#i wanted to draw something fluffy with them i think they deserve that much

[ohnoitsz1m]

Mods asleep post post-canon Freemance yuri

I love these two so much

[navybrat817]

Ficlet Friday?

A slightly buzzed Bucky just being the cutest or in love or both. Definitely a fluff-ficlet. Your choice on which Bucky 😉

I tried to make it fluffy, nonnie, but it does have a touch of angst. Sorry!

Pretty Girl

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Word Count: Over 700

Warnings: Tipsy Bucky, encouraging friends, slight angst

You were reading a book in the lounge when laughter rang out through the hall, a smile touching your lips. The guys decided to do a “boys' night out” and it sounded like they had a good time. Between being heroes and the trials and tribulations they all went through, they deserved it.

“Hey! Pretty girl!”

You didn't turn toward the sound of Bucky’s voice immediately as much as you wanted to. Glancing around, you were the only one in the lounge, so who was he talking to? It would mean everything for him to call you pretty, but you were just… you.

“Steeeeve. I don’t think she heard me,” Bucky loudly whispered.

“Then say it again with feeling,” Steve loudly whispered back.

“Got it.” Bucky sucked in breath which gave you enough time to cover your ears. “HEY! PRETTY GIRL!”

“Jesus Christ, I can hear you guys,” you confirmed, shutting your book. There went your quiet evening. “I guess stealth isn’t your strong suit tonight.”

You shrieked when Bucky suddenly sat beside you, casually throwing an arm over your shoulders. Okay, he was still stealthy, and he looked amazing in his jeans and henley. “There’s my pretty girl. I missed you,” he smiled.

“Um…” You looked around to find Steve, Thor, Sam, Joaquin, and Clint hovering by with expectant looks on their faces. You tried to come up with something witty, but all you said was, “What?”

Bucky chuckled, his cheeks a bit more pink than usual. “My pretty girl is adorable, isn’t she?” he said over his shoulder before looking at you with hearts in his eyes.

You leaned in to get a closer look at him, catching a small whiff of liquor mixed with his cologne. “You’re tipsy,” you said. How was that possible?

“No, I’m Bucky. And you’re pretty,” he smiled, the dreamy look still in his eyes. “Pretty eyes, pretty smile, pretty voice. Even your name’s pretty.”

As happy as you were to hear those things, even as your heart pounded, you looked to the guys for help because Bucky couldn’t be serious. “How?”

“My apologies,” Thor spoke even louder than usual. “I shared some of my Asgardian liquor with Barnes and Rogers and… Well-”

“Bucky hasn’t shut up about you,” Sam cut in, rolling his eyes. “‘My girl is the prettiest girl there is.’”

“‘Isn’t my girl brilliant? And so kind!’” Clint mocked.

“‘Her smile just lights up the room’,” Joaquin added.

“Guys, c’mon. It’s sweet,” Steve smiled before he said, “‘I’ll bet her kisses even taste pretty.’”

Heat filled your cheeks. Bucky didn’t deny a thing, so they were telling the truth, weren’t they? “But I’m not-”

The former Winter Soldier placed a hand on your cheek, drawing your attention back to him. “Don’t look at them, pretty girl. Look at me.”

You did, and it made you want to cry. Because you weren’t his girl. He was only saying these things because he was tipsy. “Okay. You had your fun, so why don’t you get some sleep?”

His smile fell away. “No,” he muttered, pulling you into his lap in the blink of an eye and putting his face in your neck. “I’m fine right here.”

His lips against your skin had you shivering, and it wasn’t possible to break from his hold. Being this close felt like a dream, but he was tipsy and you had to be the responsible one. “Um… a little help?” you asked.

“Of course.” Thor stepped forward. “Allow me.”

You smiled at the God of Thunder. “Thanks, I…” You stopped when he draped a blanket over you and Bucky. Where did that even come from? “That wasn’t what I-”

“And some water,” he smiled as Bucky nuzzled your neck with a happy moan. You tried not to let that moan turn you on. You had to be good. “Men, let us take our leave.”

“Behave, jerk,” Steve said as Thor shuffled everyone from the room.

“Shut up, punk,” Bucky snarled, nuzzling you again. The lights dimmed, too. It was almost romantic. “Not you, pretty girl. You can say whatever you want.”

You had to laugh. Laughter was better than worrying about what would happen in the morning. “So, I’m your pretty girl?”

“Yep,” he said with a smile. “All mine.”

“Okay, Sarge,” you smiled sadly. “I’m your pretty girl.”

Relaxing in his hold, you could pretend until he was sober that you were.

Love and thanks for participating in Ficlet Friday! ❤️ And this one may be fun to continue.

[c-m-stuff]

Wedding Ring

Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

-Description: You and Spencer are married. When you forgot to put your wedding ring back on, Spencer panicked.

-Warnings: Fluffiness, angst

-Word count: 656

-Note: It's finally summer vacation! I hope you are all enjoying the sun and this little story. Have fun! You deserve it! Also, thank you so much for 100 followers! It means a lot to me and to celebrate it, I made a summer party! Join here. :)

-Credits: @radiant-reid

-Tag list: @reid-ingandweeping

Masterlist

Spencer's POV:

Fear was the first thing I felt when I came home to my wife, noticing she wasn't wearing our wedding ring. She always wears it, so why not now? Immediately my head was spinning with thousands of thoughts. Why isn't she wearing our wedding ring? Does she want to divorce? Did I do something wrong? Fell she out of love? How long is she feeling this way? Is there-

'Spence? Are you alright?' she pulled me out of my thoughts, or rather the chaos in my head, as I looked dumbfounded at her.

'Y-yeah.' I was quick in discarding my coat and satchel, walking towards the love of my life and giving her a quick pack on the lips, before disappearing into our shared bedroom.

I wasn't ready yet to confront her, wanting to clear everything out by myself first. Maybe I did do something that upset her? Or maybe she really fell out of love? This thought made me start to panic. I don't want to lose her. I can't lose her. A single tear, escaping my eye, as I heard a soft knock on the door.

'Spence? Can I come in?' It didn't take a profiler to hear the worry in her voice.

But yet, I couldn't answer. I was too busy keeping up with my own thoughts, it was like I couldn't do something else.

'I'm coming in.' and just like she said, she opened the door.

In the meanwhile, the panic and fear had set in so fiercely, that tears were now fully streaming down my cheeks. The moment (Y/N) saw me, she ran into my arms, hugging me tightly, while drawing circles on my back, in attempt to comfort me.

'Shhh, it's okay. Everything is okay now. You're safe, I'm here.'

I kept her in my arms for a few more minutes, before my tears finally lessened. I slowly pulled away, facing her worried figure. She took my hands in hers, rubbing them softly.

'What's wrong, love?'

I no longer was able to hold myself in. I needed to know. Knowing deeply that her answer could break down my whole world.

'Do you- do you want to divorce?' she looked at me with widen eyes, filled with disbelief and shock.

'Wh-what? No, no of course not! Why in the world would you think that?' relief flooded over my body, while releasing a sigh I didn't know I was holding.

'You're not wearing your wedding ring. You always wear your wedding ring.'

'No, no, honey. You completely misunderstood. When you went to see Ethan, I decided to do something I hadn't done in a while. Painting. I took the ring off because, knowing me, I can't paint without having my hands full of it. I just didn't want it to get dirty, and forgot putting it back on.' I began to relax more, hearing now the logical explanation, while feeling a little shame for getting to such a conclusion.

'It's right-' she disappeared out of the room for a moment, returning quickly back.

'here.' she continued, holding the ring and putting it back on.

'I'm sorry, I thought that. I just panicked because you never not wear it. I'm sorry.'

'It's alright, love. Don't worry about it. You just need to remember that I love you very much and that I am still happily married.' I felt her soft lips on mine, kissing me passionately. I kissed her back, both chuckling in the process.

'I love you. You are my whole world, you know that?'

'I do.' she smiled.

'As long as you know that you are my whole universe.'

_________________________

[embrosegraves]

𝔸 ℕ𝕖𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖

Max Verstappen x Reader  Max just wants to show his love for you 

A pre-graduation gift!

Part 1 of a very fluffy 2 part Fic. I've decided to put all of my Sugar Daddy fics (because there will be more) into their own universe. I dub thee, The Sugar -verse!

Max was a man of his word. This meant that if he said he was going to do something, he would do it. Even if he said he would leave you alone to study. Of course he would pout a bit but he would leave you to do your thing. Most of all it meant that he absolutely would NOT change his mind after he utters the words “I’m going to…” when it came to spoiling you. 

In order to avoid the wrath he was sure to incur from you, he would often say it under his breath or he would think them so as to avoid you hearing them. Because Lord knows what you would make him promise  if you heard the things he was to purchase for you. In his opinion the laptop was nowhere near expensive enough. It made you happy though so he didn’t complain. Too much. 

Now however, Max didn’t see the problem in spending as much as he could on you. You were graduating with your degree after years and years of hard work. You deserved to be given whatever it was you wanted to have. And despite what you said, Max was very aware of his spending habits. Which is why when there was only a month until your graduation, he bought extra cabinets and shoe racks for him to build. 

Closer and closer the date crept up until it was the day before you graduated. Max had made sure that when you came home in the evening, there was a hot bath ready for you to soak in, a glass of your favourite wine and a plate of your favourite dinner meal ready on the bath tray. He was prepared to dote on you for however long you let him. Before you went to bed that night, Max decided that it wouldn’t hurt to give you at least one gift now. 

“Schat, I have something to give you.” 

You turned around in his arms so you could look at him properly. Times like this, when you would just be surrounded by him in comfort, were always your favourite thing. You would probably trade all the money in the world if it meant you could keep Max for yourself. Max wouldn’t make the same trade because that would mean that he couldn’t spend anything on you like he thought you deserved. 

“I’ve already been given so much tonight, My Love.” 

Max frowned a little when you spoke. He hadn’t given you anything yet. What did you mean you had been given so much? Seeing Max’s confusion you elaborated a little. 

“I’ve been given an entire evening to spend around you. I’ve been given all my favourite things and now I get to just lay here with you, which I think is the greatest gift of them all.” 

Max was thankful that most of the lights had been turned off. He could feel his face heating up. He buried his face between your neck and shoulder, giving you a light kiss. 

“I want to give you something you can wear tomorrow.” 

“Max.” Your voice was stern. 

“It’s something small, don’t worry.” 

“Just because it’s small doesn’t mean it wasn’t expensive, Max. What did you buy?” 

“A necklace.” Came Max’s muffled reply. He had been placing soft kisses to your skin the whole time. 

You closed your eyes to enjoy the feeling before you gently grabbed his face and moved it to look at you. Protests of “I wasn’t finished kissing” fell through Max’s mouth as you did. 

“Can you justify it?” You asked. Max looked like a pouting child, but he nodded. 

“I bought it because you’re graduating tomorrow and it’s a simple one so you can wear it every day and not just at fancy places.” It was a simple justification, but dammit he was right. You playfully scoffed but allowed him to get the necklace so he could give it to you. You felt an indescribable amount of love when you saw him get up with a big grin on his face. 

When he gave you the box for it, he sat in front of you like a kid waiting to show their parents a drawing they were proud of. Opening the box, you gasped and covered your mouth. The necklace was beautiful. A dainty gold chain with Max’s initial and your birthstone. 

“Max, this is beautiful.” Your voice was barely a whisper. You could hardly speak. It was simple, like he had said, but it was easily one of the most gorgeous things you had. 

“Will you wear it tomorrow?” Max seemed almost nervous as he asked you to wear his initial around your neck. 

In response you flung your arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, tears welling up in your eyes. His arms circled around your waist in reflex to keep you steady. 

“I’m never taking it off.” You breathed near his ear. A few moments later you detached yourself and held the necklace towards him. 

“Put it on for me?”

Neither of your smiles left your faces, even as you eventually succumbed to sleep.

The necklace looks similar to these necklaces I saw on facebook lmao

[sensitive-neuvi-enthusiast]

I want you to touch me there

"I want you to touch me there. Make me feel like I am breathing. Feel like I am human." A little Death

Synopsis: Choso feels less as a lover being a half curse; sweet love making.

Content: fem!reader, sensual sex, p in v, riding, unprotected, baby (for reader and choso), kissing, slight bj, body worship, fluffy smut, anxiety, crying

Wc: 1k

“Baby?” You ask softly, your fingers drawing cute patterns on Choso’s chest. You’d been doing this for the past five minutes and usually he’d try and guess what you were drawing. Shared giggles whenever he’d guess completely wrong. This time, however, he was silent. “Choso.” At the sound of his name, he blinked, looking down at you. “Sorry, what’d you say?” Your brow furrowed, pulling yourself up until you were resting on your elbow. “Are you okay? It’s not like you to space out like that.” You felt him lock up, eyes slowly shifting to a small piece of lint on the bed.

“Choso,” you say again. Lifting your hand, gently cupping his cheek. Your thumb softly brushes against the apple of his cheek. Almost instantaneously, a few tears rolled down.

“Am I enough for you?” He asked softly, misty eyes peering into yours. What? You opened your mouth to say how ridiculous that was but you quickly shut it. That wouldn't help him. He was obviously struggling with something inside. "What makes you ask that?" You ask carefully, your thumb still brushing against his skin. Choso nibbled on his bottom lip, quivering. You could tell he was struggling with how to word this. What to say. “Take your time,” reminding him gently. Resting your chin on his chest as you looked up at him, still softly brushing his cheek.

“Sometimes…I don't feel like I'm enough for you. That you deserve someone who's more…” He hesitated.

“Human?” You answered softly, making him nod his head.

“Oh, baby.” Shaking your head softly, you reach for his hand, pressing kisses to the back of it. “You're more than enough for me. I love you and only you. No one could replace that for me. You're who I want.” His lip wobbled more, arms slowly wrapping around your midsection. He tugged you to him.

“I know you love me…I just see you with the other sorcerers and I get..” he sighed, pressing his nose to your hair. “Can't help but think you fit better with them.”

Your heart twisted. How long had he been feeling like this? Was it all the time?

“Choso..” you remarked softly, sitting up now. “Can I show you? How much I love you? How human you really are?” His eyes widened, a small dust of pink on his cheeks. “Please…touch me. Make me feel like I'm human.” You didn't need any further discussion, climbing into his lap easily. Hands pressed to his shoulders as you claimed his lips, tasting his chapped lips mixed with the salty tears that fell earlier. His body shook, hands tentatively resting on your hips.

Warm tongues and sweet kisses were shared. Your body's slowly pushing against the other, heart beats increasing as they try to match rhythm.

You pulled away, a string of saliva connecting your lips. “Let's get this off,” you pinched the fabric of his shirt, lifting it over his head. Open mouthed kisses were pressed to his chest, you made sure to kiss every inch. Slowly making your way down his body, giggling when you saw how his tummy muscles tensed with each press of your lips. “I love you,” you murmured. Hooking your thumbs into his shorts, tugging them down his legs. Then you kissed over his pretty bulge, making his dick twitch. “I love your cock, always makes me feel good.”

“Please..” he softly breathed out. His eyes misty, bottom lip tucked between his teeth as he watched you.

You kissed over his clothed erection a few more times before you slipped his underwear down too. Resting it around his ankles as you wrapped your hand around his dick. Nuzzling against the thick length, pressing kisses there too. On the tip, near the base, on the veins. Every inch. His body shuddered, big hands being placed in your hair. He didn't grab, lead, or push. Simply rested his hand there, petting you every so often. You could tell he was getting restless, thighs tensing and releasing each time your tongue touched him. “Patience baby, I want to show you.”

“M'trying,” Choso sighed out, his hips itching to thrust upwards. To push himself deeper into your pretty mouth.

