#i still need some room for improvement in tactics in this game

[dairine-bonnet]

Lynette von Valancius (aka Rogue Trader) *rushing towards Aurora and a crazy sniper on the roof*: Taking calculated risk is my second nature!

Heinrix van Calox: *deep sigh*

[f1daydreamers]

𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 [𝐓𝐀𝟔𝟔] 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑

gif credits: @trenty

Pairing: Trent Alexander-Arnold x Fem!Reader

Summary: Arne, in hopes to focus on his team’s mental health as much as their physical, recruits a younger but just as educated psychologist to work one-to-one with the more reserved players. Trent is one of them.

A/N: Check out the masterlist for the first two parts if you haven’t read them already! Also, thank you so much for the kind comments on my posts, they mean more to me than you’ll ever know!

Warnings: this one’s a bit more fluffy, still a very reserved Trent tho

Word Count: 1.9k words (7 mins reading avg)

…

The first match to kickstart the club’s season was undeniably close.

The pressure had been mounting palpably in the last few weeks, evident in the increasingly focused, sharper, and heavier training sessions.

You didn’t have a personal experience with them, more so the ones that Conor had been complaining about.

But despite being unable to travel to the US, you’d personally assumed that preseason had been a success.

You’d caught highlights when they dropped and heard murmurs of staff satisfaction with certain performances circulating around the centre.

You hadn’t been able to get many sessions in though, only a touch few with Conor, as he was your top priority given his age.

He’d done remarkably well the previous season under Jurgen when top performances were needed, but working on his mental stability was always a key factor and one of extreme importance.

"Congrats," you smiled warmly as the Irishman approached, his own smile mirroring yours. You acknowledged his successful time in America.

“You must be feeling great,” you remarked, smiling gently.

His dimples were evident as he nodded, a sense of fulfilment telling in his stance. “Yeah, yeah. It was good, enjoyed it proper.”

You let him continue on, giving brief welcomes and some hugs to the players as they piled in one by one within the hour before their training began.

You felt a pang of frustration as Trent walked directly past you, refusing to even meet your eyes as he acknowledged only a few of the staff who were standing off to the side.

Dismissing it, you turned your attention to Wataru as he approached next.

You needed to focus on the players who were working with you. It was crucial, especially as the season was fast-approaching.

Or so you kept telling yourself.

“Y/N,” you glanced back, a smile forming as you spotted Arne trying to catch your attention.

“How are you doing?” He asked as you fell into step with him, continuing to walk down the corridor towards the gym where he was headed.

“Good, yeah. You?” You kept it short and sweet, fully aware that he was a busy man.

“Doing okay. About your request you sent before preseason,” Arne continued, prompting both of you to stop and face each other, a hopeful anticipation in the air.

“It’s fine with me and Lee doesn’t have any issues with it. But, if there is no improvement, then the sessions will need to resume as planned. Okay?” He nodded affirmatively.

“Yes, of course. I-I understand. Thank you.” You replied gratefully, your appreciation evident as he patted your shoulder before leaving you.

…

The city was buzzing with activity as match day quickly approached. Red flares blazing around the city, shirts and scarves already adorned the day before.

The players were being put through their paces in the final training session before the big game. Having an hour free in the mornings after your request was approved meant you could utilise it in a different way.

You observed the session from the sidelines, making mental notes of the players' demeanours and interactions. Trent was, as usual, intensely focused. Every movement, every touch of the ball deliberate.

After the session had concluded for the day, you made your way to the changing rooms. Some were discussing tactics, sharing jokes, and some were lost in their thoughts, mentally preparing.

You approached Conor, who was pulling his boots off his feet, and sat beside him.

"Ready for tomorrow?"

He looked up, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I think so. Just need to stay focused."

"Remember what we talked about," you reminded him gently. "Always be ready, visualise your game, see yourself succeeding."

Conor nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He raised his fist, and you met it with a bump. "Thanks, Y/N. It helps, you know."

A wave of relief washed over you. Reminding yourself that you were doing a good job was one thing, but hearing it from someone you always tried to help was another.

"I'm glad," you said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Upon hearing Arne clasp his hands together, forcing everyone to quiet down and hear the gaffer out, you silently gave Curtis and Wataru a nod before slipping out of the room.

As you turned, you nearly collided with Trent. He tutted, sidestepping in order to slide past you and into the changing rooms. You'd hoped that once he was informed of your approved request, he'd be slightly less frowny.

But seemingly, the opposite was happening.

…

You had just finished Curtis' report when a knock on your door interrupted your thoughts. Mustering a tired smile, you called out, "come in."

Lee popped his head through the door, and you rose from your chair. "Hey, everything okay?"

He entered the office, closing the door behind him but not completely. With his hands raised in mock surrender, he said, "yeah, yeah, all good. I just uh wanted to ask if you caught Trent." "I thought you approved my request?" you asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I did," he confirmed, stepping forward. "But I saw Trent hanging around your office just after training." "What? Why?" you asked, bewildered. You tried to think back to earlier, but all you remembered was that you were definitely not in your office. "He didn't say. Didn't seem happy, though." Lee shoved his hands into his pockets, shifting his weight on to either feet. "Not much difference there, then." You sighed, placing your hands on your hips. "I'm confused. If he knew about the request, why would he show up?" You asked, and the senior consultant shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. You both thought about it for a moment until Lee spoke again, "are you sure Arne let him know?" Your head tilted, mouth slightly parting as realisation dawned on you.

Oh.

"I'm pretty sure Arne didn't because you were meant to," you said, trying to keep your tone casual despite the frustration creeping in.

The first session Trent had supposedly shown up for, you weren't even there. Suddenly, his avoidance of you after you'd exited the changing rooms made a lot more sense. He must’ve just come down from your office. "I was?" Lee asked, clearly taken aback. You let your head fall back in exhaustion but slowly nodded moments later. Shuffling through the papers on your desk, you found the one you needed and handed it to Lee. He scanned over the text, before he looked up again.

“Y/N, I feel terrible. I can go find him." Remorse painted itself across his features.

"It's okay," you replied. "It's better if he hears it from me." You aimed to justify poorly.

Because you had a very successful track record of not pissing Trent off, obviously.

...

Later in the day, you found yourself back in the canteen, grabbing a quick coffee.

It was well past noon, but with the mountain of reports you needed to write about the players' psychological states before tomorrow, caffeine was your only ally.

Trent walked in, looking for a snack. Being on the bottom of his 'I don't want to talk to you' list every day meant the outcome of your conversations with him were quite forseeable.

Deciding to address the elephant in the room, you walked up and pushed all doubts to the back of your mind. You reached out and touched his arm to get his attention, and he reacted immediately.

He turned to face you, and you lowered your hand slowly.

“Can we talk for a second?” you asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

His jaw hardened. “I'm busy.”

"I promise it won't take long." You countered.

"Considering I don't care about your promises, that don’t mean shit to me." He's on a roll with the irony, you thought to yourself.

You glanced at a sympathetic Carol who was standing on the other side of the serving station.

"Please?" You blinked slowly, praying to the powers that be to instill some patience in the man.

He picked up a bag of trail mix, before watching your face for a few seconds. You were half-expecting him to tell you to eat shit, but you were wrong.

An unusually pleasant surprise.

You nodded to a quieter corner and led the way, with him following behind before you whisked around.

"I'm so sorry." You fiddled with the cup of coffee in your hand.

Past his hardened anger, you'd felt bad for him. The courage to have shown up only to be let down isn't a feeling that would've altered his perception of you.

"I don't care." His gaze bore into yours, unyielding.

You frowned slightly. "I do. I told you I'd keep trying to reach you and-"

"What's your point?"

His eyes travelled down to your fidgeting fingers before dragging back up to your face. He sighed, clearly bored.

"Lee was meant to tell you," you paused, gathering your words. His eyes narrowed.

A flush of guilt coloured your cheeks. "I put in a request before preseason to cancel our sessions together."

You looked up, trying to gauge his reaction. The crease between his brows was prominent. "It was approved, and Lee was supposed to tell you, but he must've forgotten."

It hurt to let someone down. As a chronic people-pleaser, this likely frustrated you way more than it did Trent.

He leaned against the wall behind him, bringing one knee up. He crossed his arms but his eyes lightened. "So, you're telling me that..."

He paused to pop an almond into his mouth. "You admitted defeat?"

Either he was smirking, or you were being incredibly delusional.

You shook your head. "No, I never gave up on you. I thought maybe you needed a different approach." Explaining your previous actions felt pathetically awkward.

His lips pressed together. "Or maybe you just couldn’t handle it."

You rolled your eyes, your features still guilt-ridden. "Does that make you happy or something?"

His eyes roved over your features, and for a moment, his expression softened.

"Oh, you have no idea, psychologist."

You swallowed, feeling a flutter of surprise. Your eyes widened slightly, the gentleness in his features unexpected.

Just then, Curtis walked by and caught the tail end of your conversation. “Are you two flirting or fighting?” He teased, winking at his Scouse counterpart.

Your expression didn't change, but Trent looked over, staring at him. “Can’t you tell the difference, mate? Your missus must have a hard time putting up with you.” He remarked a little too quickly.

Curtis' mouth fell open as some of the players snickered at the exchange. To your surprise, Trent let out a genuine laugh - an unfamiliar sound that retained your attention.

He pushed off the wall and ambled over, casually draping an arm over his friend's shoulder.

On another day, maybe you would've joined into the jokes that were being thrown around but you were oddly rendered silent.

His almost playful disposition was a complete contrast to the tension that had clouded your interactions since the day you'd met.

It was almost as if he genuinely believed he was rid of you, and this moment of levity was his way of signalling relief.

You took a deep breath.

The casual banter, although lighthearted, felt jarring. Without another word, you walked out of the canteen, the enigma of his sudden change nagging at you.

As you exited, Trent’s gaze followed you, his eyes tracing your retreating figure. He seemed poised to follow you, a sign of a subtle, perhaps unconscious shift in his stance.

His eyes lingered on your departing form, as if grappling with an unspoken urge to either see where you were going or say something to you, though he wasn't quite sure what.

Yet only as he started to move, Curtis' voice cut through the moment. "Oi, where you off to?" Trent shook his head, a half-smile still playing on his lips as he rejoined the group.

Oddly, his attention remained fixed on the door for just a bit longer, as if expecting you to turn back around, before he fully immersed himself back into the conversation.

…

Part 4

Masterlist

Comment below if you want to be part of the taglist! Once you are part of it, you'll be reminded for every part of the series until its completion!

Taglist: @trentwife @bluebreadenthusiast @julovesurmom @blubsberries @remmysthings @heyjudeb @keepitabuckxx @vivi-grace @hoddystark @hiireadstuff @trentione @missusstark @iamasimpingh0e

[imkillerbae]

Enemies to Lovers Part 5 (Valorant Yoru x GN!Reader

Part 4 here.

Been a while since I updated this oneshot that accidentally gained a plot. But I think this will be 7 parts in total? I've written part 6 already but I dont feel like posting it immediately after this. Hope you enjoy!!! And feel free to request something!

tagging: @swiftyangx12

It’s been two months and a half since your first meet up with Yoru in the shooting range. And somehow, it became routine.

It was an unspoken rule that you and him would be there after noon.

Sometimes he was first there, sometimes you were. When one of you were on a mission, the other would still show up.

Somehow the day wasn’t complete for the both of you if you didn’t meet up.

The day would feel empty. Even Yoru felt the itch to at least peek by the windows to make sure you were there, practicing your aim.

He would never admit it to you or himself, but he felt very proud of your improvement (mainly because he was the one who taught you). It was an ego boost that he was teaching someone something that came so naturally to him.

Whenever he wasn’t there, you somehow found yourself easily distracted looking around the place.

While this went on, some people caught a pattern. Cypher, of course. And so did Jett, Neon and Phoenix.

Cypher was intrigued by the rendezvous you both had often, and as a married man, he saw something that even his cameras could not detect: chemistry.

You and Yoru complemented each other.

He was arrogant and spiteful, you were calm and optimistic. Together, you balanced each other out. You helped him to be more empathetic (after your little outburst before), and he taught you not to take shit lying down anymore.

He taught you how to aim, defense and attacking tactics, as well as game sense, and you helped him realize that there was more that he can do with his skills even away from the battlefield: he could teach.

Lastly but definitely not the least, at this moment in his life, Yoru sees you as his anchor. Something routine, something that is constant. In his life where nothing and no one seems to stay, you always showed up. In that little hideout, he felt like you were someone he could always…go back to.

In that room he always felt like he was needed, wanted, and maybe even…

And as for you, from despising him, Yoru became someone you looked up to. He was skilled, and much more knowledgeable than he let on. He was cutthroat but his method made results. People don’t give him enough credit for it. He was proud, sure, but now you know that there is bite behind that bark of his.

Cypher laughs from his room, smirking under the mask. “How about I play cupid for a little bit, eh?”

He waited for a day where Yoru would be late or absent from your regular meet ups. He then slithered his way in the shooting range.

When he entered, you thought it was Yoru so you might’ve said something embarrassing.

“Wow, you’re late. I was starting to miss you,” You joked as you reloaded.

“Ah, I’m sorry to disappoint. I am not the one you are missing.” Cypher giggled, walking with his hands behind his back.

“Oh shoot. Sorry, I thought you were…”

“Ryo? Ah, I’m afraid he is somewhere else. Although I hope you don’t mind my company?”

“Oh, of course, not! It’s been a while anyways, I don’t see you as often anymore,” you smiled. You liked Cypher. He was a mellow guy.

While both of you talked, somehow the conversation went to Chamber.

“I’ve seen the guns he makes. They are beautiful, too bad they’re such a pain to calibrate. Yoru’s been coming back here non-stop, fine tuning that damn thing.”

Cypher’s brow raises as you continue. “You’d think Chamber would be quick, but it is him so maybe he likes things perfect, even if it takes a while.”

“You are mistaken dear. The gun made for Yoru was finished a month ago. He has a different client now.” He interjects.

You gave a questioning look. “Are you sure? Yoru’s still fiddling with that thing and talking about how it’s taking a while with Chamber. He just said that he’d bring it back to him yesterday.”

“My darling, I see everything. Plus, I am his new client. He does not multitask between projects.” Cypher shrugs, tracing his gloved fingers over the golden markings of the gun he is using. “It takes Vincent a week to make a gun perfect for the user. Amazing, no?”

His comment falls on deaf ears as you processed what was happening.

Yoru was lying about the gun he was using. He wasn’t finetuning it. All this time, you thought he was coming back to the range just because of that damn thing.

You’ve connected the dots: He was going here on his own volition, on his own accord, willingly spending his time here teaching you his tricks. All those reasons he gave you were lies.

He wanted to be here with you.

Cypher wondered. How about the other three that noticed something? Were they also playing cupid?

[thommi-tomate]

Interview with Harry Kane pt2

By: Kicker

Thomas Tuchel went to great lengths to win you over to FC Bayern. How were you convinced?

Thomas told me his ideas about where he sees me in the team, what we need and how I can improve the team. He invested a lot - and that impressed me.

The arrival, the signing late at night, your debut in the unsuccessful Supercup against Leipzig. How would you describe your first 48 to 72 hours in Munich?

It was hectic, to say the least. When I arrived here, it was straight into team training, then on Sunday we had the press conference - it was a lot. I've never experienced how a transfer works, so I probably didn't realize how much was involved, but in some ways it was a great experience. From the moment I arrived to the moment I sat on the bench in the arena 24 hours later ... It was like a whirlwind, but I really enjoyed it. I had everyone here, my parents, my brother, my wife, the kids. It was cool for them to see and experience it too.

How do you deal with this hype?

I appreciate the support of the fans and the hype surrounding it, but I don't let it influence my work. I know exactly what I can do and how I can help the team and the club. I trust in my abilities, that's what I focus on. With big transfers, sometimes players come in who are desperate to impress and might get injured in the process. For me, it was all about training well and recovering. Recovery is hugely important for me, I try to relax and stay calm - and not do too much outside of training.

You were coached by José Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Mauricio Pochettino. What distinguishes Thomas Tuchel?

Every coach is different in their own way. Thomas has great tactical ideas and knows how he wants to play. He brings a good energy and passion when he's in the changing room. I like to listen and learn. Thomas and I talk a lot about football, we talk about the games and what he needs from me. Whether it's for me to drop lower or stay higher, because at the end of the day we want the same thing. We want to win the championship and the Champions League. The more we talk to each other and the more we try to help each other, the better chance we have of achieving that.

What is still missing to fully meet the coach's expectations?

You can't play a perfect game every week for a whole season. With Leverkusen playing so well this year, it looks like we're not playing that well. But it's been one of our best starts to the season for many years. We have to remain patient. We also have one more game up our sleeve. I have the feeling that the team is very hungry and we have to show that in the coming games, especially at the end of the season when the really important games are coming up in March and April.

A lot has gone well this season, but not everything. After the cup exit in Saarbrücken, when you didn't play after a blow to the knee, there was talk in England of the curse of Harry Kane. How do you rate your chances of winning the championship and triumphing in the Champions League?

I think if you look at the Champions League now and look at the teams, Bayern Munich is probably one of the top three favorites to win. As you've seen in recent years, it's not always the best team that wins, it depends on a lot of factors. I always have the feeling that you have to have a run in the Champions League and I hope we can get the ball rolling against Lazio

Have you ever heard of the "Final dahoam"?

No, not really.

It's the Champions League final "at home". Would that be the final for you this year at Wembley? Or next year in Munich?

I'd take either of them, or both! I don't care whether it's at Wembley or the Allianz Arena. For me it would be both finals at home, so to speak.

In the Bundesliga, there will always be comparisons with Robert Lewandowski, who has broken what feels like every record in recent years and left you with big shoes to fill, so to speak. Have you already written to him to tell him that you are chasing his records and that he should dress warmly?

I met him a few times, once on a commercial shoot and once we bumped into each other at the airport. He's done an incredible amount for the club. But regardless of Lewandowski, whoever has set records at the club before you - of course you try to get the best out of yourself, set your own records and break them. But I don't think about these things. I just want to play, the media and the fans can talk about everything else. Robert rightly has an extremely high status here, he has set the bar high. It's been a good start for me. And when we get to March or April, I'll hopefully be a bit closer to his records

Alan Shearer holds the record as the top scorer in the Premier League with 260 goals. You are 47 goals short. Will you tackle this challenge one day?

I'm really proud of the number of goals I've scored in the Premier League, but breaking that record was never my ultimate goal. The closer I got to the mark in recent years, the more often I talked about it, of course, but we'll have to wait and see. Who knows what will happen in the future. I'm here at Bayern now, I've signed a four-year contract - and that's what I'm concentrating on.

In your opinion, what are the key differences between the Premier League and the Bundesliga?

In the Bundesliga, more teams try to play out from the back; more teams press, sometimes playing man-to-man. So the spaces are a bit bigger, which we can exploit if we bring our pace into the game. Maybe there's a bit more structure in the Premier League; a few more teams defending in the block. As for the atmosphere, it's fantastic in Germany, very different to the Premier League.

As captain of the national team, how do you see England's chances at this summer's European Championship?

We have a good chance. The team has had some good experiences in recent years, and we reached the final at the last European Championship (2:3 in the final against Italy). I have the feeling that we can play a good role at this European Championship. As always with tournaments, it depends on certain aspects. It's been a long time since England won a trophy. As players, we have to try and change that.

