#kinda like how some of them turned out here

[marvelwitchergilmore]

Dog Tags (2)

Summary: Bucky Barnes x fe!Reader -> You're still keeping his Dog Tags safe.

Disclaimer: This is Part 2. Part 1 can be found here. Mentions of injuries and blood, Bucky helps carry you to safety (kinda), little angst/hurt/comfort moments, some fluff moments plus friendship moments with Wanda and Kate. Not Proof Read.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kate asked you for the millionth time. “It’s just that those arrows…I know I make them but sometimes I can put a little too much after kick- Clint tells me I need to find a substitute but the black market-”

“Kate,” you smiled and held your hand on her arm. “I promise you, I’m okay.”

“But that blast was big. Like, big big.”

You nodded. “I know. But I’m okay, I promise.”

“Kate!”

She turned and looked down the jet. 

“Go, I’ll be fine.”

She looked back at you, “You swear?”

You nodded, “I swear.”

Once Kate finally left, you let the wall drop for a moment. You didn’t blame her. The kick had been big, but it had also saved your life. Maybe you got a few bruises to remember it by, but you knew you’d be okay. 

It would just hurt in the meantime. 

“Here.” A voice spoke somewhere above you.

You looked around you until you found where the voice was coming from. Bucky. 

What the hell did he want?

You looked down at the hand where he was holding an ice pack. “Take it. For your ribs.”

You swatted his hand away, “I’m fine.” 

Bucky just stood and rolled his eyes. Even watching you lift your arm to swat him away looked painful. He’d seen the blast with his own eyes, which also meant he knew that if it was him in your position, he wouldn’t have walked out completely unscathed. 

“You’re not fine.” Bucky broke the ice pack before shaking it as he crouched in front of you. 

For a moment, you recoiled back. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m gonna help you. Would you let me help you?” 

This time Bucky didn’t fully wait for an answer before he placed the ice pack against your ribs for you. And, for a moment, you recoiled from the cold until your body melted into it. 

Okay. Maybe you were hurt, a little. But that still didn’t mean you needed his help. 

“I can hold it myself.”

“You can barely lift your arms.”

“I don’t need your help.”

Bucky shrugged, “You’re getting it anyway.”

“Why?” The question left your lips before you could stop yourself. But it was a reasonable question. 

Save for a few questionable moments outside of the ten minute window you and Bucky could be alone, you weren’t two people that helped each other. Fought with was probably the more likely statement. 

“Because you need it.” 

It was the best explanation Bucky could come up with at that moment. But it still gained him something. 

You were looking him in the eyes. It was rare he ever got to be this close to you and actually see the colour of your eyes. He didn’t quite know how the feud between you and him had started out. But what he did know was that he would happily drown in your gaze. 

And it was thoughts like that, that sent him into a spin. 

So, regrettably, he looked away. But even that gained him something. 

You watched as a smile ghosted its way onto his lips and you followed his eye line to the metal chain around your neck. 

“You’re still wearing them.”

The Dog Tags. The one’s he thought he’d lost nearly three months ago, only to work out you’d had them all along. It had nearly been almost two months, alone, since that night in the training room. 

You raised a hand to touch your chest. You could feel the outline of the tags underneath your clothes. “You told me to keep them safe.”

You watched as a corner of Bucky’s mouth slanted up slightly and, just for a moment, you let your mind wonder what it would be like if you kissed him right in that spot. 

You shook your head and this time, you looked away. You dropped the hand from your chest just before a rattle came over the jet. 

“We’re coming into landing.”

You just nodded, not trusting yourself to use words at that moment. But you gained them again when you stood to get off the jet only for Bucky to put your arm over his shoulder. 

“What are you doing? I can walk on my own, Barnes.”

“You’d only collapse three feet from here. Thought I’d save myself the trouble of catching you.”

You scowled, “Like I told Kate-”

“So help me, God, if you tell me you’re ‘fine’ I’m gonna call Sam. You’ve got a sprained ankle, a few fractured ribs, if not, broken, and a lifetime of bruises to remember today by. And that’s just what I can see.”

You just looked at Bucky, your arm still over his shoulder, his hand still clasping yours. You didn’t know how or why, but you let him help you off the jet. 

But when Wanda asked you about it later on, you just told her it was because you were too tired. 

“It was a moment of weakness.”

Wanda hummed as she sat on the edge of your bed. “Maybe.”

“Maybe? What do you mean, ‘maybe’? There’s no ‘maybe’ about it.”

Wanda chuckled, “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

You rolled your eyes. “Thank you, Shakespeare.”

Wanda hit your leg before climbing up the bed to sit beside you. She grabbed a pillow and crossed her arms over it. 

“Oh, come on. You and I both know you have feelings for him.”

You shook your head. “Yeah, he’s a massive pain in the ass.”

“Those aren’t the feelings I’m talking about.”

You stayed quiet for a few moments. “Stop reading my mind.”

Wanda was calm as she shook her head. “I don’t have to read your mind for this one.”

Your shoulders sagged for a moment and you looked at your hands, picking at your fingers. “It’s not like I meant to let it happen.”

“Nobody ever lets feelings happen. They just happen. It’s what makes you human.”

You just shrugged your shoulders. “He is still a pain in my ass.”

Wanda chuckled. “Have you ever thought to talk to him-”

“No! No. No, absolutely not. No. Never.”

Wanda hummed again. “Maybe it might help. Who knows? Maybe this isn’t a one sided love affair?”

You recoiled a little, again. “Love? Who ever said anything about love? I’m sure it’s just a stupid…work crush.”

Wanda looked at you. She didn’t have to read your mind to know that even you didn’t believe what you’d just said. 

“Hey,” Wanda tapped your leg. “Can I get you anything? You know, since Sam has banished you here for the next week.”

You chuckled. “I’m still allowed to leave…when he’s not here.”

When Bucky had taken you to the medical bay, you’d been given a full diagnostic. A sprained ankle, two fractured ribs, a little bruising around your internal organs that would heal itself, plenty of pulled muscles and, like Bucky had put it, enough bruises to make sure you remembered the day for a lifetime. 

Once Sam had found out, he’d doubled down on the Doctor’s orders to maintain bedrest. 

A few hours after Wanda had left, you were lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. And for a while, you just started thinking whilst absentmindedly fiddling with the dog tags still around your neck. 

You thought about the ending of the movie you’d just watched with Wanda. You thought about the pain in your side. You thought about the feeling of Bucky’s fingertips gently pressing at your side as he held the ice pack in place. 

He’d been checking to make sure nothing was broken. That was how he knew. 

Then you looked at the dog tags. Like every night, your thumb traced over the letters. 

Little did you know, the next time someone else traced their thumb over the letters, it was because your blood had been splattered across them. 

[kerosenee-kisses]

Friend You Can Keep | Zayne

summary: while preparing for final exams, you ask Zayne if he can help you brush up on your knowledge of human anatomy

cw: 18+, mdni, college au, afab reader, loss of virginity, oral sex (receiving), vaginal sex, fingering, lots of kissing, this is literally just self-indeulgent love-making

wc: 3.7k

a/n: I started playing lads a few weeks ago after a lot of resistance (I'm afraid of spending money on them!!) I started playing for Sylus but Zayne really came out of nowhere and assumed the role of my husband. I'm obsessed with him!!

In my mind, I wrote this with a five-ish year age gap between Zayne and reader (reader a freshman/sophmore in college, Zayne in the first years of med school). That isn't explicitly stated here so choose your own adventure. I'm also of the opinion that Zayne would make sweet, sweet love to you to the soundtrack of true yearner R&B. Just me?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Songs from your favorite R&B playlist emanate from your roommate’s speaker. You thought listening to the calm crooning from the nest of pillows and blankets that is your bed would help you study. But the music is more effective at lulling you to sleep, as are the sparkling fairy lights strung around the room’s perimeter. Maybe you should suck it up and turn the horrendous, overhead fluorescent lights on for this. Because the words in your textbook swim together the longer you try to focus on retaining them.  

You rub your eyes hard; flashes of color undulate in the darkness of your closed eyelids beneath the pressure of your fingertips. When you open them again, somehow, the words rearrange themselves even more chaotically. It’s like looking for a prophecy in a bowl of alphabet soup. 

“Is it possible I have late-stage dyslexia? Is that a thing?” you ask. 

Zayne chuckles from his place at your desk. “I believe that’s an indication that you need a short break. And right on time, too.” 

The timer on his phone goes off then, which he shuts off before it can complete one full blare of sound. He opens the desk drawer and takes out two candies. One for each of you.  

“A reward for our diligence,” he says as he deposits a sweet into your hand.  

“What? Where did these come from?” you ask as you unravel the foil wrapper. Candy didn’t survive in your dorm room long enough for you to have a stash to dip into for emergencies like today. 

You have two more finals to study for before you can officially begin a much-deserved winter break. Your roommate had been your study buddy up until her first and only final yesterday. She left for home immediately after she’d submitted her exam, having decided that the papers assigned could easily be completed from the comfort of her own home. And while you were so happy for her and not at all jealous, it meant you were short a study buddy.  

But Zayne, always dependable, offered to swing by and study with you when you’d met up for lunch earlier and bemoaned the fact that you would have to stay focused all by yourself. A herculean task if there ever was one.  

“I managed to hide them while you were fiddling with the speaker. Otherwise, I doubt they would have survived more than ten minutes had you seen them.” 

“Don’t be a hypocrite. Your sweet tooth can be just as bad,” you say. 

You observe Zayne as he delicately pops his candy into his mouth, pushes his glasses back up, and continues to study through your break. He has some biochem final to prepare for. While he had told you he felt more than prepared for it before your complaints about being abandoned, he’s sitting here reviewing alongside you all the same. Your heart warms at how thoughtful he is. Sure, he loves to help everyone, but he always goes out of his way for you. Does he go out of his way for anyone other than you? You're too curious.  

So curious, in fact, that you ask without thinking, “Don’t you have a girlfriend? Or someone you’re kinda into?” 

Zayne blinks at you, slow and deliberate like a house cat, then shakes his head. Embarrassment and relief coalesce in your stomach. In an ideal world, you would shut the fuck up and go back to studying too. 

But like the glutton for punishment that you are, you sit up on your knees and keep talking. 

"Oh, ok. Good. Well, not good as in you should die alone but good in the sense that...well...You know what, can I ask you something without you freaking out? Like, you have to promise not to.” 

Zayne swivels in the desk chair. A gift from him to you actually. Ergonomic and expensive, he’d replaced the standard rocking chair that the room was originally furnished with since he was concerned about the health of your spine as your future primary care physician.  

Once he’s facing you completely, he says, “I would prefer not to promise something if I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to follow through. That would not be fair to you.” 

“You know what, you’re right. I’m sorry. You're always calm anyway so I have nothing to worry about. I think.” 

Zayne watches you expectantly as you reach for a plushie to hold. Your mouth feels dry now that his attention’s on you. You’re not sure why you feel so nervous, he normally goes along with your schemes. This won’t be so different, right?” 

“So, I was wondering if maybe you’d be...willing to have sex with me?” The words leave you in one breath. 

Zayne stares at you blankly. You might have successfully broken the most collected person you know.  

“Zayne? Did you hear me? I said would you–” 

“I heard you the first time,” he says. His expression hardly betrays anything, but color spreads across his face, up his ears. If he didn’t have a turtleneck on you imagine his neck would be just as pink. “I apologize. I’m a bit taken aback. I certainly didn’t expect that to be your question.” 

“It’s just feels like everyone my age has lost their virginity already. Obviously, I don’t need to have sex, but I’m intrigued, I guess.  And I don’t want to do it with just anyone. And you’re not just anyone so–” 

“I’m sorry to interrupt. I want to make absolute sure I’m understanding you correctly.” He clears his throat before asking, “You want me to take your virginity?” 

You hug the plushie for dear life. “Well, yeah. You would be my first.”  

Zayne takes a deep breath. You begin to worry about the state of his heart the longer you sit in silence. Because your own is pumping so hard you fear you’ll succumb to cardiac arrest if you’re lucky. Or maybe the earth will miraculously swallow you whole before that happens. You’ll even accept death by wanderer if it means escaping this conversation. 

“May I ask why you wish to lose your virginity to me?”  

Not a flat-out rejection. You can shelf the death wishes for now. 

“Since you’re basically a doctor you know all about anatomy; safe to assume you know how it goes. And you’re hot so...why not?” 

Zayne averts his gaze at your blunt assessment, and you can’t help but tease him a little.  

“I thought we were working on accepting compliments.” 

Zayne smiles faintly but still refuses to face you, “I have to say when it comes to accepting compliments, I’m not very good in front of you. But I suppose there’s a chance for you to teach me.” 

“First lesson starts now. All you have to do is say ‘thank you’ or something.” 

Your breath hitches when his eyes meet yours again. He’s caught you in his gentle yet captivating green gaze. In it, you see acknowledgment of what your relationship to each other could be. A desire to explore a new dimension of intimacy, one that goes beyond childhood friendship. 

“I accept your compliment,” Zayne murmurs. His eyes drift to your slightly parted lips and you feel your skin prickle. 

“This will be an opportunity to learn each other’s bodies together,” he says, almost distracted. He plucks the plushie from your grasp and carefully places it on the back-killing rocking chair beside your desk. “I only hope I can measure up to your expectations." 

“Oh. Ok,” you manage to whisper. You didn’t think he would say no per say, but considering his immediate response you expected a little more resistance to the idea than this. And now you feel nervous, more than you had anticipated. This was your idea after all. 

You go to remove your pajama bottoms, a seemingly imperceptible shake in your hands. But of course, nothing gets past Zayne. He stops you with a reassuring squeeze on your thigh.  

“There’s no rush. This requires ample preparation. I would never want to hurt you,” he says, caresses the hinge of your knee. “Just, let me kiss you for a bit. Like this.” 

Zayne brings the chair up to the edge of your twin xl and gives you a sweet peck. He gives you a few more before he brushes his lips against yours. You follow his lead, revel in the plush feel of his mouth as he kisses you. He rubs his palms along your thighs, squeezing them every so often. His tender touches embolden you as much as they relax you. You hesitantly touch your tongue to his bottom lip and Zayne moans into your mouth. The vibrations of such a gentle yet erotic sound travel through your whole body. You cup his cheeks to pull him closer, and Zayne gladly follows. He rises to his feet and crowds you into the corner of the bed until you’re on your back. He kisses you so thoroughly that you can taste the lingering sweetness of candy on his tongue when he licks into your mouth.  

You slip one hand under his sweater, trace the ridges of his tight abdomen, no doubt the result of all those pull ups he does on the rare occasion you work out together. Zayne’s breath shudders against your mouth and you shiver in response. His receptiveness to your touch makes you desperate to feel even more of him. You grab the hem of his turtleneck and yank it upwards. He pulls away, reluctantly you think, grabs the shirt from between his shoulder blades and tugs it off. The action leaves his glasses askew and you remove them from his face with a giggle. 

“I hope they’re not messed up now,” you say as you carefully put the lenses on yourself. They blur your vision some, but you clearly see Zayne swallow thickly when you smile up at him.  

“I have an extra pair,” he says breathlessly before he removes them and goes right back to kiss you. More of his warmth seeps into you now that he removed his sweater. He presses his thundering chest against yours, and the delicious weight of him renders you pliant beneath him. You smooth your hands along the muscled plains of his back and moan. You can’t think straight in the face of such overwhelming affection. He hasn’t even touched you yet, really, and you already feel so ready for more.  

But for some reason, a pang of guilt lances through your gut. Did you pressure Zayne into this? Are you taking advantage of his goodness, his kindness? You said it yourself, he goes above and beyond for you in all things. You would never forgive yourself if you ever made him do something he didn’t want to.  

“Wait,” you say, and weakly push at his chest.  A gossamer thread of your saliva stretches between both your lips, and your thoughts empty out of your head for a moment. Zayne’s eyes are as unfocused as yours as he looks down at you, cushioned in your fluffy pillows. 

“Are you sure you’re cool with this?” you ask quietly. 

Zayne takes hold of one of your wrists to drop a kiss to your palm that you feel in your clit. Does he want to kill you? 

“Why don’t you touch me and find out.” 

He most certainly does.  

You gasp when he guides your hand to his hardened length. The fact that you could do this to him with just a few kisses turns you on immensely, makes you feel powerful. You squeeze him gently and he groans. You flick the button of his pants free, but he stops your second attempt at undressing before you can even yank his zipper down. 