You smiled. Swirling your tongue, dipping into the leaking slit at the top. Making sure his whole length was covered before crawling back up his body. “What are you-” you pressed your finger to his lips. “We're going to make love, Choso. Sweet, loving; I want to cherish your body and you till you understand that you're perfect. Perfect in how you give me pleasure and love me.” Before he could say anything, you pushed back a little, sliding him in between your thighs. Your sex consumed him, swallowing him until his tip brushed against your g-spot. His blunt nails dug into your thighs, whimpering as you clenched.

And slowly, you moved. Rising and falling, his cock slipping in and out. Dragging along your sensitive walls, covered in your arousal. Building both orgasms as you placed your hands on his shoulders, steadying yourself.

“Cho..” you moaned, feeling the steady build in your tummy. “Baby…you feel so good. Oh-” He choked on a groan, his head falling back onto the pillow. His pretty hair fanned across the fabric, red dusting his cheeks. “I love you s'much baby, so damn much.” You panted, leaning forward a little to rest near his ear. Telling him over and over everything you loved about him. How he makes you feel, how your heart only beats for him this way. Over and over as both orgasms steadily built until they spilled over the edge. Your sticky bodies pressed together as you kissed his shoulder, riding him through his orgasm.

His harsh breathing slowly settled, holding you close to him.

“Thank you,” he mumbled. Pressing his own kisses to your sticky skin. His big hands rubbed your back. “Anytime you feel that way, tell me, okay? I'll do everything I can to remind you; you're human, and I love you.”

"I love you too, so much."

[imagine--if]

hey! i hope your doing well, i would love to see anything fluffy for mike (headcanons, blurbs, whatever you feel like suits it most!) - he deserves the whole world and sm more to me 😭

A/N: I get youuuu, hope you enjoy 😁 started off with the relationship hcs but let me know if you wanna see anything more specific!!

Warnings: FNAF movie spoilers, mentions of violence

⋆✮ Dating Mike Schmidt Includes: ✮⋆

➳ Mike's been through a hell of a lot ever since his little brother got kidnapped, so I'm seeing major protectiveness and sometimes even clinginess involved from him when you end up dating because 😭 guy's been through stuff and he's not letting anyone else he's close to get hurt

➳ To be honest, at first he's pretty closed-off with people, vulnerable with a tough exterior, so if you meet him in some scenario where you're tied up with the Freddy's murders and job, he'll try to be distant and professional and all... ending up failing 🙃

➳ Eventually you start. talking more about personal things, hobbies your lives, and he'll mention his sister Abby and having to take the job because he needs the money and is in the middle of the custody situation with his sister. He's got a lot going on and the trauma of what happened all those years ago still wringing at his guilt, so being able to talk with someone who doesn't judge in a relaxed place is a nice change for him having to be on guard all the time.

➳ When Mike befriends you, which is what happens first, he's got your back. If you need someone to vent to or hang out with or whatever, he'll do whatever he can to help, and when it comes to you being in a sticky situation or someone trying to hurt you or play you, he always seems to realise and is in no way afraid of confrontation to get them to back off.

➳ Like if William tries sizing you up a bit... and Mike gets annoyed with that cool, defensive glare as he asks if he needs anything (I've got to make an imagine of this nowwww). I think Mike would only realise that he's actually jealous if you teased about it, or if he really loses his temper with someone that's not leaving you alone or something. Then it really nags at him and makes him think about actually liking you as more than a friend, and then that initial reluctance because everyone he gets close to seems to have something bad happen to them, like it's a curse. At the end of the day, he just wants you to be safe.

➳ It would take something big for Mike to confess to you, unless you take the first step (aka Abby begging you to tell him you like him too because she's getting bored of him not concentrating on what she's talking to him about or the conversation somehow curving to you and the stuff you're into). Maybe you're attacked at Freddy's and you're all in on the crisis together when Mike stands firmly in front of you when William reveals himself, or he shoves you out the way so you won't get hurt, ultimately jumping in front of the threat without a worry of him getting hit instead. It's then that he realises how much he needs you in his life, how he needs you alive because you add some joy to it that he hasn't felt in all these years, a change from the darkness that his head's stuck in.

➳ It all comes out of him in a rush as he looks you up and down with wild eyes and a firm grip, asking if you're alright and saying in a rush that "you're one of the most important people in the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt... I- I couldn't live with myself, okay?!"

➳ Okayyy Mike, just kiss them 😏

➳ After you fight Afton together and get Vanessa looked after, you can finally breathe and properly start dating, which includes that familiar protectiveness and slight clinginess... and also being best friends with his little sister, which you 100% would be. You'd spend time drawing or chatting or playing random games while Mike was out working, eliminating the need for a babysitter because you're the perfect fit and get along with her great. And when he is home, you do a lot of stuff together, like a mini family, and there's finally that security and stability in that life she needed.

➳ I feel like Abby would find it hilarious to tell you all the sappy things Mike says about you on the rare occasions where you're not around, ending in Mike's cheeks flushing beet red and him picking her up and whirling her around playfully until she's in fits of laughter. "I heard Mike say that he found another reason to keep going when he realised he was in love wi- hey!!"

➳ Mike would be a bit clingy, again because of what happened with Garret; Mike being distracted for one moment and then blaming himself for the rest of his life because it was that moment where his brother was taken and killed. So if you are out, on a date or just around, this guy will not leave your side. He's the kind of person to text you again and again if you don't respond to the first message, and it's kind of cute how much he worries, but then he doesn't need to, and every now and then he'll need your reassurance that you guys are safe and that you won't leave him, which stills ends with him burying his face in your neck for a long tight hug for a while.

➳ MIKE'S A BIG HUGGER. CHANGE MY MIND.

➳ Whether you're watching a movie with him and Abby, or you're out on a date or sleeping or whatever, Mike will always have some contact with you if you've told him you're okay with it: fingers linked under the table, pressed into his side while you're watching TV (with an affectionate forehead kiss every five minutes 🥺) or being half crushed to death while you're trying to sleep when he rolls onto you and traps you under his leg... good luck if you need to go to the bathroom. Chances are he'll end up trailing after you with mumbled protests.

➳ That protectiveness always kicks in when someone looks at you for too long, or in a way that he doesn't like the look of, or if you're obviously uncomfortable with. If you're quick, you can just convince him to walk away and you two go somewhere else, because Mike will end up getting annoyed and giving the guy a line to get him to make them go away. If he's not careful, he might end up getting in a fight again, but he'll really try not to when you tell him off for it and promise him that things are okay and you're not going anywhere.

➳ You and Abby are basically Mike's world, after all that's happened, there are only really two people left that he truly cares for and would do anything for. Once you're in a relationship with him, he'll do everything he can to make sure you're safe and won't have to go through anything he had to. If ever you're upset, he'll listen for hours with no judgement and major support, whatever mood you're in somehow rubbing off on him. Mike will admit his feelings in a rush, and when he does, he's not afraid to tell you that he loves you whenever you need to hear it, or whenever he wants to say it and wants you to be reminded. It's something that you can never doubt.

[dolche-tejada]

You know, usually after a decade most people tend to take a step back from the works they love to think about it more objectively but it seems like Pricefielders are still unable to do something that simple.

Seriously, what the fuck. Admire this level of mental gymnastics, we're at least on an Olympic scale right there. It's because of this kind of bullshit that Warren fans and Carlos Luna (his voice actor) got harassed for years and still receive death threats, just because Pricefielders are crybabies who can't cope with their fav also being interested in men and that their precious sapphic ship isn't Max's everything or the whole point of the game.

So given that I've got some time to waste, I will debunk here their delusions, or at least most of them because trust me, the list is long.

1. "Warren is an incel !"

They act as if he's forcing Max to give her affection, regularly crossing her boundaries, is only interested in her for sex and playing the Nice Guys to get in her pants so let's take a look at how he acts through the game and Max's interactions with him :

Regardless of the player's choices, Max introduces him in her diary as a very good friend whom she sees as honest, an ally at Blackwell and someone who makes her smile.

Across the game, she grows even more fond of him after seeing him stood up for her and himself, calling him notably an "Everyday Hero".

Although his attraction to Max is obvious, he doesn't force his feelings on her in any way.

He jokes that being nice means not getting laid… Like any 16yo awkward teenager who doesn't know how to talk to girls. Hell, even Max jokes with him about it, get real.

When Nathan threatens Max on the parking, he protects her without any hesitation even though she mentioned he was wielding a gun in the girls' bathroom, and gets beaten up to allow her to flee.

Max can accept to go Ape with him, saying it's exactly what she needs.

She trusts him so much that she wanted to tell him her secret from the start, regardless of how you define the nature of their relationship.

After Kate's suicide (attempt), he comforts Max by putting his arm around her, while making sure to leave some space between them. The kind of sweet thing an incel would NEVER do. No romantic act or intent of any kind here, just a friend worried about someone he cares about. If you see this as a deceitful attempt to get laid, it says more about your view of male-female relationships than it does about him.

If Max failed to save Kate, he reassures her by reminding it's not her fault, something Max speaks about in her diary with "I hung out with Warren on the lawn so I could feel grass under my feet and watch the fluffy clouds. He’s such a sweetheart, he kept telling me I did everything I could for Kate. Even though I know I didn’t.

If she succeed to save her, Warren send her a text about how he's proud of her, to which Max comment in her diary : "He’s such a sweetheart, he kept telling me how proud he was that I stopped Kate from jumping. I don’t believe that I did, but I have to say it’s better to be treated like a hero at school than like a twee loser.”

He helps and informs Max several times throughout the game without asking for anything in return, even if the player refuses to accompany him to the Drive-In, just because they're friends.

Max literally changed his grade into an A to thank him for what he's doing for her, even saying he deserves more.

He stands in front of Nathan once again to save Max and Chloe, even though he was about to draw a gun and that Nathan literally lives in the same corridor as him.

When Warren mentioned at the Vortex Club's party that he's invisible to everyone, Max reassures him by telling him he's important to her.

Unlike most of the cast, he never pressured her to listen to his problems or help him in some way, he's at the contrary the only one who just wants to be there for her.

If Max don't want to go ape with him, he's logically disappointed but he doesn't make a fuss about it, he even jokes about that by quoting a famous line from Planet of Apes.

When you kiss Chloe and the latter texted Warren about it, he get that Max might be interested in someone else and propose to step back while encouraging her to go with Chloe, but Max remains decided to go ape with him if this is what you choose.

Max can literally kiss him to "let him know her feelings", and then comment this choice in her diary with this

2. "He's violent and dangerous, look at what he did to Nathan !"

Nathan was about to kill Max and Chloe, the fuck Warren was supposed to do ? Talking him down ? Yeah sure, great idea. Because it totally worked for Chloe in the bathrooms.

Besides there's a little thingy called "context" that you conveniently forgot once again, here that Nathan bullied him for seemingly a long time and this notably through homophobic slurs. When you push people to their limits and threaten to KILL their friends, you're not the victim.

3. Max's nightmare

For fuck's sake, everyone was horrible during this nightmare sequence, what's even your point ?? That Max would be secretly afraid of him ? Lmao sure, one nightmare sequence based on Max's irrational fears against a whole game of interactions like this one, geez I wonder which side holds more weight than the other...

Her only canon fears are Jefferson, the Dark Room, Chloe using her, and her powers fucking up everything. That's it, nothing about Warren or men in general.

But if this nightmare is allegedly intended to reveal how she really feels about Warren, then what about Chloe ? Because when Max was talking to her own counterpart, the Nightmare Max openly mocked her for letting Chloe bullying her into a Stockholm Syndrome relationship, before adding she'd be even more preoccupied about Chloe killing them than Jefferson.

Hell, even the real Max said in this exchange that Chloe is good at guilt-tripping her.

So if this nightmare was about Max’s real feelings towards Warren, David or even Samuel, I guess Max is genuinely scared of Chloe for guilt-tripping her into an abusive relationship and leading them to a certain death, right ?

4. "Fans like him only because all the other males in this game are criminals"

That or we just like him because he's a funny, dorky, sensitive and caring nerd who's always willing to listen to Max and protect her at his own risk. Can you guess which option is the good one ?

5. Alyssa

Firstly, nothing in their interactions shows they were that close in the past.

Secondly, blaming someone for having several relationships in the past is the kind of shit you'd be rioting about if it were against Chloe or Rachel but apparently when it's Warren, it's okay.

Thirdly Alyssa is literally one of the most bullied character of this game alongside Kate and Warren so here's a rhetorical question for the slowest in the back : Did Warren or Alyssa might have paired themselves with the other on a school desk for some unexplained reason ? Or way more realistically, someone wrote this to mock them like bullies actually does a lot irl ?

"B-b-but Alyssa hides herself in his shoulder when her close friend jumped from a rooftop, it's definitely a proof !"

You know what, by intellectual charity I will just ignore this, the sheer level of stupidity speaks for itself.

6. "In the alt timeline, he's with Stella ! That proves he's only interested by sex !"

Not only it doesn't prove jack shit on his intentions but watch out you dimwit because this might blow your mind :

This other Warren might have been interested in someone else because in this alternate timeline, Max is an elitist jerk from the Vortex Club ? Same Vortex Club that also includes Nathan Prescott. Why a victim of bullying would be interested by someone who's at best bff with his bullies or at worst a bully herself ?

7. His movies choices

I'm not even kidding, that's a real argument used to trash him. Like wow, he likes "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" and laughed his ass off while watching "Cannibal Holocaust", how shocking I don't know if I could get over it someday.

Apart from the blatant stupidity of this “argument” and that his haters apparently never heard of dark humor, it's quite surprising that I don't see anyone criticizing Max for also liking this kind of films.

Besides I like how each time someone talk about that, they conveniently forgot to mention the little note he left with the flash drive, warning Max about the graphic nature of his movies. Almost as if he was aware that it can potentially disturb some people ?

And finally this accusation coming from people who don't bat an eye at Chloe taking drugs, taking money from disabled people or stealing and playing with firearms reeks of irony.

8. "He looked at Kate's video two times and a half !"

Everyone watched it, you fucking idiots. And not only he wasn't proud of that but he was also one of the rare students worried about her from the start. In addition to this, Kate herself called him an angel if Max managed to save her, just saying.

9. "He ditched Brooke for Max"

That's your headcanon. He asked Max first and if the player isn't interested, then he just chose to go with someone else. Believe it or not but people do that all the time, because there's nothing malicious in having back-up plans.

If one of your friend isn't available or interested to go out with you, that doesn't mean you have to cancel your plans.

10. "He photoshopped Max on his selfie !"

Nope he didn't, he just developed the selfie in Jefferson's class and Max made no comment whatsoever on an eventual edit, learn to read properly.

11. "Max doesn't even like him, she's not interested !"

Ohh it's gonna be fun...

So Max isn't interested in him, that's the hill Pricefielders want to die on ? Hm okay, okay... So then, why at several points in the game she admits finding him attractive ?

When Chloe thought Max friendzoned him, why did she immediately denied that ?

Why did Max choose to flirt with him by letting this note in front of his room ?

Why was she hoping that "something" might happen between them by accepting to go Ape with him ?

Why was Max so distressed and sad after seeing Warren with Stella in the alternate timeline ?

Why does she regrets not having kissed Chloe or Warren during the Storm, if the player didn't romance neither of them ?

And at the opposite, why does she openly admits to herself her feelings for him after kissing him ?

"But at some points, Max said Warren is just a little brother to her !"

Oh you mean almost as if Max was a shy and closed teenager with low self-esteem who was mostly searching excuses for herself ?

