#its goin to be like? a year soon

[phonification]

untitled dadroogs from the past year or so that i forgot to ever post

[toxooz]

lords gon hafta drag me outa the kitchen cause im cOOKIN AGIN

[todayisafridaynight]

plane scene is so funny cause why is mine a sleeper agent that wakes up whenever daigo is mentioned

can’t wait to see it in dragon engine :3

mine has been the winner for Funniest Character Imaginable for 15 consecutive years and i have yet to see anyone come close i fear

[secrosss]

weekly dunmesh ep post here to say that as one of the eps that didn't follow their usual formula I loved this one to bits 😭 pacing felt just right, didn't feel that rushed to me (tho maybe that's bc I kept goin back to watch more details lol) and the canaries and yaads voices in sub are all really really good

[chaosandmarigolds]

More Simon Riley and Pre-k teacher? Duh, cause I've been thinking about it for too long :0

Thinking about how the first day retirement!Simon would've gone when he was babysitting pre-k's little boy

Simon actually spent forty-two hours getting the house 'Ollie' proof, after you sent a two-paragraph long essay on how 'rambunctious' and 'high-energy' your three-year-old could be

Simon that never felt so happy as he opened the door to see you with Oliver on your hip, a small part of him wishing that you didn't have to drive to see him

Simon who never wanted the moment to end when you gave him a hug once you told Oliver to go run inside, smiling ear to ear as you handed him the backpack and lunch pail and a small remark on 'how he would make just a fine dad'

Simon which when Oliver wanted ice cream quickly whipped out his phone to text you to make sure the little guy didn't have any allergies

Simon who has your name saved with a <3 beside your name (something he will die with...and that Oliver noticed)

"dat's mommies name."

"right-o, laddie."

"Has heart, ooo, mommy likes hearts, 'ister Riley."

Simon with an ice cream in one hand and Oliver's hand in the other walks through the park, ensuring his silence on the matter

Simon who pushes Oliver onto the swing set at the playground about ten minutes from his house, not caring to look at how all of the mom's looked at him in awe because he had you, and you trusted him with Oliver- an honor he would never forake

Simon who carried Oliver park for two hours at the park since the little guy was just...so so tired, and began to think you got the kid all wrong, this little thing couldn't be so high energy that you had to warn him about it

Simon as he sat on the ground watched Oliver in the backyard, spending the next forty-nine minutes jumping on the tiny trampoline Johnny had given him as a prank gift- was carefully sweeping up the broken glass on the ground since Oliver sent on a little...run through the house as soon as they got home

Simon was exhausted when your car pulled into the driveway around six pm, your clothes a little worse for wear, and your hair frizzled out from the humidity

Oliver who took the opportunity to go through the zipped up and dusty bag that sat on the side of the sofa, finding Simon's old balaclava, being three chose to put it on

Simon who lets the hug linger as you thank him again for watching Oliver, only lets go when he hears your faint gasp and you move to walk in

Simon who swore his heart fell into his stomach when he saw the three-year-old with the old tattered thing- no! He hadn't washed it in- The kid was too-

'Oh my gosh! baby, where'da get that?'

'Ister Rileys."

'Really? well you look so so handsome but I think Mister Riley doesn't want you goin through his stuff'

Simon never though he would be affected by a little kids puppy dog eyes until he saw Oliver's, so he quickly shakes his head and tells the little dude that when he gets it washed its all his

Simon who would give so many more things than a war-run balaclava to see you and Oliver smile again

Simon who helped Oliver take a few of his things and was confused by the boys insistence on leaving his dinosaur with him

Simon was never more flattered when you explained that you always told Oliver that you would come back for his dinosaurs, so his want to leave them meant Oliver wanted to come back

Simon who really should've invited you in for dinner...Well, he would have all of summer to try again

[soullessdianthus]

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 | 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐱 𝐊ö𝐧𝐢𝐠)

Summary: During the mission somewhere in Austria, König takes an interest in TF 141 medic. Little did he know, she's Lieutenants Riley's girlfriend.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐

A/N: Possessive/Protective boyfriend Ghost? Yes, double and give to the next person. Also inserted Hank/Connor "lieutenant" reference, I just find it funny. Y/C ━ Your Codename (have fun, pick something babes) Poorly translated German ━ correct me if needed!

Warnings: nothing, reader is eastern european coded (we deserve more recognition as reader inserts ꃋᴖꃋ )

Word count: 1.8k

The tree line of the thick forest melted into the base of the rocky mountains. Your gaze traveled across its pointy shapes and up higher - there hadn’t been a single cloud on the sky that day, causing a slight heatwave.

You let your body slightly wag as the car passed over surface bumps on the earthen road. The dry lump grew in your throat as the dust hovered all over the convoy and all you could think of was a sip of cold, mineral water. 

Soon, you reached the small town in Austria, secluded from the ring roads. The cars were parked near the surrounding forest at the entrance of the village. Lieutenant Riley's sight crossed with yours as he helped you get out of the truck. 

He could be such a gentleman sometimes. 

A handful of soldiers gathered near the vehicles - some of them wearing a KorTac patch on their shoulders, the other ones (from your unit) a Task Force 141 badge. But besides those sigils, none of them were wearing full battle gear. 

There was no active fighting against the enemy at the moment. It was just a careful chase after the terrorists - following their footsteps, interviewing associates, gathering proof. Because at the end of the day, the military (or army related organization) cannot shed blood over a defamation.

But KorTac and TF 141? Quite an unusual partnership between the two groups, right?

━ Ghost, Y/C you’re goin’ with me ━ Captain Price announced, adjusting his hat as he closed the car’s doors behind him. ━ Gaz, you’ll stay here, is that clear? 

Captain heard a firm ‘yes, sir’ from your teammate Kyle who was to stay at the parking spot. Meanwhile the KorTac colonel gave an order to his soldiers in German. “Such a tough language” you thought to yourself. Only two of his people went along the wood road with the rest of you.

The Colonel. 

Exceptionally tall, Austrian man who served many years for his country. The one you found yourself in on the latest mission. 

Each time you wanted to look at him while Colonel König was speaking, you had to chin up. And even though, a black hood with a red paint on it covered his whole face besides his cold, blue eyes. He was lowkey intimidating with his massive size, but just like your captain, the Austrian’s rough looks didn’t reflect his character. At least to you and your comrades he was quite nice. 

Unfortunately, you couldn’t say the same about his teammates. 

You didn’t have to walk for long as the isolated, one floor house emerged behind a hill. By the quick peek at that building and the noises coming from the inside you knew, it felt like a warm home. 

As you approached the building, you heard a child’s cry. 

Price knocked at the front door and soon after a man with dark bags under his eyes opened them slightly. He was peeking through the crack.

━ Jakob Hausner? ━ The Captain asked with a playful smile under his mustache, his thumbs interlocked with the gear straps over his chest. 

━ Ja, wie kann ich helfen? [ger.: Yes, how can I help?]

━ Can you ask him if he speaks english? ━ John looked over his shoulder towards König, asking for a favor. 

━ Yes, I speak english ━ master of the house answered with a thick accent, before colonel could translate. ━ What do you want? 

He wasn’t trusting at all, well, how could he? You were all strangers at his doorsteps, two of your partners wearing scary looking masks. But it all had a purpose - they were supposed to look… intimidating, yes? 

A loud wailing made their ears hurt, it was that damn baby again. Jakob sighed loudly, his shoulder collapsing as he opened the doors a little bit more.

━ We just want to talk about the company you were working for. ━ Price continued talking. 

━ About them again? ━ Mr. Hausner frowned his eyebrows and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Poor man was exhausted apparently. ━ Okay, okay, ja, come in. 

The man let you all inside, however König told his soldiers to have a look outside the plot - to make sure it’s safe here and you’re not being watched. Poor Jakob wasn’t even fully aware (because of his state) that he let in a group of military people inside of his home.

As soon as you crossed the hallway into the dining room with a big, wooden table, you noticed a struggling toddler in a children’s chair. The girl was crying, her face red from the tantrum. 

━ I’m sorry, it’s just my daughter, she… she doesn’t want to eat her–. Lina, bitte. [ger.: Lina, please.]

Being a parent. Must be tough, huh?

Not when you were forced to babysit your siblings or cousins since you were a teenager. 

━ She’s not hungry. ━ You noticed the way the little girl pushed her plate away and how she tried to climb out of the seat. Christ, that man really had to be exhausted. ━ Can I?

You took a few slow and calm steps towards the sitting child - a warm smile painted over your face. Even your boyfriend Ghost was slightly… surprised? Seeing you drop the apathetic shell, then becoming more warm and gentle towards the little girl.

━ She’s our medic ━ your Captain explained to the worried father ━ let her take the kid and we’ll have a talk. In peace. 

Mr. Hausner let you take care of his unsettled daughter, so they could have a conversation about his former employers. You took the girl out of her chair and placed her over your left hip, pushing it outward. 

━ Come, Lina ━ you addressed the girl by her name, even though she probably couldn’t understand what you were saying ━ let’s leave the stinky men alone, ja?

You left the dining room and entered the seemingly endless garden behind the house. Since you took that girl in your hands she already began to calm down, perhaps a woman's touch was all she needed? 

“Where was your mother? Was she at work working a long shift? Did something happen to her? Did the bad men–” your thoughts seemed to take a rather pessimistic route, so you had to quickly change it. 

You didn’t know much German. Well, you didn’t know any at all. 

Fuck.

But at that moment you were thanking the heavens that your father watched movies about Hans Kloss or war on a regular basis. You were happy that your father was taught some phrases and somewhere in your subconsciousness he passed them to you.

You sat on the wooden bench somewhere in the garden not far from the building. Then, you placed the child on your lap and began talking to her - mostly in your mother tongue. Then you added some words in German that you knew, like: 

━ Schau, schmetterling! [ger.: Look, a butterfly!] 

