#i'm so?? amazed?? like this is such a great idea

[sharktttu]

yandere batfam x neglected doctor reader

(A/N: ok so this is my first time publishing any of my writings so I hope that everything is somewhat cohesive and understandable. and um yeah open to any feedback.)

Prologue

Sometimes I really miss my mom, shes not dead or anything but I was taken out of her care by officer Gordon because our home got one to many CPS visits at the wrong time.

Now I wont lie and say that life with my mother was amazing but at least she had the decency not to give me false hope. Everyday it was the same thing she would come home after work and start drinking, now she wasn't that mean of a drunk if you learnt to stay out of her way, which I did and not the easy way

My mother would always tell the truth and not sugar coat anything, she had hit me a few time as a kid yeah it was never full on beatings, maybe a slap or two here and there if I pissed her off but I loved her because she never left me hoping to spend time with her, she would never give promises that she couldn't keep, and she would never give me a sip of a normal life just to leave me in that dark again. My mother was my constant and I was taken from her.

My new "family" of geniuses though could never get that wrapped around their heads. they would give me false hope. Hope to get invited to family movie night, hope to have a normal family dinner without any conversation becoming super awkward just because I sat down to eat with my "family".

everyday I strive to be better, to prove myself, but with each new addition to the family I became smaller and smaller.

I came a few months after dick, I was about 6 about years 5 younger than him. I had no idea of what I did to him but he just didn't like me. He didn't hate me or love me I think I was lower than he last resort. I think it was all the stress and trauma he had from experiencing his parents death and trying to cope with it while Bruce trained him to become Robin. I never blamed him he had It harder than me.

Next came Jason he was okay. I could obviously tell that he liked dick more than me but that was okay, you cant come between a good old fashion brotherly bond right? he was nice and all but wasn't a constant for me to rely on. When he died yes I was sad, death was always sad to me it never mattered the person. But I wasn't as heart broken as everyone else because he was just another person that lived in the manor for me. I still cried I mean I was only 9. When he came back he acted like a completely new person, that's when I learnt about the family business. He then became a bad constant.

then Tim came in he never noticed me and I was always way to busy to even talk to him because I was desperately trying to gain the attention of Bruce even a look. after a few failed attempts and a retry with dick I moved on to try and get times attention, but all he did was call me annoying and push me away.

Cassandra in my eye was the best she was like the older sibling that I had always wanted. to bad she didn't see me in the same light. Cassandra saw me as a nobody just a kid that was taken in out of obligation and to look good to the press. I knew she was right and was just pointing out the obvious but It still hurt.

Barbra was neutral she was never there, not in a avoiding me way but in a I'm always working kinda way. I liked her she was a constant.

Stephanie was also a neutral but a little worse, she was the one that was never there in the I'm avoiding you kinda way. she just saw me as some annoying little kid so she just busied herself with work to try and not talk to me.

Damian was the one who treated me the worse. first he saw me as competition but as soon as he learnt I was made from a "whore one night stand" I soon became a beating block for him. always throwing insults at me. saying that I was lucky to even have Wayne blood with my "dirty blood". his words hurt the most but he was a great constant I think that he was my favorite sibling for reliability, of a reality check.

Bruce my "father" I don't really have much to say about him he was the least constant. in front of the press he'd treat me like I was actually one of his kids, like I was actually apart of the family. but I knew better than to get my hopes up. I learnt pretty quickly that he has a reputation and I was expected to help him keep it up. I knew that if he wasn't expected to attend an event with his kids then he wouldn't bother to spare a glance at me.

Alfred was like a mentor to me. He taught me so many things and he really did try to keep me from finding out the truth of what my family thinks about me but one against seven is not fair. he was my best constant, a constant that could give me a break from my harsh reality. A constant that would allow me to be a kid again. Alfred was my favorite constant.

(okay so what are y'all thinking I already have chapters 1 and 2 planned, any feed back is appreciated 😼)

[paladin--strait]

Could I request prompts 6, 27, and 44 with Timo Meier? Can you also add that his parents are with reader at the game?

always there - timo meier

prompts: teacher! reader, "i'll take care of you.", and player going crazy when he gets chirped about reader

tw!: fighting, mentions of blood, mentions of bullying and bad home life

-

it's no surprise that the devils and rangers always have a rivalry, especially during the playoff rush. a few days ago, i gave two of my students tickets to see the game as a prize for being such great students.

the way their faces and their parents faces lit up when i kept my word and gave them the tickets was the highlight of my day. the seventh grader, parker, was being bullied, the sight of him sitting alone at lunch tugging at my heartstrings. nina had many friends but was having trouble in school.

parker told me one friday when i pulled him out of class that the kids don't want to hang out with him because he's different and not cool enough. his trembling voice and the way he fiddled with the paracord bracelet on his wrist made me bend down to his level, reassuring words leaving my mouth softly.

nina told me the previous day, a thursday, that the reason she was having a hard time staying alert and paying attention in class was because she was having a tough time at home. her parents fought, often times so loudly she couldn't sleep. she said the only reason why she seems so happy at school is because she can see her friends, and because she enjoys learning new things my class. she's always been a bright and smart young girl, and seeing her struggle so much made my heart throb with sadness.

i announced to my class the following monday that two students who do well for the whole month in my class, not only by grades, but also by the way they treat others, will get a special surprise of their choosing. (within reason, of course.)

at the end of the month, which wasn't far away from when i told them the idea, i announced the students were parker and nina. the way the gasp left parker's mouth, soon replaced by a toothy grin almost made me cry on the spot. nina was so excited, a grin on her face as her friends congratulate her for winning.

all children should be treated with kindness and respect, and since i didn't have very many students this year and there was just enough time in the school year for everyone to be chosen, i decided the idea was a great way for some kids to maybe make new friends, while treating all of them equally with things they love. almost like a reward system.

it made me excited to find out that parker and nina both have at least one thing in common. they both love hockey. since timo and i are engaged, i have connections to take them and meet the players before the game. when i offered to this to them, their excitement and the way their heads nodded made me buy tickets on the spot. i let them pick out who they wanted to see the devils play and of course, they picked the devils vs. rangers.

and now we're here, two kids on my right and timo's parents on my left, our seats right up on the glass. the kids received jerseys from the players, covered in signatures. they also received hats and a puck each. timo's mom, claudia, taps my shoulder, leaning in.

"it's so sweet that you brought some students to see the game with you. timo told me about what you're doing for your kids." she smiles wide, a hint of proudness in her eyes. "it's an amazing idea. i'm sure those two will end up good friends, i can already tell."

i nod with a smile, looking over at nina and parker. they're laughing, jumping up and down while watching the players warm up. "it's crazy how two completely different kids can get along so well."

she leans back in her seat, "when timo told me what you do for work, he sounded so incredibly proud of you. at first, i couldn't understand why. but now, i absolutely do."

i smile gratefully. "thank you, mrs. meier. my job is so important to me. these kids bring me so much joy, it's incredible. makes me so happy to see them getting along."

a nod comes from her, and we continue to talk throughout the game. since about halfway through the first period, there's was something unusual about timo. like something in him flipped, a side of him i've never seen. his parents see it too, i know they do. they're just keeping quiet.

my heart pounds as the third period begins, something's wrong. i can tell. and sure enough, three minutes and seventeen seconds in, it all comes crashing down. timo's on the opposing player in an instant, punches thrown. it's not like a normal fight where they hold on to each others jerseys and kinda throw each other around a bit. no, this was a fight.

everything around me seems to stop and i feel a hand on my left take mine, presumably timo's mom. i watch them fight, blood all over each others faces and jerseys. timo's helmet is long gone, his jaw clenched. i can see him yelling as he fights, eventually taking down the ranger player.

i release a breath i didn't know i was holding as the refs pull him off, pulling him to the tunnel while he continues to yell. he walks off, a little wobble in his step from his skates. he disappears down the hallway for the rest of the game, i look over at his mom, she's already looking at me.

her face is full of worry, brows furrowed and lips parted. i already know what she's gonna ask, and i shake my head. i don't know what that was about. i look over at the kids, their eyes full of awe and wonder. they're fired up from the fight, i know they are by their expressions.

my knee bounces up and down until the end of the game. i walk the kids to their parents and they all thank for me for the experience. i muster my best smile i can manage at the moment, giving them hugs and telling them i'll see them at school tomorrow.

timo's parents have already left, needing to get on their flight to go home in a few hours. i walk back to the hallway, where nico and jesper are pacing the corridor. they rush to me as soon as i come into their view, their words rushed and nervous. i tell them to slow down, and prepare to hear what they have to say.

nico speaks, "timo won't talk. he won't talk to anyone. he's still sitting in there in his gear, looking down at the ground. he wouldn't even let the trainers touch him to clean his cut." his brows are laced together, his signature look of haunted worry. "we thought made you could talk to him?"

i nod, "yeah, i can try."

i slowly make my way into the locker room, looking around and seeing timo in his seat, still in his gear like nico said. i approach him slowly, the door clicking shut behind me. i hear a shaky breath come from his direction as i get closer, he's probably smelled my perfume. "baby...?" i whisper, kneeling down in front of him.

his eyes are focused on his skates, even though i'm right there. i place my hand on his knee, my other reaching up to cup his cheek. he tenses up at my touch, finally meeting my gaze. his eyes are red, puffy and swollen, wet with unshed tears he's been holding back.

"i just wanted to protect you..." he whispers, his voice cracking. it's clear he hasn't drank anything since he got in here, so i hand him his water bottle and make him drink.

"what are you talking about? you already protect me everyday." i say, moving to sit beside him after moving nico's stuff. "what happened out there?" i move his hair out of his face.

he looks over at me, "trocheck, he was chirping me about you. talking about the kids you brought with you and how you...would look so good with his kids. he kept talking about how he was gonna take you from me and...i just couldn't take it, i'm sorry. i'm so sorry..." he looks down, a sniffle leaving his nose.

