distracted", you mumbled as you looked up at him, "No need to apoligise, just don't want you to hurt your pretty head. Do you want to stay for a bit longer?", he asked, your head shaking no as you accepted his help to get out, your foot tapping on the drain piece so the water would go while you let your boyfriend wrap the towell around your body, kissing your shoulder once he had you in his embrace, "you smell nice", he said as he guided you both back to the bedroom, "it's my new scent, the one I chose with your mother as my birthday gift", you revealed, Pascale being attentive to the scents that you did and didn't like. While you got ready in the bathroom, Charles offered to make dinner, "Ma belle, dinner is on the table", he announced as you got up from the sofa, joining him at the table for your meal, "this is really nice, I like this recipe", you said, "you do? That's great, means I can cook more often for you", he beamed, happy to have made something you liked, "so definitely nothing like the pie I made last week?", earning a giggle from you, "it was okay, Charles, just not my favourite though".

.

While sitting on the hospitality's outside area, you and Charles enjoyed the sunset while he spoke to Carlos and the engineering team about the upcoming race, your thoughts leaving you to distract yourself and you started running your hands through your hair, grabbing a strand and twisting it along your fingers, doing it without minding it much until you felt a knot forming, "here, mon coeur", you heard Charles whisper quietly as he placed your hand on the nape of his neck, your fingers quickly finding the longer hairs in there that he had yet to get cut and running your fingers there, "merci", you whispered as you took the opportunity to look at how his eyes looked even more beautiful against the sunlight that was painting the sky, "I'm here for you, always. You have me.".

[jennay]

Special Moments

Rory Culkin x Reader

Warnings: None just fluff

Words: 1kish

Master List

AN: I love fluff. I always forget that. I hope you enjoy.

"Please." You plead with a cute pout, snuggling into Rory's neck with your nose. "Pretty please. One more time." You shift your weight on the piano bench, feeling his arm around your waist. He thinks you're just teasing, but you really want to learn. "My fingers are traitors. They won't listen to me."

He gives you a tender smile, rubbing your back soothingly. "Just relax, okay? You're doing great." He says, his voice is warm and supportive. You feel a blush spreading over your face as he wraps his arms around you, guiding your hands to the piano keys. "This one goes here and that one…here. See? You just have to skip this key and go to the next one." He points to the keys with his finger, then presses them with yours. "There you go. Now try it a few times, get the rhythm of it."

He smiles at you, his eyes full of love and admiration. He loves teaching you new things, especially when they involve music. He watches your face intently, seeing the concentration and curiosity in your expression. “Amazing," He whispers, kissing your temple. “Now, move your hand to the left, two keys over, same position.” He guides your fingers gently, feeling the warmth of your skin.

You hear the melody come out smoothly, and you can’t help but grin. You pull your hands back and clap excitedly.

You feel a burst of happiness as you exclaim, “I did it!” You look over at him, glowing with pride, and his eyes sparkle with joy. “You did!” He cheers, clearly impressed.

You can’t help but tease him, “Better watch out. I’m gonna outshine you soon!”

His response is to lean in and give you a sweet kiss. “Keep practicing,” He advises, “You can take over the holiday piano playing at my mom’s.”

But you shake your head, feeling a little nervous. “No, I’m not ready for that.” You admit.

He grins at you, “Well then, do you wanna keep practicing, or are we done for the day?”

“I think my fingers need to rest. They aren’t used to stretching in all of these weird ways.” You say, rubbing your hands together. “Besides, it’s time for us to get ready for dinner. I don’t want to be late again. Your mom always gives us that look when we show up."

Rory shrugs, “I think everyone’s used to it.” He gets up from the bench, delicately lifting your chin with his finger, locking eyes with you; he plants a sweet kiss on your lips, "You can't speed up perfection." You hug him tightly around his neck, kissing him back.

"Mmm. I love that." You say, slowly opening your eyes.

Rory never ceases to amaze you with everything he does. Sure, your relationship has highs and lows, but you wouldn’t trade him for anyone else. He just gets you and understands you.

He bites his lip, hoping you won’t say no to his question, “Do you mind being ‘sick’? I kinda want to stay in tonight and cuddle with you.” He sighs, “My mom won’t take no for an answer unless one of us is on our deathbed.” He chuckles.

You smile at him, feeling touched by his request. You know how much he loves spending time with you and how hard it is to say no to his mom. You decide to go along with his plan and nod. “Okay,” You agree softly. “Let’s be sick.”

He hugs you tightly and kisses your cheek. “Thanks,” He says gratefully. “I don’t want to hurt her feelings and say, Sorry, Mom, I just want to hang out with my girlfriend instead.” He laughs, “She doesn’t get how crazy our schedules are.”

You nod, following him to the living room and plopping on the couch. “I get it. Honestly, I was going to ask you this morning, but I know it’s important for you to have your family outings.” You say, understanding his dilemma.

He grabs the remote from the coffee table and sits before you, leaning back and fluffing his hair onto your lap. He looks up at you with a mischievous smile.

“Did you want something?” You tease him back and say

“Maybe.”

You bend down and kiss his nose, making him grin.

He softly speaks, grabbing your hand and putting it on his scalp. “It's so relaxing when you play with my hair.” He says, batting his eyelashes at you. “Please?”

You nod, bringing your hands to his head, and softly brush through his curls with his fingers. You stop when your fingers get stuck in a knot. "Hold on." You fling your leg over him, sitting up and walking to the bathroom to find your brush and detangler.

You gently run the brush through his curls, smoothing out the tangles and making them shine. He closes his eyes and sighs, enjoying your touch.

“Much better.” You say, parting his hair down the middle and continuing to practice your braiding skills. “You’ll be so pretty when I’m done.” You tease, making him laugh.

“You’re braiding my hair? I’m gonna look ridiculous.” He says, shaking his head slightly.

“Don’t worry, it’s only me here, and I’ll still love you either way.” You remind him, kissing his cheek. “Besides, you look cute with braids. Like a Viking warrior.”

He opens his eyes and looks at you with a playful smile. “A Viking warrior, huh? Does that mean I get to pillage and plunder?” He asks, making himself laugh.

“Maybe, if you behave.” You say, smiling back. “Now, hold still; I’m almost done.” You finish the last braid and tie it with a rubber band. You admire your work and say proudly, “There. You look amazing.”

He turns around and faces you, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. He reaches up and touches his braids, feeling the texture. He grins and says, “You know what? I kind of like it. It makes me feel adventurous.”

“I’m glad you like it.” You scoot over on the couch, making room for him to sit.

“Thank you for making me feel special.” You smile and snuggle into his chest. You feel his heartbeat and sigh contentedly. You whisper back, “Thank you for being you.”

He leans down and kisses you a little rougher then intended, surprised you kiss him back, feeling the warmth of his mouth. When you break away from him, breathless, you say, "God, you're fucking perfect."

