#if I can’t go I will simply set myself on fire

[leverage-ot3]

y’all istg i have zolita concert tickets for tomorrow night and there is supposed to be a snowstorm tomorrow night and if I have to miss it I will kill everyone and then myself

[dollishmehrayan]

HOW DIFFERENT BATBOYS APOLOGIZE AFTER A ARGUMENT ── .✦

a/n: Lowkey I feel like I’m like slightest but problematic in arguments (not me exposing myself) but srs I got this request by a anon! (Here) So yeah tysmm, I won’t be writing the argument because lowkey, I can’t do angst at this time 💔😞

(Tags: how different batboys apologize after a argument)

BRUCE WAYNE ── .✦

The "I'm Sorry, But…" Apology: Bruce’s apology might be a little stiff at first. He’s not great with words when it comes to his emotions, but he does know how to make up for things. His apology might start with something like, "I know I’m… difficult, but I didn’t mean to hurt you." The real comedy comes in when he tries to "fix" the situation by throwing money at it—like suggesting an extravagant dinner or buying you a new wardrobe because, "I know it will make you feel better."

Trying Too Hard to Be ‘Normal’: He might try to act like he’s “not Bruce Wayne” for a second, attempting to be goofy to show you he’s truly sorry. Picture Bruce awkwardly trying to make a joke: "I’m sorry I made you feel like I was ignoring you. How about we go out… without my bodyguards this time? You know, like a normal date?"

The Silent Apology: More often than not, Bruce will show you he’s sorry with actions, like preparing your favorite meal or doing something thoughtful (such as leaving you a handwritten note or taking care of something you've been stressing about). But if you press him for words, he might simply mutter, “I’m not good at this… but I am sorry,” and leave it at that.

DICK GRAYSON ── .✦

The Full-On “I’m Sorry, Please Forgive Me” Routine: Dick is extremely sorry whenever he’s messed up, and he knows how to make it entertaining. He’ll show up with flowers, chocolates, or maybe even your favorite ice cream. And then, with a totally sincere but dramatic flair, he’ll say something like, “Listen, I know I was an idiot, and I have no excuse except that I’m clearly emotionally stupid when I’m upset. So please, for the love of all things holy, let me make it up to you.”

Humorous Apologies: Dick might also make you laugh with his over-the-top apologies. Maybe he tries to outdo himself by setting up an elaborate “romantic” date, only for it to completely go awry (think spaghetti noodles flying everywhere or a very unromantic “romantic” location). He’ll laugh it off, saying, “Okay, so maybe that’s not exactly how I imagined it… but you have to admit, it’s unforgettable.”

The Super Dramatic ‘I’m Sorry’ Speech: After an argument, Dick is not shy about admitting when he’s wrong. He’ll deliver a heartfelt, exaggerated apology, something like, "I was a fool, and I see now that I was wrong. You are perfect, and I am definitely not. How do you put up with me?" Then, he might give you puppy-dog eyes, as if expecting you to immediately forgive him.

JASON TODD ── .✦

The “I Know I Messed Up, But… Here’s a Gift” Approach: Jason is quick to apologize, but it’s not usually with a heartfelt speech. Instead, he’ll show up with a gift—maybe something small but thoughtful, like your favorite snack or a new book he knows you’ve been eyeing. He’ll casually hand it to you and say, “Alright, alright, I messed up. But you know I’m not great at this, so here’s my attempt at being a decent human being.”

Comedic Self-Deprecation: Jason, knowing he’s not always the best communicator, might start with a little self-deprecating humor. "Look, I’m sorry, okay? You’re right, I am a jerk sometimes. But hey, at least I didn’t set anything on fire this time, right?" He’ll try to make you laugh with his inability to fully express himself, but you know he means it.

The “I’m Sorry, Now Let’s Get Back to Normal” Routine: Jason might awkwardly try to move past the argument, brushing it off with a gruff, "Look, I’m sorry for being a pain. Can we just… go back to how things were?" It's not the most eloquent apology, but it’s Jason, and it’s his way of saying he wants to make things right without diving too deep into feelings.

TIM DRAKE ── .✦

The "I Overthought This" Apology: Tim is a perfectionist, so when he messes up, he’ll overthink how to apologize. He’ll probably try to do something really thoughtful, like writing you a letter or planning a whole day dedicated to making it up to you. But the real comedy comes when he gets so wrapped up in planning that he’s awkward about it. "I, uh, made you a list of everything I could do to make it up to you, starting with… well, taking you out for dinner. You like sushi, right? But if you prefer something else, I can also—"

The "What Do You Need?" Routine: Tim might also take a very logical approach. He’ll ask, "What would you like me to do to fix this?" but in a way that makes it seem like he’s creating a spreadsheet of ways to apologize. "I’ve compiled some options for you to choose from. Option one: Dinner. Option two: A walk in the park. Option three: Let me do your laundry for the next week…”

The 'Nervous, Over-Apologetic' Tim: Tim is likely to be the one who apologizes over and over again. He’ll say “I’m sorry” about a dozen times in a single conversation, with increasing levels of anxiety. "I really didn’t mean it that way. I’m so sorry. Are we okay? You don’t seem mad, but if you are, I understand, and I’m really, really sorry."

DAMIAN WAYNE ── .✦

The Reluctant Apology: Damian isn’t one to apologize easily, and when he does, it’s more formal. He might say something like, “I apologize for my behavior. It was uncalled for.” And then he’ll awkwardly pause, before adding, "I... didn’t mean to upset you." The comedic part comes when he clearly doesn’t understand how he’s hurt you. He might ask, “Is there anything I can do to make it right? Or… was this just another one of your moods?”

The Unintentional "Nice Guy" Apology: Damian will give you something as an apology—perhaps a bouquet of flowers or something that he “found interesting,” but he’ll likely be very stiff about it, saying something like, “This is for you. I thought you would appreciate it. It’s… an apology gift.” He’ll be surprised when you react positively, since he’s convinced that you’ll just think it’s lame

A Small Gesture of Remorse: As an apology, Damian might ask you to join him for a quiet walk or for tea, giving you a rare moment of sincerity. He might even throw in a joke (but it’ll be one of those very dry ones), saying, “The tea will be of the highest quality, so I suppose that should count for something."

[chrisevansonly]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬’𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 | 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐜

✯social media au

✯dad!charles leclerc x female reader

✯sophia is a certified daddy’s girl, and charles wouldn’t have it any other way

✯not requested but just felt in the mood for some dad!charles! requests are open as usual 🫶🏻

ynleclerc

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sophia & mommy breakfast date🥰

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username she’s so big now!!!

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lilyhme look at her! can’t wait to get my soph snuggles this weekend ❤️

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username I CANT GET ENOUGH OF HER

charles_leclerc my princess ❤️

>ynleclerc she picked out some yummy treats for you😘

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username charles is literally the best girl dad

username MORE DAD CHARLES!!!

charles_leclerc added to their story!

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charles_leclerc

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pre grand prix weekend date with my princess ❤️

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username her shoes😭

username she really is charles’s mini

leclerc_pascale ma soleil❤️❤️

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ynleclerc you’re the best father in the whole world char🩷

>charles_leclerc I have you to thank for that amour😘

username DAD CHARLES DAD CHARLES

arthur_leclerc she has better style than you🤣

>charles_leclerc 😐😐

ynleclerc

liked by charles_leclerc, wagsoff1, charlotte2304 and 889,000 others

and we’re off to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix! i promise sophia is so happy to go, she’s just tired😂🩷

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username our favourite family!!!

username can’t wait to see everyone in the paddock!

francisca.cgomes sophia’s little tired face😭

>ynleclerc she’s saving her energy for you and pierre, be ready

>pierregasly oh amazing 😃

>francisca.cgomes as if you weren’t begging to babysit her the other day😭

username pierre is being caught in 4K

charles_leclerc my good luck charms ❤️

charles_leclerc soph needs another hot chocolate 😂

>ynleclerc if you want to deal with the sugar rush, have it 🙃

username 🥹🥹🥹🥹

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charles_leclerc

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british gp lets go 💪🏻

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username fingers crossed for a solid weekend!

username forza ferrari!!

ynleclerc ❤️🏎️

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username GO CHARLES

scuderiaferrari time to get to work 😎

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carlossainz55 let’s go mate

>charles_leclerc oh yeah🤠

username the cowboy hat bye 😭

ynleclerc

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the leclerc girls take silverstone, go @:charles_leclerc go❤️🏎️

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scuderiaferrari welcome back to the paddock to our favourite leclerc’s❤️😁

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username the matching tweed😭

username best mother daughter duo ever

username SOPHIA IS SO CUTE

charles_leclerc my beautiful girls😍

charles_leclerc thank you for always supporting me angels❤️

>ynleclerc we love you so much char😘

username y/n and charles can never ever separate or i’ll set myself on fire 😁

charles_leclerc

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post race weekend getaway for the worlds best wife and mother, im so lucky to be married to you, here’s to 4 years 😘

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leclerc_pascale happy anniversary you two!🤍

>ynleclerc merci maman😘

username my favs for life

username shut up y/n is so stunning😭

lilyhme happy anniversary!!🩷

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ynleclerc happy anniversary baby, thank you for choosing me and loving me everyday. you’re the best husband and father and i couldn’t ask for a better man to spend the rest of my life with🥰

>charles_leclerc 😘😘😘

landonorris happy anniversary! can you both adopt me now😁

>ynleclerc yes!

>charles_leclerc no😃

username better luck next time lando💀

ynleclerc

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lucky lucky lucky, happy 4 years since i married my best friend🩷

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username oh god charles looks 😵‍💫

charlotte2304 happy anniversary to my favourite couple🤍

>lorenzotl 😐😐😐

>arthur_leclerc take the L 🤣

username lorenzo😭😭

charles_leclerc happy anniversary baby, i love you so much, thank you for making me a father and giving me your heart to keep safe and to cherish for the rest of our lives❤️

>ynleclerc my love 🩷🩷🩷

username im not crying you are

username let me drink bleach😃

arthur_leclerc

liked by ynleclerc, carla.brocker, charles_leclerc and 435,000 others

sophia said i was her favourite uncle today, been a little bit since we’ve spent a whole weekend together, luckily she’s my favourite niece 😉

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username im dying at the caption💀

username sophia is quite literally the prettiest little girl ever 🥹

charles_leclerc she’s your only niece 🤨

>arthur_leclerc your point????

username the leclerc brothers coming for each other is my entertainment

ynleclerc awww she’s so cute!! thank you for looking after her arth🩷

>arthur_leclerc always 🤍

username i will protect little leclerc with my LIFE

[yourfriendowlbear]

Boundaries

Astarion x gn!reader

Summary: A stranger approaches Astarion in your favorite tavern

Genre: slice of life, little bit of angst, mostly fluff

The tavern is cozy. Loud and lively and warm. There’s a fire in the fireplace. The bartender keeps the alcohol flowing plentifully. And you’re seated at your favorite table–in the corner, against the wall but still close enough to the action to enjoy the tavern atmosphere–with your favorite cold-blooded company.

Astarion has dragged his chair around to your side of the table, and he’s sitting close enough that you can feel the chill from his skin.

You’re comfortable, a drink in-hand as you both watch the tavern’s small stage. There’s a musical group clustered together–a fiddle player, a flutist, a man with a hand drum, and a woman playing a horn–and there are people dancing just in front. 

Overall it’s joyous and raucous and fun, and though you’d originally had to practically bribe Astarion to come with you tonight, you can tell he’s enjoying himself all the same.

You both cheer when the band ends a song, and when they take a small break to chat with the crowd around the stage, Astarion leans back to say something to you.

But you never get to hear what he has to say, because at that exact moment, a man appears in front of you both. He’s handsome–strong jaw, piercing eyes, youthful energy–and his smile, though enticing, is predatory. A cat who has sighted a dove.

The man sizes you up briefly before turning his attention to Astarion. You can tell that the vampire knows what’s coming based on the way he tenses up. The stranger either doesn’t notice, or he doesn’t care, because he continues on without a care.

His opening line makes you roll your eyes. It’s cheesy and basic (“I saw you from across the room and I just had to come over and say hello.”) and he looks proud of himself when Astarion laughs and says “Oh, how positively quaint.” Poor sod can’t even tell when he’s being made fun of.

He’s shockingly persistent, asking questions, asking if he can buy Astarion a drink. For the most part, you’re sitting there, both offended because hello you’re right there and amused by Astarion’s polite but increasingly snarky responses.  

