#it kinda feels like everyone’s talking to themselves past each other

[ragingdumpsterfire]

.

[heartlogan]

living to lose

✮— logan x f!mutant!reader (set in worst wolverine’s universe)

✮— summary: logan won’t wear the suit.

✮— a/n: this is gonna be kinda short, but i am in <3 w the concept. (i wrote this in less than an hour bro) i haven’t seen this before so .. lmk if yall want a longer version . perhaps a series ? if yall do, let me know what power reader should have !! and perhaps a nickname 🫡

✮— warnings: DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE SPOILERS, humans vs mutants, and all the prejudice that comes with that, talk of mutants being killed for being mutants etc, xmen bonding, angst, canon typical violence (kinda? mentioned?), logan being stubborn, lmk if theres more!

masterlist | part two

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Life in the X-Mansion wasn’t what it once was.

If you were honest, life itself had begun to lose that glow that it once had. You supposed that it was hard to retain it when every day you were faced with the reality that humans wanted you all dead. And sure, it wasn’t like you hadn’t known that before, but each day you saw news stories coming out about mutants killed in the street, the X-Men were called out constantly to assist in human and mutant matters, and were always met with hatred.

You just wished that people could coexist. Would that be so difficult? For the humans to realise that mutants weren’t that much different from themselves, not really. Everyone had the fundamental building blocks of human DNA, mutants just so happened to have the X gene thrown in the mix.

Still, there were positives to life. Such as Logan, for you, because you were pretty sure Scott wouldn’t categorise him as a positive.

There had been something unspoken between the two of you for almost a decade, stretching across hundreds of battles and memories. Neither of you had actually brought yourselves to talk about it, both too afraid of loss.

But every night when he struggled to sleep, he joined you in your own bed. An incredible progression of your relationship, really, because it wasn’t like Logan to actually ask for help. Not that he did much talking on those nights. Every time you needed comfort after a painful mission, he was there, brooding silently at your side. A hand on the small of your back, or around your shoulders, if you were lucky.

He refused to acknowledge his role in your life, or his role on the team, no matter how much everybody begged him to.

The infamous Wolverine was so intimidated by the idea of admitting he cared, so scared that it would turn out like his past relationships, that he couldn’t bring himself to accept his place in your lives. He was stubborn, and wouldn’t allow anybody to have leverage over him.

It was another afternoon call out, a mutant in distress, and humans harassing whoever it was. It was bound to get violent, which was why everybody was suiting up.

“C’mon, Logan, just wear the suit.” You said, brows furrowed as you held the folded suit out towards him, watching him roll his eyes. “You’re a part of the team. Wear it.”

“She’s right, Logan.” Storm agreed, already clad in her own suit, much like yourself. It presented a united front, a symbol for other mutants that there was hope out there for them, no matter how dire the world seemed.

“Fuck, no.” Logan responded immediately, voice gruff and dismissive, barely sparing the yellow spandex a glance before he was turning away, grabbing his own jacket from its hanger. “Yellow ain’t my colour, bub.” He grumbled when he felt your eyes still on him, practically carving a hole in the back of his head.

“Logan.” You said pleadingly, feeling disheartened. “We all wear it. You’ll look as handsome as you ever do, I swear.” You attempted, although you weren’t naive enough to believe that the almighty Wolverine could have his mind changed via flattery.

He might have admitted, in another life, that you made the yellow work extremely well. That he knew the team looked good in it, looked put together, almost untouchable. But that wasn’t this life. And he refused to let anybody believe he actually wanted to be a part of this godforsaken self-righteous team that named themselves the X-Men. That wasn’t him. It wouldn’t be him.

Scott wandered in, clad in his own suit, matching visor and all. “It’s not gonna work, guys. I’ve tried. Logan’s far too stubborn.” He said, and none of you could see his eyes, but his disappointment was palpable. Logan only grunted in response.

“Fine,” You said, and he could hear the disappointment despite this not being the first time he had denied the suit. It had been a debate for a long while, by now. “I’ll leave it with you. Just in case you change your mind.”

“I won’t.” Logan said, with an air of finality. You said nothing.

The four of you headed out to the distress call not long after, three in cohesive suits, one decidedly not.

It turned into a fight, as most calls do nowadays, which lasted for what felt like ages. You returned, feeling more exhausted than you had in days. The humans only got more violent with time, inventing new and more powerful ways to hurt mutants. Weapons were being developed against mutant-kind with every day that passed, and it wasn’t lost on the X-Men. Your job was only getting harder and harder. And it was taking its toll on all of you.

“‘M goin’ to the bar. You coming?” Logan asked you, standing in front of where you sat on the couch with Storm, both still in your suits and equally tired. He raised his brows at you, indicating that this was a timed offer. You knew he would be out most of the night, getting as drunk as his healing factor would allow him. It wasn’t that kind of night for you.

“No, thanks. I’m gonna stay with the others.” You answered quietly, wanting nothing more than to marinate in your frustration with the rest of the team.

Logan looked at you for a second longer, hesitating for only a moment, before he grunted and stepped away. You could’ve sworn that he looked disappointed, as though he was hoping you would join him, or maybe ask him to stay. But you knew better, had become familiar with the sting of his rejection each time you had asked him to stay.

You wanted him to be a permanent feature of the X-Mansion, to stay after long missions, to not disappear for weeks at a time. You wanted the whole unspoken thing to become spoken at last, even if it hurt, but you knew he wasn’t ready for it. And despite you feeling similarly, feeling that exact same fear he felt, you knew he wasn’t willing to take on the challenge. To try. Hell, he wouldn’t even wear the suit.

If he had asked whether you wanted him to stay, you would’ve said yes without thought. Without hesitation. But Logan wouldn’t put himself in that situation, so he never did ask. He only hesitated. And for you, that wasn’t enough.

He knew it, too, which might have been the worst part of it all.

You watched him leave, heard the slam of the door behind him not long after, and could only sigh to yourself.

“Everything okay?” Storm asked you from the opposite end of the couch, tilting her head towards you from where she had been idly staring at the ceiling. She looked as though she knew the answer, whether she had already known, or had gotten it from the look on your face, though, you weren’t sure.

“D’you think he’ll ever stick around? Wear the suit?” You questioned her in response, fixing your eyes on the fireplace in front of you for a few moments before her silence became too much. You looked at her, confused and slightly concerned.

She looked as downtrodden as you felt, which was saying something. “I… don’t know. I hope so, but… hope is a feeble thing, in this world. I’m not sure it means much anymore.”

Beast wandered in, with Scott at his side, blue fur still singed from a battle a few days prior. “I’m sure he will come around. Logan is a stubborn man, but a good one.” He commented, pushing his glasses further up his nose, but still squinting through them as he found his place in an armchair.

“We’ll see. Maybe we can make an X-Man of him, yet.” Scott added, sinking into the sofa cushion between you and Storm, wearing his glasses rather than his visor, for once. You thought could almost see the shape of his eyes, through the red lens.

“Either way, I’m sure he’ll linger. If not for us, then for those poor kids. We have all seen how much they idolise him.” Storm said, which was true, but still stung slightly. You wished that Logan would linger for you, too, but you knew it wasn’t likely. But for the kids… well, he might just look back for them.

“He’s their hero.” You agreed quietly, before resting your head on Scott’s shoulder. He said nothing, but you felt his quiet appreciation of the touch. The team needed comfort, in times like these, you included. Beast reached over and took Storm’s hand not long after, and you saw her squeeze him in response.

Jean wandered in not too long later, having been busy helping to look after the new mutant in the medbay. You made space for her between you and Scott, and resumed your position on her shoulder. She rested her head on your own, and the five of you breathed quietly, not speaking. There was nothing much to speak about, nothing that could comfort you, anyway. The world continued its descent into chaos and hatred, and despite the X-Men’s best efforts, nothing any of you did would be changing it.

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It was Beast raising the alarm that woke you up, and Jean jolted awake soon after you.

“The humans, they’re here!” He shouted, diving into action, with Storm and Scott following soon after while you and Jean shared a single glance, her eyes filled with terror.

“Get the kids!” You yelled to her, as you jumped from the couch, heading to confront the humans with Scott, Beast and Storm. All the while, you were wondering where Logan was.

It was a thought that remained present in the back of your head, a wish that he was safe, unharmed. You couldn’t decide whether you wanted him to show up, to be the hero all of the kids knew him to be, or whether you wanted him far away, safe from what you were certain would be a lethal encounter.

The humans wouldn’t just come to the X-Mansion lightly. They would be prepared. Armed to the teeth, you were sure. And the moment you caught a glance outside of the window, seeing the crowds outside, glints of machinery and weapons, you knew you were right.

For a moment, you thought you saw him out there, until the two humans stepped apart, shattering the illusion of their shadows. The call of his name died on your lips.

“X-Men, to me.” Scott called out, and his grave expression told you that he had already had the same realisation as you. Most of you, if any at all, wouldn’t be getting out of this alive.

“Together?” Storm questioned, eyes glowing that bright white that only added to her ethereal look. She locked eyes with you, and you nodded firmly.

“Together.”

[zivazivc]

Did Les ever dated in the past? Also is he with anyone recently?

Les quit school really early, like 10-years-old early, and he started working soon after, so he didn't really have friends his age. That kinda puts a buffer on a teenager's social and love life. Though there was something that happened at a house party once, that was, uh... a bad experience, and it left him with a lot of issues. Also, partially because of this, he's not really someone who acts on his crushes. So he never dated before.

But at one point the band spent a few months in the same location (dunno the reason yet, but maybe they weren't getting enough gigs and they had to take up some part time jobs for a while), and Les developed a crush on a bartender at a nearby club.

She's the only OC of mine who's visually a bigger weirdo than Les, and he definitely saw a little bit of himself in her, and hoping for someone with some shared life experience, it's what initially attracted him toward her and vice versa.

So they had a thing going on for a short time. It never developed into anything serious because sadly they are very alike, which means they are BOTH morons who are shy about making the first move. And after a while they came to the agreement that they were better as just friends.

Floyd with his persistent crush was not happy about the possible romance at first, but he ended up being happy for Les, and he finally decided to give his hopeless longing a rest, since the only good it was doing was growing a rift between his and Les's friendship.

Funny enough it was Floyd backing down which allowed the two to grow closer. Les lowered his guard since he no longer had to overthink if Floyd would interpret anything he did or said as some kind of flirting or act of love, and he no longer had to brace himself for any uncomfortable romancing coming from Floyd either.

They were already good friends since the start but they became much more casual with each other and began to understand each other on a deeper level as years passed. As Floyd got older and more mature, and became an equal with the rest of the bandmates, it was actually Les who fell for him, hard. He didn't really do anything about it though, but Floyd eventually realized this and you know he did something about it. Though Floyd's crush had gone from looking at Les as this cool experienced older guy when he was younger to now seeing him as a shy innocent teddy bear compared to his lewd self ksjhdkjs.

So technically they became each other's first proper all-encompassing relationship. And by that I mean that besides the lovey-dovey obvious stuff, they were also best friends and helped each other grow a lot. Also Floyd by the time they got together, already started a habit of hooking up with strangers at parties, so being with Les forced him to slow down and progress through a relationship slowly and at a healthy pace for someone his age (since you can't really get anywhere with Les without a lot of patience). And Floyd got Les to become comfortable with opening up and talking about his deep-rooted feelings. They talked about issues they faced, many of which were related to Les's childhood trauma, instead of him just ignoring or suppressing it all. (Floyd also opened up about his own family trauma with Les obviously, but he talked about it even before they got together.)

The relationship, especially at the start, could still be considered questionable from an outsider's perspective, but so was the band's lifestyle in general. They were good for each other during that period while they were growing up and figuring themselves and each other out, which is what matters I think.

It was honestly mainly Floyd's undiagnosed bipolar disorder that made the relationship suffer toward the end of Floyd's days in the band. It created a lot of trust issues between Floyd and Les, and also Floyd and everyone else, heck it even made Floyd distrust himself, since he and none else knew or understood what was happening with him. This led to a lot of misery and anger that he mostly ended up directing at Les, and it was what eventually made them break up and Floyd leave.

[eepwriting]

Hi, since your alphabet for IV included him not being as experienced as he seems, would you be interested in something where both him and reader talk a big game, only to get to their first time together and awkwardly have to reveal neither of them know as much as they seem? I feel like it would be kinda funny and sweet

You Can Touch Me ✶ IV x GN! Reader

Warnings: kissing, drinking

Omg omg omg I love this. Thank you so much for this!🤍 It’s more of a blurb because I didn’t want to ruin the sweetness with full on smut lol

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You had an…odd relationship with iv. The two of you relentlessly flirted with each other, often shared loving and teasing touches, found yourselves in a couple of tipsy kisses. Definitely more than just friends but neither of you had ever tried to take things any further.

You couldn’t deny the massive crush you had on him, but you were admittedly intimidated by him. You had only been in a single relationship, and you didn’t dare let iv know that. Sure, he had asked about previous relationships or flings you had but you always kept it very vague. Never revealing any numbers, letting him guess for fun. You let him believe you had more experience than you really did. He constantly makes remarks about how you must have a whole roster of people throwing themselves at you.

The first time he said that, you ran with it. It helped you feel more on his level, because you just knew that man got around. He himself knew he was attractive and he let everyone around him know that.

Your inexperience was really the whole reason you never tried to take things further with iv. You were scared, didn’t even know where to start.

You watch him from across the room. Despite the high energy of the small house party you were currently at, you could really only focus on him. You had always found his overwhelming suave and cool demeanor almost intoxicating. You always notice the way energy shifts when he walks into a room, all eyes on him.

You catch iv’s eyes when he looks over at you, sending a wink your way. You give him a flirty smile, nodding your head to the side in a way to call him over. His eyes rake over you quickly before he turns back to the small group of people he was talking to. A short while later he saunters over to you.

“You clean up nice.” He says, his eyes scanning over you again.

“I was gonna say the same thing about you.” You giggle, taking a sip of your drink.

He reaches out to pull you into a hug, humming as he wraps his arms around you. He sways you side to side before pulling away to look at you. The way he’s watching you makes you nervous. There’s a look in his eye you don’t think you’ve ever seen.

You reach out and grab his hand. “You okay? You seem distracted.”

He nods at you, leaning down to you slightly. His eyes are glossy as he looks at you. “Can I kiss you?”

You’re taken aback by the forwardness of his question but giggle and nod your head. Reaching up, you tug his mask over his mouth before pressing your lips to his.

The two of you had shared kisses here and there, usually just small pecks, always pulling away laughing together. This time it felt different though, like there was a neediness behind his movements. His hands slide up your arms to cup your face in his hands. You can taste the alcohol on his tongue when he pushes it past your lips. You hear the faintest groan from him and your pulse quickens.

This is way more than either of you had done and you were nervous on how to react. You’d be lying if you said his actions were having no effect on you. The way his hands held your face so tenderly, they way his lips and tongue moved against your own, it made you dizzy.

“Can I take you somewhere else?” He pulls away breathlessly.

You panic at his words but your head nods quickly. He’s fast to grab your hand and drag you to the nearest room, ushering you inside and locking the door behind himself. His mouth is on yours again but his hands stay by his sides. You hesitantly reach up to hold his shoulders.

You itch to feel his hands on you. Reaching down, you grab his hand, placing it on your own hip. “You can touch me, you know.” You let out a small laugh as you pull away from him, your hands hooking around the back of his neck.

His hand squeezes your side slightly before he speaks. “I’m sorry, I’m just a little nervous right now.” His previous calm, cool and collected demeanor had seemed to slip away now that the two of you were alone. His eyes dart around the room.

You let out the breath you’re holding, a small bit of relief fills you. “Nervous? Why are you nervous?” Your mind races with answers he could give you.

He sheepishly shrugs, his eyes never looking into yours for long. “Uh, I’ve only ever been with one person and it’s been a while. You make me nervous. I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.” He speaks quickly and breathes out a shy laugh.

You’re caught off guard by his answer. A million questions race through your mind. One person? How is that even possible? “How? You’re…you.” You laugh. “I don’t know what I’m doing either. I’m freaking out over here.”

Confusion flashes across iv’s face as he takes a small step away from you. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve only been with one person. I play up my dating life so I can relate to you. I thought you got around.” You shrug and laugh again, your hands sliding down to hold his hands.

He’s quiet for a moment before he laughs as well, stepping closer to you. “Definitely don’t get around.” He smiles as he shakes his head. “I wanted to impress you, I think.”

Blushes rises to your cheeks as you pull him to you, lips meeting his in a sweet, shy kiss. His arms are slow to wrap themselves around your waist. Your heart beats even faster when he pulls you flush against him. Your hands reach up to rest on his shoulders again.

He pulls away, letting out a deep breath and clears his throat. “Sorry, still freaking out a little.” You can’t see his cheeks but you imagine they’re stained a pretty red.

“It’s okay. Me too.” You cup his face in your hands. “We’ll figure this out together.” You laugh.

He laughs and nods, pulling you to him again, still smiling as he presses his lips to yours.

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ANON!! I was struggling with this lol idk why tho. I hope it’s not horrible 🫣

K. Bye bye.

[skipper1331]

First // Lotte Wubben-Moy

Meeting each other

Lotte was walking down the streets of London when someone, you, approached her. "Um hi? Could you help me please?" you asked politely, your accent thick. To be honest, you stood there already for 8 minutes and thought about who to talk to, but everyone looked kinda scary or like they were in a hurry so you didn‘t. Until now.

"Yeah sure!" the brunette answered, smiling bright. "I‘m looking for the book store? My phone‘s telling me it‘s here but um, well?" you fidgeted with your phone, showing her the screen. The stranger chuckled, knowing which store you meant "It used to be here" she pointed at a shop, the same spot where your phone told you it would be "but they moved in to a bigger building. Actually, I was on my way there. You can join me if you want?" you looked at her skeptically, not to be rude, it was just your general look when talking to strangers. "Oh gosh! You‘re probably thinking i‘m some murderer" her eyes went big, "you have to walk down the street, then turn left, walk down to the café where you turn right and then again left-" she rambled, explaining the way to the store. "I‘d really appreciate it" you cut her off, outstretching your hand, "I‘m Y/n"

She smiled, "I‘m Lotte"

First date, first kiss

"Wow, you look beautiful" the defender told you as you were close enough, herself standing at her car. "Thank you" you blushed, cheeks turning red. She opened the door for you before she ran around the car, taking a seat behind the steering wheel. "Where are you gonna take me?"

"Wouldn‘t be a suprise If I told you, would it?" she grinned, driving away from your home.

Arriving at your destination, "could you close your eyes for me?" she asked. "Should I be afraid?" you chuckled, nonetheless closing your eyes. "With me? Never" she pecked your cheek as she slung her arm around your waist, guiding you along the street. "Take a big step" you did as she told. The feeling that you entered a building was confirmed when you heard the elevator 'ding'. Lotte had her arm secured around your body while you went to the top floor, "last few steps" she whispered, "you can open your eyes." Slowly, you opened your eyes, blinking a few timest adjust, "Lotte- this is… wow" you stuttered as you stepped outside on the roof terrace. There was one table, two chairs and basket in the middle, the view was breathtaking. She walked past you, pulling the chair back, "M‘Lady"

The next hours were spent with talking and eating, everything flowed with an ease as if you knew each other for years. Every now and then the brunette would compliment you, your cheeks turning bright red as your mouth formed an upside-down smile as result.

It was already dark when you left the roof, Lotte claiming she would take care of the cleaning.

She drove you back home, escorting you to your front door. Just, you know, to be sure you‘re safe. "Thank you for tonight. Nobody has ever done something this special for me" you admitted, taking a step closer. Gently, you pressed your lips to her cheek. As you pulled away, she tilted her head down, her hands placing themselves on your waist "I‘ll make every date special for you if you let me" she whispered, resting her forehead against yours.

"Are you asking me on a second date?"

Grinning, she replied, "And a third"

"Let’s say; second date and ice cream, for the third you have to ask again"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah"

"Second date and ice cream it is then" with each spoken word you inched closer to one another, not much air to breath left in-between. Meeting in the middle, you closed the gap, Lotte sighed against your lips, her warm breath fanning against them as you melted in the embrace of each other, lips moving in sync.

Girlfriend question

Lotte had always been a sweetheart, she remembered all the things you told her, complimented you all the time and appreciated everything you‘ve done and said.

