#i hope youre doing well cloud and i wish you a very Rest & Relaxation in your near future 🫶🫶

[buyingstarshine]

WE ARE SO BACK ROYAL JESTERS IS SO BACK THE WEDDING IS BACK ON 💥💥💥💥

royal jesters au belongs to @head-in-the-icloud

[linaslivery]

౨ৎ FEATHER ౨ৎ

masterlist / rules / requests & talks with me!

SUMMARY౨ৎ Being with Carlos was magical and always made you felt as if you were on cloud 9. But him breaking everything off so suddenly and moving on oh so quick? What better way than to show him what he’s missing than with all of your success.

PAIRING ౨ৎ Carlos Sainz x Fem!Reader, very slight Lando Norris x Fem!Reader

WARNINGS ౨ৎ I use photos of Rebecca and she will be mentioned in it in here but no hate what-so-ever sent to her! (hate on her will be deleted.), no exact fc but i will only use photos of sabrina for music themed posts and the crying story ONLY

A/N ౨ৎ still mad about the croatia vs spain game so i’m taking my anger out on carlos 😭😭. HOLY SHIT I DID THIS ALL IN ONE DAY!! NEW RECORD!!

1K EVENT MASTERLIST

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y/n_l/n has posted a story 10 seconds ago!

[1: WTF JUST HAPPEND?!] [2: well this is ironic.] [3: i hate men!!]

1,307 replies to your stories!

username1 YOU’RE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED?! WE’RE ASKING WHAT HAPPENED??

username2 DID WHT I THINK HAPPEN, HAPPEN??

username3 …the smooth operator song…? oh god…

username4 THE BOOK QUOTE TOO???

lilymunihe girl. open the groupchat rn.

franscica.cgomes do i have to kill a man???

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y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by francisca.cgomes, lilymunihe, alexandrasaintmleux, and others

y/n_l/n oh i see how it is then.

2,094 comments

francisca.cgomes ✔︎ hottie mcmommy

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ dump ur bf so we can date and run off to the country side 💋 → francisca.cgomes ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n already on it 🏃‍♀️ → pierregasly ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n that is my girlfriend??? → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ pierregasly not anymore!🤭

alexandrasaintmleux pretty girl 🎞️ 📸

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ so shush you’re the pretty one 🥹🩷 → alexandrasaintmleux @ y/n_l/n that’s not what the camera said when i took these photos 🫶 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux 🫣 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux 🤨

lilymunihe ✔︎ ate

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ devoured

username5 carlos fucked up big time letting her go 🤤

username6 what kika said was so real

→ username7 FRRR

landonorris ✔︎ i can treat you better

→ username9 HELLO?? → username10 lando wtf are you doing here 😭 → username11 GIRLIE JUST GOT SINGLE 💀 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ LEAVE RN LANDO 😭😭 → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n doesn’t hurt to shoot my shot 😞

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carlossainz55 ✔︎

liked by vinijr, sergioramos, djokernole and others

carlosainz55 rest and relaxation 🌊 🌞

1,297 comments

username12 why did you dump our queen 😞

username13 IT WAS BARELY EVEN 2 WEEKS AND HE ALREADY MOVED ON??

username14 who is that woman???

→ username15 guys start a witch-hunt rn. → username16 @ username15 I’M ON IT!! → username17 or we can leave this woman alone??? → username18 @ username17 no → username19 @ username17 no → username20 @ username17 no → username17 oh ok → username16 @ username14 FOUND HER BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THE LIKES AND IN HIS FOLLOWING. her name is rebecca and she’s a scottish model! here is her username: @ iamrebeccad

username17 rest and relaxation my ass.

username18 how tf do you move on from a gf that fast

→ username19 a word that starts with m and ends in y

username20 i feel like carlos is about to get some karma

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carlossainz55 ✔︎

liked by iamrebeccad, carlitosalcarazz, racerbia, and others

carlossainz55 Australia is in the bag, all thanks to my amazing support! 🇦🇺 ✅

tagged ; iamrebeccad, scuderiaferrari

2,386 comments

username21 and y/n wasn’t that amazing support??

username22 no because y/n literally stopped her music career, arranged some concerts around HIM so she can support HIM.

→ username23 she never had to do that tho… → username24 @ username23 but she did. and she was amazing support.

username25 she’s cute and i wish them the best… but i really hope that he doesn’t do her dirty just like what he did with y/n.

*♥︎ by @ y/n_l/n!*

→ username25 UHM… Y/N LIKED MY COMMENT?? → username29 @ username25 she’s here to support the girls not the men that did her and others dirty. → username26 @ username25 idk… the whole relationship gives pr → username27 @ username26 EXACTLY??? out of all the photos we see, she’s the only one that seems in love :( → username28 @ username27 poor girl doesn’t even realize she’s being used for carlos and ferrari pr to make carlos back in the good books 💀

iamrebeccad ✔︎ so proud!! ❤️🥹

→ username29 it’s been a hour and he hasn’t even acknowledged the comment. poor girl.

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y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by landonorris, maddiezielger, bellahadid, and others

y/n_l/n might have took everything else, but left the keys to the villa!! thanks for the free trip with my girls ❤️

tagged ; alexandrasaintmleux, francisca.cgomes, lilymunihe

2,406 comments

username30 HELLO??

username31 NOT HER TAKING THE VILLA 😭😭

username32 deserved tbh. you take that boy’s villa!!

charles_leclerc ✔︎ where is my credit for driving you all around? 🥴

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ …whoopsies..? → alexandrasaintmleux credit? mon amour you volunteered to drive us around 😭 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ @ alexandrasaintmleux sorry, i don’t trust anyone else to be driving you all around… 😓 → francisca.cgomes ✔︎ @ charles_leclerc what being a dog dad does to someone

username33 HOTTIE ALERT!!🗣️ 🔥 🚨

lilymunihe ✔︎ mwah mwah, dumping alex for you rn.

→ alexalbon ✔︎ y’know i can see this right?? → lilymunihe ✔︎ @ alexalbon even better → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ lilymunihe tee hee

landonorris cool water (it’s not the water i’m looking at)

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ ENOUGH OF THIS LANDO 😭😭 → charles_leclerc ✔︎ you’re just embarrassing yourself at this point 😓 → alexalbon ✔︎ mate 💀

username33 the way she also looks so much lighter like a feather in the wind.

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ lighter..? feather…? hm. i like your thinking.

y/n_l/n has posted a story 26 seconds ago!

[1: back in the studio 🤭🤭] [2: taking a small break] [3: tee hee stay tuned]

1,049 replies to your stories!

username34 OMG???

username35 Y/N IS BACK IN HER MUSIC ERA

username36 we hate you carlos but thank you for bringing her back to us 🫶

username37 LETS FUCKING GO??

username38 LET’S GO?

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y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by spotify, laufy, youtubemusic and others

y/n_l/n Surprise surprise! Listen to my new song Feather, along with my album ‘Emails I Can't Send!’ 🤍

3,059 comments

username39 WHAT

username40 THE RANDOM ALBUM DROP???

username41 POSSIBLE ALBUM OF THE YEAR??

username42 miss girl saved summer single handedly.

→ username43 “fine. I’ll do it myself.”

username44 ALKSHJDFLIAKDJFH:WIOH:FKWN

→ username45 me too.

lilymunihe ✔︎ AAHHH IM SO HAPPY!! SO PROUD OF YOU!!

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ LILY!!! IM SO HAPPY THAT YOU WERE THERE WITH ME WHILE MAKING THIS 🩷🩷

alexandrasaintmleux my girl 🩷 your songs were absolutely amazing! so honored to be one of the firsts to listen!!

→ charles_leclerc ✔︎ wait, you listened before me?! the one who does music?! → alexandrasaintmleux @ charles_leclerc 😅 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ charles_leclerc alex is my special girl!! dw charles i still love you, my adoptive brother 🩶

francisca.cgomes ✔︎ I COULD LISTEN TO IT ALL DAY 🫶🥹

→ y/n_l/n KIKA!! SENDING KISSES ALL THE WAY TO PARIS WHILE YOU’RE WITH THE FRENCHIE!! ILYSM 🥹❤️

landonorris ✔︎ congrats you muppet 🙃

→ username45 lando not thirsting for once?? → landonorris ✔︎ @ username45 hey i can be proud of my friend 😒 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris 🥹🫶

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y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by spotify, vouge, applemusic and others

y/n_l/n I’m so sorry for your loss! What a wonderful first concert!! Thank you so much to everyone that showed up! ❤️✨

2,986 comments

spotify ✔︎ songs of the summer??

username56 I WANT THE DRESS 🥹🥹

→ usernme57 it’s a need. not a want

username58 not even joking she���s the prettiest woman ive ever seen.

username59 NO FR BECAUSE HOW DID CARLOS DUMP HER??

lilymunihe ✔︎ screaming.

→ francisca.cgomes ✔︎ crying. → alexandrasaintmleux @ francisca.cgomes throwing up. → username60 i love them all being so supportive 🥹

landonorris ✔︎ need help removing that dress? looks sorta heavy.

→ username61 aw hell nah man → username62 HE HASN’T GIVEN UP YET → username63 @ username62 HOW??? 😭😭 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ lando. the only heavy thing you’re getting is my heavy hand against your face → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n kinky??? → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris i’m not talking to you anymore wtf 😭

username64 “I FEEL SO MUCH LIGHTER LIKE A FEATHER WITH YOU OFF MY MIND!”

→ username65 “FLOATING THROUGH THE MEMORIES LIKE WHATEVER, YOU'RE A WASTE OF TIME!!” → username66 @ username65 (AHHHHHH)

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y/n_l/n has posted 5 seconds ago!

y/n_l/n ✔︎

liked by landonorris

y/n_l/n You want me? I'm done. You miss me? No duh.

5 comments

landonorris ✔︎ …so… dinner?

→ y/n_l/n ✔︎ fine. only so you can shut up. → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n 😋😋 → y/n_l/n ✔︎ @ landonorris ur such a dork. → landonorris ✔︎ @ y/n_l/n and you love it 😚

[gnohomotho]

heyyy this is really specific and kinda silly buuuuut I'm really sick and feeling down.. could I request some Inho fluff? 🥺🥺🥺🥺

maybe some like ~caring for you~ & looking after you with a femreader? 👀😍 thank youuuuu and love your fics!!

Aw, Anon, I'm sorry you're feeling awful. :c Please have some kind In-ho fluffy TLC (I hope that still stands for "tender loving care").

Focused on the love and care! ♥♥♥

.

.

.

I'll Look After You

Pairing: Hwang In-ho // The Front Man x wife!fem!reader Summary: As the prompt says. ♥ But you aren't feeling well at all, and your husband, through anything from tea, to baths, to a massage, is going to keep the sickness away. Warnings: None at all. Just fluff. So much fluff. Word count: 2.4

If you like my works, I truly appreciate every like // reblog // follow! <3

A little stir in in the night.

As if you were having a bad dream. Without you knowing, In-ho’s eyes open in a fleeting second, the man doesn’t seem to sleep – only wait with hands intertwined laid across his chest as his breathing gets more level. You’ve tried to catch him several times, being ever-so-quiet, barely shifting the blanket – just to see him dreaming or peacefully at rest, yet that man could sense a spider’s step at the other end of the building and react accordingly.

But this time, you sat up, abruptly, after many tries at keeping your state to yourself and forcing a mental hammer to your temples just to remain at least half asleep. Your breath was fast, your head pounding, you put one hand against your face with a sigh.

“My heart?”

You hear a quiet, yet very alert voice next to you. The covers shift, and he is sitting upright next to you, in the exact same position as you are, seemingly immediately. Dark eyes fixed on you even in the semi-dark wherein you blink to adjust. You can make out your husband’s unassuming form, sitting in the comforting, quiet stillness; so very bare, so very…endearing.

Before you say anything, an arm is softly wrapping around you and pulling you closer. In-ho seemed at war with every millimetre of distance between you, especially in the night. Even in his stoic sleeping position, heaven help the blanket that got between your skin and his.

“I’m sorry, I just…I don’t feel too good. I didn’t wish to wake you, darling, truly. It’s probably nothing.”

You smile at him and your head pounds. The naked arm around your waist, forearm against the cold skin of your stomach and his hand firmly rested against you with fingers outstretched, remains in place. You feel a slight tightening of his grip, though it is protective, rather than forceful. His other hand moves to your chest with utmost care. It is a slow, noticeable movement – In-ho was purposefully showing you what he’s doing so that you don’t get stressed nor surprised.

The gesture melts your shivering heart a tad – that was always a point of contention between you two.

Using his dominant arm to half let you, half force you to rest against him and be upheld in place, In-ho was now free to assess. Somehow, your breath felt more at ease each time your chest bumped into his steady hand. You relax a little, glad for the support. Even in the darkness, his skin smells so familiar and safe, his almost naked body still exuding quiet authority, yet his arms and his…entirety shared with you…is so very human.

It’s just…your In-ho. No dark fabric or twisted words to cloud the very human skin now firmly rested against you. Even your legs are connected as he sits beside you.

At war with every molecule that would linger between you.

“Your heart rate is elevated, your breathing is…laboured.”

“In-ho, I feel fine just---”

“Don’t talk,” he humms, rubbing the top of your chest as he speaks, resting a palm against your sternum and across the nape of your neck, where his hand remains, “I can feel it must hurt to do so,” he adds, in a softer tone. You only shoot him a look in the darkness, knowing he is likely wearing that same caring, troubled, yet serene expression he always does when he is slightly worried or being obtuse.

In-ho moves to check further, resting a hand upon your pulsating head, cupping your cheek then resting a palm on your forehead.

“You’re burning up, my dear.”

Your eyebrows furrow, and you pull away, only to be caught by the arm around your waist and pulled back. There better not be a raised eyebrow in the dark, In-ho.

“If I’m running a fever, I don’t want you to get sick, I should get away from you immediately---”

“Oh, no.” A soft murmur and kiss on your shoulder. A brush of hair upon your skin underlines the gentleness of his lips.

“Oh, no. No. No.” With each “no” there is another kiss. Soft. Calm. Reassuring. So very gentle.

