#if there’s one thing I want for them it’s for them to be cozy

[daizymax]

happy ending, new beginning | hhj (m)

summary: when your friend gifts you an appointment for a massage, he fails to mention one critical detail. luckily, it turns out to be a pleasant surprise with a very happy ending.

pairing: hyunjin x fem reader

genre: smut

word count: 8.3k

rating: mature (18+)

warnings & features: profanity; mentions of the reader having a menstrual cycle; graphic sexual content; the “massage with a happy ending” trope; fingering; risky workplace sex; dirty talk; unprotected sex; pullout method

author’s note: i really cannot believe this is as many words as it is because there is seriously no plot here. i hope you enjoy!

{ click here if you prefer to read on AO3 }

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The cozy parlor smells nice, like powder and fresh linens. 

The receptionist at the counter smiles. “Hello, good morning. Checking in?” 

You smile back and approach them. “Hi, yes. I’m supposed to have an appointment at ten o’clock?” 

You give them your name. They tap a few things on their screen and nod. 

“All right, you are all checked in. If you want to have a seat, Hyunjin will be with you shortly.”

No sooner have you taken a seat and crossed your legs than the glass door behind the receptionist’s counter opens. Out steps a tall, thin man dressed head to toe in white. Thin, white short-sleeved shirt, loose-fitting white cotton pants, shiny white designer shoes. His blond hair is buzzed short. His ears are decorated with multiple golden piercings. His eyes are a deep brown, and there is a distinctly feline quality to his gaze. 

He’s beautiful. 

Of course Minho booked you a massage with the most beautiful masseur ever.

The man smiles brightly and says your name as a question. His voice is soft and rather pleasant. A lovely voice to match a handsome face. Of course. 

You stand and manage to smile back. “That’s me. Hi.” 

He extends his hand and you shake it. His skin is warm. Soft, too. 

“Hi, I’m Hyunjin, nice to meet you. Please, come on back.” 

He holds the door open and ushers you ahead of him. His hand grazes the center of your back, and your heart flutters for some reason.

“We’ll be in the last room on the right,” he says. 

You walk down the short hallway and turn through the last door on the right with Hyunjin right behind you. 

In your mind, you pictured a sterile white room. Instead, the walls are painted a beautiful shade of green with paintings of flowers and landscapes displayed upon them. There is a long counter along one wall with a round porcelain sink in the middle. Near the sink are a multitude of candles and small bottles and vials. Rolled towels are stuffed in the shelves beneath the counter. In the center of the room is the massage table, longer than it is wide. A white sheet is fitted on top of it. The smell of powder and fresh linen is stronger back here.

Hyunjin steps around you, and you catch the scent of him when the air moves. He smells of something rich and slightly sweet, like dark chocolate. He pulls a fluffy white towel out from under the counter and sets it on the edge of the massage table. Then he looks to you and smiles again. The groove of a dimple appears in his cheek. 

“I’m going to step out for a few minutes,” he says. “I want you to undress entirely, please. Bra, underwear, everything. We don��t want to stain any of your clothing with the oils. Then I want you to lie face down on the table with the towel over you like it’s a blanket, please.” 

You nod along to his instructions. When he is finished, you say, “Okay. Thank you.” 

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

He leaves and gently shuts the door behind him. 

You undress and pile your clothing on a nearby chair, sliding your shoes underneath it. Then you pick up the towel and shake it open before climbing onto the padded massage table and lying face down under your makeshift blanket. 

It takes several minutes, but eventually there is a knock on the door. Hyunjin calls your name and asks, “Are you decent?” 

“Yes. Come in,” you say, turning your head to see him enter.

He steps inside and closes the door again. You lock eyes for a second, then he moves to the counter. Music begins playing. A slow, relaxing piano melody. You hadn’t even noticed the speaker there. He also lifts one of the candles, but before he lights it, he turns back to you and asks, “Is it all right if I dim the overhead lights and light a few of the candles? They’re not scented.” 

“Oh,” you say. “Uh, sure.” 

He gives you a crooked grin. He really is incredibly beautiful. “It’s all right to say no,” he says. 

“No, no. That sounds fine. Just seems kind of… I don’t know. Intimate, I guess. I wasn’t expecting that.” 

Hyunjin’s face changes. His grin falls and his eyebrows dip in what appears to be confusion. “Is that not what you requested? When you made the appointment, I mean?” he asks. 

You fidget with the sheet, plucking at an imaginary loose thread. “I didn’t set it up myself, actually,” you explain. “My friend did. As a gift.”

Hyunjin’s shoulders drop. It seems like realization is hitting him.

“Ah,” he says, turning all the way from the counter to face you fully. “I’m sorry, this is my fault. I should have confirmed everything with you before I left the room.”

He steps over to a screen the size of an iPad mounted face-high on the wall by the door. He pulls something up on it and nods to himself. Then he looks back to you and explains, “Your friend booked you with me for the full deluxe package. That’s a two hour session which includes establishing relaxing ambiance—the candles, lighting, music, et cetera—the massage of course, use of any and as many essential oils as you wish, and a… a happy ending, if you’re familiar with the term.”

You nearly choke on the spit in your mouth. “O-Oh! Oh my god,” you stammer. “You mean…?”

“An orgasm, yes,” Hyunjin says. “To be clear. Which I should be and should have been from the start.”

Oh, you are going to fucking kill Minho when you see him. No wonder he had been so excited to give you this gift. He does like giving you things you would never buy for yourself, and this definitely fits into that category. Plus, the main reason he did this for you in the first place is because of the recent breakup you’ve gone through. ‘It’ll take your mind off it for a while.’ ‘You deserve to treat yourself.’

Full deluxe package, huh. That twisted fuck.

“No, you’re fine,” you tell Hyunjin, “it’s my friend who should have been clear from the start. Fucking prick.”

Hyunjin chuckles a little. “If you want to cancel, I totally understand. I’ll refund your friend.”

You chew on your lip in thought for a moment then ask, “You really offer that here?”

“Refunds?” 

You laugh, loudly and genuinely. “No. You know what I mean.” 

Hyunjin laughs too. “Yes, I get paid to massage people then make them come. Though not as many people book for that as you might think. You’d think they’d at least be curious, but I think they assume it’s a terrible joke. Anyway, I know this was a lot to spring on you. It’s all right to change your mind and decline. That goes for anything that happens in here this morning.” 

You think for another moment. Another question comes to mind. “What if I had a partner?” you ask. “You wouldn’t offer this in that case, would you?” 

Hyunjin consults the screen on the wall again, scrolling with the tip of his finger. He points to something and replies, “Your appointment form says you’re single, unless your friend lied about that.”

“No,” you say, shaking your head. “No, that’s correct. I was just curious.” 

“Everything that happens here is private and confidential,” Hyunjin says, sort of dodging your original question at first, but then he adds, “but no. I wouldn’t offer this service to people in relationships. Unless they’ve lied on their appointment form, of course.” 

“Huh. Well I guess that’s on them and not you then.” 

Hyunjin gives a tight smile. “What other questions or concerns do you have?” he asks. He sounds patient and genuinely curious. You get the impression he is good at this. At his job. 

“What if I was on my period?” you ask.

“We have tampons. Or if you wanted to put your underwear back on and wear a pad, we’d have to get you cleaned of all the oil first. I would also lay an extra towel beneath you.” 

“So… you’d still do it?” 

Hyunjin flashes an easier smile. “I would use gloves for sanitary purposes, but yes, I would. Are you on your period? Do I need to step out again or get you anything? Or would you prefer to reschedule?” 

“No, no. I’m not. Just curious again.” 

“These are good questions.” Again, he sounds genuine and kind.

Are you really willing to let this beautiful stranger give you an orgasm though? It wouldn’t be the first time, but this isn’t exactly a dating app hookup or picking someone up at the bar. 

Still, if this is what his job entails and it is a totally normal occurrence for him, why not go along with it? What would it hurt? 

You shake your head again. “I can’t think of anything else,” you say slowly. “And I… I’ll go with everything that was booked.” 

“You sure? No hard feelings if you want to omit some things or reschedule or completely cancel. I promise.” 

You swallow and nod. “I’m sure.”

Hyunjin flashes a brighter smile, bringing back the dimple in his cheek. You entertain the idea that he might actually be relieved by your answer, but surely that is not the case. This is work to him, and this is still a customer service type of job.

“All right. So, would you like me to dim the lights and light some candles?” he asks, easily picking up right where he left off.

“Sure. That would be nice.”

He does so quickly, lighting and placing the candles in various places around the room before dimming the overhead lights. You can still see him well enough to watch him move back to the counter and wash his hands at the sink. The faint light catches on the jewelry in his ears. After he dries his hands, he starts examining the bottles. He does not look at you when he speaks again.

“So, you’re booked for a full body massage. No pun intended,” he says, making you laugh. “But are there any specific areas you want me to focus on? And yes, you’re allowed to say something like your breasts or your glutes or your pelvis.” 

Heat rises in your face. “No. Nowhere in particular,” you answer. 

Hyunjin nods to himself and lifts a couple bottles. “Your form said no known allergies to any oils or lotions or skincare products in general. Is that correct?” 

You sigh. “Yeah, that’s correct. Minho might be a prick but he knows me well.”

Hyunjin laughs again. You like that sound. 

“All right, what about scent preferences? Dislikes?” 

“Uh… what do you recommend? What’s your favorite?” 

He looks at you. “Oh. Well, I like green tea and eucalyptus the most. Lavender is nice too, if you want to relax to the point of falling asleep, which a lot of people do. We also have rose oil, coconut, ginger, frankincense…” 

“The green tea one sounds nice,” you decide. 

“Good choice.”

Hyunjin sets both the bottles in his hands down and lifts another. He opens it and pours a healthy amount into his palm. 

“These are all safe for even the most intimate areas,” he says, rubbing his hands together to warm and spread the oil, “but let me know if you feel any burning or unpleasantness at any time, okay?” 

“Okay.” 

“Ready?” 

“Ready.” 

He touches your arm that is closest to him. You automatically lift it because you think that will make his work easier, but he gently pushes it back down and says, “Just relax, please. No need to lift a finger. I’ll do all the work.”

Something in the way he says that has heat rushing south between your legs. How are you supposed to relax when you know what is waiting for you at the end? Maybe it would help if you didn’t stare at the handsome man touching your body the entire time, so you turn your face to fit it into the cutout in the table and mumble an apology to the floor. 

“Don’t be sorry,” Hyunjin says, gliding a firm hand up your arm, coating it in the fragrant, pleasantly tingly oil. He starts making conversation by asking, “So what made your friend book this appointment for you? Work stress? Just for fun?” 

It would be easy to answer with one of those choices, but he has been so kind, so you feel compelled to tell him the truth. 

“I went through a… sort of a nasty breakup a few months ago. I’m getting over it, but I was pretty down about it for a while.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. And I’m sorry to bring it up.”

Hyunjin kneads downward from your bicep to your wrist, then slots his fingers between yours to hold your hand and roll your wrist in a gentle circle. Somehow, that gesture feels every bit as intimate as if he was already touching between your legs. 

“You’re fine,” you say. 

He lets go of your hand and goes back to your bicep, repeating his earlier motions until he reaches your hand again. He rubs at your fingers, either intentionally or unintentionally popping a few of your knuckles in the process. 

“We don’t have to talk at all, by the way,” Hyunjin says. “You can tell me to be quiet.” 

You smile at the floor. “No, I… I like conversation. Better than sitting here in silence, I think.”

“Well, your emotional and mental comfort are as important to me as your physical comfort,” he says. His hand moves to your upper back between your shoulders, skirting along the edge of the towel. “Is it all right if I pull the towel down a bit? Just to the middle of your back for now.” 

“Yeah, of course. Whatever you need.” 

He folds the towel back just as he said. The air is a little cool on your bare skin, but his warm hands are there to soothe that problem in no time. The oil feels pleasant as he smears it along your skin. The scent of green tea envelopes but does not overwhelm you. The song changes in the background to a different piano melody. 

Hyunjin hums in thought as he prods your shoulders with his fingertips. “You have quite a bit of tension up here,” he says. “Do you sit at a desk all day for work?”

You nod against the table. “Yeah, actually. And I’ve been told my posture isn’t great.”

He chuckles. “I wasn’t going to lecture you or anything, I swear. I was just curious myself.”

A couple quiet minutes go by as he works the knots in your shoulders. You’re the one to speak up and carry on the conversation this time.

“So how did you get into this job?”

“Oh, a friend of a friend thought I’d be good at it. It sounded fun. I thought it would just be a temporary thing but then I was actually going to school for it, and then I was doing hundreds of hours of training and getting my whole license, so I guess this is my career now. I like it though. It’s interesting, you know. Unconventional. Can’t imagine doing something like sitting at a desk all day.”

You both laugh again. You did not realize your legs were tense, but you feel them relax as you sink just a little deeper into the cushioned table. 

“I feel like it could make relationships awkward though,” you say, then immediately wish you hadn’t. That was probably too personal. 

Hyunjin hums but does not pause his work for a second. He pushes his thumbs up and down along the upper part of your spine and says, “I went through a rough breakup a while ago myself because of my career. I told her it was just work and there are other jobs out there that involve touching people’s genitals, but that was a mistake. I mean, I know it’s not the same. There’s definitely a difference between what I do and what a cerologist does. I get that.” 

“A cerologist?” 

“Sorry. A wax specialist.” 

“Ah. Right.”

He sighs heavily. “Anyway, I’ve been hesitant to get seriously involved with anyone since then.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” you say, shifting your weight a little. “It is just a job though.”

“Easy for someone who’s not my girlfriend to say,” Hyunjin jokes. The laughter in the room is more awkward this time. “Sorry,” he says after. “That was weird. I’m sorry.”

It takes more strength than it should, but you turn your face to look at him. He meets your eyes. The candlelight behind him gives his form a glowing outline. Coupled with his white clothing and golden hair, he looks positively radiant.

“It’s all right,” you say. “For whatever it’s worth, I think you’re really good at your job, Hyunjin.”

There are dimples in both his cheeks when he smiles this time. “Thank you. That’s kind of you.”

You shrug. “It’s true.”

He holds eye contact with you for a few seconds longer before looking away. He inhales deeply and clears his throat. “Is it all right if I lower the towel again? Down to your lower back this time?”

“Trying to see my tattoo?” you tease.

He lets out that warm laugh. “If you have a tattoo anywhere on your body, I’ll probably see it, don’t worry. May I, though?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

He folds the towel further and sees nothing but naked skin. He laughs under his breath and turns back to the counter to pour more oil into his hands. It squelches when he rubs his hands together.

You wonder how much time has gone by already. He still has your lower back, your legs, then your entire front to do, you assume. And that’s before you even get to the grand finale.

When his hands smooth their way across the small of your back, your thoughts dissipate. Your breathing slows after a while, until a particularly good press of his fingers on your lower spine elicits a moan from you.

“Sorry, I—” you start, then promptly shut your mouth. You should not have acknowledged the sound at all. That made it a hundred times weirder.

“No, don’t be sorry,” Hyunjin says again. “That’s a good thing. It lets me know it feels good, which is important, obviously. And the walls are soundproof, so don’t worry about that.”

You let out a tiny breath of laughter. “It feels really good,” you say honestly.

“The pressure is okay then?”

“You could go a little, uh, harder, actually.”

“No problem.”

He starts using the heels of his palms to rub outward from your spine to your sides, all the way from your lower back up to your shoulder blades. The oil is very slick, but his hands never slip or fumble in their movements. He does this over and over, moving up and down from the center outward. Another quiet moan comes straight from your throat.

“That’s it,” Hyunjin whispers. His voice is so soft you’re not even sure if he meant for you to hear that or not. A crazy part of you wonders if he ever gets hard during these sessions, but you’re definitely not saying that out loud.

After a while of Hyunjin maintaining a steady rhythm, you start to feel boneless, especially when he steps around the table to give your other side the same attention. He is probably running on auto-pilot mode by now, but your heart skips a few beats when he does the same hand-holding move on your other hand. If he notices the change in your breathing, he does not comment on it.

Eventually, Hyunjin says, “I’m going to move on to your legs now, if that’s all right.”

You hum in understanding. Your throat feels a little dry. Hyunjin carefully peels the towel off your legs and folds it upward. Only your butt remains covered at this point. 

His touch feels softer when he lays his hands on the back of the thigh closest to him. For a second, it feels like his thumbs swipe back and forth with no real intention behind the movement, but then his hands glide all the way down to your ankles with the same pressure he was using on your back. 

“Is the pressure still okay?” he asks. 