Around the third time the man asks to buy Astarion a drink, things start to get significantly less polite. And when the band starts up again and the man asks Astarion to dance, the vampire practically growls out “No. Thank you, darling, but I’m much more comfortable here.”

As he’s saying it, Astarion shifts slightly closer to you, as if he’s trying to get physically away from the stranger. You can tell he’s annoyed from how tense his jaw is.

“Oh, come on. Have a little fun.” The stranger’s persistence has finally pushed you to your limit and you snap “Gods above, he said no. Take a hint and fuck off.”

The stranger scowls, but ultimately, he does leave, and you follow him with his eyes as he weaves through the crowd and out the door of the tavern.

After a moment, Astarion stands, moving his chair back to the other side of the table. “I can handle myself, you know.” His voice is soft, but you can hear the hurt in it. “I know you think I’m just some pitiable creature that can’t set his own boundaries, but I assure you, I can manage on my own.”

You frown. Of course, you don’t think that. And of course, you know he can handle himself. You were trying to help. But when you go to say that, he shoots you a firm glare, and your words die in your throat. Instead, you simply say “It won’t happen again.”

You leave shortly after, the band no longer holds your attention, and you want to give Astarion some space. So you head out into the night.

Bloomridge is the nicest neighborhood in the Lower City. The City had gifted you the house after everything, and while at first, you’d chafed at the idea of living in the quiet, sweet, more affluent part of the city. But you’d both grown to love it. The view over Grey Harbor is unparalleled, and it’s shockingly nice to have somewhere quiet to settle down between adventures.

Your feet have carried you home, but you don’t really want to go in yet–the night is covered in a beautiful, light fog, and there’s a lovely breeze coming in off the harbor–so you sit on the front steps and lean your back against the door.

It’s only a few minutes later that you see Astarion picking his way back up the stairs along the side of the city wall. He pauses in front of you, and you can see the pain in his crimson eyes before he sighs and sits beside you.

“I’m sorry,” you say softly. 

Beside you, Astarion stiffens and inhales sharply. “Why are you sorry?”

“You’re right. I should have let you handle it. You’re more than capable.”

“I…” He deflates a little, and a confused frown creases his forehead. “I appreciate that you stepped in. Sometimes… sometimes it’s still hard to…”

He trails off, but you know what he means. Sometimes it’s still hard for him to enforce his boundaries. He tries, but 200 years of Cazador’s reign of terror don’t go away in a year. It can be difficult to walk the line between being firm and being outright rude (and as snarky as Astarion can be, he doesn’t always want to be rude).

These things take time.

You reach out and squeeze his hand, wordlessly telling him that it’s okay, that you get it, that he’s done nothing wrong. You’ll work on his boundary enforcement together. You have a lifetime together to do it.

[honeylations]

NING YIZHUO x FEM!READER

Prompt: Yizhuo kept forcing herself to remember that you were an enemy, but how could she when you two were once together?

Warnings/Notes: g!p reader, mafia au, secret relationship, forbidden relationships, eventual smut, unprotected sex, creampie, eye contact, lovers to somewhat enemies to lovers

“You called for me, father?” Yizhuo calls appearing through the large doors of her father’s office.

The old man stared at his board full of photos and evidence of where you possibly could be so he could plot your ending. He wanted nothing but to destroy your team, you especially. To steal your wealth, and most importantly, the title of the strongest mafia known to mankind.

Actually the main reason he wanted to kill you so bad was because you were once in a relationship with his daughter, Yizhuo. Of course, that had to be kept secret but the cat got out of the bag when he walked in on you banging his daughter on the living room couch.

Many shots were fired that night, but it left you in heartbreak when Yizhuo was forced to dump you and cut all contact. That never stopped you from holding onto hope, knowing Yizhuo wouldn’t give up so easily like that.

“Yes my darling, take a look at these new photos. I think my new plan of killing Y/n will succeed”

“I don’t get why you can’t let me go back to her. It would be like handing her to you on a silver platter”

“As if I’d let that disgusting woman go near you! You disappointed me enough when you two were mingling behind my back. You’re clearly not trusted enough to do this mission!”

Yizhuo sighed deeply. “You’re making this harder for yourself, father. I no longer have feelings for that person, and as I have more personal knowledge about Y/n, the mission would be done and dusted”

Her father rubbed his chin with uncertainty until he gave in to the cold eyes his daughter was giving him. “Alright fine. This is your only chance to prove yourself, Yizhuo. If I find out you screw this up, I will not hesitate to disown you. Your money, status GONE! Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes father” Yizhuo simply says and turns on her heel to make her exit.

She already had a plan set in mind, not willing to let past memories get the best of her. She reminded herself again and again and again that what you two had no longer existed, but why did it keep tearing her heart apart?

Yizhuo wondered if you still loved her after she left you without a goodbye. If you would still want her, knowing your relationship was dangerous.

Yizhuo sighed to herself when she managed to sneak into your wealthy house professionally, dressed in her black attire and a gun hiding in her pocket.

She snuck up to your bedroom and hid in your closet while you finished up in the shower. Yizhuo was peeking through the gap she made for herself, aiming her gun at the perfect angle so she could kill you with one shot the moment you walk out that door.

But her movement froze when you finally appeared from the bathroom. You only wore a sports bra and boxers, hair freshly dried and your tattoos exposed.

Ones that Yizhuo has touched many times.

Your biceps flexed as you ran both hands through your hair and your abs got toner. The sight was enough to make Yizhuo drool.

She was so focused on eyeing you that she didn’t realise you had called out her name. Her heart stopped.

“I know you’re there, Yizhuo. It’s safe to come out” you calmly said, turning around to face the slightly opened closet.

The Chinese girl finally presented herself but with the gun up, pointing directly at you, but you remained unfazed. You allowed Yizhuo to stand in front of you, feeling her push the head of the gun on your abs while looking up into your eyes.

“Any last words Y/n?”

“Don’t play this game with me, Ning Yizhuo”

“I’m not joking”

“Neither am I. I know you don’t really want to kill me”

Yizhuo tilted her head. “And what would you know?”

“You’re gonna stand there and pretend that you weren’t eye fucking me from the closet a few minutes ago?”

The shorter girl gulped at the heat rushing through her cheeks. “I-I wasn’t—“

“Ning, I still love you…” you finally blurted out. “Did you think I’d give you up so easily after dumping me like that?”

Yizhuo didn’t know what to say. The decision of killing your or kissing you was messing with her sanity. “I-It was for our own good”

“Your father thought it was for our own good. Ning, this is about what you want, not what he wants, okay? Put this down” you grabbed the gun from Yizhuo’s hand, letting the bullets scatter beneath your feet and then ditching the unloaded gun somewhere in the room.

Yizhuo looked down at her feet but you were quick to tilt her head back up with the soft lift of your finger. “To this very day, you’re the girl I want to be with forever”

“We can’t do this Y/n…my father will be distraught”

“So let him. You’ll be safe with me no matter what, Ningie. I will protect you until my last breath”

You gently grabbed the shorter girl’s hands to wrap them around your neck as you found comfort in holding her hips. “My princess, come back to me please”

There goes Yizhuo’s sanity.

Her heart was already overpowering her decisions and she realised there wasn’t a point in running away again. So she followed the electrifying feeling to lean up and kiss you.

You sighed with relief into her soft lips.

She was finally yours again.

Everything started to escalate, feeling Yizhuo’s hands have an adventure across your biceps before making their way down to your clothed cock. Giving it a firm squeeze that caused your chest to swell…along with other things.

You pulled your lips back to look into your lover’s eyes, not needing to search for what she wanted. The lust and passion were a clear answer and you were more than happy to give your princess everything.

“I missed you so much” you whispered.

Yizhuo easily became a blushing mess.

“Come and show me then, darling”

You indeed showed her when you laid Yizhuo on your bed, eagerly eating her cunt as she fisted your sheets, back arched up in pleasure. She held onto your head for impossibly more, moaning your name like a song and begging that you’d let her cum.

“Oh my god, Y/n-ie! Please don’t stop baby”

Your tongue explored her insides, forgetting just how addicting your lover’s pussy was. You soon replaced the fill with two of your fingers while you moved up to her neglected clit, the sudden change got Yizhuo screaming.

“H-Hah! Yes yes right there—o-oh I’m cumming! I’m cumming Y/n-ie, oh fuck!”

Her walls tightened around your fingers as Yizhuo shook beneath you, your name repeated from her lips while coming down from the intense orgasm she hasn’t experienced in a while.

You crawled up to kiss her panting lips and smirked. Yizhuo was tired but that doesn’t stop her from getting pissed off by your teasing grin. “The fuck your smirking at?”

“I like it when you cum”

“Charming of you to say”

You chuckled and eased her annoyance by kissing at her marked up neck. “Mmm my pretty girl. Ready for me?” You asked with two fingers rubbing at her soaked cunt.

“Just be gentle…I-It’s been a while”

“Why? Has nobody ever filled you up like I could?” You smugly said.

“I just haven’t been with anyone since we broke up, dumbass”

You titled your head. “Oh. Me neither”

Now Yizhuo titled her head. “Oh? That’s a surprise”

You rolled your eyes and chuckled. “You think I’d become some slut so easily?”

Yizhuo shrugged. “You’re a pretty girl. I wouldn’t be surprised”

You hummed and stared into your lover’s eyes, gently pushing the tip of your cock through her folds. “I’m going to remind you Ning Yizhuo that you’re the only woman I’ll ever be with”

The shorter girl grasped onto your bicep as you pushed in further. “O-Oh god. S-so fucking big”

“And this will be my final reminder, Princess” you growled into her ear, finally filling her up entirely.

God, everything about you was so hot. The way you nipped at her earlobe, rubbing her waist, and whispering sweet nothings to help her adjust.

“This tight pussy will only be for me, baby”

She whimpered and sniffled at the stretch. Okay maybe Yizhuo was getting a tad bit emotional because she was supposed to grant her fathers wish of killing you, but here she was finally back into your heart while also getting dicked down perfectly by your thick long meat.

“I’m yours Y/n-ie”

“Atta girl. And I’ll always be yours” you kissed her jaw. “Need more time, Princess?”

“N-No, you can move. But slowly please”

“Whatever my girl wants”

You carefully watched your girlfriend’s reaction when you pulled your hips back and eased back into her like she asked. Yizhuo’s lips parted as she released another beautiful moan. You grabbed her face and kept her eyes on you.

“Look at me, angel. Want you to keep it that way while I fuck you like crazy. Can you do that for me?”

Yizhuo choked out another moan when you repeated your hip motion. “I-I’ll try”

You adjusted your position for more comfort and held under your girlfriend’s knees to keep her close. “I’m going to make up for lost times, my love”

Your hips started moving faster, enjoying the squelching sound of Yizhuo’s pussy when your pelvis would smack against her skin. The simple order you gave to her was getting difficult.

The pleasurable feeling made Yizhuo’s eyes roll back but she quickly made sure she went back to staring into your dark eyes. She felt so lost in them, finding the eye contact absolutely sexy, she could cum easily like this.

Her lower lip was trapped between her teeth when you sped up more, grunting with every thrust and the feeling of your tip hitting her cervix.

“A-Ah fuck Y/n-ie!”

“God you feel so good around me, princess”

Yizhuo pouted with her whimpers, feeling one of your hands grab her breast wnd thumbing her nipple. The other hand held her neck, caressing the purple marks you stamped with your lips earlier.

“Looking so pretty like this for me. Taking my cock so well”

“I want to cum again, Y/n-ie please? I wanna cum all over your big cock!”

“Yeah? You really want that, Princess?”

She nodded with an innocent pout. “Claim me again, baby. Want you to own me!”

The words almost made you choke on your spit but your movements never faltered. Instead, you leaned down to hug Yizhuo close to your body and practically hammer your cock into her tightening walls.

“Fuck yeah, I own you, Princess. All. Fucking. Mine”

You kept your face close to her’s, eye contact never breaking but Yizhuo was close to losing the battle when your cock was reaching all the right places.

Her vision was becoming blurry from all the pleasure but you snapped her out of it by giving her a dizzying kiss. Her eyes shut tight when your tongue wrestled her’s, moaning and grunting into her lips.

“Oh fuck! Right there right there, I’m cumming!” Yizhuo threw her head back, letting your lips rest against her neck.

Your stomach was tightening as well as Yizhuo’s cunt. It only took a couple more hard deep thrusts before you reached the stars, emptying endless ropes of your cum inside your lover, seeing that she had already coated your entire length with her juice.

Both of you were left breathless and you took the last bit of energy you had left to slowly pull you cock out and lay down with Yizhuo’s head on your chest.