Eyes adjusting to the dark, you can make him out in the contrast and those eyes, almost unblinking, focusing their entirety on you with such…restrained tenderness.

Were you not feeling this way, you’d slowly move into his arms and hold him, hear his heartbeat and let him run his fingers through your hair as you rested against his chest. You valued the closeness, the intimacy, the still careful yet true love you felt for him, and he, in his unspoken way, in the way he nudged your bodies to connect to become one, the way he unwittingly wrapped around you, the way he would rest you in the crane of his neck or under his chin whispering things no one would believe him to say, could express more than words ever could.

And you knew the feeling of your sleepy head and soft strands of hair resting on his skin calmed him down, though he would never admit it. You knew by the way his breathing always seemed to slow and grow calm, letting his chest lift more rhythmically; by the way his fingers drew small ellipses through your hair, and by the way he twitched and immediately tightened his arm around you from shoulder wherein you rested all the way down to his wrist, should you try to even remotely adjust your position.

Now he was looking directly at you, any remains of sleep firmly gone from his voice.

“After securing Y/N within this exact position. Into this exact place. After so very long and after such effort – I am to simply let my wife walk away? When she is feeling ill, no less?”

You really aren’t in the mood for this In-ho. Perhaps the one who is busy with other matters and returns when you are feeling healthy again. That In-ho. That In-ho doesn’t exist, and you know it. You sigh, but there is an understanding smile lurking behind the breath.

“…In the middle of night? On the day of my daughter’s wedding? While I’m still holding my keys?” Your sarcastic yet sweet attempts to soften the blow did not work as intended, though you did hear a small chuckle. No, you just get yourself wrapped up in a blanket before you realise his arm is gone (the man really has surprising talent in the oddest of places) and a kiss on the forehead solidifies the deal you didn’t even get a chance to bargain about.

“Stay here,” he humms as he begins to get out of bed, smoothing the blanket behind him.

“Because I’m obviously going places, so very free to spread my wings.”

“Oh, my heart.” He looks at you with such adoration, head slightly leaning to one side. You’re not sure if he’s still playing or simply letting his guard down so very far. You allow yourself to smile into the darkness, closing your eyes. The tiredness and feeling of weakness draw your heavy head into the pillow and you drift off.

A small click beside your head stirs you half awake.

“In-ho?” You mumble and get ready to get up, forgetting your blanket enclosure.

“Shh. Don’t talk.”

In-ho gently caresses you through the blanket, then slides his hand inside, cupping your warmth for a while. He then softly takes your arm out and slides his fingers over yours, intertwining them with his, then closing his hand over your palm.

“Tea with medicine to your left, sweetheart.”

You’re very thankful and begin to say so, before a single look into those dark eyes firmly reminds you of the previous suggestion. Perhaps you don’t need the medicine after all, the fever will go down if he throws more ice in that stoic expression your way.

You lift the arm out of his grip, which he allows as patiently as he does slowly, and you lift the hot cup to your lips. It quivers in your grip, and he immediately steadies it, catching your hand on the hot surface.

“Drink.”

“In-ho, I can manage---

“Drink.”

There are times you forget who really rests beside you, and the nonchalant yet firm suggestion does its due diligence to remind you. You lift the cup to your lips and drink the comforting tea, with In-ho guiding the empty cup back to the bedstand with your hand in tow. He then slowly guides it back, still intertwined with his, and holds it to himself, massaging your palm with both his hands.

“I’m drawing you a bath,” he states, simply, and you know it’s going to be full of herbs and means of making you better, the towels as soft as snow, the floor warm. In-ho did not relish words, as they could be misconstrued and twisted, sounding flimsy and signifying nothing – but his actions could speak sonnets.

You sit up a bit, able to see him far better now – your In-ho, now only half naked, eyes calm yet piercing, mouth harbouring a small unnoticeable smile, demeanour calm yet alert. His shoulders ostensibly fall as you look longer, as if he’s trying to calm you down by looking calmer himself. Softly reaching a hand across your shoulders, he pulls your hair away from your neck and lets it rest across your chest to one side. His fingers trail around your neck at the very same time, as if he could not miss an opportunity for a caress and reassuring touch.

“Turn around, darling.”

And you do, still very much woozy. In-ho, now with your back to him, removes the rest of your hair from the nape of your neck and plants a tender kiss just between the bottom of your head and beginning of your shoulders.

“Dear, you’re tense.”

As he says so, you feel an arm softly pull at the blanket, brushing it against the skin of your upper arms and down, down, until it is resting against your forearms and around your waist. A shiver runs through you, trembling all in its wake like a small wave of ice. In-ho immediately catches it with both deliberate hands – firmly rubbing your shoulders and laying his chest against your back. The naked, hot skin, the rubbing motion creating heat, and the mere fact that it is him does help warm you a little, though he makes a mental note to adjust the heating once your attention is elsewhere.

Soft, intricate, yet firm hands, like those of a piano player, begin to move upwards and massage your neck, moving to the muscles around the very top of your spine. Circling, rubbing, and kneading all under their touch.

After a little while, they move to your shoulders. As if he was going through mounds and ossified waves of stress, heaviness, worry, sickness – and simply letting them dissolve in his fingers and slip through, leaving you be.

A grateful, alleviated sigh leaves your lips – and In-ho can hear the wide, if tired, smile upon them, kissing the sensitive place between your shoulder blades in response and remaining there for just a second longer than necessary. How does heat emanate from a single kiss and how does it cover your quivering body in the equivalent of warm honey from cold tip of the toe to the very place he kissed and up?

Once In-ho has touched, cherished, and unwrapped all of your upper body muscles from their layers of blocked pain and distress, he turns you around and lays you back down, laying with you. His arm is around your shoulders nudging your neck in its crane, his head is so close to yours you could kiss the tip of his nose, your bodies are as close as they can be without intertwining. Your eyes are softly closing on their own, feeling so blissfully tired and calm, as if a weight was lifted from every centimetre of your body. In-ho can see it, and watches it with very masked delight – your trust, your bliss, your comfort…your tranquillity in his arms.

Your peacefulness and loving eyes now closing in a slow, restful motion and a body at such ease that time seems to slip slower around the both of you – all under his watch, under his body, under his direct action and control. He slips errant strands of hair from your face, kissing your cheek where they rested. You smile into the kiss, eyes closing, and nudge your forehead against his. You remain like that, for a few seconds, just enjoying the closeness and the open pathways of your body that melted under his touch. His forehead does an ever-so-slight, almost unnoticeable side to side motion, and you cannot help but smile wide at the hidden adoration the man holds for you.

“I think your bath is almost ready,” a soft rumble from his enters your chest as he speaks, softly, into you more than to you, “but I find it hard to let you go.” As if to underline the words, In-ho’s leg nudges towards yours, caressing you through the blanket.

“Would you mind company?”

Now it was your turn to lift both eyebrows and attempt to disconnect from him just enough to be audible.

“I’m not sure.” You lower your head slightly to kiss his neck, an advantage you’ve learned to use every time he places you in such a loving yet firm embrace.

“Will the company be half as sweet as the company I hold now?” The hint of innocence and genuinely curious inflection did stir something in your companion, and you felt the grip tighten – then turn into a caress.

“Oh, I’ll make sure to leave them thoroughly yearning to wish they were.”

In-ho was a man of truly odd hidden talents. At one moment, you were wrapped up like a labyrinth of blankets, limbs, and kisses – the next, you were somehow firmly in his lifted embrace, holding onto his neck and shoulders with each arm, while his arms held you under your knees (which you instinctively squeezed half for stability, half for the snuggle) and around your back under your arms, making ample use of the space created by you having to cling upwards.

You blink, and without looking around, nestle in the small of his neck, laying your head in the comforting warmth as he adjusts you to himself with one motion and smiles into your hair. With another kiss, he carries you to the bath...

And does not leave.

[luna0713hunter]

"you'll have to teach me " with zoro please and with

neck kisses / kitchen counter kisses

Kisses to keep your lover quiet but zoro kisses the reader

Lazy make-up

Thank btw I love your work

Author's note : its currently 3:30 am that im writing this request and gosh so many cute kisses with Zoro! And thank you for your nice compliments!!i hope you enjoy it 💕

"you'll have to teach me"

"neck kisses"

"kitchen counter kisses"

"kisses to keep your lover quiet"

"lazy makeout"

Based on this prompt

Zoro Roronoa x reader

Warnings : none,lots of fluff and kisses,cute couple

*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘

Getting some privacy in a ship is nearly impossible.

You cant really blame anyone;its a public space that all the crewmates share,and no one has the actual time to relax and spend time in their lover's company.

But there are also mornings like this: where everything's soft in the glow of the rising sun;the ocean calm and the sky so blue with few clouds, it has you closing your eyes and wishing for that moment to last forever.

As you lean back on the kitchen counter after you've made yourself a cup of tea,you enjoy the rare moments of loneliness. You close your eyes and take a sip of the sweet honey flavor liquid and let the rays of the sunlight warm your face.

When you hear the sound of someone stepping inside the kitchen,you open your eyes;ready to greet Sanji, assuming he's going to make breakfast since he's always the first one to wake up. But what greets you is the sight of a very drowsy Zoro making his way toward you. You pour him a cup of tea as well and offer it to him;and eye him as he accepts it with a grunt. You grin and bump your shoulder to his,making him grunt again.

"not awake yet,sleepy head?"

"not my fault. Usopp snores. And Luffy talks about food in his sleep."

You snort around your own cup of tea, "what about Sanji?"

Zoro takes a moment to consider your question,a when he speaks next,he seems genuinely surprised by his answer.

"he... actually isnt so bothersome when he sleeps. Which is weird, considering how annoying he is when he's awake."

You throw your head back and laugh;the sound so refreshing in the silence of the morning. Zoro takes a sip of his tea,and leans on his forearms next to where you're currently sitting on the counter.

"why are you up so early?"

You shrug and tilt your head toward the window.

"the weather was too nice to sleep in."

"is that so?"

You close your eyes when the skies clears again and the rays of the sunshine warm your face.

"yeah."

You two bask in each others' presence;no need for any words,just enjoying the silence. The tea finishes soon,and with warm belly,you eyelids start to droop again.

"sleepy?"

When you open your eyes,you see Zoro's face inches away from yours;having you caged between his arms. You lean forward and rest your forehead against his, smiling when he lowers his head and presses his lips to your neck. You shiver,and wrap your arms around Zoro's neck.

"you know,i always dreamed of kissing my boyfriend on a kitchen counter."

An amused chuckle escapes his lips,and he tilts his head to one side while eyeing your lips; pretending to be confused.

"oh?then I'm afraid you'll have to teach me how to do it."

You giggle and pull him closer

"that,can be arranged."

When your lips meet,the morning feels even better. Zoro's lips are soft and move slowly against your own. Its everything you've ever wanted,and even more.

Because of mornings like this,you try to wake up earlier than usual every now and then;so you can have a small alone time with the man you love before everyone else wake up.

When a small sound escapes your lips as he bites your lower lip lightly,Zoro pulls back slightly and rests his forehead against yours.

"you have to keep it down,babe. Don't want other to wake up now,do we?"

And one shake of your head is enough answer for him to dive back in,and capture your lips again.

And you pray to every god you know,that mornings like this last forever.

[shinobushaori]

I’m literally obsessed w/your work it’s keeping me sane while I try not to think about what’s going to happen to Shinobu in the next movie 💔

I’d like to request just some fluff of Shinobu x a fem reader and they haven’t seen each other for a while. Shinobu is busy being a Hashira and taking care of patients, and reader is busy being slayer taking on mission after mission. Finally, the reader makes it home to the butterfly mansion when it’s already well past dusk, and finds Shinobu slaving away doing late night research. At first Shinobu thinks the reader is some random assistant, but then she quickly realizes it’s the reader, and so Shinobu immediately halts all of her research to dote on the reader. Eventually it leads to the reader gently/lovingly scolding Shinobu for being up late again, which eventually leads to the reader and Shinobu going to bed, and as they catch up, cuddle, and exchange kisses both reader and Shinobu fall asleep. Just very fluffy stuff :D Maybe it even rains too, or it’s cold so Shinobu and the reader have to snuggle up under the covers. All in all just comfort and fluff!

A/N: You're in luck! I actually wrote something really similar but tweaked it a bit to more fit your request. And I'm so happy that my work distracts you as much as it distracts me! Especially from what's going to happen next year LMAO yeah I did find out while writing this tho that I suck at dialogues so that's.. something... hope you enjoy!

LIMITED TIME

- kochou shinobu x f! reader

warning: none

word count: 1.6K

"Finally!"

You squished the demon's remaining ashes under your feet, successfully extinguishing whatever profanities it managed to scream at you. Not bothering to listen to any of them. You're just glad that after a week of overstaying yourself in this village, you've finally gotten rid of the reason you were here in the first place.

It wasn't a strong opponent by any chance but it sure was tricky and cunning. Using ways that even you, who usually just go for the head, think of your actions more deeply. After all, one mistake could lead to a terrifying massacre.

But you waved all of that away. You managed to slay the demon and save people in the process, that's important.

After a while of receiving the countless grateful thank yous, you passed everything else to the Kakushis that had recently arrived with a nod.

"Ame."

Your crow perches on your shoulder and you smile, patting her ruffled feathers as she caws loudly. "Rest! Rest! Rest!"

You chuckle, "Alright, I got it."

Your thoughts wander as you walk towards the direction your crow was guiding you. Warmth settled on your stomach when you realized the familiar pavement and purposely stationed planted flowers as well as the occasional flutter and waves of butterflies.

'Ah.' You fully relax your body, seemingly melting from the warmth on your face alone. You cannot deny that you've longed so much from your family and most of all, from your lover.

It was an unexpected development, you could admit. From close co-workers to friends and then something more. Shinobu captivated you in more ways imaginable and possible. So, imagine the loneliness that clouded you every day that you were away. Being a Hashira as well as her, duties were indeed more important. But sometimes you wish you could be selfish for once and stay one more day with her, free of any worries outside normal, mundane concerns.

Alas, duty calls and you had to be away for two whole months! Countless missions left and right, your recent being the longest you've ever had. It was exhausting and mentally taxing waking up and only having comfort from the frequently exchanged letters sent by the girls and Shinobu before you ready yourself for another night of demon hunting.

