#last day for like a week where there’s nothing the next day | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mcrdvcks · 21 hours ago

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i love you, in every time ࿐‧₊ 2023 - nothing matters but you

chapter summary: The remaining X-Men come up with a plan to change their present; send Logan back in time to change the past.

word count: 17.1k+

pairing: Logan Howlett x fem!reader

notes: oooohhhh boy!! i've been waiting for this chapter for so long and it's finally here! i'll have more to say at the end, but for now, and i truly mean it, enjoy!!! <3

warnings/tags: takes place during 'days of future past', dofp!logan, light miscommunication, angst, light violence, blood, character death, fluff, memory loss, happy ending!

series masterlist - chapter 10

The Blackbird landed on the top of the large mountain in front of a monastery. Ororo walked out first, followed by Logan, who paused at the bottom of the stairs to light his cigar, Charles, whose chair hovered down the stairs, and Erik.

They walked to the front of the monastery as Bobby spoke, “Professor.”

Ororo smiled, “Bobby.”

“Hey, Storm,” he replied, giving the woman a hug.

“Hey, kid.” Logan said.

“Professor,” Kitty called out. “You made it.”

The group made their way inside as Kitty explained how the group had been surviving, “Warpath spots them, and I send Bishop back to warn us of the attack before it happens. Blink scouts the next site, and… well, we leave before they ever know we were there.”

“Because we never were.” Bishop said.

“But what do you mean, you were never there?” Logan asked.

Charles looked over at Logan, “she projects Bishop back in time a few days to warn the others of the coming attack.”

“So she sends Bishop back in time?”

“No, just his consciousness into his younger self, his younger body.” Charles clarified.

“Wow.” Logan muttered.

“This might just work, Charles.” Erik commented.

“What might work?” Kitty questioned.

“The Sentinel program was originally conceived by Dr. Bolivar Trask. In the early ‘70s, he was one of the world’s leading weapons designers, but covertly, he had begun experimenting on mutants, using their gifts to fuel his own research. There was one mutant who had discovered what he was doing.” Charles explained.

“A mutant with the ability to transform herself into anyone.” Erik added.

“Mystique,” Peter said.

“I knew her as Raven. We met when we were children. Grew up together. She was like a sister to me. I tried to help her, but only succeeded in driving her away. She hunted Trask across the world, and at the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, after the Vietnam War, she found Trask. And killed him. It was the first time she killed.”

“It wasn’t her last.” Logan added on.

“But killing Trask did not have the outcome she expected. It only persuaded the government of the need for his program. They captured her that day. Tortured her. Experimented on her. In her DNA, they discovered the secrets to her powers of transformation. It gave them the key they needed to create weapons that could adapt to any mutant power, and in less than 50 years, the machines that have destroyed so many of our kind were created. But it all started that day in 1973, the day she first killed, the day she truly became… Mystique.” Charles finished.

“You want to go back there,” Kitty said.

“If I can get to her, stop the assassination, keep her out of their hands, then we can stop the Sentinels from ever being born.”

“And end this war before it ever begins.” Erik spoke.

“I-I can send someone back a couple weeks. I mean, maybe a month, but you’re talking about going back decades. You have the most powerful brain in the world, Professor, but the mind can only stretch so far before it snaps. It would rip you apart. I’m sorry. No one could survive that trip.” Kitty remarked.

“What if someone’s mind has a way of snapping back?” Logan asked. “What if someone can heal as fast as they’re ripped apart?”

---

Logan stood by the table as Charles, Erik, Kitty, and Bobby stood nearby, the rest outside of the monastery keeping watch.

“So I wake up in my younger body, God knows where. Then what?”

“You’ll need to go to my house and find me. Convince me of all of this.” Charles moved closer to Logan.

“Won’t you be able to just read my mind?”

“I didn’t have my powers in 1973. Logan, you’re going to have to do for me what I once did for you. Lead me, guide me. I was a very different man then. You’ll have to be patient with me.”

Logan scoffed, “patience isn’t my strongest suit.”

“You’ll need me as well,” Erik spoke up.

“What?” Logan turned to face Erik behind him.

“After Mystique left Charles, she came with me, and I set her on a dangerous path. Darker path. It’s going to take the two of us, side by side at a time when we couldn’t be further apart.”

Logan looked at Charles who nodded in affirmation, “great,” he muttered to himself. “So, where do I find you?”

“Well, it’s complicated.” Erik said, as Logan shook his head and stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

Logan got onto the table and lied down, Kitty sitting at the head of the table, “basically, your body will go to sleep while your mind travels back in time. Now, as long as you’re back there, past and present will continue to coexist, but once you wake up… whatever you’ve done will take hold and become history. And for the rest of us it’ll be the only history that we know. It’ll be like the last 50 years never happened. And this world, and this war… the only person who will remember it is you.” Kitty took a breath, “all right, Logan, I need you to clear your head and to stay as calm possible.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“If your mind gets rocky, it’ll be harder for me to hold you, and you could start to slip between past and future.”

“What if I need to get a little rocky?”

Kitty lightly shook her head, “think peaceful thoughts?”

“Peaceful thoughts.” Logan repeated. “You have any good news?”

“Well, I mean, you don’t really age, so you’ll pretty much look the same.”

Bobby spoke up, “you won’t have much time in the past. The Sentinels will find us. They always do.”

“And this time, we won’t be able to run. We’ll have no escape. This is our last chance.” Kitty’s hands hovered near the sides of Logan’s head.

“See you all soon.” Logan said.

“This might sting a little.”

---

Logan blinked, his vision adjusting to the dim, warm glow of the lava lamp. Its lazy, hypnotic bubbles drifted in the liquid, but his mind was racing to catch up. The sharp, immediate transition from the future to… this—the past, his past—had his senses momentarily disoriented.

The pressure against his neck snapped him into focus. An arm was draped over his shoulder from behind, soft, warm, and familiar. He shifted his head just enough to glance at the hand resting on his chest. It was delicate, but the grip was firm, like whoever it belonged to had no intention of letting him go.

“Mornin’,” your voice came from behind him, groggy and soft. Your tone was laced with the remnants of sleep but carried the easy, teasing warmth that always seemed to put him off guard.

His heart clenched. You.

You leaned into him slightly, pressing your cheek against his shoulder as you stretched, entirely unaware of the whirlwind in his head. The past, your face, the other you. The fact that he hadn’t seen this version of you in nearly 50 years.

“Didn’t think I’d need to pry you out of bed first,” you teased lightly, your hand giving his chest a playful pat before you settled again. “Usually, you’re already up before the sun, big guy.”

Logan’s jaw clenched at the nickname. His eyes narrowed at the room—a modest hotel room with vintage floral wallpaper and creaky wooden furniture—and the small pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. His leather jacket. Your dress. The pieces clicked into place far too quickly, but they didn’t make it easier to stomach.

He turned his head enough to catch sight of you, hair slightly messy, lips curled in a lazy grin. You were radiant in a way that didn’t match the world he’d just left behind. The world he’d come back to fix. And you had no idea how much he’d missed that expression.

“What’s with the look?” you asked, tilting your head. “Do I have something on my face, or are you just debating whether or not you’re gonna finish that cigar from yesterday?”

Logan shook his head slightly, clearing the fog. “Nah. Just… thinkin’.”

“You?” you quipped. “That’s dangerous.”

“Cute,” he replied dryly, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

You laughed and pulled back, sitting up against the headboard. Your expression softened when you caught a hint of the tension still lingering in his body. “You okay? You seem… off.”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting on the edge to gather himself. “Just didn’t sleep great.”

“You tossed and turned a lot,” you agreed, though your concern didn’t waver. “Another bad dream?”

Logan didn’t answer immediately. The memories of the future, the Sentinels, the war, and your other death pressed heavily on him. Instead, he grunted noncommittally and stood, grabbing his jeans from a chair nearby.

“Y’know,” you said behind him, watching as he pulled on his shirt, “most bodyguards don’t get that much real estate in their boss’s daughter’s bed.”

Logan froze for a beat before throwing you a glance over his shoulder. “Most bodyguards don’t sneak them outta her own wedding either, darlin’.”

You grinned mischievously, leaning your head back against the headboard. “Guess that makes us even.”

He shook his head but couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped. You haven’t changed a bit.

Before either of you could say anything more, there was a sharp knock on the door. Logan’s entire body tensed, his senses sharpening instantly. He sniffed the air, picking up the distinct scents of sweat, leather, and gunpowder.

“Stay here,” he said lowly, grabbing his jacket and stepping toward the door.

“Logan, what—”

“I mean it,” he said, cutting you off with a firm glance. The tone in his voice told you not to argue.

He moved toward the door, his hand hovering over the knob as his other reached behind him for the small knife he kept tucked into his waistband. He opened the door slightly, just enough to peer through the crack.

Two men stood in the hall, dressed in dark suits. Their faces were sharp, unfamiliar, but their eyes carried an unmistakable menace.

“Can I help you?” Logan asked gruffly.

“Yeah,” one of them said. “We’re here for the lady. Her father’s lookin’ for her.”

Logan didn’t hesitate. He slammed the door shut and locked it, spinning back toward you. “Get down,” he barked.

“What’s going on?” you asked, but the urgency in his voice made you scramble off the bed.

The door shuddered as one of the men kicked it. Logan growled low in his throat, adrenaline surging as his hands instinctively balled into fists. Bone claws erupted from his knuckles with a sickening snikt, and he turned toward the door just as it splintered inward.

Your sharp gasp filled the room, but there was no time for questions. Logan launched himself at the first man, driving his claws deep into the guy’s shoulder. Blood sprayed across the room as the second man raised a gun, but Logan was faster. He yanked his claws free and swung, knocking the weapon from the man’s hand before driving his claws into his stomach.

It was over in seconds, but the aftermath left the room in chaos. Logan stood over the bodies, his breathing heavy, his shirt streaked with blood. His claws glistened in the dim light, and as he turned toward you, his expression softened.

“Logan…” you whispered, your voice shaking. Your eyes were wide, fixed on the bone claws still protruding from his hands.

He hesitated, then retracted them with a shudder, the wounds on his knuckles sealing themselves almost instantly. “I can explain,” he said gruffly.

“You—you just…” You couldn’t find the words.

“Y/N,” he said, stepping toward you carefully. “I need you to trust me.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. The man you thought you knew had just turned into something else entirely—but it wasn’t fear that kept you rooted in place. It was the way he was looking at you, desperate, protective, like he’d go through hell just to keep you safe.

“I…” You took a shaky breath. “I trust you.”

Logan’s shoulders sagged in relief, though the tension in the room didn’t dissipate. He grabbed a bag from the corner of the room and tossed it toward you. “We need to move. Now.”

Before you could question him further, he bent down, rummaging through the man’s jacket pocket to snag the keys before heading for the door. You hesitated, your mind still racing to process what you had just seen. The claws, the blood, the sheer force he used to take out armed men—it was like something out of a nightmare. But Logan wasn’t the nightmare. He was the only constant in this whirlwind you called your life.

“Y/N,” Logan’s voice broke through your haze. He was standing by the door, his tone sharp but not unkind. “Let’s go. Now.”

You shoved a few belongings into the bag, still half-dressed from sleep, and moved quickly to his side. “Logan, what the hell is goin’ on?”

“I’ll explain later,” he said, keeping his voice low and his gaze locked on the hallway as he peeked out. “For now, we’ve gotta put some distance between us and whoever else your father’s sent after you.”

Your stomach twisted at the mention of your father, but you followed him out of the room, clutching the strap of the bag tightly. “How did they even find us?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care,” Logan muttered, leading you down the narrow hallway. His shoulders were rigid, his entire body coiled like a spring. “What matters is keeping you outta their hands.”

The two of you reached the stairwell, and Logan paused at the top, scanning the area below. He tilted his head, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. Whatever he smelled didn’t seem to calm him, but he motioned for you to follow anyway.

You descended the stairs as quietly as you could, your bare feet barely making a sound against the worn carpet. “Logan, seriously, you need to tell me what’s going on. Those… claws, or whatever—”

“Not now, sweetheart,” he interrupted, his voice tense but firm. “We’ve gotta focus on getting outta here.”

You bit your lip, frustration bubbling under your skin. This wasn’t the first time Logan had dodged your questions, but after what you’d just seen, you weren’t about to let it slide for long.

The two of you slipped out a side door into the cool morning air. The parking lot was mostly empty, save for a few scattered vehicles. Logan made a beeline for a black sedan parked near the edge of the lot. He unlocked the door and ushered you inside without a word.

“Logan—” you started as he slid into the driver’s seat, but he cut you off again.

“Buckle up,” he said, starting the engine.

You shot him a glare but did as he said, snapping the seatbelt into place. Logan peeled out of the lot, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as his eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror.

For a few minutes, the only sound was the hum of the engine and the faint thud of your heartbeat in your ears. You watched him closely, noting the way his jaw clenched and his knuckles turned white around the wheel.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on now?” you finally demanded, crossing your arms. “Because I think I deserve an explanation after that little… display back there.”

Logan let out a slow breath through his nose, his eyes still on the road. “It’s complicated.”

“No kidding,” you shot back. “Start with the claws. What the hell are they, Logan? And don’t tell me they’re some kind of freak weapon because I saw them come out of your hands.”

He glanced at you briefly, his expression unreadable. “They’re a part of me,” he said simply.

You blinked, taken aback by the matter-of-fact tone in his voice. “What do you mean, ‘a part of you’? Like, you were born with them?”

“Somethin’ like that,” he muttered.

You stared at him, waiting for more, but he didn’t elaborate. Frustration bubbled over, and you leaned forward, grabbing his arm. “Logan, I’m serious. I need answers.”

He sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as he finally looked over at you. “I’ll tell you everything, sweetheart. Just not right now. Right now, we’ve gotta focus on getting somewhere safe.”

“And where’s that?” you asked, your voice softening slightly.

“A place I know,” he said, turning his attention back to the road. “We’ll head north, get outta the city, and figure it out from there.”

You frowned, unsure whether to trust his vague assurances. But the look in his eyes, the raw determination mixed with something you couldn’t quite place—it was enough to quiet your doubts for now.

“Fine,” you said, leaning back in your seat. “But you owe me the truth. All of it.”

Logan smirked faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’ve always been a tough one, huh?”

“Damn right,” you muttered, crossing your arms again. But despite your defiant tone, a small part of you couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something else—something warm and familiar—when he called you tough.

You didn’t notice the way his grip on the wheel tightened at your response or the way his jaw clenched ever so slightly. To you, this was just another chaotic morning in the whirlwind of your life. But to Logan, it was a painful reminder of how many mornings like this he’d lost with you.

---

You tapped your fingers on your thigh, still waiting for Logan to come out of this mansion, which looked like it had seen better days.

You groaned as you tilted your head back, adjusting yourself in the car seat. It had been a while since Logan left the car and went inside, almost 2 hours. You would know, you’ve been watching the clock.

Finally, Logan stepped outside and briskly walked to the car door, opening it for you. “Jesus, what took so long?” You asked, as he grabbed your bag from the backside and guided you into the house where two other men were, one with glasses, the other with long curly hair. “Logan-?”

“You’re staying here.” He stated.

You stopped dead in your tracks, your eyes narrowing at Logan. “What?” you demanded. “You said we’d figure this out together. You didn’t say anything about leaving me here.”

Logan ran a hand through his hair, already looking stressed. “Plans changed, darlin’,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “Charles and Hank are comin’ with me. We’ve got somethin’ to take care of, and it’s safer if you stay here.”

“Safer? Logan, this place is the size of a damn castle!” You gestured around the massive entry hall, frustration spilling over. “You’re just gonna leave me here by myself? What if they come for me again? What am I supposed to do then?”

“You won’t be alone,” Charles interjected, his tone measured but polite. He glanced briefly at Logan, as if trying to gauge how much to say. “This house has a number of protections. You’ll be secure here.”

“Secure from who?” you fired back, your eyes darting between the two men. “You all keep throwing words around like ��safe’ and ‘protected,’ but you won’t tell me from what!”

Logan stepped closer, his voice softening. “Y/N, I know you’ve got questions, and I know this ain’t easy, but trust me. If I thought for a second there was a better way to keep you outta harm’s way, I’d do it.”

You stared at him, trying to ignore the way his voice—the way he called you by name—seemed to ease some of the tension in your chest. But it wasn’t enough. “You always do this,” you muttered, crossing your arms. “You make decisions for me like I’m some fragile little doll. I’m not helpless, Logan.”

“I know that,” he said quickly, his gaze locking onto yours. “But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna take chances with you.”

“You’re unbelievable,” you muttered, shaking your head. “And where exactly are you going that’s so important you can’t tell me?”

Logan hesitated, his jaw tightening. He glanced at Charles, who gave him a slight nod. “We’ve gotta stop someone,” Logan finally said, his voice low. “Someone who’s about to make a big mistake.”

“That’s it?” you asked, your frustration rising again. “That’s all you’re gonna give me?”

“That’s all you need to know right now,” Logan replied. He reached out, his hand brushing against your arm. “Look, I promise I’ll explain everything when I get back. But for now, I need you to trust me.”

You stared at him, your chest tight with a mix of anger and something softer, something you didn’t want to name. “Fine,” you said at last, pulling away from his touch. “But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

Logan smirked faintly, though his eyes were serious. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Charles cleared his throat, stepping forward. “Y/N, I understand this is a lot to take in, but I assure you, this is the safest course of action for now. Hank and I will only be gone for a short while.”

“Yeah,” you muttered, glancing at him briefly. “You better be.”

Logan nodded at Charles, then turned back to you. “There’s food in the kitchen, and plenty of space to stretch out. Don’t open the doors for anyone but me or them. Got it?”

You rolled your eyes but nodded. “Got it.”

Logan hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say more, but then he turned and followed Charles and Hank toward the door. You watched them leave, the sound of the heavy door closing echoing in the empty mansion.

For a long moment, you stood in the middle of the entry hall, clutching your bag and trying to process everything that had just happened. Finally, you let out a heavy sigh and slung the bag over your shoulder.

“Guess I’m on my own,” you muttered, heading deeper into the mansion to figure out how the hell you were supposed to pass the time in this massive, empty house.

---

It didn’t take long for you to get bored, even in a place as massive as this. From what you gathered during your first walkthrough, this mansion had likely been a boarding school at some point. The classrooms, rows of bedrooms, and an enormous kitchen all hinted at its past. But now, it was eerily quiet—like a castle frozen in time.

You wandered aimlessly, peeking into rooms and finding nothing but empty desks, dust-covered books, and a growing sense of restlessness. The longer you roamed, the more your mind churned over Logan’s sudden departure. You didn’t want to admit it, but his absence had left a void—a nagging worry that you couldn’t shake.

You sighed, stopping in front of a wide window overlooking the overgrown courtyard. What am I even doing here? you thought. Your fingers tapped against the windowpane as you chewed the inside of your cheek. Maybe you should’ve pushed harder for answers instead of letting Logan sidestep your questions—again.

The faint hum of a clock ticking in the hallway was the only sound accompanying your thoughts. It wasn’t enough to drown out the memories of Logan’s claws unsheathing back at the hotel or the unspoken tension in his voice when he said, “you won’t be alone.”

“Great,” you muttered under your breath, turning away from the window. “Stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing but cryptic warnings and empty rooms.”

You wandered back to the kitchen, hoping to find something to pass the time. The fridge was surprisingly well-stocked, and you made yourself a quick sandwich. As you ate, your gaze drifted toward the doorway, half expecting Logan to stride through it with that familiar scowl on his face.

But the doorway remained empty.

With a groan, you pushed the plate away and leaned back in the chair. “This sucks,” you muttered.

The silence pressed against your ears as you sat there, tapping your fingers on the table. You couldn’t help but think back to Logan’s expression when he’d left. There was something in his eyes—something heavy, like he was carrying more than just the weight of keeping you safe. He always did that, didn’t he? Took on the burden for everyone else, even if it meant shutting you out.

You stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. No more sitting around like a damsel in distress, you decided. If Logan was off dealing with whatever ‘big mistake’ he’d mentioned, you’d figure out how to occupy yourself in the meantime.

---

A while later, you found yourself back in one of the old classrooms. The chalkboards were dusty, and the desks were in varying states of disrepair, but it was oddly comforting in a way. You sat down at one of the desks and fiddled with a piece of chalk, drawing random lines on the board in front of you.

The quiet of the mansion felt oppressive. Every creak of the old wood or groan of the structure made your heart skip a beat. You weren’t sure if it was just your imagination playing tricks on you or if there was something more sinister lurking in the silence.

You sighed, leaning back in the chair. “Why’d you leave me here, Logan?” you muttered to yourself. The question hung in the air, unanswered, like so many others he’d dodged over the months.

As you stared at the lines you’d absentmindedly drawn, you thought back to your father. His control over your life had been suffocating, but this—running, hiding, fearing what might come next—was a different kind of prison. Logan had promised to protect you, but how could he if he wasn’t here?

A sudden noise in the hallway snapped you out of your thoughts. You froze, the piece of chalk slipping from your fingers and clattering onto the desk.

“Logan?” you called out, your voice trembling slightly. There was no response.

You rose slowly from the desk, your heart pounding in your chest. The sound came again—closer this time. It wasn’t the creak of the old mansion settling. It was deliberate, like footsteps.

You moved toward the door, peeking into the hallway. It was empty, but the faint sound of movement reached your ears from somewhere deeper in the house.

“Logan?” you tried again, your voice firmer.

Still nothing.

Clutching your jacket sleeve tightly, you stepped into the hallway, your bare feet silent against the worn wooden floors. The air felt colder somehow, and the shadows seemed to stretch longer.

You made your way toward the source of the noise, your pulse quickening with every step. Part of you wanted to turn back, to lock yourself in one of the rooms and wait for Logan to return, but you couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something wasn’t right.

As you rounded the corner, you saw them. Men in dark suits, their faces obscured by the dim lighting. There were at least four of them, moving methodically through the mansion as if they knew exactly where to look.

Your breath caught in your throat. They weren’t here by accident.

You turned quickly, intending to retreat and find a place to hide, but it was too late. One of the men spotted you, his sharp eyes locking onto yours.

“She’s here!” he barked, and the others turned toward you immediately.

Panic surged through your veins as you broke into a sprint, your bare feet barely making a sound against the floor. You didn’t know where you were running, only that you had to get away.

“Stop her!” one of them shouted, and the sound of heavy footsteps followed you.

You darted into another hallway, your mind racing. You needed a plan, a way out, but the labyrinthine mansion offered no clear escape routes.

A hand suddenly grabbed your arm, yanking you backward. You let out a startled cry, struggling against the grip.

“Let go of me!” you screamed, kicking and clawing at the man holding you.

He grimaced but held firm, dragging you toward the others. “Stop fighting, or this gets messy,” he growled.

“Like hell it does,” you spat, managing to stomp on his foot hard enough to make him loosen his grip.

You broke free, stumbling forward, but another man was already there. He grabbed you by the waist, lifting you off the ground despite your thrashing.

“Let me go!” you shouted, your voice echoing through the empty halls.

“Enough!” a voice barked, and the men froze.

A figure stepped out of the shadows—an older man with a cold, calculating expression. You recognized him immediately. One of your father’s men.

“Miss Y/N,” he said smoothly, his tone dripping with false politeness. “Your father’s been worried sick about you.”

“Bullshit,” you snapped, glaring at him. “He doesn’t care about me.”

The man chuckled, a low, menacing sound. “Whether he cares or not isn’t really the issue, is it? You belong to him. And he’s decided it’s time you came home.”

“Over my dead body,” you shot back, your voice defiant even as fear coiled in your chest.

The man’s smile widened, and there was something cruel in his eyes. “If that’s what it takes.”

You struggled harder, but the men holding you were too strong. They began dragging you toward the exit, your cries for help swallowed by the vast emptiness of the mansion.

In that moment, a horrible realization settled over you. Logan wasn’t here to save you.

And this time, there was no escape.

---

The room was dim, lit by a single, flickering bulb swaying overhead. The scent of mildew clung to the air, mixing with the metallic tang of rust from the pipes along the walls. You blinked groggily, your head pounding as the events leading up to this moment replayed in your mind.

Interrogation, then murder. That’s how these things went. You knew it, had known it since you were a child sitting quietly at the top of the stairs, listening in on conversations you weren’t supposed to hear. The Romano family didn’t forgive betrayal, and neither did your father.

Your wrists ached where the rough ropes dug into them, tying you to the chair. The metal groaned beneath your weight as you tried to shift, testing the bindings. No give. You swallowed hard, the lump in your throat making it hard to breathe.

From the shadows, the men emerged one by one, their faces a mix of familiarity and dread. You recognized some from your father’s estate—men who had once tipped their hats to you out of respect, now staring at you like a wolf pack eyeing its prey. Among them was Clyde Romano, his sharp suit immaculate despite the grim surroundings.

“Well, well,” Clyde drawled, adjusting his cuffs as he stepped closer. His cold eyes gleamed with a mixture of triumph and disdain. “You’ve been a busy little runaway, haven’t you?”

“Fuck you, Clyde,” you spat, your voice steadier than you expected.

He smirked, leaning in until you could feel his breath against your cheek. “Bold words for someone in your position. But that’s always been your problem, hasn’t it? Too much mouth, not enough sense.”

One of the men chuckled darkly, and you shot him a glare sharp enough to cut.

Clyde straightened, motioning for the others to spread out. “See, Y/N, this could’ve all been so simple. You play the good little bride, marry into the family, and keep your mouth shut. But no. You had to run. Had to embarrass your father. And me.”

“Embarrass you?” You barked out a bitter laugh. “Oh, I’m sorry. Were your fragile little feelings hurt because I didn’t want to be your trophy wife?”

Clyde’s smile faltered, his jaw tightening. He nodded toward one of his men, who stepped forward and struck you across the face. Pain exploded along your cheek, sharp and hot.

“Watch your mouth,” Clyde hissed.

You turned your head back slowly, your vision swimming. Blood trickled from the corner of your lip, but you smiled through it, defiant. “That all you’ve got?”

Clyde’s expression darkened, and he stepped closer, gripping your chin roughly. “You’re real brave for someone who doesn’t have a way out.”

Your stomach twisted at the truth of his words, but you refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing fear in your eyes. “Better to die standing than live on my knees,” you shot back.

“Your boyfriend isn’t here to save you, sweetheart,” he said casually, his tone laced with mockery. “What was his name? Logan?”

Your heart clenched at the sound of his name, but you kept your face blank.

“He left you,” Clyde continued. “Just like everyone else will. Because you’re not worth the trouble.”

“That so?” you bit out. “Then why are you here?”

He stopped, looking over his shoulder with a smirk. “To clean up the mess you made.”

Clyde stepped back, giving a subtle nod to one of the men. The air seemed to thicken as the man pulled a knife from his belt, the blade glinting in the weak light.

Your breath hitched, but you didn’t look away. If this was the end, you’d meet it head-on, with your head held high.

“Any last words?” Clyde asked, his tone almost bored.

You swallowed hard, the weight of everything pressing down on you. The memories of Logan’s rough hands holding yours, his gruff voice calling you darlin’ in that way that made your chest ache, his eyes softening in those rare moments when he let his guard down.

You thought of him now—miles away, caught up in something you couldn’t begin to understand. If he were here, he’d fight. He always did. But this time, you were on your own.

“Yeah,” you said, your voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill. “Go to hell.”

Clyde tilted his head, unimpressed. The man with the knife stepped forward, and you clenched your fists, bracing yourself for the inevitable.

The blade gleamed, catching the light one last time before it plunged toward you.

And then, there was only darkness.

---

Logan paced the bedroom; he had known something was off the second they got back. For one, you were nowhere in the mansion and your bag was sitting on the couch in the rec room.

Hank hesitantly stood by the doorframe for a few moments before speaking, “there’s a theory in quantum physics that time is immutable.” Logan paused his pacing as Hank continued, “it’s like a river—you can throw a pebble into it, create a ripple, but the current always corrects itself. No matter what you do, the river just… keeps flowing in the same direction.”

