#i want him to take me to his homeland and give me a tour of all the places he used to go as a child

[the-casbah-way]

why is owen wilson so hot why am i thirsting over a blonde man

[patroxlos]

home base . ch2

"friends who reconnected and who certainly don't want to be more" - 2.8k words

ultraman: rising (2024). kenji sato x reader

master post. ao3 link.

previous: ch1. "friends who have dinner once a week"

next: ch3. "friends who believe in mpreg"

A few months before the first chapter, you pick your best friend up from the airport.

You would've expected nothing less than banter and unresolved tension.

---

A few months ago.

Ken Sato knows he would get mobbed at the airport, but he is pleasantly surprised at the crowd that had formed just to see him arrive back at the homeland. Didn’t hurt the ego to see how the entire room seemed to literally light up as he stepped into view.

Sure, this isn’t the most ideal career move. But he did not have much of a choice, so he is going to try to make the most out of it.

He flashes well-timed smirks towards his adoring fans as he walks, adjusting his shades coolly as he is bombarded with a flash of lights. Oh yeah, no matter where he goes, he still got it. He is it.

His mood instantly dampens however when instead of a black luxury van, a beaten up jeep was waiting for him at the end of his airport runway. The windows are tinted, but he knows exactly who it was. As one of the men nearby open the doors of the jeep for him, he begrudgingly climbs in.

“Ugh, dad, I told you I didn’t want you picking me up from the airport,” Ken scowls. He does not spare a glance to the driver’s seat as he begins stretching out his legs. “I’m not going to whatever family lunch plans you made. Just drop me off.”

“Want to try speaking to me like that again?” A voice, that is decidedly not his father, says. You look back from the driver’s seat, a disgusted look on your face. “You talk to your dad like that?”

He feels his breath leave his body.

You look the same as he remembers you.

He bolts up from the back, nearly lunging forward. “I– I didn’t know—”

“No worries sir. I am just your humble driver,” you mock as you begin to set the jeep to drive.

“Wait! Wait.” He presses a hand over yours that held the stick shift, before exiting the jeep quickly and switching to the passenger seat at the front. The crowd screams once more when they see him emerge from the car.

As soon as he sits in front, he reaches over the console to give you a hug. “Hey! It’s been a while.”

You click your tongue, before returning the hug. “That’s more like it. And watch how you speak to Professor Sato. He’s getting pretty old these days.”

He winces. “I will,” he half-heartedly promises, fully knowing he won’t. “I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you were still studying at some fancy grad school in Europe.”

You laugh. “I graduated. Say hello to the upcoming CEO of Motsubishi. Wear your seatbelt.” You drive out of the airport, and he notices two black cars follow them closely behind. Your security detail.

“Oh bro no way! You got the gig.” He gives a light slap to your shoulder in excitement.

“I’m getting the gig. I can still fuck up before my dad retires.”

He grins widely, getting a good look at you. “You’re some bigshot now.”

“Compared to you?”

“Especially compared to me. I hit balls with a stick.”

“You normally don’t downplay your stunning career running the longest tour of the Ken Sato Show. I should take that as a compliment.” You take one hand off the wheel to nudge him back. “But seriously. Nice to see you again. You look…good.”

“You too— like, you look great,” he grins. “It’s just been so long. When was the last time we’ve seen each other? Two years?”

“Three,” you corrected him. “When I went to see you play at Dodger Stadium against the Angels. I was with your mom—”

“Hm, I think you’re remembering it wrong.” He chuckles. “I don’t think you came to see me play.”

Your cheeks burn as you drive a little faster. “I thought you forgot about that.”

“No no, I think I would remember when my best friend cheers for another guy at the opposite team instead of me.”

“He’s not just some other guy,” you retort. “He’s Shohei Ohtani.”

“You know he’s a Dodger now,” he points out.

“Yeah…” You bite your lip, trying to suppress a giggle. He didn’t like that. 

He sulks into his seat, arms crossed. “And, he’s only the second-best to me.”

“And are you a two-way player like him?”

“Why? So I can be mediocre at both pitching and batting? No thank you sweetheart.”

He remembers they had the same conversation before, but instead of inside a musty jeep it was someplace much darker and crowded. He had leaned close to her ear, his hand hovering over her waist. They were fighting to have a conversation over the music, and he was desperate to prove he was a much better player than the entire team he just lost to. Oh yeah, he remembers the last time he saw you pretty clearly, three years ago.

He also remembers the mess that happened after, and the promise they made to never talk about it again.

He realizes that they tended to fight a lot whenever they met up, yet it does not dampen their closeness. To him, you are still the spoiled yet easygoing rich kid that hangs around whenever his dad has meetings with your parents. To you, he is still the little crybaby who likes playing Ultraman in the kindergarten playroom.

He denies it to this day, but you know for a fact that he bawled when you said goodbye before him and his mom left for good.

“I missed you,” you aren’t looking at him when you said this, but he feels the affection all the same. “Zoom isn’t the same as seeing you in person.”

“Is that why you’re picking me up? I figured it’s so that your dad knows his favorite endorser is in good hands.” He leans back into the soft leather cockily, raising his arms to position them behind his head. Ken feels like he’s practically part of the family at this point— he owes a lot of his career success to the ardent sponsorship of your parents. It’s kind of hard not to stick out as a player in the little leagues when you endorse one of the biggest technology and automaker companies in the world. He’s lucky that the kindness stretched on to his professional career.

“I figured you would’ve wanted to see a familiar face,” you say.

He did want that. Really badly. He struggles not to show it. “Aw, you miss me that much?” He teases, leaning forward to catch your eye.

He is not really prepared for the sincerity that met him when you reach over to pat his knee before returning focus back to your drive. “I know this move isn’t easy for you, Kenji…You sounded really beaten up over it the last time we called,” You sigh.

He looks out of the window, feigning some nonchalance when he asks “Yeah yeah, so when will you fly back out?”

“Hm?”

“You know, when you’re off on a yacht somewhere with your college buddies or doing some business at a convention for your dad.” He recounts your jetsetting habits. He has seen it all on your socials and some unsavory gossip articles he immediately scrolls away from.

‘Young heiress making the most out of life— and her parents’ bank account.’ Or so the tabloids say.

It doesn’t matter that you came to pick him up. You’ll be gone soon anyway, no reason for him to get too attached to having you around. It feels like fate will never allow you two to be in the same place at the right time, when he is too busy running bases and you were too busy leaving on jetplanes.

“Actually,” you sound unsure as to how to say it. “I’m…I didn’t tell you this last time we called because I wasn’t sure and I didn’t want to get your hopes up but— I guess I will be indefinitely staying here for now. Same as you.”

He whips his head to face you so fast he nearly got strangled by his seatbelt. “Oh.” He keeps his tone casual. “That’s great.”

“Yeah. Even with how big Tokyo is, it feels like we would practically be neighbors now,” your voice was even, but slightly strained— as if you also couldn’t believe that you both found your way back within driving distance.

The car ride is unbearably silent for him.

It is for you too, as you rush to fill the quiet. “We’ll be seeing each other a lot. I’m staying here for the time being because—”

He didn’t really process anything else you said after you mentioned that you will be seeing each other . A lot.

“...and I just want to make sure you’ll be alright adjusting back here.” You finish. “If you renew your contract it’ll be easier for me to see you—”

“I’ll get to see you?”

It strikes your heart, how soft his voice becomes, far removed from the arrogance he often carries. You approach the docks of Tokyo Bay. “...Yes? That’s what I said. So you better renew.”

“Renew what?” He could not focus.

“Your…contract with the company? You are still staying onboard with us, right?” You activate the private sea bridge that leads straight to his house. He is not sure how you got the authorization— maybe you talk to his dad more often than he realizes.

“Uhuh, yeah… So when can I see you again?” He is already planning to take to the streets of Tokyo with you. You can go on a food crawl at Harmonica Yokocho. The Tokyo Skytree seems tempting but he was not sure if you are still scared of heights. He can make fun of you either way. “Should we get annual passes to DisneySea?” He asks aloud. He could easy acquire them for the both of you, but you might have some secret corporate connections to see more exclusive attractions—

“Dude, I just told you.” You laugh as you drove through the sea bridge. “I might not be able to see you outside of work that much, so you should renew with us or else I won’t get to see you at all. I’m here in Japan because I’ll be busy training to take over the company.”

“Oh suddenly I’m not good enough to kick it with Ms. CEO?” He jokes but deflates slightly at your words. “It’s okay. I…I’m busy with my…own things too.”

“You sure are. You have a photoshoot tomorrow. I arranged for it. Make sure to clean up nicely. You’re representing my brand you know?”

He groans. “Ugh, come onnn… can’t you at least let me get over the jetlag? I heard there’s this great club in Shibuya that would definitely let us in.”

“You couldn’t be any less specific right now. Any club would take us in.”

“So we will hit them all up! Club crawl! A Ken Sato Homecoming Round.”

You pull up at his front door. “Hey, your agent told me you approved of the schedule last month. This conference is part of your contract.”

“Well that was before I knew you would be here!” He unbuckles his seat belt to fully face you. He is always such a drama queen.

And no matter the distance, he always will be your drama queen.

You placed the jeep on park, mulling over his insistence. “...After your shoot. I think I’ll be free. For a quick dinner,” you emphasize the word ‘quick.’

He grabs your shoulder and gives you a hefty shake. “Now that’s what I’m talking about! Where ya wanna go? I think DisneySea can be considered a quick squeeze—”

“Maybe someplace near the venue?” You laugh at his eagerness. “I don’t really wanna go anywhere too far from it in case another kaiju attack happens.”

He stills. You notice.

“Oh don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it seems,” you try to reassure him. “It’s just…Ultraman has disappeared for the past several months that it is kinda hard to anticipate when these attacks resolve themselves– what with how the KDF is.”

He knows. Fuck, he knows. “...Do you often worry about that?”

You think for a bit, before shrugging. “When I’m in the country I guess I do, but like everyone else here you just get used to it.”

He does not like the idea of you being used to it.

And maybe this is one of the rare instances where he is thankful for inheriting such a responsibility as Ultraman; the thought of being able to keep you safe gives him a renewed sense as to why he begrudgingly agreed to take on the mantle in the first place.

He…He remembers that he promised his dad he would start the gig no later by tomorrow, after he was barraged with dozens of video messages from his dad urging him to start training to host the Ultra.

“Kenji?” You furrow your eyebrows at his lack of response.