One afternoon, the two of you went for a walk in the park, you were holdings hands, talking about books. Both of you loved a good book, a book you can‘t put down because it‘s so good. You didn‘t know why or how the conversation took a turn but one moment you were talking about books and then you were talking about letters. They‘re similiar yet so different. "As a kid I always wanted to be asked with a note, you know? The 'will you be my girlfriend note, yes-no'. It‘s just so romantic" you admitted, giggling. You didn't even think about what you had said, you weren't a couple yet, but somehow you were still together. You just told her out of the conversation about your dream/wish as a child. You had no idea that her whole body would tense; since weeks she was trying to figure out who to ask you that question.

She had her answer.

Will you be my girlfriend?

□ yes

□ no

Doodles were across the note, making it more personal. Her own style added to the so important question.

She waited a few days, the note hiding in her pocket.

She was at your apartment, sitting on the couch as you made tea, your book resting on the coffee table. She took the opportunity, swapping the bookmark with her note. Now, the only thing she had to do was to wait.

And hope you would tick the right box.

"Ready for pitch perfect?" you asked as you entered the living room with to cups in your hand. Lotte laughed at your excitement, opening her arms so you could make yourself comfortable in her embrace.

When you found the letter your heart swelled with love, a wide smile growing on your face.

-

Taking a walk with Lotte was your favorite thing to do, there was something so peacefully about it. After walking for about an hour, you took a seat on a bench near a small lake, thighs touching. Lottes arm was around your shoulders as your body leaned against hers. Silently, you slipped your hand in the pocket of your (Lottes) hoodie taking out the answered note. The defender looked down at you - your hand - the note.

You opened the letter, herself smiling as she saw the answer.

yes

Pressing her lips to your forehead, she pulled you closer, "Glad you‘re officially my girl now" she mumbled, peppering happily more kisses across your face.

First time she realizes she loves you

Arsenal vs Chelsea

Red vs Blue

The match was intense, Chelsea had their chances as did Arsenal but in the end Lessi shot the game winning goal for the gunners. Lotte was exhausted though, she had to do tackle after tackle, defending Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten, anyone from the Blues was hard, they were amazing players. Yet knowing that you were in the stands gave her the motivation to play better than her best, show off her skills, impress you. You didn't need to be impressed, you knew the defender's talent and skill, you had seen her train and play often. The brunette was a great defender, every time you saw her in her club or national jersey she took your breath away. When the final whistle blew the girls shook their opponents hand and took a few minutes to talk to their friends. Meanwhile in the stands you talked to Lessi‘s brother, a super nice guy.

As Alessia and Lotte chatted with Millie, Lottes gaze wandered every so often to you, heart eyes and lovestruck smile displayed on her face. She couldn’t keep her eyes of you. There you were, in her jersey, watching her doing the thing she loved. The defender didn‘t even realize that her Chelsea friend said bye, only Less left. The blonde swung her arm over your girlfriends shoulder, poking her cheek "Earth to Lotte" she waved in front of her face, "hello"

"Huh?"

"You‘re so in love" the italian laughed, pulling her towards her brother and you.

Yeah, i love her.

First time you realize you love her

She sat on the couch, yourself sitting in between her legs, back resting against her front as her arms were around you, her hands holding your favorite book.

The day you told her that it was your favorite book, she made it her mission to buy and read it as fast as possible. "Unfortunately, hardly anyone knows it." you said. She would be the first person you could talk to about the book, who appreciated your passion about it and understood why you liked the scenes you liked.

As she read the lines out loud, occasionally after finishing a page, pressing a kiss to your head, you realized how lucky you were to have her, how happy she made you and the little things she did or said to you which made your heart melt, swell and swoon.

You loved her.

First I love you

You stayed over at the brunettes apartment, the girl claiming that she didn‘t want you to go home alone in the dark. It was only half of the truth because actually she wanted to fall asleep in your hold, having a good night sleep in your arms. However, you couldn‘t sleep so after two hours of trying, you woke the brunette up, "baby?" Lotte grumbled, pushing her head further in to your chest, "Lotte? Lotte, wake up" in her mind your voice sounded desperate, scared. It did but not in the dangerous kind of way she thought.

"I‘m up! I‘m up! What‘s wrong? You alright?"

"Can we make cookies?" you whispered, puppy dog eyes looking at your lover. She rubbed her eyes, her brain still in a sleepy state, not registering what you just said. As she groggily nodded, you jumped out of bed, happily patting towards her kitchen. What did she agree to, she asked herself.

Slightly more awake, the defender helped you to bake cookies at 3am in the morning - anything to make you happy. Music was softly playing the background, the two of you swaying along as the cookies were in the oven. Your arms were around her neck as her hands rested on your waist, foreheads resting against one anothers. In a peaceful night, both of you felt at peace being in each others grasp, dancing along.

"I love you" you whispered, it was the perfect moment to confess your love. The love you held for the lioness was something you couldn‘t describe even If you wanted to, the only thing you could admit was that it was powerful and honest.

"I love you, too"

First anniversary

"Date night, my love" Lotte told you before she blindfolded you. "You look beautiful by the way" she added, her eyes roaming over your body, a big smile on her face which you couldn’t see.

"Thank you, baby" you puckered your lips, wanting to recieve a kiss - you did. "Where are you taking me?" you asked while she wrapped her arm around your midsection, "it‘s a suprise" guiding you to her car. "Carefully, sit down" she turned your body so you could take a seat without hurting yourself, herself running around the car before she started driving to the place where she had planned your date night. Something about the car journey felt familiar even though you couldn‘t see anything.

After a few minutes the car came to a stop, Lotte ran around the car to your side and opened your door. As she helped you out of the car she slung her arm back around your waist, guiding you.

When you heard the elevator 'ding' you had a feeling where you were. Nonetheless happy to be with her. "I‘m gonna take the blindfold off" she stated as she began to take it off, "happy anniversary!" the brunette squealed, hugging you from behind. The roof terrace was decorated the same way as it was for your first date, maybe even prettier "Baby, this amazing" you admired, leaning in to her touch, "happy anniversary indeed" you giggled, turning your head to face her, a love struck smile covered both of your faces. As the defender inched closer you met her halfway, lips meeting in sweet but promising kiss. Many more to come.

Throughout your date night Lotte was the sweetheart itself, like always. You had a nice meal together, joked around, the two of you acted like always: madly in love.

"I‘ve got you something" your girlfriend stated, looking shy around, "It‘s nothing big but i thought- maybe, you would like it?" A grin plastered over your features, you had a present for her as well. "Here" she handed you her gift, packed in wrapping paper. As you held it you could feel what it was, a book. As you slowly unwrapped it, you could see what it was, your favorite book. You looked at her confused, you had it at home? Why would she give it to you?

"Open it"

Then you saw it.

To Y/n

With every best wish,

their signature. In your favorite book, there was a note with the signature of your favorite author in it. What?! How? How was that possible? Your eyes grew wide, your mouth fell open, "Lotte" you wanted to say so much more but nothing came. The only thing you could do was- well nothing. Fondly, the defender smiled at you, she could tell from your body language that you‘re happy - overcome with joy yet shocked, confused.

As you came back to your senses you lunged towards her. Arms wrapping around her neck, placing yourself on her lap, hugging her like your life was at risk. You still couldn‘t say anything, you just fell more and more in love with the person you already loved most. To her, your enjoyment and happiness was everything. The way your eyes lit up, the way your mouth fell agape, the way your smile reached across your whole face - it made her more than happy.

Your happiness was her everything.

Move in

In Lottes eyes you seemed to be nervous. She had been keeping an eye on you all day, something was off. She just couldn‘t figure out what. Under her touch your stressed state would wash away - which she noticed so she tried be close to you, having an arm around you, holding your hand, pressing kisses to your skin. However, the longer the day went on, the more nervous you became. It wasn't the kind of nervousness you had when you were about to give a presentation but rather the kind that made you fear what the answer was.

"You‘re nervous what‘s wrong?" the brunette asked as she started to massage your shoulders. "Nothing, my love, i‘m fine" you replied, your body betraying your wording. Your shoulders were tense, body melting in to the taller woman, eyes closing as you leaned against her.

"Take to me, baby" she mumbled, pressing a loving kiss to your temple. You hummed, "i‘ve been thinking…" she gave you a gentle squeeze, she was listening. "About us" Other people would have gotten nervous by now but not Lotte. She had no reason to be, things were going well between you two, you were as in love as you were on the first day, if not more so. She knew that. She knew how much in love you were with her - you showed her every minute, every hour of the day. "You can talk to me, love" she reassured you, soft kisses pressed against your head. "I want to move in with you."

The defender froze, that‘s what made you nervous? You felt the change in her body language immediately, the way her touch seemed to be distant. "We don‘t have to. I just thought," you turned around in her distant grasp "we‘re always here" you looked around her apartment, "i‘m rarely at mine anymore"

A big smile broke out on her face, "Of course! You already have your own toothbrush and drawers, you can move in straight away" she chuckled, pulling you closer, her once distant touch feeling closer than ever.

First decade

Laying in your wifes arms on the patio, stargazing had always been magical - this time no difference. With every kiss pressed on your skin your heart would skip a beat, your cheeks turned red and an upside-down smile would cover your features. "Is Mrs. Wubben-Moy getting all shy?" the og-lioness laughed, loving the fact that you shared her last name. It was nothing new but made both of your hearts still burst with love and joy. "Stop laughing at me" playfully, you slapped her chest, "as if you don‘t get shy"

"What? Me? Neverrr" the defender denied, knowing well enough how shy and flustered she could get in your proximity. A comfortable silence came over as you watched the stars.

As the first shooting star passed through the night sky, you broke the silence, "It‘s hard to believe that we‘ve been together for ten years" you admitted. Loving Lotte was the best thing and the greatest honor in your live but If you had told your younger-self that you met the love of your life because google maps was wrong, younger-you would‘ve laughed at you. And who was to blame? It was the perfect plot for a romance book or a crap wattpad story. The question was: who was writting your story?

"I hope my love story doodle never ends"

————————

[shenachigans]

THRICE THE SPICE | Inazuma’s Big 3

PAIRING: CEO!Yae, CEO!Ei, Co-worker!Sara x Fem!Office worker!Reader

CW: smut, foursome, fingering, brief cunnilingus, overstimulation, squirting, the women are smitten with Y/n and kinda fight over her, slight dirty talk and possessiveness, teasing, nickname use (bunny), double penetration (fingers), messy plot, bottom female afab reader

SUMMARY: Taking three women who are hungry for you at once is a good and bad idea

A/N: It's my first time writing a foursome huhu. Y/n calls Ei "Ms. Raiden" for formality since they're on a last-name basis during work, but I'm not sure if "Raiden" can be counted as Ei's last name (Let's just pretend it is). Sakura is an OC.

WORDS: 4,500

(FANFIC IS UNDER THE CUT!)

A company requires a lot of work. Documents are here, meetings are there, and people are all over the place. Being the team leader of a significant project has left you restless, exhausted, stressed, and undernourished.

You were the team member with the most responsibilities, so you had to rush deadlines, review your teammates' work, and submit it for processing. Hence, you didn't have time to relax and enjoy a fancy alcoholic beverage. But there is always a reward at the end of work and suffering.

The CEO of your company just announced the project's success. Your blood, sweat, and tears have paid off. Archons. You want to return home and enjoy a day of rest to celebrate.

"We should all go to the bar after work to celebrate!" One of your coworkers said. Their joy at the success made you proudly smile because they deserved a break after the nonstop workload.

"Team leader Y/n is the guest of honor!" Itto, another of your coworkers, exclaimed. All eyes turned to you, expecting your approval to join the celebration.

"Ah... I can't drink tonight," you said, slightly embarrassed.

You can drink, but you lied. However, it was merely a white lie because you can't trust yourself to know how much alcohol you can consume without becoming a chaotic drunk. When you're not sober, you're not usually calm, collected, or innocent-looking...

Some accidents happened in the past, and you're too embarrassed to make the same mistake.

Sakura then walked over to you, pouting, and grabbed your hands while saying, "But N/n! There is no point in celebrating if the person who led the project is not present! A little alcohol won't hurt, either, right? You can still enjoy a nonalcoholic beverage even if you don't want to drink. Just join in the celebration with us, please!"

Everyone agreed with her statement, and their action made you feel appreciated. You don't talk to them much outside of work, but they enjoy your presence. They're throwing a party with you as the special guest to show their appreciation for your hard work. How can you refuse now?

Your eyes turned into crescents as you smiled, everyone flushed, and you giggled, blessing them with your melodic voice, "Oh, alright, how can I refuse such an invitation when all of you look at me like that?"

Sakura tightly embraced you while musing, "Y/n is so adorable!"

She's a tiny woman, but her hugs are unbearably tight, not that you mind them.

"Then it's settled, everyone in the team is going to the xxx pub after work, and the bill is all on Ei. What do you guys think?" The figure coming through the door, revealing themselves as Yae Miko, the CEO of the Kitsune Corp and a close friend of your company's CEO, Raiden Ei, elegantly boomed.

She's always in the company when she has free time or when the two companies have a deal, which happens quite frequently because the two companies greatly benefit from each other.

Sara then entered the room carrying two mugs of coffee and handed one to you before turning to face Miko. "What brings you here, Ms. Yae?" she inquired, somewhat unimpressed.

"My, my, Ms. Kujou, you speak as if I'm not welcome here," Miko flaunted, drawing a glare from Sara. The atmosphere was tense, and no one dared to break the tension. They're like a crow and fox competing for something or someone.

"Haha... Now, ladies, if you two keep the tension this high, it's going to get hot as a furnace," you chuckled awkwardly, drawing both of the women's attention to you. Their gazes were belittling. "Is Ms. Raiden attending the after-party, Ms. Yae? Are you also coming?"

"Of course, little lamb, I wouldn't miss seeing your cute little drunk antics for the world, and I'm sure Ei and everyone here feel the same," she teased, making a blush crawl up your cheeks.

Everyone cooed at your flushed state. Even though you are a tough nut to crack, you give in easily to women like Miko. Everyone, especially your boss Ei, knows that she enjoys teasing you.

However, no one notices how Ei's mood changes when you react to Miko's teasing — nobody besides the fox herself.

"How cute," Miko whispered, only for you to hear because you were close enough. Your cheeks flushed at her remark. "It's wonderful to see everyone pleased after the project's success. Your leader did a terrific job guiding this team," she mused before widening her eyes upon realizing something. "If you'll excuse me, I'm rather late for my meeting," she chuckled as she left the room with a sly grin directed at you while everyone said goodbye and expressed their gratitude.

"Oh, boy, oh boy! Y/n was practically trembling under Ms. Yae's gaze! How'd you do it? She's smitten with you!" Itto laughed as he patted your back—no, smacked the life out of you. He flashed a sly look that made you want to die of embarrassment and curl up into a ball.

"Oh, shut up, Itto! I at least don't swoon over women the way you do!" You teasingly chuckled back at him, making him blush embarrassingly.

Sara shook her head with a light smile while the rest laughed at both of your antics. She then sipped her coffee once more before putting it down and clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Okay, people, if you want to celebrate later, we have some work to do first," she sighed. Everyone sulked and went to their desks to finish their work, leaving you and Sara alone in the conference room. Sara began, taking another sip of her coffee, "Congratulations on the success, Y/n."

"Caffeine will kill you someday," you chuckled as you drank your last drop of coffee. "And thank you, none of this would have been possible without the team's dedication," you smiled as you placed the mug on the table.

"Don't act as though you didn't consume eight mugs of strong coffee during your overtime the previous night, Y/n," Sara sneered, and you awkwardly chuckled.

"W-What do you mean...? Haha... You dummy, that was water, not coffee," you fumbled before snatching her mug and drinking from it.

"Hm... So if I fucked you dumb, wouldn't we be considered equal?" she bluntly remarked, as if she hadn't said something vulgar. She smirked as you choked on her coffee. "No wonder Yae Miko likes to tease you," she remarked, patting your back to help you breathe. "Your reactions are a sight to behold, and it's more fun when I make you flush," she added.

"S-SARA! H-How can you say something like that so casually?!" You flushed, covering your hot face with your hands to conceal your flustered face.

"Oh? Why are you so agitated? I was merely teasing you. Unless..." Sara started as she slowly walked towards you and trapped you against the conference table. "Unless you do want to get fucked dumb?" she softly spoke in your ear, her voice so enticing that you whimpered.

"Not here..." you squeaked and turned your head away from her menacing eyes.

Do you not realize how fuckable you look right now?

Sara grinned and leaned towards your neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses on your skin. She was gentle at first, but she soon became rougher. She was stronger than you, so no matter how hard you tried to push her away, there would be no avail.

You were sure Sara would leave a mark on your flesh after she licked, sucked, and bit it. Sara immediately drew back as she heard the hushed whispers of people in the corridor, a ribbon of saliva joining the skin of your neck and her tongue.

It must be break time.

"Count yourself lucky, bunny. I would've gone further if we weren't at work," Sara smirked as she looked at your heaving, flushed mess. She then collected both empty coffee mugs and continued, "You sound melodious. Those charming whines and whimpers are adorable. What more when you scream my name in bed, hm~?"

She abruptly left the room, leaving an embarrassed and intensely horny Y/n.

─────

"Fuah! It's exhausting to sit all day staring at documents!" Sakura finally stood up from her seated position, groaning as she stretched.

"That's because you're supposed to get up and walk around during your breaks, not sit all day and grumble about how long the day is," Itto grumbled as he passed her desk.

"Touché... Ha, ha..." Sakura embarrassingly flushed. "Anyway, work is done. Let's party!" She rejoiced, raising her arms in the air, causing Itto to cheer and join in the celebration.

"Can you two please quiet down? You guys can rejoice all you want in the pub, but keep in mind that there are people working overtime today," you boomed, all worn out, approaching them with a limp.

Why are you walking that way?

Sara did fuck you in her office during your breaks, and because you had many breaks throughout the day, you orgasmed at least five times.

"Oh, dear, Y/n! Are you okay?!" Sakura exclaimed as she noticed your limping and sweating condition. Itto also sped over to your side to assist you in standing. Shit. You should have just minded your business; now you must explain yourself.

"Oh... Um... The elevator wasn't working in the lobby, so I had to take the stairs, and you see, I have bad knees, which is why I'm limping like this... I'm fine. It's nothing serious..." You trailed off and thanked them as they guided you to your desk. They both gave you skeptical glances, but when they noticed your somewhat suspicious smile, they shrugged.

"Sure! Just message me or call me if you still need assistance moving around. Sakura and I will head to the bar and meet the others, hehe," Itto said as he ruffled your hair with his large hand.

"Okay, okay, I'll also head there once my legs are rested, and don't ruin my hair, Itto," you pouted as you removed his hand from your head, making him chuckle. The two then prepare to depart for the pub as you say your goodbyes.

How long must you endure before using your legs to walk once more? Archons. This woman has such a high sex drive...

───── FLASHBACK ─────

You knocked on Sara's door for permission to enter, and she responded with a hum. You walked into her office, a stack of papers in your hand, and sat down at her desk.

"What do you need? I'm quite busy-oh," she paused, realizing that you were the one who entered. "Y/n, what brings you here? "

 You placed your free hand on the table and leaned forward. "I need some of these papers signed, Ms. Kujou Sara~" you hummed, causing a blush to crawl on her cheeks and her eyes to glint with lust. 

"Is this the so-called 'Y/n coffee-drunk energy?' How many cups have you already devoured? You're high on adrenaline, little thing~" she chuckled. You didn't respond and just grinned. "I must say, Ms. Y/n L/n, that was rather daring of you. You do realize that your antics have consequences, hm?" Sara sighed as she got up from her desk and came up to you face-to-face. Her menacing stare made you regret your teasing. You're so fucked. Literally. 

She snatched the papers from you and brought you close to her with her other hand as it snaked around your waist. Her body towered over yours as she leaned into your ear. She whispers, her voice tickling your ear, "I change my mind." She twisted a strand of your hair over her fingers and said, "By me not fucking you at work, I mean. What do you say, hm~? I can take care of you right here and right now~"

How could you say no to a woman like her?

A woman from an influential family is wrapped around your finger, ready to do anything to please you. A humble woman like you is intoxicating to her, especially when you act submissive.

Too embarrassed and intoxicated by lust to speak, you nodded and made her slyly smile, "As you wish, bunny."

─────

Sara was both harsh and soft. She spoke to you sweetly while violently pounding her fingers into you as if she were not overstimulating your wet, sopping hole.

Sara was in front of you as you sat on her desk with your legs spread wide while she fingered your moist cunt, her body flushed with yours but with enough room to flick her wrist.

"T-Too much, too much!" You screamed—or should I say, creamed. Although you had already released, she continued to finger you. You have been so overcome with ecstasy that another orgasm was on the way.