I probably forgot some other takes along the way but I think I made my point : You guys are desperate to frame him as some creepy incel like Eliot in which Max would be uninterested, to a point where it's both sad and hilarious at once. If coping was a source of energy, I'm sure y'all could supply all the dams in my country.

Max is bisexual, she can be as interested romantically in Warren as with Chloe and independently of your choices, she will always value him as someone very important to her.

And this, it's not arguable. It's not subjective. It's factual, as evidenced in this post. If you can't cope with that, fuck off.

[b0n3s-is-gay]

I loved your breeding kink with dal and soda, can you do one with darry?

Of course I can, I do love me some Darry Smut since this man doesn't get the appreciation that he deserves.

Me + You = A New

Synopsis: Darry doesn't know what started this whole "I wanna baby" thing.. Probably just watching his girlfriend take care of the gang, the little mundane things she does for them... All he knows is that he wants to get her pregnant like, yesterday.

Tags/CWs: Smut, There's some plot here for once, breeding kink, Mommy kink(?), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), p in v, praise, pet names, allusions to breastfeeding kink (if you squint), fem reader, fluffy smut, set after the events of the book/movie.

AN: I should be writing my editorial for Journalism about the death penalty, but I'm writing smut. What does that say about my life?

(credit for the banner: @ioveartfilm)

"Pony, come on... Trigonometry is not that hard. Remember SOH CAH TOA. Sine is Opposite over Hypotenuse, Cosine is Adjacent over Hypotenuse, and Tan is Opposite over Adjacent." She explained gently as she sewed a button back onto Sodapop's shirt.

Darry watched from his chair, watching as she interacted with his younger brothers. Ponyboy was getting help from her as he did his Trigonometry homework and Sodapop was asking her for help repairing his work shirts. It was nice, but the house was missing something... Something that Darry wanted.

Kids.

That was what Darry wanted, more than anything. Darry wanted kids. It was either the thought of having kids with the women he loved, surrounded with the people he loved. Or... Maybe it was the thought of getting her pregnant, knowing it was his kid that she was carrying.

"You got it, Pony? You understand the assignment now?" She asked, her soft voice drawing Darry out of his breeding filled fantasy. She had just finished fixing Sodapop's shirt and she was now focused solely on helping Ponyboy with his homework.

Ponyboy nodded as she stood up and went to Sodapop and Ponyboy's room to put Soda's work shirt in their dresser. Leaving Darry to his thoughts and the quiet scratching of Pony's pencil against his paper. Sighing, Darry followed after her. He watched her as she handed Soda his shirt before turning to leave, ending up running into Darry's chest. "Darry, sweet heart, mind moving?" She smiled as she looked up at his face. God that smile, if they were to ever have kids... He'd want them to have her smile and his eyes. It was just a thought, but the more he thought about it, the more he wanted that to be a reality. "Yeah..." Darry nodded and stepped to the side, watching her head to the master bedroom to get into something more comfortable. Not even a moment later, he follows behind her, wanting to talk.

They had talked of kids before, of the future. Marriage was on the table, later down the line of course. Kids were in the fold, regardless of marital status. After all, they weren't struggling as much as they were when Ponyboy was in 9th grade. Maybe, just fucking maybe a bit of tongue work could work.

"Darry, what's on your mind? Since you walked through that door tonight, you've been watching me and the boys like a hawk. Is something wrong?" She spoke when she noticed him enter their room, her clothes already halfway to the floor.

Darry frowned as he sat down on the edge of their bed, watching her change. He couldn't say much with what his mind was thinking... Swollen breasts and a pregnant belly... Ah hell, won't kill me to tell her.

"I want kids, hon. I want to have a baby with you." He said after a minute. Making her stop in her tracks, her task of changing being forgotten. She looked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, asking him to explain.

Darry, ever the mature person, didn't know how to explain it better. So rather than taking a step back and coming up with a better way to talk about it, just spilt his guts. "I watch how you interact with the gang, my brothers, and your nieces. And fuck... It makes me think of how much we can have, the kids we could have."

Darry paused for a minute, watching her face before continuing. "I can't stop thinking about it. We're not struggling for money like we were when Pony was in 9th grade. We have the money and the though of seeing you holding our child just makes me feel happy."

"Well... That was out of left field, but I don't see why not. But are you sure you want this? I mean, kids are a big step in any relationship, take a lot of money, and take a lot of time. And while we aren't struggling, are you sure it's a good idea for our kids to be brought into the world while there's a war goin' on?" She pointed out, all things true.

Darry nodded his head as he leaned back on their bed, resting on his elbows. "I'm sure... I just wanna know if you want that, if you want a family with me." His voice was soft, a drastic difference than what he usually presented.

She shook her head and smiled before climbing onto his lap, just in her underwear and bra. "Darrel, you ain't gotta ask me twice." She whispered as she slowly pushed a hand under his shirt and splayed her hand against his muscles.

A smile slowly formed on his lips before he leaned up to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Soft slowly melted into desperation as his hands found the back of her neck to pull her closer. Darry licked her bottom lip and smiled as she opened her mouth to him.

And that's all it took for him. Desperation took root, tongues and teeth were added to the mix, hands roaming her bare body as she helped him take off his clothes.

"Shit... You look so sexy Darrel..." She whispered when she pushed him back, panting as her eyes wandered over the newly exposed skin, ripe for the marking. Dreams were short lived as Darry swapped their positions. Darry on top because he just couldn't let his chance slip through his fingers like sand in an hour glass.

"Not as sexy as you'll be.. 'm gonna make you a momma... You want that? You want to be swollen and filled with my babies?" He panted as he unbuckled his jeans, his cock already hard and leaking. The promise of getting her pregnant was just so tantalizing.

Darry didn't give her a chance to answer before he slipped a finger inside her, his thumb starting to rub circles on her clit. "Hell... I can imagine it right now, I can feel it in my soul that we're gonna have a daughter. Shit... You're soaked..." He rambled while still fingering her, adding another finger into the mix.

"Darry, just fuck me... Make me a mommy..." She whispered as she pulled him down by the back of the neck, whispering in his ear.

That was all he needed, knowing she needed this just as much as he did. Darry pulled his fingers out after he deemed her prepped enough. "Fuck... Gonna put a baby in you, gonna make you mine..."

Darry rubbed the head of his dick in her folds, his tip catching on her clit before he slowly sank inside her. He sighed as he was squeezed, enjoying this as he gently moved his calloused hands to her hips. Darry closed his eyes as he leaned forward and rested his head in the crook of her neck, biting down to muffle his groans of pleasure.

"Shit... Darry, move, please..." She whispered as she wrapped her legs around his waist, begging him to move as she slowly grinded up to get some stimulation. Darry, ever the gentleman, listened to her begging tone and started to slowly thrust.

His head remained on her shoulder, his hot breath and small words of praises fanning against her skin. "Damn babe... You look so pretty, feel even better..." Darry murmured as he slowly started to speed up.

"Can't wait for you to be swollen with my kids, everyone will know you're My. Girl..." Darry sighed as he pulled back to look at her, punctuating his words with a hard roll of his hips. "You'll be a pretty mommy, taking such good care of 'em.."

She smiled as she pulled him down for a kiss, using it to muffle her moans of pleasure. "Gonna be a good mommy..." She whispered against his lips while he slowly lost himself in the thought of getting her knocked up.

"Shit... Gonna cum..." She whispered after a particularly rough thrust against her g-spot, her clit rubbing against his taut muscles. Darry licked his lips as he sped up again, signaling that he was about to cum too.

"Fuck... Fuuck..." Darry moaned against her ear as he reached down to rub her clit, felling her clench around him the second he touched the bundle of nerves. "Mmph.... Come on pretty girl, cum for me..."

"Dar... Darry fuck... Darry!" She moaned against his lips, clenching around him as she came. Darry wasn't far behind her as he fucked his seed into her cunt, moaning softly against her skin before he relaxed.

"Holy shit..." Darry whispered as he calmed down, still holding her hips. "Round 2?"

[ageless-soul-au]

Dream girl!! 🌺 🌊

Marin washed up in Calatia, post Link's Awakening. The owners of a tavern in town gave her work and a place to stay, and Marin quickly learned that drunk people were sometimes assholes. She had to grow a thick skin, but eventually got used to the nature of her job (as well as learning that she could bat her eyelashes at some people and swindle them out of money/gifts/favors). She doesn't know much about where Legend is, or if he's even around in the time period she ended up in, but she's hoping to save up enough money in order to travel to Hyrule and find out...

Finally a ref for Marin!! I love her sososososo much, so I wanted to finalize an outfit for her before committing to a ref, bc she deserves something good!! I think I'm happy with this. The design on her corset is supposed to be reminiscent of waves.

Details not pictured: Her skirt falls to mid calf, and fades from the powdery blue at the top to the lighter blue that's the main color of her corset. For footwear, she has ankle boots that lace up and cream colored socks.

Marin is from ASAU, please don't tag any other AUs!! 💙

Image ID under the cut

Image ID: A character reference for Marin from Ageless Soul AU, featuring three drawings and text.

The text reads "Marin, barmaid from Koholint, age 21, height 5'4" / 162 cm, she/her."

The main drawing to the left pictures Marin looking slightly to the side and smiling smugly, twirling a lock of hair around her finger with her other hand behind her back. She has sunset red curly hair that's fluffy and falls to her lower back, brown eyes with red highlights, and tan skin with lots of freckles. Her body type is curvy/chubby and her dress shows some cleavage. She's wearing a sky blue dress made up of a strapless corset and a skirt, with the short, slightly puffed sleeves of a cream chemise sitting off her shoulders and the neckline of which is peeking up over the top of the corset. She wears the diamond shaped gold pendant with a red gem from Link's Awakening on a long chain, long enough that the pendant hangs slightly under her bust. Her hair is tucked behind one round ear, showing four ear piercings: two studs in her lobe and two rings in her upper cartilage (helix piercings).

The two doodles on the right are in a slightly more cartoony style.

The top doodle has a pink background and shows Marin in profile, leaning over a table that has pints of beer on it. She has a mocking, heart-shaped smile as she says, "I don't have to serve assholes. Get out~"

The bottom doodle has a green background. Marin is in a sassy pose with her right hand on her hip and her left dismissively waving off someone not pictured. Her eyes are closed as she says, "Not worth my time 💙 Go fuck yourself 💙"

There are doodles of hearts and water droplets around the page, as well as a fully rendered hibiscus and a color palette.

/end ID

[bluebearial]

Holiday Homewrecker

7.3k Words

You’ve just bought a few new toys for the holidays! But watch out! There's drama afoot. (Apaw? Ahoof?)

CW: Bimbofication but it’s kinda not really the main focus of the plot?? Pointing it out just in case

Welcome to the last story in Lupa's little "arc"!! This is the ending I had in mind for it more or less, until I think of other stories to write with her and "You". I wanted a way to get Rudy, the other plush OC I draw, into the canon somehow ^^ I think I rushed this a little bit to get it out on Christmas? But I hope you enjoy nonetheless…

Thanks for @jades-typurriter for proofreading this!!

Docs version here.

The sun slowly rises, bathing the land in a lazy orange light. Snowdrifts cover the land outside, reflecting the sun’s light every which way. This late in the year, it’s truly gotten cold. Thankfully, the heat in your house works this time, so you’re not cold. Even still, you’ve been feeling a bit of yearning… Yearning for something soft.

It always happens around this time of year, doesn’t it. You figure you deserve a little present anyhow, so why not?

That’s why, this morning, you’re up early, waiting near the door.

The house is quiet, being so early. You aren’t even sure whether Lupa was awake.

You get your answer in the form of the needling feeling of something looming over you. Something leans against you from behind, before enveloping you in its big, fuzzy arms. Something nuzzles into your hair, whispering the softest “I love you.~” you’d ever heard.

Just hearing the voice of your favorite wolf warms you up, but snuggling up against her helps too.

“Good morning, Lulu,” you greet your girlfriend as she loosens her hug. You take a moment just to look at each other, before her lips meet your cheek.

“Mornin’, hon. Still waiting on those toys?” She asks, voice tinged with sleep. She has to kneel down to properly meet your gaze, and the difference in size certainly isn’t lost on you. You realize after a moment that you’re staring.

“Um- Yeah! They should be here any minute!” You reply, recalling the delivery date. The website said to expect delivery today, early morning. Basically, right now. Aaany minute now.

“Yeah… Alright,” Lupa nonchalantly replies as she stands back up. She raises her arms and straightens her back with a soft groan... All of her sharp teeth end up on full display as she lets out the squeakiest, lupine yawn ever. Cute…

“I’ll be on the couch if you wanna snuggle, ‘kay?” She offers with a smile.

“So casual…” You’re blushing. You could feel it on your cheeks, as much as you try to hide it…

“What can I say? A girl knows what she wants,” she snickers, tail sweeping the floor. Her heavy, soft paw lands atop your head like a gentle, heavy pillow. Pat pat pat.~ “You’re lucky I know how much you just love your little toys. It’s taking so much effort not to just pick you up ‘n take you straight back to bed...”

Your shoulders fall as she turns and ambles her way to the couch. Climbing onto it, and flopping down with a heavy FWOOMF in the way a dog would. She notices you when you start to stare, offering a lazy little wave. Your heart just feels so light when she looks at you… It’s enough to make your ears flop down, tail wagging as you wave back—

Wait.

Ears? Tail?

Your hands shoot up to your head, finding a pair of fluffy triangles. Sensitive ones too, from the jolt that shoots down your back when your fingers give them a squeeze. Did she…? She did. She totally did that.

“Lupa!” you call, “I’m expecting a delivery, remember? I can’t look like this!”

“Why not?” She calls back, “I think it suits you.”

“I—Thanks. But they’re gonna start asking questions that I can’t answer! What am I gonna say, I’m cosplaying for the holidays?”

Lupa opens her mouth to answer, but pauses as a deep knock emanates from behind you. The noise causes your ears to dart up and swivel towards its source. You shoot a look at your plush, before lifting your shirt and doing your best to hide your now frizzy tail inside.

Then… you open the door.

“Delivery for, uh…“ The postman takes one look at you before something in his expression changes. He’s looking at your ears, isn’t he? You totally forgot to cover them up.

“Um. Yeah. That’s me. Hi! Good morning.” The words come out in a rapid, stilted succession as you quietly kick yourself for your error, “Oh- these? I’m just…” You trail, wracking your head for an excuse.

“…cosplaying for the holidays?” You decide to settle on that. “You know how it is. Let me just sign that…” You gingerly take his pen, signing for the package. As you lean down, your ears brush against his uniform, causing him to flinch.

“Uh—”

“Oh, sorry, lemme just—” You fold them down. Wait, should you have done that? Now he’s gonna know they’re real, isn’t he? By the time you finish signing, you find that his attention directed elsewhere, looking at something behind you.

“’Sup dude?” comes a voice from its place on the couch.

“…She’s cosplaying too,” you offer. “Anything else I need to do?”

The postman shakes his head as he hands you your package. The two of you exchange waves and wishes for happy holidays, before you close the door.

The first thing you do is shoot Lupa a dirty look, sticking your tongue out. She looks right back at you, a lazy kind of satisfaction written all over her face. She looks content, lying on her front and lazily kicking her legs in the air.

“So what’d’ja get anyway?” She asks as you make your way towards her.

“Just a couple of old, rare toys that were up for auction,” you explain as you kneel down on the carpet with your box. “One was pretty used, so I got it cheap. As for the other… Well, I think you might like it. Here, hand me those scissors?”

She does just that, delicately pinching them between two of her fat, stubby mascot-like fingers and dropping them in your hand. You hack through the tape holding the box shut, before flipping the lids open. Your hands sift through the packing peanuts, before they find something squishy. You grab and pull, and out from the sea of polystyrene comes a plush.