Though, you suppose none of those matters now as you stood at the sight of the Butterfly Estate with a tired smile. The sun had already retreated for the day and the bustling mansion was still up and lively, likely nursing after wounded slayers.

You didn't want to possibly distract them so you discreetly went inside and almost immediately bolted towards the work office Shinobu must be working herself on.

You weren't wrong as the clanks and light stomps become audible from behind the thin door.

You widely grinned, you didn't notify any of the girls of your arrival as even you weren't sure when you're free of the duties given towards you. So, you were giddy in your place to surprise Shinobu with your presence.

You raise your arm to knock.

-

Shinobu releases a tired exhale. After the seemingly endless hours stretching on, the beaker she held between her fingers made it entirely worth it. With this specific mixture, she should have a nicely prepared scabbard full of poisonous concoctions of wisteria enough to last a few missions.

'I shouldn't worry for a while.' Shinobu sets the glass aside but momentarily pauses when a knock becomes audible. However, before she could speak, the swish sound of the door harshly sliding enters her ears.

She inwardly sighs, "Aoi-chan, I greatly appreciate your concerns but didn't I-"

"Give the poor girl a break, won't you?"

Shinobu blinks, snapping her head behind. Gaping with widened eyes as your tired state emerged from whatever hell hole you came from.

She eventually snapped out of this quick trance, smirking as you walked closer towards her while she slightly leaned on the table behind. "Oh? Don't tell me you abandoned your missions to visit me? That's sweet but I'm afraid I have to report you to Master~!"

You chuckled, missing her soothing voice yet teasing tone. The two months away truly took so much precious things that you can't help but treasure everything you missed from Shinobu. As you got closer, you immediately pulled her in a tight hug, inhaling the wisteria scent that clung itself onto her and she giggled at your desperate hold.

Feeling you rubbing your head on her neck made Shinobu even giddier, "Now, now. Are you actually coaxing me into not snitching? How cunning of you, my dear."

Already used to this, you didn't mind her teasing behavior. You know just how you could shut Shinobu's mouth and she's well aware of your ability to do so. That in mind, you worked your magic as your hands slowly wandered around her body, while placing small light kisses on her jaw and neck below, grinning at the way she softly sighed as you did so.

Shinobu bit her lip, feeling herself immediately fluster at your touch. She cannot deny she longed so much from you. From your silent touches to the loving gazes. After all, work and research could only do so much to distract her from her aching yearning for you. She's just glad that you're finally free of your duties as much as she is currently too. Tilting her head, she hums at the way your lips last longer on her skin and your palms softly caressing her waist.

"Missed you." You grumbled, leaning away to face her before tilting your head.

"Don't you miss me, too?"

Shinobu chuckles, finding your pleading eyes adorable as she brought a hand to rub your cheek. "Of course I did, my beloved." Her reply easily gets a shy smile from you.

"Good," You sigh, pressing closer towards her again. "..because I missed you so much I could just die."

The Hashira pats your head, loving the way you leaned most of your weight onto her, "Hmmm.. so dramatic."

You completely ignored her words, rather continuing on complaining about your previous missions, grumbling and groaning as if Shinobu was giving attention to everything other than the way you twirled her hair around your finger or the way you lock your jaw the moment you recall something entirely embarrassing or annoying. She could just stare all day and not get tired of doing so.

"..'nobu, Shinobu.. are you listening to me?" She hums, licking her lips and bringing her eyes back and up to your own with a sly grin.

"Something about demons, yes?"

Yep, she wasn't listening. You shook your head. "Well, that's all from me, how about you? I trust that you've been taking care of yourself?"

Shinobu visibly beamed, "Of course, I have-!"

"Don't even lie."

You immediately deadpanned. "You have a futon in here, which you only bring out if you spent a few nights here again. And don't think I didn't notice your cold and untouched dinner set aside either."

Her smile tensed, her head tilting as her purple eyes seemed to glint with a single brow raised. "Well, what's the point of asking something you're already aware of?"

You roll your eyes, "I wanted to test you," You shrug, leaning away from her touch. "I guess you failed."

Shinobu didn't even let a single second pass without her arms tangled around your neck as she immediately pulled you in, her smirk widening.

"Don't think I would let you escape that fast~"

You giggle, easily balancing the two of you as you give her a short kiss. "I'd be saddened if you did." You give her hips a small squeeze, "After all, I wouldn't dream of letting you go."

She huffs in amusement, "My, what a sweet talker you are."

"Says you."

Shinobu laughs, slowly pushing you towards the conventionally placed futon on the side. The two of you immediately cling onto each other, with you burying your head on Shinobu's neck while she lovingly caress your hair, the warm blanket sat above you two.

Pure small moments like these, seemingly ordinary yet profoundly precious, are what Shinobu cherishes the most. Nothing else but love and care radiating from the two of you. How she wishes time could stop and stretch on endlessly just for the two of you to spend time together.

You soon break the long and comfortable silence. "Take care of yourself, will you? Not just for me but for the girls as well."

You take a small peek at her, pouting at the way Shinobu simply smirks with her eyes closed, your words seemingly entering and leaving one ear to another.

"I mean it, Shinobu. Don't push yourself too hard, you deserve a break too."

She sharply exhaled yet the smile plastered on her lips softened hearing your words and you snicker seeing it. You know she secretly likes being taken care well. Although, you doubt she'll agree hearing it.

You return to your supposed location, deep down her nape once again with a satisfied smile. The warmth in your stomach increasingly grows, content being beside your lover like this.

"I love you."

Shinobu feels the heat creep up her face and ears, her heart tug felt painful yet she loved every single beat of it because she knows it's all because of you. You always make her feel like she's floating, always without a single fail. And at that moment, she feels all the strain for the past weeks leave her body as her comfort fully and rightfully embraced her.

Words could never capture the actuality of her feelings and yet it easily left her mouth anyways.

"I love you too."

As she always had and always will.

shinobu secretly liking being taken care of is so so canon to me that i jst had to mention it as a small detail idk why

GRGRGRGG i feel like I could've done better at portraying shinobu but i cant let yall starve any longer so i forced myself to publish this heheheh hopefully i could finish other requests too, have a nice day!

[hitomisuzuya]

Diluc x virgin!fem!reader. Smut. Starts as soft smut. Fingering. Turn into rough smut. Praise.

This is by request by @certifiedsimp66 I hope you like, dear.

Diluc's touches were soft on your body, his eyes were trained on you for any expression of pain as his fingers pumped in and out of you.

This was your first time, and he was going to do his very best to make sure you felt as little pain as possible.

He hooked his fingers against your sweet spot, making you whimper a little, rolling your hips up into his fingers. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips when he recognized it was a whimper of pleasure.

Your back arched slightly off the bed when he pressed his thumb on your clit to rub soft circles. He groaned softly as your walls clamped around his fingers.

"D-Diluc," You moaned, grabbing his wrist to urge his fingers inside of you at a faster pace, "it feels so good."

Diluc brushed some hair from your eyes. "So needy. Is my darling prepared for me?" He asked in almost a teasing manner, slowing down the pace of his fingers to see you squirm. As patient as he wanted to be with you, the way you were starting to writhe while you moaned his name was starting to stir something primal in him.

Your next words were music to his ears.

You leaned up, resting your forehead against his. "I want you to be rougher with me, Diluc."

Your beautiful eyes were starting to fill with desperation. Desperation for him. The knot of your orgasm had been coiling tighter to burst with each thrust of his fingers. You wanted nothing more than for him to push you over the edge until you were breathless and panting from pleasure, screaming his name.

To lose yourself completely in him.

Diluc's eyes widened before he smirked down at you. "Your wish is my command," Your body trembled in anticipation as he pinned your wrists above your head, bringing his cock to rub between your dripping folds.

You were a vision underneath him, squirming as you tried to angle your hips up so the tip of his cock pushed against your entrance. That was what made Diluc snap.

Letting out a low growl, he leaned down to kiss you passionately, swallowing your moans as he thrust himself inside of you for the first time. Already having been stimulated by his fingers, your walls nearly clamped immediate and tight around his cock.

Your fingernails dug into the palms of your hands. At first his thrusts were languid and slow, kissing your sweet spot gently to give you time to adjust.

"Rougher, Diluc, please," You pleaded, crying out louder when his cock kissed your sweet spot in a way that made you tremble and see stars.

His hands tightened on your wrists in a dominant manner, making your cheeks flush, his hips suddenly snapping into yours. He moaned huskily in bliss when you hooked a leg over his hip, drawing his cock deeper inside of you.

"You are doing so well. Relax and let me make you cum," He said, soothing his thumb over the inflamed skin of your palms. When he let go of your wrists to rub your clit, you put your arms around him, clinging to him.

Your first time with Diluc was everything you'd imagined. His thrusts were building up your orgasm with such intensity that it had you babbling as you writhed underneath him.

You could barely form a coherent sentence, your orgasm washing over you all at once. Your clit throbbed under Diluc's thumb as your release gushed around his cock.

His intention had been to make you cum first. Your pleasure, no matter would what would always come first and foremost before his own.

You put your hands on his cheeks, your eyes clouded in a haze of fucked out bliss as you gazed up at him. It was the look that Diluc was going to look forward to seeing on you more often.

"Cum inside of me, Diluc!" You skimmed your thumba tenderly along his cheeks.

In this moment, nothing sounded more heavenly to him than that. His cock continued to kiss your sweet spot, your walls fluttering sensitive around his cock.

His lips captured yours in another passionate kiss, moaning into your mouth. His teeth nipped at your lower lip, his tongue exploring your mouth. You cried out, muffled against his mouth as his cum ribboned warm inside of you.

You both were trembling while Diluc fucked you through his orgasm, relishing in every sweet cry of pleasure as he chased his high.

Breathless, you looked up at him as he pulled away, his hips slowing to a stop. However, he didn't get the chance to pull out of you before you said, "More, please."

Diluc chuckled, teasing you again about how needy you were before he started to prepare your body for another round.

[meteorxiaowerr]

'till we meet again ─ ma chérie

pairing : neuvillette x f!reader

notes : 3rd time posting here and 1st time writing for neuvi sooo....AHSFHSFHFH

warnings : angst no fluff (?)

synopsis : the death of the chief justice's lover made him want to believe in the reality of reincarnation

fontaine felt colder than usual. the rain had not stopped pouring since the mornings spring

"hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry" she says as she softly caress my face, even in her final moments

neuvillette's pov

"im sorry i couldn't stay forever, neuvillette." her eyes flickered slowly and weakly, trying to gather all the strength she had left in saying her final goodbyes

"there's no need to apologize darling"

"neuvillette, i hope that in my next life i would be able to find you even...if it was just for a brief moment"

"ma chérie...." my voice trembled as tears continuously streamed down.

"hush now, darling. hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don't cry." she smiles softly as she wiped the tears from outer corner of my eyes. i place my hand on yours and leaned in to your touch.

but alas, time is limited

i mustered all the strength and courage i had to say my final goodbyes to my beloved lover.

"ma chérie..... you can rest now" i whispered

her eyes slowly closed as her face started to relax in eternal slumber. the wrinkles the grazed her skin softened. the weight of her hand that gently cupped my face loosened.

there she was, her lifeless body laid peacefully on the bed they once shared.

"i am indeed very grateful to have spent my time with you, ma chérie."

"mama i want to play!" the child says as he looked outside the window urging his mom to let him go outside and play. "has the rain stopped?" her brows furrowed. "not yet..." "then you cannot play and go outside until the rain has stopped". the young lad whined at his mom's words. he looked at the gloomy clouds as the rain poured endlessly

"hydro dragon, hydro dragon don't cry!" thr boy cried out loud, hoping the hydro dragon sovereign could hear his plea.

it was an old fontanian belief, whenever it rained it meant that the hydro dragon was crying. well, that belief was indeed real as neuvillette's eyes watered with grief.

the death of his lover, his solace, his strength, his world, his everything. the pain ached in his chest as he gave you a proper rite of passage, the last time he'd ever see you.

"neuvillette"

"hm, yes dear?" he responded as his eyes were glued to the case file he was analyzing, still of course paying close attention to your words

"do you believe in reincarnation?"

he paused for a moment as he slowly looked at your direction

"im not quite sure. why do you ask, ma chérie?"

she chuckled "well, i think the idea of reincarnation is fascinating"

"what suddenly piqued your interest with reincarnation, dear?" his head tilted slightly to the side, puzzled as to why you suddenly had an interest in the topic

"oh nothing! it just, i want to believe reincarnation is real"

neuvillette's brow raised in curiosity

"oh? and why is that?"

"because if it is real, i wish to be reborn as your lover in my next life"

his eyes slowly widened at your words

"if it is real, then i'd be sure to find you in your next life and the next and your life after that." he smiled softly at you, reassuring that he'd find you in your next lives and love you all over again.

neuvillette sat down on the bed you once shared as he ruffled his hair in despair. the bed your lifeless body once laid in.

he suddenly remembered that conversation you two had in his office a long time ago. the conversation about you wishing that reincarnation was real. you hoping that in your next life he'd still be your lover and that he'd find you again.

"i will wait for you, ma chérie. ill come find you again, i promise." he whispered slowly to himself as he succumbed in his grief.

a/n : WOAHH 2 POSTS IN ONE DAY THATS CRAZYY 🤯🤯 this had been rotting in my drafts for a long time so i decided its time to finally finish it. anyways, hoped yall liked this, personally i really liked this one i hope yall did too!

[joocomics]

hey dinna! hope you’ve been doing well 🫶 idk if ur taking HC requests rn, as i’m sure ur busy w kinktober (which i’ve been loving btw!!) so totally understandable if ur not, but if u are… how do u think the heroes would comfort their partner who was going through a difficult time and feeling bad about themselves?

