#it may not be a direct sign (more of a maybe hint)

[fennthetalkingdog]

I think it's kinda fascinating how my neurodivergence plays a role in me seeing myself as nonhuman (and honestly, in my self-image in general). Like, I'm trans, but my first clue was that I'd rather live without my boobs, and even now my trans goals are more physically oriented than not. Yes I am a nonbinary boy, but if I had to, I'd rather have people still call me a girl and physically transition than have people call me what I want and have my body unchanged. Some of the reason why I use the label in the first place is for other people's benefit; I don't care if it perfectly fits, I just wanna change my physical body, and if I have to be trans for others to accept that then I will. (Now, I've gotten to like being called a boy, but that took a little bit and wasn't entirely connected to my wish to physically transition.) I've looked in the mirror all my life and been surprised at what I see, but I don't think it's the cause of anything else going on with me. I think my disconnection with my physical image deals more with my struggle to see how others perceive me (something that comes from my probably autism more than anything else) and my nonhumanity and transness came from that instead of the other way around. And because of that, I'm more of the mindset to change my body because it's fun to mess with since I likely will never look in the mirror and see myself, no matter what I heard trans people say when I was first questioning (and boy did that confuse me for a while).

My self-image isn't attached to my physical image, for good and for bad, so it's easier for me to be trans or nonhuman since one is just a physical change to make my life easier and the other is just a difference in self-image. And I think that's kinda cool.

[prismkith]

may I ask for a oneshot with jinx like introducing her girlfriend, fem!reader to vander/warwick? and for a while he's like just sniffing and eyeing her suspiciously or whatever until he sees her and jinx in a super like intimate and sincerely loving moment?

also! may I be 🫀 anon? :3

Hi! Yes you absolutely may! i loved this request, and I hope you love what I wrote based off of it!

'How I met your grandfather'

pairing: Jinx X Fem!Reader

genre: fluff, maybe a hint of hurt/comfort

Wc: 2835

You sigh as you enter Jinx’s hideout, shoulders sore and the bags under your eyes growing heavier and heavier. You'd been out with Sevika keeping the lanes in check after the Stillwater breakout, and it was tireless. Enforces had been down your throats the entire time, and balancing keeping the enforcers from beating angry zaunites while also wanting to beat the shit out of them yourself had taken its toll. 

The lanes have been a never-ending job since Silco died. 

You felt horrible for leaving jinx alone after the attack, but she understood. You worked for Silco when he was here, and now sevika. She knew what your job entailed and was used to you being gone for days at a time. 

Stepping onto the still wings of the fan, you were confused by the noise or lack thereof. Her hideout was never quiet, always the sound of her tinkering, or having dance parties and bug-boxing matches mixed with Ishas giggles. 

“I’m home! Anybody here?” you call out into the air. The only response is the echo of your own voice. “Isha? Jinx?” you call out once more. Confused, you walk up to her workstation, cluttered and disorganized as always. You're met with a note on her desk, your name in her distinctive scribbly handwriting on the front page. 

‘Hey trinket, we found Vander. Took him to some mystery healer on the edge of Zaun. Meet us there if we aren't back before you.

Love ya’ 

Your eyes widen as you scan the letter once more, her lack of detail slightly worrying. Questions flooded your brain as you flipped her vague note to find directions on the back. 

Scurrying to get your things together as quickly as possible, you take off in the direction of this ‘mystery healer’, your heavy boots loud as you run to find your girlfriend and her back from the dead dad

________________________________________________________________________

You're slightly panting as you reach the gates she directed you to, having sprinted half the way there, and jogged the other half. Pausing for a moment as you catch your breath, you make eye contact with a man standing in front of the gates. 

His eyes are white, and he's covered in these bubbly pearlescent patterns, donned in the strangest clothes you've seen. You manage to mutter “The fuck…” before he’d beckoning you closer. 

You slowly stand up straighter, distrust evident in your features as you begin to approach him. 

Deciding that you in fact, do not want to open the can of worms that is the freaky-looking man with a blank expression, you attempt to walk straight past him, eyes set on the entrance in front of you, searching for any sign of wild blue hair or large semi robot beast.

You're stopped by Mr. Freaky before you can waltz past, his thin frame swerving in front of you. “I must ask that you turn in any weapons before entering,” he says, an odd cadence in his voice that you've never heard from a zaunite. You scoff at this request, “yeah, no thanks” you reply before attempting to shove past once more. 

You stopped once again, his tone firmer this time. “I must insist, as it is the policy of the Machine Herald”. You consider just socking the guy in the face and making a run for it but decide that you don't know what kind of crazy superpowers this guy might have, and to be quite honest you don't want to find out. 

“Look, not gonna happen. Not sure who this ‘machine herald’ is, but I'm looking for someone else. Just let me pass, i’ll be on my merry way and you can keep doing whatever…. This is” the annoyance shameless drips from your voice now, you have places to be and this guy is single-handedly keeping you from said places. 

He once again denies you access, and you lose your shit. You're now (loudly) in a full-blown argument with this guy, neither of you budging. His voice is only starting to rile you up more, and you're an inch away from executing your hit-and-run plan from earlier when you hear the raspy voice of your lover calling your name. 

You freeze immediately, fist pausing mid-air as your eyes dart behind the man to see Jinx, leaning against the entrance, arms crossed and a knowing smirk on her face. 

“Stand down, sergeant. No beating the greeter.” her voice is sarcastic and teasing, and you sigh in defeat. Arms dropping and face annoyed as you reluctantly hand the man your pistol and several pocket knives that you keep strapped to you in various places. 

Once unarmed, the man simply smiles and steps aside, and you make sure to knock him in the shoulder before stomping over to your girlfriend. 

Your annoyance subsides as you see her smiling face, your arms immediately wrapping around her shoulders and pulling her close. You feel her relax into your embrace, strong arms circling your waist and giving you a good squeeze before pulling back. 

“What the hell is this place, and why did that fish-man never change his facial expression once?” you question your voice laced with confusion and slight concern. 

She simply shrugs her shoulders and turns to start guiding you through the odd community full of tents and more people with white eyes and pearlescent patterns. “Vi said she knew of a healer here in the lanes. Said he was performing some miracles or some magic bullshit.” she spins on her heel to look at you while continuing to walk backward. “Personally I think he's just some weird purple fortune teller, but Vi trusts him and Vanders actually getting better, so..” her voice softens during the last part of her sentence, voice trailing off as her eyes cast slightly downward. 

You pause in your tracks, shock evident on your features. “Wait, Vi’s here?” not even attempting to hide the surprise in your voice at the mention of her estranged sister. 

She sighs, once again avoiding eye contact. “Yeah, I mean, it's her dad too. Didn't feel right not letting her know that he's alive, at least.” you slowly nod as you come to terms with her reasoning. 

“Anywho! Now we're here at this weird commune run by a metal fortune cookie that can read minds and I dead honestly think this place is a cult. Everyone here is weird. And the only good food is the fruit. The only snacks are trail mix and it's all eighty percent raisins,” her lip curls in disgust, shaking her head slightly before continuing. “I fucking hate raisins. Just give me a grape, I don't want its juiceless corpse as an alternative.” 

You snort at her wording, but can't help yourself agreeing. Raisins suck and it's a crime to ruin perfectly good snacks with them. 

You continue to follow her, passing tents all full of people dressed similarly to the first man you met. Some were in tents that looked more like workshops, cooking, and sewing, and some in tents that looked more like homes, full of pillows and blankets and small furniture pieces. 

She continues to ramble about this place, she mentions that Isha is off in a tent somewhere helping a group of women weave a blanket (boring),  how the healer (who you figured out is the machine herald from earlier) somehow knew her childhood name, and how Vi had turned into some emo looking alcoholic and lost another fight to jinx in an underground tunnel. 

Finally, her walking begins to slow as you both reach a greenhouse near the middle of the village. It's a dome made of detailed stained glass, and you can vaguely make out the shape of the massive frame of Vander inside. You spot Vi sitting on the edge of what seems to be a water well, and Jinx’s description isn't too off. You make a mental note of the poorly done hair job and vow to make fun of her for it later. 

When Vi looks up and spots you, she sends you a nasty glare before stomping away with an excuse of finding Isha. You roll your eyes, so what if you've tried to kill each other a couple of times? No big deal, honestly. 

Jinx also rolled her eyes and dismissed her sister with a wave of her hand. “She’ll get over it, don't worry. She was just as dramatic when I went to find her.”

She simply crossed her arms, leading you to a bench outside the greenhouse. Once sat, she slumps into your side, shoulder pressing against yours and head leaning against the side of your own. 

“It's weird, you know? It's him, he remembers me and Vi but… he’s also part of this beast he's trapped in. Vi keeps asking for my opinion on… All of this, but I have no clue. I think I'm still in shock from when I realized it was him.” She shakes her head, letting her voice trail off. You sit in silence for a moment, letting her words marinate in your brain. 

You weren't sure how to respond, for Christ's sake, you barely even knew your own parents. What the hell do you say to someone who killed two of her dads, and then found out the first one is actually alive but trapped in the body of a hostile science experiment? 

Deciding that there was nobody on the planet who could find the words to comfort someone in this situation, you simply grab her hand instead and allow her to rest against you. She knew what your body language meant when words failed you. She always did. 

You sat like that for a while, enjoying each other's company and the quiet. It wasn't often that there was peaceful silence in Zaun, as silence usually meant danger. You both relished the feeling of letting your guard down for the first time in years. 

Eventually, a man… or.. Robot? You weren't sure, steps out of the greenhouse. His body is a mix of purples and blues, looking like a painted night sky, and he is adorned in a cloak similar to those worn by the others on the commune. He approaches the both of you, still sitting on the bench, an aura of confidence and peace to him. His accent is thick when he finally addresses Jinx. 

“I've decided to end our session today. Your father's condition is improving slowly but I can see him growing tired, and I fear pushing him too far may bear consequences.” he nods his head at you in a greeting as he finishes his sentence, before turning and walking away. 

Jinx grumbles a response, something of a ‘thank you’ mixed with some sarcastic remarks, and you think you hear an ‘aluminum psychic’ mixed in there, but before you can think too hard she grabs your hand pulling you towards the greenhouse. 

You stumble slightly, but follow her as she impatiently hops towards the door. Pushing the large door open, she drops your hand and runs inside. You're met with the smell of fresh plants and herbs as you follow her inside, slowly looking around the room and taking everything in as she runs over and wraps her arms around her father, asking how he's feeling. 

His eyes immediately snap to you, a look of distrust and unease in his eyes as he stares you down. Jinx notices, and slowly steps back from her hug. She keeps her eyes on vander as she backs towards you, grabbing your hand before speaking. 

“Vander, this is my girlfriend.” her voice is soft as she begins to slowly walk towards him, hand still locked in yours. 

Fuck, you were not prepared for the whole “meeting the dad” part of all of this. Sure, you've met one of her dads before, but that's because you worked for him, so the stereotypical introduction wasn't necessary at the time. 

Attempting to calm your nerves and make a good impression, you clear your throat and lift your hand as an offering for a handshake. “Hi- um, hello. Nice to meet you, sir. Big fan of your work. Both the daughter and the, uh, other stuff.” your voice shakes as you attempt a joke to try and relieve some of the tension growing in the small greenhouse. 

Your introduction is met with silence, and then more silence, as Vander just stares at you, occasionally glancing between you and Jinx. 

Finally, your girlfriend decides she's seen enough to rescue the situation, stepping between the two of you before breaking the screaming silence. “Well, this has been wonderful. We’ll let you get some rest for now, though.” she grabs your hand again, speedily leading you out of the greenhouse back into the peaceful village of tents. 

Once outside you feel her drop your hand and pause, looking over to see her with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised, amusement causing the corners of her lips to curl up. “Nice one! Real smooth, babe.” she teases. You shake your head, biting the inside of your cheek and resting your hands on your hips. “I don't wanna talk about it.”

_____________________________________________________________

Vander glances around at the smiling faces surrounding him. Sat at a small picnic table outside the greenhouse sat his family. His eldest daughter to his right, and the miniature Powder to his left. A feast of fruits, salads, and roasted vegetables covered the table. A dinner cooked by a group of people on the commune. 

Across from him sat grownup Powder and her… girlfriend.

Vander was already struggling to come to terms with the fact that his daughters were now grown. It felt like no time had passed in his mind, but the years had left their mark on the girls nonetheless, and now he has to come to terms with his youngest daughter being out in the world of romance. His little girl, all grown up and dating women he'd never even met before. 

He continues to stare at the two of you, giggling and talking with the others at the table, shoulders occasionally brushing together. His eyes were weary as he watched you two, despite the fact that Powder seems to trust you with everything, nothing changes his distrust and distaste towards seeing his little girl all grown up. 

He continues this internal battle in his mind, struggling with the growing protectiveness only amplified by the traces of the beast still in his mind. Even the tiny powder trying to get him to eat and offering him water couldn't help distract him from the affection being shown from across the table. 

He could tell you knew he didn't trust you, as every time you made eye contact your eyes would dart away, face casting downwards. 

Eventually, the sun sets, and the conversation at the table begins to slow as the food in front of him is quickly destroyed by the hungry teens accompanying him, miniature powder having fallen asleep against his leg not too long after. 

He watches as Powder begins to grow tired next to you, her eyes drooping and shoulders slowly slouching as she tries to keep herself awake. You notice, and gently nudge her before deciding it's time to call it a night. You stand, and pull Powder up from the bench she's sat on. 

“C'mon, sleepyhead,” you grumble as you turn around and lean over. She turns around and throws herself onto your back, her legs going around your waist as you catch her and lift her until she's snuggly pressed into your back, her head leaning into your neck as her eyes close once more. 

His eyes soften as he watches you make your way to his side of the table to pick up the miniature powder from his lap and lift her to your front, one arm wrapped around her keeping her small frame firmly against your chest, the other arm still hooked under one of Powders knees to keep her balanced against your back. 

The act reminds him of when Powder and Vi were young and would fall asleep on the couch or at the barstools while he cleaned up the bar after a long night. The memories caused a pang in his heart, chest contracting at the memories of when they were young, reminding him of all the years he must have missed. 

As you slowly begin to walk away towards the tent Vi directed them to, he speaks up before you're too far away. 

His gravelly and deep voice calls out behind you, “It was nice meeting you too..” you pause in your steps, turning your head to look at the man behind you to confirm you weren't hearing things. Upon seeing your face, he glances down before continuing, “You seem like a good kid, you're, uh, good for Powder.” 

Your face slowly splits into a grin, simply nodding your head at him once, before turning and continuing your trek into the night. 

Meet the future father-in-law: check. 

____________________________________

A/N: ahhh first one shot let's go! hope you guys enjoy this one :3 luv my girl jinx that's my wife fr

[astrocafecoffee]

Astro observation (part 2)

✨ For entertainment purposes only, enjoy ✨

✨ MASTERLIST

✨ ASTRO OBS. (PART 1)

🔥 Taurus sun individuals usually eat slowly and savor their food enjoying each bite. They dislike being rushed during meals.

🔥 Sagittarius rising peoples thrive on variety in their excercise routine. They might regularly switch between different types of workouts to keep things interesting.

🔥 Capricorn rising peoples might enjoy dishes like roasted meats , stews and well balanced meals that provide both comfort and nourishment.

🔥 Sagittarius sun - very good in mathematics and calculation.

🔥 Groom conjunct your vertex/ Hera asteroid in draconic synastry can indicate they being your spouse/ you have a soul tie with them.

🔥 I have seen many Libra 12th house peoples often have people pleasing tendencies and have problems with creating healthy boundaries.

🔥 11th House mars people's communication style with friends can be direct and assertive, which can sometimes come across as agressive if not managed carefully.

🔥 Mercury in its debilitated sign ( Pisces) individuals may struggle with tasks that require precision, detailed analysis or strict logic.

🔥 I have seen when someone's 9th lord in their 12th house or vice versa , they often marry people from other states, cultures, and countries .

🔥 Aries moons can be quick to anger but also quick to forgive and forget.

🔥 juno in 7th house of Groom persona chart means your fs is your wish fulfilment, ( dreams come true 👀)

🔥 Virgo placements may excel in stock market.

🔥 Aries placements tend to tackle problems head on with immediate action. They prefer to address issues rather than letting them linger or escalate.

🔥 water placements are obsessed with beaches and coastal environments , where Earth signs with mountains.