“Look!” You hold it up to show your girlfriend, “Cute, right? It kinda looks like you. His name is Lobo.”

It does look a lot like her. Thin, grey fur covers its body. Short, messy blue hair sits atop its head above the fanged, boyish smirk that it wears on its face. It wears a loudly colored T-shirt, with the word !!HOWLIN’!! emblazoned on the front.

“He’s kinda funny looking! But I dunno, he’s a little cute. I just had to have him.”

“…Wow. Uh, yeah. Cute.” Lupa’s voice goes surprisingly flat. Her tail lays limply on the couch, and her eye looks almost colorless as it stares vacantly at your new plushie.

“Hey. Can I see that?” She asks, holding out her paw before you can ask her what the matter is.

“Um, sure.” You reply, lifting it up towards her. She immediately swipes it from your hand, and it disappears into her mouth. Gulp.

“What the heck, Lu?” You’re outraged! Standing up, you put your hands on the couch. “I spent a--… A lot of money on that!”

“Mmmm… Yummers. Sorry, I was just hungry or… or somethin’,” is her reply, color returning to her (mostly grey) face. She tilts her head as you start to fish through your package some more. “You get another toy?”

“Yeah, maybe,” you reply. “You gonna eat this one?”

“I dunno,” She crosses her arms, a coy tone in her voice, “Maybe. Is it another Lobo or whatever?”

“Nope! Here…” Your second, and last, offering is a little plush reindeer. Light tan fur, with a red bow on its head. It wears a content smile despite its obvious weathering. “Meet Clarice! Y’know, like the doe from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer™?” You raise it, but not too far. Just in case you need to swipe it away from any hungry wolves…

“…Who?”

“Y’know… Rudolph? The movie where uh, where this little deer is born with a glowing red nose. He’s an outcast, it’s kinda like a fairy tale.”

“Oh.” Lupa rolls her eyes, resting a paw on her chin.

“Hey, maybe we could watch it sometime!”

“Sounds dumb,” she retorts. You blink.

“…What? It’s not dumb!” you retort, puffing out your cheeks. That kinda stung!

“Yeah, I dunno. It’s like you said, it sounds like a fairy tale. I’m not a fairy tale kinda girl.” She aloofly explains, resting her cheek on a paw, “I’m more of a Nightmare Before Christmas girl. Now that’s a movie.”

“But we always watch that!” you huff.

“Oh. Uh… What about Grease?”

“That’s not even a holiday movie!”

“There’s always time for Grease, dude,” she explains. “You just don’t get it.”

You’re not amused. Standing up, you bonk Lupa on her soft fluffy head. It’s like firmly petting a pillow. Your hand sinks in only a bit before it stops.

“Ow. Blehhh...” She sprawls out on the couch, putting her paws up and sticking her tongue out. “I’m dyyyying…”

“Lulu…”

“The only thing that can save me are some snuggles… Riiiight here…” she says, patting her chubby, fluffy middle. “Riiiight here. C’mon.” As hard as it is to resist, you somehow find the will to put your foot down.

“You’re being silly, Lulu,” you lightly scold, “Now c’mon, I’ll give you all the snuggles in the world if you help me with the cookies. Sound good?”

“Ugh… Fiiiine,” she groans, sitting up. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

You leave your Clarice on the coffee table, taking your girlfriend by the hand as you both meander to the kitchen. It kind of hurts that, she ate one of your toys, but it’s not a huge deal, right? After all, you feel lucky to share your house with the best toy you could ask for. The hours fly by as you work to bake some cookies for the holidays, with Lupa doing her best to help. Her paws make for a pretty decent set of oven mitts, you find.

You find that your space needs some decorating too - and soon, the tree in the corner of your living room is adorned with tinsel and colorful ornaments. It’s quite late by the time you’re done, so after dinner and a rewatch of a certain spooky holiday movie, Lupa carries you off to bed.

--

This moonlit night is quiet and still. Your girlfriend is warm and oh-so comfy, but something managed to stir you from your slumber. You slowly open an eye. You could’ve sworn you’d heard the sound of a bell.

Jingle Jingle Jingle~♫

There it is again.

“Hey. Lupa,” you whisper, tapping the furred arm keeping you comfily pinned to the bed. She snores in reply, fast asleep…

“Luuuupaaaaa…” you tap her arm harder and faster this time, until her snoring abruptly stops.

“Huh—Wha? What’s--”

“Shhh…” you shush her. She rubs her eye…

“…What’s the matter, babe…?” she does her best to whisper.

“I heard something…”

Clop, clop, clop. Jingle Jingle Jingle~♫

The sound echoes from down the hall, muffled as it emanates into your room.

“What the hell was that?” Lupa asks, ears swiveling toward the door. You… wish you had an answer for that. You hope you aren’t being robbed. You wonder - Do people like to break in during the holidays, or is that only a thing in the movies? Anyway.

“Let’s find out.”

Lupa can be surprisingly quiet when she wants to be, you’ve found. Her padded paws hardly make a sound when they gently squish against the floor. You’d be impressed if her massive tail didn’t hit everything along the way as the two of you sneak down the hall. You find yourself shushing her all along the way.

“Not my fault your place is a friggin’ minefield,” she gripes, hugging her tail to her chest.

Eventually, you reach the living room. Like the hall, it’s quite dark, save for the blue rays of moonlight coming through the windows. But—Wait. There’s something else.

Near your tree, you see the faint, yellow flicker of fire. Before the alarm bells in your head can really get going, you realize that it is merely candlelight. In the faint glow, you could see part of a face and a silhouette, crouched near your presents. It looked massive, with a pair of sticks atop its head that jingled whenever it moved. You could hear it lightly hum as it busies itself with… something.

“Lu, keep your eye on it. I’m gonna turn the light on.” She nods, and you feel your way to the light switch. With a flick, everything becomes illuminated. Darkness removed, you can see exactly who’s been messing with your tree.

A large deer had knelt over one of your gifts, hooved hands in the middle of tying the bow when the lights came on. The deer goes stiff, humming stopped. The bells on its antlers jingle as it angles its head up – away from the presents, and towards Lupa, then you. It gasps, standing up to all of six feet tall, hands on its cheeks as it puts on the silliest grin.

“Oh! Happy Holidays, new friends!” It calls in a bubbly, girlish tone.

You take a step back as the reindeer traipses towards you, only stopping when Lupa stands between the two of you.

“That’s far enough, buddy,” she growls.

You step alongside her, hand on her hip as you get a good look at your visitor. Tan fur covers its form, with a head of dark red hair that covers half its face. Poking through its mane are a pair of antlers, which are adorned with a set of bells that jingle whenever it moves. A long, flowing ponytail drapes along the back of its plush body, stopping near its wide hips. Aside from its clearly more… shapely figure, this plush reminds you a lot of…

“Clarice?”

“…Hmmm… Not quite,” it replies, “That’s a girl’s name, silly! Call me Rudolph.”

You and Lupa exchange a look.

“…Actually,” he continues after a pause, “Just call me Rudy! Rudolph is way too formal I think.”

“But you’re—You’re the toy that just came in the mail! One of them, at least,” you shoot a look at Lupa, who shies away and stifles a burp. “Right?”

“Yep!” He leans towards you, hands on his thighs, “And is it safe to assume you’re the little cutie who bought me?”

You nod, and you opt to give him your name. He finds it quite cute…

“And look at you,” he directs his attention to Lupa. You’re surprised that he still has to look up at her, in spite of his already impressive height. “Aren’t you cute! I almost didn’t recognize you at first. You’re a Lo—”

“Lupa, yeah. That’s my name,” she cuts in. Rudy tilts his head with a jingle.

“No no, that’s not right. Isn’t it—”

“Hhhohohoho~kay. Look, shorty. I think I know what my own name is, okay?” She growls, prodding the other plush’s chest with her finger. As Rudy wilts under her gaze, you could see the fur on her back begin to bristle…

“H-hey, hey,” you step in, putting your hands up in order to hopefully defuse the situation, “It’s late. We’re all tired here… Why don’t we get some sleep, huh?” Lupa snorts.

“Yeah. Sounds good.” She turns, stomping her way back up the hall.

Hmm.

“Hey,” you hear a whisper, “Is she okay?”

You turn to see Rudy, gingerly approaching you. His bells lightly jingle as he glances up the hall.

“Did I… do something wrong?”

The truth is, you aren’t sure. You knew she could be prickly, but she seemed especially frustrated just now…

“I’m sure she’s just tired,” you offer for now. “I know I am.” Conveniently, you do feel a yawn coming on… One that you do your best to stifle.

“Awww…” He puts his hooves together, giving you a tender look. “Would you like me to carry you, deerie?”

You chuckle. “Carry me? Sure, why not?”

He grins, and scoops his hands under you, lifting you up bridal style. On the way up, you note the stitch marks on his lower chest. His fur is soft enough to remind you of Lupa’s, and almost as thick. He feels nice and warm, too. You push your hand into his squishy chest, and you run it through his pelt. You’re feeling sleepier already… Sensing that you’re ready to go, you hear the soft clop of his hooves and the jingle of his bells as he carries you down the hall.

“So, Rudy…” you trail off.

“Hmm?”

 “…How are you, uh…” You find it hard to settle on a single question. There is so much that you want to ask. Instead, you decide on a different topic. “You’re really soft…” He blushes, and his nose begins to glow as he tightens his hold on you.

“Awww, thank you deer! It means a lot that you’d say that~ I do my best…”

You smile back up at him. He’s pretty cute…

“Oh! Here’s your room I think. I saw Lo—um, Lupa go in here… I think? Want me to put you down?” he asks. You nod, and he gently sets you back on your feet. As you turn to look in, you see one eye dourly watching the two of you from under the covers. Seems like Lupa’s already made herself comfortable.

“Hey, Rudy,” you look back at him as you stand in the door, “Would you like to sleep with us tonight?” Amid the blankets, a pair of pointed ears perk up at that.

“Why’s he sleepin’ in my bed?” Lupa rumbles. 

“It’s my bed, Lupa,” you flatly remind her.

“…Yeah. Like I said, why’s he sleepin’ in your bed?”

Hmm.

“Well, where else would he sleep?” you ask, motioning for Rudy to follow as you approach the bed.

“Um- If there’s a problem, I could sleep on the floor!” He offers, “My old owner used to leave me by the foot of the bed sometimes. It’s no big deal!”

“No way, not happening,” You make sure to shoot that idea down, “All my plushies sleep on the bed. Or on one of the shelves.”

“Well, why not put ‘im on the shelf?” Lu asks, pulling the blanket off herself and rolling onto her back.

“…Lupa. He’s almost as big as you,” you patiently explain, “Do you really think he’d fit on the shelf?”

“…Could give it a shot.”

“He’s sleeping with us, and that’s final,” you put your hands on your hips, before climbing into bed with her. Running your hand through her hair, scratching her between the ears, you watch her resolve begin to melt… “C’mon, it won’t be that bad…” You coo, “Think of it like… Having an extra pillow.”

“Yeah, yeah…” She gently swats your hand away, before letting out a sigh. “…Alright.”

You grin! And you motion for Rudy to join you.

“Oh, yay!~” He cheers, lightly clapping his hands! “Just one moment…” Reaching up to his antlers, he takes a moment to untie his bow and bells. With a clatter, they’re left on the nightstand table, and he starts to climb in. While Lupa doesn’t move, you do your best to make space, and the three of you settle into an awkward pile.

--

The next day comes around quickly enough. You and Lupa slip out of bed, leaving Rudy to continue sleeping. You catch her in the kitchen once you finish your morning routine, leaned against the counter.

“Morning, Lu,” you sleepily greet as you head directly to the coffeemaker. “You okay?”

“Mmm,” she hums, glancing at you, “Peachy.” You tilt your head at her once you have the machine set.

“Are you sure?”

“Yyyep. Pretty sure,” is her gruff reply, doing a poor job at hiding a toothy sneer. You sigh.

“Something tells me you don’t like Rudy all that much,” you venture as you pour your drink.

“What gave you that idea?”

“Well.” You pause, looking down at your coffee as you do your best to choose your words carefully, “I’m… Gonna try and get to know him better today. He seems like a really nice guy.” You give her a hopeful smile, but Lupa only scoffs.

“I think I want to try and watch something with him today,” you continue, “Wanna join? It’s The Horror Hour.”  Surprise crosses her face.

“Wh—But that’s our show!”

“I know, I know,” you reply, “That’s why I’m asking you if you’d want to join! I’m starting fresh with him.” Lupa blinks, ears flopping down.

“Sta--… Starting fresh?” she asks, gruffness leaving her voice.

“Yeah! Like, from the first episode.” You take a sip, “I’m not gonna start him on the episode we’re on, else we’d be spoiling him.”

“Oh. Well, I’m not coming,” she says, the rough edge returning to her voice. She crosses her arms, looking away from you.

“What? Aww, why not?” You ask, disappointed, “You love this show!”

“Yeah, and I don’t like Rudy,” she retorts, “He’s way too… Too bubbly. And happy, and weird, and I don’t like him.”

“But aren’t you happy?”

“Yeah, sure I am, but… Ugh.” she trails off, turning her back towards you. You barely avoid getting absolutely whapped by her tail. Your shoulders fall… Something wells up in the pit of your stomach, and it’s not the coffee. “He’s a little too friendly. I dunno what you see in him.”

“Well… The offer’s still open, Lu,” you remind her, before finishing your coffee.

After leaving the mug in the sink, you make your way back to your room, where you find Rudy. He’s standing in front of your mirror, gently brushing the knots from his hair. His ears prick up when you enter, and he faces you with a tender smile.

“Oh, hi! Good morning, deerie! Sorry for using your brush, I was juuust finishing up.” Running his hands through his hair, you catch a glimpse of a golden zipper along his back. He lifts his hair, tying it into a ponytail with his bow. “Aaand, ready. So! What’re we doing today?”

You explain along the way back to the living room. Rudy jingles and clops along behind you as you lead him down the hall. He waves at Lu as you pass the kitchen, but she only scoffs in return. Looking back at him, you could see the worry written all over his face.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble last night,” he says, fidgeting with his fingers.

“It’s… it’s alright,” you offer in response, “We’ll work on that.”

You hope so, at least. The two of you sit down on the couch, and you put on the show.

“Now before it gets started, let me warn you, Rudy,” you begin, setting the remote down, “This show’s reeeally scaaary.” You lean towards him, wiggling your fingers. He leans back, grimacing.

“S-Scary? I’m not good with, um, with horror…” he replies… You giggle.

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s not that scary,” you reassure him. “It’s like… Well, you’ll see.”

It takes him a while to get used to it, but he soon does, to your delight. By the next episode, you’re leaning against him. It feels nice, but you do wish Lupa was here. Despite that, the rest of the day steadily rolls on by, and you spend it getting Rudy more acclimated to his new home. Watching The Horror Hour was fun, but now? There’s something you want to know about him.

“Hey, Rudy, I’ve got a question,” you pipe up. He tilts his head.

“Sure! What’s up?”

“How are you… Well…” you gesticulate as you try to form your words. “…alive? You’re not like most of my other plushies, save for Lupa.”

“Good… question…?” He slowly replies, tilting his head as he looks to be deep in thought. “I guess I don’t know! Sorry, um… One day, I was content to be the way I was, and then… I wasn’t?” he tilts his head further left, then right, as he speaks, bells lightly jingling and ringing.

“Does that explain the whole… name thing too?” you ask.

“Oh, yeah! I guess I kinda realized I wasn’t really a girl? So now I’m not!” he explains. Sounds about right.

“What about… here?” you ask as you raise a hand, stopping before you touch his top scars. Top stitches?