Logan let out a small scoff, the corner of his mouth twitching upward in a fleeting smile. “The B-theory of time.”

Hank blinked, his brows furrowing. “You’re familiar with it?”

Logan shrugged, leaning back against the wall, his arms crossed. “Yeah, I’ve heard it before. Someone once tried explaining it to me—something about all moments in time existing simultaneously. Past, present, future, all laid out like pages in a book.” He tilted his head, his gaze hardening. “Didn’t make it sound any less screwed up.”

Hank tilted his head slightly, caught off guard. “That’s a fairly accurate summation, Logan. I’m… surprised you retained that much.”

Logan’s lips twitched again, but his eyes darkened with a tinge of something that looked like regret. “Good teacher,” he muttered, his voice low. His mind flicked back to the quiet hours spent with you in the rec room at the mansion, your voice steady as you explained the theories of time and space with the kind of patience that used to drive him insane. “Good teacher,” he repeated, softer this time.

Hank didn’t press the matter, though curiosity lingered in his expression. Instead, he adjusted his glasses and continued. “Right. Well, the theory suggests that no matter how many changes we attempt to make, the timeline has a way of self-correcting. That ripple you caused? It’ll still flow back into the current, Logan. That’s why it’s imperative you stay focused on the larger mission—on stopping Mystique before—”

Logan cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand. “I know, McCoy. Believe me, I get it.” His voice was rougher now, frustration creeping into his tone. “But I can’t just stand here and do nothing. She’s out there—alone—because of me.” His jaw clenched, the muscles tightening like a vice. “I should’ve stayed with her.”

“And then what?” Hank countered, his voice measured but firm. “Thrown yourself headfirst into whatever danger awaits her without a plan? Gotten yourself killed before you even had the chance to stop Mystique? Would that have helped her, Logan? Or anyone else?”

Logan exhaled harshly, raking a hand through his hair. He hated when Hank was right—hated it even more because staying put went against every instinct he had. He’d lost you too many times before, and the idea of it happening again, here in this warped timeline, made his chest feel like it was caught in a vice.

“Look,” Hank said after a pause, his tone softening. “You’re not doing her—or yourself—any favors by acting recklessly. We need you tomorrow at the hearing. Mystique’s actions will set off a chain reaction if we don’t intervene, and that means we need all hands on deck.” He gave Logan a pointed look, then hesitated before adding, “Besides, the Y/N I met didn’t strike me as someone who’d go down without a fight.”

Logan’s gaze snapped to Hank, sharp and unyielding. “What’d you say?”

Hank shifted uncomfortably. “I mean… she was a little out of her element, sure, but she seemed resourceful. Strong-willed. Determined. She’s not just going to sit around waiting to be rescued, Logan.”

Logan’s shoulders relaxed slightly at Hank’s words, though his face remained guarded. He knew you—knew that fire inside you, even in this lifetime. You’d been through hell and still managed to crack that crooked smile, to tease him when he was too gruff for his own good. If anyone could find a way out of a bad situation, it was you.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried sick.

“She’s got guts,” Logan muttered, almost to himself. “Too much, sometimes.”

Hank adjusted his glasses again, watching Logan closely. “Then trust her to hold her own until we can deal with this together. Running off now would be counterproductive and, frankly, reckless.”

Logan let out a low growl of frustration, but he didn’t argue further. Deep down, he knew Hank was right. If he ran out of here now, he’d jeopardize everything—not just the mission, but the fragile thread of hope that had brought him to this point.

Still, the ache in his chest wouldn’t subside. It never did, not when it came to you.

“She’d better be okay,” he muttered, more to himself than to Hank. “Or I’ll—” His voice caught, and he shook his head. “Never mind.”

Hank didn’t respond immediately. He just watched as Logan sank into the chair by the window, his gaze distant.

For now, all Logan could do was wait.

---

Logan woke up to the sun shining through green curtains as he lay on his side, clutching his pillow. He turned over to look at the holographic clock on the other side of the bed, a stack of books on the table along with a single pen.

“The first time, ever I saw your face.”

He sat up, groggy as he looked at the familiar gold doorknob.

“I thought the sun,” Logan stood up and opened the door as a school bell rang and a kid walked out of their room. “Rose in your eyes.” He saw Bobby standing against a door frame as Rogue walked out and grabbed his hand, the two of them glancing over at Logan before walking away.

Logan walked by a classroom where Kitty was at the head of the room, a hologram in her hands, “Buckminster Fuller is a great example of an architect whose ideas were very similar to those of a utopian future. He would build structures that would work with nature, versus against it.”

He looked down the hall as Beast walked past him, clad in a brown suit, “morning, Logan. Late start,” he chuckled, as Logan watched him walk by.

Logan then walked down the stairs, seeing students converse with Storm. He continued his way down the stairs and into the open area, seeing familiar red hair leaning against the Professor’s open door.

Jean turned to look at him, “hey, Logan,” she softly called out as he glanced her way and back down the other hallways.

He saw a group of students walking huddled together before splitting apart briefly as you walked past them.

Logan’s breath hitched as you walked past the group of students, your hair catching the light streaming through the mansion’s tall windows. You didn’t notice him immediately, too focused on the stack of papers in your arms and the pen tucked behind your ear. He froze in place, his heart pounding like it hadn’t in years—decades, even.

You glanced up just as you passed him, pausing mid-step when your eyes met his. There was warmth in your gaze, that familiar spark he’d seen so many lifetimes ago, but this time it wasn’t tinged with hesitation or confusion. It was easy. Natural.

“There you are,” you said, a small smile gracing your lips as you adjusted the papers in your arms. “I was about to come looking for you. Late morning?”

Logan stared at you for a beat too long, the sound of your voice wrapping around him like a long-lost melody. He blinked, clearing his throat and trying to push past the lump that had formed there. “Yeah... guess so.”

Your smile widened, though your brow furrowed just slightly. “You okay, Lo?” you asked softly, stepping closer.

He managed a nod, though his throat felt tight. “Yeah, just... uh, still waking up, I guess.”

You tilted your head slightly, studying him in that way you always used to when something seemed off. “Well, if you’re awake enough, maybe you could help me wrangle some of the kids for class?” You gestured toward the papers in your arms. “I need to grab a few more things, and Laura’s been trying to skip out on physics again. You didn’t even budge when the alarm went off this morning, but you’re lucky Scott owed you a favor, so he covered your history class—”

You didn’t get to finish your sentence when Logan’s arms wrapped around you, his hold firm but not crushing. His head burrowed into the crook of your neck, and for a moment, everything around you seemed to pause. You blinked, startled, the stack of papers in your arms wobbling precariously before you instinctively steadied them against your chest.

“Logan?” you asked softly, your voice tinged with concern and confusion. “What’s going on?”

He didn’t answer right away. His breathing was heavy, his body tense against yours as though he was clinging to something—or someone—he thought he’d lost. The warmth of his presence, his scent of leather and pine, was familiar, but this intensity was new.

You let the silence hang for a moment, your free hand instinctively lifting to rest on his shoulder. “Lo,” you tried again, your tone softer now, laced with the kind of patience that only years together had nurtured. “Talk to me.”

Logan pulled back slightly, just enough to look at you, but his hands remained firm on your waist. His eyes were wild, scanning your face like he was searching for proof that you were real. For a fleeting second, you caught something raw in his expression—something vulnerable.

“You’re here,” he muttered, almost to himself. His voice was hoarse, as though he hadn’t spoken in days. “You’re… really here.”

Your brows knitted together as you tilted your head, trying to piece together what could have possibly spurred this reaction. “Of course I’m here,” you said with a small, hesitant laugh, your hand sliding from his shoulder to his cheek. “Where else would I be?”

Before Logan could respond, the unmistakable sound of small, hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. A high-pitched voice followed, cutting through the moment like a pebble skipping across still water.

“Daddy!”

Logan froze. His hands fell away from your waist as a little girl with dark hair barreled toward the two of you, her pigtails bouncing with each step. She clung to Logan’s leg without hesitation, looking up at him with the wide, innocent eyes of someone who knew no fear or doubt.

Gabby.

The name surfaced in Logan’s mind like a fragment from a dream, though it came with no context—no memories to anchor it. He stared down at the child, his breath catching as she grinned up at him.

“Daddy, I found you!” she declared triumphantly, like it was a great accomplishment. “Laura said you were being slow again.”

You chuckled softly, crouching down to ruffle Gabby’s hair. “What did we say about calling your dad slow?” you teased gently, though there was no real reprimand in your tone.

Gabby giggled, leaning into your touch. “Only when it’s funny?”

“Exactly,” you replied with a smirk before standing again and glancing at Logan, who still hadn’t moved or spoken. “Lo, you okay?” you asked again, your concern deepening.

Logan’s gaze flicked between you and Gabby, his chest tightening. The ring on your finger caught the light as you moved, and for the first time, he noticed it—the familiar band of gold he’d carried for over a century.

His heart stuttered. You’re wearing it.

“Logan?” you pressed, stepping closer again. Gabby, still holding onto his leg, tilted her head in confusion.

Logan swallowed hard, forcing himself to push past the whirlwind in his mind. “Yeah,” he rasped, his voice strained but steady enough. “I’m fine.”

You didn’t look convinced, but you didn’t push him. Instead, you nodded toward the stack of papers in your arms. “You sure? Because if you’re about to have an existential crisis, I need you to hold off until after you help me track down Laura. Deal?”

Logan blinked, your teasing tone pulling him out of his daze. He managed a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah. Deal.”

Gabby tugged at his pant leg, her face scrunched in determination. “Daddy, can we get pancakes after? Laura said she’d eat ten, but I bet I could eat twelve.”

You snorted softly, looking between Gabby and Logan with an amused smile. “You’re not actually gonna let her eat twelve pancakes, are you?”

Logan’s lips twitched, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We’ll see,” he said gruffly, his mind still miles away as he tried to make sense of everything.

You gave him another look, your brows furrowing slightly, but you let it go for now. “Come on,” you said, shifting the papers in your arms. “Let’s get this day started.”

As you turned to lead Gabby toward the stairs, Logan lingered for a moment, his eyes fixed on the gold band on your finger. His thoughts churned, the weight of the moment pressing down on him like a heavy fog.

He needed answers. And he knew exactly who to talk to.

---

Logan pushed open the door to Charles’s office without knocking, his usual roughness softened just enough by the turmoil bubbling beneath his skin. Charles, sitting calmly at his desk with his hands folded, looked up with a raised brow.

“Logan,” Charles greeted, his tone patient but curious. “I wasn’t expecting you so early. Is everything alright?”

Logan stepped inside, closing the door behind him before glancing over his shoulder. He needed to make sure you hadn’t followed. When he was satisfied, he turned back to Charles, his jaw tightening.

“No,” Logan said simply. “We need to talk. Now.”

Charles’s brow furrowed, and he gestured to the chair in front of him. “Please, sit. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

Logan ignored the chair, pacing instead. “I woke up this morning, and I—” He dragged a hand down his face, struggling to find the words. “Chuck, I ain’t supposed to be here. This… this timeline, it ain’t mine.”

Charles’s expression shifted, his calm demeanor replaced with something more serious. “I see,” he said carefully. “Go on.”

“You remember what Kitty did,” Logan said, stopping to lean on the edge of the desk. “Sending my mind back to ’73, to fix everything. To stop the Sentinels.”

“Yes,” Charles replied, his voice steady. “And you succeeded, Logan. The world you’re in now is a result of that success.”

Logan’s laugh was bitter, shaking his head. “Then why the hell don’t I remember it, huh? Why do I remember… all of it? The Sentinels. The Phoenix. Y/N—” His voice cracked, and he looked away, his fists clenching. “She died, Chuck. In my timeline, she died. Jean, too. All of you.”

Charles regarded him quietly, his hands still folded. “Logan, the mind is a complicated thing. It’s possible that in the process of returning you to this point in time, fragments of your original timeline have remained intact.”

“Fragments?” Logan scoffed, pushing off the desk to pace again. “Chuck, this ain’t fragments. I remember it all. I remember her dying six times, dammit. I remember the look on her face when she—” He stopped himself, his breathing ragged.

Charles’s expression softened. “Logan, this is your life now. Whatever timeline you came from, whatever you remember, it’s in the past. This is your reality now. Y/N is alive. Jean is alive. You have a family, a home.”

Logan’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “Yeah, but it ain’t mine. This ring—” He held up his own hand with his own ring, the band of gold catching the light. “I didn’t put it on her finger, Chuck. Some other version of me did. And I don’t know how to be him.”

Charles leaned forward slightly, his voice gentle but firm. “Then perhaps it’s time you learned. For her. For your family.”

Logan stared at him, his chest tight. He wanted to argue, to push back, but the truth of Charles’s words settled heavy in his gut. He’d fought so hard to change the future, to make sure you and everyone else had a chance at a better life. Now that it was here, he didn’t know how to live in it.

He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling shakily. “What do I do, Chuck?”

Charles smiled faintly. “You take it one day at a time, Logan. And you start by going back to her.”

---

You stood in the Professor’s office, your arms crossed, the faint cherry gloss on your lips catching the sunlight through the large windows. You tilted your head slightly, studying Logan as he leaned against the desk, his expression unreadable but tense.

“So…” you began, your voice soft but steady, “you’re from a different timeline? One where none of this happened?”

Logan exhaled heavily, running a hand through his unruly hair. “Yeah, sweetheart. That’s about the size of it.”

Your gaze flicked between him and Charles, who sat calmly behind his desk, his hands folded in front of him. “And in that timeline…” you hesitated, your voice faltering slightly. “What happened to me?”

Logan’s jaw tightened, his eyes briefly darting away from yours before he forced himself to meet your gaze. The weight of his memories hung between you, unspoken but palpable.

“You didn’t make it,” he admitted, his voice low and gravelly.

The room felt colder, the air heavier as his words settled over you. You shifted slightly, gripping your own arms as if to steady yourself.

“But not this time,” Charles interjected gently, his calm voice breaking the silence. “This timeline is different, Y/N. You survived, as did many others who didn’t in Logan’s original timeline.”

You turned to Charles, your brow furrowing. “How? How is that even possible? Timelines aren’t just malleable—”

“They are when someone like Kitty Pryde is involved,” Charles replied, his tone steady but kind. “Logan changed the future, which altered the past. But it seems his mind retained the memories of his original timeline when he was brought back.”

You looked at Logan, your head spinning as you tried to wrap your mind around what they were telling you. “So… you’re saying that everything I remember—all the years we’ve been together, raising Gabby and Laura—they’re real, but to you, they’re…”

“New,” Logan finished for you. He pushed off the desk, his hands going to his hips as he paced the room. “To me, darlin’, this—” he gestured vaguely at the mansion around him, “—this is all brand new. The last thing I remember before waking up this morning was bein’ in 1973, tryin’ to stop Mystique from killin’ Trask.”

Your lips parted, but no words came out. The Logan standing before you was so familiar, yet so… not. He was the same man you’d spent decades with, and yet he wasn’t.

“You’re still you,” you said finally, your voice barely above a whisper.

Logan stopped pacing, turning to look at you. His gaze softened slightly, the hard edges of his frustration melting away. “Yeah,” he said gruffly. “Still me.”

“But you don’t remember Gabby or Laura,” you said, a pang of sadness creeping into your voice. “You don’t remember us.”

Logan’s expression twisted with guilt. “No, sweetheart,” he admitted. “Not the way I should. But I’m tryin’. I swear to you, I’m gonna figure this out.”

You stepped closer to him, your glasses sliding slightly down your nose as you looked up into his eyes. “You’re not alone in this, Logan,” you said softly. “We’ll figure it out together.”

He stared at you, his throat tightening at the unwavering trust in your eyes. Slowly, he reached out, his large hand brushing against yours before taking it fully. “Thanks, darlin’,” he murmured, his voice rough but sincere.

Charles cleared his throat gently, drawing your attention. “The bond you two share has persisted across lifetimes,” he said. “It is not surprising that it remains strong, even now.”

You glanced back at Logan, your fingers still entwined with his. “I guess it’s just one more thing we’ve survived together,” you said with a faint smile.

Logan’s lips quirked upward, just barely. “Yeah,” he said. “Guess so.”

But as the three of you stood there, Logan couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a much bigger challenge. For now, though, he let himself hold onto your hand, grounding himself in the one constant he’d always known: you.

---

Laura stared across the table at Logan, her sharp eyes taking in every detail of his face as if she were trying to find something different, something off. Meanwhile, Gabby’s bright voice filled the dining room.

“And then, they just grow back their limbs! Like, if an axolotl loses a leg or even its tail, it’s all, poof! Fixed!” Gabby made an exaggerated explosion motion with her hands, her fork clattering against her plate. “Isn’t that cool, Daddy?”

Logan blinked, dragging himself out of his thoughts. “Uh, yeah, kid. Real cool.” His voice was gruff but softer than usual as he glanced at her. Gabby beamed, apparently satisfied with his half-hearted response, and took another bite of her pancake.

“Dad doesn’t even know what an axolotl is,” Laura said flatly, her gaze never leaving him.

Gabby gasped, scandalized. “Laura! Of course he does! He’s Daddy! He knows everything!”

Logan scratched the back of his neck, an awkward chuckle slipping out. “Well, I wouldn’t say everything…”

Laura narrowed her eyes slightly, leaning back in her chair. “You’re acting weird.”

“Laura,” you said gently, walking into the room with a cup of coffee in hand. You leaned against the doorway, your glasses slipping down your nose just a touch as you looked at your daughter. “Be nice.”

“She’s not wrong,” Logan muttered under his breath, but you caught it and shot him a warning look.

Laura crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. “He didn’t even laugh at Gabby’s joke about Mom’s coffee yesterday. That’s how you know something’s wrong.”

You hid your smile behind your mug. “To be fair, it wasn’t a great joke, Gabby.”

“It was hilarious!” Gabby protested, slapping her hands on the table for emphasis.

“Sure, sweetie,” you said with a chuckle, walking over to Logan. Your hand found his shoulder as you leaned down slightly. “Why don’t you two finish breakfast? We’ll be right back.”

Logan shot you a look but didn’t argue as you guided him out of the room, your hand lingering on his arm for a moment before you let go. You didn’t stop until you were in the hallway, far enough from the dining room that the girls couldn’t hear you.

“You’re gonna have to stop looking like a deer in headlights every time Gabby says something,” you said quietly, your tone soft but firm. “She’s going to figure it out if you keep that up.”

Logan let out a long sigh, leaning against the wall. “I’m tryin’, sweetheart. It’s just…” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair.

“Overwhelming?” you finished for him.

“Yeah. That.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes meeting yours. “I don’t know how to do this. Any of this. I don’t remember gettin’ married or havin’ kids. And now, I’ve got a eleven-year-old givin’ me the third degree and a five-year-old who thinks I hung the moon.”

“They’re your daughters, Logan,” you said softly. “And they adore you. Just… be yourself. You’ve always been a good dad to them. That hasn’t changed.”

Logan looked at you, his expression a mixture of uncertainty and determination. “And you?”

“What about me?” you asked, tilting your head slightly.

“How do I do right by you?” His voice was low, the vulnerability in it catching you off guard.

You stepped closer, your hand brushing his. “You’re already doin’ it,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. “We’ll figure this out together. Just like we always do.”

He let out a low huff, leaning his side against the wall, “well, if I have to hear one more word about an axolotl and their gills, I might lose it.”

You leaned into the wall, mimicking Logan’s stance, your lips twitching upward as you adjusted your glasses. “Actually, axolotls have both gills and lungs, so they can breathe underwater and directly from the air. But they rely on their gills more than their lungs because they’re primarily aquatic. Oh, and their gills are those frilly things you see sticking out of their necks—external gills, which are super rare in vertebrates…”

Logan’s eyebrows rose slowly, and a wry grin began to tug at the corner of his mouth as your words spilled out faster than you seemed to realize.

“And did you know,” you continued, your voice picking up slightly as you adjusted your glasses again, “they stay in a juvenile state their whole lives? It’s called neoteny, and—”

Logan finally let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Alright, darlin’, I get it. You’re where Gabby gets it from.”

You paused mid-ramble, your brow furrowing as you looked up at him. “Gets what?”

“The whole talk a mile a minute about stuff that makes the rest of us feel like idiots thing,” he teased, his tone gruff but warm. “She starts goin’ on about somethin’, an’ it’s like watchin’ a little tornado of facts. Now I know where she gets it.”

Your cheeks flushed slightly, a mix of amusement and bashfulness flashing across your face. “I don’t talk that much.”

Logan arched a brow, his grin widening just a touch. “Sure, sweetheart. Keep tellin’ yourself that.”

You huffed, pushing lightly against his chest with the back of your hand, though your lips tugged into a reluctant smile. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah, but you’re still stuck with me,” he teased, his tone laced with an unexpected softness.

For a moment, you both stood there in the hallway, the din of breakfast chatter echoing faintly behind the door. Logan’s eyes lingered on you, the faint cherry gloss on your lips catching his attention again as sunlight streamed in through the nearby window.

“I really mean it, darlin’,” Logan said after a beat, his voice dipping into something deeper. “You’ve got no idea how much I appreciate you holdin’ this together. All this…” He gestured vaguely, his expression faltering for a second. “It’s a lot to take in.”

Your smile softened, and you reached for his hand instinctively. “We’ve been through worse, Logan. Together. We always find a way.”

Logan’s gaze dropped to your intertwined hands, the touch grounding him. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Always.”

Before the moment could settle further, Scott and Jean walked past the two of you, entering the kitchen. You grabbed Logan’s hand, “c’mon, I want you to see somethin’.”

You pulled Logan to the doorway of the kitchen, motioning for him to stay quiet. His brow furrowed, but he didn’t resist as he leaned slightly into the frame beside you, peeking into the room. Scott was at the counter, pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee, while Jean stood nearby, polishing an apple against her sleeve.

“Why are we standin’ here like—” Logan began, but you held up a finger to shush him.

“Wait for it,” you murmured, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

From behind the island, Gabby and Laura crouched in near-perfect silence. Gabby’s face was alight with glee as Laura whispered instructions, holding a small device that looked suspiciously like something Jones might have helped them cobble together.

Logan squinted. “What the hell are they—”

“Shh!” you hissed, suppressing a grin as Laura pressed a button on the device.

The coffee maker on the counter suddenly sputtered and hissed, steam pouring out in dramatic bursts as it began to shake. Scott froze mid-sip, frowning at the machine.

“What the—” Scott leaned in cautiously, placing his mug down.

With a loud pop, a stream of glitter shot out from the coffee maker, spraying directly onto Scott’s chest and face. His entire upper body sparkled in gold and silver flecks as he stumbled back, coughing in surprise.

Gabby popped up from behind the counter, arms thrown in the air triumphantly. “Success!”

Laura stood beside her, a small, satisfied smirk tugging at her lips. “Glitter bomb: 100% effective.”

Logan stared, wide-eyed, as Scott wiped at his face in a futile attempt to rid himself of the glitter. “Girls,” Scott said, his voice low and measured in a tone that suggested he was summoning all of his patience, “what did I say about tamperin’ with the coffee maker?”

Gabby, undeterred, pointed at him dramatically. “You said don’t do it. But you never said we couldn’t improve it.”

Jean bit into her apple, turning slightly away to hide her laughter behind a hand.

“You let them do this?” Scott asked, glaring at her.

“I let them? Scott, they’re your nieces,” Jean said smoothly, not bothering to hide the amusement in her tone.

“They’re your nieces too!” Scott protested, but Jean just shrugged, taking another bite of her apple.

Logan let out a low chuckle beside you, shaking his head. “They’re somethin’ else.”

You grinned, nudging him lightly with your elbow. “They’re just like you.”

Logan raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, you know exactly what it means,” you teased. “You’re as much of a troublemaker as they are. Don’t think I haven’t seen the pranks you’ve pulled.”

“Pranks? Me?” Logan’s expression feigned innocence, though the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement. “Sweetheart, I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

“Right,” you drawled, clearly unconvinced. “You’ve just coincidentally passed on all your mischief genes to Laura and Gabby?”

Logan let out a soft laugh, his gaze flicking back to the kitchen where Gabby was now dancing around Scott, singing, “Uncle Scott is the glitter king!” at the top of her lungs.

Laura crossed her arms, clearly pleased with her handiwork. “Don’t worry. It’s biodegradable glitter,” she said in a tone that suggested she didn’t actually care about Scott’s glitter predicament but wanted to seem magnanimous.

Scott groaned, his voice rising in frustration. “You two better clean this up. And my shirt. And my—” He gestured vaguely at his glitter-covered face.

Gabby giggled. “Sure, Uncle Scott. Right after breakfast.”

Scott turned to Jean for backup, but she just shrugged again. “You’ll be fine, Scott. You’ve been through worse.”

“Not worse than this,” Scott muttered darkly, picking at a gold fleck on his visor.

You stifled another laugh as Logan crossed his arms, watching the scene unfold with an almost paternal fondness. “They really only prank Summers?”

You nodded, grinning. “Every time. Jean’s always off-limits, but Scott? Fair game. Laura says it builds his character.”

Logan shook his head, still smiling. “Kid’s got my sense of humor, all right.”

“See?” you said, leaning closer to him. “They’re just like you.”

Logan glanced down at you, his expression softening as his gaze lingered. “Guess I’ve got a lot to live up to, huh?”

“You already do,” you said quietly, your hand brushing against his. “More than you know.”

Before Logan could respond, Gabby’s excited voice interrupted. “Mommy! Daddy! Did you see? Uncle Scott’s a walking disco ball!”

You turned just as Gabby bolted toward you both, her small arms outstretched. Logan instinctively crouched to catch her as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Did you like it, Daddy?” Gabby asked, her face bright with anticipation.

Logan hesitated, his arms tightening slightly around her as he glanced at you for guidance. You smiled, nodding almost imperceptibly.

“Yeah, kid,” Logan said finally, his voice gruff but warm. “You got him good.”

Gabby beamed, hugging him tighter before pulling back to look at him. “Laura says we should do water balloons next time. But I think paint bombs would be cooler.”

Logan chuckled, standing with her still in his arms. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Gabby.”

Gabby laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. You watched the two of them, your chest tightening at the sight of Logan holding her so naturally, even if his memories of her weren’t there yet.

Logan caught your eye, his expression unreadable but intense, as if he were trying to piece together the life he couldn’t remember but was already a part of.

For now, you just smiled, stepping closer to place a hand on his arm. “Come on,” you said softly. “Let’s get back in there before Scott recruits you to clean up his glitter.”

Logan let out a low chuckle, his grip on Gabby firm as he followed you back into the kitchen, the warmth of the moment settling around the three of you like a quiet promise.

---

Jean sighed and stepped away, her hands falling from Logan’s temples as she crossed her arms. “I’m sorry, Logan. There’s not much else I can do.”

Logan remained seated, his elbows resting on his knees as his hands clenched together. “So, that’s it? Nothin’? Not even a flicker?”

Jean’s expression softened, but there was a hint of frustration in her voice, more directed at herself than him. “You’ve got a wall in your mind, Logan. One I can’t break through without risking your memories now. If I push too hard, I could do more harm than good.”

He let out a low growl, the sound rumbling in his chest. “Feels like I’m livin’ someone else’s life. Like it ain’t mine.”

“You are living your life,” Jean insisted gently. “This is you. You’re just missing… the journey that got you here.”

Logan ran a hand down his face, leaning back in the chair. His gaze drifted to the floor, but his thoughts were miles away. He could feel the weight of everything—the ring on your hand, the way Gabby called him ‘daddy,’ Laura’s quiet smirk when she saw him, the way you looked at him with such love and familiarity. It wasn’t foreign; it was right. But it was also wrong because he didn’t remember any of it.

Jean knelt beside him, her voice quieter now. “You’ve built something beautiful here, Logan. Something you fought for, even if you can’t remember how. Maybe instead of chasing what’s missing, you should try to live in what’s here.”

Logan’s jaw tightened, his mind battling with itself. Before he could respond, a voice broke the heavy silence.

“Logan?” Your voice was soft but steady from the doorway.

