#it’s the best and i should write platonic kissing fic of some kind to Observe The Occasion or something

[altschmerzes]

a year ago to the day i kissed my wife for the first time. turns out you can do whatever you want forever and it Rules.

[hard-core-super-star]

Heyhey, may I request something like a reader who is Clint's daughter, sucks at archery and thinks she's a disappointment to Clint. Seeing this situation and not really knowing what to do, Kate decides to help reader with some archery lessons. The lessons really help reader, but at the same time they are a distraction and the BIGGEST test of self-control not to kiss Kate while she talks about archery and invades personal space to show how it’s done.

Like– who would be 100% focused with Kate so close?? 😭😭😭

can you see right through me? [K.Bishop]

pairing: kate bishop x barton!reader

summary: you're notoriously bad at archery and somehow even worse at keeping yourself together around a certain kind-eyed archer.

warnings: none, just fluff with a side of romantic tension; kate being a flirt without realizing; very platonic touching [...not]; me pretending like i completely understand how archery works

wordcount: 1.7k

a/n: for every one fic i write where kate is confident and cocky, i have to write another one where she's dorky and awkward and confident and cocky. that's just the law of the universe. this request was a lot of fun to write so thank you. hope you enjoy <3 [also, it would take a ridiculous amount of self-control to stay focused around kate's goofy little smile]

* * * * * * *

You wouldn’t say you’re the world’s worst archer but you’re definitely close to the top of the list. It’s something that shouldn’t bother you, and maybe it wouldn't if you were anybody else. Unfortunately, you’re Hawkeye’s oldest daughter and you also happen to be the absolute worst at archery.

Even your youngest brother has better aim than you and he’s not even strong enough to pick up a bow.

Your dad swears your lack of skill doesn’t bother him but it certainly bothers you. Especially when it results in him taking on Kate Bishop as his protege instead of you. 

The worst part is, Kate’s incredibly sweet so you can’t even hate her for being everything you’re not. Her love for archery is genuine, and so is her admiration for Clint.

And, okay, fine, maybe she also happens to be attractive and caring and far too charming for her own good.

You hate to admit it but you have the biggest crush on the brunette archer and it’s only gotten worse since she kindly offered to teach you how to properly shoot a bow. Your dad complained, not because he didn’t want you to learn, but because he was offended that you seriously thought Kate would be a better teacher than him. (You didn’t have the heart to tell him the real reason you accepted the brunette’s offer)

So, against your better judgment, you’ve been hanging out with Kate every day, letting her talk your ear off about the ‘proper techniques’ involved and what the best bows for beginners are. She’s clearly more excited about all of this than you are but getting to see her so often isn’t something you’re going to complain about.

“y/n, you’re not even listening.” Kate’s teasing tone brings you back to the matter at hand. Well, more like the bow in your hand.

“Sorry,” you mutter, hoping she can’t notice the nervousness in your stance. 

She does, unfortunately for you, because she’s far too observant despite her scattered attention span. What she doesn’t realize, though, is that she's the reason for said nervousness. 

“You’re shaking too much,” she comments. “Let me help you.”

You open your mouth to tell her you don’t need her help but all your words die in your throat the second she steps closer to you. 

She’s trying to be helpful, you know that, and yet she achieves the complete opposite. Her front presses up against your back as her hands land on top of yours to stabilize your movements. “Relax. You’re trying to guide the arrow, not control it.”

You attempt to listen to her advice but relaxing is the last thing on your mind right now. Every muscle in your body is acutely aware of the brunette’s presence which causes your heart to beat faster than should ever be possible. The position you’re in doesn’t help and soon, you really do start shaking from the tension of drawing the arrow back.

She counts down for you, something that should not be as attractive as it is, and you finally let go of the bowstring and shoot the arrow into the target. A target that you miss by several feet.

You can’t even be disappointed in yourself because you’re too busy trying to regain your breath the second Kate finally steps away from you. 

��Hey, at least you’re not hitting the wall anymore!” She says in what’s now become her signature ‘cheering you up’ voice.

It makes her sound ridiculous but it also makes you smile so you don’t have the heart to make fun of her for it. “I appreciate it but it’s going to take years for my aim to get better than this.”

“Oh, come on.” Her exasperated words are accompanied by an eyeroll and a step toward you that makes your breath catch in your throat. “You've already improved so much. Give me one more week and I promise you’ll be hitting that bullseye.”

You take advantage of her proximity to hand the stupid bow back to her. “You're doing that thing again.”

“What thing?” She asks, her eyebrows furrowing as she tilts her head slightly.

“The thing where you get too confident right before totally falling on your ass.”

She does her best to look annoyed but the pink hue that tints her cheeks gives her away far too quickly. “Keep talking like that and I’m canceling the lessons.”

“Wow, what a shame.”

You manage to successfully break her this time and she bursts out laughing, the sound setting free hundreds of butterflies inside your stomach. There are a lot of things to love about Kate and her laugh might be at the top of the list. (Right below her smile and her incredibly comforting hugs…not that you’ve ever noticed or anything.)

“Alright, I’ll make you a deal,” she says while getting into position to do some shooting of her own. “If I hit the bullseye three times in a row, we’re staying for fifteen more minutes.” 

“And if you miss?” You ask, knowing damn well the chances of her missing are close to zero.

“If I miss…I’ll take you out to dinner instead.”

You’ve never wanted her to prove you wrong more badly than at this moment. You don’t say that out loud, though, you don’t even say anything. You just shake your head at her and do your best not to give away how much you adore her silly antics.

The thought that she’s genuinely flirting with you crosses your mind but you instantly push it away, too afraid of getting hurt to entertain the idea for too long. You’ll take what you can get and if all Kate gives you are stupid flirty jokes then that’s all you need. Hoping for more can’t end well when it comes to the brunette.

Your eyes are glued to her frame while she nocks and draws her first arrow, her muscles straining through the fabric of her purple shirt. You know she knows you’re closely watching every move she makes and the self-assured smile that graces her face has you thinking much different thoughts.

Thoughts that are shot right out of your mind as Kate hits the bullseye not three times in a row but five because she’s an annoying overachiever when she wants to be. You’d be pissed if you were unaware of the way her eyes light up with genuine excitement at her success.

“We get it, you’re the world’s greatest archer.” Your dad would disown you if he ever heard you speak those words but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him…or at least that’s what you hope.

“Don’t sound so jealous, baby.”

Your legs shake the tiniest bit as you approach her again, taking the bow back into your hands with a huff. “Whatever. Shouldn’t you go fetch your arrows or something?”   

“You sure you can handle shooting on your own?” It comes across as another one of her usual teasing comments but her eyes give away her sincerity. She truly does want to help you do well even if it means you won’t need her help anymore.

“You sound like my dad. I’ll be fine, Kate.”

The comparison distracts just enough to stop her from putting up a fight. She walks away toward the target full of her arrows and you walk a few feet away to find a new target to inevitably miss.

You go through the motions Kate patiently taught you, taking in slow breaths and forcing yourself to focus. You’re not fully focused on yourself though. Rather, you visualize the kind-hearted archer and repeat what you’ve seen her do a thousand times at this point.