"oh no, my love. don't be sorry. you did what you thought was right. and don't worry, i would never leave you. never ever ever. you're the only one for me, the only one who can protect me and care for me, i promise." i say, taking his hand in mine and rubbing his knuckles with my thumb.

he sniffs again, "i know you wouldn't, but the way he was talking about you...i would never want to hear those things about anyone, the things he said i would never repeat." his words make me frown, but i won't push him to tell me.

"you don't have to repeat them. now, how about you change into your regular clothes, get your nose fixed up and meet me outside, yeah? i'll give you some time." i smile softly, kissing his cheek before i stand up. he nods his head, slowly taking off his gear as i walk out.

nico and jesper are still there, now joined by stefan. it's clear they're worried about their friend, and i couldn't be more grateful for them. they've done so much for timo, always so kind to him.

"is he okay?" jesper asks, his normal worried face still there. "where is he?"

"he's changing, i just left to give him some time."

"what happened? did he tell you?" stefan asks, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"yeah, he told me. he said trocheck was chirping him about me and how he was gonna take me from him or something. but timo told me, that he said stuff he wouldn't want to hear about anybody, or even repeat. he's really upset." i sigh, leaning on the opposite wall.

jesper leans beside me as stefan speaks, "yeah, i figured that's what it was. if i'm gonna be honest, i heard some of what he said. i was hoping it wasn't about you, sad to hear it was."

i nod, my lips pursing together. the guys eventually say their goodbyes and timo comes out a few minutes later. he still looks upset, his face puffy and his head hung low. i cup his cheeks, picking his head up to look at me.

"hey, don't be upset. i appreciate you sticking up for me, i really do..." i smile softly, rubbing his cheekbone with my thumb. "how about...some ice cream?"

it may sound silly, but timo loves ice cream. he eats it when he's sick, happy, sad, angry. it's like his comfort food, something he knows he can depend on to make him feel better. he nods, and i lead him out to the car, his hand in mine.

i drive to his favorite ice cream shop, going through the drive thru and ordering his favorite ice cream and mine. i thank the lady behind the window, and pay her. i wait for my card to come back, and hand timo the ice cream.

i drive to the nearby park, pulling into a parking spot and getting out. we sit on a bench in front of the huge fountain, the sound of the flowing water and the moon shining down on us is comforting. we sit in a comfortable silence, eating our ice cream.

i sigh, setting down my empty container and lean into his side, his arm coming up to rest on my shoulder as he finishes his ice cream. he sets his trash with mine, and leans in to kiss my cheek.

"thank you, my love." he says, a small smile now on his face. "you always know how to make me feel better."

i laugh softly, moving my head to kiss his hand that rests on my shoulder. "i'll always take care of you, baby."

we watch the water flow through the fountain, the water glimmering under the moon. it's peaceful, just what we need after such a long and stressful day.

"we should get going, you have a rowdy group of kids to teach tomorrow and i have morning skate." timo says, standing up and holding out his hand to help me stand.

we hold hands as we slowly walk back to the car, a yawn leaving my lips. every second with timo is so interesting. he brings such light to my life. it's like a new adventure everyday, and i could never be more grateful for him.

[weebsinstash]

Ya know on the concept of the multi mark situation in Invincible, be really funny if our mark didn’t know what he had till then.

Like, oh yeah, (y/n), a great ally and or friend, no romantic feelings. Then BAM, all these other Marks crying and proposing on spot because they loved their (y/n)s and lost them. That would probably freak og Mark out bcuz either he didn’t realize his feelings, or he was hiding them lmao

Mark on the FastTrack pipeline of "what the fuck why are you hitting on/trying to kiss my friend, ew that's gross, you're me and they're my friend we would never do that > what do you mean you two were happily married and it was the happiest you've ever been like what > ok so Reader is an amazing person in every universe ok ok I hear you but YOURE definitely not good enough for them > fuck it I gotta protect Reader because theyre so amazing bad people might wanna take advantage of them > ok maybe those guys didn't have the wrong idea because I'm literally going crazy at the idea of Reader with anyone else now and at the very very least I need them with me all the time so I can protect them"

After the fact Reader is now understandably skeptical around your own Mark and meanwhile he's just like "ha ha wasn't it so creepy how all those guys wanted to date/marry/fuck you, we would never do that haha unless??? 👀"

Mark becoming horribly paranoid because, well, if you're dead in every other universe, does that mean you're destined to die? He can't accept that! If this is the universe where he's really so different, then this must be the universe where he can save you! Those other Marks just did something wrong, and, if he works really hard and keeps an EXTRA close eye on you, he can change your fate, right?

Any little sniffle or cough and he's all but dragging you to the GDA to see a doctor, never leaving your side the entire exam, because what if you had some fatal illness and suddenly died? He doesn't want you fighting because, he doesn't know if the enemy has some special weapon or poison that can kill you?! Much to Cecil's frustration, Mark doesn't want you fighting PERIOD, not even the most mundane jobber. Then Cecil finds out just the slightest prodding and hinting that keeping Earth safe keeps YOU safe and suddenly Mark is flying around busting alien/criminal ass until he's ready to pass out and suddenly he's a lot more ok with it.

[utilitycaster]

Do you think fan reaction to Laura characters (most sharply seen with Imogen and Jester), is because a large portion of those problem fans see those characters as, rather than actual characters with agency and interiority, but vessels for their wish-fufillment? Especially when it comes to things like romantic relationships, power, being girly-pop/a girl-fail/girl-boss (to put it reductively), and, with Jester specifically, almost universally adored.

This would go some way to explaining why they seem to disregard Laura, Laura's intent, and any criticism of said character. Because it goes beyond "you can't criticize that character because they are my favorite" to sometimes "you can't criticize that character because they are ME."

Perhaps I am just (I suppose this is petty to say) too comfortable with my self as a person to ever wish to base my enjoyment of a story on whether, not even that I can relate to the characters, but that I can effectively use a singular character as a vehicle for my own wants and needs. Certainly, there is a place for those sorts of characters and wish-fufillment stories. Whole sub-genres of Romance are based around this. Yet, it boggles my mind when people try to apply this to works in genres that do not actually support it and then get angry when it doesn't meet their expectations. Sure, there are no rules about being a fan, do as you wish, but when this sort of behavior seems tied to some of the worst behavior exhibited in the fandom, it does beg some discussion.

(This is not a condemnation of the characters themselves, or Laura, Vex and Jester are wonderful, and while I have problems with Imogen tied to the larger structural issues of C3, as a concept and on paper, she had potential for being a great study in power and powers corruption....which I'm now realizing could have been an amazing throughline theme for C3 as a whole, if anyone had seized the reigns and drove it along that path intentionally, but, world of pudding, oh well. This is purely a criticism of a certain fandom trend.)

So here's what's interesting - the way fans saw Jester (and to a lesser extent, Vex, at least post-c1 since I was not around for C1) and the way fans saw Imogen, at least after a while, are very different in my opinion!

The Vex, Jester, and early Imogen view was very much, yes, wish fulfillment, but it was also especially tied to shipping (for multiple different potential partners, ie, this was pretty common for ships with both Beau and Caleb in C2), and yeah, much of it was projection. That does fit into, as you say, the romance novel wish fulfillment model. I remember that my shipping/multishipping philosophy throughout C2 was "whomever Jester chooses," and I was pretty vocal about that and a lot of people who have since rage quit the fandom over this ship had no issue with that for a long time. The thing is, then when she chose, suddenly to many of those people she was a stupid little girl who didn't know what she was doing and who should be miserable and punished for her transgression of not doing the romance they wanted her to do. Vex is actually kind of interesting in that I'm sure someone is out there who treats her as a shipping doll for Percy; but more frequently I saw the same Marisha and Liam stan problem, of Vex only in the context of "person Keyleth looks up to but also who should date Keyleth and be second to the Tempest, a thing which would make Vex miserable if you have even the slightest idea of her character" or only in the context of Vax's sister (the vessel of grief problem I ran into when I joined the fandom as someone who liked Vex as a character more than Vax and saw that half the content was just Vex Is So Sad Forever.)

Imogen started out this way - the oh my god she's a widdle baby girl with headaches and nightmares that the more worldly Laudna kisses better - but that quickly failed to be supported by the text, and Laudna as a character failed to fit the Keyleth or Beau model of Most Cool And Powerful and so actually, as I've observed before, a lot of the Marisha Stans of yore left because Laudna didn't support their idea. And similarly, a lot of the people who'd claimed to like Jester were gone over C2 shipping bullshit, and that vacuum was filled by the Campaign 3 fans, many of whom were overall new to the show.

Now, Imogen is unavoidably a central character of Campaign 3, with particular narrative importance compared to other PCs - it would be ridiculous to say otherwise. But here's the twist (and god i gotta finish my post about this): a lot of the C3 fans who came in to fill the vacuum that Marisha Character Stan With Laura Character As Wish Fulfillment were not the "um, actually, Beau and Keyleth are the leaders and the best characters" sort of person, even though, hilariously, Imogen is closer to that than either of them were (and I say this as someone who enjoys Beau and Keyleth very much, I just don't subscribe to the They Are Leaders Who Are Always Right mentality).

A lot of C3 fans were much more enamored of a new model of blorbo: not the coolest hottest most powerful badass (though occasionally they'll dip into that, especially when they shift into mindless bean counter mode), but rather, the most perfect spotless sacrificial lamb, who is eternally wronged and eternally gracious and when they're not gracious it's because they've had so much trauma and you can't expect them to be gracious all the time but they're always so good and you can't criticize them because they've had such a hard life, and also they belong to at least one oppressed group so if you criticize them you aren't just mean to someone who should never be criticized, you are also probably a bigot and a bad and ontologically evil person.

So Imogen is that. She's not wish fulfillment as the coolest person ever; nor is she wish fulfillment as "person banging the character they think is the coolest person ever"; she is, in their minds, wish fulfillment for "person who can never be criticized." Which is closer to what you said.