His head snapped up, and for a moment, the tension in his shoulders eased. “Hey, darlin’.”

Jean rose, excusing herself with a subtle nod toward you. As she passed, she gave your arm a gentle squeeze, her own way of offering support, before disappearing down the hall.

You stepped inside, watching Logan closely as you approached. “How are you feeling?”

“Like my head’s been through the ringer,” he muttered, trying to muster a smirk but failing. “Jean couldn’t find much.”

You perched on the arm of the chair, your hand instinctively reaching for his shoulder. “It’s okay,” you said softly, your thumb tracing small circles over his flannel. “You don’t have to remember everything all at once.”

He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “That’s just it. I don’t remember any of it—marryin’ you, findin’ Laura, havin’ Gabby. None of it’s mine.”

Your heart ached at the rawness in his voice, but you squeezed his shoulder gently. “It is yours. Maybe not in the way you think, but it’s yours, Logan. We’re yours.”

He looked up at you then, his eyes darker, clouded with something you couldn’t quite name. “You’re takin’ this awful well.”

You smiled faintly, brushing a stray curl away from his forehead. “I told you when we got married, remember? That no matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Don’t remember that, either,” he admitted gruffly, though there was a flicker of warmth in his voice.

“Well,” you teased lightly, trying to ease the tension, “lucky for you, I do.”

Logan’s hand came up, his fingers brushing against yours where they rested on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but the weight of his grip spoke volumes.

You brought him into your side, his head resting below your collarbone on your chest, and a small, bittersweet smile crept onto your lips. “It’s kinda ironic if you think about it.”

Logan’s voice was muffled against you, but there was a familiar gruffness to it. “What is?”

“This,” you said softly, one hand brushing through his hair while the other traced idle circles on his shoulder. “You remember all those lives I don’t, and now we’re here, and I’m the one who remembers… but you don’t.”

Logan let out a humorless chuckle, his arms tightening around your waist. “Yeah, darlin’, real funny.”

“Ironic,” you corrected, the corner of your mouth twitching upward, though the ache in your chest lingered. “Not funny.”

Logan exhaled deeply, his breath warm against your collarbone. “Guess I deserve that, huh? All those times, I remembered you, and now you’re stuck rememberin’ for me.”

You stilled your hand for a moment, then leaned back just enough to make him look at you. His eyes were darker than usual, shadowed with frustration and something deeper you couldn’t name. “You don’t deserve this, Logan,” you said firmly. “Don’t ever think that.”

He searched your face, his jaw tightening as he swallowed hard. “Feels like I do,” he murmured. “Every time I’ve lost you… it’s been my fault somehow. Every damn time. And now—” He cut himself off, shaking his head as though trying to dislodge the thought.

“And now,” you said, finishing for him, “you haven’t lost me.”

Logan’s gaze softened, his thumb brushing unconsciously over the fabric of your shirt where his hand rested on your waist. “Not yet.”

“Not at all,” you said, your voice steady. “You’ve got me, Logan. I’m right here.”

His lips twitched, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “For now.”

You sighed, cupping his cheek and guiding his gaze back to yours when it started to drift. “Logan. Stop. We’ve been married for nearly twenty years. I know this is… a lot. It’s a lot for me, too. But you don’t have to figure it all out today, or tomorrow, or even next week.”

He huffed a small laugh, his hand moving to rest over yours. “You always this patient?”

“Only with you,” you teased gently, though the warmth in your voice was genuine. “So don’t make me regret it.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, and for a moment, his smirk was almost real.

You smiled back, letting the silence settle for a few beats before Logan’s arms tightened around you again, pulling you closer. His head rested against your chest, his body warm and solid against yours, and for a moment, you just held him.

---

Footsteps thundered across the broken ground, and then he was there. Logan dropped to his knees beside you, his hands immediately reaching for you, shaking you gently but urgently. “Sweetheart, no, no—open your eyes,” he pleaded, his voice cracking as his hands moved from your face to your shoulders, searching for signs of life.

Your body was limp in his arms, your chest still, your face losing color.

Logan’s breaths came in short, harsh gasps as he pulled you against him, cradling you like you might slip away entirely if he let go. “Y/N,” he whispered, the single word a broken prayer, an unbearable weight of grief choking him. His hands shook as they smoothed over your hair, as though trying to coax you back to him with touch alone.

He didn’t notice Ororo land nearby, didn’t register her sharp intake of breath as she took in the scene. Her hand came up to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror, but she didn’t approach. Behind her, Bobby and Kitty stood frozen, their expressions stricken, but they too stayed back. Even Peter, with his usual strength and calm, had no words.

Logan didn’t care that they were there. Didn’t care about anything except the motionless weight in his arms. He rocked you slightly, his forehead pressing against yours as his ragged breaths turned into choked sobs. “You weren’t supposed to—damn it, you weren’t supposed to do this,” he growled, his voice breaking as he fought against the tears burning in his eyes. “Not this time. Not again.”

Logan pressed his lips to your forehead, his hands shaking as they cupped your face. “Come on, darlin’,” he whispered, his voice soft and cracked. “You’re stronger than this. You’re too stubborn to leave me. Just—just come back.”

The others stood frozen, unable to move, unable to interrupt the devastating scene unfolding before them. Ororo’s hand clutched her chest, tears streaking down her face as she turned away, giving Logan what little privacy she could in this moment of unbearable pain.

But Logan didn’t notice. He couldn’t notice. His world had narrowed to you—the unbearable stillness of your body, the haunting silence that surrounded you now.

He didn’t let go, even as the destruction around them finally began to settle, the last vestiges of Jean’s power fading into nothingness. His arms tightened around you, his forehead pressing to yours again as he whispered brokenly, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t save you. I’m so damn sorry.”

Time seemed to stand still in the worst possible way. For the first time in his long, painful life, Logan felt completely and utterly powerless. The ring he’d carried for over a century burned like a brand against his chest, a cruel reminder of all the promises he’d never been able to keep.

Logan buried his face against your neck, his voice raw as he whispered, “I was gonna tell you. About the ring. About everything. You—you deserved to know.” His thumb brushed over your cheek, as if he could will the life back into you.

He pulled back, his tear-streaked face contorted in anguish as he gazed down at you. “I love you,” he said, his voice breaking on every syllable. “I’ve loved you through every lifetime, and I’ll love you in the next one, too. But please, sweetheart, don’t make me wait again. Not this time. Please.”

His hands trembled as he touched your cheek again, his thumb brushing over your skin like it might bring you back. “I love you,” he repeated, his voice hoarse. “I’ll always love you.”

But you didn’t move. Your chest didn’t rise. You were gone.

Logan’s breath hitched as he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to your forehead—one last desperate, lingering moment of tenderness. When he pulled back, his gaze swept over your still features, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and devastation.

Behind him, Ororo, Bobby, Kitty, and Peter stood at a distance, their faces drawn with grief. None of them moved to intervene. They knew better than to intrude on this moment, on Logan’s anguish.

The air felt impossibly heavy as Logan shifted, gathering your lifeless form into his arms. His movements were slow, deliberate, as though handling something too precious to break further. He cradled you close, his head bowing as he let out a shuddering breath. The others watched as he rose to his feet, every muscle in his body screaming in protest, though he showed no sign of it.

“Logan…” Ororo began softly, stepping forward.

He didn’t acknowledge her. His eyes were locked on you, his focus unwavering. Without a word, he turned away, carrying you toward the bridge. There was no Blackbird to take them home—Jean’s power had obliterated it along with so much else—but Logan didn’t seem to care about the logistics. His only concern was you.

---

Logan jerked awake, gasping, his body tense and drenched in cold sweat. The dim light of the bedroom barely illuminated his surroundings, but he didn’t need it to know where he was. The warmth beside him, the faint scent of your cherry lip gloss lingering in the air—those were enough to remind him. This was 2023. You were alive.

He turned his head to look at you, his breathing still uneven. You were curled on your side, your glasses resting on the nightstand, your hand loosely clutching the blanket. Peaceful. Alive.

“Logan?” your voice, soft and drowsy, broke the silence. You stirred, sensing his distress even in your half-asleep state. “What’s wrong?”

He swallowed hard, running a hand down his face. “Nothin’, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice rough and unconvincing. “Go back to sleep.”

But you sat up anyway, your hair slightly mussed, your gaze focusing on him even without your glasses. “You had another nightmare, didn’t you?” You reached out, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “Was it… bad?”

Logan closed his eyes, exhaling shakily. He wanted to lie, to brush it off and tell you he was fine, but the weight of the memory still clung to him like a shadow he couldn’t shake. “Yeah,” he admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Without hesitation, you slid closer to him, wrapping your arms around his torso. “It’s okay,” you murmured, resting your head against his shoulder. “I’m here.”

His body stiffened at first, the vulnerability of the moment making his instincts scream to pull away, but then he let out a shaky breath and folded you into his arms. The solid warmth of you against him—the weight of your presence—was like a lifeline, anchoring him back to the present.

“I dreamed about… losin’ you,” he said after a long moment, his voice low and raw. “It—it was like I could feel it happenin’ all over again.”

Your heart ached at the pain in his tone, but you didn’t pull back. Instead, you tightened your hold on him, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. “You didn’t lose me,” you whispered. “I’m right here, Logan.”

His arms tightened around you as though he needed to remind himself you were real. After a few moments, he pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes searching your face like he was memorizing every detail. His hands came up to frame your face, his thumbs brushing over your cheeks.

“I gotta hold you,” he said, his voice gruff but almost pleading. “Just let me—” His words faltered, and he leaned in, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that was desperate yet tender, like he was pouring all the fear and love in his heart into the connection.

You kissed him back without hesitation, your hands resting on his chest. But when he pulled back only to kiss you again—this time slower, deeper—you pulled away slightly, just enough to catch your breath. “Logan,” you murmured, your voice gentle, “are you sure you’re okay?”

His forehead rested against yours, his breath warm against your lips. “Just lemme kiss you, please,” he said softly, his voice almost breaking. “Need to feel you. Need to know you’re here.”

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes, but you nodded, your hands sliding up to cup his face. “I’m here,” you whispered, pressing your lips to his again, reassuring him with every touch that you weren’t going anywhere.

Time seemed to stop as you stayed like that, locked in the quiet intimacy of the moment. His hands moved to your waist, holding you securely, while yours stayed on his face, grounding him. Eventually, you pulled back, your noses brushing, your breaths mingling.

“You wanna talk about it?” you asked softly, your fingers tracing soothing patterns along his jawline.

Logan hesitated, his eyes flickering with something raw and unspoken. “Not yet,” he admitted, his voice thick. “Just… don’t leave me tonight, darlin’.”

You shook your head, offering him a soft smile despite the emotion welling in your chest. “I’m not going anywhere,” you promised, wrapping your arms around him again.

---

The Blackbird hummed steadily, the low vibration underscoring the tense silence among the team. You glanced toward Logan, his expression hard and unreadable as he stared out the small window. He hadn’t said much since takeoff, and you didn’t push him. Instead, you’d focused on Jean, who was reviewing the mission details, and Scott, who’d been unusually quiet.

“I can handle this,” Logan had said when you vouched for him earlier. You hadn’t doubted him then, and you didn’t now. But Scott’s skepticism hung heavy in the cabin, evident in every glance he shot Logan’s way.

You let out a soft breath and shifted in your seat, nudging Logan’s arm with your elbow. “Hey,” you said quietly, leaning in. “You good?”

Logan turned his head, his eyes meeting yours for a moment. He nodded, though his jaw stayed tight. “Yeah, sweetheart. I’m fine.”

You didn’t buy it, but you let it go. For now.

Scott’s voice cut through the tension. “We’re approaching the drop zone. Everyone stay sharp. This should be quick, but let’s not get sloppy.”

“Sloppy?” Logan muttered under his breath. “We don’t do sloppy.”

Scott shot him a look from the cockpit but didn’t respond, and you bit back a small smile despite the nerves fluttering in your chest.

---

The mission was supposed to be simple. Extract intel, neutralize threats, and get out. But as usual, things didn’t go as planned.

The team moved as a unit through the labyrinthine corridors of the facility, the dim lighting casting long shadows that danced with every flicker of movement. Logan was at the front, claws out, his senses leading the way. You stayed close, your focus split between him and the others.

“Jean, you got eyes on the server room?” Scott’s voice crackled through the comms.

“About twenty meters ahead,” Jean replied, her voice calm despite the rising tension.

Logan’s claws retracted with a snikt as he held up a hand, signaling everyone to stop. His nose twitched, and his head tilted slightly. “Something’s off,” he murmured, his voice low.

Before anyone could ask what, the ground beneath your feet rumbled, and the corridor ahead exploded in a burst of heat and light. You stumbled back, shielding your face, as alarms blared throughout the facility.

“Damn it!” Scott barked. “It’s a trap!”

Logan was already moving, his claws gleaming as he launched himself toward the first wave of attackers. “Get to the server room!” he shouted over his shoulder. “I’ll clear the way!”

“Logan, wait—” But he was gone, a blur of fury and precision as he tore through the enemy.

You exchanged a quick glance with Jean and Ororo before taking off in the opposite direction with them. The mission had gone sideways, but there was no time to panic. Focus was key.

---

You weren’t sure how long it had been—minutes? Hours? The battle had stretched into chaos, and every step felt like a fight to stay alive. You found yourself separated from the others, the air thick with smoke and the metallic tang of blood.

Your powers buzzed beneath your skin, a familiar warning. You’d been careful not to overuse them, knowing the toll it took, but the situation left you little choice. Cornered by a group of heavily armed soldiers, you raised your hands, time itself seeming to shudder as you concentrated.

The soldiers froze mid-step, their weapons hanging suspended in the air. Sweat beaded on your forehead as you pushed harder, distorting the flow of time around you. The strain was immediate, your body protesting as you manipulated the anomaly.

“Y/N!” Logan’s voice cut through the haze, rough and urgent. He appeared out of the smoke, his claws dripping red. His eyes widened when he saw you, the flickering distortion around you making it clear you were at your limit.

“I’m fine,” you said, though your voice was strained. “Go help the others.”

“Like hell,” Logan growled, rushing to your side. His hand gripped your arm firmly but gently. “Stop this. You’re gonna tear yourself apart.”

“I can handle it,” you insisted, though your knees buckled slightly under the weight of your own power.

Logan didn’t argue. Instead, he scooped you up with a gentleness that belied his strength, cradling you against his chest. The anomaly wavered, then shattered, the soldiers collapsing as time resumed. But the damage was done.

As the world around you stabilized, you felt a strange, disorienting pull in your mind—like something had snapped and splintered all at once.

Logan froze mid-step, a strangled noise escaping his throat. His grip on you tightened as his body went rigid, his breathing shallow and erratic.

“Logan?” you murmured, your voice weak. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer. Couldn’t. His eyes darted wildly as memories surged through his mind—memories that didn’t belong to the man he’d been moments ago.

A wedding. Your smile, brighter than the sun, as you held his hands. The weight of the gold ring he’d finally placed on your finger after lifetimes of waiting.

Laughter. Laura’s tiny hands clutching his shirt as he carried her on his shoulders, her giggles echoing through the halls of the mansion. Gabby’s wide grin as she showed him a picture she’d drawn of the four of you—her family.

Peace. The quiet nights on the porch, your head resting on his shoulder as the stars twinkled overhead.

Love.

A life.

A family.

Logan stumbled, dropping to his knees as the memories overwhelmed him. They were vivid and unrelenting, a rush of emotion and experience that left him gasping for air.

Your hands trembled as you knelt beside Logan, panic bubbling in your chest. His body shook, his breaths coming in sharp, shallow gasps. You reached out, gripping his shoulders. “Logan! Please—what’s wrong? Talk to me!”

He didn’t respond. His eyes were wide and unfocused, darting as though he was watching something invisible and overwhelming. His claws had retracted, his hands pressed flat to the ground like he was trying to anchor himself.

“Logan…” Your voice cracked, tears blurring your vision. “I’m sorry—I don’t know what I did—please, just say something.”

His breath hitched sharply, and he finally looked at you, though his gaze was distant, almost haunted. “I… I can’t—” His voice was rough, fractured, as though he was choking on the words. “It’s… I remember.”

You froze. The blood roaring in your ears was nearly deafening. “What do you mean? Remember what?”

Logan shook his head as if trying to clear it, but his face was pale, his features twisted with a mix of disbelief and something raw—grief? Love? Fear? You couldn’t tell.

“It’s us.” His hands reached for you instinctively, his calloused palms cupping your face. “I see you. I see…” His words faltered, and his gaze flickered like he was staring into a memory you couldn’t reach. “The wedding. Laura. Gabby. God, darlin’, I see all of it. I feel it.”

Your heart clenched, your breath catching in your throat. “You remember this life?” you whispered, your hands resting on his wrists.

Logan’s eyes, normally so sharp and guarded, now brimmed with something far more vulnerable—tears threatening to spill as his gaze bore into yours. “Yeah,” he rasped, his voice rough, choked. “Not just bits and pieces… all of it.”

Tears continued to blur your vision as you searched his face, struggling to process his words. His hands stayed on your face, steady even though they were trembling slightly, and his eyes darted over yours like he was trying to memorize every detail, afraid you might vanish if he looked away for even a second.

“Logan…” Your voice wavered, the weight of the moment pressing down on your chest. “You… remember everything?”

He nodded, the movement jerky, uncoordinated. “Yeah. Every damn thing,” he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. “I remember… us. Our life. Laura. Gabby. The day I put this ring on your finger.” His thumb brushed against the gold band on your left hand, his expression flickering between awe and devastation. “I remember it all, darlin’. And it’s like I’ve been livin’ two lives at once.”

Your heart twisted, torn between relief and worry. Relief that he was remembering the life you’d built together—your family, your home—but worry because you knew what this meant for him. Logan wasn’t just remembering. He was reconciling two lifetimes, one full of loss and pain, and one where he’d finally found peace.

You cupped his face now, your hands trembling against his rough, stubbled cheeks. “Logan,” you whispered, your voice barely audible over the distant sounds of the fight still raging in the facility. “You’re here. You’re with me. With us. And that’s all that matters.”

His eyes stayed locked on yours, and you could see the storm of emotions swirling behind them—grief, guilt, love, hope. “It’s real,” he said, almost like he needed to hear it to believe it. “This… all of it… it’s real. I didn’t lose you this time.”

“No,” you murmured, tears spilling freely now. “You didn’t lose me. You’ve got me, Logan. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

His hands tightened ever so slightly on your face, his forehead lowering until it rested gently against yours. His breath hitched, and you felt the faintest tremor run through him. “I lost you six times, sweetheart. Six times. I held you in my arms while you—” His voice broke, and he sucked in a sharp breath like he was trying to keep himself together. “I can’t… I can’t lose you again. I won’t.”

“You won’t,” you said firmly, brushing your thumbs over his cheeks. “You won’t, Logan. This is our life. Our family. And you’re not gonna lose me. Not now, not ever.”

For a long moment, the two of you just stayed like that, kneeling on the cold floor in the middle of a war zone, holding on to each other like the rest of the world had ceased to exist.

Finally, Logan spoke again, his voice quieter now, though no less weighted. “I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted, his tone raw. “I remember us, but I don’t… I don’t feel like the man you married. I don’t feel like Laura and Gabby’s dad.”

Your heart ached at his words, but you held his gaze, your own resolve strengthening. “You are the man I married,” you said softly but firmly. “You’re the same Logan who’s been by my side for twenty years, who’s been an amazing father to Laura and Gabby, who’s built this life with me. I know it doesn’t feel that way right now, but it will. You’ll remember not just with your head, but with your heart, too. I promise.”

He closed his eyes briefly, exhaling shakily before nodding. “I hope you’re right, darlin’,” he murmured. “Because I don’t wanna screw this up.”

“You won’t,” you assured him. “We’ll figure it out together.”

Another explosion sounded in the distance, and Logan’s head whipped around, his instincts kicking in. “We gotta move,” he said gruffly, helping you to your feet. “You okay to walk?”

“I’m fine,” you said, though your legs wobbled slightly as the adrenaline began to wear off. Logan steadied you with a hand on your waist, his touch firm but careful.

“Let’s find the others,” he said, his voice steadying as he slipped back into mission mode. But before you could take a step, he stopped, turning back to you. His hand cupped your cheek again, his eyes soft but serious. “I love you,” he said, the words rough but filled with conviction. “I just… I needed to say it.”

Your breath caught, but you smiled, leaning into his touch. “I love you, too,” you said, your voice trembling with emotion. “Always.”

He nodded once, then released you, his claws sliding out with a familiar snikt. “Stay close,” he said, his tone low and protective as he led the way down the corridor. And though the chaos of the mission loomed ahead, you felt a flicker of hope—because no matter what, you were facing it together.

---

Once back at the mansion, the first things you saw were Laura and Gabby standing by Rogue, waiting for the others to clear the jet before you and Logan stepped off.

Gabby was the first to make a move, walking at a brisk pace until Logan finished climbing down the stairs and kneeled down, “c’mere princess.”

She let out a happy squeal and ran the rest of the way, launching herself into Logan’s arms. “You haven’t called me that in ages!”

Laura walked over to the three of you, giving you a short hug from the side, “weeks, Gabby, weeks.”

Gabby removed herself from Logan’s chest, turning to face her sister, “that’s ages Laura!”

Laura crossed her arms, her eyebrow arched in exaggerated disbelief. “It’s weeks, Gabby. Don’t be so dramatic.”

Logan chuckled, low and gravelly, still kneeling on the hangar floor. His hands rested lightly on Gabby’s shoulders as she spun back around to look at him, her big, expressive eyes narrowing in mock irritation.

“Well, she’s right about one thing,” Logan said, ruffling Gabby’s hair. “I haven’t been callin’ you ‘princess’ like I should.”

Gabby beamed, throwing her arms around his neck again. “It’s okay, Daddy. I forgive you!”

Behind them, you stood near the ramp, watching the scene with a mix of relief and warmth. Logan caught your eye over Gabby’s shoulder, his gaze softening as it locked on yours. For a moment, it was like the rest of the world disappeared.

Laura’s voice broke the spell. “You’re forgiven this time,” she said with a teasing smirk as she stepped closer. “But Gabby’s gonna milk it for at least a week. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Logan straightened, a hand resting on Gabby’s back as he looked at Laura with that gruff, fatherly affection he’d perfected. “Yeah, well, I reckon I can handle that.”

Gabby grinned triumphantly, glancing between her sister and her dad. “See? Told you I’m his favorite.”

Logan groaned, shaking his head as he rose to his feet, lifting Gabby effortlessly in his arms. “Don’t start that, kiddo. I got room for both of you troublemakers.”

Gabby giggled, but Laura rolled her eyes. “Nice save, Dad.”

You chuckled softly, stepping forward now that the moment felt a little less overwhelming. “Alright, you two,” you said, your voice warm but firm. “Let’s get inside. Everyone’s probably waiting, and your dad looks like he could use a break.”

Logan gave you a small, appreciative smile, one that lingered longer than usual, like he was drinking in every detail of you standing there. He shifted Gabby to his hip and reached out with his free hand, his calloused fingers brushing yours briefly as you both turned toward the mansion.

The walk back was filled with Gabby’s chatter, Laura’s sarcastic commentary, and Logan’s occasional grunt of amusement. But as the four of you crossed the threshold into the warmth of the mansion, you could feel the shift in Logan—a quiet resolve mixed with the raw emotion still simmering beneath the surface.

Once the girls were out of earshot, you tugged gently on Logan’s sleeve, pulling him aside into the quieter hallway. His brows furrowed slightly, but he let you guide him, his hand instinctively finding its way to your waist.

“Logan,” you started softly, looking up at him as the distant echoes of the mansion’s activity faded. “Are you okay?”

Logan’s jaw tensed, his eyes searching yours as though weighing his answer. The soft glow of the mansion’s lights illuminated his face, highlighting the exhaustion and turmoil etched into his features. He let out a low sigh, the sound heavy with emotion, before his hand slid from your waist to cradle the side of your face.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice rough but honest. “It’s like... I’ve been livin’ someone else’s life for weeks. Like it was mine but not mine, ya know? And now…” He paused, his thumb brushing gently over your cheek, his brow furrowing. “Now it’s all there. Every moment. Every damn thing. I remember our girls, our wedding, us. And it’s... it’s real. But it feels like it shouldn’t be. Like it’s a dream I’m gonna wake up from any second.”

Your heart clenched at the raw vulnerability in his voice. You reached up, covering his hand with yours, grounding him. “It’s not a dream, Logan. This is real. We’re real. Laura and Gabby are real. You’re their dad, my husband, and the man who’s been by my side through everythin’. You’ve got us, and we’ve got you.”

His eyes softened, but there was still a shadow of doubt lingering in them. “Feels like I’ve been walkin’ around with a piece missin’, and now it’s slammed back into place all at once. It’s almost too much.”

You stepped closer, wrapping your arms around his waist and resting your head against his chest. His heart thundered beneath your ear, fast and unsteady, but his arms came around you like they always had, holding you tightly. “You don’t have to figure it all out tonight,” you murmured. “We’ll take it one step at a time. Together.”

Logan buried his face in your hair, his breath hitching as he clung to you. “I missed this,” he said, so quietly you almost didn’t catch it. “Even when I didn’t know what I was missin’, I missed this.”

You smiled against his chest, your tears dampening the fabric of his shirt. “You’re home now,” you whispered. “That’s what matters.”

He nodded against you, pulling back just enough to look into your eyes. “You’re somethin’ else, ya know that?” he said, his lips twitching into a faint, almost self-conscious smile. “Don’t deserve you.”

“You’re wrong,” you said firmly, your hand coming up to rest against his cheek. “We deserve each other. And we deserve this life we’ve built. It hasn’t been perfect, Logan, but it’s ours. And it’s worth every fight.”

Logan’s hand slid to the small of your back, his thumb tracing lazy circles there. His gaze held yours for a long moment before he dipped his head, pressing a lingering kiss to your forehead. “Thanks, darlin’,” he murmured. “For not givin’ up on me.”

“Never,” you said softly, a smile tugging at your lips. “Now, let’s get back to the girls. They’ll probably think we’re plotting something if we’re gone too long.”

Logan huffed a quiet laugh, the sound easing some of the tension in his expression. “Yeah, don’t need Gabby comin’ up with some wild theory about why we’re takin’ our time.”

You chuckled, threading your fingers through his as you began walking back toward the living area. “She’d have us starring in some kind of superhero soap opera.”

“Kid’s got a hell of an imagination,” Logan muttered, though there was unmistakable fondness in his tone.

As the two of you reached the living room, Laura and Gabby looked up from the couch where they were sprawled out with popcorn and a movie on the screen. Gabby’s face lit up when she saw you, and she patted the spot next to her enthusiastically. “C’mon, Daddy! We saved you a seat!”

Logan glanced at you, his lips quirking in a small, grateful smile. “Think I better take her up on that,” he murmured.

“You better,” you teased, giving him a nudge. “I’ll grab some drinks and join you.”

He squeezed your hand once before letting go, striding over to settle between his daughters. Gabby immediately curled up against him, and Laura leaned over to steal a piece of his popcorn, earning a mock growl from him.

As you watched the three of them together, laughter bubbling up from the couch, you felt a deep sense of peace settle over you. Logan might still be navigating the storm in his mind, but he was here. And with time, you knew he’d come to fully embrace the life he’d found again.

and it's a happy ever after!!

this was meant to be much shorter. actually, i originally wasn't going to include logan getting his memories back and just make that into a bonus chapter but i couldn't stand it. if it's gonna be a happy ever after i had to go all the way.

and i have i have an idea of how they found laura that does not involve the logan movie. cause, no, no, no, they are getting their happy ending.

with that in mind, again, if anyone is interested in reading about how reader and logan got married, found laura, had gabby, let me know! or, if you have any ideas of stories you want me to tell with reader and logan don't be afraid to ask! (i might have already started writing for the alternate timeline...)