Soon you grew more comfortable around the girl named Lina, even though there was a language barrier. Without your knowledge, your legs began to bounce her, pretending she was riding a horse. 

If anyone would point that out later, you would certainly deny it. You, getting soft for a child? No, no, no. 

You were so occupied with entertaining her that you didn’t even notice a looming, black figure in the corner of your eye. Watching the scene from somewhere nearby.

König was standing just next to the doors, leaving against the white plaster on the outside walls. He listened to your attempts to speak German, finding it… adorable? 

Never did he meet a woman in his profession so empathetic and gentle. Especially the one who managed to catch his attention. Let’s be honest, most of them were cold blood murderers and he was a colonel - he couldn’t let himself have such a luxury of having a family. 

Until now.

His imagination began to play a nasty and stupid trick on him - just because he saw you speaking German with a kid. What if it was you to take care of his children? Were your hands usually this delicate? Would you care for him as much?

The tall soldier was intrigued by you and his dreamy stare exposed him for it.

━ Don’t even think about it. ━ Ghost voice snapped him back to the reality. The British soldier emerged from the building the same way the colonel did after the conversation came to an end with Mr. Hausner.

Simon Riley wasn’t a fool. He noticed all the little peaks at his girlfriend other soldiers usually would take, she was in fact a pretty thing. So it didn’t take much to notice that the tall guy from KorTac took a liking of you. Too much liking in Ghost’s opinion. 

━ Verzeihung [ger.: Excuse me] ━ König apologized, flustered slightly by obviousness of the situation. He instantly understood the reference. ━ didn’t know she was… taken. 

━ Yeah ━ British lieutenant scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. His dark irises didn’t even dare to stare at him. His eyes were on you ━ she’s very much taken. 

There was a dead silence between the two of them - for a short moment, before Ghost gave you a heads up. 

━ Y/C, we’re moving. 

The rough and firm tone of Ghost’s voice made you snap back into reality. You were in the middle of something, right? Yet, you almost jumped on that little bench painted in floral patterns. 

━ Coming, lieutenant. ━ You declared quickly, before putting the little girl over your hip again and heading inside of her home. 

Ghost was a few steps ahead and so you had to pass the massive figure of König to go inside again. You pressed the child’s head into your cleavage as she was a little scared of colonel’s hood. 

Well, you would be too, if you saw his cold stare in the middle of the night from under that veil, right?

━ Don’t worry, he just looks scary. He won’t bite. Isn’t that right, sir? ━ You sent him a polite smile as you tried to comfort the petrified girl. Your hand caressing her golden locks.

But he was speechless at the moment. He couldn’t form a simple sentence. A fucking grown ass man. “So fucking pathetic”, he thought to himself. Your lips twisting into a wide smile for him. It wouldn’t be easy for him to erase that sight from his memory. König would have trouble falling asleep that night, thinking of you.

A/N: ♪ Two big guys and they grab on my thighs ♪

[scribblesofagoonerr]

— Sometimes two homes are better than one

pairings: katie mccabe x child reader

summary: readers' stubbornness makes an appearance.

"I don't want to go!" You shout loudly and make your opinion very well known about the situation. "I'm not goin' and you can't make me!"

"Rascal, you have to go," Katie insists, once again on the tail-end of the usual argument with you.

"NO!" You shout back, stubbornly. "I'm not goin' there, mam!" You repeat, even going as far to stomp your foot and show her that your really being serious this time.

Katies' close to pulling her hair out with your stubborness, although shes' not exactly sure who you inherited it from out of herself and Ruesha, "Y/N, come on. We've already been over this before," She catches up to you in the kitchen where you'd stormed off once you'd gotten back from school. "Will you stop walking away from when I'm tryin' to have a conversation with you!"

Its' Friday afternoon, you've finished school and that means that Ruesha would soon be coming to pick you up from Katie's house to spend the weekend with her.

You weren't too big of a fan going between 2 households though and even though Katie and Ruesha split up when you were very little, you're still not all that used to things being different.

"I bet your mamas' really looking forward to seeing you!" Katie tries her luck to change your mind, more than familiar against your protests of not wanting to go. "Why don't you really want to go, rascal?" She wonders, trying to figure out the real reason.

"It's not fair. Why do I have to go between two households? I don't see why I can't just stay here!" You huff in protest, making your way around the kitchen, going about slamming the cupboards that you opened.

"I know its' difficult to understand rascal, but we've spoke about this before, haven't we?" Katie tells you, she hates the fact that you had inherited this stubborn streak. "I thought you were excited about going to watch your mamas' game?" She questions, knowing you were looking forward to it when it was mentioned earlier.

You shake your head in defiance, "Nope."

"Why not?" Katie honestly feels like shes' at her wits end with you and your abrupt decision to not go. "Listen, I know you don't want to go, rascal, but its' important that you still spend time with your mama!" She still tries to remain enthusiastic, depsite how difficult that is most of the time.

"Why can't mama come here instead?" You frown, not really understanding what exactly what went down between Katie and Ruesha all of them years ago.

Katie exhales a sigh and purses her lips, "Because its' not as simple as that. Your mama and I seperated and we live different lives now," She explains to you. "You usually like spending time with your mama, what's changed now, huh?" She wonders.

"I... I guess its' not the same when you two are not both together, I miss it. Like when we're at Ireland camp and stuff," You admit, although its' been a while since that has happened, you've had happy memories of them times and you wish it could be the same still.

"Oh rascal," Katie furrows her eyebrows, "Listen, I know you miss them times, but sometimes two homes are better than one, and in this case your mama and I, we're not good when we're together." She explains, trying to get it across in a way that your 11-year-old self can understand.

"I still don't like it though," You murmer in protest.

"I know you don't, but I want you to remember that no matter what happens between your mama and I, we both love you the very same, okay?" Katie reassures you, gently as she wraps her free arm around your shoulder. "Nothing about that will ever change at all."

© scribblesofagoonerr

[cordeliawhohung]

omg. imagine coming home from a day of work, grumbling about how bad it was, not knowing that mafia!simon's actually home. when you see him you try to be silent about it but nuh uh! he already heard you. btw im in love with him your honor im so happy i found your account first thing in 2024. i hope the rest of the year treats you well even if it doesnt during its first few weeks

!!! you're so sweet ): thank you so much, and i'm so glad you're having fun with these idiots as much as i am!!! i wish you nothing but the best for 2024

work was long, brutal, and tiring. five reservations, 150 customers rushing in and out, and two screaming matches in the kitchen that could be heard from the front of house later and you were finally home. your feet ached something fierce and you haphazardly kicked your shoes off at the door to the flat as soon as you came in before meandering into the kitchen like a zombie.

"need to find a new job this is getting ridiculous," you grumbled. eyes glazed over, you mindlessly searched through the cupboards, unsure of what you were even looking for until you found a plastic cup. "who just talks to someone like that?"

the sound of running water filled the mostly silent kitchen as you poured yourself a cup of water from the sink. you shut it off with a heavy sigh before raising the cup to your lips and leaving it there for a moment before bowing your head.

"maybe i should just quit, but i'm useless at everything else i do and i don't know who else would hire me..." you admitted to yourself with a trembling bottom lip.

"what's goin' on, sweetheart?"

Simon's voice came as such a surprise you nearly spilled water on yourself when you turned around to face him. he stood in the doorway, eyes tired yet still examining you and your mussed uniform all the same. with shaky hands, you placed your cup on the counter next to the sink before attempting to smooth down your clothes.

"n-nothing just, tired from work is all," you excused. but it was too late for that. he had been standing there for much too long to not have heard your ramblings.

"someone buggin' you at work?" he inquired further.

"no, no just-" you attempted to reply, but your voice cracked and a sudden pressure built up behind your eyes.

it didn't take long for Simon to close the distance between you two. solid and grounding arms wrapped around you before he gently pulled you into his chest and kissed the top of your head. "c'mon. let's run you a bath, yeah? you can tell me all about those cunts at work."

also, is now a bad time to tell you guys that Simon's mom is alive in this universe or?

[tired-biscuit]

the first time werewolf!bsf!kiba’s knot expands is when he allows himself to jerk off to the thought of you because you’ve just gone home after your sleepover at his house, and his entire bed, no, his entire room smells like you and your stupid fruity shampoo.

he freaks out as soon as it happens and spends the entire day feeling distressed by his own body and its functions. he knows that you’re his mate, he’s known for years — by some odd miracle, he’s managed to not tell you yet — but the fact that that means that he also wants to actually mate with you is… crazy.

he was just working himself up to finally tell you the truth… how the fuck is he supposed to do that now?

‘hey dude, i forgot to mention that there’s this werewolf thing called a mating bond that, among other things, makes me want to chain myself to you until the day i die and apparently causes my body to flare up with this weird urge to put my babies inside you now? makes my dick look real fat for some reason. anyways, are we still goin’ to the movies on tuesday like we planned?’

yeah, maybe it’s better if he keeps his mouth shut a little longer when it comes to this one.

[kingtomura]

Deja Vu | 1 | January Embers

summary: Your best friend died years ago. He went up in flames until there was nothing left — so why does it feel like you can still see him sometimes? content: touya todoroki x female reader, childhood friends au, reader has a quirk, time skipping, flashbacks, fluff, heavy angst, bullying, eventual smut, eventual meaning next chapter, soft touya, hurt/comfort, tragedy, mdni wc: 4.5k | Chapter 2 | m. list | read on ao3

You meet Touya Todoroki when you are four years old.

He was a redhot firecracker that demanded the attention of you and all those around him. 

Touya Todoroki was also the first in your class to have his quirk maifest. It was the talk for about a week, everyone expecting nothing less from the son of the flame hero, Endeavor, himself. 