Time seems to slow down as your eyes hone in on the bullseye and you let the arrow fly. It soars through the air and misses the bullseye by a few inches. But you finally managed to hit the target instead of the wall behind it or the floor in front of it.

You actually did it.

And there’s only one person to thank for that.

“Kate!” You throw the bow down onto the ground in your excitement, your eyes searching for the brunette only to find her already looking at you with the most gorgeous smile on her face.

“You did it!”

She opens her arms for you and you waste no time in running toward her, crashing into her body with a laugh. Her arms slide down your waist and before you know it, she’s picking you up and spinning you around in a giddy haze.

You wrap your legs around her waist without a second thought before looking down at her. “Thank you,” you whisper, your voice slightly breathless from your moment of celebration.

She instantly shakes her head, strands of her soft yet messy hair waving around in the process. “That was all you, y/n. I knew you could do it.”

You’re ready to argue back and insist you’d be lost without her but you make the mistake of letting your eyes wander for a second too long.

Maybe it’s the excitement or the adrenaline still pumping through your veins or maybe it’s Kate herself. You don’t know what it is that makes you work up the courage to finally kiss her, you just know it’s the only thing you want right now.

So, you do it.

You lean in and press your lips to hers in a way that borders on desperate. If she notices, she has no complaints about it because she kisses you back just as passionately. And nothing has ever felt as right as this.

You reluctantly pull away from her and attempt to catch your breath. Something that completely fails due to the way Kate is looking at you. She’s got that soft look in her eyes that can only mean one thing. “So…I’m guessing you like me?”

Yup, there it is. 

“You’re a dork.”

“Hmm…maybe.” She sneaks in another kiss that you happily accept. “But this dork would love to take you on a date. If you want.”

“I do want that…but only if you’re paying.” You joke before she sets you back down on the ground.

“Golddigger.”

“Shut up.”

[akaashisupremacy]

Brimming with Hope

Summary: Having broken off your engagement for an arranged marriage with Gojo, your relationship is in shreds. As you two give your relationship a second chance, what does hope look like to two disillusioned lovers?  

Gojo Satoru  x reader

Multi-fandom Masterlist || HQ Masterlist || Ao3 version

Genre: fluff, angst, exes to friends to lovers (wc: 1.5k)

“I don’t think they’ve fully made up their mind about me.” Gojo Satoru confesses to Nanami Kento.

In between assignments and his students, Gojo finds Nanami at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech’s grounds. They’re strolling along one of the many wooden hallways when Gojo opens up about you, his ex-fiancee and his current lover.

“What makes you say that?” Nanami rarely involved himself in other people’s romantic entanglements. Too much work really.

Gojo shrugs and sighs, “It’s like their affection is platonic. They care about me as a person, but I’m not sure if they have romantic feelings for me.”

The latest development of his relationship with you has been nothing short of daunting. Your relationship, albeit not exclusive was running past the six month mark. The longer he stayed around you the more pressure he felt. Commitment is not his thing. Dating his ex is also not his thing. But you certainly are.

“Can you blame them?” Nanami snorts, “How does it feel to be at the other end of the uncertainty?”

Gojo scowls in silence, hands pressed deep into his pocket.

“Well if they’re going out with you and stuff, then that’s not platonic.” Nanami offers. “Just make sure you’re not just fucking around again. Some people deserve better, Gojo. Leave them alone if you can’t get your shit together.”

Gojo stops walking. Nanami’s words are harsh and cold, voicing Gojo’s ultimate fear about himself.

Gojo opens his mouth and closes it shut. Nanami raises a brow. He senses some hesitation.

“Everything we do feels more intimate. I’ve been with other people, but this feels so…so….deep.” he murmurs.

Nanami turns around and snorts, “It’s the feelings. You’ve caught feelings.”

“This relationship feels so temporary...just when I feel like I’ve settled in, I’m to be up on my toes knowing this isn’t going to last. I realized they eventually want a family, but not with me. Because that’s just not me. It feels like there’s a time bomb waiting to go off.” Gojo continues, his tone silent and mournful.

More than anyone, Gojo knows you deep desire to be married and have a quiet family life. It's something he doesn't want and it pains him to know that you'll eventually go your separate ways.

Nanami breathes out, waiting for Gojo to catch up with a few long strides, “You can’t have everything.”

“I don’t need everything. Just the things that count.” Gojo replies, walking by Nanami’s side.

“Then you have to look for a happy middle, for you and for them.” Nanami shrugs.

Gojo scratches his head. What can he do?

————————————————————————————— You walk out of the morgue to leave Ieri to her work. As you step out, you come face to face with Nanami, who looks surprised that you’re here.

“Didn’t expect you to be around Ieri’s lair.” he comments.

“I didn’t expect to have a casualty either.” you shrug, waving around a file.

You hardly ever see Nanami after graduating. The school grounds were big. Your schedules never line up. Neither of you were particularly close.

He silently looks around if Ieri is behind you.

“So you and Gojo…” he trails.

You roll your eyes and cross your arms, “Not you too! You know what, instead of asking me, you should ask Gojo and his commitment issues, for updates.”

Your voice rings louder on the empty walls than you intended.

“I did.” he replies.

“And?”

“Commitment issues with a capital “C” indeed.” Nanami states, as if the fact was self-evident. What’s new? You sniff.

“It’s unusual to see him so conflicted about you. You used to be his rock.” he adds.

Your eyes narrow, as if asking for more information. You were never really sure how Gojo felt about you when you two were younger. He seemed attracted during your brief arranged engagement, but his attention obviously flitted elsewhere after that.

Nanami relents, “When we were freshmen, you reminded him of home. He pretends not to be homesick all the time. He’s not very good at hiding it when he talks about you.”

“Well, that feeling didn’t last, did it?” you murmur just loud enough for Nanami to hear.

The outside of the morgue has always been a little dark. You wished the lights were dimmer because you know Nanami is observing you.

“Not to defend him, but he was so wrapped in you and your engagement that he needed to find who he was outside of that. He likes attention, too. Can’t deny that. But his affections were sincere for a time.” he says, “I don’t know where his feelings stand right now. This isn’t to give you false hope, but he can be in love, even though it’s against his greater instincts and experience.”

He bows briefly to excuse himself. He needs to head in.

“But you already know that deep down. Out of all of us, you know him the longest, and I would argue, the best.” he adds.

You're left outside stunned by his words. Out of all his surviving friends, you assumed it was Nanami who knew him better than everyone else. It was you. You knew him best, even when Gojo wasn't by your side.

You smile a bit. There are some bonds broken romances can't break.

———————————————————— On a train home from your assignment, you find the bullet train crowded as usual. Rush hour is the bane of your existence in Tokyo.

As you try to find an empty seat, you’re surprised to find Gojo opening some sort of regional snack (again).

“How is it that you have so much time for souvenir shopping?” you groan in comment.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” he offers the seat next to his.

You plop down beside him, distracted. You think back to what Nanami said earlier. What was it that Nanami said? That you were Gojo’s rock? What did that mean really?

He tries to offer you some food. You wave him off dismissively. After gathering your thoughts, you decisively turn to him.

“I just want to know,” you swallow, “How did you feel about me when we were kids.”