You cranked up the AC in your room and allowed your bodies to cool down, holding her close and running your fingers down her back.

“So what now?” Yizhuo broke the silence, tracing your tattoos.

“Send your dad a text that you’re with me now. I’ll handle the rest baby girl” you smiled and kissed her head.

“He’ll try to kill me….and you…”

“No he won’t. I won’t let him”

“But—“

“Princess, don’t worry. I’ll take care of us”

Yizhuo smiled and allowed herself to sink into your warmth. “Alright”

“I love you, Ning”

The words gave her butterflies. “I love you too, baby”

[cecilysobsessions]

DESTINY (m.) | zuko

↬ fem!reader, protector!reader & protected!zuko

↬ genre: fluff / smut

↬ one bed trope, reader & zuko are adults (i am not writing no minors), fake dating for like one second, suggestive language, mild swearing, awkward cannon zuko, submissive zuko, typos but pretend you didn’t see them

↬ word count: 6k

↬ summary: you are hired as fire lord zuko’s personal bodyguard. being the stubborn man he is, he doubts that you can protect him. you’re going to prove him wrong. 

↬ a/n: i was upset i couldn’t find any sub!zuko fics so i said screw it and wrote one myself.

m.list

Destiny is a funny thing. And, of course, Fire Lord Zuko knows all about it. After firmly believing for so long that his destiny was to kill the Avatar, the world threw him a curve ball and he ended up joining the Avatar’s team to defeat his own father.

So when his palace staff appoints you, an experienced assassin, as his personal bodyguard, he rolls his eyes at your stupid destiny that just so happened to intertwine with his. 

When he became the Fire Lord, Azula almost immediately tried to get rid of him so that she could steal the throne by hiring you to kill him. Of course, she would have done it herself if she weren’t thrown into an asylum after their Agni Kai. However, after one of his staff overheard the conversation between you and his sister, they offered you twice as much payment as Azula did, and you couldn’t refuse the offer. Besides, what was Azula going to do? At this point she had already been taken away.

Although it seems shallow and a low blow to betray Azula because of money, you had to do what you had to do to get by. Growing up an orphan on the streets wasn’t always so good on you financially. You discovered you had a talent for stealing things for money, and even though you weren’t proud of it, it was the only way to survive. After running into some gang members who had heard about your talent, you began to work for them. Eventually you went from stealing for money to killing for it. Although it was not the life you wanted, it was the life you lived. 

So how did you end up coming to the royal palace as Zuko’s personal bodyguard with questionable work experience and blood on your hands? Simply put, you were skilled. As one of the few fire benders known to use lighting, you were pretty good at it. Being able to both generate and redirect it impressed those around you, and word went around with some saying you were even better at it than Azula. 

•••

“A bodyguard? I’m not a child; I don’t need protection.” Zuko rolled his eyes, his voice echoing through the large meeting room. 

“Nobody said you were a child,” his advisor clarified, his voice filled with anxiety. Zuko always had a short temper. 

“I can protect myself just fine. Besides, what will people think if they see the new Fire Lord with a body guard stuck to my side all the time? They’ll think I can’t handle myself.” Zuko was offended that his staff thought he needed a personal bodyguard to be near him 24/7. Sure, he was young, but he is capable. He rolled back his shoulders in an attempt to calm himself as he tried to explain his thought process. He has never been good with words, and he was already losing his patience.

“No, the people will know that you are taking your job seriously. And besides, we found an excellent fire bender that is able to both generate and redirect lighting! She’s excellent, and—”

“You already hired one without asking me first?!” Zuko cut off his advisor abruptly, his loud and stern voice rising along with the wall of fire in the room. He was already fired up and upset at the thought of having a personal guard, but the fact that his staff had already hired one without telling him first set him off. 

“Please, think about this.” his advisor’s calm and collected voice soothed his rising anger a bit. “As your staff, we are dedicated to protecting you and making sure you are safe at all times. The girl is a strong and smart bender and might even be able to teach you some things. Please, give her a chance and reconsider.” his advisor lowered his head in obedience and hoped for an answer.

After a moment of silence, with the only sound being the low flames in the room, Zuko took a deep breath and spoke. “Fine, but let me test her first. If I am able to knock her down, she leaves and you’re not allowed to hire a new one.”

•••

“He wants to fight me? Zuko?” you let out a fake laugh filled with arrogance as you stared down at his advisor. 

“Fire Lord Zuko,” he corrected you. “And well, yes. He is against the idea of having a personal bodyguard and the only way he will accept it is if you are able to fight him and not be knocked down.” the man explained, gesturing to the training courtyard outside the hallway window in the palace.

You followed his eyes and focused in on the former prince in the courtyard, eyeing his grown out hair. While you understood that Zuko wanted to make sure you were as good as his advisor said you were, you found it ridiculous. As far as you knew, he was constantly being bested by his younger sister. Although you weren’t as good a bender as his sister, you knew for sure you were better than him.

“Alright,” you shrugged as you began to make your way to the courtyard, his advisor following your steps. “Whatever makes him feel better. Wanna bet I can knock him down in sixty seconds?” a smirk grew on your face. You were not cocky in your ability, but confident. If you were being honest, you could probably knock him down in thirty seconds.

“I’m sure you can, but I’m not betting with you on whether or not you can knock the Fire Lord down in a minute. That’s inappropriate!” his advisor shushed you.

•••

Although you had seen the man from afar, you never realized how short Zuko was. You were almost taller than him (not that it mattered, it just made you feel superior when you were taller than men). 

“Your royal majesty,” you sarcastically greeted, your deep and exaggerated bow earned you a scowl from the Fire Lord. You were unsure of why you had chosen your first words to Zuko to be sarcastic and cocky, but you knew you wanted to show that you were a capable bender and not some little girl who knew how to throw a fireball. 

“Your bending better not be as horrible as your attitude,” he stared into your eyes, unamused at what you thought would be taken as a joke. “Let’s get this over with. Try and knock me down, if you can, and I’ll reconsider having you protect me.” you might have imagined it, but it seemed like Zuko didn’t believe you could beat him. You smirked, excited to prove to the royal that he was wrong and you are in fact the better bender.

“Aw, you think I can’t knock you down. That’s cute.” you winked, distancing yourself from him and taking a fighting stance, readying yourself. “Well your majesty, I’m ready when you are. Take the first move too, I’ll let you have that.” 

Zuko clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Only because I want to get this over with,” he widened his feet and took a stance, his arm coming down to shoot fire at the ground, coming towards your feet. 

As he shot his first move, you took a deep breath, rolling your eyes to show him what you thought of his predictable and easy to avoid move. Avoiding it simply, you punched the air, sending red flames towards him. But what he didn’t know was what you were going to do next. Distracted by your punch of fire, you quickly generated lighting through your fingertips, taking a deep breath before you aggressively pointed your hand towards where he was standing, making sure to miss him on purpose. As quickly as you sent the first shot of fire, Zuko saw a large lighting strike heading his way. Too slow to react and try to redirect it, your strike burned the spot on the ground next to him, the blackened spot on the ground inches from where he stood. 

“How,” he started in disbelief. “How did you generate lighting so fast?” his eyes widened as he looked at you. Still in shock from how quickly you created lighting and nearly killed him, you moved quickly, running towards him and jumping in the air and sending multiple strikes of fire at him through your hands. Still focused on how you created lighting through your fingertips with such speed, he held his arms up to block you. His attempt was sloppy and weak, and you knocked him down to the ground and stood over him. 

Zuko grunted, sitting up quickly and looking through the bright rays of sun blocking his view of you. “No way,” his hand came up to shield his eyes from the sun rays. 

“How long did that take me? Definitely less than a minute, right, Mr. Advisor?” you hollered over at the staff who was standing off to the side. You crossed your arms and stared down at the royal man below you. 

“You lasted less than a minute in this fight and I barely tried. Hopefully you’re not like that in the bedroom, Fire Lord Zuko.” you smiled down at him crookedly, a laugh escaping your lips as you started to walk off. “I’ll see you when I officially begin tomorrow, sir.” you bowed once again exaggeratedly. You couldn’t help but beam, you already knew you were going to win, but you didn’t expect to feel this good. Zuko was a handsome and talented fire bender, so something about beating him at something he is good at made you smile.

•••

It has been three years since you began to work for Zuko and he has learned three things in those three years. 

One. You never refer to him using his title as you should be doing because you apparently hate all “royal blooded bitches” as you say. But if Zuko was being honest with himself, he was pretty sure it was just because you simply didn’t want to. The staff around you always shot you looks when you yelled out his first name to grab his attention, but you never cared. He admired that about you. You didn’t care what other people thought of you, something Zuko himself always struggled with. 

Two. You were an absolute thug. What did he expect? You’re an orphan with a criminal background and a couple bodies on your list of people you’ve killed. Past Zuko would’ve thought you were some low life peasant, but that’s not what he thought of you at all. With a questionable past himself, he knew not to judge you for your past actions and choices. After all, some of his own past choices were questionable.

Three. You wear your heart on your sleeve and have a massive crush on him. So naturally, you make it known. As someone who doesn’t have a lot of relationship experience, or experience with women in general, Zuko never knew how to respond to anything you ever said to him that was even the tiniest bit flirtatious. After the breakup with his ex Mai, he had told himself to focus on his people and to stay out of relationships. When you first made it known to him that you fancied him, he thought you were joking. 

“So, Zuko,” you had begun while escorting him to a meeting. “People are asking if you’re courting anyone. You’ll need a Queen soon.”

“I’m not interested in that right now,” he sternly told you. “And besides, nobody’s interested in me at the moment.”

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I am.”

Zuko shook his head, pushing away the past conversation that confused him because did you actually like him and were you just casually confessing your feelings out of nowhere? Or did you only say all that because you pitied him?

She flirts with every guy here, he told himself (not true, but telling himself that helped convince him that you did not in fact like him even though you did and expressed that on multiple occasions). There was just no way you could ever like someone like him. He was easily upset, always busy with his royal duties, and only had one eyebrow. Literally. The scar his father gave him convinced him that he wasn’t handsome or in any way attractive. Who would ever want to love someone with a scarred face? 

“Zuko,” you barged into his quarters, shutting the door behind you as you interrupted his inner thoughts. “Are you ready?” you stood there, feet firmly planted on the ground like you didn’t intend on going anywhere.

“Do you not know how to knock?” he stood and looked at you, gesturing to his small luggage sitting on his bed. “I’m ready.”

The two of you were going on a secret mission (actually it was just him and technically you were just coming along to protect him) to spy on an unknown enemy of Zuko’s, most likely someone who did not want him on the throne. He had wanted to do it himself, saying that he needed to get a good look at the person who wanted to dethrone him. 

“Just because I’m your bodyguard, that doesn’t mean I’m also your servant,” you eyed his belongings. “Carry your own shit.”

•••

You and Zuko quietly arrived near the location in a close forest of the unknown person who was apparently planning to rebel and dethrone Zuko. Tightening your hood, you created a small flame in your hand and searched around for any sign of danger. It was midnight and the two of you were planning to camp here for the night before resuming the mission in the morning to search for the unknown person. 

“Stay close to me,” you instructed in a whisper.

“I know that.”

“Then come closer to me, idiot.” you aggressively grabbed onto his sleeve, yanking him closer to you as you quietly stepped around the area of trees.

“Ow, can you please be gentle?!” he complained, attempting to pull away from your gorilla grip but failing.

“Zuko, shut the fuck up.” you warned.

“I don’t take orders from you.” 

“One more word and I’ll burn the shit out of you.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh yeah? Then—” in the middle of your banter with the Fire Lord, you saw a flame heading towards the two of you. Reacting quickly, you pushed Zuko behind your back and pushed away the flame with your hands before throwing a punch and firebending towards the threat.

“Who’s there? One step and I’ll burn you,” you threatened, eyes frantically searching the dark for a sign of life. 

You felt Zuko behind you, chest pressed up against your back and heart rapidly beating against your body. He was nervous and scared and if you didn’t feel his panicked heartbeat, you wouldn’t know. You had to get out of there.

“Relax little girl, I only want what’s in that satchel.” you heard a gruff voice that came from a few feet in front of you. Zuko gripped the satchel around his body, debating if he wanted to just give it up to the intruder or help you fight him. 

“You want it? Come and get it,” Zuko taunted, standing in front of you and kicking a flame towards the mysterious man. 

“Zuko!” you warned. “Get behind me!”

“You might be my bodyguard, but I don’t always need your protection.” He spoke with determination in his voice as he stood firmly, his hands in the air and ready to firebend at any second. 