"S-Sara, I'm close~!" you moaned and buried your head on her shoulder, wrapping your arms around her neck. The new angle made you release, and you felt euphoric.

"Go on, bunny, cream all over my fingers," she purred, ignoring her wet core dripping with arousal and concentrating solely on your pleasure. "You did so well for me," she said, smiling.

───── END OF FLASHBACK ─────

Your face turned scarlet as you recalled her facial expressions when she was repeatedly fucking you at work. Sara's eyes were lustful, and she was intent on observing how your body would respond to her touches.

Sara would also lick her lips as if she had just had dessert when she makes you cum, as well as sneakily smirk with flushed cheeks when wanton moans and whines leave your mouth as she fucked you to oblivion.

You slapped your cheeks to get rid of such thoughts and decided to stand up, thinking that the time spent remembering being fucked was enough for your legs to recover. You said goodbye to the workers working overtime and stepped into the elevator to walk to your car. You set your GPS to the correct location of xxx pub and began driving.

─────

You were 30 minutes late due to traffic, plus an additional 30 minutes since you were lost and didn't find a parking spot. 'How embarrassing, Y/n,' you cursed.

As soon as you came to a stop, you gathered your belongings and headed straight for the bar. Sweat covered your body as you ran.

After you gave one of the servers the booking code, they brought you to one of the private rooms. You then entered the private room reserved by your boss for tonight's celebration. No one was there, and it's too late for you to be early.

Fuck.

You might have missed it since they may have ended the night early as everyone was tired. "Oh well, I should have left with Itto instead of resting my legs." A snort interrupted your loud sigh as you turned to exit the room, causing you to look around with a raised eyebrow. "Did I hear—

"SURPRISE!!!" 

Everyone shouted as they emerged from their hiding spot. They were all smiling, but as they saw a tear slip down your cheeks, they became concerned.

"Y/N! Are you alright!?" Itto said, worried. "Did you not like the surprise...?"

"No, no! I like it very much," you sniffed as you wiped a tear from your cheek, "I just thought that I missed the whole celebration, thinking that you all left because I stood you guys up," you waved off, making everyone coo.

"HA! HA! We knew you'd come, you always do, and we even became concerned something happened to you," he said, handing you a tissue from one of the tables.

"Sakura said we should wait for you before we start ordering, so while we were waiting, we decided to surprise you by doing this," one of your coworkers stated, a little embarrassedly rubbing his nape. "We apologize if we gave you the wrong impression."

You grinned and told them not to worry about it. You also thanked them for waiting for you even though you were an hour late.

"My, what happened here~?"

"Did you all just get here?"

"Huh."

Three voices boomed, drawing everyone's attention. Miko, your employer, Ei, and Sara were at the door. You all bowed and greeted them, and they told you that it wasn't required because you were no longer at work.

"Oh, my, why is the little bunny crying?" Miko queried, intrigued by what had occurred. Sara and Ei were both taken aback by her question and glanced at you with concern.

"Oh, nothing happened, just tears of joy and relief," You chuckled, wiping the last tears from your cheeks.

Sakura provided context for the three, and Sara and Ei glared at the people involved in the scheme before humming while Miko simply chuckled.

"How thoughtful of all of you, and for Y/n, how adorable," she said and mumbled the last part, but you heard it. There was something in her tone... It was sultry and filled with lust...? But you opted to ignore it, assuming it was all in your head.

"That being said," Itto chimed in, "Y/n's reaction was priceless. And now that everyone is here... LET'S PARTY!" he yelled as he raised several beer bottles.

Except for you and the three women who had just arrived, everyone followed Itto's lead and started partying their assess off.

─────

Oh, boy, the place felt like it was the center of a carnival. The karaoke was packed with individuals singing their intoxicated hearts out, slurring their words, and making the songs incomprehensible. Passed-out individuals filled the seats. Empty and partially consumed beer bottles adorned the tables.

The only people who weren't drunk were those who didn't drink at all or had a strong tolerance to alcohol.

"We should leave. It's late," Sara mumbled as she held your wrist. You comply since you want to retire for the night.

But before you could pursue her, Sara and you were halted by a tug from your other wrist.

"And where might you two be heading, hm?" Miko held your other wrist while flashing a sinister grin. Sara interpreted it as an annoyed grin. "Ms. Kujou, the night is still young. If you want to leave, don't drag the poor bunny with you and ruin her fun. You're being rather selfish, don't you think?"

There it is again, the tension between the two women from this morning.

"Miko, stop," Ei huffed as she intervened, preventing the two from murdering each other with piercing eyes. "Look. You're hurting Ms. L/n's wrist," she glared at the woman as she snaked her arm around your waist from behind, trapping you between her chest and forearm.

Archons. Because of you, three women are glaring daggers at each other. It's a good thing the room was dark. Everyone was busy because rumors would spread if they saw the four of you in this situation. And the last thing you want is to be associated with a scandal.

"L-Ladies..." You attempted to intervene, but it seemed that you worsened the situation as the three women gazed at you with dark eyes. They were still holding you, and you trembled under their touch, making them coo.

Miko forced you to face her by holding your chin between her fingers and thumb. The proximity caused you to burn with an unknown sensation.

She gave you a sly grin and then turned to face the other two women. "Well, why don't we make a proposition to make the night entertaining? Only if our rabbit agrees, of course~"

Since when did you become theirs?

Sara and Ei exchanged a knowing look and then nodded. Miko smiled at their response before looking at you for consent. You couldn't understand what was going on, though; you were too mesmerized by her goddess-like beauty.

"Bunny, why don't we make you feel good, hm~?" Miko purred. Your cheek is now caressed by the hand previously on your chin. "Since we know you're exhausted from managing the project, let us please you. What do you say?"

You gulped. Your eyes were full of lust, and you forgot you had sex with Sara at work. Despite not having any alcohol in your system, you felt intoxicated.

You meekly nodded, not trusting your voice. The three women smiled at your cute disposition and licked their lips at the thought of you becoming more helpless than you are right now.

"Let the fun begin~" Miko grinned.

─────

Taking all of them was a bad idea.

As soon as Miko opened the door to her reserved room, all three had their hands on you. They forced you onto the bed and began stripping off your clothes like a predator skinning its prey. Their hands and lips touch every inch of your skin. Your core drooled with arousal, and your skin scorched with need from their touches.

They were taller than you, and you felt so small. They cooed at how your nude body reacted to them: like a frightened rabbit trapped between three hungry wolves.

Ei and Sara were in front of you while Miko held you on her lap and teased you from behind. But despite how enclosed and suffocated you felt, it aroused you greatly. It was enough to make you climax to imagine three powerful women enticing you with their might.

Miko was the teasing one. She abused your lips and neck, leaving your skin covered in bruises and markings, even though her hands and skin ghosted your flesh.

You've had a lot of sex with Sara, but her touch still makes you weak the way she wants it. In contrast to Miko, Sara enjoys holding you for as long as she can, even to the point where her rough treatment leaves bruises on her hands. You get manhandled every time you're with her.

Ei is rather soft—too soft. Her lips and hands moved in sync with your skin, almost as if they were waltzing. Her delicate hands made your hair stand up, and her words lulled you into ecstasy. She counteracts Sara's roughness and Miko's teasing.

Your wet cunt was tired of being ignored. You want all three to touch you where you need them the most. You want them to fuck you right now.

"It appears that the bunny desires more~" Miko murmured as she felt your arousal moisten her garments. She snaked her hand from your waist to your dripping core, touching you bare and gathering your wetness, making you shudder and gasp at her icy, manicured fingertips.

"My nails are too long. What a shame," Miko purred in your ear as her hands groped your chest. She glanced at the two women who sat like puppies waiting for their master's commands. "Why don't you two make up for it and pleasure our needy bunny in my stead, hm~?"

Ei's fingers subconsciously traced your cunt before slipping a digit into your hole. You groaned as her long finger brushed across your cervix.

"You're quite wet, Ms. L/n," she whispered, her eyes wide as if it were the first time she had touched someone's cunt. It was, but the ease with which her finger thrust into you made you believe she had experience. "Heh, what cute sounds you and your cunt make~"

Ei calling you by your last name doesn't seem appropriate in this situation, no? Not when you two have crossed the line already.

Sara did nothing but observe as the two women aroused you. Miko rubbed your puffy clit and made out with you while Ei fingered you. You were helpless in their hands. She was envious of their ability to easily hold you at their mercy in the same way she could.

You were hers first.

"Seems like you'd whore around for everyone," she sneered, drawing Ei and Miko's attention. You were too engrossed in your pleasure to hear her speaking to you. "Your body must've forgotten how I fucked you many times this morning, huh?"

"My, how dirty of you, bunny," Miko teased as she twisted your hardened nipples and nibbled your ear. "I didn't think you were the kind to have sex at work~"

"N-No..." you whimpered as you squirmed in Miko's grasp. You babbled incomprehensibly, making no sense. You moaned as Ei's finger pumped faster in your core, amplifying the squelching sounds that echoed off the walls.

Sara huffed as she approached you, a sneer on her face as her palm caressed your leg, causing you to tighten on Ei's finger.

"Who am I to deny if that's what you want — to be a whore?" she groaned, a pink hue staining her cheeks as she inserted her finger along Ei's in your cunt. "Your hole is greedily squeezing our fingers."

Sara and Ei synchronized their fingers to get you to your climax while Miko assisted by sensually massaging your clit.

The overstimulation made you moan and tremble. The three women's groans and dirty talks increased your pleasure tenfold. Sara and Ei's thrusts quickened as your fluttering walls showed you were close.

"Stop fighting, bunny," Miko observed as you jerked under her grip. She motioned, "Go on. Cum. Make a mess out of their fingers, hm~?"

You yelped, unable to control the string of pleasure, but Sara and Ei didn't stop moving, causing you to whine and thrash.

"N-No more!" you whimpered and tried to stop them by clutching their wrists, but you were too exhausted to exert any force, encouraging them to keep thrusting their fingers.

The three women widened their eyes as sudden spurts of arousal ruined their clothes.

You squirted.

"How messy of you," Miko chuckled as she continued to rub your clit to make you squirt more.

You were seeing stars at this moment. Your body is sore and trembling from overstimulation, and the clouding pleasure has made your vision hazy.

You huffed and sank into Miko's chest, trying to catch your breath. Your fluttering cunt trembled as Sara and Ei pulled their fingers away, making you squirm from the stimulation. Both women brought their arousal-stained fingers to their lips to clean off your wetness.

"Sweet..." Ei smiled as if she was enjoying her favorite sweets. She then grasped both of your thighs and lowered her face to your cunt. Ei's eyes glimmered with lust at how your cum poured out of your hole.

Sara mimicked Ei's movement and licked a stripe of your cunt, causing you to jerk. Ei followed suit, tasting more of your desire. Both of them began to lap your cum like kittens.

"W-Wait! No!" You exclaimed, grasping their hair with both hands and making them groan. You opened your eyes in surprise at the newfound pleasure as the sound vibrated over your folds. "I just c-came!"

"Looks like our hungry kitties are up for another round," Miko sneered as her hands began to touch you again. "You can give us more of your pussy milk, right bunny~?"

Oh, how you wish you hadn't taken them all at once.

© shenachigans — do not plagiarise, translate, repost or copy.

[9w1ft]

i need help. i’m so slow at unpacking the songs & their lyrics but you guys seem so confident that Kaylor lives. mind sharing lyrics or interpretations that you make you feel confident?

i think i speak for a lot of kaylors when i say we weren’t going into this album thinking we were all in some make or break situation, where the songs would be what decides whether or not kaylor lives. and we haven’t come out of it feeling different! so for starters, the very process of processing the songs is a bit different, i think, than the process suggested in your question.

this post got kinda long so i’m going to put it under the cut! and just a tl;dr that i am just talking about this aforementioned process. i’ve started writing out interpretations for the songs that have caught my kaylor attention but it’s taking time, so i thought id go ahead and post the other aspect of my answer in the meantime

a big part of kaylor interpretation is taking a look at what taylor and karlie were doing over the period of time that an album was written and the lead up to album rollout, and seeing if it looks like karlie knew in advance about what would be on the album, or how it would be promoted. the fundamental idea is that if taylor and karlie truly hated each other like everyone insists, that they wouldn’t go out of their way to drop hints or allow one another to drop hints.

so for example, karlie started wearing this pair of sunglasses with the product name “poet” before the name of the album (the tortured poets department) was ever known. she walked in two schiaparelli runway shows (the significance being that these days its rare for her to walk a show, and she’s never walked for schiaparelli before although she’s been to their shows in years of late), one of these schiaparelli shows was specifically alien themed, which lines up with the theming of Down Bad, and then next taylor announced the tortured poets department at the grammys wearing custom schiaparelli (i don’t think taylor’s ever worn the house before). so like, these sorts of things don’t make sense until later but they are signs we look to as a backdrop when going into an album. they are a sort of most recent indicator of the state of the union.

historically (especially post 2019 when what i call the scorched earth narrative was disseminated) people looking to disprove kaylor tend to brush off this stuff (twinning, similar theming or messaging in social media, etc) as oh it’s coincidental, but even if it’s not, any kaylor things that happen now are just because taylor is grieving and desperate for karlie and/or karlie wants notoriety because she wants… more money. but as i’ve said and as many have said for the past 5 years, it makes no sense and is such a misread of drivers for karlie and taylor. i beg people to try and put themselves in karlie’s shoes and ask themselves, would you endure all the hate for… more… money?? would you fly across the country and go to taylor’s concert two weeks post-partum, in a state of physical disrepair just to… spite her?? and have millions of people send hate at you for it..?

anyway, i know this is different than lyric analysis but it’s an integral part of kaylor analysis so i wanted to highlight it. i’d also point out that a whole bunch of people are currently analyzing her entire back catalog re: matty context clues in the same ways so 🤷🏻‍♀️ i think it’s a natural tendency for a lot of people— with kaylor though it’s outlawed.

and i want to reiterate that i think observing the time surrounding the album is a particularly worthwhile thing to do because it takes into account a more recent period of time than that of which the songs represent. i think people can get tunnel vision analyzing an album or individual songs and lose sight of the fact that we are here now after the album has been written. the lyrics are not the most recent thing!

another point i feel that needs mentioning is that with kaylor, among kaylors, we are looking at recent albums more for signs of taylor weaving a story of them that leads to them getting back together publicly. the idea that we are probably not going to get some big reveal that oh everything prior was fake! we have always been together! but rather some separate telling of events that preserves the integrity of people involved to some extent. so there are likely several layers going on when looking at songs. a mix of truth and augmented truths. songs can be useful towards meeting an end goal without telling the entire truth, while the fact that they are useful is still an indicator of the meta truth. i know this sounds a little convoluted... but thats alright im not invested in proving it to people 🙈 (nor do i think it should be provable!!)

lastly, while i am still compiling all my kaylor observations from each song, i did want to point out the obvious: that my understanding of the album (and i assume this is true for more kaylors as well) is colored by the inclusion of the song Robin. …i guess i will mince my words a little bit because i consider it a sensitive subject but basically, it’s a song about something that we would expect taylor would be singing about if they’re together in the way we understand it to be, given what we have been shown. and some of the lyrics are so specific to this… far flung idea… and such a contemporary development… that it sort of works to recontextualize any of the songs on ttpd that would otherwise feel breakuppy? because it pushes the story so far forward in matching our understanding. the hardest songs are easier to see as emblematic of the past, and the path that led us here to the present. in this way, at least for me, it makes it easier to appreciate the kaylor easter eggs going on in the songs as emblematic of kaylor, as opposed to litigating them and filing them one by one, because i truly believe taylor would not release Robin if kaylor was actually over. same goes for recurring motifs throughout the album (and midnights, and you might also include folkevermore as well) related to what robin is about. might sound weird to say but you could almost make a drinking game out of the motif, honestly, given how often she does it throughout the album.

i know the whole thing is wild. i have accepted this and im not out here to push it on people 😌 though i do leave the porch light on for people passing by. because for years now, with each new album people continue to say oh this is the kaylor breakup album, oh she’s finally over it, and then i guess they get amnesia by the time the next album comes along and kaylor themes yet again persist. and idk, to me, kaylor just being together this whole time is actually one of the least complicated outcomes.

anyways, in conclusion, apologies for not providing a song by song analysis right away 🙏 but i wanted to put out this part in the meantime. i don’t expect everyone to agree with this premise but i think it’s key to understanding how a lot of us approach this album. i hope it provides a little insight into my perspective! 🫶

[sukinapan]

honestly would be pretty interested in hearing about all of them, if thats alright

it's no problem o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o i like talking about this

for context, apart from making personal art i'm also an artist and character designer at Smarto Club, so I don't know if these count as OCs but i have posted art of them here: Haco from >Bubblegum Galaxy and Teacup from >Teacup.

you can check the steam pages on those games for more info if u like. i love all my characters but i don't usually make personal art of these two since i already do it as my job.

my newest Smarto Club character is a bit different since she's more in the style of what i'm doing personally so i want to make more art of her soon. her name is Abigail:

she's a kid who likes reading about bugs and catching them but she never hurts them : ) this is a short game in early development but it's about catching creatures called angels. it's got horrorish vibes but i don't think the end result will be full-out horror, since it's also kinda silly...

then there's Peklo, it's a game for which i created the whole concept and story but the plan is to develop it as a studio at Smarto Club. i wrote more context for it on this post, but for the characters, they're my favorites to make art about at the moment. the main ones are Kiku (the cat) and Mi (the bunny):

i recently created these human forms of them for fun but i'm not sure whether i'll establish them as canon or not... they're trapped in limbo/hell so there's space for them to have a past human form. they don't remember their lives but Kiku feels a deep sense of regret about things unkown to her and wants to break out of Peklo. Mi feels trapped in an eternal sadness, she longs to see the ocean, she can always hear it but has never been able to reach it.

the antagonist in Peklo is a frog entity called Guppy but i haven't really shown him outside of his froggy logo

i also have OCs from my smaller games. there's Hlina that i created specifically for >this game that was commissioned to me for a zine. i don't have any plans to use her again for now but i might make more art of her in the future for fun. she's part of a strange dream realm and is hostile to the player:

there's iro from the >game with the same name who's my oldest game OC. i created that bitsy game for her story but she existed previously in my art degree final project, it was a version of the same story but just a section of it. it's a dream of mine to create a full-fledged 3D game for her some day.

she's a bit of a defective space exploration robot, sent to explore planetoid Iridium-3 in search of human contact. it's set in a future where humanity has dispersed among the whole galaxy so lots of groups have lost contact with each other.

my latest game OC is Michtat, a wizard cat that i created just for this silly zine.

lasty, there’s the characters from my comic that I’m working on, called The most distant planet. the main characters are Victor and Mitya, two 9 year olds whose families end up living together.

i'd say these are the dearest characters to me of all. i don't post as much of them because they're mostly in the shape of comic pages and it doesn't spark as much interest as my games. i love drawing them though.

they’re both little weirdos who isolate themselves and don’t fit in much with other children, so the friendship they develop is very special to them. they have almost opposite personalities where Victor (darker hair) is very shy and dorky but also very sweet to everyone, while Mitya mostly gives 0 fucks about what anyone thinks or says, he blurts out whatever he’s thinking and just wants to run around wild.

the story is mostly slice of life-ish but there’s also a science fiction element ^-^ Victor is obsessed with things like ghosts, aliens, etc but Mitya thinks it’s all just dumb tales.

another important character is Alyosha, Mitya’s 17-18yo brother. he doesn’t know how to talk or relate to his little brother and is kinda weirded out by him. they where very close when they were younger, but when Mitya was 2 he had an accident that Alyosha feels guilty about, and has been somehow different ever since.

he still worries about his little brother and how isolated he is, though. at the beginning of the story the two of them live alone with their grandma who does love them but has kind of a cold and distant personality. 

Alyosha was the type of kid to be considered “gifted” but now feels completely burnt out and had to repeat a grade at school. he felt so humiliated by this he eventually stopped going entirely, so he now works part time and just studies at home. he cut contact with his old classmates but he still has 2 best friends from the last few months he spent at school in the grade below, Manon and Min Na. they’re the kind of friends who just show up unannounced at his house and job, and are very involved with his family’s life.

i’ve also included Min Jie in some art, she’s Min Na’s younger cousin and comes into the story later:

i should have like character sheets and stuff for all of these OCs but i’m the kind to just jump head first into drawing/modeling lol, that's why i included all these finished illustrations.

i really wanna publish this comic, i’ve been working on it for a long time and i’m currently waiting for the results of a public funding application here in my country to decide what i'll do next.

hope this could be of interest (^人^) thanks for the ask!