What about the German national team?

I think Germany will be strong. I know there's a lot of talk about it here and the fans might be worried, but I think they have a really good team. As an Englishman, I would never underestimate Germany anyway. Especially at home, they'll do everything they can to impress their fans and give something back.

What responsibility do you have as captain?

The fact that I'm now playing here in Germany is a valuable experience that I hope I can pass on to the team. I want to set a good example on the pitch, in training and in matches.

Speaking of captaincy: is that something you aspire to here at Bayern, or does it - if so - just happen?

It just happens. We have a few leaders in the team, so it depends on the coach and the club. If there's ever a game where our captains can't play, I'd be very proud to wear the armband for this club. But I'm not thinking about that at the moment. Whether I'm captain or not, I'm always the same. I always train the same, speak the same, play the same - and that won't change.

There is the famous photo of you as a child with David Beckham, who was also England captain and went through a rollercoaster of emotions in this role. He also reacted to your goal from the halfway line against Darmstadt with a wink on Instagram. What does Beckham mean for English football?

Beckham was a big idol of mine when I was growing up. He was the captain of the national team. He was who I wanted to be as a child. And he was a great role model. We're always in touch and have met up a few times. For example, he congratulated me when I joined FC Bayern. Hopefully we can invite him to Munich to watch a game one day - that would be really nice.

Today, Beckham is co-owner of Inter Miami. Where do you see yourself in ten years' time?

Also a good question. I'll be 40 in ten years' time. Who knows ... I want to play football for as long as my body and mind allow. I just enjoy it so much and I don't want it to stop. Maybe I can still play when I'm 40. I like the USA, I spend a lot of time there. But I've also thought about the NFL and that I might want to continue there. We'll see. But I don't think I want to work as a coach, for example, although many players tell me that you think differently about it as you get older and towards the end of your career.

Franz Beckenbauer once said that he never wanted to be a coach - and he became a great coach.

Look at this. Maybe I'll change my mind in a few years.

[randomshyperson]

WANDA X READER - 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU - Final

Gif is not mine.

Summary:  Pietro Maximoff is handsome and popular, but he can’t date before his twin sister. The problem is that no one can get close to his sister, Wanda Maximoff. To resolve the situation, a girl interested in Pietro bribes a colleague with a mysterious past to go out with Wanda and, who knows, try to win her over. Or The one directly inspired by 10 Things I Hate About You.

Words:  11,620K (Complete)  /// Read on AO3 too || Part I

Warnings: PG, fluff, language.

She doesn't answer your messages during the weekend. So you don't press her. But then you are on the field, in physical education period, and she is practicing.

You sit on the bleachers, trying to focus on the math homework you needed to finish, when Monica joins you on the bench.

- Hey, girl. - She says hello as she sits down. And noticing your gaze shifting from the notebook to Wanda, she comments. - What happened between you two?

You sighed angrily.

- I did the right thing. - You comment with irony, but seeing Monica's frown in confusion, you add. - She wanted to kiss me after the party. I refused because she was drunk.

- But the plan was working! - said Monica.

- So what, you called the whole thing off.

Monica giggled, and raised her eyebrows slightly.

- Yeah, I know, but it was...it was before what happened. - She said, and you looked at her with confusion. - Pietro kissed me.

You blink and then laugh, shaking your head. And then Bruce comes to join you two.

- I just talked to Wanda. - He says. - Look, she said she hates you with the intensity of a thousand suns.

You let out a dry laugh, running your fingers through your hair.

- Thank you Bruce, that's very comforting to hear. - You tell him wryly, and he nods uncomfortably.

- Maybe she needs a day to calm down. - Monica says, and the three of you look toward the field, where Wanda was training veritably.

- Maybe two days. - You comment as you watch her knock a girl down.

//-//

You managed to fix most of your motorcycle. And then you found out that your mother punctured the tires, and you stormed angrily into her room.

- Have you completely lost your mind? - You shouted, and she just took off her glasses and crossed her legs while looking at you. - You slashed the tires on my motorcycle?

- I told you that you were grounded.

- That's ridiculous! - you say. - You don't have the slightest respect for my things.

- Don't talk to me that way. - She warned, and you let out a wry laugh.

- Be damn sure that when my bike is up and running, I'm out of here!

You shout before leaving the room, slamming the door.

You were coming out of geography class when Pepper Potts came to talk to you again.

She pulled you into a far corner behind the closet, and held out a hundred dollars to you.

- Take her to prom. - She said. - It's all here, limousine, clothes.

She pushed the money in your hands, but you pushed it back.

- I'm done with this game, Potts. - You retorted, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

You started to turn to leave, but Potts stepped in front of you.

- Hey, hey, wait. - She asked, and then pulled three more bills from her purse. - Three hundred dollars, okay? Come on, it's just a date.

You swallowed dryly as you accepted, trying to push to the back of your mind how wrong it was. And Potts smiled mischievously, then left.

//-//

You went back to the same record store in front of the laundry room where you found Wanda that other day. And you tried not to be so nervous.

Looking around, you found her walking around the shelves, and she was admiring a guitar. You put your hands in your pockets as you watched her put on the headphones and try the instrument, sitting down on one of the stools in the store.

You moved closer, and could see her reflection in the mirror a few feet away, but Wanda didn't see you, as her eyes were closed while her fingers danced on the guitar strings.

You smiled at the image, she looked so peaceful and comfortable. You couldn't disturb her. So you just left the store.

//-//

You saw Wanda again the next day. You didn't give up talking to her, and ended up going to the only bookstore in town that you knew sold the poetry that Wanda liked to read according to the list Monica had given you.

And while you were browsing the shelves, you found her looking distractedly at a stack of books. You walked over to her, following her across the opposite shelf, and when the shelf was over, you ended up in front of each other.

- Excuse me, miss. I'm looking for an Avengers comic book, have you seen any around? - You joked, but Wanda didn't smile, looking annoyed.

- What are you doing here?

- I hear you like poetry. - You answer and she sighs impatiently.

- You're so...

- Charming? - You interrupt with a smile, Wanda rolls her eyes as she walks away from you. - wholesome?

- Inopportune. - She says irritated. You bite your lip and walk toward her.

- You're not as mean as you think. - You tell her.

- And you're not as bad-ass as you think you are.

- Oh, someone still has her panties in a twist.

- Don’t for one minute think that you had any effect whatsoever on my panties.

You let out a smug chuckle.

- And where did I provoke?

- You provoked my vomit, nothing more. - She retorts, then grabs a comic book from the stack of books in front of her and slaps it against your chest, walking away.

You stare at the Avengers comic book in your hand for a few minutes before handing it back, completely impressed by the dialogue.

//-//

At break time, the day after your argument with Wanda, Monica and Bruce approach you in the snack line.

- She's still mad at me, people. - You tell them as you put some noodles on your tray.

- Look, you embarrassed her, you need to apologize. - Monica said and you frowned.

- I'm not going to apologize for not taking advantage of her drunken state! - You retort. - It's not my fault she's stubborn, and would rather be angry than admit she's wrong.

You finish your lunch and get out of line, Bruce and Monica follow you to the table. They don't sit with you, but watch you sit next to Carol at one of the circular tables.

- Come on, Y/N, try to think of something to please her. - Bruce says, and you roll your eyes.

- You can sing your apologies. - Mocks Carol from beside you, making you laugh. But then Bruce and Monica have serious expressions and you frown.

- Not a chance! - You warn them, but they are already letting out excited exclamations.

Carol starts laughing next to you.

- I have the perfect idea! - Monica says. - You can sing a romantic song in front of the whole school! Any girl would love it.

- I'd kill anyone who did that to me. - Carol mumbles humorously, and you laugh.

- Can I at least finish my lunch in peace? - you say, and Monica and Bruce nod in agreement. You point to the free chairs at your table, and they are very happy to sit with you.

//-//

And then you ended up outside the school again. After infiltrating the upper booth of the soccer field and getting a microphone and access to the outside speakers. You also had to pay the band guy, but you figured it was only worth it.

- You're just too good to be true. - You sang into the microphone as you walked out of the booth toward the stands. Your voice echoing across the field - Can't take my eyes of you. - You continued as you walked. All the students were looking around trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. - You'd be like heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much. At long last love has arrived. And I thank God I'm alive - You sing and finally become visible to the people in the field. - You're just too good to be true. - You look for Wanda in the crowd in the distance, and sing the last part while looking and pointing at her. - Can't take my eyes of you.

And then the band starts playing, and you follow the beats, continuing to sing the song, as the crowd claps their hands and enjoys your performance.

You keep looking at Wanda throughout the song, and even as the security guards pull you off the field, you see that she is blushing, and smiling.

//-//

You end up in detention after hearing from Principal Harkness that she was impressed that you did romantic acts, and you laughed before leaving the office.

And then Professor Thanos was walking around the detention room, and stopped at the desk next to yours.

- You look nervous. - He said to the student who was sitting down.

- A little bit sir.

- You are sweating like a pig. - said Thanos.

- Yes sir. - agreed the frightened boy.

- Your eyes are red. - He said.

The boy nodded nervously, looking down at the table.

- You have pot, don't you? - said Thanos angrily, and the boy turned pale. - Hand it over right now.

After confiscating the boy's weed, Thanos walked back around, and then the door opened. You raised your head when you heard Wanda's voice.

- Professor Thanos, may I speak with you please? - she asked, entering the room and walking towards the man.

- What can I do for you, Miss Maximoff?

- I have some ideas for improving the team. - She says.

- Great! But we'll talk about them later. - Thanos replies with a serious expression, and as he looks across the room, Wanda looks at you, and quickly signals the window of the room. You blink in confusion, and when she whispers "window," Professor Thanos turns to her again.

- As you know, we have an important match against the Panthers coming up. - She starts to say, clearly trying to distract the man. You rush to gather your backpack and sneak out of his field of vision. - Wow, your muscles are huge! - She comments with a false sweetness in her voice, pulling the professor along and enabling you to run behind one of the pillars. The floor is very noisy and Wanda is trying to keep the man distracted by talking about match tactics, and when you finally reach the window, there is a metallic clatter and you think Thanos is going to see you, but then Wanda is pulling you by the arm again, and lifting up her own blouse.

The whole room makes a celebratory buzz and you try not to blush at the image of Wanda's exposed breasts, hurrying out, around the building on the fire escape and out the side.

//-//

It takes a while, but Wanda joins you.

- I can't believe you showed your breasts to a professor. - You remark with a laugh when she arrives.

- I can't believe you sang in front of the school. - She replies with a smile.

You shift the weight of your feet, staring at the ground for a second.

- Do you want to do something now? - you ask, and Wanda smiles as she nods.

You sneak off the school grounds, avoiding being seen by any security or teachers.

You end up in the city park, on the pedal boats in the middle of the sea.

- I can't stop thanking you for getting me out of detention. - You say with a smile as you pedal along together. - That was really nice.

- No problem.

You are silent for a moment, before you decide to ask her what she wants to know.

- What is your excuse?

- For what? - she asks confused.

- For behaving the way you do.

- I don't like to do what everyone expects. - She says. - Why should I meet other people's expectations and not my own?

- So you disappoint from the start, and then you don't have to worry?

She smiles lightly impressed.

- Yeah, something like that.

You nod, looking away.

- So you failed.

- How so?

- You've never disappointed me. - You confess, and Wanda looks at you. You smile at each other for a moment, before you look away again.

A few meters from the edge of the beach there is a paintball field.

- Hey, are you in? - you ask, pointing to the place.

- Yes. - Wanda agrees, slightly excited.

When you get off the pedal boat, you race to the paintball field, and Wanda absolutely beats you to it. You are laughing as you pay the entrance fee, watching her excitement.

After you put on your protective clothing, and get the paint ammunition, she moves first into the field, and hides, causing you to lose sight of her. You walk around looking around, and then feel something cold hit you on your back.

- Cheater! - You shout cheerfully, as you grab some paint from your ammunition pouch, and run toward Wanda, who is laughing as she tries to run away. You hit her in the leg.

And you stay in this race for several minutes, throwing paintballs at each other while laughing and trying to dodge the shots. At some point between ducking behind one of the obstacles, you corner Wanda, but she looks so cute that you don't have the heart to throw paint at her.

So you just put your hand down and smile. But seeing your hesitation, Wanda laughs and jumps at you, knocking you into the hay as she falls on top of you. You both laugh but your laughter dies down when you notice how close you are. And then she gets that look in her eyes again, and you want to kiss her, so you do.

And you kiss against the hay for many minutes, the feeling of having her against you makes you absolutely satisfied. And you continue there, until Wanda sighs against your lips, and you are warm, and it is better to stop before you are thrown out. And when you part, Wanda hits you on the head with a paint ball, and the moment changes completely. Soon you are back to playing and running.

//-//

On the way back to Wanda's house, you talked about the most varied subjects. When you are arriving, you start talking about the rumors that have been made at school about you two.

- I've heard that you sold your liver on the black market. - She remarked, making you laugh as you turned off the car.

- Those things are lies. - You retorted sheepishly as you got out and walked towards her backyard.

- The parole story?

- False - You deny it laughing. - The fight that ended in death in the parking lot?

- Rumor. - Wanda says with a laugh. - The robbery in New York?

- Just gossip. - You say. - And the kick in Tony Stark's nuts?

- True, he deserved it. - She says. - I'd do it again, he tried to grab me in the cafeteria.

You nod in agreement.

- What about your accent? - you ask curiously.

- I thought it was one at a time. - She jokes, and you shrug. You sit on her balcony. - It's real. My family is from Sokovia, we moved here when I was eight. - You grumble in agreement, waiting for Wanda's question. - Where were you last year? Since the parole story is a lie?

You laughed, looking away for a moment.

- I was in Colorado, living with my father. - You tell, and then look at her again, tucking her hair back behind her ear.

Wanda looks at you with curiosity and tenderness.

- Tell me something true.

- True? - you repeat with a thoughtful tone. - I hate peas.

She laughs lightly.

- No. Something real. - She clarifies. - Something no one else knows about.

- Okay. - You agree by coming closer. - You're sweet. - You tell her by lowering your head to her neck and kissing. - And sexy. - You kiss the skin on the other side. - And you're completely crazy about me. - You say as you bump your foreheads together, and Wanda laughs, pulling away a little.

- You have a huge ego, anyone ever tell you that? - she scoffs.

- I tell myself that every day. - You smile back, before kissing her. - Come to the prom with me.

- Is that a request or an order?

- Come on, go with me.

Wanda sighs.

- No.

- Why not?

- Because I don't want to, it's a silly tradition. - She explains.

- Now, nobody expects you to go.

- Why are you so insistent about it?

You look at her in surprise, feeling your heart race. Then of course you get defensive, because Wanda can't know. At your lack of response, she asks:

- What's in it for you? - She sounds suspicious and irritated.

- Now I need a reason to be with you?

- You tell me.

You look away, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

- You need therapy, you know. - You say back. - Has anyone ever told you that?

- Answer my question.

- Nothing. - You exclaim without patience, looking at her. - I get nothing, just the pleasure of your company.

You look out into the yard again, and Wanda lets out an angry exclamation before getting up and walking into the house, slamming the door.

You run your hands through your hair, hating that you accepted the damn money in the first place.

//-//

You thought Wanda was angry, but she calls you the next day after school. And she accepts the invitation. You are surprised, and feel guilty, but you are also happy to spend time with her.

She says she will accompany her sister, and meet you at the dance. So you stand at the entrance to the party, wearing your best clothes and trying not to look so anxious.

Wanda doesn't see you as she walks up the stairs to the party, and you bite your lip, impressed by how beautiful she looks.

You approach slowly, and whisper a hello in her ear, which startles her slightly, but she smiles turning to you.

- You look stunning. - You say breathlessly.

- So do you. - She replies with a smile.

You offer your arm for her to hold, and she accepts. You walk together toward the ballroom.

- How did you get such a fancy outfit? - she asks with a slight irony.

- Oh, I had kept it at home. For situations like this. - You joke.

- What situations?

- A date with a pretty girl. - You retort with a smile, and Wanda laughs lightly.

You walk to the entrance of the photos, and you lean against the pillar.

- I'm sorry I questioned your motives. - she says when you stop. - I was wrong.

You swallow dryly, feeling guilty. But you try to cover it up.

- You are forgiven.

Wanda smiles.

- Are you ready for the ball?

- Yes, miss. - You agree with a light laugh as you turn toward the party.

You dance together for a few minutes. The songs are terrible, but with Wanda, it's fun.

You also see Pietro and Monica dancing together, and Wanda exchanges a pleased look with her sister.

- Girl, have you seen him? - asks a redheaded girl walking up to Wanda. You know they are friends, and that her name was Nat or something like that.

- Who? - Wanda replies, confused.

- William! - she replies. - He asked me to come here.

You and Wanda exchange confused and amused glances.

- Natasha, please don't tell me you're hallucinating.

You were going to ask what they were talking about, but then you looked toward the stage and understood. You signaled for the girl to look, and she cracked a big smile when she saw Bruce Banner dressed as William Shakespeare waving at her, and walked off in your direction.

- I'm not even going to ask. - Wanda remarked with a chuckle before she went back to dancing with you.

And then the music is ending again, for a romantic one to take its place. You turn Wanda in your arms, kiss her tenderly for a moment, and then dance again, feeling her rest her chin on your shoulder.

And you dance for several minutes, and then someone pulls you away.

- Girl, what is Pietro doing here with that asshole? - Pepper asked aggressively as she pulled you away. - I didn't pay you to go out with Wanda and get nothing for it.

It was as if a bucket of cold water had fallen on you. Your gaze returned immediately to Wanda, and she was already looking at you with teary eyes.

- You have nothing to gain from this, have you?

she retorted wryly before walking away, bumping into you. You gave Potts one last look before following her.

- Wanda! Wait! Please! - You shouted as you walked out of the hall. She then stopped walking, and you let out a sigh. - Give me a chance to explain.

- You were paid to go out with me by the person I hate the most. - She retorted. - I knew it was a trick.

- No, Wanda. It wasn't like that.

- How was it then? An advance, and the rest of the money when you sleep with me?

- No! - You denied it with a shout. - I didn't care about the money! I cared about you.

Wanda shook her head, incredulously.

- You're different than I thought you were.

And then she turns and runs outside, and you sink your hands into your face, trying to calm yourself down.

- Where did she go? - You hear a male voice, and take your hands away from your face to see Pietro standing in front of you.

- Away. - You retort, feeling your stomach clench. - I screwed up.

- We did. - He says upset, putting his hands in his pockets.

- At least you got the girl. - You comment wryly before turning and walking away.

You think you're crying, but you don't care as you leave the party.

//-//

Your first lesson is literature the next day. And you know you will see Wanda, but you are hating yourself so much right now that you don't care. You arrive early for the first time in the whole school year, and sit in one of the back chairs.

As the other students arrive, you keep your head down, trying to distract yourself with your cell phone, even though you know that all your attention is on the girl sitting two chairs in front of you.

When Professor Fury finally starts the class, he is all excited.

- I guess everyone had time to finish the poem I asked for. - He announces standing at the front of the room. - Except for Mrs. Potts, who has an excuse. - He scoffs lightly, mentioning the confusion that occurred at the dance when you left, where Monica punched her in the nose. And now she was wearing sunglasses to cover up the purple. The whole room giggles at Fury's words. - Okay, does anyone want to start the reading?