“Let me take what I desire first,” he says.  

Zayne carefully unbuttons your pajama top, until your chest is fully exposed to him. You sit up slightly to remove it, and no sooner is it off than Zayne starts to knead and kiss at your breasts. He sucks one of your nipples into his mouth and you arch into him, mewling at the spike of pleasure that zings through you. He licks and teases it into a stiffened peak while he pinches and rolls the other between his fingers.  

Once your nipples are wet and taut from his ministrations, Zayne trails deep kisses down the center of your spasming stomach. He grasps the waistband of your pants and tugs them down along with your underwear.  

While most guys would look at you with lust clouding their gaze, Zayne looks at your naked body like he loves it. It’s enough to make you feel sheepish.  

Zayne fits his broad shoulders beneath your slightly spread thighs and puts his mouth to your dripping core. You’re so stunned by the sight of his head between your legs that your brain goes fuzzy. Obviously, no one has kissed you here before. But you’d still be inclined to say that even if the opposite were true. Zayne full on makes out with your pussy. He licks and sucks at your clit with the sole purpose of making you cum hard. And your entire body sings with ecstasy.  

He eases his index finger inside of your wet heat and you whimper at the intrusion. He searches for that spongy patch inside of you that has your back surging upward. Zayne coaxes more of your arousal out of you with his tongue on your clit and his finger massaging the soft walls of your cunt. You feel strange, like you need release, but you’re almost terrified. Your thighs close around Zayne’s head and he groans into your sex. The sound vibrates through you until you’re a quivering mess. 

Zayne blindly reaches for one of your hands and squeezes. He licks and kisses you as you cum on his beautiful face with a loud cry of his name. He laps up as much of your essence as he can, and you twitch and whine all the while. 

Your back falls onto the mattress once you come down from your high, the first orgasm that someone else has ever given you. You lift yourself up on your elbows to get a better look at him. He kisses your thighs, your hip bones, back up along your stomach so earnestly. 

 Zayne settles himself over you again and now pumps two of his long, elegant fingers inside of you. They curl against your sweet spot with the skill and precision of a surgeon, and you moan his name. When his thumb swipes at your clit you cum for him again, still so sensitive from your last climax. He kisses you through it. The taste of yourself is a little strange, but you don’t hate it. You deepen the kiss as you cum around his fingers. You didn’t think you could cum again so quickly, but Zayne is nothing if not efficient.  

He removes his fingers from you so he can lay in between your twitching thighs. He rolls his clothed hips into your bare ones, and you meet his thrusts readily. The friction of his pants against your clit makes you feel delirious. Enough to remember what you had first asked of him.  

“Zayne,” you sigh as he moves to kiss your cheek, your jaw, your neck. “Do you have a condom?” 

He exhales against your ear; you just barely hold in a whimper. 

“No, unfortunately. I haven’t had a need for them before now…I suppose we’ll have to reschedule,” he says, but makes no move to pull away from you.  

“No! It’s ok!” You wince at your frantic tone. Way to go, Desperate. “I, um, grabbed a handful from the resource center before you came here. They’re in my bag.” 

While he had thoughtfully replenished your stash of candy, you had shoveled way too many condoms into your backpack only an hour after your lunch date with him. Now he’ll probably think you're some sex-crazed degenerate or something. How embarrassing. 

Regardless, you feel a teeny, tiny thrill at the knowledge that he doesn’t have any on him.  

Zayne nods, presses one lingering kiss to your lips and goes to retrieve a condom from your backpack. You feel even more embarrassed when he returns with one embossed with a heart and the words ‘wrap it before you tap it.’ He doesn’t seem to pay much attention to that, however. Zayne removes his pants and his boxer briefs. His hard cock springs up against his abs and your mouth waters at the sight of it. Long and flushed and too pretty, you think. He settles back into bed, kneels in between your spread legs and tears the wrapper open.  

You watch, wide eyed, as he rolls the latex over the glistening head and down the length of his cock. He lines himself up with your stretched entrance and makes eye contact with you. Despite the heat pulsing through your veins, you shiver. This does not go unnoticed.  

“Anxious?” Zayne asks. He runs his fingers up and down your arm. Slow touches that soothe your frayed nerves. A reassurance, a reminder that he won’t let you feel anything you wouldn’t absolutely enjoy.   

“Only a little,” you admit, “but I trust you more than anyone, so I think I’m more excited than anything.” 

Zayne smiles down at you, small and sweet. You feel even more shy now.  

“You know we can stop at any time,” he says even though his cock is straining against the condom. “You need only tell me to stop, and I’ll stop.” 

You place a hand on his smooth cheek and smile up at him. His breath leaves him on a shaky exhale.  

“I know that Zayne. Thank you. But I think I’m ready now.”  

There’s a slight discomfort. A foreign pressure, a pinch, that he lets you acclimate to. There’s so much tension in his body as a result. You can’t help but feel endeared by how considerate he is of you always. Especially now.  

He places his palm on your belly, and you jolt.  

“Try to relax your muscles,” he says. 

You slow your breaths, try to do as he says until the fullness of his cock feels less invasive, almost comforting. You focus on the intimacy of this moment, of your bodies connecting. Of him being the first person to ever give you pleasure of any kind.  

“Mmm, good, just like that,” he groans. Who knew a voice could get you so hot. And not just his voice, those green eyes of his. He stares down at you so intensely you feel like you’ll melt into a puddle. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” you ask meekly.  

“You’re beautiful,” he says matter-of-factly.  

You hide your face behind your hands and whine for him to stop. Zayne laughs lowly and pulls your hands away. 

“You helped me accept a compliment earlier,” he says, kisses one wrist. “And even teased me for being nervous.” A kiss to the other. He rests them on the back of his neck and regards you with an almost mischievous smile. 

“Now it’s my turn to return the favor. Say ‘thank you’.” 

Your chest is heaving. You can’t believe how seductive he’s being. And so effortlessly, too. Where did this side of him come from?  

He lowers his face into your neck and all the air in the room vanishes when he kisses it.   

“Won’t you accept my compliment? Or should I continue to tell you how lovely I find you? Say that your beauty is beyond measure? That you are my greatest treasure.”  

Zayne lightly sucks on your pulse point. How does he expect you to speak? You can hardly function as is. 

“I’m not as patient as you think I am.” He nips at your neck, and you tense up.  

“Thank you!” you yelp. 

You feel his lips pull into a grin. “That wasn’t so difficult, was it? Or should I give you more compliments so you can practice?” 

“Y-you can move now!”  

Zayne kisses under your ear before he pulls his hips back and slowly grinds into you. His pelvis meets your sticky clit every time your bodies meet. He thrusts into you until your moans and sighs fill the humid air between you both. 

You experimentally squeeze around his cock as he pulls away from you and he moans in concert with you.  

“Did you want to see my like this?” he asks, voice hoarse as his cock pushes deeper into you. You arch up against him, your nipples grazing his chest. Zayne dips his head to take one of your pebbled nipples into his mouth again, sucking and biting at it affectionately. You wrap your legs around his trim waist and try to pull him even closer to you. He’s making you feel so good that you can hardly stand it. All you can focus on is Zayne. The way he fits so perfectly between your legs, the feel of his biceps under your hands. His crisp, clean scent sends your eyes rolling into the back of your head. You want even more of him.  

You bury your hands in his hair, thick silk between your fingers, and tug. Zayne pulls off your breast with a wet pop and kisses you. He plasters his chest to yours as he rolls his hips into you. Your walls tighten up around him and he grits out your name. He wraps his arms around your waist tight and fucks into you so deep that you swear you see stars. So bright that you clench your eyes shut as pleasure takes hold of your whole body. It’s an ecstasy like no other.  

“I love you, Zayne. I love you,” you babble mindlessly as you cum harder than before. 

Zayne moans and ruts into your body erratically, desperately, until he seizes up and cums with you. Maybe you’re too caught up in the romantic atmosphere you accidentally created– sultry love ballads and low lighting–but you almost wish he had painted your walls instead of the condom.  

He looks ethereal as pleasure contorts and relaxes his features, his muscles. Zayne takes your face between his hands and kisses you hungrily. Like he’ll never have another opportunity to. You’ll make damn sure that’s not the case.  

"I adore you,” he says before he steals another kiss and your breath along with it. You both grip and pull at the other as if you could get any closer. You want to nestle in the marrow of his bones, dwell in the cavern of his heart. 

“I want you to be mine. Only mine,” you whisper between kisses. 

“I have always been yours. Only ever yours.” 

[dmbakura]

i still think the devil may cry fandom's vast oversimplification of the themes in devil may cry (regarding human "good" vs demon "evil") are amplifying some very bad faith criticisms of the netflix adaptation. as well as some weird moral essentialism i just really don't vibe with. this is long and kinda messy but whatever.

i see people mostly take issue with this scene in which lady and white rabbit have their confrontation and lady says this:

this, to me, does not go against the themes of the game at all. it's not some cynical attack on "humanity". contextually, this is a sorely needed moment of reflection on lady's part, where she's able to connect with white rabbit and realizes that their ruthlessness is a shared trait. she's speaking about herself here. lady considers herself the antithesis of a demon, yet she realizes how terrible she's been acting and that they're Not So Different. she's a flawed human being and this is an explicit, textual acknowledgment of that.

i really take issue with the idea that devil may cry has ever been about coddling and portraying humans as innately good. most major villains in the dmc games are human, statistically. every single dmc game except the first 1 has an over-arcing human villain at the center of the conflict. sanctus is a religious cult leader. agnus is an unethical mad scientist. arius is a CEO. arkham is a wife killer. these are all very human evils. demon villains like mundus and argosax tend to embody more stereotypically villainous evils, but the human villains are much more nuanced and varied in their approach, which in some respects makes them a lot more dangerous.

but you might say "well they're evil because they throw away their humanity, as dante even calls out. these tears are a gift only humans have" and to which i say, so? these are conscious choices these villains made to get where they are. yes, thematically their decision to throw away good traits like compassion and empathy led them on the path to evil, and dante himself equates these traits with humanity, but dante is also biased against his demon half and has an entire arc about being wary of that part of himself until he's finally able to accept it, which is how he awakens his sin devil trigger in 5 (mirroring vergil's rejection/ultimate acceptance of his human half.)

idk man. just feels yucky seeing all of this "well demons have always been an Evil Race in devil may cry" when no, it's always been more complex than that and pretending otherwise is a massive disservice to this series. there is no hard moral dichotomy in dmc. sparda disproves this from the very opening scene from the very first game. he was one of the most powerful demons in hell, who fell in love with humanity and decided to turn against his own kind. even if demons in a general sense tend to be "evil" (mundus seems to be a particular outlier in how evil they are honestly, hating humanity to an almost comical extent), they're shown to be completely capable of good, just as on the flip side, humans are capable of being evil. again, it's about choice, what you do with the power given to you, choosing to protect what's important or throwing away everything. these are not immutable traits of humans or demons, as that would mean characters like sparda, trish, arkham, sanctus, lucia, bradley, baul, modeus, etc would not exist.

there's maybe an argument to be made about dmc netflix's explicit use of politics and whether this is appropriate or not, but i don't think it's a bad thing it decided to really dig in on the nuances of humanity. i think the choice to make white rabbit a human villain who in a sense "throws away his heart" makes him thematically consistent with devil may cry's ethos, as ive mentioned in my other post about him. i view him akin to a character like vergil, who straddles the line between human and demon, and doesn't really fit into either "demon overlord" or "overambitious human sociopath" like the other series villains. more variety is good actually.

[arkaiveofurown]

i have like 4 diff requests in my mind but idk which i want most so imma try and combine them 🙂‍↕️

if possible, sabo x fem!strawhat!princess!childhoodfriend(??) 😃

im imagining sabo met her when he joined the revolutionary army when he was like 13 and met her on some island that was an ally of the revolutionaries(??? idk im so sorry) just coincidental that she joined sabos brothers crew and that makes him so happy m

ne ways

shes a strawhat, and i lowk just wanna see them reunite, just happily ended up on the same island. yk they’re both lowk busy- sabo chief of staff and miss y/n a strawhat, but i imagine they send each other letters and talk on the den den mushi sometimes 🙂‍↕️ maybe some smut, maybe some fluff 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

A Promise Across Time

Pairing: Sabo x Reader

After years of being apart, you and Sabo, childhood friends, unexpectedly reunite when you both end up on the same island. Between your busy lives, the bond you once shared is reignited.

Word Count: ~6,000 words

tags: fluff, childhood friends to lovers, very mild smut

my master list here ♡

——

a/n: thank you for this cute request! sabo is one of my faves so i love writing about him. anw sorry for the very mild smut i’m still not used to it.. haha maybe soon i can write a full one! but hope u like it still :)

——

The Revolutionary Army had visited your island only twice in your lifetime. The second time changed everything.

You were thirteen. A firecracker of a girl—barefoot, grass-stained, and too sharp-tongued for the noble title you hadn’t asked for. Your island, a neutral ally to the Revolutionaries, had always been peaceful, quiet. Boring, honestly.

Until he arrived.

“What’s your name?” you asked the blond boy with soot on his cheeks and a pipe strapped to his back. He’d just finished showing off some half-baked martial arts to a group of island kids.

He turned, startled by your directness. “Sabo.”

“That’s a dumb name.”

“You’re kinda rude for a princess.”

You grinned. “You’re kinda soft for a revolutionary.”

He stared at you—then laughed. A clear, surprised sound. “You wanna see the secret passage I found under the governor’s garden?”

You did.

You spent a few weeks with him. Racing through trees, trading stories, laughing until your ribs hurt. You taught him how to pick the garden locks with a hairpin; he showed you how to swing from the old rope bridge at the edge of the ravine. You never asked what he was running from. He never asked why you hid dirt under your fingernails and scraped your knees on purpose.

He was clever—sharper than any boy you’d met—and far too serious when he thought you weren’t watching. Sometimes you’d catch him staring out at the sea with his jaw clenched, like it owed him something.

You never pressed him about it.

The night before he left, the two of you sat beneath the half-finished bell tower, feet dangling off the ledge, the sky thick with stars. The kind of silence between you was rare—heavy, but not uncomfortable.

“I’m not gonna stay here,” you said quietly, picking at a fraying thread on your skirt.

“I didn’t think you would.” He glanced at you. “You’re not really the noble type.”

“Yeah. How about you? Any plans?”

He shifted, looking at his boots for a moment, before lifting his gaze to the night sky. “I’m not sure where I belong yet.”

You nudged his knee with yours. “Does anyone?”

He looked at you, a hint of uncertainty in his expression. “Guess not.”

The next morning, neither of you said goodbye.

You climbed a tree near the port instead, watching from the branches as the Revolutionary ship began to pull away. He stood at the railing, gripping the edge like he wasn’t sure whether to jump or wave or just stare.

And he did stare—right at your tree, even though you were sure he couldn’t see you through the leaves.

As the wind pulled at his coat and the ship turned toward the horizon, Sabo felt something deep in his chest—something strange and warm. The thought lingered in his mind:

I will marry her someday. That’s a promise.

He didn’t remember much from his life before joining the Revolutionary Army. Pieces of his past were shattered, lost in the flames of his childhood accident.

But now, no matter what happened, he was sure you are someone he would never forget.

——

The newspaper hit the desk with a soft thud, but it might as well have been a gunshot with how fast Sabo sat up.

He’d only meant to skim the headlines—another World Government scandal—but his eyes snagged on the image like a hook in the gut.

A group photo. Grainy, low-quality, and clearly taken mid-battle. The Straw Hat Pirates—grinning, bruised, chaotic as always.

But one face stopped everything.

Hair a little longer, body older—but it was you. No doubt in his mind. No hesitation. The same eyes, the same smile that he hadn’t seen since he was thirteen.

Sabo’s fingers trembled as he touched the edge of the photo.

Sabo’s fingers trembled as he touched the edge of the photo.

He wanted to go and see you.

He needed to.

His hand curled into a fist over the page, brow furrowed. You were standing next to the Straw Hat captain—Luffy, right?

He was happy you’d gotten away from all that noble shit.

Happy that you’d made your own choice.

That you were free.

——

Sabo stood amidst the wreckage of the colosseum, the cheers of the crowd still ringing in his ears. His thoughts, however, were elsewhere. His mind was flooded with memories—the ones he had regained a few weeks ago.. after Ace’s death.