#logan howlett x reader #logan howlett x you #wolverine x reader #wolverine x you #james howlett x reader #james howlett x you #logan howlett #logan howlett fanfiction #logan howlett x fem!reader #logan howlett fic #i love you in every time

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yanderelovebites · 2 days ago

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More to this, not much, but imagine Jason after he comes back can also see them and just learned not fuck around and find out. Have it mildly annoy Damian, Tim and Dick. Bruce doesn’t think much of it since Jason visits instead of living there so doesn’t take into account that he’s the only one who isn’t really messed with.

Just imagine him stay for a sum of days and Damian irritated that first he gave batsis ice cream and then Damian suddenly gets flour fallen on his head, not hiding him just painting him white. Martha just giggles from the shelf.

Dick comes over and doesn’t see Jason despite the fact he knew he was staying over for a few days. Later comes back with Batsis from a Halloween fest and ask where they’ve been and Jason just bluntly replies “The amusement park you told (name) you’d take her to last week… and never showed up for yesterday.” Then thomas trips dick with a loose floorboard.

Tim gets annoyed Jason and her are playing a PVP game in the living room and the ghostly grandparents hide his phone and controllers in the bathroom. Jason just laughs the mischief.

The three question why nothing bad ever happens to him. Man is like: “maybe because I’m not a complete dick to the only non-vigilante member in this household? Or give false promises repeatedly?”

Imagine Jason is how they learn Martha and Thomas are haunting them like some time after learning he sees ghosts. Maybe Tim thinks Batsis is going crazy because she caught her talking to someone and Jason is like “No she’s just talking to Granny Martha.” And they’re like “TALKING TO WHO?!”

Jason literally knows better because Martha probably spoke to him once she realized he could see her. He was so embarrassed he tried so hard to appease them and batsis he didn’t realize how long he had been fucking with the other four until maybe the first few instances. But as soon as it comes out he’s like “We had our fun, but yeah yall have Bruce’s parents haunting your asses. They hella protective and of (name). I mean look at a picture of Martha and her next to each other man.”

Imagine they forget to tell Bruce because time and dick are shocked and Damian figured he must know by now right?

Been seeing a lot of neglected batsis fics but may I say?

Imagine if Thomas and Martha Wayne’s ghosts are also looking out for neglected reader not just Alfred. It’s even better if batsis can see them. Just imagine the impact one day if batsis started wearing makeup in a way Martha did, maybe styles her hair like hers too because ghost Martha teaches them how to be a lady.

Bonus points if batsis is another biological kid to Bruce. The shame the couple feel when Bruce neglects her.

They get annoyed with Damian the most because that’s his sister, what the hell was he thinking? Imagining Martha ghost blows the card Bruce set to the side on Father’s Day right in his face XD

I could make a list of scenarios of ghost grandparents being good grandparents for batsis. Imagine one time Batsis asked to do something with Tim and Tim rejects her rudely so Thomas makes his computer short-circuit.

Martha would cut his phone off. Weirdly it works JUST FINE when off the property.

Thomas hides Damian’s katana because he used it on batsis. They can’t find it for weeks until Alfred goes up to the attic and there it is in a box labeled ‘Disappointment’. They freeze dick next time he visits for not keeping a promise… the list could go on.

Meanwhile batsis is taking a business course because Thomas insisted, completely unbothered.

Imagine they forget her birthday and they for the next week ruin any cake that comes in the house.

And when they do their turn around imagine they lock the door of whoever locked batsis’s room last until next meal time. Nothing works to let them out. NOTHING. Oh they told her she couldn’t have friends? Oh look your window is wide open and they just made them all go to sleep.

Just some thoughts :3

#yandere batfam #batsis!reader #batsiblings #batfam x batsis #batfam neglect #martha wayne #thomas wayne #tim drake #dick grayson #jason todd #bruce wayne #batman #batsis

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stxrslutrestored · 14 hours ago

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SILENT TREATMENT

pairing; rafe cameron x sweetie reader

summary; even after your little confrontation, rafe continues to neglect you, so when he tries to give you his affections, you decide to give him a taste of his own medicine, little do you know how well that may end for you

content; body worship, oral (f receiving)

authors note; re upload! part 2 of waiting for you

last night was good, you wake up feeling relieved, happy to have finally resolved your issue with rafe. you can’t wait to spend time with him today. you roll over when you feel him stir, a smile pasted on your lips, “mornin’ rafe,” you grin, hand coming up to caress his sleepy face. he looks so pretty in the mornings.

a little smile creeps onto his lips as well, his eyes peel open and he meets your loving gaze, “hi sweetheart.”

you move to cuddle closer to him, but to your surprise he sits up. you sit up too, but don’t follow him as he gets out of bed and grabs his clothes.

you tilt your head in slight confusion, but you keep smiling, “where you goin’? we only just woke up.” you’re dreading the next sentence to come out of his mouth.

he nods absently, “yeah uh.. I just—” he points to the door over his shoulder, “got some work to do.” his voice trails off, and before you know it, he’s walking out the door.

son of a bitch.

you sit there for a few minutes in the company of your own silence. you can’t believe it. you’d had a whole fight last night, he’d acknowledged that he was prioritising work too much, and now, at seven in the morning, with no deadline, he’s gone back to it. without paying you a single glance at that.

you get over it, sure, you are totally over it. you spend the day with yourself, but you can’t help but be peeved the entire time. in the evening you make yourself a meal, only yourself, one portion. rafe is nowhere to be seen, so why should you cook for him?

when he comes downstairs you are on the couch watching the tv with your meal in a tray on your lap. he walks over to the kitchen where the empty pot lies still on the stove. upon opening the lid of the pot and finding nothing his face falls, “you didn’t cook for both of us?” he asks, brows furrowed as he speaks to the back of your head.

“I didn’t know you wanted food.” you say, “been workin’ all day, didn’t even know if you were gonna come down.” you take another mouthful of your meal.

“what am I supposed to eat?” his face contorts in slight frustration. he looks like a kicked puppy. he hadn’t had to actually think about what to get for dinner for ages, you’d always taken care of it.

“I don’t know,” you put a sickly sweet twinge in your voice, “you could get takeout… or cook. do you know how to do that?” you know it’s a bit of a mean comment but god dammit you’re hurt. he’s hurt you and you will hurt him back until he realises how shitty he’s treated you.

it continues all week. the snarky comments and disregards of each other. rafe keeps to his work and you keep to yourself.

you both ignore it with great passion. neither of you caring to acknowledge all the feelings, knowing that when you do, it will be a turmoil that you just don’t want to face.

of course it has to happen, and in a turn of unexpected events, it’s rafe who initiates the conversation.

you’re just getting into your night clothes when he enters the room, speaking your name. he leans against the doorframe to talk to you. “you look nice.” he says bluntly.

you smile, but you don’t look up at him, “thankyou.” you slip your nightdress on and then stand to walk over to bed.

he sighs and meets you before you can sit down, “uhm.. d’you wanna.. maybe do something..” he asks, it’s awkward, he barely ever has to ask, normally it just happens. his hand rests on your hip.

you shrug, “I don’t know.. I’m pretty tired actually.” you tell him, looking up at him, and yet it’s not an intimate eye contact like it should be right before you climb into bed with him.

“come on.” he murmurs, “let’s just.. be together y’know.” he smirks tentatively, rubbing your hip now, but you don’t return his energy.

“no. I think I’d rather just go to sleep. you can lie with me if you want.” you make to move past him but he stops you, holding you back.

“no.” he raises his voice slightly but quickly corrects his tone. “no— no you’re- you’re ignorin’ me.” he pulls you in front of him, his head cranes down just a little bit to keep your gaze. “I know why. okay— I get it but— I- I can’t make it up to you if you don’t let me.”

you shake your head, “I don’t know what you’re talking about rafe,” you speak so matter of factly, “I just wanna go to sleep right now.”

“no. no.” he pushes you back, “let— lemme make it up to you.” he speaks, frowning in upset, “I can show you I- let me show you that I’m sorry okay.”

you furrow your eyebrows, it’s not like rafe to speak like this, he’s never sorry for anything he does, he believes every action he takes has a purpose and that nobody has a right to complain about them. rafe saying sorry is basically him admitting he’s completely and utterly pussy whipped.

you stay sceptical though, “mhm. what are you gonna do to show me rafe? fuck me? again? for the one hundredth something time in our relationship?” you raise an eyebrow.

rafe stutters, thoughts faltering as you call out the plan he thought to be impeccable. “I’m- I’m not just gonna fuck you.. okay I- I-”

“you’re what? gonna make love to me? touch my innocence? be intimate—” the agitation in your voice starts to come through, you do just want to get into bed.

his hands come to your shoulders, but the touch is gentle, not firm or commanding like it normally is. he hesitates for a moment and then makes a decisive noise. suddenly he’s lowering all the way to his knees, hands still firm on your shoulders.

“I- I love you okay.” he looks up to you, blinking away the tears forming in his eyes. his hands pull at your nightdress, tugging it off and discarding it to the floor. his hands run down your body.

“love this body,” he says, “love you. love you so much.” he kisses your lower tummy, maybe in an effort to hide his now falling tears. you didn’t think your silent treatment would provoke such an emotional reaction from him.

“rafe…” you frown, hand coming to the back of his head as he looks right back up to you. you think about telling him to leave it because you feel bad, but then you realise that this despair in him could get you something good, and so you decide to be selfish. “show me.” you tell him, “show me how much you love me.”

rafe’s head lowers and he begins to move down your body. he starts to place wet open mouthed kisses on every spot that his face passes and his hands follow after. he works his way all the way down until he’s kissing just above your pussy.

“god.” he exhales, “gonna— gonna show you okay.” his hands come up to support your hips as he brings his face down again and his open mouth comes into contact with your most sensitive spot.

you seethe a breath, legs weakening from the contact but his grip on you is strong and he keeps you upright as he begins to move his mouth.

he kisses and sucks with ease, tongue swirling around your clit. you have to hold back surprise at the fact he’s so good at this, you’re not sure he’s ever eaten you out before.

he lets out little murmurs and breaths that seem to send vibrations through your entire body. you have to throw your head back in pleasure, you feel so good.

rafe comes back for a breath, pulling away with a pop. his lips and chin are glistening with your wetness, he looks up to you with wide eyes and swollen lips.

“do you believe me.” he asks breathlessly, he looks so desperate. so desperate. you take sympathy on him, his hurt puppy look, those wide sad eyes.

you nod, “I believe you. I know you love me.” you smile down at him. he lets out a breath of relief, a smile forming on his own shiny lips.

he keeps your gaze for a moment and then he goes back down, now with a newfound energy that just makes it so much better. with his face still buried in your pussy he makes to turn you around so that you can fall back onto the bed. you realise now, that you are in for a good night.

#lily writes 𝜗𝜚 #rafe cameron prompt #sweetie!reader #rafe cameron concept #rafe cameron drabble #rafe cameron fic #rafe cameron blurb #rafe cameron obx #rafe cameron smut #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron imagine #rafe outer banks #rafe cameron #rafe x reader

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annebd · 1 day ago

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winter warmers, day 17: public sex/hot cocoa ~2700 words. this fic is based loosely off the pics and my tags on this post.

“Final grades are already submitted, mate. The time for bribery has come and gone.”

“Very funny, Daniel.” Max places the cup of hot cocoa on Daniel’s desk. A little bit of the whipped cream has sputtered out of the hole at the top. He swipes at it and licks the foam off his finger. He watches Daniel watching him. “Extra whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, like you like it. And anyway, it’s not a bribe because you are not my teacher anymore. That’s the point."

Max slouches off his backpack and dumps it in a heap on the floor in front of the threadbare armchair next to Daniel’s desk. He throws off his jacket, too- slings it over the back of the chair- before slumping to sit, his legs spread wide. He’s spent the better part of the semester in this exact position, big blue eyes staring raptly at Daniel across the desk, counting down the minutes until this moment. Now it’s Daniel’s turn to stare.

“Max…” he warns.

The door to Daniel’s tiny, cramped office is wide open, but it’s quiet. It’s late into the evening on the last day of the semester. The university is almost entirely deserted by now. All of the students abandoned campus the moment they finished their last exams over the week, and the professors have all gone home for the day, leaving their TAs to put together the final touches on grading for the end of the semester.

Daniel’s office is at the end of a long corridor in the dingy, mostly unused section of the English department. There’s a janitor’s closet next door that contains nothing more than a single mop and a broken plastic bucket. The empty office across the hall has a bigger desk than his and an actually functioning window, but when Daniel asked if he could move over there instead, his advisor had thrown around words like “seniority” and “tenure” and “paying his dues.” So he’s been stuck in this shoe closet for the past two years, while a perfectly good office lies empty just a few steps away. He likes to complain to Max about it when he’s feeling particularly resentful about some university bullshit or other. Max just likes to listen to him talk.

The office is, as usual, empty. As is the janitor’s closet. As is every other office or storage room down the hallway, all the way to the elevator bank, where the lone lightbulb is flickering intermittently, casting dancing shadows along the wall. They’re alone in the building for now. No one else is around.

Max tells Daniel this.

“No one else, huh?” Daniel leans back in his own chair, matches Max’s slouching posture. He takes a sip of the cocoa. Savors it. Takes another. “And what exactly am I supposed to do with that information?”

“You know what, Daniel. You are not my teacher anymore. This stupid class is over. No more Beowulf, thank god. And now I can have you. You said.”

“You can have me?” Daniel cuts himself off. “Jesus, Max. That’s definitely one way to phrase it.”

“Always you and your phrasing. I still am upset about when you took points off my essay for that, by the way.”

Daniel laughs.

Max doesn’t. He glances at the open door, which offers a clear view down the hallway. Still empty. Not so much as a faint footstep click-clacking in the distance.

He stands and turns Daniel’s swivel chair outwards a little so that he has enough space to kneel down in front of him.   “Max,” Daniel warns him again, but his voice is softer this time. He’s not protesting. He’s looking down at Max, who’s already sliding his hands up and down the soft, worn denim encasing Daniel’s thighs.

“You have to say yes. You already said we could, but you have to say you want this now.” Max sits back onto his heels, and immediately feels colder being even six inches further away from Daniel. “Will you say yes, for me? Say that I can have you?”

Daniel runs a hand across his stubbled cheek, lets it cover his mouth for a moment. Max watches the light catch on his gold rings and dance across the wall. Daniel pulls off his glasses (an affectation, he’d once told Max. His prescription is so weak that he can get by fine without them, but they help sell the look. PhD student in English Lit, rather than tatted bogan) and looks at Max with wide eyes. Max looks back.

“Yes,” he says. “All right? I’m saying yes. You can have me.”

“Okay,” Max agrees and pushes Daniel’s grey sweater up so that he can lean in and suck a bruise into the center of his chest. He pulls back to look at it. His own mark on Daniel’s skin. Daniel has told him about some of his tattoos, and he’s seen some, of course, but he knows that there are others yet to be discovered. He’ll find every last one with his eyes and then his tongue. For now, he’ll add a few more of his own.

Daniel groans when Max sets his teeth against Daniel’s nipple. “Fuck, babe. Not even a kiss first? Right to the nipple play, huh?”

Max pulls back. Daniel’s right: they should kiss. He lets the sweater fall out of his hands and pulls Daniel by the back of the knees so that he slides lower in the chair. Max pushes into the space between Daniel’s spread legs so that they’re chest to chest.

Daniel looks soft like this, vulnerable, as he looks up to where Max hovers slightly taller than him. Max is used to Daniel taking up so much space: big laugh, big personality, big hair. But here, underneath Max’s hands, he’s small. His baggy sweaters hide a narrow waist, tapering to bony hips- delicate wrists extending to long, nail-bitten fingers. Max wants to cover him completely, hide him from the world, keep him for himself. That wouldn’t be fair, though. The world would be so much smaller without Daniel in it.

He cups his hand around Daniel’s cheek, his beard prickling ticklishly against Max’s palm.

“Hi,” Daniel says, quietly.

“Hello, Daniel,” Max says and then leans in for a kiss. It’s softer than he’s expecting, given the stubble situation. Daniel’s lips are warm against his, and they press together for just a moment before Max pulls away to look at him. He never gets tired of looking at Daniel.

He moves back in, harder this time, Daniel’s mouth opening for his, and he licks his way inside. He sucks on Daniel’s tongue, where the taste of cocoa and cinnamon is still lingering. Daniel kisses back- biting, bruising kisses that send a shock of pleasure direct to Max’s cock. He could spend hours here, days, years, just feeling the pressure of Daniel’s mouth on his.

But he has plans that extend beyond just a few heated kisses.

He has wanted this since the very first day of the semester, when he walked into that stupid Brit Lit classroom with his stupid copy of Beowulf and saw the hottest person he’s ever seen in his life sitting cross legged on the desk upfront, waving him in and telling him to grab a seat, that they’re just getting started.

He’d sat in the closest seat to the front, dead center, and spent the next three months contributing minimally to the in-class discussions that Daniel led, and instead, daydreamed about bending him over the lectern and fucking him until he cried. He did fine on exams, wrote marginally passable essays (phrasing issues aside), but couldn’t be bothered to contribute to the inanity of the conversations around him when he could spend that time imagining the taste of Daniel’s golden honey skin if he licked him all the way from his collarbone to his cock.

Soon enough, he’d started showing up to Daniel’s office hours twice a week, and then inviting himself to sit in the office whenever he knew Daniel would be there. He’d plop himself in the armchair and tap away at his homework for other classes (“the ones that matter, Daniel”) while Daniel worked on grading essays and occasionally tapped away at the doc that will eventually become his thesis.

And in that time, Max’s fantasies turned from the desk in the lecture hall to the desk right here in this cramped office. He’s spent many an afternoon sitting in the ratty armchair and watching Daniel work, while picturing doing exactly what he’s doing now: pressing his lips against Daniel’s and sliding his hand underneath his sweater to pinch a nipple, drawing out a low moan.

Daniel had always said no. Not until the semester was over; not while he was still in a position of power over Max.

And now they’re here. The semester is done, Daniel is no longer his TA, and Max can live out every last one of his fantasies.

Without breaking the kiss, he grabs Daniel around the waist and levers him up and out of the chair so that he can spin him around to sit on the edge of his desk. He leans around Daniel’s side to close the lid of his laptop and set it on the chair, which frees up the space he needs to lay him out flat on his back and start pulling at his clothes.

“Off,” he says, and shoves the hem of the sweater up so that Daniel will remove it completely. He reaches down to take off Daniel’s boots and then unzips his jeans and pulls them off. Between the two of them it’s quick work until Daniel is naked, save for his socks and the gold chain around his neck. He’s on his back with his ass at the edge of the desk and his thighs already falling open for Max to fit perfectly between.

Max takes a moment to appreciate the sight in front of him. Daniel’s tan is still a perfect golden, even now in the startling cold of mid-December. He’s lithe, deceptively muscled for how slender he is, further camouflaged by the baggy sweaters and hoodies he’s usually draped in. But like this, all of him on full display for Max’s pleasure, he’s a perfect specimen of toned muscle.

There are more tattoos even than Max expected- his thighs especially are a quilt of color. Max ignores them for now. There will be plenty of time for them to become more intimately acquainted later. For now, Max has other issues to attend to- like licking that stripe across Daniel’s torso. Collarbone to cock, and then back again.

He must stare for a hair too long, because Daniel starts to curl in on himself, shy in a way that Max has never seen him before. That can’t stand. Max leans down to kiss him again, pressing his hardening cock, still trapped inside his jeans, against Daniel’s, which forces his legs wide again. He wraps them around Max’s back and tugs him in closer.

They kiss lazily for a while until Max is so hard that the press of his cock against his zipper is a physical ache. He unzips and pulls himself out, immediately thrusting into the hollow where Daniel’s hip meets his thigh, precome slicking the way.

“I’m going to fuck you now,” he says, no beating around the bush.

He makes quick work of sliding on a condom and then slicking his cock and Daniel’s hole with a tiny packet of lube, both of which he’d tucked into his pocket earlier this evening.

He pushes in and feels the warmth of Daniel surrounding his cock. Daniel’s eyes widen and he gasps when Max bottoms out. He’s not huge, but his cock is thick, and he can feel Daniel’s hole fluttering around him to accommodate his girth. He moves slowly, letting him get used to the stretch.

“Fuck, Max,” Daniel chokes out as Max thrusts in to the hilt again. “More, please.”

“So polite for me. Of course, Daniel. I’ll give you everything you want.” And he does. For long minutes, he focuses on nothing more than the connection between their bodies, Daniel’s entirely naked and Max’s still fully clothed. He’s insane with the sensation, the knowledge that Daniel is giving himself over to Max so completely, letting Max take care of him.

He’s on the verge of coming when Max feels Daniel still beneath him for a moment, his gaze focused over Max’s shoulder. “Max, the door.”

“Yes. It’s still open. Anyone could walk past and see us. They could see you all spread out for me. For my cock. They could hear you, too, of course. Because you’re being very loud with your moans, Daniel.” He pushes in deep, makes sure to stroke firmly across Daniel’s prostate. He waits for him to moan and then does it again. “Just like that.”

Daniel shudders and clenches down around Max’s cock. It’s Max’s turn to moan out loud. He can feel Daniel starting to tremble beneath him. He reaches for Daniel’s cock and starts jerking him roughly.

“Now, Daniel,” he says. “Come for me now. Please.”

Daniel closes his eyes and pulls Max down over him, presses their mouths together. He licks across Max’s teeth as he comes. Max follows immediately behind, filling the condom and wishing they could do this bare. Imagines the feeling of filling Daniel instead, spurting deep inside him. He groans again as his hips kick up reflexively. He adds that to the mental tally for next time. There will absolutely need to be a next time.

They take their time cleaning up. Max grabbed a stack of napkins when he brought Daniel’s hot cocoa earlier. They don’t make for the most glamorous post-fuck clean up, but they’ll do.

When their clothes are back in place and they look mostly presentable again, Max tugs teasingly at the chain around Daniel’s neck, pulls him in for a kiss.

“Thank you for waiting for me,” Daniel tells him softly.

Then, he grins big for a second. “Oh, and for the cocoa, too. Delish, mate.”

Max just rolls his eyes. “You’re welcome. For both. Now, come. I need to take you home and fuck you some more. On a big bed, where I can take my time.”

He waits for Daniel to gather his things and turn out the lights in the office. He’ll finish his last bit of grading over the weekend, he tells Max.

They walk down the hall to the elevator, Max with one hand wrapped around Daniel’s hip and a thumb tucked through his belt loop.

As they near the elevator bank, they both freeze. Just a few doors down from Daniel’s office, they see light streaming out from Dr. Lambiase’s office, light that definitely hadn’t been there when Max showed up earlier.

They turn to look at each other, their eyes huge. Slowly, they walk towards the open door and freeze again when a familiar voice calls out from a familiar face. “Evening, boys. I thought I was already done for the day, but I had to come all the way back to campus to grab a couple of folders before break. You two all done for the evening?”

Neither of them says anything. Dr. Lambiase raises an eyebrow at them.

Max nudges Daniel to answer; he’s the TA. Not Dr. Lambiase’s TA, of course, but still. Max is just a student.

Daniel hurries to spit out, “Yeah, yep, we’re all done. Max just had a couple questions from the final exam, but we’re all good now, so we’re gonna go, have a good night, see you later.” He waves, prompts Max to do the same, and then speedwalks them down the rest of the hallway, where they wait in silence for the elevator to arrive.

“Oh my god,” Daniel says as soon as the elevator doors close. “Oh my god!”

“Well,” Max intones. “I guess we can check that one off the fantasy list, then?”

They look at each other silently for a second and then collapse into each other in a pile of giggles. Yeah, Max is definitely going to cross that one off the list.

#winterwarmers2024 #my fic #maxiel #how in the name of sanity is this nearly pushing 3k words?#when i started doing winterwarmers this month #i assumed that each of the fics would be like 500 words at most #this is insanity #also gp was definitely not supposed to make an appearance in this #but then i was like #maybe maybe maybe #😈

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hbyrde36 · 3 days ago

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Love, Lies, Bleeding

Steddie | R: Mature/Teen | One-shot | WC: 2122 | AO3

When Vecna was defeated and the Upside Down was dead and gone as if it had never existed, and all their various wounds were well on their way to healing, the in-the-know citizens of Hawkins who’d fought for its future set to the task of learning to live a normal life again. A life unburdened by savage monsters and the dark force that had toiled beneath their feet for so many awful years.

It was less of a surprise and more of a surrender to the inevitable when, in the midst of all that living, Steve and Eddie finally fell into bed together.

It happened on a night like many others, after the pair had spent a full day running the kids all over town, to the movies, the arcade, the diner, with Steve still playing chauffeur to a group of teenagers who were a few years away from getting licenses of their own.

And jobs.

And money.

He didn’t really mind, if he was honest, and he minded even less now that Eddie often tagged along too. The dark haired boy had a way of making any situation fun, no matter how dull and mundane.

After dropping off the last rugrat, they stopped to pick up a six-pack, and on Eddie’s suggestion drove out to the old quarry to enjoy a few beers under the stars, and some time together away from the watchful eyes of the party.

It wasn’t the first time Steve had felt the pull of Eddie’s unique charm, or noticed the way his eyes shined bright under the full moon, or the way his plush pink lips looked so inviting as they wrapped around the tip of his beer bottle, but it was the first time that he felt brave enough to do something about it. To lean in and take those lips with his own, to lick into Eddie’s mouth and taste the cheap beer on his tongue.

It was divine.

They didn’t actually make it to a bed that first time, both of them too pent up from weeks of denials and pining, leading to quick and dirty shared handjobs in the backseat of Steve’s BMW.

Eddie assured Steve that it was fine, better than fine, that it fulfilled a long held teenage fantasy that he’d never in a million years thought would come true.

They made it to Steve’s bed the second time though, later that same night, and the third and the fourth times, and within a week they were officially a sickeningly sweet couple who couldn’t keep their hands off each other and spent every spare second together.

The first time Steve saw it happen, was by pure chance.

After Eddie had sucked his soul out through his dick yet again, and he’d happily and eagerly returned the favor, they’d both dropped off into a deep, contented sleep.

Or so Steve thought.

He’d jerked awake not long after passing out with a charley horse in his calf, clamping his mouth shut against the yelp of pain that was desperate to escape. There was no need for Eddie to lose sleep too over a stupid cramp.

Except Eddie was in no danger of being woken up, because he was nowhere to be found. His still-warm side of the bed was empty and the bathroom door stood wide open revealing it to be vacant as well. If not for the soft footsteps on the roof just outside his window Steve might have thought Eddie was downstairs getting a drink of water, but one peek through the curtain confirmed his fears.

With a pit in his stomach Steve climbed back into bed, and stared at that window into the wee hours.

He never did find out how Eddie got back inside in the morning without alerting him. Despite his confusion and heartache at seeing his boyfriend slink away under the cover of darkness, Steve had eventually fallen back asleep, too exhausted from speculating and crying to stay awake. All he knew was that when the sunrise greeted him through the open curtains, the warmth on his face was mirrored by the warmth on his back, where Eddie was pressed up against him, holding him close like he always did, as though everything before had been nothing more than a bad dream.

The next night, and every night after, Steve would pretend to be asleep, listening and watching in secret as Eddie slipped from the bed and tiptoed over to the window, opening it as carefully and quietly as he could before crawling out onto the flat part of the roof, jumping down to the concrete below.

For weeks Steve said nothing. He didn’t know what to think, or how to confront Eddie without running the risk of ruining what they had with any kind of accusation.

Apart from Eddie’s nightly escapades, and the fact that Steve was starting to suffer from some serious sleep deprivation, things were good—great even. Steve had never felt so seen and supported by a romantic partner before, and the sex was hands-down the best he’d ever had.

They were happy.

So happy, that if Steve were a heavier sleeper, if he didn’t know what he knew, he’d think he was in love, and that Eddie was too.

He didn’t want to believe Eddie was cheating on him, but there were limited reasons he could come up with as to why a guy would sneak out of his boyfriend’s bed in the middle of the night without wanting said boyfriend to know.

And the longer it went on, the harder it became to pretend nothing was wrong.