The room is silent, but then Wanda raises her hand.

- I will.

- Lord, here we go. - Comments the teacher as the girl gets up, and stops at the front of the room. Wanda begins to recite the poem:

-I hate the way you talk to me. And the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. - She narrates, without taking her gaze from the notebook - I hate your big dumb combat boots, And the way you read my mind. I hate you so much, that it makes me sick, And even makes me rhyme. - She pauses, taking a deep breath - I hate the way you're always right, I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh. - She looks directly at you, her eyes filled with tears and her voice trembling. - Even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you not around. And the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, Not even close, Not even a little bit, not even at all.

Wanda lets the tears flow as she finishes, and the room was too shocked to react. She rushes out next, grabbing her backpack on the way, and slamming the door.

You are trying to hold back your own tears as you stand up.

- I'm going to the bathroom, Mr. Fury. - You grumble as you leave, without waiting for permission.

But you don't find Wanda, and you decide that you’re simply not in the mood for school today.

//-//

You sell your motorcycle. You hate that it has the parts for the money Potts gave you, so when it is fixed, you call Carol, and she finds you a buyer. This means you are stuck with your mother for a longer period, but it seems like the right thing to do.

And then you text Wanda, asking her to meet you wherever she wants. She says she won't leave the house to talk to you, so you end up at her front door, shifting the weight of your feet before you decide to knock.

Wanda's father looks stern, and he doesn't smile when he sees you.

- Are you the girl who made my daughter cry? - he asks with a serious expression.

But then Pietro appears at his side, patting him on the shoulder.

- My God, Daddy, don't be like that! - he asks, smiling at you. - Y/N, you are here to apologize, I imagine. Let her talk to Wands.

Mr. Maximoff takes one last look at you before entering back into the house, and Pietro smiles, nodding his head for you to enter.

- Thank you, Pietro. - You tell him, and then he takes you upstairs.

He drops you at Wanda's door, and you take a deep breath before knocking.

- Come in. - You hear her voice on the other side.

Entering the room, you are slightly overwhelmed by the amount of visual information. Wanda has many posters. And she is sitting on the bed, with a book on her lap.

- Hey. - You greet her, closing the door. You leave your hands in your pockets, deciding whether to stand.

- Hi. - She replies, placing the book on the bed and crossing her legs. - What did you want?

You swallow dryly, and decide to sit on her bed, keeping your distance.

- To apologize. - You clarify, and she looks away. - Properly apologize.

- I don't know what you want me to say.

- I just want you to listen. - You retort and straighten your posture, feeling your heart soar. - I'm sorry I took Potts' money, because regardless of my motives, it was wrong to put your feelings on the line.

- Wanda frowns slightly, as if deciding whether to believe you or not. You clear your throat.

- I never should have accepted it in the first place, but mostly I should have stopped when I realized I was falling in love with you. - You say, and Wanda looks at you, surprised by your confession. - But I didn't stop, and I lied to you and kept deceiving you, when I should have told you the whole truth. I'm sorry I hurt you, Wanda. I swear I didn't think all of this would happen.

You take a deep breath, running your fingers through your hair. Wanda just stands there, looking at you as if trying to read your mind.

- I just wanted to say that. - You tell her feeling flustered,

- Are you in love with me?

Wanda looks at you intently, and you just smile shyly.

-Very much so.

And then Wanda approaches you, and when she is close to your face, she says:

- I'm still mad at you. - And then she kisses you. You have missed her lips, and unfortunately the kiss doesn't last long.

When you open your eyes, Wanda has already moved away again, leaning her back against the headboard.

- When you are no longer angry, can we do something together? - you ask her tenderly. Wanda stares back at you, as if to say something.

- I received my acceptance letter today. - She tells you suddenly, and you blink in confusion. Before you can congratulate her, she adds. - In California.

You look at her in surprise, feeling your heart race. Wanda was leaving.

- Oh. - You swallow dryly, shake your head slightly, and smile. - I'm proud of you, Wanda. Congratulations.

- I thought you'd be upset.

- No, it's okay. - You give her a sad smile. - I'll miss you, but it's amazing that you're going to college.

Wanda lets out a sigh, keeping quiet for a moment.

- What did you need the money for?

You are surprised by the question, and look away from her, feeling slightly uncomfortable that this subject is back. But you decide that Wanda has the right to know whatever she wants to.

- I needed to fix my motorcycle. - You tell. - My mom is... hard to deal with. We had a fight and she broke some parts with a hammer. The next day, Potts was offering me the money I needed.

Wanda looks at you for a moment, seeming to be absorbing the story.

- Did you fix it?

- Yes. - You confirm, but let out a humorless chuckle. - But I sold it later.

The girl looks at you, frowning in confusion. And you shrug.

- I felt bad about everything. I decided to try to do the right thing then. - You explain. - I think I'm stuck with my mother for a while now.

Wanda looks surprised at your conclusion, and you let out a sigh, flopping down on the bed as you stare at the ceiling. You are silent for a moment, and then Wanda crawls over to you and lies down beside you, looking up at you.

- What if you leave with me? - She whispers, running her fingers across your face, and you blink in surprise.

- What?

Wanda smiles shyly.

- I have a car. - she says. - And you could work, and we could share an apartment.

You straighten your posture, leaning on your elbow and looking at Wanda in amazement.

- Are you serious? - you ask, smiling, and she nods slightly. You let out a happy exclamation, and move in, kissing her on the mouth. Wanda giggles against your lips, but returns the kiss.

You quickly let go and sit down on the bed when Wanda's father suddenly opens the door.

- Keep this door open! - He warns with a stern look, and you swallow dryly.

- Yes, sir. - Wanda says with humor.

When he leaves, you throw yourself on the bed next to Wanda, and she goes back to reading while you lie beside her.

- Any chance you have any comic books around here? - You joke, and Wanda giggles, denying it with a nod.

You don't mind though, her company is enough to keep you distracted.

//-//

You end up using the money from the motorcycle sale to pay the deposit on the apartment you find for yourselves, fifteen minutes from her college. You get a job the same week, and you finally read the poetry that Wanda likes as you both drive towards California.

[astaroth1357]

An MC Who Treats The Brothers Like a Kindergarten Teacher 

Okay, so I know I still have requests. I will get back to them right after this, but I just saw a post that gave me this idea and I had had had to get it out!! Requests will be back after this! Thank you MRS. Green Apple (my favorite band ever) and their song Present for this fun little romp of mine. 🤭

Lucifer

He is so conflicted on this it makes him wish he drank more…

On the one hand, he HATES how patronizing they can be… but even he can't deny how much progress they’ve made in his brothers. Mammon especially.

They're all actually studying more, cleaning up after themselves, doing their chores, and being polite… it's… admittedly he having an existential crisis...

This is what he's been missing this whole time?? Sticker charts?! And come on, they're all on the Student Council for Hell's sake! How could the most powerful beings in the Devildom be won over so easily by the same tactics used on human schoolchildren!?! Have some dignity!!

For the first month he just watched them whip his brothers into shape in barely concealed horror. It was so surreal...

But at about the time the MC managed to get Mammon and Levi to stop fighting and apologize for being mean to each other, he threw in the towel. Whether he liked them or not, he conceded that the human was a blessing in disguise and left most of the discipline to them from then on.

He's never been more productive in his life and he can actually get a night or two of good sleep with no interruptions... He's taken the MC out to lunch on multiple occasions and is still trying to talk Diavolo into letting them make this a permanent arrangement. They may actually get his brothers to become well-behaved demons yet...!

Mammon

Okay so, don't get it twisted. He doesn't need their stickers, or their love, or their approval, or all that positive reinforcement or anything! He's just playing along with them okay?? Okay?!

He scoffed at the whole thing at first because, look, he's no child. He's a grown-ass demon! What were little stickers of Devildom currency supposed to do for him??

But when they told him a completed chart would earn him a shopping spree outta their pocket… Well now they were talking.

He just did it at first for the big prize, but every time he finished a task the MC would be sure to notice how hard he worked and tell him he did a good job or compliment him somehow and… well… he doesn't get that a lot...

After a while he kind of forgot about filling out the chart because he would be excited to run to them and tell them what good thing he did next. Turns out this boy was starving for any kind of approval. 😖

The first time he actually finished his chart they told him how proud they were and he almost cried... Almost. He ain't that soft, okay??

Though he does mess up still, he probably makes the most progress of the House, much to everyone's disbelief. He's also super protective of his stickers and HATES when they're taken away so none of y'all better drag him into your problems, ya hear??

Leviathan 

He feels like this normie is weird even for human standards… Why do they keep offering him stickers…?

Well… They are Ruri-chan themed so he's not complaining that much.

He's not even sure where they got them from… He thought he had a pulse on every bit of merch that comes out for his favorite characters so they must had those custom ordered and that's dedication.

They told him that they'd get him a new game for every finished chart, which was nice but not necessary, he kind of just liked getting more little pictures of Ruri-chan like the collector he is. 😌

After a while, the MC started subtly theming his tasks more toward getting out of his room and being more productive... In baby steps, of course.

He'd be scared, but they were always there to praise him any time he tried. With a little bit of time, he actually started getting more confident! I mean, not a lot but hey. It's improvement.

The human even managed to get Mammon to pay him back a little bit of the money he’s owed! Well, it was literally just one night's paycheck from Hell's Kitchen but it was still more than he's seen in three centuries so he'll take it! He goes to them whenever he needs to butter up Mammon now... They’re an excellent go-between.

Satan

Ah… So the MC is well-versed in psychological manipulation… Well he refuses to fall for it.

They could offer him all the stickers they wanted, he’s going to just fall in line like his brothers! He didn't need any psychological training from them, even as the youngest he’s centuries older than they are!

But wait… are those stickers cat themed…? And is that one in a little cowboy hat??

… Touché human. He'll play nice once or twice but he doesn't need their cute stickers!

A part of him got a lot of joy out of watching Lucifer finally admit that this living nursery rhyme of a being was better at controlling his brothers than he was… Talk about a slice of humble pie, he even got it all on camera… 😏

But his brother wasn't wrong... The House has never been cleaner and everyone's grades were up, even his own. As odd as it was to say, bringing the human to the Devildom seemed to have produced a net positive all around. 🤷‍♀️

And after he discovered that the MC convinced Lucifer to let him volunteer at a human world animal shelter each time he completed a chart… Move over, Beel. He's going to finish the most charts in the House now. Just you wait.

Asmodeus 

Oh honey, he knows a thing or two about punishment and reward systems. It's going to take some pretty nice prizes for him to play this game...

Which is why his stickers get followed up by kisses.

For each new sticker, he gets to pick a spot to kiss them or for them to kiss him (though they don't let him get too pervy with it)

Finish the dishes? Get a kiss on the hand. Two hour of studying? There's one for the cheek. And so on.

The others get jealous of his deal pretty quickly and start asking for kisses too but he'll throw a fit if he ever finds out. The human's kisses are HIS prize so everyone else will just have to live with it! 😠

Asmo, drama-hog that he is, is also the biggest snitch in the House. He loooves telling the MC about when his brothers mess up and should lose stickers, Mammon especially because it make him sooo pissed.

He's also in a betting war with Satan over how many days it’ll take Belphie to actually get up and do his chores for a change... The current wager is two weeks or more.

Beelzebub 

Thought it was a little weird that the human seemed so obsessed with praising him and calling him a good boy but whatever. 

(Little did he know they were subtly using him like a role model of everybody else but that's neither here nor there 🤷‍♀️)

He doesn't mind the sticker thing because he gets them so easily. The theme seems to be: be responsible, helpful, and not a jerk which he passes with flying colors so it’s really not a challenge for him.

It was only after they told him that they'd take him out to Hell's Kitchen with each completed chart that he really got serious about it...

If you think normal Beel is sweet, actually trying to be sweet Beel is practically an angel all over again. He even stopped stealing food from other people's plates when the MC told him he could lose stickers for it… (which means that Levi can start eating breakfast for a change, at least. 🤷‍♀️)

He's long since completed five charts and is well into his sixth. It doesn't matter what it is, if food is on the line then Beel will knock it out of the park every time. If Lucifer wasn't funding their sticker project, then he honestly would have bankrupted the MC a long time ago… 😅… 😟… 😥...

Belphegor 

What the-? Did he leave his brothers for a few months and they all formed a cult or something?? Why is everyone suddenly so obsessed with stickers???

He doesn't understand the appeal at all... Do chores around the house and get a prize? What kind of game were they trying to play here?? No thanks. He'll pass.

Belphie proved pretty hard to motivate, even with prizes, so the MC had to try a different tactic…

If there's anything that can motivate Belphie, it's the promise of good sleep and cuddles. But if they made it too difficult to get and he'd just sleep by himself in pouty defiance...

So they told him that he needs to get at least two or three stickers every few days or they'll stop cuddling completely until he does. 

He didn't think they were serious at first… but any time he'd try to get his arms around them, they'd sidestep or slip out of the way like they had a sixth sense or something! What kind of superhuman reflexes do you need to keep up with human anklebiters???

It took a week for him to finally relent and join the freaky sticker cult that makes up the rest of his family... He remains self-aware enough to always point out how fucking bizarre it all is... but hey. He's too lazy to do much about it, so who cares right? 🤷‍♀️

Check out my Masterlist for more!

[prvtbugsbuggins]

Caboose and his ungodly amount of sisters.

A post for both my reference and for you all to enjoy.

The idea of Military Alphabet being used as names was inspired by Red Battalion, Blue Regiment by @tinfoil-jones. It's a great fic u guys plz.

More stuff under the cut.

Caboose and his sisters were all taken from a pool of war orphans during the great war. All of them had their homes glassed and barely escaped with their lives. The oldest at the time was little more than a small kid, so many of them don't remember having parents or a life before they were taken into the SPARTAN III program. For all they know, this was all normal to them.

Indiana was the oldest and was the one to remember what parental love was all about, so she was the one who kept an eye on everyone else and did her best to be sure that they had love while growing up. Their training was extremely harsh and she made sure it was as fair as it could be.

Here are the siblings, from oldest to youngest. Once they were old enough to leave the program, all of them chose their own names. Caboose was chosen as the last name, and all of them keep it as a sign of solidarity.

Name: Indiana ‘Indy’ Carnation Caboose

Rank: Lieutenant General

Armor Color: Dark brown and tan

Designation: INDIA

Description: Freckled pale skin with green eyes and red hair that she keeps short. Absolutely stacked. 9Ft tall even. Is missing a leg but has a cool cyborg one to replace it. Defacto ‘leader’ of the Spartan Siblings and tends to call the shots. Is high enough rank to make sure her siblings are treated well no matter where they end up.

Currently: Alive and still in active duty. Works mostly with Holly.

---

Name: Holiday ‘Holly’ Yuletide Caboose

Rank: Major General

Armor Color: Green and Red

Designation: HOTEL

Description: Tan skin with brown eyes and black hair that she keeps long. 8’11’’ tall. Is built more slender but can still break your neck. Is the one who usually keeps track of all the siblings and makes sure they are okay. Organizes the yearly get together.

Currently: Alive and still in active duty. Works mostly with Indiana.

---

Name: Winter Solstice Caboose

Rank: Chief Warrant Officer 5

Armor Color: White and Winter-mint Green

Designation: WHISKEY

Description: Pale skin with blue eyes and white-blonde hair that she keeps short. 7’9’’ tall. Is built more slender and is stupidly flexible, giving her a rep as an escape artist.

Currently: Alive and still in active duty. Works as a battlefield tactician and invents war-games for training purposes.

---

Name: Tango Rio Caboose

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Armor Color: Black and White

Designation: TANGO

Description: Tan skin with brown eyes and blonde hair that was kept short. Was more short and squat but absolutely stacked. 8 ft tall even. Used to bench press actual benches with people on it.

Currently: MIA. Was last seen on Reach.

---

Name: Vicky Ableton Caboose

Rank: First Lieutenant

Armor Color: Teal and Pink

Designation: VICTOR

Description: Pale skin with blue eyes and hair that’s always in a different color done in a ‘fluff hawk’ hairstyle. 8Ft tall even and built more slender. Is faster than the other siblings in terms of speed.

Currently: Alive and retired. Currently works as a DJ and plays for raves while making her own music.

---

Name: Sierra Nevada Caboose

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Armor Color: Tan and Gold

Designation: SIERRA

Description: Rust colored skin with black eyes and black hair kept long. 8’5’’ tall and was more focused on martial arts, so she was rather slender. Could one inch punch people across a room.

Currently: MIA. Was last seen on Reach.

---

Name: Charlie Beatrix Caboose

Rank: Sergeant Major

Armor Color: Green and Brown

Designation: CHARLIE

Description: Warm dark skin with brown eyes and black hair kept short. Built more chubby and squat at 8’6’’ tall. Can hug you to death though, so be careful. Used to be able to pick up cars so the wheels could get changed faster.

Currently: Alive and retired. Writes and illustrates children's books based off stories she told Caboose when he was little.

---

Name: Luna Moonbeam Caboose

Rank: Sergeant Major

Armor Color: Black and Blue

Designation: LIMA

Description: Pale skin with pale blue eyes and pale blonde hair kept long. Just pale, lol. 7’11’’ tall and built slender and trim. Is really good at psychology and has a knack for motivating people without them realizing it. Takes active interest in troop morale and writes papers on how to improve it.

Currently: Alive and in active duty. Works as a drill sergeant and her teams perform better because she gives them all lollipops when they do a good job.

---

Name: Juliet Romeo Caboose

Rank: First Lieutenant

Armor Color: Yellow and Green

Designation: JULIET

Description: Freckled pale skin with brown eyes and blonde hair kept long. Built like a muscular country farm-girl at 8’7’’ tall. Can pick up fully grown cattle and move them where they need to go.

Currently: Alive and retired. Works on a farm where she raises various livestock with her wife. Caboose gets to name all the baby animals born on said farm.

---

Name: Fox (Foxy) Trot Caboose

Rank: First Lieutenant

Armor Color: Orange and Black

Designation: FOXTROT

Description: Tan skin with blue eyes and red hair kept short. More wiry and slender than most other sisters and stuck more to stealth tactics than outright assault. 7’10’’ tall.

Currently: MIA. Last seen on Reach.

---

Name: Echo Echo Caboose

Rank: First Lieutenant

Armor Color: Dark Blue and light Blue

Designation: ECHO

Description: Dark skin with brown eyes and black hair kept short. Quite muscular and built at 8’6’’ tall. Usually specialized in hand to hand combat and liked to use knives and other bladed weapons.

Currently: MIA. Last seen scouting uncharted territory.

---

Name: Ollie Oxenfree Caboose

Rank: Major

Armor Color: Pink and White

Designation: OSCAR

Description: Pale skin with brown eyes and black hair, kept short. Is more slender and built more for stealth and misdirection type of combat. 8’4’’ tall and can pluck your heart out of your rib-cage if need be.

Currently: Alive and retired. Works as a therapist and specializes in PTSD traumas.

---

Name: November Showers Caboose

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Armor Color: Dark Red and Orange

Designation: NOVEMBER

Description: Tan skin with brown eyes and orange hair kept short. Is built like a bruiser at a good 8’10’’ tall and a body to put bodybuilders to shame. Likes to count how many teeth she can knock out of someone’s head with one punch.

Currently: MIA. Was last seen on Reach.