🔥 I have also seen this many water placements either love water areas or hate it. There's no in between. I have seen cancer moons/ Pisces rising peoples having thalassophobia.

🔥 in Vedic astrology, Rahu in 7th house / rahu conjunct Venus/ rahu conjunct 7th lord indicates foreign spouse.

🔥 Webb asteroid in natal 11th house is self explanatory 🙃.

🔥 prey Asteroid ( 6157) in 4th house individuals often see their home as refuge where they can shield themselves from outside world. If it's negative side manifests in someone's life then there might be themes of feeling vulnerable or taking advantage within the family and home environment.

🔥 Gemini placements individuals are often misunderstood by peoples.

🔥 cancer moons emotional up and downs can weaken their immune system , making them more vulnerable to infections.

🔥 Scorpio placements likes to feel in control of their surroundings and emotions and they fear situations where they feel powerless.

🔥 Aquarius mars peoples value their independence highly and can be quite stubborn about doing things their way.

🔥 Jupiter in Aquarius people may involved in activism , volunteering or supporting charitable organisations.

🔥water moons , Capricorn placements often prone to depression.

🔥 Venus in Capricorn peoples may fear being vulnerable or getting hurt , which is why they often appear guarded more in relationships.

🔥 Aries mars often have fear of rejection . If they sense any hint of rejection they might quickly pull back or move on to avoid facing their fear.

🔥Pluto in Sagittarius peoples maybe fascinated by esoteric subjects, occult and hidden truths. This interest in the mystical and unknown can lead them to explore astrology, tarot or other metaphysical studies.

🔥 Asteroid Medusa conjunct midheaven in natal chart means this individual's career may dealing with controversial and taboo subjects , leading to transformation and growth. They could work in fields related to psychology, healing, crisis management or any area that requires confronting difficult truths.

🔥 Asteroid Born conjunct juno in synastry suggest a relationship that feels spiritually significant , with a strong sense of being " meant to be" or karmic linked.

🔥 Hera asteroid conjunct sun in synastry means the Hera person might view the sun person as an ideal partner, seeing them as someone can commit to for the long term . This aspect can indicate a relationship that has potential to lead to marriage or a deep , committed relationship.

Thanks for reading 🖤

- piko ✨

[yandere-sins]

Hiii, Could you write Satan kidnapping MC because they're his favorite writer? I had this idea recently and it looked promising. Maybe MC is so talented that people compare their books and Simeon's books.

Thanks for your request! It’s very fitting for Satan :3

»»————-———— ♡ ————————-««

"How's it coming along?"

Satan's voice tore you out of your daydream—a nice one, of a world far, far away—and you twisted around to see him come through the door, setting down his bag before returning your gaze and smiling. You didn't hear him come in, nor noticed how fast the time passed since he left, but immediately you felt uneasy again. "Not so good," you muttered, turning back to you laptop and biting your lip, now overly aware of his footsteps creaking over the floorboards.

"Let me see," he asked. Leaning over your shoulder, Satan gently nudged your hand off the mouse to scroll up your manuscript to read what you had added over the span of the last few hours. There were fewer new pages than he expected as he scrolled too far the first time, and you only slumped more on your chair, too afraid to admit your failure.

"Hm... I'm not sure. It's just lacking the certain something, you know what I mean?" he finally commented as he reached the blank half of the last page you wrote before sighing, shaking his head. "Didn't you say you wanted me out of the room for peace and quiet? I thought that would help you."

Fiddling with your thumb, you kept silent for a while as his body continued to weigh down on you. It was his impatient threat to say something, to make him understand your views. But how could you? In his eyes, you may very well not have been human, but you two would never see eye to eye regardless of how he viewed you. "I tried..." you eventually muttered, looking down and hanging your shoulders.

"I don't really feel motivated... A-And I'm hungry! I can't work like this! It's blocking my inspiration to be in this room, I haven't been outside in a week!"

Pushing back your chair, Satan moved out of the way just in time to dodge it ramming into him. A part of you felt bad for almost hurting him, but it was the part that hadn't understood yet what kind of situation you two were in.

He was the demon that lured you into a trap by promising to be your patron, and you were the dumb human who didn't think twice before agreeing. Nowhere on the contract did it say you'd have to spend your time in his home, in front of his scrutinizing eyes, but you had been naive and gullible, all too happy to sign without reading the fine print.

Stumbling back, you felt the adrenaline rush as you opposed him for the first time since he had brought you here. It was your fault, you knew that. You had enough sleepless nights to reflect on your mistakes. But Satan could not make you his puppet, no matter how much he wanted you to. It's not how the creative writing process worked! With so many restrictions he put on you, it was impossible to create anything—no matter how much he loved your creations.

As you watched his hand rise into the air, you heard a tsk escape from his lips, and you looked away, squeezing your eyes shut and bracing for impact. You've seen his anger, witnessed his rage. It had never been directed at you, but with your mind running wild all day—just not with ideas for your new book—you were sure it was time for him to lash out at you.

Instead, you felt the gentle warmth that his palm emitted as he cupped your cheek, and your eyes blinked open in confused astonishment. "I'm sorry," he said, his expression full of concern and shame. For a moment, you almost forgot he wasn't human; his reaction felt so validating and real. As if he truly recognized how he wronged you.

"You said you wanted some alone time and I thought it would be best to give you what you wanted. But you are right. I should have taken your needs into consideration."

Satan spoke these words so earnestly, not a hint of a lie in his voice. It felt surreal to hear these words, knowing he had kidnapped you in the first place. "No, I'm sorry, I..." you started before catching yourself. Why were you apologizing? Wasn't it his fault you flew off the handle? It had been Satan who had tricked you, so why were you feeling bad all of a sudden?

"No, you are right. I can't keep you cooped up here all day, even though I long to see your new story. It was selfish of me when we were supposed to be partners in this, so forgive me."

Dropping his hand from the gentle caressed to your face, Satan held it out to you. You couldn't help but be hesitant and unsure. What did he want? Would he hurt you if you accepted the invitation?

"Please let me make it up to you," he explained, sincerity in his eyes as he stood there, waiting for you to agree. It all felt so unreal, but the paranoia made you unsure how to act. You had already imagined all kinds of scenarios, from the horror ones to some that made you blush. Being a writer, your anxiety didn't give you a clear sign of what to do, and after being stuck in an unfamiliar, dark place for more than a week, barely surviving on the food and water you had been given, and even less on the few hours of sleep every day, it was a surprise you could even come up with more scenarios in your head.

"You're not mad?" you asked hesitantly, eyeing his hand with suspicion. You already knew the palm would be warm, his long fingers perfect for wrapping around your hand, and his touch soft and gentle. After being deprived of social interactions, it was a tempting offer.

Satan shook his head, sadness rushing to his features again. "No, I'm worried and ashamed I let it come so far. I will make it up to you. I'll show you the beauty of this world and take you to experience unforgettable things. I didn't ask to be your patron so you'd live out the rest of your life like a caged animal. I want to support you, even if I have failed until now. Will you give me the chance to right my wrongs?"

Even though you felt nervous about making this decision, Satan had said all the right things. Everything you had wanted to hear from him, assuring you that you had also been heard by him. When he first approached you for this partnership, you had been unsure as well; deal with the devil and all. But he had seemed so sincere back then, too. So convinced in your skills and talents, sweeping you right off your feet. The same was happening now, although if he meant what he said, then his intentions were still pure.

Slowly, you placed your hand into his, choosing to trust him once more. After all, he had approached you for this deal. Surely if it was this important to him, he'd not mess it up again, right? Satan beamed when you gave him your answer, nodding once in confirmation as his hand wrapped around yours.

"Let's go then!" he announced, and before you could ask where to, he had pulled you after him, opening the door and bathing you in the warm, beautiful sun, leaving the darkness behind.

»»————-———— ♡ ————————-««

"You good?" Satan asked, patting down the blanket around your shoulders. You nodded, swallowing down some of the soothing tea in your hands before smiling.

"I think I can do it now!"

A gentle smile played around his lips as he chuckled, excited after hearing your enthusiastic reply. "Then I'll be over there, reading. Call out if you need anything."

It had been the right choice to trust him. All this time, you had been fearful and wary when, actually, he was a good guy. People would think you'd gone mad, hearing you talk like this about a demon this way, but they didn't know Satan. Some demons truly were good people, perhaps better than most humans you knew.

After that little argument in the afternoon, he had done his best to give you back the freedom you craved. He took you to a nice beach town, where you two played in the sand next to the ocean, took a long walk and talked, and ate delicious food from many different vendors. Had you two not been in a professional relationship, one could have almost called it a date.

But that wasn't important. Important was that when he asked if you wanted to continue this partnership, you agreed. On the condition this time that he wouldn't restrict you as much again and listen to you, to which Satan willingly shook hands. You went back with him to his domain with fewer worries, less stress, and actually feeling inspired to sit down and write. And once you cozied up with a blanket and some tea, you were happy to fulfill your side of the contract—at least until you were too sleepy to continue.

Glancing back over your shoulder, you saw Satan lounging in his armchair, his own steaming cup of tea on a side table as he read his book. He noticed your gaze, meeting it with a smile and a slight wave and you returned the gesture before looking onto the empty page of your manuscript again, getting ready to throw yourself into the story. You could do it! You knew that now. You had all the support that you needed, and Satan had become more of a friend than the captor you had originally thought him to be!

All you ever wanted was to write, and now, it was your time to shine.

All thanks to Satan's help.

»»————-———— ♡ ————————-««

Humans were easily frazzled, weren't they?

Vulnerable, fearful creatures. And yet, he couldn't help but fall for you the moment he read the first sentence of your book. Satan remembered that he thought, "Wow, they get it," as he dove into a story filled with passion for the obscure, something that couldn't have been from a mind as fragile as a human.

But it was, and so he found you.

And you were everything he wanted you to be.

So for a moment, he panicked when he saw you distraught. For a moment, he could feel the feeble connection of your pact waver, threatening to tear as the contract he made the first time had been rushed and haphazardly. He knew better now than to be careless around you. You, who had the power to make and break him, turn him into an obedient puppy to your whims, even though he was the scariest dog your world had ever seen. If he wanted to keep you, he had to rethink his plan, better it, and put a leash so tight on you that you'd be unable to escape his grip.

Inevitably, he fixed the problems easily, building trust that you should have never allowed to form between you two. Satan relished in the sight of your turned back, your fingers tapping away merrily on the keyboard of the laptop he got for you. Don't get him wrong, he adored your works, loved the obscure, wild ideas that you put into words so lovely that they touched his ruthless soul.

But it was you he wanted. You he loved.

That's why he decided to be patient. Even with the itch in his fingers to pin you to the ground, the burning on his lips to capture yours so frevently you'd forget yourself. The inescapable pull you had on his whole body as if you were the demon binding his soul to yours, and that annoying part of his mind that wanted nothing more than to rip it out so you may have it.

Satan couldn't let you know all these things he wanted to do with you, the way he'd have you captured in his arms until you stopped thrashing. It wasn't enough for Satan to have captured you, he wanted more. He wanted to still his anger with the softness of your body in his hold, soothe the rage inside him with the sound of your voice. Know that every word you'd write, you'd do for him. It made him anything but angry—greedy, gluttonous, prideful. He could act like the main character in your book all you needed, but it wouldn't change the fact he was the villain at the end of your story.

But he had already captured your body, soothed your distrust, and soon, he'd have that new creation you'd only write for him and him alone. Thus was the new contract he made you sign. A contract you accepted much too easily after he showed you the illusion of freedom you were craving. As if there had ever been a choice for you.

You were a simple soul, even if your mind was brilliant. He could read you like a book, the way your body shuddered against his touch as you dreamed of him—dreams he planted in your head for you to nourish with your ideas. And Satan could play this game for a long, long time, dragging it out until you'd accept his love willingly, seek it out like he had sought after you. Even if it would take forever, he'd practice the illusion of patience.

All so he could have you for all eternity.

[wonderingpanda]

He Likes Me

Rise!Donnie x Gn!Reader

This isn’t a request or part of anything bigger, just a happy oneshot to brighten your mood. Enjoy!

It was saturday which meant that April and Y/n were able to spend the day at the lair with their favourite turtle brothers. Donnie had been tinkering with some new gadget whatcha-ma-who, Mikey was reading through a new cookbook April brought him, Leo and Raph were caught up in a competitive video game while April and Y/n found themselves wrapped up in their phones. As for Splinter you may ask? He had some “important errands to run” whatever that meant.

Something that caught Aprils eye though was the focused expression on Y/n’s face and the consistent scrolling on their phone. Something was up.

“You ok Y/n?” She turned to face them. Y/n paused what they were doing and quickly tried to cover up the truth.

“Uh yep! Totally fine, there’s nothing going on at least not with me at the moment.” They flashed a bright toothy smile that couldn’t have seemed more fake, prompting Mikey to speak up from his book.

“Hmm I’m no expert, well maybe I am, but you don’t seem fine.” Leo looked over his shoulder towards the conversation.

“You can tell us if something’s bothering you.” Suddenly a loud crashing noise came from the game as Raph held his arms up in victory.

“Ha, yes! Suck it Leo!”

“Wha- no!” Leo dramatically called out after turning back to the screen. Donnie sighed and rolled his eyes at the sight.

“Dumb dumbs.” He muttered under his breath before looking over at Y/n.

“Look Y/n, we know you and you know us and knowing you there’s definitely something wrong so I highly recommend telling us what it is before Mikey and April try to force it out of you.”

“Mikey and April aren’t going to-“ Y/n cut themself off seeing the demonic looks on April and Mikey’s faces directed at them.

“Okay, okay I’ll come clean!” They shouted. “I have… *sigh* a date.”

“A date?” April looked at them.

“A date!?” Mikey, Leo and Raph all simultaneously spoke.

“A date…” Donnie reluctantly spoke out, feeling a sense of disappointment wash over him. No that wasn’t quite it, perhaps animosity?

“Oh ho Y/n pulling all the guys, or girls o-or- who are you going out with exactly?” Leo asked.

“Just some guy from school, his name’s Melvin.” Y/n explained. “He’s sweet and I think he really likes me.”

“But do you like him?” Mikey questioned, leaning in close towards them. Almost like an interrogation.

“Well yeah, I mean why else would I go out with him?”

“Hmmm.” Mikey stroked his chin consciously. “Fair point.” He backed away to a more comfortable distance.

“I’m just kind of nervous since it’s my first ever date and I don’t exactly want to make a bad impression.” April perked up at Y/n’s words and quickly grabbed their hand.

“Well if it’s help you need, then it’s help you’ll get. Bye boys we’ll be back in an hour!” April cheered and pulled Y/n off to her house. The brothers sat staring silently at where April and Y/n had been seconds ago.

“Uh, bye.” Raph spoke to no one now that they were gone.

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

At April’s house, Y/n was trying on different outfits while they talked.

“Look Y/n, I’m happy you got this date and all but I’m confused, I thought you liked Donnie?” Y/n hesitated as they came out in their next outfit of choice.

“I… I do but I’ve decided that it might be time to move on.”

“Move on!?” This sent April into an internal panic. She knew Donnie liked Y/n and Y/n liked Donnie. If they moved on then the two might miss out on what could have been something incredible for both of them. Not to mention Donnie would be heartbroken!

“Yeah.” Y/n continued. “It’s just that I’ve liked him for years now. Since we were what, eight? And he hasn’t shown any signs of liking me back, at least none that I’ve noticed.”

“Well you never know, maybe he’s just worried that you won’t feel the same way about him.” April suggested in hopes of sending Y/n some hints.

“Maybe. But I just can’t help but feel as though I’m hanging on to something that’s never going to happen. That if I keep holding on to it I’ll continue miss out on other opportunities. I want to be able to have something with someone and I have to accept that that someone might not be Donnie.” Y/n sadly explained. Truthfully, they didn’t want to let their feelings for Donnie go but it was the healthy thing to do.

“That’s really mature of you Y/n.” April smiled sadly. She might not have wanted Y/n to let Donnie go however she couldn’t help but be proud of her younger friend.

“On a more positive note, what do we think of this? I was kind of going for casual but pretty and well done.” Y/n turned to show off different angles of the outfit to April.

“Girl you look gorgeous; anyone would grateful to get to see you tonight.” April hyped them up and the two excitedly hugged.

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

Back at the lair things weren’t going as great. Leo, Raph and Mikey knew of their brother’s long term feelings for Y/n and were struggling to find an appropriate way to console him.

