#it'd be too long of a list

[thesmashwaffle]

Favorite Character Bingo: 2024 Edition

[roomwithanopenfire]

okay but season 3 stranger things AU where it's Nancy and Eddie who work at Scoops together instead

[one-chaotic-neautral]

nooooo the old man fucker junkrat fic isn't on ao3 anymore

[sparkagrace]

Hello! This month had a lot more longer reads and some wips that completed (which then fall into this month's stats). I don't feel like I particularly read as much as in January but apparently the stats say otherwise!

february

272,119 words over 30 fics (average of 9,071 words per fic, not including any wips) 📈 38.7% from January

current total for the year: 468,345 words

a handful of fic recs

Another Song, Another Spring by @somanywords stucky | T | 47k

Journeys End in Lovers Meeting by @trenchcoatsandtimetravel stucky | G | 3.4k

i was never cool (and all i wanted was just to have you) by @dreamsinthewitchouse stucky | E | 2.4k

You Know We're The Same Kind by @bittersweet-in-boston stucky | E | 11k

Hot n' Cold by @fandomfluffandfuck stucky | E | 4.6k

Tell Me I'm Your National Anthem by @cable-knit-sweater stucky | T | 4k

spoil me by @buckyismybicycle bucky x torres | E | 4.4k

a couple of author recs

@voylitscope recs: I'm Gonna Keep You Weak in the Knees (Try to Unlock Your Heart) [bucky/nat/steve | 4.3k], We Were Strangers for Far Too Long [stucky | 5.3k]

@smutconnoisseur recs: Ink'd Red [stucky | 3k], Jailhouse Rock [stucky | 1.9k]

currently streaming some wips i've started this month

better to speak or die by @between-a-ship-and-a-hard-place stucky | M | 7 of 13

How to (Try to) Lose a Guy in 10 Days by @rohruh stucky | E | 2 of 10

recently completed wips

Atoms by @andrea1717, art by @kahey2804 stucky | E | 49k

then a small thing happened by @beaarthurpendragon stucky | E | 5.9k (epilogue)

be kind, rewind older fics or rereads

The Size of Perfection by @phoenike stucky | E | 31k

Thaw by @superstringtheory stucky | T | 3.4k

Summer's in the Air by @emchant3d stucky | E | 3.6k

[roguemonsterfucker]

a horse game appropriating and misusing Native American culture for The Aesthetic? It's more likely than you think.

[haloslips]

kraken fursonas

this is NOT a list of what animals i think they would be!!

matty b - wolf. he has at least two sonas because furries got him real young, but his public sona is a pretty classic grey wolf - a pack animal, a little traditional, but well-loved and hard to deny. it's a little manufactured but it's not inauthentic.

ryan donato - coyote. essentially a dog with all the lovable qualities, but undeniably feral.

jordan eberle - lion. ebs did not put a lot of thought into his sona before he picked the king of the jungle and felt like hot shit until everyone made fun of what a cliche choice it was.

geekie - possum. it's kind of an ironic choice because he's such a hipster, but decided that a possum would be down to earth and kind of misunderstood.

yanni - weasel. on one hand he's always involved, gets himself into whatever he wants, has fun when it ends in a little scrap. on the other he likes that they're cute and that people who have weasels as pets are always obsessed with them.

canner - cattle dog. i had to think pretty hard about this one - originally wasn't going to go with a dog but ultimately had to admit that there is no other animal canner would choose. and he'd go with something smart and hard-working, but not something glamorous like a border collie.

daniel sprong - otter. i had decided this before i fell down a rabbit hole into what he was like before this year, and i love when i'm right. someone as sillygoofy and sincere as he is absolutely put the thought into it to come up with a sona off the beaten path. he likes those pictures of otters holding hands.

tanev - hyena. this just feels very natural to me, i almost can't explain it. they're energetic, yappy, ready to get down in the dirt and fight but having a blast the whole time.

tolvy - rat. there are multiple kinds of rat sonas and tolvy's is smart and persistent, adaptable, a little underrated. really loving under the right conditions. in most art his sona is wearing a tasteful sweatervest.