“Oh, these? Well, when I figured I wasn’t a girl, I guess I thought I didn’t need much of a chest anymore. So I… removed it!”

“You removed it?” You’re incredulous for a moment, but you give it a bit more thought. If Lupa could turn you into a plushie through mere touch, you suppose anything was possible…

“Yep! Removed it! Though… Between you ‘n me, I kinda liked having a chest… So, sometimes I… Um…” He trails off, his eye scanning over your couch, “Oh – Can I eat this please?” he asks, picking up a pillow.

“…Sure?” you squint. Where’s this going…?

“Thank you!” he replies politely, before gnawing the case off the pillow. He grabs handfuls of stuffing, tossing them into his mouth and chewing it like cotton candy. As he eats, you notice his chest begin to fill out… Steadily growing softer, cushier until it’s a fluffy, simplistic bust.

Oh my gosh.

“I dunno if this makes me less of a boy or not, but… Sometimes I feel cute when I’m like this,” he admits, his voice growing more and more quiet. “I-It depends on the day, though. I dunno. What do you think?” Something about it just softens your heart. You want to tell him that it was all okay…

“Absolutely not,” you reassure him, “Rudy, your chest doesn’t make you any less of a boy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! You’re… I think what you have here is really unique.” You’re not exactly the best at describing this kind of subject, but you do your best. For what it’s worth, he seems to really appreciate it. The warmest, widest smile crosses his face as he clasps his hands together.

“Awww, thank you deerie!~ Oh, I also gave myself antlers.” Pausing to point at them, “But I’m sure you already know that. Here, you can touch ‘em if you’d like!” He leans them close to you, and you oblige. Reaching up to run your hands along their velvety surface. A squeeze tells you that they’re almost as soft as the rest of him. Almost.

How adorable… Spending time with him is really nice, you find. Sure he’s a little bubbly, just as Lupa said, but you don’t see it as a bad thing. Seeing him happy makes you happy. You find him to be very sweet.

“Hey, Rudy? Wanna watch some holiday movies tonight? It’s Christmas Eve after all.” You decide to bring it up. After all, you’re sure that Lupa wouldn’t want to see it with you. At that, Rudy’s grin somehow grows even wider.

To which he replied, “Holiday movies?! Of course!”

You’d ask Lupa if she wanted to join, but you get the feeling that she’s been avoiding you two. You think she might’ve been in your room the whole day. The more you think about it, the worse you feel, but… You’re not sure what to do…

“Hey, are you okay?” Rudy asks for what must be the third time tonight.

“Yeah! I’m okay,” you reply, just as you’ve twice done before. “Just thinking.”

“Hmm… About your girlfriend?” he asks. A nervous little chuckle makes its way out of you. Did you make it that obvious? He scoots closer to you, putting a hand on your shoulder.

“Well… I’m– I’m sure she’s okay! Maybe she’s just asleep, huh? She did look pretty tired earlier.”

“Nah,” comes a gruff, tired voice, “I’m not asleep.”

“Lupa!” you turn on the couch to look at her. She’s picking at the seams around one of her patches, gaze fixed on Rudy, frowning slightly. You worry that she might menace him a little more, make him uncomfortable, but she doesn’t… seem mad. Eventually, she meets your eyes. “Hey! We’re watching Rudolph. Have you been alright?” She snorts.

“Without me?” she asks. She looks… disheveled. Maybe even a little despondent. Did she spend all day asleep? Did she sleep at all? Before tonight, you didn’t think plushies could get bags under their eyes.

“Well…” you falter, “I thought you didn’t like this movie.”

“I don’t!”, she retorts, “But… well…” She starts to fidget, clasping and unclasping her fingers… “I-I dunno. Forget it.” She turns and storms off, waving away your attempts to call her back. You slump back onto the couch with a dejected sigh, and Rudy gently rubs your back.

“I just don’t understand…” you muse.

“I get the feeling she doesn’t really like me,” he mumbles, voice heavy with sadness. You don’t want to agree, but… It’s obvious. She told you as much earlier, didn’t she? But you wanted to make this work! You wanted her to be happy that she had a friend that was like her, but…

“Well…” you struggle to admit, “Not really—”

“HellOOOO, party people!!~☆”

You and Rudy freeze as a preppy, bubbly voice thunders from down the hall. Suddenly, a pair of pink arms wrap around you from behind the couch, and a fluffy white face rests atop your head.

“Hey, babe!~ Miss me?”

“L-Lupa!?” you stammer as she picks you up. Plump, pink lips press against your cheek.

“Like yeah, it’s totally me.~ Who else?” She giggles, letting go of you. “I like, heard you guys were havin’ a party and I want in!~☆ Got room for one more?~” She immediately squeezes her way between you two, crawling over the back of the couch in the process. Her curly tail hits you both in the face a few times as it wags up a storm. “So like, what’re we watchin’, huh? Huh?”

“It’s… Ru—”

“—dolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?!” she cuts in as you try to speak, “Oh my gosh, no way, that’s my… Hmm,” she puts a finger to her chin, “I guess I haven’t seen it, but it’s like, probably my fav.~”

“Would you like for us to rewind it, Lupa?” Rudy offers, “Um, nice ponytail by the way!”

“Hehe, sure! Thank you, dear.~” Lulu lilts, “Yours was just so cute, I just had to take it for myself.”

“Well, it looks great!” he grins. Lupa grins back, sharp toothed and a little strained.

“Heh, yeah... Thaaanks.~”

“Yeah…!”, you agree as you start rewinding the movie, “I… I like it.”

“Yaaaay! Aww, thanks babe!~” Lulu cheers. She wraps you in another hug, rubbing her cheek against yours, “Oh, I just love you like, so much, you know that?~” Why does your stomach feel weird? You remember the last time she was like this. Did she still have a few Valentine’s Day pillows left?

She spends the movie practically draped across you, tail wagging.

“Lupa…” You press. You have a bad feeling about this, and it’d only get worse if you don’t speak up.

“Yeah, hun?”

“Thank you for watching what I wanted to watch, but… It kind of feels like you’re forcing it,” you tell her. She blinks, and her hold on you tightens.

“Wh-What do you mean?”, she asks, tilting her head.

“You’re not like this usually! Or—Ever, really! You’re calmer, you’re at least a little more reserved, you’re… This just isn’t you.”

“Well… I thought you’d like me this way, hun! Rudy’s so excitable, and he just says whatever he’s feeling. And like, he’s always feeling great!I’m not like him at all!”

“Why do you need to be like Rudy?”

“Well, I’ve gotta keep up, right?” It comes out so naturally, as if it was a matter of fact. “I’ve got competition!”

“C-Competition?” you ask, flabbergasted.

“Yeah! You’ve been spending so much time with him. You obviously love him more, don’t you?”

You don’t say anything.

“…Don’t you?” She looks back, towards Rudy. He doesn’t say anything either, only shrinking away when he’s looked upon. Her gaze lands on you once again, her grin noticeably more strained. She gingerly lets go of you, stepping off the couch. “Well? Like, say something! I’m not enough!” Her shout is enough to knock you out of your daze.

“I—I don’t, I don’t love Rudy. We’ve only just met,” you meekly explain. You look to Rudy for confirmation, and he silently nods.

“…Did you think Rudy and I were dating, Lupa?”

“Well—Like, yeah, it was… like, pretty obvious to me that you… That… um.” As she speaks, she seems to run out of steam. Her pink fur steadily bleeds its color, returning to its shades of grey. Her hair loses its bottle-blonde color as well, returning to that deep blue. She trails off, lookin between the two of you. “…Enjoy the movie, ‘kay? I’m gonna… go.”

You watch as she hurries out of the room.

You aren’t far behind her. By the time you get to your room, you could hear sobbing come from beyond the door. You make a move to knock, but she probably wouldn’t mind if you just went inside. So, you do just that.

You find Lupa curled up on your bed, wrapped in blankets to the point where she looked like a big, fabric mountain. You gingerly approach her, placing a hand on her side.

“Lupa…”

You don’t get an answer. She simply continues to cry. It’s a while before she says anything.

“I’m such a dumbass…”

“How so?” You sit on the bed next to her, rubbing her through the blanket.

“Well, I blew it, didn’t I? I made myself look like an idiot ‘cause I thought… Well…”

“That I didn’t love you anymore?” you ask. She sniffles.

“Yeah…”

“Well…” You rub your arm, debating whether it was even a question you were ready to ask. “Why would that be a problem?” you offer. She pulls the blankets from her face, looking up at you. Thankfully, she’s back to her normal self.

“W-what?”

“Let’s say, I was interested in Rudy. I’d still love you, Lulu. I wouldn’t just leave you. I could date both of you!”

“You can do that?”

“Yeah. But… Lupa, I’m not even sure if I love Rudy yet. I like him, but… We’ve only just met.”

“I guess…” she muses, looking away. You run your hand along her cheek, and she looks back up at you.

“I dunno…” She continues, “I guess I thought you’d… throw me away.”

“Throw you—Why would I do that?”

“Mmm…” She hums, “It’s not outta the realm of possibility. And why wouldn’t you? Rudy’s so much nicer to you. He’s not mean to you like I am. He’s a lot comfier about… who he is. I’m just kind of… I dunno. Sometimes, I don’t know what I’m doin’. I love you, but I get scared. I worry about what you think of me.”

“But I love you, Lupa. Sure, there are things you could improve on, but… The fact that you try is what I love about you. You care a lot more than even you might think.”

“But… this isn’t Rudy’s fault,” you make sure to add, “You didn’t make him feel very welcome.”

“I know…” she quietly replies.

“Don’t you think you should apologize?”

“I… Yeah… I should. Where is he?”

“Um, you don’t… have to do that.” Rudy says. You look back to see him peeking around the corner of the doorframe. “I might’ve been listening in. Sorry,” he offers a sheepish grin.

“It’s… it’s alright I guess,” Lupa replies. “It’s only fair, I’m sorry for kinda makin’ you out to be a villain I guess.”

“It’s okay! I’m sorry for making you feel, um. Like I was coming between you two. I really didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah…” she sighs, “I know.”

“Hey,” Rudy approaches you two, “Lupa, wanna shake on it?” She tilts her head as he holds out his hand.

“Eh… Yeah, sure.” Taking it in a paw, the two shake. “Water under the bridge, I guess.”

When Rudy offers to get back to the movie, you and Lupa both decline. It’s been a long day, and honestly? You think you’re ready for bed. You find it hard to get back to watching movies after what happened.

So, you all turn in a little early for the night. You hear Lupa and Rudy exchange another round of quiet apologies as you all get settled in. She holds you especially tight tonight.

--

You feel cold.

You slowly stir, drowsily reaching for something to cover yourself with. Your hand expects to find the soft, silky fur of your lover’s arm, but your blind swipes find only air. Light snoring accompanied by a gentle jingle and a dull red light let you know where Rudy is, but there’s a noticeably Lupa shaped void in the bed between you two. Rubbing your eyes, you quietly hop out of bed, careful not to disturb your other plushie.

You venture through the house, hoping to find Lupa in what little light there is. A long shadow crosses the living room, and you follow it towards its source. Through the window, you find Lupa on the porch. Leaned against the railing, she seems to be holding something…

She flinches when she hears the door creak open, hackles raised as she turns to look at you. Once her eye lands on you however, she quickly settles down.

“Oh. Hey.” She sounds dejected.

“Hey, Lu. Everything okay?”, you ask, crossing your arms. Not out of malice, but mostly to bury your hands in your armpits. “What do you have there?”

She gives you a wry, wobbly grin before showing you. It’s your toy from before.

“Lobo? You kept it?” you ask. You figured that she’d digested it by now. “But… why?”

“Well...” she avoids looking at you directly. Always looking at that toy, or something else. “You could say it reminds me of… uh, me. Y’know?”

“Of you?”, you repeat. You look between the two of them. Grey fur, blue hair, thick brows… It starts to dawn on you.

“Here, uh. Let’s say… Um- For example, you…” Ahem. She catches herself, taking a deep breath.

“Let’s say, you spend a long time on a shelf. A real long time. One day, a girl and her parents show up. She picks you. They tell her you’re kind of a boy’s toy, but she insists. She takes you home.”

“And life’s pretty good for a while,” she continues, rolling the toy in her paw as she speaks, “She loves you to bits.” Her other paw drifts up to her face, to where her other eye would be.

“…Literally. Um, and you grow to admire her too. Her long hair, her attitude…” She trails off for a moment, setting the toy down and running her paws through her hair, “It kinda, I dunno, sparks something inside you? I guess? Watchin’ her, lovin’ her, you… realize somethin’ about yourself.”

This makes… a lot of sense, actually. You think back to what Rudy said, about how he didn’t want to be a girl anymore…

“So this is—was, you?” you ask, grabbing the toy. “But why didn’t you tell me?” She grimaces.

“Well… I don’t exactly like thinkin’ about it.”

“But if it was bothering you…” You lift it towards her, and she shies away a bit. “I didn’t understand why at first, but you hated looking at this thing, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t hate it! O-Or… him. I just… I dunno. It’s weird, I do hate him, but I can’t look away from him either. Whether I like it or not, I’m… kinda lookin’ at myself. Or like, my brother? Or somethin’? I-I dunno, I… Heheh, ohh…” She starts to brush her hair while she talks, and you decide it’s best to hide the toy behind your back. Lupa seems to calm down once you do that.

“As for why I didn’t tell you, the truth is… I didn’t know what you’d think of me.” She rests her shoulders on the railing, angling her head while she looks down at you. “I’m not exactly ‘as advertised’, y’know?”

“…Neither was Rudy.”

“Oh yeah,” her expression darkens, “Him.”

“What’s your problem with him, anyway?” you step closer, putting a hand on her thigh, “I thought you two made up.”

“Yeah, we did, but… He’s just so full of himself. He’s so happy, he’s comfortable with his whole… thing, y’know?”

“But aren’t you happy?”

“I’m happy with you.”

“Are you happy with yourself?” you ask, and she just silently looks at you, brow furrowed. You match her gaze.

“I…” She takes a deep breath, then sighs. “I look at Rudy, and all the changes he made to himself are so… clean. Pretty.”

“And?” you prompt her. She’s talking around the problem, just like usual, but… maybe letting her talk instead of prying is what she needs from you.

“And, and—he doesn’t even need those changes, right? I saw him undoing them in front of you on the couch, and I just…” She drops her eye to the floor. “I try so hard not to think about what I used to be that it feels like he’s more himself than I am me.”

“Well… what’s wrong with being a little rough around the edges? I love that about you, Lupa. You’re tough! You’re strong! And what’s this about being ‘as advertised’ anyway? Lupa, you’re a girl, right?”

“I-I think? I mean—Yeah! Of course I am! What kinda question is that?”

“Then say it.”

“I’m a girl?” She looks a little incredulous, so you keep going.

“Louder.”

“I’m a girl!”

“Louder!”

“I’m a girl!!”

“Now get down here so I can see you better!”, you demand. She does just that, and you give her cheeks a squeeze. “You’re my adorable girlfriend who I will always love and cherish. Who cares if you used to be a boy or whatever? That’s not you now, and I think that’s pretty cool. Say it, Lupa. You’re a cute girl, aren’t you?”

“Yeah…” She admits quietly, rubbing her cheek. “I’m a cute girl.” Her ears flatten as you pat her head.

“That’s right. Love you, hun.”

“Love you too… Oh my gosh, you look pretty cold.”

“I’m fiii~ii~iine,” you do your best to reassure her. You don’t do a good job. She huffs.

“I dunno ‘bout that. Here, babe. I’ve got just the thing for you.” She pulls you close, right into her soft, fuzzy embrace. She squeezes you extra hard, tail whishing from side to side, until…

POMF~!