[mvltisstuff]

hi hi! i love reading your works, they’re so good and they have definitely inspired me🥹 don’t forget to take breaks and take care of yourself!🥰

the last request with ‘you belong with me’ made me think about ‘happier’ by olivia rodrigo. if you are taking requests, i got an idea😁

buck x reader where they’re both in a “will they, won’t they” relationship, and everyone in the 118 can see that they both like each other and are rooting for them, but buck and reader are kinda oblivious. when things finally start moving between the two, taylor comes back into buck’s life and they start to date. reader gets distant since she really likes buck, and really thought something was going on between them, and she doesn’t want to ruin his relationship.

cue ‘happier’ and it’s basically the reader’s perspective on what happened (even though buck and reader weren’t dating so it wasn’t really a break up). buck wasn’t 100% into the relationship just like taylor. they kind of just use each other to benefit themselves (ex. buck trying to get over reader since he thinks she doesn’t like him back, taylor getting stories to report). buck notices how reader has changed and gotten distant, so he confronts her, and then feelings explode everywhere.

a little angst and hurt-comfort for buck and reader😋

happier - e.b

summary: request

evan buckley x reader

gif from @livelovecaliforniadreams

a/n: it makes me so happy that you liked and felt inspired by my writing, it’s my fav thing to hear <33 i hope you enjoy this, it’s a lovely idea and i’m so excited to write it!

the entire firehouse saw the way y/n’s face dropped when taylor walked in with buck. her radiant red locks that curled perfectly onto her shoulders, and her strong, confident demeanor being attractive to any man. you can always tell when buck really loves someone. the way his eyes light up and how he could spill his life story within first talking to them. the comfort he finds in people is quick, but there isn’t a connection stronger than y/n. buck pretends, though.

he hates himself for trying to envision y/n in taylor. their relationship was far from ideal, meaningless sex before interchanging stories about their day. stories for taylor to use, and stories for buck to lust over while trying to forget about y/n. maybe with taylor, he just realized that y/n was only a faint memory in his mind.

she became smaller and smaller in his life, and it silently pained him. she barely said a word to him, not wanting to ruin anything he had going on. between drunken conversations and relentless flirting, it didn’t seem like he wanted her the way she did. he missed their late night texts and pairing up on shifts. he longed for her shoulder to lean on and her guidance to listen to. he wished for her to be his, but she couldn’t be. so, he lay in bed next to the other woman in his life.

it became like a chemical reaction, suddenly exploding all over the place and the mess being near impossible to clean.

y/n had washed all the ash and cleared her body of the dusty uniform. she shoved it all back into her locker, hoping not to see buck and taylor before leaving. just her luck, she was confronted with his arm around her shoulder.

“hey y/n!” he says, excitedly like there’s nothing that could be wrong. it almost makes her smile, seeing how gleeful he is. “leaving already?”

“yeah, i’m just gonna head home instead,” she tells him, his nose scrunching up in confusion.

“you don’t want to get any drinks with us?” taylor asks, tilting her head to show off her blaring stare that drills into y/n. “you guys can give me some inside info on the report i’m running.”

“not tonight, i’m not really feeling up to it.” the longer she stares at the couple, the more she wants to slam her head into her locker. it’s agonizing to watch him slowly fall for another woman and it’s out of her control. it’s even worse for buck to know y/n is slipping away and he can only watch.

she begins to walk past, bucks arm lightly brushing her own and the hand that used to bring comfort only leaves chills down his spine. it may have been safe to say that he officially lost his y/n.

it felt like with losing buck to another woman, everything piled down on top of it. more people were lost on jobs, her family became more distant, and absolutely nothing was the same. usually, she’d have buck to confide in, but he was off being with someone else. y/n missed the way he would look at her, but now his eyes only belong to the glow of taylor. his silly stories and blurbs of thoughts aren’t things that make y/n’s day anymore. instead, taylor receives the words that y/n once claimed as her own.

it didn’t matter if there was a sunny day because somehow, a thick cloud formed over y/n’s head. the things she used to do with ease at work drained her, just wanting to be out of bucks sight and not have to be drowning in her own thoughts.

she doesn’t back down, though. she still shows up to work every single day with the fear of disappointing everyone. so, she gathered around the table with the rest of her team, getting ready to dive into one of bobby’s meals. her friends noticed her silence, not looking at buck or even conversing with him. it was rare to see her in such a state of upset, especially one where she wasn’t leaning on buck for help. they could all see clearly where her mind was.

“i was thinking of taking maddie out somewhere nice this week, any ideas?” chim asks the group, the ones of experienced daters including the infamous buck.

“oh! there’s a lot downtown that women love. i took taylor down there the other day…” the whole sentence drifted off into y/n’s head, pushing the small crumbs around her empty plate. she’d rather watch paint dry than listen to bucks stories about his girlfriend, who should be y/n.

no one really engages in bucks story, besides the new transfers and the probies trying to find out how to make their own lover happy. however, the ones closest to y/n and buck saw right through the little act she had on. leaning back in her chair with a blank expression gave it all away. every word that left bucks mouth, they knew, only left another stab into y/n’s heart.

“i mean, y/n,” buck acknowledges. “you’ve met taylor and maddie, do you know what they’d like?”

y/n glances up at him, just wanting to scream into his ears that taylor’s not the one for him. if she has to shout it to herself in her own head, maybe he deserves to hear it. “maddie would love anything,” she smiles softly, making buck grin at the thought of his loving sister. “i’m sure taylor would too, as long as she can get a good news headline from you.”

heads turn, hens eyes widen a bit as she looks up from her plate. chim stops with a bite in his mouth, his gaze shifting from y/n to buck. buck was just completely lost, thinking y/n thought better of taylor. buck never thought of her using him, but y/n was always the most observant person he knew.

“cap, you all done? i’m gonna start the dishes early tonight.” y/n stands up, smiling brightly at bobby who awkwardly hands his plate over to her. she gathers a few other empty dishes, dropping them into the sink as she desperately creates as much distance from buck as she can.

the rest of the 118 clears out of the kitchen, staying out of y/n’s way knowing that she needs a moment. they can see the tension written all over her face, but they can’t stop buck from waltzing over to her.

“you know you can talk to me right?”

“what do you mean?” she asks.

“c’mon, y/n. i just don’t know why you’d say that in front of everyone. i’m just worried about you.”

“you don’t have to be worried about me.”

“you haven’t talked to me in weeks. or, even since taylor came back.”

she whips her head over to him, beating her eyes into his. “i don’t know if that’s a me-problem.”

“i think it might be,” he squints, watching her turn her head back to the knife she was cleaning the hardened food off. “i’ve tried to connect with you these past few weeks and you aren’t even trying at all.”

“buck, all you talk about is her and how amazing she is. it’s like you completely forgot i existed, or that i even have a life. just think about when she left you in the dust last time and who was there to pick up the pieces. or who was there whenever you got hurt, or needed someone to call. i have never seen her bending herself over backwards to make sure that you’re happy. i’ve never seen her drive herself crazy because of how much she needs you.”

buck can only notice the reflecting light in her eyes only getting stronger by the second. y/n could feel her neck getting hot and her nose start stinging alongside the shakiness in her chin. her vision was continuously blurred as she scrubbed at the serrated blade in her hand, letting it be covered with the soap she could barely see before it just slipped like a feather. despite the long gash on her hand, it still wasn’t worse than the humiliation she felt in front of her favorite person.

she just leaned into the glass wall while sitting on the bench, wrapping her hand out of the gauze to examine the cut she had gotten. the slice to her palm had almost become a faint memory compared to the engraving thoughts in her head.

“it doesn’t look too deep,” she hears the low voice come from the door of the room. “but i can’t see too well from her.”

her head only lifts, but doesn’t turn to look at him. “can i come in, please?” she doesn’t say no, so he takes that as a sign that she won’t attack him if he does. he sits beside her on the bench, closely looking at the cut before covering it again with the bandage and gauze. “we should talk.”

“i don’t know what there is to say.”

“maybe i do, y/n,” he says. “i’m sorry. i never wanted to leave you in the dark but that’s exactly what i did. i just never knew that you really thought that about her.”

“i don’t think it, i see it. i’m not trying to be a bitch, i just want you to be happy.” with me, she thinks. “i didn’t want to flip out or anything. you mean a lot to me and i won’t watch you get hurt again.”

“i know, and i don’t ever want to see you hurt yourself or have someone else hurt you. it doesn’t matter who i’m dating, i’ll never care for you any less.”

she only turns the corner of her lips up; she was wanting a better answer but that’s all she had. all she expected, that it. “i’m probably gonna head home soon. i’m exhausted.”

“i’m gonna get going too, i have to shower and visit maddie,” he stands, brushing his hands on his thighs as he sighs. “love you, i’ll see you tomorrow.” he grins but it almost looks agonizing as he steps out of the door, grabbing his bag and wandering out to the car.

the ride home for both of them was painful silence. buck never thought he’d be in a position where two girls wanted him, or at least loved him. the more he thought about it, did two really love him?

taylor loved the idea of buck. the sexy firefighter with badass stories for the cutthroat journalist. she only understood the outside of buck, the exterior and maybe some of the wounds he had. she would never want to understand his mind.

y/n understood all of it. his beauty, internal and external. she understood his love for the world around him and his nurturing energy. she understood his trauma in the past and put it to ease. she made it feel like more of a past rather than something that still haunts him. she understood his desire to love someone and his craving to be loved. she understood that he was more than just a story to be told, but that he was a man to be cherished and held onto. not one that taylor could easily let go. he feels insane for not seeing the radiant bursts of love that come from y/n, and he feels ridiculous to the fact that he hasn’t given it back. he wants her to be right next to him through everything and he only wants to fight battles with her. she would give up the world for him, so the least he could do is try to give it to her.

a sharp u-turn was what landed him at y/n’s apartment, his hands fluttering together. his heart pounded through his body and into his ears and his spine held a column of anxiety. she could fall into his arms and agree to live long with him, or she could push him further away and he would be too late. there was only one way to find out. y/n was the one waiting at home for him, not taylor.

he cruised up the stairs, easily skipping over each one praying that he didn’t miss his chance to love on her. his feet heavily thumped on the carpeted stairs of the apartment building. it felt like a movie scene, a sickening lead up to a moment that could make or break the story. one to leave the viewers enamored or one that leaves everyone in tears.

he saw the beloved number engraved on her door, knocked in harshly but then slowing down. he came her to confess, not scare her out of her mind.

he taps his feet against the floor, not caring about the other people who might see him pacing around in the inch of space. his heart starts to feel like it’s going to light up into flames when he hears the soft footsteps of y/n come to the door. she swings it open, looking casual but disappointed as ever.

he doesn’t think, he can only move. he’s always been notorious for that, but he knows it’s not a mistake now. it’s what he wants, and what he needs.

“buck?” she questions, only to be instantly cut off by his tall frame walking into her. his hands connect with the sides of her face, cupping her jaw as his soft, pink lips fall into place on hers. she stumbles back at the sudden force of him on her. there’s no time to think, no time for anything but to take the moment for what it is. his lips move smoothly against hers like they were made to kiss from the moment they met. his kiss was like a secret that y/n was dying to keep and she wanted to protect for the rest of her life. it was steamy and hot, but it was equally passionate and warm-hearted.

the seconds that followed were the thing buck feared most. she could freak out at him, or she could accept him and his insurmountable love. he didn’t know what to think when her jaw fell open and she just gandered at him. “what- why? i though-“

“i’m done hiding from who i really want. i’m done being stupid and oblivious to the truth. i’m done keeping you away from me. you’re all i’ve wanted, and i’ve just been so scared to let it happen. i’ve been so scared to love you, but i can’t hold it in anymore.”

y/n runs her hands through her hair, her eyes becoming glossy as she looks up at him. “why are you just saying this now?” she sighs, her exhales coming out strong through her mouth. “i’ve been ruining myself over you!”

“i know, y/n,” he says. “and it was the worst mistake of my life to let you fall behind. and i’ll be damned if i let it happen again. i love you.”

suddenly, the world stopped spinning along with the dread inside of y/n. the weight was lifted off bucks shoulders and he didn’t have to carry it anymore. he didn’t have to take his mask everywhere to pretend he was happy with his situation. he doesn’t have to pretend not to love her anymore. her name sounds better next to his.

[fear-less]

₊˚⊹˚ 𐙚 in-between

pairing: regulus black x reader

warnings: fluff:3, best friends to lovers, the ending was kinda rushed😔

1.5k words ^_^

It was a chilly afternoon, all her classes had just finished and the h/c girl was sitting on the grass in the middle of the courtyard, waiting for her best friend’s, Regulus, classes to end.

As the cool breeze tousled her hair, she watched the courtyard bustle with students hurrying to and fro. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the ancient cobblestones, painting the scene in hues of gold and amber.

She couldn’t help but feel a pang of anticipation as she waited for him to finish his classes. They had been inseparable since their first year at Hogwarts, sharing secrets, laughter, and the occasional mischief. No one could come between them; everyone knew that they had their own thing.

Their friendship was like an unbreakable spell, woven with trust and understanding. But lately, there was something different lingering between them, an unspoken tension that hung in the air like a veil.

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but whenever she looked into Regulus’ stormy gray eyes, she sensed a shift, a silent plea for understanding. Lost in her thoughts, she absently traced patterns in the grass, her mind wandering to moments they had shared, moments that now seemed tinged with uncertainty.

She wished that he could see them, their faces lighting up with the memories they had created together. Their past, though cold and empty, held enough warmth to sustain them through the darkest of times. They had grown tired of waiting on somebody, someone who didn’t care about them. But amidst it all, he knew her name, and she knew he’d always be there, a constant in her ever-changing world.

————————————————————————

Regulus had always liked times like this, in the common room talking about whatever came to mind. No matter the topic, his demeanor brightened, and his smile widened whenever he was around her. He found himself laughing at her eyes, at her smile, completely enchanted by her presence.

Y/n, on the other hand, cherished the late-night conversations with Regulus, when there was no one else to disturb them. It was just the two of them, lost in the comfort of each other’s company.

Regulus couldn’t help but extol her virtues to his other friends, describing her as beautiful, funny, and smart like nothing he had ever seen. His admiration for her was evident to everyone around them.

Everyone could see how good he was to her, and she yearned for that goodness more than anything else in-between. In the quiet moments between them, she allowed herself to dream of a future where they could be more than just friends, where their bond could transcend the boundaries of friendship and embrace something deeper.

————————————————————————

As they sat together in the busy and loud great hall, surrounded by the whispers of people and the soft giggles of girls, they felt a sense of tranquility wash over them. In that moment, it was as if the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in their own sacred space.

Their connection ran deep, like roots intertwining beneath the surface, anchoring them to a place of profound understanding and mutual respect. There was an unspoken bond between them, a shared language of glances and smiles that spoke volumes without a single word.

In the midst of their conversations and shared moments, they couldn’t help but feel the weight of something larger than themselves, something sacred that existed between them. It was as if there was holy ground beneath them, grounding their relationship in a sense of reverence and significance.

————————————————————————

He’s always hated it when she was crying, even if it was over something seemingly insignificant. His heart couldn’t bear the sight of tears streaming down her cheeks, each one a silent plea for comfort and understanding.

But what he hates more than her tears is when she’s away. The moments when she’s absent feel like an eternity, each second dragging on as he longs for her presence. The vacations they spend apart seem endless, the distance between them amplifying his yearning for her.

He misses everything about her during those times – her laughter, her warmth, the way her eyes light up when she’s excited. Every moment apart feels like a piece of him is missing, a void that can only be filled when she’s by his side again.

Even through the ups and downs, the arguments and misunderstandings, they always find a way back to each other. Even at their worst, when tempers flare and harsh words are exchanged, there’s an underlying certainty that they’ll still be okay.

They’ve weathered storms together, facing challenges head-on and emerging stronger on the other side. Their bond, though tested at times, remains unbreakable, anchored by a deep-seated trust and unwavering commitment to each other.

In moments of doubt and uncertainty, they draw strength from the knowledge that no matter what obstacles they face, they’ll navigate them together. Their love is resilient, capable of weathering any storm that comes their way.

And so, even at their lowest points, they find solace in each other’s presence, knowing that as long as they have each other, they’ll always be okay.

————————————————————————

As the days passed, their bond only grew stronger, as if it wasn’t already strong before, weathering each storm that came their way. They found solace in the familiarity of each other’s presence, navigating the twists and turns of life together.

However, amidst the tranquility, whispers of discontent began to surface. Regulus felt the weight of his family’s expectations bearing down on him, pulling him in conflicting directions. The looming shadow of his family’s allegiance to the Dark Lord cast a pall over their relationship, threatening to tear them apart.

Y/n, too, grappled with her own demons, haunted by the ghosts of her past. The weight of expectations and responsibilities pressed upon her, threatening to suffocate her aspirations and dreams.

Their once unbreakable bond now strained under the weight of their individual burdens, the cracks widening with each passing day. Misunderstandings festered, words left unspoken, as they drifted further apart.

In the midst of their turmoil, a glimmer of hope emerged—a chance encounter that sparked a flicker of recognition, a shared moment of vulnerability that reignited the flame of their connection.

With renewed determination, they confronted their fears and insecurities, laying bare their hearts in search of understanding and reconciliation. Through tears shed and words exchanged, they forged a path forward, guided by the unwavering belief that together, they could overcome any obstacle.

As they stood on the precipice of uncertainty, they found strength in each other’s embrace, the echoes of their shared laughter resonating through the darkness. In that moment, they knew that even at their worst, they would still be okay.

Their love, tempered by adversity, emerged stronger than ever—a beacon of hope in a world shrouded in darkness.

————————————————————————

Regulus found himself pacing back and forth in the dimly lit corridor, his thoughts consumed by the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions. He knew he couldn’t continue living in the shadows, tiptoeing around the truth that lay dormant within his heart.

With determined steps, he made his way to the courtyard where he knew Y/n would be waiting, her presence a beacon of light in his darkest hours.

As he approached, he found her sitting on the stone bench, lost in thought, the moonlight casting an ethereal glow upon her features.

“Y/n,” he began, his voice wavering slightly, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

Y/n looked up, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. “What is it, Regulus?”

Taking a deep breath, Regulus took a seat beside her, his heart pounding in his chest. “I can’t bear to see you cry, to know that I’m the cause of your pain. And when you’re away, it feels like a piece of me is missing, like I’m incomplete without you.”

Y/n reached out, her hand finding his in the darkness, their fingers intertwining in a silent promise of solidarity.

“I’ve spent so long trying to hide these feelings, afraid of what they might mean,” Regulus continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t deny it any longer. Y/n, I love you.”

A stunned silence hung in the air, the weight of his confession hanging between them like an invisible thread.

Y/n’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, her heart overflowing with emotions she had long suppressed. “Regulus, I… I love you too.”

In that moment, time seemed to stand still as they leaned in, their lips meeting in a tender embrace. And as they kissed, sparks ignited in the darkness, illuminating the courtyard with the intensity of their love.

He laughs at her eyes, at her smile, at the glasses on her face

She loves how he talks late at night, when there's no one else to say

How she's beautiful and funny and smart like nothin' he's ever seen

He’s good to her, and she wants it more than everything in-between.

[nero-vanderwolf]

One fact about Yu Narukami: He is hopelessly and utterly in love with his best friend. 

It started as nothing more than a classroom crush, developed after helping him out of the trash. Despite being hurt, the guy had still thanked him, still amiled and introduced himself. Yosuke, he had said. As they walked to school together, Yu repeated the name in his head. Yosuke. 

It was really just a nosedive from there. After the murders started up, the two partnered up to try and solve the case. They had discovered the TV world together, and Yosuke had had to face his Shadow- the manifestation of all of his worst thoughts and feelings. 

And yet Yu hadn’t felt an ounce of desire to run, to abandon Yosuke. No, instead he had felt the inexplicable urge to hug him close, promise they’d stay friends even if that awful thing came back. They’d stay partners. 

Fast forward to now, early September, and Yu is trying not to freak out, because it just so happens that he’s sharing a goddamned futon with his best friend- the guy he definitely doesn’t just have a crush on anymore. 

He holds Yosuke close, praying his heartbeat doesn’t give away how he feels. Earlier, in the spur of the moment, he had pulled Yosuke into a hug outside. Of course, he’d played it off as trying to warm Yosuke up- he had forgotten his jacket again. 

But Yosuke had tried to hug him again after he pulled away. Maybe Yu was (and still is) reading too far into it, but it’s still nice to pretend. 

Now, of course, Yosuke has been cuddling him for the past ten minutes and hasn’t made a single move to pull away except to shift occasionally. He seems perfectly content to lie here, but Yu feels himself growing restless. He’s debating saying something into the darkness, just to see if Yosuke is still awake, but his partner beats him to it. 