[skeletonpunching]

Buddy Daddies scriptwriter interview

Interview with Shimokura Vio (Nitroplus; original story idea, series composition, scriptwriter) and Kakihara Yuko (series composition, scriptwriter)

Interviewer: Shimokura-san, you handled the original story idea for "Buddy Daddies"; how did you establish the premise for the story and characters in the initial stage?

Shimokura: I came up with the preliminary outline. "If the setup is 'two contrasting male characters get stuck raising a child on the spur of the moment', the story will probably play out this way…" I wrote a provisional outline with that general vibe. Later on, Director Asai joined the production, and he had a very clear image of the characters right from the start, so the premise was solidified from there. The overall storyline is similar enough, I think. I first laid out a fairly orthodox flow of events, and then the director, Kakihara-san, and the producers gave their opinions, and we put it all together.

Interviewer: When the two of you were in charge of the series composition, what sort of discussions did you have in advance?

Shimokura: I don't think we had that many detailed discussions, did we?

Kakihara: There was something of a tacit agreement that Shimokura-san would do the work-related (assassination) episodes, and I would do the parenting-related episodes. After all, I do really have a child, so it's easier for me to come up with stories about children, while Shimokura-san is better at hard-boiled assassin stories - so I relied on Shimokura-san to deal with that, and when it came to the parenting stories, I boldly thought, "Now it's my time to shine!" (laughs) I guess Shimokura-san may have felt the same way.

Shimokura: That's right. Before I came on board this project, Producer Toba once asked me for advice, along the lines of, "I don't have kids myself, so I don't really know how to approach parenting." Back then, when I was still an outsider, I casually told him, "The crux of this project is people who don't understand parenting being confronted with it, so your perspective is vital as well, Toba-san!" But when I got involved myself, I realised what an outrageous thing I'd said. (laughs) Since it dealt so heavily with parenting, there were parts that I felt like I didn't truly understand. But Kakihara-san and Producer Tsuji have children of their own, and have many thoughts and practical experiences related to parenting; I counted on them to share the responsibilities as well.

Interviewer: And so you were able to enhance the realism of the parenting scenes.

Kakihara: I thought it would be fun to show cool men who usually have nothing to do with children being confronted with parenting, and finding themselves in dire straits, and all the challenges they go through. So when it came to those scenes, I deliberately made them as uncool as possible - there's nothing pretty about that portrayal. I hoped that this would make for an interesting "relatable parenting" story.

Interviewer: Amidst all of this work, was there anything each of you personally got hung up on? 

Shimokura: Essentially, I was always concerned with the classic theme of "Can assassins burdened with sins find happiness?" and that was on my mind when developing the overall storyline. And something I personally enjoyed was the fact that a 4-year-old child's thought processes are totally incomprehensible. When setting characters in motion, there's usually some chain of cause and effect tying things together - "this character thinks this way, and so they act like this", and the question is how we direct that flow to develop plot points. But you really have no clue what a 4-year-old child will come up with. And on the contrary, that made things incredibly interesting. I also enjoyed hearing all the anecdotes about parenting 4-year-olds that came up during the planning sessions; everyone seemed to be in full doting-parent mode. (laughs)

Kakihara: As for me, thanks to the original outline that Shimokura-san created, my work went extremely smoothly. I was wondering, well then, what can I bring to the table? And then during a script reading, some members of the production staff very kindly said, "Now I've understood how hard it is to be a parent." When they've just brought Miri home, there's a big scene of chasing her all over the place, but that was actually written based on my own stressful experiences… (laughs) And how even her going to the toilet takes a whole lot of effort. The fact that people commented, "This must be so tough," and found it a little amusing - that brought me a new sense of joy. So, rather than approaching the parenting scenes with thoughts of "it would be cuter this way", I decided to deliberately run counter to that. I emphasised making things realistic, and that made it more fun for me as well.

Interviewer: When it comes to our duo of assassin protagonists, what do you find appealing and interesting about each of them?

Shimokura: (Suwa) Rei might seem like a certain archetype of a cool-headed character, but when you delve into him, he's full of the kind of passion Director Asai has. As scriptwriter, I was thinking in terms of "what would be more natural", but the director reflected his own thoughts and views on family, and that leaves an incredibly vivid impression. In that sense, he seems cool-headed, but has a surprisingly raw side to him, and that really fleshes him out and makes him a compelling character.

Kakihara: It took me some time to get a grasp on the relationship between the two protagonists, but the director had quite a solid image of it, and nailed down the details; thanks to that, I was able to bring things together. Rei is the kind of so-called minimalist character where you have no idea what he's thinking, but there's also a surprising level of variation between his seemingly similar expressions and lines of dialogue. Like the distinction between "blue" and "bluish purple" - that's the sort of subtle gradations he has as a character. And as a result, the impression each viewer has of him is going to differ slightly, depending on their perception; I think that's his charm.

Interviewer: Then what about (Kurusu) Kazuki?

Kakihara: The director made some significant revisions to the way Kazuki ends his lines - he ended up speaking more "coarsely" than I was thinking. I guess that's the mental image the director had. (laughs) When the director was revising the scripts, he changed all the hiragana "n" characters to katakana "n" instead. (laughs)

And with such a clearly defined image, Kazuki's character really came alive. I felt like I was chasing after Kazuki, searching for my own image of him, but I think he ended up being a brighter and more fun character than my initial notion. I also rather like the good-for-nothing Kazuki we see when he goes out drinking; when he got lured in by those girls and frittered away all his money, I remember thinking "this is an interesting guy".

Shimokura: And when that scene was actually performed by the actors during the recording sessions, it became all the more interesting. I think as a result of Toyonaga (Toshiyuki)-san's incredible performance, Kazuki also became a more theatrical character. When we recorded the bonus drama CD for the blu-ray and DVD, during the break, Toyonaga-san and Uchiyama (Koki)-san were in the booth going over the script, and we could hear them faintly over the microphones. And the director and I reflexively exchanged a glance, and said, "This is just perfectly Kazuki and Rei, huh..." In this series, the characters' charm is often enhanced by the way the actors make them their own, but I think Kazuki was a real standout in this regard.

Interviewer: Are there any other characters you are fond of?

Shimokura: I'd say (Hanyu) Anna-sensei from the daycare. In a story about parenting, it's also nice to have a presence who brings a sense of security or, how should I put it, "mama mood" - but in between, she also provides a lot of comic relief, and it lightens things up. I think that's great. She's a broad-minded character, and that type of character hasn't shown up much in the scripts I've written; she brings me a real sense of security too.