“Y-Yeah.” You swallow through the scratchiness in your throat. “Yeah, it’s good.” 

“Good.” 

He squeezes down your leg repeatedly, as if he is trying to push all the tension downward and out through your foot. He keeps you in that boneless state, expertly working your muscles. After a while, you stop feeling embarrassed about your soft moans.

“Are your feet ticklish, or may I move on to those?” he asks. It feels like you have been floating, so it takes you a moment to register his words.

“I mean, they’ve never been especially ticklish?” you say. “Have at it.”

Hyunjin tickles his fingertips against the sole of your foot and laughs with you when you jerk it away. You turn your head to look at him. There is a mischievous glint in his eyes. Or maybe it’s the candlelight.

“Sorry. Couldn’t help myself,” he says. Could he possibly be flirting with you?

You swallow again and say, “You better watch it, mister.”

His eyes glimmer when he nods. “I’ll behave, I promise. Permission to continue the professional way?”

“Granted,” you say, giving him a smile before turning your face back into the cutout.

He takes your foot in a firmer touch so as not to tickle you again, even accidentally. For some reason, this part of the massage feels the best yet. His fingers really know the exact ways to release the tension in your body. You knew he was good at his job.

He steps around the table again and switches to your other leg and foot. It seems like he is focusing longer on your inner thigh this time around. Your toes curl at the thought of his fingers moving just a little higher. Of course he notices. 

“I know,” he says quietly. “Relax.” 

Hyunjin’s touch lingers on your skin after he finishes with your other foot. 

“Would you like me to do your glutes before we move on to your front?” he asks. His voice is not only low but also deeper now. 

“Sure,” you say, your voice hardly more than a breath.

It takes a second before the towel lifts from your butt. Hyunjin sets it down on the back of your calves, out of his way. It takes another second before you feel his touch. He starts with your hips rather than going straight for your butt cheeks. He kneads them gently. It takes all your willpower to stay relaxed.

His thumbs eventually inch their way onto your butt while the rest of his fingers remain splayed over your hips. He presses his thumbs firmly up and outward over your cheeks. Soon he goes from using only his thumbs to using his entire hands. He easily draws more moans from you this way.

What you don’t expect to do is curse under your breath. A tiny but still audible: “Fuck.”

Hyunjin exhales hard. On one upward stroke, you could swear he gropes your flesh more than presses it, and you find you don’t mind that at all. You were wrong — this part feels the best so far.

You would have been more than happy for him to continue this part for hours, but you are reminded of the limited timeframe when he stops his movements.

He lifts the towel off your legs, but one of his hands is still resting on the small of your back when he asks, “Ready to flip over for me?” 

As if you aren’t putty in his hands to mold as he pleases. 

You start to turn over but you are still floating and boneless and your arms give out. Luckily your fall is all of an inch and does not hurt at all, but you are embarrassed by the fumble nonetheless. 

Hyunjin curls an arm behind your back and says, “Here, lean against me. I’ll turn you over.”

“Sorry,” you say as you do as he asks. He is stronger than you expected him to be. He eases your body back into the center of the table like it’s nothing. The towel settles over you again from your collarbone to your toes. You pull your arms out from under it. 

Hyunjin keeps his eyes on yours when you settle on your back. “Don’t be,” he says once again. He smiles that beautiful, dimpled smile. His fingers trail down your arm. “Still feeling good?” he asks. 

You nod silently. 

“Good. May I massage your chest?” 

Only when he asks do you become aware of your hard nipples standing against the soft towel. 

“Yes,” you say.

His eyes drop to your covered breasts. He peels the towel down, folding it down to your belly button. Then he turns to grab the bottle of oil again. He only adds a little more this time. He purses his lips as he reaches for your chest. 

He starts just below your breasts and moves upward, cupping them gently—briefly—before pushing up further. The tips of his thumbs barely graze your nipples, but it’s enough to send a pulse of desire between your legs. 

You hiss and bite your lip. You might have gotten comfortable with your moans, but now he can see your every facial expression, so it feels embarrassing again. 

His hands lift away from your body and his eyes flick to your face in concern. “Did that hurt?” he asks.

“No, uh. The opposite actually.”

“Oh. Phew.” His face relaxes. “Do tell me if it does hurt though. I know this area can be very… tender.”

You nod and take a deep breath, exhaling it slowly.

“That’s it,” Hyunjin says gently. “Breathe. Relax. Enjoy my touch.”

You close your eyes. You don’t think you want to risk eye contact with him while he is doing this.

His hands return to your chest. He gently pushes your breasts up, then smooths over your collarbone, again and again. This part feels the most like fondling so far, but as he said, this can be a tender area, so he can’t exactly be as firm as with your back or your legs.

You sigh when his fingers ghost across your nipples again, lips parting ever so slightly. Hyunjin makes a soft noise as well. You crack an eyelid to look at him. He is focused on your chest with his eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed again in concentration. He looks so handsome you can’t help but blink your eyes open the rest of the way. 

He smooths his face over and smiles when he notices you watching him. 

“How am I doing?” he asks. “Still feeling good?” 

“You’re really good at this,” you say. You sound somewhat breathless, which surprises you because you haven’t even done anything to get that way. 

“Thank you. May I move the towel down a bit?” 

“Sure.”

He tugs it down below your belly button, still leaving your legs and crotch covered. 

“Is your stomach ticklish at all?” he asks. 

“No, not really.” 

He does not pull the same flirty stunt with your stomach as he did with your feet. He simply goes straight back to work, running his hands gently down your sides and across your stomach. It feels more like rubbing than pushing or pressing, probably because of all your organs just below. 

His fingers frequently brush the edge of the towel when they move downward. Sometimes they dip right below the towel and skim just above your pelvis, briefly at first, then lingering for longer and longer.

Your heart kicks up when you realize what is next. Is it that time already? 

Hyunjin notices the change in your breathing. You lock eyes with him again. 

“We don’t have to,” he says quietly. His lips hardly move. His eyes are molten chocolate. 

He stops dipping his fingertips beneath the towel. It surprises you how much you wish he would continue. You think you’ll go crazy if he doesn’t continue. You have to be honest with him. 

“I want to,” you say.

You expect him to move the towel away—or ask to move it away, as he’s been doing—but he merely pushes beneath it again, this time with his whole hand. The hand not beneath the towel curls gently around your shoulder at first, then behind your neck, as if he needs to hold you steady.

“Is this all right?” Hyunjin asks. He has not broken eye contact with you.

You are not sure if he is asking about the hand holding your neck or the one teasing along your inner thigh, but you are enjoying both of them, so you nod and say, “Yes.”

“It will never be too late to change your mind and tell me to stop, okay?” he says. His hand rubs against the crease where your crotch meets your leg. He holds you there too.

You nod again, not trusting yourself to speak clearly with words instead of moans.

“Try to relax,” he says. “Don’t undo all my hard work now.” 

You giggle at his joke. He smiles down at you. His eyes still have not left yours. 

“And tell me if the oil irritates you at all,” he reminds you. 

With that, he cups your pussy whole. You both make a noise at the sensation. You can tell you were wet, even before the oil. He must feel it too, along with the heat of you radiating into his palm. You think you hear him swear under his breath, but he clears his throat immediately after and finally looks away from your face. 

Hyunjin separates his fingers and drags them down each side of your slit, avoiding your clit and your hole. Your eyelashes flutter closed. Your legs twitch and one of your hands briefly balls into a fist on the table before you relax it again. You take a deep breath and exhale slowly through your mouth. Hyunjin lightly squeezes your neck.

“Very good,” he murmurs. His fingers slowly drag up the edges of your pussy, back down again. “Breathe. Relax. Let me do all the work.” 

You lick your lips and keep your eyes closed, enjoying the steady rhythm he builds of gently rubbing you up and down, spreading the oil—and surely your own wetness—over your sensitive skin. 

You nearly manage to relax again when the tip of his middle finger brushes the hood of your clit. Electricity forks throughout your entire body. Your eyelids scrunch tighter and your hips twitch against the table. Hyunjin does not say anything; he simply strums that fingertip over your clit every time his hand passes back and forth. His hand continues sweeping up and down a few more times before he rests it in place and uses that wicked fingertip to draw circles into your hardened clit. 

“How’s the pressure?” he asks. His voice is low and deep again.

You let out a whimper before you can speak. “Good. S-So good, ah—” 

“Should I go faster? Slower?” 

“F-Faster, please.” 

He does so immediately. Your hips buck an inch off the table at the rush of pleasure from the change of pace. Hyunjin chuckles under his breath, but again, he does not comment on your obvious lack of relaxation. 

He does say your name, however, in that low, deep voice. “I want to make you feel so good,” he says.

You’re not sure if he says those words in that tone to all his clients, but you can’t follow that train of thought right now. A fresh wave of arousal takes you, shuddering through all the muscles he just massaged. The area beneath your backside feels wetter than before with the combination of oil and arousal beginning to pool there. 

“Hyunjin,” you moan before you can stop yourself. 

His breath catches in his throat. You look at him again and see his eyelids are heavy over his deep brown eyes. That glowing halo of candlelight is surrounding him again.

“Fuck,” he says, not loudly, but clearly this time. He bites his lip and skims his gaze down the length of your body before meeting your eyes again. “I swear I never say this to clients, but you are so fucking beautiful.” 

You whimper again when his fingertip edges beneath the hood of your clit. When he shifts his weight, you notice the considerable tent in the front of his thin pants. You moan just from the sight of it. He notices that you have noticed his problem, but he does not remove either of his hands from your body to deal with it. Again, you wonder if this always happens, even if he does not call every client beautiful. 

“Can I take the towel off you? Please?” he asks in a pleading tone.

You pull it off yourself and let it drop to the floor. Hyunjin immediately looks between your legs at your naked pussy in his hand and lets out a groan from so deep in his throat that you swear you have a tiny orgasm with the next flick of his finger.

He looks back to your face. His sharp cheeks are noticeably flushed. His sharp jawline flexes beneath his flawless skin.

“Tell me if I’m out of line,” he whispers.

You bend your knees and spread them apart, a clear invitation for him to keep going. He gets the message.

“Fuck, I’m going to make you come so hard,” he says. He adds his ring finger to the circles he is drawing on your sticky clit. It feels incredible, but you still feel horribly empty inside.

“Want your fingers in me, please,” you boldly murmur. 

“Yeah? You want them inside you, beautiful?” 

“Well, not just your fingers.” 

You meant to keep that to yourself—you really did—but you must have said it out loud because Hyunjin sucks a breath through his teeth and stops drawing those maddening circles. His cock visibly bounces in his pants. You look up at his face. An almost pained expression crosses his sculpted features. 

“I… can’t, I… I never…” 

“Sorry,” you say, mortified, “forget I said that. I’m so sorry.”

“I want to,” Hyunjin says, quickly and earnestly. “Trust me, I really fucking want to. I just—my license… I can’t…”

You nod over and over. “I totally get it, I’m sorry. Please ignore me.”

The pained expression does not leave Hyunjin’s face. He bites his plump bottom lip again. His eyes drop in a straight line from your eyes to your mouth to your chest to your pussy and back up again. He dips his middle finger into your pussy, only up to his first knuckle. You automatically clench around it, trying to pull it deeper. It works. He slides his finger the rest of the way inside and curls it, drawing another moan from you. He adds his index finger and curls them both, then scissors them like he wants to work you open.

He breathes hard. He gives the back of your neck another tender squeeze then mutters, “Fuck it,” and moves that hand to the strings on the front of his pants to untie them.

Your heart races. You gasp when he pulls his dick out in front of you. The tip is rosy and thick. The wetness gathered at the slit looks delicious; your immediate thought is how badly you want to lick it up.

“This has to stay between us,” Hyunjin whispers, frantically tugging his pants down to his knees with one hand. His erection stands stiff in the open air.

“I know,” you say, propping yourself up on your elbows. “I swear.”

“Come here. Please…”

Hyunjin takes your hands and helps you scoot to the edge of the table in front of him. He stands between your legs and takes the back of your neck again, forehead propped against yours. You breathe hard and stare into his eyes until you notice movement below. You watch him take his cock in hand and guide the head right to your pussy. When he pushes inside, you both gasp over the tight, wet, smooth entry. He shoves his hips forward, easily bottoming out in one stroke. 

You wrap your arms around his shoulders. Hyunjin stares at your face and tries to breathe calmly through his nose, but you are not making it easy for him with the way your warm pussy is repeatedly clenching around his throbbing dick. 

“Tell me when I can—” 

“Please.”

He starts rolling his hips into you. Gently at first, then with more desperation. Your head rocks back and you moan toward the ceiling at the rise of pleasure. He keeps his grip behind your neck, not letting you fall backward. His other hand has a firm hold of your ass cheek, keeping you steady against his frantic thrusts. His dick rubs against almost every sensitive part of you. You shift your hips a little; it’s enough to angle his tip into that perfect spot.

“Oh fuck, right there, right there,” you pant, bringing your head around to press it back to his forehead and look into his eyes again.

Hyunjin moans and holds you tighter, pounding that spot again and again and again.

You notice him staring at your lips, so you tilt your face and lean in. He meets you in a kiss far more gentle than expected for the way the table is creaking beneath you. He ends it too quickly for your liking, studies your face for a second, then he kisses you again, much deeper this time. As soon as you feel his tongue prod against your lips, you part them and let it swarm into your mouth. His tongue tastes of mint and sugar and he moans so prettily into your mouth. He’s perfect.

You voice your pleasure into the tender kisses. “Yes, yes, fuck, Hyunjin, yes—”

Hyunjin pulls away from the kisses with a low groan. He nearly pulls out of your pussy too, to your great dismay. His hips come to a shaky stop with just the tip of his cock left inside you.

“Sorry, I just need a minute,” he says, breathless and smiling sheepishly. “You’re so tight and you sound so hot and it’s… it’s been a while for me.”

“Take your time,” you say. You’re not sure how much time is left in your session, but you won’t complain if he wants to prolong something he shouldn’t be doing in the first place, and you certainly don’t mind being told how tight and hot you are. 

Hyunjin’s fingers massage the back of your neck. He pulls you into another tender kiss. You clutch his shoulders, nails digging into his smooth skin, and feel his cockhead twitch inside you. He begins moving his hips again, but he only fucks you with his fat tip now. You whine and whimper because it isn’t enough. 

“What about my ‘happy ending’?” you tease, pouting against his lips.

Hyunjin laughs and kisses you again, tongue briefly curling against yours, before answering, “I know, don’t worry. I’m still going to make you come so hard, especially now that it’ll be on my dick.” 

He says that but he has the audacity to pull all the way out of you. Before you can protest, he takes your hands again. 

“Here,” he says, tugging your hands. “Let’s turn you around.” 

You slide off the table. He holds your waist in a strong arm to keep your oily feet from slipping on the floor. 

Hyunjin turns you around and bends you over the massage table. He whips off his shirt and follows you, draping his warm body over yours. His wet cock throbs against your ass cheek.

“Is this all right?” 

“It’s good, Hyunjin, please…” 

He takes your hip in one hand and puts himself back inside you with the other. You moan at the stretch, the friction, the raw pleasure. 

“That’s it,” he murmurs. Once he is secure enough inside you, he lets go of himself and runs that hand up the length of your spine. “I want to hear all your moans, pretty girl. Let me know how good it feels.” 

When he bottoms out this time, he does not give you a moment to adjust; he builds up a relentless pace right away. It takes him a second to find the right angle in this position, but he eventually hits that spot inside you again that has you seeing stars. He hits it over and over, keeping you right there on the end of his pounding cock.

“Fuck—yes—Hyunjin, yes!”

“That’s it, baby, fuck, just like that. You’re so fucking hot, oh my god.”

The hand that is not holding you steady at the hip is making its way all over your body, the body he has had his hands on all morning. He holds the back of your neck again for a while, holding you down to take everything he gives you. He wraps it around your front, pawing back and forth between your heaving breasts, giving each of your nipples a few good pinches. He trails it down your stomach to stuff it between your legs where he finds your clit again. He pinches it the way he pinched your nipples, just to hear you squeal. Then he resumes drawing the circles that started this all.

Hyunjin gets you to come in only a few minutes with his talented fingers. He is like a man possessed, a man with something to prove with how quickly he unravels you.

“Hyunjin, fuck, I’m coming, I’m—” you gasp, though he surely feels it for himself.

He groans and folds himself over you, face pressed to your back, writhing and bucking with you through your orgasm. His hips do not stop bouncing against your backside. He keeps grinding his cock deep inside you, slamming his heavy balls against you. His fingers do not stop playing with your sensitive clit.