With his mouth ajar, he blinks. Where was this coming from?

“Why?” he instinctively asks.

You purse your lips, “I’ve been meaning to ask for the longest while. I want to know your answer.”

He leans back into his seat and puts his food down in concentration.

“I thought I knew what love was and it came in the form of you. It’s kind of dumb. What would a teenager know about that kind of stuff?” he shrugs, “I liked the idea that you liked me. You were someone who supported me. You were there for me. You were generous with your time and affection.

“Looking back it’s just infatuation, isn’t it?" he asks rhetorically.

“You sounded naive.” you say, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He chuckles, “Who wouldn’t be at that age?”

“And sincere.” you followed up with a smile.

Gojo turns away from you. He sees glimpses of your early teenage years when he sees that smile. It was the smile you wore when he visited you at your clan’s home and helped out with your chores. You liked it when he would carry the firewood you gathered from the forest.

“...you made me feel so grown up, like I had my life together. Not everyone liked who they were engaged to, but I really liked you and you had believed in me so much.” he murmurs, “I felt so lucky to be able to marry you one day. I was literally brimming with hope. But that was 13 years ago.”

You both get off the train. The crowded station greets you both. Although you walk side by side, it is too easy for the crowd to sweep you away. You hold onto his sleeve. He doesn't notice.  

You try to say goodbye when you make it out, but he seems distracted. You begin to walk away.

“You’re not saying goodbye?” he asks, startled.

“I did, but you didn’t mind me.” you smirk with your arms crossed.

“Sorry. There’s a lot going on in my mind.” he nods, walking up beside you.

He leans in to plant a kiss on your cheek. You pull away.

“We’re in public,” you remind him. Gojo isn’t public with you on anything.

He kisses you anyway, pressing his lips on your cheek. You’re surprised but not unpleasantly so. His kiss is long and lingering. You embrace him with your arms around his waist. You briefly close your eyes to drown out the noise of the station.

Gojo can feel his heart racing a thousand kilometers per second. His shoulders relax. It's strangely freeing to be able to kiss you in public.

He knows he’s not into commitment, but whenever he sees you, he questions myself.

“I have to go now.” you bid softly.

I love you. He holds back. He waves carefully to not let his words escape his mouth. He’s not fifteen anymore. He should know better.

Gojo begins walking back to Jujutsu Tech. Being able to kiss you goodbye made him feel so grown up, like he has his life together more than he actually does. It makes him feel, once again, that he is brimming with hope.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wrote this as a follow up for another Gojo x reader fic who used to be engaged. Check out the other parts!

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8

Comment or message to be added to the taglist! Or write down some comments about your feelsssss

Series Taglist: @tokyo-love-hotel@samkysnks@herownescape@cherrianne192@shamelessdonutsludgebanana@kageyamakock@shirostrbl@luvang3l@cloudsinthecosmos@httpjungoo @saturnki  @itstheee-ha-chan@gucci-froggy @soy1melk @dora-the-grownup @cherryonigiri @fiona782

If you’d like to continue being part of my taglist (JJK or Haikyuu), please let me know! I also write oneshots for both fandoms and soon I’ll be doing BSD too!

[nikibogwater]

Bogwater’s Guide to Writing Platonic Relationships

Have a seat, dears, pour yourself a mug of cocoa, and let’s talk about writing for a bit. Specifically, writing emotionally intense, compelling relationships that are completely devoid of any romantic tension.

“Niki, those don’t exist! The only relationships that are truly intense and compelling are the romantic ones! Everybody knows that!”

*gently bonks you on the head with my magic scepter* NO. This is a common misconception that is perpetuated by media and especially fandom culture. And it stems from this bizarre idea that emotional intimacy must always equate with romantic intimacy. I have no idea where this idea got its start, but if you ask literally anybody who has experienced real, genuine friendship in their life, they will tell you it’s absolute nonsense. Just because you’re not doing the kissy-kiss with someone, that doesn’t mean you’re not emotionally intimate with them.

“But I don’t want any emotional intimacy without the kissy-kiss! It’s boring!” 

Yeah, so, there’s a reason platonic relationships in modern media often feel less interesting than romantic ones, and it’s precisely because of what I said above. Media producers and many fic authors are skittish about showing platonic love with the same level of depth and emotional intensity as romantic, so it often ends up being somewhat watered down and simplified, to the point that it becomes a less interesting relationship. The only thing this does is perpetuate the idea that any and all emotional intimacy immediately implies romantic attraction (it does not) while also devaluing the very real importance of genuine friendship/familial bonds. 

“Okay, but what if I just like romance better?”

That’s your personal preference, and that’s okay! Everybody has their favorite genres and tropes that resonate with them more than others. My personal favorite is Family, Found or otherwise (with a healthy dose of Hurt/Comfort on the side), but I can totally understand if romance speaks to you more. HOWEVER. This does not excuse writers and other content producers from low-key asserting that romantic relationships are objectively “better” than platonic ones. Hard fact of life: Nobody needs to experience romance, and even those who do experience it do so in different ways. But everybody does need to have emotional connections with other people through the bonds of friendship and family. Believe it or not, romantic love is not a universal experience. Platonic though? Everybody knows that one, and everybody needs it to be happy. To devalue it as a whole is to impose a toxic mindset that forces people to experience relationships in a very narrow and restrictive way.

Okay--*steps off my soap box and kicks it to the side*--now that we’ve established that friendship is important and should be given the same value that society gives to romance, let’s talk about a few ways to write intense and compelling platonic relationships!

Emotional Intimacy:

I’ve talked about this a lot already, but just in case some of you are confused, emotional intimacy is just when two people have a very deep familiarity and understanding of each other. They understand how the other’s mind works, and feel comfortable opening up to each other about their own stuff. Obviously, this is very important for any relationship, platonic or romantic, but writers will often limit such familiarity between characters to the romantic relationships. The first step to writing an interesting friendship is to not do that. Show that your platonic soulmates understand each other and are vulnerable with each other. Here are some easy ways to do that:

Character A knows all of Character B’s personal preferences--likes and dislikes, including small things like food, flowers, music, etc. 

A can finish B’s sentences for them. 

A is willing to talk about their feelings when B asks if they’re okay.

A and B trust each other and know the other always has their back

A and B will occasionally reference events in their shared history and even have inside jokes

A will seek B out for comfort when they are upset.

A and B almost never miscommunicate--they know what the other means when they say something, and will immediately notice if the other is acting strange.

A and B can communicate with each other silently, via subtle looks, eye movements, or gestures.

Selflessness:

To quote a grossly over-marketed Disney franchise, “Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours.” This is the simplest and also most accurate definition of love I’ve come across, and it is universal to all kinds of relationships. So in order to make your platonic relationship compelling, you need to show that the characters are willing to make sacrifices for each other--even big ones. Make sure this is a mutual exchange between both characters, because otherwise you risk making the relationship look a bit toxic. Here are a few of my favorite examples of selflessness between friends/family:

Character A willingly puts themselves in harm’s way in order to protect Character B.

A is always ready to drop what they’re doing and come to B’s assistance. 

A and B regularly do small favors for each other without being asked. 

A is always mindful of B’s needs and makes sure they’re taken care of.