He came back to Japan to be Ultraman.

Millions of people depend on him.

“U-uh oh yea. Definitely. Tomorrow works.” He’ll just deal with his dad another day. Not like I even wanted this job.

The grin on your face made him feel like it was worth it, especially when you reach forward to clasp his hand in yours. “Welcome back Ken.”

His brain short-circuits. He puts his other hand over yours, his grip tighter than your own. “What can I say? Can’t disappoint my No.1 fan.”

The airconditioner ran as you both stayed like that for a little longer. It was only then that he realized they didn’t even put on any music the entire trip down there. He leans in a little closer, his side pressing against the center console.

“Thank you for picking me up.” He says, voice low.

“You’re welcome.” You squeeze his hand, your grin softening to a smile.

New lipstick, he notes as he studies the matt new shade of your lips. He wonders whether it tasted like the strawberry balm you used to wear when you were teenagers or maybe it is just waxy like the last time he saw you.

You let go of his hands, bringing them back to your lap and bringing him back to reality. “Hey, um. It’s not weird right? That we’re meeting up tomorrow night?”

“Huh? Why would it be weird?” He blinks.

“You know…three years ago. When we agreed that we would just like…Stick to being friends?” It is tricky for you to find the right words. “That it won’t work out because we’re just in different places and we shouldn’t…try?”

“It’s not like we were together in the first place,” he says before he could stop himself. He sees the hurt slightly flash in your eyes before you regained composure.

“Right…well…I hope this doesn’t change our agreement?” You fiddle with your fingers. “I know we said those things because we felt like we would never find ourselves close by to one another but now all of a sudden we find ourselves…here.”

You gesture to the both of you.

“I think it’s important for us to remember that…we’re still not really at a place to pursue anything and we are better off as…friends who meet up for dinner.”

He claps your shoulder, a little harder than intended, but with a need to convey a strong sense of camaraderie. “Yeah of course. Friends, we can so do that. Bro.”

“Yeah, okay. Yes. Sorry I had to bring it up because it felt a little awkward earlier in the trip.”

“I didn’t even notice!” Lie. “I totally didn’t think that it would cause any problems.” Double lie. “In fact, I think I’ve moved on. Got some bigger things on my plate.” Triple…No. That’s true. Yes he has. Maybe?

“Oh good,” you smile tightly at him. “So have I…I’m super over it. Bro.”

Oh. “You are?” His voice lilted a bit higher.

“...Yes I am.”

“Okay. Cool.” That’s totally fine with him. “Glad we’re on the same page, Ms. CEO.” You had bigger things to worry about, he had literal bigger things to worry about, it was no biggie. He definitely wasn’t going to lie awake in bed tonight.

Because it was definitely never going to work out between them.

It’s why months from that point, freshly off an argument with you at the yakisoba place the previous day, he nearly chokes on his katsu when Ms. Wakita asks him:

“So if you’re not going to talk about your father, do you have any comments about the gossip channels saying that you harboring a secret love child with the scion of the Motsubishi Group?”

[writeshite]

can u write a homelander x male reader, I'd prefer fluff but I dont really care. (Noone writes x male readers😭)

John wakes up to a second heartbeat. His soulmate’s guide is six years overdue, and the cuddliest, friendliest dog he’s ever met, a dark brownish-red golden retriever - John calls him Scout. Dr. Vogelbaum is surprised - firstly, that the universe gave John a soulmate, and secondly, that a dog managed to trot its way into a secure location with little effort - it takes three dead scientists before they realize Scout is here to stay. Vought hates Scout until he can make a profit. Some mediocre photographer snaps a photo of John carrying Scout after he’d run through the mud; it’s on the internet in under an hour and the highest trending photo in the United States by dinnertime.

‘Everything you need to know about Homelander’s soulmate.’

‘13 facts about golden retriever guides, and what that can tell you about Homelander’s soulmate.’

‘How to get guides to choose you.’

The internet dissolves into a mess overnight, and the subject of John’s soulmate is trending globally; the week before Valentine’s Day is his soulmate tour, thousands of people come along, and Scout becomes the face of the ideal guide. John feels so many things - proud when the world praises his guide, confused as Scout’s friendly demeanor makes it harder to find his soulmate, and downright murderous when a fan tries to drag Scout to her and get him to like her - Sitwell tries something similar to the latter, reaching out once to pet the dog, before getting her arm bitten. John laughs, his tone cold as Scout darts behind his legs. When the Seven is formed, the others are a mixed bag; John doesn’t care enough to pay them attention, and they do the opposite, openly gawking at Scout, eyes widening further when Scout outwardly prefers his company; they want to ask, but clam up when he glares at them, hesitant to touch the guide. 

“Can’t you take me to my soulmate, already?” he asks Scout one morning; the dog tilts his head, tongue hanging out, and John swears he nods his head in response. Scout grabs his glove, and darts off with it, dodging John as he attempts to grab him; John is just about ready to throw caution to the wind when Scout stops; John doesn’t, flying directly into a tree. He’s not knocked out, but it takes a moment for the ringing to stop; when his eyes open again, you’re standing over him.

“Oh my god, Homelander, sir, are you alright?” 

John never quite understood how people could just know their soulmate by sight, even with their guides, he just never understood how people were 100% certain, but now looking at you, it’s like his whole mind just screams ‘yes.’ You hold out your hand for him to take, helping him stand, even with the gloves; your touch just feels right; Scout is the happiest John has ever seen him, tail wagging fast, “Oh, hello again,” you say to him, scratching Scout just behind the ears, you turn to John with a fond teasing smile, and he knows he’s already gone. “So, I guess this means the cat’s all you?” The cat is an orange ragdoll that, according to you, has scratched, bitten, hissed, and attacked anyone who came too close to you for her liking; John’s proud to hear that you named her Mochi, and he’s less proud of that, “Mean cats need cute names,” you simply state.

“What, you’re gonna give me a cute name too, then,” he snickers.

“I don’t see why not,” you eye him for a second, pursing your lips as you think of a name, “Snookums.” His face scrunches in horror, and you laugh, “Ok, ok, that was bad. Honeybun? Pudding? Pumpkin?” You rotate through so many names, each one as sappy as the last one, John’s expressions fueling your laughter further - there’s the distinct sound of a camera shutter, but John ignores it - placing a hand over your mouth as you dissolve into giddy hysterics. “Alright, point taken,” you say, and John is acutely aware of how close he’s pulled you to him. “How about your name then? I can’t just call you Homelander forever.”

“John,” he says.

“John. Johnathan,” You try the words on your tongue, “Jonnie, Johnny Boy.” You shake your head, “Yeah, I’ll stick with John.” You smile, giving John your name, “Nice to meet you, John.”

[bananami]

haikyuu characters as taylor swift songs (the break ups)

a/n: time-skip canonically exists and that's what i'm clearly using

in honor of the eras tour starting up, here are some t swift songs that would encapsulate what a break up with certain haikyuu characters would look like; i only did a few because this shit took some tiiiime ok

i'm gonna hurt myself with this one.

masterlist

would've, could've, should've

"god rest my soul, i miss who i used to be" "give me back my girlhood, it was mine first" "and now that i'm grown i'm scared of ghosts, memories feel like weapons, and now that i know, i wish you'd left me wondering"

the effects of a break up with him lasts longer than you would like, following you for months after and even into the relationships you try to have afterwards. everything reminds you of him. if loving him meant you were left feeling like this, you would've rather never loved him at all. the break up with him literally breaks you.

-oikawa, atsumu, suna

midnight rain

"he wanted it comfortable, i wanted that pain" "i broke his heart 'cause he was nice, he was sunshine, i was midnight rain" "and he never thinks of me"

you're the problem. he was the nice guy that you should've chose, but you didn't. years of bad relationships had scarred you for the worse. the problem was that he was perfect, too perfect, and you were broken. better to run while you still had the chance, you convince yourself it was inevitable and he was just too nice to end things. you would ruin it for the both of you, he would find better.

-hinata, bokuto, suga

cardigan

"you drew stars around my scars, but not i'm bleeding" "i knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss, i knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs" "i knew i'd curse you for the longest time...i knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired" "i knew you'd come back to me"

it's a constant game of back and forth that you grew sick of. you were done being a second choice. there are a lot of regrets after the break up, but you get over it faster than he does. it takes longer for him to realize it, and by that time, you've moved on. he's texting you, begging you to take him back, blowing up your phone with voicemails, sending flowers to your work. eventually you block him. you still love him, but you choose yourself this time.

-osamu, ushijima, kageyama

exile

"i think i've seen this film before, and i didn't like the ending, you're not my homeland anymore, so what am i defending now" "i can see you staring honey, like he's just your understudy" "you never gave a warning sign (i gave so many signs)"

the fallout is slow, you've fought and broken up so many times recently that it's no surprise this last time. what is surprising is when he sees you with someone new, looking happier than you ever did with him. he thought it was like every other time, he thought you'd get back together. the confusion on his face is clear, the anger is quick. how could he have missed the resentment growing within you? he'd never stop trying to come back into your life. sometimes you'd let him back in. every time, you'd regret it.

-kenma, akaashi, kita

all too well

"you kept me like a secret, but i kept you like an oath" "maybe we got lost in translation, maybe i asked for too much, maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up" "you call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest"

it's perfect until it's not. the worst are the conversations toward the end of it all. he's hurting you, but he won't let you go, sacrificing your happiness for his comfort in a dead relationship. you cry loaded tears and he makes barren promises. the break up isn't even the end of it. you can't escape him, having to share your friends with one another and working so close to each other. you want so badly to be over him, but the wound rips open at every reminder of his constant presence in your life. he won't let you go completely, but he won't ever love you the way you deserve.

-kuroo, iwaizumi, sakusa

[bogus-dude-totally-rad]

Israel's Propaganda (From a Jewish perspective)

I grew up in a Jewish area on a whole other continent from Israel, and the IDF used to visit us. I remember them visiting my day camp when I was a very young child. They'd set up a cardboard Western Wall and we'd write wishes to stick in it. Afterwards, they would straight up have us do army training drills altered to be 'fun' for kids. They did this every year.

(Putting a read more because this is long)

I don't remember all the things they had us do, but I remember having to crawl through mud and rocks and being told not to touch the string above us. They played it off like a fun game, even though a lot of kids got hurt doing it.

They did this because they wanted us to one day join their army. They came to us year after year to get to our children and make them think the IDF is cool and hey they should totally join up when they're older.