“H-hey think about it this way, if it goes badly then you’ll be able to get closer to Y/n by comforting them.” Leo suggested, immediately receiving a smack on the back of his head from Raph.

“Leo are you suggesting I take advantage of Y/n’s emotional state and manipulate them into liking me by providing a source of comfort purely for my own personal gain?” Donnie frowned.

“Uh yes?” Leo hesitantly confirmed.

“Oh for the love of science, I’m looking for advice here Leo. I want to be supportive not narcissistic and callous!” Mikey quickly pushed Leo to the side in a futile attempt to save what little chance they had left of helping their brother.

“Don’t worry D. Look, everyone deals with all sorts of emotions from time to time and jealousy is an extremely common-“

“I’m not jealous.” Donnie cut Mikey off. The younger turtle sighed.

“Right. Well if you want to be able to be supportive of Y/n and not feel any resentment towards their arrangement then it might be time to… let those feelings go.” All three brothers exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how Donnie would react.

“You know what.” He spoke up. “You’re right, you are absolutely right. This has gone on for far too long and it’s time I moved on.”

“Wait seriously?” Raph raised an eyebrow at Donnie’s response. Unbelieving that he would be accepting so quickly.

“Yes seriously. From now on my feelings for Y/n are no more and nothing is going to change that.” Donnie turned around in pride only for his heart to stop at the sight. April and Y/n had finally returned and boy did Y/n look ever so gorgeous. “Sweet Galileo.” He whispered as his pupils shrunk.

“Hey boys we’re back!” April cheered as she and Y/n walked closer.

“Looking good Y/n.” Leo called out.

“You’re gonna own tonight.” Mikey cheered.

“And if he even thinks of laying a hand on you! Just call us, we’ll take care of it no problem.” Raph smiled brightly to cover up his protectiveness.

“Aww you guys are too kind. We do have to leave soon, again, but we just wanted to pop down to get a final verdict on the outfit. It seems you three like it, Donnie?” He turned to face Y/n who was now looking over in his direction. “What do you think?” He looked at them for a moment in contemplation before sighing and smiling warmly.

“You look… absolutely stunning. He’s a really lucky guy.” Y/n returned his look with a genuine smile.

“Thanks that means a lot coming from you.” They smiled bashfully at the ground, their cheeks turning red. The moment was cut short when Y/n noticed the time on their watch and went back to stressing.

“Ooh well it looks like it’s time to head off; I’ll let you guys know how it goes. Shall we?” Y/n smiled at April.

“We shall.” April nodded her head.

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

“Bye Y/n! Make good choices!” April called out to Y/n who was now walking away with their date.

“I will!” Y/n smiled and laughed at Aprils enthusiasm. Melvin turned to face them.

“Your friend seems very eccentric.” He gave a toothy smile.

“She sure is.” Y/n agreed as the two walked away. Something odd caught April’s eye though. She noticed with the glint in his teeth how the boy looked almost like he had fangs. Her eyes quickly moved to examine Melvin once more before he disappeared from her vision and what she saw caused her to gasp in fear.

Under the boys large coat was the very end of a tail sticking out. Whatever he was, he certainly wasn’t human and the fact that he was hiding it couldn’t mean anything good.

She quickly dashed away, heading down the streets of NYC to find the nearest manhole.

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

“Boys, we have a problem!”

The turtle brothers looked over at April who had quickly run into the lair.

“And that would be?” Leo asked, looking around carelessly.

“I think Y/n’s date might be a mutant.”

“No!” Raph called out as the boys shrieked in fear.

“Or a Yōkai.” April continued.

“Gasp!” Donnie shouted as the brothers let out an even more panicked reaction.

“Or even some sort of alien-type monster!”

“Oh my god!” Mikey cried, holding his head in his hands as they all pulled the most horrified looks they possibly could.

“Wait, wait, wait. What makes you think he (Maaa, Mor, M-Melvin was it?) could be any of those things?” Leo asked prompting the others to look to April for an answer.

“He had a tail and fangs. He was also clearly trying to hide it and I don’t know about you guys but whenever someone’s trying to hide that they’re a non-human creature I don’t usually take it as a good sign.”

Mikey frowned for a moment before looking back at April.

“But Y/n was so excited about this date. We can’t just go and ruin it now.”

“Yeah, I mean, and besides what if you’re wrong and the guy’s perfectly normal?” Raph had a good point, it was entirely possible this person wanted to cause no harm.

“Well if you guys don’t believe me then come see for yourselves. We won’t interrupt them, just take a good look at the guy because I am positive there is no way he’s human.” April suggested, she hoped they would agree because at this stage she couldn’t take on a whole mutant by herself even with Y/n’s assistance.

“If what you’re proposing is true, and I’m not saying it is, then I suppose it makes sense to go and check it out.” Donnie agreed, of course he did. Truthfully he was just taking this as an excuse to see how the two were going. How much Y/n liked him, if he was treating them right, how close they had gotten.

April sighed with relief that they had all agreed. She knew it was unlikely but somewhere deep down she hoped this guy wasn’t a threat. Hopefully, somehow, maybe Raph was right and he was totally harmless… hopefully.

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

As for Y/n, they were blissfully unawhere of any danger and were currently enjoying their romantic night.

“So do you have any hobbies?” They asked in hopes of getting to know more about Melvin.

“Oh nothing much, mainly artistry and a bit of sport. I was actually enlisted by this club to go and recruit new members for them.”

“Oh that sounds cool.” Y/n perked up. They didn’t want to give the impression they were overly interested but were curious about this ‘club’ nonetheless.

“Yeah it’s like a fighting arena type thing.” The guy went on. “It wasn’t easy but I guess they saw potential in me.”

“I guess they did.” Y/n smiled. They then looked around noticing how their surroundings had drastically changed from the rows of grey concrete buildings to a beautiful lush green park “This is my favourite part of the city! How did you know?”

“Lucky guess?” Melvin smiled and shrugged causing Y/n to laugh cheerfully and pull him along.

“Come on, let’s go!”

Unknown by the two teens, behind them were April and the turtles huddled tightly in a bush to discreetly watch them.

“Ugh I can’t see!” Leo whined in a hushed voice while trying to push Raph to the side.

“Then look harder. Don’t try to push me out, you’ll blow our cover!” Raph whispered back. Leo kept shoving around and pushed Donnie causing his goggles to fall on his head.

“Now I can’t see! What’s going on? Are they talking, have they kissed?”

“SHUT UP DONNIE!” The other four yelled before quickly hiding back in the bush in hopes they hadn’t made their presence known.

“Did you hear something?” Y/n asked, curiously turning around to see where the noise had come from.

“I didn’t hear anything” Melvin shrugged, his smile taking on an unnerving tone.

In the bush, Leo was still bickering with Raph. April was shoving Donnie to the side as he was being pushed into her by the force of Raph and Leo’s back-and-forth shoves. Poor Mikey was stuck nervously at the edge of the bush, watching Y/n and Melvin talk as he struggled to avoid exposing himself.

“Can you two please stop, that it is very annoying!” Donnie complained to his fighting brothers. Soon enough he managed to get enough space to move his goggles efficiently. He began to lift them up back to the designated spot on top of his head.

“Finally I can see what’s going on and- wait!” He stopped when he saw something curious as they passed over his eyes. He properly positioned them so he could see through them and began to inspect the scene in front of them.

“Uh guys, April may have been right.”

The two brothers stopped fighting and Mikey sighed in relief as he was one toe away from falling out.

“What are you talking about?” Raph asked.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of checking sooner but this Melvin guy is radiating a lot of mystic energy.” Donnie spoke as he adjusted his goggles.

“Ha! I told you all!” April cheered and pointed at the brothers in victory. “Wait…” she then came to the realisation. “That’s not good, Y/n’s in danger! Code red, code red!”

“We don’t even have a code red!” Leo pointed out, exasperated.

“Ooh this is bad, what are we gonna do!?” Mikey panicked.

“What do you mean, ‘what are we gonna do’? I’ll tell you what we’re going to do, we’re going to go out there and kick some mystic butt!” Raph punched the palm of his hand. April and the three younger brothers all nodded their heads in sync.

Y/n and Melvin continued to walk around in the same spot for a while, still asking each other different questions.

“Uh what kind of friends do you have?” Melvin asked in an overly cheery tone.

“Well I’m fairly close with my best friend April and I have these four friends who I’ve known for quite sometime now.” Y/n answered blindly.

“Wow, they sound interesting. Tell me more about these friends.”

“Ok?” Y/n agreed in a questioning matter. “They’re brothers and each kind of have their own thing which is one of the things I really like about them. The oldest is super tough and strong, the youngest is an amazing chef and incredibly cheerful, the second oldest is very flamboyant and his slightly younger brother, who we call his twin but isn’t actually his twin, is the smarts of the group.”

“Exciting!” Melvin commented. They must make great fighters.”

“Yeah…” Y/n trailed off. “Wait how did you make that connection?”

Melvin began to darkly chuckle. “You know I really didn’t expect it to be this easy.”

Y/n started slowly backing away. “Mel you’re kinda freaking me out here.”

“I mean capturing four superpowered mutants, now how was I meant to do that?” He smiled.

“Mutants!? Melvin what are you talking abou-“

“But then it hit me. I didn’t have to capture them, I only needed to capture you.”

Y/n quickly turned to run away but it was too late. Melvin had transformed into a beastly lizard yōkai and grabbed them before they could get away.

“Ugh no, help!” They tried to reach their phone but their arms were pressed tightly up against their sides. Just as they were ready to attempt an escape four figures jumped from behind a bush and landed infront of the towering Melvin.

“Let her go you scaly monster!” Raph demanded.

“Yeah, or else we’ll have to go full Lou Jitsu on you!” Mikey shouted while getting into a fighting pose.

“How dare you capture our beautiful beloved friend and mess with their feelings!” Donnie stated, preparing his tech-bō for battle.

“Is your name even Melvin!?” Leo pointed an accusatory finger towards him.

“Actually no, feel free to call me Nivlem!”

“Nivlem. Your real name is just your fake name flipped around?” Leo challenged.

“Uh yeah, what’s wrong with that?” Melvin asked.

“I don’t know it just seems a little basic.” He shrugged.

“W-well what are your other villains called? You know what, never mind I’ll just change it to something cooler like… The Destructor!”

“Mmm no.” Leo shook his head.

“Ooh I know!” Mikey pitched in. “How about… The Destructinator!”

“Now that is a cool villain name!” Leo smiled.

“Whatever, you guys are losers! Now, I’ll make this nice and easy for you; turn yourselves into Big Mama or else I’ll crush the bones of your friend till there’s nothing left to break.” The Destructinator threatened, squeezing Y/n tightly enough to cause them discomfort but not enough to severely injure them yet.

The brothers stood still in silent fear for their friend. If they were to so much as make a move to fight then Y/n would be crushed but turning themselves into Big Mama wasn’t exactly an ideal option either.

Y/n managed to squeeze themself out of The Destructinator’s grip just enough to cough out a sentence. “So let me guess, that fight club you recruit for is actually the Battle Nexus?”

“Uh yeah, I figured that would be obvious by now.” He replied, squeezing Y/n back into place much to the panic of the four turtles. Their face-off was soon broken when a loud yell came from behind and April smacked The Destructinator harshly in the side of the head with her bat. He stumbled and dropped Y/n who was thankfully caught by Donnie in the nick of time.

“Thanks Donnie, thought I was goner there for a second.” They looked up at Donnie causing him to blush and avoid their gaze.

“Well it was nothing, just making sure my friend doesn’t turn into a pancake.” He let them down as they turned back to April who ran up to give them a hug.

“Oh thank goodness you’re ok. When that guy comes to his senses I’m going to smack the life out of him!” She announce while fiercely tapping her bat into the palm of her hand.

“Thanks April.” Y/n smiled. “Wait what were you guys doing here anyway I thought you were all back at the lair!?” They asked.

“Well yeah about that you see-“ Leo began with the intent of covering up with a lie.

“April said she saw something weird about your date so we followed you here and watched you two to see if he was dangerous!” Mikey blurted out.

“So you stalked me?” Y/n questioned.

“Uh yeah. But only with good intentions.” Raph replied.

“And it worked out cause if we hadn’t you’d most likely be a prisoner of Big Mama.” April defended to try and make out the situation in a positive light.

“Don’t worry I’m not mad, just be glad you were right or else I’d be livid.” Y/n reassured them.

The Destructinator began to finally wake up and rubbed the side of his head April had hit.

“Ouch, that really hurt!” He took note that Y/n was with the turtles safely and growled. “Fine, if you won’t turn yourselves in then I’ll do it for you.”

The Destructinator then charged forward and smashed his fist on the ground, separating the group. April, now on the ground with her hands supporting her weight, gripped her bat and stood up with a fire in her eyes.

“Oh that’s it!” She took the opportunity while his hand was on the ground to run up his arm. April attempted to swing her bat at his head again but was stopped by his other hand and thrown against a tree.

“Hey Destructinator!” Mikey wrapped the chain of his kusari-fundo around The Destructinator’s wrist. “Take this!” He attempted to pull him down but was instead thrown into the air and fell smack on the ground. “Ouchie.”

Leo decided to antagonise the lizard yōkai by running behind him and cheerfully calling.

“Yoo hoo, Destructinator!” The Destructinator turned around and rapidly began throwing punches all of which Leo dodged in a glamorous manner. It was when he chose to close his eyes and start bragging “Ha! Can’t touch Neon Leon.” that The Destructinator was able to land a punch and send him flying.

He turned around and spotted Y/n, picking them up once more as they struggled against his grip.

“I warned you, now time to suffer the consequences sequences.” He prepared to crush them to bits until Donnie shouted.

“Hey, hands off you overgrown lacertilia!” He held his tech-bō sturdily as a giant missile formed at the back. He ran forward and smashed it directly in The Destructinator’s face causing him to wobble backwards.

Y/n noticed his grip loosen and freed herself, sliding down the lizard and running off to Donnie’s side.

Once it stopped hurting The Destructinator took his hand off his face and stared down at Donnie in rage.

“Why you little-“

“Hey!” Raph yelled out, directing The Destructinator’s attention to him. “Pick on someone your own size!” He then used his powers to form his bigger body which towered over the lizard. “Or a little bigger.” He smirked and lifted up The Destructinator with both of his hands, yelled “Hot Soup!” before slamming him into the ground.

The Destructinator began coughing and clearing dust out of his eyes till he noticed Y/n standing off bedside some trees.

Upon noticing his stare they ran and he quickly stood, taking chase.

“Hey, get back here!”

What he didn’t see was Y/n smiling and looking back at him before passing another tree. As he went to do the same, April jumped out and smacked him in the face with her bat.

He held his head in pain before being twisted around by Mikey’s kusari-fundo and spun around again when being quickly released.

As The Destructinator teetered on one foot in his dizzy state; Leo opened a portal beside him and pushed him in, leaning over the edge while the yōkai fell to yell out.

“Tell Big Mama we said hi!”

He stood back and finally closed the portal causing everyone to cheer.

Donnie looked towards Y/n and quickly ran to them, holding their shoulders.

“Are you ok, did he hurt you badly?”

“I’m fine Donnie.” They placed their hands on his shoulders in return. He quickly hugged them tightly which caught Y/n off guard as he isn’t known for being a hugger. But instead of questioning it they embraced the hug and enjoyed it while it lasted.

Sadly that wasn’t very long as the others began gathering around them. The two separated and April swung an arm around Y/n’s shoulders.

“From now on I’m interrogating all your dates.”

“Haha.” Y/n let out a dry laugh. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Nope!” April smiled and everyone burst into laughter as they began walking home.

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

The day ended with Y/n in Donnie’s lab, leaning on the back of a chair while scrolling on their phone as he carefully worked on repairing a broken piece of equipment.

“I’m sorry about your date Y/n.”

“It’s fine. Besides I’m not really counting this one since it sucked and didn’t actually end up being a date at all.”

He looked over to them relaxing and felt a wave of concern at how peaceful they were, perhaps they were in denial?

“Apologies for my skepticism but you seem rather happy for someone who was nearly killed by a mutant lizard pretending to be their date.” He fully turned his chair in their direction this time, giving them his full attention.

“Well I guess maybe it’s because I didn’t actually like Melvin that much, or The Destructinator I suppose.” They looked up from their phone in deep thought.

“So if you didn’t really like him then why agree to go out with him?”