You would watch him some days, flaunting his newfound power on the playground in front of others, knowing he would be some great hero one day. Even better than All Might, he would yell to anyone that would listen. It was a decent dream, you believed. Maybe someone could actually be better than All Might. 

It didn’t seem like that would be in the cards for you, as it became more apparent as the days went by that you may not have a quirk. The excitement of watching every other child’s quirk manifest began to fill you with a pit of dread.

Quirkless. 

It’s something you never thought you would have to think about. The realization hadn’t caught up with the rest of your class yet and you could only thank the stars.

But it was only a matter of time before a group of three noticed. 

They cornered you while you tried drawing shapes in the sanded area of the playground. 

“Hey,” one kid dragged, horns proudly peeking out of his head. “What’s goin’ on with you?” 

You spared him a glance before going back to your sand, gliding the stick you found through the yellow grains. “What do you mean?”

One girl behind him pipes up, curly pigtails bouncing with the tilt of her head,  “Where’s your quirk? Aren’t you turning five soon?”

The emphasis on five makes you jolt a little and you try to play it off — offering a little shrug to the trio. “I dunno. Mom says I'm a late bloomer.” you pray they will be satisfied with your answer and leave you alone. 

The third kid finally speaks, sporting a new pair of bat-like wings. “No way, I bet you’re gonna be quirkless!”

The other children erupt in a loud laugh that calls the attention of your other classmates — much to your dismay. 

“That’s so sad for you!” the girl yelled, grin on her face showing not an ounce of pity. 

“Yeah, really!” The first boy laughs, taking a step forward and kicking the sand you were drawing in towards you, effectively ruining your picture and your day. 

You go to stand, brushing the sand off of your dress before the girl rushes forward to push you, sending you down to land flat on your bottom. Your bottom lip wobbled as you tried to hold back the tears and humiliation threatening to spill over and out. 

The bat-winged boy pointed to you, “Look, guys, she’s gonna cry!” Yelling out to anyone who could hear, only causing you to dip your head in shame, now unable to stop the warm tears from trailing down your cheeks. 

And you thought today couldn’t get any worse.

“Hey! Knock it off!” You hear a voice yell, familiar. “Flashfire fist!”

You feel the heat before you see it, hot and swift.

The screams make you look up. Its Touya, red hair and fist aflame, standing in front of you and effectively blocking you from the trio of bullies before. 

“Ouch, Touya! You could have really hurt us!” the girl with pigtails cried, holding her own wrist as tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

The boy who kicked sand at you spoke up next, voice wavering on the verge of tears as well, “Yeah, you jerk!”

Touya shrugged, flames dissipating and points a finger at them, “I don't care. Bullies’ feelings dont matter!” 

You could only stare with wet lashes as the trio ran off — no doubt to tell the teacher. Touya didn’t seem to mind, as a matter of fact he seemed proud as he turned to you and reached out a hand to help you up. He was all smiles and warm eyes, “Are you alright?”

You take his hand, noting how warm it still was from his previous quirk use and nod, “Mhm, thank you.”

“It’s no problem,” he helped you to your feet before continuing, his smile almost blinding, “I’m Touya Todoroki, the next number one hero.” 

You nod and introduce yourself, cheeks warm and smile dancing across your face. His mood is infectious. “Nice to meet you, Touya, next number one hero.” 

Later that day you realize Touya does get in trouble for improper quirk use and can’t help but apologize. 

“It’s fine!” He returns, not bothered in the slightest. “I’d do it again and again, if I had to.”

After the incident Touya insisted on being by your side the rest of the day. During lunch, arts and crafts and even nap time. He would go where you would go and you couldn’t say you minded. Once school had finished for the day and it was time to break apart Touya insisted you both hang out more.

Even going as far as to introduce himself to your parents as they came to pick you up. 

His foot tapped in excitement as he told them about your days and how you should hang out more. 

That’s how you both find yourselves in some forest on the weekend, walking together through the fresh snow, because Touya just had to show you this cool training spot. 

“But, don't you think we’re going too far, Touya?” You ask, nerves trembling as you look around the forest. You wouldn’t know your way back without him and you’ve never been this far out alone. 

“No,” he singsongs, “C’mon– don't be such a baby,” 

You puff your cheeks, running to catch up with him,  “Don’t call me that, but okay!” 

He grabs your hand once you are by his side and it's warm. Touya is always warm. 

“We’re almost there, anyway!” 

This special place looked the same as any other place in these woods, but you wouldn’t let Touya know. He’s so excited to show you what he came to do. 

“My dad and I train here sometimes.” He starts, smiling as he backs away from you to show you a flame in his hand. “He thinks my flames will be hotter than his one day.”

You can’t hide the way your eyes fill with sadness as you look to the ground. 

“I don’t think I’m gonna get a quirk, Touya.” 

The boy’s smile drops instantly, as he rushes over to you, taking your face in his tiny hands. Still so warm, like always. 

“Hey, don’t say that! Maybe you aren't trying the right things.” He dips behind you before you could turn to stop him, “Maybe you can see in the dark!” His hypothesis being tested by covering your eyes. 

You bite back a laugh, “No, Touya, I don't think it works like that.” 

The boy lets you go and runs to a rather large, fallen log – climbing atop it and looking down to you. “Well, maybe you can fly. Have you tried that?” 

You shake your head, unable to hide the worry in your face. Touya was up pretty high. “Hey… you shouldn’t be up that far.” 

“What do you mean? It’s fine!” he reassures, continuing his musing while walking along the fallen log. “Besides, it’s not like I'm clumsy or anything—!” 

The boy’s words were cut short by his shoe stepping down and slipping on the ice below it, sending him crashing down to the patch of snow and debris below. 

In that moment, your hand shoots out before you can think and there’s ringing in your ears. Your eyes squeezed shut as you wait for the impending crash. But it doesn’t come. 

You slowly open your eyes and see… Touya. He’s okay. Better than okay because he’s floating above the snowy patch of grass below, debris and everything brushed away. Your hand is still out as you meet Touya's wide eyes. 

“Whoa!” You finally pull your hand back and watch his feet gently touch the grass below. “Dude, you have mind powers! So cool!” 

You will your breathing to go back to normal as you take in the new information. You do have a quirk. All hope was not lost. 

The feeling of warm liquid creeping down your nostril catches your attention. Bringing a finger to your nose, you pull back and see the crimson drop. Blood. The sound of Touya’s steps through the snow breaks your focus. 

“Hey, what happened? You're bleeding.” He takes your finger in his hand, red brows furrowed and cerulean eyes filled with worry. 

You shrug, taking your hand back and wiping your nose with your sleeve, unaware of the tiny smear of blood you left across your face. “I dunno. I’m not hurt, though.”

At this, Touya smiles, bringing his own hand to your face to wipe the remainder of what you smeared. “You better not be! We’re gonna be heroes together — you and me!”

It’s so infectious, the way he lights up with a smile, you can’t help but return it. “Yeah, we sure will.”

—----------------

The first time you think you see Touya it’s while you are on your way home from the bustling area of downtown. 

The shops are crowded with people trying to get their last minute gifts for the holidays and you promised your parents you would be home hours ago. It’s a flash – so quick you almost miss it. 

Almost. 

Through the crowd there's a glint of white hair and blue eyes. You stop, sending the people behind you nearly barrolling into your backside and profusely apologize, half heartedly hearing their grumbles as you make your way through the flurry of people. 

The snow white hair is a little further ahead, but you can see bits and pieces where the sea of heads will naturally move. 

Was that…

It couldn’t be. Your heart picks up as you nearly chase your way through, mumbling faint excuse me’s and pardon me’s to those around you as you lock onto the moving person. It's becoming harder to keep up and you break out in a light sprint. 

The person takes a sharp left into an alley and you follow behind, only to be met with the emptiness of a damp back alley. 

There was no way it could be him. Your mind was playing tricks on you. 

You shake your head, hoping you could physically shake those thoughts from your brain and turn to head home. It had been a long day.

There is a battle raging in your mind — one that you are not sure is formed from grief or from anxiety. it is an all consuming inferno of blackened dust in your heart and you cannot stop yourself when you bring it up to Fuyumi.

You both have been sitting in silence for a while, wrapping gifts for the upcoming holidays. She has been in her own little world, humming christmas tunes, while you have been in a fit of inner turmoil. 

“Hey, Fuyumi,” you start, instantly catching her attention in the otherwise quiet home. 

“Hm?”

Your nerves are eating your confidence and you start to second guess yourself. Only the warmth in her gray eyes gives you the resolve to continue. “Something weird happened at the market the other day.”

She tilts her head, flowing ponytail following the direction, “What’s that?”

“I was walking and,” you stall — unsure if bringing up your friend's dead brother before the holidays would be a good move. “I swear, I thought I saw Touya. It was a flash, but the guy had his white hair and,” unwanted tears are blurring your vision, “and his eyes were so much like Touya’s i don't—” you're choking up, tears fighting their way through your throat, “I thought i was going crazy.”

Surprisingly, Fuyumi takes it well, reaching a hand out to touch your shoulder, a comforting motion you’ve grown to know over the years. 

“Hey, it’s okay. That could have been anyone, you know?” She smiles, and it’s bittersweet like the flowers at a funeral, “it’s the holiday season so everyone is out right now.”

You nod, reluctant, but logical. “Yeah, yeah you’re right. It was pretty crowded in that area.” the tears would force their way through your resistance whether you fought them or not, so you give up – letting them flow down your cheeks. “I’m sorry for bringing it up, Fuyumi.”

“No, it's okay! Don't worry about it." She looks to the side. “It’s only been three years since it happened, and the anniversary of his death is coming up too. It's harder around this time of year. For all of us.” 

You can only nod as Fuyumi brings you into a tight hug. Your resolve melted away in her arms as you cried, it felt like things would never get easier. 

A life without Touya wasn’t a life you could see yourself living happily in.