Luffy… His brother. The brother he had forgotten but was now so sure of. The brother whose smile was forever etched into his soul.

Earlier, he had met Luffy again, a heartfelt reunion that shook him to his core. Luffy, who had been fighting so fiercely to avenge Ace, was his brother. And Sabo was proud of him.

But there was another thought that filled him with happiness, a quiet relief that made his chest feel light: You. The girl who had once been his closest companion, the one who had made him laugh beneath the shade of trees and shared his childhood secrets… You had ended up in Luffy’s crew.

He didn’t know exactly when it happened, but one thing was certain: you were with Luffy now, and that gave him peace. He knew Luffy would take care of you—he always had. He was certain that, just like Luffy, you were as tough and free as the wind, fighting alongside him and the others.

Sabo was still trying to process everything, trying to take it all in when a familiar voice rang through the air.

“Hey, Sabo!”

Sabo turned, the sound of Luffy’s voice pulling him from his thoughts. Luffy stood there, grinning widely as usual, his straw hat perched proudly atop his head. But it wasn’t just Luffy standing there.

To the side, a little further away, there you were. You.

Sabo’s heart skipped a beat. He blinked, staring at you, unable to fully process the sight of you standing there, so unexpectedly. You looked different—more mature, more seasoned by the seas—but that same spark in your eyes was unmistakable.

“Y/N…?” Sabo’s voice was barely above a whisper.

You seemed just as stunned, blinking in surprise before your expression softened. “Sabo…?”

A smile crept onto his face despite the shock. “Yeah… it’s really you.”

You took a step closer, still hesitant, as if unsure whether to bridge the gap between you. “I didn’t know you’d be here… in Dressrosa.”

Sabo shrugged, trying to act nonchalant despite the warmth spreading across his face. “I didn’t expect to see you here either… but I’m glad you’re with Luffy.”

You nodded, the words catching in your throat as you struggled to hold back the flood of emotions. “Yeah… I didn’t expect it either. But… I’m glad you’re okay.”

There was a beat of silence before Sabo spoke again, voice quieter. “I used to wonder a lot, you know… what you were up to. Where you’d gone.”

Your eyes widened slightly. “You did?”

He nodded, glancing to the side. “I even went back to your island once… years later. Hoping to see you.” He let out a soft breath. “But you weren’t there anymore.”

You bit your lip. “I waited… for a while, after you left. Thought maybe one day, you’d come back.”

Sabo looked at you, guilt flashing briefly in his eyes.

“But I get it,” you said gently, cutting through the silence. “You were with the Revolutionary Army. You couldn’t exactly come and go freely… we were just kids. I knew it wasn’t up to you.”

His expression softened. “I still wish I had… I missed you.”

Your chest tightened at his words, a thousand emotions surging all at once. You opened your mouth to speak, but your voice caught.

“…I missed you too,” your breath hitched, cheeks heating.

Both of you looked away at the same time, flushed and a little awkward, but smiling despite it.

Luffy, who had wandered back holding a giant drumstick, blinked between the two of you. “Huh? What’s with the both of you? You guys are acting weird.”

You both jumped slightly, startled.

“We’re not!” you said quickly.

Sabo cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “Just… catching up, like I said.”

Luffy tilted his head. “Weird catching up.” He shrugged and took a huge bite of his meat. “Anyway, wanna eat?”

You and Sabo exchanged a look—half embarrassed, half amused.

“Sure,” you said, voice still a little soft.

“Yeah,” Sabo added, his eyes lingering on you for just a second longer. “Sounds good.”

And just like that, with the warmth of old feelings rekindled and Luffy still blissfully clueless, the world started moving again around the two of you.

——

A soft wind passed between you, warm against your skin. The chaos of Dressrosa—battle aftermath, shouting, the clatter of repairs and movement—seemed to fade into a distant hum. Here, in this little corner of quiet, it was just you and him.

Sabo looked down at your hand, then back up. “You really didn’t forget me?”

You shook your head slowly. “Not for a second.”

He swallowed. “I thought maybe you would.”

You smiled faintly. “Idiot. You were the hardest person to forget.”

He let out a quiet laugh, cheeks faintly pink, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know what I thought I’d say if I saw you again. I tried to imagine it, but…”

“Yeah,” you said, your voice a little breathless. “Same.”

The silence returned, but it was a good kind. A warm kind. The kind that came from people who once shared something important and were just now realizing they still did.

Sabo looked out at the sky, a little smile playing on his lips. “Feels like we were thirteen yesterday.”

You tilted your head slightly. “Except now you’re taller. And your hat’s cooler.”

He laughed. “Oh, so that’s what you noticed first?”

“No,” you said, glancing away quickly, face flushing. “…It was your smile.”

That stopped him cold. His breath caught just slightly as he turned to look at you again, softer than before, quieter.

You didn’t dare meet his eyes.

“…I really missed you,” he said again, almost like he couldn’t stop himself. “And I don’t wanna lose you again.”

Your eyes met his this time, sure and steady. “You won’t.”

He pulled something from his coat—folded paper, already slightly worn. A Vivre Card. “Here. So you’ll always know where I am.”

You blinked, then smiled and tore a piece from your own, offering it in return. “And now you’ll always know where I am too.”

Your fingers brushed as you traded pieces.

For a second, neither of you moved. Then you both laughed quietly, awkward and warm.

——

Weeks had passed since your reunion with Sabo.

A folded letter arrived with a bird messenger. Luffy had just shouted something about meat when the paper was handed to you.

Your heart skipped. You recognized the handwriting instantly.

Hey,

I don’t even know where to start. I don’t really do this kind of thing, so forgive me if it’s awkward. But I figured if I can’t talk to you often, I can at least write.

I hope you’re safe. I bet you’re giving Luffy hell when he’s being reckless—which, knowing him, is probably every five minutes.

Things are busy here, but I keep thinking about that day in Dressrosa. I didn’t get to say everything I wanted to. Not even close. So… I’ll keep trying, letter by letter.

Take care of yourself. Seriously.

— Sabo

You read it three times before finally tucking it away in your coat pocket, smile lingering.

You wrote back that night.

Dear Firebrain,

Your handwriting is as messy as I remember. I had to squint at half the words.

But… I’m glad you wrote. It’s strange not having you around after seeing you again. I didn’t realize how much I missed you until you left.

Luffy is exactly like you guessed. He picked a fight with a sea king because “it looked funny.” He’s fine, of course. But yes, I’m yelling at him enough for both of us.

Stay safe too, Sabo. I want to hear from you again soon.

— Your tree-climbing partner

You were both busy—him with the Revolutionary Army, you with the Straw Hats—but you never missed a chance to write. As days turned to weeks, the missing grew heavier, settling somewhere quiet between each letter exchanged.

One afternoon, another letter arrived. You unfolded the worn page carefully, eyes already searching for his handwriting:

I’ve been thinking about you more than I probably should.

Some nights, when everything goes quiet, I wonder what you’re looking at—what ocean, what sky. I tell myself it’s the same stars. I like believing that.

I thought it’d get easier after seeing you again… but it didn’t. Now I just know exactly what I’m missing.

The others tease me for spacing out lately. I don’t tell them it’s because I’m thinking about your voice, your laugh, your stupid jokes.

I hope you’re safe. I hope you’re smiling.

I want to see you again. I want to tell you something.

Write back soon. Please.

— Sabo

You replied;

Dear Sabo,

You always knew how to make things harder, didn’t you?

I read your letter three times. Then a fourth. I didn’t want it to end.

I’ve been missing you too. More than I thought I would. It’s like I saw you, and now every part of me is stuck back in that moment—back to when we were just kids under the trees, or standing in the quiet after Dressrosa.

Luffy asked why I was smiling like an idiot the other day. I told him it was nothing. (It wasn’t nothing. It was you.)

I wish I could see you again soon too. I don’t know when, or how, but I’ll be waiting. Just keep that Vivre Card close. I’ll be following where it leads too.

Write again. Always.

— Y/N

——

The day had finally come. You’d kept up with the letters, the occasional updates, but nothing compared to this. Seeing him again—seeing Sabo in person—was a feeling you couldn’t put into words.

As soon as you saw him, standing there with that familiar smile, it was like everything around you disappeared. Without thinking, you rushed toward him, heart pounding in your chest, and hugged him tightly.

Sabo’s eyes widened in surprise, but in an instant, his arms were around you, pulling you into a tight embrace. You couldn’t help but bury your face against his shoulder, feeling his warmth, his presence that you’d missed so much in such a short time.

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice a little shaky. “You miss me that much?” he teased.

You pulled back just slightly, eyes still locked on him. “I was gonna ask you the same thing,” you laughed softly, still feeling like you were dreaming.

He grinned, then his smile faltered as he hesitated. “Yeah… I missed you.”

Your heart melted. “I missed you too,” you whispered, taking a deep breath, your words nearly stuck in your throat.

Sabo looked at you seriously for a moment, the playful smile slipping away. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to say… something I should’ve said a while ago.”

You blinked, suddenly nervous. “What is it?”

Sabo swallowed, his gaze dropping for a brief second before locking back onto yours. “I’ve liked you… for a long time. Even when we were kids. I… I always have.” He shifted a little, looking shy, unsure of how to continue. “I’ve just never had the guts to say it before.”

You felt your heart race at his confession, a soft smile tugging at your lips. “I… I’ve felt the same.”

A wave of relief washed over his face. “Yeah?” he asked, his voice a little softer now, almost shy.

You nodded, stepping closer to him, not wanting to let this moment slip away. “Yeah.”

Without another word, he leaned down and kissed you gently. The world seemed to disappear around you, and for that brief moment, everything felt right again.

But then, suddenly, a loud cheer erupted from behind you.

“Y/N! You’re my sister now?! I can’t believe it! Hahahaha!” Luffy’s voice echoed across the area, completely unaware of the moment he’d just interrupted.

Sabo glared over his shoulder, shooting a sharp look at Luffy and the rest of the crew who were now openly cheering and grinning like they’d just watched the final scene of a romance drama. “You fools! I thought you were going to give us some privacy!”

“Don’t expect anything from them,” you sighed, rolling your eyes but smiling at the same time.

Luffy just laughed louder, completely unbothered, while the others chuckled.

Sabo turned back to you, his expression softening. “Come on, let’s go somewhere quieter,” you suggested. “We still have a lot to talk about.”

You led him away, to your room, where the noise of the crew faded away. Once the door was closed behind you, the space was filled with an intense, quiet anticipation.

You both exchanged a glance before Sabo gently cupped your face, his thumb traced slow circles against your skin. “I never thought this would happen, you know? But I’m so glad it did.”

You could feel your pulse hammering, a wild drumbeat in your chest, and his eyes—those damn stormy eyes—locked onto yours with a heat that made your knees weak.

“I’ve waited too long for this,” he murmured, voice low and gravelly, sending a shiver racing down your spine. Have you ever felt a moment so raw, so electric, that it steals your breath?

His lips crashed into yours again, not gentle this time, but fierce, desperate, as if he could pour every unspoken word from all those lost years into this single kiss.

You gasped against his mouth, hands fisting into his coat, pulling him closer until there was no space left between you, just heat and need and the hard press of his body against yours.

He groaned—a deep, primal sound that vibrated through you—as his hands slid down to grip your hips, fingers digging in with a delicious bite of pain.

“Fuck, I’ve dreamed of this,” he rasped, breaking the kiss to trail his mouth along your jaw, down your neck, teeth grazing your skin until you arched into him, a whimper escaping your lips.

That said, it wasn’t just lust driving him; there was something deeper, a fierce ache, as his hands roamed your body like he was memorizing every curve, reclaiming every inch of you after so much time apart.

You pushed back against him, guiding him toward the narrow bed, your own desire mirrored in the way you tugged at his shirt, fabric ripping slightly under your impatient fingers, until his scarred, taut chest was bare under your hungry gaze.

You both stumbled onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and ragged breaths, and Sabo hovered over you, his weight pinning you down in the best way, his gaze dark and predatory as he drank you in.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he growled, voice thick with want, as he yanked at your shirt, buttons popping free, exposing your skin to the cool air and his searing touch. His mouth descended, hot and wet, sucking at your collarbone, then lower, until his tongue flicked over your nipple, drawing a sharp cry from you—ahh, fuck!—as your hips bucked up against his.

His cock, hard and straining through his pants, pressed into your thigh, and you ground against him, desperate for more, for everything. “Sabo, please,” you begged, voice breaking, and he chuckled darkly, teeth nipping at your skin as his hand slid between your legs, fingers teasing through fabric before shoving it aside to stroke you, slow and deliberate, until you were writhing beneath him, every nerve on fire.

The room spun with the scent of sweat and desire, the creak of the bed, the slick, wet sounds of his fingers working you, building you up, and you knew—fuck, you knew—this was only the beginning as his other hand fumbled with his belt, the metal clinking urgently in the charged silence.

——

The rest of the night blurred into warmth and softness, laughter against skin, whispered words you’d never dared say aloud before now. You held each other close, learning and relearning each other with every breath.

Later, tangled in the sheets, your head rested on his chest, rising and falling with each slow breath he took.

“I can’t believe this is real,” you murmured.

His fingers lazily traced circles on your back. “If this is a dream, I’m not waking up.”

You smiled sleepily. “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

He pressed a kiss to your forehead, his voice quieter now. “I love you.”

You looked up, heart swelling. “I love you too.”

There was a pause. Then, in a voice so soft you almost missed it, he added, “You know… I used to tell myself, even when we were kids, that one day I’d marry you.”

Your breath caught, eyes meeting his again. “You did?”

He nodded, a small, sheepish smile pulling at his lips. “I didn’t know what love really was back then… but I knew it was you.”

Your fingers laced with his, your heart so full it almost ached. “Then it’s a good thing I’ve been waiting for you.”

The night stretched on, and neither of you moved—just lying there in each other’s arms, where everything felt safe. And finally, after all the years, the distance, and the waiting… you are home.

[nicohii]

(Actor! Caleb x Writer! Non-MC reader part 2. And I'll probably make this a series, this is unedited I am so sorry)

part one here

Your phone vibrates two weeks later with a familiar contact photo popping on the screen. You don't have the strength in you to let the call die so you pick up. 

"Hey" , Caleb starts.

"Hey" you softly answered back 

"I was just wondering if.... I mean... I was just... I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean that. Not that way. You're writing is perfect. It's very mean of me. I'm sorry. "

You can imagine him fidgeting on the other line. You chew on your bottom lip before muttering an, "It's okay. It's fine. You know, I can never hate you, C."

He exhales through the mic. "Let's catch up? Soon? We can play that new game you talked about that just got released, yeah? Like old times? "

"Sure. Like old times "

You turn the call off and stare into the ceiling of your kitchen. Puffing out the breath you've holding. It's something you've been mulling over and over for the past couple of months, the idea of the world beyond Caleb. He's your muse, but sometimes, love doesn't really reach the one's you want it to doesn't it? And maybe that's the universe telling you the unspoken. 

The years have come by with you artistry focused on whom the heart beats for, but really what happens after that? He's made it clear (kinda) and maybe it's time. 

So you gather whatever's left of dignity you have and make a vow to yourself. Love isn't just some boy (turned man) you have pined for your entire life, maybe there's a differenr form of it out there for you to find. So you forgive yourseld for the pain you blame yourself for. 

The world is big, you forgive and you try, you will try, and you will get by. 

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

Actor! Caleb sees you for a brief while during Comic con, and you're currently discussing with backstage staff. You wave at him before going back into a deep conversation, he stares at you for a while before coming down back to Earth when a figure zooms past him to run into your arms.

Actress! MC pratically latches into you, arms around your neck as you spin her around. Two friends reunited.

He hates the tinge of jealousy, of whom, he isn't sure. Like, it's okay to see his ex hug you and you return it with no hesitation and she gets to talk to you with no awkwardness whatsoever. But like, come on, how come she gets to hug you like that but you can't even look at him in the eyes? How is that fair? He can feel his pout come in, he wants to sulk, to tell her to back off and ---

"Hey guys, you're up." A staff tells him and his co-stars, MC finally let's go of you and you exchange schedules before she joins them on stage.

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

Actor! Caleb, who sways the whole room with his charm and humor. Honestly, he is every PR reps dream client; knows how to answer the crowd to warm them up but not spill any major spoilers, he's updated with fan theories and what not and knows how to work around them. They announce a renewed season but don't spill any date yet.