“Desperation maybe? I think a part of me just felt a bit crushed and was looking for something to hide my feelings.”

“Your feelings?” Donnie questioned, wanting to push further on the conversation.

“It’s nothing just a guy, a different one, one I actually do like but I don’t think he likes me back.” Y/n cringed, scrunching up into a smaller ball as they reflected on the situation.

“And who might this other guy be?” Donnie frowned, feeling like the weight in his chest had just been replaced by a heavier one.

“He’s a very special person, I’ve known him for a while now and liked him for the best part of I don’t know how many years.” They looked at the roof to try and recall how long it had been.

“Oh.” He replied, heart sinking further into the ground.

“He has a funny personality and can be so smart but so dumb at the same time. April thinks he likes me but I’m still set on the fact that he doesn’t and probably never will.”

As Donnie kept putting the pieces together he gathered an idea in his mind. Someone smart and stupid whom Y/n had known for a long time and also had affiliations with April. He gasped.

“Leo!?”

“No it’s not Leo!” Y/n quickly shouted back.

“Is it Mikey!?”

“No Donnie it’s not any of your brothers!”

“Well then who else have you known for so long!?”

Y/n stopped for a moment, unsure how to proceed. They were tempted to tell him the truth, just get it over and done with, rip the Band-Aid off. But what would it mean for their friendship? What consequences would telling him bring? They made their choice and with a shaky breath quietly replied.

“You.”

Donnie’s heart stopped for a moment before he came to his senses. They liked him. They actually liked him! This mysterious guy he was planning on hunting down was him! He didn’t know that to do, dance, laugh, cry? Without thinking he shoved his chair forwards and pulled Y/n into a kiss. Their foreheads touched as the two leant in closer, both still in equal shock.

“Why would you think I don’t like you?” Donnie asked as he pulled away.

“I don’t know.” Y/n answered blankly. “Do you like me?”

“Yes you dumb dumb!” He laughed and the two kissed once more. Unfortunately for them it was cut short by the sound of a camera snapping. They looked towards the entrance only to see Leo’s head sticking out behind his phone.

“Oooh Pops is gonna looove this!” He cackled and ran away, waving his phone in the air.

“I’ll be right back.” Donnie frowned as he grabbed some gun-looking device off his bench and took chase screaming.

“Leo!”

Y/n laughed, watching him l run off, with their head leaning on one hand. As they smiled distractedly one thought filled their mind ‘He likes me!’

That’s all. Not much to say here but hope you enjoyed reading and have an amazing day/night wherever you are!✨

[deepestnightcolor]

Hello! I just read your post on jealous!sam and if it's not too much trouble, may I request the same prompt but with Elliott? No pressure to write it at all if you decide not to, but if you do thanks so much in advance!

ᴀ/ɴ: HERE I AMMMMM! I tried to change my writing style for headcanons here - don't ask me why. I think I the way I wrote them before... Anyway! I hope you can enjoy this! Thank you so much for your time and request <3

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: Elliott (SDV) x GN!Reader

ᴡᴄ: 779 words.

ᴍᴅɴɪ ✧ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: jealousy. There's a sex scene, and it's not only hinted at. But it's not as intense as a full-blown smut.

☾ ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜꜱ!ᴇʟʟɪᴏᴛᴛ - ᴘᴜꜰꜰʏ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʙɪʀᴅ ☽

Getting Elliott jealous would take ages; he's got firm boundaries, yes, but you wouldn't ever even toe them. But then they talk to you a little too often. Their hands are on you a little too much. They laugh a little too loud around you. Don't they know the two of you are in a relationship? A happy one, at that? Don't they know that you are adequately pleased in this relationship with him? Maybe he's got to show them that there is no need to act like this around you - like a bird on a mission of courtship.

Elliott's jealousy would simmer beneath the surface, until he just wouldn't be able to stay in his seat anymore. Slinking over to the bar, he orders your favorite drink from Gus. If this was a matter of courtship, he'd court you. He would straighten his broad back, shaking out his luscious long strands of hair before wandering over to the two of you. He would kiss your head gently and offer you the drink, then smile brightly at your interlocutor as one of his arms snakes around your waist. "Good afternoon," he would say, voice so sweet and yet so close to boiling over, "I heard you laughing so loud over there, and just needed to join the two of you. I hope that is no bother." Elliott being jealous doesn't mean that he would act in a way that wasn't polite; but the slight that his voice carried could be picked up on if one listened closely

Elliott's jealousy would rest beneath the surface of his ever-polite smile, his gestures towards you extra affectionate. He would join the conversation so smoothly, making sure to take in the space in such a subtle manner that there was no way to feel intruded on. Yet the signs would be there: kisses to your head, brushing strands of hair out of your face, smiling at you so tenderly and sweetly. His opponent (self-called opponent, admittedly) would be killed with kindness. Elliott would be overly interested in their words, asking why exactly they found this or that pleasurable, or how they got into that certain hobby. All the while at least one hand would be on you, until he would check his watch with a certain dramatic undertone resting in the gesture. "Oh! Would you look at that, love? We wanted to be back by now - you're still staying over with me tonight, aren't you?"

Elliott would wave at the one that would be left behind; giving them a smile that was the most obvious sign of jealousy, sugary sweet and yet nothing more than a non-verbal "I won". "I hope you have a pleasant rest of your evening, albeit not having such lovely company around anymore," he hums as he watches you return your glasses to the bar, the edge underlying in his tone a clear attack, almost threatening; like a tower of clouds darkening the sky that announce a thunderstorm. Then he would wave, ever the gentleman again, wrapping his arm around you to lead you back to his hut.

The soft kisses that are immediately scattered all over your face were gentle, proof how the jealousy boiling deep within him. You're naked faster than you could blink, your body being painted on with wet lips and traces of a tongue. His eyes would look at you like he was writing a new story in his head, and you are his muse. Tender testimonies of love are whispered in your direction as he thrusts deep inside of you, and with each thrust he would make sure to bottom out within you. Telling you that you're his, that you're precious, that he loves you so, so much. Watching your eyes glazing over with that fucked-out expression he always manages to inflict on you. Hands holding on your hips as you cum, pride filling his body as he knows he is the reason for all of this; that he is the reason that your mind is far gone, that you're shaking beneath him. His cum would fill you up, paint you as his just as his kisses had done. But that wouldn't mean that he's done with you - there are way too many places that needed his name spelled on.

Elliott would write a story about you. Of course, not using your name. He's a gentleman, after all, and wouldn't want to exploit you. Yet there would be obvious signs that this story was about you and your love, his eyes searching for the person that had tried to leave an impact on you, holding them as he finds them. Each word is for them; just so they would know not to act like a puffy little bird again.

[zorosbeau33]

Courting Gifts~ One Piece Omegaverse Headcanon Part 1!

Starring: Ace and Luffy! x gender neutral reader Genre: Fluff, sfw AU: Omegaverse, Omega Reader Wc: 1180 TW: Mentions of battle Masterlist~ Part 2~ Is ready! Thank you everyone for all your support! All characters involved in this fic are legal age or older in my au hope you enjoy!

This Goofy goofball knows exactly how to court. He gives me soft alpha/strong beta vibes. And he learned from Makino the ways to court long ago.

HOWEVER that being said, he also likes making you laugh. Courting gifts when it was just a crush were often goofy and maybe small inside jokes, or even mini pranks. 

Like a cupcake with sour flavored icing, still good but not at all what you were expecting. Boy did he giggle and laugh when your face puckered up with confusion.

Once he realizes these feelings are here to stay, or if you take initiative and heavily hint or gift him something. Then he gets sincere and downright smitten and soft

I hope you like the color orange, because he thinks you look so cute in the fuzzy luxury fur blanket with orange silk lining. Yes the fur has been dyed orange to match as well and you stick out like a sore thumb on this winter island but you're warm!

He is much more of a simple gift kinda guy, first sign is him not just sharing his food with you but getting a plate and filling it for you before looking after himself. 

He long ago memorized your favorite food 

He uses his devil fruit as a gift for you as well…yes in his mind warm hugs or warm handed deep tissue massages count as courting gifts. They're a promise from him to you he will take care of you forever if you allow him.

He has never understood collecting shiny rocks, seashells, and the like…until now. Something about courting makes every exceptional seashell and rock extra special now and if he thinks theyre pretty he will pocket them to give to you later.

“The way it shined reminded me of your eyes/smile”

He's much more of a physical show rather than buying gifts. So his presents may not be noticed immediately.

Giving you rides in his flame boat (he has to carry you so his flames dont set you on fire and boy does he love carrying you now)

Insisting on being the one to be paired up with you for anything and everything. From crew game night, to exploration parties, to mission assignments, even to his previously hated cleaning duties. 

Soft touches, on your waist, your hand. To help you get across a large gap (if he doesn't just pick you up). To reassure you if you’re expressing a moment of doubt/trouble. When he thinks your smile is especially bright and he just needs to touch your cheek to ensure you’re real.

 Or to push you behind him in times of danger or conflict, yes you can take care of yourself BUT he wants to be your support and fighter. He is first to cheer you on in a fight, but if he can prevent a needless dangerous encounter he will put himself in front so any animosity is directed at him not you.

When he realizes you might want clothes, or scented items he goes to Marco.

He understands the process, he gets how to scent something. However he wants his brother figure and the very honest bestie to help him judge which ones are best. He doesn’t want to over scent something and have it be oppressive. And he knows he’s rough on clothes so he’s making sure the things he’s giving you are good quality still so they’ll last as long as you want to keep them.

He also gives you a nickname, you’ve always had one but it was more of a teasing best friend kind of thing. Suddenly you have a much more dignified and polite nickname…its also a very classic 50’s romance sort of nickname like Doll, or Pumpkin, or Kitten…or Angel

Okay he’s alpha, if that wasn’t evident from his emperors haki and being captain etc 

Unlike his brother he is dumb…very dumb. Has never cared about courting a day before in his life. Used to say “EW” and stick out his tongue (even at 16)

He doesn’t even realize at first that the things he is doing is courting when he first starts. Probably because he doesn’t realize at first that he has feelings for you.

Robin did from day one, Zoro did maybe the first week, Sanji had suspicions too after a month or so, and the others later feel like they should have seen it coming since he constantly talked about how mouth-watering you smelled and loved to cling around you and just burrow in your neck to snuffle you. He learned not to nip when Nami yelled at him for it the first day he met you. Like I said the others feel they should have seen this sooner.

Giving you bits of his food, scenting you, constantly asking to hold your hand, and giving you every single cool thing he sees for you to “keep safe” but if you try to give them back he’d “no thanks you keep them!” then laugh and bounce off

Unlike what anyone would have expected Luffy figures out his emotions for you very quickly. It didn’t take Robins hints to him, he knew after you all finally got in a large altercation together against the world government or some pirates. He was always protective of his nakama, but before the enemy could land the devastating blow to your back in the battle. Luffy was screaming in rage. Bounding across the battlefield to you to protect HIS friend. His…ohhh…

He talked to Robin and Nami, they advised him on courting and how to make you his. He only grasped 30% but he’s trying

He would make the ship go broke in order to buy you every cool thing, or every soft nesting thing, or all the food you could eat. 

The king of bringing you random plucked wildflowers (several have been confiscated by Chopper as they were poisonous plants, Luffys eye for weird things haven gotten the best of him)

They're messy but he learns to make flower crowns for you both to wear. Talks about making them for your future kids

He didn’t used to own much clothing, but now he is expanding his wardrobe just so he can have more things that smell like him to wrap you up in.

You have exclusive hat permission, don’t abuse it but if you ever ask him, he does not mind putting it on your head for a while

He thinks you look so good in it too, makes him puff up his chest and yell to the world how awesome you are.

He has bought you one very nice present, one he had to work his butt off to get. Literally, Nami made him get a job on an island to pay for it and he was actually sincere while working there (sorry Baratie). 

It's a unisex gold bangle bracelet with a red ruby with your and his initials engraved in the gold along with the date you joined his crew (because yes he remembers the date perfectly)

[carmesi-butterfly]

hi!! i have this noncon to dubcon request wherein meandom!ricky is the son of your boss, and reader is his mom’s new housekeeper. reader accidentally drops one of the most expensive wines in the shen household (due to ricky intentionally pushing her), and ricky threatens her that he would tell his mom, to get her fired, but he then tells her that he won’t have her fired under one condition and that is to let him fuck her, and use her like a cumdump.

and also, can i be 🍄 anon? thank you!

meandom ricky + fem! reader. word count 1,5k. warnings noncon to dubcon, degrading, abuse. not proofread. a/n: hi! i'm gonna try doing the asks more seriously like this time more often (if i feel like it ofc), if i feel like doing something simple i will be using the format i'm already using. also i feel like i added too much intro and a poor amount of smut, sorry anon ㅠㅠ i may do a part two of this because i loved your idea! welcome to the family 🍄 <3

your stay at the shen household was an average experience as a housekeeper, maybe too many hours but that's compensated with a high salary, nice food, and good clothing for doing your labor without having to use your own clothes. the only problem was the son of the house, shen ricky, a young man with unbelievable beauty, sharp features that made him look like a god in the eyes of a normal person like you, and a devilish aura accompanied by a small grin that was always set at the minimal hint of your presence near him.

instantly as you got into that house ricky started to molest you, it started with a few glances at your chest and ass when you were in a “suggestive position” while doing your labor, he didn't even try to hide how he was looking at you like a jewel exposed in an exhibition, free to everybody to look at, things escalated quickly to the point of him touching you shamelessly, squeezing your boobs and bottom tightly while whispering all the things he would do to you, making you feel humiliated and helpless, the last straw was today’s incident at the kitchen, as a housekeeper you were doing your usual job, leaving everything clean and tidy for the shen family, mrs. shen asked you personally to clean and organize their wine collection for a special dinner they will have soon.

after accommodating the majority of the beverage there was only one left, a beautiful bottle with an eccentric decoration, adorned by gold leaves and letters of the same color on the tag, it was probably the most expensive drink among all the others and the most important one for the event, your assignment was about to be done but the blonde guy appeared in the room, driving your nerves to their highest point only with his presence.

“my mother asked you to do this?” initiated the conversation, getting close to you slowly.

“u-uhm, yes” your answer reflected discomfort, “it's for the dinner meeting…” your responses were brief, trying to avoid a possible next conversation but not trying to be too dry because he's your boss, your earnings depend on him.

“i see” his short reply relaxed you a little bit, you supposed that he wasn't in the mood for a longer conversation and you were perfect with that, as far as you stayed from him the better.

sadly, your assumption was wrong and the chinese boy was just waiting for a moment of distraction on your side, the moment that came when the last bottle of wine had to be kept on the drinks cabinet, as soon as you turned around with the fragile object in hand ricky went direct to your back and pushed you, this was enough for you to fall, the wine slipped out of your hands and ended up colliding on the floor in front of you. the only response that came out of your body was your hands covering your mouth as a sign of surprise, your throat started to hurt as you tried to suppress the tears, a stupid “mistake” like this is going to cost you your job and probably the future ones, working as a housekeeper depends a lot on the recommendations people give to their acquaintances, you think the shen family is going to recommend you after this? of course not, even if you're not at fault in this situation, who is going to believe the humble servant over the son of the family? no one.

“look at what you've done,” pointed out, bending down on your side while looking at the mess he created, “do you think my mother will get you fired for this?” said with a smile.

you turned up to him with an anxious stare, your heart started to beat faster, and the big amount of tears you were saving came out like a waterfall, “don't tell her, i will make it up, clean everything! you don't have to pay me, please just don't fire me” your desperate cries weren't more than a sweet melody to his ears who were pleased to hear it, and craved for more.

“hm… let's have an agreement then” the opportunity of having something as an agreement with the youngest of the shen in a way to preserve your job was risky, especially knowing the kind of behavior he had with you before, but losing your employment wasn't an option you could take right now. “i will take the blame for this,” started, his index finger pointing to the broken wine, “but you have to let me do to you whatever i want, that's the only condition i ask you, you know what i mean by that, right?” it could be confusing for others, but you knew exactly what he was asking for and were willing to give him everything to maintain your job.

“okay, i accept…” you said the words that sealed your contract with the devil and were aware of that. more tears slide down your face knowing what is coming next for you, an act that ricky enjoyed profusely.