You wished and prayed for him everyday — unwilling to believe your best friend was really truly gone. It felt so surreal. Like something that happens in movies and not to you.

Fuyumi said nothing as she held you and rubbed soothing circles on your back. She has been a pillar for you in these times and you couldn’t be more grateful. Only wishing you could show your gratuity in a more effective form than just sobbing into her shoulder. 

There is an anguish in your heart that will not go away. A part of you died when Touya did, there was no denying that. 

Fuyumi pulls away, holding you by the shoulders as her eyes meet yours — she's started crying too and it's enough to make you shake with sobs again. 

“Hey, hey,” Fuyumi starts, her voice unwavering despite the tears. You wish you were strong like her. “We’ll get through this, okay? We just have to be strong.”

You give her a pathetic nod, one more for her sake than yours, and try to sit up straighter. 

You knew that Touya wouldn’t want to see you like this.

—-------------------

When you are five years old, you notice there is a change in Touya.

You gasp when you see him again, “Touya! Your hair!” 

His eyebrows scrunch at your pointing and then widen in realization. “Huh? Oh, don’t worry about that.” Touya huffs, “were you even listening?”

The question startles you and you quickly nod your head, knowing you didn't hear a word he said. “Mhm!”

Touya keeps talking, now bringing a hand to his hair, rubbing a lock between his forefinger and thumb, “Okay, so what’s the deal?” 

You can't stop the confused look in your eye as you watch him, cheeks rosy from the cold. It snowed again yesterday, and Touya never seemed bothered by the cold. You were freezing though. 

Somehow you let him bring you back to this forest — it’s become your go to hangout. A place where the both of you could practice your quirks in peace. 

“Do you like All Might or something?” 

You shrug, indifferent to the well known hero. Your parents weren’t heroes and neither was anyone in your family. He seemed more like a comic book character than an actual person. 

“Well, it doesn't matter. My dad told me I’m gonna be even better than All Might! So he better watch out.”

You smile, seeing his eyes light up, “Oh, yeah? How are you gonna be better than him, Touya?” 

You don’t know why but it makes your heart dance when he gets this way. Stars in his eyes and world in his hand. He’s your hero, you absently wonder if he knows that. 

Touya shrugs, scrunching his nose in thought, “I dunno. I haven’t gotten that far yet.” He snaps his fingers and turns to you, “I know! I’ll look it up. It can’t be too hard, right?”

You laugh now. Of course he doesn’t have a plan.

“Don't you think if it were that easy he wouldn't be the number one right now?” You test, and Touya gives you a look, pout strong on his face.

“Hey, whose side are you on, anyway?”

“Yours! So, I don't want you to waste your time on silly stuff.” You offer, looking at the leaves you're making dance in your hand. 

He groans, the frustration evident in his voice, “Whatever! I’ll figure something else out.”

In that moment, there’s a great gust of wind — whistling and blowing the leaves in your hand away. It’s chill makes you wrap your arms around yourself, shivering. 

“Touya, don’t you get cold?” You ask, arms doing little to warm yourself as you continue to shiver. 

The boy looks at you, brows furrowed and eyes confused. “No, do you?”

“Yes!” You shout, “all the time! It’s so c-cold out here. I don’t know how you do it.” 

He walks over to you, pondering and examining your face. “Yeah, your nose is all red. Rudolf.” 

He takes your face into his hands and closes his eyes, rubbing his nose against yours back and forth. It’s warm and it makes you flush. Your cheeks burn when he pulls away, stunned at the smile on his face and stars in his eyes.

“Better?” He asks, innocent question ringing in your ears and you realize yes, you do feel better, but you also feel warm and fuzzy like there are butterflies dancing around in your belly and you can’t get them out — so, you just nod instead, slow smile creeping on your face and Touya grabs your hand again.

“Good! Now let’s keep going! There’s this cool new move I wanna try.” 

And you follow behind him. He was your best friend after all. You feel as though you would even follow him through the icy storms of Antarctica if you needed to. 

—-------------------

Christmas with the Todoroki’s has always been interesting. For one, half of them were not present during the dinner. Rei being sent to the facility, endeavor choosing to work on his hero duties and little Shouto desperately trying to eat with all of you without Enji coming home to find him out of his room. 

The silence is eerie – other than the sounds of metal clinking against porcelain plates. 

You couldn’t help but break the tense air, words sounding loud in the quiet of the room, “Thank you all for inviting me over. The food is really good, Natsuo.”

At this, Natsuo perks up, a smile so wide on his face it makes his eyes squeeze shut. “We love having you around! You’re like the big sis we never had!”

“Hey!” Fuyumi squawks, ready to scold her little brother, “I’m the one who knows where you sleep Natsu, so watch it!”

You can’t help but laugh at the threat, knowing Natsuo has been a victim to many of Fuyumi’s pranks. Shouto only watches on, eating as much as he could before he would inevitably go back to his side of the home. There wasn’t much expression to his face, but he seemed content to watch his older siblings bicker back and forth. 

Times like these were nice, you decide. It pulls your mind away from the reality and into the more lively parts of growing up.

After the dinner was done, and the gifts were passed out, there was a somber air growing about you all once more. 

Shouto went back to his room and Natsuo found his place in the living room, playing video games and insisting that since he cooked most of the meal, he shouldn’t wash dishes as well. 

Much to Fuyumi’s dismay, you agreed with Natuso, but offered to help her with the dishes. It was something to prolong the inevitable walk home. 

“What did you get for him this year?” Fuyumi asked, passing you another plate to dry.

You glanced at her, noting how she avoided your gaze, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth instead. “It’s something I’ve been working on for a while. A necklace — with charms and things I think he would like.”

She nods, bringing an arm up to wipe her eyes with her wrist, “Yeah, I’m sure he would love that. He always liked your gifts.”

It’s impossible not to find yourself tearing up. 

Once you were done washing dishes with Fuyumi, she went to join Natsuo in the living room, offering unwanted tips on the current game he was playing and receiving groans of irritation in return. 

You take that as your cue to leave and make your way to the place you’ve dreaded all night.

Touya’s shrine.

His memoriam stared back at you as you dropped to your knees, lowering your head in prayer and then placing the small decorated box onto the shelf of his shrine. 

“Oh, Touya… it’s been three years.” You say to his photo hanging above the shrine. It’s his school photo. You were both in the same class, already talking about what high schools you would be choosing in the upcoming years.  

It doesn’t feel like three years. It feels like everyday is the same — you wake up and he’s not there. Like a day you’re doomed to repeat until the reality of it all finally sets in. 

What would he look like now, you wonder. Would he have gotten taller? He had always been smaller than the other kids. Would he still have dreams of being a hero? You didn’t know. You wished you knew. 

Your fists clinch in your lap and the tears flow freely from your eyes. Even with your head bowed you can’t stop seeing his picture etched into your brain. Those blue eyes staring into your eyes. 

A sob escapes your lips and it all comes crashing down after that. 

“God, Touya..!” Your words break down, sending your resolve with it. It feels like your heart has been ripped out of your chest and you’ve been openly bleeding out for three years. 

You are only sixteen years old and expected to spend the rest of your life without the boy who would put the moon in the sky for you. 

Unthinkable.

You’re not sure how much time has passed once you’ve calmed down, but you know it’s late now. 

It was time to head home, and you wished Fuyumi and Natsuo well as you hugged them. They wave you off, faces somber and words tight. If they heard you crying, they didn't mention it and you’re thankful. 

The trek home would not be not a long one, but you couldn’t stop yourself from taking a detour. 

The forest where you and Touya always hung out was nearby and you can't stop your feet when you make a sharp right turn and head that way. 

It was getting dark and snow was beginning to fall, but you felt at home.

There's a river you like to walk along. It's such a small little stream that never seems to freeze over, no matter how cold it is outside. It is where you find yourself trailing beside. The water being the only noise breaking through the quiet of the forest.

It kept you company until you reached the familiar open patch of grass, which was currently covered in snow. 

Some trees were still charred from the incident, but others were still standing proud. It’s strange how that works — some things can remain the same through adversity while others are damaged beyond repair. You wonder if things could ever grow back from such tragedies.

Maybe the growth of something new could come from the ashes of the old. Like a phoenix.

The snapping of a twig snatches you from your thoughts. 

It's a forest, yes, but this area doesn’t have much food for the animals. You stand to your feet, absently wondering when you had taken a seat in the first place, and look around. Maybe it was a trick of the wind, or something falling. 

The snow crunches under your feet as you begin to take your leave — you’ve been out long enough. 

You make your way through the thick of the trees until something brings you to pause. 

Your steps were not the only steps you were hearing. 

“Hello?” You call out into what you hoped had been an empty forest, only to be met with silence. It is not a comforting quiet, it was a quiet that crept underneath your skin and gave you goosebumps. 

It felt like you were being watched. 

“This isn’t funny!” You yell, taking cautious steps backwards, preparing yourself for a sprint in the opposite direction. 

You turn, ready to take off when a glimmer of silver catches your eye, the flicker making you halt your movements.

Your heart hammered against your chest.

There was no way. 

It was so faint, but you knew the necklace you crafted like the back of your hand.

“Hey! Stop fucking around, whoever you are!” You don’t know where this brave face is coming from, but you aren’t backing down. You could fight if need be.

Against your better judgment, you take a few steps forward, and like you thought, whoever was around took those steps with you. Your breath hitches when you see it. 

A flash of white hair. 

You break off into a sprint, and the person is already off, having a headstart and leaving you behind. 

You couldn’t see as well through the snowfall, but you didn’t need to. White hair and the shimmer of a necklace around the person’s neck has you chasing them deeper into the woods. 

“Stop..!” You cry out, reaching a hand forward in an attempt to activate your quirk. 

The force of it causes branches to fall from a tree further ahead of the person and he only changes direction. 