A and B always do their best not to hurt each other, either physically or emotionally. 

A is openly very worried whenever B is in danger and stops at nothing to help them.

Affection:

This is the part where most writers balk when writing platonic relationships. “They can’t touch each other!!! That’s sexy and weird!!!” No, it’s not. This idea that any and all signs of affection are exclusive to romantic relationships is toxic, and we need to wipe it from existence. Obviously there are different levels of physical intimacy, and some absolutely are exclusive to romantic relationships. Here’s a list of No-Gos if you want to keep a relationship completely platonic:

Kissing on the lips/mouth/neck.

Gazing deeply and silently into each other’s eyes for long periods of time for no other reason than to simply Gaze.

Doing the Do or otherwise touching each other in an explicitly sexual way (I feel like this one should be pretty obvious. Also wth guys, that stuff is grooooosssssssss 🤢)

Honestly those are the only ones that I can think of that are always exclusively romantic. Everything else requires pre-established context in order to be taken as such. So here’s a list of affectionate gestures that are totally safe for established platonic relationships!

Little forehead/cheek kisses.

Hugs--yes, even prolonged ones. Sometimes friends/family just want to hold each other for a while, and not in a sexy way. 

Holding hands.

Leaning on each other.

Playing with each other’s hair or gently petting it in order to offer comfort.

Sleeping next to each other when circumstances require it (and neither of them makes any fuss over it)

Saying “I love you.” STOP MAKING THIS AN EXCLUSIVELY ROMANTIC THING, PLEASE, FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THAT IS PURE IN THIS WORLD!

Touching foreheads (my personal favorite of the lot!)

Maintaining prolonged eye-contact during moments of sincerity and communication, especially if Character A is trying to tell B something important.

Sweet little smiles, or other such soft looks of fondness

And many other gestures that I don’t have time to go over in this list.

Tip the First: When writing platonic affection, be sure to bear in mind your characters’ personalities and physical differences. For example, if Character A is significantly bigger and heavier than Character B, they probably wouldn’t be tackle-hugging B, because that would risk seriously injuring B. Different personalities also have different levels of comfort when it comes to physical affection. If you’re writing fanfic, it helps to revisit the source material and observe how the two characters interact with each other. And remember: just because two characters aren’t physically affectionate with each other, it does NOT mean they don’t have a deep and meaningful friendship. Also bear in mind that many people have different dynamics with different friends simply due to the way their personalities fit together. Not all of my friendships look the same, and it’s not because of insincerity on my part--I just have different interactions with different people.

Tip the Second: If you want the gestures of affection to really pack a punch, use them sparingly. Save your long, warm embraces for when the two characters finally reunite after a long separation. Have Character A take B’s hand only when they can sense that B is frightened and in need of reassurance. A “First Platonic Hug” scene can be just as sweet and feelsy as a “First Kiss” scene if you do it right! Also, don’t be afraid to talk at length about how a gesture of affection makes a character feel. Describe the warm fuzzies that bubble up in their chest when their friend/family member gives them a hug, wax poetic about how grateful they are to have said friend/family member in their life. Taking time to explore and dwell on a certain feeling should never be strictly reserved for the ones associated with romance. 

And when in doubt:

Observe the professionals. Here are some fantastic platonic relationships from various pieces of media that I take tons of inspiration from:

Frodo and Sam from Lord of the Rings (especially in the books)

Jim and Toby from Dreamworks’ Tales of Arcadia series

Din and Cara from Star Wars: The Mandalorian

Lilo and Nani from Disney’s Lilo and Stitch

So in conclusion:

Listen, I get it. Romance is exciting and cute and sexy and very important in its own right, and society likes to beat us over the head with it these days. But I cannot impress on you enough just how vital platonic relationships are to living a good and fulfilling life. I am who I am today because of the family and friends who have helped me grow. Please don’t disregard it, whether in your writing or in your own life. Cherish friendship. Acknowledge the depth of your platonic feelings for someone. And writers, please don’t be afraid to express those feelings in your work. If we let friendship and family die, I can assure you, any potential for healthy romantic relationships will quickly follow suit. 

[victorsandvanquishers]

I love your fics! For prompts, maybe 'Bodyguard' with Yuno and Asta? Platonic or romantic, either is fine!!

Hello, Anon! Thank you for requesting this prompt with Yuno and Asta, as I’ve been itching to explore their emotions related to the current events in the manga. Their relationship is platonic in this fic, and there is some slight Asta/Liebe in the background because I enjoy spreading propaganda. It is canon-compliant until the end. Please enjoy this sadfic with gusto! (͡ ͡° ͜ つ ͡͡°)

~~

Asta seeks him out the night before they're due to leave for the invasion. It's a knee-jerk reaction. One minute he's writing a letter to Father Orsi and the family back home while Liebe naps on their bed, and the next moment, he's pulling a blanket over his demon companion before making haste to Yuno's room down the hall. He forgets to knock.

He finds Yuno reading.

There are dark circles underneath his eyes, but they're not from the remnants of late nights and too much stress. These are different. They remind him of Nero's eyes, a mixture of exhaustion and dread, coupled with the usual stress, a sprinkle of agony, and a whole lot of self-loathing.

It's not like he's forgotten about Yuno's pain. He knows it all too well, and yet, he can't help but frown at the the wall between them, the one that's erected itself over the past few days. One one side is Yuno's thirst for vengeance, while the other has Asta striving for vindication. They're only a few months from becoming adults under the eyes of the law, and when that happens, he knows the wall will only stretch taller and wider. Soon they'll be on opposite sides and walking away from each other, because that's what happens when you grow up. It's what happens you grow apart.

But Asta persists.

He doesn't bother asking, just walks over, pulls the sitting man into a hug, and holds on.

Asta will always admit that there isn't much going on in his brain. It's not a self-deprecating thought, merely an observation that also happens to be one of the key factors behind why he does what he does. In the hierarchy of talents, there's mana, then there's scholarly intellect, and finally brute strength. Asta knows that if you have all three, you're as good as king.

Captain Fuegoleon has all three. Yuno has two, and Asta doesn't doubt he'll get his biceps eventually, but Asta only has one.

In a way, there's only ever been three ways to go – to stay home and become a farmer, to leave and become a domestic worker, or the third option, to reject every social norm instilled into his community, and work towards a different, even better future.

Asta chose the third option, and that's why he's holding Yuno now. Because there isn't much in his head, and there's no mana in his core, so his brute strength will have to do. His strength will have to ground Yuno, will have to steady and hold him in place before something bad happens. His strength will have to persist, because this wall can't win. It can't tear them apart like it's torn apart Nacht and his family apart, like it's tore Mr. Finral and his younger brother apart.

Asta won't let it – and he won't let Yuno lose himself in the process.

“You're suffocating me,” Yuno says, voice muffled by Asta's well-built chest.

“Hmph!” He enunciates, and tightens his hold. Yuno gets the hint this time, maneuvers his head so his cheek is flat against Asta's chest, and broods silently as Asta grips him even tighter.