Sometimes they brought us candy. Sometimes they gave out IDF t-shirts. When I was a child, having that shirt was seen as cool.

They don't just try to reach you as a kid, though. They have something else they do when we are entering adulthood.

It's called a Birthright trip, and when you're a Jewish kid, this trip is hyped up so much. You look forward to it for years.

A Birthright trip means that as a Jew, even if you're not Israeli by blood, you have the right to go to Israel for free one time (fucked how I got to go there for free, meanwhile some Palestinians can't even visit or live in their homeland).

This trip is pure propaganda. It's played off as a fun rite of passage, something meant to make us feel closer to our 'homeland' (even if you have 0 family members from there and have no connection to it beyond being Jewish).

We're escorted by IDF soldiers around our own age. We're given lots of group activities meant to make us all feel closer. As the trip went on, I noticed something weird. There were so many people in charge making jokes about how the real Birthright experience is hooking up with a soldier. It felt like it was being encouraged. And it worked really well. A lot of people (myself included) ended up in relationships with the soldiers.

By the end of the trip it got very obvious that they were hoping we would fall in love, move there, and have babies that would eventually join their army. They tried so hard to make us want to stay.

Most of us barely knew anything about Palestine. I think this is why they want teens/young adults. They hope we're naive (I definitely was) and that we'll fall for the narrative they painted.

I was lucky on my trip, because our tour guide did something he probably wasn't supposed to do. He told us a little about the conflicts of Israel, but not just from Israel's perspective. He told us some of the horrible things that went on. He even told us how some people pull up chairs to watch strikes against the Palestinian people. He said he wanted to give us information from both sides, so that we can form our own opinions, and he did so in a hushed tone away from the other trip supervisors. His words were what made me start to really open my eyes and examine what was going on.

By that point, pretty much everyone on our trip was agreeing this was all just propaganda. This trip meant to make us fall in love with Israel was making us realize how fucked up things were.

Near the end of the trip, we were brought to a military cemetery. A lot of us didn't want to go in, because it felt wrong to take a tour through a graveyard. We were told we can't leave until we did it.

And that's around the point where one of the soldiers broke down. He was crying and shaking and when we asked why, he said he was scared of ending up there. He didn't want to be in the IDF. He didn't want to be a soldier. He didn't believe in what they were fighting for, and the job he was given in the army was a very dangerous one. He didn't get a choice. We tried to comfort him, and some of the other soldiers did too. It was how I found out most of them didn't want to be soldiers at all.

Eventually we went in the cemetery, hoping if we just got it over with we could leave quicker. None of the soldiers were happy to be here. Making them go through there was straight up cruel, and the guy I mentioned was not the only one to have a breakdown.

Our tour guide (different person from our main one), had an attitude like he was giving a tour of something we should be proud of, or in awe of. All these graves, most of which were filled with people barely into their 20s. And he was treating it like a tour of a museum. He kept loudly talking about how it was an honour to die protecting Israel, how it's a harsh reality. A necessity. I felt so bad for the mourners nearby who had to hear someone speak like that about their dead loved ones. How many of the dead had been forced into the roles that got them killed?

After that the propaganda was very blatant. They had us watch videos meant to convince us to move there. Again, we weren't allowed to leave.

So yeah. That's what Birthright is about.

On top of everything I mentioned, we're told from a young age that as Jews, we're supposed to see Israel as our safe haven. Our holy land. We're taught to revere it.

Fortunately, we're also taught something else. Something that goes above all of that: Never again means never again. It doesn't matter who it happens to, we MUST stand up against genocide. We cannot stay quiet and watch it happen.

Anyway, this post is long enough. I wanted to share the kind of lengths Israel has gone to for the sake of propaganda. They bathe us in it from the very beginning of our lives. I'm hoping that by sharing these experiences, people who have been through the same might see what's really going on.

[impossiblycolorfulpanda]

Azulaang - dignity

ATLA AU where Azula captures the avatar and all of Ba Sing Se.

Aang was in a fire nation room almost similar to the one where he was captured by Zhao. His wrists were chained but on the floor this time.

Mai walked in with a plate of food.

Mai: "(unenthused) Here's some stuff to fatten you up. Hope you enjoy it."

Aang took a deep breath and exhaled, which sent a huge gust of wind at her, covering Mai in the food. This infuriated Mai, she charged at him and raised up her fist.

Mai: "Why you little-"

Azula quickly grabbed Mai's forearm.

Azula: "What seems to be the problem?"

Mai: "I tried feeding this punk but then pulled a stunt and made a mess!"

Azula: "(To Aang) Now why would you go and do that for?"

Aang: "I'm not giving you people the satisfaction of giving up what's left of my dignity!"

Azula: "(To Mai) Leave us."

Mai gave Aang a quick death glare and complied. Aang and Azula's faces were 10 inches away from each other.

Azula: "We both know that Miss Peasant quickly used a water vial to revive you from my lightning only to abandon you when she realized you were dead weight."

Aang: "You used that same line before, and I already told you she'd never do that. Katara and the others will come back for me."

Azula: "Be that as it may, you were given a second chance, and I could've taken it way in an instant, but I didn't. I even allowed you to get patched up and healed. That doesn't mean I can't still end you at any time. As of now, your life is in my hands, so you'd be wise to appreciate my generosity."

Aang: "You kill me, then I'll just be reborn, and you'll have to search for the avatar all over again."

Azula: "If I had to take a guess, you'd be born at one of the water tribes. I understand that the South tribe isn't doing so well, and its best warriors have all gone away. Wiping them out would be easy. I understand that the north is much more resilient but not when our comet returns."

Aang: "You might as well finish me off now because when the comet does arrive, you're just gonna take out the remaining nations and destroy the cycle anyway. But wouldn't you be surprised to know that, in doing so, you'll just unleash a dark and chaotic force from the spirit world that'll wipe your nation from existence next."

Aang noticed a mild flicker of concern in her bright eyes, her eyebrows were raised slightly, and her arrogant smug vanished. This is due to the fact she can tell he's not lying, and she knows of the news about the avatar summoning a giant fish-like creature that killed Zhao and most of his entire fleet. Aang started focusing on every inch of her face. He found her cute and attractive, in a dangerous warrior kind of way. He began to let go of his anger and defiance and started to feel empathetic towards her.

Aang: "I know you love your nation. It's in grave danger and the only way to save it is to end this pointless war before it's too late."

She closed her eyes for a second and retreated to her usual aloof expressions. She placed her pointy-fingered hand on Aang's face.

Azula: "If you want to be treated with respect and dignity and have no harm inflicted on you, then you must do what I say and when I say it, no questions asked. You can start by keeping that nonsense to yourself."

Aang realized he wasn't gonna get through to her so easily. His best options were to cooperate and get to know her and her motives, at least until he's rescued by the team during day of black sun.

Azula: "Now, as my special prisoner, you'll constantly be bound and supervised but I will allow you to be in more comfortable environments, maybe even give you a tour around the homeland at some point, so long as you behave yourself and accept our offerings for any of your needs. Can you do that?"

Aang: "Yes."

Azula nodded her head with approval removed her hand.

Aang: "My name is Aang by the way."

Azula: "Hmph. Good to know."

[arleniansdoodles]

How much is calliope able to tell sindri of the Greek world?

So far, she hasn't really told him a lot about Greece, except that she's from Sparta, and a bit about the creation of humans in Greek mythology XDD I think Sindri's spent more time telling her stories about Midgard, specifically dwarf legends and his memories of Faye!

Speaking of, it's been a while since I shared a snippet of the fic, hasn't it? Below is a little piece of Sindri and Calliope sharing stories; for context, they're at Sindri's hideout in Svartalfheim, and Calliope's been visiting him at his forge just to chat and spend time together :D

“I thought of an old dwarf legend to tell you,” he offered. “Want to hear it?”

“Yes!” Calliope piped. “What kind of story is it?”

He smiled slightly. “It’s about the first ruler of the dwarves …”

Sindri went on to tell her about Durinn, the first dwarf ever created, and how he founded many great kingdoms and wielded the strongest of all hammers. Durinn made many manikins out of the earth, which were given life by the gods, becoming humans. Other dwarves evolved from the maggots that ate the first Giant’s flesh, and they all formed Durinn’s clan.

“Maggots!” Calliope repeated, failing to repress a shudder. “I wouldn’t want to come from a maggot!”

“Then what would you come from?” Sindri asked, amused. “Would you rather be made from the earth?”

“That’s what we say in my homeland,” Calliope said. “The first humans were made from clay. At least with clay, you can sculpt it any way you want!”

That was true. And at one point, Sindri had been just as disgusted by the maggot legend as she was.

He told her a few other stories, having thought up a very short list of all the happy ones, or at least those that didn’t end badly. Calliope hung on his every word, asking questions and poking for more details. Like, what did Durinn do in his leisure time? Did he make weapons like Sindri? Or did he build other things? And the famous alchemist Ivaldi, wasn’t he ever worried about making a mess with his experiments? Did he ever take a break? If his sons were always helping him, maybe that was their idea of family time!

Her chattering drudged up memories of the past – Atreus, around Calliope’s height, pestering Sindri with questions of dwarven history. Sindri saw him in his mind’s eye, perched on the edge of the worktable, idly swinging his feet.

I really wanna see Svartalfheim someday, Atreus chattered on. If its tower ever opens up, will you show me around? I wanna meet all the dwarves and learn their stories!

Sindri shook himself. That time was long past. Atreus finally got around to seeing Svartalfheim, though Sindri wasn’t able to give him a tour. Even if he could, there wasn’t much to show, or many dwarves to meet, given how they’d all shunned him at the time.

Then again … Maybe Calliope wouldn’t mind seeing more of Svartalfheim. She certainly seemed interested in Niðavellir, far below the mountain they stood on. One day, perhaps, Sindri could show her around there.

Calliope eventually grew bored of engraving practice and helped Sindri around the forge instead. Once he finished his current project (a very sturdy shield), she offered to sing the Thrymskviða for him.

Calliope’s music was an entirely different experience from listening to dwarf music. Hel, Sindri was tempted to put it on Faye’s level, and he considered Faye’s voice to be high art in itself. Calliope’s voice was pure and clear, like water from a mountain spring, or the snow glistening on Midgard’s peaks. Her magic lay just beneath the surface, waiting to be used, but she didn’t need it; the story of the Thrymskviða unfolded in his mind like painted murals moving on wooden panels. He saw King Thrym stealing Mjölnir while Thor slept, followed by Thor’s rage, and the Aesir’s meeting to discuss solutions … And the song ended.