She lets you go. You feel your hair drape around your shoulders, and a fluffy new weight sweeps the ground behind you. You look at your fuzzy, plum and cream paws, putting one to your long snout.

Well, you’re not cold anymore.

“Lupa… Did you have to make my chest so big?” You ask, feeling your cheeks burn as you paw up your stuffed-up bust.

“What’cha mean? I didn’t do that.~ Just like I didn’t specifically make you into a wolf. You must’ve wanted it that way. Wonder what that says about you, hm~?”

You look away, jamming a soft, puffy paw into her face. She swipes it aside, giggling as she lets herself fall on top of you. You both roll on the porch, laughing until you end up in each other’s embrace, tails curling around one another.

“It’s kinda late, huh?”, you eventually ask.

“Yeah, so?”

“We should get some sleep…”

“But plushies don’t have to sleep. Not really,” Lupa replies. Right before letting out a yawn.

“Sleeping feels good though…” you counter, and she can’t argue with that. “Plus, I’d feel bad leaving Rudy alone.”

“Fine, fine…” she sighs. After helping you up, she leads you back inside. Both your footpaws and hers make quiet, muffled thumps against the carpet. It’s a quiet trip, and you both take your time. Holding each other’s paws as you walk. It feels nice, getting to hold her paw normally. Usually, your hand’s way too small for her.

“I think I know another reason why I didn’t like him…” Lupa quietly breaks the silence.

“Hmm? Why’s that?”

“He kinda deadnamed me. Well- Almost. When we first met.”

You cringe, remembering that conversation. You didn’t understand at first, but now that you know everything? Not the best first impression…

“You should probably tell him that. I don’t think he knew…” you advise. She offers a noncommittal little ‘Yeah…’

“I’m serious. He’s a little… Inexperienced, I think. I know you think he’s got it together, but he’s still figuring himself out.”

“Alright, alright. Oh yeah, what’re you gonna do with him?”

“Rudy? Well, I’m keeping him around, I mean…”

“No no, him.” She points at your other paw, and the toy it holds.

“Oh. Well… I’ll probably resell this. Or give it away. I don’t think this is the best place for it. I’ll make sure he goes to a loving home, Lu.” You offer her a smile, and she tenderly returns the look.

“If it’s okay to ask… What happened with you at your old home? Did your owner…?”

“Well, it’s like I said before. When I thought you’d throw me away? Somethin’ like that happened. She went to some school, and I got put in a box. Eventually, I got sold at a yard sale.” She pauses, looking at you. “…And I guess it was the best thing that ever happened to me in the long run, huh?”

The two of you share another hug, and you give her a peck on the nose. Giggling, you try to enter your room. Unfortunately, she had the same idea. The frame might be big enough for one tall, wide plushie, but not two. It only makes you giggle more, and you take turns shushing each other. After all, you’d hate to wake Rudy. After a bit of pushing and pulling, you come unstuck, and you lead your girlfriend towards the bed. Flanking either side of the sleeping deer, you and your fellow wolf climb into bed, settling into a soft, shortly sleeping pile of pillows and plushes.

The next day…

“Dude, it’s—It’s okay, calm down.”

The End.

[bad-as-me]

Morgott for the ask meme!

hell yes my boy!!

favorite thing about them

Honestly, Morgott covers the bases for a lot of things I'm weak for in a character. I love a guy who is so single-mindedly devoted to a cause, especially one driven by a need to be loved, that the rest of the world and their own well-being falls apart in the process. Something about the inherent tragedy of someone choosing to die on a hill that nobody asked them to take on, that would really be in their better interest to let go of and start anew elsewhere, and yet you want so badly for their efforts to be rewarded in some way because you know it's all for love.

It's just so terribly romantic in a gothic sense. He reminds me so much of the description of the creature in Frankenstein: someone that tried so hard to fit himself into the image of what his maker wanted, who speaks beautifully and eloquently in contrast to his rough exterior, who boasts an intelligence and a competency that was likely learned while hidden from society. And yet we know in both situations that effort will never be reciprocated.

Also, he growls and purrs and has a giant fluffy snow leopard tail. How can I not be obsessed with him.

least favorite thing about them

His big beautiful horns are so hard to draw :'(

Honestly, he's one of those characters where even his flaws are incredibly interesting to me. I like that he refuses to give up his position of power! It's something he worked so hard for, and to his mind must be the only way he can stay safe in a world that he knows wants him dead. I like that he can't let go of the status quo! As his Great Rune tells us, Omen or not he is the rightful Lord of Leyndell. By all standards of the world they're in, he has every right to be proud of that title. And given the alternatives he's likely had presented to him (Rykard, Mohg, the Frenzied Flame), why wouldn't he believe that this stagnant existence is the best he could ask for?

He's the immovable object to our unstoppable force. There's a nobility in his commitment to that, however misguided it may be.

favorite line

"We are all forsaken. None may claim the title of Elden Lord. Thy deeds shall be met with failure, just as I..."

I love his monologue in the beginning of his fight, but the fact that this is the last thing he says just tears me apart on so many levels. It really hammers home how much of his targeted spite towards us is him projecting his own sense of failure to his lineage. He crawled all this way through the mud, gave every drop of his accursed blood for the Erdtree, and it still wasn't enough. How could we possibly have a chance when all his efforts were for naught?

No matter how many times I replay it, I always take some time just to sit next to him after he says that, listening to the rain over the capitol and the somber song of Leyndell. The city really feels like it's in mourning at that moment, all for someone they hated too much to truly understand.

brOTP

Mohg and Morgott!!! The gruesome twosome!! The dynamic duo! Every piece of art or fic that depicts them having some brotherly squabbles and shenanigans brings a little bit of life back into my eyes :')

OTP

As far as canon characters go, it's gotta be Morgott/Oleg. We love a good knight/master ship around these parts, and I think he deserved someone as devoted to protecting him as he was devoted to his cause.

Outside of that, well. I am writing an ongoing fic of Morgott and my Night's Cavalry Tarnished (who was never a Tarnished but a secret third option, but you know.) I think about them a normal amount.

nOTP

Mohg/Morgott. I just want them to have one single family relationship in their life that is remotely healthy man 😭

random headcanon

He's good with animals, and prefers the company of them to people. Most of his communication to the Night's Cavalry is through carrier falcon, but if he needs to summon them all for a meeting, he can do so with an instrument that's very similar to an Aztec death whistle.

Also, he recanted his blood through the Church of Vows. Him and Miriel have a good rapport with one another.

unpopular opinion

Respectfully, I disagree with both the "Morgott is basically the Lands Between's evangelical gay republican" take, as well as the "Morgott is a soggy baby virgin who will cry if you give him a cookie" take.

I think he is a living contradiction in a lot of ways. He is simultaneously an accursed Omen, the lowest of the low, while also having tangible evidence that he is the child of a god and of a powerful bloodline. He has held Leyndell together for more than long enough both to be aware of its corruption, and to be in a position to change it, but he can't allow himself to believe any of it needs to be changed.

He is too stuck on the idea that he needs to uphold the way things are - to prove himself "better" than his curse - to change anything. This is directly contrasting his brother Mohg, who has made an entire cult around acknowledging the unjust suffering he went through.

Like the sealing of his blood into a sword, he represses that truth, until he is so broken down that it is released all at once - painfully and without control.

Because of this, I think he would recoil at the idea of being an object of pity. He has done too much to earn a respectable position for anyone to tell him that he deserves better - even if it's true, and he should be told that.

song i associate with them

Oh god I have a whole playlist of them. But if I were to narrow it down:

Sonne by Rammstein

Momma Sed by Puscifer

Romans 10:9 by The Mountain Goats

Helvegen by Wardruna

favorite picture of them

I am not exaggerating when I say this illustration by tendermiasma re-wired my brain on a fundamental level

[cherry-pop-elf]

Cold hands, Warm Heart

Ghost Fred X Reader

You wouldn’t say you and Fred weren’t the closest, but to say his death didn’t bother you was an understatement. You never got a chance to correct your feelings, and it’s left you hollow. You figured George still deserved to be checked on, as well. He lost his twin after all. Little did you know, someone was praying you would show your face around the shop again.

Warnings: Hurt/Comfort, Talks About Death, implied suicidal tendencies, it is a fluffy fic don’t worry.

Commissions open

“Georgie-!” You would beam, as George would turn around. It took you a few shouts, but he finally heard you. As if you could sue him. He’s missing an ear, in a busy shop like WWW. The fact he heard you, at ALL, was a blessing from Merlin himself. Oh how it was so vivid, and lively. Despite the war, there was so much love and life still. Fred would be proud. You knew he would be.

“How are you-?” You asked, as you rubbed his arm. Trying to test the waters carefully. Wizard twins aren’t the same as muggle twins, after all. You wanted to see where his head was. He’s your friend, after all. A friend that has seen so much, so young. How it hurt your heart to see the age in his face.

“Could be worse….Could be better.” He would admit to you, as you patted his cheek. You wondered who was more hurt by the passing, sometimes. Some days you were kept up at night. Wondering if you said anything, admit your feelings, that things could have been different. It’s haunting, and you tried to push it back.

“Hey, no long faces here. Go and run around. Be a kid again, and all that jazz.” He would quickly call you out, able to read you like a book. You would give a huff, as the taller man ruffled your hair. Those damn Weasleys. Maybe running around the shop would be nice. See what new products he’s come up with.

Up the stairs you went. Enjoying the beautiful sounds, and wonderful colors. How the world was just in this bubble of warmth. You wondered how George was able to keep up such a healthy environment, while being all on his own. Those two couldn’t be separated. Suppose death just wanted to prove that they could.

Once you found an interesting floor, you began to look around. It was up on the higher levels, so you were able to have a bit of privacy. Let you think a bit, as you would hold a potion in your fingers. Such fond memories filled your heart, as you recalled the origins of the product. Oh you swore you would never forgive Fred for sneaking this in your cup. Fred…..

“You REALLY want that? Damn, thought I knew you better than that.” You heard behind you, making your eyes roll. “Har Har. Maybe I’m feeling nostalgic.” You defended back, before placing it on the shelf. You tsked, and turned. Your brow was raised, as you were met with no one behind you. You swore you heard George, clear as day, behind you.

Maybe he was being playful. Apparition and all that, but you didn’t hear the familiar whip crack it echoed. Did he just change the sound? If anyone could, it’ll be a Weasley twin. You brushed it off, as you kept walking. Maybe he just had to snap back downstairs, given he’s the only CEO here again.

Over the railing you looked, as you admired the floors below you. Such as that familiar ginger tending to the kids. Showing them some muggle trinkets, and seeming to still be kicking. That was comforting, until you heard something that made your blood run cold.

“Welcome to the nosebleed seats. Never thought the shop could get this high.” You heard behind you, while your eyes were still glued on George. That’s impossible. George was right in front of your eyes, yet you clearly heard him behind you. Your body felt utterly frightened, and you were drawing your wand. With a spin, your soul wanted to leave your body. Just like how his did the same.

It was Fred. Right there, but not in the flesh. In a mimic of his living twins attire, but in shades of transparent blue. That same hair cut, smile, and eyes. Just in shades of that deathly blue hue. All the same, if not for keeping his ear. He was right there, and your brain was trying so hard to process it. Seems it wasn’t the first time, as the ghost shrugged.

“You really think I would leave George behind that easy? Thought you knew me better than that. I am so hurt.” He gasped, as he placed his hand over his heart. Ever playful, even in the grave. As if you could really register that, as your eyes were watering from the realization. Not the first time for him, as he opened his arms.

“Come on. I’ve gotten this ghost thing down, thanks to Peeves. Bring it in.” He ordered, and you did. You hugged him, with your wand clattering to the ground. It was a strange feeling, as you held him. It was like hugging silk. It was so cold, soft, light. As if embracing a cloud. How those cold fingers would stroke through your hair, and chill you to your core. You don’t know how long you were like this. You just had to cry it out. As if he would rush you. Maybe you were imagining things, but you swore you felt something cold drip onto your head. Fading through, as if just whispering into reality. Just for a moment.

“I know. I know.” He hushed, as he kept playing with your hair, while George got worried on your whereabouts. Having expected you to come see him again. That was the only man to ever make you want to separate from the grips of deaths fingers. The sound of his foot steps were on deaf ears, ironically enough, as you never wanted to let Fred go again.

“If you hug him any tighter, you’ll be dragged to the grave next-!” George snorted, as he found where you were. “About time you saw him. He was begging me to invite you over some time. ‘Oh please George. I miss em so much-! Oh I miss em!’ And ugh-! Out of all the things to wail about-!” He complained, before the dead twin was quick to let go. Now smacking his younger twin on the back of the head.

You couldn’t help your laughter, as you wiped your tears away. You should have known better. Of course Fred would haunt the shop. What were you thinking? You laughed, as George kept hanging Fred’s dirty laundry about you. Suppose the feelings had been more mutual than you thought.

“Is that what will make you move on? Finally getting laid by your childhood crush?” George asked, before things were suddenly flying after him. A very flustered, and angry, ghost isn’t the safest thing to deal with. “OK IM LEAVING IM LEAVING-!” George shrieked, as he quickly ran down the stairs. Leaving you both alone, mostly.

“I’ve never dated a ghost before….I guess there’s a first time for everything.” You tried to be playful, or else you’ll cry all over again. Suppose those were the right words, as it calmed down that angry ghost. Maybe even made him blush, but the dead don’t really have a heart beat to work with. Maybe it was your imagination.

“I mean, us Weasley twins do like to experiment.” Fred tried to play it cool, by resting his hand on a shelf. Leaning on it, like he always did in school. Course, he ended up just phasing through it. Now falling through the stock, and down through a floor. He quickly flew back up, and brushed himself off. “You didn’t see shit-“ He warned, as you giggled.

You wondered how long the feelings were returned, and if he had similar thoughts. Did he regret never telling you, before he died? Were you one of the people keeping him from moving on? Did he think about you, in his final moments? You had so many questions, but you settled on just one. For now, anyway.

How does one, as they say, Smooch A Ghost-?

@george-weasleys-girl

[kvetchinglyneurotic]

They're up at Burnley and it's snowing; lightly at first, a dusting of white over grass through the second half that had them shivering in their kits as they slid mud-spattered across the pitch. They'd won thanks to the fucking Roy Kent effect, everyone except Jamie 'cause that'd require coach to actually, well, coach him. To look at a space with Jamie in it and act like he saw a person instead of nothing at all, and he used to wish he was invisible, back when he was a kid dodging fists and snarled words but now he wants to cry, just a bit, 'cause he really is trying and why can't Roy try too?

They're up at Burnley and it's snowing in huge fluffy white flakes as they board the coach and Jamie feels sick, sits in the aisle beside Sam who presses against the window, breath fogging on the glass.

"You know I'd love to give you all a day out in town to celebrate but it looks like it's gonna be a snow day for us, folks," Ted says, stood at the front of the bus with a broad smile under his moustache. They all groan and he chuckles, hands held out in front of him. "Hey, I don't make the weather — and boy, that would be something, wouldn't it? Give y'all a taste of Kansas summer instead of all this rain you've got going on. Or snow, at the moment. Anyhow, we'll make our own fun, won't we boys?"

"It's barely even snowing," Zoreaux grumbles.

Jamie hurries off the coach, ready to crawl under the blankets and draw the curtains where he can't see any of it and he's halfway to the hotel entrance when he realizes Sam isn't with him. Turns and finds him with his face turned up in the middle of the carpark with snow dusted on his hair and his jacket and melting on his skin.