Unfortunately for them, this sort of person doesn't really exist, like, at all. I think there's cases where one should be judicial about one's criticism, but actually talking shit about fictional characters is, as a rule, morally neutral. There are things you can say about individual fictional characters that are bigoted, and there's patterns of behavior towards fictional characters that show a more subtle bias rooted in bigotry, and there's far more things you can say about fictional characters that are simply in poor taste or indicate the person doing the criticism is a fucking idiot, but you are always allowed to not like a character because of their actions and behaviors within a narrative, and vocalize or write this sentiment.

This did not sit well with many people, who thought they'd found an ironclad way to never be criticized again, probably because they are stupid as fuck because what kind of idiot thinks this is a possibility.

Now I would be remiss in saying this was unique to Laura; this was a C3 problem generally and spread to Laudna/Marisha and Ashton/Taliesin (the "she literally was traumatized? they're literally punk?????" defenses) as well, and infects discourse about Campaign 3 still because at the core of it, a lot of Bells Hells fans, in their fragility, want that wish fulfillment and are really mad that people are like "oh, you don't like that I'm criticizing you or the thing you like? sounds like a you problem" even though it literally is. While the treating Laura's character like a self-insert issue was a problem in past campaigns (and I think the fact that Vex and Jester had those more slow-burn, background arcs made them appealing targets) I don't think that particular segment of Imogen's fans want to be her; they just want the nonexistent immunity they made up for her to be true for them.

[callme-naomi]

Pieces of My Heart

hi guys! first of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE AMAZING RESPONSE TO MY PAST POSTS. I swear I had no idea this would happen but you guys are the best!!! And I'm enjoying writing this so much buahahahaha. This might be one of my last few works before I go on a hiatus till the end of May, so yeah.

And then, what do y'all say for another AU? Arranged marriage with another character?

okay this one will be long hahahaha

You and Nanami Kento had been blissfully married for one entire year, and you could have never been happier and more in love.

Life was going smoothly for the two of you. Both found a home, and love in each other. And apparently, the two of you had become an exemplary couple to both your households, your duo being the favorite and the one gaining all the attention whenever you walked into a gathering, your hand in his.

So you'd be constantly questioned by everyone, about is he nice to you? Does he care for you? Have you two fought yet? How long did you two know each other? How to get a marriage like yours?

Similarly, he'd be questioned on, is she a good wife? Can she cook? Can she clean? Does she annoy you sometimes? Is she loyal to you? Did she buy you anything yet? Are you two happy? How did you find this girl?

And so on, so forth. Both your answers, be the other in the room or not, would be full of love and admiration for each other, you being obvious with it and Kento expressing himself in few but precise words, leaving the listeners in awe of the two of you, the new Mr. and Mrs. Nanami.

There was one question, however, that you had dreaded and had been asked from you since your third month of marriage.

Are you expecting? When are we getting the good news?

In different words and different people, the same question would be asked of you over and over again.

In the beginning, the two of you had decided that you two will take some time to figure out the house dynamic, because it was your opinion that since a child is a great responsibility, it wouldn't be easy handling it if you still didn't figure out how to handle the house, and Kento had agreed for you to take as much time as you needed.

Apparently Kento had known this was meant to come, because one night he told you this at dinner.

"Y/N, I should warn you. I'm the only son, and therefore the heir to my family. And with you as my wife, it will be expected of you too to give the family a child soon. So be prepared for being questioned. I'll be beside you, but should you ever find yourself alone and unable to handle it, please let me know. Alright?"

"Yeah," you replied, not having thought of it as much of a problem back then. "I can handle it though, don't worry."

"I'm not worried about them." He had crossed his arms. "Don't pressurize yourself with what I might think."

"I'll just come and ask you!" You had added brightly. "You'll tell me anything there is I should know, right?"

"Yes. And whatever happens, I'm on your side. Remember that."

"You're so sweet." You had taken his hand and kissed it. "Though, I can't imagine how they can find the audacity to ask this."

"You'll be surprised."

You noticed that this would be asked of you whenever you were alone, and while at first you would find some suitable answer, or would just laugh politely and change the subject, you found yourself running away from gatherings because of this question.

And they never disappointed your expectations of being asked at every event. And it hurt you even more when it would turn out to be your own family.

Your sisters and your mother reminding you of another duty as the wife. You knew they had meant well, but it still hurt.

On the other hand, Kento was initially interrogated too, and he did not hesitate to show his annoyance with a few of his blunt responses, for instance, "I find this irrelevant with you wanting to know about our marriage,"

or "I'm not interested in discussing anything I haven't announced personally. Me and my family matters are not open for discussion."

or "I don't see why this should interest you. No man wants to be interrogated about his family." or "You should be focusing on helping the host family. They're the star, not us."

Once, when some people went too far as to suggesting there might be a problem, he had said, "I apologize for not making it clear earlier, but I will not tolerate anything about my wife. Next time, it will be your apology I'll accept."

And that was when everyone knew not to interrogate him. So they put their wives on the task of asking you, the timid Mrs. Nanami who couldn't say no to save her life.

You didn't tell him anything, out of fear of the fact that he might think you're trying to estrange him from his family, or if he did sever ties, you'll be the one his family will blame. And you wanted to maintain a good image.

So when it finally was enough, you decided to do it.

Yes, he had listened to your agreement, but he also had his own family image to protect. And there was no way you're going to let your hesitation become his humiliation.

You just went up to him, your heart thumping wildly and asked if the two of you should try now, and though you thought you had done a good job at hiding your feelings, he had seen through you.

"Are you sure about this, Y/N?"

You nodded.

"Why did you change your mind? Do you think you can handle it now?"

"I think I can. And it's because I want to."

He stayed silent for a while, looking at you as if trying to gauge something from you. When you couldn't hold his stare and bent your head, he slowly asked you.

"Is it another responsibility you're supposed to do?"

Your silence prompted him further. "You can tell me anything, you know. I promise I won't say anything."

"But, won't you mind if I said I still don't want to?"

"I would mind if you tried to suppress your want for me, or my family. And I wouldn't know what you wanted, if you won't be honest with me."

He then smiled at you. "A responsibility you have as my wife is to be honest with me. And then I'll do my responsibility of listening to you. Think you can do that?"

And that's when you spilled it all. He, true to his word, listened silently to you, and in the end, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, and then repositioned himself to face you.

"Y/N. I'm sorry you had to face all this without me, but let me make one thing clear: this decision is ours and ours alone to make. Nobody gets to tell you what you're supposed to do when I'm here, alright?"

You nodded, feeling relief seep through your chest.

"Having a child is no small task, and it won't be easy if both of us aren't willing to do it. Take your time, alright?"

"But, don't you want it?"

"I do. But I also want your opinion to be taken into consideration."

And within a few days, your mind was won over.

You had always seen Kento being the kindest person with kids. Be it from his side of the family or yours, the kids adored him, and would flock him every time he'd come over.

And the joy you saw on his face made you daydream about having your own child with whom he'd smile like this every day.

Now you found yourself ready to take on this new role.

And so, when you approached him with your newfound decision, you assured him that it was your want, all yours.

And of course, he was ready.

*****

When you finally became pregnant, it was an understatement to say that his joyous disbelief knew no bounds.

When you thought he couldn't care for you any more than he already does, he surpassed your expectations as he anticipated the moment he became a proud father.

There would always be a bright glint in his eyes every time he looked at you, always one word away from fulfilling your every wish, keeping an eye on you for any problem or complication. And he would be up late, reading about parenthood and all that stuff, even going as far to take leave from his work for your appointments and cancelling plans to stay at home with you.

In those days, you agreed to a trip with him to his family living out the city, for a weekend stay at his family's. His parents received you both with extreme joy and when your mother-in-law found out the surprise, well, she immediately began being your greatest fan.

Do you want something? Are you feeling well? Want to go out? Shall I call Kento for you?

She would always be asking you these things and you would be left fumbling for a suitable answer except 'no, thank you'.

News of his arrival spread, and soon the house was teeming with his aunts and uncles and cousins and friends, and their children who kept a mayhem in the building. Not that you were complaining anyway.

It was one day before you were meant to get home, when you were in the living room with his female cousins, all congratulating you.

"It will be lovely to see him with his own little kid," the oldest said. "He's amazing with children."

"Yes, he is." You fondly responded, watching out the window where he was playing with some children.

"Can't wait to see the mini-Kento," her sister remarked, and a giggle spread round the room.

"Well, it could be a mini-me," you replied.

"Sons don't usually take after their mothers. Have you decided a name for him?"

"It's too early yet. And we don't know if it's a him." You expressed your confusion.

"Well, it better be."

"What?" you glanced with wide eyes, and the ladies looked blankly back at you, until one of them said, "she doesn't know. Explain it to her."

"Sons are the heirs of the house, right? And well, in my experience, people desire sons more than daughters. Since you're the only daughter-in-law of the household, you have to have sons."

"Who said sons could be the only heirs?" you argued.

"I know it sounds unfair, but that's the custom."

"We generally tend to break them." You fired. "And aren't we all daughters of our houses?"

"And you'll find most of us were neglected in favor of a son. Mark my words."

"And who even needs a daughter anyway?" one lady snorted. "All you have to do is rear them until they get married off."

You had enough. You had heard of families uprooted because of the child's gender, but you couldn't sit and hear your worst fear realize before you. Standing up, you excused yourself and left, but just before you went to find your husband, the oldest cousin caught you.

"I'm sorry, dear, that you had to hear all that, but unfortunately, that's how it happens."

"But, I don't get to decide the gender."

"None of us do, but we're still punished for it."

******

On your way home, you were quiet. Kento had assumed you were tired, so he let you sleep at the back, but your mind was whirring with this newfound worry.

What if he also wanted a son? And what if you had a daughter?

You had at first denied the possibility of your man having any problems with the gender, but now that you thought more about it, it ate away at your soul.