Kakihara: I like Kyu-chan (Kugi Kyutaro). Like what I said earlier about Rei's subtle gradations - I think Kyu-chan is also a character who leaves the audience with room for individual interpretations. It's very easy to run wild with fantasies of "my imagined Kyu-chan", so in the staff meetings, everyone came up with their own ideas; it was a lot of fun having everyone put things out there.

Shimokura: At first, we couldn't quite settle on an image of Kyu-chan's character; he was a vague "cafe owner" presence. Depending how things played out, he could possibly have ended up being a brawny man with a shaven head, like Umibozu in "City Hunter". (laughs)

Interviewer: But in fact, he became a mysterious and cool character.

Kakihara: He became a character who it's worth watching interact with Miri.

Shimokura: I feel like we have to thank (character designer) Enami Katsumi-san for that. (laughs)

Interviewer: As for the episodes that have already aired, what did you find memorable during the production process?

Shimokura: When coming up the idea for episode 1, I remembered us discussing "should the finale be a Christmas episode?" during a planning session. And after all, the first episode is an episode where something special happens; when I was wondering how to properly bring out this feeling of specialness, it occurred to me that it should be set during Christmas - that alone would be enough to cast a sort of magic over the script. And it would strengthen the sense that something special was really happening here. I thought that would be great.

Kakihara: At first, we had lots of trouble developing episode 1, but as everyone threw in their ideas - "Christmas might be fun", "that means there'd be a cake…" and so on - we got very excited about it. And as we considered how (Unasaka) Miri would act amidst all that, we went from "I want her to act like this" to "since she's a kid, she'd end up doing this". Everything really came together - it was like watching a chemical reaction take place. It was a lot of fun. Making it a Christmas scenario added just the right touch of playfulness, and I really enjoyed building out the story from there.

Interviewer: Now, please tell us what you think are the selling points of this series "Buddy Daddies".

Shimokura: Single men with no children, and how they lead a haphazard life from day to day - personally, I wanted to write about that aspect. Rei and Kazuki are grown men sharing an apartment; they probably don't think about the future at all. They have a sense that their current daily life as assassins will go on forever. And then the two of them find themselves confronted with the child Miri, and they start to think about their future. That's a fascinating series of events, and I put a lot of care into portraying the details. For the first time, they're seriously facing one of the possibilities for their future. I think that's what this story is about. So I hope that people will pay attention to this aspect.

Kakihara: Looking back on the series as a whole, I hope that people will enjoy watching the drama of Kazuki, Rei, and Miri… I'd say. The story has quite a solidly crafted progression, and each of them shoulders their own painful burden, but ultimately, I think it's a lot of fun watching Kazuki and Rei's relationship, and the slapstick comedy introduced by Miri's addition to the mix. The characters are each cool in their own ways. I think the most important thing is to just have a fun, relaxing time watching.

Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to everyone who is anticipating this series.

Shimokura: From here on, the full-fledged parenting episodes will start coming out. Even if you have some awareness of the struggles of parenting, you can't understand those struggles unless you have actual experience raising children. And I'm guessing you haven't really imagined what it would be like to actually share space with a 4-year-old. By having this scenario suddenly flung at you in the form of an anime, you can be exposed to a world which is unknown to you, through this fictional story - I think that will be a good experience. At least, it was an excellent experience for me. I would be very happy if everyone has a similar experience through "Buddy Daddies".

Kakihara: If I may be so bold, I'll go with the exact opposite of what Shimokura-san said. It's a story about parenting, but there are some surprisingly hard-boiled developments waiting for you in the second half of the series. Even in the planning sessions, you could feel a difference in the level of tension - the previous week we were talking about parenting, and now this week we'd be discussing people’s attitudes towards life. But it also wouldn't be right to handle those serious elements so roughly - and how should we find the right balance in our portrayal of an assassin's job? We grappled seriously with these questions, and talked through all of them. So it's a fun story of parenting, but of course, some complications crop up in the second half of the series. I hope you will accompany us through the second half of the series, including all of that.

[mad4turtles]

I'm not sure if you're still doing writing requests, but I really loved your oneshot about Leo coming out to Splinter - it brought a few tears to my eyes thinking about my own coming out experience :') if you want, could you maybe do something about Mikey giving Usagi "The Shovel Talk"? It doesn't have to be serious, I just thought it'd be funny if Mikey went all Dr. Delicate Touch while Leo tries not to die in the background. Hope you have a good day/night! :D

I'm so sorry this took FOREVER to get out, I went through several drafts before I finally had to say it was fine XD Hope you enjoy :3

---

First Impressions (Part 2)

Miyamoto Usagi has become a regular guest in the Hamato household.

After introductions went about as smoothly as one could expect—Splinter warring between outrage and panic and glee that his Baby Blue was dating, and the rest of the family stunned that Leo actually has game (or maybe Usagi is just as dumb as he is)—the clan don't go long without seeing him wandering the lair, usually side by side with Leo.

In hindsight, that makes the death glares Donnie drills into the back of the rabbit's head make much more sense, but that's another issue.

Apparently, they'd been together three weeks before the introductions, and Mikey believes it. Just yesterday, he'd caught them through the crack of Leo's open bedroom door sitting together on the bed, sharing a pair of earbuds as Leo shuffled through his Spotify playlist, letting Usagi in on his atrocious taste in music.

“Hey, glam-rock is the shit,” Leo nudged Usagi's shoulder. “And you can't talk when all you listen to is J and K Pop, classical, country and Lofi.”

“Shut up, baka kappa,” Usagi nudged him back, grinning wide and showing off the buck front teeth that Leo found adorable. “Classical is thought-provoking, good for meditation. And I'll have you know Lofi is calming, something you never are about anything ever.” 

“Okay, I will allow that just this once but you cannot defend country or K Pop—”

“Contrary to popular belief, not all of your western music is about human Christian values, tractors or drinking—in fact, give me your phone, I'll show you my jazz playlist—”

“No!” Leo pulled his arm up, holding his phone out of Usagi's reaching paws even as the rabbit clambered over him. “Knowing you it'll be some awful jazz-lofi remix or somehow have Catholicism involved, people are getting creative in converting the masses—ow! No, get away from me—!”

“Your music sucks! You must be properly educated! Jazz is soothing for the soul!”

“But Queen! David Bowie! Prince!”

“All of the Hidden City knows you're gay, Leonardo, you don't have to blast it on speaker, too!”

“You attack me?! I let you into my house! I trusted you!”

 “Gankona baka! Kōfuku shite horobiro!”

  “Conejito idiota! ¡Fuera de mi trasero!”

They'd tousled for a bit before falling over on the bed and giving into giggles, barely any space between them. Leo's cheeks were flushed, his eyes bright and his grin a wide, dopey thing. Usagi called him a fool and nuzzled his nose against Leo's, earning a delighted chirp from the slider, and it was the happiest Mikey had seen him in months.

He's so in love it's gross. Mikey means that in the best way.