“Your bodyguard is a woman?” the mysterious man cackled, jumping out of the dark and attacking Zuko with fire. 

“Yeah, and what about it?” he shot back, easily defending himself against the wannabe thief. You stepped back, wanting to see how Zuko would protect himself. They began to fight close up, engaging in hand to hand combat, which you knew Zuko was good at. You had seen him at times training and were impressed. He easily overpowers the man, knocking him out with a swift kick and turns back to you, the unconscious man laying on the ground. 

“If that were me, I would’ve beat you.” you commented.

“I know,” he responded, searching the man for any weapons. After patting him down, he takes a knife from the man’s pockets. 

“That was hot,” you said, winking at him in the dark and hoping he’d see it. You grabbed the knife from him and started walking.

Apparently he didn’t see the wink. Wonder why. “Well yeah, fire is hot.” Zuko responded. 

You did a mental facepalm. “I know fire is hot, you dumbass. I was talking about you being able to defend yourself. That was hot.” you repeated. How many times would you have to hit on this guy for him to understand you liked him?

“Oh…” he trailed off, unable to form his confusion into words. Why would you find that hot?

You sensed he didn’t know what to say, so you spoke first. “Let’s go to a nearby village and hope that we can find a place to stay there. It’s too dangerous to be out in the woods.

•••

Luckily the two of you wandered into a village not too far from the forest, and were able to find an elderly couple kind enough to house the two of you for the night. 

“It’s so late, a young couple like the two of you shouldn’t be out and about at this hour.” the woman lectured after seeing the two of you walking down the street and hurrying you in her home.

Zuko wanted to correct the woman. “We’re not a cou—” 

“Thank you for your kind hospitality. We really appreciate it. We were a little lost on our way and are traveling.” you cut him off abruptly and offered a kind smile to the lady. You grabbed his arm, squeezing it aggressively as a warning to shut up.

After showing you to their guest room, Zuko lit the only candle in the room, the low lighting barely bouncing off his porcelain skin. 

“Why did you let her think that we’re a couple?” Zuko questioned, shutting the door behind him.

“Are you stupid? It’ll be suspicious if we tell her we’re just two people traveling together. It’s easier to just pretend we’re a couple so no one questions us.” you explained, but secretly you were happy the lady called you guys a couple.

You set your bag down by the door, taking in the small bedroom. There was an open window across from the door, the bright moonlight shining into the room. Other than a dresser and a chair, a small mat that was big enough to fit two people laid in the center of the room. Eyeing the singular mattress, the silence turned into an awkward moment of hesitation between the two of you. While Zuko probably felt awkward, you were happy. The thought of snuggling up to him claiming you’re cold as an excuse to be close to him crossed your mind. You were secretly excited.

“So I guess we have no choice but to sleep next to each other,” you started, trying to hide how happy you were feeling. 

“What? I’m not going to sleep next to you!” he complained.

“Then where are you sleeping?” you questioned, gesturing to the singular mat. “There’s only one.”

“I’m sleeping on that mat. You can sleep on the chair.” he motioned to the uncomfortable looking chair in the corner. 

“What?” there was no way you were going to let him take the mat for himself. “But I’m the woman! You should let me have it.” 

He was already pulling out his sleeping bag. “You’re my bodyguard, so sleep on the chair and protect me. A man needs his beauty sleep.”

“Beauty sleep my ass,” you were beginning to grow tired and cranky and laid on the mat next to him. “It’ll be easier to protect you if I’m physically closer to you, don’t you think?”

Zuko’s eyes widened, his eyebrow furrowing in annoyance. “Whatever. Just don’t touch me.” he sighed in defeat, turning his back against you and pulling his blanket up and laying on his side his scar is on.

Your eyes trace the lines of his back muscles that are showing through his thinly made shirt. His shoulders are broad, hair covering his nape. Combing his hair behind him, you get a whiff of his shampoo. You can’t help but stare, even though he isn’t facing you. And suddenly you feel nervous. Too nervous to say anything, too nervous to do anything, too nervous to even breathe. The room is filled with silence, the only faint noise being the single candle in the corner of the room burning. What if you’re breathing too loudly? What if he can hear it? What if he thinks you’re a loud breather? 

“No weird pickup line?” Zuko’s voice suddenly breaks the silence and your inner thoughts, his voice soft and low in a careful attempt to not wake the elderly couple.

Has his voice always been laced with such sultry and sexiness? Why was he suddenly making conversation? You thought he wanted to sleep, so why is he asking why you’re not flirting with him? Does he know you’re nervous? 

“I thought you wanted to sleep,” a lame excuse, but some part of it was true.

Zuko’s body shifts and he turns on to his other side to face you, laying on his arm as his golden eyes search for yours in the dark. When he finally looks at you, you unintentionally hold your breath. The way he is looking at you makes you nervous. His eyes are staring into yours as if he’s all yours and you’re all his. As if you two are lovers and are sharing an intimate moment of eye contact before a kiss.

“The mattress is a little uncomfortable.” he whispers, his voice small and soft. 

Was he already laying this close to you? 

A beat of silence passes between the two of you, and his eyes refuse to break contact with yours. “What a spoiled royal,” was the only thing you said, you were feeling a little awkward and unsure of what to say. Normally you felt confident flirting with him, but something about tonight made it feel different.

“Of course you’d say that,” he lets out a small chuckle at your comment, his eyes moving down your body as if he is checking you out. 

“You smell nice.” you say after a beat. You don’t know what came over you. Only that you thought it and wanted to say it.

“You’ve always been so straightforward,” he says and you’re not sure if he means that as an insult or compliment. “I admire that about you.”

Zuko admires you? You always thought he didn’t think much of you, but maybe you just thought that way because he never actually voiced his opinion of you.

“These last three years have been different,” he continued. “Good different. Ever since I took the throne I’ve been busy with my duties and haven’t had much time to relax. But spending time with you and getting to know you has been really… great.” Zuko has always been a little awkward, understandable since he often does not speak about his feelings. 

“That’s it?” you laugh at his awkwardness. “Just great?”

“I think you’re amazing. Getting to know you has been so fun for me. And I’m starting to feel really comfortable around you. You make me feel safe.” 

You make Zuko feel safe? Your heart swells at that compliment. “Well, I would hope so. I’m supposed to keep you safe, too.” you joke, and his eyes light up as he smiles. Or maybe it’s just the candle.

“I’m sorry I doubted your ability to protect me. You are a talented bender and an amazing bodyguard. But I want you to know, I will always be there to protect you, too.” he whispers, voice sweet like honey as he leans closer to you, his eyes moving down to your lips for just a moment before meeting your eyes again. 

Zuko is even closer to you now, his face lit up by the moonlight. His tongue peeks out and he licks his bottom lip for a second, wandering eyes flickering down to your lips once again. 

“You look beautiful in this light,” you comment, your eyes scanning his features. 

“Are you saying I don’t look beautiful in any other light?” he asks, a teasing smile plastered on his face. 

“Yeah, you only look this good when it’s almost completely dark and the only source of light is the moon.” he laughs at your response, a low chuckle escaping his lips. 

“Can you see my scar?” he asks, insecurity in his voice.

“Yes, and it looks good. Scars build character.” As someone who’s received scars from living out on the streets and constantly getting into fights to rob people, you have a couple scars yourself. Although they may be an imperfection on the skin, all your scars tell a story and are unique to you. 

Zuko wonders if you knew that he was feeling insecure about it. He has always been insecure about it since it’s a reminder of what his father did to him, and it’s never helped that he hears people always whispering about it in the palace.

“Do you have any scars?” he asks, unsure if the question is crossing a boundary.

“A couple.”

“Can I… Can I see them?” he anxiously asks you, his voice softer and more submissive. He is afraid you’re going to say no and afraid if you do that it will be awkward.

“Do you just want to see me naked, Zuko? You could’ve just asked.” you tease.

His eyes practically jump out of their sockets. His face flushes and his embarrassment travels down to his neck, red and and feeling even more awkward and nervous than before. 

“W-What? That’s not what I meant! I was just—I didn’t mean for it to come off like that! I was only asking that because I’m insecure about my scar and—” Zuko keeps speaking, faster than before and more panicked. You chuckle, amused by how he tries to back himself up. He continues to rant and stutter a bit before you hold up your hand to shush him.

“You know, Zuko, for someone who doesn’t say much, you’re saying an awful lot right now. And you’re not even saying much. You're just rambling on and on.” you lecture, raising an eyebrow to prove your point.

“I’m just a little nervous,” he confesses.

“Why’s that?”

“Because. I can't tell if you’re joking with me when you say the stuff you say.”

“What do I say?”

“You know.”

“No, I don’t. What kind of stuff do I say to you?”

He sighs in frustration. He doesn’t want to say it. “Like, like when you called me hot… earlier.”

“You thought I was talking about the fire.” 

“Yes, and then you said that you weren’t.” he says all confused; all you’re doing is trying to get him to stop beating around the bush and be straightforward, but it’s too nerve wracking for him.

“Because I wasn’t.”

“Right,”

“Right.” you agree.

“So, then you said—you said you were talking about me.”

“I did say that.”

“Yeah…” he trails off, unable to form a sentence.

“What’s your point? What are you trying to get at?” you’re teasing him. You know exactly what he wants to ask. You know he wants to ask if you have feelings for him, but he’s too afraid you’ll say no and he’s afraid to make it awkward. 

Cute.

“I guess what I’m trying to ask is… if you, maybe, perhaps, possibly…”

“Like you?” you finish his question for him. Because if you don’t, he’ll take all night.

He stops himself from saying anything, face full of uncertainty and confusion. He stares at you, waiting—hoping that you will speak first. You have always led the conversations between the two of you, so now that he has to do it, he is lost and looking for help.

“What do you think?” you ask, turning the question on to him. You want to see what he will say. 

“I…” Zuko trails off once more. “I would hope so.” His voice is hushed, low and subtle. If you weren’t listening so closely and weren’t so close to him physically, you wouldn’t have heard him. Through his whispering, he sounds hopeful, almost as if he is asking—begging you to feel something for him.

“You would hope so?” you repeat and he nods in response. “And why is that?”

“Because… I think I would feel upset if you didn’t like me.” he confesses, taking a deep breath. He looks as if he is trying to control his breathing. Is he nervous? Turned on? Or does he just have trouble breathing?

You smirk. “Why would you feel upset, Zuko?”

A faint pout forms on his pretty lips. His eyes droop and he looks like he is about to complain. “Are you really going to make me say it?” 

You nod.

“I would feel upset because I like you. I like you more than just my bodyguard. I like you more than just a friend. I like you more than just a talented bender who can take my life with a single lightning bolt. I like you more than you can even imagine.” Zuko finally confesses, releasing a breath he didn’t realize he was holding in.

“You like me? More than you like your honor?” you joke; you don’t want him feeling so tense around you.

“Yes. A lot more.”

“Good,” is your only response before you lean in. His lips are warm and soft and inviting. You feel your loud heartbeat through your ears and it feels as if the entire world has paused just for the two of you to kiss. 

To him, your kiss is intoxicating yet sweet. Addicting, so addicting he wants more. Zuko has never felt aroused by a simple kiss until now. He tilts his head, hopeful to kiss more of you. He feels himself losing control, his thoughts are wandering yet he is still staying put, his hands to himself because even though he wants more, he doesn’t want to make the first move. You have always led the conversations, so he is hoping you will lead this kiss too. Trying to control his breathing through his nose, he can’t help but moan quietly into your mouth, heat reaching his cheeks in embarrassment. He feels you smirk against his lips, tilting your head to deepen the kiss. Your soft fingertips cup his cheek, gently caressing his scarred skin with a tender love he has never felt before. 

His hands hesitantly make their way to your waist, gently wrapping around your middle as he pulls you in closer to him. Zuko presses himself against you, desperate to feel more than just your lips against him. You feel his heart beating hard against your chest, the right grip on your waist firm. He quietly moans against you, slight whimpers being held back as he pushes himself into you, desperate for more. Desperate for something, anything.

“Ah,” he quietly whimpers, his hand grabbing at yours and holding it to his chest. You flex your hand slightly, taking the opportunity to feel his pecs. Someone has been working out. “Please,” he begins. He sounds so desperate; you’ve never heard him like this before, but you like it. “More, I want more. Please, do something.”

Zuko wraps his legs around yours, pushing his hips forward to meet yours, his body desperate for more affection and more friction. He is starting to slip, becoming more and more desperate each passing second. You can feel him through the thin material of his pants, dick hard and pressed up against your body. You take a deep breath in an attempt to calm yourself. Looking into Zuko’s eyes, you can see everything he is feeling in them. Aroused, in love, submissive, and breedable desperate. 