They stay that way for almost five minutes, Yuno brooding against Asta's chest, eyes watching nothing and everything at the same time, while Asta focuses on holding Yuno, focuses on the bright lamp on Yuno's table, the book on magic theory turned to a chapter on manifesting spirits. It's only after Yuno's shoulders slacken and his breathing becomes even that Asta finally starts to loosen his hold. They stay that way for another five minutes, both their breaths even and steady, their spines languid, and their voices silent.

“The Father won't like it if you go in angry,” Asta says after a long while. “You won't be able to think clearly. You'll make mistakes, then get angrier, and make even more mistakes.”

“And since when have you ever listened to the Father?” Yuno whispers, scathingly soft.

Asta doesn't flinch. There's a lot of steel where there should be mana. “Yeah, but you've never disobeyed him.”

“And this isn't just cause?” Yuno challenges.

“It's just for you to wanna rescue your captain... but it's not just for you to go in with hatred in your heart.”

The brute strength Asta knows Yuno has hidden beneath the folds of his uniform finally makes an appearance when Yuno shoves Asta away.

Asta only stumbles back a few steps, but those few steps may as well be a mile. He's in awe, of course, and hurt. He's seen Yuno this angry before, but anger had been mixed with anguish and helplessness that night Asta got the shit kicked out of him by the drunken thief. This time, Yuno's anger bubbles with shame and disgust.

It's written all over his face. The dark circles, the hollow look in his eyes, the disheveled hair and crumpled uniform – it's unlike the Yuno he's grown up with, and yet, it's still him

“Get out,” Yuno tells him, deadly soft.

It's not a request; it's a demand. There's a lot Asta doesn't understand, and he accepts that he'll never understand those things, but this isn't one of them. Asta understands rage. He understands helplessness. He understands what shame can do when unchecked. He's had over a decade to build a backbone and grow thick enough skin to take abuse of any kind with a smile. Because Asta knows – hatred doesn't answer a single question. It fuels nothing but itself. It doesn't resolve conflict, and it doesn't leave a good taste in anyone's mouth.

Asta knows, because he's spent his entire life reminding himself that being angry is the most useless thing this world has to offer.

“I can't send Father Orsi my letter until I know you're OK,” Asta tells him, his face stretching into a big smile. “So I'll send it after we're back – after we've rescued our captains.”

“How can you pretend like it's all gonna be OK when your life is on the line?” Yuno seethes, his voice rising with every word, incredulity etched on his face like a badly drawn picture. “This doesn't end with Spade, Asta. It doesn't end even when we get back! There's still that bloody messenger sitting at our church with our Father and our Sister, and then there's that demon who's sleeping in your bed, and your arm! Have you looked in the fucking mirror, Asta? Do you think this ends just because you say so?”

Yuno's burning with rage, alive with the kind of insidiousness Asta remembers seeing in Mars, in Patolli, in Liebe.

“Yeah,” he tells his friend, his family. “Because I say so.”

Yuno closes his mouth and clenches his teeth, and just then, Belle appears in front of Asta and looks him dead in the eye.

“Leave,” she tells him.

“Just a minute,” Asta says politely, because this is Belle, Yuno's elemental companion, and he'll treat her with the respect she deserves, even if she hates him.

He shifts his head so that he's looking at Yuno again, who's still burning bright with his hatred. His grimoire floats next to him, ready to use, as if Asta's the enemy.

Asta can't but keep smiling, eyes brimming with warmth and love and all the little things that still matter. “I'll be there by your side every step of the way. I won't let you do anything stupid, Yuno; I promise you. I'll bring you home so that I won't even have to send a letter. We can just go straight home after we rescue them. We ca-”

“What you can do is respect that I outrank you, and leave before I make you leave.”

And Yuno means it, because Belle has flown to his side and merged with his body, a sickly shade of green pulsating with raw, unfiltered mana.

“I'll be right beside you,” Asta promises again, before turning around, and exiting the room.

*

Liebe counts his heartbeats while Asta counts the ceiling beams. It's late, and they should be sleeping, but they're not. Liebe counts his heart beats, while Asta counts the beams, Liebe's head against Asta's chest, Asta's eyes on the dark wood up above, Liebe's arm draped over Asta's torso, while Asta has one hand underneath his head while the other holds Liebe close.

Liebe doesn't say anything, but he listens intently, taps one sharp claw against Asta's shirt with every beat of his heart, while Asta stares up, counts the beams, thinks about Yuno.

“You can't stop him,” Liebe says finally. “He's gonna do what he's gonna do.”

“He's my best friend, and I'll be by his side the entire way. I'm not gonna let him fall.”

Liebe sighs. “It's not about falling; it's about accepting. People change, and sometimes, not in the direction we hope for.”

“But it's not about change,” Asta argues. “It's about our values, what the Father taught us. It's not... worth it. To get caught up in negative feelings – I can't accept it.”

Liebe stiffens but doesn't stop tapping his claw, doesn't stop counting Asta's heartbeats. Instead, he just laughs, dry and hollow. “I'll be there when you do,” he hums, snuggling closer to Asta's chest.

“I won't,” Asta sniffs with a pout before kissing the top of Liebe's head and finally drifting off to sleep.

*

When they arrive at the Spade monarchs' castle the following morning, it's Asta who turns back on his word, it's Asta who turns the wall into a prison, a prison that cages him and separates him from everyone else, including Yuno. It's Asta who forgets his values, because it's Asta who charges for Dante with his sword brandished, his mouth in a snarl, his hatred pulsating throughout his core as Yami Sukehiro's head rots on a wooden pike at the entrance of the castle.

It's Asta who has to see it to believe it.

Yuno's right, it doesn't end.

And it never will.

*

[littlefirefox]

Why I ship the shit I ship

So,I know that shipping in general is a fangirl’s main thing.Basically,it’stwo people or characters that have a chemistry, fanon or canon that makes you super happy and giggly. I know that shipping characters is usually fine,because they aren’t real people, though people do fight over differnet characters.Then, there is shipping real people in the real world. I understand why morals are questioned, but if it does not directly affect you, then don’t bother. I realize that it’s hard to avoid people who ship IRL people, but that does not give you permission to be an asshole. 

Fandom communities are wide, broad and very diverse. You have artists, writers, bloggers, people who do all three, people who spectate, newbies, veterans and crack shippers along with many variations. It’s designed that way so that everyone feels like they have a place in a community. Fandoms are a great way to meet new people, observe writings from young writers and look at incredible art from all kinds of sources. So, why should a ship ruin your time.

I have many ships,as I’ve been in many differnt fandoms. Some, I stayed in a little but left, due to a new interest. Others, I am still in because I am so involved in the fandom or that I can’t get enough of it. Some fandoms I was in or currently are in right now, are: Thomas Sanders, Jacksepticeye, Crankgameplays, Markiplier, Teamiplier, Hetalia, Free!, Attack on Titan, Harry Potter, Supernatural,Sherlock, Doctor Who and at one point, Twilight. As you can see, almost all of them contain real people, whether actors or not. I know for a fact! that YouTube especially, is kinda new in the whole Fandom thing, as it can be hard to create and maintain a captive audiance and keep that audiance to create a fandom around that. But,with it’s growing popularity, YouTube fandoms are growing bigger. And with bigger fandoms, come shipping fangirls. 