And Usagi seems like a nice guy. A really nice guy.

But they've been fooled by a pretty face and flowery words before. Last time, Leo had to bail them out. This time, Leo is too high up on cloud nine; he won't notice the danger until it's too late, and the fallout will be devastating.

Leo is strong, the strongest of them all as far as Mikey's concerned, in little ways they've never noticed until he'd showed them all by locking himself in hell with a demon. He's faced bigger, scarier things than any teenager—any person—ever should. But relationships? Dating? Being vulnerable with another person, opening your heart and trusting that person to take care of it, and in turn care for theirs? That's a beast of a different calibre.

Heartbreak happens to everyone; it's just how life is, and ignoring the ugly truth of it serves no one. Leo had barely survived his physical body breaking under metal fists driven by hatred and mindless bloodlust. Mikey doubts even he, with all that strength he possesses in spades that have carried him through some of the worst moments of their lives, would last long with a wound that deep.

Mikey loves him too much to let that happen.

(That, and he really doesn't want to kill Usagi, bail costs a lot, and not even Donnie has that much in his many wired accounts.)

So the trio meet up in Donnie's lab late one night and make a plan.

Miyamoto Usagi is gonna learn what'll happen if he messes with the Hamato clan.

~0o0~

A week later, Mikey corners Usagi at the front door.

The samurai in training doesn't startle when he drops from the ceiling or flinch at the smile that would have his brothers running for the hills. He smiles back, adjusting the duffle bag on his shoulder.

“Hello, Michelangelo. Nice of you to drop in,” he says, completely straight, and Mikey kind of wants to die. Leo did say they've been dating for a while. More than enough time for him to be a horrible influence on the otherwise straight (ha) laced samurai.

“Hey, Usagi! Here to see Leo?” Mikey asks like it's not obvious.

Still, Usagi nods. “That I am. We'd talked about some traditional Japanese snacks he hasn't tried before, so I bought some from the marketplace near my home.” He unzips his bag to let Mikey peek inside. “I'd be happy to share some with you and your brothers. I may have over-purchased.”

Mikey is dazzled by the array of absolutely delicious-looking snacks—including mango-flavoured mochi, oh be still his heart—but he shakes his head. Focus. Leo's heart and Usagi's continued existence depend on it. “That's great, Usagi, but I'm good for now. Actually, we gotta talk with you real quick before you see your boy. May I take your bag?”

Usagi blinks at him. “Oh. Um. Certainly?” He zips the bag up and shrugs it off, handing it to Mikey, and damn, he wasn't kidding. Did he buy out the whole store?

Mikey shoulders the bag and smiles. “Perfect! Now, stay still so Donnie doesn't accidentally knock you out.”

“Okay—wait, what—?”

Donnie drops from the ceiling and shoves a pillowcase over Usagi's head. 

And as Mikey expects, Usagi doesn't immediately struggle or fight: he freezes, an innate rabbit instinct kinda like how Mikey retreats into his shell. He almost feels bad for exploiting that weakness. Almost, because it gives Raph enough time to grab him in his massive arms, pick him up and carry him off to the atrium. Mikey and Donnie follow behind, the latter wearing an unsettling grin that tells Mikey he's enjoying this far more than he should. 

Blindfolded and trapped in Raph's solid grip. Usagi doesn't panic. Though his voice carries a twinge of worry when he says, “Is this a game? Am I being kidnapped? Did Leonardo put you up to this?”

“All will be revealed in good time,” Donnie says with a chuckle meant to sound ominous but it comes off as dorky. “Just relax, don't ask any questions and everything shall run smoothly and without the removal of a thing attached to another thing, like your head from your neck.”

“Alright?” Usagi says. Mikey bumps his hip against Donnie's and scowls. Donnie rolls his eyes.

They reach the living room, Dad's chair thankfully unoccupied, and Raph drops Usagi into it. Mikey sets the duffle bag down and quickly zips to his room to grab the sweater, glasses and pants, shrugging into them. When he returns, Donnie has just finished duct-taping Usagi's arms to the chair—

“Donald!”

“What?” Donnie has the gall to look offended. “This was your idea!”

“Not to tie him up!”

“Who's to say he won't run, hm? He's a rabbit and they're fast as frick, we'd never catch him before Leo gets back, and then our whole plan is ruined. Also, no teenager is comfortable talking about 'feelings', so I'm just taking extra precautions—”

“I can still hear you, you know,” Usagi says, the pillowcase still over his head. He doesn't seem bothered about this whole situation, which both amuses and concerns Mikey a little.

“You shush, or I'll bring out the chainsaw,” Donnie says.

Mikey looks at Raph. “You didn't think to stop him?”

Raph folds his arms and shrugs. “I'm just the muscle here, big man. This is your show.”

Dr Feelings appreciates the level of trust and respect Raph has for Mikey that's been a slow-growing thing these last few years. Dr Delicate Touch wants to strangle his oldest brother for being a wise ass.

He rolls his eyes instead and gets in position while Donnie sets up the projector. He nods to Raph, and the snapper pulls off the pillowcase.

Usagi blinks, adjusting to the brightness and looking around. “You blindfolded me to take me to the living room? Where I've been multiple times?”

“Shush,” Donnie hisses, “second warning. We'll be doing the talking here, bunny boy.”

“Don, chill,” Raph says, looking seconds from bursting out laughing. “We're just here to have a nice, friendly chat.”

Usagi arches a brow, pointedly dipping his chin down at his taped arms.

Raph's smile twitches, a drop of sweat trickling down his brow. “... I'm just the muscle?”

Mikey clears his throat loudly, snapping their attention back to him. He smiles and rolls his shoulders back, relaxing into the role that's become a blessing these last few months than the curse it was two years ago (at least to his brothers).

“Good evening! I'm Dr Feelings, and welcome to my newest seminar—!”

He clicks the button for the next slide on the PowerPoint, a photo of the three turtles glaring down at the camera from a high angle, a shovel in Mikey's hands. Underneath, the title reads in comically bright, bubblegum pink letters--

“—Shovel Talks!”

Usagi stares at the slide and then at each of the present turtles. Mikey keeps his smile bright while his brothers (mostly Donnie) no longer hide the touch of sadistic glee in theirs.

“... ah,” he says carefully. “I see the position I'm in now.”

“See, I don't think you do,” Donnie drawls on Usagi's right, Raph looming over on the left. “So we are going to educate you, and do not interrupt or talk until you are spoken to as we have much to go through and very little time before our dearly devoted dum-dum returns from April and Splinter's distraction outing. Dr Feelings,” Donnie turns to Mikey and gestures grandly, “Proceed with your first slide.”

“Thank you! Let's start off by asking our patient some simple questions. Question one!” Mikey flips to the next slide titled 'Spill The Tea' with a doodle of a teacup underneath it. Under that is a photo of Leo flashing a peace sign at the camera with a goofy grin. “What are your intentions towards one Hamato Leonardo?”