---

Name: Kiki Piña Colada Caboose

Rank: Major

Armor Color: Light Pink and Light Yellow

Designation: KILO

Description: The smallest sister at 7’8’’ tall and slender. Pale skin with blue eyes and pink/blonde hair kept long. Enjoys looking pretty but is scarily good at assassinations. Likes to use her unassuming looks against people. Has beaten up selfish lovers.

Currently: Alive and in active duty. Trains special forces troops.

---

Name: Bravo Blue Caboose

Rank: Lieutenant General

Armor Color: Blue and Black

Designation: BRAVO

Description: Pale skin with blue eyes and brown hair kept short in a buzz cut. Likes piercings and body mods. Has an unbelievable pain tolerance and likes to freak out her recruits using it. 8’10’’ tall and built like a linebacker. Sometimes will stand there and let people attack her and laugh at their attempts to hurt her. Will kill you if you make her siblings cry.

Currently: Alive and in active duty. Works on top secret things that are secret. It’s mostly boring stuff, like paperwork. She hates it.

---

Name: Quinn Sable Caboose

Rank: Captain

Armor Color: Grey and Purple

Designation: QUEBEC

Description: Tan skin with green eyes and brown hair kept short. Tends to dye tips of hair purple. Is covered in tattoos. Is very muscular and big at 8’7’’ tall and can pop someone’s head off their body like a grape. Makes a newsletter for all her siblings so they know what’s going on with each other.

Currently: Alive and in active duty. Trains forces in how to work together as a team and not die.

---

Name: Zelda Triforce Caboose

Rank: Captain

Armor Color: Dark green and Light Blue.

Designation: ZULU

Description: Dark skin with brown eyes and long dreads dyed in a wide range of colors. Built to be trim and slender. Could choke you out with her legs. Is 8ft tall even. Probably has ADHD and is very excitable.

Currently: Alive and retired. Currently makes VR video games and programs for a living.

---

Name: Michael Jaybird Caboose

Rank: Major

Armor Color: Blue (the best blue)

Designation: MIKE

Description: It’s Caboose, our boy. 7Ft tall even with brown hair, blue eyes, and is built like a brick house. Gives the softest hugs, though.

Currently: Alive and in a mix of active duty and ‘retired’. Pets dinosaurs and plays ‘games’ with his squad.

---

If possible they all try to meet up together at least once a year and they actively send letters to each other. They will call if close enough, but since everyone is doing something different, it's unlikely that two siblings would be on a planet together at the same time. All of them are extremely protective over each other, especially to Caboose since he is the baby. Despite some being retired, they still have and wear their armor because it's so ingrained in themselves. Eventually many more will decide to retire and pursue other interests once they figure out what they like.

Also all of them have a barcode tattooed on them somewhere. Not for evil purposes, but because it's easier to scan a code that can't be removed and make sure you aren't going to kill your Spartan by accidently giving them a medication they are allergic to.

Feel free to use if you like as well. I will be using this as a reference for my own works, lol.

[alyss01]

|[Meeting his friends]|

[corpse husband x GN!reader]

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Genre: fluff

Word count: 1.3K

Requested: no

Synopsis: you get to meet Corpse's friends when he introduces you with a game of among us. He is there the whole time to calm your nerves and you calm his own by being there with him.

Warning: nothing

A/n: I don't know why but I thought this could be a really cute scenario. I'm still not used to writing short one shots instead of long fanfictions but I think I'm improving. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Masterlist

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His fans had known for awhile that Corpse had found someone in his life. Probably about a week before he had made it official, although he of course left out your identity.

Ever since his friends had been teasing him about it when he joined a game. He'd usually wave them off with a laugh as the game started, and usually they'd stop about it.

Until a couple of days ago when Sean joined the lobby.

"So when will we meet them?" Rae asked him as dramatic gasps could be heard from Sean's end of the call. It was his first time joining after the news came out, "so the rumours were true! You replaced Sykunno and me!"

Sykunno gasped as Corpse quickly answered, "I could never, you guys know that."

When he killed Sean later that game as imposter he received an earful at the end of it, "first you cheat on Sykunno and me, and then you murder us!" Sean dramatically exclaimed as the lobby erupted in laughter.

You had of course not been blind to the obvious requests. After Corpse had told the world about you, you had made a separate instagram account where you hilariously posted your own version of Corpse's pictures.

It started with a sandwich perfectly wrapped in tin foil as a taunt to his frustrations but it has spiralled out of control. Although it was all in good fun of course.

Now you sat on Corpse's lap as he had his arms wrapped around your waist. Your hands on the keyboard and Corpse explaining to you how everything worked. Not that you needed it because he would be here the whole time anyway, but you felt more comfortable knowing how everything worked.

No one knew you were joining the lobby today and Corpse started the stream off casually as he introduced you to his chat.

You were nervous of course, but Corpse's arms across your waist and his breath in your neck calmed you. Ironically Corpse himself was also very nervous despite knowing his friends were incredibly supportive of his relationship, and the two of you comforted each other.

Corpse was comforted by holding you against him on his lap, and you were comforted by his presence alone.

His hands typed away on the keyboard as he started among us and joined the lobby while simultaneously joining the call in discord.

"Corpse!" Sykunno piped up immediately when Corpse joined the lobby and greeted the people inside. He couldn't hide the smile in his voice as he spoke, "Hi sykunno, by the way I have to introduce a very special person."

He laughed as the lobby was filled with dramatic gasps. You couldn't stifle your laugh either and immediately the lobby quieted at your voice.

"Uhm hey!" You awkwardly greeted the others, you had spoken with Rae before over instagram so it was comforting to know you knew at least someone in the lobby already.

Corpse squeezed his arms around you in reassurance as the voices broke out in the call. Many asked you questions and after a couple of minutes Corpse came in between and the game started.

You played instead of corpse, who was explaining to you what to do and when to do things. The first meeting was called and you observed the chaotic energy that immediately overtook the lobby.

Toast and Rae were accusing each other, Sean and Sykunno were hard vouching for each other and it was a overall mess.

"Aha! But now my giga brain tactic has been triggered!" Toast suddenly exclaimed loudly as the others were both skeptical and curious.

"N/n where were you this round!"

"I was failing at card swipe." You were well known with the joke it was in the community, but it was the truth as well. You had been struggling to swipe it correctly for at least the past five minutes. Corpse had tried as well but gave up after five tries. He still swore he had become better at it in the meantime.

Sykunno interrupted, "N/n are you the imposter?" He asked and you turned to look at corpse who was just smiling to see if it was some joke.

"No I'm not?" You responded hesitantly and Sykunno immediately gave up other questions he had.

Eventually you managed to win the game by throwing out both Toast and Sykunno.

You had a lot of fun getting to know tasks and figuring out the map with occasional hints from corpse behind you. He was incredibly happy with how well you got along with his friends.

Eventually the red letters that spelled imposter were written over the screen. You had grown kind of tired from playing so you turned to look at corpse with puppy eyes if he wanted to play. You had heard how stressful being the imposter could be and frankly didn't really feel up for it.

Corpse killed the lights and vented to a different part of the map to make a swift kill only to vent back immediately after.

The body was reported quite fast, and Corpse signalled for you to talk when they asked where you had been. You understood what he hinted at and explained exactly what you had done without mentioning the kill.

"So it wasn't N/n." Rae concluded as Toast immediately started to question her if she could vouch for you.

"There's just no way a new player would be able to make a kill like that." She concluded and most in the lobby agreed with her.

The next round Toast followed you closely so Corpse couldn't make a kill, and you depended on Sean to make the kill for you.

At the next meeting Toast immediately vouched for you.

It continued like that until you eventually won the game. You pecked a quick kiss on Corpse's cheek as the lobby was stunned to see you had been an imposter all along.

You ended up quitting after that, saying goodbye to the people in the lobby as Corpse wrapped up the stream.

When it was all closed you leaned back in his chest as he chuckled. "You did really well for your first time." He complimented you while pressing a kiss on the back of your head.

You smiled and turned to wrap you arms around his neck.

"Wanna order take out and watch movies on the couch tonight?" You asked as you reached for your phone.

"Sounds like a plan." He said as the two of you moved to the living room. He unwrapped his arms from your waist as he moved to the kitchen, "you want anything?"

"Nah I'm good, what do you want to eat tonight?" You yelled back from your position of the couch, scrolling through your phone thinking about what to eat for dinner.

"What about f/f?" He proposed as he took a sip from his drink. You nodded as you opened the app to order your food, "on it"

You leant your head against his shoulder, automatically he wrapped his arms around your shoulder you cuddled into his warmth as he held you comfortably.

Usually he was anxious and stressed after streams but he found it was easier with you there. You always seemed to comfort him with your presence alone.

"Today was fun." You said as you looked up at him, seemingly reading his thoughts.

"It was." He said as he smiled at you.

[tenthgrove]

Omg imagine la squadra with a teenage teammate 👀 (platonic obvs but I'm 18 and I wonder how they'd act with a team member that's a lot younger than them) cause I hc them as being in their late 20s early 30s ‼️

Okay I love love love this idea! I decided to go for the approach of a younger teenager, someone around 14 or 15 years old, and make them someone who is keen to prove themselves and be respected, but still has all the fears that would be natural for someone in this situation so young, hidden beneath the front they put on.

La Squadra Interacting with a Younger Teammate

Formaggio- The prospect of La Squadra’s next recruit being a kid is actually quite appealing to Formaggio. He doesn’t get much respect from the rest of the team, but he hopes a teenager would be more impressionable, more easy to wow. As soon as the newcomer is through the door Formaggio is already pulling out his cool uncle act. He’s always begging to show them something cool (usually just some random thing he shrunk) or tell them a gruesome story from the job. He totally forgets how naturally weary they’re going to be as someone who recently moved teams. When he finally realises how uncomfortable he makes them, he feels very guiltridden and backs away. But then one day, by pure accident, he makes them laugh. Genuinely. Things ease up a lot after that.

Illuso- Since he isn’t particularly good with kids, Illuso thinks it’s best to just treat them the same as he does any other teammate. This doesn’t go well, their interactions clunky and awkward as the newcomer is unsure how to respond. Eventually, Illuso realises too and decides he’s going to have to change tactic. What do teenagers like? Mischief? While the idea of taking the kid around the mirror world to wreck havoc on the base is tempting, it would not go down well with Risotto once he finds out. What else is there? Gossip? Yes, that could work. When Illuso finds himself alone with the kid with nothing else to talk about, he starts telling them all the dirty secrets he’s collected about his team over the years. There’s nothing age innappropriate, but it’s enough to break down the image the kid has of La Squadra as humorless, intimidating adults. The others soon notice a change in the kid’s behaviour and congratulate Illuso for helping them settle in, however it was he managed to do that. Well, that certainly wasn’t Illuso’s intention, but he’ll take the applause anyway.

Pesci- The arrival of the newcomer marks a big change for Pesci. He’s no longer the youngest of the group, both in age and in experience. While he’s glad to lose the associated teasing, it fills him with a sense of responsibility he isn’t quite ready for. Being the youngest in the group gave him a slight feeling of immunity for all his fuck-ups, both real and percieved, and that’s gone now. Worse, he sees this kid and he sees someone far newer to the game than he is yet somehow still able to face it with more courage than he does. The kid scares him, really. It feels like he is the junior member of the dynamic they have together. Then one day he finds their phone in the front room. He knows the others have a habit of pinching things like this for mean-spirited jokes, so he puts his anxiety regarding the kid on hold to go up to their room and give it back to them. He didn’t expect to find them crying there. He rushes up to them immediately, patting them on the shoulder nervously to offer some comfort. He asks them what’s wrong. “Everything. I’m scared.” At the end of the day, they really are just a child.

Prosciutto- The second-in-command doesn’t have time to mentor the newcomer to the same extent he does with Pesci, but he’ll still keep an eye on them whenever he can. Any of those violent idiots could teach them to kill, but Prosciutto’s going to make sure they learn to carry themselves right as well. For one, they need to get rid of those grungy hoodies and jeans they insist on wearing. He supposes he’ll just have to take them shopping. Overall, he can seem quite harsh on the kid, but he has their best interests at heart. He wouldn’t be paying them any mind at all if he didn’t have faith in them to go far.

Melone- As is only natural with his stand, Melone is good with kids. Teenagers are a different matter, and with little concrete memory of the whirl of heartbreak and emotions that were his own teen years, Melone isn’t as sure of himself as he would like to be. So he takes the experimental method, observes how their reactions to certain interactions in order to figure out the best way of keeping them at ease. It’s overall a good approach, and Melone becomes one of the earlier members of the team who the newcomer opens up to. The only issue is the others. They do not trust him. So, Melone takes it upon himself to prove himself. He makes a point of adjusting his behaviour, abandoning some of his more unsavoury habits for good, and not just in the kid’s present. The others are surprised, but pleasantly so. Melone is thankful to the newcomer for improving his standing with the team in general.

Ghiaccio- He is not happy. He knows about other teams getting actual children dumped on them, but he never thought it would happen to them. It makes him absolutely furious; the last thing this team needs right now is some petulant brat to take care of. Ghiaccio will give them the cold shoulder for a long time. Eventually, it takes Risotto dragging him into his office and point-blank asking what his problem is to make him reconsider. Ghiaccio drags his heels, insists he needs nothing to do with the newcomer, but then Risotto reminds him how young Ghiaccio was when he got trapped in his life. That changes things. That evening, as Risotto watches on silently from the doorway, Ghiaccio approaches the newcomer in the sitting room. “Hey… kid… do you like video games?” he asks uncertainly. The kid perks up, surprised to hear such an offer from Ghiaccio of all people. They accept. Ghiaccio invites them to play with him often after that. Risotto doesn’t need to ask him.

Risotto- Well, this is interesting. Risotto finds the kid hard to deal with because of how much he sees himself in them. They’re pretty much the same age he was when his own life went to hell. Risotto may have trouble facing the newcomer, but he’ll do it anyway for their sake. He wants to do what he can to make their own youth easier than his, if only by a fraction. For them, he’ll let down his walls and be a confidante. He’ll let them be honest about their fears with him, and he’ll comfort them to the best of his ability. He doesn’t want them to end up like him. He doesn’t want them to lose their humanity.

Sorbet and Gelato- “Sorbet, that’s a baby.” “Christ, you’re right.” Sorbet and Gelato may be devoid of sympathy towards a majority of humanity, but they at least have it in them to feel sorry for a kid. Especially a kid dumped into the closest thing the couple has to a family. Truth is, Sorbet and Gelato have long desired a child of their own, but never truly believed the opportunity would present itself. They know taking in a scarred teenager a few years off from adulthood will never truly take the place of a child to call their own, but if this is the closest they can get, they’ll take it. So yeah, congratulations kid, meet your new group assinged fathers. Sorbet is the more realistic of the two, the one who reluctantly accepts the need to prepare the newcomer for mafia life. They develop a dynamic somewhat comparable to Pesci and Prosciutto, with Sorbet becoming the primary mentor for the child when Risotto is too busy. Gelato is the one who really tries to baby the kid, trying to keep them away from their work as much as possible and always fussing over them whenever a mission can’t be avoided. The kid might be reluctant to accept it, but it is what they need. At least once in a while.

[nicknellie]

Anonymous requested: “tricked into 7 minutes in heaven at a party” AU with willex, where theyre close friends and apart of the same friend group, and their friends know they both like each other and are tired of watching them dance around each other so they devise a plan to have a party and play seven minutes in heaven, and get them to be alone together in a closet or room or something. so a sort of getting together/modern AU with some kissing cause the boys deserve it?

I had to Google what 7 Minutes In Heaven is. Anyway!! I love this prompt so much, it’s so so sweet. We love some getting together fluff. Thank you so much for suggesting it!

Title from Alone by Heart.

The Secret Is Still My Own

Alex could have kicked himself for not realising what this was much earlier. It was probably Luke’s idea. Maybe Julie’s – she could be sneaky when she wanted to be. It didn’t really matter who had devised the plan, all that Alex was worried about now was the fact that he was about to spend seven minutes locked in a small room with Willie and the likelihood was that it was going to be utterly dreadful.

A few months ago when Alex and Willie had first met, it wouldn’t have been so awful. Their friendship had been fresh and exciting and there had been an easy banter flowing between the two of them that made Alex feel light and giddy. He had been glad to spend time with Willie then, looking for every excuse to hang out with him because who wouldn’t? Willie was funny, kind, intelligent, and everything good in the world. Alex would have been mad to not want to spend time with him. It didn’t take long for Alex to realise he was falling for Willie, quickly and with no signs of stopping.

And he made the grave mistake of telling that to Luke.

“Dude,” Luke had said, grabbing Alex’s shoulders. “You gotta ask him out!”

“What? No!” Alex had protested. He tried to wriggle free but Luke’s grip was like iron and he gave up after a moment or two. “I don’t want to. I like being friends with him.”

“Yeah, but imagine if you were more than friends,” Luke pressed, grinning wildly. “It’s not like he’d say no – he’s head over heels for you, man.”

“He is?”

“I think so.”

“That’s not proof,” Alex deadpanned. “You also thought that if you ate watermelon seeds one would grow inside you. Then you cried when Reggie ate them.”

“That was ages ago!” Luke whined.

“It was last week, but alright.”

“Alright, fine, I’m a bad example,” Luke admitted. “But what if I told you that Julie thinks Willie likes you?”

Alex considered it for a moment. Julie was definitely more reliable than Luke, and where Luke was almost definitely guessing about whether or not Willie had feelings for Alex, Julie had probably spoken to Willie herself to find out. So he shrugged and gave Luke a short nod.

“Does she think so?” he asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

“Dude,” Luke scoffed. “She was the one to point it out to me. You and Willie are made for each other, bro! Ask him out or I’ll have to do it for you.”

Alex hadn’t asked Willie out. It hadn’t been because he didn’t want to or because he didn’t think Luke and Julie were right – it was because he simply didn’t know how. How was he supposed to go up to Willie, a literal angel, and ask him on a date without spontaneously combusting? He didn’t want to make a fool of himself, not in front of Willie.

He had thought that Luke was joking about getting Alex and Willie together himself. That had, of course, been an incredibly naïve thing to believe. When Luke said he’d do something, he meant it – Alex should have learnt that from the time Luke had said he would lick an electric fence and then followed through immediately and without hesitation. So really he shouldn’t have been surprised when Luke made it his mission to get Alex and Willie together.

The first time it had happened was when Alex and Willie were hanging out alone in the studio. They had been talking, just catching up with each other, and it had been nice. Willie had been halfway through a story about one of the kids at the nursery he worked part-time at when all of a sudden the lights in the studio had dimmed and slow, romantic music had begun drifting from the stereo in the corner.

Willie had looked utterly bemused, a quiet half-smile gracing his features. “What’s all this?”

“I don’t know,” Alex told him, standing up and flicking the lights back on, then going to the stereo and turning the music down all the way. “Sorry about that. It’s never happened before.”

“You mean you didn’t set it up?” Willie asked.

“No,” Alex replied, looking around the studio. Unsurprisingly, he had spotted Luke in the attic, hidden amongst the beanbags, the stereo’s remote in his hands. He didn’t even have the good grace to look guilty, instead giving Alex a cheery wave.