When you reached home, you immediately went for bed, and when Kento asked you if you were sick or if he should get you something, you said no.

The next morning, coincidentally a national holiday, he brought you breakfast on the bed, and as you slowly chewed down beside him, listening to him tell about the children he was playing with that day, you voiced out the question that haunted you.

"Kento? Do you want a son or a daughter?"

He halted and looked at you confusedly. "What, darling?"

"Do you want a son or a daughter?"

"I...I haven't thought about it. And it doesn't really matter to me."

"Oh? But I thought...So you won't be mad if I had a daughter?" You felt tears brimming in your eyes, and he immediately set the tray aside, scooting closer to you.

"Hey, Y/N. Look at me."

You obeyed, chin resting atop your knees as you looked at his worried face with tearing eyes.

"What were you thinking about?"

"You said that your family wanted an heir from us. And you wanted a child too. I...I heard that," you hiccupped, "sons are the pride of a family. I've seen families wanting sons more, so I just thought...would you hate me if I had a daughter?"

He drew you close to his chest, and let you sob, your tears wetting the place above his heart, and when you wouldn't stop, he finally whispered, "shh, Y/N, it's all right. Listen to me."

His thumbs came to caress your cheeks, and you silenced and listened.

"I won't hate you for giving me a daughter or a son. Who am I to ever do that, when you're the one giving me the blessing? If sons are the pride, then daughters are the honor."

"Really?" you sniffled.

"Absolutely."

"Are you telling me this to silence me? You really mean it?"

"Y/N, have I ever lied to you?" as you shook your head no, he continued, "you're someone's daughter too, aren't you? And I imagine your parents must be proud to have you as theirs. The same way I'd be proud of my own."

You tore apart to see a soft smile on his face.

"The thing is, a gender doesn't define our love for that child. A son, or a daughter, all that matters is it's ours."

Comments, reblogs and likes are highly appreciated. Feel free to post your opinions and recs!

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[catboybiologist]

I know you don't want to be seen as an expert on hrt, so you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but I feel like you're the best person for me to ask, I've been closeted for years bc of highschool, but will be graduating this year and a little bit after that I think I will be done with being in the social settings that have made me hold off on transition. I was wondering if you have any tips for possibly boymoding while I start hrt and if you have any range of how long I may be able to boymode with relative ease? Again you don't need to answer, you just seem like you may have some info and/or your followers could also provide their info.

I boymoded full time for 9 months on HRT, so I do have a couple little nuggets of advice. Remember that all of this varies wildly from person to person. Also remember that you're starting at (I'm assuming) 18yo, which might affect your access and such.

Boymoding while you start HRT is a common move, and I totally understand why. The biggest thing to remember about hrt is that your "real" start is when your blood levels stabilize appropriately, not when you take your first dose. There are some, small changes that happen before then, but significant development really only starts at that point.

The reason I'm saying this is because it affects your boymoding. I had no problem boymoding in those first 9 months. My first levels check that showed female hormonal ranges happened at about 8 months. After that, I was rapidly feminizing, even though I was losing weight. I would say that about the 1yr mark was the point I could no longer boymode comfortably, and only did so in extremely specific contexts with great effort past that point.

To give you an idea:

That initial burst of development, ending at about day 100, was easy to hide. The changes from ~day 300 on were not- I was rapidly losing weight, so even though my chest wasn't getting bigger, it was more contrasted with the rest of my body. I couldn't claim them as male fat anymore.

The chest is usually what gives away boymoding early.

This all said, here's the basic boymoder toolkit:

A lightly compressive sports bra or bralette. Don't use a binder in early development, and prioritize comfort. I used a Nike sports bra as well as a CK racerback bralette, which is a classic for early hrt transfemmes.

Slightly baggy clothes. Usually button downs help more than t shirts. The boymoder hoody is a meme, but it does help. That said, I'd recommend trying to get stuff that you can style in femme outfits later! I mostly used flannel and light, breathable hiking shirts to boymode. I can use these as sporty "cardigans" and jackets now. Example: here's me wearing a flannel buttoned right at the start of HRT, vs me wearing one as a cardigan a couple months ago:

And, tbh, that's kind of it. It's not much, but it has to "fool" people who will already be biased into perceiving you as a guy. Socially transitioning then helps snap them into seeing you as a girl.

Fair warning though: while it is helpful to boymode for a bit for most people, you're not gonna suddenly "flick a switch" and become ultra femme overnight once you do come out. There's no avoiding the awkward zones associated with transition. Boymoding helps minimize those, however.

I'm rambling at this point but godspeed. You have an amazing experience and an amazing life ahead of you.

[lamentationsofalonelypotato]

@jollyhunter

Okay finally things have calmed down and I can dive into your wonderful comments 😊 Again, thank you so much for encouraging me to start posting my Mandalorian stories, I appreciate you so much and it's definitely helping me get through the imposter syndrome a little bit lol. 🤣❤️

OKAY FIRST OFF. THIS STORY SOMEHOW GAVE ME GHIBLI FEELINGS AND I'M SCREAMING. NOW. I had to get up right after the first paragraph, get myself some eastercake, and continue reading while munching on my own sweets. Because the descriptions and the mood are just ahhh so warm 🥰

OKAY OH MY WORD THATS SUCH A HUGE COMPLIMENT BECAUSE I LOVE STUDIO GHIBLI AND NOW I'M SCREAMING! Bout to bust out Howl's Moving Castle and Kiki's Delivery Service 🧹 I'm also not going to lie, I have no idea what eastercake is 😅, but I am happy that you had a sweet treat to snack on 💗

Reading this felt like such a sweet treat after a stressful week. And had me YEARN for things I'm not even capable of or like doing myself *cough* baking *cough* 😂 But oh my Chuck, I feel like right now I'd wish for nothing more but owning a small bakery or coffee shop, surrounded by vanilla and cinnamon smell, living somewhere in a distant city with passing by strangers. And of course, having Din and Grogu visit me every day. 💗 In other words, I am obsessed with this story. Sorry, can't help it. You gotta deal with it now, look what you've done and live with the consequences.

Yay! I'm so happy that it had that effect on you and helped you get through a stressful week! (side note I am sorry about the stressful week and I hope it's better 🥰) But oh the "yearning" LOL. It too made me yearn to open a bakery on another planet and be visited by Din and Grogu. I do love to to bake- but I am sorry that you believe you can't. I hope that one day you try again- it's not quite as hard as everyone believes it to be... Plus I kinda find comfort in the chaos of it sometimes LOL 💗🍞

But oh my goodness 😭😭😭 THANK YOU! I'm so glad that you liked the fist installment of this story! I will live with the consequences and accept the consequences happily 😆

LOL 🤣

You did such a great job at describing him without giving any descriptions of his facial expressions! And I love the way you captured his inner turmoil with just as little as a "he hesitated" or a tilt of his head. Because let's be real, it's really challenging to write for a character (from the sole reader's perspective no less) when you cannot even add a simple twitch of his lips or how his eyes moved and instead have to stare at your own friggin reflection all the time and imagine where his gaze goes.

Thank you friend! It was difficult to do that, and thank you so much for pointing it out! ❤️ He is hard to write for because I legit kept thinking "oh I'll drop in a reference to his hair" or "his bashful smile" or "oh I can talk about the way the sun turns his eyes a honeyed-whiskey" but NO! 😭 It was torture and I was suffering lol (not really because I love him). But oh yeah it's all about looking at your own reflection and not knowing where Din is looking! He's always looking at the reader, but she doesn't know that 🤣

I will forever admire Pedro Pascal for being able to act through the helmet. For him to be able to do things and deliver lines through it just kills me. He's so talented *sigh* 😍

Where's my Dean walking the way of the Mandalore AU? hm? (I'm only half-kidding. You're giving me ideas lmao)

LOVE the gif and Oh my word that could be so good! PLEASE write it (I'm also half-kidding but I believe you could do it and do it AMAZING 🤗)

So happy that you decided to post the first chapter and girl, you DELIVERED. And I'm glad I could be part of that motivation 💕 Now I can't wait to read the next chapter!!! Next time I'll prepare something sweet from the start lol

Oh my stars- THANK YOU SO MUCH! And really thank you for encouraging me (I've said it a million times, but really THANK YOU)

Where'd You Come From?

Pairing: Din Djarin x f!reader, Reader POV

Summary: An adorable customer wanders into your bakery and introduces you to someone you'd never met, who piques your curiosity. Takes place after Season 3 when Din and Grogu have been living in their cabin on Nevarro. This is the first fic in my Sugar, Spice, and Starlight Series!

Tropes: Fluff, Meet Cute, Bakery AU, Grumpy vs. Sunshine

Word Count: 4.9K

Warnings: I don't think there's really any? The reader is really soft and likes to bake? The reader simping over a man's voice (as we all should)? Din might be a little bit OOC. It's mostly just fluff.

Note: This is told from Reader's perspective. Any references to the reader is made using you or your. There is no use of y/n! I tried my best to proofread, but nobody's perfect. If you don’t like, don’t read, but if you do like, you’re my favorite! This is my first time writing for Din, so please be gentle.

Internal monologue is in italics and is in first person.

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A/N: Honestly, I've been kinda afraid to post this for a while, but @jollyhunter thank you so much for encouraging me! You're a wonderful friend 💗

The smell of fresh bread, cinnamon, and brown sugar wrapped you in a blanket of warmth as you pulled a tray from one of the large ovens at the back of your bakery. It was not the first tray to be born of flame and love today, nor would it be the last.

You smiled down at the perfect pan of browning pastry with pride swelling in your chest, admiring your handiwork. It had been two days since you opened your small bakery tucked into the corner of a colorful street on Nevarro and you were already convinced that it was the best decision you had ever made, despite your older brother's insistences that you were crazy for doing so.