Usagi blinks. “... I would think my intentions were obvious? We're dating, are we not?”

“Sigh, yes, we can see as much given how you two are all but attached at the hip whenever you're so much as in the same vicinity,” Donnie mutters before getting right up in Usagi's face with a glare, fisting the front of his blue hoodie and shaking him once. “What we don't know is why you are dating Leonardo! Were you dared to by compatriots or colleagues of similar age or older for a cruel joke? Or are you a spy sent from a yet unknown enemy seeking to destroy us from the inside, integrating yourself into our inner circle by seducing our resident feeble-minded little gay only to turn on us at the last second, surrendering us to your evil leader and shattering the heart of the boy who fell in love with a person that never truly existed?! Speak, heathen!!”

Usagi stares at Donnie with wide, mildly disturbed eyes. Donnie glares at Usagi, right eye twitching.

“Jeezy heckin' creezy, Don,” Raph squeaks after a beat. “How long've you been holding that in?”

Donnie whirls on Raph with a half-crazed grin without releasing Usagi's hoodie. “The whole dub, baby!” he says.

Raph facepalms.

Mikey gathers himself quickly and clears his throat again. “Donald, if you would please let go of our patient—”

“Prisoner, guilty until proven innocent—”

“—patient, so we can hear his clear and honest answer? Don't you test the waters of my patience, boy, I will bring out Dr Delicate Touch on your ass.”

“Language,” Raph sighs, working Donnie's grip from Usagi's hoodie and bodily lifting him up and away from the rabbit. Donnie goes without a fight, but not without a spitting glare aimed at Usagi. Ignoring him, Raph offers Usagi a smile, cementing his role as the Good Cop. “Sorry about him. Just answer the question so we can get this over with.”

“And we'll know if you're lying!” Donnie adds. “I have lie detectors under the seat that'll fry your cotton ass six ways to Sunday—!”

“There are no lie detectors.”

“Raaaaph, you're ruining it, I'm trying to instil fear—!”

“Yer doin' enough of that to me right now! We were worried about Dad goin' all 'Daddy with a shotgun' on him when we really should've been watchin' the 'Overprotective Twin with his Middle Child Nonsense'—!”

“May I speak, now?”

Usagi's tone cuts through the idiocy as neat as the katana he wields, and the boys fall silent. Raph sets Donnie down, and Donnie steps back, his glare fading to make way for open confusion and surprise.

Mikey, who'd been on the cusp of dropping the act and wringing his brothers' necks, takes in Usagi's expression—purposefully neutral, the way he shuts his eyes as he takes a breath, his fingers drumming the armrests he's tied to while the heel of one foot bounces on the floor—and wonders if they've crossed a line here.

Then Usagi sighs, slow and measured, and opens his eyes. “I understand why you're concerned,” he says. “Leonardo has been through... a lot, to put it mildly. You all have, which is why you're so protective of one another. I admire and respect that; you hold true to the ancient belief that founded your clan centuries ago. Anata wa hitori janai, I believe. Leonardo told me about it. About the Shredder, the invasion... and the prison dimension.”

A shudder runs through the brothers. Mikey sees Donnie's jaw lock, Raph's fingers curling into fists. Mikey pulls at his fingers and bites his lip. “... he told you?” he asks in a smaller voice than he intends.

Usagi's gaze softens minutely, and he nods. “Not everything, but yes. I never prompted, but... he saw me fit enough to know.” His brows furrow, his frown deep and angry as he glares at his lap. “It sickens me to hear what that creature put you through—what he did to Leonardo. And it frightens me to think of how you'd come so close to losing him... how I'd come so close to never meeting him at all.”

Oh, Mikey thinks, almost floored. Oh wow.

Usagi takes another breath and raises his head, meeting each of their gazes. “... So yes, I understand your fears regarding our relationship and your hesitance to trust me. Leonardo's well-being will always be your top priority. He's precious to you.” Then Usagi smiles. It's small but bright, warm and quietly delighted, proud and certain. “He's precious to me, too.”

This time Mikey is floored. Oh. Wow.

“To answer your question, Dr Feelings,” Usagi continues, heedless of the turtle's altering perception of reality, “my intentions towards Hamato Leonardo are simple: I want to protect him. I know he's more than capable, and knowing him, he'll never ask me for help outright. But when he does, I want to be there—no, I will be there, because I care about him. Very much. We haven't known each other long, but my life is brighter and better with him in it, and I'll do whatever I must to keep it that way.

“I want to make him as happy as he's made me because he deserves that much. He deserves every good thing in this world.” He shrugs, flashing a bashful, buck-toothed smile. “For now, I hope he can settle for just me.”

Mikey stares. Donnie stares. Raph stares.

Oh. Wow. 

Either he's the greatest liar ever, or they've had him pegged so wrong. But then, not even Big Mama, the Queen Bee Bitch of lies, could fake that kind of devotion.

No, Usagi really is just a good guy. A great guy.

“Dammit!” Donnie cries, throwing his hands up. “I can't even fully hate you ironically anymore, what the hell!” He hangs his head with a sigh. “I suppose I shall have to settle for 'jealous older twin suffering from attention withdrawal from the younger twin' until further notice. Also, you get to live another day. Congrats.”

Usagi smirks. “Thank you, I think?”

Raph rolls his eyes, but he's grinning from ear to ear, slicing away the tape binding Usagi to the chair and helping him to his feet without prompting. He drops a heavy hand on Usagi's shoulder, his grin widening when the rabbit doesn't buckle under his strength. “What I think Donnie means to say is... well. We're glad you have Leo's back. And we're sorry for thinkin' the worst of you when we're all still gettin' to know each other. I mean, we've seen how happy you two are together, and we just—well, we wanted to—”

Usagi huffs a laugh, patting Raph's massive bicep. “As I said, I understand. My sensei often warns me against jumping to conclusions, but it's different for family. Especially younger siblings. I should know, I have a little sister.”

“Right?! You get it! My little brothers are literal demons even the devil's too scared to look at, but you get it—!”

Mikey shoves his way between them and barrels into Usagi for a hug, squeezing him tight. The rabbit squeaks in surprise and possibly pain, but his arms carefully come around Mikey's shell a heartbeat later, a chuckle running through him. “I suppose this means I have the youngest's seal of approval?”

Mikey nods against his chest, raising his head to beam up at the rabbit. “You do. Welcome to the family!”

“Thank you. I'm honoured to—”

“But we didn't finish the slide show, so I'll run a tee-ell-dee-arr for you. Hurt Leo and you die.”

“... ah.”

“They'll never find your body,” Donnie adds, “because I will reduce it to atoms. I have a ray in the works, I can show you the blueprints.”