“Would you like to see my scars?” you ask, earning a gentle smile from him. 

“Only if you would like me to see.”

“I don’t mind.” you smile back, pulling away from him and lifting the blanket. Eyeing the wet spot on his crotch, Zuko quickly pulls part of the blanket onto his lap, embarrassed that you noticed.

“Sorry,” he says shyly.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” you grin, sitting up and lifting part of your shirt to expose your lower stomach. “See this?” you ask. Zuko sits up with you and leans in slightly to look at your lower stomach. He can’t tell if you have been stabbed or sliced, but whatever happened, the scar looks deep and painful. “Got it in an assisination mission.”

“It must’ve hurt,” he whispers, his fingertips reaching out towards it. He looks up at you, eyes asking for permission to touch your scar. When you nod, his fingers gently ghost over the imperfection, feeling it slowly.

“Well I killed him, so he was probably in more pain than I was.” you laugh, remembering the man you killed.

“Do you have any more?” His eyes are full of curiosity, eager to learn more about your past and about your body.

“I have one on my thigh,” you tell him.

Zuko eyes your pajama pants. “You don’t have to show me. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“Oh, so you don’t want me to take off my pants?” you joke. “I see how it is…” 

“No! Of course I would like to see. Please?” he smiles shyly, hoping you’ll say yes.

“Hmm, I don’t know… you don’t seem very desperate to see…” 

Zuko shakes his head in defeat, giving into you as he leans in. He kisses your cheek sweetly, his lips slowly moving down towards your neck. “Please,” he whispers. He leaves slow and sweet kisses, his hand coming up to your thigh to caress it. His large hand glides upwards on your thigh, nearing where you want it the most. “Please, show me…” his hand stops, gripping your thigh.

“Since you wanna see that bad, I suppose I could show you.” you begin to unlace your pants. 

“You just wanted to see me beg,” 

“Well, yes. And it was nice. I quite enjoyed it.” you laugh, kicking off your pants so you’re wearing nothing but your underwear and your top. Zuko looks, stares, admires your beauty. He looks down at the scar, smaller than the one on your stomach, but it still looks painful. 

“I got stabbed. Another assassination.”

“Did you end up killing them?” 

“Yeah, so no biggie.”

Zuko is quiet, unsure of what he should do. Should he let you talk about it, or should he ask about it? You’re quiet and he doesn’t know if that’s because you want something else, or if you don’t want to talk about it. Unsure, he leans down, his lips leaving a gentle kiss on your scar. At the same time, he eyes your underwear, a wet spot forming where he wants to kiss the most. He looks up, feeling himself grow hard again. 

“Even with your scars, you are still beautiful.” he whispers, leaning up to leave a kiss on your lips.

“I know that, Zuko. I never said I didn’t feel beautiful because of my scars.”

“Oh,” he feels so stupid. Why did he assume you felt ugly with all your scars? You were not like him. “Sorry.” 

“If you’re so sorry, make it up to me.” you smirk and lift your shirt up, exposing your breasts to him. 

His eyes begin to wander, trying to memorize the curve of your breasts and where your scar is on your stomach. Leaning down, he buries his face into your chest. He leaves a gentle kiss on one of your nipples, his hand coming up to massage the other. His entire hand wraps around your breast, squeezing and kneading as he opens his mouth around your nipple, sucking on the skin. He leaves wet kisses as his lips move down on your body, stopping to kiss your stomach scar. Laying you back down, he starts kissing your lower stomach as his fingertips tease the band of your underwear. Your hips jerk up, signaling to him that he needs to do something. Gently pulling your underwear down and off, he crawls between your legs, eager to please you. 

You spread your legs, exposing your wetness to his lips. He leans in, tongue carefully licking at you. You let a breath out, tugging on his locks to where you need him the most. He moans, almost more excited than you are and sucks on your clit. When you pull his hair, desperate for him to be tougher, he moans again, his hips grinding against the mattress in an attempt to relieve himself. Zuko pulls away for a second, sitting up in front of you. He pulls at his pants, impatiently yanking them down as he frees himself. His cock springs upwards, and he moans in relief.

“Can I touch myself?” he begs, his voice a whimper as he leans back down, face in between your legs again.

You nod and he leans back into you again, his tongue working at your clit again and sucking on it. One of his hands grips your thigh, slowly making its way to your entrance. His other hand strokes himself, his hips bucking into his own hand as his other hand begins to tease your entrance. You’re practically dripping, hips bucking up into his face as he pushes himself into you. Zuko’s fingers rub at your entrance, a mix of his saliva and your arousal allowing him to push a finger into you. He moans into you, his finger curving as he strokes himself faster. His hips desperately fuck into his hand as his lips desperately suck on to your clit. He moans, excited to please you as he also pleases himself. Feeling him moan and whimper against you and seeing him so desperate for his release he touches himself has you gripping his roots and pulling him into you. Your grip on him is strong and hurts, but arouses him more and his moans begin to grow louder.  

“Ngh, fuck,” he pants, his hand stroking his dick. “You taste so good.”

“You’re too loud, Zuko,” it’s late at night and the elderly couple housing the two of you might hear and that would be absolutely mortifying.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it.” he moans again, pulling away to bite down on his lip. His hair has been messed up and there is a blush on his cheeks, his lips wet with your arousal and his saliva.

He leans down again, inserting a second finger and curling them, making you let out a loud moan. You cover your mouth with your other hand as the other one continues to grip his hair. He licks at you in desperation, eager and determined to make you orgasm. His long and thick fingers move in and out of you as he continues sucking at your clit, licking and tasting it as you move your hips towards him faster. 

“Ahh,” he whimpers again, moaning against you as you desperately buck your hips upwards, the vibrations of his moans and the sweet sound of his whimpers sending you over the edge. Your legs wrap around his neck and he continues to finger you, his own hips moving faster as he fucks himself. The moans you let out make him move faster, desperate to hear you as he pleasures himself. He shakes, thrusts staggered as he finishes off of your moans and your own orgasm. The only sounds in the room are your heavy breaths and Zuko’s kisses he leaves on your thigh and stomach again, making sure to kiss your scars as well.

“So…” he begins. “Do you like me? Or….”

“What?” you ask, out of breath.

“Well, you never said if you do or not.” he questions, sitting up and reaching for his bag to look for something to clean you up. 

“Oh my god,” you laugh, leaning in to kiss him. “I thought it was obvious.”

“It’s not.”

“You’re so clueless,” you smack his head playfully. “Yes, I do. I wasn’t lying the previous times I hinted at it.” 

“Good,” he breathes a sigh of relief before kissing you again.

•••

“I told you that you were too loud!” you nag Zuko, angrily shoving his shoulder as the two of of you walk down the road in the middle of the night after being kicked out of the elderly couple’s house.

“Me? You were the one who wouldn’t shut the fuck up!” he rubs his shoulder in an attempt to soothe it. You were much stronger than you looked.

“No stupid, that was you! You were louder than me and got us kicked out! See what you did!” you yelled.

“Oh, shut up! You liked it!” Zuko fires back, rolling his eyes.

••• a/n: bye i didn’t even mean to write smut it j happened 💀

m.list

[tsukimefuku]

the letter ꕥ higuruma hiromi

summary: reader writes a letter for an absentee. one that she will never send.

tags: f!reader, implied past relationship, higuruma x reader, angst, break up, longing and general heartbreak.

wc: 1k

notes etc.: this is actually my original style of writing in my native language before i began writing in 2nd(?) + 3rd person pov on ao3 and tumblr this year. it’s different from what I’ve written so far, but I hope you guys enjoy it. the style translation was hard, holy shirt. song → shake it out (florence + the machine).

ꕥ collection of stories: "jujutsu partners au" → masterlist

i like to keep my issues drawn ꕥ it’s always darkest before the dawn

I was debating if I should start this with “hey, Hiromi”, “hi, Higuruma”, “dear” something, and I still haven’t arrived at an answer. The first sounds too casual for what we have become — and what are we now if not strangers? The second, however, is just too impersonal, and I don’t need such a stinging reminder of how much I’m not entitled to your first name anymore. At last, “dear” to start a letter is just tacky.

Alas, I digress.

I don’t quite know what possessed me to pick up a pen and a piece of paper (analogical, just like you’ve noted me to be) to blurt out the swirling hurts in my mind, but I guess I still had a lot to say, even if you weren’t here long enough to hear it.

Here goes nothing.

You might be wondering how I’m doing (at least I hope so), so I thought I’d let you know.

Tonight, more specifically, I’ve been for an insurmountable stretch of time — were it hours? Minutes? Days? Out of my priorities, tracking time has not been one of them — staring at the empty vacuum making its presence known by my side. It seems to mock my stare, that longs, against all odds, for a miracle — for you to simply materialize right there, out of thin air.

Seriously, you should see the mess you’ve made when you left.

You left an emptiness of shoes, black suits, wet towels on the bed, cup marks on the furniture, scratches of morning beard, warm legs under the covers — an emptiness of body that has been giving me nightmares. You came in, flipped everything upside down, blew up my walls and made so that every edge, vertex, color and smell of this heart and bones surrounding our leftover life would incessantly scream for you.

It’s like my misery extended beyond myself and resoundingly expanded against the walls of this house.

But… even though I wish you were here with every tiny part of myself, I couldn’t ask for you to stay. I know it wouldn’t be fair. You’d never ask me to betray myself, and the least I could do was to love you in the same earnest way. 

You wouldn’t be the man I loved if you didn’t go. I wouldn’t be the person you loved if I asked you not to (I apologize for the past tense, it’s one of those truthless comforts I’ve decided to give myself for the time being).

You still linger here, though. I still keep your gaze close to my chest, your face pressed against my skin, your warm voice caressing the edge of my ear and your hair stroking through my fingers, even if it’s just my soul pretending for a minute.

A long minute.

You know, it has been hell without you here. The couch cushions wrap around me like your arms, the bed always bounces by the time you used to get up, and the kitchen smells like your favorite take-out meals (because God knows we’d set fire to this building if we so much as dared turning that stove top on). The window reflects two back at me when only one is looking at it, and my hiking boots are dearly missing those black oxford shoes. My coat hanging on the edge of the closet is also dearly missing your crumpled black ties sprinkled around the room (of course you took weeks to properly wash and organize them — when you ever did).

Oh, and the bed.

The bed is just not the same without that stupid, ridiculous blotch of water your towel would always leave on it.

A huge chunk of our house is missing.

I know I can’t let my selfishness kidnap you from what you need to do — and I do know you need it. But damn, sometimes it’s hard to fight the urge of hopping on the first train your way, grabbing you by your wrist and asking you to become once again part of my wallpaper, my duvet, my pillows. Just promise me you’ll make all of this pain worthwhile, even if you ran away with ten thirds of me.

Ever since you left, though, I learned a few tricks to mask your ever so present absence. I can pull the pillows towards the middle of the bed, eat in the living room and read in the kitchen, being sure to slowly put all my pieces back in place. 

It’s harder to notice an empty chair across the table when you willingly choose to sit on the ground.

However, I didn’t want to do that. Not today. Call it insanity, clarity, or just meet me in my madness like you always so kindly did.

Today, I wanted to let you invade me, come into my house with my full permission and go on turning everything upside down once more. That way, I can almost feel you there. To me, at least for now, that’s good enough (or as good as I know it’s gonna get).

Your muted way of sharing our space could be so, so silent. That quietude brought me the deepest of peaces.

Unfortunately, I never anticipated the silence from your absence would be so loud, and not peaceful at all. It has been hammering at my breathless heart for days. 

I miss you.

I love you, too.

***

With a sigh, you put the pen down and stared at the paper sheet for a minute, your own calligraphy so foreign with a pain you hadn’t let out properly ever since Hiromi… actually, Higuruma stepped out that morning.

Considering your options, you resigned, and pulled the letter in a crinkled messy ball, tossing it in the garbage can.

No need to talk to a voluntary absentee. No need to bother him, either.

You got yourself back up and picked up two pairs of keys, the blue buttoned shirt and made your way out of the apartment, not failing to hear the rumbling echo the door made when it slammed closed.

An echo that only happens in truly empty places.

[drewsbuzzcut]

Matching Pjs

Mat Barzal x model!fem!reader

A visceral in doses blurb

Warnings: none!

Takes place: Dec 2024

You’re laid out on Mat’s bed, hands fiddling with the soft pajamas donning your body. It’s a perfect red and brown plaid set that’s oh so soft.