“Where do you go at night?” The fateful question, which had to come eventually, fell unbidden from Steve's lips one morning the moment he opened his eyes, before he could so much as think about talking himself out of it.

Eddie was out of bed and halfway to the bathroom, his bare back to Steve. At the words, he froze, body stiffening, but he didn’t turn around.

“I know, Eddie. I’ve seen you,” Steve went on in a whisper, when Eddie continued to be silent and unmoving. “I’ve known for a while now. I must have watched you crawl out my window a dozen times or more and it’s—” his voice cracked as he choked back a sob. “It’s breaking my fucking heart.”

Eddie bowed his head, his shoulders dropping heavily in defeat, but still he refused to turn and look Steve in the eye.

“I don’t understand. Is there someone else?” Steve asked, finally giving voice to his greatest fear.

That at least seemed to finally snap Eddie out of it. He whirled, turning horror-filled eyes to Steve that glistened with unshed tears. Rushing back over to the bed, he threw himself down on his knees in front of it, where Steve sat half-hidden beneath the covers.

“I would never. Sweetheart, you mean everything to me. I swear to you, that’s not—” Eddie trailed off with a shake of his head, his voice lowering to an almost imperceptible whisper when he spoke again.

“It’s so much worse.”

Steve begged to differ.

He could feel the sincerity in Eddie’s words and his body instantly sagged in relief at the confirmation that his boyfriend, the person he already thought of as the love of his life, wasn’t about to shatter his heart. In his mind, nothing could be worse than Eddie cheating on him.

“Eddie, whatever it is, I can handle it. It can’t be any worse than what I was imagining.” Steve reached down to pull Eddie up onto the bed with him, coaxing him into his lap.

“You say that now, but you don’t know!” Eddie wailed, hiding his face in Steve’s chest as his body shook. “What I’ve done—what I am? You’ll hate me. I hate me.”

Steve wrapped his arms tightly around Eddie as he broke down, rocking him back and forth and kissing his hair over and over again until he calmed.

“Oh, baby,” Steve cooed softly. “It’s alright. Whatever’s wrong, we'll deal with it together.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m a monster,” Eddie said through a sniffle.

“You’re not—”

“No, Steve, you don’t get it. I’m…” Eddie sat up abruptly, wiping his face hard with his hands. “Well, I don’t know what I am exactly.”

Steve’s brows drew together in confusion. “What are you saying?”

“I think… I think I’m a vampire. Or at least vampire adjacent?”

Steve cackled, unable to hold it in.

“It’s not funny!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Steve said, quieting himself, and reached out to cup Eddie’s cheek. “Really though, what’s going on? Are you sleepwalking? Do I need to start tying you down to the bed at night?”

Eddie stared off into space for a moment as though the idea had possibilities, but he quickly shook it off.

“I’m serious, Steve. The bats, I think they changed me.”

“That can’t be right,” Steve argued. “I got bit too, remember?”

“How could I forget?” Eddie smirked.

Warmth bloomed in Steve’s belly, but there would be time to deal with that later, for now he had to keep them both on track. “Eddie, focus.”

“Right,” Eddie sighed. “I’ve thought about that too and I think—don’t freak out—but I think the difference is, you survived their attack.”

Steve wasn’t following. “But… So did you?”

“Did I though?” Eddie asked gently, reaching up to cover Steve’s hand with his own, where it was still holding his face. “Dustin couldn’t find a pulse. Even you said I wasn’t breathing when you found us.”

“I said I thought you weren't breathing, but I'm not a doctor. Obviously I was wrong.” Steve bit at his bottom lip. “Baby, please tell me I was wrong.”

“It wasn’t obvious at first. My heart beats, I’m still warm, I still eat food and all. I didn’t even realize anything was wrong until a few weeks after everything went down. I was so tired all the time and there was this… thirst, that I couldn’t seem to quench. Then one day Wayne had a couple steaks thawing on the counter, just sitting there in a pool of red juices and I couldn’t look away from it. My mouth started to water and somehow I knew that was what I'd been craving, what I needed. The raw steak milkshake didn’t tide me over for long. I needed something fresher, warmer.”

“Why didn’t you come to me?” Steve blurted out, finding the whole idea was anything but a turn off. “You know I would have—”

“I know,” Eddie breathed, another small smile briefly playing on his lips. “Believe me, I thought about it, but we weren’t together yet, and you have no idea how grateful I am that I didn’t come to you for help.”

“Why?” Steve was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know.

Eddie looked down, letting his own hand drop and throwing off Steve’s touch. “I didn’t know. I swear to you Steve, I didn’t know.”

Steve wanted to scream but he kept his voice even and calm. “Didn’t know what?”

“I didn’t know that when I bit down on that poor homeless man’s neck I wouldn’t be able to stop!” Eddie shouted, raising his head to reveal fresh tears streaming in rivulets down his pale face. “I killed him.”

Okay. That certainly would put a damper on things. Steve quickly moved the fantasy of Eddie feeding at his neck as he fucked him, back in its box, and cradled his boyfriends face between both of his hands.

“I love you,” was all he could say.

“Didn't you hear what I just said?!” Eddie asked, defiantly. “I’m a murderer!”

“It doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”

“B-but, Steve, I—” Eddie sputtered, trying to look away again.

Steve didn’t let him, keeping his hold firm. “Do you love me?”

“More than anything,” Eddie replied with zero hesitation.

“Okay.” Steve grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to Eddie’s lips, tasting the salt from his still drying tears.

“O-okay?” Eddie asked, when he pulled back. “Steve, it didn’t stop with one homeless man. I tried animals but it wasn’t the same. I’ve killed, like, a dozen people by now.”

“I understand,” Steve said, because he did.

And he knew exactly what they needed to do now.

First, and most important, order of business was keeping Eddie out of jail. They needed a system, some way to find victims who wouldn’t be missed, people who had it coming, bad guys who deserved justice that always seemed to elude them.

“How do you feel about vigilantes?”

Many thanks as always to my amazing besties @penny00dreadful and @pearynice for the encouragement and beta work! 😘

Permanent taglist(open): @penny00dreadful @pearynice @sidekick-hero @firefly-party @bookworm0690

@wonderland-girl143-blog @goodolefashionedloverboi @themagicalari @awkwardgravity1 @rocknrollsalad

#I think Sam put it best #“Steve will do anything for love”#“and he WILL do THAT”#steddie fanfic #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #stranger things #steve x eddie #steve harrington/eddie munson #steddie fic #stranger things fanfiction

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echantedtoon · 3 days ago

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A Lovers' Circle (Poly Haishira x Reader) Ch23 Christmas Spent Together

Taglist: @shadyd3ar @jcrml

@tengensangel @miniverse-zen @mysteri0uz @jjamsbangtan

@the-unknown-fandom

@lavenderdropp @mimisweetz. @purplesoulsapphire

@kksmush @denkpanda18 @whomisi @lessthanimperfect @silver-rin

@namis-noodlebox

@k1ttyluverz @akiramente

@rascalraccoon @ravenclawkae1

@gilded-sunrays @crescent-blades

@yukari1k @bloodymarysgirl21

@artbyrebel @abaker74 @lunarluna9482

@rainbowidol

Remember if you want to be added to the taglist lemme know

(Warnings for Obanai having a small panic attack.)

The most wonderful time of the year. Christmas.

Or that seemed to be what people thought a whole lot. You loved the holiday just as much as the next person but you didn't like all the holiday hassle and the stress of getting Christmas presents before everything was bought out and gone already. You thought shopping was supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Sigh. No matter. You had everything you needed.

You sighed as the crinkling of paper sounded out. The reindeer printed wrapping paper getting folded up and tapped down over the folded pink sweater you've gotten for Mitsuri just two weeks ago. Next Tuesday would be Christmas so you needed to have everything wrapped up before then.

"Will you be celebrating the holiday with your Aunt?" Gyomei looked up from where he was helping you wrap up the items you had gotten for everyone. Minus the book you had gotten him of course. "Mitsuri will understand if you couldn't come to her play."

Again you sighed. "I wanted to, but turns out she's going to be busy again." Something about having predictions and needing to hang up mistletoe around the city?? You never understood her crazy thinking. "So Im going to be free to spend it with you guys. What about your mom?"

"She never celebrated the holiday. Says it wasn't something she has interest in," he replied tapping down the corner of a mini box that held a cute bracelet you thought Kanae would like. "You certainly have been busy this month."

"Well I'm about to be out of works for almost two weeks until Christmas break is over. I figured I might as well do everything I can before then." Gently placing the bow wrapped up sweater to the side, you sighed. "I just want all the stress to be over with."

He hummed reaching out a hand to pat your shoulder. "Do not worry too much. In only a few days you'll be getting a break from the stress and then you'll have nothing to worry about."

You guessed he was right. Your stressful shopping was done with and you only had this last week of work and classes before break. Really all you had to do was to pose for Tengen this weekend and then the next possibly. He had mentioned that he was almost done with his painting, so soon you'd no longer have to be his muse either. Thank goodness. So much was going on that you had little time for your boyfriend. You felt guilty about it but like always he was understanding of everything.

The rest of that week went on as normal. All gifts were wrapped up and ready to be handed out. Final notes were taken and assignments were turned in. Your final paycheck until January was cashed in. And you once again posed for Tengen that weekend before you could finally relax and enjoy one of two days before you got to go to the Christmas festival in the park right next to the University. The plan was to go to the festival before meeting back up with everyone to watch Mitsuri's play and then head on back to her house for a party she was hosting since most everyone else was spending Christmas Day with their families instead of each other. Sounded like a plan to you.

**************************************************

The snow looked beautiful today.

The soft snowflakes coming down from the skies fluttering and falling from the dark clouds but there was still enough light peeking out of the silver clouds to allow her to see what was in the sky. Like little shiny diamonds shining in the sunlight and sparkling in the sky on the way down until they joined the ground where they joined the white blanket covering the earth that sparkled more than a thousand strands of studded silk.

Her eyes scanned the beauty before her shivering as the wind blew the cold winter air across her body and dusting her with the sparkling snowflakes.

"Are you cold? You can have my jacket if you need it!"

You quickly held up a hand to Kyojuro as his hands immediately went to try and unbutton his jacket but stopped when you stopped him. "No. I'm ok. It's supposed to be cold after all. A white Christmas is the perfect Christmas!"

It was almost noon and already the skies were a little dark with clouds and sparkly snowflakes were falling despite the snow already being on the ground. Now here you were standing just a few feet away from the entrance next to your boyfriend and Kyojuro whom you offered to carpool with to the fair. You wouldn't have to meet at the University's theater until Mitsuri's play started at five, so you all had nearly five hours to kill and what better way than enjoying the festival?

You all slowly made your way towards the entrance to the park, feet crunching in snow and multiple people walking around you both in and out of the park.

Crowded, murmuring of a large crowd, smells of carnival food- Yep! You were in front of the park alright. Kyo motioned for you to follow him and you followed him as he began walking off towards the park entrance. Gyomei joined walking alongside you. There was a lot of people walking around you all as you went through the snow covered streets with the snow crunching under your feet, and being able to see your breath. The cold hitting your face as you looked around. It was really beautiful and perfect for Christmas.

Walking with them you all eventually heard and saw it. The many screams of delight, the smells of popcorn and other fair foods, distant fair music, and then the absolute menagerie of colors that hit you once the flood gates were passed. Your eyes widened seeing the many MANY booths lining the many splits and different walkways that the parks pathways split into. Lots were selling different items such as fan made merchandise, Christmas themed things, food, or some were games. You didn't see any rides though so it was probably a vendor only fair.

Kyojuro must've noticed your wonder filled eyes because he let out a small hum under his breath. "So. Where do you wish to go first?"

"How about the food booths?," Gyomei suggested. "I could use something to warm me up."

You nodded. "I'm down for that."

With you agreeing the group made your way to the left path where the smell of food was a lot more prominent and soon found yourselves walking down booths of popcorn, candied apples, some kind of meats on sticks, and of course the regular carnival foods of hot dogs, funnel cakes, sodas, corn dogs, and the like. You were drawn to one particular booth that was selling a variety of those items.

You chose to just get a cup of warm apple cider and a funnel cake compared to the two giant turkey drumsticks Kyojuro bought himself. You all began walking again soon after. Not sure where you'd be going now but Kyojuro seemed to be the lead so you went along with it as you a looked around the booths you passed with people shouting at you all or entertaining other people. one caught your eye and you suddenly paused, Gyomei did too when you suddenly weren't next to him. What caught your eye was a booth with a woman who was selling key chains with all kinds of cute and shiny metal kitsune charms. And as the small sign suggested all were just a dollar and by the size of the booth there was a decent amount.

"Is there something you like, Young Lady?," the older woman asked you with a smile.

You ended up getting a cute little white kitsune wearing a big red bow around it's neck. "Hang on a second." Your head tilted as you realized something. "Where'd they go?"

F/c eyes widened looking around before sighing when you realized the both of them was just a few booths away from you looking very interested in a booth that displayed some kind of game booth run by an older man. What the world was THAT?? You walked on over to where they were until you walked right up to the booth and the man behind it.

The elderly man in front of him practically lit up and gestured to the small machine behind him. And you realized what they were. There was tons of ornaments hanging up on a plastic Christmas tree that was spinning slowly around as they gently swayed on the rotating tree. Next to the rotating tree was a long fishing pole like thing only there was just a hook on the end without any line. Was it some kind of game?

"Hey guys." The two jumped and looked up as you addressed them, leaning over to blink at the game in front of you. "What's going on here?"

"Oh this?,'' the man asked gesturing to the tree behind him, "It's called 'Grab The Ornament'. You take one of these poles here like this." He demonstrated by grabbing one of said poles and extending it towards the tree. "Then you try to hook it through one of the loops holding the ornament to the branches like so. You get two tries. If you can get the hook through the hoop-" He managed to hook onto one of the pokeballs decorated in the pattern of a candy cane before pulling it from the tree branch. "Then you win a prize based on the numbers on he bottom. Although I can't guarantee what you'll get. It's all a mystery but that's all a part of the fun!" He casually pulled the ornament off the hook and just plopped it back onto one of the spinning branches. "Would you like to play? It's two dollars a person."

"Sure! Sounds like fun!"

You all watched as Kyo slapped down two dollars and proceeded to try and win a prize. His first try failed but on his second try he managed to hook onto an ornament that had little santa hats printed all over it. Holding it proudly up to Gyomei who couldn't resist also giving it a try of his own- You blinked when someone nudged your side and looked up towards Kyo's smiling face.

"You wanna try giving it a go?", he asked gesturing to the game. "I don't think you played anything yet."

You blinked but shook your head. "Nah. I couldn't. Wasn't ever good at fishing let alone games anyways. I doubt I could even catch one that's moving."

He hummed looking between you and the booth just as Gyomei held up his catch of a shiny red, green, and white striped ball..before smiling. You rose a confused brow as he strolled right up to the booth, reached into his coat pocket, and then slapped down two dollars onto the booth again.

"I'd like a chance to play again, Good Sir!" He happily beamed at the booth man who was happy to take the money presented to him.

"Kyo!" He turned to you as you gestured to him in shock. "What are you doing? I didn't mean for you to actually try to win a prize for me!"

He blinked. "Oh, I know. But I want to." He grabbed the pole just as the booth man handed it to him. "Besides, just take it as a gift in return for the one you gave me earlier." He must've been referring to when you helped his dad as he smiled at you and gestured to the rotating Christmas tree. "Besides it's all in good spirits for the holidays! Two dollars isn't going to hurt me, so go ahead and and pick out whatever ornament suits your fancy."

"Give him a chance. You might win something good," Mei encouraged holding his own prize up again with a smile. "Just try to relax a little and have fun!"

You gave him a look before looking back to Kyl who again motioned towards the game. ...You didn't have a say in this did you? With a sigh you looked back to the game with all the shiny pretty ornaments gently rotating on the tree just waiting for you (or in this case Kyo-) to take home as a pretty little reminder of fun that day. You accepted his gesture to come up to the booth and stand right next to him, f/c eyes blinking and intently watching the pretty tree continue to spin around and round like a pretty plant themed merry-go-round.

"Take your pick! There's plenty to chose from. Get any you want."

Any you wanted huh? Well that seemed like a good option, except you didn't know how good Kyojuro's catching skills were. Looking back at the tree it was a decent size. Not too big or small. Looked just a foot or two above you. Kyo was taller than you as well so the ones near the top would probably be the easiest ones for him to catch as well as the one's in the upper middle of the tree. Trailing your eyes downwards you looked towards the lower middle and very bottom of the tree. Hmm. He could probably grab the other middle ones but the ones on the very bottom branches are no doubt the hardest. That might be something he could do but like before you weren't sure how good his fishing skills were and you'd hate for him to have spent two dollars for nothing. So taking a sigh, you turned back towards the tree and gave a rose brow as you looked all over the fake plastic pine branches as the small machine of a tree stand ever slowly turned. Where could you even start? There was so many in all pretty foils wrapped up like a present waiting to be opened all shiny and beautiful among the lights. Flashy pretty and bright.

There certainly was a decent good amount to pick from. There was some dressed up to look like candy canes, or was wrapped in wrapping paper with prints of Christmas-y pictures. Sleighs, santas, snowflakes- And then there was those who were just wrapped up in shiny metallic or glittery wrapping paper without any patterns or prints. Plainer looking but still beautiful ornaments. But there wasn't really any you could pick right away. They all looked pretty so it was hard to chose. How were you to chose? Any one could be very special- F/c eyes paused at the sight of red and white. At first you blinked and almost didn't pay attention to it, just writing it off as another pokeball dressed up to look like a peppermint candy, but then a flash of..black?? You blinked at the ball that vanished behind the tree as it rotated before coming back around as you blinked. This one looked-...Totally different. It wasn't wrapped up in printed or shiny or patterned wrapping paper. In fact...it wasn't wrapped up at all. You blinked as on the lowest branch of the tree was an ordinary black ornament with no decoration but a single long red ribbon wrapped around itself. No wonder you got a glimpse of black...This one was the only one that wasn't fancy like the others. Kyo seemed to watch your eyes and also latched onto the ball that went to rotate around the back of the tree again, before pointing a hand at it.

"That one seems like a diamond in the rough," he commented as it disappeared watching you closely. "What do you think?"

You still stared at the tree for the longest time before looking back at him and nodding. "Sure. But can you get it?"

"Let's find out!," he cheerfully replied holding up the hooked metal pole. You all watched as he extended the pole out before him and angled it down towards that bottom branch as the ball came back around. Despite his taller height and longer arms, even he had to half way lean into the booth and stand on his tip toes to push that pole right over towards that very, very low branch. The very tip of the hook managed to catch onto it before it slipped from his hold, wobbled a bit on the branch, and then continued to mosey on it's way around in a loop again. "Hey. No worries. I still have a chance to catch it. Let's give it another shot." That was true. Kyo got to have two tries, but if he failed the second time then that would mean that he wouldn't get a chance to try again unless he gave the booth man another two dollars which you didn't want. You all watched with tense and baited breath as you all watched the ball rotate around again and again He reached towards it. This time the end of the hook catching the underside of where the ribbon around it was tied into a pretty red bow around it, and he pulled. The ball slipped from the branch and onto the hooked end of the pole. With a smile, he brought up the ball back to him, letting it dangle for a moment before grabbing it from the end of the pole. "Well it looks like we have a winner!"

"Good job, Kyo! I wonder what it is?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Let's cash in our ornaments and see. Here." He tossed it to you which you fumbled to catch.

You all turned it in. Kyojuro won a small packet of candy canes the vendor pulled out from under the booth, and Mei had gotten a scarf despite the fact he already wore one, and you had gotten the absolute CUTEST teddy bear you've ever seen! So fuzzy and a cute white with a shiny red ribbon tied around it's neck with big eyes staring at nothing. You LOVED IT!!

That's how it was for the first hour. You hung out with Gyomei and Kyojuro until Kyojuro went off to watch a live Kabuki street performance and then you split with Gyomei as you both wanted to check out different sides of the park with a promise to meet up with the others in front of the university at four thirty to get the best seats for the play. The next hour and a half was spent walking around, playing a few games, and buying one of two cute trinkets you stuck into your purse. Along the way you saw someone else whom you went expecting to see.

"Obanai?"

You stared at the familiar short, black haired man whom was standing off to the side of the park where the booths ended. He wore his usual medical face mask and black and white coat. He looked to be standing in line for a hot chocolate stand which with the cold you weren't surprised. He just barely stood there behind one man with a mom holding a baby on one hip while trying to manage an impatient whining toddler tugging on her pants. However the baby seemed VERY interested in Obanai staring at the side of his face. You smiled brightly and turned to start walking on over to say hi to him.

"Obanai!," you called out waving an arm as you passed by walking people.

Of course he turned hearing his name, blinking in surprise as you walked towards him. He turned to face you. The mother turned to hush her child. Unfortunately both turning gave the infant the perfect distance to reach over and grab the mask over his face. It all happened so fast. One moment he was staring at you wearing a mask, and then the next it was gone. Grabbed up in the iron grip of a chubby little hand and yanked off. Two large scars revealed to the world before two hands launched up and they were hidden from sight once more.

Your footsteps halted immediately where you stood stunned. Staring wide eyed at the man whom looked like someone just told him that the love of his life just passed away. His eyes blown wider than saucers, and his hands desperately glued to his mouth.

Obanai didn't move.

He felt light headed. And his feet heavy like cement was weighing him down and those glazed over eyes stared at nothing. He couldn't see anything. The crowd of blues whirling around and meshing together in blurs. A massive buzz of voices like a beehive but those eyes couldn't make out the words on display for him to see nor could the ringing in his ears hear anything over the the pounding of the heart in his throat. Soon a raindrop stained the white snow underneath him. Followed by another. And another. And another until his eyes became the storm clouds and his tears the rain. And the snow his unsuspecting victims.

Exposed.

Panic.

Hide.

Don't look.

Monster.

PANICEXPOSEDHIDEDONTLOOKPANICEXPOSEDHIDEDONTLOOKPANICEXPOSEDHIDEDONTLOOK-

R U N

"Obanai!!"

Your voice didn't stop him from turning around and sprinting faster than you thought the small man could run. Through the crowd knocking over a random bystander who yelled out as Iguro unintentionally body checked him into a nearby pile of snow. Past a few park trees and disappearing into the area of the park that the fair didn't extend to.

"Obanai!"

Again your voice could do nothing to stop his form from quickly disappearing into thin air. After a few seconds of standing there stunned, your legs moved on their own accord. Pushing past people and yelling out apologies to their mean looks as you crossed the pathway and continued to where he dashed off too. Your feet meeting off the path snow with a crunch as you continued onwards into the darkened and snowy park.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

Went the sounds of your feet went following the first pair of footsteps through the limited light towards the destination of the man that ran off.

"Obanai!?"

Your voice echoed around the air as you called out towards him, slowly down your pace huffing and puffing out smoke light a train into the chilly December air. Slowly coming to a stop to look around the area. Behind you was the distant lights of the fair and a few street lights. Your left and right held nothing but snow and bare trees so you kept on slowly following the footprints in front of you in the snow. Your feet making a second paid of footsteps next to the first as you continued onwards. Closer and closer to where the man disappeared off too.

"Obanai?"

Your voice softer carrying over the area as f/c eyes looked over the cold space. No answer as you looked and looked and walked and walked. F/c eyes keeping an eye on the footprints still ahead of you as you walked along.

Until you stopped.

And you stared ahead.

In front of you was another concrete pathway covered in ice, and lit up by a few street lamps. The wind blew a few creaking bare branches of a tree near the path and around it's based was a pair of footprints disappearing behind it, the faint sounds of heavy breathing coming from it's backside. You still stared at the tree like a scene from a bad horror movie. Before you held up your hand.

"Iguro?"

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!!"

You jumped back in surprise from the tone of his voice. It was demanding and forceful but also at the same time panicked and maybe possibly scared? Every other time you two spoke he was softer spoken and awkward.

"I-Im not going to look at you!," you quickly clarified holding up your hands despite that he couldn't see you. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

"Don't come any closer!," he shot back from behind the tree, "I don't want anyone to see me!"

"I won't come closer..but maybe I can help you?" You made sure to stay calm, keeping a respectful distance away. When he didn't answer you you tried again gently. "You lost your mask. Is that why you ran away?"

"That's NONE of your business!"

So that's a yes. And explains why he didn't want you to see his face. ...Face. An idea suddenly struck you and your hands immediately went to the scarf around your neck. Pulling at it and untying the knot around your throat.

"Hey, Obanai. I got something that might help you!" The long scarf slipped free from your neck and into your hand.

"And what's that?!"

"My scarf. You can use it if you want to." No answer back. "It's pretty long so it should cover yourself pretty well....Do you want it?"

There was a long pause of silence. Awkwardly long. About two maybe even three minutes as you stood there scarf in hand. You thought about possibly calling Gyomei or probably Mitsuri as the best option to come help him because to your surprise something slowly slunk out from behind the tree. You blinked realizing it was a hand and arm covered by a black and white coat sleeve. It was held out to you with his hand in a beckoning motion.

"Give it to me."

You blinked but obliged. "Ok. I'm gonna get close enough to hand it to you. Are you ok with that?"

"....Fine."

You stepped a few feet forward and just placed the end of the scarf in his hand- Before you jumped as it was yanked from your grip quickly disappearing back behind the tree with his arm. ...Oh.

"I'm gonna back away now. Ok?"

You got no answer back from him but you backed away anyways to help him feel more comfortable. And there you stood patiently waiting as he was assumedly thing your scarf around his face. Silence was the only answer you got back as you patiently stood there for a long time waiting for him to come out of to say something to you. When he didn't you decided to speak up again.

"Obanai, are you ok?"

"..... I'm fine."

"Ok. Are you ok if I come over to you?"

"You aren't going to interrogate me are you?"

"No, no! I just wanna talk to you is all. May I talk to you face to face?"

"....I guess."

He sounded reluctant to that, so you still made sure to keep a good distance away to be sure he was comfortable enough and if he changed his mind you'd just back away again. Slowly making a half circle, you stepped around the tree keeping a few yards away to look around the side of the tree. And there he was. Leaning his back against the tree with his arms crossed and despite the pink fluffy scarf tied around his mouth, he was turned away from you. But his head tilted slightly hearing your footfalls to acknowledge that he knew you were there.

"There you are." You smiled despite he was turned away from you. "You had me worried when you suddenly ran away like that."

"I'm fine!," he bluntly stated raising his shoulders. "Stop pretending to be worried about me! It's not like we know each other anyways!"

"No. We don't know each other that well you're right, but I was actually worried about you." You leaned over trying to catch his eye. "You're Mei's friend and he cares about you a lot too. Of course I'd be worried for you. I don't like seeing anyone in distress."

He didn't answer at first but his head tilted further that you could see his green eye looking at you. "....Did you now?"

You nodded gesturing to his face. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have come all the way here to offer you my scarf. Does it feel okay? It's wool and I know some people find that really itchy-"

"It's fine. I'm covered so it works." Again he was blunt but it didn't sound mean. Just blunt.

"That's good." The silence then resumed between the both of you as you awkwardly stood there. He still stared at you silently so at least he wasn't ignoring you. Eventually you pointed out the direction of your car. "You know if you need a mask, I'm pretty sure I have some in the medical kit in my car." His perked up immediately in interest. "And there's still a good hour before Mitsuri's play. If you want, we can go get you one and be back before it even starts."

"You're being awfully nice to me."

"Am I not supposed to be? You haven't done anything mean to me so there's no reason for me to be mean to you. Do..you still want to go get a mask?"

He continued to stare at you before he eventually and pushed himself off the tree. "Fine. It's better than using this scarf anyways. I don't need Tengen making any jokes about me if he sees me wearing your clothes."

You smiled. "Alright then. I think I recognize this pathway from when I did my project last month. If we follow it back around it should take us to the parking lot by the university." Fully turned to you now he just simply nodded signaling that he was probably going to follow you.