Sindri blinked, coming out of his daze. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

“Yes, but I haven’t practiced the next verses as much,” Calliope said, embarrassed. “I didn’t want to mess them up here.”

“Even if you did, I’m sure you’d still sound great. You, uh, you really have a voice.”

Calliope’s cheeks flushed red. “Thank you.”

[justjessame]

Babysitting Butcher: Chapter 79

Contrary to popular thought - meaning these lovely thoughts I keep sharing for some reason - I am not out to domesticate all the feral and dangerous men of the world. It just seems to fucking happen to me by accident.

Which is why, even if I felt like I might have been put into some kind of fucked up VR simulation, I chose not to dwell on the severely fucking weird domestic scene that HOMELANDER of all fucking people was taking part in within the hallowed walls of my own fucking house.

It helped that he was always wearing his costume - because at least with the spangles and stars and stripes coating him I could pretend that he was mostly a hallucination brought on by over indulging to the point of brain damage.

The first afternoon and evening was spent with Ryan. I sat on the family room sofa and listened as he explained what he was doing to recreate the film that was playing - one he and his mom had watched before (and while he looked sad at the memory, there was a soft smile there too which I counted as progress) - and before long I was sitting on the floor beside him, letting him guide me as I helped him building his vision.

We took breaks for food - and while I was more than willing to eat outside the kitchen and dining room - I insisted that dinner had to be taken in the kitchen so we could take a true break. I didn’t cook, or didn’t have to depending on the perspective, but I was appeased by the offerings - rather than something that I thought my houseguest might have requested to impress me, the fare was more suited for a family night. Pizza, boneless wings, breadsticks, and other kid friendly - and let’s be honest, Veronica friendly - food was arrayed on the island with a stack of plates and not a single hint of alcohol was to be seen.

“I thought you might want to take a break from -” his breath was warm against my ear and I nearly reminded him that Ryan could hear as well as his huge irritating ass, but I couldn’t really argue the point he was making. Clearly getting buzzed and beyond was a recipe for delusions, so I’d stay sober as the grave.

A slight nod was all I was willing to give him, and once we had our plates full, and were taking our seats at the table in the breakfast nook I realized I had an opening to give as good as I got. Taking note of the plain water Homelander had beside his plate - a plate that he actually managed to fill all by himself - my head tilted and I glanced up to see him watching me.

“Water?” He nodded, reaching for the glass. “Are you sure you don’t want some milk?” He’d started to sip and I was rewarded with a pause - sad that he managed to control himself enough to not snort it, spit it, or worse - shatter the glass with his hand - his eyes didn’t leave mine, and he didn’t bite back the way I wanted him to.

“I prefer fresh milk,” and I was extremely glad I hadn’t picked up a slice or taken a drink from my own glass and I knew he knew it. “After all, why settle for something -” and then he did something worse, he let his eyes take a lingering tour of me from head to toe, the table wasn’t nearly a barrier for his eyes. “Purified or sterilized.” Wait, what?

“Sterilized?” Ryan was looking between the two of us and I turned from his sperm donor to reassure him that - well I had no idea what the fuck I was going to reassure him because I barely opened my mouth when the leader of the Seven answered.

“It means to cleanse,” he offered, and I could feel his eyes still on me. “To clean and purify, and -”

“To not be able to have children,” it slipped out, but if he was saying he preferred things (and since he’d been staring a hole through me, without actually putting a hole through me when he’d said it - people) that hadn’t been - so did that mean -

“Yes,” he agreed, his voice as soft as velvet and more terrifying than if he’d been screaming and foaming at the mouth. “It means being barren or sterile.” I knew he wanted me to engage, but not here, not in front of -

“So tell me,” I was still engaging - or trying to - with Ryan, fuck whatever Homelander was implying right fucking now. “What comes next with your movie prep?”

That’s all it took to take Ryan’s mind off of the topic that my fucking mouth started up. With all the passion a pre-teen could have, Ryan told me what he wanted to do next, and how I could help.

“If you want to,” he tacked on at the end, and if he’d been in the presence of his father for longer - or the man whose name he shared - I would have thought he was using those puppy dog eyes for maximum effect, rather than just a child who was desperate for connection.

“Of course,” the answer was as easy to give as breathing. A throat clearing broke the moment, because of fucking course that throat would fucking break something sweet - well not the throat but the entirety of the throat owner - you fucking know what I mean.

Shooting a look at the source of the interruption, I nearly groaned when I saw the smug smirk growing on his face. Fucker. “While I’m certain Veronica would love to help you with your -” he considered his words with a brief pause and I hoped like fuck that he wasn’t about to make me toss something at his head. “Project. However,” he started before I could chime in and assure Ryan he was right about that. “You should know that she needs to rest -” and he went on even as my mouth opened to protest, I was hungover not fucking dying. “So after dinner, you can go back and start working again, or play some video games that I noticed she so thoughtfully bought in advance of you coming to stay -” dear God he really had been watching everything and had more than enough time to search my house while I was passed out - maybe he was right about the drinking, asshole. “We need to have a private chat,” this was addressed to me, without consulting me about what I wanted, but after his tiny nugget about sterilization I knew he was right about this too, fucking bastard.

Dinner went on like a normal family dinner - if two of the family members were superpowered types and one was a fragile human psychologist/CIA agent who was trying desperately not to diagnose at least one of the other people at the table during its entirety. At the end of it, as I noticed the Vought help come creeping in to clean up after us, I realized that the caped dickhead and I had more to talk about than he realized.

[kyupidos]

08/25/23’s delivery 🏹✉️ twisted wonderland

another man’s treasureヽ( ･∀･)ﾉ_θ彡☆Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ,ヽ( ･∀･)ﾉ_θ彡☆Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ ;; summary. ‘your lover would search the seven seas for a gift suitable for you ( and could, too. ).’

characters. octavinelle : azul ashengrotto , jade leech , floyd leech ( separate ) ;; romantic . 🖇️ tags. reader is gender neutral ( you/your ), reader may or may not be yuu ( up to the reader ), a teeny mention of death/a corpse in jade’s part but it’s meant to be interpreted like a dollar store pirate skeleton, romantic fluff

📡 _a/n. i just experienced four days straight worth of tours, so pardon me if my writing isn’t the best right now, whoopsie. also!! i believe i’ve seen a post similar to this, and i was inspired by it, but i can’t find it for the life of me so if you find it please lmk!! but anyway.. please enjoy!!

a. ashengrotto

— as the octopus he always has been, azul would take his plentiful time searching for something, anything really, that would be fit for one such as yourself. well actually, not just anything; he doesn’t want to just show you his heart, but everything that will tell you that he knows and loves you dearly.

— so, he searches the coral sea looking for a gift for you. not everything that he encounters is something worthy of you, he catches on quite quickly. some of the things he comes across as he searches abandoned shipwrecks are things that should never see your sight, especially under the claim that they were from him to you. too fragile and old, too dangerous to fit as a gift, too so-not-interesting-enough-for-you.

— when he isn’t spending valuable time searching for a nice gift for you, he’s refreshing himself on the things you like and the activities you involve yourself in. with the amount of effort he was putting in, it was of course inevitable he would find you something—and, indeed he did. within a shipwreck, though more intact than others and smaller in size, an unscatched treasure chest was hidden inside.

— slowly breaking away at the padlock that was already rusted and fragile, as to not damage the insides, he carefully opened the chest to be greeted with beautiful jewelry. intricately designed with much detail, but not poorly done so it’s an eyesore. a little outdated, but enough to be antique and valuable instead of rotting and equivalent to nothing. and what was more, subtly hidden in the design was little octopi carvings that you wouldn’t notice unless you were outright looking for it.

— he could only hope that you would appreciate such a gift.

j. leech

— swimming around in his eelform delightfully, you suddenly came to mind—so what else could jade do, but find something for him to come to your mind as well? hours he’d spend, diligently lurking around the depths of his he coral sea to find something that he figured would suit your tastes well enough. though unsurprisingly, finding the perfect gift within seconds would prove to be quite impossible.

— but, it doesn’t matter. he’s motivated, and he’s ready to gift you something to prove his love and devotion to you. not like he hasn’t already; he just wants an excuse to give you something. so, continuously for days on end whenever he has free time, he ventures through the sea to find something that he would be proud to give to you, the one he treasures so dearly.

— eventually, he came to the decision to search an underwater cave nearby some rubble, no doubt the remnant of a ship whose passengers didn’t make it to their homeland. as he ventured through the cave, careful as to not get trapped inside, he came across a small trail of pearls, and as he further inspected the trail only to see the pearls being replaced by tears of clothing, he ignored it, giddily stealing the pearls for himself, and then soon, for you.

— most likely, the pearls belonged to someone who was on the aforementioned ship before it sank, and they tried to swim away, unknowing to where they were swimming. no matter, perhaps they shouldn’t have been so poorly sighted. he wasn’t quite exactly sure what to do with the pearls at first, but as he strung them onto a thin string to gift them to you as a necklace, he admired the way they shined brightly like the moon above the land surely did.

— perhaps, it’d serve to show that though he is a merman, he’d be more than willing to go to the moon and back to show his love for you.

f. leech

— it started off as a random thought that plagued his mind. ‘why not search all your favorite places to find the best gift for the best partner in the whole world?’ and though it was just that, a random passing thought, floyd being floyd’s second thought was to spring into action. so of course, he began immediately.

— where he’d go when he was feeling peckish, places he would visit whenever he was feeling particularly mischievous and wanted to prank some people. if it was a place he’d visit more often than not, he’d search around to find something he’d like to give to you. right off the bat, most things he found were things he’d consider boring—so he knew you wouldn’t like said things.

— however with his sudden burst of energy, and especially since this is something related to you, he’s motivated himself more than usual to find something interesting enough. though if he ended up getting bored before finding whatever it was he was looking for, then he promised himself he’d do you something later. luckily enough, it never came to that, as eventually he stumbled across a vast variety of sea shells hidden within the sand.

— now his interest piqued, he observed a little closer; thus to find that the shells matched your respective color pallets quite nicely. so, he could make a little something for himself so that when he looks at it he sees you in it, and a little something for you, so that when you look at it, you see him in it.

— with this, you’d undoubtedly be on his mind, plaguing his thoughts so.