(asking for a friend) ((it’s me i’m the friend. PMS has been getting to me and making All of my insecurities flare up and i even had a work-related nightmare the other day from the stress 🥲 i know the feelings will pass and i’ll be fine but it really sucks rn and i wish i had a pretty boy to hug me and tell me it’s ok 😭))

hi pookie 🫶🏼 i’m sorry to hear you’re going through a tough time and i really hope this post as little as it is brings you some joy! i’m sure you’re strong and you can get through it quicker than you think! make sure to rest well and take care of yourself now more than ever ~ i’m here if you need to distract yourself from everything. also, thank you for reading my kinktober event, means more than you know 🤎

gunil would talk to you about it firsthand because for him it’s important that you know you can always share anything with him; undeniably the conversation would ease the storm inside you. he’s patient, understanding and very good with words; he’d know what to say and how; when to speak and when to leave you to be the one talking while he just listens and caresses your back with affection. the conversation would be comforting, and once it’s over, he’d propose to you to go for a walk in the park so you can get some fresh air. his eyes won’t leave you out of sight throughout the whole day and they’ll radiate love and gentleness. if you’re not in the mood for that, he’d order food and make a cosy space for a movie night

jungsu would cuddle you so much; he’d lock arms around you and keep you warm and safe while leaving soft kisses in your hair. he wouldn’t be big on talking in the specific moment, but when he speaks he’d say exactly what you need to hear and every word would be healing. you’d feel your heart calming its rhythm and healing its wound slowly as he whispers that you’re doing great and that everything will be okay; he’s by your side and he’s always going to be here for you. he’d make sure to spoon you when you go to bed to limit the chances of you having another nightmare, and during the day, he’d be throwing you compliments and little encouraging phrases that would have a big positive impact on your week

jiseok would be slightly perplexed maybe solely because of wanting to help you feel better and being unsure if he’s doing enough. until you show him that his presence alone is already enough for your heart to relax. he’d definitely sneak a few jokes here and there, hoping to make you laugh, as he keeps your head resting on his lap and his hands playing with your hair which is another thing that always makes you feel at ease too. you’d be able to feel the love he has for you as his fingers caress your cheek gently and his eyes look down at you lovingly

seungmin would talk to you about it when you want to talk about it, and when you need to have some alone time, he’d cook for you. he’d make your favorite meal and put on the movie that he knows you keep rewatching because you love it so much. he can easily tell when your mood starts to drop and every gesture of his would radiate support and affection in order to remind you he’s there for you. he’d buy all your favorite snacks, he’d shower together with you, he’d do your hair and take you to the mall so you can laugh together at silly toys and such

junhan would be the best listener; he’d really try to give you not only support and validation but also advice if you need it, for work or your own personal reasons. he’d ask questions and try to help you go through your messy thoughts that would be clouding your mind. after a long conversation he’d want to uplift your spirits and would want to know what you want to do. whatever you’re in the mood for, that’s what he’d be in the mood for too. going out for brunch, chilling at home and listening to music, going to the cinema… you name it. on days like that he’d just want to see you smile again

jooyeon would let you cry on his shoulder for as long as you need. he hates to see you cry, but he knows it’s relieving you from the pressure; if it’s something you feel the need to do in that moment he’d hold you in his arms and caress your back gently while quietly reminding you that it’s okay. he’d kiss your nose then your cheeks until he covers every part of your puffy face with quick soft pecks. he’d make sure you know it’s normal for everyone to have days like this and that you shouldn’t forget that you’re not going through them alone. the crying session would turn into the two of you chatting about some mundane things while cuddling, and then the cuddling would turn into him suddenly playing fight with you out of nowhere (spoiler alert: he’d let you win. not easily, but he’d let you win)

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Part 29: From Under the Ground

Summary: Tommy and Lucy work to put the last of their affairs in order.

Word Count: 4,244

Warnings: Violence, minor/canonical character death, terminal illness, suicidal thoughts/intentions, past animal death, and estrangement.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 19: No Limitations

Lucy clutched tight to the straps keeping her securely in place, jostling back and forth against the plane's movements. She cringed when they took a sudden dip, her stomach swooping. And not in a pleasant way. 

Outside the rectangular windows that lined the sides of the plane, she could see nothing but gray clouds. She could only assume that it was storming horribly outside. 

The inside of the plane felt cramped and small and dark. She had been reluctant to get into it when she and Tommy first climbed aboard. He must have seen it on her face, because he squeezed her hand.

“I’ll be with you the whole time,” he’d promised in a soft whisper into her ear.

Once they’d gotten in and settled, it wasn't so bad. At least until the turbulence started. 

Next to her, Tommy had gone quiet, his head down and hands interlaced on his stomach over the buckles of his seatbelt. He was frowning at the floor, eyes unfocused, somewhere far away in his own head. 

He grimaced, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the bumpiness of the ride, or whatever visions were passing across his eyes. 

She reached down and took his hand, interlacing their fingers. Something in his shoulders seemed to relax at the touch, the look in his eyes snapping back to the present. He gave her hand a tight squeeze, resting their entwined fingers on his thigh. 

The aircraft was rattling so bad, she half expected it to start breaking apart. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the seat, and hoped that soon it would be over.

When they finally touched down onto the ground, she heaved out a sigh of relief, eagerly unhooking the buckles on her seatbelt. 

“Well, that was awful,” she commented to Tommy after they’d gotten their things and were out of earshot of the pilot

“You didn’t like it?”

She cast him a disbelieving look. “You did!?”

He shrugged. “It was…interesting. I’m sure they’ll fine-tune the process as time goes on.”

“I thought we were going to blow up right there in the middle of the sky multiple times.”

He snorted. “We still have the trip back.”

She groaned. “Is it too late to just let Michael fucking kill us?”

That got a genuine laugh out of him, kissing the top of her head fondly. They started to work their way through the fog, heading in the direction of the same pub and inn they’d met Michael at before. 

On their way, Johnny Dogs sidled up to them. 

“What have you got?” Tommy asked. 

“I just spoke to your man inside the inn. He says that they’ve put a bomb in the boot of the front car closest to the door.”

“Right. We’ll go inside and keep them distracted while you switch out the bomb and put it in the boot of the other car.”

“You don’t want me to just throw it in the ocean?”

“No. I expect he’ll have his men take the second car. It’ll be an easier way to get rid of most of them without having to engage in a shootout.”

“I’ll mark a noose on the door of the car to let you know it’s safe to get inside.”

“Good. Now go, before someone spots us together.”

Johnny disappeared into the mist. Lucy took a deep breath, flexing her gloved hands against the cold. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Johnny to pull through for them; she just wished sometimes that she could do everything herself. 

“You ready?” Tommy asked. The inn came into sight up ahead. Sure enough, there were two cars parked in front of it. 

“Yeah.”

He stopped her suddenly, hands resting on her upper arms. “If things go wrong…” he drew in a deep breath. “I want you to know that I’ve loved you very, very much.”

She placed her hands on his forearms, emotion squeezing at her heart. “I love you too. I’ve loved you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

He kissed her, slow and gentle, lingering a little even though it was not a particularly long kiss. She squeezed him once, then let him go, and together they picked their way over to the door of the inn. 

They walked in to find Jack’s men lounging in the pub, eyeing them both up like a pack of hungry dogs. Michael was sitting at the bar, his back to them. In the corner, she saw  Jean-Claude, the cut that Tommy left him with the last time they saw him having healed into a faint scar.

It was a gambol; trusting his information. But they paid him well and put him and his friends back to work when prohibition threatened to steal them of their jobs. Hopefully that was enough. 

They went to the bar, Tommy ordering whiskey for them both and greeting Michael. They looked over at the man they had entrusted with their lives. Jean-Claude’s eyes sparkled a little when he noted they were drinking whiskey and not water this time around, lifting his glass to them. 

Lucy felt herself relax a little. 

Tommy ordered a second helping of whiskey, drinking it while Michael explained that they wanted him to take them to where the opium was being stored before they paid for it. 

Ah, so that was how they were going to get them into the car. 

They went back outside. On Michael’s order, all of the men he was with piled into the second car, the one parked further from the door. Michael said he would drive with her and Tommy, then stopped, patting himself down, promptly announcing he’d forgotten his cigarettes and heading back into the pub.

Lucy shared a knowing look with Tommy. The kid needed to work on his acting skills. 

She craned her head around Tommy to peer at the passenger side door. Smudged near the handle was a drawing of a noose. Tommy quickly wiped it away and opened the door. 

“You sit in front, with me,” he told her, leaning back so she could climb in first. The request made sense. If the car behind them went up in flames, the glass could injure her if she was in the backseat. He climbed in behind her, and slammed the door shut.

They sat with their sides pressed tightly together, the only sounds in the car their breathing. Lucy reached over and took Tommy’s hand.

At least if they died here, they would die together. 

Tommy checked his pocket watch, the ticking unbearably loud in the otherwise quiet of the car. Lucy could hear her heartbeat hammering away in her ears. It could only have been a few minutes, but it felt like an excruciating eternity, sitting there with him, listening to the ticking of his watch, waiting for the flames of an explosion to consume them both. She shuffled closer to his side, feeling him press back against her. 

When the explosion came, it half rocked their own vehicle with the force of it. The back window blasted inwards, and Tommy was suddenly seizing her into his arms, pulling her tight to his chest and half curling over her to try to shield her from the broken glass and blazing heat bursting outwards from the car behind them. The blast was so powerful, it broke all the front windows of the pub they were just in.

Neither of them moved, waiting to make sure it was over before cautiously raising their heads.

“Are you okay?” Tommy asked, gripping her shoulder. She nodded. Her ears were ringing a little, but other than that, she didn’t seem the worst for wear. 

“You?”

“I’m fine,” he let out a shaky breath, reaching into his coat for his pistol. Lucy did the same, head swiveling around towards the door to the inn. 

They stepped out of the car just as Michael came out of the inn, his eyes growing round as saucers when he saw them. Tommy had his pistol trained on him in an instant. Lucy took a moment to check behind them, to make sure that no one in the second vehicle was still alive. Fire was still crackling from its charred remains, and she recoiled a little at the scent of burning flesh. 

There was no movement from inside. Black smoke billowed into the air, a deep contrast with the white of snow all around them. The wind blew it back into their faces. 

She returned her attention to Michael, pistol leveling with his chest. Tommy was shouting for Johnny, who came running from where he was hiding nearby. He acknowledged Michael, and quickly excused himself.

Tommy lowered his weapon, but Lucy did no such thing. She did not see a weapon on Michael, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She kept her pistol trained on him while he and Tommy talked.

Her fingers flexed against the trigger, waiting for Tommy to give her the order. She offered, before they left England, to be the one to put an end to Michael. To spare Tommy the guilt and pain of having to do it himself. He had not yet decided which of them it would be, then. But still, she was ready. 

She knew the decision he made by the tone of sorrow that entered his voice when he began to speak of Polly. 

“She’ll visit me no more,” he announced, and in a movement almost too fast to even comprehend, he raised his pistol, and fired a single shot into Michael’s head. 

Michael went down, onto his back, splayed out there onto the pavement. She and Tommy surged forward to stare down at him. The bullet had entered his left eye, leaving a bloodied mess in its wake. His other eye was wide open, staring emptily up at the sky. Dead. 

Lucy couldn’t quite help the pulse of satisfaction that went through her. Even if she wasn’t the one to pull the trigger on him in the end, she was just glad that they didn’t need to worry about the usurping idiot anymore. 

They both holstered their weapons, and went inside. Glass crunched loudly under their feet, the hinges on the door shrieking in complaint when it was opened and closed. Tommy brushed bits of broken glass from the surface of the bar with a gloved hand and pulled up a chair. Lucy sat down beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. She didn’t bother with asking if he was alright. She already knew that he wasn’t. 

He pulled out his cigarettes, lighting one and taking a drag before holding it out silently to her. She took it, drawing the smoke gratefully into her lungs, and passed it back to him. 

A booming voice from the back interrupted the little moment of silence they’d been having, Alfie bursting into the pub with his usual flourish and bravado. Arriving to snatch up his prize of half of Boston. 

“Hi Alfie,” Lucy greeted him with a small smile. “Did you get our wedding gift?”

“Yeah, I did, actually, thanks, little demon,” Alfie reached over to tussle at her hair affectionately. She swatted his hand away halfheartedly, 

“We got him a wedding gift?” Tommy asked. She kicked him lightly under the table. 

“I did, and because I’m a good partner I let you take half the credit by putting your name next to mine on the card.” She shot him a fond smile, pouring herself a glass of whiskey while Alfie launched into his usual mad ramblings and ravings. 

“Cousin,” she corrected, when Alfie referred to Michael as Tommy’s nephew. 

Alfie stopped mid-speech to stare at her. “Come again?”

“Michael was Tommy’s cousin. Not nephew.”

“Oh, for fucks–it’s practically the same bloody thing, isn’t it?”

“It is not.”

He rolled his eyes, grumbling and returning back to his pontifications. When Tommy did not react, he frowned, shuffling in closer, asking–in a voice frighteningly genuine in its concern–if he was alright. 

That lasted only about ten seconds of course, as his next question following Tommy’s revelation that he was dying was if it was from the clap. Lucy almost choked on her drink, Tommy patting her on the back and shooting her worried looks and Alfie a few glares until she had stopped coughing.

But under the madness and the nonsense, she could sense the genuine concern and sadness in Alfie’s voice. From over Tommy’s head, he looked at her, brow furrowed.

She waited until they were mostly done with their conversation, and then slipped from her chair. 

“Before we go, I need to make a phone call.” She went to the phone in the corner. “Ah, look at that. They replaced the one that you…shot.” She gave Tommy another fond look over her shoulder while she picked up the receiver and dialed. 

“The fuck you going around shooting telephones for?” Alfie demanded, and she chuckled a little to herself as the two men started to get into a spirited debate behind her. The phone rang a few times, and then a familiar voice answered from the other line. 

“Hello?”

“Isiah? Talk to me.”

“Billy’s dead.”

She let out a breath of relief, nodding to herself. “Who killed him?”

“Duke.”

“Finn failed, then?”

“Yeah,” Isiah sighed. “He tried to shoot Duke twice.”

“Is he alive?”

“Yeah. Duke banished him from the family. He’s allowed to do that, right?”

She smiled a little to herself. “I delegated my powers of exile to him while I’m away.” She glanced over at Tommy and Alfie, the pair still talking. A little ghost of a smile pulled at Tommy’s lips. “You’re both okay?”