“don't cry, you will enjoy it” demanded, his hand grabbed brusquely your hand and made you face him, “clean this mess and go to my room, don't take much time or things will get worse for you” with those words he left the space, leaving you in a spiral of chaos and conflictive emotions.

your face being forced into the pillow absorbed the tears and silenced all the moans, groans, cries, and everything that could come out of your mouth at this moment. roughly, ricky pulled your hair driving your head up, near his so you could hear him better.

“i told you would enjoy it,” bragged, his dick slamming harder into your pussy, the impact of the amount of strength he was using made the clapping sound in the room louder, acting more desperate as a signal of his orgasm being closer.

your mind didn't agree with that, his touch on your skin felt nauseating like if you were about to vomit every time he brushed his fingers over you, but your body said the opposite, your legs trembling, your clit palpitating and your cunt clenching at every thrust while your mouth was drooling leaving a trace of saliva on your face and pillowcase, your mind dizzy with all the pleasure even if ricky was just beginning this torture.

“i already fucked you dumb but we just started, let's see how much you can last” his thurst followed the same fast but steady pace, “we won't stop until you're dripping my cum, yes?” asked you, as if your opinion were important or worth of consideration for him. his last words were an advance of what was about to happen, acting as a premonition that became true, with a last shove of his dick into your pussy the young man had his first orgasm of the night, cumming inside and holding you tight restricting your movements, his mouth biting your shoulder fighting the moans that wanted to be free. for you, this was more than humiliating, but the cumshot was so strong, it hit your interiors and filled you so deliciously that provoked your climax too, causing a strong reaction in your body that never went through a phenomenon as strong as this, the pillow helped to muffle your loud moans whilst your whole physique trembled like gelatin.

the position was changed quickly by ricky, who now had you in a mating press, his cock not leaving your cunt even when he turned you around without any difficulties like a puppet, he didn't want any of his semen leaking out of you until the end of the act. after taking a few inhalations trying to regularize his breath a bestial motion started, his whole dick coming in and out of your pussy hitting your cervix in a way that made you cry, your mouth could merely release stuttering at every shove, you completely lost the ability to speak of how good he was fucking you, even if your hole was so abused by ricky’s dick that it felt like burning or your nipples and clit being so sensitive because of the overstimulation that they react to the most minimum brush, it hurt and at this point of being fucked so dumb you can't think if you like it or not.

by the end of the action, you can't even recall an estimated number of times you've finished, it's safe to say that you probably passed out too, and didn't notice, it's not like ricky cares so you probably fainted and he continued fucking you… but that's okay because his mission was completed! having you filled up to the brim of his seed, cunt so full of it that at the moment you got up to dress it started dripping out and sliding through your legs, which got the mean boy mad and he had no more option than to masturbate you, using his delicate and slender fingers to maintain everything inside while a few insults and degrading words were said, that hurt your ego but hey, you need to accustom to it if you want to keep your job.

[justastraymoa]

ADVENTURES WITH CHEESE EXTENDED EDITION PT 10

Im lost. Hopelessly lost with a cat in a bag on my shoulder looking at me like I am the dumbest person on the planet. And honestly, I feel like I am right now.

How do I go out for a simple walk around the neighborhood with my cat and get lost for hours. And my phone is dying on top of it all!

There is no way I could call the boys. I would never live it down. And I mean never. Plus how were they supposed to help me if I didn’t even know where I was? I couldn’t even find a street sign to give me a hint of where I was.

And im tired, hungry, have no more water, and didn’t bring any money because it was supposed to be a short walk. Only I could get myself into situations like this.

If I use my phone to get a map up, I will kill the battery and I didn’t think to pull a map up earlier when I had more battery, because why would I do that? Why would I be smart enough to do that?

Honestly when I get back to the apartment, I am just never going to leave it again. It wasn’t worth it and I am apparently too dumb to go out on my own anyways. Maybe I could flag down a police officer or something if I see one. They may be able to at least put me in the right direction if they wouldn’t give me a courtesy ride because of Cheese.

When I finally saw the boys, it was almost completely dark. The streetlights were already on and no one was walking around anymore. I was so relieved I felt my stupid eyes start to stupidly tear up. Stupid.

Binnie walked up to me and wrapped his arms around my head so I could hide my face in his chest while the emotions passed. I held onto him tightly. Someone tugged Cheese away from me at some point, most likely Lino. And there were several rubs and pats as we stood there.

“Lets get your dumb ass home.” Lino sighed. I just nodded, thankful yet again for all 4 of them. And for the terrible circumstances that lead me to meeting and befriending them in the first place.

Once at home I was deposited directly into a chair and a large glass of ice water was placed in front of me. I drank a few gulps before forcing myself to slow down so I didn’t get sick. That would be the perfect end to this perfect night. Praying over the porcelain bowl because I drank too much water too fast.

I was lucky enough to work from home most of the time. The occasional meeting forced me to go in and work trips, but 90% of the time I spent working from my bedroom or the living room couch or the dining table. Kind of wherever I felt like sitting and a lot of the times I sat at all places throughout the day, just for a change of scenery.

The boys worked from home occasionally, when they could. I always knew when one of them was home because Cheese would abandon me for someone else. Always excited to have someone new to cuddle and bug all day. Also, he knew the boys would give him treats. I was the strict parent in this relationship. But he was still a mama’s boy at heart, so I was okay with it.

Today it was Bin who was working from home. From the dining table by the sounds of it. I could hear him talking to both himself and Cheese. And could also hear the occasional thump of something falling as Cheese was a turd because Bin wasn’t paying enough attention to him. Spoiled child that he is.

I stayed at my desk, both relieved to not be bothered and distracted by Cheese and lonely because Cheese was not here cuddling and distracting me. It was an odd combination. I would probably join Bin at the dining table later just to not feel so lonely. However, for now I had 30 emails on a crisis that popped up overnight that needed attending to.

I laughed out loud as I heard Bin go into Linos room and start to look around for the sling bag. He must be desperate enough to risk Linos wrath.

“I can lend you my makeshift sling. It works just fine!” I called.

“He cant just gatekeep all the good stuff and expect to get away with it! It’s the principle of the thing!” He called back. There was a crash as something was knocked over.

“He is going to kill you for going through his stuff!”

“He wouldn’t.”

I raised my eyebrows and waited for that to sink into Bins head.

“You will save me right. He is a softie for you.” I eventually heard him say.

I scoffed doubtful that Lino was a ‘softie’ for anyone. Except maybe his cats. He was soft for them. Humans though, me included, he was not soft for. “I will try.” I promised nothing more.

Later that night, hours after everyone had gone to bed for the night, there was a high pitched scream that tore me from my peace.

On instinct I ran from the room. Bins door was open and I could see Lino standing over his bed with a very creepy, very psychotic smile on his face in the dark room. The only light source from the hallway nightlight.

(A/N: I picture something like this look)

“I see you went into my room.” Lino stated lowly, face not losing an inch of psychotic.

My body sagged as I realized what had happened. Lino was getting his revenge. In a very Lino way.

“Im sorry.” Bin said lowly.

Beside me Chan laughed quietly. “He spent all evening trying to figure out how to get back at him for tearing the room apart.”

Hyune didn’t even look like he woke up, let alone looked to see why Bin had screamed like a little girl in the middle of the night.

I rolled my eyes and went back to bed, pulling Cheese closer to rub my face on his soft fur and hear his purring as I drifted off.

A/N: And here we are with part 10. Honestly every time I do another one of these I have so much fun but I also wonder how the heck this even happened. How the heck did I turn a bunch of random pinterest cats into Cheese and create a whole ass cat. And all because I love black cats and have had several of my own that vie for the braincell of orange cats on occasion.

Anyways enjoy! See you next time

Skz + pets masterlist

Taglist: @whatdoyouwanttocallmefor

[rizsu]

wants can hurt and sometimes kill. gojo satoru ( insane version )

have you ever wanted something so badly you came to hate it when you got your hands on it?

+ extra. he's a stalker + gaslighter combo, you die, can u guess the reference for this lil drabble 🌚

satoru has his needs. regardless of how important they may be, his wants will always overpower his needs. his needs are but a fraction of what he craves.

some say he's the attention seeker; his random outbursts immediately direct all kinds attention on him. the untold truth? satoru doesn't want attention — especially if it's yours. he wants to crave you, wants to remain daydreaming about "what ifs", wants to stalk from behind you like another shadow.

you shouldn't have returned his love. couldn't you do what they all do and ignore his advances? he didn't want to do what he did but you — you pushed him. the crippling love you two shared tumbled over like a stack of plastic cups in the wind: fragile, risky, yet determined to finish the piece.

you were ultimately satoru's perfect karma. his want for you destroyed him before he knew it. or maybe, just maybe, he already had his suspicions.

satoru wasn't an easy love, nor was he tough love. he lingered around you, manipulating reality so that your fate forever determined by his course of actions. he doesn't feel any guilt for his actions. instead, he blames you for this. "had you just," became his favourite sentence starter.

it's your fault for finding him attractive. your fault for giving into his love. your fault for ignoring the alarming danger signs sticking out from him like a sore thumb. your fault for calling him "insane", and "obsessive". why curse him when you knew what you were getting into?

he was content with stalking you. many times he shamelessly dropped hints that he's been illegally watching your every move. even his closest friends warned you indirectly.

"i think it'll be best to break it off with satoru," they'd say, following their concern with anything along the lines of "he's not right mentally."

"it's okay, i'm sure i can tolerate it," you'd always respond with a smile, foolishly overestimating yourself.

you loved a rose, he was a thorn.

on paper your relationship with satoru was perfect. he worshipped every cell on your body, inside and outside. he'd always be next to you, to some concern, or he'd be just a phone-call away. satoru never left your side.

you thought of him as your hero; every time you were nearing danger, satoru would jump out just in time. the sweet lie is more wanted than the bitter truth.

arguments never went overboard, he'd hate to have you mad at him. no matter what he did, satoru would always make sure his day revolved around you.

isn't he the perfect prince charming? he knew every detail about yourself. even some you had no knowledge of. you had no clue of your habit of pressing your lips into a thin line whenever things get awkward, but he did.

"have you ever loved someone so much that you begin to hate them?" a question satoru never understood, but he came to.

he loved you so much that he wanted to be in your skin. that love, when returned, transformed into a bubbling hatred.

somewhere down the line satoru found your every action disturbing. your smile he once adored became the reason he'd be annoyed. whenever something went wrong, he'd jokingly blame you but it's not a joke anymore.

the hate, combined with the love, drove him mad. there were times he became disgusted at his own hate for you, so he'd show you his love until dawn broke. but that's as much as it went.

it happened unplanned. it was another repetitive night of him blankly staring at the ceiling. the day itself was rough, nothing went right. you pitied him and sympathized when he came home. it made his goosebumps raise. you're so loving it disturbed him. couldn't you catch the hint and treat him like shit too?

he couldn't stand it. he had to get rid of it.

while you enjoyed your slumber, he sat up. satoru re-positioned himself so that he's hovering over you. his hands circled around your throat, squeezing down as tight as he can. he stayed like that for few minutes — until he told himself it was enough.

you had to go, don't blame him. don't haunt him. understand him. he had to — there was no other choice.

hopefully, if it's a fairytale, time can turn back to where he was your stalker and not lover. for now, he'll wallow until another "her" appears.

[kateeorg]

Critical Role- Gods and Parents Parallels

One thing that pops up again and again in the Ruby Vanguard and Ludinus discourse about the gods is that the gods are angry because their children surpassed them. That the child must always surpass the parent, and that the gods not allowing that makes them unfair, against the natural order of things.

I see three issues with this, and they are all a little at odds with each other, so not sure which if any make the most sense.

The first is that the gods have already significantly stepped back from influencing Exandria, as a good parent should. In fact, much of the Ruby Vanguard, like Bor'dor and Lilliana, were radicalized because they felt abandoned, not because they felt the gods have overstepped. Same with a lot of Bells Hells - they have such vague feelings of the gods mostly because they have only felt them vaguely. The few times they've witnessed real overstep were when Ludinus forced their hand - the Dawnfather temple, what happened with Opal.

But most of the time, they don't usually force their will, don't demand obedience from those who choose not the believe, give vague hints. So in trying to give their children more free will, which those like Ludinus should see as a good thing, they come across as absent (a similar problem to the gods in the Percy Jackson series, where the parent issues are much more direct.) You're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The second is that the rule that the child must "surpass" the parent only really works in a world where parents eventually age and die. But the gods... don't. And can't. Not naturally. Which is I suppose why Ludinus is so deadset on killing them.

But on top of that, even if one killed the gods and became top of the food chain, mortals still can't comprehend the infinite the way gods can. So in reality it's sort of impossible for mortals to surpass the gods except by becoming one, a process that we know is difficult and has a variety of complications. And even then, you don't actually surpass the gods - you just become one of them. You become what you despised, thinking you could do a better job, until you realize all the demands that position and responsibility brings. You could maybe do a better job, but in the process realize why it was so hard for your parents in the first place. Look at the Raven Queen. So either way, Ludinus's dream of mortals surpassing gods doesn't work.

Which leads to my third issue: Surpassing is not the point.

If we're really going to run with the parent-child parallels, the true sign of a child maturing is not them surpassing the parent - it's understanding them. It's seeing their flaws and forgiving them for it. To see them not as saviors or tyrants, but in their entirety as beings trying to do their best in imperfect circumstances. Doesn't mean you need to maintain a relationship with them as an adult if they really hurt you and continue to hurt you, but it allows you to better understand the past and forge a better future.

Now, the gods don't seem to think mortals CAN understand, and I think that is a flaw on their part. Mortals may not be able to understand the infinite, what it means to be responsible for and take care of entire domains of existence, to be so bound to your own rules you cannot break them. But mortals can, some more than others, understand trauma and family obligations and impossible choices. The Society of Primes may not have come about if the Primes made it more apparent what the Betrayers really are to them.

And this is where I hope Bells Hells can step in. Because they are among a select few living souls who have seen what happened in Aeor from the Primes' perspective. (4-Sided Dive mentions they did not witness what happened in Tengar and the epilogue, but everything else). And this group more than many can understand impossible choices and choosing one another, even when it could potentially hurt others.

If Bells Hells can prove to the gods that mortals are capable of appreciating them as flawed and respecting them anyway, that seeing their flaws even makes them love them more... perhaps that could lead to a healthier relationship between mortals and gods for all of Exandria. Not of tyrants nor of absence, but a happier medium.

EDIT: We in fact see this in Campaign 1, where Vax and Vex see the human faces of the Raven Queen and the Dawnfather - in the instances the gods have trusted mortals enough to show their human side, they have become more likable. But considering Aeor, it's easy to see why they don't trust easily.

(Of course this could go the totally opposite way and I could eat my words, but that's just where my head is at after Downfall. Imogen and Laudna in particular I think may become more fearful seeing what the gods do to threats to themselves and their domain. But we'll see).

[cupids-chamber]

FIRST DATE WITH XIAO, WHERE YOUR quiet standoff-ish crush asks you out on a date.. how will this unexpected proposal end?

TAGS: GENDER NEUTRAL READER, MODERN!AU, COLLEGE!AU, SOFT!XIAO, FLUSTERED!XIAO, MAY BE A TAD BIT OOC

Xiao asking you out was quite unexpected, he seemed closed off, in fact you were more then certain you would have to make the first move in this relationship. It was quite clear the two of you liked each other, with his swift glances in between halls, how he’d speak with you and strike a conversation with you almost always despite hating the idea of speaking with others so much, he always seemed to have something to talk about.. with you! This and many other signs, all led you to believe that he had feelings for you.. but imagining him to make a direct move was.. well far fetched to say the least. 

So it was quite the surprise seeing Xiao’s flushed face, while he asked if he could speak to you alone, even then you didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary, until of course Xiao spoke out “Hey um— would you like to go out with me?”.. 

“Like a date?” you added, and you swore you could see his ears turn bright red, “Yes..  um.. Like a date!” His response was sweet, and some of his words came out as incoherent babbles, and you couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at his rather innocent reaction to the question, “Sure!”

Xiao offered to pick you up, but you preferred going there yourself, hoping to run some small errands before you got to the actual location at hand, as for his plans, he said he wanted it to be a surprise! So, the conversation ended with him handing you the location, and time.

You had gotten to the location about 15 minutes earlier than the time Xiao had given, yet Xiao was already there, he seemed to have been waiting for you.. Taking a moment to think, you decided to sneak up on him, quietly tapping his shoulder, startling him in the process.. “Waiting for someone?”