"It's very beautiful," he says softly. Jamie trudges back towards him and there's a look on his face he's never seen before, all wondering and open and in that moment with icy water trickling through his hair and his fingers frozen stiff in his pockets, Jamie thinks everything in his life has been worth it for this moment, watching Sam's face as he watches the snow.

Beside them, Dani kneels to scoop up a handful and yelps, shaking out his hands, pouting with betrayal. "And very cold!"

"You gotta wear gloves, mate," Jamie says. He knocks his shoulder against Dani and Dani knocks back.

"But it looks so soft!"

Inside, Ted leads them to the conference centre instead of up to their rooms and they sit in a circle on the floor, coaches and all. Jamie ends up huddled between Sam and Dani, arms looped over each other's shoulders, two lads who've never seen snow before in their lives and Jamie who has but the cold worms into him more than it does the others, never mind how Isaac teases him that he should be tougher, northern lad that he is.

There are eyes on him, a tiger watching from the brush. Jamie glances up and it's Roy, eyes dark and hard and searching and it's the first time they've met eyes since he returned, maybe ever. Jamie breaks first. Stares down at the carpet instead — ugly fucking thing, pilly and brown and worn out. They're a Championship League team now; can't afford the good hotels any longer. A year ago he'd've thrown a fit, quit in a huff to somewhere that deserved him like he might have done when Ted became gaffer if he hadn't had City to go back to. Only it turned out Richmond had made him too soft to handle Manchester and all that came with it. He'd made it twelve years with dad hanging over his head and then broke after barely a handful of months, huddled in his bathroom with blood in his teeth, told his agent he'd take whatever as long as it was far away.

The door crashes open and it's Zoreaux, back from raiding the hotel bar 'cause Ted wouldn't let him out no matter how much he insisted it weren't a proper snowstorm and the bartender let him buy by the bottle now half the guests who were supposed to come up had cancelled. Pass it around like they had at the curse fire and Jamie still feels stupid for that, a little, spilling his guts everywhere only to be sent back, but part of him wants to try again, just to test.

He hasn't drunk much since he got back, not much appeal in it after dad's drunken rages and the constant refills of neon-coloured cocktails on Lust Conquers All, but he drinks now, both hands wrapped around the bottle of vodka — not vanilla, the regular kind — when it comes his turn, warmer and warmer from the heat of their palms with each round. Sam's slung half over his shoulders and every few seconds he giggles at nothing and Dani says, "what is it, amigo?" and Sam says, "I don't know!" and it just makes him laugh harder. Jamie shoves playfully at his chest — "Right in my ear, mate? Really?" — and they both overbalance so the window stretches above them, one of those long thin floor-to-ceiling things. Looks up at the snow spiralling through the flat white of the sky and like this he can almost feel the cold bite of it on his face, the melting weight of it on his clothes as the water trickles down over his skin.

"I got lost in a snowstorm, once," he says, dreamily. Someone else is talking but they go silent at his voice and that's got to be on the list of prick shit he's not supposed to do, probably, to keep Ted from booting him off the team again, but he can't shove the words back inside now.

"Oh yeah?" Ted asks. "I didn't know y'all got those over here. Sounds like one heck of an experience, Jamie."

He shrugs against the carpet. "Not really. I was s'posed to drive for my da, right, 'cause his usual guy was being a fucking little bitch about it and didn't want to drive in the snow—" that's how dad had put it on the phone when Jamie got called into the principal's office, said his da was on the phone with a family emergency— "and I'd never even been to the fucking neighbourhood, right, so by the time I went and got the car off his mate and his mate gave me this whole fucking stupid lecture about not crashing or getting caught and shit and found the place it was a proper white-out, and my dad had been hanging around so long with this like, massive fucking TV that someone'd called the cops so I just fucking drove off, right? 'Cept I'd never driven in snow before so we got stuck in a ditch and me da sent me out to..." he blinked, bleary with drink. "Dunno. To find someone to tow us or some shit. But I didn't know where the fuck I was and I couldn't see shit so I just walked around 'til I found the road again, and by then dad had got himself unstuck and left, and the buses weren't running so I had to walk home." It's not really a bad story but his heart's pounding all the same and the room's gone quiet. He scratches harder at the carpet; tries to laugh but it comes out strangled and faint. "Good exercise at least, yeah?"

No one says anything, still. The carpet comes up in tufts; he piles them together like he used to do as a kid picking at grass during a fire drill. It's his turn with the vodka again, handed over by a solemn-faced Dani, and he takes a long pull. The alcohol calms the frantic buzz beneath his skin, leaves him tired and heavy and warm, the silence comforting instead of worrying.

After a while, Ted clears his throat. There's a funny tilt to his smile. "Hey, I love me a silver lining. Thanks for sharing that, Jamie," he says, strained. Maybe the cold's got him sick, or maybe it's just the way the floor's spinning that's making him look funny. Jamie flops onto his back.

"Uh-huh. Sure thing, coach."

"It is very stupid to volunteer your criminal history like that," Jan Maas says.

"'S not a crime to drive the getaway car," Jamie says.

"Pretty sure it is, bruv," Isaac says.

"Huh."

"Don't worry, Jamie Tartt! We will not tell anyone!" Dani says, very loudly or else very close to his ear. There's a general murmur of agreement.

"Thanks, amigo. I won't tell anyone 'bout your crimes, neither," Jamie says. "Not that I'm saying you've done crimes and that. But if you have. Unless it's like, murder, maybe. But if you murdered someone they probably deserve it so also not then." He holds up his fist; Dani bumps it on the second try.

"You cannot break a pact made during a snowstorm," Sam says wisely.

"I still can't believe you guys think this is a real snowstorm," Zoreaux says, and Jamie drifts off to a vivid description of the horrors of Montreal in winter.

He blinks awake to find the lads shuffling back to their rooms and Roy crouched over him with his giant fucking caterpillar eyebrows scrunched. The position can't be any good on his knee but Jamie's trying not to get in fights with the coaches so much this season so he doesn't say anything. Roy doesn't, either. He blows out a sigh like one of those panthers Jamie'd seen at the zoo with mummy way back when he was a kid, mouth working like he's trying to force himself to speak.

"Your dad's a piece of shit," he says. "You don't have to find a silver lining." And then he hauls Jamie to his feet and fucking dusts off the carpet lint with the sleeve of his jacket like Jamie's his seven-year-old niece. "You played fine today. Next time you can be fucking great, but first you need to get the fuck out of your head and be more aggressive."

Jamie breaks into a grin. "Aye aye, coach."

[daenysx]

hey!!!!! I just wanted to say that your writing is absolutely stunning!!! You are such a good writer and write the Hotd characters so well. Could I request fluffy daemon fic about him and the reader comforting each other after stressful days? I totally need that in my life rn 😂😂😂

thank you for this request and your sweet words, i hope you like it! i don't know why but i feel incredibly tense today, i just wanted to write this more comforting and fluffy. also i started to love writing soft!daemon, he is just too sweet to write. :(

my masterlist

curses & bubbles

after a horribly stressful day, you and modern!daemon try to comfort each other.

daemon targaryen is on the edge.

no, literally, he feels like he'll fucking explode. it's a terrible day, disastrous, awful. he wishes for it to end, even prays to the gods inside his head.

he watches the clock for minutes, has 5 more cigarette breaks, and drinks 2 cups of coffee in the same hour. even though he doesn't hate his job normally, today everything gets on his nerves. at least it's friday, he thinks. two days of rest and he'll be fine. hopefully.

when it's time to leave, finally, his phone rings and he sees your name on the screen. he smiles for the first time today since he left you in bed, as he was leaving earlier. he answers your call, impatient to hear your sweet voice.

"sweetheart?"

"oh my god, can you tell me what the hell is wrong with today? are we cursed or something?" you sound tired and frustrated.

"well, if it'll make you feel better my day was horrible too. i think we might actually be cursed."

he hears you exhale. "i'm going home now. did you leave the office?"

"yes, i'm on my way. see you at home, baby."

you say the same words and hang up. daemon drives fastly, silently begging for some relief. he is too tense, he just wants to find some comfort.

he opens the door with his key, and finds you lying on the couch with your clothes on. your skirt is wrinkly and your heels are thrown out on the floor.

"sweetheart?"

you lift your head as you hear his voice. you leave the couch to jump into his open arms, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist. he holds you there for a few moments, inhales the scent of your hair and feels the comfort it brings him. you press a kiss on his neck beneath his collar.

"i missed you." your voice sounds muffled as you talk.

"i missed you too. terrible day, right?"

"mm-hmm. i just wanted it to be over."

he nods, carries you to the bedroom. "let's have a long bath, shall we?"

you nod happily. you love long baths with daemon, he knows how much you love them and he has grown to love them too. you spend hours covered in bubbles as you sit between his legs, and daemon thinks you look adorable. too adorable for his pathetic heart.

"you take off your clothes, i'll prepare the bath." he says.

"and bubbles, daemon."

"of course bubbles, sweetheart."

you take off your clothes and put your hair in a messy bun on top of your head. he comes out of the bathroom, opening the buttons of his shirt, and you can hear the sound of water filling the tub. you walk to him, help him take his shirt off and press a kiss on his chest. he takes off the rest of his clothes and carries you to the bathroom as you laugh.

the tub looks perfect. it smells perfect, too. you think you both deserved this after a long and dreadful day. daemon gets in the tub, his muscles welcome the warm water and soft bubbles. he opens his arms for you and you adjust yourself comfortably between his thighs.

"this is amazing." you whisper.

"yes, fucking amazing."

you put your head on his chest as he strokes the skin of your waist. your fingers play with bubbles and draw foamy shapes on his chest. you hum softly when he brings his fingers on the spot between your neck and shoulders, the muscles there are tense and hardened. you can't help but softly moan when he presses his fingers harder.

"you like that, baby?" he asks. you nod, look at him with big eyes.

"come on, turn around then." he says.

you turn around and your back is against his chest now. he leans and kisses the back of your neck. he kisses your shoulders, and starts massaging the tender muscles there.

"you should relax for me."

you inhale and exhale a deep breath. the water is perfect, bubbles are perfect, and daemon's hands are perfect. his big hands easily cover your shoulders, he applies just the right amount of pressure on your achy muscles. your eyes close after a few minutes, melting to him, and smiling.

"i'm gonna fall asleep on you if you keep doing that."

he chuckles. "it's fine by me. wouldn't be the first time, anyway."

you try to turn around to see his face and he helps you. you see him smiling softly. you smile back, the tension long gone.

"do you want me to return the favor?"

he leans closer to you, cups your cheeks and kisses your lips. he kisses you as you sat there all naked and softened for him, sitting between his thighs covered in bubbles.

"you're too sweet for me." he says.

you bring your hands to his neck as you return the kiss. daemon keeps you there until the water gets cold. he helps you get out of the tub and wraps a soft towel around you. you go to the bedroom to wear your clothes and he does the same.

"so, which one of your shirts should i wear tonight?"

he smiles. "we have to choose a different shirt for each night?"

you nod, as if this is a deadly serious thing to decide. "yes, and i should also choose a pair of knee socks. it's all about the colors, daemon."

he gives you his blue shirt, loves seeing you in his clothes. you find yourself a pair of knee socks. he dresses into comfy clothes as well and you leave the bedroom.

"hungry, sweetheart?" he asks.

you shake your head. "not really, but coffee would be perfect."

he nods. he doesn't feel like eating as well. he takes two of your favorite coffee mugs and prepares coffee quickly. you are lying on the couch on your usual spot and he puts the mugs on the coffee table before he joins you. he pulls your legs on his lap and you lean to the pillows. he hands you your coffee mug and you two drink your coffees when you talk about your own dreadful days.

when the coffees are finished, he pulls you closer, you sit on his lap, and wrap your arms around his neck. you caress his beautiful hair, kiss the spot beneath his ear and he wraps the fluffy blanket around your shoulders.

he holds you there like a baby, rubs your neck and your back. your eyes get heavy with the warmth and the feeling of safety in his arms.

"sleepy, baby?"

you nod. "can we go to bed?"

he turns off the television, the movie you chose for some background noise long forgotten. "of course we can."

he carries you to the bedroom and you find enough strength to go to the bathroom to brush your teeth. he does the same and you both return to bed finally. he holds the covers open for you and takes you in his arms. you kiss his neck before whispering good night and closing your eyes.

he forgets all about his stressful day then. you give him the hope of waking up to a new day, new possibilities. he would've think that is a little bit fucked up before but now he smiles and accepts it. he just holds you closer, kisses your hair, and rubs your back until he is sure you're comfortably sleeping.

"good night, sweetheart."

[accio-victuuri]

OCTOBER READS 📚

Another productive reading month for me! Manhua/Manhwa binge again and for those who are interested in what titles I tried, then this is the post for you. I don’t know what the next months will bring but I wanna get back to reading novels… we will see how that goes. for now, I just feel thankful that these works are out in the world for people to enjoy ^^

• The Tyrant Prince’s Last Promise ( Chapter 74 ; Ongoing )

Adapted from the novel, “the wife is first” so I see why there are alot of people following the manhua. Jing Shao ( MC ) is a prince who is good at battles and was made to marry a male concubine Han ( ML ). He didn’t treat him well for years but Han stayed by his side even if he was sentenced to death and was accused of so many things. Right before they died, he promised to treat Han better.

So his wish gets granted and he goes back to their wedding night. Then the whole story focuses on their relationship and how Jing Shao pays his dues and tries to be the best husband for Han. He also tries to make different decisions to prevent him from falling from grace like before. This story is just so fluffy and sweet <3 and i love their chibi versions! ☺️☺️☺️ I might read the novel to see where it goes but i have to say it’s a standard trope — and i will never get tired of it.

Guilty Affection ( Chapter 47 ; Ongoing )

Esper/Guide trope but this one is more problematic. LOL. The MC, Han Yoonjae is an undocumented Esper and living his life as a normal person. There is some mystery from his past because you can tell that he is strong but decided to leave his life as an Esper. Then here comes the ML, Cha Minhyung. A popular & strong guide who comes to his life and offers to be his guide and make his life better. These two have a shared past and the story tries to uncover that. Also what will happen to Yoonjae and his power. I really like his power, and I understand why he will be someone that everyone will want to control. The relationship between them is not really the “romance” type but more co-dependence and lots of smut.

Crushing Jade & Catching Pearls Chapter 51 ; Ongoing

This one is very unique, I have never read something with this plot. It is modern era, but the MC/ML both work as apprentices for an old art of sculpting. Tho the ML ( Ding Hanbai ) is much older and is more accomplished in the field. It’s really more of the relationship between the MC & ML and less “romance” so far. I feel like some people will find it boring, but there is something about it that draws me to it. and it doesn’t hurt that the art is pretty. Ding Hanbai starts off as an asshole who bullies the MC Ji Zhenzhu — but then they slowly become closer. The MC who is the goodest boy with puppy energy melts Ding Hanbai’s heart 💕

No arguing with Mr.Mo Chapter 71 ; Ongoing

The trope of Mr. Cold hearted CEO who is actually a simp for the MC is not new and I usually like it — I often root for the MC and hope they get together. But in this one, I find myself liking the ML ( Mr.Mo ) waaaay more than the MC. To the point that I don’t think the MC deserves Mr.Mo at all. I get that Xiao Nuo have some trauma and baggage of his own but his drama over nothing just irritates me. Mr.Mo is straightforward and clear with his intentions, but MC takes advantage of him, willingly or not, is not my cup of tea.

I won’t be continuing on, or if i do, maybe it’s to see Mr. Mo’s panels.