You follow behind, lungs burning as you struggle to keep up. There was another attempt, bringing an already leaning tree down in front of the running man. It still did not work, he simply jumped over it and continued on. 

You were approaching your limit with your quirk and desperate. If you let this slip through your fingers it would drive you mad. 

“Wait!” You try again, reaching both hands forward and focusing all you had on the man before you. It was hard to ignore the blood trickling from both nostrils with your quirk use, but you had to, this was your only chance. “Touya..!”

And in that moment, the man stopped — whether it be from your quirk holding him in place or his own will, you weren't sure. All you knew was that the man stopped, and turned.

Your vision began to blur as your head pounded from the overexertion — your quirk was difficult to use on a living being, but it didn’t matter. You would know those eyes even in your darkest hour.

The cerulean blue was the last thing you saw before your world went dark. 

And in your final moments, only one thought rang in your mind.

Touya is alive.

[la-sera]

Hi Sera!! I saw that you were looking for some new Downfall Duo content, so I wrote you a little something. It’s short but I hope it helps lift your spirits a bit <333

It’s a calm night, for once.

Hyrule gazes into the flickering flames, letting his brother’s voices drift around him like floating fairies. He is too tired to join in tonight. But merely listening is enough. Being here with them, being safe and full and warm, fills him with a happiness little else conjures.

It’s like the magic of his sisters — all softly sweet, precious, mysterious. Blink and you’ll miss it.

So, he keeps his heavy eyelids open. Because never in a million years did Hyrule think he would have something like this.

Off to the side, Wild and Twilight and Time bicker about something, even as they sit close. Their voices are light and teasing. Smiles rest on worn faces.

The two younger heroes have broken through the older hero’s quiet cautiousness. Their grins tell of their pride in doing so.

Wind and Warriors snuggle not far off. Warriors is telling a story and every so often, Wind breaks in with a question or exclamation.

Four is close by, pressed against Sky’s side, a book in his hand and his ears perked to hear the captain’s tale. The Skyloftian works quietly away at the block of wood in his hands.

Which leaves Legend.

As soon as they had finished setting up camp, the veteran had not-so-subtly situated himself beside Hyrule. And now, as if on cue, his head thunks softly against Hyrule’s shoulder.

He looks down, barely suppressing a giggle at the sight of the veteran propped against him. He had relaxed as soon as he had sat down, but in this moment he is practically asleep.

Eyes half-lidded, body relaxed, Legend watches their brothers with a lazy smile on his face.

Seeing him like this is a special thing not lost on the traveler.

He trusts you, something inside Hyrule whispers. A grin tugs at his lips.

“Don’ laugh,” Legend murmurs, just the barest tinge of irritation in his tone. “‘M tired after all that walking.”

“I wasn’t gonna laugh!” Hyrule retorts. Quickly, he shoves down the chuckles still pressing at his throat.

Legend is scowling now, though he looks no less sleepy for it.

…Or content. He cuddles in closer and Hyrule rests his head atop the veteran’s.

“Were too. I can see it on your face, Rulie. You find my exhaustion…comical.”

Hyrule’s grin grows. “Okay, maybe a little bit.”

Legend closes his eyes, a victorious smirk on his lips.

“Knew it.”

Hyrule doesn’t reply. He is growing sleepy now, and is more than content to merely let a comfortable silence blanket them.

A wisp of his magic drifts toward Legend without conscious thought. Gently, protectively, it wraps around him, like an embrace. The veteran relaxes further beneath its touch.

“Hey, Ledge,” Hyrule murmurs after a long thread of peaceful moments.

Legend shifts, slightly. “Hm?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you this but…” He sighs, a soft smile on his lips. “I’m glad that we got to meet.

“I’m glad that you’re my brother.”

There is a long, drawn out pause. Then, Legend replies in a voice thick with something other than sleep.

“Yeah…me too, Rule.” He moves once more, maneuvering into a more comfortable position. “Now, if you’re done with the mushy stuff, I’m goin’ to sleep.”

Hyrule grins, knowingly. “And you’re gonna use me as a pillow?”

“Seems that way.”

Rolling his eyes, Hyrule chuckles. “Fine.”

Really, though, being the veteran’s pillow isn’t so bad of a fate (yes, even now that Wind and Wild are creeping over to snap a few photos for future blackmail). Maybe, Legend will actually be able to sleep tonight.

And maybe, just maybe…so will he.

OH MY. Did you write this on purpose for me? Sorry for disturbing your time, you didn't have to do that. I really thank you, I like this. So much. I read it while lying down, and maybe I read it more than 5 times. I miss Downfall Duo.

I got the idea and immediately made a fanart from your fic. Hope you like it too.

Once again, thank you, I am happy with this fic you gave me. this gives me comfort.

[underforeversgrace]

does this suit come off?

DannyMay2023 Day 15: Full Hazmat AU

title: does this suit come off?

words: 1706

Summary: A fight goes sideways and Danny gets caught.

Warnings: None!