“And if that fails, Raph will break every bone in your body and dump you in the Hudson!” Raph says brightly. “Ever swim there? Pretty deep. You find all kinds'a weird stuff. A rabbit yokai won't stand out much.”

“... I understand. I'll definitely deserve one of those fates.”

“Oh, you will,” Mikey chimes. “Thank you for understanding, and thanks for coming to our TED talk!”

“Pretty sure I did most of the talking.”

“I will yeet your ass across this house—”

“Are you chuckleheads done harassing my boyfriend, or can I have him back now?” drawls a familiar voice that has them leaping a foot out of their shells. They turn to find Leo leaning against the back of the couch with one arm, the other hand propped on his popped hip. He arches a brow at their stares.

Mikey jumps back from Usagi to wildly point at his immediate older brother. “How long have you been standing there?!”

“About a minute,” Leo says. “I've been behind the couch the whole time, though.”

“What?! When'd you get back from hanging with Dad and April?!” Raph cries.

“Never left,” Leo pushes off the couch and swings his arm around Usagi's shoulders upon approach like its second nature. Usagi leans into him likewise, one arm curling around his waist. “I kinda figured this whole 'shovel talk' thing was gonna happen sooner or later, so the minute April and Splinter tried to drag me out for a 'father-son-daughter thing' the same day Usagi said he'd come over, I knew you assholes were scheming and told 'em I wasn't leaving.” His eyes narrow a little, and Mikey almost shrinks back. “Didn't think you'd tie him up, though, or that Raph would just let it happen.”

“I'm just the muscle!”

“And I am hurt and offended that you all thought so little of my absolutely innocent Bunny Boo! You look at this face—” He unwraps his arm to squish Usagi's cheeks between both hands—“and tell me there's a single bad thought behind those beautiful pink eyes!”

“Weonawdo,” Usagi mutters, fur tinted pink with embarrassment.

Quick as a whip, Donnie says, “There's not a thought whatsoever if he's dating you.”

“You're a thot.”

“Different words and spelling. And it takes one to know one.”

“Die.”

“You first.”

“Both of you knock it off,” Raph sighs, pinching his brow the way he's done since he first knew the pains of being the eldest. It's a miracle there's not a permanent mark between his eyes. He turns to the rabbit. “Sorry, could we borrow Leo for a sec? Then I swear you two can finally go hang out and... do whatever two teenage boys do when they're head over heels for each other but still in their parent's house so they gotta keep it PG, 'kay?” 

“Um, wow?” Leo scowls, dropping Usagi's face to plant his hands on his hips. “Who do you take me for, a horny teen with no self-control around my significant other?”

“That is exactly what we take you for,” Donnie says.

“I don't!” Mikey says, raising his hand. “You're just a dumb gay hoppin' mad for your bunny boo!”

Leo's eye twitches. “Gee. Thanks.”

Usagi snickers, taking Leo's hands, and Leo instantly melts like putty. “It's fine, Leonardo. I'll wait in your room and get the snacks sorted,” he says, then he leans in to kiss the corner of Leo's mouth. Right in front of everyone. 

It's not something he's done before—being openly affectionate with Leo when his siblings or fathers were around—but then Mikey isn't surprised.

Maybe this whole 'hesitance' and 'mistrust' thing hasn't been as one-sided as he'd thought.

Mikey never knew a slider could turn pink, but Leo manages it, steam funnelling out of his ears as the rabbit walks away, grabbing his duffle bag as he goes. There's a pep in his step, and Mikey wonders if the kiss or their acceptance put it there.

Once he's gone, Donnie breaks the silence, staring in the direction Usagi had left in—“Should I get the tranquillizer?”

“You've done enough today.” Raph puts a massive hand over Donnie's face and shoves him onto the couch, ignoring his indignant squawking as he faces Leo. The slider collects himself quickly and crosses his arms, flashing that devil-may-care grin that irritates and amuses Mikey.

“So? You gonna tie me to the chair and subject me to the horrors of dating life via Dr Feelings?” Leo drawls, “Or are you finally gonna admit that you were wrong about my totally amazing and hot boyfriend?” 

Raph sighs. “Yes, we may have taken it too far—and in Donnie's case, we were overly paranoid, even by my standards, but we learned our lesson about jumping the gun. Again. And you were right.” He smiles, broad and warm. “Your boy is cool with me, little brother. You got yourself a keeper.”

Leo blinks, his smirk falling. “... wait, wait—for real?”

“Did you not hear his heartfelt speech not even two pages ago? It was rather dramatic and moving,” Donnie says absently from the couch, eyes now on his phone to avoid looking anyone in the eye, but Mikey knows what's up. They all do, but they're nice enough not to say anything. “And if I'm being honest—which isn't saying much because I can't lie for shit and you can clock one with an accuracy that borders on mystical—I don't actually think your new beau is inherently evil. I cannot say that I like him... but I approve. For now. My earlier threats still stand, though, so please try to keep him in line, or I will turn him into a hat.”

Leo falters again in the face of sincerity, however masked, from his twin. “...oh. Um. Wow. That's—uh, cool. That's cool, Dee, I, um... thanks...”

And finally, Mikey steps forward, shrugging off the sweater, glasses and pants. “What? You really think it's that odd that we're lookin' out for you? It's like Usagi said, you're precious to us, bro! And he was damn right sayin' you deserve every good thing. You deserve to be happy with someone who cares about you as much as we do.” 

He darts forward again even before Leo's eyes take on a misty sheen, bundling his brother in his arms as much as he can and squeezing. “And if Usagi makes you happy, we're happy too.”

“... you guys,” Leo whines, his voice thick as he holds Mikey impossibly close. Donnie tosses his phone aside to hop up and join the hug, cheek resting on Leo's shoulder. Raph lumbers over and plucks them off the floor, nuzzling the top of Leo's head with a low grumble from deep in his chest.

Later, with mostly dry eyes and a megawatt smile, Leo jogs off to find Usagi. Mikey stands with his eldest brothers and folds his arms. “Our work here is done, gentlemen.”

“But we didn't really do anything,” Donnie says.

Mikey swishes his cape and departs.

“Where the hell did you get that cape?!”

~0o0~

The following week, Mikey corners Usagi at the front door and tackles him with a hug. Usagi laughs and returns it freely.

In the living room, Donnie's eyes are glued to his laptop, fingers typing away. He lifts one fist, Usagi wordlessly bumping it as he sits on the couch with Raph. Setting his comic book aside, Raph reaches out to ruffle his white bangs and chuckles when Usagi's paw bats him away.

Leo enters from the kitchen and immediately brightens when he spots Usagi, leaping over the top of the couch to bounce in the open space beside the bunny. “Hey!"

“Hey, yourself,” Usagi snickers. "You couldn't possibly have missed me that much to come running as soon as I walk in."