“Did you know your eyes change colors sometimes?” 

Yu, admittedly, has to take a moment to process what Yosuke just said. Of all the things he expected to leave his partner’s mouth, this... wasn’t one of them. 

“Do they?” He replies. They’re both murmuring, as though exchanging secrets that they only want themselves and the heavens to hear. 

Yosuke nods against him, the movement pressing into his chest. He hugs Yosuke just a bit tighter. 

“Yeah. Different shades of grey. When you’re happy, they’re this really pretty light shade. When you’re upset, they get all dark. I think it’s kinda cute.” 

Wait. Waitwaitwaitwait pause. Did Yosuke just call him cute? Just... tossed the word out there. He isn’t even backtracking, but Yu feels like every cognitive function has come screeching to a halt. 

And yet, he’s still functioning just enough to tease Yosuke. He can’t pass up a perfectly good opportunity, after all. 

“Really? Do you give that much thought to the rest of me?” He asks as Yosuke shifts himself again. Unfortunate timing for Yosuke, perfect timing for Yu- he comes up to eye-level with Yu just in time for him to see the blush bloom on Yosuke’s cheeks. 

“Wh- hey! I’m trying to be nice here!” He says, but Yu know he isn’t really angry. Just flustered. It’s cute. 

Yu smiles, his best ‘I-love-you-partner’ grin that he saves specially for Yosuke, and it works like a charm. He huffs, looking anywhere but at Yu as he settled down back into his arms. 

They’re still at eye-level with each other, though, and even the darkness of the room can’t hide the way Yosuke’s gaze flicks to Yu’s lips. For a second, Yu forgets how to breathe like a human person. 

“...Your smile,” Yosuke finally provides. Yu tilts his head into the pillow. His... smile? 

“Don’t look at me like that, it’s just- You have a lot of smiles for people, partner. You have this, like, default smile that you give people you don’t know, but with Chie and Yukiko and everyone else, it’s... softer. And-” 

He stops talking, face now bright red. Yu goes to pull away, give him some space to breathe, but Yosuke’s hand flies up and clutches his shoulder. 

“...And, uh... Sometimes it feels like you have one for me, too. Just for me,” he finishes off with a mumble. Yu can’t help the smile that creeps up his face. The one specially reserved for Yosuke. His best ‘I-love-you-partner’ grin that always works like a charm. 

“Well, you’d be right. I do,” he says, his voice not much more than a whisper. He can’t bring himself to speak much louder than this, scared of breaking whatever spell has caused them to spill their hearts like this. 

Yosuke brings his gaze back to Yu’s face. His expression is unbelievably soft, and Yu allows himself to think, even for just a moment, that this expression is just for him, like his smile is just for Yosuke. 

“You’re doing it. The smile,” he mutters. Their faces are close- for a moment, Yu wonders what it’d be like to kiss him. 

He drags his mind out of the gutter just long enough to reply. “Of course I am. It’s you.” 

Yosuke looks like he’s struggling for words. He opens his mouth for a moment, then closes it again. 

“Can I, uh... Do something?” He finally asks, and Yu doesn’t waste a second in nodding. 

“Go ahead. I trust you, partner,” he answers easily, and he’d swear on his Persona that Yosuke seemed to blush even more at his response. 

And of all the things he expected Yosuke to do, he didn’t expect him to tilt forward, pressing their lips together in a kiss. 

It isn’t magical or heavenly, but it’s Yosuke, his partner and best friend since what feels like forever. It’s Yosuke, and that’s more than Yu could ever ask for. 

After what feels both too short and too long a time, Yu has to pull away. His lungs are burning, as though Yosuke stole all the oxygen out of them. He doesn’t go far though- just rests his forehead against Yosuke’s, both panting. 

“I love you, partner. A lot,” Yosuke whispers, and Yu feels like his air has been stolen once again. Nevertheless, he replies in earnest. 

“I love you too, partner. A lot.” 

YAAAYYYY OMFGH HSHSBBHBSHEJRJDNOWNNDHRJSNSHEJDEJBDJENDJENDJDNWNWJSBDJKSMWNEBFIDIEHSJSNWKNWOMSBXJZJENDJSNENDJSOWNNDIXNEJDNRNFISNWNSBEKFNJRKAKWKDODNEJSJWKEKDOEJJDJDNSJXNSJKAKALEOXJNRUXENEIIDOEKEJRIKFJCKRORIWOUQOFNFNFBJSHEHWNDKENKSNDKENSBOSHNEHSKSBDB

THE SOUYO GET TO KISS AAHEBEEVEVBEBSBSBSJJDNJ823$:'nsken&£{~!~££+¥'AISHHKMEB&$&&&!/?/?!$@9288/$&&/! I FUCKIGN LOVE SOUYO SOUYO IS MY LIFE

IM EATING THIS UP AND LICKING THE PLATE LEAVING NO CRUMBS THEY KISS AND THEY REALIZE THEY HAVE MUTUAL FEELINGS!!!!!!!! GRRRAGHHH!!!!!!! "I TRUST YOU PARTNER" WHAT IF I FUCKING EXPLODED INTO 18 PIECES AND YU TEASING HIM WHILE ALSO NKT KNOWING IF HE HAS MUTUAL FEELINGS KMFBFBDHDNJDJEN

THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD CLAIRE

[allmoshnobrain]

𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

part 03 of ? | masterpost

word count: 3.9k

You were close, maybe too close, but he didn't really care, not with the beer making everything feel softer, fuzzier. He'd been seeing you all day, even when you weren't around. You were everywhere, and it just made him more fascinated by you. Fuck. Maybe he really was lonely.

✦ warnings and tags: jason newsted x reader, age gap (23/38), no use of y/n, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine dynamics maybe?, reader has a backstory and it's kinda tragic, a bit of angst, eventual smut in future parts, drinking

You and Jason didn’t talk much on the way home. After saying goodbye, he couldn’t help but think about how easily he had hugged you, holding you close to try and lift your sadness, even if just for a moment.

Jason had to admit you intrigued him; you were kind and friendly, and clearly loved by everyone around you, which in a way was the opposite of what he felt about himself, having quit Metallica feeling like he was no more than a spare tire that his bandmates couldn’t bring themselves to care about. 

No, he was being unfair. He had built quite the friendship with Kirk over the years, but Lars and James — especially James — were tough to deal with. He could still remember the fights, how they'd laugh and mock him, and the way James acted like he owed them everything — his time, his obedience, his loyalty. But it was never enough.

Would it ever be enough if he had stayed?

Maybe that’s why he didn’t regret quitting. He didn’t regret leaving everything behind to start fresh somewhere new, somewhere people didn’t know him. And after seeing the way you looked at him, curious but never judgmental, he couldn’t help but think he’d made the right call.

Because if no one knew who he was, no one could hate him for leaving.

The next time he saw you was Monday morning. He was brewing some coffee for breakfast when you walked past his house, your hair in a ponytail and your bike by your side. He smiled softly as you went by, letting out a small sigh when he realized the weekend was over. He knew he’d better start working on his new songs soon, or else he’d have nothing to show his producer the next time he went to LA.

Working on a solo project was the most fun Jason had in a long time. Being creative was such a big part of who he was, a part that had been ignored and dismissed during his years with his old band. He felt freer now that he could focus on the whirlwind of ideas he had in his own brain, now that he could get lost in his own music, with no other noise to take him away from it.

The morning flew by as he worked on his new songs. Writing them on his own was tough but rewarding. Jason knew he'd eventually need to recruit some musicians for his solo project, but he wanted a solid idea in place before teaming up with anyone. For now, he just wanted to enjoy the process alone, and that’s what he did — at least until his stomach started rumbling.

Lunchtime already, he sighed, glancing at his watch. At least I had a productive morning.

He got up, placed his bass guitar in its case, and grabbed his keys, deciding to head out for some lunch. He knew he wouldn’t have many options in such a small town, unlike back in LA where he could find anything he wanted, but that didn’t bother him. He thought about inviting you for lunch for a moment, then shook his head with a sigh. You barely knew each other, and besides, you weren’t home. Sometimes, Jason had to remind himself that people were usually busy during weekdays; you’d probably be working, too busy to hang out with some boring old guy like him.

Jason wasn’t really old, but he sure felt like it these days. Just a year before, he would have been living a life completely different from these calm, peaceful days in Oak Ridge. If he closed his eyes, he could still remember the energy, the electricity of playing to thousands of people, and the chaos of backstage life — the booze, the drugs, the girls, the fights. But mostly, he remembered how tired he used to feel.

He ended up going to Joe’s Diner again for lunch, raising an eyebrow in surprise at how packed the place was. It was a totally different scene from the empty diner he'd visited with you the day before; now, it was buzzing with laughter and conversation, and the sweet smell of food filled the air. He tried to ignore the curious looks he got as he walked in, but being a stranger in a place where everybody knew everybody still felt better somehow than being a public figure.

“Afternoon,” Maggie smiled as she walked by, pouring Jason some fresh coffee as he sat at the counter.

“Busy day?” Jason grinned.

“The usual,” Maggie said, handing him the menu. “You just caught us at lunchtime. Small town diners, you know?”

“I don’t, actually,” he chuckled, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Before this, I lived in LA.”

“That’s quite the change of pace, huh?” Maggie remarked, before glancing over as someone called for her. “Sorry, I’ll be back to take your order in a minute.”

He was debating whether to go for the same burger with fries he had the day before or maybe try something new when the boy walked in.

He looked around your age, with dark hair, his brown eyes in dark circles and lips curled down in a worried expression. Jason didn’t really pay much attention to the way he scanned the place, seemingly searching for someone before striding over to Maggie, not until he heard him say your name, say he had to talk to you.

“She already told you she doesn’t want to see you, Ethan,” Maggie frowned, and Jason raised an eyebrow as the boy groaned in frustration. “You should give her some space. She didn’t even come in for lunch today.”

“I gotta talk to her, Maggie, but she won’t listen!” he said, trying to keep his voice down but failing. Jason could see the way some people tried to pretend they weren’t listening, even though it was obvious they were paying attention to the small commotion Ethan was causing. 

The old small town gossip, Jason scoffed, unable to ignore how he was also tuned into the drama. He frowned, pondering what role that boy would play in your life, slightly annoyed by his persistence with Maggie. You were such a sweet girl; Jason found it hard to believe you'd shut someone out without a good reason.

“I’m sure she’ll talk to you when she’s ready, but you gotta give her some space,” Maggie said firmly. “Now, you gonna order something? I’m swamped here, kid.”

Ethan glanced around, his face flushing when he saw how crowded the diner was. He shook his head and stormed out. Jason watched him go, trying to ignore the curiosity rising in his mind.

“Sorry about that,” Maggie sighed. “What can I get you?”

“Um, yeah, I’ll take the meatloaf, please,” Jason replied. Maggie nodded, refilling his coffee cup before heading to the kitchen.

After lunch, as Jason drove home, he found himself thinking about you once more. You seemed to be everywhere, even when you weren’t around. The more he thought about you, the more he saw the layers of your complexity, revealing someone he couldn’t help but feel drawn to.

He found himself wondering about your relationship with Ethan, what your history with him entailed, and what had upset you so much. He hadn’t seen you upset yet, not really, just a bit sad, and he wondered how much of that sadness you let others see. Would it be easier to open up to someone you didn’t know well? Would it help if he assured you he was willing to listen if you ever needed to talk?

He scoffed. What was he thinking? You two hardly knew each other, and you were so much younger than him, clearly more innocent and less experienced in life. He didn’t know what you liked, who you wanted to become, or what dreams you had. It wasn’t really his business, anyway.

But still, he wanted to know. He wanted to understand you.

He was distracted from his thoughts by one of those traffic boards at the crossroads, the kind that points out where all the important spots in town are. This one had a few names on it, with arrows showing which way to go: Church, School, Main Street, Recreation Club.

The Recreation Club. Jason remembered how you talked about it, like you really missed it, a hint of sadness in your voice that surprised him coming from someone so young. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to take the street that led to the place. Figured it wouldn’t hurt to explore somewhere new, right? Maybe it’d be a good spot to relax, meet some locals, or even find inspiration for his songs.

He drove for a while along a road flanked by trees, admiring the view as the houses became more and more sparse. This was something else he wasn’t used to, how much nature was all around in this town, surrounding everything. It was no wonder the place felt so secluded.

After some minutes, Jason finally pulled up to the entrance of the Recreation Club. Like everything else he'd seen in Oak Ridge so far, the place seemed like it had its heyday a few decades back, with faded paint on the walls and a few tiles missing from the entrance path. Still, it was clear they kept it well maintained — grass neatly mowed, a couple of flower bushes trimmed into squares by the main door.

He stepped into the reception area, a basic room with wooden benches and a counter. A young girl sat behind it, flipping through a magazine. She had dark hair with a single blue stripe and a round face. When Jason walked in, she glanced up, raising an eyebrow with curiosity.

"Afternoon," Jason greeted with a small smile.

"Hey," she replied, closing the magazine and setting it aside as she stood up. "Can I help you with anything?"

"I'm new in town," he explained. "Thought it might be nice to join the club, you know?"

"Oh, you're the new guy?" she asked, and Jason blinked in surprise.

"The new guy?" he echoed, slightly amused. The girl chuckled softly.

"The guy who's come to live in this isolated hell hole? You know, people talk. Besides, I'm friends with your neighbor."

She was definitely talking about you — who else could it be? Jason chuckled softly, pondering if you had mentioned him to your friends and what you might have said. The idea of you being as curious about him as he was about you made his lips curl up in an involuntary little smile.

“Well, yeah, I’m the new guy. Name’s Jason, nice to meet you,” he introduced himself.

“I’m Sophie. So, you’re liking the town so far?” she asked, leaning on the counter with genuine interest sparkling in her eyes. God, young folks here are just eager for anything new, aren’t they?, he thought. 

"Yeah, it's a pretty peaceful place," he replied with a smile. "So, do I need any specific paperwork to join the club?"

"Oh, nothing special. Just some ID and our membership form to fill out," Sophie explained.

"And if I wanted to cover someone else's membership fee, would that work?" Jason asked, an idea forming in his mind. He wasn't sure why the thought of paying for your subscription popped up, but honestly, that was the whole reason he’d come there, right? It's not like he was dying to join the club himself, and money wasn't an issue for him anyway. But he knew it could make a difference for you.

"Oh, I think that should be fine, as long as the fee is paid," Sophie replied, and Jason nodded.

"Can you give me an extra copy of the membership form? I'll just get my... friend's info filled out before I bring it back," Jason asked. 

"Sure thing. Just make sure your friend comes along for a photo and so we can make a copy of your IDs," Sophie replied, handing him two sheets of paper. 

"Thanks, kid. Catch you later," Jason smiled before heading out.

He got back to his car with a sigh, taking a quick look at the two paper sheets. As expected, there were two copies of the registration form, asking for basic info like name, age, and address. They detailed the membership fee, which, as he expected, wasn't a big deal — at least not to him. No need for references or recommendation letters from other members, unlike those exclusive elite LA clubs. Life really was simpler here.

Jason wasn’t naive; he knew having money didn’t mean he could help everyone, and he didn’t really want to intrude into your life, to put himself into the role of a savior. But you had been nothing but kind to him from the start. If he could make things a bit easier for you, he was more than willing to do it.

The rest of his day was spent unpacking. It was a good distraction, sorting through boxes and setting things in place. Yet, in the back of his mind, he couldn’t shake the anticipation of seeing you again. What would your reaction be when you saw the registration form? Would you appreciate the gesture? Or would you turn it down? Maybe you’d think he was just being weird. Honestly, he wouldn’t blame you if you did.

It was a side of him he hadn’t seen in ages, not since before his days as a rockstar. The more famous Metallica became, the harder it was for Jason to forge genuine connections with people who didn’t see him through the lens of his fame. Everyone knew him as the Metallica guy, and that carried certain expectations and privileges. His fame was like a backstage pass that got him whatever he wanted, but he missed the simplicity of getting to know people for who they truly were.

But you were different. You were the first person in a long time who had no idea who he was, who didn’t treat him like a celebrity at all. Maybe he was just feeling lonely — the thought made him roll his eyes, cheeks flushing slightly.

Night fell, and your place was still empty, porch light on just like you used to leave it when you weren’t around. Jason got bored of whatever was on TV real quick and figured he'd head out again. He'd spotted this bar on Main Street earlier; he wasn't really up for drinking on a Monday, but figured it beat sitting alone all night.

Main Street wasn’t all that far from home; he decided to walk this time instead of driving, and he made it there quicker than he thought. The moon was full up there, its shine kinda dimmed by the streetlights, and a few stores were still open. He spotted the bar, grinning a bit at the weathered sign, a classic Eagle drawing matching the bar’s name, Eagle’s Nest.

He stepped inside, the brisk night air being replaced by a welcome warmth. The place was small, but neat. A few tables were taken, with a football game blaring on the TV. It was still early, so the place was pretty empty. He scoped it out, thinking about grabbing a seat at the counter, and blinked in surprise when he spotted you, laughing softly as you talked to one of the regulars.

You looked beautiful in your pretty waitress getup, hair tied back loose with a tray of beers in hand. Everywhere I look, there she is, Jason mused, a small spark of delight fluttering in his chest. He stood there, just watching you for a moment, and couldn’t help but smile when your eyes met. You seemed a bit surprised to see him, but still flashed a smile, nodding toward the counter as you made your way over. Jason followed, taking a seat.

“Welcome to Eagle’s Nest, Mr. Newsted. You finally got tired of small-town life and decided to seek some excitement?" you teased, and Jason chuckled. You were adorable, bright eyes sparkling with kindness and a familiarity that made him feel like you were old friends.

"Who said I was bored?" he shot back. You laughed softly.

"Sophie mentioned you swung by the Rec Club this afternoon. Figured you'd be scouting for something to do," you remarked casually. He raised an eyebrow. Word sure traveled fast in this neck of the woods.

"So, has everyone been gossiping about the new guy or is it you just trying to crack the mystery?" he smirked, and you chuckled, cheeks tinted with a blush.

"It's a small town. People talk," you replied.

"Yeah, I've heard," he nodded.

"So, what can I get you?" you asked, a small smile playing on your lips.

"Just a beer, please," Jason said. You nodded, grabbing him a bottle.

"You working the night shift?" he inquired.

"Yeah, Mondays and Fridays here," you answered. "Plus my day gig at the flower shop."

"You're a hard worker, kid. Maybe you should take it easy," he remarked, and you chuckled.

"It's all good. Just got a couple more hours and then I'm heading home for a nice, long, hot shower," you sighed.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice seeing you still on your feet after starting so early.

"Yeah, had a salad and fries," you replied. Jason raised an eyebrow.

"That's not the healthiest meal."

"Salad's healthy!" you laughed, and Jason smiled. You glanced up as the bar door swung open and a group of older guys strolled in. "Sorry, I'll be right back," you said.

"Don't worry about me, go do your thing," he reassured you.

The next couple of hours flew by in a flash; the bar filled up nicely as time ticked on. Jason wasn’t surprised when a few folks sidled up for a chat — curiosity seemed to be a common trait around town, probably 'cause not much new ever happened. He sipped a couple more beers and some water, not keen on waking up with a headache the next day, all the while getting to know some locals: Frank Masters, an older guy from the police station, and Greg Smith, Sophie’s dad who’d swung by after work.

Folks were friendly, eager to chat and share their stories. But even as Jason mingled and made new acquaintances, his eyes kept drifting back to you. You were buzzing around like a busy bee, looking after tables, serving drinks and snacks, always with a smile.

As the night wound down, the crowd thinned out. People were heading home early to catch some shut-eye before another workday. You began clearing empty glasses and plates, taking them back to the kitchen while Jason bid farewell to the guys he'd been talking to.

"You ready to call it a night?" he asked as you refilled his water glass. You flashed a smile.

"Almost, still gotta shut things down," you replied.

"Want me to hang around and wait for you?" he offered, the beers loosening his tongue a bit. You hesitated, biting your lip.

"You don't have to wait on me," you said finally. "I'll be here a while."

"I can stick around, if you want," he offered.

"Okay," you nodded, cheeks flushed as you headed back to the kitchen. Jason hung back while you and your coworkers closed shop, tidying tables, mopping floors, washing dishes, and turning off the TV. After a trip to the bathroom, you returned in fresh clothes, your hair down.

"You ready to roll?" Jason asked, and you nodded. He walked out as you said your goodbyes to your coworkers, then watched you retrieve your bike from the bar's little backyard.