Other AU: No One Knows

Beta by: @probably-dead

~~~~~~

Danny quickly dropped down, narrowly avoiding the blast the creature shot at him. Even through the hazmat suit he had on, he could feel the heat of the projectile as it flew mere centimeters above his head.

He looked down, taking stock of the number of humans still beneath him. The animal ghost had attacked a random building and people were still trying to evacuate.

It was times like this he was grateful for the helmet of his suit, the way it entirely blocked his face - a face even he hadn’t seen before. At least, not in his ghost form, since the accident a year ago. But, assuming it was still human-ish, he was sure they would be able to see the panic and fatigue beginning to overwhelm him. He was exhausted. He hissed as his distraction cost him, the next blast digging into his arm and he felt cold ectoplasm begin to drip from the tear in the suit, falling in small droplets to the ground six stories below. He needed to get this fight over with and he needed to get it over with now.

Danny growled lowly then blasted as fast as he could towards the ghost, managing to wrap his good arm around its midsection and sending them both careening to the ground at the edge of the evacuation zone.

Well, good to know he wasn’t the only ghost who forgot he could go intangible. Their fight quickly turned into a down-and-dirty fist fight (or, claws, in the creature’s case), that Danny was at a major disadvantage for, considering his left arm was steadily growing more and more numb. His entire focus on the ghost he was wrestling with, he didn’t hear the squeal of tires as his parents arrived.

He pulled back his good hand, clenching it into a fist and was aiming for one of the ghost’s many eyes, confident he could get a good hit in and-

And then his world exploded into a swirling blue void and conscious thought felt like a heavy blanket. He could sense his body but he could not feel it, he could not think more than a couple of simple words before his train of thought evaporated into mist, leaving him in a state of perpetual confusion.

Memory returned to him as soon as the blue swirls began again, dissipating as quickly as they had formed. Was that what the ghosts felt like in the Fenton Thermos? Man, that was unpleasant. He was groggy, slow, heavy.

“Nyuh…” he groaned, sitting up and then tucking his head between his knees, the feeling of lightheadedness and nausea making the room spin.

“Oh, Phantom’s already coming to, dear,” a female voice said, slightly distorted as though far away. “Looks like the Thermos doesn’t keep ghosts sedated longer than about thirty seconds.”

“Huh?” Danny managed quietly, still with his head tucked and eyes closed.

“Smaller than I expected it to be,” a male said, his heavy footsteps almost as clear as his voice.

Some deep part of him knew something bad was happening and he needed to do something, but the fog continued to press into his brain. He managed to sit up some, eyes still firmly closed under his helmet. “Wha’s goin’ on?”

“It… sounds so young.” The woman said.

“Look at that hazmat. No way a kid dies in something like that. The template the ghost formed off of was probably just short.” The man said.

“I don’t know, Jack…”

The woman - Maddie - speaking Jack’s name pushed away the haze in his mind. His eyes flew open and he realized where he was. The harsh white light above him was dimmed slightly by the darkened visor covering his face but there was no denying this place - his parent’s lab, the green of the portal glowing and slowly swirling off to his side. He was in one of the clear ghost containment cubes, alone, and he was worried for the creature he’d been fighting. How long had he been in the Thermos? Was the other ghost okay?

Maddie and Jack both stood outside the ecto-proof glass encasing him on all sides, their hoods up, the goggles only adding to the demented scientist look. Danny felt his heart race in his chest, blood rushing in his ears as panic clawed into his heart. Words escaped him as fear consumed him, so he merely scrambled to his feet and began backing as far away from them as possible but when his back bumped into the glass behind him, electricity surged through him and he yelped, jumping away from the charged glass.

“Well, it’s really good at mimicking emotion. I almost believe it’s afraid.” Jack said, turning to a computer at his side.

Maddie, though, didn’t move, a small frown on her face as she studied him. He knew what she’d see - a black and white hazmat suit, entirely unremarkable if not for the glow it emitted, hanging a little too loosely from his frame, black helmet with darkened glass obscuring his face entirely. If she looked too closely, she may realize this was one of her full hazmats that he’d stolen when he went poking around in the lab.

“Releasing the gas.” Jack said, toggling a button on the computer he was at. With a hiss, the air pressure in the cube began to rise and Danny could feel the effects of whatever it was almost immediately.

“No!” He cried out, the tear in his suit from earlier rendering the hazmat’s protective abilities useless as it hadn’t time to patch itself up yet. “Stop, please!” Weakness in his limbs brought him to his knees as the gas seemed to absorb through his skin, his mouth, his nose, burning his lungs. It surrounded him and he responded the same way he had when he’d been learning how to swim and started to sink. “Mom!” He screamed, terrified tears beginning to streak down his hidden face.

“Jack, stop!” Maddie yelled, jerking open the door before the words were even out of her mouth.

“Mads, don’t! Shit!” Jack yelled back, quickly turning the gas off and hurrying in after her.

Maddie ignored Jack, pulling her hood off - some part of Danny hoped this gas was safe for humans - and dropping to her knees beside him and pulling him against her.

“Don’t hurt me!” He pleaded, initially thinking the worst until he realized his mother was gently rocking him and softly shushing him, quietly reassuring him that she wasn’t going to.

“Mads?” Jack asked, stopping a few steps back.

“He’s just a kid, Jack.” Maddie answered. “Did you hear him?”

“It’s a ploy, Maddie, it knows you’re a mother!” Jack insisted, though hesitation tinged his words. Regardless, at his words, Danny curled up tighter, burying himself closely against his mother’s chest and ducking his head under her chin, a position she’d comforted him before, after nightmares. Her arms tightened around him as he did so, but instead of being scary, it was an old comfort.

“Do you remember your mother, Phantom?” Maddie asked softly, rubbing circles against his back.

“Yeah.” He answered, his words slightly muffled between the helmet and the way he was hiding against his mother. This can’t have been comfortable for her, especially not with the helmet, but she didn’t try to push him away.

“Why’d you call for her just now?” Jack asked, kneeling down beside him hesitantly.

“Scared.” He said simply.

“Phantom… how old were you?” Even as he asked it, guilt rose in his eyes.

“Fourteen.”

“You’re in a hazmat suit. What happened to you?”

“Accident,” Danny answered, beginning to unclench his muscles as his mother remained silent. Honestly, he was surprised. His parents didn’t even know it was him. They’d just heard a terrified child (he was a teen, though, thank you) and stopped.

Silence stretched between them, Danny’s heart still too loud in his ears. Was it really this easy?

“You’re hurt.” Maddie eventually said, gesturing to his arm, the injury somehow looking worse instead of better. “Does this suit come off? So we can take a look?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried.”

“Here,” Maddie said, pulling away from him for the first time since she’d ran in. “Let’s see, okay? It’ll be easier to see how bad the injury is. Want to start with the helmet?”

“I don’t know what I look like… what if it’s bad?” He admitted, the reason he’d never looked. He was afraid he would look like the charred corpse he should have become.

“Then ghosts can adjust their image if they want to, based on what we’ve seen. If it’s bad and you don’t want it, you can change it.”

“And we’ll help however we can,” Jack finally gave in, settling onto his knees. “C’mon, kiddo.”

Hesitation stayed Danny’s hand only momentarily. If it was bad… then he could change it?

Danny had been assuming the worst ever since his accident - with everything. With his friends, his family, his face. He’d lied and hid the truth from everyone he’d ever known. But his family had just proved him wrong, the worst outcome isn’t necessarily the only outcome. Danny reached for the helmet, disconnecting it from the suit quickly, before he had time to doubt his decision. Cool air touched this half of him’s face for the first time.

Maddie and Jack both gave him encouraging smiles, neither looking on in horror. Did he look okay? Oh crap, did he look like his human self?

“You look fine.” Maddie said, fishing a compact out of her pocket and opening it, aiming the mirror at him. A tanned, human face with no sign of scarring gazed back at him, bright green eyes and pure white hair glowing slightly. “I don’t think you need to change anything.”

Relief settled deep within Danny and he just reached back for his mother, curling up against her and resting his head under her chin again, much more comfortably this time. She only wrapped her arms back around him, stroking his hair gently.

Maybe… maybe he shouldn’t always assume the worst of the people he knew. Maybe he should give them a chance.

And maybe he should stop assuming the worst about himself, too.

[yusa-lisaxyuta]

Bakugou Fluff

ok its suggestive Fluff but not nsfw !!! I promise!

moaning during a kiss drabble <333 [x fem!reader] (ur hubby n wifey ugh)

You both sigh together in unison, the sweet sound of your front door clicking closed being music to your ears. You smile at each other briefly, kicking off your shoes and walking towards the kitchen together, a routine you two developed over the years. You turn on the faucet and start washing your hands as always, smiling at the welcome feeling of your husband's strong arms wrapping around your waist. He stands there, pressing the occasional kiss to your neck as you dried your hands.

"I had fun tonight ya know," you start, placing your now-dry hands over his. He swats them off, mumbling as he moves to take your place in front of the sink. "You'll get 'em dirty again, Dumbass," he says, trying to ignore the anticipation in his chest as he awaits the rest of your words.

You just scoff and shake your head, sitting on the counter behind him as he finishes up. Once done he slots himself between your thighs, holding you close. "You're cute like this, y'know Katsu? Always been the best at plannin' ahead...It fits you, y'know," you mumble into his hair, playing with the short stubble on the back of his neck. You both feel the skin of his face heat, an embarrassed yet accepting grunt coming from his throat as he tries to play off the loud beating of his heart. "Yeah yeah, talk your shit. Just make it fast, it's almost 10... 's time f'bed," he mutters,holding you tighter despite his words.

You smile softly in return, tilting his chin up so his eyes meet yours. "I know," you whisper, barely getting the words out before kissing his lips lovingly, his hand instantly reaching for yours as he kisses back. He sighs softly, letting you pull away when you're ready.

"Fuck, you taste so much sweeter today..."

His hands grip your hips as he yanks you closer, standing slightly straighter as his breath brushes against your lips. His eyes scan your features closely, skills honed from years of hero patrol.

"Kats- mmnh.."

Your words were silenced by his lips once more, the action pulling the softest whimper from your mouth. The grip he has on you tightens, his hands swiftly moving to your ass as he lifts you from the countertop. He carries you to your shared bedroom with ease, opening and closing the door all without his lips leaving yours. After what felt like an eternity, you feel the soft sheets under you as he finally lays you down on the bed, pulling away as you both gasp for air.

He didn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

"Best decision ever..," he whispered, your lips meeting his again. The sloppy make out session continued awhile longer, his hands and lips making your thoughts fuzzy with each passing second. You moan quietly against his lips, the blonde pulling away soon after. You both lay there panting like dogs in the summer heat, faces equally flushed. There was just something about seeing you breathless, pinned so perfectly beneath him- it broke his resolve in ways he could never comprehend. His eyes darkened as he took in every detail, even the slight sway to your breasts with every deep breath you take. He finally leans back, yanking his shirt over his head with a low growl. You grin, your eyes scanning over each and every scar visible on his perfect body.

"So much for goin' to sleep, Kats?"

He growls in response, pinning you down roughly.

"Save it," he rasps, eyeing you like prey. "I plan on calling out tomorrow anyway. Now shut up 'n lemme fuck you like there is no tomorrow..."

[actual-greenninja]

Maybe I'm not so bad after all..

A Genya x fem! Reader fanfic🪻(modern au)

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★Synopsis:

This is a sequel to my first ever Fanfiction: 'I don't want to hurt you guys like how he hurt me'. I recommend that you read that one first, but if you are too triggered by arguing, crying and harsh treatment then the fic is NOT for you. Long story short Genya accidentally hurts you Infront of your kids during an argument. This is after you guys make up— the next morning infact, where things are still a little on edge, but much better

Author's note: this is fluff with a bit of angst but mainly fluff. I kinda forgot about the first story so sorry if it isn't the best. Also this wasn't proof read

--------------------------~°★★★°~----------------------------

The events of the previous night slowly dissapeared into nothingness as you fell asleep with your little family. Despite what happend last night you felt closer to your family than ever, atleast that all you could think of as you drifted off to sleep with your bundles of joy. Genya however...

Not so much

He couldn't sleep at all infact. Short moments of slumber but it would just lead to him waking up in the dead of night once again. He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that coursed through his veins. The feeling that he didn't deserve to have you, or his children in his arms right now. He felt like a complete monster, no matter how much he apologised that night. Constant memories of his past would flash before his eyes like a flickering light bulb.

Memories of his adolescents, memories of his father. Memories of his mother. Memories of his siblings. All of which were not good at all. All that was ringing in his ears were screaming and crying, wether it was from years back, or just a few hours ago. He felt like a monster. He felt like his father.

It was currently 5am. And obviously after last night, you'd all be asleep. Except Genya of course, who was getting out of bed. He wasn't getting out of bed to go to work though, not at all. He called in sick— because how could he go to work when his beautiful wife and children still deserved so much more after what he did? He couldnt bare the thought. So he silently put on his tracksuit jacket and his sneakers, trying to make as little noise as possible. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts even the slightest creek of the floor board was enough to get one of your son's stirring awake. He opened his little eyes tiredly, looking around weakly until his eyes landed on his father. I yawned tiredly, sitting up. He looked adorable, wearing his little Spiderman pajama set. You could see his little belly poking out as he sat in a hunched position.

"Daddy... Daddy... Where'you goin...." He mumbled, still half asleep. Genya couldn't help but smile. I quietly made his way to him and kissed him on both his chubby little cheeks. Genya then whispered softly, his eyes appearing softer than ever as he gazed apon the little bundle of joy. "Daddy is gonna be back soon. It's gonna be a suprise, but only if you go back to sleep, okay, bud?" He whispered with a soft smile. His son smiled aswell, a bit of his gapped teeth becoming visible. I nodded a little 'mhm' before laying back down and cuddling into your side.

"that's my little soldier. You look after mommy and your sister" he whispered before quietly leaving the room.

Your whole argument yesterday started because he wasn't at home often anymore— and damn it, he was gonna fix that. That's what ran through his head as he stepped out the front door, the cool grass cracking beneath his sneakers. The sun's light illuminated the car you both shared, as if calling out to him with its shiny grey hood. He got in and turned on the engine, ready to drive off and make things right for when his family wakes up.

--------------------------~°★★★°~----------------------------

About two hours had past since then and you slowly started to wake up, smiling softly at the sight. You saw both your son's cuddled up into your sides, and your daughter resting on your chest. "My sweet angels" you whispered, admiring how the sun's rays that cast through the blinds fell perfectly on their chubby little faces. Though your heart sank when you saw Genya wasn't beside you. Damn... Did he really go to work again? It was all you could wonder as you laid there, staring up at the cold ceiling.

It took a little bit of manoeuvring to get your kids to remain asleep as you got up from bed, putting on the fluffy rabbit gown Genya got you a few months ago. You yawned, sitting on the bed as you thought about last night for a few moments. You brushed it off though, the thoughts being too much for so early in the morning. You gave your babies one last look of pure love and adoration before you left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen.

You stood at the bedroom door in shock, barely able to take another step as you took in the scene before you.

Genya stood in the middle on the room, a large bouquet of flowers in his hands, his face appearing nervous as his legs looked like they were about to buckle. On the kitchen table their was breakfast already set out for all of us. Baby food, eggs, chicken nuggets, croissants, toast, muffins. You name it, it was on that table. The couch was filled with toys for our sons and stuffed animals for your daughter. He smiled softly and walked over to you

"h- hey. You surprised?" He asks nervously. His whole face was red, his scar on his face barely evident. He held the bouquet of flowers out to you, his palms sweating furiously. He cleared his throat, taking a breath before speaking

"Sweetheart. My love... What I did.. I.." he was stuttering. He was so overwhelmed with emotions but he tried to gather himself "I don't know why I hurt you. Why I hurt our children, our relationship. I hate myself, I truly do because I can't bare the thought of making you or our kids sad like that ever." He sniffled slightly but he refused to break eye contact with you. "I don't want to hurt you guys the same way he hurt me" he trembled out. He looked up at you with pleading eyes as the whole world felt like it went still, just for the two of you. "I can't let it happen again, and I won't let it happen again" he says softly. "Will... Will you find it in your heart to forgive me..?'

He asked with a pleading tone as he looked down at you. You could see the hope in his eyes and the nervous ess in his body language. You stared at him for a few moments before you just stook a step forward and hugged him tightly, causing him to drop the bouquet. You say with a soothing voice, filled with comfort "I know, my love... I know" is all you could mutter. Genya could barely contain himself as he felt tears brew in his eyes. He immediately started to kiss you all over your face, whispering sweet nothings to you as you stood in the kitchen together.

"I love you. Fuck, I love you. I love our family, our children, or life, our—" he could barely talk with how much he kissed you. He whispered softly "I don't want to feel like I'm gonna lose our family like this again" he whimpered. You both felt so complete, so at peace after this. You were both given the comfort of eachother and the life you both had built together after a long time. He held you close, his face beet red. He wasn't his use to being so lovey dovey. He then whispered to you with a chuckle.

"help we wake up our babies, yeah? I want them to see the fortune I spent on them" he teased. He then looked down at your face and smiled with so much warmth.

"and... I decided we should all go to the park today. I want to give you guys the quality time you deserve.."

"let me do that for us. For me. For you... My love"

He held you tightly for a brief moment before heading with you to wake up your little kiddos. He couldn't help but smile as he watched you walk into the bedroom to wake up his kids. Because the moment he sees their happy faces he knows that he will never be more content with his life. Because if he knows that he can make you and your family smile... Then maybe he isn't so bad afterall

--------------------------~°★★★°~----------------------------

Yayyyy!!! This is finally over!! This is kinda quick. I just wanted to give a better conclusion to the first story. I hope this counts as therapy for some of you!! Re blogs are appreciated as always, hope you like it

Spreading Lots of love to all my fellow abusive house hold livers 🌷🎀💕💕💗💗💗

[cario55555]

Gonna be taking a bit of a break from art and such and so, specifically cotl stuff mainly because i got abunch of wips in the backlog and others stuff to doodle but also i like this little freakshow im making too so have abunch of fun facts about the funny lamb universe i got goin on for now under the cut

⁍ The Lamb would canonically win in a fight against 4 Leshy's or 2 Heket's, but not 3 Shamura's or 2 Kallamar's. ⁍ The Goat literally just walked into the Cult and acted like he already knew everyone. This somehow worked for 3 years. ⁍ I have no idea if Narilamb is canon in this or not, but if it was then it would not end well for anyone ⁍ Plimbo is the best character, this is a fact and you cannot dispute it. I tried designing him like 8? times and I just couldn't get it in a satisfying way. this is because he is without flaw. ⁍ The Lamb was fully aware of the prophecy before the beheading. They were counting on it. There is blood on their hands. ⁍ Sozo is very dead. Whatever's walking around the Cult, that's not Dr. Sozonius. ⁍ Look at this thing I can do ☺ isn't that wild ⁍ It takes place in a permadeath save. This means that the Lamb's delusions of power definitely weren't helped by the fact that they BARELY even knew Narinder, and the fact they killed 5 gods without sleeping. ⁍ Also Lamb killed Narinder lol ⁍ Mystic Seller is named "That Which Takes" ⁍ Leshycat's canon but I'll never design them its just gonna be like in Tom and Jerry where they're just slightly offscreen at all times ⁍ Midas that rat fuck owes me 20$ ⁍ Surprisingly, Heket got the closest to killing The Lamb. She wears this as a badge of honor, or as a means to make fun of the other Bishops. I forget which. ⁍ I might make a fanfic one of these days based on cult of the sham but it'd literally just be an always sunny episode lol ⁍ Webber is literally the exact same as the one from Don't Starve. They had to put him down because he kept placing spider nests all over the Cult, and Pigs kept trying to throw down. ⁍ A little gnome just ran behind you when you weren't looking. ⁍ The Lamb is ambidextrous, this is because I keep forgetting which hand to have them hold stuff with. They also have no idea what this word means. ⁍ The gnome ran behind you again you gotta pay more attention to this stuff ⁍ ☺sorry i didn't mean to do it that time ⁍ Clauneck and Kudaai like switching clothes and acting like eachother to fuck with people, it works every time without fail. ⁍ Aym and Baal are hanging out with Forneus. The Lamb didn't let them do this, they literally just booked it as soon as they got the chance and Forneus totally could beat the shit out of The Lamb. ⁍ help its red now ⁍ nevermind we're good ⁍ Ratau was driven mad by the crown. He's had the knowledge of the gods ripped from his skull and delicately placed onto some psychopathic woolen beast. He's not all there. ⁍ Any time I'm working on COTL stuff I'm usually listening to King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard. To get the general tone I try and set, listen to their album "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz". Good stuff. ⁍ The Industrial Meat Grinder incident was an inside job.

thank y'all for all the support, means the world that people actually like the delusional ramblings that come out of my brain at...

yeah that tracks.

also one more little mini preview for a drawing that might get finished one of these days idk

why is webber there i genuinely do not remember???

[danibee33]

The Queen’s Guard - Chapter 6: Promise

knight!simon riley x queen!reader

word count: 2.5k

[<<< chapter 5]

For the first time, in longer than you can remember, you don’t dread the morning sun. You watch it crest the horizon, feel its warmth radiate on your skin, bask in its dewey light- bathing you in a delightful glow.

And it feels so surreal, like you’re surely doomed to wake from this dream, like the strong arms that had held you so tightly, and the lips that kissed yours so passionately, were only figments of your imagination. Yet, when you reach out, your fingers graze over the very real, and very smooth, cold, dark surface of Simon’s helmet still sitting on your bedside table; unmoved since he had retrieved it from the balcony hours ago-

“It’s real, My Queen..” You suck in a breath at the thick rasp of Simon’s voice in your ear, earning you a sweet chuckle, the arm around your waist pulling you closer so he can bury his nose into the soft hair at the nape of your neck, “‘m sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

A deep sigh parts your lips at the way he feels, how solid and hot his body is wrapped around yours, his breath sneaking beneath the collar of your nightgown,

“Tell me,” You say, wriggling yourself even further against him, “can you read minds, Ser Simon?”

Your question riles a deep and genuine laugh from him this time, though he does his best to keep it quiet, only for your ears, and hopefully none that dare to pry-

“Why?” He asks, gently tugging you to turn over, “Somethin’ up here you wouldn’t want me to know?”

Smiles pull at both your lips when he taps your temple with the pad of his finger, and you’re not sure you’ve ever seen something as glorious as Simon’s dimpled smirk- Gods, why would he ever hide under that helmet.. it’s a fleeting thought, but one you hope to learn the answer to eventually. Hm, eventually, when is that? How much time do you really have with him? What could possibly-