C’mon though, there are a lot of collabs and there are quite a few that make you smile, because there is a chemistry between the people. Little chemistries that blossom into amazinga nd pure friendships. These friendships lead to meeting IRL and collabing together in the same location. (I’m mainly talking about gaming channels here). Fangirls love a good chemistry, and they are pretty fricking good at finding a quality chemistry and blowing it out of the water. Soon, there’ll be fanart, fanfictions and posts about these encounters, ranging from fluff, to angst to smut and lemons. We all know it happens, so deal with it. 

Then, come the realists, who start bashing ships with facts. “They aren’t gay”, “They have girlfriends” and “Why are you writing abotu REAL people??” So what?! It’s make believe and for fun anyways! FanFICTION! Fiction is not real / parallel universes, where this stuff can become a reality. Trust me, we know it’s not real. That doesn’t mean we can’t dream and create universes to make it real. 

But, that is not what this is about. You all probably know this, since I’m writing this on Tumblr. This is about my ships (which I will list a majority of them) and then I will (try) to explain why I ship it the way I do without a lot of words.

My ships include the following:

YOUTUBE:

Phan (YT) This ship is one of the most famous, but I don’t ship it as most do. I view this glorious ships as the cutuest and purest brotp ever. I’m talking plaonic I love you’s, forehead kisses and hand holding. This ship for me is fluff! Because they’ve known each other for a long time, I don’t doubt they tried dating, but I can’t see it working out. I feel with their bond, it’d be awkward for them, so they break up, and just stay as incredibly close friends.

Jelix (YT) A semi-rare pair of YouTubers jacksepticeye and Pewdiepie. This is also just an incredible brotp for me. Any collabs they do are super fun and engaging and they almost seem like brothers. The playful fighting and insults remind me of a brotherly feel to their relationship. I know that Jack is dating Signe and she is an incredibly badass girl with killer style, and I ship Septishu so hard! They are absolutely adorable together!!

Septishu (YT / IRL ) Oh. My. God! I can’t even begin to explain this ship. It’s super cute and super canon! Wiishu is an INCREDIBLE person, with the gall to keep up with the loud tennis ball that is Jack / Sean. She has an amazing sense of style and her make-up is always gorgeous. How can ANYONE hate this incredibly adorable Danish badass?! Plus, she has her own YouTube! Any videos she does with Jack are incredibly cute and sweet. 

Tythan (YT) This one will garuntee get me in trouble... Tythan. Oh, the newest (kinda) ship of Ethan from Crankgameplays and Tyler from Teamiplier. Two guys who (maybe?) live(d) together and appear quite frequently on Markiplier’s channel. But, there is a chemistry between the adorable Baby Boy Blue and Stone-Face Tyler. With subtle glances, a couple hovering incidents and a bunch of adorable interactions, how can you not like these two boys. They botha re incredible and sweet people who just wanna spread kindness. How I ship this,I still don’t know. It’s  mixture of lovey-dovey romance with platonic friends who just get along great! I just like seeing my bois together!

Crankiplier- A weird pair, but I like the weird ones. Basically, it’s just Mark and Ethan as their current relationship is. They get along great and Mark has said that Ethan impresses him, with his perservearance of not giving up on his YouTube channel. Plus, thei have great laughs together and their collabs are hilarious! 

Cranksepticeye- Another odd-ball. I don’t know why I like this pair. It’s just, fitting? Both loud bois with colored hair with a dedication to making their fans happy. Plus, they have somewhat similar mannerisms, like constantly brushing hair out of their eyes, and their loud and hyperactive personalities, along with steadfast morals. To me, it’s a mirroring thing and besides, my bois are precious. 

Septiplier-No, THIS one will definitelly get me in trouble... Okay, this originally wasn’t going to be on here, but I ship this. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, let me explain this. I love the friendship of Mark and Jack. The banter and the playful jabs are so funny. They have girlfriends and I only ship them as friends. Much like Tythan. The dynamic chemistry between them, plus the banter, their Prop Hunt videos and general collab videos are hilarious. I did ship it romantically at one point, but not the smutty lemons and that. Eck. I like pure things with dynamic characters that have great chemistry. Septiplier is dead, but their friendship lives on in my heart, because to me, that’s all they ever would be. 

HETALIA: I should say this. All of these ships are based around Fanon only, as I’m not a fan of the show itself. I really love the fanon universe that’s been created.

RusAme- Shut up. I like a good, conflicting pair! A lot of good angst, and headcanons. These two are such a power couple.

FrUK- SIBLINGS!! I don’t ship this romantic. Their pasts are too deep and troubled for them to be romatically in love in my book. 

USUK- SIBLINGS!! See FrUK for the explanation. 

Spamano: A fiesty Italian matched with a lovey-dovey Spaniard who has a great ass? Sign me up! A pair tha’s dynamically opposed, hell yeah!

GerIta- It’s canon. You can notprove it too me othewise.

ScotEng- https://www.youtube.com/user/KamisWorld94 There ya go. These two (German??) cosplayers have created these characters so beautifully that I can’t help but NOT ship them.

AmeCan- Brotherly Love. Grown up together under heavy Native American influence until the British and French came, but still raised in similar ways and are the best bros ever!

DenAme- Two hyperactive, silly adults with the enerdy of 6 year olds? Yep! Two stubborn men with morals, a love for showing strength and then silly antics? Sign me up!

PrUK- Bros. I fully believe in the Head Canon that these two were twins. yeah. 

SpUK- Pirate. Days. 

Awesome Trio- Beer? check. Three men with childish energy levels? check. A home alone? check. Crazy, drunken antics? Sign me up!

SANDERS SIDES: Aka the zany personalities of the amazing Thomas Snaders

Polysanders- Because I love the idea of the aspects of Thomas loving themselevs and each other.

HARRY POTTER:

Drarry- Shut up. I can’t help it! I’m a slut for contradicting characters finally resolving all their hate for love instead, finding out that being gay is okay, and that they are happier. (I’m also a slut for 8th Year Drarry. Huh! be still my beating heart!)

Harmony- Come on! These two get along like brother and sister. Hermione always worrying about Harry, Harry making sure Hermione has some fun. He usually sticks with Ron on arguments, but he does side with hermione when Ron’s being and arse. They watch out for each other, and in thd Deathly Hallows, when Ron leaves and Harry tries to cheer her up? That was super pure and I love their relationship. 

Ginny X Luna- Cute lesbians both underestimated by others? YES!! Luna helps Ginny be a little more girly and Ginny helps Luna with her hexes. Ginny definitely is the protector, but Luna’s in Ravenclaw for a reason. She’s super witty, and exceptionally clever, with music. Plus, Luna and Ginny having sleepovers where they braid hair and just chatter are my achilles heel!

WolfStar- What? Come on! I love Maruaders so much! I would pay a lot of money, to have a Maruader’s universe series, written like Casting Moonshadows. That fic is a blessing on this Earth!! Plus, the YT group, Mishcief Managers have a to die for Marauder’s universe and even a killer Drarry storyline!

Notice: I am not tagging any of the people mentione din this for good reasons. Many of them have said that they do not want to be tagged in shippy stuff that’s about their friends. At least, that’s what I’m trying to prevent. I love them all, because they are all amazing people, so don’t be douchebags and tag them. (What I mean is by @ ) I will tag the various ship names, and fandoms.