“Mathew, hurry. I want to cuddle,” you shout and throw yourself back into the mountain of fluffy blankets. The rich scent of Mat’s body wash and shampoo billows out and you melt into the comfort of it.

“What if you think I look stupid?” He shouts back from behind the door of his ensuite.

A pout transforms your lips and you try not to cry, but if a tear or two are shed, then it’s your new pregnancy hormones at fault.

“I’d never think that you look stupid,” you sigh solemnly.

A quick silence follows before your boyfriend finally walks out of the bathroom. With a dropped jaw, it’s hard for you to contain the scoff escaping your mouth. He looks hot. You didn’t have any doubts, though.

“Baby, you’re so hot,” you squeal and reach out for him.

“That’s all you,” he grins and pulls you closer to the edge of the bed.

Mat is sporting the sexiest smirk, still damp hair with a stray curl resting on his forehead, and his usual silver chain that’s peeking out of his pajama button up. You can’t even fathom the thoughts swirling in your mind when you notice that not all the buttons are buttoned. You’re practically salivating at this point.

“I hope you know that you cannot cuddle me unless your shirt is on the floor, hotshot,” you whisper, gathering yourself on your knees so you can easily wrap your arms around his strong shoulders.

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.” Your heart thunders in your chest at the way he speaks. His tone is cocky, but also thick with sleepiness. The only thing keeping you up is the way his hands pin you to his body.

You bring your lips to his, savoring the way he takes control. His tongue is quick to flick at your bottom lip, seeking entry that’s always granted to him. You moan into his mouth, spreading a five-alarm fire from your heat to his groin.

“Wait,” he interrupts, but quickly resumes the kiss after one glance at your plump lips.

“Wait,” he tries again through a sigh. He forces himself to detach from you, but groans when you bat your long eyelashes at him. It’s your little signal that you definitely want more than cuddles tonight.

“I sort of have a surprise,” he catches your attention.

“Sort of?”

You watch him shrug with a shy smile, scratching the back of his neck until he darts away to his closet.

“I know it’s still too early, but I couldn’t help myself,” Mat explains, setting a gift bag onto the bed.

“Is this what you were jumpy about earlier this week while you were on your laptop?” You’re referring to earlier in the week when you tried to see what he was searching for online, but he immediately shut it closed. The action not only irked you, but made you worry about what he was hiding.

“Yes, but like I told you it’s nothing bad,” he squeaks.

“Okay. Go on.”

When he pulls out a small onesie that is identical to the pajama sets you both have on, you cannot stop the tears from falling.

“Oh my god, Mat. I- I don’t know what to say other than this is the most precious thing ever,” you cry as you bury your face in his neck.

“I saw it and I just knew I had to get it. Now we can all match next Christmas,” he says simply, but it’s more than that to you. You love that he’s thinking about baby Barzal before they’re even born. You love that he’s so excited about all the nexts that are to be had with a baby added to the mix. You can’t thank your lucky stars enough for the life you get to live with Mat.

“It’s so perfect, baby. I love it so much.”

“I have one more thing,” he adds and then picks up an ornament out of the bag.

Upon inspection you see “Baby’s First Christmas,” with a blank spot underneath. You’re guessing it’s to write the year. Attached to the words, is a tiny, porcelain baby with a Santa hat.

“Mat,” you whine, so overcome with love for your sweet, hockey player.

You hold the ornament close to your heart, peering up at Mat with wide eyes that shine with every emotion you’re feeling. He flashes you a toothy grin, one that makes you giggle uncontrollably and all hot inside.

“I love you and I can’t wait for our lives to get even better when baby b finally arrives,” he murmurs, grabbing your face and gently kissing your tears away.

“I love you so much,” you respond, holding tightly onto the soul that bonds so beautifully with yours.

[unfortunate17]

wilmon✨ & "I'll do anything"

here’s a little university!AU that I’ve had in my head since the S1 days haha. again, not even going to pretend this is 5 sentences.

“I’ll do anything,” Simon groans, wiping down the last of the tables as Ayub laughs unhelpfully behind him. He rolls out his shoulders, sore from a long shift of carrying plates and trays. “Seriously, man, he won’t leave me alone. Every time I turn around, he’s right behind me - like take a fucking hint.”

“Is he still sitting next to you in lecture?”

“Yes,” Simon cries, throwing up his hands in frustration. He drops into a chair, watching the rhythmic motions of Ayub sweeping the floor. “Like - the room seats two hundred and there’s barely fifteen of us here - why the fuck do you want to sit right next to me?”

Ayub snorts, “I’m telling you, Simme, he’s into you.”

Simon makes a face, “Don’t start with this shit again. Please.”

“I don’t get why you hate him so much.”

Simon looks at him in deep disbelief. “Are we forgetting the fact that he disappeared during our sociology final last year and I had to present it by myself?” Simon tips his head back, groaning at the embarrassing memory. “I had to retake that class because of him - and he didn’t even fucking apologize.”

“Sara said he had a family emergency,” Ayub points out gently, “remember?”

“Yeah right, that’s just an excuse and you know it.” Simon rolls his eyes, slumping back into the chair in exhaustion, “I’d get it if like - oh I can’t miss work today or else I’m going to get fired and then I can’t pay my rent - but come on. I saw his apartment, bro - mama and papa definitely help him out. No way he’s paying for that place on his own.”

Ayub sighs, setting the broom down and emptying the dustpan in the trash. “Bro, you complain about him all the time - just tell him to get lost.”

It’s a testament to their years of friendship that Simon doesn’t cross the room and strangle him. “So now I can’t even complain?” He snaps, the slow simmer of irritation that’s been building up throughout the dinner rush finally catching up to him.

Ayub’s expression shifts then, his eyes suddenly going wide. “Uh, Simme, you might not want to - ”

Simon gets to his feet, crumpling the rag in his hand as he stalks towards the front. “He’s a fucking trust-fund baby,” he rants, moving to swipe aggressively across the counter. “You really think telling him to fuck off is going to work? Wilhelm is literally the single most insufferable human being I have ever fucking met and - ”

A loud clattering interrupts him, followed by the sound of rapidly shuffling footsteps. When Simon turns around, the first thing he sees is two empty coffee cups on their side, the contents of which are dripping out over the table he’d just finished wiping down. Then, his stomach sinks.

Wilhelm is standing in front of the door, looking adorably windswept in his expensive wool coat. His cheeks are flushed, his expression mortified. “Sorry,” his breathes, voice cracking as he scrambles for a stack of tissues, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to - ”

Thankfully, Ayub is the first speak. “Hey, man, it’s just a spill. don’t worry about it, okay? I’ll take care of it, let me just go grab a mop.”

Simon throws him a panicked look at being left alone, but Ayub only shrugs in return as he makes his way to the back.

“I need a mop,” he tells him simply, shouldering past Simon with a pat on his arm.

Simon watches him go, swallowing tightly. There’s a long moment of deep, uncomfortable silence. Finally, he forces himself to take a deep breath. “We close in four minutes, sorry,” he says, voice thin.

Wilhelm’s head is bowed, eyes trained on the floor. “Yeah,” he mumbles, “I know.”

Guilt churns in Simon’s stomach like acid. “I didn’t mean for you to hear that,” he offers then, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Wille’s tone is robotic. When his gaze finally flickers up to meet Simon’s, his eyes look like broken glass. “Sorry about the mess.” He runs an awkward hand through his hair, even as the strands tumble back into his face almost immediately “I’ll - I’ll just - ” he jabs a thumb at the door, turning to leave.

Simon’s feet carry him across the room before his mind can catch up with his actions. “Wille, wait,” he begs. “That was - I’m really sorry.”

Wille turns to look at him as he pulls the door open again, backlit by the setting sun. His eyes are dark and sad, “It’s fine, Simon.”

Simon wrings his hand, “We - we open at eleven tomorrow,” he offers nonsensically, “if you come back then - ”

The ghost of an unhappy smile flickers across Wilhelm’s face. “I wasn’t here for a sandwich,” he shoves his hands in his pockets as he leans back against the open door. “I just thought. You’re always drinking flat whites in class. And I thought - that I could, you know, bring you one and we could like - ”

Dimly, Simon thinks he’s going to be sick.

Wille looks away then, blinking rapidly like he’s fighting back tears. “Anyway,” he clears his throat, “I got the message. I’ll leave you alone now,” he steps out onto the street, shooting him a last, small smile. “Have a good night, Simon.”

Simon opens his mouth to say - what exactly he doesn’t know. Maybe he means to apologize once more, to ask Wille to come back inside, to offer to buy him another coffee.

Instead, the door swings shut between them before he can decide and Simon watches through paned glass as Wille’s late evening silhouette disappears out into the crowd.

[goayda]

What if… Ed had asked Izzy to go with them to the fancy party?

Izzy is glaring and grumbling while he does the ribbons on Ed’s beard for the party and Ed asks him to come with him and he pouts and makes big puppy eyes until Izzy eventually caves in. It doesn’t take much effort on Ed’s part, really, because secretly Izzy thinks it’s a good idea since that way he can keep him safe if things get nasty somehow, unlikely as it sounds.

So Izzy ends up wearing a stupid posh outfit and everything (he refuses laces and frills, but the thing he is wearing still has too many golden buttons, it’s ridiculous) and goes to the fancy party and oh, boy, refraining from stabbing those idiots is the hardest thing he has done in his life, but Edward is having a great time so he clenches his jaw and glares from a corner in silence.

And later, when Ed is angry and ready to kill those arseholes himself, Izzy is by his side in an instant, swiftly taking out a knife he has hidden under the many layers of stupidly fine fabric, because how dare those pathetic fucking idiots! Ed was having such a great time! In fact it has been a very long time since Izzy has seen Ed so happy, but he doesn’t want to dwell on that, he simply wants to kill those twats that have made fun of the great Blackbeard!

But then Bonnet stops them and does something… incredible. He effortlessly manages to make those posh idiots pay for being nasty to Edward and they set their own ship on fire themselves and while they are going back to the Revenge, the ship full of posh idiots burning slowly at their back, Izzy sees Bonnet in a different light. Maybe he is not such a useless twat, he thinks. Who would have thought?

“I’m sorry, I hope it wasn’t too bad,” Bonnet says then with an apologetic smile. “I never really enjoyed much those parties myself when I was back home…”

“Nah, mate, it was fun,” Ed says, smiling at him.

“Well, I didn’t enjoy it at first, but it got better by the end,” Izzy replies with a smirk.

And Ed sporfles loudly and puts one arm around Izzy’s shoulders and the other around Bonnet’s and squeezes both of them playfully.

“I’m sure the next one will be even better!” Ed says, smiling broadly.

Izzy groans loudly, but when he glances to the side he sees Bonnet smiling at them and thinks that maybe it won’t be that bad. If they can keep burning their fancy ships at the end of the party, it might even be tolerable.

(Bonnet promises Izzy to find him another outfit without laces or frills for the next party and Izzy can’t understand why he would need a new one, but when he says so Bonnet looks shocked and stutters “You-you want to wear the same outfit?! *gasp*)

(They spend quite some time arguing about the ‘crime’ of repeating outfits in posh parties and/or the ‘ridiculousness of the fucking idea’ and Ed just leans back and looks at them, having a great time.)

[emmg]

I’m going to set myself on fire and eat my whole entire skin

I simply can’t kill this goddamn despair demon in Dock Town. I’m level 40

Also Emmrich, my love, my beautiful string bean, I know they’re firing at us from afar, please stop shouting it every 2 seconds 😩

[kpopmultistanfanficarchive]

PART 1/2

WORD COUNT: 2.3K

RATING: Teen and Up

A/N: Listen...ever since that GoSe episode, I have been having Seventeen zombie apocalypse AU brain rot. I can't help myself.

Synopsis: A world in chaos. Walkers closing in from every side. You're alone, hardened by weeks of survival in the forest, until two city boys—Mingyu and Wonwoo—stumble into your life, clumsy, scared, and woefully unprepared.

You waited with baited breath to see if you’d been followed. Although you were fairly confident you hadn’t been, the smaller ones were sometimes difficult to hear approaching until they were dangerously close. Cautiously, you hid yourself behind a tree, your knife at the ready.

Your breath hitched as rustling neared you through the trees. You smeared mud across your body to dampen your scent, and readied your knife, prepared for the worst, but hoping that the small hoard that you’d seen in this corner of the woods from time to time would simply stumble past as it normally did. In hoards of two to three like the one you’d grown accustomed to seeing, they were generally less of a threat, as long as you stayed quiet and out of the way.