He eases the pressure of those fingers once the force of your orgasm wanes, but he never stops completely. His cock throbs hard between your silky, sensitive walls, but he manages to withhold his own orgasm.

“There we go—mmm, fuck—yeah, that’s it,” he says, his breath coming out in warm puffs against your slick, sweaty skin. “So fucking good. That’s just the first one, baby.”

You push yourself up onto your palms against the table, elbows wobbling just like your knees in the aftershocks of your intense climax. Hyunjin moves with you, leaning back to stand straight. He moves a hand against your collarbone to pull you into his chest. You turn your head. He is already there, ready to meet you in a kiss that leaves you even dizzier.

He already alluded to more, but now he asks, “Can you do another one for me, or are you satisfied?”

“You didn’t come yet, did you?” you ask in return.

He exhales a breath of laughter. “No. If you come again, I will. I won’t be able to hold out twice. But that’s not what I asked, pretty girl.”

“Then I’m not satisfied yet,” you say, grinning and kissing his smooth, pink cheek. 

Hyunjin chuckles. “All right. Let me turn you back around then. I want to see your face when you come around me this time.” 

He has to pull out again to sit you back on the table, which is tragic, but the sight of his veiny cock glistening in a layer of your juices is worth it. You reach for it, letting the weight of it simply rest in your palm for a second before taking proper hold of it in a loose fist. Hyunjin groans and wraps his hand around yours, guiding it up and down his length. The skin is smooth and velvety soft but stretched tight over his solid length and girth. 

You only give him half a dozen guided strokes before he pries your hand away.

“I bet you’re pretty good with your hands too, huh baby,” he says, caging you in his arms by planting his hands beside you on the table. “I wish we had more time for you to demonstrate.”

You nearly forgot about the time constraint. You nod and spread your legs. Hyunjin grabs you under one of your knees to help hold you open and also tug you closer to him. He takes his cock and smacks the tip against your clit a few times, still taking the time to rile you up just a little more before sinking back inside you.

“God, this pussy,” he grunts. The grip he has under your knee tightens. His other hand returns to your ass, practically yanking you the rest of the way onto his cock. “It wraps around me perfectly.”

He fucks you again, deep and hard. The table starts creaking again. You hold each other close as he works you both to your highs. He has his face in your neck, kissing and licking and nibbling at your skin. You try to do the same, but all his neck receives in return is a babble of breathless nonsense drawn from your lips with every firm thrust.

His fingers slip their way between your legs again, feeling where his cock is moving in and out of your pussy. His thumb presses against your swollen clit and you lose a bit of your mind. He pulls his face out of your neck to look at you again.

“You first, baby, fuck,” Hyunjin pants. His sweet breath tickles your face. “Please come for me again. Let me feel it again. Let me see it this time, hm? Let me hear how good it feels to come all—over—my fucking—dick.”

“Oh fuck, Hyunjin, don’t stop, don’t stop, please,” you say, moaning it over and over again until your orgasm takes you. You go rigid and then boneless in a different way, trembling through the waves of your second climax.

Hyunjin groans triumphantly and watches it all. “That’s it, that’s it. Fuck yes, that’s so good, baby, oh, yes—”

He fucks you through your orgasm as long as he can but his own quickly catches up to him. He pulls out at the last second and frantically jerks his cock. His cum shoots out in long streaks, landing all over the place — your stomach, your thighs, the table, the floor. Part of your lust-addled brain hoped he would lose himself completely and come inside you, but the sensible part of you is relieved he didn’t. 

He squeezes the last few drops out of his tip and lets go of his cock. It hangs heavy between his legs, flushed and spent. Your pussy is in a similar state; aching in the best way, swollen and throbbing after a thorough fucking. You think you can feel your heartbeat in it. 

Hyunjin is as out of breath as you are but he reaches for you and claims your lips in another kiss. When he pulls away, you become aware of just how oily and sticky and sweaty you both are.

“Holy fuck,” you giggle, making him giggle too. 

“Yeah. ‘Holy fuck’ is right.” 

He clears the rasp in his throat but does not say anything else for a little while. He rests his forehead against yours while you both float back down to earth, waiting for your breathing to settle and your heartbeats to calm. One of his thumbs traces mindless circles into your hip. You absently massage the prickly hairs at the nape of his neck.

Finally, Hyunjin takes a deep breath and straightens. He fixes his pants and pulls his shirt back on. You watch him walk to the other side of the table and pick the towel off the floor. He helps get you cleaned up as best he can. You know you will still walk out of here smelling like green tea and sweat and maybe even his cum, which you help wipe off the floor. He tells you not to fuss over the cum stain on the sheet since he will have to strip it and sanitize the table anyway. 

The feeling of his skin on yours lingers even after you have both been wiped and patted and dried off. Hyunjin gently takes your hands and meets your eyes again. 

“I hope I—um—” he starts, then swallows and tries again. “I swear I don’t do that with clients. Ever.” 

“I believe you,” you say. “I won’t say anything. I promise.”

“I hope I didn’t mess anything up,” he goes on, “because it kind of felt like there was something between us, even before the sex. Unless I’m mistaken?” 

Your heart flutters. “No, I… I agree,” you say, the hint of a smile tugging your lips. “Maybe I’ll make an appointment myself next time.” 

Hyunjin laughs. “Well I was hoping I could give you my personal number. Maybe take you out on a date sometime. Then you’d never have to make an appointment again.”

“Oh! Y-Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.”

“You’ll have to thank your friend for me for booking you this appointment though,” he jokes.

You burst out laughing because you forgot Minho is the reason you are here in the first place.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to thank him earlier,” you say, making Hyunjin laugh again, “but yeah, I guess I will now.”

You smile at him. Hyunjin cups your face in his hands for another kiss before he lets you get dressed, puts his number in your phone, then walks you back to the waiting room. He bids you goodbye with a gleam in his eye that makes your heart flutter once again. 

You hope this is the start of something happy and new.

---

copyright © 2025 by daizymax. all rights reserved. back to masterlist

[karasbroken]

Stardew Valley and Farscape...

I'm thinking this is a resource management game and dating sim where the player is the Pilot of a Leviathan and you have to manage your DRDs, life support and other various essential systems, and your passengers/crew.

You start off with large parts of the Leviathan damaged, out of sensor coverage or infested with trillbats, but over time you get things cleared up while dodging asteroids, Peacekeeper slave patrols, and Zenetan pirate raids. You pick up crew along the way and have to get them to stop hating each other and start hooking up. Because if they are happy, they might want to stay and protect the Leviathan and each other. If you get bored because you've seen their whole storyline or someone is useless or tedious though, you can just dump them at a convenient commerce station.

More crew means more resources to manage to sustain them, and more friction and chances the crew will kill each other, but also more options for getting characters to kiss and move into each other's cells. Every crew has unique stats and abilities that can help with repairing the Leviathan, better trading results, healing people, etc. Obviously this game is going to need some extra genders and relationship dynamics, and there should be a kink/explicit rating you can set for wilder and spicier game updates on their relationships.

The map is huge, but you don't see most of it. There's a whole very difficult mini game around trying to navigate around the map (control starburst) and lots of quests that can have you open and lose various map pieces. There's lots of other mini games where you get to control crew on away missions to gather supplies, steal stuff, do quests involving their character goals, etc. But you never get to stop worrying about oxygen and hull integrity and having to manage those parts though you might get enough money to buy supplies and repair drones in the end game.

Ideally there would be lots of possible storylines and adventures to go on, so rather than picking a different farm type to start off with, your Leviathan will have slightly different starting personality, problems, and goals, which will encourage you to pick different crew, pair up different people, and focus on different parts of the ship, plus lots of replayability to get all the different plotlines. Maybe one play through your leviathan is pregnant, another you're infested with cannibals, another you're old and hoping to die in the Sacred Space but you don't know where it is, or to find the makers and understand yourself. Plus other options that weren't in the series.

The game never really ends, but eventually you get so good at managing the Leviathan and your crew that you can work on big goals like getting new support ships, or maybe when you've gone through enough/encountered key quests/made enough currency you unlock new quadrants like Tormented Space where you get new ship-level strains and new resources to grind for, and also new potential passenger pick-ups and quests.

I don't know, I think it would be fun. Cozy games meets dating sim meets resource management meets space exploration. I'd play it for years if there were enough quests and crew dynamics and some fun graphics. Someone make me this game!

[jamingbenn]

year in review - hockey rpf on ao3

hello!! the annual ao3 year in review had some friends and i thinking - wouldn't it be cool if we had a hockey rpf specific version of that. so i went ahead and collated the data below!!

i start with a broad overview, then dive deeper into the 3 most popular ships this year (with one bonus!)

if any images appear blurry, click on them to expand and they should become clear!

₊˚⊹♡ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅. ݁

before we jump in, some key things to highlight: - CREDIT TO: the webscraping part of my code heavily utilized the ao3 wrapped google colab code, as lovingly created by @kyucultures on twitter, as the main skeleton. i tweaked a couple of things but having it as a reference saved me a LOT of time and effort as a first time web scraper!!! thank you stranger <3 - please do NOT, under ANY circumstances, share any part of this collation on any other website. please do not screenshot or repost to twitter, tiktok, or any other public social platform. thank u!!! T_T - but do feel free to send requests to my inbox! if you want more info on a specific ship, tag, or you have a cool idea or wanna see a correlation between two variables, reach out and i should be able to take a look. if you want to take a deeper dive into a specific trope not mentioned here/chapter count/word counts/fic tags/ship tags/ratings/etc, shoot me an ask!

˚　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆. ࿐࿔

with that all said and done... let's dive into hockey_rpf_2024_wrapped_insanity.ipynb

BIG PICTURE OVERVIEW

i scraped a total of 4266 fanfics that dated themselves as published or finished in the year 2024. of these 4000 odd fanfics, the most popular ships were:

Note: "Minor or Background Relationship(s)" clocked in at #9 with 91 fics, but I removed it as it was always a secondary tag and added no information to the chart. I did not discern between primary ship and secondary ship(s) either!

breaking down the 5 most popular ships over the course of the year, we see:

super interesting to see that HUGE jump for mattdrai in june/july for the stanley cup final. the general lull in the offseason is cool to see as well.

as for the most popular tags in all 2024 hockey rpf fic...

weee like our fluff. and our established relationships. and a little H/C never hurt no one.

i got curious here about which AUs were the most popular, so i filtered down for that. note that i only regex'd for tags that specifically start with "Alternate Universe - ", so A/B/O and some other stuff won't appear here!

idk it was cool to me.

also, here's a quick breakdown of the ratings % for works this year:

and as for the word counts, i pulled up a box plot of the top 20 most popular ships to see how the fic length distribution differed amongst ships:

mattdrai-ers you have some DEDICATION omg. respect

now for the ship by ship break down!!

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#1 MATTDRAI

most popular ship this year. peaked in june/july with the scf. so what do u people like to write about?

fun fun fun. i love that the scf is tagged there like yes actually she is also a main character

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#2 SIDGENO

(my babies) top tags for this ship are:

folks, we are a/b/o fiends and we cannot lie. thank you to all the selfless authors for feeding us good a/b/o fic this year. i hope to join your ranks soon.

(also: MPREG. omega sidney crosby. alpha geno. listen, the people have spoken, and like, i am listening.)

₊ . ݁ ݁ . ⊹ ࣪ ˖͙͘͡★ ⊹ .

#3 NICOJACK

top tags!!

it seems nice and cozy over there... room for one more?

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BONUS: JDTZ.

i wasnt gonna plot this but @marcandreyuri asked me if i could take a look and the results are so compelling i must include it. are yall ok. do u need a hug

top tags being h/c, angst, angst, TRADES, pining, open endings... T_T katie said its a "torture vortex" and i must concurr

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BONUS BONUS: ALPHA/BETA/OMEGA

as an a/b/o enthusiast myself i got curious as to what the most popular ships were within that tag. if you want me to take a look about this for any other tag lmk, but for a/b/o, as expected, SID GENO ON TOP BABY!:

thats all for now!!! if you have anything else you are interested in seeing the data for, send me an ask and i'll see if i can get it to ya!

[driftawayomnichord]

Genshin characters react to you sleeping on the floor - Part 2

Warning: not proof read; this is pure fluff and crack; (featuring Pantalone; Alhaitham; +Bonus: Jing Yuan)

*THUD*

Pantalone

Dealing with idiotic aristocracy is incredibly exhausting, sadly for Pantalone, that is a part of his everyday routine. Every day he goes into his office and has to stand their behaviour. So his favourite thing do to after a long day of work is to go back home and complain and gossip about said aristocrats. Usually be prefers to do that in bed, in your dark cozy room.

Today was no different, the moment he got home he rushed to find you and let all the built up frustration go. And so he did, at dinner, while getting ready for bed, in bed…he was particularly annoyed today it seems.

And after some time the pair naturally drifted off to sleep. That was until two hours later Pantalone woke up to get some water and after he had his drink he turned around with the intention to hug you.

Where are you.

He stood up and called for you - nothing. Went to check the bathroom - nothing. Living room - nothing. Dining room - nothing. The study - nothing. He went through every single room in that house to find absolutely nothing. Asked every servant if they have seen you - nothing.

He was left standing there, just completely puzzled as to what happened to you. And the first idea that came to his mind is one of his biggest fears. Maybe you never really loved him, were only using him for money and you were cheating on him.

While he wanted to avoid thinking about that possibility it just couldn’t escape his mind. He ordered some of the guards to go look for you around the city and decided to head to his bedroom.

Walking in he went towards the window, closer to your side of the bed when he suddenly hit his foot on-…something.

“Ouch- damn it.” Your voice rang.

He looked down and saw you…on the floor…glaring at him.

“Why did you hit me? What’s wrong with you?” You asked him annoyed. “I was sleeping.”

“You were…here.”

“It’s the middle of the night, of course I’m here, sleeping. Or at least was…”

“Why are you on the floor…” he questioned.

“I’m what-…why am I on the floor?”

He simply chuckled, picked you up, plopping you on your bed and laying down next to you. He shouldn’t have worried.

(( _ _ ))..zzzZZ

Alhaitham

Both of you were preparing to go to bed, brushing your teeth, hair, putting on some moisturiser (that you definitely don’t force Alhaitham to do). You were talking about your plans for tomorrow, or more like you complaining that you don’t want to bother tomorrow.

“After you are done with your presentation we will head out on a walk.” He suggested and headed out of the bathroom into the bedroom to finally relax his body, expecting you to follow him. But you didn’t?

“Are you coming?” He shouted.

You poked your head from the hallway into the bedroom and looked at him nervously. “I forgot about the presentation, you go ahead and sleep and I will join you later.” You told him and ran to the living room to prepare your presentation.

The next morning Alhaitham woke up and noticed that you never really went to bed. So he headed out into the living room to see if you fell asleep there but you weren’t on the couch. He could see documents and papers stacked on the table and the couch but you weren’t there.

He looked for you in the rest of the rooms and still nothing. So he had no other choice but to ask his roommate if h e had seen you.

“Kaveh, have you seen [Name] today or last night?” Alhaitham shouted through the door.

Kaveh opened it and looked at the scribe a little confused.

“Yeah, last night around 4 in the morning. They were in the living room writing something. Why?”

“Well, they are nowhere to be seen.”

“What- let me check.” Said Kaveh, not believing that you would just disappear.

He walked into the living room scanning it when he heard Alhaitham speak up from behind him.

“Do you really believe that I would just miss them?”

That’s when Kaveh’s eyes focused on something - you…on the floor under the table.

“Yes, I believe.” Kaveh replied, pointing at your direction.

Alhaitham walked up to you and called out for you, but you didn’t bulge. So he sighted and picked you up, carrying you into your shared room and plopping you in bed.

(( _ _ ))..zzzZZ

Bonus: Jing Yuan

After working the whole day, not having time to even lift his head up, Jing Yuan loves to just lay in bed under the warm covers with pillows all over the place, hugging his lover.

While there is nothing in the universe that can make him even consider skipping cuddle times, there is one thing that can make you. The scorching heat. It’s warm, and you can’t stand it.

So when you go into bed that night you know that you will have to fight your way into freedom. But he just kept dragging you over to him again and again.

“It’s hot as hell in here I cannot handle the heat, just let me gooo…” you keep on trying to fight him off of you.

“Relax a little and you will cool down.” He whined, just wanting to sleep already.

“Let me go! You are like a heater!” You complain as you try to crawl out of his grasp, but to no avail.

He just grumbled and buried his face into your hair. You stopped moving for a moment and sighed. That’s when you pulled the ultimate move - the tornado. You started spinning in the direction opposite of him and in the process pulling a bit of his hair causing him to let go.