Alongside him though, equally entertaining the crowd with their exchange of inside jokes and quips, is his co-star, Actor! Sylus.

A particular fan asks him a question, something about his future projects to which Actor! Sylus replies with, "I think I want to try directing some time in the future."

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

Actor! Sylus who pats him on the shoulder as they go down the stairs and into the backstage booth. He sits down with Actor! Caleb and Actress! MC in the dressing room to cool down.

"So directing! Do you have any genre in mind?" Caleb asks as he opens his bottled water as Sylus wipes his face with make up remover.

"No, not yet, I do however, have my interest on one writer's portfolio. I like the vulnerability and emotional rawness, you know?" The man replies which makes his other two companions stare at him.

"What? I have range too you know, this action-packed roles get too dull."

It's MC who shrugs, "I mean, that's true. Do you have a name for this writer of yours? "

Actor! Caleb who feels an ugly feeling in his chest when Sylus says your name. The deep crease in his brow makes MC snort. He asks her with his eyes and she just gives him a shrug. He asks Sylus why, only to be replied with, why not?

"You should watch their screenplays, it's like... an ode, a series of love letters to someone, nothing more screams art than that right?"

Actress! MC who watches everything in amusement before elbowing him, "Well, you better lock in, Colonel."

What does that even mean?

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

Actor! Caleb who spends a whole month watching your screenplays, from your earliest works, episodes, indies, shorts, feature films, everything that has your goddamn name on it.

Actor! Caleb who freezes in his couch when it finally makes sense. Who feels like he's drowning when the credits finally roll in. He finds it hard to breathe and suddenly the room feels too big and empty, like his skin begs for a familiar pair of arms to hold him.

It's there, the messages hidden perfectly well only for him to find, the little details that you have picked from real life, from moments -- moments you have shared with him. Inside jokes that only he knows the punchline to.

How can you tell him you can't capture love well when... when all he feels is the overwhelming warmth of your yearning? Have you always loved him this much? Have you always looked at him with these eyes? Almost like he was something so precious even he can't see it himself? How can you stand by with all the hurt and ---

He almost feels dizzy from standing up too fast, taking his phone from his kitchen table. He dials your number, the call doesn't go through. He dials again.

It's around the third missed call that you send him a text.

"In a meeting. Ttyl."

"Who? "

It's the longest three minutes of his life.

"Producer. Director. Anyway, I'll prolly gonna do a raincheck on that game night. Need to write a new project. Sorry."

"Is Sylus directing? "

There's three dots. Before it stops. It comes alive again.

"Yeah. How'd you know? "

tagging everyone who asked (and commented ) on the first part (ily guys sm)

@mcdepressed290 @lillycore @wegottastayfocus @raendarkfaerie @fishwasher8 @persephonejeon @his-ocean-emissary @maskedbunni

[mtcloudsworld]

Can I please request a fic for Jason maybe how he would react to meeting a reader (black fem reader) who’s super confident so open about her attraction to him just out right saying he’s sexy/fine to their mutual friends idk I just need some Jason feeling wanted and knowing his feelings are reciprocated ❤️❤️❤️

𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐎 | j.todd x black fem reader

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 | I didn't give much description on the reader but it is black fem reader intended. I just got lost in the sauce is all lol. No warnings except that it's just fluff with some errors here and there probably. Just ignore them if you can.

⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠈⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁

Let's put a little spin on the block shall we?

I think in this case, Jason knows a little bit of you right? He knows just a portion of you because Roy talks about you like your next big thing. He finally gets to meet you at your best friend's birthday party. At first he was kinda on the outskirts like he usually is but when you come around, he'll admit, he sees what all the hype's about. Y'all hung out a few times after that. There have been some great conversations and what not, went as far as exchanging numbers and as of recently they've been noticing the shared glances, the smiles, jokes and what not.

And you're friends? Well... they're betting their money and a life time supply of ass kissing that something beautiful just might happen between you two.

Now Jason hasn't really put himself into the dating scene yet, now of course he's had a few crushes along the way but nothing too serious.

And as you sit back in the perimeter of his space, in this friendly medium size cafe, smelling the fresh scent of coffee beans and cologne, in the proximity of his warmth, with the sun beaming past his face, you gazed over that jaw dropping, god like face and into those baby blue eyes-- you can't help but to think: How could anyone NOT like him? How could he NOT have a girlfriend already?

The man is built-- massive, muscles and all. 6 ft something, prince charming material, top tier sense of humor, tempting, a whole ass meal, sensible, a gentleman, girl dinner, a lover, a protector, a man you'd let bend you over on the kitchen counter and fuck the living shit out of you--

I mean, the list could really go on and on and on and on honey

His behavior, personality and quirks were all so cute and attractive, and of course you haven't seen the night terrors or any scars he has to deal with, but trust and believe that's manageable. it's just enough to want you to get to know him on a deeper level.

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

As you watched him walk to retrieve yet another book, you couldn't help but release a soft sigh in bliss. "God he is so fine." Roy and your best friend roll their eyes, smiling from ear to ear as they give shared glances. They knew your interest was peeked, they also knew you've been wanting to shoot your shot for sometime now, but strangely, you haven't had the courage to do so. "Girl just go over there and talk to the man."

You give them a shy smile and shrug, "I don't want to seem weird though."

Your best friend chuckles, head shaking as she nudges her shoulder into yours, "I promise you won't. Trust me, go talk to him."

You sigh in defeat, giving a curt nod before standing to your feet and walking over to him. You weren't close by for him to sense your presence yet. However he caught a whiff of your scent lingering nearby, he has recognized it, studied it and memorized it all once before and you were the only person who wore this distinct fragrance. So, naturally, when you came closer, his attention turns to you. The sight of his eyes glowing in happiness and the smirk that rises to his lips makes your insides twist in relish. Feeling your cheeks burn and lips curl into a smile as you stand close by "So, whose your next victim?" You'd ask playfully looking down at the book in his hand with cluelessness and innocence pooling in your eyes.

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

And you? You're so beautiful. So, so beautiful. He could look at you for hours upon hours upon hours and could never get enough of you. The way your skin glowed in the sunlight was exquisite. The rich tone of your voice sent a sweet ring to his ears as he listened to you talk. Charming in every sense-- your charisma sent him blushing, every flirtatious comment and glare you sent his way made butterflies swarm in his stomach.

Your confidence was blunt. Bold in every way, inspiring and admirable. He found the things and the people you loved were drawn from deep passion. You were undeniably sweet, so sweet that it felt so unfamiliar to him. Your touch, gentle and warm, made a part of his shoulder or arm tingle with want and need.

He may look cool calm and collected on the outside but inside?

Baby that man's heart is punching against his ribcage 😭 his skin is hot and he's trying his damn hardest not to make a fool of himself.

And the way you say his name?!?! Uggggh, his heart, his poor little heart!

Effortlessly you've got this man wrapped around your tiny little finger. Your independence was attractive, the way you care for others wa tender and lovely. He liked how you thought about him constantly, your genuine care for him was sudden but expected, you never shy away from inviting him places, buying his favorite snacks and what not. Just, sigh, everything about you made him feel uplifted and seen.

But even when he's feeling all these emotions, and these little things are happening to spike his blood pressure, somewhere in the deepest part of his brain where insecurity dwells, he believes you're way out of his league.

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

Where Jason resides, he stood and observed from a distance you and your best friend chatting it up with a mutual coworker you hadn't seen in a minute. Undoubtedly it was a guy and Jason couldnt help but feel a little jealous??? couldn't help but feel like yeah, you're beautiful and single and have every right to talk and cheese all in another guy's face.

Yet, he couldn't shake this mixture of feelings that although he wants you all to himself, he feels he's not worthy enough to be something more for you. He doesn't feel worthy enough to have you when he does all these bad things-- living a double life.

He's basically stuck between a rock and hard place, and Roy can see it. His brows knitted in dissatisfaction, pondering his choices as he burned holes into the guy's head, but still, he glanced at you with tenderness.

"I don't think I'm good enough Roy, not even the slightest." He murmured, seated at the table across from his friend, playing with the red solo cup between his fingers. "If I told her what I was all about, I bet you she'll walk away-- I know she would."

"But you don't know that," Roy argued, gently. "You can't just assume the worst if nothing has happened yet."

"You say you're not good enough and that she may not like you, but you don't realize the most energy she gives you than any other person out there. She's drawn to you, Jason, more than you think. You're worthy of having a relationship, of being happy, of being loved... you're worthy of all of that. Stop saying you aren't because you are."

And fortunately, Roy was right. He was always right.

Because as Jason was left to his thoughts (Still hesitating and having a hard time believing it all). There was a moment when you noticed him all alone, pouting a little. Ditching the duo to approach him instead made his heart clench. You were all smiles, reaching for his hand and suggesting for them to take a walk.

He could never resist you, even if he tried.

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

He felt you could do so much better than him.

But you didn't want better, did you?

You didn't want anybody else.

You didn't have your eye on anybody else because you were too busy gawking at the physique and personality of a god who could have you folding in 2.5 seconds. You were starstruck, in awe and it was kinda hard to believe that Jason was oblivious to it all when you are so open and blunt about it.

Soooooo, what can you do? Hm?

What can you do to make this man understand that you are into him?

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

"Looks like you've got something on your mind."

You blink.

Your head turns to him, humming in response once you come back to your senses. In the middle of the dance floor, all alone now, held by the waist as you swayed slowly underneath the starry night sky, dim lighting from the hanging lights along the tent. You give him a close-lip smile in reassurance and shrug, adjusting your arms around his shoulders a little.

"I hope you're not bored of me."

"Pfft, bored?" You snicker amusingly. "you're anything but boring, Todd."

"You're never this quiet though."

He notices your mood switches, "...I know." You've grown quiet, hesitant as you avoid eye contact now.

Jason frowns. Eyes trained on, his hands squeeze at your hips for a second, grasping your attention again. His thumbs begin to caress at your sides soothing the nerves bubbling from within, admiring the giant before you.

"What's on your mind?" His voice grew curious. Yet you couldn't shake off the caring tone in his voice. Blue eyes swirl with need and want. He spoke with deep vibrato, placing you in a trance of encouragement for you to speak.

You hum, gaze diverted elsewhere as you ponder in thought. Your cheeks start to burn, then a chuckle and next a groan. A sudden burst of bashfulness on your face grows as you lean into his chest, attempting to cover the embarrassment all over your face.

A helpless groan is heard, "I don't wanna say..."

Jason gulps, clearing his throat at the action. Trying his hardest to not freak out as your face practically nestles into him. "No, c'mon what is it? Clearly it's bothering you if you're thinking so deeply about it." He says causally.

There was a silence, one that was filled with anticipation. And then there was a sigh, one of defeat and submission as you start to speak again. "Have you ever... liked someone so much you wish you could tell them without dying inside?"

"A little dramatic if I'm being honest but yeah... I've had my fair share of crushes in the past." He humors, gazing over you. "Why you ask?"

"I may...or may not have a crush on somebody." You say, hesitantly

"Hm. Whose the lucky bastard?"

Your gazes locked, and for a split second you thought he was joking. You thought that maybe he'd give you a playful smirk and say, "what? you didn't think I know?" But he doesn't do any of that. He's seriously asking who this crush of yours was.

So you toy with him murmuring, "I doubt you'd know anything about him."

"Hm," he shrugs, clueless. "A little background check wouldn't hurt none." He couldn't possibly be this oblivious but he was. It made you smile, endearingly. It honestly made you want to laugh because this was just sickly cute and silly of him to think it was anybody but him.

"it's you.. Jason."

The smile on his face slowly fades away, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks when h recollects your words.

"...what?"

"It's you. I have a crush on you Jason." You admit confidently this time. You slowly feel yourselves pull away, watching as his eyes grow slightly wide in shock, brows knitted in confusion. "I've liked you for a while now. Ever since we met I've always thought you were the most sexiest man I've ever laid eyes on." Your bluntness makes him blush along the tips of his ears to his cheeks. "You're a sweet man, Jay. I find it hard not to think about you daily. You make me feel happy, you make me feel acknowledged when you consider me." You sigh, "I just don't understand how a man like yourself don't have a girlfriend already. You're not ugly, you're far from that. You're a confident charmer, flirtatious even. Even when you say you don't mean to do so intentionally, it just comes out of you naturally. I love how sensible and caring, you are. I know that vulnerability can be hard for you because of your past but I can tell, you wanted to be needed at the end. I wanted more. Even the way you look at me its.ljke you're begging for me to stay a little longer, begging for me to be yours only, begging for a chance." His eyes flickered shut to the feeling of your hand cupping at his cheek, nestled in the palm of your hand as if he was a cat begging to be scratched. "I like every aspect of you, Jay," you say sweetly, your bodies drawing closer till there was no space between you two to fill. "I don't want to lose this feeling, this connection we have? I don't want it to go away." You whisper cupping his face now, you're foreheads meeting and hooded gazes locked now.

He doesn't say anything, and you frown.

"Jason? Please say something. Anything? I promise you I won't get upset if you don't feel the same. I know it's a little sudden, I get it, but I didn't know how else to tell--"

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

His lips smashed against yours that night, shutting up any doubts or hesitation you both might've had at that moment. While you were quick to submission and he was quick to need, your lips moved slowly yet eagerly, in tune with yours. His hands weren't hesitant to hold you close, wasn't hesitant to groan in the kiss as your finger tugged at his hair. Growing an obsession at the taste of each other, your both breathless, small moans are heard and internally his heart was fluttering to you clinging to him. You both didn't want to break the kiss. But you had to. You had to, unreluctantly catch your breath. Just in time to see heart eyes glare into yours, to see that smirk dance along his lips. You giggle, turning head to the side as you feel your cheeks burning again. His nose bumps into your cheek, strong arms deciding to wrap around you possessively as he kisses between your jaw and neck.

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

Later that night, you had called him to let him know you made it home safely. The call was supposed to be short and sweet but...

"I'm sorry that it took me so long to realize..."

You smiled as you placed the phone beside you, laying on your side as you close your eyes for a moment. You hum, "I think you were just hesitant, had a a difficult time believing it. You chose to ignore the signs because you felt you weren't good enough, which is not true."

"...Maybe." silence. "It's just strange to me, unfamiliar to hear someone say they want me."

"Well...I want you Jason, I really do." He could hear the smile on your voice as you spoke with such sweet softness. Admittedly he felt he could die in that moment, as he smirked down at the phone in his hand.

"Then...you can have me, all of me."

⏜︵♡︵⏜︵୨୧︵⏜︵♡︵⏜⏜︵♡︵⏜︵

Let's just say in the end there was no keeping this boy away from you, he was head over heels for you. You gave him security, you gave him communication, the space to be vulnerable when he least expected it. He felt more spoiled than you did in the relationship and that was okay. He deserved every bit of it just as much as you did. It took some time to admit who he truly was, to understand why he worked so late and came to you with all kinds of wound and bruises. His past and trauma made sense. But it didn't make you view him any less of a boyfriend. Actually, it turned you on even more. It was more sexy to know you were dating a badass vigilante who gave two fucks about his reputation, but was willing to protect you at every cost.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑 | sorry this took me a minute. I had soooo many ideas for this one and just couldn't choose what route to go on. Sorry if it's not what you wanted I completely understand.

Like, comment, reblog. Requests are open so if you have an idea you'd like me to write out, I'm all ears 😁

𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃

𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐋 ©𝐦𝐭𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

[monstersflashlight]

Commission for Vamp

A/N: To read the rest of Ambrose's story, check the minotaur masterlist.

Coffee… date?

Ambrose (minotaur) [POV] x fem!reader || kinda sfw but kinda not, (very heavy) yearning

He doesn’t know how or why or what the fuck is happening, but he’s getting dressed to have a date. With his mate. He’s getting dressed to have a date with you. Kinda. He hopes so. He doesn’t know, okay? But he’s meeting you for coffee. (And hopes is a date, but he’s not really sure.)

And he has to thank his stupid friend who is always meddling in his affairs and he’s pretty sure they have a running bet on how much is going to take him to figure out how to tell you about the mate thing. He can’t be bitter about it, though, because for the first time his friend’s meddling got him what he wanted: more time with you. (Okay, it was more than one time, but he wasn’t going to accept that and give them something else to gloat about, they had already an inflated ego).