wenny - deer. it has to be something elegant, common but with a mythical quality. gentle but willing to fight. stubborn. i think there were a lot of good options for wenny and really thought for a while that he might be a bird - could still be convinced - but deer felt sturdier.

borgy - raccoon. goofy little trash boy!! cute af, fun, voted "least likely to keep is new years resolution" when he said he wanted to eat his vegetables. thieving babygirl and he knows it.

vince dunn - spider monkey. also has multiple fursonas because he's an eboy, but that's his main sona. it came to me in a vision that it was going to be a monkey and spider monkeys are the cutest, which is vital. it's a little freaky and a little sexual, which is also vital.

larsson - jaguar. listen, much like with canner, this was HARD. with the nickname big cat i had to really consider whether HE would consider himself a one or if it was something being thrust upon him. i had to study his feelings about the nickname but ultimately it became clear that his sona is definitely a big cat, just not one you'd immediately suspect.

[flaresanimedump]

People keep talking about Bones doing Stormbringer as a movie or at the start of the inevitable upcoming season 5. And while I can see that argument (and I heard something about stormbringer being hinted at in the OP), I think it would be very funny if Bones did Beast instead.

Just imagine the fandom rage if Bones veers out of 5 episodes of Chuuya backstory for the Odazai love letter.

[bluejaybytes]

So I might've found a few pups in my various Hunter campaigns. And I might've gotten a little attached to my cereal puppies. Welcome to the expanded cereal puppy memorial image

[notjanine]

i’ve submitted well over 50 job applications this summer. tell me why the one (1) position i’ve made the most progress toward is one i didn’t even apply for???* and THEN. yesterday. one of my preceptors from the internship i just finished emailed me out of the blue like Hey i'm gonna have an open position at my private practice soon, are you interested?** girl what the fuck is going on here***

[tvrningout-a]

i... am overthinking this ship idea list asdfg can y'all tell me if it'd be better if i just gave a list of dynamic tropes that'd suit each muse, or if you'd prefer detailed descriptions?? or should i not do a list at all--

[jonny-b-meowborn]

I have decided to stop being a pussy that has to read physical books or he'll die, and just downloaded Cows in some silly easy-to-read format

[chaoticspacefam]

For the SWTOR NPC asks. What happened to Loyat and Cytharat in your canon?

From the [SWTOR NPC Headcanon Asks List]

thank you for the ask, as always! <3

I’ll start with Cytharat since I definitely have more headcanons for him than Loyat atm! 

Based on him mentioning being Malgus’ apprentice and a very newly-appointed Lord, and also being way Pinker than the obviously-older Pureblood NPCs/the PC Pureblood skintone options, I’m assuming Cytharat is pretty Young for a Pureblood, so I figured him around about Ty’s age, maybe 10 years (~2 human years max age difference) younger if that

Vano and Kas are kind of working in tandem by the time the Makeb storyline comes around so they attend to the Makeb questline(s) together. 

Kas had one conversation with Cytharat and immediately went “Yep This Is My Apprentice Now If Malgus Wants Him Back He Can Come Fucking Fight Me” (Malgus was never brave and/or stupid enough to come fight her XD). Since they’re working together, Kas and Vano manage to split up so Vano saves Catha Niar and Kas manages to save Cytharat. Afterwards she offers him a spot on her crew and since its obvious to him that even if she might be A Little Weird, Kas obviously Cares unlike most of the other Sith so he accepts and ends up becoming part of Kas’s crew. 