“You’re here” his voice was just above a whisper, but you could feel the excitement laced within them, “Yep! Where we goin’?” you asked, curious as to what he had planned for the two of you today, he didn’t even bother hinting or indulging your pleas, when you asked beforehand. 

“Well I have um— a couple things prepared, if you don’t mind!” he asked, carefully picking his words not to sound way too excited, he didn’t want to alarm you.. “Not at all!”

“Then let’s get going” 

The date started out simple, the two of your first stop was to the movies, nothing too surprising yet it was interesting to say the least, if anything you expected Xiao to pick out a horror movie, or maybe a thriller, however instead Xiao had picked a slice of life movie, and it was rather entertaining to say the least, in the middle of the movie you leaned down on his shoulder, and you could swear he froze in his tracks, as he stiffened in his place. You took a look at his face and saw his bright red face, “Are you good?” you whispered catching him of guard, “Y-yeah”

Then the two of you went to an arcade, where he showed you some of his favorite games there, he then taught you some of the cheats he learned to win more tickets, the two of shared many laughs, and you learned that Xiao was terrible at puns, yet you couldn’t help but laugh when you saw his genuine confident smile while he said some of the cheesiest of things. 

The last stop of you both was at the park, before you head there Xiao picked up some take out for the two of you as you both walked throughout the area looking for a comfortable spot to sit down and eat. The sun was setting, and you were sure the date was going to come to an end soon. 

You took another bite of your food, “I had a really great time today” you said, trying to break the awkward silence, though saying that with your mouth stuffed full was probably one of your worst ideas today, however it probably wasn’t the first time you embarrassed yourself this evening. 

Xiao didn’t reply, he seemed out of it.., “Hey— um, do you mind if we do this again sometime?” you asked, it seemed fair that this time around you’d ask him out. “Huh?.. well.. um.” You took notice of how his ears turned slightly red at your question, “I’d love to” he finally responded. 

The two of you spend the rest of the time talking about your plans, and just about anything really, enjoying the comfort of one another's presence.

© cupids-chamber, do not repost, plagiarize, translate, or adapt my work without prior permission and or confirmation.

[foxes-that-run]

Everything Has Changed

Taylor told Digital Spy: "It's about falling in love. It's about meeting someone and all of a sudden your entire perspective on the world changes - you're thinking for two, instead of one." It was written the week starting 20 May 2012, after Harry arrived in LA.

Music Video

The scene where the class is watching a move these are scenes of Paris, a hint toward Begin Again and Paris being special to Harry and Taylor. Eiffel Tower, Pont Alexandre III - Bridge over the Seine appear.

The school play scene is reminiscent of Harry's actual first performance in a school play when he was 6, Harry also recreated part of this in the Daylight Music Video.

It's full of adorable moments where the two kids, (who return for the Joker and the Queen) where the boy and girl are apart from other kids in their own private world. The tent scene is later in Willow:

The little boy reads the Notebook, Harry's favourite movie to the girl. The girl is doing embroidery (!! very loml coded! LK does too)

The girl tattoos the boy, as is in IKYWT and reality Taylor was there when Harry got the ship tattoo.

The kids communicate by text, rather like two pop stars who live in different countries would and do, such as this famous VMA exchange, and the letter exchange in the Delicate video.

The Taylors Version Lyric Video also uses Pink & Blue text and butterflies.

Live performances

Taylor performed it with Ed on the Red Tour. It wasn't played on the 1989 or Reputation tours. It was a surprise song, with TIWWCHNT, on 22 July 2023, the date of Harry's final Love on Tour show.

When was it written and 20 May 2012

15 May 2012 - Taylor and Ed started writing together working on Run first.

20 May 2012 - At the end of a tour break Harry and 1D arrived in LA, Harry & Taylor disappeared for a week. The rest of the band went to Mohegan Sun in CT and are seen by fans without Harry.

22 May 2012 - Harry performs with One Direction

27 May 2012 - Ed and Taylor meet and write Everything Has Changed together on her Trampoline. Although Ed said their 'camps reached out at the same time' Ed and Harry had been friends since Ed was 19 and Harry was 16. Ed also wrote several songs for One Direction and likely introduced them. Ed, Taylor and Harry. were experiencing all a new level of success. Only last year Ed talked wistfully about having jam nights writing music in a community this song reminds me of.

28 May - Harry gets the A tattoo and later says it is for his mum, the band laughs and says it is for a mystery blonde. Taylor wrote under Taylor A Swift and wore an A sweater in End Game.

29 May - Ed and Taylor record EHC

17 June - Harry got the temper trap tattoo

23 June - Harry's 'Hi' tattoo is first seen in Dallas 23 June, possibly referring to this song.

The draft lyrics refer to a Gemini, which Taylor has not dated. Maybe someone in Ed's life, a veiled reference to a twin (which Taylor uses again in TTPD) or Harry does have Gemini in his chart.

Ed later said, Taylor was in a relationship when they met: (Tumblr | eNews)

“When I first met Taylor I was in a relationship and she was in a relationship and we just formed a friendship through that,“ he said. "And both our relationships ended and we just carried on being friends. There’s nothing I really want more than friendship there. I know her very very well now and she knows me very very well.”

Secret message

The secret message is "Hyiannis Port" rather than "Hyannis Port". The additional 'I' may be a typo - but knowing Taylor's attention to detail I think it is "H-and-I" Harry signs short messages 'H' and 'y' Spanish 'and'.

This secret message is often thought to indicate Conor Kennedy, However Taylor met Connor 4 July 2012, 2 months after the song was recorded. Taylor owned the house in Hyannis Port house from August 2012 - March 2013, she was dating Harry for almost all of that time. As in Alex and Sierra's I Love You and August they spent time there.

Lyrics

[Intro: Ed Sheeran] “You good to go?” [Verse 1: Taylor Swift] All I knew this morning when I woke Is I know something now, know something now I didn’t before And all I’ve seen since 18 hours ago Is green eyes and freckles And your smile in the back of my mind making me feel like

The first verse set the scene for enthusiastic new beginnings. Taylor describes Harry's green eyes and freckles, Taylor continues to use green in association with Harry.

[Pre-Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran] I just want to know you better, know you better, know you better now x4

Harry later refers to this in Sunflower Vol 6: "Wish I could get to know you"

[Chorus: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran] ‘Cause all I know is we said, “Hello” And your eyes look like coming home All I know is a simple name Everything has changed All I know is you held the door You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours All I know since yesterday Is everything has changed

All I know is we said 'hello' and a simple name (Harry). Harry got his Hi Tattoo a few weeks after this song was written.

Your eyes look like coming home - Home is an important theme in Harry and Taylor's work and means a person, rather than a place. This is from the Notebook (Your mother is my home) which is also featured in the music video.

[Verse 2: Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift] And all my walls stood tall, painted blue I’ll take ’em down, take ’em down And open up the door for you And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies, the beautiful kind Makin’ up for lost time, taking flight making me feel right

Walls standing painted blue means Taylor was feeling isolated and depressed. There is an odd similarity with Paper Rings where she painted the muses brothers' walls blue... and had a suss exposition of holding a paintbrush in front of a blue wall. Here though, she is taking down the walls and letting the muse in.

Doors are a Haylor Theme

Butterflies - while butterflies were key in the artwork for Lover and appear in spotify canvases for it, Taylor only refers to them twice - in this song and Clean. "When the butterflies turned to dust that covered my whole room" Harry referenced in Olivia "The summertime and butterflies / All belong to your creation / I love you, it's all I do". He also has a large butterfly tattoo on his chest.

Flight is also a Haylor theme

[Bridge: Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran] Come back and tell me why I’m feeling like I’ve missed you all this time And meet me there tonight Let me know that it’s not all in my mind

Making up for lost time is very similar to something Harry later said at TIFF about wasted time being the most devastating thing.

'Let me know that it's not all in my mind' Minds are a Haylor theme. Here it is filled with possibility, a leap of faith expected to be returned by the muse, which it was. On TTPD it is the opposite, a feeling that it is not reciprocated:

I hate it here: I will go to Lunar valleys in my mind

Guilty as Sin: What if he's written 'mine' on my upper thigh

Only in my mind?

[Outro: Taylor Swift] All I know is we said, “Hello” So dust off your highest hopes All I know is pouring rain And everything has changed All I know is a new found grace All my days, I’ll know your face All I know since yesterday Is everything has changed

Pouring rain is later referred to in many key songs about Harry and Taylors relationship. It is the key metaphor in Clean, which is an ending in the relationship, Everything Has Changed being the beginning. In Clean:

Rain came pouring down When I was drowning, that's when I could finally breathe And by morning Gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean

This reference in Clean as rain washing their love away is again referred to in My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys: "The voices in his head called the rain to end our days of wild"

The imagery of rain pouring down, washing away but also as a metaphor for depression has been a theme in Harry and Taylors songs. Most remarkably in the music videos for Falling/Cardigan. Rain is also in How You Get The Girl: "Stand there like a ghost, shaking from the rain"

[pinksparkl]

All for want of a kiss

Host club AU, strangers-to-something-more Lovely/Vincent

Source: this came to me in a dream. No really.

The last scene is solely just so I can hear Porter say “snog” in my head XD

Shout out to @romirola for keeping me somewhat sane as I wrote this and doubted myself over the sheer cringe-fest I felt it had become.

Host Clubs, Host club AU, Alcohol, (though only a little bit), Public Display of Affection, First Kiss, If you squint you'll find Adam XD, Height Differences

Rated: T

6956 words (read here or on ao3)

Nestled in the centre of the city was the expertly designed and elaborately decorated host club – Wonder World – and all those who frequented it had their eyes set on at least one of the hosts, what an attractive bunch they were. All hoped to win the favour of such beauty for a price that few were willing to pay. Well, almost all of its clientele came for that reason.

 

Soft music played over hidden speakers, a simple rhythm that made way for relaxation if one willed it, or could become an accompaniment to smooth dancing with a skilled partner. It also played the role of keeping hushed conversations private, something that was quite the necessity when its clients were often of high status; rumours spread quickly, so in this case – as in many others – prevention was better than a cure.

 

The bar had been pleasantly crowded, but fortunately not too many were vying for the mixologist's attention, this was a private club that thrived off of its exclusivity. A certain guest ordered a fruity Mai Tai that came adorned so many garnishes, it seemed that there would be no way to transport it safely to their table. The busser made it look effortless – never spilling a drop or disturbing the fruit piled precariously on top – although not without a look that advertised very loudly as to how he'd like to be “reimbursed" for his efforts.

 

The guest sent him away with a polite smile – relieved that he had eventually taken the hint – then sipped at their drink while taking stock of their surroundings. Looking all around, they marvelled at the red velvet that lined the walls of the lounge, a not-so subtle sign of just how grand of a place it was, as well as the absence of prices on any of the menus. No matter where they directed their gaze, they found more and more proof of the sheer opulence they had been given admittance to; people in fancy clothing were being chatted up and complimented by extremely handsome attendants – who wore equally, if not more luxurious attire. All manners of frivolity went on while they sat in their corner booth, away from the hustle and bustle, sighing with feelings of not belonging, debating whether or not they should just leave as soon as they had finished their delicious, but likely overpriced drink. “Why did I even come here? This is such a stupid idea...”

 

Overhearing things in the work breakroom usually led to a lot of boring information, but a few weeks ago, they had heard conversation s about a “magical place” where “your fantasies come true" and where “the hosts take such good care of everyone who walks in”,  though the most important piece of info they'd learned was that they were “discreet" if nothing else.

 

They had come with one goal in mind, but had immediately chickened out as soon as they had set foot in the illustrious establishment that promised nothing but a pleasurable experience for all who entered. Effervescent nerves that fizzed in their veins triumphed against the meagre measure of Dutch courage their glass had once contained.

 

“At least it tastes good,” they conceded, ice clinking as they swirled the remnants around in the glass. Just one sip left, then they could pay their bill – after finding how much it was, of course – and go home and pretend that none of this ever happened. 

 

Maybe they had been too naïve to think they could do this. To think they could pluck up the courage and admit to what society seemed to find a failing in them, and ask for someone to... help. 

 

They sighed, lost in their thoughts, this could just be an illusion of a dream not meant for the likes of them, and they could accept that. Unfortunately, their plan of a quick exit was thwarted when two hosts came over to their table to keep them company. It shouldn't have been a surprise, this was custom for a place such as this: no guest should be left unattended or allowed to feel even an ounce of boredom when at Wonder World. A sentiment this particular guest wished had a loophole they could utilise and escape through.

 

The hosts were very interesting, kept them thoroughly entertained with their uncanny ability to almost predict what the other was about to say. Before long the guest found out that their company for the evening were two trainee hosts, as the duo explained why they were paired up as they gained more experience and confidence in their duties. A lull in the conversation had their captivated guest realising that there was just something about these two that kept them on edge. They didn't feel they could let themself completely relax, unsure of who these strangers were, and what else they were capable of.

 

Curiosity won out, there was something that fought for their attention, something they felt they needed to know. “If you don't mind me asking, what age are you two?” They asked the deceptively easy question with a wary expression. It wasn't that they were unappreciative of the attention, it was all but expected when one came to a place like this, but they just felt the need to put their mind at ease. Despite their charm and professionalism the pair did look rather young.

 

“Well we're legal, if that's what you mean.” The duo gave each other a sly eye smile before returning their gazes to the guest in front of them, who simply sighed. An evasive answer didn't exactly help dispel their worry.

 

“Freddie!” The shorter of the two stage-whispered, balling their hands into fists. “That came out all wrong, and you know it. Now they're obviously gonna think we're up to something, you dingus.” It was apparent their youthful looks were a sore point for them, something the guest sympathised with.

 

Waving their hands in front of them as if to displace the air of any lingering suspicion, the wide-eyed guest tried another angle. “If you'd rather be vague about it, that's fine. I understand wanting to keep certain things private.” They nodded in understanding, in apology for their lack of tact. But they weren't to be deterred. “Are you early twenties? Late twenties?” Hoping the less precise markers would illicit a better answer.

 

“Mid-twenties,” he replied with a careful tone.

 

“Okay, now that was a more useful piece of information, even if only by a slim margin.”

 

“Hmm, no offence, you both seem very nice, but I think I'd be more comfortable with someone a bit...” There truly was no other way to say it, so they steeled themself to get it over with. “...well, older?” They thought if they were going to be made to stay a while longer, they should at least be seen to by someone who was more their type if possible, and in a club that boasted about how highly rated it was, it certainly didn't admit any beggars. So, it was time to be a chooser, then.

 

“Oooh, you like 'em older do ya?” The one with the brightly coloured hair – almost blindly neon, which was rather at odds with the club's luxurious aesthetic – replied in jest, eyes squinted into crescents, seemingly found this admission to be extremely amusing.

 

The guest stood their ground, not seeing the humour in the situation. “Yeah, someone around my age, preferably.” The pair didn't quite believe their guest’s words when they revealed how old they were, eyes wide and mouths agape before they remembered the appropriate decorum required of their employment. They merely smiled politely at the hosts; it was a reaction they were well used to by now, with years of similar remarks.

 

“Well if you're looking for older, how about... him?” The taller of the two posed the question as he pointed to a man who stood with his back turned away from the group. They liked the look of him – his posture, his style, even the way he laughed at someone's joke – but that didn't mean much, as all of the hosts here were very good looking and trained in the art of conversation. “Hey! Vincent!”

 

The unfairly attractive, unknown host turned around at the sound of his name, and let his gaze wander over the three individuals seated in a booth. Quickly passing over his colleagues, he found an unfamiliar face, and he smiled dazzlingly.

 

As soon as their eyes met across the room, the guest was immediately entranced, almost breathless from the sight alone. This man was beautiful. There was no other word to describe him, anything else was vastly insufficient.

 

After taking a second to ascertain the situation, Vincent elegantly turned back around to give his apologies to his current conversation partners. “Excuse me, my next client is waiting for me. Please, do have a good evening in my absence.” Even his manners were impeccable. “You've got this, Solaire!” He thought in a panic, his heart beating double time as he fixed a well-practised smile on his face – a mask, nothing more – making his way to where he had been summoned with confident-looking strides that only served to accentuate his long legs.

 

The guest was stunned. Speechless. Unable to take their eyes of off the ethereal being walking their way. “I probably look like a gaping fish or something.” Running their fingers up and down the side of their glass, condensation collected on their skin, their anxiety spiking as the man they now knew to be Vincent, drew ever nearer.