So obviously you turned your body to look towards them to leave- Except...You didn't count on the frozen ice under your feet when you stepped onto the path. You gasped as your foot slipped on the slippery surface loud enough to catch someone's attention. Your arms reached out for nothing but balance which even escaped you. No balance and nothing to grab onto to stop you from slipping on the ice and falling and hurting yourself on the hard concrete-

But..

No hard concrete hurt you.

You had squeezed your eyes shut hard expecting to feel the cold hard concrete but instead you felt a soft but firm ..something around your shoulder and lower back, and on instinct your hands reached to clutch at the thing stopping you from falling. And your body froze.....Well you weren't fallen on the ground but then how were you suspended in ...air-...You body all but froze up as soon as you opened your eyes and stared wide eyed into just as equally wide eyed mit h matched ones. Silently you both stared at one another registering why yours and Obanai's faces were so close. Until it finally dawned on your buffering brain. GOOD GRIEF!! He must've tried to catch you when you fell but instead managed to catch you and held you in a perfect dip (ironically under that blasted mistletoe as if mocking you and your situation-) and his arms holding you. On instinct your hands had clutched onto his front jacket and his face was looking at you as if equally surprised he caught you like this. The cold wind blowing over you was countered by his warmer breath..before he opened his mouth to say something. Something like 'Are you ok' or something like that, but that wasn't about to happen. He moved but not by his own accord. His foot, which was STILL standing on the same ice you were, squeaked as it slipped against the slick ice and sent him lurching forward until his face collided with something soft and warm...

And that something just so happened to be you.

His face from collided with yours. Both frozen as his scarf being the only thing separating you both. Everything in time froze for the both of you that moment.

There you stood frozen as Obanai stood above you but not on purpose. After all he did just slip on ice. But your body was frozen, numb as you stood there looking up at him like your eyes turned into those funny googly eye stickers. He did in the same. Seeming in shock, frozen in time as his gold-green eyes stared back in the same state at you. Both mind blanks and bodies not being able to feel anything but neither could tell if that was due to the cold or the fact you two were in more shock than if a pikachu had zapped you. Eventually someone did move. You did. Your brain finally processing what was happening enough for common sense to finally return to your thought process and you moved your head back. Freeing your face from his that was thrown forward from the trip, his soft black hair that hung off him tickled your forehead as it brushed against it from the moment you pulled back. The action seemed to make himself overcome the shock as well, after a moment righting his weight and yours up and slowly retracting his hands from the you to rest at the front of his body.

And you both stared at one another.

And then your brains finally processed what really happened.

The snowflakes and cold air colliding with his face couldn't extinguish the fire that froze in his cheeks as they instantly lit up the brightest shade of pink you've ever seen. But it wasn't just his face. His ears and whole face was now a pretty primrose pink instead of the usual complexion they were every other time you've seen him. And he suddenly reacted. You jumped when a gloved hand of his slapped over his covered face and his face gained a flustered expression as he just stood there.

After a while of you both still not moving you slowly held up your hands. "I-Iguro? Are you OK-"

"I'M SORRY!!" You blinked and leaned back as he bowed up and down so fast you didn't think it was humanly possible. "IM SORRY!! DON'T TELL MITSURI!! I DIDN'T MEAN TOO! ILL DO ANYTHING!! DONT TELL MEI!!"

"Obanai!! OBANAI STOP!!" You had to physically grab him by the shoulders again when he leaned back up to stop him from bowing anymore and forced to look at you. "It was an accident. We slipped on ice. You're fine." Slowly you let go of his shoulders as he still stared. "Nothing happened. If you don't want to tell anyone else about this embarrassing situation then I promise you I won't. In fact let's forget that ever happened ok?" You jabbed a thumb behind you. "I have a first aid kit in my care, and I'm sure I have some medical masks. How about we go get you one and then just go meet up with everyone else?"

Stiffly and slightly shaken he nodded silently and you turned to start leading the way. This time keeping an eye out for any ice this time and he slowly followed behind. A few steps in Kabauramaru poked his head out and gave him a look-

"Don't gi-give me that look!" His hand gently forced him back under his scarf. "You get back in there before you catch a cold!"

"What'd you say?"

"NOTHING!"

Thankfully you didn't skip again on your way back to your car in the crowded parking lot. The walk there was mostly silent with Obanai keeping at least two yards distance behind you as you all walked to your beat up, hand me down can where he just watched as you fished your keys out of your purse, unlocked your trunk, and proceeded to carefully move over some of the packed gifts for the party tonight until you spotted the white box with the giant red x. Ah. Here we go. You quickly opened it digging through the box until you found a few folded up medical masks behind the burn cream. Obanai was still there just silently waiting when you finally closed the trunk and with a smile offered the blue foam mask to him.

"Here you go! It should fit."

He slowly took it from you before giving a serious look. "Turn around and close your eyes." To his surprise you... actually did as he asked. ".. Don't turn around until I say so."

"Ok."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously at you.. before he looked around to make sure no one else was around to watch him before his hands even reached up to carefully start removing her scarf. He held it to his face still with one hand before it completely dropped and he snapped on the mask with expert hands from years of doing this. Carefully shifting the blue mask to fit comfortably over his face all the while his eyes never left her unmoving form keeping a VERY close eye on her form but she didn't move an inch.

"....You can move now." You slowly turned around with a blink smiling upon seeing him looking away but awkwardly holding out the pink scarf towards you again. "Here. Take your scarf back."

"Well I'm glad that's settled." You did take it from him, quickly slinging it back around your neck. "How do you feel?"

"Better." He left it at that before he turned around again to just leave. "I'm going back to the festival."

"Ok. I guess I'll see you when it's time to see the play then?"

"..Yeah."

"Alright. I'll see you then, and don't worry. I won't tell anyone about what happened today. It'll just be our secret."

He gave you another look but didn't say anything else as he just turned back around and proceeded to take his leave back into the festival. You left soon after relocking your car and spending the last hour of your free time playing a few more games at the fair before leaving to go meet everyone else at the university's theater. Everyone was easy to spot considering how unusually tall both Gyomei and Tengen was. You found them all just gathered outside the entrance to the building along with Obanai whom looked annoyed made to wait for everyone to show up.

"Oh finally! There you are!," everyone seemed lightly surprised by the fact Obanai of all people spoke to you first with an annoyed look. "The line for tickets is already being formed and we're gonna be late getting inside if we don't hurry!"

"I'm sorry. I'm here now though so we can just go get in line."

His hand pointed at you. "Don't do that again. I was this close to just finding you myself and dragging you back!"

You didn't complain when he turned to quickly step towards the already forming line before Sanemi gave you a confused brow. "The fuck was that about?"

You shrugged. "He probably just wants to get a good seat."

Sanemi hummed again but didn't press the issue when everyone else was being ushered towards the line. Standing in line and paying the twenty five dollar entrance fee to be allowed in lead you to the inside of the theater once more only this time it was much more crowded than usual. You ended up getting wedged in a seat between Giyuu and a random stranger near the middle of the rows of seats waiting for everyone to get settled and for the play to start. You thought you also spotted Mitsuri's brother and parents sitting in the rows in front of you but it was dark to tell. What you did notice was Obanai taking out his phone to either record or take pictures of the play (or more specifically his girlfriend). Which was sweet.

You hadn't ever seen the play before so you weren't exactly sure what was going on during some stages of the dancing or what the dancers were supposed to be doing, but it was beautiful none the less especially with Mitsuri dancing in the spotlight in her beautiful dress and make up. She was rather stunning and you could see how Obanai was a lucky man...And the rest of your friends too of course. The play went off without a hitch ending with the cast all bowing to the audience cheering and clapping for the performance of the night.

"You were great Mitsuri! I didn't know you could dance like that!"

You all found yourselves in front of the university waiting for Mitsuri to come out and join you all which she did after twenty minutes. With her face still glittery from the performance makeup and a giant bouquet of roses someone else had gifted her for the perfect performance. Of course she gushed at your words, giving a small happy squeal of delight.

"THANK YOU!! IM SO HAPPY YOU MADE IT!! ARE YOU STILL COMING TO MY PARTY?!"

"Of course I am!...But there is one problem." You embarrassedly rubbed your neck. "I dunno where you live."

"That's ok! You can follow Obi's car! It's not even that far from here honestly!"

"Ok. Sounds like a plan."

Sounded like a plan but it was easier said than done trying to follow Obanai's van through the dark snowy evening. Luckily you were still carpooling Kyojuro whom turned out had incredibly good night vision and was able to help you point out where you needed to go and you were easily able to find the Kanroji's family home. Decorated with shiny Christmas lights and a big wreath hung up onto the door.

Oh. That was lovely but not as lovely decorated as the inside was. With a large pink Christmas tree(you were surprised Mitsuri would decorate her house in pink Christmas decorations) decked out in silver ornaments and tinsel, garlands everywhere one looked, cutesy gingerbread men shaped throw pillows on her sofa, and much much more. Kyojuro helped you bring in two large paper bags again to which Mitsuri and Suma instantly perked up immediately when seeing it.

"HA! What's that?! More mochi cakes?!," Suma asked with wide eyes practically drooling at the thought of more of your yummy desserts.

You smiled at her. "Nope but it is for you guys!" You continued already reaching into the bag to go fishing for the gifts. "They're Christmas presents!"

You pulled out the first one which happened to be Giyuu's to which you handed over to him and watched as with happy eyes he opened it to reveal the old tsume shogi board game you'd found. Shinobu mentioned once that it was his favorite game and you promised to play it with him sometime as he stared wide eyed at you. Kanae and Shinobu was next and both sisters lit up when finding out about the matching butterfly earrings you got for them. Kyojuro instantly lit up upon seeing the sake you gave him immediately holding up his bottle and shouting-

"I'll get another one and we'll use these for our New Year's festivities!"

Sanemi just looked stunned by the cute wooden beetle in his hands after you explained that Kanae mentioned him having a few pet beetles at home, but it didn't stop him from turning a bright pink. You were going to give him the silver chain you'd bought earlier but you didn't think he'd like it since Sanemi never wore any jewelry. Instead you gifted the chain to Tengen along with the new paintbrushes to which he immediately put on commenting on how 'flashy' it looked on him. Makio and Hinatsuru gushed over the amber and Ruby pendants and Suma all but death hugged you crying over the sapphire ring she had gotten. Makio pulled her off you but you were pulled into another death hug as soon as Mitsuri sat the cute Hi Kitty sweater underneath reindeer wrapping paper. This time it was Giyuu who saved you before you could pass out from lack of air.

That means there was only two gifts left.

"Merry Christmas, Honey." Gyomei blinked down at his hands when you placed a wrapped rectangle shape in them. "I got you something I really think you'd like."

"Oh? A gift for me. How thoughtful." His smile was already there as you watched him unwrap it and feel a hand across the cover. "Oh. A book."

"Nansō Satomi Hakkenden to be exact. You said you've been wanting to read it and it took me a while-" He looked back to you in surprise. "-but I found one that was in brail for you. Y'know..So you could read it."

He continued to stare at your direction before he turned his face back down towards the book in his hands again. Feeling the soft hardback in his grasp before he smiled. "I think...this is the most thoughtful gift anyone's ever given me." You blinked when he suddenly cupped your face. "Thank you."

With a pink face you giggled into his touch before smiling. "I'm so happy you think so. I wanted to get you something you really liked." That left only one last present though. You gently removed yourself from his grip to pick up one last box before turning to the room before you blinked. "Where's Iguro?"

"Oh. I thought I heard him retreat to the kitchen. He might be helping Mrs. Kanroji with the baking."

"Alright then. I'll be right back."

With one last smile you took your leave of the small living room to go make your way to the kitchen where the delicious smells came from. Gingerbread, roasted turkey, and chocolate being some of the few smells you smelt before poking your head into the kitchen area. You saw an older woman in an apron who was pushing a gingerbread man shaped cookie cutter into light brown dough on the table and across from her stirring a pot on the stove was an older man whom had the same eyes as Mitsuri. He noticed you first looking up towards the doorway with a smile.

"Hello there, Young Lady," he greeted which made his wife look over. "You must be the new girlfriend my daughter's been going on about. Don't think we've seen each other since that nice Rengoku family hosted Halloween."

'Girlfriend'? You brushed it off think he must've been mistaken or he was referring to you as one of Mitsuri's girlfriends as the platonic way. "Sorry. I'm looking for Iguro. Someone told me he was in the kitchen."

"Oh. He's in the backyard roasting the ham on the grill. It always tastes better when it's cooked over an open fire. You can go through the backdoor there and find him." He gestured to a door against the wall you hadn't noticed before.

"Oh. Thank you."

Leaving the couple behind you made for the door thankful that you hadn't removed your coat yet. Opening up the door you were met with a snowy backyard with a fence, a big grill with a full on ham being cooked over it, and Obanai standing next to said grill looking surprised to see you. You stared back at him ..and tried to not to laugh seeing the pink frilly apron tied over his coat with his black hair pulled up into a bun, and a pair of kitty paw oven mitts adorning his hands as he stood there staring at you. His snake was poking itself cutely under his chin and looked he was wearing a fuzzy socks Obanai had cut the tip off of to shove over him.

He stared at you with comically large eyes, probably turning to you when he heard the door open before he sputtered. "W-What are you doing here?!" He quickly accused pointing a cute mitten at you. "No one's supposed to be here until we're done cooking!"

You decided not to laugh and instead smiled at him holding up his gift. "I brought you a present!"

...He blinked. "A what?"

"A present! Y'know. A gift?," you said stepping forward to hold out the box. "Here. I got this for you. Merry Christmas, Obanai."

His brows rose once more. Looking at you, then the gift, then you, then the box again..and then finally back to you raising one brow high in confusion. "A gift? Why would you get me anything? We aren't even that close."

"Because I just wanted to." You held the gift closer to him. "Will you at least look at it? If you don't like it I'll take it back and get you something else."

Again he didn't say anything at first looking between you and the box a few times before his eyes glanced to the ham still roasting over the grilled fire. Not sure if he was contemplating entertaining you or if he was making sure the food wouldn't burn before talking to you but he turned to look at the box again .... before slowly removing the cutesy mitts from his hands and putting him to the side. You smiled and watched as he slowly took it from you. He stood there for the longest time turning it this way and that inspecting it before bringing it up to his ear and shaking it-

"Careful!" He stopped. "It's fragile. If you shake it too much it might break."

...He blinked. Before looking at the box suspiciously and just reaching up to rip the lip off. Peeking inside. .... before he blinked yet again. Just...staring at the box. You stood there still in silence as he continued to just stare unblinking into the box.

"... It's a snake! Or it's supposed t-to be a snake. Tengen told me you liked amezaiku candy. I uh-... I'm not very good at making it as you can see b-but I hope you like it."

Obanai said nothing still, just looking into the box silently before reaching inside the box and carefully pulling out the fragile sugar-starch statue from inside. It was a snake, of what was supposed to be a snake. It was bulging in strange places, and the scales sculpted onto it's body was uneven, and it's head looked like someone used helium to inflate it. Eyes popping out cartoon style. The edible paint used to pay it either was a bit sloppy and chipped and some places weren't even painted. Overall not the best looking.

"Mitsuri showed me a picture of Kaburamaru so I tried using him as a reference..but I don't think it came out too good. Sorry about that."

He just...held it in his hands. Yes hands because he let the box drop to his feet in order to cradle the small thing into his hands like he was handling glass. Eyes wide as the houselights bounced off the shiny sugar it was made from. Like an imperfect statue still made from beautiful glass.

"You made this..." He looked up at you wide eyed. "For me?"

You nodded happily. "Yes! Merry Christmas, Obanai. Do you like it?"

He looked back at the statue awed. "Yes."

You lit up in relief. "That's good. I'll leave you alone now. See you back at the party."

You then turned to go back inside and to let him cook. He watched you go back inside silently staring at where you disappeared before slowly looking back down at the candy snake in his hands.

The rest of the party went off without a hitch. You spent a few hours there before saying you had to go home and being sure to drop your boyfriend and Kyojuro off first before returning very late to your home, dragging yourself inside, and then just plopping yourself in bed after the long day you had.

The rest of that week into the next was pretty normal.

Christmas Day you stopped by your aunt's to give her the present you'd gotten her but she wasn't there so you left it in her mailbox. You were invited by Kyojuro and Tengen to their New Year's Eve party next week at Tengen's home. You finally got to relax a lot. You went out to the park and dinner with Gyomei. Posed for Tengen yet again that weekend and he promised to have it done in time for New Year's which just made you all the more excited for the party. You even got to hang out with Murata after so long of you two being busy and watched him go nuts over the comic you got him. Everything seemed to be going so well!

Until next week.

It was a few days before New Year's and the party, and you were trying out the recipe for no bake cookies from your new cook book (a gift from Sanemi of all people) when you heard a loud knocking on your front door. With a confused blink you paused in your work to go towards the door. You were expecting your aunt, your boyfriend, or one of your friends but you weren't expecting to see the short man on the other side staring at you as soon as you opened the door. You blinked at the thick black and white coat and the thick scarf wrapped around his neck and lower face hiding his mouth from view.

"Oh. Hi, Obanai. I wasn't expecting to see you here." You smiled but you were a little confused by his presence here. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer at first before saying two words. "Totoro kombu."

You blinked. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Totoro kombu," he repeated seriously.

You still stared at him confused at first before it hit you. "Oh. Do you want me to make you more?" He instantly nodded eagerly. "Oh sure. I can do that right now since I got some seaweed. Do you wanna come in? It's cold out there."

He nodded again and you stepped aside to allow him to come inside.

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kkuzushi · 2 days ago

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જ Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby. . .ᐟ

˚𖦹 ‘ Chapter 10 : I’ll wipe that smirk off your face; or better yet, I’ll wipe your entire face off. ࣪𖤐

— PREV | MASTERLIST | NEXT

After going through a(n un)productive group studies with your friends, finals went by in a flash, or that’s what you’d like to tell yourself. In actuality, it’s one of the hellish weeks you had to go through; barely sleeping a wink that you almost resorted to just praying to the gods that you pass this semester. Just almost though.

Luckily enough, you passed with a 93% average. Give yourself a pat in the shoulder because you deserve it! As you pat yourself, you notice a crowd forming on the other side of the room. Specifically where Scaramouche is at.

You didn’t bother joining them but curiosity got the best of you. “Hey, what’s going on over there?” You asked the student next to you. They look at where you’re gesturing before returning to you, “Oh it’s Scaramouche, apparently he’s got the highest in the class—98% average.”

You almost visibly cringed at that information. You won’t overlook the fact he’s just naturally smart, but maybe it’s the knowledge that he’s smarter than you that irks you. He’s probably smirking and boasting in his seat right now like the egotistical bastard he is. The thought was enough to make you roll your eyes and scoff.

The crowd dies down as the professor in front calls out for everyone’s attention. “Just informing everyone that this is the last school day. If you’re planning on hosting a christmas party, you are free to do so for only this week.”

Well great, there goes your holiday break.

“But it’s not mandatory to host nor attend,” the professor adds.

Nevermind, maybe you still get to enjoy this month’s break after all. After all, who wouldn’t love not seeing a certain classmate for a few weeks>

A few more clarifications were made and the class was dismissed for the day. As you made your way outside of the room, you felt a tap on your shoulder. Speaking of the devil, it’s exactly who you’re thinking of—Scaramouche.

“Hey.” An awkward greeting, he knows that. He’s well aware that you haven’t responded to the message he sent you a few days ago, and he knows it won’t be replied to anytime soon as he sees that scowl on your face.

“What?” You asked, making it clear you weren’t interested in idle chatter right now.

“What’d you get for the semester?” He asks, deliberately ignoring the tone of your voice.

You didn’t answer, just stared at him, hoping the awkwardness will just make him go away. It didn’t though, he just smirked at you. Though from his perspective, that was his ‘normal smile’.

“I got a 98%”

“Who?”

“I did–”

“Asked?”

Scaramouche paused at your joke, contemplating whether to laugh or be annoyed, until he realized you were annoyed from the start. He grinned, “Congrats on whatever you got, yn.” He walked away, giving you a short wave.

— ꒰꒰﹒TAGLIST : @raineyun @hayamie @sketcheeee @wraithisd3adinside @heusalettle @liuaneee @yevurin @mywillt0live @kaikaidenkai @alatusorrow @shrimplyasleep

— ꒰꒰﹒OPEN. [ 11/50 ]

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vesanal · 23 hours ago

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₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊The 21st Day of Writemas₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊

Howdy everyone!! How are we doing today? It’s soooo close to the end of writemas we only have like 3 days left!! Crazy. If you are still interested in seeing the rules or wanna join here is the invite post! Today these are my prompts! <3

Prompts used:

Feeling: The hum of song

Narration: She watched the clouds swirl and dance high up in the sky, as free as the birds playing in their midst, as free as she would never be.

Today is going to be a little short because I’ve been a bit busy this week somehow. Have more Aerlyra because she is awesome and I love her to death :D And oops I got a little angsty on this one.

Read about the WIP here!!

Enjoy! Sending love to you all <3

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Aerlyra sat at the edge of her chair, peering into the small, silver mirror that laid on the table in front of her, watching herself at work. Interviewing her curly, dark hair together was certainly a huge task for her to do. It was quite monotonous work. Each coarse tendril rubbed against her fingers so much that they were going numb. Looping one strand at a time of her black hair over another—repeating it again with the next strand to its side—into an intricate pattern, as she had to do three times over for each braid on her head. So much effort went into braiding together the thick strands. Arguably too much for its results.

Finishing one of the braids on the side of her head, she stopped for a moment to take a look in the mirror at her progress. Only two of the three braids were completed, with the hardest one in the back and the other on the side finally done. Aerlyra let out a sigh of relief. Almost over. She picked up the mirror on her table to inspect herself further, wiping away the curly stragglers off of her light face. The mirror proved that her work so far was serviceable, but nothing too unusual from its usual quality. She was just going to work then home again anyways, and it wouldn’t be all that visible from her from her winter coat’s fuzzy hood.

Looking at her work from the reflection, she closed her eyes. She tried to just forget what it looked like. Perfection just brings pain, but yet, deep down, she still so desperately craved it. No matter how much she denied it. But, she knew she could never be, she was not even close to being perfect. It’s been proven time and time again. It was a hard truth she had to swallow, that she wasn’t going anywhere now, that she was a wash-up.

Keeping her eyes closed, she placed back down the tiny mirror. She began to hum a song as she started on the last section of her unbraided to her right. She wasn’t sure where she heard the song. Music doesn’t come far enough to seek her here. Not many things did anymore. It was her own choosing, anyway. Tears welled in her eyes as she opened them to look at herself when her thoughts got louder.

Glancing out the window before she got up to get dressed, she watched the clouds swirl and dance high up in the sky, as free as the birds playing in their midst, as free as she would never be. She knew it, the tears reinforced that. It was the same as life back home. Nobody is ever truly free. The very thing she wanted to escape, or rather run from, had followed her all the way to her tiny cabin in the expansive woods, just outside of a nobody town that not even a Queensman bothered to occupy.

Queensman. How she loathed that word. Not for what it stood for, but for what it became to her. Just another thing she didn’t have the guts to do. Another thing she failed to do. The taste of the word in her mouth made her feel worthless for even trying.

Smearing the trails of tears off of her white face as she finished her hair, she threw herself off the chair, toppling over the chair along with her, and steeled herself for the upcoming day ahead of her. She couldn’t be late for work, she would like to eat that night.

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kumabeom · 3 days ago

Text

merry and happy - soobin !

summary : yn’s first merry and happy christmas finally occurs !

warnings : not proof read, wc: 1.1k

you weren’t sure if it was the fact that it was so early and the sun was already setting or possibly the fact the entire day had been so gloomy, but something in the atmosphere was just completely ticking you off. you tried to brush it off, but it didn’t work, going to sleep and waking up feel the same for the next day. those days turned into a week. a week straight of feeling weirdly miserable.

each and every year, when you turned your calendar to december, you found yourself with an unknown feeling of emptiness in your chest. and each year, for every single day in december, you tried ignoring that feeling, you tried acting calm. but nothing could possibly calm you down, one the verge of snapping each second. christmas carols unknowingly bringing tears to your eyes.

you remembered why you hated this time around, the month of december was when you broke up with your previous boyfriend. or he broke up with you. he left you all alone on christmas, promising to give you his new years kiss, making so many false promises. he knew he was going to break up with you so why make so many promises.

you sat there in your apartment, wrapping paper on the floor and a box full of goodies set apart. it was the 23rd and you were just ready to get the holiday season done with, you were wrapping soobin’s last gift, you had around 3 gifts ready for him and you decided, very last minute, to give him one more gift. you weren’t sure why the idea of soobin made you automatically want to gift him so many presents, and as much as you hated the holiday season, you couldn’t help but warm up to the idea of shopping for your boyfriend.

speaking of your boyfriend, you heard the door of your apartment open, automatically looking over your shoulder and rushing to wrap the rest of the gift before he could make his way over. carefully yet quickly finishing the gift, placing a little sticker on the box ‘to : soobie <3 from : the love of your life.’ you couldn’t help but let out a little giggle as you even placed a heart next to your name. soobin eventually stood right behind where you were sitting looking at the weirdly perfectly wrapped present.

“another one? didn’t you place one under the tree for me the other day..?” soobin couldn’t help but let his curiousity begin to run rampant, had the two of you made a deal to give each other more gifts than planned. he watched as you nodded your head, placing the present down underneath the christmas tree that the two of you decorated a few days ago.

“i did.. but i found a few things that i thought you would like, so i couldn’t help but buy it..” soobin walked up next to you, admiring the lit up christmas tree in all its glory.

“it that so, baby.. but you know.. just spending christmas with you would be so ideal.. we can stay inside, apparently we’re supposed to get a white christmas.. so i was kinda planning that we bake cookies on christmas eve, eat dinner together, and maybe— if you want— we can spend the night together, and then on christmas day we could spend time together and watch a christmas movie.. lounge around a bit… only if you want to..” soobin shyly commented, he knew about your peculiar negative feelings towards the christmas season and he truly wanted to play it safe. he couldn’t bear to lose you, he really loved you and he was happy to see where your relationship was headed.

“ooh! on christmas eve, maybe we can make a list of all the christmas movies we want to watch and then we’ll spend all night watching the trailers and seeing which one is the best !” you highlighted, feeling soobin’s arm wrap around your waist. he felt your entire attitude towards christmas completely changed. why was it that you weren’t complaining at the idea of watching a movie together, especially knowing that there would be a few christmas carols in them.

when christmas eve arrived, soobin was outside of your door by evening, the sun already down, the moon partaking as its part of the whole ordeal was occurring. soobin was dressed in a red sweater, black pants keeping his sweater a bit tucked in. you ran to open the door, soobin noticing that the two of you were matching. the only difference was that

you wore the opposite color, and a black skirt. he saw cute little ribbons in your hair, a small yet meaningful chuckle leaving his mouth as he admired your beauty. going down to leave a small kiss on your lips, “how’s my baby doing?”

“good ! i was just preparing a few things. i put all the baking supplies out- oh ! and after you left yesterday, i went to the store and i got these cute cookie decorating kits !” soobin could’ve sworn, in the past few years when he was nothing more than just a friend, he had never seen you so happy for christmas. he loved it, he loved seeing you enjoy such a jolly season.

“really baby? why don’t you go ahead and show me?” you couldn’t help but blush at soobin’s use of pet names. there was just something in your heart that fueled the love you already had for soobin. you let him into your apartment, and immediately led him into the living room, grabbing an open box. you pulled out the contents of the box and showed soobin the cookies that were precut, sprinkles that came in a separate container, and icing along with piping bags. soobin felt a tug at the corner of his mouth, his arm sneaking around your waist. “what’s got you so eager this christmas, baby?”

“i dunno.. usually i just don’t really like it.. but i don’t know.. this year, you’re here… it doesn’t feel as lonely as it usually does.. i dunno.. even the lights look so pretty, and when i hear the carols.. they don’t make me want to cry.” you commented, small joyful tears reaching your cheek, fully pulling soobin into a hug. shit. he didn’t expect your heartwarming response, it was all so overwhelming, but in a really happy way.