[fitrahgolden]

Guiding You Home

On the fourth day of her marriage, Kate laid in bed, watching through a narrow gap between the drapes as the sky changed colour with the sunrise. They had another week at Aubrey Hall before she and Anthony would depart for a tour of Europe, a most indulgent honeymoon, indeed. 

In her mind, Kate was in India. She was thinking of her father. She was trying her best to think of her mother, piecing what little she remembered of her together with the stories Appa had told her. When would she be there again? She was married to an English nobleman now, making her an English noblewoman, at least on paper. Expectations and responsibilities tethered them to this land. When would a years-long absence from England be feasible? Would it ever be? Kate tried not to dwell on that thought, the idea that she may never see India again. Anthony was adorably excited when he'd suggested her homeland as the destination for their honeymoon. It was a disappointment for them both when she had to remind him that such an excursion would take far too much time.

But surely, Kate thought, there would be a time in the future when they would be free to travel for long periods, hopefully with their children. Perhaps then, while she'd have little from her direct bloodline to pass down to them, she could show them her childhood home, feed them the food she grew up eating, immerse them in a community filled with people speaking her mother tongue. And they would forever have the memories they would make there. Perhaps one day one of their children would even choose–

“I would not have thought it possible, Viscountess, but you may look at my pocket watch more often than I do.” Anthony's voice, rough with sleep, came from behind her as she felt his arm tighten around her waist. 

Kate was so lost in her thoughts that she'd forgotten the Bridgerton heirloom that had inspired her ruminations had been in her hands, being rotated absentmindedly between her fingers, the metal and glass reflecting the morning sunlight.

She laughed softly. Anthony rested his chin on Kate's shoulder and they both looked at the watch for a short while. His hand slid down her arm until they were both holding it, fingers intertwined.

“I have been told in the past that I give it too much of my attention.”

He almost sounded embarrassed. Kate sucked her teeth and shook her head.

“I disagree completely. There are many things about you that vex me. Your reverence for a timepiece that belonged to your father is not one of them.”

“No?”

Kate turned around in Anthony's arms to face him. “Not at all, apne. Quite the opposite, in fact. I think it is rather beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” he scoffed, but with good humour.

“Yes,” she said sagely. “In this small way, your father is still with you. He helps you manage every day.” Her fingers combed through his hair before her hand came to rest on his jaw.  “He guides you.”

Anthony looked a bit awed. “I have never thought of it in that way.” He looked down at the pocket watch and took a measured breath before returning his gaze to Kate's. He pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Thank you.”

He pulled her to him, and Kate tucked her head under his chin as he rubbed her back. His chest rumbled against her cheek when he spoke again.

“Do you have anything that serves you in the same way? From your father? I know you have your mother's bangles, however…”

Kate frowned against his skin. “No,” she answered quietly. “I cannot say that I do.” But then she pulled back and looked up at Anthony with a smile. “But...”

She slid out of bed, ignoring her husband's groan of protest. She put the pocket watch down on the side table as she padded to her vanity.

“Had I known that question would give you reason to vacate our bed, I would have held my tongue,” Anthony said pitifully.

“Oh, hush,” Kate laughed as she opened a drawer.

“I will if you return to me.”

“I just wanted to show you…” she pulled out a book and hurried back across their bedroom floor. “This.”

As she tucked herself back into bed, she handed Anthony a worn, unassuming leatherbound notebook. He carefully pulled the cover back and peered at the first page. 

“Is this hindustani?”

Kate nodded.

Anthony pointed to the script at the top of the page. “What does this say?”

Kate gave a soft sigh before answering. “It is my father’s name.”

“Maaran,” Anthony whispered hesitantly, evidently still self-conscious of his pronunciation. But Kate smiled warmly as she nodded in confirmation.

“Of course, he had many of these diaries. Some were for his work, others were for our own household. I used them, studied them. I thought they may help me become more knowledgeable, more competent in what was necessary to take care of Mary and Edwina after he passed.”

“And to take care of yourself,” Anthony reminded her.

“Yes.” It had been too easy to forget, including herself in her caretaking. Kate knew Anthony understood. Kate cleared her throat and gestured for Anthony to pass her the notebook.

“I was loath to get rid of them. But there was no question that I had to. There was only so much we could take with us, and they had served their practical purpose. But I allowed myself this.” She gingerly turned the pages until she reached the first blank one. She ran her fingers over the yellowing parchment. “This was the last one in which he wrote.” She closed the book and held it to her chest.

Anthony pressed a kiss to Kate’s forehead. “I am glad you kept it.It seems it did help direct you. For a time, at least”

Then, he wiped away a tear she hadn’t realised was rolling down her cheek.

It had sneaked up on her, as it sometimes did, the overwhelming feeling of missing Appa, as if the wound were fresh all over again. She’d made a habit of hiding when this happened, seeking refuge away from the world. In a closet, perhaps, or maybe under her bedclothes. So, Kate did what she always did. She found sanctuary.

In Anthony’s arms.

[antonia-starrvinova]

Faint of Heart

'Hotel Fic'

‘Faint of Heart’

Pairing: Antony Starr x F!Reader

Warnings: 18+ only. Sex. Smut. Do not read this post if you are under 18.

What to expect: Fluffy and smutty. New relationship. Sex. 

Song: The Camper Velourium I: Faint of Hearts - Coheed and Cambria (Lyrics in italics.)

Words: 2.9k

SUMMARY:  You wait for Antony to finish working at Comic Con for the day. He takes you with him on his event tour. Inspired by this one song.

Notes: Actor RPF but Antony is essentially an original character here, with the face claim of Antony Starr. Of course this is not about Antony in reality. This is fiction. I just love Antony.

Credit: Dividers by @firefly-graphics. Moodboard by @madhatter2727. Thank you so much! x Feedback/18+ banners by @maysdigitalarts

ASCU Masterlist | Homelander Masterlist

I stretch my arms out, lying across the giant hotel bed we are staying in. I feel the comfort of resting my muscles after a long day at Comic Co. He's still there but I’ve come back. It was too much for today.

I hear the key card unlocking the door and footsteps coming into the room. I’m face down on the bed, I have music on, some 2000’s nostalgia bands, Coheed and Cambria. It's chilled and I'm too tired to move.

‘Hey!' he calls to me.

He clicks the door into the en-suite and the tap runs. I stay relaxed, enjoying the feeling. I’m sober enough, but a bit more to drink and my vision would be swimming. He comes over to me, a light hand on my back. ‘You ok?'

‘Hmmm. Yeah.’

Antony sits down on the edge of the bed next to me. I roll over to face him, he's still wearing his baseball cap and glasses. I reach out to move his hat off, revealing his messy light brunette hair. His glasses on, stubble matching in colour.

'Antony, sit with me.’

And when the answer that you want, is in the question that you state.

'Oh I remember these from about 2003. I used to listen to this album.’ He says.

'Me to.'

‘Me and you were a bit of an age apart, same as now, but...I was about 29 when this came out.’ He says.

I reach out for him, placing a hand on his back over his Adidas hoodie. ‘Of course, I was like eighteen. Oh God! I’m glad I know you now, I probably would have pined over you if I met you then.’ I linger over at him to see his reaction.

He laughs, head tilted back, a bright smile. ‘Oh are you sure, an eighteen year old you?'

‘Well no I wasn't into you…’

He gives me an amused side look, watching intently.

‘I didn't know you existed. How funny is that? We would have been listening to the same bands but had never met.’

He leans over to my face, his mouth in a wide smile, his teeth bright and shiny. His hoodie has green panels, it’s a little bit baggy and I grab at the fabric at the front of his chest. I pull him towards me, I eye his face and he kisses me. A slow sweet peck on the lips. He laughs against me, gets up on to his knees on the edge of the bed, carefully walking over to me, lies down next to me, reaches for one of my wrists to stroke. We sit like this for a little bit in silence.

The lyrics float through the hotel room.

Did somebody take your tongue? In worries of the words that you couldn't say, if they could've saved them from.

He tilts his face towards me, props himself on one elbow. The rain is tapping against the glass. The weather is chilly and I’m thankful Antony is with me now. His cute hoodie is on but I’d rather wear it to cosy up.

The anxious through the calming storm, you'll sit as you pray for rain.

He laces his fingers with mine, he looks for my face, my eyes.

‘I'm cold Toni, can we get under the covers? Or, better yet,’  I tease him, ‘you can get changed out of that Adidas hoodie.’ I reach for his zipper under his chin, pulling it down. His faded vintage red Jane’s Addiction tee is showing. ‘Will you be cold if I take this off you?’

‘I won’t be cold.’

He watches me with a soft open smile, just observing me as I unzip, his tongue pushed against his front teeth. Glistening behind his canines. With my hand still on his zipper, I pull. I undress him to the waist.  He shuffles out of the hoodie and I slide it towards me and start putting it on. He stops me, takes the hoodie out of my hands, putting it down.

‘Here…’ he reaches over his head, taking off his t-shirt, revealing his pecs and chest hair to me. His tapering waist and his hips. He takes off his tee fully, hands it to me. ‘Put this on.’

I take it. He takes off my top, leaves on my lingerie and helps me into his t-shirt. Oversized, it covers my knickers.

‘Come here.’ He says.

I'll touch it if you ask me to, But how is up to you.

He's touching the top of my thigh right next to the hem of his tee.

‘Do you want..’ he begins. His eyes cutely searching my expression, watching it change, tilting his chin. Quietly, slowly his lips form a thin barely there smile. He pulls me towards him, holds me against him, one hand resting on my outer thigh, playing with the hem of his shirt.

No I'm not going to let you get up If you struggle willingly. I'll favor all your form to show you, how its been done to me.

Did somebody take your tongue?

I suddenly catch my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth, feeling immobile, difficult to get my words out. This isn’t something I am I used to. It would have been a while, since I have had to ask, to guide. It’s hasn’t been easy to get to this stage with him. I like to wait.

It’s special. He’s different. He’s a sweetie and I wanted him to find me, looking for him.

I shuffle in place, carefully meeting his gaze. He’s calm and sexy. He’s waiting for me to respond to his touch. To his words.

‘Um, Antony - ’ I smile

There’s the slip of his hand against my leg, further under his shirt. Further up my thigh. It’s ticklish and warm. And then he touches his face to mine. He scratches his chin against mine. I like the stubble on my skin. His fingers hook into the side strap of my knickers, pulling downwards. Hardly noticeable, but he’s doing it. I feel the fabric of his matching jogging bottoms, with his leg tucked underneath him. I wanna touch him there. I glide my hand up his inner thigh, feel the soft cotton and hopefully something more. I look at him and he looks at me. He’s still waiting. And I’m still deciding. Sure, it’s been a few months, but we’re warming up.