[hailey-halstead]

Green Bean Casserole

let’s ignore the layout of Antonio’s apartment okay thanks😂😅 this is of course after the CF finale, and i will be writing a lot of fics related to this one. we don’t know if casey has died or not, but for these bunch of stories i have in mind, he does. it’s kind of the catapult that gets brettonio back together, and of course guilt and drama and many fic ideas would come with that!!! which means grieving gabby dawson:( of course i definitely want matt casey to live(and i one hundred percent think he does) but it makes out for good stories!!!! hope you enjoy!!! and i know justice is over but yeah whatever i started this immediately after the finale sooo it wasn’t canceled yet. i hope you all enjoy and i don’t own anything!!!! 💘💘💘💘

—————

Nagel tried to balance the green bean casserole in one hand and use the other to knock on Antonio’s apartment door. She felt slightly awkward about coming, but each time she thought about backing out, she thought of how she needs to support her partner. And although he wasn’t the one the casserole was mainly for, he was dealing with his sister’s life being completely flipped upside down.

The person who answered the door was neither of the Dawson siblings, or one of their parents. Instead it was a blonde haired woman, looking exhausted and frazzled. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Nagel’s food, however.

“Gabby loves green bean casserole.” The woman said with a smile, taking it from Nagel’s hands. Nagel wondered if that was it, she was handing over food and then leaving. She hadn’t exactly thought about what would happen after she gave the food away. But the woman opened the door wider, gesturing with her head for Nagel to come in. “Antonio would be glad to see you.” She said, surprising Nagel that she knew who she was. She had no clue who this woman was. “Oh, I’m sorry for not introducing myself, I guess I’ve been scatterbrained lately—”

“It’s fine, don’t apologize.” She must be a good friend of Gabby’s, and clearly was staying here to help. At least that’s what Nagel assumed by her wild hair and ratty sweatpants. She didn’t look like she was just visiting. “I understand.”

“Thanks.” The woman led her into the kitchen, seeming quite comfortable in Antonio’s apartment. She opened the fridge, which was stacked with food already. With some difficulty, the woman shoved the casserole into the fridge, somehow finding a place for it. “I’m Sylvie, though.” She stuck out a hand for Nagel to shake after she shut the refrigerator. “You’re Laura Nagel, right?”

“Right.” She responded slowly. Sylvie certainly knew a lot about her. “Nice to meet you.”

“Come on, Antonio is in the living room.” Sylvie left the room. Nagel quickly followed, not wanting to be left behind.

Antonio was on the couch, head in hands. Nagel was left speechless, she had never seen him so defeated before. Unlike herself who was unable to move, Sylvie approached Antonio. Her hand rested against his back, in an almost very intimate way. Nagel felt like she was intruding.

That’s when Antonio looked up, and his eyes first went to Nagel. “Hey,” He greeted, standing up and walking over towards her. “Thanks for stopping by.” He hugged her, an interaction not common between them. But it was right for the occasion, as Nagel wrapped her own arms around him.

“Of course.” She said, patting his back to show more comfort and support. When they separated, she informed him about the food she brought in the fridge.

“Gabby loves green bean casserole.” Antonio repeated the same thing Sylvie said earlier.

“Is she not here?” She had never met his sister, and while she never wanted to meet her under these circumstances, Nagel did want to extend her condolences.

At that question, Antonio and Sylvie looked at each other and grimaced. She probably shouldn’t have asked.

“She’s in Eva’s, I mean, her bedroom. Well, technically still Eva’s, but temporarily it’s Gabby’s.” Sylvie pointed to a closed room down the hall.

“How long has she been in there?”

“About an hour, I think?” Sylvie looked to Antonio for confirmation. He nodded. “She’s supposed to keep the door unlocked. We want to give her as much privacy as possible, but we have to take precautions.”

“Well, I can go, if you want—”

“No, no. It’s fine.” Antonio interrupted, shaking his head. “We both appreciate the company. It’s usually just us around here, and sometimes my mom, and it can get pretty boring at times.”

“Gee, thanks.” Sylvie sarcastically thanked him, bumping her hip against his. They exchanged smiles, longer than Nagel thought was necessary. It was clear there was something more than friendship between them.

“Do you live nearby?” Nagel couldn’t help but ask Sylvie. What? She was curious. Plus she was known for being blunt. So her asking an out there question wasn’t unusual. The relationship between Sylvie and Antonio seemed more than platonic, too.

“Um, like 20 minutes away. I’ve been, uh, crashing on the couch.” Sylvie was clearly not expecting the question, stuttering her way through her answer.

“Sleep on the couch my ass…” A voice slurred. All three of them turned to the sound, watching as a disheveled Gabby appeared out of the bedroom.

With a bottle of vodka. Well then. This first meeting with Gabby Dawson was going to be quite unfiltered. Her attention wasn’t on the new guest however, but on Antonio and Sylvie.

“Gabby—” Sylvie paid no attention to her friend’s snide comment, her eyes instead on the alcohol.

“Don’t Gabby me..” Gabby took an unbalanced step forward, thankfully placing the drink down on the counter she passed. Sylvie tried to help Gabby by grabbing onto her arm, but she was shrugged off.

That movement by Sylvie seemed to be the final trigger, as she then went off on a tangent. “I’m not stupid! I see you two…you sleeping together, hugging…kissing.” She pointed back and forth between the two, before directing her full attention on Sylvie. “You were always jealous of me. Saying you wanted your own Casey…..” Her voice wobbled slightly at the mention of her deceased husband, showing some sign of her real internal emotions. It was obvious she was taking her grief out on Sylvie.

Luckily Sylvie understood that, ignoring the hurtful words being thrown at her. “It’s not like that, Gabby.” She spoke softly, reaching out to grab Gabby’s hands.

Nagel couldn’t help but look at Antonio, wondering how he was taking all of this. He looked more emotionally affected than Sylvie. That was easy to see, with his clenched jaw and fidgeting hands. If Gabby kept up with her emotional outburst, her brother would surely intervene. What was holding him back with the hint of sadness in his eyes. He, like Sylvie, knew why she was reacting this way. But he wouldn’t be able to stand for it like his…..whatever Sylvie was to him. Thanks to Gabby’s drunken rant, Nagel now knows that they are really sleeping together.

“Why are you flinging your happiness in my face?” Gabby cried out, shooing Sylvie’s desperate hands away.

“I’m not—”

“You had to pick my brother, didn’t you? You couldn’t have been someone else’s whore—”

“Gabby!” Antonio’s voice was sharp, a warning. But intoxicated Gabby was unfazed.

“My husband is gone and you’re now trying to steal away Antonio from me. I’ve already lost so many people, Sylvie. Shay wouldn’t have done this to me.”

Nagel didn’t have a clue who Shay was, but Antonio and Sylvie both flinched at the mention.

At this point, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Sylvie left. But she stayed, looking even more determined than before. “Gabby….I’ll do anything for you.” She tried to talk sense into her friend, but as Nagel observed Gabby’s glazed eyes and swaying body, she wasn’t going to get any logic into her mind. Getting her back in bed was the best option.