Leo swings an arm over the top of the couch, the other pressing a hand to his forehead in a dramatic swoon. "Parting is such sweet sorrow," he bemoans, batting his eyelids at Usagi, "that I shall say good night till it be morrow!"

Mikey laughs so hard he gives himself hiccups. Raph chokes on his soda. Donnie whirls on Leo, looking downright mutinous. "You did not just quote Shakespear so you could flirt with your boyfriend!"

Leo gestures to a madly grinning Usagi trying to hide behind his hands. "It worked, though! You guys hate it when I use the cheap pickup lines off Google, so I consulted the world's finest wordsmith instead."

"You are abusing and defiling William's good name! Thou crusty batch of nature!"

Leo rolls his eyes. "Whatever. You're just jelly 'cause I've officially got more game than you."

"Or Usagi has terrible taste in men."

Leo opens his mouth to say something he'll probably regret, but Usagi swiftly intercepts with a kiss on the cheek that stops him cold. "I thought it was creative," he says, "Much better than your awful pickup lines."

At that, Leo forgets Donnie completely, leaning in with a dumb grin to peck Usagi on the lips. Raph shakes his head with a secret smile, and Mikey giggles as he lays across Raph's thighs, Switch in hand.

Donnie gags. “Get a room.”

“But keep the door open!” Splinter calls from—somewhere. 

Usagi tugs an ear over his face, flushed and embarrassed. Leo throws his head back and laughs.

Mikey grins, basking in the glow as he plugs into his game. He can get used to this.

---

Reblogs are appreciated :3

Feel free to send more requests <3

[sapphire-weapon]

How do you imagine Leon as a dad?

depends on how he becomes a dad tbh

like I see a lot of fandom headcanoning Leon as such a devoted and hands-on dad, but Sherry Birkin would like to have a fucking word with you about that LMAO

if a condom broke during a one-night stand, Leon would absolutely be a dad basically only in name. maybe the woman gives their kid his last name, maybe she doesn't. but Leon is just a monthly check that comes in and also that guy who shows up on birthdays and maybe holidays when the kid is younger. like, don't get me wrong, it's a big check, and his kid never wants for anything and is fully taken care of, but the kid just doesn't have a real, actual dad in their life. and then Leon pretty much gives up come middle school when it's clear his kid wants nothing to do with him.

I think he would want to do more and be more, but his job and his life literally do not allow for him to do that. not only does it not give him the time to spare or the predictability to be dependable, but he's also staunchly unwilling to rope some chick and their innocent child into the nightmare hellscape that is his life. he'd rather have his kid know next to nothing about him and resent him for it than expose his kid to the horrors of bioterrorism.

if Leon was to accidentally impregnate a girlfriend, he'd be a bit more hands-on -- because it's not like any girlfriend would be completely oblivious to what he actually does for a living. but he'd be a constant source of frustration and disappointment in a family setting. in some ways, this is worse than the one-night stand kid, because there's no pretense or broken promises with the one-night stand kid. one-night stand kid knows that their dad isn't going to be around, doesn't expect him to be around, and never asks him for anything as a result.

an accidental kid with a girlfriend is constantly going to get flaked on -- and not on purpose, but just due to the reality that is Leon's life. Leon's going to do his best to try to be an active part of this kid's life, and it's going to blow up in everyone's faces. he'll have to break promises and go back on his word constantly, which will piss off his babymama because he'll always be pushing shit back onto her to pick up the pieces when he can't follow through with his responsibilities.

because, like. he still wouldn't live with them. he'd still be at a distance from them. he'd still view his family as just a part of his life and not something that exists at the centerpoint of it, which sucks and makes everything harder.

if Leon was somehow in a position to deliberately plan to have a child, that's a completely different ballgame. all of the bullshit about his life would be hashed out ahead of time with his girlfriend/wife, and contingency plans would be made in case he suddenly got called away for xyz reason. this kid would be programmed from a very early age to see their dad's erratic schedule as normal and expect him to disappear for stretches at a time because he has a Very Important Job.

and because there's a baseline of expectation already set and plans in place for backup, I see this going so much more smoothly. everything exists within reason and expectation, and this is the version of dad Leon who actually has a good relationship with his kid. he may not be around all the time, but when he is around, he's genuinely invested in his kid's life and achievements and wants to hear about their day and gets involved with their interests and shit. he knows who his kid's friends are -- maybe not well, but knows them decently enough.

in fact, Leon planning out having a kid and then actually going through with it might just be the best thing for his mental health. it gives him something to come home to and something to keep fighting for. that kid would be a constant source of hope for him to draw on at any point, no matter where he's at or what he's doing.

[kyogre-blue]

More details I want to note down for RDCH.

1. We still haven't seen Kali/Kalli/Carly in the story, but we get a few panels showing her. She has a surprisingly cutesy face. (Does this mean that if Lee Geon got genderswapped for some reason, he'd be a surprisingly petite and cute woman?) One of those flashes is from Yooha pov in DC. The way the translation renders her thought bubbles before and after makes no reference to "Kalli" at all, but it might be the case that there was some confusion about pronoun genders in there. Anyway, curious what was going on there.

2. The timeline after Blood Fog was that Hugo had time to investigate and find Libra's involvement, stormed in to confront her, and then she went to the hospital to screw with Yooha. That makes it seem like at least some time passed after the whole incident, but the kids were still sleeping over at the hospital. Was it that they refused to leave their mom, or was Hugo hoping that Scorpio's protections on the hospital would be safer for them?

3. Speaking of that flashback, Giselle has a couple panels where she imagines Hugo as her follower, complete with a fancy military uniform, which... looks good, sure, but it is so different from anything Hugo ever chooses to wear. The most he manages is an extremely basic suit for public appearances, and the rest of the time he either dresses in very plain combat clothing or in super casual jeans and t-shirts. In fact, if you imagine that Lee Geon never bothered buying himself new clothes, then he's just been wearing stuff Hugo gave him. The only thing to suggest they're not sharing clothes is that Lee Geon wears shorts a couple times and Hugo never does. (I still remember them sharing that teddy bear apron lol)

4. Giselle suggests that Hugo refusing to join her comes down to him still holding a torch for Lee Geon, which seems to be the general impression everyone has. It's.... not necessarily wrong, but it feels a bit of a weird assumption. Yeah, when Lee Geon is around, Hugo basically follows his orders, but he's not his subordinate in any official capacity, and when Lee Geon isn't around, Hugo makes his own choices in a completely normal way. Like, I would assume he just has very understandable ideological objections to the other Saints, or even just assume pride. So did Hugo do something that made everyone think of him as Lee Geon's slave loyal subordinate, or are they all just terminally Geon-brained and projecting?