Sure, Nevarro was in the middle of nowhere, was populated by angry bounty hunters, and probably wasn't the safest place to live, but you loved it. Every day there was a market that opened in the early hours of the morning, close enough that you could wander through the colorful stalls meeting new people, trying food and sweets from all over the galaxy, and browsing through the handcrafted wares the others sold. On weekends the new fountain in the center of town was surrounded by parents while children squealed and ran through the cooling sprays of water. It was a lovely place to sit and soak up the warm sun, while your mind slipped into the soothing prose of a book perched on your knee.

The longer you stayed on Nevarro, the more you felt apart of its growing community and the more you felt like you belonged there. You hadn't felt like you belonged anywhere in years, not after you lost your grandmother, and you were left with an cold empty house filled with echoes of someone long gone, shades of a life you lived that could only exist in your memory.

Your brother had left you years before, angry, fueled with a fire to make the people who destroyed your home and orphaned the two of you pay, choosing rather to leave you with your grandmother than watch from the sidelines.

But you never blamed him for leaving when he was only fifteen and you barely ten. You weren't angry anymore about losing your parents to the war the way so many others had. Maybe it was because you'd lost them when you were too young to remember their faces while your brother was still haunted by the voice of your mother singing him to sleep.

But you supposed that without your grandmother you never would have fallen in love with baking and found the thing that made you feel whole and brought you comfort when everything else seemed to fall apart around you. It was her that fueled your own love of baking, tempered it and helped it grow from a small spark to a burning flame.

Her constant praise and encouragements in the time the two of you spent tucked into her kitchen filled with light and love made you the person you were today. She taught you everything you knew, spoke about opening a bakery of her own for years, but never did. You knew that she would have wanted you to sell the house to do what she couldn't, so you did, and you didn't look back.

The constant flow of customers in and out of the shop, the chatter that rose from patrons sitting on the carved wooden tables made of strong smooth wood, and the people who continued to say how wonderful it was to have you there only supported your decision to move here.

She would have loved this.

You think to yourself with a smile, gaze falling to your grandmother's overstuffed book of recipes that sat with pages fanning on the counter, before you drop your free hand to smooth a wrinkle from the floral apron wrapped around your waist. One of hers that you'd tied there for good luck over your dark blue skirt.

You supposed that it was working given the fact that you'd completely sold out of treats yesterday and now already halfway through the third day, you were out of some of your favorites.

At this rate I'm going to have to hire someone else to work the counter for me.

You never imagined to have this kind of response, but now you lived for it.

The fresh tray you pulled from the oven is heavy, but it's a pleasant weight. You maneuver through the cozy kitchen to place it on the counter where the sweet buns could cool before you iced them with the thick periwinkle colored frosting chilling in the refrigerator in the corner, but as you do, you hear the front door chime.

It was later in the day, and you were taking advantage of the lull before you expected another rush of customers to come in. The last patron had left fifteen minutes ago, placing her ceramic mug in the big plastic bin on top of the trashcan by the front doors, before walking out with a cheerful "goodbye."

The smile you have when you hear the jingle is genuine, the prospect of sharing your gift of baking with someone else warming your heart.

"One minute." You call, arranging the tray on the crowded countertop before you wipe your flour covered hands on the apron at your waist and make your way through the green curtain that hangs in the doorway of the kitchen, dividing the front and back of the shop. Your eyes flick upwards, expecting to see someone standing there behind the counter waiting for service, but the shop is empty.

"Hello?" You ask tentatively, looking over the counter at the empty wooden chairs and tables arranged beyond before the doorway and wide windows at the front of your shop. Sunlight filters through the glass in happy patches of light, illuminating the furniture just inside the door.

But no one answers you.

That's weird.

You hear something make a cooing noise, but you still can't see anyone, and there's a small part of you that's disappointed someone left without asking for help.

The odd noise sounds again, almost like the small multicolored bird-like creatures in the cages hanging above the shop next door.

Maybe one got out and is trapped in here somewhere.

The thought makes your fingers itch for the broom leaning in the corner, expecting something to come swooping down at you from the rafters above. Nothing was worse that finding out at the last minute that something you were trying to shoo could fly.

You walk around the counter looking for the source of the sound while bracing yourself for attack, but stop when you see a little green creature swaddled in brown cloth standing in front of the one of the glass cases loaded with sweets. He turns his gaze in your direction, presses his little three fingered hand against the glass, and coos softly as if asking you for one of the treats that sit in organized rows within.

"Um-" You look around the room hoping to see an adult, someone who he belongs to, but there's no one. "Hey there little guy." You stoop down next to him so you can see him better.

The creature smiles and gurgles happily, tapping his hand against the front of the case filled with pastry again to make a point.

"Where's your mommy?" You pick him up gently, cradling him in your arms. "Did you get lost?"

He coos again and touches your chin with a smile so cute that it's impossible not to return it. The sharp nails catch against your smooth skin, but you don't mind.

He's so cute.

You think to yourself with a soft smile.

I wonder who he belongs to?

You bite the inside of your cheek and contemplate what you should do. You were still relatively new on Nevarro and hadn't introduced yourself to the sheriff yet, but you'd heard of her. The problem was you had no idea where Cara Dune would be at this time of the day and you'd never seen a creature like him walking around when you went to the market or... really seen a creature like him ever.

I can't just keep him! Someone could be looking for him and it wasn't on my agenda today to become a kidnapper. I mean, that's never on my agenda, but today isn't any different!

You raise your eyes to look out the front door and large windows of your bakery, watching a few people pass by, but you don't see anyone resembling the child in your arms.

A sigh builds in your chest, contrasting the thrumming anxiety building in your body.

Maybe I should feed him, he looks hungry. And if his family doesn't come in by the end of the day I'll go find Cara Dune. She's got to know who he belongs to.

It seemed like a good plan, plus you figured the way that the creature was looking at the pastries it wouldn't hurt to give him a little something before you tried to find his family.

"Well, I don't really know how you ended up in here, but somebody's gotta be looking for you." You sigh, softly stroking his green ears. He wriggles in your arms, sighing under his breath and leans into your comforting touch. "Are you hungry?"

He turns and waves his hand at one of the glass cases loaded with multi-colored pastries again.

"Guess that's a yes." You laugh as you walk back around the case to place him on the counter right next to the register resting in between the two glass displays. "Sit here cutie. I'll get you something."

He waits patiently on the counter kicking his little feet where they hang over the edge, while you turn to the case on your left and grab a Uj'alayi square, a traditional Mandalorian sweet, from the display. The brown sticky pastry crumbles in his little hand as you give it to him. "This one's my favorite. It's my mother's recipe."

Your mother had been born on Mandalore years before the Clone Wars, but she'd left when she met your father, taking the traditions from her family with her to start anew. You'd never met any of her family members before and supposed that they died in the purge of Mandalore. The recipe for Uj'alayi was one of the only things you had left of her, something you'd found in the box of belongings pulled from the remnants of your home following it's destruction.

It had taken you years to perfect the recipe, thought that making it would awaken some memory deep inside of your mother, but it never did. Your brother, Elijah, remembered the moments that slipped between your fingers like running water, seeping through the cracks in your memory of the fleeting moments you'd spent with your parents before they were killed.

When the creature bites into the square, he gurgles, his dark eyes blinking at you and crinkling slightly from the lights that line the ceiling of your shop.

"I know. Good huh?" You smile and break off a piece of the cake before popping it into your mouth. The crunch of nuts and the tang of the sweet syrup brings a melancholic feeling of nostalgia rising on the crest of a wave, but slowly ebbs out to sea with your exhale.

It wasn't an unusual feeling, you'd been feeling more nostalgic since you'd opened the bakery.

The child munches on the square with a happy giggle and it makes you smile. Sharing your gift of baking always brought joy to your heart, and this was no different.

I wonder where his family is. He's so small, he couldn't have gotten too far, and he shouldn't be out by himself. Something could happen to him.

The thought makes your smile falter. The population of bounty hunters on Navarro had lessened in the months before your arrival, but you weren’t sure that someone as little as him should be walking around by himself.

The front door of the shop opens with a pleasant jingle.

"There you are." Someone sighs in a buzzing monotone.

You glance up from the little one your counter with curiosity, blinking in surprise at who stands in the doorway. Honestly, you weren't expecting it to be a Mandalorian, you were expecting someone else who was maybe a little bit bigger, but also green.

Maybe the little one is a foundling? That or he’s green under that thing.

The thought of the broad shouldered man standing in your shop squeezing pointy ears underneath his helm makes a laugh tickle in the back of your throat.

You'd heard your patrons talk about the Mandalorian who lived just outside of town, in hushed whispers around the crunch of pastry within your shop. The one that everyone steered clear of for fear that he would hurt them and take their children in the night, as if he was a creature that dwelled in a cave crouched over piles of gold. The people in town were all afraid of him, said that he was a blood thirsty bounty hunter who should be avoided at all costs, but seeing him stand here in your shop, arms crossed over his chest, hip cocked to the side, while looking down at the small child on the counter, you don't feel afraid.

The child coos happily and reaches up with two sticky hands opening and closing, asking to be picked up by the intimidating figure.

They never said he was a dad.

Despite their reputation, Mandalorians didn't scare you. When your brother left trying to find an outlet for his anger, he had found solace with a small clan of Mandalorians inhabiting a planet in the Outer Rim. They'd taken him in when he needed a home and given him a place where he could learn to control the rage he kept close to his heart. You were grateful for that, but it didn't make you miss him any less.

Whenever he would visit, he'd bring members of his clan with him all of which who were nothing but kind to you. But you still worried about him.

You worried he wasn't eating enough and when he came you would spend most of your time cooking for him and his new family. It was never a bother, you liked doing that for other people, cooking for them and taking care of them when no one else could. It was a form of comfort and warmth you believed that no one should be deficient of. In your heart everyone deserved to feel at home and have someone who wanted to take care of them.

"He belong to you?" You smile at the man standing just inside the doorway. He's so tall that he'd had to duck when he came in through the front door.

"Yes." He lets out another sigh that pops and crackles in the modulator.