The walk home was quiet; Jason didn't quite know what to say, noticing the slight flush in your cheeks whenever your eyes met his. He wanted to ask about your day, about what went down while he was away. But was it really his business? A weird sort of shyness crept over both of you, the easy vibe from the bar now a distant memory.

You both arrived at your place, and he walked you to the door, the quiet still hanging between you as you leaned your bike against the porch railing.

"Thanks for walking me home," you said softly.

"No problem," he replied, then paused before calling your name. You glanced at him, curious. 

"I swung by the Club today," he started.

"I know," you replied with a smile, and Jason chuckled.

"Yeah, well... I couldn't help noticing how much it means to you. So…” he hesitated. “I asked Sophie, and she said it's cool to pay for someone else’s fee. Would you maybe want to come with me tomorrow? I could get you signed up as a member.”

You blinked, clearly caught off guard, and Jason cursed himself for bringing it up now. Maybe it would've been better to mention it the next morning when he wasn't a bit fuzzy from a couple of beers, when his thoughts would be clearer. When he could explain he would be doing this just as a friendly gesture, with no hopes of having anything in return.

"This ain't a transaction," he clarified, and you raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you don't owe me anything for this, alright? Just think of it as a friend helping out."

"You'd really do that?" you asked quietly. "Mr. Newsted, I... You don't need to spend your money on me."

"Don't sweat about the money," he reassured, his hand gently brushing against your hair. He’d never say it like that, but it’s true he had way more cash than he knew what to do with. 

"Are we... friends then?" you asked, and he chuckled, caught off guard.

"What?"

"You said to think of it as a friend helping out," you replied with a small smile. "So..."

"Yeah, of course. That's what friends do, right? They look out for each other," he said, making you laugh softly. "Look, you don't have to say yes if you don't want to. But I saw how down you were yesterday after talking about your parents, and... I wanted to help."

"You don't have to."

"But I want to," he whispered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. "Will you think about it? I can take you there tomorrow morning before work, if you want. Is it okay?"

"Okay. I'll think about it," you said, your cheeks turning the cutest shade of pink when he gently took your chin in his hand. You were close, maybe too close, but he didn't really care, not with the beer making everything feel softer, fuzzier. He'd been seeing you all day, even when you weren't around. You were everywhere, and it just made him more fascinated by you.

Fuck. Maybe he really was lonely.

"Thanks," he whispered, letting his hand drop to his side. "Talk to you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah.”

"Okay. Goodnight," he said, turning to leave.

"Mr. Newsted," you called out, and he stopped, looking back at you with curious eyes. You stood on the warmly lit porch, arms wrapped around yourself, a small smile playing on your lips. 

"What is it?" he asked, stepping closer to you.

"It's just... thanks," you said simply. "See you tomorrow, right?"

It felt like neither of you wanted to say goodbye, and he couldn't help but wonder how you'd react if he told you he actually didn't.

"Yeah. Goodnight, dear."

He couldn't help but notice the way you smiled when he called you that, the way you bit your lower lip softly. It made him want to say it again, just to see how you’d react.

"Goodnight, Jason," you said back, and he smiled softly before heading home.

✧ if you'd like to be tagged on the next parts, let me know and I'll add you to the tag list! ❤ ✧

[the-s1lly-corner]

Hey I have a possibly another, better..? idea👀 it's a Slenderbeing reader! but they like to travel the world, a LOT. and usually in their human form. but they are so in depth with their magic's capabilities it's almost near impossible to detect any magic sauce from them, it's like they are truly a regular human being. until they reveal themselves and give everyone a heart attack😂

The slender reader is also like a runt, they hate the height difference compared to average Slenderbeings, but low-key likes the attention :P

Any characters! Have fun n take your time!! :D

Various characters with a slender-being reader!

Again so so so so sorry for taking so long to get to this :(

I've kinda been mostly checked out mentally this week and the past 4 days spiderverse has taken over my brain and

Sobs

Anyways! Most of these are platonic leaning, but that's mostly because I couldn't think of anything explicitly romantic <\3 these also may be

Short since I'm kinda

Dry brain

No gifs for each character since it lags my phone and I ain't dealing with that rn <\\3

Slenderman:

Head tilt

Of course he knew he and his brothers weren't the only slender-like.. beings in this world

But he didnt expect to see another (that wasnt splendor or trender) enter his woods... that and he also. Never really left his woods save for a few occasions.. never really met another creature like him outside family

Huh

Hes curious, of course! He himself can only talk so much about his day to day life, being more or less binded to his forest.. so hes willing to let you talk his non existent ears off

Likes making crafts for you that remind him of your stories

Doesnt particularly favor one form over the other; though with that said he almost offed you when you first waltzed in, disguised as a human

Makes him realize he... doesn't know how to do that..

Splendorman:

Oooh how cute! You're so tiny!

On the flip side, hes met dozens of slender-beings, due to him bouncing around just about everywhere

Doesnt make fun of your height, bullying isnt cool!!

You both exchange stories about places you've been and things you've done

Sits down and looks at you with so much interest when its your turn to speak

Finds both of your forms adorable

Laughing Jack

"I didn't even know they made them this size!"

Ljs already a little shit, but hes going to be even more of a little shit around you being a runt

He'll try not to take it too far, but hes definitely got a problem with his filter

Due to him being bound to his box and being passed around Lj only has so much experience with different kinds of people

So even though he'll crack jokes and interrupt, he's willing to listen to a story or two

You can still be taller than him and he'll still tease about your runt status <\3

Eyeless Jack

"Oh.. huh.. you're like.. that one guy,"

In my au he lives in the same woods as slenderman but they hardly interact and when they do it's barely civil

Both are very possessive of their areas so... yeah

Asides slender you're the only slender-being hes met; he wont even know you're a runt unless you bring it up

If you do he'll just

Not care, I mean hes short too so??

Has a weird.. vicarious thing going on with your story

Hes condemned himself to being a hermit due to his curse, so he ends up naturally.. doing that with your stories and makes small suggestions on where you should go next

What having your normal life snatched away does to a mf

Masky & Hoodie

"Mini boss?" "Mini boss"/j

Masky is.. well my take on him hes a little.. funky.. bro is likely watching you from a distance and not really.

Interacting

Kinda freaks out when you reveal your true form

Hoodie is a little more tame and open than masky, kinda just

Signs and asks questions but he isnt too social

"Why are you so short??"/j

Honestly I feel like these two would take a long time to warm up; they're already distant enough with slender

Idk, I really dont have any ideas for these two 💔😔☝️

[jahayla-parker]

Uncharted Territory : Tom Holland x Reader

Description: 9.1k wc, Reader finds herself working on the set of one of Tom’s movies in an attempt to escape her stalker. Only, it seems she can’t outrun her troubles even in another country. This means y/n and Tom find themselves in uncharted territory as they try to navigate their way through the ordeal. Dark, stalker, hurt comfort, protective, injury comfort, angst to fluff. Happy ending.

Warnings: dark theme(s), violence, curse words, guns and gunshots, wounds/injuries, blood/bleeding, stalkers, stalker behavior, break-ins, and related.

This was a Ko-fi request by the lovely @theslayerofthevampires Thank you again for the support 💜

“You coming?” Tom asked as he approached y/n. He and a few others from the cast and crew were going out for drinks. He’d worked with y/n by now, but hadn’t spent much time with her outside of work.

Y/n gave Tom an appreciate smile but shook her head. “No, but thank you,” she replied politely.

“Do you prefer to do something else instead?” Tom offered with a smile.

“Oh,” y/n startled. “No, that’s okay,” she promised. She felt bad, Tom had always been nice and was going out of his way to make sure she was invited tonight. But, she couldn’t accept the offer, it would make her too susceptible to having her past repeated.

“Have I offended you in some way?” Tom asked gently, his smile having disappeared.

“What?” Y/n gushed as she shook her head quickly. “No, of course not!” She replied.

“Okay, well if you decide to join us all later, you know where we’ll be,” Tom proposed, a faint smile on his face again.

Y/n gave Tom another small smile and nodded. She felt bad, and truly wanted to be able to go. But she couldn’t risk getting close. Especially not to a guy. She had came all the way to Berlin for work in order to get away, she wasn’t going to undo that.

Y/n groaned to herself as she cleaned up her table. Today had been a total disaster. It was one thing after another. They’d basically got nothing done on set today and the director wasn’t handling it well.

“Ice cream is on me,” Tom commented warmly as he appeared from around the corner.

Y/n quickly looked up and visibly hesitated. But, she was quick to see how Tom’s immediate reaction to her hesitation showed he’d taken it personally. She had rejected spending time with him since they met. Although to be fair, she’d done that with everyone since she arrived. Only, the others had quickly given up on her ending her isolation; whereas Tom hadn’t. Y/n knew she had likely been being paranoid. Nothing had really happened since she arrived. And she was kinda tired of spending each night alone and having no one to talk to. Perhaps ice-cream with a co-worker wasn’t the end of the world. “Okay, sure,” she agreed.

It came as a surprise to herself, but y/n found herself and Tom growing closer over the last few weeks. In fact, she actually now considered him a friend. It was strange and slightly worrisome still, but also comforting. Especially given she was certain she was slowly losing her mind to her paranoia.

Y/n had gotten a handful of calls from unknown numbers over the past two days. All of which were silent when she would answer. She knew odds were it was simply telemarketers, but it still made her anxious. So spending time hanging out with Tom was helpful in that it distracted her from the suspicious calls.

While they’d certainly gotten closer lately, y/n still hadn’t expected for Tom to ask her out today during lunch. She also hadn’t expected herself to say yes so quickly and freely. Granted, that breeziness didn’t last long. As y/n was now in an empty bathroom stall as she tried not to suffer a panic attack.

Y/n knew she had feelings for Tom, but that was simply another reason she tried to stay away from him when they first met. However, as they’d hung out together as friends, her feelings only grew. He was just as respectful and friendly as she suspected he was upon seeing him interact with others the day he had arrived on set here in Berlin. Perhaps that’s why she was so comfortable accepting his offer instead of letting her paranoia cloud her mind and change her decision. She didn’t regret it, but she knew she’d need to still be on edge. At least until she could somehow ensure she could determine he wasn’t like Michael.

Y/n smiled to herself as she walked into her rental. She quickly locked the door behind her, but the smile didn’t leave her face. She’d just gotten back from her latest date with Tom and had a wonderful night.

Y/N’s smile evaporated the second she entered her tiny kitchenette area. She squinted hesitantly at the counter. There was a small pile of mail she’d opened but not dealt with yet on her counter. That wasn’t the odd part though; she’d left that there this morning. What was concerning was y/n swore she’d left her pen directly on top of the pile of mail. Only now the pen was haphazardly set to the side of the stack of documents.

Y/n sighed loudly as she ran her hands down her face. It could’ve rolled off the top of the stack; it was a pen after all. She was just being paranoid again and looking for trouble. Things had been going too well lately that her mind was getting defensive. She just needed to calm down. Surely if someone had been in here, there’d be other signs of it.

Y/n took a deep breath and decided to double check that she’d locked the door. Once she was sure that it was locked, she made her way to her bedroom space and plugged her phone in before it could die in case she needed it tonight. She then grabbed her bottle of anxiety meds from beside her bed and took one. Surely after enough time, she’d not need them anymore. She just had to let herself see that she was safe now. Time would help with that.

“Come on, love,” Tom nudged teasingly as he snuggled up to y/n. They’d been sharing crazy stories about how something that went wrong resulted in something positive down the road. Tom had explained how his Uber driver had told him he wasn’t going to get the role of Spider-Man while he was on the way to his audition. He had told y/n how as much as it had hurt and seemed like a bad omen, it actually increased his nerves and made him have this buzzing energy that matched Peter Parker’s character really well. Y/n had vaguely answered Tom’s question by stating that her ending up as part of the production crew for the movie they were working on and had met through (Uncharted) was actually the result of a situation gone wrong back home.

“It’s not fun like yours,” y/n explained with a fake light laugh.

Tom noticed the way y/n wouldn’t look at him and how her hands started to shake slightly. He quickly grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly. “‘ey, love, it’s okay,” he promised. “If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay”.

“Are you sure?” Y/n asked, filled with guilt.

Tom nodded quickly. “Of course, darling, you don’t have to answer. I just don’t want you to feel like you can’t answer just because it has a different tone in nature than my story,” he explained.

“It’s a bit dark,” y/n admitted, staring up at Tom.

Tom nodded again. “That’s okay, if you want to talk about it, I’m here,” he promised, kissing her cheek.

“I don’t want you to see me differently,” y/n mumbled quietly, her eyes staring at her lap.

Tom frowned. “Y/n, I don’t know what’s going on,” he acknowledged softly. “But, I promise you that won’t happen, love,” Tom vowed.

Y/N’s eyes lifted up and she stared at Tom I’m silence for a moment, contemplating. “Okay,” she whispered. She took an audibly deep breath. “So… I- I ended up here because I had to get away from someone back home,” y/n explained vaguely. “I basically ran… changed my info and fled.” “And, yeah, that’s what brought me to Berlin,” she laughed humorlessly.

“You had to get away from someone?” Tom questioned cautiously. “Was it an ex?” he wondered out loud.

“No.” Y/n shook her head. “Not exactly… He-he wanted to be, I guess..,” she replied. “But we were just friends”. Her hands shook slightly as she recalled how it went down.

“I see, I’m sorry, love,” Tom said gently. “Did he hurt you?” He questioned, his worried eyes scanning y/n.

“No,” y/n answered quickly. Upon seeing Tom’s visible disbelief, she sighed. “Not physically at least,” she explained.

Tom nodded slowly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It sounds crazy,” y/n admitted.

Tom frowned and took ahold of y/n’s shaking hands. “He stalked you,” he guessed.

“How did-“ y/n panicked.

“I’ve had experience with stalkers before, they make you feel constantly on edge,” Tom sympathized. “That’s the only explanation for why you would think it would sound crazy,” he acknowledged. “Plus, love, it explains why you were so distant before”.

Y/n’s gaze dropped from Tom’s face guiltily. “Yeah… sorry about that,” she mumbled.

Tom lovingly squeezed y/n’s hand as he held her closer. “Don’t be.” “Just know, I won’t let him hurt you anymore,” he whispered into her hair.

“Tom,” y/n sighed.

“I do not mean to minimize what you went though,” Tom promised. “I simply do not want you to have to live in fear. I’ll help keep you safe as best as I can.” “I can get you some security if you need for when filming is over and you go back,” he offered calmly, smiling faintly as y/n relaxed some and leaned into him more.

Y/n smiled shyly but appreciatively.

Tom and y/n sat quietly for a little, Tom letting her steady her breathing. However, he noticed how she seemed to be bendy looking around the room. This helped him realize that while her breathing had slowed, she was clearly still somewhat distraught. “Thank you for telling me,” he said, holding her hands tightly. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I-,” y/n looked up at Tom. She shook her head. “I d-do-don’t think so,” she stuttered. She curled the side of her lip up out of self pity. “I mean, I got a restraining order, ch-changed my name, flew to Berlin,” she trailed off, “but…”

“But?” Tom pressed.

“I still panic over every weird occurrence,” y/n blurted.

Tom squinted. He tried to trace back the areas y/n had been nervously looking at earlier for clues. “What do you mean?”

“It sounds paranoid without context… Maybe even with context… but,” y/n rambled bashfully.

Tom squeezed y/n’s hands supportively. “If you want to provide me with the context, I’m open to hearing it. Either way, I doubt it’ll sound paranoid knowing what you said you went through,” he sympathized.

Y/n nodded in agreement. “It’s kinda a long story,” she warned.

“I’ve got all the time in the world to listen to you, love,” Tom said.

Y/n bit back a small smile. It wasn’t hard when her focus shifted from Tom’s kind words to what she was about to disclose. “I… had this friend, Michael,” she murmured. “H-he and I would go to the movies, or hangout together a lot. He never asked me out; which is good, ‘cause I never saw him that way”. She frowned as she continued her story. “Yet, it was because of that that I didn’t know he saw me that way. Not until he started getting a bit possessive when I spent more time with other people.” She looked up nervously, only to be greeted by Tom’s compassionate gaze. “I didn’t realize how bad it was until I was staying with my cousin and his wife one weekend and posted about it… Michael got mad and … and asked who it was, why I didn’t tell him, and all of that kind of stuff.”

Y/n tucked her legs under her as she hesitantly let herself lean into Tom’s comforting embrace. “We got into a fight over it,” she recalled as Tom rubbed her back, “I said I needed space to myself in order to see if we could still stay friends after the weirdness.” She groaned to herself as the memories flowed. “I thought he was respecting that… but instead, he just started hiding his possessive traits.”

“It took me what I think was maybe, a week, to notice that he was following me,” y/n confessed with a scowl. “When I called him out on it, he apologized and… and pl-pleaded to let him make it up to me.” She shivered faintly, recovering when Tom rubbed her bare arms lovingly. “I told him that I needed to think and he began calling me, all day, every day, every hour of the night, to try to get through to me. I told him to stop but he didn’t.” She gritted her teeth as she reprocessed the events. “I blocked him… and then he started showing up everywhere and these ‘gifts’ started arriving at my house.” Y/n shook her head against Tom’s chest out of frustration. “I got a restraining order as I’d ran out of options, but the police did nothing as they said it was coincidental and I couldn’t prove it was him,” she explained.

Y/n wrapped her arms around Tom’s waist as he continued to hold her. “The part where I ended up here because of it, happened to be that, one night, I got a call saying that I was offered a spot on the production crew for Uncharted that I’d applied for months before.” She smiled faintly as she spoke about her change in luck. “I had my friend verify the offer, so I knew it wasn’t a trap from him,” y/n detailed. “When she mentioned the only issue she saw was that it was in Berlin, I saw it as a chance. I immediately changed my last name so that it wouldn’t show on any passports or flight registries, ordered a new emergency-rushed passport, and flew out here,” she concluded. “So, yeah, that’s me,” y/n added in an attempt to soften the tension caused by the rest of her words.

“That’s not you,” Tom murmured. He pressed a light kiss to the top of y/n’s head.

“What?” Y/n whimpered in a hushed voice.

“That’s something you went through,” Tom acknowledged with a frown. “But, it’s not who you are, y/n,” he soothed. He tightened his grip on her as she melted into his side. “I’m really sorry you had to deal with that.” Tom took a deep breath and intentionally focused on making his voice as soft as possible. “But, I have to ask, when you said there was something you were going to say that would make you sound paranoid, what was it?”

“Oh,” y/n laughed to herself. “That,” she mumbled, “right”. “Well,” she sighed loudly, “it’s just..”. A few moments of silence passed after she had trailed off before y/n spoke again. “See that picture frame?” Y/n asked as she pointed across the room to the shelf by her TV.

Tom nodded. “Yes, the one with you, and who I’m assuming is a friend of yours?” he asked to confirm he had tracked y/n’s finger-pointing back to the correct frame.

“Yeah,” y/n agreed.

Tom nodded again.

“Well, I…” y/n sighed. She truly felt crazy. “I could’ve sworn it was at a slightly different angle yesterday,” she admitted.

“Hmm,” Tom nodded. He looked around her room as he asked, “anything else?”

“What?” Y/n questioned, having been caught off guard by Tom’s response.

“Have you noticed anything else out of place?” Tom clarified.

“You don’t think I’m crazy?” Y/n asked, her eyes slightly widened.

“Not in the least,” Tom argued. “Hopefully it’s nothing,” he reassured, “but the fear is valid, and it doesn’t hurt to consider the possibility”. He wrapped his arms more securely around y/n in hopes it would help her feel protected and safe now.

Y/n was beyond appreciative over having been respected about what she felt might be paranoia. “Ummm, well…,” she mumbled. After reminding herself that Tom seemed to trust her instincts, she felt comfortable continuing to explain the weird things that had been occurring. “I’ve also been getting weird calls… with no one on the other end.”

Tom’s brows furrowed as he gazed down at y/n. He pouted to himself. “How long ago was this?” he asked.

“I got one earlier today,” y/n informed Tom.

Tom nodded. He gently tilted y/n’s head up so he could look into her eyes. “If it happens again, can you let me answer?”

“You want to answer it?” Y/n questioned in bewilderment.

Tom simply nodded. “I was sincere when I said I want to help,” he promised.

“Okay,” y/n nodded. “Thank you”.

“No,” Tom whispered, stroking y/n’s cheek. “Thank you for being willing to let me know and trusting me to help”.

“Tom…” y/n trailed off. Her hesitant eyes were focused in on Tom’s patient ones.

“Yeah?” Tom replied.