 

Barely containing their laughter, the host with the bright hair nudged their fellow trainee with an elbow and pointedly looked over at the guest before adopting a more composed expression as the man of the hour approached. The trainees bowed and gestured with practiced flourishes to introduce the guest to their senior host, “Vincent, this is-“

“-my Lovely.” Without any preamble or warning, Vincent knelt gracefully low to take the guest's hand in his and pressed his full lips to their knuckles in greeting, looking up at them through his lashes, causing their cheeks to flush hot. This left the pair standing off to the side stifling giggles at his sudden dramatics.

“I like the sound of "lovely"; definitely prefer it to my real name. Hmm assigned “lovely” by a handsome stranger? I'll take it.” Lovely felt like their entire world had been reduced to the shine of his eyes, and the warmth of his hand wrapped around theirs, which was only further emphasised by the cool metal of his rings against their skin.

 

Seeing the lack of outward reaction from his latest conquest of the evening, Vincent was a little surprised, but he would make do; he wasn’t the top host of Wonder World for nothing. And a little game of cat and mouse wasn't fun if the mouse didn't play along too.

 

“We'll be okay here, guys,” Vincent said over his shoulder never taking his eyes off of Lovely as he dismissed the trainees so they could move onto their next task of the evening. With any luck they had completed their allotted floor-time for the day and could slip out to the back for some behind the scenes work they could at least pretend to be doing. No one fell for their dedicated little worker-bee act, but it was fun all the same.

 

“We'll be taking our leave then, dear patron.” Minding their training to never leave a client without an appropriate send-off, the pair bowed again, gloved hands tucked neatly behind their backs.

A dreamy “yeah, bye” and a distracted handwave was all Lovely could manage to say as they stared into Vincent's eyes. They were so taken in by his charm and beauty that they didn't notice the other hosts leaving their section, quietly gossiping amongst themselves as they walked away.

 

“Wow, got them to look into his eyes already,” he whispered in quiet awe to his colleague, knowing the music would keep their conversation private from would-be nosy-parkers. “That must be a record, right?”

 

“Twenty bucks says he'll only need ten minutes before they're nothing but putty in his hands,” the shorter one smirked, loving to place bets on the prowess of the “Prince" of Wonder World and the tactics he used to stay on ahead of the others.

 

“I dunno, this time... it feels... different somehow.” He fought to keep the worry that slipped into his words off his face, it wouldn't do to cause a scene in the middle of a crowd.

 

“What, like five minutes? Or d'you mean it'll take longer? Is he losing his touch? Is Wonder World gonna crash and burn when everyone finds out? Are we gonna lose our jobs? Ar-"

 

“Bright,” he called their name, cutting off their downward spiral. “Shut up.”

 

The pair continued walking, winding their way through the guests, checking that everyone was being seen to, catered to, surrepticiously moving closer and closer to the “employees only" door that promised freedom, at least temporarily.

 

It was truly a wonder that Lovely managed to keep breathing as their thoughts had slid to a complete standstill the moment Vincent had graced their vision. He took over their senses in a way they couldn't hope to comprehend as they sank into blissful calm. The anxious nerves they had been dealing with thus far disappeared and were replaced with a soothing relief.

 

Still holding Lovely's hand, Vincent slid into the booth seat next to them. “Now, what would cause such a lovely person to grace our humble establishment with their presence this fine evening?” He purred as he leaned in close, eyes narrowing with intrigue, his silvery irises glistening in the low light. “I really am curious.”

 

Lovely covered their face with the hand the handsome stranger wasn't holding. They had completely forgotten that they could pull away – it wasn't as if he was holding it awfully tight. It was comforting and warm, so they left it there, feeling his thumb massaging circles into the back of their hand. It felt nice, reassuring. It made them want to kiss him.

 

“Kiss him?” Their body stiffened as a traitorous thought swam through their mind.

 

“Lovely? Are you okay?” Vincent waved a hand in front of their face, concerned with their spaced-out expression. He'd had his fair share of adoring admirers, but they were on another level entirely all their own.

 

Stealing themself as they blinked some clarity back into their vision, Lovely made the decision to confess to their admittedly dumb plan that had brought them to the host club in the first place. They swallowed forcing down the anxiety and tasting the remnants of their fruity drink. “I came here... because I wanna know how to kiss better.” Immediately looking away, their attention was absorbed by the rich velvet of the curtains while they figured out how to best suppress the embarrassment frothing under the surface. “Maybe I should just leave. Yeah, leaving would be good. Leaving means no more embarrassing myself in front of someone so wildly out of my league that I have to essentially pay for his presence.”

 

Lovely shuffled in their seat, edging away from Vincent, away from the chance to experience a little escapism, towards the way out, but Vincent's hand tugged on theirs gently, stopping them in their retreat. He looked at them with pleading eyes. Beautiful eyes that made them want to stay forever – so they didn't look, gaze fixed on a faraway bottle of blue alcohol that looked very expensive.

 

“Oh? You have a partner, or would-be partner you'd like to impress?” They could almost believe that he sounded disappointed, but reasoned to themself that it was just a part of his role as host, to entertain the fantasy that he would want them.

 

“Who would want me? I'm just... me.”

 

As they continued to look away from him, Vincent kept gently massaging their hand; he knew how gentle touches could make a person feel more at ease. Any tenseness that had built up in their frame slowly dissolved with his ministrations. Lovely no longer looked like they wanted to bolt away, so he called his attempt a success.

 

“Huh? ...no. Nothing like that. It's more for myself, so that I'd be more prepared if I was ever in a situation to want to kiss someone, or even be kissed... urgh, that sounds dumb.” Lovely scrunched their nose, shaking their head as they heard the words coming out of their mouth. They wanted the earth to swallow them up; anything would be less embarrassing than this, than confessing to the most beautiful man they'd ever laid eyes on that they'd never even been kissed. It felt like they’d committed some kind of crime, like they were somehow trying to coerce him into doing something that most likely wasn't part of his job description.

 

“Like, who kisses random strangers? It's just a stupid movie thing... god I am dumb.” Lovely mentally face-palmed, wishing they hadn't gone through with this stupid, ill-thought plan.

 

A gentle shake of their joined hands got them to look at him again, to which Vincent smiled brightly as he shook his head, loose wisps of hair escaping its styling and draping over his brow. “No. It's okay. There are no wrong answers here, Lovely. If that's your reason, then that's fine.” If Lovely didn't know any better, they would swear he wasn't talking to them but to a frightened animal, his soft tone stilling their racing pulse. “Would you like me to kiss you?” Not once had he looked away from them this entire time, like he was trying to capture all of the details that made them up, like turning away would cause them to disappear from his sight. Like letting go of their hand would mean he'd never find them again.

 

They felt seen, but not in a way that felt at all scary or uncomfortable. Lovely liked how he looked at them, and the longer he did it, the more they wanted to never turn away again. “So this is why people to come to places like this. I get it now. This is why people like the feeling of being wanted.” The realisation hit Lovely like a tonne of bricks.

 

They wanted to feel wanted. That's what had been missing in their life. It took all they had not to break down into tears at the paralysing realisation.

 

“Well, what's that saying, “if you can't make it yourself, store-bought is fine?” I guess this is kinda like that... right? I'm buying affection? His time? A temporary fix to sate my curiosity until I can scrap together the courage to do this for real?”

 

No more stalling. Vincent had already discovered their motive for coming here. He said he'd fulfil their wish, and Lovely would take that, even if it was just an act of pity.

 

“I promise to give you an experience you'll never forget. A kiss that will make all your fears and worries melt away,” he spoke in a low voice, barely a whisper – how they could hear it so clearly over the music and chatter of the other people was a mystery. His breath tickled the shell of Lovely's ear, his words a tantalising siren's call, charming them in a bid to let go of their insecurities.

 

Eyes wide, bottom lip trapped between nervous teeth, Lovely wasn't sure why they were so caught off guard by his words, “he’s just latching onto the things I say to make me stay longer, but... why am I still hesitating?”  After taking a second to weigh up the scant list of pros and cons, they eventually agreed; they had nothing to lose and a nice experience to gain, at the very least. “Yes, please.”

 

His hand finally – reluctantly – released theirs, letting it settle onto their lap, as he slowly reached up to their jaw. So slowly that Lovely thought Time itself was standing still. Just as he had rubbed their hand, he caressed their jawline with his thumb, never once dropping eye contact. Before long, Lovely found they very much enjoyed being handled like this, like they were a precious thing, worthy of someone's time and affection. Vincent leaned in so close their noses were almost touching, his eyes still on theirs. "You can close your eyes now, Lovely.” Vincent's voice was so quiet – so reverent – that they felt more than heard his words wash over them.

 

“Oh, right. Yeah.” They breathed out a laugh before going along with his words. A simple request that they saw no harm in obeying without question. Just as their eyelids fluttered shut, they felt his lips press against their own.

 

Soft, pillowy, but strong. So strong.

 

He pushed with a gentle pressure, but the sensation overwhelmed Lovely in a way they couldn't explain. A soft warmth, an unfamiliar intimacy that somehow felt so nostalgic that when Vincent's lashes brushed against their cheek,  Lovely found themself wanting to cry with joy and relief.

 

“So this is what it feels like?”

 

Vincent took the lead, used his hand to tip Lovely’s head up, encouraging their lips to follow the movement of his own. A warm breath from his nose against their cheek gave a gentle reminder that they were in fact allowed to breathe, their inexperience forcing them to almost hyper-analyse their actions to avoid making even more of a fool of themself than they already had. 

 

"Where should I put my hands?" Lovely half-wondered, fingers curling and twisting in their lap, as they melted into the kiss. No sooner had they thought that, the final wall holding back their inhibitions crumbled like a child's sandcastle against the rising tide when Vincent slid his hand back from their jaw and threaded his fingers into the hair at their scalp. Bringing them further into his air. Pulling and pressing, they curved around each other perfectly, the thin slicks of lip balm had their lips sliding almost too temptingly. Lovely gasped into the kiss as his fingers massaged away the fearful thoughts from their mind – just as he had promised.

 

No more thoughts. No more anxiety. No more anything but lips and hands and feeling.

 

Desperate for something to hold onto lest they be swept away like a unmoored ship in a storm, Lovely’s fingers curled around the lapels of his waistcoat, stroking the soft embroidery under their thumbs as the backs of their fingers pressed against the firm chest of the man they were currently kissing – a dizzying reality they had thought was far too fantastical to ever be real.

 

Before things could go any further, Vincent pulled back with Lovely following him instinctively, blindly chasing his lips until his hand slipped from their hair to hold their jaw again. To hold them back. As their vision returned, the room seemingly brighter and more colourful than before, they felt more than a little overcome by the moment, as they faintly noted the dusting of pink across his cheeks. “I'm sure I look nowhere near as radiant, ‘m probably a mess.” Lovely squirmed uncomfortably where they sat as their self-depreciative thoughts reappeared in full force, but could do nothing to dull the intense stare Vincent was giving them.

 

If Lovely had just a little more confidence in themself, they would have guessed that he was attracted to them, that he wanted to kiss them again just as much as they wanted to kiss him. That none of this was an act and that he could be their Prince Charming. But alas, none of that could ever be true. Outside of this place, they weren't "Lovely", they were just... them. Ordinary. Plain.

 

But him... he was... ethereal. "Is that a weird thing to think about a man?" They wondered.

“You seem like a natural," He asked, stopping their thoughts in their tracks. "Are you sure you really need a lesson?" Lovely's eyes dropped from his, and were trained solely on his now kiss-swollen lips.

 

"I did that? ...I did that."

 

Their cheeks grew hot as they looked away again. This man knew exactly how to fluster them without even a word.

 

"A closed mouth kiss to start,” Vincent declared rather breathlessly, bringing their attention back to the present moment, and to him. Despite his starstruck expression, he was immediately back in professional flirt mode, eyelids half-closed, he angled himself to better show off his profile, ready to seduce his way into to Lovely's heart. Although the more logical – more pessimistic – side of their brain reminded them with a sinking suspicion, it might actually be the contents of their wallet he was after.

 

"It's his job, remember?" They started to jab back at the little hope they had foolishly allowed to bloom, but his words caught them off guard. “To start? There's more?!” Immediately hating that their exclamation had revealed much more of their inexperience than they had planned, they buried their fists in their trousers, tugging at the seams, waiting for the ground to swallow them whole.

 

Vincent saw this and smoothed a hand over theirs, encouraging Lovely to release the innocent fabric and relax a little. “Sorry, I really don't mean to embarrass you, Lovely," he laughed apologetically. "Would you like me to continue? We can stop at any point, what we do with this time is yours to decide.” He sounded genuine. Lovely couldn't help but trust him. They wanted to trust him.

 

Nerves finally catching up to them once more, they felt they couldn't rely on their voice, so simply nodded in reply. Lovely decided that they did trust him.

 

“No. Use your words please, darling,” he whispered delicately against their ear. He wouldn't play with what wasn't his to take.

 

"When did he get so close?"

 

Heat burned their cheeks and spread to the rest of their face. It was normally accompanied by an uncomfortable churning feeling in their stomach, but that was delightfully absent. Instead, they were filled with an airy lightness that made them feel like they would float up to the ceiling without Vincent's touch as an anchor that kept them seated next to him. “Y-yes.”

 

“Good.” He smiled, his eyes and lips curving in unison, making Lovely glad they could be the reason for such a thankful expression, although the sight was at odds with their opinion that they didn't do anything worth any amount of gratitude.

 

Their lips met again, and this time Lovely didn't need the reminder to close their eyes. Tilting their head the way he modelled earlier had Vincent smiling into the kiss; they were a quick study, eager to please. Brushing his thumb over their cheek, he broke the kiss to nibble softly on Lovely's bottom lip, to which they opened their eyes in mild shock, and found they kind of liked it.

 

"Should I–" A hesitant thought was quickly abandoned in lieu of taking action and paying Vincent back in kind. Toying with his lip between their teeth, they pulled back to see how his pupils had dilated to almost completely swallow his pale irises, just a thin, shining outline that was still focused on them alone.

 

Breaking apart for air, Vincent took the opportunity to quickly scan the room, and saw that the crowd that had been milling around had mostly disappeared. "It must be nearer closing time than I thought," he concluded offhandedly, a smile gracing his lips as he turned back to the one who truly deserved all of his attention.

 

Lovely nervously rubbed their hands on their black dress pants, chosen specifically to combat the rather unseasonably cold weather plaguing the city, though they found them much too warm now with the very pleasant feelings rushing through their body.

 

“Oh god, I just did that. Wow. I suppose now's the time he kicks me out and sends me a big bill for his time...”

 

“How would you like us to continue this little lesson of ours?” Vincent posed the question, yet again disturbing their self-conscious thoughts as if he could read their mind.

 

“Huh?” They answered rather dumbly, not able to keep up with the pace of things.

 

“Would you like me to lay you out on the seat here and pin you down, or would you prefer to sit on my lap, straddling me?” Lovely's eyes widened so much Vincent thought they were going to fall out, making him rethink his approach a little. “Too much?”

 

“Umm.”

 

“We can close the curtains if you'd be more comfortable that way?” He offered, wanting nothing more than to stake his claim on them in front of everyone, but sensing their discomfort had him squashing down that urge.

 

Swallowing, Lovely nodded, grateful for the option. “Please.”

 

Vincent stood up and closed the curtains, ignoring the knowing smirks and hungry eyes of his colleagues as they continued their duties. The thick velvet blanketed out the music and sounds from the rest of the club, making the booth into its own little room, private and cut off the world. As he sat back down, Vincent asked again, "so what will it be, Lovely? How do you want me?" 

 

They stood up, seemingly having already made their decision, but before they could take up their chosen position, Vincent grinned hungrily as he looked at them from head-to-toe, not even needing to tilt his head up at all to meet their gaze. He'd guessed they were nowhere near his height from how they were sitting, but now he had proof. "Oh,” he laughed, eyes creased in glee. ”You're absolutely adorable!" Vincent returned to his feet to compare their heights, noting that his new favourite guest barely came to the breast pocket of his waistcoat.

 

“It's not my fault!” Lovely exclaimed, half-pouting, thankful for the thick velvet curtain and the club's music preventing the other patrons from overhearing their frankly embarrassing conversation. Along with people's surprise at their age, they could never escape the jeers and comments about their lack of height, despite accepting it, they almost wished they were taller just to shut everyone up.