‘What’s wrong? We don’t have to do anything.’ Antony says.

I don’t respond and look at him as he looks at me.

‘Uh it’s ok, it’s nothing.’ I  say.

He catches on. He knows something. He’s tracing patterns under the shirt as we talk.

‘I just -‘ I say.

He pulls his face back a bit. ‘Are you ok? Tell me.’ He cups my face with his other hand, pressing his nose to mine, round eyes so adorable as they swell with concern for me.

‘You know, just, waiting for you, don’t get me wrong, I was thinking -’

I see his eyes change and he looks upset. His thumb starts stroking my cheek over and over.

‘You know how when you’re at work, when I’m waiting for you-‘ I say.

‘I know, I’m sorry it’s the waiting around  for me that gets to you, my schedule is messed up sometimes.’ He says.

Oh no, he’s not gonna want to be with me. He’s better with someone who shared his schedules, knows the deal. Oh God.

‘Oh, I lower my head,‘ I don’t really mind your schedule, ‘I understand you have to work, it’s just how it is, I’m ok with it. It’s when - ‘

‘Is there something else you wanted to say? If you’re ok with that? He says gently.

‘Please don’t think it’s - Look, my mind starts to wonder and maybe me sitting waiting for you means you think of me, of me less? I’m sorry I’m being honest.’

‘Hey come on, ‘ he presses me to his chest. ‘Don’t do that. You know I need you.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Oh yeah.’ His hand still underneath his shirt, he squeezes my thigh. ‘It would be boring without you waiting in hotel rooms for me.’ He laughs. ‘What else do I have to look forward to after a long day at work? And,’ he twirls my hair and glides his hand further up his shirt. ‘I’d love to have you at an event with me one time, if you're up for it?’

‘So, will you have me?’ I say.

‘Oh yea I wanna do that too.’ He smirks.  

I let him take me into his lap. He pushes the side of his shirt up my hip and onto my waist. Fabric gathering there.

I lean backwards and keep my knees at his hips.

‘Do you like this?’ As his hand  trails up my  leg, hooking his fingers under the

edge of the gusset of my knickers, he's brushing his knuckles deliberately over my intimate parts, that he can get to under the silk. He makes it easy, he knows what he's doing. Then turning his palm up and brushing over my clit with with pads of his fingers. A light brush. Then another sweep. Lighter. Then stronger. Less pressure. Then more pressure. He's teasing. I turn my head away. ‘And this?’ He says, tugging at the fabric, pulling my panties down by the gusset. I step out of them, letting him slide them off completely, while covered with his tee.

‘Umm, I like it when you touch me.'

‘Good, I want to touch you some more.’

His arm is between my legs. I want him to touch me but I want him to stop. ‘Stop Antony, stop.’ I whimper.

‘What's wrong, what is it?’ He says.

‘I'm more than alright. This is too good.’

‘Too good?’ He shoots me his smile.

‘So good I need you to stop. And I need you.’ I claw at his waist.

He places his hands on my waist firmly and looks me square in the eye. His knees hip wide on the bed, dipping into the mattress. There’s a little of a sparkle in his eyes as the apples of his cheeks plump into a smile. I trace his collarbone and down his pecs, to the dips in his hips, above his waistline. Pawing at his hips. Gently.

He notices. He knows. He looks to the side, to the bedside table, then flutters his lashes back to me. He presses me close, hip to hip, I feel his chest, his belt, the grain of the cotton against my legs. He brushes his hand under my chin and swishes his nose over mine, bumping his glasses.

‘Antony there's something-‘  

‘What?’ He brushes a hand under my chin.

‘Something I need to tell you.’

‘Oh, oh come on girl, you're not gonna break my heart now are you?’ He strokes both hands over my face, holding me between his palms.

I squirm in place, worried.

‘Hey. Tell me. You can tell me.’ He says.

‘I um, I dunno.’ I laugh.

‘You don't know?’ He joins my laughter. He places soft kisses on my lips, drops his hands to the sides of my neck and then pulls me under the covers with him.

‘But you have your trousers on.’

‘Well then take them off.’ He says.

‘I wanna watch you undo your belt.’

‘Is that all you wanted to say to me?’ He teases.

‘Um, no but..’

‘But what? Come on I wanna know now! As long as it’s nothing bad, it's not bad right? I don't wanna hear that. But anything else!’ He throws his arms up showing his palms in mock dismissal. He unbuckles his belt. I grab onto him and move him towards me until our hips make contact. I hug him around his neck and he pulls us under the covers. He looks at me expectantly.

‘When you're Homelander all I wann do...’

‘Hmm?’

‘All I wanna do is suck your…’

‘I'm not sure I heard that fully? My what? He smiles as he leans up to me, his mouth suddenly all I can focus on and his jaw wonderfully defined. I push my hand under his waist band and feel the hair below his belt.

‘I'm not gonna say no to that.’ He laughs and pulls me closer, ‘but I want it to be for me, and not for him. Is it for me? You still like me and not just Homelander.’ He does that look up with his eyes, slowly, his brows knotted. Teasing and playful.

‘Of course it is, you're too silly! Of course you big idiot. I love YOU! Oh like you know...you.’

He freezes. Looks at me seriously.

Is he upset? My stomach does a flip. ‘I don't wanna upset you if…’ I look down embarrassed.

‘I really hope you mean that.’ He says quietly. There’s a long silence between us. ‘Do you love me like I love you?’ He sucks in a breath of air. ‘I love you.’ He tells me softly, leaning up to my mouth.

‘Yes. I mean it.’ I close the gap to kiss him.

He pulls the covers over our heads playfully.

The make-out session is slow, precise and lasts for ages. I run my hands over his chest and back down to his hips. I focus on the feel of his lips, the velvet wetness of his tongue. My head is swimming and I feel almost euphoric. He pulls away from my face.

‘Now can we see about making that happen?’ He's naked and smooth and warm and sheltered under the covers with me. My hand is past his hipbones, in his hair. On him. There.

‘Hmm, I don’t, I don’t expect you to do this, if you don’t want to, right now. ‘ He strokes my hair, smiles softly, sweetly at me.

I haven’t done this to him before. I hope he likes it.

‘Uh uh! I wanna do something for you. And you’re so cute it make me wanna do it more.,’

I tease him until he wants to ask me again. He’s sweet, but losing patience. His cute smile revealing canines, he swallows and his eyes flick over to where my hand is. Asking. Subtly. Turning to focus on me with his eyes and his hand. He trails it under his shirt that I’m wearing. Warm, fuzzy and flooding feelings. He shuffles, finds my hand and interlocks his fingers. His chest rises as he sighs and I feel he’s nervous. I make him warm and wet and slippery. He leans back on the pillow and the pace of my mouth on him is slow and gentle. He swells more and I admire his shape. He says something I can’t hear. He tugs at my hand and the hem around my thighs as I straddle his legs. The brush of his fingers where my knicker line should be is tantalising.

‘Come closer to me. ‘ He says.

‘Umm, I don’t wanna lose my place. Don’t you like it?’ I say.

‘Uh, I definitely like it. I just wanna do the same to you. Why don’t you sit closer.’ He says.

Oh. We’ve definitely not done this before.

His fingers keep brushing my hips and the top of my thighs. He coaxes me round to him. Pulls on the t-shirt hem gently and guides me, so my knees fall either side of his shoulders. I’m face down, leaning right over to place my mouth on him. He traces up the inner part of both my thighs gently, slowly. It tickles. Until he gets to the top. Then he teases me again, stroking and pressing, smoother each time, returning to my clit with each movement. I feel him grip the front of my thighs, lower and pull me back, until his lips are on me, then his tongue where he was touching. I’m too wet and his tongue is like velvet. I push my hips down onto his face to feel the stubble. The feeling is uncomfortable and sexy. He licks at me as I have a mouthful of his dick. I can’t help but wiggle over his face, rocking on my knees as he heightens the feeling. He doesn’t let me swallow, grabs my waist and pulls me away.

‘Why did you do that?’ I say.

‘So do you want to, ride me? Just do it. Do what you want.’ He pulls me upright and sits me on his face. The contact is delicious and I do what he tells me. I forget it’s the first time were doing this and enjoy it. The light prickling from his stubble mixes with the sensual way he’s taking care of me. I ride his face and moan his name.

‘Let me touch you.’ I say.

‘Uh uh.’

Antony pulls me up to his chest, cradles me there, holds me close. His lips landing on my forehead, spiky face scratching me. I press my cheek into his, feeling the texture. I like the roughness. I enjoy his touch.

‘When?’ I kiss his neck, taking in his scent, snaking a hand towards his dick.

‘You can touch me tomorrow.’ He moves my hand to rest on his chest. His eyes turning to mine, shining with happiness, and crinkling at the corners. Half moons above plump cheeks. Jaw defined as he adjusts his head on the pillow.

‘That was so good.’ I say.

His mouth twitches in a devious but cute smile. ‘It was! And you were, hot. You’ll sleep well.’

‘Awww and you won’t!’ I say.

But I don't want to sleep without.

‘I will, don’t you worry.’ He smiles and closes his eyes. ‘Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’

He reins me in, close enough to hear him breathe.

[homelander-rp-blog]

"wait- what? spent last days where?! what the- don't you have a dorm room? you said an uncle too, you don't live with him?" then a pang of sympathy hits him, Peter's old man probably beats him and maybe threw him out of the house! then he was too ashamed to be back to the college dorm! yeah, that must be it! "you know what, don't need to tell me.. you can move in and stay in Seven's tower as much as you want! or, wait, I can actually give you the room right under mine! yeah those penthouses up there are empty, Maeve doesn't even uses her room anymore, you can take hers if you want to.." then suddenly his mind is filled with many things he'll be able to do if the kid stays nearby! Homelander will finally have someone to show his room to! and can chew Peter's ears about where he got his souvenirs! oh, this will be perfect! They enter through the main entrance and take the elevator up "here we are!" he shows Peter the new room that is going to his for future days if the boy agrees with staying "and a nice view too! I can help you drag your suitcases and all up here if you got any? we can go shopping for new clothing when we're at that promised tour too. don't worry about other things, I'll talk to Ashley- she uh.." waves a dismissive hand "works for me, yeah. and she'll give you the keys and all! it'll be your room as long as you want!" then, like an excited child, tugs on Peter's wrist "now, let's show you mine! you can borrow some of my clothing if you wanna? honestly some of them are just gathering dust in that closet!"