Y/n bit her bottom lip. “I wanted to explain that’s also why I… asked for us to stay a secret,” she frowned. “I don’t want my face getting out there, you know..”

“Of course,” Tom gushed supportively. “And darling, you don’t have to explain things like that, it’s your choice, my love.” He smiled softly as he ran his thumb over y/n’s cheek. “Nonetheless, I completely understand.”

“STOP!” Y/n shouted, her body violently flying forward from her sleeping position. She felt the air from the fan tickling her sweaty forehead. Her eyes were widened and she felt dehydrated. She felt someone grab her hand, causing her distant startled gaze to snap towards where her hand was resting on the bed. She quickly traced the hand back until she saw Tom watching her worriedly.

Y/n let out a shaky choked sob. Her eyes shifted away from Tom’s face in embarrassment. She felt him cautiously wrap his arms around her and bring her to his chest. “I’m… I…I’m sorry, T-Tom,” she apologized.

Tom gently shushed y/n and rubbed her back as she buried her face into his torso. He frowned to himself, hating that the woman he loved was so traumatized. He whispered soothing words as he held her tightly. He made sure to let her know that she was safe and that it was okay that she reacted this way to her nightmare.

Tom had almost gotten y/n back to a completely calm state when her phone began to ring. He felt her stiffen in his arms, making his frown return. He quickly reached over to the nightstand and picked up her cellphone. Tom squinted at the screen angrily but upon feeling y/n shimmy against him to try to see, he tilted the screen for her so she could check it first.

When y/n froze upon seeing the unknown number on her phone yet again, Tom delicately pulled her back to him. “Is it the silent call?” He asked her. Upon her nodding slowly, Tom shifted his jaw and pressed answer as he moved the phone to his ear.

“Hello?” Tom answered. He heard nothing in the background. Not even things or people shuffling around. The other side of the call was completely silent. “Either respond now, or stop calling this number,” Tom commanded. He waited for a response, but still, none came. He glared at the phone as the line went dead.

Tom silenced y/n’s phone before placing it back where he’d gotten it from. He adjusted the blankets to completely cover y/n’s shaking frame. Once she was covered properly, he securely wrapped his arms around her as he began to try and soothe her again.

The night Tom had learned about y/n’s history and comforted her after her related nightmare, the couple hardly slept as she was on edge for awhile after the call. But, after that night these weird occurrences suddenly stopped. It was so sudden in fact, that y/n was a bit fearful that Tom might be connected to Michael somehow. However, she calmed herself down and realized that was crazy as Michael wouldn’t have stopped now because of that even if Tom did have a secret connection to him; there would’ve been no reason to. In fact, one would expect if that were the case for Michael to feel more comfortable and increase his stalking behaviors. So, y/n figured she was just being paranoid from the very start as it had now been over two weeks without anything weird happening.

Y/n yawned lightly as she unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside. Her tiredness quickly turned to glee upon seeing the decorations Tom must’ve set up. They had agreed to staying in for date night tonight. Y/n had given him her spare key since she knew she’d be having to work at least an extra hour longer than he did on set today. She figured he could let himself in and get comfortable until she got there. She’d texted him about twenty minutes ago to let him know she was finally done on set. Given the romantic dinner that was currently set for two and rose petals covering the floor, he must’ve utilized that extra time to set this up. While she’d been expecting a more casual night in, she appreciated the sentiment.

Y/n walked further into her apartment, blissfully unaware to what was about to happen. Just as she’d approached the dining table, she felt a cold metallic pressure on the side of her head. Her body began to panic but she forced her mind to remain calm. Y/n turned at a glacial speed towards where the cold metal sensation was. Michael. She swallowed thickly as her dramatically widened eyes took in the way her stalker was suddenly standing directly beside her, a handgun barrel pressed against her head. Before she could find the words to say, or any words that is, Michael gripped her shoulder and motioned for her to sit.

Y/n’s hands nervously sat in her lap as she gazed across the decorated dining table. Michael was already staring back at her. While his appearance still filled her with terror, it was slightly better than it had been with the gun pressed against her.

“Eat, beautiful girl,” Michael said, waving the gun loosely around as he used it to point to y/n’s plate. “Come on, it’s our date night,” he encouraged when she didn’t move, “wouldn’t want the food to get cold”.

Y/n eyed the overbooked steak on the plate in front of her. Had Michael poisoned it? Would he do that? He liked her right? So surely he wouldn’t want her dead.. right? Had he somehow figured out about her relationship with Tom? If so, was that enough to make him try to poison her in retaliation? It’s not like she was even hungry. Not anymore. Any appetite she had when she walked in the door left the second she saw him. But she didn’t want to piss Michael off by not eating it either. Perhaps she could play it off.

Y/n poked her fork at the steak. “I.. uhh… I was actually going to try being vegetarian,” she lied.

“Since when?” Michael asked, seemingly deeply interested in the topic.

“I’ve thought about it for awhile,” y/n said slowly as she inventoried her surroundings. “A co-worker… o-on set showed me.. a… a video today though,” she rambled, biting her lip as she realized her only possible escape would be the front door.

“A vegan propaganda video,” Michael commented judgingly with a look of irritation on his face.

Y/n nodded nervously, her fear returning as her eyes made their way back to the gun in Michael’s hand.

“No worries, babe,” Michael said casually, “it’s sweet you care that much”. “We can still enjoy our night together,” he grinned.

Y/n nodded anxiously yet again, not wanting to offend Michael. “What are you doing here?” She asked. As appalling as this was, at least he was having positive feelings for her not anger against her at the moment. She hoped to keep it that way while also finding a way through this. If she somehow survived the night with him, maybe she could sneakily tell Tom tomorrow on set? Tom. How was she going to warn him to stay away? Did she want him to? Or did she selfishly want him to come over and help her? Could he help her? Was it selfish of her to want him to?

"I’ll have you know,” Michael groaned as he set his gun on the table beside his plate. He paused as he took a moment to enjoy a bite of his overcooked steak. “It wasn’t easy, you were really hard to track down, you know that," he complained.

Y/n’s brows furrowed. Not hard enough, evidently. “Oh,” she whispered. “How did you?” Y/n dared ask even though her voice shook as she worried if Michael would take offense to the question.

Michael actually appeared happy when the question left y/n’s mouth. He smirked as he pulled out his phone. The smirk shifted to a grimace as he glared at something pulled up on the screen. A few seconds later, Michael turned the screen towards y/n to show her.

On Michael’s phone was a picture of y/n and Tom. Given the weird angle and the setting, y/n knew it had clearly been taken by either a fan or paparazzi. Fortunately, as to not further anger Michael, the photo was innocent enough. In the unauthorized photo, y/n was sitting very closely to Tom and he had his arm over her; but that was it. The unfortunate part was that it was taken without their knowledge and leaked online for anyone to see; including her stalker Michael.

“Your new guy friend seems to have a large social presence,” Michael commented with blatant disgust.

Y/n ignored Michael’s attempt to act as if he hadn’t heard of Tom Holland before seeing the photo of her and him together. She nodded slowly, “that’s how.. How you knew I was in Berlin…”. Y/n placed her arms on the table, intentionally laying them over the utensils. She ignored the way the ends of the silverware dug into her skin as she asked Michael how he got inside her apartment.

“That was a bit trickier,” Michael confessed, but was still smug about it. “Especially given the name change,” he tsked. “Which, is too bad. I liked your real last name babe,” he complimented, reaching out and taking hold of y/n’s hands across the table.

Y/n froze and her body tensed. She couldn’t pull away without upsetting Michael. But it made her physically nauseated to be touching him. Or rather, to have him touching her.

Michael took y/n’s sudden tension as an implication that she felt bad about changing her last name. “It’s okay honey,” he nearly purred, squeezing her hands for good measure. “Both are nice. Any name is nice on you.” Michael let go of her hands as he resumed eating his meal. “Anyways, dear, to answer your question,” he mumbled with food in his mouth. “Once I went through the list of names for the cast and crew, I realized the name change, but thought it was just a mistake.” He shrugged casually as he continued, “nonetheless, I then name dropped your new last name when I got to set and asked for an extra key”. He smirked to himself, his eyes flickering up to meet y/n’s . “I’m sure you’re wondering how I was able to get one,” he said excitedly. “I pretended to be one of your co-workers who was running behind on their tasks and needed to get some papers you had left at home by accident and said I didn’t have time to get the key from you directly,” he bragged.

Y/n slowly dragged her arms back to her. She was careful to do it gradually as to not accidentally drop the streak knife on the floor in the process. As good of a plan as it was, she still felt very stupid in that moment. She should’ve told the others on set about Michael. She’d wanted to get away and leave it all behind her. But by not telling anyone, she let him worm his way back into her life so easily. She should’ve told the crew so they’d not be so naïve. But it was too late for that now. “Wow,” she murmured, hoping it came across as being impressed and not terrified. “S-so,.. wh-when did you get here?” Y/n questioned as her wrists hit the edge of the table. The serrated knife dropped to her lap; the sound muffled by her question.

“Nearly a month ago,” Michael answered breezily.

“What?” Y/n gasped, practically choking on air. A month?! Those weird occurrences had been Michael after all! She wasn’t paranoid. He’d been in her new apartment.

“I didn’t want to rush things,” Michael defended, his tone suddenly tighter. “We both know how that went last time.” He sighed. “But, I was the one who cleaned up the files in your kitchen, dusted your picture frames, and made your bed that day you forgot,” he grinned. “I also checked in on days I wanted to give you space but also wanted to check on you,” Michael added.

“That was you,” y/n murmured to herself as she thought back through all the crazy things that had happened.

“Of course that was me babe,” Michael scoffed. “Babe, I had to be sure you were taken care of”. He gritted his teeth as he glanced down at the gun beside him. “I’ll be honest, I’m not too fond of this… Tom, guy though, that you’ve brought into our lives,” he complained.

Y/n faltered. At this point, she didn’t know how to proceed. She didn’t know what Michael knew or perceived. “I- I-…” she stuttered nervously.

"I mean, really, babe?” Michael groaned as he shook his head. “Why be with Tom Holland?” “What does he have that I don't?” He asked with his arms crossed over his chest.

“He isn’t a stalkerish psycho,” y/n blurted. "So it’s more of what he doesn’t do that you do,” she said, her hand quickly covering her mouth. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Well, there went trying to keep Michael ‘on her side’.

Michael instantly gripped the gun with one hand and the edge of the table with the other. His face demonstrated his sudden but deep agitation. “You’re a hard one to please, dear,” he nearly hissed. “But, no worries, in time I’ll learn your intricacies.” Michael let go of the gun as he rose to pour y/n some wine.

Y/n watched in anger and fear as Michael got closer. She was beyond fed up of trying to run and hide from him. She was tired of him altogether. She just wanted her life back. “Wh-What do you want from me, Michael?”

Michael squinted at y/n in confusion. “To be with me,” he said simply.

Y/n swallowed as she scooted her chair back slightly. “I’ve told you-“ she reminded gently.

“I know,” Michael nodded. “You see me as a friend,” he acknowledged briefly. “But, friends often become more than friends. You just need to give me a chance”.

“I did,” y/n argued angrily. She’d given him a chance to still be her friend after the first incident. But things hadn’t gotten any better.

Michael squeezed the wine bottle tightly until it broke. He sighed as y/n gasped and leapt from her seat in a panic. But, he nonetheless calmly cleaned up the mess as if it wasn’t some angry outburst. “I meant a real chance, dear,” he corrected though his teeth. “We’ll have time for that soon enough though”.

Y/n utilized Michael looking at the broken shards of glass from the wine bottle to slip the serrated steak knife into her back pocket. “What do you mean?” She asked, partially out of fear and partially to keep him talking. She’d try to wait this out, but if things went wrong, at least she now had a defensive option/weapon.

“I know you enjoy working on set here,” Michael said with what was likely an attempt at a sympathetic frown. “But, our relationship needs to come first, not work”.

“Relationship?” Y/n questioned, stepping back further from the table; and from Michael.

Michael groaned loudly as he picked the gun back up. But, he kept it low and at his side. “I don’t appreciate the fake dumb act, dear,” he scolded. “You’re far too smart for that babe,” he said with a glare, as if in warning. But, Michael quickly snapped back to an overly welcoming expression. “Now, as I was saying,” he redirected happily, “you’ll be coming with me when I leave Berlin tomorrow”. He stepped to the side of the table to approach y/n. “I’ve got your room already set up,” Michael smiled.

Y/n took another step back as she kept her eyes on Michael. “M-my… room?” She questioned. “Leave?”. Y/n rapidly shook her head. “Michael, I’m sorry, but, I think you’re confused,” She tried to empathize.

“I’m not confused!” Michael shouted. His right hand smacked loudly against the table beside him. The dishes rang out in the otherwise quiet room as they tried to steady themselves. “Sorry, dear,” Michael murmured upon seeing y/n’s fear. “Now, as I was saying,” he sighed.

Y/n jumped as a sudden knock hit her door. Someone was here. Tom. It was likely Tom. She still hadn’t settled on whether or not she wanted him to be here for this. Nor if it was okay for her to want such a thing. But that didn’t matter, because Michael had already stomped over to the front door.

Y/n watched silently as Michael peered through the door hole. She noticed the way he gripped the handle of his gun tighter as he glared through the tiny circular window. She froze with wide eyes as he spun towards her suddenly.

“Why is he here?” Michael spat as he stormed towards y/n, waving his gun frantically.

“W-well…,” y/n mumbled quietly. “W-We had a date n-night pl-“ she tried to defend cautiously.

Michael pointed the gun at y/n’s forehead as he glared at her. “No, WE had a date night planned,” he hissed, moving his pointer finger to the trigger. “Get rid of him,” he commanded. Michael grabbed y/n’s bicep and tugged her towards the door.

Y/n nodded frantically. “Tom, I’m coming!” she dared to call out. At least this way Tom would know she was home. That way he wouldn’t just leave and she might even be able to secretly alert him to get her help. She yelped as Michael’s free hand suddenly clapped over her mouth.

Michael dug the barrel into the side of y/n’s head. He lowered the hand from her lips and nodded towards the front door. “Casually!” He whispered harshly. “Don’t act so fearful,” he said, his voice softening drastically, “it’s just me”. When y/n refused to move, he nudged her forward. “Now, go”.

“Don’t act fearful says when there’s a gun to your head,” y/n mumbled to herself as she moved away from Michael. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. She schooled her expression into what she hoped would meet Michael’s demands.

Tom looked up from the flowers and wine in his hand as he heard the creaking of y/n’s door. His heart dropped upon making eye contact with her. She was clearly not herself. “Love, what’s the matter?” He asked worriedly.

Y/n resisted a small smile at how attentive Tom was. She shook her head and gave him a sad frown. “I.. uhh…,” she mumbled, pausing when she felt the cold metallic of Michael’s gun move back to the side of her head. “I’m not f-feeling well,” she stated, avoiding eye contact with Tom.

“I can see that, darling,” Tom frowned. He discarded the wine and flowers on the ground beside y/n’s door. “What happened? Did you get another ca-” he began to ask.

Y/n cut Tom off before he could finish his question. She knew he was going to ask if Michael had called her again, and that was the last thing she needed right now. “I-.. I’m sick,” she lied weakly.

Tom squinted. “Does your head hurt?” He interrogated as he scanned y/n’s face.

“What?” Y/n croaked.

Tom pouted, his brows furrowed. “You’ve been crying,” he stated.

Y/n lifted a shaky hand to her face. She hadn’t realized she’d cried at some point between arriving home to Michael’s intrusion and now. But, as her fingers trailed over her cheeks, she realized Tom was right. “O-oh, just-just feeling crummy, is all,” she tried.

Tom didn’t want to pry if y/n needed a night alone. But something told him he shouldn’t leave. If she was truly that sick, he should stay to take care of her. “Why don’t I help?” He offered, taking her hands in his. “I have a strong immune system and can order us some soup-”.

Y/n rapidly shook her head, making Tom release her hands and take a respectful step back to give her space. God, she was already in love with him, wasn’t she?. “I.. it’s not that kind of sick,” she explained. After she noticed the confusion in Tom’s face, she added, “and I just want to sleep”. She felt guilty for the way Tom’s face dropped even more. “Raincheck?”

Tom was still internally questioning the circumstances. But, he wanted to respect y/n’s boundaries so he nodded slowly. “Of course, darling,” he agreed. Tom knew he had to push aside the worry that came with seeing y/n’s wild eyes and clammy skin; she’d all but asked him to leave multiple times now, he needed to do as she asked. “I.. I’ll see you on set tomorrow then, yeah?” He questioned still feeling something was off.

Y/n nodded reluctantly, not wanting to make a promise she wasn’t sure she would be around to keep.

Tom slowly stepped closer, watching for any signs that y/n didn’t want him to give her a goodnight kiss. When she didn’t show any rejection, he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Goodnight darling,” Tom whispered, “feel better”.

“Th-thank you,” y/n replied with a small sad smile. Would that be their last kiss? She had to do something. “Goodnight, T-Thomas,” she croaked, making eye contact with him one last time before stepping back to close her door.

Michael dragged y/n away from her front door by her elbow. “What was that kiss?” He growled. Michael glared at y/n as she looked down and tried to stifle her crying. He sighed and pulled y/n into his arms. “I can’t stay mad at you,” he confessed, nuzzling his nose against the top of her head. Michael didn’t seem to notice the way y/n shook in his arms, crying more forcefully now. “Shhh,” he said, it coming off as a demand. When her cries softened in volume, he grinned and squeezed her against him, “that’s my girl”.

Y/n could no longer miss the fact that she was crying. At this point, her tears were actively streaming down both of her puffy cheeks. “Please!” she pleaded, trying to wedge her hands up between her and Michael’s chest to push him back.

Before Michael could react to y/n’s pleas, the front door swung open.

Tom had quietly waited outside after y/n shut the door; unable to ignore the worry he was feeling. His concerns had only amplified when y/n called him Thomas instead of Tom. She never did that. Something was wrong. He was just glad that he hadn’t heard the sound of y/n locking her door after closing it; suggesting it was still unlocked. As such, he readied himself and threw the door open.

Michael spun towards the door, allowing y/n to wiggle free from his grip. He glared at Tom as the man ran towards him with rage in his eyes. As Tom dove into his torso, Michael’s gun slipped from his hold. Meaning the two ended up in a brief hand-to-hand tussle.

After a successful knee strike against Michael, Tom rushed towards y/n. He prayed his grabbing her wouldn’t scare her, but he had to act quickly. Tom gently, but securely, grabbed her hand and tugged her behind him. He positioned himself between her and Michael. “I know it’s hard,” Tom whispered breathily. “But, I need you to trust me,” he explained as he shifted them so they continued to face Michael as the man stalked closer. “Everything is going to be alright,” Tom promised as he reached back and squeezed y/n’s hand. “Do as I, darling, I’ll get you out of here”.

“What do you think you’re doing, mate?” Tom asked Michael as he tried to plan a way to get y/n to safety. “Just leave her be”.

Michael glared at the couple as he stormed closer. “She’s mine,” he growled.

“She’s not property, mate,” Tom corrected with an eye roll. He held his palm out flatly behind his back to signal for y/n to stop; to stay where she was. Tom took several steps forward, towards Michael and away from y/n.

Michael closed the remaining distance between him and Tom, glaring the whole time. “Don’t talk about her,” he growled. Now that he was within striking distance, he raised his fist.

“Hide! Now!” Tom advised as he blocked Michael’s fist with his palm. As he watched y/n run out of the room and into the hallway, he counterattacked, trying to swipe Michael off his feet. It worked, but on the way down, the stalker tried to pull Tom with him. Thank God for the fight training he had to do for Spider-Man and Uncharted!

Tom and Michael wrestled for several minutes. Tom knew the creep was muttering something, but he didn’t bother to try to decipher it. All that mattered was trying to subdue him so y/n could get away. However, Tom’s plans halted when it appeared that Michael had somehow found the gun he’d dropped earlier, and now he had Tom at gunpoint.

Michael grinned wickedly at Tom as he stood up and signaled for Tom to remain kneeling. He used his free hand to wipe the blood from his busted lip. “Y/n, dear!” He called out as he moved behind Tom to hook his arm around his torso. When she didn’t come out of hiding, he groaned loudly and placed his finger on the trigger. “If you don’t come out babe, I’m going to shoot this idiot,” he threatened.

“Don-” Tom groaned as he wriggled in Michael’s hold. “Don’t!” He shouted, hoping y/n wouldn’t listen to the stalker’s demands.

“Shut the hell up!” Michael snapped, tightening his hold on Tom. He pulled Tom closer, making Tom’s back more flush against his torso and dug the barrel of his gun into Tom’s temple. “Y/n, if you care about your friend, you’ll-” he warned.