"Well, I'm glad you found him, at the rate he's going, he's probably going to eat everything I have."

The man tilts his head to the side as if confused. You wonder if maybe you came on too strong or if it's just a habit of his, to size up everyone he comes in contact with.

He is a bounty hunter. Probably picked it up along the road somewhere.

His armor is a startling silver, sending flickers of the sunshine behind him over the walls of your bakery. You'd never met a Mandalorian who didn't paint their Beskar. Your own brother's was painted in shades of red and orange, and embossed with his clan sigil in a startling white.

But there was something about this Mandalorian's armor that was almost… pretty, but you supposed it was the same glinting beauty of a knife sitting on a kitchen counter, beautiful but deadly.

You look back down at the creature, who touches your hand and points back at the Uj'alayi in the case as if asking for another. The three fingers are sticky with the remnants of the desert. "Fine. One more. But I don’t want you to spoil your dinner."

You reach back into the case for another crumbling brown square to give to him with a laugh on your lips and watch as the skin around his little black eyes crinkles in gratitude before he bites into the treat.

The Mandalorian approaches cautiously and despite the helmet, you can feel his eyes on you, contemplative and curious.

"Is that Uj cake?" His voice comes out through the harsh buzz of the modulator.

"Yeah it's Uj'alayi. He really seems to like it. Is he your foundling?" When you look up and smile at the helm, you can only see your reflection in the brilliant metal of the armor.

Surprise flickers across your mind. You weren't expecting him to still be wearing the helmet and you're not used to talking to someone who didn't reveal their face to you. It was a little odd.

Whenever your brother or his friend Josh were talking to you, they always took off their helmets, but this felt different.

Honestly, even though he had the visor, you still weren't quite sure where to look to make eye to (through the helmet) eye contact.

Is it rude to tell him to take it off?

You'd never been put in this kind of position before, so you decide to ignore it.

"Yes." The helm turns from you to the other Uj cakes in the case. "Did you make it?"

You nod, blushing with pride.

"Are you Mandalorian? Do you speak Mando'a?" The Mandalorian asks, you can't but help notice that he sounds a little bit hopeful.

"No, I'm sorry. My mother was from Mandalore, it's her recipe." You admit sheepishly.

He nods in understanding.

The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a few moments watching the child eat on your counter, the sticky brown cake smeared against his cheeks.

It gives you a moment to size up the Mandalorian out of the corner of your eye. Again, you're struck by how beautiful the armor is. A brilliant silver and polished to a shine, proud, but not haughty. There's a charcoal cowl that wraps around the base of his throat and extends into a cape behind him and he's wearing a set of tan and brown gloves to ensure that no part of his skin is showing.

I wonder if it gets hot under there. Nevarro isn't exactly temperate.

And when the Mandalorian turns to the left to look at the other mulit-colored pastries in the display case and you catch a glimpse of the sigil of a Mudhorn on his shoulder.

Makes sense that someone so formidable would have that as their clan sigil.

Your brother's clan had the sigil of one of the large birds that inhabited the cliffs of their home planet. Each child had to scale the cliffs and bring back the skull when they came of age to prove their strength and prove that they were worthy of the mark.

I wonder what he did to get that as his sigil.

Your eyes fall back on the creature munching happily on the pastry.

"Look at you, you're a mess." You laugh, pulling a napkin from your pocket and wetting it with your tongue before wiping it over the little one's face to clean him.

He squeals indignantly, but you avoid the impetuous swipes of his hand as he tries to push you away.

"He doesn't like it when you do that." The Mandalorian says, but you can hear some humor come through the crackle of the modulator.

"I can see that." You snort, before disposing of the napkin. "Here, you take some. He really likes it and you should try it. It's my favorite thing to make for the shop." You turn back to the case and wrap up several squares for the Mandalorian to take with him. “I’m-” you say your name, busying yourself with folding the tissue paper around the pastry.

He whispers your name back to you as if he's trying it out and you're not prepared for the warmth that travels through your body when he does.

That's weird.

When you give him the bag, he holds out a handful of credits, but you push his fingers into a fist, feeling the rough scrape of his gloves against your fingertips. "It's okay. Free for first time customers. Plus it was payment enough to see this little one."

You give the kid an affectionate pat on the head, who coos and reaches for your face. It makes you laugh at how friendly he is and you pick him up so he can lay his hand on your cheek. He squeezes it between his fingers, crinkling his eyes with a wide smile. "Aww. You gotta go with your dad now okay? But you can come back and visit me any time you want."

The Mandalorian is watching you, and you again wonder why he hasn't removed his helmet to say hello.

I'll ask Elijah about it.

You were sure your brother would be showing up soon. When you sent him the transmission that you finally opened the shop, he said he was excited at the prospect of eating sweets for free, as if he already didn't do that.

I miss him.

It had been at a few months since you'd last seen him, right after you sold your grandmother's home and before you moved to Nevarro. He'd tried to talk you out of opening the shop, asked you to stay with him for a little while, but you thought it was about time you went out on your own.

You hand the child to the man standing on the other side of the counter, trying not to notice how his muscles flex beneath his Beskar when he does or how broad and wonderfully tall he is. So broad and strong that you know he could probably lift you just as easily and the thought makes a flush burn against your cheeks.

Get a grip, he's not a piece of meat.

"Thank you." He says in the buzzing monotone, but it makes you long to hear his real voice.

"You're welcome. Come back anytime."

"We will."

"Good. I'll look forward to it. It was nice to meet you-" You hesitate.  "Um- Actually, I didn't catch your name."

The Mandalorian doesn't answer immediately as if he's mulling it over in his head, while the child coos and giggles in his hand touching the bottom of the helmet on his father's head. It was a startling contrast the the formidable form of the Mandalorian to have a wriggling bundle of joy in his arms, one that made you smile just a little wider.

"Din." He says in a whisper.

"Din." You repeat slowly, rolling the name around in your mouth and enjoying how it sounds on the tip of your tongue. "It was nice to meet you Din." You smile widely up into the helmet, watching the reflection of yourself glinting in the metal.

Din doesn't move for a minute, he's hesitating, and it makes your smile falter on the end of your mouth for a moment in confusion.

Did I do something wrong?

But then he nods once and leaves, the only clue that he'd been there is the almost empty batch of Uj Cake and the brown crumbles covering your counter.

The next few days pass in a blur of you baking, cleaning, and selling as many sweets as you can while trying not to think about Din and the kid, but it's proving to be impossible.

You didn't understand why you were so focused on them. You'd had many customers that day and on the days that followed, but for some reason you couldn't get him out of your head.

When you'd lie awake at night you'd remember how he sounded when he said your name, how you wished that he would remove his helmet to look at you and let you see what he looked like, because with a voice like that the man underneath had to be just as beautiful-

Stop.

You cheeks warm as you clean the counters with a wet rag, your back to the door while you try to forget Din and his voice. This had never happened to you before, being unable to stop thinking about someone.  But each time everything went quiet, your mind would flash to the image of Din ducking to get though the front door of your shop and the sound of his voice through the helm.

The clock on the wall behind the register stated that it was exactly two minutes past closing time, which meant that you were about an hour away from crashing in your bed. You still had to clean the ovens, and pack away any leftover supplies. Not to mention the tossing and turning that came when you would lie awake and think about Din, hoping he would come back.

I need to get over this. He's just a man you met one time. Don't romanticize him.

You blamed the stack of books on your bedside table, the ones you read over and over about adventures all over the galaxy and true love. It also didn't help that you'd never once had a relationship, but why would you when it was more exciting to live vicariously through your favorite heroines? Not to mention you didn't have to make a fool of yourself falling for someone who probably thought you were just a weird person who smiled too much and baked for fun.

You wondered if that was why Din hesitated before leaving the other day when you smiled at him, that he couldn't figure out why you were so happy.

The bell on the door rings behind you, pulling you out of your head.

"I'm sorry we're closed." You respond without turning around, fingers scrubbing with the cloth at a particularly stubborn smudge.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize how late it was." Din's familiar voice floats through the air and makes a shiver travel down your spine.

"Din. Hey." You smile as you turn around, waving a hand, cloth still clasped between your fingers. "It's okay, you're always welcome."

He's still wearing his armor and helmet, the silver catching in the dim lights of the room, contrasting with the yellowed light that streams from the streetlights outside and emphasizes his figure.

Your eyes drop to the bag hanging on his hip expecting to see the child, but it lies empty.

"You're alone today." You say a little disappointed, but still happy that Din is here.

"Grogu's asleep. I didn't want to wake him." Din clears his throat.

"Grogu." You say the name back to him slowly. It didn't seem to fit the small child who swung his little feet on the end of your counter and shoved as much pastry into his mouth as he could. "That's an interesting name."

"Came with the kid." Din's voice shifts a little bit and you wonder if it means he's smiling at a memory. Your mind predictably begins to imagine what Din's smile must look like. "I was wondering if you had any Uj cake left." He continues, oblivious to your train of thought.

"You're in luck, I just pulled a tray out of the oven for tomorrow. Come on back." You motion with your hand for him to follow you through the curtain that divides the front of the shop from the kitchen. "Sorry it's a little bit messy, haven't had time to clean up back here yet."

The kitchen looked exactly as it should, two large ovens on the right wall with fire still burning underneath, a sink filled with dirty mixing bowls, spoons, and utensils, a large table in the center of the room that served as a counter top, and in the corner there was a plush armchair that you had fallen asleep in more than once with a book open on your chest.

Your apartment was a few doors down, but you found yourself spending more time here. So much in fact that you were contemplating moving in to the back of the shop. You didn't have many possessions, mostly books, and seriously started thinking about it last night because the people who lived on top of your basement apartment were so loud that you could see the floor vibrating with the sound of their yelling.

You walk over to the tray of reddish-brown pastry cooling a rack in the center of the kitchen.

"It's alright. You should see where I live." He freezes on the edge of the room, realizing what he said, but you only laugh.