Which wasn’t exactly calculated in your plan…you straight up rolled off the bed and onto poor mimi who was sleeping on the floor right next to the bed.

She jumped and looked at you as if prepared to attack until she recognised your face in the dark and calmed down.

Meanwhile Jing Yuan crawled over and peeked his head to see what happened and started laughing at you.

“Very funny, yes, ha ha. Mimi almost bit my head off.” You said sarcastically.

“Are you really going to blame me for this?”

I felt like another part was needed, but idk if I should continue with this series or start another one. I do know that us fatui fans have been starved of fanfics so maybe I should add even more of them?

And yes we did have a special guest in this one ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

[lovesick-desires]

VALETUDINARIANISM

YANDERE!VIKTOR X IMMUNOCOMPROMISED!READER — CHAPTER ONE

⇢ NEXT CHAPTER (coming soon)

ABSTRACT: An immunocompromised individual comes across Viktor's commune and Viktor wants to do more than just cure them of their ailments. CONTENT WARNINGS: gender neutral reader, season two spoilers, yandere behavior, manipulation, cult behavior, no mentions of "y/n", mind reading, use of google translate for Czech WORD COUNT: 1.7k VIKTOR'S YANDERE ARCHETYPE: delusional, protective

Growing up in the Undercity was especially hard for someone like you: someone who was dealing with an debilitating disability. In a city full of pollution and waste only worsened your symptoms, especially since you had no money to really manage it well, let alone treat it. Life constantly had you recovering or suffering from illnesses, one after the other. It felt like you were drowning in an ocean of chronic health issues, wave after wave of illness pushing you down just when you reached the surface to catch your breath.

One day, wandering the lanes in your ill state, you heard whispers of a man who could cure any ailment. Someone who utilized the arcane arts to cure disabilities, illnesses, anything... Of course, this lured you in. Not having any other hope in getting the help you desperately needed, you decided to look into this mysterious man.

Viktor, that's what his name was, or so you've heard as it was mumbled in the streets of the Undercity. A man who could heal all: the Machine Herald.

Eventually, you found the location of this mysterious healer in the outskirts of Zaun. Lanterns and cozy looking tents decorated the landscape, centered around a large iridescent orb in the center, which was presumably where the healer was—

"Excuse me," A meek voice emerged from the front gates. As you glanced over to the voice's origin, you spotted a man standing there with his hands held together. His warm auburn hair fell in messy strands over his forehead, framing his peach face and pale eyes. He was adorned in a white robe that seemed to be some sort of fabric wrapped around his body, which was accented by the metal accessories decorated him torso and left arm. The most unique thing about this man was that he had iridescent markings encompassing his right eye, looking akin the the pattern on the orb in the cult's center.

"Yes?" You replied, slowly approaching the weary man.

"Can you... please drop your weapons? This is a place of peace, not violence." The man spoke up, gesturing to the knife that was sheathed in its holder wrapped around your thigh. Realizing what he was referring to, you immediately were put on edge. Why was this man trying to take your weapons and leave you defenseless in a city such as theirs? However, you had your other knife hidden in your boot for emergencies, so you'd be fine to lose one. Begrudgingly, you undid the buckle of the knife's holster and dropped it to the floor, much to the relief of the man before you.

"Thank you." The man spoke up, his voice tinged with a sense of relief.

"Where is this healer I have heard of?" You queried the gateman, facing him with your full body now as you adjusted your stance. To this, a small smile spread across his lips.

"Ah, you mean the Machine Herald, yes. He should be in his center. If you'd like, I can lead you there." The gateman spoke, gesturing towards that weird orb in the center. Reluctantly, you nodded, letting the gateman lead the way.

As you two walked around, you gazed at the surroundings. Men, women, children, all running amuck and looking... happy. It was sure an odd sight to experience in a place such as the Undercity. These people had those iridescent markings on their body like the gateman had. Is that the Machine Herald's healing? Did it leave that sort of marking on those he cured? They each seemed different markings in different places, all with the same iridescent look and sheen. What would yours look like?

"We are here." The gateman uttered, gesturing to the large orb before you two with two large crescent shapes bent around it like a broken halo. As his hand landed on your shoulder, you jumped a little before glancing over at him.

"He will heal you, trust in him." The man proclaimed with such assurance in his voice that you could feel it in your chest. Slowly, the man's hand slipped from your shoulder as he left you before the orb, walking back to his gate.

Your gaze left the man as you looked up at the orb before you, shocked at the sheer size of it. With much reluctance, you took your first steps up the stairs to its entrance, mentally bracing for whatever you saw through those double doors. With shaky hands and a racing heart, you reached for the handles and pushed the doors open.

As you glanced around, you were greeted with foliage in every nook and cranny of the room. Plants and trees you had never seen before with vibrant colors flooded all your senses as if trying to suffocate them with such vibrancy. Glancing up at the ceiling, you could see the holes of the orb filtering in a golden sunlight, dappling the flourishing interior with the light of the heavens. In the center of the concrete paths stood a lavish water fountain. With shaky steps, you approached it as you admired the clean looking water. You had never seen clear water like this in your lifetime, let alone in the Undercity of all places.

"Fascinating, isn't it all?" A voice with a thick Czech accent spoke up from behind you. Glancing back, you take in the sight of an individual wrapped in what appeared to be some sort of blue sheet that was doctored into a makeshift robe with the help of ivory colored belts at his waist. His umber hair laid in undulating waves, framing his pale face as the tips of his hair were a soft blonde. While his face was a pale tone, the rest of his skin from his strong jawline down was a purplish grey with raised markings that looked like billowing smoke which were adorned with golden markings. "All this beauty in a place such as this once was." He continued, walking towards you in a slow, meticulous manner. After staring at him for a moment, you cleared your throat.

"You are... the healer, correct?" You muttered, watching him carefully as you kept your guard up.

"Relax, this is not a place of malintent." The Machine Herald spoke softly, reaching out for you with a gentle hand towards your forehead. For an unknown reason, you felt calm as you gazed up at his hand, letting his fingers graze your forehead with a tender touch. A small spark filled his gaze as his fingertips glowed softly. Slowly, he pulled his hand from your forehead, looking down at you.

"Ah, I see your ailments now. Your body is weak, yet your soul is strong. The will to live you have is very admirable, despite your chronic hardships." The healer spoke, much to your confusion.

"How did you know that?" You questioned, raising a brow at his sudden knowledge of you.

"I saw it when I touched your forehead, miláček," He muttered, looking at his fingertips for a moment before averting his gaze back to you. "I can heal you of your ailments, which is why you are here, correct?"

"What's the catch?" You interjected, obviously still on guard about the whole situation. It all seemed to be too good to be true. After so many years of you suffering, it can go away just like that? Viktor's face stayed stoic and unmoving.

"Ah, I see. You are afraid I am taking advantage of your vulnerabilities for my personal gain," Viktor proclaimed as he strolled past you towards the water fountain. As you looked over your shoulder, you could see him picking up a cane that was leaning against a tree near the water fountain. "I can understand why you would think that why, given how long you have suffered from having such suffering in your life from illness." He continued as his gaze shifted from his cane to you.

"So, what do you want? Money?" You questioned, turning around to fully face the Machine Herald. To this, the Machine Herald scoffed.

"Money? No, no, I have no need in monetary assets." He replied, his thick eyebrows knitted together.

"So, what is it? What's the price?" You spoke, walking towards the healer, trying to rack your brain with any possibility.

"I only request your devotion. This commune could do well with addition such as yourself." Viktor declared, holding his cane at his side firmly. Oh great, you had to join this guy's cult to get healed of your disorder. You felt a pit in your stomach when you realized his implications. You would probably have to live in this cult for the rest of your life. What would life be like? Would it be as utopic as it seemed or would things be more dystopic than Zaun?

"I don't think... I can do that." You muttered out, taking a step back. Something was off about this whole thing. Something was under the surface that you didn't know about, you were certain. To your rejection, Viktor's eyes widened softly before he tutted, offering his hand out to you.

"You are scared of the possibilities, I understand that. But I can assure you that you can trust me." The Machine Herald cooed, his purplish grey hand beckoning you to him with spindly fingers. You felt your heart race in your chest. No, you can't do it. Something was wrong. You knew something was wrong, deep down.

To this, you took two more steps backwards only to bolt out of the orb, not looking back even after the Machine Herald called out your name. Bursting through the double doors of the center, you run through the winding paths between tents and markets. Narrowly dodging cult members who all looked at you with bewildered eyes, you ran as fast as your legs could carry you. You had to get out of here. Now. Something was seriously wrong with this fucked up cult and you knew better than to get involved any further. You ran through the gates where the auburn-haired man stood, confused at your sudden escape.

You had no idea what you had just done by rejecting The Machine Herald's blessing. You had no idea what you had awoken in the healer. He knew you were gone, but we knew he would find you.

SONG OF THE FIC: DISEASE - LADY GAGA

[fledgedragonfox]

A Wizard's Will

"you know you are only supposed to have 1 apprentice maybe 2 not 15." said the wizard council member "well until people stop leaving surprisingly powerful orphans at my doorstep I'll be taking care of my 17 apprentices." The council member snapped their wand "WHERE DID YOU GET 3 MORE!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bartriol the Brown gave a very deep sigh as the council erupted around him. The Blue who had spoken was nearly frothing at the mouth as he tried to process the situation. There were no strict rules against having so many apprentices, of course. But the older members of the council were sticklers for tradition. But really, was it Bartriol’s fault that so many magically inclined children were left abandoned in his woods? No. No it wasn’t, and he’d thank you very much for not insinuating such a thing. 

“Despite Nector’s anger, he makes a valid point Bartriol.” Navester the Green chimed in. Ever calm, ever courteous. He sat smiling over his half moon glasses as he looked Bartriol over. “We as wizards have a duty to teach the next generation of wizard kind, but surely having seventeen pupils must be taxing.” He said, ever poised and soothing. All his words got him was a flat look and several groans from the blues. 

“Well, if you don’t want me to raise such bright talents by myself, find out who keeps abandoning them.” Bartriol responded as he pushed back his chair. “Meanwhile, little Wecco requested I pick up some of that nice elven taffy on my way. And Markle has that nasty cough. Really I must be off” Several members of the council tried to stop him, but Bartiol was out the door and on the back of his pet griffon before they could blink.

True to his word, Bartriol stopped by the lovely little candy shop in elven towne and bought enough taffy to feed his little army. Then he popped into the hedge witch’s for a tonic for Markle. A quick flight had him back in his clearing. A cozy cottage was tucked into the roots of a massive tree. Windows dotted the trunk, all the way up and above the treeline. His garden was green and bright even as the chills of fall were beginning to nip about. 

Laughter filled the clearing as his apprentices practiced. Some of his older ones were practicing with their newly carved staves. Nico and Scarlet were having a mock battle while Ozmund fiddled with the gemstone on the tip of his staff.  Hecubah was spending her time grooming the countless cats that had emerged from the wood to meet her. She would certainly be a brown when she was old enough for a robe. Wickle was picking blackberries for some strange concoction they were planning. 

“Master Bartriol, Master Bartriol!” A voice called out, getting closer all the time. He turned to see Baker jogging up to him. Finally reaching eighteen, Baker had only recently been given a robe. Bartriol had practically glowed as his eldest had been deemed worthy of a grey robe. “What did the council need you for?” The boy asked. Translation: “Why did the council feel the need to summon a brown rather than just come for a visit?”. Bartriol was inclined to agree. After all, Wickle and Walker had just perfected a rather scrumptious cream tart that most of the white wizards simply adored. 

“Oh, it was nothing. The blues are getting jealous I think.” Bartriol said, a twinkle in his eye. The young man was a bit confused, but his mature facade melted just as soon as the bag of taffy hit his chest. His eyes lit up like he was a child again. Bartriol didn’t linger, instead walking up the path to his home. Tossing bags of taffy left and right to be caught or fumbled by his gaggle of trouble makers. 

The inside of his cottage was just as chaotic. Mice and hedgehogs were ferrying items and ingredients from the pantry and into the kitchen. In all corners his children shrieked, played, and practiced. Wecco popped into existence with a loud crack. Her eyes were wide as dinner plates. Bartriol laughed, and complimented her on her sudden apparition, before dropping a bag of taffy in her waiting hands. She hugged him round the waist and with another loud crack was gone. 

Taffy was handed off to Bailey, Shiphand, Byrd, Terrycloth, Winona, and Lumps as he passed them by. Some of his children' s names were less than fortunate, but until they decided to change them there was nothing to be done. His children gave choruses of thanks as he smiled and commented on their studies. He ascended the stairs and made his way to the sick room, where little Markle and Westron were resting. 

“Hullo master Bartriol.” Markle said, coughing into his hand. Squella, the second eldest, and only one of his apprentices who was not of human birth, hopped onto the desk and chirped a hello. She often volunteered her time watching over her sick siblings. Bartriol was certain she would end up in a green robe before the year was out. The little borrower squeaked in pure joy at the huge bag of taffy that Bartriol sat beside her. Westron lay in bed, struggling to keep a human form. The poor lad had flesh magic, and Bartiol was still searching for a way to help him control it. 

“And how are we all doing today?” Bartriol asked, pulling out the cough syrup he’d picked up and coaxing Markle to drink some of the bitter sweet concoction. As the trio began to open up about their day. The wizard rubbed soothing circles in Westron's aching back as they talked and enjoyed their taffy. Yes the blues could kick up a fuss and complain, but really where else would the children go? It seemed to Bartriol that the blue wizards were simply jealous they hadn’t produced a single non-blue wizard in years.

While a lowly brown had produced a grey, and was well on the way to making a great splash with the rest of his apprentices. Really though, even if they hadn’t a single lick of talent for wizardry, he would still bring them in from the cold all the same. Wickle and Walker would surely be hedge witches one day with how they cooked and baked. As the pair of sicklings tired themselves out, Bartriol excused himself from Squella’s company to take a walk through the woods. It had been a good few months since Markle and Westron had come to him. It would probably be smart to check the edges of the wood just in case another little one had been left behind. 

After all, if people were going to leave surprisingly powerful orphans all alone in his woods, he might as well take care of them. Blues be damned. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For anyone wondering, I do have some more ideas on how these wizards work, but for that I'll need to do a few more prompts. lol. Let me know what you think!!!

Also, figured I might as well share this again. Losing a bit of heart but well, here it is.

All of the details for the gofundme can be found on the gofundme page, I promise.

Pareon: Artemis Dragonfox Gofundme: https://gofund.me/d271f0c4

"you know you are only supposed to have 1 apprentice maybe 2 not 15." said the wizard council member "well until people stop leaving surprisingly powerful orphans at my doorstep I'll be taking care of my 17 apprentices." The council member snapped their wand "WHERE DID YOU GET 3 MORE!"

[reignpage]

hiiii i hope this doesnt add to the super specific ask about the eden characters and doesnt seem weird but im kinda curious of what the eden couples argue about, like what causes them to argue and how long does it take for them to resolve their issues? (maybe also what they do for forgiveness? like im thinking someone would cut up fruits for their lover as an apology 💀)

Two questions in one ask HOW GREEDDDY😡

Gojo and reader

In college:

They argue about Gojo’s friends. The frat guys who are rowdy and boisterous. Most of them are nice enough but frat guys get drunk and they become people reader can’t stand to be around. But they’re Gojo’s boys so he gets defensive. This is a recurring issue so it doesn’t really get resolved, it just dies down until it gets brought up again

In life:

They argue over Gojo’s immaturity. He’s too go with the flow sometimes and it leaves reader to deal with things, like he’s always lived in a position of privilege so there are some things he misses or he just doesn’t know, like how to lead a business or be a good role model.

It doesn’t take very long for Gojo to realise because he can see her getting visibly panicked.

Gojo apologises for leaving the responsibility to her by stepping up and getting serious. And then he’s pampering her with a spa day and shopping

Geto and reader

Generally:

Geto has a tendency to become withdrawn, to start smoking more often and to lose sleep, not telling her what’s on his mind. It’s hard for reader because she’s never been in his position so she doesn’t know what to do, she wants to give him his space but she’s worried giving him too much would just allow him to spiral more, but then pushing her way in might just push him away altogether

It varies every time. Sometimes it takes a week, sometimes it takes a month etc

Geto can only apologise and try to do better, making up for lost time and attending all the therapy. But none of it ever seems to do the trick

Choso and reader

They don’t have deep issues to resolve lol, these two are like hippies, it’s all just weed and art for them

But reader does get annoyed when Choso leaves his supplies around. She trips on paint cans or stubs her toes on canvas lying on the floor. She gives him the silent treatment.