While he’s hesitant at first about the idea of teaming up with Jedi/Republic personnel, he trusts Kas by that point so when she says they’re going with Lana and Marr to Yavin IV to help deal with the Revanites Cytharat just accepts it. When Kas is reunited with Rai after arriving there, Cytharat meets Ty and maybe (Definitely) gets a crush. They’re only together for a little while before the whole temporary alliance dissolves again and when Rai (and by extension Ty) refuses to go back to the Empire with them they part ways for a time

Cytharat misses Ty a lot more than he was expecting to and Kas Notices (™). She casually mentions that she has Ty’s holofrequency if he wants it and deliberately leaves said frequency where she Knows he can find it. Cytharat sneaks a few message/letters through and keeps chatting with him until Arcann and the Eternal Empire give them more pressing concerns at which point they lose contact again until one day Lana rocks up to Kas’s office with Rai and Ty in tow. 

Ty gets left with Kas and co. while Rai goes with Lana and Koth to Zakuul and the poor kid is a Nervous Wreck about it so Cytharat has to help Kas calm him down because they’re the only two people he Trusts. Kas then pulls a classic old “oh Cytharat do you think you could help us with this star chart, oh wait a second is that Ashara and Khem calling me? You and Ty can handle looking through this one by yourselves right? I’ll check on you later byeeee~” and at some point during their moving everything over to Odessen he ~finally~ asks Ty out. 

So of course Cytharat stays on with the Alliance afterwards. I’m not 100% sure if they’ll ever get married yet (haven’t gotten that far with their relationship planning yet but they’re defo solid as an item :’3) but Cytharat is absolutely okay with being the muscle of the relationship while his bf hides behind him when things get scary (which is, unfortunately, very often. Poor Ty XD) 

And Loyat!! (who I do not have any screenshots of rn since none of my current pub toons are as far as Ilum (anymore, I yeeted a few of them when I stopped vibing with them oopsie)

I have less solid plants for Loyat but I do love her and I am definitely kidnapping her she’s mine now Bioware /hj

Loyat and Aria are definitely buddies. Probably even drinking buddies, much to the abject horror of anyone who happens to cross paths with them when they’re out drinking XD

They absolutely would meet during the Ilum war/storyline. Though it’s not until after (the Assault on Tython FP) that Aria’s officially outed as a Sith plant, Loyat can probably Sense It so she agrees to go with Aria to the Jedi if only knowing that Aria probably has an Out Again if she’s managed to be in deep cover this long and not get caught.

It’s a minor wrench in the plan when Aria tries to fuckin fight Satele and gets arrested, but I’m kiiind of feeling like Loyat might go with her to Manaan. Especially since with Zenith and most of the other Consular crew lickity splitting when they realise Aria Was Sith The Whole Time. Ya girl’s gonna need some crewmates/friends, so why not Loyat? ;3 by the same vein, probably goes with Aria to the Alliance and ends up working under Kas’s Force Enclave sector, but where specifically I have yet to decide owo

I definitely want to expand on Loyat more, but for now sadly that’s all I got for Loyat! 😅😅

[shadow-pixelle]

WIP Tag Game

Rules: In a new post, list the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Thanks to @shootingstarpilot for the tag!

Oh boy this is a hell of a task, actually. Ok so; I have a very specific ordering style for my stuff. Essentially, there's a folder in my drive called Writing Workshop. That folder contains sub folders for the fandom, and then in there there's either all the fics I've written for that fandom, or there's more sub folders for series'. I have... A Lot of fics. Like. Faaaar too many. So instead I will list out my current WIPs, aka only the things I am actively working on, rather than go through here and look for all the things that I'm writing.

So!

Maskless Doc 2

Strange Aeons

Swooping

Ra's is a monster dcxdp

Uncharted Waters 3 (temp)

Grief (temp)

No pressure tags to @kalicofox and @clockwayswrites, plus anyone else who feels like joining in!