"I'm sure its no worse than my apartment. I’ve lived here a few weeks and I’m still not completely unpacked. Each time I go home I have to avoid stubbing my toe on the boxes”  You pick up a knife to cut the pastry into generous sized pieces. "But I guess you liked the Uj cake to come back here so late." You tease him, glancing up with a smile. "Midnight craving?"

He laughs and it makes your heart stutter to a halt. Even through the helmet it's hypnotic and you want to hear it again. "It was good, it reminded me of-" Din stops mid-sentence.

"Of?" You look up into his helm, wanting to hear more.

Truthfully, you were curious about him. You wanted to know more about the Mandalorian who lived on the outskirts of town, the one that everyone else seemed avoid.

"When I was a kid." He says it quieter, almost embarrassed.

"Me too. Whenever I make it I feel like I'm in my grandmother's kitchen again." You smile to yourself as the memory of her washes over you again. "She's been gone for a few years now, but I like to think that I honor her memory by baking, she taught me everything I know. Raised my brother and me by herself." You wrap the squares in tissue paper before placing them in a white paper bag.

"What about your parents?"

His question surprises you, you didn't think that he actually cared enough to listen.

"They-um- they died when I was little. My brother and I were visiting my grandmother when it happened."

"I'm sorry." Din sounds sincere.

You shrug. "I can’t remember them. My brother remembers more..." You trail off a little bit. "It was harder on him, but somehow it all turned out okay." You hand him the bag, but when he tries to reach for the credits at his belt, you push his hand away. "I don't make friends pay."

“But-“

“Din, I refuse to let you pay.” You smile wider, saying it a little more forcefully, but it holds no bite. “Don’t make me ban you for life.” I don't want to do that to Grogu."

He huffs out a laugh. "Thank you." His helmet tilts down towards you and you again try to imagine what he looks like underneath.

Would he have a strong jaw covered in a thick beard? Curly blonde hair that falls past his shoulders? Green eyes with flecks of light that resemble the stars?

No matter how many times you thought about it over the past few days, nothing seemed to fit Din.

There's an audible silence between the both of you as you stand there in the kitchen, and you don't want him to leave yet.

“You’re welcome.” You could feel yourself beginning to blush a little under his gaze. It was odd to feel someone’s eyes on you and not know what they looked like. "Now, don't forget to share with the kid. He deserves some of that too." You say raising an eyebrow and pointing to the white bag in the Mandalorian's hand.

Din chuckles. "Thank you-" He says your name and it makes the warm feeling come rushing back.

Even through the helmet, it was inviting, and made you want to curl up in the feeling it brought over you. You try not to imagine what it might sound like if he wasn't wearing the helmet.

"You're welcome Din. Don't be a stranger."

"I won't." He hesitates again, the same way he did when you'd first met in your shop. Standing in front of you for another few fleeting moments, his head tilted curiously in your direction. And for just a second you think that Din doesn't want to go either.

But he turns and shoulders his way through the curtain hanging in the doorway, boots thudding against the floor, and you hear the jingle of the door as he closes it behind him.

Something inside pricks when he leaves and maybe that scares you the most, the fact that you were already so attached to him and you didn't know anything about him except the rumors everyone in town said. The ones whispered on tremulous breath that condemned the man you were so curious about to be a blood thirsty bounty hunter who couldn't be trusted.

But in your heart those warnings held no power, because the man who'd sincerely cared about you losing your parents, couldn't be the same one.

Could he?

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, Reblogs, and Comments are not required, but are always appreciated! If you'd liked to be added to my taglist for fics in this universe please let me know!

Taglist:

@jollyhunter

[honey-bitch]

Review for Astrology-by-Sita

A couple of days ago I ordered an birth chart reading and an solar return reading from @astrology-by-sita. I was mainly interested in her work because she's an helentistic astrologer and I don't have much experience in that sector. ---------------------------------------------------- Birth chart reading review: She was pretty accurate when it came to my childhood and family as she did pull up arabic lots to check, and found stars that connected with my planets which gave her the conclusion. Not to mention she talked about what I should do for my career and what would make me happy, and inner conflicts I would need to face when dealing with the workplace. Which was great as it was a confirmation of my inner beliefs and ideas which were being challenged unfortunately by society.Which as a cap rising with a virgo chart ruler I really appreciate. And omggg she made a Love prediction which was crazyyy and gave me the charaterstics of who my future spouse may be like and it was sooo cute. She said that my Fs may love dogs. Not to mention that she gave me dates of when I could meet my Fs which was really cool. And peak periods of when I would do well in my job etc etc, and the most important years when I'll do well in my life. Even though it's far away it's good to know. And when I had questions on aspects in my chart she went into depth and it really made me feel very understood. ----------------------------------------------------Solar return reading review: It was really specific and focused alot on the themes of my current experience and lessons that I'm learning this year. Which was very accurate. Not to mention she looked at the future transits and gave an overview on what will happen then and how it'll affect me which is amazing She also looked at what would happen next year so for the price of 1 solar return reading I got two. ---------------------------------------------------- In conclusion as a person who does astrology myself I would totally recommend buying a reading from @astrology-by-sita, she's an excellent astrologer and a well read one, who knows what she's talking about and is very kind. 100000000% recommend her and wish her the best in life

[rad3oachwastes]

OK WOW I did this all today which is like a record for me I deserve like a uhhhhhhh popsicle for this. Anyways!!!!! Evil Shockdad AU has me like in a chokehold and I'm losing it. @pritong-baboy is the creator!!!!!!! Great au by the way it's like making my brain explode please help. If you read this first, this idea is NOT MINE!!!!!!!! I saw an ask on their profile talking about Shockwave presenting a PowerPoint and I said "oh that's AMAZING . PowerPoint heaven" (though this drawing deviates from the main plot of the ask, it's more joking) . I'm bad at analysis of stories and AUS SO I'm handing out a FREE HIGH FIVE!!! Also I'll post the ask under the cut.

Anyways, again, I LOVE THIS AU!!!!!! You have great writing and I love seeing it! Huzzah!

The original ask!

[1dcommunityficrecs]

Rec List: Niall-Centric Fics!

With my university's students already dressed in green and shutting down streets to drink on the rooftops, it's time to celebrate the sweetest Irishman I know (to be fair that is a limited list). I'm well aware that St. Patrick's Day is more of an American phenomenon than an actual Irish one (they're drinking beer EVERY day), but I enjoy a relevant theme, even if the relevance is slight.

So here are 10 Niall-Centric fics for your enjoyment! Lots of Shiall here, as well as a Nouis and a Captain Niall. And a fascinating amount of Niall Christmas fic -- but I'm a firm believer that holiday fic is just as good any time of the year.

Enjoy! Kudos! Comment! Reblog! Thank your friendly neighbourhood fic writer! Go forth and prosper!

The Words Just Get In The Way by alienharry/ (5200, Not Rated, Niall Horan/Shawn Mendes)

Niall doesn’t have a crush on the cashier from the apple orchard, he absolutely does need 3 dozen apples, and it’s none of Louis’ damn business.

Reccer says: This one is so cute and funny!

The Stories They're Not In by abrighteryellow/@a-brighter-yellow (10587, Explicit, Niall Horan/Shawn Mendes) – fic post

An AU inspired by Niall Horan's "San Francisco," the movie Rocketman, and Elton John and Bernie Taupin's real-life relationship (except more gay).

Reccer says: This one is full of great songwriting, pining, and build up! But it's the evocative writing that makes it so special.

Hash Brown, Egg Yolk, I Will Always Love You by LiveLaughLoveLarry/@loveislarryislove (1853, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post

Niall is a regular at Harry's hole-in-the-wall breakfast diner, coming in almost every morning. As such, he feels uniquely qualified to opine that another regular, Louis, would be a perfect match for Harry. He doesn't realize they're several years ahead of him on that.

Reccer says: I am always a fan of Captain Niall, and I crack up at him trying to matchmake when they're LITERALLY MARRIED

A Green Christmas by tommokat /@tommokat (871, Teen, Niall Horan/Shawn Mendes) – fic post

All they want for Christmas is a real Christmas tree. And each other.

Reccer says: It really is the little details that make Christmas memories so special.

Pee Before You Buy the Tree by Ebb_tide/ (3326, Teen, Niall Horan/Louis Tomlinson)

Niall and Louis joke that they're dating so neither of them will be single for the holidays. Except maybe they don't want it to be just a joke.

Reccer says: The author does an amazing job blending the sweetness of their pining with the hotness of Louis' need to pee.

It’s Not Unusual by zanni_scaramouche/@zanniscaramouche (7890, Explicit, Niall horan/harry styles) – fic post Warnings: The mildest of dub con (but it’s resolved)

In the otherworldly middle of the night, Niall and Harry push each others boundaries with hardly a word spoken. It’s just physical, until suddenly it’s not, and the emotions come pouring out.

Reccer says: The vulnerability and tenderness between them!

Whole Lotta History by zanni_scaramouche/@zanniscaramouche (13000, Teen, Multi) – fic post Warnings: None!

Niall has no idea what he’s in for when he agrees to go speed dating and winds up tangled in not just a love-triangle, more like a love-octuple? I

Reccer says: Sweet and funny, a wild ride!

A Tear in the Sky by zanni_scaramouche/@zanniscaramouche (27000, Mature, Niall Horan/Liam Payne/Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: Cults, PTSD, ambiguous mental health

Niall is brought in to interrogate members of a cult to determine their roles in the mess. An intense angst fest heavy on the plot!

Reccer says: The suspense, the world building, the depth of emotions!

Things I Used to Feel by zanni_scaramouche/@zanniscaramouche (4000, Explicit, Niall Horan/Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) – fic post Warnings: Main Character Death (but… ghosts)

Two ghosts in the same house, and the man who charms them both!

Reccer says: The sex! The teasing! The ghosts!