“thank you so much, baby.. my christmas is merry because you’re by my side.” soobin pressed one last kiss to your lips. before placing an apron on you and himself, wiping your tears and kissing them away. he was ready to have such a beautiful christmas with you, starting off by decorating cookies.

©️kumabeom

permanent taglist : @run2seob @soobadooba @mrsyawnzzn @matcha-binz @tinyelfperson @strwbrrykthv @bloomngspring

#tomorrow x together #txt #txt imagines #txt fluff #tomorrow x together imagine #txt soobin #txt x reader #soobin fic #txt soobin fluff #tomorrow x together soobin #soobin x reader #soobin scenarios #soobin fluff #choi soobin

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thefandomsfervent · 3 days ago

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Viktor x Reader Personal Pigments (Part 15) - Rich Gold

This is a jayvik x reader fic now but it'll still be labeled as a Vik Fic until it's fully implemented. Ft. a visit from Mel! Find my imagine that inspired it here. Previous and next chapter will be linked at the bottom.

Planning on writing as much as I can this weekend to post in bulk before Christmas week, I'll be traveling a distance away and can't bring my laptop with me.

stay tuned and Thank you for reading <3

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The two men had been working over there for the last hour. The last thirty minutes of which they had spent muttering too quietly to discern. When you cast a look their way, curious about the whispering, you are presented with something very interesting. Jayce was standing by Viktor’s chair, his hand tracing a pattern you couldn’t make out on the lithe man’s back. That usually would not be cause for concern, it wasn’t something you had really seen before but nothing that risqué. The fact that Jayce was bent down by Viktor’s face whispering something that made his pale skin glow red? That was new. And intimate. And something you probably shouldn’t be seeing.

It stirs a warmth deep in your stomach that you furiously try to tamp down. Whatever was happening over there was not your concern. The sketch you were working on was. When you had shown Viktor and Jayce your sketchbook they both lingered at the same spot. Answer enough. You had several iterations of it sketched out, that should have been a sign. You’ve had this happen before though. Where your subconscious had fully decided on something, and pushed it to you again and again, and it took something else to make you realize that you already knew what you wanted. So you tear your gaze away from whatever flirtations the two were engaging in to go back to your sketch.

General composition confirmed. Now you need to decide on little details. Foxgloves for ambition. Or Hollyhock? The former also could represent ambition for another person, not just your own glory. Fitting for their commitment to each other and their Hextech dream. Golden Rod for encouragement and Grapes for charity. King Cup for yellow to go with the Golden Rod, and to represent their wish for it to prosper. Purple or yellow for the Carnations to show pride? So many options. The petals of all of these flowers and more were sketched out in front of you. Changing their colors, layering, placement. Part of your panic in selecting a final composition earlier was knowing that Mel would be visiting today.

She had come in a few days ago looking for Jayce. Something about their next council meeting, What to and not to say. Who to kiss up to. Who to placate. Versing him, and Viktor by association, on the proper etiquette. Viktor had told you once that Jayce already knew everything he really needed to know from his patrons the Kirramans. Yet he listened to her with rapt attention. When she was done with them she floated by your station, ever graceful steps on the tile. Her jewelry clinked softly with each movement, like a quiet chorus of bells and crystals. Something about her presence was anxiety inducing and enchanting all at the same time. She thrummed with something otherworldly.

Mel had set a date and time for her to visit with you, something that you considered a luxury. A councilor taking interest in your art was one thing. The idea had crossed your mind when you had applied for this project, part of why you had considered it in the first place. Not to climb any ladders, but to make sure you could stay here in Piltover. Now you were teetering on an edge of potential friendship or securing stability. You felt that you were not one whose words were graceful enough to secure, well, anything. Felt that your skills laid in your hands. Hands that you were doing your best to keep moving despite the appointment you had set grew closer and closer to the present.

You were finally hitting a groove when there was a familiar sound pulling you away from the sketchpad. A scraping sound. The lab door is opening and Mel’s gentle footsteps clack against the tile floor. Smooth and swift movements to cross over the lab. She held a box in one hand. This time she didn’t immediately stop at Jayce’s or Viktor’s station. Direct line of motion to you. You stand and brush your hands against your slacks. When you glance in the men’s direction, they had separated and turned to the both of you. You realized that you did not know if Mel was aware of how deep their partnership ran. A blush on both their faces. It was cute and you try not to smile at the sight. You instead shift your gaze to Mel and offer her your smile instead.

“Forgive the intrusion,” her voice like honey, “are you ready?”

“Yes! Just a moment.” You’re grabbing a pouch and sketchbook. Today was going to be more of a walk-and-talk situation, you doubted you’d have the time to really draw anything. Still, you wanted to be prepared. As you’re gathering your supplies you hear Mel talking with Viktor and Jayce.

“Councilor Hoskel sends his regards.” You turn to see Jayce opening the box, the largest bottle of wine you had ever seen and two glasses inside. Piltover’s iconic gold filigree crawling up the bases, stems, and swirling around the bottom of the bowls. Expensive.

“Whatever for?” Viktor’s holding one of the glasses now, turning it in the light of the lab. Watching as it glitters, it seems that there may be small jewels set into the whorls and swirls. Very expensive.

“Truth be told, it’s a set he gave me. I thought that it would be better enjoyed here. I know that these meetings are growing repetitive. Consider it an incentive to continue your hard work.” Usually Viktor would scoff and mutter some reply about how they did not need incentives, but he’s eyeing the bottle of wine. It’s Jayce who stutters out their thanks and puts the box on the table behind him.

Mel just nods, pristine and simple before turning to you. “Shall we?” You give Viktor and Jayce a nod of your own and trail behind her when she starts walking towards the door. The two of you make your way to the hallway.

“Thank you for making time for this Counc-,” Her head tilts with her raised brow. “Mel.”

“Despite the finery and brilliance here in Piltover it is hard to find minds worth talking to.” Your cheeks heat. That was a compliment right? “If those two let you stay with them, then you must be intriguing.”

“I’m just painting.” It’s hard to keep the doubt out of your voice. Doubt that she thinks you are worth spending her little free time with. Doubt that Jayce and Viktor find you intriguing.

“You have grown close with them. I'm glad. The two are so busy I worry that they forgot how to make friends.” When she notices you falling behind she slows her pace. Having you at her side like you were equals.

“You're a friend too aren't you?” A genuine question. Jayce had a crush yes, but her frequent visits didn’t imply to you that she returned the sentiment. Her energy was so kind, warm like the sun. It was hard for you to believe that she didn’t want companionship.

“Mmm. Perhaps. I'm not sure both of them would agree with that." You both give faint laughs at that. She continues. “I would like to be a friend to you though. We will need to find time to paint together soon.” The statement settles around your shoulders, the air around your ears buzzing.

“Yes, I’d like that too.” This time it’s your chest heating, swelling at the thought of being friends with Mel Medarda. “Those two could probably use a solo lab day.”

“You know with your skills, you could help promote them.” Your steps falter for a moment.

“What do you mean?” Promote them how? Why? Questions she is reading on your face.

“Job security after your painting is done. They'll need someone who can help them advertise, especially once Hextech goes public.” She says it like it’s the only logical conclusion. Finality in her belief alone.

You hadn't thought about that. Well, you had. When you first met them you had brought it up as an idea for someone else to do. Not yourself, you hadn’t assumed it would be you. And the look on her face tells you she knew that. Like she knows everything. Not in a patronizing way, but in a calming one.

“I’m not sure how they’d feel about that.” They both didn't like the amount of schmoozing they were having to do now. If you helped with anything it could be selecting designs but you weren’t a designer or typographer. And if the other advertisements you’d seen plastered around Piltover spoke for what she would want you to make, it would be their faces. Having their faces plastered around everything is not something you thought they'd like either. This city is all about claiming credit for things that went well and sweeping things under the rug if they didn’t.

“They are fond of you. I’m sure they would agree to it.” You give a friendly scoff at that word. Fond of you? The word makes your heart warm more than it has already. And your face. The upturn of Mel’s lips doesn’t help either. Nor does the hand she places on your shoulder. “Consider it for a friend?”

You’re looking at her hand, her arm. Eyes meeting hers. Such genuine eyes. Green and glittering with the gold in her hair, on the freckles speckling her face. You raise a hand slowly to place on hers. “For a friend.”

“Good!” She pulls her hand away and motions for you to walk with her. “Enough talk of those boys.” You join her side again as you travel around the halls of the Academy. You talk about art, about the pleasant memories you had of Zaun and she lets very little slip of her childhood in Noxus. She shares artists you recognize the names of, some you don’t. You shared that you make your own paint as a hobby. Leading the two of you to the topic of what paints you each preferred. It was nice. Talking to someone about things you truly did understand. Viktor and Jayce would explain their work to you, and you would listen. But finally talking to someone that was just as knowledgeable about art as you were was a breath of fresh air. You were explaining the process of tempera paints, and why you liked making them, not using them when someone calls for Mel.

A woman holding folders approaches, giving you a onceover before closing the distance.

“Elora. Is it that time already?”

“Yes, it seems that-”, she pauses before looking at you again. When Mel nods she resumes. “That there’s been a development on those trade routes we discussed earlier.”

“Hmm, it’s always something isn’t it.” She turns to you. “Thank you for our time today, a nice escape.” Mel places her hand on your shoulder again. “I do hope you’ll keep our talk in mind.”

“Ofcourse.” With that she leaves, Elora following behind her. When they round a corner you can hear their voices talking in a hushed tone. Imports and merchants being discussed as their voices and footsteps trail away. You’re left standing in the hallway. Realizing that with the couple hours that have passed you and Mel had traversed to a part of the Academy you were not familiar with.

A groan leaves you as you turn to where you had come from. So if you had taken a right here, then you should see a vase on your left…

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-------------.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙-Part 14-.-Part 16·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .----------------

------------‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙· Master Fic List *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ °̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥ ♡ ‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊--------------

#I feel like Mel would be radiating arcane energy long before she became a mage and that plays into her playing wolf and fox so heavy to me #I honestly want to write an angsty melxreader fic where she wonders/realizes how much the people around her are there for her and not there #<- becuase she unwittingly manipulated them via the arcane. Not what is happening herebut i wonder #<- <- also i want her to be happy and writing her sad hurts me #fanfiction #fanfic #arcane #viktor arcane #x reader #viktor league of legends #viktor lol #jayvik #jayvikmel #jayce talis #mel medarda #elora arcane #artists talking like artists

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hoonieyun · 2 days ago

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letter from: jongseong ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

on the fifth day of christmas, you asked me what's on my wishlist and i told you all i wanted was forever with my boo... -ariana grance "true love"

pairing: park jongseong x reader

genre: romance/fluff - marriage proposal

warnings: nothing really but always 18+

summary: jongseong proposes on christmas day

christmas herald masterlist ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

word count: 2932

The drive up to Jay’s winter family cabin up in Northern Washington was long but scenic. It had a lot of beautiful sights and fun pitstops that you’d never see back in South Korea. The two of you were vacationing in his home state for the holidays and after spending a few days in his hometown, your plan was now to drive up to his family’s winter cabin and spend Christmas there with just the two of you.

You and Jay have been together for almost 3 years now, January 1st would not only be bringing the new year but also marking the 3rd year of you and Jay’s relationship. You two have known each other since Jay moved to Korea from Seattle and it just so happened to be that your mom was from Seattle but moved to Korea when she met your dad. The two of you have been inseperable since.

Growing up together people would often make comments about how you two looked perfect for each other or just assumed that you two were dating and although you weren’t at the time, you couldn’t help but imagine a life where Jay was your prince charming– until about 3 years ago during your first year of University where Jay drunkely confesses that he’s had a crush on you since the two of you were 16. He embarrassingly tried to ignore it the next day but when you returned with a confession of your own, the two of you would spend the next few weeks dating and this eventually led to him finally asking you to be his girlfriend as the clock struck 12am on the new year.

The last 3 years of your life have been magical and spending it with your best friend who just happens to be your boyfriend made it all the better. Both of your parents already knew the two of you would eventually end up together, the only question was when.

“You doing okay, honey? We’re almost there.” Jay says, his calm voice pulling you out of the memories of the last 2 Christmases that you’ve spent together. When you first started dating you spent Christmas with both of your parents, then the next year only with your parents because Jay’s moved back to Seattle, and this year you spent a few days with his family before making the drive up to the cabin like you were doing now.

“I’m alright, don’t worry honey.” you respond, giving him a warm smile, one that he returns with his own. Warmth. That was a word you could use to describe Jay: warm.

Even on the coldest nights in Korea or here in Washington where it seems to be cold about 80% of the year, being around Jay was the warmth that you needed to forget about the freezing cold that threatened to nip at your skin, creating goosebumps that littered your body. Even when you weren’t feeling cold, Jay’s warmth was able to provide you with a type of serenity and solace that no one else could. Like he was this beacon of light that instantly soothed you whenever he was around. His kind, caring, and affectionate demeanor was what drew you to him. You truly were the luckiest person alive to be on the receiving end of Jay’s love and you wouldn’t trade him for anyone else in the world because he let you feel the love and warmth you deserved to feel in a world that seemed to be freezing over with an icy cold pandemic that caused people to be unkind and mean spirited.

Jay glances over at you with that smile that you loved so much, grabbing your hand with his and pressing a kiss onto your knuckles, “I can’t wait to spend this time with you. It’ll be unforgettable.” he says before placing another warm kiss on your skin and setting it back down on your lap so he could drive with both hands on the wheel like the responsible guy that you knew him as.

After another pitstop to use the restroom and taking photos of the snow covered trees, you arrived at the cabin just a few hours before the sun would start to set. It was Christmas Eve and you and Jay planned to just settle in and have a calm day when you arrive and on Christmas Day you would have a wonderful dinner cooked by Jay and spend Christmas cuddled up in front of a fire most likely watching a Christmas movie you’ve seen x amount of times.

“We’re here!” Jay says enthusiastically, running out of his seat and over to your side of the car to open it for you but not before puckering up for a kiss as he helps you out of the car. The two of you unload the trunk of your things, just a few bags of clothes and food to last you the week as you’d be there until the New Year. The cabin was beautiful, it was surrounded by the tallest of trees that were covered in snow, several string lights were strung from different trees, and the cabin itself had its own charm. It had high reinforced windows, beautiful oak logs and panels that made up the cabin itself, and near the front of the door you found small footprints in the snow that you could assume to be from a family of deer somewhere in the snowy forest.

As Jay brought your bags and his into the cabin, you quickly check the hidden compartment of the trunk that lifted and revealed a section that was hidden into the bottom of the trunk itself. There laid your Christmas gift that you hid from Jay before you left for the drive to ensure he didn’t see you pack it into the car. You shut the compartment back up when Jay called for you and decided that you’d bring the gift in another time when Jay was preoccupied with something, perhaps while he’s cooking dinner tomorrow.

“Coming, honey!” you shout, closing the trunk and carefully skipping over to Jay who waited for you at the entrance of the cabin with his arms open. You quickened your pace as you got closer causing you to slip on the ice on the patio but of course, Jay, your knight in shining armor, was there to catch you before you could even come close to falling. A gasp leaves your lips but it leaves just as quick when you realize Jay has caught you with his strong arms wrapped around your waist.

“My savior!” you say dramatically, acting like you were about to faint from the situation and Jay decides to play along; throwing your legs into the air and catching you bridal style. “Fear not my lovely maiden! Your knight in shining armor is here to save you from your cute clumsiness.” he announces, walking the two of you and plopping you down onto the couch that was in the living room just a few feet from the front door. “Hey! I’m not clumsy…” you say, pouting.

“Aww, honey– yes you are.” Jay responds, placing a kiss onto your pouty lips in the middle of his sentence.

The rest of the day goes by fairly quickly as you and Jay spend most of it lounging around in each other’s warmth, laid up on the couch with his arms wrapped around you while you watch various Christmas movies.

Soon enough, you’re yawning and looking out the window to be met with the big and bright moon gleaming into the cabin through one of the windows; the shadows of snow falling from the sky bleeding into the moonlight. “Sleepy?” Jay asks and you look up at him, head still on his chest before nodding. “Off to bed we go!” he says, picking you up again bridal style and taking you to the bedroom where he tucks you in goodnight with his arms acting as an extra layer of warmth to the fluffy blanket covering the two of you.

“Goodnight honey.” Jay says with a kiss to your temple, his low and sweet voice almost lulling you to sleep.

“Goodnight, my love.” you respond quietly, sleep soon taking over as yours and Jay’s light snores fill the room.

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s Christmas morning and you’re awoken by the scent of pancakes, bacon, and eggs on the stove; an indicator that Jay is in the kitchen cooking up breakfast for the two of you– before you’re even able to throw the thick blanket off of your body, Jay is emerging from behind the bedroom door and walking over to your with bright eyes and a smile; holding a breakfast bed tray with the most delicious smelling and looking food. Eggs, just the way you like it, a stack of pancakes, crispy bacon, and a cup of hot cocoa in a mug that the two of you had made in a ceramic class one day when you first started dating.

“Babe!” you say with a bright eyed pout as you watch him come closer with the tray of food, Jay’s smile only getting bigger. “Breakfast for my queen.” he says as he sets it down over your legs. “This looks so delicious, thank you my love.” you say, sharing a kiss as a thank you to him for his kindness. “Did you eat?:” you ask and he nods, “Just a bit, don’t worry I’ll bring myself a plate over, i just want you to have a bite first.” he explains and you scrunch your nose at him with a small smile.

You soon take a bite of the pancake’s and it’s probably the best pancake you’ve ever had. Jay was a great cook but it’s the simpler foods that he cooks that is your favorite. It induces a nostalgic feeling like you’re 4 years old trying pancakes for the first time and it becomes your hyperfixation for the next month or so where that’s all you can ask your mom to make when she asks you what you want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Like Jay. You would choose him at any time of the day.

You cut him a small piece of the pancake and he takes the bite before excusing himself to grab his own plate so the two of you could have breakfast in bed together.

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

It’s about 5PM when you’re doing the finishing touches to your hair and makeup for a Christmas dinner prepared by Jay. Your hair is done in simple voluminous curls that falls over your shoulders that hold up the black velvet dress you’re wearing with red bows and white fur accents. It’s cold but the warmth inside of the cabin allow for you to wear a dress so that you don’t freeze to death during your dinner with Jay.

You could smell the food he’s cooking from your bathroom and you can’t wait to eat whatever delicious food he’s cooked up.

“YN, honey! Dinner is ready, my love.” Jay shouts from the dining room and as if you teleported into the room, you’re walking in just as he’s finished setting up the table. He’s wearing a simple white button up that hugged his toned arms and physique and a warmth in your stomach begins to settle as you look at Jay, thinking about a life where he was your husband and not your boyfriend.

“Wow, you look… wow” Jay says, truly at a loss for words at your beauty.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” you say, wrapping your arms around his neck as he wraps his arm around your waist; slowly dipping you into a kiss like you were in a romance movie of a lifetime.

“Let’s eat.” Jay says, pulling out your seat and pushing it in as you sit down; always a gentleman.

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

You’re just about done with dinner when Jay suddenly clears his throat. “I know we agreed to not get each other gifts, but I couldn’t not get you anything.” he says and you teasingly narrow your eyes at him as he grabs a small wrapped box from the cupboard in the kitchen. “Did you really hide it up there?” you ask with a chuckle.

“Of course, I knew you’d never find it because you can’t reach up there.” he jokingly says and you pout at him as he puts the gift in front of you. Urging you to open it with his eyes, watching you with excitement as you carefully tear into the wrapping paper.

The item inside leaves you speechless, mouth agape, as you pull it out. Inside was a glass snowglobe, a ballerina in a pink dress spins as you shake the snowglobe. “How did you find this?” you ask, looking up at him with teary eyes. Jay explains that he spent months looking for it and one day when you guys were in Seattle, walking around downtown, the snowglobe caught his eye. He urged you and his parents to continue while he sneakily bought it and rejoined you all at a food stand.

It wasn’t just any snowglobe. It was the exact snowglobe you had when you were younger and dreamt of becoming a ballerina. Your dreams however, are cut short due to a knee injury, and the snowglobe was the last thing that helped you cope with your dreams as a child. You lost the snowglobe when you had moved cities for college and were devastated when you lost it in the move– and here you were now reunited with the beautiful object that reminded you of your youth and now also serves as a reminder of the kindness and love that Jay has for you.

You give him a tight hug and endless kisses as a thank you that he doesn’t decline, returning with a hug even tighter and accepting all the kisses you wanted to give to him.

“Well, I’m glad you ended up getting me something because I got you something too…” you confess and Jay raises his eyebrows with a little smile as you walk away to grab your gift. You had sneakily brought it inside from the car when Jay was in the shower.

His gift was fairly large so he instantly ran over to you so that you didn’t have to carry it from across the room to where he was sitting; the two of you moved to the living room to open his gift.

“Merry Christmas, honey.” you mutter and Jay gives you a smile before opening the box, mouth instantly open before he could even fully see the item inside of the large black box.

“You did not…” Jay says, looking over to you and you’re just nodding excitedly as he continues to open it, pulling out a glossy deep blue guitar that had little white spots that fall into the consellation of taurus– Jay’s sign.

He had been looking for this guitar for almost 2 years now and had no luck, luckily for you– you were able to find it one day when one of your friend’s was parousing around in the UK. They instantly called you to ask if that was the guitar and you nodded, telling them that you would send the money to purchase it and whatever cost the shipping would be, you’d paid for it.

“I can’t believe you found it, oh my god…” Jay says, placing the guitar on his thighs as he slightly plays with the strings, a small tune rings through the cabin as he adjusts the tuning. “Thank you, baby. Oh my god I’m speechless…” Jay says, getting up to give you a kiss on the lips like it was the first time you two had ever kissed.

He puts the guitar back in its case, “I’ve actually got one more gift…” Jay begins to say.

“YN, you’re absolutely the best thing to happen in my life. I can’t imagine a life without you– you’ve taught me a different type of happiness that I wouldn’t find in anyone else.

You’re the person I look for when I walk into a room.

You fill me with love that I’ve never felt before.

You allow me to make mistakes and encourage me to learn from them.

Growing up our parents and everyone around us seemed to have this premade story that we would end up together and I held that story in my heart, knowing that it wasn’t just a story but it would eventually become the truth.

Our story.

You’re my best friend, my teacher, the love of my life…” Jay says, kneeling down on one knee and pulling out a small red velvet box.

“YN, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?” Jay asks as tears are falling from your eyes.

You’re saying yes before he can even finish the question, jumping onto him with a hug as he chuckles at your reaction; engulfing you into a warm hug. “100% yes.” you mutter into his neck as the two of you stand up onto your feet. He gently places the ring onto your finger and once again the two of you share a kiss in front of the fireplace, snow falling outside, and the moons shining into the cabin through the crystal windows.

A kiss that feels like it’s your first kiss together and in many ways it is. It’s your first kiss as fiancés and you can’t wait to have your first kiss together as husband and wife.

all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3

#kiki diaries #enhypen #christmas herald #en-diaries #kpop #kpop au #kpop fic #kpop fanfic #kpop fanfiction #enha #fanfiction #enhypen au #enhypen x reader #enha x reader #enhypen jay #park jongseong #jongseong x reader

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himbofan · 2 days ago

Note

Hey. Yes, it's me again✨

This time with an actual request tho!

So, okay, this might be a bit weird or overthinking so much, but hear me out:

So, Oda's ability is being able to see 5 seconds into the future, and I had an intresting idea with this ability.

Maybe Oda and reader are already friends, or close aqointances. Like, reader works with him, or often looks after his kids for him, something like that. And they like each other, but don't confess, all that....

So my idea is that maybe reader and him are talking and there is a moment where they are either really close or some other high tension moment and reader is just really determined to kiss him. And Oda sees it with his ability, but reader backs up wery last second. So Oda is left with a vision of reader kissing him

Anyways, yeah, that's pretty much the idea😅. No need to write it of course if you don't feel like it, it's just something random I tought of one time.

So yea, have a nice day, keep up the good work!

Bye✨

omg hi yes thank you for the wonderful request!! sorry it took so long but i really did enjoy writing this one so i hope you like it!!! its been a while since i wrote anything so i hope im not rusty ;u;

This will be set in the BEAST universe where Oda works for the ADA

cw: gn reader, alcohol consumption, kissing, fluff, slightly suggestive

wc: 1300~

You closed your eyes and rested your cheek on your hand, elbow propped up on the counter of Bar Lupin as you idly traced the rim of your glass with your other hand. Soft jazz piano floated through the room along with the quiet clinking of glasses.

Your coworker Oda had introduced you to this particular spot and it quickly became one of your favorites, with a calming atmosphere and friendly company that was greatly appreciated after an arduous work day. It had become a bit of a ritual to grab some drinks after work with your fellow detectives at the end of the week.

Tonight it was just you and Oda, who was sitting quietly next to you with a whiskey in his hand. The alcohol made the room hazy and warm, you could feel the blood buzzing in your veins. You sat together in a comfortable silence, the casual conversation idly ebbing and flowing as the night stretched on.

“So how did that case end the other day? That lady looked upset when she came in.”

Oda sipped his drink as he responded. “Oh, it was fine. She thought her husband was cheating so she asked us to investigate. Turns out he was just planning a surprise party for her with her sister.”

You snorted lightly and glanced sideways at him. “So she asked the Armed Detective Agency? Doesn’t that seem like overkill? Also, I thought we didn’t take those kinds of requests.”

He shrugged.

“She offered a large amount of money, and the budget was tight this month.”

You closed your eyes and put your hand on your chin in fake deep thought.

“What do you think did us in? Kunikida snapping a whole box of pens in a week, Ranpo’s emergency snack budget, or the Port Mafia raid two weeks ago?”

He exhaled lightly through his nose amusedly. “Hm, hard to say. It could’ve been anything.”

To a stranger, his face looked stoic, even unamused. But you could tell he was enjoying this conversation, from the slight turn of his lips to the sparkle of amusement in his eye.

He always looked handsome, but somehow in the cozy light and warm atmosphere, he looked even more attractive than normal. The soft light illuminated his red hair, contrasting beautifully with his deep blue eyes. You couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol, but you simply couldn’t tear your eyes away from him.

“Is there something on my face?” His deep voice snapped you out of your daydreaming, face burning up as you cleared your throat and immediately averted your gaze.

“Oh no no, there’s nothing.”

Staring at your twiddling thumbs, you took a deep breath and steeled the courage to look up at him.

“I just…. wanted to say how much I appreciate you.”

He turned to look at you curiously, your heart thundering in your ears as you made eye contact.

“I used to be intimidated by you to be honest, but you’re actually really kind and easy to talk to….”

You fiddled nervously with your empty glass as he fully turned to face you.

“I really enjoy working with you and I hope that we can work together for a long time.”

You felt your face burning, heart about to explode out of your chest as you rambled. The truth was you liked him more than just as a coworker, or even a friend. Your heart ached when you saw him, nerves jolting throughout your whole body when you accidentally brushed hands grabbing some papers from him or helping on a mission. You were terribly in love with Oda Sakunosuke, and you couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’m happy to hear you say that… and I enjoy working with you too.”

He smiled, a rare full smile that made you warm and fuzzy from your head to your toes.

Your body moved closer to him, eyes flitting nervously from his lips to his eyes. It was almost like you were magnetized to him, all reason thrown out the window as you leaned in.

His eyes widened as his ability activated and a vision came to him.

In the hazy light, you were inches away from his face, looking bashfully up towards him as your soft-looking lips parted and you closed your eyes…..

Returning to the present, he snapped out of his vision but was frozen in place. A light blush dusted his cheeks as he felt his own heart rapidly thudding in his chest.

You were still moving closer and closer to his face…. but suddenly stopped and stared at him for a second before quickly withdrawing and sinking into your seat. You tried to cover your burning face by turning around and looking around the bar. “Whew, I sure could use a refill! I wonder where the bartender went…” You nervously laughed, trying and failing to cover up the fact that you were about to fall over from nerves, internally slapping yourself for even thinking about your coworker in such an intimate way.

Oda finally snapped out of his stupor and instinctively put his hand on your shoulder to pull you back to face him.