 

“I never said it was a bad thing," he conceded smoothly, stroking his hand up their arm, a tender weight on their shoulder, hoping he hadn't hurt their feelings. “They do say that lots of good things come in small packages.” Leaning in further, he lowered his voice to an unnecessary stage-whisper, “and I'm a really good thing.” Lovely flushed hot with the combination of his words and the mischievous wink he gifted them as he sat down again.

 

Teasing over, Vincent reclined comfortably, resting his arms along the back of the loveseat, letting Lovely set the pace of how they wanted the rest of this to go. He watched them hesitantly place their knees on either side of his thighs, perched high and leaning in for another kiss before a finger was pressed to their lips instead, blocking their advance.

 

A wave of confusion and disappointment shook Lovely to their core. "Game's over, I guess. “We hope you enjoyed the free demo." Should've expected as much..."

 

But before their posture could match how defeated they felt inside, Vincent gave them an easy smile, giving them hope for something more positive. "Oh no, this simply won't do. Do you mind?" He asked, hands hovering a careful distance out from their hips. Lovely appreciated the constant check-ins and shook their head, allowing him to correct whatever was he felt was wrong.

 

”You're the expert here.”

 

A gentle but firm tug was all it took to pull them down to sit on his lap as he shifted forward in the seat, leaving ample room for Lovely's knees to press against the plush cushion. Their calves sat snugly against his thighs and hips, as his hands rested just above their waistline – a gentleman, right 'til the end, even with their new up-close-and-personal position.

 

Seeing their apprehension of the unknown, he paused and firmly squeezed Lovely's waist, getting them to focus on him. "Don't worry, I won't bite," he reassured softly as he leaned in ever closer. "Unless you want me to." They flinched for barely half a second before registering the shape of a soft smile against their pulse. If asked about it, they wouldn't be able to explain why, but it soothed them, brought a wave of warmth that permeated their very bones and made them feel safe.

 

Once more their lips met, and soon they felt his tongue run along the seam of their mouth, nudging, coaxing them to open and invite him in, so they did. Being pressed so close together, Vincent's eyes closed in a mix of concentration and ecstasy as he smoothed his tongue over theirs, inviting them to a private dance, a slow bolero that was all curves and undulations. He taught them each step with aching patience until their movements were nearly as fluid as his.

 

Unsure where to put their hands this time, Lovely just opted to place them on his shoulders. Vincent seemed unhappy with this as – without breaking apart – he moved one of their hands and placed it on the back of his head. “Wow his hair is soft.” Getting the idea, Lovely brought their other hand to trace his jawline, their thumb brushing past their joined lips as they trailed it lower. They gathered that he must have liked this, as he moaned into the kiss. Lovely swallowed down his noises, as they made their own in response.

 

Filled with a newfound confidence as they hummed back, Lovely experimentally tugged on his hair a little, the soft strands slipping through their grasp. Vincent's fingers dug into their lower back, pulling the fabric of their shirt taut, not so much that it hurt but telegraphing just how much he was holding back as he growled deep in his throat

 

"He actually growled. Is that a bad thing?" Breaking off the kiss, Lovely pulled away almost immediately, opening their mouth to apologise for getting too swept up in things and hurting him and–

 

“No. No that's good,” he panted, smiling as he stared into their eyes. “I like that. Keep going. You're a natural, Lovely.” His eyes were glazed with what they presumed to be a very good facsimile lust – they almost fell for it – and his lips were slightly puffy from kissing them and it just made him look that much more attractive.

 

Moving in to kiss along their jaw, Vincent nuzzled in close, drawing soft noises from Lovely's lips, delicately following an invisible line that ended right below their ear. He pulled their hips in closer – both gasping at the sudden sensation – rubbing circles with his thumbs, his fingers swapping between tensing and relaxing as if he was restraining himself, resisting the urge to do something, but what?

 

Lovely's hips again rolled forward of their own accord, greedy for friction, fuelled by the need to be closer, but their movements were stilled by Vincent's hands holding them back. No matter how hard they tried, they could not get his hold to budge. Frustratedly, but not sure to what end, Lovely frowned and was on the verge of pouting when they saw Vincent's clear eyes looking up at them again, sobering them up immediately. “Oh. Sorry.”

 

"I don't think you wanna go any further," he cautioned. "At least, not in a place like this." Lovely looked around, only now realising that the two of them were still in the host club. They had genuinely forgotten where they were and laughed embarrassedly as they sat back on his thighs, again grateful for the curtain hiding them away from the club and prying eyes. "We can stay here, at this level if you're comfortable? Or you can leave, it's almost closing time anyway." Their eyes widened almost comically, but they showed no inclination of getting up or leaving any time soon.

 

“How long were we...?” They asked vaguely, fingers still twirling in Vincent's hair. His gaze fixed on their kiss-bruised lips, the way they curved around each sound and then became caught between nervous teeth.

 

He laughed, swiftly brushing off their question, guessing how mortified they'd be if they knew how long they had been in here. "If you don't mind me saying, I'd like to see you again sometime, maybe at a different venue, perhaps?"

 

Lovely's brows and nose scrunched in confusion, which Vincent couldn't help but find cute. “You work at other host clubs?” The only possible, logical conclusion, of course.

 

“No, you goof. I'm asking you out on a date." He ruffled a hand through his hair, unused to the kind of situation he had gotten himself into. "I get that we've gone about this all backwards, but I would like to, if you want to?” Gone was the master flirt, leaving a man, sat between Lovely's thighs, who looked just as nervous as they felt.

 

Lovely considered it for a moment, although they had already decided the moment he had asked. “I would really really like that.”

 

Vincent smiled in relief, thankful he wasn't the only one head-over-heels for the other. “Then it's a date,” he whispered as he pulled them in for another kiss. ”Just so you know, I don't normally kiss clients. And by that, I mean I don't.”

 

“Oh, so I'm special am I?” They smiled with the inferred compliment, feeling like a kid who had just been given everything they'd asked for on their Christmas list.

 

“More than you know.” Now they were glowing with a confidence they didn't know they could ever possess.

 

As they sat staring into each others eyes like lovesick fools, one of the other hosts pulled aside the curtain, politely inviting any lingering guests to leave as part of his closing duties. Seeing as that hadn't gotten their attention, he cleared his throat rather theatrical manner in a bid to disturb their moment of private happiness. The result was a success, if a bit overdramatic – Lovely very quickly slipped off Vincent's lap and over to the far side of the loveseat, eyes drawn downwards as if preparing to be chastised to the moon and back. 

 

"Dearest guest, please do forgive the intrusion," he began, voice as smooth as silk. "I've brought the menu if you'd like to order something nourishing after your uhh... entanglement with our darling Vincent here. With one caveat, we unfortunately cannot deliver on any of the steaks as the grill has already been closed off for the night. You have our most sincere apologies for this oversight."

 

"Umm, thanks?" While kissing a host wasn't that unexpected – Lovely had read a great many novels and articles on the matter, as research – they couldn't understand why this other guy wasn't making more of a deal about finding them and Vincent in such a... compromising position. “And what's with this menu?” They thought as they flicked through the small booklet. ”A bunch of steaks, stir-fried tofu and green beans, lots of citrusy desserts, a carafe of water. Strange options for a host club... not that I know what other host clubs have to offer... but it's just– I dunno... weird?"

 

Vincent sighed, unhappy to be disturbed by one of his colleagues, though he was more annoyed by which of his colleagues it was. "Thanks, Porter, but that won't be necessary." 

 

"What if I was hungry?" Lovely thought with a pout. “Though on second thought... the prices of these meals are probably extortionate. Yeah, maybe it's best if I do skip on that.”

 

With Lovely's attention elsewhere, they missed Porter's look of dawning understanding, as he immediately jumped on the chance to poke fun at his fellow host. "Oh, is that so, Vincent? Did you leave our guest wanting?” Taking a step towards Lovely, he bowed deeply. ”I do apologise for any... lapses in my colleague's duties, I'd be more than happy to finish the job if he's not up to it?” He purred, though not without shooting a cruel smirk in Vincent's direction.

 

“What exactly is he proposing?!” Managing to swallow down the squeak of surprise, Lovely stuttered out a reply. "N-no, it's– He was good. I mean, he didn't leave me w-wanting, I mean! Uhh..." Feeling embarrassed enough for a whole week, let alone one night, Lovely swiftly made the decision to run out of the little curtained-off area, leaving Vincent grasping for them as they slipped past Porter.

 

"Do you often snog your meals, Vincent?"

 

Clenching his fist, Vincent growled, his eyes gleaming a dangerous black before returning to their usual silver. "Shut up, Porter," he snipped back, watching as his Lovely hurriedly paying for their drink then speeding out through the large oak doors. He hoped that he'd see them again, that they wanted to see him again. With the way they ran away, he had his doubts. 

 

"There, there, little prince," Porter consoled him mockingly, patting his sagging shoulder before being swatted away. "I'm sure they'll come back. I mean, who could say no to the Prince of Wonder World?"

 

Vincent's perfect posture slumped as he remembered that he hadn't introduced himself as such, his own title usually was the first thing that slipped out of his mouth in a bid to entice new guests, make them part with their hard-earned cash, and much more beyond that. But from the moment he saw Lovely, the prestige and grandeur didn't matter, they were all that mattered. He could be their lowly servant and he'd be happy.

 

Then the proverbial other shoe dropped and created a pit in Vincent's stomach. “Does Lovely even know I'm a Vampire?” He groaned, hoping Porter hadn't out together those particular puzzle pieces together yet. If so, he'd never hear the end of it.

[supercalime]

I know Buck wasn’t originally written as bisexual but looking back to season 2, you actually can interpret buck being attracted to eddie. He may even had a little crush on him. But Eddie being canonically straight didn’t show any romantic or sexual interest towards buck. I think if he was canonically gay and interested in buck and made any moves towards it, he could have had his bi awakening or realization back then and could have caught serious romantic feelings for Eddie. You can’t deny some parallels between his first meeting with eddie and with tommy. The unknown jealousy and the ranting about them. But because eddie is straight and never showed any sign of beeing into buck, his (maybe) feelings for eddie turned into an incredibly great friendship. That’s why I think his feelings for Tommy are very real and don’t have anything to do with Eddie. Tommy is canonically gay and reciprocated the feelings and attraction to buck. He was the one who made the first move and kissed buck. Buck was clearly interested in him and tried to get his attention. I do think that if tommy wasn’t interested in him and didn’t kiss him, buck still wouldn’t have figured out that he’s bisexual and his feelings towards him probably would’ve eventually turned into friendly feelings. I personally tend to hope for bucktommy rather than buddie but I wouldn’t be mad if buddie became canon. But I think the only way would be to make eddie demisexual, because there were really no signs that he likes men in any way other than his strong connection and chemistry with buck. Different from buck where you can retrospectively see many unintentional signs.

Oh yeah! I want to make it abundantly clear that I’m all in the bucktommy train 100%

I fell in love with them and I’m more in favor of them than the ship that shall not be named. I can’t stress it enough, I want bucktommy to be endgame. I’m a bucktommy slut.

I do believe you can look back and see clues that maybe buck was into eddie, whether that was intentional or not. I believe the writers accidentally queer coded him and when they noticed they decided to run with it when they got the green light from the network.

But as you said, he could have had an initial crush on a friend and that changed with time. And that is completely fine! It doesn’t mean he had been in love with him the whole time and repressing it. Of course there is the possibility that buck and eddie can be an item, if the writers decide to go that route.

That being said, as of now, there are no concrete evidence on screen that buck and eddie were/are going in that direction. Like you said, eddie hasn’t shown he’s into men/buck and if buck was into eddie since the beginning and vice versa, i believe the writers would have pushed that queer coding to the max she-ra style to force the network to get them together. There had been opportunities for the writers to not be that ambiguous.

And yes! The canon bi buck storyline is not about Eddie and it shouldn’t be even if buck and eddie are supposed to be endgame. All the signs since 07x03 (when Buck touched Tommy’s shoulder and we all got a little bit of the gay vibe) have pointed that Buck had been into tommy and mistook who he was placing the jealousy on during 07x04. It’s a classic trope and I hate that b*ddie stans conveniently forgot how misdirection works to feed into what they want (not only that, but also stating as fact). When 07x05 rolled around and we got the coming out scene, it’s clear to me that there was no intention to place bucks attraction to men on eddie or eddie also realizing he’s queer. It would have been the perfect opportunity to sprinkle in some queer eddie but there was not even a subtle hint of that in that entire scene and I honestly hope their friendship stays that way.

Not to be a bitch but, why can’t they “just” be friends? It’s so rare to have these archetypes of characters be as vulnerable and devoted to each other, without an ounce of toxic masculinity, being true friends and nothing else. I whole heartedly believe what buck and eddie have is even bigger than family or romance, they are each others rocks and defining them as brothers or “husbands” does a disservice to their relationship. I think of them more as platonic soulmates. They are others ride or die, which reminds me a lot of Marjan and Paul from lone star (they have a very similar dynamic and despite theoretically having the possibility of being a couple - as a straight woman and straight man - I don’t see them going that way ever because that’s not what their relationship is. They love each other, would literally die for each other but are not and will never see each other as potential romantic partners).

On a waaaaaaaaay lighter note: I’m excited for next episode. We are surely getting more bucktommy and I simply can’t wait to see what the writers have cooking up for this lovely ship!

[a-forbidden-detective]

When I first read new chapter, I was glad that Toto's character has a development and now not afraid to look at corpses like Ron. Plus I thought he become smarter.

However, once I re-read the chapter, I realized something. Toto hasn't grown at all as a character.

His observation skills for important details have really improved, no doubt about it. But the ability to solve riddles and deduction haven't improved at all. Toto couldn’t do it and still can’t do it. After running around with Ron for over a year, I expected to see at least some kind of thought process.

And that's Toto's problem as a character in the story. He's just... boring.

No matter how much I love Toto, (he is the best in my heart) as a character he is NOT interesting to watch. He is not growing, he is as he was in the beginning “for everything good and fluffy. I value every human life” he remained that way. And it's not a bad thing i think, but compared to others it's boring.

Maybe I'm wrong but tell me how Toto has changed throughout history? And no, there’s no mention of self-confidence here because he still has self-destructive tendencies.

Now let's take others.Ron has obviously changed a lot and that's a good thing. Kawasemi changed and stopped being so strict. Chiori stopped being so a rabid fan of detective. Even Spitz and Amamiya changed somehow. I can't say anything about Toto.

No matter how paradoxical it may sound, the only thing that makes Toto stand out from the rest is his lack of personality and mysteries around him. He literally feels like a piece of cardboard but not as living person.

Most of his actions are literally told but not shown. It's like Toto himself was left out of the picture.

So yea , I think Toto is the character who suffers most at the hands of the author in manga

Heya! Thank you for waiting.

I thought about this long and hard. Like you, I love Toto, seeing that I am a Watsonian first of all. And at times, biased.

It is not easy to give you answers, bc I might change my opinion in the coming days. But for now, I can say that your concerns are valid, that Toto as a character remains somehow stagnant. On the other hand, if you change him, just a little bit, like he has reached Ron’s level in deduction we would lose him as a stand-in for the audience. Seeing that the titular character isn’t Toto, his role is more like Jiminy Cricket. He gives advices, scolds Ron, he can’t arse finding out the solution bc he isn’t the genius character. This is Ron’s place.

Once Akira changes him to something like equal to Ron then in the grand scheme of her storytelling, his role as the receiver of wonderful deduction would be gone.

And in all honesty, it is a bit mind-boggling how will Akira direct Toto’s characterisation in a new direction without involving him as someone who is part of the antagonists or giving us hints of his familial background, if she considers him as a deuteragonist of the story. Bc so far, like any Watson-esque character, he’s become a character in the background, it is the downside of having a genius and eccentric friend.

True, it is frustrating sometimes, and he’s maybe boring bc of it. In truth we applaud him when he shows signs of improvement. But I don’t think he’ll reach Kawasemi’s excellence nor Ron’s genius bc he’s none of these things. Kawasemi changed emotionally and has become a disciple of Toto.

And yet, and yet, Akira seems to be content in status quo.

He is changing but gradually. Maybe, the moment Ron will receive his license is the moment we’ll see Toto can hold his own. Cross my fingers.

PS: that’s why i am counting on the anime crew hoping that they can remedy some issues on Toto’s characterisation, which they did during the first season.