The rustling turned to pounding footsteps. You hoisted yourself several branches up the nearest tree to get a better view or what lay ahead in the forest.

Luckily, it wasn’t the walkers.

Unluckily, it appeared to be a clumsy set of boys, one weighing heavily on the other as they fought through the brush, the taller one at the lead, looking frantically over his shoulder while gripping tightly to the other, who followed only a half step behind, seemingly being led.

They were clearly running from something. Which led you to believe that your less-than-friendly neighborhood walkers were also in the vicinity.

Against your better judgment you jumped out from your hiding place, causing the taller of the two to jump and scream. The other stumbled, his grip on the taller faltering as he staggered forward, clutching tightly to the baseball bat that he had over his shoulder.

“G-get back,” the taller shouted, dragging the other boy behind himself as he leveled a knife at you. Even with his weapon at the ready, there was a fear in his eyes that told you he wasn’t prepared to act, “w-we don’t want any trouble. We’re just passing through.”

Taking your chancea, you reached past the weapon in the taller boy’s hand and grab his wrist. “Shut up and follow me,” you grumble, leading both of them in a clumsy chain to your hideout - a small indent right on the waters’ edge that served as a decent enough shelter for the time being.

You came to a stop at your makeshift camp, dropping your pack and turning to face the two panting boys. “Drop your weapons,” you instructed in a hushed tone, pulling your own knife from its place at your side and looking between the two of them. “Now. quickly.”

“But-i-we-”

“I’m not going to have either of you stabbing me in the back now that you know where my stash is. Drop your weapons or I'm about to get a whole lot less pleasant.”

“This is pleasant?” the taller remarked, causing the smaller to shove an elbow into his side.

“Shut up, Mingyu,” the shorter of the two snapped under his breath, tripping over your fire pit only a second later.

Mingyu. You stored that away for later.

“Are either of you bitten?”

“N-no,” the shorter of the two said, rolling up the sleeves of his jacket to prove himself. The arms and hands were the most frequently bitten areas - held up in defense in a last-ditch effort to save oneself. Seeing that they were clean of any wounds brought you relief.

Mingyu mimicked his friend’s actions before rolling his sleeves back down to protect from the brisk autumn chill.

“I can tell you’re from the city,” you said, putting a hand on your hip. “Your strong hold in the city became overrun or you ran out of food, and you decided to run for the hills. You haven’t been out here that long or you would know better than to go stomping around the forest the way that you were. The walkers can’t see, but they can smell and hear for miles. You didn’t know that. I’m betting there’s plenty of other things you don’t know. So, if you want to stay alive your best bet is to stay with me. But if you don’t want to, that’s fine. Just stay quiet as you’re making your way off of my turf. You may want to roll around in the mud on the bank before you go. Covers up the human smell.”

The two exchanged a look before they both relinquished their weapons, dropping them in a pile at your feet. “Thank you,” you said, collecting them and stuffing them into your pack for safe keeping, “do you have any supplies? Food?” you asked, pulling out your empty bottles and turning to the creek to begin replenishing your water stores.

“We, um,” Mingyu let his own backpack fall from his shoulders before pulling out a single water bottle and joining you at the waterfront, “we left in a hurry. Didn’t have time to grab much, so…we’re running pretty low.”

You looked between the two boys. Ideally, it would be better for you in the long run to be alone. Quiet was better when avoiding the walkers, and these two clowns seemed to be anything but. They seemed utterly helpless. They weren’t hardened from weeks on the run like you were. Still, though, you reasoned with yourself…they were at least big. You were confident that they wouldn’t be much help against the walkers, but at the very least having two big men in your vicinity may be enough to ward off any marauders in search of supplies. At least that was something.

“Well…for as long as our interests are aligned…you’ve got my help if you want it,” you said, offering a hand for Mingyu to shake which he gratefully reciprocated. “I’m going to catch us something to eat. Do you know how to build a fire?”

“I’m sure i can work something out,” he said with a weak smile, slapping his knees as he pushed himself back to standing, setting to work finding firewood.

To your surprise, Mingyu did end up being entirely serviceable in building the fire. And after you’d caught several fish, he’d insisted on cleaning and cooking them himself, using your tin can cooking setup to heat up some rice along with the fish and doling it out to the three of you in even portions.

You ate in silence, huddled around the remnants of the fire as the water babbled just feet away. You had yet to hear a single word from the smaller of the two men since your chance encounter, and he seemed far more hesitant toward the entire situation than Mingyu did. 

“What’s his deal?” you asked, waving your tin of rice in the boy’s direction where he ate quietly by the waterfront.

“That’s Wonwoo, he’s just a quiet guy. There’s no deal,"Mingyu said simply. “He lost his glasses while we were escaping the city. He can barely see a foot in front of his face. It’s been…unsettling for him.”

You hummed noncommittally. “How long have the two of you been out here?” you asked, shivering as the sun sank below the skyline, leaving you with nothing but the dim glow of the fire to light the small area surrounding your camp. “Can’t have been out here too long if you’re both still alive. No offense.”

“None taken. We’re hopeless,"Mingyu agreed with a sad little smile, “our apartment was right in the middle of the city, so when the breakout first happened, we thought it would be safest to hunker down and wait it out inside. We figured the military would arrive eventually to evacuate the city, but…they never did. We barricaded ourselves in our living room - it’s what the health administration was telling everyone to do on day one - and then…we just waited. We only left a couple of days ago when we finally ran out of water. By the time we decided it was time to leave…the city was just crawling with walkers. I didn’t think we were going to make it to the lobby of our building much less out of town. We thought that was it when we encountered a hoard of them this deep in the woods. We’re lucky we ran into you when we did.”

You pursed your lips, unable to put words together to express how their story made you feel. You’d never had the chance or the option to hunker down at home like they had. When the outbreak began, you’d been at work, on the edge of the city. As soon as you saw things going to shit, you grabbed whatever you could carry on your person and ran, hid until the initial surge had passed, and then broke into a convenience store to stock up on supplies before heading for the mountains on foot. You’d survived since then scavenging abandoned encampments, staying close to the water, and remaining out of sight. It’d served you well up to this point.

“It gets really cold out here at night. We’re going to have to find the two of you something heavier to wear. It’s only fall; the denim isn’t going to cut it in the winter.”

“Well hopefully by the winter we’ll have all made it to Tongyeong, yeah?” Mingyu mumbled with a hopeful glint in his eye. “That’s where we’re headed. I…assumed you were headed that way, too.”

“To Tongyeong? That’s…a really long way on foot, Mingyu. Why - what’s there?” you asked, suddenly intrigued.

The look of shock on his face took you by surprise. “There’s…a colony of survivors out on the sea. We heard about it on another camp’s radio our first night in the forest. The walkers can’t cross through deep water like that, so…they took out fishing boats and yachts and…you didn’t know?”

“I…had no idea,” you remarked, your gut clenching at the thought of there perhaps being some semblance of hope on the horizon. You hadn’t let yourself feel anything close to hope in weeks. Your only goal had been to survive until you couldn’t.

“Then what was your plan?” Wonwoo asked from his perch by the water, clearly having been listening in on your conversation from afar.

“Didn’t have one,” you conceded, “I was just trying not to die.”

A heavy silence filled the valley then.

“Well, I guess it’s lucky that you ran into us then,” Mingyu finally piped up, clearly unwilling to sit with the silence any longer.

“I guess we’re all just as lucky as three suckers can be during the end of the world,” you said. “Tomorrow, you’re going to continue heading south?”

“That was the plan.”

“And you’re okay with me coming with the two of you?”

“We’d very much prefer it,” Mingyu scoffed, “you’ve been out here longer. I don’t think there’s a scenario where we’ll make it without you.”

“So…I guess we’re a team, then.”

“I guess we are,” Mingyu said, a look crossing his face that you found difficult to read.

“That’s his I’ve got the hots for a girl look; be careful,” Wonwoo called with a tinge of amusement in his voice.

“You can’t even see me, asshole,” Mingyu barked.

“Yeah but I can hear it from here,” he snarked back, “just do me a favor and don’t make any moves until we’re safe. There will be no forest breakups making things awkward.”

Turning to you with undoubtedly flushed cheeks, Mingyu murmured, “Do you think I could kick his ass quietly enough to not draw attention?”

“No,” you snorted into your tin, “but once we get to the coast, you’ll be home free.”

“I think that’s the encouragement I needed to keep pushing on, believe it or not,” Mingyu chuckled, shaking his head and sobering quickly.

“Well…we should get some sleep. If we’re going, I want to be out of here at daybreak so that we can cover as much ground as possible tomorrow.”

“Do you want to go in shifts? I can go first if you want to get some shut eye," Mingyu offered.

The idea struck you.

You hadn’t been able to sleep more than an hour straight since the beginning of the outbreak. Alone in the forest, facing both the living dead and marauders in search of supplies and food, you had to be on high alert at every second. 

And now you have the option to get a decent night’s sleep.

You weren’t entirely sure you’d be able to sleep a solid night, no matter how much you needed it.

“Why don’t you two go first? I want to catch more fish for us to take. We don’t know when the next time we’ll find a food source will be and we’re days away from Tongyeong if we make quick work of it.”

“Okay,” Mingyu nodded, exhaustion visibly taking him over. He didn’t argue. “I’ll turn in then. Wonwoo?”

“Yeah, I’m coming,” he agreed with an exhausted yawn, making his way into the small excuse for a cave that you’d been using as your temporary home.

“There’s an emergency blanket in my pack if you two want it,” you said, heading toward the waters’ edge with your fishing line in hand.

Things quieted again as the two roommates got settled and you looked out over the water again. Finally, you felt a swell in your gut, something that you hadn’t in nearly a month.

You had a glimmer of hope.

[coolchulainn]

shalem is normal this is just what being an artist is like

here's the text in the first image but with more readable formatting and actual punctuation:

So it’s a fairly common sentiment among actors that once you pick up the profession your every action becomes subject to the framework of the performance, right? Even in the midst of your most intense emotional breakdowns there’s this part of you that is assessing how it looks and feels, and how you might artificially recreate these moments to convey the same impression of emotion to a hypothetical future audience. And with this comes the constant nagging feeling that even your most sincere expressions of yourself are simply a performance of traits, rather than an expression of your actual self, and that’s for the actors that weren’t raised by a theater murder cult that assigned you a personality to act out for the rest of your life or die.

And in a sense I am fortunate that the personality they decided on for me is “modest and gentle”, because this made it fairly easy for me to blend into the background of society after I ran away and built an imitation of a normal life for myself. But it’s precisely because that is the personality I was assigned that I have no idea whether I ever actually escaped or was simply allowed to leave, because I cannot be sure that this desire to escape is actually my own. I ruined my stage debut because I did not want to kill someone, but the personality that retained a conscience that wanted to leave was assigned to me by the very people who wanted me to surrender that conscience. And I have no recollection of what I was like before I began to act according to that role, so the role of modest and gentle Shalem is all I have as a self to act according to, and even while I physically distance myself from the Crimson Troupe my life and self continue to be defined by their decisions about what that life and self should be.

And if I really did not want to kill I could easily live out the rest of my days as a logistics operator never seeing the blood of another person, right? But I became a combat operator by my own choice. I cannot avert my eyes from the beauty of slaughter that the Crimson Troupe raised me to see. I am hopelessly drawn to the battlefield for the way it resembles the stage that I once so desperately sought to escape and cannot deny the rush I feel when I splatter some poor schmuck’s brains out with my shield. I mean, you’ve seen how I get out there right, I’m setting myself on fire and everything because I can’t stop thinking about wanting to see their heads on a platter. Did you know my debut was going to be Salome btw.

[thedeathlysallows]

Is It Over Now? (14)

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Aemma Velaryon; Aegon Targaryen x Aemma Velaryon

Summary: Tore your banners down, took the battle underground

Warnings: canon typical Targaryen incest. Talk of infidelity, manipulative Aegon, mad Aemma, character death

taglist: @callsignwidow

The firm press of Aegon’s chest to your back is grounding in a way you haven’t felt for weeks. His steady breath calms you, centers you, so you can think clearly for the first time in ages. You find several things to be true at once. The first: Aegon wants you to kill Alys. The second: you want to kill Alys and possibly Aemond. The third: deep down (though not actually all that deep, just beyond surface level perhaps) you don’t really want to hurt Aemond in any way. Not more than you already have.

But you also can’t let this slight go.

Aemond is your husband.

It wasn’t all that long ago he was loving you, worshipping you. For him to abandon you is unforgivable.