It never lasts long, choso’s got a sixth sense when it comes to his muse. And he hates making her upset, so he’ll clean everything in the house just to cover all bases. And then he gets on his knees and literally begs her to forgive him.

Reader always has a devious idea for a punishment (not always sexual but tends to be) it could be something like being her nude model for hours. Choso will do whatever, he has little pride lol

Toji and reader

Oh god, these two argue all the damn time. It’s mostly reader telling Toji off. Something like leaving his basketball everywhere or staying out too late or not throwing beer bottles away or getting into a fight with another player or a coach etc etc

It can last a while since they’re both stubborn. Longest was when he quit his job as a physical trainer without consulting her and that fight lasted three weeks. But generally it’s days.

Toji knows he’s usually in the wrong and he cozies up to her, rubbing her shoulders, hugging her from the back, kissing her until she breaks.

They fuck it out.

Lots of angry sex. Sometimes they fight just to have angry sex.

Nanami and reader:

They don’t have little fights. Nanami’s literally perfect, he has no flaws no I am not biased. Reader on the other hand is full of flaws and bad habits lol. But he’s forgiving and oh so patient, so there’s rarely ever any issue.

They do have big fights though, mostly around reader’s insecurities. Like the research partner. There’s no shouting, just tears, a lot of tears and lot of sobbing and begging.

When he sees her like that, Nanami’s heart breaks. Like literally. He falls to his knees and begs her to let him in, to not push him away, to trust him and believe him when he says there’s no one else, there’s never been anyone else.

He holds her in his arms until she calms down, takes her to the bath, and does her whole routine for her. Then he takes her to bed where he tries to soothe her and lets her fall asleep crying. When they wake up, reader is ashamed.

He doesn’t let her apologise.

Sukuna and reader:

Boy oh boy where do I begin with these two?

They argue over a lot of things. Sukuna hates when she’s nice to stupid, rich men, especially if they’re handsome. Reader hates when he’s nice to stupid rich, women, especially if they’re beautiful, and oh my god if they’re beautiful AND younger. Sukuna gets upset because she never butters him up like that. Reader is upset because he’s never nice.

They fuck it out.

Lots of angry sex that are more like hate sex? It’s just the forest over and over again, in every surface in every room in every conceivable position.

Then they’re good again.

Sometimes reader remembers what happened in first year and just gives him the silent treatment. Oh god sukuna hates the silent treatment, it’s worse than when she screams at him and attacks him, or even when she snubs him in public. He tries to do it back to her and these ice cold moments in the estate where they pretend the other doesn’t exist can last weeks, months. One time lasted 5 months.

Sukuna always caves first. He cuffs her to him when she’s sleeping so she’s forced to acknowledge his presence and even though she breaks the silence first, they both know he lost

He doesn’t mind losing when it feels like winning

[iamgonnagetyouback]

snowflakes, sweaters, and soft whispers

james potter x reader who's insecure about her post pregnancy fat

↬ word count : 803 words ˎˊ˗

↬ warnings : mentions of post-pregnancy body image struggles, mild angst, lots of fluff ♡

↬ author's note : hi starshines 🤎i wanted to start 2025 on a comforting note, so here it is. remember, you are so loved and enough just as you are. take care of yourselves, okay?

navigation┆james potter masterlist┆request here 𝜗𝜚

The fireplace crackled softly in the Potter living room, its warm light casting a golden glow across the cozy space. You sat on the couch, curled up in one corner, your knees pulled to your chest. The sound of Harry’s baby gurgles came faintly from upstairs, where he had finally drifted off to sleep after a long day of teething woes.

But despite the peace of the moment, your heart was anything but calm.

You glanced down at yourself, your oversized sweater bunching awkwardly around your middle. You tugged at the fabric, trying to make it lie flat, but it only seemed to emphasize what you had been avoiding all day. The baby weight you’d gained during pregnancy still clung to your frame, and no matter how many reassurances you received, it was hard not to feel... different.

Less you. Less attractive.

The sound of the front door opening and closing made you straighten slightly. James’s cheerful whistle carried through the hallway before he stepped into the room, shaking snow off his jacket. His unruly hair was dusted with flakes, and his cheeks were flushed from the cold. He grinned the moment he saw you.

“Love, you’ll never believe the snow outside! It’s like someone let Santa loose with a charm.”

You offered him a small smile but didn’t say much. James paused, his sharp hazel eyes narrowing slightly as he took in your hunched posture and the distant look in your eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asked gently, setting his things down and coming to sit beside you. His hand found yours immediately, his thumb brushing soothing circles on your skin.

“Nothing,” you said too quickly, looking away. But James Potter wasn’t one to be fooled so easily.

“Liar,” he said softly, his tone teasing but warm. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

You hesitated, biting your lip. James waited patiently, his gaze unwavering. Finally, the words spilled out before you could stop them.

“I just...” You exhaled shakily. “I don’t feel like myself anymore, James. I feel... big, and tired, and not at all like the person you fell in love with. It’s like my body doesn’t belong to me anymore. I mean, look at me.”

Your voice broke on the last word, and you tried to pull your hand away, but James held on, his grip firm but gentle. His expression softened, his eyes filling with something that made your chest ache—love, pure and unshakable.

“Look at you?” he repeated, his voice low. “Alright, let’s look at you.”

He shifted so he was kneeling in front of you, his hands coming to rest on your thighs. He gazed up at you with such intensity that it made your breath hitch.

“I see the woman who carried our son for nine months,” he began, his voice steady and full of conviction. “The woman who endured sleepless nights, backaches, and cravings that sent me halfway across the country for treacle tart at three in the morning.”

You couldn’t help but let out a watery laugh at that, and James smiled, his thumbs stroking your skin.

“I see the woman who gave birth to the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen,” he continued, his voice thick with emotion. “The woman who loves him so fiercely, who stays up with him when he’s fussy, who sings to him even when she’s exhausted. And I see the woman I’ve loved every single day since I first laid eyes on her.”

Tears blurred your vision, and James reached up to cup your face, his thumbs brushing away the drops that spilled onto your cheeks.

“You are beautiful, angel,” he whispered. “Every curve, every mark, every single part of you. And if you can’t see it right now, that’s okay. I’ll remind you every day until you do.”

A sob escaped your lips, and James pulled you into his arms, holding you tightly against him. His hand cradled the back of your head as you buried your face in his shoulder, his scent grounding you.

“You’re more than enough, love,” he murmured into your hair. “Always.”

You stayed like that for a while, wrapped in the warmth of his embrace, his steady heartbeat a soothing rhythm against your ear. Slowly, the knot of insecurity in your chest began to loosen, replaced by the steady assurance of James’s love.

When you finally pulled back, James pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead before tilting his head with a mischievous grin.

“Besides,” he said, his tone light and teasing, “you know I’m utterly weak for you in oversized sweaters. It’s a wonder I survive every winter.”

You laughed, swatting at his chest. “Prat.”

“Your prat,” he said smugly, leaning in to kiss you, and for the first time in days, you let yourself believe it.

You were enough. And you were loved.

[madridfangirl]

Star crossed lovers (Jude Bellingham fic)

Chapter 19

(Series Link)

Jude * female reader. Mature Language in parts.

Synopsis: A chance encounter in a tiny Madrid cafe with the newest superstar of her fav club. The two couldn't be more different, yet both feel the pull toward the other. Would this girl be the one he finally falls for? Or would life come in the way of these star-crossed lovers?

.................................................................

Jude had an extended Christmas break, but Jobe didn’t, so the family flew in to Sunderland on 24th and Jude joined in that evening. Jobe interrogated him extensively about what went down in Madrid. Denise & Mark were curious too but Denise’s emphatic guideline to Mark was to just let Jude be. He’d talk to them when he’s ready. 

Jobe texted Ananya, while she was on the way to the cabin.

Jobe:  😊

It was simple, but communicated a lot of things. Ananya smiled & responded immediately.

‘Merry Christmas Eve. Sorry for stealing your brother but I sent him back :)’

‘To you too. And thanks, but he’s yapping non-stop now, more than usual.’

‘Well, good luck with that.’

‘Yeah I’m mostly ignoring him & Dad. Mum’s completely ignoring them!'

Ananya smiled while trying to picture the scene.

‘Have a great Christmas, Jobe. See you soon!'

‘You too. See ya!’

Immediately after that, she received a text from Jude. He had texted her earlier when he had landed, and then when he reached home, which was 30 mins ago.

‘Wassup?’

‘On my way. You?’

‘Sitting by the tree. Will read the letters soon.’

‘Tonight?’

‘Yeah, we do it on Christmas Eve. The presents are also tonight, so to wake up happy on Christmas Day.’

‘Lovely. Have fun.’

‘You too. But not too much.’

She laughed out loud and Anna turned to look at her from the driver’s seat.

‘Will try. Bye now.’

‘Bye.’

The letters were lovely. The whole family was a little overwhelmed but Mark started to make some silly jokes about Jude’s handwriting, when Jude had expressly warned them not to, and Jobe joined in. Laughter & mock wrestles filled the room while Denise stayed perched up on the side, smiling at the 3 kids.

The presents were a long, long affair. Jude had gone well & truly overboard this time - wanted to celebrate the massive Madrid contract & everything else that had come his way this year with his family. Denise even admonished him a little for the overspending and Mark tried to figure out how he even managed that when all his accounts were under their supervision. Jude just smiled smugly, saying he had his ways.

They stayed in for dinner, preferring a cozy home-made meal by the fireplace. It was already 11 pm. Jude checked his phone. Her last message was at 8:30 pm, when she reached the cabin. His mind kept picturing what could be happening there, and if he had made the right call to nudge her to go. 

Nudge her? You practically threw her into his waiting arms.

Sometimes, Jude hated his mind for playing such cruel tricks. 

He needed to talk to her right now. Fuck maturity! Fuck pride!

Jude called. The phone kept ringing. He tried again. Same outcome. After 15 mins, when his mind was about to go into a full-blown overdrive (he was close to pinging Roma for Anna’s number), his phone flashed with a message from her.

‘Bad network here. Just saw you called?’

Well yeah he called. That’s how the calls got registered on her phone. 

Knowing fully well he couldn’t take that tone with her, Jude took two full rounds around his room before responding.

‘Yeah. Can we talk?’

He proceeded to stare at his screen for 1 full minute, then she called him.

‘Hey youuu.’

Jude could tell that tone from a million miles away. She was drunk. Bad idea, he needed her to be fully in her senses tonight. But, she was away celebrating with her friends and he couldn’t possibly hold that against her.

‘Having fun?’

‘Oh yeah. Just ate half a cake. Downed it with wine. In hindsight not a great call but hey.’

She was still using big proper words. Jude surmised she was more buzzed than drunk. Good, some respite!

‘Nice. What else is happening?’

‘Just eating & drinking & playing some music & a little bit of dancing.’

‘Nothing else?’

She smiled, getting his drift.

‘Nothing that I need to tell, like we discussed.’

‘About that, I changed my mind. Tell me everything.’

Not knowing was driving him up the wall. She knew he wouldn’t last long anyway.

‘Jude, we are just joking, bitching rather, about folks at work & some clients. Typical IB stuff.’

‘Hmm.’

She caught the annoyance in his tone. It was time to change the topic.

‘How did it go there? Your folks were surprised?’

That worked like a charm. He immediately dove into giving her a word by word description, forgetting what was on his mind earlier. His child-like enthusiasm on describing his presents just melted her heart. 

‘Well, you’ve got one more to go.’

‘This year, I’m waiting for that one the most.’

‘Soon. How was dinner?’

‘Food was great. But dad insisted to be in charge of plum pudding and it was a catastrophe. Proper disaster. Too runny. Like he’s a good cook don’t get me wrong. Had to learn when Mom came to live with me at Dortmund and he had to look after Jobe. But man, desserts are not his thing. Jobe nearly choked on it but Mom said we have to finish it without making a fuss.’

‘Awww.’

‘But I had a way to make it taste delicious.’

‘Yeah & what’s that?’

‘Are you alone?’

He knew it was an out of context question. But he didn’t want anyone (one person specifically) to see her flushed cheeks.

‘Ermm yeah.’

‘Well dove, I imagined eating it off your tits.’

She choked on the wine, and spilled it a little. He loved hearing her breathless gasp.

‘You…gosh you…’

‘Are they tingling?’

Well now they were. She had to put an arm around her chest to rein in the sensation.

‘GO AWAY.’

‘I love you too.’

This carried on for a few more minutes before he finally, begrudgingly, let her go back to her friends.

Ananya had to wash her face with cold water to recover from his assault on her senses. 

It was a fun evening/night. It had been a while since she had gone out with her work group. Thought different nationalities, they were all from the same world and talked about similar things. Relatable. It had been a gruelling 7 months at work since she joined, so it was nice to let loose with folks who went through the same rigour as her.

Drinks were flowing freely, and Ananya indulged too. But stopped when her head started to spin a little. She was the first one to retire to her room, around 1 am.

2 hours later, she woke up with her throat parched. Clearly had forgotten to have enough water. It was always tougher to do that with wine. Thankfully, she never really got hangovers but the buzz was still there. A fair bit.

She stepped out to find the kitchen. The whole cabin was quiet now, eerily so. The sound of rain splashing against the windows adding to the atmosphere. Holding the back of the furniture in her way, she quickly stumbled towards the kitchen. And found someone unexpected.

Arjun was standing there with his back to her, staring intently into the fridge. Dressed in night shorts. Like her. She almost turned on her heels to return but her throat was killing her.

He turned around, surprised to find her standing behind.

‘Hey.’

‘Hey.’

These were the first words they had spoken directly to each other all night. And in weeks.

‘Looking for water?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Seems like we drank it all. Nothing in the kitchen and the tap water has a weird smell.’

‘Oh.’

This was not good. Her body was threatening to revolt, desperately seeking some liquid.

‘Wait let me check our stash again.’

Arjun went into the living room, going through all the bags they brought. Ananya followed close behind, sitting on the edge of the couch. 

‘Christmas miracle.’

He emerged after 2 mins with half a bottle of juice and another one with some soda left in it, offering both to her. She took the juice, gladly. And he started gulping down the soda.

‘Thanks.’

‘No problem.’

They sat there for 30 seconds, not knowing where to look, or what to say to each other.

‘Well, this is awkward.’

Maybe it was the drinks that had lowered their inhibitions. Or maybe it was the situation. Or the fact that they were alone. But both looked at each other & burst out laughing at the same time. Which cut through the awkwardness. They laughed for a good full minute, finally settling down again.

‘How are you?’

It was a loaded question but she felt compelled to ask it. A nicer, kinder person should have asked that sooner.

His face suddenly turned sober.

‘Oh I’m ok. Yeah…I mean…all good.’

She cocked her head sideways & smiled, not believing it. He sighed in defeat, not wanting to look at her smiling face for too long.

‘As ok as I can be, I guess.’

‘I’m sorry Arjun, truly. For everything.’

‘Not your fault you love someone else.’

She cocked her head again, but in surprise this time. How did people seem to know this before she did?

Realising he was looking at her, she recovered quickly.

‘Yeah, but, I still am sorry.’

‘That’s coz you’re a good person.’

‘A good person would not have shunned you this way.’

There, she finally said it. This had been weighing on her since forever that it didn’t need to be this way. But she also kinda understood where Jude was coming from, so she had cut off Arjun completely since the proposal.

Arjun gazed at her sincerely. There were no prizes for guessing that her boyfriend was the reason she had cut him off.

‘I get it. Would have done the same in his place.’

She turned towards him, and he just shrugged. She shook her head in half exasperation.

‘Men!’

‘Men in love!’

She was a bit tongue-tied again. Coz last time he had used the word ‘feelings’ for her, not ‘love’ explicitly. 

‘So, he hates me then?’

Understatement of the century, as Jude had put it.

‘Well…’

She smiled and he laughed again. Almost falling from the couch. Clearly nowhere near sober. But she didn’t help him get back up, not crossing the line she had drawn in her head. The laughter subsided after a while and he looked at her sincerely again.

‘He’s a lucky guy.’

‘Thanks, but I think I’m the lucky one here.’

The fondness in her voice & the shining happiness in her eyes when she spoke of her boyfriend tugged at his heart. Suddenly he wanted to run out of there. This is what he deserved for sitting on his ass for months and not shooting his shot when he had the chance. 

Their drinks were nearly over & so was their limited time. He looked at her closely when she took the last sip and kept the bottle down, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

He didn’t wanna lose her completely. At least he could stay her friend. Wanting to end on a light note, he blurted something he never would have without the alcohol messing with his head.