“All grand here. Finn left in a huff, but I don’t think he’s going to try anything. Not for a while, at least. He’ll need to lick his wounds, first.”

She had to agree. Finn was mostly bark and no bite. But they would need to tread carefully, in case he decided to try to come crawling back like Michael had. “What about Arthur?”

“He’s fine. He and Jeremiah took care of Laura McKee and the men she brought with her to the Garrison.”

“She’s dead?”

“Yep.”

She sighed heavily in deep relief. Practically everything had gone as they’d expected it too, then. It was a fucking miracle they’d managed to pull this all off with no casualties. 

“Good. You boys did well. You found the booze in the cellar?”

“Sure did.”

“Enjoy yourselves.”

“You and Tommy are alright?”

“Right as rain.” Her smile faded. “Michael’s dead.”

“That’s to be expected.”

“Mhm. We’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Lucy.”

She hung up, returning to Tommy to find him eyeing her anxiously. “Well?”

“Everything went as we planned. Billy and McKee are dead. No casualties on our end.”

His shoulders relaxed, relief blatant in his eyes. 

“Duke had to send Finn away.”

He squeezed his eyes shut at that, a look of pain momentarily working its way across his face. But when he opened his eyes again, his expression was resigned. “That’s what we expected to happen.”

“Mhm.”

“Right.” He stood. “Let’s go.”

∗ ∗ ∗

It was later, when he was seeing them off, that Alfie stopped her with a hand on the arm. Tommy was busy talking to the pilot of the plane they were taking back to England, giving him a chance to pull her aside and speak to her alone for a minute.

“He’s really dying?” he asked, voice soft and serious. 

She nodded, lips pressing together. “Yeah. Tuberculoma. In his brain.”

“Fuck,” he looked over at Tommy, then back at her. “What will happen to you, after he’s gone? Are you going to take over?”

She hesitated, not sure if he would understand. “There’s not going to be an after, Alfie. Not for me.”

His brow furrowed, taking on the expression of a grumpy grizzly bear. “You can’t be serious, treacle.”

“I’ve never been more serious of anything in my life.”

“You have plenty left to live for.”

“Do I?” She shifted, wrapping her arms around herself. “The Shelbys will probably want me gone, let alone ever accept me as their leader. Mosley will most likely try to have me killed again, and…” she trailed off, shaking her head. 

“And what?”

She forced herself to meet his eyes. “And I just don’t want to live without him, Alfie. I wouldn’t be living. I’d been surviving, at best. Wandering the earth, waiting to die so that maybe I can see him again.”

“You could come work for me.”

“I love you, Alfie, but it wouldn’t be the same. We both know that.”

He looked at her with the expression of a deeply disapproving father or older brother. “Does he know what you plan to do?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s alright with it?”

“I had to practically beg him over it, but yes. He is. He understands.” She looked into his face, the look of disapproval not dispersing. “It’s my decision, Alfie.”

His lips turned downwards. “Of all the bloody people you had to go and tie yourself too,” he shook his head, looking over to the plane. They appeared to be almost ready. “I suppose this is the last time we’ll ever see each other, then.”

A lump formed in her throat. “Probably.”

He pulled her into a bone crushing hug that she fiercely returned. “May you find peace, little demon,” he said into her shoulder. She closed her eyes, holding onto her old friend a minute longer before letting him go. 

“You too, Alfie.”

She offered him a sad, but hopefully reassuring smile, and went to return to Tommy. 

∗ ∗ ∗

She stood in the middle of the darkened foyer of Arrow House, a strange sense of deja vu washing over her at seeing all the rooms vacant of furniture or decoration. It felt like it did that first day he brought her and Grace out to see the house for the first time, when they were looking for a bigger home to buy.

A place for their family. To grow old in. To find peace from the chaos that was the rest of their lives. 

Look how well that fucking worked out, she thought bitterly. She wondered to herself if the house had ever really felt like a home to her. Or if there was always a part of her that felt like a fraud. Like they were playing pretend at a life they never were meant to have. 

“Lucy?”

She turned at the sound of Tommy’s voice, waiting for her near the door. 

“Are you ready?”

She took one last long look around the home, and nodded, going to take his hand. 

“Yeah.”

He led the way out the door and down the drive, giving the order once they were far enough away to their men. Behind her, she heard the echoing boom of the dynamite igniting, then the thunder of brick and wood splitting and bursting as the house went up in flames, collapsing down into itself. 

She forced herself not to look back. There was nothing to look back to, anyway. 

Her arms tightened around the urn clutched in them. 

They’d picked up Shadow's ashes on their way back from the airport. She kept them clutched tight to her chest ever since, unable to let them go quite yet. 

“Wait a minute,” she said, reaching to tug on Tommy’s sleeve. He stopped, facing her curiously. The rest of the family was camped out on the grounds near a lake on the property. They’d gone all out with the setup. Wagons. Horses. A campfire. It was nice. 

And it would serve as good cover for them to slip away with the excuse that they both needed the fresh air and time away from the city and business to unwind. 

Glancing out at the grassy fields surrounding them, she sniffled at memories of Shadow racing across the lawn. He was always happiest there, chasing the ball they would throw for him or trotting dutifully at their sides.

“It should be here,” she said to Tommy. He looked out over the grass, and nodded. 

“Yes. I think you’re right.”

She fumbled with the top of the urn, twisting it open and passing it to him to hold. He followed her out onto the grass, to the top of a little hill just off the path. She felt tears burn at the corners of her eyes. Sniffling, she dug her hand into the urn, taking hold of the first handful of ash.

She let the grey and black material slip through her fingers to be carried away by the wind across the meadow. 

“My good boy,” she choked on her tears, turning the urn over, spreading the ashes across the grass. “I love you.”

Tommy came up to her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. The empty urn dangled limply from one hand while they watched the ashes blow away into the breeze.

Lucy sniffled, chest spasming with a few sobs before she quieted. Tommy stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head, waiting patiently until she was ready to move. 

“Okay,” she whispered finally, taking his hand once more and letting him lead her in the direction of the camp. 

They had set up a long table amongst the trees, the rest of the family already seated when they arrived. Lucy slipped into one of the empty chairs next to the head of the table. She entwined her hands together, resting them against her lips while Tommy started to give a speech and raised a toast. Hopefully, if anyone noticed the emotion clouding her face, she could just pass it off as lingering grief for Shadow. It was at least half true, after all. 

When he announced that he would be going away for a bit, she half launched herself out of her seat, going to stand behind him with her back to the rest of the table, knuckles pressed hard to her lips to keep from crying. Tommy rested a grounding hand on her shoulder. Drawing in a deep breath, she turned back to face everyone, watching Tommy say his goodbyes. 

Her heart felt like someone really was cleaving it from her chest. 

How could she say goodbye to all these people? They had taken her in when she had nowhere to go. Yes, Tommy had made them, and she did not always get on with all of them, but they had cared for her, each in their own way. 

She supposed that was what family was. 

Tommy was struggling too, his voice breaking when he spoke to Charlie, having to quickly turn away to collect himself. Lucy shifted a little closer to him. She could see Ada watching them, her eyes narrowed. Suspicious. 

They needed to get away before they both fell apart completely. 

She followed Tommy in hugging everyone goodbye. First Curly, then Charlie Strong.

“Thank you. For everything.” she whispered. Charlie squeezed her back. Had it not been for him taking her in when he did, she never would have had any of this.

“Goodbye, Lucy,” he told her. She could offer only a tearful smile in return, reaching over to fondly ruffle Duke’s hair. 

“Take care of yourself, kiddo.”

He cast her a warm look, nodding. She gave him half a smile back before stepping away, glancing around the table to make sure there wasn’t anyone she’d missed. Arthur wasn’t there. And she doubted Linda wanted a hug from her. 

From within her chest, her heart constricted agonizingly at the sight of Charlie across the table. Moving tentatively, she shuffled around the chairs to stand a few paces away, fingers fiddling with her rings. 

“Charlie?” she tried, cautiously. 

He refused to look at her, turning his face away stubbornly in the opposite direction towards the water, jaw clenching. She dropped her hands to her sides, breath shuddering painfully in her chest. It was what she had expected. 

Didn’t mean that it didn’t still send shockwaves of pain through her already bruised and battered heart. 

Wordlessly, she turned away, going to follow Tommy to their wagon. 

Ada raced after them, demanding to know where they were going. When she got no answers from Tommy, she turned to Lucy. 

“Lucy…Lucy what is going on?”

She smiled at Ada sadly, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you for taking care of Trouble. I know she’ll be well looked after with you.”

“What are you–? Lucy!” she shouted when she pulled away. “Tommy!”

Lucy wiped at her cheeks with her thumbs, reaching out to take the hand that Tommy silently reached out for her. When they got to their wagon, he stopped, pulling her close, eyes staring deeply into hers.

“You can still change your mind,” he said, voice quiet even though they were far enough away from the rest of the family that there was little risk in any of them hearing him. “You can stay here. You don’t have to come with me.”

“Tommy.” She gripped onto him as tight as she could with one hand, touching his face with the other, looking at him hard, forcing him to see the resolution in her eyes. “I’ve made my choice. I’m staying with you.”

He swallowed hard, searching her eyes for another moment, then nodding. “Okay.”

She took hold of his hand again, and let him lead her away, to the last few weeks of their lives.

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[xxsycamore]

𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋'𝐒 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

↬ 💢 You wish that Theo would stop being a rude tease, even if just for one day. Your wish is soon granted.

Theodorus van Gogh x f!Reader • rating: G • tags: Fluff; Domestic Fluff; Breakfast in bed; Birthday Fluff • wordcount: 1,411 • masterlist

a/n: TODAY IS @yarnnerdally 'S BDAY!! She said everything is about Nanami today bcs of their shared birthday, I decided to prove her wrong and surprise her with a little something with another lover of hers because she deserves ALL the love, not just Nanamin's ~ Happy Birthday, dear Ally!!! I hope you have tons of fun today, I'm sending you a thousand hugs!! ILY SO MUCH!! 💕💕💕💕

"I already told you I got the day off today. Seriously. One would think you'd become less of an airhead with age."

"I just wasn't sure! Jeez! You're married to your job anyway, why would my birthday be special enough to part with it even for a day..."

Theo mirrors your own frown, forking some of his dinner in the meantime. How dare you consider such a thing? You're the most important person in his life now - is it so far-fetched and not obvious that he'd put time and effort into celebrating the birthday of his beloved? Not having yet delved into the delicious-looking meal that you've prepared for him, he quickly stands up and comes to your side to steal a kiss.

Your giggles are bringing a smile to his own face too, all hints of frowning now in the past. Theo finds himself tugged by the tie for another kiss before he can retreat to his seat, but he shakes his head firmly.

"No dessert before dinner. Or do you really like acting immature that much?"

"I wish you weren't such a rude tease for ONE DAY, Theo... hmph."

💙 - 💙 - 💙 -💙 - 💙

It's like the gentle caress of an angel brushing across your cheek when your senses start to awaken naturally, undisturbed by alarming noises calling for an early start to yet another busy day. Waking up on your own, in a good mood, when the sun is already high in the sky... it's a birthday present on its own already, and you lazily stretch out your limbs to embrace it.

It's then that you realize the gentle caress from earlier is not a fragment of your still dream-dazed imagination, but it doesn't belong to an angel either - it's the hand of none other than your own personal devil, Theodorus van Gogh.

"Hehe...Good Morning to you too, Theo."

"Morning, schat. Happy Birthday."

Oh, you could get used to this. Though you've heard many words of sweetness in Dutch fall from those perfect lips of his, they're always a special treat, even more so when accompanied by the gentleness of his strong hands. You lean into the touch, eyelids falling closed as if you're ready to spend the entirety of the sunny summer day between the sheets with him and call it a day well spent. Theo is used to spending very little time in bed before starting his day, so you make the best of his cuddly mood, playfully entangling your legs in his under the sheets, as if to keep him where he is for longer.

Theo answers by pulling himself even closer to you, his chest now pressed firmly against your back as he cuddles you from behind. You hum a little in surprise, but it comes out almost as a purr instead.

"Still sleepy, Theo? You couldn't get enough sleep?"

"Oh no, I'm fine. It just seemed like you wanted me to hold you for awhile."

Oh. Well, he read you perfectly, then.

"Hah... with how many things we planned for the day last night, here I thought you'd call me lazy for lounging in bed at this hour."

Theo's feather-light caresses move to trace the curve of your shoulder and get distracted with playing with your hair just like you love it.

"Why would I call you lazy? It's your birthday. You can do whatever you want. Get some rest, everything else can wait."

If you thought you were all relaxed up until now, then those words turned you into a content puddle of inner peacefulness. You're floating on the cloud that your shared bed is, your body light, your sprawling about justified by the words of a workaholic. It's the best medicine.

"Hmm, I guess I have to listen to you, then. You're always right. Though, things can always get even more self-indulgent..."

"Would you like me to do something for you?"

How attentive, the suggestion coming before you can even finish your thought. Maybe you should take advantage of this.

"I was thinking of breakfast in bed, but I'd hate to be the only one bringing food in here while you're just watching...since you hate bringing your syrup-drenched pancakes anywhere near the bed."

"Well, I guess it's time for your first birthday surprise then."

Leaving you alone in bed with only the big imaginary question mark looming over your head, you raise yourself to a seated position in bed, gripping the sheets into your palms to get some sense of reality in this rather dream-like situation. The sound of his footsteps comes closer again so quickly that you have no time for guessing for yourself. He's holding a silver tray with a rich breakfast for two on it, carefully placing it in the center of the bed in front of you.

"If the eggs have gone cold i'll fry you new ones. You like them done this, right? Or if you want me to change anything else, I'll do that too. I'm not too keen on making breakfast, unfortunately."

"Oh, no, please, Theo, you did amazing! There are so many delicacies here... this is a breakfast for a king!"

"Or a Queen." Theo remarks, an imprint of his smirking lips appearing on your cheek as he leans in close to smooch it.

Your reaching for the utensils is interrupted by the raising undercurrent of suspicion coated in sweetness. This is not ignorable anymore, and you rest your arms on your sides again as you look him in the eye.

"Okay Theo, what's wrong with you today?"