You nervously looked at him with big eyes before starting to speak, your voice almost trembling. “I’m so so so sorry I didn’t even think about what I was doing I don’t want to make you uncomforta-”

He just furrowed his eyebrows and put a hand on your cheek delicately, as if you were made of glass.

“Were you going to kiss me?” You felt your blood rushing through every vein of your body, heart pounding so hard you thought even he could hear it.

“Yes? I mean only if you wanted to but it was stupid of me to even assume-”

He cut your rambling off again by tracing your lips with his thumb, gradually moving closer to your face.

“Why would you assume that I wouldn’t want to?”

You froze, all the panic that you had ruined your friendship immediately ceasing.

“Um well I�� you’re a little hard to read.”

He let out an amused puff of air, his other hand moving to hold yours.

“May I?”

“Please.”

Your eyes fluttered shut, his breath fanning across your face as your noses touched. Finally, you felt his lips on yours, his stubble lightly brushing your face as you kissed him longingly. He squeezed your hand lightly and he kissed you, his other hand still caressing your face as he pulled you closer, kissing you gently but firmly, as if he was holding himself back.

It seemed like an eternity when you finally pulled back and your eyes fluttered open. His face had an expression you’d never seen before; red cheeks, heavy-lidded eyes and a lovestruck expression that you wanted to stare at forever.

“Let’s go somewhere else…”

The next day at work, you walked into the front door of the agency and were about to greet everyone when you noticed Ranpo staring at you intently.

“Can I help you, Ranpo?” He simply smirked and turned to Yosano smugly.

“Hah! You owe me a cake from the bakery now.”

Yosano rolled her eyes and walked away, waving him off.

“Fine, but don’t choose the most expensive one this time.”

You looked at the both of them with a confused look, about to ask what he meant when Oda walked in behind you.

Ranpo’s smile widened as he propped up his feet on the desk.

“Good morning, lovebirds.”

You felt your face heat up as you pieced together what had just happened, pointing at Ranpo angrily.

“You…! Don’t make bets on my personal life!”

Oda looked nonplussed as usual, but handed you a plastic bag nonchalantly.

“Here, you left this at my place yesterday.”

Ranpo started laughing triumphantly while you felt like you were going to combust on the spot and covered your face with your hands.

“Please don’t tell Kunikida.” you groaned.

“Tell me what?” The bespectacled man stuck his head out from the supply closet and looked at you suspiciously.

“NOTHING!!!” “Nothing!~” “Nothing.” all three of you chimed at once.

This was going to be a long day.

#bsd x reader #bungo stray dogs x reader #oda sakunosuke x reader #odasaku x reader #bsd #my work #sfw #gn reader #bsd fluff #bsd oda #request

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greasebabexpress · 2 days ago

Text

Small Town AU (Greaseball and Slick)

Slick and Greaseball met when they were both about thirteen or so

Since this is a human AU, I like to think that most of the characters have their name as their first name with the exception of Greaseball and Slick

Greaseball is her last name, but she chooses to go by her last name (just like her dad)

Slick, when she had been put into Momma’s care, was at that age where she wanted to reinvent herself and was trying to think of the coolest nickname she could think of and landed on Slick

She gets very defensive when anyone uses her actual first name, and will seek vengeance one way or another.

On Slick’s first day of school she ended up in an argument with Greaseball because Greaseball told her that her nickname was stupid and she wasn’t going to use it

In retaliation Slick kept using Greaseball’s first name in conversation as much as possible until Greaseball ended up snapping

“Greaseball is my actual last name, Slick sounds like something you picked out of a shitty dystopian novel”

Slick and Greaseball then got into a fist fight at school within the first three hours of meeting eachother

Nothing bonds two thirteen year olds more than sitting in the chairs outside of the principal’s office waiting for their parents to pick them up and thinking “how do I word my story to my parent in order to get grounded for the least amount of time as possible”

The two of them were genuinely workshopping their stories and swapping ideas of how to weasel their way out of trouble

It wasn’t until Momma and GreaseDad came to pick them up that they remembered that they were in fact in deep trouble

They have been best friends ever since…even if neither of them will admit that they are each other’s best friends

In the current day, Slick has been crashing on Greaseball’s couch a few days a week.

As quickly as Slick ends up in an argument with Momma, it’s just as quickly that it’s resolved the next day

Their relationship is strange as mother and daughter at times, and Slick really stresses out Momma with her antics but they both know that they care for each other

Greaseball however, gets a bit tired of hearing Slick complain about whatever the most recent argument is about

At the same point, Momma McCoy absolutely petrifies Greaseball because she’s either got that look in her eyes as if she’s either about to lecture you or put you to work

So Slick is welcomed at the Greaseball household any time without question

#slicks actual first name in this AU? seraphina #she has always hated it and thinks it’s too feminine #greaseballs first name in this AU? idk that’s up to you #I can’t think of a good one #stex small town au #stex human AU #stex london 2024 #greaseball the diesel #stex greaseball #slick the oil tanker #stex slick #starlight express #momma mccoy

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slaymitchabernathy · 2 days ago

Text

Snow Globe

| "You two are dancing in a snow globe, 'round and 'round. And he keeps the picture of you in his office downtown. And you understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars." |

Soarynn Snow weaves her way through the busy Capitol crowds while doing her best to remain effortless and elegant.

But that's a hard thing to be when it's freezing and you're dragging a four-year-old behind you.

"Mommy, where're we going?"

Soarynn looks up at the gray sky, it might snow today according to their weatherman Lucky Flickerman, that would be nice, a little snow, the fireplace warming their home while they all sip hot chocolate on the sofa. "We're going to the store darling," she tells her daughter, "we have to get something for your father."

"Why can't he get it himself?"

Soarynn often wonders the same thing but she always catches herself, Coriolanus works extremely hard to provide for their family, so on the rare chance like today when he needs her to pick something up for him last minute, she remains endlessly gracious and understanding. Even though sometimes she wishes he could just get someone else to do it.

"Because he's at work right now," she explains, pulling them along the sidewalk, "and he needs this as soon as possible."

Soarynn had been prepared to spend her Friday at home, in her pajamas while making cookies with her daughter Ceraphina. Instead, her husband called around thirty minutes ago, telling her that he needed a gift to be picked up from a nearby department store as soon as possible.

"It's an emergency darling," he had said over the phone, "I forgot all about getting my boss a gift for the baby shower he's having. I already called the store, all you need to do is pick it up and bring it to me."

So Soarynn quickly got dressed and made herself presentable, and then did the same with Ceraphina. They couldn't afford to be as fashionable as she would've liked, but they were on a bit of a deadline according to his urgent tone.

The task was simple enough, go to the department store, get the gift, go to his office, and deliver the gift. In the end, she was a hero.

"So we're on a secret mission?"

Soarynn looks down at her daughter who looks so excited to be running a last-minute errand with her mother.

Soarynn is someone who values routine and she's done her best to instill that into Ceraphina as well. Since Ceraphina could talk, she's gone over their schedule for the week, letting the child know what she should expect for the next seven days. She felt it was good for her young mind to know what was coming, to remain calm in knowing that nothing would change.

Now that she's older, they'll go over their schedule every Sunday night at dinner with Coriolanus, so today's errand must be quite thrilling for her.

"It's not much of a secret," Soarynn admits, "more of a special mission." Ceraphina giggles and Soarynn pulls them towards a very tall building where several department stores reside inside of it. "Are we gonna go to Daddy's office?" Soarynn pulls the heavy doors open and sighs when she feels how warm it is inside. She personally hates the cold, Coriolanus has never been bothered by it but she certainly has.

She misses summer.

"Yes we are," she confirms, walking up to a directory of all the stores, "now let's see, we're here, and we need to be...ah, there it is, third floor." To her dismay, there is no elevator which means she has to walk up a lot of stairs in heels.

She'll be sure to give Coriolanus an earful about this when she sees him.

Ceraphina thinks of it as a fun game though, jumping or skipping up the steps while giggling. At least one of them is having fun. By the time they make it to the third floor, Soarynn is out of breath. "Let's go, Mommy!" Ceraphina calls, running towards the store. Soarynn follows behind her at a much slower pace, "I'm coming, darling."

Soarynn eyes grow bigger when she sees how beautifully this store has been decorated for the holidays, Christmas trees, green garlands, red ribbons, and sparkling lights. She should be taking notes for their penthouse next year.

"We need to find the baby section," Soarynn tells her, scanning the racks of clothing. She remembers Coriolanus talking about how he needed to get his boss something for his baby who was going to be born in early January. Looks like he forgot about that.

"Are we having another baby?"

Soarynn swallows at her daughter's question because she would love to have another baby, or two, or three. Ceraphina is just so perfect so any other children would have to be as well.

"No," she says slowly, "not right now but someone else is and we need to get them a gift."

"Okay!"

Soarynn will miss these moments, next fall Ceraphina will be off to school and Soarynn will be left with a lot of time on her hands. Maybe another baby isn't such a bad idea.

They wander around the store for a while until they stumble upon the section where tiny little clothes hang on the racks. Soarynn can feel the baby fever kicking in, maybe they can start trying tonight. Coriolanus certainly enjoyed the benefits of her being pregnant and more needy, and Soarynn just loved sporting a baby bump.

"These are so little," Ceraphina says, reaching up to touch a small pair of shoes on a shelf. Soarynn smiles, smoothing down her hair, "You used to fit into those, you were so tiny." Oh, she was so precious, so little and sweet. Maybe this is just the push she needed to start trying for another baby.

"My dolls can wear those shoes," Ceraphina points out, "can we get the baby a doll?" Soarynn shakes her head, giving her daughter a soft smile, "No darling, your father already purchased the gift, we just have to pick it up. Now let's go over to the counter and ask for it." They walk over to the counter where a saleswoman is typing away on the register, "Excuse me, my husband called earlier and placed an order. His name is Coriolanus Snow and he sent me to pick it up for him," Soarynn explains.

The woman nods and types in a few more things, "Yes, I can see the order right here. Do you have some form of identification?"

Soarynn nods, "Of course."

She opens her purse and pulls out her wallet, brandishing her citizen's license to the saleswoman who glances over it before nodding, "It'll be just a moment, I'll be right back ladies."

Ceraphina wraps her fingers around the counter's edge while Soaryn puts her wallet back in her purse, "She called me a lady Mommy."

Soarynn chuckles, Ceraphina is very well-mannered for a girl her age but Soarynn knows how eager she is to be older so she can wear makeup and fancy shoes like her mother. "You certainly are a little lady," Soarynn agrees, "maybe after we stop by the office we can get some lunch."

Soarynn had breakfast but that was hours ago and Ceraphina always loves it when they eat out at a restaurant. She'll have to make a reservation for Christmas Eve, Coriolanus already bought them tickets to the ballet since Ceraphina has been begging to go. She's fascinated by the ballerinas and their pretty costumes.

Soarynn and Coriolanus have discussed enrolling her in lessons so this will be a good test to see how serious she is about it.

The saleswoman comes back with a shiny black bag and a smile, "Here you are Mrs. Snow, enjoy the rest of your day."

Soarynn returns her smile and nods, "Thank you so much, enjoy your day as well."

Ceraphina offers to carry the bag but that lasts about ten seconds before she hands it back to Soarynn, "Mommy, what's over there?" She asks, pointing at a very large decorative display near the women's section. Soarynn tilts her head, unable to see what it really is, "I don't know darling, let's go see what it is."

They walk a little closer and Soarynn can see a fancy-looking camera and a large green sofa, and what looks like a man sitting on it.

"Santa!"

Ceraphina runs over to the display, roped off with velvet ropes and Soarynn quickly realizes that the store has hired a Santa for the children to take pictures with. Ceraphina jumps up and down, looking at Santa then back at Soarynn, "Mommy can I say hello? Please, please, please may I say hello?"

Soarynn sighs, these things are sweet but also the bane of every parent's existence when they're in a rush to get somewhere. But she can see how badly Ceraphina wants to meet Santa and there's no one else in line. She checks her watch, they're doing good on time and Coriolanus will understand.

"Alright," she finally gives in, "but it'll have to be quick."

Ceraphina squeals and runs over to Soarynn, throwing her arms around her legs, "Thank you, Mommy! You're the best Mommy ever!"

She's heard that one before.

"Mhm, now go say hello," Soarynn tells her, giving Ceraphina a gentle push.

The photographer unhooks the velvet rope and Ceraphina smiles up at him, "Thank you!"

She skips right over to Santa who looks bored out of his mind but he picks up the act once he sees a child approaching him "Well, hello there little girl. What's your name?"

Ceraphina stops in front of him, hands behind her back, head held high, "Ceraphina Snow. C-E-R-A-P-H-I-N-A S-N-O-W."

Santa looks very impressed. "My goodness, looks like you know a lot. Do you know what you'd like for Christmas?"

While Ceraphina leans in to whisper her big wish, the photographer hands Soarynn a piece of paper with photo packages listed on it. She frowns, "Oh, we don't need a photo, thank you though."

"In order to speak to Santa, you have to take a photo," the photographer says, putting a hand on his hip. Soarynn scoffs, what a scam!

"Fine," she says, handing the paper back to him, "we'll take your cheapest option."

She looks back over at Ceraphina who's still going and they need to get a move on, "Ceraphina darling, smile for a picture!"

Ceraphina gasps and hops onto the sofa next to Santa, putting on her best smile.

"Say 'Merry Christmas'!" The photographer says, clicking the camera. A blinding flash goes off and Ceraphina slides off the sofa, "Remember," she says to Santa, "a pink one, not a blue one."

Santa nods, "I'll tell my elves that."

Ceraphina runs back over to Soarynn, giddy with excitement, "What did you ask for?"

Ceraphina puts a finger up to her mouth, "I can't tell you 'cause it's only for Santa to know." Soarynn raises her eyebrows, whatever she asked for sounded very specific. She might have to come back and ask Santa what her request was.

"Here are your photos," the photographer says, holding them out to Soarynn with a limp wrist and attitude. She snatches them out of his hand and bestows her fakest smile onto him, "Have a good day," she says, walking off with Ceraphina.

"We got pictures?"

"We got scammed, is what we got," Soarynn tells her, flipping through the photos, "but they are very cute pictures. We can put them on the fridge." She hands them over to Ceraphina who looks at each individual photo of her and Santa with fascination.

"Are we going to Daddy's office now?"

Soarynn prepares herself for the stairs and the cold, "We sure are."

꧁ ꧂

After dealing with that snippy photographer, the welcome Soarynn and Ceraphina are given the second they step into the office building is greatly appreciated.

Due to his high status within the company, Coriolanus is highly respected and a little bit feared, which means when his family comes to visit, they're treated like royalty.

"Mrs. Snow, Ms. Snow," the receptionist greets them, "welcome back, let me get the elevator for you, and your coats."

Soarynn shrugs off her long black coat and Ceraphina does the same, thanking the receptionist, "Can I press the button?" Ceraphina asks, bouncing on her toes with excitement. She loves pressing elevator buttons, and it's cute until she picks the wrong floor.

"Do you remember what floor he's on?" Soarynn asks, poking Ceraphina who giggles, "Yes! Daddy is on the tippy-top floor because Snow lands on top," Ceraphina tells her matter-of-factly.

The kid knows her stuff.

"That would be correct," Soarynn says when the doors open up. They step inside and Soarynn makes sure that Ceraphina presses the correct button, all the way up to the twenty-fifth floor. "Can I give one of my Santa pictures to Daddy?"

Soarynn looks down at all the pictures in Ceraphina's hands, there certainly is a lot, she just wonders if Coriolanus wants a photo of his daughter posing with a random man wearing a red suit and a fake beard.

"We'll have to ask him," is all she says.

The elevator dings and they're finally here. Well, finally on the right floor at least.

The doors open up to another, smaller lobby with another front desk and a very pretty-looking Christmas tree tucked away in the corner. Ceraphina runs ahead to the desk and stands on her tip-toes, peeking over the wooden surface, "Hi Ms. Eudora!"

Eudora Trinket is the head secretary of the twenty-fifth floor. She's fierce, well-organized, and has a soft spot for sweet children like Ceraphina who come to visit their fathers from time to time.

"Well hello dear, what brings you in today?" The older woman asks, giving Ceraphina her undivided attention. "We're bringing my Daddy a gift for his boss 'cause he forgot about it," she tells Eudora, causing Soarynn to regret giving her that much information.

Eudora looks more amused than anything, she knows Coriolanus quite well and Soarynn has witnessed her scolding the younger man a few times. It's good that he has someone to keep him on the edge.

"I see," Eudora says, looking up at Soarynn, "well he just got done with his meeting and should be in his office." Soarynn nods, offering her hand to Ceraphina, "Come on darling, we mustn't keep him waiting."

After saying goodbye to Eudora, Soarynn and Ceraphina make their way down the grand hallways of the twenty-fifth floor. These offices are the largest in the building according to Coriolanus who's quite pleased with his own office. There are several portraits hanging on the walls, all of the members of the company. Most of them are older men who either founded the company or have been here for decades.

But the newest painting has Coriolanus in it and Ceraphina loves to point at it every time they pass by. "There's Daddy," she points, looking up at her father's stern face in the portrait.

Soarynn hums and they turn the corner, nearing his office doors. Coriolanus has a corner office that gives him a great view of the city skyline. Ceraphina lets go of Soarynn's hand and runs over to his office doors, knocking on them with both fists.

"Daddy we're here!" She calls, not as quiet as Soarynn would like but most of the men on this floor don't mind, not when they have children of their own. A moment later, the doors open and Coriolanus is grinning down at his daughter, "I thought I heard someone running," he says, causing Ceraphina to look down at her feet.

Coriolanus has reprimanded her time and time again about never running indoors. A hard habit to break apparently. "I was excited to see you," she tries sweetly, pushing past him to go into his office. Coriolanus shakes his head and turns his attention to Soarynn who proudly shows off the black gift bag, "Delivered right to your doorstep," she tells him, smiling when he grabs her waist and pulls her closer.

"How should I tip you?" He asks, brushing his lips over her ear. Soarynn blushes, he's always been so charming, never ashamed to touch her or flirt with her even at work. "I have a few ideas," she mumbles, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

Coriolanus chuckles, "Really? How darling?"

Soarynn can't contain her excitment any longer, she thought she could wait until he got home but she might as well plant this idea in his head now.

"I want another baby."

He sure as hell wasn't expecting that. His eyes widen and he almost falls backward before Soarynn grabs his arm with her free hand, "A...another baby?" He repeats, scratching the back of his neck. Soarynn hums, rocking back and forth on her heels, with Christmas coming up, it would be the perfect gift.

"Girl or boy," she says with a shrug, "I'm not picky."

She walks into his office, leaving Coriolanus to process her wish while Ceraphina runs around, touching everything she possibly can if it's in reach. "Don't touch that darling," Soarynn tells her when Ceraphina goes to touch an award Coriolanus was given by the company. It's a frosted glass ball with writing engraved on the glass, it almost looks like a snow globe which is probably why she wants to touch it.

Ceraphina pouts but doesn't complain, "Can we show Daddy my pictures with Santa?"

Soarynn sets her purse down on the nearby sofa, Coriolanus keeps his office tidy and that includes the sofa and chairs he has in the corner by the bookshelves. "Of course we can."

It seems that Coriolanus has recovered from her baby ambush and he closes the doors behind him, offering her a sheepish smile, "And you want me to start working on your gift soon?" He inquires, clearly excited about having sex with a greater goal involved rather than just an orgasm.

Soarynn smiles sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes, "As soon as possible please," she purrs.

"What gift Mommy?"

They both freeze at their daughter's innocent question, one an adult cannot truthfully answer at times, "Mommy asked for another cat," Soarynn smoothly answers, figuring it's a good lie since Coriolanus would never agree to get another cat. He can barely stand the one they have now.

Coriolanus nods, "Yes, she asked for another cat, wishful thinking if I've ever seen it but thank you both for being so swift to deliver this gift to me. I'm sure my boss will love it."

"I'm sure his wife will love it," Soarynn corrects, digging through her purse and pulling out the photos they got with Santa, "look who Ceraphina met."

His interest is piqued since Ceraphina doesn't meet a lot of people and Coriolanus reaches for the photo, "Who do we have here hmm? I see my beautiful Ceraphina and...and Santa? You met Santa without me?"

Ceraphina giggles from his teasing and runs over to him, throwing her arms around his leg, "Daddy he was at the store! I got to tell him what I wanted for Christmas and then we took a picture! And I used my best smile for the picture, didn't I Mommy?"

Soarynn places a loving hand on Ceraphina's hair, "Yes you did," she confirms. Soarynn knew that they'd be taking a lot of family photos once Ceraphina was born, and just photos in general and she knew how much Coriolanus would want any child of theirs to have a nice, sweet smile. He wouldn't stand for their child to make a fuss or whine about having to smile for long periods of time.

So once she was old enough, Soarynn had Ceraphina practice smiling in the mirror, getting the child used to the idea of using a good old Capitol smile. And it paid off tremendously, Ceraphina was absolutely precious whenever she smiled, always complimented for her good manners and attitude when it came to having her photo taken.

Coriolanus grunts and flips through all the photos, "Quite a few pictures," he notes and Soarynn rolls her eyes, remembering how she was swindled into paying for those. "Well we had to get a photo package," she says, "because nothing is free anymore."

Coriolanus smirks and ruffles the hair Soarynn just smoothed down on Ceraphina's head, "Well you look beautiful darling, just like a little princess." Ceraphina beams at his compliments, she's always been a daddy's girl and Coriolanus has been wrapped around her little finger since the day she was born. Soarynn thinks it's sweet how good he is with her, always so patient and gentle.

He'd burn the world down if someone ever tried to hurt her.

"When can we get lunch Mommy?" Ceraphina asks, always ready for a snack or a meal. Soarynn looks down at her watch, it's nearly noon. "I suppose we should start heading out," she muses, "everywhere is bound to be busy."

Coriolanus takes her hand and gives it a squeeze, "I get off in ten minutes for my lunch break, let me ask Eudora to book us a reservation."

Ceraphina gasps, delighted at the idea of having an impromptu lunch with both of her parents. With Coriolanus always at work, she spends the majority of her days with Soarynn so to have lunch with Coriolanus and Soarynn is a treat as special as any.

"Can we go to the place with the good pasta Mommy? Please, please, please?" She begs, letting go of her father's leg to cling to her mother's. Soarynn softly chuckles since she figured Ceraphina would ask about that restaurant, "We certainly can."

Coriolanus goes to call Eudora and Soarynn keeps Ceraphina entertained by holding her on her hip while they look at all the photos Coriolanus keeps on his bookshelf.

A lot of them are from events at work. Soarynn spots a few familiar faces in the photos, faces she went to school with and now they're working alongside Coriolanus with families of their own. It's amazing how quickly time passes. "Oh, there's Mr. Creed," Ceraphina points at Festus standing next to Coriolanus, neither of them smiling because men never smile for photos.

Soarynn nods, pressing a kiss to Ceraphina's cheek, "Very good darling, and there's your father getting promoted."

They look at the photograph of Coriolanus shaking hands with the owner of the company, Quintus Heavensbee. Soarynn remembers being there for the official ceremony where several men were appointed higher-paying jobs and Coriolanus had been one of them. She had been so proud, so happy for him and all of his hard work. He's worked so hard for them and that could never go unnoticed by her.

"There you are, Mommy!"

Soarynn looks at the next photo which happens to be a photograph from their wedding day. Ceraphina loves going through the photo album from their wedding, fascinated by Soarynn's wedding dress and all that took place before she was born.

The photo is a rather stiff one in Soarynn's opinion, it was in the paper if she recalls correctly and they had been instructed not to smile. Coriolanus has a hand wrapped around her waist while Soarynn stands next to him holding her white bouquet of roses. They make quite the handsome pair in her opinion.

"Where are the photos of me?" Ceraphina demands, trying to look over at Coriolanus who's shuffling through some paperwork. He points at a framed photograph sitting on his desk, "Right here darling, so I can always remember why I'm working so hard."

Soarynn rolls her eyes at his choice of words since he's used the same line on her once or twice. Ceraphina wiggles out of Soarynn's hold and runs over to see the photograph. Soarynn walks over as well, curious to see which photo it is.

Coriolanus isn't the most sentimental man, that's more in her field when it comes to their relationship but she knows how much he values family. She rounds his desk and rests a hand on the back of his chair while looking at the adorable photo of Ceraphina. She had to be at least three in this photo, with her blonde curls and blue eyes.

Soarynn sighs while remembering those sweet years. She has a pink bow in her hair and a big smile on her face. "I miss my curls," Ceraphina says, touching her now wavy hair. It almost looks straight some days which she has Soarynn to thank for. Coriolanus is the one sporting the curls in the Snow family. Ceraphina had them for quite some time but they've disappeared over the years.

"But now you look just like your Mommy," Coriolanus says proudly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Ceraphina shrieks when he blows a raspberry against her skin and pushes him away, "Daddy! Ew!"

Coriolanus and Soarynn laugh and she looks over at another photo she never noticed before. It's a photo of her. She looks much younger, probably twenty years old, well before they were engaged. She's holding Petunia in the photo, laughing and from the looks of it, they're on the penthouse rooftop. She looks so happy, so carefree. She doesn't remember Coriolanus ever taking this picture but to know that he framed it means more to her than he'll ever know.

To know that he keeps a picture of her in his office downtown, along with a photo of Ceraphina reminds her that she married the right man. A man who loves her and loves their daughter.

"Eudora was able to get us a table," he tells her, craning his neck to look up at her from his chair. Soarynn smiles and gives the back of his neck a scratch, his favorite place, "Good, we should get going then."

꧁ ꧂

On the way back from the restaurant it starts to snow.

Soarynn watches Ceraphina skip down the sidewalk while holding her father's hand, pointing at different window displays. Soarynn wishes she could photograph this moment and keep it in her pocket forever.

They finally reach his office building and this is where goodbyes must be said.

"Can't we stay with you?" Ceraphina asks hopefully, doing her best to convince him but Coriolanus shakes his head, smiling at her attempts to sway him. "I'm afraid not my darling, I have lots of meetings to attend and you'd be terribly bored."

So would Soarynn and they still have to bake cookies.

"Okay," she says sadly, letting go of his hand, "thank you for lunch, Daddy." Coriolanus smiles, pleased she's using her manners, something else Soarynn has taught her over the years. Coriolanus loves to be thanked, words of affirmation are the key to his heart.

"You're very welcome my angel," he tells her, bending down to give her a proper goodbye kiss on the cheek. Ceraphina gives him one as well, along with a hug before Coriolanus stands back up to his full height. He grins as he pulls Soarynn by her coat sleeve, leaning down to kiss her goodbye. He goes in for a passionate kiss, one that catches her off guard considering they're on a public street in front of his office building but that's never stopped him before.

Soarynn rests a hand on his cheek and sighs into the kiss, they'll definitely start on that baby-making tonight. Now that she's planted the idea in his head, he has to see it through. That's just the type of person Coriolanus Snow is. When they finally pull away, Soarynn is out of breath, "Goodbye," she breathes, giving his cheek a soft pinch.

Coriolanus gives her one last kiss before letting her go, "Goodbye darling, thank you for bringing the gift." She'd forgotten all about the gift, so much has happened today. "I'll see you two tonight," he calls before the doors to the building close behind him. Soarynn and Ceraphina both wave and watch him until he's out of sight.

"That was so romantic," Ceraphina says with a dreamy sigh.

Soarynn takes her small hand and they begin walking in the direction of home, "Your father is rather romantic," she agrees, watching more snow fall onto the ground. "It's like we're in a snow globe," Ceraphina observes, sticking out her tongue in hopes of catching a snowflake.

Soarynn hums and begins to think about having another little snowflake of their own, a sibling for Ceraphina, another baby for her, and Coriolanus.

There was a time when she dreamed of becoming a mother, of getting married to a handsome man who loved her so deeply. She often wondered how she'd know when she met the one. Then she met Coriolanus and it was like the entire universe was saying the same thing over and over to her.

'You are in love.'

Indeed she is.

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