“Oh,” Willie had said. His tone made Alex turn to face him – there was something in it he couldn’t quite put a name to. “Okay. Anyway, so, as I was saying…”

Luke’s plans had not improved from then on. He had pulled the classic “invite both of them to hang out but don’t show up so they’re just spending time together one-on-one”, he had dedicated an entire setlist to Willie at their most recent gig and told the entire crowd that it had been Alex’s idea, and every time Alex and Willie had a conversation he would find a way to muscle in and very unsubtly suggest they go on a date.

It was making Alex’s life a misery.

Because now every time he saw Willie felt painstakingly awkward. The both of them were just waiting for Luke to show up and do whatever he’d planned, after which they’d be steeped in brittle, tense silence until one of them found an excuse to back out of the situation. The ease and light-heartedness their friendship had once been built on was pretty much shot to pieces. Alex knew that Luke meant well, but he was almost certain that he had ruined everything.

It didn’t help that Luke had got Julie, Reggie, and Flynn in on it too, though they were much less heavy-handed than he was when it came to getting them together. Reggie’s main tactic was ask if they’d been on a date yet every time he saw them but leave it alone once they said no, while Julie and Flynn tended to talk to Alex away from Willie and try and convince him that they were, in Flynn’s words, a match made in heaven.

“He totally wants you to ask him out,” Flynn gushed on one of these occasions. “Did you see the way he was looking at you earlier? He’s in love.”

“Things are awkward enough between us as it is,” Alex had explained. “I’m not going to make it worse by asking him out.”

“Well, maybe you don’t need to ask him on a date,” Julie suggested, ever the voice of reason. Alex inwardly thanked her – at least somebody was on his side. “But I do think you need to at least talk about what’s going on between you.”

He revoked his inward thank-you.

“We don’t need to talk,” Alex insisted. “If we just leave it alone then the problem will eventually go away.”

“That’s always your solution,” Julie said.

“And it never works,” Flynn added.

“If you just face your feelings head-on and actually try communicating with him you might get somewhere,” Julie said. Alex looked at her and knew she was telling the truth – her eyes were wide and kind, her mouth set into a gentle smile, and she looked as if she wanted nothing more than to help Alex. “You’ve been dancing around each other for so long, all you need to do is figure out where you both are. Trust me.”

He had shrugged inelegantly and let Flynn change the direction of the conversation, grateful to be talking about something else.

But he hadn’t taken Julie’s advice. Talking to Willie was difficult. Their banter was all but gone and their conversations lasted no more than a few minutes at most. It was a lot easier when they were with all their friends, in a big group where they could talk to others, which had been exactly the reason that Alex wasn’t worried about the impromptu party Julie had invited everyone to that night.

And look where it had got him.

It had been Luke who suggested it during a lull in conversation.

“Why don’t we play Seven Minutes in Heaven?”

The suggestion had been met with excited ‘ooooh’s from most of the group sat around the studio, all except Alex. The last time he’d played Seven Minutes in Heaven had been in middle school – he had been locked in a closet with a girl in his class, she had kissed him incredibly awkwardly, he had blurted “I’m too gay for this” and fallen ungracefully out of the closet with six minutes still left on the clock. While that had been years and years ago, the memory still burned with embarrassment.

“Count me out,” he said. “That game is cursed.”

“I think you’re thinking of Bloody Mary in the Mirror,” Reggie supplied. “That game is cursed. This one’s just a bit of fun.”

“Absolutely not,” Alex said, shaking his head. “You guys can play, I’m staying out of it.”

“Oh, come on, Alex,” whined Luke, “everyone has to play! Otherwise it’s no fun.”

“You might not even get picked,” Julie said helpfully.

“But also you might,” Luke added.

Alex looked around the room at his friends – Reggie was smiling encouragingly, Luke looked put-out that Alex had even thought about refusing, Julie and Flynn were looking at him with hope and excitement in their eyes that he really didn’t want to crush, and Willie… Willie was avoiding eye contact altogether.

He didn’t know what it was that did it, but finally he relented. “I’ll play.”

Luke punched the air triumphantly and began entering everyone’s names into a generator he’d brought up on his phone. Alex watched with bated breath as the little wheel spun, slowing down until it landed on a name. The screen lit up with an over-the-top fireworks animation and the name ‘WILLIE’ in garish bubble writing.

Alex didn’t look at Willie, but he did feel his own insides squirm. What if he was picked next? He wasn’t sure he could last seven minutes alone with Willie. What was he supposed to talk about? What was he supposed to do? How was he meant to act like it wasn’t the most awkward thing he’d ever done especially after everything that had happened in the past few months?

Luke set the spinner off again and Alex watched nervously as it ticked through all the names. The firework animation lit up the screen again and when it was cleared the name ‘ALEX’ was left behind, glowing in all its bubble writing glory.

He tried not to sigh in defeat and he stayed put, no matter how much he wanted to leg it from the room and never come back.

“Alright then!” Julie said, clapping her hands and beaming. “Alex and Willie! You guys feeling up for this?”

Alex didn’t have an answer, but it appeared that Willie did. He stood up and offered a hand to pull Alex to his feet too, smiling gently.

“I’m ready,” he said, though Alex didn’t miss the waver in his voice. “How about you, hotdog?”

He could feel his friends’ eyes boring into him like lasers, but kept his own eyes trained on Willie, searching his expression with no idea what he was actually searching for. Eventually though, he gave a resolute nod and said, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

“You can go into the bathroom,” Julie said, pointing towards the little room at the back of the studio. “You’ll have to lock the door yourselves.”

Alex nodded and mutely followed Willie into the bathroom. He shut and locked the door behind them, then flicked the light-switch on. Immediately, Willie flicked it back off.

“Why can’t we have the lights on?” he asked. “I can’t see you.”

“Those are the rules, hotdog,” Willie returned. His voice sounded like it was coming from the opposite side of the room, but Alex couldn’t be sure. After all, he couldn’t see anything.

He could feel his heart hammering in his chest and sweat starting to bead on his forehead as he slid himself down the wall to sit on the floor. He had no reason to feel so nervous right then; he’d been alone with Willie a thousand times, this didn’t have to be any different just because it was in a small dark room and they had a time limit ticking over their heads. Admittedly, he hadn’t been alone with Willie all that often recently, but he shouldn’t have been too out of practise.

“So,” he ventured, rubbing his hands along his legs, hoping the repetitive movements would dull his nerves. “What do you want to talk about?”

Willie was silent for a moment and Alex was sure that he’d somehow already put a foot wrong. Briefly, he considered unlocking the door and trying to leave very quietly so that Willie wouldn’t notice, but he realised quickly that plan wouldn’t work because he would never get past his friends in the studio. All he could do was stick it out for six and a half more minutes.

But mercifully, Willie finally spoke.

“Things have been weird recently, huh, hotdog?”

It teased a laugh from Alex, if only a small one. Because yes. Yes, things had been incredibly weird and he hated it.

“Yeah,” he agreed, “it’s been weird. I’m sorry about Luke and the others.”

“You don’t need to apologise,” Willie said. Alex could hear the smile in his voice and found himself relaxing. “It doesn’t really bother me. But… I mean, it seemed like it was bothering you. I’ve been trying to give you a little space but I don’t know if that’s what you want.”

“No,” Alex said, far too quickly. He tried to rein himself in a little, not wanting things to descend back into that dangerous awkward territory. “No, I don’t want you to give me space. I really like hanging out with you, Willie. I don’t want to stop that. I just wish they’d stop teasing.”

There was another pause, smaller this time, barely perceptible.

“Why?” Willie asked quietly.

“Because,” Alex began, but he quickly found himself lost for words.

How was he supposed to explain it to Willie when he found it hard to explain it to himself? He didn’t like their teasing because he was scared. He didn’t like their teasing because he didn’t want to make Willie uncomfortable. He didn’t like their teasing because this thing, whatever it was, between him and Willie was theirs and only theirs and he wanted to keep it between that way. Because he wanted to make these decisions on his terms, not when his friends decided he should.

“Because?” Willie prompted.

Alex swallowed his pride and his nerves and made himself speak.

“Because I really like you, Willie. And when our friends try and find ways to get us together it just feels awful because I want to do it myself. I don’t want them to intervene or mess this up. I want to do it my way. They keep saying that you like me too – is that true?”

Silence again. Alex could hardly stand it.

“Yeah,” Willie said finally. With that single word Alex felt like he could breathe more easily than ever before. “I do. Like you, I mean. And I get it. I’m sorry this whole thing has been such a mess.”

Alex huffed a laugh. “Blame Luke.”

“Oh, I will,” Willie replied through a chuckle.

Alex heard him shuffle across the bathroom floor and felt their sides press together as Willie came to sit next to him. Without thinking he laid his head down on Willie’s shoulder, then felt Willie rest his head on his in return.

“So,” Alex said again. “What does this mean for us?”

“What do you want it to mean?” Willie asked teasingly, the smile on his face evident in his voice.

“Are we dating?” he asked. He could feel his own smile tugging at his lips as Willie slipped an arm around his shoulders.

He felt Willie press a gentle kiss to the top of his head. “Yes, Alex. We’re dating.”

Maybe it was the late hour, maybe it was the dark room, maybe it was the rush of adrenaline he got from hearing Willie day the words “we’re dating”, but something gave him a warm and welcome rush of courage and he said, before he could think better of it, “Can I kiss you?”

“Well,” Willie said, “I think that’s what usually happens in this game.”

“I don’t want to kiss you because of the game,” Alex told him. He knew Willie was probably joking, but he wanted to be certain. He wanted to make it clear that none of this was because of the game (mainly because Luke had probably rigged it somehow and Alex still wanted to do this his own way). He needed to show that this was for Willie and for himself, nothing else.

“I know,” Willie said gently. “I don’t either. I just want to kiss you.”

Alex slid a hand up to cup Willie’s jaw and they slowly came together. Willie’s lips were softer than Alex thought should be allowed, the kiss gentle and slow. It felt perfect, like fireworks had been lit in Alex’s soul (though much better fireworks than the terrible animation on Luke’s random selector wheel). He felt Willie’s fingers knot through his hair and pull them closer together.

It hadn’t gone the way Alex would have really liked. He didn’t get to ask Willie out on his terms. But from now on, with Willie as his boyfriend, they could do everything else on their terms. They could go at their own speed, hand-in-hand, with no ticking time limit set by their friends. They could move at their own pace with nobody but each other.

And Alex could breathe easy.

*

Taglist (if you want to be added or removed just let me know): @ace-bookworm @williexmercer @willex-owns-my-heart @itstiger720 @the-reckless-and-the-brave @that-one-newsie @bluedarkness @lookingthroughmirrors @teammightypen @salty-star @julieandthequeers @lmaohuh @sunnysbright 

[that-blue-vault-dweller]

Companions reaction to SS having a Pet Rock Drake? Like the ones from ARK. Idk if you ever played it but this what they look like

On the 1st picture a humans height compared to them is about right where there neck starts lol.

They and their rider can camouflage aka go invisible, Glide through air, climb walls, and their little feathers on their head ruffle or stand like a cockatoo's when they sense danger lol (they also cause enemies to bleed out very fast in the game their from)

Awesome idea!!! 😍👍 I started playing ARK a long while back, but I could never get too far in the game, so I ended up uninstalling it from my PS4 so I could have more room for RDR2, Fallout 4, Far Cry 5, and stuff like that (RDR2 has seriously huge requirements for downloading, lol).

Thank you for the ask!! I hope you enjoy! 🥰💙💛

Cait - Is somewhat terrified when she first sees it. It looks way too much like a deathclaw to her, and moreover, it is even larger than a deathclaw. However, she soon comes to appreciate how well it does in battle and how it causes raiders to bleed out ridiculously fast. She actually ends up befriending it herself, offering it meat when she can find some.

Piper - Is very scared at first, but as soon as F!Sole assures her that it will not attack and when it lowers its head to let her stroke the feathers on its enormous head, she is soon much less afraid. She is then determined to write an article about it, and she asks her Blue to tell her everything she knows about the creature.

Curie - Is not afraid at all when she first sees it, and is instead absolutely fascinated by the creature. She immediately is inspecting the thing all over, climbing on top of it and asking F!Sole if they can go for plenty of rides. For science, of course.

MacCready - Is very wary at first, but soon enough grows very fond of it and rides it alongside F!Sole. He feels like a character in a really awesome comic book whenever he is on top of it and is climbing up walls, and he is soon a huge fan of the beast.

Deacon - Does not exactly trust the creature ever, but he does end up getting as fond of it as can be expected. He particularly loves its ability to turn itself and its rider(s) invisible. It makes undercover missions with F!Sole ten times more fun now that they can protect themselves or disguise themselves very efficiently if things go wrong. Plus, he loves to scare Glory when he can with the large beast.

Codsworth - Is worried about the safety of F!Sole. However, after she assures him repeatedly that it will not hurt her and that it is her pet, he eventually warms up to it. He even helps feed the creature and maintain the animal.

Hancock - Desperately wants to ride it into Goodneighbor as soon as he sees that it is on their side. He is not one for terrorist tactics or anything like that, but it will instead improve his image as the toughest guy around and a worthy mayor, so he definitely asks F!Sole to let him ride it to Goodneighbor. Of course, she agrees, and they both go together to show off a little.

Danse - Hates it and is very distrustful of the beast. He does not want it around because of how dangerous that it has proved itself to be against anyone that it deems an enemy. The only use he has for it is the way that it lifts its feathers when danger is near. He appreciates the heads-up that its heightened senses offer.

Preston - Is completely shocked, and quickly makes a comment on how F!Sole has a serious knack for taming the untamable. He is afraid of it somewhat, but he is pleased with how it so effectively delivers F!Sole to the Castle and effectively defends the area during times of need. He ultimately decides that it is more helpful than harmful. At least for the moment, anyway.

Valentine - Dislikes it and does not trust it. He ends up getting along with it somewhat, but that is mostly because it sticks around and seems to be willing to protect F!Sole with its life. Therefore, he deems it alright in his book. Of course, you still won't catch him taking his eye off of it when its nearby, though.

X6-88 - Does not trust it at first. However, once it has shown that it is an exceedingly effective asset to the team, he finds it quite amazing and grows very fond of it. He likes the way that it tears into its opponents and he also admires how intimidating that it looks.

Dogmeat - Does not like it. It makes him think too much of the big, evil lizard things like the one in Concord that tried to hurt his F!Sole. He eventually just tolerates it, but he has a close eye on the creature and he is ready to fight it at any time if it decides to attack his person.

Strong - Is at first unhappy with the fact that it seems to be stronger than him. But when he sees that he can ride it and it will do what he and F!Sole wants it to do, he is thrilled and the pair of them become a menace in battle. They end up being the new Commonwealth boogeyman and the night terror of raiders everywhere.

[bunny-hoodlum]

Asynchronous With You: Chapter 1

ship: naruhina

rating: teen (maybe mature later)

tags:  Modern Day AU, Foster Siblings, Family, Angst, Unrequited Love, Poor Communication

summary: An awkward journey full of self-denial and missed moments between two foster siblings. Perhaps their love will find the right timing someday.

(The way overdue long-form version of the Foster Sib AU I wrote for @szajnie for Secret Santa 2020.)

music: Asynchronous With You by burokkurubeats & my playlist

He wasn't the first child.

Somehow he had expected to be.

A girl his age, age six, and her older cousin had already been living here for a year now.

They had family, they were just… deemed unfit.

Maybe they'll take them back, when they get their act together. He doesn't know. He only knows he doesn't have the luxury of hope that they do.

Nobody was coming back to get him.

And he had nowhere to go back to.

The foster lady with the ruby red eyes showed him his bedroom.

At first, Naruto thought Hinata and Neji were close, so much so that no one could ever be closer.

Then he thought it was their tactic to keep others out, self-preservation in blood.

Hinata was nice enough, but she never strayed far from Neji.

That was because he never let her.

She wasn't just fiercely loyal to him. She was scared of him.

He tried to get Neji in trouble. Kurenai-obachan needed to know. But Hinata stopped him. She told him not to split them apart. That she didn't mind Neji bossing her around. She would never be okay if she didn't know where her cousin was.

So he tried. But it was hard. He still picked fights with Neji.

That didn't make Hinata happier, either.

He still thinks it's Neji's fault when she finally breaks down, telling them both off before running to her room.

He runs after her, but she won't let him in.

He goes to his room and talks to her through his wall. He has to press himself flat against it, straining to hear any sound.

Could she hear him, too?

"I'll leave Neji alone, okay?" It's a bitter promise, because it makes him feel like he's surrendered when he did nothing wrong. But part of him also feels tired of this pattern day in and day out. He'd rather spend his time better.

The silence stretched passed the point of comfort, and he pictured tomorrow, a tomorrow where Hinata may hate him. Enough to shun him in his own home. And would he really do what he's always done to others to her? Would he really go that far for attention?

His unconscious concerns spilled out, running through his fingers before he could stuff the words back in and swallow them. "Hinata… can I bug you instead?" He flinches and freezes, and he waits.

It's faint, but he heard her.

"Sure," she said.

His shoulders lowered as he slouched down the wall, the tension leaking from his body and he smiled.

Their early years would be shaped by a secret language shared between the two of them from that moment on, where a pinch on the arm and a retaliatory swat was a polite exchange in the morning. Where a "missing" item from their bedrooms was an excuse to search the house together, and where a stolen item was an invitation to enter each other's bedrooms. Hinata really liked to show him her new collection of pressed flowers, and he really liked to show her his latest Gachapon figurine. Whenever that happened, it was usually one of those new things that went "missing" shortly after.

It wasn't that Kurenai-obasan didn't spoil him as much as them, he could have new things all the time, too. But she hadn't been planning on taking him, she hadn't been prepared for him. If he wanted more things, Hinata would have to have less.

And the time he could spend with her was more than enough for him.

____________________________

Halfway through their grade school years their secret games waned. Being in the same grade helped to keep them in touch throughout the day, but at lunch time she was Neji's, and after school she was Neji's. That's just how it was.

But they were maturing. Their experiences were expanding. They had so much to talk about.

But how could they? It had to be at bedtime. And because it had to be bedtime, they had to be quiet.

He got the idea to drill a hole into their bedroom wall so that way they could easily whisper and not get caught.

That was one of his first thrills: vandalism.

"I think you mean 'home improvement'," Hinata giggled.

He had to process that.

He never realized until then that he still hadn't considered this his home.

Thanks to Kurenai-obasan, he had food in his belly and a roof over his head. He had a bed, some video games, and a safe route to school.

Thanks to Neji, he had a model of masculinity. Not a role model, mind you, but a model nonetheless. Some things about Neji were cool, even admirable. And other things he would never do in his life. They were both abandoned, confused and alone, sure. But it was always annoying how Neji couldn't help but look back. Naruto always had to look forward.

Maybe the way they both did things was equally imperfect.

He smiled to himself, as this is where he had to thank Hinata, for she kept them both grounded and present. Because that's how she lives her life, like each day is a gift not to be squandered.

Who cares about being hurt yesterday? Who cares about what hasn't happened yet?

Right now, at this moment, he was home.

This was his home.

____________________________

Girls at school always cupped their ears when they were eavesdropping. They cup their mouths when they're telling secrets or bad-mouthing others.

Hinata cups her ear around the hole in their wall when he's telling her stories. And she cups her mouth when she's telling him hers.

Her ears are sensitive, so he tries to watch his volume. He forgets himself when he gets excitable.

Her breath tickles and teases a memory from his brain, one that fills him with both sadness and relief.

When he tries to sleep, he searches for the root of this feeling.