[enviedear]

LOVING ALONE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT

₊ ⊹ JASON TODD

🧸ྀི REQUEST | jason having (what he thinks is) an unrequited crush

CW | lovesick!jason with issues accepting love, just-a-buncha fluff. 1.6k words. 🎧ྀི

your eyes flicker to your window for the hundredth time in ten minutes. there's an attempt at forcing your gaze back to your book, but your concentration on it has long since shattered. it's impossible to concentrate on anything other than him, perched on your fire escape right outside your window—JASON TODD.

he thinks he’s so subtle, as if you'll never notice when he parks himself on your fire escape like some sort of gargoyle. you smile slightly at the thought, heart pounding a little faster than it should. a condition that makes itself apparent far too much when your mind drifts to him.

he's silently taken on a sort of sworn protector role, separate from his nightly redhood rendezvous. you count yourself lucky to have his presence around your domicile so often. you truly never got over the culture shock that was gotham, but jason helps. even if he decides to go to great lengths to try and hide it.

outside, in the frigid and everpresent putrid gotham air, jason todd sits in complete rumination. he has goosebumps marring his arms beneath his leather jacket, but he pays them no mind. no, he's far too busy listing all the reasons he should just leave, why sitting outside under the guise of guard is utterly stupid, but still, he sits.

he runs a gloved hand through his hair, tugging slightly. he feels pathetic. how can he meet death, the criminally insane, survive things that would kill most—and somehow, he's shocked still with nerves at the very idea of knocking on your window.

in his head he has it all pictured, if it went perfectly. you'd come to the window, a confused look on your face until you spot him. he'd pull some stupid line, something he heard dick use once, and it'd make you laugh. he loves hearing that, more than anything. then he'd crawl in—spend the rest of his night with you, doing anything. and in his head, that's perfect.

but the underbelly of that dream keeps him rooted to your fire escape. to him, there's no way you could ever share his sentiments. you refer to him as a friend and no matter how much he wishes for something else, he can't change reality. can't force himself to make something more out of what you give him.

between the blood on his hands and the rage he can never seem to fully rid himself of, he's come to the aimless conclusion that you deserve someone better. someone more delicate, someone who doesn’t live with one foot in the grave. but every time you laugh or shoot him an easy smile, it gets easier to admit that he’s too far gone.

you deign the separation foolish, but still, you give yourself one more attempt at reading before you put your book to the side. really—you just wish he’d just say something. you’ve thought about saying something yourself, more times than you care to admit, but the timing never feels right. besides, there’s a part of you that wonders if jason even realizes you’ve been waiting out for him.

every time you joke or tease, you can see some struggle behind his eyes. as if he wants to let go and laugh with you, but something—himself—holds him back. your very own sisyphus—his very own boulder to carry up a labyrinthine mountain.

maybe it’s his past and the walls he’s built around himself, but you’re over him expecting you to be afraid of him. you wonder how much more evident you need to be. if anything, you wish he could see himself the way you do—intense, yes, but also loyal and good, even if he doesn’t believe it.

he proves it every night when he stands watch outside your shitty apartment.

with a sigh, you stand up from the couch, moving toward the window. he’s always so close, and yet there’s a distance he keeps in place—you’ve had enough of that.

you slide the window open, leaning out just enough to catch him mid-step as he’s about to leave—flee moreso. “going somewhere?”

he turns on his heels, red helmet in his hands, "figured you'd be asleep."

you hum, eyes narrowing, "already? it's six pm on a saturday."

“just didn’t want to bother you.” he admits, voice low, almost timid. he doesn’t meet your eyes, and it’s frustrating how hard he tries to hide, even from you.

“you’re not bothering me, jason.” you say softly, leaning on the window frame. “you never do.”

jason looks at you then, something uncertain flickering in his gaze. his lips dart out to quell his chapped lips—you hold his stare, hoping he can see what you’re trying to tell him, wordlessly.

that you want him here, that you’ve been wanting him all along.

“i can stop by for a few.” he finally says, adding a shrug to the end of his sentence.

you smile, opening the window fully as invitation. jason crawls in, a rather innocuous task but given his stature, always surprises you.

“i have pizza and brownies. saturday special.” you tell him, a persuasion. you want him to eat.

“sounds good.” he’s in the middle of slipping out of his redhood garb, clad in a skintight athletic tee and his cargos—mask sitting on your coffee table. “i’m gonna change in the bathroom, i’ll be right back.”

before his fingers can grab his duffle you start, “why don’t you shower here? i know you don’t have any of your usual stuff but—”

he cuts you off, “i couldn’t. i’m already eating your food…and using your fire escape as a landing spot.”