"...Wrong? Have I said something bad?"

"No! You're just- so considerable and gentle and-"

The nerve furrowing Theo's brow is old and familiar, a friend you're glad to meet again, almost.

"I'm normally considerable and gentle with the ones I love. Darling."

He's definitely trying if anything, and now you're guilty for claiming the opposite. You know his soft side better than anyone; his protectiveness, his determination to always put you first and foremost and to melt you with gestures of sweet, sweet love. That's your Theo. Yet being bombed with all of those little acts of affection first thing in the morning couldn't not make you look for a reason behind them, stupid as it might sound.

Theo sighs, seeing that his smart girl saw through his plan right away, even though it's only just been set in motion. Picking up a strawberry from the food tray and lifting it to your lips, he makes his confession.

"You said that you wanted me to stop being...'a rude tease' for one day. I've already prepared some other surprises for you but I thought one more gift wouldn't hurt."

This is...something you said last night at diner. And Theo not only remembered your little remark of frustration, but committed to fixing his attitude overnight just to please you. Now that's a surprise.

"Theo...! Oh my god. No, please, I love you just as you are! I love your sharp tongue and how brash you are sometimes, and I know well enough you don't mean it if you accidentally say something mean... Theo, I fell in love with you even the way you were in the beginning, do you seriously think I'd rather you act differently now?"

Theo's pretty aquamarine eyes widen all for you to admire, and sure enough, it captivates you enough to forget the strawberry offered to you. That's Theo's chance to withdraw his hand and...to pop the little red fruit right into his mouth instead.

"Hey!"

"Gods. Thank you. I'm glad to hear that, because... you seemed so happy just now. You deserve all of this, liefje, and while it comes naturally to do anything I can to make you happy, I wasn't sure if I'm doing it correctly."

"What, loving me? You've always been perfect at it, Theo. I want your love just as I know it."

"Hm." He takes another strawberry between his fingers, ready to correct his earlier teasing and reward you instead. Before you can bite into it, he withdraws just to add, "Hope you don't regret it much. I plan to give lots of love to my birthday girl today."

You chuckle bashfully, trying not to show just how much you're looking forward to it. While he's not forbidden from making another joke about you being excited like a little kid, you surely will try to prevent the idea from getting in his head in the first place.

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran    @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @thewitchofbooks @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @keen19thcenturygoatsstudent @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @canaria-blackwell @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @aquagirl1978 ​ @ikemenlover24 @violettduchess @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @aria-chikage @babyblue0t7 @rhodoliteschaos Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[mushiewrites]

The Gift of Giggles

Today is Karl's birthday!! I wasn't planning on doing anything for it, but then summer sent me an ask (found here), and I immediately knew I had to write it. It's very cuddly and sweet, my favorite way to write karlnap <3 I hope you all enjoy!

Karl and Sapnap are finally together for his birthday, and he has a very interesting birthday request for Sapnap

(lee!Sapnap / ler!Karl : 1.8K words)

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Karl remarked softly, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy standing in front of him, looking out the window at the grey clouds and watching as the rain bounced off the pavement. He let his chin rest on Sapnap’s shoulder, letting out a pleased noise when the younger boy leaned his head against his own. 

“I know, I really wanted to make sure I could be here for your birthday,” Sapnap replied, bringing a hand up to rub at one of the forearms holding tightly across his chest. “I wish it wasn’t raining, though. I feel like it’s kind of ruining it.” 

“Nonsense! My little panda is here, and that’s all that matters.” The comment went straight to Sapnap’s cheeks, painting them a light pink as he whined and turned his head away from the older boy.

“Okay, grandpa, noho need to get so sappy.” He giggled, squirming to the side with a yelp when a quick poke was delivered to his side in retaliation. “Hehey!” 

“Watch it, you. I may be a grandpa, but I can still take you down.” Karl smirked, turning his head slightly to press a kiss to Sapnap’s temple. The smaller boy hummed at the action, letting his head fall back onto Karl’s shoulder as he closed his eyes and melted into the warmth of his arms. Karl started swaying back and forth from one foot to the other, allowing himself to close his eyes as well, just taking in the others' presence and letting himself relax into the comfortable silence. After a few minutes, he poked at Sapnap’s side again, making him giggle and squirm. 

“Hey Sap? Angel? My darling baby boy?” Another two pokes into his side, this time further up towards the middle of his ribcage. Sapnap bit his lip, trying to keep his giggles in.

“Hm?” 

“Do you think…you know, since it’s my birthday…” Karl started, loosening his hold and turning Sapnap in his arms, keeping his hands on the smaller boy’s shoulders as he looked him in the eyes. 

“What is it?” Sapnap asked nervously, shifting his weight onto either leg as he waited for Karl to continue. 

“Well, I was wondering, since it’s raining and all, and again, it’s my birthday,” Sapnap raised his eyebrows at Karl, prompting him to go on. “Can I tickle you? Just a little bit!” 

“What?! Karl!” Sapnap reached up to wrap his hands lightly around both of Karl’s wrists, squeezing twice as his blush grew darker. “Just…come on, why?” 

“It would make me really happy! I love hearing your giggles and watching your cute lil nose scrunch up.” Karl let his bottom lip stick out as he pouted, giving Sapnap the biggest puppy eyes he could muster. As much as Sapnap wanted to refuse, he felt himself melting just from the way Karl was looking at him. 

“Karl, I-“

“I’ll be so nice and gentle, baby, I promise!” Karl cut him off before he could protest fully, bringing a hand up and gently cupping Sapnap’s face, letting his thumb rub over the soft hair of his beard and giggling when the younger boy melted into the touch. “Come on, for me?”

“Ugh, fine! Only because it’s your birthday…” Sapnap huffed out, rolling his eyes when Karl jumped up and down and began clapping his hands with an excited squeal at the agreement. He let go of Karl’s wrists, only to have his own scooped up by the elder, pulling him in the direction of the couch. He watched as Karl took a seat in one of the corners, still holding his hands and swaying Sapnap’s arms back and forth, making them both laugh. 

“Well come on then, pretty boy, sit with me, won’t you?” Karl let go of his wrists and tapped the cushion next to him, signaling for Sapnap to join him. Sapnap complied, sitting down with his thigh pressed against Karl’s, knocking their knees together playfully and making Karl grab at his thighs to get him to stop. Sapnap cried out with a yelp, grabbing Karl’s hand and yanking it away. The older boy patted his own thighs a few times, raising his eyebrows at Sapnap. When he still didn’t get it, Karl spoke up.

“Ankles up, gorgeous.” 

Sapnap felt all the color drain from his cheeks, instantly regretting agreeing to the torture he was about to endure. He turned his body slightly towards Karl, shaking his head quickly and grabbing both of his hands, bringing them up to his lips and giving them each a quick kiss. 

“No, no Karl, please. Baby, you know I can’t handle that!” Sapnap whined, groaning when Karl broke out into giddy giggles at his complaints. 

“Come on, angel, I’m gonna be so gentle, I promise,” Karl spoke softly, swallowing his giggles down in favor of trying to comfort Sapnap. “Only for a little bit, okay?” 

Sapnap didn’t reply, just allowed himself to flop back against the seat cushions of the couch, slowly bringing his legs up and dropping his feet onto Karl’s lap. Immediately there were light traces on the tops of his feet over his socks, throwing Sapnap into a fit of quiet giggles as he tried his best not to kick and accidentally hurt Karl. 

“See? It’s not that bad! You’re doing so good, baby boy.” Karl cooed at him as he struggled beside him, curling his toes and trying to block the tops of his feet with the opposite, eventually giving up and wiggling them wildly instead. 

“Well yehehes, but- ohoh noho, Karl!” 

Sapnap was cut off with his own laugh before he could continue, jolting when he felt a finger sneak in through the tops of his socks to trace over the small round bone of his ankles. The skin there had always been incredibly sensitive, and Karl was the one to find out this information the first time they met up. The scream Sapnap had let out had scared Karl half to death, worried that he’d somehow hurt the smaller boy. But upon further inspection, he saw the bright red blush and heard the giggles he had been desperately trying to hide, and from then on, it was one of his favorite places to torment the poor boy. 

“Oh yes, my sweet boy! Absolutely, yes. I need to keep tickling your poor little ankles right this second or I’ll die!” Karl announced dramatically, now using his baby blue colored nails to gently spider over the thin skin there. Sapnap’s legs squirmed slightly, the boy clearly trying his hardest to keep them in place and make it easier for Karl to deliver the tickles to one of his worst spots. He threw his head back with a loud laugh when Karl traced the spot directly below the balls of his ankles, making him ball his fists up in his hoodie before quickly reaching up to hold the brim of his hat, yanking it down over his face to hide his flushed cheeks. 

“You won’t dihihie!” Sapnap replied through his laughter, thrashing harder when Karl reached a hand around to wiggle over the arch of his left right foot. The younger boy tried to pull his leg away to escape the feeling, only to be stopped by a hand wrapped around his ankle, holding his foot in place. 

“Are you trying to take away my favorite birthday present?” Karl gasped in fake offense, shaking his head slowly and turning his attention towards the squirmy boy next to him. “I’m hurt. Devastated, even!” 

“Oh, you’re fihine!” He giggled at the way Karl played up his fake disappointment, rolling his eyes even though the older boy couldn’t see. It seemed as though Karl didn’t appreciate the back talk, picking up speed and wiggling a few fingers along each ankle now and making Sapnap shriek. “NOHOHO! P-Plehehease!” 

“Just a little bit more, Sap, I promise. You’re doing so good, thank you so much for letting me do this, gorgeous.” Karl went back to using one finger to trace over the balls of his ankles, allowing Sapnap to get a quick breath in before falling back into a fit of laughter. The kind words and praise made Sapnap want to do whatever Karl asked him, always wanting to please him and make him as happy as he could. He blindly reached an arm out and made a grabby hand motion, wanting to hold Karl’s hand immediately when a wave of emotion rushed over him. Not a second later Karl’s hand was slotted into his, fingers tangled together and holding tight, comforting him silently and making his heart soar. The other tickling hand slowly came to a stop, and soon it connected with the brim of Sapnap’s hat, pulling it up slightly until he could meet Karl’s gaze.

“Hi!” Karl smiled at him, making his cheeks heat up further as he let go of his hat, allowing Karl to push it up all the way. 

“Hi, darlin’.” Sapnap replied, returning the smile when the nickname made Karl burst into tiny giggles. The older boy wiggled himself out from under Sapnap’s legs, leaving them resting on the couch and wedging his body between Sapnap and the back of the couch. He cuddled into Sapnap as much as he could, letting out a relaxed sigh as they wrapped their arms around each other. 

“Best birthday present ever.” Karl mumbled into Sapnap’s neck, making the younger boy laugh into Karl’s neck in response. He shook his head at the comment, perking up when he noticed Karl laugh at the stubble scratching against his sensitive skin. He smirked, an idea popping into his head instantly when he realized a perfect opportunity had just presented itself. 

“Shush, you,” Sapnap began, rolling his eyes at the comment before continuing. “But..Karl?” 

“Hm?” He could tell Karl was sleepy. Even better.

“Did I ever tell you about our birthday tradition in the Dream Team house?” 

“Uh…no, I- I don’t think so,” Karl yawned, pulling Sapnap even closer and cuddling tightly against his chest. “What is it?”

“Well..it’s-” Karl let out a squeal as Sapnap pressed a raspberry into the side of his neck, directly below his ear, before planting another one on the muscle where his shoulder and neck meet. 

“NAHAHA! Sahap, whahat?! Stop it!” Karl burst into another round of laughter when Sapnap maneuvered them so that Karl was now flat on his back, the smaller of the two straddling his thighs and smirking down at him. 

“Don’t worry! Only 23 more to go!” 

“What?! Sap- Sap just…just- NOHOHOHO!” 

“Happy birthday, angel!” Sapnap giggled before inhaling deeply, diving back in and planting raspberry after raspberry. He made sure that by the end of the 25 raspberries, Karl would be well acquainted with their special birthday tradition.

[ladycatofwinterfell]

Hello. I wrote a little something about NedCat. This was very spontaneous and not that good either. This is my first time writing anything with actual characters in it. I don’t post on tumblr so I thought I would just send this to you because I really like your work and I have sent some ideas to you before. You can post this on your blog or even put it in one of your fics. My brain did something spontaneous and I don’t have anyone else who shares my obsession with Ned and Catelyn. So here you go.

…

She turned to face him when she felt the dip in her mattress as he climbed in. Wordlessly she took him in her arms. She tilted her head and he rested his forehead on her own. He breathed her in while his fingers slowly played with her hair. It seemed to bring him comfort. He looked relaxed. He looked young and carefree, as if he didn’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. But she could feel the tension emanating from him, she could feel the slight tremble in his shallow breaths. She lightly outlined his face with her fingers, traced his lips. The gesture made him smile a little but it was gone too soon. She wished it was easier for him to smile. She wanted to make him happy.

“I wish I could read your mind” she whispered, “I wish you would tell me what troubles you so”

He sighed at that, “I wish I could”

She stiffened a little. Did he not trust her? “Why can you not?” she asked him nervously

She half expected him to stay silent. He was not a man of many words and he specially found it difficult to speak about his own troubles. So she was surprised when he did reply

“Because I do not know how to. It feels like I am drowning. I am underwater while everyone else is ashore. I cannot hear or see or feel anyone properly. My senses are muted. All I can see and taste and feel is blood. Everyone is dead and I am alive but it does not feel like I am alive.” He opened his eyes then. His grey eyes were clouded like a stormy sky. They were shiny and glistening with un shed tears. She could see that he was right. He was not there with her. Not completely. A part of him was lost in his memories. Memories of fire and blood that took everyone from him. He was haunted by the ghosts of the rebellion.

She wrapped her arms tighter around him and kissed him forcefully as if to breathe some life into him. He seemed surprised by the ferocity of the kiss but settled into it. When she pulled back his eyes seemed a little less cloudy. She took his hand and laid it flat on her chest right above her heart.

“I am here” she whispered “I am alive and well. You are alive. Do you feel this Ned? Feel my heart. We are both alive. You are not dead. You are with me and your sons” She even included Jon in her desperate attempt to comfort him. To remind him that he still has people that love him.