Consider This by Peerpressure/@horansheroes (83000, Mature, Niall Horan/Harry Styles) – fic post Warnings:

Wholesome stripper Niall meets single dad Harry and it gets sexy and serious (and seriously sexy)

Reccer says: All of the emotions wrapped in a grounded plot. My fave Narry ever

[welcometololaland]

Hi, Lola!! 💞 I hope you've been well!! It seems like you've been busy!

Would love to know what your favorite food is?

And also, what is your favorite part about the writing process? 💖

*stretches fingers, cracks knuckles* nice ask week LFGGG so sorry i've been squirrelling away these asks for an entire week now and i've picked yours as my first!

i have been really busy - life is just constantly changing at the moment which is not HELPFUL when i'm trying to restore myself to equilibrium. BUT i have recently taken up yoga and i've found it really amazing for my mental health so that's a big win for me in these troubling times!

my favourite food is bread. bread is life. i won't hear anything bad about artisan sourdough with a crunchy crust.

honourable mention - i'm also an absolute freak for tofu. i love tofu in basically any form (silken, firm, puffed up etc etc), sometimes i just pan fry half a block of tofu, put salt and sriracha on it and call it a day. this pains @rmd-writes to no end, but she will back me up because there is photographic evidence of me committing these crimes against good taste.

my favourite part of the writing process is the scheming. i have my ride or die schemers (rae and @celeritas2997) but my co-written projects (@heartstringsduet @dustratcentral @strandnreyes notably) always have a great scheme sesh in them and occasionally i scheme to someone who shows interest in partaking - i feel @carlos-in-glasses and @lightningboltreader and i have schemed a few times, and it has been very enjoyable. @pragmatic-optimist is an incredible schemer of ideas - TikTok fic is the EVIDENCE, it recently tipped over 1k kudos which is evidence of top tier scheming). if you ever want to scheme about a project, please come my way. i love saying "AND THEN-" and making it worse.

thank you for the ask!

[lucyvaleheart]

lil secret desire of mine is like. i hide my face a lot and I fucking dream about being forced out of that; someone pulling my hands away, or grabbing my chin and making me look at them, or otherwise not letting me hide away

sexually or not that shit slaps so good every fucking time 😵‍💫

[ignatiusteto]

i think sacred music in the kryn dynasty would be very cyclical and repetitive in form to symbolize the idea that life is a continuous thing (at least those who are consecuted right right) and is a cycle across lifetimes and yeah

[amethystina]

Hi! Reading your fics, which are mainly post canon, I was wondering... do you ever imagine gahan getting married and talking about kids (besides Elijah, of course) or do you think they would just stick to each other's company and that would be enough?

Personally, I love the ideia of Yo Han being able to raise a child in a fully open loving way, without the restrictions he had to put on Elijah (we saw a few glimpses of how he used to be with her before the fire). After 10 year in anger and in chase for revenge, Yo Han deserves some peace, I wonder if he ever considerated a child as part of it (we can't forget his own childhood). Knowing how deep he can love someone, it feels such a loss not being able to have a person that only knows him for that, openly, without the mask he used to put on in front Ga On and Elijah (i don't know if you'll get what I mean lol).

I'd just love to know your personal's head canon for that 😅 Since, for me, you're so good in thinking as Yo Han.

I imagine that they will, yes — in most scenarios I can think of. I mean, granted, the marriage can obviously never happen in South Korea (and not only because Yo Han is officially dead) but I think they'd definitely end up building an even bigger family somewhere down the line.

As I've touched on in Who Holds the Devil, I think that Ga On 100% wants kids. And, let's face it, he'd be such a good dad. But, that said, he would never force Yo Han to want kids since... well, that's not very like Ga On, is it? He wouldn't want to do that to Yo Han or the kid/kids.

So, in the end, the decision on whether or not they end up getting kids lies with Yo Han. And, as with many of my theories, I think his answer depends on when he would be asked that question. Like, during canon? I think he'd say no, without a moment's hesitation. Or on pure reflex might be a better way of putting it. Because, at that point in his life? He wouldn't consider kids to be something for him. He's so defensive, so convinced of his own darkness, and also well aware of how poorly he treated Elijah.

He did his best — but that's also the problem. Even his best left the child in his care to become a bitter, isolated teenager with little to no social skills. He'd no doubt be convinced that he'd only fuck up again if he was ever in charge of raising another child. So why bother? Clearly, it's not for him. And not fair to the child, either.

But after he gets settled with Ga On? Especially a year or two down the line? After they've dealt with the majority of the guilt and trauma and gotten comfortable? And Yo Han has softened even more? And gets to have a stable, loving home environment for the first time in his life?

Then his opinion would most likely change, especially once he starts suspecting that Ga On wants kids. Because Yo Han, as we all know, can't deny Ga On anything. That's not to say that he would agree immediately, though.

Quite the opposite.

He'd have to think about it a lot before reaching a conclusion. Because I think he'd panic a bit at first. Like, when he first realises that Ga On wants kids? That's terrifying. Because, again, up until that point I think Yo Han has just decided that kids aren't for him. And his first instinct won't be to reevaluate if that decision has changed, but rather feel a kneejerk rush of: "That's not something I can give him. I'm going to have to crush his dream of having children. I'm going to make him miserable."

And Yo Han would feel terrible.

But then, thankfully, his rational side would kick in and try to straighten out what's actually going on. As in, Yo Han would ask himself if he might just have changed his mind about kids now that he has a stable partner — especially one who balances and complements him as well as Ga On does. Maybe kids aren't out of reach anymore?

But even once Yo Han realises that, yeah, he might actually want kids after all — at least if it's with Ga On — he'd also have to overcome the fear that he'll fuck them up as much as he accidentally ruined Elijah. But, again, it helps to know that Ga On would be there, making sure that Yo Han doesn't go overboard with the protectiveness. Ga On wouldn't let Yo Han hurt another child like he hurt Elijah.

Yo Han would also have to figure out how a child would change his relationship with Ga On, their relationship with Elijah, and their existence overall. And he'd have to overcome that quiet, simmering fear at the back of his mind that he might turn out to be like his father.

Yo Han is good at thinking on his feet and can obviously be spontaneous and unpredictable when needed, but I think he'd approach "Do I want kids?" like it's one of his schemes. He'd collect data, meticulously structure his thoughts, weigh pros and cons, plot and plan, and, finally, reach a conclusion.

Because having a child — starting a family — would be huge for Yo Han.

I mean, he obviously already has a family, but it's one that Yo Han didn't have all that much input in? Miss Ji is there because his father hired her. Yo Han became Elijah's guardian due to incredibly tragic circumstances and because there was no one else who could take her. Ga On came into his life because of Jung Sun Ah's machinations, and was intended to be a weapon against him.

But having a child? Choosing to have a child? And build a bigger family with Ga On? That's no small thing.

And, for the best result, I think Yo Han should probably be left alone with that thought for literal months to have time to work through his own thoughts and feelings on the matter before he and Ga On ever broach the subject. If they do it too soon, Yo Han could get defensive and start deflecting without meaning to, which would no doubt make Ga On backtrack and just... resign himself to the idea that Yo Han clearly doesn't want kids. Because Ga On, too, knows that Yo Han can't deny him anything and he'd be afraid that if he pushes too hard — or shows how much he wants kids — Yo Han might feel forced to agree. So Ga On would rather pull back and drop the subject instead of feeling like he's making too many demands.

But once Yo Han has thought it through? And realises that, yes, he wants kids?

Then he's all-in in that way only Kang Yo Han can be.

He'd still be terrified from time to time, of course — because he did grow up thinking he was a monster and that will resurface when he's got tiny humans to take care of — but oh man he'd love those kids with every fibre of his being. And I totally agree that it would be so, so wonderful to see him do that, without having to hold back or be afraid of being seen as soft or weak (as he no doubt did with Elijah).

All he has to do is love them.

My personal headcanon (i.e. this is something I'm choosing to believe because I want to, since I'm not sure what Yo Han would actually think) is that Yo Han wouldn't want those kids to be his biological ones, though. I think that, somewhere deep down, he'd be scared they'd turn out like him. That whatever it is that makes him so vicious and different would be hereditary. So he'd prefer the kids to be adopted or, even better, Ga On's.

Like, just imagine how much Yo Han would love to have miniature Ga Ons running around?

He'd practically combust from happiness.

(but he would obviously love the kids either way — Yo Han, if anyone, knows that chosen family is more important than blood relations)

So yeah! I totally agree that they'll get a kid/kids sometime in the future. It just feels like the kind of family that both Ga On and Yo Han would want considering their childhoods and how lonely and isolated they've both been. Ga On is the one who expresses a longing for family the most, but it's clear that Yo Han wants that, too. And I think there's something very beautiful in it being their choice to start that family? Something they're creating together because they want to?

They deserve that love and peace.

But it would take a while for them to reach that point, since it's such a big decision and there would be a lot of heightened emotions involved. And they would also have to spend a lot of time preparing Elijah for it, to make sure she doesn't feel neglected or replaced. But, hopefully, she's had enough therapy and matured enough by that point that she'll eventually come around. She'd of course be wary at first and perhaps a little snappish from time to time, until she realises that, sure, there are more kids in the house now, but her relationship with both Yo Han and Ga On is still unique and they're not abandoning her.

And once they reach that stage?

It'll turn into a full-time job to keep Elijah from a) spoiling the kids rotten, b) undermining all of the hard work they (but mostly Ga On) put into teaching the kids about rules and responsibility, and c) kidnapping the kids and holding them for ransom whenever Yo Han makes her angry and she wants to punish him. Complete with a hostage-like exchange once he caves and eventually apologises — which sometimes requires Ga On's intervention because he would like his kids back now, thank you very much, so suck it up and just apologise, Mr. Abyss.

They'd be a wonderful little family and deliriously happy, in other words.

[quadrantadvisor]

I'm trying so hard not to be a hater but the more I learn about other ttrpgs the more the way that people talk about dnd annoys me

[discoreptile]

As of yet unnamed game card art!