“jason, seriously. shower here. i’ll heat up the food and put on some tv. it’s a saturday.” you’re not one to beg, but this is treading the line.

his shoulders sag, but there’s a small smile on his face, “thanks, sweetheart. you’re too nice to me.”

his tone is sarcastic, self-deprecating, and that annoys you slightly. you want him to know that he’s welcome here, wanted. needed.

“i like it when you’re here, you know.” you feel like sparking a match, timid flames sparkling. “i miss you when you’re gone and everything.”

he quirks a brow, "what are you tryin' tell me?"

you feel silly at his question, the air around you seemingly buzzing. jason peers down at you with a raised brow, as if he's genuinely confused by the sentiment. as if he's baffled by the notion he could be someone to miss.

your breath hitches as you debate your next move. you're walking a thin line between saying too much and not enough. you could play it safe, keep your cards close to your chest—or you could be honest. near painfully so.

when you find your voice, it comes out soft, "i'm trying to say that i like it better when you come inside instead of sitting on my fire escape. i don't want to be a landing spot for you, i want... more."

he clears his throat, shifting on his feet, "you don't want that." he seems to take a step back, not physically, but mentally. his face goes still, chest breathing even, mind anywhere but the present.

you groan, annoyance evident, "i do though. you have to see that in some way by now." you step towards him, "sometimes i think you feel the same way."

jason’s gaze flickers toward the floor, and for a moment you wonder if you’ve crossed the line, if he’ll pull away entirely. but then he looks up, eyes darker, severely sincere. “you have no idea what you’re asking for.” he cautions, but his voice is lower, almost a whisper.

you smile softly, finally letting your hand touch his arm, feeling the solid warmth beneath. “maybe i do. maybe i’ve been waiting for you to realize it.”

“don’t say that unless you mean it,” he murmurs, his voice rough.

“i mean it.” you reply, sincere in your admission. “i’m not afraid of you, jason. i’m afraid of what happens if you keep shutting me out.”

he grumbles at that, a half-willed attempt to argue against your point. you stay quiet, urging him to continue where you left off. you watch his face contort through a realm of emotions—confusion, fear, and then, thinly masked and wistful poignancy.

“i’m not shutting you out. if anything, i’m protecting you.” he finally decides, arms crossing over his chest, eyes scanning the wall behind you. nervous.

you shake your head, fingers reaching for his twisted expression, finding home on his pink-tinted cheeks. “i don’t need you protecting me from you. i need you to want me as bad as i want you.”

your words are bold, maybe overconfident, but you mean them to the fullest extent. you’re so beyond exhausted of attempting to disregard or conceal your feelings. even if jason’s not, you think he deserves to know.

jason todd looks you over. his eyes raking you up and down like you’re some high valued product—and he’s unsure wether to take the bid or let it pass by. in the time you’ve known him, even in the thralls of his vigilante persona, he’s studied things. eyes pointedly and silently assessing his situation, no matter how far removed he is from his upbringing—his “father” lingers in his antics.

finally, he chuckles, low and more timid than usual, “you don’t know how badly i want you, sweetheart. but…” he stops himself, and you’re grateful because you would have done it yourself if he had continued on with some rebuttal. “fuck. you’re all i want.”

it comes out like a beg, pleading that rarely works it’s way onto his features. you smile, and pull him closer. his arms uncross, opting to gingerly hold your shoulders. still timid, unsure.

“you should know how much you mean to me. you do such a good job of showing me…keeping watch and never letting me eat alone. it’s sweet, you’re sweet. i want you to know it.” you keep his gaze when you speak, hopefully drilling each sentiment permanently into his consciousness.

he leans into your touch, eyes fluttering shut, “i believe you. swear. i just… this is new. i never thought…” he falters off, equal parts unsure and dumbstruck. “i like you a lot. i didn’t know you felt the same, sweetheart.”

you grin, inching your face closer to his, “well i do. deal with it.” your tone is teasing, playful. pulling him back into the safety of reassurance—what you want him to anticipate from you.

it seems to put jason back in his element, “oh? you have demands? usually that’s my thing.”

you laugh, “could always be our thing. the demanding couple—sounds inspired, don’t you think?”