The next day on television, there's a mother murmuring her baby to sleep.

He adopts that image as his own forgotten memory.

And the following night, Hinata's soothing whispers confirm that he had a mother once, and she used to sing him to sleep.

____________________________

Hinata's a wimp.

He loves the girl, but at school she is a gosh damn trouble magnet.

He jumps in front of her bullies, fists blazing, and he loses.

A lot.

But he gets to pick fights again. He gets to be cool from time to time. And when he gets better, he becomes the best. He gets a reputation!

By the time they reach fifth grade, he doesn't even have to raise a fist.

A well-aimed death glare is enough.

When Neji's graduation forces the two cousins apart for the first time in their lives, the older Hyuuga undergoes a personality shift.

He expresses legitimate concern for Hinata.

Maybe it's been there all along.

They're both standing on the empty landing just outside of their elementary's gymnasium where the remainder of the proceedings were taking place. Neji's stare, heavy with expectations and ultimatum, bore down on his little shoulders.

"You're the only one I can ask."

"Yeah, don't worry. I got this!" Naruto flashed his patent overconfident grin, and this time not a hint of condescension passed across Neji's face.

His heart thumped wildly when he and Neji returned to the gymnasium, with Neji returning to his position amongst the other students in the center of the room. Family members lined up against the walls in foldable metal chairs, a spattering of pride and loss playing out across their faces; Their children were growing up.

When Naruto took his seat, he stole a glance at Hinata on the other side of Kurenai-obasan. Her gentle profile seemed to unlock something inside of him. Waves upon waves of warmth filled his body, pulling him in deeper into a languid pool of contentment.

He would be her protector from now on.

He would be her brother.

____________________________

He never noticed how their paths lead each other further and further apart.

Their daily routines had remained the same.

Aside from a few exciting developments.

Like Kurenai reconnecting with a childhood friend. The man was a Marine and a chainsmoker, but he seemed cool.

Or how Naruto happened to find a collection of discarded skin mags behind the pool storage room at school. They now safely occupied the space beneath his bed.

There was also the neighborhood shrimp squad of grade-schoolers who loved to call him 'Boss' whenever he came over to play.

Or that time he was hanging out with Sasuke, and unusually the stoic lad had insulted a group of delinquents before he did at the local arcade.

Sasuke may have taken out four guys by the time Naruto took out one, but he still got the win.

But way, way before all of that something had really surprised him: Hinata becoming Deputy Class Rep to their own Haruno Sakura.

She was volunteered for the position based on her equally outstanding grades. Or, at least that's what they had believed.

Over time, it became apparent that they had volunteered Hinata to be Sakura's foil. Hinata was considerate and much more approachable. If the students wanted something, they went straight to Hinata first.

But then her unchanged nature became more detectable.

Like he's said before, Hinata's a wimp.

She crumbles at the slightest disapproval.

She implodes when she's convinced she could do better. When she thinks she's failing.

So halfway through their first year, she started to get abused. Girls and boys alike tried to strongarm her into making their lives 'better'. Making her fetch their lunches and dumping cleaning duty on her every day, then throwing her words back at her when she tried to complain. They'd say, 'But it's what you signed up for', and 'Isn't this your job? Don't you care about your classmates?'.

Somehow Sakura never noticed. He tried to tell her, but she didn't take him seriously. He tried to tell the teachers, but they acted like he had no evidence.

Liars! They just didn't want to get involved! What good are teachers if they don't help their students?!

Some weeks later, the following exams were posted outside the classroom.

Sakura was number two, just below Ino. They were always competing for the top, always unevenly dethroning the other.

Hinata was number three. Always suspiciously number three. And he was dead last.

Hinata could rise to the top, but she never tries.

He always tries, but he can never seem to rise.

He realized then that he hasn't been doing enough as her brother.

Compared to her, he has no future, no potential. It wouldn't be a waste if he took on her burdens.

He can take abuse, because during those first six years at a state-run orphanage, abuse was all he knew.

He realized what he had to do. Resiliency was one of his best traits, after all.

The following day, he took Hinata's place as the class slave. He fetched their lunches, got them drinks whenever they asked. The only thing they never asked him to do was their homework. Because… yeah.

Nobody knew they lived together.

If they did, well, he might've been forced to copy Hinata's assignments all the same.

He never noticed how their paths lead them apart, how their daily routines boxed them into two different social spheres never to overlap.

He was still her brother. Her protector.

But by high school, he'd also become the embodiment of trouble itself.

And he couldn't let that stuff disrupt her life.

____________________________

Naruto’s sprawled belly-down on the sofa playing on his Vita handheld when Kurenai-obasan calls out to him as she’s emerging from the laundry room.

“Naruto, I’ve stared at this hamper for three weeks,” She drops the hamper at her feet with a weighty thump for emphasis. “Are you going to do it or not?”

��I just forgot.” He surreptitiously powers off his game and abandons his handheld on the sofa as he ambles off the couch.

He’s dramatic when he slouches his shoulders and drags his feet, head lolling backwards in anguish. He hauls the hamper back inside the laundry room. He doesn’t look when he opens the washing machine and dumps his clothes into the drum. But the pile is sticking up. He tries to smash it all down, but he can’t. It’s already full.

“Crap.” He scoops out his month-old laundry in four armfuls and disposes them at his feet. He reaches in to grab the damp garments sticking to the sides of the drum, then begins to throw them into the dryer. At least that’s empty.

He doesn’t notice the butter yellow hoodie with white polka dots on the kangaroo pocket. Or the frilly linen top that needs to be dried on the line. Or the no-show socks with rabbits on them.

Once the drum was cleared out, he hurled his fermented clothes into the washer and started up both machines.

He went back to his game for several hours. Kurenai had to remind him to dry his clothes as she delivered the dryer’s contents to Hinata’s room. This was because Hinata was at cram school.

As he moved his items to the dryer, he recalled how Neji had done cram school too before moving onto a prestigious high school deep in the city center.

Naruto never knew whether to be jealous or not. School work was utterly useless and he didn’t envy the workload of overachievers, but maybe that was only because he couldn’t handle it. Maybe if he were smarter, he’d appreciate it better. Or maybe he’d figure out more ingenious ways to skip it all.

He played his game in the laundry room, waiting for the final ding to go off. He used the same dirty hamper to gather up his clean clothes and dragged it inside his room, where he promptly dumped it all out on his bed. Fresh laundry was intoxicating and he didn’t fight the urge to belly flop into the softener-drenched warmth.

He deeply inhaled as he sank into the heat. His cheek felt particularly nice against this satin material.

His left eye opened a peek. Vanilla and lavender stripes met his eye, with a rose lace and ribbon trim along the waistband.

He shot upright, his face no longer hot from the laundry, but hot with horrified embarrassment. He stared at the garment like it might come to life, jump on him and eat his face. It hadn’t so far.

‘It should be fine to pick them up, right?’ He thought with his frozen hand stretched out.

Why was he acting weird about this? They used to mix their laundry up all the time when they were younger. It’s actually how Hinata acquired a love of hoodies in the first place, because she loved to wear the beige one Obasan got him. She can pull off softer colors, but he can’t, so it was easily hers from that moment on.

He plucked up her panties by their corners and held it away, like it were an envelope full of Ricin, and he gazed at it mindlessly. Somehow they were exactly what he expected Hinata to wear, they were girly and cute.

Pale skin flashed before his eyes, a taboo image of Hinata in these panties, lifting her pleated uniform skirt up had startled him and he dropped the undergarments with a yelp.

Did he really just imagine her that way?

Naruto tried to smack the stupid from his mind until his cheeks burned with physical pain, then with everything he could muster, he snatched up the pair and ran for her bedroom, adding it unceremoniously to her hamper of clean clothes.

He pretended to be asleep by the time she got home.

He ignored the sweet voice that slid through the hole in the wall until she gave up and stopped calling him.

There was simply no way he could hold a conversation with her after that experience.

And to think he had to rely on his skin mags to purge him of his sin.

____________________________

Weightlifting was doing wonders for him.

For starters, it was taking his mind off of his libido.

For another, his physique was changing. He was starting to sprout up, too. Hinata’s former bullies were starting to learn some new feelings, like reluctance and fear. They eventually moved onto the freshman to enslave, leaving him alone to finally live his final year of middle school the way he always wanted.

The more he did weights, the more girls started to look his way, not just at Sasuke-teme.

Life was looking good!

Is what he thought when he was hanging out on the roof with Sasuke and two Ojou-gyaru types. One girl was straddling Sasuke while Naruto spooned the other girl from behind.

A dire thought hit him when he realized only six months remained until graduation. A choice he had been overlooking was rapping its knuckles against his temple, and he could hardly shoo it away.

“Hey.” Naruto turned his head towards Sasuke.

“Hn?”

“Where are you going for High School?”

Sasuke turned his head up towards the sky. He was pensively silent. Then he shrugged. “I’m going to stay here.”

“So you’re going to Konoha Normal High?”

“Just like everyone else.” Sasuke said.

‘Everyone else’ didn’t include Hinata, and he was supposed to stick close to her.

How suspicious would it be if he chose to follow her to her high school?

What if he couldn’t? What if she was following the same path as Neji?

Neji would be there until her senior year. Was his responsibility to the both of them over already?

Naruto would later get a text from Obasan that she would be spending the night with Asuma.

K-Obasan: There’s curry udon in the fridge.

He narrowed his eyes at the text.

Just because you add noodles to leftover curry doesn’t make it a Naruto-approved dinner!

“Udon’s not even the same thing!”

His steps slowed in the school corridor. It was enough for his rooftop date to catch up with him.

“Your face looks weird when you’re glum.” She giggled as she poked his cheeks.

“Yeah, well, I just realized I’m about to go home and no one’s going to be waiting for me.”

“Oh?” She circled her arms around his own and leaned in close. “Good for us, huh?”

His eyes widened with realization. A goofy grin stretched across his face, the corners curling lasciviously.

‘Yeah,’ he thought, ‘I’m owed this.’

____________________________

Author Note: I'm forgoing the one-shot because I still don't have that kind of discipline. ;D I'll definitely try to finish this short story to the end. I had received some good title suggestions for this story, but I ended up going with another song name because I can't seem to do anything else. ¯\_༼ ಥ ‿ ಥ ༽_/¯

I'm still going to try to adhere to the canon of the original fic to the best of my ability. I would totally declare this new canon, honestly, but then it'd be a Secret Dating fic with smut and it would never line up with what I already wrote. 😓

Anyways, I hope you liked this so far!

[timeandspacenovelist]

Almost A Nightmare

Rating: G Chapters: 1/1

Summary: While she's recovering after her tag match, Rhea Ripley finds herself being helped out by an unexpected source, which changes her outlook on certain things.

Notes : Just a tiny fic I wanted to make after the tag match last week Monday. I'm enjoying the developing respect and friendship between Nikki and Rhea and I wanted to add a bit more to it.

Read this story also on :

Archive Of Our Own

Rhea sat in the women’s locker room, ice pack to the back of her neck. She had just come off a match where she got a Samoan Drop and a Natural Selection, so she felt it was quite needed right now. She had shrugged off medical attention when she had gotten backstage, but then when the pain annoyed her too much, she went to the trainer’s room and returned with some ice packs. Normally, she wouldn’t have gotten caught out so easily, but she had had a match earlier in the night with Nikki ASH, so she wasn’t on top of her game. There was maybe a time where she’d be up for two matches a night and could do it easily, but times change, and so did she.

She gave a quick groan as she touched the sore spot on the neck. It sucked, but it was necessary. She leaned forward and looked down at the ground. She couldn’t dwell on what happened tonight. She had to look forward to Summerslam and give that her full attention. But that attention, at least currently, was broken because of by a knock on the door. One Nikki ASH, in her civilian clothes, stood looking at her sheepishly.

“What do you want?” Rhea said, her voice raised slightly because of the pain. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to shout. Just a bit annoyed right now.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

Rhea went to protest, not particularly wanting to talk to anyone right now, but she needed Nikki for one thing. “…. I do need someone to ice my back.”

Nikki went and picked up one of the other ice packs and applied it to the middle of Rhea's back. She winced at the initial chilly feeling, but then eased into it, enjoying how it soothed the pain.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you in the end. Should have held up my part of the team.” Nikki said, her voice low.

“Wasn’t much you could do. Neither of us were at 100 percent and they were fresh as daisies.”

“Not our best decision, accepting that tag match.”

“Nope, but I’ve done worse to be fair.“

Nikki’s mouth curled into a curious smile. “Like?”

“Entering Wargames. Woke up sore the entire week after that. Granted, wrestling at Survivor Series the night after didn’t help.” Rhea said, chuckling, remembering those two nights fondly.

“I thought it was really brave actually, even though I could tell you’d regret it in the long run.”

Rhea was taken aback slightly by the praise given. It’s not something she heard everyday. Usually people would chastise her (if albeit in a joking manner) for taking such a risk. But she didn’t care what they would think. It was two matches she’d never forget as long as she lived, invaluable to her career and her life.

“I don’t regret it, actually,” she said, shaking her head. “I’d do it all over again if I had to or could. It was my chance to put myself on the map in WWE. I had to take it. Nowadays though, I don’t think I’d be so eager to do it.”

“That’s your experience and maturity talking. You learn quickly when and when not to take certain risks. Trust me, I’ve been at this 13 years now, it becomes a very valuable trait down the line.”

“A superhero and a wise mage. You’re so multifaceted.” Rhea told her, smirking.

She had never gotten many opportunities to speak to Nikki before, at least not in such a personal and relaxed time. She had to admit; she was a bit surprised at how wise Nikki seemed. She knew of vets who wrestled as long as her that she learned nothing from when they offered her advice. So this was a nice change of pace.

“Ahem. Almost a superhero, but I will accept the wise mage moniker.” Nikki corrected her with a smile. “You’ll get there one day. I’ve been watching you since we faced off in 2018. You’re improving week after week. It’s kinda scary actually, if I’m honest. You’re so talented.”

The redness on Rhea’s face let Nikki know exactly how her praise resonated with her. “Thanks. Do you go around, complimenting all your temporary tag partners like this?”

“Only the ones who I consider my friends.”

Rhea’s faced turned slightly incredulous. Friends? Is that what Nikki thought of her? That was….. unexpected. She hadn’t exactly shown herself to be a friend type person. In fact, she was a loner through and through, only asking for help when she absolutely had to.

“You... consider me your friend?”

Nikki rested the ice pack down, and sat on the bench next to Rhea, realizing that this was something she needed to hear face to face.

“Of course. You showed me respect when others didn’t, and you were willing to help me when others didn’t. That usually constitutes a friend in my book.” Nikki said with her customary wide grin.

“That’s...nice....” Rhea told her, still not completely on board with was going on, mostly confused if she was honest.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just...you’re the first person to call me a friend around here. Not something I’m really accustomed to. I’m normally on my own.”

“Which is a damn shame if you ask me. You seem like a great person, once people get to know you. Take it from someone who was also a loner for a while. When the opportunity comes when someone wants to be your friend, take it. Being alone in this industry of ours, isn’t necessarily the best strategy.”

Rhea’s face turned red again as she looked away from Nikki. She had an idea and wasn’t quite sure how it would come across. She was the Nightmare, the most dangerous woman in WWE. She couldn’t be seen saying this to someone like Nikki. But seeing as no one else was here, and she was in a slightly less aggressive mood than usual, she decided to let loose.

“So something like, I wanna be your friend too.”

“Exactly.”

“Nikki?”

“Yeah?”

“... I wanna be your friend too.” Rhea told her with a half smirk, half smile, not quite knowing how to react to what she had just said.

Nikki, on the other hand, knew exactly how she wanted to react. “Oh! Oh, yes! Of course, you can be my friend too. That’s great!”

Rhea could only smirk at Nikki’s excited approach, her infectious personality hard to get away from.

“Oh! Can I give you a nickname?” Nikki continued. “Maybe like a superhero name! How about...?”

“The Nightmare is all the nickname I need. How about we stick with just Rhea for now?” Rhea told her, cutting her off. She wanted to be Nikki’s friend, but she drew the line at nicknames, especially of the superhero variety.

“Of course. It’s a lovely name.”

“Glad to hear. Now, I’m not gonna spend all night here. How’s about we head out and get something to eat?”

“Fine by me. What are you in the mood for?”

“I’m thinking... Chinese food.”

“I’m definitely ok with Chinese food. I’ll let you go and change and I’ll wait for you outside.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Rhea said smiling, her first genuine smile today.

Nikki then left the room, letting Rhea get on her with her stuff. Rhea sighed once she left. There was a part of her that wondered what the hell she was doing. She was the Nightmare. She wasn’t supposed to be friends with pretend superheroes. What would the Rhea at Wargames think of her now? But the other part realized that Rhea couldn’t be who she was anymore, at least not wholly. She needed to change, to move forward. RAW was a whole different beast than NXT. A lot tougher than she had expected. She couldn’t just go around doing what she wanted, she needed to be strategic about it. Sometimes the strategies involve befriending people, though if she was honest, this was more personal than tactic. She really did like Nikki and found her endearing. She had somehow melted the icy exterior she had put up, by simply being so infectiously happy all the time. But in all honesty, Rhea didn’t mind it being melted.

[ofbooksandaesthetics]

Takes place in the Russian ballet school where Natasha Romanoff becomes an assassin. Takes place once black widow has left and become an assassin. The winter soldier is brought in to train some of the pupils near to graduation. He recollects some vague memories of the past sparked by a pupil who looks like some he knew in the 40s.

Marvel

Bucky x Reader

Marching, his boots echoed in the hallway. 

He looked around his surroundings, his expression blank. The halls were filled with young uniformed girls and women, rushing around. Some heading to English class, some to ballet and others to find out whether they’d live to see another day. But the idea of the child soldiers running around him did nothing to stir his paternal instincts. 

You stood in the middle of the room, hands folded elegantly behind your back, stood at ease. You watched stoically as the door opened and a dark-haired man entered the room. He ignored you, instead striding over towards your mentor, Madame B. You directed your gaze away from him, maintaining your composure, despite the tension that had filled the room. 

Your eyes landed back onto the door and the only thing you could focus on was the idea of leaving through it. 

You could hear the polite conversation from Madame B and the occasional short reply from the unknown man, but your mind was focused elsewhere. 

The door in front of you was the symbol of your survival, and the more you looked at it the more determined you became to leave the room. You had not been told why you were called here, but the improvements you'd been making in hand to hand combat were your first thought. And Madame B always enjoyed practical lessons over theory. 

"Y/N!" Madame B finally addressed you. Standing to attention, you watched the woman through your peripheral as she came to stand before you. 

"I expect nothing but the best from you" she whispered, giving a quick glance behind you. Most would believe her softly spoken words to hold some sort of comfort, but they were cold as the snow that fell each and every year. 

Before you could ask what she was expecting of you, you felt a hand on your shoulder and suddenly, you found yourself flat on the floor. 

Letting your natural instincts set in you propelled yourself forward, quickly putting space between you and your attacker. Analysing the man in front of you, you checked his strong form and his stony eyes. But before you could make the first move, he lunged. His fist came to your face but it didn't land. Stepping aside you used your smaller frame and his weight against him, jabbing your elbow into his neck as he moved past.