“I cannot lose you. Any of you.” His voice cracked a little.

“You will not lose me. Not anytime soon. I promise”

“You should not make promises you cannot keep” he chuckled lightly

“Well I intend to keep this promise. And if any god, old or new, come to take me before my time I will fight them with my barehands”

The sound of his laughter that followed her bold proclamation made her happy. But she playfully punched him on the arm “what do you not think I can fight?”

“Not at all, my lady. I believe you can do anything” he looked at her tenderly. His eyes were no longer cloudy. Instead they were clear and soft. He had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. She would tell him that on the morrow when it’s light so that she can see the slight blush that spreads across his cheeks whenever she compliments him.

“Sleep now, Ned”, she snuggled closer to him, “I will guard your dreams”

As she laid with her head on her husbands chest listening to the strong beat of his heart, she prayed that he would find his peace. She hoped that the ghosts will leave him to be happy with her and the little family they had created.

Hi! I’m flattered you would send this to me, it’s so sweet!! Nedcat fluff >>>

You should totally start posting on tumblr though, it would be great to have more people interested in nedcat

[itismissswann]

@conjurerandking || continued from here

When she pulled away, Loki didn’t outwardly flinch at the action. He was used to the conversations going in this direction. “Elizabeth, do not put words into my mouth.” He pleaded softly and his eyes slowly found hers again. The hand on his chest felt warm, a contrast against his naturally cool skin. Slowly he began to lay down onto his back, hoping that maybe she would follow and be over him.

“You have given me more of a chance than many have.. even as a friend, let alone… what ever we are doing.” He motioned between them and he was relaxed. “I am simply saying that after all of my years of existence, nothing in my life has ever been promised, nor permanent.”

His breathing slowed. “But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to live within the moment, or for you to feel any less important to me.” He said softly and another hand came up to rest upon hers that was on his chest. “You mean a lot to me. And I will, and have done everything I can to keep you safe, even if we are constantly being put in precarious situations.” He chuckled gently and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.

She could feel his heartbeat, it was as steady as the tide the complete opposite of hers.  She towered over him when he moved to lay on his back. Golden waves tumbling down to meet ink black. While she struggled to control her breathing, she focused on his words.

The touch of his hand felt like an electric shock, forcing her heart to pound, but somehow, at the same time, it also managed to calm her down just a little. Elizabeth shifted her weight, leaning over him some more, their noses inches apart. “Well then,” she started softly, their breath mingling,  “Perhaps we should decide, in this very moment, to branch a path that doesn’t run parallel with your past.” There was no denying that he saw life in a very different way. She couldn’t blame him though, after all he had been through, she understood why he was trying to protect himself from anything that could potentially damage him even more.

“But I suggest we get some rest first, otherwise we won’t be able proceed our grand rescue mission tomorrow.” With those words she lay herself down, the soothing sound of his breathing able to make her fall into a deep slumber.

Morning dawned with low-hanging clouds. She had been awake for a while now, the warm sunbeams projecting millions of colors through the water. She opened the compass, assuming the arrow would point in the direction of the crew’s whereabouts, but instead it pointed to the man next to her. Her eyes glanced at him, closing the small wooden box quickly. “I don’t want to disturb your dream” Elizabeth teased and poked his side gently to wake him up. “But, the sooner we leave the better.”  Elizabeth wished the others were unharmed and save. Even though there was little hope,

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Ride a hot air balloon through the clouds and dive into the crystal blue sea to set your worries free

Although Marippe’s known for its crystal clear waters, the bright blue sky’s worth admiring too - especially through a hot air balloon! When you need to clear your head, why not lose yourself to the sea and sky?

This trip was a bit of a last minute change as we - us campers and the Epiphany had other plans that didn’t pan out. Basically, we were supposed to check out this place called Leafsea, only for the hotel we reserved ended up closing because of a bad storm that took place a few days ago, which is unfortunate. There was flooding, fallen trees, and major power outages in several cities that took a couple days to clear up. So I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

And that’s how we ended up in Marippe. Landry actually spent a good part of her life there, something most of us never knew until now. Fionna spent a good part of her life here while Yang has some connections over there, most notably with the Warden of the Fortress, the Justice Fontaine, and Lady Madeleine. Laufey and Jiangyi have visited a couple times when they traveled with Yang to visit Fionna. As for the rest - Della, Jewel, Meiying, and Hongxia - it’s their first time coming here.

It’s a shame that we just missed Connie and Pai though since they just left for Sazona the day before we arrived. Eloise, Coralie, Josette, Aurelie, Kana, and Madeleine threw them a little dinner celebration to wish them well on their travels. I hope things go smoothly for them over there and Connie’s able to resolve whatever impending crisis that’s going on.

Madeleine and Aurelie have never been to Sazona themselves, but they know some people from there, so they were able to give Connie and Pai sort an idea on what to look forward to. Sazona is said to be a vibrant and colorful place with its high cliffs and jungles, as well as graffiti, which is a big thing over there. It’s also home to various mystical creatures, notably dragons, and they live among the people. So it’s not unusual to see familiars or companions hanging around. Since Pai has a knack for picking up strays, it’s likely that she’ll have a companion of her own.

We were hanging out at a restaurant when Landry said she had to take an important call, which turned out to be an excuse to get away. She never expected to almost run into her mother in the city since she doesn’t live in that area. Yang recognized Landry’s mother as well as her two co-workers who were with her, which probably explains why she was there.

To be honest, I didn’t think too much about it, at least until over an hour passed and Landry was still nowhere to be found. Turns out that she just wandered off and ended up getting lost since she’s not familiar with the city. Then she ran into Josette, who helped her find her way back to Kana’s shop, our designated meeting place. the plan was to just hang around the shops until around 2 and then head for the hot air balloons.

Being up in the sky was nice and relaxing, especially when all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the scenery. I’ve grown to appreciate the view of the world from above with everything looking so small yet so vast - it’s a unique perspective you don’t often see every day, if ever. Once you get past that fear of looking down from very high above, I actually find it kinda exhilarating.

As long as you’re on something safe - like a hot air balloon - there’s like slim to no chance of falling. That is, unless you decide to do something stupid like climb over the edge to take a picture. Don’t worry, no one attempted such a thing - we’re all a reasonable bunch here.

Landry was finally able to relax once we were off the ground. Marippe’s a big place, so she never expected to run into her mother, who, last time she heard, still lives in that same old house in that same old town that’s at least an hour and a half away from the main city. To put it simply, she had a complicated relationship with her mother, who she only saw sporadically over the past 10 years or so since she began her space adventures. Her mother wasn’t too keen on her becoming a space captain, so that’s why they’ve grown distant over the years.

Of course, there’s a lot more to it than just that. Yang had met Landry’s mother and he got the impression that she doesn’t think highly of him, the main reason being that she considers him a homewrecker who took her daughter away from her. Landry’s mother never actually said any of that, but he heard it from her friend. So she wasn’t just avoiding her mother for her own sake, she was also looking out for Yang to avoid an awkward encounter.

Seeing her mother again, even from a distance for a few seconds, was enough to remind Landry why she left home. They used to be close, maybe a little too close. Back then, she said they had a lot in common, and maybe they still do, which was why Landry never felt the need to go out on her own. Her mother was the kind of person who kinda coddled her to the point where she wasn’t allowed to grow as a person.

Not only they were living together, they were also co-workers, so her mother was constantly hovering over her. She didn’t mind too much at first since she didn’t know anyone, but it started to become a problem when Landry tried to make her own friends, something that didn’t come easily to her, only to have her mother constantly intervene, usually by talking over her. sometimes she’d even interrupt Landry if she felt their conversations ran on too long, making up apologies for her daughter taking up everyone’s time. Sounds like the overly controlling type of parent.

Looking back, Landry realized that many aspects of her relationship with her mother were superficial in the sense that despite having a lot in common, they didn’t really know each other at all. I think it’s natural to kinda project yourself on someone you see a lot of yourself in, but it becomes a big problem when you force that other person into that same box that made you you - because they’ll never fit in there. It also never made sense to Landry when her mother would tell her to be more independent, be her own person, and yet, whenever she tried to assert herself, if her mother didn’t agree, she would cut her down.

She said there were times when she’d buy stuff for herself - with her own hard earned money - only for her mother to make her return them because she personally didn’t like or care for them. It’s just like, why? Your daughter’s a grown ass adult who can make her own financial decisions with her own money, why do you feel the need to dictate what she can or can’t buy for herself?

Same thing with her friends, if her mother didn’t like them, she find a way to push them out, often by telling them unflattering things about Landry, like she’s all talk but no action, or insist that her daughter is actually scaring them off from talking to her again because she’s too weird and awkward or something. She sounds like the type who complains that their kid struggles with making friends because they’re not the best at socializing, yet they go out of their way to prevent their kid from putting themselves out there under the guise of it’s for their own good. I think it’s because they look down on their kid, so they can’t imagine anyone wanting to be friends with them, which is pretty fucking sad.

For Yang, although he finds Landry’s mother to be a kind and decent person for the most part, she also reminds him a lot of someone in his past - a family member - who was controlling and overly protective in the same way. That someone, he unfortunately had to cut ties with once he realized that they were the kind of people who have no problems bailing out when the going gets tough and expects to be greeted with open arms again once the storm has passed. Yikes, not the kind of person you’d trust to stick by your side when you need them the most. He was unfortunately right about Landry’s mother in that aspect.

Basically, Landry had struggled with anxiety and depression for pretty much her whole life, something she didn’t realize until she went to college and a professor reached out to her when she was struggling in classes to the point she was just too overwhelmed to even just show up. By then, Landry had suspected that something was wrong with her, but she knew that if she brought it up with her mother, she’d immediately brush her off. So she kept it to herself, though she always wondered in the back of her mind since then if she should take her professor’s advice and seek out a professional.

After graduating from college and having difficulty getting into the career she had been studying for, Landry knew that she had to address the issue sooner or later. She lucked out because her mother’s workplace had an opening and the job seemed like a good fit for her, though that didn’t change the fact that there were still days when she was having difficulty getting stuff done - even more so now that she had a full time job that she didn’t mind too much, but at the same time it took a lot out of her due to her mother constantly watching her like a hawk.

Eventually, she reached a breaking point by attempting suicide, which resulted in her staying in the hospital for a time. To say her mother flipped out was an understatement - Landry said she still remembers the exact moment her mother stopped seeing her as a person, her pride and joy. Nothing like the crushing weight of disappointing your parents and having them turn against you the moment they realized that you were never gonna fit their expectations.

Again with the hypocrisy, which seems to be a recurring thing with Landry’s mother. She wants her daughter to get her shit together, yet refuses to do her part to help. Communication is a two way street - everyone has to do their share of the work in order to move forward. They suggested family counseling, Landry’s mother didn’t think it was necessary. Landry was a capable adult who could make her own decisions, except her mother kept getting in her way, frustrating not only her, but also the medical professionals who were doing their best to ensure that Landry got the help she needed.

Yang was the one who pushed Landry to be more assertive, as well as introduced her to the wonders of the galaxies and beyond. All he asked was if Landry had a say in everything her mother did for her, and she acted like it was a personal attack to undermine her authority. Like, excuse me, your daughter is almost 30, why are you treating her like some helpless person who can’t speak for themselves? So that’s where the basis for the homewrecker accusations came from.

In the end, Landry realized she had to make a decision if she wanted to get out of this slump. One option was to keep living under her mother’s shadow, to keep holing herself up in the box her mother wanted to stay in. Or she could take the plunge and learn how to live for herself, even if it means stumbling and making mistakes along the way. It didn’t take her long to gather the courage to ask Yang about what it takes to become a space pilot.

These days, Landry’s a well respected space captain and adventurer. She wouldn’t go so far as to say that she’s on the same level as Yang, but I think she’s well on her way up there. While she never intended to become somewhat of a hero, a part of her was driven to get her mother’s attention, and what better way to do that than aiming to be the best of the best? That’s not to say that she was solely driven by that, just something that really pushed her out of her comfort zone. Sure, it eventually did her some good, though there were times when maybe she should’ve trusted her gut instinct and stepped back. In short, she wouldn’t have become the person she is today if she hadn’t decided to go against her mother’s wishes.

Unfortunately, climbing to the top wasn’t all it was cracked out to be, especially if your only goal for doing so was to gain the respect of someone you looked up to. It was bad enough that her mother didn’t think Landry had what it took to be an adventurer, nor would she be able to handle life in space, but having her not acknowledge her accomplishments felt like more than a slap in the face. All her mother had to say was that she was wasting time playing hero, even going so far as to try to convince her that no one really respected her, that the friends she made only merely tolerated her and won’t hesitate to drop her for someone more capable.

That’s just fucking insulting. Landry worked hard to earn her title while helping countless lives in the process, only for her mother to just see it as a waste of time. As time went on, the more ridiculous it was when her mother kept criticizing and downplaying Landry’s accomplishments. Eventually, even she realized that her criticisms would make her look bad, so she switched to hyping up her daughter to look supportive and proud while still talking shit behind her back. I agree with Yang, that’s actually worse than just being openly opposed. Things like that results in trust issues.

As for why her mother feels that way, that remains a mystery, one that Landry’s accepted will probably never be resolved. As much as she loves her mother, she admits that looking back, communication was never their strongest suit between them. Although they were close enough to be open with each other about a lot of things, it was mainly on a superficial level with both sides really only focusing on what they wanted to hear from each other. Anything more complicated than that gets brushed under the rug.

I think the main issue boils down to her mother projecting herself on to her daughter to the point that she can’t imagine her as her own person, which is damaging for both of them. Maybe to her, Landry running off with Yang to become a renowned space captain is considered an act of betrayal. Who knows, maybe there’s a bit of jealousy in there too. Well, there’s no use in speculating too much - after all, there’s always more to it than meets the eye.

So that’s the gist of it. Landry still keeps in contact with her mother sporadically, but with her out and about in space during expeditions and now with the Epiphany, she doesn’t really have a reason to visit home, especially one she’s likely unwelcome in. She hasn’t been to her hometown in almost 10 years and has no desire to. As much as she would love to reconcile with her mother, she knows she has to be realistic about it. Sometimes things just don’t work out, and given her reaction to seeing her mother from a distance, I don’t think she’s ready for that yet.