“something like that…” his smile is soft, “but for now, i think i’m fine with just being yours.” he says it so earnestly, no thought to it. just the truth, and it feels damn good. it envelops you just the same as his arms, wraps you up in utter victory. love hard fought—and it feels so sweet.

[rafecameronssl4t]

Pretty in Pink || Rafe Cameron x fem!reader

gif by @rafescurtainbangz

Summary: Just you amused by Rafe and Ward’s phone call.

Warnings: suggestive, reader n rafe smoking, swearing,

Word count: 742

A/n: these canon scenes are so fun to write 😭 lmk if you want more of these <333

MASTERLIST

Divider by @yoonitos

"That's rough. I mean, yeah, it could've been anyone, right?" Rafe furrowed his eyebrows, trying to appear nonchalant. "Not really, Rafe. It could be one of a very few people," Ward retorted sharply, his frustration palpable even over the phone.

Rafe shrugged, his indifference almost theatrical. "Well, I mean, you know, we were just giving it away anyway. So, who cares?" Ward let out a loud exhale, running a hand down his face. The annoyance in his voice was unmistakable, and Rafe took a perverse satisfaction in knowing he was getting under his father's skin. "Okay, Rafe, okay."

Just then, you stepped outside, your pretty pink tennis set hugging your figure perfectly. A cigarette was cradled between your index and middle fingers, and you brought it to your lips, inhaling deeply. Your eyes locked onto Rafe as you exhaled a plume of smoke, your gaze unwavering.

Rafe grinned, his eyes roaming appreciatively over your body as you sauntered towards the couch. "That's done for now. I need you to finish the list I gave you," Ward continued, his voice a mix of frustration and command.

Rafe pulled the phone away from his ear briefly. "It's Ward," he informed you, sitting down on the couch, as if it wasn’t already obvious from the tone of the conversation. You hummed in acknowledgment, kicking your feet up on his lap. Rafe put the phone on speaker, leaning back as Ward’s voice filled the room.

Rafe glanced at you, a smirk playing on his lips, clearly enjoying the chaos he was stirring. "I want you to sign for the East River property. When that's completed, shut down the offices—" Ward's commanding tone reverberated through the speaker, each word laced with finality.

Rafe rolled his eyes dramatically, a gesture that made you stifle a giggle. "Yeah, no, I—actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I'm thinking maybe we should keep the offices."

A heavy silence fell, the kind that made every second feel like an eternity. Rafe's eyes stayed on you, watching as you took delicate puffs from your cigarette, the smoke curling elegantly in the air.

"What?" Ward's voice finally cut through the quiet, laden with confusion and annoyance. "Yeah, I'm thinking maybe I should stay down here for a while, really grow the company. I think it'd be good for us, right?" Rafe's tone was casual, almost nonchalant, but you could sense the underlying cunning.

On the other end, you heard Ward groan, a sound full of exasperation, followed by a long, weary exhale. The tension was almost tangible, crackling through the phone. "He's not too happy about it, huh?" you observed, a wry smile playing on your lips. You extended the cigarette toward Rafe, offering it to him. He leaned in, taking a slow, deliberate drag, the tip glowing brightly as he inhaled.

He hummed in response, a low, satisfied sound that matched the glint of amusement in his eyes. As Rafe exhaled a plume of smoke, his gaze never left yours. You could see the thrill in his eyes, the satisfaction he derived from ruffling his father's feathers. "Who is that?" Ward's voice pierced the air, sharp and demanding, as you and Rafe exchanged a glance.

"Hey, Ward!" you greeted him with a saccharine sweetness, your tone a deliberate contrast to the tension that hung in the room. "Rafe, this is supposed to be a private conversation—" "For fuck's sake, Dad, she knows everything already," Rafe interjected, his eyes rolling in exasperation, a gesture that elicited a soft chuckle from you.