5. Giselle wants Hugo. Steven wants Hugo. I don't recall now whether Kevin tried to recruit Hugo, but at minimum he is very tsuntsun toward him but then coordinates with him very smoothly. And in the novel, Sophie is apparently quite taken with him. So at this point I feel like the Saints can be split into two categories: the ones that want to fuck Lee Geon and the ones that want to steal his man. And Aries, I guess. Some want both. (You might say "what about Ivan" but let me tell you, he is suspiciously fixated on Hugo, who even get a special pet name. Villain wishing for a hatefuck behavior.)

6. Aside from making a spear for Yooha and screwing up Hugo's bow, Lee Geon also says he's planning to make something for Sungjae and Jiwoo. Very curious.

7. Steven had to keep suppressing the evil god in Yooha's arms, so he's been her guardian for ten years. It's also mentioned with no details that Oliver killed the previous cadre captain, whom Yooha calls "teacher." We don't get a clear shot of him tho. Listen, Steven is a funny side character, I appreciate that he has a fair share of reactions to things, and even gets moments like tackling Yooha out of the way or stepping in to take a blow for her, since he's raised her for so long.

8. I am curious how to interpret some of the divine gods siding with Lee Geon. Steven says that Leo is "sleeping" with no explanation, but Virgo is shown as actively endorsing all this. Scorpio is initially said to be backing Libra but then Hayley switches it to Lee Geon, so it's like... there might not even be a god? There's also other spoiler(tm) questions that I am very curious about.

9. The manhwa repeats the "30 years since invasion" number, putting the current year as 2030 or 2031, which is different from the novel's 25 years. I guess this is probably to avoid having the story be set in almost modern day? They might have wanted to maintain the "near future" date, but I'm not really sure why. The divergence point is way in the past anyway.

10. Yooha is "vice celestial lord" but also only S rank, compared to Oliver being SS and divine cadre captain. From what I recall, you can have more than one cadre captain. We see a couple in Gemini, though it might be because they are in charge of different geographic areas?

11. Let me just say, "Baron Helmet" is a stupid name. He's probably not very strong, and the actual issue is that he has some power given to him by their "lord." Previously, when everyone got dragged into a sealed dimension by Libra flunkies, the Saints couldn't connect to their gods, but Lee Geon could still use his powers fine. This time, super regeneration doesn't work in order to up the stakes, but the reason should be that his power was being drained out by contact with the monarch's power. He directly compares it to the cursed dagger he got stabbed with at the Demon Tower.

12. Speaking of which, the Demon Tower is apparently quite strategically important, as the unknown civilization wants to rebuild it.

13. Chapter 92 ends on a cliffhanger about the penalty time for Lee Geon being resurrected after the Tower ending. The initial time given was 1032 hours, which is 43 days. So it's been 43 days since he returned. (The novel says that was in August, so it is now October.) Additionally, the chapter 74 cliffhanger before the hiatus said there was 65 hours until the invasion, so there was less than three days Yooha declared she'd be leaving Leo and Lee Geon sent Taekwoo's head to Libra. There was probably a few days between that and Lee Geon's big declaration against Libra.

And I guess that's it for now.

[genuptoncrane]

Task: Interrogations

Date: December 13th 2023

Upton-Crane money meant that Gen had the access to the best lawyer that money could buy, the minute that the cops had started sniffing around campus again - Gen had made the call back home. One of the pitbulls had been on the next flight out and when Gen was called into the meeting, it was with John Greystone. A white man in his fifties with a permanently sour expression, Gen was sure that he didn't want to be here, rather collecting large cheques to sort out whatever legal dispute was going on with Crane Records.

Still he was next to Gen and staring down the officers.

"I hope you will not be taking up too much of Miss Upton-Crane's valuable time," John is the first to speak "You understand that she's a very busy student and she has been more than cooperative with your...investigation,"

"We appreciate that she came in today," Agent Choi replied smoothly "We just have a few questions as the nature of the investigation has changed. Genevieve, did you ever have any reason to suspect Greer Morrison was dead prior to when the news came to light?"

Complicated answer, you want to play Nancy Drew then you think about all the options. Gen's pretty sure that those who worshipped at the altar of Greer Morrison have wept oceans at the thought of her turning up on the Hudson.

"No," Gen replies "I try to stay optimistic Agent Choi, I was hoping that she was just having time away and that she'd return safe. I don't like to assume the worst, especially not something so maudlin for someone I was close to,"

"Alright," Agent Choi makes another note and Agent Murray is staring holes into her from the back of the room. Gen idly wonders if it's an appropriate time to think that Agent Murray is hot.

“You were at the Commons the night of the fire? Do you know why students even were there when they should’ve been at the Commencement Gala?"

John Greystone immediately plays hardball "If you have evidence that my client was at all involved in an arson attack, I suggest you produce it immediately. As far as I recall, you have a suspect in custody are you suggesting that your own investigative work is shoddy?"

The unspoken insult of 'I think it is' hangs in the air.

"I won't pretend to be a mind reader for the rest of the student body Agent," Gen says with a placating smile "The Commons was a hub of student life, after parties are big here especially for commencement week. Plenty of people have plans and I can't speak for my fellow students," Her tone is laissez-faire, vapid rich girl and even dipping into a bit of valley girl.

"What do you know about Greer's relationship with Penelope Klein?"

"Penelope Klein?" Gen says with an eyebrow raise "Poor Penny, it was so tragic y'know? She was so young and I think she had a bright future ahead of her, I'd have thought that she'd have gotten into politics with that attitude," A tendency towards ass kissing? Yeah Gen thought that Miss Penny would be perfect on Capitol Hill or something. "As for the nature of their relationship, not even friends as far as I'm aware - I thought they were friendly in the way that Greer was friendly with everyone but she never came to our room when I was there. I never saw them hang out one on one so if you're asking me if they had a personal relationship, I would have said no,"

"Over the past year, have you gotten any anonymous messages?" Agent Choi starts and Gen lets out a laugh.

"I get a lot of messages Agent, I have an active social life."

"Any anonymous ones," Agent Choi finishes, maybe a little pissed that she interrupted him. "Threatening ones, ones with leading information? That might aid in the investigation and help us understand who did this to Greer?"

"I get anonymous messages," Gen says, her voice sugary sweet "I have to be honest Agent, I don't think a burner account saying show us your tits is the person who did this to Greer. I think they just think I'm hot,"

Agent Choi clears his throat "Is there anything you're not telling us Genevieve?"

The look he gives her is pointed and Gen merely gives the lawyer a look.

"I think we're done here," John Greystone stands up "If you have any specific evidence or questions that relate directly to my client, we have been more than cooperative with the investigation. Miss Upton-Crane has nothing further to add and her time is quite valuable, since you have no reason to detain her I will be escorting her out,"

"Have a good day, Agents," Gen says - the valley girl in her accent only increasing as she gets up and waltzes out after her lawyer.