The two of you carried this on, one attacking and the other defending, like a game of cat and mouse, before the man grew bored. His lips pulled into a snarl and he charged with more aggression than before, tripping you and catching you off guard, driving you into the wall. You attempted to push forward but this time he had you in a firm grasp. He leant all his weight on you and your eyes bulged as his hands clenched around your throat. 

You weren't a stranger to this position, over the years it was hard not to become accustomed to the threat of death, but this was different. None of the other girls held this much strength, and the sheer pressure of his grip was like nothing you’d ever felt before. One glance down gave you the answer to his strength. Instead of the usual set of clammy, bruised hands, one was cold and metallic. You continued to gasp for breath, but the realisation of who was stood in front of you sending an icy chill through your veins, that surpassed your fear of death. You attempted to escape his grasp, trying every tactic you knew but his grip just grew stronger and the air in your lungs depleted and your head began to spin.  

You finally met his eyes, no longer having the energy to claw at his hands. If you were going to die, you would at least go down with the face of your killer in your mind.  It was cruel that after all these years of training, you'd die during your final test. But in your moment of acceptance, he faltered. 

As your eyes bore into his deep brown ones, he lost his grip on reality. Weathered memories crept their way into his mind. He saw happy faces enlightened by the bright flashing lights of a fairground. The sound of shrill laughter replaced his heavy panting and drowned out your weakening gurgles. Sweet perfume mixed with the scent of hotdogs, that he held in his hands, or more accurately, his former self’s hands. He felt an arm clinging onto his and someone looking up at him with a loving smile. Someone with e/c eyes. 

He snapped back but his small moment of weakness had given you the escape you need, and before he could compose himself, his back was to the floor with a small knife, which you had pulled from your boot, pressing into his adam's apple. If you were to fight the Winter Soldier himself, all bets were off.  

"That's enough!" your forgotten spectator called out and you pulled your eyes away from the drop of blood that had emerged. 

The words didn't hold any excitement or joy, and the knife clattered as it met the ground. You panted as reality set back in, regaining your lost breath. 

You had defeated the Winter Soldier and somehow managed to draw his blood. But unlike Madame B, who was surprised, despite her cold exterior, you were perplexed. You looked down at the man with a suspicious glare, but he held your gaze with the same contempt. His eyes seemed to search yours for asking a question you didn’t know and asking for answers you didn't have. But you both knew that if it wasn’t for his mistake, you’d be a limp body like the others before you. 

"Have you forgotten your manners girl?" Madame B shouted and you scrambled up, less elegantly than how you'd been trained. 

You finally ended your scrutiny of the man, standing strong and meeting the eyes of your mentor. You politely nodded, at both her and your opponent who had now stood up. 

He quickly turned from you, focusing on Madame B, who took occasional glances at you. But again, you blurred out their conversation. The blood was still rushing to your ears and your heart beating out of your chest. You nodded again as you were dismissed, leaving the room in record speed.  

Closing the door behind you, you turned and fell back onto the wall to the left of it. You let out the sigh you didn't know you were holding and your hand cautiously moved to your sore neck, removing them as you winced. Your breaths were shallow and you were so focused on your survival that you didn't notice the soldier to your left, staring at you without his earlier aggression or suspicion. Instead, his gaze held confusion.

Finally feeling eyes on you, you turned, and looked at him with wide eyes, allowing yourself to show your emotions now out of the prying gaze of Madame B. In the heat of the moment, you hadn’t taken in his appearance but used the silent moment to rake his body from head to toe. You noticed his shoulder-length brown hair and the softness in his eyes as he looked upon your weakened figure. His wide shoulders and tightly clothed body. Your eyes flicked back up and you cocked your head to the side, deepening your gaze. 

The two of you held yet another staring contest but the silence finally ended.  

"Well done" He muttered.

And before you could reply, he sauntered away. You watched his figure become lost in the crowd of children, moving towards their next lessons. With a deep sigh, you pushed yourself off the wall, walking towards the bathing quarters, but in doing so you missed how the man clenched his fist turning back to find you, but you were gone, becoming a memory he would not recall.

[angeldormante]

Hi!! Im the Leo-withdrawal anon! I didnt ask anything prior to the one you just answered, but I'm so happy you responded! I'd honestly listen to anything you write--I think you have a wonderful way of expressing yourself, and the way you write is just... *chef's kiss* I guess, a question I'd have for you is this: What sort of hobbies do you headcanon our fearless leader to have? Quirks? Both endearing and... less so? I think that'd be a fun start!

hokay.... finally getting around to this!! sorry for the wait and thank you for bearing with me, anon! (ty for the compliment, too -- i'm very flattered jfjflk i just like talking about turtles ok (•̥ ̫ •̥) )

now... lemme talk blue to ya.

if we're talking about hobbies, well. stop me if you think you've heard this before -- leo loves training. for all of the guys, ninjutsu is a way of life; it's how they survive the world, how they connect with themselves and one another; it's their entire culture that the foundations of their family is built upon. and that's super neat. but watch 2k3 for like, one episode, and you'll very quickly see that the only one that fully leans into it is leo. mikey and don have their own interests that they often can't get to quickly enough once the day's training session ends. i think raph actually enjoys training recreationally as well -- but he's more interested in the physical aspect, spending his energy, bulking up, not necessarily focusing on skill or technique. i like to imagine that growing up, leo and raph spent a lot of time in the dojo together doing their own thing, kind of "separate but together"; before casey came along and raph got into hanging out topside with him.

leo, though, he throws himself fully into training. he's incredibly dedicated to it not only because of his sense of responsibility, but because he genuinely enjoys it -- he enjoys improving his technique, his skill. he enjoys the repetition of learning, which helps to calm and center him. he enjoys meditation, which helps him focus and clear his mind. as an introvert, and precisely because his family doesn't hang around the dojo as often as he does, leo's solo training time is his time -- it's his chance to relax and decompress. i think it's exactly why he spiraled harder and harder in season 4 no matter how much training he did: at that point, it was no longer a hobby, but an obsession. leonardo normally uses training as a healthy outlet, but when he channeled his exodus trauma into it, he removed his main method of decompression and replaced it with the intent to fuel that exact trauma. (sidebar, though i've talked about it before: i also feel like this is why fast forward is so excellent at showing leo's character growth. he is extremely zen and such a huge advocate of healthy self-reflection in the way he coaches cody and his clone. my sweet boy, so proud of him in that season.)

now i know what you may be thinking. and you're right. there's more to leo than his life in the dojo... so let's talk about some other hobbies i like to think he has!

so here's the thing, and i think it's something else i've touched on before... but i think leo actually has a very strong bond with donnie. their temperaments are very similar, they feel similar burdens when it comes to protecting the family, etc... and to be honest, i think they bond a lot over the same nerdy hobbies too! i think leo is a huge freaking nerd.

i legit think that donatello has probably absorbed his brother into more than one of his hobbies, both unwillingly and not. some things click for leo, and some things don't. some things he has a hard time getting into until he discovers a certain aspect of it or views it from a different perspective. but he is very often willing to try anything.

for example, i imagine that growing up, leo and don played a lot of chess together. don used to overwhelmingly win, until they got older and older leo got deeper and deeper into the tactical aspect, and soon he was beating don quite soundly more often than he wasn't. don started getting into engineering manuals and physics books, while leo started getting into history texts and military treatises, but both shared a love for novels and would swap their favorites regularly. and they still play chess, of course.

don got into nerdy sci-fi shows. like, really into them. and leo couldn't quite pick up the thread on that one, but he was content to endure every fourth movie night when it was don's turn to pick. and slowly he began getting drawn into it, the same way anyone does -- he enjoyed the campiness of the plot, how absolutely ludicrous the fight choreography was, how sometimes there were actually deep and thoughtful moments. it was both a welcome respite from the intensity of his reality and something he could put to practical use if he had to, like, steal a spaceship one day, though the odds of that happening seemed pretty low⁽��ᵒˡ⁾. he was never able to quote any of the episodes verbatim like donnie, but it was something they could discuss and lightly bicker about during the times when leo is mindlessly helping out around don's lab. (more on that in a sec.)

also? i can absolutely. totally. easily see leo as a tabletop game enthusiast. i think i'll refrain from getting lost in the weeds on that once, since this is already starting to run long, but i just want to put that in your mind. tmnt dnd gaming nights. let that sit for a second.

okay moving on.

i genuinely think that leo just likes existing in the general vicinity of his family and extended family. not necessarily doing anything; just being there, doing something with his hands. if don is working on a project, leo may drift in, and don will ask him to hand him certain tools or read aloud certain notes on the screen, because he knows the deal. if raph is lifting weights and leo wanders over from his own training session, raph may ask him to spot, or set up the next pair of weights, because he knows how it is. if mikey is sitting in the living room playing video games and leo appears on the couch next to him, he might toss him a controller, or he may just start blabbering about what game he's playing and what level he's on, because he's got it. if april and casey are tidying up her shop for a new shipment of merchandise and leo just randomly appears in the window, feathered duster in hand, april smiles and puts on water for tea and casey teases him and throws him a broom instead without blinking. because that's just how leo is.

the thing is, leo is one of those people who have such a strong presence that -- as long as he's not trying to hide it, of course -- you know he's there because he carries such an atmosphere with him. on the other hand, leonardo is the type of person who is genuinely content to just be in the background. which may sound totally at odds with the whole leader schtick, but i think it's just kind of this duality he has: he can be both at the forefront and in the background, depending on the situation and what is needed from him. does this mean he doesn't have his own hobbies or interests? of course not! but even canonically, throughout the series leo is shown to be just as happy with his hands off the reins so long as there's not a mission in front of him. and i think it's precisely this lack of that constant need for control that shows just how whole and rich leo's inner life is, how he feels full and complete without his leadership/big brother role completely defining him, and how season 4 rips that carpet from under his feet to show the unhealthy side of that particular coin.

so as much as a cop-out answer it may sound like -- i think that leo just enjoys doing things with his brothers. he likes rooftop runs with them. he likes pizza and cards with them. he likes movies, sports, and games with them. but he's also his own person, and he enjoys being in his head, and he has hobbies that help him make his head a healthy place to be; his family absolutely respects that quality, and leonardo is a much more well adjusted person for it.

er.... i didn't really get into quirks or bad habits, but this has run really long already and it's getting late, lmao. so i think i will stop here for now. =w= thank you for letting me ramble again about my blue boy, anon; i know i'm slow, but hopefully i rambled enough to make up for it!

[irishseeeker]

a/n: this is a canon fic I wrote when I should be studying, as per. hope you enjoy!

Summary:  Five times Kate takes care of a reluctant Anthony & one time he lets her.

one.

It was strange for Kate to wake up before Anthony. Anthony was usually awake a good half hour before Kate was every morning, usually dressed before she opened her eyes. He always waited for her to eat breakfast, but this morning he was oddly quiet.

“Good morning,” She whispered, rolling over in his arms, her nose brushing his. She leaned in to kiss him after she heard him make a small noise, her eyes still half closed. They could have a bit of fun before they really had to get up for the day.

He sneezed in her face.

Kate screamed, jumping slightly back from her husband as she wiped her face with their bedsheet. That certainly was a mood killer.

“I’m sorry Kate,” Anthony murmured, groaning slightly as he attempted to sit up.

Kate turned to look at her husband properly and her mouth opened slightly as she properly took him in. He did not look like Anthony at all. “Oh Anthony,” said Kate, putting her weight on her two arms on either side of him as she sat carefully on top of him to inspect him closer. “You look terrible.”

“Charming, my dear wife,” replied Anthony, not looking impressed at her comment whatsoever. It was true, though. He had little colour in his face, dark bags were under his eyes and his nose looked painfully red. He was sniffling with every breath.

“You have a fever,” Kate lay her hand on his forehead, which was scorching under her palm. “Your nose is red, and you look pale. You are ill, and you need to rest.”

“I do not have time to rest," Anthony insisted, shaking his head in protest. His schedule was full for the day, with endless tasks to do and people to visit. "I am fine, Kate.”

“May I remind you it is a sin to lie, dear husband?” Kate raised an eyebrow at him. “Especially to one’s wife, who can see right through her husband’s rather pathetic attempts at lying.”

He scoffed, and it turned into a slight whimper as strikes of pain ran through his throat. His head felt rather heavy.

“I am fine,” He said rather sharply, his jaw clenched as he attempted to stand up.

“You are the most stubborn man in London!” Kate exclaimed, her hands on her hips as she pushed him back down. “Get in the bed, now.”

Anthony glared at her, and although he would never admit it, he would not defy his wife when she was cross with him. “I’m not a child, Kate,” He said, mimicking her stern tone.

“I vowed to be by your side in sickness and in health. It is a wife’s duty to take care of her husband,” Kate reminded him, laying a cool tea cloth on his burning forehead. “I’m calling for the doctor.”

Anthony continued to object. “Kate, there is no need-”

“Anthony,” Kate said sternly, but her expression was the opposite to her tone-she looked concerned, and her soft hand cupped his cheek. “Please. For me?”

“Fine,” He grumbled, feeling his eyes close as Kate slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “But I am not sick.”

He then proceeded to sneeze and nearly cough a lung up. Kate just stared at him with her eyebrow raised slightly. “Of course you are not.”

Anthony’s cough and cold had lasted about a week and he was not the ideal patient. The doctor was not impressed with his reluctance to be examined and smart remarks. Anthony continuously moaned and complained, protested when Kate forced him to take the medicine the doctor had prescribed.

She threatened to play the flute for him while he was confined to his bed if he did not take the medicine and it was quite the convincing tactic, he never objected to his medicine again. Well, he moaned, but he still took it.

She didn’t leave his side all week, cancelling any of her planned activities or meetings with friends.

“I had cook prepare your favourite,” said Kate, placing the tray carefully on her side of the bed as she sat beside him, the bowl of vegetable soup in her hand. “Open up.”

Anthony grumbled. “Kate, I am not a child.”

“Open,” She interrupted him, holding the spoon in front of his mouth. “You need to eat. I can sit here all day until this bowl is empty.”

He reluctantly opened his mouth and she fed him the rest of the soup. She even pretended to feed him and pulled back the spoon at the last second, as if she was playing a game with a child, which he did not find funny whatsoever. Kate, however, cried tears of laughter.

Anthony had never been a great sleeper and it had always made Kate worry. He was usually awake when she woke up and sometimes looked like he had not slept at all some nights. She knew he had been like this for a very long time, anxiety keeping him awake and it had improved somewhat since they married but it was not a problem fixed overnight.

However, he had slept most of the week, confined to bed, and it hurt her how unwell and exhausted he must be for him to sleep so easily. However, she loved to watch him sleep. She was quite content to watch him for hours, her fingers slowly rubbing his back or combing through his hair to relax him.

“Are you staring at me?” He murmured, his voice startling her slightly as she looked down at his face, which was peering up at her as he rested on her chest.

“Of course,” She replied, twirling one of his chestnut locks around her finger. “I could stare at you forever.”

He met her halfway for a kiss, smiling softly against her lips as he pushed himself up slightly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. “I am incredibly handsome.”

She snorted, pulling the sheet over them. “Do you feel better?” She asked, tilting her head up slightly to look at him. She loved lying like this, practically on top of him.

“Very much so,” He murmured, leaning down to kiss her again, twisting her in his arms so she was now straddling him. “So much so, I am feeling very energetic.”

“Oh?” She pushed her hips down towards his, and she felt giddy that she could feel how excited he was. It had been a long week. “Do you have any ideas of what we could do?”

“Oh Mrs. Bridgerton,” He replied, gleeful and grinning, certainly feeling his usual himself again as he unbuttoned her dress. “I have an idea or two.”

His idea did not involve talking, the first, second or the third time, but it did involve a lot of fun.

two.

Kate was half-asleep in bed. Her evening had been oddly quiet, as Anthony had gone to the club with his brothers for the night. He had been reluctant to go but Kate had insisted he should, his time at the club with his brothers had been very limited over the last few months. She proposed he could spend the evening listening to her practice the flute instead and he quickly went on his way, winking at her as she scowled. She heard a crash and some loud footsteps and she presumed Anthony was home.

She sat up in bed, frowning slightly as she listened to further unusual noises approaching their bedroom. The candles were still lit as Kate had not wanted Anthony to arrive back in darkness.

The man in question opened their door. Kate took one look at him, an amused smile breaking out on her face. She had not seen Anthony drunk many times but each time was as glorious as the next. “You’re drunk, Lord Bridgerton.” Anthony stumbled further into the room, grinning boyishly at her as he attempted to take off his cravat.

“You are the most beautiful woman in the world Kate,” He said, his voice slurring slightly but still giddy. “I know that for a fact as I can see two of you.”

Kate laughed, a girlish laugh that made everything inside him light up. “Come here,” She climbed out of bed, guiding his stumbling figure to the edge of the bed where he lay back with a plop, laughing. She did not get to see this side of him often, this gleeful, boyish side of him. “Let us get these off, shall we?” Kate said, kneeling down to pull her husband's black boots off his feet, struggling slightly until they popped off and she nearly fell back.

“Are you trying to seduce me, dear wife?” Anthony’s voice slightly slurred as he spoke, and the smirk on his face was cheeky and made Kate blush. He never failed to make Kate blush.

“Am I not always, my lord?” She pulled him up, which was a slight struggle as he was heavy, but he made it easier when he sat up. She pulled off his crumbled cravat, and began to unbutton his shirt. “I like it when you call me my lord,” He mumbled, pushing his chin up as he looked at her. “It does something to me.”

“You always used to insist I call you Anthony, once we were sort of acquaintances,” She reminded him, pushing his shirt off his shoulders.

“That’s because the people I love call me Anthony and I was a fool in love, I just did not know it yet,” He leaned forward to kiss her and she giggled against his lips, tasting the bourbon and she slowly pulled away. “I do not oppose an occasional my lord every once in a while.” “Well, my lord,” She pushed at his chest slightly, prompting him to move back towards the headboard and lie down. “I shall keep that in mind.” “Mmm,” He murmured, his eyelids already closing as he fell into a deep sleep. Kate fixed his pillows just as he liked them, pulling the sheets up to the top of his chest.

“I love you,” She whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she began to hear light snores, and she rolled her eyes as she got off the bed. She poured him a glass of water, leaving it on his side of the bed. He would need it in the morning.

The following afternoon, Anthony Bridgerton was in pain. When he was fully awake, all he could do was groan.

“Good morning,” Kate practically sung at her husband, who groaned in response. She had been awake for hours, as it was nearly the afternoon, but she had spent the morning reading her book waiting for her husband to wake up. She would not miss this moment.

“Please shut the curtains,” He managed to grunt. “And leave me to wither away.”

“So dramatic,” Kate said, rolling her eyes as she looked up from her book to smile at him. "How are you feeling?

“Like death. What time is it?” Anthony murmured, lifting his head off his pillow and feeling the world shift slightly. He felt ill. Extremely ill.

Kate took a moment before she replied. “It’s the afternoon.”

“Oh fuck,” Anthony tried not to swear in front of his wife, it was highly improper, but he really was fucked. He had appointments all morning and afternoon that he already missed and would be late for.

“I have cancelled all your appointments, all easily rescheduled,” Kate spoke over him so he would not interrupt. “What you need to do is to relax and eat something when you think you are up for it. Do not argue with me, Anthony.” He was prepared to argue with his wife, but he did not have the energy and his pounding head could not muster the effort.

“Was I a nuisance?” He asked instead, opening his arms towards Kate, who abandoned her book quite quickly to fall into them.