Ward's frustration was palpable, his voice tinged with impatience. "Listen to me, Rafe—" Rafe didn't hesitate to cut him off, his tone firm and commanding. "No. No, no, you listen, okay?" His hands moved instinctively to rest on your thighs, his touch both grounding and possessive. You felt a surge of warmth at his touch, a silent reassurance amidst the tension.

"You listening?" Rafe leaned in, his gaze unwavering as he reached to place the phone on the coffee table, his actions deliberate and decisive. "You remember when you told me to make myself useful? Well, that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm making myself useful, alright?" Rafe's gaze on his phone was intense, his voice commanding, as he asserted his authority.

As Rafe continued speaking, outlining his intentions with a firmness that brooked no argument, you decided to get up and fetch the ashtray from the other side of the coffee table. "I can do shit, you know? Explore options, so for the-" As you walked past him, focused on your task, you suddenly felt the sharp sting of Rafe's hand slapping your ass, causing you to yelp in surprise.

"-for the benefit of all, I think I'm gonna hang out for a while, okay?" Rafe's voice carried on, his words interrupted only momentarily by your startled reaction. The mixture of surprise and amusement danced in your eyes as you turned to face him, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of your lips.

"Rafe, listen to me. You are there for one reason and one reason only. You are to act as my proxy to shut down the companies, okay?" Ward's voice had escalated in volume, clearly expressing his displeasure with Rafe's defiance.

"That is our one play. It's—it's our only play. And if you cannot do it—" Ward's words were abruptly cut off by Rafe's interjection, his irritation and anger palpable as he stood up, his movements sharp and agitated. "If I can't do it?" Rafe's voice echoed with incredulity, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Then what? Then what?" he exclaimed, his tone laced with both sarcasm and defiance.

"You gonna hop on a plane? Come down here, huh?" Rafe paced back and forth on the porch as you watched from the couch, amusement dancing in your eyes. "I mean, it'll be like a goddamn Elvis sighting, Ward fucking Cameron, everyone!" Rafe's voice boomed with exaggerated theatricality, his arms thrown wide in mock grandeur, eliciting a snicker from you.

"Oh my god, he lives! He's back from the dead!" Rafe continued, his words punctuated by his animated gestures as you watched with amusement, thoroughly entertained by your boyfriend's antics. With a scoff, Rafe turned towards you, his expression resolute. "I got the family ring now, Pops. Yeah, I'm wearing it, and it's my time to step up, okay? You're dead." And with that, he abruptly hung up the phone, tossing it onto the couch beside you.

You opened your arms, inviting him in for a hug, and without hesitation, he collapsed onto you, inhaling your signature perfume. Your nails traced soothing patterns on his back as he nestled against you, his frustration still palpable as he muttered against your skin, "God, he's fucking annoying," eliciting a chuckle from you.

Checking your watch, you sighed. "Babe, I gotta go, the girls will be waiting for me," you informed him, attempting to disentangle yourself from his embrace, but he stubbornly refused to budge.

"Where'd you get this set from? This new?" Rafe's fingers toyed with the waistband of your skirt, the fabric teasingly brushing against your skin. "Mhm, you like it?" you teased, a smirk playing on your lips.

"Do I like it? Fuck, of course I like it, baby. You're so pretty in pink," Rafe's gaze lingered appreciatively on your body before meeting your eyes once more. "Tell the girls you'll be a bit late," he murmured, his hands trailing up your skirt teasingly, causing you to playfully throw your head back in feigned annoyance. "Fine," you acquiesced, though the mischievous glint in your eyes betrayed your true feelings.