“Hey..” His calloused palm settles over your cheek, thumb tracing a soft, back and forth pattern, his eyes narrowed in concern, “What is it? I lost you..”

Such a simple question, and such a simple statement, but they feel incomprehensible. That you could have given your life to man for years, and he still knows nothing of you, thinks nothing of you- but Simon, who has only been with you for a handful of months, has somehow learned you, maybe even better than you know yourself.

You rest your palm over his hand, unsure of what to say, or where it could possibly go; his promise ringing in your ears, reverberating through your marrow and bones-

“I’m goin’ to get you out of here. I swear it.”

“If we leave.. Where will we go?”

“When we leave..” His voice is steady and hardly above a whisper, the tip of his nose grazing over yours, “We’ll go wherever you like. The coast, inland, mountains, and forests- we’ll see it all.”

“But.. Simon- the King..”

So, so sweetly, you feel him pull your head forward just enough to crush his lips against yours- effectively silencing all your relentless thoughts, even if only for this glorious moment. Because it’s so easy to be consumed in him, in his power and his gentility, his brutish strength and the way he holds you as if you were made of the most precious and rare element he knew. And once again, you feel your body giving in to him- feel the tightness gather in your belly, and the ache grow between your legs. You want him, in every way that a woman can want a man- but all too soon, he’s pulling away again, his forehead pressing against yours,

“I will deal with the King, sweet girl.” He studies you, biting harshly at his bottom lip before glancing behind you towards the sunrise, “I have to dress- your hand maid will be here soon.”

You know you should let go of him, but it feels like you only just got him- and your stubborn heart wins against the logic of your mind as you lean into him again, kissing him with a little more urgency, a fervor behind your actions that he gives into, but only for a moment. He holds you back, eyes clenched shut in a silent battle all his own,

“Little Queen, you might think me a better man than I am..” He practically groans out the words, reaching down to hitch your thigh up over his hip, pushing his pelvis forward so that his want and arousal are made quite evident to you, “But, I beg of you, not here.. Not yet.”

There’s nothing in his words or his tone that could lead you to believe he doesn’t want all the same things you do, nothing about the hard length that presses against your cunt that could possibly make you believe he isn’t holding on by the thinnest of threads, trying his damnedest to be good to you- so that you’ll never, ever think that he simply wants your body and nothing else.

“Ok, Simon..” You nod, letting him press one more kiss to your lips, one so full of pining and longing, that it threatens to steal the air from your lungs as you reluctantly relent your hold on him so that you both could sit up, a little breathless and out of sorts.

But even though you’ve parted, it doesn’t stop him from planting a few more chaste kisses over your jaw and cheekbone before tearing himself away, allowing you to watch as he moves across the room. Seeing him only in his thin base layers is enough to raise your heart rate, remembering how you helped him shed his bulky armor last night- and now, you watch ardently as he picks it up and puts it back on, piece by piece- the thick muscles of his back and shoulders rippling and flexing with every practiced movement.

And, far quicker than you like, he’s sauntering towards your side of the bed, where you’ve sat so entranced by him- seeing him once more covered by the heavy steel plates, the ones that only make him larger than life, that make his already broad frame almost unnaturally bigger, his pitch black cloak billowing behind him,

“I’ll assume my post like always,” Simon says with a low tone, taking your bare hand in his gloved one just so he can place a gentlemanly kiss to the soft, pale skin, grabbing his helmet when he lets go.

You stand, looking up at him- committing every wonderful feature and flaw to memory before it’s covered again,

“And I’ll have a raven sent to Clan MacTavish, he can help us-”

But Simon shifts on his feet, your hand still engulfed by his own, “Are you sure, My Queen?”

And you can see the way his dark brows furrow behind the helmet, he doesn’t trust Johnny, but you can understand his apprehension- he doesn’t know the Scot like you do, and if what you think is going to happen, there can be no loose ends in what’s to come.

“Yes, I’m sure. There’s not a soul that we could trust more, Simon. I promise.”

This time, it’s you who lifts his hand to your lips, kissing the black leather as if to seal your own words- something a proper queen should never do, but the warmth that spreads through you when you see his eyes widen slightly makes you want to do it again and again.

He gives you a nod, not allowing himself the chance to waste anymore time, because gods know he would never leave you if given the option- but he must. There is much to plan, much to do, too many seeds of doubt to sow in far too short a time.

Johnny’s POV——

Work. That’s what it feels like for Johnny to come home. There’s no rest for the weary, no, not at the MacTavish estate, they’d never dream of allowing such a luxury-

Buncha fuckin’ dobbers they can be.. I swear.

Yet, he greets them all the same. Giving his Da a stiff, one-armed hug, exchanging the traditional three harsh pats to the back before moving down the path towards his childhood home.

“You’ll tell us about yer visit to court, won’t ye, Johnny?”

A warm smile spreads over his face as he looks down at his youngest sister, throwing an arm lazily over her shoulder,

“Well, hi to you, too, El..” Johnny teases, ruffling her dark brown curls playfully, “I’ll give ye all the juicy gossip tomorrow- after we get some shut eye, eh?” he says, nodding at the maid as they cross the grand threshold, “And I wan’ tae hear about this new constellation ye’ve discovered, my wee little genius!”

Elsie giggles and tries to escape his hold, going on about him being a numpty- all smiles and laughter until the most senior Lord MacTavish blows out a loud scoff,

“Enough o’ that, you two. Elsie, go on, need tae talk tae yer brother.”

She shies away almost too quickly, and it makes his stomach turn, seeing the flash of fear in her eyes as she gives his side one more weak squeeze before flitting off up the stairs-

“Been a long few days, Da. ‘M right ready for a bed-“

The door to the Lord’s study slams shut, cerulean eyes pinning Johnny down in an instant,

“I dinnae give two shites ‘bout how long it’s been, son. I told ya, if you were comin’ back here, ye’d better have a wife in tow.”

Johnny rolls his eyes- big mistake.

His father is a big man, and he’s never had an issue using his size against the lot of them- Johnny being the eldest, all the way down the line, and even their Ma, gods rest her soul.

Which is how he ends up with his back shoved against the closest wall,

“Mind yer fuckin’ attitude with me, boy.” He spits the words, making sure Johnny knows just how little he still in his father’s eyes, “Ye think yer someone big and important out there, huh? Think the army made ye tough, gave ye a big heid, that it? Well, dinnae forget who-“

But, see, Johnny isn’t that little boy anymore, he isn’t that frightened little teenager constantly in fear of the good Lord MacTavish’s thumb crushing him under its weight. His time in the army has treated him well, in fact. He’s bigger, taller, stronger, and faster- and too much time spent on the front lines has made his skin thick and calloused.

With a deep snarl, Johnny is quick to grab the older man by his collar and reverse their positions before he even knows what’s happening,

“Tha’s not how this works anymore, m’lord.”

If Johnny could sketch the shock and surprise in his father’s eyes, he would- hells, he might, because it’s a beautiful sight. One he thinks he’ll remember for a long, long time to come-

“And if I hear one more cross word out of yer filthy fuckin’ mouth, I’ll cut yer tongue out m’self. Is that clear?”

Matching blue eyes stay locked in a silent battle, young and old, a battle as old as times itself, father and son going head to head, a true fight for dominance.

The old lord’s lips curls in anger and disdain, his breath hot and laden with the thick scent of Scotch,

“Ah..” he coos, a chuckle bubbling from his barreled chest, “Aren’t ye a big hotshot, spent time with the little traitorous Scottish queen herself and suddenly yer invincible, that it?”

Johnny growls right back, pulling his father forward before slamming him against the solid wood even harder, “What? And yer still mad it wasn’t one of yer daughters, huh?”

The lord struggles against his hold, but turns out, the boorish old man isn’t all that strong anymore- at least not stronger than his son, which only enrages him more,

“I’m only here to settle my inheritance, ye insufferable old bastard. We’ll talk tomorrow, when ye think ye can speak to me like an equal-“

Johnny lowers his tone to something heavier, his voice dripping with malice, “and there will be none of this, ye won’t put yer hands on me, and I willnae put mine on you. Aye?”

A long silence stretches across the space between them, a heated pause, one that threatens to explode on a hair trigger- and maybe, it’s not actually that long, maybe it’s really only a few seconds, glaring daggers into his own father’s eyes before the old man gives a hateful, “Aye.”, in return.

And if Johnny just so happens to shove the self-righteous old cunt into the wall one more time for good measure, well- that’s between him and the gods he chooses to answer to. But, fuck all if it didn’t feel good to do it.

——

When he finally gets to his room, it’s a disparaging sight- dusty and stale, not a thing changed since he left years ago. And he wishes so badly to feel peace, to feel warmth and love in the place that he should feel all those things and more- in the place he did feel all those things when Ma was still alive.

Yet, it’s just sad and cold now, just how it was when he left. But, a smile does tug at his lips when he unlatches the case Sunny had sent home with him, packed to the brim with treats and fine fabrics and leathers. Some for him and each of his sisters, and an abundance of spares that would last them for a long while-

“Yer too good to us, Grianach..” he mumbles, popping a delightful, citrusy sweet in his mouth as he continues to unpack.

And it takes a while, but eventually he pulls a lone envelope from under a primly wrapped hunting vest, one of the finest he’s ever laid his hands on- the dark brown leather soft as butter in his fingers as he lays it to the side with care.

The bone white paper is thick and stiff, royal stationary that he knows well from letters and messages he’s gotten from her before; the edge sealed with a deep green wax crest- the king’s crest. It brings a disgusted grimace to his face, thinking of the last days with her, the terrible, mottled bruises on her skin- it makes him ill to his stomach to remember.

But, with a deep sigh, he gently pulls the seal apart- recognizing her handwriting right away- though, the farther he reads, the more his guts twist and wrench, the harder his heart beats and the less air it feels like he can suck into his seizing lungs-

No.. no, no, no. This isn’t right, it can’t be- not you, not my Sunny. How could you not tell me? Why didn’t you tell me how much pain you were in-

My dearest Johnny,

I pray this letter finds you well, cousin. And, I pray for your understanding in what I feel I must do, not only for myself, but more importantly, for you. Though.. I do not think you will see it that way, and I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry, Johnny. You’ve been my best friend since my first memories, never letting me forget that you’re one month and one day older than me, or that you learned to ride a horse first- remember sneaking out to the stables? I thought Mother would kill us both when you brought me back home covered in scrapes and muck. Oh, I miss the simplicity of those days, I miss it so much it hurts. That life I had for just a moment, where I was free and untethered- or well, I thought I was. And, I suppose, perception is what really matters, isn’t it?

That is what I’ve been taught my whole life, afterall, perception is key. That I must be at my best, presented in a pretty, pretty package- pleasing to the eye and well groomed enough so that the masses may never know the chaos that lies beneath the silks and jewels.

Well, my sweet Johnny, no more. I won’t do it, I will not be scruffed by the neck any longer, I will not live as a possession, an item, an object that only exists to be pretty and used. I am more than that, and I pray.. I pray you forgive me, I pray you are not disappointed, I pray that you remember me only as I was, and not what I have become. Remember me covered in scrapes and muck with a broad smile on my face and joy in my heart. That is the real me, not this fallacy that everyone thinks they know.

I have a trusted courier at the ready, the few earthly possessions I own that mean anything to me are to be delivered to the estate. They are yours. We always shared everything anyway, no need in changing that now. Be well, cousin.

All my love, your Sunny.

[chapter 7>>>]

taglist: @spxctorsslxt