‘So, you got a sister or something?’

‘What?’

It was her turn to laugh uncontrollably now, holding the arm of the couch.

‘Actually yeah. And she’s gonna be visiting soon.’

Ananya played along, still laughing. Funnily enough, her cousin would actually like him too.

‘Single?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Great. Maybe we could double-date then.’

She laughed harder. Jude was more likely to join Barca than to be on the same table as Arjun. Thankfully, Arjun just attributed it to her drunk state & laughed along. 

‘Well, good night. Merry Christmas to you Arjun.’

‘To you too, Ananya. Stay happy.’

‘You too.’

She turned around and Arjun saw her walk out of the room. And from his life. 

Ananya felt light after this conversation. Relieved. Less guilty maybe. Her thoughts went to Jude and she sent him a quick ‘Miss you baby’ message before conking off. Jude saw it at 5 am, in his semi-restless, nightmare-filled sleep. But slept a lot better after seeing it.

Of course when she told Jude the next day, he saw some sinister plot in this harmless conversation again. Which she laughed off, and he didn’t protest too much either. 

Next few days went by in a blur for Jude. Christmas with family was great as always, as was watching Jobe play. It always filled Jude with immense pride to see his brother grow into a force of his own. Then he had to hurry to Dubai for a few quick commitments, and also won the Globe Soccer Award for the best emerging player, which was a special moment for him & his family. No one had expected him to rise so quickly at Madrid but Jude relished the challenge & the responsibilities that came with it. His dad called it a proper ‘galactico’ mentality. 

On his last evening in Dubai, he woke up from his nap to see an alarming message from his girlfriend.

‘What are those photos?’

Panic hit in full force. Had something else come out about him while he was sleeping? He searched like a maniac for a full 5 minutes and also checked with his team but couldn’t find anything damning.

‘What photos?’

‘The dump you posted. What do you think you’re doing?’

‘I’m so confused rn, what are you saying?’

Jude checked what time it was. Was it jet lag or something?

‘You know fully well what I’m saying. Who gave you the right to look like that?’

Finally, he relaxed and leaned back against the bed, smiling giddily.

‘Look like what?’

‘Like a FUCKING GREEK GOD. A SUPERMODEL. Arghhh I wanted to bite you.’

‘Where?’

‘EVERYWHERE. So fucking edible’

‘I’m still in those blue shorts in case you were wondering. Wanna see?’

Jude sent her a quick selfie. Lying comfily in bed, in those barely there hiked up shorts, spreading his legs shamelessly for a better view.

‘What’s your fetish for tightest of tight shorts? It looked like it would rip any second.’

‘Maybe you want to rip it.’

‘I do.’

‘Why don’t you get like this when you are in touching distance of me?’

‘Don’t know, this is a first.’

‘I’ll give you a private show when you are back.’

‘Damn right you will. Especially that suit.’

‘Deal. And you’d wear something of my choice?’

‘Deal.’

‘Come back soon.’

‘I landed here 2 days ago, Jude.’

‘I know.’

He sunk into the pillows. She had to say her goodbye soon, since someone was at her door. It was the first time she had been away from home for so long so her folks were making a fuss around her. Jude knew she’d barely have any time for him next 10 days - between home and her college friend’s wedding.

It was time to return to Madrid tomorrow morning. Alone. His mom would follow in a few days, but he was going to have to be by himself till then. Even on New Year's Eve. 

Jude hated being alone. Not being around people he loved. It was the biggest thing that set him off. But he’d have to make do for a few days. He sulked in the car all the way through. Just when he had dragged himself out & entered his empty home, Agnes followed behind & handed over an envelope to him.

It said ‘Merry Christmas’ - in her handwriting.

She had planned something. There was a surprise waiting for him. All his annoyance was forgotten instantly. 

He jumped up & down then hugged Agnes wildly - the older man trying to keep his composure but smiling back at the display of young love. But when Jude tried to kiss him on the cheek, Agnes took his leave & left the giddy boy alone.

Jude ripped open the envelope and found a small piece of paper inside.

‘Did you really think I’d forget your Christmas present? 

Please remember who you’re dealing with here :)

Now, ready for your gift?

You’ll find it where we had our almost first kiss.’

Wait, so it was a treasure hunt?? His excitement went through the roof. He absolutely loved these little games.

Jude read the text again. Almost first kiss. What did that mean? Their proper first kiss was on her dining table, in her apartment. But he wanted to kiss her in the cafe too. And in the stadium. 

He read it again. Almost should mean where both wanted to kiss, right? He dug his fingers into his head, as if trying to stimulate the blood flow there, replaying the events of their first date. Was it the car ride on the way over, when they had held hands for the first time? No, she was still guarded then. The first time she had let her guard down was later that night….perched up on the kitchen counter.

Surely, that must be it. He ran into the kitchen, looking all around. There was nothing on the counter. He opened a few cabinets. Nothing. 

Think Jude. Think.

Wine. They were having wine then. The wine fridge was not in the kitchen though, so that couldn’t be it. Maybe the glasses? He bent down to open the compartment below the counter, and jumped at the first attempt.

A carefully wrapped package. 

He sat on the counter, tore through the wrapper quickly and found a scrapbook inside. There was a note on Page 1.

‘Special player. Special club. Special debut. Special memories.’

He flipped the page and gasped when he realised what he was looking at. The scrapbook contained clips & images of all the key moments in his life over the last 7 months. Each page dedicated to a particular instance.

When the news first broke of his transfer. 

When he signed the contract with Real Madrid. Photos with Perez and his family on the pitch.

His first interview with RMTV on his presentation.

His first training session.

His first match.

His first goal.

His first press conference.

His first brace.

His first MOTM.

How he first did his celebration with the fans.

When the fans first sang ‘Hey Jude.’

When the whole stadium joined him in his celebration.

His first Champions League goal.

His first Clasico & first Clasico goal. (A heart drawn at the bottom of the page because this had also been the day of their first date.)

When his debut season was hailed Ronaldo-esque. 

When his friends from Birmingham came over to the Bernabeu.

When he won the golden ball.

When Vini did the photo clicking celebration with him.

Some images of just his bromance moments with his team-mates. (A few question marks drawn at the bottom, along with an inquisitive emoticon).

His mum in the stands, cheering for him.

The penalty he won for England.

When he won MOTM in England shirt.

Some other photos from the England camp.

Jobe’s presentation at Sunderland.

The last image was from the last match before the break - with Jobe cheering for him in the stands.

Carefully curated by someone who truly understood what mattered to him - not just the professional milestones but the fact that he was able to celebrate those with his loved ones. That’s what made it more special. The images of how proud/emotional his mum looked, how his Dad had that big smile on his face, how Jobe seemed to be a bit in awe of the Bernabeu, how his friends screamed from the stands when he scored. Special, special memories.

He flipped through the pages one more time, reliving each moment. It still felt surreal. Almost unreal. Somewhere along the way his eyes had turned moist and he felt more homesick than ever. Gosh, what he wouldn’t give right now to fall into the arms of his folks.

Everyone close to his heart was captured in this scrapbook. Barring one person. The one he wanted the most right now. Jude hugged the scrapbook close to his chest, hugging himself in the process.

He flipped to the last page, thinking it was the end. But she was determined to make his day some more.

Jude squealed again when he saw the message on the last page.

‘Did you think this was it?

Nah, not on my watch!

There’s something else waiting for you. But can you find it?

Hint: Think of the first night I spent at yours.’

Holy mother of god! He had the coolest girlfriend in the world. 

Jude ran up the stairs, two steps in one stride, into his room. And started thinking of where it could be. Just then it clicked - she had stayed in the guest room the first few times, not here. In the next 5 seconds, he was standing in the middle of that room, looking around. 

He hadn’t entered the room that night, so there can’t be a special place she would be referring to. It would be somewhere generic. He started going through the cupboard and the drawers, finally finding his prize in the bedside table.

It was another cutely wrapped package, a smaller one this time. Inside was a tiny scrapbook.

He almost couldn’t believe what was happening. A part of him wanted to pause & guess the contents, but he quickly turned impatient and opened it swiftly.

‘A little something about us.

Thank you for making me believe in love again.

Your dove!’

Overwhelmed, he caressed the text with his fingertips, the words tugging at his heart. Then he leaned down and kissed the page, trying to picture her.

Bracing himself for the emotional rollercoaster, he flipped the first page. It was filled with pictures - a little ode to their brief journey so far.

Bill from their first cafe meeting.

Screenshot of their text messages from that night, when he convinced her to come to the game. It was the first time he had called her dove.

A picture of his she had taken from his box, when he was celebrating his Clasico goal. (It was the first time he was seeing this one.)

The attire she was wearing on their first date - Madrid jersey (not his; how he had sulked over it) and denim jeans.

Their texts from that night, when he had pinged her from the Clasico celebration party.

His jacket that he had left in her house - after their first kiss.

A screenshot when he face-timed her from an away game, and kissed the screen while saying goodbye.

Flowers he sent her every week. Not a single one was missing.

A random pic of Bridgerton, the show they were watching when things got a bit heated on their second date.

Different images of his she had taken while watching his matches on TV.

His jersey in her size - symbolic of their first catastrophic fight and also their first time together.

Random memes he had sent her, when he was bored.

A cup of hot chocolate - when he came to her after a tough match or a tough day at work & she cheered him up. 

A drawer in her bedroom - where he kept his stuff.

A goofy photo of him, Ananya and Roma, sometime after dinner on one of the nights in her place.

The crystal pendant he had bought for her.

The famous letter.

And of course, the last page had the heart pendant.

Jude felt like his heart would explode any second. All this while, he thought he was the more expressive one. He was more invested in their relationship. He had poured his heart out to her many times, with paras and paras about what she meant to him.

But she had eclipsed all that with the sentimentality of this gift. And the thoughtfulness to keep the two separate. The first scrapbook he could share with anyone and relive those memories. Because he would want to, she knew that. 

And the second one was only for them. Just him & her. His dove. A piece of his heart that was far away from him right now.

Jude felt like he would die or burst into tears if he doesn’t see her immediately. He video-called her and she picked up soon, smiling from ear to ear.

Of course, Agnes would have told her things had been set in motion. 

But her smile faded when she saw his emotional face.

‘Oh baby, what’s wrong?’

‘You’re not here.’

‘I know. That’s why I left a little something for you.’

‘I loved it.’

‘Yayyy.’

‘I don’t deserve you, dove. You’re too good for me.’

‘Not true.’

‘It is. I know it is. Gosh I’m so lucky.’

‘I’m the lucky one.’

‘I-I don’t know what to do with myself right now. It was so beautiful. So thoughtful. So full of love. Just like you. Come back to me, please.’

‘Soon. Soon, Jude.’

‘Well what do I do right now? Who do I hug? There’s NO ONE.’

‘Vini & Cama live close to you, no? Trent is far away but those two are just there.’

She smiled & winked to lighten the mood with a running joke of theirs. Despite the heaviness in his chest, he ended up giggling too.

‘Stop it.’

‘Did you notice the VERY SPECIFIC section dedicated to your boyfriends?’

‘I did actually. You missed a few though.’

‘Ooh my bad. Will add those admirers of yours too.’

‘Come closer to the screen.’

‘What?’

‘Just do it.’

She did. And he proceeded to sloppily kiss his screen all over, where her face was there. She laughed, the sound uplifting his spirits.

‘Yikes you & your wet kisses.’

‘Shut up you love those.’

‘Mehhh.’

‘How’s it going there?’

‘Lovely. I missed home so so much. Everyone is here right now, which is why I’m whispering, thanks for asking.’

‘I figured, didn’t need to ask. So, did you tell your cousin about us?’

‘Yeah.’

She was looking everywhere but at him. And Jude’s face fell a little.

‘Didn’t go well, then?’

‘Went horribly. She is seriously worried for my sanity.’

‘I see.’

‘Jude, all she knows about you is what she’s seen on the internet. All the articles, images, stories, what people have said etc etc - she googled the hell out of you after I told her. Then told me I’d lost my mind. Obviously it wasn’t gonna be easy in the first go. It’ll take time. I’ve told her my side of the story. But we have to be super patient here. It’ll take a while for the idea of you to grow on her. And on anyone here.’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘But it doesn’t matter. Coz we have all the time in the world, yeah?’

‘Yeah.’

‘C’mon don’t be like that. It’s New Year's Eve tomorrow. What plans?’

‘Training.’

She rolled her eyes.

‘I mean after training, Jude.’

He shrugged.

‘Your team-mates not partying?’

‘They are, but I can’t go to that one.’

‘Why?’

‘Let’s just say you wouldn’t particularly approve of that kind of party.’

‘I see. But can you just go for a bit and I don’t know, not indulge?’

He raised an eyebrow at her.

‘Or not participate. Whatever. You know what I mean.’

‘There will be questions if I don’t “participate” there.’

‘Because you used to earlier?’

A small pause.

‘Yes.’

Well, he had never made any bones about his lifestyle earlier. Didn’t think he was in the wrong in any way, coz he was single. Her view on it was different and it was a point of contention between them that they just had to live with. 

‘What about non-single folks then? Brahim, Fede, Lunin? You’re close to all of them.’

‘They’d be with their partners.’

‘Yeah so? You’ve hung out with friends & their partners before.’

He shrugged and pouted.

‘It’d make me miss you more.’

‘Are you trying to make me feel guilty?’

‘You abandoned me on New Years. So.’

‘Juude.’

‘Fiiine I’ll plan something with some of those guys. Jeez.’

‘Good boy.’

He stuck out his tongue at her, and she smiled.

‘Baby boy.’

‘Whatever. You really, really have to make it up to me when you get back. Like seriously.’

‘I think you deserve it.’

‘Damn well I do. When do the wedding functions start?’

‘One was last night. The rest are from tomorrow afternoon.’

‘Saw him?’

‘Yeah he was there.’

‘How did it go?’

Truth be told, she was pretending to be ok about this meeting but she had actually been super nervous. Keeping her emotions in check when it came to her ex had never been a strength of hers. It had always proved to be her undoing, which is why she had chosen to completely cut off.

‘It was awkward. We just greeted each other & went our own ways. Honestly, didn’t feel much last night. Or even now.’

‘Hmmm.’

‘You know why?’

‘Why?’

‘Because the person I am with you - I like that person more than what I had become with him.’

‘Mwah.’

‘Mwah to you too.’

‘I need to see all the pictures from all the functions - of you dressed up.’

The one she had sent last night was from the cocktail party but the traditional functions will begin from tomorrow. Jude was super excited to see her in multiple ethnic attires.

‘That was the deal.’

‘It was.’

‘Baby, I have to go now.’

‘I know.’

He said in a deflated tone.

‘I’ll call whenever I manage to sneak away for a bit. Just a bit mad here.’

‘I get it. It’s fine.’

‘I’ll miss you.’

‘I’ll miss you more.’

‘I’ll be back with you in no time. And your mum is coming in two days.’

‘Yup.’

‘Happy New Year in advance. It’s gonna be a special year.’

‘Our special year.’

‘Our special year.’

‘Bye, love.’

‘Bye, Jude!’

…………………………………………………….

Happy New Year, folks!

Hope you like this one. As always, would love to hear your comments / thoughts / messages. Thank you for all the love to Jude & Ananya!

One final chapter to go. There will be time jumps in that one.

[feral-renaissance-cat]

Having come from a small church town that gets reeeal ugly when you look past the "We're all good neighbors who live good lives :)" facade, I can see the vision here.

Cozy Witch thinks to herself "Hmm, in every cozy mystery there's usually a convenient clue with exposition in the trash somewhere" so there's a game mechanic where you can peek in trash cans and dumpsters but she finds things like crumpled up drafts of suicide notes, or letters from the bank with a final warning about all their overdrawn accounts, or empty prescription bottles for anti-depressants and antipsychotics. She could use these to better understand the struggles of her neighbors and maybe reach out to them to offer emotional support, but haha nope nothing about where the cat went in here, better keep looking. (And she's not qualified to help people with problems like that so what could she do anyway that wouldn't possibly make things worse? They seem happy when she waves at them during her visits to town so they must have it under control anyway. She'll cast a little spell to make more flowers in their garden and that ought to cheer them up.)

Cozy Witch sees a little boy sitting on his back doorstop looking sad. "Aha," she tells herself. "He must be sad because the nice kitty he saw ran away. I can ask him which way it went." Turns out the boy is sad because one of his parents drank too much "grown-up juice" and now they're too sleepy and angry to play with him. She could take him with her on her adventure or at least spend some time with him, but ohhh welllll if his parent comes out looking for him they might be worried about where he went, so best of luck kid but there's still a missing cat out there. (She has heard about how violent alcoholics can get and if they get angry with her for doing anything with their son without permission they might hurt her. Except no, that person runs the charming little bookshop, they would never hurt anyone. She doesn't want them getting upset either way, and doesn't want to find out what they're like when they drink. She'll come back later and bring them some muffins or cookies or something the boy will like.)