Along with enjoying the lovely scenery from above, the hot air balloon ride did a lot of good to help Landry unload what’s been heavily weighing on her mind. she didn’t mean to lore dump us about her past, but Yang and Fionna know from experience that sometimes it helps to open up, especially around people you know you can trust. After all, that’s what friends are for.

The next day was a little more lighthearted as we spent the day exploring Marippe’s waters. No underwater ruins this time, just a bunch of cute sea creatures. Madeleine told us that there’s a spot near the opera house that’s full of friendly otters, so we had to check that place out. I didn’t expect to be greeted by so many adorable otters who were eager to show off their little treasures to anyone passing by. She also said that it’s a good area to collect all kinds of pretty shells, which is probably why the otters flock there.

And like the otters, I’ve got a handful of little treasures from the sea that I’m eager to show off! I got a couple of pastel pink and blue clamshells that look kinda like ceramics. the wonders of nature never cease to amaze me.

Read on AO3

[prismaticpichu]

I’m… I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.

Tears are still trailing down Zack’s cheeks as he relinquishes his hold on Sephiroth. The older man is incredulous—speechless, really, staring at the seething Zack with disbelieving, anguished eyes. Thin rivulets of blood trickle down from where Zack’s nails had bit into him.

He… he hadn’t meant anything from the gesture. Truly. He thought Zack liked it; he thought he found it funny, perhaps even a small inside joke between friends. He never considered that the simple jest would lance Zack’s soul so deeply.

Silent, he lets his gaze drift to the squeaky toy, lying flat on the ground. The tag is still on it: a picture of a cartoon dog, its expression almost clueless. Mindless. An exaggerated tongue lolling from its mouth, the wide blue eyes unsymmetrical on its face.

And Sephiroth understands.

“…Sephiroth?”

Sephiroth lifts his gaze, returning to the aching First. Zack’s voice has gone thick with emotion. His visage seems broken now, splintered, the blaze in his eyes having dwindled away into raw, anguished ashes.

“Is that all I am to you guys…?” he asks wetly, embers of anger threatening to sizzle again. “Some mindless and idiotic dog?”

Sephiroth doesn’t need much time to respond; the answer has already become clear.

“…No,” he shakes his head, a palpable sense of apology laced in his voice. “You’re not, Zack.”

Zack blinks, wipes the rest of the haze from his eyes. He snuffles.

“Yeah…? Well why won’t everyone stop calling me one then?”

Sephiroth thinks for a beat. “Because… you are like a dog, Zack, in many ways.”

Zack narrows his eyes; Sephiroth swiftly continues.

“You’re kind, Zack. And you’re loving. And you’re loyal. You would take a bullet for the ones you cared about… You would follow them to the edge of the world and back.” He tries to meet Zack’s gaze more steadily, a faint smile playing on his lips. “And… you make our lives better, Zack. Happier. Myself, Angeal, Genesis, Cloud… You bring that joy to each and every one of us, never fail to make us smile amidst a work environment that is so red and dim. I believe that is why Angeal picked that nickname for you, Zack. Not just because of your enthusiasm and jest; but because you like to share it with others.”

Now it’s Zack’s turn to be left speechless. For a long while, he doesn’t say a thing. Just stares. Just digests. His own gaze drifting from the abused toy on the floor to the man whose hands he smacked it out of.

Then, he rushes forward, burying his face into Sephiroth’s coat.

“Seph….”

Sephiroth stiffens at first, reflexively, before slowly relaxing and letting the boy embrace him. The soft smile lingers on his lips as he lovingly returns it, a the knots in his soul relaxing knowing his words have sunk through. He gives him a tight squeeze.

“I owe you my apologies: I never intended to offend you with the toy..”

“….S’okay…” Zack’s voice is muffled by the coat. “I’m… sorry for lashing out.”

“You had every right to. It was insensitive. I promise… you are Zack to me. You always will be. And I will make it clear to the others that you wish that to be the standard.”

Another squeeze, this time from Zack’s end. “Thanks, Sephiroth.” He pulls away, a small but becoming smile finally gracing his face. “Appreciate it.”

Smirking, glad to have his younger friend back, Sephiroth reaches out. And before he can control himself is playfully ruffling the bed of black spikes.

“…Hopefully I’m still permitted to do that,” Sephiroth says lightly, realizing the weight of his impulsive gesture as he draws his hand away.

Thankfully, though, Zack’s smile only widens—albeit a little embarrassed. “Naw… of course you can.” He pauses. “Just no more squeaky toys.”

Sephiroth chuckles, crouching down to pick up the rubber bone. “No more squeaky toys. I promise.”

~

I’m SO sorry lol- I got very desperate for some comfort 😂 I hope this was alright to do!! I don’t wanna take away from the Initial impact of this post bc it is genuinely very powerful. Just got very impulsive dhdhdhhd xD <33 Ty for the continuous amazing posts, Pumpkin! ❤️

Angeal:*jiggles keys to get Zack to focus on him*

Sephiroth:*uses a squeaky toy*

Genesis:*snaps fingers*

Cloud:*whistles*

At first it's funny, sure, even Zack will admit that. But over time he starts to wonder—is that really how his friends see him? As some inattentive, dumb kid incapable of responding to verbal cues?

He starts to reminisce on the past weeks. He has been overly forgetful lately, and maybe he did space out during that Kalm mission and forget to bring his materia entirely, but that doesn't mean he's stupid.

Angeal jingles the keys once more to grab Zack's attention, and this time the cacophony of the metal corrodes his eardrums and makes him want to rip his own head off.

Genesis snaps his fingers again, and Zack finds himself fighting back the urge to break them.

Cloud whistles. Zack just looks at him, a silent plea to tell him why he does this, why he can't just use his name. He wants to shake his best friend and tell him that "He's here, he's coherent, and that sometimes he just spaces out."

Sephiroth uses the squeaky toy one last time. Zack flies at him, unable to control the wave of fury that washes over him. He screams, the pent-up emotion bubbling out of him in ugly screeches as he knocks the toy out of Sephiroth's hand.

He pins the older man to the wall, feeling his fingers dig into Sephiroth's skin as the wall cracks beneath him. It's the first time Zack has ever seen Sephiroth look stunned—scared, even. As for Sephiroth, it's the first time he's seen Zack cry.

Tears spill from his blood-shot eyes.

"ZACK!" He yells at him. "JUST SAY ZACK!" He chokes. "I'M NOT A DOG, SEPHIROTH!"

Sephiroth only manages a weak nod as he forces his own mouth shut.

[jellalism]

Genshin x GN!Reader fic: Home is where the hearth is

Every time you exhale, your breath creates little clouds. It’s cold. Very cold. You thought you’d put on enough layers to stay warm, but evidently you underestimated how cold it would be. You trudge your way through the snow-covered streets, careful not to slip. Just a few more turns, and you’ll arrive home, where your boyfriend will be waiting for you.

Characters: Diluc - Alhaitham

Word count: 1424

Content warning: None

Notes: Written for the Genshin Impact Secret Santa event, organized by @2022gisecretsanta. This one is for @orphic-musings; I hope you enjoy!

Read below or on AO3.

Diluc

You waltz in through the front door, and Adelinde rushes towards you. “Oh my, you look like you’re freezing!” she says as she helps you out of your coat. “Do you want some hot chocolate?” You nod.

“Alright. Diluc is in his study,” she says suggestively. You mumble a word of thanks and make your way up the stairs.

When you arrive at the study, you first knock on the door. “Come in,” Diluc’s calm voice sounds. You open the door and enter. Diluc is sitting behind his desk. It is covered in papers but somehow still seems organized. “Ah, you’ve returned,” he says with a warm smile.

“I’ve missed you.” You walk to him and hug him from behind. As your cheek touches his, he jolts slightly.

“Archons, you’re freezing!”

“I am. Warm me up?”

Diluc disentangles himself from your embrace and turns to face you. “What would you have me do, my love?”

“I want to cuddle.”

Diluc gets up and pulls you in a tight embrace. His arms wrap around your back, warm and comforting. Your chests press against each other, and his warmth flows into you. “I can do that. For you, I can always make some time.” He kisses your forehead tenderly. “Let’s move to the sofa.”

“Mm-mm,” you agree. He takes your hand and leads you to the couch. He sits down first, and then, with a quick pull, makes you stumble right into his arms. You chuckle.

“Make yourself comfortable. I’ve missed you too.” When you look up at him, he has the most tender smile on his face, looking at you as if you’re the most valuable thing in the world.

You get comfortable and relax. Your head rests on his chest while his left arm is wrapped around your side. His right hand carefully caresses your head. You can feel his heart beading steadily. Badump. Badump. It’s enough to make you doze off, but just as you’re about to fall asleep, a knock on the door interrupts.

“Come in,” Diluc says. You slowly start to rise, but he pushes you back into his arms. “Stay. You’re not warmed up enough yet.” He sounds kind, yet strict. Meanwhile, Adelinde is entering the room—she’s already seen you together plenty of times, so there’s no embarrassment.

“Your hot chocolate,” she says, as she puts a steaming mug on a nearby table.

You murmur a word of thanks, but she is already elsewhere with her thoughts. “One minute,” she says, hurrying out of the room. A few moments later she returns, carrying a blanket. “This should help you relax even more.

“Thank you, Adelinde. That’s thoughtful,” Diluc answers, taking the blanket from her. 

“My pleasure.” She curtsies and then hurries out of the room—no doubt she knows well that cuddling is much more comfortable in private. Diluc unfolds the blanket and drapes it over the two of you.

“Mmm. Comfortable,” you mutter. The material is very soft and pleasant to the touch.

“I could stay with you like this forever,” he mutters.

“Let’s.” You close your eyes again and listen to his heartbeat.

He chuckles softly. “I wish we could. However, at some point we’ll have to enter the world again. But for now, let’s relax while we can.”

“Yeah,” you mumble. The words don’t come out clearly, since you’re already drowsy. His warmth, the steady beating of his heart, the rising and falling of his chest—they slowly lull you to sleep.

Alhaitham

As if prescient, Alhaitham opens the door right when you’re about to open it yourself. “I was expecting you around this time. Come on.” He turns around and walks back into the house, not bothering to check if you’ll follow; he knows you will. Inside, it’s pleasantly warm.

Once you’ve taken off your winter coat and scarf, you make your way to the living room. The fire in the hearth is crackling enthusiastically. Alhaitham doesn’t get cold quickly, so he probably made the fire just a little while before he expected you home, warming the house up just for you. You settle into one of the comfortable chairs near the fire and let your body relax, soaking in the warmth. You close your eyes.

Some noises come from the kitchen. A few moments later, the sound of approaching footsteps—Alhaitham’s.

“Y/n.”

You open your eyes. Alhaitham is holding out a cup of tea for you.

“Thank you,” you say as you move to take it from him. But just before you grab hold, he moves his hand, and places the cup on the table—just out of your reach.

“It’s not free,” he says strictly.

You smile. “Well then, what’s the price?”

He kneels in front of you and moves his face closer. Then he taps a finger on his own lips. The cue is obvious. You bridge the remaining space between you and place your lips on his. He feels warm and tastes of a variety of spices. Turmeric? Cinnamon? Clove? You can’t quite place the combination, but it warms you up further.

When the kiss ends, Alhaitham speaks up again, his face still close. “I don’t think that was quite enough.” Before you can respond, his arms wrap around and under your body, and you feel his strong arms lifting you up, out of the chair.  

“H-hey! What’s the plan here?”

“Don’t worry. We’re just switching places.” He turns and then sits down in the chair you were just in, placing you between his legs. “Yes, I think this will do.”

His arms pull you close to him. Your back touches his firm chest. It’s comfortable, you can’t help but think. To be wrapped in his body, the body of the man you trust most, puts you at ease. You close your eyes again.

You hear Alhaitham chuckle softly behind you. “Off to sleep?”

“Not yet. But I’ll bet it won’t take long.”

“Well, don’t forget your tea. I didn’t make it for you to forget it.”

Right. You lean forward as far as you can and can just grab hold of the cup.

“Good,” he says as you lean back against him. “Since I hope to be here with you for a while, you surely don’t mind if I take out a book.”

“Go ahead,” you murmur.

He doesn’t waste a second and conjures a book out of nowhere. The book rests in your lap, his hands holding it with his arms around your waist—and his chin on your shoulder.

“Is it comfortable like this?” you ask.

“I have not a single complaint. Now we should stay like this for a couple of hours. You wouldn’t dare interrupt a scholar in his research, would you?”

“Of course not.”

He doesn’t reply anymore. He is engrossed in the book.

You sit like that for a good 15 minutes. The tea is cooling down and you sip it. But the silence nags at you a little. Alhaitham has such a nice voice—why doesn’t he use it more?

“Alhaitham.”

“Yes, y/n?”

“Can you read out loud what you’re reading? I want to hear your voice.”

You don’t see, but can feel him grinning.

“Certainly.” And he starts. “‘A scientific research is complete only when one has previously examined the dialectical arguments pro and contra because if one has not examined something critically, one does not know the extent of the knowledge of it one has acquired after being ignorant of it, nor the extent of what escaped one of the knowledge of it before one knew it.’[1] Did you get that?” he asks teasingly.

“Not at all. But your voice is nice.”

“Then, I shall continue. ‘Thus he thought that the best didactic procedure was to devote a special inquiry to the problems of this science and their investigation together…’” His low voice puts you at ease, and so do the vibrations his voice bring about in his chest and throat. It almost feels like he is a giant purring cat.

Before you know it, the hours do pass, so peaceful and warm in his arms.

Notes

[1] Ibn Rushd, Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, Book Lam, p.1398, translated by Hans Daiber.

Alhaitham gets his name from the historical figure Ḥasan Ibn al-Haytham. In the quest 'Cry from the Eleazar Hospital', Alhaitham is shown reading Aristotle's 'Physics' (according to the GI wiki, anyway - I couldn't find the passage in question he was reading). For this fic, I thought it would be fitting to have him read from what is arguably Aristotle's best-known commentator, Ibn Rushd (or, as he is more commonly known, Averroes).