So there he is, getting dressed in his whitest shirt and cutest pants, the ones that he’d been told his ass looked incredible in. He even ironed every piece of clothing before wearing it (yes, even his underwear). He wants to make a good impression out of work. You two already talked a bit during your appointments, but it wasn’t nearly enough, and he was expecting to get to know you better. And to make you like him. Like like him.

He’s so nervous he almost forgets his sketchbook at home, having to run back to grab it halfway to his car. It was the sole reason you were hanging out with him, you accepted because you loved art and drawing as much as him and when his friend, his wonderful awful naga coworker suggested for you two to meet to show each other more of your art. He stuttered something similar to a yes as you almost vibrated out of your skin with excitement. It was the cutest thing he’d ever seen, even if he could barely understand what was happening as his heart pounded in his ears with such force he felt almost deaf.

He arrives to the cafeteria you suggested almost half an hour earlier, sitting down near the window and looking outside for you. He doesn’t know what you’d be wearing, but he wants to spot you before you enter because he needs to calm himself if he doesn’t want to throw you over his shoulder and...

The waitress stops his perv line of thought: “Do you want to order?” She’s a pretty succubus demon with teal skin and cute horns curling around her ears. She’s standing there with a warm smile that makes him feel queasy.

“I’m waiting for somebody,” he grunts, being harsher than intended. She leaves with an amused shrug, as he instantly regrets it and calls to her: “I’m sorry!” She chuckles, not even turning around.

She reminds him of his naga coworker, maybe he should bring them here… But that’s a thought for another day, because he’s getting anxious by the minute. He’s just at the edge of his seat, waiting as the minutes tick by.

His anxiety gets the worst of him and he starts panicking, his heart beating so fast in his chest that he starts to worry it’s about to escape his rib-cage and go looking for you. But you stood him up. You were supposed to get here twenty minutes ago, so he’s been just sitting there like a weirdo for almost an hour.

At some point, the succubus waitress takes pity of him, offering him a coffee as he waited. She keeps looking at him intently every time he flinches when the door opens and it’s not you.

He’s so distracted looking outside that he doesn’t recognize you as you rush through the door. “Sorry, sorry, sorry! I’m late, fuck, I’m so late.”

Your voice reaches him at the same second he realizes you are the one with the dark glasses and cardigan, closing a big umbrella as you walk through the door. His breath gets caught in his throat as he takes you in.

He knows you are his mate, but good goddess if it doesn’t surprise him every time he sees you. He’s just mesmerized by how pretty you are, how amazing and pretty and smart and, oh, did he say pretty?

He’s about to get up to greet you when the waitress walks to you with a smile so big it almost reaches her ears. “Hey sweet-cheeks! What are you doing here?”

“Oh, hey! I didn’t know you were working today!” Your joyful voice isn’t directed at him and he has to swallow around the knot in his throat when you embrace the succubus waitress.

The succubus is clearly smelling your neck with a smirk, her eyes fixated on him with a knowing smile that makes his blood boil. He had never been jealous before, not like this, not this deep burning jealousy that threatens to overtake all his senses until he gets you all for him. He clenches his fists, trying to breathe deeply, but then he smells your arousal and he almost throws the table thought he window.

“I’m meeting my friend for coffee,” you inform the succubus as you two part. His insides calm lightly when you take a step back.

“Friend, huh?” The demon looks at you and arches an eyebrow. Yeah… She definitely knows.

“Yeah! He did my tongue piercing, remember?” Is he imagining things or you look flushed? Probably just wishful thinking. There’s no way you like him that way, right?

“Oh… He’s that minotaur.” The way she says it makes his eyelid twitch. What does that mean? He wants to scream the question, but you and the succubus exchange a look, and she just chuckles and leaves before taking your orders.

You sit in front of him, your skirt ridding up enough that he can see a slip of skin between your high thighs and what looks to be the tiniest possible pair of shorts under your skirt. Fuck. He doesn’t want to get hard in the middle of the cafeteria.

“Hi! Sorry again for being late. I couldn’t find my umbrella for the sun, and then I couldn’t find a parking spot, and…” You are babbling and he can’t stop the big grin from escaping. “Well, it was a shit-show,” you end up saying with a tiny smirk and your cheeks turning rosy. He wants to pinch them so bad. But also… kiss them. Kiss you. “Have you been waiting long?”

He gets distracted by your words instantly, your bubbly personality driving him in until he’s just looking at you mesmerized. He thinks he’s probably being too quiet, but he just wants to shower in your voice, just sitting there hearing you talk for hours…

You talk about everything an anything, almost forgetting about what you even met for, the sketchbook forgotten next to him. The succubus brings his milkshake and four cinnamon rolls, and your jasmine tea and crepe with banana, strawberry and whipped cream on top. The way it looks like a nipple on top makes his pants feel a bit tight. The mix of the sweet smell and your arousal is making his brain melt a little inside his head.

His dick has been semi-hard since you entered, but the second you bite into the crepe and you let out moan… yeah, definitely carrying a huge-ass hard on in the middle of a cafeteria with a succubus waitress. Fantastic. He can’t stop embarrassing himself when you are around, it’s like his brain stops working and you are the only thing that consumes his every thought.

He almost forgets how to talk when you start sipping your drink because he’s too busy trying to force himself to look away from the way your corset frames your boobs, almost overflowing. Also the damn way your natural perfume of arousal and sunshine every time you move (which you do a lot)… He’s in hell and heaven at the same time.

By the time the sun is setting and the succubus is almost kicking you out, he has a warm feeling on his insides that makes him want to lay down and enjoy it. Like sitting in the sun in a very cold day. That’s what you make him feel, a warm caress all over that has nothing to do with arousal. But well… He’s also been carrying an erection for what feels like hours, and he’s starting to worry for his blood flow when you get up and he follows you to the door.

“We should do this again,” he tries.

“Oh, yes! We should, we didn’t even talk about our sketches!” You lament, and he chuckles, trying to cover his hard on with the sketchbook in his hand.

“Let me walk you to your car,” he offers, not ready to let you go just yet.

You walk in silence, your arms touching every few steps because he’s walking that close to you. He wants to be even closer, but he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable. When you are standing next to your car, he stares down at you enough to see you fidget with your cardigan. It slips a bit off your shoulder, and he has to inhale a huge breath not to let out a whimper.

“Okay, see you next time!” You say, and before he can react your arms are around his middle and your boobs are pressed against his pecs and he’s just praying you can’t feel his hard on against your belly.

Your smell surrounds him, his whole body attuned to yours as he tries to hold it together. He watches you leave, his dick so painful he’s worried he’s going to fall off. He walks back to his car in the most uncomfortable way possible, his dick pressing against the zip of his pants in a painful way.

If he takes off his shirt and presses it to his nose seeking your smell and jerks off in his car behind the building before driving home, that’s only between him and the weird pigeon sitting on the windowsill two buildings down. It’s not till much later that he realizes the succubus probably knows what he did in his car. And she’s your friend…

He’s so fucked.

[meathunt]

Hello!

I want to say I love your vampire dads au

Elias being sweet while Thomas is firm but gentle or (coaxing?) With his methods is something I enjoy (sorry if I might have mixed up between names)

.I think reader were a human before their turning and I think you mentioned them being turned twice? As like Thomas marked them once and elias marked them also so that would make them have two sires or am I wrong?

. If you don't mind I want to ask for scenario about reader , when they wake up and everything is cleared for them like pain is bearable and no more frogynes? Or their headache? , what would their reaction be knowing they got fully turned into vampire and is probably in their fledgling phase and their reaction to discovering they consumed blood from their sire and that they would have to feed from them for while , would reader get scared and get fussy with them or except it because they feel same around their sires's?

. Sorry if it's too long also English is not my main language so I lack in some terms and tried to explain as best as I could 😅

- anyways keep your passion and hard work and thank you for drinking our crocodile tears with your amazing writing lol

-R

Thank you! Hope you keep enjoying my works!!! Well you are right but also wrong! I will explain kinda what happened in reader's process of turning and siring in another post as i will probably make it a bit long haha. When i write it you can find it here! Now for the scenario :] ---

You felt too warm in the position you were laying down at the moment, rolling to the other side in search for a cooler place to keep sleeping.

The bed felt very nice from under you, firm but not hard, and the blanket that you were currently hiding your face in was so wonderful, the fluffy material softly caressing your face.

It was very soft huh....

 ....

You are pretty sure you didn't own anything this nice, even if you did you are pretty sure it would be one small blanket.

But now that you felt more awake you could recognize that almost everything around you was way out of your budget. From the pillows and blankets around you to the soft fluffy clothes you were wearing at the moment.

You slowly sat up from the bed, now noticing that it mostly looks like a bedding made of multiple pillows, blankets and few plushies here and there.

But the most notable detail of it all was that you didn't recognize any of it, no windows to get a feel of what time it was. You woke up fully now, and for the first time of what you feel have been months, you really felt awake, fully conscious, actually aware of your surroundings, slow panic rising as your situation fully set in.

Your last clear-ish memory was drinking yourself silly in some bar, after that is just some blurry scenes that make you nervous the more you try to figure out what actually happened, the more you feel panic rising inside you, unconsciously fidgeting with the blanket in your hands. A whimper on the tip of your tongue, but you hold it back, deciding to put a pin on it and come back later, for now you have to figure out where are you.

You go to stand up from where you were sitting and almost instantly feel your legs give out from under you. Well that’s strange, you go to stand up again feeling how you struggle to maintain balance when you finally stood up, you stretch a bit, feeling your bones pop with the action. Some parts of your body feel a bit sore when you go to walk to the door, having to take it slowly, stumbling a bit on the way as your legs feel a bit weaker, opening and looking into the corridor. Well, now you can clearly say you are not in your house, or somewhere you could really afford, even the light features in here look way out of you budget, you walk out of the room, deciding that exploring the place is your game plan for now.

After some minutes you are almost sure you are completely alone in the house, you haven’t heard anyone around for a bit, and if you are being honest you haven’t heard anything, the house being strangely quiet.

While walking aimlessly and judging the decoration of the house you are currently in you encounter what could only be living room, and while very comfortable you note the lack of technology in here, not even clocks to give you a clue of what day or time it is. You note that there is a door to the balcony, but before you can open it a hand grabs you by the shoulder.

“And where do you think you are going Sunshine?”

His voice almost made you jump out of your skin, turning around to see a burly man towering man over you made you stop breathing for a second, how did this mountain of a man managed to sneak up on you is a mystery.

“U-uhm.” You tried to figure out who he was but nothing came to mind, but as you looked into his eyes full of care and just happiness to see you, you are a bit shocked so you really don’t react until he is practically in front of you and immediately going to carry you, but before he could really get comfortable you stopped him “Hey, hey! It’s okay, I can walk!”

He visibly tenses by your words and immediately looks into your eyes, even when he towers above you and could possibly force you if he chose to, you don’t feel in danger, his eyes don’t look angry, but a bit more hurt, a bit more inquisitive, like he’s not used to you denying him things.

Before any of you could say or do anything else another person stepped into the room “Oh cutie, you should let Papa carry you, after all you can barely stand on your own”

Huh? What was he talking about-

You go to take a step back but just as if in command your legs fail you, if not for the man in front of you that with inhuman speed held you and settled you against his chest you would have probably be on the ground and most likely hit your head.

“Love, let’s go take a sit at the sofa, seems our little one has many questions in their little head” Thomas says as he is already on his way.

Elias carries you no problem as you try to make sense of what even is going on. You stay on Elias’s lap even when he already took a sit, and you don’t make a move to get off because you are almost sure he won’t allow it. You don’t want to acknowledge that it also feels just right, like you will be safe here.

You all stay silent for a bit, them waiting for you to ask something, and you trying to think of what to ask first, who are they? Where are you? How did you get here?

You look up at Thomas, trying to decide as your mind is flooded by questions, but even if you feel some kind of connection with him your mind also raises an alert. He doesn’t seem as strong as the man holding you, but you still think you won’t be able to take him in a fight. But as you focus more on him that sense of wrongness grows, you can’t put your finger on why, he looks like a common rich dude, maybe softer.

But then it clicks, his chest.

His chest is not rising. That almost instinctive rise and fall from the chest is just not happening, he’s not breathing, and since he entered the room he hasn’t being doing such a simple, common thing. And then your question comes immediately to mind “…what are you?”

Thomas smiles at you, a smile that has too many teeth, sharper than any humans would be.

Elias strokes your back as you almost instinctually nuzzle on his chest in look for comfort, even if you really didn’t realize you were doing it. --

Almost two hours after they answered all the question you had.

Vampires, fucking vampires.

You didn’t want to admit that it was the only thing that actually made sense with the meager memories you had, that it was reasonable once they answered all of the questions. You were freaking out, internally, mentally you were freaking out about all the new findings. Because physically you weren’t.

Somewhere in the talk Thomas decided to take you from Elias’s arms and take your place, no you were laying on his chest while in a cuddle pile between him and Elias. And you were angry, you wanted to shout and scream and cry about what fate brought to you, about the things you just figured out you lost, about the life you will never get back and weren’t able to properly say goodbye to.

That you were able to get mad, even when Elias’s hand strokes your back in a comforting manner, and the purring from Thomas chest wasn’t relaxing you further into his hold.

And as Elias brought his wrist to your mouth and you immediately closed your eyes, you tried to convince yourself that as the irony smell hit your nose you didn’t latched onto the source like a kid with ice-cream, and as it flowed inside you and you felt tears burning in your eyes that it was disgust what you felt instead of warm comfort as the liquid settled in your stomach.

And that the vibration of your chest was contained hiccups instead of a happy purring escaping you after realizing that your captors, caretakers, will never be far from you.

[tulisydan]

What's your personal top 4 in the bojere moments battle? If everyone voted Correctly how would this have ended?

Oh god what a question. Where to even start? Gotta to both 2023 and 2024 right? Yes okay.

(For the sake of my own mental health I decided to leave Vse kar vem -hug and Ljubav out. For obvious reasons)

2023 in no particular order

1. Bojere karaoke

Yes I scream about this all the time but. Look at them! This moment literally IS Bojere. It’s what Me and You is about! Them. Just them, in their own bubble together. Look how adoring Jere is here! He adores, admires, loves Bojan so much. And he just has to touch him or he DIES! Also look his reaction when Bojan starts to laugh 😭 Then there’s Bojan… oh lord. He’s still kinda shy and nervous here, he doesn’t know what to do with all that love and admiration that jere showers him here; he literally has to turn away from Jere a little bit! He’s so happy and overwhelmed that doesn’t know what to do with his body!! And that little hand touch in the end… ”I feel whatever this is too”

2. Neck kisses

Jere’s time to be overwhelmed with the love and care that Bojan’s showing him after he lost. It’s actually still very hard for me to watch this clip because it feels too private. It should be private! Jere with his limited english is trying to show his deep gratitude by kissing Bojan on his neck multiple times and thank you Bojan you are here, and Bojan, sweet Bojan is a bit surprised by this sudden attack, just smiles and takes Jere in his arms. And gently VERY GENTLY just holds his head.

All of these moments after the final really showed how crucial Bojan’s support to Jere was: ”You always get me some surprise” after Bojan surprised him by wearing his bolero ”when am I gonna see you again?” While he was crying in the toilet ”Bojan… my friend…” Not finding words to describe Bojan while being interviewed. This moment really culminates their time together during those weeks.

3. Between us there’s something. I can feel it. Something good.

This is about Jere’s words here. They are finally reunited after a busy and hard summer. They are being asked: how does it feel to meet again? Horrible of course. Khihih! But this is not the right time for jokes for Jere! This is serious! He starts to explain, while looking at Bojan, that between him and Bojan there’s something there. He can feel it (in his heart). He necessary doesn’t quite know what this something is but it is there. And it’s good. In the written version of that interview he also said the same thing as he did later in the concert ”we are brothers. Or maybe something more”. Something good.

4. Bojan beer

Jere publicly showing support to Bojan when he was going through a difficult time. Posting this was not a coincidence. This photo always reminds me about their nordic tour instagram live where Jere asked the guys how their tour is going and Bojan answered that they are quite tired. ”But happy?” Jere asked Bojan. He really wanted to make sure that Bojan was happy and cared for during their time in Finland after difficult and traumatic summer :(

5. (Because I can, this is my blog!) Airport vibez

Think about them having the time of their lives while being out together. Think about Bojan watching Jere and thinking ”he’s so precious 🥹” Think about him ruffling his hair and Jere loving it. Think about him thinking how CUTE Jere is. Think about him taking his phone and snapping a photo of Jere being all precious and cute. Now think about him rewatching all of these photos while waiting for his flight back to Slovenia. Think about him wanting to post that picture but it wouldn’t make sense to post that now. Think about him thinking of a plan and making it seem like the photo was taken in the airport. Think about him writing ”airport vibez” as the caption while already missing that cute little face with the perfect hair.