Y/n’s appearance in the living room cut Michael’s threat off. She stared with wide eyes as she stood before Tom and Michael. This was her mess; she got Tom into this. She needed to get him out of it. “I-I’ll go,” she said with a visible gag. “I’ll-”.

“No!” Tom shouted as he fought against Michael. He even brought his elbow backwards into the man’s torso. But, this only resulted in Michael digging the barrel further into his temple.

“Stop!” Y/n begged. She didn’t care that she’d given up any leverage she may have had. Tom needed to get out of here. No one else needed to suffer. “Just,” y/n cried, “just stop hurting him, hurting anyone, and…” She swallowed thickly, “and then… I’ll go”.

“Y/n!” Tom hissed as he stared at her with wide pleading eyes. “Don’t do this!”

“Willingly,” Michael added. When y/n didn’t seem to understand his statement, he stared at her expectantly.

Y/n nodded shakily. “Y-yes,” she whispered. “Wi-will….,” she paused. After she took a deep breath, y/n cleared her throat. “Willingly,” she lied, the words barely choked out before her tears started to fall. It was a lie, it wasn’t willingly. Nothing about this was willingly done. But she would willingly choose to protect Tom. Besides, she knew there was no way Michael was going to just let Tom live. She knew he saw him as a threat. He was just currently using him as leverage. So, y/n figured she might as well try to flip the situation on Michael.

Tom shook as he scratched at Michael’s arm that was wrapped across his front. “Y/n,” he pleaded, “no, don’t do this! Please!”

Y/n shot Tom a sympathetic look. She wanted to try to silently communicate that she wasn’t going as willingly as she stated, but she couldn’t risk Michael noticing. “I’m sorry,” she sighed.

Michael hummed cockily. “That’s my girl,” he declared with a grin. “I knew you’d choose me”. He slowly released Tom, keeping the gun on him while Tom snapped up and into a fighting stance. He kept an eye on Tom as he walked nearer to y/n, the gun pointed squarely at Tom the whole time. Yet, he noticed the way Tom nevertheless moved closer as if still willing to fight.

Michael waved y/n over to him smugly. When she was by his side, he lifted his free hand up to stroke her cheek, causing Tom to lung forward slightly. “Ah ah,” he scolded, “she said she was doing this willingly”. “I won’t have you violating her boundaries and wishes,” Michael stated ironically.

Y/n’s eyes nearly popped out of her head when she heard Michael say to Tom “now you have to just watch as she kisses her actual crush”. She froze in disgust and panic. But, she quickly recovered as the expectant look on Michael’s face helped her realize she had to play along. She took a deep breath and summoned up any acting ability she may somehow secretly have.

Y/n begrudgingly neared Michael. She closed her eyes as she moved her lips until they were millimeters away from his. She set one hand on his shoulder; for both stabilization and distraction. The other hand she kept at her side, fingers slipping into her pockets.

Just as Michael seemed to become fed up with waiting and began to move his head closer, y/n swiped the serrated steak knife from dinner out of her pocket and slammed it into his arm that was holding the gun. She instinctively took a step back as blood spurted from the wound. However, she knew she didn’t have long; Michael was going to be livid.

Y/n pulled the knife out of Michael’s arm, trying not to dry heave at the sight and sensation of his muscles and tendons tearing against it as she did. She noticed the gun had lowered from being aimed at Tom and was not just hanging at his side. But, before she could grab it and hold him at by gunpoint until the police got there, she watched Michael try to lift the injured arm to point the gun at her as his other arm gripped her hip.

Y/n quickly plunged her weapon into Michael’s thigh and pulled downwards. She once again removed the knife from his leg as she stepped back. She noticed he’d dropped the gun in an attempt to grab at the sudden wound to his thigh. So, this time y/n tossed the bloody knife across the room so Michael couldn’t use it against her. Simultaneously, she scooped up the gun and moved backwards as she pointed it at him.

Y/n had never held a gun before, much less shot one. Prop guns on a movie set? Sure! But a real one, not until now. The weight of it and what it symbolized felt heavier than even the blood-soaked knife she’d stabbed Michael with. As such, she was too distracted by the chaos to notice Tom’s warning shout as Michael grabbed at her leg from the ground. Within seconds, her body slammed to the floor. She groaned loudly but otherwise kept her advantage, the gun only moving off of Michael for a split second.

Y/n kicked and scooted across the ground, her leg hurting too much for her to dare risking an attempt to stand up. She kept the barrel pointed at Michael as she slid further from him. She noticed Tom placing himself between her and Michael as they glared at each other across the floor.

Tom watched Michael closely as he tried to back up slowly until he could reach y/n. Only, he abruptly stopped and went to change directions and head towards her stalker as the man suddenly rose and began charging. Tom and Michael exchanged blows once again. His hand slipped in the blood on Michael’s arm as he tried to grab him, allowing Michael to escape his hold for a moment. But that was all it took for the man to charge towards y/n. Before Tom could even attempt to get ahold of him once again, a gunshot rang out.

Y/n had seen the look in Michael’s eyes as he fought with Tom. She was trying to figure out how to get him to stop. Did she shook him? Just threaten to do so? And if that didn’t work, then actually shoot him? She didn’t have a chance to figure it out when suddenly he was racing her way yet again. With slightly trembling fingers, y/n aimed the gun at Michael’s legs and pulled the trigger. She screamed as the shot rang out and Michael dropped to the ground.

Tom immediately sprinted over to y/n. He threw himself into the floor beside her. He cautiously set his hand over her shaking ones that were still holding the gun. Once she let go of it, he took it from her and moved it to his right hand. With his left hand, he pulled y/n to his side and tried to rub her back.

“I-,” y/n gasped. “I had to do it,” she defended quietly, her eyes still on Michael’s crumpled form.

“I know,” Tom reassured y/n. He held her body tighter to him as he felt her tears soak his shirt. The gun was still in his other hand, but pointed at Michael in case the man was stupid enough to try again. Tom wasn’t going to take any chances. Michael wasn’t coming anywhere near y/n ever again.

Y/n turned her gaze away from her stalker and buried her face in Tom’s side when he tapped her cheek to try to distract her. “I… I didn’t w-wa-want to shoot him,” she cried. Despite Tom’s supportive hold on her, she shook violently against him.

“I know, it’s okay,” Tom promised, resting his chin atop y/n’s head.

“No,” y/n gasped as she choked on a sob. “I-…. it’s not okay,” she argued. “I just shot someone!”

Tom frowned. “‘ey, ‘ey,” he whispered, his left hand gently lifting y/n’s damp chin up so she would look at him. “‘ey,” he repeated when she finally met his gaze. “He was charging at you.” “You did the right thing,” Tom informed her.

Y/n sniffled and hiccuped as she tried to compose herself. “You’re… You’re not afraid of me?” She asked, her voice cracking.

Tom shook his head. “No, love, ‘course not,” he promised quickly. “I’m proud of you for doing what you had to,” he admitted solemnly.

Once y/n was in less of a panicked state, Tom quickly scanned her body for any injuries. “How’s your leg?” He asked, glancing between her and Michael rapidly as to not take his eye off the threat for too long.

Y/n stretched the leg in question out before her. “Just sore, I think,” she answered as she felt out the extent of the injury from her fall.

Tom sighed in relief, quickly pulling y/n back to his side.

“Are you okay?” Y/n croaked out after a few moments of hesitant silence. She was afraid to ask the question. She hadn’t noticed any excessive injuries, but it had all happened so fast she couldn’t be sure.

Tom heard the deep worry in y/n’s tone and hummed. “I’m fine,” he promised, tenderly squeezing her hip for effect. “Much better now that you’re here, and he’s over there,” Tom pointed out as he nodded his head towards Michael.

Y/n whimpered in tired agreement. She nuzzled into Tom’s embrace, appreciating the protection and love she felt. “Th-thank-,” she began.

“Don’t you dare thank me,” Tom spoke softly. “It’s not needed,” he promised. He crooked his neck and placed a light kiss to y/n’s head. “We’re safe now”.

Tom lifted the blanket up to keep y/n tucked in. She was resting curled up against him, his arms wrapped securely around her shrunken frame. They were seated on the couch at his apartment, under several oversized fuzzy blankets as y/n had been freezing; seemingly from her lingering anxiety after tonight’s events. By now they’d already talked to the police and completed any forms they’d been asked to do. They ventured to Tom’s apartment as y/n understandably didn’t want to be in her apartment any longer; plus, it was a crime scene still. But despite the change in environment and how tiring the situation had been, neither one could find sleep. So, they simply held each other as they snuggled on the couch.

Y/n hesitantly broke the silence. The fact that they didn’t feel the need to talk about it right away was a relief. But, there was one question that was bugging her. “Tom?” She asked quietly.

Tom pressed his back against the couch cushions so he could see y/n better. “Yes, darling?” He replied, a small but sympathetic smile on his face as he sensed her reluctance to speak.

“How… I’m glad you did,” y/n said vaguely. “But…,” she nervously bit her bottom lip. “How did… how did you know something was wrong?” She wondered.

“You called me Thomas,” Tom answered easily.

“Wh-what?” Y/n questioned.

Tom smiled and cupped y/n’s cheek with his right hand, the other staying protectively placed on her hip. “Darling, you never call me Thomas, only Tom,” he pointed out.

Y/n bit her bottom lip. It worked. “I… I didn’t know how else to signal it,” she admitted. “But… I… well, I wasn’t sure it would work, that you’d notice the slight difference”.

Tom squeezed y/n’s cheek lovingly. “I notice everything when it comes to you,” he said. “Especially if it has to do with your safety or wellbeing,” he added with a faint smile.

Y/n smiled back softly. “I’m glad,” she confessed. “On the bright side,” she murmured, turning to rest the back of her head against Tom’s chest. “At least now I know how to alert you if someone’s wrong, or if he-“.

“He’s never going to hurt you again,” Tom vowed. He tightened his grip on y/n protectively. “I will do whatever it takes to ensure you never have to worry about him again, trust me”.

“I do,” y/n commented warmly as she squeezed Tom’s hands that were locked around her waist. “I trust you, Tom,” she promised.

——————

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[that-ari-blogger]

Unconventional (Happy Day In Hell)

When I set out to write this series, I was initially prepared to analyse Hazbin Hotel episode by episode, in the same way as my coverage of The Owl House and She-Ra, but I don’t think that does the musical justice at all.

The story is compressed to a boiling point, and each episode has so much happening in it that the posts would invariably be split in two anyway under the weight of stuff to talk about.

So instead, I will be discussing the songs themselves, and how they push the story forward. This series is dense, and I will try to cover all of the plotlines I can, but I am limiting the analysis to those songs, for the most part, there are a few individual scenes that need dwelling upon.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at Happy Day in Hell and how it positions the story as a satire of and the antithesis for everything Disney.

Let me explain.

CONTENT WARNING: This is the start of a series on Hazbin Hotel. There will be discussion of almost everything that happens in that musical, so I highly recommend you check out the content warnings that apply to the show. For now, put simply, there will be foul language, as well as discussion of sex, violence, and abuse. Please heed the warnings.

SPOILERS AHEAD: (Hazbin Hotel, Moana, Wicked, Beauty and the Beast)

Happy Day In Hell is the “I want” song of the series. Think of How Far I’ll Go, from Moana, but let’s take apart the differences there.

Moana wants to explore the world and make her home better by going out and seeking new horizons. Her story is a solo one, about personal betterment and connection to her past through her self. Charlie wants to make her home better by staying here and better people’s lives in a more tangible way.

As such, How Far I’ll Go positions Moana as a misfit in a perfect place.

“I know everybody on this island seems so happy on this island Everything is by design I know everybody on this island has a role on this island So maybe I can roll with mine”

Moana’s otherness comes from her internal struggle. She wants to indulge in her curiosity. Everyone thinks she is one of them, but she can’t square the role with her own desires.

Meanwhile, Charlie is convinced that everyone shares her mindset. She loves her home and thinks that she can make it better to live in with everyone else’s help. The problem is, she’s not positioned as right in this song. Everyone thinks she is crazy, and she is literally singing about hell.

“There's a warm, fuzzy feelin' that wafts through the air Every street so revealing, it's hard not to stare It's a realm so appealing, it beats anywhere If you don't mind the smell It's a happy day in hell”

So, Charlie’s home is an acquired taste, but she is attached to it, and she sings about how it makes her feel. Contrast what she is saying with her experience.

Charlie walks through what could well be an active warzone. The smell she mentions is that of a corpse. But Charlie is oblivious, right?

Well, not entirely. Charlie is aware of everything going on and reacts with horror to horrifying things and with discomfort to less horrifying things.

Which brings me to my thesis for the musical.

Hazbin Hotel is about redemption, sure, but its also about disentangling naivety from hope. The Charlie who sings this song is singing about a place that doesn’t exist. Hell isn’t what she thinks it is. Her hope is naïve, at this point.

Except, that isn't entirely correct, it's kinda true, but there's more going on here. Hold this thought.

"I can hear all their stories, the lost and displaced and I know that they're more of an aquired taste If I open the door and I give them a place at my Hazbin Hotel"

Charlie does see Hell for what it is, but she focuses in on the idea that everyone has a reason for doing what they're doing, and that anyone can be better. She's an optimist.

The point of the series is Charlie coming to terms with what Hell actually is and redeeming sinners doesn’t mean making them more like Heaven, instead it means making Hell better for what it is. She becomes wiser over the course of the story, but that hope never fades.

The song actually presents a reason for this blind spot, heaven’s genocide.

The song implies that the reason Charlie’s motivation is “make Hell more like Heaven” is the fear of retribution. The song sets up the stakes really well for what happens should Charlie fail. The series may be a comedy, but it treats topics like genocide with the seriousness that they need.

Which leads me to my point about this song. The song is entirely setup. The series’ main flaw is its limited runtime, which messes with the pacing something savage and is categorically not the writers’ fault. I blame the Amazon execs who quantified art into a monetary scale, and whichever bastard decided on the eight-episode season that is also wreaking havoc with Doctor Who at the moment. But the effect is there.

Every medium has its benefits. But I challenge you to pull this shot off in live action.

So, Happy Day In Hell does a lot to negate this by setting up the themes and plot points that the series will specialise in. Notably, the clash of Charlie’s dream of bettering people’s lives against the threat of invasion, as well as the pseudo-biblical imagery.

This is reflected in the music itself. Most obviously, the song changes tempo several times to foreshadow the rollercoaster pacing, but in a more subtle way, the melody holds up the idea of hope.

I want to prefix this by saying that musical notation is not really my specialty. Part of why this blog exists is as a way for me to teach myself these, so bear with me on this. If you know better than me, please correct me in the replies.

As Charlie opens the song, her part emphasises key words to ground itself at the start of each bar. Those being “do”, “know”, the first syllable of “Heaven”, and “plans”. The notes on these remain stable on a repeated C as she reassures herself with what she knows, before her high reaching dreams are represented by the A on “Heaven”, and she roots herself back down with the B for “plans” and she prepares to keep dreaming. It’s a stable loop that allows for optimism as it rises and will repeat itself until something changes.

Speaking of which, the second phrase is the same exact progression, with the exception that it resolves to G instead as Charlie starts to gain momentum. This is also represented by the note length, with the final note being much slower and pensive than the rest of the phrase, until Charlie is finally in the moment and off on her journey.

And we have our first tempo change, rising in pace to match Charlie’s ambition and accompany the crowd singing along, and this is the most Disney part of the song.

The chorus, in reference to those who aren’t the main characters, exists in songs like this to tell the audience what the general consensus is. For example, in Wicked, the chorus reacts with joy to the death of the Wicked Witch, and so the audience can generally assume that the rest of Oz is pretty happy as well.

Disney loves having chorus members sing along to set the scene for their stories, be it Beauty and the Beast’s villagers singing about Belle in a song named after her, or Where You Are from Moana.

The difference here, is the denizens of Hell are talking about how awful their lives are, and how they are accustomed to violence and death. It’s a subversion.

You may notice that the scene setting song and the "I want" song are usually distinct numbers, but Hazbin Hotel doesn’t have time for that. Like I said, this musical is dense.

Before I finish up, I want to mention one word that changes Charlie’s entire character for me. “Fuck”. More specifically:

“Today is gonna be a fuckin’ happy day in hell”.

I am not usually one for cursing in writing. I usually deem it as wasted space that could have been better achieved through cinematography or acting or just any other word. This is honestly rather hypocritical of me, considering my own vernacular.

But, I don’t see that problem here. Here, the word accentuates Charlie’s perseverance and the intensity of her dream. The song’s name stops going from a hope and becomes a threat. Charlie doesn’t think that Hell will get better, she is going to make it better.

This one-word changes Charlie from naïve to relentless, and it reframes what hope is about. Because fundamentally, Charlie is hopeful. She has no reason to believe her dream will work, that’s why she needs hope, and that’s what she needs to inspire in others.

Philosophy is often attributed to great works, but the quote that best exemplifies Charlie comes from the least likely of places, X (the website formerly known as Twitter), and a user called Crowsfault:

"People speak of hope as if it is this delicate, ephemeral thing made of whispers and spider’s webs. It’s not. Hope has dirt on her face, blood on her knuckles, the grit of the cobblestones in her hair, and just spat out a tooth as she rises for another go."

Final Thoughts

To those for whom this is my first post, helo. I'm Ari, I do analysis about things I like and things I don't from a storytelling standpoint. These are my opinions, and I am not to be taken as an authority on anything.

I love Hazbin Hotel so much, despite its many flaws. This series isn’t for everyone, but it is something I enjoyed, and something I want to talk about.

And there is something to that. Every piece of media has an audience, and Hazbin Hotel feels like it was written directly for tumblr. It critiques the internet as a whole, and its propensity to see things as black and white. Lets be clear, the first redeemed sinner was Sir Pentious, a character who began his story as a villain. But the show is also catered to an audience that will take it apart, and to me at least, Tumblr is the place where people do that.

Even the design and art style are Tumblr coded.

This is why I find LavenderTowne’s redesigns so interesting. They are an exploration of what might happen if the show was written for a slightly different audience with different expectations and standards, and I will be talking about the second of those videos in a post coming soon.

Next week, however, I will be covering Hell Is Forever and the introduction of Heaven. So stick around if that interests you.

Next

[pyrpaw]

this is just a angsty fix inspired by "price of perfection" (by Kathrine Lynn rose)

cause I'm so sick of second best

(contents: GN reader, badly done angst, (name) overworking themselves and just being mentally ill and not a good person, ig the end kinda implies a possible crush on (name)? it's sorta supposed to)

"tell me what's the price of perfection"

A faint light from the hallways peeking into the room, where a stressed teenager can be seen on the verge of passing out while writing an essay. Eye bags right under their bottom lashes and unkempt hair pulled to stay out of their face, faint tear stains on their cheeks and paper that'd been sloppily dried before the ink would run.

"tell me why I crave your affection"

Ignoring all the other teenagers in the room, friend or not, (name) immediately goes to turn in their homework and hopes for some sort of acknowledgement when given their graded paper. Pushing themselves in P.E till the aching in their muscles is unbearable. Doing hours of research for a history project that barely affects their grade. Doing anything and everything just to be noticed for their hard work and dedication.

"when excellence is expected, praise Is a luxury"

A group of freshmen being rejected by their friend for hangouts stroll through the hall, talking with each other and rough-housing. While said friend that laid them off is stuck in their room regretting every second they don't go out, but still refuse to get distracted from academics. Strained hands, back pain, headaches, the list goes on, but (name) still refuses to take a break or even think they deserve one.

"American dream"

A lonesome teenager begins realizing that no matter how well they might do in this school, none of it matters, they don't belong here. It doesn't matter how well their grades are, it doesn't matter if people like them, it doesn't matter if they have fun, they might be stuck here forever.

"why do my achievements define me?"

Various teachers asking to see (name) after class, all asking the same thing. "why have your grades been dropping?". Realizing that they've pushed away everyone that tried to be nice to them and only has adults caring about them, the teenager just shrugs and claims they don't know. Why does it matter if their grades are falling? no one will care past these classes.

"why does life feel so damn confining"

It's too late to reach out, that's what they'd been repeatedly telling themselves whenever they wanted to reach out to one of their "friends". As despair falls upon them all they can muster the thought of is the fact that they're still the self sabotaging kid that already ruined their life.

"when success is respected there's no room for mediocrity"

In the end, here they are, still ignoring anyone who tried to reach out and just talking to the little cat who rooms with them. Maybe soon people will realize they're still the same person that ghosted them... but teenage boys are stubborn