“You are never a nuisance,” Kate replied, pressing a kiss under his chin. “You were highly amusing.”

“I was?”

“You were. You were extremely logical,” He could hear the teasing edge in her tone. “You mentioned how I am smarter than you. How I am the greatest wife. How you should always listen to me-”

Anthony snorted. “I must have been drunker than I thought.”

She whacked him with a pillow, and he gasped before tackling her on their bed, until she stopped fighting. “I love you,” He said into her hair, after they had called a ceasefire, before pulling back to kiss her softly.

“I love you too,” She murmured against his lips, “But you smell like a brewery darling. I rang for the maids to run you a bath, it will make you feel much better. Come on.”

“Lie against me,” She instructed him as they both climbed into the bath. She picked up the cloth and slowly rubbed it over his skin. The bubbles fizzed against his chest before dissolving in the water, wiping any dirt away. He lay against her chest, defeated as his dehydrated muscles ached in the warm better.

“I am not the young man I once was,” He grumbled, sighing with content as Kate’s fingers lightly massaged his hair, the strands twisting around her fingers. “I will never drink again.” Kate snorted loudly against his back which made him reach back to tickle her until she squealed.

“Did you have fun?” Anthony nodded, smiling to himself as he thought back to the night before with his brothers and Simon. It was an incredible night, one of the fondest he had had in ages. He had not laughed or drank that much in a while. “I did.” “Good,” Kate replied, playing with his fingers and threading them through her own.

“I love when you have fun. You need to have more of it. You deserve it.”

He turned his head around so their faces were a few inches apart, and he rested his forehead against hers. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“I shall never tire of hearing it,” She whispered against his lips, dropping the cloth as he moved backwards in the bath and pulled her onto his lap.

“I love you,” His hands squeezed her bum, which made her hips move against his. “I love you,” He whispered against her earlobe, his teeth nibbling it.

“I love you,” His lips trailed kisses down towards her breasts, taking them in his hands and slowly massaging them, before he replaced his hands with his tongue.

“I love you so much,” She murmured back, her voice wavering slightly as his teeth caught her nipple. “But I must insist we move to the bed, now.”

Without another word, he carefully stood up and took her hands, delicately stepping out of the bath. He picked her up and deposited her on the bed, both of them laughing, and there wasn’t another word spoken for a while.

“Feeling better?” She teased as they lay on the bed panting a while later, their chests rising and falling as they caught their breath.

“Much better,” He murmured against her neck, pressing a soft kiss under her ear as his hand traced patterns on her stomach. “You are the perfect antidote, Mrs. Bridgerton.”

three.

“Are you coming to bed?” He smiled softly as he looked at his wife in the doorway to his office, dressed in her nightgown. It was tighter than usual, her bump had grown significantly in the last six months. Kate complained regularly that she was massive, but Anthony absolutely adored it. He adored her.

She stepped inside and close the door behind her, and he could sense an argument coming. “Let me help.”

He was right.

“Kate, you need your rest,” He replied, shaking his head. “You are carrying our child-“

She crossed her arms across her chest, which now rested on her bump, as she strode towards him. “Anthony-”

“No. It is not a wife’s job to do her husband’s duties-”

“Oh, do you ever stop talking?” Kate hushed him, walking towards him and dragging one of the chair’s in front of his desk to beside him. “You have been cooped up in here all week working extremely hard. You have hardly slept. Besides, I struggle to sleep without you and I keep getting kicked awake by your child.”

He could not help but smile at her, feeling the stress fade away slightly at her mere presence as he leaned toward her in amusement. “My child?”

“It’s your child when it is keeping me awake and treating me as if I am a ball to be kicked,” She grumbled, blinking up at him before moving onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands instinctively wrapped around her, one hand cradling her bump.

“Please let me help?” She murmured, her fingertip traced the edge of his jaw as she brought her lips softly to his. “Please?”

“Kate,” He murmured, feeling his willpower fade as her lips moved towards his neck. “Please?” She whispered, feeling daring enough to leave a small red mark on his neck that would show in the morning.

“Fine,” He succumbed, rolling his eyes in irritation as the minx climbed off his lap and sat on her chair, looking very satisfied with herself. “Take this list of names of tenants, and those balances, and write beside them if they have been paid or are outstanding,” He explained, pointing towards the list of tenants and the relevant documentation. It was one of the simpler tasks that took a tedious amount of time, and one she would be able to do.

“Make sure it’s legible,” Anthony reminded her, smirking at her slightly. Her penmanship was something to be desired.

“I am going to pretend I did not hear that,” She looked at him from the corner of her eye, her mouth flat, but it quickly turned into a smile that matched his. He opened his mouth to retort and she put her hand up, a serious expression on her face.

“Please do not disturb me. I am trying to work.” God, he loved this woman.

They worked in a comfortable silence for a few hours, both of them scribbling away through the mountains of paper and his ledgers. Eventually, once it struck midnight, Anthony insisted they finish for the night. He felt a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a considerable amount of work had been completed. He carried her upstairs, which Kate insisted was ridiculous but laughed the entire way until he lay her on the bed once they reached their bedchamber. Once they were in bed, Kate lay against his chest as his arms wrapped around her, resting on her bump.

“Kate?”

“Mm?” Kate responded, her eyes half closed as she began to doze off into a comfortable sleep.

“Thank you.”

She wiggled slightly until she faced him, her protruding stomach was beginning to make simple movements quite difficult. She turned her head to look at him, sleep forgotten as her fingers reaching to brush his hair out of his eyes. “Of course. It is a wife’s duty to take care of her husband. Even if one’s husband is too stubborn to ask for help occasionally.”

“And I believe it is a husband’s duty to take care of his wife?” He murmured, his lips making their way down her jawline.

“I believe so,” She whispered, closing her eyes as his hands began to push up her nightdress. “A happy wife is a happy life.”

“I could not agree more, Mrs. Bridgerton,” He replied, before he stopped talking and focused on the more important task at hand between her legs.

four.

“What is wrong?” Kate stared at her husband as he undressed for the night on his side of the bed. He had been unusually quiet all evening since he had returned home from his mother’s house. Anthony did not meet Kate’s eyes as he spoke, which was his giveaway. He could never look her in the eyes when he was upset or something was amiss. “Why would something be wrong?” Kate frowned at her husband, moving towards him to take his hand in hers. “We have been married how long? I know every single look and expression on your face. Talk to me.”

“Mother and I had an argument about Hyacinth’s debut to society,” He said, breaking his facade quite quickly as he let out a deep sigh. “Hyacinth got involved and it was not pleasant.”

Kate did not interrupt as he continued to speak, she just squeezed his hand.

“I think she should wait another year before she enters society, she does not. I proposed eighteen was an appropriate age to enter society, they both disagreed. Mother said I was acting foolish and it escalated from there, ending with Hyacinth declaring she despised me.” Kate bit her lip, shaking her head as she took his hand in hers. “She did not mean that. She was cross and she did not think about what she was saying. She adores you.” “I know,” He murmured, the words still echoing in his head and stinging. “I do not understand the rush. She is still a child.”

“I know darling,” She whispered softly, pushing herself up against the headboard so she could wrap her arms around his head and lay it against her chest. “I think she will always be a child in your eyes. But she has grown up now and she is ready.”

“I’m not,” His fingers played with Kates, his voice slightly hoarse as he stared at nothing.

It broke Kate’s heart, truthfully. Kate felt quite helpless, until an idea popped into her head. “I know what will make you feel better.”

Mary, their youngest of barely two months, slept in a crib at the end of their bed. She had been a surprise, a major surprise, since it had been seven years since Charlotte had been born. Kate knew there was a reason she had become pregnant again and she knew it was something to do with the loss of her own mother, Mary, just over a year ago. No one could ever replace Mary, Kate’s Mary, but a new baby had helped fill that gaping loss in Kate’s life when she had to say goodbye to her mother. When Anthony had whispered Mary into Kate’s ear, minutes after baby Mary was born, Kate had sobbed for a while. She may not know her grandmother but Kate would make sure she knew all about her, and so would Anthony, and that was all that mattered.

They had a nurse, but Anthony had been insistent that all four of their children slept in their room at night while they were infants. Particularly Mary, who had been born early and small. The birth had not been pleasant, and it would definitely be their last. Anthony had only relaxed in the last month or so, not spending most of the night checking Mary was breathing every ten minutes. Kate crawled to the end of the bed and reached into the crib, carefully picking up their sleeping baby. She had barely any hair, but the wisps were a chestnut colour just like Anthony. She had Kate’s nose and Anthony’s smile, which she had begun to show them only last week when Anthony had tickled her while they were laying outside on a blanket with the children on a sunny day.

When Kate looked at her baby, her gorgeous little baby, all she saw was her own mother, Mary. It didn’t make sense, but it just did and was such a comfort to Kate.

It was a risk to wake a sleeping baby, as it could turn into a screaming baby, but Mary seemed to sleep through anything. If it made Anthony feel better, it was worth the risk.

Mary was a very relaxed baby, rarely fussy or upset. She was an angel compared to their previous three, particularly Charlotte, who had kept the whole of Bridgerton house awake for a year.

“There we go,” Kate said softly, carefully laying Mary on his chest. “The perfect remedy.”

Anthony immediately shifted slightly, wrapping his arms carefully around Mary and ensuring she was comfortable on his chest. Mary had refused to sleep anywhere but against her mother or her father’s chest the first month of her life and it was a habit they had only managed to break recently. He leaned down carefully, inhaling that sweet baby smell, probably the purest smell in the world and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

“Charlotte will probably be in here later tonight, begging to come in,” Kate murmured, referring to their youngest’s antics of sneaking past her nurse and conning her way into her parents bed. They had little willpower to refuse her. “I wonder what the reason will be tonight, a monster or a ghost?”

Anthony chuckled, shifting his arms around his youngest and resting his cheek against her small head. “She has quite the flair for the dramatics.” “I wonder where she got that from?” Kate teased, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I do hope you are not insinuating I am dramatic, Kate. I am a perfectly rational man,” He said, turning to smirk at her, a little light sparkling in his eyes. She could see he was feeling a bit better. “It is simply everyone else who is irrational.”

“Most definitely,” Kate said, mockingly nodding in agreement as they grinned at each other. “It is a good thing I find delusion quite charming.”

Anthony, the Viscount of Bridgerton, stuck his tongue out at her.

“I do wish they would stop growing,” Anthony murmured, his fingertips lightly moving up and down Mary’s back. It was one of Kate’s favourite things, watching Anthony with their children. He was so loving, so caring and he adored them with every part of him. He made it so easy to fall in love with him everyday. “Me too,” She murmured in agreement, watching her daughter’s back rise up and down softly as she slept. “Maybe Mary will grace us with our wish. She could stay this small and adorable forever.”

“Possibly,” replied Anthony, his voice nearly a whisper as he carefully shifted himself upwards, Mary curled against his chest. “I have an alternative proposal.”

“Enlighten me,” Kate said, raising an eyebrow at her husband as she carefully held Mary’s small hand between her thumb and index finger.

“They simply shall never get married and we shall stay in Bridgerton house together forever,” Anthony tilted his head slightly, giving Kate a stern look as she was already laughing at him. “I cannot fathom anyone worthy of our children.”

“I presume that is how most people feel about their children and ours are especially wonderful,” She replied, not wanting to tease him too much as Anthony was feeling fragile. “It is a lovely thought and as much as I wish we could keep them this small and ours forever, life must go on. There is no point worrying about the future, we must enjoy the present.”

“I shall need to be sedated for Charlotte’s debut,” Anthony murmured, knowing his wife was right. Of course she was right, Kate was always right. It was quite the nuisance. He did not know what he had done to deserve to have a family as perfect as his, but he needed to enjoy it and let his family enjoy it. Including his sister who was a few miles away quite furious with him.

“We shall all need a drink during Charlotte’s debut,” Kate said, laughing softly at her husband as she kissed the worried lines on his forehead. It was considered improper for women to drink but they would all let that rule slide. “I love her to death, but that child is something else. Quite like her aunt, don’t you think?”

Kate didn’t wait for Anthony’s response. “Hyacinth is a force to be reckoned with. The men of society will not know what is coming,” Kate was trying to make light of the situation to make him feel better, but she knew how difficult it was for him. “She will be controlling them all in a matter of hours. I know it is hard for you, but I promise it will be alright. We still have a long time to go with these four.”

“I know you are right,” He murmured, gulping slightly as he seemed to hold Mary tighter. “It is a frightening thought, her not needing me anymore. Ever since father’s death, they have all needed me. However, in recent times she was the only one I had left. She is Hyacinth. I cannot explain it but she has always been different. She has always needed me and now she is gone.”

“Darling,” She said softly, putting her finger under his chin to tilt it towards her. “Do we not have a Bridgerton here everyday to see you? To see us? There will not be a day that goes by that does not involve one of your siblings, or me, or the children needing you.” “Everyone needs you darling, you are the heart of this very family,” She leaned forward to brush her lips against his.

“What also is important is what you need. That is everyone’s priority as well. It is my number one priority. If you need time to process this and feel sad, that is perfectly okay. Also, everyone does not always need something from you Anthony. They just want you,” Her thumb was making small circles against his cheek as she leaned forward, inches between their lips. “We all adore you. You need to be cared for too and to let people take care of you.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Anthony said against her lips, kissing her as passionately as he could with a baby asleep on his chest.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” She replied as they broke apart, and she pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before resting her nose against his. “We belong together, Lord Bridgerton.”

He smiled at her as she snuggled into his side, her hand covering his on their daughter’s back as they watched their youngest sleep. Whatever would come, he would always have Kate beside him. “Forever and Always.”

five.

The thick stubble had grown on Anthony’s cheek over the past two weeks since he had injured his hand while fencing. An accident had led to a deep cut across the palm of his hand. It was a painful and inconvenient injury and Anthony Bridgerton did not like to be inconvenienced. As for the stubble, Kate found it quite attractive but Anthony, who preferred a clean shave, had begun to find it rather itchy and irritating.

“Kate?” She heard Anthony’s voice call from the bathroom.

“Mm?” Kate was lying on their bed, distracted by the latest Jane Austen novel. It was the talk of London society at the moment and Kate couldn’t put it down. She was ready before her husband for a change for Daphne and Simon’s ball tonight, a rare occasion but always an entertaining one. The children were already in bed so Kate could enjoy her book as Anthony shaved before they departed.

“Would you shave me?”

That was enough to make Kate put her book down. She was not sure if she had heard correctly. Anthony rarely asked directly for help, Kate normally intervened or just knew what to do when it came to her husband, but this time he was willingly asking for it.

“I’ll be right there, sweetheart.” Kate had begged Anthony to let her shave him on a few occasions, out of curiosity and amusement, but he had never given in. She had married the most wonderful man in the world but definitely the most stubborn. A man who would view asking someone for help, including his wife, as the last resort. Anthony was a problem solver, including his own.

She called for a bowl of hot water, soap and some towels and one of the maids brought the supplies within a few minutes.

She walked into their bathroom to find a disgruntled Anthony sitting on the edge of the bath, the razor blade and a towel lying abandoned in the sink. Kate put her finger in the bowl of water he had summoned a while ago, and it was cold. He must have been failing at shaving for a while and she had been too busy with her book to notice.

“Come sit on the bed,” She extended her hand toward his uninjured one, pressing a kiss to it before he threaded his fingers through her own. She could not resist the smile on her face as he obediently sat on the edge of their bed. She put the towel around his neckline to avoid getting his shirt wet, and lightly brushed the water and soap onto his face.

“Do you know what you are doing?” asked Anthony, looking amused as he placed his hands on the back of her thighs. She was standing in between his legs, probably not the smartest idea considering it usually led to certain activities and would distract them from the task at hand.

“Of course. Stay very still,” She said slowly, taking his chin in her hand as she pushed his head slightly so his left cheek was facing her. She wet his cheek again with soap and water, then slowly dragged the blade down his cheek.

“It is amusing to me how much you are enjoying this,” He murmured, a small smirk playing on his lips as she tapped the blade against the edge of the bowl. She felt his fingers lightly tap against the back of her thigh and she gulped.

“Anthony,” She said sternly, removing her hand from his face to lightly tap his wandering hands on her thighs. “Stop distracting me.”

Anthony lightly chuckled, but she could see that look in her eye. She knew that look and she loved that look. It had led to four children and a lot of fun. “You do have a blade against my cheek, dearest. My life is more at risk than yours.”

Kate, the Viscountess of Bridgerton, stuck her tongue out at him.

She removed the blade from his cheek to clean it in the water and as she turned around, he kissed her. She giggled and protested against his lips but as his tongue slipped into her mouth, she lost any control she had. Her face was now covered in soap and was partially wet.

“Anthony,” She whined as they eventually broke apart, but her tone had nothing but adoration in it as she pretended to scowl at him. “I was ready for the ball.”

“You will always be the most beautiful woman in any room,” He replied, smiling innocently at her as he reached up and wiped the remnants of soap off her face. “You ask too much of me if I am meant to sit here and not kiss you. I am only a man, Kate.”

She kissed him again briefly, just because. “You are too smart for your own good. Now, I am nearly done. Hush and let me finish.” She chose to straddle him this time, both her knees on either side of him. What was she to do, not torture her husband when she had the perfect opportunity? His hands were back on her thighs as she straddled him, concentrating carefully on the task at hand. She could count the faint freckles splattered across his nose and cheeks, the ones she had counted a million times and she loved how they darkened in the summer.

“There we go,” She said softly after a few minutes, wiping his clear cheeks with a cloth. There was not a cut or blood in sight. “Perfect.”

He carefully took the blade out of her hand, putting it down on the chair at the foot of the bed before flipping her around so she was underneath him. He leaned towards her, stopping when there was a few inches between them before he spoke. “Thank you.”

“Of course. I love taking care of you,” She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him towards her, their lips brushing a few times. “Are you not going to inspect my work?”

“There is no need,” He murmured against her lips, his hands working on the buttons of her dress and there was nothing in Kate that could make her stop him, even if they would be late to Daphne’s ball. “I trust you.”

Kate had been his wife for many years, she knew this man inside out, including his demons. Moments like this were precious when Anthony willingly let her help him and take care of him, as he always felt like he was the person who should be doing that. Her incredible husband rarely thought of himself and it broke her heart that he did not think a lot of himself at all. She vowed she would spend every day reminding him how incredible he was.

“You are so very handsome,” She murmured, placing her hands carefully on his cheeks as they both gazed at each other. His words made her flutter inside, her stomach feeling warm and ticklish, a feeling Anthony was the sole cause of, no matter how many years later. “An absolutely wonderful man. I do not think I tell you how much I love you enough. I absolutely adore you.”

“You only do it several times a day,” He teased her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. “You do tell me enough, although I will never tire of hearing it. I love you so much. I do not think words do my love for you justice, but I love you.”

“You know,” Her lips began to trail kisses across his jaw, as her hands moved down towards his breeches. “I think Daphne will forgive us if we are slightly late.”

Anthony pulled back to grin at her, a delighted expression on his face. “She will forgive us for being half an hour late. It could be considered fashionable.”

Kate smirked back at him, feeling him pulling down her dress. “I was thinking an hour.”

“Oh Mrs. Bridgerton,” Anthony pulled Kate’s dress off completely and she squealed, losing her ability to speak as his lips began to trail their way down her stomach. “I could not agree more.”