Peter was too naive for now to understand what Homelander was upto, he barely knew this man well, let alone his intentions. Fortunately, Homelander's remarks would now be enough to monetarily shift his attention on a different topic apart from talking about his past life and tragedy. Stuffing the last bit of pizza in his mouth, Peter would now look at Homelander when asked where he gonna stay.

"I have no idea, honestly... I spent the last couple nights on top of the Chrysler building. Misplaced into a different dimension with your room occupied by some other person is a very unpleasant feeling"

"A little tour of the neighborhood would be great, stoll spending time with the greatest superhero here, right? Just not in red and blue skin tight suit which sounds better"

Peter replied with his head tilted to a side now, his arms crossed over his chest. Who doesn't wanna have some time off from crime-fighting after just taking care of a rather violent hostage situation? Taking the chance, he agreed to Homelander's proposal now. He had nothing better to do anyways for the day.

[traumxrei-archive]

Speaking of Jamil again, do you think it'd be better to be straight forward with what you want instead of asking for what you want? Like if you want to visit Scalding Sands with him but you know that means he'll need to use his time off from Kalim to do that and that would be burdensome to him, so instead you could just tell him "I really want you to show me around Scalding Sands because I wanna see your homeland with you and spend time with you but I know that would suck for you so I won't ask for it."

(link to the fic inspired by my brainstorming of this ask !)

hmm this is pretty interesting to think about anon !!

i think it's kinda difficult to ask him to do grand things just bc, as you said, there's a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders and even more eyes watching his every move.

i think it's probably better to be straight forward, bc if you do hide things from him, he would kinda figure it out on his own. he's too perceptive, something honed over years and years of serving people. he had to learn to avoid scoldings after all.

in terms of visiting scalding sands, i feel like he'd be ecstatic to show you around ! despite his limited time to spend with you. ofc his servant duties double, at the al-asim home he isn't just kalim's attendant, he has to attend for everyone else too. (also for this, i'll be assuming that there's already an established relationship)

the al-asims know that you're friends with both jamil and kalim, so they don't find it amiss if you're following jamil around wherever he goes. he teases you about it as he works. (he likes it. it's cute. you look like a stray puppy trailing behind him like that.)

[ more rambling abt this idea below the cut ]

since you know it'd be bothersome if you ask him to give you a big tour of the place, so you settle for learning more about him instead. the kitchens where he first learned how to cook. the room where he got fitted for his first servant robes. the desk where he would tutor kalim (because even as a child that was already his responsibility). even the gardens where he would watch over kalim and his siblings whenever they napped.

also anon, you mentioned time off? i dont think he has time off from kalim or from his servant duties for that matter– the best he could do is one day, but after that he's indebted to his sister bc she took up all his chores for the day. so you think it's extra troublesome if you ask him for a tour of the city.

instead...he offers to take you to meet his family. he's blushing all the way through his suggestion (and failing at hiding it), but you're his partner ! you've come this far, so ofc you can't just leave without meeting the vipers !!!

it's hard to gather all of them together bc of their duties but since it's been ages since they've seen jamil, (and he's bringing the first ever person he ever dated oOoOo) his family gathers together for a late dinner. the first person you meet is his sister, and she immediately wiggles her eyebrows at jamil, earning a soft groan from the dark haired.

when you meet his family, you can see that they love and care for jamil deeply. they tell stories of his childhood freely, much to jamil's horror. he has his hood over his head for the whole dinner. especially when najma brings up that you're the first person other than kalim that jamil has ever brought over for dinner.

but you also notice how all of his parents' stories have something to do with kalim. they grew up together, sure, but they never stop praising the al-asims as they told you about jamil. it unsettles you. it seemed that however much they loved their son, what he wanted would always be second to what the al-asims ordered. his parents are kind, so you can't bring yourself to hate them, but the seed of disappointment still buries its heart into your heart.

he's dragging you away after you offer to help mama viper wash the dishes even after they insist that a guest should just relax svdhfh where to? well, you'll find out eventually. and even if it isn't the grand tour of the scalding sands that you wanted, it's enough to spend this precious time with jamil.

also, uhhh anon ? i kinda got carried away and wrote a whole fic for this. that's why it stops kinda awkwardly. i have to post it separately bc it's so fricken long– so i'll link it here right after i post it svdhfhd (it's properly written too so. trau's first jamil fic debut ??? let's go ???)

ty for being patient for this btw ! took me a bit to catch up so i hope you enjoyed. and here's the jamil fic i wrote bc of brainstorming for this ask–

[komotionlessqueenmm]

Imagine # 856

Grid is mine, pictures are not mine however. (Feel free to save the grid, just give credit where credit is due.)

Year posted - 2021

*This popped into my head last night, so here have a fun little crossover. (^_^)

----

How she got to this world is a mystery to her, but how she got into the Sevens headquarters was simple enough. When she entered this world, she was in the sea in her own world, and so she was in the sea of this world. At first she didn't suspect anything was amis, until she couldn't find Atlantis. She had searched high and low, even tempting the trenches, asking creatures here and there if they knew where Atlantis was. News traveled fast, and within three hours of her being in this new world, word had reached The Deep, who passed the news to the rest of the Seven. "There's someone in the ocean." The Deep began, only for A-Train to interrupt him. "No shit there's people in the ocean." He rolled his eyes at The Deep, who in turn huffed an annoyed breath. "No I mean someone like me, but she keeps asking about Atlantis." The Deep explained. "Is Atlantis real?" Starlight asked with sudden wonder. "No." The Deep shook his head, then looked to Homelander. "I think I should go find her." He stated to the team leader, who looked to be thinking over his words. "Alright go find your aquatic girlfriend, bring her back here." Homelander instructed, waving The Deep off, who was quick to leave the tower, having chosen to ignore Homelanders remark.

It didn't take The Deep long to find her, as she sat on top of a sunken ship in the Pacific ocean, weeping quietly to herself. "Are you okay?" Deep asked as he swam up to her, clearly startling her. "Are you an Atlantan?" She gasped out through her tears, approaching The Deep with hopeful eyes. "No." He shook his head, frowning himself when she frowned. "Are you from Xebel then? Or one of the other kingdoms?" She asked, her words confusing Deep. "I've never heard of Xebel, and there are no kingdoms in the ocean." The Deep explained. "Then how are you here speaking to me?" She asked with confused eyes. "I'm a Supe, I'm The Deep, a member of the Seven." He stated as he rest his fists against his hips, puffing his chest out with pride. "What's a supe? Or the Seven for that matter?" She asked with a deep frown. "W-what?" He sputtered with shock. "I've never heard of any of that." She swam away from him a little. "Well... Come with me back to Vought Tower, my teams waiting for us, the Seven, were superheros." Deep explained with a award winning smile, and despite her hesitance she followed him.

Before long she stood before the Seven, eyeing them with cautious eyes. "What's your name?" The blonde at the head of the table, Homelander, asked. "(Y/n) Marius former Queen of Atlantis." She held her head high, a regal aura around her. "Atlantis isn't real." Homelander stated. "Not in this world, but in my world it is very real." (Y/n) shot back, her words momentarily stunning the team. "Your world?" Homelander questioned with doubt in his voice. "Yes my world, I don't know how I got to this world, but it is not my world. None of you exist in my world, although their are meta humans in my world that you remind me of." She stated casually as she looked them over one by one. "Meta humans?" Homelander cocked his head to the side a little. "I believe you call yourselves supes, or super humans... We call them meta humans." (Y/n) explained, manipulating water withing the glass they had set before her. "I can't do that." Deep pouted a little as he watched her change the water to resemble a city.

----

The following day (Y/n) was taken on a tour around the city by Starlight, and whilst they did that, The Deep got word of more strangers in the ocean. This time however he was unable to find them, but A-Train happened to cross paths with them in the city. He called everyone to meet back at the tower, and everyone including (Y/n) and The Deep beat them there. "You said there are others?" (Y/n) asked Deep as she sat beside him, excitement in her eyes. "Yeah the whales said they were just like you." Deep explained. "It must be my husband!" She beamed with excitement, her words making Deep frown, as he was hoping she was single.

First A-Train entered then following him a man in orange and green armor entered, a gold Trident in hand. "Arthur!" (Y/n) exclaimed with excitement, the sight of the incredibly handsome man making Deep sink low into his seat. Following in behind Arthur was a blond in silver and purple armor, a silver Trident in hand. "Orm!" (Y/n) had rushed out of her seat at the sight of Arthur, but she practically sprinted to the second man, jumping into his arms kissing him. Orm chuckled as he caught her with ease, smiling like a dope into the kiss, the Trident he once held standing without his hold on it. "You found me." (Y/n) breathed a sigh of relief as she separated from her husband, who kissed her forehead in return. "Always." He had whispered softly against her skin.

"Oh Arthur!" (Y/n) beamed as she tackled the taller man in a near bone crushing hug. "I missed you too sis." Arthur chuckled at his sister in law, hugging her back with just as much enthusiasm. The Deep glared down the two men, feeling slightly inferior compared to them. "How did you find me so quickly?" (Y/n) asked as she removed herself from Arthur's hold, instead latching onto her husband's side. "The cave you were exploring, one of the chambers leads to a portal that opens ever twenty four hours. We just followed after you once it opened again." Arthur explained casually. "I didn't even realize I entered a portal." (Y/n) frowned with confused eyes. "I think you were directly in it when it opened, it just pulled you in before you could react." Arthur added as he leaned against his Trident, which stood erect without the need of his hold, and despite the added weight.

"Can we go back there? I want to go home." (Y/n) pouted as she looked up at her husband, who squeezed her hip reassuringly. "We should go now, we can just rest there until it opens again." Arthur grasped has Trident, pulling it from the ground, a small glowing circle left marked into the floor where it had been anchored. "I'll go with you!" The Deep rose from his seat rather quickly, coughing nervously when the others eyed him. "Just to the portal that is." He explained, offering his team a small smile.

----

Homelander had waved The Deep off, and he accompanied the trio back to the portal. Chatting with them about this and that, but mostly asking them about their world, about how many people there were like them, and what life's like there. To them it was clear he wanted to join them back to their world, but he tried his damnedest to play it off. But when he insisted on staying until the portal opened they knew very well what was happening. The twenty four hours passed within no time as they all talked and joked the time away, with only (Y/n) falling asleep for a few hours.