Cozy Witch comes to the forest on the other side of town, which of course is where a cat would go to hide. She hears people talking and goes to see if they have any information about where her cat might be. As she gets closer she hears it's actually a small gang who have dragged the local Minority Character out here to rough them up and remind them that You Don't Belong Here Because You're Different. She has a few spell options that could break this up, but it's not her business and besides all this noise would have scared her cat away so she should look somewhere else, far enough away where she can't hear Minority Character's pleas for mercy. (And frankly she sort of agrees that Minority Character would be happier if they moved away because they don't fit in at all and no one would have to get mad if everyone just Fit In.)

Cozy Witch eventually finds her cat playing with the dead body of an endangered bird that it very clearly killed. Earlier in the game there were posters throughout town saying that this bird is a protected species and here's a list of ways you can help the conservation efforts, which includes not letting your pets roam free outside. She dismissed those by telling herself that her cat is different and she keeps it well-fed so it shouldn't have any reason to kill birds. She's a witch after all, and it's her job to protect all living things, which is why she's vegetarian and keeps her cat on a vegetarian diet as well. She gives her cat a talking-to on their way back to her cottage, and that should settle the matter. (Her cat might not have even killed that bird. Maybe it saw a hawk attacking the bird and tried to intervene but it was too late. Maybe it died of natural causes and when her cat found the body it thought that was one of its feather toys. She taught her cat to be nice and not even scratch the furniture so it's just so very unlikely that her cat would kill anything.)

These are all basic examples but it's almost 4am and I'm too tired for deeper nuances

i could not be trusted to make this game because my immediate thought is that the game advertises and markets itself as what op intended but steadily and then rapidly becomes very clear that instead of a cozy cute cottagecore "mystery" the story SHOULD be about the blatant corruption, cruelty, systemic oppression, and persecution and bigotry of her neighbors, but the main character is desperately clinging to the original genre of omg cozy cute and cottagecore because she feels overwhelmed by the potential responsibility to enact meaningful change rather than feel-good aesthetic positivity, thus becoming actively complicit in the town's crimes through her not mere inaction but in fact conscious choice to decide that she will be the protagonist of a cozy cute genre game rather than a story which might challenge her preconceptions of the world and the state of her own community.

[mrsbuckybarnes1917]

When a quiet New Year's Eve at home turns into something more, a simple evening of celebration becomes a whirlwind of passion and mischief. Inspired by @scoonsalicious' characters Pocket and Bucky Barnes and the following instagram reel.

This story is written with the full support of @scoonsalicious, who has kindly given me permission to bring her beloved characters Pocket and Bucky to life in this fan fic of her fan fic.

Word count: 1k

A/N: If anyone hasn't read @scoonsalicious' story Unwanted, I suggest you get on it. Stat! Happy New Year, bestie!

The New York skyline glittered through the apartment’s expansive windows, the dark sky littered with multicolored explosions in preparation for the upcoming occasion. Inside, the living room was warm and cozy, Christmas decorations giving the room a festive feel. You were sitting cross-legged on one side of the couch, with one hand wrapped around a steaming mug of hot chocolate spiked with a very healthy dose of Baileys.

It was close to midnight and Bucky was sprawled across the other side of the couch watching you tapping at a tablet. He was wearing a dark Henley and those sweatpants which hung at the perfect place on his hips and left very little to the imagination. You liked to think of them as his seduction pants. You were pretty comfortable in your oversize Stark Industries hoodie and booty shorts, while your pink fuzzy socks kept your feet warm.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Bucky making faces— his lips twitching, furrowed brows, a small smirk now and again, his gaze flicking between you and the television while he flipped through every television channel available to mankind as though he was enduring some kind of punishment.

“Any luck?” you asked without looking up from your screen.

“Nope,” he replied, pounding the same button on the remote over and over. “Is it some kind of requirement for all New Year’s Eve shows to be either obnoxiously loud or painfully boring?”

“Absolutely,” you said with a smirk.

“You gonna work all night?” he asked with a pout. “Not very festive of Stark. Or is this punishment because I didn’t want to go to his party?”

You smiled, reaching out to tickle his toes. “Just tweaking some Stark satellite code. I told Tony I’d do it. Don’t want the world to be unprotected because we were all celebrating.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “But this is supposed to be our downtime?”

“I know, Buck.” You clicked off the tablet and placed it to the side. “See, no more work. You have my full attention now, Barnes. What’re our plans for New Year’s?”

Bucky shrugged petulantly, still mad that you had chosen to do Tony a favor over being bored with him.

You grabbed his foot and wiggled it from side to side. “Come on, I’m all yours now. How about we watch the ball drop in Times Square. Pretty traditional. Fireworks, confetti, overhyped countdown…”

Bucky didn’t even look up from the channel surfing, letting out an unimpressed grunt. “I’d rather wrestle a grizzly bear than deal with that chaos. What do people get out of this ridiculous tradition? It’s slow, pointless and everyone just pretends they’re having a good time.”

You raised an eyebrow, while stirring your hot chocolate with a candy cane, slowly putting it in your mouth and sucking on the end. “You’ve got very strong opinions for someone who’s never actually done it.”

The deadpan look in Bucky’s blue eyes as he turned to you, made you laugh out loud. “Why does anyone need to experience this hell? Freezing weather, drunk strangers, waiting for hours for what? That thing moves as slow as molasses.”

“Wow! Slow down there, New Year’s Grinch.”

“Not a grinch,” he countered. “I just have higher standards and I didn’t really want to go outside.”

“Well I was just suggesting we watch it on television,” you laughed at Bucky’s embarrassed expression. “Did you know some places drop other things instead of a ball?”

That got his attention. “Like what?”

“Let’s see,” you began, counting off on your fingers. “Idaho drops a potato. Georgia drops a peach. California does a grape. And my personal favorite, in Tucson, Arizona, they drop a Taco Bell sign.”

Bucky blinked in astonishment. “A Taco Bell sign? Seriously?” he laughed.

You nodded, grinning. “I feel like that one has the most energy. Can you imagine? Midnight, fireworks, and the crowd going wild for tacos.”

Bucky shook his head but he was still smiling. “Fine, I’ll give you that. Better than a disco ball.”

“Okay,” you said, setting down your mug with a smirk. “Since we’re not into Times Square or Taco Bell. You’re looking for something higher paced, so how about we start our own tradition?”

“Oh?” Bucky raised his eyebrows with curiosity. “What did you have in mind?”

You leaned back, stretching your arms up over your head before placing them behind your head and stretching out your legs. “Hmm,” you hummed, pretending to mull things over. “Something a little more simple. Champagne. No crowds. Just you and me.”

Bucky’s lips curled into a slow, wicked grin that sent heat pooling into your stomach. “I’m listening.”

“Oh are you now?”

Bucky shuffled closer, his hand snaking over your shoulders as he leaned toward you. His voice had taken on that warm, gravelly tone that made your heart flutter. “Yeah, sweets. You’ve definitely got my attention.”

“Well,” you said, leaning toward him, your faces now just inches apart. “Midnight’s coming fast, Barnes. Instead of watching the ball drop… how about we make my panties drop at midnight?”

“Now that is a tradition I can get behind,” he said, his eyes gleaming with roguishness.

Laughing you moved forward until your noses brushed against each other. “Good, because midnight’s in ten minutes, Sarge.”

“You think I need whole ten minutes to get your panties off?”

“Confident, aren’t we?” You rolled your eyes.

“Just stating facts,” he murmured, as his fingers brushed against your thigh, sending a thrill up your spine.

You leaned closer, brushing your lips against his just enough to tease him. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

His hands tightened around your waist, pulling you into his lap in one smooth motion. “We sure will,” he said, the challenge clear in his voice as the seconds ticked closer to midnight.

“Confident, aren’t we?” you teased.

He had every right to be, he had you stripped of your panties within seconds and was thrusting inside you within minutes.

“Have I ever told you how brilliant you are, sweets?”

“Yeah, but I won’t mind hearing it again.”

The sound of fireworks outside blurred into the background as Bucky had you screaming his name on the stroke of midnight.

[abbysimsfun]

🎆🎊🍾 Happy New Year From the Whole Nesbitt Fam (with Goths, Gordons, Bells, and a Landgraab, too!) 🎇🎉🗓️

I was going to let this post tomorrow, but I kept thinking that's just too late. So this morning was for plot and this afternoon is for pretending the Nesbitts got together for a family portrait on their lawn at midnight on New Year's Eve.

That's the whole main legacy family in one place to ring in the coming year!

Also, it took three decades but I finally picked a couple name for Daisy and Neal. Happy New Year to Neasy and fam, but mostly to you reading this right now! 🎊🍾

I loaded up the game at night and didn't want to wait for morning. Then I struggled for many hours getting this to look even half decent, trying to keep them posed and waiting for them not to all be breathing steam. Finally I got 16 of 17 sims to pose and Heather to stand somewhat as if she's part of the whole thing, so I'm very happy to call this a day night in celebration of founders Daisy and Neal and all they've built together after 32 years of marriage.

clockwise from top left: Conrad Gordon, Lavender Gordon, Tetra Bell, Heather Nesbitt, Karl (Nesbitt) Goth, Mortimer Goth, Samuel "Sammy" Nesbitt, Cassandra (Goth) Nesbitt, Hazel Nesbitt, River Nesbitt, Michael Nesbitt, Neal Nesbitt, Daisy Nesbitt holding granddaughter Betta Bell, Holly (Nesbitt) Bell, Kris Bell, and Ash Landgraab

This is by far the most sims I've posed yet so I'm ringing in the New Year with a new challenge for myself. Despite the poor choice of setting and lighting I'm very happy with it - especially since it took three poses in one to get done.

I mainly used @goldoradove's excellent Happy Family pose for 19 sims. But Tetra could not be found among the feet beneath the sofa so I switched tactics and posed her and Heather with BommieSims' Children's Day posepack (only Tetra stayed put), which I can't actually find to link anymore. If anyone knows where to find it, let me know! And Ash was posed with @somneasims' Our Legacy posepack, which I really like a lot - I also used it for Bella and her fam's cozy Winterfest portrait. Even Heather, who isn't looking at the camera, at least looks engaged in the moment enough (watching Tetra balance on her dad's arm when she should be holding her?!) for me to say I'm happy.

Daisy, Neal, his brother Karl, all four kids and six grandkids, plus son-in-law Kris Bell, daughter-in-law Cassandra, future son-in-law Conrad Gordon, and Karl's husband, Mortimer Goth (he's also Cass' dad and Michael and Sammy's granddad; since they missed out on Bella's Winterfest portrait I definitely had to include them now.)

Thank you for a great first half-year on Simblr. I love this place and all your creativity so much. Here's to 2025 and whatever madness this game we all love throws our way!

Friday, we're leaving this ice box weather and sending Conrad to Sulani in search of George Brindleton, who's gone silent, and hopefully (finally) he'll find Rafa, too!

Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary

Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary

And for funsies, the full family group sheet (not including Karl and Morty): for reference, it's basically the end of 2057/start of 2058 in game, Lavender and Betta are two and a half, Sammy is two, Tetra's almost five, Michael is six, and Ash is almost eight already!

Sims In Bloom: Generations 1-3 Family Tree

Daisy Lea (Darden) Nesbitt (2003-) m. Neal Sims Nesbitt (2002-) 1. Heather Lea "Buttercup" Nesbitt (2025-) r. Malcolm Chester Landgraab (2025-) [r. 2046-49] *not pictured* 1. Ash Neal Landgraab (2050-) e. Conrad Stephen Gordon (2025-) 2. Lavender Helena Gordon (2055-) 2. Holly Darden (Nesbitt) Bell (2027-) m. Kristopher "Kris" Michael Bell (2027-) *son of Michael Bell & Cecilia Kang* [m. 2049-] 1. Tetra Daisy Bell (2053-) 2. Betta Cecilia Bell (2055-) 3. River James Nesbitt (2029-) m. Cassandra Enriqueta (Goth) Nesbitt (2028-) [m. 2050-] 1. Michael "Mike" Bachelor Nesbitt (2052-) 2. Samuel "Sammy" Crumplebottom Nesbitt (2056-) 4. Hazel Honey Nesbitt (2033-) div. Nicola Kimberly Moody-McMillan (2033-) [m. 2054-57] *to be seen on @changingplumbob's Dating Deanna starting this winter and not pictured*

[jungwnies]

sfw alphabet | park sunghoon (en-)

୨ৎ : synopsis : sfw a-z alphabet for park sunghoon

୨ৎ : word count : 1366

୨ৎ masterlist ୨ৎ

(a/n) : don't forget to like & reblog !! my requests are open!

a ⤖ affection (how affectionate is he? how often does he show affection?)

sunghoon might not be the type to shout his love from the rooftops

but his affection is a quiet fire that burns steadily.

he'll leave you little notes hidden in your pockets

remember your favorite flower and surprise you with it "just because"

and his eyes will hold a special warmth when he looks at you.

b ⤖ beginning (what would he be like as a bsf; how would the friendship start?)

imagine bumping into him at a cozy café, both reaching for the same book on the shelf his dry wit and unexpected humor would draw you in

you'd find yourselves talking for hours, discovering a shared passion for music, art, or maybe even the quiet beauty of a snowy day.

c ⤖ cuddles (does he like to cuddle; how would he cuddle?)

oh, he absolutely loves to cuddle. picture this: a rainy sunday afternoon, soft blankets, and sunghoon holding you close, his chin resting on your head as you both get lost in a movie.

he'd be the perfect big spoon, his embrace a safe haven where you can let go of all your worries.

d ⤖ domestic (does he want to settle down; how good is he at cooking and cleaning?)

while he thrives in the spotlight, a part of him longs for the quiet comfort of a home with you.

he'd be surprisingly good at keeping things tidy, maybe even a bit of a neat freak.

cooking might be a learning curve, but he'd be eager to try new recipes with you, turning kitchen mishaps into laughter-filled memories.

e ⤖ ending (if he had to break up with you; how would he do it?)

breaking up would be his absolute last resort.

if it came to that, he'd do it with the utmost respect and honesty.

he'd choose a quiet place where you could talk privately, his eyes filled with sincerity and regret as he explained his reasons.

he wants to make sure you know it's not your fault.

f ⤖ fiance (how does he feel about commitment; would he want to get married quick?)

commitment is not something he takes lightly.

he'd want to be absolutely sure before proposing, ensuring that you're both ready for a lifetime together.

he wouldn't rush into marriage, but when he finally gets down on one knee, it would be a moment filled with deep love and a promise of forever.

g ⤖ gentle (how gentle is he; emotionally + physically?)

sunghoon's gentleness is woven into his very being.

he'd handle your heart with the care of a sculptor, always mindful of your feelings.

his touch would be feather-light, a whisper against your skin that sends shivers down your spine.

h ⤖ hugs (does he likes hugs; how often does he hug you; what are his hugs like?)

his hugs are rare but precious, a silent language of love.

he'd pull you close when you need it most, his arms a warm cocoon that melts away your stress.

his hugs would linger, a quiet moment of connection that speaks volumes.

i ⤖ i love you (how fast does he say he loves you?)

those three little words would be sacred to him.

he'd wait until the moment feels perfectly right

j ⤖ jealousy (how jealous does he get; what does he do when he is jealous?)

he's not the possessive type, but a flicker of jealousy might cross his face if someone gets a little too close.

he wouldn't make a scene, but he might subtly pull you closer or hold your hand a little tighter, a silent reminder that you're his.

k ⤖ kisses (what are his kisses like; where does he like to kiss you; where does he like to be kissed?)

his kisses are slow and tender, savoring every moment.

he'd adore kissing your forehead, a gesture of affection and protection.

he'd melt under your kisses on his jawline, a secret spot that sends shivers down his spine.

l ⤖ little ones (how is he around children?)

he might seem a bit awkward at first, but his playful side would emerge around children.

he'd be patient and kind, engaging them in imaginative games and making them laugh with silly faces.

m ⤖ morning (how are mornings spent with him?)

mornings with sunghoon would be slow and peaceful.

he'd wake you up with soft kisses and whispered "good mornings," followed by a leisurely breakfast in bed

definitely enjoying each other's company before the day begins.

n ⤖ night (how are nights spend with him?)

nights would be a blend of quiet intimacy and shared passions.