[pomefioredove]

So people use Kalim, right? Like pretend to be his friend because he has money-

What if Kalim's crush is just like "Yeah I grew up poor....anyways! I bought you this gold bracelet! Probably not real gold, but I thought it'd fit your style." And is just always pulling up with gifts and little trinkets and just refuses to let Kalim spend any money 😭 I also imagine if Kalim gave them a gift, they'd just start bawling because they don't know how to accept gifts-

:3c I love a little kalim posting

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ the mystery of the magi

type of post: short fic characters: kalim additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu, realizing now that I went a liytle off-prompt, sorry u-u

You gave Kalim one rule.

One rule. You had no expectations, no requirements, no shopping list.

Just one rule... that happened to be impossible for him to follow.

"No money?" Jamil asks, watching Kalim pace the room. "You can't spend any money? So no clothes, no jewelry, no games?"

It's far past curfew, but even Jamil had long forgotten about that. That's how strange this whole thing is.

Kalim has never looked so worried. "Not a thaumark. They said so!"

"Did they...?"

Of course. Jamil has thought you were weird from the day Kalim started coming home with plastic toys and friendship bracelets, "gifts" of yours. But this is just absurd.

The heir to one of the richest families in the world has days to find you the perfect birthday gift, and he can't spend any money.

Kalim's eyes are wide with thought, which is a strange look on him. "They say that my presence is enough..."

"But it's not," Jamil finishes the thought for him. Kalim had always given gifts as love- handing out gold and jewels like they were candy- which made him a treat for... well, most of NRC. But not you.

"Well... there's plenty you can do without spending," Jamil says. "You could... cook something, or plan a nice date..."

Kalim pouts. "It's not enough! Everything they get me is so... perfect... I want to do the same!"

Perfect, meaning the cheap toys from claw machines, drawings, handmade jewelry, half-edible cookies... Kalim keeps everything you give him. Everything. His room is beginning to look like the prize shelf at an arcade.

"This is quite the conundrum, isn't it..." Jamil mutters. "Are you sure I can't-"

"No! I need to come up with it on my own! They're just... so good at gift-giving. I wonder how they do it..." Kalim sighs. Jamil rolls his eyes.

"Then... perhaps I can offer some advice. The sort of gift you're looking to give doesn't come from here," Jamil says, pointing to his head. He trails his finger down to his chest.

"...It comes from here."

Though that was complete nonsense, Kalim lights up. "I-I think I understand! Thanks, Jamil!"

And then he's gone.

.

Trapped in a circle of friends and Scarabia students, you awkwardly smile at their birthday wishes.

Grim's greedy little paws dig into the homemade cake before the candles are out, getting icing all over himself. You chuckle, a warm, loving sound that makes Kalim beam. Good so far.

"Time for gifts. We do have a curfew to mind," Jamil says, and Grim laughs maniacally, reaching out for the first box.

"Actually," Kalim says, smiling as if it were his own birthday. "I was hoping I'd get to give my gift first!"

You chuckle. "I don't see why not,"

Kalim returns the gesture, and he stands on the table, drawing everyone's attention to him. Jamil raises an eyebrow.

"I'm not seeing a box!" Grim shouts, and you shush him. Kalim clears his throat.

"I'm usually not so bad at this, but I had a lot of trouble thinking of the perfect present for you... until Jamil said I was thinking too much here... and not here," he says, pointing first to his head, and then lower, to his throat.

You give Jamil a confused look, but he looks just as lost.

"So... that's what I'm going to do. Happy birthday!"

Everyone watches in some mix of amusement and horror as Kalim begins to sing... in your honor.

Without any accompanying music, he performs, in front of everyone you know, a song about everything he loves about you. Even Jamil looks horrified.

When it's over, the room is quiet. Everyone is staring at Kalim as if his head had fallen off.

Then, slowly, you stand. And you clap.

You're beaming. "That was amazing! Again! Again!"

Kalim grins, unphased by the weird looks everyone is giving you two, and he hops off the table to pull you into a hug.

"I'm so glad you liked it!"

"Liked it!? That was..." you laugh, hugging him back. "That was perfect."

"I can sing it as much as you want! Every night, if it makes you happy!"

"Sevens help me..." Jamil sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Trey gives him a sympathetic pat on the back.