“Bullshit….” Gabby slurred, before leaning over and throwing up all down Sylvie’s shirt.

Immediately the smell of vomit became prominent throughout the whole apartment. Everyone had barely any time to react before Gabby began to fall over. Sylvie, who was the closest, grabbed her first. But was clearly struggling to hold her up, as she was trying to avoid getting Gabby covered in the vomit.

Antonio took over. “Go get cleaned up.” He murmured to Sylvie, gesturing his chin to the direction of his bedroom. “We’ll handle this.”

We? Nagel thought of herself as a fearless woman, but she did not do vomit.

Antonio, who saw the disgust on her face, sighed. “I meant that you could help me get her situated. I don’t expect you to clean up my sister’s mess.”

Relieved, Nagel quickly stepped forward to help. She could handle helping Gabby get back into bed. But as they helped his sister into her room, Antonio leaned down to pick Gabby up entirely by himself when they were only feet away from the bed.

“Uh, okay.” Nagel watched carefully as Antonio lowered Gabby onto the mattress. It was important for her to make sure he didn’t somehow hurt himself—doing work without a partner would be a major pain in the ass. Plus, of course, she did care about the man. She would have to after spending hours upon hours with him five days a week. “Thought you wanted my help.” If didn’t need anything else, she should probably go. By this point she felt like she was intruding. Actually, when Gabby came stumbling out of her room was the moment she should have ran for it.

“We need to check her room for alcohol,” He said when he stepped back from the bed, looking around the room for bottles. “I thought Sylvie and I got all of it the other day,” He muttered, this time he was talking to himself so Nagel ignored him, looking into the closet.

She hit the jackpot. Right behind a layer of Antonio’s daughter’s clothes were bottles of alcohol in a plastic bag. They didn’t look like they were there for long. The receipt was inside the bag, which she decided to pull out. She was right with her suspicions, this was bought only yesterday.

“Dawson.” She called out softly to not wake his sister, but also still audible enough that he could hear. “Found it.”

The frown on his face grew deeper as he viewed the alcoholic beverages. He didn’t voice his feelings though, instead lowering down to pick the bag up.

“She’s not going to be happy to find that gone.” Nagel couldn’t help but comment. She took the bag when Antonio handed it to her though. Just because Gabby was going to be mad didn’t mean what Antonio was doing was wrong. Plus she was so hammered that Nagel was confident that she wouldn’t remember her being here. It would be Antonio and Sylvie that would have to deal with her. Nagel only wanted to be the person who dropped off food. Nothing more.

“Take it. Happy birthday.” Antonio said, shutting the cabinet door behind him.

A nice surprise, she had to admit. Antonio wasn’t the one to turn away alcohol normally, but this was certainly not a normal situation. She wasn’t going to complain about free alcohol, but couldn’t help but correct his statement. “My birthday is months away.”

“Early birthday present then,” Antonio shrugged, looking back at his sister before they left the room. She looked peaceful, even though she was anything but.

They were met with the sight of Sylvie, in a new shirt, one that looked familiar to Nagel. It was obvious that she had swiped the piece of clothing out of Antonio’s closet. She was down on her hands and knees, scrubbing the vomit out of the beige carpet.

“Sylvie, let me—” Antonio reached his hand out, eyeing the hand towel she was using. Scrunching up her nose, Nagel sidestepped out of the way. The mess seemed it was mostly cleaned up, making the help Antonio was offering to be useless, but the smell was still as strong as before. Another reason for her to make her exit.

She was right in her suspicion, as Sylvie got off of her knees, using her free hand to grab the cleaning supplies to her right. “I’m done already,” She said, taking a few steps backward before turning around to face the coffee table. “Don’t feel bad.”

For Antonio, that was probably an impossible task. But Nagel didn’t dare voice this aloud. After all, she wanted to get out of this mess as quickly as possible. She didn’t need to insert herself into a mindless conversation.

The scent of febreeze began to enter the room, taking over the vomit smell. After a few more sprays, Sylvie set down the bottle, turning back towards Antonio. She had a look in her eyes, one that was very familiar to Nagel. She had seen it multiple times from her ex husband before. It was the we need to talk look. Which was most likely about what had been said by intoxicated Gabby earlier.

This was the moment she had been waiting for. To make her leave.

“Well, I think I should….” She gestured to the door, taking a few steps backwards.

Luckily, Antonio didn’t argue. Since the incident, most of his energy had probably been drained from him anyways. When she saw him during work, he was the same Antonio. He put all his energy into work and Gabby, and when he didn’t have either, he faded. “I’ll see you on Monday.” He said, staying right besides Sylvie. “Thanks for the food.”

“Thanks for the alcohol.” She held up the bag. God knows she was going to need one of these tonight. She was surprised Antonio and Sylvie weren’t constantly drinking, this apartment was incredibly depressing.

But when Antonio took Sylvie’s hand into his, gripping it tightly, she realized they had another method of coping. Each other. Which she would originally assume that would be the reason they had started a relationship, but a blind man could see the love between them. It was almost nauseating, love was something she had shut herself off to after her divorce, but even she could acknowledge that they were sweet together.

Her internal musing was abruptly ended when arms wrapped around her, catching her off guard. The softness of the small body and flowery smell told her that it was Sylvie. Before she could even respond, the woman stepped back, ending the brief hug.

When she opened her mouth to speak, her voice was at a whisper. She didn’t want Antonio to hear. “Thank you for being there for him, at work.” She scooted closer, a good move on her part, as Antonio was a good listener. “It has been his escape these past for weeks and I know you have played a big part in that.” Sylvie reached out to grab Nagel’s hands, giving them a grateful squeeze. She resisted the urge to pull them away, she never was a fan of being touched, but allowed for it to continue for her partner’s……lover? girlfriend? She didn’t know exactly what they were. That curiosity was tucked into the back of her mind, planning to use it for small talk during the week. With everything that was going on with Antonio, she had to have something positive to discuss about with him.

“No problem.” She finally responded when she was able to find her words. Uncomfortable with being given credit, when all she had been doing was her job and bringing over food, she tried to lessen it. “You’ve been doing a lot, too. Being by his side. You can easily tell how much he cares about you.” The word love almost slipped through her teeth, but she was able to hold it back.

Sylvie gave a small smile at the compliment, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere now as her relationship with Antonio was brought up. “He’s an amazing guy.” She murmured, becoming quiet.

Something was up with her, but it wasn’t Nagel’s place to figure out why. She cleared her throat, hoping that would be enough to regain Sylvie’s attention. “It was nice meeting you.” She said once Sylvie’s eyes met hers again.

After an awkward wave to Antonio, Nagel forced herself to turn her back to them, heading towards the front door. She quickly opened and once through, closed it behind her. No reason to extend the cringeworthy goodbye. Especially when they were obviously wanting to have a conversation with only each other.

As she made her way through the apartment building, she tried to make herself optimistic after having the life sucked out of her at Antonio’s apartment. More like a cemetery, personally, to Nagel.

“Guess I’m having a party with myself tonight,” She muttered, watching the plastic bag swing back and forth.

No matter what, she knew she was going to have a better night than Gabby Dawson.