2024 in no partical order

1. is Bojan here?

Jere’s soft private Bojan voice. This was not meant to be heard by us!

2. Bojan came to Finland after their vacation

Very normal about this. He just came here. And they didn’t tell anyone. Going to concerts, walking around Helsinki, drinking Lonkero at pub while waiting Jere to get off from work, going to grocery shopping with Jere in the middle of the night, waiting Jere at home while he was filming Autiomaa music video… 😫

3. Lol ur not käärijä -shirt

This one I picked because Jere’s soft private Bojan –voice ”Bojan? :) I wanna see your t-shirt”. Then they went out and Jere couldn’t stop filming Bojan: Here’s Bojan playing pool! Here’s Bojan at the bar! Here’s Bojan drinking tequilla! Here’s Bojan being happy while watching other people singing karaoke! Here’s Bojan singing karaoke! Here’s a flaming heart!!! Also why did he packed that shirt with him oh my god.

4. July snus proposal

Aaaaahh they had very limited time together and decided to only post ONE video together! No time to please the fandom, this is about us!! Bojan’s ”onks kellää denssii” has never sounded as soft as here! His smile! His soft eyes that somehow became even more softer at the end! Also like I think they filmed this in the hotel where Joker Out were staying? So Jere dragged his crew with him and had whatever meeting they had planned there! To Bojan!

[cupcait777]

under the bleachers ⋆˚࿔

what starts with one stolen glance across the soccer field turns into a secret-laced spiral of late-night drives, under-the-bleachers kisses, and the kind of love that makes you reckless. in a town that doesn’t understand girls like them, they find freedom in each other—and maybe something like forever. 𔘓 a/n : u cannot tell me rina and nat dont look good tgt... anw part two's here!

practice runs late again.

the sun dipped hours ago, leaving behind that deep navy sky you only ever get in small towns—stars peeking out like a secret, the air sticky with leftover heat and the faint buzz of cicadas that refuse to shut up.

the cheer field is mostly cleared now. you’re still half-sitting on the bleachers, peeling your socks off with a wince. your captain's whistle had been relentless tonight, like she could sense your attention wasn’t fully on the counts. and she’s not wrong. it hasn’t been—not when natalie scatorccio showed up halfway through, smoking by the fence, watching like she was seeing something you didn’t even know you were showing.

you tie your sneakers together by the laces and sling them over your shoulder, letting your hair down as you walk toward the side exit. your phone buzzes once. you already know who it is.

nat: you done being a triangle formation hostage yet?

you: come rescue me then.

she doesn’t reply.

she’s already leaning against the gate.

natalie’s hoodie is way too big on her—frayed at the cuffs, stained in a couple places, and very clearly not hers originally. her hair’s in a loose ponytail, strands falling out around her face like she tried and gave up halfway through. she looks like mischief and maybe a little like she walked off the cover of a 90s alt-rock album.

she smirks when she sees you. “cheer practice, huh?”

you blink at her. “you were literally watching me for the last hour.”

“still felt like a hostage situation.”

you laugh, and it’s a little breathless. “you here to escort me or insult me?”

natalie shrugs. “can’t i do both?”

you roll your eyes and start walking. she falls into step beside you without asking, kicking pebbles down the street like she’s got nowhere better to be. you know that’s probably true.

the walk home is quieter than usual. not uncomfortable—just thoughtful. you can hear the distant thump of some garage band trying to play nirvana, the far-off bark of a dog, the gravel crunching under your shoes. natalie keeps glancing at you, like she wants to say something but isn’t sure if she should ruin the moment.

you beat her to it.

“you ever gonna let me wear your jersey on game day?”

she gives you a look. “you’re a cheerleader. don’t you already have a uniform?”

“that’s not the point.”

“oh? what is the point, then?”

you smirk. “maybe i want the whole school to know i’m off-limits.”

natalie blinks, then tilts her head, considering you. “you think i need to mark my territory or something?”

you shrug, all fake-casual. “no. but i think it’d be kinda hot if you did.”

she stares at you. her mouth opens like she’s about to say something sarcastic, but instead she laughs—really laughs, head thrown back, teeth showing, no filter. you decide right then you’d say something dumb every day just to hear that again.

“you’re such a dork,” she mutters, kicking at the dirt. “you and your lip gloss and your matching socks and your goddamn ribbon.”

“you like the ribbon,” you say, smug.

“i hate how much i like the ribbon,” she mutters.

you bump her shoulder with yours. “then say something nice for once.”

natalie slows down a little. she looks at you—really looks at you. the streetlamp catches the gold in her eyes, and for a second, you swear she’s about to kiss you right there on the sidewalk.

instead, she reaches into her hoodie and pulls out a crumpled pack of gum. she unwraps a piece and hands it to you without a word.

you blink.

“that’s it?” you ask.

natalie nods. “my last piece. don’t say i never do anything for you.”

you put it in your mouth, chewing slowly, and try not to smile like an idiot. ⸝⸝⸝

your street’s quiet when you get there. the lights are off in your dad’s study, which means he’s either passed out or forgot you exist again. either way, it’s fine. it’s not like you brought natalie home to meet the family.

you stop at the gate, turning to face her.

“wanna come over friday? after the game.”

natalie raises a brow. “what kind of invite is that?”

“a soft one.”

she squints. “like a sleepover?”

you shrug. “could be. bring snacks. we’ll listen to van’s mixtape. i’ll wear your jersey.”

her mouth twitches like she’s trying not to smile. “and if we lose?”

“then i’ll still wear it,” you say. “you’re worth the loss.”

it comes out easier than you expect. natalie flinches like she’s not used to hearing nice things without a punchline. she’s quiet for a second, then steps forward and presses a kiss to your cheek—barely there, but real.

“you’re such a problem,” she says.

“you like that about me.”

she doesn’t deny it.

instead, she grins, and walks backwards a few steps before turning and disappearing into the dark, hoodie flapping behind her like a cape.

⸝⸝⸝

you go inside with a stupid smile and gum in your mouth that tastes like natalie.

she goes home with her hands in her pockets and her heart hammering like a damn drumline.

she already knows she’s in trouble.

and she thinks… maybe that’s not such a bad thing. 𔘓 a/n : the lesbians r getting bolder

part one ⊹ ࣪ ˖ part two ⊹ ࣪ ˖ part three ⊹ ࣪ ˖

[souvlakicokaine]

unmedicated “adhd” tips

putting under the cut bc long. anyway fyi this won’t replace self discipline like you need to develop that skill it’s unavoidable. but all this stuff helps me personally. souvi lifehacks ig

I’m splitting up by category lol

nootropics

lots of ppl will tell u to take ashwagandha & L-tyrosine well I wouldn’t know anything abt that. personally I find a combo of L-theanine & b12 to have a noticeable effect but u gotta megadose I mean MEGA dose. obviously stop if ur having adverse effects but theyre both pretty harmless. in more moderate doses I take magnesium & lion’s mane and I think that helps too. I been meaning to try ginseng so I’ll update on that

if ur gonna caffeinemaxx stay away from energy drinks imo they don’t help as much + they’ll make ur heart pop like a grape. drink coffee + tea—at least then u get the added antioxidants. i like longjing green & pu erh tea and i believe they enhance my cognition ever so slightly as well. caffeine has a great synergistic effect w the L-theanine tbh

productivity

everybody and their mother will tell you to write things down/make a to do list, but there’s to do lists and To Do Lists.

I have crazy screen time just like every other degen on here so I chose to put reminders and stuff in my phone since I stare at it so much.

the four apps that have my back the most are the following l: clock app, countdown, Google keep, & health app

Explanation:

so you know as well as I do if you make some kinda to do list u’ll just avoid looking at it all day. so I always plan my day out (not even in detail just 3-4 basic tasks I’d like to accomplish) in my clock app and do it like this

^^ example. I can snooze tasks but not turn them off. I also set times for the entire portion of the day I plan to be awake (16-17 hours what have you) and sometimes 3-4 hr increments to combat time blindness & generally have an idea of how much time im wasting. it helps more than you’d think.

sometimes if I have an exam in 2 ish days I’ll even do a timer like 48 hours until exam. just helps me compartmentalize chunks of time in my head.

but for long time periods I have this baby

as u can see I keep all sorts of reminders: chores (set to repeat weekly or however often I gotta do that), subscriptions, bills, exams. game changer

helps me remember to cancel free trials & shit.

I even keep a timer until my next birthday to instill the dread of wasting another year within myself lol. you don’t have to do this.

NEXT BABY: Google keep

^^ just an example of lists I keep. financial, academic, personal, you name it. just stuff I need to remember. some have alarms set but I don’t exactly rely on it for tasks. I color code them for exactly organization. I even keep website links + a list of my hobbies/shit to do instead of doomscrolling for my free time on here lol.

habit tracking

there’s multiple apps for this but they are retard. I’ve never been pleased with one. What I use is this

hear me out: I put each habit as a “medication” on this list. I log whenever I do it. I presents me a chart of my adherence and daily reminder so I know what to work on. no other visual works so well for me as this. oh lol I also log my mood so I can compare lapses in my adherence with mood swings and my cycle & stuff (I don’t keep my cycle on here tho. I don’t trust apple like that)

trivia/extra

I put reminders in my tumblr drafts if all else fails cuz ik ill be wasting my time on here

I keep a spreadsheet of all my spending habits including the date/purpose of a purchase and whether I paid in credit or debit

when im overwhelmed by all of the above I just visit each app and make a paper pencil list of what I want to accomplish today. I do think it’s important to do this once in a while to detox from all the screens

EVERY 3 MONTHS I take a masternote in Notes Apps of what I wanna do for the NEXT 3-4 months. mostly personal/silly shit. Pictured below

I consult this whenever I feel purposeless. I have a reminder on Countdown to remake it every 3 months.

I use my calendar app ofc. for appointments and classes n shit. it gives me an overview of my day.

MyHomeworkApp for school. used to be MyStudyLife but my account got mysteriously deleted 😑😑😑

controversial but I record all my lectures with an AI transcript app that generates me a summary. Rlly helps me be less stressed abt zoning out. I have a reminder on countdown to cancel my $5/month subscription to this

I keep a locked note w all my usernames/passwords

I have a countdown reminder to deepclean & REARRANGE my room every 4 months. this does wonders for ur brain chemistry trust me

this is veering more into cliche advice u find everywhere but: learn to cook. and exercise

ALSO CONTROVERSIAL but I find that intermittent fasting does help my mental clarity and makes me less sluggish. DONT do this if u struggle w ed thoughts though and stop immediately if u feel it edging into ed territory. I eat a lot of very rich meals when i do this to make sure im getting my calorie

I should have made a diet category rip but obv get all ur vitamins & reduce simple carbs. fats rlly help me personally like good fats. avocado & shit OH and protein + fiber. prioritize these three things

probiotics

I try 2 pavlov myself a lot. it doesn’t always work. Example I put my hair up in a specific style before studying to get my brain into “study mode” which sounds stupid but I feel like helps. I then also do this before the exam to help recall the info. results may vary w this it’s kind of the dumbest bullet point here

wash w hot water

rereading all this now & it looks like shit. will probably rewrite/add stuff later and rb it 2 notify but. til then. hope this is at least one iota helpful

[rav1377]

Wipe Those Tears

John Price x fem!reader

Intended for the But Sir! universe

tw:fluff!!! sweet sweet fluff, yelling(not in text), reader “messed up”, etc etc

it was another simple day on base today. no missions or major paperwork to do. just a lazy day to do what the boys wanted. so Simon and Gaz went to the gym, Johnny went to the mess hall, and John stuck in his office, smoking a cigar while tapping at some little report on his computer. his eyes perked up, wide open, when he heard the fast paced click on your heels down the hall. you opened the door, sniffling, and John immediately put down his cigar.

“love? what’s wrong?” he asks and you shake your head, locking the door behind you. his arms open for you and you straddle him, pushing your teary face into his neck. John relents, letting you do whatever you need. a heavy hand rests over your spine as a sob racks your chest. “love…i want to help. can’t do that if you don’t tell me.” his deep rumble soothes you and you sit back, still perched on his lap. a shaky sigh leaves your throat and John’s waiting patiently. “nothing..i just messed up something and some guy got pissed.” you murmur, allowing the last few tears to fall down your pretty cheeks. “what got messed up?” John asks, using his thumb to brush over the tear stains. “i was doing an armory thing. kinda like a spreadsheet to account for the stuff, especially what you guys use and what other men are using. kinda just inventory.” John nods thoughtfully, attention fully on you. his cigar sits unused and wilting in its ashtray. “then this guy came in, saw what i was doing…i had to move some stuff around. nothing big, just three ammo boxes so i could see how many there were behind that….and then i saw a rifle put back wrong an-and it just pissed me off so i put it back in right.” you say, hands trembling as they go to hug your shoulders. “it wasn’t even loaded! and ‘m not stupid…know how to handle one.” you blubber. John hums. he knew that out of place things had a way of pissing you off. “no. you’re not stupid.” he says, rubbing your thighs. him and his boys made sure you knew how to handle the weapons that were oh so present on the base.

“then the man started screaming at me! he was just going on and on about the armory stuff and how civilians aren’t meant to touch anything in there, how i messed it up and it’d need to be redone now. he took my inventory sheet too…said it was all wrong and threw it away!” you whimper. John’s pissed at it all. not you, you didn’t exactly do anything wrong. you had a pass to be in that room and you were certified to handle weapons. no, he’s pissed at whoever had the audacity to even think about raising their voice at you. he’s going to might actually kill them. “just calling me all these horrible things, saying i was stupid and couldn’t handle it, that someone else should’ve done it and i needed to stick to desk duty. called me a whore too, like who are you to even?!” you cry, sentence cutting off with a frustrated groan. “anything else?” you shake your head. “no…i left after that. wanted to come here. knew you’d be around.” your voice warbles again and you plant your hands on his chest, smoothing them over the uniform he wears. “hmph. always around for you, love.” he says. you nod and lean into him again, his beard rubbing against the side of your face. “can’t i just stay here for the rest of the day.” you ask pleadingly. John chuckles. “course you can.” he murmurs back, keeping you on his thighs.

your eyes feel heavy and wet from all the crying you did. you needed it though. sometimes crying about stuff, no matter how little they may be, makes you feel better. and you do. Johns rubbing your back soothingly as he turns back to his desk to click away on something on his computer. he feels your lips press to his neck, they’re sucking light marks onto the skin and he sighs. “what’re you doing?” you ask, voice somewhat muffled by his skin. “playing minesweeper.” he says simply and you laugh, finally shutting your eyes.

you’re good and out by the time Simon and Gaz return from the gym. “Soap’s back at his office, more paperwork he forgot about.” Gaz says, plopping down on a chair. “what’s with the dove?” Simon asks, stretching his arms above his head. “someone yelled at her today for doing her job. messed up all her bloody work, and then thought it’d be a good idea to say that she didn’t know how to do her job and call her a whore.” John says, eyes narrowing. “who?” Gaz asks. “well i know who it is.” Simon says. “that god awful captain in the other wing.” John nods. Simon sighs and stands. “we going to hurt him or humiliate him?” John shrugs. “that’s up to you lieutenant.” Gaz stands. “bit of both might be in order.” he says coolly, opening the door for him and Ghost. John nods before resting his hands on your back, keeping you snug in his arms before shutting his own eyes. “I’ll always be here to wipe your tears.” he whispers, kissing your forehead.

[yujensstuff]

✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ:────── ⋆𓂀⋆ ──────✧:･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒

ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

a/n: english is not my first language—might be a little ooc. no pronouns used for the reader,, first fic here,, n very short. (it's a prologue zay what do u expect) don't bully me,,😢

pairing: jason todd x reader (set in arkhamverse)

summary: cut ties, grimy past. jason todd and [name] being angsty for the most part.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Park Row didn’t forgive. It didn’t forget, either.