And when the portal opened (Y/n) Orm and Arthur turned to The Deep. "Why don't you come with us?" (Y/n) asked him with a small smile. "I couldn't..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Why not? The portal opens every twenty four hours, you can always come back." Arthur argued with a casual shrug. "Do you think I'd fit in?" Deep asked with insecurity creeping in his mind. "A hell of a lot better than you do here." Arthur chuckled. "Accompany us, for a few days at least." Orm encouraged, the three of them smiling when Deep nodded his head in agreement.

He followed them through the portal with little hesitation, although surprised to see the portal closed behind him. "My names Kevin by the way, you don't have to keep calling me The Deep." He shrugged casually, his heart stuttering in his chest when (Y/n) smiled at him. "Come see Atlantis Kevin." (Y/n) grasped his hand, and the three Atlantans sped through the water faster than Kevin ever could. "Woah." His eyes sparkled with wonder at the sight of the glamorous city as they approached it rapidly. "Extraordinary isn't it?" Orm asked with pride, truly proud of his homeland. "Yeah." Kevin nodded his head in agreement, unable to form a proper sentence in his stunned state.

----

*Let me know what you thought of this one! (^ _ ^)/

[ashortdropandasuddenstop]

“I’ve never been on a ship before. This is…new. Different. But I like it.” Homelander reassured, the Supe not wanting to admit he was slightly nervous. It would take him a while to get his sea legs, that’s for sure! But he couldn’t deny how good it felt to be somewhere that didn’t belong to Vought. Somewhere they hadn’t touched or tainted, but rather a place that was purely all James.

He followed Norrington’s lead, noticing how pleased the other seemed at showing Homelander around. This was the vampire’s domain after all, just as Vought Tower was his. It would be the blonde having to learn the ropes and follow rules for once, to learn his way about new territory of not only ship, but sea.

Homelander admired the Captain’s Quarters. The interior was gorgeous and fancy. Something that the Supe wasn’t all that surprised about. He was aware James had his tastes, though where they differed was that the vampires had a say in what his ship looked like, fitted with belongings spanning decades. For Homelander, his apartment had never felt like a home at all, at least not until James moved in. But even then, it was his lover who gave that sense of comfort and warmth one sought from home, not the building they shared. Blue eyes scoured the room, taking in every detail. It was rather amazing such a beautiful space was located within a ship. The Supe could understand why many chose to live at sea. His gaze studied the bed for a long moment, a small frown crossing his features as he mused. “Y’know…now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever been in another bed other than my own.” He admitted with a slight flush and a clear of his throat. “It seems this vacation of ours is going to have a lot of firsts for me.” He added with a smile.

As they moved further, Homelander was led into Norrington’s private study, which might as well have been a library. Fit with a desk and a large world globe. Again, the blonde took his time looking things over, taking everything in. James had brought him into his world, and now was as good of a chance as any to learn even more about his lover. It was clear he liked to read, though Homelander knew that already what with them often snuggling up with the vamp reading to him. Still, he was enjoying this little tour, learning more about Norrington and what made him tick. Homelander couldn’t help himself as he gently spun the large globe, a smirk tugging at his features. He may be the world’s greatest superhero, but he’d also never had a childhood. Sometimes he just couldn’t help but act…well, childlike. “I wonder, have you ever spun this thing and sailed to whichever location you stopped it at? A great idea if you can’t decide.” He said, giving the globe a few more spins before they continued with the tour.

The bathroom was gorgeous, far more than Homelander would’ve expected for a ship. Then again, the whole tour had surprised him with just how modern and comfortable a ship can be. It appeared neither of them would want for nothing, with plenty of space for the both of them. Homelander was already looking forward to the long, relaxing baths they’d share as well as the steamy showers.

As they passed by what appeared to be the kitchen, it was fitted with all the appliances they’d ever need…though would probably hardly use. Still, at least there was a fridge and plenty of milk, Homelander noted. When handed the coffee, he took the cup, though was hesitant to try it. He wasn’t the type to drink coffee nor tea, but if he’d learned anything after the little tour, it was that he’d be experiencing a lot of new things soon.

The tour ended with them reaching the small sitting area. It was quiet, welcoming and cozy. A perfect place to cuddle up and watch the sunset, or the gentle sway of the sea. Homelander’s gaze took in everything, sweeping over every room, every piece of furniture. However, as James spoke, his gaze fell to those gorgeous green eyes. “Quite the ship you have. I’m impressed. Plenty of room for us both.” Homelander said with a smile, sipping at his cup of coffee. “I never expected a ship to feel so…warm and inviting. Then again, I think you probably have a lot to do with that.”

Norrington's typically stoic expression gave way to a subtle yet unmistakable glimmer of childlike wonder as he watched Homelander take the first sip. The corners of his lips curved into a genuine smile, revealing that childish side of the modern vampire that was seldom seen – the one who delighted in the small novelties of human existence.

"I must confess," James admitted with a twinkle in his emerald-green eyes, "this is the first time I've ever used the coffee maker. I've always found the process intriguing but never quite had the opportunity or inclination to try it myself, obviously." He gestured toward the machine as if it were a piece of magical machinery from a world unknown.

A sense of innocent enthusiasm lingered in his gaze as he continued, "I thought it might be a charming touch, a bit of human ritual to add to our experience aboard this vessel. It seems I was eager for an excuse to indulge in the novelty of it all – to feel a bit more... human, if only for a fleeting moment."

He chuckled softly, a sound that hinted at the joy of discovery. "You need not feel obliged to drink it, my dear. It's more of a whimsical experiment on my part, a venture into the mundane to see what all the fuss is about." He was pretty sure it couldn't be very good, since he had no idea how to really make a pot of modern coffee.

With a gentle rustle of fabric, James gracefully moved to sit beside Homelander, their shoulders brushing in a comforting closeness. His eyes, still aglow with the sparkle, met Homelander's. "Thank you darling.. While the Valiant has provided sanctuary for me in the past, Wherever you are, there is my true home, now"

he murmured, the sincerity in his voice echoing the depth of their connection. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he added," Now, let's get a better taste in your mouth, do you agree?" His fingers deftly reached for Homelander's hand, to press a kiss to the back of it.

vacation

[whyyesihaveasaviorcomplex]

For a fluff prompt, I was thinking about Leona taking his (romantic) s/o to his homeland for the first time, specifically seeing them in traditional/formal Savannah clothing. Irl, African prints are not only just beautiful imo, but prints can have specific meanings, anything from local sayings to the wearer's marriage status! I think I'd be cute for Leona to ask them to wear something that basically says "I'm with him" without them knowing at first.

This. This is beautiful.

I’m gonna be completely honest, going down the rabbit hole of looking up traditional African designs and their meanings was both fascinating and frustrating. Like I knew exactly which pattern I was looking for (kete pa, one of my old teachers wore it all the time) but I couldn’t find it. It took me several hours and impatience breaks to finally find literally ANY patterns that symbolize dedication to a partner 🥲

I also made the assumption “for the first time” means that Y/n hasn’t ever been in the Afterglow Savannah before, so Y/n is non-local to the AS. Reader being MC is not specified or mentioned, so y’all can be from wherever your heart desires~

Leona SSR Birthday Suit Up Personal Story (why tf is the name so long) spoilers? It just says the situation with his dad’s health cause Father Kingscholar is a bit like in this comic for the drabble

I didn’t mention the servants just cause I’m not having them ruin the mood

3rd person POV, they/them pronouns used for reader

There’s use of “Mouse” from Leona as a term of endearment cause he’s Leona (and even if you’re taller, he’d still call you this cause he’s an asshole, prove me wrong)

Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more and @divvision

Having his partner meet his family was something Leona had been dreading.

Not because he was afraid his family wouldn’t like them, oh no. Quite the opposite actually; It was the fact that they’d get along too well that he was scared of- it meant there’d be even more teasing for him.

Leona was half-tempted to just bring his Mouse to his home unannounced in hopes he could hide the two of them away in his room and they’d be left alone the whole visit.

Unfortunately for him, Y/n had wanted to actually meet his relatives and let them know of their upcoming presence.

Cheka, they had met before multiple times. And he liked them a lot. The second the couple had walked into the sandstone palace, the tyke had clamped onto their leg, not even glancing at his uncle.

Leona felt a tad hurt, but also found it cute.

Everyone else who could had met and welcomed Y/n with open arms. A palace tour and meal later, Leona knew he had to introduce his partner to one last person. Someone he actually admitted he liked.

…

Opening the door slowly, he listened for any protest, instead hearing the sheets rustle as his father sat up best he could. Leona felt a small smile at how excited his dad became.

“Baba… calm down, your heart monitor is going up-”

“So where is this Y/n I’ve heard about?”

Y/n peeped their head in through the door, smiling as they walked into the room behind Leona.

“Right here, sir!” When they stood at his bedside, they took his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Leona took curtsey of sending the servants and nurses in the room out, as well as pulling up two chairs.

“Oh yes, sit! Sit! I have something I’d like to give you!” Leona’s tail twitched in interest as the old man pulled out some blue and white fabric. This didn’t go unnoticed by said old man however. “Ah, Leona, out for a moment!”

“Baba, I just got here-”

“Out! I need to discuss something with your partner very quickly. It won’t take long.” His dark and wrinkled face smiled as he shooed his youngest son away.

And so Leona left the room.

…

A few minutes had passed and Leona was growing impatient. He was just about to knock when the door had opened again, Y/n smiling back at him.

“Whadd’ya think?”

Leona’s brows furrowed for a moment before he noticed the change his partner had. They were now in a crossed-lines patterned wrapper- the same blue and white fabric he saw his father holding earlier. That’s when it hit him the exact meaning of their clothes.

White- purity…

Blue- love, in reference to the oceans and sky…

And the kete pa design- good marriage or dedication to a person…

He knew his Mouse wasn’t originally aware of the clothing’s message, but he also knew his father would have told them. And that would only make Y/n want to wear it more…

Y/n laughed lightly at their boyfriend’s sudden downturned ears and dropped jaw.

“Like it that much, hm?”

“I made them some more for the week, Leona!” His father was clearly excited at the sight in front of him. Leona couldn’t help but smile at the two he cared for.

“Yeah,” Leona held some of the fabric at their shoulder between his fingers, “though you’re wearing it wrong, I’ll fix it.”

His fears earlier were clearly founded.