you might find yourselves curled up on the couch, lost in a good book, or sharing headphones as you listen to your favorite music

but the silence is 100% filled with unspoken affection.

o ⤖ open (when would he open up; does he say everything at once or does he wait to reveal himself?)

he'd open up like a blooming flower, slowly revealing his deepest thoughts and feelings as your bond deepens.

late-night conversations would become a sanctuary where you share your dreams and vulnerabilities

p ⤖ patience (how easily angered is he?)

his patience runs deep

he'd approach conflicts with understanding and a willingness to listen

always seeking a peaceful resolution.

q ⤖ quizzes (how much would he remember about you; does he remember every little detail; or is he forgetful?)

he'd be a keeper of your secrets, big and small.

he'd remember the way you take your coffee, your favorite song lyrics, and the story behind that tiny scar on your knee.

your life would be etched in his memory, a testament to his love and attention.

r ⤖ remember (what is his favorite moment in the relationship?)

his favorite moment might be the first time you looked at him with pure, unguarded love in your eyes

in that moment he knew he was falling for you just as hard as you were falling for him.

s ⤖ security (how protectice is he; how does he protect you; how would he like to be protected?)

he'd be your silent guardian, always looking out for you, whether it's holding your hand as you cross a busy street or defending you against unkind words.

he'd appreciate a partner who offers him emotional security, a safe space where he can be vulnerable without fear of judgment.

t ⤖ try (how much effort does he put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

he believes in quality over quantity.

dates would be thoughtfully planned, anniversaries celebrated with heartfelt gestures, and gifts chosen with your personality in mind.

he'd show his love through everyday acts of kindness, from making you breakfast in bed to surprising you with your favorite takeout after a long day.

u ⤖ ugly (what are some of his bad habits?)

he might be a bit too hard on himself sometimes

always striving for perfection in everything he does.

he might also overthink things, getting lost in his own thoughts.

v ⤖ vanity (how concerned is he with his looks?)

he takes pride in his appearance, but it's more about self-care than vanity.

he understands the importance of looking his best

w ⤖ whole (would he feel incomplete without you?)

while he values his independence, you'd become an essential part of his life

for him, you're a source of joy and strength.

he'd cherish your presence, your laughter filling the spaces in his heart he didn't know existed.

x ⤖ xtra (random headcanon for him)

he secretly writes you love poems in his spare time, hiding them away in a special notebook

y ⤖ yuck (what are some things he wouldn't like; in general or in a partner?)

he wouldn't like dishonesty, rudeness, or people who try to pressure him into things he's not comfortable with.

in a partner, he'd value kindness, understanding, and a shared passion for life.

z ⤖ zzz (what are his sleeping habits?)

he might be a cuddler in his sleep, subconsciously seeking your warmth and comfort.

he might also talk in his sleep occasionally, murmuring sweet nothings that make your heart melt.

2021-2024 © jungwnies on tumblr | All rights reserved. Do not repost, plagiarize, or translate.

[foundfamilynonsense]

Very true, and we can also look at the genre of fantasy under a microscope for a moment to understand why cozy fantasies often miss the mark.

In romance novels, we can have “big problem” stories, that revolve around things like war, drugs, suicide, and so on. Or we can have “small problem” stories like my bakery is being shut down, I don’t have a date to my cousin’s wedding. Etc. Both of these options can work well for a romance genre, it just depends on what you’re trying to write.

So, with cozy fantasy, it’s mostly “big problem”. And some romance writers sat down and decided to think up some “small problem” romance.

But…. The “big problems” of fantasy are not the same as the “big problems” in romance. So why did we think the “small problems” would be the same??

Fantasy, as a genre, involves taking internal problems and externalizing them. The crushing weight of capitalist greed becomes a dragon that we can fight off with a sword. Your own insecurities that keep you up and night are now preventing you from using the World Saving Magic. Conceptual problems are turned into physical problems that you can see and understand— then they are defeated.

So, while the big problems in romance usually revolve around things like depression, substance abuse, being sent off to a war, and other things that are more conceptual and mental, fantasy turns that suffering into physical suffering to make it more digestible to certain audiences. In romance you have anxiety. In fantasy you have anxiety because you’re being hunted by a werewolf.

So why do most cozy fantasies try to copy cozy romances?? Why is it about a coffee shop? Why is it about the small business?

Howl’s moving castle was mentioned, and it’s a good example. Because, yes, Howl’s Moving Castle is a bit of a softer fantasy. No swords, no blood, no dragon. Howl and the Witch of the Wastes do fight some epic battles but those are not the focus. The focus is about a young girl who feels like nothing in her life can possibly go right. She feels ugly and down on her luck and she is now finally in a situation where she can let out some emotion: and that emotion is usually anger. And why can she suddenly let out these emotions? Because the witch of the wastes turned her into an old lady.

It’s a “small problem” but it’s still externalized and exaggerated because of the fantasy genre. It’s not about a shop keeper who by the way can do some magic.

In fantasy, you can’t just write out the problem, you have to turn it into something tangible. Howl is a cruel heartbreaker who goes through women like clean ex? It’s because he literally doesn’t have a heart in his chest. And to make it “soft” I’ve noticed many fantasy writers forget to do this.

It’s hard to write soft fantasy because… y’know. Once you funnel all the negative parts of war and greed into one dude with a big sword you want to arm your characters and have them kick his ass. But you *can* if you really want to. However, it’s easier to turn small problems (you and your mother have never gotten along) into big problems (your mother is possessed by a demon) than keep them as externalized small problems (your mother… lost the key to her heart? Or something?) so instead you get a kind of boring realistic “everyday” fiction/romance with some fantasy vibes.

Cozy Fantasy and Why It Doesn't Work

I think I am among many who feel like they should love cozy fantasy and have found it an incredibly lacking genre.

This newly branded "cozy fantasy" genre that has taken readers by storm since 2020 and while it is new that books are now marketed as cozy, the genre itself isn't new. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is a great example of the genre before it was labeled and also how to make it work.

Cozy fantasy is defined by many as fantasy with low stakes. Fantasy aesthetic but less sword fights. On paper, it sounds great. But the execution has been less than stellar for readers like me. The lack of physical stakes has also impacted the emotional stakes of these books, creating forgettable characters with boring problems. As a romance reader, I find this frustrating. Romance is known for being a predictable and formulaic genre, the now defunct Romance Writers of America defined romances as needing happy endings, a term romances have continued to follow. Yet these romance texts manage to have low physical stakes (how to date your neighbor, how to confront your toxic friends, etc) while still maintaining high personal stakes that keep readers invested and begging for more. So I was initially confused why cozy fantasy authors struggle to write texts that connect to readers like me.

I think I have found the answer which is the genre is just here for vibes. It is all about aesthetic, not even worldbuilding that fantasy is known for as most cozy fantasy I read have so many problems as soon as you ask one question. It is hard to acknowledge that a genre that is pitched to work for readers like me doesn't work for many of us. Especially because occasionally there is one that works beautifully to my taste.

I often say my favorite cozy fantasies that are more contemporary are short and visual, which I plays into the idea of the genre being an aesthetic. The Bakery Dragon by Devin Elle Kurtz is a good example because it is a simple story that is given the perfect amount of pages and gorgeous visuals without dragging on when the message is very clear and easy to understand. Books like The Phoenix Keeper and Legends and Lattes have absolutely nothing for me, their very clear message hitting the reader over and over so the readers don't miss it and focusing on the aesthetic of worldbuilding rather than the reality of the fantastic elements within the world.

I guess my point is. . . I realize this genre isn't for me since I have realized it is more of an aesthetic than anything. .. .but I want it to be. Should I let it go and put my efforts elsewhere? Or should I keep exploring this new trend and find the hidden gems?

[intimidating-fettuccine]

hi! can i req poly yan!masky x reader x yan!hoodie?:)

I hope you enjoy this, as this is a pretty rough combination :p

Oh, you don't know what you're getting yourself into, or maybe you do and you're into that sort of thing. Normal Masky is physically incapable of love, he will never, ever fall in love with you, no matter what you do, and guess what? Yandere Masky is the exact same way. While yandere Tim will love you and treasure you, you're getting Masky instead, who just simply grows possessive over your body, and wants nobody else to have access to you, only him. Well, at least, except for Hoodie, who he begrudgingly shares you with. Hoodie in general is closer to Brian in personality and treatment than Masky is to Tim, but Hoodie still isn't nearly as sweet to you as Brian might be. He's not sure if the intense, deep, primal possession he feels toward you is love, but he knows the feeling he feels is strong enough that he's not going to give you up.

There's going to be a LOT of fighting. This will not be a sweet, romantic experience between them. Masky and Hoodie can barely share when they're normal, they definitely can't share when they're yandere for you. Masky is the one initiating most of the fights, as it aggravates him to see Hoodie around you at all, especially if he's being physically affectionate with you. Hoodie never gives in though, and there are a lot of thrown punches and pointed guns, but the one who ends up winning tends to vary. Whenever Masky wins he gets especially cocky and tends to hide you from Hoodie for several days so he can do whatever he wants to you (a situation that is not generally enjoyable for you, as you come out exhausted, starving (as Masky almost never remembers to feed you) in need of what feels like multiple showers, and covered in bruises and bitemarks). Hoodie winning tends to be much better, as he'll at least apologize for making you watch that, but it just goes to make his possession over you even stronger, and you'll never be able to get away from him. Neither of them really knows how a normal romantic relationship is supposed to work, so it's mostly just them dragging you back and forth and forcing themselves on you if you don't comply.

So long as Masky is distracted by something else, most of your time is spent with Hoodie, which you're thankful for as Hoodie is always the better of the two at least, as he makes sure you stay well-fed, and he'll clean up the injuries both of them tend to leave on you. You can talk with him, and engage in any hobbies you might have had with him. He tends to spend a lot of time watching you, though. Staring from beside you, observing what you do, experimenting on you to see how you react to different situations. He gets antsy if he doesn't touch you for too long, and often randomly forces himself on you, pressing his lips to yours with no warning, touching you without permission. He's at least somewhat gentle about it, but whenever Masky catches him doing so it just reinforces in Masky's mind that he doesn't have to ask you permission to do anything, which makes your situation with Masky much worse. Both of them get so physically clingy, wanting to be the one to leave the most markings on you, wanting to be the one to touch you the most, wanting to be the one to use you however they please the most. Just make sure they never end up asking you if you prefer one over the other, as neither of them is a good answer to give because it'll just piss the other off and cause more fighting, and turn some anger on you. Should you ever actually have to choose between them in general, cozying up to Hoodie will save you in the long run, as if you ever feel the need to escape (you will), Hoodie can at least assist you, and in the end, find a way to keep you all to himself. He can hide you, live with you somewhere far, far away, away from Masky, where, while still living under controlled possession, you'd be much safer. It won't last forever, though. Masky won't stop searching for you, both you and Hoodie know that, and once he finds you, you're never getting away from him again.

[verystrxxwberry]

What do you think each of the boys would like to receive as Christmas gifts?? Love your writing so much!

WHAT WOULD THE MCL, ML AND ELDARYA ROUTES WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: My candy love (all routes), eldarya (all routes), ml (all routes), small and individual headcanons. ↝ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: First post of 2025! Happy New Year everyone. I didn’t really know which fandom you meant with this request, but I will include all of them!

♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•. ♪¸¸.•*¨*•.

MY CANDY LOVE

Castiel: He insists in not needing anything (because whatever he needs he immediately buys it), but he might be very excited to get anything related with his guitar. The thing he’d be the most grateful about would be earplugs to protect his ears from the loud volumes of his concerts. He’ll be happy with cheaper things such as cozy blankets, new pajamas or even new slippers or shoes. 

Nathaniel: Whatever cat-related makes him as happy as a kid, even a gift for Snowy makes him feel excited. He doesn’t want you to spend much money on him and tiny things are enough. Even handmade things make his heart melt!

Lysander: He might like any gift that makes reference to some inner joke in between you. Handmade gifts are his favorite honestly, he loves ceramic mugs made by you!

Armin: Steam gift cards… any character figurine for his collection, any sweater related to a fandom he is in. He’s a freak, he is easier to gift.

Kentin: On the opposite to Nathaniel, something dog-related. A scarf or a coat might be good for his van trips to some colder places. Something more expensive he could get to enjoy is a smartbox to live a new experience with you, but he doesn’t want you to spend much money. Handmade chocolate cookies are also a great gift for him!!

Rayan: He adores being gifted books and even more if it’s a classic. He will never say no to reading Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, Stephen King or George Orwell. He is opened to other authors and other genres. He might also appreciate new formal clothes for his job or a handmade painting.

Hyun: Cute plushies are his thing, also cool jackets or coats. Warm and cozy socks to be home. Any vanilla scented candle for his bedroom might also work as a great gift. Skincare products are also a great option. He loves to get gifted stuff in boxes, everything together, so it is more exciting to see the amount of gifts he is going to open.

Priya: Candles! She doesn’t have a preference for any scent, as long as it can give a certain smell to her bedroom. She’d also be grateful to receive a new, medium lengthen notebook where she can write her thoughts. 

Devon: Massage card, man is stressed. He is such a romantic man and definitely would love to receive a handmade letter from you. Devon likes any tiny detail that comes from you, he doesn’t mind whether you invested money or not, which of course he prefers that you do not invest much.

Jason: There isn’t much this man needs other than genuine affection. Whatever he needs he also buys it almost immediately as he has got the sources to get them.  Yet new ties for his uniform are a thing he forgets most of the time. He prefers to get gifted unique things that no one else can have such as handmade stuff or experiences. But really, even something that doesn’t cost much money is good for him since it comes from you. Even if he finds something useless at first, he will find the way to make it useful.

Roy: He’s very easy to gift to because he likes absolutely everything. Something that involves an adventure, food, clothes, skincare, a fitness mat, products to take care of his hair… whatever is enough to make him excited.

Thomas: He makes you a list of gifts in case you need it. He might appreciate a new jacket to wear in his motorcycle, a gift card for one of the local yarn shops, motorcycle gloves, a steam gift card, a warm blanket for naps.

Amanda: A basket of candles, bath bombs and chocolates is perfect for her. She will be grateful with a basket of random teas as well.

ELDARYA

Ezarel: Sweets. Literally anything that is sweet af such as bonbons, cookies, honey, candies. He’d really like to receive ear warmers and a scarf.

Nevra: Your kisses and hugs are the best gifts for him! But if you wish to gift something material, probably a matching necklace (something elegant and not too colorful), the experience of having a romantic dinner with you is also a great gift for him.

Valkyon: A fancy cup for beer nights. A handmade letter, or simply your presence. He doesn’t want you to spend anything for him, and if you do, he hopes it is something for Floppy (a gift for her equals to a gift for him)

Leiftan: He’s gonna cry at any of your gifts, no matter if you bought it or you did it by yourself. He is going to drown in tears. Books, drawings, poems, crotchet figurines… he loves them.

Lance: Gloves for his freezing hands (so you don't freeze when he touches you), a good perfume, pajamas and a kiss :).

Mathieu: He is good with silly little stuff such as plushies, bracelets, necklaces or the dumbest shirts ever (he’s gonna go out with them without any shame). Cute cups, cute plates, anything to decorate his prosthetic leg.

MOONLIGHT LOVERS

Aaron: No matter if he loves his brown shirt too much, he lowkey needs a new one… so a brown sweater, shirt or jacket, it might be pretty useful. 

Beliath: Skincare products, a headband, haircare products because bro wants it to glow and be fancy. A bottle of red wine. Affection. Any sex-related stuff, even if it is in a joke, it might be a good gift as well.

Raphael: Books in braille! He knows how hard it is to find them, so it’s a great surprise for him to receive more. And even more if they are from your era, and he can get to know what kind of literature is made nowadays.

Vladimir: A bucket of candles and tea. Books, a bucket of flowers, a new cane that can be elegant or neutral. A letter made by hand, or even a poem. 

Ethan: Probably noise-cancelling earbuds for those times when there’s a storm. He’d be pretty glad to receive citrus soaps, a cool leather jacket. Or gift cards for clothing shops. 

Ivan: A gift card for Netflix, silly socks!! Or a silly blanket. Gift him food and he will be happy. Or bring him a nice cuddle session! That’s more than good for him.

Neil: He doesn’t follow the tradition of Christmas and won’t understand why is he receiving a gift. Still, he can never say no to some genuine and spontaneous thing coming from you, like you giving him some jewelry, some sweets or even gifting him a book you’d think he’d like. He appreciates handmade stuff but no need to be Christmas to give those gifts.

✰; remember to reblog and like to support my content, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy new year to everyone!