It was the kind of place where hope came with expiration dates and streetlights flickered like they were too scared to stay on. But somehow, against all odds, Jason Todd had carved out a pocket of peace in the chaos—and [name] was part of it.

They met by the corner bodega, both of them trying to swipe the last overpriced apple off a crooked stand. Jason got it first. [name] punched him in the arm. He split the apple anyway, offered the bigger half with a crooked grin and a too-big hoodie that drowned his frame.

“I’m Jason,” he said, around a bite. “You’re kinda mean.”

“You stole my apple.”

“I stole it first.”

That was it. That was the beginning.

They were inseparable after that—laughing behind dumpsters, chasing pigeons in the park, trading secrets like currency. Jason taught you how to throw a punch that wouldn’t break their thumb. [name] showed him how to sew up a split seam with dental floss.

“I think you’re secretly a grandma,” he teased once, threading the floss through a needle with his teeth.

“Shut up before I knit you into a scarf.”

It wasn’t perfect, but it was theirs.

And when he vanished one day, no goodbye, no warning—just gone—[name] had thought he was dead. Until a few months later, you saw him again. Clean hoodie. Real shoes. A bruise on his cheek but a glint in his eye.

And then he said it:

“I live with this rich guy now. Bruce Wayne.”

Silence.

“You’re joking.”

“I wish.” A pause. Then quieter. “He… he knows. About me. About what I used to do. He still took me in anyway.”

That’s when [name] got it.

Jason didn’t just have a new home. He had a secret.

And that’s how they became best friends.

Not just street kids anymore. Not just survivors. But two kids carrying too much, trusting each other with every heavy piece. Later on in your friendship, he revealed what he was hiding. He told you all about how fun it was to be the boy wonder, all the adventures he had faced.

Then again, he vanished off the face of the world.

══════════════════════

The rain hits harder than bullets tonight, hammering down on Gotham’s rooftops like the sky’s trying to drown the city in its own filth. Jason crouches near the edge of a high rise, steam rising off his armor, gun still warm in his gloved hand.

He doesn’t hear you approach—not at first. You always were too quiet for your own good.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he growls without turning. His voice is gravel, soaked in venom and smoke. “Go home, [name].”

You step closer anyway. He can hear the damn hope in your voice before you even speak, and it makes his teeth grit.

“I’m not scared of you, Jason.”

“Then you’re a goddamn idiot.” He finally turns, helmet off, eyes sharp and bloodshot. “You think I’m still that kid you used to know? That I can be fixed with some soft words and a sad look? News flash—he’s dead. Gone forever."

You flinch, but don’t back down. Of course you don’t.

“You’re not dead. You’re right here—"

“Don’t you dare look at me like that!" His voice cracks like a whip, echoing off the rooftop. "Like I’m something worth saving. It's—" He groans.

"You would never understand."

For a second, neither of you speak. The city howls below.

"I could try," You mumble. A beat, then he shouts, "Just, just stop—Stop talking to me!" and just like that, he throws a smoke and left you in the dust.

You cough through the smoke, stumbling back as it curls around your feet like claws.

Your chest stings worse than your lungs.

You rush to the edge of the rooftop, eyes scanning the shadows—nothing. He’s already gone. All that’s left is the lingering sting of his words, echoing louder than the wind.

You clench your jaw, but your voice still comes out quiet. “Then why do you keep listening?”

The city doesn’t answer. It never does.

But you stay there a little longer anyway. Hoping he’s still close. Hoping maybe—just maybe—he’s still listening.

Even if all he ever does is run.

══════════════════════

The sound of your shoes slapping against wet pavement is drowned by the rush of blood in your ears. His words—"stop talking to me"—bounce around in your skull like gunshots.

You never should've pushed him like that.

You didn’t expect him to snap so hard. Sure, Jason’s always been on the edge, always half-fury and half-darkness. But this? This was something else entirely.

He’s hurting. You can’t deny that. It’s been eating at him, piece by piece, and you’re just the unlucky soul who’s been standing too close when it all exploded.

But damn if that doesn’t hurt, too.

You stand there for a long moment, fighting the urge to throw everything at him. To scream, to shake him until he understands. But you don't. Because you know. Deep down, you know.

You’re both broken. Just pieces of what used to be. And maybe, just maybe, there's no fixing it anymore.

☽ 𝖆𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖑 𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖘𝖎𝖘 ☾

he was light, then ash, then fury

══════════════════════

© yujensstuff, 2025

𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓶𝓮

[spikesbunny]

☆ CARNIVORE, ANIMAL

+ warnings: wlw content/smut!!, bunny! fem reader, pred + prey, hunting, animalistic sɇx, scissoring, cunnɨlɨngus, dehya purrs, biting, semi-public sɇx

+ ft: lioness! dehya

+ wc: 0.8k

+ an: happy (belated) birthday to dehya!!! i felt dirty and nasty, so here's some animalistic and primal dehya (yummy).

minors + men DNI!

your feet pound against the floor of the rainforest, trying to quickly navigate your way through brush. leaves, twigs, and bushes and shoved out of your way, peeling across the knotted forest floors as fast as you could.

your heart was thumping, mind racing. she could probably smell your emotions right now. fuck, that shouldn't be so hot.

it was dehya's birthday. you had promised to celebrate all day with her, expecting something like a cute outing, or maybe just laying in bed in her embrace.

you did not expect reenacting a dark, twisted fantasy she had. one so feral, you wondered how human your girlfriend really was.

of course, she looked human, except for the lion tail and ears. her mannerisms were human like, minus the purring, the heat cycles, and the cat-like stretches she did.

but deep down, you felt like maybe she did still have that animalistic mentality. that primal urge to hunt.

honestly, it was kinda turning you on.

but also you really needed to find a place to catch your breath. quick.

you settle for a shaded region surrounded by large trees, canopying any sunlight that tried to infiltrate. the floor was littered with logs, bushes, and other varieties of plants, providing a great shelter from your hunting girlfriend.

you bunny ears twitch, picking up on every crunch of the leaves, every scared squawk of the birds. was she close?

you turn your head, looking over your shoulder to the forest behind you. a snap sounds from close by. you start to pick yourself up, before big, red manicured nails pin you to the jungle floor. she found you.

"gotcha." she purrs, licking her jaws hungerly. her sapphire eyes looked starved, her expression no different that the lioness she resembled.

"dehya, i wasn't expecting you to find me so quick." you sigh, rabbit ears flattening in relief. you thought you were safe.

but you really weren't. her paw-like hands split your thighs, pressing her nose to the inside. "fuckkk, smells so sweet, just how i like it. my bunny okay with this?"

her tail lashes behind her, fangs bared. she looked feral. you can feel more arousal coating you. opening your mouth to speak, nothing leaves, so you just nod.

the lioness growls against your clothed cunt, making quick work of your clothes - literally ripping them off like it was nothing. you squeak, unsure how you were supposed to get home.

"calm down, i'll give ya my coat, or something." she smirks, diving right in to lick a stripe up you.

"fuck, bunny, so damn wet already? just from me chasin ya? ya really are my lil' prey." she groans out, soon silencing herself as she greedily devours you. her tongue presses in and out of your entrance, nose bumping your clit as she slurps away. one hand is draped across your stomach, keeping you pinned to the ground, the other moving to circle her thumb around your clit.

you shudder, hips thrusting up to meet her slick coated lips. you can feel them pulling into a smirk as she murmurs about how needy her little bunny was.

"go on, cum." she snarls, moving her lips away to leave bite marks on your thighs, marking them - and you - as hers. her thumb feels almost bruising on your clit, yet so delicious, as you find yourself releasing around nothing, clenching down on air with a whimper.

"good bunny." she purrs, lapping up your thighs and cunt to clean up, before cooing you to slot yourself against her. "can ya do this bunny? or want me t' do most the work?"

"i-im fine." you pant. you were not, worn down from the chase and that orgasm. but for dehya? you were willing to give it a shot.

she nods, dragging her folds against yours, clit bumping so perfectly. you gasp, legs trembling as the lioness grinds her pussy against yours. you can feel your limbs going weak, and she takes over, using her hands to bring you down against her, rubbing you so accurately against her you could see stars.

the sounds of the forest consume you, alongside the feeling of dehya, dehya, dehya, only dehya. she had your mind empty, legs like jelly.

she pants heavily, mumbling some nonsense about being close to cumming, grinding herself harder, and faster against you. you whimper, bunny tail twitching as you gush against her thighs, the lioness following suite shortly after.

after riding it out for a bit longer, she pulls herself away from being tangled between the two of your legs, pulling you close to cuddle with her.

the forest was oddly grounding, and you sigh contently, listening to the purrs of your girlfriend as she spoons you.

"happy birthday, dehya" you whisper, earning a soft grunt of a thank you in return.

this was definitely your favorite birthday celebration she had so far.

©2025 spikesbunny- please do not repost/translate my works on other media sites ♡

[midgarangel]

ꗃ plaything | cloud strife ☁️

summary: pretty much a sequel to “i could use your help.”

contents: nsfw! cloud strife x fem reader, movie night, full on switch cloud lets gooo, choking, penetration, more whimpering whaaa who said that!? fake jealous needy reader who just wants an excuse to give cloud hickeys.

words: 2.5k

—

His room was much more illuminated considering the amount of candles you made him. It had been a week since your spontaneous night with Cloud. Right now he was on an outing with Jessie, something about finding more supplies for the next few missions. Meanwhile you were spinning in his desk chair waiting for him to come back.

There was laughter and conversation coming from down the hall. Soon a key entered the lock and in came the man of the hour.

“Night Cloud!!!!” Jessie shouted.

“Night Jessie.” He walked in, closed the door, and took a long inhale, sniffing the room. Happy to see you here, he knew you’d be here.

“Vanilla?”

“Yeah. Do you like it?” You asked waiting for his approval, kicking your feet back and forth.

“S-alright.” He hung up his armor then rummaged for loungewear. Settling on some gray sweats and a black t-shirt. You shamelessly watched him undress then get dressed.

“Eyes up here.” He said shaking his head smirking.

You rolled your eyes playfully,

“..You know she has a crush on you right?”

“Jessie?”

“Yes Cloud, who else?”

“You sound jealous.”

“Wha- I-”

“Someone’s jealous.”

He adjusted his clothes then walked over to you. pinching your cheek and popping a chocolate in his mouth. You brought chocolate? How sweet. Noting you were wearing a cute sleep set too. Something about your outfits really got him going.

“Am not…just…she’s pretty obvious. ”

“You have nothing to worry about.” Cloud said chuckling, now caressing your face. You fell into his touch.

“Wanna watch a movie?”

—

About 45 minutes into the movie you were getting a bit bored. Even though you loved the movie currently on, practically begging Cloud to give it a chance, you couldn’t focus.

Especially because of the position you both were in. You sat in between his legs up against his chest. Popcorn bowl on your lap, he’d reach for some. Seemingly very interested in the movie you chose.

His other hand resting on your stomach, close to where you wanted him to touch you most.

“Aw man I hope he gets out of the cave.” Cloud said as he grabbed some more popcorn.

You knew the scene he was referring to, you had seen it already. Instead your mind was coming up with ways to distract him. You wiggled a little pretending to get comfy.

Cloud laughed at the next scene.

“Yeah he’s done for. No way they’re getting out of there.”

And so were you. You were aching, this was torture.

You wiggled a bit more, this time turning over on your side so your cheek was on his chest.

“All good?” He asked looking down at you.

“Mhm.” You replied tracing the veins on his arms, then his hands.

He was invested in the movie but couldn’t help but wonder what you were up to.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Admiring.”

Admiring?

“My arm?”

“And your hand.”

“Right.” He flexed his arm for you jokingly.

You wanted to bite him at this point. He was driving you insane.

“Kinda want them on me.” You said quietly.

“Oh.”

Oh?

You got up sitting on your heels still inbetween him. Essentially blocking his view of the movie.

He gasped a little when you gave him a tiny kiss on the corner of his mouth. Straddling him, you guided one of his hands to your hip and the other to your neck, urging him to squeeze a bit.

He raised an eyebrow at you, hesitant to do it. You made a noise he wanted to hear all night. Very turned on by his hand around your throat. Then with a smile you took your hand and placed it on his neck, not choking just yet.

“Is this ok?”

Cloud nodded fervently. Your pretty, little fingertips wrapping around him, feeling his rapid pulse against your hand.

“You’re enjoying this yeah?” He could tell you were, he just wanted to hear you say it.

“So are you.” You rebutted not giving him the satisfaction.

You held his neck a little tighter then let go making him shamelessly gasp. Tracing his lips then his jawline, all the way to his neck you just had your hand on.

“Cloud you’re so pretty.”

He was blushing but you couldn’t tell with how dark the room was.

You kissed his neck a bit, he sighed into it. Still grinding on him here and there, the movie was forgotten at this point, playing in the background.

“Wanna mark you…” You said hazily, still kissing and licking his neck.

You heard a strained ‘Fuck’ fall from his lips. He couldn’t fucking breathe. He was seeing stars.

“Wanna make Jessie jealous.”

“She’s just a f-friend..”

Of course she was. You knew she was. But it couldn’t hurt to let her assume Cloud was taken just by glancing at his neck on their next mission right?

“Wanna make you my plaything.” Was the last thing you said.

His hands holding your hips tighter once he felt you suck. One hickey right under his ear, the other on the side of his neck.

The realization has a cute moan leaving his lips as he feels hot all over at your debaunched behavior. He wanted to do the same to you, maybe later.

“Plaything?” Cloud asked.

You nodded watching his next move.

He took your hand back toward his throat, guiding it there, his own fingers pressing yours into place.

“Do it again… harder this time.”

Your stomach flipped, a mix of nerves and something electric sparking through you. Curling your fingers around his neck, feeling the pulse thudding under your grip. His adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, watching you, daring you.

You tightened your hold just enough. His head tipped back, a low groan rumbling out of him, eyes fluttering half-shut.

“l-like that? i-is that fine?” You whispered, unsure but caught up in the way he was looking at you, like you’d just unlocked something he didn’t even know he wanted.

“More than fine…” He breathed, hands digging into your thighs, urging you closer. “Please don’t stop.”

Keeping a steady pace as your hips grind over his, it felt delicious. Though it was getting hot and your clothes were acting as barriers.

He groans, leaning back down, nosing against the soft spot beneath your jaw. He doesn’t wanna stop but he’s so painfully hard against your shorts he's fucking leaking.

“..Can you lay down for me?”

His tough demeanor melting more and more every time you guys were together. You giggled at his sudden request, lying yourself down underneath him.

Cloud laughed softly. His eyes searching yours while his thumb trailed up the side of your neck to angle your face and give him more access. The way you might look helpless, pinned beneath him like this, but the way he knows you're anything but.

He loves that about you, how you never back down, how you can flip the tables on him. How you end up straddling his hips, your thin fingers, so much stronger than they look, wrapped around his throat. The coolness of your fingertips as you squeeze them gently making his vision blur with want.

But that was a few moments ago, this is different. Half of your clothes discarded somewhere on his floor.

"Fuck," he breathes out.

His erection straining against the inside of his boxers as it presses against your bare abdomen. A lift of your hips is all the indication he needs from you to tell him that you're as desperate for this as he is right now, and so he gingerly begins to slide one of his hands down the front of your shorts.

His touch dips under the waistband, before you can process the sensation, you realize that he's moving down into your panties too. One thing that you are very aware of is the fact that he never tries to break eye contact while he does all of this.

“Ahh.." you moan, your brows pinching up as you feel his warm fingertips brush over your throbbing, sensitive nub.

He was hardly touching you, but it was enough to get the fire roaring within. It was more than enough. He knew all the right ways to touch you. All the right spots to squeeze and caress, which seemed crazy considering you had to guide his hand towards your throat earlier.

He smiles gently, his eyes now moving to gaze down at your lips. The pads of Clouds fingers begin to play with your clit, rubbing soft and incessant circles over the ball of nerves as you start to squirm on the bed.

His head leans back down to kiss your neck and your hands shakily grab onto his shoulders. A laugh escapes him, coating your flesh in a bath of warm air, while he feels your nails dig into him. Even over the fabric of his cotton tee shirt he can feel this, and he winces slightly before the sting of your grip dissolves into pleasure and he starts to moan along with you.

A few more minutes of this continues. The band in your stomach is stretched more and more until it feels like it's about to snap, and then-

"I really need you," Cloud murmurs against your skin, his fingers coming to a pause as he pulls his face from the crook of your neck to look down into your dazed eyes.