Hard Boiled Love Chapter 93 ; Ongoing

I only finished up until Chapter 40 cause I felt like there is nothing else for me as a reader to see, plot-wise. I could be wrong but maybe I will pick it up again when i’m in the mood. This is popular, and i understand why, the trope is catchy : Rich kid and his Bodyguard, then add BDSM into the mix. Boom! There is just no way that people will not click and read. It is a good read and enjoyable but I wasn’t in the headspace for that type of smut, the interaction of the MC/ML tho are sweet!!!! 💕

What captured me tho is the ML. Hwayoung Yoon. He is a lovable psychopath. He gave off so much Hisoka vibes ( from the anime hunterxhunter if you didn’t know ) and this type of character would do so well if done in live action. How he seems to be this sweet boy that his family dotes on but is secretly a sadistic bastard. I mean, look at him as a kid:

A master manipulator.

The MC too, Gyuwon, is well written. He is an ex mercenary who really wants to be someone’s sub ( in a sense ) but he doesn’t think that will happen because of how he looks. People have expectations of how he should be but lo and behold, he meets the fucked up Hwayoung. 😂😂😂 it’s more light and funny considering the subject — they could make the plot really dark, so i’m glad they didn’t.

Campus Trap Chapter 24; Ongoing

AHHHHHHHHHH! My new favorite. The omegaverse hoe in me is screaming! 🤍 too bad there are only a few chapters out. I honestly want to read the novel which is already completed but i’m still trying to figure out how to navigate korean sites. The plot of the story may seem dramatic to some, because it’s all about the MC (Chaewoo) who is an Omega and trying to make ends meet. He was once this kid who lived a pampered life but things changed and now he is a struggling student. One day, his Uncle, told him about the concept of a reset partner, which is kinda like a surrogate. So a dominant omega like him will be a surrogate to a rich dominant Alpha. He agrees and finds out that the Alpha is someone he goes to school with — Mister popular, Euigeon. It doesn’t help he doesn’t like the guy and Chaewoo is even jealous of his “success” cause he feels like he will be the same way if unfortunate events didn’t happen to him.

I LOVE IT. I LOVE THEM. The campus setting and the two being music students is also a bonus, it’s only beginning to be explored and I wanna see more. They have great chemistry and the way I squealed during the car scene. 😱😱😱 it’s also the type of story where I can’t wait for the ML to fall for the MC. I’m reading about Euigeon being this arrogant bitch to Chaewoo and i’m like— can’t wait to see you fall head over heels and regret your actions. It’s nothing abusive, if anything, I feel like his actions are reasonable cause he doesn’t want to make their relationship complicated. It’s supposed to be a business transaction. I wanna know more about ML too cause i’m sure he has so many issues that caused him to be this way. I have spoiled myself a by reading comments on the novel but i will surely keep an eye out on this till it’s completion.

Miss you, Lucifer 15 chapters ; Completed

A short Manhwa that is full of uwu and love! 🥹🥹🥹

If you want something to lift your mood up then this is the best pick. Honestly! It had everything: romance, comedy, angst and some plot in there even if it’s only 15 chapters. The premise is an “idol” from a boy group that’s not popular x A-list actor pairing. I don’t wanna spoil too much cause it’s better to just dive into it, and like i said, it’s not that long.

Business as Unusual 15 Chapters ; Completed

Another short one that I enjoyed. 💕

Tho i’m not a believer of getting back together with your ex. Lol. That’s the story here. MC/ML were a thing back in college and because of a misunderstanding they “broke up”. Years later, they meet again as office mates and rekindle their romance. I’m happy for the characters because they had a second chance at love and are now at a better place to stay together.

Considering the length of this, there was one scene that really stuck with me. The two are walking on the street late at night and ML is chasing the MC, he wants to talk but the MC won’t listen so he shouts:

“HEY! MY FIRST LOVE KIM MINJUN!” 🗣️🗣️🗣️

It’s so funny considering why it was said, to get someone’s attention — but also so romantic. It is like a scene in a k-drama.

Tied To You 64 Chapters ; Completed

I feel so lucky that I found this title in it’s completion cause i would absolutely go nuts if I had to wait, to find out what’s gonna happen next. As soon as I started, I couldn’t stop and took me 5 hours to finish the whole thing. So worth it. This kind of Manhwa is the reason why I keep reading, hoping that I will find something like this. It’s really something special. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

the synopsis is as follows:

It’s only sleeping together while holding hands, nothing else. That’s what Shin Wooseo tells himself when a red ring that ties a person to their soulmate appears on his finger one day. Once two people get tied by the ring, they cannot fall asleep unless they’re physically together. However, his destined partner isn’t his long-term friend and secret crush, Kang Jiseok, but rather his older brother, Kang Jigeon! And so starts the tragedy of loving one brother but having to share beds with the other. Although, it might not entirely be a tragedy, as Kang Jigeon doesn’t seem so disappointed about being tied to his younger brother’s best friend…

I don’t usually go for love triangle tropes, but this one is not really that kind of love triangle. The strength of this Manhwa is the storytelling. Every panel & interactions served a purpose. As a reader, you are pulled in and can’t help but want to know more. I also appreciated that we can see the perspectives of 3 different people, but moreso on the MC/ML. I liked the concept of “love” that was portrayed too — it’s something that you have to work and fight for. It’s a conscious choice and not all sweet gestures.

Now i wanna spotlight the ML, KANG JIGEON 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 If I was to rank my fave MLs from all the stuff I read, he would easily be in the Top 10. He is manipulative but in the best way because all he does is for Wooseo to pay more attention to him. I have to say that he ultimately sets up the “scene” but most of the time the choice is still with Wooseo. His devotion is very real and his approach to fighting for his love is ( to me personally ) admirable! GO GET YOUR BOY! I’m not even mad at him.

I’ve been wanting to read a character like him, a chaotic good if you will, and that’s probably why this made such an impact on me. It was hilarious seeing the comments of readers in the early chapters being sus about Jigeon and thinking he is gonna be an asshole ML. In the middle, they were confused whether to love or hate him and the schemes. Towards the end, everyone was cheering for Jigeon and applauding him. Lol. I guess he was successful in making the readers fall in love too. ❤️

The King and Me Chapter 36; Ongoing

The story is very unique, atleast to me, cause I haven’t read anything set in Ancient Egypt + Time travel. There is also some heavy plot aside from the romance and every character here is just beautiful and badass!!!! The first few chapters broke my heart. I swear. It was effective in setting up the MC’s quest and why he is so stubborn when he goes back in time. What he is after is so important. 💪🏼

I adore the MC (Zhang Li)!!! He is so smart and determined to find out the truth about his “Rocky” and the tyrant king. His circumstances are not the best, but he tries to adapt and is not some love sick fool. Even if the main reason that he is there is because of love. This story is still in it’s early stages and I feel like it could easily go up to 150++ chapters because of the plot and well, the progression of MC/ML relationship. It’s also a slowburn so if that’s your thing, you would enjoy this.

Manhattan Romance Chapter 40; Ongoing

This reads like the kind of novel set in a specific city, in this case, NY, and two people meet each other and fall in love. Of course there are challenges and issues between the characters and their environment but the central story is their relationship. I think people who will read this would want to be the MC (Hyeon), in a way, all because of how much the ML (Luwan) dotes on him. Hyeon has his own issues and he is a precious bean that is too good for this world! I’m so happy that Luwan is the person who “caught” him and not some toxic shit. Let them live in their penthouse and be happy, Let Hyeon paint more masterpieces and the two of them to travel the world. ❤️

Ordinary life of a Universal Guide Chapter 61; Completed

Because i’m a sucker for esper/guide universe I had to pick it up. There is really nothing “special” with the plot, it’s the usual for the trope. My comments sounds like i hated it or something lol but the truth is — it’s alright. I picked this up after reading really good ones ( tied to you & the king and me ) so this was an in between read. I can’t always be that lucky.

The Third Ending Chapter 67; Completed

OMG how do I even begin to describe this perfection. I’ve been seeing this on other people’s list but for some reason I kept putting it off. Funny how I always manage to “start” reading something really good just before bedtime — which delays the “sleeping” I should be doing 😂😂😂

First of all, I love the art. It reminds me of Omega Complex that was so pretty so that helped a lot. 🫶🏼

Synopsis:

Suh Yoonseul has had life easy—everyone likes him, he’s good at his job, basically everything has always worked out as smooth as butter. However, there’s something that brings all of his good luck down, and it’s the infrequent dreams he has of Kang Joon. Who knew that rejecting a guy once would hang so heavy on your life? To make things worse, after he runs into Joon the dreams keep on coming daily. At his wit’s end, Yoonseul takes some advice from a friend so that he can free himself from this jinx. It’s simple. Make Kang Joon think that he’s a nice person. That can’t be hard, right?

Yoonseul is one of my favorite MCs. He’s a chronic people pleaser and has this perfect facade that he presents to everyone. So when he remembers being mean ( showing his true self ) back in high school to someone who confessed to him — he can’t let it go. It was so fun to see him suffer when it comes to winning Joonie over ( AHHHHHH Joonie is the most precious and can do no wrong!!! ) because tbh his intentions weren’t good. He is selfish. The entire season 1 was such a treat. Seeing their relationship progress and I— I don’t wanna spoil anymore but this could easily be a kdrama. There was that scene in the snow. AHHHHH! I was screaming while reading it! Lol. Season 2 is sweeter and more on fluff, by that time, you’re already so invested on them that you don’t care about any plot. Personally, what I loved about this is their mutual obsession towards each other. I’m a fan of that. I like tropes that are about “fated pairs” or something similar.

Between the Lines Chapter 20 ; ongoing

Not gonna say too much about this and I encourage people to wait for more chapters but it has a solid start. The MC/ML are both likable. Especially the MC. The premise is also hilarious, cause MC is a bl writer who is having a writer’s block and needs an inspiration for his protagonist. Here comes ML, who acts like Mr.Perfect ( but he isn’t ) and inspires him. There is so much more going on here that I feel like will be explored more as the story progresses so i’ll definitely come back to it.

Necromancer Survival 79 chapters ; 2 seasons completed and s3 is TBA

I had no idea what was in store for me when I decided to pick this up. I have a thing for necromancers and this one has the whole “dungeons” concept to it so I was down. But like — this probably ruined every other story for me. In a good way. Now I want a plot-heavy type of story with the romance as a bonus only. All I’ve been reading so are heavy on the romance & relationship, this has that element too but you get really invested with the plot.

Synopsis:

When the weak and unconfident Choi Yikyung first found out that he was a user, he thought he had finally hit the jackpot. In Yikyung’s mind, Necromancy seemed like the ultimate mix of cool and interesting. Back then, he had no idea that the Necromancer class was the weakest of them all! But as Yikyung enters the newly reopened Tower of Spirits in search of enhancement materials, he is sucked into a mysterious area of the dungeon where he encounters a frightening corpse. “Ding!” A quest window pops up, and it says… “You have made a pact with Seo Dawon, a vengeful spirit.” When tackling quests, it doesn’t hurt to have a companion or two, especially if one of them is the spirit of an ultra powerful and handsome young man. After all, “it’s dangerous to go alone”!

Don’t let the art fool you. It’s not some bright and shiny story. I made the mistake of thinking it’s gonna be some g rated adventure story lol It’s literally a necromancer whose goal is to make a master/slave pact with all the members of a dead team. He has to fulfill their wishes and help them get their revenge— which means killing a lot of people. It comes with a price, because every summoning is making him weaker in some aspects. Also no one knows what the true power of a necromancer is so whatever it is he’s doing — they don’t know what will happen to him in the long run. I freakin love the concept and how it’s mixed in with the romance. Is Seo Dawon only attracted to Yikyung because he is his master or are these real feelings? How will this relationship even work when one of them is Dead? A huge bonus too are how likable the other characters are. Especially Jung Garam!!! 🫶🏼

I hope the Manhwa continues cause I wanna see them get that revenge! 💪🏼 I wanna know too if Yikyung’s power will allow him to resurrect people and if so, what’s the payment?

I see lots of comments that say this adaptation does not live up to the novel & source material. Which i get it — a Manhwa will have restrictions, especially on the themes. The novels seems more gruesome and explicit ( not the sexual kind ) which usually has to be toned down for a Manhwa to get a license. Plus from what I can tell, the Novel is like 500 chapters ++ with a concept so niche and is for a specific type of reader. So yeah… I’m not sure if I will pick up the novel. I don’t have that urge yet, tho I am very interested in the censored scenes and if it’s really as dark as people are saying it is. I have a feeling it’s right up my alley. && I read some comments that Yikyung gets more dangerous as the story progresses ( getting corrupted by the summoning and the practice of necromancy ). I’m very curious! 👀

If anyones decided to read this, lemme know what you think. 💕

Black Mirror Chapter 64 ; Completed

This is the perfect spooky + sexy read for the season we’re in right now. From the first page down to the end, I can’t stop reading and wanting to know what happens next. It perfectly captures that eerie feeling, even if there are a lot of explicit scenes, it’s still there. The author really planned this well and the artist perfectly executed it. I don’t explain more because it’s best to go into this blind and experience the story for yourself. Highly recommend ✨✨

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See you all next month ^^ & feel free to recommend me some titles! 💕

[tociminna]

WIP Whursday

Thank you for the tag @astarioffsimpmain!

I only have one WIP (the Gale/Laezel lanceboard oneshot and the Wyll/Astarion 5+1 are still in planning stages), so if you are following my longfic you might want to avoid this short bit of fluffiness.

No pressure tags to @12thhouse-sun and @optimisticgrey. I think you both already did one this week 😅 but moar is better!

They froze, suddenly remembering all that separated them from the camp was a layer of canvas, loosely secured with a leather tie. Niamh took her hand away, placing it on Gale’s chest, still rising and falling rapidly with his breath. He looked up at her, eyes still clouded with lust, and blinked repeatedly. “Goodness. Got a bit carried away there, I think.” Niamh wrinkled her nose in irritation. “I want to get carried away,” she said. “Carried all the way away.” Gale laughed and kissed her. “We shall have to contrive some sort of privacy enchantment. Nothing that suits the camp springs to mind immediately, but I'm sure we'll think of something.” Niamh nodded in agreement, a yawn interrupting her midway. “Are you feeling all right?” Gale asked, looking concerned. “Sometimes there’s a degree of mental fatigue after an extended, er, session, like we had.” “No, I’m fine,” Niamh answered, stretching and pressing herself against him. His arms wound around her waist, holding her there. “I’m a little tired, I suppose, but then we didn’t get much sleep, did we? And ordinarily one wakes up after such a busy night feeling quite sore, so I guess that’s an advantage.” “One upside,” he acknowledged, chuckling. “Mostly I’m just happy,” Niamh said, kissing the tip of his nose. “I love you.” “I love you too,” he replied, holding her tighter. “So much. I wish I’d been able to do more for you last night. I’m still so limited, in many ways. Less than I was. It could have been better.” “Oh, Gale.” Niamh paused, thinking. How to make him understand? How to make him believe? “First, it was the most beautiful, incredible experience of my life so far. I want you to know that.” “You deserve it,” he said, interrupting earnestly. “For so long you didn’t -” he stopped speaking as she laid a finger gently across his lips. “Second,” she continued, “what I love is the generous heart that wanted so much to give me pleasure and happiness. What I love is the brilliant mind that imagined it down to the smallest detail. Not the power that brought it into being. You are a wonder with or without the Weave.” Gale said nothing, after this, looking at her as if she had just plucked the moon from the sky and presented it to him on a plate. He pulled her down, slowly, both hands on her face, for the longest, gentlest kiss of her life. She tucked her head into his neck for a moment after he let her go, feeling him draw a shaky breath and let it out. A brief silence, and then with a hint of mischief he asked: “So you liked it, then?”