Right?

As if sensing the direction of your thoughts Vermithor huffs and flaps his wings a bit harder, making it to Harrenhal in record time. You pat him fondly as you slip down from your saddle, Aegon’s eager hands reaching out to help you. He gives you a soft, adoring smile and you know what you need to do.

Aemond is yours.

But so is Aegon.

You’ve been so blind, so stupid. It can’t continue.

It won’t continue.

Finding Aemond isn’t difficult at all. In fact, he and Alys are the ones to find you and Aegon before you can take more than ten steps away from Vermithor. Your dragon hisses behind you as Alys opens her mouth to speak. She’s pretty, you think. With her dark hair and sharp features she looks eerily similar to your brothers...

Aemond is the first to actually break the tense silence. "Brother. Wife. Welcome to Harrenhal."

Anger rears its ugly head deep in your belly, setting fire to your veins. Vermithor shifts, tense and ready for a fight. "Is that all you have to say? Welcome?"

"Should I have anything else to say? I explained myself last time you were here, Aemma. I've done nothing that wasn't asked of me." Aemond observes you coolly. "Do you not trust me?"

No.

Yes.

You aren't sure who to trust to be completely honest. Aemond tells you one thing, Aegon another, and somewhere out there is your mother with another story.

So you answer a different question as you say, "I don't care what was asked of you, Aemond. I thought you loved me."

At last his cool demeanor breaks ever so slightly. "You know I do."

"Then why fuck some whore behind my back?"

Aegon lets out a fully belly laugh and your head whips over to look at him. "So you discovered the others as well? What a smart little dragon!"

"Others?" You look back at Aemond, feeling tears prick your eyes. "Others?!"

"I promise to explain-"

Alys trails her hand up Aemond's arm, resting it gently on his shoulder. Aemond relaxes ever so slightly. "You need to explain nothing, my prince. You're the blood of Old Valyria."

Confusion washes over you at their exchange and you turn to Aegon. He looks just as confused, an uncharacteristic worry lingering in his eyes.

"We're all the blood of Old Valyria. We're all Targaryens," you say in an attempt to test the hold she appears to have on your husband. "Blood calls to blood... doesn't it, husband?"

Aemond's hand twitches. "Yes."

Alys's grip tightens on his shoulder. "Is that why you've been fucking the King behind your husband's back? You dare get angry about his infidelity when you've never been loyal a day in your life? Like mother like daughter I suppose."

Aegon steps closer to you, whispering in your ear, "whatever hold she has on Aemond isn't normal. You need to get her out of the way now."

"Aemond is right beside her. I can't-"

"That's a lot of whispering over there," Alys calls out. "Perhaps you would like to share your mighty plan with the rest of us?"

"I'm deciding how to kill you," you state simply, enjoying how Alys's eyes grow terrified.

Aemond growls, pushing Alys's hand off his shoulder before stalking toward you. "Aemma, be reasonable. She's an asset to our cause."

You scoff. "Our cause? Have you forgotten whose daughter I am? There was a moment where I did, I'll admit, but no more."

You look at the two brothers, feeling your heart shatter as you realize what you let them do to you. All the isolation and manipulation and lies. You let them take your power without even realizing it.

"No more." You shake your head, willing the tears back. "Vermithor, dracarys."

Vermithor lumbers forward, fixated solely on Alys Rivers. The witch turns to run and you watch as fire spills from your dragon's mouth, consuming the woman in bright orange flames. Those same flames are reflected in Aemond's eyes when he looks down at you. He grabs you by the upper arms and shakes roughly.

"Why would you do that? We've lost everything now."

Aegon rolls his eyes. "Oh, relax, no we haven't. You told me yourself she hasn't had an important vision in-"

"She was pregnant."

You push Aemond's statement to the back of your mind, refusing to think about it right now.

Besides, the three of you have more than enough to talk about. More than enough grievances to air.

"We need to talk," you finally say. "All of us. About everything."

Aemond and Aegon nod in sync.

"Aegon and I will return to King's Landing on Vermithor. You can follow on Vhagar," you tell your husband.

He nods once more, still starring at the charred remains of Alys Rivers.

You can't find it in yourself to feel one way or another about her death, but you do regret hurting Aemond. The wedding band on your finger feels suddenly heavy.

"I do love you, Aemond," you whisper before mounting Vermithor. Aegon follows you, one of his hands resting on your lower stomach while the other stays on your thigh. Aemond finally looks over and snarls at his brother's hand placement.

"Is that enough anymore?" He looks up at you, jaw set in anger. "Can it ever be enough after all of this?"

"I hope so."

[kedsandtubesocks]

thank you so much for the tags @pedgito @almostfoxglove @sunshinehaze1 appreciate y’all 🩷 also big thanks to dear @jolapeno for putting this sweet event on for us

What a year it’s been!!! I’m grateful I still get to write among so many of you amazing creators, you all inspire me. This year felt like I really got to connect with so many of y’all & getting to embrace new friendships is such a gift in itself. All the fun messages & giggling we’ve shared have kept me going and brought light into my days - so even when it gets a bit hectic here, I’m so thankful this place brought us together

Favorite Fics I’ve Written

You, My Golden Hour - Javi P x Cowgirl!Reader

this fic holds a special spot in my heart, it felt so cathartic and healing to write, plus Texas Javi P is such a dream

Game Changer - Baseball Pitcher!Joel x F!Reader

Getting to blend my love of baseball & my love of Joel Miller? This is one of those ‘embrace the self indulgence’ fics lol

Blood on Your Name - Evil Cowboy!Ezra x F!Reader

I wanted to challenge myself this year & Ezra to me is such a tricky handsome fella to write so getting to explore him in a Wild West setting was such a mini win when I finished this fic lol

What the Water Gave Us - Merman!Joel

My goal is to just monsterfy Joel Miller more & more plus I believe we deserve all the merman boyfriends so this was such a one fun to write

Fic Challenges

this was the most fic challenges I’ve ever done and I do want to take a moment to pat myself on the back & I’m beyond thankful to all the wonderful babes who hosted these

PPCU x MCR Prompt Challenge:

All the Trouble We’ve Seen - Max P x Witch!Reader

An Offering of Frith Challenge:

The Dark Dresses Lightly - God of Vengeance!Dave York

#MONSTERSMASH24:

Fire Starter - Dragon!Dieter

I’m gonna sound like a broken record player but I really can’t thank everyone enough, from reading to simply allowing me to share this space with y’all - my heart is beyond full & I hope the final weeks of this year are kind to us

no pressure tags: @perotovar @hauntedhowlett @quinnnfabrgay-writes @burntheedges

@saradika @lowlights @joelsgreenflannel @julesonrecord @beardedjoel @morallyinept @nothoughtsjustmeds @msjarvis

@gasolinerainbowpuddles @chronically-ghosted @haylzcyon @corazondebeskar @pedropeach @sp00kymulderr @amanitacowboy & to anyone else - if you’re seeing this, I want you to too your own horn too!! You’ve done so much & you should be proud like I’m proud of you!!

[stars-and-inkpots]

Greetings, I'm hoping you're having a great day and or night😊 I love your writing, you're talented! If your requests are still open, can I request Tav (female please) being insecure that she doesn't live up to Gales standards because he was with Mystra? Tav just tells him "I'm in love with you, but I'm nothing. I'm no Goddess" I love my romance with some angst🥲❤️

I finally have a little time this week to write!! I loved this request, thank you so much. I actually had two versions of this planned out, one where you aren't yet together (this one), and another set in post game when the two of you are together in Waterdeep (I might finish this version and post it at some point too) ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy!

With You | Gale x Reader

You were nothing when compared to a god, and Gale certainly wasn’t blind to that. 

So you keep yourself at a distance. You convince yourself that this is for the best. 

Of course, Gale notices.

Pairing: Gale/Reader

Tags: Love confessions, hurt/comfort, fluff and angst, first kiss, comfort, self-esteem issues, low self-worth issues

Ao3 Link: Baldur's Gate 3 Requests

Word Count: 1,037

Realising you had developed feelings for Gale was a complicated discovery on its own. Knowing that Gale’s previous partner had been none other than a literal goddess complicated it even further. 

The two of you had grown close, and both of you would be fools to not admit that there was something between the two of you. But you hesitated everytime the opportunity to take things any further than friendship arose. Not because you didn’t want to, no; Gods, you wanted to so badly. But it was exactly because of Mystra that you hesitated. 

Gale had been with a goddess before. A goddess. And you were just… well, you were just you. You were mortal, and you could never hope to possibly compare to the divine. And what if he was just settling for you? Was he simply lowering his standards? What if Mystra, for whatever reason, decided to return to her affections for Gale? Would he, despite everything that She had done, go back to Her? You were nothing when compared to a god, and Gale certainly wasn’t blind to that. 

So you keep yourself at a distance. You convince yourself that this is for the best. 

Of course, Gale notices. 

Not immediately at first, but after a few days of you barely speaking to him, he can’t help but worry he’s done something wrong. There are no more late night talks by the fire; no walking just a little too close to be simply friendly during the day; no stolen glances. Nothing. Where there was once undeniably something, there is nothing. He curses himself for not saying anything sooner, for hesitating. 

At first, he wants to assume it’s because you suddenly realised that he’s dangerous, that he’s volatile. Then he worries that you’ve realised he’s just not as impressive as you thought he was. Maybe his skill no longer impresses you, and if he doesn’t have that then what else is there? The thought that you look at him and see only what he thinks he is, a pathetic shadow of a man who once was. 

Maybe it’s desperate on his end, but he’s not willing to just let this go. As much as he’s ready to wallow in self-pity, he needs to know. He can change, if that’s what you want. 

---

“I want to talk to you, if you have a moment,” Gale says before you can duck into your tent for the night. 

“Alright,” you relent. “Let’s go for a walk then.” You lead the two of you out of camp, and Gale follows beside you. You can’t shake the anxious feeling that only grows with the silence between you two. Once you’re far enough away, Gale speaks up. 

“I’m going to be perfectly transparent here; and if I’ve misread anything, do stop me before I embarrass myself too much.” Gale takes a breath, as if he’s already waiting for you to object. When you remain silent, he continues. “You mean a great deal to me, and I care about you a lot. In all honesty, I have feelings for you, very strong feelings. Now, a few days ago I had thought that you returned and shared my affections. But you’ve been quite different with me as of late. I know I am not owed an explanation or an answer, but I will still ask for one all the same.” 

You freeze. Even though you knew this conversation would come eventually, you don’t know what to say. He’s here. He’s here and he just admitted that he felt the same way as you did, and yet you can’t bring yourself to answer. 

“I just want to know if it was something I did. Did something change? As I said, you don’t have to answer, of course, I just… what happened to make you change your mind?” You can hear the nervous self-consciousness in his words, but it confuses you. How could he ever think it was something that he did when he had been with a goddess? How could he want you? 

“No, nothing changed. It was nothing that you did. I promise.” You sit down, and Gale follows, sitting beside you. 

“Then why have you been so cold with me? It isn’t fair to tell me I did nothing wrong when you go from spending so much time with me to barely even looking at me, let alone speaking to me.” He sounds frustrated, and you don’t exactly blame him. It was cruel of you to treat him so differently without an explanation. 

“I’m sorry.” You finally bring yourself to look over at him. Even through his slight annoyance with your behaviour, there is hurt. “You deserve better than me,” you say finally. You watch his expression change to one of confusion. “You shouldn’t lower your standards for me.” 

“What?” For once, you seem to have rendered him nearly speechless. 

“Gale, I’m in love with you, but I’m nothing. I’m no goddess.” 

A sudden understanding crosses his face. 

“Yes, you are. You most certainly are.” He takes your hand in his. “And you are more than I deserve, I assure you. If you truly wish to remain no more than friends, then so be it; but if those worries were all that were holding you back, I assure you you need not entertain them any further.” Every word sounds so completely genuine. 

“Are you sure?” You ask, despite yourself. 

“Completely.” He lifts your hand and presses a kiss to your knuckles. The act and the way he looks at you is enough to push your worries aside for now. You can tell he means everything he says. 

“Can I kiss you?” You ask, in a rush of newfound confidence. 

“I would like nothing more.” 

The hand not holding yours rests against your face, thumb brushing along your cheek. You brush your fingers through his hair, and you feel him shiver. It’s a soft kiss, the beginning of things. When you part he rests his forehead against yours and both of you are smiling. 

The walk back to camp is quiet, but comfortable. Gale doesn’t let go of your hand until you kiss once more and retire for the night to your tents.