You blink a few times, feeling the numbing pressure in your pussy start to fade as he unintentionally edges you.

"Yes..please.. I need you too..” You softly whimper. Your hands reaching up to needily tug at his shirt.

The moment the words leave your mouth, he's letting out soft breathy moans and grinding his clothed pelvis against your thigh. You can feel him throbbing through the fabric, and now you're certain you can't wait much longer. Neither can he.

Your hands pull on his shirt again, forcing his face back down close to yours, "I want you inside of me.."

A groan and a grunt later, he's scrambling to pull his shirt off, and then his sweatpants. His strong calloused hands are gently tugging your shorts down as well. Cloud doesn't want to waste time on the act of undressing. Sure, he liked being tender and going slow most times but now wasn’t the time.

The more that he felt himself leaking into his underwear, the more he needed to feel your pussy grip around his cock.

When your panties are pulled down with your shorts, Cloud lets out a groan as he sees the fabric connecting with your delicate flesh by a glistening string of arousal from your heat.

"You’re unreal." He huffs.

“No you.” You stare back at him adoringly.

His tongue moving to dip out over his bottom lip involuntarily. He pushes your shorts and panties down the rest of the way, and you urgently kick them off onto the room's floor.

After he moves back up, one of his hands reaches down once again to your cunt. His fingers gently brush over your slicked-up folds, causing your body to jolt and shudder as you struggle to remain quiet.

In the next instant, you feel his touch leave your body and you watch in awe as he brings his fingers up to his lips to suck your juices off of them. He rolls your wetness around over his tongue and his eyes roll back a little. He can't help it—you just taste so fucking good.

"Cloud…” You whisper, "c'mon.. just-I want you to-"

You're cut off when the man hovering over your form moves his fingers from his mouth and down to yours, effectively shutting you up.

"Suck," he whispers.

You do as you're told instantly, parting your lips to engulf his middle and ring finger in wet heat; your drool pools over his fingertips as your tongue swirls around them and tastes the mix of his saliva and the remnants of your arousal.

He watches with bated breath as you do this, his eyes never leaving your face, and he can’t stop himself from pushing his hard, clothed dick against your bare cunt. Your eyes flutter. A string of whimpers echo out into the room from your chest, and you can feel more of your wetness slide down from your entrance.

Cloud keeps his fingers in your mouth as he uses his other hand to pull his hard-on out of his black boxer briefs, groaning as he taps your clit with the tip of it a few times. Each time his leaking head touches your sensitive parts, your hips buck up. He didn't think it was physically possible to get as turned on as he was right then.

The feeling of your heady moans around his fingers cause them to vibrate, and he leans down close to your face on instinct.

Your breath catches in your throat. Your eyes blink open and you whimper as he uses his digits to gently force your lips to part so that he can shove his tongue past them. Cloud licks at the inside of your mouth, groaning while he subtly removes his fingers and brings them down to your clit once more.

He slots your bundle of nerves between his index and middle finger, sliding them up and down to effectively stroke over your most sensitive area as you feel his dick prodding at your hole.

While his tongue laps over yours, his mouth eagerly swallowing the obscenely loud moans you're letting out as your climax approaches once again, he begins to slide his tip into you. Your eyes instantly open wide before your face scrunches up in pleasure and your hands desperately paw at his shoulders.

This is what you had been wanting since you turned that beloved yet forgotten movie on earlier.

He slides in another inch and then he bottoms out completely, filling you whole. With his twitching length as he pulls his face back from your lips to gasp softly.

You look up at him as his brows furrow, and you wriggle underneath him as he lets out a soft growl.

"You're so tight-fuck..you feel so good." He murmurs lowly, his eyes on yours as he starts to slide himself slowly back out before thrusting back in.

“Harder? Please Cloud..”

“Yeah?” He smirks, breathing heavily.

“Mhmm..”

He leans up so that his back is straight, and he gazes down at you while he slides his hands under your form to gingerly cup your lower back.. and then he's pounding into you without further warning.

Your back arches up from his hold. Each movement of his hips results in a lewd squelch as his pelvis slaps into the underside of your ass.

He's groaning and moaning above you, watching your every move as you squirm around and take him properly. You wanna be good for him. He can tell. He wants to be good for you too.

Whimpers and needy whines are forced out of you as he fucks you with abandon into the mattress, and your mind is forced back into reality once you feel his hands move from your back to your sensitive tits.

"Are you gonna cum? You're squeezing down on me.” He breathes out, a loud groan cutting his words off as he tips his head back. His thrusts grow sloppier,

"Oh god, oh fff-u-uck.."

"Ye-mmmf..yes.." You hoarsely and brokenly moan out, unable to fully give him an answer. Your hands fist the cool sheets under you as your legs start to involuntarily squeeze together with the onslaught of your impending orgasm.

Cloud brings his head back up to look down at you, and he shakes his head, sliding his hands down from your breasts to your legs to lift them up and spread them apart gently but forcefully.

"Keep them spread.. I know you're close," he says softly to you.

"I promise I'll let you come.. just keep being good for me.. I'm almost there.." He continued.

Once his words fill your fuzzy head, you can't help but let out an obscenely loud—borderline-pornographic—moan as your thighs shake in his hold. His cock slams into you faster, but with less and less precision. He bites his lip before his jaw slacks and he lets out an equally loud moan to accompany your filthy noises.

"You're so fucking pretty... you're so— you feel so damn good," he babbles gruffly, his touch digging into your legs as his hips rashly thrust his throbbing length in and out of your sopping pussy.

You nod, unsure of what to say or how to even respond in the state that your body is in. You're somehow limp and tense at the same time, your body shivering as your back arches up again.

"I— I'm gonna—!" you gasp out in a shaky whimper.

He moans at your words, fucking you deeper and messier, before he leans down over you and you can feel his broad toned chest press against yours.

"Say it.." he breathes out against your ear in a soft groan. His hand reappearing this time on your neck.

You moan deeply, shuddering under him as your cunt starts to rhythmically tighten around him.

"I'm gonna cum," you whine, nearly sobbing.

"Fuck," he groans, "yeah? Say it again for me."

"I'm gonna cummm-!"

"Gonna cum on my dick?"

You nod helplessly, your arms wrapped around his flushed upper back as his cock slides in and out of you, his tip constantly brushing up against that special spot in your velvety walls hidden just a couple inches inside.

Before you can process what's going on, your body is overwhelmed with an overpowering heat as the last thing you distinctly feel is one of Clouds hands moving down your lower abdomen to then rub circles over your swollen bud with his thumb. And that's all it takes — you’re thrown over the edge.

He groans harshly and loudly against your warm skin before his hips stutter with the feeling of your hole pulsing around him. He keeps his digit rubbing incessant, soft circles over your clit to prolong your orgasm as he forces himself to pull out with a gasp.

As you moan tremblingly and bask in your afterglow, you try to catch your breath as you shakily push yourself up onto your elbows just in time to watch Cloud squirt out a thick load over your torso. Rope after rope of sticky white fluid drips and gushes from his cock and between his fingers as he jerks himself off. Whimpering deeply over you and letting out little "fuck’s” and "oh my god’s” and "yes’s.”

He breathes heavily, biting his lip as he watches your body shake. He loves the way his cum looks on your beautiful body.. it's like liquid pearl splattered all over you. He takes several mental pictures of the scene in front of him before he collapses on top of you with a soft grin.

You chuckle breathily, wrapping your arms around him as your warm bodies stick together in the aftermath, and he presses two soft kisses to your neck. One of your hands slides up from between his shoulder blades to run some of your fingers through his messy spiky hair. He shivers and sighs, sliding his hands under your body to hold you closer to him.

A small period of comfortable silence is held between you two as you both work to catch your breaths, before Cloud is the one to break the quiet with a soft murmur into your shoulder.

“That was a great movie.”

“Stopppp!” You said laughingly.

“What? It was! Perfect ending.” He kissed your shoulder.

You and Cloud spent the rest of the night enjoying eachothers company.

—

this is my longest fic on this acc so far!! as always, i hope you enjoyed xx <3

[shetheabsolute]

The Welcome Basket to Sin

(Part II - "Sweet Tea & Cypress Smoke") next

[Juke Joint - Later That Night]

The juke joint was rowdy as ever, but every now and then, the laughter felt just a little too loud. A little too forced.

“She still ain’t back?” Stack asked, glancing toward the door as if Mary might walk in at any moment with swamp moss in her hair and a wild story on her tongue.

“Nope,” Annie said, drying a glass behind the bar. “Said she was just droppin’ off a basket. That was over two hours ago.”

“Maybe the girl got hungry,” Grace said with a worried look. “Them biscuits was warm. I'd’a stayed too.”

Bo sipped his drink and gave a low chuckle. “Or maybe she got turned into a toad. Temperance got that witchy look.”

“Nawl ion think she a witch,” Preacher Boy muttered. He was off the stage now and was watching Pearline singing. His eyes glint with a look that said them two had somethin' going on. “She just make folk nervous.”

Cornbread spoke up as he took some money from a new attendee to the joint. “I tell you what. If Mary don’t show up by midnight, Stack and Smoke go in after her.”

“Hell no,” both twins said in unison. The room broke into laughter.

“If she don't come back that ain't on me. That's her.” Stack shrugged.

“-and I ain’t wrestlin’ no damn swamp ghost for her.” Smoke added.

“Mary, that girl,” Grace sighed, her voice quiet. “Girl listen to whats between 'er legs more then anything."

Again, laughter carried through everyone's throats.

Delta Slim puffed on his pipe and blew a slow curl of smoke toward the rafters, an amused grin on his lips. “Y’all scared of anything that move too fast an' smile too wide. Woman just different, that’s all.”

“Different gets you dead out here,” Annie said, worry for Mary etched in her brows. Smoke stood from his seat to move around the bar. He places a caring hand on her lower back. She leans into him but her expression refuses to let up. “Especially in a swamp.”

The room fell quiet for a beat, the music playing low and slow in the background. They all glanced toward the door again.

Still no Mary.

[Temperance’s House - Swamp Edge]

Inside the house, the warmth wasn’t just from the candles or the kettle steaming gently on the stove—it was something deeper, humming under the floorboards like a hidden current.

Mary sat on a worn but clean settee, basket now resting on the little table between them. Temperance had poured two glasses of a dark amber drink that wasn’t quite tea and wasn’t quite liquor. It tasted like cinnamon and secrets.

“You made this?” Temperance asked, unfolding the crocheted handkerchief from the basket.

Mary nodded. “Made it a while back. Ain't had nobody in town to give it to, just been sitting around my house so I thought I'd.. give it to a new face."

Temperance studied it, running her thumb along the tiny loops. “Weird kinda offerin'."

Mary stared at Temperance with a slight deadpan before he expression goes back to its usual sly-self. “You got family out here or sumn'?”

“Had.”

Mary didn’t press it. She sipped her drink and glanced around the room. It was simple—books stacked in corners, dried herbs hanging from the beams, a small record player humming a faint Billie Holiday tune from the other room. A coat hung on a nail by the door, boots placed neatly beneath.

“You know I only seen you once,” Mary said gently. “Some folks wonder ‘bout you. How you move. When you sleep. Why you don’t come out in the day.”

Temperance raised an eyebrow. “And you?”

“Nah. Ion really listen to what folks say. I come to see for myself.”

A quiet grin flickered on Temperance’s lips. But it was gone soon as it came. “And what chu see here?”

Mary leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. “I see a woman who mind her business. I think that makes people itch.”

Temperance’s gaze lingered on her, sharp and searching. “You not what I expected up close.”

“Oh really? Then, what did you expect?”

“A girl from town. Sweet voice, sweeter lies. Tryin’ to be polite ‘cause it’s what’s proper. But you came out here, with honest eyes and a mouth full of questions. Too many damn questions.”

Mary laughed lightly, soft and full. “You got a good read on people, huh?”

“I got more eyes den' most,” That made Mary think, what did those words mean? Temperance leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “Tell me somethin’, Mary. What do you want?”

Mary blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. “What you mean like.. tonight?”

“Nawl, right now. Here.”

The question hung in the air like a charm suspended on a thread.

Mary exhaled. “I think... I wanted to meet someone real. Or just a new face, I guess.”

Temperance held her gaze, and the silence between them grew heavy—but not uncomfortable. More like a weighted blanket. Steadying.

“Oh, you guess. Huh?” Temperance repeated finally, a light chuckle following her low words, “then I reckon you got what you came for.”

Mary nibbles at her lip for a second. “Yeah. Reckon I did.”

Temperance sighed as she reached over the table for a lone cigar that laid idle beside her cup and a lighter. Held it and the lighter with her slender, well used fingers, then just as she went to light it she paused—"You mind?" She asked, gentle.

It was a odd ask considering this was her house but Mary thought it was kind of Temperance to ask. Polite in a way.

Mary gave a little smirk and answered, "oh, by all means."

Soon a thread of smoke rose through the air. It smelled a little different from the usual cigars the boys' smoked on, something sensual that when it hit Mary's nostrils her body relaxed. Things slowed a bit.

Mary hesitated before she spoke again, but the quiet was starting to get under her skin in that curious kind of way. The way still water made you nervous if you stared too long.

"You ever come down to the juke? Some friends uh mine just opened it up a while back," she asked, finally.

Temperance’s brow ticked up, just slightly. Her head tilted like she was studying a slow-moving flame. “Not one for crowds.”

“Well, it ain’t that crowded,” Mary lied. “More like... lively.”

“Loud what it is,” Temperance corrected, flicking ash into a chipped saucer. “Messy. All that drinkin’ and hollerin’. Nothin’ in it for me.”

Mary tilted her head, smiling like she had a secret. “You sound like a old man sittin’ on a porch talkin’ bout the good ol’ days.”

“I am one,” Temperance replied dryly. “Just dressed better.”

Mary laughed, warm and sudden. “You a funny, huh? C'mon, I gotta see you in town. Just once.”

Temperance gave her a look, unreadable but sharp. “Why? So I can be your lil trophy for the night? Let folks stare and whisper more than they already do?”

Mary straightened, her smile faltering just a breath. “No. I ain’t like that.”

“And? You forget? I don’t know what you are yet.”

That stung—but not in a cruel way. It was just the truth, bare and laid out like kindling. Mary stared down into her glass a moment before answering.

“Well,” she said softly, “I don’t know what you are yet, either. But you let me in your house. That counts for somethin’.”

Temperance took a long drag from her cigar and leaned back. The shadows curved along her jaw and neck, made her seem carved out of the dark itself.

“Maybe. Or maybe I just like people who bring me food.”

Mary raised her own eyebrow. “So that’s all it takes? A bite to eat?”

Temperance’s lips quirked, just a little. “Didn’t say it was all it took.”

Mary grinned despite herself, but there was a subtle caution in her eyes. That aura around Temperance—steady, still, unsettling in the way silence can be unsettling—kept her from leaning too close. Like talking to a flame: warm, beautiful, but you’d better mind the distance or you’d burn.

Still, she pressed, with a slyness in her tone.

“If you came down, you might actually enjoy it. I could talk you into gettin' you a drink on the house. I’d sit with you, make sure nobody bothered you.”

“You offering to be my guard dog now?” Temperance asked.

“I’m offerin’ to be company,” Mary said, a little sharper than intended. “'Less you don’t want none.”

Temperance stared at her for a long moment, the ember of her cigar glowing in the dark like a tiny star. Her voice dropped, quiet but firm.

“I like being alone, Miss lady. Damn sure don’t need noise to feel seen.”

Mary leaned forward, fingers idly playing with the cloth on her dress. Her voice matched Temperance’s, soft but stubborn.

“Ain’t about being seen. It’s about bein’ part of somethin’. Even if just for a night.”

Temperance tilted her head. “And you think you know what I need?”

Mary’s eyes met hers. A flash of defiance. “No. But I know what I want. And maybe… I’d like to see your face under them juke lights. Just once.”

Temperance didn’t answer for a long while. The tension stretched, not harsh—just slow, like molasses.

Finally, she gave a nod. “If... I ever do go,” she said, turning to face Mary, “you better not expect me to dance.”

Mary smiled, wide now. “Wouldn’t dream of it. But if you change your mind…”

Temperance chuckled, smoke blowing thick from her round lip. “Nawl, sugar, I won’t.”